AICA had dropped the couple at Rei's senatorial apartment and went on to the Far Side, where she was received by Hotaru who celebrated AICA's acquisition by SunTzu with a joy flight of her own. SunTzu had told her to do it and even asked if it was okay for Setsuna, that Hotaru would fly at night again. Setsuna had given her okay but what neither adoptive mother nor superior knew, was that Hotaru made a small detour to close to the Jedi Temple and left there for a late night ride with someone on AICA's backseat.
AICA wouldn't tell what the teenager did, after all she could keep a secret.
The next morning came and SunTzu and Rei got ready for their photoshooting with the Coruscant Branch of the Vogue. The shooting would be held in different places and with different themes but the topic was the Fashion of SunRei. The style from Earth, which got Coruscant talking.
As the morning sun was good for it, the first set of the shooting would be taken in a park located at one of the top plazas of Coruscant. Outfit number one was already one of SunTzu's favorite ones, as Rei had chosen to pose as Princess Mars, while SunTzu would accompany her in his black Galactic Alliance Starfighter Corps Uniform and all his glitter on.
And goddamit, he couldn't take off his eyes from her, she always had been beautiful and breathtaking as Princess Mars but the makeup and hair artists had refined her looks even more. His heart did a jump and for a second he was legitimately worried that it would explode when he saw her.
Rei Hino, YOU are the Baddest Bishoujo!
The first set of pictures was taken, the photographer was a master of his art and he began to take pictures of each of them before he put both into the scene and made them get closer to each other with every placement.
The couple was also asked about their preferences in styling and fashion and SunTzu let Rei do most of the talking. When asked about his personal style he said if he wasn't needed to wear a uniform, flight suit or combat clothes, he either went for tailored suits or an urban look.
"And he totally owns these looks." Rei chimed in.
The second set was in business clothing, black blazers and white shirts around a artfully fountain in the park. There was a picture where Rei grabbed at his tie to seemingly pull himself to her and she simply adored that picture.
The third and last set before noon and lunch was the ones the Vogue was obsessed to get.
Rei in her magnificent Summer Yukata and SunTzu in his Lederhosen, the outfits that had catapulted the couple on the front page of the yellow press.
Laying his eyes on her, SunTzu regretted not having the ring with him for the second time in just two days. Rei's mischievous smile when she saw him let him know, that he wasn't the only one of the two that liked traditional clothing on the other.
The last shots might have went a bit overboard when the photographer persuaded SunTzu to take off his shirt and vest and hold Rei up in his arms, only the Lederhosen's suspenders over his chest. Rei didn't seem to mind, smiling widely in her purple Yukata, and the matching umbrella in her hand.
The lovers and the team had lunch at a hip outdoor bistro nearby, good thing that Coruscant with it's artificial weather didn't know about seasons anymore.
The couple couldn't keep their hands off each other ,and of course, the editor and the rest of the team noticed that.
The two lovers enjoyed their time off from their duties and between feeding each other and joking around, the editor asked them some more questions, this time more about the nature of their relationship.
"How is it, to have a relationship like yours, being in danger so often?"
"More intense." Both said at the same time beaming at and locking eyes with each other.
"For us it was definitely getting deeper and more serious way faster, because you share so much, and such bigger, emotions together." Rei told.
"You have to rely more on the other and also get to know each other way deeper. Especially in our case." SunTzu continued as the couple held hands and looked each other deep in the eyes again. But he didn't state what he meant with the last sentence, their psychic meddling being a thing nobody needed to know.
"And what do you love the most about each other?"
"Her passion. I love Rei's passion. It's so fiery and strong and feels so great and pure when it burns for you." She smiled at him.
"And you Rei, what do you love the most about SunTzu?"
Rei smiled and showed some tongue, making everybody love.
"I love his humor. No matter how bad my mood is he can always make me laugh. And he's always there for me and building me up and reassuring me." Another long deep look between the lovers. And then they shared a tender kiss and the photographer couldn't do any other way and had to take a picture.
