I don't own Sailor Moon. The original characters and story all belong to Naoko Takeuchi.
One of the new characters, Michi Noketsuna, is borrowed from… elsewhere. Regards to Bob Charette for this awesome character as well as the tragic figure of Minobu Tetsuhara that serves as inspiration for my Minobu. The novels I referenced for some of the haikus were Wolves on the Border, Heir to the Dragon, and Wolf Pack. Eiji Fuchida, Raylic Sainze, and Gerald Akuma are my own creations.
This is just something that I felt would be pretty fun to write. Senshi/general pairings, but with a bit of a twist.
Beryl didn't turn all of Endymion's generals the first time round. Four died at her hands when they were unwilling to break and betray their oaths. Several millennia later, they had finally returned. But they are different from the Inner Shitennou, and are far more than they once were. Will they remember their lost loves?
War bares a sword's steel,
Autumn leaves reflect colour,
A samurai's blood
Royal Palace, Crystal Tokyo
King Endymion, formerly known as Chiba Mamoru, grinned at his wife and Queen, laughing quietly in joy as he leaned his head on her extended belly, trying to listen to the sound of little Chiba-Usa. Neo Queen Serenity was pregnant with their child, and Endymion was full of anticipation. More than Crystal Tokyo, more than ruling the world, more than defeating all those youma in the past, this was something which was infinitely more important than anything he had ever had.
He looked up into the wise yet innocent eyes of Usagi, "Usako, I wish I could be like this with you forever."
"And I would with you too, Mamo-chan." Then a corner of her mouth twisted up, "But I wouldn't want to carry around Chibi-Usa my whole life!"
Endymion chuckled. Usagi was constantly complaining about the restrictions placed on her because of her pregnancy. No excessive walking about, regular meals with almost precisely the right amount of nutrients to ensure a healthy child as prescribed by Ami, and even quiet soothing music to sooth the infant in her womb.
It almost drove the Queen crazy at times.
Thinking of music led him to a nice piece of gossip, "Dear, have you heard of the new artisan who's been coming over every day?"
Queen Serenity grinned in reply, "Why yes I have! He paints the most beautiful vases, as well as portraits. Our halls are filling up nicely with his works. I wonder where Michiru-chan found him?"
Endymion raised an eyebrow. "Michiru hired him?"
"Not exactly. Michiru simply brought him to me a few weeks ago and asked me if I was willing to pay him for helping to decorate the palace. He brought a few samples, I liked them, and so he started work. So to be accurate, I hired him, not Michiru."
"But that's not all he did, right?" Endymion asked.
Serenity nodded. "I read some journals that suggested that children and infants are smarter if they listened to music, so I asked Michiru and the new guy to play music for me and some of the Palace staff in the afternoon. The two of them worked flawlessly together." She winked at him, and Endymion knew when she had some devious plan in mind.
"You keep saying new guy, new guy, but what's his real name? And why haven't I met him yet?"
"Oh, his name is Minobu Tetsuhara. And you were always too busy to see him…" Serenity stared at him, "Mamo-chan, what's wrong?"
Endymion didn't know why, but there was a slight ticking at the back of his mind as he heard the name. He saw an image of a black haired man, with steel in his eyes and dark coloured skin. He shook his head slightly.
"My King?" Usagi asked again, worried for him. "What's wrong?"
Endymion held a hand to his forehead. "I do not know. I just get a feeling that there's something from the Silver Millennium that I haven't remembered. Something very important. Something I should know. Must know."
Usagi placed her hand over his, channelling calm into him. "My love, relax. This is a rare opportunity for you to take a day off. Let's enjoy it without letting unhappy memories disturb us."
He smiled back at his beloved wife. "You are right. So, how about letting me see this artist that has so besotted my wife?"
Serenity stuck out a tongue at him, "I'm not besotted with him." She smiled slyly, and looked around them carefully to ensure that nobody else was nearby. She whispered to Endymion, "Michiru-chan is." She giggled. "Whenever he's here to work on the palace paintings, and if she's free, she'll be found hanging around him."
