A/N: I know Cross Generations is starting to wind down and the story's come off an epic finale (we're not quite done; one full chapter and an epilogue left). But, I just had to get this out since it has a tie-in to Defiants and has elements that play an important role in Cross Generations Fiction's Closure arc (Sailor Senshi-related, at least).
This mini-arc will show and explain what happened with Rei's father, Hiroaki, who was revealed to have bonded with a certain 'dark phoenix' thought long gone and this will also mark the return of a certain 'Blood Senshi' villain.
Take note: this is set before the Black Ascendants attack, so there's no spoilers to be had anymore.
With that said, enjoy.
xxxxx
Sins of a Father, Part I: Yami Houou Resurfaces
xxxxx
It has been sometime since the Dietman has interacted with either of his daughters. It used to be that every once a year he'd meet with his eldest daughter, Rei Hino, for birthday lunch. His work had kept him from being the father he wanted to be.
The stress of a politician's life had taken its toll on him. And this stress caused him to snap and even abuse his eldest daughter. However, that wasn't even the wedge that divided him and Rei. It took the passing of his first wife, which hit Rei hard. The biggest regret Hiroaki Hino made was being unable to appear for his first wife's funeral. That was the beginning of Rei and Hiroaki's already fractured relationship. Since then, Rei was left to live with her grandfather at the Hikawa Shrine.
Fresh out of high school, Rei no longer needed her father to pay for school as she worked hard on the shrine and became a working class adult. As Hiroaki stayed in the cold and corporate setting of his politician's life, Rei enjoyed the company of her friends and embraced the beauty of nature on the shrine. She also enjoyed living two lives: one as Hikawa Shrine's head miko and one as Sailor Mars, a hero of justice.
Years pass, in 2003, Rei finds out she has a younger half-sister, who was born from Hiroaki's second wife. Hiroaki had intentionally kept Cammy Hino's existence from Rei, believing his eldest daughter had disavowed him. Then, the Pharaohmon incidents happened, bringing Cammy and Rei together. As the sisters united, Rei exposed her father's old habits of abuse hadn't gone completely away. Now a legal guardian, Rei actively gained custody of her younger sister and proved her father's history of physical abuse. Nina Hino, Hiroaki's second and current wife, was horrified by her husband's actions and agreed to let Rei take custody until her husband sought psychiatric help.
To this day, Hiroaki has been actively seeking psychiatric help. He has decreased his workload, which helped with his stress.
However, he'd still have some nights where he dreamt of the 'incident' involving him and his daughter. Rei, who was possessed by Yami Houou, returned to meet with her father. While under Yami Houou's influence, she attempted to 'mend' differences with Hiroaki for good. Not one to be fooled by his daughter's sudden 'change in heart', Hiroaki called out on his daughter's manipulation and disavowed her as his child. To response, Yami Houou entered Hiroaki's mind and neutralized his mind, making him forget Rei ever showed up.
It appeared that was it and Hiroaki would forget.
However, a fragment of his mind remembers such an incident. Yami Houou had unknowingly left a parting gift for Hiroaki to remember it by.
xxxxx
Seattle, Washington/Dietman Hino's Residence/8:00 PM (PST)/April 16, 2012
Hiroaki was deep asleep. It had been another long day at the office. The daily life as a politician was once again taking a mental toll on him. Thankfully, he came home early for some good r&r. Nina was out to see some family friends, giving her husband some alone time to relax.
He was enjoying his sleep.
Then, he heard a loud whisper.
"Hiroaki… Hiroaki Hino… I know you can hear me."
His eyes snapped open as he heard the creep voice instill some fear.
"What? Who's there?" Hiroaki rose, scanning the room.
No one was home.
"Nina?"
(Cue Silent Hill 2 OST - The Darkness That Lurks In Our Mind)
"Hiiiiroaki. No, your wife isn't home. It's just US now."
"Us? Who is this?!" Hiroaki demanded as he got out of bed. "Where are you?!"
"Don't think you're being delusional, dear Hiroaki. I'm not in your bedroom. I'm not even in your home. Heheheh."
"Who are you?! Show yourself?!" The man yelled out within his bedroom. He opened a drawer and took out a pill bottle. He opened it and popped it open.