After lunch they changed into urban clothing, like back when they had visited the urban art places in Tokyo, and the shot was relocated to the streets of Coruscant. A set of very stylish and cool shots followed, often with urban art in the background, complimenting the pictures and clothing.
For the fourth set the couple decided on what to wear and they had a surprise for the shooting team.
After heading to a nearby landing spot, AICA joined the shooting and couple changed into their flight suits and took pictures in and on AICA.
Rei knew that SunTzu would love this pictures, so she decided to do some pictures with showing a bit of skin as well and took some pictures with the zipper of her suit open , revealing her bra and quite some cleavage, like back when she tried to make SunTzu notice her back a few months ago.
Rei didn't have a problem to show off some skin, she knew she could convince people trough other means and that she got her position as Senator through hard work, so it was all good for her. Like she told, these were pictures to show her grandchildren how beautiful she once was. Although SunTzu told her last night that for him she would always be the most beautiful woman in this Galaxy, no matter how old and wrinkly she would get. They had laughed about it and then shared a kiss full of tender love.
Evening began to fell onto the planet wide city when they switched places for the last two sets.
They went to a very exclusive hotel for a shooting in swim wear and in the descending sun, sending out it's last powerful rays, the photographer took pictures of Rei and SunTzu around and in the rooftop pool.
Rei had a sexy cut red bathing suit on and SunTzu was in swim trunks.
The orange rays of the sun sparkled in the water and on the drops of water running down their bodies when they had began to take pictures in the pool.
The last photos had them together at the edge of the pool, embracing each other with some sensual shots and Rei got as close to SunTzu as he could because she was beginning to feel cold.
When they got out the pool SunTzu laid a huge towel around the shivering Rei and warmed her, which she rewarded with a kiss.
The Vogue team told her they would make up for the cold now and as soon as they were dry again, they changed the location from the rooftop to a huge suit in the hotel, overviewing most of the skyline of Coruscant.
The last set was to be set at the suite's large jacuzzi, which had a window with a phenomenal view behind it as well. Rei was handed a sophisticated bordeaux colored two piece bikini with high waist panty scrunch bottom including laces on the side.
They took pictures with both the lovers in the whirlpool, some with SunTzu carrying Rei in his arms, the couple looking out the window onto the sunset and the couple's favorite picture from the shot, SunTzu sitting in the jacuzzi, leaning his head against the mid sedition of a seductively looking Rei, on all fours, on the edge in front of the window behind them. The couple's close second was a picture where Rei was sitting in the jacuzzi, looking up to SunTzu, sitting behind er at the edge in front of the window, looking down into her eyes, both emitting an aura of intimacy.
When the sun finally settled down the team of the shooting had packed and they had said their goodbyes. Vogue had been so friendly and generous and had booked the room for the couple until tomorrow, which was to their absolute delight.
The door hadn't been closed for two minutes as both were already out of their bath robes and in the hot jacuzzi again.
The lovers had to wait the whole day, since ever the shooting had started, laying eyes on the beautified version of each other after the treatment of the photo shooting team for hours, to finally lay their hands and mouths over each other without any restraint, being able to satisfy their longing and lust for one another and couldn't wait any longer to do so.
After a night that saw multiple times of utilizing the room service for all their needs and lots of steamy, passionate lovemaking the couple woke up in the suite's king size bed the next morning.
In a tight embrace the two lovers lay next to each other, hands around the other, locking eyes and a slight smile in their faces, concentrating on the aura of the other. Time and Space became relative again as their souls meddled once more, both diving in the sensation of being so close that their souls were practically fusing.
But this time something was different, something not far away emitted an immense source of energy, SunTzu could specify it as the Force. A Force User stronger than any he had evr felt before. The Force-User was not going in one direction, it's aura was a mixture of light and dark, a bit like Lord Vader's.
The connection between the two lovers faded quickly after the distraction.
"Did you feel that too?" Rei asked, surprised that something so powerful couldn't be sensed before. It had to be at least somewhere in the Senate District, as close as they had sensed it.
"I did. It was the strongest being I've ever felt in the Force. Stronger than Grandmaster Skywalker. Stronger than Vader." SunTzu answered and sat up with a worried look on his face.
