Chapter 6
"This is crazy," Hino Rei hissed at her companions.
"In HERE fixing snacks while Usagi is out THERE reading manga to
her new friend."
Minako winced, either at Rei's harsh whisper or
Usagi's characteristic laugh that shuddered through the air like
the mating call of a castrated moose.
"I don't know about you. . . " Makoto eyed the
arrangement on the plate with a critical eye. With millimeter
precision she move a bean-jam bun a hairs breadth to the left.
". . . but given a choice between making snacks and
reading manga or being pounded into the ground like a bent nail,
I'll take snacks and manga."
"I say we can take her," the fire senshi retorted.
"If we all hit her together. What do you think Ami?"
The good hearted genius girl paused from measuring
tea into glasses.
"I think, that if all of the senshi, inner and
outer combined their powers in one massive blow. . . " Ami held
a glass up to the light and examined the level with pursed lips.
With the same care she would have used defusing a nuclear bomb Ami
carefully poured tea from a pitcher into the glass.
". . .while Akanesan was asleep. . . " Satisfied with the results,
Ami carefully put that
glass down and picked up the next in line, repeating the procedure.
". . .I think we could probably seriously irritate
her while suffering no more than 100% casualties."
Rei stared at Ami, popeyed. Makoto closed Rei's
drooping jaw with a gentle finger.
"You're kidding, right. She can't be that
powerful." Rei finally found her voice. Ami turned serious eyes
on the rest of her friends.
"I'm not kidding. Oh, we could probably take her if
we really tried. Maybe even without the outer senshi. But it
would seriously weaken us in the attempt." She fixed Rei with
a stern look. "I've got serious reservations about Akanesan
myself. But she's not actively hostile right now. We've already
got one new enemy, we can't afford to make another."
"And she did save us, or Usagi at least, twice,"
Minako added.
"But what about the game parlor? She just attacked
us for no reason."
"You may not lay hands on the princess." "AAAAAAAAAA!"
Rei shrieked as the strange voice
suddenly spoke in cool even tones behind her. Small, strong fingers
snatched the tray of snacks from the air before it could spill.
"The princ. . . Usagi wanted more snacks." Akane
turned to go.
"And you do everything Usagi asks don't you."
Fright made Rei more sarcastic than usual. "Just like a good dog."
Akane froze in the doorway. Slowly she turned.
Empty brown eyes fixed Rei like a missile targeting system.
Step by slow inexorable step Akane approached. Rei backed one
involuntary pace, then held her ground. Around her the other
senshi wondered if they could transform in time to save their
friend. Snack filled tray held steady in one hand out to the
side Akane stopped directly in front of Rei, no more than the width
of a cheap paperback separating them. Rei was startled to notice
that she was taller than Akane by several inches. Then again
Akane's diminutive stature might make it more convenient for her
to pull Rei's spine out through her belly button. Akane rose on
tip-toes till she was almost nose-to-nose with Rei.
"WOOF!" "If you'll excuse me," came a tiny voice from
Minako as Akane disappeared from the kitchen, "I need to use the
bathroom."
"Well at least," a very shaken Ami added, "we know
she has a sense of humor."
"Sort of. Hey wait up Minako." Makoto called after
her friend. "I need to change my panties too."
"So do you have any hobbies Akane?" Usagi burbled
around a pork bun, like Diogenes with a mouth full of pebbles.
"Rei likes to sing and write songs. She wants to be an Idol. And
Minna-P is a great athlete. She's really good at volleyball. Do
you like volleyball? I bet you'd be good. I'm not very good at
sports. Could you tell? But I like to watch."
Fragments of words and food sprayed the air
impartially. The senshi were used to this behavior, but watched
their visitor in trepidation. Akane sat motionless and
expressionless under the verbal and culinary assault.
