Episode 18, Part 3
"These bandits must be complete idiots," Amy mused mock thoughtfully, staring at Izzy's computer screen.
Izzy looked up. "Or unaware of the power of advanced technology," he noted sensibly. "After all, from what I've seen so far of this place, I think Vane is the only place so far to possess any kind of equipment that doesn't require pulleys."
"Izzy… I'm pointing out the painfully obvious."
"...Oh."
Rei looked over at Amy, brow furrowed. "Why are they idiots?" she asked. "Not that I can't take a very good guess, mind you."
Amy moved away slightly, Mimi reclaiming what was quickly becoming her customary spot at Izzy's side. "You mean, aside from the fact that becoming a brigand is never a good idea under any circumstances?" she replied with. "There's the kidnapping of someone with who they have no real clue about, so they don't know if she's dangerous. Then there is the fact that they are heading for a sacred shrine that could have, for all they know, defenses that will kill them should they try to enter under any sort of false pretense. And it is obvious that they are planning on entering that shrine." She shook her head. "As I said, complete idiots."
"Maybe they have a trump card of sorts. Something to protect them from whatever is coming their way."
Mimi snorted. "Yeah right. That's a Goddess Divinity Sphere. There's no way to defend against something like that, unless you're as strong as a Goddess." She blinked as her fellow Digi-Destined, save for Izzy himself, looked at her like she was an alien. "Oh for crying out loud, just because I act like a bimbo back home doesn't make me a bimbo. I'll have you all know that my grading average is almost as good as Izzy's here!" she stated indignantly.
This got them jumping back at least a foot back, mostly because they were in shock. Mimi Tachekawa, mall rat extraordinaire, was good at school? Everything they knew in life was a lie.
Luna Two rolled her eyes to the heavens. "Seriously, none of you ever thought that there was more to Mimi than just what she shows to the world?"
Tai shrugged after a second. "We don't really think about it. Mimi's Mimi, and we're perfectly okay with that… if we know what's good for us."
Mimi threw a glare at him. "And if you know what's good for you right now, you will all stop talking about me now. In case you've all forgotten, we're tracking a group of people who have decided to kidnap a good friend of ours. So can we focus on that?"
Amy let a slight smirk grace her face for a second as she noted how uncomfortable Mimi looked from the attention she was receiving, no matter how brief it was. Something to ask her about later, after they took care of this little burp. "Well, getting back on topic here, we know where they are going, so I suggest that a few of us go and perform some recon. That way, we'll know what we need to know for when we go in."
"Good idea. Whose going to be part of this team?"
"Mars, myself and Darien, obviously. And how about… Jessica, Greg, and… Lady Phacia."
Phacia turned to look at Amy, a little surprised by this. "Me?" she asked, not sure if she heard right.
Amy smiled. "I figured that you might want to actually have a part in this adventure outside of just riding on a horse," she explained. "I also think that you and Jessica might talk a bit more while we wait."
"… ...It sounds like a good idea."
"And the rest of us?" Matt asked.
"We'll wait here," Alex replied. "When we need to join them, all we need to do is have Tentomon and Biyomon digivolve and fly us there."
Amy nodded. "And we Sailor Scouts can jump rather large distances if we need to, so it won't be too crowded." She frowned. "And on the off chance that we actually do need to help Serena out, we can launch attacks from the air."
Izzy nodded. "I'll keep my computer running for now, as I doubt that this group is the only one that will want to enter the shrine. Maybe we can use that to our advantage as well."
Mimi smirked. "And this is why Izzy is a genius," she said, hands on his shoulders. But considering her exact location, she missed the slight coloring of his cheeks at her praise.
Another smirk graced Amy's lips at that. Definitely something to talk about later.
Serena was on the verge of growling in frustration.
Not because of the fact that her friends hadn't arrived to rescue her(though knowing Amy so well, she suspects that they're letting her have first crack at these guys.) Nor is it because she's been trussed up like a slab of meat, though that certainly had its hand in her current mood.
No, her frustration stemmed by what parts of her body were being rubbed raw; namely her abdomen.(See? She knew how to use medical terms, too!) Apparently, the brigand didn't really care about her comfort at the moment, but considering the fact that her shirt had moved up enough to bare her stomach, and it was over rough leather, made her current position very uncomfortable. Right now, she just wanted it to be over with already.
As if to give exactly what she wanted, the horse suddenly stopped, and she felt her rider dismount. She was quickly pulled off, and tossed over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. 'The second I get the chance, I'm so going to break this guy's jaw,' she thought to herself, as she was carried toward a tent. She assumed it was a tent, because if they didn't even have that, then they were bigger idiots than she thought. 'I guess I'll see soon enough.'
