damonika2009: Yeah I'm different, if it meant pain of the worst kind to my worst enemy I shove it in their face, but that's just me. And yes the twins are next.
Anon: the Supers arc will be similar but not like the anime at all. There were only 2-3 good episodes that's I really liked, otherwise…not so much. Its why I like where 'Shaydoe' wants to take it. Besides the Supers arc was trying to base it more on Chibi Usa and that won't work out very well. I would love to read the manga version but sadly the magazine that used to run it went out of business back on 2002 I think and its hard as hell to find the magazine copies as the original manga issues only went up to the 'Ice Queen' from the second movie. If you know where I can read the manga online TELL ME!
tryntee13: still more moments to come.
Spike: I laughed out loud at that review! Lol it never occurred to me before but now that I think about it you do tend to wonder if they all though of getting into his bed once they got the pure heart. Lol at one point I was tempted to have him look Usagi's way but thought better of it. It really didn't hold any grounds for the future.
Guest (1): there will be a lot of ass kicking to come.
kera69love: yup they did. And Chibi Usa will have an issue to deal with…literally.
Setsuna-Chan22: thank you. Both sides need certain obstacles to grow or evolve as people or characters. As for Haruka and Michiru's POV, its one of those you want them other good guys to be right but everything is proving them wrong so its hard to do so.
NeoPrincessRini: I wanted something heartfelt but simple to describe their love. Its so stupid but true. lol
Taeniaea: thank you.
trish1573: I actually do want Usagi's and the rest of the girl's families to discover the truth I just don't have any idea how…at all. That was one thing about the anime and manga I wanted to change. Thank you so much for the compliments.
LoveInTheBattleField: always.
Nice 11 reviews, were climbing back up. Let's see about 15+ for this one.
Sailor Moon S 'Rise of the Messiah' ch/ep.43
It was incredibly dark still in the morning, the sky was overcast with thick heavy clouds as if the districts of Tokyo surrounding the Delta, were cowering in fear. As if the very fabric of reality could sense the evil about to happen, not wanting it's citizens to rise any faster, as if encouraging them to stay warm and safe in their beds. Knowing of the sinister things about to take place at the Mugen Academy.
Luna and Artemis deducted to get the senshi ready, sitting out on Usagi's old bedroom balcony back in Minato-ku. They watched the angry sky with fearful eyes. They knew there would be a battle a foot.
Artemis cast the glass sliding door a grim look. Chibi Usa lay inside, curled under the blankets of Usagi's cot. She had crawled into Usagi's old bed late last night, seeking the comfort of her mother's scent. Luna had been keeping a close guard over the little girl, knowing she was a rash, reckless and impulsive girl just like her mother. She needed to keep the little girl out of the action as much as possible.
"Should we wake her?" Artemis inquired softly.
"No, Let her sleep for now. Her power's will be needed soon enough. I'd wager." Luna responded. Artemis gave her a nod, before leaping from the balcony, going to Minako's as Luna raced to Mamoru's place, knowing her charge was safely there.
Leaping into through the bedroom window via the fire escape she had to use all of her feline instincts to avoid falling from, she ignored the nakedness of both parties as she jumped onto the bed hoping her shifting in weight would wake them up, "Get up Usagi, Mamoru - san. We feel the great evil over at Mugen is getting ready to do something big. I can feel it in my bones." Luna alerted both parties.
Usagi woke up feeling more alert than usual due to Luna's words as Mamoru gripped her tighter around the waist. The cat's dark words had him already feeling the urge to protect his lover in any instance.
"We'll get dressed and be there ASAP." he stated, his prince demeanor coming out as he felt the dark presence himself. As connected to the earth he was, he was able to feel the darkness that affect his home planet much more clearly. It festered over the Delta like an infected wound. A sick, twisted aura that wished to break free of it's bounds and finally devour Tokyo beyond it's borders and eventually the world.
Had it not been for how evil he had been at the time under Beryl's spell via Metalia, when she had taken over so much before Usagi and the senshi had come to the dark kingdom, he knew he would have felt more of the presence of the earth hurting from the evil that was taking over in his vein's. The earth's bond to him was integrated into his soul, his being, just as Usagi's presence with her soul was.
Plus it also didn't help him very much when he was in the dark crystal when Usagi was 'double agenting'. He'd felt a pressure but ignored it thinking it was all his anger at Diamond for taking her from him for all those weeks. He still hated the man with a vengeance and hoped to never truly see him ever again. Not unless he could wipe the arrogant self-righteous smirk from his face during each and every encounter. It was bad enough that he had to endure the man making eyes at his Usagi.
He still felt it was enough that in his mind's eye that while she was pretending to be evil that she had to let Diamond touch her intimately, something he vowed he'd never let Diamond get the opportunity to do again. Then when she had to pretend to enjoy it and encourage it was something else that he cringed at still to this day. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to get over the anger nor the jealous of the other man who laid loving eyes on her.
He knew of her faithfulness there was no question there but he also knew deep down inside that in his own way Diamond did love her. She taught him real love while maintaining who she was as a senshi. Didn't mean that it still didn't bother him to this day on a deep emotional level especially the days when he would see a flash of memory from her of Diamond and what she had to endure.
He pretended not to have seen it know they were unpleasant feelings that came with it but if Diamond EVER tried something like that again it gave him full rights to beat him down. And that was the Sunday school version. He really wanted to not only wipe the floor with the man but to let his full on prince out – and not just the good prince but the one whom had been out to work with the evils of this world at one point– and show him what a REAL prince was.