"You gotta be kidding me," Endymion shook his head, "I thought she was involved with Haruka?"
"Owww!" His words were met by a sudden thwack from Usagi on his head. Endymion clutched his head in pain massaging the area where she had hit him with his hands, "What was that for?"
"That was for your hentai ideas!" Usagi glared at him. "Michiru-chan and Haruka-chan haven't been that way for years, so get your mind out of the gutter."
"Okay, okay!" King Endymion, ruler of the world and wielder of the powerful Golden Crystal, destroyer of countless youma, wasn't afraid of any one person. Except his wife when she was angry.
Almost immediately, Usagi softened her expression, and placed her hand on the spot where she had hit him. "I'm sorry, my dear. Did it hurt?"
"Not really." He smiled. As long as their love remained strong, everything would turn out fine. "Now, how about Tetsuhara?"
"How about this first?" Usagi smiled as she kissed him lightly. He kissed back, and then they were all over each other.
Michiru nodded in approval at Minobu's latest work, a painting of several swans along with calligraphy on one side. "That's beautiful, Minobu-san. Where do you think we should place this piece?"
The tall artist looked thoughtful for a moment. "How about the conference room? It still looks a bit empty."
Michiru agreed. "That's a good choice."
For the past month, Minobu had been coming over to the palace to paint and provide pottery and other artwork to spice up the place. Michiru had arranged for a small room where he could work, and she made it a point to leave her work and pop in every now and then to see how he was doing.
Minobu, for his part, was more than happy to finally land a job that provided him with regular income. Michiru knew he still played in the bars and street at night when he could, but at least he did not have to live a hand to mouth existence anymore. She wondered why she had been so concerned with his welfare.
If only he moved into the palace instead of insisting on staying in his own small apartment outside… she mused, before quickly shaking away the thought. What am I thinking?
Just then, a servant tasked as one of the many messengers in the palace entered the room and walked up to her. "Lady Neptune, the King requests your presence as well as that of Citizen Tetsuhara." Then the servant slipped away, obviously with more duties to fulfil.
Minobu turned to her." What's this about? I hope he's not going to execute me for fouling up in front of Queen Serenity and her unborn child." His serious tone was offset by the slight grin of his mouth.
Michiru shook her head and smiled, "No, but he might execute you for making lewd faces at the queen when the rest of us aren't looking."
The artist held his hands over his heart as though shot by an arrow, "Oh, you wound me with your words, lady!" He began to stagger around, "Ahhh, I'm going to collapse now. Please tell the king I'm too dead to be a pervert." He winked at her.
"Come on, Minobu-san!" Sailor Neptune laughed as she pulled one of his hands towards the throne room. Since she had gotten to know him better, Michiru had discovered that Minobu also had a humorous aspect to his personality that he normally hid under his calm and serious quiet manner. He made her laugh often, and she enjoyed his company, and not just when they were playing their musical instruments together either. But there was still so much that he kept hidden from her, and Michiru wondered what secrets he cold be hiding.
She led him past the long ornate corridors of the palace, bustling with administrators and servants. Then at the doors of the throne room, guarded by two guards, Michiru nodded to them. One guard opened the door. Not for the first time, Michiru noticed that Minobu would nod solemnly to each guard whenever he walked past them, as though saluting them silently. Their stance would likewise strengthen from the slack position adopted through long hours, as though encouraged by his nod.
"Lady Neptune and Citizen Minobu Tetsuhara!" A servant announced as they entered the throne room, Michiru leading the way and Minobu following subserviently behind as befit his lower status.
The throne room was surprisingly simple. Along the sides were a series of chairs for guests and visiting dignitaries, while the thrones sat on a raised dais at the far side of the room. The walls glittered with crystal and gold set in white marble.
King Endymion and Queen Serenity smiled as Michiru knelt before them on the carpeted floor, with Minobu only a heartbeat behind in his actions. "Your Majesties."
"Please rise, Michiru-chan. We're friends, and there is no need for formality amongst friends," said Queen Serenity. Michiru did as her friend commanded. "Usagi-chan, you look wonderful!" Michiru said sincerely before turning around to look at Minobu to beckon him forward.
