Adimus handed all the girls but Ami dive suits from a locker. Ami had pulled her skirt and shirt on over her suit, so she stripped the outer layer of her clothing and waited while Minako, Makoto and Rei stripped and put on their dive suits. Adimus had left mysteriously, but he had apparently been waiting for them at the airlock to the water.
Minako had been trying to keep her hands out of view, so that Adimus wouldn't find out about her gem. She had managed by stuffing her hands into the pockets of her bomber jacket, but in the skintight dive gear there were no pockets and places to hide her hands. The dive suits had not been made like Ami's, so the hands and feet were not covered. At the last second Minako decided to tear a piece of fabric from her shirt and wrap it around her gem, so it would look like she had injured herself.
Adimus was looking pointedly at the hand and it's bandage, but said nothing. Instead he opened the airlock door and swam out into the ocean. The girls followed, and soon Ami had passed Adimus and was leading the group to a huge towering mass of coral. She slipped eel like into a hole in the side, hidden by juts of coral and strands of kelp. Makoto, Minako and Rei took a moment to see where to go in and hesitated, but they gave each other a nod of encouragement and swam in. They could barely see Adimus swimming ahead of them; it was dark in the reef and only dim light passed through the few holes that existed.
I hope this isn't a trap. It's so strange not being human…all my life I thought I was like everyone else, I was too busy trying to survive and remember I never noticed the differences, thought Makoto. She looked to Rei for reassurance, but saw that the dark haired girl was also spaced out and lost in thought.
This is a crazy world. Upside down and inside out all the time. It's like nothing will stand still or stay the same. We were singled out for this quest, this destined duty. But do we have destiny? Now that I've found out that I'm just a thing, an object, do I live, or do I operate? What the hell am I? Do I see, feel, do I do anything other than what I am programmed to? Is my life programmed for me, my every move calculated, pre ordained? Is that the destiny of a cyborg? Rei wondered if this was when a human would cry. But she continued stretching her arms forward in a smooth, powerful motion that propelled her forward.
Minako was also thinking, worrying. The gem. Does that Adimus guy know about it? That look in his eyes when Ami, our Ami, told him she found the sapphire. It was a look of greed. I don't trust him. But I can't do anything about it. I'm just a machine. A thing he created for his own ends. I must obey him. Or can I break free? Have Mako-chan, Rei-chan and I just been puppets all our lives? We remember so little, and what little I know, even I know more. Because of this stupid rock.
Minako whapped the offending gem against the coral, and it went off, blasting a hole through the reef. Ami and Adimus swam back to see what the bang was from. Adimus swam through the hole first to see where it lead and to see if the reef was still stable. Makoto took this chance to talk to Ami.
"Ami, what is up with you worshiping this Adimus dude? Do you actually trust him?" asked Mako.
"Of course I trust Adimus. He saved me from drowning and then he showed me the true nature of our search for the gems." Replied Ami tersely.
"I wish you would come to your senses Ami! You're the smartest one among us, and even we are suspicious. You're acting as if you've been brainwashed!" Minako suddenly fell silent. "You think…"she said.
"Shit! That's a good point Mina-chan. If that happened…than Adimus is defiantly not a friend. He's defiantly not if he brainwashed Ami." Exclaimed Rei.
"All of you are being very ridiculous," Snapped Ami, it was very unusual for her to snap like this, but snap she did.
Just then Adimus came swimming back, and he guided the girls to the heart of the shrine, where on a pearly pedestal sat the sapphire.
"We need only take the stone Ami. Once we set it into the machine, that will be one step further to unsealing Serenity." Said Adimus. At the time, no one thought to wonder why he could breath and speak.
"Ami! Don't do it! Set it into your hand, the socket on your hand! It appears when your gem senses you! Don't listen to Adimus!" shouted Minako.
"I haven't cleared things up with these girls Ami. They don't understand the way you do."
Ami stared straight ahead and then slowly extended her arm, then her hand and then her index finger towards the sapphire. It glowed a brilliant blue that filled the reef and shot up into the sky. It was reacting to two great powers, to forces of great brilliance. Ami swayed a moment in the current of the water and then picked up the sapphire. She handed it to Adimus.
