Celestial Warrior Moon:
Disclaimer:I do not own any Sailor Moon related properties. Sailor Moon is the property of Toei Animation and Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fan work created to celebrate the opus. It is not intended to infringe on any copyrights.
LoveintheBattleField: You know it!
Drew L.: *evil cackle*
Totemo Omoshiroi: I was waiting for someone to catch the Blackadder reference.
Chapter 19
Mercury: Sage of Water
Friday, May 21st, 3:30PM
Naru walked down the street, once again with her head trapped deep in her thoughts. Today Usagi would be going West again to England to attend a ball and protect that crystal. She wished she could go to a ball, but she didn't envy her friend her task. From the sounds of it, things were going to get heated over there. Naru had prayed for her friends' safe return and hated being helpless to offer them any aid.
Oh, that's right, Naru remembered. Usagi had detention for flunking that test. Naru bit her lip nervously. She hoped that wouldn't mess up their plans too much. As she walked, she was unaware of the follower stalking her every footstep implacably.
Nephrite quietly followed her, staring at the back of her head wishing to tap into the answers it held.
"No. I'm serious. Don't get too involved. I know your interest in the Osaka girl goes deeper than what she may know and I'm warning you. She might look like Mary, but she is not Mary. Don't forget that."
Jadeite's words had their way of sticking to Nephrite's mind in such a way he had not been able to rid himself of them. His observations of Naru had just entered their second week and there was nothing unusual about her so far. She also hadn't seen that Rui girl again since, so the enchantment he placed her racket was of no use so far. He was getting desperate now. He knew that Beryl would want results soon, and if she didn't get them, she'd close the operation declaring the entire thing a waste of time. She would rather her generals focus on their main duties than take on extra work that could lead to nothing. This was why he followed her this day. After a second week of having Jadeite's men have nothing to report to him, he was taking things into his own hands to make something happen. The plan was an "accidental run in".
Naru stopped at a street corner and waited for the light to change. This was his chance! He stopped next to her and waited for her to notice. Naru glanced at him when she saw the movement in the corner of her eye and initially looked back at the sign, which still read "Don't Walk".
"Wait for it," Nephrite thought.
After a moment, she looked at him again. This time recognition was in her eyes.
"Oh, hey, aren't you…" She asked, pausing because she couldn't quite remember his "name".
"Oh, have we met, young lady?" Nephrite asked, pretending to take notice of her for the first time.
He scratched his chin as if thinking.
"You do look familiar," he said.
"Masato Sanjoouin," Naru said, recalling. "We met a couple of weeks ago. You came to talk Rui Saiouji about sponsoring her. I was practicing with her. I don't suppose that's not much of a reason to remember me, though."
She sounded kind of sad at that last comment. Naru smiled a little smile at the man before her as his eyes trailed as he thought back. Then his eyes lit up.
"Ah," he said, and turned back to her. "You let me use your racket."
Naru felt her stomach go aflutter. He remembered her!
"Yes! Yes, that was me!"
"I'm afraid you've caught me a bit unprepared. You know my name, but I'm afraid yours' is a mystery to me," he said.
"It's Naru. Naru Osaka. Oh, how have things gone with sponsoring Rui?"
"Well, Naru Osaka. It's going well. Oh, look, we can cross now…"
Nephrite and Naru stepped out onto the street crossing to the other side.
"I just spoke with her coach the other way. They're coming to my office for an interview tomorrow," Nephrite explained. That part wasn't a lie.
"Oh, I hope you'll sponsor her! Rui's a real hard worker and you saw how good she is at tennis. And after your pointer, she's sure to be better than before," Naru said enthusiastically.
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it. I have every intention of sponsoring her. She has a lot of potential. I believe she'll go far," Nephrite answered.
Naru smiled, feeling very happy for Rui right then.
"Well, unless you're also heading over to that coffee shop, I'm afraid this is where we part ways, my dear," Nephrite, gesturing to the place just a few buildings down.
"Oh," Naru said, trying to hide her disappointment.
"Now for it," Nephrite thought.
"Unless…you want to come. My treat," he offered.
Naru beamed at her like he'd just offered her a recording deal with a major music company.
"I'd love to come!" she said.
"So…another warehouse?" Moon asked, surveying their surroundings skeptically.
"I didn't dare take us straight to Keepers HQ," Luna answered.
"Ah," Moon answered disinterestedly.
She yawned and stretched.
"Hey, stay alert," Mars said.
"I am. I'm just a little tired," Moon answered.
Mask appeared by her side holding a thermos out.
"Here, it'll help keep the edge on," he told her.
"Oh, romantic and he gives me presents," Moon said, taking and taking a swig from it.
She made a face, but swallowed the contents, anyway.
"Coffee, eh?" she asked.
"The fickle mistress of the night dweller," Mask said.
His eyes trailed around the inside of the space. It was empty, except for them, a round, wooden table and three chairs. Myddin, Pious, and Jocelyn were seated at three points around it and they were surrounded by around twelve or so figures dressed like hooded monks. Mask could see Pious giving him an intent, suspicious stare while Myddin and Jocelyn simply looked interested.
"High Keeper Myddin," Mask said to the elder. "I suspected I might meet you soon or later."
"Phantom Mask, our mysterious helper," Myddin returned the acknowledgement. "You're a most interesting fellow to possess such powers and always be on hand to help the Celestial Warriors. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"Likewise," Mask answered flatly.
Myddin nodded to him and then turned to Luna. She held up the sapphire crystal
"Ah, I see you're brought," Myddin said.
"Indeed, we have, but you probably already heard about the ruckus we made. It'll be impossible to suppress the media this time," she answered, a bit resignedly.
"No time to worry about that now," Jocelyn replied.
"So what happens now?" Mars asked.
Mars and Mask glanced down at the table itself. It had a round impression made just for the crystal carved in the center. This was surrounded by two seven-point magical circles with many symbols and enchantments engraved into the wood. They were drawn onto the wood in different color paint. One was purple, the other was yellow. The lights dimly lit the concrete and iron structure, casting an ominous glow on their situation.
"It's quite simple. When Luna places the jewel in the impression in this table, we begin an awakening ceremony. If the sapphire crystal holds any power at all, it will come forth," Pious explained.
"Oh, right," Jupiter replied.
Then she cautiously looked over a shoulder.
"And we stand guard while you do it," Jupiter said softly, eyeing every shadow.
"Correct," Pious nodded.
Luna set the crystal done in its designated place and motioned for the Warriors to gather around her.
"Alright, girls. Top form now, alright?" she instructed.
The Warriors nodded. Mask looked away from the table to a nearby corner. He walked over and positioned himself in it, leaning against the wall. He could observe the entire event from there. The Warriors took up position around the spell caster. Their eyes and ears were attuned to every sound in the room. Mask stood watch in his corner, silently observing the proceedings. But for all their caution, they again failed to spot their watcher. It looked down on them from a window. Though several yards away, its eye could see them clearly.
If they could see it, they would liken it to a large, floating lidless eye. Its presence was carefully masked and another watched through its gaze. From his station in a dark silent room, Zoicite meditated. He sat cross-legged with his hands folded in spell casting. Jadeite sat in meditation next to him. While Zoicite cast the Watchful Eye, Jadeite maintained the Complete Cloak around it. Each of these advanced spells apiece were difficult to maintain for a long period of time even for absolute masters of magic. To ask one spell caster to maintain both for any longer than 15 minutes would result in the complete collapse of their mental reserves. So they sat in silent quiet cooperation, waiting and watching.
Myddin, Pious, and Jocelyn linked hands around the table. Their supports did the same. They energies tuned with each other and the magics within the circle. Then as one, they began to chant.