Minobu had remained on his knees. Serenity looked at him, and beamed, "Citizen Tetsuahara, you may rise as well. I think you can consider yourself a friend of ours by now. The goddess knows how much of your music my child has heard."
"Thank you, your Highness." Minobu rose, and Michiru suddenly had a weird feeling of déjà vu. They all looked at King Endymion, who was staring at Minobu as though he was seeing a ghost.
"My king, are you all right?" Serenity said, concern in her voice.
Endymion muttered, just barely audible to his wife and Michiru, "My general. One of my guardians. The outer Shitennou."
Michiru spun round to look at Minobu, who had apparently heard Endymion's words because his eyes were narrowed, but not in puzzlement. She caught just the slightest glimpse of a hardened warrior behind those eyes, not the polite, cultured Minobu she had come to know well. What is going on? What is the Outer Shitennou? She got a strange itch in her mind, as though there was something that she needed to remember.
"Your Highness," Minobu spoke, "Please forgive me for my unworthy intrusion, but my lord is unwell. Perhaps you should retire to your quarters for rest. I can always come back another day."
Endymion shook himself clear of the malaise he had been stricken with. "I'm sorry, citizen Tetsuhara. I must have dozed off for a moment there." It was a lame excuse to Michiru, but who would gainsay the king? She could see the doubt on Minobu's face, but also a slight weariness, as though he had half expected it.
Endymion now smiled, and his smile was quite genuine. "Citizen Tetsuhara, I heard from my wife that you're a musician and an artist, and that many of the pottery and paintings in the palace are your work."
Minobu nodded, "Yes, your Highness. I have been working to decorate the palace for the past month, as well as playing music with Lady Neptune for the Queen. I hope I can continue to be of service in the future as well."
Endymion leaned forward, "Forgive me if this questions seems weird. Are you having any strange dreams lately?"
Michiru stared at her liege lord in shock, as did Queen Serenity. Minobu wore a poker face as he replied, "No, your Highness. I have not had any dreams out of the ordinary."
He's lying! Michiru realized with a shock. She had been around him long enough to know his moods and expressions. What is he hiding?
Endymion and Minobu stared at each other for several long and uncomfortable moments, and Michiru could almost sense the interplay of power as they seemed to be testing each other's conviction. After a while Endymion spoke, "I'm sorry for asking such a silly question."
"You were just asking." Minobu smiled thinly. "Nothing to forgive. By your majesty's leave?"
"Very well." Serenity said calmly, though Michiru could tell that Usagi was clearly troubled by Mamoru's actions and words, "You may depart now, Citizen Tetsuahara. Michiru-chan, please stay back. I wish to talk to you."
Minobu stared at Endymion for an unnerving second, before turning away and walking out. Michiru noticed that his gait was no longer the calm, measured steps of the artist and musician. But rather the hard strides of a soldier…
"Mamo-chan, what is going on?" Serenity asked as soon as Minobu had left. "What's happening?"
Queen Serenity had never felt so alarmed since Crystal Tokyo was formed. Her beloved Mamo-chan had been having troubled dreams in his sleep recently, but she had kept it to herself, hoping that he would tell her of his own accord. But this was the first time he had let it show in the day.
Endymion leaned back heavily in his seat, his expression sad. "My queen and Lady Neptune, how much do you remember of the Silver Millennium?"
"Not much." Both of them said.
Ednymion sighed heavily, "Recently, I had been having dreams of that long ago time. The memories were hazy at first, but they are becoming clearer, and today I remembered as though I had just experienced them."
He continued, "I had eight generals protecting me, not just four. The Outer Shitennou, mirroring the Outer Senshi." He smiled ruefully, "Earth was never going to let the Moon Kingdom have all the cards. In some ways, it was for appearance's sake, but the Outer Shitennou were powerful and had earned the right to their rank."
Serenity frowned. "Then you think these generals have started coming back? When Kunzite, Jadeite, Zoicite and Nephrite were freed from Beryl's control, none of them mentioned these extra generals."
Michiru was also piecing it together, "And Minobu-san was one of them?"
