Part 3
"Would you please quit fidgeting!" Ami spoke to her patient with uncharacteristic exasperation. Makoto had caught Soban almost as she hit the floor and they'd carried her to her room. After a harried three hours stuffing her insides back where they belonged Ami was in no mood to have her work undone.
"It itches," Soban said sulkily.
"You must be careful not to pull out your I.V. tube," Matsudaira Azusa said mildly, putting away her instruments.
"And it wouldn't itch so much if you had let us use even a local anesthetic while sewing you up." Ami added, helping put away the surgical kit.
"I don't like drugs," Soban tried surreptitiously to dig under the thick bandage wrapped around her torso.
"If you don't stop that,"Ami said without looking up from her work. "I'm going to put mittens on your hands."
"Ummmm," Minako was tidying up the area. "You have a really . . .uhhhh . . .well stocked first aid kit."
"People have a tendency to . . .ahhhhh . . . _fall down_ a lot in the Golden-gai." Jules carefully understated, putting away a bag of unused whole blood. "And since it's not always convenient to go to a hospital Soban thought it would be useful to have a few of the basics on hand."
Which was one way of saying it wasn't always convenient to explain things to the police, Minako thought.
"A _few_ basics?" Rei questioned as she watched Matsudaira-san and Ami re-pack what amounted to a complete field hospital. Looking at some of the markings she wondered if the SDF realized the amount of their contribution to the welfare of some of it's citizens.
"What are you doing here?" Soban seemed to become aware of Jules presence for the first time. She quit trying to scratch and glared at him. "You were supposed to evacuate with everyone else."
"Ummmm, about that . . ." Makoto watched fascinated as what looked like a blush crept up the big man's neck.
"You _did_ get everyone out?" Soban questioned ominously.
"They wanted to stay----" Jules began to explain. Soban cut him off sharply.
"They _wanted_? What the hell difference does it make what they wanted. You should have sent them home."
"The Island _is_ their home, boss-san." Jules placed one big hand lightly on her shoulder.
Soban slapped the hand aside, grimacing as she pulled her torn muscles. "When I tell you to do something I expect you to _do_ it."
"I'm sorry bos . . .uhhhh Soban," Jules said miserably. Then he corrected himself, straightening to look down at her. "I'm sorry you got hurt. I'm sorry I upset you. I'm _not_ sorry I'm still here." Soban's eye blazed and she tried to force herself up, only to have Jules firmly but gently press her back down on the bed. "There are some orders you can't give _boss_. Asking me to leave you is one of them."
Minako watched with interest as red tide crept up Soban's neck and a vein started to throb in her temple.
"You stupid----" Words failed her and she clamped her jaw shut with snap. "You're not a damn bit of use to me dead."she hissed. Controlling herself with an effort she went on in a rigidly controlled voice. "Aichou-ko's going to be outside the door first thing in the morning. You," she finished sweetly. "are going to help her look."
"That crazy old . . ." Jules trailed off into silence under Soban's stony gaze. "Errrrr, right. Help her look. Look for what?"
Soban smiled nastily. "You're going to help her look for a key she lost . . .somewhere."
"How did you find out about the Ceramic Field?" Kunikida Daitetsu interrupted hastily.
"Oh, yeah," Soban looked at the chief of the T.A.C, and Kaede's "father", standing just inside the doorway. "I forgot about that." Grimacing Soban tried to dig at her stitches under her bandage. Ami slapped Soban's hand, glaring at her patient.
"Anyway," Soban tried to sneak another scratch, freezing when Ami pinned her with a _look_, "you better get that Ceramic stuff out of the walls of the projection room before the Aragami find out it's still there."
"I thought you took it out." Takeuchi said faintly, brushing her bangs back from her eyes. "You said----"
"Heh . . ." Soban chuckled, then caught herself as she pulled her stitches. "I knew what Murakumo had done as soon as he said Momiji's blood 'had no power'." She looked at Matsudaira, standing with a bundle of sutures forgotten in her hands. "You guy's talk about 'Ceramic' this and 'power of the blood' that after a few beers so it wasn't hard to figure out."
Takeuchi opened her mouth as if to say something, then closed it with a snap. What _could_ she say to this. Kome wasn't so reticent.
"What _I_ want to know is how you knew Murakumo would back down."
Soban shrugged. Glancing sideways at Ami she saw the genius girl was looking the other way and dug under her bandages with an expression of bliss. "I didn't. That guy just pissed me off."
"You ran a _BLUFF_?" Kome sounded outraged.
Soban shrugged again, wincing as she pulled her stitches. "I lost my temper. Besides how hard is it to fool a plant?"
"Kome! NO!" Takeuchi wrapped her arms around her friend, pulling her back from Soban's bed. "She's injured."
"She could have gotten us all killed!"
"All right, that's enough excitement for one night." Ami firmly pushed everyone except her friends from the room. "Soban needs her rest."
"She's a maniac," Kome spluttered as she was thrust from the room. "She should be locked up before she get's someone killed."
"That sounds odd coming from you, Miss'if you've got bullets keep shooting'." Matsudaira spoke with fond exasperation.
"It was just that one time," Kome protested. "And I was drunk." Their voices faded down the hall.
Closing the door firmly behind them Ami walked back to Soban's bed. Unzipping her skirt she stepped out of it folding it neatly over the back of a chair, followed by her blouse and stockings.
"What do you think you're doing?" Soban asked, distracted from her scratching.
"Going to bed," Ami replied, slipping beneath the covers next to Soban. "It's late, I'm tired and someone's got to make sure you don't rip off your bandages or pull out your I.V."
"Now wait just a minute----" Soban's protest was cut off as the bed sagged under the weight of Makoto getting in on the other side. "I'm not leaving Ami-chan in this place by herself," she explained primly as she plumped her pillow.
"Hey, this is neat," Minako grabbed a remote control off the back of a chair as she tossed her clothes carelessly on the floor. Sliding in beside Ami she pressed a button and a wall mounted TV flickered into life. "a satellite system. I bet you get a couple hundred channels." She started flipping through the channels. There was a sudden crackling sound and the lights dimmed abruptly as the TV melted into slag.
"Give me that," Rei snatched the remote. "before you burn down the building." She shut off the power and moved back to the bed, sliding in beside Makoto.
