DISCLAIMER: Neither DBZ or Sailor Moon are owned by me. Any characters in this story are the property of their original creators. (Example... Akira Toriyama owns Trunks, Naoko Takeuchi owns Ami, and I own Rosemary, Angelica, or Chamomile, though I'd be willing to trade. XD)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a sequel to Love In A Ruined World, my Mirai Trunks/Ami romance fic from last year. (The Trunks in this fanfic is Mirai Trunks, and the Bulma in this fic is from Mirai Trunks' future timeline.) If you haven't read Love In A Ruined World, you can still read this, but you might be confused, so if you want to read the first fic in the series, it's in my profile. ^_^ In the continuity of both series, this fic takes place after Mirai Trunks goes back to the future after the Cell Saga, and after the SuperS season in the Sailor Moon continuum.
Reviewer Thanks-
Sailor Element: You don't like reviewing? ^_^ That's okay, you didn't HAVE to review if you didn't want to... but I'm really glad you did! *hugs* Thank you!
Sonar de Mercury: Well, here's more... chapter five is on its way!
Gracedangel1854: Glad you enjoyed this chapter... I hope you like the next one just as much! ^_^
Quisty05: Well, okay... I'm sure if you ever remember you'll tell me, right? Okay! ^_^
---
Ami set her unconscious mother gently down on the large, queen-size bed in Marika's room, trying not to harm her further with physical shock in addition to the emotional shock she'd just sustained. Trunks stood in the doorway, a look of concern on his face.
"Ami, is your mom gonna be alright?" Trunks asked, starting to step into the room. "Her lip is quivering and she looks pale..."
"Trunks, go get a washcloth and dampen it with warm water, then bring it back here," directed Ami, pointing Trunks out the door. "There should be plenty in the kitchen."
Trunks nodded, and briskly walked to the kitchen to retrieve a washcloth for Ami's mother. After he had used his ki to thaw out the living room, it remained slightly damp from the melted ice, and Trunks had placed a small, rotating fan in the center of the room, trying to dry it off. He nearly tripped over the fan as he made his way to the kitchen.
"That was a close one," Trunks said, looking through the many drawers and compartments inside the Mizunos' modestly-sized kitchen. "Now, where are those... here it is!"
Withdrawing a small, red cloth from one of the drawers, Trunks quickly ran to the sink and ran a generous amount of hot water from the faucet over the cloth, until it was completely soaked. Then, Trunks ran back through the living room and down a narrow hallway to Marika's bedroom. He handed the damp cloth to Ami, who neatly folded it and then placed it gently over her mother's forehead.
"Thank you, Trunks," Ami said, flashing him a quick smile before turning back to Marika, gently holding her right hand, speaking to her mother in her most soothing voice. "Mom, if you can hear me... I just want to tell you that I love you, and everything's going to be alright.... none of us are in any danger, I promise..."
Slowly, Marika's eyes began to blink open. A drop of warm water from the cloth ran down the left side of her face, and she let out a quiet, exhausted groan.
"Ami..." Marika whispered, gripping her daughter's hand ever so slightly tighter, "is that you?"
A wave of relief washed over Ami as she realized that her mother was going to be alright. Even Trunks seemed relieved, though his relief was much harder to discern than Ami's.
"Mm-hmm," Ami replied, gently stroking the droplet of water from her mother's cheek. "Trunks is here too, don't worry.... we're both fine..."
"What happened?" asked Marika, her voice sounding much more awake. She began to sit up, and she peeled the damp cloth from her forehead, turning her head toward Trunks and Ami. "As soon as I came in, the entire living room was frozen solid... was I dreaming? I don't think I-"
"You weren't dreaming, you just fainted," Trunks said bluntly. "And yes, the living room was frozen... two of-"
"Trunks, shh," said Ami, gently raising three of her fingers to Trunks' lips. "We don't need to tell mom everything right away... she's had a terrible shock, and I don't want to worry her anymore..."
Ami's heart began to beat slightly faster, and she frowned sadly. Both Trunks and Marika could read the sadness on Ami's lips.
"I want to tell my mother the truth... but she's so worried about me being in danger... no, I can't shelter her forever, she has to know everything that's going on with me... Trunks lets Bulma know everything, and I should treat my mother with the same courtesy."
"Trunks, go ahead," said Ami quietly. "Tell mom what happened..."
"Maybe I should lie down again," said Marika, leaning her head back down on her pillow and placing the damp cloth on her forehead.
"Two of those people we've been telling you about, the ones that attacked the carnival... they came here, and they attacked Ami," Trunks said. "Ami held her own for a while... actually, she was holding her own when I got here. As soon as I came, they left."
"Clearly, I was their primary target," said Ami, looking straight into her mother's eyes. "I was able to defend myself, though... like Trunks said. He's really taught me a lot about my powers, and now that I've learned to control them more, I've been able to fight a lot better, and protect myself."
"Why were they coming after you?" Marika asked, quickly sitting up and then climbing out of bed, tossing the damp washcloth onto one of the pillows. "They're not... going after all of you one-by-one, are they?"
"Right now, we don't really know," said Ami, bowing her head.
"They came after me today, too," replied Trunks. "In my own world."
