Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse
a Sailor Moon/X-Men crossover
Chapter 18: Fatal Attractions
11-27-2017
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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With a little more telepathic trickery from Cable, Mamoru got Ami and Mayumi into his car without anyone noticing, then drove them to Meiwa University Hospital. Thanks to the setting sun, Ami was able to sneak Naru's mother inside once they arrived. It was also fortunate that, for once, Ami could actually get hold of her mother. Normally, Saeko Mizuno was extremely busy. It was a minor miracle her mother answered the phone at all.
Once Ami explained why they needed her, Saeko put all her other plans for the evening on hold to treat Mayumi. She barely knew Mayumi, but her being the mother of a good friend of Ami's was all she needed to hear.
Ami and Mamoru stuck around, providing assistance as needed while Saeko secretly treated Mayumi in an examination room she had set aside, with explicit instructions not to be disturbed. Saeko knew she couldn't risk bringing in any nurses or other doctors, not with passions about mutants running so high. Saeko herself didn't even care about Mayumi's daughter or what she had done, concerned only with the patient in front of her. Ami had never been prouder to have the renowned Dr. Saeko Mizuno as her mother.
"As it is, there doesn't seem to be any indication of a concussion, or any other serious complications," said Saeko as she applied stitches to the gash on Mayumi's forehead. "In any event, I'm going to provide some medication that should alleviate any symptoms that may pop up later, in case I'm wrong. Without the hospital staff's knowledge, of course."
"Of course," Mayumi muttered. She winced as Saeko went on with stitching her up. "The sooner I can get back to the jewelry store, the better."
"Along with other obvious reasons, I suggest you don't reopen just yet," said Mamoru. "I understand how not being cowed by all those bigots is important, but maybe you should wait a day or two."
"In any event, the ones who threw bricks were arrested, and the windows should be replaced soon," Ami added. "There's no need to push yourself, Ms. Osaka."
"Something, as a medical professional, I strongly agree with," said Saeko. "I'd rather not see you back here so soon because you overexerted yourself."
"I'm… still surprised you agreed to see me at all," said Mayumi.
"Some others in this hospital may not take their oaths as medical professionals seriously, but I do," said Saeko, an acid bite to her voice. "You're the mother of Ami's friend, that's all I needed to hear. Besides, now I feel we need to get to know each other better. I'm raising a daughter even smarter than I am. I want to hear how you're raising a daughter who's stronger than, well, just about everyone."
She really doesn't care if people are mutants, Ami thought in amazement. I guess with how intelligent I turned out to be, Mama feels she already has one for a daughter too. Oh, if she only knew the whole truth…
Mayumi snorted. "Not very well, if I can't keep her from slipping out to pulp yakuza every other night," said Mayumi darkly.
Saeko had finished with the stitches, and was now wrapping a bandage around Mayumi's head. "Well, I'm sure Naru had a good reason," she said dismissively. "I don't know how you dealt with it, though. Knowing she was out there in the line of fire. I'd lose my mind if I knew my little Ami got involved in something like that." Ami hoped her mother didn't notice those words making her wither as Saeko turned to smile at her. "I can just imagine you leaving a message like that on our dry erase board, Ami. 'Sorry Mama, I can't make it for dinner. I'm out fighting bad guys using superpowers and a weird costume, and I'm probably being shot at.'"
Ami smiled back awkwardly, but hissed softly so only Mamoru could hear, "Never ever ever ever bring up Sentinels around her, got that?"
"Agreed," Mamoru whispered back. "Tough as your mother seems, I don't think she could handle the totality of what being Sailor Mercury means."
As Ami watched her mother wrap up her work, her mind kept dwelling on the Sentinels. And the creator of the newest breed. It was amazing how a normal human, with no powers at all, was swiftly proving to be the most dangerous, vexing enemy the Sailor Senshi had ever faced.
Whatever's going on, Kizachi had a hand in this. She's partially responsible for Naru's mother getting caught in the crossfire. Ami clenching a fist. Kizachi's husband kept stirring up anti-mutant sentiment, and she had yakuza connections through her nephew. Perhaps she had manipulated things so that Naru would be goaded into attacking the yakuza with a vengeance, and helped foster an environment that would generate fear of a mutant vigilante targeting them. But why? What was her endgame? Was it all because of this vendetta against Sailor Moon? And on top of that, it couldn't be a coincidence, that that monorail car was about to tumble into the drink right when Naru was there. Kizachi's got all sorts of connections. Could it have been… Magneto!?
The thought made Ami shiver. Such a powerful mutant, able to blend in and strike like that. The Senshi, or even the X-Men, might never see Magneto coming the next time. And Kizachi probably had him on her side. That meant the danger grew with every passing day. So far, the X-Men had urged the Sailor Senshi to hold off on a full-scale assault on Kizachi Technologies. There was no guarantee what they were looking for was at her corporate headquarters, and the X-Men didn't want the Senshi's reputation to go in the toilet.
Still, Ami felt she had to do something. She was supposed to be as smart as Erina Kizachi, smarter even. The time to find out was coming. Berthier said one bold move could change the game, Ami remembered. Soon, I'll have to make one.
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Morning finally came after a troubled night for all of the Sailor Senshi. That included Haruka and Michiru, as distant as they sometimes seemed from the affairs of the Inner Senshi. Naru being exposed like this, and the furor that erupted in the wake of that revelation, could be viewed as nothing but a colossal failure. Something that stabbed at Usagi's heart, and thus theirs in turn.
The morning light brought no clarity for Haruka, no hope. As soon as Michiru turned on the television, Haruka grit her teeth, hearing the grating voice of Kizachi's husband. She had never paid attention to the blowhard before, but now, knowing that millions in Japan actually did turned her stomach.