"Make yourself at home." Soban said sarcastically. "Feel free to invite some friends."
"You wouldn't be in such a foul mood if you'd let me give you a pain killer, "Ami said soothingly, checking Soban's I.V. "Would you get the lights please, Rei-chan?"
"I am _not_ in a foul mood----"
"HEY! Watch where you put those things, they're like _ice_."
"Anybody hungry? I'd kinda like a snack----"
"I'm NOT sleeping on crumbs. You always leave crumbs----"
************************************************
By early the next morning Soban's mood had not improved and Makoto was wishing she'd left Ami and the others to fend for themselves. Or at least cheated when they drew straws to see who stayed with her.
"Soban?" There was a soft knock at the door. "I'm sorry to bother you," A petite young woman with dark reddish brown hair and wearing the uniform of the Island staff stuck her head in the door. "but I need----"
Makoto plucked a clipboard from the woman's hands.
"----you to look at the menu. Huh?" Startled she looked at her empty hands.
"Hmmmm," Makoto flipped through the pages with a professional eye. "OK, change these items here," She pulled a pen from a clip and slashed through several lines of print. "They're out of season. Substitute . . ." Pursing her lips she dashed off a list of produce. "Not beef," she made another change. "it's too heavy with this entree. Better use a game hen and a salad." She flipped past several pages, making corrections, deleting some items, substituting others. " . . .and that should do it." Capping the pen with a satisfied snap she handed pen and clip board back to the astonished young woman.
"Ummmm, Soban?" The young woman's big blue eyes blinked slowly in astonishment as she looked at the small bandaged figure in the middle of the huge bed.
"Don't ask me Suika-san," Soban said sourly. "I'm just the boss." At the woman's confused look Soban made a sign of assent with her mittened hands. With one more confused look the woman took her clipboard and left.
"I _really_ don't need these stupid things anymore." Soban held up her silk covered hands, putting a cutely pleading look on her face.
"Ami says you're going to tear your stitches loose scratching, so the mittens stay." Makoto crossed her arms over her chest. "And it's no good trying to threaten me."
"That was my _cute_ look." Soban protested, worrying at a knot with her teeth.
"Stop that,"Makoto pulled Soban's hand away from her mouth. "and you need to work on the difference between cute and homicidal."
"Don't you have homework or something?"
"Got it right here," Makoto said cheerfully, settling in a chair by the bed. "Ami sent yours too."
"My pillow's hot." Soban fretted.
Makoto moved to turn her pillow.
"I don't want juice, I want a beer."
"Ami says you can't----"
"I'm bored. I want to do something."
"Let's see if there's anything on TV." Harried, Makoto reached for the remote to the newly replaced set.
"I'm tired of TV," Sobon pouted before Makoto could turn the set on. "Read me a story. And I want some more juice," she held out her glass. "The ice is all melted in this."
Makoto gritted her teeth, wondering how many years she'd get if she smothered Soban with a pillow.
************************************************
"How is she?" Minako was the last one to arrive at the shrine, shortly after the sun had set.
"She's fine," Makoto didn't even open her eyes from where she lay on Rei's bed. "_I'm_ a wreck, thanks for asking."
"She is a difficult patient," Ami understated from her seat in a corner of the room. She looked up briefly from her computer. "I think it's because she's in a lot of pain."
"She can't be in _that_ much pain," Makoto rolled her head to one side and glared at Ami through slitted eyes. "'Cause she gave it all to me, right in my----"
"Mako-chan," Ami protested, half scandalized, half laughing.
"Well, she is." Makoto grumbled. "If you take your eyes off her for a second she's trying to get out of bed or digging at her bandages or . . ."
"How was she when you left?" Rei asked, entering the room with a tray of snacks.
"Asleep." Makoto sat up, taking a red bean jam bun and a glass of tea from the tray. "Baba Jun is watching her. She'll call if there are any problems."
"Have you got any----" Ami looked at the tray with a hopeful look.
"Pocky Bitter, right here," Rei tossed a package of the dark-chocolate covered "swizzle" sticks to the warm hearted genius choc-aholic.
"How can you _eat_ that stuff," Makoto wrinkled her nose in disgust as Ami devoured a handful of the chocolate covered cookies with a look of almost orgasmic ecstacy.
"Vere BOOD!" Ami assured Mokoto as she chewed madly, her cheeks stuffed like a chipmunk storing food for the winter.
"I think they're good too," Minako sided with Ami taking a handful from the tray along with a steamed bun and some juice.
"Yeah, but _you_ didn't write a letter of protest to the Prime Minister when they took Banana Pocky off the market." Mokoto took a bite of her bun.
"Eff vuvv ah gufff idea." Ami insisted, swallowing.
"What have you found out about that Murakumo guy?" Rei asked, putting a glass of tea by Ami.
"Eff nog mummun." She took a sip and tried again. "He's not human. The girl is human . . .mostly and the boy----"
"Mostly?" Minako asked. "Got any more of the shrimp buns?" Rei handed her the tray and Minako continued. "What does 'mostly' mean, exactly."
"Ummmm, she's got one of those megatama things, and her physiology shows some differences from the human norm. The boy is definitely _not_ human."
"Youma?"
"Nooo," Ami answered Makoto. "At least I don't think so. If he is, he's an entirely different order from any we've seen so far." She tapped a few keys on her computer bringing up a file.
"I talked with Kunikida-san, he's the head of the National Land Management Bureau, and he----"
"Wait an minute,"Makoto interrupted, taking another bun from the tray. "I thought they were the Terrestrial Administration Center. What's this land management thing?"
"Ummm, T.A.C seems to be an inside joke. The Land Management Bureau is just a cover name for their real work."
"Which is?" Rei moved the tray of Pocky out of Ami's reach."
Ami stuck out her tongue before continuing. "The T.A.C or NLMB exists to fight the Aragami, which are," she went on to explain hurriedly as Makoto opened her mouth. "a race of monsters who resemble plants. Or take over plants . . .I'm not sure yet. Their objective seems to be to replace the human race with their own race . . .Kingdom of the Roots," she finished using Murakumo's term.
"Are they working with Beryl?" Minako asked in concern. "And what about Momiji? They called her princess. Could she be the _Moon_ Princess?"