But that was beside the point. He knew better and he wouldn't let the anger or rashness control his decisions when it came to Diamond. The man was trying to be good in every sense of the word. Even if it was to prove to Usagi that he was 'better' for her. He wouldn't win and Mamoru knew that.
"Give us a few minutes to dress properly Luna. We'll be right there" Usagi assured the dark haired feline. Luna leaped from the bed and seated herself on the wide sill facing outside the window to give them a bit of privacy.
"We can meet the girls up at Mugen." She said pulling a sweater on over her white blouse once her bra had been found and placed on. Pulling on a pair of tan tights she then pulled on a matching flat jean skirt that went mid-thigh before throwing some knee length white stockings under them. They were a heavy wool, bunching like an old style leg warmer over her calves. She looked stylish, yet cute in this outfit. She quickly brushed the tangles out of her hair and twisted it up in her signature style.
Mamoru pulled on a dark sweater and some blue jeans before grabbing his own black cotton socks and throwing them on, "Their probably on their way. We should head out now." He paid the dark ominous sky a reproachful glance, it seemed the evil presence was pouring out. "This darkness is not natural, even for five a.m." Usagi surmised, "At least Chibi Usa is still asleep in bed. We won't have to worry over her." Mamoru stated.
Luna seemed to be impatience personified, pacing up and down the sill her fur puffed out, muscles clenching and coiling in growing agitation. Surmising that the two were finally ready she leaped to the bed, eager to be gone.
"Come on we can take the car. I know some side streets to get us there faster." Mamoru deduced as Usagi grabbed Luna and headed out of the room. "I should have mama keep an eye on Chibi Usa. Make sure she goes straight to school today." Usagi mulled out loud. Mamoru looked over, "You think she'll do something?" he asked, locking up the apartment.
She looked over to him, as they headed down the hall. "She's our future daughter..."
"And a miniature version of our dear princess here." Luna quipped.
"Of course she will." Mamoru groaned, getting a rather dirty look from his princess. "I'd rather her NOT get herself in trouble or try to go on a death defying mission to save Hotaru - chan since she's way out of her league on this one." Usagi sighed.
Mamoru gave her his cell phone to call her parent's. Briefly she looked to him only to the response of, "We have an unbreakable link mentally, I don't really need a phone."
"Other than the one that Diamond gave you which I HOPE you disposed of." he warned looking downward towards her.
A bit of jealousy still within him on that one. Truthfully she couldn't remember where it was, "Hai, I actually don't remember where it is. Or even if I still have it." she admitted while dialing her parent's house phone. A pang of hurt went through her that she was now referring to her child hood home as her parent's home. She wondered if her father would ever accept her back home while she was still with Mamoru.
"Tsukino residence?" Ikuko responded in a husky voice, she was still sleepy, "Gomen, for waking you mama but I need you to make sure Chibi Usa goes straight to school today. A friend of hers hasn't been to school for a few days now and I know she worries over her. I found her just a day or two ago before school over at her friend's house hoping to see her. She worries so much so could you make sure?" She asked, a very concerned mother tone in her voice.
Ikuko had always known Usagi and Chibi Usa had had a special bond. Something similar to what Rei and she had. Both bonds had deepened since then and for whatever reason Ikuko felt deep in her heart that Chibi Usa and Usagi were closer than mere cousins. But any time she tried to figure it out the spell cast over her and her family would muddle the tracks she was unconsciously following.
"Hai, I understand. I'll walk her to school this morning. Besides it is looking a bit dreary. Strange sort of darkness for this time in the morning." Ikuko commented looking outside the windows of the house. Kenji woke up and came down the stairs, still in his night sweats from sleep, "Who is it?" he asked, sleep still in his voice. "Usagi, hang on honey." she told her husband. Usagi for herself got a little sadder hearing her father's voice though barely on the phone. She missed her parents dearly but loved Mamoru to much to let go.
While Kenji may have a hateful resentment towards the upperclassman for taking his daughter away he still loved his daughter dearly. "Does she want to come home?" he asked hopeful. Ikuko looked to him in an obvious 'you know the answer to that'. He deflated. Only if she could still be with Mamoru. He sighed. He was beaten on the subject badly and wondered if shunning Mamoru was worth it in the end.
Before he could tell her to tell their daughter he would 'consider it' the conversation ended. "She just wanted me to walk Chibi Usa to school this morning. That's all." Ikuko told him. While even back within their bed he was still feeling a bit of the cold shoulder from her. It was finally hitting him that if he didn't relent his daughter wouldn't come home and their relationship would end because of it.
"Maybe we could have them over for dinner sometime this week..." he muttered kind of hoping his wife wouldn't hear him. "Is it to accept or to berate Mamoru - san? Because honey I will let you know right now I don't think that man could take anymore verbal abuse from you. He's been a saint to have taken in what you've said so far." his wife warned.
Kenji sighed, "I miss my daughter if this is the only way to get her back home then I'll see if I can tolerate it...tolerate him."
Ikuko was mulling it over in her head as her husband seemed to wonder if he could ever let go.
It was at the Mugen academy that students well before class would start were walking into the building as if in a trance. Like the living dead they moved as one, an army of students offering themselves up to the Messiah of Silence. The cause of the shuffling parade of living puppets, was the last of the witches five. High up on the very peek of the tower stood a silent shadow, sheathed and hidden away in the impenetrable darkness above.
While below her alter ego graced the front doors. Dressed in a simple lab coat, with a long blue pony tail on one side she commanded the student to come in. In large flocks they were in the students came into the building willingly. It was a sense of dread that Michiru and Haruka felt in the air and water, "The death busters are making a move." Haruka growled. Michiru felt for Mamoru on this one as she felt the seas reacting. Churning in warning, as the earth seemed to tremble beneath the rising darkness.
