Crossings.Swelling Emotions
Tokyo.
"What do you think those two are talking about?" Usagi seemed perplexed to hear Mamoru's answer.
"Who knows.they both are on the ball usually so I'm guessing they are working as diligently as possible," Mamoru sipped his second cup of coffee. Usagi made a light giggle that caught Mamoru's attention, and he turned to her wondering if she had with held the question to just want to hear what Mamoru thought, when she really knew. "Usako." his voice called with a hint of wanted sarcasm as to know what her incessant giggle was caused by, "what do you know that I don't?"
Usagi's face made a slight color change to she her reaction of getting caught and in her usual genki manner blurted, "It seems Aaron has a crush on Ami!" Mamoru's eye twitched rapidly as she laughed and sang like a kid on a sugar buzz.
"Usako?"
His reaction got an even stranger reply when she said in her giddy voice, "I'm sure they are madly in love with each other!"
Mamoru said with a subdued grin, "And what of Urawa?"
Usagi stopped dead in mid-dance and made a few blinks of her eyes. "Oh yeah.I completely forgot about him! It's been almost 3 years since we last saw him."
"That was the first time we ever met Mamo-chan.do you remember how we used to fight all the time?"
Mamoru laughed and said, "We still fight a lot, but when we do." he draped his arms over her shoulders, "It only makes us closer."
"Mamo-chan." Usagi predicted him to kiss her in this romantic setting. She waited and nothing happened, she opened her eyes and noticed Mamoru was completely fixed on something else. His eyes were showing his cool, calm caliber and he skimmed the entire city looking for something. "Mamo-chan?"
"I can feel him.his energy is so much more powerful than the last time we saw him."
"Mamo-chan.who's back?"
"Vile." his words drew Usagi to a serious disposition and she quickly alerted everyone of the situation.
Scant minutes later.
"Scans confirm it. Vile is around here.look at these power levels!" Ami said almost making a shriek of fright.
Aaron took a look and grimaced like someone had shoved a pointed object into his stomach. "Dear god that's sick. It's going to be one nasty fight."
"Have you guys found anything of importance about the barrier?" Minako asked.
Aaron looked away and his face made a slight flush, "Not really."
"Don't tell me." Usagi's eyes grew big.
Ami went completely red and everyone picked it up on the spot. "Ami and Aaron?! Who would have thought!" Minako had a wide smile on her face.
Ami tried to stave off the comment, but did not succeed to well. Soon everyone was asking Ami about what her and Aaron "worked on". Aaron looked out of the terrace window and suddenly engaged his armour firing a Moonlight Blast. Everyone took cover as his shot exploded into something causing confusion amongst the group. "He's gunning right at us! Get ready you guys!" Meta fired another blast out of the window as everyone transformed.
"Moon Eternal, Make-Up!!"
"Moon Prism Power, Make-Up!!"
"Mercury Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Mars Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Venus Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Zerto-armour ENGAGE!!"
"Ninjitzu EXTREME!!"
"Centari Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Rose Neptune Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
Mamoru pulled one of his sudden changes and wore the suit that dawned him Tuxedo Kamen. "Come on everyone! We'll follow the trail the shot leaves!" Mercury said pushing buttons on her mini computer getting a clean fix on the nature of the blasts coming.
"I'll stay here and give you guys cover!" Meta said making more constant shots, as Vile seemed to up the tempo from wherever he was firing from. Sailor Moon nodded and moved the troops out. Mercury sent them in what seemed like a maze of buildings constantly telling everyone that they were getting closer and closer. Mercury's communicator beeped and Meta's voice blared over the ruckus of gun fire, "Mercury.*Fazat*.hurry.*bzzz*.it's getting.*zzzzzzz*," static had overrun the signal strength transmitting the message and Mercury pressed onward hoping the end was right around the next corner. A few moments later they entered a clearing and found Vile firing a constant line of plasma toward his destination.
All the while he laughed and screamed, "Death to those oppose the Queen of Blood!" After a few more seconds of mindless laughing and terror he stopped and looked behind to his antagonists. "It appears you finally came. I wondered how long it would take you. It wasn't to difficult now was it?"
"It wasn't to difficult we just had to follow the smell of rotten cheese awaiting us at the end of this maze," Sailor Moon's warrior side said.
"Now that you've found the cheese.what will you do with it? Will you eat it." Vile's helmet looked like it had actually moved into a smile by some stroke of fate, "or will the cheese eat you!"
"You have caused enough terror Vile! I am Sailor Moon, and on behalf the moon, I shall punish you!"
"You came all this way with nothing to add to that incredibly lame and clichéd speech? I'm disappointed!"
"Shut up you outdated piece of gutter trash!" Zerto said pointing his gun at Vile, "Or I'm liable to just plug you right here and now!"
Vile made no attempt at a retort and simply aimed his weapon at the group and fired. It looked more like one of those still animations where everyone misses the attack and yet somehow they end up getting hit. Zerto fired a blast that simply bounced off Vile's armour like a pebble bouncing off the side of a building. "That wasn't even worth your effort firing! Here's how you hurt someone!" He took his cannon and fired a massive wave of energy that ripped into his chest plate like butter. Instantly the armour protecting his chest was melted away exposing his bare skin. "Here's one heading for hell!" Vile fired another blast and everyone watched as it flew toward Zerto with pinpoint accuracy. A massive explosion occurred and Vile laughed as Rei ran over screaming Zerto's name.
"Zerto! ZERTO!!!" She fell to her knees the tears flowing from her eyes without end. She looked up at Vile who has his gun set on her next.
"Since you two seemed so close, I'll send you to be with him forever!"
"Moonlight BLAST!!!" A shot rammed Vile in the back and he took a few steps forward as the blast had caused a small amount of pain. Rei looked up and found MetaSigma hovering in the air. On his back was Zerto charging up both his barrels waiting for a moment to strike.
"Meta!" Sailor Moon said with hope shining in her voice.