Then she got a glimpse of where they were, and her original thoughts were set aside by surprise. It was as if something divine had its hand in this. After all, what else could explain them taking her directly to the shrine itself? Of course, she had had an inkling of their general direction, as the feeling of sadness had been growing more apparent with every minute of travel.
And then her view of the structure was blocked when they entered a pretty large tent, where she was unceremoniously dumped to the ground. Her bindings were cut so she could move about under her own power. And then he exited, leaving her alone.
Quickly rising to her feet, she quickly massaged her wrists. "Jerks," she muttered, taking a look around her decidedly sparse surroundings. "Well, at least it's furbished." A few chairs, a chest that obviously held supplies, a table that had a few dining utensils on it, and a bed. Clearly set up for long term living, which meant they had been here for quite some time. There was only one way out, as it looked as though they had nailed the tent down with more stakes than necessary. All in all, not really
Her observations complete, Serena decided to sit in one of the chairs, and wait for whoever the commander of this group to come to her.
She hoped it wasn't a long wait. She really did have a hard time sitting in one spot on any given day.
–-
"She hasn't even tried to escape," the guard reported the second the commander approached. "She simply sat down in a chair, crossed her legs, and that is it. She hasn't moved from her position for almost ten minutes."
The commander nodded, a little unnerved by this rather… bare assessment of their prisoner. He would have expected fear, anger, panic, even an attempt at flight. But… nothing? A prisoner, simply waiting for what? Did she actually believe that her comrades were going to rescue her? Was she arrogant enough to assume that she could escape if they let their guard down?
Or was she capable enough to actually succeed?
Deciding that he could get some answers about her motivations later, he squared his shoulders, took a breath, and entered the tent.
And sure enough, there she was, sitting there as if she were the leader of their group and not him; their blond captive. Her back straight, legs crossed, her eyes immediately focusing on him as he entered her sight, she was a vision of authority. He could almost say that she was royalty.
"I am Commander Davidson," he said, filing his observations away. "I am the one in charge of his small group. I trust your journey here was relatively painless."
One delicate eyebrow arched at this. "My name is Serena, and I found the journey to be rather uncomfortable," she replied archly. "I also found your men's behavior to be atrocious. They should know how to treat a woman properly." She paused for a second. "Oh, yes, and there is the small, somewhat insignificant fact that you kidnapped me. I trust that we are not forgetting that."
Well, she had spirit. That and composure. She could have indeed been a Princess with that composure. And it almost looked as though she was assessing him as well.
Stamping down his sense of unease, he sat down in one of the other chairs, facing her. He felt the chair shift slightly underneath him, and winced. He really needed to get these replaced soon. "Our apologies, Miss Serena, but as you can no doubt tell, we find ourselves rather curious about you and your little group of travelers."
"Uh huh." She certainly didn't appear fazed by this, as if she had already expected that. "And what are you so interested about where we are concerned? It certainly can't be because you are looking for brides."
"Actually… we are curious about your monster pets."
"They are not our pets."
"What?"
"They are not pets. They are our friends."
Interesting… interesting. He would file this away for later consideration, to see if they could use this to their advantage. "So, they are sentient, then?"
"Oh yes. If they weren't, then I doubt you and I would be having this wonderful conversation." Serena observed him for a second, making him feel rather uncomfortable. "On a similar note, if you are curious as to their abilities, then I fear you have captured the wrong person."
Davidson nodded at this, not really surprised. "To be fair, we were trying to obtain one of them as well, but we were unsuccessful." He smiled. "However, I can take setbacks if something comes out of it. And a vision of loveliness is something no man or woman can ignore."
Now, once again, it should be noted that Serena wasn't stupid, nor was she as dense as people made her out to be. More to the point, she was very well aware of her own physical beauty. And though she had never had any need, she did know how to use that to her advantage. Every lesson she had learned in her previous life came back to her in a flash, especially one in particular.
"For a beautiful woman in a perilous situation, their very beauty can be used as a distraction, as a tool, or as a weapon. Sometimes, it can be the greatest weapon of all." It was a lesson that she was told would only be effective in certain situations, and it would be up to her to decide if the situation warranted it.
Deciding that this situation warranted it, Serena smiled. "Well Davidson, I can't be that lovely. I mean, I have to look like a bit of a fright." That was an understatement. Her clothes had been torn from the rough handling, she was missing a shoe, and her hair was trying to escape from imprisonment.
