Chapter Three: A Dire Following
It was a few weeks before evil pursued darkness, snaking through the endless coils of time and space in search of the halves that would make the whole. Time was passing with civility for the city, but yet another flash of light set in the cradle of the night would mark the end of that and send the sleeping city of Tokyo into a tumultuous roar that slept forever beneath the lazy eyes and idle hand. Once again, it was labeled a fluke in the power grid and dismissed as part of that daily life that spawned such evils. Only the veins of the city were no longer clean. In the darkness of the same alleyway, two people lay cold, their bodies slumped carelessly together as if they belonged with the overflowing trashcan next to them. They had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and thus their fate was to be acquitted of their lives, leaving them nothing but motionless shells that droned on with life, yet did no longer live. The curious burst of light had drawn them into the darkest bowels of the alley, but it would be their last moments as themselves. What they found had consumed them. The consumers, for that was their greatest ability and they embraced such a term warmly, were emerging from the alley into the night. The same world, with its flashing lights and bustle of transit had intrigued the Scion only weeks before, yet this new force stared into the livid night with fresh anticipations – cruel new appetites.
Although clad in encompassing black cloaks that shielded them from all view, their excitement was purely visible by their movements, which showed lust for the bountiful life all around. "This place is for us," said one, its raspy voice showing physical fatigue but no loss in potency.
A second of the figures agreed in a solid, quiet voice, "Yes, a suitable realm to continue our severance." They made a terrible group, this circle of black dholes. A powerful evil followed them and brought with it a terrible fate. After tasting two fresh humans, feeling the energy flowing into them and offering an entire new race of Gangers, they became thirsty for more. Into the night they flawlessly moved, looking for more humans to consume and more creatures to be wrought tightly into coils in order to fulfill their purpose; a dark purpose that was unknown the tired, listless city about them.
The Priests of Anubis had found their new home.
Time went on for the senshi. The weeks behind had seemed slow as nothing but daily life demanded them, which in itself was a sort of lull that had become so foreign to their hectic lives that it felt as much uncomfortable as the nights of tears and pain did. Yet, chilling events had been filling the news lately, growing a deadly purpose behind the black curtain of night that was steadily festering in the minds and hearts of everyone. An epidemic was spreading through the city as people were slipping into comas, their bodies drained of energy and their diagnoses elusive at best. It baffled the hospitals and beds were filling. While the news and hearsay were completely senseless when it came to the source of this growing concern, there were those that had distinct predictions and those that knew exactly what was going on.
"I dunno. This all sounds a bit inky to me. Maybe there's some new enemy out there draining these people," Minako offered as she was perched on the stairs in front of the Hikawa Jinja, idly kicking her legs in thought while her eyes played across her equally brooding friends. Usagi, Ami, Makoto and Rei were all there, furthered by the presence of Luna and Artimus and all were convalescent in their thoughts to the new dangers. The group was concerned. This rash of comas led many to suspect foul play but no other information could confirm these theories, not even for those that were aware of the other side of their world; the dark and seedy world that allowed the vicious and cruel to thrive. With a tentative look on Minako's face, a slender finger was pushed to her chin and she looked to the sky for answers in a slated, timeless manner. "Maybe it really is just a virus like they're saying on TV?" she suggested.
In that particular field, Ami was the expert and shifted her eyes onto her friend, pressing her lips in the obvious concern that was plaguing her. She had kept close watch on this situation ever since it was brought home with her mother, one of the prominent doctors trying to find a reason for the new pandemic. Momentarily looking from her laptop caused her thoughts to phase back into a reality beyond numbers and her thoughts were given concisely. "No, I don't think so. My mom said none of the other doctors have seen anything like it. There's no biological reason to explain this. I have to agree that it may be a new kind of attack and that the cause is entirely alien," she said.
Rei, perhaps, had the greatest inclination to agree. Usually, her instincts and spiritual powers guided her in the realm of the supernatural, yet recently the fire had been an enigma. This standard friend, something that had always helped and eased her was elusive and offered very little in companionship. Even now she was distant, staring restlessly at the ground as if the earth could take up the fire's silence. Despite the fire being silent, she had felt something very powerful. However, this was not the standard premonition or warning, but rather like a part of her own soul was agitated, as if being tormented by an unseen force that could perfectly blend with her and ravage from within. She hated it. This feeling was like a violation of her soul. Yet, she had no idea who or what it was.
