20: "The sky is falling"

"Are you sure it was him?"

Usagi, of course, wanted to say she was, but after only a few moments of second-guessing herself, she experienced doubt.

"I saw someone throw a rose," she answered gingerly. "That was always Mamoru's thing. I mean…Tuxedo Kamen's. He always came when I needed his help the most, and that's how he always drew the enemy away from me. The same thing happened yesterday."

Minako didn't know what to make of that. She continued washing the dishes, meditating, her mind scattered and listless, but grim. She knew full well what it meant to pine for one's loved ones, or to imagine they were close by.

"Could it have been swept up in the storm?" Usagi winced incredulously.

"That thing was aimed right at Jahi's neck. It would've probably killed an ordinary monster. Someone threw it, Mina, and they knew what they were doing."

"But you didn't actually see who did it." Usagi frowned, folding the laundry quietly.

"No."

"And how many years has it been since you've seen him?"

"A lot. At least…eight, nine? He left even before you did."

"To study abroad. And you promised to wait. And now you think he's finally come back. But why reveal himself in this fashion?" Usagi was shaking, shaken, swirling in confusion. Minako sensed her friend's discomfort, dried her hands, and placed them on her shoulders. "I'm sorry… I'm really being a hypocrite, aren't I? I mean, lecturing you about your love-life… I just wish I could've been there."

"It's okay," she sighed, moving to wipe a tear away. "If he's really come back…then he'll save me again. I'll know it's the real Mamoru."

But why only come back as Tuxedo Kamen, Minako wondered. Why not approach you directly, as Mamoru Chiba? She didn't voice her feelings, of course; they'd only make Usagi more anxious. Instead, she hugged her quickly, and got a reassuring touch in return.

"I'll have faith for now," Usagi said, smiling at last. "And what about you, Miss Aino? I hear a certain stunning fashion designer followed you here."

"Oh yeah, that," she giggled, rubbing her head. Setsuna's arrival had certainly been a surprise, to say the least; Minako never got so much as a hint of her plans. As far as she knew, Setsuna would remain abroad at the talent agency, keeping in touch sporadically. Then again, this was Setsuna; mystery was her forte.

The former Senshi of time had spirited her lover away from "the Kino love shack" (Minako's words, not Setsuna's), taking her out for a drive and a stroll, mostly updating her on the situation back at the agency. After Minako had quit, Setsuna stepped in to try and smooth things over with her manager, with varying degrees of success and failure (a tantrum one day, frigid indifference the next, begging and pleading one moment, resignation another…). Eventually she goaded the man to have a change of heart, appeal to Minako's overt fondness for her homeland, recognize her tendency for capricious behavior, understand her personal independence—in other words, a reconciliation. There was "a strong possibility" of a rehire, perhaps even a renegotiation of her contract. Minako's face darkened at the thought—not that she absolutely hated the idea of going back to that world, but because she had made a promise. One could say what they wanted about Minako Aino, but she kept her promises.

"I can just imagine his face now!" she had exclaimed to Setsuna. "If he heard that I threw this opportunity away all because I made a promise…" She and Setsuna had laughed about it, and it was good to see the former Senshi of time in agreement. She knew where, and with whom, Minako's true heart resided.

"You also weren't here when I left for work this morning," Usagi said, smirking mischievously as she brought her fellow blonde back to the present. "Wherever did you stay last night, Mina? The trip from Sendai to Shibuya doesn't take that long."

"Well, it was late," she evaded. Usagi brightened, cackling impishly.

"Aaaaaand?"

"And Setsuna brought some of my things with her when she came back."

"Go ooooonnnnn."

"So I had to visit the hotel where she was staying." She wheeled around, noticing the devilish smirk her friend wore, rolling her eyes. "We didn't sleep together, Usagi! …Well, okay, we shared a bed, but we didn't have sex or anything!"

"All right, all right, no need to be defensive. Consider it my revenge for getting me upset over Mamoru."

"Yeah, well, my hands are still wet." She sprinted over, flicking water on her friend as she folded the last of the laundry, sprinting back to avoid reprisal. Usagi shrieked, snatching up a freshly-folded towel, dashing into the kitchen and whipping Minako soundly. Minako defended herself valiantly with water and a spatula; Usagi nearly broke some dishes fighting off the demented little creature. Were it not for the doorbell, they might have gone on fighting all night.

