Cosmic Warriors

Disclaimer: All non-original characters in this story are copyrighted to Naoko Takeuchi and Toei, respectively. I also do not own the mythological beings you'll read about throughout the story.

Note: Enjoy, and thank you to nordiamus for following the story, and to ericaphoenix16 and LoveInTheBattleField for reviewing.


Chapter Twenty Nine - City on Fire


Kameran smirked before she spun around and swung her arm out at the building behind her. "It doesn't matter if its the pavement of a road, the flesh of a human body, or the stone of a building." A streak of light darted through the air behind her and a moment later the fitness club lurched forward.

The Warriors jolted back realizing a slice had been cut out of the club's front and the building was leaning. "What did you do?!" Moon cried.

Kameran smiled up to the second floor. "I gave you a demonstration, and now it's time to start my mission." she said as she turned from the girls. Propelling off from the stone wall, she flew to the second floor and in through the window.

With a window open across from the indoor court, terrified screams permeated from the building down to the street. "Naru's in there, and the building is going to come down!" Moon cried.

"Start getting people out on the first floor, I'll go up and start evacuating!" Jupiter commanded as they rushed towards the entrance.

Jupiter jumped towards the building used it for support as she pushed off, flying towards a tree she began climbing. On the ground Moon wasted no time at the front doors, she wielded her body before throwing herself through the glass. She rolled around the lobby floor before she flopped to a halt, she was greeted with a packed lobby, filled with screaming customers.

"Everyone! You need to leave the building right now, it's going to crash down on us!" she shouted and stepped to the side as people began to get the message. Moon gestured to the shattered doors and took several more steps back as people began to trample over one another to get to them. "That solves one problem," she said before finding a fire alarm lever and yanked it down. "that solves another."

The din in the lobby only grew more unbearable as the alarm started to blare. The sound fought for dominance against the frantic screams of the customers, all which melded together in Moon's ears. Weaving through the crowd Moon headed towards a staircase she spotted in the far corner.

On her way a pair of elevator doors caught her eye. The doors had barely closed, or barely opened, as a gang of people were trapped, all pressed against the doors with their arms stuck through the gap. "Help!" they cried collectively.

"Step back!" Moon commanded as she charged the doors. She thrust her lance blade through the gap and threw her body weight on the handle. It took all her strength to pry the doors open even an inch, but it was all the people inside needed to get enough hands on the doors to force them the rest of the way.

Once the doors opened Moon and her lance hit the ground as the box full of people burst free from their trap, all charging to the exit.

"How rude!" Moon huffed, rising to her feet. "They didn't even say thank you." she said as she sprinted across the lobby and to the staircase.

She took them two a time and once she reached the second floor she made her way down the hall. Some of the lights overhead had gone out, those that remained on were flickering on the verge of death. The boards in the ceiling cracked and collapsed around her with each step she she progressed to the end of the hall something protruding from the wall on her right caught her attention.

"An arrow?" Moon asked as she plucked the shaft from the wall. The answer to her following question came as another arrow whizzed by her. Her head snapped side to side, first to right to see where it was heading, and then to the left to see where it had come.

At the end of the hall, protecting a small group, was Rei, bow in hand ready to fire again.

"Rei? What are you doing here?" Moon asked as she jogged towards the girl. Before she reached her someone lunged out from the group and embraced her in a hug.

"You're here!" Naru squealed.

Moon smiled and rubbed the girl's back. "I'm glad you're safe."

Naru sniffed back some snot and bobbed her head. "It's all thanks to Rei, she showed up when the building started to move and got us out of the court just in time!"

"What are you doing here?" Moon asked again.

Rei rolled her eyes before stepping up beside Moon, her arrowhead still locked onto something at the other end of the hall. "Did you forget I'm her bodyguard? It's my job to protect her."

"From what?" Moon asked as she turned to stand beside Rei, her eyes scanning the faces in the group. No sign of Masato.

"Two Youma from the looks of it." Rei said. "Jupiter took one outside, but I just caught a glimpse of another."

"What about the rest of the people on the second floor?" Moon asked.

"I got them out through the stairs in the back of the building before some of ceiling collapsed on the exit." Rei glanced back to the small group of ten people behind them. "I think the only way out now is back down stairs through the front. Get these people moving, Moon." she said before she elbowed the Warrior in the side.

"Ow, hey! How about you get them out of here?" Moon snapped back. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm the one suited for this job, you're just a human who's handy with a bow and arrow."

Rei scoffed. "I'm a priestess, trained in exorcising and warding off evil spirits, I've been training for years! How long have you been wearing that suit?"

"What good is warding them off going to do if they're already here?" Moon asked.

"If you hadn't noticed we haven't been attacked yet," Rei said. "I lined the end of the hall with tags. It's keeping whatever's down there at bay. You're welcome."

Moon whipped away from Rei and crossed her arms. "Hmph!"

"Can you two stop fighting about, whatever it is you're fighting about, and get us out of here?!" an older woman in the group shouted. "My daughters are terrified!"

Rei and Moon turned to see the woman that had spoken clutching two trembling young girls to her chest.

Rei frowned and placed a hand onto her hip before her eyes rolled onto Moon. "Look, I've been doing this longer, and I know more about this kind of thing beside cutting and slashing." she said before she took a step closer. "I don't care what kind of ranking the Guard puts the Warriors in, for me experience trumps all. So just follow my lead and do what I say until we get these people somewhere safe, okay?"

