The new 'object to obtain' - 'Persona Flowers' - also derive from my imagination. More about it will be explained later.
Stay tuned! =-D
"What?" demanded Usagi,
"What do you mean someone else is here?" There was a mix between surprise, fear, and curiosity in her expression as she comprehended what had just been told to her. The atmosphere suddenly seemed tense. She hesitated. "Is it an enemy?"
Rei dived into a concentration, turning toward the wall and seeming to channel whatever presence she was feeling. Frustration crossed her face. "I.. don't know." She replied, confused. "The aura is strange. It's like… an evil energy, and then, at the same time… it's not." She met eyes with the blonde, her eyebrows creased in perplex.
One thought passed between them simultaneously…
If it wasn't evil, but it wasn't good… what could it possibly be?
There was a moment of stillness. Of silence.
Then, the miko stood up abruptly as a sharp, definite sensation zapped through her. This time, her face was one of certainty.
Usagi stood up, too, then began to stumble backward from the resulting vertigo. Thankfully, Rei caught hold of her arm before she could fall, and held her steady. The Rabbit pouted slightly. Stupid fever! Then, she noticed how fixated Rei was. Facing the doorway, her eyes locked on. Waiting. Even as she continued to hold Usagi up.
"Rei?" The odango wondered. What was she so serious about? Was there something else here?
"Be quiet." Her voice was a whisper.
"What's happening?" Usagi tried to lower her tone, too, but the mood of the situation kept her pitch somewhat high and demanding.
"The other presence is gone, but… now there's something else here."
Usagi gawked, open-mouthed in surprise. "Something else?" How many people were here, exactly? Were there more that Rei wasn't telling her about?
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
The raven-haired girl stepped in front of Usagi protectively.
"What is it?!" Usagi cried.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
There was a giggling cackle of laughter that emitted from nearby in the hallway outside the sliding doors. Usagi recognized its monstrous echo, its inhumane tenor.
"A youma?!" She gasped.
Then, it crashed through the door as if it had been made of tiny slips of paper and landed in the middle of the room in front of the two senshi. A big, round youma with girly red hair and big, scary eyes. It wore a bib in a black Lolita dress and doll shoes, and had utensils in each hand. But, it's wide, creepy smile was truly the scariest! "PAKU-PAKUUUUUUU."
Rei stepped forward bravely and pointed at it. "You'll pay for destroying my door!"
"GIVE ME YOUR PERSONA FLOWERS."
"Persona Flowers?" Usagi blinked at the unknown term. What in the world was that?
"Well, whatever they are, you can't have them!" shouted Rei, resuming a dutiful stance. She had to get rid of this youma before it decided to take what it came for or demolish more of her shrine and household. And, most importantly, she had to protect Usagi at all costs.
She held up her Crystal Wand. "Mars Crystal Power, Make-Up!" Raging fire swarmed around the ravenette, and within moments, she had transformed into Sailor Mars.
"I am senshi of Fire and Passion, Super Sailor Mars!" Super Sailor Mars swiped her arm across the air, "And, on behalf of Mars," gestured toward the youma with her first two fingers, "I will chastise you!"
"OOOOOH? I COULD EAT YOU UP!" The Youma's grin broadened. "IN FACT, I THINK I WIIIILLLL!" The monster jumped just enough to position itself over the two girls, targeting Mars and Usagi below before dropping through the air in an attempt to land right on top of them.
"Aaaaaaah!" Usagi screamed, holding onto Mars tightly.
The Fire Senshi was swift, lacing her arm around the blonde's waist and leaping out of the way just as the Youma hit the floor - dismantling wooden boards on impact and tilting them every which-way.
Mars landed a few feet away in a crouching position, with Usagi on her hands and knees. The Fire Senshi eyed the Youma angerly as it began to wobble to its feet, clenching her fists. "Stop tearing up my house!"
"Mars..." Usagi reminded her timorously, "I don't think it's going to list-"
"Mars… Flame Sniper!" A fiery arrow was created from her hands, aimed, and shot toward the monster.
When the flaming arrow was close enough to hit him, PakuPaku simply jabbed it with its fork, lifted the arrow up to its mouth, and ate it.
