It took a bit of time to complete this, but it's done. Enjoy!
The Incubus, Part 5: Divine Human Comedy
Dis Pater's usual plan was to provoke havoc and draw out the incubus from either the mind of its latest victim or to attract its attention from the outside. He considered it was the only thing he could do in the shape he was and with the knowledge he had gathered up until that point. The fact that the incubus only aimed the Sailor Guardians in their civilian selves was a very welcome coincidence, especially seeing as his magic somehow deactivated their powers. He did not count that the heroines were capable to fend off for themselves even without transforming. And that he would eventually find himself on a Mexican standoff against Astar, Sailor Pluto, and Sailor Saturn at the Juuban High School with the time stopped for everyone in the premises, save for the belligerents.
"Saturn, search for any blood sigil in the school's grounds," ordered Sailor Pluto. The young Guardian nodded in agreement and quickly went inside the main building to comply with her part of the mission at hand.
"Your name is Astar, right?" Sailor Pluto then inquired the incubus, who answered with a nervous nod. "Good. Don't be nervous, for we know who you are and what you are capable of too. We don't hold it against you, but we will need to have a lengthy talk sooner or later. Leave the restoring of the flow of time to me. For now, you can go."
"You are not going anywhere," interrupted Dis Pater.
"Yes, he will. Go, Astar, quick!"
Immediately after, the incubus took on his invisible demon form and flew away from the school. Dis Pater tried to reach him, to no avail. His mask took on a pained expression upon seeing his chance of catching the incubus go to waste.
Sailor Saturn soon returned. "I haven't found any sigil, drawn with blood or otherwise."
"I see. In this case, just push the demon away. I will restore the flow of time after you've done it." The young Guardian nodded and went where Behemoth was standing as he was about to trample on the Guardians. A simple nudge from the pommel of the Silence Glaive was enough to push the pachyderm demon away from harm's way. Dis Pater watched the scene with attention, for he knew well of Saturn's destructive capabilities.
"Excellent job, Saturn," Pluto commended her fellow Guardian with a smile. She then turned to Dis Pater with her rod pointed at him. "As for you, yellow bastard... Before I do away with you, tell me what exactly you are doing and why."
The strange figure turned to Sailor Pluto with a blank expression on its mask. "I have nothing to say to you, Demigoddess."
"If you just want to go down as a lowly and inconsequential villain," Sailor Pluto affirmed. "I will gladly oblige you. Dead Scream."
Upon calling for the attack, an orb of shadow energy engulfed Dis Pater's body, and the villain did nothing to avoid it. After the energy from the attack dissipated, a pile of dirty rags rested where Dis Pater once stood, its mask crumbled into dust.
"I don't expect this to be our last encounter," Sailor Pluto murmured, unfazed at the sight of Dis Pater's apparent demise. "But next time, come up with more intelligent schemes."
"As you wish, Aeon. Take care of Melinoe." the figure's voice still resounded in Sailor Pluto's mind. Why did she call her that? And refer to Sailor Saturn as Melinoe? Rather than mulling on those things, Sailor Pluto drew forth a purple jewel, which she crushed on her fist. Her own eyes took on a purple coloring, and after declaiming a short and silent spell, she blew off the jewel dust into the wind. Soon after, the things and people that once stood still started moving again. Time had been restored. Most people in the premises did not realize anything strange, except for the Guardians and Behemoth. When they came to their senses, they were away from each other's sights. The beast itself was dumbfounded to see an empty corridor ahead of him, instead of the heroines.
"What the hell just happened," queried Sailor Venus.
"We happened," Sailor Saturn replied by their side. "Don't waste any more time and purify the creature."
Ami and Makoto carefully propped up Sailor Moon, who was still hurt from Behemoth's fierce strike. "Are you alright now? Can you turn Ginki back to normal?" Sailor Venus asked.