"I don't think they're working with or for Beryl." Ami replied, nibbling her lip in thought. "It's _possible_ but there's no sign of it. I'm going to try approaching Matsudaira-san as Sailor Mercury to get access to all their files. But Momiji and the other girl, Kaede, her sister," Ami explained. "are members of a family linked to fighting the Aragami for centuries. There doesn't seem to be a direct link with Beryl or the Moon Kingdom."
"But you're not positive? _Could_ Momiji be the Moon Princess?" Rei leaned forward, her expression intense as she willed Ami to give her the answer she wanted.
"There isn't any Princess," Makoto said sourly. "She was never reborn or died . . .maybe she never existed." Rei whitened but Makoto didn't flinch. "I know how much it means to you but we're never going to find the Princess."
"I'm afraid I have to agree with Makoto," Ami said reluctantly as Minako nodded in agreement. "We've never had a single sign of the Moon Princess, we don't even know where to look or what to look for." She couldn't bring herself to meet Rei's eyes, instead concentrating on her computer. "It didn't take long for Artemis to find all of us ----we seemed drawn to each other in fact. We would have found her by now . . .if there was anything to find."
"I . . .guess you're right," Rei agreed reluctantly. "It would have been nice if we could have found the Moon Princess. But it's been over a year, without a single trace." Rei sighed heavily. "Well, never mind the princess right now." She picked up the almost denuded snack tray. "What about----"
"TRAITORS!"
Everyone spun toward the sound of the strident voice.
"Luna!" The tray fell from Rei's limp grasp with a crash.
"Now Luna," Artemis said placatingly as he followed the black cat into the room. "I think you're being a little har----aaaahhhh!" Artemis fell back, startled and bleeding as Luna slashed him across the face.
"Traitors," Luna spat. "Oath breakers!" She stalked forward implacable as death, half mad and wholly wild. "You exist to serve the Princess. You live _and _ die at her pleasure." The ragged stump of her tail lashed the air angrily.
"Luna!" Rei ignored the black cat's anger and moved toward her with a glad cry. "Are you alright?" She asked worriedly, noting bone shining whitely from the space once occupied by Luna's left ear. "Where have you been?" She reached out to scoop up the painfully thin cat, only to jerk back, nursing a bleeding wound.
"LUNA!" Artemis rounded on his erstwhile companion angrily. "Apologize to Rei at once."
"Apologize?!" Luna's laughter chilled their blood. "To traitors who have abandoned their duty? Oath breakers whose lives are forfeit?" Her frail body began to glow. "Oath breakers I name you, outlaw and abomination."
"Luna," Horrified Artemis moved to stop her. "what are you doing?"
"I found her . . .the gateless gate . . .wheel without hub or rim or spokes . . .the last Senshi."
"What?"
"Last Senshi? What are you talking about?"
"Artemis? What's she talking about?"
Luna ignored the babel around her. Knocking Artemis aside with a slashing blow she streaked for the exit. Pausing at the door she looked back over her shoulder. "Together _we_ will find the Princess. And _you_ will reap the bitter tears of traitors." With that parting shot she vanished as if she'd never been.
"Artemis," Minako said slowly from where she sat. "What just happened?"
"Ummm, I found Luna?"
************************************************
High above Tokyo, Murakuma brooded on his recent humiliation. Kaede Hime, and through her, Lord Su-sa-no-oh, had made it clear that the promise extorted from them was to be honored. There were to be no direct attacks by Aragami on that small section of Japan in the Golden-gai. The "Time of Cleansing" would eliminate that nagging sore in due course. In the meantime, Murakuma was forbidden to engage even the single imperfect soul _exempt_ from Su-sa-no-oh's promise. And so he brooded, his humiliation burning like acid.
"Greetings, Murakuma-sama."
Murakuma spun around, blades automatically extending from his forearms. In front of him floated a well built human-seeming form with ash-white hair. The figure brought both hands up, palm forward in a gesture of peace.
"I am not an enemy," Kunzite said mildly. "I may be a friend."
"Friend!?" Murakuma spat, his megatama glowing with power even as poison vines erupted from his back. "Aragami have no need of human trash."
"Ahhh, but I am not human," Kunzite smilingly half lied. "and I come bringing gifts." He tossed a small, dull grey block which Murakuma caught reflexively.
"Ceramic!" All of his training and skill couldn't _quite_ disguise the covetous way he held the small treasure.
"As you say . . .Ceramic."
"What do you want?" Murakuma wanted to throw this "gift" back into the arrogantly smiling face, and follow it with a blade to the gut. He wanted to, but he couldn't quite make his fingers loosen their grip on the precious "Ceramic", the key to all his plans.
"You and I have no quarrel," Kunzite said soothingly. "There is no sphere of conflict between my Queen and the Aragami . . .you wish the humans dead. We wish to drain their energy. My Queen feels we have a commonality of interest." Kunzite persuaded with a sincerity that was as passionate as it was false.
"And those interests are?" Murakumo asked, nibbling at the bait.
"My Queen suffers from attacks by a group of rebels styling themselves warriors of the White Moon." Kunzite carefully made a sign of warding as he said the name, in case Beryl was watching him through her crystal. "I believe you have been annoyed by a group of humans who are allied with a renegade Aragami known as . . .Kusanagi?" Kunzite hid a smile as he noted the infinitesimal tightening of Murakumo's eyes.
"Of what interest is this to your . . .Queen." Murakumo deliberately made the title sound doubtful.
"Of interest only in that we may aid each other," Kunzite carefully ignored the implied insult. "My Queen will supply youma . . .soldiers . . . whose capabilities will be unfamiliar to your enemies."
Murakumo feigned disinterest.
"And, of course, all the Ceramic you need."
He was unable to control the blaze that flickered briefly before being hidden behind shuttered eyes.
Hooked! Kunzite thought gleefully, his thoughts much more closely hidden. Then again, as a product of he Dark Kingdom he'd had much more practice lying, having survived a school where the only grades were life and death.
"In return we ask only such aid as you see fit to give in eliminating enemies of our Queen."
An accommodation of convenience?" Murakumo suggested, clutching the Ceramic possessively.
"An accommodation of convenience." Kunzite agreed smoothly. It would be very convenient indeed . . .to him.