What made it worse was, a short time ago, a part of her agreed with him about the dangers of mutantkind, and Naru in particular. Haruka knew firsthand how dangerous she was, and truthfully, she was still wary of the girl. She couldn't soon forget seeing how Naru worked over the people in that riverside warehouse, or Naru's lingering wariness of the Senshi. But whatever Naru's sins, that could be sorted out later. The Kizachi family was the bigger, more pressing danger.
"Don't be fooled by Eclipse's supposed act of charity, my friends," Seto Kizachi drawled. Going as far as to use the stupid nickname the yakuza stuck Naru with, as some sort of slur. Haruka was holding a breakfast shake, not having the appetite for a proper meal, and felt the metal crunch as she clenched her hand. "This does not balance the scales after spending weeks skulking in the shadows, assaulting our citizens. Nor does it diminish the threat of other mutants in our midst. Don't forget, Magneto attacked one of our ships not too far from our shores. Who knows whether or not Eclipse has already allied herself with Magneto, and…"
That was all either of them heard before Haruka threw her can at the television so hard, it smashed right through the glass.
Michiru stared at the television blankly as it spat out sparks and smoke. "Well, you showed our television who's boss. Brilliant way to deal with pesky machines," Michiru said dryly. "We better tell Naru to have plenty of sport shakes on hand in case she runs into Sentinels."
Haruka only half-heard her, needing to steady her breathing. This did little to soothe her seething anger. No, she needed to get her hands on the real thing. Wring his neck, before moving on to his wretched wife.
"If we strike now, there might not be any more Sentinels," Haruka hissed.
"That's what we thought when we went after Eclipse, and we wound up almost making a huge mistake. Again," Michiru reminded her.
Haruka didn't need any reminders about that. Naru barely trusted them now, and the fallout from her being exposed could shatter the poor girl. That made it all the more important to move against Erina Kizachi, and fast.
"Things are different now, and you know it," said Haruka. "Now we know who our true enemy is. And whatever Kizachi's plan is, we're seeing it unfold right now, while we sit on our asses scanning computer files."
"You think Kizachi made that monorail car tumble into the sea?" Michiru asked skeptically
"No. I think she had Magneto do it," said Haruka. "There's never been a monorail accident quite like this before, Michiru. That it happened at the exact time Naru was at that stop…"
"But if Magneto was there, wouldn't Logan have sniffed him out?" Michiru pointed out. "He figured out Eclipse wasn't Erina Kizachi with his nose alone. Surely he would've known if the X-Men's worst enemy was following them."
"Maybe… maybe he wasn't in the crowd. Or he was in some spot where Wolverine couldn't get a whiff of him. Magneto would know how to elude him, they even worked together once," said Haruka. "And it's not just the monorail car. We know about Gai Izumi. Maybe through him, Kizachi got his group to step up their pressure on Mayumi Osaka and her business."
Michiru considered Haruka's theory for a moment. "So, you think Kizachi is trying to get to our princess through Naru? It… seems like a lot of trouble to go through, with a good chance that such a plan wouldn't even work."
"And yet, Naru's life has been turned upside-down, and it's eating at Usagi too," said Haruka. "Whether it was intentional or not, Kizachi's got some endgame I'd rather not see reach fruition. Sentinels, working with Magneto… These are things just as dangerous as anything the Senshi have faced before. We've got to make our move."
Michiru stared at her quizzically. "You're suggesting we strike at the heart of Kizachi Technologies?" It wasn't really a question.
"Even if that won't stop the Sentinels' construction outright, it will at least slow Kizachi down," said Haruka. "And I'm not even suggesting something that drastic. First we at least get in and look for more answers. We got in before."
"Thanks to Telulu and Viluy carving a path of destruction for us to follow," Michiru reminded her. "Now, even the X-Man who walks through walls can't sneak into sensitive areas."
"We need to try, regardless," said Haruka vehemently. "This isn't the first time we've faced this situation."
"You mean Mugen Academy," said Michiru with a sullen look. "We waited too long, and when we made our move, the Death Busters had transformed Hotaru into Mistress 9."
"We've been trying so hard to avoid the mistakes of the past, only to wind up nearly repeating our worst one. And now I'm convinced Kizachi wanted it that way," Haruka spat. "Well, I refuse to be too scared to try and strike again. Turns out that Kizachi has no powers whatsoever. All she can do is build those Sentinels, and they can't fit inside her building. We get in, turn the place upside-down for information Ami and the X-Men can chew on later, and corner that horse-humping bitch and demand answers. Are you with me?"
Michiru hesitated only a moment. "Always, Haruka." Haruka could tell she still had reservations. If she was honest with herself, Haruka wasn't as confident as she tried to sound.
But while the two of them were trying to come to terms with their horrific mistake, tragedy had struck the poor girl again. If she didn't try to keep Kizachi from ruining Naru's life even more, Haruka wouldn't be able to live with herself.
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It had been so weird before, the sensation of going right through a wall, as brief as it had been. This time, however, circumstances forced Makoto to endure it longer. A couple of cops were assigned to stay right outside the OSA-P, both to protect the place and watch for Naru returning home.
Thankfully, they wouldn't think to look for Kitty phasing both Makoto and Naru's mother up through the floor, right in the middle of the store's showroom. Makoto took a deep breath upon being unphased, trying to get her head in order. Mayumi was having an even harder time. Given her head injury, that was hardly a surprise.
"I don't think I could ever get used to that," Mayumi muttered in a whisper, a hand over her heart.
"I KNOW I'll never get used to that," Makoto grumbled. How the other X-Men did is anyone's guess.
