Chapter 11 - SMG
* * * * *
Lord Agate and Actin were the only two in the throne room this time. Lord Agate sat in his throne, pondering Actin for a time. After a short while he inquired, "So what do you have to report?"
Actin stood at attention and said calmly, "The plan has been a moderate success. The senshi were found to still be alive, so they can not surprise us. All those who were there before still are. We also located the Shard carrier and have released the Shard. Unfortunately Shade has apparently recovered from Gallia's influence and stopped our retrieval of the Shard, but he did not retrieve it himself, either. The senshi do not know who she is however and we believe Shade did not get a detailed look of her."
Lord Agate nodded thoughtfully then asked, "Do you believe you will be able to retrieve the Shard of Light with out to much trouble?"
Actin nodded and replied, "All is needed is for phase two to begin and with the distraction there should be little trouble."
"Very good," said Lord Agate, "I shall inform the Sage that it is time for her to begin. Dismissed."
Actin bowed and teleported away to continue his mission.
* * * * *
Luna ran frantically through the amusement park looking for Diana. Diana was still very young and Luna worried for the kitten's safety.
She darted around underfoot startling a few passersby in her search. She ducked around a merry-go-round, through a line of people at a hot dog stand, and past the entrance to a fun house.
Suddenly she stopped as she saw Shen leaning against the outside wall of a fortuneteller's hut. She darted over near him and hopped on to a table, meowing.
Shen glanced over and raised an eyebrow. He shrugged to himself and wandered over to the table to scratch the cat lightly.
Luna said quietly so only he could hear, "I take it the fight is over and you beat back the youma. Have you seen Diana yet? I still haven't found her."
Shen seemed to mumble to himself, though loud enough for Luna to hear, "Yes and no. The fight is over as far as I know, and I don't know if the others have."
Luna nodded, not fully paying attention. She said, "Please do look out for her."
Shen nodded and replied, "I'll try to. I neglected to before, after I spotted the Shard carrier."
Luna paused at that. "You spotted the carrier?"
Shen nodded, "A girl with a box. I think she has the Shard still. Actin spotted her too though so he's probably after her now."
Luna nodded seriously and told him, "I'll tell the others." She turned away and glanced around at the people walking by. "Keep an eye out for Diana and the girl, alright?" she requested, but as she turned back to make sure Shen heard her, she saw that he was gone. She sighed, and jumped off the table to continue her search.
* * * * *
Diana thought the park would be fun, but decided to show her parents that she could be helpful too. That is why she left the others after she saw the girl with the box. The girl had one shoe off at the time removing an annoying stone. Diana saw the girl seemed to have a white mark on her foot so decided to follow her.
She walked up to the girl and found the girl was nice. The girl petted her so Diana decided she should stay. After a short time though the girl decided to move on. Diana kept following her until this mean guy found the girl and demanded the Shard. Diana had to hide herself but that strange Shade guy saved the girl. She saw where the girl escaped to and continued following her.
The girl went into the amusement park with all the other people and moved quickly. Diana started to have trouble following the girl, but saw her step into a fun house. Diana found the moving floors were weird and almost got crushed by a guy who fell over. In her hurry to get out of that room she forgot who she was following, but was able to reach the mirror room.
Diana thought the mirror room was neat. She saw the funniest looking kittens there, some the same length as her but three feet tall. It was fun for a while but she got tired with it. She then began to worry about her parents and Chibi-Usa. She knew they'd be lost without her so she better find them soon. Unfortunately two mischievous boys found her first.
She was wandering around the mirror room trying to find her way out when she heard behind her, "Hey, look, a cat. Let's grab it!"
She turned to see two boys looking back at her. One with a red shirt and blue jeans was closer to her, while the other, who had a white shirt and blue jeans added, "Yay, and get rid of that stupid bell."
Diana was quite fond of her bell so she decided that they didn't want to play some nice game. She turned and ran off, but she heard the boys follow her. She ducked around a few corners and got more lost then before. Unfortunately for her was that her direction was the only thing she lost. She came to a mirrored dead end, and turned to see the two boys block her escape route.
The two, now tired, boys approached Diana. One said triumphantly, "We got you now kitty."
Diana was frightened but decided to try to scare them away. She put on the same expression she used when she was about to attack a ball of yarn and tried to look her fiercest.
The boys acted scared for a moment but then just laughed. Then in a moment their expressions turned to shock and fear. Diana turned to lost around her and was surprised with what she saw. In the three closest mirrors to her was a blue skinned, red eyed, sharp white toothed monster.
The boys ran without a moment more of delay. Diana looked to the monster again in disbelief when to her increased surprise she saw it make a funny face and stick it's tongue out towards where the boys had run. The image then faded away.
She heard a voice nearby say, "Come on. Your mother is looking for you." She turned to see Shen standing grimly as usual nearby. She smiled and walked over to him, letting him pick her up, smothering giggles all the way.
* * * * *
Ami, Usagi, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Mamoru, and Chibi-Usa continued walking through the park looking for various people. Usagi sighed, "First Diana vanished, then Luna and now Shade, and we don't even know who the Shard carrier is."