"Yeah... Uh, I'll try." Standing on her own, Sailor Moon pointed the Eternal Tiare towards Behemoth. "Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"
Once again, Sailor Moon's magic was enough to dissipate the hellish spell that turned Ginki into a beast. He was too afraid to react upon coming back to his senses.
"They did it!" the rest of the students cheered. But as soon as they came out from their hideouts, they surrounded Ginki, ready to beat him up badly.
"You wanted to kill us all, you-"
"STOP IT!" shouted Sailor Moon as he put herself between the former demon and the mob. "Ginki is not to blame for this. He was possessed, like all the others before him. And besides, don't you think he's suffered enough?"
"She's right!" completed Sailor Venus. "He didn't even want to hurt anybody, and yet you wanna hurt him. Be nice to him, everyone!"
After a short lull, the angry mob calmly dispersed, and a few students walked to Ginki. One of these helped Ginki, and symbolically apologized to him. The boy was not accustomed to such expressions of kindness from his classmates so he smiled timidly as he scratched the back of his head. Before anything else, the bell rang, signalizing the end of recess. Moon and Venus first went to the bathroom to turn back to their civilian selves in an inconspicuous way, then met up with Ami and Makoto to go together back to their classroom. "You better go to the infirmary first," Ami told Usagi in the corridor. "Who knows, maybe you broke something inside of your body."
The two Outer Guardians had left the school in the meantime but watched the denouement of this particular story from atop a nearby building.
"So, should we go after the incubus?" asked Sailor Saturn.
"Don't worry about him," answered Sailor Pluto. "We have somebody else on the case. Now, let's go back home, shall we? We don't want to leave your father concerned."
Both leaped throughout the buildings to return to their household.
(xx)
The spell to retrieve the damned soul of Dis Pater took place in an abandoned house in the Adachi district. Some kind of moldy bathrobe hung from one of its walls - Inside of which, a blood sigil was drawn, and a hannya mask hung just above it. Both floated and positioned each other as if forming a body. Once again, Dis Pater appeared in something that resembled flesh and bone but in less than ideal conditions. He looked at his appearance in a dirty mirror next to the bathroom.
"Could you not find a less ludicrous effigy?" he spoke in an annoyed tone.
"Sorry, I couldn't," a male voice from the shadows answered. "Besides, you were never one to worry about your appearance."
To that last quip, the figure did not answer. "If only... I had my human counterpart. I know he was reborn, and chances are he's here in Tokyo. This city attracts all things odd."
"Well... The Sailor Guardians all live here, so naturally, the threats and battles all take place here."
Dis Pater reached for some bandages on the table. His limbs, if they could be described as such, picked them up and wrapped themselves to form humanoid arms, complete with fingers. But there was enough only for the arms.
"The Demigoddesses are here, but thankfully not at their full power. They prefer to serve as Sailor Guardians instead. I saw Melinoe, Warden of Death. As well as Aeon, Warden of Time."
"What of the others?" the voice asked.
"Metis and Eos? Nowhere to be found. Out of the city, most likely."
Dis Pater then floated around for a while, practicing his power to move through the shadows. Since he can't build legs due to lack of available materials, this is the only way he could move around. "Enough pussyfooting. I will give one last try in this course of action of mine. But unless you would like to be enclosed in ice for an eternity, or exiled to Gods know where, we will have to push the ante."
As the figure put a couple of files on the table, "What about... Opening a gate between the Hades and the world?"
"Hmm... This may need no simple bloodletting, but outright sacrifices. I trust you can find the perfect subjects."
(xx)
After a brief stroll atop the Aino household, Artemis entered through the window of Minako's bedroom, where he saw his companion laid down on her bed with her hair untied from her nigh-ubiquitous red lasso and wearing only a Slayer tank top and white boyshorts, ready to call it a day.
"Is something the matter, Mina?" asked the wise cat.
"Just wondering about my love life. Or lack thereof."
"Well, it's a day ending in Y then."
