There was something different. Their methods seem to have changed subtly, though they’re after the same thing they were after before. Human energy.
Ryoku got up from his bed and went to the kitchen. Earlier, he had been lying on his bed, contemplating the small change he’d noticed in the enemy’s strategy. There was nothing special; just the fact that their targets seemed to be one human instead of many. Add to the fact that since they found no trace of Jadeite in their last battle and he hadn’t made another appearance since, that meant one thing; someone else was in charge of draining human energy.
He opened the refrigerator door and glanced over the contents. I need to go grocery shopping soon, he thought, taking out some leftover sukiyaki he made yesterday. As he reheated the leftovers, he thought back to the last two battles they had since their fight with Jadeite… and to what Luna had told them beforehand.
Before their first battle after Jadeite, Luna had divulged information about their enemies. Their name was the Dark Kingdom and they had a purpose for stealing human energy. Luna had told them that she hadn’t learned very much else after that, but the Dark Kingdom was still under investigation by whoever was supplying her with her information.
There wasn’t much for him to remember about the first battle, seeing how Sailor Moon defeated the youma all by herself… or so they thought. Later, she admitted that she had a little help from Tuxedo Kamen. None of them really cared, since they were all surprised by the fact that she faced the youma without anybody having to goad her into it.
What she told them of what happened before was interesting, though. She told them that Naru’s friend, Saionji Rui, started acting strangely all of a sudden. For no reason, she began to become aggressive and mean, totally opposite of how she usually acted. When Usagi and Naru went to talk to Rui, Usagi found out that she was under the influence of a youma, which appeared and drained all of her energy. After defeating the youma, Rui returned to normal and remembered nothing.
A few days later, while they all went for a walk in the park, they came across an old friend of Ami’s, an elderly man named Nagashima. He was the gardener for the park, especially the flower gardens. He told them that the park was being bulldozed for the development of a new office building.
He later began to act strangely, just like Rui did. He grew angry and vindictive, which was completely the opposite of the kindly, even-tempered man they had met before. Once again, they discovered that he, too, was under the influence of a youma, which appeared and drained all of his energy. Once they defeated the youma, he returned to normal and, just like Rui, remembered nothing.
Ryoku turned off the stove and removed the pot. He served himself a bowl of sukiyaki and sat down to eat. While he ate, he tried to figure out if there were any connections between the two attacks. The only thing he could think of was the fact that each victim was, in a way, somehow known to one of the Scouts; Rui to Usagi, through Naru, and Nagashima to Ami. Perhaps their enemies were trying to eliminate them by targeting someone close to them. Then again, if they knew who they were, then they would come straight for them. No, they still didn’t know their identities. So much for them finding out through Jadeite.
Finishing dinner, he washed his dishes and put them away. Afterwards, he went back to his room, took down one of his swords and began to sharpen it with a special whetstone that he used specifically for his swords. There doesn’t seem to be any recognizable pattern to their attacks. I guess we all have to watch carefully for anything out of the ordinary.
Ami and Rei were walking past the Crown Video Arcade, when Usagi and Luna walked up to them. “Have either of you two seen Ryo-kun lately?” Usagi asked.
“Not since our last class together,” Ami answered.
“I haven’t seen him all day,” Rei replied. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing,” Usagi said. “It just seems like he’s been avoiding us or something.”
“Are you sure, Usagi-chan?” Ami asked. “Maybe he’s just really busy. Remember that day when he was getting ready for the martial arts competition?”
“You mean the one where we found out he was Sailor Knight?” Usagi asked.
“Yes,” she replied, nodding. “We barely saw him all day. Like today.”
“So, what you’re saying is that he might not be avoiding us,” Usagi said. “He’s just busy.” A contemplative expression crossed her face. “I wonder why he’s so busy. At least he could’ve told us about it.”
“Why, Usagi-chan?” Rei asked derisively. “So you can stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong, like you usually do?”
“Hey! Take that back!”
“Why should I?”
Ami sighed. “Do you two always have to argue?” she asked tiredly.
Just then, Ryoku hurriedly ran past them. In his right hand, he was carrying a long, black rectangular case by its handle. As he ran past the girls, Usagi and Rei had to jump aside, so they wouldn’t be hit by the case.
“Sorry, Usagi-chan, Rei-chan!” he shouted quickly. “Hi Ami-chan, Luna!”