"Ya, and what is worse," added Chibi-Usa, "Is that we have to listen to you whine."
"Hey, pip-squeak, I wasn't complaining, merely pointing things out," Usagi said indignantly.
"Hey you two, stop bickering. We have to find the others," Minako pointed out.
Ami added, "And the Shard carrier."
"And the Dark Kingdom," Makoto included.
"Besides," Rei offered, "You were just complaining."
"I was not, right Mamo-chan?" asked Usagi, looking towards Mamoru.
Mamoru sweat-dropped and held up his hands defensively. "I'm staying out of this," was all he said.
"Ahem," came Luna's voice from below, "Are you done?" Usagi and Chibi-Usa nodded sheepishly so Luna continued, "Sorry for being gone so long but I still haven't found Diana. I talked to Shen and he said a girl with some kind of box had the Shard."
"You talked with Shen?" asked Rei with surprise, "He vanished before the fight earlier. That must have been why. At least someone saw who had the Shard. Do you know where he is?"
"He was missing? I did not know that," confessed Luna, "After I told him Diana was missing he vanished."
Artemis ran up to the others, breathing heavily. He told them, "More trouble gang. I heard on a few radios of a strange event in England. Some multicolored hurricane us hanging over part of it and lightning bolts from it are blasting the area. I think the Dark Kingdom is after the last Shard there."
"Well lets split up and trash them here and there," suggested Makoto, raising a fist.
Ami pointed out, "Being so obvious, they probably want us to split up but I don't see an alternative."
The conversation however was interrupted as they heard two voices in the distance shout, "Monsters!"
They looked at each other and without saying anything ran in the direction of the shouting voices.
When they reached the spot they saw two boys looking scared and sputtering to the crowd about a demon cat and a monster in the fun house. Chibi-Usa asked the group, "Should we change and go in?"
Guide's telepathic voice reached them before anyone else could respond and said, 'That would be a waste. Wait a moment.'
A few moments later Shen calmly strolled out of the fun house, holding Diana, and looked at the crowd curiously. One of the boys pointed at Diana and shouted, "It's the demon cat, see? The monster must be still in there."
Shen looked back inside then towards the boys. He commented, "I saw you chase this poor kitten into the mirror room. To me it seems the real monsters might have been you. Maybe you saw reflections of yourselves in a mirror."
After some of the crowd started muttering and a few chuckled, one of the boys looked as if he was going to argue but after he looked at not as agreeable crowd the two decided to just slink away. Shen shook his head as the crowd dispersed and then walked over to Usagi and the others.
"Diana!" shouted Chibi-Usa. Diana jumped from Shen to Chibi-Usa and giggled. Chibi-Usa asked, "What is so funny? You had us worried."
"Sorry, I was just trying to help," said Diana still giggling, "Shen scared those meanies with a silly blue monsters."
Minako, having experienced a few of Shen's illusions said to him, "I thought you could only do black and white."
Shen shrugged and pointed out, "The back of a mirror is silver. Reflections can be altered."
"Shen, the Dark Kingdom seems to be in England too now. We're probably going to have to split up," Rei told him.
"Not surprising. However Actin is here so it can only be the Sage or Lord Agate himself. My only suggestion would be to concentrate on slowing them down and wait for the others to defeat them. I can get whoever wishes to go to there. I will stay here for now though."
"Well in either case we have gotta go. Ami and I are the best at English I think so we should probably go," suggested Minako.
"I better stay so grandfather does not get worried," Rei told them.
Makoto said, "If the guy in charge might be there, I'll go. I want to teach him a lesson."
The group moved to a more isolated spot to talk. Usagi said, "Well, I guess I'll stay. Besides I haven't gotten enough cotton candy," and grinned.
Chibi-Usa made a face and said, "Some of us have better control. I'll go."
Artemis and Diana decided to go with the others and Luna and Mamoru would stay with Usagi and Rei. With that Shen asked, "Are you ready?" They nodded and in a relatively hidden spot he opened a passage to England.
"Hey, how come you didn't need to transform?" asked Makoto.
Shen turned to her and asked, "Why should I have to?"
Makoto replied, "Well you did before."
Shen nodded but pointed out, "You should not trust everything you see. Illusions are everywhere. I do many things I don't need to, so others think I do."
Makoto nodded slowly and said, "I guess you are right. Anyhow we better go."
The others nodded and with a few quick good byes Ami, Makoto, Minako, Chibi-Usa, Diana and Artemis went through the nexus. As it closed Usagi smiled, waved, and shouted, "Good bye! Take care! Good luck!"
A moment after the nexus closed a park employee looked around the corner curious at the shout in out of the way spot they were in. Rei spotted him, scratched the back of her head, and quickly explained, "She's been having a little too much sugar."
With an annoyed looked Usagi shouted at Rei, "Hey! I have not!"
Rei put a hand over Usagi's mouth and simply said, "See?" She then dragged Usagi off, the others following mutely though with perhaps a hint of a smile on one or two of them.
