Disclaimers:  Sailor Moon and the Sailor Scouts and everything affiliated with them are the property of Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, Dic, and many other big name people and companies with lots of money and lots of lawyers.  I do not own them so don't sue me; I'm only borrowing them for a little while.  Any other characters are mine.  If anyone wishes to use them, please notify me first.

Just a bit of clarification: 

            the * * signify a person's thoughts

            the ***** before a section signify either a memory or a shift into the mindscape (don't worry, this will make sense eventually, I hope). 

            Please email me with your comments and/or criticisms at jnkryo@yahoo.com.  Heck, flame me if you want to.  I'd like any feedback I can get.  Enjoy the story!

And special thanks to littlepenguingrl for her reviews.  I am glad that at least one person is enjoying my work.

Brother's Keeper

Part 8

by:  Johnny Ng

            Daniel took in the sights at the Tokyo Tower.  "Mariko was right," he murmured, "It is beautiful here at night."

            Since it was such a late hour, he was alone at the Tower's observation level.  *I should get started.*  The magus took out a dagger and pierced his finger.  He proceeded to draw a series of diagrams and sigils on the floor out of his own blood.  Once he was finished, he stood and examined his work.  His face was pale from exhaustion and loss of blood, but he could find no mistakes.  Everything was ready.

            Daniel lifted his hands to the sky and his ring glowed.  The clouds overhead grew dark and dangerous.  Lightning danced between the clouds and fierce rumbles of thunder could be heard.  The magus shouted an incantation, but the words were lost in the storm's rage.  Nevertheless, the spell seemed to have worked for a powerful bolt of lightning struck the ring.

            Power flowed through Daniel like and intoxicant.  "Yes!  The power is mine!"

            "Not so fast, brother."

            It was near midnight when Trent entered his house.  He had just left Mina's house a few minutes earlier and was surprised.  He had expected Mina's parents to really chew him out for getting their daughter home so late, but they were ok about it.  While they weren't exactly happy, they chalked it up to teenage enthusiasm or some such thing.  Trent just got off with a suggestion that next time to bring Mina home a little earlier.

            He was lying back on his bed, thinking about how to deal with Daniel when he suddenly felt a surge of power.  He looked out his window and saw the Tokyo Tower bathed in light from numerous lightning flashes.  *This looks like a scene from a bad horror movie.*  A name popped into his head. 

*Daniel.*

            Trent quickly jumped out of bed, changed clothes, and briefly contemplated calling Mina and the others.  *No, they been through enough tonight.  I just hope I make it in time.*  Trent teleported to the Tower.

            Daniel smiled when he heard Trent make his statement.  "Trent!  It's wonderful to see you alive...again."

            "No thanks to you."  Trent stalked up to his brother.  "If I were any other man, I would kill you for what you did to Mina."

            "If you were any other man, you would stay dead when I kill you," Daniel retorted.  "But, you are my brother."

            Trent's eyes softened.  "Yes, I am your brother, and as your brother I'm asking you, stop this madness.  You're not evil.  If you were you would have killed Mina instead of trapping her soul.  It's your ambition that is making you do this.  Please, Daniel, let it go."

            Daniel bowed his head as if in thought, but then a soft mocking laugh issued forth.  "Almost brother, almost.  However, I have gone too far, done too much, and I will not be stopped.  Not by you or by your Sailor friends.  You are right.  I am not evil.  That's why I'm giving you a chance to leave while you can."

            "You know I can't do that.  If you continue with this, I will try to stop you."

            "Yes, Trent, 'try' is the key word there.  You will try but you will fail."

            "So be it, brother."  Trent jumped back and launched a fireball at his brother.

            Daniel barely flinched as it hit an invisible barrier he had erected around him.  "You have no idea how powerful I have become now, brother.  One more time, Trent.  Leave.  Go be with Mina.  Enjoy your happiness while it lasts."

            Trent listened to Daniel.  Partly because he wanted to here what he wanted to say, but also partly because he knew that he couldn't defeat him.  Not now.  "Very well.  I will go.  But we are not finished.  I WILL stop you."  He teleported away.

            Daniel dispelled the barrier and turned back to his ritual.  *Until we next meet, brother.*

            Trent appeared back in his bedroom.  He had recognized the ritual his brother was performing.  *An energy amplification spell.  He must be trying to use the Tokyo Tower to broadcast the Stone's mental influence across the world.  It will take a day or so to be ready.*  His thoughts turned to Mina.  *No, this has gone farther than I had expected.  I cannot endanger her or the Scouts.  I have to do this myself.*  He lay down on his bed and settled for an uneasy sleep.

            Serena had been having a particularly nice dream about swimming in a pool of ice cream when Luna jumped onto the bed.

            "Serena.  Wake up!" the Moon cat yelled in her ear.

            "Aaaahhh!" Serena screamed and bolted upright.  She looked at her guardian crossly.  "Why'd you wake me up for?!"

