10: "In a china shop"
Countless films portray Tokyo as the epicenter of epic disasters caused by enormous, otherworldly creatures, so perhaps in that context, seeing a bull the size of a one-story house rampaging through downtown wasn't so uncommon. And this was a city that had seen considerable disasters, both natural and man-made, and had adjusted themselves for their scale. Yet there was nobody so jaded by this cycle of death and rebirth that they did not instantly lose their minds and flee in an outraged panic, no building so secured by earthquakes and tsunamis (or, heaven forbid, giant monsters) that it didn't collapse as the bull crashed through it. Huge chunks of asphalt were torn from the streets as the bull's great hooves galloped across the freeways; telephone poles were uprooted, their cables dangling behind them, some snapping and some constricting briefly around the bull's body, before its massive strength or its terrible teeth ripped them apart. Bridges were broken, cars uprooted and flung, glass windows shattered as it thundered in an aimless rampage. Fires broke out…
Sailor Mars recoiled in astonishment.
Her car skidded to a halt just before she hit the first of the ruts the bull had created. Streets were nonnegotiable; sidewalks had been uprooted, bent, warped. The bull was escaping and Sailor Mars no longer had the means to pursue it. Running after it was completely out of the question; it moved faster than a hawk dives for its prey. As she turned around searching for a route to cut it off, she heard sirens in the distance, and noticed helicopters in the sky. Thanks in some small part to the riot of creatures Sailor Moon helped stop, the national guard was on full alert and arrived on the scene not a moment too soon. There were tanks, armored infantrymen, SWAT teams, snipers… Japan's police force was going all-out to stop this monster. They had missiles, explosives, incendiary rounds, barbed wire, road spikes, air strikes, tear gas, barricades built to withstand floods…
Sailor Mars feared it wouldn't be enough.
She spotted the bull running parallel to her position, several city blocks away, and followed it. The police would already be cutting off all major exits in an attempt to corral the bull, for what little good it would do; meanwhile the monster would trample everything under its path. Sailor Mars swerved into a turn, revving up the engines to intercept the beast, but shrieked and brought the car to a squealing stop as the bull changed course and headed her way. Its earth-shattering roar sent shockwaves through the city, cracking Sailor Mars' car windows and nearly rupturing her eardrums. The earth trembled as she put the car in reverse and backed out as fast as she dared. The bull noticed her, snarled, and charged at full speed, lowering its head so its great terrible horns could plow the earth. Sailor Mars slammed the accelerator to the floor but was abruptly thrown against her steering wheel and into the deploying airbag as her car back-ended into a brick building. With the bull charging in and no place left to go, Sailor Mars had no choice but to jump out. Seconds later, her car was flattened under the monster's hoof.
"You jerk! I only had four payments left on that thing! My insurance is NOT going to cover this!" Roaring with rage, she summoned a fireball and blasted its nearest leg. As she had feared, the damage was superficial; it just caught the fur on fire, angering the bull more than harming it. It bucked and leaped wildly in an attempt to put the fire out, finally knocking over a fire hydrant. Once the danger was gone, the bull calmed, and lapped at the gushing geyser, puffing wearily. If ever there was time for Sailor Mars to attack…
She ran over to a streetlight, kicked off a nearby wall, kicked off the lamp, and leaped over again until she was standing precariously on the top. From here, she had the perfect vantage point for a shot to its forehead. Spreading her arms out, she created a crescent flame, and with a gesture, added a bolt. She drew the string and fired, hitting the monster right between the eyes— valiant but futile, for the bull shivered with rage and lashed out at the lamp, upsetting Sailor Mars. She fell right at its feet, screaming as its hooves came down on her, and barreled out of the way. The enormous beast trampled beneath her, digging huge holes in the street, narrowly missing her as she darted around, throwing small fires to deflect or discourage its attacks. Explosions suddenly came from its backside, drawing its attention away from her. She made a break for it, casting her eyes back to see a squadron of tanks opening fire.