Indeed, in the times of peace, before the demons started appearing and she and the others resumed their Guardian duties, she spent her free time practicing with her new band, avoiding studying as much as possible even with Ami's advice, and zoning out to daydream, especially about love.
"I'd love for that incubus to come here, you know..."
"Whaaat!?" Artemis exclaimed, almost to the point of outright yelling. "No, seriously, why? Don't you know the incubus is the one going around screwing with the Guardians' minds?"
"Yeah, that I know. But... What if I'm the one who screws him up? He gets into my mind, and instead of him seducing me, I'm the one who seduces him."
Artemis at first considered that a total travesty, but before he could utter any word of protest, he considered that maybe, just maybe, Minako had a point. He knew incubi were attracted and fed on sexual energy - And Minako overflew her share of it. In a way, he even wished the Guardian could get someday a significant other so that she could unload her pent-up frustration. Preferably one that could withstand her unusual requests.
"So, what do you say?" asked Minako.
"Ooh, well..." Artemis stumbled for words as he laid in catloaf position beside Minako's bed. "I didn't consider that point of view. It's crazy enough to work!"
"To every problem, there is a chance," affirmed Minako with a wink.
"A solution, in this case. Just remember, you will be chased by a demon sooner or later. And if it still doesn't work, your Sailor Guardian powers will be deactivated."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. I can take on it. Besides, we still have Sailor Moon and that guy passing off as Tuxedo Mask that the girls warned me about. Nighty night, sleep tight, outta sight with bed bugs' bite!" Having said this, Minako turned off the lights and covered herself to sleep. Artemis simply hoped that whatever plan Minako concocted didn't end up in tragedy.
(xx)
Astar sat on a bench in the darkest sector of Arisugawa Park, which had since become a congregation of the so-called dredges of society. The men who either lost or gave up on the game of capitalism for one reason or another now built makeshift tents and fireplaces, sharing whatever food and drinks they could gather in their scavenging hunts and odd jobs. Astar felt somewhat at home with those people. He had the faintest memory of having been there before, or at least in a similar situation, and the homeless men took him in just fine, the sole rules being that he did not disrupt their peace at night and that he contributed with their nightly potluck.
"Say, buddy," asked the eldest man. "Is somethin' the matter?"
"I am... Waiting on a friend, is all."
"We're all friends here, fella," another man said. "Together in misery, the one lady who loves company."
"Ayup! Here, have a cup of booze for not being a nuisance," a young drifter said as he filled a slightly bent aluminum cup with cheap white wine and gave it to Astar. The incubus picked the cup and caught another faint memory of having done this sort of ritual before. At least, when he was a normal human being. He downed the wine in one gulp, an action that impressed his peers. Normally, one sip of that beverage was enough to generate a buzz. Astar, however, felt nothing.
"Umm, thanks, guys," he meekly showed his gratitude as he cleaned his lips with his wrist. But suddenly, he clutched his stomach and felt dizzy, lowering his head as if to puke.
"It's kicking in," one of the striders stated, and the other homeless men laughed along. But the cheerful murmur ceased when Astar showed no signals of getting better. None of them knew it was not because of the alcohol, but rather his nature as a lust-driven demon flaring up. He needed energy to feed himself, and he could only find it entering the mind of a person with sexual frustration, but of course, he did not tell any of that to his neighbors.
"Don't worry, guys," Astar conjured up an excuse. "Thank you very much for your patronage. I'll be back later, don't worry. I just... uh... Gotta go!"
Nobody else questioned as the youngster got up and ran towards the city. "When you gotta go, you gotta go," laughed the elder, making the others resume their spark of happiness. The ragged men each went their way when a tall, dark, handsome, and well-dressed young man arrived.
"Lookin' for something, young'un?" the elder asked.
"Umm, yes. Have you seen a man with long black hair, wearing a denim jacket and a red wool cap?"
