*Note*
by legal rights I have to say that characters from Sailor Moon are not mine.
But hey, enjoy!
"Hmm," Mina smiled peacefully. She undid the strap of her sandal, and put her bare foot on the ground. It felt cool against her skin. She leaned back on the bench, with both of her strappy sandals beside her on the bench.
It felt good just to have some time to herself. She had gone out to lunch with her mother, so she had dolled up. Now, getting away from everything, her family, her friends, and her duty as a scout, it was forgotten for the few minutes of peace.
She sighed her peace, which was shattered by a piercing scream, which was followed by several others.
Mina sprang to her feet. She would have transformed, but a group of people came running in her direction, with a great shadow chasing after them.
Mina ran as fast as her legs could take her. It wasn't too far behind her. She was in a place where she couldn't transform either. There were too many people around. The shadow was behind her, and many of the others that ran from the shadow were now being stopped by it, and struck down.
There were a few people left now. Mina was at a loss at what to do. She saw a split path coming up, so, she slowed herself that the others could run ahead of her and she would go down the opposite path, where she would transform.
Most went to the trail on the left, and some to the right. Mina groaned her annoyance. She went to the right trail. She pumped herself with energy. She had to keep going, until there was good place that she could transform.
She glanced over her shoulder to look at the shadow. It seemed to be spreading, like a blanket, over the distance behind it, covering more as it moved after the people.
She tried to turn her attention forward, when she knocked right into somebody, both of them falling to the ground from the force coming from Mina running.
"Get up, and move," she ordered.
"Mina?"
"Shay!" she said with shock. She looked at him, thankful that she was seeing him again.
Shay looked behind her, seeing the shadow that he had seen when Main Street exploded with glass. His mouth gaped open.
Mina grabbed his arm, while getting up, "Come on, we got to move."
Shay made haste, by grabbing a hold of Mina's hand and started running. They ran as the shadow followed them, spreading over the park, darkening it.
There was no way that she could transform with Shay with her. All she could really do was to keep running. She cast a glance over her shoulder, then stopped.
"Mina, come on," he said, trying to get her to move. Mina turned around, facing the shadow. Shay turned around, and gasped. There was a man or something in the shadow fog that was descending over the park. It stood out, darker then the rest of the shadow.
"Okay, Mina it really isn't safe to stay now," he whispered.
Mina looked at the shadow man knowing that she had a chance if she could transform. Then she thought of something. She grabbed the star wand that was in her pocket. She held it in her palm, then turned to Shay.
"I think we should try and do something."
Shay sighed deeply, then looked at Mina expectantly. "What do we do?"
"First, we have to…" she said looking at the man. "We have to determine its strength."
"I think it's pretty strong."
She nodded, "but," she whispered. She pointed her wand towards the shadow man. "Venus crescent beam!" she whispered.
She felt the warmth of the wand in her hand, but it couldn't draw enough to attack, as it's own. "Damn," she muttered.
'Come on Mina, let's just go."
She sighed in resignation, then turned to go with Shay. Then without a single warning, there was a blast from behind her
Shay watched as the beam struck Mina through her shoulder. She gasped in pain. It had pierced through to her skin, and blood seeped through her white blouse. She gasped again, pain coating her voice.
Shay grabbed for her, giving her support. She went into his arms then stood quickly. She turned around, and faced the man made of the shadows, that was slowly edging towards them. Her eyes seared with anger.
Mina stared with hatred. Her wand was still clutched in her fingers. She pointed it again at the shadow man, "Venus attack!"
She felt the force of her power in her hand, bubbling with ardor. "Attack!" she whispered her command.
A beam went towards the shadow, but stopped just before the shadow form. Mina's eyes widened, as she stood in pain, and agony.
Then the beam was regressed. It shot back at her, her own anger cutting into her arm. Her shoulder was already bleeding. The energy beam seemed to rip into the skin, and cause an explosion of pain. She screamed with sheer agony, and then collapsed.
"Mina! No!" he screamed. He was at her side, grasped her in his arms. "Mina," he called gently, but he got no response. He could see she was faintly breathing.
He let a moan escape his lips, and his eyes were watering with unshed tears. A single tear escaped, slid down his cheek, and fell onto Mina's lips, which then parted into a wistful smile.
He let her lay gently on the ground, and then he rose to his feet, and glared with fervent hatred at the man formed in the shadows.
"I'll do the same to you," it warned.
Shay only shook his head with anger burning through his veins. He felt a surging in him that he clenched tightly in his fists.
A gray beam shot towards him, but Shay rose a hand against it, and stopped it midair. The shadow formed man stepped back wearily. Another beam shot towards him, going one after the other, but he stopped all of them.
Before him were about half a dozen gray beams, flaring with raw energy, that seemed perilous. He felt his anger surmount his action of thought. He hurled the beams back at the shadow man. They countered well, and hit the shadow, but it wasn't strong enough to destroy it.
"I've found you."
Shay ignored the words. They only seemed confusing. It didn't make sense why it would be looking for him.
"Come with me, I'll take you back."
"There's nowhere to take me back to."
"Ah, Shay, that's where you're wrong. You have a place with us, and you can hold so much power. You're too strong for these weak earthlings."
"Take this home," he sneered. He clenched his fists, feeling his power ready to strike. He coiled the vigor of his energy and blasted it at the shadow, most of his strength going with him.
The shadow seemed to be consumed by the glowing sphere of power. It passed through him, leaving the shadow quite weak.
It seemed hunched over, but looked at Shay. He could feel the empty eyes bearing into his eyes. "Don't fight what you are."
Then it tried to surround him with energy to pull him to the shadow.
Shay felt his body moving, but he fought it. He kept himself immobile and stood firm. The power field whirled around him, trying to pull him.
With the little strength that he felt, he blasted at the shadow again. It was a huge explosion. The flame of the attack blast devoured the shadow. Then there was a light of the explosion, and the whole embankment of the cloud flashed with the explosion, and evaporated into nothingness.
The flaring gust of the explosion caused Shay to be knocked off his feet, and knocked into a tree. With the impact of the landing into the tree, with so little strength, he slipped into unconsciousness.
Sailor Moon felt frantic as she ran with the scouts through the park. It was blanketed with a dark cloud. She felt deep in herself that Mina was in trouble. Her instincts kept her running to where she hoped she would be.
"Any sign of her yet?" Mars asked Mercury who was reading through her palm top as she ran alongside the other scouts.
"Nothi… wait, just up ahead."
Sailor Moon kept up her quick pace determined to make it to Mina.
Suddenly she stopped, "Did you hear that?"
It had sounded like a scream, one of anguish, and fear. They looked all around them, trying to pinpoint the location. "No!" echoed through the park to the scout's ears. The shout seemed to be just as anguished as the scream had been, except it held more horror then the scream had.
"Oh no," Sailor Moon whispered.
"Come on Sailor Moon," Jupiter said tugging at her elbow in the direction that seemed to be supplying them with the agonizing screams.
They continued running. Just ahead of them, there was a huge explosion, and the darkness of the cloud that had blanketed the park, was dissipating into nothingness.
The scouts had to stop, the explosion was blinding, and they had to shield their eyes. A strong gust of scorching heat blew all around them. When it passed them, they hesitantly rose, then anxiously headed to the source of the explosion.
They came to a small clearing where they found Mina crumpled on the ground. She was bleeding on her shoulder, and her arm was covered with blood.