“Hey, Ryo-kun, where’ve you been all day?” Usagi called after him.
“Can’t talk now; I’m gonna be late,” he replied as he was about to turn the corner. “I’ll tell you later.”
“I wonder what that was all about?” Rei said to herself. “And what was that case he was carrying?”
“Oh, now who’s the nosy one?” Usagi said accusingly.
“Like you should talk!”
“Sometimes, I wonder about those two,” Luna muttered.
“Same here, Luna,” Ami said quietly, as Usagi and Rei began sticking their tongues out at each other. “Same here.”
“Sorry, I’m late, Sugiyama-sensei,” Ryoku called out as he entered the classroom. A young woman looked up from her piano, over to the doorway to the classroom. She was a petite lady, just barely five feet. Her long jet-black hair ran nearly to her knees and was bound in a longer version of his ponytail. Her hair was a sharp contrast to her favorite ivory-white dress that she occasionally wore to class, like today. She fixed her dark brown eyes on him and grinned slightly.
“That’s all right, Ryoku-san,” she replied. “The students were just warming up. You can take a few minutes to warm up yourself and tune your guitar.”
“Actually,” he said, setting his guitar case on the floor next to the piano, “I already warmed up back at home. I just need to tune my guitar.”
“Is that why you were late?”
“No. I couldn’t find my case,” he told her. “I usually keep my guitar on a stand.” He plucked the first string as Sugiyama played the same note on the piano. He was only a little sharp. It was only a simple matter to turn the tuning knob so that he was now in tune. After that, he could tune the rest of his strings by himself. “All right, I’m ready.”
“Good. Now can you tune the other students’ instruments, please?”
“All right,” he said and went to do so. “Done,” he said after tuning the last instrument.
“Good. What song did we leave off on last time, Ryoku-san?”
“This one,” he answered, handing her a sheet of music from the small pile on her piano.
“Oh, yes, I remember now,” she said. “Thank you. All right class, we’ll start off two beats before measure sixty-eight.”
After class was over, an hour later, the students all packed up their instruments and left, leaving only Ryoku and Sugiyama. He was idly strumming a few chords from the last song, while she put the rest of the music away, except for one piece of sheet music. When she finished, she sat down on the piano bench and began to play the music that was written on the sheet. Halfway through the song, she stopped abruptly.
“Still can’t get past that one part in the song, Sugiyama-sensei?” he asked, setting down his guitar and walking over to the piano.
“No,” she replied, slightly frustrated.
“Too bad,” he said consolingly. “I’d like to hear the rest of it soon.”
“I would too, Ryoku-san,” she replied. “It’s just that… I have no inspiration. The song is perfect up to this point,” she said, pointing to the sheet music, “but… well, you can see.” He nodded. After the measure she pointed out, there was nothing. No musical notation at all. Not even any eraser marks. “I want to finish it before the recital, but at the rate I’m going, it’s not likely.”
“You shouldn’t give up so easily, Sugiyama-sensei,” he said. “You still have a couple of days left. Who knows when inspiration will strike?”
She shook her head and smiled. “I suppose,” she said quietly. “Since you’re still here, do you want to run through that piano/guitar duet?”
He quickly glanced at his watch. “All right, but after that, I must go. I’m meeting some friends of mine later.” He walked back to his guitar and picked it up, sliding the strap over his head. “Maybe playing something else will give you some inspiration. Ready when you are.”
She began the opening smoothly. When it was his turn to begin, he joined in just as smoothly. The song was very fluid and lyrical, though the song had no words. At first, his guitar played a quiet descant above the piano’s melody. Then they switched roles, the guitar with the melody and the piano with the descant. Near the end, the piano had the melody again, but the guitar played a stirring counter melody along with the piano. When the song came to a slowing, majestic end, the two musicians heard someone clapping behind them. They both turned around to see a man standing in the entrance of the classroom.
“The door was open and hearing such beautiful music, I had to come in and listen,” the man said. He was tall with long brown hair flowing behind his head. He was dressed in a light blue business suit and necktie. “My name is Sanjoin Masato. I hope you don’t mind that I was listening in.”
“No, it’s all right,” Sugiyama said, blushing slightly. “Classes are over for today, though.”
“That’s okay, I wasn’t looking to enroll,” Sanjoin said, walking up to them. “I was just passing by when I heard you playing.” He turned to Ryoku. “You’re very talented on that guitar.”
