Ch.
2
Shin
looked up groggily as the soldiers came in. They threw a plate of food down in
front of him and left. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it, then
crawled over to the food and slowly began to eat. He didn't see any other
alternative.
He'd
transformed as soon as he'd arrived, but he was now dealing with Talpa
directly. He knew it'd do him no good to keep wasting his energy.
He
wondered, certainly not for the first time, how far away they were keeping his
wife. Not terribly far, he knew, but far enough that they couldn't hear each
other.
He
also knew how absolutely stubborn his Ma-ko could be. If anything, she was
probably in a worse state than he from her absolute refusal to let the
situation play itself out. He knew his friends would come for him soon enough.
His
only concern was that Ma-ko would be hurt by the time they reached them. Hurt
beyond healing.
Rei's
brow knitted in concentration as she tried harder to focus her readings. It was
always difficult for the sacred fire to pinpoint anything or anyone in the Dark
Kingdom, but she usually managed it.
She'd
confirmed that Shin and Makoto were indeed in the Dark Kingdom but the
information she was now getting was making no sense.
She
turned to the assembled group just beyond the door.
"I
don't think they're alone," she said softly. "I'm getting five life forces
trapped in the Dark Kingdom."
"Five?"
Mamoru asked. "You mean Talpa's taken three other people hostage?"
"It
seems that way," Rei said softly. Rajura frowned.
"I
wonder who the other three are," he speculated almost to himself.
Touma
sighed. "It doesn't matter," he said softly. "We've got to go after them
anyway, we can't just leave them there any more than we can leave Mako-chan and
Shin."
"Then
we prepare for a five-fold rescue?" Seiji asked softly. Ryo sighed deeply.
"There's
no other way."
The
sisters and Shogun exchanged looks.
"We
can help," Anubis said simply.
Usagi
blinked. "Nani?"
"We
can help," Anubis repeated. "We know that castle better than any of you. And we
know the secret passageways."
"In
other words," Naaza said. "We know how to get in and out quickly."
"Yes,
but after five people?" Touma asked softly. "Gomen nasai, but that's a
difficult task."
"But
there's many of us," Katzie said with a smile. "We'll go in and out."
"Not
you," Prizma said. "Not with a newborn. You stay here."
Katzie
sighed but smiled indulgently. Sh'ten frowned.
"My
question," he said softly. "Is whether or not to bring the Senshi with us."
Minako
frowned as well. "Turning into a bakan, are we? Of course we're coming!"
"Matte,"
Anubis said. "It's a valid question. We'll be able to move more quickly if we
don't have you Senshi and Troopers with us. On the other hand, we may need the
extra fighting power."
"So
what it comes down to," Shou said after a moment. "Is which is more important:
speed or power?"
"We're
dealing with Talpa now, not with any middle men," Rajura said. "So I'd say
power."
"You
would," Rubbeus said with a slight smile. "But if we get in and out before
Talpa really knows that we've been there, then there will be no need for us to
do battle."
"And
we can get in and out with five people?" Avery asked, a little uncertain. Ryo
sighed.
"It
looks as if you'll have to."
Usagi
raised a brow. "'you'?"
"Hai,
Usagi-chan," Ryo said. "They're right. We can't go, we'll be more of a
hindrance than a help.
Usagi
sighed. "I don't like this, Ryo. Something about it just stinks."
"I
agree," Mamoru said. "But there's nothing we can do. It's up to the Shogun and
the Ayakashi sisters now."
Benjamin
couldn't help crying a very little as he watched his parents disappear into the
Dark Kingdom. His mother and father had spent the entirety of the night before
with him, and that had scared him. It had made him think that they may not be
coming back. He stood at the edge of the wood, now, with the rest of h is
friends and with his aunt at his side as three of the Ayakashi sisters and four
samurai, plus one ventured alone and virtually unarmed into danger. Rei sighed
and turned back in the direction of the house.
"There's
nothing left for us to do now except wait for them to come back with the
prisoners."
"I'll
begin making out beds," Ami said, going with her. "For any who may be injured."
Touma
nodded. "A good idea, I'll help."
As
the others turned and began to walk away, Benjamin remained a few more moments,
looking at the space where his parents had just been.
Somehow
he knew that they all-including him-were going to have to help.
Makoto
shuddered as she vomited again. This was beginning to become an ever-present
problem with her. The Dynasty had even taken to providing a fresh towel for her
every day, a luxury she could not now afford to spurn. She now used the towel
to wipe her mouth and sighed bitterly. Not only taken hostage by the Dark
Kingdom, but sick within their castle as well. This was getting to be a bit too
much. She had begged and pleaded with the soldiers to let her be with her
husband, but to no avail. They'd remained separated. She knew that relief was
on its way, preferably with her henshin stick and her wand. The question was
how soon would it arrive?
And
would she be far too sick by then to be of any help?
Rubbeus
was careful not to trip any of the many alarms he knew were hidden in the
corridor as the group slunk down the dungeons. They had disposed of the watch
guards very quickly: they'd gone down without a sound or alarm being given,
thanks to Naaza's poison. they were now checking within each cell for any of
the missing persons-a time consuming task. The Dark Kingdom had as many cells
as it had rooms, dungeons extending nearly a fathom or so downward.
They
moved in silence until they spotted two guards at the entrance to a dungeon.
They made very short work of the two guards and peered into the cell. It was
Makoto.
Prizma
and Bertie made their way in and helped the apparently sick senshi out of her
cell. She looked at them in surprise.
"Senshi
wa?" (Where are the Senshi?)
Anubis
shook his head. "We all decided they wouldn't come. It's easier for us this
way."
Makoto
nodded. "Have you found Shin?"
"Not
yet," Avery said. "We found you first. Then there's still three others to worry
about."
"Three
others?" Makoto said, worried. "You don't think they could have gotten any of
my friends from Hogwarts, do you?"
"It's
a possibility," Rubbeus said grimly. "But we'll find them, whoever they are. In
the mean time, I think we have some things I think you'll enjoy."
He
nodded to Rajura, who handed her the henshin stick and, yes, her wand. She
grinned when both were in her hands and in that second she was no longer a
prisoner, but a soldier once more. Whispering her henshin phrase, she
transformed into Sailorjupiter and grasped her wand tightly.
"Let's
find my husband."