Sailor Moon took Mina's head onto her lap, and sobbed. "Oh Venus, please be okay," she whispered.
Jupiter looked ahead, and saw the form of another body lying on the ground. She went over to it, and shuddered at the sprawled body. It was evident that he had hit the tree. "I found another person."
Mercury looked up from her close examination of Mina's wound, then came over to where Leta knelt.
Amy widened her eyes, then knelt beside the body, and checked for vitality. She turned to Jupiter; "we need an ambulance. Both of them are bad."
Leta nodded. She stood, reversed her transformation, and was back to her usual self. She hurried off to look for a phone to call an ambulance.
The scouts followed suit, knowing that they couldn't get caught as scouts. Amy looked at the young man that was laying on the ground, while Rei checked Mina over for any more injuries. Mina's fingers were still clutched around her star wand.
Serena removed it from her fingers. The wand sparkled with the recognition of her, and then Serena put it into Mina' s pocket.
It wasn't long before Leta returned with help. Mina was put onto a stretcher, and then taken to the ambulance with Serena right by her side.
Leta and Amy stayed by the young man. When the paramedics managed to get him on the stretcher, Leta gasped.
"Amy it's Shay," she said with amazement.
Amy looked at the young man, then looked at Leta. "What does it mean then?" she asked. However, they couldn't answer it, because they weren't even sure if there was an explanation to what happened, except that the answers were out cold.
Serena sat with her hands to her forehead, with them resting against her knees as she leant forward. "Oh please, let them both be okay," she whispered to the sky, to the moon, and the universe.
Leta was chewing on her nails, while Amy sat still and evenly in the chair beside Serena. Rei was pacing, her movement the stress of all the scouts as they waited.
Amy put a comforting arm around Serena. It was all she could do.
The doctor attending Mina and Shay shuffled to where they sat. He held a grim expression.
"Yes doctor?" Amy asked, swallowing fear into her stomach.
"Mina's unconscious, but she's quite stable. Her arm was severely broken, and we've had to put pins in it."
"What of Shay?" Leta asked.
"He's slowly stabilizing. He has a few gashes; they were stitched up. He's doing okay. Just needed some medication to ease the pain from what was probably the collision of the tree like you said."
A whoosh of breath escaped from each scout. They felt the relief take into their minds.
"Thank you doctor," Rei said faintly.
He nodded, then left them.
"Thank the stars," Leta whispered.
Amy nodded, with her arm still around Serena.
She looked at everyone, while her eyes seemed to be reeling with a torrent of emotions. However, her relief overrode it all, she felt the joy that they were okay. Tears slid down her cheek, but she quickly wiped them away.
Rei looked down the hall, then turned to the scouts, "come on, let's see Mina."
They nodded in agreement, then headed to Mina's room. When they entered, it was devastating to see her lying in the bed. She lay on her side, keeping her injured shoulder up from the pillow, and her arm was in a cast, and in a sling.
It choked Serena into a few tears, as well as the others. Leta and Rei held Serena's hand, while Amy moved to Mina's side.
Amy took her hand sticking through the cast, and closed her eyes as she concentrated. A light blue shimmer surrounded her hand, and ascended Mina's arm, to her shoulder. It pulsated brightly, then dimmed.
The three watched Amy work with Mina. As the blue light dimmed, and slowly faded away, Mina began to stir. Once the shimmer was completely gone, Mina opened her eyes.
"Oh, Mina," Leta said, they all moved to her side.
"How you feeling?" Amy asked.
"Well, it's a little numb, but I guess I can't really complain now," she smiled warmly at Amy. "Thank you."
She smiled, as she still held onto her hand.
Mina looked at all of them, "how's Shay?"
Leta bit her lip; "he's doing badly. He really is deep in unconsciousness. But I think we might be able to help him a little," she said.
Leta and Amy turned, left the room, and headed down the hall to Shay's room. Rei and Serena stayed with Mina, taking a hold of her hand. "Mina, you gave us quite a scare."
She smiled warmly at them, "I'm okay, don't worry."
Rei smiled, as she looked at Mina with her eyes a brilliant courageous fire. Serena smiled, and continued holding her hand.
Leta and Amy got to Shay's room. He lay on the bed, his eyes closed. He was twitching as though he was caught in nightmare. Amy looked at Leta, and then she turned to Shay, and went to his side.
He moved his lips as if trying to say something.
"What's he saying?" Leta asked.
Amy shook her head, with a small shrug. "I don't know." She could hear the faint sound of whispering, so she leaned in closer to hear what he was saying.
She didn't really hear anything, then the sound came to his words, she could hear.
"I'll never go, and you can't take her."
Leta looked at Amy's startled glance at her.
He continued on, "I'm not with you, I am my own power, and I will not go with you."
"I think we need to wake him up," Leta whispered hoarsely.
Amy nodded, taking a hold of his hand. She closed her eyes, and proceeded to do the same thing that she did to Mina. She concentrated, and the blue nimbus came again. It went from his arm, spreading to cover his entire body.
He jerked around, turning and twisting. Amy was heaving for air, then Shay settled, and Amy released her hand.
The corona of blue light pulsed, then faded away. Amy managed to gain her strength again, as she and Leta watched Shay.
His chest heaved, taking in oxygen, and his eyes flickered, finally they opened as he gasped awake.
"Where am I?" he asked bolting up. He looked around him, "why am I in a hospital and where's Mina?"
"We found you and Mina at the park, both of you were unconscious, so we called emergency," Leta told him. He looked at her, seeming to take her words in.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"Just down the hall," Amy answered.
Shay rose from his bed, staggering for a second. He steadied himself, and headed to the door, then he turned back. Leta and Amy moved to the door, and led him to Mina's room. The doctor stopped dead when he saw Shay walking behind them, but was completely speechless.
They entered Mina's room. Serena and Rei looked at them. Shay looked at Rei, recognizing her, then he saw Mina on the bed.
Mina brightened her face with a smile. Shay and Mina locked eyes, and continued staring at each other. The scouts could only sit on the outside as they watched Shay and Mina lose themselves into oblivion.
"Well, you must be Shay," Serena said.
Serena's voice seemed to break the trance that had Mina and Shay locked.
Shay turned to look, to see four girls. He recognized Rei from the temple, but the other three were unfamiliar. The girl with blue hair and the one with brown hair had been there when he woke up, and had brought him to Mina's room.
He nodded, "yes, I'm Shay."
"Well, I'm Serena," she said. She then pointed to the girl with blue hair. "This is Amy, and Leta," she said, moving her hand towards the girl with brown hair.
"And we've already met," Rei said.
He smiled at all of them, "well, nice to meet you."
Amy cleared her throat; "we need to know what happened at the park, do you think you can tell us, either of you?"
Mina swallowed nervously, and then bit her lip. Mina looked the scouts all in the eyes, telling them that she couldn't say all the details in front of Shay.
Shay sighed, then looked at Mina, then his gaze met with Leta, then passed to Amy and Rei, and settled on Serena. He recognized Serena from the day that he had been walking out, he saw her when he was on the crosswalk, she was going the opposite direction and Leta looked like the girl that had been walking with her.
All of them seemed familiar. Something nagged in his mind that they were people that he already knew, or knew of. However, Serena, with her hair in the pig tail style, she seemed the most familiar. Her presence had the strongest aura that stood out with great power.
His gaze fell to the bed, as he released a sigh.
