Fire Dragon "You're up to one hell of a surprise on this chapter hehe, you get to discover the identities of the bad guys. I'm sure you'll want to kill me at the end, but I'm certain you'll be watching at the screen to see if what I wrote is correct. *giggles* I hope you like it. Thanks for the wonderful reviews."
Water Dragon "Yup, just don't throw anything at us, 'cause if you do we won't be able to finish Ch 23 in time for next week."
Fire Dragon "Hahahaha I'm evil, EVIL I tell you!!!" *stops laughing manically while regaining sanity*
Water Dragon "O.O did you even had sanity to begin with?"
Fire Dragon *shrugs* "I dunno. Anyway, remember to review."
Disclaimer: Water Dragon *Runs to buy California Lotto tickets to the near by store* "I have to win, so I can buy the rights of Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Mooooooonnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!"
Fire Dragon "0.0;;; Until then, they are not ours."
Coming Back Home
Ch 22
"No! it can't be you. Kunzite!" Usagi yelled.
"What? What are you talking about?" Makoto looked around trying to see what Usagi was yelling at.
~~~~
Everybody stared at Usagi and how she was talking to thin air. The inners looked wildly around when they heard her scream 'Kunzite!' expecting an attack at that moment, however, Usagi had started talking to herself. Rei tuned herself out of the murmurs of the others and started to meditate. There on the far-plane was a small, almost familiar power source.
"Something is here." Rei looked trying to see with her eyes what she had felt meditating.
All the others gave her the same weird look they had been giving Usagi, but before they could say anything they heard Usagi say "Alright, lets go."
~~~~~ On Usagi's conversation ~~~~
"That's correct your majesty, it's me Kunzite." He said bowing to her.
"But how? You were dead. We killed you, I killed you." Usagi whispered looking at the deceased general.
"That's correct, and I thank you for liberating me from Beryl's grasp. Now, I'm her to warn you. You must make haste to where Endymion is; she is draining his energy almost to the point that I fear for his immediate death if he is not freed quickly." He said worriedly. Usagi saw genuine concern on his almost transparent face.
"Where is he?" Usagi tried not to go hysterical.
"You must follow me now, we don't have much time." Kunzite moved to the edge of the Lookout.
"Wait! Where are the other generals?" Usagi asked.
"They are the ones keeping Endymion alive for the moment, and I fear we can't hold on for much longer." Kunzite said regretfully. Usagi could almost see him go even more transparent.
"Alright, lets go." She moved after him before being stopped.
~~~
Haruka stopped Usagi before she could go. "And where, pray tell, are you going?" Haruka asked not letting go of her hand.
"I'm going to find Mamo-chan. Kunzite says that he knows where he is, so I'm going after him." Usagi tried to pry Haruka's hand off hers.
"Usagi, Kunzite is dead." Minako reminded her friend.
"I know, but he's here right now." Usagi said sternly.
"Don't tell me you're gonna believe a ghost?" Goten said incuriously.
"Believe me, when you've seen what I've seen, you would believe in ghosts too." Minako told him before Piccolo hit him on the head.
"Hey, what was that for?!" Goten rubbed his head.
"Don't you remember the first time you saw Goku?" Piccolo grunted. "He was dead at the time."
"Oh yeah, right." Goten gave his goofy smile.
~~
"Usagi, he could be leading you to a trap." Rei snapped.
"Don't you think I know that? But he's gonna take me to him. Trap or not I'm going!" At last Usagi was able to break free of Haruka's hold.
"I don't like this, being helped by our ex-enemy." Ami said looking not very convinced.
"You're not the only one honey." Makoto frowned.
"How can you be so sure that what he is saying is true?" Goku asked his daughter.
"I'm not really sure, but I don't feel anything bad coming off him. Anyway, we have to go, it's the only way to find him." Usagi looked at Goku straight in the eyes.
"Well let's go." To everybody's surprise, Vegeta was the one that had spoken.
"What? Are you crazy? You heard her, it could be a trap." Tien all but yelled.
"Not to say that the girl is completely nuts talking to ghosts. At least we could see Goku, but this girl is talking to thin air." Yamcha squealed receiving glares from everybody.
"If she says that she's going, we're going." Vegeta crossed his arms over his chest waiting for somebody stupid enough to contradict him.
"Fine Usagi, lead
the way." Rei sighed, praying that it wouldn't be a trap.
Usagi turned to see Kunzite's transparent form. "Take us there." She commanded.
"This way, quickly. Endymion doesn't have much time left." With that Kunzite started his descend with the senshi and the Z warriors behind him.
~~~$@~~~$@
Usagi and the rest where guided to a large cavern on the middle of a forest.
"I don't like this. It looks just like the cavern where Dr. Gero had Cell in." Krillin said frightened.
"Let's go, it's farther inside." Kunzite walked into the cavern.
"He's deeper into the cavern." Usagi informed them.
"Ok, but remember that this could still be a trap." Makoto said moving to stand in front of her. Nodding Usagi followed Kunzite. The senshi formed a protecting ring around Usagi while the Z fighters brought the rear.
