Chapter 5
Oosaka Naru knows something about Tsukino Usagi that none of her Senshi know - yet! A gift for Hallowe'en. And - definitely AU!
DISCLAIMER: Sailormoon does not belong to me! Never has, and never will.
WARNING! There WILL be character-death in this story (by the end)!
I am rewriting the mythos, I know. But? It's called "Fan-Fiction" for a reason!
NOTE: Does aynoe need the Japanese-glosssary, yet? As for the main-terms:
"Ookami" is Japanese for "Wolf" (actual translation is "Laughing god").
in our tory, it will mean WEREWOLF.
"Kyongshi" (or "Dancing Corpse", from the Chinese) can either be thought of as a VAMPIRE or ZOMBIE! In this story, "Kyongshi" equals "Vampire".
As of Chap.3, I started dividing the Kyongshi into two groups: The "kyongshi-kuro" ("Vampires of Darkness"), and "kyongshi-shiro" ("Vampires of light").
EXTRA-NOTE: I am trying to finish the last chapter today and tonight! This means - ANYONE who feels they need a list of the meanings of the Japanese-
words I use here... APEAK NOW, OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE! If I do not have a request for a glossary by toworrow, the last chapter will go up by itself :)
The rest of the Afternoon was a time of rest at the cabin - peaceful.
Or? Relatively so. With Chibiusa and Hotaru - plus, at least, eights ghosts - watching over them, everyone else was able to get some rest. Dr. Mizuno was a bit differant, being sensitive to being watched over by a kyongshi, but her daughter and Usagi had been able to put her fears to rest. For the most part.
"I wish you would not fear me, Mizuno-Sensei." Hotaru asked the older-
woman. "I know why you fear me. Still hurts demo."
Saeko jumped, startled. "Hotaru-kyongshi!" She gasped. "I.. I..did not mean..."
"I did not mean to startle you demo." Hotaro sadly smiled. "Iie. I did not enter your mind. I did not violate you. I can read your body demo - your eyes, your breathing, your heartbeat, your movements. Hai. To kyongshi and ookami, the body is a scroll to be read. You.. have been tortured.. by kyongshi.
Your body tells me this. I know about that torture, Mizuno-Sensei. Kyongshi-kuro love - recalling their past deeds.. and misdeeds. I swear to protect you from them." Hotaru looked into Saeko's eyes. "With my soul!"
"Hai. That may be, Hotaru-chan." Saeko responded. "I do not know you demo!
You and my Ami have met. Musume is not as defensive against you as against other kyongshi! Usagi has talked with you, after meeting her musume again, and she gave a good report of you. Hai. Naru-chan seems lenient with you dano." Saeko extended her wrist to the kyongshi. "We have not met demo. Watashi-wa.. Mizuno Saeko."
Ami awoke, aroused ny the conversation between the two women, and stood silent-guard over her nother, ready to bite the little kyongshi's head off -
literally - if the kyongshi bit too deeply into Saeko!.
Hotaru, meanwhile, took Saeko's offered-wrist, and bit into it, being careful to only a lap or two, tasting the blood. Then, she leaned back from Doctor Mizuno, and with glowing eyes, stared into her:
Hotaru found herself resting on a tree-limb in a dark, graveyard-like landscape, and was about to curseherself for sending the doctor into a nightmare!
"konnichi-wa, Hotaru-chan!" Saeko called out. "Goshinpainaku. This is my dream! Sometimes it is cheery. Not often. Do you always enter dream like Cheshire Cat?"
"Gomennissai, 'Alice'!" Hotaru giggled and she flipped out of the tree.
"Why is dream so dark demo?"
"Welcome to dotor's dream, Hotaru-chan." Saeko responded. "One doctor's dream taitei. Never seem to leave work at work. Iyaa. Comes more now after I learned musume is Sailorsenshi. Even more after Ami become ookami."
The women walked among the memorial-stones. "All patients I could not save. Many are children. Always afraid, now, I see Ami's stone, or Usagi's. They feel they are sisters. I feel she is musume. Wonder if I could done have something to help them? Did something to hurt demo? Hai. So afraid."
As Saeko passed a stone, she caressed it, softly.
Hotaru looked up at their seeming-destination:
"A hospital? Next to a graveyard?"
"My dream?" Saeko shrugged helplessly. "Where I work? Or? 'Worked'?"
