Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing or Sailor Moon. This fic is also filmed before a live studio audience.
Chapter 37
The apartment where Heero and Quatre were staying in was quiet, even more so than normal. Most of the time Quatre would do the talking while Heero would respond in one word sentences, grunts, or short phrases. To an outsider it would seem like a very unbalanced relationship but they both preferred it that way. This night however, neither of them were saying anything. Deep inside their minds they knew a final confrontational battle was going to soon come and that thought alone dominated anything that could have been of importance. The serene silence however was soon interrupted by a call from Heero's cell phone. He left the room for a few seconds and then came back to give news to Quatre.
"That was Usagi. Apparently the students at Mugen Academy are beginning to gather there for some reason."
"This late at night?"
"Yes, the girls are headed there now. I am going to go as well. Would you like to come?"
Quatre sighed. That place was a huge thorn in all their sides. Quatre probably wouldn't mind it so much if Heero disintegrated the building with Wing Zero but that would also cause problems with the locals. "Actually," Quatre responded. "there is something I wanted to do. I am going to go to Hotaru's place and check out something there. With the fact that she is the center of all this perhaps I can find something that'll be of use."
"Are you sure you can go alone?"
"Who do you think I am?" Laughed Quatre. "Though I am not as well trained as you, I am still a Gundam pilot. I am not totally helpless."
"I see." Said Heero. "Be careful."
At Hotaru's residence Quatre was greeted with an unexpected sight. Chibi-Usa was in her Chibi Moon form and currently standing outside Hotaru's residence shaking in her boots. "Chibi-Usa?"
"EEEEEK!" Screamed Chibi Moon as she turned around, "Quatre! You shouldn't sneak up on a lady like that! I almost had a heart attack!"
"What are you doing here at this time of night kiddo?"
"I'm here to find Hotaru! What about you? You shouldn't be here it's dangerous!"
Quatre chuckled. "It doesn't feel right having a kid lecture me."
"I'm not a kid!" Complained Chibi Moon. She was about to give Quatre an earful when the door to Hotaru's residence mysteriously opened on it's own. Chibi Moon shrieked in fright and then proceeded to hide behind Quatre and clutch his leg. "It's scary!"
Quatre looked at Chibi Moon as she held on to his leg. Wasn't she the one with magical powers? He should be hiding behind her if anything. 'I guess above all things, she's still a child after all.' Quatre thought to himself.
"You go first!" Chibi Moon ordered.
Quatre slowly entered the dark domain with Chibi Moon right behind him. The house was sinister and uninviting. There were no lights on and the atmosphere was almost suffocating. They proceeded very slowly down the dark corridors hoping to find something of interest. Quatre peeked his head around a door and saw a tall thin woman standing by the window, faintly illuminated by the moonlight.
"Who is it?" Chibi Moon asked coming out from behind Quatre.
"Hotaru wants to see you." Said the figure. "She wants to see you and have your pure heart!"
"It's Kaolinite!" Cried Chibi Moon.
Kaolinite stepped towards the pair with a menacing look on her face. Quatre quickly placed himself in between Chibi Moon and Kaolinite. "There is no way I am going to let you touch this child!"
"And what can you do boy? You are nothing but an out of place whelp!" Kaolinite raised her arm and a large burst of energy materialized from her. Quatre and Chibi Moon were both blown through a window and landed outside the house. "HAHAHAHA!" Laughed Kaolinite. "It's mine! The most powerful pure heart there is!"
"Dead scream." A large ball of purple plasma streaked towards Kaolinite who had to dive out of the way of the attack.
"Puu!" Cried Chibi-Moon.
"Small Lady! You mustn't come to such dangerous places!"
"Another nuisance!" Yelled Kaolinite as she readied herself to attack Sailor Pluto. Kaolinite charged up a sphere of energy to fire at Sailor Pluto but her attack was interrupted by the sting of a thorny red rose that grazed her arm.
"It's Tuxedo Mask!"
"Attacking a girl who has come here solely due to her strong feelings for her friend. You are a heartless creature indeed."
Kaolinite grit her teeth in frustration. "I have had enough! You will not interfere!" She raised her arm and a large explosion of smoke appeared from the ground surrounding her. The smokescreen prevented Quatre, Sailor Pluto, and Tuxedo Mask from being able to clearly see. By the time the smoke had cleared, Kaolinite had Sailor Chibi Moon knocked out and tucked under one arm.