"Who could…?"

"At this late hour?" They stared at each other, blinking. Usagi opened the door cautiously, finding her new friend and coworker Hayate Hayashida on the other side.

"Hayate! What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you so late at night, Usagi, but this couldn't be risked over a telephone call. I had to come see you in person."

"Oh, lord, does Hari need me to work overtime again? I just put in ten hours today!" The expression on Hayashida's face indicated a much more serious matter, and she was led inside. Minako entered the den, bowing politely to her roommate's guest; Usagi quickly introduced them. Hayashida gasped and lit up as she realized just who she was meeting.

"Ohmygod, you're Sailor Venus, aren't you?! I'm right, aren't I? And the pretty guardian formerly known as Sailor V? Oh, this is too cool!"

"Uh—what?!" Baffled, Minako turned to Usagi for answers. She just shrugged helplessly.

"Um, yeah, maybe I should've told everyone this, but…Hayashida here knows about us. Well, about Ami and I, anyway. Now I guess she knows who you are, too."

"How?!" she blurted. "I've never told anyone outside our circle and my parents!"

"I'm just gifted," Hayate winked. Usagi quickly vouched for her, assuring Minako her coworker could be trusted. Minako was still a bit rattled, but welcomed the young woman cheerfully. A kettle of tea was brewed, and Usagi even pulled out a bottle of sake she had been saving. Hayate took her shoes off and sat on the couch, flanked by flaxen-haired warriors. She stared between the two of them, as many people did when they first met the duo.

"Wow…you really could be twins. Okay, before we get down to business, you have to tell me: are you and Sailor Ven—I mean, Miss Aino related? Maybe not like 'long-lost sisters' related, but like, cousins or something?"

"I'm pretty sure we aren't," Usagi said, "although both our mothers do look alike."

"I sure hope we're not related," Minako murmured. "I've had a crush on Usagi since high school. I've even made out with her once!"

"One kiss does not a make-out session make," Usagi muttered airily.

"Yeah, but it was for like nine seconds!"

"You only got away with it because you were leaving. Besides, you kissed everybody that day."

"Yeah, that was awesome," she sighed. "I especially liked how Rei didn't put up much of a fight."

"ANYWAY," Hayate shouted, her face crimson from chin to temple, "the reason I came here is because of some disturbing trends. There's been a growing concern in the astronomical circles lately and a lot of riots and civil unrest have been directly linked to it. It's gotten so bad that the police are thinking about calling out the national guard again."

"Astronomical circles?!" The news came from far left field. Hayashida nodded solemnly.

"Sightings of comets, meteors, shooting stars—stuff hurtling down from space into our atmosphere, signs of an unscheduled eclipse… Nothing's been confirmed yet, but people are losing their minds over it."

"That definitely sounds scary," Usagi whispered. "What can we do about it?"

"That's the other reason I'm here. I think it's a job for the Sailor Senshi."

"I can understand why you wouldn't want to have this conversation over a phone," Minako remarked, stretching. "Tell you what: I've got lots of time on my hands, so why don't you let me look into it? I'll tell Rei about it as well; maybe her people can do something."

"Who's Rei again? You keep mentioning her."

Usagi hesitated for a moment. "She's Sailor Mars."

"Awesome! What about the others?" The two Senshi exchanged looks.

"Would Setsuna be willing to help us?" Minako winked.

"I could drop a hint or two. I might even be able to jog Haruka out of her absentminded behavior. What about Hotaru, or Michiru?" Usagi sighed.

"I haven't heard anything from Hotaru since we first quit. I think she's in college now, but… As for Michiru, I'm pretty sure that where one goes, the other follows."

"So Haruka and Michiru must be Sailor Neptune and Uranus!" Hayate exclaimed. The blondes grinned sheepishly.

"Basically, but you have it the other way around."

"And Sailor Jupiter?" Minako said nothing, instead rising to her feet, a grim expression on her face.

"I'll head out tonight. You worry about keeping this under control, Usagi; I'll do all the arm work."

"I think you mean 'leg work'…"

"That too! Well, haste makes garbage! See you later!" Minako put her shoes back on and raced out the door before anyone could stop her. She was back in three seconds, beet-red.