"Ooh, yeah, he went thataway," he answered while pointing to the street to where Astar ran away. "Can't hold his liquor, it seems. Are you a friend of his?"
"Yes," he answered. "If he returns, tell him that Fengari passed by looking for him for a talk. He will know who I am."
"Oh, you must be the friend he said he was waiting for. Don't worry, I'll tell him. Do take care out there!"
Fengari answered with a shy smile and a nod and went the way the street dweller told him Astar went to. I hope it's not too late...
(xx)
Away from the sight of his destitute companions, Astar could finally turn into his incubus self, passing unnoticed by the people on his way to the source of another strong aura. At this rate, he knew he would meet another Sailor Guardian. After one final glide, he entered Minako's room through her house's ceiling.
I just hope this time, I start in a safe environment, thought Astar. He positioned himself above Minako, and slowly entered her mind.
Indeed, he started in the middle of what seemed to be Shibuya's iconic street crossing, except it looked like some kind of painting, where all the landscapes, houses, people and objects were painted in a canvas with careful strokes and faded colors. It was certainly a different way of viewing things. The city all around him, with its shops and houses, its skyscrapers and apartment blocks, all seemed like they were carefully painted and put together by masterful hands, perhaps a goddess. Thousands of indistinct people passed by the streets in hurried steps. Minako was an urbanite, that much the incubus could infer. Her idealized life in the city could be reflected in how her Dreamscape depicted the scenarios.
He decided to enter a random building - Most likely, these contained memories and clues as to her inner self's whereabouts. He tried his luck with a normal warehouse. However, Astar felt a strong shock as soon as he touched the doorknob. He backed off quickly and wondered if this is some kind of suppressed memory she wants to keep that way. He then peeked over an adjacent window and saw the figure of Minako tending to a young man with tanned skin and long white hair, laying on a pool of his blood. Another young man with white hair stood in front of the two with a bloodied sword in his right hand. By the armor the assassin and the victim wore, and the general look of the inside of the building, the incubus deduced it is a memory of her past life. Was it so shocking that her subconsciousness kept it blocked even after her rebirth?
Walking some more through the city, the incubus met up with an image of Minako wearing her Sailor Guardian uniform but going about her usual business. In every house and building he entered, he saw her like that, either all alone, with her pet cat, or with any of the familiar girls whose Dreamscapes he already entered. And even when doing things she enjoyed, like singing in a band, playing volleyball or just laying down in the grass, she wore her Guardian uniform. As if she was not Minako, but rather Sailor Venus at all times.
Another building that caught Astar's attention had a huge heart at its entrance. Some kind of symbolism, perhaps? He entered, and on the first floor, he saw a man who looked foreign, at least to Japanese standards. Minako was there, again wearing her Sailor Guardian uniform, and she tried to approach him, but when she was within her reach for a loving embrace, her arms somehow disappeared. The man then went away and met with another girl, leaving poor Minako sobbing on her own. Now, where did I see that before? The same thing happened on the second floor - this time, with a boy wearing a volleyball player uniform. In every story Astar climbed to, there were men of distinct backgrounds that Minako tried to reach, only for her arms to disappear. One that caught Astar's attention was a man with slick white hair tied in a long ponytail and deep green eyes.
When he finally arrived at the top of the building, instead of yet another object of Minako's affections, it was a female monster battling against her, this time using her Sailor Guardian powers. The battle went on and on, with no signal that either Minako or the monster would win it.
It is a big effort for Minako to find the one she loves, and all leads up to her duty, first and foremost. She seems to resent her duty as a Sailor Guardian, Astar deduced.
From atop this building, Astar unfurled his wings and glided toward the street below, stopping in front of what seemed like a nightclub. Again, he touched the doorknob with caution. This time, it did nothing to him, so he opened the door just fine. It was quite the lively scenario inside, except with no patrons anywhere. On the stage, a prop in the shape of a seashell, and three cardboard deities hanging beside it. The lights then went out, and one big spotlight started to roam all across the room, until finally pointing out to the seashell prop.
