Chapter 6 - The hunt
The Crusade - Early morning
Mina woke up on her bed in the Crusade wrapped in the same blanket she had been using last night. Mina was so exhaust from last night, that she came into her room and collapsed on her bed, falling asleep immediately. She slowly opened her eyes and looked out the window. She could see the sun starting to peak out from under the mountains in the distance. She got up, shrugged the blanket off, and walked over to window. She opened it and took a deep breath.
"Ahhh..." she sighed. "What a beautiful morning." She stretched out and went over to the bowl of water and washed her face.
"Did that really happen last night?" She said out loud to no one in particular. "Was I dreaming or did Allen say all those wonderful things about me? I can't believe this is happening!" She said as a big grin appeared on her face, but then it quickly disappeared.
"Aggghh! But I had to be an idiot and just say 'thank you' and walk away! Stupid, stupid, stupid! What was I thinking! It must have been the wine, no I was too tired, no wait, what if Allen had too much wine and didn't mean to say those things! Agghhh!"
But Mina couldn't stop thinking about what he said last night and how he had held her. Well, it wasn't exactly an embrace, it was more like..."
"Aggh! I've got to stop thinking like this! I'm turning more and more into Serena everyday!" Mina then marched herself over to the nightstand, picked up the brush, and started brushing her hair. She put her bow back in nicely and then marched out of the room, heading towards the 'mess hall'.
It was still pretty early in the morning, but a couple of soldiers had already come in to eat. A few of them saw her and started whispering to each other. They were nice and pleasant to her but they kept their distance.
God, she thought, I'm some sort of freak to them.
Mina picked out some fruit and bread and went over to sit at an empty table. A couple of minutes later, Gaddess walked over.
"Hi Mina, do you mind if I sit here?"
"No, go ahead. I wouldn't mind the company right now."
Gaddess sat down and bit into his buttered bread. He could tell Mina was a little sad.
"Look Mina, the boys aren't trying to be mean or anything, it's just that we've never seen anybody like you before. Well, there was Hitomi, but she couldn't transform and shoot fire or nothing. They're just...in awe, really. Give them time, they'll get use to you eventually."
"Thanks Gaddess. I needed that."
Mina and Gaddess made small talk until Merle, Van and Allen came in. They each grabbed some breakfast and headed over.
Mina was getting nervous. She kept looking at Allen but couldn't catch his eye. When their eyes did meet, Allen gave her smile, but not the kind he used to give her. He sat at the end beside Merle.
Mina inwardly groaned.
I'm such an idiot. He probably hates me now, she thought.
*********** *********
A few hours later, Allen received a report that giant dog beasts were attacking the coastal town of Merhaven. Everyone was gathered on the bridge.
"Well, I guess we don't have to worry about finding them." Van said.
"Yeah..." Mina replied.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"Well, it's almost too easy. Why would Adellus attack out in the open when she is still weak? It's as if she wants us to come."
"Do you think it's a trap?" Merle asked, looking worried.
"I don't know. Maybe she is just desperate for energy. And she isn't powerless with those Gockipas at her command."
"I agree." Allen said. "Hitting a town is a more efficient way of gaining strength then sitting and waiting for lone travelers to walk by. We'll set a course for Merhaven immediately." Mina looked at Allen. He was looking at her. She tried to read what he was thinking. She smiled, but it was pretty weak considering how confused she was. He smiled back, weakly, and turned around and left.
She groaned again.
Mina spent the next couple of hours wandering around the ship in misery. Those who walked by could hear her quietly mumbling 'stupid, stupid, stupid'. She ended up beside the cargo bay. She could hear someone inside. She quietly went in. She found Van practicing with his sword. She stayed in the shadows, not wanting to disturb him. She found watching him practice relaxing.
"It's neat to watch, isn't it?"
"What?" Mina said turning around. She spotted Merle sitting on top of a crate above her. Merle jumped down to stand beside her.
"He gets so focused when he practices." Merle said. "It helps him take his mind off of stuff. Maybe you should take up sword fighting too."
"What do you mean?" Mina whispered.
"Give me some credit. Van's been moping around for a year because of Hitomi. Don't think I don't recognize what you're going through."
"What!" Mina said. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She said as her face started to turn red.
"Please, you've fallen for Allen, and something happened last night that is causing you two to act all funny towards each other. I'm sure it's just a communication problem...."
Mina's face was now bright red.
"You're crazy! Nothing happened and there's no falling for anyone." Mina said as she turned to leave.
"Sure Mina, whatever you say." Merle shouted. Mina could hear Merle's laughter as she stalked away.
********************* *****************
Allen was heading for the cargo bay, on his way to talk to Van. He couldn't help thinking about Mina though.
