Minako predicted the outcome of the battle before it happened.
She saw Rei waning. Her energy depleting. The permanent scowl she wore intensified. Minako could see her gears turning, considering her options as the duel waged on and neither opponent gained so much as an inch from the other.
Then Rei's breath hitched. It was subtle. If Mina blinked, she would have missed it. Rei choking back a sob, then intentionally throwing herself into the arc of his swing to get close enough to stab Takashi through the neck.
To the untrained eye, it would appear a mistake. A miscalculation. But Minako saw the action for what it truly was.
A sacrifice.
The few seconds she had were not enough to mentally prepare herself for the utter agony, the frigid hands crushing her heart inside of her chest, as she helplessly watched Rei's lifeless body crumple to the dirt.
"Rei!"
Takashi's dead weight smothered his small daughter's frame. They fell like bloody ragdolls. Minako's tears flowed in abundance. She screamed and struggled against her bonds, needing to get to Rei. She couldn't die. She couldn't sacrifice her life for Aino Minako, also known as Sailor V, the fraud. The woman who sold her soul to the templars, all so she could maintain her rich and famous lifestyle.
Rei was too young to die. Their relationship was too young.
No matter how hard she struggled, Mina could not break free from the cable ties keeping her wrists and ankles in place. She yanked hard enough to draw blood, and still her restraints refused to wield.
Minako paused to catch her breath and heard them. The crows had been crying along with her this entire time, she realized upon silencing herself. The pair made themselves known in a flurry, blustering through a broken window to her left. Misery gave way to bafflement when they flocked toward her instead of Rei.
One landed at her feet, while the other disappeared behind her. She felt their talons and beaks on her, working to free her from the wooden beam. Minako held her breath, not daring to get her hopes up. A long, agonizing minute passed as she stared at the fallen bodies on the ground. The only traces of the Shrine Maiden were long strands of dark hair and her arms extending out from beneath Takashi's body.
Minako felt time freeze, until she noticed the pool of blood swelling with each painful second. It was a steady reminder of Rei's life pouring from her body, as she did nothing to save her.
The moment Minako felt her restraints loosen against the crows' ministrations, she bolted for Rei's incapacitated body. She paused to scoop Artemis into her arms. It hurt, but she forced herself to gaze into his cold, dead eyes. Blood matted his fur. His visage remained contorted with pain. In the short second she allowed herself to reflect on their relationship, she felt the magnitude of not only his dedication to her, but the purity of their love. There were never any conditions or ultimatums.
Their bond was the purest one in her life, and now it was over.
With fresh tears trickling down her cheeks, Minako ran to Rei and Takashi's dead bodies. She knelt down, placed Artemis beside her, and used all of her strength to roll Takashi off of Rei. His dead weight provided a lot of resistance, and was made no easier with her lacerated wrists and the wound in her side. Grunting, Mina shoved him away.
The crows swarmed Rei as soon as her body was uncovered.
"Oh my god…" Minako gasped upon receiving an intimate view of the assassin's body. Pints of blood poured from the small tear in her shirt. Mina lifted her upper body close to her chest. Rei's mass of dark locks were heavy with blood.
Ignoring reason, Mina placed her fingers against Rei's neck. She held her breath while feeling for a pulse. The unnaturally white skin and cold in Rei's lifeless limbs told everything Minako needed to know, but she refused to admit what she already knew to be true.
"Come on, Rei! Please." Minako choked down a sob as she shook the Shrine Maiden's corpse. "Please say something… anything… Yell at me! Tell me how stupid I am!"
The cruelty of the universe had no bounds. How could Rei be gone already, when they'd barely begun to explore the depths of their feelings for one another? After Minako gave voice to the words she had never said to anyone before Rei? Before they had an opportunity to learn the depths of their forbidden romance's potential?
This was all Takashi's fault. If he hadn't allowed himself to be seduced by Kaiou Michiru all those years ago. Whatever she had told him corrupted him to the core, planting the seeds for the inevitable duel between father and daughter.
Minako cried miserably into the cold, clammy skin of Rei's neck. She hated the templars. Minako bitterly realized she was just as guilty as Takashi, for she had also been wooed by Michiru's empty promises. If only she had never joined the templars. If only she had the strength to accept her fate instead of tempting it by accepting the bargain and allowing herself to be healed by The Shroud.
