Nathan's home was a mess. Literally.
Unopened boxes laid over opened ones with half their contents in plain sight a few feet from the door. More boxes were stacked up, forming pillars that touched the ceiling. There were cobwebs on one of the corners of the old bookshelf that occupied most of the wall in the living room.
The apartment consisted basically of 4 rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen/living room, and two other rooms, one of which would be Nathan's 'studio' and the other was where he slept.
Fortunately, the kitchen, the bathroom, and the living room were clean.
Nathan had quite an extensive variety of food -courtesy of his aunt- and both, Makoto and him, started to work on something to eat while the others talked and relaxed on the old sofa.
---
In the vast darkness of his throne room, the black dragon opened his eyes. They flared briefly as he uttered a single word. A command.
"Jade."
Masks and Dragons
Chapter 2
Know Your Enemy
By Wanderer D
The kitchen and the living room were connected by a bar that hid four seats underneath it which were taken by the girls when the food was almost ready. Nathan offered Luna and Artemis a plate with milk as the girls talked.
"This is a nice place, Nathan," said Makoto cheerfully as she sliced a carrot. "How long have you been here?"
"Well, about two days actually," he answered as he supervised the other vegetables and the pasta. "It's not much, but I love it. It more than covers my needs..."
"So, how do you like Tokyo so far?" interrupted Minako.
"Yeah, have you met anyone else?" said Usagi, watching him closely.
"Um... no." Nathan answered feeling their eyes on his back. He stirred the soup self-consciously.
"Why?" Ami asked. "Surely in all the times you came here before you met people…"
"Well, as you can see, there's still a lot to do in here." He answered pointing at the various pillars. "Add to it homework and you can well imagine the situation."
Lights appeared out of nowhere behind her as Usagi stood up on the bench.
"THEN I, THE GREAT USAGI TSUKINO WILL HELP YOU OUT!" she proclaimed, striking a pose.
Nathan almost let the knife fall.
"FURTHERMORE," Usagi continued, "I PROMISE THAT BY TOMORROW MORNING YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GO OUT LIKE ANY NORMAL PERSON YOUR AGE! WHY, I..."
Makoto shoved a carrot into Usagi's mouth. "Eat this Usagi." she said, then turned towards Nathan, who had a HUGE sweat-drop and was watching their antics in confusion.
"What she meant to say was that we'll help you clean up." Minako clarified.
"Oh..." Nathan said. The sweat-drop didn't disappear for a while.
Later that day Usagi and the girls were walking towards the Hikawa Shrine. Usagi with a full stomach; Makoto with a cookbook in her arms, and Ami with another book with faded gold lettering that might have said: 'Legends of the Three Kingdoms'.
Artemis was dozing inside Minako's backpack while Luna walked on the fence.
"Wow, you guys did cook a storm!" Usagi sighed happily.
"Yeah, Nathan's not as good as you Makoto, but you gotta admit he does know his stuff!" Minako added.
"And did you see his collection of rare and old books?" sighed Ami as they walked up the stairs of the Shrine. "He should take them all out of the boxes!"
"Girls, I think you should stop talking about Nathan-kun for now and concentrate in what is at hand." Luna stated sternly. "I don't know why I allowed you to go since we have more important things to do."
"Hmm! You're one to talk Luna, I didn't see YOU turn down that milk!" Usagi pointed out. Luna was fortunately spared since they had arrived at the Shrine.
---
Jade floated high above Tokyo. He looked down at the city and frowned. Another of the statues was under that structure the mortals below referred to as the 'Tokyo Tower'.
His Lord and Master had told him not to call the attention of those pesky girls, but his heart ached for revenge. He had suffered a humiliation and he wasn't about to put up with that.
A girl! Of all possible things to hurt him it had to be a human girl.
Extending his awareness towards the tower he concentrated on finding the statue. He was surprised to feel strong magic coming from the tower, almost blocking his senses from sensing the statue. 'Magical Knights?' he thought amused. He then found what he was looking for.
Just like the last time, it was covered in an anti-magic field. He would have to dig to get to it.
Jade grinned. He now had an excuse to get the attention of Sailor Moon and her crew of would-be heroes. He swooped down, formed a sphere of green energy in his palm and shot it at the base of the tower.
The blast caused a small tremor and people ran away from the tower in fear that it would fall. Another blast cleared the remains of the pavement that had survived the first blast.
Jade landed in the middle of the small crater. As he stood still the ground began shaking, and cracked.
Basking in the screams of the people still inside the tower, he prepared again another blast and was about to slam it down with all his strength when a golden beam shot his hand, breaking his concentration.
More surprised than hurt he growled at the Senshi, who stood amid the broken and jagged pieces of concrete and pavement.
"You have caused pain and... HEY!!" Sailor Moon shouted as she and the others had to make a sudden jump to avoid one of Jade's blasts. "You didn't let me finish!!"
"You!!" Jade shouted in rage, pointing at Sailor Jupiter and ignoring Sailor Moon. "You will pay for my humiliation!!" He roared as he flew towards her.
