In only a few moments the Royal Couple of Crystal Tokyo would arrive at the Hikawa Shrine for the Hatsumōde, the first shrine visit of the year.
It was a few hours after midnight and the man, who kept his face concealed under the hood of hooded sweater checked his weapon again.
Not much longer and something very grave would happen at this shrine.
A few hours before:
SunTzu didn't even know how and why he ended up at Earth again.
After he had left the Far Side he had rushed to the closest battle available and for the next few days he either had been fighting or drinking, or both at once.
Fueled by the pain of loss, anger, hatred and guilt he had killed dozens, humans, humanoids and Daimons alike, in dogfights, and uncountable numbers more with attacking larger ships.
How many enemy lives was Gistess's soul worth? A hundred? A thousand? In these days SunTzu would have said every single life the enemy had in his ranks.
After a partially gruesome battle with heavy losses on both sides SunTzu had escorted a convoy of hospital ships to Palanhi.
That's where he had left AICA's cockpit and went for a drink, thirty hours CST ago.
When he had woken up today he had been on the sofa on his old apartment in Juban.
He called AICA and asked what had happened and how he had gotten here.
"A few hours after landing Palanhi you decided to head further for Coruscant and after a drink there you insisted on going to Earth. And you didn't stop nagging until I finally headed off."
His head stung but yeah, there was something inside him, telling him that it was right to be on Earth. It even urged him further.
"Where are you now?" The Pilot asked his starfighter.
"Crystal Tokyo Airbase"
SunTzu groaned, if anybody would have seen him like this at the base there was more than an intervention to be held.
Setsuna will probably revoke my flight clearance. And Artemis and Stinger Jordan will definitely court martial me…
"Don't worry, nobody knows you're on Earth, you insisted that I drop you near the coast. The only one who knows you're here as well is Hotaru, as she was visiting me before heading off to the Palace. By the way she said, her mom seemed to be a bit angry with you, since a few days ago. Hotaru seemed to be sad about that."
SunTzu began to massage his temple, of course Setsuna would be angry, she just had meant well before he stormed off. And he hadn't been exactly nice to her after Gistess's passing.
I'm such a fuck up…
He cleared his throat.
"Stay where you are AICA but be on standby. I have a strange feeling about tonight and have to find out, why."
"SunTzu, you know we're friends but do you really think you'll find anything except the bottom of a bottle today? It's New Year's Eve on this planet and let's be honest, you haven't been trying to even remotely stay sober since days."
Great, now even AICA starts with this. Maybe it really is time for a break. At least from drinking, ain't no way that ship will ever get tired of dogfights.
So, although it was New Year's Eve on Earth, SunTzu decided to sober up and not drink tonight. Somehow he knew he had to be fully in control of his senses tonight and so he began a training session, physically and then in the Force to combat the hangover he had.
And then, for the first time in what felt like forever and a lifetime away SunTzu went grocery shopping in Juban and had dinner at his apartment.
He still had it when it came to breakfast food although it was already evening but who cared about the time of day anyway.
It was around 11:30 PM when he left his apartment, Tokyo had seen the first snow of the winter and so he left, dressed in jeans, boots, a hoodie and a jacket.
He carried one of his Glock, a few spare mags and a knife with him and although he didn't have any idea where he was heading to exactly to, he began to wander around.
The streets were packed with people celebrating and he was at the Juban Arcades when the clock struck 12 and the New Year began.
He took an elevator to the roof of one of the taller buildings in the district and around him people were cheering, toasting and hugging each other, while SunTzu just quietly observed the fireworks.
He looked over to the skyline of Crystal Tokyo, which was lighted up beautifully with the firework, the lights concentrating around the Crystal Tower and for a moment SunTzu caught himself at the thought of the Inner Circle of the Palace standing on one of the Tower's large balcony's and cheering onto the New Year.
A certain feeling of melancholy seized him and he walked into a quiet corner, where he brought his chrono to his lips.
"Happy New Year, AICA. I'm glad I got you."
"Happy New Year, SunTzu. I'm sorry the year had to end like this."