Davidson nodded. "I believe I can help you with that. There is a spring nearby that you can use to bathe in. And I'm certain that we have some garments that will fit you." He rose to leave, but stopped for a second. "I will have some guards to watch over you. You understand, of course."
"Of course." She waited until he was gone, before her smile became a little bit more smug. "Time to have some fun," she mused, almost wickedly. "I just hope that the others hold off the rescue for a few hours."
"Looking… looking… found her!" Phacia declared, hand held telescope pressed against one eye. "She's coming out of one of the tents, three guards following her."
Amy nodded, not really surprised by this. If you were a roaming band of miscreants, you wouldn't have a sure fire way to keep a prisoner locked away. You either killed them outright, or you kept a heavy guard on them. "Can you tell me where they are headed?" she asked.
"...It looks like they are headed toward what looks like a natural spring located at the edge of the camp." Phacia handed the telescope over to Rei, before walking over to Amy. "If I didn't know any better, I would think she was going to take a bath."
"She probably is. Travel on the road doesn't actually give you many chances to bathe."
The group had set themselves on a hill about one hundred feet away from the camp, so as to not be so easily seen by the lookouts that were so obviously placed. This merely cemented Amy's opinion of their intelligence. Just because they knew next to nothing, one would think that they would at least have the common sense to hide their sentries. If she had wanted to, she could have taken them out right there and then, without her powers to boot!
Phacia sighed. "I counted at least six different times Serena could have made a break for freedom and succeeded, and she didn't take any of them. Does she not even realize this?"
Rei smirked from her position. "I think she is very aware of this," she replied. "But I also think that she wants to know what the hell the bandits are doing here. And you can't do that if you are trying to escape."
"Correct," Amy stated, she and Darien sharing a knowing look. "She's going to earn their trust, and most likely distract them with her charms. The ideal strategy to use in this case."
Jessica looked at Amy. "What charms?"
"...Physical." Amy turned to look at Rei. "I don't know if you've noticed or not, but Serena has had a bit of a growth spurt since we arrived on Lunar, though you couldn't tell by her clothes. Her bust has notably increased in size, and her butt's rounded out a bit. Her legs and arms have become far more toned, her abdomen more defined, and I think she even grew an inch and half in height." She shrugged. "What I can tell you is that, in the space of a month, and by means even I haven't been able to determine yet, she has acquired the body of a twenty year old woman at peak physical perfection. And that's just the outer improvements."
Rei nodded. "I thought Serena looked older for some reason," she noted. "I just thought it was my imagination, though." She shrugged, before focusing back at the task at hand. "So physically, she's perfect. What about intellectually?"
"… Rei, do you remember any of your previous life's education?"
"Not really."
"Well, Serena and I were taught that certain political skills had a use outside of government. One; If a person possesses great beauty, one should utilize that beauty to distract your opponent. Two; If you have a natural charisma, then you can use that to put yourself into a more favorable position."
Darien grinned. "Serena has both, so she stands a very good chance of gaining their trust."
Luna Two giggled as she took Rei's place, Rei coming to plop down next to Phacia. "How do you think I keep Alex and Nall in line?"
Rei turned to look at her. "Sugar words, then a strike of fear?"
Amy's smirk became smug. "Fear comes later," she informed them, "once she has lulled them into a false sense of security."
"Now I want some popcorn."
Jessica listened to the conversation going on in front of her, noting everyone's bodies. Rei's was tense, though the tension seemed to be lessening somewhat as they talked. Amy's was as relaxed as anyone could be, nearly nonchalant. Darien was much of the same, though he did seem alert. And Luna Two seemed to shift between the two.
Phacia's followed a similar path to Luna Two, only it was far more subtle. She seemed to be at a constant state of readiness, ready to move at a moment's notice. It was somewhat confusing to watch. Only one who has seen a great deal of battle would have that kind of preparation. 'I've learned something new about Phacia,' she mused thoughtfully, 'not that it means much. We have a few in our order who used to train as soldiers before changing their focus. Still, that's one more thing that I know about her.'
"Okay, she has no problem disrobing in front of complete strangers," Phacia noted quite suddenly, sounding rather impressed as she passed the scope over to Rei. "By the Goddess, you were right, Mercury. Truly impressive."
"What?" Jessica asked, flabbergasted.
"Serena's chest is the what," Rei replied, her eyes now wide. "Have to admit, that is a nice set of knockers. I am now officially jealous of the Meatball Head."
Amy turned to look at Rei in disbelief, not really believing what was coming out of her mouth. "Why are you ogling Serena's breasts?" she asked. "Do you do this with Lita, and does she know about it?"