"Hopefully, I won't need to do that many more times, Ms. Osaka," said Kitty. "Now that you're in, with no one the wiser, you're essentially hidden in plain sight."
"I still intend to reopen in a few days," Mayumi reminded her, looking at where the shattered windows had been boarded up. "And even before then, I won't just hide. My daughter… I have to see her, make sure she's alright."
"Naru's fine, Ms. Osaka. We won't let anyone get to her," said Makoto quickly. And by 'we', I mean the Sailor Senshi. They'll take her to America if that's what Naru chooses, but we'll protect our friend in the meantime.
At the moment, Naru was still at the Tsukinos'. But she figured either Logan was hanging around to sniff out unwelcome guests, or Cable and their professor were scanning the area telepathically. It was still a bit galling for Makoto. In the past, her muscle alone was enough to protect friends from everyday bullies, and her lightning could fry whatever monsters came after Naru or anyone else. This time, the threats were far more legion. Thugs chucking bricks, giant killer robots… No wonder Usagi figured the Senshi needed help to counter them all.
"I can sneak her in sometime tonight," said Kitty.
"I… would appreciate that, Ms. Pryde. I want to tell Naru how proud I am of what she did. That I have no regrets about what's happened, and she shouldn't either," said Mayumi. "I-I-I do hope she chooses to join you, Ms. Pryde. Now that I've seen what good Naru's powers can really do, any doubts I had before are gone. Do what you can to convince Naru."
"Let's wait before asking Naru to make a choice that big, Ms. Osaka," said Kitty.
"For now, you two need to look out for yourselves," Makoto added. "Naru needs to lie low, and you've got to give yourself time. Don't exert yourself."
To Makoto's surprise, Mayumi reached over to hug her. "Oh, I'm sure you'll look out for her, too," she said softly. "I'm always hearing about how you protected her and all your friends from bullies."
"You have no idea," Makoto said dryly, thinking back to all the times the Senshi's enemies had targeted Naru. And now those Sentinels were out there…
"Just promise me, as long as she stays in Japan, you'll keep looking out for her," Mayumi pleaded.
Makoto let out a nervous laugh. "Well, considering Naru can juggle pickup trucks, I don't think she needs bodyguards anymore."
"No, Makoto. She'll need more than that. She'll need her friends more than ever," said Mayumi.
Makoto didn't know what to say. Considering she zapped Naru silly before learning the truth, she doubted she would ever trust her completely again.
Mayumi faltered a little in Makoto's arms, prompting Kitty to rush forward to help steady her. "We'll all be looking out for Naru, don't worry. Just focus on getting better in the meantime."
Makoto and Kitty led Mayumi up the stairs, and saw to it she was situated in her room with everything she needed. As the two of them went back down the stairs, Makoto turned to Kitty. "So where are you going now?"
"Me? Nowhere. I'm sticking around here to keep watch until Logan can relieve me later. He must figure he won't need to go sniffing around into yakuza affairs, since they might be tempted to come after Naru's mother," said Kitty. "You can stick around and be an extra pair of eyes, if you'd like."
"Don't act as if I take orders from you, or you're doing me a favor," Makoto spat. "Naru may be a potential recruit for you, but she's our FRIEND."
"Wow, that's harsh," said Kitty. "It's almost like I'm stuck on detail with Marrow again."
"Who?" asked Makoto.
"Oh, just someone I hope Naru doesn't have to bunk with if she comes with us," said Kitty. "She's quite brusque and… a bit eccentric. Like 'keeps the rats she hunts in the sewers and subways in her room for a couple days before eating them' eccentric."
Makoto almost threw up a little in her mouth. "Eats… rats… From subways and sewers… Why would she…"
"Because that's where she used to live," said Kitty. "Anyway, we're going off on a tangent here. Something's bothering you, and I'd like to think it's not just because I'm in close proximity."
"You would?" Makoto asked dubiously.
"Yeah, I figured from what I looked over all those reports about the Senshi, you'd be the one I'd have the most in common with," said Kitty.
Makoto was utterly dumbstruck. "B-B-But… I figured a computer nerd like you would work better with Ami."
"True, Ami and I HAVE worked well together," said Kitty. "But let's face it, being the blue-haired super-scientist is more Hank's speed. As for you, reading about how Sailor Jupiter didn't fear throwing herself in the thick of things… Well, I guess at first, you reminded me a bit of myself."
"Not that you have much to fear, since hardly anything can touch you," said Makoto.
"Says someone who can tank most of what a Sentinel can dish out," said Kitty.
"Good point," said Makoto. "But you must've had an idea which Senshi you challenged to a chess game. Why'd you have to interrogate me like that?"
"I'll level with you, Makoto. Like I said, I didn't know what to make of you yet. And the way you sounded so evasive… Well, perhaps I've been jaded by seeing too many humans too afraid to make a stand about anything. But now I see how wrong I was about you," said Kitty.
"How so?" Makoto asked.
"Come on, it's clear how much you care about Naru. What she was born as, what she's done, none of it matters to you," said Kitty.
"But what the Senshi have done, or didn't do, still matters to her," Makoto pointed out.
"You'll just have to give her time," said Kitty.
"Given time, she may join you. But she'll never consider joining us now, and may never completely forgive us," said Makoto.
"Is that what this is all about?" Kitty demanded. "You think this mess with Naru has shamed the Sailor Senshi somehow?"
"We almost made a huge mistake with Naru, one you X-Men had to prevent," said Makoto. "Besides, Naru's one of you. I'm no stranger to being ostracized, but you still understand what she's going through better than any of us. And you've dealt with these Sentinels before. It took four of us just to beat back one."
"As if Sentinels never give the X-Men trouble," Kitty pointed out. "Don't you get it yet? The X-Men are counting on the Senshi to help crush the Sentinels this time!"