"How about we, to coin a phase by Chris Jericho, break the walls down!"
"Let's do it Meta!" Zerto said feeling his guns hit max capacity.
"Hey Vile, I just predicted your future! You've got exactly 15 seconds before I kick your ass all over the place!"
Vile aimed his weapon towards the sky and fired it with rage. Compartments on his shoulders opened up revealing miniature missiles. "Oh no you don't! Jupiter, Oak Evolution!!" The balls of energy destroyed the missiles sailing towards Meta.
Vile's chest opened up and revealed a massive cannon that fired at Meta. "We'll see about that! Mercury, Aqua Rhapsody!"
The gun on his chest froze over and Mars attacked, "Mars, Flame Sniper!!" Her shot went right into the hole in the barrel and blew the gun out of his chest.
Another pair of weapons appeared on the midsections of his arms and Sailor Moon said in a weird tone of amazement, "My God! He does have the arsenal of a third world country!" Sailor Moon pulled out her tier and fired it with a war cry, "Silver Moon, Crystal Power Kiss!" The weapons simply fell off his arms like they weren't attached and Sailor Moon nodded to Meta. "Go for it!"
"Ready big guy?!" Meta asked Zerto.
"Let's kill!"
Meta and Zerto aimed both barrels at Vile who was looking for something else to use that might have a chance of making it before it was counter. "Moonlight BLAST!!!!" Both of MetaSigma's barrels threw forth the incredible power.
"Zerto Plasma PULVERIZER!!!" Zerto's barrels fired the plasmatic energy toward Vile in connection with Meta's. A massive blast took place nearly leveling an entire city block and people ran as quakes started erupting like an active volcano. Rays of light started exiting from Vile's armour and he simply laughed like his death was nothing of importance.
"Foolish Meta! You have only drawn yourself closer to facing your greatest enemy! You are the greatest threat to the world! Your loved ones will never be able to do what is expected in order to save this measly world! You shall all die!!" Vile's laughter echoed like a hollow tube and he exploded back into the nothingness where he had originated.
Meta's eye twitched like it was afraid of something coming from the closest and he was finally beginning to understand what Vile had meant. He dropped down to the ground where Rei nearly tackled Zerto. "Sabin.I'm so glad you're alive!"
Meta seemed bent on figuring out the rest of the riddle that plagued his mind. "I am the greatest threat? How is that possible?" Meta looked sky ward thinking the answer would come from some unknown portion of the universe, but the answer was still unknown.
* * * * * * * * * * *
A couple of days later.
Ami and Aaron had gathered the crew inside Aaron's base to give them the latest development on how they would be able to attack the Queen's castle directly. "It took us two days, 21 sandwiches, a movie, and a bowl of popcorn, but we did find a way in," Aaron said trying to give the group something to laugh about. "A movie and a bowl of popcorn?" Minako raised her eyebrow thinking that Aaron and Ami were an item. "So you two finally did decide to go out?" Makoto asked with a quiver of curiosity and festering desire of needing to know. Aaron and Ami looked at each other and turned red making everyone laugh happily. Minako right away started giving her input on how to keep things going as well as wanting to know ALL the details of the night. "I take it you all thought we would end up together somehow." Aaron's face flattened as well as his voice.
Most of the girls nodded and Ami said trying to back up Aaron's position, "Nothing happened! We just." she rubbed the back of her neck and looked away, "watch a movie."
This of course played right into Minako's hands as she could clearly tell that something happened during the movie. "Did you kiss him?"
"Well."
Minako's eyes grew bigger as Ami couldn't finish her sentence, "Ami- chan.don't tell me you.made love to him!!?"
Everyone suddenly grew inquisitive and wanted to know if they had indeed made love with each other. "No!" Aaron yelled realizing that they couldn't take some light humor to try and brace the news. "God damnit no! We did NOT kiss and we CERTAINLY DID NOT make love!!" His face beet bright red from exhorting his anger out in one sudden burst.
Mamoru was the only one who didn't buy into the whole charade of Ami and Aaron being an item and simply said with an almost disappointed voice, "you girls have to quit thinking that a movie is equivalent to dating." Ami was somewhat embarrassed and made a light laugh while Aaron simply shook his head.
"But anyways.continuing on with my original objective." He sat down into the leather chair and pushed a few buttons. "We've found a way to break into the castle, but.the opening only occurs once a night for only a few minutes. That means we won't be able to be in different places. We'll all have to be in one place. Considering that we're in the US, I suggest that we all stay here for the night. Windstrom is keeping constant scans on our insertion point. When the area is weak enough to breach, he will give us a ten second warning and then we must head into the portal he'll have opened for us."
"You all have about 12 to thirteen hours before nightfall, I suggest you do what you can to make it merry," Ami said the red in her face gone replaced by the studious, but soft face that was so common to her.
"So what do we do for the next half-day?" Usagi thought.
"Why don't we go shopping?" Rei said taking the first step forward.
"Shopping?!" Usagi's face turned to one of pure glee and she nodded up and down. "Yes! Let's go shopping!"
"Can you take us Sabin?" Rei's face turned a little red almost to a color of being embarrassed to ask.
Sabin's cool manner had returned once more and he replied almost like a gentlemen, "Of course Rei." She hugged his arm and put her head on his shoulder. Sabin's mask fell and in its place fell a color of red not often seen on him.
"Ask if Ami and I are an item.they've been going right underneath you all and you've never known," Aaron said with a smirky smile.
Minako and Makoto had disbelief looks on their faces for not figuring it out soon. "I should have seen it," Minako said still in complete disbelief.
"Hmmm.I wonder why," Aaron said under his breath rolling his eyes.
Ami gave him a slight elbow to the side and he made a slight smile to her. "Aaron." Ami said with girth in her voice.
Aaron felt a cling to his arm and he was almost afraid to look. His face turned to the expression of oh shit now what and Chibi-Usa asked, "Uncky Aaron.can you take me to do some shopping?" Aaron slowly turned his head to the arm Chibi-Usa was clung to and his eye started to twitch. Chibi-Usa gave him a smile that could warm up the heart of an ice giant and Aaron felt like whimpering at his quagmire.