I've been acting so childish! He thought. I can't keep avoiding her. I just wish...I wish she had said something last night. He sighed. No, it's my fault. I came on too fast.
Just as he was turning a corner, he bumped into Mina.
"Oh! Sorry Allen. I wasn't watching where I was going." She said, with her head looking down.
She started he walk away.
"Wait Mina." He said. She stopped and turned around to face him. She was biting her lip.
Allen sighed. "I wanted to apologize, again. Last night...I...."
"No Allen. Let me apologize. You said some wonderful things to me last night. No one has ever said things like that to me before." Mina slowly approached Allen. "Before you say anything, or take anything back," she gulped, "I just want to let you know that I feel the same way about you. Ever since I met you, I've felt...strange around you, a good kind of strange, and well...." Mina started to blush.
"Oh Mina..." Allen whispered.
She looked up to see Allen smiling at her, not one of those awkward smiles, but one of his amazing smiles meant just for her. She smiled back.
Just then Van and Merle came around the corner.
"Opps, sorry guys. I didn't see you there." Van said as he continued to walk by.
"Yeah," Merle said as she too walked by, "didn't see you there." She winked at Mina. Mina and Allen both started laughing nervously at Merle's big grin. Then she and Van disappeared around another corner.
"Mina, I..." Allen started, but a soldier came running down the hall.
"Commander, we're just a few minutes away from Merhaven."
"Good." Allen said. "Have Gaddess gather ten men and be ready to leave as soon as we've landed.
"Yes sir." The soldier said. "Sir, Kino also asked to see you. He's on the bridge."
"Fine." Allen said as he started to leave with the soldier. He turned to
Mina. "You should go find Van and Merle."
"Yes, I will." She replied as Allen left. Once he was out of sight, she leaned on the wall and exhaled.
Whoa!
***************** *************
Allen, Van, Mina, Gaddess and ten soldiers went down into Merhaven. They could tell something had attacked the fishing village because carts and wagons were knocked down, people were crying, and everyone was really tense. Allen spoke with some witnesses and they said they had seen the red witch and the beast-dogs head down the coast towards the cliffs. Talking to more people, they found out that the cliffs were covered with caves, a perfect place to hide. The only way up was a path on the edge of the cliff face. It was plenty wide enough to fit a horse and wagon, so they wouldn't have any problems finding it.
They headed out along the beach until they reached the bottom of the cliffs. Mina had morphed into Sailor Venus and she and Allen had taken the lead. They decided that they would look for a large enough cave that Adellus would use.
The climbing wasn't too hard, but it was long. The path was pretty much a diagonal line, from the bottom at the shoreline, to the top of the cliffs. Mina glanced over the edge and shivered as she saw the surf pounding the rocks far below them. She moved over closer to the side and continued upward, being drawn by that same bad feeling. Adellus was up there.
***************** **********
Van was getting restless. It was taking too long. From the time they actually arrived in Merhaven and started after Adellus, it was already dusk and getting darker by the minute. He glanced up at the Mystic Moon. It was very beautiful at this time of day. A beautiful blue sphere. He sighed. Oh Hitomi....
Just as Van was about to suggest stopping and heading back, or finding a place to stop, he thought he heard someone call his name. He stopped and looked around. It wasn't Allen or Mina (Sailor Venus). They continued to head up the mountain at a very determined pace. He looked behind him. The other soldiers were just coming around the bend not too far away from him. He could tell they were tired. He shrugged and continued upward.
"Van!"
He stopped and turned around again. There it was again, louder this time. Obviously, the soldiers heard it too, because they stopped and turned around.
A young girl, with short brown hair, came sprinting around the bend.
"Hitomi?!" Van gasped.
"Above you Van! The witch is going to cause a rock fall!" Hitomi shouted.
"What!" Van yelled. He turned around just in time to see Adellus float out high above them.
"Die troublemakers!" She screamed as she shot a wave of dark energy at the cliff above them. The cliffs started to shake and rocks began tumbling down.
"Run!" Van yelled as he headed back towards the soldiers, waving his hands frantically. "Rock slide!"
As the rocks started to fall on the path, Van was able to get everyone out of the way, and move them back down the path, until a terrible thought came to his mind.
Oh no!
"MINA! ALLEN!" He shouted as he turned around. He could see the two of them running back down toward them, but they were too far away. Giant boulders fell on the path in front and behind them causing the path to crumble and break apart. Van watched helplessly as the path gave away, causing his two friends fall down with it.
"NOOO!!"
NOTE: Dun dun DUN! Oh no! Mina and Allen are falling to their doom! What will happen?! And Hitomi! She's returned! Stay tooned! And let me know what you think!