"It has to be somewhere around the Senate District. And I think with a bit of your help I can find it."
"I don't know if that's a good idea. I'm a bit afraid that whatever we will find, will be dangerous to us."
"Oh c'mon TopGun, Sailor Mars will protect you."
SunTzu sighed and then leaned over his girlfriend.
"Rei. If someone protects someone here, than it's me. And therefore I don't want to take any unnecessary risks. You felt how powerful this… thing was."
Rei's hand cupped his face, her fingers brushing through his beard.
"Don't worry, if it's really that dangerous, it's good we find it before someone without our powers does."
Her lips where slightly open as she pulled him down into a small but tender kiss.
"Together we are unstoppable." She hushed after the kiss and SunTzu turned his face away for a moment to think about it.
"Okay. But maybe this time you might have to run rather than to fight."
Half an hour later the couple left the apartment and with a pendulum in one hand and SunTzu, who had made sure to extra ammunition for his pistol, holding her other hand to lent her some energy, Rei tried to locate the strange manifestation of Force power. SunTzu had insisted that they at least let Ami know on what they were up to. The blue haired genius had told them to think through it though but Rei had appeased her, saying that if things would get too rough to handle they'd back off and call for reinforcements.
They went deeper and deeper down the hundreds of floors and soon they left the shiny luxurious city levels and went to the more poor and rotten places of Coruscant's underground. SunTzu had heard stories and rumors about how bad it could get down here and which dangers lurked around. And it probably hadn't gotten any better after the reconquest and de-terraforming of the planet.
Down here the concrete jungle partly mixed with the jungle the Vong had left when they had terraformed Coruscant after capturing it and the climate was damp and hot. At least there still was light, mostly from electricity, but sometimes also from a bioluminescent mushroom on the walls and ceilings.
As the couple headed deeper and deeper into the underground they both could sense that something was off. Not even vermin was around any longer, much less larger animals or any sentient individuals.
A few minutes and a long empty corridor later, dozens of stories under the deepest place to get a watch of Coruscant's sky, just after they had reached the end of the corridor and arrived in a large round room with high walls and half a dozen corridors leading in and out of it, SunTzu could finally feel something alive again. The only lighted corridor was the one they were coming from but the room they arrived at now was brightly lit as well.
A single granite slug was watching them, from somewhere above. But something seemed to be very wrong with it. It didn't feel natural in the Force.
No, it rather felt like it's mind was controlled by someone, or rather something.
SunTzu could feel an unnatural link in the Force with the slug being the receiving end.
For a few seconds SunTzu just stared at the slimy creature above them on the other side of the room.
Rei stopped as well and turned around to SunTzu, to see why he had stopped walking on.
She looked at him and then up to where he was looking. She sensed something was going on as well, but couldn't grasp it as much as the Force-Sensitive.
"Babe, why you looking at that snail? What's wrong with it?" She asked him, a hint of worry in her voice.
"I think you should transform."
As soon as he said that he collapsed to his knees and put his hands to his temple in immense pain.
"SunTzu?!" Rei kneeled down to him, when she suddenly sensed danger coming in.
"Ngh… Rei… you have… to transform." SunTzu stammered out trough his pain.
From one of the corridors a strange sound came in, like something sharp scratching over the concrete floor.
Rei swallowed hard and then put her hand up.
"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"
A few moments later she was in her Super Sailor Mars form and ready to take on whatever would come down that corridor.
SunTzu down at her feet still was in pain and she kneeled down to him again, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Take care… something powerful is coming…"
He somehow managed to put his hand on her hand on his shoulder, to let her know he wasn't a priority right now.
Alright then, whatever is coming up that corridor better be fireproof.
Her hands engulfed in flames and she formed a large fire soul in her right hand, ready to release it.
Suddenly the sound of claws coming closer stopped and after a moment was replaced by the sound of fearful shrieking and the sound of the claws gaining distance again. Something must have scared the incoming creatures so much, that they were fleeing in panic from it now.