"Hehehe, you still doping on that stuff? C'mon, it's time to let it go and for US to unite, Hiroaki!"
"Leave me alone!"
"Don't you want to get back at the bitch that made your life a living hell? You know who I'm talking about. The woman I took over and made her break into your place those years ago? That same bitch who took your second daughter away and made a deal with your second wife to take custody of sweet Cammy. You're now an unstable wreck because Rei's draining you of your finances!"
"It's because of my own transgressions… I brought this upon myself…"
"That's bullshit and deep down YOU know it, Hiroaki! I can sense deep hatred for one Rei Hino. But, now that she isn't a child anymore, she has more than enough power to take things from you. Who knows? She might as well take your wife Nina away and give her a more stable life. Face it, Rei has bigger balls than you do, and she's a woman. Kinda pathetic if you ask me, Dietman Hino."
"My daughters are living happily without me. I'd rather they continue on with their lives in peace… without my intervention…"
"Screw that! Why don't WE take matters into OUR own hands. Rei has already made your life miserable. Why don't we make her and her friends' lives miserable?! Make them suffer for all the shit you've had to go through! You could've had it all and potentially become Japan's Prime Minister, but the scandal involving your daughters messed things up for ya!"
"It's my mistake and I'm working to correct them…!" Hiroaki seethed as he noticed black flames flowing out of his right hand. "What?! Oh my god…!" He saw black flames leak out and quickly consume his body. To his shock, the flames weren't burning his skin, but instead fusing with his body. "Are you what's been talking to me?!"
The flames laughed darkly. "Yes, I am a fragment of the entity that possessed your daughter when she broke into your place. I was in control of that bitch's body and I so enjoyed playing with her. While she and her friends destroyed my main body, luckily when I forced her to enter your mind a piece of me survived in you."
"This whole time… you've been inside of me…?"
"I needed time to regenerate. And lately you've been having oh so pleasant dreams of your two daughters. You so yearn to see them again. Rei and Cammy, such delicious pieces of works those two are."
(End theme)
"Those are my daughters you're talking about…!" Before Hiroaki could finish, the black flames restrained the politician and meshed with him. His caused much excruciating pain to the man. He gripped his chest and seethed with pain.
"Heheheh! So what? Does your eldest even still care for you anymore? Personally, I don't blame her. You've become such a sad state. However, with my help, WE can take revenge on Rei Hino and her loved ones! She already has a family of her own. A weird family mind you, but a family nonetheless. Why don't we go and see them?"
"I won't let you harm them…!"
"Hiroaki, you're making this difficult. I'm not asking. I am telling YOU to take my power to exact revenge for US! Let's make them suffer!"
(Cue Soundtrack Venom (Theme Song 2018 - Epic Music) - Musique film Venom)
As the Yami Houou fragment's essence seeped into his body, Hiroaki became the creature's meat puppet. Hiroaki's eyes rolled back as the black flames entered his mouth and eyes. He stood filled with the entity's dark influence filling him to the core. He reopened his eyes, which were now pitch black. His aged body underwent a physical transformation, giving him an athletic-looking frame fitting for a man in his late-50s. The dark flames covered his frame and doubled like a full bodied suit.
As his dark eyes glowed, an evil grin adorned his face. "Yes, now this feels good." He spoke in a tone unlike his own. His voice sounded distorted and twisted. "And thanks to our merger, I have full memory of what happened that night when my daughter broke into my home to confront me." He walked over, opening a drawer that had a picture of his daughters Rei and Cammy.
"WE know who they are, Hiroaki. Rei and her friends are the Sailor Senshi. Rei is Sailor Mars. WE would know since I was once apart of her." The merger with the Yami Houou fragment granted him knowledge of his daughter and her friend's Senshi identities.
'Yami Houou' Hiroaki chortled, crushing the picture and burning it with his dark flames. "Rei's still being a naughty girl. And now she's influenced Cammy. I can't let all she's done to me go unpunished." He checked the time and noted the date: April 16. "It'll be April 17th over there already. How fitting it'll be Rei's birthday."
"Then, let's wish her a HAPPY birthday!"
Hiroaki grinned wickedly. "Yes!"
