Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse

a Sailor Moon/X-Men crossover

Chapter 14: The Secret of the Ooze

9-30-2017

By Grey-X

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the creation and property of Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation. X-Men is the creation and property of Stan Lee, Marvel Comics and Disney.

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"The… X-Men?" Naru said softly, almost in a whisper. "Y-Y-Y-You've met their leader, you know who he is?"

"Yeah, I sought him out because, well… Like I said, Naru, I have no idea how I'm supposed to help mutants," said Sailor Moon. The two of them still stood on a skyscraper rooftop, barely a block away from the hotel where Xavier had reserved rooms. So close to getting Naru the help she needed. "But he'll know what to do for you. My dad… He was there when the X-Men first fought Magneto, saw what they could do. They were just teenagers back then too, but they drove him off. Xavier's trained a mutant who controls the weather, Naru! Think what he can do for you…"

Naru looked uncertain, conflicted. At least her ire from moments before was melting away, but Sailor Moon wasn't encouraged by the doubts that seemed to creep up in its place. "B-B-B-But… I saw you on TV, Usagi. You were fighting the X-Men. And the next day, their leader agreed to meet with you?"

"Not really. I kinda just barged in while in disguise, but of course I was found out. That clawed guy, Wolverine… he's got a good nose," said Sailor Moon. "I didn't want us to fight them, Naru. Things spiraled out of control before I could get there. The X-Men are heroes, Naru, and they do so much good for everyone… Even if I can't make the other Sailor Senshi see it, at least I can get the X-Men to help you out."

"How, exactly?" Naru asked, her voice still full of doubt. Why was she sounding so uncertain? This was the X-Men they were talking about, the toughest mutants around! Who better to help her? "How are they going to help me get my life in order?"

"Oh, if you could've seen… Xavier's mutant power is telepathy, and through that, I was taken halfway across the world," Sailor Moon explained. "He's got this big school… Actually, I'm a little jealous. Let that sink in, Naru. There's a school I'd actually BE EXCITED to go to, it's so cool. And below the mansion, there's a hangar for a jet, and something like a holodeck from Star Trek to train… It's got it all!"

"A jet, training…" Naru muttered. "This Professor Xavier… Sounds like he wants to recruit me into the X-Men. Is that what this is all about?"

"Why not!?" Sailor Moon cried with a smile, reaching over to grab Naru's shoulders. "OK, I understand if you don't want to be a Sailor Senshi anymore. Jumping around in miniskirts isn't for everyone. But you still want to be a hero, right? You've got powers of your own now. Don't you want to use them for good?"

"I-I-I-I… Usagi, I-I-I-I d-d-don't know if I…" Naru spluttered.

Sailor Moon frowned. She could understand if Naru still didn't entirely trust her, or doubted she was a good fit for the X-Men. Yet there was something else, a sort of terror brewing within Naru that didn't make any sense.

As Sailor Moon pondered what it could be, she heard an odd sound on the floor below. A sort of PLUP, PLUP, PLUP…

Glancing down, it looked like something was pooling around Naru's feet, something dark and gooey. Almost like oil. It took a moment to realize that the blackness of night couldn't explain why this stuff looked so dark.

Suddenly, Naru shoved her away, with enough force that would've sent a normal girl skidding across the roof. As it was, Sailor Moon staggered back a few paces, and she got a good look at Naru's right hand. Against her skin, there was no mistaking the oily glop dribbling down over it. Naru looked to where Sailor Moon was gazing, then looked back up in horror, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Sailor Moon was close to tears herself. This couldn't be happening, her eyes had to be playing tricks on her. "Naru, it was you… How can, w-w-w-why did you… H-H-H-How could it be YOU!? HOW CAN YOU BE ECLIPSE!?"

Naru's mouth hung open as she backed away, shaking her head. Tears kept flowing, her mind blanking out now that her biggest secret was out.

Sailor Moon's mind was blank as well. She knew Naru was angry with Sailor Moon, but angry enough to hurl wooden pallets at her? And wait a second… If Naru was Eclipse, how did she get powers from the Dark Kingdom in the first place!?

Sailor Moon would get no answers, spoken or otherwise. As Naru came to her senses first, all Sailor Moon got was a cascade of oily goo ensnaring her torso. Naru had reached out with her right hand, willing more ooze to issue forth. With a terrified howl, she swung Sailor Moon around, slamming her against a cooling tower. The ooze wrapped around it, trapping Sailor Moon as Naru conducted dark energy through her slick. Sailor Moon screamed, consciousness slipping away. But as suddenly as the cascade began, it stopped.

Though Sailor Moon was still pinned to the cooling tower, the ooze was no longer connected to Naru. Looking up, despite her double-vision, Sailor Moon saw Naru staggering back, hands on her head, screaming. "No, another one!? Get out! GET OUT!"

It had to be Professor X. Naru was mostly impervious to telepathic scans, but he could still sense Sailor Moon, and her thoughts and pain. He knew something was wrong, and intervened. And maybe, just maybe, he was powerful enough to do what Cable couldn't…

Those hopes were dashed as Naru screamed again. A huge rush of some dark, wrong SOMETHING that chilled Sailor Moon to the bone shot out from Naru like a shockwave. Sailor Moon's vision went fuzzy again. When it was finally clear, Sailor Moon felt Naru grab her by her twintails to hoist her head up. Naru had her fist reared back. Sailor Moon's blood froze. A punch from Naru could rip through tank armor. She had no desire to find out what it could do to her face.

"Naru, you wouldn't… Naru…" Sailor Moon muttered helplessly. How could Naru be Eclipse? How could she be angry enough with her to kill?

Thankfully, it looked like she wasn't. Tears still trickled down Naru's face, and her eyes betrayed uncertainty, terror, shame… Just about anything but bloodlust.

Still, Sailor Moon was far from out of danger. Naru shook her head slightly, lip trembling, and then with a shriek delivered a backhanded slap to the side of Sailor Moon's head. Not quite powerful enough to rip her head off, but it knocked her out cold.

Sailor Moon would've probably remained unconscious until sunrise, pinned to that cooling tower, had not a voice entered her head, willing her to awaken. "Sailor Moon… Usagi… You must wake up. So much depends on you…"

"Urrrk," Sailor Moon groaned, picking her head up. It was throbbing like mad, yet a voice kept intruding. Gentle, but unyielding.