"Nethlek ~ Pargon ~ Redgormor ~ Pargon ~ Pargon ~ Serenity ~ Pargon," they toned.
With each verse of the spell they spoke, a different point in the purple spell circle began to glow as did the connecting lines. Upon the last verse, the entire thing was lit and the power all flowed into the crystal. And it was done. The jewel briefly glowed before it faded.
"The seal has hopefully been dispelled now," Myddin said. "Now to reveal the truth."
The casters continued their work and began a new chant.
"Narokath ~ Pargon ~ Santak ~ Pargon ~ Pargon ~ Serenity ~ Pargon," their voices spoke.
This time it was the yellow magical circle. All the points glowed and then that light glowed into the crystal. It shimmered in the dark as the magics course through it searched for the secrets power that might be within it.
Moon glanced over her shoulder at get a look at the proceedings.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Now the waiting game begins," Luna replied.
Minutes passed. An hour. Moon began shifting back and forth on her legs as boredom set in. Her eyes drifted around the room. She looked to Mask, who hadn't moved a muscle since this began. Jupiter, Mars, and Luna stood vigilant in their task. The fifteen casters around the table were steady in their course. Finally, Myddin broke links with the other two. His head fell forward as he shook his head.
"Nothing. This is a mere jewel. Like any other."
Moon's eyes fell to the ground. She didn't know how to feel about this. She looked over at where Mask had been. He was gone.
"Of course. The mystery man always leaves after everything's over. What did our kiss mean to him?" Moon found herself thinking.
Mars sighed and her body stiffened. The fighting would go on. Jupiter and Luna didn't seem to react at all. Myddin stood and pulled the crystal out of the middle of the table. He reached up and pressed his earpiece.
"Captain Maddock. The Silver Crystal has not been found. You and your men need to return the sapphire crystal before it's too missed by its owners," he said.
"Yes, sir," came the captain's reply.
The men guarding the warehouse came in and placed the sapphire crystal in a metal case that was cushioned inside. Mars looked angrily from them to Luna. Moon hung her head, visibly disappointed that they hadn't found the Silver Crystal.
"So that's it, then? This whole thing has been one colossal waste of our time!" Mars exclaimed caustically.
Luna actually winced at her tone. Jupiter took this opportunity to interject.
"They didn't know. We have to explore every avenue until we find the right one. You know that," Jupiter said.
Mars returned her words with a fierce scowl. She crossed her arms over her stomach.
"If we have to do this every time someone finds a pretty rock, we might as well just surrender because I don't see how we're going to be able to do this and have enough time and energy to keep up the fight," Mars replied with a heavy earnestness.
Jupiter put her hands on her hips and was about to argue back, but Luna held up a hand to stop her.
"No, she's right. We are going about this wrong. As it stands, the entire hunt for the silver crystal has turned into a mad chase with both sides turning over every 'rock' that they find," Luna said thoughtfully.
Moon looked from each of her comrades to the next before looking at the ground miserably. Myddin spoke next, but Moon only looked at him through the corner of her eyes.
"Yes. Perhaps it is time to reevaluate our strategy. The solution, in retrospect, is unlikely to be as simple and yet, fruitless, as picking through the world's supply of precious stones and until we happen upon the right one. The answer lies somewhere, though," Myddin said.
He leaned his elbows on the table.
"Yes, perhaps the answer is right in front of us," Myddin whispered.
While they pondered, Moon yawned deeply. Luna noticed it and looked over at Mars and Jupiter as well. Mars was blinking off sleepiness while Jupiter had taken off her mask and was rubbing her eyes.
"Whatever we do, it can wait for now. I have to get this lot back home," Luna said.
She waved to her fellow before leading the girls out.
"Until next time," she said.
The trip home was unexciting and by the time they returned to Makoto's apartment, they were just dead on their feet. Makoto flopped down on her dead in her clothes. Usagi and Rei plopped onto the cots next to the dead asleep before they even hit the pillows.
Jadeite rose to his feet, and helped Zoicite to his.
"So, the sapphire crystal was not what we seek," Jadeite said evenly. "Well. No matter. It just means they're no closer to their goal than we are to ours'."
"So optimistic," Zoicite teased. "But yes. Tonight's proceedings have been…less than fruitful, to say the least. I will report to Her Majesty. You best return to your search."
Zoicite vanished, leaving Jadeite behind. Jadeite scoffed at his departed partner before taking leave, himself.
Monday, May 24th, Japan Time
"What?! Oh, man, that must suck," Naru said sympathetically.
"Yeah, the whole thing was a total bust," Usagi responded hazily.
The two girls were once again on the rooftop of the school chatting during lunch. Usagi leaned her back against the rails. She looked tired to Naru, honestly.
"What's wrong?" Naru asked. "You want to talk about it?"
Usagi didn't answer at first. She just stared off in the distance with a wilted, bleary stare.
"Usagi?" Naru called to her with concern.
The blonde looked up at the clouds blankly. Her mind was obviously was lost wherever it had wandered.
"USAGI!"
Usagi flinched, her head snapping down to ground level and then settled on Naru in front of her. Usagi blinked.
"Oh, sorry, Naru. I guess I let my head go there for a second."
She tried to laugh to lighten the mood, but Naru wasn't biting. She looked really worried now. Usagi stopped laughed and cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Yeah, something is wrong," Usagi began to spoke. Her voice matched her tired, dull expression. "I…I just don't know if I can keep going this. I mean…with Mako and Rei, I thought it'd get easier, but…"
Usagi chuckled hopelessly.
"Things are anything but! I'd hoped that our mission to London would end all this, but nope. Last night put something very important into perspective for me. This war isn't going to end anytime soon, even if we find the Moon Princess and the Silver Crystal. I…I just don't know if I can keep doing this all the time," Usagi said.
She slid down to the ground and sat with her knees pulled tight against her body. Her arms dangled limply at her sides.
"This really sucks," Usagi whispered and choked out a sob.
Naru then did the only thing she knew to do. She plopped herself down next to Usagi and wrapped her arms around her. Usagi leaned into her touch and the two girls sat there quietly with only the sounds of Naru speaking gently to her friend. Then for no explained reason, Usagi's eyes lit up.
"Oh, yeah! I forgot to tell you! While I was in England, I got to make out with Phantom Mask! It was my first kiss!" Usagi exclaimed excitedly.
"Wai-Hwh-Wh-what?"
"…the police are still baffled by the nature of the assailants who attacked the Queen during the exhibition this weekend. These beings appear to be a kind of reptilian humanoid covered in blue scales. The official autopsy reports are that these creatures a hybrid respiratory system consisting of both lungs and gills, allowing them to survive both under the sea and topside.
"Reports of the incident say that they were able to disguise themselves as regular people, so there is also no telling of how many others like that them there could be hidden in plain sight in London right now.
"However, no official curfew has been mandated, but government officials advice everyone to remain in their homes if possible until the situation has been sorted out," the news anchorman said.
The High Keepers watched the report at their table in the meeting room, each one having a different reaction to the news report from British Sky Broadcasting. While Myddin seemed ambivalent to it, Pious, Luna, and Artemis wore looks of concern, Kratos and Rusila were stoic as normal, while Wren looked bored and Jocelyn thoughtful.
The female co-anchor spoke now:
"Also remaining a mystery are the identities of the outlandish armored women that aided in the defeat of these aquatic attackers. The only other clues behind these warrior women currently are matching reports of sightings in Tokyo, Japan. According to the Tokyo authorities, these women, or possibly people from the same organization have also been seen fighting strange creatures there as well. There has been speculation going around that these new armored women are somehow connected with the now famed Sailor V."
