Hearts In time part Five: Of hearts and whips
by
Lance the Flamesniper
"CHAD!" Raye screeched. "Just where is that new worker you hired?"
"I think he's still sleeping," Chad stated.
"We didn't hire him to sleep! Go get him!"
Chad sighed as he opened the door to the worker's room. Only the hiree, Lance Jayd, wasn't there.
From the look of things he hadn't been there for some time. With that in mind Chad went looking for him.
****
Lance balanced on the branch of a cherry tree that was easily three hundred years old. Old wood but still strong.
In his hands was his katana. He was high enough off the ground that a fall would prove lethal.
Chad took this all in at a glance as Raye approached. He'd been watching Lance for five minutes at least.
"He's supposed to be Pruning these trees, not climbing them," She hissed.
Just then Lance began to twirl his katana through a series of graceful infinity loops all while walking the branch with
ease, completely oblivious to the fact that he had an audience. The loops got faster as did the swordsman's footmovements.
Slashes, crossstrikes and what would be deft parries soon joined the loops until even Raye was awestruck. Then in what
seemed a totally insane motion Lance lept to a new limb not even caring if it would hold his weight then continued this workout.
This continued for what seemed like eternity until the was poised on an impossibly high branch as if it were a highdive. He balanced
for a few moments before allowing himself to fall forward into a tuck and roll that stunned Chad and panicked Raye, that is, until he
landed gracefully on his feet.
"What the hell's wrong with you!?" Raye stormed as she approached.
"Raye? What are you doing here?"
"At the moment yelling at YOU," Snapped the irate fire priestess..."You're supposed to be pruning these trees not playing
Samurai on them!"
"I did prune the trees," Lance replied with a slight smile.
"Oh really smart guy? Then where are the clippings?" Raye countered.
Lance thumped the tree trunk with the heel of his hand. As if on cue several dozen dead branches fell to the ground landing
in slightly sloppy heaps."I was merely combining two activities, priestess. Namely my morning exercises and the task put before me."
Without a further word Lance slipped past the open mouthed firebrand and began scooping up the piles.
Chad could only look on in admiration. Not even he had ever rendered Raye speechless before.
*****
Matt looked up from stacking the new mangas for sale. He'd only been on the job a few hours but already he could tell he liked
it. Wraith on the other hand...
"Remind me to hurt you," the Texan growled.
"Why would I do that?" Matt asked innocently.
"For getting me a job that'll leave me with ink on my hands which are being paper cut to Hell and back!"
"Hey we need money man. Especially since I have a date next week."
"Oh lovely, you and that Lito chick..."
"Li-TA! Not Li-TO... Burrito brain."
"WHAT ever."
"You know, jealously looks bad on you..."
"Who are you calling jealous? Just be happy that that brunette amazon doesn't have a damn bit of taste."
Just then the argument took a back seat as a meatball haired blonde tripped over one of the boxes they were emptying and landed
on Wraith's pile of Comics. The blonde who seemed to be a little too cute to be tasteful then let out a wail the could shatter glass, causing both
men to clamp hands to ears in pain.
"Seriously Serena, do you have to be such a klutz?" An elegant voice said.
Wraith looked in the direction of the voice only to find it's owner to be a leggy blonde with bright blue eyes. She was dressed in a simple
red T-shirt and blue shorts, her hair tied neatly with a red bow. The effects on Wraith were stunning, as for once he was at a total loss for words.
"Do you mind?" Matt said testily. "It's our first day and we can't have these sailor V comics ruined before they're bought."
"Sorry," Serena replied as she helped restack the piles.
"No worries Miss," Wraith drawled. "At the rate we're going it'll take us all day to stack them anyway."
"I'm sure you'll do okay, after all Gnome wasn't built out of Flambe."
Wraith winced. "That's Rome wasn't built in a day Miss...?"
"Aino...Mina Aino," With that the ribboned blonde said as she offered her hand. "This is my friend Serena."
Wraith smiled. "My name's Wraith this is my friend Matt. We're new to town and could use all the friends we can get. Especially pretty
ladies such as you two."
Mina blushed. "My you are a charmer. I hope we can meet again soon," Mina replied as she and Serena left.