Jessica and Darien looked at one another, before cracking up as the Mars Senshi blushed beet red, knowing why she asked that. Sailor Jupiter was indeed very well endowed. Even a blind man could see that.
It certainly was an ice breaker, removing their focus from their worries for a moment. Even Phacia had a chuckle escape.
Serena luxuriated in the water, not even feeling the chill of the air around her as she bathed. (Something she was going to talk to her Goddess about when she saw her again.) She had even let her hair loose to properly wash it. It had been a while since she had a chance to properly clean herself, (all of them, really,) and she wasn't going to rush this opportunity.
It also served as a test of sorts; to assess the guards and how they were acting. And to no surprise of hers, their reaction was exactly as she expected. They were openly leering at her, with no attempt of trying to be respectful. 'Geez, if these two are what I can expect, then I will have this whole camp wrapped around my finger by the end of the day,' she thought, rolling her eyes. 'But I won't be cocky. This will be more difficult than dealing with those two assassins.' She giggled as she remembered that particular fiasco, though it ultimately ended on a very good note. An embezzling nobleman was uncovered and arrested, and she and Amy gained a new friend/bodyguard. And she took out an assassin to boot. 'By the Goddess, we put Mother through a lot,' she thought, giggling. 'If her hair wasn't already silver, we probably would have turned it gray when we turned twelve.'
A sound behind her reminded her that she was not alone, and that she was presently a 'captive' to some very 'bad' people. She rinsed the rest of the soap from her body, and grabbing her drying cloth, rose and dried herself. (Again, taking her time so she could observe the guards as she did so, and wondering how it was that the males of the species were considered dominant.) She didn't have any real modesty issues, since she was comfortable either clothed or naked. Something that still confused the other Senshi to no end(save for Amy, but then again, she had converted her.)
She got dressed, pausing only for a second when she observed the garments she had been given. 'Not TOO bad, but I really hope Rini stays back for a bit,' she mused, rolling her eyes at the lecherous thoughts of some people. 'I don't think she wants to be scarred by seeing me in this.'
Davidson looked up as the guards entered his tent, followed by their new 'guest.' His eyes widened slightly in appreciation. "Well, I dare say the garments suit you very well, milady," he said.
Serena inclined her head slightly. Her garments, an almost-transparent-but-not-quite top with spaghetti shoulder straps, and a matching skirt with slits on both sides going up all the way to her hips. They were gold in color, complimenting her tanned skin perfectly, and molded to her body in all the right places. She wasn't sure where they got the clothes, but she had a very good idea as to what they were for. "They'll do," was all she said, keeping her tone neutral. "I just hope the person who held onto them last willingly gave them to you."
"...Well, in this case, she did. She was once a member of our group, but left us for 'legitimate' work. Last I heard, she was a tavern wench in Meryod."
"Ah. But here..."
Davidson nodded. "Yes, she was our pleasure girl," he confirmed. "She danced, served us in every way, and distracted patrols with her charms."
Serena had a very good idea as to what charms he was talking about, and barely refrained from sighing. 'Well, at least he understands the using what you have,' she thought, 'even if it's for the wrong reasons.' Out loud, she asked, with the appropriate amount of disbelief in her voice, "Well, is that the reason why you gave me these clothes? Are you seeking a new pleasure girl?"
"Oh, no. You don't need to worry about that. Right now, you are a guest. Making you a servant would be… rude."
That was a bit of a relief, but not by much. She had a distinct feeling that if she stayed around for too long, that would be exactly what she would be forced to do. She would have to move quickly that wasn't an option at any point.
"I am most curious about one thing," she finally decided to say, focusing on something that wasn't as dreary. "I find myself wondering; Have you ever set foot inside the shrine that sits before us? I know that it is considered to be a safe haven. I also know that no one has been here for a hundred years due to the Heresy Wars."
"...Sadly, no, but not for lack of trying." Jacob gestured for her to sit down, pulling out two cups and a bottle of wine. Filling each glass with half a glass, he offered one to her, which she took. "Every single time we attempt to breach… we find ourselves unable to."
"Are there defense there? Some sort of warding spell?" If there were, then there was no chance of anyone getting in without someone knowledgeable in ward breaking.
"There is, but that is not the only thing. There is also the Goddess Divinity Sphere to take into consideration. Right at the shrine, the emanations are so strong, we are forced to turn away. It's one of the many reasons why the camp is set here, rather than in front of the doors."
That made Serena feel a little better, knowing that they hadn't desecrated holy ground in that matter. And she could understand that. Considering what she was feeling, she was amazed that she hadn't broken down in tears. 'What happened here that was so horrible to cause such a thing? Did Althena lose one of her Guardians here?