"This planet is starting to cower now at the horrors of this unknown darkness. Mamoru - san must be a fit of nerves with his connection to it." Michiru told her. "Hai, but he won't let it stop him. If anything it'll make him and Usagi – chan more determined as the rest of the inner senshi to counter the evil." Haruka nodded, knowing how strong a connection to one's home planet could be.
They stood on the roof top of her own tower building, staring off over the park and the central tower that was Mugen Academy. The very center of this triangle waiting for the moment to strike down their enemy.
On the other side of the plaza, Usagi and Mamoru took to foot across the park towards the Mugen building. Seeing the other girls, dashing towards them from an adjourning cobble stone path. Luna leaped from Usagi's arms and quickly met up with Artemis.
"We'll scout ahead, met you at the School!" Luna called, spurning herself across the lawn with Artemis on her heels. In only a few seconds the two felines had cleared the park and scaled the stone wall that bordered the School.
"We saw the students beginning to gather in the lobby of the building, the quad is becoming full of them. Thankfully it's not any of the young children but only the high school kids." Luna told her, as they rushed up to the iron gates of the out courtyard.
"Luna, Artemis I need you both to look after Chibi Usa in school today. I don't want her anywhere near the Delta today! Make sure she's okay since were going without her, besides this fight will be too much for her." Usagi commanded. The cats agreed and ran off. "We'll bring Hotaru - chan back safe and sound for Chibi Usa. Losing her best friend is not a pain I want my daughter to go through." Usagi promised.
Curling a hand into a fist near heart and staring up at the looming tower with a fierce determination as she had felt the pain of losing her friends once before and it hurt her horrendously in the process. It was only through the power of the silver crystal as she made a dying wish after Queen Beryl's death that they were given life once more and didn't have to wait to be re-incarnated on earth once again. Mamoru agreed as they headed as a combined front inside the building.
Deep in the sub-basement, phasing into another dimensional space. Sat Hotaru upon her make shift throne, as her seizures had intensified, making it hard for her to breath. Fighting a battle deep insider herself, to stay in control. Her mental state wavering dangerously between herself and the 'messiah of silence'. All she could think about was getting to Chibi Usa but her weakening body wouldn't allow her to move beyond the chair she was sitting in.
"Hotaru - chan's body seems to be getting much weaker very rapidly. This is not good." the professor said, "I have already put the last plan into motion. The students are gathering in the quad as we speak. I, Cyprine the last and the greatest witch will do my best for you professor." Cyprine told him as she stood next to him. She awaited for further instructions while the students were packing into the quad.
"I'm counting on you Cyprine, you're the only one I can truly depend on." his words rehearsed as Cyprine looked up and saw Kaolinite. Hiding conveniently behind a broken pillar just off from Hotaru's dais. Apparently Kaolinite had come in to merely tell the professor she would be back with the pure heart only to discover him giving Cyprine the same speech she had received earlier from him.
"Time to give up your pure heart Chibi Usa." she muttered in anger. Angered and jealous she vanished leaving behind only the indents from her angry fingers into the pillar she took her anger out on.
Chibi Usa was being haunted by dreams of Hotaru. Trapped in a forgotten room. She was left in the dark, a swirling abyss of murky greens and reds. The only light, faint and eerie, coming from the area below where Hotaru was being held against her will. She looked as if she was being crucified, hanging limp and lifeless upon a wooden crossed poles in the darkness. One would think her already dead.
Then a dozen long ghostly spectral arms emerged from the void beneath her friends feet. As if waiting for a sign to lunge out and drag her down to the depths of this hell. Chibi Usa saw this and cringed in great fear over her friend. The sinister atmosphere of the nightmare, sent chills throughout her small body. It was like she was witness to her best friend final moments, as if she was about to become a sacrifice for evil?
"Chibi Usa? Please help me!" Hotaru pleaded for as the hands came up and grabbed her arms, face, neck and head. Terror erupted from within as she screamed, the cross with her on it faded into the impenetrable abyss. Never to be found again. Chibi Usa woke up with a start, her heart pounding and breath rapid and full of panic. Barely noticing Usagi's old room come into blurry focus around her, as tears fell down her face.
At this point the scent of her future mother was not enough to quell her back to sleep as it had during the night. Sobbing quietly, she felt the most imperative need to go save her friend no matter what happened. The sadness and uncertainty was too much to bear.
Cyprine used the trance the students were under to flood the grand lobby of Mugen with willing victims before sealing the doors behind them. It was gloomy and cast in a demi light as if leaving the natural light of earth behind and entering into some alien abyss. "Superior students of Mugen Academy now is the time for you to fulfill your duty and sacrifice your pure heart to the death busters. Allow us to release the 'messiah of silence' and bring eternal silence upon the world. The time has come for our rise!" Cyprine announced.
She called down to them from a podium set up on the second floor landing that over looked the lobby. Just behind her was a monstrous statue of a robed woman, her arms out stretched in welcome, to the hundreds of sacrifices currently gathered below.
Pure heart after pure heart rose from their breasts, and the students fell to the floor like broken toys. The glittering treasured rose up in the darkness and were quickly absorbed into the sinister edifice behind Cyprine. Her manic laughter filled the eerie silence of the gloom. Sending each one of their hearts into a rabid pace in their chests, it was easy to sneak in with the horde. But now that everyone else was lying prone on the marble floor the five invader's were at a loss how to conceal themselves.
Trapped in their hiding spot behind the huge water fountain that was the pinnacle of Mugen's first floor. Usagi, Mamoru, and the rest of the girls gasped as how easily this witch got her pure hearts, "This is bad, this is so very, very bad." Usagi whispered. However with a snap of her fingers Cyprine made the ceiling above them glow red with power. Exposing the girls and Mamoru to her immediate vision.
