I give you the next chapter! Hope everyone likes it and reviews.
Also, for those wondering, I actually wrote this entire forty-eight page story in less than a week. Are you ready for even more good news? I'm up to page twenty on the sequel. And the sequel chapters are quite long too; I'd say an average of five pages on Microsoft Word. How happy does that make you?
Elphie Muse: Just get on with it before they start skipping over your A/Ns.
Right!
Everything in this fic that is recognizable is not mine, however much I wish it was. Thus far the only thing that is mine in this fic is Rai. So don't steal him:whispers in eerie voice: Because I see you...
Elphie Muse: No you can't. People can't see through computer screens.
...Let me dream!
Previously...
Haruka shook her head and walked to a basin of water. She looked in and an image of Neptune appeared. The ache in her heart strengthened and she bowed her head. She opened her eyes and looked in the water again. This time she saw her friends being beaten easily by the enemy that had appeared.
"Too bad your lover isn't here," a man sneered at Neptune. "You might have stood a chance then." The man grabbed Neptune's head and viciously twisted her neck.
"NO!" Haruka bellowed, slamming her hand in the water. The scene faded away and was replaced with her reflection. Adrenaline pumped through her system as the scene replayed over and over in her head. "I have to help them…I have to…" she said, her right fist clenched tightly.
"What you saw was a possible future," Rai said, startling Haruka as he stepped into view. "Feeling compassionate between yours and Neptune's plight, Pluto gave this basin to you so that you could figure out ways to secretly visit Neptune."
"How do you know all this?" Haruka asked.
"Memories. Not all of them are clear though, but I know enough to know that in a past life I was from the Silver Millennium. When I came here my memories started to resurface in bits and pieces."
Haruka nodded, being only able to take his word for it. However, for some strange, unknown reason, she trusted him as much as she trusted her friends even though she hadn't known him that long.
"So…you said you'd train me?" she asked.
"I will. But first, you need to know what you're going up against," he said.
"And what am I going up against?" she asked.
"The enemy you face will be your most challenging," he explained. "Tell me, when during the day have you fought them?"
Haruka thought back to the battles she had fought in and lost. "It was dark or near dark. Why?"
Rai motioned for her to follow and he led her down a hallway into a large library. He walked over to a shelf and pulled down a leather bound book. He tossed it on a dusty table and it made a loud bang. Haruka arched a brow at the title.
"You're kidding, right?" she asked, a brow raised in disbelief.
He shook his head. "They're real. And during the Silver Millennium one in particular gave us big problems. That was my job…my mission. I tracked them down and killed them." He sighed. "Vampires won't go away just because you don't believe in them. They're real."
"What was the vampire that gave you problems in the Silver Millennium?" Haruka asked.
"Dracul," he answered. "The legend of the vampire Dracula was based off of him," he said.
"So why are the vampires being active now?" she asked.
"I hate to say it, but it's because the nine of you awoke as Sailor Senshi," he said. "You and the other three Outers don't remember, but it was you four who helped me kill Dracul. His daughter then became the leader of vampires, but Queen Serenity was able to seal them away."
"But with all the battles going on recently, the seal must've become weak enough for them to break through," Haruka figured. Rai nodded. Haruka frowned. "The four Outer Senshi fought with you?"
Rai again nodded. "Saturn was allowed to awaken to fight Dracul. She sacrificed herself to destroy a meteor with the body of Dracul on it so there'd be no chance of him coming back at all."
"So you're going to train me how to fight vampires?" she asked.
Rai nodded. "If you'll train with me."
"Why wouldn't I?" she asked, slightly confused.
Rai looked away. "I'm…not…entirely…human."
She frowned. "You're not?" she asked.
He shook his head. "My mother was…attacked by a vampire. I…was the result," he murmured. He looked at her, shame in his green eyes. "I'm half vampire."
"Yet I've been here for a month and nothing has happened," she pointed out. "What you are doesn't make who you are," she said.
He smiled. "Good advice," he commented.
"There might be a problem with training though," she said. He arched a brow. "My henshin pen…I left it with Neptune in Tokyo."
"You won't need it," he said. "Not for fighting me. I'll teach you all I know. When you're transformed, you'll be able to move faster, but it won't be as fast as vampires can go," he warned.
"So let's do this then," she said with determination.
"I won't go easy on you," he informed her.
"I was about to say that to you," she smirked.
Rai smiled. Just like old times back on Uranus… he thought to himself.
Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal
Rai easily blocked an attack from Uranus and backhanded her. "Forget what the movies and popular books told you about vampires," he said. "Vampires are fast, ruthless, and will kill you first chance they get. Don't give them that chance."
"So how do you kill one?" Haruka asked, wiping the small amount of blood from her lip with the back of her hand.
"Remove its head, direct sunlight, or a stake through the heart…or Space Sword," he added at the end. Haruka tried to attack him a few more times but he dodged them. He then knocked the weapon from her hand and held his own sword at her throat.
She sighed heavily and sat heavily down on a broken column. "This is getting me nowhere. We've been at this for two weeks now and I can't even hit you. This is useless," she muttered.
"No it isn't Haruka," he said. He smiled. "You're getting better. I've been holding back till now. That last attack was close. And I'm not saying that just to be nice," he told her. "Short break?" he inquired.