And why does this feel… familiar to me?'
Re-focusing on the conversation, the young woman decided to begin collecting information, starting with the most obvious point. "So, how long have you been camping here?" she asked, while rubbing her communicator (which they hadn't taken off of her when she was unconscious, much like the broach presently in her bag. The idiots.) to open a one way link to Amy's.
Davidson grinned. "Well..."
"Okay, they've only been outside the shrine for about four months, trying to breach the wards," Amy reported. "Despite previous concerns, there is only eighty of them, and most of them are pretty antsy. And it sounds like Serena was successful in wrapping their leader around her finger." She sighed. "No offense Greg, but some men truly do think with their other head."
Rei and Luna Two nodded in agreement with that, the former rather surprised. She honestly didn't think that Serena could have done that, but Serena was definitely accomplishing it. The idiot man was telling them everything they wanted to know.
Phacia chuckled. "That poor man. He must think that if he can impress her with his plans, she will join him." She paused for a second. "Would she lay with him if she thought it would get her more information?"
"… ...If it became absolutely necessary, or if she thought her life was in danger. And I'm pretty sure that on a purely physical level, she would find some enjoyment from it. I doubt it will happen in this case, though."
"Did it happen in the past? Without her permission, I mean?"
"Thank the Goddess, no!" Darien replied. "If anyone even tried that with her, Amy and I would have killed the bastard..."
"Or bitch," Amy threw in.
"...who forced that issue!" he finished. "And that's if Serena didn't do it first!"
"We get pretty violent when we're protecting one another," Amy explained casually, gaze never leaving her communicator.
Phacia nodded, a little paler than before. She was really hoping that the poor bandit leader didn't do anything to anger these two.
"Amy has entered a state of mind that we of the 30th Century know as the Mercury Serenity," Rini declared dramatically, arms spread wide as if regaling an epic tale. "It is in this state that she is at her most dangerous. Why, during the Crystal War, it is said that while in the MS, she single-handedly defeated an army of forty thousand demons, while turning the lower Sahara into an arctic tundra." She paused for a second. "Don't let her know that, please?"
Pluto chuckled as T.K. and Kari oohed and aahed at that, with a little giggle for that last bit. "Actually, it was fifty thousand troops," she corrected. "There was no finesse, no grace. It was just one giant, brutal push." She smirked. "It also ended the war by putting the ever living fear of God into them."
"Luna P! I was trying to tell a story here!"
"You should be accurate when telling a story, Small Lady."
The two Digi-Destined started laughing as the two of them bickered. They were really an odd couple of friends, especially considering their ages.
Sora smiled, before asking, "So, this Mercury Serenity, which is a pretty weird name, is when her focus is at its peak."
"And her rage," Pluto added. "Unlike others who fly into a blinding fury and are thus easier to defeat, Amy's ironically made her more aware of her surroundings, making it nearly impossible to catch her unaware. This rare combination made her so dangerous."
"And she always wins," Rini threw in. "Always."
"And Neo-Queen Serenity?" Gatomon asked.
"Oh, she doesn't have a state like that. In actuality, she doesn't need one." Pluto smiled as she shifted slightly. "Serena is a master of manipulation, as she is presently demonstrating at the bandit's camp. She has an uncanny ability to make anyone trust her, just by speaking with her." She shook her head. "Why she doesn't use this gift on us or her parents… or the bulk of the human race, is beyond me."
"Might be because she actually cares what people think of her," Luna replied, joining them. "The two of them are alike in that respect. The number of times Amy has entered that state of mind, I can still count on one paw, and Serena doesn't see a need to use her skills in day to day life… or in battle for that matter. If either decided to do that, let alone both of them..."
No more needed to be said. Those present could guess what might happen.
"And now you see why I need to break this seal," Davidson finished, setting his glass down.
Serena nodded. "Yes, indeed I do," she replied, sipping her own glass of wine with considerable skill. Not only was it considered good manners, it also made her appear more sophisticated. Exceptional manners could make a commoner look like a noble, making it appear as if they were more important. In her case, it made the man across from her want to treat her with respect. How one viewed her was the most vital aspect in a situation like this.
What was more, it made him want to tell her everything.
Apparently, he believed that the Shrine before held the Goddess's fabled treasure; a series of artifacts that were said to be blessed by Althena herself. They would not only be worth a fortune to anyone who wanted to buy them, but they were also rumored to give the one who possessed them special abilities. What they were, no one knew, but it was probably something powerful.