"Now there have been rumors floating around about 'monsters' and strange occurrences for nearly a year now," the main anchor took over. "But this is the first time the authorities and public have been presented with indisputable evidence. This very likely explains the bizarre rash of deaths that have been happening worldwide."
"So the question of the hour is," the co-anchor said. "Are all these events connected? Are there higher forces manipulating these events from behind the scenes? Right now, the experts from all over the globe are being called in to hopefully give us an answer to that."
"One of these experts, a Dr. Samuel Washington will be speaking with us, so please stay tuned after these messages," the anchor said.
Myddin flipped off the TV and the Keepers turned from it to each other.
"Well, that's that. The public's found out," Pious said.
"Indeed, but I wouldn't worry too much about it," Myddin replied. "We all knew this was going to happen once The Dark Kingdom became bold enough. We shall stay focused on more pressing matters and leave ones we no longer have any control over alone."
"What about the girls?" Luna asked. "They've been exposed on live television now, too?
"What about it?" Jocelyn asked in reply.
Luna looked at her oddly, not understanding what the elder woman meant. Jocelyn smiled at Luna.
"It's better that the Celestial Warriors come to public knowledge sooner than later. It'll give them time to get used to the girls. We establish a positive public image for The Celestial Warriors by making it clear that they're here to help, same as we did for Sailor V. Now, we have business to attend to."
Luna still looked doubtful, but she didn't press the matter anymore.
"Usagi, Makoto, Rei, I hope Jocelyn's right about this," she thought uneasily.
"Anyway, it's a load off our back if we don't have to keep every little incident under wraps anymore," Wren said. "We can focus on dealing with the problem, instead."
Luna had hoped to keep the whole Celestial Warrior thing under wraps as long as possible to avoid putting them at any more risk than necessary. Now there'd be people out there trying to uncover their identities. It was bad enough with just Inspector Wakagi breathing down Artemis's neck, but this could become very problematic.
She turned her attention to the meeting, which was about reevaluating their search for the Silver Crystal.
Ami slipped a coin into the slot of the payphone and dialed. After about three rings, the other on the end picked.
"Dr. Saeko Mizuno's office. Mizuno speaking," a woman's voice said.
Ami hesitated.
"Hello?" Saeko asked.
"M-mom?"
"Oh. Ami. Why are you calling me at work? Shouldn't you be on your way to the Crystal Seminar?"
"About that… My grades have all been straight A's. I don't think that I need to go everyday anymo…"
But she never got to finish.
"You're wasting my time for this?! I did not sign you up for that exclusive school just so you can slack off. Ami, you have to push yourself hard if you really want to be a doctor as much as you say you do. It will require many hours of work. Now you get to class, young lady," Saeko ordered.
"I'm amazed you even remember what I want to be," Ami muttered bitterly.
"What was that?!"
"Nothing….er, yes, ma'am!"
"I thought so. If I find out you've been skipping to spend time with your friends, you will be in big trouble, young lady. Understood? Now get going. Oh, I almost forgot. I'm going to be out of the country for a few days. I've been called in with some other experts in my field to investigate the London Incident. However, I will be checking on your progress at school. Remember that."
Saeko hung up. Ami stood there aghast. She just couldn't move for a few moments. Though once she regained enough sense to hang up, her entire being seemed to shrink. She turned to face an expectant Makoto who waited nearby. Ami didn't need to say anything. Her body language alone told Makoto everything she needed to know. Makoto swayed to the right 'til she'd tilted her sideways.
"So you have to go, huh?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah…." Ami answered.
Makoto stood upright again, looking frustrated.
"Even after I told her how your work load there leaves you dead on your feet?" Makoto asked.
"Pfft. As if I'm going to take the word of that brunette barbarian over the teachers at one of the most highly regarded institutes in the city!" Ami recalled her mother's exact words. Ami simply nodded rather than tell Makoto what Saeko thought of her and her advice.
"But, hey, we can at least go to the arcade for a little while," Ami suggested, trying to lighten the mood.
"Okay!" Makoto replied, her mood lashing from gloom to giddy. "And today, I'll definite beat you at Street Fighter!"
"Great! We better get going, though. I don't have much time," Ami said and headed for the bus stop.
As soon as her back was turned, Makoto's façade vanished to a look of worry. She had, from time to from, checked up on the brainy girl after her sessions at the Crystal Seminar. Each time she was utterly exhausted. Makoto had attended many a cram school, herself, and never had she seen fatigue come in such sheer amounts as the result of extra studying. She was convinced that there something wrong with that school, but had no proof to get Luna to investigate, and it was becoming clear that she was not going to be able to get Ami out of that place without drastic action.
"Ah, man! You beat me again!" Makoto complained
Ami giggled at her overwrought display of emotion. Makoto let a mischievous smile cross her face. She reached under Ami's armpits began tickling the smaller girl.
"Ahh! Mako! Don't do that!" Ami yelped and tried to break free of her grip.
Makoto had a firm hold of the wriggling and laughing girl, though.
"Tell me your secret, Ami," Makoto said.
"I play chess! (Haha!) I'm good at reading my competitors," Ami replied.
Makoto stopped her 'assault'.
"Is really it?" Makoto asked, astonished.
Ami held her sides gasping for breath.
"Yea-yeah. That's pretty much it. Chess…is a game of strategy."
Makoto leaned in until her face was level with Ami's.
"Teach me!" Makoto said, pretending to be needy.
Ami laughed again.
"Sure! I'll bring a chess set by sometime. Have you played before?"
"Yeah, but I'm not very good," Makoto replied.
"Well in the meantime, want to go another round?" Ami asked, pointing at the machine.
"Sure!"
Ami reached into her bag which was set on the edge of the console to dig out her wallet. She took out a few things to make looking easier, among which the crystal disc for her cram school. Makoto eyed it, considering taking it while Ami wasn't looking, but then thought better of the notion.
"Alright," Ami said, holding up two coins.
Her eyes happened to catch the clock hanging on the wall. It was already after 4:00PM and checked her wristwatch to confirm to the time.
"I've got to go," she said. "We'll have to do that next round some other time, Mako, sorry."
"Hey, there's nothing to apologize. See you tomorrow, okay! Now get. You don't want to be late," Makoto said jovially, holding both hands behind her back.
Ami quickly packed her things back into her purse. She clumsily stuffed in the crystal disc, but it fell out onto the console countertop when she lifted the purse off it and ran for the exit to make it to the bus. Ami called a quick 'goodbye' over her shoulder before running out the door. She'd just make the bus. Makoto picked the CD and was about to run after Ami to return it to her, but then a thought came to her. She looked around just using her eyes and stuffed the digital device into her own bag.
"Sorry about this, Ami, but grave matters call for extreme action," she said.
She hung the bag over her back and began to leave the arcade, herself. At the entrance, someone called to her. She froze, hoping that no one had seen her pocket the object not belonging to her.
"Hey, Mako, I didn't know you were here!" Motoki called.
She glanced over to him. He was seated on the floor in front of a crane game. Its side was opened up and a tool belt lied on the ground next to him. She could see him working away at something with a screwdriver.
"Hey, Motoki. That crane game still giving you trouble?" she asked.
"Yeah. I might end up having to just take it in to be replaced. I don't know why the coin slots just won't work," he said, looking at the machine utterly clueless.
He turned back to her.
"Was that Ami who just raced out? She was in an awful hurry," he said.
"Yep. Cram school. I gotta get going, too. It's not like I can beat any of Ami's high scores, anyway."
Motoki laughed.
"Yeah, I've never seen a newcomer take to games like her before. She is amazing. Well, see ya later, Mako."
He waved. She returned the gesture before heading out. Once out on the street, she made a beeline for the nearest phone booth. Once inside, she took out her cell and dialed up Luna.
"This is Luna."