Though the conversation had been lively between the others, Usagi was also displaced. Her mind had been more than preoccupied. Yet she said nothing of her mental obsession, for there was no margin for understanding when it came to the observance of the heart and her treacherous feelings about the boy she had seen those few weeks ago were still consuming her thoughts, causing her to sit restlessly. However, almost as a natural response, she looked to her close friend and knit her brows in concern. "Rei? Are you okay?" she asked, letting go of her own concerns just for a moment.
Rei looked up from her own little daze and blinked, feeling slightly embarrassed for being caught in a sort of trance, then offered a sage nod and a smile. "Mm, I'm just thinking," she responded. A powerful darkness had filled her visions lately. Within just a few weeks, it had twisted and deepened. No matter how hard she tried, the answers slipped away faster than she could ask the questions. It was disheartening. "The fire has been difficult to read lately. I can't help but think there's something here," she whispered and looked to the ground once more. Her brow was furrowed in vivid thought and, no matter how hard she tried to translate it, the fire was ambiguous. It was almost easier to give up. With a sigh she looked back to Usagi and tried another smile, speaking softly, "I don't know what to make of it."
By this time, the conversation had wandered back to them. The others were looking at them with questioning glances and the obvious concern for their expressions, marring their alighted eyes, was shown in the impatience they had for their secret conversation. Sometimes, they felt worlds apart. Luna had been keen on the nature of their secluded discussion and tilted her head curiously, if only to join the soldiers all together in one train of understanding. "Do you two have something?" she asked simply. The two looked up and rejoined them from the personal meanings they both subscribed to, severing their wandering thoughts to the shadows and the sun in order to strengthen their team once more.
As they melded into the group again, something came to the shrine. The nearest torch flickered heavily, as if something horrible was bothering it; the flames thrashing about and crackling ferociously as if the very embers of their lives were being teased. These bold movements and the dancing shadows were all dream-like in the windless night, for the flames pulsed and moved without motion, but seemed to obey a dominant will of some unknown force to them. Even while the others talked, completely oblivious to the flames, Rei's eyes fell deep into the fire and widened. It seemed to cry out to her and beg for some kind of resolution – to listen to it screaming about the force. A dark and ominous power slowly tweaked her senses and she felt a quiver run up her spine, for it was the same power that had eroded her peace and tortured the back of her mind. Her hands felt clammy. A solitary bead of sweat ran coldly down her erect back. Before any of the others, she felt the presence and saw the effects it brought.
Turning around quickly, she found two shadows looming in the entrance to the shrine, both motionless and silent in the cool night air. Yet, the most terrible aspect was that the torches now swayed with a fantastic rhythm, back and forth in perfect harmony like a congregation of followers bowing to an idol. Even the sounds of the quickly burning fuels were pulsing, like a chant or hymn to one of these two looming figures. Trembling took control of her fingers and her entire body froze, her skin burning hot with sweat and her senses afire with stimulus. Despite the overwhelming effects present on her, she was unable to speak at all and simply glared at the first of the figures, her eyes searching and hating, every bit of him.
When Artimus saw her, he gasped heavily. He had never seen her so worked up and was instantly to his feet, as if to defend her from the thing that agitated her so. Soon enough he found himself following her gaze to the figures who had worked their way into the shrine without notice. They didn't seem special to him, but he still played on his gut instinct and moved closer to Minako, speaking quietly and maintaining his appearance as a simple pet. "I think we have some guests," he said softly. The others soon looked as well and found them, these two figures waiting silently at the gate. Each of them felt a slight tingling, but Usagi felt a quake. Her pupils shrank in recognition even before she even saw him her breath was forcibly pulled out of her in recognition.
