Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, and characters related to Sailor Moon (you
know which ones), belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. Just so we are
clear on that.
Original characters are of my design, thank you very much.
Note: The *....*'s indicate the character's thoughts.
I would like to thank Lady Archanna for being such a wonderful editor
(thanks, Lexi!), and also Magdalena for support and input (thanks,
Lenachan!). This is my first fic, so I hope you do enjoy it. Any
comments, email me at halreader@cs.com.
Thank you for reading, and enjoy!
HAL :-)
Dragon of the Moon
Chapter 1
He's a real Nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
----"Nowhere Man"
Lennon/McCartney, The Beatles
*I hate Mondays...*
CRASH!!! BOOM!!!
*...oh, shut up.*
The rain continued to pour. The raindrops pounded the bill of
his already-wet baseball cap, resonating with a loud patter that
annoyed him incessantly. Even with his cap on, his long black bangs
were soaking wet.
Rolie Drake looked up to the dark clouds overhead. They seemed
to be mocking him as a gust of wind blew rain into his eyes, making
him squint. But taking a cue from his opponent, he decided to mock
back, and grinned.
*Feh, big deal...I'm not made of sugar, you know, so there!* he
thought, and stuck out his tongue to punctuate his dare.
They weren't amused, for a bolt of lightning from above gave him
his answer.
CRASH!!! BOOOOM!!!
Rolie winced, and even with a wet forehead, he sweatdropped.
"All right, all right! Sheesh, can't take a joke?" he muttered.
Beaten, he began looking for shelter. His walk in the park left
him with few options. The trees offered protection, but he decided
against becoming a human matchstick and kept looking. No buildings in
sight...except a nearby concrete bridge. A rather narrow one.
Rolie sighed.
*Oh well, 'beggars can't be choosers', as they say,* he thought
glumly.
Hefting his large backpack on his shoulders, he grunted and
quickly made his way to the bridge, a pedestrian walkway over a ravine.
It was dry under the bridge, but the wind began blowing rain under it,
and it was becoming cooler. He decided to wait there anyway and ride
out the storm. Sitting down on the concrete abutment under the bridge,
he began pondering the last few days.
He had arrived at the outskirts of Tokyo this morning. The long
hike from his starting point in Hokkaido took him through fields and
cities, often following the highways as cars zoomed past by him. It
would have been easier if he had rented a car, but he'd decided
that a cross-country hike was needed to shore up his muscles, plus the
feeling of open air and solitude best suited his personality.
Rolie enjoyed camping. The days spent in the open country
refreshed his senses, allowing him to relax and ease his mind and
body. The pleasant summer nights provided comfortable weather, which
he'd enjoyed by sleeping under the forest trees near the mountain
range, with the glow of city night lights providing a comfortable
backdrop.
Yet he had been following a southerly course, following a
peculiar sensation...a feeling...that he HAD to go south, towards
Tokyo, where he now found himself.
*Why....* he began thinking.
A crashing bolt broke his train of thought. CRASH!! BOOM!!!
He shook his head, and uttered, "Why am I here?"
*Ah, an age-old question,* he thought, *though Freud nor Jung are
here to debate it and fill your head with theories and case studies.
Just do what you have done, like before, and eventually you'll find
out.*
"Fine," he said soberly, and sat back on the abutment, waiting
for the rain to pass.
Suddenly Rolie heard hurried footsteps on the span above him,
and he leaned out to see who it was. Two joggers, apparently caught
in the rainstorm, had crossed the bridge, trying to find shelter
themselves...unsuccessfully. Rolie shook his head slowly, and began
to settle back...
THUMP THUMP THUMP!
Rolie sat up quickly, surprised at the new sound over his head,
and tried to crane his neck up to see, but couldn't. He looked at the
joggers, finally seeing their faces...terror-stricken faces...and he
tensed up.
"What in the world...," he began, and then a loud roar cut
through the rainfall; a blood-curdling sound that sent a swift chill
down his spine. The joggers themselves screamed, and resumed their
flight, and a large, dark form appeared on the other side of the
span, but took no notice on Rolie. Whatever it was, it was chasing
THEM.
"Those people are going to need help with...whatever it is,"
Rolie muttered, and stuck his backpack safely under the walkway,
taking out a smaller, slim-looking object with a belt attached to
it. Slinging it hurriedly across his chest, he took up the chase.
*This...this...is...crazy!!...huff huff....I have
heard....huff...of stranger things....huff....but...but THIS??...*
Takeo Nishimura was at wits' end. He never expected to confront
a huge, scaly monster on a jogging path. Neither did his girlfriend,
Asai Kobe, who accompanied him. They had been jogging partners for two
months after meeting in the college student union, both
physical-education majors. Asai, however, had only one thought about
the pursuing creature...run for your life.
"Keep running, Asai-chan!" yelled Takeo, who followed a couple
of yards behind her, praying that the next turn wouldn't lead to a dead
end. Asai made another turn from the path, but a few yards later she
suddenly stopped, choking back a scream; she had made a wrong turn
onto a dead-end path. She stood staring at a tall wall from an overhead
freeway that blocked her way. She was about to turn back when Takeo
crashed into her, and both fell to the ground in a heap. Takeo grunted
and shook his head, looking up he whimpered, "Oh...no..."
The creature had caught up with them, now blocking the way out.
It stood an imposing eight feet in height, a sickly brown-scaled
behemoth with huge black horns coming out from its temples, eyes
glowing red, and a sinister grin plastered on its face as it hissed
between its razor-sharp teeth. It wore a dirty-looking toga, and a
long tail whipped at the bushes just behind his giant, hooved feet.
Asai was shaking violently, weeping behind Takeo, who was himself
terrified by the sight of the creature, but managed to gather enough
courage to stand between Asai and the monster. His voice wasn't quite
ready when he finally spoke.
"What," Takeo squeaked, gulping loudly, "What do you want?
What...what are you?"
The monster took two steps forward, dark hooves thumping on the
ground, smiling wickedly.
"Who I ammm....doessssn't matterrrr," it drawled, it's deep
guttural voice sending more chills down Takeo's spine. "What I
wannnt....are your souuulllssss!" the beast chuckled, a gurgling sound
deep in his throat as he flashed a fanged grin at the terrified couple.
*Oh, Kami-sama...a devil...* thought Takeo, heart sinking. He
turned to a trembling Asai, gripped her shoulders, and slowly pushed
her back to the tall wall behind them, whispering hurriedly in her ear.
"Asai-chan, listen to me," Takeo hissed, "you have got to get
away! I'll charge this...this...thing, and you go!"
Asai looked at him with horrified eyes, "But...but Takeo-chan!"
"No buts! Just do it!"
"No, Takeo-chan! I won't go! Please don't make me go!" she
cried, closing her eyes, shaking her head.
"Asai-ko," Takeo whispered, and she looked at him again surprised
to see a tear coming down his dirt-covered face, "please
go...aishiteru."
Asai sniffled, and finally nodded. Takeo kissed her cheek.
"Wait for my signal...I'll knock it off it's feet, and you run
as fast as you can...no looking back. Promise me!" he hissed.
"I will, Takeo-chan...aishiteru," she whimpered. Takeo hugged
her, and turned to face the monster, who was slowly closing the gap
and still grinning.
With a yell, Takeo lunged at the monster with all his might,
managing to drive it a few steps sideways. With that, his arms
tangling with the monster's, he cried out, "Asai-chan...GO!"
Asai sprung forward, and had managed to reach the path entrance,
when she felt something wrap around her waist. To her horror, the
monster's tail had elongated, stretching out like a leathery coil, and
bound her arms like a snake, squeezing her.
"AAHH!!" she cried painfully, "Takeo-chaaann!!"
Takeo blanched at the sight, and screamed at the still-grinning
beast, "NOO!! Let her go, you MONSTER!"
The monster chuckled, "Foolishhhh humanssss, think they are
ssssso sssssmart? HAH!" The demon clasped a long hand around Takeo's
throat, lifting him up in the air. Meanwhile its tail brought a
screaming Asai closer to it, and with his free hand, grabbed her
thin neck, bringing her struggling form next to Takeo's.
Takeo and Asai gagged, gasping for breath, beating the monster
weakly with their hands. The creature laughed, "HAHAHAHA!! Now,
foolissshhh mortalsss, your soulssss...will be...MINE!!"
A sickly-green glow surrounded the monster, spreading to its
victims. Takeo felt his strength ebbing, and Asai's breathing became
labored until she finally fell unconscious in the monster's grip.
Takeo's hope slipped. *Asai-ko...I failed you....so
sorry...I...love you....uhhhhh....*
Last thing he saw was the creature still laughing before the
darkness finally claimed him.
Rolie had taken to the thickets, following the creature's loud
tramping through bough and wood. As he crept closer, he heard the
creature's sickening laugh, but nothing from the joggers.
*Uh oh, I better work fast,* he thought, slipping closer to find
a spot to make his strike. As he did, he reached over his back,
pulling at the slim object--a long scabbard, withdrawing a katana,
setting his feet for his jump...
...until a new voice broke in.
"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!"
Rolie froze in his tracks, just stopping his jump. The creature
had stopped laughing; a golden chain of hearts had wrapped around its
neck, and amazingly, the monster was pulled backwards, the sudden
momentum causing him to drop his unconscious victims to the pavement.
Rolie bent down to his knees behind the shrubs and watched in
amazement as the monster clutched at its neck, turning to face its
attacker. Both Rolie and the creature were equally surprised at who
they saw at the other end of the chain: a young blond-haired girl...
*...in a gold-skirted sailor suit???* Rolie thought
incredulously.
The girl spoke, "I am Sailor Venus, the Senshi of Love! And I
will not permit you to take the lives of this couple in love!" As she
held fast on her chain, she shouted, "Got his attention, guys!"
Suddenly new voices broke in.
"SUPREME THUNDER!"
"FIRE SOUL!"
A fireball surrounded by flashes of electricity struck the
monster, driving him hard into the wall.
Two more sailor-suited girls appeared from the trees; a
raven-haired one with a red skirt and a tall brunette in a green skirt.
Both landed on the ground ahead of the fallen couple, joining the
golden-skirted senshi.
Then a blue-skirted senshi appeared and knelt beside Takeo and
Asai. She held what looked to Rolie like a palm-size computer, typing
quickly on the keys. Finally, another blond-haired senshi appeared,
with overly-long pigtails, a rainbow-colored skirt, and...
*...wings? A winged senshi? Who the heck are these girls?* Rolie
thought from his hiding place.
"Sailor Mercury?" the winged senshi said, "are they....?"
Sailor Mercury ran a hand through her blue-tinged hair; a
worried look on her face, looked at the blonde senshi, and said,
"Their life signs are very weak, Sailor Moon...but it looks like we
made it in time."