"Hey, Luna, I was wondering if you could take a look at something for me," she said.
"Wait, that guy said [but], when did they suddenly start talking 'bout someone's rump?" Usagi asked, scratching her head.
She and Rei were seated on a couch in the latter's living room watching the TV in English. Usagi was taking notes while Rei tried to walk her through the language.
"When you use [but] like that, it's indicating a contrast, like, "I like pizza, [but] hold the pepperoni"," Rei explained.
"Hold the pepperoni? Sacrilege!" Usagi cried flippantly.
"[But] you get the point, right?" Rei asked impatiently.
"I guess. The same word means different things depending on how it's used in English," Usagi said, moaned. "Oh, man, what kind of dumb language reuses the same word for different things? And I have to remember how the different spellings!? …Eh, what is the different between [but] and [butt]?"
"The contrast only uses one 't'. When talking about your ass, you use two," Rei replied.
"Gotcha. So what other words get repeated use in English?" Usagi asked curiously.
"Uh, well, there's [there], [their], and [they're]," Rei replied.
"Of, geez, how do you keep them all straight?!"
"It probably helps to be born into the language."
Knock, knock, knock
"Come in," Luna called.
Haruka let herself into Luna's office, looking a little lost.
"High Keeper Luna," she saluted.
"Ah, Haruka, right on time," Luna greeted. "Have a seat. I've been expecting you."
Haruka obliged, closing the door behind her and taking a chair on the other side of Luna's desk.
"Sorry I'm late. There was a traffic holdup. So this morning I got the order that I am to assistant you in all things concerning your mission and the Warriors," Haruka said. "What is this about?"
"Things have been getting more difficult lately on that front," Luna replied. "An extra helping hand would be much appreciated if you're willing to take the mission. I won't force you, however. I realize you have other duties that you would probably rather fulfill over this."
"No, you misunderstand. I just wanted to things to be clear. I'd be happy to help you," Haruka insisted.
"Good. Now, this is just for the time being. You will be able to return to your regular duties as soon as this is all over. With that out of the way, for our first order of business Makoto just called me a little while ago. She wants me to look at something for her. She should be here shortly," Luna said.
"Whew. I just made it," Ami murmured.
She went over to her desk in the classroom. She passed each row of long tables with dividers set up until she reached hers'. Many of the students had already arrived and were working away at their computers. She set her purse down on the desk to retrieve her disc, but found nothing.
"Oh? My floppy's not here."
She glanced and did a quick mental run-through of the day. The last time she could confirm having the disc in her possession was… The answer wasn't coming, but she knew she had at least until after she left the arcade.
"Did I lose it somewhere between here and there?" she mumbled.
"I'd hate to think I lost it in a gutter for good, because I have to give it back after I'm done coming here," she thought.
She swallowed hard as dread welled up. Her chest felt hollow like she'd just lost her heart. If she'd had to guess, she might say it dropped into her feet, went on past, and into the basement of the building.
"Well, I don't use it that much, anyway. It should be fine for this afternoon, but if I can't find that disc, I'll just have to fess up and face whatever consequences there are for losing it," she decided, trying to buck up.
A hand landed on her shoulder.
"Miss Mizuno," the teacher said.
Ami squeaked. She'd died a thousand deaths with that simple touch and slowly craned her head around to face the teacher trying to hide her guilt, convinced that she'd just been found out before she could properly explain herself. The teacher looked down at her grinning pleasantly, much against all expectation.
"Use the crystal disc and study hard," she said to her student. "You're on a scholarship, so you can't afford to get lazy."
Ami smiled weakly.
"Yes, ma'am," she replied.
"We have high expectations of you," the teacher said.
With one more approving pat, she left Ami alone. Ami let out a relieved sigh.
"I hate to say it, but that disc gives me a headache whenever I use it," she thought.
"So this is the disc you wanted me to look at?" Luna asked, turning it over in her hands.
Makoto and Haruka were standing on the other side of her desk.
"Yep. Now if you find something strange on it will you finally take a look at that school, please?" Makoto begged.
"Scout's honor, but where did you get it?" Luna replied.
"Oh, I, uh…" Makoto stumbled over her words.
"You took while your friend wasn't looking, didn't you?" Haruka asked.
Makoto cringed at the question, but nodded. Luna fixed her with an unimpressed look. Makoto stopped cringing and stared back with a fierce determination. She had to make Luna understand, and now!
"Look. Every time I've seen her come out of that building, it's like all her energy has been drained, just like the Dark Kingdom's victims. Please, just take a look at it and if there's nothing suspicious on it, I'll return it to her and apologize. You can even have your new assistant make sure I do it," Makoto pleaded.
Luna sighed.
"Alright, I'll do it."
She rolled her chair over to the computer and popped the disc in. She started typing commands into the keyboard. Haruka and Makoto walked around behind her to watch over her shoulder as she booted up the program on the disc with her hands just flying across the keyboard.
"Wow, you're really something else, Luna," she said, impressed. "Knowing how to use computers is normal these days, but you're a real whiz!"
"Thank you. Annnd, the program should start…" Luna said. "…Now."
Some text scrolled onto the screen and it began emitting a sound. Makoto and Haruka had to hold their hands over their ears as the wailing pipe organ-like noise got louder and louder. Luna bore the sound while beginning to read the text. Around halfway through, she angrily pounded her fist on the top of the desk.
"Damn it!" she rasped.
She looked back at Makoto.
Looks like you were right," she said.
"What is that sound?!" Haruka exclaimed.
Then a voice came forth from the computer speakers.
"Offer the energy of your brain and knowledge to our great ruler," the synthetic voice said.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding?! A brainwashing program?! This has Jadeite written all over it. This little scheme must have been cooked up before Zoicite and Nephrite started adding their little 'touches' to his operations in Japan," Luna said reproachfully.
"And we've been so busy with other things…" Makoto mumbled, somberly.
Then she gasped, clapping both hands to her mouth as she realized with horror…
"Oh, God! Oh, God! Ami's been using this thing for weeks now!" Makoto shouted.
Luna picked up her cell and dialed up Usagi's number.
"Yello!" Usagi answered.
"What?! Okay, roger that. I'm over at Rei's, so I'll just tell her," Usagi said. "Okay, bye."
She hung and turned to Rei who looked at her attentively.
"What's up, another mission?" Rei asked.
"Uh-huh. Looks like we've got a brainwashing school to bust," Usagi said.
Together, both girls ran out the front door of the temple.
"By, Grandpa, Usagi and I are heading into town for a bit!" Rei called to Hibiki.
"Be careful, you two!" Hibiki called after them.
Usagi quickly gave her the complete rundown as they ran down the stone steps of the temple.
"I know where to find The Crystal Seminar!" Usagi said as they hit the sidewalk. "I've walked with Ami on her way there a few times."
Rei followed her over to the bus stop in silence. A serious frown adorned her features. It took her a while to find the words she needed to speak. She tangled a finger in her long hair as the worry on her became obvious.
"Usagi," she said without a hint of her usual sternness or snide sarcasm, but rather disquieted.
Usagi turned her and was a bit taken back by her. Usually Rei was such a headstrong girl.
"Listen, I know Ami's your friend…their hold over the students will be very strong after weeks of exposure. We have no idea how much damage they've been able to do to their minds…" Rei said, but stopped, realizing that she was putting this less than gently. She took a breath and finished, anyway.
"Look, just brace yourself for whatever they've done to her," Rei said with barely contained emotion.
Rei squeezed her eyes shut and smacked her forehead with her palm.
"Well, that was less than tactful," she thought.
"…I know. The bus is here. Let's go, Rei," Usagi replied with surprising calm.
