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Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon", "Captain America" and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a semi-fusion/crossover fan fiction.
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"Sacrifice, Part 2"
***
Sailor Moon surveyed the area before her.
Let's see, Usagi thought. A dozen ninjas are strategically positioned. Maybe I should not have given Justice and Firestar the slip like that. Oh well…
Without even bothering with pretenses, Sailor Moon rushed the assembled cluster of opponents. Using her shield as a battering ram, Moon managed to bowel a few others. She then ducked and dodged when appropriate, whenever she felt a few bladed weapons swung by her way. Being a student of the Saotome School of "Anything Goes" Martial Arts gave her the ability to sense when her opponents were about to make a move. Then, Moon caught something in her hand.
A spatula? Moon thought.
Just then, Moon looked up to see someone barring down her, by leaping to Moon's position. What made pause was that the attacker held a huge spatula, and was about to-
BAM!
Moon, who didn't raise her shield in time, felt the full force of spatula on her head.
"Owie…" Moon said, dazed from the impact.
Just as the ninjas were about to go for the kill, an invisible force bowled a few over, while a stream of flames scorched a few rear-ends.
"Keep away from the girl!" Justice said, as he used his telekinetic abilities to maneuver himself in a better position.
"Shoo! Shoo!" Firestar shouts, as she throws a few flames at the ninjas.
The ninja with the huge spatula makes a hand gesture at the other ninjas, which causes the ninja to flee in a hurry. Justice was about to follow, but his friend holds him back.
"Vince, let them go."
"But-"
"We'll deal with them later. The girl-"
"'The girl' is fine," Moon stands up, as she straps on her shield back on her back. "Thanks for the save. I owe you guys one."
"No problem," Firestar said with glee.
"Well, if you really owe us a favor…" Justice begins.
"VINCE!" Firestar yelled. She didn't want to sour a potential friendship.
"It's alright, Miss…?"
"Oh! Where are my manners? I'm Firestar!"
"An I'm Justice. We were sent here by the Avengers because of that shield of yours."
"And you want to know why I have it," Moon finishes. "Fair enough. I'll do my best to answer your questions, but only if you treat me to some ice cream."
"Huh?"
"No, really. There's a great ice cream parlor down the street from here."
"Well..." began Justice.
"I'm sure it's not a problem," Firestar quickly interjected.
Elsewhere…
"Huff. Huff."
The ninja with the large spatula sat on the first perch the masked shinobi could see. Then, its senses spiked. With a swing, the ninja tried to strike at its pursuer…
SLICE!
Dumbfounded at the fact that its weapon was sliced clean, the ninja turned to run…
"Got ya," said Wolverine. Since the ninja's run-in with Sailor Moon, Logan was determined to get this particular ninja. With a clean follow-through, Logan put the ninja into a bind, cuffing it in the process, and then removing the ninja's mask…
"Let me GO!" Ukyo Kuonji yelled, as she tried to struggle free from Logan's grasp.
"Now, that isn't how to address family, Ucchan."
Ukyo stopped struggling, and turned to face this foreigner. Her eyes widened with recognition.
"Grand- grandpa?"
Wolverine, upon hearing this smirked.
"Yes. Now, tell me why my only blood relation is working for The Hand?"
***
Later, that night, Usagi got a whiff that the Negaverse general Nephlite was going to make a play at striking her on her home turf. However, when Nephlite showed up at the Cherry Hill Temple, the Negaverse general instead asked for Sailor Moon's help.
"Why should I help you?" Sailor Moon asked. "You and your crew are nothing but leeches!"
"Say what you will, 'Sailor Brat'!" Nephlite sneered. "Your friend Naru is in trouble."
"Speak."
Nephlite went on to explain how his associate "Zoycite" had took it upon herself to kidnap Naru in order to set a trap for Sailor Moon.
"Well?" Nephlite said with impatience.
"Mars?"
Sailor Mars read the Negaverse general's aura.
"He reeks of evil," Mars began, "but he's telling the truth."
"Sigh. Alright," Moon said. "I believe you…"
Nephlite began to smile.
"…To a point. Mercury, contact our 'special friends'. They might be useful after all."
"Sailor Moon, you have to be careful!" Luna the Moon Cat said. "It could still be a trap."