"May we step in for some coffee or tea?" Hotaru asked. "Continue discussion, inside?"
Soon, the two women were inside the Hospital's cafeteria.
"Why did you say this is where you 'worked'. Mizuno-Sensei? You no longer work here?"
"Officially? I am on 'Administrative Leave', Horatu-chan." Saeko said after a sip of coffee. "Unofficially?"
"'Leave'? The small kyongshi asked softly, "Why?"
"MIZUNO SAEKO!" An irate doctor suddenly stormed into the cafeteria. "What are you doing here?! You should not be here! Iyaa!"
"That.. is why." Saeko groused. then she turned to smile at the man. "Ohayo, Shinobi-Sensei! How are you this morning? As for why I am here? I am starting my rounds. Hai! As much Doctor and Okaasan, hai."
"Not for long!" Shinobi snapped. "I am your Superior! I hold power over you!
It is only a matter of time before I pull your credentials, here! Hai! Always knew you were unfit to practice in Nippon! Too weak. Try to kill yourself. Too weak to deal with crazy girls! GIRLS! Too weak to work here. Sayonara, weakling!"
Shinobi then turned on his heals and walked out of the cafeteria, still ranting!
"Such manners!" Hotaru noted. "Is this how he is with everybody?"
"Just females, in genaral, and patients, hai." Saeko replied. "Subordinants dano. With his attitude? I wonder how he still manages staff! Hai."
"With that attitude?" Hotaru commented. "He could not manage pig-farm! Iyaa."
Shinobi was still ranting as he left the hospital and crossed to the gaveyard.
"With that attitude, Shinobi-bakayarou will go far.." Hotaru mused.
Then, Shinobi faded-out in mid-stride - to be replaced with a memorial-stone.
And, Saeko stared, almost choking on her coffee!
"Hai." Hotaru chuckled. "Go as far as Ninth Circle of Hell! Come, Mizuno-Sensei!
Let us leave here!"
As Hotaru and Saeko left the hospital, they walked along a seawall and a bright sunny beach. A beach where Ami, Naru, Usagi, and Shingo were playing.
"As I said, Hotaru," Saeko smiled, "not all of my dreams are nightmares, iiede.
Thank you for walking me though mine! Ara.. can you take this much sun demo?"
"Hai!" Hotaru chirped, suddenly in a purple bikini, flip-flops, blue sunglasses, and purple sunhat. "For two reasons! One? I am now alive, rather than dead! And, two? This is your dream!"
"Ara..", Saeko softly smiled, then, giggled! "Come, Hotaru!"
Ami watched over her mother and Hotaru, satisfied the Saeko what not showing any signs of stress as she rested. The young oomaki had been concerned, at first, of the small signs of stress given off by the little kyongshi - signs of fear and anger. But, Hotaru was, for now, as calm as Saeko! She decided that she would asked Hotaru about the stressers, later.
Later, while Kanna, Ikuko, and Saeko were fixing dinner, Ami and Hotaru were in back of the cabin:
"When I first entered Saeko-kaasan's dream, I thought my dark-half had drawn her into a nightmare! Cursed myself for doing so! Hai. Saeko said it was her dream demo?"
"Hai." Ami sighed. "Always kaasan's dream. Tell me doctors' dream. Cannot help but think about who she tried to help. What might have been. Would surprise me if Usagi did not have same dream tokiori."
"Hai. I have same dream." Usagi answered softly as she came around the corner. "I have dream. Serenity-imouto has dream. Imouto scared of dream! For same reason as Hotaru, probably! Dark-dreams hurt! Cannot be stopped demo. We have seen too much death. We all have dano. Death is part of life? Not like this demo." Usagi hung her head and cried. "Never like this!"
"Things will go well, aneue, nandaka!" Ami whispered as she cradled a crying Usagi protectively. "You will see. Hai! Pack is together. Will stay together."
"Pack will stay together! Hai!" Naru said as she appeared with Chibiusa. "Stay together because it has to! Hai. Lone Ookami is dead Ookami. Even if withdrawal is only in mind! Usagi? I know that much has happened, hai! Even for two life-times. Maybe more. None of it is your fault demo! None of it is fault of Serenity-musume!"
"Easy to say," Usagi quietly confronted her oldest-frinnd and guardian, "not easy to do! Even when ghosts say it's not my fault. Iiede! How can fault NOT be mine?! I fall for smoothe-talking kyongshi-kuro! Let everyone's life go to hell!"