"Why don't you guys wait in the entrance of the cave to see if more bad guys appear?" Goku told Krillin, Yamcha, Tien and Choatzu.
"Ok." Krillin said relieved that he didn't have to confront whoever was behind all this. The others just nodded and stood to guard the opening of the cavern.
~~~$@~~~$@
Usagi followed blindly as Kunzite made many twists and turns, walking thru what it seemed endless corridors. For a moment, she thought he was lost until he stopped in front of a pair of large iron doors.
"We're here." He said, going thru the door not waiting for them.
"Well, this is it."
Usagi said.
Trunks and Goten moved to open the door, just waiting for the signal. Giving a curt nod, Goku prepared himself to see who had started this. Slowly, trying not to make any sound, Goten and Trunks opened the door. The room was poor lit; as they made their way to the center of the room.
"I don't know how you managed to get this far, but you're not getting out of here." A female voice hissed.
In that precise moment the lights turned on, blinding the warriors. After the effects wore off they could see that just the far end remained in shadows. Narrowing her eyes Usagi could make out a figure, gasping, Usagi paled of what she saw.
There in the end of the room lay Mamoru, sprawled on a stone throne. His face lay hidden under his long bangs, head bowed resting on his chest. His hands fell limply by his sides, heavy chains around them.
"Mamo-chan!" Usagi yelled.
A feminine figure moved from behind the throne still covered by the shadows and placed a hand on one side of his face, stroking it lovingly. Narrowing her eyes, Usagi charged against whoever had dared to touch her love, only to be stopped by…Mamoru? But didn't he was still seated on the throne?
"There are two of them?" Makoto asked confused looking at the one by Usagi and the other held on the throne.
"My, my, we have visitors." The senshi and the Z warriors heard say by two voices at once. One of the voices coming from Mamoru, and the other coming from the figure behind the throne.
"What the hell is going on here?" Piccolo all but yelled. At that moment, they realized that they were not alone anymore. Five more figures surrounded them hidden in the shadows, leaving them no way to escape without a fight.
"I see you're back triad." Mamoru/the figure said smirking. "Welcome to the party." With that, Mamoru turned around and headed to the throne, but when he was about to touch it he disappeared bringing gasps from everybody.
At that moment the figure's hand took Mamoru from the neck, lifted him as if he was a rag doll, and threw him violently to the floor.
"Hmph, I'm bored playing with this toy." Only one voice said now. She walked around the throne and sat. Three of the figures laughed at her comment.
~~
The warriors could hear Vegeta hiss loudly. Everybody turned to see him.
"Do you know her Vegeta?" Goku asked looking at the woman on the throne.
"Maya." He hissed once again.
"Why, just the prince I was looking for. Did you miss me Vegeta, because I certainly didn't." She finished venomously before smiling. "Looking good as always I see." She smiled slyly.
"Who is she dad? She seems to know you, that's for sure." Trunks snapped.
"That's an understatement. We know each other very, very well." Again she said slyly.
"You wish onna!" Vegeta crossed his arms and growled arrogantly.
"Why you little-" She snapped angrily, but then recomposed herself. "Now, aren't you gonna introduce me to your friends? Or do you want me to do it for you dear?"
Vegeta growled in annoyance, his body trembled with suppressed rage. "What the hell are you doing here Maya? I thought you had disappeared with those idiots that worked for you once your pitiful master died." Vegeta's words dripped with loathing.
"No, thanks to you, I was out of my job. A weak latter, of their departure, a message from our base on sector Beta 512 informed us of the death of Frieza and King Cold, by the hands of a Super Saiyan. That took my chance of becoming second in command of Frieza's army, so I gathered what was left of it, and I got a new hobby: Hunt down the little prince of the Saiyans and make him pay for his inconvenient stunt." She hissed.
"You came all this way to get revenge out of me for something that, unfortunately was taken away from me." Vegeta said, his voice a mixture of bitterness and amusement.
"Oh but I know, I know that the first that attacked Frieza was the big bully that is behind you. But the one that truly killed him was your son that came from the future."
Vegeta's eyes opened in amazement. "How did you know that?!" He yelled.
"With the right persuasion your son's soul can be very talkative." She said looking at Mamoru's body on the floor.
"Bitch!" Haruka hissed looking at Mamoru's prone body without being able to do anything.
"So you see, in my way of reasoning, one Saiyan is as good as another. You are his father after all, shouldn't you take responsibility of his act?" She smiled cruelly. "But, to show you that I'm not that bad, I'm gonna put you and your little friends out of your misery. C'mon boys, come out of your hiding spot." She commanded.
"Serenity!" Kunzite yelled appearing in front of Usagi.
"Kunzite." Usagi's eyes widened to see the general at her side.
~~
"I see you've lost one of you're dogs." Vegeta snarled.
"Well, accidents happen." Maya shrugged.
Everybody recognize them as the guys that attacked them in the city. Looking back they could see Usagi once again talking to thin air.
~~
"Princess Serenity, you have to hurry. Endymion's body can not hold any longer." Kunzite said worriedly, pointing at Mamoru.
