Chapter Ten

"SHINEEEEEE!"

To frightened and confused to do anything else, Sailor Moon did what came naturally to her—she closed her eyes and screamed. She braced herself for the impact that she knew was coming, but it never came. Instead she felt strong arms embrace her as she was scooped up and carried to safety. Mamo-chan…?

She opened her eyes to have her vision turn red. "KYAAAAHHHHHHH! I'm bleeding! I'm dying! Help me! I'm too beautiful and young to die! Waaaahhhhh!" She sobbed trying to wipe away the blood.

"Oro! Ano…miss, o-onegai, would you please let go of my hair de

gozaru?"

Sailor Moon stopped automatically. "Are? Himura-san?"

He put her down. "Oro? Have we met, miss—"

Kenshin stopped suddenly, sensing danger. He pushed Sailor Moon out of the way just as the building behind him exploded.

"Kenshin!"

Sailor Moon turned to see Sanosuke off to the sidelines, concern written all over his face. But it was only for a second, for concern was quickly replaced with anger and Sano immediately charged the attacker, fully intending to give him the hardest left hook of his career as a fighter. But his target wasn't there to receive the punch. Instead Sanosuke watched in shock and fear as the madman took to the air.

 "What the flying fuck?" he yelled

"Interesting choice of words," called a voice behind him.

"Shit," Sano swore as a girl in orange followed by one in blue came running, "More girls in skimpy skirts. I really have died and gone to Nirvana."

"Oh, would you…shut up…?" groaned Mars as she tried to stand,

recovering from the madman's blow.

"Oi, take it easy. You're banged up enough." Sanosuke urged her coming

to help her up.

"Hey flying man! Let's see you try that crap on all of us at once?" Screamed the girl in orange. "In the name of Venus!"

"And Mercury!"

"You're Punished!" they chorused.

"Hey guys don't forget me!" yelled Sailor Moon.

"Good," snarled their attacker, "I'll get rid of all of—"

Enishi!

"Onee-san?" Enishi breathed.

Enishi, retreat.

"Why, Onee-san? I can end this—"

You can't handle them all. Not like this. Come back immediately.

The several pairs of eyes looked on in confusion as their attacker began argument with himself.

"Che, the guy's got a screw loose." Muttered Sanosuke.

"No," said Mars as she stepped away from him, "I don't think he's crazy. Well, at least not totally."

"Yeah, well what do I know? I'm dead after all."

Mars just raised an eyebrow.

"Fine." Enishi muttered, before he scowled and disappeared.

Sano paled. "H-h-he disappeared! I knew it he was a ghost!"

"Shut up!" Screamed Mars, "He's not a ghost."

"B-b-but—"

"Just help your friend!" she snapped.

"Oh yeah, Kenshin!" he yelled as he ran off to unearth Kenshin from the rubble.

"Oi, Kenshin! Daijoubu ka? Kenshin!"

"…ai…ano…e…zaru…" Sano heard the muffled sound of Kenshin's vopice beneath the rubble.

"Hang on, Kenshin! I'll get you out!" Sano assured his friend as he frantically dug through the debris. It wasn't long before Sanosuke unearthed a

red mane attached to an oroing Kenshin.

"Thanks Sano, it was rather stuffy in there de gozaru."

"Che, don't worry me like that!" Sano scolded him good-naturedly.

Kenshin just flashed his little Rurouni smile.

"Are you alright, sir?" Sailor Moon asked, approaching Kenshin and Sanosuke.

"Aa…I'm fine de gozaru yo. And you?"

"I'm alright, thank you for rescuing me," she bowed politely.

"No problem—"

"Now hold on just one minute! Who the HELL are you people? Who the HELL was the ghost? And why the FUCK are you all in your underwear?" Sanosuke screamed completely at a loss.

"Sano, calm down de gozaru." Kenshin intervened, "Ano, who are you de gozaru ka?"

"I'm Sailor Moon. These are my friends the Sailor Senshi: Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter. We're the protectors of this galaxy."

"Che, and I thought the ghost guy was crazy," grunted Sanosuke. Then looking thoughtful he added, "What's a galaxy? Never mind that, who was that crazy man?"

"Beats us, we've never seen him before. Heck we're not even suppose to be here," said Venus.

"What do you mean—" Kenshin was cut off by the sound of police whistles.

"We should get out of here." Mercury obsevered.

"Right. Minna kochi kochi.*" Sailor Moon ordered as she jumped to the roof tops followed by the other Senshi.

"OI! Where are you going! Come back here, I have more questions! MATTE!*" Sanosuke screamed.

Kenshin took a more direct approach and leaped easily to the rooftops after them. It wasn't long before he noticed how fast the five could move. They're fast. Not faster than me, but fast.

*          *          *

Several minutes into the pursuit Jupiter began to curse. "Damn! He doesn't give does he?" By then they were making their way past the train station. Exasperated, she stopped, "You guys go ahead, I'll buy you some time." She called after the others.

*          *          *

Kenshin slowed as he noticed the tall one in green stop, then turn and run toward him. Then he heard her shout s a phrase, "Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

Needless to say he was a bit surprised to find himself being pummeled by…oak leaves? The sheer force of the wind that accompanied them was enough to knock him off balance and nearly off the roof. By the time he regained his footing she—along with the rest of the Sailor Senshi—was gone.

*          *          *

Aoshi looked. And blinked. And blinked again. He had just witnessed—at least he thought he had just witnessed—several girls wearing even less than the typical female Oniwabanshu uniform running across the rooftops of Tokyo.

Misao and Aoshi were boarding the train to Kyoto when Misao noticed that Aoshi has stopped a few feet behind her and was staring into space. "Aoshi?" she called to him. No reaction. "Aoshi!" she called a little louder. Finally she lost her patience and grabbed his shoulder. "Aoshi, what are you staring—omigod you're bleeding!" She screamed.

Aoshi deftly wiped his nose. Yup there was blood.