"It…it's coming…" SunTzu pressed out and now Rei could feel it again as well. Something very, very powerful was coming their way.
And she could feel that this thing wanted to get into her head as well.
And then it, or her, Rei wasn't really sure, appeared from the corridor they were facing.
She had long, light blonde hair and a rather attractive body clothed in a white dress. But there were two things spoiling her beauty. First of all, her mouth. It was slit from ear to ear, showing off dozens of pointy teeth. And the second, even more terrifying, feature were her hands and feet, if one could call them that, as they were long tentacles, complete with suckers.
For a moment it or she just stood there, three steps in the room and stared at SunTzu.
"You look like him but you are not as strong and dedicated as him." The creature stated towards SunTzu, her head cocked slightly sideways in a questioning pose.
"Listen Lady, I don't know who or what you are but there's one thing a Japanese girl dislikes and that is tentacles! Especially when they're on a poor, whitewashed copy of the Kuchisake Onna!" Rei spat out and the fire on her arms grew even bigger.
"You! Who are you, Wielder of Fire?" The creature shifted it's gaze and asked Rei with the still curious impression in his face.
Rei's mouth curled into a half smile.
"I am the Pretty Guardian who fights for Love and Passion. I am Sailor Mars. In the name of Mars, I'll chastise you!"
"Sailor Mars?" The creature repeated the name as if she had heard it before.
"R-Rei… you have to flee, it's too powerful." SunTzu told Rei while he was still shaking with pain. "Ugh… get out of my head!" He yelled out towards the blonde haired creature.
Rei looked at him again and for a second she really contemplated to grab him and make a run but then she decided against it. SunTzu was going through immense pain and above that, nobody was allowed inside his head other than her. This monster had to perish. Seeing him in so much pain, brought her inner fire to heat up even more, what did this abhorrent thing think it was?
"Babe, you know, that Sailor Mars doesn't run from a fight. Don't worry, I'll finish this quick." She said as her eyes began to glow red and she transformed once more.
Welcome back Cosmic Sailor Mars. And now to finish this thing quickly. Sorry Tentacle Lady, you fucked with the wrong guy's mind.
The creature observed Rei's second transformation with curiosity, not giving away any indication that it would attack. Except for the tingling in Rei's head that something wanted to get inside her mind.
The creature could enter most of the minds of any living being in the Galaxy, even If they were Jedi, but Rei Hino was different. Mind control had been a danger for the Senshi from an early time so she had trained herself to withstand such attacks.
"I can't get into your mind, Sailor Mars."
The creature stated with an angered voice, the first time it showed a negative emotion.
Rei casted a burning Arrow with her Flame Sniper Attack and aimed it at the creature.
"Don't worry about that you ugly monstrosity, rather worry that you're about to be Fried Octopus!" Sailor Mars casually said and then released the arrow.
The lightning fast attack didn't hit, the monster just had sidestepped it in such a quick motion that It had been hard to follow her movements.
"Not bad, I give you that." Cosmic Sailor Mars said and decided to make things upclose and personal then.
She stormed forward, hands and feet covered in fire and was about to strike the creature with a jumped strike.
But the the creature just held her hand up and Rei froze in midair. The creature made a wiping move and Rei flew in the direction the monster had moved her hand to.
She landed hard on the floor, the air knocked out of her lungs.
SunTzu watched in a mixture of fear and anger and still couldn't move because of the pain.
With clenched teeths he tried to get up.
The creature immediately turned towards him while Rei needed a moment to get up.
"Why are you resisting?" The creature asked SunTzu.
"Because… nobody hurts the woman I love." Somehow he managed to get up on his feet, driven by his sheer will and dedication to protect Rei.
"Same goes for the man I love, you ugly bitch!" Rei was back and pounced towards the creature, her hand engulfed in flames.
And this time she almost hit, but the monster was faster again and after searing it's shoulder because the monster couldn't at least dodge the attack completely, a tentacle grabbed Rei and violently dashed her away.
A second time she landed hard on the floor.
