A New Enemy? A New Ally?
"Usagi-chan, haven't you spent all your allowance yet?" Mako-chan asked. "I know you played the driving game at the arcade 5 times!"
Usagi smiled and shook her head. "Nope! I saw these cute earrings in this boutique a few weeks ago, and I've been saving for them! They're so kawaii! Come on, Mako-chan! I wanna shop!" Usagi grabbed Makoto by the hand and started dragging her down the street.
"O.K.! OK! We'll shop, you don't have to twist my arm!" Mako laughed.
They walked down to the 10th Street Shopping District, Usagi stopping to peer in all the windows, as usual. Her blue eyes grew wide at each new wonder, her childish innocence showing clearly on her face. Makoto couldn't count how many times Usagi would say "Wow" and gasp in delight over the course of the afternoon. Mako-chan smiled to herself as she watched her friend play with the cute stuffed animals on the rack of the toy store. Who'd have thought that this young girl would be the heir to the Moon Kingdom, and one day become Neo Queen Serenity? She's so clumsy and goofy, but I guess its part of her charm. She's got a good heart. "All right, Usagi-chan, my turn! Let's go check out the knick-knack store, 'cuz I need some new tea cups for my apartment."
As they headed down to the next set of stores, a shrill scream cut through the air. A knowing look passed between the two of them, and they raced in the direction of the scream. It seemed to have come from inside the crystal shop. Mako-chan cut in front of Usagi, making sure she went in first. She ran into the shop, then came to an abrupt stop. Usagi slammed into the back of her. "Nani....?"
The crystal shop was in chaos. Beautiful works of art were smashed on the floor, crystal vases broken beyond repair. Crystalline statuettes lay toppled on countertops, while whole glass cases of earrings, necklaces and rings were tossed haphazardly around the room. The cause of this destruction appeared to be still be rummaging through the last of the cases. All that could be seen of this person was her backside. It was sticking up from behind the counter, and her arms were occasionally appearing out to toss out one object or another into a heap on the floor. Behind this curious sight stood a statue of pure crystal in the shape of a woman. It was life-sized, very beautiful, and it almost seemed like it could move. As they entered the room, the statue DID move. It looked up at them, and its eyes narrowed. "Lady Ebonite... we have company."
Bam! The figure behind the counter smacked her head while trying to extract herself from the casing. "Damn it!" came the muffled cry within the counter. The figure pulled herself out and dusted her short black sequin dress off. A petite woman with short black hair and black eyes looked the girls over disdainfully. "They're only humans, Glassie, so just DEAL with them! Drain them and toss them with the others," Ebonite said, waiving her hand towards a couple of bodies lying off to the side, half-hidden behind some bookshelves. She straightened her dress and glared at the Automaton. "And don't interrupt me for such trivial things, baka!" Ebonite moved to the next counter, and shoved herself inside, digging around again.
The Automaton sighed and shook its head. "OK, ladies, hate to do this, but you heard the boss. Hold still, and I'll make this as painless as possible." As she walked toward them, her hands turned into suction cups, and what looked like a glass jar grew from each elbow. "I'll just drain your energy real quick and store it in here. You'll wake up again, someday," Glassie laughed.
"Get bent!" Makoto yelled, turning to shove Usagi behind the shelves to their right. "Get moving, Usagi-chan!" She propelled the blonde girl ahead of her, and around another corner. "We need to transform, now!"
"Now, now, girls; don't make this tough on yourselves,' Glassie's voice floated from behind them.
"Just be good girls, and I'll go easy on you."
Makoto shoved Usagi through another doorway, and slammed the door shut. "Jupiter Star Power, Make-Up!" she shouted. A brilliant flash of light, and a rumble of thunder, and she reappeared as Sailor Jupiter.
"Moon Cosmic Power, Make-Up!" A warm pink light surrounded Usagi, filling her with peace.
When the light faded, Sailor Moon looked at Jupiter and nodded. "Let's do it!"
They heard a slam against the door, then a curse. "OK, I'm not playing anymore!" Suddenly, they saw the door buckle inward, then splinter into a thousand pieces. On the other side stood Glassie, a second glass bomb in her hands. "Nani? Who are you?"