"If they're trying to hunt us down one by one, perhaps we should contact the others and tell them to be on the lookout..." Ami said. "My communicator watch is on the desk in my room... I'll go send a message now."
"Wait," said Marika, walking over to Ami. Ami could tell from the sad look on Marika's face that she wasn't entirely ready to accept the thought that her daughter had just been attacked in her own apartment, and Marika's eyes were beginning to glisten over with tears. Ami wrapped her arms around her mother, who tightly embraced Ami in return. "I... I don't know what I'd do if you were hurt... I love you, Ami... you're my one and only daughter..."
"Mom, I know..." Ami replied, her head resting on Marika's shoulder. "All of the Sailor Senshi are going to fight as hard as they can to stop these attacks..."
"And so will I," said Trunks. "Maybe I should stay for supper and talk with you guys... it might give us a chance to prepare a way to keep you and Ami from getting hurt."
"Good idea," said Marika, breaking the hug and walking toward the door. "Thank you... both of you, for helping me... the living room's not still frozen, is it?"
"Thawed it out myself," Trunks said proudly. "Only took a few seconds... it's still damp, though, so watch the fan."
"I will," replied Marika. "Thank you."
"And I'll go contact the others," said Ami, walking down the hall toward her own bedroom. "I just hope I can reach all of them..."
---
Meanwhile, Rei was walking Rose home from the Shinto shrine. The house that Rose, Angela, and Cammy lived in wasn't too far from the shrine, and so it didn't take the two girls very long to get there. As they reached the front porch, they stopped to say their goodbyes. Rei still hadn't told Rose anything about what she'd seen in the flame, and Rose was becoming more and more curious, and more and more desperate to find out.
"Rei, why can't you tell me?" Rose asked. "Don't tell me it's none of my business... it's my dreams, and so it is my business!"
"You wouldn't understand, Rose..." Rei said, trying to put it as gently as she could. "If I told you, then..."
Suddenly, the communicator on Rei's wrist began to ring. Rei gasped, realizing she couldn't take out her communicator in public without revealing her identity.
"Rei, I think your cell phone's ringing..." Rose said. "You should probably see who it is... I'll just go inside, okay? It was nice spending time with you today... and thank you for helping me with my bad dreams... even though you didn't really help me because you didn't tell me what the flame said, and-"
"It's not my cell phone," said Rei, trying to think of a good excuse as her communicator beeped again. "It's my, uh... uh... my-"
"It's coming from your wrist!" Rose asked, trying to pull up the sleeve on Rei's white shirt. "What could that possibly-"
Suddenly, a sharp, concentrated magical needle, made entirely of wind, smashed into Rei's wrist and shattered her communicator instantly. Rei was sent flying back into the door of the house, while Rose was knocked clear off the porch and onto her back on the ground. Her head hit with a loud smack, but she remained conscious, slowly climbing to her feet to see what had happened. Rei stumbled away from the door, but gasped when she saw who was standing in the street facing the house. Two of Pandemonium's henchmen, Elbarzad and Granate, were standing just a few feet away, smiling viciously. Elbarzad's finger was pointed at Rei's wrist, and Rei immediately knew it was him who had destroyed her communicator.
"Rei, are you alright?" Rose shouted, running up onto the porch and looking down at Rei's arm. "Who are those people?"
"No one," Rei said, rubbing her wrist as the smoldering fragments of her communicator fell to the ground. "Dammit, not now... Rose, you should get out of here!"
"Neither of you are leaving!" shouted Granate, pointing his arm at the scared and surprised girls. "Either of you tries, and there's going to be an earthquake in Juuban... with its epicenter right under this house!"
"No! My parents are inside!" Rose shouted, curling up her fists and taking a fighting stance. "I... I won't let you hurt them!"
"You have to stay back!" Rei shouted, extending her arm out in front of Rose in an attempt to block her path. "I have to transform... but I can't do it in front of Rose... can I? She's been my friend for months now... I know I can trust her, but... will my transformation trigger something inside of her? I don't know what to do!"
"You don't scare us," Elbarzad said. "In fact, you two are the ones who look scared... especially you, Rei. Can't you end this pathetic little game right now and show us what you're really made of?"
"What's he talking about, Rei?" Rose asked. "And how does he know your name...?"
"And I've heard enough out of you!" Elbarzad shouted. Suddenly, a tiny gust of wind appeared right under Rose, blowing her off her feet and off of the porch. She was picked up by the wind and blown several feet, hitting the hard cement of the front walkway again, her leg taking most of the impact. She screamed as the hard cement tore off some of the layers of skin on her knee, giving her a mostly superficial, but still bleeding wound. Elbarzad and Granate began to laugh in amusement as the pink-haired girl looked down at her skinned knee.
"That hurt!" Rose shouted, her hurt leg wobbling as she stood up. "Owww..."
"That does it, I can't let this go on!" Rei shouted, taking out her transformation wand. "Mars... Crystal... Power!"
Within seconds, Rei was transformed into the Senshi of Fire, Sailor Mars. The two evil warriors smiled, while Rose simply looked her friend Rei up and down in disbelief.
"You... I can't believe it, you're a Sailor Senshi? I've heard about them before, but I've never actually seen-"
"Rose, you can't tell anyone," Sailor Mars said, walking up to her friend and looking down at her knee. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah," Rose said, nodding her head. "And don't worry, I won't tell anyone!"
