Sailor Moon and all related characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation and DIC. Marui Mercia is a character made up by myself also the characters Jesse Devaries and Joseph Cairns. The content of this writing is strictly for entertainment purposes only and I do not intend to inflict the breaking of any copyright infringements by writing this.
The Zodiac Wars
by Ryan Bodle
Chapter Ten- Super Alignment
Rating: PG
"Looks like a hair clip," Marui responded holding the icon in his hand.
"Yeah, only managed to scrape it from the guy, then he disappeared," Lita explained looking on.
"Into thin air?" Marui asked back. Lita shook her head.
"Into the sewers." Marui looked at the clip more and in silence. He seemed to have that ability. Suck all sound out of the room until he spoke once more. "So they have long hair, could you define a sex?" Lita shook her head once more
"Thought it was a guy, but thinking back they could've been a girl. Whoever it was, they smoked." Marui nodded.
"Height?"
Lita thought, "about five ten or eleven."
"What did they wear?"
"Long coat, boots, that's all I saw." Serena's ears pricked.
"I know that guy. He bailed me out from that bank robbery not long back, remember what I told you Mina?" Mina searched for the time.
"Yeah, you said he saved you from the bullet."
"Yeah, he came back as well, kinda gave me a pep talk on bank robberies. What did he say his name was," Serena rattled her brain.
"Oh come on!" Raye exclaimed, "You can't be sure this is the same guy!"
"But we can't be sure it isn't," Mina argued.
"JC!" Serena shouted. "His name was JC." Marui leaned to her and looked at her.
"Are you sure about that?" he asked.
"Definitely." Marui sat back in the chair he was in and thought again, shaking his head at one point.
"What's the problem?" Lita asked. "That's guys name right?"
"Yeah." Serena answered watching also. Marui leaned across and picked up a newspaper placing it in centre view.
'WOLRD HAZARD TERROIST "JC" CAUGHT IN LAST STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL.' Marui cut down the story for them.
"That bank robbery was pulled off by JC, he was chased from England and made a desperation manoeuvre to get a cash flow back, thanks to you he's in jail."
"There, two different guys," Raye retorted. Marui folded the paper up.
"Super alignment is getting nearer, we have to prepare for it. We can continue this puzzle later, I suggest we keep up a training scheme, do you have a routine yourself?"
"Luna and Artemis have that under control," Mina nodded. "How many days d we have now?"
"Ten days, don't forget to keep rested, tiredness can beat us instead of the enemy," Marui answered. "Cairns and I have an appointment in training to keep, so if you'll excuse me please." The girls were left with no choice but to depart.
"I say we grab a shake and fries, we have to meet with Luna and Artemis soon and I'll be starved by that time." They agreed on going out for a meal before training that day as Marui closed the door. He leaned against, covering his face in his hands and sighed. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he changed into a training suit and picked up a bag before leaving his apartment. What followed was the longest drive of his life.
'What is coming for us?' he asked himself, he almost wanted the five girls to be far away. To try and stop whatever was coming without them, he knew he couldn't and what more he knew he couldn't stop them. That would be the most futile part about it. This was why he was driving right now, pushing to the limit. He pulled up outside a gym and stepped out. Orange sky behind him he picked out Cairns waiting there for him already and stepped fluently through the doors. They merely nodded at each other.
Cairns who was waiting with one foot pitched against the wall, seemed to kick himself from the wall and tag in behind Marui like a predetermined formation. Marui spoke at reception paying for the two. They picked up once again and headed for the workout area. "Tell me Cairns," Marui finally said. "Why are we here?"
"Anaerobic training," Cairns replied. "Mostly things to keep reflexes in shape, lets warm up." Cairns led Marui to the Cardio Vascular machines, the bike machines specifically. "Five kilometres and pace yourself." Cairns explained and jumped on one, Marui sat on the machine next to him as they both began motion. "How are the council holding up?" Cairns asked.
"Well, they don't seem daunted by the oncoming super alignment. I think they must have dealt with a lot of pressure before. How do you feel?"
"Hard to explain, anxious I guess, but part of me can't wait for it." Marui nodded.
"Me too, I have no idea why. I tried explaining it to myself but I don't quite understand how to."
"Slow down a little," Cairns instructed. "When do you plan the next crest training?"
"Tomorrow, half hour." The two continued the training more or less in silence. Cairns gave instructions of what precisely to do, an hour later they left, exhausted but not willing to show it.
Sailor Jupiter lunged forward and rolled not stopping beyond that. She kept running at great pace until she reached a stream, it could be easily cleared yet she jumped more vertically reaching branches in the trees, hand out stretched she grabbed for something and came back down, she fell for several seconds knowing she must have reached tree tops. Landing she didn't stop again, now holding a small hoop n her hand she raced on. Dart left, right, far left and again, right and left, right and again, once more. Each time missing a tree trunk by millimetres. It seemed precision itself, at the speed she was going there was no chance of making dodges by inches or larger gaps. She finally made it to a clearing.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" Fog descended quickly and it turned cold in a heartbeat. Jupiter didn't stop.
