Chapter 6
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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!
NOTES:
"Ookami" is Japanese for "Wolf" (actual translation is "Laughing god").
In our story, it will mean WEREWOLF.
"Kyongshi" (or "Dancing Corpse", taken from the Chinese "Guang-xi") can either be thought of as a VAMPIRE or ZOMBIE! In this story, "Kyongshi" equals "Vampire".
The song I have Saeko singing is an old American pop hit and (I believe)
movie-theme, called "Hush hush Sweet Charlotte" (1965), sung by pop-singer Patty Page (1927-2013)
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"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!
"It happened as you said it would, Sensei!" Ami bowed to Naru. "Minako and Rei awoke .. and started screaming like they were being scared to death! Hai."
"Victims of Kyongshi-kiss often remember what they do as slave-no-kyongshi ainiku." Naru replied.
"I am afraid I did not help matters, Usagi-Sama!" Hotaru said apologetically.
"The spirits are still in their memories. Kyongshi can sense each other dano.
Gomennissai."
"Goshinpainaku!" Usagi reassured the kyongshi. "You are not to blame for this,
Hotaru-chan!"
"Iie!" Naru agree. "You were not the one who fed on them! HE is the one responcible!"
Minako suddenly turned around at Naru's voice:
"Ooosaka Naru!? Why are you here?"
Rei, meanwhile, was noticing her portrait on the cavern-wall.
"I was here helping to watch over you, Aino-san!" Naru replied.
Rei was starting to crawl to her portrait, still too weak to walk.
"'Helping to..'?" Minako asked, her voice a bit hoarse and whoosey. "Why are you watching over us? where ARE WE, it is too dark! Where is Usagi dano?"
"I am watching over you for same reason I watch over Usagi!" Naru snapped out. "For one of them, anyway!"
"WE are Usagi's Senshi demo!" Minako whined out before realizing what she just said. "Oops."
Ami and Makoto, meanwhile, were trying to hold in their laughter!
"Pay up!" Makoto growled low. "I knew Minako-baka would be first to mention Senshi! Hai. Heehee!"
"Bet was worth losing! Kukuku!" Ami chortled.
Rei, by this time, was staring at her portrait of she and Naru in an archery-
competition.
"Someone had to help you train, sharpen skills! Hai."
"You ware..?" Rei lifted her head to face Naru.
"Hai. On Luna!" Naru smiled down at the Miko. "Been watching.. two life-times, at least! Feels like more, at times."
"'Watching'?" Rei meeped.
"Hai!" Naru responded. "Cave? Library-of-Watchers! This is my part, hai!"
"You.. have been watching us.. Oosaka Naru?" The Miko asked softly. "Since..?"
"This life-time? Watch Senshi since they meet Usagi! Hai."
"Why.. have you watched Usagi?" Rei asked, her mouth suddenly dry.
"That.. is what..", Minako asked, leaning on Makoto and Ami, "I want to.. Oh! Kamisama!"
Minako found herself staring at her portrait - She and Naru, racing up a mountain and skipping off rocks:
"Always trying to be better than me.. Caprise." Minako flashed a smile - than, a "V"-sign - to Naru!
Ami found herself laughing harder than she had laughed in the last month!
"'Kappa-reese'?" Makoto asked slowly.
"Hai!" Naru smiled. "'Capra' means 'goat'! Princess-of-Venus ALWAYS say goat is only thing to beat her at climbing! Gymnasium only train you so far, hai!"
"'Goat'? Yagi?" Makoto asked Naru, "Mina-chan actually called you a GOAT?"
Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Naru answered.
And Usagi and Ikuko howled with laughter!
"You.. are Watcher? Talamasca?" Rei asked the redhead, increduously.
"Hai." Naru answered.
"Watching for...?"
"Usagi." Naru finished the thought.
And, Ami and Makoto grinned like a couple of Cheshire Cats.
"Know Usagi is Hime-no-Tsuki?" Rei asked.
"Iyaa. Not at first!" Naru replied. "Ony remember Usagi as Serenity-musume after Sailormoon appeared. Hai!"
"Then, why watch Usagi?" Rei asked.
"Ask.. her!" Naru's eyes held a mischieveous gleam as she pointed to a yellow wolf.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII..!" Rei acreeched - and instinctively reached for an ofuda!
"Rin - Ryou - Rou - .."