The Crusade - Early morning
Mina woke up on her bed in the Crusade wrapped in the same blanket she had been using last night. Mina was so exhaust from last night, that she came into her room and collapsed on her bed, falling asleep immediately. She slowly opened her eyes and looked out the window. She could see the sun starting to peak out from under the mountains in the distance. She got up, shrugged the blanket off, and walked over to window. She opened it and took a deep breath.
"Ahhh..." she sighed. "What a beautiful morning." She stretched out and went over to the bowl of water and washed her face.
"Did that really happen last night?" She said out loud to no one in particular. "Was I dreaming or did Allen say all those wonderful things about me? I can't believe this is happening!" She said as a big grin appeared on her face, but then it quickly disappeared.
"Aggghh! But I had to be an idiot and just say 'thank you' and walk away! Stupid, stupid, stupid! What was I thinking! It must have been the wine, no I was too tired, no wait, what if Allen had too much wine and didn't mean to say those things! Agghhh!"
But Mina couldn't stop thinking about what he said last night and how he had held her. Well, it wasn't exactly an embrace, it was more like..."
"Aggh! I've got to stop thinking like this! I'm turning more and more into Serena everyday!" Mina then marched herself over to the nightstand, picked up the brush, and started brushing her hair. She put her bow back in nicely and then marched out of the room, heading towards the 'mess hall'.
It was still pretty early in the morning, but a couple of soldiers had already come in to eat. A few of them saw her and started whispering to each other. They were nice and pleasant to her but they kept their distance.
God, she thought, I'm some sort of freak to them.
Mina picked out some fruit and bread and went over to sit at an empty table. A couple of minutes later, Gaddess walked over.
"Hi Mina, do you mind if I sit here?"
"No, go ahead. I wouldn't mind the company right now."
Gaddess sat down and bit into his buttered bread. He could tell Mina was a little sad.
"Look Mina, the boys aren't trying to be mean or anything, it's just that we've never seen anybody like you before. Well, there was Hitomi, but she couldn't transform and shoot fire or nothing. They're just...in awe, really. Give them time, they'll get use to you eventually."
"Thanks Gaddess. I needed that."
Mina and Gaddess made small talk until Merle, Van and Allen came in. They each grabbed some breakfast and headed over.
Mina was getting nervous. She kept looking at Allen but couldn't catch his eye. When their eyes did meet, Allen gave her smile, but not the kind he used to give her. He sat at the end beside Merle.
Mina inwardly groaned.
I'm such an idiot. He probably hates me now, she thought.
*********** *********
A few hours later, Allen received a report that giant dog beasts were attacking the coastal town of Merhaven. Everyone was gathered on the bridge.
"Well, I guess we don't have to worry about finding them." Van said.
"Yeah..." Mina replied.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"Well, it's almost too easy. Why would Adellus attack out in the open when she is still weak? It's as if she wants us to come."
"Do you think it's a trap?" Merle asked, looking worried.
"I don't know. Maybe she is just desperate for energy. And she isn't powerless with those Gockipas at her command."
"I agree." Allen said. "Hitting a town is a more efficient way of gaining strength then sitting and waiting for lone travelers to walk by. We'll set a course for Merhaven immediately." Mina looked at Allen. He was looking at her. She tried to read what he was thinking. She smiled, but it was pretty weak considering how confused she was. He smiled back, weakly, and turned around and left.
She groaned again.
Mina spent the next couple of hours wandering around the ship in misery. Those who walked by could hear her quietly mumbling 'stupid, stupid, stupid'. She ended up beside the cargo bay. She could hear someone inside. She quietly went in. She found Van practicing with his sword. She stayed in the shadows, not wanting to disturb him. She found watching him practice relaxing.
"It's neat to watch, isn't it?"
"What?" Mina said turning around. She spotted Merle sitting on top of a crate above her. Merle jumped down to stand beside her.
"He gets so focused when he practices." Merle said. "It helps him take his mind off of stuff. Maybe you should take up sword fighting too."
"What do you mean?" Mina whispered.
"Give me some credit. Van's been moping around for a year because of Hitomi. Don't think I don't recognize what you're going through."
"What!" Mina said. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She said as her face started to turn red.
"Please, you've fallen for Allen, and something happened last night that is causing you two to act all funny towards each other. I'm sure it's just a communication problem...."
Mina's face was now bright red.
"You're crazy! Nothing happened and there's no falling for anyone." Mina said as she turned to leave.
"Sure Mina, whatever you say." Merle shouted. Mina could hear Merle's laughter as she stalked away.
********************* *****************
Allen was heading for the cargo bay, on his way to talk to Van. He couldn't help thinking about Mina though.