"Venus Love Chain Encircle!" From mist as thick as water itself a golden strand of rope pierced the air and hurtled for Jupiter. The Amazon dived letting out a scream of effort as she avoided a snare by a hair's width. Jupiter rolled round on her feet and sprang into a sprint again. The mist thinned gradually and the outline of a post could be seen ahead. Jupiter ducked her head further and raced or it, eyes growing thin themselves. The post became bigger and bigger, the mist had gone completely now. The shadow behind her however had grown larger, she raised her eye level to see a figure jump over her landing some twenty feet in front. Jupiter side stepped and kept her pace, however came to brake when the figure herself blocked her way again. An arm levelled on her at neck and throat level and Jupiter ducked, a kick followed and was deflected. Jupiter straightened herself as made a series of blocks and parries. Upper left, lower tight, repeated. Lower right again, lower left, lower right, upper right. Random motions from flailing limbs, she spiralled and moved past the attacker. The dark sky glowed for a second and Jupiter knew what was coming.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" Jupiter jumped high and watched a torch of flames flash past her, the edges giving emerald shoes a coal black polish. Jupiter landed, still holding the hoop and grabbed the post with the other hand.
"TIME!" She shouted coming to a sudden rest. Her breathing was heavy and she leaned an arm on her knee.
"2:53, not bad but not an all time best," Luna replied awkwardly holding a stop watch.
"Mars just came out of nowhere, she did a real good job of holding me up," Jupiter panted. Her head leaned to Mars.
"Thanks, but you got past me real quick," Mars replied slightly out of breath. Moon, Venus and Mercury came from a short distance yet were almost invisible due to the night surroundings.
"Well Mercury, last but not least," Moon said bending to see if Jupiter was fine. "Your best is 3:03 right?" Mercury nodded.
"Come on, I'll hang up the ring," Venus said taking it from Jupiter's grasp and walking of with sailor Mercury.
"You know, this is the most tiring routine you two have come up with yet," Jupiter gasped still.
"Well it woks, its stretching you in all physical fields, not to mention a small part of tactics is involved," Artemis replied.
"Still tiring," Jupiter retorted. Gradually using two legs as her only support, she trailed off with the group.
Super alignment, Universal time line, The FortitudeÉ
Curien stood once again on the podium and looked down in silence. Minutes passed in seconds, eyes closed he brought more and more attention into his deep thought. Meditating further and further. A drop of sweat materialised on his brow, teeth tightened their grip inside his mouth until they showed. Then slowly, the room darkened around him, slowly the room went pitch black. Heavy breathing could be heard. A sparkle, the map of stars began to throw to life, one tiny star glinted after another until a select combination of constellations appeared. He staggered and used the podium to support his weight. A low growl formed in his throat. They glowed brighter. The growl grew louder until it became a scream. Merely from those few glitters in the room, there was a flash of blinding light until Curien was not alone in the room. He stood in front of four new figures.
"Leo," one nodded, appearing as a wild cat on its hind legs, it wore a grand mane. "Scorpio," Scorpio bowed hissing, a tail rose behind it. "Sagittarius." A four legged creature bowed holding a bow in his hand. "Aquarius." A female figure nodded, she clothed in robes and was a pale blue. "Welcome to super alignment, I have a special task for you all."
Tokyo, JapanÉ
"Well, according to what we've heard, this is super alignment," Lita mentioned. "Nothing's happened yet, think it was just something to psyche us out?"
"Wish I could answer that," Mina answered. "But we're ready for it, whatever it is." Serena, Lita and Mina were walking aimlessly after school. It hadn't been long since classes had ended. Lita's eyes trailed all over the place. Wishing she could feel ok but couldn't because she wasn't sure of anything that day. Mainly because of super alignment, whatever it was. No it was all because of super alignment. Students passed them every now and then and she thought differently of each one.
'Kiroshi, that creep. I don't who those girls are, but I know they're always talking about me I've heard 'em not too popular with them I guess. And Jamie, now that guy is weird, wait!' Lita flashed back her memory. "Guys, come with a sec," Lita said emerging from her thoughts.
"What for?" It was too late, Lita began crossing the road. "Hey wait!" Serena shouted chasing after her. "What are doing?"
"Look!" she said pointing at Jamie. He walked ahead, neatly dressed in his school uniform, hair tied back with a plain hair band. It was all Serena could see. "He's missing something."
"What?"
"This," Lita answered revealing the hair clip she had retrieved from the dark stranger over a week ago. It was true, he usually wore a hair clip just like the one Lita held, but now he had a regular hair band.
"Think we should talk to him?"
"No I don't think we should talk to him, I know," Lita corrected fastening her pace. "Jamie!" Jamie turned at his name then giving a look of annoyance.
"What do you want this time?" he asked.
"Just want to return something to you," she explained revealing the clip. He looked at it then looked at the stern look on her face.
"OK, it was me that night."
"I thought so."
"Oh so it was you that took it from me?"
"Huh?"
"You dozy bitch," he stated shaking his head. "By revealing that information you have let me know about your more secret life." Lita turned silent and bit her bottom lip. "And just taking a wild stab in the dark here, but I assume your two companions also share that secret." Lita's head lowered. He ripped his clip from her grasp. "Next time have a thought about what you're doing." The three watched him walk off.