"No one warned you of smoothe-talking kyongshi-baka dano!" Naru softly countered. "Everyone who knew something, or suspected, in Silver Millenium kept quiet! Now? Ginzhuishou brought everyone back as we had died, before! Hai. Danced to tune, yesterday? Pay the fiddler, today! Hai. Come on! Dinner is ready."
As Naru took Usagi and lead her back to the cabin, Hotaru drew Ami away to the side:
"Mizuno-san!" Hotaru spoke. "Who is Shinobi-Sensei? Mizuno-kaasan and I saw him in her dream. She did not react well demo. Tried to hide reaction from me."
Ami cursed at the sound of Shinobi's name. "He is head-of-staff at Tokyo General!
He thinks women have our places. None of those are over men demo! No matter how much smarter wemay be demo! Thinks Doctors are Kami-Sama to the patients dano! If patients die.. it is patients' fault! Hai. Should never have been made doctor! From what I have been told, never keeps his word to another! Iie."
"Has he ever encountered kyongshi?" Hotaru asked.
"Hai." Ami answered. "On night we fight kyongshi outside hospital. Saw kyongshi. Saw us fight. Saw kaasan fight! Still judging actions after fight dano! Questioned disposal of bodies.
Bakayarou!"
"May be seeing bakayarou, again!" Hotaru warned. "Kyongshi can sense each other, even in dreams! Hai. Thought I feel familiar aura in dream, then listen and watch as Shinobi fade into memorial-stone in graveyard! Saeko saw same thing, I think. Why I suggest we leave hospital quick! Shinobi-Sensei left kyongshi calling-card!"
Ami cut loose another string of near-silent curses. Then she stopped and closed her eyes,
and listened. Hotaru did the same, picking up on Ami's uneasiness.
"I.. feel something.. Hotaru!" Ami whispered. "But.. what?"
Dinner was a time to calm-down. Usually. And? Most of the party, in fact, was able to calm down. Except for Ami and Hotaru. Whatever they had felt outside, earlier, was still intent on making its presence known. now!
"Even with .. our situation as it is," Kenji said over his tea, "I - think - your tousan would approve of us being together like this!"
"Hai!" Kana smiled. "Shiro always said the pack should stay together. To learn. To love. To live!"
"A very wise man, Oosaka Shiro." Ikuko smiled and bowed.
"Hai! Very wise!" Naru and Usagi agreed, raising their tea and trying to feed each other via chopsticks, causing everyone to laugh!
Later that night, as everyone else readied for bed, Ami was pacing around the cabin as quietly as possible.
"You sense something, do you not?" Naru whispered.
And, in spite of herself, Mizuno Ami jumped!
"Naru-Sensei! I did not hear you!" Ami hissed out. "Are you sure you are not Ookami?!"
"Iiede." Naru chuckled lowly. "Been studying Ookami for years demo! Even Usagi have trouble lying to me now. You have been cautious all this evening! Do you know what you sense?"
"Iyaa!" Ami replied. "Felt like I was being watched demo. Listened to. Who would be able to..?" Her words suddenly stopped, as she peered out a window, to be replaced by a low warning growl.
"You see it, too?" Naru asked.
"Hai." Ami answered. "Small points of light moving along ground! Too bright and steady for fireflies."
"Wake everyone up, Mizuno-chan!" Naru said. "You may be learning why the cabin was built here, and soon!"
"Everyone is up!" Usagi whispered. "Hai! Take my cue from Ami! She is nervous, I am nervous. Lights are growing outside? Look.. like.."
"BACK! RUN!" Usagi screamed. "FIREBOMBS!"
"KAASAN!" Naru hollered. "Get everyone out through the escape-door!"
"Hai!" Kana snapped out. "Ikuko! Saeko! Help me get everyone accounted for!"
As the last occupants left the front room, Molotov cocktails came crashing through the windows! The bottles that broke on contacts with the floor sent ignited-gasoline all over the room!
Meanwhile, everyone was being lead through metal doors under a hall-floor into a tunnel in the ground. The last of the hunted were safely in the tunnel, and the iron-doors closed, when the bottles that did not break exploded!
"That was.. too close..", Usagi panted, then whined. "Your house, Naru-Sensei! Oosaka-
Sama! All your work... Gomennissai."