"That's why I said 'to a point', Luna."
At an abandoned manor near Juuban Park, Zoycite and her minions are holding Naru captive.
"Let me go!" Naru yelled.
"You know I can't do that. Otherwise, why would you boyfriend or your best friend show up if you are not here?"
"I told you, I don't who Sailor Moon is! And Maxwell…oh, Maxwell…" It was hard to believe that her "crush" was a general for some evil empire.
"Keep your fantasies to yourself!"
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Everyone turned towards Nephlite, who was coming down the stairs.
"Bravo, Zoycite. I see that you are stooping to kidnapping young girls, now."
"GRRRR! You ought to talk, failure! Queen Beryl has allowed be to take over this operation. Oh, that reminds me. Beryl gave me a message to pass along to you."
"Oh? What did Beryl say?"
"She said, 'You're fired!'"
On cue, three of Zoycite's yomas struck out at the former Negaverse general. He leaped, dodged and was about to impale one of them when he suddenly stopped.
"You aren't worth it! Come on, Naru! We're out of here!"
Once Naru grabbed a hold of Nephlite, they were about to teleport…
THUNK!
"Arrgh!"
"Nephlite!" Naru exclaimed, as both she and the Negaverse general faded from view.
"Oh, no you don't!" Zoycite proclaimed, after throwing an energy blade into Nephlite's shoulder blade.
Nephlite managed to teleport to a secluded section of the decrepit manor's estate.
"Uggggh!"
"Nephlite! Don't worry, it'll be okay."
"Sure, kid."
"I see that things didn't go as planned," said a
voice.
From the trees, Sailors Moon, Mercury and Mars landed to where Nephlite and
Naru lay.
"Mercury, check the general's wounds. Mars, stay on a look out for Nephlites' friends."
"Right!" the girls said in unison.
"General, may I have your crystal, please?"
Nephlite grumbled. As part of the deal, he was to give his Star Crystal to Sailor Moon, as a sign that he would no longer work for the Negaverse.
"Are you my best friend?" asked Naru, unsur
"Yes, and leave it at that. I'll explain everything as soon as I can-"
"Moon!" Mars yelled. "Incoming-!"
FWOOSH!
Mars took the blunt of the flame attack, while Moon used her back to shield against the rest of the attack from getting to Mercury, Naru and Nephlite, since she still had her shield on her back.
"There you are!" said Zoycite. "And what's this? Is this the great Sailor Moon that I see?"
"Sure, whatever," Moon replied, as she un-slung her shield. "Mars, you okay?"
"Yeah, I guess," Mars said, as she picked herself up. It was a good thing that she was the Senshi of Mars. Otherwise her injuries would have been aggravated.
"I'm glad. Oh, by the way, you're surrounded."
"Oh? How is that possible?"
BAM!
FWOOSH!
Two of Zoycite's youma were knocked out of the sky, while a third was torched.
"Ah, the Calvary as arrived."
"Yeah," Justice said. For the past hour, he and Firestar were cleaning up the area of ninja outside of Nephlite's rendezvous site. Now, they can get this matter done as soon as possible. Besides, this team-up will give them a chance to work with Sailor Moon…to see how she operates. So far, things have gone off without a hitch. "You're all clear, Moon!"
"Thanks. Help Mars deal with the youma. I'll deal with this witch."
With a single leap, Moon talked Zoycite in the air. What surprised the Negaverse general was the speed of the attack.
"GAH!"
"What's the matter? Don't like being on the receiving end of a lot pain?"
"You…you are nothing!"
"Whatever."
Moon followed the leap attack with a flurry of kicks. Having the shield may provide protection, but it limited her punches.
"DIE!" Zoycite yelled, as she unleashed a volley of flames.
Moon blocked the attack, doubled back, and bounced off a few trees before performing a torpedo spin attack. (A/N: This attack is similar to Cammy's torpedo kick attack from the "Street Fighters" video game series.)
POW!
"Augh!" Zoycite said, as she was slammed into a tree. She then fell limply to the ground. Sailor Moon then landed near the fallen general before placing a heel on Zoycite's neck.
"You loose."
"Damn you-"
ZAP!