"Your friend, Naru Osaka, has been gone for some time," came Professor Xavier's voice, in her head. "There was some sort of blowback when I tried to shut her mind down, and thus I failed to keep her from incapacitating you, Sailor Moon. Both of us have been unconscious for too long."

"It's… not your fault, Professor," Sailor Moon groaned. "I had no idea she was really Eclipse. Looks like Naru needs a lot more help than we thought."

"And she needs it now, especially," said Xavier. "I'm still too weak due to the backlash from Naru's mind, but I can still sense the X-Men are locked in combat. With the Sailor Senshi."

"They're fighting again!?" Sailor Moon cried, the pulsing pain in her head forgotten.

"Over what to do about Eclipse, yes," said Xavier. "I currently do not have the strength to intervene a good distance away. So you must get there, stop this pointless fighting. Hopefully, by the time you reach the shipyard, I'll regain enough strength to help in some way. For now, though, everything rides on you."

Groaning, Sailor Moon tried to stand up, but found herself still pinned to the side of the cooling tower by Naru's goop. She still couldn't believe this gross stuff came out of Naru. "Ugh, I think this stuff has pretty much hardened in place, Professor," Sailor Moon grumbled. "I'm… not strong enough to break free."

"You must do something, Sailor Moon," said Xavier sternly. It was as if his will was seeping into her mind, goading her into taking action. "There is too much risk of those from both of our teams getting hurt if this fighting continues. You must put a stop to it!"

One hand reached up, pulling against Naru's goo, not entirely of Sailor Moon's volition. Tilting her aching head down, Sailor Moon's fingertips brushed against her tiara. Eventually, she had a good grip on it.

"Moon Tiara Action!" she cried, willing the blazing disc to loop around. It sliced apart the cooling tower, and at last Sailor Moon could pull herself free. She stumbled onto one knee on the roof, barely having the strength to stay up like that.

"Go, Sailor Moon!" Xavier's voice echoed in her head, making her stand. Sailor Moon stumbled forward, feeling like she would keel over any second, but Xavier forced her to stay awake, to keep moving. She was only a few meters from the roof's edge, now. Looking up, Sailor Moon saw the water, and what looked like a cyclone that had come out of nowhere, along with flashes of light.

The professor was right… The X-Men and the Sailor Senshi must be going at it with everything they had! Her will to end this insanity renewed, Sailor Moon found she didn't need Xavier's urging to dash forward and jump to the next roof. She'd get to the shipyard before someone on either team did something everyone would regret. One way or another, this stupid feud ended tonight.

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"So I headed straight for the shipyard, hoping I'd make it in time to keep everyone from doing something stupid," said Sailor Moon. She looked down, where Naru was held in her arms, still half-covered with her ripped-open jumpsuit. Her breathing was steady, though she still slumbered due to the drugs in Mercury's chemical weapon.

She looked over to Sailor Uranus, who cradled Michiru in her arms in a similar fashion. Michiru had yet to recover from Rogue's power drain, though over an hour had passed. Looking around, Sailor Moon watched the leaves of the trees, deep in the forest behind the Hikawa Shrine, sway in the wind. Thankfully, this wind had nothing to do with the cyclone Storm created. That had long since dissipated. Sailor Moon could only hope her fellow Senshi's wariness of the X-Men would fade, too.

The rest of the Sailor Senshi stood close by, waiting. Very little had been said as the Senshi made their way back through the city. What was there to say, after learning they had unleashed holy hell on Naru? Once there, Sailor Moon decided to tell them about what she was doing while they gathered at the shipyard. But now, an uneasy silence hung over them again, along with the shadowy darkness afforded by this forest.

"You only just learned Naru was really Eclipse, but you knew about her being a mutant these last few months," said Uranus suddenly, shattering the silence. "You kept it from all of us, despite how many begged you to tell us what was wrong."

"I had to, Uranus," said Sailor Moon. Mercifully, seeing who Eclipse really was sobered the Senshi up, but perhaps Uranus most of all, despite her dread regarding Michiru. So Sailor Moon couldn't stay angry with her, though she was miffed by the insinuation she should've betrayed Naru's trust from the start. "Naru figured out who I was, but kept it a secret because of how the Sailor Senshi were always saving her. I had to return the favor. But it… wasn't enough. She needed me more than ever, and I-I-I-I…" Sailor Moon had done a good job keeping her tears in check, but now they flowed once more.

"Sailor Moon, when you used your tiara on her that night… You couldn't have known," said Mercury. "I was there, remember? None of us had a clue."

"It doesn't matter, Ami," said Sailor Moon, sniffling. "She needed me as a friend more than ever, but I let myself get bogged down with entrance exams and the Dead Moon Circus, and… Now it may be too late. I swore I wouldn't let history repeat itself, but maybe it already has."

"Usa-ko, what do you mean?" Tuxedo Kamen asked.

"I-I-I… was afraid Naru would go down the same road Magneto did," said Sailor Moon, eliciting gasps from some of the others. "He was good once, but he let anger eat away at him."

"How do you know so much about Magneto?" Uranus demanded.

"Xavier told me all about him, about back when they were friends," said Sailor Moon.

"Friends? Professor Xavier and the deadliest mutant terrorist there ever was?" Mercury asked incredulously.

Sailor Moon nodded. "Yeah, back when they worked at a hospital in Israel. He survived the Holocaust, and the memories… He couldn't let go of the past, and thought that was mutantkind's future…"

"So Magneto took matters into his own hands," said Venus. "All this time, he felt like he was keeping mutants from going through the same thing."

"Xavier kept trying to reach him, reason with him, but his anger was too much," said Sailor Moon. "At least he was there to try. Naru… I was too late for her."

"Maybe not, Sailor Moon," said Luna. "Naru never crossed the line and committed outright murder. Not even to protect her secret once you found out. And we still don't know why she decided to go hunting yakuza members. I doubt it was just to play hero."

"There's a lot we don't know about what's happened to Naru," Mars added. "Namely, why the hell does she have powers like the Shitennou in the first place!?"

"Well, it had to come from the Dark Kingdom somehow. Mercury's computer couldn't be that off," said Jupiter.

"Yeah, Mercury! You said it was genetic, that Queen Metalia created her own mutants!" Sailor Moon cried.

"I don't think Metalia or Beryl had anything to do with this," said Mercury. "There's only one way I can think of that Naru got these extra superpowers."

"And that would be?" Mars asked.