The voice of a male emcee boomed from nowhere in particular: "Welcome to the main event of tonight's show! Venus Aino is set to present a special performance, only for you in attendance!"
The shell opened, and there appeared Minako, half-naked except for her golden hair falling and covering her intimate parts. Some kind of music started to play, and the Guardian materialized a microphone, through which she started to sing.
I was nervous like a goalie
When facing a penalty shot
When you came into my yard
And you showed me what you've got
But then an analyzing friend of mine
Said I won't happy if I keep and go like this
For love is something so much richer
Than a simple casual tryst
Leave behind this shallow deepness
And lay beside me day and night
Doing it all and saying yes
To the passions, wrong and right
Let me come inside your Hell
I don't mind if it's your Heaven
Let us live our Divine Human Comedy
Where nothing lasts forever
Some may say I lost my senses
Yet I reply "It seems
As long as there is space, time, bodies
And a way of saying no
I will sing"
He was amazed at everything about the song, and of course, its performer. She was free, and she was herself for once. Her body emitted a mighty glow, as if she, more than a woman and a Guardian, was a real deity. For the first time since his reawakening, he was at a loss for actions and words.
"No need to applause, my dear," Minako stated. "The look in your face, the amazement in your eyes, it is compliment enough for me. What do you say, should we live our love fantasy, right here, right now?"
It was usually up to him to take the initiative but Astar felt like a teenager in love, awkward and immobile, save for a short and positive shake of his head. But instead of using his magic on her, it was Venus herself who flew with supersonic speed toward him, tackling and tumbling the incubus on the ground. She sat above him and wrapped her legs around him, to not let him run away. The incubus himself couldn't help but feel his loins flaring up when touching Minako's, and the heat of passion flowed through his veins. And yet, he was completely powerless.
"You thought you were gonna have your way with me, huh, naughty boy?" Minako said with a lascivious look on her face. "Well, guess what? Two can play this game!"
(xx)
Meanwhile, Inspectors Naitou and Toshio took one of the district's cars in the direction of the first victims of the strange occurrences. They wanted to collect brief testimonials from both victims and possible witnesses, to see possible patterns to the attacks, and whether the Sailor Guardians have something to do with them.
"Did you see the dozens of reports on the attack Juuban High School earlier today?" asked Naitou.
"Yeah, this thing is getting way out of hand," Toshio answered in a slightly annoyed tone. "Of course, the Guardians saved the day. To top it all off, Chief Sakurada wants to side with them. I mean, does she expect those girls to join the police forces or something?"
"Not sure about that. I'd say she wants to strike some sort of deal with them. Who knows, maybe they are those A-C-A-B types. But anyway, you better believe in things beyond your threshold of acceptance, and perhaps of comprehension too. It seems Chief Sakurada already does."
After parking their car, the two policemen walked a bit through a narrow street until they reached their destination. Upon ringing the small household's bell, a woman in her mid-40's with a very tired semblance answered the door. "May I help you?"
"Good evening, Miss Hanekoma. We are from the Juuban Police Force, and we would like to speak to Aguri. Is he home?"
"Yes. Yes, he is. But... He's been feeling sick since he returned home. I don't know what to do about this... Uh, well, please come in."
As Naitou went to Aguri's room to attempt to talk to him, Toshio stood in the living room with Aguri's mother.
"Rest easy, miss," Toshio spoke in a friendly tone. "We are here to help solve this problem. I can only imagine the pain you and your son must be enduring. But do tell me, if it is not too much to ask, what is your son feeling? How was he before he was attacked?"
After a deep breath, "He was always shy and insecure, but never to the point that he would avoid going out of his bedroom altogether. I'm not entirely sure what affected him so suddenly... if it was me splitting with his father or some trauma he took that he never told me, but... Oh dear, it hurts me to see him like this."