"Of course not," Granate shouted. "Dead people don't talk!"
Suddenly, the ground began to shake between Sailor Mars and Rose's feet. Rose let out a scream, while Sailor Mars simply stood her ground as the ground started to crack beneath her.
"I'm not backing down from you two... you're evil, and you must be punished!"
---
"Mmm... oh, Darien, kiss me again..."
While Serena's parents were out taking Sammy to the mall, Serena and Darien were left on their own. Almost immediately, they began to make out on the living room couch, with no one to bother them... except for the loud ringing of Serena's communication watch.
"Oh darn, what is it now?" Serena whined.
"It's your communication watch," Darien said, sitting up and brushing himself off. "You should probably answer it, Serena."
Serena lifted up the sleeve on the blue sweater she was wearing and put the watch to her lips.
"Yes, what is it?" Serena asked, annoyed that her make-out session had been interrupted.
"It's just Ami... I just wanted to tell you that two of Pandemonium's henchmen came after me today, but Trunks and I were able to fight them off. Have you been attacked in any way?"
"Well, unless you count yummy kisses as an attack," said Serena, unaware of the magnitude of the situation, "and Darien as one of Pandemonium's henchmen... then no, I haven't."
"I see," said Ami, annoyance beginning to show in her voice as well. "Well, I was just checking... Rei didn't answer her watch, and I'm getting a bit worried..."
"She probably didn't have it on," said Serena. "You know we can't answer the watch if it rings in public... and even if she did have it on, maybe she couldn't find anywhere secluded to answer."
"Are you alright, Ami?" Darien asked.
"Trunks and I are both fine... well, I'm going to call Lita and Mina now, so I'll let you both get back to what you were doing. I'm sorry if I interrupted anything."
"It's about time," said Serena, taking off her watch and placing it under the couch.
"Serena, don't you care that your friends might be in danger?" Darien asked. Serena smiled.
"Darien, we've got Trunks on our side now," said Serena. "Do you know what that means? He's super-tough, and super handsome too... maybe even moreso than you, Darien..."
"Serena!" Darien shouted, but he knew from experience that Serena was most likely joking around.
"Just kidding, Darien..." Serena said with a giggle. "Mind if we get back to what we were doing?"
"Alright then, Serena," said Darien, wrapping his arms around Serena's back and leaning in to give her a kiss. "But I just hope your friends will be alright..."
"They'll be fine," Serena replied. "Yeah, I know that Trunks can't do everything, but... I haven't seen any of those guys yet that can take him on!"
---
"Well, I called all of them," said Ami, walking into the kitchen just as Trunks and Marika were sitting down to eat supper. "Rei didn't answer hers... Serena did, and said that Rei might just be unable to answer because she couldn't find a place to answer without getting caught. Lita and Mina were just about to take Angela and Cammy home from the mall."
"So they're all okay?" Trunks asked.
"Yeah... except for Rei, but I'm pretty sure she's fine too," said Ami. "I think she's supposed to be at the Shinto shrine with Rose today... maybe she's just in the middle of conducting a fire reading and didn't want to be interrupted."
"Not to be selfish or rude or anything, because I like all of your friends, it's just... why did they go after you, and not any of them?" Marika asked. "And they also went after Trunks... would there be any particular reason these guys would have a vendetta against just the two of you? Anything you did in your world that villains might want to exact revenge for?"
"I don't think it has anything to do with Frieza," said Ami.
"I know it's not," Trunks replied. "I eradicated that bastard, and right now, he's burning in hell where he belongs."
"Trunks, please... please don't say those kinds of things at the table," said Marika.
"Sorry," Trunks replied. "It's just that... the thought of Frieza still makes my blood boil... the thought of everything he did to Ami..."
"I understand, Trunks," Ami said, placing her hand on Trunks' as he rested it on the table. "Maybe this has something to do with Crysthea... she was also wiped out in Trunks' world, maybe the remnants of her Crystal Empire have returned to exact revenge..."
"They do know a lot about that teleporting and gate stuff," said Trunks. "You might be right, Ami... all the stuff that's happening might be Crysthea's doing. But... no, no, that's not it at all... now I remember everything!"
---
"Who are you?" Trunks asked. "You work for that fiend that attacked the carnival yesterday, don't you?"
"Work for Pandemonium? Pssh... he wishes I worked for him," said Nikashi. "We both have the same master... Lord Exeter, of the Galactic Research Armada! My name is Nikashi, but I already know who you are... you're Trunks Briefs, and you're even more handsome in person than you are on TV!"
"Wait a minute," said Trunks, coming to a stunning realization. "This is... my dimension... how can you be in two dimensions at once? It's impossible!"
"Trunks, we've studied you for a long, long time... we have data on many different dimensions, and can traverse them with ease!" Nikashi said proudly.
---
"Lord Exeter, of the Galactic Research Armanda... THAT'S who all of them work for," Trunks said. "That's what Nikashi told me."
"I don't understand any of this," Marika replied, "but I'm getting more and more worried by the second..."
"Mom, it's alright... Trunks is very powerful, and he's helping the Sailor Senshi to get more powerful too... we're becoming stronger and stronger, each and every single day!"