Rolie's ears picked up the names, his eyes widened as he sucked
in a breath. *So THAT'S Sailor Moon? And the other girls...the Sailor
Senshi?...amazing,* he sat in awe, remaining silent and continuing to
watch.
Sailor Moon nodded, and looked at the creature, her face
hardening, she began approaching the sputtering monster, and shouted,
"How dare you try to take the lives of these innocents? The park is a
place of peace and love, where couples enjoy each other's company...and
you would take that away from them? I will not allow it!!
"For I am Eternal Sailor Moon! Champion for Love and Justice!
And with the help of my friends,"
The others announced themselves:
"Sailor Mercury!"
"Sailor Mars!"
"Sailor Jupiter!"
"and Sailor Venus!"
In unison, they posed, and cried, "WE SHALL PUNISH YOU!"
"And that means you, you demon!" Moon punctuated.
*....speeches?....posing?* Rolie sweatdropped, and his eyebrow
twitched.
The said demon didn't seem to care for the speeches, and scowled
with hate-filled eyes at them. "Gaahhh," it growled, "Sssailor
braaatss! I won't be taken down sssso easssily!"
It reached to its neck and broke Venus's chain with a SNAP!...and
despite Mars's and Jupiter's attacks, it sprung upright to its hooves,
and with a roar, lowered its horned head charging at the senshi,
scattering them.
"Watch it, guys!" shouted Mercury, "The horns are sharp as
spears! Keep moving!"
The creature turned and charged at the senshi again, waving its
clawed hands at them, as the senshi kept dodging each attack. Sailor
Moon dodged one charge and scooted backwards, not noticing an exposed
root from a nearby tree. Sailor Jupiter did, calling out to her,
"Sailor Moon! Watch out!"
Too late, Sailor Moon stumbled backward and landed in a heap.
"Owwiee!...that smarts!" she muttered.
The demon saw this, skidded to a halt, and turned with
frightening speed and bore down on the fallen senshi.
"YOU DIE NOOOWWW, SSSSAILOR BRAT! YARRRGGHH!!" it roared.
Sailor Moon was frozen, fear in her eyes, and with the other
senshi out of position to prevent the inevitable, she screamed,
squeezing her eyes shut...
...and felt her body jerked off the ground, and a loud crash:
the monster smashed into the tree directly behind her.
She opened her eyes, and breathed a dreamy sigh of relief.
"Tuxedo Kamen! You saved me!" she exclaimed.
"Got to watch your step, Sailor Moon," said the tuxedo-clad hero,
and both flew to a nearby open spot for safety. He called out to the
other senshi, "She's clear, sailor soldiers!"
Jupiter renewed the assault, and yelled, "Right! All right,
buddy, have a taste of this! JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!"
A swarm of lightning and leaves struck the monster, blowing him
off balance, sending him tumbling to the ground. The other senshi
joined in with their attacks.
"MARS FLAME SNIPER!"
"MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!"
"VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!"
A deadly mix of fire, water, and light struck the demon, blasting
it to the wall.
Tuxedo Kamen stood behind Sailor Moon, and whispered, "It's your
cue."
Moon nodded, brought out her Eternal Tier, and shouted,
"STARLIGHT HONEYMOON THERAPY KISS!"
A huge wave of light and power sprung from Sailor Moon and
enveloped the creature. The demon howled a long, unearthly wail...and
disintegrated. Only thing left was a small object: a round stone with
two leather cords coming out from it, but it too crumbled to dust.
"Hah! Dusted demon!" said Jupiter jubilantly.
"But still a tough one, Jupiter," said Mars.
"Yeah, he even managed to break through my chain," said Venus
glumly.
"And withstood your low-impact attacks." added Mercury, "but we
had to get him to let those people go and move him far enough away so
we didn't fry them in the process."
"Very good strategy, Sailor Mercury," said Tuxedo Kamen.
"Yeah!" chimed in Sailor Moon, "leave it to our resident genius
to come up with the coolest plan!" and she hugged Mercury's shoulders.
Mercury blushed.
Rolie, as silent as stone, observed everything from his hiding
spot, in awe of what he just witnessed. *The Sailor Senshi in action,
with the mysterious Tuxedo Kamen. Now I have seen everything,* he
thought in wonder, *Well, guess they had everything under control,*
and he started to retreat quietly into the trees.
The senshi were walking back to check on Takeo and Asai, when
Sailor Venus suddenly said, "Guys, wait!" and she turned to Mercury.
"Mercury...didn't you tell us before on the way here that there
were not one but TWO life-forms chasing this couple? If the demon we
dusted was one of them, where's.....?" she trailed off.
She needn't say the rest; the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen stopped in
their tracks, looked about their surroundings, and listened intently.
Mercury brought out her computer and activated her visor. Rolie, who
had crept back a few feet from his hiding spot, caught Venus's
statement, and he too stopped his tracks to listen. He was hiding
in the bushes at the far side of the clearing, and the steady patter
of the falling rain resonated on the canopy of trees above them all.
...rustle...
Rolie heard something, and narrowed his eyes...something was
behind the senshi...in the bushes behind them.
He sucked in his breath, but a faint, warm glow emanated from
something under his shirt, and he clutched his chest quietly.
*Oh great...they're here,* he thought bitterly, and his brow
furrowed, *...wonderful...just wonderful...*
...snap...
Tuxedo Kamen whipped his head to his left, and in a swift
movement, threw a couple of sharp roses at the noise's direction.
"Come out!" he yelled, and began to enter the thicket.
"Tuxedo Kamen, wait!" exclaimed Sailor Mercury, and he stopped,
looking at her.
"I have a reading, faint but solid...but not there," she said,
and she swerved at Rolie's direction, "....there!...but wait..."
Jupiter jumped forward. "All right, you! Come out of there!" she
bellowed, and charged forward.
"Jupiter, wait!" shouted Mars, but was too late. Jupiter dived
headfirst into Rolie's thicket. Loud rustling, snapping, and grunting
was heard, then a disheveled Sailor Jupiter crawled out.
"Sailor Jupiter! Are you...?" asked Sailor Moon.
"Okay? Yeah, I'm all right, except for a few splinters,"
grumbled Jupiter, and glared at Mercury. "I thought you said he was in
there," she said.
Mercury shook her head. "The reading was there, Jupiter, but I
was going to say, that wasn't the same second reading I detected before
I got here," she explained.
Jupiter looked at her blankly, as did the others, until Venus
said, "Ummm, Mercury? Could you run that by us again?"
Mercury cleared her throat, and continued, "What I meant was,
before we got here, I detected two readings, both similar signatures,
chasing this couple," and she knelt by the unconscious Takeo and Asai,
and resumed her scans.
"Yeah," said Mars, "we got here, found 'big and ugly' draining
them."
"Right Mars," said Mercury, and continued, "We found one source.
The second one looked like he held back and let the big demon do its
dirty work, hiding himself while we dealt with the monster. The source
in the bushes..."
"Where I jumped into?" muttered Jupiter.
"No, Jupiter," Mercury said, "The second source blipped on my
computer in the area where Tuxedo Kamen threw his roses. I was going
to warn him to be careful..."
"Well, I could have done THAT," said Sailor Moon.
"Sailor Moon, anyone of us could have told him that," said Mars.
"But...but he's MY boyfriend!" whined Moon.
*Here we go again,* Tuxedo Kamen sighed silently, while Venus
and Jupiter sweatdropped.
"You should have been more careful yourself, watching your step,
Meatball-head." snapped Mars.
"I didn't know that root was there!" Moon shot back, "and DON'T
call me Meatball-head, Pyro!"
"Meatball-head!"
"Pyro!"
"Phbtttttt!!"
"Phbtttttt!!"
"Umm, girls?" Tuxedo Kamen tried to interject, without much
success.
"Girls?"
"PHBTTTTT!!"
"PHBTTTTT!!"
"GIRLS!!" he finally shouted.
Mars and Moon stopped, and turned their backs, crossing their
arms.
"Humph!!" they both huffed.
Tuxedo Kamen cleared his throat. "Sailor Mercury, how about these
people?"
Mercury closed her computer, and said, "The drain left them
unconscious, and out of any immediate danger, but we better take them
to the hospital to be sure."
"All right," said Tuxedo Kamen, "but back to that
second...intruder reading, you said I threw my roses where he was. But
then you pointed to where Jupiter charged. Does that mean...?" he
trailed off.
Venus finished the thought, "...a third intruder?"
Moon's and Mars's eyes popped open, and they all stood silent
again, the concept of the third unknown observer finally sinking in.
However, all they heard was the continuous patter of falling rain, and
the rumblings of thunder in the air...nothing else.
Meanwhile, a mile north from where the senshi stood, a man
stepped out of the bushes and took a deep breath. He was wearing dark
camouflage garb, his shaved head slackened by the rain.
He leaned against a tree, and muttered, "Ahh, alas for
Tor...stupid idiot could never do a soul drain quick enough. Big on
brawn, tiny upstairs," and shook his head, "unlike me, Nagash
of the First Winged Order, quite the opposite of those leather-heads."
"But those blasted Sailor Senshi...gah!" he spat, "they seemed
to have improved on their powers and tactics as of late, especially
Sailor Moon." He pulled out a small crystal that hung on a leather cord
around his neck, eyeing it carefully.
*These readings may do service to our cause. Once we figure out
their weaknesses the senshi are as good as dead, and our armies will
conquer this planet,* he thought chuckling to himself.
"I gotta admit..." a new voice called out.
Nagash's eyes widened, and he jumped in surprise, almost losing
his footing.
"WHAT?!" he cried.
He looked up, and saw a figure standing on a tree branch above
him, his arms crossed, and looking down at him. Though his head was
down and the wet baseball cap he was wearing covered part of his
grinning face, Nagash could see the stranger's eyes fixed squarely on
him.
"...you boys are improving in your stealth skills. I almost
didn't see you, but that itch you had on your back was too much to be
ignored, huh?" finished the figure.
Nagash snarled and stepped backward into a clearing, looking at
the stranger up and down, sizing him up. *Hmm, a human male, and a
sneaky one at that. Six feet tall, black hair, raffish-looking by the
clothes, doesn't look tough at all...*
*...easy prey* he concluded, and he grinned back.
"Are you trying to scare me? Because if that was your plan, it
failed about as miserably as your attempt to surprise me," Nagash
laughed, smirking. "Then again, I'm sure that was quite a feat for your
small mind to put together."
"Actually, I'd wager it took more effort than that fiasco you put
together back there," Rolie shot back as he jumped to the ground with
practiced ease, landing a few feet in front of Nagash. "Though I'd hope
your mind is more evolved than Big-Tall-and-Gruesome's was...then
again, I could be wrong."
Nagash didn't like that, and scowled.
"The senshi do work well, don't they?" the stranger continued,
"for that's why you hid, so you don't suffer the fate of our late big
bruiser. Hmm, there may be hope for your kind yet, perhaps."