* * * * *
The group walked in the park looking around. Rei and Usagi walked in front, chatting and arguing, with Luna riding on Usagi's shoulder. Mamoru and Shen walked behind somewhat more restrained as they listened to Usagi point out little girls with popcorn boxes and Rei lecture Usagi that the box wasn't that common a thing probably. Shen eventually started drifting off from the others, determined to go his own way like normal.
Usagi looked back and smiled at Mamoru then noticed Shen wasn't with them any more. She asked, "What happened to Shen-san?"
Mamoru shrugged and said, "I think he said something about needing a break."
Usagi said simply, "Oh," then got distracted. She pointed at a cotton candy booth and pleaded, "Oh, Mamo-chan, get me some of that! Yummy!"
Rei asked Usagi, "Do you think about anything other then food?"
Usagi hurmphed and countered, "I can watch out for things and eat at the same time. You just want cotton candy too."
Rei just rolled her eyes and Mamoru shook his head as he headed over to the cotton candy stand.
The girls watched as Mamoru ordered the candy and waited when a voice spoke up behind them. "Excuse me. Do you know where the Master of Shadows is?" a little girl asked behind them.
Usagi and Rei's eyes shot open with a shocked and nervous look. They slowly turned around to see a young girl carrying a strange box. The girl said, "I found out from the box you know him and I need to find him."
Usagi laughed nervously and asked, "You found out from a box? A box! Oh, I, um, well."
Rei cut in, "How do you know we are the people you are looking for though? You might be wrong. Whatever written directions you have in the box might apply elsewhere."
The girl shook her head and replied, "No, it didn't write anything down. The lady in the box told me."
Usagi made a sour look and repeated, "The lady in the box told you."
The girl smiled and replied, "That's right."
Rei shook her head then introduced herself and Usagi, "Well in any case, I'm Hino Rei, this ditz it Tsukino Usagi," which produced an indignant look from Usagi. Rei continued unabashed, "Mamoru is over at the cotton candy stand, or at least he was." Rei frowned as Mamoru was now no where to be seen. Looking around though, she spotted Shen looking straight at her from the shadows of a building, appearing more clearly then he should, before the shadows seemed to fall over him obscuring him. She pointed in that direction and said, "Shen is over there."
The girl smiled still and said, "Oh that's who I'm looking for. Thanks! Oh, I'm Alice." With that she ran with the box towards Shen.
Rei and Usagi were about to follow when they heard Guide's voice once more, 'Don't follow so quick. Actin is in the area and he knows the little girl. Be ready. And no, neither Shen nor I know how she knew he was Shade or that you knew him.'
Alice walked over towards where Shen was. She found him a few feet from the building, but totally hidden in shadows. All she could really make out was at the moment he wore a trench coat. "Greetings little one," he said, "Apparently you were looking for me. I'd ask how you knew me but we are about to be interrupted, so I suggest you get behind me." As if to punctuate his statement, explosion went off nearby. The crowds in the area scattered in fright as 5 beings made of hot coals stepped into the area, looking around. Alice decided to do as Shen suggested and hid behind him. Shen crossed his hands and looked towards the youma.
After a few moments the whole area cleared out, leaving only the 5 coal youma, Shen and Alice. The youma lined up and faced Shen in a straight line, and with a flare up of fire near one of them, Actin appeared. Actin pointed at Shen and said, "Step aside human. The girl has something we want. We frankly don't care about you so if you depart now you will be able to leave freely. If you interfere you will be considered the enemy."
Shen just stood there with his arms crossed.
Actin narrowed his eyes and said, "So be it." He then gestured to one of the youma and said, "Blow him up. The girl has the Shard on her presence. We don't neither either of them alive."
The smoking youma nodded and produced a spherical bomb, complete with burning fuse and threw it at Shen. However instead of dodging, Shen, with his features still hidden in the shadows, pulled a grey baseball bat from within his trench coat. He proceeded to bat the bomb straight back at the youma with unerring accuracy. The youma was engulfed in an explosion and fell over, stunned. The others around it scattered as a moment later it exploded in a much larger explosion. Actin shouted, "Destroy that human!" The other youmas launched more bombs towards Shen and Alice, more then Shen could bat away. Instead he calmly punched at the bombs, releasing a cone of grey force, sending the bombs back towards the youma and making them scatter. Actin sneered, "Shade."
Shen nodded, transformed the trench coat into a cloak and became Shade. "Correct as always Actin. Unfortunately I can't surprise you as easily now it seems."
Actin didn't respond to Shade, but instead told his troops, "Kill the girl and the traitor. Most importantly get her Shard!"
The youmas drew no more bombs this time but approached towards Shade and Alice. The stopped when Sailor Moon's voice interrupted them, "People come to the amusement park to enjoy themselves and you spoil it all. I am Sailor Moon, pretty soldier of love and justice and on behalf of the Moon."
"And on behalf of Mars," Sailor Mars joined in as they both appeared standing on top of the cotton candy stand.
"We will punish you!" they shouted together.
Actin told the youma, "They are underpowered. Change the priority. Destroy them all. The Shard will be easy to get afterwards." With that the youma threw two bombs at Sailor Moon and Mars, and bowled two towards Shade and Alice. Sailor Mars dived out of the way, while Sailor Moon pretty much fell out of the way and Shade pulled Alice away. The all dived behind a game booth.