"Really?" Makoto asked, flummoxed.
"We just sent four senior, seasoned X-Men back to investigate a hotspot in America because we're confident the Sailor Senshi have the extra smarts, muscle and firepower we'll need," said Kitty. "You've already trashed one of these new Sentinels, and we learned firsthand the Senshi are no pushovers."
"Still, I can't help feeling useless," said Makoto. "Seeing what happened with that monorail... I'm nowhere near strong enough to do what Naru did, and I couldn't have gotten people out before it toppled like the three of you."
"It was no picnic for me either," said Kitty. "Seeing that monorail car fall with Logan still inside, unable to do a thing… Look, Makoto, Naru's got super-strength, dark energy and that oily goo. I've got my phasing power, ninja skills and computer smarts, and you've got mad kung fu and bring the lightning. We just do the best we can with what we've got, and we're stronger working together."
"You really mean that?" Makoto asked.
"The X-Men have teamed up with other superheroes before, and it let us beat the odds," said Kitty. "Why would this time be any different?"
"Here's hoping it won't be," Makoto muttered. She appreciated how Kitty was trying to cheer her up, and now realized how unusual it was for her to now lack confidence. Still, the knowledge of how badly she, and all the Senshi, let Naru down cut deep.
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The Outer Senshi, despite their resolve, decided to wait until sundown. Not only would it be too difficult to pull this off in broad daylight, but the X-Men and the Inner Senshi had a point about their reputations. Having law enforcement constantly hounding the Senshi would complicate any future missions.
Still, Michiru could tell it sickened her partner to no end, letting such a thing affect their decisions. The wait until the sun went back down gnawed at Haruka's soul enough. Now that darkness had fallen and they made their way toward Kizachi's corporate headquarters, Michiru could see that loathing within Haruka still bubbled up.
"It's… much like that night, when we saved that ungrateful bitch's life," Haruka commented, peeking out from behind one of the company trucks. Michiru had to agree. The eerie sense of calm that belied the knowledge that terrible evil awaited within. Of course, this time, the evil stemmed from the one they wound up saving. "To think, we could've kept all of this from happening, just by smashing Kizachi's heart of pure evil when we had the chance."
"We had no way of knowing what kind of monster she was," Michiru reminded her.
"Yes we did," Haruka spat. "She flat out told us she would soon be gunning for Sailor Senshi, if we had bothered to listen. And we never gave Kizachi another thought until now."
"Well, perhaps tonight we can rectify our oversight," said Michiru. But as much as she agreed with Haruka about the need to finally take the fight to Kizachi, something still bothered Michiru. A subtle churning in the seas warned her of danger, and she wondered if Haruka sensed something similar on the winds. Then again, when did life-threatening danger ever stop them before?
So the two of them finally moved in, avoiding the cameras they remembered being there the last time, sticking to the shadows. If we were transformed and had our white fukus… Maybe the X-Men have the right idea, with those black bodysuits that blend into the night, Michiru realized.
They looped around to the other side of the building. As expected, Kizachi had beefed up her building's defenses considerably. The door that Telulu and Viluy had made short work of was replaced with one that would require one of their attacks to force open. Doing so would surely attract the attention of anyone inside. So would simply transforming while so close.
But Storm made it farther than this the other night, with no one the wiser, Michiru thought with a scowl. She ripped open a nearby box, exposing the wires. Then again, she can use her powers anytime. We can't transform into Sailor Senshi yet, otherwise we'll set off the sensors Usagi said alerted Kizachi. Out loud, she said, "I'm not Sailor Mercury, but I should be able to jerry-rig this to gain entry. Still, perhaps we should have asked her to come along."
"A waste of time, Michiru," Haruka muttered. "No doubt she would have urged restraint, just like the others."
"I think you may underestimate just how profound her disillusionment with Kizachi is. And how much fighting a Sentinel affected her," said Michiru as she toiled on. Soon enough, she coaxed the door to slide open, inviting them into utter darkness.
Haruka cracked her knuckles and marched in without a second thought. Sighing, Michiru followed her partner. Whatever danger awaited, she wouldn't let Haruka face it alone.
They decided to try the laboratory Usagi had mentioned, the one she said even Kitty couldn't slip into. If they were to find Kizachi tonight, or anything useful, that would be where to look first.
Thankfully, at this late hour, there didn't seem to be many lab workers or other employees of Kizachi's out and about. Slipping by them was ridiculously easy, but that only served to fuel Michiru's anxiety.
Despite her determination to get her hands on Kizachi, Haruka knew this too. "So far, there's been no trouble. Surely we've been seen on some cameras by now."
"Storm got in this far, didn't she?" said Michiru. "But you're right. The way the seas are roiling… It's like we're being let in."
"Should we turn back then?" Haruka suggested, a bite to her voice.
Michiru chuckled. "You know the answer to that."
"Let's keep moving, then. The laboratory Usagi said Kitty couldn't break into should be up ahead," said Haruka. Along the way they rounded a corner, and came across a security guard, his back turned to them. It was a simple matter for Haruka to clamp her hands on his throat and mouth, put him in a sleeper hold, then take his keys and security cards once he drifted off.
They stealthily made their way to a set of sliding doors that certainly looked like what Usagi had described. Michiru placed a hand on the wall. She thought she could sense some sort of current, the very thing that stymied Kitty days ago.
"I believe we've found it," said Michiru. "Now here's hoping we snagged security cards with high enough clearance." She slid the card Haruka boosted through the electronic lock, and mercifully, the doors slid open.
The area within was absurdly spacious. In the middle of the day, no doubt it was bustling with engineers and programmers, but at the moment it was barren. That eerie emptiness tugged at Michiru even more than the sense that the churning of the seas was about to pick up.
