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1) The Characters and Stories of Ranma ½ and Sailor Moon are Copyright © Rumiko Takahashi and Naoko Takeuchi respectively, and are used here without permission or license.
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Beginning Notes: It's Alive! IT'S ALIVE!
The Dark Side of the Moon
By: Almech Alfarion (Child of Fire)
Chapter V: Dark Descent
-o-o-o-o-o-
The space was dark, the only illumination being provided by the orange glow of a halo-screen projected on the wall to the right of its single, heavily reinforced door. The room had no windows, and the air vents were too small for even a hamster to crawl through, making said portal the only point of egress.
Visible in the dim lighting were haphazardly scattered unmarked matte black equipment cases. Some still had their seals intact while the majority had their contents removed either partly or entirely and scattered across the space. Surveillance equipment, weapons of various functions, shapes and sizes, explosive materials and detonation peripherals along with all manner of other illegal hardware littered the floor, sat on top of stacked crates or were propped up against the walls. Pushed into the far corner to the left of the door was a flimsy looking table, data-pads scattered across its surface and interspersed with parts from a mostly disassembled recoilless rifle.
The sole occupant of the space was snoring quietly on a cot placed in the opposite far corner. The redhead's hair was unbound and she was clad in her customary sleepwear; the undergarments she had worn the previous day.
A chime began to ring from the space on the floor near her dangling hand. Ranma snorted from her slumber, groaned a little at the interruption and dragged her hanging arm up so that she could rub at one eye before glaring blearily at a discarded shirt from under which the disturbance was originating. A few seconds passed as her still half asleep mind fought to catch up before she groaned again, burying her face in her pillow in an attempt to make the noise go away.
The beeping persisted, heedless of her attempt to ignore the disturbance. Finally after another thirty seconds of listening to the incessant noise she gave up on returning to the land of nod and slowly pushed her hand under the crusty garment, pulling the slim form of her primary data-pad from under it a moment later.
Long engrained habit ensured that even in her half asleep state the Senshi of Eris input the proper codes to accept the incoming call and insure that it couldn't be traced. once the codes were being verified she allowed the slim device fall back to the floor from her limp fingers, her head half propped on the cot so that she could look at the screen cockeyed as her hair cascaded over the side in a tangled mess.
"Ranma here." she slurred once the connection had been established.
"Hey, Ranma. I'm... Ah, is this a bad time?" Nabiki's image asked as the other woman caught sight of her partner's state. Ranma could see a large panoramic window in the background showing a spectacular view of blue ocean.
"No, no... Jus' tired..." Ranma replied as she rubbed at her eyes again. "Long night watch'n over 'Taru... So, wha's up?"
"Those specs you sent me on that sniper rifle you recovered raised some red flags in my own investigations."
"Oh?" Ranma prompted with a raised eyebrow, slightly more awake than before.
"Yes, slacker." Amaterasu cut in, the orange Mau popping into view above Nabiki's shoulder, "The lack of a serial or maker's mark was a bit of a hindrance, but I managed to track it down to a custom weapon-smith working out of Terra's Ne'hon region."
"Hi, fleabag, had any fish recently?" Ranma needled, hiding a grin behind the edge of her cot. Nabiki looked amused over the connection while the felinoid in question didn't bother to hide the scowl that crossed her face. "So, custom made, not only using Terran technology, but by a manufacturer on Terra herself? That's... I don't know..."
"All true, but get this..." Nabiki began, "Not all of the weapons being made by him are being smuggled off-world to your mysterious assassins. They're buried deep enough in Terra's black market trade where I haven't been able to track down the buyer. Whoever they are paid in gold ingots left at dead-drops after the shipments had already been delivered, and whoever picked it up was able to cover their tracks, so no luck there. What my people have found out is that the shipment of weapons was several times larger than the load-out you're assassins would ever have any need for, and that only a fragment of that was smuggled off-world..."
"And that means...?"