'One, Rei-chan? You have no ofuda! Two? If you hit me with ofuda, again?' A small voice entered the Miko's conscienceness. "You will be wearing ofuda up your ass! Hai.'
"Usagi?" Rei squeaked, and slowly let her arms down.
"Usagi? Where?" Minako asked.
And, Ami and Makoto fell on the floor of the cave, convulsing in laughter!
"Minako-chan?" Rei said in an uncharacteristically small voice. "Oamaki is Usagi."
Minako stared at Rei in the lantern-lit cavern, open-mouthed, then turned her stare to the wolf:
"Usagi-chan?"
'It is alright, Minako-chan,' Usagi's voice broke through Minako's foggy-mind. "You are in my pack! You are safe, now!'
As Usagi started to transform, again, Minako threw herself at her, crying heavily:
"USAGI!"
Minako tried to run to the girl, but stumbled and started to fall! Fortunately, Usagi, Naru, and Ami somehow caught the blonde before she hit the floor of the cavern.
Minako then looked up from the girls to Hotaru.
"Iiede! Iiede! IIEDE!" Minako screamed as she tried to crawl into Usagi. "What is Kyongshi doing here?!"
"Gomennissai, Minako-chan!" Hotaru slowly bowed. "I do not mean to make afraid. Iyaa."
"Then, Why ARE you here?!" Rei shouted, daring herself to look at the vampiric-Senshi,
if not to drain and enslave us?!"
"Am here to protect Chibiusa!" Hotaru responded. "Chibiusa is here on kyongshi-hunt!
Hai!"
Rei and Minako then turned they heads slowly to the other side of the library. "Chibiusa? Why are you here? Now?"
"Kyongshi threaten family nazenara! Threaten timeline." Chibusa answered. "Come here, now, to help win in future! Can't let that happen! NEVER let happen."
Rei and Minako then looked over to Ami, and threw themselves at her and her mother, wailing like lost-souls:
"So sorry! So sorry! Kowaii! Can you forgive us? Forgive us, Ami! Mizuno-Sensei! Onegai?"
Ami found herself caressing the two firls gently.
"Hai." Ami softly smiled. "Damage was done. Kaasan lives demo. I can forgive."
Dr. Mizuno, meanwhile, was starting to examine Rei and Minako:
"Best to rest tonight and tomorrow, hai. Bodies still healing from Ginzhuishou! Hai! Cats speak of it! Good surgical-tool! Hai."
"It is!" Naru agreed."I have seen it now, twice! Hai!"
"That is why kyongshi want it so!" Hotaru spoke. "kyongshi-shiro revere it as source-of-life! Light-of-Vishnu! Kyongshi-kuro fear it as destroyer, as Curse-of-Shiva! We know it as 'Ginhi'."
"The 'silver-sunlight'." Naru chuckled lightly. "The two things kyongshi fear most in one object. Two sides of the same jewel dano! One sees life? The other, death."
At hearing Naru's voice, Rei and Minako crawled to her and begged her forgiveness!
"Goshinpainaku!" Naru smiled and chuckled. "Cabin is gone, hai, for now! Friends are safe demo. Where treasures of Watchers have always been safe! Not first time home has burned, iie! Burned, before! Probably, burn again. Always rebuilt! Same place. Hai. Tools and lumber to rebuild already here! Now? Rest!"
Usagi, meanwhile, moved quietly to the tunnel to speak with her future-daughter:
"Was going to tell Hotaru to take you back home!" Usagi whispered. "Will not happen demo."
"Iyaa." Chibiusa said. "Endymion-no-kyongshi is still out! Cannot let you fight alone!
Serenity-musume is still afrais of kyongshi-baka! Hai. Hotaru can feel it. Even with Ami-
obaasan ano Shingo-haku, will need help. So? Me and Hotaru stay! Hai. Make sure dead stay dead!"
Meanwhile, Saeko had her arms around Ami, and was watching Usagi:
"I think I remember her... Hai! Nine years ago kubu! When.. Tsukino Shingo was born!
Hai! It was.. a year after your otousan and me divorced. I was bringing you to hospital with me, to try to keep you from feeling lonely. Never quite worked? Anyway! I see little girl come up to me and you! Said she was waiting for itouto. Said she was looking for friend. Gave you white rose dano!"
Saeko started singing, softly, an old American pop song, as she held to her daughter:
hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc- hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-
"Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte! Charlotte, don't you cry!
Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte! Charlotte, he'll love you till he dies."
hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc- hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-
Just as in Naru's portrait of herself and Hotaru, Saeko started dancing with Ami from behind, perfetly shadowing her.
hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc- hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-
"Hold him, darling, please, hold him tight, and wipe the tears from your eyes.
You weep because you had a dream last night. You dreamed that he said 'Goodbye'.
"He held two roseswithin his hand, two roses he gave to you.
The red rose tells you of his passsion. The white rose, his love so true.
Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte! Charlotte, don't you cry!
Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte! Charlotte, he'll love you till he dies."
hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc- hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-
As they slowly waltzed, Saeko slowly pirouetted Ami to face her. And then, she hugged her close, still singing the old song:
hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc- hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-
"And, every night after he shall die,
Yes, every night while he's gone,
the wind shall sing to you this lullaby;
'Sweet Charlotte wasloved by John.'
Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte! Charlotte, don't you cry!
Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte! Charlotte, he'll love you till he dies."
hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc- hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-hhsc-
"Hai. Unsagi's love is true, like aneue - or, like kaasan!" Saeko softly giggled. "Love will remain true, I think. Will remain strong. Has sisters back, hai." She then loked into Ami's eyes,
"Always had imouto demo. Always Ami has other sister dano."
"Hai." Ami said with a soft blush, glancing towards Naru. "I do."
Somehow, and in some unknown way, that night was peaceful! Usagi remembered to thank every kami she could think of the next morning for letting her pack rest!
However - in the back of her mind, Usagi could think of a reason why things were quiet in the mountains:
Endymion was amassing his army on the Tokyo plains!
The next evening three or four hours after the sun had disappeared beyond the mountains, the Tsukino-pack went on the alert!
"Aneue?" Shingo whined softly. "I smell something. I do not like the taste of it dano!"
Usagi and Ami put their noses to the breeze:
"Kyongshi-kuro." Ami growled.
"More than one." Usagi sighed. "Endymion brought re-enforcements. Kuso!"
Soon, the whole pack - including Ikuko and Kenji - were in a skirmish-line, sentinals for the rifles at the mouth of the cave.
'What do we do, Usagi-ane?' Shingo telepathically asked his sister.
'I hate to say this, itouto,' Usagi answered, 'we wait demo! Hai. Do not want kyongshi-kuro up here, this close to entrance..'
'We cannot go running after every stray vampire-scent demo.' Ikuko answered.
'Hai.' Usagi replied.
"Serenity-kaasan is frightened.. of Endymion. Hai." Ikuko spoke quietly. "She will fight demo."
"Serenity-musume will fight dano." Usagi responded.
"Serenity-kaasan is strong enough to fight?" Kenji asked.
"Will have to be!" Ikuko answered.
Silently, Naru, Kana, Makoto, and Saeko sat-up their firing-positions from the mouth of the cave.
'What do we do when kyongshi come into range, musume?' Kenji asked.
'Chase them off mountain!' Usagi commanded.
'Chase them all the way to hell!' Ami added her thoughts.
'Hai!' Usagi giggled. 'If possible!'
'I do not like fact that trees come up almost all the way to cave entrance!' Kenji observed. 'Easy Sprint to cover for us. Too easy for kyongshi.'
Suddenly, Shingo started yipping excitedly:
'We have company!'
"Usagi goshinpainaku!" Hotaru called out. "We have your back covered!"
'Shimatte!' Usagi swore. 'I thought I told Chibiusa to tell Hotaru to gaurd Rei and Minako!'
'We tried!' Chibiusa responded.
'Rei and Minako had other ideas!' Hotaru giggled.
"Go on, Usagi-Sama!" Rei shouted as she took aim with a Sharps.
"Hai! We will guard entrance!" Minako replied.
'KUSO!' Usagi shouted in her head. 'ATTACK!'
As the first group of kyongshi charged up through the forested slope, the ookami ran downhill! And, soon, were backed up by charging Watchers and allies! In all of five minutes, the screams, cries, howls, and gunfire made it seem like Hell had broken out of one Japanese mountain!
As the gunners tried to keep up with the Ookami, they soon found themselves in thicker forests. And, as Mizuno Saeko rested and aimed her rifle in the forked of a tree,
she heard an unwanted, but familiar, voice in back of her:
"So! This is where the weakling runs to. Weakling who NEVER should have been nurse!"