"You were there, Mars. So was I, and Sailor Moon," said Mercury. "It was when Nephrite died in her arms, and disintegrated into that weird, sparkly dust. Well, maybe it was something more. This is only a hypothesis, one I can't really test, but suppose it was actually cassettes carrying genetic information that transfected Naru, essentially splicing the same genes allowing dark energy manipulation into her cells. Think of it as the same as horizontal gene transfer among bacteria, when virulence factors and resistance to antibiotics spreads."

"Naru and Nephrite, mingling bacteria swapping genes?" Sailor Moon's face contorted in disgust. "That just sounds… creepy. And wrong."

"You think… Nephrite did that on purpose? Tried to give Naru his powers?" Mars wondered aloud. "He wanted to make sure Naru could protect herself in case Zoisite came back for her. Is that what you're saying?"

Mars sounded as sorrowful as Sailor Moon felt. Nephrite's death was a punch in the gut to them all. Realizing that he wasn't such a heartless monster after all, yet in the end they were powerless to save him.

"It's the only explanation that makes sense," said Mercury. "Unfortunately, Nephrite knew nothing of epigenetics. Those traits were still spliced onto Naru's X-gene, so they wouldn't be expressed until the rest of her mutant powers surfaced. Long after we had dealt with the Dark Kingdom."

Sailor Moon stared down at Naru, who was still out cold. She tried to picture it, going by what she gleaned from Xavier's book. Gyrases and stuff zipping and cleaving and unzipping DNA, new genes from that dust Nephrite dissolved into weaving their way in…

It was all so confusing, trying to imagine it, so Sailor Moon just took Mercury's word for it. She often wondered if Nephrite had really been about to turn away from Queen Beryl. Here, perhaps, was proof he would have.

"So all that's left of the Dark Kingdom was in her all along," Sailor Moon muttered. "And now, just like Nephrite, she's got to choose what to do with it."

"Well, if you and Professor X get your way, she'll pick using it as an X-Man," said Artemis.

"Kinda sucks that her mutant genes got turned on so much later," said Jupiter. "We've known her longer… She should've been on our team! Now the X-Men get to just swoop in and recruit her? We let them hog all the super-strong mutants?"

"Funny, I somehow figured you'd be the most jealous of how Naru can rip through a tank the way Usagi rips through a piece of lemon pie," Mars quipped.

"HEY!" Sailor Moon snapped.

"Jupiter's got a point, though…" said Tuxedo Kamen.

"Ugh, we just fought the X-Men about who gets to take Eclipse where," Uranus grumbled. "Now we're going to fight over which team she joins?"

At least Uranus doesn't exactly sound eager to pick any more fights with the X-Men, Sailor Moon realized hopefully. Then again, when Michiru's hurt, nothing's a guarantee…

"Jupiter's not the only one who feels that way," said Luna. "I pretty much had the same reaction."

"So we would've made Naru an honorary Senshi?" Venus asked. "How would that have worked, anyway? Find a custom-tailored fuku for Naru, and she go finds a phone booth to change into it while the rest of us transform?"

"Plus, Naru would be without the glamour that keeps people from recognizing your faces," Tuxedo Kamen added.

"That ooze could've worked as a mask. Or we could've simply given Naru the Disguise Pen," said Artemis. "But what would we have called her?"

"How about Sailor Titan?" Chibi-Moon suggested. "There's a name that has an aura of strength!" Then Chibi-Moon suddenly looked sullen. "Besides, Titan orbits Saturn. And Hotaru… was the Senshi of darkness and destruction…"

"Perhaps Sailor Io is a better pick," said Mercury quickly. "Due to volcanic activity, stuff is oozing onto its surface all the time. Plus, Io is roughly the same size as the Moon, and Usagi and Naru knew each other for a long time…"

"All good ideas. A pity she's become so disillusioned with us," Uranus said regretfully. "Perhaps Sailor Moon has the right idea. As much as we may wish otherwise, Naru is not one of us. She needs the counsel of her own kind. Besides, with that oil slick, their black uniforms would look better on her anyway."

"If I didn't know you better, Uranus, I'd say you sound ready to trust them 100 percent," said Sailor Moon with a smirk.

"Simply obeying orders and trusting the judgment of my princess," said Uranus aloofly, staring down at Michiru again.

"I hope so, Uranus. Because it sounds like they're here," said Luna suddenly. The rest of them looked up, and sure enough, a huge jet that almost blended into the night sky slowly hovered over the treetops. The Blackbird made its way over to a small clearing, right in front of where the Senshi had gathered, and touched down.

"THAT'S the X-Men's plane!?" Mars spat enviously. "That thing's HUGE, and it looks like it cost a fortune to build."

"Considering how rich Xavier is, it probably did," said Tuxedo Kamen.

"Do we… really have to go in?" Jupiter muttered, now a bundle of raw nerves.

Mars clasped a hand on Jupiter's shoulder, making her yelp. "You took on a big blue circus ape and his ghost-girl student, Makoto. I think you can handle getting on a plane staying on the ground."

Truthfully, Sailor Moon felt a twinge of anxiety herself. It took some courage to go seek out the X-Men on her own. Now she had to bring the rest of the Senshi onto their plane, and some tension would no doubt linger. Taking a deep breath, Sailor Moon stepped forward as the Blackbird's bay door lowered, and the rest of her team followed.

As soon as they walked up the ramp, they were greeted by Beast and Gambit. The latter had left his uniform on, but Beast had thrown on a white coat. Both ran up to Uranus without preamble. Beast immediately got to work on Michiru with a stethoscope, while Gambit took one of her hands to check her pulse.

"Vitals seem steadier then they were back at the docks, Hank," said Gambit, ignoring Uranus's glare.

"Indeed they do, Remy," said Beast in agreement. "She is recovering from Rogue's power drain far more rapidly than one would expect. Still, we can speed her recovery. This was please, Sailor Senshi. We have a biobed prepped for Ms. Kaioh."

Uranus exchanged one furtive look with Sailor Moon before they followed. They walked along half the length of the Blackbird, and suddenly a bed for the X-Men's patients slid out of the wall. Another slid out right beyond it. With only another moment's hesitation, Uranus gently laid Michiru down on it, and Beast and Gambit got to work, hooking up equipment to better monitor her vitals.

Sailor Moon watched the two X-Men tend to her friend, truly hoping this was the start of breaking down the walls between their teams. It looked like there would be another snag, though, as Cable sauntered up, still in uniform as well. "Sailor Moon, the other biobed is for Naru," he said simply.

