A Test of Skill! Callisto's Power
Peiti walked down the street, her eyes on the ground. She was headed to the building where the archery club met.
"Hey, pretty lady. How about that date?" She looked up, surprised. Sesshou was standing there, smiling.
"I-I'm still not sure..." She smiled a little. "I've got to get to archery, so I'll see you later?" She waved and ran off. Sesshou sighed.
"I'm never going to get that date." He walked a little way, then caught sounds of a fight. Or rather, the start of one. He ran over to where the sounds were coming from. Peiti was in the center of a circle of archery club members, most of which were males.
"Go home, American! We don't need you here, fouling our heritage," one of the boys, named Miko, spat.
"What do you need? Your rulers destroying it?" There was a sound of a slap and Peiti had a hand on her cheek.
"Insolent whore! We don't need people like you telling us what to do!" He raised his hand again to strike her but was stopped.
"Hit her again, and you will regret it." Sesshou's eyes and voice were dark with anger.
"She is speaking as if she knew everything, same as you, foreigner," the boy sneered.
"At least she knows something, Miko. Your head is so void of thought I can hear the few you have rattling around." Miko twisted his arm away and pulled back to punch Sesshou when a hard chop to the back of the neck dropped him to his knees. Peiti stood behind him, eyes blazing.
"Does anyone else object to me joining the archery club?" Everyone else backed off, a few boys dragging Miko away. Peiti glared after them, then turned to Sesshou. Her cheek was still red, but she was smiling. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."
"Not a problem," he replied, giving her a little bow. "I am at your service."
"Thanks." She laughed slightly. "I'd better be going."
"I'll go with you. You seem to attract trouble."
"It was only one time."
"Still, I think I should protect you."
Peiti rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."
"You know, you should be nicer to the person who just saved you," he said in a teasing voice.
"I am nice!" The two continued on, bickering lightly, all in good spirit.
"Well, well, well. Looks like that bratty scout has a little admirer." Higashi, who was standing on a nearby windowsill, extracted a crystal from a pouch on his belt. He cast his dark eyes until they came to rest on Miko. "Perfect!" He let the crystal drop and it floated to the boy, who was just sitting up. There was a flash of dark light, invisible to all save Higashi, and the stone was gone, embedded in Miko's flesh. "Now, let's see how you do against this one." Cackling, Higashi swooped off to find a good place to watch.
~*~*~
"Excellent shot, Peiti-san!"
"Thank you, Sir," the American said, blushing a little. She nocked another arrow and drew back the bowstring, her whole body as taut as the thread. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she got the center in her sights. With a 'twang', the arrow was released and there was a dull 'twack!' as it hit the dead center of the target.
"Wonderful! You have gotten much better in just a few weeks," the leader of the club said, smiling warmly at her. Peiti bowed to him before going over to sit on the bench, her bow resting beside her.
'Too bad Sesshou had to leave so soon,' she thought, digging out her water bottle. 'I could have impressed him with my excellent shooting skills.' She took a drink, smiling to herself as she daydreamed about his reaction.
Her fantasy was cut short by a piercing scream from one of the girls on the field. Peiti's head snapped up and she dove to the side just as a huge wave of water splashed over the bench. She came up on her feet and her eyes widened when she saw the youma wreaking havoc on the archer's field.
It was tall, much taller than a normal person and looked to be completely made of water. Across its back, a bow and quiver were slung, though it seemed to be using water attacks rather than conventional weapons.
Peiti fired an arrow at it to see if it truly was purely water. The arrow left a slight hole that quickly closed. Yup, pure water. She swore and began running to a place where she could henshin. She did so in the hall that led to the locker room. She quickly henshined and ran back to the field. The youma had trapped several of the club members in its waters. Among them was a girl she was friends with along with the leader.
"How dare you ruin a day of fun and—oh, what the hell..." Callisto raised her arms and shouted an attack. "CALLISTO THUNDER AND LIGHTNING CALL!" Lightning merely danced over the body of the youma, not harming it, and out to its captives, causing them to scream in pain. Horror filled Sailor Callisto's eyes as she realized what she had done. She didn't even try to move as the youma trapped her. . .
She was floating. She didn't care what happened. She had hurt innocent people. She never meant to hurt them. . .