Endymion nodded. "I am sure of it. He didn't look exactly the same, but close enough that I thought I was seeing a twin. The steel I remembered was still there. You saw it when we were staring at each other."
Michiru protested, "Mamoru, you must be mistaken, he is only an artist, not a soldier."
"So were the Senshi at the beginning," said Serenity. "But even so, I don't think he is just a simple musician and artist either. There's just… something about him."
Michiru sighed, "I know. I have tried to get closer to him, but at a certain point he would always push me away."
"Michiru, don't worry. Magnetite and you were lovers in the Silver Millennium," Endymion smiled as he watch the deep blush appear on Michiru's face, "He just needs time to adjust. After all, he doesn't know us very well."
Serenity pounced on that piece of information, exclaiming delightedly, "Michiru-chan, congratulations!"
Michiru shuffled her feet nervously, staring at the ground to hide her embarrassment from her friends and rulers. Thankfully, Endymion saved her by shifting the topic slightly.
"If Magnetite is here, then the other three should not be far behind. Having such powerful and loyal generals should enhance the security of Earth. Reports are coming in of movement just outside the Solar System. Our reconnaissance teams are still trying to find out who the aliens are, but we must be vigilant."
Serenity nodded. She had read the same reports, and those were greatly troubling. They had sent out ambassadors to Princess Kakyuu to forge an alliance in case of war, as well as a few other worlds they were friendly with.
She really hoped war would not come. It would only hurt the people of Earth, causing nothing but pain and death. Please, let there be peace.
Hiroshima
Eiji Fuchida stifled a yawn as he took his place amongst the oyabun of the world, ten of the most powerful criminal lords on Earth, led by the oyabun of oyabun, who had assumed leadership of the world federation of gangs in the wake of the new world order. He tugged at his black business suit, which still fitted him poorly no matter how many times the tailor adjusted it. Thank the Buddha for air conditioning, he thought. Even though it was autumn, it could still get uncomfortably hot in the suit.
The ten seats were situated in an arc, with the eleventh seat, belonging to the kuromaku, in the middle. Before them was a crescent shaped table. Eiji wondered if their guest would find that arrangement ironic in light of the topic of the night's discussion.
A tall man, clad in black, stood before them. He was nearly invisible, of nondescript brown hair and black eyes. Eiji also knew it was a hologram. The Cyberpunks were good, and this was their second in command.
Eiji could pierce the disguise any time he wanted, tearing past the technological marvels in use and exposing the Cyberpunk for what he truly was, Commander Peter Left, a former soldier from the United States Special Operations Command, but like his fellow crime lords, he was intrigued by the Cyberpunks and what they were offering.
"You are very kind to allow me an audience today," said the Cyberpunk. He bowed formally, then handed a small paper package to a waiting flunky. Eiji knew within the package was ten thousand dollars, a small gift to the lords for granting this interview.
The crime lords were all standing instead of sitting in their seats. None of them would sit until the oyabun arrived. Eiji looked at them from one corner of his eye, aware that the others were also sizing one another up. There were two Mafia bosses, a Korean gang lord, three chiefs from the Chinese Tongs, as well as others from all around the world. The most powerful men of the underworld. And eager to seize on any weakness in the others in their bid for more power.
The Cyberpunks, in contrast, were a secret society formed in the former United States to defend the US Constitution against all threats. Which included the present regime of Crystal Tokyo. From what Eiji was able to dig up, they were damn good, undermining the authority of King Endymion and Queen Serenity, stirring up unrest and demands for more political freedoms. A few riots had already broken out in the United States due to prodding from Cyberpunks and their sympathizers. They were fiercely hostile to King Endymion's reign, claiming that the new world government did not have any basis within the Constitution, taking place by universal fiat and not by careful, considerate deliberation by elected officials, and so, totally counter to it in law and spirit.
Eiji, taking the lead as the oyabun's personal assistant and aide, gestured for the Cyberpunk to take a seat in a plush chair facing the arc. The Cyberpunk nodded stiffly, then sat down, as did the gathered crime lords. They traded small talk for about five minutes.
