The Midnight hours
Ami was sound asleep in her bed after such an exciting day at the mall. Her dreams were full of attacking machines and Dennis. She suddenly heard a strange noise that cause her to wake and sit straight up in her bed. "Who's there?' She asked as she looked around. Her room was nothing but darkness and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She looked at the clock nest to her bed. It's glowing red numbers Twelve. 'Midnight.' Ami thought to herself. Ami was eighteen so she lived by herself in a small apartment building so she was used to being alone.
'I should get back to sleep' Ami thought to herself. However just as she laid her head back down on her pillow something grabbed a hold of her. "Hey!" She started to say but the shadow rope bound her mouth and as much as she tried she could not get free. In a matter of moments she was gone.
The Next Day Seiya had just turned on the T.V. He didn't know why he did since he was usually playing a guitar right now but something told him he should. He flipped through the channels until he stopped on the news channel. Something got his attention on it so he watched. The news was showing a series of missing persons photos all seemed to be unexplained.
"The series of missing people have got police baffled."
"What?" Seiya said.
"Hey! We are going to go grab some food you want anything?" Yatan came into Seiya room and Taiki was right behind him.
"No but come listen to this." Seiya motioned for them to come see what was on.
"What is it?" Taiki asked as they were now watching the news.
""What missing people who come on!" Yatan started to say but Seiya put a finger up.
"Just listen. It's odd how so many went missing in one night." Seiya said.
"Police don't see how 36 people could go missing with their doors all locked and no sign of a break in. However what is even stranger is that they all are from the same apartment ... what ... Oh we just got word that now the total is up to 40. Here are the other missing four."
All three guys were surprised to see Ami's photo among the last four. Seiya stood up.
"You know who done it right?" Taiki asked.
Yatan nodded. "Yep. No sign of a break in, locked doors it is him." Yatan said.
'Shadow Fox, what do you want with these people Shukujo?' Seiya thought to himself as he stared at the T.V.
"We need to tell them." Yatan said. "Usagi and the others have a right to know." He added.
Seiya's eyes grew wide. "Odango." He said quietly to himself. He then spun around. "No not yet! We should be sure first." Seiya said.
"What do you mean we should be sure first? We know it is him Seiya why do you not want to --" Yatan was yelling at Seiya.
"I don't want her to cry anymore okay!" Seiya yelled back. This made Yatan temporarily unable to talk.
"You still care for her don't you?" Taiki asked. Seiya looked away. "I knew it." Taiki added.
Yatan had finally found his words but just as he was about to say something he could see that Seiya just wanted to protect her not just because he had feelings for her but because she was a princess and a good friend. Yatan gave a sigh. "I can't believe this, okay we won't say anything." Yatan said in a defeated voice.
"Well, since this seems to be happening at the same apartment maybe we should keep watch there and try to put a stop to Shadow Fox." Taiki said
"Yeah he shouldn't be able to get all three of us without getting seriously injured." Yatan added.
"Thanks guys." Seiya said.
"Good now that that's settled let's eat I'm Hungry." Yatan said. Seiya, Yatan, and Taiki then left the hotel to go get something to eat. Later that night around ten o-clock Yatan, Seiya, and Taiki were making their way to the apartment building.
"Wait." Came a girl's voice.
The three guys turned around to see Michiru walking up to them. "What is it?" Taiki asked as the love aqua hair girl got close to them.
"You are going to that apartment aren't you?" She asked. She wasn't looking directly at them. It was clear that she had been crying. "I want to come." She said in a low voice.
"What!" All three guys said.
"I know it was him. The same thing that took my Haruka and if you are going to face him then so am I." Michiru said and her eyes showed that she meant every word.
The three guys looked at Michiru then gave her a nod. "Alright come on." Seiya said.
"It isn't far now." Taiki added.
"Huh?" Yatan stopped and looked behind him.
"What?" Seiya asked as he, Taiki, and Michiru stopped and was looking back at Yatan.
"I thought ... Never mind. Let's go." Yatan said, the four of them started walking again. They made it to the apartment at a quarter to eleven. "The police must have had everyone evacuated." Yatan said.
"It seems like that" Michiru said. "We should probably get higher up." She suggested.
"No, if it is Shadow Fox we need to be where there are some shadows at." Seiya said. "However we should transform so we are ready." He added. Each of them took out their Hensin.
"Neptune Crystal Power! Make up!"
"Fighter Star Power! Make up!"
"Healer Star Power! Make up!"
"Maker Star Power! Make up!"
In bright swirls of aqua blue and bright yellow Michiru, Yatan, Taiki, and Seiya transformed themselves to their more powerful sailor halves. They then went different ways and decided to look around but kept in close view of each other. Five minutes to midnight they all came back together. "Maybe he isn't here?" Taiki suggested.
"No I am sure he is. Don't ask me how but I know. He's just waiting around." Michiru said, The other three had heard just some quiet sobs. They all stood quietly. Yatan was about to take a step closer to Neptune when it suddenly got very dark very quick.
"He' s here" Seiya said, all four of them took a stance and were face opposite directions with their backs to each other. They could not hardly see anything but heard a hideous laugh that seemed to come from all around them.
"Let see who could I take first? You all are leaving me open areas!' Shadow Fox said. The four of them got closer together.
"Show yourself you coward!' Healer yelled.
"Oh and if I don't what are you going to do about it if you can't see me?" Shadow Fox said.
"This should take care of that." Neptune said as the Deep aqua mirror talisman appeared in her hand. "Submarine reflection!" She then held the mirror up and a light came shinning out of it. She kept it up and moved around until it found it's mark. "Not so hidden now are you!" Neptune said.
"Great job Neptune." Fighter said. "Now to stop you for good." Fighter added as she glared at Shadow Fox. "Star Serious ..."
