When the Senshi are Away, the Cats Will Play
Chapter 4
Artemis and Luna where walking to Koneko's House, chatting about the white cats idea.
"I hate to admit it, but this is a good idea." Luna said, a bit of grudging respect in her voice. "We can practice moving as humans, and I can actually show Koneko how to hold her teacup properly."
Artemis nodded. "Yes, it was a good idea, wasn't it?" Letting the praise boost his ego.
Luna sniffed, as his stride grew too cocky for her tastes. "It just goes to show you can't under estimate anyone. Everyone gets something right, eventually."
"Gee thanks, Luna." Artemis muttered.
They were soon to the fence, finding Koneko playing in her sandbox. Luna jumped into the box and smiled in greeting to the girl. "Hello Koneko!"
"Hey kid." Artemis greeted as well, though he didn't jump into the sandbox. He wasn't over fond of how it felt between his toes.
"Mr. Artemis, Ms. Luna!" The girl squealed. "My daddy's home! Do you wanna meet him?"
"That's 'want to' dear, and of course." Luna smiled. "However, Artemis wants to ask you something."
Artemis gave Luna a dark look. "Sure, make me explain!" He muttered "Koneko? Would you like it if me and Luna could be kids, and play with you?"
"Yeah, Mr. Artemis, I would. But how? Can you change to people?"
"That is 'change INTO people', and yes we can Koneko." Luna explained, with a soft smile for the bubbly girl.
"Goodie!" The girl squealed, and dropped to her hands and knees in the sand, watching the two cats expectantly.
Artemis just stared back, and Luna sighed glaring at him. Then she looked at the cheerful little girl, and smiled at her. "We are going to leave, and come back as human, Koneko. We don't want to do it here, where someone might see. Remember that we are a secret."
Koneko nodded. "Okay, Ms. Luna. Please hurry back!"
"We will." Artemis promised. They ran off and quickly and found a good place to change on the same block, behind a shed. They walked back at a more sedate pace, having barely mastered walking the night before. They knocked on the front door, and waited for Mrs. Shimaka to answer.
"You said about four hours, right?" Artemis asked Luna.
Luna looked at him. "Actually, three to be safe. If I remember correctly, this disguise pen should be able to hold the disguise for about eight to ten hours under normal usage. With two of us using them, we have five hours at most. That is ignoring the dramatic nature of our change, which is likely draining the energy more quickly. I only give us three since we held it for almost that long while practicing last night."
Artemis just nodded, and they both turned to the door hearing someone approach. It soon opened revealing Koneko's mother.
"Yes, can I help you children?" Mrs. Shimaka asked.
Luna smiled, as cutely as she could force herself too (Which privately Artemis thought was very cute) and answered the woman in her best little girl voice. "Yes, Ma'am. We were wondering if we could play with Koneko?"
Mrs. Shimaka looked around, over the two apparent children's head, then looked back at them, with a more appraising look.
The little girl had long black hair, most of it falling loosely down her back, except for the small lengths that fell before her ears with little Chinese style ornaments holding the hair in place (Artemis suggested them). She wore a yellow sundress that was very neatly pressed looking though with a longer then usual skirt for a sundress. With her simple yellow slip on shoes, she presented the image of a very polite and well-mannered girl, even with the odd crescent moon on her forehead. 'Its probably a temporary tattoo. Must be a Sailor Moon fan.' the mother thought.
Turning her attention to the boy, her first thought was that he was a contrast to the girl. While his shoes where also of the slip on variety, they reminded Mrs. Shimaka of Kung Fu Slippers. He wore stone washed jeans, with an orange flannel shirt tied around his waste by the sleeves (hiding his tail.) He wore a white t-shirt as well. His hair was pure white, and long with the back braided down his spine, and the bangs hanging over his eyes but not covering them, though it covered the moon on his own forehead so she didn't spot it. In total, he had a sort of rough and tumble raffish look, but the hairstyle softened it so he looked gentle at the same time.
"Where are your parents?" She asked the two. The one thing they had in common was their luminescent green eyes.
"Our mother went to the store." Seeing the concerned look developing on the woman's face she added "Our sister told us we could come!"
Mrs. Shimaka frowned. "Such an irresponsible girl! Come in, children, come in." thinking to her self 'I'll watch them, and keep an eye out for their mother or father looking for them. They must be new to the neighborhood. I hope their mother finds us before she panics.' "What are your names?"
"Luna." "Artemis."
Of course, this is when they realized she already knew their names. "Um...I think you know our cats!" Artemis quickly jumped in. Luna looked at him, rather surprised.
Mrs. Shimaka blinked, and then giggled to herself 'Must have named their kittens after each other. How cute!' "Well, come along, then. Koneko is in the back yard."
"Thank you ma'am!"
"Thanks."
She led them outside and smiled as her daughter ran up cheerfully. She watched them play for a short while before turning and walking into he husbands study, finishing the household bills.