Sabin decided to use this as a screen to get some of the attention off him. "Hey guys.check it out," he said pointing to Aaron and Chibi-Usa.
Usagi and Mamoru looked the most surprised and Aaron felt his face grow hot with anger. He mouth something that Sabin understood and Sabin gave a sarcastic grin as if daring him to try. Aaron simply gave a prideful low grin and replied, "Ahh, I'm just doing what any nice uncle would do for their sister's daughter."
Sabin and Aaron exchanged looks of trying to one up each other until Ami sighed and said, "Chibi-Usa.why don't you go with Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san instead. Aaron and I are still working."
Minako raised an eyebrow, "Oh really Ami-chan?! This is actual work we're talking about here.you're not lying to us are you?"
Ami's face blushed apparently upset for Minako's sudden mistrust in her. "Minako-chan! I told you before!"
Aaron interrupted her, "We have things to do, actual work. Don't get the wrong idea." Aaron's face was hard and cold implementing his that there was nothing going down after everyone left for the Billings. "Now.if you will excuse us." Aaron opened the portal to his house and motioned everyone through almost forcefully. After it was only Ami and Aaron again he sighed and said, "They just don't get it do they?"
Ami was smiling and replied, "I'm sure they do.you're forgetting Minako hates being wrong."
Aaron laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I guess it's time I let you go talk with him."
"You decided you would?!" Ami seemed excited.
Aaron nodded, "Yes.I will. Against my best wishes mind you."
Ami seemed overjoyed at Aaron's reply and waited as he booted up the coordinates. "Hey Aaron," Ami said in a tone that was unlike any other she had ever said to Aaron, "If I had never met Urawa.would you."
Aaron cut her off putting a finger to her lips and nodded, "Yes. I would have."
She blushed and the two went through the portal.
Tokyo.
"Ami-kun!" Urawa seemed overjoyed to see her once more.
"Urawa-kun!" They embraced under the eye of Aaron. Ami felt like crying considering she hadn't seen Urawa in what seemed like ages. He stroked her hair gently and Ami suddenly broke out of her romantic trance. "Forgive me.where are my manners. Urawa-kun this is Aaron, a friend of mine."
Ami could tell that Aaron was trying to subdue the anger within his body. Had he a right to be jealous? Ami couldn't bring herself to thinking it was right, but then again, she was the one being fought over. She couldn't place herself in Aaron's boots nor and the thought of what must be going through Aaron's head made her somewhat edgy. Would he flip out and do something he would regret? She had never seen him this withheld and at the same time enraged. "Tis a pleasure to meet you Urawa," Aaron said showing the grin in his voice.
"You know that if you hate me so much there is nothing stopping you from trying to kill me," he responded calmly.
Aaron looked surprised and put his hand to his face. He had forgotten Urawa could still see into the future and read minds as well. He felt wholly embarrassed and could feel the blood rushing at a hasty pace to his face. "I forgot about your mind reading and future seeing abilities. You'll have to forgive me for my vicious thoughts."
"I'm sure they come with good reason. At least I hope they do."
"Tis something I would rather not have to explain once more. I am over it as is, but still doth I be wholly well at this endeavor." Urawa seemed a little confused and Aaron simply laughed. Ami's mind slowed and she knew that things would work out all right after all. She knew Aaron wanted her to be happy in the end. Perhaps it's the part of having old crushes die that still lingered within his mind. Maybe like the father having to give his daughter away during marriage. Despite how he thinks, all he wants is to make sure she's happy with the one she loves. Aaron looked at his watch and said, "Well Ami, go out and have fun. I'll call you in a couple of hours." He smiled once more, nodded at Urawa and walked off like a lost soul.
"Aaron." Ami seemed somewhat displeased by his sudden need to leave. "What about you? What will you do?"
Aaron didn't seem to know. He just thought blankly and replied, "I think I'll visit home for a bit.it's been a while since I'm seen my mother."
Ami looked puzzled by his remark considering the night they had watched the movie he had seen his mother many times. Aaron started to walk off once more while Ami still had a perplexed look on her face about what he meant. "Ami-kun," Urawa whispered in her ear warmly. She giggled and held his hand as they entered the busy areas of Tokyo shopping district once more.
Old Ruins of the Silver Millennium.
