Title: Lost in the Sea of Serenity: An Altered Destiny
Author: S Dot Serenity
Disclaimer: No good people, I don't own Sailor Moon. But Good Selenity I wish I did!
Chapter 6
Out in the audience, Usagi and her friends stood up and stretched. "What a spectacular first half," Ami said, eyes dancing. "It sure was," Usagi agreed. "But I could sure go for a snack."
"Figures," Rei muttered. Usagi just cut her eyes at her. Turning toward her new friend, she said, "Andrea-chan, would you like to go get a snack with me?" "Sure," the foreigner said. "But why don't we all go? I know everyone needs to stretch their legs." "Sounds like a plan," Minako said.
Andrea turned towards Motoki and Reika who were chatting amongst themselves. "Would you guys like anything?" Reika, who was giggling at something Motoki said, turned towards the girl. "No thanks," she replied. "Toki-chan and I'll just stay here and watch the seats." Andrea nodded, and led the way to the refreshment bar with the other girls following behind.
Hatsugoori sighed impatiently and looked at Kousen again. The fire warrior had gone about ignoring the girl again, and was lazily picking at her security uniform. It seemed that Hatsugoori had lost her patience five minutes into intermission, and started pacing back and forth. Knowing that paying her any attention would force an unwanted conversation or argument, Kousen just decided to keep to herself. Hatsugoori on the other hand could care less. Her patience was wearing thin, and she needed someone to complain to. Kousen just happened to be the closest target.
"Hasn't it been 15 minutes yet?" she whined, stopping in front of Kousen. Picking up an errant magazine from next to her, Kousen replied in a bored tone, "It hasn't even been ten."
Hatsugoori threw up her hands in exasperation. "Why is time passing so slowly? I just wanna drain the little brat on go on about my business!!" Kousen heard a slight movement and looked up from her magazine, staring pointedly past Hatsugoori. The 'stage manager' saw her stare and turned to see two stage hands eyeing the pair with wide eyes, obviously overhearing the conversation. Hatsugoori, for her part, was in no mood to stay in character for these lowlifes.
"What are you looking at?!" she snapped. "Keep it moving!" At her venomous tone, the stage hands scurried off. When they were gone, Kousen turned back to her magazine, saying, "You really should watch the volume Hatsu dear. You wouldn't want to give yourself away."
"I'd rather give somebody frostbite." the put out self proclaimed princess mumbled. She sat in silence for about three seconds, then walked up to Kousen again.
"What time is it now?"
"One minute after the last time you asked me."
"Damn it all!!"
"There's just so much to choose from!" Usagi exclaimed happily as she surveyed the contents of the snack bar. The rest of the girls had already gotten what they desired and let Usagi go last as they knew that she'd take the longest. It was obviously a blessing and a curse. They were right to let her go last, as she was taking the longest, but she was also created a mild annoyance in the patrons behind her.
"Usagi," Rei hissed in her ear as the blonde continued to drool. "Will you pick something already? There are other people in line, you know."
"Yeah," Makoto murmured as she glanced at the line. "And they don't look too happy."
Sure enough, people in line could be seen glancing at their watches or sending chilling looks Usagi's way. The blonde obviously didn't care as she was eyeing a particularly tasty looking double fudge chocolate chip cookie.
Always a stickler for professionalism, Ami kept looking at her watch. "Usagi, there are only five minutes left to intermission. I highly suggest choosing something, now." The bluenette advised.
Finally seeming to come to a conclusion, Usagi tried to flag down the snack bar attendant who had long ago chosen to take a seat and catch up on some light reading when he realized that the odango haired one was going to be a minute. Sighing, he put the book away and sauntered up to the girl, forcing a smile upon his face.
"What can I get for you ma'am?"
Usagi smiled and said, "Do you have anymore cookies in the back because there's only one out here and it's kinda small and I really wanted two?" The customers behind her groaned as they heard her request, as did her friends. Andrea just hid a smile behind her hand. It was all pretty amusing to her. The attendant on the other hand didn't find it amusing at all though, as his smile dropped and he turned toward the back grumbling out, "I'll go and check." Yes, he could have easily said no, to get things moving, but he somehow knew that if he had, she'd have taken another 10 minutes to decide on something else. He just prayed to all the Kami he knew that there would be a cookie back there.