Minako sat upright. Her teary eyes and mouth were agape.
"The Shroud."
Phobos and Deimos stopped trying to resuscitate Rei with their beaks. Deimos fixed Mina with a beady onyx eye, as if reading her thoughts.
The Shroud.
"I can fix this…" Minako whispered to herself as a plan began to formulate. "I can fix this!"
Reinvigorated with the possibility of bringing them back to life, Minako sprang into action. She grimaced and took a deep breath before stripping Rei of her assassin hood. It was tattered and bloodsoaked, but she needed something to cover her face. While she wasn't officially an assassin yet, she liked the idea of completing her first unofficial mission on behalf of the sisterhood while wearing their regalia.
Phobos squawked when Minako rolled Rei's body over. She poked Rei's left buttcheek with her beak several times. Frazzled as she was, it took Minako a few seconds to realize the crow wanted her to check Rei's back pocket. Swallowing her uncomfortable thoughts, Minako reached into the slim pocket of Rei's jeans. She felt the familiar pulsating before her fingers reached it.
"Oh Rei…" Minako sighed as she revealed her Sailor V mask. Rei was too proud to wear it and give herself the advantage in the fight against her father. Yet, she went to the trouble of bringing it. Mina didn't have time to wonder what Rei had been thinking. She donned the white hood, hiding her mass of golden hair inside of it.
Minako settled the magical mask on the bridge of her nose. Even in death, Rei and Takashi's bodies glowed a bright crimson light.
"So… Her Isu lineage comes from her father," Mina sighed while staring at his lifeless form through the lens of her mask.
While Minako was distracted, the crows used their beaks to unbuckle Rei's hidden blade from her forearm. Deimos dropped the device into her lap, making her jump. She reverently picked up the signature weapon of the Creed, studying the intricate, but also simple, design. Minako was only familiar with the hidden blades from being on the opposing end. She had never held one, so much as used one.
If she was going to wear the hood, she might as well wield the weapon. The crows bobbed their heads as if reading her thoughts. After locating and testing out the blade's release mechanism, Minako pulled her sleeve up and buckled the weapon to her forearm. It was lightweight, but foreign, and she rotated her arm to familiarize herself with its weight and ensure it was snug.
Satisfied and anxious to get moving, she forced herself to let Rei go. Minako laid her on her back, arranging her bangs and crossing her arms over her chest. The red tank top Rei wore blended with the blood, making it look like an innocent water spill across her midriff. Next, she collected Artemis in her arms and nestled him on Rei's belly, concealing the wound.
If she could ignore the blood, she could almost pretend they were soundly sleeping.
"I'll be back for both of you."
Minako swallowed her doubt. She could do this. Maybe her plan was reckless, or poorly thought out, but she didn't have any other choice. There was no way she could do nothing. She had a chance to bring Rei and Artemis back, and she was going to take it.
Minako walked over to Takashi. Grumbling a few choice curse words, she knelt down and fished through his pocket for the keys to his car. Her destination was many miles away, and walking there would waste too much time. After fishing out the keys to his vehicle, she dug them into her own pocket.
The strap to his holster caught her eye.
Mina had more experience with guns than hidden blades. While she had no intentions of injuring or killing anyone, she knew she would if anyone stood between her and her goal. She removed the gun from the holster and checked the chamber. It was only missing one bullet, now buried inside of Artemis.
"Better safe than sorry," she muttered while stealing his gun and holster.
After strapping the holster and loaded gun to her waist, Minako stole the keys from his pocket. She returned to her full height and studied the senseless carnage beneath her. If she stared at Rei and Artemis' bodies for too long she would start crying again, so she turned towards the car and took a deep breath.
"I'll be back in a couple of hours… I hope," Minako said to the crows, who held vigil by their human companion. Refusing to dwell on negative thoughts, she marched towards her destination.
The car chirped to life with the press of a button. Mina slid into the SUV's driver seat. She started the car and watched as the consoles powered on. Blue LED lights signaling mileage, petrol, the temperature, and the GPS turned on simultaneously.
The center console appeared to be customized to Hino Takashi's preferences. The touch screen display featured the GPS, phone, music, and other settings. Mina browsed through the GPS' list of recent locations. There were names intermingled within the addresses. Some she recognized as fellow templars or prestigious political figures. Minako didn't pay them much mind; there was only one person she sought.