"That woman I fought, Nikashi... she had so much power... I've never felt a power like hers before, at least not one using magical energy as a primary form of attack... I had to go Super Saiyan just to keep up with her..."
"Trunks, you already told me," Ami replied. She pointed at Marika, who had begun to tremble when Trunks had described Nikashi's strength, then whispered in Trunks ear. "All you're doing now is worrying my mother... please, when talking about the strongest of our foes, only discuss them in front of me or the other Senshi..."
"Ami, I thought Trunks was powerful enough to beat these monsters!" Marika shouted, her hands tightly gripping the blue and white striped tablecloth on the kitchen table. "Do you mean to tell me that even he can't take these people on?"
"Miss Mizuno, I didn't say she was even with me at Super Saiyan level two... I still have that form as a trump card," said Trunks. "And believe me, the next time I get a chance to face that woman, I will use it."
Trunks stood up and put a comforting hand on Marika's shoulder. Marika seemed calmed by Trunks' words, and slowly sat back down in her chair.
"Now, if it will make the two of you feel a bit better... I can stay here tonight if you want me to. Don't worry about making arrangements for me, I could sleep on the couch, or the floor in the living room.... I don't mind," said Trunks.
"Are you sure your mom will be okay with it, Trunks?" Marika asked. Trunks nodded.
"I didn't tell mom I'd be staying, but I'm sure she won't mind," Trunks replied.
"We've got a couple of sleeping bags in the closet... I could set them up in the living room and you and Ami could use them..." said Marika. "If you'd want to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag, Ami..."
"You mean, in the same room with Trunks?" Ami asked, looking back and forth between Trunks and Marika, as a rosy blush began to appear on her face. "But... but wouldn't that be... I mean, I wouldn't mind, of course, but-"
"We could even push them together!" said Marika, beginning to smile. "They're separate sleeping bags... I wouldn't worry about you two getting too close..."
"Well, we could always unzip the middles of the sleeping bags," said Trunks, with a sly grin on his face. "Not like we uh, would, or anything..."
"Well, whatever the two of you decide to do, you're welcome to stay over here anytime you want, Trunks," said Marika. "It's the least I can do for you, after all you've done for Ami..."
"I'll get the sleeping bags out as soon as supper's over," said Ami, smiling and walking over to the oven with a bit of excitement that she hadn't been feeling before. "Trunks, you're... sure your mom won't mind?"
"Positive," said Trunks. "She told me to keep you safe, and if this is part of keeping you safe, she has to agree with it... at least, that's what I think, anyway."
---
Sailor Mars stayed calm as the powerful tremors quaked beneath her, although her friend Rose was having trouble just staying on her feet. Finally, Mars' finger began to glow with magical energy.
"Your attack won't intimidate me, or my friend!" Sailor Mars shouted. "Mars Flame Sniper!"
A bright burst of flame slammed into Grenate's chest, knocking him to the ground and causing an abrupt end to the tremors. Grenate stood up, looking down at the large hole that had been burned into the front of his brown jumpsuit.
"How dare you interrupt me!" Grenate shouted, putting his hand over the large burn. "Elbarzad, let's teach her some respect!"
Elbarzad pointed his arms at Sailor Mars and Rose. Suddenly, a wall of wind came screaming at them. Sailor Mars took the brunt of the attack, as the deadly wind came at her like needles, slashing her face and arms and knocking her back onto the porch as well as blasting Rose into the door, her back slamming hard against its wooden surface. The wind continued back into the house, and all four front windows were shattered in a tremendous crash of glass. Screams began to cry out from the inside.
"What happened to the windows?" shouted a loud, male voice.
"What in the world is going on out there?" shouted another loud voice, this one female. "Is there a storm going on?"
"Mom... dad..." Rose groaned weakly, standing up and slumping against the front door. "Unnh..."
"She's hurt," Sailor Mars thought, "and the flying glass may have injured her parents as well... this can't be good... I have to get the away from here somehow!"
Several cars and bicycles that had been traveling down the street stopped to look at the house, and people began to notice Sailor Mars fighting against the two strange attackers.
"Hey, that house is under attack!" shouted a man in one of the cars.
"You get 'em, Sailor Mars!" shouted a girl who was riding her bicycle just a few feet away from Elbarzad and Grenate. "You show those jerks who's the boss!"
"Everyone, get out of here right now!" Sailor Mars screamed. "It's dangerous to be-"
"This is very interesting," said Grenate, surveying the growing crowd. "These fools don't know they're about to die... oh well, what they don't know can't hurt them..."
The concrete of the street facing Rose's house began to lift up out of the ground, still containing the cars, bicycles, and people gathered on top of it. Some of the people on the edges took a short, harmless fall to the ground, but the others were lifted up about thirty feet in the air as Grenate hovered the huge, raised piece of concrete above the large hole in the street where it had once been. Screams and cries permeated the air around the large section of concrete, coming from the dozens of people still trapped on it. Sailor Mars gasped in horror, as did Rose and Rose's parents, who had come out to see what was going on.
"Those... whoever they are... they've trapped all those people up there!" shouted Rose's mother, pointing up at the raised section of ground.