"Haruka, I don't like this," Michiru pleaded in a whisper. "There should still be people here, and if getting in this part of the facility was so easy, how come Storm didn't make it this far? She's as much a thief as Gambit."
Michiru could sense how blood still boiled in Haruka's veins. Thankfully, it wasn't bad enough that she couldn't see reason. There was a hint of wariness in her partner's eyes. Perhaps the winds were whispering something similar to her.
Footsteps made them look across the expansive laboratory. There, far on the other side, was a woman in a lab coat, wearing dark glasses. She seemed completely oblivious to their presence.
"Trap or not, this is an opportunity we can't pass up," Haruka whispered back. Michiru nodded in agreement.
They ducked down a set of stairs and slunk across the center of the laboratory, using the many workstations for cover. Soon enough, they ascended the stairs on the other side, and Kizachi was still there, her backs turned to them.
Haruka pounced on the opportunity. She grabbed Kizachi by the shoulders, twirled her around, and slammed her against the guard rails along the top level.
"We got you cornered on your own turf, Kizachi," Haruka hissed. No doubt Kizachi could feel her breath washing over her face, though oddly, she didn't look all that surprised. "Now, you're going to tell us everything we want to know. About the Sentinels, about why you've made Naru Osaka's life a living hell, everything!"
Kizachi's face had been completely blank, impassive. But Michiru felt her blood chill when Kizachi simply smirked at Haruka. An instant later, Kizachi sank her knee into Haruka's gut, and in one fluid motion, flipped Haruka over her shoulder and over the edge. Michiru heard Haruka land hard on a workstation below, tools tumbling to the floor.
"Haruka!" Michiru cried, but then Kizachi rounded on her. Michiru launched herself at Kizachi, aiming to snap her neck with a quick chop. But Kizachi effortlessly countered that, then launched a spinning kick Michiru barely ducked under in time.
Kizachi pressed on, forcing Michiru back, keeping her from checking on Haruka. Michiru came at Kizachi with everything she had, now fighting mad after seeing Haruka go down, but the little roboticist was swiftly proving her equal hand-to-hand.
Thankfully, Michiru didn't have to fight alone for long. Haruka jumped up from below and grabbed the railing, flipping back over it. With a howl of fury, she rushed at Kizachi from behind. Kizachi ducked and rolled, moving past Michiru. After getting back on her feet, Kizachi made a series of spinning jumps backwards, fixing the pair with a mocking gaze after she finally stopped about ten meters away.
"Since when did Erina Kizachi become such a practiced martial artist!?" Haruka thought aloud, rubbing her head.
"Didn't thoroughly research what your enemy could do," Kizachi spat with a smile. "It wouldn't be the first mistake you two made, now would it?" With that, Kizachi strolled back toward them.
Maybe it was the dim lighting, but she seemed to change. It looked like she was getting even shorter, her hair was shortening, the dark glasses somehow vanished and… her clothes were changing?
"Oh no, what in…" Haruka muttered, anguish filling her voice. Michiru just stared in disbelief. Whoever this was, she had just assumed the form of Hotaru Tomoe.
"Why do you keep coming after me?" 'Hotaru' pleaded innocently. Michiru knew this had to be a trick. Still, that perfect imitation of Hotaru's voice cut deep, rooting the two to the spot. "I never asked for this, I don't want to hurt anyone…"
But then, she changed again, bringing back even more bitter memories. Now this trickster was mimicking Mistress 9!
"Or do I!?" she finished, now with the voice of Hotaru's possessed self. Before Michiru and Haruka could get over their shock, Mistress 9's hair shot out to ensnare them like before. With a maniacal cackle, Mistress 9 flung them back down to the lower level.
Both of them skidded over another workstation, knocking over computer monitors before hitting the floor and springing back up. Mistress 9 flashed a mocking smile, daring them to try something else.
"Michiru, u-u-u-use the mirror. P-P-P-Please tell me this is some sort of trick," Haruka stammered.
Michiru didn't take her eyes off Mistress 9 until she had the Deep Aqua Mirror out. As soon as she looked into it, their suspicions were confirmed. "It's not Hotaru at all! She's the mutant shapeshifter!"
"So Kizachi did know we were coming, and sent her to toy with us," Haruka grumbled, pulling out her transformation stick. Michiru did the same. "It's long since past time to transform, anyway. Uranus Planet Power Make-Up!"
"Neptune Planet Power Make-Up!"
As they transformed into Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune, the thing that was mimicking Mistress 9 changed again as well. Now she had assumed her true form, that of a blue-skinned redhead with eerie, yellow eyes, wearing a leather jacket, a silvery-grey dress, and a belt of silver skulls. Mystique just leered at them from the upper level, as if she was still amused by the two Senshi.
"Sailor Uranus, here to fight with elegance!" Uranus shouted.
"Sailor Neptune, here to fight with…" Neptune began, but someone grabbed her hair from behind and hoisted her up. A grunt from Uranus told her whoever it was did the same to her.
"Oh, will you two skirts put a sock in it!?" growled a menacing voice, right before he hurled them across the robotics lab, making them smack into solid concrete. Mercifully, now that they had transformed, they could eat the impact and immediately sprang back up.
There, strolling toward them with the sharp claws on his fingers bared, was a huge man in a brown longcoat with ragged-looking garb underneath. At first glance, he could pass as human, but Neptune soon saw those unnatural, animalistic dark brown eyes underneath that mane of long, blond hair, not to mention the sharp teeth.
"The name's Sabretooth, ladies," the big mutant growled with an evil grin. "So Sailor Uranus, I heard you tangled with the runty wannabe. Wanna see if you can handle the genuine article?"
