Chasing Enemies and Dreams 5
Hey people hope you liked the last chapter, well ttyl luv ya~QT-chan
Chapter 5
Setsuna stroked Horus's head feathers lovingly as she walked down the narrow corridor of the laboratory.
Opening her door she cocked an eyebrow in open surprise, Haruka was sparring against a training machine at 50g (50 times more gravity then regular).
Miran, Haruka's animaton, hopped about on the control panel wishing to join in on the fight.
Miran swiveled his head around at the approach of Setsuna, screeching loudly it rose into the air and landed on Haruka's shoulder. Haruka turned instantaneously, she smiled at Setsuna.
"Hey Setsuna-chan, need the space? Or the quiet?"
"Both, if you don't mind."
Haruka nodded her head, "What are you going to do down here?"
"Work on this code from the OZ group, it's taken the better part of my days so far..."
"Why don't you relax for a while?"
"Because it needs to get done so we know the enemies next moves."
"Sure?"
Setsuna nodded her head turning on the computer and seating herself.
Haruka bumped into Quatre who mumbled an apology before moving on, Haruka caught his arm.
Quatre turned surprise and a faint trace of fear passed through his eyes.
"Looking for Michiru?"
Quatre coughed quietly and his cheek quickly colored with a rosy red as he nodded his head.
"Did you check the pool?"
Quatre shook his head, "No, thanks Haruka-san."
Haruka nodded her head as she walked towards the gymnasium.
Noil circled a corner of the balcony before laying down and pushing his nose under his tail. The frosty cold clamped an icy hand down on his nose especially.
Usagi wore a light coat and stared down at the massive evergreen trees that rose up with the surrounding bare branched trees of maple and yew. Brushing snow away from the balconies rail she let Faramir land gracefully on the ledge. She turned when Heero wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Hi beautiful."
Usagi giggled, snuggling against him, "Since when did you turn romantic?"
"Good question."
Heero leaned down and let his lips meet hers in a warm embrace.
Quatre was about to close the open main balcony door when Heero and Usagi's um...activities stopped him. His hand was on the doorframe ready to close it. Quatre could faintly feel his lips and cheeks tingling...but that could have been from the frosty air around him.
Usagi opened her eyes in mid kiss sensing Faramir's not too quiet rustle of agitated wing flapping. Focusing on the figure behind Heero she realized it was Quatre watching them, she flushed before gently pulling herself away.
Heero glared at her, "What was that for?"
Usagi turned her gaze to behind Heero, Heero turned and smirked, "Quatre doesn't mind."
Usagi pushed him away trying to temper a smile that seemed to misunderstand Usagi's attempts to push the smile down by trying even harder.
Quatre blinked and shook his head, coughing as he noticed Usagi's lips twitching as she walked towards him.
"C'mon Heero! It's freezing out here!"
Noil snorted under cover of his tail, Heero shook his head, "I'll stay for a little while longer."
Usagi nodded her head beckoning Faramir to follow her, entering the chilled hallway Usagi began to throw off her coat and scarf.
"So what are you up to Quatre?"
"Um..." Quatre could feel the lump in his throat agonizingly stop him from saying anything, then annoyingly it snapped back fast enough for him to allow an embarrassed, "I didn't mean to watch you guys!"
Usagi blinked at Quatre before throwing her head back and laughing outrageously.
"It's okay Quatre...it's not like I want it totally public that we're...warming up to each other...but I was wondering why you were thinking of Michiru just then."
Quatre raised his head up in alarm, "I, how did you know?"
"Just the way you looked...but what were you thinking?"
Quatre blinked not sure whether he should really tell Usagi, Usagi noticed his confused and embarrassement at being caught, passing through his facial expressions like waves on the beach.
"...Forget it, don't tell me. But anyway, I'll be seeing you later."
"Wait! Um, Usagi...I was wondering what um...Michiru likes. For a gift." He added clumsily
Usagi eyed him as if for the first time, "Well...She likes parties...but then you want something personal...so well...she likes playing the violin, painting, swimming, gardening... Oh she likes quiet and gentle things. But don't let that fool you, she's a fierce warrior..." Usagi shook her head, "Just give her a flower and something from the heart...something you thought of. It'll mean a lot to her, I think."
Quatre smiled, "Thanks."
Usagi beamed at him, "Say um...Quatre I was wondering if I could see your falcon?"
"Sure, its name is Kanji, Do you mind?" Quatre asked Kanji
Kanji eyed Usagi while nodding a no to the question asked. Usagi held her arm out and hid her sudden surprise at the unexpected weight of the bird.
"Thank you Quatre."
Kanji and Faramir began to preen each other's feathers as if it was some bird greeting of their own.
Faramir's warm brown eyes seemed to hold a sentence which would quickly be answered by Quatre's falcon, Kanji. Giving a similar look back to Faramir.
Usagi headed towards her room leaving Quatre in the lobby, after quick thinking he headed out towards Heero's lone form shivering from the cold.
"Hey Heero!"
Heero turned and leaned back up against the rail, "Hey."
"How are you and Usagi?"
Heero glanced at Noil who snuffed loudly again, Heero narrowed his eyes calling out to him.