"AH!" Moon cried as she felt her shoulder being lanced. Everyone turned to see a woman dressed in a black outfit…and the dozen, armed goons behind her.
"I believe you have what General Zoycite is looking for?" said the woman with the German accent to Nephlite.
"I'll-" began Justice.
"You will not do anything, mutant," the woman continued, as she took out what appeared to be a small grenade. "Unless, you want to loose your powers?"
Then, the woman turns to Sailor Moon, who was nursing her wound.
"If you want this girl to die, Moon, you will not interfere in Negaverse business."
Sailors Mercury and Mars looked towards Moon for guidance. Not sure of what to do, Moon forbade them from doing something, by shaking her head in the negative.
"Excellent. Now, where were we, Nephlite?"
Begrudgingly, Nephlite handed the Star Crystal to the woman.
"You won't get away with this, Andrea!"
"Oh, but I already have."
BANG!
As Nephlite crumpled to the ground from the gunshot wound, Zoycite laughed.
"Hohohohohoho!"
"Quite!" the woman said. "Here's you precious crystal, Zoycite."
"Why, thank you," the Negaverse general said, as she caught the crystal. "It's been good doing business. Ta!"
As Zoycite and her youma disappeared, in a flurry of petals, the woman turns toward Sailor Moon.
"That's an interesting shield, little girl. It reminds me of the one I took from Captain America."
"You know where he is?"
"Of course I do. Too bad you won't know his location. Ha. Ha. HAHAHAHAHAHA-"
"WAIT!" Moon cried.
As the woman and her minions disappeared, Mercury turns to see a crying Naru, who was holding a dying Nephlite.
"I'm sorry…for…treating…you…like…a…kid…"
"Please, don't talk! We can help-"
But it was too late. Nephlite slowly faded into a stream of stardust.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-!" Naru cried in anguish.
Everyone around stood helpless at the conveying scene.
"Moon, what are we going to-?" began Sailor Mars.
Sailor Moon was not there.
"I'll-" began Justice.
"Vince, let Moon be," Firestar. "We'll see her again."
Sailor Moon ran. She ran and ran, tears streaming from her eyes.
I failed, she thought to herself. I failed. I FAILED!
"AUGH!" Moon cried, as she threw her shield as a large oak tree. The shield sliced through the tree as if it was made from paper. The shield turned back to her, embedding itself into the ground at her feet.
Feeling helpless, Moon crumpled.
I failed…
END FLASHBACKRanma listened closely to his student's every word.
"Usagi," Ranma began. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, but a martial artists duty is to protect the weak and helpless, regardless how we feel."
Usagi looked at her sensei, and wondered what he meant by that.
"Look, you were given a gift that very few people could ever have. And the fact that you uncle gave you your shield says much about what your role in life is going to be."
"Really?"
"Really. We all have to make sacrifices. I had to sacrifice ten years of my life, and the love of my mother, in order to be a martial artist of my caliber. I didn't like having to go through all that, but I can't change the past. And neither can you."
'It's just so hard, sometimes, Ranma."
"I know, Usagi. And it sounds like it will be harder for you before all this is said and done."
"Huh?"
"This 'Negaverse' will not stop until it achieves total victory. What that means, I don't know, but you have a lot of people depending on you to succeed."
"Oh…"
"But, if it helps any, you can count on me to back you up."
"Really?"
"Sure. I can't have one of my students embarrassing the Anything Goes style."
"Ranma, I'm your ONLY student."
"Which makes it very important that you succeed. Look, I have been giving you the basics of the school's style. If you are willing, I can take you to the next level?"
"You mean that?"
"Yep. I'll have to talk to some people, but trust me when I say you have NO idea of what you can do."
"So, what are you saying? I'll be able to use 'ki' attacks or something?"
"No. What I'm saying is that after I get through with you, you won't HAVE to."
Tbc.
Author's note: Comments and Criticism are welcomed.
Next time: As Usagi prepares for her final confrontation with the Negaverse, she reflects on her true origins, her feelings for "Tuxedo Mask", her allies and her impending battle with the one man she considered family: Captain America himself! Be sure to be here for "The Price of Triumph and Glory", next time on "Sailor Moon CA". See you then!