As Toshio tried to reach for Miss Hanekoma's hand in solidarity, Naitou barged in. "Right, I got what we needed. Let's move."
"Already?"
"Yeah, I got it recorded in tape, just in case. Have a good night, Miss Hanekoma, and take care of yourself and your son."
As they made their way back to the car, Toshio found it strange that the information collection went so quickly, but since Naitou was leading this particular investigation, he said nothing more and hoped this could lead up to something more revealing.
(xx)
The doorbell at Minako's house rang at eleven-thirty in the night. "Ugh, who could it be at this time..." Minako's mother complained. "Say, Eiichi, could you go down and see who is it?"
Minako's father grumbled a bit, then put on his glasses and slippers and went downstairs to answer to whoever it was that rang the bell. All the way, imagining himself murdering the inconvenient visitor for being such a pain in the ears at their hour of rest. He opened the door, and saw a pair of burgundy-colored minotaurs, one significantly bigger than the other, each carrying war hammers.
"I am Zagan, President of Hell," the bigger one spoke. "We are here for the incubus, preferably through peaceful means. If you don't comply, however, expect nothing but doom upon you and the residents of this household."
"Umm, yes, what he said," spoke the other in a more subdued manner. "Except my name is Hagenti."
"Well, shit," Eiichi muttered before releasing a frightening scream that could be heard across the house.
"Eiichi, what's going-"
"Minako! Retsuko! Hide in your rooms! There are monsters in the front door! MONSTEEEEERS!"
"Don't be ridiculous! Monsters in the front-" Retsuko then took a peek downstairs and confirmed what her husband said. She shrieked loudly as a response.
Having seen the monsters entering her front door and her parents locking themselves inside their room, Minako decided to take action.
"Venus Planet Power, Make-Up!"
Differently from the expected, she did transform into Sailor Venus. Her years of daydreaming and practicing lucid dreaming paid off for something. She wasted no time going to the front door, to face off against the demons.
"Hey, hotshots! Don't you know breaking into people's houses is a crime?"
"Hey, what's with the hubbub?" Zagan asked. "We just want to get the incubus, is all."
"You're gonna get something, alright. Out of my house! Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" The attack was enough to push the two beasts away from the household without any damage to it. They rolled across the street, and the Guardian followed suit to take the battle outside.
"She's not going to contribute," observed Hagenti as it got up and helped its bigger brethren get on his feet as well.
"You don't say," quipped Zagan.
"HEY!" shouted a man from the corner of the street. "You're looking for me, aren't you? Come and get me!"
"Why, if it isn't the incubus." Zagan bellowed happily. "Your energy gives it well away. Hagenti, stay here and do something about the wench."
"Hey, I'm not a wench!" Sailor Venus reprimanded. "Well, I don't even know what a wench is, but if you are calling me that, it can't be a good thing."
The smaller minotaur complied with the bigger one's request, but as Zagan left to pursue Astar, he sighed in discontent. "You just want the glory of catching that imp for yourself, don't you?"
"SAILOR KICK!" Sailor Venus shouted as she leaped and hit Hagenti in the muzzle with a flying kick, flooring him immediately. He swung his war hammer in response, but Venus was quick to somersault over it, stopping just above her house's front gate.
"Stop right there, you beast!" another female voice spoke from above. It was Sailor Moon, without a single hitch on her body and ready for combat once more.
"Don't worry, girls. It's all under control," Artemis advised the other Guardians through Minako's communicator. "And by that, I mean the incubus appeared and lured the beast away from Mina's home, and she and Sailor Moon are fending off with the other one. If anything happens, call us. Over and out!"
"Let's settle this once and for all! Venus Love-Me Chain!" Sailor Venus called for her constricting attack, enough to bind Hagenti.
"My turn! Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!"