The truth was Usagi was still digesting the news. That quiet and awkward Ami was being programmed into a potential enemy still didn't seem real to her. They climbed aboard and hoped they'd make it in time to save Ami.
"So, we're just walking in the front door?" Usagi asked.
"Yes," Luna and Haruka replied.
They walked straight up to the building not stopping for anything. The front of the building had large windows, allowing passersby to see inside. Only the receptionist was around. Posted by the door was a bulletin with a list of what was on each floor. Luna took note of the location of the computer labs and teachers' offices as they passed. The labs were located on the second and third floors while the offices were on the first. The receptionist looked up at them as they entered. A woman with black hair and matching clothes approached her while the four teenagers she was with lingered behind.
"Hello, may I help you?" the receptionist asked.
"Why, yes, you can, in fact," Luna replied.
She leaned over the desk and grabbed the woman's forehead with her hand.
"Sleep," Luna commanded.
The receptionist's eyes closed and she slumped in her chair, entering a cycle of happy snores. Luna turned from her to the Warriors and Haruka. Usagi stared at the unconscious woman unhappily.
"Was that really necessary?" Usagi asked.
"Yes, who knows how long these kids have been exposed to this treatment. Rei, you're with me. We're going to take a look around the offices. Your sixth sense should sniff out anything out of the ordinary. Usagi, Haruka, Makoto, go check out the classrooms," Luna ordered.
"Yes, ma'am," Haruka replied.
"What about her?" Usagi asked, pointing at the receptionist.
"She'll come to in a half hour," Luna said.
"Usagi! Ami's here, remember?" Makoto said urgently.
"Right, let's go," Usagi answered and followed the taller girls up the stairs.
She found it difficult to keep up with Haruka and Makoto skipped a step with every stride.
Luna led Rei through the entrance to the back just to the front desk's right. They stopped at the end of the hall of offices and other rooms.
"Alright, Rei, lead the way. If you pick up anything, anything at all, just say so and follow your nose, so to speak," Luna said.
Rei nodded and began the slow trek through the hall, opening her mind up to anything that might be there.
Makoto was the first up the stairs. She was already in her Jupiter form and had covered the distance in a single bound. They were at the end of the hall, so she was able to just able to begin looking in windows trying to find Ami. Haruka stopped at the first window while Moon peered in the second. Looking in, they could see the students working away at their computer, though something was a little off. Not a single student ever took their eyes off the computer screens even once as kids were wont to do. Moon tried pounding on the glass. The students didn't react, not whatsoever, apparently entranced by their task. It was very obvious that something was wrong. There wasn't even a teacher in that room.
"She's not here!" Jupiter called halfway down the hall. "Third floor!"
Moon and Haruka followed her.
"Found her!" they heard Jupiter's voice call faintly from upstairs.
"Great!" Moon cried. "We're coming!"
They came to the top of the steps to find Makoto waiting for them at the door opposite the steps.
"She's in there," she said.
Jupiter pulled the door open and went in. Usagi took out her hilt before following. Only the teacher and Ami looked up from their work at them. The teacher looked each of the three apparent nurses that had barged into her classroom.
"What in—" the teacher stuttered to a stop.
"Who are you?" she asked again, in a much more polite manner.
"The Celestial Warriors, ma'am," Moon answered. "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to call off today's lesson and send these kids home."
"Celestial…Warriors…" Ami murmured.
Under different circumstances, she would have stood up and told them not to interrupt their studies, but seeing two armored women bust into the classroom made the petite girl remain quiet. The teacher stood there speechless as well.
"Crap, it's them! I'd better keep my cool if I want to keep my head," she thought.
"Now you listen here-" the teacher started to say.
The entire student body rose to their feet in unison, except for Ami, who looked around at a loss.
"Children, there is no cause for alarm! Get back to your studies!" The teacher ordered.
The students lurched forward as if the walking dead.
"Oh, no, not this again," Moon muttered as the student body began piling through the rows towards them with out-stretched arms.
Moon's blades reformed into their wooden bow form and Haruka sheaved her sword and unbuckled it from her belt, intending to wield it like that. Jupiter and reshaped all the sharp edges on her gauntlets, greaves, and boots until they were all rounded and smooth.
"Children, what are you doing?!" the teacher shouted at her class.
"They can't hear you in that state," Jupiter told her. "They're under someone else's control."
Jupiter rushed towards Ami before the empty-minded students had a chance to get all the way around the rows of divided desks at them. Ami backed away from her, but Jupiter jumped over the top of the desk and grabbed a tight hold of her.
"Aaah! Let me go!" Ami shrieked as she struggled against Jupiter.
"Stop it! I'm here to help!" Jupiter said.
She bear-hugged Ami and launched herself back over the desk to the front of the classroom before the smaller girl another chance to fight against her again. Ami couldn't even cry out as she suddenly felt herself flying through the air! They landed next to Moon and Haruka. Ami pushed herself free of her and looked her over in utter shock at the physical stunt just performed. By this time, the teacher tried to block her students from coming any nearer.
"What is wrong with them!" she cried worriedly before looking over her shoulder at the Warriors.
"Get away from them!" Haruka shouted.
She rushed forward and pulled the woman away out of reach just in time as one of the male students had almost had her. Haruka shoved her in Ami's direction.
"Take her and get out of here!" Haruka ordered. "We'll handle them!"
"Handle them how?!" The teacher demanded suspiciously.
"We're not going to hurt them if that's what you're asking," Moon replied.
Then Moon approached the first of the entranced teens and jabbed him in the gut. He doubled over, winded.
"Much, anyway," Moon added.
"Go! Now!" Jupiter ordered.
The teacher nodded, grabbed Ami's hand, and fled. Haruka moved over so that she blocked the door. And with that, the three got to work dispatching the students non-fatally. Haruka kneed one in a pressure point in his midsection, knocking him out cold. Soon enough, they had stemmed the tide of the brain-washed middle schoolers.
"Only a few left. Let's take care of these guys and regroup with Luna and Mars," Moon said.
Haruka and Jupiter nodded. Oddly, the students weren't advancing on them anymore.
"That won't be necessary," someone said.
They turned to the doorway where the voice had come from and stopped dead in their tracks. The class's teacher stood in the doorway with an enormous and malevolent smile on her face. In front of her, clutched closely, she held Ami around stomach pinning her arms to her sides. She had a hand clamped over the girl's mouth. They could hear her muffled cried from behind the hand.
Haruka scowled silently at the supposed educator.
"Why you…" Jupiter growled.
"Ah, ah, ah! I wouldn't do anything stupid. You were so easy to fool," the woman holding Ami said. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to this girl, would you? Now…"
Her skin became as green and blue striped scales and she grew enough that she tore right out of her clothes. Her legs fused as one becoming a long, serpentine tail that she slivered on. Her head became that of a snake's, though her human arms, albeit scaled and muscular. By now, Ami was screaming terribly behind that hand, wildly thrashing about trying to get free.
"A naga," Haruka muttered.
"I think the situation is obvious," another voice said from the window.
The girls glanced behind them. Jadeite sat at the open window of the classroom, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed.
"Throw down your weapons, or I'll kill the whelp," the naga said.
She released Ami from the hold she'd had on her only to dangle her by the head over the floor. By now, Ami was sobbing uncontrollably. She looked at Moon and the others pleading for help.
"What'll it be?" Jadeite asked.
Rei stopped suddenly. She was in the doorway of one of the empty. She whipped around apprehensively.
"Rei?" Luna asked.
"Something's going on upstairs!" Rei said.
Haruka drew her sword from its sheave.
"I'll never get a better chance than now!" she told herself.
Moon and Jupiter looked at her with stunned.
"Hey, pay attention!" the naga yelled.
It dug its nails into Ami's head, causing the girl to scream.