"I'm the Defender of Love and Justice, Sailor Moon. In the name of the Moon, I will right wrongs and triumph over evil, and that means you!"
"And on behalf of Jupiter, I will punish you for hurting those people and breaking all those lovely knickknacks! Jupiter Sparkling Wide Pressure!" A ball of pure lightning gathered in Jupiter's hand, and she threw it at the Automaton, hitting the glass bomb and shattering it. Ka-boom! The force of both the lightning and the shattering glass threw all three combatants in different directions, stunning them temporarily.
From somewhere up above, a dark shadow sighed and shook its head. "Amateurs." Violet eyes narrowed as Lady Ebonite pulled herself out of the jewelry case.
"Damn it, Glassie, what the hell was that?" Ebonite yelled. She walked over to the fallen Automaton. "Are you OK?"
The crystalline woman stood, and dusted herself off. She looked down and saw one of her arms was missing. "Aww, crud." She bent over, picked up the broken limb, and reattached it. She opened and closed her hand a few times experimentally. "Good as new. Now where'd they go?"
"I can't believe a 2 little girls are giving you such a hard time, Glassie," Ebonite admonished.
"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Jupiter stood up and walked forward. "You look pretty little to me."
Ebonite's eyes widened, then narrowed. "I see. Lady Nightshade said we might experience some trouble. You must be one of those annoying Sailor Scouts I've heard so much about. Fine, let's finish this. Glassie, do your stuff." With that, the petite woman turned her back and went back to the counter; the violet eyes in the darkness following her every move. Just what are you looking for?
"Glassie! Crystal Encasement!" Glassie opened her mouth wide and spit a glowing glob at Jupiter. Jupiter dropped and rolled to the side, then came up on one knee. Where she had been standing was a mound of hardened glass. Another glob came at her, and she jumped straight up to avoid it, back flipped to land behind the glob for cover. A third and fourth soon followed, with Jupiter jumping and twisting to avoid being hit.
"OK, enough of this. Jupiter Thunder, Crash!" A bolt of lightning struck the antennae of her tiara, and she sent the energy arcing at Glassie. The lightning slammed into Glassie, sending her back a step, but once the light cleared, it was apparent the Automaton was unharmed.
"Baka. Glass is an insulator. Don't these girls know anything?" the shadow above whispered. The violet eyes returned once more to Ebonite, who was finishing searching the last case. Ebonite stood up, holding a ring in her hand, with an odd black crystal for a stone. The violet eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the object the black haired woman was holding. "I sense strong negative energy from that. Computer, scan please."
Breep ***Scanning. Scan Complete. ***
"Analysis?"
***Not of this world. A crystal power conduit of some sort, able to contain and convert energy. Most likely place of origins: The Abyss, The Negaverse, or The Demi-Plane of Shadow.***
"Not good. I guess its time to go to work." The shadowy figure prepared to stand, when it saw another figure enter, this one taking place on a rack a few yards away. {Nani? A guy in a tuxedo, wearing a cape and mask? Just who does this nut think he is?} Violet eyes then looked down to appraise the fight. The sailor-suited girls weren't doing so hot. The one in green was currently encased in glass, while the one with the pigtails was tripping over everything in sight.
"I've got it, Glassie! You finish up here, I'll take this back to Lady Nightshade." Lady Ebonite bowed, then turned toward the exit.
{Oh no, you don't!} The black clad figure stood, and prepared to take off after Ebonite but nearly fell off her precarious perch when she heard the most AWFUL screeching noise below her. She looked down, and the blonde was on her butt, crying! Crying! {You're kidding, right? What an awful noise!}
Glassie threw up another glass glob, but a single red rose, apparently thrown from the tuxedo-clad figure shattered this one.
The man in the Tuxedo stepped out of the shadows, appearing like a knight to rescue his princess.
"Crystal, in all its forms, is beautiful to behold. And like love, crystal is incredibly fragile. For destroying such beauty, I, Tuxedo Mask, can not forgive you!"