Moon groaned for a long second before relenting and falling back behind Rei. "Lead the way."

Rei smirked before she turned sideways and began to inch down the hallway. "Moon, come to my side. Everyone else, get into a single file line behind us, and stay as close to the wall as you can. Once we get to the corner, go down the next hallway as fast as you can until you get to the stairs."

A series of tremors in the building caused their group to shutter in fear, but Rei began to snap orders at individuals and eventually they fell in line. Rei kept her bow trained down the hallway that was drenched in darkness as she crept towards the corner.

Behind Moon, Naru tapped the girl's shoulder. "I lost Masato when the building started to shake, do you think he's alright?"

Moon huffed before rolling around an answer in her mind. "I'm sure he's fine."

"Alright, go around the corner as fast as you can, one by one." Rei called out as she stopped in the center of the three hallways. "Hmm, that's weird."

"What?" Moon asked after making sure Naru had made it down the adjacent hall.

Rei moved over to the wall and rubbed her hand flat against it. "I could have sworn I placed a tag here."

"Maybe you forgot." Moon said. "Or maybe it's further down the hall.

Rei shook her head and furrowed her brow. "No, I know I placed one here to stop the Youma from crossing into the path of the other hall, because it was the only way out." Rei said as she squatted down and observed a pile of ash at her feet.

"GIRLS!"

Moon jolted at the booming voice before a large man's body rushed past her.

Rei jumped to her feet and turned to see the man throw himself forward. A pale face, illuminated by a shock of fiery red hair appeared on her left.

A body followed the terrifying face, one Moon knew well. The woman always by Masato's side, Tesuni. She flew out of the darkness, around her floated several white orbs, all burning in yellow flames.

Before either girl had a chance to react the man met with Tesuni, fist to fist, and one of the orbs slammed into his side.

SSSSSHHHHHHH

Moon's eyes wide wide as the man began to emit smoke, steam, from his skin. His pudgy frame seemed to vanish in an instant as if the weight had melted off his bones. He collapsed onto the floor a moment later and threw his head back.

The sound of water meeting with an intense heat, the unrelenting hiss of his body cooking, overpowered his cry for help. The man's eyes bulged from their sockets as he collapsed over into a fetal position, his skin pulled taut over the bone and burned to a sickening black colour.

Moon watched, stunned, as Tesuni charged in on Rei and one of the orbs zeroed in on the girl. Rei slipped the bow around her neck and cartwheeled out of Tesuni's reach. The fireball slammed into the wall and incinerated it on impact, while Rei hooked onto Moon's arm and pulled the Warrior down the hallway.

"Run!" Rei shouted as she released Moon and slipped a hand into her pocket, pulling out a small rusted nail. Rei held the nail between her index and middle finger with the point facing Tesuni. The woman charged forward and Rei released hold on the nail and as if by a magnetic force it shot forward, beaming Tesuni in the forehead.

The woman doubled back and howled in pain as she scratched at her forehead. Rei slammed her hands into Moon's back and shoved the girl down the hallway. "Move it!"

Moon's brain failed to register how to make her walk and her legs tangled together as Rei continue to push her. Before reaching the stairwell Moon collapsed onto her hands and knees.

"Get up!" Rei hissed as she crouched down beside her. "I don't think that's going to stop her for long." she turned her back down the hall, the woman wasn't screaming in pain anymore. Her warding spell wasn't going to last much longer.

"What did she do to him?" Moon asked, also turning back down the hall, but for a different reason.

"I'm not sure, but I saw her do it to a few other people. Those orbs touched them and became like mummies, all dry and burnt." Rei said as she linked arms with Moon and pulled the Warrior to her feet. "Some kind of fire magic that super heats the body."

"Magic?" Moon asked after getting to her feet.

Rei nodded. "Magic. Why?"

"No one's ever called their powers magic before."

"So?"

"It just—it just sounds less evil when you call it magic." she replied as they started to rush down the stairwell.

"Grandpa told me that Youma powers are linked to some ancient tome of magical spells." Rei said. "It doesn't have to be evil, it all depends on how you use it."

"Moon!" Naru shouted from the small lobby area in front of the exit.

"Why are you still in here?" Moon shouted back as she raced to the group with Rei.

"What the hell is going on?" a man in the group asked.

They stood packed together at the entrance, all staring with shocked expressions at what was taking place outside. Across the street several buildings had collapsing due to the giant holes blasted out of them. Moon's eyes darted across the yard before an explosion of white light caught her attention.

She pushed through the group and trained her eyes in the direction the blast had come from. A blur of green jumped into sight and flipped over what remained on the stone wall, barely managing to avoid another blast.

"Jupiter!" Moon shouted.

The green suited Warrior rushed over to her and hunched over, panting. "Did—did you clear the second floor?"

"Yeah, I think we got everyone. But, what happened out here?" Moon asked.

Jupiter threw her body into a vertical stance and from behind the mask Moon could hear a slight whine. "I got her outside and as soon as I did the people came running out. I had most go to the back of the building to get away, but she went after them when I was distracted." Jupiter said and turned her to the right where several bodies lay still on the grass. "Then she started bringing down the buildings."

"This is getting bad." Rei said as she stepped up beside the Warriors.

