Version 1.0 - 28th Jul 1998
--------------------------------------------------------------------
S.I.U. - The Sailor Investigation Unit
by DARK DAY FOR ANIME (Mark A Page)
Disclaimer - all characters pertaining to the series Bishoujo Senshi
Sailormoon and Silent Mobius are owned by Takeuchi Naoko, Kia
Asamiya, Michitaka Kikuchi, Bandai, Studio Tron, Kadokawa and
Kodansya. All other characters were thought up by me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"What do you mean, out of this place? Minako is in here,
somewhere." Usagi clenched her fists. "We're in here, now. We
might as well help her get out."
Setsuna closed her eyes and took a breath, almost shuddering
with the effort it took to say the next line. "I'm sorry, Princess,
but that won't be possible."
"Why not?" Usagi pressed forward, her face close to
Setsuna's, the elder senshi staring back, feeling like a right heel.
"She is my friend. OUR friend. And WE don't leave OUR friends
behind!" Usagi lowered her face. "Do we?"
Ouch! Setsuna had to admit, that hurt. There were very few
people in the world with the capacity to prick Setsuna's conscience
than her princess. But still, she was adamant.... There was simply
NO way that she would allow Venus back onto the streets in her
current condition. Much as she hated to admit it, the Sacred House
was her only hope for salvation.
"I'm sorry, Princess, but it is best if we leave her in here
for the time being...."
"YOU have GOT to be JOKING! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?"
Usagi's face went red with rage. "After EVERYTHING that Mina-chan
has done for me in the past, you DARE suggest I leave her in the
hands of a group like THIS?"
Before they could argue the point any further, the doors to
the room were flung open. Both spun, their hearts racing, expecting
to see some kind of fascist security guard of some sort.
Instead, they came face to face with the ball of flesh that
had pursued Usagi throughout the holding cell compound when she had
been disabled by the fumes of the blood liqueur.
"What.... What is that?" Setsuna backed away with Usagi as
the ball started rolling into the room, its many eyes staring
eagerly... hungrily... in their direction.
"It's... a bit hard to explain.... That vampire girl called
it Cthulu Kanzaki...."
"So that's Cthulu...." Setsuna swallowed. "I thought that it
had been put back into its cell...."
"So did I...." Usagi croaked as the pair were backed into a
corner by the ball of flesh's advance....
----o
Part Twentyseven
A Pox on Both Your Houses
----o
"Well, that's settled that problem for the time being." Aoi
slapped her hands together as she walked into her lounge room,
immediately surveying the scene of intimacy that was passing between
Mhaere and Pagan. "Just WHAT the BLOODY HELL do you two think
you're doing?"
Pagan turned to Aoi, gesturing helplessly. "It's not me. She
just started smooching away, honest...." He heard a giggle from the
redheaded young woman whose arms were still wrapped around his neck.
"Hey.... Wait a minute. Why am I defending myself to you?" He
managed to remove himself from Mhaere's fawning attention, crossing
his arms.
Aoi clenched both her teeth and fists. "For KAMI's sake, I've
just spent the last five minutes bounding and gagging that
nymphomaniacal Sailorsenshi to my bed...."
"Sukebe." Mhaere chuckled. Aoi shot her an evil look.
"Look who's talking."
"Alright, ALRIGHT! That's enough out of the both of you."
Pagan sighed. "The last thing I need is a couple of ladies fighting
over me...."
"It's not YOU we're fighting over." Aoi grumbled.
"No, it's Clydesdale, actually." Mhaere burst out laughing.
Pagan did his best to stop Aoi slam dunking her into the fishtank.
"That's ENOUGH, I said. For God's sake...." Aoi settled, and
he let her go. "Right now, I'm more concerned about the situation
we're currently in."
"And that would be?" Mhaere raised an eyebrow after wiping
tears from her eyes. Pagan looked at her, painfully.
"According to what you've told me... And I see no reason to
believe you, Lysithea is in the process of kidnapping a member of
the Sacred House in an effort to open the dimensional gate that
borders our world and Nemesis."
"Indeed, he is. I know this for a fact."
"What are you talking about?" Aoi blinked, her face a mask of
confusion. Pagan turned to her.
"What I mean is, a member of the Coven of Atrocity is
intending to perform a ceremony, using two halfbloods as sacrifices,
to open the door to the world of the Others." He glanced at Mhaere.
"Only I am LESS than inclined to believe the person who has given me
this information."
"Why?" Mhaere jammed her fists on her hips, miffed by Pagan's
attitude.
"For a start, you USED to be a member of the Sacred House.
How can I trust ANYONE who had come under their influence?" Mhaere
huffed and turned away, crossing her arms. Pagan ignored this and
continued. "Secondly, I have known Lysithea since we were children.
If he were to be doing anything like this, he would have told me."
"You're sure?" Aoi sniffed. "I've been betrayed, in my past,
by people who were closer than family. Not hard to be, really, when
you consider my family, but all the same." She coughed and ruffled
through the coat she had put on, hoping to find a spare packet of
cigarettes. She needed her dose of nervejuice right now.
"Lysithea and I were like THIS!" Pagan leaned forward,
pinching two fingers together as Aoi triumphantly pulled out a lone
cigarette, slightly bent and ruffled, but still smokeable.
"Hot damn, I knew I had one in there." She held her prize
aloft, then ruffled through the other pocket in search of a match.
"You were saying?"
Pagan, slightly deflated in his argument by Aoi's diversion,
sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Look.... This is not the only
problem we face." He gestured to Gwen, who was still sitting,
unconscious, in the lounge chair she had been placed when they'd
arrived. "Her partners are likely to be looking for her."