"Hey, you stop that!" Jupiter shouted.
Haruka was off like a shot. She lunged at Jadeite, her sword held up high to cut him down. An aura formed around the blade, an enchantment meant to kill beings like him. Her feet left the ground and she was about to bring it down on his head. All the while, he didn't move.
"All the better!" Haruka thought as she began to strike.
But then something moved into her path. A blade was held up, blocking her own. Haruka crashed into the person who stopped her assault on Jadeite. She stood there, utterly stunned and she was shoved back by this person. After stumbling for a few steps, Haruka found her feet again. She looked at who had blocked her path. Warrior Moon?!
"Just what do you think you're doing?! I had him right in my sights!" Haruka yelled fiercely.
"Me?! What do you think you're doin'?!" Moon roared back. "You heard them! They're going to kill her if we make any wrong moves!"
Haruka sneered at her.
"Stop being so sentimental! There's no room for that kind weakness in the ranks of the Keepers!"
"We're not Keepers," Jupiter said plainly.
"We're here to put a stop to their energy draining operation in this school, and save their victims," Moon said.
Haruka just continued to glower at her.
Haruka looked behind her. Jupiter was standing just behind her with electric energy readied and aimed at her. Not far away, Jadeite and the naga watched this little display of discord with amusement. Ami looked in horror as her rescuers began to argue amongst themselves. Her breath quick, shallow little things as sweat and panic wracked her body. Without nothing to lose and all hope gone, she let the emotions bubbling within her cut loose and she let out a terrible, sobbing scream.
The naga yelped as her entire hand was suddenly enveloped in a stinging icy sensation. She dropped her prize on the ground. The loud thud Ami made against the floorboards everyone's attention.
Rei's steps faltered for a second, but she kept going.
"Rei?" Luna asked as she followed her.
"I can't be sure, but I think I just felt…someone like us," Rei replied.
"She's…glowing?" Jadeite said.
"What the…?" The naga muttered.
Moon, Haruka, and Jupiter were all staring, knowing exactly what that meant.
Ami crawled away from the creature on her hands and knees. She body shimmered in a dull blue light that was fast fading. The naga recovered her senses and made another grab for the girl, but Jupiter was quick to spring into action. Leaping right over Ami's head she came at the naga with an electrified right hook. The naga flew back through the doorway and down the stairs opposite the door landing roughly about halfway down, her body twitching from the electric blast all the way. Luna and Rei, who'd become Mars by this point, had just rounded the corner.
"Well, it looks like we found the right room," Mars said and readied an arrow, aiming it at the serpent.
The naga shook off the dizziness, and looked up at Jupiter at the top of the stairs. She turned herself over so that she was facing downward and found herself face-to-face with Mars and Luna.
"Oh, poo," the naga muttered.
The instant Jupiter attacked the naga, Moon spun around and caught a strike from one of Jadeite twin blades and the other with her other blade.
"Haruka, get Ami out of here! I'll deal with Jadeite!" Moon ordered.
Haruka wordlessly obeyed. Ami looked to see the one who was willing to see her dead and recoiled from her.
"No! Get away!" she shouted.
"Come on! You're safe now," Haruka said.
She grabbed Ami and led her out of the room. The smaller girl tried resisting, but Haruka had her good.
"Oh, I don't think so!" Jadeite said, grinning.
Moon's eyes narrowed. She was unsure what he meant, but she knew he had something else up his sleeve. That's why she wanted Ami out of the building.
"The building's been locked down. Has been ever since we detected Celestial Warrior energy inside the facility," Jadeite said. "My reinforcements are on the way."
Moon's eyes widened before her features turned into a look of sheer determination. She had to quickly defuse the situation before it got any worse. Her blades gleamed as she lunged for the next attack.
Haruka and Ami dashed from the room as the sounds of metals clanging began. Jupiter looked over her shoulder at them. The naga lay dead on the stairs, a hold burned into her face from a fire arrow. Ami looked down at the other armored girl, this one in red, along with…that college student staying over at Usagi's, at the base of the stairwell. Ami gasped, grabbed hold of the railing, not wanting to go near the beast. Her grip was surprisingly strong, stopping both her and Haruka dead in their tracks.
"It's alright, it's dead," Haruka said.
"Bu-but…" Ami mumbled, shaking her head.
Jupiter put a hand on Haruka's arm. She looked at the Warrior. A silent understanding that she'd get the scared girl moving passed between them and Haruka released Ami from her grip. She ran back into the classroom to help Warrior Moon. When she reentered the room, Warrior Moon was narrowly avoiding stepping on one of the downed students.
"Tch!" Moon scowled at Jadeite.
He was driving her against the piled unconscious forms on the floor. She had to do something before things got too out of hand. She spotted the open window behind him and knew exactly what had to be done. She pushed against him before disengaging and rushing past him.
She ran straight for the window and jumped out it to the ground below. Jadeite smirked before following her. Haruka ran to the window and peered down at the scene below. Warrior Moon and Jadeite were circling each other, about to begin crossing blades again.
"W-w-what is going on here?!" Ami demanded.
She was on the landing between stairwells with Luna, Jupiter, Mars, and Haruka.
"Those creatures are enemies of humanity, and we're here to help," Luna replied.
"Enemies…?" Ami asked, wiping tears away.
"Yes. And you're just unfortunate enough in your lot to get mixed in these affairs," Luna stated.
"Oh, crap! Look!" Jupiter shouted, point go to the window behind them.
From the top corners of the window, they could see the tail of another naga go by. In another part of the building, they heard glass breaking as if windows were being punched in.
"Is that noise what I think it is?" Jupiter asked.
"Oh, yeah," Luna replied. "Company. It sounds like dozens of them could be entering the building. We have to keep this fight out of the other classrooms as much as possible."
Ami gasped, seizing up again. As her fright rose, so did something. Rei and Luna's whipped around as they felt. There is was again! Luna drew close to her.
"You…? Could it be?" Luna wondered.
Ami looked up at her and then around at the others. They all wore the same expression as if they were studying her.
"What is everyone looking at?" she asked.
She leaned away from 'Megumi' as she began smelling the girl.
"This scent…it's distinctly…Mercurian," Luna thought.
Luna and Ami's eyes locked. By now the sounds of the serpent people entering the building sounding was as a chorus of hissing and the sound of something sliding along the ground was in the dozens and coming ever closer.
"Ami Mizuno," Luna said.
"Y-Yes?"
"Do you want to live?" Luna asked.
"Eh?!"
"Luna…?" Mars asked.
Luna held up a finger to silence her. She never took her eyes off Ami.
"You and classmates are under attack by these monsters. Every student in this school has been wrapped in a scheme to steal human life energy to feed the hordes of a force called The Dark Kingdom," she explained.
"Their leader is that man from the room just back here," Jupiter added.
"And from the sounds of things, we're surrounded. We could really use a hand right about now," Mars added.
"Our only advantage is that their leader is being occupied by Warrior Moon, one of our number," Haruka put in.
"We can use another fighter. These armored girls with me are the Celestial Warriors of the Cosmos. You are one of them. You have a sleeping power within you that you can wield when it is awakened. Will you help us?" Luna asked.
"Wh-what? This is…oh…" Ami cried, feeling her head spinning from all this information.
Jupiter stepped in.
"Hey, Ami!" she said.
She lifted her mask, revealing her face to the girl. Ami's jaw dropped.
"Ma…ko…to…"
Mars also took this opportunity to reveal her face.
"Rei Hino? The girl from the shrine?"
"Your friends can really use some help," Makoto said, lowering the mask over her face again.
"Now do you understand?" Luna asked.
"But…what I can do?" Ami asked helplessly.
"You'll see," Luna answered.