"Noil, what the hell do you keep snuffing about? Got a cold!"
Noil raised his head reproachfully at the comment, "At least I'm not stupidly in love and adding distractions!"
Heero glared at him, "Maybe I should call you Bane!"
Steam could be coming out of Noil's nostrils, "I'll be master's bane until we get out of this cold!" He barked back.
Heero nodded his head, "Fine, then it's settled. You'll be called Bane."
Bane showed his teeth before he went back under cover of his tail.
Quatre glanced at Bane before looking back at Heero, "You do like him don't you?"
Heero shrugged, "Depends."
Quatre sighed, "Well, I was wondering what you were going to do this afternoon because I was planning..."
Usagi held the imperium silver crystal in the palm of her hand, Faramir and Kanji stared in wonderment at the small crystal that glowed with an iridescent light.
"Usagi, lets go out. Quatre hasn't taken me out of this mansion since I came here and it's been a week."
Usagi nodded her head, "Sure."
She took the imperium crystal with her as she grabbed her coat and headed out the door.
Walking a few yards out in the immense plain of snow she let the two fly from her shoulders as she sat down on a cold stone bench.
She looked at the Crystal in her hand, she faintly heard Kanji and Faramir screeching at the top of their voices but couldn't tear her eyes away from the imperium crystal as it began to glow with an intense blue light. Usagi screamed and fell backwards as the crystal shattered in her hand. Gunfire broke out almost abruptly after the first shot.
Usagi stared at the shattered remains of the crystal, 'it can't be! The crystal can't be destroyed!'
Then a blue light leeched itself out of the shards, forming into a large blue square. All of a sudden it divided into four pieces.
Heero and Quatre gasped as they heard a women's agonized scream.
"Bane! Weapons Mode!"
Bane leapt up into the air as it grew dramatically in size until it was three times it's normal grown size. Heero and Quatre leapt up onto his back as he charged himself over the rail. Smelling the air, "Heero! There's a ground unit on forest just ahead."
Heero nodded, "I need a Kitom bomb!"
Bane nodded his head, from his shoulder blades a drawer was pushed out of his leg, Heero grabbed the gun as the compartment closed itself. Heero charged the weapon before shooting into the forest line. Massive pockets of open space began to appear in the forest.
Quatre saw Kanji hovering in the air, "Kanji! Weapon Mode!"
Kanji heard the cry, transforming into a beast five times his own size. Lifting out of his wings came small nearly pencil thin tubes which were attached at the tops of his wings on the joint where the wing would bend and fold.
Swooping down it grabbed Quatre up in its claws and threw him up into the air, Quatre landed on Kanji's back, shouting an immediate "Fire!"
Small balls of light began to form around the tubes on his wings. Before they shot off into the forest pot-holing it even more.
Heero and Bane stopped a few feet away from Usagi, "Usagi! Where are they? Can you see them?"
He looked in her direction when he got no reply, "Goddess! Bane what the hell's happening to them?"
Usagi was standing still, but wore her Princess's gown instead of her heavy coat. Her eyes held a vacant expression, she glowed with an intense blue light.
Raising her face to the sky she watched as Faramir came crashing down onto the ground convulsing horribly with the same blue light surrounding his body.
Heero was brought to attention as Haruka and Miran landed a few feet from them.
"Heero, what the hell's wrong with Usagi?" She fired into the forest as she asked the question.
Suddenly the light around Usagi's light grew drastically, her eyes narrowed, "Silence!"
The light around her flew out of her as if it was wind, soaring towards the forest it exploded into a million lights.
Haruka and Heero were thrown off their feet as well as the Animatons.
Haruka shielded her eyes from the light and gasped as the light rushed back towards them and gathered around Usagi again in full force but surrounding her in an even more intense dark blue.
Black wings sprouted out of Usagi's back, at the same time a women appeared out a black portal hole. She watched in avid fascination as Usagi changed...
Her Moon Princess dress was suddenly ripped away from her body and was immediately replaced with her senshi fuku. It had turned jet black and the frills and sleeves were gone form it. A black cloak blossomed out of the back of the fuku where it tore itself to allow the wings to pass through. The snow around her melted as she lightly landed on the ground in her black heels. Her crescent moon mark had disappeared and been replaced with an upside down black mark of a crescent moon.
Her eyes glowed with an eerie red light, Haruka gasped, "Goddess, what's wrong with her?"
Usagi turned at the unfamiliar voice, "Who are you?"
Haruka gaped in horror, before choking out, "Usagi! Come back, come back damnit!"
Malicious glee filled he eyes, "Is that what I used to be called?" She giggled coldly, "Well, I have," She was cut short as a massive roar of pain filled the air. She turned, Faramir had lifted into the air, his back was arched, his wings at full length and then, they grew.
His wings grew to twenty times their original shape, his claws suddenly shot out into powerful hind claws of an unknown massive beast. His neck elongated and formed into a more slender neck.
Red eyes glowed with an awesome fury, front claws shot out of his breast and touched the ground as he landed.
Quatre gasped at the creature from his lofty watch, 'a griffin...'