"Let them go, right now!" Sailor Mars shouted, trying to muster up as angry of a voice as she could.
"We'll drop it... we'll drop it and kill all of those people!" shouted Elbarzad, laughing. "Their lives are worthless to us!"
"And won't it be fun?" asked Grenate. "It's been a while since I've gotten to kill someone..."
"PLEASE, HELP US!" screamed a loud voice from the precariously hovering section of asphalt. "Don't let us die!!!"
"I can't... I can't stop them!" Rei thought desperately. "I'm not strong enough to catch it..."
Suddenly, Grenate shifted the hovering asphalt's position enough to make it hover over Sailor Mars, Rose, their parents, and their house. Sailor Mars gasped again.
"You'll crush us all!" shouted Rose's father.
"Precisely!" replied Grenate. "Well... it's time to kill two birds with one stone! No... not two birds... make that... about fifty people! Ha!"
The huge piece of asphalt began plummeting to the ground, dropping like a stone. The screaming of the trapped people pierced Sailor Mars' eardrums like a speeding arrow, and she raised her arms, though she knew trying to catch the huge slab would be futile. Not even Rose or her parents could get out in time. Thoughts began racing through Rei's head as fast as the tears that were racing down her face.
"Cammy and Angela will come home... to find no home at all... to find their loved ones killed... people right here will see their friends and family members killed right before their eyes... NO! I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN!"
The huge slab suddenly stopped in place, just inches above Rose's house and about six feet from Sailor Mars' outstretched arms. Sailor Mars looked up to see a glowing, red energy pillar coming from her own hands and stretching out over the bottom of the slab as a protective sheet, holding up the trapped people with a gentle layer of magical flames.
"Did I... did I do that?" Mars thought, tears still staining her face. "Yes... I can feel it... that's my energy, holding up that huge section of concrete..."
"Oh my God... Sailor Mars, how... I didn't know the Sailor Senshi were THAT strong!" Rose shouted, wiping tears from her own eyes.
"How did... how did... it's not possible!" Grenate shouted. "That slab must weigh at least 100 tons... even more with the cars on it! It's not fair!"
Still concentrating her energy, Sailor Mars lowered the huge slab of concrete into its regular place as gently as she could. Finally, after a few seconds of agonizingly slow and careful concentration, Sailor Mars managed to move the concrete back into its proper place. Only a narrow crack surrounding the slab on each side indicated that it had ever been moved at all. Sailor Mars' hands stopped glowing, and she fell to one knee on the ground, exhausted by having used so much of her energy.
"Get out of here... every single one of you... go!" Sailor Mars shouted, looking up at all of the stunned bystanders. A few of them hesitated, paralyzed with shock and fear by their near-death experience, but soon, they had vacated the street, leaving Sailor Mars alone to face Elbarzad and Grenate. Rose and her parents remained where they were on the porch, watching Sailor Mars in awe.
"Rei, you saved my life... I can't believe you did what you did... I can never repay you..." Rose thought, her left hand gripping her father's hand while her right hand gripped her mother's.
"So what if you saved all those people," said Elbarzad, pointing at Sailor Mars as she wearily straightened herself back out. "You're completely spent. Now, beating you will be a piece of cake!"
Sailor Mars' two hands began glowing brightly with magical energy, and she flashed a grin at the two angered warriors.
"I'm tired, but I've still got plenty of energy left where that came from..." Sailor Mars said. Elbarzad and Grenate could sense the power Sailor Mars still possessed, and nervously stepped back, onto the section of street that Grenate had lifted out of the ground. "And it's all going to be used to kick your asses!"
"Oh yeah?" Grenate shouted. "Well then... bring it!"
"With pleasure," Sailor Mars replied. Out of her arms rose two large, red, flashing beams of magical energy, which rose up into the air and began twisting and wrapping around one another. At the tips of the beams formed two large, roaring dragon heads, which suddenly began to plummet back to Earth, toward their targets, who looked up and trembled as the dragon heads began to roar.
"That's not good!" shouted Elbarzad, looking up at the powerful fire beams.
"You shouldn't hurt innocent people, ESPECIALLY my friends!" Sailor Mars shouted. "Now, you guys are toast!"
The two flaming dragons slammed into Elbarzad and Grenate with tremendous force, throwing up a huge pillar of flame that disappeared almost as soon as it had been formed. As the attack made contact, Sailor Mars collapsed to her knees, the attack having sapped nearly all of her remaining energy. However, Sailor Mars knew that she had done damage, and as the charred forms of Elbarzad and Grenate slowly rose to their feet, Sailor Mars couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. Their bodies were covered with severe burns, and their jumpsuits were in tatters, burned nearly to a crisp. The two had been heavily weakened by the attack, and were in a great deal of pain.
"How... dare you..." Elbarzad choked out, staggering toward Sailor Mars.
"We... should have destroyed you... when we had... the chance..." said Grenate, barely able to form the words. "But now... that you're weak... we'll finish you off!"
"Who are you calling weak?" Sailor Mars asked, slowly standing up. "I still have a lot more energy left!"
Sailor Mars was lying, but she hoped that the two would call her bluff and leave her and her friends alone. Before they could reply, however, Lita, Mina, Angela, and Cammy came dashing down the street. They had seen Mars' fireball, and were now rushing to investigate.