Above them the building lurched forward, sending debris raining down on the girls. Jupiter wrapped arms around Moon and Rei and pushed them back inside.

"We need backup!" Jupiter said.

Moon whimpered. "No one can get here in time!"

"Then let's at least retreat inside the building to think of a plan." Jupiter offered as she noticed the group of people standing aside in the lobby.

"This building is coming down, we can't stay in here!" a woman yelled.

Moon tipped her head to the ceiling and wondered how long they had. "There's another Youma in here too, on the second floor." she said.

The woman broke away from her daughters and clamped a hand down on Moon's shoulder. "What are you muttering about? I don't know who you are, or what's going on, but save us!"

Moon winced at the woman's death grip. "I'm trying..."

"Warriors," Rei said. "if you can buy me some time I can get some support."

"How?" Jupiter asked. "It's called a Transmission Circle, it allows us to transport items and people over long distances almost instantly. The only issue is remaking one here." she said as she looked over the rubble covered tile. "I've made them before, as practice, and it might take me a minute to make one that's right."

"We don't have time!" Moon yelped as the ceiling shook and several chunks of stone fell outside. "Can't you use some of the wart magic and keep the Youma off us?"

"It's ward, not wart!" Rei shouted back. "I'll need you two to protect me if you expect me to keep both of them away."

-F-

"I lost the green one, master." Kameran said. In the sky above the crumbling fitness center Nephrite, Kameran and Tesuni had gathered, all gazing down at the building.

"What about the girls?" Nephrite asked. "Naru and Rui?"

"I told Naru to take Rui and leave, like you instructed." Tesuni said. "They're still under the protection of the other Warrior an the archer." she said. Unlike the other two she was facing straight ahead with eyes a brilliant white colour. "The green Warrior is with them now, they're preparing a plan."

"How good is your connection with Rui?" Nephrite asked as he crossed his arms.

Tesuni smirked. "Crystal clear. My energy has melted to hers almost exactly, I can hear, see and even smell everything she does."

"Should we draw them out, or collapse the building on them?" Kameran asked and aimed her hand down at the center. "I'm partial to the second option."

Nephrite clamped his hand down on hers, breaking several fingers in the process. "You will not act without a command from me!"

Kameran whimpered and fell down into a bowing position beside him. "S-Sorry master."

"The local authority will be here soon." Tesuni said over the sound of sirens approaching in the distance. "What do we do?"

Naru... Nephrite sucked in air before straightening up. "Tesuni, do you have a visual on Naru?"

Tesuni nodded. "Yes, she's supporting Rui at the moment."

"Is she unharmed?"

Tesuni's brow creased and she lost her train of thought as well as her contact with Rui. "She's fine." she responded. "But why do you care?"

"She may lead us to the identity of the other Warrior" Nephrite threw her a challenging glare. "Bring them outside and kill the Warriors." Nephrite said. "But if for some reason you fail we need the girl kept alive. We also need Rui alive to complete the Soul Release. They're going to protect those two with everything they have."

-F-

"We'll do the same thing we did inside." Rei said as the group filed into a single line. "Moon and Jupiter, stay in front and lead the group all along the perimeter of the building. I'll summon a barrier while you do that."

The Warriors nodded and Moon took the front of the line and slowly crept outside. She glanced around, no sign of either Youma and motioned for the Jupiter to follow. Laggardly they began inching along the front of the building until someone screamed out and pointed towards the sky.

"What is it?" Moon asked and tipped up head to the sky to see a figure hovering above them.

Jupiter looked down the line and could see the group forgetting the plan. "Stay in formation!"

"Protect us!" someone shouted back.

"Who is that?" Jupiter asked as she squinted through her mask. As she tried to get a good look at the figure two blurs dipped down from the sky, landing with a crash in the yard.

"Hello Warriors." Tesuni said as she stepped free of the dirt cloud she had created with Kameran by her side.

"Akuryo Taisan." Rei muttered to a slip of paper between her two fingers, at the sound of her voice the paper shot straight up and began to flap around.

The Youma swayed in their spots for a second before they both lunged forward. Kameran sprinted straight for Jupiter while Tesuni began to run in an arc. Jupiter leapt forward, closing the distance between her and Kameran, from the corner of her eye she watched Tesuni jump out of sight for a moment, catching her again as she landed on the roof.

Moon ran out from beside the building and turned her attention up to Tesuni who was sprinting alongside the edge, eyes trained down on the Warriors. "Jupiter, be careful!" Moon said. "These two, if we even get hit by their attacks it's the end!"

"I know!" Jupiter said before she threw her body to the side and avoided a blast Kameran released from her fingertip.

Jupiter ducked low as the Youma spun around to kick at her and followed itby blocking another kick to her side. She continued to block a series of kicks before Kameran angled one to her face. Jupiter locked her hands together in front of her chest but Kameran's foot quickly broke them apart before she hopped onto the other leg, sending another kick at Jupiter's mask.

The Warrior staggered back and quickly dropped to the ground to sweep at Kameran's legs with her own. The Youma jumped to avoid being knocked down and twisted her body around before flipping backwards. A shadow passed overhead and Jupiter whipped her head up to see Tesuni flying overhead.

Once she landed she lunged for Jupiter and sent a barrage of jabs at her. Jupiter parried them all while waiting for the orbs of fire to appear, as she had seen only for an instant earlier. Tesuni flipped back and landed on her hands before she propelled herself up to dropkick Jupiter.