(End theme)
xxxxx
Azabu-Juuban District, Tokyo/Hikawa Shrine/1:30 PM
Rei left to spend time with Usagi and the others to celebrate her 28th birthday. She left Cammy to tend to shrine duties until tonight where she and everyone else would prepare for a dinner feast at the shrine.
Cammy was in the kitchen getting ideas of what to make. She then heard the doorbell ring.
"Huh, who'd come at this time? Everyone here has a key unless sis forget to bring hers," Cammy walked over to the door. As she opened it, she was taken aback when she saw Hiroaki. She had a lump in her throat, trying to process this. "...um… father?"
Hiroaki, dressed in a black suit, greeted his daughter. "Cammy, it's been so long."
"Father, I… this is a surprise… we… I didn't expect you to come."
"I know there isn't as much hostility between us like me and Rei. I wanted this to be a surprise. I had hoped Rei would also be in."
Cammy backed away. "No, no surprise at all…" She lied, which he could detect.
"Are you alone?"
"Yeah, Rei went with her friends to celebrate her birthday."
"So, she does still care for birthdays."
"Mmhmm, Usagi always makes it a case to celebrate all her friends' birthdays no matter how old they are… they even throw me fun birthdays with my friends, too."
Hiroaki smiled darkly. "Is that right? Sounds like you two have a wonderful group of friends. And that's good to maintain good health. I'm proud you have friends to keep you company. With a care in the world."
"Well, no some of us have jobs now. My job is helping with the shrine with sister, especially after grandpa passed recently."
"Yes, I heard and I'm very sorry about the old man," Hiroaki scanned the home. "So, now you and Rei have inherited this property."
"Yeah, we did."
"And how are my grandchildren?"
"Ryuuhi and Koori? They're with Hiei now. He wanted to give Rei time to spend with Usagi and the others."
"And she left you here?"
"Because I wanted to stay and make something for dinner tonight."
"How sweet of you to make dinner for your sister. After all, she's deserving of a feast after all the hard work she's put in the shrine. It is even more beautiful here than I last remember it," Hiroaki sniffed the air and smiled.
Cammy started getting odd vibes from her father.
"Um, would you like to come in? I can't promise Rei will be back soon."
"No, I'm afraid that'd be a bother. I just wanted to stop by…"
"Maybe for some tea?"
Hearing this, Hiroaki turned to Cammy. "Maybe a sip. I haven't had good authentic tea in a long time."
As Hiroaki stepped in, the Yami Houou essence telepathically spoke to him.
"Hiroaki, I'm sensing a malevolent presence in this household. It seems to be contained. WE should look into this. Maybe it's something WE can use. Let us look for it."
Hiroaki walked into the dining area. He sat down and received a tea cup from Cammy. She poured some green tea for him.
"You've become just as beautiful like your sister, Cammy," he acknowledged her outer beauty.
"Thank you, father…" Cammy nodded, finishing pouring tea for him.
Hiroaki picked up his cup and blew on it. He sipped it and smiled with satisfaction.
"Delicious."
"I'm glad it's to your liking, father."
"Sorry, but where is the restroom?"
"Over down the hall and to the left."
"Thank you," Hiroaki walked by Cammy, who watched him and sensed something else off about him.
"What's this feeling…? It feels so familiar."
(Cue Batman: the Animated Series OST - Batman Sneaks Around)
As Hiroaki passed the hall, he turned his left and saw the bathroom. He walked into it and did his business. He then washed his hands and walked out.
"To your right, Hiroaki! That malevolent source I sensed is in that room ahead of you!"
"That's Rei's room…" Hiroaki narrowed his eyes. He looked both ways and saw no one around to see him. He snuck into Rei's bedroom and scanned around thoroughly. He saw framed photos of his daughters. He saw another with Rei, Hiei, and the children. "Those are my grandchi…"
"Hey, we don't have time for that, Hiroaki! Find the source and take it! Anyway, she's coming! And I don't mean sweet Cammy either."
Realizing who Yami Houou referred to, Hiroaki desperately looked around. He then turned and spotted a porcelain jar sitting on Rei's study desk. He probed the jar and sensed the malevolent source within it.
"Good, now let's grab it and get out!"
