Author's Note: If you wish to comment on my story, either positively or negatively, don't hesitate to contact me at treetop@voicenet.com. Sailor Moon and all related characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation and DIC. So, please, don't sue me because I haven't any money. I do this strictly for entertainment purposes, not copyright infringement.
The Resurrection Dilemma
by Jeffrey C. Branch
Chapter Six: Sowing The Harvest
Rating: R
Dharsite's revelation left everyone stunned.
Sailor Moon, crucified, suspended high above the floor stared down mutely at Dharsite who glared back at her, tear stained face twisted from rage. Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury and Lita, battered, broken and tortured surrounded the madwoman while Sailor Venus, brainwashed by Dharsite stood by her side. Luna and Artemis, imprisoned inside a large glass cage were equally shocked.
Dharsite? Beryl's daughter? Oh, Lord, thought Moon, sick to her soul.
"What's the matter, Serena? Cat got your tongue?" Dharsite snarled, her voice choked from bitterness. "That's right! Queen Beryl was my mother! And you killed her! So tell me, how does it feel to be a murderer?"
Moon, feeling guilty, dropped her head. "Please, don't ask me that."
"Why? Are you ashamed of what you've done? Don't want to take pride in your handiwork?"
"SHUT UP! You wanna know? You really wanna know? It feels terrible! Okay?" Moon shot back, anger overriding her pain, both physical and emotional. "Beryl murdered me, my friends, the man I loved, destroyed my home and robbed me of my legacy!
"My mother sacrificed her life to stop Beryl and give us a second chance! But Beryl came back like the bad penny she was, tried to destroy Earth, if not the universe! That's why I had to kill her! I wasn't about to let her take a second home from me! But no, I didn't like it! Not one bit!"
Dharsite was unmoved. "You'll forgive me if I refuse to believe you. Be honest with me, Serena, was your goal in killing my mother to defend this mudball, or revenge for what happened on the Moon a millennia ago?"
Moon shook her head. The words were hard to come by. "I don't know. I try not to think about that. But I can't."
"Then we both have something in common. I can't forget either. That's why we're all here today."
"Dharsite, listen to me. There's no need for this to go on. Torturing us, even killing us won't bring Beryl back," said Moon, her voice thick from emotion. Tears poured from her eyes as the emotional pain now overwhelmed her. "We've both lost the women who gave us life, and nothing that happens today will change that. Let's end the suffering. Please."
Now it was Dharsite who dropped her head, as she seemed to mull over Moon's words. Then, with a sigh, the madwoman stared up at Moon, her face somber. She pressed a button on her control box and Moon screamed from agony as a powerful surge of electricity coursed through the shackles that held her in place. When the barrage ended, Moon slumped, nearly unconscious.
"Why?" Moon croaked.
"Because I have no choice. My mind and heart are irrevocably set on a course I am unable to change," Dharsite replied. For once, she got no pleasure from feeling the pain of others, and the taste of Moon's anguish was surprisingly sour. "To let you walk away is something I cannot do and still be able to live with myself. I will never forgive you for killing my mother, Serena, and you will never leave here. This I swear."
"Then free my friends. I'm begging you. I'm the one who dealt the death blow to Beryl. Do whatever you want with me, but let them go."
Dharsite snorted. "And be hounded by crazed avengers for the rest of my life? No thank you. You will all stay. And suffer."
"But for how long? Huh?" asked Mars in a pain wracked voice. Her face hideously battered, blood pouring from her mouth and broken nose, she could only see the madwoman out of her left eye as the right was blackened and swollen shut from Dharsite's earlier pummeling. "Despite our powers, we're only flesh and blood. Sooner or later, you'll go too far....like you almost did with me. The torture will take it's toll....and we'll die. What will you do for kicks then? Destroy the world?"
"Hardly. I have no interest in laying waste to this rock. Besides, from what I've studied about your world in the short time since I arrived, the humans will eventually take care of that little chore themselves," Dharsite replied. "To tell you the truth, ladies, I'm rather surprised the five of you even bother risking your lives to protect these worms who do nothing but wreak havoc from one corner of this oversized ant hill to the other. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't give these fools the time of day, let alone my blood, sweat or tears."
"It's the principle of the thing. You wouldn't understand," said Mars.
"Nor do I care to. It isn't worth it. Neither are the humans, a truly pathetic and disgusting lot. Why fight for them?"
"Because there's a world of good in humanity!" Moon countered strongly. "Each and every day, the human race strives to better itself in any way it can. Sure, we're not perfect, but at least we're not sick and barbaric like you. In the end, Earth is worth fighting for. And, if necessary, worth dying for."