Saeko fought back a sudden urge to scream out curses that might break the defender's concentration.
"Komban-wa, Shinobi!" Saeko smiled through gritted teeth. "Friend and musume tell me to expect uninvited pest! Why are you here, hiisama?"
"Watch your tongue, gaishou," The kyongshi-kuro snapped out. "Or I shall cut it out! You will show me RESPECT! I am SUPERIOR! In every way. Hai!"
"Not even superior to fluke!" Saeko responded in a bored-tone. "I have not been gone from Hospital that long? Maybe.. three nights? What happened? Baka let kyongshi make a meal of him after we leave? Baka! Does Ishikawa-Sensei realize you are dead?"
"Ishikawa-Baka is..." Shinobi smirked, "unimportant, now! Kukuku! Baka served his purpose. Made good first-meal. Hai."
"You ARROGANT.. little..." Saeko shrieked. "HOTARU-CHAN IS RIGHT! You DESERVE nineth-
level of Hell!"
Saeko's shriek alerted Rei and Minako, who came running to help her!
"You will NOT speak to your Lord and Master that way, gaishou!" Shinobi backed up, then laughed, eyes burning lustfully. "In fact, after I am through and you rise again? You shall not talk, again! You will just smile and serve me. Hai! As pet SHOULD!"
Shinobi then charged,intending to bite Saeko!
Saeko then withdrew two hypodermic needles from her doctor's coat, and plunged them into the veins of the kyongshi's neck, pushing all the liquid from them into the creature!
Then, as the kyongshi screamed in agony, Dr. Mizuno withdrew two more needles plunging them into the kyongshi's arms! This was quickly followed by one needle each in the eyes.
And Shinobi fell to the ground in screams of agony!
"Twenty CCs of Silver Iodide in each hypo!" Saeko sang out. "Two, four, six needles?
120cc. More if needed!" She looked down at the hapless creatue. "Baka forgot how i fought in hospital!" She then took two bottles from her pants' pockets, each marked "Collodial Silver":
"NOW! take two of THESE!" Saeko then forced the contents of the bottles down Shinobi's throat!
The kyongshi started to gag and choke.
"A word of warning, Shinobi..," Seako growled as she removed a silver stake from a quiver against her back. "In your next-life, stay away from ANYONE named 'Mizuno'! Hai!"
And, with a hammer, she pound the stake through Shinobi's heart and deep into the ground!
"Remind me never to get on your bad-side, Mizuno-Sensei!" Hotaru grinned and bowed.
"Goshinpainaku.. Hotaru-chan!" Saeko breathed out. "Baka only got his well-deserved reward for life lived! Now? All that is needed is to remove and burn head! Or? Leave baka as is until we get back."
"With as much silver as is in him, now?" Hotaru grinned. "Shinobi-baka with not be going anywhere, even if someone can possibly remove stake."
A few minutes of fighting later, the rear-guard joined the main-body at a point beyond the lower waterfall.
"Where is Endymion-baka?" Saeko asked Ami.
"This end of meadow. Somewhere in the trees. His subjects and slaves had formed a wall around him dano. Will be hard to get him out."
"There are more kyongshi-kuro than ookami." Usagi noted, then slowly smiled. "Endymion-
baka will have his problems demo."
"You..think of something.. aneue?" Shingo grinned.
"Remembering story of Dark-Phantom, hai." Usagi sang. "How kyongshi are loners trapped by time. Hai. Remembering fight at hospital dano. Kyongshi not co-ordinated as group! Iyaa.
Maybe.. we keep them here until morning?"
"What are Rei-chan and Minako-chan doing here?" Makoto asked.
"Decided to leave cave," Hotaru chirped, "after Saeko-Sensei have talk with Shinobi-baka,
hai."
"Shinobi?!" Aim turned around fearfully. "You said he is kyongshi, Hotaru-chan!"
"Shinobi WAS kyonshi!" Chibusa giggled. "Now? He is silver-ornament! Heehee!"
Ami breathed a sigh of relief. "Still have ammunition, kaasan?"
"Hai! Two.. four.. six needles of silver iodide.. four bottles of colloidal silver. two ammunition-pouches of silver bullets.."
"'And a partridge in a pear-tree!'" Minako sang out.
"Hai!" Makoto grinned ridiculously. "It is official! Minako is back!"