"Forgot my shorts!" She grabbed a pair of beige shorts and covered her hitherto-bare waist, then was off again. Usagi and Hayate exchanged worrisome glances, and sighed. Six seconds later, Minako came rushing back inside.

"And my transformation brooch! Might need that!" Again, outside. Usagi just shook her head in bewilderment.

"If she comes back one more time, I think I'm entitled to a free sandwich!" Luckily, there was no sitcom-esque response, so Usagi felt relieved. But only just.

Good luck out there, Mina.

…

Even though it was barely midday when Minako went out and assumed her Sailor Venus persona, the sky was an unusually dark color. There were a few clouds, but not enough to blur anything, and a quick check on her phone indicated no unusual weather. Yet there was a blackness in the air, an uneasy feeling, and the sound of rioting and violence in the distance. Sirens were going off everywhere. As Sailor Venus swung and leaped her way through the cityscape, she heard the sound of glass breaking, screams, guns going off, even low-grade explosives. She paused on a promontory, watching a looting take place. The police were nowhere in sight, most likely taking care of something far worse. She decided to help.

Her entrance couldn't have been flashier. Right in the middle of all the destruction and thievery, she swooped in from above, glittering gold and orange, her voice like a Valkyrie's: "Stop right there! In the name of love and justice, I have come to help you mend your wicked w—"

"Shoot her!"

"Oh, crap." Her eyes bugged out as blasts of gunfire crisscrossed; she exuded a bright flash of light, shielded herself, and threw up a spectral fracturing vortex, briefly becoming invisible as she ran for cover. Once she had hid herself (ever so heroically), Venus's determination steeled, and she clutched her brooch.

"Okay, jerks, you wanna do this the hard way? That's fine by me." Taking a deep breath, Venus shed her Senshi persona, donning Sailor V once again, and leaped out, summoning a more dire offensive.

"Magical Girl V-Chan, Love and Beauty Shock! BE FRIENDS!" She couldn't resist the urge to wink, blow kisses, or contort herself into a number of sexually suggestive poses (never mind she was more woman than girl) as she threw the whirling golden heart, and if all that didn't bewilder the criminals into submission, the attack sent them sprawling to the floor, groaning with the aches and pains of Sailor V's special brand of "justice".

"Victory!" she squealed, standing triumphant with her trademark two-finger salute. "Now you guys just stay here and be nice until the police arrive! And tell your friends: naughty kids who misbehave get punished by me, Sailor Ve—YES!" (she covered nicely,) "Sailor V!" With an unnecessarily hammy cackle, she leaped back into the air, latching herself onto a skyscraper ledge with her Love Me Chain, whizzing through the city in search of more crime. She didn't need to look far, though: as the sky became darker and darker, more and more outbreaks of vandalism, assault, robbery, and destruction took place. Sailor Venus could barely cover the length of a city block without running into at least three incidents; she had just made it halfway into the city when she began to feel tired. A moment of unexpected lull encouraged her to rest, so she sat on a lonely rooftop and opened her Senshi-only communicator.

"This is Venus here. Is anybody else out there? Please tell me I'm not alone. Mars?"

She heard distinct taps that indicated Rei was unable to answer.

"Sailor Moon? Come on, things are getting really bad out here. Please tell me the police are on this."

"Copy that, twenty-two, will rendezvous with you ASAP. Presently engaged with hostiles, over."

"Give em' hell!" she cheered lamely. "Sailor Jupiter? Come on, don't leave your best friend hanging!"

"Mina, it's Motoki. Wife's taking a shower right now."

"And you're not with her?" She heard a faint chuckle.

"I'm not the one who keeps a strict daily martial arts regiment. I have been researching this strange phenomenon, though."

"You mean you can see it in Iwaki?"

"All of Japan can see it—plus parts of China, Russia, Mongolia…"

"Far out," she whispered in awe. A swallow. "Pun intended, I guess. What's causing it?"

"Nobody has any ideas yet. All of Japan's best astronomical centers are working on it, though. I'll say this much: whatever it is, it's gigantic."

Sailor Venus looked up at where the sun was supposed to be. By that point, it had been nearly eclipsed by whatever was floating above.

"Keep me posted, Motoki. And tell that wife of yours to get her butt over here. We may need Sailor Jupiter on this one."