"Me too, Darling. Listen, I'm still trying to figure out, why I'm here for, so stay on standby."
"Will do. Oh and SunTzu?"
"Yes?"
"My sensors tell me your speech isn't slurred or slowed. Thank you for considering my tip."
"No, AICA. Thank you."
SunTzu left the building and got back to the streets.
And after more than one hour his seemingly unguided wandering around brought him to a street he probably would have avoided if he had the choice.
Three minutes later he stood at the beginning of the flight of stairs leading to the Hikawa Shrine, and although he always had thought to never walk up this steps again, something urged him to climb them, like the hundreds of other people on the street heading towards them.
Wonderful, the Force is fucking around with me again…
On the other side, in the crowd he was anonymous and maybe it would even shroud his detection from the Senshi. No doubt that Rei was there, she once had told him that New Year's Eve was the busiest night of the year, especially nowadays when everybody wanted to catch a glimpse of the Royal Family at their Hatsumōde.
And apart from Rei, and the complete Inner Circle, everybody else working at the Shrine also would there be. Which meant Yuichiro was there as well.
Still something urged him to climb up to the shrine and it wasn't the black hole a certain Shrine Priestess/ Galactic Senator had left in his heart. No, there was more. He was needed up there.
SunTzu took a moment to take a deep breather and properly look around.
In the corners he made out Royal Guards and Commandos in civilian disguise. They looked like ordinary people, locals and tourists, that hoped to catch a glimpse of the Royal Family but SunTzu knew that their appearances were deceiving.
He was pretty sure that there were more around, especially up at the shrine, not to mention the covered and concealed guard posts, some of them probably even armed with sniper rifles.
But even with this heavy security measures the Force told him, something was off.
He took a big breather, pulled his hood down deeper and began to walk up to the Hikawa Shrine.
Rei was standing next to her grandfather, both were in their traditional priestess and priest clothes, and standing near the entrance to the Shrine's main building, observing the scene.
Hundreds of people were already here and some of them already busy doing their first prayer of the year, the Hatsumōde, or buying sacred items.
Nanako, Phobos, Deimos and Yuichiro were busy keeping an eye on the people and making sure everything was in order while a group of young women, mostly students, were helping out at the shop of the Shrine.
Suddenly something struck Rei, a very familiar aura was heading towards the Shrine.
What was he doing here?
SunTzu was almost at the Tori Gate, which marked the official entrance to the Shrine when he made out a familiar face, at the side two stairs below the Tori Gate.
Sergeant Major Rudy Ruiz, Teamleader of Commando Team 1, dressed in civilian clothes and even having a camera on a sling dangling from his neck and onto his broad chest.
The wireless headset in his ear wasn't there to hear music, as well as the back pack on his back wasn't filled with stuff one might need for a New Year's Eve Party, unless he liked to really overdo on firework.
And when he catched sight of Rudy SunTzu realized something. It wasn't like a vision per se, more like a premonition.
Someone wanted to hurt the Neo-Queen and the Princess. Here, at this Shrine, the Shrine that had basically been the Sailor Senshi's base of operations for almost two decades, the girls had told him once.
With the premonition pain shot through his temple and for a moment he twitched and held his head to fight the ache.
Of course this catched the interest of Rudy and within a moment the moment the US-American was next to SunTzu.
"Hey my man, you're alright?" The Commando asked in English while he put a hand on SunTzu's shoulder, a move which the Kung Fu Master could immediately use to his defense with hitting a pressure point.
"Rudy, don't tell Command I'm here but I think someone is after the Royals tonight." SunTzu replied with a strained voice while he tried to loose the headache.
Hearing SunTzu's voice even the usually always calm warrior froze for a second.
"Is that… you? SunTzu?"
"Yes. And I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't let the whole of Tokyo know."
Rudy and SunTzu walked a few steps to the side where they were out of earshot.
"What do you exactly know? What's about to happen?"
"I don't know anything specific. I just know I have to be here."
"Goddamn Jedi Stuff."
"I'm not a Jedi."