Alice looked scared but remembered. She pulled out a silver cage pendant that contained the Shard of Light. Sailor Moon gapped her mouth in surprise while Alice turned to Shade and said, "Oh, here is the Shard they are after."
Shade looked at the cage and asked, "What is this around it. I get a mild headache from just looking at it. My perception of it is.. strange."
Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars didn't know what Shade was talking about as it looked like a normal decorative cage to him.
Alice told Shade seriously, "The lady in the box put it there to protect it. She said I was supposed to give it to someone who would use it for good."
Shade shook his head and told her, "Strange. In any case give it to the senshi. They are the ones who would use it for good."
Alice looked confused but gave it to Sailor Moon. As Sailor Moon took it the cage faded away, causing Sailor Moon to almost drop it in surprise. Sailor Mars said, "Great, give it to the klutz."
A bomb exploded nearby, making the small building shake. Shade said, "We better move."
The others nodded and got ready to make a break away. Alice out of the blue asked Shade, though, "Do you ever miss dreaming?"
Shade hadn't expected such a question, but told her, "No," and received a puzzled frown from her.
With that they ran and ended up splitting up. Shade with Alice and Sailor Moon with Sailor Mars. Explosions followed behind them. Sailor Mars launched a stream of fire at one of the youma but it just glowed brighter, and Sailor Moon's magic attack was dodged. Shade didn't even bother trying to fight back. However after being chased for a time the four ended up meeting up with each other again, being surrounded. Shade quickly suggested, "Worry about stopping the bombs before other things."
Sailor Moon nodded and started, "Alright, I..*" But she was interrupted by having to jump away from incoming bombs. She jumped a little late and was thrown a bit by the explosion, landing on her face. She whined, "Ow.." and looked up just in time to see three bombs incoming. She closed her eyes and screamed as the bombs exploded. As she opened her eyes though, she found herself flying in the air in familiar arms. "Tuxedo Kamen!" she shouted happily. They landed nearby, ready and waiting for the youma.
The other three thought the youma were distracted by Sailor Moon, but the last threw a bomb towards them. There wasn't enough time to jump away but suddenly Alice and Sailor Mars found themselves floating in endless grey, not feeling any of the explosions. A moment later they were back in the real world, dropped to the ground. Shade stood behind them, covered in ash and looking worse for wear. He collapsed to the ground.
Actin teleported to the ground nearby and picked something up. He smiled in satisfaction and said, "Looks like Sailor Moon dropped the Shard of Light. I should be surprised but somehow I'm not. Youma, you have your orders. I'm taking the Shard." With that fire flared up and he vanished. Sailor Moon looked guilty as she realized she had indeed lost the Shard in the explosions.
Another figured looked, with unusual eyes, around the corner of a nearby building and frowned. The strange female, whom Alice would know as Dreamerie, saw that the senshi the others were not doing so well. With a brief nod, she managed to snare the eyes of one of the youma. It looked at her, and couldn't make up its mind what it saw. Was it Actin? Was it a woman? Was it the Grey One? She mouthed a word. It fell into a daydream, a brief one, where a bucket of water collapsed upon it. It burst into steam and screams of shock, taking the bucket and water with it, out of the dream. The other youma looked at it in bafflement, their minds racing as they tried to figure out where the bucket had come from, and why the other youma was clawing at it's eyes.
"I thought so. My presence confuses the dreams, and confuses the youma. I hope I didn't burn out its eyes." She said, noticing the flare of power that had arced over it. Then she watched some more, waiting for her next chance. However the two senshi also had become distracted. Alice shouted, "Hey they are distracted!"
The senshi got the message, but unfortunately so did the youma. However the youma had lost their advantage of off balancing the senshi so the senshi could strike back.
As one youma readied to throw, Sailor Mars launched an anti-evil sign at it. The youma found itself frozen as the bomb went off in its hand. The explosion engulfed it and as the youma itself exploded the one next to it was stunned. Alice picked up a simple stone and threw it, knocking the stunned youma's bomb out of its hand. That bomb exploded, destroying its former bearer too.
A third youma got a throw off, but Tuxedo Kamen's spinning cane knocked it away from himself and Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon then chanted, "Moon Tiara Action!" and threw her tiara at one of the youma. The tiara actually broke off the throwing arm of the youma and soon that youma too exploded.
Soon one youma stood there, faced off against the senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, and a little girl. The youma did not attack. Instead it asked into the air, "Permission to make a tactical retreat to base," surprising the others.
A moment later a burning portal appeared right next to the youma. Actin's voice came though, "Permission given. Proceed." The youma stepped through the portal and the portal vanished.
Dreamerie nodded satisfactory and ducked back around the corner.
Sailor Moon asked, "Where did that bucket come from anyhow?" Mamoru just shrugged, unsure.
Sailor Mars looked over a Shade and said, "We better get him to someplace safe." She then looked down and saw a singed piece of paper. She picked it up and read it.
Tuxedo Kamen asked, "What is that?"
Sailor Mars looked over at Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, looking worried. She said, "It's from Actin. It's a statement saying he isn't done with Tokyo yet."