"Arrgh!" Hatsugoori cried out in frustration. Her partner in crime just rolled her eyes as she turned yet another page of her magazine.
"I am SO sick of waiting! What time is it now?"
Eyes never leaving her page, Kousen merely glanced at the watch on her wrist. She glanced twice when she saw what time it was.
Putting her magazine down and standing, Kousen replied, "Well you're in luck Hatsu. Intermission will be over in about two minutes."
"Wonderful!" Hatsugoori said, grinning evilly. Snapping her fingers, a blizzard formed around her and changed her stage manager's get up into her assassin's fuku. "Let's get this party started, shall we?"
Just as Kousen opened her mouth to reply, her eyes narrowed over Hatsugoori's shoulder. Whirling around to see what the fire brat was looking at, Hatsugoori's gaze settled on the same two stage hands that she had startled before. Unfortunately for them, they had seen Hatsugoori's transformation. Standing there with eyes wide and mouths agape, the two poor stage hands started trembling when they saw Hatsugoori's lip curl in disgust.
"I thought I told you to get lost?!" the blue haired woman snapped. Coming slightly out of his stupor, stage hand number one stuttered, "Wh-What are you?"
Rolling her eyes and mumbling, "I don't have time for this", Hatsugoori flicked her wrist, and before the two men could scream, they were frozen solid.
Walking over to her new 'creations', Hatsugoori appraised them slowly. "Hmmmm," she murmured. They were eerily beautiful. Gleaming a brilliant ice blue, and reflecting specs of rainbow colored light, Hatsugoori had caught the anguished, horrified looks on the men perfectly. "I do need some more centerpieces for my garden. "What do you think, Kousen?"
Standing with her hand on her hips, she eyed the statues wearily. Why did the ice princess always seem to leave a mess wherever she went? Pinching the bridge of her nose, Kousen sighed. "Don't care." She replied. "Just do something before someone sees you."
Hatsugoori nodded and for a split second her eyes shone a brilliant white. A deathly cold portal opened up behind the two statues. Kousen's eyes went wide and she jumped back from the portal, rubbing her arms vigorously. "Hey! Warn somebody before you go opening up your Winter Wonderland! Damn it, that's cold."
Hatsugoori merely rolled her eyes. "Really, Kousen," She drawled. "You're the fire assassin. Shouldn't you have internal heaters or something?" Before Kousen could come up with a retort, Hatsugoori pushed the frozen statues and watched as they swirled away into the wintry abyss. Her task done, she closed the portal with another flick of her wrist and turned towards the stage.
"Come Kousen," she called. "My five minutes of fame awaits!"
Mumbling Solarian curses under her breath, the slightly chilled fire assassin followed reluctantly behind.
Rei's head whipped around. Eyes narrowing dangerously, she tried to concentrate on the feeling of a raw, yet familiar power boost near by. Again, it was gone as soon as it had come, but Rei knew it was there. She also knew that it shouldn't be ignored. Looking around at the others, Rei saw Andrea staring in the same direction. The girl obviously felt Rei's stare and turned to look at her. Rei was slightly taken aback when she saw an unfamiliar emotion flicker across the foreigner's eyes. Deciding to store that little bit of info for later, she turned to her friends.
"Hey guys," she began, but was cut off by the signal letting everyone know that intermission was over. The people in line behind Usagi groaned angrily and shot the oblivious blonde menacing looks, before turning and heading toward the theater. Makoto and Mina moved slightly closer to Usagi in case things got ugly. Usagi for her part, didn't care as she was happily munching on the cookie the distressed attendee had given her.
Chuckling wearily, Makoto regarded her group of friends. "Well guys," she said, gesturing back towards the auditorium. "Shall we?"
"Yea, let's go before someone decides to seek vengeance for their rumbly tummies," Minako said with a slight giggle, as she tailed the group.
Giving the mirror backstage one final wink, Ayakami took a deep breath and walked on stage to await the drawing of the curtain.
Giving Kousen one final glare, Hatsugoori glided to the edge of the stage and quickly transformed back into her stage manger outfit.
Resisting the urge of giving Hatsugoori the finger, Kousen took her place in a back corner of a wing, to watch the madness that was sure to ensue.