She laid her index and middle fingers on Ami's head and began chanting. The sounds of banging came from both the halls above and below them.
"Not a whole lot of time, Luna," Mars said.
Ami's form began radiating the aura of a warrior brightly. Ami gasped. Her body tensed as she felt the power surging through her.
"Luna…hurry!" Mars said.
Luna kept chanting, but before she could finish, the horde of naga appeared at the top of the stairwell leading up and base of the other. Jupiter and Haruka positioned themselves right in their path, holding aloft their means of attack menacingly. The nagas were all unarmed, but their dripping maws were all soaking in deadly venom.
"Screw this!" Mars shouted.
She shoved Luna aside and grabbed Ami, dragging her in close. Ami yelped in surprise at suddenly being yanked around.
"Wake up, will ya?!" Mars shouted, shaking the girl.
Ami looked up at the nagas and went stiff, her mind entering a frozen state. It was then that Mars remembered the day she was awakened. It took more than having the power within awakened by magic to bring the Warrior. It took an extra bit of surprise to make the heart jump. With no time and the enemies about to lunge, Mars did the only thing that came to mind. She slapped the other girl. Ami stumbled, coming out of her mind locked state, but no Warrior was coming out.
The nagas above them lunged forward, but Jupiter had synched herself with the potted plant just beside the doorway. It suddenly grew and it branching tendrils blocked the snake people, however temporarily. Haruka and Luna were waving their weapons around trying to keep the nagas from below at bay.
Mars looked from them back to Ami.
"What will it take!" she demanded.
Not knowing what else to do, she leaned in and locked lips with the other girl. Ami let out a muffled cry in astonishment, her cheeks turning dark red. Her world spiraled around as she tried to comprehend the soft lips upon her own. Then the churning power within her returned with a vengeance. Ami broke the off the kiss and hugged herself as she felt a fierce, churning cool sensation shot all throughout her being. Mars felt it coming and stepped back just as Ami's body exploded into the now familiar swirling pillar of light. The force of the Awakening knocked everyone on the landing away and even forced back the nagas. Mars caught herself and landed on her feet halfway down the steps alongside Luna and Haruka. Jupiter had been knocked against the steps leading up.
The window behind Ami shattered as the funnel-cloud of foggy light spun around her. From the sky outside came the recognizable sound of her transformation device whistling through the air. They could see the object rushing towards them and just as it sailed over Ami's head, her hand shot up and grabbed it.
There was another blast of the foggy white aura and before them stood Ami transformed. Her armor was blue and upon the brow of the masquerade-style mask of the upper half of her face was the symbol of Mercury. She looked down at herself in amazement, but all the more astonishing was the object in her hand
"Celestial Warrior Mercury," Luna whispered, a look of utter glee crossing her face.
"Is that a…?" Haruka asked.
"A harp?" Jupiter asked, looking at the golden instrument Mercury held.
The nagas hissed and snapped forward for another attack from both above and below.
"Welcome to the club, Mercury!" Jupiter said as she turned around with another energized right hook readied.
The lightning lashed out, shocking the entire front row of nagas. The ones behind them slivered past them swarming at Jupiter. Jupiter jumped. Mercury gasped seeing her friend about to be attacked by those snake creatures. Instinctively, her fingers prick the cords of her harp. In the air around, sharp icicles formed from the natural moister and with another prick of the cords in a sharp tune, they shot through, impaling the nagas.
Jupiter landed in front of Merucry, still facing the oncoming mob of serpent folk.
"Huh. Well, sword or harp, it certainly gets the job done," Jupiter said, impressed.
"I…don't know what I did…" Mercury said.
"Don't think. Just do," Jupiter said.
"Alright, this is the plan," Luna ordered. "Haruka, Mars, and myself from will these ones coming form below. Jupiter, Mercury, you have the third floor. Watch each other's backs now!"
"Yes, ma'am!" the Warriors all replied.
And with that, both teams rushed their enemies.
Jadeite's feet slammed into the ground right where Moon's had beneath the third story window. He sprang up from his crouching position. She stood across from him in the back lawn of the facility.
"Always taking the initiative, and for what? Those weak children up there?" Jadeite sneered.
"Shut up," Moon said with distain.
"Getting testy, are we?" Jadeite replied.
Moon began moving to the side, and he moved in the other. They had walked a half circle around each other before they stopped. For just an instant, they were still, and they both dashed at the other. Jadeite's twin swords were drawn back and ready strike, as was Moon's double-bladed sword. She swung down angled to counter a stab from his right blade. He withdrew as he brought the other forward in its place. Moon spun the other blades bring her second one down parrying Jadeite's second strike.
She spun them again, shallowing their angle of descent. The first blade came down again threatening to split Jadeite's head. He raised both swords and caught the strike in an x-block, while leaning back and crouching as he caught it so that the blow would first slow before he brought it to a complete stop. Moon knew he was about to push her back, so she made her move.
She pushed forward, pivoting her body around. Her foot shot out in a side kick aimed right at his side. Jadeite jumped to the side to avoid the blow. Moon took her chance. She dug her feet into the ground and lunged again. She raised one of her blades straight up like she was going to try the same maneuver again. Jadeite smirked and raised his swords to counter, but instead of doing the expected, Moon swung downwards just before she reached, unleashing a wave of energy mere inches in front of him.
Jadeite didn't even have a chance to cry out, let alone make a move to block the blast, before it hit him. The wave caught him across the face, chest, and stomach and sent him reeling back until he slammed into the side of the building. He dropped both his blades and sunk to his knees. He pressed his hands to his hands and let out a loud cry of agony.
"AAAAAAURGH! YOU BITCH! YOU BITCH! YOU F$$#% % BITCH!"
He lowered a quivering hand from his face, revealing that the energy blast was sliced right through his left eye. The skin of the eyelid was broken and blood oozed from the wound. He bared his clenched teeth at her. His lips quivered and a brow twitched.
"You…" he growled like a demon. "I'll kill you."
He pressed a hand to his eye again and painfully stood up. He raised his arm, holding up his flat palm at her. Energy gathered in it and he unleashed the shot at her. Moon swung her blades, chopping the blast out of the air. It burst, but its force was divided, so it only served to knock her back a few inches.
In that single shot's place, were three more. Moon gasped and jumped over them, but Jadeite had calculated her actions and a fourth shot aimed directly where she was. Moon's body went into autopilot and she crossed her arms over her body to protect herself from it. It impacted her in her gauntleted forearms like a jackhammer. The impact and subsequent burst hit her like a jackhammer and sent her into the building directly across the way. She crashed into the red brick building and went right through the decaying wall into the building itself.
Moon sprawled out on the floor in the dark, abandoned building at the ground floor. The sunlight that streamed in through the hole her body made became obscured by the entrance of her foe. Jadeite looked down at his fallen enemy with a triumphant smile. With his remaining eye, he quickly surveyed the rotting interior of the old structure. He began giggling madly.
"A perfect resting place for trash! How about I bury you here?! Would you like that?! Would you like that?!"
With another round of insane laughter, Jadeite began shooting wildly around the interior, blasting out aged supports, collapsing walls of rotten wood and fungus-encrusted stone, and causing moldy floors to give in. All around, the building began to shake. The dust was kicked up and web began coming loose from their places on a ceiling everywhere.
Jadeite stumbled out of the building, having enough sense to know that his leaving should be swift. As he made tracks, he could hear the structure crumbling behind as it him. He took one more look behind to watch, but then stopped. The sensation hit him like cold fingers wrapping around him. Another of the Warriors had just been awakened.
"Like a cool ocean breeze. That must be Mercury. I'll have to kill them all…" Jadeite thought.