Meta stood at the spot where his mother had used the last of her power to send everyone off safely to lead a better life. A life free of war and corruption instead to be filled with hopes, dreams.and love. He sighed and went to where the only prayer room had been back in the day. He remembered it's marble lining shining like the crystal his mother wore around her neck all the time. The grounds where the gardens used to be were now nothing more than the dark sands of what the rest of the moon was covered with. It was dull and barren. Much like the feeling inside his heart at that moment. It felt desecrated and abandoned. Like the mother cat had given up all hope on her kitten. He ventured his way further into what remained of the main palace and saw that things were better than he had thought. The place was in shambles, but still, it was better than he would have imagined after sustaining a blast like it did. He scoffed feeling this entire show of emotion that seemed to move him for the loss of life was just pathetic no matter how much he analyzed it. He chose his own path, and he knew that the path he chose would not be judged by what he knew. He chose it for more personal reasons. A sort of fitting revenge in his eyes, yet his heart ached to those who had not seen the future coming. The future.was it really a future? To have an entire Kingdom fall in one day and at the same time be it the people the Kingdom tried to protect? Revolt? Was it merely a coincidence that Metallia had corrupted them? Or were they already corrupted, but feared they would be killed for open rebellion unless.unless they felt they had the necessary power. Whatever the reasons were, they were a figment of the past. Winds that raised to such pitches as to blow down everything in it's path.only to run out of fuel and wither away back to the currents from whence it happened. What had happened if the people had known the current was rushing forth? Would they have been able to prepare for the ensuing storm? Most likely.but as he had thought earlier.it was a sort of fitting revenge. He shrugged his thought off and returned his gaze upon the sot-covered throne that served the Queen. Its once majestic beauty was now enslaved by tarnished sands, and around it like an old stone statue laid fragments of what had been. More memories of the past flooded his mind gripping it like a Venus fly trap closing the doors on another victim. His mind cleared with a whim, and he moved on to the last stop on his tour. His old room. Perhaps the most well preserved place in the entire palace, it served as his shelter from the storm for nearly 14 years, and despite how much larger the shelter was than he had ever realized, he felt it necessary to keep a small portion all to his own. A delicate type of eco- system perhaps. He pushed the ajar door open and stared around in near melancholy for what seemed like a mere eternity. His shelter was invaded and nearly destroyed. The place held a distinct odor that was unlike anywhere else in the entire palace. Twas a very un-merry feeling showering his lungs. He made a quirky face and moved in deeper showing example as an adventurer. The place had been trashed, but in a sense not so usual to the word. Old inventions that seemed possible back then were laid about like children's toys littering a playroom floor. None of them appeared to be functional and Meta bent down on his knees to a catcher position studying one of the blue prints that were in waves across the floor. The schematics for the Meta suit. He did have the new plans for the upgraded version that he had worked on during his tenure as Meta before his re-awakening, but this was the very original plan. The suit ironically was not created by own hands as a great inventor would insist, but was a combination of luck, stupidity, and maybe fate.if such a thing really existed to him. He scampered to find the rest of the plans considering he was breaking his own rules, and perhaps the thought of Ami getting rather angry with him for being late to pick her up. As he scampered about searching for all the parts that completed the data to the suit, he uncovered a letter that still had inking that was legible. "Dear Mercury," it read like a string playing on a violin, "perhaps it is wrong to interfere with love. As it seems you and Urawa have developed quite a bond over the last few months. Every time I watch from atop the roofs and I see you two together, I bite my tongue for hope that you two will stop loving each other, but.the more I see you together the more I realize that it will never pass. You two show each other love on scales that far exceed what I can see with my eyes alone. Perhaps it's the solo act I perform, or the abandonment I feel within my own life. Whatever the reasons may be, I will refrain from ever having thought of wanting to love you.or be givin your love. May you and Urawa live through the war that is going to tear this place apart soon, and may you find the strength with each other that I have never had." Meta could feel the blood moving from his eyes to his the hand the letter was in. He felt a sudden surge to destroy it.and he crumbled it hoping it would choke the feeling he had inside him as he cried. He let the letter flutter to the ground helplessly breaking down in soft painful tears that felt like his entire body was bleeding. The letter contained something on the back that silenced him and made him blast the letter with his weapon. Afterward, he turned around to the rest of his old room and destroyed it like a crazed maniac hoping that by erasing this, he would in turn erase the burning that hurt his life. He screamed and slashed and fired until he fell to his knees and put his head in his cupped hands. Destroying the room did nothing more to ease his pain than salt on an open wound. In fact, like the salt, it only made his hatred of the past burn harder and he felt a sudden rush of darkness swell within his body. He screamed and grabbed his sides hoping to contain whatever it was that was creeping up from his stomach. Slowly, he felt the pain quiver and slowly he returned to his full posture position on two legs. He felt one last tear come from his eye, and turned around to exit the room. He stopped at the doorframe and looked back into the room once more. "My revenge was not fulfilled," he simply whispered hoping the walls would cry out begging for him not to give into the evil within his heart.
Tokyo.
"This is highly unusual for him to venture this much time past schedule," Ami stood huddled up in Urawa's arms.
"Don't worry Ami-kun. I'm sure he'll be here." Urawa stopped and looked over at Aaron almost like there was a presence so dark and sinister that it was trying to kill him.
"Urawa?!" Ami looked up at trepidation reaction.
"Urawa.something wrong?" Aaron said tilting his head with a slight feeling of inquisitiveness.
Urawa snapped from his mood and shook his head, "No, there is nothing.just reliving shadows of the past you could say."
"Shadows of the past?"
"Just felt like something I experienced on the Silver Millennium long ago."
"Urawa-kun?" Ami seemed concerned at her boyfriend's sudden memory.
"Don't worry Ami-kun. They're nothing to worry about."
Ami looked up at him almost begging him to tell her if something was a miss, but Urawa simply smiled and kissed her. Ami turned more to face him and they embraced in a longer more romantic kiss. "Uhh.hello? I'm still here?" Aaron waved.
Ami and Urawa looked away from each other blushing with complete embarrassment. "Sorry about that Aaron," Urawa grinned feeling the heat from his face fill the pigment of his skin turn more red.
"Tis Ok Urawa.but may I have a word with you." he looked at Ami and returned his glance back to Urawa, "in private?"
Urawa could feel the ominous aura he had sensed earlier almost erupt the moment he agreed with Aaron's request. Ami moved a bit away to give the two some space and Urawa kept as straight a face as he could as he and Aaron spoke. "What is going with you? Why are you exerting such a massive aura of evil?"
Aaron smiled at Ami trying to throw her off what and replied to Urawa, "You said you remembered feeling this same aura a long time ago. Did you know where it came from?"
Urawa shook his head, "No Aaron, it was a rare occurrence."
"When did you first feel it?"
"Sometime after Ami and I had been dating for sometime."
Aaron nodded, "Thank you."
Aaron turned around but Urawa grabbed him by the arm, "Were you the one who was giving off the weird aura?" Aaron's silence was taken by Urawa as a confirmation. "I see."
"Don't think I've given into the darkness, it does have a hold on me, but.with friends like Ami, and my sister there by my side, I have a feeling that we'll be able to work through this dark welt."
Aaron moved towards Ami and gave a slight head nod to Urawa as they stepped through the portal created. After it closed Urawa sighed and said, "Please don't resort to that option Aaron. That's the last thing you should consider."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Tokyo.