Hiroaki grabbed the jar.
(End theme)
Suddenly, Rei came storming in after receiving a call from Cammy. She gasped and frowned upon seeing her father taking the jar.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Rei demanded. As she fiercely walked up to him, she felt a familiar but weak dark vibe resonating within her father. That's…! No, it can't be…! "You're not Hiroaki! You're Yami Houou! But, it can't be!"
The Houou quickly formed over Rei. "So, a piece of you survived the purge?!"
(Cue Fate/Zero OST - Confrontation)
A wicked grin formed on Hiroaki's face. His face and eyes darkened their glare. "Yes, and I've here to take something I'll need!"
If he breaks that, that monster Igasu will be released! Rei realized as she stormed up to him.
Hiroaki raised a hand and sent a weak shockwave that briefly stunned Rei. The Houou's cloak managed to absorb the shock and protected her vessel.
The Houou retorted. "Your powers are nowhere near their peak, Yami Houou! Rei and I are strong enough to purge you!"
"REI!" Cammy cried out as she ran into her sister's room and tossed an Ofuda at Hiroaki's way.
However, Hiroaki put a hand out to stop the sealing paper and burned it with black flames. He quickly pushed through Rei and Cammy, running down the hall and toward the front door. Rei and Cammy went after him.
"He's getting away, Rei!" Cammy cried out.
"He won't get far! Hiei will be home any moment!"
As Hiroaki stormed out of the home, he ran out from the shrine.
Just then, Hiei arrived with Koori and Ryuuhi.
"Well, if it isn't my daughter's demon boytoy…" Hiroaki chuckled. "Could've been my son-in-law if you married my daughter, but judging by my grandchildren, I know you fucked her good!"
Eyeing the jar, Hiei realized what Hiroaki was leaving with. He swiftly drew his sword and tried to intercept Hiroaki. However, black flamed wings sprouted from the politician's back as it flew away carrying the jar.
Rei and Cammy ran out to meet with Hiei. Rei prepared to take off after him, but Hiroaki was already out of sight.
"Damn it, he got away!" Rei cursed.
"Mom, that was grandpa, but I was feeling bad seeing him," Koori sensed the evil that possessed Hiroaki. "What's wrong with grandpa?"
Ryuuhi frowned. "I don't like it."
"That was Yami Houou just now… I don't know how it survived. Sis, what do you think?" Cammy asked her older sister.
"I can't even begin to imagine," Rei muttered, taking a few deep breaths. She hugged Ryuuhi and Koori.
"If the future Koori and Ryuuhi were here, we'd easily stopped him from leaving."
The Houou telepathically conversed with Rei, Cammy, and Hiei. "I doubt that, Hiei. Even a weak essence of Yami Houou would've been difficult to subdue. It's already endowed that man with greater than physical human peak abilities. He's now able to fly. And now Yami Houou is suppressing his presence. I can't even get a lock on him or Hiroaki anymore."
The Miko sighed in exasperation. "Great, now we can't figure out where he went. This is going to be a pain. But, why would he need Igasu?"
"Yami Houou must've sensed Igasu's presence the moment Hiroaki stepped into the shrine. Seeing that it's not at full power capacity, the essence is requiring assistance from outside sources."
"And we already had plenty of trouble beating and sealing Igasu," Rei stated. She turned to Cammy sadly. "Sorry to do this, but we'll have to hold off on that dinner party until another time."
"That's ok, sis. This is more important."
(End theme)
"Mommy, are you gonna stop what's controlling grandpa?" Koori asked her.
Rei smiled and patted her Koorime daughter's head. "Mommy's on the case, sweetie." She looked up and nodded. "Usagi and the others need to know what just happened here."
xxxxx
Chiyoda, Tokyo/National Diet Building/10:43 PM
Later that night, as everyone left home, Hiroaki emerged from a veil of darkness carrying the jar. He scanned the item and sensed the evil presence contained in it.
"What would possess my daughter keep an evil entity in this jar?"
"Why don't YOU break the jar and find out?!"