Turning to Minako and the others she said, "You haven't been repaired yet. I trust Adimus completely. I don't wish to leave the Marine Cathedral or Adimus, and I won't have to if he takes the stone."
"FUCK YOU!!!" shrieked Minako, the cloth over the gem on her hand burned in the water and the gem started to glow. The water boiled around her hand and the laser burst in a great globe from the reef blowing it apart. Rei and Makoto were thrown sky high from the blast, but the power of the sapphire stabilized Adimus and Ami. Minako's face appeared again from amidst the froth and foam and she blasted Adimus. He dodged, surprising Minako with his agility and speed in the water.
Minako grabbed Ami's hands and tried to force the sapphire into the gaping socket. Ami let out a shriek of rage and sank her teeth into Minako's hand. Minako ignored the damage and slowly wrestled Ami's hands closer and closer together. Adimus suddenly appeared from the foam behind Minako and knocked her brutally out of the way, sending her flying into a hunk of the reef. Ami's hand popped open and the sapphire flew out.
The Mercury gem let out a great flash of light and suddenly sank, Adimus tried to catch it, but it seared his hand. Ami let her palm fly out to catch the stone and it twisted around to the back of her hand, defying gravity and sinking into the socket. Adimus roared in rage and swam up to the surface as the last of the reef collapsed. Minako awoke and saw Ami fainted and sinking. Remembering that too long in the water would damage their metal bodies; Minako dove for Ami, and grasped her hand. A chunk of coral suddenly knocked Minako in the head, jarring her system. She stopped operating for a moment, before continuing her swim upwards.
At the surface Adimus was nowhere to be seen. Makoto and Rei were treading water. Minako rose up and gasped out "We need a recharge really badly! We have to go back to that Marine Cathedral even if Adimus…" Makoto and Rei took Ami and they all paddled over to the complex under water. Minako slowed down considerably during the long, hard swim, and when the four finally reached the lair of Adimus, she was almost spent.
"Minako, please! We need one last blast from you, please! One last little blast from the pretty gem." pleaded Makoto, who had noticed the airlock could only be used with voice activation.
Minako groaned piteously but managed to raise her arm slightly. She let out a feeble blast from her gem and then she was gone, all her energy had been used up in the battle, especially since the laser attack used up extra energy. Burdened with two unconscious girls, Rei and Makoto prepared to sneak through the Marine Cathedral.
The room was flooded now the glass window was broken. The aluminum chairs floated around and the building was creaking. Makoto and Rei dragged their friends over to the watertight door and went into the air lock hallway. The water didn't follow, considering the tremendous air pressure, and the girls were able to stop swimming.
Rei looked at Minako and remember the time only a few days before when she too had been near shut down from exhaustion. She and Minako and Makoto had slept in the mausoleum of Venus.
"Rei, you stay here and protect Minako and Ami. I'm going to look for the charge station." Said Makoto.
"Wouldn't it be better if I found a little better a hiding place? Some place where Adimus couldn't find us?" replied Rei.
"Good point. I know, ladies room. I see one up ahead."
"Perfect."
Rei and Makoto picked up the two girls and carried them into the restroom. The stalls were very clean and Rei took Ami and Minako into one in a shadowy corner. They huddled in the stall as Makoto left to find the energy they all needed.
Makoto walked down the hall. She was worried she would be found and the dive suit felt clammy and stiff against her skin. She wished for the flannel shirt and jeans she had on earlier. The hallway was cold and the lights bright. There were no protective shadows. Shivering, Mako continued to walk down the hall as quietly as possible looking at all the labels on the doors. Her brown hair clung to her neck and droplets of water slid down her chin. She didn't have a gem, or even a gun. No weapons. Except herself.
The tall brunet saw a masking tape label on the stainless steel door that read "Power". Makoto went in and saw some generators. Picking up a wrench to use as a weapon, Mako noticed a nail file nearby. Suddenly, Makoto sensed damage to her arm.