He told them what happened, as they all quietly listened. When he was finished, they had no idea what to say. Mina only added the part about her until she met up with Shay.
"It looks like this could be difficult. First there was that shattering of the glass on Main St. also caused by the shadow, and now the park," Serena said quietly.
Shay looked up, "that would make sense that the two things are related. But what the heck do these shadow men want, and why are they attacking?"
They all shrugged, feeling lost.
The doctor came in he saw Mina awake, and was taken slightly back, but he was more in shock with Shay. "Shay, I see you're doing much better."
He looked at the doctor.
"Well, I should do a look over back in your room, just to see how you are."
Shay nodded, then followed the doctor back to his room.
Once they were gone, Mina looked at the scouts. She filled them in on the parts that she couldn't say with Shay present.
"Now, we have to figure out what these shadows want," Rei said.
They all nodded with agreement.
"But they are definitely part of the Imperium, and part of the big explosion that happened in the woods, that now left the evil energy of the Imperium," Amy said.
* * *
Mina stared at the ceiling, the doctor told her she'd be out the next day, and Shay would be released then too. She had already spent one night at the hospital; this was her second. Tomorrow Leta was going to take her home, with the help of Andrew.
The hospital was really too bleak for her liking. She missed being in her own bed, having Artemis curled up at the end of her bed. She missed it all.
Leta was going to take her home, as well as Shay. A light rapping at the door brought her attention to the door. She turned and looked.
"Shay."
He smiled at her, "can I come in, or are you tired for visitors?"
She smiled, and shook her head. "No, the more visitors the better."
Shay came, and took a seat in the chair that was beside the bed. "So, how are you today?" he asked. He could clearly see that she was doing better from the color in her cheeks, and the vivacity shining in her eyes.
"I'm doing better to realize how bleak a hospital is," she said. She pulled herself up more, making herself propped against the pillows. Sitting up allowed her to see into Shay'' lively green eyes.
Shay smiled thoughtfully at her. "You definitely don't seem like the type to be kept in a little room."
A few strands of her fell across her face. She tried to blow them off, but that was futile. She lifted her good arm to do so, but they fell across her face again.
She sighed, shaking her head. Shay chuckled lightly, then leaned in and lifted the loose strands, and brushed them behind her ear. She smiled with gratitude. "Thanks," she said softly, her voice like smooth velvet.
There was a period of silence, with the two of them staring each other in the eyes, matching their soul to each other. Mina's blue eyes sparkled radiantly, while Shay's breathed with fiery liveliness.
They were caught in a trance, while the world felt like it was slipping away.
"Shay," she whispered, breaking the silence.
"What?"
"Thank you for being there, you—saved me."
"No, you've managed to save me," he whispered, taking a hold of her hand.
* * *
Serena walked with Darien, "what are we to do?" she asked.
He shook his head; "I have the faintest idea meatball head. But, we definitely have to prepare for a big attack from the Imperium."
"Darien, this is all too much. And in the middle of this, we have Shay, and Mina's… she's fallen head over feet in love with him."
"Do you really think that he's not to be trusted? I'm sure if he were our enemy, we'd all sense it."
"I know, but we really can't tell. There's something so strange about all of it. He seems… he seems like he's powerful, but just how powerful is he?"
Darien couldn't answer that, no one could. The answer to that was only known by the Imperium. Serena clutched onto Darien, holding herself closer to him. "I just hope that he's as good as Mina sees him."
Meanwhile, Shay sat in the backseat of Leta's car, as Leta drove, and Mina sat in the passenger seat. Both were released from the hospital, very much to their relief.
"Now, where do you live?" Leta asked.
"Thorough Fair, just off Main St.," he said, trying to direct Leta to his apartment building. They drove down Main Street. The windows were still being repaired. Many stores had boards up, but the sidewalk and street were clean completely of the shattered glass.
"I still can't believe that," Mina said absentmindedly as she gazed at the street as they drove along. "It looks so—so destructed."
"I can feel the vibrations of that shattering still," Shay said vaguely. "There was a girl that stood transfixed. I had to drag her to the ground, just missing a huge chunk of glass, headed right for her."
"You were there?" Leta asked, looking into the rearview mirror. "Serena had been there, her and her boyfriend."
"Yeah, and that was an experience. The glass was flying everywhere," he said, looking at Leta.
Mina turned around to look at him; "did you get hurt?"
"Only a minor cut on the forehead, but I got off pretty good. I saw some pretty bad injuries though, I only thanked the universe and the stars that I got off okay."
Leta bit her lip, "I could only imagine."
The car turned onto Thorough Fair, then pulled in front of the building. "Here you are," Leta smiled.
"Thanks for the ride," he said.
Leta smiled, "No problem. Hope to see you around."
"Will do," he said. He got out, then moved around to Mina's open window. He smiled, then gently stroked his finger across her cheek. "I'll see you around," he said gently.
She smiled. She lifted her good arm, and placed it on his hand that was touching her face. Then impulsively she grabbed his chin, pulled his face to hers, and kissed him.
When he stepped back, his face was dazed, and his mind was soaring. A goofy smile plastered on his face. Leta worried that he might fall down, but Mina smiled demurely, her eyes transfixed with awe.
"Well, then till next time," Mina said in a quiet whisper. "Bye."
"Bye," he said, staring deep into her eyes. They seemed to say three little words that held the world together in his mind. I love you, her eyes stated.
His face radiated with warmth, and he answered her loving gaze with one of his own, letting her see the word in his eyes.
"Bye," she said again, quickly kissing him again.
Shay felt the kiss reach into his soul, finally he stepped back. "See you later," he said, waving to Leta and Mina. Leta waved to him, watching the lovebirds with a wild curiosity.
Leta pulled the car onto the street. Mina waved the final goodbye, the car finally hitting the road. Shay watched them go, then turned and went up to his apartment. The apartment was the same as he left it the day he went to the park.
He felt lightheaded, so he flopped on the couch, where he fell asleep, dreaming about the kiss, and speaking eyes.
Mina held her goofy smile on her face; finally, she turned to Leta's curious stare. "What?" she asked.
Leta shook her head, "nothing."
Mina smiled wider, "so, is there a meeting?" she asked.
Leta nodded, turning the car around the corner. "We have to prepare for a fight, and plus, we're short a scout."
Mina looked at her arm; it was still in a sling. "But I'm sure that with the healing help I got from Amy, I'll be able to help you guys."
"Well, we'll have to see."
Eventually they pulled up to Cherry Hill Temple. Rei's grandpa was swinging in the trees, with Chad standing below him. When Leta and Mina were out of the car, they watched curiously.
Grandpa swung through the trees, using ropes, wearing a red cape. He reached the final rope, then flipped in the air, and landed on the ground.
"Wow," Leta said with astonishment.
Mina mirrored Leta's expression. They knew he was in great shape, but to see him in action gave it a whole new outlook. It showed them that he was at young at heart, and as strong as any man was.
"Come on Chad, you can do it," Grandpa said.
Chad gulped, he looked the finish, then gulped again when he looked at the ropes.
"Go on Chad, show yourself you hold the power," Grandpa said with enthusiasm.
Rei stormed outside. "Grandpa, Chad doesn't have to do that."
Chad seemed relieved, but then he wanted to prove that he was capable. Maybe he felt that he wanted her to be impressed with him, he mounted the ropes.
Chad managed to do well, then his hands slipped as he reached for one of the ropes. He ended up swinging and crashing into a tree.