"Boss is coming." A receiving earpiece reported. Eiji nodded imperceptibly, and the crime lords rose from their seats, as did the Cyberpunk. The oyabun entered the room, a bull of a man walking in with a slight limp.
"Tea for our guest," he ordered in a commanding voice. He sat down in his seat, while the crime lords remained standing. He motioned for Peter Left to sit. Then they waited for a few moments while a few servants brought in tea and a tray of tidbits.
The Cyberpunk took a cautious sip of the tea, then leaned forward to listen.
"I grew up poor," the oyabun began, "My family had little, often only rice and pickles to eat. My father was an educated man, a lecturer in an university, but he lost everything to gambling. I've not the education he had, but I've done the reverse."
"I started as a strong-arm. Life was simple. I was simple too. A friend brought me into the yakuza. I did not know what to expect. I started by cleaning floors. Soon I progressed. Every day at five in the morning I would wash windows. Cold water, cold weather. It was very severe. It's not so hard now. Traditions have been lost." Eiji kept a grimace out of his face as the oyabun spoke. His childhood was like that too.
The oyabun stared right at Peter Left, "You understand all about tradition, don't you?"
The Cyberpunk nodded. "Traditions are exactly what I'm here about. Our traditions are at risk from the new order, about to be swept away."
"Shikata ga nai. The new age has been a boon to us."
"Only because the restructuring of the government has allowed you to slip more of your agents into place to cover up your activities. Once Serenity gets wind of your activities, what makes you think you can stand up to her Senshi?"
The oyabun smiled, "We have means."
The Cyberpunk grinned, "So do we, but I think yours is a little bit better. They have magic, and you have magic too."
Eiji tried hard not to react to that. How did they find out? He kept his face calm, expressionless.
"A few weeks ago, we got several interesting reports of corpses that looked fine on the outside. But the autopsies always reveal that their internal organs had burst like overripe fruit. Now, those dead guys, they were all bastards who nobody would miss. Rapists, murderers, and literal scum of the earth. But the other thing that stood out was that they all betrayed you. So that left me to one conclusion. You have something or someone with the ability to wield magic. I wonder who it is…"
Then the Cyberpunk stared at Eiji. Fuck, he knows.
"What is it to you?" Asked the oyabun.
"Checks and balances. There's no one and nothing to stop Endymion and Serenity if they abuse their power. We're dedicated to finding ways and means to stop their tyranny if necessary."
"I think you just want those ways and means to use against them, tyranny or not," scoffed a tong chief. "No, we'd hold them ourselves, thank you."
"Then when they start cracking down on your drug trades, your loaning schemes, your laundering operations, you'll wish you've listened to me."
"I think not." The oyabun said, "We've began scaling back some of our operations, and started on other lines that would soon be legalized as a result of the initiatives we've sponsored."
"The politicians you've bribed. Prostitution and drugs."
"Ah yes." The oyabun nodded wisely. "So useful, don't you think? Where there is demand, there will be a supply, and legalising drugs and prostitution will help tighten up the standards and ensure the health of our people. Earnings would go down some, and we'll still keep some of our more profitable operations around. We have already come to terms to the new reign. It is your own business that you have not."
The Cyberpunk stood up, "You'll regret this."
The oyabun shook his head, "No, you will."
"What do you think, Eiji-san?" The oyabun asked as they walked in the oyabun's mansion's garden.
"They are like men falling off a cliff grasping at straws, but their kicking will still hurt." Eiji replied seriously. "Toda-sama, they know who was behind the killings."
"Yes, but what can they do about it? Out you to the authorities?" The oyabun laughed, "I have more than enough faith in you that you can deal with whatever the silly queen and her Senshi send at you."
Eiji rolled his eyes, "Overconfidence is the downfall of many. Nobody is invincible."
"True," Toda agreed, "But if half of what you had told me was true, it'll be very difficult to destroy you."
Eiji sighed, "I've had enough of war, Toda-sama. I wish for nothing more than to live out the rest of my days in peace."