"Guardian Callisto. . ." a voice sounded near her.
"Hmm. . .?"
"Do you not remember the tale of your moon's namesake? Callisto was transformed into a bear and killed by her son. But she was placed in the heavens for all to see and to guide those who have lost their way. Just as you are lost. Find yourself and grow strong. . ." Warmth flowed through her as she broke free of the water.
She emerged in a new fuku. Her tiara was no longer gold, but silver and the gem was her symbol, similar to a back wards 5 with a cross line through it. Her gloves were gone and in their place were silver bracers. Her circular gem held an image of her symbol and her choker held a sliver disk with her symbol as well. The bow at the back of her skirt had increased in the length of the streamers. In her hand was a gleaming silver bow.
"I am the guardian who helps the lost find their way. I lead them through storms and woods, through dark and water. You are no challenge for the beautiful bear archer of the sky." She pulled back the string of her bow and an arrow made of lightning and rain and clouds and rainbows form. "CALLISTO STORM ARCHER!" The arrow streaked at the youma, destroying it. Miko slumped to the ground, the crystal that possessed him emerging.
She heard the sound of applause coming from somewhere above her and she whirled, already notching another arrow.
"Tut tut, Callisto. It's bad manners to point sharp objects at other people." Higashi landed in front of her, smiling.
"You again."
"Yes, me again. I HAD hoped my youma would beat you into submission, but it seems you are more powerful than I thought." He held up his hand and the crystal went whizzing past her ear and into the general's waiting hand. "No matter. My lord wants you alive. If he didn't I would have killed you long ago." His eyes narrowed and his smile went deadly cold. "Of course, your friend is uneeded. . ."
"If you lay one finger on Oberon—"
"Oh, it isn't me you have to watch out for, Callisto." With a snarl of rage, she let the arrow go but the general easily dodged it, laughing. "I dare say that no matter what you do, you'll be too late to save her! I hope you said your good-bye's this morning!" With a flash, Higashi was gone.
"Damnit! Oberon!" Callisto whirled and ran off of the archer's field. She had to save her friend!!
To Be Continued. . .
Peiti walked down the street, her eyes on the ground. She was headed to the building where the archery club met.
"Hey, pretty lady. How about that date?" She looked up, surprised. Sesshou was standing there, smiling.
"I-I'm still not sure..." She smiled a little. "I've got to get to archery, so I'll see you later?" She waved and ran off. Sesshou sighed.
"I'm never going to get that date." He walked a little way, then caught sounds of a fight. Or rather, the start of one. He ran over to where the sounds were coming from. Peiti was in the center of a circle of archery club members, most of which were males.
"Go home, American! We don't need you here, fouling our heritage," one of the boys, named Miko, spat.
"What do you need? Your rulers destroying it?" There was a sound of a slap and Peiti had a hand on her cheek.
"Insolent whore! We don't need people like you telling us what to do!" He raised his hand again to strike her but was stopped.
"Hit her again, and you will regret it." Sesshou's eyes and voice were dark with anger.
"She is speaking as if she knew everything, same as you, foreigner," the boy sneered.
"At least she knows something, Miko. Your head is so void of thought I can hear the few you have rattling around." Miko twisted his arm away and pulled back to punch Sesshou when a hard chop to the back of the neck dropped him to his knees. Peiti stood behind him, eyes blazing.
"Does anyone else object to me joining the archery club?" Everyone else backed off, a few boys dragging Miko away. Peiti glared after them, then turned to Sesshou. Her cheek was still red, but she was smiling. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."
"Not a problem," he replied, giving her a little bow. "I am at your service."
"Thanks." She laughed slightly. "I'd better be going."
"I'll go with you. You seem to attract trouble."
"It was only one time."
"Still, I think I should protect you."
Peiti rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say."
"You know, you should be nicer to the person who just saved you," he said in a teasing voice.
"I am nice!" The two continued on, bickering lightly, all in good spirit.
"Well, well, well. Looks like that bratty scout has a little admirer." Higashi, who was standing on a nearby windowsill, extracted a crystal from a pouch on his belt. He cast his dark eyes until they came to rest on Miko. "Perfect!" He let the crystal drop and it floated to the boy, who was just sitting up. There was a flash of dark light, invisible to all save Higashi, and the stone was gone, embedded in Miko's flesh. "Now, let's see how you do against this one." Cackling, Higashi swooped off to find a good place to watch.
