19: "Maelstrom of madness"
Usagi hadn't merely been dancing close to Rei just for the sake of blending in with her environment: she had been peering over her shoulder most of the time, searching for a familiar tinge of blue—and more clever still, whenever their faces were close, she used the bright reflection in Rei's eyes to glance behind. That way, she presumed, both women could see in all directions, getting a very good grasp of their surroundings without drawing suspicion. Usagi had seen a cerulean flicker alien to Rei's eyes, and had drawn closer for a better glance. If Rei assumed her actions had another purpose, well…that was her own fault.
In any case, they swerved their way through the masses, closing in on their friend, who was all the more conspicuous thanks to her unique hairstyle. Once they were within visual range, they had their first brief glimpse of Ami's girlfriend, the much talked-about Nastya, but had no time to stare.
"Hey, Ami!" Usagi exclaimed, smiling with relief. Ami froze, her face a flicker of astonishment. To say this was unexpected for her was an understatement.
"Usagi? Rei?! What are you…?"
"There's no time, honey, we have to leave this place right now." Usagi cut in, grasping Ami's hand, pleading with those irresistible princess eyes. All the Senshi knew what that look meant, but it took awhile to click with Ami. She had, after all, been having a marvelous time.
"What are you talking about? What's going on? Usagi, I swear, if this is about Minako again—"
"Ami," she said firmly, touching her face, "do you trust me?"
Mizuno swallowed. "Of…of course I do, Usagi; you know that." A quiet understanding passed between them as Ami reflected on her declaration. "All right, Usagi, I'm sorry I snapped. If you say we have to leave, then we will. Are we in danger?"
"Just act natural. For right now, we're just four friends who've reunited with each other. We're leaving for someplace more private."
"If you say so. Oh, let me explain it to Nastya; her Japanese is still a little rusty." Ami cleared her throat and weaseled her way through elementary Russian, a feat that would've drawn stares from an average Slav. Nastya understood her broken, stilted dialect at least, though she was frustrated to be interrupted, and offended that she hadn't been introduced.
"[We talk later,]" Ami promised her, squeezing her hand. Usagi led the way out, with Rei bringing up the rear, trying hard not to look over her shoulder. She could sense the evil presence in that room, and if it sensed even the faintest hint of subterfuge, dozens of lives would be in grave danger.
"By the way," she called, "why'd you have your phone turned off? We've been trying to call you for hours." Ami stiffly answered that she didn't want to be contacted, that she deserved at least one night away from pagers, phones, computers, tablets, and the outside world in general. Rei sympathized, and offered condolences, for what little good they'd do.
Usagi let out a heavy sigh of relief once they were outside, even going so far as to sit down on the sidewalk. The bouncer noticed her and asked if she was all right; Usagi nervously tittered an affirmative, stating there was only so much fun a girl could have before she was worn out. The bouncer smiled affectionately, asking if they needed a cab, or at least an escort to their car. They all declined, stating they'd rather walk. Usagi cast a grateful smile at the other woman as the four of them secluded themselves.
"She's so nice. And it's such a great place, too. I can see why Haruka and Michiru love it." Nastya spoke up, obviously losing her patience with the situation, demanding to know what was going on (no interpretation needed: the tone of her voice and her narrowed eyes said it all).
"Sorry, we'll get right to that," Rei sighed. She nodded to Ami, her glance rich with meaning. Ami was smart enough to deduce this was Senshi work, and asked that her girlfriend should go on without her. The two exchanged words, more than a few at higher volumes than lovers are wont to share, and Nastya stormed off, fishing around for a cigarette. Ami cast her face down dejectedly but there was a hint of aggravation in her eyes as well.
"I guess it's too much to ask for a normal life."
"Ami, I'm sorry—"
"Don't apologize, Usagi," she spat. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply. "I came back to you because the people I cared for, the people I was responsible for, were in danger. They needed someone to protect them, and that was something I could do. I told you that I trusted you, and I'm going to believe you pulled me out of there for a very good reason. Nastya might not understand, but hopefully, she'll forgive me."
"She seems very forceful," Rei observed. The hint of a smile finally graced Mizuno's face, but she said nothing. "Anyway, the short version is that another one of those demons is inside that clubhouse, and we need Sailor Mercury to help flush her out. Minako thought we'd lure her outside somehow; I thought you and I could combine our powers to make some fog."