Matrika stood there holding a dagger, her beautiful aqua hair flowing about her shoulders. She was sweating profusely and her purple top clung to her chest. "Get out." Matrika hissed. Makoto swung her wrench at the woman but Matrika nimbly dodged and kicked Makoto in the stomach. Makoto bent over, feigning pain, but the rammed her head into Matrika's belly. The dark skinned woman fell to the floor and tripped Makoto with a swipe of her leg. Suddenly Adimus came out of nowhere and pinned Makoto down.
"I made you and I can break you too. It would be no loss if you died. I could kill you all and make new gem searchers. Matrika wouldn't mind, would you lovely?" Adimus purred the name Matrika and his eyes burned for a moment. Matrika came a squatted above Makoto's head, dagger raised. Makoto remembered the wrench in her hand and swung it at Adimus. Matrika dove to the side to help her injured lord and flashed a smile at Mako. Matrika flung herself at Makoto with her dagger, but Makoto rolled out of the way and ran out the door.
Chasing Makoto down the hall way, Matrika saw her enemy heading for the door straight ahead, the storeroom. Makoto rushed in and slammed the door. She grabbed the largest pouch of energy plugs she could find and then went back to the door. It was locked. Matrika had locked the door and was out side laughing. Matrika turned and walked back down the hallway, and met Jesea halfway. The two kissed and Jesea asked the whereabouts of the girl who had just been chased down the hall.
"She's locked in the store room darling. And Adimus is out cold in the generator room. It's just us."
"Alone." Breathed Jesea.
"He might wake, he might find us."
"Lets go somewhere where he would never go."
"How about the lady's room?"
"He'll kill us if he finds out…that we…that he isn't the only one who…"
"I don't care about what that louse thinks. All I'm good for to him is- oh I don't want to think of it. It's too terrible." Matrika turned her head so Jesea wouldn't see the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"It's okay now. It won't be the same this way. You love me right? I love you." Jesea tipped Matrika's head up and kissed her. Matrika led her lover over to the ladies room and the two slipped inside.
Rei gasped. Someone was coming in. They had to get out before she was discovered. What was taking Mako so long? They needed that energy …
Minako had been trying to keep her hands out of view, so that Adimus wouldn't find out about her gem. She had managed by stuffing her hands into the pockets of her bomber jacket, but in the skintight dive gear there were no pockets and places to hide her hands. The dive suits had not been made like Ami's, so the hands and feet were not covered. At the last second Minako decided to tear a piece of fabric from her shirt and wrap it around her gem, so it would look like she had injured herself.
Adimus was looking pointedly at the hand and it's bandage, but said nothing. Instead he opened the airlock door and swam out into the ocean. The girls followed, and soon Ami had passed Adimus and was leading the group to a huge towering mass of coral. She slipped eel like into a hole in the side, hidden by juts of coral and strands of kelp. Makoto, Minako and Rei took a moment to see where to go in and hesitated, but they gave each other a nod of encouragement and swam in. They could barely see Adimus swimming ahead of them; it was dark in the reef and only dim light passed through the few holes that existed.
I hope this isn't a trap. It's so strange not being human…all my life I thought I was like everyone else, I was too busy trying to survive and remember I never noticed the differences, thought Makoto. She looked to Rei for reassurance, but saw that the dark haired girl was also spaced out and lost in thought.
This is a crazy world. Upside down and inside out all the time. It's like nothing will stand still or stay the same. We were singled out for this quest, this destined duty. But do we have destiny? Now that I've found out that I'm just a thing, an object, do I live, or do I operate? What the hell am I? Do I see, feel, do I do anything other than what I am programmed to? Is my life programmed for me, my every move calculated, pre ordained? Is that the destiny of a cyborg? Rei wondered if this was when a human would cry. But she continued stretching her arms forward in a smooth, powerful motion that propelled her forward.