“Thanks,” he said quietly. There’s something about this guy.…
“What’s this?” Sanjoin said, reaching over for Sugiyama’s incomplete song and closely examining it. “You’re a songwriter, too?”
“Well, yes,” she replied shyly. “But not professionally.”
“Why not?” he asked, affecting surprise. “This music is exceptional. It’s a shame that it’s unfinished. I would’ve liked to hear it.”
“I’m hoping to finish it before the class recital that’s being held in a couple of days,” she said sadly, “but it doesn’t look like it’ll be ready in time.”
“Oh, I’m sure it will,” he said in a certain tone. “I’ll look forward to hearing it.” He turned and left the classroom.
Outside the building where Sugiyama taught her music classes, Nephrite, in his guise as Sanjoin Masato, walked over to his car and drove back to the mansion in the woods where he kept his base of operations.
He had a small grin on his face as he entered the room he used to make his plans. A small representation of the galaxy appeared overhead, covering the entire room and blacking out any light coming through the windows.
“The music teacher, Sugiyama Yui, is spending an enormous amount of energy trying to complete her latest piece of music,” he said aloud into the slowly rotating blackness. Some of the small points of light, representing various stars, shimmered brightly and faded back to normal, as if answering him. “The power I have endowed into her sheet music will increase her anxieties to its peak, causing her to spend even more energy into completing her composition. I will then collect that energy for the Dark Kingdom!”
As he turned to leave, he had failed to notice a pair of green eyes watching him from the shadows….
Ryoku was jogging home from music class, the case swinging back and forth in time with his running. He left a few minutes after Sanjoin did, wondering the whole time about the reservations he felt towards him. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he was certain that his arrival at the classroom wasn’t coincidental.
He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that, as he turned the corner, he failed to notice Ami walking in his direction. When he saw her in front of him, he immediately snapped out of his pondering and tried to stop before he crashed into her.
Since she was, as usual, reading a book, she wasn’t really watching where she was going. He called out a warning to her as he tried to stop. Instead of stopping, he slipped and fell sliding on his back, which knocked the case from his hand. As he was slipping, she, hearing his warning, looked up from her book in time to trip over the case that tumbled from his hand and land face down on top of him. Her face was about one inch above his, due to his skidding as he fell. Needless to say, it was a very embarrassing position to be in for both of them.
“Um… sorry… about that… Ami-chan,” he stammered, staring into her blue eyes. “That was my fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“That’s… okay, Ryo-kun,” she also stammered, staring into Ryoku’s gray eyes. “I… wasn’t watching where I was going, either. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. You?”
“I’m okay. After all, I did land on you.”
“Oh, right.”
“Are you two going to stay like that for long?” Rei’s voice asked from nearby. The two looked over to see Rei, Usagi and Luna staring at them. She was giving them a disapproving stare, while Usagi had a considering look on her face. Luna’s expression, however, was thankfully neutral.
Ryoku and Ami looked back at each other and blushed crimson as they realized what their position must look like to the others. Immediately, they got to their feet, neither Ryoku nor Ami looking at anyone.
“Um…. That wasn’t what it looked like…,” Ryoku said.
“We just… ran into each other by accident,” Ami added.
Rei and Usagi just nodded. “So,” Usagi said to Ryoku, “are you ready to tell us where you’ve been all day, and for the last couple of days?”
He walked over and picked up both his case and the book Ami had been reading before he ran into her. “All right,” he replied, handing Ami back her book. “I was on my way back home. I’ll tell you there.”
Sugiyama sat in front of her piano at home and started writing furiously. She had no idea where this amazing burst of inspiration came from, but she was definitely not going to waste it. It was growing dark, but she didn’t care. The deadline was the day after tomorrow and she needed to be done quickly. She had to have the music finished before the recital.
After writing for the better part of an hour, she played what she had written. It sounded terrible. She hated it. Now I have to start all over again! At this rate, I’ll never get done in time! She crumpled up the sheet and tossed it over her shoulder.
Perhaps this time she would come up with something that would really surprise them.
“So, this is your place?” Usagi asked as they entered the door.
“It is,” Ryoku replied, setting his case on the floor. “Anybody want anything?”
“I’d like some tea,” Rei said, sitting down in a chair.
