PREY OF THE QUEEN SPIDER
Chapter 6: "The Pearl Of Great Price"
A Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
For Sailor Jupiter, it wasn't a gradual return to consciousness. In a single moment she was back, with everything that passed before lost to her. This engendered some initial confusion in her because she had no reference points to work with.
Then she felt the sticky constriction of the webbing around her body, her head and face. She realized that she was floating, unable to touch solid ground, suspended in mid-air by the thinnest of threads.
As if in a web. Then it all came rushing back to her. The giant spiders. The trap. The fear and desperation that coursed through her body, tightened her chest and knotted her bowels. The race memory that lingers just beneath the veneer of civilization, that fear of being prey.
"God, I hope I didn't faint!" was the first coherent thought she could form. Breath shuddered in her chest.
Anxious to escape, Jupiter began trying to thrash within the confines of the cocoon she was wrapped in. She had little play, though. The cocoon left her little leverage to work with, leaving her strength the only weapon she had in her fight. But the weaving reinforced the sticky threads and they clung everywhere, to her skin and clothes and to each other. She made no headway against the binding cocoon, but she couldn't stop. She had to escape.
Then a noise stopped her. It was an inhuman mixture of clicks and shrill squeals that couldn't come out of a person's throat. Makoto stopped and swallowed, stilling her breathing as much as she could. Though the silk left her blind, it didn't completely deafen her to the sound around her. Something else was here.
"The spiders," Jupiter thought and her blood ran cold.
A mental image of them standing directly over her about to plunge their hideous arachnid mouths to her and consume her alive ran through her mind and triggered an irrational surge of sheer panic. Desperately Jupiter fought to control her emotions. She'd faced death before and lived only from keeping a cool head. She listened within her silk prison for some cue to tell her where the spiders were and what they intended. If only she knew how long she'd been out. Was it a moment? Was it hours?
"No, my precious," came a woman's voice, the last thing Jupiter expected to hear. "You still may not eat it."
These - - things - - were controlled by a human? A spark of hope ignited in Jupiter's breast. At least she had a chance. At least a human could be reasoned with. Again Jupiter heard the bizarre combination of clicks and screeches. Was that how spiders communicated? Were they talking to this mystery human?
"For one very simple reason, my darling," the woman cooed. "She's bait for a far bigger prize."
So that was it. She hadn't been eaten because they needed her as a lure. But for who? Kakusui? Some other person in the prefect?
"You don't feel it, do you?" the woman continued. "This one isn't ordinary prey. This one has power. And she serves one with far greater power. She serves the one of legend, my darling little ones. The one who it is said will rule over the world and all in it for a thousand years."
She was after Usagi.
"So we will use this one as bait to lure the one from the prophecy into our web," Jupiter heard the woman tell the gathered spiders. "And we will consume the one of the prophecy and we will gain its power and we will rule over the world and all in it for a thousand years."
Though shocked and amazed, Jupiter managed to throw off her surprise. More was at stake here now than just her life. Now Usagi's life was at stake as well, and beyond her everyone who lived on Earth. If this woman and her giant spiders somehow gained the power of the Silver Crystal, they could turn the world into a giant spider feeding ground and every person on Earth into their prey. It was imperative she get free now and as fast as possible.
But how? Jupiter didn't know how long she'd been out, so she didn't know if Kakusui knew she was missing yet. And nobody knew where she was. Usagi might find out, but only to be lured into this mystery woman's clutches. She was completely and totally on her own. Jupiter couldn't count on any help from anyone. Controlling her desperation and despair, Jupiter tried to focus on finding a way to escape this cocoon. If only she could speak, she could shout her power phrase and call down enough lightning to burn the cocoon and everything around her. But the silk was too thick over her mouth and too tight around her jaw. All she could do was make smothered grunts through her nose. She'd have to find another way out.
Sensing only the vibrations of movement around her on the web and in the air, Jupiter could tell there was movement among the spiders who held her. Jupiter realized not only would she have to find another way out, she'd have to find it fast.
Kakusui walked out into the courtyard of the temple, his brow furrowed. Doubt plagued his mind. On the one hand, he was worried about Kino-san. She'd been missing over a day now and it wasn't like her.
Or was it? Despite training with him yearly for five years now, how much did he really know about her? Perhaps she often disappeared in moments of crisis or personal doubt. It was known to happen. He would hate to cause an uproar over her disappearance only to have himself or the police intrude into her desire for peace and self-reflection. He knew how important that could be to the spirit. He didn't want to intrude, for she was a valued - - acquaintance - - and one he didn't want to harm.
The monk sat down on the stone floor of the courtyard, assumed the lotus position and began to meditate on this quandary as the sun began to set in the west.
"Um, Kakusui?" the monk heard as he felt a gentle hand shake his shoulder.
Opening his eyes, he found the courtyard shrouded in night. Obviously some time had passed while he sat meditating on his question. Standing over him was a delightfully pretty young blonde with the kindest, bluest eyes he'd ever witnessed. No, he had witnessed them once before. But this woman was even more beautiful than the young girl he'd known then.