Nagash fumed, "Why, of all the....grrrr," he growled, and spat.
"Foolish mortal! Dare call me a coward?" The crystal that hung on his
neck began to glow, and his body shook. "You have no idea with who
you're dealing with!!" he angrily cried.
Lightning flashed above them. The glow from the crystal covered
his body and Nagash howled aloud as he transformed into a new form.
Sailor Jupiter and Venus were inspecting the bush the former had
crashed in a few minutes before. Venus tilted her head, motioning
toward the shrubs. "Here?"
Jupiter nodded. "Yeah...thought I had him before he could get
away, but all I got was a face full of twigs," she grumbled, pointing
to the broken patch of shrubbery.
"Neat hiding place," said Venus, "probably saw the whole fight
too."
"You think they're working together, to spy on us?" asked Jupiter.
"I don't know," the blonde said with a shake of her head, "but we
better be careful. Let's go back to the others."
Tuxedo Kamen had just picked up the inert Takeo and Jupiter was
picking up Asai when a new sound broke through the steady rainfall, an
unearthly howl accompanying a flash of lightning sending chills down
their spines.
"What...what was that?" stammered Sailor Moon.
Mercury whipped out her computer, and her eyes widened.
"Guys? They're back! At least one of them is, though I'm willing
to guess the third one is with him too...a mile due north," she said as
she pointed.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go get them!" cried Jupiter.
"But what about these two?" Mars said, pointing to Takeo and Asai,
"We just can't take them into the fight, or leave them here."
"Sailor Mars is right," said Tuxedo Kamen, "Jupiter and I will
take these civilians to the hospital...there's one nearby. The rest of
you check out Mercury's readings, but don't engage them yet. Wait for
us before you do anything."
The girls nodded, and the group split up to complete the assigned
tasks.
The stranger sighed, "That's supposed to scare me?"
Nagash had morphed into his true form. He now stood seven feet
tall with purple skin that rippled over large muscles. His bald head
was unusually rounded with sharply pointed ears on either side. The
image was completed by a large tail, long clawed feet, and bat-like
wings. The clothing he'd worn as a human had transformed as well,
changing into a dark tunic.
Nagash's eyes were raging red, and he growled, displaying a row
of sharp teeth. He drew a scimitar from his back scabbard, challenging
the stranger.
"Prepare to die, petulant human," he bristled, "not only will I
feast on your pathetic hide, but on your very soul as well!" Nagash
snarled, taking a step toward the stranger.
The figure stood straight up, not breaking away from Nagash's
gaze, and reached into his shirt. "My friend, perhaps it is YOU who
doesn't know with who you're dealing," Rolie warned as he brought out
something that hung about his neck.
Nagash snarled again, taking notice of the object his opponent
had withdrawn, peering at it suspiciously.
It was a small dragon-shaped pendant, seemingly made of gold.
It was glowing.
*What is that?* Nagash thought, looking at the stranger's face
again and seeing that the stranger's eyes looked like they were
glowing too. A chill went down Nagash's spine.
*Who is this human? I never saw a human's eyes glow
like...that...?* and he paused, a chilling thought coming to his mind.
"Who are you??" Nagash called out, causing Rolie to grin.
"The name's Drake, at your service. Perhaps you've heard of me?" he said.
Nagash's eyes widened...he HAD heard of the name, but *...no,
impossible, it can't be the same Drake...he's taking me for a fool!*
"You're lying, filthy human! I will cut you down and make
mincemeat out of you!" he screamed.
Rolie drew out his katana, his face now hardened, his stance at
the ready.
"Try me."
Nagash roared, and charged at Rolie. Rolie began his own charge,
and both leaped into the air, swords swinging.
SWOOSH!!
CRASH!!! BOOOOM!!!!
"AIEEE!!"
"Sailor Moon, will you calm down?!" yelled Sailor Mars.
"I HATE lightning!" cried the blonde, "and that last one was too
close!"
The four senshi, Sailors Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Eternal Moon
had ducked into a gazebo. Mars was fuming, Moon was trembling, Venus
sweatdropped, and Mercury was typing away on her computer.
"Mercury? What's the hold up?" asked Venus.
"The electrical field overhead is causing an unusual disturbance.
A high concentration of charged ions is interfering with my sensor
readouts. I'm trying to compensate the electrical fields and anomalies,
filtering them out so I can get a good reading on our position and our
intruders."
Silence greeted her response and she stopped typing, looking back
at the others who greeted her with blank stares.
She flushed, and cleared her throat, "Err, I mean, the lightning
messed up my computer, and I'm trying to fix it?"
"Ooohhhh..." the other senshi said in unison.
"Sorry," Mercury muttered, "it's been frustrating."
"Oh Mercury, it's all right," Sailor Moon said, and she clutched
her friend's hand. "We know you're doing your best. We're behind you
all the way." Mars and Venus nodded.
Mercury smiled back, "Thanks, guys."
A beeping sound brought them out of their reverie, and Mercury
glanced at her computer, and typed a few keys. Seconds later, she
spoke.
"Our intruder...make that intruders, have moved again, and
they're another half mile up the path," she announced.
Venus frowned, "So the third guy has shown up again? With number
two?" she asked, and Mercury nodded.
Moon gave out a tired sigh, "Boy, can't these guys take a break
or something? At least stay at one place..."
"Since when are you so eager to face them?" asked Mars.
Moon flushed, "Well, umm, I'm not...not really..." she mumbled,
and twiddled her fingers.
Mars was about to berate her when Venus quickly interjected, "Are
they moving, Mercury?"
"No, but one of them..." and she stopped, peering at her
readings.
The others looked at her intently. "What, Mercury? What about
one of them?" Mars pressed.
"Readings on one of them...the second intruder, the demon's
companion? Well, it's...fading," Mercury declared.
The senshi looked at each other for a moment, Venus finally
breaking the silence.
"We better move. Let's go," she said, and the girls stepped into
the rain and started toward their destination.
A half-mile away, in a small clearing, two figures stood a few
yards apart, their backs to each other, both clutching their swords.
They then turned to face each other, their eyes locked...
...and Nagash faltered. His sword blade broke in half, a long
gash across his body spurting black blood. Nagash collapsed, falling
to his knees. His crystal pendant fell off his neck, splitting into
pieces. Nagash wrapped his arms around his body, looking back at
Rolie in disbelief.
"You....you...can't be...alive...impossible...supposed....be
dead...." he gasped, coughing up blood.
Rolie approached Nagash, sword in hand, and planted his feet in
front of his fallen foe.
"'News of my death has been greatly exaggerated', as the saying
goes," he said, his eyes and pendant still glowing as he raised the
sword over his head.
He stared into Nagash's fading eyes, and said, "Sorry it won't be
said the same of you."
"The.....dragon....kniiiii..." Nagash sputtered.
SWOOSH! THUNK!
Nagash's head plopped to the ground, his face forever frozen in a
silent scream. The rest of his body slumped lifelessly next to it.
As Rolie watched, the lifeless body began to mysteriously melt
away in the rain. The formerly slender, muscular body of the demon
decomposed, collapsing under its own weight. Rolie narrowed his eyes
and wrinkled his nose, his stomach turning.
*Yuck,* he thought, *and I thought I had gotten over that.*
Hurried footsteps brought him back from his thoughts. He quickly
jumped up into a nearby tree and then down behind a nearby hedge,
keeping low to the ground as he sheathed his sword and watched in
surprise as four figures entered the clearing.
*The Sailor Senshi...here? How?* he wondered, and remained
silent, attentive.
"Mercury...is...this..the place?" huffed Sailor Venus.
Sailor Mercury slowly nodded, "Yes, this is the spot."
Sailor Moon took in deep breaths and looked around, pouting,
"But...there's nobody here!"
"Well, isn't THAT obvious?" grumbled Sailor Mars.
Mercury took out her computer and activated her visor, scanning
the perimeter. Rolie saw her do this, and crouched lower.
"Guys," she announced, "I found that fading reading of our second
intruder...over there," she pointed, leading them away.
*So,* Rolie thought, *Sailor Mercury has the means of detecting
monsters? That explains a few things.*
The girls had gathered where Nagash had fallen, and their
response was immediate.
"EWWWWWW!!!! gagged Venus and Moon.
"Oh, gross!!" Mars uttered, and coughed uneasily.
Even Mercury shook her head and wrinkled her nose at the sight of
the demon's decomposing body. Moon began to retch, followed by Mars.
Venus turned away, and Mercury turned on her visor and began tapping on
her computer.
Rolie sighed inwardly to himself. *Sorry, girls, a winged
demon's decay was never my cup of tea, either,* he thought.
"This demon is different from the other one we fought," intoned
Mercury. "The readings I got from that one and this one here..." she
paused, and continued, "...their body chemistries are similar with
slight discrepancies, though I'm surprised how this one ended up."
"What do you mean, Mercury?" asked Venus, who turned back to
face her.
"This one's been beheaded," she said matter-of-factly.
Moon retched again, and whimpered, "....Mercury...."
Mercury checked herself, "Umm, well, over there is a sword blade,
and that's melting too," and she pointed to the broken scimitar, and
added, "so I'm thinking there may be some link between the demons and
their weapons."
Rolie nodded. *Very good assessment, Mercury....so true from
where they come from,* he thought.
"But why is it dec.....melting? I thought witches did that,"
asked Moon.
The other three senshi sweatdropped, as did Rolie. *Oh,
brother...*
"You've been watching too many movies, you know that?" sighed
Mars.
"Well, who else have you seen melting in water?" pointed out Moon.
Mars glared at her and was about to fire back, but Mercury beat
her to it. "Whoever cut his head off may have also broken a...spell of
some kind, and hence his rapid decay," she said.
"A broken spell...or a broken crystal?" queried Venus.
Mercury, Moon, and Mars look at Venus quizzically, and she
pointed at a spot on the ground near her feet. There, broken pieces of
a small crystal lay, a couple of pieces with leather cord still
attached; they too were melting away. Mercury brought her computer to
bear, while the others peered at the shattered remains.
"What was it?" Mars asked.
"Looks like pieces of a jewel or crystal...or a precious stone,"
said Mercury.
"Like a diamond?" asked Moon.
"I'm not sure, Sailor Moon. There's not much left to scan, and
residual traces of energy are virtually nil. It's as dead as the
demon," said Mercury.
"It doesn't answer the main question, though...who killed this
demon? The third intruder? We don't know if it was him who did it,
and if it was, why?" Mars pointed out.
Mercury had no answer, neither did Moon. But Venus hadn't said
anything. She kept staring at the shattered jewel. Bending down she
picked up a nearby twig and prodded gently at the remains.
"Hmmm," she breathed aloud.
"Venus? You okay, girl?" asked Moon.