************************************************
"You can't come in here!" Baba Jun tried valiantly but unsuccessfully to defend her charge's sick room.
"Move aside you droop chested old crone." A beautifully manicured hand pushed the elderly woman roughly aside. "I understand you're not feeling well."
Soban started from her half doze as three men pushed into her room.
"Kichibei?" She blinked sleep from her eye.
"You can't come in here like this." Baba Jun moved again to stop the men. "She's been hurt and----"
"Goro!" The one called Kichibei made a slight motion toward Baba Jun. A shaven headed man with no forehead and a heavy jaw took a ponderous step forward, pushing the old woman savagely in the center of the chest. With a faint cry she fell back, hitting her head on the floor.
"You're slipping Sooobaaan." Kichibei drawled insultingly. "You were late with your last delivery and now . . ." He indicated Soban's sick bed.
"What do you want Kichibei." Soban hadn't reacted to the invasion of her room. She lay passively in bed, observing the intruders through half closed lids.
"Uncle isn't happy with the way you've been handling your territory."
"Uncle isn't? Or _you_ aren't?" Soban picked aimlessly at her top covers.
"There's no difference," Kichibei said smugly. "at least not for scum like you."
"What do you want me to do." Soban said faintly.
"Uncle want's you to make another delivery, to make up for the one you botched."
"I don't do that anymore." Soban's protest was a whisper. Kichibei could barely hear her from where he stood.
"You'll do what you're _told_ to do," Kichibei swaggered up to the bed. "and _I_ want more of a cut from this place. For one thing I want you to start working those whores of yours more."
"They're not whores . . ."
"They're whatever the fuck I _say_ they are. I saw this little gaijin piece downstairs, with blond hair and tits out to here----" Kichibei motioned with his hands to describe the young woman's "charms".
Soban's hand flashed out, grabbing Kichibei's tie and using it to slam his head into the wall as her free hand snaked inside his jacket.
Goro and his companion had just realized something was wrong when they found themselves looking down the bore of their boss's Colt revolver. It was only .38 caliber, but from _their_ end it looked as big as the Hokkaido tunnel.
Never taking her eye off the two Soban slammed Kichibei into the wall twice more, releasing him to slide to the floor. "Turn around," The sweating men turned away jerkily. "Drop your jackets on the floor." Two expensive, tailored jackets hit the floor almost as one. "Now your pants. Don't step out of them." Expensive trousers fell to half mast, effectively hobbling the two.
"I'm going to ask you to turn to face me. If I see a weapon I'm going to gut-shoot you and throw you out with the trash." There was a muffled double thump as a second pistol and two knives hit the carpeted floor. Kichibei gave a groan as he tried to pull himself erect.
"Y . . .yo'r a dead w'man." He slurred through smashed lips. "Dead. Uncle ----" Soban shut him up with a savage backhand.
"Uncle isn't here. I am." She pointed out conversationally. "The only question is . . .how much am I going to hurt you before you die?"
"You can't do that."Goro blustered. "That's murder!" Kichibei mumbled an agreement as he stood, swaying beside Soban's bed.
"I'm glad to see you have a sense of humor." Her voice would have cut steel as she continued. "For threatening me," she slapped Kichibei lightly across the face. "For threatening my people, for your disrespect to Baba Jun," The butt end of the pistol smashed into Kichibei's face, breaking off all his front teeth at the gum line and crushing his nose. "there is no forgiveness."
"S . . .soban." The faint voice drew her attention.
"Baba? Are you alright." Her voice was expressionless, only the slight tick under her right eye denoting her suppressed emotions.
"I'm fine dear,"her voice was a little stronger. " just a little mussed." She picked herself carefully from the floor. "In _my_ day the yakuza had real men," eying the two underwear clad men disdainfully she sniffed. "not little boys."
Goro and his friend flushed, squirming uncomfortably.
"Kichibei, tell Uncle that I will be honored to take his commission." Kichibei felt a surge of hope through the agony of his smashed face. "But you owe restitution." Soban appeared to think for a moment. "Your left nut, in a block of Lucite, will do nicely."
"Wha'!" Even through his ruined mouth his shock was evident.
"You can do it yourself," Soban said reasonably, "or I'll come get it. Along with whatever else takes my fancy." She gave the stricken man a smile that would have frightened a shark. "You can discuss it with Uncle if you wish. I'm sure he'll be fascinated by the story. Especially the part where you pushed Baba Jun. And Uncle can tell you the story about the time Baba Jun nursed him through the influenza."
Kichibei's moan had nothing to do with the pain in his mouth.
************************************************
"Nephrite, attend me."
"At once, Lord Kunzite." Nephrite teleported into Nephrite's audience chamber and sketched an elegant bow.
"I have a mission for you Nephrite. I have received disturbing reports that the Sailor Senshi have adopted new tactics in their futile battle against our glorious Queen. You are to immediately search out the Senshi using your----"
"I am desolated to be unable to fulfill your request," Nephrite interrupted, an expression of infinite regret on his handsome face.
"Request," Kunzites voice was a dangerous growl. "It was not a ----"
Kunzite interrupted for a second time, an action which elicited a gasp from the surrounding courtiers. "By order of Beryl, Queen of the Under Lands and High Priestess of Metallia," A shudder ran through the shadowy crowd. "I have been tasked with finding the tokens of power and none but Metallia may remove this geas." Nephrite met Kunzite's angry face with one that was insulting by it's very lack of expression. "You yourself relayed these orders to me . . .my lord."
Kunzites aura flared with his anger and Nephrite wondered, in a detached manner, if he would die in this place. It would mean Kunzite's death as well, of course. Metallia was a jealous goddess and none of her "children" were allowed to die without her leave. He would prefer to live. He wanted Kunzite to be a long time dying . . .and he wanted to watch.
Kunzite's aura cooled suddenly from white hot. "Of course Kunzite. Metallia's orders," He made a gesture of piety that was as believably sincere in appearance as it was false. "are paramount. My eagerness to remove this small impediment to her glorious resurrection momentarily drove all other thoughts from my mind." He smiled gently. "Think no more on it. You will need all of your energy to successfully conclude your hunt for the Great Tokens. I envy you in having the chance to succeed where so many others have . . .failed."
