I Will Return
A Sailor Moon Fanfic
Written by Ice Phoenix
Chapter 5... *sighs* I'm typing all this up in one go, for those who are wondering. It's been a loong night so far... *pats convieniently placed coffee* ^^ but I have my ways
~*~RC~*~
Rei paused, the swish of broom stopping in mid-sweep. She stared at the temple stairs, thinking how for the past year, no young, cheerful blonde had come running up those stairs, waving eagerly to her friend.
With a soft sigh, she watched the sun set, hues of red, gold, bronze, even a hint of purple painting the sky like watercolours. It was so beautiful... I wonder if Usagi is looking at the same sky we are...
The priestess glanced behind her. Makoto was leaning against the temple's balcony railing, staring at the sunset like Rei was. Beside her, Luna and Artemis were curled up with each other, like Ying and Yang. Ami sat on the steps of the temple, pretending to be absorbed in her small book full of figures. Minako busied herself feeding the birds of the temple, a couple of cute finches resting on the top of her head.
Each of them was trying to deny that there was an air of emptiness. With Usagi's departure, no new Youma, no new enemies had appeared, and Rei could only assume they'd followed the young teen.
Mamoru- they hadn't seen him in a while now... He seemed to be content, and at times depressed, Rei couldn't blame him. When Usagi left they had all wanted to maul the man, but he'd got in first, explaining to them everything about the strange dreams, just like those he'd gotten when they'd first encountered the Negamoon family. It seemed that Mamoru had got them once again, strangely enough.
People said bad things came in threes. Not all was bad, but at the same time Usagi had left, Rini had been sent back to the future, and they hadn't seen Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna or Hotaru since then. It was almost lonely, only the Inner Senshi kept in contact now...
Boom.
A ripple of the ground ran through the temple grounds, unsteadying them all. Luna and Artemis leapt to their feet, whiskers twitching, tails whipping.
"Youma." they spoke simultaneously, and all four girls looked to the felines.
"But- why now, after so long?" Makoto asked the cats
"Now's not the time, Makoto. C'mon, we're needed." Rei announced, dropping the broom, and sprinting down the stairs.
With a scramble of feet, the others followed, heading to the park.
At this point I insert my own transformation phrases, as I can't remember the originals, and I have always considered the original phrases to be lame-as. Same goes for attacks. Back to the story, sorreh for interrupting
"Venus- circle around, use your chain to trap him. Mars and I shall distract the youma, and Jupiter- you finish it off." Mercury ordered, the senshi spreading out.
Venus did as the plan instructed, dodging an array of tentacles to reach the back of the youma, and unleashing a Venus Chain to latch around the creature's throat.
On cue, Jupiter launched her own attack, giving Mars and Mercury a break from pelting the youma.
With a high-pitched screech, it dissolved, leaving behind a strange, celtic-like stone disc.
"Score!" they high-fived each other, and turned to leave, when strange winds began to blow through the small park. Turning, the senshi watched in horror as the youma re-formed, standing before them with a snarl.
"Gyah!" without warning (it still looked like the youma was recovering; but the monster was smarter than he looked), a volley of transluscent glue propelled towards them, pinning each senshi to the bridge, the only thing holding them against the wooden frame and above the cold water was this strange goo.
"It's saliva or something!" Venus announced in disgust, trying to break free.
Skidding to a halt in front of them, the youma lined up for another attack, opening his mouth wide, a deluge of green acid sped towards them.
Out of nowhere, a discus spun through the air, cutting clean through the attack, stopping the acid as it instead dropped, splattering onto the ground.
The senshi looked around, assuming it was Tuxedo Kamen. But where had the disc come from? Wouldn't he normally use a rose? Mercury wondered, still trying to break free.
The youma blinked confusedly, searching for the source of attack.
Standing in half-light half-shadow, a senshi figure waited, gleam of tiara and earrings locating her.
"Who the hell?" Jupiter burst out, eyes squinted to make out the figure.
"I am the Senshi of the-" she didn't get to finish. Finding his target, the youma spat at her, but the anonymous senshi darted away, skillfully keeping to shadows so the task became more difficult; for the youma, and for the trapped senshi.
With a short laugh, the strange senshi shook her head teasingly at the youma "Don't you have any manners?" came the melodious voice "You didn't let me finish." she darted away from the next attack, and didn't seem to care if she got hit or not- like a game.
"Ah well, guess it doesn't matter." something glinted, and with movements to quick to register, the senshi leapt forward, weapon in hand.
Before the youma had any time to react, a blade sliced through, from shoulder to waist. With a screech, it dissolved, the celtic stone sliced in half.
With the defeat of the youma, all effects of its attacks disappeared, and the four previously-trapped senshi clung to the bridge railings for dear life, climbing over the railing, walking across the wooden structure and back to solid ground once more.
"Where- where did she go?" Mars wondered aloud. Looking around, they realised she'd left, whoever 'she' was.
"That's funny... Luna and Artemis never mentioned another Senshi..." Mercury whipped out her mini-computer, typing in it quickly. "So, what did we see of this senshi?"
"Well..." Venus thought for a moment. "She had silvery hair, I think. Or at least pert of it was silver...It was loose, too. Not tied back or anything. Not exactly practical."
"Silver hair. Mars, what about you?"
"She fought with alot of speed, that senshi's got alot of agility..." came the murmured reply.
"Agility. Silver hair. Jupiter?"
"That senshi seemed to know exactly what to do. Fighting experience, I'm guessing. If not against youma, then against people, and beaten them no doubt." she stated, arms folded.
"Experience. Agility. Silver hair. And then there's my observation."
"And that would be?"
"I have two. One, Tuxedo Kamen didn't show up." the blue senshi looked up.
The others exchanged glances. "That's true. Wonder why..." Venus mused.
Mars snorted "He didn't know; what else?"
Jupiter waved a hand at them "Hush. Mercury- what's the other point?"
"A blade. A sharp blade. It sliced through that youma like paper. She's got a lot of strength, no doubt."
With a sigh, Mercury snapped her computer shut and de-transformed. "Well, that means it's not Usagi."
Her three friends looked at her oddly "Nani?"
"Well the Usagi, the Sailor Moon we knew was nothing like this."
Rei returned to her normal form, and quirked a brow "I can't help but note you used past tense there."
"I say who we knew. What we know is that Usagi swore she would change... Just how much is another matter..."
Minako and Makoto were the last to revert. "Never mind that. This time tomorrow, exactly one year'll have passed- we'll see her again." Jupiter's princess commented, walking towards the gates.
"You're right, Makoto." Rei smiled, then yawned. "So, who's up for a sleepover?"
"We are!"
~*~
Speedily, Sailor Moon raced home, going back the way she'd come. What's wrong with me?! she wondered frantically It's just like when I spar. I don't care about self injury; only that of achieving the set goal. Am I that twisted? she leapt back into her room, detransformed, cleared her bed and flopped on it with a sigh. She soon fell asleep, dreams of nothingness echoing through her mind.
¬¬ This thing just keeps getting longer... Shows how much social life I have... *snorts* So uh... next chapter's waiting! ^^; Sorreh, I have nothing more to say...
~*~RC~*~