Venus sighed again, "Yes, Sailor Moon. I was just making...a
closer observation," she said hesitantly and scratched at her red hair
bow.
Rolie raised an eyebrow, and tilted his head, focusing on Sailor
Venus. *The demon's power crystal gets her attention?* he surmised,
*almost as if she knows something? Interesting...*
"Hey look! The rain's stopping," said Moon.
Mercury closed her computer. "So much for electrical interference.
The demon's practically gone now," she said as she gazed at the now
smoldering pile of what was left of Nagash's body.
"So what do we do now?" asked Mars.
"Well, Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Jupiter haven't arrived from the
hospital yet, and I can't detect any trace of the third intruder, so
he's probably gone by now. There's nothing left here to do," said
Mercury.
"So let's call them on our communicators and regroup at the
shrine, then," suggested Mars.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Moon, "I get to finally finish the manga I was
reading before we came here."
Mars' eyes widened, and she glared at Sailor Moon.
"And JUST what do you mean by THAT? Manga? MY mangas? You've
been going through my stash again, haven't you?!" she cried.
"Eeep! Umm, heh heh, " she murmured, sweatdropping, "Well, Mars,
let me tell you of a funny scene in #17..."
"I HAVEN'T READ THAT PART YET!!!" Mars bellowed.
"It's really funny! Honest!" countered Moon, backing off and
making to the clearing entrance.
Steam came out of Mars's ears, and she stepped forward with a
deadly look on her face. "Why you..." she growled and began chasing
after the fleeing blonde.
Mercury giggled, shaking her head and looking at Venus, but Venus
was still staring at the now shrunken crystal pieces.
"Sailor Venus? Are you coming?" asked Mercury.
"Huh? Oh...yeah," she said, standing up.
"You sure you're all right? Is it the crystal?"
Venus looked back to the bushes, heard and saw nothing, and
finally shook her head, "No...just curious, that's all...as they say,
'a boiled pot never watches'."
Mercury coughed, and said, "Umm, that's 'a watched pot never
boils'."
Venus shrugged, "Whatever. So, shall we save our fearless leader
from the clutches of a ticked-off fire senshi?" she asked, giggling.
Mercury smiled, nodding and following Venus out of the clearing.
A quiet lull had settled in as the storm died away.
Blackness.
*Asai-ko! Asai-ko!*
Heavy breathing.
*ASAI-KO!!*
Flashes of pain racked his mind, until a bright light froze his
breath.
Takeo awoke, and gasped.
"Asai-ko!!" he weakly cried.
A hand touched his arm, startling him, "Whaa...?"
"Easy, easy there, Mr. Nishimura," a gentle voice said.
Takeo looked toward the sound of the voice and saw...a nurse?
Shocked, he looked around and found himself sitting in a hospital bed
with IV lines coming out of his arm.
"What...what..happened?" he strained to say.
"Don't talk, Mr. Nishimura...you're safe now," said the nurse.
"But...my girlfriend...Asai-chan..." he whimpered.
The nurse smiled, and pointed to the opposite side of the bed.
Takeo turned his head, and beheld Asai on a bed next to him, sleeping
soundly.
"Miss Kobe is also out of danger as well, Mr. Nishimura,"
explained the nurse.
"But ... how did I ... how did she ...?" he whispered.
"You can thank the Sailor Senshi for that, and their escort,
Tuxedo Kamen," she said.
"Huh?" asked Takeo.
"A tall brunette senshi carried Miss Kobe in and Tuxedo Kamen
brought you. They left you both with us at Emergency, and then left.
The doctors took care of you," the nurse explained slowly.
Takeo laid back on bed, breathing sighs of relief. He looked at
the nurse again, and softly asked, "May I sit next to her, please?"
The nurse looked at his chart, and smiled again, "Well, Mr.
Nishimura, as long as you take the IV stand with you and take a chair,
I would say of course. But I'm serious about your voice. You have
damaged vocal cords. She sustained bruised ribs and both of you have
minor cuts and bruises. Go to her...gingerly." At that she stepped
out of the room.
Takeo pulled off his covers, wincing as he shuffled to Asai's
bedside, pulling his wheeled IV stand and a chair to with him. Sitting
next to her, he leaned his head against her pillow. As he gently
stroked her bandaged face, a tear fell from his eye, and his lips
trembled.
"Asai-ko, oh Asai-ko," he whispered, "Thank Kami for the Sailor
Senshi, for Tuxedo Kamen...we're alive...oh Asai-ko...aisheteru...I
love you..."
Asai, still asleep, unconsciously turned her head to him, a small
smile spreading across her pale lips. Takeo continued lovingly
stroking her hair and her face as the various monitors kept a silent
vigil.
Nightfall.
Back at the park, Rolie was resting under a tree by the bridge,
writing in a small book and pondering of the day's events.
"Dear Diary," he wrote, "This started off as a typical day. Woke
up in the morning, went to a public bathhouse for a shower, ate
breakfast, and hiked through rugged mountain terrain...good for the
hiking boots but a chore on the shoulders, especially when you lug
around a heavy backpack, but I digress...
"Arrived at Fujiyoshida Park outside Tokyo, right under Mt. Fuji,
as beautiful as I remember it, but then the gods decided to get frisky
and play some lightning bowling, and left their heavenly faucets
running. Heh, go figure...the gods committing a redundant human
foible?"
He shook his head, "Naaaahh," he concluded, and continued, "But
it gets better...or worse, Diary...take your pick. Today I witnessed
the famed Sailor Senshi in action, taking on demons..." and he paused,
and took a deep breath.
"THEY are here, Diary, the Soultakers are here. Geez, and I was
getting used to decades of peace and quiet, and THEY pop up again.
Why? Why are they here?"
He chuckled to himself, and wrote, "Heh, I asked myself that very
question: Why am I here? One of the great questions of all time,
making or breaking the careers of philosophers, poets, psychologists,
romance writers, and thousands of others, yet for me, the answer has
been simple. When the demons arise, it's up to me to fight them, by
any means necessary, and defeat them. Hah! I think I need a contract
renegotiation," and he couldn't help but laugh to himself.
"They're up to something, of course, though what it is, I'm not
sure yet. It's going to take time, and I need a base of operations to
work from," he wrote, and he pulled out a small piece of paper from his
pocket, and gazed at the address on it...
...in the Juuban district. Rolie raised an eyebrow.
"Old Archie may be an old coot, but he's no fool," he wrote, "he
knows how to pick the ideal locations. He even has the house picked,
but does he help with the job search? Oh, heaven forbid! 'I'll
getcha the house', he says, 'but YOU gotta look for the job yourself,
kid. I'm a realtor, not a job counselor!' Heh, that's gratitude for
you," and he chuckled.
"Well, he hasn't let me down, and once I get my stuff from
Hokkaido in order, and working my new cover, I can find out what the
Soultakers are up to. Last thing I need is another Siberia episode..."
Rolie trailed off, and shuddered.
*Siberia...whoa, now THAT was a real doozy,* he thought, *I
really hope I don't go through that again...don't think I can handle
it...*
He continued, "Anyways, Diary, it seems I have my work cut out
for me...and speaking of cutting..." and reached to his left shoulder
and pulled on his shirt, and looked inside. A bright red gash ran from
his shoulder blade near his neck to his armpit. He winced, turning
back to the diary.
"That winged demon almost got me, or at least almost got my arm
off. Good thing the hiking toughened the shoulder muscles. I just
managed to get move just far enough away from his blade to strike him,
though my sword work is rusty. I've got to get back into fighting
shape again, and because I don't know how far along the Soultakers are
in their plans, I'll have to play catch-up...which means I'll need all
the resources I can get...I'll need help..."
He paused, and looked at Tokyo's city lights twinkling in the
distance.
He continued, "Could the Senshi help? I don't know. Will they
help? I don't know either, and I'm not sure if I want them to.
They're not aware of how dangerous this business is, and Siberia has
taught me some hard lessons...hard and painful lessons," he sadly
sighed.
"I have to give them plenty of credit, though," he wrote, "even
at their age. Five young girls, and one young man...Tuxedo Kamen is a
puzzle. Tall, lithe, graceful...but what's with the hat? And the tux
getup? A mystery, for sure, but he provides them with good backup, I
suppose, especially to Sailor Moon.
"Sailor Moon, the blond, pigtailed leader of the Senshi...and a
winged one at that, though she doesn't fly. Kind of whiny and klutzy,
and that almost got her killed, but she has Tuxie to sweep her up into
his arms..heheheh.
"Sailor Jupiter looks strong in physique and in the head...make
that a hard head under that brunette hairstyle. Brave, yet reckless.
A hard charger, fists flying...heh, she almost caught me in the bush
where I was hiding. But she keeps doing that, it's going to get her
hurt, or worse.
"Sailor Mars, a raven-haired one, packing some heavy firepower,
literally. Uppity in attitude, and a sharp tongue. To be on her bad
side is NOT a good idea.
"Sailor Mercury's the quiet, yet wise tactician. Not as
up-foward as the others, but under that blue hair is a great mind, and
with that palmtop she has, along with her own powers, she is one to be
reckoned with. Hmm, wonder if that thing's sensors picked up any
readings of me like that of the demons'..."
"Then there's Sailor Venus, another blonde. Spunky, conscious
of her surroundings, with wavy hair...and a red bow...that red
bow..."
Rolie pondered a bit before continuing, "I don't know, Diary, but
something about Sailor Venus...and another girl I knew...three years
ago, in Europe...she wore a red bow just like Venus's...but that's
unlikely. Many girls, I'm sure, wear red bows in their hair, and
besides, the other girl I knew in Europe...is dead...killed in an
explosion..."
Rolie shook his head and sighed. *Man, a chore on the emotions,
and I need some sleep,* he thought wistfully.
"Well, Diary, I'm signing off...it has been a busy day. By
tomorrow afternoon, I will be in that new house in Juuban, have to make
some calls to settle in, and begin my watch on both the Soultakers AND
the Sailor Senshi. I'll keep an eye on them, gather information, and
dispatch of the demons when need be...I'll make myself known,
eventually...but at my own time and choosing. The Senshi are going to
need all the help they can get...and so will I."
He closed the book and stored it in his backpack, and crawled
into his sleeping bag, but remained sitting up. He reached into his
shirt and placed his hand on the wound, closed his eyes, and
concentrated. His pendant glowed faintly, and so did his hand.
Within minutes, the angry red welt was gone, with hardly a trace of
any scars left behind.
*A patch-up job, for sure,* he smiled to himself.
He fixed his pack to make it like a pillow, and leaning back
was soon fast asleep; Tokyo's lights blinking in the distance, the
full moon bathing the park in a soft glow.
Under the protection of the small bridge, Rolie slept soundly.
End Chapter 1
2-15-02
know which ones), belong to Naoko Takeuchi, not me. Just so we are
clear on that.