"Hai!" Usagi yipped. "Alright! Just as Ami and Naru and me planned it in the library. Ookami will keep kyongshi as group in trees! Shooters? Aim for anyone trying to escape! Silver bullets and shots may drive them back to main-group. Drive them back if you can. Must not leave mountain! Iyaa. When you can? Join us on other side of river! Hai!"
In five minutes, the ookami were across the river and waiting for the proper moment to start their attack.
In two hours of stealthy-scouting to account for every possible kyongshi-kuro,
the Tsukinos and Ami launched the attack! Within minutes, the air around and above the meadow was filled with the shrieks and screams of kyongshi-kuro, and the yips and howls of ookami! And? From across the river, the occasional gunfire of Watchers!
Then, Rei and Minako spotted shadows movin upstream on the opposite bank, and opened fire:
"GYAAAAH!" A kyongshi screamed. "SILVER!"
"Ara.. kyongshi trying to make it upstream to cross falls?" Hotaru said. "Good plan.. would have surprised us dano. if night was totally dark! Hino! Aino! We will protect flank! Let me deal with any baka who make it across falls."
"Hai!" Rei and Minako saluted - and smiled.
Soon, the Watchers, Makoto, and Dr. Mizuno were wading through chest- and neck-
deep water to the meadow:
"Are you alright, Mizuno-Sensei?" Makoto asked Ami's mother. "Ami wants you safe! Hai! No one wants to see you dead."
"Goshinpainaku Mako-chan!" Saeko whispered back. A minute later, Saeko disappeared under the river, only her wrists and rifle above the water. Sixty seconds later, her head popped back up above the water with a gasp!
"Good thing.. I know how to hold my breath! Found a hole.. in riverbed! Hai! Silver in a bit heavey dano!"
"Mizuno-baka!" Makoto groused. "Could have DROWNED! Hai! Then, what would Ami-chan do?"
"Did not drown in river!" Saeko softly chuckled. "Would much rather drown in river thanbe slave to kyongshi-kuro katsumata. Glad I waterproofed ammumition! Hai. Do not need silver diluted."
Soon the snipers were setting up in the bank next to the meadow, as the ookami were giving the kyongshi-kuro their own taste of hell!
In five minutes, kyongshi were running anywhere and everywhere to try outflank the dashing, then disappearing, ookami!
"From where come these fleas that annoy us so?" Endymion roared. "Let me be RID of these meddlesome koinu!"
The only answer Endymion redieved was the scream of another kyongshi-kuro!
Then, shots rang out from both sides of the bank!
"My Pater!" A newly-fledged kyongshi screamed. "SAVE US! We try to out-flank the ookami, but are met hail, a hail of silver!"
Just then, Usagi and Ami appeared through the meadow-grass, and snapped at the frightened kyongshi-kuro!
"ITAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII II! SAVE MEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Then, the two ookami just melted into the shadows.
"Cursed be you, pathetic weaklings!" Endymion roared as he grabbed the hapless messanger by the throat, choking him. "Must I do things myself? They are but FLEAS!"
"Ara. We are fleas?" Usagi growled low. "A PLAGUE on Endymion-hiisama, then!"
"Usagi-chan?" Ami looked at her leader. "Fleas carry plague!"
"Hai1" Usagi. "I know that! Why I said it! Who do you think I am, Ami-imouto? Minako-chan? Iiede! Don't answer that! Not yet!"
Ami let out a giggle.
Soon, Rei, Minako, Hotaru, and Chibiusa were countering a flanking-manuever:
"Ready...", Hotaru called out as she aimed her shotgun. "FIRE!"
Silver went deep into the bodies of the kyongshi, causing them to stumble and fall backwards!
"RELOAD!" Hotaru screamed.
And, once more, silver hail buried itself into undead flesh!
The, Hotarudrew her sword:
"Hino-chan! Aino-chan! Stay down!"
As the two Innersenshi hitthe ground flat, Hotaro drew out a sword of beaten silver:
"So?" The small Senshi smiled as four kyongshi straggered back to their feet. "Who wishes to die, first?"
The next fifteen minutes were a deadly ballet of twisting bodies and flashing blades reflecting the moonlight. The sounds of metal striking metal were punctuated, occasionally, thesounds of screams or curses suddenly cut short! And, if the middle of the battle, was Hotaru.