Sailor Moon knew that Naru needed tending as well, thanks to Ami's chemical weapon. So she deposited Naru on the second biobed, but received a rude shock when Cable positioned her arms and legs so that metal restraints slid over her ankles and hands. "What are you doing, Cable!?" she demanded.

"Taking precautions," said Cable curtly.

"As if that'll hold someone as strong as Naru," Chibi-Moon grumbled.

"Oh they will," came Wolverine's gravelly voice. "We tested these restraints with Ben Grimm. If the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing couldn't bust out o' those cuffs, then unless she got gamma-irradiated too, Naru ain't gonna have better luck."

Sailor Moon looked across the Blackbird to see Wolverine was with Storm, both of them seated on a bench fixed to the plane's wall. Both had changed out of their uniforms. Storm now wore black sweatpants and a sports bra, showing the bandage on her side where Venus had clipped her. Wolverine had changed back into his street clothes from earlier, and also wore latex gloves. He was putting finishing touches on stitches for Storm's forehead. Storm turned to look at her reflection in the wall panels, moving a lock of hair to cover up the stitches. Sailor Moon heard Venus gulp nervously.

"Rest easy, Sailor Venus," said Storm suddenly, standing and turning to the Senshi. "I don't like to hold grudges, and after all, I was throwing lightning bolts at you at the time."

"Besides darlin', Ororo's on speakin' terms with folks who've done way worse," Wolverine added.

"Like who?" Venus asked.

"Like Victor von Doom," said Storm simply, eliciting surprised gasps from many of the Senshi. "It's… complicated. And we have more immediate concerns to discuss, I suppose."

"Yeah, like how the restraints may hold Naru, but won't do a thing about her dark power or oil slick," Uranus pointed out.

"The biobed's made of nonconductive material, and I've already got a telekinetic shield up," said Cable. "She won't get away until we've had a chance to talk some sense into her."

"You mean, convince her to join the X-Men," said Tuxedo Kamen.

"The option to train to become an X-Man is there, should she choose it," said Professor X, rolling up in his wheelchair. The rest of the Senshi immediately turned toward him. Mars, in particular, looked more anxious than ever. "For now, our focus should be to see that a young, confused mutant gets the help she needs."

"Yeah, you were looking for her well before the X-Men flew to Japan, using that Cerebro thing," said Mars gruffly.

"Ah yes, I haven't had a chance to truly apologize for overreacting to that… intrusion," said Xavier warmly. "I admit I was frustrated by how elusive Naru proved to be, and was far too forceful. I do hope you'll forgive me."

"I… guess we all made mistakes," said Mars uneasily, to Sailor Moon's relief. Things looked to be going OK so far. "Any idea how Naru suckered all of us? Not only did you have trouble with Cerebro, but my spiritual powers, Michiru's mirror, Ami's visor… Naru found some way to slip past all of that."

Xavier wheeled himself over to Naru's biobed. "Honestly, I am still uncertain," he said at length. "So much of your friend's power remains an enigma. But Sailor Moon explained how one particular ability of hers stemmed from your team's oldest enemy, which you believed vanquished, and you desperately sought answers. Have you come any closer to figuring that out?"

"Actually, Mercury thinks she has," said Sailor Moon. "One of the Dark Kingdom's lieutenants died in Naru's arms, and he must've transferred his powers onto her X-gene."

"I see," said Cable, his left eye flashing as he glanced down at Naru. "So I trust that means the Sailor Senshi have given up on hauling her in?"

"Well, we still don't know what convinced her to become a one-woman yakuza-hunting outfit," said Luna.

Luna tensed a little, sensing someone walking up from behind. The cat looked up to see Wolverine hovering over her, glancing down. "Well little kitty, if it's yakuza that's got this girl all weirded out, I know a thing or two about dealing with that." With that, he popped out one set of claws, smirking.

"Logan, the Sailor Senshi and their friend face a complicated situation already," said Storm. "You may yet make things worse. I doubt the Senshi wish for the Silver Samurai to throw himself into the mix."

"A… samurai? An actual samurai is on your long list of bad guys?" Venus asked in disbelief.

"Why not? They have a ninja," Jupiter scoffed.

"Wow, the textbooks I read about you guys in the future sure left out a lot of stuff," said Chibi-Moon.

"Let's hope so," said Cable suddenly. "That probably means you'll never have to deal with the reason I traveled back in time." Chibi-Moon turned to glare at him, her frustration with the fellow time-traveler palpable.

"Do we even want to know?" Venus dared.

"Nathan here has a beef with a fellow typically calling himself Apocalypse," said Gambit, glancing back from Michiru's biobed with a smirk. "With a name like that, you tell me."

"Is he any worse than Pharaoh 90 or Nehelenia? You tell me," Chibi-Moon shot back.

"Funny you mention a 'Pharaoh', Sailor Chibi-Moon, considering Apocalypse was born over five thousand years ago in ancient Egypt, and convinced many he was a god," said Beast. He had finished setting up an IV for Michiru, while Gambit kept an eye on the biobed's readouts.

"Five thousand…" Sailor Moon muttered. "But I thought mutants were a recent thing."

"That's the common theory, Usa-ko, but a few could have been born in past centuries," said Tuxedo Kamen. "But still, a mutant that old… Could this Apocalypse be the first mutant ever born?"

"No, that's Selene," said Storm.

"The Greek goddess of the Moon?" Artemis muttered dryly.

"Which should tell you a thing or two about that broad's ego," said Wolverine. "And what she does is even less pretty than what I do. Kept herself alive for seventeen thousand years by bein' a psychic vampire. Plus she can manipulate non-living matter, and knows a quite a bit about sorcery."

Luna glanced up at Wolverine, face screwed up in contemplation. "Actually, that sounds a little familiar…"

"I suppose we'll all have a chance to read up on each other's most loathed enemies, since exchange of information was part of Sailor Moon's agreement," said Storm.

"Especially the Sentinels," said Mercury. "Your team's fought them plenty of times before, and I've still got scan data on Kizachi's new model I have yet to properly analyze."

"Well then, Ms. Mizuno, since there's little more I can do for your friend at this juncture, perhaps I can aid you in that endeavor," said Beast warmly. For a moment, Jupiter's anxiety of being inside a plane vanished, replaced with exasperation and disbelief at how Mercury looked completely smitten with Beast again. He showed Mercury over to a computer panel fixed into the wall, and she connected her computer to it. "Hmmm, it may take some time to construct an interface with your computer and the Blackbird's systems. I may need some help from Kitty, in fact. An impressive piece of technology you've constructed for yourself."