Ayakami turned to the wings to see the stage manager there, beaming at her happily. She just knew that she had felt something just then…only she didn't know what. Just that it was…powerful? Hm, she surmised, Best to forget it. She tried to tune out the amicable chatter of everyone returning to their seats in order to focus on the next act. The first one had gone splendidly, and she hoped to max out everyone's expectations with the next.
Hearing the announcer call for the start of the show, and the wild applause of the people, Ayakami took her pose, and Hatsugoori all but trembled with excitement.
"Hurry up and sit down, Minako! It's starting!" Makoto hissed at her friend, as she tried to push her into her seat. Getting through a disgruntled, hungry crowd had been harder than they had originally thought, especially with an oblivious blonde leading the way. Now they were just trying not to miss the opening note.
"I'm going, I'm going…" Minako said, sliding into her seat. She looked curiously up at Andrea, who had yet to take her seat. "C'mon Andrea-chan," she said, pulling her new friend by the arm. With one final, slow look behind her, Andrea acquiesced.
"Yay! The curtains are opening!" Usagi sang, as she wiped brushed invisible crumbs off of her dress.
"Yeah, and hopefully we can get through this half without someone having something to say every five minutes," Rei said pointedly, looking at Minako and Usagi. The two blondes just stuck their tongues out at the priestess.
Seeing this, Andrea leaned over and stage whispered to Makoto, "Are they always like this?" Makoto giggled and nodded. "Only when they're awake." Rei heard her, but just chose to leave her comment for later as the audience exploded in applause for Ayakami.
Taking that as her cue, Ayakami set her face to the most lovelorn face that she could muster, and opened her mouth. Out of it came the purest note that anyone in the audience had ever heard in their lives. A hush came over the crowd as Ayakami had them eating out of the palm of her hand.
"Whoa," Reika breathed as she snuggled closer to Motoki. "Ditto," the girls and he answered. Usagi suddenly felt a small pang of pity for the girl that Ayakami sung about. The girl was madly in love with a guy that wouldn't give her the time of day, only because he believed a lie that his friend had told about her betraying him, when in all actuality, he wanted her for himself. Timeless situation, but sad nonetheless. And the way that Ayakami sang was so heart-wrenchingly beautiful, that Usagi wanted to march right up to the guy that Ayakami a.k.a. Roxie in the performance, loved, and shake some sense into him. But, she had more sense than that.
A certain blue haired villain did not, however. She stood on the makeshift balcony on stage, waiting for the perfect chance to make her debut. Her long suffering partner stood below her, just behind the wing trying not to pull her hair out. She knew that it would be so much simpler for the two of them to wait until the Ayakami girl came off stage, jump her, and grab the crystal if it was there. But, no. The blue haired twit wanted to be difficult and expose herself to everyone on stage and take hostages.
Kousen glared at the struggling teen bound and gagged by her feet. The handsome youngster was supposed to be Ayakami's love interest in the musical, but Hatsugoori had made it so that she would be making the debut instead of him. Stupid girl. Always so messy. Kousen thought with a sneer.
The young hostage at her feet started to grunt for help, but Kousen snapped her fingers and ignited a small flame. Leaning towards him menacingly, Kousen could see the sweat bead on his forehead. "If I were you, I wouldn't make a sound unless the prospect of being slow roasted over an open flame is appealing to you." The guy whimpered in response and immediately passed out.
Stupid, weak humans. Kousen thought as she blew out the flame. Glancing up at Hatsugoori, she hissed telepathically, "Hurry up, will ya?"
Oblivious to what was going on backstage, Ayakami strode over to the balcony on stage, still singing her heart out, supposedly looking for her love. As she sang the last note, she looked up at the balcony, hoping to catch a glimpse of her 'man'. The audience held it's breath, waiting to see exactly who Ayakami was pouring her heart out to.
When nothing happened for about a minute, Ayakami started to worry, and tried to fix her mind around how to set things right. Just as the cogs in her brain started turning, the fake balcony doors slid open amidst a gale of smoke. Ayakami relaxed instantly, rejoiced to know that the show continued. They probably had a glitch in the system or something. She thought to herself. Hey, is this smoke…cold?