"Tsukino-san?" he asked, rising from his lotus position. "Then you got my message?"
"Yes!" the woman said, frantic with worry over a friend, worry he'd caused. "Is there any news?"
"None that I am aware of," Kakusui volunteered. "Forgive me for causing you worry. Perhaps I have overreacted and Kino-san has just gone off on her own after her previous ordeal."
"What exactly happened?" asked another woman and Kakusui realized that Tsukino-san had companions.
The one who spoke was a vibrant young woman with green hair, the delicate hands of an artist and all-encompassing eyes. She was flanked by two very tall, very imposing women. One had short sandy blonde hair, a manly way about her and an indifferent demeanor that concealed the ferocity of a warrior. The other had long green-black hair, an educated manner and a stillness that he could sense ran far deeper than he could ever guess. They were very different companions than the last ones he'd seen with young Tsukino.
"She was jogging along the highway south of the temple night before last," Kakusui related calmly. "She came upon a woman being attacked. She helped fight off the attackers and carried the woman nearly two kilometers to get medical help for her. Kino-san was quite exhausted and shaken when she returned here, and with good reason. I left her sleeping yesterday evening - - she had slept most of the day, having been up all night - - and when I returned, she was gone."
"Mako-chan wouldn't just up and leave like that," Usagi maintained.
"I would agree," Setsuna added. "Unless she went out looking for the ones who attacked this woman. Is that possible, Sensei?"
"That's why I called you ultimately, Tsukino-san," the monk related. "It's very possible she did so and if she was right about them, she's in great danger." The monk shook his head incredulously. "But it was just a hallucination from shock. It had to be. Kumo-onna can't be real. It's just a legend."
"What's Kumo-onna?" Haruka asked, her tone a mixture of curiosity and wariness.
"Kumo-onna is an ancient Japanese legend," Setsuna explained. "She is a demon with the head and upper torso of a woman and the body of a giant spider." Usagi gasped audibly. "She was said to command small packs of giant spiders, sometimes called Spider Goblins. They would live in dense forests and weave their webs among the trees in order to snare unsuspecting travelers." Setsuna paused, glancing uneasily at Usagi. After a moment's indecision, she continued. "Once ensnared, the luckless human would be - - consumed over a period of weeks."
Everybody could feel Usagi's tension skyrocket without even looking at her.
"And you waited a whole day before saying anything?" Haruka demanded of the monk.
"I assumed she only wished for some privacy. I did not wish to intrude upon her meditations," Kakusui replied. "Kumo-onna is just a story." Then the monk thought back. "Although I must confess I know now that there are things in this world that defy conventional explanation. I myself experienced having a crystal shot from my chest years ago, and the logical man would think such a thing impossible as well." Haruka and Michiru glanced at each other. "Perhaps I have erred in judgment. Forgive me. I still walk the path to enlightenment."
"It's all right, Sensei," Usagi said, grasping his hand. "You couldn't have known."
Kakusui looked into Usagi's eyes and found the forgiveness of Buddha himself within them. He swallowed, almost in awe.
"If she did go out looking for," and Michiru paused, warily glancing at Kakusui, "for whatever attacked that woman, she probably headed for the spot of the attack. Do you have any idea where that might be, Sensei?"
"I only know what Kino-san told me. She was slightly past the second kilometer marker south of the temple on the highway. From there she ran west into the forest for about a kilometer."
"Then that's where we're going to start!" Usagi proclaimed resolutely. She turned on her heel and headed for the steps.
"But Tsukino-san!" Kakusui called after her. "The forest is very dark at night! Even if there are no predators out, you could very easily get lost!"
But Usagi ignored him and started down the steps. Haruka and Michiru glanced at each other, then began to follow.
"Please wait until morning!" Kakusui called out.
"Mako-chan may not have that kind of time!" Usagi yelled back. She was now out of sight of them. Setsuna turned to him and bowed.
"Thank you for all of your assistance, Sensei," she said.
"Please be careful," he told her and Setsuna nodded with almost world-weary resignation. "Is there anything more I can do?"
"Pray for us," Setsuna replied. "Pray that we get to Makoto in time."
Then she hurried off to join her princess.
After the tenth ring, Mamoru hung up the phone. He sat back in the chair in his hotel room, his lab notes on his lap, and wondered. Glancing at the clock confirmed the time, though he already knew it. Usagi should have been home from art school long ago.
"Maybe she went out," he told himself. "She's always needed to be around people and I know it's been lonely for her the last few days."
But who was there to go out with? Everyone she knew was out of town, except maybe Naru.
"She's probably out with Naru. She mentioned they had lunch the other day," Mamoru reasoned. "Or maybe she's at her mother's." Mamoru smiled. "That way she doesn't have to cook."
But the smile faded. So where was Luna? The only time Luna went out of the apartment anymore was to meet Artemis. It was possible the two cats were on a date.
That, however, didn't explain the sudden unease he felt. It wasn't like the premonitions he felt when Usagi was threatened. It was more of a general unease, an unexplainable unease.
"Maybe you miss her," he smiled to himself. "Maybe your mind's playing tricks on you because you need her as much as she needs you. Maybe . . ."
