A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO,
Chapter 7: "Collateral Damage"
By Bill K.
Hotaru sat down under a large shade tree on the grassy bank
next to the road. She didn't know where the road led, save that it
led west. She didn't really know where she was headed, save that she
was headed away from Crystal Tokyo and the possible harm she could do
her friends and all those innocent people. Opening her backpack, she
retrieved a bottle of water and took a drink. Crystal Tokyo was
bigger than she imagined and it had taken her longer to get past the
city limits than she had estimated. And she had never done that much
walking before in her life. But she had no other choice. She
purposefully avoided all commercial and private transportation, for
fear of being around other humans.
Her hand absently rubbed her thighs. However, she knew she
couldn't weaken. She didn't dare.
Tears began to sprout and dribble down her cheeks. Her future
was a yawning chasm of unknown and it frankly scared her. Despite
her lonely youth, she'd never truly been on her own. Her father had
always been there, and after him Haruka and Michiru. No matter what
happened, she'd always known that she could fall back on them. Now
she had no one but herself. She'd have to find some isolated place
by herself. She'd have to find shelter; she'd have to find food and
water; she'd have to guard and provide for herself all by herself.
The tears came harder and Hotaru wiped them away with the heel
of her hand. It wasn't fair. She'd just begun to enjoy life. She'd
just begun to renew her friendship with Usa and to make new friends
with the Amazons and the other youths she'd met in the palace and in
Crystal Tokyo. Sure, she missed Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna
terribly. Sure, this complex new world seemed to conspire on a daily
basis to make her feel like a moron. Sure, she still didn't feel
comfortable or accepted - - except by Usa, the King and Queen, and
the Royal Senshi. But she hadn't even had the chance to embrace this
new life before it was ripped from her.
- - by 'her'.
Dirt flew up and struck Hotaru in the face. Startled, she
wiped her eyes until she could see and looked. About three feet
ahead of her was a small clump of ground that had been torn loose - -
and beyond that a small hole where it had been blown from. Hotaru
stared at it, unable to comprehend how it happened. No one else was
around.
"Is it you?" Hotaru asked fearfully. No one answered and the
silence seemed to mock her. Hotaru clamped her hands to her head.
"Leave me alone! Why can't you leave me alone?!"
As her head went between her knees, Hotaru's back could be seen
shuddering from the choking sobs that wracked her body. Oblivious to
her plight, a honey bee landed on a nearby clover.
* * * *
"Scout craft 12, come in," the panel communicator squawked.
"Uh oh, busted," Sailor Venus said. Sailor Jupiter rolled her
eyes and screwed her mouth into a grin. "Um, this is Scout craft 12.
Having some interference with transmission. Possible sunspot activity.
Please repeat."
"Oh, give me that!" they heard Serenity say over the channel.
"Venus, knock it off! Have you found them yet?"
"How'd you ever get the name Serenity?" Venus clucked. Jupiter
reached over and switched the com-link to her side of the board.
"We're following the girls at a discreet distance, Serenity,"
Jupiter reported. "Still no sign of Hotaru."
"Ohhh," they heard her moan.
"Relax, hon'," Jupiter said. "We'll find them. And don't forget
that Hotaru can be a handful for any enemy. She can take care of
herself if she runs into trouble."
"Yeah, that's why she ran away at the first sign of something she
couldn't handle," commented Venus. Jupiter made a face at her.
"Venus is right, Jupiter," Serenity said. "Hotaru's in such an
emotional state that she needs protecting. You have to find her!"
"We will, we will," Jupiter replied. "Any information you or
Endymion can come up with would be greatly appreciated, though."
"Endymion's already working with satallite links or something
technical like that to try to spot her. I've tried listening to the
life force for the entire area beyond the city, but it's a lot of
voices to sift through."
"Keep trying, Serenity," Venus called out.
"Is Usa all right?"
"Yes, 'Mama', she's fine," teased Jupiter.
"I didn't know an umbilical cord could stretch that far, though,"
jabbed Venus. Jupiter stared at her in shock.
"Ohh!" gasped Serenity indignantly. "Palace out!"
Jupiter stared at Venus and shook her head.
"Hey," Venus shrugged, "cutting edge humor is always
controversial."
* * * *
"Pallas is tired!" Pallas moaned.
"We can't rest yet," Sailor Moon prodded. "Hotaru may be close!
Just a little further?"