Jupiter dove to the side, almost avoiding Jade's attack completely. The dragon was still able to graze her arm with his claws.
Jupiter touched the place where Jade's claw had torn the glove, she could see blood in her hands.
A warning cry from Mars brought her attention back to the battle. Looking up she saw Jade flying towards her.
"Supreme Thunder!!" She shouted desperately.
Thinking that she was distracted enough, Jade was unable to dodge the desperate blast. The lightning bolt hit Jade directly in the chest, sending him sprawling. More annoyed than actually damaged, Jade started to stand.
"Mercury?" Mars half asked half ordered looking at her.
Nodding Sailor Mercury pointed her open palms at Jade. "Shabon Spray Freezing!" She shouted. The freezing attack hit Jade as he stood up again, engulfing him completely in a white cloud that formed around him. When the mist cleared they could see Jade encased in a solid block of ice.
"Mercury... we have to find whatever he was looking for. Your attack won't delay him for long!" Sailor Venus warned.
As if to confirm her statement, the block of ice shuddered.
Using her computer, Mercury quickly found where the statue should be. "There." She pointed. "It won't be easy, it's easily 5 meters underground."
They were suddenly showered with sharp pieces of ice as the block exploded. Bracing themselves, they looked warily at Jade as he approached radiating energy. He was furious! He had easily broken out of his confinement, his mind intent on killing that girl.
JADE!! The sudden mental invasion almost toppled him. He then remembered what he had to do.
YES JADE, THERE WILL BE TIME FOR PETTY VENGANCE, BUT ONLY AFTER YOU'VE COMPLETED MY ORDERS!!! His lord enforced each word with a sharp pain to his head.
Jade didn't answer. To do so would only get him into more trouble. Looking at the girls he intoned an incantation. Stretching his arms into the air, palms upward he called his magic for help.
Mercury seeing what obviously was another blast tried to distract him. "Shabon Spray!!" she shouted.
To the people watching from the tower it seemed that a stream of fog shot from Mercury's hands, advanced a very short distance then curved up over them, then behind them, and then slammed right into the Senshi. A few of them could see a semi transparent sphere containing the fog and the Senshi inside.
Ignoring the gasps and continuous hitting from inside his sphere, Jade walked to where Mercury had pointed earlier and, using his power, began tearing huge pieces of earth out.
Finally, he had torn-open the ground deep enough to find the chest he sought. He peered down at the hole. There, amongst rocks and debris was a small chest. He could feel the anti-magic field coming from it.
He was momentarily distracted by the presence of someone he didn't expect or want to see. Jade looked up at the figure standing on the other side of the hole.
Mask unsheathed his sword, the blade glistening in the remaining daylight.
Behind him, a 'safe' distance away he could see the police lines and the people trying to get to see the battle.
He heard a soft clatter behind him as Tuxedo Mask landed. Jade flew to another side of the hole so he could see them both. Mask signaled at Tux, pointing towards the bubble where the Senshi were trapped.
Tux nodded and went straight to it. Mask didn't wait a second and attacked with his sword.
This time Jade was prepared for the sword beam and evaded it easily. Mask, having anticipated this, was already in the air, his jump taking him straight at his enemy. His sword whistled in the air as he tried to cut Jade's neck, but the dragon was faster and he nimbly grabbed Mask's sword by the hilt.
Tux, standing in front of the black sphere, tried to ignore the battle behind him and find the weak point in the spell. He unconsciously placed his palm over it's surface, but without touching it. He then walked around the sphere until he found it; the small flaw that would enable him to free his beloved and their friends.
Changing into Endymion, he slashed at the bubble with his sword. Sparks flew and showered him as the friction created by the spell and the magical blade made his hands shake with the vibrations.
The bubble slowly started to lose consistence, and for a moment he could see inside. Sailor Moon looked at him hopefully, saying his name, but he couldn't hear her. Mercury quickly signaled to him that they would run out of air shortly.
Tossing away Mask's sword, Jade blasted him in the chest. The force of the blast threw the knight onto the black bubble that Endymion was attacking in a desperate frenzy.
When he hit the bubble, he was engulfed in black lightning, Mask screamed in pain as the shock sent him to the ground.
Endymion noticed that the blade was no longer useful, it seemed that the sphere had grown in power.
"Mask! I can't break the spell!! They'll run out of air!!" he shouted.
"I can't let Jade take the statue!!" Mask growled, getting to his feet.
"Forget the statue!!" Endymion said desperately.
"Listen! The lives of millions, rest upon us!" Mask snarled.
"I'll fight him! You have to get them out!!" Endymion insisted.
"Remember: the lives of millions." Mask said angrily.
Adopting a fighting stand, Endymion eyed Jade.