Wraith watched the girls leave then looked in time to see Matt shake his head reproachfully. "What?" He snapped.
"You really need to take lessons from Lance on how to be smooth."
"That backwater samurai don't got anything on me."
"Yeah sure. You couldn't have tbeen more blatant about liking that Mina girl if you tried."
"Oh Shut up!" Wraith snapped as they went back to loading the shelves with Sailor V merchandise.
*****
Mina skipped her way to the temple beside Serena. Serena for her part was pretending not to know the overly chipper blonde. "I don't know
why your so happy. We spent all that time talking with that guy and we didn't get luuuuuunch," Serena whined.
"Yes....but cute boys always out rank food!" Mina retorted not noticing that Serena was about to pass out from said outranked item. Before
the point could be brought up the two had arrived at the temple. To their surprise the Outer Scouts were there as well...
******
"So...what brings the outers to this weekly meeting?" Lita asked as she leaned against a post.
"Yeah! You don't tend to visit often?" Serena added.
"Unless there's trouble," Mina added.
"My appologies kitten," Amara replied. "We felt that with the two recent attacks, one of which was defended against by Setsuna, that our
presence might be needed."
"Besides," Hotaru chirped. "It's always so quiet here."
"I think we need to get some facts straight here," Raye said her violet eyes narrowing slightly. "It was not either me or Setsuna who killed the
Youma here. It was a man with a sword that did."
Amy, Mina and Serena looked at Raye in surprise.
"A man with a sword?" Lita asked.
"Yes," Raye replied.
"Was he tall with sand colored hair and eyes the color of ice?"
"Yes!" Raye responded.
"Don't tell us... He looks like your old boyfriend?" Mina teased and recieved a glare from Lita.
"No....he was also the one that fought the Youma at the Crown Arcade."
"That's interesting. Does he have a name?" Serena asked
"Yes...His name is Lance Jayd. He has two friends: Wraith Wills and Matthew Blackheart."
Mina blinked. "The two guys from the manga shop?"
"They're working at a manga shop?" Lita asked her eyes sparkling.
"Perhaps, before we get too far off track, you should tell us a little more about the battles," Amy enquired.
"Alright," Raye said as she began to recount the battle with the cat-youma.
When Raye finished, Hotaru blinked. "And he killed it with a spell charged Katana?"
"Yes."
"Guess it's my turn," Lita began then set about her tale.
When Lita was done it was Michelle's turn to chime in. "So there's not just one of these...for lack of a better term, Senshi wanna-bes wandering
around?"
"It appears so," Raye stated.
Amara's face twisted into a wicked grin. "Maybe they're Starlights."
That prospect was met with an assortment of groans and shudders before Amy responded. "I don't think that's the case, these warriors seem to
use talisman weapons more than anything senshi based...."
"What do you think Setsuna? I mean the one that helped us seemed to take a liking to you," Raye said. "Huh? Where'd she go?"
And it was then that everyone noticed that the oh-so-mysterious Setsuna Meioh had quietly slipped away from the meeting.
*****
Wraith took a deep breath letting it out in a slow sigh....when Lance suggested they meet at his job, he expected a dojo or some other samurai
based local. In his mind he had to admit that he was wrong. Cherry Hill Temple wasn't the place you'd expect a swordsman to like....then again had he
known more about Samurai he'd have caught the meaning of Lance's local of choice. Instead he reveled in the beauty of the cherry trees in bloom. "This is
nice!"
"It's peaceful," Lance answered, his tone sounding more relaxed than his friends had ever remembered. "But this is not why I asked you to come by."
"Why did you ask us to show up?" Matt asked as he leaned against one of the trees.
"I thought we should discuss what happened last night," Lance intoned.
"We'll let's discuss it quick so that we can get back to our job. I would hate to miss that hottie if she comes back," Wraith grumbled.
Lance raised an eyebrow at that open expression of feeling but decided he was better off not knowing. "I think that the monster last night was definitely
after us."
"Why would you think that?" Wraith drawled.
"Yeah! What makes you think it wasn't a random attack?" Matt added.