"And are likely to track her here, simply by following her
energy signal." Mhaere nodded, still looking away.
Aoi pulled the matchbox from her other pocket and proceeded
to light the ruffled cigarette, taking a long, slow draw of its
smoke, deep into her lungs. She slowly blew the smoke into the air,
thinking. "You know..." She paused. "I really think I should call
the office, now, and tell them where I am."
"I really think you shouldn't." Pagan chuckled.
"Why not?" Aoi looked at him. He shrugged.
"Because it is likely that both the House and the Coven are
keeping tabs on the latest information, per the hunt for you, Gwen
and the Sailor girl, that your office is gathering."
"And more than that." Mhaere turned to Aoi. "The people who
killed Sailorjupiter.... They have a person who is working within
the Major Crime Department."
"WHAT?" Aoi almost dropped her cigarette. Almost. "Who?
How do you know this?"
"How indeed." Mhaere smiled, crookedly.
"Yes, how?" Said the voice of the young woman in the red
kimono, standing behind Mhaere. The redhead spun around to face
Arisa, and neither Pagan nor Aoi could tell who was more surprised
to see whom.
"You! How did you...?" Mhaere began.
"Mhaere?" Arisa stood back. The element of surprise, of
appearing both when and where nobody expected her was something
Arisa had mastered.... But this time, coming face to face with
someone she thought to be dead.... "It is Mhaere, isn't it?"
"Damn! I don't need you here, now!" The redhead peered over
Arisa's shoulder at the dark-haired girl, standing near the
loungeroom's far wall, with an equally stunned expression on her
face. "Not you, too!"
"Mhaere...." Maria croaked, staring, fixedly, at the redhead.
It was Arisa who caught sight of Gwen's pale form in the armchair.
"Gwen...." Arisa strode forward, past Mhaere and Pagan.
"What have you done to Gwen?"
"Nothing, actually. Well, I haven't, anyway." Arisa turned
on Pagan, sneering angrily.
"Well isn't THAT a surprise, Coven FREAK."
Pagan laughed, mirthlessly. "I don't seem to remember you
being invited in here. This is Aoi-san's house, isn't it?"
"You weren't exactly invited in here, either." Aoi mumbled,
taking another draw on her cigarette and trying to stand about as
far away as possible from the brewing situation.
Arisa stepped over to Gwen and kneeled before her, checking
her pulse, feeling the coldness of her skin. "Thank Kami, she's not
dead." Arisa rounded on Pagan. "You did this, didn't you!"
Pagan held up his hands. "Now hold on a minute. I was
BROUGHT here.... I didn't have anything to do with what happened to
her. Ask Aoi, here, about it."
Aoi, who had turned away, muttering to herself, suddenly
turned as she felt Arisa's stare bore into her back. "Ask ME? I
only thumped her once. It's not my fault she has a glass jaw."
"YOU hit Gwen?" Maria strode forward, angrily. It was quite
the wrong way to deal with Aoi.
"Yeah, I hit her. She attacked, first. Besides, she tried to
steal MY Sailorsenshi. NOBODY does that on me." Aoi pushed herself
forward, threateningly, making Maria stop in midstep and recount.
"Well.... She's my friend. Anybody who hurts her...."
"If she's your FUCKING friend, then you should TELL her when
it is polite to butt into other people's business, you understand
me?" Aoi jabbed a finger into Maria's chest, making both Pagan and
Mhaere nod, quite impressed by her commanding performance. Of
course, Aoi didn't have any idea who it was she was berating. If
she did, she might have thought twice.
"I trusted you, Kikotsuka Aoi.... I thought we'd made an
arrangement...." Arisa stood, trying to stare Aoi down, angrily.
Aoi turned to face her.
"What arrangement?"
"Yeah, what arrangement?" Pagan blinked. "You mean you've
made some kind of arrangement with the Sacred House?"
"Baka..." Mhaere put a hand to her forehead, rubbing it with
fatigued cynicism.
"The ONLY bloody arrangement that was made was you giving me
you bloody card.... What was it? If I ever get into trouble, call
you...." Aoi shrugged. "Why would I call someone I don't know for
help?"
"That's not the point. Did Gwen try to hurt YOU in any manner
before you... knocked her lights out?" Arisa growled.
Aoi nodded. "Yeah. Course she did." Arisa's anger
dissipated into stunned disbelief at Aoi's honesty.
"You've got to be kidding! Gwen HATES hurting people. She's
just not that kind of person."
"What kind of person is she, then?" Aoi huffed. "You talk
pretty tough for someone who was scared witless of me the last time
we met."
Arisa's face changed back into a glower. "I wasn't scared.
Merely wary. I know what you are, and what you're capable of doing,
even if you don't."
"Yeah, I'm a mean, tough and nasty Mind Predator. And if you
ain't careful, I'll have your brain fer dinner." Aoi sneered. "Now
why don't you and your friend take that girl and get the hell outta
my apartment, understand?"
"It's not that simple, anymore." Maria interrupted.
"You're... fraternising with a member of the Coven. We can't allow
that to continue."
"I thought the subject would change back to me." Pagan
nodded, with arrogant satisfaction. "I'm used to being the center
of attention."
"Shutup, you!" Aoi snapped at him, then turned to Maria. "I
really couldn't give jack shit WHO I fraternise with.... You seem
to forget I'm currently fraternising with you, which says something
about my poor choice of acquaintances. You're in MY house, and your
imposing upon MY time." She turned back to Mhaere and Pagan. "And
that includes the both of you. Now, I've got my Sailorsenshi, the
pair of you can just fuck off, alright?"