“That sounds good,” Ami said, also sitting down. “I’ll have some, too.”
“And me!” Usagi said, looking at the case he left on the floor.
He nodded. “I was going to make tea for myself anyway. You want anything, Luna?”
“No, thanks,” Luna said, lying down on another chair. “I’m fine.”
“All right,” he said and walked over to the kitchen. “Go ahead, Usagi-chan,” he said over his shoulder without stopping. “I know you want to look inside.”
“Well, if you insist,” she said and went to open the case, as he began boiling water. “Hey, I didn’t know you played guitar, Ryo-kun.”
“Now, you know,” he replied, not turning around. He took out some tea leaves and a strainer from a nearby cabinet.
“You take music lessons?” Ami asked.
“Not really,” he said, removing the teakettle from the stove. He took down four cups and a tray from the cabinet and set the cups down on the tray.
“That didn’t take long,” Rei commented.
“I don’t like my tea boiling hot,” he explained as he poured the tea. “This is just the right temperature for drinking. Not scalding hot, but still very warm.”
“So, what do you mean, you don’t really take music lessons?” Usagi asked. “Where were you going in such a rush today?”
“I’ll start at the beginning,” he said as he brought the tea over to the table handed the girls their cups. “A couple of days ago, I was walking past a building where there’s a music class that’s held every other day, after school. Class was over, but I heard someone playing some beautiful piano music. Since the door is usually kept open, I walked in and listened to the teacher, Sugiyama Yui, play.
“After she finished, she told be that classes were over and if I wanted to enroll, I should come back tomorrow. I told her that I wasn’t there to enroll; I was there just to listen. She said that I was welcome to stay and listen, but she was going to leave in a few minutes.” He paused to take a sip of tea.
“Before she started,” he continued, “I noticed that there was a guitar case lying open on the floor next to the piano. A student had left his or her guitar there and forgotten it. I told Sugiyama-sensei that someone left their guitar. She said that students occasionally forget their instruments and that I shouldn’t worry about it.
“I picked up the guitar and asked her if I could play along with her. She agreed and I joined her in the next song. Afterwards, she was impressed with my playing and asked me if I would like to come in every now and then and assist her with the class as well as play guitar with them.”
“So, that’s why we haven’t been seeing you lately,” Usagi said. “You’ve been going to music classes as an aide.”
“Yes, that’s why,” he said and finished his tea.
“What I don’t understand,” Ami said quietly, “is why you’ve been so busy for the past couple of days in a row. You said that classes are held every other day.”
“They usually are,” he answered. “This week though, it’s different. The class is getting ready for a recital for their parents and family the day after tomorrow. They’re practicing really hard and classes are being held every day this week.”
“Oh,” Usagi said.
“Also,” he continued, “Sugiyama-sensei is trying to write a song for the recital. She’s been having some trouble due to lack of inspiration and she’s working extra hard to try to finish it. Sometimes she asks me to take her place teaching for a few minutes while she writes down some music.”
“You have been busy,” Luna remarked.
“It has been slightly hectic,” he agreed with a slight nod. “It’s almost over anyway.” He got up from the table and walked over to the open guitar case. He shut it and carried it over to his room. After putting the case away, he returned to the table and sat down again.
“So, the recital’s the day after tomorrow?” Usagi asked.
“You thinking about coming?” he asked, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.
“It sounds interesting,” Ami said.
“I wouldn’t mind going,” Rei added.
“Yes, I think I’d like to go, as well,” Luna said.
“Me, too,” Usagi said. “Besides, I wanna hear you play that guitar.”
“All right,” he said with a small half-smile. “Then, I’ll see you all there.”
The next day, Ryoku arrived at the building where class was usually held and found a surprise hanging on the door. It was a sign saying, “Class cancelled today. Remember recital tomorrow at 4 P.M.”
He scratched the back of his head in confusion. Strange.… Sugiyama-sensei didn’t mention anything yesterday about class being dismissed today. I think I’ll go ask her if there’s anything wrong. If it’s just about her music, she would’ve asked me to take over for her, like before.
He stopped at his apartment to drop off his guitar, and headed for Sugiyama’s house. When he reached her house, he knocked on her door. Hearing no answer, he knocked again. Still no answer. Now, he was worried.