"Goshinpainaku, Usagi-chan!" Naru tried to reassure her oldest-friend. "House can be rebuilt! Hai! Work is already safe. Not the first time cabin burned. Iyaa. May not be last. Hold hands minna. Cannot have people lost! Hai. Twelve kilometers to go dano!"
Naru and Kana turned on a couple of flashlights. "Come! This way."
"Tunnel is widening?" Makoto asked after two hundred yards or so.
"Hai!" Naru chirped as she and her mom passed around a cashe of flashlights. "Tousan always said his ojiisan built cabin here because of cave! Hai. Only had to enlarge opening a little. At first, thought he would just have room for winter-supplies! Kukuku!"
About three kilometer further, the tunnel had widened enough to not only allow for storage-space, but, also, work- and living-spaces. A little farther along - a bit more than two kilometersthe party entered a sizable chamber:
"We shall rest here a bit!" Kana announced, as Naru lit some worked to light some lanterns. And - as the room grew a bit brighter, Ami's, Usagi's, and Mokoto's jaws dropped!
"This.. is.." Ami squeaked out.
"Welcome to the library." Naru slowly closed her eyes as if to capture a memory, and smiled. "Special place to Watchers. Keep all we learn safe here. Hai. Happy place to tousan."
She then moved to the filing-cabinets and withdrew her latest notes from her jacket to add to the latest-files. "In chronological order, for now! Hai! Be refiled, later! There is dried food around the library if anyone needs to refuel! water is at the end of the trail demo."
Usagi, meanwhile, seemed drawn to the drawings and paintings on the walls of the room:
"These paintings are BEAUTIFUL, Naru-chan! Ara.. Naru-SENSEI!" Usagi corrected herself.
"Who did them?"
"Some were done by hiijiji!" Naru answered like a curator conducting a toure, looking around the room. "Some are Ojiisan's. Some were done by Tousan, Hai! Some are mine dano."
That is when the Semshi noticed them, along a certain portion of wall, where Naru had hidden her notes: Life-sized paintings of themselves, but as they were in the Silver Millenium!
Each pose seemed like some odd snap-shot from a camera, a piece of memory frozen in time. And,
iteracting with each Princess was Naru.
Ami, Makoto, Hotaru, and Usagi were each drawn to their prtraits by a long-buried memory:
Ami and Naru were using a sextant, mapping-out the moon and the distant stars.. taking a break from a game of go...
"You were always as curious as I was! Always wondering." Ami smiled. "What was over the horizon? What lead where? And, you were always as good as me at games! Arigatou."
Makoto and Naru were in the gymnasium.. wrestling in a strange catch-as-catch-can that seemed to embody every technique known to Earth and the Sol-system...
"How did we ever avoid breaking anything?!" Makoto giggled. "Hai. We cooled-off picking fruit from palace-garden! Hai!"
Hotaru - not much other than Chibiusa the first time she appeared- was trying to learn how to dance, the wonder and joy evident in her face. And, holding loosely to her, yet steady at the same time, like a shadow, was Naru!
"Always family." Hotaru whispered as a tear escaped. "Even when we hardly saw each other. Always aneue to me."
Usagi- no, Serenity- were playing musical-instruments.. Naru was playing a flute.. Serenity was at the harp.. playing for the dancers...
"I can still hear the music." Usagi smiled. "Hai. Senshi were lovely dancers, hai."
The other Senshi of that time were shown.. at least, those who made their presence known: Princess Rei-no-Mars, and Princess Minako-no-Venus. And? A bit farther back, there were two other Senshi, their portraits, strangely, half-hidden.
"We met, hai." Naru answered each unasked-question as she sat down. "An unknown-
princess, refugee-without-refuge, became a palace-servant to live. After.. three years on Luna! Hai. Always thought I would live and die.. just a servant. Never just a servant demo. Not with Serenity-musume! Iyaa. Even Usagi back then, I think? Make me sister."
"Sounds like Usagi!" Makoto answered.
"Afterwards? Senshi make me sister." Naru smiled. "Hai. Allowed to learn. Allowed to train. Even when sensei were suspicious of Earth, and Earth's people. Senshi not suspicious."
She then looked down at the cavern-floor. "We will try.. to get Rei and Minako back, Usagi. Hai."
Ami turned around, hesitently, to Naru. "May.. I come back here.. Sensei? Or.. is this..?"
"'Off-limits'?" Naru smiled. "Iyaa. Invited once? Invitation remains! Just.. treat each treaure here with respect! Onegi? Each treasure is a memory! Like friendship? Meant to last!"