The violet eyes widened, and the shadow began to shake with silent laughter. {You have GOT to be kidding me! Where do they come UP with this stuff? What a joke!}
"Tuxedo Mask! You saved me! Thank you!" the blonde on her butt cried.
Tuxedo Mask jumped down from the shelf he was perched on, landing gracefully by the sailor suited female. He reached down a hand to her and asked, "Sailor Moon, are you all right? You should really be more careful." She nodded and got to her feet, staring at him all the while. "Thank you, Tuxedo Mask! Thank you!"
{This is like something out of a bad comic book. I think I'm going to be sick.} Violet eyes scanned the room, looking for Lady Ebonite. {Shit! She's gone! Damn, damn, damn! I wasn't paying attention. Baka!} A clang and a crash from below brought her attention back to the fight at hand. Tuxedo Mask was fighting the Automaton with his cane, while Sailor Moon was trying to break Jupiter out of her crystal casing. Glassie shifted her free arm into the form of a giant fly swatter and slapped the masked man aside. He slammed hard up against the wall, and the Automaton, seizing the moment, spit glass at him, pinning him to the wall.
"Tuxedo Mask! No!" the blonde Scout wailed. "Moon Tiara Action!" She threw the golden disk at Glassie, trying to force the creature away from her beloved. It hit the Automaton square in the face with a resounding TANG! And the rebounded back towards Sailor Moon's outstretched hand.
Glassie stepped back and gingerly touched her nose. "You boke my nobe! You libble witch! I'b geb you for dat!" She took a deep breath and spit another glob, this one connecting solidly with the pigtailed Scout. "I'b cub you up a pieb ab a timb pour dat!" The creature changed its arm into a sword and started to advance.
{These are the defenders of Tokyo? How has this city survived? What happened to the heirs of the Moon Kingdom?} Violet eyes narrowed, spotting the crescent moon symbol on Sailor Moon's choker and Tiara. {She looks like one of Queen Serenity's Senshi, but God, what an idiot!} A lance of light appeared out of the darkness. {I guess I'd better save her} "Solar Flare!" The lance flew like a shot, hitting the unsuspecting Glassie in the chest and hurtling her clear across the room. She hit the far wall with an audible smack and cracks appeared across her body.
"Nani? Who did that?" All three immobile figures looked up and saw a shadow moving in the darkness. "Solar Flare!" Then they were blinded as a second lance of light exploded between the 3 of them, shattering their prisons.
OK, that's it. You're on your own; I need to find where that little runt ran off to. The figure started hopping across bookshelves toward the exit.
When the light faded, Sailor Moon rubbed her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and heard Tuxedo Mask say, "Now, Sailor Moon! Hit it now!"
"Right! Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" A cone of force rocketed out from her Spiral Heart Moon Rod, and slammed into the reviving Glassie.
"No! Aaaaaaaaah! No!" Glassie screamed in pain, and then shattered into a thousand pieces.
After reviving the clerks and setting things to right, Mamoru, Usagi, and Makoto sat down for a soda at Crown.
"A new enemy. I wonder what they're after?" Usagi asked.
Mako-chan shrugged. "Energy maybe? We did find the human's energy bottled up, after all."
Mamoru shook his head. "I don't think so. Ebonite wouldn't have left it behind. No, she left with something, but I didn't see what it was."
Usagi looked out the window, replaying the day's events in her mind. She remembered the shadowy figure that saved them. "Mamo-chan, who do you think saved us?"
Mamoru looked into Usagi's innocent blue eyes and sighed. "I don't know, Usako. But I hope it's a friend."
"So do I, but we have to be prepared that it may be another enemy, too," Makoto reminded them.
I hope not, Usagi thought to herself, looking back out to the street. Otherwise, why would the person have saved us?
Rhea caught up with Menagi as she walked out of the alleyway. Any luck?
Menagi shook her head. "Nope. Gone. Damn. I got a few simple scans, but that's it. I'd have like to caught up with her." Menagi sighed and took out her palm-top, rereading the data displayed. "The Abyss, The Negaverse, or The Demi-Plane of Shadow. None are very good options. All mean we could have a dangerous enemy on our hands."
How about the Senshi of the Silver Millennium? Did you find them?
"I hope not, because if that was them, we're in deep trouble."