"I'm not sure...however, I want you two to get used to carrying your weapons with you which means learning to conceal them," Lance said then paused as
a strange sensation drifted through his system, it was like music only instead of hearing it he was feeling it in the very core of his being. It was something he's
never felt before but would kill to keep feeling simply because of how GOOD it felt.
******
Setsuna Meioh paused by one of the trees. In her soul she could feel something like someone calling her. She was so enraptured by this powerful feeling
that she didn't realize that someone was sneaking up on her.
"So there you are Setsuna," Mina whispered and was rewarded with Setsuna jumping in shock. "Sorry."
"It's quite alright," Setsuna said her body still tingling from that strange sensation. "Has the meeting ended already?"
"No, they sent me to find you. What were you doing anywy?"
"I'm not sure. I felt this sudden need to take a walk and here I am."
"I see," Mina began even though she didn't really. She then pointed into the clearing those are the two from the Manga shop...Wraith Wills and Matt
Blackheart, But who's the other one?"
"That," Setsuna began, "Is Lance Jayd. The one that's been killing youmas."
"I see," Mina repeated.
Just then the day got decidedly more interesting.
******
"How do we conceal a whip and a broadsword?" Wraith asked quickly getting irritated by Lance's dreamlike expression. "And what the hell is with that
goofy look on your face?"
"Didn't you just....feel something?"
From both came the reply, "No."
Before Lance could say any more, a pair of vine-tenticles came from a nearby tree barely missing the trio of travelers. The youma, which looked like it
had once been a tree charged it's speed turning what would normally be soft leaves into sharp edges. Things got more conused when a Darkgreen blur pulled
Lance out of the way at the same time that a blonde one pulled away Wraith.
"We gotta stop meeting like this," Lance responded as he smiled back at the green haired Senshi.
She couldn't help BUT smile at that. "It does seem that we keep meeting like this...permit me to introduce myself. My name, is Sailor Pluto. I guard
the door of time and space."
"And I am Lance Jayd. Pity we didn't meet sooner, I already have a girl I'm interested in. However," points to Matt who's now tangeled by the beast's
vines. "I think we missed someone."
"I got him!" The Blonde haired Senshi yelled.
"No I have him," Wraith growled as he drew his whip.
"Venus Love chain encircle!"
"Celestial Backlash!"
Unfortunately both attacks canceled out causeing the two users to glare at each other.
Lance sighed as he drew his Katana. "Guess it's up to us, Pluto."
"I agree," She replied. "I'll free your friend, you take out the monster"
"Sounds fair," Lance agreed as they jumped in two directions. Sailor Pluto landed a few feet away her attack already charged.
"DEAD SCREAM!"
As the vines shattered under the force of the attack as Lance lept in his blade glowing. "CELESTIAL BLADE SLASH!"
The Youma screeched as his body disintegrated leaving Lance to tend to his fallen ally. The Two senshi taking the time to silently leave.
*****
"What the Hell!?" Wraith exclaimed as he looked at his whip. "How did I do that??"
"How do any of us do what we do?" Matt asked.
"I don't have the answers but as you saw that Youma came right at US," Lance responded pointedly.
"Yes but you and that Sailor Pluto woman handled things nicely," Matt retorted.
"And did so as if you'd practiced doing just that for years," added Wraith.
"Curiouser and Curiouser," Lance muttered as he led his friends to the temple.
*****
Venus watched the three head out. "Raye and Lita's right. There is something about those three."
"Yes." Pluto replied.
"You and that sand haired one work well together."
"I've noticed that."
"But how do you work so well together? Is he a Time Guadian like you?"
"No, he's not a Time Guardian. He's a mystery. One that I'll solve soon."
TBC
And now a dedication: First my thoughts and prayers go out to all the brave soldiers serving abroad. May God bless you all. Second is a dedication to
those authors that have influenced my writing skills: Meara, Adrianna, KittyLynn and Silent Messiah
How clever the mind
To weave our dreams
How clever the hand
To craft the tale
How swift the eye
To see with skill
Words become thought
Thought becomes deed
With a blink of the eye
We become the tale we read
That from the plains
To every lofty tower
Is in truth
A writer's power
by
Lance the Flamesniper
"CHAD!" Raye screeched. "Just where is that new worker you hired?"