"What?" Arisa gasped.
"You have a Sailorsenshi?" Maria continued.
"Yeah, she's tied up in my bedroom." Aoi gestured to the
hallway door with a nod of her head. Mhaere cringed.
"Baka...."
"Yeah, go ahead and tell everybody about it, why don't you."
Pagan huffed. Arisa made for the hallway door, but was stopped by
Aoi, gripping her arm.
"And just where do you think YOU'RE going?"
"Let go of my arm.... You have what we want." Arisa bared
her teeth at Aoi.
"What? You want to take MY Sailorsenshi from me? Over my
dead body!" Aoi pulled Arisa away from the door, throwing her at
Maria. The dark-haired woman only just managed to catch her before
she toppled over. Aoi stood in front of the doorway, arms crossed.
"She belongs to ME, and YOU aren't having her."
"I think now my be a good time to take our leave...." Mhaere
whispered to Pagan. He looked back at her, dubiously.
"I don't have any proper clothes...." He pointed to the towel
he was wearing. "I'll freeze to death."
"We can pick up something on the way.... Things are about to
get a little warm around here." Mhaere took him by the arm, and he
could feel the first tingling sensations of an incipient transport.
Aoi could feel them, too.... From two separate sources.
Mhaere and Arisa. "NO WAY! You're going to transport to my
bedroom! That's cheating!"
At that moment, when figures should have been vanishing from
the loungeroom, there was a flash of bright light, and Arisa fell to
the floor in pain. Maria grabbed her and shielded her body from the
light. After a few moments of searing pain, Maria lifted her head
to find the loungeroom empty, of everyone except both Gwen and
themselves.
"What the hell...." Maria blinked, feeling Arisa squirm from
underneath her. She lifted herself off the figure of her partner,
who sat up, a dazed and reddened expression in her eyes.
"She tried to stop me.... She tried to use her power to stop
my transportation.... But she latched onto Mhaere, instead." Arisa
clutched at her chest. "I feel like I'm going to burst...."
"Oh shit.... Not here, not now...."
"I can't hold it back.... It's going to happen." Arisa's
face started to go red.
"Nya nya.... I got away from yer ropes!" Maria turned to the
blue-haired girl, standing in the doorway. Ami was blowing her best
raspberry in her direction. "Thought you could tie up
Sailormercury, did ya? Well, I'm better than that.... Bye." And
with a cute smile, Ami ran for the front door, not even bothering to
open it as she made her way out. Maria cringed as the sound of
splintering wood filled the apartment.
----o
Mhaere, Pagan and Aoi flew through what appeared to be a
tunnel of light, crying out in pain as beams of energy crackled
through them. Mhaere opened an eye, peering at Aoi.
"You blithering idiot. What the hell did you do that for?"
"Do what?" Aoi shouted, not willing to open her eyes.
"Use your power whilst I was trying to use mine."
"What power? I don't HAVE any power...."
"She doesn't understand..." Pagan turned to Mhaere, his eyes
screwed shut. "She doesn't realise when she's using it...."
"For KAMI's sake.... I DON'T HAVE any powers. I'm just a
normal human being, understand?"
"Yeah?" Mhaere sneered. "So why are you travelling with us,
eh? Answer me that one, Einstein!"
"Aoi opened her eyes, intent on arguing the point, when she
witnessed their destination.... A piece of solid, cemented ground
in the middle of a large courtyard. In the center of the courtyard
was Kaji and two other gentlemen, one young, one old. And all three
were running for their lives as blasts of fire and energy flew
about. "Oh SHIT!" Aoi put up her arms as the ground flew towards
them at great speed. The other two didn't have time to react.
Above the grounds of the Hikawa Shrine, a large portal opened,
and all three fell out, hitting the dirt in front of the three
fleeing figures. Kaji came to a dead halt, with Yuuichirou running
into him from behind.
"Oi! What the HELL do you think you're doing?" Yuuichirou
gasped, staring at Kaji, who was staring at Aoi, who was staring at
an ant, who was staring back.
"A... Aoi...." Kaji stepped forward, leaning down in front
of his dazed partner. Yuuichirou turned to Rei's Grandfather,
stunned.
"Where did they come from?"
"From the sky, Kumada-san.... It is a sign from the gods."
The old man clenched his fists. "They have willed that my
granddaughter become a raging demon of fire.... Perhaps they have
sent their servants to save her from this fate."
"Look like ordinary people to me." Yuuichirou shrugged, then
ducked as a bolt of flame flew over his head. "Speaking of Rei-
chan.... She's still after that strange young woman back there."
He pointed to the figure of Sailormars, in pursuit of a dark-haired
girl in equally dark clothing. The girl had attempted to kill both
her and Saturn only a few moments before.... Not realising that the
person she'd already downed with a shot was back up on her feet.
Meanwhile, Mhaere and Pagan had managed to stand, staring
around at the shrine grounds. "Where the hell are we?" Pagan asked
as he shivered, feeling droplets of rain fall on him. Mhaere
shrugged.
"How the hell would I know? Somewhere we're supposed to have
ended up via fate, I suppose." She cleared her throat and tugged on
Pagan's arm, pointing to the staring figures of Yuuichirou and Rei's
Grandfather. "I think they've noticed something."
"What?" Pagan frowned at her.
"You've lost your towel."
A long period of silence passed between them. Mhaere's smile
got wider as Pagan's face went redder.
"You could have told me, sooner." He clamped his hands across
his member.... as well as he could.