Mina turned her face away while Leta grimaced. Grandpa shook his head, while Rei showed scorn on her face. "You know Chad, I said you didn't have to do it, and you go against me, to go and do exactly what I worried you would."
Chad raised an arm, waving them off.
Rei scowled, then turned to Leta and Mina. "Come on, the others are waiting."
Once they were in Rei's room, even Darien was there; Amy started the meeting. Artemis was curled on Mina's lap, while she pet him with her good arm.
"The woods, being that they're just behind the park, makes it very dangerous," Amy stated.
"Still, does this mean that there is going to be an attack soon?" Serena asked.
"It's quite possible. With the patterns, it seems more then likely," Amy answered.
"It's very possible that we're going to face an attack soon. I think that we should just go, and take care of this once and for all," Mina whispered.
They all looked at her. "But Mina, you're arm is still in a cast. You're not strong enough," Leta tried to reason.
She shook her head, then looked at each of them. "We have to strike now while they aren't expecting it. They're too busy looking for something."
Amy sighed, then bit her lip. "Well, when we were in the last fight, they did backfire their attack. It caused the opening, then they tried to fix it, and hence the explosion, because something really messed up."
"So, that explosion was their second backfire?" Serena asked, clutching Darien's hand in hers.
Mina nodded, "I think it did. Because they're looking for something, or someone, because when they tried to mend the hole, it…" she paused, trying to find the explanation.
"It overloaded, then the person or thing that was working on it slipped onto our side, so they started the immediate search for it," Amy finished, somehow knowing that was the answer.
They were all silent. "So…" Rei said distractedly, "Are we going to fight?"
No one could say anything. Yet, they all knew the answer.
"So, we go into the woods, and attack the source of energy, and destroy it, and keep them from a major attack against us?" Serena asked.
"Then let's do it," Leta said, with a small triumphant grin.
"Are you going to be able to fight?" Artemis asked Mina. He knew Mina was strong, but she still had only been out of the hospital.
Everyone looked at her; she only nodded at them. "I can do it, besides little Miss Amy really helped me out, and my arm's almost completely healed."
They looked skeptical, but they knew they couldn't argue with her. She would go and fight, even if they left her behind. She wanted to get the Imperium for what they did to her, and Shay and the people that got hurt from Main Street's glass shattering and the people in the park.
"Well, I guess we fight," Rei said. "But we have to consider, we have no idea what we're up against."
"Yes Rei, but we also have to take into consideration we already fought with the Imperium not too long ago."
"But all of you have to realize this just isn't an attack against the Imperium's monsters, but also the power force of the Imperium if we're going to attack the energy source there," Darien stated.
Leta grinned, "then bring it on. If we keep a front, most of us to keep the monsters back, and Serena can work with the crystal to close it."
"That sounds like a plan," Luna said. "I think you guys can do it. You've already conquered so much, you have strengthened your powers over the years, so I know you all are capable of doing this."
"Luna's right. We should be able to do this," Artemis added. "You can do this if you keep everything in front of you. But I do think Mina should help Serena, add extra power while everyone else keeps the attacks from the Imperium back."
Mina looked sharply at Artemis, then looked at the ground. "Fine."
They all nodded. They had the plan set now; they had to fight.
"Then let's do it," Leta said, jumping to her feet. "Let's kick some serious Imperium butt."
They all rose to their feet, and smiled. "Right," they all said in unison.
* * *
Shay looked over the street. People were out walking. The pain was gone, and he felt revitalized. The wounds were still there, but he was close to healed. He sighed.
Click!
Shay whirled around. Something clicked again, but it sounded more like a light knocking sound.
He went in search of the noise, not knowing at all where it could be coming from. Nevertheless, it continued, in a steady rhythm.
He had searched most of the apartment, when he moved towards his front door. It sounded near, and he was sure of where the noise was coming. He turned to the front closet, and opened it. A thick pole swung free, nearly clobbering him in the head.
He managed to duck, allowing the pole to fall to the ground. He closed the door, then turned to the pole lying on the ground. He stooped over, and picked it up. However, with closer inspection he saw that it was a staff.
"Where the heck did you come from?" he asked aloud. He felt confused, because whereas he knew he hadn't ever seen before, he felt that was incorrect. He was sure he knew the staff from somewhere.
He slid his hand along the surface, feeling the smoothness. It was marked with a few symbols that seemed vaguely familiar. He fingered the engraved symbols, feeling recognition.
Then he went to the top, looking at the sphere, but it was like a crystal. It glimmered with power; he seemed to feel a new strength awaken in him touching the sphere. However, once his hand contacted the sphere, it sparked, then hovered into the air.
Shay jumped to his feet. The staff stayed placed in front of him. Shay shook his head, he felt jaded. He put his hand towards the staff, but it moved back, away from his hand.
Shay gulped nervously. He then backed away from the staff. His mind was alert, while his thoughts raced for an explanation, but there was none.
He shook his head, then tried to walk away from the suspended staff. It was relatively dark in his apartment. The lamp shone a dim light. He went to some of the candles on the mantle. He preferred firelight to artificial light. He lit one candle, but every candle in the living room lit up.
Shay jumped back with shock, causing the candle to go out, as well as the rest of the candles. He took in a deep breath, trying to figure out what was going on.
Am I hallucinating, is it an effect from the hit against the tree? He asked himself, but there really were no answers.
He cautiously stepped towards the mantle, and looked at the candle. He struck another match, and put it to the wick. It burned to life, as did all the candles in the room again. This time he looked with amazement at the suddenly lit candles.
He turned around to see the staff close behind him, but not within reach. He shook his head with disbelief. "This isn't happening," he muttered. Yet, it was. He tried to wipe his eyes, hoping that it was nothing but an illusion, but it wasn't.
He blew out the candle, watching the room grow dark, as all the candles went out. Shay turned, and headed to his door, then left his apartment.
He looked over his shoulder wearily, to see the staff behind him. He hit the street, continuing to walk, trying to ignore the staff. He looked over his shoulder once, trying to see if anyone else saw the staff. No one saw it, no one but him.
Shay felt like his mind was wrought with madness. He tried to completely ignore the staff, just walking. He kept walking. He had no idea was where he was going, he just knew his feet were moving. So, he went with them, but he noticed that he was heading to the park that was between the city, and the woods.
* * *
"What news have you brought me?" the emperor asked the shadow.
"There was activity. The imperial staff has shown some activity, and this was after Dersik, whom he destroyed found Shay, in the attack when he was taking out the park just outside the woods."
The emperor nodded his head. "Then bring him in. You can track the staff as to where Shay is. That staff is as much a part of himself, and keeps him with almost full Imperium powers."
"Your majesty?"
"That staff holds a power that belongs to the Imperium… well we belong to that staff. That staff that Shay has, he is the only one that has managed to use its powers. So, you know where the staff is, you know where Shay is, because that staff won't leave him for anything."
The shadow bowed, "Yes, your Imperial Majesty." Then it was gone.
*Note*
oh, so, what is going to happen next? Will Shay discover who he is, or will he just go on being followed, and believe that he is cursed. So, lets here from you, I really need to know what you think, is it good enough to continue? I need to know :)
okay, on the last chapter, I said this was my first fic, but if you've been following from the beginning you'll know that this was the first one I did, but it's the second I've posted here.