"Are you okay? Rose-chan, you're not hurt, are you?" Cammy shouted, dashing toward the house as quickly as she could.
"Damn, two more of those Senshi brats... and we're in no shape to fight!" Elbarzad thought, seeing Lita and Mina running toward them. "Beaten by just ONE of the Senshi... this is so embarrassing!"
Before the group of girls could reach the house, a huge gust of wind blew all of them back, and they had to shield their faces to protect them from the gale. When it was over, Elbarzad and Grenate were gone.
"They escaped!" Sailor Mars shouted. "Grrr.... whew, close one..."
While Angela and Cammy ran over to embrace their sister and parents, Lita and Mina quickly approached Sailor Mars and began assailing her with questions.
"Are you alright?" Lita shouted.
"Did those guys hurt you? What happened?" Mina asked quickly.
"I'm sorry, girls, but I need to find the other Senshi, and quick!" Sailor Mars shouted, not wanting to reveal her other friends' identities. She quickly whispered something to Lita and Mina. "I'm fine... meet me at the Shinto shrine tomorrow, I'll tell you everything there."
"What happened to our windows?" Angela asked, staring up at the front of the house with a look of dismay on her face.
"It's a long story," said Rose, "but all that you guys need to know is that Sailor Mars saved our lives."
"Thank you," replied Sailor Mars, humbly bowing her head. "I'm just glad that none of my friends were hurt..."
---
Later that night...
"While only two people were injured in the attack, sources say that it could have been much worse if it weren't for the heroic efforts of one of the mysterious Sailor Senshi, Sailor Mars, who used her powers to gently lower the huge slab of concrete back to Earth, saving the lives of everyone trapped on its surface."
Trunks pointed the remote at the TV in Ami's living room and switched it off, then turned his head toward Ami, who was snugly tucked into the sleeping bag next to his own.
"Ami, you were right... Rei was in trouble," Trunks said. "So they ARE going after us one by one..."
"Actually, I'm beginning to think it was an attack of opportunity," Ami replied. "They only attacked me when I was alone, and they attacked Rei when she was with one of her friends... Lita and Mina were together, and they weren't attacked. Darien and Serena were together, and they weren't attacked. You were alone, and you were attacked. See what I'm getting at?"
"You're telling me that there's safety in numbers," said Trunks.
"That's right," Ami replied. "Which makes me glad that you're here with my mother and me tonight..."
"I'm glad I'm here with you too, Ami... somehow, I feel safer when you're around," said Trunks, reaching over to Ami and taking her hand in his own.
"What do you... mean?" Ami replied. "Trunks, you're much stronger than I am... I should be the one who feels safer with you."
"It's a different kind of safe, Ami... not physically safe, but... emotionally safe," Trunks said. "Ami, you're sweet, caring, gentle... you'd never do anything to hurt me, or anyone. When I'm around you, I... I just feel a lot better, you know?"
"I think I know what you mean," said Ami, a warm smile appearing on her face. The lights in the room were off, and only the TV and a faint light from the kitchen were providing light in the room. When the TV was turned off, the room had become almost completely dark. "Because I feel the same way..."
Trunks and Ami leaned in and kissed for a few seconds, their lips tingling as they met. Finally, they broke off the kiss and settled down into their own sleeping bags, closing their eyes and blissfully dreaming of the days ahead.
---
But three of their friends weren't blissfully dreaming. For Rose, Angela, and Cammy, the nightmares were becoming increasingly real... and staggeringly terrifying. That night, they all had the same dream... the same, vivid nightmare.
---
"Cammy? Angela? Where-"
All three girls were standing in the same vast, grassy field. A violent storm raged in the dark skies above, the lightning providing the only light that the three girls had. It was by that light that Rose spotted her two sisters, standing together just a few feet away. Tears were streaming down Cammy's face.
"Rose, Angela, I'm scared!" Cammy screamed. "What's going on here?"
"I'll tell you," came a voice from the shadows, sending chills down the spines of all three girls. "You're all about to die!"
"Leave us alone!" Angela shouted. "Who are you?"
"My name... is Frieza."
Suddenly, a terrible winged beast appeared in front of the three girls, with a long, pointed tail that waved back and forth. The being towered in front of them, nearly eight feet tall. The girls screamed and began to run for their lives. Suddenly, Cammy tripped, and fell to the ground, flat on her back.
"CAMMY!" Angela and Rose screamed at the same time.
"Help me!" Cammy shouted. She tried to climb to her feet, but before she could, the huge being turned around and slammed its long, pointed tail into her mouth, causing Cammy to begin to choke violently. As the being's tail continued further down into her body, Cammy screamed even louder and tried to signal to her sisters to help her, but it was no use. The being's tail burst forth from Cammy's stomach, and its tip pointed at her chest.
"LET HER GO!" Rose shouted.
"She didn't do anything to you!" Angelica screamed.
Cammy cried and screamed for help, but her cries were muffled by the being's tail, which completely filled her throat and pierced her stomach. Suddenly, a huge, burning plume of fire shot out the tip of the being's tail, instantly burning Cammy alive and drowning out her screams. Next, the being turned its attention on the other two girls.