"You might not have it." The oyabun became grim. "Reports are coming in of an alien force on the edges of the Solar System. I suspect an invasion soon. All this talk of legislation and rebellion will count for nothing then."
"If that happens, then I'll fight. But not until then."
"What about the space armies you were telling me about? Could you get them to help?"
"No, they're too far away." Eiji shook his head. How does one explain inter-galactic travel, conduit points, warp gates, and shadow gates? "But I do know a few good men who can make a difference…"
Crystal Tokyo
Minobu Tetsuhara was dreaming again.
"Submit to me!" The angry woman hissed into his face.
"Never, you bitch!" He spat at her, only to be greeted by another vicious lash across his face, her long nails raking him and slicing out long thin pieces of his skin and flesh, cutting all the way to the bone.
He began to laugh at her anger, knowing all the while that it would only serve to infuriate her. Perhaps enough to kill him, instead of turning him and brainwashing him as she had done to Kunzite and the others. He cannot be turned, for it would mean fighting against his beloved Princess Neptune and his king. He would rather die, and so he will.
"If I cannot make you mine, then I shall have to kill you and drain your energy!" Beryl screamed as she plunged a sword into his chest. He continued laughing through the blood bubbling up his throat, eager to sink into the abyss.
Minobu looked up at his ceiling. Damn dreams just wouldn't leave him alone at night. He groaned, then got up to make some food for himself. He still had some ham, lettuce, and bread in the fridge.
It had been like that for the past month since he had met Michiru. Dreams, which he knew to be memories of his past lives, one after another, invading his mind. And this latest dream had been particularly vivid, and Minobu could remember even in the dream, as he was dying, images of a certain green haired girl flashing through his mind. She was almost certainly Michiru.
These were my past lives, my deaths. He knew now what he was, had known for the past year. The Agenasi, Analo, Eliterei, Killer Angels, legends had whispered of the various names for his kind. We are fated to live, fated to fight. Fated to die. And be reborn to repeat the whole bloody process. Again and again.
He had heard of the story of the Senshi and the Shitennou, where they were reincarnated into the present age after their past lives in the Silver Millenium were wrecked by a Queen Beryl.
Queen Beryl? He remembered that name from the dream. She had been trying to turn him to her cause. She had succeeded with the other generals. Which indicated that he was once one of Earth Generals and protector of the royal family. And Endymion had mentioned Outer Shitennou in the throne room.
Minobu cursed silently. Did past vows in the previous life matter in the present one? He had already sworn his loyalty to another lord. He had lied to King Endymion concerning the dreams, and everybody in the throne room knew it. Michiru had been disappointed in him, and Minobu had felt worse than he had ever been in his life. It was that moment that he realised that he loved her.
Before he knew it, he had finished off the sandwich. Minobu stared down at the scars on his arms, memoirs of past battles. He could not allow Michiru to get close. He was going to die, sooner if not later, and his passing would only bring her pain.
Something was stirring, something evil. Minobu could just sense it, an ominous sensation that sent shivers up his spine and grabbed his balls in a hard clench. When the evil came, he would fight. And maybe he would die.
He walked back to his bed, then decided against sleeping. I had better centre myself. Evil is on the way. He sat down cross legged on a small mat, and began to meditate.
Morning came, and Minobu, actually more refreshed by his meditation than by his sleep, walked out his apartment, preparing to stop by a small café for breakfast before continuing to the palace.
He was heading down towards the café on the street when his instincts all yelled at him at once. Duck!
The street was engulfed in explosions.
"What is going on?" King Endymion demanded as he ran out of his bedroom, followed by a struggling Serenity, who was being helped by several servants.
"Youma, your Highness!" Haruka reported, her voice grim. "They're all over the city, attacking the citizens."
"Can we contact the Inner Senshi and the Shitennou?" asked Serenity. The Inner Senshi and Shitennou were in North America, trying to restore order and calm after a particularly damaging riot.
"Somebody has cut off our communications, my Queen," said Michiru. "It'll take a while for us to get to them. For the time being, we're on our own."
"Let me go out and hunt down the youma!" Haruka exclaimed, brandishing her sword.