"I don't know yet, but..." Here Nabiki paused, Ranma could see the other woman worrying at her lower lip, a nervous habit she only let slip when she was either deep in thought and in company she trusted implicitly, or worried beyond all known reason. While Ranma was positive that she and Amaterasu fell into the former category, her gut was screaming at her that this case was the latter...
"What is it?" she asked worriedly.
"The total shipment was large enough to supply a small army for several months, Ranma..." the brunette said with a concerned tone, "It wasn't just your DMR's. ARs, SMGs, side-arms, you name it, it was in that shipment. And I've been noticing some other trends in the black market recently too... Someone's been buying out large amounts of surplus or mothballed military hardware that has found its way into Terra's 'dusk bazaar'. Someone other than us. I've notified Setsuna already, and she's worried too..."
"Any idea who?" the redhead asked, sharing her partner's concern.
"Only the barest..." was Nabiki's reply. She was obviously frustrated at the lack of information. "I'm aware of at least one group operating here on Atlantis that was equipped with some of the missing tech, but when I tried looking into them it's like they were never there!"
"So... We have a group we didn't know about - and therefore not affiliated with Setsuna's coalition - gearing up for what sounds like a war." Ranma summed up, now fully awake. She took a moment to reposition herself as she thought, moving to lie on her back with the data-pad held in front of her. "Could they be a militant branch of the Lunar Brotherhood?" she hedged after she had gotten more comfortable.
"Not likely." Nabiki said over the connection. "These days, the Brotherhood can't do anything without my finding out about it eventually. It could be a different group being controlled by the same person, though I have my doubts..."
"Oh...?"
"When she first found them, Nabiki managed to tap into some of their short range communications." Amaterasu supplied seriously. "It's not much, admittedly, but from the content and tone of the one conversation my partner recorded this group doesn't seem to appreciate the Usurper very much."
"That is strange..." Ranma agreed, thinking hard. "There aren't many people with the capital to pull an operation like that off. Hell, the only reason we've gotten as far as we have is because Miss. Meiou's been alive long enough to amass several fortunes several times over..."
"Don't we know it." Nabiki said with a grin before becoming serious again. "I've tried looking into that, too. There's not much to go on, and the best leads I have paint a pretty grim picture, because they point to someone very good at evading detection siphoning off government funding..."
"Not many people with access to those, though..." Ranma input, scratching her chin in thought.
Nabiki sighed, "More than you might think, actually. Terra's private sector isn't nearly as controlled as the rest of the system, and with their technology-boom these last few decades, there are a lot of private interests with access to 'research' funding."
"A Terran Insurrection?" Ranma hedged, cocking her head to the side, her messy unbound hair cascading with the motion.
"That's the thing," the Solar Senshi said in part confusion, part thoughtfulness, "There's nothing, and I mean Nothing, going through the various rumor mills about anything on the scale I'm seeing. Whoever's doing this is buying up enough tech to supply an army, but no-one's recruiting, either through advertisement or clandestine word of mouth. No one's buying up the few mercs that hang around on Terra. No-One has approached the cartels to solicit 'services'. It's like they already have an army, but lack the supplies."
"What about those golems I-" Ranma started before her data-pad pinged again, signaling that Setsuna was joining their line. The codes cleared and the projection split to show their boss sitting in her office at Charon Castle.
"I take it Nabiki has filled you in on the pertinent details, Ranma?" her boss asked.
"Yes Mam." was the redhead's quick reply, knowing that right now her surrogate mother was all business.
"Good." the Time Guardian said. "I don't think I need to impress upon you two the seriousness of this information."
"We know, Ms. Meiou." Nabiki cut in. "We took the Olde Oaths when you said we were ready."
Ranma nodded, "We stand to defend the Kingdom. From All threats."
"Good." Setsuna said again, this time a small smile twitching at her lips and pride in her eyes before switching back to her business face. "What's the status on your mission, Ranma?"