It had sleek white fur (if you could call it that) covering the length of it's body. It had a lion's massive claws and body. But wings were planted firmly on its back just behind the shoulder blades. A fearsome silver horn reared itself out of his forehead.
His small nubs of ears swiveled round, his beak clacked shut as he snapped it in the unknown ladies presence. It's claws seemed to be a part of the paw, it stood up, it was 7 heads taller then Usagi herself as she put her hand on it's shoulder. The only mistake in the griffin was that it had no mane or puffed ball of fur on the end of it's tail. It remained long and slender with no puff of fur at the end of its tail.
It's fiery gaze shot upwards at Quatre, Usagi smiled, she lifted her hand into the sky, the now black light around her increased and roared as it formed a massive black hand that reached towards Quatre and Kanji.
Quatre cried out as he was grabbed and shot downwards. Kanji threw him from his back before he was thrown onto the ground with a sickening thud.
The black magic suddenly entered him.
Kanji arched his back also, screeching repeatedly in agonized pain. Quatre stood up, tears bursting from his eyes. Usagi glanced up at him, she smirked, flicking her finger a gust of her black magic knocked him from his feet into the snow bank behind him.
Kanji convulsed violently as he too began to change.
His claws turned into massive metal hoofs, two other sprang from his chest. As he finished changing Quatre looked on in amazement.
The metal surrounding his legs went up to his knees and glowed with a glossy golden glow. A horn had spiraled out of his forehead, his eyes glowed with a pleasant but fierce blue light. His mane was shimmering with a silver light. A gem placed in the side of his hindquarters blazed with light. He was a version of a Pegasus, but changed with his spiral horn, metal sheathed legs and gem in his hindquarter.
"Kodo! Fire the cannon!"
The beam blasted into Usagi, the light was so intense that Heero, Quatre, and Haruka had to shield their eyes.
A black needle of energy shot through the cannon and blasted into Wufei's gundam. Wufei could be seen falling from the sky, his animaton next to him.
Quatre leapt onto the changed version of Kanji crying out, "Kanji please, don't let it get him! You can't be evil."
Kanji's eyes glanced backwards at it's rider, and hardly moving it flung Quatre from his back and glued his gaze onto Usagi who was now paying attention to the work of her magic on the Komodo Dragon.
It writhed in the air, Haruka managed a fumbled catch of Wufei's body as she watched in horrid fascination.
The black energy around the komodo dragon suddenly exploded back revealing a new Kodo.
It was a flaming red with a light orangey yellow underbelly. It had a horn on its nose and two on it's forehead, colored an impressive black. Bat-like wings had burst from his back and flapped easily in the air landing and letting it's club like tail thud to the ground. There was just a massive blunt mass at the end of his tail. His back was ridged with dangerous looking spikes. Rearing up on its hind legs it was sleek and beautiful in it's awesome legendary powers.
Then Usagi turned as the others arrived, they flew or ran down from the massed piles of snow that had been blown away. Immediately there Animatons were lifted in the air from them. Zech's tried to grab Roji as he soared into the air convulsing, Roji was attacked by the swarms of black magic.
The lady who had entered by the portal hole lifted her hand and set out a ball of black light. It exploded into the black light that surrounded Roji he had disappeared.
She smirked, "Where's your little creation now."
Usagi turned to her, "How dare you interfere."
Usagi slowly began to step towards the women.
Michiru watched in despair as Cheek, her otter, grew to the size of a lion, brown furry wings burst from his back. In fact as she looked around all the animatons besides Roji who had been destroyed had wings of some sort bursting from their backs. Enlargement in size seemed to also be what the black magic was pumping into them.
Haruka narrowed her eyes, 'I can feel it! That women! She's responsible for this! I can feel the black magic she has grouped in this area. But how...I don't know if I have enough magic but it's worth a try!'
"URANUS SPACE SWORD BUSTER!!!"
Michiru gasped and nodded her head, "NEPTUNE SUBMARINE REFLECTION!"
"PLUTO DEAD SCREAM!"
"SATURN DEATH RIBBON REVOLUTION!"
The others had felt the massed dark magic as they had arrived but thoughts of attack had been wiped clear of their minds as they were thrown from their Animaton's back.
The women turned, her eyes narrowed, "No! Stop it you little idiots!"
The attacks seemed to slow in midair as if they were trying to burn a way through an invisible wall. The senshi had transformed into their fuku's strangely enough.
Then the attacks blasted through, Duo could feel the fuzzy air around him suddenly clearing making it easier for him to breath.
Usagi hesitated midstep towards the women, the women narrowed her eyes and lifted her hands, black magic leaked out of her hands and started to pool towards Usagi.
"Senshi! The princess!"
"URANUS"
"SATURN"
"NEPTUNE"
"PLUTO"
Four lights blasted around and in Usagi keeping the black liquid from sinking into Usagi.
She gasped and clutched at her throat, she fell onto her hands and knees. She screamed as a cloud of black magic lifted out of her in a milky translucent form of herself. The shadow screamed and tried to squeeze and bite itself out of the fierce powers of the outer senshi.
Then it blasted into oblivion, the women screamed in annoyance.