Minako was also thinking, worrying. The gem. Does that Adimus guy know about it? That look in his eyes when Ami, our Ami, told him she found the sapphire. It was a look of greed. I don't trust him. But I can't do anything about it. I'm just a machine. A thing he created for his own ends. I must obey him. Or can I break free? Have Mako-chan, Rei-chan and I just been puppets all our lives? We remember so little, and what little I know, even I know more. Because of this stupid rock.
Minako whapped the offending gem against the coral, and it went off, blasting a hole through the reef. Ami and Adimus swam back to see what the bang was from. Adimus swam through the hole first to see where it lead and to see if the reef was still stable. Makoto took this chance to talk to Ami.
"Ami, what is up with you worshiping this Adimus dude? Do you actually trust him?" asked Mako.
"Of course I trust Adimus. He saved me from drowning and then he showed me the true nature of our search for the gems." Replied Ami tersely.
"I wish you would come to your senses Ami! You're the smartest one among us, and even we are suspicious. You're acting as if you've been brainwashed!" Minako suddenly fell silent. "You think…"she said.
"Shit! That's a good point Mina-chan. If that happened…than Adimus is defiantly not a friend. He's defiantly not if he brainwashed Ami." Exclaimed Rei.
"All of you are being very ridiculous," Snapped Ami, it was very unusual for her to snap like this, but snap she did.
Just then Adimus came swimming back, and he guided the girls to the heart of the shrine, where on a pearly pedestal sat the sapphire.
"We need only take the stone Ami. Once we set it into the machine, that will be one step further to unsealing Serenity." Said Adimus. At the time, no one thought to wonder why he could breath and speak.
"Ami! Don't do it! Set it into your hand, the socket on your hand! It appears when your gem senses you! Don't listen to Adimus!" shouted Minako.
"I haven't cleared things up with these girls Ami. They don't understand the way you do."
Ami stared straight ahead and then slowly extended her arm, then her hand and then her index finger towards the sapphire. It glowed a brilliant blue that filled the reef and shot up into the sky. It was reacting to two great powers, to forces of great brilliance. Ami swayed a moment in the current of the water and then picked up the sapphire. She handed it to Adimus.
Turning to Minako and the others she said, "You haven't been repaired yet. I trust Adimus completely. I don't wish to leave the Marine Cathedral or Adimus, and I won't have to if he takes the stone."
"FUCK YOU!!!" shrieked Minako, the cloth over the gem on her hand burned in the water and the gem started to glow. The water boiled around her hand and the laser burst in a great globe from the reef blowing it apart. Rei and Makoto were thrown sky high from the blast, but the power of the sapphire stabilized Adimus and Ami. Minako's face appeared again from amidst the froth and foam and she blasted Adimus. He dodged, surprising Minako with his agility and speed in the water.
Minako grabbed Ami's hands and tried to force the sapphire into the gaping socket. Ami let out a shriek of rage and sank her teeth into Minako's hand. Minako ignored the damage and slowly wrestled Ami's hands closer and closer together. Adimus suddenly appeared from the foam behind Minako and knocked her brutally out of the way, sending her flying into a hunk of the reef. Ami's hand popped open and the sapphire flew out.
The Mercury gem let out a great flash of light and suddenly sank, Adimus tried to catch it, but it seared his hand. Ami let her palm fly out to catch the stone and it twisted around to the back of her hand, defying gravity and sinking into the socket. Adimus roared in rage and swam up to the surface as the last of the reef collapsed. Minako awoke and saw Ami fainted and sinking. Remembering that too long in the water would damage their metal bodies; Minako dove for Ami, and grasped her hand. A chunk of coral suddenly knocked Minako in the head, jarring her system. She stopped operating for a moment, before continuing her swim upwards.
At the surface Adimus was nowhere to be seen. Makoto and Rei were treading water. Minako rose up and gasped out "We need a recharge really badly! We have to go back to that Marine Cathedral even if Adimus…" Makoto and Rei took Ami and they all paddled over to the complex under water. Minako slowed down considerably during the long, hard swim, and when the four finally reached the lair of Adimus, she was almost spent.
"Minako, please! We need one last blast from you, please! One last little blast from the pretty gem." pleaded Makoto, who had noticed the airlock could only be used with voice activation.