Ranma sighed, closing her eyes in order to get her emotions under control. She knew what Setsuna was really asking for. "Green light, but with extreme caution." She said, voice toneless and face expressionless. "Through covert observation and personal contact with the principal, I have determined that Princess Hotaru Tomoe would be receptive to the idea of joining us. I advise caution, however, when approaching both her and the rest of Saturn's royal family. The other Saturnian royals have been nearly impossible to observe unimpeded while maintaining the necessary over-watch to keep Miss Tomoe safe. As a result their motivations and dispositions are largely unknown. Their reputations and word on the streets would lead me to believe that they would likely align with us as well, but I am hesitant to entrust certainty to inferred supposition. Furthermore, the entire Cronian court is under close observation by the Lunar Crown's agents due in part to Hotaru's magical potential as well as past actions that fringe on the edges of the Usurper's rule of order."
There was silence on the line for a few heartbeats as her compatriots took in the information. Nabiki frowned after a moment, but Setsuna's expression softened as she looked back into her screen.
"What's wrong?" the viridette asked softly. Ranma's expression cracked a little, but she didn't try to rein her emotions in anymore. She wasn't talking to Miss Meiou, her boss, anymore. She was talking to Setsuna, the woman who gave her everything - including a mother's love - after years barely surviving on the streets of Selene. Nabiki recognized the shift too and stayed silent on her end of the line, what passed as a supportive expression for her gracing the brunette's features. For once Amaterasu was also silent, recognizing that now wasn't the time to make a crack at Ranma's expense
"I just..." the redhead started, "I guess... I..." Ranma took in a shuddering breath as she organized her thoughts before chuckling sardonically. "Somehow in the time that I've spent watching over her, interacting with her, Hotaru has gone from being just my charge to a valued friend..." she finally said in a quiet voice. Nabiki and Amaterasu looked a little startled, but it was Setsuna's knowing smile that threw the redhead's thoughts out of their downward spiral.
"It isn't that strange, Ranma." The Senshi of Pluto said kindly. "From your previous reports, Princess Hotaru seems to be a kind soul with a very empathic nature." A wistful look spread across the green haired woman's face as she seemed to stare into the middle distance, "Serenity Lunis was much the same way. It didn't stop her from being fiercely protective of what she felt truly mattered, and the results of this attitude culminated into the Moon Kingdom's Golden Age. Everything will be fine" the time guardian reassured.
At this Ranma smiled. She had been - irrationally - afraid that Hotaru would have difficulty understanding the full truth about her and her mission, but Setsuna's endorsement of her friend's character let her realize what she had already known. Hotaru would understand.
"Now:" Setsuna said, switching gears back to seriousness, "Tonight is the Inner Scout's leaving gala at Cronus tower, correct?"
"Yes Mam." Ranma briskly snapped back to professionalism, "The event will begin at Oh-Thirteen Hundred and carry on until Nineteen-Hundred, whereupon there shall be a parade held in honor of the Sailor Scouts ending when they and their main party departs on their shuttle for Uranus."
Setsuna nodded over the link, visibly thinking as she considered everything they knew. Finally she said, "I want you to approach the Cronian royal family tonight. There are events in motion outside of my scope to anticipate and plan for, such as the situations Nabiki is uncovering on Terra, and I fear that the time for subtlety is rapidly coming to an end."
Ranma sucked in a shocked breath at these words and could see that Nabiki and Amaterasu weren't fairing much better from their own reactions. Setsuna nodded grimly before continuing. "I am also attaching you to the guest list for the Gala-"
"What! But I-" Ranma interrupted, flinching back from the screen before being abruptly cut off by the Senshi of Pluto again.
