AN: Sorry guys, this chapter was posted before, but I took it off because I didn't like it. I wanted to make some improvements, but I'm just too lazy to do it ^^;; So I'm sorry for those of you who already read this chapter ^_^
Thanks to: Aidenn-chan ( you know what, I have no idea ^^;;), themoonmaiden (the queen is made out of flesh and blood too), SweetKawaiiAngel (you'll have to wait an extra chapter ^^;;), Galexz (not very original^^;; but the best I could manage), Akizuki Nakuru ( hehe, I'm within the 3 month limit), Kazeya (that seem to be a very popular question ^^;;), Hikari-chan (I still get the urge to call you Comet-chan instead ^^;; Well, we've always known how weird Endymion is.), Luna kitty, Skye (sorry for the delay ^^;; but I'm sure that you can refrain from hurting me… and yourself for a little longer ^_^), Lynn (you have my permission to do whatever you want with them, but just don't kill them okay? I still need them alive for the future chapters ^^;;), Usa-chan (you came back, but you went back to RO again T_T), Tenshi no Nozomi, JLSCORPIO78akaScorpioNightShadow, Chibi Michi Hii-chan, Ivory-chan ( And I'm waiting for the update for your stories too. Don't you just love twisted pairings?), Alexandrea Orozco (glad to know that you agree with Touya ^_^), Mingming-chan (Lol, as long as they're cute, you don't mind right?), Buns-chan, Zackire (hehe, I love compliments ^^;;), liriele starfire (*hugs* You really bought the whole series after you read this fic? Wow, I feel so honoured. I'm glad that I can help ^_^), Gakkuri Naishinnou (lots of Aki fans I see ^^;; I don't know I don't like him as much as Setsuna though from AS), Adyne (hehe, computers can be a pain at the best of times), Crazygurl70, Csmsprotector, a-chan (Hehe, and I hope that you liked the series ^_^), Amé lie, and Taiki
Disclaimer: Don't own anything.
Chapter 3
"It's almost time isn't it?" A young girl asked, hidden in the tree that over looked Usagi's window.
"Yes, today is the day that the star and the moon of the sixteenth meet. The other is going to awaken today," another female voice answered.
"And I suppose that the inners and the Earth Prince are going to make their move too right? They won't be able to reach their goal if she remembers the truth," a deeper voice added.
"So should we go join the 'birthday party' as well?" an elegant woman commented lightly.
"I don't see why not. After all, it is their sweet sixteen. We should introduce ourselves properly."
~*~*~*~
"We can't go, I'm very sorry," the blonde girl apologized again bowing. "Our grandfather is having a party for us, so we can't go sing karaoke like we originally planned." Usagi quietly turned away before her friends could see the disappointment on her face.
"Isn't it weird? Their grandfather having a party for them when they are so young?"
Aki could hear their friends as he quickly followed his imouto out of the school building. Outside, a flash of lightening momentarily light the dark sky. What miserable weather for their birthday.
~*~*~*~
"Are you sure this is the way?" Minako asked as she made the driver of her limo follow the yellow taxi in front of them. "I can't see them."
"Minako, stop worrying," Rei said lightly, slowly swirling the martini in her hand, being friends with the blonde singer idol really have some advantages sometimes. "Amy picked up her signals from that taxi, so there is no mistake if the mercury computer can recognize her ki."
"Yeah, but still, we why are we here stalking her again?" the idol murmured under her breath. "I should be back in studio recording on my new CD right now, instead I'm dragged off to chase a pair of teenagers to the middle of no where."
"Well, we have our prince to thank for this," Makoto glaring at the black haired man still nursing the purple bruise on his face with a bag of ice. "If he was able to control his hormones for a little while, we wouldn't be on this meaningless chase right now."
"It wasn't my fault! How would you react when your fiancée, who you haven't seen in a millennium years suddenly started to undress in front of you?" Mamoru defended himself.
"Guys! Stop fighting!" the blue haired genius stopped the argument before it could go on. "I can't concentrate with all of your accusations. We need to work together right now. The taxi is stopping, so we better think of something quick if we don't want to be discovered. A limo in the middle of a forest is pretty suspicious to me."
It wasn't a big surprise to see everyone shut up immediately. Their current problem was more important than the bickering between the five. Too bad none of the inners or Endymion noticed that they were being followed too…
~*~*~*~
"Why did okaa-san and otoo-san have to go on ahead of us?" the bunny complained, stretching after riding in the taxi for so long.
"Maybe they came early to help with the party." Aki replied getting out after his imouto.
"But they have to pay double the taxi fee this way. Wow, I forgot about how big and old grandpa's house is!" Usagi exclaimed as she turned around to look through the two metal gates and enclosed the Mikage estate.
"Well, it's been in existence ever since the Meiji era," Aki explained, smiling at Usagi's amazement. "Let's go."