* * * * *
Lord Agate and Actin were the only two in the throne room this time. Lord Agate sat in his throne, pondering Actin for a time. After a short while he inquired, "So what do you have to report?"
Actin stood at attention and said calmly, "The plan has been a moderate success. The senshi were found to still be alive, so they can not surprise us. All those who were there before still are. We also located the Shard carrier and have released the Shard. Unfortunately Shade has apparently recovered from Gallia's influence and stopped our retrieval of the Shard, but he did not retrieve it himself, either. The senshi do not know who she is however and we believe Shade did not get a detailed look of her."
Lord Agate nodded thoughtfully then asked, "Do you believe you will be able to retrieve the Shard of Light with out to much trouble?"
Actin nodded and replied, "All is needed is for phase two to begin and with the distraction there should be little trouble."
"Very good," said Lord Agate, "I shall inform the Sage that it is time for her to begin. Dismissed."
Actin bowed and teleported away to continue his mission.
* * * * *
Luna ran frantically through the amusement park looking for Diana. Diana was still very young and Luna worried for the kitten's safety.
She darted around underfoot startling a few passersby in her search. She ducked around a merry-go-round, through a line of people at a hot dog stand, and past the entrance to a fun house.
Suddenly she stopped as she saw Shen leaning against the outside wall of a fortuneteller's hut. She darted over near him and hopped on to a table, meowing.
Shen glanced over and raised an eyebrow. He shrugged to himself and wandered over to the table to scratch the cat lightly.
Luna said quietly so only he could hear, "I take it the fight is over and you beat back the youma. Have you seen Diana yet? I still haven't found her."
Shen seemed to mumble to himself, though loud enough for Luna to hear, "Yes and no. The fight is over as far as I know, and I don't know if the others have."
Luna nodded, not fully paying attention. She said, "Please do look out for her."
Shen nodded and replied, "I'll try to. I neglected to before, after I spotted the Shard carrier."
Luna paused at that. "You spotted the carrier?"
Shen nodded, "A girl with a box. I think she has the Shard still. Actin spotted her too though so he's probably after her now."
Luna nodded seriously and told him, "I'll tell the others." She turned away and glanced around at the people walking by. "Keep an eye out for Diana and the girl, alright?" she requested, but as she turned back to make sure Shen heard her, she saw that he was gone. She sighed, and jumped off the table to continue her search.
* * * * *
Diana thought the park would be fun, but decided to show her parents that she could be helpful too. That is why she left the others after she saw the girl with the box. The girl had one shoe off at the time removing an annoying stone. Diana saw the girl seemed to have a white mark on her foot so decided to follow her.
She walked up to the girl and found the girl was nice. The girl petted her so Diana decided she should stay. After a short time though the girl decided to move on. Diana kept following her until this mean guy found the girl and demanded the Shard. Diana had to hide herself but that strange Shade guy saved the girl. She saw where the girl escaped to and continued following her.
The girl went into the amusement park with all the other people and moved quickly. Diana started to have trouble following the girl, but saw her step into a fun house. Diana found the moving floors were weird and almost got crushed by a guy who fell over. In her hurry to get out of that room she forgot who she was following, but was able to reach the mirror room.
Diana thought the mirror room was neat. She saw the funniest looking kittens there, some the same length as her but three feet tall. It was fun for a while but she got tired with it. She then began to worry about her parents and Chibi-Usa. She knew they'd be lost without her so she better find them soon. Unfortunately two mischievous boys found her first.
She was wandering around the mirror room trying to find her way out when she heard behind her, "Hey, look, a cat. Let's grab it!"
She turned to see two boys looking back at her. One with a red shirt and blue jeans was closer to her, while the other, who had a white shirt and blue jeans added, "Yay, and get rid of that stupid bell."
Diana was quite fond of her bell so she decided that they didn't want to play some nice game. She turned and ran off, but she heard the boys follow her. She ducked around a few corners and got more lost then before. Unfortunately for her was that her direction was the only thing she lost. She came to a mirrored dead end, and turned to see the two boys block her escape route.
The two, now tired, boys approached Diana. One said triumphantly, "We got you now kitty."
Diana was frightened but decided to try to scare them away. She put on the same expression she used when she was about to attack a ball of yarn and tried to look her fiercest.
The boys acted scared for a moment but then just laughed. Then in a moment their expressions turned to shock and fear. Diana turned to lost around her and was surprised with what she saw. In the three closest mirrors to her was a blue skinned, red eyed, sharp white toothed monster.
The boys ran without a moment more of delay. Diana looked to the monster again in disbelief when to her increased surprise she saw it make a funny face and stick it's tongue out towards where the boys had run. The image then faded away.
She heard a voice nearby say, "Come on. Your mother is looking for you." She turned to see Shen standing grimly as usual nearby. She smiled and walked over to him, letting him pick her up, smothering giggles all the way.
* * * * *
Ami, Usagi, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Mamoru, and Chibi-Usa continued walking through the park looking for various people. Usagi sighed, "First Diana vanished, then Luna and now Shade, and we don't even know who the Shard carrier is."