The audience was on the edge of their seat to see this heartthrob…and were utterly confused as a blue haired female strode out of the shadows, beaming at the crowd. A collective gasp swept through the patrons.
"What the heck?" Minako asked, outraged. "That was totally supposed to be a mega hot guy!"
"Somehow," Ami said slowly, "I don't think that this is a part of the show."
Ayakami stared up at the woman shocked. No, this was most definitely not a part of the show. Was that her stage manager?!
"Uh, what's going on?" she hissed at the woman, hoping beyond hope that she would hear her.
"Why, whatever do you mean, dear?" Hatsugoori purred while shaking out her hair and winking at the audience. The men in the audience immediately took notice and started whistling. Motoki had to bite his tongue and force a look of confusion upon his face. You'd have to be blind to not think that the mysterious woman was anything but gorgeous. But you'd have to be incredibly stupid to show any bit of attraction to any woman with your girlfriend sitting by your side. Especially one who owns a variety of archaeology picks. Very sharp archaeology picks.
Loving every minute of the men's appraisal, Hatsugoori continued. "We're here to put on a show right?" Looking out to the audience she added, "After all, that's what you came here for correct?" At the crowd of men's whistles and calls, Hatsugoori giggled. Ayakami was pole axed. She looked out at the audience, then back at her stage manager. If she could even still be called that. The woman was waving and winking, and primping and priming as if she didn't have a care in the world. And Ayakami knew something wasn't right.
"What are you doing here? Where's Miyoshi?" Hatsugoori looked at the superstar like she suddenly remembered her being there. "Oh, him? He's kind of…tied up at the moment. But don't worry," Hatsugoori looked at her with a predatory grin, that made Ayakami involuntarily take a step back. "He's not needed." With that, Hatsugoori took a step back, and made a flying leap off of the balcony to land right in front of Ayakami. The audience, thinking that it really was a part of the show applauded heavily at the assassin's stunt.
Usagi and the other girls watched warily. Suddenly, this didn't seem like a bizarre plot twist anymore…
Ayakami's hands flew to her chest. That leap was impossible, she thought wildly. There aren't any wires set up for aerial stunts!
Hatsugoori took one look at the doubt and confusion clouding Ayakami's face and smiled. Some things were just too easy. Flicking her hair over her shoulder, she gazed out to the audience. "Like I said," she said loudly. "Miyoshi is not needed. We have all the show we need, right here."
That said, Hatsugoori snapped her fingers and instantly her whirlwind of snow and ice showered around her, changing her back to her original form. "After all," she finished, as the blood drained from Ayakami's face. "The show must go on!" The audience exploded in applause as the idiots lapped it up. "That was amazing!" someone shouted. Luckily, the thunderous applause drowned out the collective gasp from the senshi and friends.
"Guys! It's that ice creep from before!" Came Usagi's muffled cry from behind her hands. The Senshi all nodded in agreement, and abruptly looked towards the exits.
"We have to get out of here so we can transform!" Rei whispered. "But what about everyone in here?" Makoto responded. "We can't leave them alone for even a second with that psycho! And what about Andrea-chan? I'm sure she'll be suspicious if the five of us suddenly disappear!"
The other Senshi cringed. They had forgotten about their flabbergasted friend. They looked her way and saw a strange look in her eyes. "Guys," she started weakly. "I don't think this is a good thing. Look at Ayakami."
Par her instructions, the girls all looked at the orange headed superstar, and saw the look of pure horror on her face, and a grim look of determination set upon their faces. Getting impatient, Rei looked towards the exits again. "We can't keep sitting here!" she seethed in a heated whisper. The girls nodded, but Usagi pointed towards the stage. "They're talking again."
Indeed, Hatsugoori had turned back to Ayakami with an icy smile. "As for you," she said. "You have something I want." Taking another step back, Ayakami shakily asked, "Wha-What's that?"
"Oh," Hatsugoori said as she began to hover in mid-air. "Only the very thing that makes you, you! Your-" Hatsugoori didn't get to finish her speech, because Ayakami had taken off in a dead sprint. Hatsugoori sighed. Why do they always run?