"What do you think those two are talking about?" Usagi seemed perplexed to hear Mamoru's answer.
"Who knows.they both are on the ball usually so I'm guessing they are working as diligently as possible," Mamoru sipped his second cup of coffee. Usagi made a light giggle that caught Mamoru's attention, and he turned to her wondering if she had with held the question to just want to hear what Mamoru thought, when she really knew. "Usako." his voice called with a hint of wanted sarcasm as to know what her incessant giggle was caused by, "what do you know that I don't?"
Usagi's face made a slight color change to she her reaction of getting caught and in her usual genki manner blurted, "It seems Aaron has a crush on Ami!" Mamoru's eye twitched rapidly as she laughed and sang like a kid on a sugar buzz.
"Usako?"
His reaction got an even stranger reply when she said in her giddy voice, "I'm sure they are madly in love with each other!"
Mamoru said with a subdued grin, "And what of Urawa?"
Usagi stopped dead in mid-dance and made a few blinks of her eyes. "Oh yeah.I completely forgot about him! It's been almost 3 years since we last saw him."
"That was the first time we ever met Mamo-chan.do you remember how we used to fight all the time?"
Mamoru laughed and said, "We still fight a lot, but when we do." he draped his arms over her shoulders, "It only makes us closer."
"Mamo-chan." Usagi predicted him to kiss her in this romantic setting. She waited and nothing happened, she opened her eyes and noticed Mamoru was completely fixed on something else. His eyes were showing his cool, calm caliber and he skimmed the entire city looking for something. "Mamo-chan?"
"I can feel him.his energy is so much more powerful than the last time we saw him."
"Mamo-chan.who's back?"
"Vile." his words drew Usagi to a serious disposition and she quickly alerted everyone of the situation.
Scant minutes later.
"Scans confirm it. Vile is around here.look at these power levels!" Ami said almost making a shriek of fright.
Aaron took a look and grimaced like someone had shoved a pointed object into his stomach. "Dear god that's sick. It's going to be one nasty fight."
"Have you guys found anything of importance about the barrier?" Minako asked.
Aaron looked away and his face made a slight flush, "Not really."
"Don't tell me." Usagi's eyes grew big.
Ami went completely red and everyone picked it up on the spot. "Ami and Aaron?! Who would have thought!" Minako had a wide smile on her face.
Ami tried to stave off the comment, but did not succeed to well. Soon everyone was asking Ami about what her and Aaron "worked on". Aaron looked out of the terrace window and suddenly engaged his armour firing a Moonlight Blast. Everyone took cover as his shot exploded into something causing confusion amongst the group. "He's gunning right at us! Get ready you guys!" Meta fired another blast out of the window as everyone transformed.
"Moon Eternal, Make-Up!!"
"Moon Prism Power, Make-Up!!"
"Mercury Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Mars Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Venus Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Zerto-armour ENGAGE!!"
"Ninjitzu EXTREME!!"
"Centari Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
"Rose Neptune Crystal Power, Make-Up!!"
Mamoru pulled one of his sudden changes and wore the suit that dawned him Tuxedo Kamen. "Come on everyone! We'll follow the trail the shot leaves!" Mercury said pushing buttons on her mini computer getting a clean fix on the nature of the blasts coming.
"I'll stay here and give you guys cover!" Meta said making more constant shots, as Vile seemed to up the tempo from wherever he was firing from. Sailor Moon nodded and moved the troops out. Mercury sent them in what seemed like a maze of buildings constantly telling everyone that they were getting closer and closer. Mercury's communicator beeped and Meta's voice blared over the ruckus of gun fire, "Mercury.*Fazat*.hurry.*bzzz*.it's getting.*zzzzzzz*," static had overrun the signal strength transmitting the message and Mercury pressed onward hoping the end was right around the next corner. A few moments later they entered a clearing and found Vile firing a constant line of plasma toward his destination.
All the while he laughed and screamed, "Death to those oppose the Queen of Blood!" After a few more seconds of mindless laughing and terror he stopped and looked behind to his antagonists. "It appears you finally came. I wondered how long it would take you. It wasn't to difficult now was it?"
"It wasn't to difficult we just had to follow the smell of rotten cheese awaiting us at the end of this maze," Sailor Moon's warrior side said.
"Now that you've found the cheese.what will you do with it? Will you eat it." Vile's helmet looked like it had actually moved into a smile by some stroke of fate, "or will the cheese eat you!"
"You have caused enough terror Vile! I am Sailor Moon, and on behalf the moon, I shall punish you!"
"You came all this way with nothing to add to that incredibly lame and clichéd speech? I'm disappointed!"
"Shut up you outdated piece of gutter trash!" Zerto said pointing his gun at Vile, "Or I'm liable to just plug you right here and now!"
Vile made no attempt at a retort and simply aimed his weapon at the group and fired. It looked more like one of those still animations where everyone misses the attack and yet somehow they end up getting hit. Zerto fired a blast that simply bounced off Vile's armour like a pebble bouncing off the side of a building. "That wasn't even worth your effort firing! Here's how you hurt someone!" He took his cannon and fired a massive wave of energy that ripped into his chest plate like butter. Instantly the armour protecting his chest was melted away exposing his bare skin. "Here's one heading for hell!" Vile fired another blast and everyone watched as it flew toward Zerto with pinpoint accuracy. A massive explosion occurred and Vile laughed as Rei ran over screaming Zerto's name.
"Zerto! ZERTO!!!" She fell to her knees the tears flowing from her eyes without end. She looked up at Vile who has his gun set on her next.
"Since you two seemed so close, I'll send you to be with him forever!"
"Moonlight BLAST!!!" A shot rammed Vile in the back and he took a few steps forward as the blast had caused a small amount of pain. Rei looked up and found MetaSigma hovering in the air. On his back was Zerto charging up both his barrels waiting for a moment to strike.
"Meta!" Sailor Moon said with hope shining in her voice.