"Shit." Makoto whispered harshly. Ami spared her a disapproving glance before focusing on the enemy once more. "Now ladies and gentleman, outsiders are unwelcome to come on school grounds during special events. Allow me to serve you your punishment for trespassing." she gave them a villainous smile.
The strange power encircled them into a red sphere and took them away from the entrance. Mamoru for his part grabbed onto his beloved tightly, protecting her from the forces around them. It was all he could do within the circle. Usagi for her part held onto Mamoru's arms for dear life as she saw the ground rapidly leave her feet as the other girls screamed in fear of being carried away so fast by a magical red ball.
Cyprine for her part smiled as she knew she had caught the sailor senshi. Only someone with magical power could have sensed the evils at work there. The students of Mugen had been called no one else would have known. "Now while everyone submits their pure hearts to our 'messiah of silence' I have some pests to deal with. Though if at the end I might just take their heart as well." she smiled evilly.
The red spherical ball brought them all up to a dark, abandoned office. Nothing much remained in the room but a large metal desk and chair. The walls barren with a huge window taking up one side of the room. Usagi was still held in Mamoru's arms protectively while Rei, Minako and Makoto stood on weary legs. Ami ducked down to her knees as her balance had been slightly off when in the motions of the red ball they were in.
("I think we've stopped." I spoke softly. As the red ball evaporated, making Mamo - chan release his hold on me but not by a whole lot. "So the sailor senshi are here to try and save the day. How pathetically sweet." A voice came out from behind me. I looked back in alarm, as Mamo - chan seemed to be trying to shift me behind him, "I am the last and greatest witch of the witches five. Cyprine." she announced.
"Well there goes hiding our true identities." Makoto spat bitterly.
"Let's transform and get rid of her." Minako announced, already reaching for her henshin. Cyprine merely smiled. We all transformed in a flurry of colors and elemental energies. "I won't allow you to harm any more bright students looking forward to their futures." Mercury said, "Those who take pure hearts will be chastised in the name of Mars." Mars voice could always be heard, the war princess was very out spoken.
"I'll make sure you regret stealing a pure heart from any person." the thunder princess's words had me smiling. "I shall make you endure the utmost punishment for the pain you've put those students through by taking their pure heart." Venus supplied. Then I spoke, "We sailor senshi will punish you in the name of the moon." it was all I could say since the other senshi said everything else.
Feeling my Mamo - chan transform right beside me I felt for his presence. Feeling the link I felt a small block. Feeling it was strange to put one up now I mentally poked him hard! He cringed and clutched his head casting me a dirty look. I raised my brows wanting answers, we were both trying very hard not to keep things from each other. I heard him chuckle ruefully before his sent his answer over our link.
Fuck...gomen but I had to. Usako no matter where you are when you transform or how dire the situation may be, by kami you bending back and throwing your leg up in the air. Showing off your panties with your little skirt fluttering about, it makes me want to bend you over and throw your legs over my shoulders.
I blushed at his libido rearing it head…so to speak. Then to make matters worse I saw flashes of lewd images, of us making hard love with my legs over his shoulders. I swallowed and fought to keep the smile from my face as in the flashes I was grabbing his butt to get something to grip onto even as he was slapping my own in reciprocation. I barely managed to suppress my urge to shudder in delight at sexy escape his imagination was having.)
Mamo - chan...Seriously bad timing.
(He lowered his head mildly, guilt flaring over his own cheeks. Hai, I know...doesn't make it any less true. Why do you think I blocked that out originally? I was trying to allow you to focus. I can keep my libido back.
I looked to him with an 'and I can't?' look on my face. He bowed his head in shame once again as he knew I was right. He knew I could. Clearing my throat I got back down to business. Facing Cyprine I regarded her with a cold look. "Now that we have you here we'll tie the last few loose ends up." Mar promised confidently, as if getting transported here had been part of her plan from the beginning.
"Not likely. You don't get it do you?" Cyprine told us. "This world will be filled by silence, and we the death busters will be victorious in the end."
We weren't in agreement.
"But for your trouble we will take your pure hearts as well. After all you've been such pests for us 'witches'." Cyprine continued.
Mars growled in rage then called on her 'burning mandala'. The room was flooded with balls of circling fire, then she cast them toward Cyprine. Who was standing directly before the picture window. Her passion and temper making the bombardment ten times what it needed to be in such a small space. Her attack had taken out everything in front of us. The windows were blown out by the force, the desk and chair Cyprine was by was gone, nothing but the smoldering wooden supports were left. "I think I got her!" She asked, smiling in triumph.
It was the spontaneous, rapid flash of a red and blue orbs that slammed into her gut that shocked us all. "Sailor Mars!" was shouted from all around. She hit the door behind us with a sickening thud. She just barely managed to escape the two energy sources as they attacked once more, this time individually. Jupiter was on the defensive, as was Venus.
"Mercury what's going on?" I demanded, from my forced position behind Tux.
"There's two energy sources coming from her?" Mercury had her pad our and visor glowing in the half light as she took reading out of the broken window.
We had given Mars some room to perform her 'burning mandala' only to have her get hit, it wasn't a very bright move now. But then again more of us would have been hit. I shook my head at that dark thought. We went to her side while Venus's protected us, guarding our backs and keeping the orbs at bay with her 'love me chain'.
Mars was out cold, slumped on her side in front of the office door. She was pale and a scorch mark was burned into the side of her fuku. She looked dead...and it scared me! I fuelled my worried emotions towards something useful. I got mad instead, I was pissed! Snarling at the attacking orbs in frustration I dashed to Venus's side.