"I think he's still sleeping," Chad stated.
"We didn't hire him to sleep! Go get him!"
Chad sighed as he opened the door to the worker's room. Only the hiree, Lance Jayd, wasn't there.
From the look of things he hadn't been there for some time. With that in mind Chad went looking for him.
****
Lance balanced on the branch of a cherry tree that was easily three hundred years old. Old wood but still strong.
In his hands was his katana. He was high enough off the ground that a fall would prove lethal.
Chad took this all in at a glance as Raye approached. He'd been watching Lance for five minutes at least.
"He's supposed to be Pruning these trees, not climbing them," She hissed.
Just then Lance began to twirl his katana through a series of graceful infinity loops all while walking the branch with
ease, completely oblivious to the fact that he had an audience. The loops got faster as did the swordsman's footmovements.
Slashes, crossstrikes and what would be deft parries soon joined the loops until even Raye was awestruck. Then in what
seemed a totally insane motion Lance lept to a new limb not even caring if it would hold his weight then continued this workout.
This continued for what seemed like eternity until the was poised on an impossibly high branch as if it were a highdive. He balanced
for a few moments before allowing himself to fall forward into a tuck and roll that stunned Chad and panicked Raye, that is, until he
landed gracefully on his feet.
"What the hell's wrong with you!?" Raye stormed as she approached.
"Raye? What are you doing here?"
"At the moment yelling at YOU," Snapped the irate fire priestess..."You're supposed to be pruning these trees not playing
Samurai on them!"
"I did prune the trees," Lance replied with a slight smile.
"Oh really smart guy? Then where are the clippings?" Raye countered.
Lance thumped the tree trunk with the heel of his hand. As if on cue several dozen dead branches fell to the ground landing
in slightly sloppy heaps."I was merely combining two activities, priestess. Namely my morning exercises and the task put before me."
Without a further word Lance slipped past the open mouthed firebrand and began scooping up the piles.
Chad could only look on in admiration. Not even he had ever rendered Raye speechless before.
*****
Matt looked up from stacking the new mangas for sale. He'd only been on the job a few hours but already he could tell he liked
it. Wraith on the other hand...
"Remind me to hurt you," the Texan growled.
"Why would I do that?" Matt asked innocently.
"For getting me a job that'll leave me with ink on my hands which are being paper cut to Hell and back!"
"Hey we need money man. Especially since I have a date next week."
"Oh lovely, you and that Lito chick..."
"Li-TA! Not Li-TO... Burrito brain."
"WHAT ever."
"You know, jealously looks bad on you..."
"Who are you calling jealous? Just be happy that that brunette amazon doesn't have a damn bit of taste."
Just then the argument took a back seat as a meatball haired blonde tripped over one of the boxes they were emptying and landed
on Wraith's pile of Comics. The blonde who seemed to be a little too cute to be tasteful then let out a wail the could shatter glass, causing both
men to clamp hands to ears in pain.
"Seriously Serena, do you have to be such a klutz?" An elegant voice said.
Wraith looked in the direction of the voice only to find it's owner to be a leggy blonde with bright blue eyes. She was dressed in a simple
red T-shirt and blue shorts, her hair tied neatly with a red bow. The effects on Wraith were stunning, as for once he was at a total loss for words.
"Do you mind?" Matt said testily. "It's our first day and we can't have these sailor V comics ruined before they're bought."
"Sorry," Serena replied as she helped restack the piles.
"No worries Miss," Wraith drawled. "At the rate we're going it'll take us all day to stack them anyway."
"I'm sure you'll do okay, after all Gnome wasn't built out of Flambe."
Wraith winced. "That's Rome wasn't built in a day Miss...?"
"Aino...Mina Aino," With that the ribboned blonde said as she offered her hand. "This is my friend Serena."
Wraith smiled. "My name's Wraith this is my friend Matt. We're new to town and could use all the friends we can get. Especially pretty
ladies such as you two."
Mina blushed. "My you are a charmer. I hope we can meet again soon," Mina replied as she and Serena left.