Yamito and Suteki strolled from the gate and approached. The two intense reactions kept their victims silent; the others just felt uneasy. As Yamito came to a stop a few meters away, his eyes locked on Rei. He had found the source of spiritual awareness that he felt the moment he came to their world and now, being confronted with it in such a personal manner, he was unable to proceed further with the task he had set out to do. Although his own robes had been replaced by simple slacks and a dress shirt, he felt disturbed by the sight of hers and shifted his shoulders as if he could feel the fabric still clinging to his skin. Because of the silence and delay in his momentum, Suteki blinked and peered at him, wondering what happened to his previous resolve to bring this matter to them immediately. However, despite his inclination to continue staring at Rei, Yamito broke his attention away and spoke to the eagerly waiting girl. "We've come here to talk you about the epidemic," he said, his voice soft and hypnotic.
It sent a visible tremor through the group of girls. At first, they suspected that they had found the new enemies, for many came right out and gloated about their plans and powers. This time, however, their suspicions were far more complex. Usagi still felt weak in the knees and fought herself to speak, though the madness that this person could set upon her was frightening and frustrating. Oddly, it was Luna who stepped forward. "What about it? What do you know?" she asked. It was unheard of for Luna to just speak to a stranger, for the idea of a talking cat would quickly spread as the next circus attraction, but the way both Usagi and Rei reacted to them made gave her the feeling that this was a special occasion. Instead, she would seek answers from these two shrouded boys.
"Hey! You look and talk just like An…" Suteki started but a quick look from Yamito silenced him. Although his jocular self had been stayed for this, he had delighted in seeing the small cat and genuinely hoped that he could touch on lost memories of their own guardian cat. Still, he forced himself to suppress his joy and stay back from his true desires.
Yamito gave his attention back to the group. "My name is Kurobashi Yamito. This is Hoshi Suteki. Forgive the interruption, but we can tell you what is going on," he said candidly and watched the varied reactions in their eyes.
The girls were confused slightly, both in the figures and the reactions that were warranted, but Usagi finally broke from her trance. Rei was still locked onto Yamito with an unwavering stare that threatened to break her reputation, though her clenched fists and teeth did show certain distrust for him. But Usagi was momentarily freed from Yamito's power and tried her best at a feint. "Uhm, what do you mean?" she asked innocently.
"Your world is under attack. You should be aware of this and protect the people before terrible things come to be. Is this not your job?" he countered and looked upon Usagi again. Every time his eyes fell on her, they dulled, as if a powerful memory consistently overpowered his dark resolve and made him seem less ominous – more human. Being who she was, she already had a special place with him and it showed in every glance given to her.
"Assuming that we even know what you're talking about, what evil force would need to be stopped?" Ami asked candidly. She was eager to proceed along these lines and find out as much as she could about the new threat. Yamito's eyes didn't move from Usagi and Suteki thought it prudent to take up the quickening slack.
"Okay, these four evil guys are here sucking people dry like they're drink boxes! The few people they've gotten so far are just the beginning. Pretty soon they'll start creating Gangers and invade! Then there'll be dirt and no beds to sleep on and don't even get me started about trying to find a decent pair of shoes!" he explained with great enthusiasm, moving wildly to emphasize the story by holding imaginary drink boxes, imitating Gangers and simulating fire raining down from the sky. Suteki was a very animate person. Minako, Makoto and Ami blinked with excitement as he played it out and the rest were locked in a stare with Yamito. Yamito was a very submerged person. Not even Rei could fully grasp his presence and still marveled at the way the fire was reacting to him.
As soon as Suteki began babbling about things that were entirely tangent, he cut in and brushed some hair from his cheek with his thumb, clearing his face of a bit of wayward hair and glaring with a new resolve. "They are called the Priests of Anubis. We can only assume they've come here to start enslaving the people of this city and make them into Gangers, copies of humans with no soul of their own. They will destroy your world unless you stop them," he explained. This news weighed heavily on the eyes of the girls and the night seemed to darken considerably, if only for the waxing crescent slipping behind some scattered clouds.