A bright light shining in the collapsing building behind him interrupted his thoughts. No sooner had he turned to get a look at it did the source of the gleam break out of the piling rubble. It was Celestial Warrior Moon! Her blades were held protectively over her head. Their power formed a canopy around her. Jadeite stood, dumbfounded, that she had managed to survive.
His confusion turned to fear as she aimed a blade his way. She gathered the energy used to protect into a ball at the tip of the blade. Jadeite quickly chanted a spell, knowing what was to come. Moon unleashed the fury of the condensed energy. At first, it retained its spherical form, but then split into dozens of small fragments all still zeroing in on him!
Jadeite threw up the protective shield spell. The small orbs of power pounded against the astral object, cracking it and driving it and its master back. Jadeite sunk onto his knees by the last of them. Moon rushed in right behind struck his force shielding with all her might. It was the last hammering she needed to break it. It shattered like glass and dissipated into thin air.
Moon kicked Jadeite into the chest bearing him onto his back on the ground. She leapt onto him and pressed the tip of one of her blades to his throat. He stared wide eyed up at her.
"I saw those snake monsters entering the Crystal Seminar," Moon said. "Call them off, and release the students from your spell. Now."
Jadeite didn't respond. He did nothing until Moon jabbed him in the chest with her blade. He grunted in pain.
"I SAID CALL THEM OFF! FREE THE STUDENTS!"
Moon became acutely aware of a shadow that had fallen over her. She didn't need to look up to know that backup for come to Jadeite's aid. Her leap sent her up and slightly back. From her ascent, she could see who had interjected on her foe's behalf. It was another of the shitennou, Nephrite. His ax swing right where her head had been had reached its end and withdrawing the blade from its path.
Nephrite helped his friend to his feet.
"Yes! Thank you, my friend, now we can…" Jadeite started.
"We're leaving," Nephrite said.
"What?" Jadeite demanded.
"You're in no condition to fight. I'm taking you to medical bay, now," Nephrite stated.
Jadeite scowled, realizing that there was no use in arguing. Nephrite kept Moon visible in his peripherals the entire time. She didn't attack as he didn't think she would. He knew she didn't want two shitennou attacking her at once.
"Next time, Warrior Moon… Next time," Jadeite vowed as he and Nephrite teleported away.
"Damn!" Moon cursed.
She looked back towards the school. She hadn't gotten Jadeite to do either of the things she'd want him to. She took off running for the building, knowing that her friends were going to need her help with those snake creatures.
Jupiter rushed up the stairs. Behind her, the newly awakened Mercury strummed the cords of her harp. Jupiter reached the first naga and brought her arm up in an upwards curve pounding it on top the head. Her knee shot up and pounded its chin as hard as she could. The creature let out cry. Broken teeth fell out of its mouth. Another snapped its head forward at Jupiter. She ducked and it passed over her. The floating ball of water Mercury had summoned reshaped itself into a whip and walloped the naga back up where it came from and slamming into the ceiling.
The first nagas coming up the stairs were stopped when Haruka slashed her sword through the air right where their faces were headed, making them jerk back. Beside her, Luna used the wood end of her spear hit several in the side of the head in one sweeping strike before turning it before and goring another through the roof of its mouth. Mars's arrows sailed over their heads at the onslaught before them striking down any nagas that they could.
Haruka stabbed one naga in the chest, but another lunged at her. She moved to the side and rammed into it squashing its head against the metal railing and dislodging her with that movement as well. One came at her with its arms extended at well. She leaned forward thrusting straight out at it. It recoiled, but in doing so opened itself up a fire arrow in the face. Two other speeded in past it Haruka slashed down towards them but a third grabbed her arms and stopped her from completing the swing. The other two grabbed her legs and pulled them out from under her.
Haruka fell onto the stairs landing heavily on them. She let out a pained grunt and could only watch with dazed eyes as their heads jerked forward sharply. Luna's swept clear across skewering the first two and embedding itself into the third. Then she ducked low was an entirely rank of six or seven nagas threw themselves at the two woman, jaws open wide and unhinged, for the kill!
At the top of the stairs, Mars had her next shot ready.
"ARROW VOLLEY!"
A dozen tiny darts rained onto the charging enemy, tearing them down in their wake, before any room it had cleared was fast filling with more enemies. Mars sighed and looked around for anything that could give them an advantage. Her eyes landed on the sprinkler system overhead. This gave her an idea. She turned to Mercury just as a naga incased in ice fell to the ground next to her.
"Mercury, frost the place!" she yelled.
Mars drew back another arrow and fired it right at one of the nozzles of the sprinklers. It burst into a ball just under it. They heard a loud clicking noise as the system activated. It began to rain cold water down on everyone, filling the building with its cold wet embrace. Mercury played a quick tune and like clockwork, the falling H2O froze into cold fog and sleet blasting the cold-blooded nagas. The nagas hissed in protest and pain at the sudden change in temperature. Many even collapsed from the shock to their systems.
Their movements became unsteady as their bodies slowed down. Jupiter was easily able to untangle herself from the coiling creatures that'd wrapped themselves around her. One by one, the nagas dropped to the ground and soon all movement in the building ceased.
"Ha-ha! Great job, Mercury!" Jupiter shouted exuberantly.
She jumped down the stairs and caught the other girl in a great big, embrace, lifting her off the ground and twirling her around.
"Heh…heh, glad to help…Mako…" she said.
"Hey, now, it's Jupiter when I'm dressed like this!"
"Alright…Jupiter."
"Don't forgot, but it was my idea that saved us all," Mars said, walking up to them.
"Oh, yeah, you did good, too," Jupiter said, flatly.
She set Mercury down.
"What, no bear hug and spin for me?" Mars asked deadpan.
"Great job," Luna congratulated them.
She and Haruka came up the stairs towards. Haruka extended a hand for a handshake, but Mercury backed away from her and Jupiter stepped in between them with a killer glare. Luna looked from them to her new assistant.
"Did...something happen while Mars and I were downstairs?" she asked.
"Yes, as a matter of fact…!" Jupiter said firmly.
The coming blare of sirens interrupted her.
"Never mind! This will have to wait. Come on! Change back now!" Luna ordered.
"What about my classmates and the other classes?" Mercury asked.
"They'll be fine. The nagas only attacked us and we'll be de-brain-washing them shortly. Now come on," Luna said.
Makoto and Rei returned to their civilian forms, but Mercury just there not knowing how to do it.
"Just picture herself as your normal self and concentrate on that," Luna said.
When Ami had returned to her original form, they rushed back down to the first floor, stepping over unconscious nagas as they went. As they rounded the corner to the back entrance, Moon kicked in the door blades blazing.
"Alright, jerks! I'm Celestial Warrior Moon, and in the name of…the…"
Moon looked around the piles of nagas out cold. She lowered her sword as she took in this sight. The gleam of their power dimmed, leaving them ordinary blades once more.
"…Eh…okay, that's new," Moon said, scratching her head.
"Usagi!" Luna called.
"Eh, hey, guys?! What's goin' on…? Ack!"
She was yanked back out the door by Luna in their trek out of the building.
"Come on. You don't need to still be here when the authorities arrive!" Luna said.
"What? Hey?! Who took care of the snakes?! What's going on? Why is Ami coming with us? Explain!" Moon demanding.
"Later, just change back and come on! We're leaving through…" Luna stopped dead in her tracks.
She turned to Usagi with a displeased look.
"Please tell me you had nothing to do with that," she said, pointing at the recently collapsed building.
"Eh…heh heh heh," Usagi giggled awkwardly.
A/N: I had meant for Haruka to be Luna's assistant much, much sooner, but that little plot point just kept getting pushed back because I had other things in this fic that needed to get done.
And as of this chapter, this is officially the longest story I have ever written.