Ami nodded her head, processing. "Where's Mina now?"
"Shibuya."
"And Makoto?"
"Doing everything she can." She added, "Just not as…Sailor Jupiter."
"I see. You mentioned Haruka and Michiru; have you seen them lately?"
"Just Haruka," Usagi answered. "She gave us a ride here, and when we told her what was happening, she said you might be here. I mean, I guess she'd know, right?"
"Perhaps," she smiled. "But I'm not hearing the part where she fights with us."
"Turns our Miss Tenoh has an irresponsible side," Rei muttered. Ami giggled.
"Yes, well…we're all entitled, aren't we? So it'll be just the three of us. How did you know our enemy was here, Rei?"
She blushed and looked away. "I had a premonition." Ami stepped back in genuine surprise. Rei looked stymied. "I can't explain it, either, but it's gotten us this far. There's a strong evil force in the area, I can feel it. We need to get it away from these people, now."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Usagi cheered. Ami and Rei smiled, nodding to each other. Just like old times…
"Mercury Crystal Power!"
"Mars Crystal Power!"
"Moon Crystal Power!"
Flame, frost, and an iridescent light cascaded across the city, brightening one section to a luminous blinding sheen. Avatars of fire, water, and purification emerged, valiant champions resurrected from the dark, pulsating with powers their mortal frames were scarcely worthy of. Mars and Mercury leapt straight into action, circling the nightclub for the best ventilation shaft. While they would not be able to enter the place without alerting their foe to their plan, they could seep fog inside, blanketing the nightclub and blinding everyone to their activities. It would then be Sailor Moon's job to slip in quietly, do her work, and hopefully call it a day. Of course they realized it wouldn't be that easy, but…one step at a time.
Sailor Mars found a fire escape and led Sailor Mercury up; they hoisted themselves on the roof and took note of all the ventilation pipes scattered around. Mercury brought up her heads-up display visor, pinpointing the one that would give them the best flow. She then connected her visor with her phone, calling Sailor Moon via one-way link. Moon felt the jewels embedded in her trademark hair-buns vibrate, and tentatively touched them.
"Why are they…?"
"Do you like it?" she heard Sailor Mercury call back to her. "I've improved on our Senshi com system. All you have to do is talk and we'll be able to hear anywhere on the planet."
"As disturbing as it is helpful," Moon tittered. "But I take it this isn't a social call."
"Mars and I found a vent shaft. We're going to pour fog down at 2145. Once that mark passes, we need you—"
"Wait, what's 2145?"
"Nine forty-five p.m., dumpling," Mars said impatiently. Moon frowned.
"Well, excuse me for not understanding the difference. Um, Mercury, that's like a minute from now."
"Which should give you time to handle the bouncer, dash inside, and do your work."
"There's a lot of holes in this plan, guys, and when I'm the voice of reason around here…"
"Don't worry, we all know who to blame," Mars countered. "We'll go with this for now. Your powers shouldn't work on normal people."
"Unless there's more than one demon in disguise there," Moon muttered. The silence she got back from her friends was understandably thick. "Well, wouldn't it explain why you've been reading strong energy vibes? When was the last time one enemy had that much energy?—and wasn't a major one, I mean."
"You heard what that Usmu guy said," Mars sighed. "Whatever this Jahi is, she's not normal. But I'm not dismissing your theory, either."
"Sailor Moon, please, we're running behind schedule. We have to saturate the place now." Moon unfurled her glove, checking her watch: it read 9:46. She grit her teeth and sprinted back to the club, astonishing the bouncer.
"Whoa, what the hell? Slow down there, Miss; can I see some ID?"
"Sorry about this," Sailor Moon said, waving her scepter. Among her plethora of powers was the ability to draw people into a deep sleep. The bouncer was out in no time, but Sailor Moon wasted precious time making sure she didn't hurt herself falling. "Easy does it," she said, catching the larger woman and placing her down gently. "Hopefully this will all be over soon!" She touched the woman's face sympathetically, but was drawn out of her meditation by the sounds of confusion and panic. She dashed inside, scepter in hand, before those sounds could turn to screams.