After trying the doorknob, he found that the door was open. “Hello?” he called into the house. “Sugiyama-sensei? Are you there? It’s me, Ryoku.” There was still no answer. “Hello? Sugiyama-sensei?”
He entered the house slowly. There was an uneasy feeling about her house that made him a little nervous. He looked around the living room. Nothing there. “Hello? Sugiyama-sensei, are you home?”
“What do you want?” a voice shouted from further inside the house. It was Sugiyama’s.
He headed for the room where the voice originated. “I just wanted to see if you were all right. You didn’t mention canceling class yesterday, so I wondered if there was something wrong.”
“What makes you think something’s wrong?” her voice yelled from nearby. “It’s my class! I can cancel it whenever I want!”
He stopped abruptly upon hearing that. Wow, she’s never sounded like that before. This music of hers must really be getting to her. “I know that it’s your class,” he said continuing to follow her voice. “I just thought that you would’ve had me rehearse the class while you worked on your music. You have done that a couple of times before.”
“Just because I’ve done it before, doesn’t mean that I’ll do it again!” she shouted angrily as he entered the room. He blinked in surprised at how she looked now. Her hair was unkempt and strewn all over. She was red-eyed from lack of sleep and she looked like she was about to drop from exhaustion despite how loudly she had yelled at him before. What really caught his eye though, was the fact that instead of the usual light colored clothes that she preferred, she was wearing a pitch-black dress as dark as her ivory-white dress was light. “What are you staring at?” she demanded when she noticed his expression.
“Nothing,” he replied quickly.
“Well, now that you can see that I’m all right, you can go now!” she said finally and turned her back to him, writing furiously.
“Okay,” he said quietly. “I’ll see you at the recital, then.” As he turned to leave, he noticed a crumpled piece of paper lying neglected on the floor near the doorway. Curious, he picked it up and unfolded it. This music! This is the music she’s been working on for days! What is it doing crumpled up like this? He looked over the now completed song. There’s nothing wrong with this; in fact it’s very good. Why did she throw it away?
He glanced back at Sugiyama one more time and left. Now, he was more worried than before.
“Usagi-chan, do you have to go and bother Ryo-kun the day before the recital?” Luna asked walking next to her. Usagi had decided that she wanted a little sneak preview of the recital, to see whether or not she should bring some manga with her.
“I’m not going to bother him, Luna,” she replied peevishly. “If he’s practicing, I’m just going to listen to him play.”
Luna sighed. “Can’t you wait until tomorrow?” she asked tiredly.
“Sure I can,” Usagi answered. “But as long as we’re in the neighborhood, I might as well drop in and say hi.”
They had just walked up to Ryoku’s apartment building when they saw someone on the roof. He was moving like he was fighting somebody, but neither Usagi nor Luna could see anyone on the roof besides him.
“What do you suppose is going on up there, Luna?” Usagi asked, confused.
“I don’t know,” Luna said, just as confused.
Their question was answered when the figure on the roof abruptly stopped and turned in their direction and waved. “Hey, you two!” Ryoku called from the roof.
“What were you doing up there?” Usagi asked as he climbed down from the roof.
“Practicing,” he said, jumping off the ladder onto the ground.
“That’s an interesting way to practice,” she said flatly.
He raised an eyebrow in amusement. “What? You thought I’d be practicing my guitar right now?”
“Well, yeah. The recital is tomorrow.”
“I really don’t need to practice.”
“Oh,” she said, slightly disappointed.
“Let me guess. You were hoping to listen to me practice, right?”
“Huh?”
“Actually, that is why she came here,” Luna said.
“I see,” he said, nodding. He turned and headed back inside the apartment. “Well, what are you standing around for?” he asked over his shoulder without stopping. “I thought you wanted to listen to me practice?”
Usagi grinned and started after him with Luna right behind her.
After a few minutes of listening to him play, Usagi noticed a melancholic tone to his music. Looking at his face, she saw a worried expression displayed there.
“Is something wrong?” Usagi asked, concerned.
He blinked and looked up from his guitar. “Wrong?”
“Yeah, you look worried,” she said.
“If there’s anything we can do to help…,” Luna began.
“Actually there is.”
“What is it?” Usagi asked.
“There’s something wrong with Sugiyama-sensei,” he said quietly.
“The music teacher?”