Wraith watched the girls leave then looked in time to see Matt shake his head reproachfully. "What?" He snapped.
"You really need to take lessons from Lance on how to be smooth."
"That backwater samurai don't got anything on me."
"Yeah sure. You couldn't have tbeen more blatant about liking that Mina girl if you tried."
"Oh Shut up!" Wraith snapped as they went back to loading the shelves with Sailor V merchandise.
*****
Mina skipped her way to the temple beside Serena. Serena for her part was pretending not to know the overly chipper blonde. "I don't know
why your so happy. We spent all that time talking with that guy and we didn't get luuuuuunch," Serena whined.
"Yes....but cute boys always out rank food!" Mina retorted not noticing that Serena was about to pass out from said outranked item. Before
the point could be brought up the two had arrived at the temple. To their surprise the Outer Scouts were there as well...
******
"So...what brings the outers to this weekly meeting?" Lita asked as she leaned against a post.
"Yeah! You don't tend to visit often?" Serena added.
"Unless there's trouble," Mina added.
"My appologies kitten," Amara replied. "We felt that with the two recent attacks, one of which was defended against by Setsuna, that our
presence might be needed."
"Besides," Hotaru chirped. "It's always so quiet here."
"I think we need to get some facts straight here," Raye said her violet eyes narrowing slightly. "It was not either me or Setsuna who killed the
Youma here. It was a man with a sword that did."
Amy, Mina and Serena looked at Raye in surprise.
"A man with a sword?" Lita asked.
"Yes," Raye replied.
"Was he tall with sand colored hair and eyes the color of ice?"
"Yes!" Raye responded.
"Don't tell us... He looks like your old boyfriend?" Mina teased and recieved a glare from Lita.
"No....he was also the one that fought the Youma at the Crown Arcade."
"That's interesting. Does he have a name?" Serena asked
"Yes...His name is Lance Jayd. He has two friends: Wraith Wills and Matthew Blackheart."
Mina blinked. "The two guys from the manga shop?"
"They're working at a manga shop?" Lita asked her eyes sparkling.
"Perhaps, before we get too far off track, you should tell us a little more about the battles," Amy enquired.
"Alright," Raye said as she began to recount the battle with the cat-youma.
When Raye finished, Hotaru blinked. "And he killed it with a spell charged Katana?"
"Yes."
"Guess it's my turn," Lita began then set about her tale.
When Lita was done it was Michelle's turn to chime in. "So there's not just one of these...for lack of a better term, Senshi wanna-bes wandering
around?"
"It appears so," Raye stated.
Amara's face twisted into a wicked grin. "Maybe they're Starlights."
That prospect was met with an assortment of groans and shudders before Amy responded. "I don't think that's the case, these warriors seem to
use talisman weapons more than anything senshi based...."
"What do you think Setsuna? I mean the one that helped us seemed to take a liking to you," Raye said. "Huh? Where'd she go?"
And it was then that everyone noticed that the oh-so-mysterious Setsuna Meioh had quietly slipped away from the meeting.
*****
Wraith took a deep breath letting it out in a slow sigh....when Lance suggested they meet at his job, he expected a dojo or some other samurai
based local. In his mind he had to admit that he was wrong. Cherry Hill Temple wasn't the place you'd expect a swordsman to like....then again had he
known more about Samurai he'd have caught the meaning of Lance's local of choice. Instead he reveled in the beauty of the cherry trees in bloom. "This is
nice!"
"It's peaceful," Lance answered, his tone sounding more relaxed than his friends had ever remembered. "But this is not why I asked you to come by."
"Why did you ask us to show up?" Matt asked as he leaned against one of the trees.
"I thought we should discuss what happened last night," Lance intoned.
"We'll let's discuss it quick so that we can get back to our job. I would hate to miss that hottie if she comes back," Wraith grumbled.
Lance raised an eyebrow at that open expression of feeling but decided he was better off not knowing. "I think that the monster last night was definitely
after us."
"Why would you think that?" Wraith drawled.
"Yeah! What makes you think it wasn't a random attack?" Matt added.