Soon, the party was on the move, again, covering mile after mile of tunnel and cave.
"Here we are!" Naru announced. "Main cave! Twelve kilometers from cabin! Hopefully?
Far enough arsonists not hear escape!"
"Iie. Have not searched, yet." A strange voice floated in the main cavern. "Still at burning cabin. Kukuku. Be there for some time. Kyongshi fear flames! Those kissed by kyongshi can still handle fire. Fear it demo."
Usagi, Ami, amd Makoto spun around to the voice:
"Death-Phantom?!"
"Ohayo, Sailorsenshi!" The Death-Phantom materialized. "Diamond told me you were able to speak. That is good! Good!"
"Ohayo, hiijiji." Hotaru bowed respectfully to the Death Phantom."How are you?"
"I am well, Hotaru-chan! You look better every time I see you! Kukukukuku." The ghost chuckled. "Death-Phantom?" Usagi bowed. "May I ask.. a question? Prince Diamond said that Endymion sent Blackmoon Family to Genesis because Kyongshi considered it original-home! Is that true?"
The ghost sighed. "Hai. It is true. Nemesis was first-home of Kyongshi. Starting-point for next-life for troubled-spirits. A place to start to heal. I was last King of Kyongshi. Hai. Sit. Onegai? A story must be told."
The party sat by an underground stream.
"Nemesis is last planet in Sol-System! Hai. As last planet, it is home to the ghosts of Sol-System! Hai. Including ghosts.. who cannot move one from their past-lives, the trapped-ones, the kyongshi. We.. Kyongshi.. are loners, trapped by time. As.. each.. life was different. Each kyonshi is different. Hitoribocchi. not like ookami. We kyongshi form communities demo.. over the centuries.. to find purpose. Share joys, share sorrows. Make existing easier, as we wait on next life. As Nemisis skirted the system. At that time, there were no kyongshi-kuro, no kynongshi-shiro, just kyongshi. Taking nourishment from the planets we passed. Just sips. Sips from Phantom-planet.
"Then? At some point, some kyongshi developed a taste for darkness, and nightmares! Soon? Those who had worst nightmares sweated blood! And? Those of us who preferred nightmare.. soon referred blood! Then? 'We' became 'us' vs. 'them'! War broke out! Nemesis, once home to the dead, became home to no one! Truly dead. Not even Royal-family.. except for those of us Honor-bound to look after it. Great- grandchildren are gone. Most?" She smiled to Hotaru. "I wish well, and a happy-life! They deserve it."
"'Most"?" Usagi asked.
"Hai.'Most'." The Phantom sighed. "Some have never tried to give back happiness, just take it! Bring shame to their family. Hai. Great-grandchildren.. like Endymion and Setsuna! Hai! Happiness-stealers! Blood-farmers! Go, Ookami! Water is clean, here! Hai. Drink. Refresh yourself.. for the journey back."
"Arigatounissai!" Naru bowed to the ghost. "For.. watching over us! Hai!"
"It is you I need to thank, Oosaka Naru-chan!" the ghost said. "For.. what you do.. and, what you will do..." Then, the old ghost melted in the shadow, vanishing completely.
"Come!" Naru said after a water-break. "Let us get back to what is left of the cabin. If anything is. Let us get on the trail back. Maybe we will make it before sunrise."
With two hours of hiking, the party came within sighting of the burning-cabin:
"When the ashes are cool enough to walk on, my pets," Mamoru's voice was heard over the crackles, "sift through the cabin! I want to be able to handle the skulls of my enemies, myself! I go, now, to rest. The sun approaches, and shall be here as I get back to my city."
"Your will shall be done," Rei's voice came out in a dead monotone, "my lord."
"Help your sister, Minako! Then, once you find the bones, you may play!"
"You will be done, my liege." The blonde replied.
Chiba Mamoru, Prince Endymion, then walked into the dark-morning.. vanishing from sight!
Ami then gave out the softest of growls. The worst was - seemingly - being confirmed!
Saeko placed a warm hand on her daughter's shoulder, as if the try to reassure her that, no, the worst had not happened! That - despite the kyongshi-kuro's efforts - everyone was still alive.
Usagi was fighting back tears. Her sisters were more than likely gone. And, her family could have died - roasted at the hands of the Senshi. But? Te sound of cying and the smell of tears would give them away. And, make it easier for the kyongshi-kuro to finish what they had started!