"Ya, and what is worse," added Chibi-Usa, "Is that we have to listen to you whine."
"Hey, pip-squeak, I wasn't complaining, merely pointing things out," Usagi said indignantly.
"Hey you two, stop bickering. We have to find the others," Minako pointed out.
Ami added, "And the Shard carrier."
"And the Dark Kingdom," Makoto included.
"Besides," Rei offered, "You were just complaining."
"I was not, right Mamo-chan?" asked Usagi, looking towards Mamoru.
Mamoru sweat-dropped and held up his hands defensively. "I'm staying out of this," was all he said.
"Ahem," came Luna's voice from below, "Are you done?" Usagi and Chibi-Usa nodded sheepishly so Luna continued, "Sorry for being gone so long but I still haven't found Diana. I talked to Shen and he said a girl with some kind of box had the Shard."
"You talked with Shen?" asked Rei with surprise, "He vanished before the fight earlier. That must have been why. At least someone saw who had the Shard. Do you know where he is?"
"He was missing? I did not know that," confessed Luna, "After I told him Diana was missing he vanished."
Artemis ran up to the others, breathing heavily. He told them, "More trouble gang. I heard on a few radios of a strange event in England. Some multicolored hurricane us hanging over part of it and lightning bolts from it are blasting the area. I think the Dark Kingdom is after the last Shard there."
"Well lets split up and trash them here and there," suggested Makoto, raising a fist.
Ami pointed out, "Being so obvious, they probably want us to split up but I don't see an alternative."
The conversation however was interrupted as they heard two voices in the distance shout, "Monsters!"
They looked at each other and without saying anything ran in the direction of the shouting voices.
When they reached the spot they saw two boys looking scared and sputtering to the crowd about a demon cat and a monster in the fun house. Chibi-Usa asked the group, "Should we change and go in?"
Guide's telepathic voice reached them before anyone else could respond and said, 'That would be a waste. Wait a moment.'
A few moments later Shen calmly strolled out of the fun house, holding Diana, and looked at the crowd curiously. One of the boys pointed at Diana and shouted, "It's the demon cat, see? The monster must be still in there."
Shen looked back inside then towards the boys. He commented, "I saw you chase this poor kitten into the mirror room. To me it seems the real monsters might have been you. Maybe you saw reflections of yourselves in a mirror."
After some of the crowd started muttering and a few chuckled, one of the boys looked as if he was going to argue but after he looked at not as agreeable crowd the two decided to just slink away. Shen shook his head as the crowd dispersed and then walked over to Usagi and the others.
"Diana!" shouted Chibi-Usa. Diana jumped from Shen to Chibi-Usa and giggled. Chibi-Usa asked, "What is so funny? You had us worried."
"Sorry, I was just trying to help," said Diana still giggling, "Shen scared those meanies with a silly blue monsters."
Minako, having experienced a few of Shen's illusions said to him, "I thought you could only do black and white."
Shen shrugged and pointed out, "The back of a mirror is silver. Reflections can be altered."
"Shen, the Dark Kingdom seems to be in England too now. We're probably going to have to split up," Rei told him.
"Not surprising. However Actin is here so it can only be the Sage or Lord Agate himself. My only suggestion would be to concentrate on slowing them down and wait for the others to defeat them. I can get whoever wishes to go to there. I will stay here for now though."
"Well in either case we have gotta go. Ami and I are the best at English I think so we should probably go," suggested Minako.
"I better stay so grandfather does not get worried," Rei told them.
Makoto said, "If the guy in charge might be there, I'll go. I want to teach him a lesson."
The group moved to a more isolated spot to talk. Usagi said, "Well, I guess I'll stay. Besides I haven't gotten enough cotton candy," and grinned.
Chibi-Usa made a face and said, "Some of us have better control. I'll go."
Artemis and Diana decided to go with the others and Luna and Mamoru would stay with Usagi and Rei. With that Shen asked, "Are you ready?" They nodded and in a relatively hidden spot he opened a passage to England.
"Hey, how come you didn't need to transform?" asked Makoto.
Shen turned to her and asked, "Why should I have to?"
Makoto replied, "Well you did before."
Shen nodded but pointed out, "You should not trust everything you see. Illusions are everywhere. I do many things I don't need to, so others think I do."
Makoto nodded slowly and said, "I guess you are right. Anyhow we better go."
The others nodded and with a few quick good byes Ami, Makoto, Minako, Chibi-Usa, Diana and Artemis went through the nexus. As it closed Usagi smiled, waved, and shouted, "Good bye! Take care! Good luck!"
A moment after the nexus closed a park employee looked around the corner curious at the shout in out of the way spot they were in. Rei spotted him, scratched the back of her head, and quickly explained, "She's been having a little too much sugar."
With an annoyed looked Usagi shouted at Rei, "Hey! I have not!"
Rei put a hand over Usagi's mouth and simply said, "See?" She then dragged Usagi off, the others following mutely though with perhaps a hint of a smile on one or two of them.
