Episode 3

"I'm not joking! She looked just like Haruka!"

Ami had already been joined by her friends. Ami reflected on how difficult it was to get Rei, Makoto, Minako, and Chibiusa to talk. It took a day to get them all together, as, for some reason or another, they weren't all able to come at that moment when Ami called them. Now that they were together, however, they had to know about the girl. About this Haruka look-alike.

"She liked just like her!" Usagi said through mouthfuls. They had long since realized that the only place that could satisfy Usagi's incredible hunger without depleting their money supply was an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet, which was where they had decided to go at this moment. Because they had just gotten there, Usagi hadn't been able to eat much food. Ami could tell she was just warming up, and loving every minute of it.

"Can you tell me what she looked like?" Rei asked, curiously.

"Did she look…like that girl over there?" Chibiusa pointed toward a table off into the distance. Ami turned around, and jumped. The man sitting at the table Chibiusa pointed out was wearing a jacket labeled "evil" in Japanese kanji. Why a person was wearing a symbol which meant "evil" on his back was beyond her. Sitting at the table was a man with long red hair, a man with short dark hair, both very pretty looking, a red head with buns on her head, and, Ami's heart leapt, the girl who looked just like Uranus!

"That's her…" Usagi said, tensly.

"What's with the guy with the evil sign…?" Minako muttered, "Is he trying to attract attention to himself or something?"

"Yeah…that's weird…" Rei said, "And they feel…otherworldly, you know?"

Usagi pushed herself up, and walked over to the group at the table. Ami stared perplexed as she marched over, and smashed her hand down on their table. The blonde haired girl looked angrily up at first, but then sighed, "Oh…you again…find who you were looking for…?"

"Who the hell are you!?" the man with the evil sign snarled, surprised.

"That's what I should be asking!" Usagi snarled, "Listen up! I'm onto you guys, so—"

Ami had managed to grab her, once again, around the waist. She struggled against her, but Ami held firm, despite the elbow smashing into her face. She said, in a strained voice, "Ignore her…please…she is kind of crazy…"

"Hmmm…your name is Usagi Tsukino, correct?" the red haired teen asked, turning toward his face towards Usagi, gently and gracefully.

"Uh…yes…how did you—"

"And you…your name is Ami Mizuno…"

"Yeah…uh…"

"Excellent…we've already met two of the Sailor Senshi then…"

"Wait a second…" Ami dropped Usagi. There was no need to hold her back, as she was just as frozen in shock as she was.

How did this man know who they were? She had never met this red haired man before in her life. How could he, just having met them, know their names…and that! She had never attracted that much attention to herself and her identity ever before! And never would! What was this guy?

"I have no intent on causing any of you physical pain…although it is well within our power to do so…"

"We can't just let you walk out of here without you telling us everything…" Rei and the others had joined them.

"Naturally, Rei…" the man said, "So shall I suggest a nonviolent, although somewhat painful for one of each of us, option?"

Ami didn't like the sounds of that. She felt an uprising of tension at that prospect, but what alternative did they have? Either it was accept the terms, or resort to fighting five unknown foes at once.

"What do you have in mind?" asked Makoto.

"An eating contest."

Usagi jumped up and down, saying, "I'll do it! I'll do it!!!" As did the red haired girl, waving her hand in the air. The teen smiled calmly, "It seems that we both have two eager volunteers…so none of us will resort to combat…so long as we maintain that truce…we are both alright…"

Ami knew there was no choice now. She sighed, and replied, "You better not poison her."

"I have no intention of poisoning anyone…" the teen said, smiling still, "By the way…my name is Kurama…"

Ami now had a name attatched to the face. She smiled grimly. Turning to Usagi, she replied, "Okay…go ahead…"

Usagi jumped into her seat across from the girl. With a smile, the opposite girl said, "Hi! My name's Miaka…and I know your name is Usagi, right? Well…" Miaka's face grew tense suddenly, "I may not be good at fighting…but I won't loose at this!"

"Bring it on!"

"Remember…most plates eaten before you pass out…that's the solitary rule. Doesn't matter who faints first, so long as you eat the most! Begin!"