"How about we, to coin a phase by Chris Jericho, break the walls down!"
"Let's do it Meta!" Zerto said feeling his guns hit max capacity.
"Hey Vile, I just predicted your future! You've got exactly 15 seconds before I kick your ass all over the place!"
Vile aimed his weapon towards the sky and fired it with rage. Compartments on his shoulders opened up revealing miniature missiles. "Oh no you don't! Jupiter, Oak Evolution!!" The balls of energy destroyed the missiles sailing towards Meta.
Vile's chest opened up and revealed a massive cannon that fired at Meta. "We'll see about that! Mercury, Aqua Rhapsody!"
The gun on his chest froze over and Mars attacked, "Mars, Flame Sniper!!" Her shot went right into the hole in the barrel and blew the gun out of his chest.
Another pair of weapons appeared on the midsections of his arms and Sailor Moon said in a weird tone of amazement, "My God! He does have the arsenal of a third world country!" Sailor Moon pulled out her tier and fired it with a war cry, "Silver Moon, Crystal Power Kiss!" The weapons simply fell off his arms like they weren't attached and Sailor Moon nodded to Meta. "Go for it!"
"Ready big guy?!" Meta asked Zerto.
"Let's kill!"
Meta and Zerto aimed both barrels at Vile who was looking for something else to use that might have a chance of making it before it was counter. "Moonlight BLAST!!!!" Both of MetaSigma's barrels threw forth the incredible power.
"Zerto Plasma PULVERIZER!!!" Zerto's barrels fired the plasmatic energy toward Vile in connection with Meta's. A massive blast took place nearly leveling an entire city block and people ran as quakes started erupting like an active volcano. Rays of light started exiting from Vile's armour and he simply laughed like his death was nothing of importance.
"Foolish Meta! You have only drawn yourself closer to facing your greatest enemy! You are the greatest threat to the world! Your loved ones will never be able to do what is expected in order to save this measly world! You shall all die!!" Vile's laughter echoed like a hollow tube and he exploded back into the nothingness where he had originated.
Meta's eye twitched like it was afraid of something coming from the closest and he was finally beginning to understand what Vile had meant. He dropped down to the ground where Rei nearly tackled Zerto. "Sabin.I'm so glad you're alive!"
Meta seemed bent on figuring out the rest of the riddle that plagued his mind. "I am the greatest threat? How is that possible?" Meta looked sky ward thinking the answer would come from some unknown portion of the universe, but the answer was still unknown.
* * * * * * * * * * *
A couple of days later.
Ami and Aaron had gathered the crew inside Aaron's base to give them the latest development on how they would be able to attack the Queen's castle directly. "It took us two days, 21 sandwiches, a movie, and a bowl of popcorn, but we did find a way in," Aaron said trying to give the group something to laugh about. "A movie and a bowl of popcorn?" Minako raised her eyebrow thinking that Aaron and Ami were an item. "So you two finally did decide to go out?" Makoto asked with a quiver of curiosity and festering desire of needing to know. Aaron and Ami looked at each other and turned red making everyone laugh happily. Minako right away started giving her input on how to keep things going as well as wanting to know ALL the details of the night. "I take it you all thought we would end up together somehow." Aaron's face flattened as well as his voice.
Most of the girls nodded and Ami said trying to back up Aaron's position, "Nothing happened! We just." she rubbed the back of her neck and looked away, "watch a movie."
This of course played right into Minako's hands as she could clearly tell that something happened during the movie. "Did you kiss him?"
"Well."
Minako's eyes grew bigger as Ami couldn't finish her sentence, "Ami- chan.don't tell me you.made love to him!!?"
Everyone suddenly grew inquisitive and wanted to know if they had indeed made love with each other. "No!" Aaron yelled realizing that they couldn't take some light humor to try and brace the news. "God damnit no! We did NOT kiss and we CERTAINLY DID NOT make love!!" His face beet bright red from exhorting his anger out in one sudden burst.
Mamoru was the only one who didn't buy into the whole charade of Ami and Aaron being an item and simply said with an almost disappointed voice, "you girls have to quit thinking that a movie is equivalent to dating." Ami was somewhat embarrassed and made a light laugh while Aaron simply shook his head.
"But anyways.continuing on with my original objective." He sat down into the leather chair and pushed a few buttons. "We've found a way to break into the castle, but.the opening only occurs once a night for only a few minutes. That means we won't be able to be in different places. We'll all have to be in one place. Considering that we're in the US, I suggest that we all stay here for the night. Windstrom is keeping constant scans on our insertion point. When the area is weak enough to breach, he will give us a ten second warning and then we must head into the portal he'll have opened for us."
"You all have about 12 to thirteen hours before nightfall, I suggest you do what you can to make it merry," Ami said the red in her face gone replaced by the studious, but soft face that was so common to her.
"So what do we do for the next half-day?" Usagi thought.
"Why don't we go shopping?" Rei said taking the first step forward.
"Shopping?!" Usagi's face turned to one of pure glee and she nodded up and down. "Yes! Let's go shopping!"
"Can you take us Sabin?" Rei's face turned a little red almost to a color of being embarrassed to ask.
Sabin's cool manner had returned once more and he replied almost like a gentlemen, "Of course Rei." She hugged his arm and put her head on his shoulder. Sabin's mask fell and in its place fell a color of red not often seen on him.
"Ask if Ami and I are an item.they've been going right underneath you all and you've never known," Aaron said with a smirky smile.
Minako and Makoto had disbelief looks on their faces for not figuring it out soon. "I should have seen it," Minako said still in complete disbelief.
"Hmmm.I wonder why," Aaron said under his breath rolling his eyes.
Ami gave him a slight elbow to the side and he made a slight smile to her. "Aaron." Ami said with girth in her voice.
Aaron felt a cling to his arm and he was almost afraid to look. His face turned to the expression of oh shit now what and Chibi-Usa asked, "Uncky Aaron.can you take me to do some shopping?" Aaron slowly turned his head to the arm Chibi-Usa was clung to and his eye started to twitch. Chibi-Usa gave him a smile that could warm up the heart of an ice giant and Aaron felt like whimpering at his quagmire.