"Ami likes to play chess. Do you play chess? I play
chess. Well not really. I like to pretend that I'm the princess. I
know it's really a queen, but I pretend I'm a princess, and the
chess board is a beautiful ball room and we're all dancing and
this handsome knight, who's really the prince in disguise, and I
know it's a king, but I pretend. . ." The senshi watched fascinated
as Akane, with exquisite precision, plucked pieces of bean- jam,
pork, maple and other assorted sweet buns from Usagi's hair and
clothes, like a tigress grooming her cub.
". . .swimming. I'm not very good but Ami is great. I
think she loves swimming more than anything except thinking.
And you can think while swimming, I think." Usagi turned her
beautiful eyes to Akane. "Do YOU like to swim? We could go to
the beach and swim together. That would be lots of fun. I like
the beach."
Worriedly the senshi noticed Akane jerk slightly
and a shudder run through her body at Usagi's words.
". . . koto is really strong. People were afraid of
her, but I wasn't because of her good bento. I think bento
tells you a lot about people. I can always tell about people by
the food they make. Makoto is a great cook. She wants to start
her own restaurant. Do you like to cook? I bet you're a good cook."
Akane started to jerk and shudder. ". . . to the beach and
have a party. You and Makoto
could cook and. . . "
Noises like a rock-crusher choking on a Honda
emanated from Akane's now visibly shuddering body.
"She's having convulsions," Ami exclaimed. "No," Rei snarled,
"she's powering up for an
attack.
"She's laughing," Usagi comfortably asserted,
patting Akane gently on the back as she writhed on the floor like
an eel in a blender.
"Whooooo! Coooookkkk." Akane's heels drummed on the
floor. "Hehehehehe! Swiiiimmmmmmm!" She banged the floor till the
walls shuddered. "I'll go swimming, then cook. NO! Cook first, then
swim." She howled, tears streaming down her face. "NO! NO! I've got
it, I'll cook WHILE I'm swimming."
"Feel better now? Here, blow." Usagi pressed a
tissue into Akane's hands. "Now why don't we have a nice talk.
I'm sure you must have some questions. I know we do."
"You did that on purpose!" Akane accused wiping her
face with another tissue.
"Well, everybody was getting all serious." "I'm Blood Guar. . . "
Usagi shushed Akane pressing a finger to her lips. "You're my
friend Akachan. Nothing else. And none
of this "Blood Guard have no friends" stuff. What do you think
this is, a remake of the Forty Seven Ronnin? I've got very good
hearing." Usagi added at Akane's amazed, questioning look.
"Do you mind if we ask you some questions Tendou-
san?" Ami asked quietly.
Akane's eyes lost focus for a moment and her lips
moved silently. Her eyes came back into focus and she turned to
face Ami.
"All right. Ask. I'll answer if I can." "Just who are you,
where do you come from?" Minako
asked.
Akane's lips quirked in a smile at some private
joke.
"Which life time?" Minako seemed stumped for a moment, then
grinned. "OK, you've got me. Let's start with. . . are you a
senshi?"
Minako had a brief thought that perhaps she
shouldn't have asked that question as a look of murderous
rage passed over Akane's face. Then Akane shook herself slightly
and the look passed as if it had never been.
"No, I am not a senshi." "Well, what are you?" "Ami-chan, you
shouldn't be so blunt." Ami blushed, but persisted. "I know
you have great
power, but I'm not sure what kind of power, where it comes from
or how. . . "
Akane's eyes lost focus again and she seemed to be
involved in some internal debate. The senshi were starting
to become concerned at their guest's actions all except for Usagi
and Rei. Usagi because she didn't notice anything unusual, and Rei
because she'd never stopped being concerned.
"The Silver Imperium was a master of all space."
Ami started as Akane suddenly began to speak.
"Not just of our space, that we normally perceive,
but all spaces, all dimensions. And with that ability. . . with
that ability they created. . . paradise." Rei shivered at the
bitterness she heard in Akane's voice.
"Uh, excuse me," Minako squeaked embarrassedly,
raising her hand "but what do you mean? Why did this make them
so powerful?"
Akane thought a bit, them began a quick sketch of
stick figures on a napkin.