"You little bastards! You think you can just do that to me! I am Ashitana, and I will not stand for this you little impostures are going to pay for this!"
She disappeared into the portal as Heero ran down and grabbed Usagi in his arms.
The crescent moon mark of her family, strugglingly appeared and disappeared into her forehead in it's original shape.
Faramir and all the other animatons shook before wearily thudding into the ground.
"Michiru!" Haruka yelled
Michiru held the mirror up, and looked into its depth, "Haruka, everyone's alive at the very least..."
The senshi gasped as their fuku's disappeared as did their weapons...Hotaru's glaive, Setsuna's time staff, Michiru's mirror and Haruka's sword.
Haruka concentrated on Michiru's shivering figure, before she fell backwards into the snow unconscious.
Setsuna opened her eyes and felt that the very motion was sapping all her strength. Trowa appeared in her line of vision, "Setsuna?"
Setsuna closed her eyes again and didn't know why she was crying or felt so weak and helpless.
She nearly gasped as she felt a weight on her stomach, energy flooded in through her belly. She felt so refreshed at that instant, sitting up she found Horus looking back at her. She covered her face and cried, arms wrapped themselves around her.
"Setsuna, it's over you must be strong now."
Setsuna shook her head, "I want to be weak for now...I am weak!"
Horus stared solemnly at Setsuna before prodding her, "Setsuna, you're needed now. There is no time to be weak. Now get up!" He said gruffly.
Setsuna looked at Horus as if for the first time, "So you're still changed..."
Horus nodded his head, double his size and with a small stub of a horn on his forehead. He was a tawny yellow brown instead of a fluffy white.
Trowa's tiger Gansi had his wings folded against his sides but he still seemed to take up a large space in the room. His transformation wasn't as changed as Horus's now that she thought about it.
"Setsuna?"
Setsuna shook her head from her thoughts, "I'm fine. Where's Usagi?"
Trowa opened the door, "If you can walk I'll take you to her."
Setsuna was the last of the entire group of ten in Usagi's room. Setsuna gasped at the great new variety of animatons before her that were changed to the point of no recognition.
Quatre's, Wufei's, and Usagi's Animatons remained as they had when they were first changed. Taking up most of the spare room in the area.
However Duo's Lynx, like all the others had wings on his back, but had two saber-like teeth that were protruding out of his jaw. Hotaru's Kana was a silky white with legs armored by plates of silver. Miran had two horns spiraling out of his forehead with small nearly unseen metal scales under his feather that lined his undersides and back.
Bane had turned a silvery white with stripes of blue randomly striping his body. He had two curved horns on his forehead that was alined with his large muzzle.
She finally turned her gaze to Usagi, she was sleeping deeply unaware of all the eyes that watched her. Faramir shifted into a small cat sized version of herself, cuddling herself under Usagi's arm.
Heero blinked and sighed, leaning against the wall, hoping that nobody could see the confusion that was rivaling his hope that Usagi was safe.
"So...she shattered the imperium silver crystal and used it's energy to key Usagi into consuming the power. With so much dark magic massed in one spot the imperium silver crystal might have become contaminated or something and made her evil...but it's questionable." Faramir slowly said.
Hotaru nodded her head, "That's the only way we were able to transform. It was because of the black magic. No matter how black it is we must have...used it. There's no other way."
Setsuna leaned back against the chair, "She was evil...she was cold and evil...unreachable."
Haruka ran her hand through her hair and nodded her head, "Yes. That's why we need to keep a close eye on her."
Michiru bit her lip, "Could Usagi be an enemy now?"
Heero shook her head, "No, she can't be!"
Duo turned at Heero's silent fury that seemed to seep out of him and fill the room.
Wufei clenched his hands into fists, "Heero, we never said that!"
Heero glared at Wufei, "One of her own protectors just mentioned. Some protectors you are! I was there at the site first! Where were you in the minutes that it took her to change into...into that thing!"
Trowa put a hand on Heero's shoulder, "Heero, they were already on their way."
"They should always keep an eye on their princess if they love her so much and now all of a sudden they're saying that she's evil! Well, who's damn fault is that!!" Heero's eyes blazed, Bane could feel a growl purring in his throat as his fur stood on end.
Heero slammed his hand down onto the table and was inches away from Michiru's face, "How dare you...you shouldn't be protecting an ant with that kind of mind!"
Haruka narrowed her eyes and stood up, "Get the hell away from her"
Hotaru suddenly grabbed the ruff of Kana afraid of the people around her.
Quatre squeezed a lock of Kanji's mane, "Stop it! You fools, we can't fight not now! Ashitana is gathering her forces for the last battle and we're arguing about whether or not Usagi is our enemy! Damnit you people don't get it, Usagi's soul is torn in half! She can't move or awaken if she damn well wanted to!"
Miliardo glanced sadly down at the group from the second floor railing.
"We have...we have to leave her here then. We must fight without her." Miliardo voiced slowly
Heero walked towards his room and slammed the door behind him, Bane glared at the group around him.
"We will fight. But we must prepare."
Unix nodded his head, "Duo, are you ready?"
Duo bowed his head slightly and nodded his head...