"Aoi... Are you okay?" Kaji helped Aoi to her feet, a dreamy
expression on her face as he turned her away from Pagan.
"I am now.... Jeez, I need a drink...." She drooled.
"Get a grip on yourself." Kaji shook her by the shoulders.
"I know what I'd like to get a grip on, right now...." Aoi
chuckled.
"Ano ne.." Pagan shouted. "Would you stop making jokes about
my....."
"Clydesdale?" Mhaere snorted, trying to stop herself from
bursting into laughter. Pagan glared at her.
A figure flashed past Pagan and bundled Mhaere out of the way.
Pagan felt the cold end of a pistol being stuck into his back as
Miyuki gripped his long hair, pulling him to the ground, gasping
for breath.
Within seconds, Mars was on the scene, racing past a
confounded Grandfather and Acolyte. It was only Aoi who managed to
stop her charging into Pagan, gripping her arm solidly. Mars
wheeled on her.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Mars screamed. "SHE JUST
TRIED TO.... SHE TRIED TO KILL ME.... SHE TRIED TO KILL SATURN!"
"What the hell is going on here?" Aoi stared Mars down,
sternly. She then blinked with surprise. "Kami's feathers...
You're a Sailorsenshi!"
"Yeah? So?" Rei's face became quizzical.
In a flash, Aoi pulled out a couple of fans, bedecked with
the Japanese flag on them. "BWAhaha! Two Senshi in one day. Am I
on a roll or what?"
Everyone facefaulted.
"Excuse me...." Said Miyuki, giving Pagan's hair a painful
tug. "I'm trying to take this man hostage." She said it in such a
matter of fact manner that nobody could ignore it.
"Oh.... Great.... Why am I always the one who requires
rescue?" Pagan sighed. "Maybe I should have stayed in bed this
morning."
"Shutup, you!" Miyuki sneered, arrogantly, pressing the gun
harder into his back. "I don't need your jokes at this moment....
Not with HER out there...."
"Okay... Okay..." Pagan put up his hands, nervously.
Miyuki shivered, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to shut
out the voice of Saturn that was being projected into her mind.
"Iapetus...." It echoed.
"Mars.... What is happening?" Luna came dashing into the
middle of the fracas. Rei turned on both her and Artemis, who
followed.
"Keep back...." She held out her hand to them. "How is
Saturn?"
"The wound is not good. She might need hospitalisation."
Artemis shouted. A bullet struck the ground by his feet, making
him dance back a short distance. "EEEEEE!" He fainted.
"Artemis!" Rei and Luna ran over to him.
"Would you like to pay me some attention, now?" Miyuki
swallowed, angrily, glaring at them.
Mhaere crossed her arms. "Go ahead, then, whoever you are.
Kill him." Miyuki and Pagan stared at Mhaere.
"What did you SAY?" Miyuki's normally dead expression finally
broke into disbelief. It seemed, to Mhaere, to be the first true
expression the girl had attempted since birth.
"Yeah, kill him. It doesn't matter to us if he dies." Aoi
stepped forward, her arms crossed. Kaji reached forward for her.
"Aoi-san... Are you MAD? This girl's a cold and calculating
killer.... She'd call your bluff."
"She had no fear in shooting Sailorsaturn. I can't think of
anyone who would be willing to do that." Luna swallowed.
"Oh my KAMI!" Kaji stammered. "A talking CAT!" Luna
facefaulted.
"Ano ne.... I'm trying to support you, here."
Miyuki's expression became deadpan again, thinking
desperately. A smile crossed her face and she grabbed Pagan's
member, pointing the gun at its base. "Very well, if HE doesn't
matter to you.... I'll take THIS as hostage."
"My God...." Mhaere muttered.
"She found our weakness...." Aoi's face dropped. Miyuki
chuckled to herself.
"I got hold of this before you. How does that make you feel?"
"I know how it makes me feel." Pagan squinted with pain as
Miyuki squeezed.
"Shutup, you."
"What do you want?" Rei barked the question at her. Miyuki
cocked her head to one side, considering her answer.
"I came here on someone else's orders to kill you, Sailormars.
I never expected to come face to face with.... with HER."
"With who?"
"Saturn.... I want out of here. I want away from her. It
doesn't matter.... Just keep HER away from me!"
"IAPETUS!" Everyone turned as the thin figure of the dark-
haired Sailorsenshi staggered forward, resting her weight on her
Glaive in one hand as she held the wound in her midriff with the
other. Miyuki's face became a mask of fear.... Not something she
had experienced, quite to this degree, at any stage of her life.
"Stop calling me that!" She stood, bringing Pagan with her.
"My name is Nakano Miyuki. I do not, will never, go by the name of
Iapetus...."
"Iapetus.... This is wrong.... This is not what you were
reborn for...." Hotaru reached Rei, who took her by the arm,
supporting her.
"Shutup! I have no idea what you're talking about...."
Miyuki threw Pagan aside, putting the gun to her temple. "I'm NOT
Iapetus.... Leave me ALONE! LEAVE MY MIND ALONE!"
There was a gunshot, and Saturn cried out in pain.