After a while, the the macabre dance came to an end, as the last of Hotaru's opponants fell to the ground, minus - of course - their head. Hotaru then slowed down, and - a bit unsteadily - stood and looked around her, counting corpses.
And then.. the little Senshi dropped her sword.. and collapsed!
"Well - I'll be damned! That's funny!" Hotaru softly chuckled.
"HOTARU!" Rei and Minako screamed out, rushing to the small kyongshi.
"Lemme sleep, kaasan?" Hotaru muttered. "Onegai?"
Rei bent over the child:
"She.. is snoring?"
As Rei and Minako watched over a sleeping Hotaru, two more kyongshi made their way from the falls.
"Kuso!" Minako hissed. "What do we do? Hotaru is out like light!"
"We make our own light, Minako-chan!" Rei grined. "Get down! Cover Hotaru-chan! Do not want our kyongshi singed. Iie." Than Rei stood up straight and looked the kyongshi-kuro straight in the eyes, whispered a prayer, and struck her pose:
"Mars.. flare.. SNIPER!"
The mystic flame shot from Rei's fingertips straight into the heart of the kyongshi, instantly setting his whole form alight!
Rei pulled her mystic bow back again.
"Wish to join your brother?" The miko asked. "Are kyongshi that close?"
The kyongshi hissed in reply, and charged forward!
"Mars.. flame.. SNIPER!"
Another kyongshi went up quite like the first.
"Spirit of Mars talk to you?" Minako asked.
"Hai!" Rei smiled. "We talked. Friend-to-friend."
"Rei-chan?" Minako whispred. "Get down. Its my turn."
Minako got up running:
"Venus love-me WHIP!"
The mystic chain wrapped itself tightly around the kyongshi's neck, causing the creature to pull back and gag!
"Minako-baka!" Rei snapped. "Gold does not work against kyongshi!"
"Goshinpainaku Rei-chan!" Minako started to laugh a bit maniacally. "I am not just goldsmith. Iyaa! Silversmith dano!"
She then turned her attention back to the struggling kyongshi:
"Hurts? Gomennissai! Will not hurt for long!"
And, with a quick snap of her wrists, Minako SNAPPED the silver chains through the kyongshi's neck, decapitating it!
"Minako-chan!" Rei yelped. "You are PSYCHO!"
"Hai!" Minako giggled. "Kyongshi-kuro leave me this way! Sages are right! Hai. Shit happens! Venus love-me WHIP!"
She then ran full-throttle into another unfortunate kyongshi, kicking it in the breastbone and wrapping the chain around its neck:
"Hold that pose, kyongshi!"
Another kyongshi-kuro was decapitated.
"Come!" Mainako said. "Let us pile up heads for easy burn, later!"
About an hour later, Hotaru woke up, looking at her gaurdians:
"Did I miss anything?" She yawned.
"Hai. A little." Rei answered. "Not much."
"Have any more kyongshi-kuro come?" Hotaru asked.
"A few." Minako answered. "Did not stay long."
Hotaru then took a sniff. "Ara.. I smell.. Teriyaki?"
Meanwhile, as the fight continued of the other side of the river, Dr. Mizuno and Makoto were discussing the meadow:
"I think I remember what meadow looks like." Makoto said. "I think we will do good with two rifles on far side of maedow dano. Catch fleeing kyongshi from two corners! Hai!"
So, after discussing their plans with the Oosakas and Usagi and Ami, Saeko and Makoto started off around the perimeter of the battlefield to the far-side of the maedow. The moon, by now, was about to disappear beyond the mountain, but, there was still just enough light to travel by.
Of course, what made good traveling conditions for one, made excellant hunting conditions for another!
As Saeko passed the halfway-point in her and Makoto's trek, she heard a hiss to her left and behind her.
"Makoto-chan!" She snapped out at she turned around on her right foot. "Have company!"
Makoto swiftly turned around. "SHIMATTE!"
The actions of the next few second were almost too fast for Makoto to keep up with: As the kyongshi lunged at Saeko, the doctor withdrew two hypodermic needle from her coat pockets, and shot them right into the eyes of the kyongshi and into his optic nerves, blinding him!
"TAG!" Saeko shouted as the kyongshi screamed in agony! "Blind from silver iodide! Deaf from shriek!" Then, Seako ran a silver spike thought its heart and into the ground.. "Now? Paralyzed! Hai! Stay there!"
Unfortunately, the fight drew in two more kyonshi.