"How did he turn that against us?" Mina asked shocked. Lita raised her head.
"Not that easily pal!" She chased after him. "I wasn't finished with you!"
"Well I'm finished with you."
"It's a pity, I mean having to destroy you and everything," she muttered as he walked by again. He stopped and let out a laugh.
"I'm sorry?"
"Well you being a spy and all, I'm gonna have to destroy you."
"Spy?" He asked bluntly. "For who?"
"Don't play dumb with me, you know what I mean." Jamie clicked his fingers and pointed at her.
"Oh yeah, now I get you, I remember now." Lita tilted her head and raised an eyebrow.
"Is my sarcasm that transparent?"
"Quit playing games, what's super alignment?"
"I would know because?" Jamie asked raising a hand around face level. "Whoa! Shit," Jamie steadied himself as an earthquake hit Tokyo. Lita stumbled against a wall.
"The hell was that?"
"Don't know."
"Lita!" Serena and Mina rounded the corner at that point, "did you feel that?"
"Yeah, but we don't usually get earthquakes, what caused it?" Mina's eyes widened at that point.
"That?" she pointed. The three girls turned and saw another creature round the corner. It stood around twenty feet tall and wasn't stretched. Standing on four legs its body was laced with fur and a tail that was shelled and a reflecting shade of black. The torso almost appeared human, chest rippled with muscle and arms thicker than tree trunks, one bearing a bow. Its upper body glowed a pale blue, skin stretching and retreating with its movements. Finally, after bringing its head from looking down, you could see its proud face, smiling from its ability to cause such destruction with ease. The edges seemed to flow into a central point where its features began to disappear around where its nose should be. This made the lips curl naturally, if it wasn't smiling maliciously then it would be snarling with evil intent. Eyes were narrow and almost so secluded they would be shadows, yet a dark red emitted from them, they shifted with targeting purposes.
"Ah, dear Sailors," attention turned to a figure floating from above. "I can recognise you from my spy's informing."
"Yeah we found that creep," Lita snarled looking at Jamie.
"What!?"
"This excuse for matter?" the man answered back. "I think not."
"Here I am sire!" a crackled voice spat, a poorly man wretched forward, leaning on a staff, ragged clothes and worn sneakers.
"You cheaky little-," Jamie began and jumped on the figure forcing him to the ground. A limb flew downwards and sounds of connection were made. "Steal my wallet will ya!" Jamie shouted.
As quickly as Jamie had pounced there was a flash of green light and Jamie was thrown from the man. Now stood a fully erect male in his thirties and a smirk on his face. He floated from the ground and stood beside the leader. Jamie was slumped against the wall groaning.
"What was that?" he murmured coming to terms with pain.
"Where are the others?" The leader spoke.
"They'll come running here Lord Curien," the spy answered grinning at Jamie. Curien nodded.
"Enjoy the company of my new pet," he announced. "It has the combined powers of four zodiac droids. I've named it Galaxy, having all the powers from it, its quite fitting. I'd like to see you survive this." With that he vanished, the spy following example. Again the creature moved, rearing on its hind legs and smashing to the ground causing tremors.
"How the hell do we handle this?" Lita asked backing away a step.
"I have no idea," Amy replied.
"I think we'll survive longer if we transform, lets find cover!" Serena ordered and turned down a side street. The other two followed looking for secrecy. A communicator sounded. Serena raised her wrist. "Hi Raye!"
"You seem out of breath, did you feel those tremors?"
"See them!? We saw what them!"
"Where are you?"
"Near the mall, uh, we were just outside a gas station."
"That's on the same side of town as me, I'll tell the others."
"We're finding a shady spot to transform and then get busy with getting the thing away from everybody." The conversation ended.
"I don't think we have to worry about getting that thing away from people," Mina panted.
Serena looked behind her. The colossus had rounded the corner and was trampling down the street, stopping every now and then to lunge its weight at something.
"What is it doing?"
"Chasing Jamie!" Lita answered. "OK the guy's a creep but we got to stop that thing." Jamie had made a good job of avoiding oblivion so far, as best as any normal person could anyhow.
"In here!" Mina shouted pointing to a secluded lock up left open. With a co-ordinated series of nods the girls reached for pens and broach.
"VENUS STAR POWER!"
"JUPITER STAR POWER!"
"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" A rainbow exploded as the girls became their super selves
"Lets cream that walking mismatch!" Jupiter suggested tensing muscles. The three darted out in their coloured splendour and stood in the middle of the road.
Cherry Hill TempleÉ
Raye closed her communicator, reaching inside her robes. She looked both ways seeing and hearing the Temple to empty. Grandpa and Chad were obviously outside.
"MARS STAR POWER!"
Crossroads High school LibraryÉ
Amy turned off the computer station she was at and left quickly. Finding herself in the locker rooms, she leaned against a row of lockers and breathed deeply.
"MERCURY STAR POWER!"
Sunrise Apartments...
Marui lowered a radio from his ear. "Cairns!" His call was answered by the man entering the same room. "Gear up." The two burst into practiced regime, grabbing equipment and leaving.