"Sounds like you'll need a lot more than that—um, don't tell Mako I said that."

Venus grinned. "I know what you mean. Somehow I doubt all nine of us could stop this thing, whatever it is. I'm gonna cut our channel to see if I can reach—hello, what's this?" Venus peered over the rooftop, watching as a circle of thugs had cornered a helpless civilian. Acting fully on instinct, she dove down, dispersing the circle with a grand whirl of her light-chain.

"Run! I'll take care of them!"

"I owe you one!" the victim called. Venus winced; she hated being in someone's debt.

"Just forget about it! This one's free—" She felt a sharp punch connect with her jaw, sending her stumbling back. The man who hit her seemed far more hurt, grasping his knuckles in agony as he hissed.

"Oww! What the hell're you made of?"

Sailor Venus smiled cruelly. "Sugar, spice, everything nice…" Whap—she decked the man, crashing him to the ground. The others took a step back in surprise. "Well," she grinned, "maybe not everything nice." Her eyes glittering, she whirled her Love Me Chain around again, stinging their legs and sending them all joining their companion. A second flick clapped manacles of searing gold light around their ankles and wrists. "And I guess the sugary part's debatable."

A jolt of searing pain downed her as she posed victorious. A much larger group of vandals were creeping up from behind, all of them armed, one of them bearing a smoking gun. A Senshi's powers enabled her to withstand most small firearms, but the pain still existed and the wound would remain as long as she was transformed. Staggering, Sailor Venus crawled to her feet, glaring at her enemies.

"You know…that was a really dumb mistake!"

"Live and learn, princess." Her arms shot up, deflecting the next shot, but she was quickly surrounded and overcome. Sailor Venus fought back bitterly, cavalier laughter mixed with harsh curses. She was able to defeat at least four attackers before getting another painful blow in return; the fifth didn't crumple under her strike so much as bounce away.

"The heck…?" Clutching her wounds, Venus stood and stared at her foes. They were all encased in large bubbles! Her thoughts quickly made the connection and she began looking around for her savior, beaming for joy as they were reunited. "Hey, great timing!"

Sailor Mercury shook her head, smiling sadly as she wove her way through the bubble-encased vandals. "It seems I'm always saving you from one mess or another."

"Yeah, well, you know me," she laughed. Mercury clucked her tongue, gently taking Venus's hand in her own, bringing it up to her lips to kiss. Sailor Venus turned red all over.

"Um…I have more injuries, if you'd like to, uh…"

"Relax, I'm just teasing you." Mercury's fingers went to Venus's wounds, staunching the blood and sealing up the skin. The bruises settled and became pink and uniform; the scratches and scars faced; bits of shrapnel, dirt, and grit were cleaned out. In a pinch, most of the other Senshi had rudimentary healing powers, but Sailor Mercury was always the go-to girl for real emergencies. She smiled warmly as she finished patching her partner up; Venus's smile glowed with love in return.

"Thank you," she whispered. Mercury bowed humbly.

"It's my duty and pleasure."

"Not just for that. For being here for me when I needed it. It's been so long since we've fought together." Mercury chuckled softly.

"Minako, it's only been a week or two since the incident at the hospital."

"You know what I mean," she answered quietly. Mercury turned warm pink, nodding.

"I do. It feels good. So what sort of trouble have I pulled you from, exactly?"

"Hey, come on, back to business already? I thought we were having a moment!"

"Bad habits, I guess," she answered shyly. Venus could never stay mad at her ex-lover, even if it was a pretend-anger.

"A tease for a tease, love. And if you'll direct your ocular perception upwards, you'll get a fair assessment of our situation."

"I saw that; I've been doing a little amateur astronomy ever since it appeared. Of course, I couldn't reach any conclusions once the riots started distracting me. How long have you gallivanting around today?"

"Maybe two, three hours. A police friend of Usagi's called her into action, and I couldn't resist doing the whole 'beautiful vigilante' thing."

"The Golden Avenger," Mercury announced, her voice full of admiration. "I've been working on my side of the city for about the same amount of time. Of course, I had to leave the hospital—hopefully everything will stay smooth until I can return."

"Yikes, right in the middle of work," Venus cringed. She explained the situation with Rei and Makoto, deftly adding she had even seen Setsuna in the area. Mercury gave her a knowing smile, but said nothing. Sailor Venus could interpret that smirk any way she chose.