(Cue Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works OST - Dark Glow)
Heeding Yami Houou's demand, Hiroaki dropped the jar. It shattered on the ground and out from it materialized a red glob that resembled a bloodrop. Hiroaki backed away. This glob then formed into a humanoid shape. The figure's legs formed giving it a bipedal stance. Black tendrils formed into hair on its head and shapeshifted into a distinctive hairstyle resembling Usagi's, including the buns.
The figure changed into a mirror image of Usagi Tsukino, but her hair is dark and her skin is blood red. As she opened her eyes, they gleamed yellow. She had a lascivious and built physique akin to a female bodybuilder, but her figure was still curvy enough to give her a feminine shape. Her outward appearance had the perfect balance of a beautiful seductress and a powerhouse beast. She awoke naked, but didn't seem to care to be in her birthday suit in front of Hiroaki.
The red-skinned woman yawned. "...oh god, you have no idea how long I've wanted out of there! It was getting cramped in there!" She threw her hands into the air and gleamed with overbearing joy. "Ah, but now… now I'm free! Free! Free!" She hollered, prompting Hiroaki to throw a black flamed sludge to close her mouth. "Mmmpf!"
"Quiet! There's still security in this place during the night shifts!" Hiroaki barked at her.
Ripping the black sludge off her mouth, Igasu scowled. "Hey, what's the big idea?" She fumed at Hiroaki. She quickly morphed her right hand into a surgical blade and put it to Hiroaki's neck. "I should thank you, but now I just wanna slit your throat for trying to shut me up."
"For good reason. Listen…" Hiroaki stopped as Yami Houou resurfaced and covered him.
Igasu charged at Yami Houou Hiroaki, but he quickly repelled her with. Igasu felt an enormous pressure from the man's dark aura. She held her ground and dropped to a knee.
"Now will you listen?" He spoke in Yami Houou's sinister voice. "WE'VE already scanned your mind and we know you're dying for revenge on the Sailor Senshi. Both of us want Usagi Tsukino and Rei Hino to pay for what they did to US."
Igasu gawked at Hiroaki. "What the hell are you?"
"The darkness of the Houou. Rei Hino was my meat puppet before SHE rejected me! Now WE'VE taken over her father. She and her friends thought they destroyed me, but a piece of ME survived. And WE are working together to make the Rei's life miserable."
"Well now…" Igasu smiled evilly. "If we're after the same thing, we can go after Usagi and Rei's circle of friends."
"Yes, you can get your revenge on Sailor Moon. And I can get pleasure seeing Rei suffer."
"Ok, but easier said than done."
"What do you mean?"
"The two of us ain't beating the Senshi. How do you think I got sealed to begin with? And Rei's got that phoenix protecting her. We're fighting against some odds," Igasu pointed out. "We're gonna need some help."
"What did you have in mind?" Yami Houou Hiroaki asked. When he scanned Igasu's mind, a twisted smile formed on his face. "Oh, I see. You want your own team."
"First off, I don't appreciate you mindreading me. That's way too creepy."
"So, it's a team you want."
"Not just any team. I want a team just like me to fight those Sailor bitches with," Igasu plainly said. "If they had a hard enough time beating just me, just imagine more like me. I'm Igasu the Blood Moon. So, my own Blood Senshi to fight back with!"
Chuckling, Yami Houou Hiroaki added. "So, clones like you. You want clones based off you to help you fight the Senshi."
"Yeah, but how are we gonna find something to make clones of me?"
"Based off Hiroaki's memories, he has access to one of the labs in Cain Bearer's off location laboratories. Hiroaki has seen Cain's scientists creating clones based off blood samples."
"There's human technology that can do that?"
"You'd be amazed what humans can produce when they get creative."
"So, let's go raid that lab."
"Not quite simple. There's high security there. This man has helped fund the research and has been given access to these labs. I can easily go in without detection as long as I possess Hiroaki's body, but you'll need a way to get in."
Smiling evilly, Igasu replied. "Not to worry." She shapeshifted into a dark-haired woman in a lab coat. "I have means of getting around."
"Good, you can assume disguise as an employee there. But, you'll need to match one's fingerprints since security access requires hand scans."
"Al I need to do is look at the person I'm going to disguise myself as and I'll have everything. Matching fingerprints, voice match, and everything."