Mercury blushed again. "Well, er, I didn't design this, exactly. It's a… holdover from millennia ago, from the Moon Kingdom."

"Is that so?" Beast sounded genuinely intrigued. "I must say, I've had the privilege of working with technology from so many alien cultures, but to think something else this impressive lay waiting on the Moon for eons…"

It wasn't long before Mercury and Beast were immersed in their work, throwing out terms and phrases that went clear over Sailor Moon's head. It was best to let the two super-geniuses work uninterrupted. Besides, she still had more immediate concerns.

Sailor Moon glanced over to where Naru lay. Thankfully, Beast and Gambit hadn't bothered to set up an IV for her or anything, even though they must have had some way of piercing her skin, in the event Rogue ever needed one. That was a good sign, considering the beating the Senshi said they gave her.

Sailor Moon looked around at them again. Jupiter was sitting where Storm and Wolverine had been, willing her anxiety down, but Sailor Moon could tell the heartbreak from finding out who she had lobbed lightning at was still fresh. Chibi-Moon, Mars and Venus were speaking with Storm and Wolverine, looking quite crestfallen. It was the same story with them. Lastly, she saw Tuxedo Kamen stood beside Xavier and Cable, who still watched over Naru.

"Professor, the genes Naru received from Nephrite… The power's unlike anything you would have encountered before, and even the Sailor Senshi still don't fully understand it," said Tuxedo Kamen. "And the powers she has naturally… Sailor Moon's put a lot of faith in you, and I've always marveled at your work, but can you honestly say you can help her friend?"

"I will do what I can, Mr. Chiba," said Xavier. "This is my life's work, to reach out to young mutants in need."

"I've made it a mission of mine, too, in a way," Cable added. "Don't worry, Tuxedo Kamen. If Naru chooses to come with us, I'll help make sure she gets a handle on her powers."

This is what you wanted. Naru getting help from the undisputed experts, Sailor Moon told herself. Yet somehow, doubt crept up all over again. Nightmares about Naru turning evil, being determined to keep her from going off the deep end, only to find she might have already. But Storm said that just about everyone at their school had made some sort of mistake, some which many would call unforgivable. Yet here they all were in Japan, ready to do some good and smash those Sentinels to scrap.

Sailor Moon left the others to talk among themselves, walking toward the front of the Blackbird. The cockpit door was open, so she peeked inside. Her eyes widened to see that Shadowcat, was seated at the cockpit. A super-genius ninja who could fly jets too? She had an icepack pressed against her head, though. Oh yeah, and there was that weird dragon Lockheed on her shoulder, who just glared at Sailor Moon suspiciously.

"Am I still talking louder than I normally do?" Shadowcat asked Colossus quite loudly, who was in the co-pilot's seat.

"Indeed," was all Colossus could say. Meanwhile, Iceman lazily leaned back in his seat, looking quite bored. But Sailor Moon knew he could have any of the Sailor Senshi on the ropes in a heartbeat. He was one of Xavier's first students, who helped drive off Magneto on their first mission, a testament to how well Xavier could train young mutants.

She wanted to ask him about that. What was it like to face Magneto that first time, was he scared? Oh, and what her father wouldn't give to have a lengthy interview with one of the original X-Men!

But then Sailor Moon noticed the final X-Man, Rogue. Much like Jupiter, she just sat there, lost in thought, looking inward for a peace that may never come. Clearly, sucking up a Sailor Senshi's power was the last thing Rogue had wanted tonight. Sailor Moon thought back to how Storm said so many of the X-Men had made grave mistakes. She suspected Rogue considered tonight's disaster another one on a long list.

Rogue and Iceman's heads snapped up when a loud scream echoed within the Blackbird. Sailor Moon looked back to see that Naru had awakened. Just like Wolverine said, even her strength couldn't budge those restraints, and Cable's telekinetic shields held her other abilities in check.

Sailor Moon ran back over to her friend, wanting to plead with her to calm down, but what was there to say? She was surrounded by people who hadn't hesitated to turn their power on her. Little wonder Naru was panicking.

Thankfully, though Sailor Moon's mind was drawing a blank, Xavier was already on it. "Ms. Osaka, there is no need to fear," he said over her fearful cries without yelling, yet there was a patient firmness to his voice. "No harm will come to you. I'm the one Sailor Moon came to. I'm Professor Charles Xavier."

His words seemed to have an effect. Naru stopped screaming, yet she still struggled against her restraints, though she stopped lashing out at Cable's barrier. The Sailor Senshi looked anxious, but stood their ground regardless. Naru's gaze shifted from one Senshi to another before fixing on Xavier again.

"Y-Y-You're the one… The X-Men's leader, the one who trains mutant kids." Xavier nodded, but then Naru's gaze slid past him, over to where Jupiter had stood up. The sight of the Senshi that lit her up like a Christmas tree made her panic all over again. Another blast of dark energy exploded against Cable's shield, but it held.

"Naru, you've got to calm down!" Mars pleaded. "The Senshi won't hurt you! We know the truth!"

"You don't know anything, Rei!" Naru spat. Sailor Moon saw Mars's eyes widen. "Oh yeah, I've known who all of you are for some time, but I never said anything. And it's just as well I didn't…"

"What's done is done, Naru," Xavier cut in. "The Sailor Senshi now realize their mistake and wish to make up for it. They have no qualms with you going to my school for help now, should you choose that path. Still, there are things we must know."

"What, why I was cleaning up Japan's streets of yakuza scum?" Naru sneered. "Please, Professor… Over in America, people with superpowers put on masks and act as vigilantes all the time. Can you really hold this against me? The guy with the skull on a black suit outright slaughters gangsters over there. I never killed anyone, just taught them a lesson."

"You're not foolin' anyone, darlin', least of all yourself," said Wolverine. "Trust me, I can tell when someone starts a scrap just because, and when someone's got a personal score to settle."

"You mean, one of the yakuza groups did something to you, Naru?" Sailor Moon asked in horror. "What was it, Naru? You've got to tell us."

"I don't have to tell anyone anything, especially YOU!" Naru shrieked. Then she grit her teeth, as if collecting raw power for another go at Cable's shields.

Rather than look concerned, Xavier seemed to see an opportunity. "Nathan, lower your barrier, and undo her restraints."

"Are you sure, Professor?" Cable protested. "She's… not exactly being cooperative."