She now knew two things; that these people were stupid, and that they could not be allowed to get their hands on the artifacts.
Setting her glass down, she eyed her 'host' shrewdly. "Sir Davidson, what makes you think that these artifacts are here, or even real?" she asked.
Davidson shrugged. "I'm not certain they are," he replied, "but there is something important behind those walls. Why else would there be protection wards placed upon it?"
'Oh, because it's a holy site, and people may not want those with less than honorable intentions to go in,' she thought to herself, barely resisting the urge to snort derisively. 'Really, does this guy have no brains at all?'
Davidson suddenly looked at her. "Why are you so interested in this?" he asked, observing her like a hawk. "You don't strike me as someone who would be interested in shiny baubles."
"I'm not. I'm more interested in various religious beliefs," Serena replied. And it was the truth. "If you were able to breach the wards of the place, then there could be some ancient scriptures within that no one has seen for a long time."
"Well then-,"
A guard suddenly entered the tent, disrupting their conversation quite abruptly. "My apologies sir, but our scouts have reported that a small force are approaching from the east. It's the Red Hand."
"Blast it. They finally found us." He rose to his feet, inclining his head toward Serena. "My apologies, Milady, but I need to take care of this right now." He quickly exited the tent, the guard following him.
Serena waited for a few seconds, before pressing the SPEAK button, using the Crystal to create a brief sound hindering field around herself. "You get all of that, Amy?" she asked.
"Every last word. I've already sent word to Izzy about that. How's everything going for you?"
"So far, he's treated me like royalty. I get the feeling that will change sooner or later. But anyway, I have an idea as to how we can use that other group to our advantage."
"Please, do tell," Amy replied, grinning.
The group watched, waiting with baited breath as Izzy did his scan of the encroaching group, comparing it with what they knew of Davidson's faction. Once they had a clear idea of what they were dealing with, then they could move on.
Finally, Izzy leaned back, sighing in relief. "Okay, both sides are equally matched," he reported. "Same weapons, same numbers, and apparently the same mentality." He rubbed his eyes at the level of stupidity some people had. "If we wanted to, we could wipe the floor with them all with one Sailor Scout."
"Without being transformed," Jupiter added, grinning widely. It was a confidence born out of experience, of dealing with youma and other creatures far more powerful and more intelligent than these people.
Artemis frowned. "Still, this is quite telling. This shrine must be very important. Why else would anyone want to try and break in to steal some shiny baubles?" he asked. "I mean, what is so important about this Shrine? I mean, wouldn't Althena's Order remove anything that could be of any real value?"
"Well..."
Everyone's attention shifted toward Nash, who was looking thoughtful. It was clear that he had a theory about that, but wasn't sure if it was relevant. "Well… what?" Palmon asked, after a moment had past.
The apprentice shrugged. "I have heard rumors and stories concerning this shrine," he admitted. "That it was more than simply a tourist attraction. It might have been the home to one of Lunar's sub-religions, as well."
Mimi blinked, a little surprised by this. "Sub-religion?" she repeated. "You mean, a breakaway religion that worships the Goddess?"
"Something like that… only they don't worship just Althena." He noticed that everyone was now paying him full attention, and pushed on. "Not much is really known about it, only that it does exist. The Magic Guild has even had members visit several times a year to see if anyone is interested in joining their little group."
"So they're a cult," Joe noted.
"No, they're not. If anything, they are as devout to Althena as any member of her Order. They pay homage to their Goddess first, and they pay homage to Althena. In fact, some of their order hold very prominent positions with Althena's order as well."
Mina thought about it for a second, before asking, "Anything else?"
"Well… I'm guessing you all are now aware about the personal aspects of our society's"
"You mean the fact that people keep walking up to us, asking if we would like a roll in the hay?"
"Yes."
"Why do they do that?" Luna One asked.
"Althena preaches freedom in all forms to a certain extent," Alex replied. "There are still rules in place. For starters, permission must be given before any sort of intimate contact is initiated, especially if the one in question is in a relationship already. If the person says no, then that's it. If one is harmed in any way, there are punishments."
"And that is the crux of the sub-religion," Nash continued. "They took that aspect, and took it to its logical conclusion."
T.K., Kari, and Rini looked at each other in confusion. "Uh… what aspect are you talking about?" the young boy asked.
"We'll tell you when you're older," Matt replied hastily.
"So," Joe began, bringing their attention back to the issue at hand, "how are we going to deal with this new group? Are we going to attack, or are we going to try something else?"