"Wait up Aki!" the blonde girl called out, chasing after her aniki, who was already walking up the long drive way. "Wait, isn't that the old pine tree? I remember climbing it when I was younger and everyone got mad at me for doing it."
"Who cares. Let's just go or else we'll be late!"
"Yeah, yeah, wait up Aki!"
"And don't forget your manners either."
"Who are you, the school principal?" Usagi cried out in annoyance. He couldn't still be mad right? She even got him a present too. After Aki woke up beside her this morning, he immediate blushed and jumped out to the bathroom. And for the whole day, he wouldn't look her straight in the face. "I don't care what you think. I'll just keep grandpa's presents and allowance all to myself…" the younger twin didn't have time to finish her comeback when a sleek black car passed the walking twins.
"Aunt…" both teenagers whispered out in confusion. "What is she doing here?"
"Maybe they invited all the relatives," Aki wondered out loud.
"Just for us?"
~*~*~*~
"Amy, are you sure that this is the place?" Minako asked, wincing as she stumbled in the high heels. "I wonder who this mansion belongs to." The inner scouts were standing outside of the gates that the twins just passed through.
"It says that it's the Mikage estate," Makoto read off the entrance. "But I thought that Usagi's parent's are just ordinary people. How can their family afford something like this?"
"Jealous Makoto?" Rei teased, before she tensed.
"Rei! What's wrong?" Makoto ran up to catch the dark haired miko before she could fall to the ground.
"Just now…" the dark haired woman panted out. "I felt… a dark presence. I don't know what it is, but it feels similar to the power Usagi released on the bridge. Something is going to happen today, and I don't have a good feeling about it."
~*~*~*~
"Are they really that stupid?" a deep female voice asked in amusement, as she regarded the inners from the safety of a tall tree.
"You can't really blame them, since they've almost forgotten their fighting days." Her companion, a woman with sea green hair replied.
"Still, can't they see that the Mikage family could see everything they are doing right now? They're feeding themselves to the wolves without even realizing it," the first woman pointed at the security camera that was installed discreetly in a corner of the metal gates.
~*~*~*~
"Sir, we've just discovered five intruders outside," a man in a lab coat reported inside a dark observation room.
Kagami turned in surprise. "Put them on the screen" Immediately, all the TV screens in the dark room was switched from the twins to the five people arguing at the front gate.
"Isn't that Aino Minako, the singer?" Alex commented as he saw the blonde with the red bow.
"You know her?" the president of the Mikagami company looked up in surprise, and took a closer look at the four young women in the screen.
"She's currently one of the most famous singers in Japan right now. Everyone knows her," the blond foreigner grinned. "You need get out more boss, and relax a little sometimes. It doesn't hurt to go to one of her concerts now and then."
"Maybe I will after this," Kagami smirked, staring at the blonde woman. "Maybe I will…"
~*~*~*~
"Aki, Usagi, thank you for coming," a gentle old man said as the butler opened the door for the two teenagers.
"Grandpa, you surprised us! Giving us a party and all," Usagi said happily giving the old man a hug.
The old gentleman chuckled at his granddaughter's eagerness. "I've been waiting for you two."
"It's a little embarrassing with us being so young, and you've invited all our aunts and uncles too," the bunny said, following her grandfather up the stairs. "Maybe I should've worn a dress. Are there going to be food and presents? Like maybe a big cake with sixteen candles?"
"Usagi, be quiet and behave yourself," Aki instructed, as the twins passed through double doors opened by men in sunglasses.
To the twins' surprise, everyone was present. Their parents, their uncles, aunts, everyone was sitting around a long bare rectangular table. The silence hung heavy in the air. Soft yellow light spilled from the chandeliers, but it failed to lightened the tense atmosphere. The darkness of the adults' clothing, the solemn expression on their faces, it felt more like a funeral than a birthday party.
"What's wrong? Don't just stand there, have a seat," their grandfather said as he sat into his own chair at the head of the table.
~*~*~*~
"All right," from the observation room, everyone got ready as the twins sat down in the screen. "All men, go to positions A and B"
All over the mansion and the estate, men dressed in suites and sunglasses carefully spread themselves out, taking out their weapons as they moved quietly into position.
"Everything is going on smoothly sir," one of the men reported to Kagami.
"Be on alert, the ceremony is about to begin."
~*~*~*~
"Usagi, Aki, happy sixteenth birthday," their grandfather congratulated the twins. "I have a little present for you two."
All around the table, their parents tensed as they heard the words. All the women lowered their heads, and the men closed their eyes for the inevitable.
"Really?! I was a little worried when I didn't see any food on the table! But how lucky!" the bunny burst out cheerfully, forgetting all about her manners.
"Usagi!" Aki reprimanded.