Rudy wheezed. "You know what I mean." The tall Operator sighed. "Alright, I'll don't tell anybody about you but let me know if you find anything suspicious. Oh and happy 2K20."
"Will do. Happy New Year, Rudy." Both soldiers fistbumped and SunTzu walked up the last stairs and through the Gate. From above it lightly began to snow again.
He had been here many times but he never could have imagined that the Shrine could be so crowded.
Left from the path to where people did their prayer and swung a small bell, several hundred, if not thousands were waiting for something, probably the Royals.
A few dozen were in line to pray while others were buying items.
Near the gate, a bit inside to not hinder any arriving people, SunTzu let his gaze glide over the Shrine's plaza.
On the far right side of the plaza he could make out the vanguard of the Royal Court. A few Royal Guards, Makoto and Ami, both in their respective Service Uniforms, next to their husbands, Minako in a large down coat, as far as he knew her and depending the date, probably with a breath of nothing underneath and last, but according to the sting of pain of missing them shooting through him definitely not the least for his feelings, Haruka and Michiru. The couple was clothed in traditional clothes, with Haruka in male fashion and Michiru in a beautiful Kimono with a fur collar, and as far as he knew her that definitely was fake fur.
SunTzu quickly turned away, only to set sights on her.
Of course he had sensed her, before he even had entered the Shrine, but looking at her now enforced the sensation immensely. Single but large flakes of snow were falling around her, while she stood there in her red and white clothing, her hair darker as the night and her radiance being the one of a divine being.
As beautiful as the day I left…
On the other side of the plaza Rei Hino fixed that guy in the black hoody near the entrance.
He had his hood up, so she couldn't see him but he could sense him even better now, almost as much as back when they had been together.
I know that you know that I'm looking at you SunTzu.
He saw that she was directly looking at him and for a moment he was afraid that she might take measures to remove him from the Shrine. Or worse, confront him, but as their gazes met something happened. He didn't know how her gaze triggered it, but he finally knew why exactly he was here. Someone wanted to attack the Royals, right before they would do their prayer. The person wanted to stab them, both Queen and Princess. And that person was already here, somewhere in that crowd.
SunTzu ripped his gaze away from his Ex-Girlfriend and towards the crowd. He took a big breather and tried to concentrate on the Force to show him the attacker. He wouldn't loose another friend. He couldn't take the pain of loss anymore, not again.
She couldn't see his face but she was pretty sure that their gazes met, when suddenly something happened that surprised her, even kind of shocking her.
She could sense his feelings again.
And they hurted her. There was so much pain inside him, so much loss, so much conflict. Rei could also feel a small sting from her own feelings when she realized he wasn't here for her at all, he was here with a purpose, looking for someone or something. And someone was in danger.
She swallowed hard and with it, it downed all her emerging feelings, a lot of things between them were still undiscussed and SunTzu still held a big place in her soul and her heart, maybe even larger than she had admitted to herself.
I know you're here to safe someone TopGun, and I think I know whom. And although I don't fight anymore, this is my home, so I'll help you…
"Grandfather, I'll replace Yuichiro a bit. He probably could use a warm tea." Rei told to her grandfather and began to walk where Yuichiro was standing, near the bell for the prayers.
Maybe looking in her beloved Yuichiro's eyes would also finally quell down the fast beating of her heart after sensing and seeing SunTzu.
While SunTzu began to secretly search for the attacker a trio of three women was looking at him. They had sensed him as well and together they went away from their group and closer to where he was. Right now they were discussing who would go over to him, telling him that they knew he was here.
"I'll go, I had the most contact with him lately. Plus I'm more or less a superior. Just in case."
"Superior? Give the man a break, Ames. I'll go and see how he is. Who knows, maybe him and I could start the New Year with a bang."
"Gods Minako, how much did you have to drink already?"
"Just one bottle of bubbly. Give me a break, that's probably the last New Year's Eve I spend without having duty in the hospital, you girls know why Sets isn't here. And for the record, I had way less than your girlfriend."