"Some thing else," Alex replied, grinning. "And I think Serena has an idea on what to do…"
Serena lowered her communicator, canceling the silencing spells as she smiled. Everybody had agreed that her plan sounded pretty good (which shocked Rei as planning battle strategies wasn't really her forte,) and had the added bonus of there being no fatalities in the process if everything went as scripted. Alex and Tai even volunteered. All they needed was time to implement it. She would have to be patient for just a little bit longer.
To keep herself occupied, she observed her surroundings, making note of every item in the tent, as well as its exact location. She didn't touch anything, as she didn't want it to look like she was spying on the man. She didn't even move from her seat.
Not that there was anything that would have been useful to use. The chair she was sitting on, the table, even the bed in the corner looked like they had seen better days, and the cups they had been using were chipped and cracked,(She was surprised that they hadn't started leaking.) There were a few items on the table, but they were just bits and pieces of jewelry. Nothing really worth anything.
'Guess it makes it more difficult for someone to steal from him,' she mused thoughtfully, a little impressed. She still didn't respect him, but she would give credit where credit was due. She stretched out a little bit. She had been sitting in the same spot for nearly an hour.
The tent flap opened, admitting Davidson back within. He noticed that Serena hadn't moved from her seat. In fact, the only thing she had done was stretch herself out a bit. His eyes widened a little at this display.
Serena pretended not notice the heat of his gaze as he involuntarily roamed along the length of her body, instead asking, "So, have my friends come to rescue me from your clutches? Or am I still your guest?"
The question seemed to jump-start his brain again, and he quickly cleared his throat. "N-no. It's just that other group is nearly here, and I will be leading my forces to engage them. I trust that you won't try and escape while this is happening."
"On the contrary, I don't need to. This is where we were heading anyway, so I think I'll just sit here, and read a book." She smirked. "Unless of course, you would like to keep me company before my inevitable rescue."
He promptly turned around, and exited, beet red from embarrassment. Just as she had intended. Her smirk shifted to a scowl. "Yeah, he definitely thinks with his other head," she grumbled, standing up. "Taking him out would be justice for all of the women he probably took without their consent." But that was something that could wait. In the meantime, she could now perform a more active search of the tent.
This time, her search yielded two things. The first thing was a book called The Other Faith's of Lunar, which she took and set on the table. She knew that there might be information there that could prove useful.
The second thing she found was a pendant, one that at first glance didn't seem of relevance. It was just a symbol molded out of copper, with a piece of string looped through a hole. In most circumstances, all it would be was something to wear.
But for Serena, it suddenly became the most important thing in her life. Because she recognized the symbol. And she immediately guessed that their destination was not what they had originally thought. 'That son of a bitch!' she snarled internally, her gaze darkening. He dares to desecrate one of HER shrines?!' Now she wished she had taken him out the very first second they had met.
Calming down, she picked up the book, and opening it. Getting angry wouldn't be productive in this case. Besides, he would be dealt with, in a sense, within the next half hour, if Alex's plan worked.
Turning to the third page, even as the steady march of multiple feet began permeating the tent, she began to read…
Davidson nodded as his scouts gave their reports, frowning thoughtfully. "Our two forces re equally matched," he stated, going through every single relevant strategy he had, and discarding them one at a time. "There are very few hills in the direction they are coming, and they are too close to try an effect a retreat." Not that he would retreat. He had come too far to simply sacrifice this prize. No one else was getting the glory and the silver that came with it.
Reaching a decision, he ordered, "Gather our troops. We'll meet them head on."
"Annnnnnnnnd… there they go," Mercury reported, watching as the bulk of the bandit force started making their way out of the camp. "Right on schedule."
Greg stood up, stretching out a little to get circulation back into his legs. "So, how long?" he asked.
"Once the sun begins to set. Then we can begin our leisurely stroll down to the encampment without anyone stopping us."
"With Serena dealing with the remaining guards," Darien added, probably a little too gleefully. Then again, he had been separated a little too long from his girlfriend, so that was a little justified.
Rei smirked. "Good thing for us. Not so good for them." Luna Two nodded in agreement.
Phacia merely rolled her eyes, just hoping that Serena's plan worked. Otherwise, they would have a bit of a fight on their hands.
The bandits reached their opposition without any difficulty, as there was literally nothing stopping them. No snipers stationed to take them out one by one, no traps set to thin their numbers. All in all, one of the sloppiest tactical strategies anyone would have seen, if they were being graded for it. There were plenty of hills in the area, but they were not being utilized.
And here was the brilliance of the plan developed by Serena. It would require pinpoint accuracy and excellent timing, but if everything worked out, then there would be no casualties.