"Venus watch her. She's to – Venus!" I yelled, only making it a couple steps before she had been slammed into the side with the red orb, knocking her into the drywall on the side of the office. It made a nice unfortunate dent.
Hovering just outside of the building amid the stormy sky, in a long thin, somewhat slinky blue dress. A long serpentine staff gripped in one hand, the head spiraling in an infinity symbol with a black star in the middle. Cyprine placing her hand on thin air. The barrier was opaque looking somewhat mirror like, before another 'Cyprine' was reflected upon the other side. Only this reflection had red hair? A red dress and a matching staff. Her shadow come to life or 'doppelganger double' perhaps.
I blinked my eyes a few times to assure I wasn't seeing things, "I am seeing things right aren't I? There is two of them now right?" I confirmed to Mercury. "Hai." She confirmed, trotted up beside me. "This is my sister Petirol. Together we are inseparable and unbeatable." The blue haired version promoted smugly. They were as I would call them the near perfect blue and red opposites. Near perfect mind you.
"Two or one, there is no difference, your both going down." Jupiter smarted off, charging her palms with lightening. Sending her 'Sparkling wide pressure' thunder ball at them. Only providing us with another power trick of theirs. Gathering the energy like thunder in their combined weapons that looked much like Mimet's staff, they sent it back more than doubled in the energy outlet, and much more painful. "Anything you send out we can make it worse than you all can." Petirol cackled.
They sent their dual assaults out once more aiming to abolish us all. The Senshi, Tux and I jump out of the way. Scattering to either side of the room, this time it was Jupiter who had positioned herself in defense of poor Mars who hadn't woke up yet. Tux sent a rose at Cyprine, it soared out of the broken window. Slicing through her cheek as it found it's mark, imbedding itself in the twisting head of Petirol's staff.
"Damn you!" Cyprine shouted, clutching her bleeding face. As Petirol charged her staff, the rose disintegrated as she sent a blast at him. He had moved several steps forward to take the front line of the attack, spinning his cane to deflect the energy.
"Nice trick. But I've seen it before." Cyprine snarked as she sent a wave even more powerful at him. The space around us warped preventing his next defense.
He retreated to my side and shielded us with his cap. He held me to his chest with one arm, crouching near the floor. With the heat of his body hovering over me, I gathered my strength. I could hear his heart rapidly beating in sync with my own. This battle was intense and building fast to a powerful conclusion. I needed to figure out how to combat them effectively, constantly having to retreat and go the defensive was getting us nowhere.
But the space around us had been warping since the moment the fight began. A twisting of the atmosphere similar to what I felt in Hotaru's home when we entered that warped space. My stomach was roiling and I was feeling somewhat nauseous. The disjointed reality almost seemed to be making our powers less effective. The Senshi and Tux had been sending everything they had at twins, but the power seemed syphon away before it hit them.
It struck me like Jupiter's lightning, "Mercury - " but it was all I was able to get out when the power struck. It howled as it hit his back, like a demon yearning to consume him. My prince took the brunt of the blast sent out. I cried out in fright, glancing up into his face. As he struggled to conceal the pain within, giving me a reassuring smile as an indication that he would be fine. I knew tears had formed in my eyes at the sight of him getting hurt. I quickly gathered my composure though.
I looked up to Mercury, "Are our attacks having no effect?"
"I think the warping of the space around here is dulling our powers." She stated while scanning the area, "I think your right."
"Their essentially using our energy against us only adding dark power and magnifying their own powers. Very interesting. We can't solely rely on ours Senshi powers for this one. We'll have to try and use some evasive strategies." She advised. "We can do that. We've been training our butts off for years." I concluded.)
Meanwhile Ikuko was nervously watching the dark clouds accumulate on the horizon, holding an umbrella between them. As she walked Chibi Usa to school that morning. Chibi Usa knew something was up even when Ikuko gave her noon meal for the day in Usagi's cute plastic bunny faced bento. Usagi usually didn't like her mother lending her things without her permission but it seemed that now that Usagi wasn't here she was trying to still be reminded of her daughter through Chibi Usa.
Chibi Usa didn't mind it but she as much as she enjoyed using things that belonged to her mother she wasn't fond of unconsciously being used as her replacement around the house. Ikuko didn't realize she was doing it and Chibi Usa kept her hurt feelings about it to herself. She knew Ikuko was missing Usagi just as much as anyone was.
"Enjoy school today." Ikuko smiled happily, placing a hand on her shoulder as they reached the front gates. Chibi Usa did loved her earthly grandmother. Had equal affection for her grandfather here to. Though she now knew how Usagi and her earth father were alike, they were both very stubborn and set in their ways on certain subjects. This trail with Mamoru was nothing compared to the struggle to come in his fragile relationship with Usagi. When in the near future he found out his daughter led an entirely different life beyond being just a simple high school girl.
It had been a terrible shock, like a bucket of cold icy water had fallen on him the day he found out about her celestial past and her life as a senshi. When Chibi Usa had come into her own celestial powers, Queen Serenity had sat her down and had long talk about what being a Senshi was like.
How balancing duty, personal relationships would be a struggle for her from now on. How difficult it had been for her grandfather to come to terms with his daughter's destiny. How it created a rift between them that had taken years to bridge. Her mother ever the mediator had been the one to repair that bond, brick by brick. She had never allowed her own bond to Usagi to wane. It had grown stronger even as her daughter's faith in her father had weakened.