With sad puppy-dog eyes, Sailor Pallas nodded.
"How you doing, Vesta?" Sailor Moon asked.
"I've still got the scent. It's just she's got a head start on
us," Vesta told her. "Unless we walk faster than she does, we could
be at this a while."
"Princess?" Pallas said in a small voice.
Sailor Moon's temper began to well up. She struggled as best
she could to push it down.
"What, Pallas?" Sailor Moon asked curtly, turning back to the
girl. To her surprise, Pallas had stopped several paces back and was
staring off into space.
"Pallas, honey, what is it?" Ceres asked, moving back to her
sister Amazon's side.
"Pallas heard a thought," Pallas said meekly. "It was Miss
Hotaru."
"Is she close?" asked Sailor Moon.
"Pallas thinks so. But Princess, Miss Hotaru's thinking about
the bad lady. She's so frightened. Pallas thinks she's in trouble."
"Damn it!" spat Vesta. "Fauna assimilation - - cheetah!"
Vesta's form again made no visible change, but suddenly Vesta dashed
off at an impossible speed.
"Vesta!" Juno called after her. Just then Sailor Moon whizzed
past her, trying to keep Vesta in sight. Juno exhaled in
frustration. "Ceres, stay with Pallas! The two of you try to catch
up with us!" And off she went after Sailor Moon.
* * * *
"Don't get too close," warned Minako. She studied the optical
feed on the monitor, watching Sailor Moon and the senshi from high
above. Since leaving the city, they were depending on the scout
ship's long range optical sensors for visuals.
"I know," Makoto replied. "You get a sighting on Hotaru yet?"
"No. She may not be in sensor range yet."
"Or she didn't come this way and they're chasing their tails
down there."
"The city's optical files had her headed west," Minako argued.
"And she couldn't have gone a different direction once she left
the city?"
"They don't think so, and they've been tracking her without the
aid of any optical help. You gotta trust 'em, Makoto."
"Yeah, if you trust them so much, why are we up here watching
over them?"
"Because," Minako alibied with a guilty smile, "I want to see
how well they do." Makoto gave her a cynical look.
Minako continued to scan ahead. Moments later she straightened
up in her seat.
"I've got visual on Hotaru!" Minako reported.
"What's she doing?"
"Just sitting under a tree. I think she's crying."
"Poor kid. I wish she'd catch a break just once. Any sign of
Mistress 9?"
"There's a fair size divot near her. Nothing else I can see.
You suppose it's connected?" Makoto shrugged back at her. "Well, we
could land and ask her."
"Think she'd see the ship and bolt?" Makoto asked.
"I don't know." Then Minako locked onto her monitor. "Vesta
just took off! Something must be up! I don't see anything, though!"
"You want to go in?"
"Let's," Minako grimaced, "hold off just a little longer. But
stay sharp."
* * * *
Hotaru pulled her head from her knees. Resolve swelled through
her thin frame. If she was doomed, doomed to live that life again,
it was now even more imperative that she get away from humanity. If
she could just hold it in long enough for her to get away.
The rustle of boots against pavement caught her attention.
Turning, Hotaru saw someone approaching her down the road at an
impossible speed. Defensively she took a step back as the figure
neared her.
"Sailor Vesta?" Hotaru asked. She couldn't quite believe a
human could move that fast.
"W-Where . . . is she?" panted Vesta, searching the area for
danger as her chest heaved and she wiped perspiration.
"Who?"
"That 'Mistress' woman!"
Hotaru's heart sank. "H-How do you know about that?"
"Pallas," the winded senshi answered. "She 'heard' you
thinking . . . about it." Vesta seemed confused. "Did she get away?
Pallas thought you were in trouble."
"I wish you hadn't concerned yourself," Hotaru murmured. "You
really shouldn't be here. It's very dangerous for you. Are the
others with you?"
"Yeah! The Princess is frantic, naturally! So where'd she
go?"
Hotaru looked away in shame. "She hasn't emerged - - yet. So
far I've managed to keep her contained. That's why I was leaving.
Sailor Vesta, could you please just take Usa back to the city - -
tell her to forget me? It's best that no one is around when she
finally breaks free. Please don't try to stop me. Don't let her
stop me!"
"You know the Princess isn't wired like that," Vesta said.
"I don't want to risk Mistress 9 seeing her! She almost killed
Usa the last time! She almost destroyed everything! You can't let
Usa near me! You're supposed to protect her and I'm too much of a
risk!"