"Thank you for your good wishes Lord Kunzite," Nephrite bowed again. "May all the success and fortune you have wished for others return to you . . .ten fold." With that parting shot Nephrite vanished.
Carefully schooling his features Kunzite considered his options. The senior general was getting . . .ideas. If he actually _found_ the Tokens his power would rival Kunzite's own. Perhaps surpass it. It was time to try a bold stroke against the Senshi. One that would find favor in Beryl's eyes . . .yet, should it fail . . . Thoughtfully Kunzite tapped an apparently featureless crystal slate. Shimmering like haze on a hot summer day the blank surface resolved into a petulantly beautiful face, marred by a ragged burn across one cheek.
"Yes!" The curt response changed abruptly, eyes widening in shock. "K . . .Kunzite-sama!" Hastily Zoicite straightened his uniform, a half hopeful, half fearful look crossing his face. "How may I serve you."
"Zoicite my . . .friend." Kunzite noted hope warring with past disappointment on the junior generals disgustingly transparent face. "I have a mission of the utmost delicacy. Unfortunately I find myself at a loss to find someone I can trust." Zoicite's face lightened with an almost painful hope. "Perhaps you could find some time to drop by my quarters to discuss the matter . . .over dinner?"
He really is earnest, Kunzite thought as Zoicite's image vanished. Because of his love for him, Zoicite would give all the credit to him in case of success. And if he failed he would go to any length to protect his Kunzite-sama. Love, Kunzite reflected, was a wonderful thing.
************************************************
"Ami, this is Makoto!" Her voice was distorted by the hiss and crackle of static. "We've got youma headed down town."
"I see them," Ami tapped in a command, changing the resolution of her computers sensors. "I see five. Does that agree with your count."
"Can't tell," a second distorted voice came from the tiny speaker. "I think----CRESCENT BEAM . . .think that's right. They're mov . . .moving around-----CRES . . shit," There was a sound of breaking glass.
"Minako! Minako!" Ami started running for the door, grabbing for her henshin wand on the move.
"Here . . .I'm here," Sailor Venus panted. "Fell . . .fell through . . ." Ami could hear her gulping air. "headed for the cen . . .center of town. T . . .try . . .cut them off. We'll . . .'ll stay after . . .ter them." The communicator cut off.
"Rei . . .Rei-chan!" Ami called on her communicator even as she triggered her transformation.
"I heard," Rei's voice came through clearly, without the static that had hampered communication with Venus and Jupiter. "I'll meet you on the way."
Sailor Mercury hit the ground running, headed toward the center of Tokyo at a dead sprint.
************************************************
"Boss," Jules protested as Soban pulled on her school fuku. "This is a _bad_ idea."
"You're bleeding," Baba Jun fretted from beside Jules. "you must have pulled something loose when you hit that awful man."
"Look," Soban paused in buttoning her blouse over her bulky bandage. "I want to get this over and done with." She could feel something warm and wet seeping under the bulky wrapping. Carefully she controlled her expression, hiding her weakness.
"Let someone else do it," Jules grimaced at Soban's dark look. "or at least take someone with you. _I'll_ go,"he started to offer.
"If I don't do this, my position will be in doubt. People will start to think I can't hold my territory." The look in her eye indicated that this would be an _unfortunate_ line of thought. "I don't want anyone to get the idea that any of my people are available to do _business_." She finished buttoning her blouse and turned to face Jules and Baba Jun squarely. "I've done this hundreds of times. I take this package,"she tucked an inconspicuous parcel under her arm. "and deliver it." She pushed between her two would-be protectors. "It's in the middle of Tokyo at the botanical gardens. Safe _and_ educational." Hiding her weakness and light headedness she gave the two a jaunty smile. "What could possibly happen?"
************************************************
"Aragami reported in the shopping district." Takeuchi Ryouko replaced the telephone and grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair.
"Any information on type or intentions?" The head of what was officially known as the National Land Management Bureau asked as he checked the magazine of his Colt .45.
"No. Only that there were at least two and they were moving fast toward the center of town." She picked up another phone. "I'll call Momiji. She and Kusinagi-kun can meet up with us."
The older man's face grayed slightly at the thought of putting Momiji in danger. But she and Kusinagi were their most potent weapon against the Aragami "We need an analysis of their movements. Yaeg----" Kunikida closed his mouth with a snap, staring at the empty desk. Reminded in the most graphic way that nowhere was safe as long as the Aragami lived. "Matsudaira-san," he turned to the biotechnology expert. "could you please run an analysis of the Aragami's movements. Update us by radio."
"Certainly Kunikida-san," Matsudaira carefully controlled the flash of pain she felt thinking about their fallen friend.
Kome wasn't so controlled. Slamming the magazine home she stuffed the .50 Desert Eagle into a shoulder holster, then checked the load of it's mate. Reaching into her locker she slung a bag of rocket-grenades over one shoulder then grabbed the .50 caliber rifle she'd customized with a laser range finder and grenade-launcher.
"I'm ready." She lit a stick of incense and placed it before a back bordered picture of a sweet faced young man wearing wire rim glasses. "Rest well Yaegashi-kun."
"When are we going to get a repla. . .ummm some more help?" Yanmasuki Sakura, the faith healer and sometime idol singer asked, checking her supplies.
"We have a young man coming over this afternoon."
"Is he any good?" Kome asked roughly. Automatically prepared to dislike anyone taking the place of Yaegashi-kun.
"He is from a very old family" Kunikida looked over some papers on his desk. "and comes with the highest recommendations from the University."
"Huh," Kome looked over Kunikida's shoulder. "a college boy . . .rich too. Probably never done any real work . . ."her voice trailed off. "That's lucky."
"What is," Takeuchi asked, checking her Beretta with still clumsy hands.
"He's got the same name as Kusanagi," she turned and headed for the door. "Mamoru . . .that's lucky, isn't it?"
************************************************
Someone was following her. Soban paused in her slow progress down the street to peer into a shop window. Ever since she'd left the Island she'd had a feeling of being watched. Changing trains hadn't helped either. She'd gotten off at Iidabashi station and with only an eight minutes walk before she reached Koishikawa park she still had a prickling between her shoulder blades. Surreptitiously examining the street scene reflected in the window she searched for something out of the ordinary. Turning casually from the store front she strolled down the street as if window shopping. Who ever was following her, if there _were_ anyone, was good. She couldn't see anything ----a flash of movement caught her eye. Turning too quickly she felt something tear in her side and a flash of pain made her light headed for a moment. Blinking away black spots she saw a large black blotch move across her limited field of vison. Knuckling her good eye to clear it she started back on her original course, suddenly spinning back around.