Being a defender of this planet would always test the strength of her will and her bonds to her family, her friends and ultimately her lover. That she would need to find the will and strong heart to overcome all struggles to come. That she always needed to keep the light in her soul shining bright, so that when the darkness came she could led all whom she loved back into that light. It would be much later on when her father would accept her role in life.
Kenji was a good father he just was so well stitched into his black and white cloth of how the world should work. Of how his daughter should be that it would be a while before he would accept things. However this morning Chibi Usa knew it'd be different.
She felt bad that this morning she would have to make Ikuko's efforts in ensuring her safety to school a pointless endeavor. As far as she saw it she was a sailor senshi, she could handle herself in a fight if she needed to. She didn't want to think she was lesser of a senshi due to her pint sized body or her lack of power from not having full access to her Imperium crystal as her mother did or as Usagi did. A crystal that was underdeveloped within her and only responded to her desperate wishes when in dire need.
So with that in mind she let Ikuko walk her to school, planning her escape along the way and making sure to note of any streets to duck into to avoid passerby's from spotting her. It would be a little to obvious for a child her age to NOT be in school. Even she knew enough by now that concerned adults would be trying to go figure out why she wasn't in a class room studying like the rest of students her age.
Walking her to the front entrance, Ikuko bid her farewell and promising to be back after school to pick her up. She then promptly headed off campus, completely trusting that the little girl would obey. Not noticing Chibi Usa never entered the school, but waited on the porch for her to leave. So she could escape herself. She needed to go find Hotaru, to save her.
"I promise to save you from that evil Kaolinite Hotaru - chan." she muttered under her breath in resolution. Dashed back down the cobble stone lane to the front gates. Peeking around the brick pillar, she saw Ikuko rounding the last corner down the block, "Gomen Ikuko mama but I need to save my friend. Usagi - she would understand, right?" she couldn't count the amount of times her mother in the future would take risks to protect loved ones or close friends that were near and dear to her heart.
"If mama would do it then so can I! I'm her daughter after all!" she reasoned. She took off in the direction of Delta, jumping on the first transit bus to the Mugen Academy. Then taking to the side streets on her way there to get there faster as well. Running from the front gates to the glass entrance, she stood in front for a few minutes gathering the courage. As she knew this might also be where that evil Kaolinite was to.
A small portion of her also feeling confident that if she were to save her friend, she was that much closer to being the all powerful senshi that her mother had been. If anything her friendships had taught her that being a lady is also about how to care for others in their time of great need.
Hotaru needed her. "Don't worry Hotaru - chan I'll save you." she told herself. Transforming as soon as she mounted the cement stairs, inadvertently revealing herself to be Sailor Chibi Moon to Kaolinite who was monitoring the surveillance camera's. Now waiting for her on the inside, "Oh wow, bonus points here. She's also a sailor senshi. The weak little childish one. What an unexpected harvest this will bring the 'messiah of silence'." She smirked at the prize that was willingly walking into her grasp.
As if by mystical force – though in Chibi Moon's case an evil force - the double glass doors to Mugen Academy burst open. Unable to help herself Chibi Moon shook with fear before her 'tingly bunny senses' had her literally leaping out of the way. Cowering to the side of the doors, out of way of any possible daimon attacks...or Kaolinite herself. Trembling like a leaf in a stiff wind, before getting her courage back she repeated the words, "I'm not scared." and moved through the doors, traveling further into the darkness inside the lobby.
"Hotaru has to be here somewhere..." Chibi Moon muttered. "The other's have been investigating the School for weeks they must have found something and not told me." She stated bitterly to herself, wanting to believe something had been found…anything.
"You know Hotaru would love to have a visit from you." A slick, cheerful voice mocked, "And to have your pure heart."
Chibi Moon spun in a tight circle trying to peer past the shadows to find the owner of the evil voice. "Liar!" she called out, refusing to believe it. "Hotaru - chan is a good person. Not like you or the people like you. I know who you are." Chibi Moon braved. "You do huh? Then I guess formalities are out of the way." she transformed into her dark self, her blood red dress falling into place over her pale skin.
Her dark red hair snapping in wild tendrils amid her building powers. She emerged from deep shadows at the back of the lobby, and strode smugly towards the shaken little Senshi. Her high heels clipping smartly upon the marble, as her glowing red eyes stared her down. Chibi Moon whined, her heart leaping into her throat as this vile woman stalked her like a predator, cornering Chibi Moon against the rim of fountain.
Reaching to curl a long finger under Chibi Moon's chin, wanting to force the girl to look up at her. To feel scared and inferior in her presence.
"Dead Scream!" A ball of energy erupted to the side of the fountain.
Blocking herself with crossed arms, Kaolinite braced herself for impact. She bathed her body in dark energy countering the attack. It rebounded off her energy shield, slamming full force into Chibi Moon instead. Who had been directly beside her, knocking the little girl screaming out of a front window.
"NO!" Pluto yelled, rushing through the lobby and vaulting out of the broken window. Franticly searching the stormy front grounds for the hurt little girl, currently lost in the gloom. She had just made it out of the window when her search got thwarted by Kaolinite's red fog. The thick sinister haze billowed through the window and flooded the front lawn. Pluto could was completely blinded by it.
She could hear her boots crunching on the dried leaf litter and dead grass. Squinting her dark lavender eyes, desperate to see something anything in the thick fog. Her heart was beating fast and her breath was rapid as she fought down her panic. She needed to reach Chibi Moon first...
Cursing her poorly executed attack, her rashness and over confidence in herself. She should have thought things out better, she should not have taken her greater power's for granted. She had been a fool, and fools always paid greatly for their stupidity.
Fumbling through the blood stained cloud mass, she found Chibi Moon unconscious in Kaolinite's arm as the vile woman laughed smugly, "Its mine. The best pure heart around."