Then, Usagi turned see her mother, crying - though not making a sound - and holding onto her breasts, as if holding a wounded heart! Both Seneritys - mother and daughter - were trembling inside them, very much afraid of the monster that had just left.
Calming down - temporarily - at her mother's touch, Ami shifted form, somewhat, and sniffed the air: Endymion was gone.
Then, as silently as she could, she turned around and motioned for Makoto to get the rest of the party to get across the riverlet and on the opposite trail. Then, with Usagi, acting as rear-gaurd, was gone from sight, the bluenette turned back around.. and whistled sharply!
"Hino-gaishou? Aino-gaishou?" She called out. "Sorry to disappoint you baka.. nobody's home demo!"
"AHOU!" Rei screamed out. "Our lord shall drain you DRY when he returns!"
"He shall try." Ami grinned, then morphed into full lupine-form as she ran down to the stream, slowing down just enough to make sure her persuers were on the right trail.
'That's right, gaishou..', Ami thought to herself, 'let's play 'follow-the-leader'!'
In half-an-hour, Usagi's party was at the lower-falls:
"Why are we here, aneue?" Shingo asked.
"Ami has learned this part of river. Hai." Usagi answered. "My guess? She can use river to her advantage! Naru? Oosaka-Sama? Might need rifles on either side of falls! Just to cover Ami-chan! Do not move until Rei and Minako are down-river demo."
Soon, as the first rays of morning were touching the sky, a dark-colored wolf could just be topping the higher falls. Looking back, the wolf whined, then barked!
"Are bakayarou geting lost?" Naru hissed out.
"Probably." Makoto groused. "Minako and Rei? Blind leading blind!"
"Come back here, Ami-ahou!" Minako sang out. "Be good little girl? We can play?"
"Come BACK HERE, ahou!" Rei shouted out.
"'Ahou'?" Saeko whispered to Ikuko. "That is it! My Ami is not ahou! Kyongshi-kuro-baka are chew-toys!"
Ami seemed to smile in her lupine-form, shifted form a bit, and jumped into the pool between the falls! She then swamto the lip of lower-falls, and climbed down them.
Soon, the splash in the pool lured out the two possessed-senshi.
"Ahou jumped into the water!" Minako stated.
"Good!" Rei smirked. "Worm strike her head on rock and split her skull, maybe. Master shall have one less skull to handle."
"He shall not be pleased until we have them all, and we do not have one, yet!" Minako whined. "At least, we shall have ahou's skull for him to play with!"
"You are right, sister, as always. Let us search."
The party of Ookami and Watchers stayed quiet and still as Rei and Minako walked along each side of the pool.
"I cannot BELIEVE it!" Rei fumed. "Ahou is not HERE! Curse her LUCK! Worm must have gone over second falls! Come.. let us.. find her!"
With a final curse, Rei and Minako climbed down the falls. And, soon, two rifles were in sniping-positions, if needed.
Soon, Rei and Minako were wading by the meadow, trying to locate Ami's body:
"Kuso!" Minako shouted. "Where is ahou? She couldn't have floated to the ocean! Could she have!"
"Shimatte.." Rei hissed. "She COULD NOT have gone to ocean, Baka! Hasn't been gone that long! How did we miss her demo?"
"I am not DEAD, YET, is why!" Ami replied a few yards upstream, but within Rei's and Minako's line-of-sishgt.
Rei and Minako turned around:
"What the..?"
"HOLD THAT THOUGHT! Hai! What to make sure gaishou know what thought actually feels like." Ami announced. "Usagi wants sisters back, Serenity wants sisters back! Does not need kyongshi demo! Only reason I don't kill you! For what you did to me? What you did to kassan dano? Mizuno demand PAY-BACK demo!"
With that defiant shout, Ami swam, speeding through the water!
"She is in the WATER!" Minako screamed out.
"So?" Rei responded."What can she do?"
"More than YOU can do, Baka!" Ami launched herself at Rei and Minako. "Even if your Senshi-spirits still resided in you? You are in MY element, Hino-baka! Fire and water do not mix well! Anything thrown in water must be well-aimed Aino-baka!"
Ami then unleashed her full-fury..
"Murcury.. Shibon SPRAY!"
An icy fog starting gathering around Rei and Minako.