Uranus produced her Space Sword and charged. "Neptune, take the shapeshifter!" she cried as she tackled Sabretooth to the ground.
As Neptune turned back to Mystique, she saw the shapeshifter had produced a weapon of her own. Mystique jumped down from the upper level, firing a submachine gun. Neptune cartwheeled out of the way, but some of the bullets struck. Her fuku repelled them as with Eudial's trap, but the impact still shook Neptune to the bone.
"S-S-Submarine Reflection!" Neptune cried, sending out a watery blast. It cut a swath across the laboratory. Well, at least we're wrecking the place good.
Unfortunately, it didn't look like she tagged Mystique. In fact, she couldn't spot the shapeshifter at all, what with the dim lighting coupled with the smoke and dust now kicked up. Neptune was about to look into her mirror for clues, but then felt the barrel of a gun press against her temple, just under her tiara.
"So Kizachi's intel was dead-on. The Sailor Senshi can eat normal gunfire," said Mystique mockingly. "But I wonder, is it because those fancy fukus act as magical Kevlar, or will a .45 caliber at point-blank range through the skull still do the job?"
Neptune froze in place, saying nothing, trying to tune out Uranus and Sabretooth's grunts and cries of pain. Mystique was fast, and nobody's fool, and her Senshi transformation might not afford her enough extra speed to pull this off.
Despite her uncertainly, Neptune would not be cowed. She swung her forearm up, knocking the submachine gun away with her mirror. As bullets sprayed elsewhere, Neptune followed up with a spinning jump kick to Mystique's face. Neptune had hoped that would floor the shapeshifter, but Mystique rolled with it and sprang back up. Her forearm and fist enlarged to twice their normal size, clubbing Neptune and sending her backside careening into the concrete wall of the lower level.
An instant later, Uranus was slammed against it too. She had her sword sunk into Sabretooth's gut, but the massive mutant still tried to claw through Uranus's fuku with one hand, while clamping his other down on her face, his claws drawing some blood. Uranus grit her teeth as Sabretooth roared right in her face. Drawing her legs up, she kicked Sabretooth off of her. She dropped to the ground, gasping, but readied herself for another attack.
Instead, Sabretooth grabbed Mystique and made a huge leap backwards, one that took them both to the upper level. "What in… They're retreating? Why?" Neptune demanded.
Neptune got her answer when she felt some sort of electrostatic surge rise through the floorboards, paralyzing them. It faded once Sabretooth and Mystique touched down, but it had been enough to bring the two Senshi to their knees. "W-W-W-Where did that come from?" Uranus wondered, her breathing ragged. "Some sort of countermeasure Kizachi had in place?"
As Neptune stood back up on wobbly legs, she noticed a lot of objects strewn around them were rattling about. Computer monitors, tools, metal carts… Even paper clips, loose change and bolts crept across the floor ever so slightly. Neptune's eyes widened, a horrible suspicion coming to her. "I-I-I… don't think so, Uranus…"
Neptune's worst fears were confirmed when she heard metal being twisted apart. All of a sudden, several beams from the guard rails flew down and wrapped around the two Senshi. Even worse, Neptune could feel a paralyzing current coursing through her again. A moment later, Neptune noticed two figures walking up to Mystique and Sabretooth. One of them had to be the real Erina Kizachi, while the other, at first glance, appeared to be simply an old man in a grey coat and fedora. But considering only one man could've paralyzed and ensnared them like this…
"Victor, Raven, I do believe you've amused yourselves enough for one night," said the man in a sonorous, no-nonsense voice.
He raised a hand, and suddenly Neptune and Uranus found themselves levitated over to the quartet. The sheer power Neptune could sense conducted through the metal, giving her an inkling of what the man could really do…
"As for you, my dear Michiru Kaioh, let's point that mirror in a safer direction." With that, some of the metal bars wrapped around Neptune shifted about. The next thing Neptune knew, her arm was raised up, a beam wrapped around it and her fist, making her mirror point right at Uranus's head. Uranus cast a nervous sideways glance her way before glaring at Magneto.
"So, you've finally decided to show yourself Magneto, and you know who we are," Uranus snarled.
With a sigh, Magneto removed his hat. For someone who survived the Nazi camps of World War II, he looked a bit younger than Neptune would have imagined. Still, the years had taken a toll on the man, what with his short, white hair and other signs of creeping age.
"Indeed. Dr. Erina Kizachi has provided me valuable intel on the Sailor Senshi," said Magneto. "And as I understand, my old friend has shared information pertaining to myself, my Acolytes and the Brotherhood."
"So it's true. You and Professor Xavier once were good friends, but he found out you were just too bloodthirsty," Neptune spat contemptuously.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you two have no standing to lecture anyone about friendships strained by differences in tactics," said Kizachi with a sneer.
Mystique laughed as she changed again, this time taking Sailor Moon's form. Clasping her hands, she mockingly pleaded, "Oh, I'm sure if we put our hearts together, we can find a way to do this without stepping on anyone!" She laughed again. Hearing such a chilling laugh in Usagi's voice made Neptune's blood run cold.
But it simply angered Uranus to no end. She struggled futilely against the metal bars holding her. "Stop it! Don't you dare assume her form, you witch!" she roared.
Mystique simply shrugged her shoulders, then reverted to her true form. "'Witch'? Aren't you two the only ones here who can use magic?" she asked delicately.
"The point remains that for a duo that's all about doing whatever's necessary to win, you seem to find yourselves paired up with allies who vex you to no end with their scruples," said Kizachi. "First the Inner Senshi, now the X-Men. You've been granted access to the latter's database. Surely you've read about how they handled Dark Phoenix."