"Those are my instructions, Nathan," said Xavier firmly. Cable glanced down at Naru just as his left eye flashed. Blinking in surprise, Naru sent out a tiny tendril, testing to see if the barrier was really gone. An instant later, Cable punched in the commands to retract her restraints, but Sailor Moon could see his other hand was on his holstered pistol. Naru sprang off the biobed, looking around anxiously, as if expecting this to all be a trick.

"You're quite right, Ms. Osaka," said Xavier. "The X-Men have no right to hold you against your will, and I doubt the Sailor Senshi have any desire to pursue you further. And I certainly cannot stop you with my telepathy. You can go if you wish, anytime. Or you can at least talk to fellow mutants who may yet understand what you're going through, and former friends who wish to make amends."

Naru stared at Xavier in disbelief. But, by some miracle, Sailor Moon could see Naru's tension lifting ever so slightly.

"Can't you at least try to trust us, Naru?" Venus implored. "Sailor Moon never betrayed your secret. We had NO idea you were the reason she's been so worked up. But now that we know…"

"We want to help you, Naru, make up for how we screwed up tonight. But we must understand what's happened," Uranus added. Sailor Moon was encouraged. Uranus was willing to overlook how Naru had tried to entomb both her and Neptune? Hopefully, Naru would see it the same way.

Naru still looked angry and fearful, but showed no desire to plow through them all. With a defeated sigh, she fell back and sat down on the biobed, hanging her head as she cried again.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Night had long since fallen, and Naru had just returned from Umino's place. She shuffled back into the OSA-P, exhausted and feeling dirty all over, in more ways than one. All sweaty and grubby from yet ANOTHER attack by one of Sailor Moon's enemies, and this one…

It made Naru's skin crawl, thinking back to how that creepy womanizer had tried to seduce her with a sob story. "Ugh, when did Sailor Moon's bad guys get this freaky?" Naru wondered aloud as she made her way up the stairs. "It used to be, evil as they were, they had… redeeming qualities."

Nephrite… Her first love, dying in her arms. She had come to terms with the loss and moved on. Still, every so often, something reminded Naru of him. In this case, how Nephrite was the complete opposite of that freaky Tiger's-Eye. And how he showed it, right at the end.

It wasn't fair. Just as Nephrite was learning the value of love, that he didn't have to be a slave to evil, he was cut down for protecting her. The Sailor Senshi had arrived too late, and she couldn't get those life-sucking plants out of Nephrite's shoulder.

Of course, for a moment, it had looked like Naru could. Right after those horrible women taunted her about being too weak, the plants budged. Come to think of it, just how did I knock that lecherous creep on his ass tonight? Naru thought to herself as she shuffled into the bathroom. They say in times of stress, an adrenaline rush gives you insane strength. It'd be nice to have something more permanent, for the next time something like this happens, to either me or Umino…

Naru sighed as she turned on the shower. Nephrite was gone, and that creep Sailor Moon drove off wouldn't show his face anytime soon. For now, Umino needed her, needed reminding that what they had wasn't something fleeting. So Naru stripped and stepped into the shower, hoping to wash away this unclean feeling.

Shutting her eyes, Naru let the hot water rush over her, feeling her muscles relax. Soon, though, Naru heard a strange noise over the water. A sort of plup, plup, plup, right around her feet. That, and suddenly it felt like something besides water was flowing down her body.

Naru's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she screamed. Somehow, some ugly, black goo now covered her torso, arms, legs, EVERYTHING! It looked like it was even dripping off her forehead. The feeble spray from the showerhead did nothing to disperse this gunk. It

With another shriek, Naru looked up for the source of this awful stuff, but there weren't any leaks in the roof. It wasn't sewage coming from the showerhead or the faucet, either. In desperation, Naru tried wiping it off her arms and face, but more seemed to appear out of nowhere!

That's when it hit Naru. This ooze was COMING OUT OF HER!

Naru stumbled around, her mind a blank as more poured right out of her skin. With all the oil that had pooled underneath her feet, she slipped. Naru reached out for the safety bar, yet she still felt her butt and backside slam down against the bathtub. Strangely, she hardly felt the impact at all.

Shaking her head, Naru looked at her right hand, and found that the safety bar had been pulled right out of the wall! Not only that, where her hand was gripping it… The steel bar had been crushed within her hand!? How was this possible!?

And the night's nasty surprises were far from over. Suddenly, there was a crackle, like electricity. The next thing Naru knew, what could only be described as black lightning was conducted through the mutilated bar. It blasted apart spots along the tiled wall before her!

So Naru sat there as water still sprayed, covered by this disgusting filth pouring out of her very skin, her mind reeling. What was going on? How did she rip the safety bar clean off? And how did she just leave smoking craters in the wall before her? How was all this happening!?

Suddenly, a terrifying possibility came to her. She often heard stories, from all over the world, about how kids her age suddenly got these weird abilities out of nowhere. And there was a word for people like this… MUTANTS!

Naru's eyes widened at this realization, tears flowing into the gunk that still covered half her face. That was when her mother burst into the bathroom.

"Naru, what's wrong!? I… AHHHH!" She screamed as Naru's ooze suddenly came alive and attacked her! Tendrils shot out, ripping apart the shower curtains. They just missed her mother as she ducked aside, smashing into the mirror instead.

"NO! Stop this, STOP!" Naru pleaded. Amazingly, the tendrils froze in place, and no more formed and lashed out.

Mayumi stared at the tendrils impaling the mirror, then turned to look at her daughter. Soon enough, realization shone in her eyes. Shame the likes of which Naru never felt before froze her in place. Of all the other things that could go wrong… Now her mother would see her daughter was a freak of nature!

"M-M-Mama… I-I-I'm sorry…" Naru muttered weakly, before burying her head in her arms, sobbing.

Mayumi said nothing, simply walking over to the bathtub, shoving aside the tattered curtains. Heedless of the water still going, of all the ooze covering Naru, she knelt down and cradled Naru in her arms, simply letting her cry.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"And that's how my mother and I first found out I was a mutant," said Naru, fighting back tears. "She did everything she could to help me as I tried to keep a lid on all these freaky powers. She ordered a lot of new clothes that were fireproof. And don't let oil stains from the inside bleed through too easily. And laundry detergent bought in bulk," she added with a snort. Though the amusement was short-lived, Naru did feel a little bit better, having more people to share her secret with.

"Well, it's not unstable molecules, but it stood up to magical fire decent enough," said Wolverine. He inspected the spot where Sailor Mars's attack burned clean through Naru's jumpsuit, yet left the shirt underneath intact, though discolored and a little melted. "So, your mom did everything she could you help after she saw your powers. What then?"