"In the name of the moon, I…oh, forget it!" Sailor Moon's entire body flashed with blinding light, the full spectrum of colors emanating and rippling through the room. A normal human would be stunned, confused, perhaps even paralyzed, but certainly not harmed. A wicked being, however, could not stand this force, and would either evaporate back into the dark miasma from whence it was spawned, or else flee in agony. Despite how loud the music was, and how much babble had spread thanks to the mist, Sailor Moon clearly heard a pained scream, and though she could not see who had made it, she ran in the direction the sound came.
"Show yourself! Step outside and receive righteous judgment! These people have nothing to do with our fight! Face me, you witch!" Moon jerked left and right, helplessly peering through the thick soupy fog, watching for signs of attack or retreat. A shrill laughter climbed up from the chilling silence, and a room that was once bathed in thousands of beautiful, lively colors, suddenly became drenched in foreboding crimson. Hundreds of dread eyes glared at her from every direction, one pair in particular standing out large and ominous. Even Sailor Moon could not long match the wicked stare reverberating from this unspeakable monstrosity. A gurgling voice, speaking in the mad language of the damned, addressed her, every sound suffocated by mortal agony and wretchedness. A hundred thousand nails scraping against a hundred thousand blackboards would be a melodious reprieve compared to this hellish wailing.
"What are you?" came a chilling whisper through the shrieks. Sailor Moon stood petrified as she realized the demon was not speaking to her ears, but to her mind. She clutched her head, kneeling, grimacing in horror and disgust. "By whose authority do you command me? I have heard rumors of Apkallu in this plane, but I do not smell their blood. Neither are you one of the miserable servants of the asha. No matter, corpses yield secrets well enough. My beloved: rend her asunder. I want no piece remaining greater than the tip of my thumb."
The cruel sensation tearing through Sailor Moon's mind released her as quickly as it had imprisoned, bringing sweet, albeit temporary, relief. She gasped, cold with sweat, shakily bracing herself for battle. She expected droves of disfigured creatures, dregs summed up from the depths of nightmares, beings so warped that the mind would go mad by glancing at them—but what she received instead was far worse.
Jahi had taken control of every living soul in that clubhouse, and had turned them against Sailor Moon. The evil red eyes she had seen were theirs.
"You monstrous… I'll never forgive you for this! Let them go right now!"
"I cannot. They are as much a part of me as I am, for are they not women? And are you not the same? Do we not all share the same noble traits? A coldness, a desire for comfort, for idle behavior, for lust, savagery, a mockery of virtue, insatiable greed, vengeance clouded behind sweet smiles, pettiness, domination, fear, obstinacy…"
"Shut up! Leave them alone! You're fighting me, you heartless creature!"
"True, and in the only way I know I can assure victory." The fog lifted just then, long enough for Sailor Moon to see her foe. Jahi wielded spectacular beauty, a voluptuousness that could swoon the hearts of billions, an openness that led even the most dauntless into her care, and a savage, psychopathic sweet smile, overflowing with debauchery and sadism. Sailor Moon was at once enraptured, feeling that nothing could truly be right with the world until she bowed to this goddess and called herself servant. Every drop of free will she possessed was bending to that of this creature's; she smiled and fluttered, overwhelmed with joy. Were it not for the outward momentary lapse in judgment, she would have been utterly lost to a fate worse than death.
As it happened, Jahi discovered a flaming arrow puncturing her chest, and an icicle protruding from her abdomen.
"Sailor Moon, snap out of it!" Moon felt inexorable pain as one of her closest friends cracked an open palm against her cheek. Rage focused; she swung her fist blindly; Mars caught it, staring into her eyes. She said something, but Sailor Moon only heard a dull, blurry noise, as if she were swimming. The pain sunk in and she gasped, breathing clear air.
"Is she all right?" Sailor Mercury's voice rang out in the confusion; Sailor Moon collapsed, babbling. Mars glanced up desperately.
"Yeah, fainted—just like a real princess, all right! How the hell is this freak still standing, anyway?"
"My dress," Jahi said, quietly stroking her hand over the holes in her clothes. She touched the gaps, feeling inside of her, drawing out oozing purple bile. Slowly they sutured themselves, leaving her healed, perplexed, and as furious as the arctic wind. "You tore holes in my dress."