The Warrior crouched down and readied her hands above her head to catch the Youma. Once she had a hold of her leg she rose to her feet and swung the monster around. She released her with a roar in Kameran's direction, hoping to knock them both down for a minute.

Tesuni effortlessly regained her composure and did a quick back flip before landing at Kameran's side.

Jupiter exhaled a long breath through her nose as she brought her fists up into a fighting position. "It looks like they're brave enough to take just me on. Moon, get them out of here."

Moon nodded and waved to the group to follow her. Rei urged them to follow, but kept her eyes on Jupiter and began to chant quietly to the slip of paper.

After waiting for a good number of the civilians to get past her Jupiter crossed her arms over her chest and stuck up her index and pinky fingers. Shocks of electricity began to gather around her hands and the sky above the falling center started to grow darker. "I hope you don't mind if I prepare something special for you ladies." Jupiter said cheekily.

Tesuni let out a loud cackle before she charged in. Kameran remained in her spot and focused several small orbs on the tips of her fingers.

Once she reached Jupiter, Tesuni swung an arm out at her, a trail of fire following the limb. Jupiter kept her arms in their position, threw her leg out, and ducked under the arm. She then pivoted on her right leg and spun around, slamming the other leg into Tesuni's back.

In the growing dark dodging several of Kameran's glowing blasts was a simple task for the Warrior who weaved out of their path.

"Bring down the lightning!" Jupiter called out and raised her arms up. A bolt of lightning ripped out from the clouds and crashed down on her gauntlets, instantly circuiting her body. "Now crash!" Extending her arms the lightning spread from around her like a web, focusing her energy Jupiter sent two streaks towards the Youma.

The Youma cried out as the lightning zapped them and circuited their bodies. Jupiter roared out in power as she strengthened the power of her attack which called down two more lightning bolts that struck the Youma directly.

Nephrite narrowed his eyes and smiled down at the scene as more lightning raced through the sky above. "Interesting." His focus was broken however as a fleet of squad cars came peeling down the street in front of the center. Extending his hand out a small ball of fire formed on his finger tip and he quickly fired it out four times across the area. "Isolating Blaze!"

-F-

Behind the fitness center Moon squealed in surprise as a wall of fire shot down from the sky just as she finished helping someone over the stone wall.

"What is that?!" she yelped.

"Fire, obviously." Rei said as she examined the wall. She pulled an arrow free of the quiver on her back and poked the wall with it. Instantly the fire devoured the arrow and Rei stomped it out. "Jupiter is trapped by it."

"You guys, there is another wall of fire over here!" Naru shouted through the trees.

Rei and Moon jogged to her side and saw not only one wall but another beside it. "There must be four walls to keep Jupiter and the Youma inside." Rei said. "At least we got everyone out okay." Rei said before she glanced back to the group that had collapsed on the ground.

-F-

"How gracious, master Nephrite." Tesuni said through gritted teeth as she endured the pain. She clapped her hands together twice and streams of fire from the walls came to her beckon, swirling around her like whips. "Burn!" Tesuni threw an arm out towards Jupiter and the fire shot forward to the Warrior.

Jupiter swore under her breath and dropped her arms, ending the lightning strike and began to leap backwards to avoid the fire.

"Haha!" Tesuni shouted as the lightning dissipated around her. Holding her arms out, palms up, white and yellow balls of fire formed in them before they circled her. Tesuni then began to spin around, hurling the balls of fire to Jupiter.

The Warrior continue to evade them, but the nature of that simple task intensified as the streams of fire set the grass on ablaze, cutting off possible escape roots. Through the blaze Jupiter spotted Kameran racing towards her.

The Warrior instantly clasped her hands together, sticking her thumb, index and pinky fingers out, which sent a streak of lightning flying forward. Kameran fired out a blast that collided with the lightning, the collision resulting in a blinding flash of light that faded after a second.

During a break in Jupiter's firing pattern Kameran lunged into the sky and came down on Jupiter arm, dropping a leg over her head. Jupiter blocked it as she had done for Tesuni and pushed Kameran back off. The Youma spun around and delivered a kick to the side of Jupiter's head.

The blow rattled her brain and allowed Kameran the chance to land another kick to the opposite side before slamming her fist into the front of the Warrior's mask. In the midst of her fall backwards Tesuni appeared at her side and took hold of the Warrior's arm. She roared before she heaved Jupiter over her shoulder and slammed her into the ground.

Jupiter groaned as she struggled to stand. "I figured this wouldn't be easy." After taking in a deep breath she darted off to the side, narrowly avoiding a shot from Kameran. The Youma's blast flew into the falling building and caused more stone to fall and break into rubble in the yard.

A fist in her blind spot sent Jupiter stumbling forward before a pair of arms wrapped around her own and forced them up, leaving her front exposed. Tesuni appeared before her with a fireball at the ready in her hand.

"Dammit." she mumbled as she struggled to break free. She turned her head slightly and caught a glimpse of Kameran's grinning mug.

"Don't kill her, yet." Nephrite said from a distance, his voice booming across the area. A hole opened in one of the fire walls and he floated through before he dropped to the ground. "I want to see who she is first." He took his time crossing the yard and stopped just short of the Warrior. "Show me your identity Warrior Jupiter." he said coldly as his hand cupped her mask.