~*~*~
"Excellent shot, Peiti-san!"
"Thank you, Sir," the American said, blushing a little. She nocked another arrow and drew back the bowstring, her whole body as taut as the thread. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she got the center in her sights. With a 'twang', the arrow was released and there was a dull 'twack!' as it hit the dead center of the target.
"Wonderful! You have gotten much better in just a few weeks," the leader of the club said, smiling warmly at her. Peiti bowed to him before going over to sit on the bench, her bow resting beside her.
'Too bad Sesshou had to leave so soon,' she thought, digging out her water bottle. 'I could have impressed him with my excellent shooting skills.' She took a drink, smiling to herself as she daydreamed about his reaction.
Her fantasy was cut short by a piercing scream from one of the girls on the field. Peiti's head snapped up and she dove to the side just as a huge wave of water splashed over the bench. She came up on her feet and her eyes widened when she saw the youma wreaking havoc on the archer's field.
It was tall, much taller than a normal person and looked to be completely made of water. Across its back, a bow and quiver were slung, though it seemed to be using water attacks rather than conventional weapons.
Peiti fired an arrow at it to see if it truly was purely water. The arrow left a slight hole that quickly closed. Yup, pure water. She swore and began running to a place where she could henshin. She did so in the hall that led to the locker room. She quickly henshined and ran back to the field. The youma had trapped several of the club members in its waters. Among them was a girl she was friends with along with the leader.
"How dare you ruin a day of fun and—oh, what the hell..." Callisto raised her arms and shouted an attack. "CALLISTO THUNDER AND LIGHTNING CALL!" Lightning merely danced over the body of the youma, not harming it, and out to its captives, causing them to scream in pain. Horror filled Sailor Callisto's eyes as she realized what she had done. She didn't even try to move as the youma trapped her. . .
She was floating. She didn't care what happened. She had hurt innocent people. She never meant to hurt them. . .
"Guardian Callisto. . ." a voice sounded near her.
"Hmm. . .?"
"Do you not remember the tale of your moon's namesake? Callisto was transformed into a bear and killed by her son. But she was placed in the heavens for all to see and to guide those who have lost their way. Just as you are lost. Find yourself and grow strong. . ." Warmth flowed through her as she broke free of the water.
She emerged in a new fuku. Her tiara was no longer gold, but silver and the gem was her symbol, similar to a back wards 5 with a cross line through it. Her gloves were gone and in their place were silver bracers. Her circular gem held an image of her symbol and her choker held a sliver disk with her symbol as well. The bow at the back of her skirt had increased in the length of the streamers. In her hand was a gleaming silver bow.
"I am the guardian who helps the lost find their way. I lead them through storms and woods, through dark and water. You are no challenge for the beautiful bear archer of the sky." She pulled back the string of her bow and an arrow made of lightning and rain and clouds and rainbows form. "CALLISTO STORM ARCHER!" The arrow streaked at the youma, destroying it. Miko slumped to the ground, the crystal that possessed him emerging.
She heard the sound of applause coming from somewhere above her and she whirled, already notching another arrow.
"Tut tut, Callisto. It's bad manners to point sharp objects at other people." Higashi landed in front of her, smiling.
"You again."
"Yes, me again. I HAD hoped my youma would beat you into submission, but it seems you are more powerful than I thought." He held up his hand and the crystal went whizzing past her ear and into the general's waiting hand. "No matter. My lord wants you alive. If he didn't I would have killed you long ago." His eyes narrowed and his smile went deadly cold. "Of course, your friend is uneeded. . ."
"If you lay one finger on Oberon—"
"Oh, it isn't me you have to watch out for, Callisto." With a snarl of rage, she let the arrow go but the general easily dodged it, laughing. "I dare say that no matter what you do, you'll be too late to save her! I hope you said your good-bye's this morning!" With a flash, Higashi was gone.
"Damnit! Oberon!" Callisto whirled and ran off of the archer's field. She had to save her friend!!
To Be Continued. . .