Hey people hope you liked the last chapter, well ttyl luv ya~QT-chan
Chapter 5
Setsuna stroked Horus's head feathers lovingly as she walked down the narrow corridor of the laboratory.
Opening her door she cocked an eyebrow in open surprise, Haruka was sparring against a training machine at 50g (50 times more gravity then regular).
Miran, Haruka's animaton, hopped about on the control panel wishing to join in on the fight.
Miran swiveled his head around at the approach of Setsuna, screeching loudly it rose into the air and landed on Haruka's shoulder. Haruka turned instantaneously, she smiled at Setsuna.
"Hey Setsuna-chan, need the space? Or the quiet?"
"Both, if you don't mind."
Haruka nodded her head, "What are you going to do down here?"
"Work on this code from the OZ group, it's taken the better part of my days so far..."
"Why don't you relax for a while?"
"Because it needs to get done so we know the enemies next moves."
"Sure?"
Setsuna nodded her head turning on the computer and seating herself.
Haruka bumped into Quatre who mumbled an apology before moving on, Haruka caught his arm.
Quatre turned surprise and a faint trace of fear passed through his eyes.
"Looking for Michiru?"
Quatre coughed quietly and his cheek quickly colored with a rosy red as he nodded his head.
"Did you check the pool?"
Quatre shook his head, "No, thanks Haruka-san."
Haruka nodded her head as she walked towards the gymnasium.
Noil circled a corner of the balcony before laying down and pushing his nose under his tail. The frosty cold clamped an icy hand down on his nose especially.
Usagi wore a light coat and stared down at the massive evergreen trees that rose up with the surrounding bare branched trees of maple and yew. Brushing snow away from the balconies rail she let Faramir land gracefully on the ledge. She turned when Heero wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Hi beautiful."
Usagi giggled, snuggling against him, "Since when did you turn romantic?"
"Good question."
Heero leaned down and let his lips meet hers in a warm embrace.
Quatre was about to close the open main balcony door when Heero and Usagi's um...activities stopped him. His hand was on the doorframe ready to close it. Quatre could faintly feel his lips and cheeks tingling...but that could have been from the frosty air around him.
Usagi opened her eyes in mid kiss sensing Faramir's not too quiet rustle of agitated wing flapping. Focusing on the figure behind Heero she realized it was Quatre watching them, she flushed before gently pulling herself away.
Heero glared at her, "What was that for?"
Usagi turned her gaze to behind Heero, Heero turned and smirked, "Quatre doesn't mind."
Usagi pushed him away trying to temper a smile that seemed to misunderstand Usagi's attempts to push the smile down by trying even harder.
Quatre blinked and shook his head, coughing as he noticed Usagi's lips twitching as she walked towards him.
"C'mon Heero! It's freezing out here!"
Noil snorted under cover of his tail, Heero shook his head, "I'll stay for a little while longer."
Usagi nodded her head beckoning Faramir to follow her, entering the chilled hallway Usagi began to throw off her coat and scarf.
"So what are you up to Quatre?"
"Um..." Quatre could feel the lump in his throat agonizingly stop him from saying anything, then annoyingly it snapped back fast enough for him to allow an embarrassed, "I didn't mean to watch you guys!"
Usagi blinked at Quatre before throwing her head back and laughing outrageously.
"It's okay Quatre...it's not like I want it totally public that we're...warming up to each other...but I was wondering why you were thinking of Michiru just then."
Quatre raised his head up in alarm, "I, how did you know?"
"Just the way you looked...but what were you thinking?"
Quatre blinked not sure whether he should really tell Usagi, Usagi noticed his confused and embarrassement at being caught, passing through his facial expressions like waves on the beach.
"...Forget it, don't tell me. But anyway, I'll be seeing you later."
"Wait! Um, Usagi...I was wondering what um...Michiru likes. For a gift." He added clumsily
Usagi eyed him as if for the first time, "Well...She likes parties...but then you want something personal...so well...she likes playing the violin, painting, swimming, gardening... Oh she likes quiet and gentle things. But don't let that fool you, she's a fierce warrior..." Usagi shook her head, "Just give her a flower and something from the heart...something you thought of. It'll mean a lot to her, I think."
Quatre smiled, "Thanks."
Usagi beamed at him, "Say um...Quatre I was wondering if I could see your falcon?"
"Sure, its name is Kanji, Do you mind?" Quatre asked Kanji
Kanji eyed Usagi while nodding a no to the question asked. Usagi held her arm out and hid her sudden surprise at the unexpected weight of the bird.
"Thank you Quatre."
Kanji and Faramir began to preen each other's feathers as if it was some bird greeting of their own.
Faramir's warm brown eyes seemed to hold a sentence which would quickly be answered by Quatre's falcon, Kanji. Giving a similar look back to Faramir.
Usagi headed towards her room leaving Quatre in the lobby, after quick thinking he headed out towards Heero's lone form shivering from the cold.
"Hey Heero!"
Heero turned and leaned back up against the rail, "Hey."
"How are you and Usagi?"
Heero glanced at Noil who snuffed loudly again, Heero narrowed his eyes calling out to him.