Alex watched as the two sides approached, picking up speed as they did so, as he calculated the exact moment to give the order. "Now," he whispered.
As the two forces approached the point before the final charge, a thin line of fire suddenly shot right across the field between them, cutting them off. It happened so quickly, that neither side had a chance to locate its point of origin. The fire stopped after a second, then split, circling around both armies, trapping them behind a wall of flame. Shouts of terror and confusions emerged from multiple throats. Were the legends true? Was there a defense to the shrine besides the door and the walls? Was it cursed?
Tai and Agumon, unseen from a nearby hill, smirked at each other, before giving Alex a thumbs up. Mission accomplished.
Alex grinned. "Let's let Amy know that she can head for the Shrine now. I'm sure she's suffering from Serena withdrawal. And speaking of the woman, let her know that she can 'escape.'"
"Oh, boys!" Serena's voice called out from within the tent in a seductive tone. "Could you come in here please? I have something I want to show you."
Now, to give credit where credit was due, the two guards stationed in front of the tent had not moved once since the rest of the group had moved out. They hadn't gone to get some food, or even reading material, proving that they had a little bit of discipline. Of course, they probably didn't know how to read, so that wouldn't have been saying much.
Unfortunately for Davidson, these two were the same guards who had been ogling Serena while she bathed, so they were more likely to use their other heads for thinking rather than the one that was actually important for thinking. Especially when a lovely woman was involved. They grinned a tone another, before entering the tent.
Of course, as anyone with actual intelligence can tell you, what Serena wanted to show them wasn't exactly what they were expecting. The first guard was promptly knocked out cold by a high kick to the face, hitting the sweet spot with what could only be seen as a lucky shot. The other guard, stunned by this sudden attack, was therefore unable to react in a timely manner, when a pair of muscular thighs were wrapped around her neck, bringing him down to the floor and cutting off his air supply. He couldn't even appreciate the obvious perfection of them, as he had slightly more important problems to contend with.
Serena, for her part, simply held onto the choke hold until she felt the guard finally stop struggling. Finally letting go, she checked to make sure he was still able to breathe. Once she confirmed he was, she smirked. "Was it good for you, too?" she asked sassily, before exiting the tent.
She took immediately notice to how deserted the camp was, and grinned. If Alex and Tai's trap held, then this would be short and sweet. She moved to conquer.
The soldiers, by contrast, had no real comprehension as to what was happening. One moment, they were simply patrolling the camp, minding their own business. The next, they were being taken out by a fast moving force. Very few of them even caught a glimpse of the person that attacked them before being rendered unconscious. All of them were suffering from bruises and a few concussions.
Serena, by contrast, was enjoying herself immensely. Her current outfit, while lacking in the modesty department, offered her full freedom of movement. And, as she had learned during her time in Althena's Shrine, her flexibility had increased. Before, if she hadn't transformed, she would definitely felt some strain when attempting anything that involved stretching. Now, she had no problem with it. 'I'm going to have Amy perform a full physical examination of me when we get some privacy,' she decided. 'I want to see just how much I've been enhanced.'
Seeing two soldiers who had finally realized just who it was that was attacking them, and were coming at her from both sides, she stopped, and leaped up, kicking them both hard. They hit the ground, stunned.
Serena landed in a crouch, just as another soldier flew overhead into a tent. "Hello, my Goddess," she called out casually.
"Hello, my Heart," Mercury returned immediately, walking up to her, smiling. "I see you have been quite busy." She took a look around. "Ah, a traditional Moon Princess ass whipping. Haven't seen one since our first month as Senshi."
"Ah, fun times. Then the others started activating, and I had to hide behind an airhead persona. Which sucked, by the way. I'm happy I don't have to do that anymore. Where are the others?"
"Most of them are about half a mile out. I obviously brought Greg, Darien and Rei, as well as Jessica, Luna Two, and Phacia."
"Speaking of us," the aforementioned Darien stated as the group walked up, "the rest of the guards have been tied up." He gave his girlfriend a once over. "I love your clothes."
Luna Two smiled. "Is it the clothes, or the woman wearing them?"
"Both, actually."
"You would," Serena pointed, grinning as she gave him a short, loving kiss. "So would you, Amy."
"But of course," Amy replied, grinning. "It suits you perfectly." For a second, she wondered if she should tell her about Rei's comments concerning her chest, but opted not to. Best to keep for a day when they were just relaxing. "Anyway, we should check and see if this was worth all of the aggravation."
Phacia nodded. "Indeed."
And here is Part Three of this chapter. Again, apologies for the lateness. I got caught up with Terreria and other games.