SunTzu fought hard to gain back the control over his body but after seeing Rei slamming hard onto the floor again, something inside him was released. Unbeknown to him, his eyes began to glow yellow as he battled for his mind's freedom. Suddenly a surge of the Force shot through him and he was released from the iron grip the monster had on his mind.
He immediately grabbed for his pistol and pulled it out.
Within a second he let his gun off on the monster.
Only to have his bullets fall down before the monster.
The same went for a second salvo and a third he let off when he was running towards the monster.
Every bullet of the magazine fell down in front of the creature, which looked at SunTzu rather astounded.
"You freed yourself of my control?" The creature asked while SunTzu was still storming towards her, not showing any effort to dodge him.
While running, faster than he probably had ever ran before, he put his weapon back into it's holster and concentrated onto his arm.
I'm not the type to hit a woman, but I have to protect Rei.
Fast as lightning he bursted into the creature and tried to punch her into the face as hard as he could.
The monster could barely use her tentacles for blocking the strike and was taken aback a few steps.
And this was all that SunTzu needed, he quickly changed his direction and ran past the creature.
Rei still had problems getting up when SunTzu arrived next to her and gently but speedily grabbed her under his arms and lifted her up.
Her face was bruised and dirty and from SunTzu's nose down to his chin a long trail of blood was visible when he shot her a small grin and she gently but weakly laid an arm around his neck while he ran away with her, back into the corridor they came from.
Behind them the monster yelled out now. A howl that set teeth on the edge. And then she rushed after the two Guardians.
SunTzu ran as fast as he could.
"Are you injured?" He slammed out, asking the beleaguered Cosmic Sailor Mars in his arms, while he already was panting.
"I don't think so." She paused for a moment and then forced herself to a wry grin. "You were right, we rather should have run."
Behind them the monster howled again, apparently it was catching up, and SunTzu seriously began to worry what he could do to not make that thing reach them.
They had almost reached the end of the corridor and after that waited a flight of stairs and another short corridor until they would reach an old and battered repulsor lift.
SunTzu stomach began to churn, when he thought about what that thing could do to that old lift cabin.
The pilot was profoundly sweating when he flew up the stairs more than running them upwards. Rei, doing better by now looked over his shoulder and thankfully couldn't see a sign of the creature.
And then SunTzu suddenly stopped.
The elevator was gone.
But before SunTzu could do anything he sensed something coming near fast, from above. Something strong. Strong in the Dark Side of the Force.
And suddenly two figures with activated, red light sabers landed a few meters behind them with a loud impact and SunTzu warily let Rei down on her feet and pulled her in behind him as he turned around again, guarding her with his body. His hand was already reaching for his pistol again.
They were Twileks. A wiry, somewhat androgynous male, carrying a light saber, and a female, actually carrying two lightsabers. Both were quite attractive and the black leather clothes the duo was wearing just concealed the minimum. Also both of them were completely colored in red and covered in black tattoos from Lekkus to toes.
Sith.
How bad can this day still get?
The Sith Twilek both got up and while the Female took a step forward, getting into a defensive stance, the male turned around and faced SunTzu.
"Where is she?" He asked SunTzu, Rei behind him, one of her hands around his upper body.
"Down the stairs." SunTzu thought about to warn them, that whatever that thing was, it wasn't to be underestimated but those were Sith after all.
"Ootay so Jedi?" The female asked, her raspy voice sounding irritated.
"We are here, Sith." A voice came from above and three Jedi landed next to the Sith, their lightsabers drawn as well.
SunTzu let out a nervous breather, at least they had backup now.
The Jedi that had answered the Sith turned around to SunTzu.
"You and the Senator, stay here! There's more backup on the way." Then quickly looked at the Jedi and the Sith.
"Let's go and find her."
Rei pulled her hand closer around SunTzu, and looked up to him, his mouth open in surprise.
The Jedi and Sith weren't fighting against each other. Quite the opposite actually, they moved forward in unison, apparently to face that monster.
And that Jedi that had told him to stay put had been none other than the Jedi Master's Council Member Kam Solusar.