"OH, KAWAII!." Usagi exclaimed. " Look Minako!
Isn't this. . . " She snatched the picture from Akane and spun around
to show Minako. And as she did her long hair whipped through the air
and swept a crystal bowl from a low shelf.
"Ooooh! Rei I'm so sorry. I. . . "Usagi's voice
trailed off as she noticed Akane staring at the crystal shards.
"A . .Akanechan? Are you all right?" Akane didn't appear to
hear Usagi and remained
staring at the broken glass for another silent moment. Then,
slowly, carefully she scooped up the broken glass in both hands.
"Akane! Be careful. . . you'll cut your. . . " Even as Usagi
cried her warning Akane brought her
hands together, pressing the glass fragments together. As the
gathered senshi watched, amazed, the brittle razor sharp bits of
glass melted and flowed like wax.
"What are you. . . " "Ami! How is she. . . " Oblivious to the
startled babble surrounding her
Akane focused on the semi-liquid mass in her hands. Under the
watchful gaze of Usagi and her friends Akane gently molded the glass
with quick delicate motions. As the senshi watched a cloud of tiny
crystal butterflies arose from a pool of water. A crescent moon
was reflected in the rippling pool. Standing sentinel around the pool
were four figures. To the north, a majestic tree, its towering
green branches tangled with captured lightning. Broad limbs and
sturdy trunk stood as a bulwark against any danger that might
threaten. In the east, a cool blue river flowed into the pool
while in the north burned a brilliant fire bathing the pool and
the butterflies in a golden light. And in the south. . . in the
south a phoenix rose from a bed of red flame. . . beak open as it
cried warning. . . wings outstretched protectively. Silently Akane
handed the finished work to Usagi.
"Akane-chan. . . it's beautiful." Almost against her will Makoto
reached out to trace
the tree with a gentle hand.
"I've never seen anything like this. I wish I could
make something this beautiful."
"So do I," Akane said wistfully, looking at the
creation of her hands.
Ami blinked at this odd statement. Before she could
ask about it Akane had retrieved the napkin with the stick figures
and continued her explanation of Imperial technology.
"Now imagine that this is a two-dimensional world
called flat-land. The people living here can go left and right, up
and down. But they can never go OUT. They can't even imagine the
possibility. But suppose some one from the THIRD dimension, ours,
appeared in flat land. The flat landers would never be able to
see all of her, just a thin cross section. They could never hurt her
or even catch her. By moving OUT of their world into the third
dimension she would seem to disappear or walk through walls. She
could travel instantly to any part of their world, or reach inside of
their bodies. The flat- landers would be helpless against her.
The Silver Imperium mastered the ability to travel among different
dimensions."
"How many dimensions?" Ami asked fascinated. "How many would
you like? There are as many
dimensions as you can conceive." Akane thought for a moment.
"The Imperium could fold an entire world, like you
would fold this piece of paper," Akane pressed "flat- land' into
a small square "and as easily move it" the paper went into her
pocket,"or destroy it." Akane tore "flat-land" into strips and let
the pieces flutter to the floor.
"Whaaaaa. You killed them!" Usagi looked teary eyed
at the torn scraps and scrabbled to piece them together.
"Baka! It's not real." Rei stormed "It's only make-
beli. . . " She paused as Akane put a hand on Usagi's shoulder.
"Forgive me, Princess." Akane gently removed the paper from
Usagi's hand.
Pressing them between her palms she closed her eyes and concentrated.
It was different this time. The calm almost ecstatic look
that had accompanied the previous creation was gone. Instead as
they watched her features seemed to melt and run together. Her
body seemed to shimmer and the air around her shifted and twisted.
As suddenly as it had begun, Akane snapped back to normalcy.
She opened her hands and handed Usagi "flat- land", restored and
unblemished.
"How. . . " Ami couldn't believe what she had just
seen, let alone what her computer was telling her. Akane had, somehow,
un-torn the paper. As impossible as un- burning a log. But she had
done it.