"Small lady." Pluto felt horrible, she swore her heart had stop beating in that moment. The little girl looked so fragile, so broken hanging from the villain's arms. Then Kaolinite shimmered away. Leaving only her laughter to taunt Pluto, and grind in the true extent of her failure. Her friend, her innocent young friend was taken by the enemy. Her only hope now was that the inner senshi would be where Kaolinite was taking Chibi Moon.
She bowed her head in defeat and allowed the tears to fall down her face. Gripping the staff of her Talisman tight, falling back on the only weapon she had left.
Hope...
Up on the higher floors of the Academy Tower a battle to the death waged. As reality shifted and the battlefield condensed to a dimensional pocket in which Cyprine and Petitrol were the only Master's of.
("Shine aqua illusion!" Mercury sent her blast of frozen water particles out, trying conceal her Leader and Tux from the enemies. Tux himself seemed to have grown stiff and dazed in the corner of the now destroyed office only to get hit harder with the energy that the evil double mint twins sent back.
"I was hoping it would hide us for a moment." She panted, out of breath and growing exhausted from the constant energy she was using. "Damn their team work is really good." Venus muttered, casting Mars who was still slumped against the door behind her a bitter grimace. "There has to be a way to split them up." I countered, shaking my head to clear away the feelings. I had no time for that kind of worry right now though.
The molecular fabric of the room was now saturated with their power, creating an epicenter that twisted reality to their advantage. It was like another dimension had taken over where we were in the building. The air was thick, muggy and acidic as if we were trapped in some kind of inter-dimensional bubble. What we saw beyond the invisible barrier through the broken glass of the office, was an odd warped version of the Delta. It rippled, dissolved and reappeared like staring through a curved piece of glass.
"We'd have a chance to win if we could just break free of this bubble." Mercury agreed. Then the blue and red haired girls began talking, "Okay play times is over. We'll fight you for real now." Petirol started, hovering beside her sister holding her hand tight, just beyond our reach.
We were in a dire pinch here, one Senshi down and the odds were against us. I had my doubts that I'd get out of this one alive. Staring unblinkingly at our foes, I could help but wallow for a moment in the negative thoughts that I might just die today.
I couldn't help but see Tux in a minor amount of pain. I hadn't realized that my facial emotions were betraying me. Until Tux came right up to me and blocked the majority of the view. "Don't forget to say goodbye to your masked hero Sailor Moon."
I blanched, not having realized that he and I had been found out. Enemies don't normally notice our connection or actions towards one another, always to busy trying to kill us rather than study us and our habits during battle. "What you think we can't see the ridiculous amount of love you two display for one another? Not to mention he seems to always be centered around you. Like he's protecting a treasure he can't let go of. It's so sickeningly sweet. I might even let you two die together when the time comes." Petirol mocked in her evilness.
"That's it." I growled, "The next hit we send out will kill any of you so happy trails." She continued, "What'd I miss..." Mar's groggy voice filtered through the tense confrontation we were having.
"A lot!" Venus quipped.
"Enjoy your nap?" Jupiter shot back over her shoulder, receiving a dark glare from Mars. The Senshi of Thunder merely smiled, she wanted Mars all fired up. Better to use her furious energy against the enemies in battle rather than explode later on when it was useless. So taunting her was calculated maneuver.
"It's good to have you back." Mercury stated absently, tapping away on her pad. Her visor glowing over her eyes as she scanned for any weakness to the barrier around them.
"I've had it with these two!" Mars snapped, swaggering forward with a deadly glare. "It's like they are glued at the hip!"
"Their power is at it's peek when they are touching..." Mercury stated.
"So we need to separate them!" Jupiter agreed, "Let's show them our team work." I declared, casting each one of my Senshi a determined smile. We would fight as one the way they had been! This time we would win.)
"Got you covered." Mercury's visor and pad shimmered away as she crossed her arms over her breast. Then sent out her bubbles to disorient them, "Cutie trick but it won't work." Cyprine said, but she still floated further away. As Mercury's fog obscured their advance out of the room and onto the concrete balcony just beyond the window. The warped space remained around them, a solid mass that phased them out of reality.
"Then you won't care! Venus love me chain!" Venus leaped up onto the railing, casting her glowing chain into the unearthly dimension swirling around them. The chain exploded out of the warped space, seemly out of nowhere. To wrap around both their staffs, as the red - blue twins had them crossed before them. Preparing to use their combined attack to capture the power Mercury had sent out. So they could send it right back at her.
I sent my tiara into the mix while Mars sent her fire balls. If we could amplify the staffs we could get them to axe each other out but only if we could separate them.
"Such pests, you don't even realize or you're just to stupid to see that you're increasing our powers by throwing us your attacks. Such simple girls." Cyprine smarted off.
Jupiter would make her eat those words. Snarling she revealed herself from the rift, grappling Cyprine from behind. She locked her in a full bridge submission by slamming her hard, headfirst into the balcony's floor. Then jumping up,as she was aiming to get the blue haired witch away who was hovering a few steps away. "Sister! Sister, were are you?" Petirol called after her but to no avail.
We smirked at how easily riled up these 'witches' could get when physically attacked.
Cyprine moaned and slowly rose to her feet, she was furious. The first Senshi she could focus clearly on at first, was Venus. The honey blonde had darted in when Jupiter as departed to take on Petirol. The Senshi of Love smirked down at Cyprine as she gathered herself. Then promptly pulled down a lower eyelid and stuck her tongue out. Taunting the now rattled witch quite effectively.
"I'll get you!" Cyprine declared, as Venus laughed and darted off into the murky depths of the warped dimension.