Within minutes more Jedi and Sith had appeared and rushed down the stairs and the corridor, ready to fight.
Rei was leaning against a wall as bit by bit more Jedi and the occasional Sith rushed down into the corridor and SunTzu did a check up on her to find out if she was injured. Through the grit in her face her pearly white teeth shone as she smiled, adoring that he was solely worried about her. He hadn't even noticed the slim trail of blood that had traveled down his face from his nose, because he was only concentrating on her. And he probably hadn't even noticed in which grave danger he had been in, when that thing had been in his mind, as it could have easily caused havoc in his brain. Her smile died down immediately when she thought about that. Right now he had her arm stretched out and checked if she felt any pain in it, while she was both contemplating to let him know about the blood in his face or to kiss him anyways, just out of pure thankfulness to always put her first.
With the fourth group of Force-Users, the Senshi, all of them, the Mau and Tuxedo Mask appeared as well. With them were Master Cilghal and Darth Vader himself.
Later took a quick look at Sailor Mars and SunTzu and then marched on.
Jedi Council Member Cilghal and their friends immediately swarmed them. Venus immediately took over from SunTzu while Sailor Pluto pulled him a step back and had a look at his nose, but SunTzu motioned her to take care of Sailor Mars first. Cilghal took over from her and first of all put one of her fin looking hands on his face, probing his mind.
After a moment she opened her eyes again and nodded.
"You were lucky, SunTzu. She is capable to render even a skilled Force-User in a psychosis."
She pulled out a small medical scanner and scanned his head.
"No damage." The Jedi Healer stated.
"Master, I wouldn't mind if you could scan the Senator for injuries as well." SunTzu said as he finally noticed the blood in his face.
Cilghal nodded and turned over to Sailor Mars, who was examined and questioned about her well-being by Sailor Pluto and Sailor Venus. The rest of the Senshi, except the Royals, were guarding the area around the elevator
"That was pretty bold from the two of you to come here alone." Sailor Moon stated and walked up to SunTzu, the three Mau and Mamoru at her side.
"Well, we told Ami about our plan and you know how Rei is when she's pursuing something." He managed a grin when Rei shot him a half smile as well. "But yeah, I guess we underestimated whatever it is that dwells down there." He paused for a moment and looked down from where they had come before he continued. "Maybe someone has the decency to tell us what that thing was."
Sailor Moon and Cilghal exchanged a look and the Jedi Master nodded slowly
"It's, or rather her name is Abeloth." Sailor Moon told. "She's a Force Entity that had been twisted by Chaos eons ago."
Cilghal had finished examining Rei with her scanner, she wasn't injured and the Jedi got up.
"She was once the servant of a family of the most powerful Force Users ever, the Ones. She became the Mother of the Family soon but got corrupted, becoming Abeloth, the Bringer of Chaos. She was prisoned into the Maw, but with the destruction of Centerpoint Station as final act of the duel between Darth Vader and the Sith-Lady Lumiya two years ago, that prison was weakened. The Jedi tried everything to contain her but a few months ago someone destroyed Sinkhole Station inside the Maw and freed her. We were expecting her to come to Coruscant but not that early. Which is an advantage for us because after millennia in captivity she's still weakened."
"And why was nobody out there to find her then, except the two of us?" SunTzu asked and motioned to Sailor Mars, his voice sounding irritated.
"We were. But she is already so powerful that she can mislead Force-Wielders. Dozens of Jedi were already out searching for her all over Coruscant after the attack at the Imperial Palace. And not only Jedi. As you saw, even the Sith are after her." The Jedi-Master's head slumped down, as if she was embarrassed.
"The Jedi and the Sith formed a temporary alliance to bring her down as she is a threat to th both of us. And the Galaxy as whole"
SunTzu's jaw dropped for a moment. Something so powerful that both Jedi and Sith feared it enough to cast their fight to the side and work together. But then he began to understand quite a few things.
That huge presence of Dark Side Power he felt months ago besides Master Skywalker on Tatooine had been a Sith Master.