Akane sat silent and bloodless, panting as if she'd
run the Iron-man. Twice. In plate armor. Usagi, concerned,
cradled Akane's head between her palms. A white light flared. When
it faded Akane sat blinking in astonishment, completely recovered.
"Princess! You should not. . . " "Hush, I was just being silly,
crying over nothing.
YOU should not do things that could hurt you like that."
"You are my princess. My life is yours."Akane said
this with such simple certainty that Usagi and the senshi were
struck dumb. Minako was the first to recover her voice.
"Ok, what was that all about. How did you do that?
How do you do any of the stuff you do?"
"As I said, the Imperium mastered dimensions. They
could travel through all space and time. My abilities are based
on that technology."
"You move through different dimensions?" "Through them. And
between them."Akane raised her
shirt and outlined a faint angularity beneath her skin. "This
implant generates a. . . I suppose that dimensional shift is the
best approximation. I am shifted, randomly from dimension, to
dimension. But this shift is not instantaneous , and because of
this small 'dwell time' it is possible for me to remain between
dimensions. . . what they termed 'zero space'. The theory was that
as long as I was in 'zero space' I was invulnerable."
"Yeah, but you've been hurt. I saw you bleeding." "Minako!"
"Sorry, Usagi. Sorry Akane. But I saw you bleed . . .or
something."
"Oh, I was bleeding alright. And if my containment shield
is weak things can . . .uh . . .leak through."
"But . . .it was BLACK . . .and it ate holes in the
ground."
"Passing through dimensions changes physical
characteristics." Akane tilted her head to one side, as if listening
to . . .someone." As a matter of fact . . .Sailorjupiter liked to pass
biscuit dough through the eighth dimension before baking . . .said
it made a really light and flaky biscuit.." There was a moment of
stunned silence at this pronouncement before Minako broke the impasse.
"Umm . . .but what about your being hurt . . .I mean if
this . . .uh . . .zero-space stuff makes you invulnerable . . ."
Well, I wouldn't be much use if I stayed always between. . . "
"You wouldn't be able to affect anything in THIS
dimension," Ami exclaimed excitedly, then blushed as she realized
she'd interrupted.
"That's right. So the implant phases me into this
dimension, briefly. The phase generator can control how much of
. . .me . . .is in any dimension. Usually just enough to act in
normal-space. The rest of me stays 'safely' in zero-space. That takes
a lot of energy though. And while that allows me to interact here, it
also allows others to act on me. I can be hurt, but it's very hard to
do so It's also . . .uncomfortable" Everyone winced at this obvious
understatement. "Having your body spread through several dimensions is
a little like . . ."Akane pause trying to think of a suitable analogy.
"Imagine sticking your hand through a meat-grinder to get to your
pencil-box. . .putting the hand back together on the other side
. . . writing your class notes . . .pulling BACK through the grinder
. . .and putting the hand back to normal. That's what it feels like
. . .only not as comfortable."
"But . . .doesn't your 'containment shield' protect
you?" Ami questioned. "And what is that 'plasma' effect?"
"The containment shield does just that . . .it 'contains
me', like a pitcher holds water. It keeps me from being . . .umm
. . .lost. . . .like water pouring out of a busted pitcher. Only in
my case it would look more like dynamiting a rotten apple." Akane
put her fingertips together and drew them apart in an expanding
motion. ."Boooom." Usagi looked sick at the notion of Akane exploding
and the rest of the senshi didn't look much better. "And by 'plasma'
I guess you're talking about the shield/n-space interface. I don't
have the math to explain it exactly but what you're seeing is me or
a cross- section of me spread through several dimensions. I've never
seen it myself . . .never thought to look for a mirror . . .but I've
been told it looks . . .strange."
"I've got a question!" Rei challenged. Everyone
turned to look at her. "Well, I do have a question. Why did you
show up now. And where have you been. I mean were did you get
all of your weapons and. . . stuff. . ." she trailed off weakly.
"Where did YOU come from!" Akane grinned at the
dirty look Rei gave her. "In my case someone called me."