"So we'll fight her."
"No! You can't kill Mistress 9! I thought I was free of her,
but I wasn't! She's not human! She can't die!"
"Hotaru," Vesta said curtly, gripping the slight girl by her
upper arms. "Let us help you!"
"Let me go!" Hotaru wailed.
It was out before she could pull it back. The shaft of mental
energy stabbed out and pierced Vesta between the eyes. All strength
drained from the girl's body. She tried to speak, but her mouth
wouldn't work. Bereft of support, Vesta collapsed onto the ground.
She stared up at Hotaru, frightened and helpless, her mouth
misshapen, her fingers gnarled into claws and her eyes wide.
Hotaru's hands went to her mouth. "I'm sorry!" she gasped,
tears pouring down her face. "It's - - it's her! I can't control
it!"
Her shoulders slumped. Her head bowed. Hotaru's hand extended
to her side and her henshin stick appeared in her hand.
And, to Vesta's amazement, a woman materialized behind Hotaru.
She resembled Hotaru, but was older, taller, more curvy. The woman,
sheathed in a blue-black sleeveless floor-length dress, possessed a
malevolent beauty. She was crowned with a long veil of jet-black
hair that wafted behind her like serpents. Her eyes were cold and
greedy. Her smile was malicious. She didn't move. She just stared
daggers into the back of Hotaru's head.
"Saturn Crystal Power Make Up," Hotaru whispered.
Vesta watched the transformation take hold. In Hotaru's place,
Sailor Saturn stood wearing the same glum mask of defeat. Her glaive
turned in her hand so that the blade faced her.
"I'm sorry, Usa," Saturn whispered. "You should have let me
die the first time I tried. I'm - - just too dangerous."
"NNGGH!" Vesta cried, trying to speak, trying to warn Saturn of
what was behind her, trying to stop what Saturn planned to do. But
her body just wouldn't work.
"Thank you for being my friend," Saturn said. "I'm sorry for
all of this. Tell Usa - - tell her I'm sorry."
And as the blade of the glaive stood poised to cut across a
tender throat, Mistress 9 stood motionless behind Saturn. Her eyes
danced with glee.
Continued in part 8
Chapter 7: "Collateral Damage"
By Bill K.
Hotaru sat down under a large shade tree on the grassy bank
next to the road. She didn't know where the road led, save that it
led west. She didn't really know where she was headed, save that she
was headed away from Crystal Tokyo and the possible harm she could do
her friends and all those innocent people. Opening her backpack, she
retrieved a bottle of water and took a drink. Crystal Tokyo was
bigger than she imagined and it had taken her longer to get past the
city limits than she had estimated. And she had never done that much
walking before in her life. But she had no other choice. She
purposefully avoided all commercial and private transportation, for
fear of being around other humans.
Her hand absently rubbed her thighs. However, she knew she
couldn't weaken. She didn't dare.
Tears began to sprout and dribble down her cheeks. Her future
was a yawning chasm of unknown and it frankly scared her. Despite
her lonely youth, she'd never truly been on her own. Her father had
always been there, and after him Haruka and Michiru. No matter what
happened, she'd always known that she could fall back on them. Now
she had no one but herself. She'd have to find some isolated place
by herself. She'd have to find shelter; she'd have to find food and
water; she'd have to guard and provide for herself all by herself.
The tears came harder and Hotaru wiped them away with the heel
of her hand. It wasn't fair. She'd just begun to enjoy life. She'd
just begun to renew her friendship with Usa and to make new friends
with the Amazons and the other youths she'd met in the palace and in
Crystal Tokyo. Sure, she missed Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna
terribly. Sure, this complex new world seemed to conspire on a daily
basis to make her feel like a moron. Sure, she still didn't feel
comfortable or accepted - - except by Usa, the King and Queen, and
the Royal Senshi. But she hadn't even had the chance to embrace this
new life before it was ripped from her.
- - by 'her'.
Dirt flew up and struck Hotaru in the face. Startled, she
wiped her eyes until she could see and looked. About three feet
ahead of her was a small clump of ground that had been torn loose - -
and beyond that a small hole where it had been blown from. Hotaru
stared at it, unable to comprehend how it happened. No one else was
around.
"Is it you?" Hotaru asked fearfully. No one answered and the
silence seemed to mock her. Hotaru clamped her hands to her head.