"Ranma!" Setsuna shouted, a displeased scowl marring her features, "I know that these events are more Nabiki's forte, but you're the one we have on sight, and I will entrust the handling of the situation to no one else! You're the one who knows her! You're the one who she has confided in, knowing that you were withholding secrets of your own!" Ranma cringed again at the reprimand, nodding slightly when it seemed that her boss was winding down, and the Senshi of Pluto's features softened slightly but were no less unrelenting, "I've made arrangements for you to be admitted as an attaché to my estate. Ostensibly you are there to re-negotiate military security contracts for some of Pluto's mining interests in the Kuiper Belt. Some shipments have 'disappeared' over the last several months and I am 'concerned' that rouge elements may be at play. Like any upstanding citizen, I have already had the incidents reported to the Lunar Crown."
"Of course, we already know what happened to them." Nabiki smirked, leaning back into her chair.
"Indeed," Setsuna continued unphased, though Ranma did notice her lips twitch slightly, "and our allies are already long gone from the region and preparing for the confrontations that are sure to come."
Ranma had calmed down considerably thanks to the casual banter, and was now thinking over the situation. "She'll recognize me as soon as she sees me," the redhead finally said quietly, "That story may get me through the front door and past security, but as soon as I'm inside..."
Setsuna nodded, "That's the entire point. Once you're in the door, 'why' you're there doesn't matter anymore. Your mission is to approach the Cronian royal family and present our case when an opportunity arises to do so without raising the suspicions of the Scouts. I know that you will be exposing yourself, but I honestly don't think we have the time to waste. Something is coming that the Time Gates can't get a fix on, and I want to be in as strong a position as possible when whatever it is arrives. Also, after you're done with Saturn's royalty, I need you to return to Pluto."
"Oh?" Ranma enquired, tilting her head to one side.
Setsuna nodded, "I think I may have discovered an easier way to bring down the Serenity Field, but I can't do it without your help."
Ranma nodded grimly, "And unless we bring it down-
"-we'll have lost the coming war before it even begins." Nabiki finished, just as grim. "What was wrong with the old method?" the brunette asked.
Setsuna smiled ruefully over the link, "Nothing, really, except that over-clocking the Time Gates to initiate a temporal flux event great enough to punch through almost pure order would tax even its considerable power, and render it non-functional for several months as its auto-repair functions reinitialize its core systems. Hopefully with Ranma's help we can avoid that, and in the process free up some more power by blowing away the shroud put over the first-fall."
Both of the younger Senshi nodded in understanding, more than a little satisfied with the news.
"What are my orders in the meantime?" Nabiki asked after a moment of silence
"For now," Setsuna said, "you are to continue over-watch with King Endymion, but the both of you are to remain on standby in the event things go south with Ranma's mission." Nabiki and Amaterasu nodded determinedly over the link. Setsuna's features softened completely and looked between them.
"Good luck. All of you." Senshi Pluto said.
"End of Line"
-o-o-o-o-o-
Ranma checked the pins holding her long braid into a bun for what had to be the tenth time as she approached the main gate to Cronus Stations' arboreal garden. Functionally tapered crystal heels clicked against the hard path and her breezy dark green evening robe clung elegantly to her curves. Cronian Royal Guards and Lunar Agents were all over the place, making all of the other arriving guests surrounding her nervous. She tried her best to hide her own anxiety, but knew that doing so completely would actually be even more suspicious.
Getting past the gates were as easy as she suspected it would be. Setsuna and Nabiki's networks were as good as their word; the forged documents and hacked records were secure enough, but they all knew that the persona of Ranma Saotome would die tonight with the scrutiny the Moon's agents would put all of the records under.
Smiling weakly as the guard who she had given her invitation to cleared her for entry, Ranma entered the garden proper. Many small groups of well-to-do merchants or lesser nobles milled around the grounds, couriers darted through the trees and servants with platters of hors d'oeuvres or various beverages patrolled the space. The guests appeared to be enjoying themselves at a glance, but the redhead felt a tension in the air she could cut with a spoon.
'No prizes for figuring out why...' she thought scathingly as she surreptitiously observed the Lunar agents making a valiantly ineffective effort to hide from her senses. Sure, they were more than likely hidden from the civilians surrounding her, but the shadows held no secrets from the Senshi of Eris.