Yami Houou Hiroaki smirked. "So, we've got our bases covered. And you needn't worry about the Senshi finding us. I'm concealing our presence from Rei's and my good self's detection. We can work freely behind the scenes."
"I think this will be the start of a great working relationship," Igasu chortled, shaking Yami Houou Hiroaki's hand. "All we need are blood, hair, or whatever else samples from the Senshi."
"Don't worry. WE can take care of that."
(End theme)
xxxxx
Azabu-Juuban District/Hikawa Shrine/April 18, 2012/8:30 AM
The next morning, Rei summoned the other Senshi for a meeting. Every Planetary Senshi member was present and accounted for.
"So, your father's back and possessed by Yami Houou?" Makoto asked Rei.
"How horrible. I'm sorry you've had to go through this," Ami said.
"The fact Yami Houou is even back is bad news enough," Minako dreaded the dark phoenix's return.
"But, its power is so miniscule now. Rei, you and the Houou can squash it like the bug it is," Haruka said, almost encouraging her.
"No, it's not quite that simple. That thing's possessed my father. As much as I don't like what my father has done before, I don't want that thing using him just to get payback on me." She then turned to Cammy, who looked sadly sitting with Shingo. "And I won't let him die. I can't, but I know that's what Yami Houou wants. He's baiting me to attack my father."
"Could it possible your father knows your identity as Sailor Mars?" Michiru queried to her. "If that evil entity is part him, it probably has told your father of yours… or even our identities."
"That could be bad," Mamoru said. "The public still doesn't know who we are."
"That's why it's imperative to separate Yami Houou from your father, Rei," Setsuna suggested.
Hotaru sympathized with Rei. "I know exactly how you feel when some evil entity is controlling you. It'll use your own insecurities and deepest darkest secrets to get what it wants. Me and my father went through that before. It's horrible to have something else inside you controlling your every thought and action."
"Thank you, Hotaru," Rei smiled. "Setsuna, that's about the only way we can stop Yami Houou. Divide it from my father and destroy it. The Houou and I are ready to make the quick kill on that thing." She clasped a hand on her chest. "And believe I know what it's like when something malevolent takes you over."
"Then, we're going to find it and your father," Usagi said, grasping Rei's hand. "And we're going to seal Igasu right back up. And everything will be all better."
"Thanks, Usagi," Rei smiled, parting her long dark hair back.
"Um, hey, guys! Look!" Usa pointed toward a portal opening up on the shrine.
"I don't think we were expecting company," Artemis noted.
"Who'd come here at this time?" Luna wondered.
"Get ready. It could be Yami Houou," Makoto warned everyone.
"It's not," Hotaru sensed benevolent vibes from the portal.
"Yeah, it's not. Yami Houou was able to suppress its presence and I'd easily assess its presence since it's similar to the Houou's aura," Rei said, eyeing the portal.
As the portal widened, to the surprise of the Senshi and company, the Amazoness Eight came out in tow for a surprise visit. Sely, Ary, Hermy, Zey, Aphy, Ourany, Poseidy, and Crony walked toward the shrine. The Senshi came out to greet them.
(Cue The Seven Deadly Sins OST - A Peaceful Day)
"Ah, it's our Amazoness selves!" Usagi pointed out.
"Usagi, it's good to see you!" Sely waved to her Moon counterpart.
"It's been so long, guys! How are y'all doing?!" Minako asked them.
Aphy replied to her Venus counterpart. "Just peachy, Minako. You're as radiant as I remember ya."
"We've been undergoing a ton of training lately and just earned our elite battle armors," Zey said. "What'ca think? Our armors look just like your Sailor uniforms."
"Call it out tribute to you all since we are friends," Hermy said.
Makoto gave a thumbs up. "Nice, I'm digging the Sailor armor motifs!"
Ami nodded. "And of course we're friends. We helped each other out several times."
Rei and Ary shook each other's hands.
"And you're looking well, Rei. How are you?" Ary asked.
"Could be better. We've just run into some trouble."
"Is there anything we can do?" Poseidy asked.
"Today was our day-off and we took it just to see you all," Ourany said.
"We're dealing with an enemy that released that Igasu creature and has possessed Rei's father," Michiru informed them.
"Igasu's free again?!" Crony gasped.