END OF PART 27
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Next Chapter - "Defence and Offence"
On the wettest, stormiest day for close to thirty years in my home
city of Adelaide, I am caught within my house with nothing else to
do but write a fanfic. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as
much as I had writing it. ^_^
_________
/ @ \ DDFA (The Right Dishonourable Mark A Page)
/ / ^ ^ \ \ ayanami@internode.on.net
/\
\/ \/
\___________/
/_/ \_\ PU
--------------------------------------------------------------------
S.I.U. - The Sailor Investigation Unit
by DARK DAY FOR ANIME (Mark A Page)
Disclaimer - all characters pertaining to the series Bishoujo Senshi
Sailormoon and Silent Mobius are owned by Takeuchi Naoko, Kia
Asamiya, Michitaka Kikuchi, Bandai, Studio Tron, Kadokawa and
Kodansya. All other characters were thought up by me.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
"What do you mean, out of this place? Minako is in here,
somewhere." Usagi clenched her fists. "We're in here, now. We
might as well help her get out."
Setsuna closed her eyes and took a breath, almost shuddering
with the effort it took to say the next line. "I'm sorry, Princess,
but that won't be possible."
"Why not?" Usagi pressed forward, her face close to
Setsuna's, the elder senshi staring back, feeling like a right heel.
"She is my friend. OUR friend. And WE don't leave OUR friends
behind!" Usagi lowered her face. "Do we?"
Ouch! Setsuna had to admit, that hurt. There were very few
people in the world with the capacity to prick Setsuna's conscience
than her princess. But still, she was adamant.... There was simply
NO way that she would allow Venus back onto the streets in her
current condition. Much as she hated to admit it, the Sacred House
was her only hope for salvation.
"I'm sorry, Princess, but it is best if we leave her in here
for the time being...."
"YOU have GOT to be JOKING! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?"
Usagi's face went red with rage. "After EVERYTHING that Mina-chan
has done for me in the past, you DARE suggest I leave her in the
hands of a group like THIS?"
Before they could argue the point any further, the doors to
the room were flung open. Both spun, their hearts racing, expecting
to see some kind of fascist security guard of some sort.
Instead, they came face to face with the ball of flesh that
had pursued Usagi throughout the holding cell compound when she had
been disabled by the fumes of the blood liqueur.
"What.... What is that?" Setsuna backed away with Usagi as
the ball started rolling into the room, its many eyes staring
eagerly... hungrily... in their direction.
"It's... a bit hard to explain.... That vampire girl called
it Cthulu Kanzaki...."
"So that's Cthulu...." Setsuna swallowed. "I thought that it
had been put back into its cell...."
"So did I...." Usagi croaked as the pair were backed into a
corner by the ball of flesh's advance....
----o
Part Twentyseven
A Pox on Both Your Houses
----o
"Well, that's settled that problem for the time being." Aoi
slapped her hands together as she walked into her lounge room,
immediately surveying the scene of intimacy that was passing between
Mhaere and Pagan. "Just WHAT the BLOODY HELL do you two think
you're doing?"
Pagan turned to Aoi, gesturing helplessly. "It's not me. She
just started smooching away, honest...." He heard a giggle from the
redheaded young woman whose arms were still wrapped around his neck.
"Hey.... Wait a minute. Why am I defending myself to you?" He
managed to remove himself from Mhaere's fawning attention, crossing
his arms.
Aoi clenched both her teeth and fists. "For KAMI's sake, I've
just spent the last five minutes bounding and gagging that
nymphomaniacal Sailorsenshi to my bed...."
"Sukebe." Mhaere chuckled. Aoi shot her an evil look.
"Look who's talking."
"Alright, ALRIGHT! That's enough out of the both of you."
Pagan sighed. "The last thing I need is a couple of ladies fighting
over me...."
"It's not YOU we're fighting over." Aoi grumbled.
"No, it's Clydesdale, actually." Mhaere burst out laughing.
Pagan did his best to stop Aoi slam dunking her into the fishtank.
"That's ENOUGH, I said. For God's sake...." Aoi settled, and
he let her go. "Right now, I'm more concerned about the situation
we're currently in."
"And that would be?" Mhaere raised an eyebrow after wiping
tears from her eyes. Pagan looked at her, painfully.
"According to what you've told me... And I see no reason to
believe you, Lysithea is in the process of kidnapping a member of
the Sacred House in an effort to open the dimensional gate that
borders our world and Nemesis."
"Indeed, he is. I know this for a fact."
"What are you talking about?" Aoi blinked, her face a mask of
confusion. Pagan turned to her.
"What I mean is, a member of the Coven of Atrocity is
intending to perform a ceremony, using two halfbloods as sacrifices,
to open the door to the world of the Others." He glanced at Mhaere.
"Only I am LESS than inclined to believe the person who has given me
this information."
"Why?" Mhaere jammed her fists on her hips, miffed by Pagan's
attitude.
"For a start, you USED to be a member of the Sacred House.
How can I trust ANYONE who had come under their influence?" Mhaere
huffed and turned away, crossing her arms. Pagan ignored this and
continued. "Secondly, I have known Lysithea since we were children.
If he were to be doing anything like this, he would have told me."
"You're sure?" Aoi sniffed. "I've been betrayed, in my past,
by people who were closer than family. Not hard to be, really, when
you consider my family, but all the same." She coughed and ruffled
through the coat she had put on, hoping to find a spare packet of
cigarettes. She needed her dose of nervejuice right now.
"Lysithea and I were like THIS!" Pagan leaned forward,
pinching two fingers together as Aoi triumphantly pulled out a lone
cigarette, slightly bent and ruffled, but still smokeable.
"Hot damn, I knew I had one in there." She held her prize
aloft, then ruffled through the other pocket in search of a match.
"You were saying?"
Pagan, slightly deflated in his argument by Aoi's diversion,
sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Look.... This is not the only
problem we face." He gestured to Gwen, who was still sitting,
unconscious, in the lounge chair she had been placed when they'd
arrived. "Her partners are likely to be looking for her."