"Pretty words, Serena," Dharsite replied earnestly. "But it doesn't matter. My mind is unchanged. You're all here to pay for the crime against my mother. And pay you will."
"And what about Mina? Is she to suffer too?" Mars demanded.
Dharsite smiled and kissed Venus, long and full on her lips. "I think I'll keep her. In case you haven't already figured it out, I'm attracted to women. Venus excites me like no female has since I was banished from the Negaverse for lusting after my own gender. But that's a story for another day. For right now, I need to rest, my mind is tired. You can stay here while Mina and I enjoy a little sleep. You'd like that, wouldn't you, dear?"
Venus nodded slowly and smiled. "Yes, I would, Mistress."
"Excellent. Oh, and here's a little something to help you ladies sleep as well." Dharsite pressed a button on her control box, and Mars and Moon screamed from the powerful electrical discharge that coursed through their bodies, causing them to pass out. Dharsite grinned.
"That was fun. Come, Mina," said the madwoman, slipping an arm around Venus' waist. And the two of them left.
As they did, they failed to notice Mercury slowly lifting her head, her face worn and haggard. For the last several minutes she ignored the pain of her broken arm and feigned unconsciousness, keeping her mind a blank so Dharsite couldn't read her thoughts. The Water Scout gambled that Dharsite wouldn't notice her deception and was pleased that her ploy worked. With the madwoman gone, Mercury could now concentrate on a plan to free everyone.
Dharsite, you just made the worst mistake of your misbegotten life. You underestimated me, thought Mercury, an icy rage building inside her. Despite what you said, pain can be dealt with, controlled, even blocked out if the mind is strong enough, and my mind is more powerful than you can imagine. The tide is about to turn, monster! This 'little blue mouse' is going to be your downfall!
For Shigeiru, his worst nightmare had come to pass. It was just after breakfast that Miko sprang the fateful news on him. The horror of it all almost stopped his heart.
"You did what?" he asked, his eyes wide from shock.
"You look like you've just seen a monster. All I said was Jed asked me to marry him, and I said yes," said Miko proudly.
"How could you? You've known this man who came from heaven only knows where for a week! Now you want to be his wife? It's insane!"
"No it's not, Father! And don't say such things!" Miko shot back angrily. "It doesn't matter if I've known Jed for a year, a month, a week or just a day! What counts is that I love him! And he loves me!"
"What about Toshi? Does he know?"
"I'm going to tell him later. Toshi is why Jed wants to stay. He wants to be a father to him. I've looked inside Jed's heart, and saw the goodness within. Jed wants to be with me, and I want to be with him. Is that so much to ask?"
"That depends. He could be dangerous."
Miko looked at her father skeptically. "Dangerous? How?"
Shigeiru frowned. How could he explain to his daughter the ominous feelings he had about Jed? The cruelty he saw in his eyes, the malevolence in his voice, the sheer evil that radiated from him. Things the smitten Miko couldn't, or wouldn't see for herself. Shigeiru also suspected Jed had something to do with the disaster at the Takashi plant last night that took the lives of over two dozen people. According to Fire Marshal reports, ruptured natural gas lines led to explosions that demolished the plant. In the words of one inspector, it was as if an A- bomb had been dropped on the place. How could Shigeiru tell Miko his suspicions when he wasn't totally sure about them himself?
"I....I can't explain," the old man finally said.
"You mean you don't know. Father, I know you dislike people and prefer to be alone, and I've respected your wishes, but I'm still young. I need something more. Jed has fully given me what I've needed ever since Toshiro died," Miko explained.
Shigeiru snorted. "What? A quick roll in the hay? Any fool with a healthy libido could give you that."
Miko's right hand moved in a blur. Shigeiru never saw it, but felt it as his daughter, furious, slapped him across his face with all her strength.
"Pervert! How dare you say something like that? This isn't about sex, it's about a sharing of souls, of a strong and lasting commitment to one another! Most of all, it's about love!" Miko paused to glare at her father. "Understand this, father! I'm going to become Jed's wife, and no force on earth is going to prevent it! The sooner you accept that, the better! Otherwise, you can leave! Right now! Is that clear?"
Shigeiru gulped. He had never seen Miko act like this before. That she would banish her remaining parent and draw a stranger to her bosom. Yet, there was nothing he could do. Short of watching Jed grow horns and a tail and vomit flame, Shigeiru saw that the man could do wrong in Miko's eyes. It pained the old man that it had come to this. He hadn't felt this helpless since his days in that California interment camp as a child.