"I don't think so." Shadow Fox said, the same shadow rope came from nowhere and had grabbed a hold of Fighter so she could not finish her attack. "Oh and don't get any ideas." Shadow Fox added as when Healer and Maker moved to free Fighter they got bound in shadow ropes as well.
"No!" Neptune yelled. "Deep Submerge!" Neptune brought her arms up, water spiraled up all around her. Next, she spun around once and a huge teal planet like object was released and flew out destroying the rope that bound the Starlights.
"Alright I'll take you first then." Shadow Fox said and he Knocked the Starlights out of the way with his shadow ropes while he sent at least six more shadow ropes right for Neptune. "You will go well with that other one who had a small sword." Shadow Fox added as he watched Neptune jump into the air to try and escape the shadows. "Now what makes you think you can get away?" Shadow asked as he was having fun watching her dodge. It was clear he was playing with her. "Okay enough of that." He said as he was now reaching for all four of them.
"Wind Blades!"
"Sound Tornado!"
"Thorn Bullets!"
An attack of wind as sharp as blades, along with a spiraling sound wave, joined together with a Spray of sharp rose thorns hit each shadow rope. Some of the shadow ropes that were closet to Neptune and the Starlights were cut in half while others recoiled back into the shadows Up at the top of a tree was Comet Sailor Earth. She had her rose whip out in her right hand and her left hand was on her hip.
To the right of the tree just about six feet from it up on top of a power line, balancing very well was Comet Sailor Sound who had her arms folded across her chest. Just left of the tree four feet away from the tree was Comet Sailor Wind sitting down with her left foot resting on the metal of the street light, her left knee drawn up and resting her left arm on her knee while her left hand held her right hand, her right leg dangled freely from over the side. All three Comet Sailors were not pleased.
"You stole humans from this planet." Earth said.
"These humans had family and friends." Sound chimed in.
"Not to mention lovers and lives to live." Wind added.
"Comet Sailors!" Neptune and the Starlights said in amazement and yet surprise/
"But how?" Healer asked. "How did you know what was happening?"
"Healer you four are not the only ones that watch the news." Earth said with a smile.
"Yeah we knew who it was to but we got a little lost." Wind responded with a smile.
"But when we saw you four we figured we should follow. Oh and remember when you could have sworn you saw something tonight Healer?" Sound asked.
"Yeah?" Healer responded as she remembered when she thought she saw some shadows behind them earlier.
"Well, if you would have look behind the mailbox, in the window display at the clothing store, and around the corner of the building of the clothing store then you would have found us." Sound added.
"We were patrolling from the roof top and alley way watching your backs." Wind said, "At first we thought that this was the wrong place but good thing we didn't leave huh?" Wind asked as she winked at them.
"You know this is all touching but if you don't mind ..." Shadow Fox started to say when Comet Sailors Earth, Sound, and Wind leapt out of sight and surrounded him.
"Rose Whip!" The throning whip of roses and thorn wrapped around Shadow Fox.
"AGH!" He yelled in pain as Earth pulled on the whip and the thorns dug into his skin.
"Return them!" Earth demanded as the whip got tighter.
"Never! They belong to Shukujo now!" Shadow Fox yelled out. Shadow ropes came right for the Comet Sailors.
"Watch out!" Neptune and Maker yelled.
"Sonic Shield!"
"Wind Blades!"
While an attack of sharp blades of wind was taking out the shadow ropes that were coming from the left Sailor Sound's Sonic Shield was shielding them from the right.
"Deep Submerge!"
"Star Serious Laser!"
"Star Gentle Uterus!"
"Star Sensitive Inferno!"
Blasts of light and water hit Shadow directly wounding him. He fell to his knees and drops of blood was dripping out onto the ground. "You all will pay for wounding me. Mark my words." He said and he faded away into the shadows.
"Dang it he got away." Sound said as they all looked around and saw everything was back to normal, except that the humans along with Ami and Haruka were not returned.
"It doesn't matter right now." Sailor Earth said as her rose whip disappeared. "He's wounded and that's a start." She added.
"Hey where you going?" Sailor Sound asked as she saw Neptune was leaving. Neptune looked at them and she had tears in her eyes again then she disappeared from sight.
Later early the next morning just as the sun was rising Michiru was standing by the water alone she had tears in her eyes and her hand were together in front of her mouth.
"I knew I would find you here." Suisei said, she had come up behind Michiru. She then walked up nest to her. Looking out at the water she gave a sigh. "A wave of trouble has come here." Suisei said.
"How did you know about that?" Michiru asked as she thought it was only her and Haruka that could read the water's waves.
"I can hear it." Suisei said as she shut her eyes and listened. "I can her the gentle breeze of the wind hitting the waves making them splash and move almost in a dance with the sounds of the sea's underwater life as the music. The waves are however dancing more rough and dangerously then usual and the sea's underwater music is no longer balanced." Suisei said, She opened her eyes and looked out at the water. "It means trouble and a lot of it."
Michiru who was looking at Suisei the whole time she was saying this looked out at the water and sighed. "You are right, the water is telling us that trouble is here and it's just going to get worse." She said.
Suisei saw that there was tears still in Michiru's eyes. "Hey." She said as she put a hand on Michiru's shoulder. "I promise you that you will see your Haruka again because we are not going to run away anymore. We are going to stand and fight along side you and the others." Suisei said as she gave a promising smile that was just full of truth.
Michiru finally smiled a believing smile and she nodded to Suisei.
"Now that is a real smile." Suisei said.
Hearing that be said Michiru laughed a bit.
"But before we go facing off evil and calming the waves let's eat I am starving." Suisei said and they both walked off together the way friend should.