Catch you all later (but really, tell me what you think!) (
by legal rights I have to say that characters from Sailor Moon are not mine.
But hey, enjoy!
"Hmm," Mina smiled peacefully. She undid the strap of her sandal, and put her bare foot on the ground. It felt cool against her skin. She leaned back on the bench, with both of her strappy sandals beside her on the bench.
It felt good just to have some time to herself. She had gone out to lunch with her mother, so she had dolled up. Now, getting away from everything, her family, her friends, and her duty as a scout, it was forgotten for the few minutes of peace.
She sighed her peace, which was shattered by a piercing scream, which was followed by several others.
Mina sprang to her feet. She would have transformed, but a group of people came running in her direction, with a great shadow chasing after them.
Mina ran as fast as her legs could take her. It wasn't too far behind her. She was in a place where she couldn't transform either. There were too many people around. The shadow was behind her, and many of the others that ran from the shadow were now being stopped by it, and struck down.
There were a few people left now. Mina was at a loss at what to do. She saw a split path coming up, so, she slowed herself that the others could run ahead of her and she would go down the opposite path, where she would transform.
Most went to the trail on the left, and some to the right. Mina groaned her annoyance. She went to the right trail. She pumped herself with energy. She had to keep going, until there was good place that she could transform.
She glanced over her shoulder to look at the shadow. It seemed to be spreading, like a blanket, over the distance behind it, covering more as it moved after the people.
She tried to turn her attention forward, when she knocked right into somebody, both of them falling to the ground from the force coming from Mina running.
"Get up, and move," she ordered.
"Mina?"
"Shay!" she said with shock. She looked at him, thankful that she was seeing him again.
Shay looked behind her, seeing the shadow that he had seen when Main Street exploded with glass. His mouth gaped open.
Mina grabbed his arm, while getting up, "Come on, we got to move."
Shay made haste, by grabbing a hold of Mina's hand and started running. They ran as the shadow followed them, spreading over the park, darkening it.
There was no way that she could transform with Shay with her. All she could really do was to keep running. She cast a glance over her shoulder, then stopped.
"Mina, come on," he said, trying to get her to move. Mina turned around, facing the shadow. Shay turned around, and gasped. There was a man or something in the shadow fog that was descending over the park. It stood out, darker then the rest of the shadow.
"Okay, Mina it really isn't safe to stay now," he whispered.
Mina looked at the shadow man knowing that she had a chance if she could transform. Then she thought of something. She grabbed the star wand that was in her pocket. She held it in her palm, then turned to Shay.
"I think we should try and do something."
Shay sighed deeply, then looked at Mina expectantly. "What do we do?"
"First, we have to…" she said looking at the man. "We have to determine its strength."
"I think it's pretty strong."
She nodded, "but," she whispered. She pointed her wand towards the shadow man. "Venus crescent beam!" she whispered.
She felt the warmth of the wand in her hand, but it couldn't draw enough to attack, as it's own. "Damn," she muttered.
'Come on Mina, let's just go."
She sighed in resignation, then turned to go with Shay. Then without a single warning, there was a blast from behind her
Shay watched as the beam struck Mina through her shoulder. She gasped in pain. It had pierced through to her skin, and blood seeped through her white blouse. She gasped again, pain coating her voice.
Shay grabbed for her, giving her support. She went into his arms then stood quickly. She turned around, and faced the man made of the shadows, that was slowly edging towards them. Her eyes seared with anger.
Mina stared with hatred. Her wand was still clutched in her fingers. She pointed it again at the shadow man, "Venus attack!"
She felt the force of her power in her hand, bubbling with ardor. "Attack!" she whispered her command.
A beam went towards the shadow, but stopped just before the shadow form. Mina's eyes widened, as she stood in pain, and agony.
Then the beam was regressed. It shot back at her, her own anger cutting into her arm. Her shoulder was already bleeding. The energy beam seemed to rip into the skin, and cause an explosion of pain. She screamed with sheer agony, and then collapsed.
"Mina! No!" he screamed. He was at her side, grasped her in his arms. "Mina," he called gently, but he got no response. He could see she was faintly breathing.
He let a moan escape his lips, and his eyes were watering with unshed tears. A single tear escaped, slid down his cheek, and fell onto Mina's lips, which then parted into a wistful smile.
He let her lay gently on the ground, and then he rose to his feet, and glared with fervent hatred at the man formed in the shadows.
"I'll do the same to you," it warned.
Shay only shook his head with anger burning through his veins. He felt a surging in him that he clenched tightly in his fists.
A gray beam shot towards him, but Shay rose a hand against it, and stopped it midair. The shadow formed man stepped back wearily. Another beam shot towards him, going one after the other, but he stopped all of them.
Before him were about half a dozen gray beams, flaring with raw energy, that seemed perilous. He felt his anger surmount his action of thought. He hurled the beams back at the shadow man. They countered well, and hit the shadow, but it wasn't strong enough to destroy it.
"I've found you."
Shay ignored the words. They only seemed confusing. It didn't make sense why it would be looking for him.
"Come with me, I'll take you back."
"There's nowhere to take me back to."
"Ah, Shay, that's where you're wrong. You have a place with us, and you can hold so much power. You're too strong for these weak earthlings."
"Take this home," he sneered. He clenched his fists, feeling his power ready to strike. He coiled the vigor of his energy and blasted it at the shadow, most of his strength going with him.
The shadow seemed to be consumed by the glowing sphere of power. It passed through him, leaving the shadow quite weak.
It seemed hunched over, but looked at Shay. He could feel the empty eyes bearing into his eyes. "Don't fight what you are."
Then it tried to surround him with energy to pull him to the shadow.
Shay felt his body moving, but he fought it. He kept himself immobile and stood firm. The power field whirled around him, trying to pull him.
With the little strength that he felt, he blasted at the shadow again. It was a huge explosion. The flame of the attack blast devoured the shadow. Then there was a light of the explosion, and the whole embankment of the cloud flashed with the explosion, and evaporated into nothingness.
The flaring gust of the explosion caused Shay to be knocked off his feet, and knocked into a tree. With the impact of the landing into the tree, with so little strength, he slipped into unconsciousness.
Sailor Moon felt frantic as she ran with the scouts through the park. It was blanketed with a dark cloud. She felt deep in herself that Mina was in trouble. Her instincts kept her running to where she hoped she would be.
"Any sign of her yet?" Mars asked Mercury who was reading through her palm top as she ran alongside the other scouts.
"Nothi… wait, just up ahead."
Sailor Moon kept up her quick pace determined to make it to Mina.
Suddenly she stopped, "Did you hear that?"
It had sounded like a scream, one of anguish, and fear. They looked all around them, trying to pinpoint the location. "No!" echoed through the park to the scout's ears. The shout seemed to be just as anguished as the scream had been, except it held more horror then the scream had.
"Oh no," Sailor Moon whispered.
"Come on Sailor Moon," Jupiter said tugging at her elbow in the direction that seemed to be supplying them with the agonizing screams.
They continued running. Just ahead of them, there was a huge explosion, and the darkness of the cloud that had blanketed the park, was dissipating into nothingness.
The scouts had to stop, the explosion was blinding, and they had to shield their eyes. A strong gust of scorching heat blew all around them. When it passed them, they hesitantly rose, then anxiously headed to the source of the explosion.
They came to a small clearing where they found Mina crumpled on the ground. She was bleeding on her shoulder, and her arm was covered with blood.