"Shit!" Cursed Tuxedo Mask.
"The purest of heart now belongs to us!" Taunted Kaolinite. Her menacing laugh echoed throughout the night as she disappeared into a dark portal.
"Goddammit!" Yelled Quatre. "I can't even protect one little girl!"
Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune walked down a dark corridor. The two of them had also decided to explore Mugen due to the strange happenings that had been occurring that night. Upstairs they found an entrance into a very eccentric room. It appeared to be a laboratory but there were things that stood out that made it seem very sinister. Most of the room was made of up nothing but a large maze of pipes that connected to bubbling cauldrons of mysterious concoctions. They were pretty sure they were being watched. But one thing that they were certain of was that the room they were in was not made by beings from their world. Finally they reached the end of the corridor. Awaiting them was a man in a lab jacket who had his attention focus on a small being laying perfectly still on a platform.
"Welcome Sailor Senshi. You have arrived just in time."
Uranus and Neptune both realized what the figure on the platform was. It was the unconscious body of a little girl. "Sailor Chibi Moon!" Uranus immediately sprinted full speed at the doctor but was stopped a few feet before reaching her target as a large shock of electricity traveled throughout her body. Her figure was blown back to Neptune by the recoil.
"Uranus are you okay!"
"Dammit! He has a strong barrier set up there!"
"Uranus! Neptune!"
The rest of the senshi and Heero ran over to where their comrades were.
"And where have you all been?" Asked Sailor Uranus.
"Sorry," Said Sailor Venus. "we ran into a little bit of trouble."
"Ah," Said the professor. "it seems you are all here. Now you can witness the rebirth of the Messiah of Silence. The energy of the pure heart of this young girl will give her more than enough strength to come into this world."
"Sailor Chibi Moon!" Shouted a very frantic Sailor Moon who quickly dashed towards the professor.
"Don't!" Uranus warned but it was too late. Sailor Moon crashed into the same barrier that thwarted her and was flung back like a rag doll.
"It's pointless!" Mocked the professor. "Now the time for rebirth has come!"
Two figures emerged from the darkness behind the professor. One was Kaolinite, the other was none other than Hotaru who appeared to be in some sort of trance. Hotaru glanced at Sailor Chibi Moon and then from her chest emerged a sinister demonic looking hand. The hand which seemed to have a will of it's own quickly plunged itself into Sailor Chibi Moon's chest who began to cry out in pure agony. "Chibi-Usa!" Shrieked Sailor Moon as she once again tried to force herself through the barrier.
"Stop it Sailor Moon!" Ordered Sailor Mars as she and the others attempted to restrain her. "You'll kill yourself!"
Sailor Chibi Moon barely opened her eyes and saw Hotaru grinning evilly at her. "Hotaru…I'm so glad…you're alright." With that final whisper, Sailor Chibi Moon fell unconscious.
The demonic hand ripped Chibi Moon's heart out of her chest and brought it back to Hotaru who immediately devoured it. The senshi could do nothing but watch the horrific event as a large surge of lighting soon crackled throughout the room. The gentle childish figure of Hotaru was soon replaced by that of a grown woman who looked to be in her 20s.
"It seems to be our victory professor." Said Kaolinite.
"Yes Kaolinite. I could not have done it without you."
"Professor…I" Whatever Kaolinite was planning to say was soon interrupted by a large bolt of lighting, which sent her body flying into the barrier. Kaolinite's body convulsed and twisted as electricity coarsed throughout her body. Soon after, her figure fell to the ground in a lifeless, semi-charred heap.
"Kaolinite's job is now over!" Proclaimed the newly acquired body of Hotaru.
"That's not Sailor Saturn! Who is that?" Shouted a confused Sailor Neptune.
"I am the Messiah of Silence, Mistress Nine. Please accept my condolences that I cannot stay to kill you all personally. We must start immediately preparing for the next step."
"Yes!" Said the professor.
The building itself quaked and shook as waves of violent energy were released from Mistress Nine. The energy knocked out the generators that were powering the barrier. "Chibi-Usa!" Cried Sailor Moon as she ran to the lifeless body.
"Sailor Moon! We have to get out of here!"