A _cat_? A black cat, frozen in the act of ducking behind a parked car. Their eyes met and Soban shivered suddenly as if she'd been doused in ice water. An instant later the cat vanished and Soban took a deep breath.
A cat! She _must_ be in bad shape if she was jumping at shadows like that. Taking a deep breath to fight off a sudden dizzy spell she continued on to the park. She'd deliver the damn package, then take a taxi back. At this point she'd almost welcome seeing the police. At least they wouldn't make her _walk_ to jail. Chuckling at the silliness of her thoughts she kept walking, still looking for whatever had spooked her in the first place.
************************************************
It was her. Luna skittered down the streets, careful to keep her prey in sight. It _had_ to be her. The desperately ill moon cat's fevered brain would admit no other possibility. This was the fifth Senshi . . .the one who would find _her_ Princess, punish the traitors. She _was_ the fifth Senshi . . .she was . . .she WAS . . .
************************************************
"DIE DAMMIT!" Kome emptied the entire ten round magazine of .50 caliber armor piercing incendiaries into the huge cat like creature's chest. It roared in anger and took a swipe at Kome with meter long claws. She ducked below the lethal fist, rolling aside. Coming up on one knee she fired a rocket-grenade at point blank range. The HEAT round staggered it, blowing a chuck out of it's shoulder. Grabbing another grenade from her rapidly diminishing supply she re- loaded to find the monsters wound already half healed.
"What does it take to kill this thing?" She stuffed another magazine in her rifle, dismayed to find she had only two left.
"I don't know," Tokeuchi had abandoned her Beretta in favor of a shotgun. "None of the anti-Aragami weapons are working."
"It's not Aragami," Momiji called from behind cover where she was bandaging Kunikida's head. A flying splinter had torn a path across his scalp and was still bleeding. "I don't sense anything from it at all."
"If it doesn't have a megatama, how do we kill it?" Kusinagi yelled, slashing at the cat-beast with the crescent blades on his forearms. He'd tried to decapitate it, but the golden torque around its neck resisted even his Aragami blades. He was reduced to quick slashing attacks against it's extremities, hoping to tire it out. As a plan of attack its best feature was that it hadn't gotten him killed yet. "And what the hell happened to the Aragami we _were_ chasing?"
************************************************
"What the hell IS this thing?" Sailor Venus called out to Sailor Mercury.
"I . . ." Mercury coughed as dense pollen filled the air. "I don't . . .don't know." It was getting hard to breath. "SHABON SPRAY!" She blasted a breathing space through the pollen. It wouldn't last long. In fact each attack was less effective than the last.
"SUPREME THUNDER!" Lightning crashed, seeming to confuse the dragon like creature for a moment.
"It's some kind of plant," Ami adjusted her visor. "I think it must be one of the Aragami monsters."
"Ara----FIRE SOUL----gami!?" Mars shrieked, jumping aside as a meter long tail swiped through the space she'd just vacated. "What's an Aragami doing here? And what happened to the youma?"
************************************************
Things were going well, very well indeed. Zoicite watched with pleasure as the Sailor Senshi dogged, and leapt and ran . . .right into his trap. Their trap actually he thought, with less pleasure, reminded of his new ally. It wasn't the same, watching this _vegetable_ destroy the senshi. But it was the result that mattered. And Kunzite-sama would be pleased when he brought him the heads of the Senshi. Rubbing the scar that ran across his left cheek he wondered if he could keep Jupiter's head for his mantle.
************************************************
Murakumo watched the tiny figures scurry, like ants, below him. Finally they were in position, inside the park that was saturated in a Ceramic Field.
Just outside the park he could detect two powerful figures, his god and the gods miko. Perhaps he could surprise even a god this day. With an unlimited supply of Ceramic he'd decided to try and capture the "false" Kushinada, for his god feared her blood. Even if he failed in that he was certain he would learn enough from the attempt to try again. And if he could capture the gods miko, perhaps he could also capture the god. Summoning the power of his eight souls Murakumo enveloped the park in an Aragami null field, twisting space and plunging the entire eighteen acre botanical reserve into darkness.
************************************************
Koishikawa park was her secret place. She loved the gently rolling grounds and the quiet Chinese style gardens. She especially loved the crescent shaped bridge that reflected a full circle in the quiet pond below. Soban had been standing in the center of the Full Moon bridge when the world ended.
A series of explosions shook the ground and rapid gunfire approached from the other end of the park. Soban had just come to the conclusion that Uncle could damn well get UPS to deliver his package, when the sun went out. Holding carefully to the bridges railing Soban started to work her way off the bridge when a voice sounded in her ear.
"You are the one."
Soban started at the unexpected voice. She survived by never letting anyone sneak up on her.
"I'm the one . . .what?" As quietly as possible she shifted aside after speaking, hoping the speaker was as blind as she in the unnatural blackness that covered Koishikawa park. Maybe it wasn't the park that was dark . . .maybe she was blind. Clenching her teeth she strained to pierce the dark with her one eye . . .listened for the faintest sound, the whisper of feet against the grass, the least puff of breath to tell her-----
"You are the one I have been seeking. The last . . .and the first . . .
"That's nice." Dammit. How had the voice gotten so close? Sounded like it was right on top of her. Soban sank into a defensive crouch, wincing as the scarred cartilage in her knees cracked like a bamboo stick breaking in two.
Shit. They could hear that in Hokkaido. Quickly she shuffled aside, feeling naked and exposed.
"I have been searching for a long time . . .for such a long, long time . . ."
The weariness and despair was like a physical thing, freezing Soban in place.
" . . .such a long time . . .Sailor Moon."
"Huh?" Her hands went up reflexively as she felt something spin through the air toward her in the dark. A thick metallic disk smacked into her palms and her fingers closed around the cool metal.
"Now, say 'Moon Power----Make Up!' "
"What the hell are----- "
"Say it. Say it now!" The voice cried, a mixture of command and desperation.