Original characters are of my design, thank you very much.
Note: The *....*'s indicate the character's thoughts.
I would like to thank Lady Archanna for being such a wonderful editor
(thanks, Lexi!), and also Magdalena for support and input (thanks,
Lenachan!). This is my first fic, so I hope you do enjoy it. Any
comments, email me at halreader@cs.com.
Thank you for reading, and enjoy!
HAL :-)
Dragon of the Moon
Chapter 1
He's a real Nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.
Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?
----"Nowhere Man"
Lennon/McCartney, The Beatles
*I hate Mondays...*
CRASH!!! BOOM!!!
*...oh, shut up.*
The rain continued to pour. The raindrops pounded the bill of
his already-wet baseball cap, resonating with a loud patter that
annoyed him incessantly. Even with his cap on, his long black bangs
were soaking wet.
Rolie Drake looked up to the dark clouds overhead. They seemed
to be mocking him as a gust of wind blew rain into his eyes, making
him squint. But taking a cue from his opponent, he decided to mock
back, and grinned.
*Feh, big deal...I'm not made of sugar, you know, so there!* he
thought, and stuck out his tongue to punctuate his dare.
They weren't amused, for a bolt of lightning from above gave him
his answer.
CRASH!!! BOOOOM!!!
Rolie winced, and even with a wet forehead, he sweatdropped.
"All right, all right! Sheesh, can't take a joke?" he muttered.
Beaten, he began looking for shelter. His walk in the park left
him with few options. The trees offered protection, but he decided
against becoming a human matchstick and kept looking. No buildings in
sight...except a nearby concrete bridge. A rather narrow one.
Rolie sighed.
*Oh well, 'beggars can't be choosers', as they say,* he thought
glumly.
Hefting his large backpack on his shoulders, he grunted and
quickly made his way to the bridge, a pedestrian walkway over a ravine.
It was dry under the bridge, but the wind began blowing rain under it,
and it was becoming cooler. He decided to wait there anyway and ride
out the storm. Sitting down on the concrete abutment under the bridge,
he began pondering the last few days.
He had arrived at the outskirts of Tokyo this morning. The long
hike from his starting point in Hokkaido took him through fields and
cities, often following the highways as cars zoomed past by him. It
would have been easier if he had rented a car, but he'd decided
that a cross-country hike was needed to shore up his muscles, plus the
feeling of open air and solitude best suited his personality.
Rolie enjoyed camping. The days spent in the open country
refreshed his senses, allowing him to relax and ease his mind and
body. The pleasant summer nights provided comfortable weather, which
he'd enjoyed by sleeping under the forest trees near the mountain
range, with the glow of city night lights providing a comfortable
backdrop.
Yet he had been following a southerly course, following a
peculiar sensation...a feeling...that he HAD to go south, towards
Tokyo, where he now found himself.
*Why....* he began thinking.
A crashing bolt broke his train of thought. CRASH!! BOOM!!!
He shook his head, and uttered, "Why am I here?"
*Ah, an age-old question,* he thought, *though Freud nor Jung are
here to debate it and fill your head with theories and case studies.
Just do what you have done, like before, and eventually you'll find
out.*
"Fine," he said soberly, and sat back on the abutment, waiting
for the rain to pass.
Suddenly Rolie heard hurried footsteps on the span above him,
and he leaned out to see who it was. Two joggers, apparently caught
in the rainstorm, had crossed the bridge, trying to find shelter
themselves...unsuccessfully. Rolie shook his head slowly, and began
to settle back...
THUMP THUMP THUMP!
Rolie sat up quickly, surprised at the new sound over his head,
and tried to crane his neck up to see, but couldn't. He looked at the
joggers, finally seeing their faces...terror-stricken faces...and he
tensed up.
"What in the world...," he began, and then a loud roar cut
through the rainfall; a blood-curdling sound that sent a swift chill
down his spine. The joggers themselves screamed, and resumed their
flight, and a large, dark form appeared on the other side of the
span, but took no notice on Rolie. Whatever it was, it was chasing
THEM.
"Those people are going to need help with...whatever it is,"
Rolie muttered, and stuck his backpack safely under the walkway,
taking out a smaller, slim-looking object with a belt attached to
it. Slinging it hurriedly across his chest, he took up the chase.
*This...this...is...crazy!!...huff huff....I have
heard....huff...of stranger things....huff....but...but THIS??...*
Takeo Nishimura was at wits' end. He never expected to confront
a huge, scaly monster on a jogging path. Neither did his girlfriend,
Asai Kobe, who accompanied him. They had been jogging partners for two
months after meeting in the college student union, both
physical-education majors. Asai, however, had only one thought about
the pursuing creature...run for your life.
"Keep running, Asai-chan!" yelled Takeo, who followed a couple
of yards behind her, praying that the next turn wouldn't lead to a dead
end. Asai made another turn from the path, but a few yards later she
suddenly stopped, choking back a scream; she had made a wrong turn
onto a dead-end path. She stood staring at a tall wall from an overhead
freeway that blocked her way. She was about to turn back when Takeo
crashed into her, and both fell to the ground in a heap. Takeo grunted
and shook his head, looking up he whimpered, "Oh...no..."
The creature had caught up with them, now blocking the way out.
It stood an imposing eight feet in height, a sickly brown-scaled
behemoth with huge black horns coming out from its temples, eyes
glowing red, and a sinister grin plastered on its face as it hissed
between its razor-sharp teeth. It wore a dirty-looking toga, and a
long tail whipped at the bushes just behind his giant, hooved feet.
Asai was shaking violently, weeping behind Takeo, who was himself
terrified by the sight of the creature, but managed to gather enough
courage to stand between Asai and the monster. His voice wasn't quite
ready when he finally spoke.
"What," Takeo squeaked, gulping loudly, "What do you want?
What...what are you?"
The monster took two steps forward, dark hooves thumping on the
ground, smiling wickedly.
"Who I ammm....doessssn't matterrrr," it drawled, it's deep
guttural voice sending more chills down Takeo's spine. "What I
wannnt....are your souuulllssss!" the beast chuckled, a gurgling sound
deep in his throat as he flashed a fanged grin at the terrified couple.
*Oh, Kami-sama...a devil...* thought Takeo, heart sinking. He
turned to a trembling Asai, gripped her shoulders, and slowly pushed
her back to the tall wall behind them, whispering hurriedly in her ear.
"Asai-chan, listen to me," Takeo hissed, "you have got to get
away! I'll charge this...this...thing, and you go!"
Asai looked at him with horrified eyes, "But...but Takeo-chan!"
"No buts! Just do it!"
"No, Takeo-chan! I won't go! Please don't make me go!" she
cried, closing her eyes, shaking her head.
"Asai-ko," Takeo whispered, and she looked at him again surprised
to see a tear coming down his dirt-covered face, "please
go...aishiteru."
Asai sniffled, and finally nodded. Takeo kissed her cheek.
"Wait for my signal...I'll knock it off it's feet, and you run
as fast as you can...no looking back. Promise me!" he hissed.
"I will, Takeo-chan...aishiteru," she whimpered. Takeo hugged
her, and turned to face the monster, who was slowly closing the gap
and still grinning.
With a yell, Takeo lunged at the monster with all his might,
managing to drive it a few steps sideways. With that, his arms
tangling with the monster's, he cried out, "Asai-chan...GO!"
Asai sprung forward, and had managed to reach the path entrance,
when she felt something wrap around her waist. To her horror, the
monster's tail had elongated, stretching out like a leathery coil, and
bound her arms like a snake, squeezing her.
"AAHH!!" she cried painfully, "Takeo-chaaann!!"
Takeo blanched at the sight, and screamed at the still-grinning
beast, "NOO!! Let her go, you MONSTER!"
The monster chuckled, "Foolishhhh humanssss, think they are
ssssso sssssmart? HAH!" The demon clasped a long hand around Takeo's
throat, lifting him up in the air. Meanwhile its tail brought a
screaming Asai closer to it, and with his free hand, grabbed her
thin neck, bringing her struggling form next to Takeo's.
Takeo and Asai gagged, gasping for breath, beating the monster
weakly with their hands. The creature laughed, "HAHAHAHA!! Now,
foolissshhh mortalsss, your soulssss...will be...MINE!!"
A sickly-green glow surrounded the monster, spreading to its
victims. Takeo felt his strength ebbing, and Asai's breathing became
labored until she finally fell unconscious in the monster's grip.
Takeo's hope slipped. *Asai-ko...I failed you....so
sorry...I...love you....uhhhhh....*
Last thing he saw was the creature still laughing before the
darkness finally claimed him.
Rolie had taken to the thickets, following the creature's loud
tramping through bough and wood. As he crept closer, he heard the
creature's sickening laugh, but nothing from the joggers.
*Uh oh, I better work fast,* he thought, slipping closer to find
a spot to make his strike. As he did, he reached over his back,
pulling at the slim object--a long scabbard, withdrawing a katana,
setting his feet for his jump...
...until a new voice broke in.
"VENUS LOVE ME CHAIN!"
Rolie froze in his tracks, just stopping his jump. The creature
had stopped laughing; a golden chain of hearts had wrapped around its
neck, and amazingly, the monster was pulled backwards, the sudden
momentum causing him to drop his unconscious victims to the pavement.
Rolie bent down to his knees behind the shrubs and watched in
amazement as the monster clutched at its neck, turning to face its
attacker. Both Rolie and the creature were equally surprised at who
they saw at the other end of the chain: a young blond-haired girl...
*...in a gold-skirted sailor suit???* Rolie thought
incredulously.
The girl spoke, "I am Sailor Venus, the Senshi of Love! And I
will not permit you to take the lives of this couple in love!" As she
held fast on her chain, she shouted, "Got his attention, guys!"
Suddenly new voices broke in.
"SUPREME THUNDER!"
"FIRE SOUL!"
A fireball surrounded by flashes of electricity struck the
monster, driving him hard into the wall.
Two more sailor-suited girls appeared from the trees; a
raven-haired one with a red skirt and a tall brunette in a green skirt.
Both landed on the ground ahead of the fallen couple, joining the
golden-skirted senshi.
Then a blue-skirted senshi appeared and knelt beside Takeo and
Asai. She held what looked to Rolie like a palm-size computer, typing
quickly on the keys. Finally, another blond-haired senshi appeared,
with overly-long pigtails, a rainbow-colored skirt, and...
*...wings? A winged senshi? Who the heck are these girls?* Rolie
thought from his hiding place.
"Sailor Mercury?" the winged senshi said, "are they....?"
Sailor Mercury ran a hand through her blue-tinged hair; a
worried look on her face, looked at the blonde senshi, and said,
"Their life signs are very weak, Sailor Moon...but it looks like we
made it in time."