The shells weren't doing any more damage than Sailor Mars did, but they had the advantage of numbers, and had successfully stopped the bull long enough for Sailor Mars to come up with a new plan. And speaking of an advantage in numbers, where was Sailor Moon in all this? She had never been so irresponsible as to miss an important battle to save the city, even at her worst— and as a member of Shibuya's police force, she should've been the first at the scene! Something was obviously keeping her, but for the life of her, Sailor Mars couldn't think of what it might be.
"Damn it, Usagi," she hissed under her breath, "you had better not be sitting at home watching TV!" Sailor Mars felt a little bad for anticipating the worst, but unfortunately for Usagi, she had all the statistics against her. Still, Sailor Mars kept some faith— and she also came up with a new plan. As the bull finally lashed out against the tanks, she spotted her chance, and dove into one of the taller buildings that had escaped its wrath. Taking the stairs, she climbed to the top, found a fire escape that led to the roof, and scanned around for her target. The bull had slowed its rampage and was now sniffing around carefully, possibly for the one prey that had successfully eluded it. Sailor Mars waited for it to pick up her scent near the building, then made a break for the edge. A jump…
She stretched her arms and legs out, slowing her descent incrementally, landing on the relatively soft surface of its furry back. The blow took the wind out of her, but she was unharmed, and grabbed hold of its fur. The bull took notice of its passenger, roaring and flailing about, but Sailor Mars had found a good place to cling to, and no amount of bucking would toss her off. She called forth a ring of celestial fire and shot the projectiles on its head and neck, angering it into a blind charge. With its focus removed from her, Sailor Mars climbed up its back, positioning herself onto its neck. She then raised one arm, keeping the other coiled around the bull's fibers, and called out a great column of flame— not to shoot at the bull, but on the road it was running on. The enormous monster suddenly found itself rushing headlong into a perpetual path of fire, and soon its legs and underside were awash with flaming tongues. Wherever it turned, Sailor Mars kept the fires burning, so that soon it was entirely engulfed in the fire.
"YOU THERE, ON THE BULL! THROW YOUR WEAPON TO THE GROUND AND COME DOWN AT ONCE, OR WE'LL OPEN FIRE! THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING!" Startled, Sailor Mars glanced up, seeing the helicopters converging around her location. Some of them had missiles locked on her position and all of them had large guns. Bile built in her throat as she reeled from the incongruity of the situation.
"Those idiots," she muttered under her breath. "Don't they have something better to do? Can't they see I'm trying to help them?" She yelped as the missiles were launched, and immediately surrendered her position. Sailor Mars rolled off the bull's side, coming to a painful stop on the ground as flying balls of shrapnel and fire chased after her. She got a painful load of it on her back and legs, but somehow managed to pick herself up and flee. Gunfire pursued her until she found an alley to hide in, then the air strike resumed in earnest. Now that the bull had come to a stop (Thanks to me, she growled to herself), it was an easy target, and was washed in flames and metal. The missiles finally downed the creature, and the tanks on the surface rolled in to finish the job.
But then the bull got back up, knocking the tanks aside with a single gesture.
"OH COME ON!" she screamed. The helicopters were still firing, and while their shots did little damage, they were cumulative. The bull was certainly weakening, but whether Japan's finest could outlast it was still up for debate. Sailor Mars risked coming out of her hiding spot to contribute, but a quick shot from the helicopter, mere centimeters from her feet, discouraged her. She tried looking for another way out, but as bad luck would have it, she had secured herself into a dead end. She couldn't climb or shimmy up the walls, and the nearest fire escape was well beyond her reach. Sailor Mars was trapped until those helicopters found something else to distract them.
"YOU IN THE ALLEY, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP! THE SITUATION WILL BE UNDER CONTROL SOON! SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY OR WE WILL USE FORCE!"
Well, so much for that. She did actually have one option left, but she didn't want to fall back on it unless nothing else was available. The bull wandered off to devastate elsewhere, and the squadron of choppers followed it, all but one. Sailor Mars peeked out of her hiding spot and noticed a SWAT team from the chopper rappelling down to the surface, presumably for the raven-haired flame-throwing vigilante in the red skirt. Gnashing her teeth in humiliation, and quietly cursing Usagi for failing her, she took a deep breath and resigned herself to her last option.