"No," Endymion order, "You two are the only Senshi around. You must remain here to defend the Queen. I shall go to the city to destroy the youma."
"No, my King!" Serenity gasped. "You will be fighting alone!"
"Usako," Endymion said gently, "I won't be alone. The palace guard will be fighting with me."
"My King," Michiru said calmly, "Your going out will weaken our defences here at the palace. The youma might be able to defeat you, and then we'll be doomed."
"But… the city…"
"We have to hold out for the Inner Senshi and the Shitennou to arrive. We'll send what men we can spare into the city, and they'll have to do their best to stem the tide." Michiru's voice was steady, but Endymion could sense the fear in her. She's worried for Tetsuhara, he realized. It must be tearing her up to know that he might be killed because we did not send enough men to defend the city. I'm so sorry, Michiru-chan.
Michiru turned away from him, and then Haruka gasped as they saw a thin line of tears flow down from one of Michiru's eyes.
Minobu grinned humourlessly as he cut down another construct, no, youma with a submachine gun he had picked off the cooling corpse of a militia soldier. He fired the rounds in a steady stream at the youma, picking at its eyes and mouth, the shells hammering into its nerve centres and rendering it incapable for further combat. The youma collapsed.
No more victims for you, baka. Minobu ejected the empty magazine, then snapped in a fresh one from the small satchel he had slung over a shoulder. The streets were now devoid of people, though the ground was choked with dead bodies. Minobu shut out the pain he felt from the death of innocents from his mind. He needed to remain clear-headed, but his right hand tightened on his sword, also picked up from a soldier.
The militia had mobilised and tried to fight back, but Minobu could tell that they had been badly outmatched. Bullets and conventional weaponry was fine against lower youma, but the more powerful youma were immune to such attacks, and required soldiers to close in and use enchanted melee weapons to cut them down.
What made things worse was that the youma had organic tanks. Massive grotesque and armoured beasts that could spew massive balls of energy from the many heads arrayed around their bodies. They were immune to gunfire, and even bazooka/RPG rounds would just bounce off their thick hides. None of the soldiers defending the city had the skill and speed to evade the energy blasts and get close enough to slice the beasts open on their vulnerable necks.
Minobu had already taken out two of them.
He ignored the cold fear in his belly as a radio on a dead soldier crackled to life, warning of enemies attacking the Crystal Palace, calling all available units back to the Palace. What units? Most of them are dead. The image of Michiru fighting off horde after horde of youma blasted through his mind. Minobu forced down his panic. She's a Senshi. She can handle them.
He looked around, trying to sense the location of the nearest group of surviving soldiers. There, southwest by five hundred meters, half a platoon, in the direction of the Palace. Good. They'd better be alive when I get there, he thought as he began sprinting through the rubble. He snagged the radio as he ran. Attacking from behind and the flanks was always a good way to spoil an enemy offensive.
"Watch out!" Michiru yelled as she deflected another energy attack from one of the huge beasts with her mirror. The deflected blast slammed into a cluster of youma, blowing them apart. But two more groups appeared close behind.
Haruka heard her warning in time, and dodged a line of energy from a youma. Her sword lashed out, cutting apart two youma in half. "There's too many of them!"
Their white fuku's were stained with dirt and blood, some of it their own, some of it from the youma. Cuts and wounds covered their bodies, and Michiru knew they could not hold out for much longer. She could feel her own strength fading away from loss of blood or use of her energy. And she had been using a lot of her energy in the battle.
King Endymion fought alongside them, his sword a brilliant gleam of light and infused with the power of the Golden Crystal as he held the line ahead of a troop of palace guardsmen, but even he was tiring quickly.
Serenity was forced to sit this one out, due to her pregnancy, but Michiru knew that they really could have used her power and the Ginzuishou. And it might yet come to that, especially if they lose…
No! Michiru told herself sternly. We are Senshi, we cannot lose! But the wave of youma seemed never ending, and Michiru could not see any clear leader of the enemy force for her or Haruka to attack.