* * * * *
The group walked in the park looking around. Rei and Usagi walked in front, chatting and arguing, with Luna riding on Usagi's shoulder. Mamoru and Shen walked behind somewhat more restrained as they listened to Usagi point out little girls with popcorn boxes and Rei lecture Usagi that the box wasn't that common a thing probably. Shen eventually started drifting off from the others, determined to go his own way like normal.
Usagi looked back and smiled at Mamoru then noticed Shen wasn't with them any more. She asked, "What happened to Shen-san?"
Mamoru shrugged and said, "I think he said something about needing a break."
Usagi said simply, "Oh," then got distracted. She pointed at a cotton candy booth and pleaded, "Oh, Mamo-chan, get me some of that! Yummy!"
Rei asked Usagi, "Do you think about anything other then food?"
Usagi hurmphed and countered, "I can watch out for things and eat at the same time. You just want cotton candy too."
Rei just rolled her eyes and Mamoru shook his head as he headed over to the cotton candy stand.
The girls watched as Mamoru ordered the candy and waited when a voice spoke up behind them. "Excuse me. Do you know where the Master of Shadows is?" a little girl asked behind them.
Usagi and Rei's eyes shot open with a shocked and nervous look. They slowly turned around to see a young girl carrying a strange box. The girl said, "I found out from the box you know him and I need to find him."
Usagi laughed nervously and asked, "You found out from a box? A box! Oh, I, um, well."
Rei cut in, "How do you know we are the people you are looking for though? You might be wrong. Whatever written directions you have in the box might apply elsewhere."
The girl shook her head and replied, "No, it didn't write anything down. The lady in the box told me."
Usagi made a sour look and repeated, "The lady in the box told you."
The girl smiled and replied, "That's right."
Rei shook her head then introduced herself and Usagi, "Well in any case, I'm Hino Rei, this ditz it Tsukino Usagi," which produced an indignant look from Usagi. Rei continued unabashed, "Mamoru is over at the cotton candy stand, or at least he was." Rei frowned as Mamoru was now no where to be seen. Looking around though, she spotted Shen looking straight at her from the shadows of a building, appearing more clearly then he should, before the shadows seemed to fall over him obscuring him. She pointed in that direction and said, "Shen is over there."
The girl smiled still and said, "Oh that's who I'm looking for. Thanks! Oh, I'm Alice." With that she ran with the box towards Shen.
Rei and Usagi were about to follow when they heard Guide's voice once more, 'Don't follow so quick. Actin is in the area and he knows the little girl. Be ready. And no, neither Shen nor I know how she knew he was Shade or that you knew him.'
Alice walked over towards where Shen was. She found him a few feet from the building, but totally hidden in shadows. All she could really make out was at the moment he wore a trench coat. "Greetings little one," he said, "Apparently you were looking for me. I'd ask how you knew me but we are about to be interrupted, so I suggest you get behind me." As if to punctuate his statement, explosion went off nearby. The crowds in the area scattered in fright as 5 beings made of hot coals stepped into the area, looking around. Alice decided to do as Shen suggested and hid behind him. Shen crossed his hands and looked towards the youma.
After a few moments the whole area cleared out, leaving only the 5 coal youma, Shen and Alice. The youma lined up and faced Shen in a straight line, and with a flare up of fire near one of them, Actin appeared. Actin pointed at Shen and said, "Step aside human. The girl has something we want. We frankly don't care about you so if you depart now you will be able to leave freely. If you interfere you will be considered the enemy."
Shen just stood there with his arms crossed.
Actin narrowed his eyes and said, "So be it." He then gestured to one of the youma and said, "Blow him up. The girl has the Shard on her presence. We don't neither either of them alive."
The smoking youma nodded and produced a spherical bomb, complete with burning fuse and threw it at Shen. However instead of dodging, Shen, with his features still hidden in the shadows, pulled a grey baseball bat from within his trench coat. He proceeded to bat the bomb straight back at the youma with unerring accuracy. The youma was engulfed in an explosion and fell over, stunned. The others around it scattered as a moment later it exploded in a much larger explosion. Actin shouted, "Destroy that human!" The other youmas launched more bombs towards Shen and Alice, more then Shen could bat away. Instead he calmly punched at the bombs, releasing a cone of grey force, sending the bombs back towards the youma and making them scatter. Actin sneered, "Shade."
Shen nodded, transformed the trench coat into a cloak and became Shade. "Correct as always Actin. Unfortunately I can't surprise you as easily now it seems."
Actin didn't respond to Shade, but instead told his troops, "Kill the girl and the traitor. Most importantly get her Shard!"
The youmas drew no more bombs this time but approached towards Shade and Alice. The stopped when Sailor Moon's voice interrupted them, "People come to the amusement park to enjoy themselves and you spoil it all. I am Sailor Moon, pretty soldier of love and justice and on behalf of the Moon."
"And on behalf of Mars," Sailor Mars joined in as they both appeared standing on top of the cotton candy stand.
"We will punish you!" they shouted together.
Actin told the youma, "They are underpowered. Change the priority. Destroy them all. The Shard will be easy to get afterwards." With that the youma threw two bombs at Sailor Moon and Mars, and bowled two towards Shade and Alice. Sailor Mars dived out of the way, while Sailor Moon pretty much fell out of the way and Shade pulled Alice away. The all dived behind a game booth.