            Luna ignored the irritation in her voice.  "I'm sensing someone using great magical power.  Look out your window."

            Serena grumbled something about ungrateful cats but did as she was told.  She saw nothing out of the ordinary until she saw the outline of the Tokyo Tower.  *Hey, is the Tower glowing?*  Suddenly, she was startled as multiple flashes of lightning struck it.  "Luna, what's going on?"

            "I don't know Serena."

            She looked at the Tower again, but it had stopped glowing and there were no clouds in the sky.  "Well, whatever it was, it seems to have stopped."  She yawned.  "Maybe it was nothing, Luna.  I'm sure the Tower gets hit by lightning lots of times."  She lay down on the bed again.  "You were probably imagining things."

            "Maybe you're right Serena," Luna mewed laying down herself.  *At least I hope so.*

            Daniel took a ragged breath.  Sweat dampened his hair and dripped into his eyes, but he had done it.  *The amplification spell is finished!*  He smiled and looked at his handiwork.  The diagrams he had drawn on the ground were fading away, being slowly absorbed into the Tower's infrastructure.  *The Tower will start to draw energy from the city's power grid, and the warding spells I have cast will prevent anyone from tampering with it.  Now all I have to do is wait.*

            The next morning, Serena was awakened by her mother shaking her.

            "C'mon mom, just five more minutes," Serena said blearily.

            "Serena, it's already ten o'clock," her mother informed her.

            That woke the blond up.  "What?!  Oh, I sooo late!  Ms. Haruna is going to kill me.  Why didn't the alarm go off?"

            After her daughter's outburst, Serena's mom explained everything to her.  Apparently, the city was suffering from a massive power blackout.  There's no electricity anywhere.  The only electrical devices that were working are portable radios and other battery powered devices.  A state of emergency had been declared and all public buildings have been closed, including schools.

            "So there's no school?" Serena asked, her eyes brightening,  "Whoohoo!  I can go back to sleep then!"

            "Actually, dear, you friend Amy called you.  At least the phones are working.  Anyway, she said it was something important and that she wanted you to meet her at Raye's shrine at 10:30.  So you better get ready."

            Serena grumbled but got out of bed.  Twenty minutes later, she was out the door with a piece of toast in one hand and Luna following behind her.

            "I wonder if what Amy has to say has anything to do with what we saw happening at Tokyo Tower last night," the Moon cat wondered aloud.

            "I don't care," Serena grunted, "As long as there is food I'll be happy.  I didn't even get a chance to have a decent breakfast!"

            The two of them soon arrived at the shrine.

            Raye was shocked, "Serena!  You actually didn't oversleep?"

            Serena was about to make a snide remark of her own when Amy interrupted, "Not now, Raye.  We've got more important things to discuss"

            A smug look crossed Serena's face as she stuck her tongue out at Raye who just ignored it.  Lita saw this and rolled her eyes.  "Just what's going on, Amy?"

            The girl genius took out her minicomputer and punched up a display.  She turned the screen around and showed it to everyone.  "This is what's going on."

            While the readings being displayed were over most of the girls' heads, the Moon cats understood.

            Artemis nodded.  "This shows a massive energy drain occurring at..."

            "Tokyo Tower!" Luna shouted turning to Serena.  "I was right."

            "Right about what?" Raye asked.

            Luna related the events of last night including her suspicions of magic being involved.  Everyone frowned at the mention of magic.

            "You don't suppose that Daniel is behind this?" Lita asked.

            "Who else?" Raye looked at Mina.  "Has Trent said anything?"

            Mina was suddenly worried.  "I haven't been able to reach him since yesterday.  You don't think..."

            "I'm alright, Mina."  Trent suddenly appeared in front of them.  "And Lita was right.  Daniel is behind this."

            "Then what are we waiting for?!" the tall girl shouted, "Let's go and kick his butt!"

            Trent shook his head.  "No."  Everyone looked at him, stunned, but he continued, "He's too powerful for you now.  He might even be too powerful for me.  But I can't let you get hurt, especially you, Mina.  He's my brother, and so this is my fight."

            "And just how do you plan to stop us from fighting him?" Raye asked.

            "Like this..."  Trent snapped his fingers and a glimmering dome appeared, trapping the Scouts.

            Mina pounded on the dome.  "What are you doing?  You told us yourself, you're no match for Daniel.  You have to let us help!"

            "You will be helping me...by keeping yourselves safe.  This shield will remain in place until I come back to remove it."  He turned away.  "...or until I die."

            Mina turned to Serena.  "Please, do something."

            Serena nodded and raised her broach.  "Moon Crystal Power!"  She waited for the magical energies to transform her, but they never came.  She looked down at herself and saw that she was still Serena.  "What happened?"

            Trent smiled.  "I know how resourceful you Scouts can be, so this dome is designed prevent you from transforming as well."  Trent made his way to the door.  "Don't worry, I'll be back."