"All this fire is a bit much, don't you think?"

Nephrite tensed up at the sound of the voice and turned to see something black break through one of the walls. It landed in a fiery ball on the ground before it rose to a standing position.

The figure removed a cloak from over their shoulders that contained the fire and stomped it out on the ground. "Ganging up on a girl isn't very fair, or a gentlemanly thing to do." Tuxedo Mask smirked as he pulled worth his staff from within his vest. "Let me even the odds."

Mask held the staff between his hands before spreading them and with them the length of the staff spread, as well as its width. He twirled it around before holding the weapon like a javelin and hurling it towards the Youma.

"Avoid it." Nephrite commanded as he ducked below it.

The Youma failed to react in time and Tesuni was beamed in the forehead by the staff. It bounced off and flipped around the air before Mask appeared behind it. At this touch five red darts jutted out of the bottom, aimed for Jupiter.

The Warrior nodded in understanding before she put her all into pulling Kameran's weight with her. The girl roared out as she bent over and lifted the Youma off the ground and spun around, making her back the target for Mask. The thief smirked before firing all the darts out, each lodging into Kameran's back.

In pain the Youma released her hold of Jupiter and the Warrior took hold of the woman's arm and flung her off into the building.

"Nice to see you again." Jupiter said as Mask approached her. "And not a moment too soon."

He smiled and twirled the staff around his body, its shape elongating and becoming more thin until he held it still at his side. "Are the others nearby?"

"Warrior Moon and an agent from the Guard helped get some civilians away from here." Jupiter said. "But other than her I'm alone, sent out here on a mission."

"Looks like things aren't going according to plan." Mask remarked, his eyes now focusing on Nephrite as Tesuni appeared at his side.

"You could say that." Jupiter said. "If you don't mind, I'll handle the two Youma. They got the best of me a minute ago, but their attacks aren't something I think you could handle alone."

"Sounds good!" Mask said as he pole vaulted himself towards Nephrite. In mid-air he spun his staff and used it to slam down onto the ground, causing Tesuni to leap away.

Nephrite remained in his spot as his own weapon appeared, the staff of his pole arm blocking Mask's staff. The Shitennou grunted before he pushed off against Mask, sending the boy flying back.

Mask jabbed down at the ground and twirled around the staff, slowly coming down to the ground. Without stopping his movements he began to twirl the staff over his back and moved into spinning around with it on his shoulders, all the while altering its length.

Using the darkness to his advantage he shifted positions in the yard before he shot out the staff to Nephrite. The man lunged to the side to avoid it and Mask propelled himself forward again, coming down on Nephrite with the shaft. For a minute the men traded blows, blocking one another with the shafts of their poles.

After a wide swing, Mask ended up on the crumbling stone wall and lunged off for Nephrite. The man responded by hurling the pole arm up to him, to which Mask flipped over backwards to avoid and landed roughly on the ground. Nephrite charged forward and met Mask with an uppercut as the man came to his feet.

As Mask flew back from the blow Nephrite wrapped a hand around his ankle and yanked him back to slam him down into the ground. Mask groaned out and tried to sit up but Nephrite stepped over him and wrapped his hands around the boy's neck.

"What are you—here for?" Mask gasped as he clawed at the large hands cutting off his air supply. "The... Crystal?"

"No, not quite." Nephrite snarled. "But I remember you were a pain to Jadeite in tracking down the Silver Crystal, I'd be honoring him if I ended your life here. But I would prefer to take you back to my base, and drain you of every ounce of energy you have. Because that is my job!" he said with an added ounce of pressure on Mask's veins. "That, and to discover the identity of the Warriors. We have others to search for the Crystal."

-F-

"We have to go help Jupiter." Moon said. "But how do we get back inside?"

Rei took several steps back from the wall and gazed up and down its height. "Maybe a strong enough attack thrown into it? I know my dispelling magic won't work, my slips would burn instantly." she said. "Or taking down whoever made the walls."

"Whoever they are they're probably inside!" Moon snapped. "How can we attack them if we can't get near them, or even see them?"

"Your attack is long range right?" Rei asked. "And it's energy based, which means it won't burn in the fire like my arrows."

"So?"

"So, I'll direct you on where to attack." Rei said.

Moon's brows jumped. "Can you see through fire or something?"

"Not quite, come with me." Rei said and jogged down the length of the wall. "I can sense energy signals, right now I can feel four inside the fire walls."

"Jupiter, the two Youma, and—oh no! Did we forget someone inside?" Moon yelped and threw a look back to the group they were leaving behind.

"No, this other energy has been here for a while, but it wasn't in the building with us. It's probably a leader, or another Youma." Rei said as she came to a stop. "Here, they're directly across from us at this point."

"Who is?" Moon asked and gripped the air as her lance formed between her fists.

Rei squinted at the firewall and shook her head. "I can't tell, give me a minute I might be able to single out Jupiter from the rest. But be ready to fire one of those blasts on my command."

-F-

"Master Nephrite!" Kameran called out as she staggered to the man. "I feel an energy growing outside the wall!" she collapsed a few yards away, clutching her right arm that was burnt to a black crisp.

Nephrite lifted himself off Mask, he had given up on suffocating the boy and decided to instead beat him into unconsciousness. Mask sputtered out blood and through his swollen eye he caught a blurred glimpse of Nephrite standing up.