"Noil, what the hell do you keep snuffing about? Got a cold!"
Noil raised his head reproachfully at the comment, "At least I'm not stupidly in love and adding distractions!"
Heero glared at him, "Maybe I should call you Bane!"
Steam could be coming out of Noil's nostrils, "I'll be master's bane until we get out of this cold!" He barked back.
Heero nodded his head, "Fine, then it's settled. You'll be called Bane."
Bane showed his teeth before he went back under cover of his tail.
Quatre glanced at Bane before looking back at Heero, "You do like him don't you?"
Heero shrugged, "Depends."
Quatre sighed, "Well, I was wondering what you were going to do this afternoon because I was planning..."
Usagi held the imperium silver crystal in the palm of her hand, Faramir and Kanji stared in wonderment at the small crystal that glowed with an iridescent light.
"Usagi, lets go out. Quatre hasn't taken me out of this mansion since I came here and it's been a week."
Usagi nodded her head, "Sure."
She took the imperium crystal with her as she grabbed her coat and headed out the door.
Walking a few yards out in the immense plain of snow she let the two fly from her shoulders as she sat down on a cold stone bench.
She looked at the Crystal in her hand, she faintly heard Kanji and Faramir screeching at the top of their voices but couldn't tear her eyes away from the imperium crystal as it began to glow with an intense blue light. Usagi screamed and fell backwards as the crystal shattered in her hand. Gunfire broke out almost abruptly after the first shot.
Usagi stared at the shattered remains of the crystal, 'it can't be! The crystal can't be destroyed!'
Then a blue light leeched itself out of the shards, forming into a large blue square. All of a sudden it divided into four pieces.
Heero and Quatre gasped as they heard a women's agonized scream.
"Bane! Weapons Mode!"
Bane leapt up into the air as it grew dramatically in size until it was three times it's normal grown size. Heero and Quatre leapt up onto his back as he charged himself over the rail. Smelling the air, "Heero! There's a ground unit on forest just ahead."
Heero nodded, "I need a Kitom bomb!"
Bane nodded his head, from his shoulder blades a drawer was pushed out of his leg, Heero grabbed the gun as the compartment closed itself. Heero charged the weapon before shooting into the forest line. Massive pockets of open space began to appear in the forest.
Quatre saw Kanji hovering in the air, "Kanji! Weapon Mode!"
Kanji heard the cry, transforming into a beast five times his own size. Lifting out of his wings came small nearly pencil thin tubes which were attached at the tops of his wings on the joint where the wing would bend and fold.
Swooping down it grabbed Quatre up in its claws and threw him up into the air, Quatre landed on Kanji's back, shouting an immediate "Fire!"
Small balls of light began to form around the tubes on his wings. Before they shot off into the forest pot-holing it even more.
Heero and Bane stopped a few feet away from Usagi, "Usagi! Where are they? Can you see them?"
He looked in her direction when he got no reply, "Goddess! Bane what the hell's happening to them?"
Usagi was standing still, but wore her Princess's gown instead of her heavy coat. Her eyes held a vacant expression, she glowed with an intense blue light.
Raising her face to the sky she watched as Faramir came crashing down onto the ground convulsing horribly with the same blue light surrounding his body.
Heero was brought to attention as Haruka and Miran landed a few feet from them.
"Heero, what the hell's wrong with Usagi?" She fired into the forest as she asked the question.
Suddenly the light around Usagi's light grew drastically, her eyes narrowed, "Silence!"
The light around her flew out of her as if it was wind, soaring towards the forest it exploded into a million lights.
Haruka and Heero were thrown off their feet as well as the Animatons.
Haruka shielded her eyes from the light and gasped as the light rushed back towards them and gathered around Usagi again in full force but surrounding her in an even more intense dark blue.
Black wings sprouted out of Usagi's back, at the same time a women appeared out a black portal hole. She watched in avid fascination as Usagi changed...
Her Moon Princess dress was suddenly ripped away from her body and was immediately replaced with her senshi fuku. It had turned jet black and the frills and sleeves were gone form it. A black cloak blossomed out of the back of the fuku where it tore itself to allow the wings to pass through. The snow around her melted as she lightly landed on the ground in her black heels. Her crescent moon mark had disappeared and been replaced with an upside down black mark of a crescent moon.
Her eyes glowed with an eerie red light, Haruka gasped, "Goddess, what's wrong with her?"
Usagi turned at the unfamiliar voice, "Who are you?"
Haruka gaped in horror, before choking out, "Usagi! Come back, come back damnit!"
Malicious glee filled he eyes, "Is that what I used to be called?" She giggled coldly, "Well, I have," She was cut short as a massive roar of pain filled the air. She turned, Faramir had lifted into the air, his back was arched, his wings at full length and then, they grew.
His wings grew to twenty times their original shape, his claws suddenly shot out into powerful hind claws of an unknown massive beast. His neck elongated and formed into a more slender neck.
Red eyes glowed with an awesome fury, front claws shot out of his breast and touched the ground as he landed.
Quatre gasped at the creature from his lofty watch, 'a griffin...'