Neptune shuddered inwardly. Naturally, she and Uranus relished having so much new intel on extraterrestrial threats, but the X-Men's files on Dark Phoenix were difficult to read. It was almost like reliving the whole mess with Sailor Saturn. "And yet, the X-Men were right in fighting to keep us from Eclipse," Neptune said quickly.
"Ah yes, that must've been difficult," said Magneto. "Thinking she represented an old enemy reborn, convinced she was nothing but a thug, a butcher. Only to discover she was just a girl you knew rather well, trying to protect family. All that righteous anger, finding out it was misplaced…"
"Don't talk to us about righteous anger, Magneto. And don't preach when it comes to Naru," Uranus snarled. "That monorail car… That was YOU, wasn't it!? You WANTED Naru to expose herself! There's no other explanation for…" Uranus cried out just as Magneto glowered at her. Neptune could see the metal bars binding her partner constricting a little.
"Stop it, Magneto!" Neptune demanded. "She's right though, isn't she!? You got Naru to expose her Eclipse identity, figuring she'd see things your way afterwards."
"Indeed, something tells me Naru Osaka's eyes have been opened," said Magneto airily. "First needing her power to scare humans so ready to prey on their own kind, now the explosion of hatred after her being a Good Samaritan."
"A seed has been planted, for sure," Mystique added. "What fruit will grow as a result, I suspect we'll see soon." The tone of her voice told Neptune there was more going on than she and Uranus suspected.
"Well, these two ain't gonna be around to see it, are they?" Sabretooth growled. He reached over to grab Uranus by the chin. Neptune struggled against her restraints as she watched those claws lightly drag against Uranus's skin. Uranus betrayed no signs of fear, merely meeting Sabretooth with a defiant gaze. "I say we just waste them now. Two less skirts with magic sparkles the X-Men can throw at us later…"
"No, Creed!" Kizachi cried in a commanding voice, stepping forward.
"Come again?" Sabretooth asked challengingly, leering down at the roboticist.
"Call it being a slave to scruples myself, Creed, but I haven't forgotten that I owe these two my life," said Kizachi without a hint of fear. She turned to the Outer Senshi. "Consider us even now. You saved me from the Death Busters, so I'll have Lehnsherr spare your lives. Besides, it's not even you two I'm after. Far from it. Your princess is the only one I really want. I only need to see her heart shatter to pieces."
"That's supposed to make us hate you any less?" Uranus spat.
"You presume much, Ms. Kizachi," said Magneto dangerously.
"I've asked very little of you, Lehnsherr, beyond what's been absolutely necessary," said Kizachi, still betraying no signs of unease. "Helping me balance the scales is less than nothing in comparison to what you'll gain once our plans reach fruition."
"I suppose that's true," said Magneto, relenting.
"What's Magneto getting out of this, Kizachi!?" Neptune demanded angrily. "More importantly, what are YOU getting out of it? Is it just some sick need for revenge!? Against Sailor Moon!? WHY!? Why such hatred for the princess!? You were never part of the Dark Kingdom, so what did she ever do to you!?"
"It's more like what Usagi Tsukino DIDN'T do, Kaioh," was Kizachi's acid retort. "Like I told her, do a little more digging into my affairs, and the answer may come."
She stepped forward, holding Neptune's chin in her hand as Sabretooth had with Uranus. Uranus had betrayed no fear, but for some reason, Kizachi's touch made Neptune's blood run cold anew. As if this woman had a greater capacity for evil than she dared imagine.
"I like you two, really," Kizachi went on. "You have the capacity, the resolve, to do whatever needs to be done. But it seems the whole mess with Hotaru Tomoe, and now Eclipse, has blunted your killer edge. A pity."
"Sailor Moon proved us wrong both times," Uranus sneered defiantly. "She's changed us for the better. We stand with her, until the end."
"As I said, a pity," said Kizachi coolly. "That decision may guarantee your end comes sooner than you'd like. But not tonight. Lehnsherr?" Neptune heard some doors open on the side of the robotics lab adjacent to where they had first entered. "And don't worry. Though the cameras clearly recorded your transformation, I'll make sure no one sees it. Though, of course, I can blame the destruction of my laboratory on out-of-control mutants. One more incident I can use in my inevitable pitch to take my Sentinel program to the next stage."
"So you DO want another Sentinel program launched, Magneto!" Uranus cried. "What for!? Once Kizachi uses them on Sailor Moon, won't they be turned on your kind!?"
"Will they?" Magneto asked silkily. "As Kizachi said, it's best you not concern yourself with our affairs. Worry about yourselves. Next time, you may not be shown mercy."
With that, Magneto made a single gesture. The two Senshi were flung out of the laboratory, through the opened doors. They went smashing through a window, and kept on being propelled right across Tokyo's skyline. The whole time, Sailor Neptune could still feel Magneto's power resonating through the metal.
There was little doubt now. The man was just as powerful as Rogue had claimed, a fact that hit home again when they came tumbling down in the yard right behind their house. A reminder of how Magneto knew their secret identities, as well as a demonstration of his power.
Of course, he hadn't bothered to undo their bindings, leaving the pair there lying in the grass, still hopelessly trapped. Neptune could only lie there, trying to steady her breathing, trying to figure out how this mission had gone south so spectacularly.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Water was supposed to be Sailor Mercury's element, where she could feel at ease. But looking down at the churning waters where that monorail car would have sunk, Mercury felt no comfort. To think, if Naru hadn't been there, a good number of people, including Logan, might have drowned. But that one act of heroism cost Naru so much, Mercury thought with disgust.