"Well, that's not hard. It's a wonder that she can even stand straight still. Anyways, I'll go, I'm like a little sister to him and he's my wingman."
"And risk that Haruka finds out that he is here? In her condition? Rei will literally roast us alive when Haruka starts a scene. She has been already looking at her with her trademark look of annoyance."
"Probably Haruka needs help to stand upright again. It's always the same with her. And SunTzu's leaving made it worse."
And then a raven haired woman in a Miko dress suddenly appeared next to them.
"I will go. I think it's the best course. Phobos will stay here meanwhile. If your Majesties consent."
The three Sailor Senshi nodded, the Coronian was right.
"Please tell him we said hi." Ami said and the other two nodded.
"And that we wish him a Happy New Year." Michiru added.
"Ask him if he is doing well. We worry about him." Minako said and the others were nodding again.
SunTzu was still looking at the crowd from the outside of it, when somebody stopped behind him.
"Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu, SunTzu-sama."
"A happy New Year to you as well my dear Deimos. Please don't mind my presence."
"But I do mind. Why should I not when a friend is present."
SunTzu took on a half grin.
"Princesses Venus, Mercury and Neptune sent their greetings, well wishes for the New Year and ask how your being is. This concludes with my curiosity."
"Tell them, I'm holding up and that I also wish them the best for the New Year. Thank you all for the sympathy, but Deimos listen, there is someone here, who I really have to find and I wouldn't mind if I could continue my search for him."
Deimos looked at him for a moment, head slightly tilted like a raven, SunTzu's voice had been warm and friendly, he really appreciated all the well wishes and goodwill but the Force urged him to search further.
In that moment a traditional Japanese drum was beaten. The Royal Family had arrived.
SunTzu and Deimos looked to the Gate and then at each other again and the young Coronian nodded.
"Please let me know, if me and my sister can help."
"Will do. Thank you and give my well wishes for the New Year to Phobos."
Deimos walked away again, off to the onlooking trio of Sailor Senshi and SunTzu took a deep breather and began to concentrate again. But it didn't work as he intended too, he was too nervous already.
The Force told him to get into the crowd, to mingle with the hundreds of the people.
Out of the corner of his eyes he could see that people on the stairs began to make room for the Royals. SunTzu took a quick glance around again.
His mind began to race, only a few minutes left. If he wouldn't find the attacker someone he deeply cared for would be hurt or even killed. The cold feeling of panic began to stream through his body, making him stop dead in his tracks. His fingers clenched, his pulse began to run and his chest tightened.
He was basically paralyzed, and full of panic he looked around.
At the Gate he saw the Royal Couple enter the Shrine, Chibiusa behind them, protected by Sailor Saturn and behind her the Mau followed, along with the Tsukinos and Helios.
Still not able to properly move he followed them and when they were at his height, Sailor Saturn, who had sensed him way before and his gaze met.
Hotaru was showing a cold staring face, as usual when she was on official guard duty, something she probably had inherited from her adoptive mother, but when their gazes met he could see worry flashing of in her eyes for the fracture of a second. And this, especially together with also sensing that she was worrying about him, ripped his mind out of it's state of shock. She looked up to him and she could also get hurted here, he couldn't let that happen. Nobody would get hurt here.
Breathe steady… Breathe steady… Breathe steady… just like Master Durron always had taught… like Master Cilghal always recommends… like Rei always told when we meditated together.
It had been a while since he had felt the Force so powerful, light and endlessly calming flowing trough him, but his panic gave way to determination as the Force guided him to where he was needed.
He now instinctively knew the attacker was near the Suzu Bell where people prayed.
Like he was on tracks and remotely controlled he was lead there by the Force. He had to dodge people and it was enduring to make room or dodge so many people, families, cliques of friends, couples, single persons, while trying to get there before the Royal Family but somehow he suceeded.
He could feel all the Senshi, the King, everyone with the slightest magical power around, and he noticed that Rei was now near the bell.
Twenty seconds in advance of the Royals he found himself behind a big and tall but unkempt man who was waiting in second row a few meters afar from the prayer site.