Mask walked to where Endymion had tried to break the bubble with his sword as his gauntleted hands turned into claws. Pulling back his fists he then slammed his claws into the sphere. Dark lightning immediately crawled up his arms. Mask snapped his head back and let a roar escape from his confined mouth as the black lightning started digging into the links of his armor. The black lightning finally reached his mask and started flowing into his eyes. The knight screamed again in pain, forcing his head down and looking intently at the bubble he started to tear it in two. The more the bubble was torn, the stronger, darker and faster the lightning bolts ran through his body. As the spell slowly broke the bubble was being stretched like chewing gum, refusing to break. The black lightning bolts were now accompanied by red ones, and small trail of blood dripped from his masked chin into the ground.
Finally, with a flash of red and black lightning, the bubble popped. The Senshi were almost unconscious, they had to take several deep breaths, but they were alive.
Mars looked at Mask and gasped. His clawed hands were smoking, streaks of lightning still crawled along his body; he was bleeding from beneath the silver mask, and they could all see his blood injected eyes.
He swooned, then fell on his knees hard and finally the rest of him followed.
The Senshi ran up to him and carefully tried to turn him around, but the black lightning prevented them.
He could barely keep his eyes open. "You...must...the...statue..."
The Senshi nodded. But Mask was already unconscious. Glancing at each other and giving each other silent looks of encouragement they turned around in time to see Endymion being batted away by Jade.
"Shabon Spray Freezing!!" Mercury shouted and Jade was encased yet again in ice.
Quickly Sailor Moon jumped towards Endymion to help him up while shouting at Minako. "Venus! Get the statue!!"
Jade broke out his prison faster than the last time, just as Venus grabbed the small chest.
The chest started to glow as soon as the Senshi touched it, she stared at it curiously and then she suddenly felt an electric shock in her arms! She let the chest fall with a gasp. She held her burnt hands up, staring in disbelief.
Jade, chuckling, landed next to her. "I'll take that, thank you." He bent to retrieve it.
Suddenly, Jupiter was in front of him, holding the chest and with a ball of concentrated lightning in her palm. As she held the ball lightning close to the chest she glared at Jade.
"I'll be dead, and this thing destroyed before I let you have it!" she challenged through clenched teeth.
Jade growled menacingly, but Jupiter stood her ground. The dragon considered. The statue may not be destroyed by her powers, but then again, it may.
Jade backed away from the two Senshi, then palm upwards, he created a red blast.
Jupiter braced herself, as did Venus. Makoto was her friend, and she wouldn't let anything happen to her if she could.
Jade smiled, showing rows of white fangs, and shot upwards. Suddenly, everyone remembered that they had been fighting under Tokyo Tower, and that there were people still inside, none daring to try to get out in the mist of battle. The red sphere didn't explode upon contact with the tower. It went through the base and inside.
Jade looked back at Jupiter and the other girls that had come down with her and Venus.
"If you don't give me the statue, all the mortals there will die. That easy." The green dragon stated with a glint in his eye.
"We can't give him the statue!" Venus complained
"But else can we do? We can't let those innocent people die!" Mercury said.
"Damn!" Jupiter cursed, she looked at Mars, who just shook her head. She didn't have the answer.
"How do we know you won't hurt those people?" asked Sailor Moon.
"You don't. But I tell you this; if you give me the statue, I wont shoot at the tower." Jade said with a smile. "I give you my word."
"We'll have to trust him..." Sailor Moon sighed. "Jupiter?"
"Bastard..." Jupiter threw him he chest, which he caught deftly. Jade smiled again and did a mocking bow, "Why, thank you!"
The Tower exploded.
Through the force of the explosion, and through the subsequent heat, Sailor Moon looked at Jade. "But, you said..."
Jade laughed. A gap in reality opened behind him, and as he turned to leave, he spoke. "I kept my promise: I didn't shoot at it... again." Laughing all the way he walked into the rift.
---
Usagi slowly opened the door in her house and walked towards the stairs that led to her room. Her shoulders slumped, her hair was uncared for and her demeanor was downright depressive.
She climbed up to her room, and stared vacantly at the golden dragon statue.
Makoto arrived at her apartment and slumped onto the bed. Holding against her chest a pillow, she gazed at the sky through the window.
Similar scenarios happened at Minako's, Ami's and Raye's homes, as the weight of a wrong decision took it's toll on them.
---
Jade opened the chest. Inside, among velvet cushions laid a crystal dragon statue. Perfect in every detail, from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail.
Letting the chest fall, he reverently placed it in a larger chest, which housed two more statues, each of them of different materials: one made of quartz, the other of onyx.
The black dragon lord, known as Black, waited patiently. He noticed that another dragon, this one white, was walking towards him. The white dragon stopped and kneeled.
"Winter." Black growled.
"Yes, Lord Black." answered the white dragon with a nod. "I bring you my report."
Black glared at him with his white, glowing eyes. "Did you find what I asked?"
The white dragon nodded again without answering.
"Good. Tell Jade where this 'Sailor Moon' girl lives. Maybe if he kills them all he will be able to concentrate on more important things."
The white dragon stood, bowed and walked away. Outside the throne room another dragon watched, shaking her head slightly, almost mournfully, Sapphire sighed and walked away.
End Chapter 2