Maybe there's trouble. Maybe Sailor Moon is out fighting some new menace with only Luna by her side. Maybe . . .
Mamoru shook himself. These notes had to be studied. If he wasn't going to learn anything and become a successful doctor worthy of supporting the most beautiful, wonderful woman in the universe, then what was he wasting his time here for? Bearing down, he picked up his notes and began studying them.
That lasted about forty-five seconds.
Usagi paused at the highway near the bottom step of the stairway to the temple. After taking a few minutes to figure out which way was south, she headed for the dense woods adjoining the temple. But a few paces in she stopped. The forest was as dark and foreboding as Kakusui warned her it would be. And just that suddenly the courage and conviction she'd possessed just moments ago drained out of her like someone had pulled a stopper from a sink.
"You've got to do it," she silently told herself. "Mako-chan needs you. She's depending on you. You've got to do it. You've . . ."
The young woman let out a terrified shriek when a hand closed onto her shoulder. Spinning around - - and nearly stumbling to the ground - - she confronted her unknown assailant.
"HARUKA, DON'T EVER DO THAT!" she wailed.
"Sorry," Haruka replied, not bothering to conceal her smirk the way Michiru and Setsuna were.
"You nearly made me wet my pants!" Usagi grumbled.
"Dumpling," Haruka said, gripping her by the shoulders again and looking earnestly into her eyes. "It's OK to be scared. Just don't let it rule your judgment."
The words gave Usagi some of the confidence back that had previously drained out of her. She flashed a grateful smile to Haruka.
"No one's around," Michiru told them. "It might be a good idea to go into this already transformed."
Usagi nodded resolutely. "Moon Eternal Make Up!" she shouted.
"Uranus Planet Power Make Up!"
"Neptune Planet Power Make Up!"
"Pluto Planet Power Make Up!"
In moments, four Sailor Senshi stood by the side of the highway under the amber light of a street lamp.
"Come on!" Sailor Moon said, turning to head south on the highway berm.
"Sailor Moon, there's no need to walk all the way to the spot Makoto first ran into these alleged Spider Goblins," Sailor Neptune suggested.
"But how else are we going to find her?" Sailor Moon protested. "We've got to look over the area for clues - - not that I'd know what a clue looks like."
"I've got a much simpler way," Neptune smiled. She gestured up into the air with her empty hand and instantly the Deep Aqua Mirror materialized in it.
Chagrined, Sailor Moon returned to the others. Neptune extended the Deep Aqua Mirror out to arm's length, then passed one hand over the surface of the mirror. As she brought it back close to her, the senshi seemed to enter a light trance. The woman gazed into the mirror intently. Sailor Moon peeked over her shoulder, but could only see Neptune's reflection in the mirror. Yet Neptune seemed to see something else.
"Do not lose hope, My Princess," Sailor Pluto whispered, patting Sailor Moon on the shoulder. "We will find her."
Sailor Moon nodded, leaving the condition they'd find Makoto in unspoken.
"My goodness," Neptune whispered, mildly surprised. For Neptune, that was the equivalent of Usagi screeching in astonishment.
"What is it?" Uranus asked, intent on Neptune's every gesture.
"They are real," Neptune replied, her vision still occupied by her vision. "I admit to being skeptical about the whole Kumo-onna legend. . ."
"You've seen Mako-chan!" Sailor Moon cried. "Is she all right?"
"As far as I can tell," Neptune replied in a non-committal fashion as she returned from her trance. "Uranus, these spiders are as big as bears!"
"Makes them easier targets," Uranus replied with grim confidence. "You get a fix on their position?"
"Of course," Neptune smiled.
She turned into the forest at a quick pace. Instantly Uranus and Pluto fell in behind her. Startled, Sailor Moon took a few beats to act and quickly fell behind.
"Wish it wasn't so dark," Uranus observed. "Feels like I'm jogging in a cave."
"I shall endeavor to assist in that regard," Pluto said. Holding her staff up as she ran, Pluto invoked the Ruby Orb atop the staff. The Orb began to throw off an intense red glow.
"Well this is certainly eerie," Neptune commented as the woods were bathed in an unearthly deep red glow. "I almost prefer the pitch."
"Beggars can't be choosers," Uranus reminded her. "Besides, you look cute as a redhead."
Neptune smirked and wrinkled her nose at her partner.
Lagging behind, Sailor Moon struggled to keep up. The glow of Pluto's staff acted as a beacon for her to follow, for which she was grateful. However, Uranus and Neptune were setting a pace she was having trouble keeping up with. Running had never been her strong suit anyway, unless something was chasing her. But she didn't cry out, didn't beg them to slow down for her. She didn't want to delay them from reaching Makoto. She didn't want to bring the derisive glare from Neptune down upon her again.
And she didn't want to stop, for fear of something in the darkness behind her might just jump out and grab her.
"Hang on, Mako-chan!" she thought as she struggled to keep up. "We're coming!"
And through the eerie stillness of the forest, Sailor Moon heard a cry of alarm up ahead of her.
"That was Neptune!" she gasped.
Continued in Chapter 7