Rolie's ears picked up the names, his eyes widened as he sucked
in a breath. *So THAT'S Sailor Moon? And the other girls...the Sailor
Senshi?...amazing,* he sat in awe, remaining silent and continuing to
watch.
Sailor Moon nodded, and looked at the creature, her face
hardening, she began approaching the sputtering monster, and shouted,
"How dare you try to take the lives of these innocents? The park is a
place of peace and love, where couples enjoy each other's company...and
you would take that away from them? I will not allow it!!
"For I am Eternal Sailor Moon! Champion for Love and Justice!
And with the help of my friends,"
The others announced themselves:
"Sailor Mercury!"
"Sailor Mars!"
"Sailor Jupiter!"
"and Sailor Venus!"
In unison, they posed, and cried, "WE SHALL PUNISH YOU!"
"And that means you, you demon!" Moon punctuated.
*....speeches?....posing?* Rolie sweatdropped, and his eyebrow
twitched.
The said demon didn't seem to care for the speeches, and scowled
with hate-filled eyes at them. "Gaahhh," it growled, "Sssailor
braaatss! I won't be taken down sssso easssily!"
It reached to its neck and broke Venus's chain with a SNAP!...and
despite Mars's and Jupiter's attacks, it sprung upright to its hooves,
and with a roar, lowered its horned head charging at the senshi,
scattering them.
"Watch it, guys!" shouted Mercury, "The horns are sharp as
spears! Keep moving!"
The creature turned and charged at the senshi again, waving its
clawed hands at them, as the senshi kept dodging each attack. Sailor
Moon dodged one charge and scooted backwards, not noticing an exposed
root from a nearby tree. Sailor Jupiter did, calling out to her,
"Sailor Moon! Watch out!"
Too late, Sailor Moon stumbled backward and landed in a heap.
"Owwiee!...that smarts!" she muttered.
The demon saw this, skidded to a halt, and turned with
frightening speed and bore down on the fallen senshi.
"YOU DIE NOOOWWW, SSSSAILOR BRAT! YARRRGGHH!!" it roared.
Sailor Moon was frozen, fear in her eyes, and with the other
senshi out of position to prevent the inevitable, she screamed,
squeezing her eyes shut...
...and felt her body jerked off the ground, and a loud crash:
the monster smashed into the tree directly behind her.
She opened her eyes, and breathed a dreamy sigh of relief.
"Tuxedo Kamen! You saved me!" she exclaimed.
"Got to watch your step, Sailor Moon," said the tuxedo-clad hero,
and both flew to a nearby open spot for safety. He called out to the
other senshi, "She's clear, sailor soldiers!"
Jupiter renewed the assault, and yelled, "Right! All right,
buddy, have a taste of this! JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!"
A swarm of lightning and leaves struck the monster, blowing him
off balance, sending him tumbling to the ground. The other senshi
joined in with their attacks.
"MARS FLAME SNIPER!"
"MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!"
"VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!"
A deadly mix of fire, water, and light struck the demon, blasting
it to the wall.
Tuxedo Kamen stood behind Sailor Moon, and whispered, "It's your
cue."
Moon nodded, brought out her Eternal Tier, and shouted,
"STARLIGHT HONEYMOON THERAPY KISS!"
A huge wave of light and power sprung from Sailor Moon and
enveloped the creature. The demon howled a long, unearthly wail...and
disintegrated. Only thing left was a small object: a round stone with
two leather cords coming out from it, but it too crumbled to dust.
"Hah! Dusted demon!" said Jupiter jubilantly.
"But still a tough one, Jupiter," said Mars.
"Yeah, he even managed to break through my chain," said Venus
glumly.
"And withstood your low-impact attacks." added Mercury, "but we
had to get him to let those people go and move him far enough away so
we didn't fry them in the process."
"Very good strategy, Sailor Mercury," said Tuxedo Kamen.
"Yeah!" chimed in Sailor Moon, "leave it to our resident genius
to come up with the coolest plan!" and she hugged Mercury's shoulders.
Mercury blushed.
Rolie, as silent as stone, observed everything from his hiding
spot, in awe of what he just witnessed. *The Sailor Senshi in action,
with the mysterious Tuxedo Kamen. Now I have seen everything,* he
thought in wonder, *Well, guess they had everything under control,*
and he started to retreat quietly into the trees.
The senshi were walking back to check on Takeo and Asai, when
Sailor Venus suddenly said, "Guys, wait!" and she turned to Mercury.
"Mercury...didn't you tell us before on the way here that there
were not one but TWO life-forms chasing this couple? If the demon we
dusted was one of them, where's.....?" she trailed off.
She needn't say the rest; the senshi and Tuxedo Kamen stopped in
their tracks, looked about their surroundings, and listened intently.
Mercury brought out her computer and activated her visor. Rolie, who
had crept back a few feet from his hiding spot, caught Venus's
statement, and he too stopped his tracks to listen. He was hiding
in the bushes at the far side of the clearing, and the steady patter
of the falling rain resonated on the canopy of trees above them all.
...rustle...
Rolie heard something, and narrowed his eyes...something was
behind the senshi...in the bushes behind them.
He sucked in his breath, but a faint, warm glow emanated from
something under his shirt, and he clutched his chest quietly.
*Oh great...they're here,* he thought bitterly, and his brow
furrowed, *...wonderful...just wonderful...*
...snap...
Tuxedo Kamen whipped his head to his left, and in a swift
movement, threw a couple of sharp roses at the noise's direction.
"Come out!" he yelled, and began to enter the thicket.
"Tuxedo Kamen, wait!" exclaimed Sailor Mercury, and he stopped,
looking at her.
"I have a reading, faint but solid...but not there," she said,
and she swerved at Rolie's direction, "....there!...but wait..."
Jupiter jumped forward. "All right, you! Come out of there!" she
bellowed, and charged forward.
"Jupiter, wait!" shouted Mars, but was too late. Jupiter dived
headfirst into Rolie's thicket. Loud rustling, snapping, and grunting
was heard, then a disheveled Sailor Jupiter crawled out.
"Sailor Jupiter! Are you...?" asked Sailor Moon.
"Okay? Yeah, I'm all right, except for a few splinters,"
grumbled Jupiter, and glared at Mercury. "I thought you said he was in
there," she said.
Mercury shook her head. "The reading was there, Jupiter, but I
was going to say, that wasn't the same second reading I detected before
I got here," she explained.
Jupiter looked at her blankly, as did the others, until Venus
said, "Ummm, Mercury? Could you run that by us again?"
Mercury cleared her throat, and continued, "What I meant was,
before we got here, I detected two readings, both similar signatures,
chasing this couple," and she knelt by the unconscious Takeo and Asai,
and resumed her scans.
"Yeah," said Mars, "we got here, found 'big and ugly' draining
them."
"Right Mars," said Mercury, and continued, "We found one source.
The second one looked like he held back and let the big demon do its
dirty work, hiding himself while we dealt with the monster. The source
in the bushes..."
"Where I jumped into?" muttered Jupiter.
"No, Jupiter," Mercury said, "The second source blipped on my
computer in the area where Tuxedo Kamen threw his roses. I was going
to warn him to be careful..."
"Well, I could have done THAT," said Sailor Moon.
"Sailor Moon, anyone of us could have told him that," said Mars.
"But...but he's MY boyfriend!" whined Moon.
*Here we go again,* Tuxedo Kamen sighed silently, while Venus
and Jupiter sweatdropped.
"You should have been more careful yourself, watching your step,
Meatball-head." snapped Mars.
"I didn't know that root was there!" Moon shot back, "and DON'T
call me Meatball-head, Pyro!"
"Meatball-head!"
"Pyro!"
"Phbtttttt!!"
"Phbtttttt!!"
"Umm, girls?" Tuxedo Kamen tried to interject, without much
success.
"Girls?"
"PHBTTTTT!!"
"PHBTTTTT!!"
"GIRLS!!" he finally shouted.
Mars and Moon stopped, and turned their backs, crossing their
arms.
"Humph!!" they both huffed.
Tuxedo Kamen cleared his throat. "Sailor Mercury, how about these
people?"
Mercury closed her computer, and said, "The drain left them
unconscious, and out of any immediate danger, but we better take them
to the hospital to be sure."
"All right," said Tuxedo Kamen, "but back to that
second...intruder reading, you said I threw my roses where he was. But
then you pointed to where Jupiter charged. Does that mean...?" he
trailed off.
Venus finished the thought, "...a third intruder?"
Moon's and Mars's eyes popped open, and they all stood silent
again, the concept of the third unknown observer finally sinking in.
However, all they heard was the continuous patter of falling rain, and
the rumblings of thunder in the air...nothing else.
Meanwhile, a mile north from where the senshi stood, a man
stepped out of the bushes and took a deep breath. He was wearing dark
camouflage garb, his shaved head slackened by the rain.
He leaned against a tree, and muttered, "Ahh, alas for
Tor...stupid idiot could never do a soul drain quick enough. Big on
brawn, tiny upstairs," and shook his head, "unlike me, Nagash
of the First Winged Order, quite the opposite of those leather-heads."
"But those blasted Sailor Senshi...gah!" he spat, "they seemed
to have improved on their powers and tactics as of late, especially
Sailor Moon." He pulled out a small crystal that hung on a leather cord
around his neck, eyeing it carefully.
*These readings may do service to our cause. Once we figure out
their weaknesses the senshi are as good as dead, and our armies will
conquer this planet,* he thought chuckling to himself.
"I gotta admit..." a new voice called out.
Nagash's eyes widened, and he jumped in surprise, almost losing
his footing.
"WHAT?!" he cried.
He looked up, and saw a figure standing on a tree branch above
him, his arms crossed, and looking down at him. Though his head was
down and the wet baseball cap he was wearing covered part of his
grinning face, Nagash could see the stranger's eyes fixed squarely on
him.
"...you boys are improving in your stealth skills. I almost
didn't see you, but that itch you had on your back was too much to be
ignored, huh?" finished the figure.
Nagash snarled and stepped backward into a clearing, looking at
the stranger up and down, sizing him up. *Hmm, a human male, and a
sneaky one at that. Six feet tall, black hair, raffish-looking by the
clothes, doesn't look tough at all...*
*...easy prey* he concluded, and he grinned back.
"Are you trying to scare me? Because if that was your plan, it
failed about as miserably as your attempt to surprise me," Nagash
laughed, smirking. "Then again, I'm sure that was quite a feat for your
small mind to put together."
"Actually, I'd wager it took more effort than that fiasco you put
together back there," Rolie shot back as he jumped to the ground with
practiced ease, landing a few feet in front of Nagash. "Though I'd hope
your mind is more evolved than Big-Tall-and-Gruesome's was...then
again, I could be wrong."
Nagash didn't like that, and scowled.