"Usagi-chan, haven't you spent all your allowance yet?" Mako-chan asked. "I know you played the driving game at the arcade 5 times!"
Usagi smiled and shook her head. "Nope! I saw these cute earrings in this boutique a few weeks ago, and I've been saving for them! They're so kawaii! Come on, Mako-chan! I wanna shop!" Usagi grabbed Makoto by the hand and started dragging her down the street.
"O.K.! OK! We'll shop, you don't have to twist my arm!" Mako laughed.
They walked down to the 10th Street Shopping District, Usagi stopping to peer in all the windows, as usual. Her blue eyes grew wide at each new wonder, her childish innocence showing clearly on her face. Makoto couldn't count how many times Usagi would say "Wow" and gasp in delight over the course of the afternoon. Mako-chan smiled to herself as she watched her friend play with the cute stuffed animals on the rack of the toy store. Who'd have thought that this young girl would be the heir to the Moon Kingdom, and one day become Neo Queen Serenity? She's so clumsy and goofy, but I guess its part of her charm. She's got a good heart. "All right, Usagi-chan, my turn! Let's go check out the knick-knack store, 'cuz I need some new tea cups for my apartment."
As they headed down to the next set of stores, a shrill scream cut through the air. A knowing look passed between the two of them, and they raced in the direction of the scream. It seemed to have come from inside the crystal shop. Mako-chan cut in front of Usagi, making sure she went in first. She ran into the shop, then came to an abrupt stop. Usagi slammed into the back of her. "Nani....?"
The crystal shop was in chaos. Beautiful works of art were smashed on the floor, crystal vases broken beyond repair. Crystalline statuettes lay toppled on countertops, while whole glass cases of earrings, necklaces and rings were tossed haphazardly around the room. The cause of this destruction appeared to be still be rummaging through the last of the cases. All that could be seen of this person was her backside. It was sticking up from behind the counter, and her arms were occasionally appearing out to toss out one object or another into a heap on the floor. Behind this curious sight stood a statue of pure crystal in the shape of a woman. It was life-sized, very beautiful, and it almost seemed like it could move. As they entered the room, the statue DID move. It looked up at them, and its eyes narrowed. "Lady Ebonite... we have company."
Bam! The figure behind the counter smacked her head while trying to extract herself from the casing. "Damn it!" came the muffled cry within the counter. The figure pulled herself out and dusted her short black sequin dress off. A petite woman with short black hair and black eyes looked the girls over disdainfully. "They're only humans, Glassie, so just DEAL with them! Drain them and toss them with the others," Ebonite said, waiving her hand towards a couple of bodies lying off to the side, half-hidden behind some bookshelves. She straightened her dress and glared at the Automaton. "And don't interrupt me for such trivial things, baka!" Ebonite moved to the next counter, and shoved herself inside, digging around again.
The Automaton sighed and shook its head. "OK, ladies, hate to do this, but you heard the boss. Hold still, and I'll make this as painless as possible." As she walked toward them, her hands turned into suction cups, and what looked like a glass jar grew from each elbow. "I'll just drain your energy real quick and store it in here. You'll wake up again, someday," Glassie laughed.
"Get bent!" Makoto yelled, turning to shove Usagi behind the shelves to their right. "Get moving, Usagi-chan!" She propelled the blonde girl ahead of her, and around another corner. "We need to transform, now!"
"Now, now, girls; don't make this tough on yourselves,' Glassie's voice floated from behind them.
"Just be good girls, and I'll go easy on you."
Makoto shoved Usagi through another doorway, and slammed the door shut. "Jupiter Star Power, Make-Up!" she shouted. A brilliant flash of light, and a rumble of thunder, and she reappeared as Sailor Jupiter.
"Moon Cosmic Power, Make-Up!" A warm pink light surrounded Usagi, filling her with peace.
When the light faded, Sailor Moon looked at Jupiter and nodded. "Let's do it!"
They heard a slam against the door, then a curse. "OK, I'm not playing anymore!" Suddenly, they saw the door buckle inward, then splinter into a thousand pieces. On the other side stood Glassie, a second glass bomb in her hands. "Nani? Who are you?"