Sabin decided to use this as a screen to get some of the attention off him. "Hey guys.check it out," he said pointing to Aaron and Chibi-Usa.
Usagi and Mamoru looked the most surprised and Aaron felt his face grow hot with anger. He mouth something that Sabin understood and Sabin gave a sarcastic grin as if daring him to try. Aaron simply gave a prideful low grin and replied, "Ahh, I'm just doing what any nice uncle would do for their sister's daughter."
Sabin and Aaron exchanged looks of trying to one up each other until Ami sighed and said, "Chibi-Usa.why don't you go with Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san instead. Aaron and I are still working."
Minako raised an eyebrow, "Oh really Ami-chan?! This is actual work we're talking about here.you're not lying to us are you?"
Ami's face blushed apparently upset for Minako's sudden mistrust in her. "Minako-chan! I told you before!"
Aaron interrupted her, "We have things to do, actual work. Don't get the wrong idea." Aaron's face was hard and cold implementing his that there was nothing going down after everyone left for the Billings. "Now.if you will excuse us." Aaron opened the portal to his house and motioned everyone through almost forcefully. After it was only Ami and Aaron again he sighed and said, "They just don't get it do they?"
Ami was smiling and replied, "I'm sure they do.you're forgetting Minako hates being wrong."
Aaron laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I guess it's time I let you go talk with him."
"You decided you would?!" Ami seemed excited.
Aaron nodded, "Yes.I will. Against my best wishes mind you."
Ami seemed overjoyed at Aaron's reply and waited as he booted up the coordinates. "Hey Aaron," Ami said in a tone that was unlike any other she had ever said to Aaron, "If I had never met Urawa.would you."
Aaron cut her off putting a finger to her lips and nodded, "Yes. I would have."
She blushed and the two went through the portal.
Tokyo.
"Ami-kun!" Urawa seemed overjoyed to see her once more.
"Urawa-kun!" They embraced under the eye of Aaron. Ami felt like crying considering she hadn't seen Urawa in what seemed like ages. He stroked her hair gently and Ami suddenly broke out of her romantic trance. "Forgive me.where are my manners. Urawa-kun this is Aaron, a friend of mine."
Ami could tell that Aaron was trying to subdue the anger within his body. Had he a right to be jealous? Ami couldn't bring herself to thinking it was right, but then again, she was the one being fought over. She couldn't place herself in Aaron's boots nor and the thought of what must be going through Aaron's head made her somewhat edgy. Would he flip out and do something he would regret? She had never seen him this withheld and at the same time enraged. "Tis a pleasure to meet you Urawa," Aaron said showing the grin in his voice.
"You know that if you hate me so much there is nothing stopping you from trying to kill me," he responded calmly.
Aaron looked surprised and put his hand to his face. He had forgotten Urawa could still see into the future and read minds as well. He felt wholly embarrassed and could feel the blood rushing at a hasty pace to his face. "I forgot about your mind reading and future seeing abilities. You'll have to forgive me for my vicious thoughts."
"I'm sure they come with good reason. At least I hope they do."
"Tis something I would rather not have to explain once more. I am over it as is, but still doth I be wholly well at this endeavor." Urawa seemed a little confused and Aaron simply laughed. Ami's mind slowed and she knew that things would work out all right after all. She knew Aaron wanted her to be happy in the end. Perhaps it's the part of having old crushes die that still lingered within his mind. Maybe like the father having to give his daughter away during marriage. Despite how he thinks, all he wants is to make sure she's happy with the one she loves. Aaron looked at his watch and said, "Well Ami, go out and have fun. I'll call you in a couple of hours." He smiled once more, nodded at Urawa and walked off like a lost soul.
"Aaron." Ami seemed somewhat displeased by his sudden need to leave. "What about you? What will you do?"
Aaron didn't seem to know. He just thought blankly and replied, "I think I'll visit home for a bit.it's been a while since I'm seen my mother."
Ami looked puzzled by his remark considering the night they had watched the movie he had seen his mother many times. Aaron started to walk off once more while Ami still had a perplexed look on her face about what he meant. "Ami-kun," Urawa whispered in her ear warmly. She giggled and held his hand as they entered the busy areas of Tokyo shopping district once more.
Old Ruins of the Silver Millennium.