Nephrite hummed to himself as he examined the walls, searching for the power Kameran mentioned. As he turned towards the wall at his back a disc of white light cut through it. His eyes shot open as the disc cut through the yard and slammed into Kameran, cutting the woman from her shoulder down to her hip.

The Shitennou growled and whipped towards the opening in the wall. Through the gap he spotted the archer aiming an arrow at him.

"...Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen." the girl finished chanting and a white glow enveloped her arrowhead. "Acala guide my arrow!" Letting the arrow fly it zipped through the gap and shot through Nephrite's shoulder, sending the man staggering back.

He gripped the wound and noticed a paper tag stuck to the arrow tip. "Dammit!"

"Dispel!" Rei shouted and on cue the fire walls vanished.

From her side Moon lunged forward, lance at her side, and charged across the yard. Her eyes scanned every inch of the property while she ran, she saw Jupiter and Tesuni trading blows, Kameran laying in a blood puddle and Nephrite breaking the end of the arrow off.

Moon skidded to a stop noticing a black figure struggling to sit up. "Tuxedo Mask!" she gasped.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." he lied. "Worry about Nephrite."

"Right!" Moon said and shot up to point her lance at the man. "Give up, Nephrite!"

"FREEZE!" Several voices to Moon's left shouted. The Warrior turned to see numerous police officers standing behind open car doors aiming guns in her direction. "Drop the weapon and put your hands behind your head!"

"Err—no—wait I'm one of the good guys!" Moon pleaded and stabbed her lance into the ground. "He's the bad guy!"

"On my mark," Natsuna said over the radio receiver. The Superintendent sat in the passenger seat of a squad car with eyes trained on the entrance to the center. "fire on the man in gray."

Wakagi Toshio jolted hearing the command and turned in his seat to his boss. "But what about the one in the blue? She's got a sword!"

"Fire on the man in gray, now." Natsuna said and the officers obeyed.

Moon hit the ground instantly as the bullets started to fly. Nephrite flinched back, but stood in awe as the bullets failed to reach him. Each of them seemed to bounce harmlessly off an invisible barrier that spread across the entrance to the center's property.

"What the...?" Toshio said, dumbfounded.

At the side of the building's property Rei struggled to keep her hands pressed together in their seal form. Each bullet that touched her barrier was like a pair of arms threatening to rip her hands apart, which would cause the barrier to shatter.

"Nice one, Rei!" Jupiter said before slamming her knee into Tesuni's gut. "Rolling Thunder!" the Warrior threw her fist out into the woman's gut and the rumble of thunder erupted in the space between them and sent Tesuni flying across the yard and into the stone wall.

Nephrite stumbled away from the Moon and the approaching Jupiter, considering his options. "Tesuni, we're retreating."

The Youma struggled to get to her feet. "Yes master." she said as she hobbled towards Nephrite to rest a hand on his shoulder as he turned.

"Wait!" Moon called out. "Masato!"

Instinctively Nephrite turned and his eyes grew wide when he did.

Jupiter stopped. "Masato? Isn't that Naru's...?"

Nephrite's nostrils flared before he and Tesuni were wrapped in a black energy that quickly shot into the sky, carrying them away from the center.

Rei met with Warrior Jupiter as she crossed the yard, her eyes on the sky. Jupiter's clouds were clearing and in the afternoon sky she could clearly make out the black dart zipping through the air.

Moon rose to her feet and stepped over to Mask who was struggling to get up. "Are you okay?" she asked, placing a hand on his back as he sat up.

Mask nodded. "Nothing some ice and a good night's sleep can't heal." Mask grunted as he used his staff for support to stand. "I wish we could meet on better terms." he said before he started to dust off his suit.

"You came to the rescue again, and not for me, but for my friend." Moon said and threw a glance over to Jupiter. "I can't think of a better way to meet." she flushed.

"Hold it right there!" Toshio shouted as he jogged across the yard, followed by a team of officers who fanned out, aiming flashlights and pistols across the yard. "You all have some explaining to do about what happened here. Especially you." he said, directed at Moon.

"Why me?"

"This is the second time you've been found at the scene where strange events have occurred, just who are you?" Toshio asked as Jupiter and Rei came up beside Moon. "And you two?"

"Leave them alone, Toshio." Natsuna said as she approached from behind. "I know them, they're associated of Sailor V."

Toshio fumed. "Sailor V!" he hissed and bawled up his fists in front of his chest. "I should have known! But that doesn't make them any less responsible for what happened here. Superintendent we need answers!"

Natuna sighed and placed a hand on her hip. "He's right." she said and focused her eyes on Moon.

Warrior Moon bobbed her head in understanding. "Rei can you make sure Naru and the others get home okay? And Jupiter take care of Mask." she said before she stepped away and moved to Natsuna's side.

"Shouldn't we come with you?" Jupiter asked as she stepped up beside Mask, giving him her shoulder to lean on. "I mean, who is she?"

"Wakagi," Natsuna said. "get a car ready for me."

Toshio nodded and dipped away from the group and back into the cluster of squad cars on the street.

Once the officer was out of sight Moon turned stepped into the center of the group. "Jupiter, this is Sakurada Natsuna, she's the Superintendent of Police in Tokyo." Moon said.

Jupiter struggled to contain her surprise. The family name was the same as their teacher's. "Are they related?" she asked herself, quiet enough that her voice wouldn't reach past her mask.