Kaiou Michiru.
The Augur was listed in the device, with her phone number and address. Grateful she would not have to rely on memory to locate the mysterious woman's house, Minako set course and gripped the steering wheel. She couldn't remember the last time she drove. Being a celebrity, you were chauffeured everywhere. Driving yourself around was unheard of.
"Gas. Brake. Steering wheel. I can do this." Mina revved the engine. She drove a few circles around the abandoned lot to regain her bearings and get a feel for the vehicle. Despite its size, it was responsive and smooth.
Feeling confident, she drove onto the street and followed the on-screen directions. Minako had never been to Michiru's home before. Any of them. Ami once told her Michiru owned several properties under different aliases, and moved from one to the other every year or so. Only a handful of high ranking Council members, Takashi included, were made privy to where she slept. If the GPS idea was a dead end, Minako had planned to ask Ami; if the genius templar scientist did not know Michiru's location, she could easily find out.
This way was better. Now Ami didn't have to get involved.
Minako parked the vehicle in a public parking area about a block away from the destination location. She studied the map and street names, memorizing the path she would have to take from here.
"Showtime." Mina exited the vehicle. She used the electronic key to lock the car, then pocketed it. Street lights clicked on in unison. Minako was grateful for the darkness of night. She would not have gotten away with sulking around the shrubbery in a bloody hoodie otherwise.
Minako channeled her memories from basic training. The templars did not focus on stealth as much as the assassins, but it was part of the curriculum. They had to be as adept at hiding and striking from the shadows as their adversaries. While Minako was recruited to be Sailor V, a performer and not a killer, she was trained like every other templar.
Minako scaled a tree with a sturdy, low-hanging branch. She climbed high enough to survey the path to Michiru's house. The gated mansion was impossible to miss. Climbing the gate with her injuries would be challenging, but doable, Minako reasoned. The grounds were well-lit, but she didn't see any security. There were security cameras overlooking the backyard, which consisted of a large inground pool, with an accompanying deck, patio, and a locked outdoor bar with lounge chairs.
More impressive than Michiru's extravagant outdoor swimming pool was the range on her mask's powers. Across the spacious grounds, through the layers of wood and plaster of the mansion, she could see two human-shaped color auras. One was gold, and it belonged to a tall, lanky figure. The second was aquamarine, and Minako's guts tightened when she saw it. Without having a close look, she knew the petite figure was the Templar Augur. In one of her hands was an object that resonated a bright gold hue.
"The mirror?" Minako assumed. Michiru's mirror, which never left her side, was a Piece of Eden as well. According to Ami, it was one of the three sacred relics. Michiru discovered how to unlock its potential, and it became hers. It responded only to her, showing no one else visions of the future.
The two figures climbed a staircase. Minako scoured the rest of the mansion, looking for another golden object.
"The Shroud…" Minako sighed with relief when she saw the legendary relic glowing through the walls. Then her heart sank when she realized the two women were heading for the same room.
"Figures," Minako grumbled. Not letting the setback deter her, she began her solo infiltration mission. Approaching from the backyard undetected by the security system wasn't realistic. Remaining concealed by the trees, Mina skirted the perimeter of the mansion grounds, drawing closer and seeking out a blind spot in the cameras' field of vision.
On the side of the building where the two women's floating auras were making themselves comfortable in what Minako assumed to be a bed, she found her opening. The cameras perched on the high corners were pointed towards the grass, assuming to catch invaders from the ground. If she could get on top of the fence and leap onto a windowsill, it should bypass their line of sight. Then she could scale the building and use the hidden blade to shatter their lenses.
Committing to her ill-conceived plan, Mina took a leap of faith. She ran the length of the branch to gain momentum before launching herself onto the narrow iron gate. The short portion of narrow beam between the floral decor was barely wide enough to fit the width of both of her feet. She could not afford to be off more than a centimeter, or else she would stumble and most likely fall.
The trajectory of her leap was exact. When her feet reached their goal and her hands grasped the elaborate floral facades on either side of her, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her knees bent, and she crouched in position. Maintaining her balance with the pesky injury in her side was more difficult than it should have been.
Using all of the strength in her legs, Mina projected herself into the air. Her right hand easily made contact with the windowsill, but her left hand slipped. She fumbled, scrambling to get a firm grip without making too much noise. She swallowed an alarmed shout. Her feet scraped against the brick wall until she regained her footing.