"Next is your face, monster!" Mars growled. Jahi idly waved at them, and they were surrounded by legions of loyal followers. Mars and Mercury tried fighting them off, but even if they honestly had the desire to force their way through throngs of innocent people, their numbers were too great, and they were soon bound. Jahi walked past them in a numb stupor, still muttering about her clothes, seemingly unable to come to terms with what had happened. She went all the way outside, her massive entourage following her, and stopped at the street. A car whizzed by; her hand extended out, trapping it in a force field. Lazily she flung the car into the air, sending it crashing into a skyscraper; then, with a slovenly gesture, set the rest of the structure on fire.
"They put holes in my lovely dress," she stated quietly. Jahi's head revolved, much further than any human head could, bones snapping and sinew twisting as she studied the two that had so utterly ruined her vanity. Indescribable malice flashed on her face, and all the rage she had contained until that point was unleashed into a gargantuan, wordless, barbaric howl.
"AH—"
Jahi raised her head haughtily, invoking images of dreadful, bloodthirsty queens, beckoning to the crowd with her pale hand. They faithfully delivered Sailors Mars and Mercury to her, pinning them to the ground, awaiting further commands. The two Senshi struggled even then, but it was hopeless: one who could engulf entire buildings with a flick of the wrist and control scores of people had the likes of them outmatched beyond belief.
"Such lovely skin," she cooed, looking down her nose at them, colder and more cruel than the depths of empty space. "And such a waste, that it should frame such unworthy creatures. Flay them. I must have a new dress." Mercury and Mars turned ashen, beads of cold sweat gushing down their skin. Helpless terror overwhelmed their systems as the mindless women cackled and snarled, brandishing cruel razors, nail files, scissors, letter openers, anything they could get their hands on, preparing for the gruesome harvest. Mercury and Mars summoned up all their strength for one last chance at escape—but found it utterly wasted.
A light piercing the darkness can either indicate the glow of the afterlife, or a new hope springing where one was least suspected. This time, however, it came in the form of a big rig. Jahi stood perfectly still as the enormous vehicle rammed into her at full force, crashing into a glorious shower of debris. A powerful shield of crystalline light was thrown in front of the crowd to protect them from the blast, and in the confusion, Sailors Mars and Mercury freed themselves.
"Cutting it pretty close, aren't we?" Mars screamed. Sailor Moon, who had thrown up the barrier, couldn't help but smile.
"Hey, cut me some slack! That spell she put me under took some time to shake off! Speaking of which…" She looked around her, but discovered that all of Jahi's thralls had recovered their senses, and conveniently followed Sailor Moon's precedent by swooning.
"They appear to be all right." Sailor Mercury already had her visor up and running, scanning for signs of life. Everyone inside the barrier was alive and well, but the same probably couldn't be said of their former mistress. As Sailor Moon lowered the barrier, the driver's side of the big rig opened, and two familiar faces stared back in awe.
"Excuse me, ladies, but is there something on our bumper?"
It was Motoki and Haruka, desperately trying to appear innocent.
"My god, I could kiss them both," Mars sighed. Haruka winked as she hopped off the railing.
"No, seriously, if we find out there's a single dent on this thing…"
"I hope you have really good insurance," Mercury remarked. "But if you don't, there's this lawyer-friend of mine I could connect you with."
"Won't be necessary," Motoki smiled. "This one was doomed for the scrapheap."
"A friend of mine needed it destroyed, and I needed something that could do a lot of damage," Haruka added humbly. "I figured that with Minako ditzing out on you all and Makoto's maternal instincts clouding her judgment—"
"Ahem," Motoki coughed. "Not to mention someone's irresponsibility…"
Haruka smiled bashfully. "—that…you could use all the help you could get."
"Well, thank you," Mars said graciously. Mercury suddenly cried out.
"Um, guys? We don't have time for celebration yet! According to my readout, Jahi's still alive!"
"That's impossible!" Haruka exclaimed. "I hit that thing full throttle! Not even a tank could've survived!"
"Women drivers," Motoki muttered. Haruka blushed, crossing her arms.