Nodding, Usagi ran to his side, just to be once again stopped by one of Maya's henchman. She recognized her as the girl that had attacked her and Vegeta in the jungle.
"And where do you think you're going?" The woman asked condescendingly.
~~
"Gen, Gis, Kan, don't let them get near the body!" Maya yelled. (FD: I know, I know, cheesy names, but it was better than Cauliflower and Broccoli. -)
She made a sign to the figure that was still hidden in the shadows, and without any warning he appeared behind Trunks and injected something on his neck. With the same speed, he appeared at Maya's side with Trunks' unconscious body on his arm.
"A new toy!" Maya said excitedly.
Everybody turned from where Usagi was stopped, just to see how Maya sat Trunks on the throne and started caressing his face just as she had done with Mamoru's.
"You truly have handsome boys Vegeta." She said gripping Trunks chin and pulling him up. "I think I'll have a taste." She said bringing his lips to hers.
"THE HELL YOU WILL!!!!!!!!!" The yell stopped Maya from kissing Trunks.
Everybody turned to see (FD "Drum roll please." WD "Yup, you guessed it.) Ami. The warriors could detect her anger not only from the way she was looking at Maya, but the small electric charges as well as the blue aura surrounding her was a big give away of her despise.
"Get your filthy hands off him." Ami stressed each word out, looking murderously at the woman that had her boyfriend unconscious.
"Or you what little girl?" Maya taunted, still holding Trunks' chin on her hand.
Goku was surprised to feel Ami's Ki go to the roof, in all the time inside the Chamber of Spirit and Time, Ami had tried unsuccessfully to produce a Ki attack, and now it seemed that her anger pushed her to try again.
"Oh, you'll se what I can do." Ami powered up while her blue aura grew around her. Moving as if she was going to throw her Shabon Spray Ami's hands let go of the familiar blue mist that had Ami frustrated for the first months of her training.
Maya found herself on the middle of a cloud of mist, letting go of Trunks' chin, she started to fan the mist away. Seconds later, the blue mist disappeared.
"Ha! Is that all you can do? Pretty lights and blue mist? Hahahahaha!" Maya held her stomach laughing as hard as she could.
"I'm not finished yet." Ami stated coldly. "Mercury-" The mist appeared again in front of Maya who looked bored at her. "Frozen-" tons of tiny droplets formed freezing instantly "Needles!" Ami with a sudden move she closed the outstretched palm of her hand. Immediately, millions of small frozen needles inserted themselves on Maya's body, drawing blood from everywhere. There was no place on her body that wasn't bleeding.
"HHHHHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!" Maya dropped to the floor holding her face. "No! My face! My beautiful face!" She howled in pain trying to unsuccessfully see thru her blood shot eyes.
In that moment all hell broke loose. The Triad began circling the senshi while Usagi and the Z fighters where stopped by the other two enemies.
"Who are you?" Usagi looked at them while eyeing Mamoru just behind them.
"My name is Amethyst." The woman said walking to stand besides the guy who had taken Trunks earlier.
"And I'm Onyx." He said coldly. "And now that you know who we are, you and your little friends are going to die Moon brat!" Onyx prepared to send a magic attack against them when a black portal opened behind Maya who was still trying to recuperate from the attack.
"Damn! It's time to go. Lets go Onyx, we'll finish this later." Amethyst and Onyx retrieved Maya and got into the portal, the Triad following close.
~~
After they had left, Usagi ran to Mamoru while Ami helped Trunks who had already woken up just to see Maya being taken into the portal. After Ami made sure Trunks was ok, she turned to see Mamoru.
Usagi knelt besides Mamoru's body. Almost afraid, Usagi's shaky hand made its way to Mamoru's face just to find it cold.
"No, no, no, no, no, NO!" Usagi cried over Mamoru's chest.
"I'm sorry Princess, we couldn't do anything to help." Usagi lifted her face up to see Kunzite, Jadeite, Zoisite, and Nephrite by his side. All of the generals had a mourning expression on their faces.
"We did everything we could." Zoisite hit his hand against the wall, however, in his transparent form his hand it just went thru the wall making no damage. (FD "Yes in this Zoi is a male. Just trust me on this one, I'll explain later ^-^")
"It just wasn't enough." Jadeite said regretfully.
"We let him down once again." Nephrite shook his head.
All of them looked apologetically at Usagi. Bowing they disappeared into nothingness maybe to never reappear again.
~~
Standing up, Ami walked to Mamoru to check his pulse. Chocking down a sob, she looked at Usagi. "I-I…I'm sorry Usagi." She said regretfully. "He's dead." She said just as the generals disappeared.
~~~~$@~~~$@~~~$@
Fire Dragon "Ha! You didn't expect that did ya? And here you thought the generals were the bad guys, but noooo, they are good. Mwahahahaha, evil cliffy again!!! I'm leaving the best for last. *rubs hands mischievously.* But still, who are the other two guys that fought Vegeta and Usagi? Is Mamoru really dead? Tune in next week to find the answers to your questions. Until then, Ja ne."
Water Dragon *Holding at least ten lotto tickets* "And remember to review." *Waves hand at readers. "Ja ne"