Alice looked scared but remembered. She pulled out a silver cage pendant that contained the Shard of Light. Sailor Moon gapped her mouth in surprise while Alice turned to Shade and said, "Oh, here is the Shard they are after."
Shade looked at the cage and asked, "What is this around it. I get a mild headache from just looking at it. My perception of it is.. strange."
Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars didn't know what Shade was talking about as it looked like a normal decorative cage to him.
Alice told Shade seriously, "The lady in the box put it there to protect it. She said I was supposed to give it to someone who would use it for good."
Shade shook his head and told her, "Strange. In any case give it to the senshi. They are the ones who would use it for good."
Alice looked confused but gave it to Sailor Moon. As Sailor Moon took it the cage faded away, causing Sailor Moon to almost drop it in surprise. Sailor Mars said, "Great, give it to the klutz."
A bomb exploded nearby, making the small building shake. Shade said, "We better move."
The others nodded and got ready to make a break away. Alice out of the blue asked Shade, though, "Do you ever miss dreaming?"
Shade hadn't expected such a question, but told her, "No," and received a puzzled frown from her.
With that they ran and ended up splitting up. Shade with Alice and Sailor Moon with Sailor Mars. Explosions followed behind them. Sailor Mars launched a stream of fire at one of the youma but it just glowed brighter, and Sailor Moon's magic attack was dodged. Shade didn't even bother trying to fight back. However after being chased for a time the four ended up meeting up with each other again, being surrounded. Shade quickly suggested, "Worry about stopping the bombs before other things."
Sailor Moon nodded and started, "Alright, I..*" But she was interrupted by having to jump away from incoming bombs. She jumped a little late and was thrown a bit by the explosion, landing on her face. She whined, "Ow.." and looked up just in time to see three bombs incoming. She closed her eyes and screamed as the bombs exploded. As she opened her eyes though, she found herself flying in the air in familiar arms. "Tuxedo Kamen!" she shouted happily. They landed nearby, ready and waiting for the youma.
The other three thought the youma were distracted by Sailor Moon, but the last threw a bomb towards them. There wasn't enough time to jump away but suddenly Alice and Sailor Mars found themselves floating in endless grey, not feeling any of the explosions. A moment later they were back in the real world, dropped to the ground. Shade stood behind them, covered in ash and looking worse for wear. He collapsed to the ground.
Actin teleported to the ground nearby and picked something up. He smiled in satisfaction and said, "Looks like Sailor Moon dropped the Shard of Light. I should be surprised but somehow I'm not. Youma, you have your orders. I'm taking the Shard." With that fire flared up and he vanished. Sailor Moon looked guilty as she realized she had indeed lost the Shard in the explosions.
Another figured looked, with unusual eyes, around the corner of a nearby building and frowned. The strange female, whom Alice would know as Dreamerie, saw that the senshi the others were not doing so well. With a brief nod, she managed to snare the eyes of one of the youma. It looked at her, and couldn't make up its mind what it saw. Was it Actin? Was it a woman? Was it the Grey One? She mouthed a word. It fell into a daydream, a brief one, where a bucket of water collapsed upon it. It burst into steam and screams of shock, taking the bucket and water with it, out of the dream. The other youma looked at it in bafflement, their minds racing as they tried to figure out where the bucket had come from, and why the other youma was clawing at it's eyes.
"I thought so. My presence confuses the dreams, and confuses the youma. I hope I didn't burn out its eyes." She said, noticing the flare of power that had arced over it. Then she watched some more, waiting for her next chance. However the two senshi also had become distracted. Alice shouted, "Hey they are distracted!"
The senshi got the message, but unfortunately so did the youma. However the youma had lost their advantage of off balancing the senshi so the senshi could strike back.
As one youma readied to throw, Sailor Mars launched an anti-evil sign at it. The youma found itself frozen as the bomb went off in its hand. The explosion engulfed it and as the youma itself exploded the one next to it was stunned. Alice picked up a simple stone and threw it, knocking the stunned youma's bomb out of its hand. That bomb exploded, destroying its former bearer too.
A third youma got a throw off, but Tuxedo Kamen's spinning cane knocked it away from himself and Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon then chanted, "Moon Tiara Action!" and threw her tiara at one of the youma. The tiara actually broke off the throwing arm of the youma and soon that youma too exploded.
Soon one youma stood there, faced off against the senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, and a little girl. The youma did not attack. Instead it asked into the air, "Permission to make a tactical retreat to base," surprising the others.
A moment later a burning portal appeared right next to the youma. Actin's voice came though, "Permission given. Proceed." The youma stepped through the portal and the portal vanished.
Dreamerie nodded satisfactory and ducked back around the corner.
Sailor Moon asked, "Where did that bucket come from anyhow?" Mamoru just shrugged, unsure.
Sailor Mars looked over a Shade and said, "We better get him to someplace safe." She then looked down and saw a singed piece of paper. She picked it up and read it.
Tuxedo Kamen asked, "What is that?"
Sailor Mars looked over at Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, looking worried. She said, "It's from Actin. It's a statement saying he isn't done with Tokyo yet."