She nodded and they went inside. Rai turned on the television set, the picture grainy and fuzzy but mostly clear. Haruka had been surprised that he had a set that worked so far from civilization. He had merely shrugged and pointed to the satellite dish that sat on one of the high walls of the temple. The generator that operated the television whined softly in the background as he flipped it to the news channel.
"I think I should be slightly offended that you didn't go all out at the beginning," she said, taking a drink of water.
He grinned. "You wouldn't have lasted for the five minutes that you did," he chuckled. His grin vanished and he looked back at the set. He turned up the volume.
"For those of you just joining us, the Sailor Senshi have been unable to stop the disappearances that have been going on now for over a month. Citizens are urged to stay inside once the sun goes down and not to open their doors for any reason or person. Police still have no leads as…"
Rai turned off the set and sighed. "We have to go to Tokyo," Haruka said. "The others have no idea on what they're dealing with."
"You'll still have to train," he said.
"And I will. But the other Senshi…we can't abandon them," she said.
Rai smiled. "So let's go then," he said. Haruka nodded, determination in her green eyes.
Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal Senshi Eternal
Michiru sighed sadly as she stared into her coffee mug. It had been nearly two months since Haruka's disappearance. A warm hand rested on her shoulder and Setsuna sat down across from her.
"You all right?" Setsuna asked.
"I just wish I knew the real reason why Haruka left. Her note just said she couldn't stay here," Michiru said.
"Excuse me, but it's growing dark and we're closing," a waiter said.
Michiru nodded and deposited her money on the table. She and Setsuna rose to their feet and walked out. They headed down the street, immediately taking notice of the trio that began to follow them. Michiru hit the alert button on her communicator. The pair continued walking. The street soon became deserted as the citizens of Tokyo rushed indoors and secured themselves inside.
The three men suddenly surrounded them, grins on their faces. The two Outer Senshi could see their elongated fangs. "Damn it…" Michiru muttered.
"Prepare for a night you'll never forget," the leader smirked.
"I wouldn't if I were you," a voice said. A cloaked figure emerged from the shadows, face hidden due to the cloak's hood.
"Why should we be afraid of one guy when there are three of us?" the second asked with a guffaw. The vampire grunted in pain as a silver tipped wooden stake impaled his heart. He burst into flames and turned to dust.
"I've done this for a while," the figure returned. "Three vampires is a joke."
"Then how about fifteen?" a cold voice asked. A man with slick black hair stepped into view.
"Well that's a bit more of a challenge," the first figure said.
"We can't transform with all these people here," Setsuna whispered.
"Hopefully the others are on the way," Michiru whispered back.
"Change the two humans! Kill the stranger!" the black haired man ordered.
The vampires charged forward at the two untransformed Senshi. "Space Sword Blaster!" a voice yelled. Several vampires immediately vanished in a burst of flame.
"What?" the man bellowed in disbelief.
"That attack…" Michiru said softly. "It...can't be...I have her henshin pen..."
"Guarded by Uranus, planet of the skies, I am the soldier of flight, Sailor Uranus!" a voice yelled out.
"How…it's not possible! You can't be here!" the leader cried in disbelief.
"I am," Uranus said. "You may have beaten me in the past, but that's all changed now," she told him.
"Doubtful. I told you before. You'll never be able to wash the blood from your hands. You are evil. Join us and live. It's the only way."
"I don't think so," she said. "World Shaking!" Several more vampires turned to dust from her attack.
"She has gotten better," the figure said. Five vampires suddenly tackled him to the ground and tore off his cloak. With a roar he heaved them off as he rose to his feet. He wore black leather boots, black baggy pants, and a white baggy long sleeve shirt under a dark midnight navy blue leather tunic. A belt was strapped around his waist, a sheath for a sword hanging on his left hip. A pair of black gloves covered his hands and a black bandana like mask covered the top half of his head. Several gold hoop earrings hung from his ears, more in the left than in the right. Imprinted on the back of the leather tunic was the symbol of Uranus in gold.
He pulled his sword free, revealing it to be similar to Uranus' Space Sword. He twirled it expertly and began easily dispatching the vampires. Michiru and Setsuna watched in awe as the stranger and Uranus defeated a majority of the vampires.
"This is far from over Uranus!" the black haired man swore before he vanished.
"Michiru! Setsuna!" the four Inner Senshi cried. They looked over and their eyes widened in surprise.
"Uranus…" Mars said softly.
Jupiter quickly closed the distance between her and Uranus and slugged the older Senshi. Uranus easily blocked the punch. Jupiter hid her surprise. "You left us!" she snapped at the older Senshi.
"I defended the city for as long as I could by myself. I wasn't strong enough then. But now I'm ready to fight. Alone if I have to. But I will beat these vampires and get back the Princess's Silver Crystal."
"Vampires?" Michiru repeated in disbelief.
"No such thing," Venus agreed.
"Then how do you explain those men bursting into flame and dust?" the figure asked, a brow arched.
"Who are you?" Mars asked.
"A friend," he replied.
"Why do you have the symbol of Uranus on your back?" Setsuna asked.
"Call me Kaze," he said. He looked at Uranus. "You still have training to complete. But for now, be with the ones you love." He turned and disappeared into the shadows of the alley.
Uranus looked at her friends. "I have a lot to tell you all," she said.
Haruka may be back but things will be far from easy.
Now, be kind readers and review. The only unaccepted reviews are flames. So please be nice and drop a review, even if it's just two words long, like "Good story" or something. Please? Onegai?