"You... you... you sick bastard!" Rose shrieked, running at the being. "You killed her! You killed-"
The being's powerful arm smacked across Rose's chest, knocking her to the ground as Angela came running past, also headed toward the deadly winged monster.
"You just don't learn, do you?" shouted the creature, grabbing Angela's long, blue hair and pulling it back as far and as hard as he could. Angela let out a loud scream of anguish as her hair, along with her scalp, began to be ripped from the top of her head. Finally, the being pointed its arm at Angela and burned her alive, just as it had done with Cammy. Now, Rose was the last one left. She climbed to her feet and clenched her fists, determined to vanquish the monster that had just murdered her sisters.
"You're... not real..." Rose said, thunder clashing behind her. "This is a dream... just like all those other dreams..."
"No, no... this is real!" the creature shouted, pointing its arm at Rose. "YOU WILL DIE!"
A gigantic pillar of fire engulfed Rose, and then all was black.
---
The three girls all woke up, sitting up in their beds and screaming at the same time. This time, their parents came rushing into the room.
"It was horrible!" Cammy shouted, tears streaming down her face.
"Another nightmare," said Angela, sweat dripping profusely from her forehead.
"It's not about today, is it?" asked the girls' father, turning on the light and walking into the room.
"It's all over now... nothing's going to hurt you," said their mother, walking over to Cammy's bed and tightly embracing the trembling green-haired girl. "You're okay, it was only a dream..."
"But it... it seemed so real," whispered Rose, her hand firmly over her rapidly beating heart. "I thought we were all going to die..."
---
"Where is that Trunks?" Bulma whined, standing out on her front porch. "It's two in the morning and he's still not back... he knows I worry about him!"
Bulma sighed.
"He's probably over at Ami's... and he didn't even tell me he'd be staying," said Bulma, turning around and walking back into the house. "Oh well, it's not like he's got a phone that can reach here, anyway... but I had a nice supper planned for him, and I know he would have enjoyed it."
Bulma walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water from the sink as she began to get ready to go to bed. She was still wearing the pink t-shirt and tan pocketed vest that she had put on that morning, and a long pair of blue jeans, which had been stained with oil from making adjustments on Trunks' training chamber. She took a sip of the water and began to walk out of the room.
"Well... he's an adult now, I guess," Bulma said, sighing as she walked toward the stairs, carrying the glass of water. "He's old enough to make his own decisions... I just wish he'd tell me first before he goes and makes them."
But before Bulma could reach the first step, a quiet, male voice stopped her.
"Going to bed, Mrs. Briefs?"
Bulma gasped, dropping the glass of water she was carrying. When she turned around, she could see Flarinsa and Patrick, standing right in the middle of her living room.
"What do you want?" Bulma shouted. "Get out! Get out of here right now!"
"Now, you know we can't do that," said Flarinsa, a smirk on her face.
"This... this is about Trunks, isn't it?" Bulma asked, her voice beginning to tremble.
"That's right," Patrick replied. "But don't worry... we won't kill you. Yet, anyway."
"Whatever you want, you're not going to hurt Trunks!" Bulma shrieked. "You'll have to go through me first! Trunks isn't here, and-"
With a wave of his hand, Patrick lifted up the water that had been spilled onto the ground when Bulma dropped her glass. He formed it into a long, thin block of water, and slowly moved it toward Bulma's face.
"-and I won't let you use Trunks for your evil schemes!" Bulma shouted. "So whatever you have planned, I will NOT-"
The block of water splashed onto Bulma's mouth, and when Patrick closed his hand, the water instantly froze into a block of ice, sealing Bulma's lips closed and silencing her protests.
"I really pity Trunks," said Flarinsa, her smirk turned into a frown. "I really don't see how he puts up with that incessant nagging all day..."
"If I was Trunks, I'd kill myself," Patrick replied. "No, seriously, I would."
Patrick and Flarinsa each grabbed one of Bulma's arms, holding her in place.
"No you wouldn't, Patrick," Flarinsa said. "All that power, and those good looks..."
"You REALLY think Trunks is better looking than me? You must be joking, Flarinsa."
"I don't joke, Patrick," Flarinsa replied. "Compared to Trunks, you're like, the bottom of the barrel."
"Flarinsa, just shut the hell up."
And with that, the two vile henchmen disappeared from the Briefs' home... taking Bulma as their captive.
---
The following morning, after Trunks had eaten breakfast with Ami and her mother, he quickly returned to his own dimension, completely unaware of what had happened the night before. As he walked into his house, an eerie calm confronted him.
"Mom?" Trunks yelled, walking into the living room. "You here? Don't worry about making breakfast, I already had-"
When Trunks walked into the kitchen, he gasped. There, sitting at the end of the table, was Pandemonium, a vicious smile on his face. Trunks recoiled in horror, and then lit up with rage, pointing his finger at Pandemonium in a gesture of rage.
"Where's my mother, you son of a bitch?" Trunks shouted through clenched teeth. Pandemonium smiled, sipping from a cup of coffee that he'd made himself just before sitting down at the table to drink it.
"That's for me to know, and for your idiot Senshi friends to find out," said Pandemonium. "You know, your mom probably makes much better coffee than I do... or maybe it's just because all coffee on your pathetic world tastes like crap. Have a seat."