"Then I just tried to make sure I didn't slip up in public," said Naru. "It… was a constant struggle, absolute torture. I dreaded ripping doors off their hinges at school. Or zapping something. Or this gunk of mine just dripping out. The last one… It almost happened, so many times. It's the power where control slips way too easily."

"It seems to be the ability most affected by your emotional state," said Xavier. "You say it first came out uncontrollably as you mulled over how Sailor Moon's adversary mistreated you, and tendrils lashed out at your mother, as if reacting to a threat. And tonight on that roof with Sailor Moon, you also lost control, due to fear the X-Men would come after you again."

Naru nodded with a sob. "It's the most frustrating thing about all these powers. Half the time, when I wake up, the sheets are soaked with this gunk. It makes me wonder if I'll ever get a handle on it these powers."

"It will take some time, Naru, that we cannot sugarcoat," said Storm. "My power is tied to my emotions as well. Years of practice were necessary for me to truly harness the elements."

"So, after your mom found out, what happened next?" Sailor Moon asked.

"You know what happened next, Usagi," said Naru darkly. "Focusing on keeping my powers a secret had me so distracted about everything else at school, I got detention. And then that other creep attacked, and I had no choice but to use them to save you, and Umino found out."

"Yeah, and you were amazing, Naru!" Sailor Moon cried. "When I told the other Senshi about it while waiting for the Blackbird, how you weaponized a FIRE ENGINE, they also couldn't believe…" Sailor Moon fell silent when Naru shot her an incensed glare, and at once her bubbliness faded.

"Weaponized a fire engine?" Gambit repeated.

"By smashing into it while it was going full-speed to bring it to a stop, then flattening a monster underneath it, according to Sailor Moon," said Tuxedo Kamen.

"An impressive feat, considering you only had your powers for a short time," said Beast. "But you said someone else learned of your mutant abilities in the aftermath?"

"My boyfriend, Umino," said Naru. "I was ashamed all over again, and ran, but he chased me down. H-H-H-He said he didn't care I was a mutant, and he promised to do everything he could to help me."

"So that's why Umino bought that book. The one you wrote, Professor," said Mercury.

"So your friend took it upon himself to help you control your powers?" Xavier asked.

"Y-Y-Y-Yeah. For one thing, we started weight training together, to get used to my strength and stop being afraid of it. It felt kind of silly, actually, seeing him use normal weights while I was benching cars, but he wanted to show he was willing to push himself, too," said Naru. "Not only that, he'd do stuff like rig tennis ball machines, so I could practice using my oil slick and black lightning. Shoot balls down, deflect them, catch them… Just when I thought Umino would run out of ideas, he'd come up with something new."

Wolverine chuckled. It was weird to hear such a gruff little man laugh like that. "It's like this kid rigged a Danger Room just for Naru, Chuck. Maybe we should bring himm too and put him in charge of maintaining the real thing."

"What's the… Danger Room?" asked Luna.

"Something you would've locked me inside back in the day, until you decided I shaped up," said Sailor Moon darkly.

"Bring Umino with me… to America?" asked Naru dubiously, glancing at Wolverine, then back at Xavier. "You people really are serious about recruiting me?"

"If that's the path you choose, just know you wouldn't be an X-Man right away," said Xavier. "You've achieved an impressive amount of control, but a good deal of training would be needed. Besides, my institution is a school, first and foremost, meant to give young mutants such as yourself a place to belong. Unfortunately, unlike other students recruited from outside my country, a telepathic crash course in English is not an option, given how your mind is shielded in some strange way. You'll have to finish learning English the normal way."

"A… telepathic crash course?" Naru echoed, confused.

"A lot of the second team of X-Men couldn't speak English at first, so Chuck worked a little mind-magic to fix that," said Wolverine. "It's a bit different, though, when it's a language Chuck isn't really familiar with. For this trip, through his telepathy, the others basically 'borrowed' the expertise from me, Kitty and Hank."

"It's not permanent, though," said Cable. "It's a case of 'use it or lose it'."

"Well, that explains why some of you sounded a little… 'off' while Wolverine, Shadowcat and Beast don't," said Venus.

"How do you understand the Japanese language and culture so well anyway, Logan?" Mars asked.

"Another time, darlin'," said Wolverine quickly. "Right now, your buddy Naru should have the floor again."

"Yeah, Naru. I mean, I'm not making excuses for why I didn't do more, but it doesn't sound as bad as it was for other kids who found out they're mutants," said Sailor Moon. "Your mom and Umino were helping you, you kept your powers in check out in public. So what happened? Why did you throw on a costume and go after yakuza?"

"And why have you come to hate the Sailor Senshi so much?" Mercury added. "You tried to crush Uranus and Neptune with debris, you picked up a gun and fired at Jupiter and I. WHY, Naru!?"

Naru felt herself wither a little under their gazes. They might as well finally learn what drove her to such lengths. Why she couldn't stop, not even tonight, despite knowing the Sailor Senshi were waiting…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naru stuck to the shadows as she tailed her mother. She ducked behind a bus stop booth as she watched Mayumi drift further down the block. Even at that distance, despite the nighttime gloom, Naru could read the dread and uncertainty radiating off her. It was infectious, seeping into Naru. Threatening to undo the fragile confidence Naru had built up. Her mother did everything she could do help her, and Umino stood by her side. Just when Naru dared hope things would turn out alright, she noticed her mother growing more anxious, little by little.

And Naru wanted to know why. After everything she had done for her, Naru was determined to do whatever she could for her mother.

But she had let Mayumi get too far ahead. She disappeared down an alley, and when Naru crossed the street to reach it, there was no sign of her. Naru glanced around, and then glanced up. Perhaps a higher vantage point would let her find her mother.

Checking again to make sure no one would be watching, Naru reached up with an outstretched hand, summoning her oil slick. A tendril shot up and latched onto the roof's edge, letting Naru climb up the side of the building. This goop always oozing out of her body could be a real pain, but Naru had to admit, it sometimes came in handy.

Upon reaching the roof, it didn't take Naru long to spot her mother. Despite the dark-colored dress she wore, Naru saw her walking into a construction site. Why would she be going there? Something was very wrong.

Naru used another tendril to rappel back down, then bolted toward the construction site. Once again, she wasn't fast enough, and lost track of Mayumi. When Naru figured out where to go, it was because of raised voices. One was definitely her mother, and she sounded fearful. The others were clearly yelling at her, and they didn't sound too friendly. A little too sure of themselves as well.