Moon waited to see if Jupiter would respond, but after a minute decided to go on. "She's on our side, on Kalla's side."

Natsuna nodded. "When it comes to statements my department has to make about these kind of events I only release what Kalla says is okay. All special evidence is kept off the records."

"After what happened at the Hall I was brought in for questioning." Moon said and looked back to Natsuna. "She knows my identity, that's why I'll be the only one going. It's not that I don't trust you Ms. Sakurada, but if something happens, I want to protect my friends. That means keeping Cosmic Warrior Jupiter's identity a secret."

"I understand." Natsuna said. "But I just want you to know, I'm here for you girls, you as well masked man." she said to Mask who gave a small smile back. "I just hope we can continue to explain these kind of things away."

-F-

Azabu-Juuban

Ami's gaze lifted from the glove box in her mother's car to the building they were parked before; the Crystal Seminar. She let out a breath she hadn't remembered holding and pulled on the door handle with a frown. "Can you unlock the door, please?"

Saeko had retained a tight grip on the steering wheel even though she had turned off the engine several minutes ago. "I don't need to remind you what to say about that do I?" she said before she rolled her neck around to her daughter.

Ami's blue brows furrowed before the memory hit her and her eyes fell on a black and purple spot on her upper arm, nearly concealed by her blouse's sleeve. To her it was a bruise she received the other day for forgetting her Crystal Disc at home. To anyone that asked it was the punishment of being clumsy while going down the stairs and hitting the railing too hard. "No."

"Good." Saeko said before she clicked down the lock on the door. "Now, what time do you want me to pick you up?" she asked sweetly.

Ami gave her mother the same time she always did, nine o'clock, and exited the car. She pushed through the set of glass doors and was greeted by the sound of nasal laughter and the flipping of textbook pages. The stairwell of the building was a common place for the students to gather before classes started.

"Hey Ami!" A boy at the bottom of the stairs said cheerfully.

Ami lifted her head and took in a breath that inflated a smile and brought life to her ocean-like eyes. "Good evening, Kouga." Ami said.

"How are you?" he asked and fell in stride beside Ami as she climbed the steps.

"I'm doing well, how about you?" Ami said and as they reached the top she gave a few students short waves, a small smile, or nod in their direction.

"I'm awesome, as usual!" Kouga laughed. "Did you remember your disc today?"

Ami gave a short laugh and dipped her hand into her bag and pulled out her disc's case. "I won't forget it again." The last thing she needed was another bruise, and she knew her instructor would probably enjoy calling her mother again to tell her how irresponsible Ami was; she didn't want to give Ms. Renga the satisfaction.

At the top of the stairs the duo walked into a mix of an office and lobby. To the right was a small lounge area with a coffee table and an equal number of chairs and two-seat couches, flanked by two bathrooms and surrounded by small individual office rooms set within the brick walls.

Directly to their left was a circulation desk that always had a few adults behind it, chatting about something. Ami had been coming here for a while, but she had yet to find out what they did at the desk, and no one had bothered to tell her either.

Beyond the desk was a hallway that led to some of the classrooms and more hallways that looped around the entire floor.

"Don't be tardy students." a shrill voice said from behind them. A woman dressed in a loose white blouse and a form-fitting black dress teetered past the two of them. She turned and looked Ami up and down with her narrow eyes from behind oval glass frames.

"Good evening Ms. Renga." Kouga said happily.

The instructor regarded him with a tight smile before she nodded to the both of them and spun around, vanishing down a hallway on the right.

Kouga nudged Ami. "Why didn't you say hi?" Kouga took her silence as an answer. "Why don't you like her?"

Ami gave a short shrug. "I don't know, she called my mom when I forgot my disc last time. I didn't think it was that big of a deal."

Kouga looked at his own disc on top of the book stack in his arms. "They paid a lot of money to build this place and for all the materials we use. They want us to do well and succeed. These discs had to cost a fortune too, I bet she was worried you'd lost it and were trying to lie about it so you wouldn't have to pay for a replacement."

Ami gave a doubtful frown. "I've never lied to her before, she had no reason to doubt me."

Kouga smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "I'd be lying if I said my mom wasn't strict. Well, get better get to class and start up our computers."

-F-

"I'm sorry Naru, do you think you can make it home from here?" Rei said as she stopped on a street corner and checked her wrist watch. "I just remembered I was supposed to meet someone for dinner and I'm already late."

"Oh sure!" Naru said. "I'll be fine, sorry for making you walk be back."

Rei nodded with a smile before she darted across the street.

"Oh wait, Rei!" Naru called out and waved her hand in the air. Rei paused in the middle of the street and checked for cars before turning back to Naru. "What you said, about teaching me, did you mean it?"

A look of surprise took over Rei's face. She made Naru a deal to teach her some magic known to the agents of the Guard as a part of a plan Naru had been working on for a few weeks. But she hadn't thought Naru was serious. "Of course!" she yelled back. "We can start whenever you're ready."

"Okay! I'm gonna hold you to that!"

Rei laughed and waved back at her before she finished crossing the street and ran down the sidewalk. "Ooh, please don't be gone, please don't be gone." Rei muttered as she checked her watch again, nearly half an hour late. She continued to run until she came to the restaurant front she agreed on meeting at and pushed through the door.