"Yeah, well, you never stopped and asked for directions."
"Because you said you knew the way."
"Could you please leave the playful bantering for later?!" Mars scowled. "We have one seriously demented and absurdly powerful monster on our hands! Haruka, if you're unable or unwilling to help—"
"Unable, thank you," she coughed.
"Then you and Motoki should take these people and get them to safety."
"Sure would be nice if we had a big, spacious transport in good working order," Motoki jabbed. Haruka grumbled and dug her elbow into his ribs.
"And what was your plan, throwing a pot of your wife's scalding-hot cooking oil on her?" Motoki didn't have time to answer; he grabbed Haruka suddenly and dove out of the way as the big rig was abruptly thrown from its place. Jahi had risen from the wreckage, and with a single blow, had removed the obstacle from her path.
"And now it's soiled," she intoned. Her face was wreathed with meek indignation, salivating for the chance to be unleashed. "Soiled," she repeated, trembling with uncontrollable bloodlust. Motoki, Haruka, the Senshi—indeed, everyone within a one-kilometer radius, including Nastya—were all forced to cover their ears as a glass-shattering wail of excruciating agony leaped from the demon's mouth. A whirlwind picked up as Jahi unleashed her full power, sucking the big rig, tons of debris, and anything else it could grab into its clutches. The Senshi dug their heels in and resisted as long as they could, but it was like fighting a black hole. The whirlwind increased in power, battering and blasting everything it couldn't heave, spreading far and wide down the city streets, accompanied by Jahi's shrieks of unfathomable rage. Never in their careers had the Senshi ever faced a being of such evil, or of such power—
And if what they understood was correct, this monstrous witch was still a lesser being. Greater evils than her yet awaited.
"We have to try and bring her down before she levels the entire city!" Mercury screamed. She had resourcefully chained herself to the ground by a large chunk of ice, but the maelstrom was proving too strong, and soon she would be swept up. Mars clung to a streetlamp with all her strength; Sailor Moon had erected her barrier again, extending it to encompass Haruka and Motoki. The Senshi could barely even move, much less form an assault.
"I can't do it!" Mars roared. "If I sent a fireball, it would just get caught up in the wind! Sailor Moon!"
"I'm here!"
"It's up to you! You have to end it now!"
"I can't drop the barrier, Rei! If I attack the enemy, all these people will get caught up in that storm, including Haruka and Motoki!"
Sailor Mars choked back her sorrows. She would willingly lay down her life for Usagi, but the lives of other people, on the other hand… "If you don't, the entire city will be leveled!"
"I won't sacrifice anybody, Rei!"
"Just do it, dumpling!" Haruka shouted. "We'll be fine! You need to take her out NOW!"
"I can't!" Sailor Moon stood steadfast in the squall, unyielding in her decision. Sailor Mars adored her friend for wanting to save these lives, but it was a matter of weighing a few dozen against a few million. Sailor Moon would have to understand that reality.
"Usagi…Makoto, her children, Minako, Michiru, and everyone else…including your family, Naru, your friends in the police district…EVERYBODY will die if you don't kill that monster now. I know it's hard, Sailor Moon, but sometimes you have to make the tough decisions! You can't sacrifice these few lives for all the—"
"SHUT UP REI YES I CAN YOU JUST WATCH ME—!" Uncontrollable fury and righteous passion poured out of Sailor Moon as the barrier's strength increased exponentially. A glittering being of indiscernible shape shot out of the dome, flittering through the breeze effortlessly, zeroing in on the monstrous eye of the storm. Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury watched in awe as the luminous creature closed in on their foe, undulating energy radiating from its body, the barrier holding firm. It simply beggared belief.
"IN THE NAME OF THE MOON, I PUN—"
Thud. Silence. Jahi dismissed Sailor Moon's attack with a single, powerful strike.
"Was that a fly come to sting me? No, it was something much more pathetic. And now, to unmake you. Though you may scream at the top of your lungs for the sweetness of death, you shall not have it. Though you may yearn for the rapture of a thousand perils, I will not stop until y—"
Thunk. Jahi reeled as a sharp object pierced the back of her neck. Sailor Moon crawled to her feet, glancing up at the demon as she reached back, plucking out a humble rose, of all things. Shivers traveled down her spine as she dared breathe the impossible.