"The senshi do work well, don't they?" the stranger continued,
"for that's why you hid, so you don't suffer the fate of our late big
bruiser. Hmm, there may be hope for your kind yet, perhaps."
Nagash fumed, "Why, of all the....grrrr," he growled, and spat.
"Foolish mortal! Dare call me a coward?" The crystal that hung on his
neck began to glow, and his body shook. "You have no idea with who
you're dealing with!!" he angrily cried.
Lightning flashed above them. The glow from the crystal covered
his body and Nagash howled aloud as he transformed into a new form.
Sailor Jupiter and Venus were inspecting the bush the former had
crashed in a few minutes before. Venus tilted her head, motioning
toward the shrubs. "Here?"
Jupiter nodded. "Yeah...thought I had him before he could get
away, but all I got was a face full of twigs," she grumbled, pointing
to the broken patch of shrubbery.
"Neat hiding place," said Venus, "probably saw the whole fight
too."
"You think they're working together, to spy on us?" asked Jupiter.
"I don't know," the blonde said with a shake of her head, "but we
better be careful. Let's go back to the others."
Tuxedo Kamen had just picked up the inert Takeo and Jupiter was
picking up Asai when a new sound broke through the steady rainfall, an
unearthly howl accompanying a flash of lightning sending chills down
their spines.
"What...what was that?" stammered Sailor Moon.
Mercury whipped out her computer, and her eyes widened.
"Guys? They're back! At least one of them is, though I'm willing
to guess the third one is with him too...a mile due north," she said as
she pointed.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go get them!" cried Jupiter.
"But what about these two?" Mars said, pointing to Takeo and Asai,
"We just can't take them into the fight, or leave them here."
"Sailor Mars is right," said Tuxedo Kamen, "Jupiter and I will
take these civilians to the hospital...there's one nearby. The rest of
you check out Mercury's readings, but don't engage them yet. Wait for
us before you do anything."
The girls nodded, and the group split up to complete the assigned
tasks.
The stranger sighed, "That's supposed to scare me?"
Nagash had morphed into his true form. He now stood seven feet
tall with purple skin that rippled over large muscles. His bald head
was unusually rounded with sharply pointed ears on either side. The
image was completed by a large tail, long clawed feet, and bat-like
wings. The clothing he'd worn as a human had transformed as well,
changing into a dark tunic.
Nagash's eyes were raging red, and he growled, displaying a row
of sharp teeth. He drew a scimitar from his back scabbard, challenging
the stranger.
"Prepare to die, petulant human," he bristled, "not only will I
feast on your pathetic hide, but on your very soul as well!" Nagash
snarled, taking a step toward the stranger.
The figure stood straight up, not breaking away from Nagash's
gaze, and reached into his shirt. "My friend, perhaps it is YOU who
doesn't know with who you're dealing," Rolie warned as he brought out
something that hung about his neck.
Nagash snarled again, taking notice of the object his opponent
had withdrawn, peering at it suspiciously.
It was a small dragon-shaped pendant, seemingly made of gold.
It was glowing.
*What is that?* Nagash thought, looking at the stranger's face
again and seeing that the stranger's eyes looked like they were
glowing too. A chill went down Nagash's spine.
*Who is this human? I never saw a human's eyes glow
like...that...?* and he paused, a chilling thought coming to his mind.
"Who are you??" Nagash called out, causing Rolie to grin.
"The name's Drake, at your service. Perhaps you've heard of me?" he said.
Nagash's eyes widened...he HAD heard of the name, but *...no,
impossible, it can't be the same Drake...he's taking me for a fool!*
"You're lying, filthy human! I will cut you down and make
mincemeat out of you!" he screamed.
Rolie drew out his katana, his face now hardened, his stance at
the ready.
"Try me."
Nagash roared, and charged at Rolie. Rolie began his own charge,
and both leaped into the air, swords swinging.
SWOOSH!!
CRASH!!! BOOOOM!!!!
"AIEEE!!"
"Sailor Moon, will you calm down?!" yelled Sailor Mars.
"I HATE lightning!" cried the blonde, "and that last one was too
close!"
The four senshi, Sailors Mars, Mercury, Venus, and Eternal Moon
had ducked into a gazebo. Mars was fuming, Moon was trembling, Venus
sweatdropped, and Mercury was typing away on her computer.
"Mercury? What's the hold up?" asked Venus.
"The electrical field overhead is causing an unusual disturbance.
A high concentration of charged ions is interfering with my sensor
readouts. I'm trying to compensate the electrical fields and anomalies,
filtering them out so I can get a good reading on our position and our
intruders."
Silence greeted her response and she stopped typing, looking back
at the others who greeted her with blank stares.
She flushed, and cleared her throat, "Err, I mean, the lightning
messed up my computer, and I'm trying to fix it?"
"Ooohhhh..." the other senshi said in unison.
"Sorry," Mercury muttered, "it's been frustrating."
"Oh Mercury, it's all right," Sailor Moon said, and she clutched
her friend's hand. "We know you're doing your best. We're behind you
all the way." Mars and Venus nodded.
Mercury smiled back, "Thanks, guys."
A beeping sound brought them out of their reverie, and Mercury
glanced at her computer, and typed a few keys. Seconds later, she
spoke.
"Our intruder...make that intruders, have moved again, and
they're another half mile up the path," she announced.
Venus frowned, "So the third guy has shown up again? With number
two?" she asked, and Mercury nodded.
Moon gave out a tired sigh, "Boy, can't these guys take a break
or something? At least stay at one place..."
"Since when are you so eager to face them?" asked Mars.
Moon flushed, "Well, umm, I'm not...not really..." she mumbled,
and twiddled her fingers.
Mars was about to berate her when Venus quickly interjected, "Are
they moving, Mercury?"
"No, but one of them..." and she stopped, peering at her
readings.
The others looked at her intently. "What, Mercury? What about
one of them?" Mars pressed.
"Readings on one of them...the second intruder, the demon's
companion? Well, it's...fading," Mercury declared.
The senshi looked at each other for a moment, Venus finally
breaking the silence.
"We better move. Let's go," she said, and the girls stepped into
the rain and started toward their destination.
A half-mile away, in a small clearing, two figures stood a few
yards apart, their backs to each other, both clutching their swords.
They then turned to face each other, their eyes locked...
...and Nagash faltered. His sword blade broke in half, a long
gash across his body spurting black blood. Nagash collapsed, falling
to his knees. His crystal pendant fell off his neck, splitting into
pieces. Nagash wrapped his arms around his body, looking back at
Rolie in disbelief.
"You....you...can't be...alive...impossible...supposed....be
dead...." he gasped, coughing up blood.
Rolie approached Nagash, sword in hand, and planted his feet in
front of his fallen foe.
"'News of my death has been greatly exaggerated', as the saying
goes," he said, his eyes and pendant still glowing as he raised the
sword over his head.
He stared into Nagash's fading eyes, and said, "Sorry it won't be
said the same of you."
"The.....dragon....kniiiii..." Nagash sputtered.
SWOOSH! THUNK!
Nagash's head plopped to the ground, his face forever frozen in a
silent scream. The rest of his body slumped lifelessly next to it.
As Rolie watched, the lifeless body began to mysteriously melt
away in the rain. The formerly slender, muscular body of the demon
decomposed, collapsing under its own weight. Rolie narrowed his eyes
and wrinkled his nose, his stomach turning.
*Yuck,* he thought, *and I thought I had gotten over that.*
Hurried footsteps brought him back from his thoughts. He quickly
jumped up into a nearby tree and then down behind a nearby hedge,
keeping low to the ground as he sheathed his sword and watched in
surprise as four figures entered the clearing.
*The Sailor Senshi...here? How?* he wondered, and remained
silent, attentive.
"Mercury...is...this..the place?" huffed Sailor Venus.
Sailor Mercury slowly nodded, "Yes, this is the spot."
Sailor Moon took in deep breaths and looked around, pouting,
"But...there's nobody here!"
"Well, isn't THAT obvious?" grumbled Sailor Mars.
Mercury took out her computer and activated her visor, scanning
the perimeter. Rolie saw her do this, and crouched lower.
"Guys," she announced, "I found that fading reading of our second
intruder...over there," she pointed, leading them away.
*So,* Rolie thought, *Sailor Mercury has the means of detecting
monsters? That explains a few things.*
The girls had gathered where Nagash had fallen, and their
response was immediate.
"EWWWWWW!!!! gagged Venus and Moon.
"Oh, gross!!" Mars uttered, and coughed uneasily.
Even Mercury shook her head and wrinkled her nose at the sight of
the demon's decomposing body. Moon began to retch, followed by Mars.
Venus turned away, and Mercury turned on her visor and began tapping on
her computer.
Rolie sighed inwardly to himself. *Sorry, girls, a winged
demon's decay was never my cup of tea, either,* he thought.
"This demon is different from the other one we fought," intoned
Mercury. "The readings I got from that one and this one here..." she
paused, and continued, "...their body chemistries are similar with
slight discrepancies, though I'm surprised how this one ended up."
"What do you mean, Mercury?" asked Venus, who turned back to
face her.
"This one's been beheaded," she said matter-of-factly.
Moon retched again, and whimpered, "....Mercury...."
Mercury checked herself, "Umm, well, over there is a sword blade,
and that's melting too," and she pointed to the broken scimitar, and
added, "so I'm thinking there may be some link between the demons and
their weapons."
Rolie nodded. *Very good assessment, Mercury....so true from
where they come from,* he thought.
"But why is it dec.....melting? I thought witches did that,"
asked Moon.
The other three senshi sweatdropped, as did Rolie. *Oh,
brother...*
"You've been watching too many movies, you know that?" sighed
Mars.
"Well, who else have you seen melting in water?" pointed out Moon.
Mars glared at her and was about to fire back, but Mercury beat
her to it. "Whoever cut his head off may have also broken a...spell of
some kind, and hence his rapid decay," she said.
"A broken spell...or a broken crystal?" queried Venus.
Mercury, Moon, and Mars look at Venus quizzically, and she
pointed at a spot on the ground near her feet. There, broken pieces of
a small crystal lay, a couple of pieces with leather cord still
attached; they too were melting away. Mercury brought her computer to
bear, while the others peered at the shattered remains.
"What was it?" Mars asked.
"Looks like pieces of a jewel or crystal...or a precious stone,"
said Mercury.
"Like a diamond?" asked Moon.
"I'm not sure, Sailor Moon. There's not much left to scan, and
residual traces of energy are virtually nil. It's as dead as the
demon," said Mercury.
"It doesn't answer the main question, though...who killed this
demon? The third intruder? We don't know if it was him who did it,
and if it was, why?" Mars pointed out.
Mercury had no answer, neither did Moon. But Venus hadn't said
anything. She kept staring at the shattered jewel. Bending down she
picked up a nearby twig and prodded gently at the remains.
"Hmmm," she breathed aloud.