It had sleek white fur (if you could call it that) covering the length of it's body. It had a lion's massive claws and body. But wings were planted firmly on its back just behind the shoulder blades. A fearsome silver horn reared itself out of his forehead.
His small nubs of ears swiveled round, his beak clacked shut as he snapped it in the unknown ladies presence. It's claws seemed to be a part of the paw, it stood up, it was 7 heads taller then Usagi herself as she put her hand on it's shoulder. The only mistake in the griffin was that it had no mane or puffed ball of fur on the end of it's tail. It remained long and slender with no puff of fur at the end of its tail.
It's fiery gaze shot upwards at Quatre, Usagi smiled, she lifted her hand into the sky, the now black light around her increased and roared as it formed a massive black hand that reached towards Quatre and Kanji.
Quatre cried out as he was grabbed and shot downwards. Kanji threw him from his back before he was thrown onto the ground with a sickening thud.
The black magic suddenly entered him.
Kanji arched his back also, screeching repeatedly in agonized pain. Quatre stood up, tears bursting from his eyes. Usagi glanced up at him, she smirked, flicking her finger a gust of her black magic knocked him from his feet into the snow bank behind him.
Kanji convulsed violently as he too began to change.
His claws turned into massive metal hoofs, two other sprang from his chest. As he finished changing Quatre looked on in amazement.
The metal surrounding his legs went up to his knees and glowed with a glossy golden glow. A horn had spiraled out of his forehead, his eyes glowed with a pleasant but fierce blue light. His mane was shimmering with a silver light. A gem placed in the side of his hindquarters blazed with light. He was a version of a Pegasus, but changed with his spiral horn, metal sheathed legs and gem in his hindquarter.
"Kodo! Fire the cannon!"
The beam blasted into Usagi, the light was so intense that Heero, Quatre, and Haruka had to shield their eyes.
A black needle of energy shot through the cannon and blasted into Wufei's gundam. Wufei could be seen falling from the sky, his animaton next to him.
Quatre leapt onto the changed version of Kanji crying out, "Kanji please, don't let it get him! You can't be evil."
Kanji's eyes glanced backwards at it's rider, and hardly moving it flung Quatre from his back and glued his gaze onto Usagi who was now paying attention to the work of her magic on the Komodo Dragon.
It writhed in the air, Haruka managed a fumbled catch of Wufei's body as she watched in horrid fascination.
The black energy around the komodo dragon suddenly exploded back revealing a new Kodo.
It was a flaming red with a light orangey yellow underbelly. It had a horn on its nose and two on it's forehead, colored an impressive black. Bat-like wings had burst from his back and flapped easily in the air landing and letting it's club like tail thud to the ground. There was just a massive blunt mass at the end of his tail. His back was ridged with dangerous looking spikes. Rearing up on its hind legs it was sleek and beautiful in it's awesome legendary powers.
Then Usagi turned as the others arrived, they flew or ran down from the massed piles of snow that had been blown away. Immediately there Animatons were lifted in the air from them. Zech's tried to grab Roji as he soared into the air convulsing, Roji was attacked by the swarms of black magic.
The lady who had entered by the portal hole lifted her hand and set out a ball of black light. It exploded into the black light that surrounded Roji he had disappeared.
She smirked, "Where's your little creation now."
Usagi turned to her, "How dare you interfere."
Usagi slowly began to step towards the women.
Michiru watched in despair as Cheek, her otter, grew to the size of a lion, brown furry wings burst from his back. In fact as she looked around all the animatons besides Roji who had been destroyed had wings of some sort bursting from their backs. Enlargement in size seemed to also be what the black magic was pumping into them.
Haruka narrowed her eyes, 'I can feel it! That women! She's responsible for this! I can feel the black magic she has grouped in this area. But how...I don't know if I have enough magic but it's worth a try!'
"URANUS SPACE SWORD BUSTER!!!"
Michiru gasped and nodded her head, "NEPTUNE SUBMARINE REFLECTION!"
"PLUTO DEAD SCREAM!"
"SATURN DEATH RIBBON REVOLUTION!"
The others had felt the massed dark magic as they had arrived but thoughts of attack had been wiped clear of their minds as they were thrown from their Animaton's back.
The women turned, her eyes narrowed, "No! Stop it you little idiots!"
The attacks seemed to slow in midair as if they were trying to burn a way through an invisible wall. The senshi had transformed into their fuku's strangely enough.
Then the attacks blasted through, Duo could feel the fuzzy air around him suddenly clearing making it easier for him to breath.
Usagi hesitated midstep towards the women, the women narrowed her eyes and lifted her hands, black magic leaked out of her hands and started to pool towards Usagi.
"Senshi! The princess!"
"URANUS"
"SATURN"
"NEPTUNE"
"PLUTO"
Four lights blasted around and in Usagi keeping the black liquid from sinking into Usagi.
She gasped and clutched at her throat, she fell onto her hands and knees. She screamed as a cloud of black magic lifted out of her in a milky translucent form of herself. The shadow screamed and tried to squeeze and bite itself out of the fierce powers of the outer senshi.
Then it blasted into oblivion, the women screamed in annoyance.