"Mamoru…?"
But there was time enough for mysteries later. A blight needed to be cleansed, and the distraction offered Sailor Moon all the time she needed.
"Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes: I PUNISH YOU!" She twirled her scepter, jabbing it into Jahi's chest. The blast of light blossomed forth, engulfing everything in its path, not even affording the monstrosity a final wail. Countless rose petals fluttered in the breeze as the storms settled. Sailor Moon breathed with relief.
"USAGI, BEHIND YOU!" Sailor Moon had no time to react; a wall of water and fire surrounded her, buffering the big rig and the tons of debris as they fell back to the earth. The transport was lowered by a massive sheet of bubbles; the debris, consumed by the flames of Mars. Astonishment crowned her expression until all she could do was laugh.
"Thanks, everyone! Hahaha…guess I forgot about that."
"You nitwit," Mars smiled, grabbing her friend in a gentle headlock. Mercury chuckled; Motoki and Haruka, covered in dirt and bruises, joined in. What else could one do?
…
"Ah, so that's why you look so grungy. Well-well, my hero."
"I didn't really do much," Motoki said, gently kissing his wife on the forehead. "Haruka's the one who rammed that truck into the bad guy."
"Don't sell yourself short, Mr. Kino," Haruka grinned, giving him a playful nudge. "Makoto, if your man hadn't been there, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."
"Yeah, but the truck belonged to your friend."
"Whom you helped convince give his vehicle to us instead of selling it."
"Gee," Minako said, as Makoto lovingly embraced her from behind, "I don't know which is worse: hearing them argue or hearing them compliment each other." Haruka settled for winking at them, then turned and left, her "delivery" complete. Makoto kissed her husband warmly, whispering her love, still keeping Minako safely in her arms.
"But the worst part about it," the blonde resumed, "is the way I missed all of it! I still can't believe that! And I hurried here and everything!"
"I'm sorry," Makoto beamed. "Sendai's really far away from Shibuya."
"Hey, don't sweat it! I'm just sad that I missed out on the fight. And I really wanted to slug that monster, too." She pouted adorably, causing husband and wife to laugh. Makoto told her man to head on inside, she'd join him in a little while, promising something "special" for dinner (and something even more "special" for him that night). Right now she wanted Minako all to herself, and to prove it, she hugged her tighter.
"Well, I'm glad everything turned out all right. I was really scared there for a moment."
"Yeah, so was I. So much for my 'genius plan', eh?" Makoto giggled.
"I love your plans, harebrained and zany though they may be…and I love you too, Minako." She kissed the girl gently on the shoulder, cuddling, slowly savoring her warmth, her fragrance, the love they shared. Ami might have been able to move on, but Makoto had lost a very close friend that day, and she didn't intend to lose her again. "I'm glad you're back. I really missed you."
"I missed you too, kid." She touched her hand, smiling. Makoto's embrace became selfish, protective.
"You can't ever do that again, Mina. You can't leave us like that. You can't leave me."
"I won't, Mako," she whispered, tears of regret, shame, and joy bubbling in her eyes.
"No—you can't. Ever."
"I won't. I promise."
She buried her face in golden tresses. "I know I'm being selfish, Mina, but you're my best friend. You're my family. I…I know I said I was okay with you leaving, but it tore me up to see you go. I couldn't even sleep that first night. We just…weren't whole without you. We weren't right. Nothing was."
"But I came back, Makoto," she said with firm conviction. "And this time, I'm staying put."
"You'd better," was all she could say. She tried not to let too many of her own tears stain Minako's shirt. She kissed her friend's shoulder again, and gave her just enough freedom to turn around, and embrace heart-to-heart. They stared into each other's eyes. "Promise?"
Minako winked solemnly. "Cross my heart." And chastely kissed her to prove it.
"Okay," she whispered, "that's good enough for me. I'm going to make dinner now. You're more than welcome to join us."
"In a second," she vowed. Makoto smiled warmly, and was graciously released. Minako had just enough time to take a deep, meditative breath.
"Still breaking hearts, I see."
And turned around, glowing as she was greeted with the unexpected.
"Setsu!"
Author's notes:
D'aww.