Sailor Moon took Mina's head onto her lap, and sobbed. "Oh Venus, please be okay," she whispered.
Jupiter looked ahead, and saw the form of another body lying on the ground. She went over to it, and shuddered at the sprawled body. It was evident that he had hit the tree. "I found another person."
Mercury looked up from her close examination of Mina's wound, then came over to where Leta knelt.
Amy widened her eyes, then knelt beside the body, and checked for vitality. She turned to Jupiter; "we need an ambulance. Both of them are bad."
Leta nodded. She stood, reversed her transformation, and was back to her usual self. She hurried off to look for a phone to call an ambulance.
The scouts followed suit, knowing that they couldn't get caught as scouts. Amy looked at the young man that was laying on the ground, while Rei checked Mina over for any more injuries. Mina's fingers were still clutched around her star wand.
Serena removed it from her fingers. The wand sparkled with the recognition of her, and then Serena put it into Mina' s pocket.
It wasn't long before Leta returned with help. Mina was put onto a stretcher, and then taken to the ambulance with Serena right by her side.
Leta and Amy stayed by the young man. When the paramedics managed to get him on the stretcher, Leta gasped.
"Amy it's Shay," she said with amazement.
Amy looked at the young man, then looked at Leta. "What does it mean then?" she asked. However, they couldn't answer it, because they weren't even sure if there was an explanation to what happened, except that the answers were out cold.
Serena sat with her hands to her forehead, with them resting against her knees as she leant forward. "Oh please, let them both be okay," she whispered to the sky, to the moon, and the universe.
Leta was chewing on her nails, while Amy sat still and evenly in the chair beside Serena. Rei was pacing, her movement the stress of all the scouts as they waited.
Amy put a comforting arm around Serena. It was all she could do.
The doctor attending Mina and Shay shuffled to where they sat. He held a grim expression.
"Yes doctor?" Amy asked, swallowing fear into her stomach.
"Mina's unconscious, but she's quite stable. Her arm was severely broken, and we've had to put pins in it."
"What of Shay?" Leta asked.
"He's slowly stabilizing. He has a few gashes; they were stitched up. He's doing okay. Just needed some medication to ease the pain from what was probably the collision of the tree like you said."
A whoosh of breath escaped from each scout. They felt the relief take into their minds.
"Thank you doctor," Rei said faintly.
He nodded, then left them.
"Thank the stars," Leta whispered.
Amy nodded, with her arm still around Serena.
She looked at everyone, while her eyes seemed to be reeling with a torrent of emotions. However, her relief overrode it all, she felt the joy that they were okay. Tears slid down her cheek, but she quickly wiped them away.
Rei looked down the hall, then turned to the scouts, "come on, let's see Mina."
They nodded in agreement, then headed to Mina's room. When they entered, it was devastating to see her lying in the bed. She lay on her side, keeping her injured shoulder up from the pillow, and her arm was in a cast, and in a sling.
It choked Serena into a few tears, as well as the others. Leta and Rei held Serena's hand, while Amy moved to Mina's side.
Amy took her hand sticking through the cast, and closed her eyes as she concentrated. A light blue shimmer surrounded her hand, and ascended Mina's arm, to her shoulder. It pulsated brightly, then dimmed.
The three watched Amy work with Mina. As the blue light dimmed, and slowly faded away, Mina began to stir. Once the shimmer was completely gone, Mina opened her eyes.
"Oh, Mina," Leta said, they all moved to her side.
"How you feeling?" Amy asked.
"Well, it's a little numb, but I guess I can't really complain now," she smiled warmly at Amy. "Thank you."
She smiled, as she still held onto her hand.
Mina looked at all of them, "how's Shay?"
Leta bit her lip; "he's doing badly. He really is deep in unconsciousness. But I think we might be able to help him a little," she said.
Leta and Amy turned, left the room, and headed down the hall to Shay's room. Rei and Serena stayed with Mina, taking a hold of her hand. "Mina, you gave us quite a scare."
She smiled warmly at them, "I'm okay, don't worry."
Rei smiled, as she looked at Mina with her eyes a brilliant courageous fire. Serena smiled, and continued holding her hand.
Leta and Amy got to Shay's room. He lay on the bed, his eyes closed. He was twitching as though he was caught in nightmare. Amy looked at Leta, and then she turned to Shay, and went to his side.
He moved his lips as if trying to say something.
"What's he saying?" Leta asked.
Amy shook her head, with a small shrug. "I don't know." She could hear the faint sound of whispering, so she leaned in closer to hear what he was saying.
She didn't really hear anything, then the sound came to his words, she could hear.
"I'll never go, and you can't take her."
Leta looked at Amy's startled glance at her.
He continued on, "I'm not with you, I am my own power, and I will not go with you."
"I think we need to wake him up," Leta whispered hoarsely.
Amy nodded, taking a hold of his hand. She closed her eyes, and proceeded to do the same thing that she did to Mina. She concentrated, and the blue nimbus came again. It went from his arm, spreading to cover his entire body.
He jerked around, turning and twisting. Amy was heaving for air, then Shay settled, and Amy released her hand.
The corona of blue light pulsed, then faded away. Amy managed to gain her strength again, as she and Leta watched Shay.
His chest heaved, taking in oxygen, and his eyes flickered, finally they opened as he gasped awake.
"Where am I?" he asked bolting up. He looked around him, "why am I in a hospital and where's Mina?"
"We found you and Mina at the park, both of you were unconscious, so we called emergency," Leta told him. He looked at her, seeming to take her words in.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"Just down the hall," Amy answered.
Shay rose from his bed, staggering for a second. He steadied himself, and headed to the door, then he turned back. Leta and Amy moved to the door, and led him to Mina's room. The doctor stopped dead when he saw Shay walking behind them, but was completely speechless.
They entered Mina's room. Serena and Rei looked at them. Shay looked at Rei, recognizing her, then he saw Mina on the bed.
Mina brightened her face with a smile. Shay and Mina locked eyes, and continued staring at each other. The scouts could only sit on the outside as they watched Shay and Mina lose themselves into oblivion.
"Well, you must be Shay," Serena said.
Serena's voice seemed to break the trance that had Mina and Shay locked.
Shay turned to look, to see four girls. He recognized Rei from the temple, but the other three were unfamiliar. The girl with blue hair and the one with brown hair had been there when he woke up, and had brought him to Mina's room.
He nodded, "yes, I'm Shay."
"Well, I'm Serena," she said. She then pointed to the girl with blue hair. "This is Amy, and Leta," she said, moving her hand towards the girl with brown hair.
"And we've already met," Rei said.
He smiled at all of them, "well, nice to meet you."
Amy cleared her throat; "we need to know what happened at the park, do you think you can tell us, either of you?"
Mina swallowed nervously, and then bit her lip. Mina looked the scouts all in the eyes, telling them that she couldn't say all the details in front of Shay.
Shay sighed, then looked at Mina, then his gaze met with Leta, then passed to Amy and Rei, and settled on Serena. He recognized Serena from the day that he had been walking out, he saw her when he was on the crosswalk, she was going the opposite direction and Leta looked like the girl that had been walking with her.
All of them seemed familiar. Something nagged in his mind that they were people that he already knew, or knew of. However, Serena, with her hair in the pig tail style, she seemed the most familiar. Her presence had the strongest aura that stood out with great power.
His gaze fell to the bed, as he released a sigh.