Ami was confident, at first, Usagi would be done with three dishes before Miaka would even start her first. She was wrong. By the time Usagi had inhaled her first dish, Miaka had done the same! Rei and the man with the Aku symbol brought plate after plate back to the table for Usagi and Miaka to consume. Two plates. Four plates. Eight plates. Sixteen plates. By the thirtieth plate, both of them looked sick. Miaka's face was starting to turn green, and she had to loosen her skirt somehow. Usagi wasn't much better. She wasn't turning green, but was becoming somewhat lethargic in her shoveling down food. They both, however, were at an identical pace.

"So…who has a better shot…?" Makoto asked, nervously.

"No clue…but I never thought anyone could out eat Usagi…" Chibiusa commented, in awe of both of their determination to win…or perhaps unbelievable gluttony.

"I thought Miaka would out eat her for a mile…but still…" the blonde haired girl commented. Kurama, on the other hand, simply smiled.

"Either way, we win…"

Ami wondered what he meant by that. Perhaps he had done something to Usagi's food! It was too late now to protest. She couldn't stop Usagi, nor did she have any reason to think he'd go against his word. Although she got a strange feeling from him, she could tell none of them, even the guy with the symbol on his back, were evil.

Ami was knocked back out of her daydream when she heard a loud thud. Both Usagi and Miaka had hit the floor simultaneously. Both had eaten a grand total of thirty-three plates! Ami was surprised Usagi could even breathe after eating all that. Her stomach was bulging, but also as hard as a rock. Both of theirs was. Miaka was making strange muttering sounds, and Usagi was breathing harder.

"It seems we are at a tie…" Kurama said, soothingly, "Well…as a compromise, I will only answer one of your questions…"

"What?" Ami asked, confused.

"I will answer a single question of yours, and then we will depart…what is your question?"

"Uh…" Ami had so many questions to ask them. Who were they? What were they doing here? Was there any reason that girl looked identical to Uranus, or was it accidental? Why was it that they had such a strange energy coming from them? What side were they one anyway? How could they find a glutton just as bad as Usagi? In the end, she asked the first one.

"We are a group of people from different worlds…united for the sole purpose of our salvation…" Kurama said, smiling serenly.

"Huh? What do you mean."

"I said I'd only answer one question…good-bye for now…tell us if you want another competition of some kind in the future…" With that, the group departed, the blonde haired girl dragging her fallen comrade by her arms as she muttered, "Uh…rice balls…"

It took a few seconds after they left for Rei to respond, "What the hell was that…?"

---------

"Wake up, Vash the Stampede!"

Seras sighed as she slapped Vash a few times to knock him awake. The man was such an idiot. He had drooled over the floor so much it was disgusting just to step nearby him. How such a bloody moron could hurt Master so badly was beyond her. It didn't matter anyway.

Vash's eyes were groggy for a second. He looked into hers, and muttered, "Rem…? Is that you…?" It took a few seconds to realize it wasn't "Rem". When he did, he made a big show of screaming at the top of his lungs in a high pitched screech.

"You are a bloody moron, you know that?"

"I get that sometimes…but what happened to your teeth?"

"My teeth…? Oh…that…" Seras sighed, "You hurt those vampires, and you don't recognize one when you see one…what an idiot…"

"Oh…this is all making a freaky sort of sense now…you aren't going to suck my blood, right? I don't really taste—"

"Trust me…making you a vampire is the same as condemning the world to death…"

"Phew…"

This man was a complete fool. She sighed, and returned to her duty, "Vash the Stampede…why are you here?"

"Huh?"

"What are you?"

"Good question…"

"How old are you?"

"Over a hundred years…yeah…"

"Then you are an immortal?"

"What? No…I can get killed!"

"I mean you can't die naturally."

"I don't know…good point…no clue!"

Seras was getting no where with this. She sighed, and decided to ask a different question, "Are you a member of the Vatican?"

"What's the Vatican?"

"Okay…we can eliminate that option…bloody moron!"

"Police Girl…a new Vatican member has been found!"

"I have a name, Master…"

"Need I repeat my self? It is getting redundant…"

"Master…"

"So…that guy's a vampire too?" Vash replied, pointing at Alucard as he appeared out of nowhere.

"He's the greatest vampire in the world, he is!" Seras snarled back at him.

"This man whom the Vatican hired…he's a nosferatu!"