"And are likely to track her here, simply by following her
energy signal." Mhaere nodded, still looking away.
Aoi pulled the matchbox from her other pocket and proceeded
to light the ruffled cigarette, taking a long, slow draw of its
smoke, deep into her lungs. She slowly blew the smoke into the air,
thinking. "You know..." She paused. "I really think I should call
the office, now, and tell them where I am."
"I really think you shouldn't." Pagan chuckled.
"Why not?" Aoi looked at him. He shrugged.
"Because it is likely that both the House and the Coven are
keeping tabs on the latest information, per the hunt for you, Gwen
and the Sailor girl, that your office is gathering."
"And more than that." Mhaere turned to Aoi. "The people who
killed Sailorjupiter.... They have a person who is working within
the Major Crime Department."
"WHAT?" Aoi almost dropped her cigarette. Almost. "Who?
How do you know this?"
"How indeed." Mhaere smiled, crookedly.
"Yes, how?" Said the voice of the young woman in the red
kimono, standing behind Mhaere. The redhead spun around to face
Arisa, and neither Pagan nor Aoi could tell who was more surprised
to see whom.
"You! How did you...?" Mhaere began.
"Mhaere?" Arisa stood back. The element of surprise, of
appearing both when and where nobody expected her was something
Arisa had mastered.... But this time, coming face to face with
someone she thought to be dead.... "It is Mhaere, isn't it?"
"Damn! I don't need you here, now!" The redhead peered over
Arisa's shoulder at the dark-haired girl, standing near the
loungeroom's far wall, with an equally stunned expression on her
face. "Not you, too!"
"Mhaere...." Maria croaked, staring, fixedly, at the redhead.
It was Arisa who caught sight of Gwen's pale form in the armchair.
"Gwen...." Arisa strode forward, past Mhaere and Pagan.
"What have you done to Gwen?"
"Nothing, actually. Well, I haven't, anyway." Arisa turned
on Pagan, sneering angrily.
"Well isn't THAT a surprise, Coven FREAK."
Pagan laughed, mirthlessly. "I don't seem to remember you
being invited in here. This is Aoi-san's house, isn't it?"
"You weren't exactly invited in here, either." Aoi mumbled,
taking another draw on her cigarette and trying to stand about as
far away as possible from the brewing situation.
Arisa stepped over to Gwen and kneeled before her, checking
her pulse, feeling the coldness of her skin. "Thank Kami, she's not
dead." Arisa rounded on Pagan. "You did this, didn't you!"
Pagan held up his hands. "Now hold on a minute. I was
BROUGHT here.... I didn't have anything to do with what happened to
her. Ask Aoi, here, about it."
Aoi, who had turned away, muttering to herself, suddenly
turned as she felt Arisa's stare bore into her back. "Ask ME? I
only thumped her once. It's not my fault she has a glass jaw."
"YOU hit Gwen?" Maria strode forward, angrily. It was quite
the wrong way to deal with Aoi.
"Yeah, I hit her. She attacked, first. Besides, she tried to
steal MY Sailorsenshi. NOBODY does that on me." Aoi pushed herself
forward, threateningly, making Maria stop in midstep and recount.
"Well.... She's my friend. Anybody who hurts her...."
"If she's your FUCKING friend, then you should TELL her when
it is polite to butt into other people's business, you understand
me?" Aoi jabbed a finger into Maria's chest, making both Pagan and
Mhaere nod, quite impressed by her commanding performance. Of
course, Aoi didn't have any idea who it was she was berating. If
she did, she might have thought twice.
"I trusted you, Kikotsuka Aoi.... I thought we'd made an
arrangement...." Arisa stood, trying to stare Aoi down, angrily.
Aoi turned to face her.
"What arrangement?"
"Yeah, what arrangement?" Pagan blinked. "You mean you've
made some kind of arrangement with the Sacred House?"
"Baka..." Mhaere put a hand to her forehead, rubbing it with
fatigued cynicism.
"The ONLY bloody arrangement that was made was you giving me
you bloody card.... What was it? If I ever get into trouble, call
you...." Aoi shrugged. "Why would I call someone I don't know for
help?"
"That's not the point. Did Gwen try to hurt YOU in any manner
before you... knocked her lights out?" Arisa growled.
Aoi nodded. "Yeah. Course she did." Arisa's anger
dissipated into stunned disbelief at Aoi's honesty.
"You've got to be kidding! Gwen HATES hurting people. She's
just not that kind of person."
"What kind of person is she, then?" Aoi huffed. "You talk
pretty tough for someone who was scared witless of me the last time
we met."
Arisa's face changed back into a glower. "I wasn't scared.
Merely wary. I know what you are, and what you're capable of doing,
even if you don't."
"Yeah, I'm a mean, tough and nasty Mind Predator. And if you
ain't careful, I'll have your brain fer dinner." Aoi sneered. "Now
why don't you and your friend take that girl and get the hell outta
my apartment, understand?"
"It's not that simple, anymore." Maria interrupted.
"You're... fraternising with a member of the Coven. We can't allow
that to continue."
"I thought the subject would change back to me." Pagan
nodded, with arrogant satisfaction. "I'm used to being the center
of attention."
"Shutup, you!" Aoi snapped at him, then turned to Maria. "I
really couldn't give jack shit WHO I fraternise with.... You seem
to forget I'm currently fraternising with you, which says something
about my poor choice of acquaintances. You're in MY house, and your
imposing upon MY time." She turned back to Mhaere and Pagan. "And
that includes the both of you. Now, I've got my Sailorsenshi, the
pair of you can just fuck off, alright?"