Minako groaned piteously but managed to raise her arm slightly. She let out a feeble blast from her gem and then she was gone, all her energy had been used up in the battle, especially since the laser attack used up extra energy. Burdened with two unconscious girls, Rei and Makoto prepared to sneak through the Marine Cathedral.
The room was flooded now the glass window was broken. The aluminum chairs floated around and the building was creaking. Makoto and Rei dragged their friends over to the watertight door and went into the air lock hallway. The water didn't follow, considering the tremendous air pressure, and the girls were able to stop swimming.
Rei looked at Minako and remember the time only a few days before when she too had been near shut down from exhaustion. She and Minako and Makoto had slept in the mausoleum of Venus.
"Rei, you stay here and protect Minako and Ami. I'm going to look for the charge station." Said Makoto.
"Wouldn't it be better if I found a little better a hiding place? Some place where Adimus couldn't find us?" replied Rei.
"Good point. I know, ladies room. I see one up ahead."
"Perfect."
Rei and Makoto picked up the two girls and carried them into the restroom. The stalls were very clean and Rei took Ami and Minako into one in a shadowy corner. They huddled in the stall as Makoto left to find the energy they all needed.
Makoto walked down the hall. She was worried she would be found and the dive suit felt clammy and stiff against her skin. She wished for the flannel shirt and jeans she had on earlier. The hallway was cold and the lights bright. There were no protective shadows. Shivering, Mako continued to walk down the hall as quietly as possible looking at all the labels on the doors. Her brown hair clung to her neck and droplets of water slid down her chin. She didn't have a gem, or even a gun. No weapons. Except herself.
The tall brunet saw a masking tape label on the stainless steel door that read "Power". Makoto went in and saw some generators. Picking up a wrench to use as a weapon, Mako noticed a nail file nearby. Suddenly, Makoto sensed damage to her arm.
Matrika stood there holding a dagger, her beautiful aqua hair flowing about her shoulders. She was sweating profusely and her purple top clung to her chest. "Get out." Matrika hissed. Makoto swung her wrench at the woman but Matrika nimbly dodged and kicked Makoto in the stomach. Makoto bent over, feigning pain, but the rammed her head into Matrika's belly. The dark skinned woman fell to the floor and tripped Makoto with a swipe of her leg. Suddenly Adimus came out of nowhere and pinned Makoto down.
"I made you and I can break you too. It would be no loss if you died. I could kill you all and make new gem searchers. Matrika wouldn't mind, would you lovely?" Adimus purred the name Matrika and his eyes burned for a moment. Matrika came a squatted above Makoto's head, dagger raised. Makoto remembered the wrench in her hand and swung it at Adimus. Matrika dove to the side to help her injured lord and flashed a smile at Mako. Matrika flung herself at Makoto with her dagger, but Makoto rolled out of the way and ran out the door.
Chasing Makoto down the hall way, Matrika saw her enemy heading for the door straight ahead, the storeroom. Makoto rushed in and slammed the door. She grabbed the largest pouch of energy plugs she could find and then went back to the door. It was locked. Matrika had locked the door and was out side laughing. Matrika turned and walked back down the hallway, and met Jesea halfway. The two kissed and Jesea asked the whereabouts of the girl who had just been chased down the hall.
"She's locked in the store room darling. And Adimus is out cold in the generator room. It's just us."
"Alone." Breathed Jesea.
"He might wake, he might find us."
"Lets go somewhere where he would never go."
"How about the lady's room?"
"He'll kill us if he finds out…that we…that he isn't the only one who…"
"I don't care about what that louse thinks. All I'm good for to him is- oh I don't want to think of it. It's too terrible." Matrika turned her head so Jesea wouldn't see the tears rolling down her cheeks.
"It's okay now. It won't be the same this way. You love me right? I love you." Jesea tipped Matrika's head up and kissed her. Matrika led her lover over to the ladies room and the two slipped inside.
Rei gasped. Someone was coming in. They had to get out before she was discovered. What was taking Mako so long? They needed that energy …