Meta stood at the spot where his mother had used the last of her power to send everyone off safely to lead a better life. A life free of war and corruption instead to be filled with hopes, dreams.and love. He sighed and went to where the only prayer room had been back in the day. He remembered it's marble lining shining like the crystal his mother wore around her neck all the time. The grounds where the gardens used to be were now nothing more than the dark sands of what the rest of the moon was covered with. It was dull and barren. Much like the feeling inside his heart at that moment. It felt desecrated and abandoned. Like the mother cat had given up all hope on her kitten. He ventured his way further into what remained of the main palace and saw that things were better than he had thought. The place was in shambles, but still, it was better than he would have imagined after sustaining a blast like it did. He scoffed feeling this entire show of emotion that seemed to move him for the loss of life was just pathetic no matter how much he analyzed it. He chose his own path, and he knew that the path he chose would not be judged by what he knew. He chose it for more personal reasons. A sort of fitting revenge in his eyes, yet his heart ached to those who had not seen the future coming. The future.was it really a future? To have an entire Kingdom fall in one day and at the same time be it the people the Kingdom tried to protect? Revolt? Was it merely a coincidence that Metallia had corrupted them? Or were they already corrupted, but feared they would be killed for open rebellion unless.unless they felt they had the necessary power. Whatever the reasons were, they were a figment of the past. Winds that raised to such pitches as to blow down everything in it's path.only to run out of fuel and wither away back to the currents from whence it happened. What had happened if the people had known the current was rushing forth? Would they have been able to prepare for the ensuing storm? Most likely.but as he had thought earlier.it was a sort of fitting revenge. He shrugged his thought off and returned his gaze upon the sot-covered throne that served the Queen. Its once majestic beauty was now enslaved by tarnished sands, and around it like an old stone statue laid fragments of what had been. More memories of the past flooded his mind gripping it like a Venus fly trap closing the doors on another victim. His mind cleared with a whim, and he moved on to the last stop on his tour. His old room. Perhaps the most well preserved place in the entire palace, it served as his shelter from the storm for nearly 14 years, and despite how much larger the shelter was than he had ever realized, he felt it necessary to keep a small portion all to his own. A delicate type of eco- system perhaps. He pushed the ajar door open and stared around in near melancholy for what seemed like a mere eternity. His shelter was invaded and nearly destroyed. The place held a distinct odor that was unlike anywhere else in the entire palace. Twas a very un-merry feeling showering his lungs. He made a quirky face and moved in deeper showing example as an adventurer. The place had been trashed, but in a sense not so usual to the word. Old inventions that seemed possible back then were laid about like children's toys littering a playroom floor. None of them appeared to be functional and Meta bent down on his knees to a catcher position studying one of the blue prints that were in waves across the floor. The schematics for the Meta suit. He did have the new plans for the upgraded version that he had worked on during his tenure as Meta before his re-awakening, but this was the very original plan. The suit ironically was not created by own hands as a great inventor would insist, but was a combination of luck, stupidity, and maybe fate.if such a thing really existed to him. He scampered to find the rest of the plans considering he was breaking his own rules, and perhaps the thought of Ami getting rather angry with him for being late to pick her up. As he scampered about searching for all the parts that completed the data to the suit, he uncovered a letter that still had inking that was legible. "Dear Mercury," it read like a string playing on a violin, "perhaps it is wrong to interfere with love. As it seems you and Urawa have developed quite a bond over the last few months. Every time I watch from atop the roofs and I see you two together, I bite my tongue for hope that you two will stop loving each other, but.the more I see you together the more I realize that it will never pass. You two show each other love on scales that far exceed what I can see with my eyes alone. Perhaps it's the solo act I perform, or the abandonment I feel within my own life. Whatever the reasons may be, I will refrain from ever having thought of wanting to love you.or be givin your love. May you and Urawa live through the war that is going to tear this place apart soon, and may you find the strength with each other that I have never had." Meta could feel the blood moving from his eyes to his the hand the letter was in. He felt a sudden surge to destroy it.and he crumbled it hoping it would choke the feeling he had inside him as he cried. He let the letter flutter to the ground helplessly breaking down in soft painful tears that felt like his entire body was bleeding. The letter contained something on the back that silenced him and made him blast the letter with his weapon. Afterward, he turned around to the rest of his old room and destroyed it like a crazed maniac hoping that by erasing this, he would in turn erase the burning that hurt his life. He screamed and slashed and fired until he fell to his knees and put his head in his cupped hands. Destroying the room did nothing more to ease his pain than salt on an open wound. In fact, like the salt, it only made his hatred of the past burn harder and he felt a sudden rush of darkness swell within his body. He screamed and grabbed his sides hoping to contain whatever it was that was creeping up from his stomach. Slowly, he felt the pain quiver and slowly he returned to his full posture position on two legs. He felt one last tear come from his eye, and turned around to exit the room. He stopped at the doorframe and looked back into the room once more. "My revenge was not fulfilled," he simply whispered hoping the walls would cry out begging for him not to give into the evil within his heart.
Tokyo.
"This is highly unusual for him to venture this much time past schedule," Ami stood huddled up in Urawa's arms.
"Don't worry Ami-kun. I'm sure he'll be here." Urawa stopped and looked over at Aaron almost like there was a presence so dark and sinister that it was trying to kill him.
"Urawa?!" Ami looked up at trepidation reaction.
"Urawa.something wrong?" Aaron said tilting his head with a slight feeling of inquisitiveness.
Urawa snapped from his mood and shook his head, "No, there is nothing.just reliving shadows of the past you could say."
"Shadows of the past?"
"Just felt like something I experienced on the Silver Millennium long ago."
"Urawa-kun?" Ami seemed concerned at her boyfriend's sudden memory.
"Don't worry Ami-kun. They're nothing to worry about."
Ami looked up at him almost begging him to tell her if something was a miss, but Urawa simply smiled and kissed her. Ami turned more to face him and they embraced in a longer more romantic kiss. "Uhh.hello? I'm still here?" Aaron waved.
Ami and Urawa looked away from each other blushing with complete embarrassment. "Sorry about that Aaron," Urawa grinned feeling the heat from his face fill the pigment of his skin turn more red.
"Tis Ok Urawa.but may I have a word with you." he looked at Ami and returned his glance back to Urawa, "in private?"
Urawa could feel the ominous aura he had sensed earlier almost erupt the moment he agreed with Aaron's request. Ami moved a bit away to give the two some space and Urawa kept as straight a face as he could as he and Aaron spoke. "What is going with you? Why are you exerting such a massive aura of evil?"
Aaron smiled at Ami trying to throw her off what and replied to Urawa, "You said you remembered feeling this same aura a long time ago. Did you know where it came from?"
Urawa shook his head, "No Aaron, it was a rare occurrence."
"When did you first feel it?"
"Sometime after Ami and I had been dating for sometime."
Aaron nodded, "Thank you."
Aaron turned around but Urawa grabbed him by the arm, "Were you the one who was giving off the weird aura?" Aaron's silence was taken by Urawa as a confirmation. "I see."
"Don't think I've given into the darkness, it does have a hold on me, but.with friends like Ami, and my sister there by my side, I have a feeling that we'll be able to work through this dark welt."
Aaron moved towards Ami and gave a slight head nod to Urawa as they stepped through the portal created. After it closed Urawa sighed and said, "Please don't resort to that option Aaron. That's the last thing you should consider."
* * * * * * * * * * *