"So we don't have any idea what that is, or how to deal with it. We just know that it's making people crazy."

"Livid with fear," Mercury nodded. "Even I'd think the end was near if I didn't know any better. Maybe if I can reroute some of my Senshi powers into my display, we might get a better idea of what this thing is." She was already activating her trademark visor, and glowing bluish-white, as Venus picked her jaw up off the floor.

"You can do that?"

"Funny, don't you think? We've had these powers for years, and we're only now starting to understand their full capabilities. I think being stored away caused them to develop further, like muscles stretching out."

"Or wine aging. See anything?" Mercury's visor zeroed in on the object covering the sun, but even with her Sailor powers backing it up, she had a difficult time figuring out what it was.

"It's shaped like some sort of airplane, but…well, maybe it could be a bird, but it would have to be bigger than any living creature that's ever roamed this earth. Goodness, Mina: if that were a bird, could you imagine the sort of windstorm it could cause? Merely flapping its wings would create a hurricane effect."

"Could it be anything else?"

"I don't know if—" Mercury let out a shriek as a blazing light shot out in front of her; Venus immediately threw herself in front of her ex-lover, and was summarily consumed. The earth trembled; the streets spewed; a majestic force emerged from the cleft, towering and imposing and impossibly beautiful.

"Apkallu!" it exclaimed, glowing brighter still. The light was so great that even the eclipsing sun seemed overpowered. Mercury and Venus were beyond awe; it was all they could do to squint through the pain and behold their guest.

"Um…can we help you?"

"Forgive me, I had forgotten you were merely acolytes." The light dimmed, but no darkness breached their world; the entity still glimmered with an otherworldly sheen. "I am Ninurta, the god of war. It is my honor and destiny to destroy the evil plaguing your lands. If you would give me your blessings, O mighty celestial sailors, we shall ride at once to battle!"

"Does it concern you that everything this guy said makes perfect sense?!" Venus shouted. They had to raise their voices: the sound of trumpets, horses, men screaming in bloodlust, swords clashing, arrows sailing, and banners flapping filled the air. Mercury stared at the luminous creature.

"Lord Ninurta, do you know what the cause of this darkness is?"

"Indeed, for it was doomed to die by my hand! Behold, our foe, the Druj Anzu, who hath stolen the tablet of destiny upon which the fate of the universe is scribed!" Sailors Venus and Mercury glanced up again, and with the light of Ninurta aiding them, could clearly see the gargantuan creature. The beast was so immense that its wings blotted out the sun, and just as Mercury had predicted, a single flap caused great storms to crackle across the city. Civilians and even police scattered in terror, right down to the most violent and desperate criminal. Slowly, as Anzu descended, his shadow crept across the entire city, and would soon blanket all of Japan in perpetual darkness.

"Well, now we know!" Mercury exclaimed. "Any ideas how to fight it?"

"You're the brains, sweetheart!"

"But you're our leader!" Venus stared at the behemoth, then at Mercury, then at Anzu again, then at Ninurta. For once, her bravado was beginning to fail her.

"Sorry, I got nothing." In response, Ninurta threw a spear at the creature, burying it deep in the flesh. The monster let out a frustrated groan, taking to the skies again. Ninurta roared back in challenge, summoning a steed the size of a large elephant, and took off across the cityscape, stringing an immense glowing bow. Venus and Mercury were at a loss.

"Gee. The direct approach. Well, I guess we'll find a way, won't we?" She smiled at Mercury, who couldn't help shaking her head one more time before smiling back.

"It's not like you to really have a plan anyway. Right behind you, Venus!"

"Hmm, maybe I should be behind you," she purred, flipping up Mercury's skirt. The poor woman shrieked and batted it down, her face crimson.

"Will you stop doing tha—"

All was silent as Sailor Venus kissed her sweetly. Mercury withdrew reluctantly; both women looked bashful.

"Sorry, Ami. I know I shouldn't—"

"Like I said," she told her, swatting Venus on the rear end, "I'll stay behind you." Now it was Venus's turn to blush. She smoothed her skirt out sheepishly and led the charge.

"You know, we won't get anything done if all we do is flirt with each other!"

"Never stopped us before," she countered smoothly.

To be continued…