Winding up, Hatsugoori flung her arms forward and sent a sheet of ice Ayakami's way. With surprising agility, Ayakami skidded out of the way. Hatsugoori blinked. Now how'd she do that? She wondered. Shaking her head, she sent out another sheet, which Ayakami avoided yet again. Hatsugoori huffed. This was getting tedious.
The audience had by this time realized that it wasn't part of the show, and started screaming and scrambling for the exits. The senshi took it for what it was and scrambled to the exits as well. As Motoki and Reika passed Minako for she had fallen back, she whispered to them, "Take Andrea and keep her safe!" Motoki nodded his understanding, and he and Reika caught up to where the foreigner was, and barely skidded out of the doors before they slammed shut, right in the girls' faces.
Backstage, Kousen noticed that things were indeed getting slightly, messy. Just as I thought. Peeking out around the curtain, she saw all of the musical's patrons running for their lives. "Can't have potential crystal holders getting away now, can we?" she whispered to herself.
Gesturing a hand towards the exit doors, Kousen heated the exit bars to an excruciating level. She grinned as she heard the yelps of pain from people that touched the bars. The men started to ram into the door, trying to break it down. Kousen scoffed. "No you don't," she drawled as she concentrated and melted the hinges and locks of the doors, effectively molding them shut. Satisfied with her work, and the sounds of desperation from the audience, Kousen turned to survey Hatsugoori's work.
The girl was getting nowhere fast. She had already frozen the entire stage, and had yet to catch Ayakami. "Slippery brat, isn't she?" Kousen mumbled. The red head saw the superstar heading straight for her wing and chuckled. Throwing up a hand, she threw a burst of heat and flame towards Ayakami but barely touching her, causing her to jump back in fright. Shimmering out before Ayakami could see her, Kousen relocated to the other wing.
Hatsugoori was reaching the end of her limits. The darn girl was more slippery than a greased pig! "How the hell do you keep dodging my attacks?!" the assassin screamed at the terrified teen.
Ayakami, for her part, was indeed terrified. This crazy blue haired freak was trying to turn her into a Popsicle, and somehow, she was almost a scorch mark on the floor! She couldn't for the life of her figure out what the witch wanted, as she dodged another attack. Nor could she figure out how she was still dodging those attacks for that matter.
Realizing that she had no where else to run, and completely tuning out the audiences cries for help, Ayakami was at a standstill. She could jump off stage, but that would be certain injury in the orchestra pit below. She couldn't very well run with a broken leg! She was still looking around for a way out when she heard a low growl behind her.
"Dammit!" Makoto cursed. She rubbed her throbbing shoulder as she realized the doors wouldn't budge. "What now?!"
"I don't know, but we have to get out of here and get these people out fast," Mina surmised, looking around at all the scrambling people looking for a way out. Some brave souls had actually run toward the stage to find a exit, but had been blown back by large bursts of flame. Those few lay unconscious on the floor. Ami had gone over with another doctor in the crowd to survey the damages.
"At least Andrea-chan, Motoki-kun, and Reika-chan got out," Usagi said gratefully. "Yeah," Rei grumbled. "I just wanna get my hands on who ever shut these doors!"
Just as Minako was about to reply, they all heard a low growl behind them. As one, everyone turned back towards the stage.
"I've had it with you, human!" Hatsugoori snarled out as her eyes began to glow a sickly white. Stretching her arms to her sides, a torrent of ice and snow began to fill the auditorium, gathering into her arms to make one massivly cold energy ball. Ayakami could do nothing but stare with wide eyes; her feet were rooted to the spot.
Once the energy ball was the size of a baby elephant, Hatsugoori screamed, "GIMME THAT CRYSTAL!" and let it fly.
Ayakami barely had time to smartly duck as the energy ball flew over her head and smashed into the far wall, leaving a huge hole. The girl only took one look towards Hatsugoori and bolted for the hole, using the ice the assassin had created as a slide to cross the orchestra pit. The audience quickly followed suit, filing out as quickly as they could, the senshi right behind them, ironically jumping through the hole just as someone asked, "Where are the Sailor Senshi when you need them?"
Minako just rolled her eyes.
Hatsugoori just stared at the hole she made, dumbfounded. Realization hit her in the head like a brick. "Shit!" she screeched as she watched everyone escape and Kousen appeared next to her in the air.