"Leave me alone! Why can't you leave me alone?!"
As her head went between her knees, Hotaru's back could be seen
shuddering from the choking sobs that wracked her body. Oblivious to
her plight, a honey bee landed on a nearby clover.
* * * *
"Scout craft 12, come in," the panel communicator squawked.
"Uh oh, busted," Sailor Venus said. Sailor Jupiter rolled her
eyes and screwed her mouth into a grin. "Um, this is Scout craft 12.
Having some interference with transmission. Possible sunspot activity.
Please repeat."
"Oh, give me that!" they heard Serenity say over the channel.
"Venus, knock it off! Have you found them yet?"
"How'd you ever get the name Serenity?" Venus clucked. Jupiter
reached over and switched the com-link to her side of the board.
"We're following the girls at a discreet distance, Serenity,"
Jupiter reported. "Still no sign of Hotaru."
"Ohhh," they heard her moan.
"Relax, hon'," Jupiter said. "We'll find them. And don't forget
that Hotaru can be a handful for any enemy. She can take care of
herself if she runs into trouble."
"Yeah, that's why she ran away at the first sign of something she
couldn't handle," commented Venus. Jupiter made a face at her.
"Venus is right, Jupiter," Serenity said. "Hotaru's in such an
emotional state that she needs protecting. You have to find her!"
"We will, we will," Jupiter replied. "Any information you or
Endymion can come up with would be greatly appreciated, though."
"Endymion's already working with satallite links or something
technical like that to try to spot her. I've tried listening to the
life force for the entire area beyond the city, but it's a lot of
voices to sift through."
"Keep trying, Serenity," Venus called out.
"Is Usa all right?"
"Yes, 'Mama', she's fine," teased Jupiter.
"I didn't know an umbilical cord could stretch that far, though,"
jabbed Venus. Jupiter stared at her in shock.
"Ohh!" gasped Serenity indignantly. "Palace out!"
Jupiter stared at Venus and shook her head.
"Hey," Venus shrugged, "cutting edge humor is always
controversial."
* * * *
"Pallas is tired!" Pallas moaned.
"We can't rest yet," Sailor Moon prodded. "Hotaru may be close!
Just a little further?"
With sad puppy-dog eyes, Sailor Pallas nodded.
"How you doing, Vesta?" Sailor Moon asked.
"I've still got the scent. It's just she's got a head start on
us," Vesta told her. "Unless we walk faster than she does, we could
be at this a while."
"Princess?" Pallas said in a small voice.
Sailor Moon's temper began to well up. She struggled as best
she could to push it down.
"What, Pallas?" Sailor Moon asked curtly, turning back to the
girl. To her surprise, Pallas had stopped several paces back and was
staring off into space.
"Pallas, honey, what is it?" Ceres asked, moving back to her
sister Amazon's side.
"Pallas heard a thought," Pallas said meekly. "It was Miss
Hotaru."
"Is she close?" asked Sailor Moon.
"Pallas thinks so. But Princess, Miss Hotaru's thinking about
the bad lady. She's so frightened. Pallas thinks she's in trouble."
"Damn it!" spat Vesta. "Fauna assimilation - - cheetah!"
Vesta's form again made no visible change, but suddenly Vesta dashed
off at an impossible speed.
"Vesta!" Juno called after her. Just then Sailor Moon whizzed
past her, trying to keep Vesta in sight. Juno exhaled in
frustration. "Ceres, stay with Pallas! The two of you try to catch
up with us!" And off she went after Sailor Moon.
* * * *
"Don't get too close," warned Minako. She studied the optical
feed on the monitor, watching Sailor Moon and the senshi from high
above. Since leaving the city, they were depending on the scout
ship's long range optical sensors for visuals.
"I know," Makoto replied. "You get a sighting on Hotaru yet?"
"No. She may not be in sensor range yet."
"Or she didn't come this way and they're chasing their tails
down there."
"The city's optical files had her headed west," Minako argued.
"And she couldn't have gone a different direction once she left
the city?"
"They don't think so, and they've been tracking her without the
aid of any optical help. You gotta trust 'em, Makoto."
"Yeah, if you trust them so much, why are we up here watching
over them?"
"Because," Minako alibied with a guilty smile, "I want to see
how well they do." Makoto gave her a cynical look.
Minako continued to scan ahead. Moments later she straightened
up in her seat.
"I've got visual on Hotaru!" Minako reported.