He told them what happened, as they all quietly listened. When he was finished, they had no idea what to say. Mina only added the part about her until she met up with Shay.
"It looks like this could be difficult. First there was that shattering of the glass on Main St. also caused by the shadow, and now the park," Serena said quietly.
Shay looked up, "that would make sense that the two things are related. But what the heck do these shadow men want, and why are they attacking?"
They all shrugged, feeling lost.
The doctor came in he saw Mina awake, and was taken slightly back, but he was more in shock with Shay. "Shay, I see you're doing much better."
He looked at the doctor.
"Well, I should do a look over back in your room, just to see how you are."
Shay nodded, then followed the doctor back to his room.
Once they were gone, Mina looked at the scouts. She filled them in on the parts that she couldn't say with Shay present.
"Now, we have to figure out what these shadows want," Rei said.
They all nodded with agreement.
"But they are definitely part of the Imperium, and part of the big explosion that happened in the woods, that now left the evil energy of the Imperium," Amy said.
* * *
Mina stared at the ceiling, the doctor told her she'd be out the next day, and Shay would be released then too. She had already spent one night at the hospital; this was her second. Tomorrow Leta was going to take her home, with the help of Andrew.
The hospital was really too bleak for her liking. She missed being in her own bed, having Artemis curled up at the end of her bed. She missed it all.
Leta was going to take her home, as well as Shay. A light rapping at the door brought her attention to the door. She turned and looked.
"Shay."
He smiled at her, "can I come in, or are you tired for visitors?"
She smiled, and shook her head. "No, the more visitors the better."
Shay came, and took a seat in the chair that was beside the bed. "So, how are you today?" he asked. He could clearly see that she was doing better from the color in her cheeks, and the vivacity shining in her eyes.
"I'm doing better to realize how bleak a hospital is," she said. She pulled herself up more, making herself propped against the pillows. Sitting up allowed her to see into Shay'' lively green eyes.
Shay smiled thoughtfully at her. "You definitely don't seem like the type to be kept in a little room."
A few strands of her fell across her face. She tried to blow them off, but that was futile. She lifted her good arm to do so, but they fell across her face again.
She sighed, shaking her head. Shay chuckled lightly, then leaned in and lifted the loose strands, and brushed them behind her ear. She smiled with gratitude. "Thanks," she said softly, her voice like smooth velvet.
There was a period of silence, with the two of them staring each other in the eyes, matching their soul to each other. Mina's blue eyes sparkled radiantly, while Shay's breathed with fiery liveliness.
They were caught in a trance, while the world felt like it was slipping away.
"Shay," she whispered, breaking the silence.
"What?"
"Thank you for being there, you—saved me."
"No, you've managed to save me," he whispered, taking a hold of her hand.
* * *
Serena walked with Darien, "what are we to do?" she asked.
He shook his head; "I have the faintest idea meatball head. But, we definitely have to prepare for a big attack from the Imperium."
"Darien, this is all too much. And in the middle of this, we have Shay, and Mina's… she's fallen head over feet in love with him."
"Do you really think that he's not to be trusted? I'm sure if he were our enemy, we'd all sense it."
"I know, but we really can't tell. There's something so strange about all of it. He seems… he seems like he's powerful, but just how powerful is he?"
Darien couldn't answer that, no one could. The answer to that was only known by the Imperium. Serena clutched onto Darien, holding herself closer to him. "I just hope that he's as good as Mina sees him."
Meanwhile, Shay sat in the backseat of Leta's car, as Leta drove, and Mina sat in the passenger seat. Both were released from the hospital, very much to their relief.
"Now, where do you live?" Leta asked.
"Thorough Fair, just off Main St.," he said, trying to direct Leta to his apartment building. They drove down Main Street. The windows were still being repaired. Many stores had boards up, but the sidewalk and street were clean completely of the shattered glass.
"I still can't believe that," Mina said absentmindedly as she gazed at the street as they drove along. "It looks so—so destructed."
"I can feel the vibrations of that shattering still," Shay said vaguely. "There was a girl that stood transfixed. I had to drag her to the ground, just missing a huge chunk of glass, headed right for her."
"You were there?" Leta asked, looking into the rearview mirror. "Serena had been there, her and her boyfriend."
"Yeah, and that was an experience. The glass was flying everywhere," he said, looking at Leta.
Mina turned around to look at him; "did you get hurt?"
"Only a minor cut on the forehead, but I got off pretty good. I saw some pretty bad injuries though, I only thanked the universe and the stars that I got off okay."
Leta bit her lip, "I could only imagine."
The car turned onto Thorough Fair, then pulled in front of the building. "Here you are," Leta smiled.
"Thanks for the ride," he said.
Leta smiled, "No problem. Hope to see you around."
"Will do," he said. He got out, then moved around to Mina's open window. He smiled, then gently stroked his finger across her cheek. "I'll see you around," he said gently.
She smiled. She lifted her good arm, and placed it on his hand that was touching her face. Then impulsively she grabbed his chin, pulled his face to hers, and kissed him.
When he stepped back, his face was dazed, and his mind was soaring. A goofy smile plastered on his face. Leta worried that he might fall down, but Mina smiled demurely, her eyes transfixed with awe.
"Well, then till next time," Mina said in a quiet whisper. "Bye."
"Bye," he said, staring deep into her eyes. They seemed to say three little words that held the world together in his mind. I love you, her eyes stated.
His face radiated with warmth, and he answered her loving gaze with one of his own, letting her see the word in his eyes.
"Bye," she said again, quickly kissing him again.
Shay felt the kiss reach into his soul, finally he stepped back. "See you later," he said, waving to Leta and Mina. Leta waved to him, watching the lovebirds with a wild curiosity.
Leta pulled the car onto the street. Mina waved the final goodbye, the car finally hitting the road. Shay watched them go, then turned and went up to his apartment. The apartment was the same as he left it the day he went to the park.
He felt lightheaded, so he flopped on the couch, where he fell asleep, dreaming about the kiss, and speaking eyes.
Mina held her goofy smile on her face; finally, she turned to Leta's curious stare. "What?" she asked.
Leta shook her head, "nothing."
Mina smiled wider, "so, is there a meeting?" she asked.
Leta nodded, turning the car around the corner. "We have to prepare for a fight, and plus, we're short a scout."
Mina looked at her arm; it was still in a sling. "But I'm sure that with the healing help I got from Amy, I'll be able to help you guys."
"Well, we'll have to see."
Eventually they pulled up to Cherry Hill Temple. Rei's grandpa was swinging in the trees, with Chad standing below him. When Leta and Mina were out of the car, they watched curiously.
Grandpa swung through the trees, using ropes, wearing a red cape. He reached the final rope, then flipped in the air, and landed on the ground.
"Wow," Leta said with astonishment.
Mina mirrored Leta's expression. They knew he was in great shape, but to see him in action gave it a whole new outlook. It showed them that he was at young at heart, and as strong as any man was.
"Come on Chad, you can do it," Grandpa said.
Chad gulped, he looked the finish, then gulped again when he looked at the ropes.
"Go on Chad, show yourself you hold the power," Grandpa said with enthusiasm.
Rei stormed outside. "Grandpa, Chad doesn't have to do that."
Chad seemed relieved, but then he wanted to prove that he was capable. Maybe he felt that he wanted her to be impressed with him, he mounted the ropes.
Chad managed to do well, then his hands slipped as he reached for one of the ropes. He ended up swinging and crashing into a tree.