Before she could transform back into Rei Hino, a blinding flash of light overcame her and her adversaries. Sailor Mars heard a familiar voice calling for her, and ran for it. The SWAT team began to crumble under the assault of an unknown force, giving her a clear passage out. She didn't know whether to embrace her savior or rip into her for being so late.
"What the hell kept you?!" she settled on. Sailor Moon looked genuinely hurt.
"Sorry, they had me on evacuation duty up until the very last minute, and I couldn't find a moment where I was alone. I'm really sorry, Rei— "
"Don't apologize, dumpling-head, just help me stop this thing! You have to carry most of the weight since you're so late! That's your punishment!"
She fought hard to stem the tears. No way was Sailor Mars letting her companion know how overjoyed she was to see her.
"Fair enough. What's the plan?"
"Have you tried purging the evil from it?"
"I just got here, Rei!" she insisted. Seeing the look on her friend's face, Sailor Moon amended her attitude and added, "But I'm willing to give it a try."
"It's awfully far away," she warned her. "The roads are inaccessible, and we'll never catch it on foot."
"Hey, I'm not stupid," she smiled (Not so much, they both thought to themselves). "Your friend Usagi came prepared! All I ask is that you hang on tight." Intrigued by this unusual request, Mars followed Moon through the destruction to a nearby parking lot. The police had definitely been in the area: there were discarded civilian articles everywhere, no doubt dropped by a fleeing crowd. Sailor Moon hopped onto a motor-scooter and invited her friend to take the back seat. Naturally, Sailor Mars was a little wary.
"Umm, Usagi, I know you've always said you wanted a motor-bike, but…even with a car and seatbelts, I worry about you."
"Oh, don't be such a worry-wart, I've taken lessons! There was this really awesome sexy guy at the dealership— single, too— he taught me how to ride and I even gave him my number, maybe we can go out once all this— "
"USAGI!" Sailor Moon grinned bashfully, donning a helmet and revving up her bike.
"Sorry, guess I still ramble at times. Okay, hang on!" Sailor Mars had a death-grip around her friend's waist, and nearly ground her teeth to dust as Sailor Moon swerved out of the lot and followed the bull's trail of destruction, pushing her new vehicle to top speed. Usagi was actually a fairly decent driver, and as Sailor Moon, her skills had improved to the point where Sailor Mars eventually relaxed, a little. They eventually caught up with their prey, who was on a collision course with one of the barricades the police had thrown up. Sailor Moon nudged her passenger with her elbow and raised her visor, yelling as loud as she could over the rushing wind and roaring engine.
"I want you to make a trail of fire behind us! We'll circle around him and trap him! Then I'll hit him with everything I've got!"
"Okay!" Mars screamed. "Good luck!"
"Whaaaaat?"
Nothing, she smiled. A squeeze on the shoulder would have to suffice. Sailor Moon began her suicidal run and gestured for Mars to ignite. A wall of flame shot out of her fingers and burst on the road, following the bike as it slowly circled the bull. The creature came to a halt as it faced a mounting inferno, and as it turned to escape, was met with another wall, and another, and another. Moon and Mars had successfully snared it in; the bike squealed to a halt and Sailor Moon stepped off, twirling her scepter with a master's finesse.
"I've never considered an animal to be evil before, but I'm willing to make an exception with you, buster! You have destroyed our beautiful city, sent our good people into a panic, and spread chaos and fear everywhere you went! Those who cause suffering have no place in this world! In the name of the moon, I shall punish you!"
The bull defied her challenge, surrounded though it was. At full power, even Sailor Moon might not have done much damage to it, but thanks to its wearying rampage, the relentless assault by the national guard, and Sailor Mars' inexhaustible flames of righteous fury, it was weak enough to finish off. Summoning up all of her power, Sailor Moon shot out a beam of concentrated purity, scorching the bull body and soul, blasting it apart until there was nothing left but the devastation in its wake. She collapsed, weary from the burst of energy, and was caught by Mars.
"Sailor Moon!" Moon grunted, her eyes drooping and her skin pale, but she smiled nevertheless.
"Whew…maybe I should pace myself from now on. Did I ever get this tired after fighting a single monster?"