"Na.. Na.. Naaaaniiiiiiiiiiiiiii-yo!" Rei chattered.
"Hime-no-Mercury talked to me, let me borrow powers! Protect Serenity-musume! Hai!" Ami chirped. "Since I protect Usagi? I protect Serenity-musume!"
As the shibon safely hid her from Rei and Minako, Ami delivered her second icy wind:
"Mercury.. Aqua.. RHAPSODY!"
A sudden,magical blizzard caught the two Senshi in their tracks!
"You.. would kill us.. Ami-chan?" Minako's eyes glared and her voice croaked. "You are as cruel as you think we are! Our liege would be proud of you."
"Kill you?" Ami grinned. "Leave Usagi-chan with kyongshi-problem in future? Iyaa. Ara..
Hino-kyongshi? The wise create their own 'luck'." Then,she shouted. "Mako-chan! Help me get Senshi back to camp! Hopefully, we get back for lunch!"
Naru put down her binoculars, and grinned. Ami will be a great aide to Usagi!
"It is good we have rice, dried fish, and prepared vegetables in the cave!" Kana said. "Coffee dano!"
That afternoon, after the rest of the pack gathered around, Usagi stood in front of Rei and Minako.
"What can YOU DO to us, Tsukino Usagi?!" Rei sneered. "Who are YOU to do ANYTHING?!"
"Who am I?" Usagi answered. "No one, hai. Just protector of Hime Serenity-no-Tsuki. Hai."
"You? Protect HER?" Rei flared-up."With WHAT?!"
"I had forgotten," Naru sighed, "how short Martian-temper could be."
"This is a peaceful day dano." Makoto chuckled.
"Mars and Venus ARE planets of passions." Ami observed.
"Hai." Hotaru giggled."Big on passions, Short on brains!"
Then, Usagi seemed to go into a trance:
"Taste fear and sadness
Locked inside demonic forms
Slowly go insane
Friends cry from deep inside ghouls
Silver-Sun breaks dungeoun walls."
Suddenly, Usagi held Ginzhuishou above her head:
"You cannot use Ginzhuishou on us!" Rei screamed. "You are not of the Moon!
It will.."
"Listen to its Mistress," Usagi said in a calm, even voice, "who I protect.
Can you say the same? For all the tears that have been shed by friends, the Centuries of imprisonment! in the name of Serenity of the Moon - I will set you free!"
The light of Ginzhuishou burned into the spirits of Rei and Minako, cutting-
away and searing the kyongshi-kuro like a surgical-laser! And, Hino Rei and Aino Minako were wreathing! Then, as the initial-pain subsided, the two girls calmed down.
And Usagi once more re-absorbed the Ginzhuishou, safely keeping it within her own body. She stumbled a bit upon Ginzhuishou's re-entry, but, Shingo safely caught his aneue. As he decided that he always would - just in case she needed help.
"Ami? Naru?" Usagi commanded. "Take Rei and Minako into the caves! The rest of us will join you, shortly."
In a short while, the pack - grown by two recovering-Senshi - were back within the library, restingas comfortably as they could. Hotaru and Chibiusa guarded the entrances while the other pack-members watched over Rei and Minako.
Makoto was busy the Ami and Saeko trying to feed the recovering-Senshi.
"Like feeding joji!" Makoto groused.
"Iiede." Saeko replied. "Joji more coordinated."
"At least, they are eating ningen-food!" Ami grinned. "We are not feeding them through tubes dano!"
"True!" Makoto said as she fed Minako some more soup. "Very strange to not hear them talking demo."
"Strange, but not unheard of, I am afraid." Naru said, re-reading some notes.
"According to what ojiisan found out - long-term possession by kyongshi can stunt nervous-functions such as speech, and even reverse it. Make mute. Do not have to become kyongshi to suffer from kiss."
"Will they ever be normal?" Makoto asked.
"'Normal' for Rei and Minako?" Naru answered. "Maybe! Depend of how deep Kyongshi-kiss was, how far it went! Can return to normal, be prepared for scream of peacock and tears when they wake-up demo!"
As the minutes became hours, Rei and Minako became more and more restless.
Then, a few minutes before sunset, as Usagi and Naru stood gaurd toward the underground spring:
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII !"
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII !"
"That is REI-CHAN!" Usagi rushed toward the library-cave. "MINAKO-CHAN, I'm coming!"
Usagi was shadowed closely by Naru and her rifle!