"WHERE'S MY MOTHER?" Trunks shouted, immediately transforming into his Super Saiyan form, his golden glow completely illuminating the room. "Last chance before I rip you apart, limb by limb!"
"You'd do it anyway," Pandemonium replied. "Just like any other Saiyan would. Vicious, that's all you are. Well, if you REALLY want to see her..."
Pandemonium waved his hand, and suddenly, a cloud of fog appeared inbetween Pandemonium and Trunks. In the fog, Trunks could see his mother, standing in a large, blue cage, her hands tightly gripping the bars.
"LET ME OUT OF HERE!" Bulma screamed, as loud as she could. "Whoever's keeping me here is going to be sorry... my son is gonna kick your-"
The fog disappeared, and Pandemonium began to chuckle.
"52, and still screaming like a cheerleader," said Pandemonium, taking another sip of coffee. "Is that where you get your rage from, Trunks?"
Trunks flew at Pandemonium and threw a powerful punch at his head, but Pandemonium simply moved his head to the side, dodging Trunks' blow.
"Sit down now," Pandemonium said sharply, pointing at the chair across from him at the table. "Unless you want your mother killed. I can say the word and she'll be dead in an instant."
"You're a liar," Trunks said. "A sick, twisted liar."
"Believe me or don't believe me, it's your choice," Pandemonium said, a casual tone permeating his voice, as if he was completely unafraid of the raging, vehement Super Saiyan hovering just inches from his face. "But do you really want to risk your deal mother's life."
"You won't be able to say any words with my fist down your throat," said Trunks, his aura intensifying.
"The chances of you actually getting your fist down my throat are extremely slim," said Pandemonium, "and any attempts to actually do so would be met with the slow, torturous death of your dear, sweet mother Bulma. So if you REALLY want to roll the dice, go ahead... but don't be angry with me if you end up crapping out long before the game is over."
Trunks started to flinch, but then calmed himself down just enough to think rationally.
"What if... what if he's right? Mom could get killed if I attack this guy... oh God, I was thinking about everyone else getting hurt but her... I should have been here protecting mom, not at Ami's house protecting Ami! What am I thinking... I love Ami... dammit, this is all my fault!"
Trunks powered down to normal, and then floated back into the chair across from Pandemonium.
"What do you want?" Trunks asked, trying to stay as calm as possible.
"I want you to sit there, and remain seated until your pathetic Senshi friends either save your mother or are killed in the process," said Pandemonium. "Don't worry... all they'll be doing is fighting Nikashi, and my four elemental warriors, Flarinsa, Patrick, Elbarzad, and Grenate. If you've trained them hard enough, it shouldn't be too difficult... you'll know when to get up if your mother walks through that door, freed by the Senshi... or I toss her body in here, followed by the bodies of the Senshi. Those are the rules of the game, Trunks. You see, until the next phase of our little project, we want to keep you fighting as little as possible. Nikashi wasn't supposed to come here and fight you, but you just know how some people are, never following orders, always trying to screw everything up. It's enough to just infuriate a guy, isn't it, Trunks?"
"And how do you plan to keep me here?" Trunks asked. "Are you going to watch me?"
"No, no, I've got far too little time for that... instead, I'm going to set this camera down, right here..."
Out of thin air, Pandemonium materialized a large, blinking video camera, mounted on a tripod. He set it down and pointed it at Trunks.
"Smile," said Pandemonium. "C'mon, put on your best face. This is for posterity!"
"This is for you and your camera, you bastard," Trunks said, lifting up his right hand and raising his middle finger in view of the camera's lens.
"That's pretty funny, Trunks," said Pandemonium. "Now remember... I'm going to leave now, but I'll be watching. If you leave this camera's sight, your mother dies. If the camera is destroyed, your mother dies. Got it, Trunks?"
Trunks flashed his middle finger at Pandemonium and the camera again.
"Good!" Pandemonium said. "I see we completely understand. Well, I'll be seeing you... don't worry, I've already sent some of my men to tell the Senshi where your mother is and how they can get to where she is, so don't worry about that little detail. And if you're mad, just remember... you and I will do battle, and that time is drawing very, very near. Adieu, my friend."
With a blink of his eyes, Pandemonium disappeared, leaving Trunks to face the video camera alone, its eye forever watching him. Trunks lowered his hand, and bowed his head, pressing it down against the table.
"Ami?" Trunks thought, trying to contact Ami telepathically. "Can you hear me? Ami? Damn, no good... it only works at distances of about a thousand feet, and definitely not across dimensions... it was worth a shot, though... dammit, mom... I'm so sorry I wasn't here to protect you... it's my fault, all my fault!"
Trunks fought the temptation to cry, knowing that any tears he shed would be captured on camera for Pandemonium and anyone else that might be watching to see. He couldn't let his pride be damaged like that, but anyone who was watching could clearly see the anguish on Trunks' face. His mother was gone, in mortal danger, and it was all Trunks' fault... or at least he was the only person he could blame.
---
Poor Bulma, huh? And poor Trunks! And poor everyone else... except for Pandemonium, of course. Well, hope you enjoyed this exciting (and long) chapter! Please read the next one, okay?