"Geeeeez, don't get your panties in a twist," Soban muttered. "Moonpowermakeup," she pushed out in an embarrassed rush. "Are you happy now?" She asked sarcastically. At least that's what she started to say . . .before the blackness of the Aragami Null Field was pierced by a flash of silver light and an unseen hand grabbed Soban and shook her as a terrier shakes a rat----
************************************************
Once triggered the Arathai'Ka attempted to merge with its host and fulfill it's imperative. Unlike the Senshi's Aegis Primes for Fire, Air, Earth or Water the ancient artifact had no power of its own. It's purpose was to join and harmonize, melding the senshi into a unified whole.
The Silver Millennium, known to it's rulers as the Fifth Evolution, was founded on harmony; sustained by balance. Fields and vines were coaxed into producing, seduced into providing and always gently thanked for their bounty. The Silver Millennium's hell loomed always large on the horizon. A huge blue globe, foul with discord and conflict.
Unfortunately there was a tear in Soban's soul . . .an emptiness that left her unbalanced and unable to meld the disparate senshi into a graceful harmony.
Soban screamed and fell to her knees, clawing at her face, as the elegant seductive dance of transformation became a brutal rape of fire and blood.
The Arathai'Ka attempted to repair the hole and failed. The damage was too massive. Undaunted the mechanism followed the corrupted threads of Soban's life back through time, trying to find an undamaged template.
Following the sun-coloured strands into the past the Arathai'Ka scoured the Fifth Evolutions ten million year history for a time when the threads were pure gold, untainted by blackness. But the rot had spread throughout all of her lives, all of time-was and time-might-be of the Fifth Evolution were filled with blackness.
Faster and further the working of the Silver Millenium sped . . .past the Fourth Evolution. Masters and slaves of time whose understanding of temporal flux was almost perfect. And whose imperfect understanding doomed them utterly.
The Third Evolution, whose half billion year history of songs and poetry so beautiful that stones would weep were all written in the blood and despair of a million races.
The golden threads were thinner now, still fouled and unusable as the Arathai'Ka hunted through the Second Evolution for a life untainted. Great living ships swam between the stars and sentient cities tended their god-like rulers for a million million years before they passed quietly into the long night. But even here the taint existed, spreading still further into the past.
Almost at it's limit the Fifth Evolution's servitor flashed through the First Evolution; iron fisted warriors before whom even their gods bent their necks and who died of grief when there were no foes left to fight. Still the blackness spread through golden threads, thinned almost to invisibility as they stretched across the chasm of eternity. There was nowhere else in time-was or time-might-be to search.
Galaxies raced _toward_ each other as the star fields collapsed inward toward the beginning. The sky was a white hot blaze of fusion storms and quark plasma as the Silver Millennium's last gift to time-is crashed into the wall of eternity----
************************************************
She had no name.
Alone as no creature had ever been alone she needed none. She was the last of the first. Last child of the first race to arise as the universe cooled.
She hunted.
Prowling through the blasted ruins of a city that had once stretched a hundred kilometers into the sky and ruled a million stars, she hunted. Clusters of sensory filaments waved gently over her head like a cloud of rainbows gently tasting the currents of entropy. A hot wind of diamond dust scoured the fallen golden spires, pitted and worn by a thousand millennium of cosmic rays.
She hungered.
She could not remember a time when she had not been hungry. A constant ripping pain that sometimes sent her into a howling tearing frenzy, snapping at the ground, tearing great chunks of collapsium alloy from the skeletons of buildings or ripping flesh from her bones in an effort to appease her need.
She fought.
Against the wind, the hunger, the extinction of her race as the universe collapsed in on itself. Following the currents of time as they shattered against the entropy wall she tried again to breach the barrier between death and birth. She fought because her race had been born to fight, because she didn't know how to do anything else.
Thunder shook the air as the dying Arathai'Ka smashed through the barrier in a sleet of gamma radiation and tachyons that blazed against the death agony of colliding galaxies like a beacon. With the last of her carefully hoarded strength she twisted space in a desperate leap for the weakened entropy wall----
************************************************
Thunder rolled across the park like the trump of doom, smashing trees flat and tossing monsters and monster-hunters alike as if they were toys. The blackness of the Aragami Null-field vanished as the light of a thousand suns bled through the wound in space. For a brief moment a sleek deadly shape was outlined against the blackness, superimposed with the figure of a small crippled girl, before the wound slammed shut plunging the park into darkness again.
She didn't like the dark. Snarling, her tendrils stiffened as she attacked the Null field, absorbing the Aragami's power.
Shadow drinker.
The darkness was dispelled, replaced by a pale anemic sun and distant scattered stars. Shuddering at the cold bleakness her head twisted, hungrily searching -----
***********************************************
Now _this_ was an interesting development. High above the small park Murakumo hung in the air, his eight mitama glowing a soft blue. Was this a new weapon of the T.A.C? Or perhaps one of his . . .allies . . .was attempting to discredit him. Carefully he controlled his thoughts as he glanced down at the white robed pair below. Of course _dear_ Lord Sus-sa-no-oh would never betray the Aragami. His eyes hardened and the blue stones embedded in his chest flared angrily. With deliberate effort he tamped down his rage. Now was not the time to be discovered. First he needed to gather his strength, build alliances. Soon though, very soon, he would sweep the earth clean of these disgusting humans, Lord Su-sa-no-oh and that bitch of a Kushinada as well.
*Murakumo-san*
Murakumo flinched as the soft feminine voice echoed in his mind. Had she heard his thoughts? Her next words dispelled his fear.
*Lord Su-sa-no-oh would like you to test this creature*
Lord Su-sa-no-oh can kiss my----- *As my Lord commands* Murakumo replied smoothly, simultaneously passing a command to one of his lesser servants. Immediately Oo-gumo skittered from the shadows, its eight legs tearing great chunks of sod and stone from the ground as it thundered toward it's prey.
***********************************************
Something disturbed the aether lines and her head swung around, vari-coloured tendrils whipping through the air, constantly tasting the shadows of entropy. A huge bulk, many hundreds of times her mass lumbered toward her vomiting a thick jet of toxic webbing. This was not her meat . . . this disgusting fleshy bag of dirty water. Golden eyes narrowed in anger and fanged jaws opened wide. A single high pitched note shattered the air. Clear and pure as a silver bell it rose in pitch, higher and harder than any sound that ever was or ever could be produced in this world. The giant spider slowed abruptly, as if running through thick mud. There was a sudden cracking sound as reality shattered and the spider fragmented, disappearing on the winds of probability.