"Good evening!" A man waiting in the entrance lobby said cheerfully as they picked up a menu. "Just one, table or booth?"

"Ah no, actually, I'm here to meet someone. Hino, party of three." Rei said.

The employees brows shot up and they tipped their head down to a book before them and scanned the page. "You're the last to arrive. This way."

Rei nodded and followed him across the dining area to a booth in the back of the building where a couple was sitting, a man on the left and the woman on the right, both preoccupied looking over folders of paperwork.

"Hi dad, mom." Rei said as she bobbed on her toes.

The couple looked up simultaneously and a look of delight overtook their faces. "Rei!" the woman said as she slipped out of the booth seat and embraced her daughter in a hug. "Oh, my baby!" she gushed as she cupped Rei's face in her hands. "Beautiful!"

"Thanks mom." Rei said before her father wrapped two strong arms around them both. "Hi dad. Sorry I'm so late, something unexpected came up."

"Unexpected?" Tadashi asked before he took his seat again and began to readjust the paperwork that was taking up the entire table. "That's a fresh way to refer to the firefight in Setagaya-ku."

"Sorry," Rei said with the weight as if it was her fault. "I met someone from the police department, the Superintendent, and spoke with someone from the Guard. They've already prepared the story that will air on tonight's news and what will be in the paper. We just have to let the police handle the rest."

"And the damages?" Tadashi asked curtly.

"I heard the Cleaners were sent out already." Rei said quickly. "I know that doesn't really fix everything, but that's about all we can do for now."

"Oh it's fine!" Hino Risa said, dismissing her daughter's need for an excuse. "Don't worry about it." She pulled Rei down into the booth seat with her and wrapped arms around her again. "I'm just happy I got to see you. Besides, it gave us time to catch up on the recent events."

Rei raised her brows, puzzled. "Recent events?" she asked as she scanned the papers her father was putting in order.

"The number of supernatural attacks has skyrocketed since last month." Tadashi said as he turned a stack of papers around so Rei could read the first page easily. "Why do you think that is?"

Rei pretended to read the page before her, it was all information she'd already been given through the Guard. "The Cosmic Warriors have started appearing, they already awakened two so far, the Dark Kingdom is getting restless."

Tadashi sat back in his seat and removed his glasses. "If something you feared was outside this diner right now, and more were joining it, would you run out and make a scene, or remain inside and form a plan of escape?"

"Form a plan." Rei said and glanced out the window just to be safe. "But what if this is their plan? To draw as much attention to these things as possible before doing something bigger?"

"Which is what we're stuck on." Risa said as she rubbed Rei's shoulder. "Their attacks are focused on gathering energy, but we don't know for what."

"To power something." Tadashi said off the top of his head.

"Someone?" Rei offered, which earned concerned looks from her parents. "Warrior Moon said the leader was a woman named Beryl, is the energy for her?"

Risa hummed quietly to herself before shrugging. "I can't think of anything else. I had a thought that they were using the energy to create more Youma, but then that means they're only sending out Youma just to make more. No end game to that plan."

Tadashi slid the stack of papers away from Rei and threw down a manila folder. "Did you have any other plans tonight?"

Rei shook her head and took the cue to open the folder.

"Good, we'll start at square one to figure out their next move then." Tadashi said.

-F-

Ami waved by to some of her classmates before she rubbed her eyes. They felt dry and were burning. "Staring at a computer screen for three hours, it can't be good for me." she sighed. Ami checked her watch, just a few minutes until her mom would arrive, punctual as usual.

She cast careless glances up and down the sidewalk until someone standing under a streetlight caught her attention. After catching her eyes on them the figure jolted and turned to walk away quickly.

"Ahh, wait!" Ami called out before she jogged to catch up to the person. "Ryo, is that you?"

The figure halted and dropped their shoulders in defeat.

"It is..." Ami breathed. "You scared me for a second, I thought a stranger was watching me, what are you doing out here?"

Urawa Ryo turned slowly and shrugged towards Ami. "I was out for a walk, and I noticed you standing there."

Ami laughed and tilted her head to the side. "You could have said hi." After an awkward moment of silence Ami took a step forward. "I miss studying with you, Ryo, I'm sorry for what happened last time. My mom can be a bit, intense."

"It's fine, no worries." Ryo said. "Well, I should get going." he said as he turned away.

"Wait! I still haven't thanked you, for last week." Ami called out. "For when that brick fell. If you hadn't called my name, I would have kept walking I might have died."

Ryo winced at the mention of it. "It's fine, you don't need to thank me." He said and watched a car drive by slow before it stopped in front of the Seminar.

Ami laughed awkwardly, unsure if he was kidding or not. "You saved my life, the least I can do is say thank you. I mean, I don't know if it was a coincidence, or really great timing, but I can't stop thinking about it."

The car parked in front of the Seminar erupted with a series of horn blares. Ami looked to the side regretfully. "That's my mom, I have to go. But really Ryo, thank you." she said before she turned and jogged to the side of the car.

Ryo exhaled heavily as he watched Ami dip down and vanish into the passenger side. "Don't thank me Ami, not yet."


End of Chapter Twenty Nine


Next, the Warriors leave in a hurry on their latest assignment and come face to face with a previous foe. Their brash battle plans results in an unexpected death. Who will be the casualty? Find out next time.
Chapter Thirty - Made in France