"I see. But neither the Jedi nor the Sith were able to locate her. Sailor Mars was though." He glanced over to Rei again, a sly grin on both their faces again and Cilghal lowered her gaze again.
"Powerful psychic and not deceivable in the Force as a regular Jedi she proofed to be more able to find Abeloth, yes."
SunTzu nodded.
"Well then, thanks for at least giving us a headsup now. Right after we were almost killed by this abomination. I guess the Jedi-Sith Alliance can take it from here." He said and walked over to Rei.
"I still have a few questions for you SunTzu." Cilghal said but SunTzu put his hand up.
"This will have to wait, Master. First of all things, I'm taking my girlfriend away from here to make sure she is safe and can get some rest. I'll contact you later."
Sailor Venus made room for him, as he kneeled next to Rei and linked her in.
"Let's get out of here, I'll carry you." He said in a low, tender voice to Rei.
"Thanks, but no. I'll leave this place standing on my own, if only for my damn ego." He helped her up and when they both were standing she embraced him for a second.
"At least I left a fucking mark on her shoulder. I hope it inflames." She said with a forced grin while finally the ache of the beating she received began. SunTzu helped her on the way to the elevator, which by now had arrived as well.
"TopGun, I need a massage, ice cream and someone to tug me in before I take an hour-long nap." Rei stated as they entered the elevator, followed by their friends. "And a truckload of painkillers."
Soon after the two lovers, accompanied by the other Senshi, had arrived at Rei's place. Pluto and Saturn had offered to stand guard at their apartment but Mars had politely declined. SunTzu had become very quiet since ever the group had left the underground.
"Thanks for coming to safe us. I appreciate it." Rei said in front of her door before they had said goodbye. All of them had been detransformed again and on the ride to the apartment, they already had managed to get some painkillers for Rei. And she and SunTzu had cleaned their faces up as well.
"Next Time, wait for us and don't rush in on your own." Ami had told them on the ride.
"Ami is right." Michiru chimed in. "That could have been your end."
An awkward pause followed as the teal haired woman just had spoken out, what everybody had been thinking.
After a few moments Rei broke the silence.
"But we didn't. And I'm sure the Jedi will put that monster down any moment."
After they left SunTzu had done everything Rei had asked him for and even more as he had run a warm, relaxing bath for her and had called Izumi and told her that her boss was off for today.
A few hours later, it was late afternoon by then, and SunTzu also had managed to catch a few minutes of uneasy sleep before he had gotten up again. Shirtless and in deep thought SunTzu had been wandering around the apartment before he finally settled down next to Rei's bed.
SunTzu was at her side as she jolted up, apparently she had had a nightmare and she immediately embraced him as strong as she could, before she began to cry as all the anxiety finally catched up with her.
"You could have died down there. And even as Cosmic Sailor Mars I couldn't do shit against that monster!"
SunTzu could feel the Senshi's tears travel down his chest, as she sobbed.
"No, this thing wasn't out to kill me." He took her head into his hands and lifted her gaze up to his eyes, and she could see that he was devastated as well.
"I… I couldn't protect you Rei…"
"It's okay." She said, one hand brushing over his face. "I couldn't protect you either. Let's face it, you were right. This thing was just too strong for the both of us."
"You don't understand. Protecting you is my first and foremost goal. And I failed. Miserably."
"No, you didn't. You heard Cilghal, Abeloth is more than a match for even a Jedi. And you freed yourself from her grasp. And you did safe me."
"But most of the time I was useless. I was not strong enough."
She leaned in and put her temple onto his.
"Stop it. Don't be so hard with yourself. You are the reason I'm still alive." She planted a tender kiss on his lips and then they fell into each other's hug again, seeking salvation in the other's closeness.
While in the embrace Rei thought about that maybe she had become too self assured lately, too used to be winning all the time. They weren't invincible, and SunTzu would rather give his life without hesitation than to see her get injured.
SunTzu was also deep in thoughts, while he tried to relax in the arms of the woman that was everything to him.
But he was thinking about their encounter and the creature's voice still echoed in his head.
"You look like him, but you are not as strong and dedicated as him."
What had she meant with that?