"I'm the Defender of Love and Justice, Sailor Moon. In the name of the Moon, I will right wrongs and triumph over evil, and that means you!"
"And on behalf of Jupiter, I will punish you for hurting those people and breaking all those lovely knickknacks! Jupiter Sparkling Wide Pressure!" A ball of pure lightning gathered in Jupiter's hand, and she threw it at the Automaton, hitting the glass bomb and shattering it. Ka-boom! The force of both the lightning and the shattering glass threw all three combatants in different directions, stunning them temporarily.
From somewhere up above, a dark shadow sighed and shook its head. "Amateurs." Violet eyes narrowed as Lady Ebonite pulled herself out of the jewelry case.
"Damn it, Glassie, what the hell was that?" Ebonite yelled. She walked over to the fallen Automaton. "Are you OK?"
The crystalline woman stood, and dusted herself off. She looked down and saw one of her arms was missing. "Aww, crud." She bent over, picked up the broken limb, and reattached it. She opened and closed her hand a few times experimentally. "Good as new. Now where'd they go?"
"I can't believe a 2 little girls are giving you such a hard time, Glassie," Ebonite admonished.
"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Jupiter stood up and walked forward. "You look pretty little to me."
Ebonite's eyes widened, then narrowed. "I see. Lady Nightshade said we might experience some trouble. You must be one of those annoying Sailor Scouts I've heard so much about. Fine, let's finish this. Glassie, do your stuff." With that, the petite woman turned her back and went back to the counter; the violet eyes in the darkness following her every move. Just what are you looking for?
"Glassie! Crystal Encasement!" Glassie opened her mouth wide and spit a glowing glob at Jupiter. Jupiter dropped and rolled to the side, then came up on one knee. Where she had been standing was a mound of hardened glass. Another glob came at her, and she jumped straight up to avoid it, back flipped to land behind the glob for cover. A third and fourth soon followed, with Jupiter jumping and twisting to avoid being hit.
"OK, enough of this. Jupiter Thunder, Crash!" A bolt of lightning struck the antennae of her tiara, and she sent the energy arcing at Glassie. The lightning slammed into Glassie, sending her back a step, but once the light cleared, it was apparent the Automaton was unharmed.
"Baka. Glass is an insulator. Don't these girls know anything?" the shadow above whispered. The violet eyes returned once more to Ebonite, who was finishing searching the last case. Ebonite stood up, holding a ring in her hand, with an odd black crystal for a stone. The violet eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the object the black haired woman was holding. "I sense strong negative energy from that. Computer, scan please."
Breep ***Scanning. Scan Complete. ***
"Analysis?"
***Not of this world. A crystal power conduit of some sort, able to contain and convert energy. Most likely place of origins: The Abyss, The Negaverse, or The Demi-Plane of Shadow.***
"Not good. I guess its time to go to work." The shadowy figure prepared to stand, when it saw another figure enter, this one taking place on a rack a few yards away. {Nani? A guy in a tuxedo, wearing a cape and mask? Just who does this nut think he is?} Violet eyes then looked down to appraise the fight. The sailor-suited girls weren't doing so hot. The one in green was currently encased in glass, while the one with the pigtails was tripping over everything in sight.
"I've got it, Glassie! You finish up here, I'll take this back to Lady Nightshade." Lady Ebonite bowed, then turned toward the exit.
{Oh no, you don't!} The black clad figure stood, and prepared to take off after Ebonite but nearly fell off her precarious perch when she heard the most AWFUL screeching noise below her. She looked down, and the blonde was on her butt, crying! Crying! {You're kidding, right? What an awful noise!}
Glassie threw up another glass glob, but a single red rose, apparently thrown from the tuxedo-clad figure shattered this one.
The man in the Tuxedo stepped out of the shadows, appearing like a knight to rescue his princess.
"Crystal, in all its forms, is beautiful to behold. And like love, crystal is incredibly fragile. For destroying such beauty, I, Tuxedo Mask, can not forgive you!"
The violet eyes widened, and the shadow began to shake with silent laughter. {You have GOT to be kidding me! Where do they come UP with this stuff? What a joke!}
"Tuxedo Mask! You saved me! Thank you!" the blonde on her butt cried.