"Shit," Mina hissed. She took a break to let her heart rate calm down. Her ears perked for any sounds of disturbance. If she focused, she could hear the sweet lull of Michiru's voice. It was muffled and Minako couldn't make out the words, but there was no mistaking the cadence of the Templar Augur's voice.
Scaling the side of the building, Minako laterally approached the cameras and took them out one by one. The hidden blade was a remarkable device. Minako could not deny how satisfying it felt. With a simple release mechanism, the blade protruded and pierced the camera lenses. The same button returned the blade home. The entire procedure took less than a second and was in complete silence. It was no wonder the assassin sisterhood were considered the most lethal killers on the planet.
After dispatching the security cameras in the vicinity, Minako returned her focus to Michiru and her guest. Their auras were close, most likely right on the opposite side of the wall. Minako climbed the building towards the window, watching the silhouettes of their bodies move. As she drew closer, she could begin to make out what they were saying.
"You are far too reckless, Ruka. I won't always be available to heal you with The Shroud."
Mina's heart leapt into her throat. She paused in her climbing to watch their auras through the wall. The golden woman was laying down while Michiru sat beside her. The Shroud was in her hands until she laid it flat across the other woman's midsection. Minako recognized the flash of light as the Piece of Eden worked its magic.
Michiru's guest released an audible sigh as her body was instantly healed.
"You said to do whatever it took to make sure Sailor V made it to the shrine. So I did." The woman's voice was husky and deep.
"You weren't supposed to be seen, let alone injured," Michiru countered.
"Whatever. I killed the assassin and when they find her body they'll think it was Takashi. Everyone knows he sulks around the shrine all the time."
Minako balked. There was an assassin trailing her when she went to Hikawa Shrine the other night? She hadn't even noticed. If it weren't for this mystery woman with Michiru, she could very well have been killed.
"And we need you alive, just as much as we need Aino Minako alive." Michiru removed The Shroud from Haruka's body, placing it on a stand beside the bed.
"So you say," the other woman said in a teasing tone. "But I'm sure you could find some other woman sharing my Isu bloodline around if you look hard enough."
The aquamarine shape of Michiru's body moved suddenly. She went from sitting on the bedside to straddling the woman beneath her. Michiru bent her face low, hovering just above the prone woman's face.
"If you died, I would single handedly usher in the Second Catastrophe to destroy this wretched planet."
The woman beneath her stuttered. "What? Why?"
Michiru's tone turned playful. "Because the world isn't worth saving without you, silly." She accentuated her unsettling tease by tapping the tip of her nose.
Minako swallowed hard. Michiru, in love? With another woman? And more importantly, what was this talk of a Second Catastrophe? Had The Augur seen something in her mirror?
The woman below Michiru reached a hand up and cupped her cheek. "We will unlock the Gates of Atlantis, just like your mirror showed you. All the knowledge and power within it will be yours."
"Don't forget the treasures," Michiru cooed in return. She leaned down, pressing her lips against her partner's neck.
The golden woman moaned. "You're the greatest treasure on the earth, Michi."
The Gates of Atlantis? No wonder Ami had been pestering her to read the report about it. What sort of knowledge and treasure did Michiru think lay beyond the gates? And how did she plan on accessing this mystical city below the ocean?
"Ruka…"
Minako could not deny how alluring the Augur's voice was. Shivers crept up Minako's spine as she watched the women slowly explore each other's bodies. This Ruka woman had large hands, and she was not shy about using them to explore Michiru's petite, curvy body. She squeezed Michiru's breasts through her shirt, eliciting a pitched cry that made Mina's skin crawl.
Sailor V cursed her luck. Watching her boss in the act was not something she planned on, as arousing as the entire spectacle was. She needed the damn Shroud, and couldn't afford to wait for their tryst to be over. And what if they stayed in bed all night? Mina didn't know if she could hang from the building all night long. The lacerations in her wrists were making this task more laborious by the second, not taking into account her older wound.
A vision of Rei's lifeless, bloody corpse renewed Minako's determination. She would not let The Shroud out of her sight.
Watching the act of lovemaking through the building's walls, with only the silhouettes of the participants' bodies glowing bright gold and teal, was a surreal experience. They removed invisible clothes and laid on an invisible bed, but the carnal acts their bodies shared was real. Their auras grew in intensity as the copulation progressed. Michiru was in control of Ruka now, with her mouth claiming a breast and her hand disappeared between her legs.