Their grandfather smiled. "There's no harm in a little honesty."
The door of the large dinning room opened. A young man with crimson hair walked in carrying in a square box wrapped in cloth.
That guy… The bunny thought to herself, before he walked out again. He was the one who saved me under the bridge yesterday. Unconsciously standing up, she said out loud. "Why… why is he here?"
"Please be seated Usagi-sama," one of the many male servants said as he put the box in front of the bunny.
"Come, open it up, Usagi," their grandpa prompted.
"Um… okay," the blonde girl said uncertainly, pulling the box closer, unaware all the eyes in the room turning towards her with their pitying looks.
Slowly taking off the cloth covering the box, her hands stopped against the smooth wood. My heart, why is it beating so fast? Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. An inner fear gripped her in its tight fist.
"Usa, I'll open it," Aki offered as his imouto began to shiver, her eyes frozen on the box. Outside, the clouds began to darken even more as lightening and thunder took turns shaking up the ancient mansion.
Even though the box was no longer in front of her. Usagi couldn't help but tremble as Aki cautiously removed the lid. Inside, carefully cushioned by layers of white silk, a perfectly mummified hand was revealed to the twins.
A pounding headache invaded her mind. Just like before. Just like yesterday when she fell off the bridge. The same images bombarded her mind. The pine tree, the beach, the hand covered in blood reaching out for her…
~*~*~*~
"Everyone! Put the cameras on Usagi!" Kagami ordered from his observation room. He narrowed his eyes as the blonde girl appeared on all the screens in front of him.
Her hands clasped tightly against her head. Usagi's whole body was shaking with the will to contain… contain that something. Everyone in the dinning room was staring at the blonde girl, but no one dared to make a move to help her.
Suddenly, without warning, her uniform was shredded by an known force. The pale golden hair gently floated up with the help of a mysterious wind. Looking up, golden eyes narrowed, staring at the mummified hand. Seconds later, fine cracks appeared on the hand. The golden eyes widened slightly, as the hand busted into pieces.
Snowflakes appeared on the screen, before everything in the observation room was dark again.
"Shit! Are the backup cameras alive? Zoom in!" Frantic shouts could be heard as agents worked to get the picture onto the screen again.
~*~*~*~
"What was that?"
All the inner scouts looked up in surprise as a loud crash reached their ears.
"Can it be Usagi?" Makoto asked running up to the gate, shaking it with all of her strength.
"Guys!" Amy cried out. "There's a wild ki fluctuation in that house, and it matches to the ki that Usagi released yesterday!"
"You mean she's using that weird power again?!" Rei screamed out. "We have to go help her then!"
"Rei is right! Scouts transform!" Minako ordered, taking back her leadership.
In a display of colours and light, the four ordinary women turned into the legendary sailor scouts, who disappeared five years ago. And accompanied by Tuxedo Kamen too. With no efforts at all, the five super heroes easily jumped over the gate, running towards the mansion.
~*~*~*~
"Looks like the ceremony started. Should we join in on the fun?" The sandy blonde woman commented as she saw the four inners and the prince trespassing into the Mikage estate.
"Let's wait a little longer. It's been a while since the inners had any fun. Let them take care of the little problems first," the green haired lady replied smiling. And true to her words, sounds of gun fire could be heard as the agents hiding in the garden chased after the inners and Tuxedo Kamen.
~*~*~*~
"What… what just happened? Aki, what did I just do?" Usagi whispered, uncovering her eyes.
Pained gasps answered her. Slowly turning her head, the bunny was shocked to see her aniki also holding himself, shaking in pain.
"Aki! What's wrong?"
Only more gasps as thin lines appeared on the older twin's body. Slowly, the lines deepened, until they resurfaced and burst open. With a scream, these mysterious wounds appeared all over Aki's body, the blood splashed out, onto Usagi's horrified face. She could only stand there and watch as her aniki fell back unconscious.
"Aki, hang in there!" the blonde girl screamed as she ran towards Aki's body. "Okaa-san, Otoo-san! Call an ambulance! Everyone what are you looking at?! Why won't you help him?!! Aki.. Aki will die if you don't do something!"
"Aki won't die," a calm detached voice answered Usagi's hysterical pleas. "Thank you for making me understand. Aki is an important boy who will support the Mikage family. We can not let him die."
"Grandpa…"
"Get away from him Usagi, the one who is going to die is you," the old man said coldly, as two servants moved to take away Aki's still body.
I see blood, anger, and sadness, the decay of the equilibrium of everything in this world. The day the star and the moon of the sixteenth meet, the fated day will come…
AN: I know, I know, not very original . Practically the entire chapter came from the series . I'm not very proud of that, but I'm a little brain dead right now, so bear with me please ^_^ I promise next chapter will be a little more interesting, after all our favourite two bishies are going to be in there ^_~