"I'm afraid so," Hotaru replied.
"And now they're out there plotting something against us. Doesn't help that the thing possessing Rei's dad will probably know of our identities," Haruka stated.
Sely frowned. "This is terrible, but thankfully we didn't come alone. We brought our trainer with us to visit you. Maybe she can assist?"
"Your trainer? Who is it?" Usagi curiously asked.
"Come on out, Amazoness Queen!" Sely beckoned her team's trainer.
The next person to walk out of the portal was Amazoness Queen, a tall Amazon with long blue hair, a black eyepatch with a skull covering her right eye, tattooed tribal designs covering the left side of her body, and garbed in revealing battle armor wear. She came wearing her scimitar on her right hip.
"Ah, I remember you!" Makoto recalled her and Haruka's encounter with this Amazon warrior during the Neo-Rajita incursion on the Amazon Kingdom.
Haruka scoffed. "Oh yeah, how could I forget you almost backstabbing us?"
Zey and Ourany both tried placating Haruka's untrustworthiness.
"C'mon, relax, Haruka," Ourany reassured her. "Besides, she's changed her way since she helped us trick that Neo-Rajita general and Najadramon to drop their guards!"
"That's right! And she's even taken us on as her students!" Zey said.
Queen acknowledged the Senshi. "Greetings. It's good to see friends of my students." She eyed Makoto and Haruka. "Yes, Zey and Ourany told me about you. You're Jupiter and Uranus." She walked up to the two and suddenly bowed to them. "I'm sorry. I humbly apologize for having Najdramon turn you both to stone."
Makoto waved off. "Whoa, it's cool! No need to be so humble!"
Haruka sighed. "All right, I accept your apology."
Both Zey and Ourany sighed with relief. Queen was all smiles when shaking Makoto and Haruka's hands.
"So, what brings you here besides to see us?" Minako asked the Amazons. "Besides cool new armors, you're looking buffer than usual."
Aphy chuckled. "Well, we have been training hard."
"But, you didn't just come here to see us," Setsuna said. "Is there trouble in the Amazon realm?"
"No, but we did come here because there's someone who wishes to see you," Queen directed her gaze toward Setsuna.
The dark green-haired woman blinked and pointed to herself. "Me?"
"This someone made an intriguing discovery involving stones. These stones grant users the power of fusion," Queen informed them. "We call them Polymerization stones."
"Polymerization stones?" Shingo whispered, overhearing their discussion.
"Isn't that a card in the Yu-Gi-Oh game? Yeah, the Polymerization card!" Cammy recalled having seen her friends, Yui and Aoshi, utilize the fusion card in duels. "But, why would they need to tell my sister and her friends about it?"
Sely requested. "I know you guys are having your own problems, but we thought we could come by to ask if you'd volunteer in some experiments with these stones."
"Us experiment with them?" Hotaru asked.
"Are you attempting to see if these stones work on human subjects?" Ami inquired.
"Precisely. As you know, the Polymerization card is used to merge monsters together in the Duel Monsters game. Likewise, it works for real Duel Monsters," Hermy explained the basics of the fusion's nature. "We believe the source of that card's power came from these stones. And the thought is, what if we merged humans with Duel Monsters."
"Yugi and his friends can already do that with their Spirit Fusion powers," pointed out Minako.
"But that was through the Staff of Apophis. This is an entirely different source we're talking about here," said Michiru.
"So, who are you having us possibly fuse with?" Makoto asked.
Queen plainly answered. "With my Amazon sisters."
"HUH?!" The Senshi let out collective sounds.
"I know it sounds crazy, but that's the fun of experiments. Besides, these fusions will wear off fast," Sely reassured them.
"One of us already has done a fusion with one of y'alls sisters," Usagi pointed out. She turned to Setsuna. "Right?"
Setsuna modestly answered. "Well, she's not wrong. Kensuke was able to merge me successfully with Titaniamon, but that's due to the nature of his B.A.X. Digivice. That came as a shock to Kensuke as well."
Queen deduced. "I wonder if this Kensuke's Digivice was created forged from a source similar to a Polymerization stone."
"That I don't know," the Time Guardian said.