Tuxedo Mask jumped down from the shelf he was perched on, landing gracefully by the sailor suited female. He reached down a hand to her and asked, "Sailor Moon, are you all right? You should really be more careful." She nodded and got to her feet, staring at him all the while. "Thank you, Tuxedo Mask! Thank you!"
{This is like something out of a bad comic book. I think I'm going to be sick.} Violet eyes scanned the room, looking for Lady Ebonite. {Shit! She's gone! Damn, damn, damn! I wasn't paying attention. Baka!} A clang and a crash from below brought her attention back to the fight at hand. Tuxedo Mask was fighting the Automaton with his cane, while Sailor Moon was trying to break Jupiter out of her crystal casing. Glassie shifted her free arm into the form of a giant fly swatter and slapped the masked man aside. He slammed hard up against the wall, and the Automaton, seizing the moment, spit glass at him, pinning him to the wall.
"Tuxedo Mask! No!" the blonde Scout wailed. "Moon Tiara Action!" She threw the golden disk at Glassie, trying to force the creature away from her beloved. It hit the Automaton square in the face with a resounding TANG! And the rebounded back towards Sailor Moon's outstretched hand.
Glassie stepped back and gingerly touched her nose. "You boke my nobe! You libble witch! I'b geb you for dat!" She took a deep breath and spit another glob, this one connecting solidly with the pigtailed Scout. "I'b cub you up a pieb ab a timb pour dat!" The creature changed its arm into a sword and started to advance.
{These are the defenders of Tokyo? How has this city survived? What happened to the heirs of the Moon Kingdom?} Violet eyes narrowed, spotting the crescent moon symbol on Sailor Moon's choker and Tiara. {She looks like one of Queen Serenity's Senshi, but God, what an idiot!} A lance of light appeared out of the darkness. {I guess I'd better save her} "Solar Flare!" The lance flew like a shot, hitting the unsuspecting Glassie in the chest and hurtling her clear across the room. She hit the far wall with an audible smack and cracks appeared across her body.
"Nani? Who did that?" All three immobile figures looked up and saw a shadow moving in the darkness. "Solar Flare!" Then they were blinded as a second lance of light exploded between the 3 of them, shattering their prisons.
OK, that's it. You're on your own; I need to find where that little runt ran off to. The figure started hopping across bookshelves toward the exit.
When the light faded, Sailor Moon rubbed her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and heard Tuxedo Mask say, "Now, Sailor Moon! Hit it now!"
"Right! Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" A cone of force rocketed out from her Spiral Heart Moon Rod, and slammed into the reviving Glassie.
"No! Aaaaaaaaah! No!" Glassie screamed in pain, and then shattered into a thousand pieces.
After reviving the clerks and setting things to right, Mamoru, Usagi, and Makoto sat down for a soda at Crown.
"A new enemy. I wonder what they're after?" Usagi asked.
Mako-chan shrugged. "Energy maybe? We did find the human's energy bottled up, after all."
Mamoru shook his head. "I don't think so. Ebonite wouldn't have left it behind. No, she left with something, but I didn't see what it was."
Usagi looked out the window, replaying the day's events in her mind. She remembered the shadowy figure that saved them. "Mamo-chan, who do you think saved us?"
Mamoru looked into Usagi's innocent blue eyes and sighed. "I don't know, Usako. But I hope it's a friend."
"So do I, but we have to be prepared that it may be another enemy, too," Makoto reminded them.
I hope not, Usagi thought to herself, looking back out to the street. Otherwise, why would the person have saved us?
Rhea caught up with Menagi as she walked out of the alleyway. Any luck?
Menagi shook her head. "Nope. Gone. Damn. I got a few simple scans, but that's it. I'd have like to caught up with her." Menagi sighed and took out her palm-top, rereading the data displayed. "The Abyss, The Negaverse, or The Demi-Plane of Shadow. None are very good options. All mean we could have a dangerous enemy on our hands."
How about the Senshi of the Silver Millennium? Did you find them?
"I hope not, because if that was them, we're in deep trouble."