The security checks at the entrance to the Tower Proper were just as easy to bypass and soon Ranma found herself silently riding a lift with four chattering nobles' wives. It was all she could do to keep a straight face and not cry out in anguish when they tried pulling her into their conversation, but much to her relief the doors slid open at that moment and she made good her escape into the evening's main event.
Dozens of amethyst crystal columns lined the outer edge of the ballroom's circular dance floor and arched high into the ceiling above, joining in the center and fading to a clear white to create a faceted starburst chandelier that spectacularly cast shimmering motes of light across the entire space. The floor itself was tiled in a dark rose-marble and embossed in silver beneath the chandelier was the symbol for Saturn: a stylized 'h' with the upright crossed horizontally.
Beyond the crystalline boundary was a gallery of sorts. Interspersed at equidistant intervals along the gleaming, brushed metal outer walls were high arched windows lending a spectacular view of Saturn's rings. The spaces between were taken up by tapestries and paintings or doors to yet more lifts and scattered across the granite tiled floor were pedestals and stands displaying yet more treasures.
Fanciful, yet light music drifted across the room and the few who deigned to dance this early on into the event spun tight circles around eachother. Yet more servants patrolled the outer perimeter, offering refreshment or repast in equal measure and the other guests milled about their own business.
Ranma's eyes darted about the ballroom, taking all of this in within moments of stepping off the lift. She wound her way through the crowd with purpose, searching for her friend, yet remaining hidden amongst the sea of guests as just another face. When it became apparent that Hotaru, nay, the entire Saturnian Royal Family, had yet to make their appearance, Ranma resigned herself to waiting.
Time passed, and with it more and more dancers joined those already on the floor. Operating solo, as well as not being nearly as gifted in illusions as Nabiki, meant Ranma was unable to conceal herself from the other guests using any form of magic. Several men offered her the 'privilege' to dance with them (which she gracefully accepted) as well as several women (which she accepted with a great deal more enthusiasm).
Several dances later Ranma found herself sitting on a bench looking out one of the windows, sipping a mildly alcoholic beverage as she watched Mimas drift past. So far, there had been no sign of the royal family but word among the other guests said that the inners had held them up with some last minute issues with their departure arrangements.
This news naturally worried her, but there was little she could do about it from her current position.
Her attention shifted back to the outer world when the music dropped off without transitioning into the next song. She turned around as a hush fell over the gala and the dancers stopped twirling. Several servants had exited one of the lifts and the Redhead could see Saturn's seneschal - a man in a slightly more elaborate uniform to the other servants with a heavily lined face and snow-white hair and mustachio - among them.
The aged man cleared his throat and spoke in a deep, clear voice that carried through the entire hall; "Thank you, ladies and gentleman, for your patience. The Royal Family was delayed by important matters of state, and shall join us momentarily. So, without further delay, I present to you Her Highness, Queen Yuna Tomoe, her daughter Crown Princess and Sailor Saturn, Hayate, and Heir Saturn's daughters; Subaru, Hitomi, Yuki and Hotaru! In addition, Their guests, The inner Sailor Scouts; Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter!"
Collectively the entire assembly bowed as the lift door behind the seneschal opened to admit the announced party. With the exception of Princess Hayate (who was in her Scout Uniform) the Saturnian royalty were all dressed immaculately in formal robes of varying shades and cuts. The one uniformity between them was a deep purple sash tied around their waists.
The inner scouts trailed after them, all in uniform, and while Mercury and Jupiter hid it well (the former stone faced and the latter almost too nonchalant), Mars and Venus made only a token effort to conceal their displeasure at being relegated to lower positions in their announcement testament to the strain on their 'smiles'...