“The same,” he said. “Her behavior has totally reversed since yesterday. Maybe she’s just very anxious about finishing her music, but somehow I doubt it. Usually she’s a gentle person, but when I went to talk to her at her house, she snapped at me. I’ve never seen her like that before.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about the whole thing,” he continued. “Maybe the Dark Kingdom has somehow gotten to her, like with Naru-chan’s friend, Rui, and the park gardener.”
“Do you really think so?” Luna asked.
“Like I said before, I’m not sure,” he told her. “Maybe, she’s just very anxious about the recital and her music. It’s very unlikely, but it is possible.”
“Maybe we should keep an eye on her during the recital.”
“I would appreciate it,” he said, some of the worry lifting from his face.
“Anytime, Ryo-kun,” Usagi said. “Now, how about another song?”
He half-smiled again in amusement. “All right, but this is the last one. You can hear the rest at the recital.”
“Fifteen minutes until the recital begins,” Ami said, sitting between Rei and Usagi, with Luna on her lap. They were sitting in the classroom with the family and friends of the other students. Everyone was dressed casually, which suited the girls, since they were still in their school uniforms. There was a small stage area that was set up for the performers. The music stands were already set up and had the sheet music already on it. The piano was all set up next to the stage.
“Only fifteen?” Usagi asked petulantly.
“Yes, Usagi-chan. Fifteen,” she replied patiently.
“Maybe I should’ve brought at least one manga,” Usagi grumbled.
In the next room, the students were taking care of any last-minute maintenance their instruments needed. Ryoku tested his guitar strings and found that they were still in tune. He looked around for any sign of Sugiyama, who hadn’t shown up yet. She still wasn’t anywhere to be seen. They didn’t have long until the recital would begin.
“Is everyone ready?” he asked the students.
“Ready,” came the unanimous reply.
“All right. Let’s go take our places. Sugiyama-sensei isn’t here yet, so we need to wait for her. I’m sure she won’t be long.”
He led the students to their places as he watched the doorway for Sugiyama’s late arrival. When the last student took her place, Sugiyama finally arrived, holding her sheet music and wearing the same pitch-black dress she wore yesterday. She had a peculiar look on her face as she took her place at the piano, as if something amused her.
Seeing that she had finally arrived, Ryoku took his place and nodded to his four friends in the audience as he picked up his guitar.
“It’s about time!” Usagi said testily.
“Quiet!” Rei whispered. “I’m getting a bad feeling all of a sudden.”
“Me, too,” Luna said quietly. “It started as soon as that woman came in.”
“I think that’s Sugiyama-sensei, the music teacher,” Ami remarked.
“Luna,” Usagi whispered, “remember yesterday what Ryo-kun told us about Sugiyama-sensei?”
“You mean about how she started acting strangely?”
“Yeah. He also said that he thought that she was being affected by the Dark Kingdom.”
“You mean, like Rui and Nagashima-san?” Ami asked.
“Yes.”
“We better be careful before…,” Rei began. She was cut off when Sugiyama began to speak.
“The first piece of music on the program is a rhapsody that I have been writing for the past few days,” she said. “I hope you’ll enjoy it. It is a particularly… energetic piece.” She turned back to the piano, raised her fingers and began to play.
The flowing music filled the room, slowly draining the energy of everyone who heard it, except for Usagi, Ami, Rei and Luna, who each covered her ears. Noticing all the people beginning to list to one side, and feeling drained himself as well, Ryoku quickly covered his ears as well, after placing his guitar carefully on the floor next to him.
Yes, that’s it! Nephrite telepathically sent to Sugiyama from his base in the woods. Now, finish the job, Aria! Suddenly, she was drained of all the accumulated energy of everyone in the room, as well as all of her anxious energies. The energy then left her body, forming into a snow-white skinned youma with long green hair. Its face was like a mask. Its pure green eyes and full red mouth remained motionless while she laughed. It was dressed in a dark gown similar to what Sugiyama was wearing.
“Ryo-kun, are you all right?” Luna yelled from the far side of the room where the girls retreated.
“I’m fine,” he said angrily, joining them, “but that youma’s going to pay for what she did to Sugiyama-sensei! Knight swords power!”
“We’re with you, Ryo-kun!” Rei said. “Mars power, make up!”
“Mercury power, make up!” Ami shouted.
“Moon prism power, make up!” Usagi shouted.