For SunTzu the man was like a beacon by now and as he closed in on him he could feel the horrible intents of the man. Because she wasn't his he wanted to stab, or rather gut and mutilate, the Queen and he also wanted to kill Chibiusa, in his eyes the illegitimate Princess as it wasn't the daughter of him and the Queen. And the King needed to die on top as well. SunTzu sensed that the man was getting ready to draw a large Bowie-Knife and alone from his physis the would be able immediately rush trough the people around him and attack. SunTzu was almost at the man and was about to draw his pistol, when he noticed that he couldn't shoot the man, as there were too many people around, hurting someone with a stray shot, ricochet or a bullet passing through, was more than likely.
The man had his hand already at the sheath of his knife.
SunTzu was thinking about to break the man's neck or otherwise but when he looked around a last time and his gaze fell on Rei, a few meters away, he somehow knew he couldn't kill the man. This was sacred ground, this was her home and the home of the man that raised her. But SunTzu also knew what he needed to do now.
The attacker had the hand on the grip of the knife and was about to jump to the front, right onto the Queen who would pass in a few seconds as SunTzu stopped close behind the attacker and fast as lighting, pressed his hand on the man's back, exactly at the height of the man's solar plexus and sent a small shock with the Force through it.
The shock had the same effect as a hard and well aimed punch into the plexus and the man immediately lost consciousness.
SunTzu stopped the man's fall and held him up, immediately pulling him away . As the First Knight of Crystal Tokyo turned around the gaze of the Royals met him and he saw that they knew who he was as well.
The small smile on Usagi's lips let him know that she understood what he just had done and that she was thankful.
But all of them were professionals and the Royals immediately looked to the front again and smiled friendly and content while SunTzu carried the unconscious man away.
People were looking at him, some shocked, other curios, but most of them at least made room.
"Make room, this poor man passed out." SunTzu announced as he made his way through the crowd. Suddenly someone hooked under on the other side of the man and helped SunTzu.
"Must be dehydration. You know how it is, a few drinks too much until midnight and than standing in a crowd." Rudy said as he helped SunTzu carry the attacker out, while behind them the Royal Family said their first prayer of the year.
They carried the man out of the crowd and were recieved by Boots, the Commando Medic, also dressed in civilian attitude but his hiking backpack full with medical equipment, and a Royal Guard.
Rudy and SunTzu sat the man down against one of the small walls that surrounded parts of the shrine while Boots began to check the man's vitals. Two more guards made sure nobody came to close.
SunTzu had looked around while the sat the man down, they were out of earshot.
"Knife, inside the jacket, left side." SunTzu said to Rudy and Boots and Rudy exchanged a look at each other, before Boots slightly opened the man's jacket and saw the large knife, which made him let out a whistle.
"Good catch, how did you know?" The Commando Medic asked.
"The Skipper was doing his Jedi Stuff again." Rudy stated and both Commandos turned to SunTzu only to recognize that he was already gone.
Medic and Teamleader looked at each other again and shrugged before Boots got back to examining the man and Rudy reported the incident to Command. At this moment Deimos arrived there as well, to see what had happened to the man.
SunTzu already was almost back at the Tori-Gate when he looked back a last time, just in time to see that the Neo-Queen, after her prayer and now with Rei and Phobos next to her, had turned around again to look exactly at him, as had Sailor Saturn, the Priestess and the Miko. The untransformed Senshi on the right side also were looking into his direction.
And then he noticed that his hood wasn't up anymore and his face was visible for everybody.
With a half smile he turned around and pulled the hood back over his face, before he continued to walk away and gave the onlooking Senshi a two finger salute.
What nobody saw was that on his way out of the Shrine's Gate, SunTzu said his first prayer of the year as well.
SunTzu had taken a taxi immediately to get away from any questions that could have been asked. As soon as he was inside the taxi he also turned off his phone.
He told the taxi driver to bring him to his apartment and twenty minutes later he was home, where the first thing he did was to take a long shower.
It was around 2:30 AM and outside lots of people were still partying, taking walks or visiting the shrines.