Hagenti immediately turned back to human, falling on his knees. Both Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus recognized him. "Wait a minute, I know you! You're Junichi, one of those pesky bullies from high school!"
"Oh no! BANCHOU!" he shouted as he started to run away. "The guy in the red robe is gonna kill him!"
"It's in a red robe now?" laughed Sailor Moon. "Well, gotta go now. You take care, Venus!"
After one last greeting, Sailor Moon left the scene to return home, and so did Sailor Venus, turning back to Minako and her less-than-flattering night outfit. As she entered her house, Minako's parents finally felt safe enough to unlock their bedroom door and come out.
"Minako! What in blazes are you doing outside your bedroom?" her mother reprimanded.
"Now, now, darling... The danger has passed, and naturally, Mina went out for a peek." Her father was the real understanding part of the couple. "Is that right?"
"Yeah! That's it, heh..." Minako answered as she glanced nervously at Artemis.
"Harumph... Fine. Let's just go to bed, okay?"
As each party went to their bedroom, Minako laid down on her bed, tired but somehow satisfied.
"I still can't believe your plan worked out," Artemis stated. "But I'm glad it did. Great job, Mina!"
Minako giggled and raised her left hand in a V-sign. "So, that bum appeared and claimed to be the incubus, huh? I hope... I hope he's fine."
(xx)
Tuxedo Mask could feel the presence of the Sailor Guardians from afar, and he leaped through the buildings towards its direction. On his way to Minako's house, he saw a boy agonizing with a small wound on his lower left chest while leaning against the wall of an empty house. Not one to leave people in need behind, he went to the boy's aid. Not only was he severely hurt, but he was also frightened to the point he flinched and tried to crawl away as soon as he saw him.
"Don't worry, I'm here to help you," Tuxedo Mask said. When he finally got close to the boy, he used his healing powers to close his wound.
"Are you alright now?" the hero asked. After coughing a bit, the boy nodded nervously to confirm he was at least getting better.
"Good. Now tell me, what exactly happened?"
Before he could explain, another teenager shouted from the corner of the street. "Banchou! BANCHOU!"
"Ah, that's my friend Junichi..."
"Hey! Did you-"
"Wait, Junichi. I was hurt, but he healed me, somehow. I guess we can trust him."
"So, it seems you two were together in this," Tuxedo Mask retook the word. "Now tell me, what exactly happened to you?"
Disjointed phrases came out from both boys. "One at a time!" affirmed Tuxedo Mask.
"Okay, I'll start," Junichi said. "On our way home after class, we were approached by some weirdo in a red bathrobe and a hannya mask, and he said he needed us for an important task, and for that he would give us some sort of power..."
"After that, I don't remember much," the other continued. "We both cut open our wrists, said something in a language I didn't even know we could speak, and we saw some kind of summoning circle that drew itself with our blood. We were told to go after the signal of an incubus, whatever that was. Our slits closed themselves, and we became those ox-things carrying big hammers. And he also told us to use our power to destroy the Sailor Guardians! Anyway, we followed the incubus' signal, he appeared but he ran away from my sight, and when I stopped to recover my breath, the weird guy appeared, said I failed and hit me with something piercing. I don't even know what that was... And I'm afraid he will return to finish the job."
"And as you can see, I failed too. Sailor Venus appeared and beat me up. She's crazy! Then Sailor Moon appeared and turned me back."
"I see..." Tuxedo Mask mulled. "Listen, leave the incubus and Sailor Moon to me. Let me take you to your homes. If this masked weirdo appears to harass you on the way, I will deal with him, okay?"
Both boys nodded and walked behind the hero, telling him where exactly each lived, not too far away from the happenings.
Well, what a terrible time to return, Tuxedo Mask thought. I'm under the impression this will only get worse.
The song during the Dreamscape sequence is a rather-off translation from one of my favorite songs ever, Belchior's "Divina Comédia Humana".
Next week is a big one, I promise.
Greetings from The Hospitaller Knight.