"Rise, My faithful subjects," Queen Yuna spoke, a slightly strained smile turning at her lips and a tightening around her eyes the only sign of discomfort at the four women behind her, "for today is one of celebration! Today we honor the presence of four princesses who toil tirelessly to ensure the continued security of Her Majesty, Queen Serenity's reign!"
Polite applause met this greeting as the assembly stood and if anything Mars' and Venus' smiles became even more forced. Ranma slipped back into the crowd unnoticed by Hotaru, who was shooting nervous glances in almost every direction. Queen Saturn gave a few more words (including a few more thinly veiled yet politically correct insults slung at the Inner Scouts) which were met with yet more polite clapping. Ranma had to hand it to the woman; the Queen of Saturn wasn't pulling any punches, yet nothing she said could be interpreted as anything other than polite commendment for the Lunar Hatchet-women.
The Queen's wordplay came to an end and conversations picked back up as the royal family spread out amongst the guests. The music picked back up and dancing resumed, though now the tension in the air that had been steadily diminishing as the guests became increasingly more inebriated had returned.
Ranma carefully tracked Hotaru's movement through the crowd without giving her own position away, and was happy to note that despite her friend's obvious discomfort she seemed to be relaxing. She waited for an opportunity to approach the younger woman without being obvious to the inner scouts, who were loitering as a group near one edge of the room. Hotaru was her in to speaking to her mother and grandmother, after all, and though it pained her to think of manipulating her friend that way, Ranma understood the necessity of her mission.
It was half an hour following the Royal Family's entrance when the redhead spotted her opening. Hotaru had just finished a dance with some minor noble from Rhea and her back was turned to the Scouts. Ranma slipped in front of another nobody-noble who was approaching the princess and bowed while discretely keying her concealed data-pad to scan for hidden listening devices.
"Greetings, Princess Hotaru. I am Ranma Saotome, Attaché to the Meiou Estate. Would you give me the honor of this dance?" she asked using the entire proper form for this sort of encounter should they be strangers. Hotaru's eyes widened slightly at her and looked to be about to say something, but Ranma's eyes flicked meaningfully over the other girl's shoulder to where the Scouts stood. Hotaru gulped reflexively and nodded almost imperceptibly in understanding.
"The honor would be mine, Miss Saotome." She replied, curtsying as was proper for the form.
They took eachothers hands and began spinning into the lively melody that had begun playing moments before. Hotaru's questioning eyes never left Ranma, who in turn was darting her gaze everywhere and assessing potential threats as she led her friend deeper into the floor until they were dancing almost directly under the chandelier. By this point the Saturnian Princess had marginally relaxed and even managed to laugh a little as Ranma twirled the slightly smaller girl under her arm.
Finally the song came to an end, bleeding into a slower harmony that had them dancing more sedately.
"So..." Hotaru finally worked up the nerve to say as they drifted across the silver inlayed crest of Saturn, "What brings you here, all the way from Pluto Miss Saotome"
Her tone was slightly accusing, but not overly harsh and more genuinely curious than anything else. Ranma stared into the eyes of her young friend and felt the anxiety she had thought Setsuna had helped put to rest return to a degree, but ruthlessly pushed it down. She had opened her mouth, about to deflect the question, when her data pad almost silently chirped the all clear pattern for its scan.
If anything Hotaru's expression became even more worried as the redhead's shoulders slumped. Whether in relief or resignation, not even Ranma knew.
"Hotaru, I..." she started only for her throat to catch on a lump. Audibly clearing it and reigning in her emotions she looked back into her young friend's concerned eyes. Her resolve firmed as she spoke quietly. "You're a good friend, Hotaru, and I only hope that you will continue to be once I've told you what I need to tonight..."
"Is this about those things you haven't told me about yet?" the dark girl asked, "I understand. You-"
Ranma quietly but firmly cut her off, never once breaking eye-contact. "No, Hotaru, you don't understand. And that's why I'm here tonight." She swallowed the lump that was trying to return, "I... I can finally tell you everything, but you need to trust me and let me finish before you do anything. Do you trust me?"