But one of them was not as wearied by the message, but rather the messenger. Rei was staring at Yamito, still tensed and full of mistrust, for she suspected in him a great and terrible thing that was as likely to be the enemy as this force he spoke of. It was true that he somehow shared the same link to the flames that she did, but she didn't trust him and summarily decided that she deplored the young man named Yamito. After being silent the entire time, she questioned him with a tone of suspicion. "How is it you know so much? Perhaps you're the ones that are attacking the people and this is a trick. You have a dark aura around you, Kurobashi Yamito," she said, unwavering in her tone and angry in his invasion of her realm. It was surprising to the others how coldly she said it, for though she had always been the fiery voice of guidance that warned them of the submerged, she was showing a purely furious pretence to the two visitors. They were surprised how Rei, always so calm and cool, was acting towards him, a boy that had done nothing more than arrive. The reason for it was very complicated.
"You are very perceptive, Sailor Mars," Yamito replied dryly, his dark eyes moving to her again. Her senshi name had a wry twist from his mouth and she found herself wincing because of it. "You truly have no reason to trust us and you may very well believe that we are responsible. Regardless, if your duty is to protect your world, I advise you not to dismiss my words," he continued, challenging her with every word and his stare deep and dark. Deep within them both, fire churned. They both felt the bitterly similar powers buried within them and it provided a bridge of shallow understanding, yet a great barrier to them both in terms of trust. She stared at him and he stared at her. The others became distant fog. Nothing touched them for a single instant and all they knew was each other, through common ground and mutual distaste. And, as fiercely as she hated the fact, she found herself jealous when he turned his attention back to the others, breaking their moment of clarity.
He didn't explain anything about himself or the others, but described four beings with great powers and their thirst to conquer and devour. He explained how dangerous they were and that they could create beings that would destroy their world. However, Rei wasn't paying attention. She wanted him to look at her again, even if it was to verify the mutual mistrust they had for each other and to have that frail connection. She wanted him all to herself even if it only meant he would stare at her with those dark eyes, though she didn't know why. A frustrated hint of red swept over her, swayed by other meanings, and she found herself flushed in anger at herself. She had just met him! This sort of thing didn't happen to her and especially in the middle of a crisis. But she wanted his attention and she wanted to hate him, just because it would place herself somewhere against those dark, sad eyes.
"So if you guys are from the same place as these Priests, why are you here?" Luna asked with no small dread on her face. What was just described to her made the weight of battle hang on her again. It was going to be another long summer. And she knew it.
Yamito's shoulders slouched slightly and he muffled a heavy sigh, as if trying to maintain an appearance in front of these soldiers. "We came here with the intent of finding a peaceful life. Unfortunately, it seems they followed us here and you now have to deal with them. For that, I am sorry," Yamito replied and bowed to them in deepest sincerity, for he had the gravest reservations about even involving them.
Suteki was eying him harshly. The prostrated leader had said nothing about them being soldiers themselves and being from another Earth! Even as the girls questioned them about being human and Yamito responded in vague affirmatives, Suteki was biting his bottom lip. The warnings of Yamito about not telling them more than they needed to know rang in his head and ate at him. Suteki was a very honest person and he was always the first to share more information, but even Kurai had conceded that doing that would be more harmful than helpful. It frustrated him, but he had learned long ago to follow Yamito through it all. He was still alive because of it. And he was silent.
"What do we have to do?" Usagi piped up suddenly and grabbed everyone's attention. No one expected her to be the first to volunteer, but considering the person who was asking, she felt like she had been waiting too long. It was obvious she had been looking for a reason to get his attention back to her. Yamito shifted his eyes to her and once again let silence linger. There was an unsaid something between them, a sort of powerful vacuum of senses that formed whenever their eyes met. They were opposites, yet so similar that, in each other, they saw some kind of reflection of themselves, as if seen through another person's eyes. Usagi was warm and bright and always wore her heart on her sleeve, baring the immense power in her as a method to saving anyone that needed it. Yamito was visibly darker, jaded by the past and harboring a power that was not as practical as Usagi's wholesome love. They both felt it, this intense connection. He excited and frightened her, but she had no chance to think about it. Yamito was turning back to the city with business on his mind. Whatever future this was going to bring, she felt supported by the friends around her and intrigued by the dark young man looming before her. She could see him in the eyes of the others and the eyes of his animate friend.
Yamito was someone who commanded everyone he met. Even Usagi could not deny the power he had over her. "Follow us. We know where to find them," he said and moved towards the leeward side of the city.