"Either way, you know what it's like merging with a digitized being," Queen stated. "And seeing you merged with Titaniamon, I can see you're not still merged with her?"
"No, our fusions last a few moments before they wear off."
"See? If their fusion is temporary, then using the stones to merge with us and our sisters will be as well," Aphy said.
"Well, there's the one stone that produces permanent fusions," Queen said. "But, we're not going to use stones on you. That'll exclusively be used my sisters."
"Permanent fusions? Well, thank goodness you won't need us for those," Hotaru was relieved.
"What's the purpose for this experiment?" Rei asked Ary.
"If they're compatible with humans, we'd like to recruit able warriors and duelists from your world to merge with Duel Monsters," Ary said.
"We figure your world could use more heroes to defend your world. We, the Amazons, would be honored to strengthen the resolve of humans willing to fight the good fight," Queen stated.
"Wow, so you mean I could fuse with Amazoness Chainmaster?" Minako fantasized herself merged with the chain-wielding Amazon warrior.
"It's a possibility. I was hoping we'd fuse, Minako," Aphy added.
Minako blinked. "Yeah, I mean you are just me if I were an Amazon. So, it'd be like fusing with myself."
Usagi turned to Queen. "Thanks, but we'll have to decline. With all due respect, but we have our own issues with deal with. And I want to help my friend save her father and stop Igasu."
"No offense taken. We just thought perhaps you'd like to volunteer, but I understand urgent calls. Our clans always respond to urgencies," Queen accepted. "Perhaps we're not so much different, Senshi."
"Well, since we're here. We'd be more than happy to help you with the enemies you're facing," Sely offered her team's assistance to the Senshi.
"We'd be happy to accept," nodded Usagi.
"Be careful though, since the being possessing my father is…" As Rei stopped, she felt a malicious attack being fired their way. "Everyone, get down!"
(End theme)
(Cue Fate/stay Unlimited Blade Works OST - Face to Face)
Suddenly, a barrage of black flamed attacks rained down on the group. The Senshi, the Amazons, Cammy, Shingo, Mamoru, and the cats took cover. Rei summoned her Houou cloak to nullify and absorb a few black flamed blasts.
"They're here!" Cammy cried out.
Rei and the others saw the two non-elusive figures who attacked them: Yami Houou Hiroaki and Igasu. Igasu came fully dressed for combat in black leather.
Igasu chuckled fiendishly. "Hehe, sup y'all? Mind if we crash this party?"
"Not you again," Usagi growled at Igasu.
"Rei Hino, it's been soooo long. WE'VE come to ruin you." Yami Houou Hiroaki taunted the Miko.
Rei fiercely glared. "Yami Houou."
(End theme)
xxxxx
A/N: Wrote this chapter in a whole day and all while I'm finishing up the grand finale of the Zeed X battle in Cross Generations. Go me.
So, Yami Houou's back and takes Hiroaki as its new host (but nowhere near where its peak when it possessed Rei). YH managed to leave an essence within Hiroaki after attacking and knocking out Rei's father in The Invasion of the Rajita's penultimate chapter. We're really drawing callbacks from older stories here.
In case you haven't noticed, I'm drawing from the Spider-Man/Venom conflict with Rei and Hiroaki here. Symbiote passes over to the next with all the previous host's memories and abilities.
And Igasu is back to cause havoc. And for those who've read Ford's Shinnen: New Year (which I helped co-write), you probably know where this is leading. If not, then expect some new Blood Senshi clones by next chapter.
Additionally, we have the return of the Senshi's Amazoness Eight (soon to be Nine) counterparts for a visit. And now we have Polymerization stones coming into play for possible fusions, which Minako and Aphy alluded to them possibly fusing (...which could come into play later. ;)) What does this mean? Something to look out for in Cross Generation during the final Zeed X battle. You'll get an idea of the end goal.
Much like with Prelude of the Defiants, this is planting more seeds for the Defiants conflict. Old conflicts have resurfaced (Rei vs. Hiroaki/Yami Houou, Usagi vs. Igasu) for this story and later confrontations in Defiants.
Anyway, nothing much to say. We're looking at a multi-parter here (roughly 3 chapters of this mini-arc), but chapters will be fairly standard in length. Until then, send a review and stay cool.