Outside Sailor Pluto, Tuxedo Mask, Quatre and the two guardian cats were watching the spectacle. From the top floor, focused beams of light were shooting out of the windows and glass from the building was shattering everywhere. The foundation of the building itself looked like it would give way any minute. "Mamo-chan!" Cried Sailor Moon as the group ran out of the entrance. Sailor Moon looked down at Chibi-Usa who lay motionless in her arms. "Chibi-Usa is…Chibi-Usa isn't breathing!"
Tuxedo Mask took Chibi-Usa's body from Sailor Moon and stared at his future daughter. His heart felt like it was going to burst.
"We need to get away from this area." Warned Heero.
The group agreed and quickly made haste to Mamoru's apartment.
"Heero I can't do anything right. Because of my inability to do anything Chibi-Usa is in that state."
"Quatre," Said Heero as he tried to be reassuring. "there are beings here with abilities that go far beyond human comprehension. Even if I were there with you I'm sure the same result would have occurred."
"That's right Quatre." Said Minako. "None of us were able to prevent this from happening."
Usagi walked out of Mamoru's room with the two cats in tow.
"Well?" Asked Makoto.
"We linked Chibi-Usa and Mamoru's bodies together. For now she'll live through his life force but it is only a temporary solution."
"Which means that we have to get her heart back?" Asked Rei.
"Well then," Said Minako. "what are we waiting for? Shall we get going."
"Yes, it is time to settle this once and for all." Added Ami.
"I'm coming too!"
"Quatre?"
"I am not going to sit here and let you all go into that place without me. I am not going to be idle while you do all the work."
"But Quatre-" Started Minako.
"It'll be fine." Interrupted Heero. If someone underestimates him in battle, they will definitely lose.
"All right then." Said a determined Sailor Moon. "Let's end this right now!"
The five girls and the two boys walked silently towards their destination. They had no idea what awaited them and they did not even know if they were going to come out of it alive. One thing they knew is that they were all in this together and no force on earth was going to stop them from fighting it out to their last breaths. The ruins of the Mugen Academy slowly became bigger as the group moved ever closer. Unfortunately, their approach did not go undetected.
"The grail approaches." Said Mistress Nine stoically.
"The grail?" Asked the professor.
"How kind of them to bring it to us."
Mistress Nine breathed laboriously. "Still, I cannot allow obstructions to enter here yet. Not until I awaken fully."
She closed her eyes, and began to focus her energy…
The approaching group stopped. The area around the building began to darken. Sailor Mars brought a hand to her chest and gasped.
"What is it?" Asked Sailor Moon.
"Just now, I felt a presence so sinister that it was nothing I had ever felt before."
"Look!" Yelled Quatre as he pointed at the building. A massive shield slowly grew from the ground and covered the exterior of the ruins. Sailor Mercury brought her visor out and examined it.
"It is an incredibly strong barrier. I don't think we can break it, we'll have to teleport in with Sailor Teleport."
"You can do that too?" Asked Heero.
"Yes but only when all five of us are here."
Heero immediately though of how useful it would have been on his various missions but quickly dismissed the thought. Now was not the time for what-ifs.
"Wait, there is something else!" Warned Sailor Mercury.
Inside the barrier a purple sludge began to ooze out of the various openings of the ruined building. The entire building seemed nearly covered with it. The area around the ruins was soon covered as well by the thick sludge. Slowly, various areas of slime began to form into humanoid beings. "What is it!" Asked a distress Sailor Moon.
"Daimons!" Answered Sailor Mercury. "Hundreds of them!"
The humanoid creatures immediately shrieked an unholy shout and launched themselves at the group. "They're coming!" Immediately they were overcome by the hundreds of slime based daimons. The Senshi used their various attacks to defend themselves but any destroyed creature just reformed right after. It was as if they were fighting living jelly. Quatre and Heero weren't have much luck either. Heero was just doing what he could do avoid getting swarmed and Quatre was doing his best to dodge everything. They both looked at each other and the same thought seemed to resonate in each other's mind.
"Hey, it's not like we're going to be here much longer. Besides we really don't have a choice in this matter do we?" Asked Quatre with a reassuring smile.
Heero sighed. He really didn't want to do this but given the circumstances, he had to agree. "I guess you're right. We have to do it."
"Let's call the Gundams."
TBC
Oh nice cliffhanger don't you agree? Oh well, even though I don't update very often, at least I hope I can entertain a few of you. And also for any new people who may have just read this story, welcome! Enjoy the wait in between updates!