It took a few seconds for these words to sink into Seras's conscious mind. The Vatican hiring a vampire? That was impossible to the fullest extent. The Vatican's soldiers were so anti-vampire it wasn't even funny. Why would they change their minds now?

"The vampire, however, came to Sir Integra—"

"You mean He-Lady?" Vash asked, confused.

"Shut the bloody hell up…God you are annoying!" Seras snarled.

"…went to Sir Integra, and asked for aid. It is obvious something very bizarre is happening…"

"You really think so?"

"Master! Can I shoot him right now? Pretty please?"

"No…we have to fully question him…and then he and I will fight to the death!"

"But can I shoot him in a nonvital point?"

"No….I want to enjoy my fight…"

Seras felt so disappointed. This guy was pissing her off so much she wanted to kill him just so she wouldn't have to hear his annoying voice one more time. She was wondering who would bite the bullet first: would Vash die, or would she kill herself out of insanity?

"The vampire's name, if it is of any consolation…" a new voice said, "Is Abel…"

"Walter?"

An old white haired vampire emerged from the darkness, smiling politely, "Sorry for intruding, but the vampire from the Vatican, Abel, has just revealed he is a Priest of some sort. Stupid Catholics and their hierarchy."

"Hey! That's mean to say!" Vash retorted, "Catholics are good people!"

"God! I hope Abel is not as stupid as this bloody moron is…"

"You're going to be disappointed," Alucard and Walter said in unison.

------

"It would appear that they are starting to unite…become stronger…" the deep voiced man at the table said at Gendo's side, "Perhaps we should step in and try to stop them…"

"That is unnecessary…oh! I can't wait until I get my hands on those filthy monkies!" a somewhat unstable voice cackled.

"Your voice steadily grows heavier on my nerves, Frieza. Just shut up now and do us all a favor…"

"You dare mock me?! I could squash you like a bug!"

"And yet you haven't yet…"

"Frieza! Aoshi! Shut up!" Sesshomaru snarled, angrily, "We have dispatched someone who will test them…"

"Who?" asked Scar, tentatively.

"Who so indeed. Who among us is absolutely expendable?" Gendo asked the group as a whole.

"Ah…I see…perfect choice…"

-----

Tohru smiled as she walked down the road. Beside her was Kyo and Yuki. She didn't know why she took so much pleasure in simply walking to school, just the three of them. She wanted to show Yuki off to their new friend Yui as fast as they could. She knew Yuki would like her just as much as she did. And yet, at the same time, she couldn't help wondering what would happen now. She didn't know why she was so concerned, she just was. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, but the tension of wondering what mystery concealed Yui was great.

"Hey…who the hell is that guy…?" Kyo muttered, almost laughing.

Tohru didn't think that the person was strange. There should be a perfectly reasonable reason that a full-grown man would be dressed like a clown wearing a pirate outfit. Sure, maybe he was part of a traveling circus, maybe he was going to a party, or maybe he just felt good wearing that. There was nothing to laugh about.

The man walked up to them, and stared down at them. He referred to a piece of paper, and looked back at them. He grinned toothily before asking, "Are your names Tohru Honda…Kyo Sohma….and Yuki Sohma…?"

"Who the hell are you?" Kyo snarled.

Tohru realized after a second what was going on.

"Oh! Are you one of those surprise party people?" Tohru asked, smiling brightly.

"What are you? Stupid?" the clown asked, harshly.

"Uh…am I not right…?"

The man laughed a high pitched, wheezy laugh before continuing, "My name is Buggy the Clown…and I'm here to take care of you guys…"

"How so?" Tohru asked, confused again. What did he mean, "take care of"?

"Miss Honda! Get behind us! Now!" Yuki commanded, firmly. He and Kyo braced themselves for a fight. Tohru obliged, scatterbrained, but replied nonetheless.

"You guys? Fight me? Not a chance…" Buggy said, grinning, "So sorry…but you don't even have a chance in—"

Kyo and Yuki smashed their knuckles straight into Buggy's stomach! He coughed out air as he staggered backward, "Alright…you're strong…I'll give you that…but you still can't beat me…"

"Why is that, ya stupid clown?" Kyo laughed.

"Just watch and learn…"