"No," Mars grinned, "but we seldom fought one this big before. Thanks for coming through for me, Sailor Moon."
"Ugh…don't m-mention it. But, um…about this wall of fire…" Sailor Mars sighed, gently cradling her friend as she pretended to be exasperated.
"Hey, it was your genius idea, dumpling, not mine. Oh, don't make that face, I'll see what I can do. But this really is more of a job for Sailor Mercury…" Gingerly laying her friend down, Mars approached the circle of fire and summoned up her strength. She reasoned that, since she could summon and control flames, then she should be able to disperse and calm them as well. Focusing her energies, Mars willed the fire to settle, slowly burning out and shrinking, bit by bit until there was nothing left but warm embers, and then nothing at all after that. The effort tired her, and she joined Sailor Moon on the broken street.
"Hey, great job. I didn't know you had it in you."
"Neither did I, actually. I think that's the first time I've actually suppressed a fire."
"Yeah, and you were great. I should give you a happi coat." Sailor Mars chortled, and both women laughed together, amused and relieved and overcome with a joy they had not known in years. The moment passed quickly, however, as the distinct whine of police, ambulance, and fire truck sirens sounded around them. Sailor Moon carefully stood up, helping Mars to her feet. Together they both abandoned their senshi personas and returned to their regular old mild-mannered selves.
"That's my cue," Usagi sighed. "You go on ahead. I'll stay behind and try to help clean up this mess."
"Wow, suddenly you're so responsible! I'd say the past ten years have done you some good!"
"Yeah," she blushed, "I've changed a little. But I'm still me."
Rei nodded. "And thank goodness." She gave Usagi a quick kiss on the forehead and walked away so each could assume her respective duties. Suddenly, though, she stopped.
"Wait a second! What about my car?!"
…
Usmu had very grim news to deliver to his master, but when he announced his presence before Ea's divine portal, he was greeted not by the warmth and wisdom of his beloved liege, but by the brilliance of the sun, for it was the lord of all lords, the god of all gods, whose presence he was basking in. Though he chiefly served Ea, Usmi fell down to his face before the might of this all-powerful creature, and dared not speak lest he be undone. Anu's voice was far too great even for his ears to hear, so he communicated in radiations of light-waves.
"O grandest of all, if it is thy will, I shall make account of this failure and assume all blame. My great lord Ea was not at fault for dispatching Geush Urvan; he merely wished to determine if the Apkallu had returned. If I may be so bold, my eminence, I shall presume you know all that has transpired on your world, and beg thee give me council as to the nature of these beings, whom we presume as acolytes of your kin."
Anu replied.
"Your star soldiers… Of course! I am a fool, O mighty one, for never considering this, yet it is not my place to advise you. Your servants have already demonstrated their ability to defeat those possessed by evil, for did you not give them strength to do so? And did not a mortal king and his companion similarly slay the Heavenly Bull? Yet it is said none but the virtuous Apkallu themselves could match against your eminence's elite forces. If such an army were amassed, the identity of these beings would become immediately clear: if enemies, they would be destroyed; if allies, they would be victorious. O, my eminent lord, I am your vessel and your tool; use me or discard me as you will."
Anu commanded.
"So it shall be done. A number befitting the might of the Apkallu shall be marshaled, and will march against the celestial sailors. Hail Lord Anu, all-powerful and all-wise."
Author's note:
A happi coat was a coat worn by the fire brigade during olden times in Japan. Such a device is in some use to this very day, as it can be seen worn by Squirtle in the Pokemon series. Also, to curb some confusion, whenever I address someone as "Sailor", then it's their Senshi persona, the one they transform into (I may also abbreviate it to their planetary avatar, such as Mars or Jupiter). If a character addresses a Senshi, however, they may use their "normal" name (such as when Usagi calls Rei by her name, not her persona, and vice-versa) or their Senshi name. In other words…
Sailor X: Senshi
Usagi, Rei, Ami, et al: normal
Someone speaks to Sailor Moon: "Hello, Usagi," and "Hello, Sailor Moon" are both acceptable, so long as they're aware of the duel persona.