"What's she doing?"
"Just sitting under a tree. I think she's crying."
"Poor kid. I wish she'd catch a break just once. Any sign of
Mistress 9?"
"There's a fair size divot near her. Nothing else I can see.
You suppose it's connected?" Makoto shrugged back at her. "Well, we
could land and ask her."
"Think she'd see the ship and bolt?" Makoto asked.
"I don't know." Then Minako locked onto her monitor. "Vesta
just took off! Something must be up! I don't see anything, though!"
"You want to go in?"
"Let's," Minako grimaced, "hold off just a little longer. But
stay sharp."
* * * *
Hotaru pulled her head from her knees. Resolve swelled through
her thin frame. If she was doomed, doomed to live that life again,
it was now even more imperative that she get away from humanity. If
she could just hold it in long enough for her to get away.
The rustle of boots against pavement caught her attention.
Turning, Hotaru saw someone approaching her down the road at an
impossible speed. Defensively she took a step back as the figure
neared her.
"Sailor Vesta?" Hotaru asked. She couldn't quite believe a
human could move that fast.
"W-Where . . . is she?" panted Vesta, searching the area for
danger as her chest heaved and she wiped perspiration.
"Who?"
"That 'Mistress' woman!"
Hotaru's heart sank. "H-How do you know about that?"
"Pallas," the winded senshi answered. "She 'heard' you
thinking . . . about it." Vesta seemed confused. "Did she get away?
Pallas thought you were in trouble."
"I wish you hadn't concerned yourself," Hotaru murmured. "You
really shouldn't be here. It's very dangerous for you. Are the
others with you?"
"Yeah! The Princess is frantic, naturally! So where'd she
go?"
Hotaru looked away in shame. "She hasn't emerged - - yet. So
far I've managed to keep her contained. That's why I was leaving.
Sailor Vesta, could you please just take Usa back to the city - -
tell her to forget me? It's best that no one is around when she
finally breaks free. Please don't try to stop me. Don't let her
stop me!"
"You know the Princess isn't wired like that," Vesta said.
"I don't want to risk Mistress 9 seeing her! She almost killed
Usa the last time! She almost destroyed everything! You can't let
Usa near me! You're supposed to protect her and I'm too much of a
risk!"
"So we'll fight her."
"No! You can't kill Mistress 9! I thought I was free of her,
but I wasn't! She's not human! She can't die!"
"Hotaru," Vesta said curtly, gripping the slight girl by her
upper arms. "Let us help you!"
"Let me go!" Hotaru wailed.
It was out before she could pull it back. The shaft of mental
energy stabbed out and pierced Vesta between the eyes. All strength
drained from the girl's body. She tried to speak, but her mouth
wouldn't work. Bereft of support, Vesta collapsed onto the ground.
She stared up at Hotaru, frightened and helpless, her mouth
misshapen, her fingers gnarled into claws and her eyes wide.
Hotaru's hands went to her mouth. "I'm sorry!" she gasped,
tears pouring down her face. "It's - - it's her! I can't control
it!"
Her shoulders slumped. Her head bowed. Hotaru's hand extended
to her side and her henshin stick appeared in her hand.
And, to Vesta's amazement, a woman materialized behind Hotaru.
She resembled Hotaru, but was older, taller, more curvy. The woman,
sheathed in a blue-black sleeveless floor-length dress, possessed a
malevolent beauty. She was crowned with a long veil of jet-black
hair that wafted behind her like serpents. Her eyes were cold and
greedy. Her smile was malicious. She didn't move. She just stared
daggers into the back of Hotaru's head.
"Saturn Crystal Power Make Up," Hotaru whispered.
Vesta watched the transformation take hold. In Hotaru's place,
Sailor Saturn stood wearing the same glum mask of defeat. Her glaive
turned in her hand so that the blade faced her.
"I'm sorry, Usa," Saturn whispered. "You should have let me
die the first time I tried. I'm - - just too dangerous."
"NNGGH!" Vesta cried, trying to speak, trying to warn Saturn of
what was behind her, trying to stop what Saturn planned to do. But
her body just wouldn't work.
"Thank you for being my friend," Saturn said. "I'm sorry for
all of this. Tell Usa - - tell her I'm sorry."
And as the blade of the glaive stood poised to cut across a
tender throat, Mistress 9 stood motionless behind Saturn. Her eyes
danced with glee.
Continued in part 8