Another youma whipped its barbed tail at her, and she bit back a scream as it tore out a piece of flesh from her side. Haruka decapitated it the next instant, but was attacked by another group of youma. Michiru stayed on the ground, trying to overcome her pain and continue the fight.
She saw Haruka screaming as a youma hit her in her stomach, almost tearing away the white fabric of the fuku, and that gave Michiru the strength to pick herself up and use her power.
"Submarine Reflection!" She called out, the attack smashing around Haruka and freeing her from the youma assailing her. Haruka stumbled towards her, and Michiru used her power again, desperately fighting off the fatigue in her body.
We can't keep this up for much longer!
Minobu ran for the soldiers, thoughts of Michiru and the Palace gone from his mind as mind and deed become one, allowing him to fight through any youma which dared to stop him. There was no extraneous thought, no other concern except the will to kill any youma which stood in his path. His sword was red with blood, while he had run out of ammunition halfway through his journey. His path was littered with the broken and beaten bodies of youma.
He could hear the sound of gunfire becoming louder as he fought his way through another group of youma. His blade flashed like quicksilver, Minobu using every trick he had learnt in more than ten years of battle. Always attacking, always seeking out his enemy's weak points, moving constantly to avoid their own ranged attacks. A pale grey fire engulfed his blade, his own power enhancing the weapon's abilities.
Then he was through the press of youma, and Minobu snapped from muga. He needed to take stock of the situation, and that required him to think and plan beforehand.
There was silence all around him as he stared at the group of battered soldiers, and they all stared back at him in shock. He didn't quite understand why they were looking at him that way, but when they switched their attention from him to the scene behind him, he understood. He turned round, and saw an incredible sight.
It was a long thoroughfare, and everywhere along it was destroyed youma on the ground. From where they were standing, it seemed as though he had fought through an entire army of them to get to the soldiers. No youma was left alive.
"Minobu-san?" A guard asked tentatively, which made him look back at them. He recognized the guard, Hanson, who would often take the morning shift and therefore be the one to allow him into the Palace grounds. The soldier was not badly hurt, but dirt and blood covered him.
"Hanson, good to see you," Minobu nodded. He raised his voice. "Who's in command here?"
Hanson shook his head, "Captain Nagasa. But he's shell shocked. And we've no other officers." He stepped aside, as did a few other soldiers to reveal a soldier in slightly more prestigious uniform, clutching his head in fear and hugging his knees to his chest.
"Shit." Minobu cursed. Then he made a quick decision. In battle, soldiers naturally gravitate to whoever had the will and gumption to lead and take action. Take action, do something, even if it's the wrong thing to do, Ishida-sensei had told him before in the leadership and command course.
"Okay," he said, "All of you are now under my command. I know I don't wear an uniform, but that's the least of our worries right now. The Palace is under attack, and we need to get there ASAP."
He looked around the soldiers, about twelve of them, and about half were practically pissing in their pants. "Any questions? If not, let's go."
"Sir!" A soldier who was near tears wailed, "I don't want to die! Please, let's just stay here!" Then all of a sudden, the other troopers were begging him to leave them alone as well.
Minobu nodded to himself. He should have expected it, really. He also knew how to deal with this sort of problem. He walked forward, grabbed a pistol from Hanson, who was looking at his comrades with disgust, and fired off a round into the wall beside the sobbing trooper's head. They stopped their begging immediately, the echo of the round fading away gradually into the ruined city. They gaped at him in shock.
He glared daggers at them. "You all knew when you put on this uniform what it entailed. You all swore an oath. I expect you to upkeep that oath, to death if needs be. My next round will not miss. If I have to kill one of you to keep the rest of you moving, I will do it. Now, anybody want to remain behind?" If I cannot have their respect, I will damn well take their fear.
He started moving, and he did not need to look back to see the twelve men all following him.
They left the paralysed Captain behind. The soldiers followed the dark man with scars along his arms and steely eyes that promised nothing but death to those opposing him. To the Place, where the battle was still ongoing, and where the number of enemies was highest. After what he had threatened to do, none of them were going to disobey him.
Better to take on the youma with a pocket knife.
Come on, I need some reviews here! It can't be that bad, right?