Hotaru's eyes had gone wide at the partial admission, "What...?"
"Do, you, trust, me...?" Ranma asked again, staring dead into the shorter woman's eyes and emphasizing the words.
"Ranma, I-"
Ranma didn't know what tipped her off. Maybe it was a flicker of movement, or a sound out of place. One moment she was dancing with Hotaru, the next she had switched positions with her friend at the speed of lightning and sidestepped to grab a wrist. The hand attached to the wrist was just as swiftly reversed, the knife it held plunging into the side of whomever it belonged to. Screaming started sounding around them, but Ranma wasn't paying attention to the mounting panic surrounding the pair. Her attention was absorbed by Hotaru who was looking at her in horror as... dust sprayed from the wound and the golem disguised as a servant gave out a warped and strangled shriek before disintegrating.
Ranma's senses came back to the rest of reality as more screams sounded throughout the hall. All around them the features of select members of the serving staff blanked out and their coloring faded to a uniform dark grey. The Sailor Scouts were already in motion subduing those closest to them, but people had begun panicking as the rest drew weapons from within their bodies and began shooting at anything that moved.
Ranma's first instinct was to drag Hotaru to the floor and cover her with her own body as magnetically accelerated rounds flew above them.
"We need to get out of here!" she shouted over the din. Hotaru appeared to have gone into shock, so she slapped her friend across the face. Hard.
"Ranma...? What's going on?!" the dark girl slurred in panic as she came to her senses.
"Talk later! Flee now!" was Ranma's only reply as she dragged the other woman to a low crouch.
A few people were still running around in a terror but most had found cover by now. The floor was littered with the bodies of those who hadn't been so fortunate... including most of the Saturnian Royal Guards that had been in attendance.
Flecks of metal the size of rice grains flew through the air at lethal velocities before spellfire began raining down on the golems from Queen Yuna and every Sailor Scout in attendance. The remaining constructs fell back to the other side of the hall, taking positions behind the adjacent crystal pillars before continuing their assault even as the surviving Royal Guards moved to flank them.
One of the golems was armed with a missile-launcher rather than the DMRs possessed by its compatriots. It had already gotten off a couple shots, knocking out Sailor Mars with the compression wave of a glancing detonation and injuring both her and Sailor Jupiter with shrapnel. Incensed by the injuries to her subordinates, Sailor Venus let out a cry of "Venus Love Me Chain!" and flung the construct of heart shaped links around the pillar it was using as cover just as it pulled the trigger again.
What happened next almost appeared in slow motion to the Senshi of Eris. The end of the chain wrapped around the arm of the golem and pulled its aim out of position just as the missile left the barrel, causing it to spin out of control. The drunken projectile twisted upwards arcing high before impacting where the great crystal chandelier connected to the ceiling.
The sound of a thousand shattering windows crashed through the hall as the magic powering the great faceted starburst's inner light winked out. Shards of razor sharp crystal rained down upon Ranma and Hotaru as they looked up in horror. The dark crystal's shadow descended upon them and once again Ranma didn't think as she wrapped her arms around Hotaru's waist...
And fell backwards into the descending darkness.
-o-o-o-o-o-
- End Chapter V -
-o-o-o-o-o-
End Notes: It's been a long... LONG time...
Too long, in my opinion, but my muse has been working in fits and spurts until recently.
The good news? The next chapter is already mostly written. It was getting a little lonjg, though, so I decided to cut it here.
The bad news? I can't guarantee that any chapters following this will come out any quicker than my usual.
Between distractions, work, being too tired to generally think about writing after work, and being all-around uninspired most of the time, I've adopted a new policy with any new stories I may write in the future. Anything I already have publications for will continue to see updates as I'm able to knock chapters out, but anything new, including the intended sequel for this story, Shadow of the Sun: In Remembrance of the Fallen, I plan on writing out their entirety before releasing chapters on a schedule to be determined at the release of the new stories.