            "Trent!" Mina cried out but he was already out the door.  "Be careful," she finished softly.

            Trent tried to locate his brother magically, but Daniel was blocking him.  *No matter, I know where he has to go.  Have to save my strength, though.*  He hailed a cab and got in.  "Take me to Tokyo Tower."

            Daniel was busy in his office.  In his mind, just because the whole city was paralyzed by this power outage didn't mean that there wasn't profit to be made or work to be done.  Besides, his building had its own generators just in case something like this happened.

            "Mariko, can you come in here, please?"

            The secretary immediately walked into the office.  "What can I do for you, sir?"

            Daniel handed her a sealed envelope.  "Put this in the basement vault, won't you?"

            "The basement vault?  But isn't that..."

            "Yes, it is.  Just put it anywhere.  Someone will find it when it is time."

            "Yes, sir.  Will there be anything else?"

            There was a buzzing sensation in the back of Daniel's mind but he ignored it.  "No, that is all."

            Mariko nodded and walked out of the office envelope in hand.

            When his secretary left, Daniel summoned his viewing stone.  Someone had broken the warding sigils he had placed on the Tokyo Tower, and the viewing stone showed him who.  *Trent.*

            He put away the crystal and teleported to the Tower.

            Trent stood on the same spot on the observation level as he did last time he faced off with Daniel here.  He knew he had set off some warning wards by entering the closed Tower and now he just waited for his brother to show up.

            "Hello, brother," Daniel's voice rang out from behind him.

            Trent turned.  "Daniel."

            "What, no friendly greeting for you brother?"

            Trent didn't bother talking to Daniel.  Instead, he ran up to him and grabbed the older man.  "Enough, Daniel.  I've come to stop you, or die trying."

            The magus laughed.  "Oh please, save your tired old clichés."

            "Well, _excuse_ me, but I haven't been in the hero business long enough to make up any good lines."

            "You won't be in the hero business long if I have anything to do about it."

            "Now who's using clichés, and what makes you think you can kill me?  You already tried twice."

            "Well, third time's the charm."  Daniel shoved Trent back and fired two plasma bolts at him.

            Trent saw his brother powering up for the bolts and quickly raised a shield.  The bolts splashed against the shield, but still drove Trent to his knees.  *Whoa, he really is more powerful.  Guess I'll have to take him out quick.*

            But Daniel had other ideas.  He levitated upward and started casting lightning bolts at his brother.

            His shield deflected the bolts, but Trent sensed that it couldn't take much more punishment.  *I guess it's now or never, but I need to distract him.*  He quickly cast a spell.

            "Stop right there!" Sailor Moon's voice cried out.

            Daniel did indeed stop his attack to and looked at the Sailor Scout.  "What are you doing her-"  The magus looked more closely and his eyes widened.  "An illusion!"  He quickly turned his attention back to Trent, but it was too late.  A sphere snapped into place around him trapping him.

            Trent smiled.  He knew that the Sailor Moon illusion would only fool his brother for an instant, but an instant was all he needed to summon the sphere.  The sphere was similar to the dome he used to hold the Scouts, but with one major difference.  Besides being able to trap, it would also drain the power of its captive, as Daniel was finding out now.

            "Give it up, brother," Trent said, "I have you trapped.  There's no way to escape from the sphere.  The more power you throw at it, the stronger it becomes, and the weaker you become."

            "Very clever, Trent.  A very ingenious spell.  But in the end..."  Daniel smiled wickedly and, almost casually, ripped the sphere apart with his bare hands.  "...still futile." 

            The magus let the remnants of the sphere fall from his hands and dissolve away.  "Let's see if I can duplicate that spell."  He started to chant an incantation.

            Trent recognized it and hastily launched a plasma bolt at his brother, but is merely flashed against a magical barrier.  He tried to cast another, but Daniel had already finished the spell.  Suddenly, Trent felt his arms and legs being bound.  He looked down and saw loops of magical chains encircling his body.  Confused, Trent tried to struggle out of them, but the chains emitted a powerful jolt through his body.

            Daniel saw his brother cry out and smiled slightly.  "As you can see, Trent, I have improved on your original spell.  Not only is your power being drained, but every time you fight it, you will be hit by a very painful jolt of electricity. 

            "As for the chains..."  Daniel shrugged.  "Call me old-fashioned."

            Trent was thinking of many things to call his brother, but old-fashioned wasn't one of them.  "So...what are you going to do now?  Gloat over me?"

            A disgusted look came over Daniel's face.  "I'm not some cartoon villain."  He shook his head and sighed.  "No, I'm not going to gloat.  I'm just going to wait here until you are powerless.  Then I'm going kill you, burn your body to ashes, and trap your soul in a little jar and place it on my mantle.  That way I'll always know where you are."

            "It's...always nice...to feel wanted," Trent gasped as his body was racked with pain.  *It won't be long now.  I'm feeling weak already.  It's all over.  I'm sorry, Mina.*