SunTzu couldn't bring himself to get out anymore, using the Force so much had tired him and the thought about getting drunk tonight straight up disgusted him.
Yet, he still was too excited to sleep, that was the doing of the adrenaline from the panic attack earlier on. To his surprise his mood wasn't as dark as when he had arrived at Earth or left this apartment earlier on. His mood was the best since ever he had lost Gistess. Thinking about her still stung but knowing that tonight he had saved the Queen who he swore to defend, still felt good.
He was watching random stuff on TV, laying on his sofa. Right now the late night news was on, the outbreak of the new Corona-Virus in China had been contained, thanks to the WHO and the Vaccine and medication, which had been developed at the Souichi Tomoe Medical Research Center of the Crystal Tokyo University and also was now mass-produced in Crystal Tokyo. SunTzu twitched a bit when he heard the name of the Research Center but he was glad to hear that Hotaru's biological father's legacy was carried on in a honorable way.
The report ended and SunTzu was thinking about Hotaru and he felt a small sting of pain, as he hadn't been able to wish her a Happy New Year. Suddenly the door bell rang.
Through the peephole he couldn't see anybody so he opened the door, his pistol in the back of his pants.
To his surprise a transport cup for soup and a small letter where lying in front of his door.
He looked left and right but nobody was to be seen and when he looked down at the cup again he saw that the planetary symbol for Saturn was drawn onto it.
He smiled. Of course.
It was tradition in Japan to eat Soba Noodles, Toshikoshi Soba, on New Year's Eve. And Soba was the favorite food of his former charge.
It was an invitation for a dinner for her birthday on the sixth of January, at her home.
"I don't know if your mom is okay with me showing up. I think I angered her last time we saw each other. Even more than usual."
"Let that be my problem. After all I'm the one that's going to cook." Sailor Saturn answered, her feet dangling from the roof of the building, above SunTzu's door.
"Don't let me be the reason to get into trouble with your mother."
"Don't worry, there won't be any trouble. And I take that as a acceptance."
SunTzu smiled.
"Thanks for the Soba."
"Thanks for saving the Queen and Chibiusa tonight."
"That was the Force."
"Force or not, I was told to convey her Majesty's sincerest gratitude. And a Happy New Year. Anyways, i gotta go. I have another delivery of Soba to make."
"I'd give my regards to your mother but I think she wouldn't like them."
"I'll still forward her a Happy New Year from you. Right after telling her how you saved the Royals tonight."
"Stop to glorify me so much."
This time I was just lucky and saved the ones I care for. Last time I wasn't…
"And don't catch a cold, those Sailor Fukus are not exactly looking warm."
"Oh, don't worry. I'll warm up in the car."
"Car? You have a driver's license now?"
SunTzu heard a giggle from the roof.
"No. But if you'd take a look over the railing you'd see I'm not alone."
SunTzu walked the two steps towards the railing and looked down.
On the parking lot was Ami's car and she and Minako were leaning against the car.
When they saw him they began to wave at him happily. With a smile he waved back.
"Ami found the idea to bring Mom a serving of soba wonderful and decided to bring her mother one as well. When she heard we'd go to the hospital Mina-Chan tagged along."
Hotaru got up.
"Until Monday then. Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year, Firefly."
Sailor Saturn jumped from the roof and landed as agile as a cat near the car.
Ryo had disembarked from the driver seat as well and was standing next to his wife now.
Minako laid her arms around Hotaru's shoulders and they waved at him again and he waved back before they boarded the car.
The last to get in was Minako. She turned around one last time, opened her coat and revealed a low sequined dress in gold for a second, before the blond bombshell closed her coat again and gave him a wink before she got in, making SunTzu chuckle.
Minako, you goddamn tease, please forever stay the way you are…
SunTzu waved a last time as the car drove off and then went back into his apartment, the thought about the tasty noodle soup had made him hungry.
Before he pounced onto the soup, he decided to turn on his phone again, answering the uncountable numbers of Happy New Year Messages which immediately trickled in, sounded like a nice thing to do, at least the ones his friends had sent him.