"Huh?" "Someone, I don't know who, sounded the Imperial
Rally. All Blood Guard have to answer. Even dead ones." Usagi gapped
at that last statement.
"Are. . . are you a GHOST Akachan?" Akane gave a real
chuckle at that.
"Don't get me started again. No, I'm not a ghost.
And until a few days ago I was a normal girl. Well except for
being the re-incarnation of a dead moon alien." She trailed
off muttering to herself. "And except for the Chinese bimbo, and
the ghost-cat, and the demon doll and Saffron and. . . "
"Uh Akane, are you all right?" "Sorry, sorry. Just thinking
about something else.
No, until the Imperial Rally 'woke' me up I was just ordinary
girl. And when I woke up my spirit, I guess you could say, called my
weapons out of storage, like you call your weapons out of storage
when you transform." Ami started to ask another question when Usagi
spoke up.
"It's getting late." She pointed out the window
where the evening shadows were gathering like ravens.
"Akachan must be tired. We should let her go home
and rest. We can see her later and talk some more." Usagi took
Akane's hand and led her toward the door, effectively ending the
inquisition for the night. "I'll see you later Akachan."
"You can talk to me anytime. I'm going home with
you." Usagi looked startled, which didn't begin to describe
Rei's expression.
"That Blood Guard thing again." Usagi frowned.
"Akachan, let's not fight over this. I'll be fine." Akane looked
mutinous and Usagi continued.
"Look, I've survived Beryl, the Doom Tree, Galaxia
and Entrance Exams. I'll be fine. And if there's any trouble I'll
call. I promise." Usagi stopped as she had a sudden thought."Um,
we need to get you a communicator."
"That's not a problem. I have a full spectrum
communications facility built in."
"I'll bet you do," Rei muttered. "What did you say
Rei-chan?" Rei grasped Usagi's
arm possessively and glared at Akane.
"I said I"LL take care of Usagi." Akane blinked,
then grinned suddenly.
"Well, that's all right then. I remember how
concerned Sailormars was for the princess's safety during the
Silver Imperium. It was amazing how dedicated Sailormars was." Rei
preened involuntarily under the praise.
"You were especially worried about kidnaping."
Akane speared Rei with a sideways glance.
"You insisted that the princess should know how to
escape if she were kidnapped and tied up. Why you would sometimes
spend days working with the princess." Usagi was afraid that Rei
would burst into flame, without benefit of the "Mars Fire" under
the interested gaze of her fellow senshi.
"Although, "Akane said consideringly, "I was never
quite sure why both of you had to be naked."
"Why you sly. . . " "Should we call you Hino or Hentai Rei?"
"Rei! And you a priestess!" "NO, NO, NO!" Rei protested
frantically "It's not
like that, I never. . . I don't remember. . . It's not my
fault!" she wailed.
Usagi winked at Akane as she and the senshi turned
to walk home.
"Now Rei," Akane heard Usagi berate her friend, "it
seems to me that you've been neglecting your duties. As soon as we
get home tonight I think you should start training me again. I'm
sure we can borrow some scarves from my mother and. . . "
"Usssaagiiiii!"
Akane chuckled again and headed home. She hadn't felt so free,
so happy since. . . well she'd never felt this way. She thought
about the wicked gleam she'd seen in Usagi's eye and almost felt
sorry for Rei. She wasn't so bad for a sen. . . for one of
them. None of them were. There was still a lot of pain. . .
and hate. But it had been over a long time ago. Maybe she could
let it go. One hundred thousand years was a long time to hate.
Maybe she could even forgive. . .
"Black dome close." A tall figure with long dark hair that
gleamed with
strange highlights stepped through a door that didn't exist, from
a place that had no name. The figure looked down at the trapped Akane.
"You shouldn't have run away. You knew that I would
find you. . . in time."
Akane glared at her captor, eyes blazing with a
helpless murderous rage as leakage from the Time gate flooded her
mind with memories.
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