Dream singer.
Suddenly the angrily whipping tendrils stiffened, quivering in delighted hunger. Violet coloured shields snapped into place over golden eyes; atavistic reminders of a predator that had evolved under a storm of hot blue-giant stars at the dawn of another creation.
************************************************
"NO! My Lord!"
The scream echoed in Murakumo's mind and ears; both so loud that he was momentarily stunned. Orienting himself toward the sound he saw the creature suddenly turn toward Su-sa-no-oh, it's hair forming a rainbow cloud around its head.
*My Lord----protect my Lord* Kaede's frantic cry hammered at his mind with a force that made him wince. He watched the golden eyes suddenly go violet as they sighted Su-sa-no-oh. His _Lord_ didn't seem to find the attention very sinister but Kaede was panicked. Murakumo's black eyes narrowed thoughtfully. This situation might be turned to his advantage. He had only to let this creature attend to Su-sa-no-oh----
Kaede might not have been able to read his mind but she saw his hesitation and acted.
*PROTECT YOUR LORD!* The compulsion slammed into him with the force of a hammer smashing a granite block ---- impossible to resist. Snarling in frustrated rage Murakumo dropped on the creature like a stooping hawk, organic blades ripping free of his flesh as he shifted to his strongest battle form. He was in not mood to take chances or waste time. If he couldn't use this creature to remove Su-sa-no-oh he could at least vent some of his frustration. Perhaps it would be a worthier foe than that piece of imperfect trash, Kusanagi. Covering two hundred meters in less than a second he raked the creature from tail to neck, tearing it open like a cheap noodle-cup.
Too easy, he thought spinning around to administer the death blow with his forearm blades. The diamond hard edges met only air as the creature dissolved and reformed to let the lethal cutters pass harmlessly through its body. Even as he watched, the horrible injury seemed to melt away, like ice on a hot stove. A second latter the tawny pelt was completely smooth and unblemished; not even a drop of blood marring the grass.
So . . .not so easy as he'd thought. An interesting trick. Perhaps he could capture this thing, learn its secrets----
Faster than thought the creature moved, rainbow filaments lashing the air ahead of it, and Murakumo's left arm disappeared below the elbow.
----or perhaps not. Swiftly Murakumo put some distance between himself and the creature. It was very cat- like he saw, as more of its body was revealed. A thought came to him as he willed his lost limb to regenerate. It had been hard to see the creature in the beginning . . .some sort of camouflage effect or perhaps a mental trick. _Now_ he could see it almost clearly.
And it had destroyed utterly his beautiful spider for only approaching. While he had gotten off lightly, he flexed the newly grown arm, for almost disemboweling the thing.
*My Lord, please, let us leave this place*
He glanced down to see Kaede pleading with Su-sa- no-oh, carefully keeping herself between her god and the creature. Su-sa-no-oh seemed disinclined to leave. Well, he'd always been an arrogant snot, Murakumo thought. Still, powerful as the creature was it had limitations. It seemed to lack endurance. And for all his faults Su-sa-no-oh _was_ a god. He'd better get back down and kill the thing before Su-sa-no-oh decided to act personally. Gods tended to get cranky if they had to dirty their hands.
************************************************
Hurt. It had hurt her.
Her reserves were dangerously low. It had taken everything she had to make the great leap to escape to this . . .place. She shuddered again at how cold and bleak a world she found herself in. The star field was separated by light years . . .hundreds or thousands in some cases between each star. And the primary . . .so pale and cold . . .had she escaped the great collapse only to starve in this frigid, lifeless desert?
A hot fast fire burned nearby. Small, but intense. Her nerves sang with a delicious anticipation. . .but first she must deal with the thing that hurt her. It was fast. And strong. Faster and stronger than she in her depleted state. She tasted the winds of probability and knew that it would attack. Soon. All she had to do was wait and it would come to her.
The little fire was so hot. So close.
All she had to do was wait and then she could feed.
Her tendrils lashed the air with a beautifully painful need.
All she had to do was wait . . .
************************************************
Before Murakumo could start his attack the creature rushed toward Su-sa-no-oh, it's six legs crossing the ground in great thirty meter leaps. He wasted a miserable fraction of a second cursing, then flashed across its path piercing it's side with one of his diamond hard blades. It ripped free without pausing in its mad rush toward Su-sa-na-oh and Murakumo cursed again. Flipping forward into its path he thrust his arms forward, extending the razor tipped blades like a lance. He was almost too slow. The stupid creature was faster than he'd imagined, hitting him before he was entirely set. He grunted and staggered back as the thing smashed directly into the organic lances. He could _hear_ it as the shafts penetrated the creatures chest with a heavy meaty sound. Then again as they burst from the things _back_ as it ran up the shaft, insane with rage.
Murakumo had an instant to realize his mistake. He didn't have it . . .it had him. Then it was on him---- biting and screaming it clawed its way _through_ him - - - being the shortest distance between two points. A moment later Murakumo, fell to the ground looking like a tattered leather bag of cole-slaw.
"Lord Su-sa-no-oh," Kaede grabbed her god by the arm. "Please, we _must_ go!" She tried to drag him away by main force. Gently he put her to one side, smiling reassuringly. Stepping in front of her his face hardened and he thrust both hands, palm forward, in front of him. At that instant all the power of a god, the power of storm and fire and life and death was concentrated and focused on one small creature the size of a largish panther. Power enough to sink a continent, or melt it, smashed into the thing.
************************************************
The small fire blazed suddenly upward, hotter and faster than she could have imagined, hitting her with force enough to boil her blood and crack her bones. Instantly her rainbow tendrils swept through the shadows of probability . . .delicately encouraging some, pinching off others to die still-born . . .weaving and dancing her way through the maelstrom . . .hunters eyes never leaving her kill.
Su-sa-no-oh had a brief vision of violet eyes, great fanged jaws opened impossibly wide beneath a vibrating snakes nest of rainbow coloured hair----
God eater.
*******************************************************************************