"What?" Arisa gasped.
"You have a Sailorsenshi?" Maria continued.
"Yeah, she's tied up in my bedroom." Aoi gestured to the
hallway door with a nod of her head. Mhaere cringed.
"Baka...."
"Yeah, go ahead and tell everybody about it, why don't you."
Pagan huffed. Arisa made for the hallway door, but was stopped by
Aoi, gripping her arm.
"And just where do you think YOU'RE going?"
"Let go of my arm.... You have what we want." Arisa bared
her teeth at Aoi.
"What? You want to take MY Sailorsenshi from me? Over my
dead body!" Aoi pulled Arisa away from the door, throwing her at
Maria. The dark-haired woman only just managed to catch her before
she toppled over. Aoi stood in front of the doorway, arms crossed.
"She belongs to ME, and YOU aren't having her."
"I think now my be a good time to take our leave...." Mhaere
whispered to Pagan. He looked back at her, dubiously.
"I don't have any proper clothes...." He pointed to the towel
he was wearing. "I'll freeze to death."
"We can pick up something on the way.... Things are about to
get a little warm around here." Mhaere took him by the arm, and he
could feel the first tingling sensations of an incipient transport.
Aoi could feel them, too.... From two separate sources.
Mhaere and Arisa. "NO WAY! You're going to transport to my
bedroom! That's cheating!"
At that moment, when figures should have been vanishing from
the loungeroom, there was a flash of bright light, and Arisa fell to
the floor in pain. Maria grabbed her and shielded her body from the
light. After a few moments of searing pain, Maria lifted her head
to find the loungeroom empty, of everyone except both Gwen and
themselves.
"What the hell...." Maria blinked, feeling Arisa squirm from
underneath her. She lifted herself off the figure of her partner,
who sat up, a dazed and reddened expression in her eyes.
"She tried to stop me.... She tried to use her power to stop
my transportation.... But she latched onto Mhaere, instead." Arisa
clutched at her chest. "I feel like I'm going to burst...."
"Oh shit.... Not here, not now...."
"I can't hold it back.... It's going to happen." Arisa's
face started to go red.
"Nya nya.... I got away from yer ropes!" Maria turned to the
blue-haired girl, standing in the doorway. Ami was blowing her best
raspberry in her direction. "Thought you could tie up
Sailormercury, did ya? Well, I'm better than that.... Bye." And
with a cute smile, Ami ran for the front door, not even bothering to
open it as she made her way out. Maria cringed as the sound of
splintering wood filled the apartment.
----o
Mhaere, Pagan and Aoi flew through what appeared to be a
tunnel of light, crying out in pain as beams of energy crackled
through them. Mhaere opened an eye, peering at Aoi.
"You blithering idiot. What the hell did you do that for?"
"Do what?" Aoi shouted, not willing to open her eyes.
"Use your power whilst I was trying to use mine."
"What power? I don't HAVE any power...."
"She doesn't understand..." Pagan turned to Mhaere, his eyes
screwed shut. "She doesn't realise when she's using it...."
"For KAMI's sake.... I DON'T HAVE any powers. I'm just a
normal human being, understand?"
"Yeah?" Mhaere sneered. "So why are you travelling with us,
eh? Answer me that one, Einstein!"
"Aoi opened her eyes, intent on arguing the point, when she
witnessed their destination.... A piece of solid, cemented ground
in the middle of a large courtyard. In the center of the courtyard
was Kaji and two other gentlemen, one young, one old. And all three
were running for their lives as blasts of fire and energy flew
about. "Oh SHIT!" Aoi put up her arms as the ground flew towards
them at great speed. The other two didn't have time to react.
Above the grounds of the Hikawa Shrine, a large portal opened,
and all three fell out, hitting the dirt in front of the three
fleeing figures. Kaji came to a dead halt, with Yuuichirou running
into him from behind.
"Oi! What the HELL do you think you're doing?" Yuuichirou
gasped, staring at Kaji, who was staring at Aoi, who was staring at
an ant, who was staring back.
"A... Aoi...." Kaji stepped forward, leaning down in front
of his dazed partner. Yuuichirou turned to Rei's Grandfather,
stunned.
"Where did they come from?"
"From the sky, Kumada-san.... It is a sign from the gods."
The old man clenched his fists. "They have willed that my
granddaughter become a raging demon of fire.... Perhaps they have
sent their servants to save her from this fate."
"Look like ordinary people to me." Yuuichirou shrugged, then
ducked as a bolt of flame flew over his head. "Speaking of Rei-
chan.... She's still after that strange young woman back there."
He pointed to the figure of Sailormars, in pursuit of a dark-haired
girl in equally dark clothing. The girl had attempted to kill both
her and Saturn only a few moments before.... Not realising that the
person she'd already downed with a shot was back up on her feet.
Meanwhile, Mhaere and Pagan had managed to stand, staring
around at the shrine grounds. "Where the hell are we?" Pagan asked
as he shivered, feeling droplets of rain fall on him. Mhaere
shrugged.
"How the hell would I know? Somewhere we're supposed to have
ended up via fate, I suppose." She cleared her throat and tugged on
Pagan's arm, pointing to the staring figures of Yuuichirou and Rei's
Grandfather. "I think they've noticed something."
"What?" Pagan frowned at her.
"You've lost your towel."
A long period of silence passed between them. Mhaere's smile
got wider as Pagan's face went redder.
"You could have told me, sooner." He clamped his hands across
his member.... as well as he could.