"SHIMATTE!" Makoto shouted. "These things are like sharks!" She withdrew her own needles of silver iodide, and plunged them into the neck of her opponent! "Arigatounissai for telling me of weapons!"
"You are most welcomed.. Makoto-musume!" Saeko answered, as she shoved the contents of a bottle of collodial silver down a kyongshi's throat, then staked her. She and Makoto then pickedup their rifles and ran for the trees.
Soon, with snipers on either side of the meadow to fill stragglers with silver, the kyongshi slowly found themselves easier-picking for the ookami! As the hours passed,
Nighttime faded into early-morning,and the kyongshi found themselves losing ground! Especially, after the arrival of chibiusa, Rei, Minako, and Hotaru!
"Are we late?" Chibiusa asked Naru. "Would have been here, sooner! Had to wait for Hotaru to awaken. Hai. Then, find place in river where she could cross safely! And? Dispose of Kyongshi heads."
"Not late!" Naru smiled. "Still on time! Hai! Kyongshi-kuro are not all gone, and Endymion-baka is still in trees.. probably waiting for chance to break-out!"
"Hai." Chibiusa growled low. "Seidou-no-Endymion-kyongxhi-baka is in Tokyo! Never been able to locate it demo. Well-hidden."
"No wonder kyongshi-baka consider Tokyo their home!" Naru cursed. "Easy hunting-grounds!"
A couple of hour of fighting, later, the Watchers and ookami were searching the battlefield, and collected the heads and decapitated-bodies of the kyongshi for desposal:
"Find everyone but Endymion!" Usagi screamed. "DOKO ENDYMION-KURO?!"
"ENDYMION!" Ami pointed down at the other end of the meadow. "Almost to the trees!
One hundred meters away!"
"He will get away before we get to him kuso!" Usagi yelled as she, Chibiusa, and Ikuko transformed.
"Endymion-kyongshi is not getting away!" A soft but strong male-voice sang out.
Endymion turned around to face his new threat:
"Ara.. the fortune-teller.." He sneared.
"I only see the future." The boy corrected Endymion. "I do not predict it!"
"Ryu-kun!" Ami cried out and transformed.
"Uwada Ryo! I am touched." Endumion smirked. "You came this far, just to die!
For me?" Endymion than started to throttle the young man!
"Iie. Not die. At least.. not alone." Uwada Ryu choked out. "Look.. behind me..
kaijuu!"
Behind Ryu, the kyongshi-kuro saw his coffin - his resting-place and sanctuary -
set ablaze ny an old Shinto-priest, his assistant, and a young boy.
"IIEDE!" Endymion shrieked. "BAKA! I shall die," he again, started to choke Ryu,
"you shll die with me demo!"
THWACK!
Endymion then felt a sharp crack of his breastbone as a wooden stack punctured his heart,hammered in by Ryu!
Ryu then fell to his knees on top on Endymion:
"Iiede.. kyongshi.." Ryu sucked in air. "Only you will die! When.. I saw you.. close enough.. to drain me? I knew.. I would be close enough.. to stake you!"
Suddenly, a blue ookami knocked the young man off of his seat and onto the ground:
"Ryu!" Ami cried. "I thought I would LOSE you!"
"Hai.. there was that chance,Ami-chan!" Ryu huffed. "The chance had to be taken demo!"
"Stand away!" Usagi ordered. "Kyongshi is mine!"
With Chibiusa by her side, Usagi whispered, calling out Ginzhuishou:
"He stands others fall
He smiles blood-drunk at cries
He walks amid dark death
Crows and vultures come to feast
His bones grow white at morning"
"ENDYMION! your reign of blood and tears is OVER! in place of Moon-Princess..
I will DESTROY YOU!"
Ginzhuishou burned,its silver waves hotter and brighter than a hundred suns!
As his flesh began to smolder, and then catch fire, Endymion screamed. Then, cursed:
"I SHALL HAVE MY REVENGE, USAGI! USE GINHI! IT SHAL CONSUME YOU! YOU ARE WEAK! I SHALL DIE! YOU WILL DIE WITH ME DANO!"
"Hai. I will die." usagi said softly. "You will die. Never return demo. That is worth death demo."
However, just as Usagi was about to collapse, she felt another pair of hands touch Ginzhuishou. Another spirit touched hers and Serenity-musume's.