Kousen clapped sarcastically as she watched the last person hop through the wall. Amusingly, the last one flipped them off before running out. She turned a smug face to Hatsugoori, swearing she could hear her teeth grind.
"Brilliant move, princess," Kousen taunted. "You let the little brat get away." Whirling around to face her partner, eyes still glowing white, Hastsugoori growled, "Shut the hell up!" With that, she flew after her prey. Kousen chuckled and transported after her.
Ayakami didn't know where she was going, only that she had to get there fast. Or at least get to a really good hiding spot. One thing was for sure, she was thoroughly confused. She didn't know what crystal that thing kept yelling about. Hell, at first she had thought that her stage manager had just gone loopy, but it was something far worst than that. Deranged fans she could handle, psychotic blue haired witches… not so much.
While running for her life, she came across the amusement park grounds. With the hopes of hiding within the fun house, or house of mirrors, she gratefully slipped inside.
"Did you see which was she went?" Makoto panted as she ran along side Minako. "Kinda hard to miss with that bright orange hair." Rei quipped, trailing slightly behind as she tried to sense their opponent.
"Poor girl, I bet she's scared to death!" Usagi said as she ran. "Do you think we should call the others?"
"It's always good to have backup!" Ami added as she ran along.
"Shouldn't we see if we can handle it ourselves first?" Makoto asked. "Negative," Minako said. "Don't you remember the trouble we had the last time? I'd like to avoid that at all costs if we can, thankyouverymuch."
Fishing her communicator out of her pocket, Minako quickly pushed the button for the outer senshi. After a few seconds, Michiru's head popped onto the screen. "Minako? What's wrong?" The musician asked, her tone serious.
Minako smirked, humorlessly. "Can't I just be calling to say hello?'
"Not on the communicator."
The golden haired senshi nodded. "Point taken. That blue haired creep from the last battle seems to have found a new target." Minako could have sworn she heard a very disgruntled "wonderful" in the background that sounded suspiciously like Haruka. She chose to ignore it. "We need backup at the amusement park down the street from the theater."
Michiru nodded. "We'll be there as soon as we can," she affirmed. "Neptune out."
Slightly winded, the group came to a halt in front of the amusement park. "Is this where she went?" Usagi asked, looking around to spot a familiar crop of orange hair. The group of girls started when they heard screams coming from inside of the park.
"My money's on yes," Makoto quipped, taking out her transformation wand. The others nodded, and followed suit.
"Well, so much for not having any distractions," Rei said. The others girls sighed in agreement.
"Will you stop running for one second?!" Hatsugoori huffed as she flew after Ayakami, flinging various showers of ice in her direction. By now, half the park was covered in ice by the frozen fury of the ice assassin.
"If she did, she'd be incredibly stupid. Even for a human."
Hatsugoori growled as Kousen appeared next to her. "Can it pyro!! I don't need your idiotic remarks right now! Are you just gonna stand there and observe all day?! Do something!"
Kousen sighed. As much as she loved to be proven right by Hatsugoori, she hated it when a mission dragged on needlessly. "Fine. Seeing as this is my mission too, I may as well lend a hand."
Kousen glanced up to where Ayakami was seen sprinting toward the house of mirrors. Now how cliché is that? She thought to herself.
Coming to rest on the ground, Kousen snapped her fingers as she glanced up at Hatsugoori. Instantly a fire ball formed in her palm. Dismissing the very pleasant thought of using the fire ball on her partner, Kousen blew on the ball, making it zoom towards Ayakami.
Ayakami shrieked as she felt the blazing ball of heat whiz past her head, barely grazing her orange mane. Said fire ball hit the ground directly in front of her, resulting in an inferno wall that sent her flying backwards. Skidding to a stop on her bottom, Ayakami quickly regained her footing and tried to run in the other direction.
"Hmmm," Kousen speculated. "Told you she was slippery!" Hatsugoori taunted. Kousen ignored her. Making a 'come here' motion with her pointer finger, Kousen's fire ball blazed to life once more. Detaching itself from the ground, it re-emerged in front of Ayakami everywhere that she happened to turn. Bewildered, the star backpedaled into a frozen popcorn stand, and went crashing to the ground with it. Looking up with mounting trepidation, she saw the ball of fire start to circle her mercilessly, forming a scorching cylinder.