"Aoi... Are you okay?" Kaji helped Aoi to her feet, a dreamy
expression on her face as he turned her away from Pagan.
"I am now.... Jeez, I need a drink...." She drooled.
"Get a grip on yourself." Kaji shook her by the shoulders.
"I know what I'd like to get a grip on, right now...." Aoi
chuckled.
"Ano ne.." Pagan shouted. "Would you stop making jokes about
my....."
"Clydesdale?" Mhaere snorted, trying to stop herself from
bursting into laughter. Pagan glared at her.
A figure flashed past Pagan and bundled Mhaere out of the way.
Pagan felt the cold end of a pistol being stuck into his back as
Miyuki gripped his long hair, pulling him to the ground, gasping
for breath.
Within seconds, Mars was on the scene, racing past a
confounded Grandfather and Acolyte. It was only Aoi who managed to
stop her charging into Pagan, gripping her arm solidly. Mars
wheeled on her.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Mars screamed. "SHE JUST
TRIED TO.... SHE TRIED TO KILL ME.... SHE TRIED TO KILL SATURN!"
"What the hell is going on here?" Aoi stared Mars down,
sternly. She then blinked with surprise. "Kami's feathers...
You're a Sailorsenshi!"
"Yeah? So?" Rei's face became quizzical.
In a flash, Aoi pulled out a couple of fans, bedecked with
the Japanese flag on them. "BWAhaha! Two Senshi in one day. Am I
on a roll or what?"
Everyone facefaulted.
"Excuse me...." Said Miyuki, giving Pagan's hair a painful
tug. "I'm trying to take this man hostage." She said it in such a
matter of fact manner that nobody could ignore it.
"Oh.... Great.... Why am I always the one who requires
rescue?" Pagan sighed. "Maybe I should have stayed in bed this
morning."
"Shutup, you!" Miyuki sneered, arrogantly, pressing the gun
harder into his back. "I don't need your jokes at this moment....
Not with HER out there...."
"Okay... Okay..." Pagan put up his hands, nervously.
Miyuki shivered, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to shut
out the voice of Saturn that was being projected into her mind.
"Iapetus...." It echoed.
"Mars.... What is happening?" Luna came dashing into the
middle of the fracas. Rei turned on both her and Artemis, who
followed.
"Keep back...." She held out her hand to them. "How is
Saturn?"
"The wound is not good. She might need hospitalisation."
Artemis shouted. A bullet struck the ground by his feet, making
him dance back a short distance. "EEEEEE!" He fainted.
"Artemis!" Rei and Luna ran over to him.
"Would you like to pay me some attention, now?" Miyuki
swallowed, angrily, glaring at them.
Mhaere crossed her arms. "Go ahead, then, whoever you are.
Kill him." Miyuki and Pagan stared at Mhaere.
"What did you SAY?" Miyuki's normally dead expression finally
broke into disbelief. It seemed, to Mhaere, to be the first true
expression the girl had attempted since birth.
"Yeah, kill him. It doesn't matter to us if he dies." Aoi
stepped forward, her arms crossed. Kaji reached forward for her.
"Aoi-san... Are you MAD? This girl's a cold and calculating
killer.... She'd call your bluff."
"She had no fear in shooting Sailorsaturn. I can't think of
anyone who would be willing to do that." Luna swallowed.
"Oh my KAMI!" Kaji stammered. "A talking CAT!" Luna
facefaulted.
"Ano ne.... I'm trying to support you, here."
Miyuki's expression became deadpan again, thinking
desperately. A smile crossed her face and she grabbed Pagan's
member, pointing the gun at its base. "Very well, if HE doesn't
matter to you.... I'll take THIS as hostage."
"My God...." Mhaere muttered.
"She found our weakness...." Aoi's face dropped. Miyuki
chuckled to herself.
"I got hold of this before you. How does that make you feel?"
"I know how it makes me feel." Pagan squinted with pain as
Miyuki squeezed.
"Shutup, you."
"What do you want?" Rei barked the question at her. Miyuki
cocked her head to one side, considering her answer.
"I came here on someone else's orders to kill you, Sailormars.
I never expected to come face to face with.... with HER."
"With who?"
"Saturn.... I want out of here. I want away from her. It
doesn't matter.... Just keep HER away from me!"
"IAPETUS!" Everyone turned as the thin figure of the dark-
haired Sailorsenshi staggered forward, resting her weight on her
Glaive in one hand as she held the wound in her midriff with the
other. Miyuki's face became a mask of fear.... Not something she
had experienced, quite to this degree, at any stage of her life.
"Stop calling me that!" She stood, bringing Pagan with her.
"My name is Nakano Miyuki. I do not, will never, go by the name of
Iapetus...."
"Iapetus.... This is wrong.... This is not what you were
reborn for...." Hotaru reached Rei, who took her by the arm,
supporting her.
"Shutup! I have no idea what you're talking about...."
Miyuki threw Pagan aside, putting the gun to her temple. "I'm NOT
Iapetus.... Leave me ALONE! LEAVE MY MIND ALONE!"
There was a gunshot, and Saturn cried out in pain.
END OF PART 27
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Next Chapter - "Defence and Offence"
On the wettest, stormiest day for close to thirty years in my home
city of Adelaide, I am caught within my house with nothing else to
do but write a fanfic. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as
much as I had writing it. ^_^
_________
/ @ \ DDFA (The Right Dishonourable Mark A Page)
/ / ^ ^ \ \ ayanami@internode.on.net
/\
\/ \/
\___________/
/_/ \_\ PU