"Endymion-kyongshi must not win! Must never lose kaasan!" Chibiusa's voice, though pained. rang clear. "I will not ALLOW it!"
'Hehehe.' Endymion's taunting voice rang through their minds. 'Ginzhuishou is now stronger. I still stil win demo. Still see revenge. Hai. Touched too much with my darkness to.. die alone. Now.. two.. will join me in Hell!'
'Maybe.. another's touch will help?' Ikuko and Serenity-okaasan's spirits touched their daughters and granddaughter as their hands touched Ginzhuishou.
And Endymion shrieked!
"ENDYMION!" The three woman comnmanded in one voice. "For the death and crying you have caused.. walk the roads of Hell.. ALONE!"
And, as the sun rose of the eastern mountains, the bones of the kyongshi prince grew white, then cracked, turning to ash. And, then, were scattered by the winds!
Then, Tsukino Ikuko collapsed!
"Kaasan!"
"Obaasan!"
Later that morning, and closer to the river, Mizuno Seako, Mizuno Ami, Oosaka Hana,
and Oosaka Naru were checkinng over Ikuko, Usagi, and Chibiusa.
"I am fine, Naru-ane, hai!" Usagi protested. "Endemion-baka could not kill me!"
Then, she muttered. "He came close demo."
"Still make sure you are alright, Usagi-imouto!"
"I am fine!" She looked with sad eyes towards Ikuko. "Nani okaasan?"
"I.. will be fine, Usagi." Ikuko whispered. "So will Serenity-kaasan be, with rest."
Ikuko held her hand close to her heart. "Serenity almost died. Was ready to die. Would have died if alone. Had me to hold onto demo! As Serenity-musume has you, Usagi!" She smiled to her daughter.
"So? This is our second-family?" Umino asked.
"It is mine, hai!" Naru asked, looking at the bespecticaled boy. "Is it yours?"
The whole of the Innersenshi and Hotaru turned their attention to the duo.
"They are your family, they are mine! Hai!" Umino affirmed. "Have been since Uwada-Sama asked me to look into Chiba Mamoru .. Prince Endymion .. whoever he was! Started looking, found out about Sailorsenshi! Hai. Found hidden-lair demo! How we find coffin! Hai! Find dolls of Senshi. Hai. Spooky symbol, hai! Decided to burn lair. Cleanse in Shinto ceremony. Hai."
"Very wise! Hai!" Naru smiled to Umino.
"You read. You Listen." Umino blushed. "You learn. You.."
Naru stopped the boy's nervous-rambling with a kiss!
"You get kissed?" Makoto chuckled.
"That.. could work!" Ami leaned into Ryu and kissed him.
Now, is was Ryu turn to blush!
"Ara.." Ryu seemed to fidget. "How.. does one.. become a Watcher.. what are..",
He looked at Ami, "the rules of Watching?"
"Never take your eyes off the subject?" Minako and Rei whispered and grinned.
Ryu and Ami blushed furiously!
"Minako..." Makoto warned the blonde.
"Rei-chan..." Usagi growled.
"Nani-yo?" The Idol and Miko both asked.
"QUIET!" Makoto and Usagi both snapped!
"Domo arigatou, Usagi-ane!" Naru chirped. "All that is required of a Watcher is to show a genuine interest in what you are studying!"
And Makoto and Usagi turned back to Rei and Minako with looks that said:
Do not speak, kionu!
"Ara.. Hai!" Ryu answered before anyone else could talk. "How is one to watch their subject demo?"
"That rule depends are the Watcher and the watched. Hai!" Naru flashed a smile,
then tried to hide it by acting solemn. "Therules I had from my tousan.. may not work.. for everyone. Naze?"
"I would like to help you nazenara watch over.. Ami-chan! Hai."
"VERY GOOD!" Naru clapped. "Hai! I would suggest we go to caves and tunnel to talk farther of this over dinner! Start planning new cabin over old escape doors dano!
Goshinpainaku, Uagi-chan! Will be big enough for whole pack. Hai!"
'Arigatou nissai, Naru-neechan!' Usagi smiled as she thought. "Never forget friends.'
Usagi then felt as though she heard Naru answer it her mind:
'Never have, imouto! Never will dano! Watcher's vow!"
THE END (for now ?)
Kellybug
QUESTION: Since, in this story, I have said that - in this Alternate-Universe'
future - that Usagi kills Sailorpluto, should I write a story that turns around the events of Season S ?