Frightened, she pulled herself up to a sitting position, and hugged her legs to her chest. Burying her head into her arms, she cried out, "Please! Leave me alone! I don't have what you want!"
Put out at the way Kousen handled Ayakami, and the smug looks in her direction, Hatsugoori marched toward Ayakami with pure malice in her eyes. "Yeah well, I'll be the judge of that."
Stooping down, Hatsugoori peered at the shaking girl through the rings of fire. "Pathetic," she whispered, with an evil grin on her face. "Sitting here whimpering, all because you're encased by fire. Trust me rock star, I've been in tougher situations, and I still held my head high. Where's all of that spunk of yours now?"
Ayakami didn't answer. She just raised her eyes to meet Hatsugoori's. The assassin reared back slightly in shock to see not the placid, azure eyes of Ayakami, but a stranger's eyes that shone a bright red in indignation. She whipped around to see if her fiery partner had noticed, but saw that she didn't, as she just kept making circling motions in the air to keep the cyclone going.
Hatsugoori turned back around to see that Ayakami's eyes had once again returned to normal, but not before she saw a flash of something appear on the girl's forehead before it quickly faded out. "What the hell," she whispered to herself.
"That's what I'd like to know!" Kousen yelled. "Would you please hurry this up?"
Hatsugoori shook herself out of her stupor, and jumped back about ten feet. Kousen took this as her cue and dropped the fire ring. Ayakami immediately noticed the lack of heat, and her head shot up in curiosity. Before she could even think about running, she heard a call of "Koori no hime!"
The rock star's eyes immediately closed against the onslaught of ice cold winds that threatened to consume her. When her eyes opened, she saw that she was still sitting on the ground, but was now completely covered in ice from the neck down. Lips quivering from the cold and the fear, she looked up into the faces of her attackers. Deciding that Kousen was the most frightening of the two, she turned toward her and asked, "What are you going to do with me?"
Kousen barked out a laugh. "Ha! I'm not going to do anything." She pointed to her fellow Daughter of the Sun. "She is."
As soon as the words left her mouth, a wintry worp-hole appeared next to Hatsugoori. Ayakami watched with wide eyes as a shape slowly emerged from the worphole, and sloshed onto the ground. Ayakami shuddered at the sickening 'plop' it made on the ground in front of her. Kousen couldn't have agreed more.
The shape was nothing more than a gray blob of…something. There were no defining features, no eyes, no mouth, no anything. It sure didn't look like it could do any damage, and Kousen has always been one to voice her concerns.
"Hatsugoori, what is that?"
The self proclaimed princess just looked down her nose at Ayakami, ignoring Kousen's outburst. "This," she said, gesturing towards the blob, "Is Morphina." Kousen just looked at the blob, bewildered, and slightly grossed out. And she thought she knew all of the Queen's minions!
"Don't ask questions Kousen, just watch,"
Glaring at the blob in front of the frazzled rock star, Hatsugoori's eyes shone a brilliant white. "Morphina," she commanded in an eerily calm voice. "Arise."
On her command, the blob slowly started to bubble. Kousen reared back in disgust. In a matter of seconds, the blob changed into a relatively humanoid figure, and just stood there. Kousen and Ayakami blinked.
"That's it?"
Hatsugoori stamped her foot in frustration. "I said JUST WATCH!" Kousen held up her hands in defense. "Okay, okay."
As Ayakami looked at the now humanoid blob, it began to change…again. Starting at the feet, or where two feet should have been, colors began to take form. In an eerily fascinating dance, colors flashed all over its body as certain features began to form. Seconds later, Ayakami gasped as she stared face to face with a complete replica of herself.
Kousen nodded in appreciation. "Well. That's kinda cool." She turned towards Hatsugoori. "But what's the point? It just looks like her." Hatsugoori fixed her hair and smoothed invisible wrinkles from her fuku. "The creature is not for her," she quipped. Kousen's brow wrinkled. "Then who is it for then?" Just as the word 'then' fell from her rosy red lips, the pair heard a distinct cry from behind them.
"Hold it right there!"
Hatsugoori smiled and put her hands on her hips.
"Them."