Making sure to stick to the shadows, Naru approached the voices. Ducking behind a stack of lumber, Naru peeked out to see several figures standing within where the new skyscraper was being constructed, just under a beam. One was her mother, and the other guys… They definitely didn't look friendly. Four bruisers, and one skinnier guy who looked like he led them. And then he shoved her mother to the ground!

"We're getting tired of excuses, lady!" the skinny man hollered. "The agreement's been changed, and if you can't deliver… Well, maybe we should pay your daughter a visit…"

Naru's eyes widened as she froze up. It couldn't be… Her mother was mixed up with some yakuza operation? And now they were coming after her mother, and threatened to go after her next?

Well, they were in for a rude surprise.

Looking around, Naru saw a trailer and dashed for it. It was locked, but naturally, it instantly gave way with a good shove. Ducking inside, Naru found jumpsuits for the construction workers at this site. Most were too big for her, but one seemed just small enough. Naru hastily put it on, then looked for other things to complete her disguise. A pair of galoshes, hard hats galore, and even a pair of welding goggles! But something was still missing. Even all this didn't make Naru confident that any random yakuza thug wouldn't recognize Mayumi Osaka's daughter.

There, lying at the bottom of an open locker, was a large, pink bag. Reaching into it, Naru gasped when she found it was a Sailor Mars costume! One of the workers had probably bought it for his daughter, but forgot to bring it home. Opening it up, Naru was grateful to find it included a wig. She hastily put in on, then the welding goggles and hard hat. With a thought, black ooze crept up her neck, further obscuring her facial features. Now, hopefully, no one would recognize her.

Looking back down into the costume package, Naru reached in and pulled out the replica tiara. For a brief moment, she considered adding it to her disguise. But then, she scowled and crushed it in her hand.

No, whatever was going on with her mother and the yakuza, it must've been happening for a while. And the Sailor Senshi hadn't done a thing to stop it. Naru had a good idea who they all were. She was their friend, or thought she was, but somehow this escaped their notice.

She had grown out of her desire to be a Sailor Senshi. This called for something entirely different.

Not love and justice, but FEAR!

Naru left the trailer and slinked back to where the yakuza had been. Thankfully, they were still there. Sticking to the shadows behind another lumber stack, Naru summoned her dark power. This power… She couldn't have been born with it. Somehow, Nephrite must have given it to her, so she could protect herself from Zoisite. Well, now it was going to be used for more than defense.

The thugs looked around nervously, wondering what the strange noise was. Naru launched a bolt of black lightning at their feet, taking care to keep it far enough away from her mother. It was getting easier and easier, thanks to Umino, collecting this power and aiming it.

The yakuza scattered, and some unholstered handguns to fire at the source. Naru was way ahead of them, using the darkness to her advantage. She slipped around them, then used her oily tendrils to pull herself up onto the beam above. From there, it was a simple matter to ensnare two goons and slam their heads together. Two down, three more to terrorize, to make sure they never came back for her mother.

Naru dropped down from the beam, feeling her mother's eyes on her back. Hopefully, she would have enough sense to run to hide. Another thug reached for a gun, but a quick jolt of dark energy dropped him instantly.

Another tried to rush her from behind. Naru didn't even look behind her, letting an oily tendril do her work for her. Oh, how Naru longed to break bone with her bare hands! But no, she couldn't risk it. Sailor Moon had seen her use super strength. Dim as she seemed sometimes, if a mysterious vigilante with insane strength used such strength to protect Naru Osaka's mother, Sailor Moon would put two and two together. Besides, she now had dark power like their old enemies. Another reason to not trust the Sailor Senshi. She was on her own.

More tendrils ensnared the skinny thug that had shoved her mother, and Naru pinned him against a steel beam. She slowly approached him as another tendril formed around his neck, and she willed it to constrict little by little. Make him think she would choke the life out of him. As it was, it was a chore for him to gulp down air, and his words came in ragged gasps."W-W-W-What are you!?" he demanded. "S-S-S-Something Sailor M-M-M-Moon fights, or… O-O-O-One of them… l-l-l-little mutant freaks!?"

Forcing down rage, Naru tried to think of a retort that would put more fear into him, make him blubber like a madman when he reported back. In the end, Naru decided that was something else she couldn't risk. She couldn't risk her Kansai dialect seeping through. That would also be a dead giveaway.

Besides, perhaps it was better to let crushing silence speak for her…

While Naru tried to decide what to do, she felt sharp pain in her back as loud cracks rang in her ears. One of the thugs wasn't completely out, and had fired at her.

Naru looked down, but saw no trace of bullets ripping through her. She did, however, feel small, cold objects fall down inside her jumpsuit. Naru's eyes widened behind her goggles. She was bulletproof!

Hopefully, these thugs would just assume she was wearing armor under her jumpsuit. Sighing as she looked back to the surprised goon to ensnare him with a tendril, Naru sent him careening toward the skinny guy so their faces smashed together, knocking both out cold.

Sighing again as she retracted her oil slick, letting them slump to the ground, Naru turned to find her mother. She had just emerged from behind cover. "N-N-N-Naru dear, did you… kill them?"

Naru shook her head. "No Mama, I want them alive. I want them to go back and tell the rest of their gang there's a big, scary mutant monster out there who'll rip them to shreds if they try this again."

"B-B-But Naru, they'll surely figure out who you really are, that you're a mutant," Mayumi pointed out.

Naru looked down at the downed thugs, then back to her mother as she took off her helmet, goggles and wig. "Then I can't stop here."

"W-W-W-What do you mean, Naru?" Mayumi asked fearfully.

"You're right, they'll figure it out, if I stop here," said Naru. "So I have to keep going. If you're mixed up with these guys, you can tell me where I can find more of the yakuza. And I'll beat them within an inch of their lives too. If I do that, they won't suspect I did this just to save you. They'll just think there's a crazed mutant out there with an axe to grind. And they'll be so preoccupied with the mutant monster gunning for them, they'll have no time to harass you anymore."

"N-N-Naru, you CAN'T!" Mayumi pleaded. "Having all the yakuza groups coming after you, the way you'll upset the balance of power between them… Who knows how this'll end! M-M-M-Maybe we can get the Sailor Senshi to do something."

"No way, Mama," said Naru gruffly. "I already lost… someone I cared about because the Senshi were too late getting where they were needed. Never again."