Minako tried ignoring her body's natural responses to the erotic scene before her. Rei and Artemis were dead, how could she be experiencing the telltale signs of arousal at a time like this? She tried blocking out the euphoric sounds they made as Michiru brought her lover to climax, but the uncomfortable arousal between her legs would not disappear.
"Ah! Michiru!" Ruka clung to her as she came. Through her Piece of Eden, Minako could see the blazing bright light of her aura. The golden light burst as she climaxed.
The light was sudden and intense, causing Mina to fumble from her precarious perch.
"Shit!" Minako struggled to regain her footing. Her heart raced as she came dangerously close to falling several stories to the ground.
"What was that?" Mina heard Michiru's partner exclaim. She couldn't look up, partially because she was still regaining her grip, and also because she was too afraid to find someone glaring down at her from the window.
"Just a stray cat," Michiru calmly replied. "How about we take this to the bath? You are still rather… dirty."
Distracted by Michiru's charm, Ruka obeyed. "Yes. To the bath."
Minako exhaled a sigh of relief when her feet firmly planted themselves in the natural grooves of the brick wall. She wasn't dead, and the two women were going to leave the room, and hopefully The Shroud as well.
Confident she wasn't falling, Minako glanced back up towards the bedroom. A chill ran through her when she realized the aquamarine shadow was looking directly at her.
"Something the matter?" Ruka asked.
Mina forgot to breathe.
"I just hope the kitten makes its way home."
The other woman released a raspy chuckle. "Since when are you so concerned with stray cats?"
"You know how much I like pretty things, Ruka," Michiru evasively answered while leading her out of the bedroom.
Minako shook her head, bewildered. There was no doubt in her mind that Michiru knew she was there. She stared through the wall, right at her, and even used the pet name "kitten." Instead of calling her out, Michiru practically begged her to invade her home and steal her Piece of Eden.
Like before, Minako reminded herself it was best to assume Michiru was aware of every pawn's movement in this strange game she was orchestrating. Not blessed with the time to try figuring out what Michiru and her lover are plotting, Minako seized the moment.
Using the hidden blade, she pried the window open. Minako was unsurprised to find it unlocked.
Mina landed inside the bedroom with feline precision. Her mask told her the two women were on the other side of the mansion, continuing their steamy bedroom session in a jacuzzi. She took a quick survey of the bedroom. A few paintings of oceanic landscapes hung on the walls. There were closed shuttered doors shielding what Mina assumed to be a walk-in closet. The bed was luxurious, complete with a canopy, head and footboard, and furnished with flawless, white silk sheets. The door they used to exit the room was firmly shut.
Not taking any chances, Mina closed the gap between herself and the nightstand where the Piece of Eden awaited her.
At first glance, the fabric was unremarkable. It was cream-colored linen, and frayed at the edges. Minako remembered how skeptical she had been when first laying her eyes on the ancient artifact. She didn't believe in things like magic, or technologically advanced beings who created humans to be servants, or any of the other garbage Takashi and Michiru spouted while she lay on her hospital bed.
But when Michiru laid the garment across her body, and she felt the instant glow and warmth repairing every cell in her body, she believed.
Bracing herself for what she knew was to come, Mina placed her hand on The Shroud. The slight gesture was all that it needed to work its magic. Blinding light filled the bedroom for a brief second. In the blink of an eye, each and every cell in her body became rejuvenated. The weariness, the aches, the open wounds, they all vanished as if they never existed.
Minako's skin glowed as the healing energy flowed through her. Even her hair and fingernails glistened. Taking a deep breath without the irritating pain in her side was miraculous. Scaling down the building and returning to Rei was going to be considerably easier.
The popstar stared at the cloth in her hands. The glowing ceased, making it appear as an ordinary piece of fabric again. With as much reverence and speed as possible, Mina folded the parchment into a small square. She smuggled it inside of the tight strap of Rei's hidden blade, tight enough to keep it in place.
Before leaving, Minako's eyes lingered on Michiru's hand mirror. The Piece of Eden that granted her glimpses of the future. Part of her thought to steal that too, but she decided not to tempt fate. Minako had what she came for, and reviving Rei was all that mattered.
"Just a little while longer, and we'll be together again."