It had been a simple matter to slip past the police officers assigned to patrol the now-closed monorail stop, thanks to her visor. Climbing down the rocky wall to investigate where the track's pillars collapsed, however, was another matter. Even with the extra strength afforded by her transformation, it was an arduous task, given how badly it had been weathered down over the millennia.
"Ugh, Makoto's the sporty one. She could've done this in half the time," Mercury muttered. "Or maybe rock climbing is another one of Haruka's plethora of talents."
Mercury was more than halfway down the rocky wall, thankfully, which should've been close enough for her visor to gather detailed information. She looked away from the wall, and after being sure she had a firm enough grasp with one hand, reactivated her visor.
Mercury waited patiently for the visor to complete its scans. She was so focused on the data coming in, however, she neglected to notice how gusty winds were making some rather powerful waves splash against the rocky wall. One slammed into it pretty hard, the wave crashing right underneath her.
This startled Mercury enough to make her lose her grip. With a sharp cry, she tumbled off the wall, falling headfirst toward the water. Mercury shut her eyes, praying that her transformation granted enough stamina to stave off paralysis, should her head hit stone hiding right beneath the water's surface.
But moments passed, and she didn't plunge into the water. Opening her eyes, Mercury saw her face was hovering mere centimeters above the sea's surface. Looking up, she saw that she was being suspended by, well, nothing. Nothing she could see with the naked eye, at any rate. That left only one probable explanation.
"Cable," Mercury muttered, looking around.
That's when she could make out a form floating toward her. The black uniform let him blend in with the nighttime gloom, but light from the monorail stop above reflected off his exposed bionic arm. And he wasn't alone. Storm was flying toward her as well, also in uniform. Though of course, she suspended herself on the winds.
"My apologies, Sailor Mercury," said Storm as Cable levitated her up to them. "It appears my approach led to you nearly taking a dip."
Cable set Mercury right-side up, and Storm offered her hand. After a moment's hesitation, Mercury took it, and Storm pulled her close. She could feel the winds swirling all around Storm. Cable, meanwhile, looked intently at the collapsed pillar Mercury had been scrutinizing moments before.
Turning back to Storm, Mercury asked, "Not that I'm mad about what just happened but, just what are you and Cable doing here, Ororo?"
"Same as you, I'd wager," said Cable. "No doubt you suspect this pillar didn't just happen to collapse by itself when Osaka was conveniently waiting for the next train."
"It's… not just your arm that's mechanical, is it?" Mercury asked delicately.
"The term is actually 'techno-organic', but you're quite correct," said Cable. "You got here first, though. Care to share what data you've crunched thus far?"
Realizing that her visor's system had enough time to analyze all the scan data, Mercury flipped her computer open, now that Storm had her. It didn't take long to see that her darkest suspicions were confirmed. "Just about all the metallic particles… They've been rearranged, as if subjected to an intense magnetic field! He was here!"
"My eye's pretty much telling me the same thing," said Cable. Mercury looked back over to Cable, and his left eye briefly flashed.
"So, Magneto wished for Naru to expose herself," said Storm darkly.
"But why would Magneto want that!?" Mercury cried.
"No doubt to make Osaka more receptive to his sales pitch to turn on humanity," said Cable gruffly. "And considering that Kizachi has it out for your boss, Ami, it stands to reason she wanted to hurt her by tormenting Osaka."
"M-M-Magneto really would've risked all those people dying, just so people would figure out Naru's a mutant?" Mercury asked, aghast. Though in her heart, she already knew the answer, terrible as it was.
"All too often, Magneto has shown disregard for the lives of normal humans if there is a chance to further his own agenda," said Storm. "He views the ascendancy of mutantkind by any means necessary as paramount. All other concerns are secondary to him."
Mercury was nonplussed. For a time, she dared hope their newest enemies wouldn't prove as craven as Queen Beryl, and all those who followed her. Unlike all their old enemies, Magneto and Erina Kizachi were still human. This drove home just how unfettered the opposition truly was.
"He's unhinged, sure, Mercury, but he's been beaten before," said Cable. "The X-Men have trashed his plans plenty of times, and judging by the intel you've shared, the Senshi have also handled some tough customers. Whatever Magneto's up to in your country, we'll stop it together."
Mercury wished she shared Cable's optimism. "We might beat him, Cable, but in a way, Kizachi and Magneto might have already won," she said, tears welling up. "Even if we stop them, the damage is done to Naru's life. She's lost faith in the Sailor Senshi, and now she may lose faith in humanity." Mercury couldn't keep herself from crying. Storm said nothing, merely holding her closer and letting her cry. Moments later, Mercury said, "Storm, how do you do it? You must've faced so many situations like this, watching people you care about have their lives destroyed, left without hope…"
"Far too often. More often than you can imagine," Storm replied softly. "And there have been times when I wanted to stop being the X-Men's leader and fly away, believe me."
"W-W-W-What stopped you?" Mercury sniffled.
"Many times, it was the simple realization that too many I cared for still needed me," said Storm. "I imagine it was the same with Sailor Moon."
"And it looks like we're needed again, now," said Cable. "I just got a flash from Logan."
"How? Wolverine's not telepathic, is he?" Mercury asked.
"He is, however, connected to all of us by rapports established by Nathan and the professor," said Storm.
"He's saying we need to get to the OSA-P, fast," said Cable. With that, he shot up, propelled by his telekinetic power.
"Hold on, Ami," said Storm, hanging onto Mercury a little tighter. A moment later, her winds kicked up, carrying the both of them high into the sky, following close behind Cable.
Mercury said nothing. Normally, she would marvel at how someone could manipulate wind to do this. But dread over what they would find at the jewelry store eclipsed everything else. For all of Storm and Cable's insistence that she should be confident, Mercury dreaded things were about to get far, far worse.