Aria had just finished draining the last of the students when the Scouts finished transforming. She dropped the student back into his seat and looked around for that other student and his three friends, who she missed draining.
“Looking for someone?” a voice called from behind her. Turning around, she saw four figures staring at her. “You have ruined this recital, for which these kids have practiced so hard for, and perverted it with your evil. That cannot be forgiven! I’m the Sailor Warrior fighting for love and justice, Sailor Moon! On behalf of the Moon….”
“On behalf of Mercury…,” Sailor Mercury added.
“In the name of Mars…,” Sailor Mars added.
“And on behalf of the Earth…,” Sailor Knight added.
“…we will punish you!” all four shouted at once.
“Shabon spray!” Mercury shouted, flinging a group of bubbles at Aria. Instead of dodging the bubbles, Aria emitted a piercing scream directly at them, causing them all to deflect. All four Scouts and Luna all covered their ears and winced painfully, especially Luna, due to her sensitive cat ears.
“That hurt…,” Sailor Moon said painfully.
“I’ve still got a ringing in my ears,” Mars said. “That youma’s gonna pay for that! Fire soul!” She fired a huge fireball directly for Aria. Once again, she countered by screaming at the fireball causing it to deflect, and causing everyone to wince in pain.
“This is getting us nowhere!” Mercury shouted.
“What?” Sailor Moon asked.
“What?” Knight asked.
“What?” Mars asked.
Mercury held up her hands, indicating that they should wait until the ringing in their ears quieted enough so that they could hear. She pressed an earring, lowering her visor, and quickly scanned the enemy. In no time, she had found a weakness in the enemy. “I know how we can defeat her!”
“Why do you want to seat her?” Sailor Moon asked.
“What did you say about heating fur?” Mars asked.
“What does wheat germ have to do with this?” Knight asked.
This is enough to try even my patience! she thought with a sigh. “No, I said I know how we can beat her!” she shouted deliberately.
“Oh,” the other three Scouts said in unison. “Why didn’t you say so?”
She groaned in exasperation. “I did!” she yelled, then sighed again. “Never mind. What I found out is that her screams can only project in the direction that she faces.”
“So, she can only block what she sees?” Mars asked.
“I see,” Knight said. “If we can pin her head in one direction, then she can’t deflect any attacks from the side. Can you all distract her for a minute?”
“Leave it to us, Sailor Knight!” Mars said. “Fire soul!” She shot another fireball at Aria while he ran to the other side of her. As expected, she screamed, deflecting the fireball, but as she did so, Knight prepared his attack.
“Earth thrust!” he shouted, throwing a large spike of stone at her. The stone struck her long green hair, pinning her to the wall. “All right, Sailor Moon, it’s all set!”
“Okay!” Sailor Moon said, removing her tiara. “Moon tiara action!” She flung her tiara at Aria and struck her, turning the youma to dust, which vanished quickly.
“Are you all right, Sugiyama-sensei?” Ryoku asked, as the class was playing the final song.
“Yes, I suppose,” she answered. “Still, I’m a little disappointed because I never did get to finish writing my song. I really wanted to play it today for the recital.”
He reached into a pocket and pulled out the crumpled piece of music that he picked up yesterday, and handed it to her. “Here. I think this is yours.”
She unfolded the sheet music and glanced over it, her face brightening instantly. “Oh, this is my music! And it’s completed, too! Strange, I don’t remember writing this.”
“You did write it, I assure you,” he reassured her. “I picked it up at your house yesterday.”
“Yesterday?” she said, bewildered. “It’s strange. The last couple of days are like a blur to me.”
“Really? Oh, well. Now that you have your music, perhaps you’d like to close the program with it?”
“Yes, that sounds like a wonderful idea, Ryoku-san. Why don’t you go sit in the audience with your friends and listen?”
“Certainly, Sugiyama-sensei.”
He put his guitar back in its case and went over to join his friends. “Thanks again for all your help,” he said quietly.
“Like we said before, anytime you need us, we’ll be glad to help,” Usagi reminded him. He just quietly nodded and turned to watch Sugiyama take her place at the piano bench and begin to play. He closed his eyes and listened quietly to the gentle sounds of the piano, wondering to himself how such a brilliant flash of inspiration could come from being under the control of such darkness.
I guess sometimes all you need is a little push. But, considering the source, I think I’d pass.
To Chapter 16: Wedding Day Blues