I've been acting so childish! He thought. I can't keep avoiding her. I just wish...I wish she had said something last night. He sighed. No, it's my fault. I came on too fast.
Just as he was turning a corner, he bumped into Mina.
"Oh! Sorry Allen. I wasn't watching where I was going." She said, with her head looking down.
She started he walk away.
"Wait Mina." He said. She stopped and turned around to face him. She was biting her lip.
Allen sighed. "I wanted to apologize, again. Last night...I...."
"No Allen. Let me apologize. You said some wonderful things to me last night. No one has ever said things like that to me before." Mina slowly approached Allen. "Before you say anything, or take anything back," she gulped, "I just want to let you know that I feel the same way about you. Ever since I met you, I've felt...strange around you, a good kind of strange, and well...." Mina started to blush.
"Oh Mina..." Allen whispered.
She looked up to see Allen smiling at her, not one of those awkward smiles, but one of his amazing smiles meant just for her. She smiled back.
Just then Van and Merle came around the corner.
"Opps, sorry guys. I didn't see you there." Van said as he continued to walk by.
"Yeah," Merle said as she too walked by, "didn't see you there." She winked at Mina. Mina and Allen both started laughing nervously at Merle's big grin. Then she and Van disappeared around another corner.
"Mina, I..." Allen started, but a soldier came running down the hall.
"Commander, we're just a few minutes away from Merhaven."
"Good." Allen said. "Have Gaddess gather ten men and be ready to leave as soon as we've landed.
"Yes sir." The soldier said. "Sir, Kino also asked to see you. He's on the bridge."
"Fine." Allen said as he started to leave with the soldier. He turned to
Mina. "You should go find Van and Merle."
"Yes, I will." She replied as Allen left. Once he was out of sight, she leaned on the wall and exhaled.
Whoa!
***************** *************
Allen, Van, Mina, Gaddess and ten soldiers went down into Merhaven. They could tell something had attacked the fishing village because carts and wagons were knocked down, people were crying, and everyone was really tense. Allen spoke with some witnesses and they said they had seen the red witch and the beast-dogs head down the coast towards the cliffs. Talking to more people, they found out that the cliffs were covered with caves, a perfect place to hide. The only way up was a path on the edge of the cliff face. It was plenty wide enough to fit a horse and wagon, so they wouldn't have any problems finding it.
They headed out along the beach until they reached the bottom of the cliffs. Mina had morphed into Sailor Venus and she and Allen had taken the lead. They decided that they would look for a large enough cave that Adellus would use.
The climbing wasn't too hard, but it was long. The path was pretty much a diagonal line, from the bottom at the shoreline, to the top of the cliffs. Mina glanced over the edge and shivered as she saw the surf pounding the rocks far below them. She moved over closer to the side and continued upward, being drawn by that same bad feeling. Adellus was up there.
***************** **********
Van was getting restless. It was taking too long. From the time they actually arrived in Merhaven and started after Adellus, it was already dusk and getting darker by the minute. He glanced up at the Mystic Moon. It was very beautiful at this time of day. A beautiful blue sphere. He sighed. Oh Hitomi....
Just as Van was about to suggest stopping and heading back, or finding a place to stop, he thought he heard someone call his name. He stopped and looked around. It wasn't Allen or Mina (Sailor Venus). They continued to head up the mountain at a very determined pace. He looked behind him. The other soldiers were just coming around the bend not too far away from him. He could tell they were tired. He shrugged and continued upward.
"Van!"
He stopped and turned around again. There it was again, louder this time. Obviously, the soldiers heard it too, because they stopped and turned around.
A young girl, with short brown hair, came sprinting around the bend.
"Hitomi?!" Van gasped.
"Above you Van! The witch is going to cause a rock fall!" Hitomi shouted.
"What!" Van yelled. He turned around just in time to see Adellus float out high above them.
"Die troublemakers!" She screamed as she shot a wave of dark energy at the cliff above them. The cliffs started to shake and rocks began tumbling down.
"Run!" Van yelled as he headed back towards the soldiers, waving his hands frantically. "Rock slide!"
As the rocks started to fall on the path, Van was able to get everyone out of the way, and move them back down the path, until a terrible thought came to his mind.
Oh no!
"MINA! ALLEN!" He shouted as he turned around. He could see the two of them running back down toward them, but they were too far away. Giant boulders fell on the path in front and behind them causing the path to crumble and break apart. Van watched helplessly as the path gave away, causing his two friends fall down with it.
"NOOO!!"
NOTE: Dun dun DUN! Oh no! Mina and Allen are falling to their doom! What will happen?! And Hitomi! She's returned! Stay tooned! And let me know what you think!