Mina turned her face away while Leta grimaced. Grandpa shook his head, while Rei showed scorn on her face. "You know Chad, I said you didn't have to do it, and you go against me, to go and do exactly what I worried you would."
Chad raised an arm, waving them off.
Rei scowled, then turned to Leta and Mina. "Come on, the others are waiting."
Once they were in Rei's room, even Darien was there; Amy started the meeting. Artemis was curled on Mina's lap, while she pet him with her good arm.
"The woods, being that they're just behind the park, makes it very dangerous," Amy stated.
"Still, does this mean that there is going to be an attack soon?" Serena asked.
"It's quite possible. With the patterns, it seems more then likely," Amy answered.
"It's very possible that we're going to face an attack soon. I think that we should just go, and take care of this once and for all," Mina whispered.
They all looked at her. "But Mina, you're arm is still in a cast. You're not strong enough," Leta tried to reason.
She shook her head, then looked at each of them. "We have to strike now while they aren't expecting it. They're too busy looking for something."
Amy sighed, then bit her lip. "Well, when we were in the last fight, they did backfire their attack. It caused the opening, then they tried to fix it, and hence the explosion, because something really messed up."
"So, that explosion was their second backfire?" Serena asked, clutching Darien's hand in hers.
Mina nodded, "I think it did. Because they're looking for something, or someone, because when they tried to mend the hole, it…" she paused, trying to find the explanation.
"It overloaded, then the person or thing that was working on it slipped onto our side, so they started the immediate search for it," Amy finished, somehow knowing that was the answer.
They were all silent. "So…" Rei said distractedly, "Are we going to fight?"
No one could say anything. Yet, they all knew the answer.
"So, we go into the woods, and attack the source of energy, and destroy it, and keep them from a major attack against us?" Serena asked.
"Then let's do it," Leta said, with a small triumphant grin.
"Are you going to be able to fight?" Artemis asked Mina. He knew Mina was strong, but she still had only been out of the hospital.
Everyone looked at her; she only nodded at them. "I can do it, besides little Miss Amy really helped me out, and my arm's almost completely healed."
They looked skeptical, but they knew they couldn't argue with her. She would go and fight, even if they left her behind. She wanted to get the Imperium for what they did to her, and Shay and the people that got hurt from Main Street's glass shattering and the people in the park.
"Well, I guess we fight," Rei said. "But we have to consider, we have no idea what we're up against."
"Yes Rei, but we also have to take into consideration we already fought with the Imperium not too long ago."
"But all of you have to realize this just isn't an attack against the Imperium's monsters, but also the power force of the Imperium if we're going to attack the energy source there," Darien stated.
Leta grinned, "then bring it on. If we keep a front, most of us to keep the monsters back, and Serena can work with the crystal to close it."
"That sounds like a plan," Luna said. "I think you guys can do it. You've already conquered so much, you have strengthened your powers over the years, so I know you all are capable of doing this."
"Luna's right. We should be able to do this," Artemis added. "You can do this if you keep everything in front of you. But I do think Mina should help Serena, add extra power while everyone else keeps the attacks from the Imperium back."
Mina looked sharply at Artemis, then looked at the ground. "Fine."
They all nodded. They had the plan set now; they had to fight.
"Then let's do it," Leta said, jumping to her feet. "Let's kick some serious Imperium butt."
They all rose to their feet, and smiled. "Right," they all said in unison.
* * *
Shay looked over the street. People were out walking. The pain was gone, and he felt revitalized. The wounds were still there, but he was close to healed. He sighed.
Click!
Shay whirled around. Something clicked again, but it sounded more like a light knocking sound.
He went in search of the noise, not knowing at all where it could be coming from. Nevertheless, it continued, in a steady rhythm.
He had searched most of the apartment, when he moved towards his front door. It sounded near, and he was sure of where the noise was coming. He turned to the front closet, and opened it. A thick pole swung free, nearly clobbering him in the head.
He managed to duck, allowing the pole to fall to the ground. He closed the door, then turned to the pole lying on the ground. He stooped over, and picked it up. However, with closer inspection he saw that it was a staff.
"Where the heck did you come from?" he asked aloud. He felt confused, because whereas he knew he hadn't ever seen before, he felt that was incorrect. He was sure he knew the staff from somewhere.
He slid his hand along the surface, feeling the smoothness. It was marked with a few symbols that seemed vaguely familiar. He fingered the engraved symbols, feeling recognition.
Then he went to the top, looking at the sphere, but it was like a crystal. It glimmered with power; he seemed to feel a new strength awaken in him touching the sphere. However, once his hand contacted the sphere, it sparked, then hovered into the air.
Shay jumped to his feet. The staff stayed placed in front of him. Shay shook his head, he felt jaded. He put his hand towards the staff, but it moved back, away from his hand.
Shay gulped nervously. He then backed away from the staff. His mind was alert, while his thoughts raced for an explanation, but there was none.
He shook his head, then tried to walk away from the suspended staff. It was relatively dark in his apartment. The lamp shone a dim light. He went to some of the candles on the mantle. He preferred firelight to artificial light. He lit one candle, but every candle in the living room lit up.
Shay jumped back with shock, causing the candle to go out, as well as the rest of the candles. He took in a deep breath, trying to figure out what was going on.
Am I hallucinating, is it an effect from the hit against the tree? He asked himself, but there really were no answers.
He cautiously stepped towards the mantle, and looked at the candle. He struck another match, and put it to the wick. It burned to life, as did all the candles in the room again. This time he looked with amazement at the suddenly lit candles.
He turned around to see the staff close behind him, but not within reach. He shook his head with disbelief. "This isn't happening," he muttered. Yet, it was. He tried to wipe his eyes, hoping that it was nothing but an illusion, but it wasn't.
He blew out the candle, watching the room grow dark, as all the candles went out. Shay turned, and headed to his door, then left his apartment.
He looked over his shoulder wearily, to see the staff behind him. He hit the street, continuing to walk, trying to ignore the staff. He looked over his shoulder once, trying to see if anyone else saw the staff. No one saw it, no one but him.
Shay felt like his mind was wrought with madness. He tried to completely ignore the staff, just walking. He kept walking. He had no idea was where he was going, he just knew his feet were moving. So, he went with them, but he noticed that he was heading to the park that was between the city, and the woods.
* * *
"What news have you brought me?" the emperor asked the shadow.
"There was activity. The imperial staff has shown some activity, and this was after Dersik, whom he destroyed found Shay, in the attack when he was taking out the park just outside the woods."
The emperor nodded his head. "Then bring him in. You can track the staff as to where Shay is. That staff is as much a part of himself, and keeps him with almost full Imperium powers."
"Your majesty?"
"That staff holds a power that belongs to the Imperium… well we belong to that staff. That staff that Shay has, he is the only one that has managed to use its powers. So, you know where the staff is, you know where Shay is, because that staff won't leave him for anything."
The shadow bowed, "Yes, your Imperial Majesty." Then it was gone.
*Note*
oh, so, what is going to happen next? Will Shay discover who he is, or will he just go on being followed, and believe that he is cursed. So, lets here from you, I really need to know what you think, is it good enough to continue? I need to know :)
okay, on the last chapter, I said this was my first fic, but if you've been following from the beginning you'll know that this was the first one I did, but it's the second I've posted here.
Catch you all later (but really, tell me what you think!) (