"Venus? You okay, girl?" asked Moon.
Venus sighed again, "Yes, Sailor Moon. I was just making...a
closer observation," she said hesitantly and scratched at her red hair
bow.
Rolie raised an eyebrow, and tilted his head, focusing on Sailor
Venus. *The demon's power crystal gets her attention?* he surmised,
*almost as if she knows something? Interesting...*
"Hey look! The rain's stopping," said Moon.
Mercury closed her computer. "So much for electrical interference.
The demon's practically gone now," she said as she gazed at the now
smoldering pile of what was left of Nagash's body.
"So what do we do now?" asked Mars.
"Well, Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Jupiter haven't arrived from the
hospital yet, and I can't detect any trace of the third intruder, so
he's probably gone by now. There's nothing left here to do," said
Mercury.
"So let's call them on our communicators and regroup at the
shrine, then," suggested Mars.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Moon, "I get to finally finish the manga I was
reading before we came here."
Mars' eyes widened, and she glared at Sailor Moon.
"And JUST what do you mean by THAT? Manga? MY mangas? You've
been going through my stash again, haven't you?!" she cried.
"Eeep! Umm, heh heh, " she murmured, sweatdropping, "Well, Mars,
let me tell you of a funny scene in #17..."
"I HAVEN'T READ THAT PART YET!!!" Mars bellowed.
"It's really funny! Honest!" countered Moon, backing off and
making to the clearing entrance.
Steam came out of Mars's ears, and she stepped forward with a
deadly look on her face. "Why you..." she growled and began chasing
after the fleeing blonde.
Mercury giggled, shaking her head and looking at Venus, but Venus
was still staring at the now shrunken crystal pieces.
"Sailor Venus? Are you coming?" asked Mercury.
"Huh? Oh...yeah," she said, standing up.
"You sure you're all right? Is it the crystal?"
Venus looked back to the bushes, heard and saw nothing, and
finally shook her head, "No...just curious, that's all...as they say,
'a boiled pot never watches'."
Mercury coughed, and said, "Umm, that's 'a watched pot never
boils'."
Venus shrugged, "Whatever. So, shall we save our fearless leader
from the clutches of a ticked-off fire senshi?" she asked, giggling.
Mercury smiled, nodding and following Venus out of the clearing.
A quiet lull had settled in as the storm died away.
Blackness.
*Asai-ko! Asai-ko!*
Heavy breathing.
*ASAI-KO!!*
Flashes of pain racked his mind, until a bright light froze his
breath.
Takeo awoke, and gasped.
"Asai-ko!!" he weakly cried.
A hand touched his arm, startling him, "Whaa...?"
"Easy, easy there, Mr. Nishimura," a gentle voice said.
Takeo looked toward the sound of the voice and saw...a nurse?
Shocked, he looked around and found himself sitting in a hospital bed
with IV lines coming out of his arm.
"What...what..happened?" he strained to say.
"Don't talk, Mr. Nishimura...you're safe now," said the nurse.
"But...my girlfriend...Asai-chan..." he whimpered.
The nurse smiled, and pointed to the opposite side of the bed.
Takeo turned his head, and beheld Asai on a bed next to him, sleeping
soundly.
"Miss Kobe is also out of danger as well, Mr. Nishimura,"
explained the nurse.
"But ... how did I ... how did she ...?" he whispered.
"You can thank the Sailor Senshi for that, and their escort,
Tuxedo Kamen," she said.
"Huh?" asked Takeo.
"A tall brunette senshi carried Miss Kobe in and Tuxedo Kamen
brought you. They left you both with us at Emergency, and then left.
The doctors took care of you," the nurse explained slowly.
Takeo laid back on bed, breathing sighs of relief. He looked at
the nurse again, and softly asked, "May I sit next to her, please?"
The nurse looked at his chart, and smiled again, "Well, Mr.
Nishimura, as long as you take the IV stand with you and take a chair,
I would say of course. But I'm serious about your voice. You have
damaged vocal cords. She sustained bruised ribs and both of you have
minor cuts and bruises. Go to her...gingerly." At that she stepped
out of the room.
Takeo pulled off his covers, wincing as he shuffled to Asai's
bedside, pulling his wheeled IV stand and a chair to with him. Sitting
next to her, he leaned his head against her pillow. As he gently
stroked her bandaged face, a tear fell from his eye, and his lips
trembled.
"Asai-ko, oh Asai-ko," he whispered, "Thank Kami for the Sailor
Senshi, for Tuxedo Kamen...we're alive...oh Asai-ko...aisheteru...I
love you..."
Asai, still asleep, unconsciously turned her head to him, a small
smile spreading across her pale lips. Takeo continued lovingly
stroking her hair and her face as the various monitors kept a silent
vigil.
Nightfall.
Back at the park, Rolie was resting under a tree by the bridge,
writing in a small book and pondering of the day's events.
"Dear Diary," he wrote, "This started off as a typical day. Woke
up in the morning, went to a public bathhouse for a shower, ate
breakfast, and hiked through rugged mountain terrain...good for the
hiking boots but a chore on the shoulders, especially when you lug
around a heavy backpack, but I digress...
"Arrived at Fujiyoshida Park outside Tokyo, right under Mt. Fuji,
as beautiful as I remember it, but then the gods decided to get frisky
and play some lightning bowling, and left their heavenly faucets
running. Heh, go figure...the gods committing a redundant human
foible?"
He shook his head, "Naaaahh," he concluded, and continued, "But
it gets better...or worse, Diary...take your pick. Today I witnessed
the famed Sailor Senshi in action, taking on demons..." and he paused,
and took a deep breath.
"THEY are here, Diary, the Soultakers are here. Geez, and I was
getting used to decades of peace and quiet, and THEY pop up again.
Why? Why are they here?"
He chuckled to himself, and wrote, "Heh, I asked myself that very
question: Why am I here? One of the great questions of all time,
making or breaking the careers of philosophers, poets, psychologists,
romance writers, and thousands of others, yet for me, the answer has
been simple. When the demons arise, it's up to me to fight them, by
any means necessary, and defeat them. Hah! I think I need a contract
renegotiation," and he couldn't help but laugh to himself.
"They're up to something, of course, though what it is, I'm not
sure yet. It's going to take time, and I need a base of operations to
work from," he wrote, and he pulled out a small piece of paper from his
pocket, and gazed at the address on it...
...in the Juuban district. Rolie raised an eyebrow.
"Old Archie may be an old coot, but he's no fool," he wrote, "he
knows how to pick the ideal locations. He even has the house picked,
but does he help with the job search? Oh, heaven forbid! 'I'll
getcha the house', he says, 'but YOU gotta look for the job yourself,
kid. I'm a realtor, not a job counselor!' Heh, that's gratitude for
you," and he chuckled.
"Well, he hasn't let me down, and once I get my stuff from
Hokkaido in order, and working my new cover, I can find out what the
Soultakers are up to. Last thing I need is another Siberia episode..."
Rolie trailed off, and shuddered.
*Siberia...whoa, now THAT was a real doozy,* he thought, *I
really hope I don't go through that again...don't think I can handle
it...*
He continued, "Anyways, Diary, it seems I have my work cut out
for me...and speaking of cutting..." and reached to his left shoulder
and pulled on his shirt, and looked inside. A bright red gash ran from
his shoulder blade near his neck to his armpit. He winced, turning
back to the diary.
"That winged demon almost got me, or at least almost got my arm
off. Good thing the hiking toughened the shoulder muscles. I just
managed to get move just far enough away from his blade to strike him,
though my sword work is rusty. I've got to get back into fighting
shape again, and because I don't know how far along the Soultakers are
in their plans, I'll have to play catch-up...which means I'll need all
the resources I can get...I'll need help..."
He paused, and looked at Tokyo's city lights twinkling in the
distance.
He continued, "Could the Senshi help? I don't know. Will they
help? I don't know either, and I'm not sure if I want them to.
They're not aware of how dangerous this business is, and Siberia has
taught me some hard lessons...hard and painful lessons," he sadly
sighed.
"I have to give them plenty of credit, though," he wrote, "even
at their age. Five young girls, and one young man...Tuxedo Kamen is a
puzzle. Tall, lithe, graceful...but what's with the hat? And the tux
getup? A mystery, for sure, but he provides them with good backup, I
suppose, especially to Sailor Moon.
"Sailor Moon, the blond, pigtailed leader of the Senshi...and a
winged one at that, though she doesn't fly. Kind of whiny and klutzy,
and that almost got her killed, but she has Tuxie to sweep her up into
his arms..heheheh.
"Sailor Jupiter looks strong in physique and in the head...make
that a hard head under that brunette hairstyle. Brave, yet reckless.
A hard charger, fists flying...heh, she almost caught me in the bush
where I was hiding. But she keeps doing that, it's going to get her
hurt, or worse.
"Sailor Mars, a raven-haired one, packing some heavy firepower,
literally. Uppity in attitude, and a sharp tongue. To be on her bad
side is NOT a good idea.
"Sailor Mercury's the quiet, yet wise tactician. Not as
up-foward as the others, but under that blue hair is a great mind, and
with that palmtop she has, along with her own powers, she is one to be
reckoned with. Hmm, wonder if that thing's sensors picked up any
readings of me like that of the demons'..."
"Then there's Sailor Venus, another blonde. Spunky, conscious
of her surroundings, with wavy hair...and a red bow...that red
bow..."
Rolie pondered a bit before continuing, "I don't know, Diary, but
something about Sailor Venus...and another girl I knew...three years
ago, in Europe...she wore a red bow just like Venus's...but that's
unlikely. Many girls, I'm sure, wear red bows in their hair, and
besides, the other girl I knew in Europe...is dead...killed in an
explosion..."
Rolie shook his head and sighed. *Man, a chore on the emotions,
and I need some sleep,* he thought wistfully.
"Well, Diary, I'm signing off...it has been a busy day. By
tomorrow afternoon, I will be in that new house in Juuban, have to make
some calls to settle in, and begin my watch on both the Soultakers AND
the Sailor Senshi. I'll keep an eye on them, gather information, and
dispatch of the demons when need be...I'll make myself known,
eventually...but at my own time and choosing. The Senshi are going to
need all the help they can get...and so will I."
He closed the book and stored it in his backpack, and crawled
into his sleeping bag, but remained sitting up. He reached into his
shirt and placed his hand on the wound, closed his eyes, and
concentrated. His pendant glowed faintly, and so did his hand.
Within minutes, the angry red welt was gone, with hardly a trace of
any scars left behind.
*A patch-up job, for sure,* he smiled to himself.
He fixed his pack to make it like a pillow, and leaning back
was soon fast asleep; Tokyo's lights blinking in the distance, the
full moon bathing the park in a soft glow.
Under the protection of the small bridge, Rolie slept soundly.
End Chapter 1
2-15-02