"Huh?!" Usagi and Mars gaped, wide-eyed, at the same time.
"MMM, MMM. YUMMY." The youma rubbed its stomach fondly after swallowing and licked its lips in satisfaction.
"No! That's not… You can't do that!" Mars yelled at PakuPaku in fury and bewilderment, stomping her foot.
"…It just did." Usagi motioned to the monster with two thumbs and a factual expression.
"Shut up, Odango-Atama!" Mars turned and retorted.
Usagi glanced back at PakuPaku in the wonder of a new idea, observing it for a moment. "Maybe I should transform…" If she could help, if she could use her wand, maybe they'd have a chance at defeating it.
"No, Usagi!" Mars interjected abrasively. "You can't fight! You're not well!" She slid in front of Usagi and held her arm out once again in an attempt to defend her. "Leave the fighting to me."
"But, Mars! You just saw it eat your Mars Flame Sniper arrow!" Usagi cried fearfully for her friend, with two fists pinned nervously to her chest. "You can't possibly defeat it!"
Mars shot Usagi a look of determination from over her shoulder. "I have to try."
"I'LL EAT YOU YEEEEEEET." The youma roared, charging at them in long strides.
Super Sailor Mars counted, because it seemed like the only thing she could do.
One.
Faster. It was faster than it looked when it ran.
Two.
Closer. They couldn't dive out of the way like earlier. There wasn't enough time.
Three.
The Fire Senshi closed her eyes, hoping that she would receive the full blow of the collision.
It would be great to have Tuxedo Mask come right about now, Mars thought. At least, for the sake of Usagi..
Mars braced herself. Usagi wailed.
Suddenly, the youma did something unexpected. It stopped. Right in front of them.
Mars opened one eye, then the other. The two teenage girls stared at it blankly. Completely baffled.
It stared back for a moment.
Then, it raised its hand – the one holding the spoon. "GIVE ME YOUR PERSONA FLOWERS!"
The curved utensil came down, startlingly stabbing into Mars forearm. She winced, staggering backward a couple of steps and yelping in pain.
Usagi's eyes widened. "Mars!" She caught the ravennette as she began to stagger slightly. She began to panic, in shock at what the youma had just done to her dear friend.
PakuPaku now turned its attention to Usagi, and intended to do something similar to the worried girl. "GIVE THEM." It raised its fork up in malice.
However, before it got the chance to do anything further, the Senshi of Fire used her other hand to yank the damned spoon out of her skin, and throw it at the youma. The piece of silverware pinned the torso of the monster, causing it to fall backward onto its rear.
Usagi stared in amazement. "Mars…"
Super Sailor Mars covered the bleeding curvature to suppress the stinging stab wound that throbbed within her arm, and, now standing up straight, turned to her friend with serious eyes. It was time to get out of here. "Can you run?"
Usagi gave her a puzzled expression. "But… what about your house?"
"To Hell with my house." Mars replied sharply. "Can you run or not?"
"PAKUUUUPAAKUUU!" The youma groaned, stepping to its feet.
"I-I don't know!" Usagi panicked, knowing that they were in real trouble if they didn't react fast. She tried to walk, one step in front of the other. She walked three or four steps before getting swimmy-headed again.
This was it. Super Sailor Mars had to take this chance to attack. All or nothing.
"Mars…Burning Mandela!" Circles of fire spiraled toward PakuPaku, successfully grazing him.
Meanwhile, Usagi's eyes turned to swirls and she was forced to stop walking, to lean on the wall for support. How could she run when she couldn't even walk properly? "I'm… I'm sorry, Reeii-chaaan…I can't!" Damned fever!
"Then, I'll carry you!"
"Carry me?!"
Super Sailor Mars scooped her arms under The Rabbit, bridal-style, forgetting about her injury and all else with it, taking this opportunity to escape. She began running. Running out the doorway, down the hallway. Out of her home.
Sprinting. Sprinting away from the shrine. Down the hill's stairs, down the street.
And, yet, despite their circumstances, despite what they had just been through… both enjoyed the closeness of the other and cherished these moments of proximity while they lasted.