"Cyprine don't chase them their not worth it." Petirol warned, but it was to late.
Mars took advantage of her panic, sending two sharp jabs with her fists at her back of her exposed head. Her head snapped forward as she lost her balance, the twin impacts knocking her down and causing some bruising in the process.
"Damn it!" Petirol growled, rolling back onto her feet as Mars laughed snidely fading away into the unearthly fog Mercury had created. She chased her down and shot her power at her. A few slashes of red light came beaming near Mars as she narrowly dodged them. "I'm not letting you get away." She cackled, like a true evil witch would.
Cyprine was still tracking Jupiter as the thunder senshi was running a zig, zag pattern, trying to locate Mars so she could keep Cyprine away from her sister. They were slowly infuriating the witches, making them lose track of each other and their reason.
Divide and Conquer...this was the most fun she'd had in ages!
"I won't let you get away with hitting me!" Petirol yelled. She shot her blue power at Jupiter not realizing she had just lost her true target. Only to have the thunder senshi jump over her attack and dash away, laughing. Hiding in the heavy fog like atmosphere that surrounded them. "Little bitch thinks she can out do me." Cyprine growled in anger.
Mars ended up getting caught in the cross fire from Cyprine, dodging to the right just to have Petirol catch up with her next. Running in the opposite direction now she came across Jupiter who was in the same predicament. They stood back to back, hands raise to defend as both Cyprine and Petirol powered up their weapons, preparing to end the senshi.
It was a calculating move that if done wrong could end both senshi. Venus can flying in with a shoulder down, as she purposely lined backed Jupiter out of firing range, Mars cast her treasonous look, then leaped out of the way just at the two powers collided...the collision releasing an inter-dimensional explosion of such epic magnitude. The raw force of it shredded the fabric of the altered reality with a deafening roar.
The sister's death screams echoed out through the rift, shrill and painful as they were obliterated by their own opposing powers. The time space area faded away as the monument Cyprine built to capture the pure hearts, modelled after the 'messiah of silence', was also obliterated. The pure hearts going back into their rightful owners as the monument became nothing more than a pile of moon dust, shimmering away. Moments later the Senshi were brought back into the normal space and time continuum.
"Got to admit that was a tough opponent to beat." Mars stated. "Yeah but it made the extra training lately come in handy." Jupiter agreed.
As the last of the shifting energy faded, they all caught sight of Tux standing on the balcony just in front of the broken window. Top hat cocked the side of his head, mask firmly in place and cape snapping heroically in the wind. Humbling eating popcorn from a microwavable bag. When he caught sight of the Senshi and his love staring at him in disbelief. He mildly offered them some. The five Senshi stood slack jawed until Jupiter smirked.
"I always wondered what you did while we do all the work." She chuckled.
Tux laughed, "Ah well, a little of this, a little of that." He commented brazenly. She totally understood he was trying to ease the tension after that major battle. They needed to rest for a bit, contemplate their next moves and not go rushing off half-cocked after Hotaru.
"You have got to be kidding me?" Moon complained, as she stomped up to him highly offended by his utter lack of tack. Here they had just survived an incredible battle, by the skin of their teeth. Yet her lover, her support was happily observing the fight from a safe distance like some kind of innocent bystander.
She wanted to smack that charming grin right off his face.
"You guys had them well in hand, so when the barrier started to weaken. I slipped through and went to investigate the floor to see if I could find the stairs so we can get back down to the subbasement." He confessed seeing his love upset. "Found an office kitchenette instead. The cupboards full of snack foods. So I figured I had a few minutes to kill why you finished the twins off." He understood at the time how stupid and irresponsible he was being making popcorn in the middle of a fight.
Perhaps he had a mental lapse due to stress, or perhaps some of Usagi's easy going nature had rubbed off on him. It seemed as she was growing more serious and driven to prove herself he had started to relax and attempt to keep the balance by becoming more light hearted.
"So I made some salty goodness to tide me over...willing to share?" He offered the Senshi the popcorn yet again. They all started to laugh at the pure insanity of the moment.
Moon was about to retort, about irresponsibility but when she opened her mouth to chastise him he shoved a handful of kernels into her mouth forcing her to chew and swallow them down. She just glowered bitterly up at him, as he patted her head pompously.
He was really pushing it!
Then it was as if a sensor went off in Moon and Tux's mind. They both felt deep inside their souls, a profound dread that something was terribly wrong. Their paternal bond to Chibi Usa was trying to alert them to an unseen danger, currently lurking around their child. Her chest felt tight, her heart clenched and the overwhelming anxiety was quickly swallowing her. Tux was in the same predicament, his dark blue eyes unfocused. Drawn inward to trying and make sense of the ill feelings washing over him.
This strange foreboding held the same meta-physical currents as his bond to Usagi. It was like being thrown into a frozen lake and forced to swim. Every part of his body ached, his mind was stunned at the brutal force of his sudden anxiety.
The benefits and disadvantages of getting to know your child from the future. You get to make that sense for your child active before its time but also end up not being able to understand the power or connection of it. By invitation a black space corridor appeared out of nowhere, "Where in the hell did that come from?" Moon asked, instantly on guard. Mercury pulled forth her visor, "It's another space distortion. Only this one seems to have a different energy reading. Similar to Cyprine's but darker, heavier."
Moon peered cautiously within the tunnel, "I guess we don't need to find the stairs anymore. Let's not let the invite to the bad guys lair pass us up." agreeing everyone went inside. Tux sighed knowingly, as yet again they were running off into the unknown. With his daughter's safety on the line though, he was more than ready to go off half-cocked into the abyss it meant saving her life.
To be continued…