"You little bastards! You think you can just do that to me! I am Ashitana, and I will not stand for this you little impostures are going to pay for this!"
She disappeared into the portal as Heero ran down and grabbed Usagi in his arms.
The crescent moon mark of her family, strugglingly appeared and disappeared into her forehead in it's original shape.
Faramir and all the other animatons shook before wearily thudding into the ground.
"Michiru!" Haruka yelled
Michiru held the mirror up, and looked into its depth, "Haruka, everyone's alive at the very least..."
The senshi gasped as their fuku's disappeared as did their weapons...Hotaru's glaive, Setsuna's time staff, Michiru's mirror and Haruka's sword.
Haruka concentrated on Michiru's shivering figure, before she fell backwards into the snow unconscious.
Setsuna opened her eyes and felt that the very motion was sapping all her strength. Trowa appeared in her line of vision, "Setsuna?"
Setsuna closed her eyes again and didn't know why she was crying or felt so weak and helpless.
She nearly gasped as she felt a weight on her stomach, energy flooded in through her belly. She felt so refreshed at that instant, sitting up she found Horus looking back at her. She covered her face and cried, arms wrapped themselves around her.
"Setsuna, it's over you must be strong now."
Setsuna shook her head, "I want to be weak for now...I am weak!"
Horus stared solemnly at Setsuna before prodding her, "Setsuna, you're needed now. There is no time to be weak. Now get up!" He said gruffly.
Setsuna looked at Horus as if for the first time, "So you're still changed..."
Horus nodded his head, double his size and with a small stub of a horn on his forehead. He was a tawny yellow brown instead of a fluffy white.
Trowa's tiger Gansi had his wings folded against his sides but he still seemed to take up a large space in the room. His transformation wasn't as changed as Horus's now that she thought about it.
"Setsuna?"
Setsuna shook her head from her thoughts, "I'm fine. Where's Usagi?"
Trowa opened the door, "If you can walk I'll take you to her."
Setsuna was the last of the entire group of ten in Usagi's room. Setsuna gasped at the great new variety of animatons before her that were changed to the point of no recognition.
Quatre's, Wufei's, and Usagi's Animatons remained as they had when they were first changed. Taking up most of the spare room in the area.
However Duo's Lynx, like all the others had wings on his back, but had two saber-like teeth that were protruding out of his jaw. Hotaru's Kana was a silky white with legs armored by plates of silver. Miran had two horns spiraling out of his forehead with small nearly unseen metal scales under his feather that lined his undersides and back.
Bane had turned a silvery white with stripes of blue randomly striping his body. He had two curved horns on his forehead that was alined with his large muzzle.
She finally turned her gaze to Usagi, she was sleeping deeply unaware of all the eyes that watched her. Faramir shifted into a small cat sized version of herself, cuddling herself under Usagi's arm.
Heero blinked and sighed, leaning against the wall, hoping that nobody could see the confusion that was rivaling his hope that Usagi was safe.
"So...she shattered the imperium silver crystal and used it's energy to key Usagi into consuming the power. With so much dark magic massed in one spot the imperium silver crystal might have become contaminated or something and made her evil...but it's questionable." Faramir slowly said.
Hotaru nodded her head, "That's the only way we were able to transform. It was because of the black magic. No matter how black it is we must have...used it. There's no other way."
Setsuna leaned back against the chair, "She was evil...she was cold and evil...unreachable."
Haruka ran her hand through her hair and nodded her head, "Yes. That's why we need to keep a close eye on her."
Michiru bit her lip, "Could Usagi be an enemy now?"
Heero shook her head, "No, she can't be!"
Duo turned at Heero's silent fury that seemed to seep out of him and fill the room.
Wufei clenched his hands into fists, "Heero, we never said that!"
Heero glared at Wufei, "One of her own protectors just mentioned. Some protectors you are! I was there at the site first! Where were you in the minutes that it took her to change into...into that thing!"
Trowa put a hand on Heero's shoulder, "Heero, they were already on their way."
"They should always keep an eye on their princess if they love her so much and now all of a sudden they're saying that she's evil! Well, who's damn fault is that!!" Heero's eyes blazed, Bane could feel a growl purring in his throat as his fur stood on end.
Heero slammed his hand down onto the table and was inches away from Michiru's face, "How dare you...you shouldn't be protecting an ant with that kind of mind!"
Haruka narrowed her eyes and stood up, "Get the hell away from her"
Hotaru suddenly grabbed the ruff of Kana afraid of the people around her.
Quatre squeezed a lock of Kanji's mane, "Stop it! You fools, we can't fight not now! Ashitana is gathering her forces for the last battle and we're arguing about whether or not Usagi is our enemy! Damnit you people don't get it, Usagi's soul is torn in half! She can't move or awaken if she damn well wanted to!"
Miliardo glanced sadly down at the group from the second floor railing.
"We have...we have to leave her here then. We must fight without her." Miliardo voiced slowly
Heero walked towards his room and slammed the door behind him, Bane glared at the group around him.
"We will fight. But we must prepare."
Unix nodded his head, "Duo, are you ready?"
Duo bowed his head slightly and nodded his head...