"I'm not sure...however, I want you two to get used to carrying your weapons with you which means learning to conceal them," Lance said then paused as
a strange sensation drifted through his system, it was like music only instead of hearing it he was feeling it in the very core of his being. It was something he's
never felt before but would kill to keep feeling simply because of how GOOD it felt.
******
Setsuna Meioh paused by one of the trees. In her soul she could feel something like someone calling her. She was so enraptured by this powerful feeling
that she didn't realize that someone was sneaking up on her.
"So there you are Setsuna," Mina whispered and was rewarded with Setsuna jumping in shock. "Sorry."
"It's quite alright," Setsuna said her body still tingling from that strange sensation. "Has the meeting ended already?"
"No, they sent me to find you. What were you doing anywy?"
"I'm not sure. I felt this sudden need to take a walk and here I am."
"I see," Mina began even though she didn't really. She then pointed into the clearing those are the two from the Manga shop...Wraith Wills and Matt
Blackheart, But who's the other one?"
"That," Setsuna began, "Is Lance Jayd. The one that's been killing youmas."
"I see," Mina repeated.
Just then the day got decidedly more interesting.
******
"How do we conceal a whip and a broadsword?" Wraith asked quickly getting irritated by Lance's dreamlike expression. "And what the hell is with that
goofy look on your face?"
"Didn't you just....feel something?"
From both came the reply, "No."
Before Lance could say any more, a pair of vine-tenticles came from a nearby tree barely missing the trio of travelers. The youma, which looked like it
had once been a tree charged it's speed turning what would normally be soft leaves into sharp edges. Things got more conused when a Darkgreen blur pulled
Lance out of the way at the same time that a blonde one pulled away Wraith.
"We gotta stop meeting like this," Lance responded as he smiled back at the green haired Senshi.
She couldn't help BUT smile at that. "It does seem that we keep meeting like this...permit me to introduce myself. My name, is Sailor Pluto. I guard
the door of time and space."
"And I am Lance Jayd. Pity we didn't meet sooner, I already have a girl I'm interested in. However," points to Matt who's now tangeled by the beast's
vines. "I think we missed someone."
"I got him!" The Blonde haired Senshi yelled.
"No I have him," Wraith growled as he drew his whip.
"Venus Love chain encircle!"
"Celestial Backlash!"
Unfortunately both attacks canceled out causeing the two users to glare at each other.
Lance sighed as he drew his Katana. "Guess it's up to us, Pluto."
"I agree," She replied. "I'll free your friend, you take out the monster"
"Sounds fair," Lance agreed as they jumped in two directions. Sailor Pluto landed a few feet away her attack already charged.
"DEAD SCREAM!"
As the vines shattered under the force of the attack as Lance lept in his blade glowing. "CELESTIAL BLADE SLASH!"
The Youma screeched as his body disintegrated leaving Lance to tend to his fallen ally. The Two senshi taking the time to silently leave.
*****
"What the Hell!?" Wraith exclaimed as he looked at his whip. "How did I do that??"
"How do any of us do what we do?" Matt asked.
"I don't have the answers but as you saw that Youma came right at US," Lance responded pointedly.
"Yes but you and that Sailor Pluto woman handled things nicely," Matt retorted.
"And did so as if you'd practiced doing just that for years," added Wraith.
"Curiouser and Curiouser," Lance muttered as he led his friends to the temple.
*****
Venus watched the three head out. "Raye and Lita's right. There is something about those three."
"Yes." Pluto replied.
"You and that sand haired one work well together."
"I've noticed that."
"But how do you work so well together? Is he a Time Guadian like you?"
"No, he's not a Time Guardian. He's a mystery. One that I'll solve soon."
TBC
And now a dedication: First my thoughts and prayers go out to all the brave soldiers serving abroad. May God bless you all. Second is a dedication to
those authors that have influenced my writing skills: Meara, Adrianna, KittyLynn and Silent Messiah
How clever the mind
To weave our dreams
How clever the hand
To craft the tale
How swift the eye
To see with skill
Words become thought
Thought becomes deed
With a blink of the eye
We become the tale we read
That from the plains
To every lofty tower
Is in truth
A writer's power