"Who was at the door, Dear?" He asked.
She smiled as he looked up at her. "Seems those cats owners tracked down who they were visiting every day. There are two new kids Koneko's age on the block. They are playing with her now." She explained about their apparent sisters letting them run off without supervision.
Detective Shimaka nodded. "Your right, we couldn't send them off. Besides, with a half dozen cops around the house they should be safe enough."
"I thought so too. Besides, Koneko has been lonely, lately." She frowned. "Still, we will have to explain about the...kidnapping." She gave a small shudder remembering that experience.
The cop stood and hugged his wife closely. "I know...I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault! You have to testify against that creep." She hugged her husband back.
"Have I told you recently how much I love you?"
She looked at her husband, with a mischievous smile. "No! I was starting to wonder about that, too!"
He growled at his wife, then kissed her. He was just happy his family was safe and with him.
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The Gaki lay at his chosen post, waiting. He knew all three members of the family where home, but he wanted a shot at all three, since he didn't have much time to get away from the police, once they know something was happening.
He watched the two new children playing with the target's daughter, and the small bit of his soul that remained rebelled at the idea of killing a child. He squashed the thought as quickly as it formed, but it did cause him to decide not to kill the other two children.
'After all,' He rationalized to himself. 'I wasn't paid to kill them.'
He watched from his perch, a roof carefully chosen so the various police patrols didn't see him, but leaving him a clean shot at the detective's back yard. He shifted the bow in his grip, a non-descript weapon used by several local high school and college archery teams. It was untraceable, quiet, and accurate in a master's hand.
He was such a master.
He smiled darkly as the mother, and the detective exited the back door, carrying the snacks. "Yes, a cookie sounds VERY good right now." He whispered, as they all sat at a picnic table. Standing up, he took aim at the little girl named Koneko.
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The disguise pen Luna and Artemis had was more powerful then later models, not weaker. It could alter a creature's form as it did with Artemis and Luna quite dramatically, and nearly completely. However it took the path of least resistance and didn't alter the actual materials the body produced. Their hair would look like cat fur in a microscope, and their muscles and nerves were far denser then a humans, also casing them to be twenty to twenty five percent heavier then a child their size should be, as Mr. Shimaka discovered when he helped Artemis onto the table.
Their eyes where also predators eyes, and like all predators eyes they were geared towards movement, as well as very acute. That is why both Luna and Artemis looked right at The Gaki when he stood and took aim.
"LOOK OUT!" Artemis yelled, even as the Gaki fired. He dove into Koneko and her father, knocking both from their seats and out of the path of the two arrows fired at them. He winced as he heard the loud 'thunk' of the broad heads digging into the wood.
Mrs. Shimaka stood up and screamed, panicking. She was unaware of the third arrow arcing towards her, putting her heart right into its path.
Luna, however, did see it coming, and instinctively batted it out of the air like a tennis ball. The movement was so instinctive she didn't even realize she had done it, as she gazed intensely at the sniper, trying to discern his features.
Mr. Shimaka dragged Artemis and Koneko under the table with him, yelling at his wife to do the same, Luna actually pulling the woman behind HER, having noticed the assassin drawing a fourth arrow. Only that one other arrow was fired, and that one was a hasty shot, only nicking Mrs. Shimaka on the ankle.
The detective had, without realizing it grabbed his cell phone and dialed the stake out leader, even as the man in question was calling his forces to bear against the unseen assassin.
As both panicked adults checked the children for injuries, Artemis and Luna looked at each other, frowning and angry both.
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The Gaki was running, slipping between hedge rows and houses to the car he had parked a few blocks away. He had no doubt he would escape, but was frowning anyway.
It seems that the client neglected to mention a few things. He had seen both children move, and was truly impressed. The white haired boy had moved so fast his after image was visible even as he tackled the detective and his daughter. The Black haired girls arm had blurred to the point of looking to be one solid shield as she knocked an arrow out of the air. She did that without even seeming to pay attention to the movement as well! A sign of advanced training.
These things alone where enough of a reason to concern the assassin, but that wasn't all he saw.
He saw under the boy's shirt, and saw his feline tail. He also saw the girl's forehead, and the crescent moon glow as she glared at him in anger, before ducking under the table.
No, he wasn't told the Sailor Senshi where involved, but that was okay. It just made the hunt more interesting...and the fee all that much richer.
AN: Okay, that last part I will likely hear about, so I am commenting right now. Luna's sigil glowed because, since she focuses her Mind Meld through it, I bet it will glow when she is upset, angry, or otherwise strongly emotional. As for The Gaki noting it and assuming the Senshi's involvement, Sailor Moon has had her own Sigil glow, along with Chibi-moon, enough times that it is likely someone has noted it and the rumor has spread about them. While the Gaki would have ignored it, generally, having it show up in his face will cause him to connect the two events. Sailor Venus's/Sailor V's rep would make him believe they would get involved in this situation as well.