"Yes. I will acquiesce to your wishes." Shigeiru paused to bow. "I humbly apologize for what I had said. I can only hope no tragedy will come of this union." And with that, the old man turned and left the kitchen.
Miko, watching her father leave felt a great many conflicting emotions in her heart: anger over the things he had said, confusion over why he was so resentful of Jed, and worry over his behavior. She found it all difficult to understand, especially those last cryptic words he spoke.
"Tragedy? What could he mean by that?" Miko wondered.
Walking out of the house, Shigeiru, lost in thought, failed to notice Jed sitting in a chair on the porch.
"Judging from your expression, can I assume you weren't thrilled at the news Miko had for you?" Jed asked casually.
Shigeiru scowled at Jed and didn't reply.
"Hmm. I'll take that as a yes." Jed rose from the chair and strolled up to the old man who backed away slightly. "Contrary to what you may think, Shigeiru, I'm not some hideous, bug eyed monster from another world on a mission to murder Earthmen and ravage their women. That's so 1950-ish. I only want to live out my days in peace, in the company of a woman I love. Is that too much to ask for, old man?"
"I'm not sure. How do I know you won't change your mind a few months down the road and abandon Miko?"
"I'd sooner slit my wrists than do that. You see, I've always been a firm believer in the value of loyalty. Once you pledge your loyalty to a person, it should be binding, it should be for life." Jed's face clouded as thoughts of the past stormed into his mind, mostly the memory of his banishment by Queen Beryl, despite his faithful service to her. "Unless you're betrayed first," he added softly, his mind a million miles away.
Jed then blinked his eyes, returning to the here and now. "I've pledged my loyalty to Miko. I'm not going to leave her and I'm not going to hurt her. I'm going to make her happy. Happier than she's ever been in her life. If you can't accept that, then to hell with you."
Shigeiru sighed. He knew he when he was beaten. "Very well. I won't fight you any longer. I'm not sure I can fully accept you, Jed. I still believe there is something....wrong about you. But for the sake of my daughter who's deeply in love with you, I will....try."
Jed smiled. "That's all I ask. By the way, have you seen Toshi? I was busy with my chores this morning and hadn't had a chance to talk to him about my staying on here."
Shigeiru looked about him and frowned. "Knowing him, he's probably down by the river. He enjoys skipping stones across the water."
"Sounds like fun. I've always wanted to try my hand at that." Feeling chipper, Jed slapped Shigeiru on the shoulder. "Let's go down to the river together so the boy can see we've gotten closer. After all, pretty soon, you're going to have a son-in-law."
"I can hardly wait," the old man whispered, hoping he kept the sarcasm out of his voice.
The deep, throbbing pain of Mercury's broken arm was long forgotten as she worked on a plan of escape. In some ways, Mercury, or rather, Amy Anderson had lived with pain for most of her life, only hers was more emotional than physical, so she was used to suffering.
Growing up alone, terribly shy and introverted, all but inept at even the simplest social interaction, Amy had nothing in the way of true friends, only casual acquaintances, and even they were few in number as she spent more time with books than she did with people. Amy's intelligence, having blossomed at an early age made her a pariah among her peers who loved taunting her, making fun of the 'big brain' or 'the stack of books with legs'.
As was her custom, Amy dealt with the taunting with the stiff-lipped stoicism of an adult while in public. But in the privacy of her bedroom, Amy lost count of how many nights she cried herself to sleep, anguished and heartbroken because she was wrongly perceived as being a freak. That only served to make Amy retreat deeper into her self-imposed shell of isolation with books as her only companions. Books never hurt her the way people did.
When Amy enrolled at Brighton Academy, she was happy for perhaps the very first time in her sad and lonely life as she was immersed in an atmosphere of pure academia. But even that wouldn't last long as Amy felt the powerful tug of ancient, unfamiliar memories after her fourteenth birthday, causing her to fall out of favor at Brighton as she suddenly felt out of place there, leading to her sudden expulsion and subsequent admission to Crossroads Junior High.
Once again, Amy became the butt of hurtful jokes, only this time it was much worse because she was called 'the Brighton brain farm reject'. While she hid her emotions from everyone, deep down, the hopelessly distraught Amy briefly wondered if she should just end it all, anything to stop the pain, to banish the loneliness. While suicide was not a logical course of action to deal with life's problems, Amy felt cornered, with no way out.
Then she met Serena, and Amy's entire world changed.
Serena saved my life. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for her, thought Mercury. She stared up at the unconscious Moon and her heart cracked from grief. Just by being herself, ditzy, clumsy, food crazed and wonderfully free-spirited, Serena taught me how to live, how to enjoy all the pleasures life has to offer beyond books and studying. I love Serena like a sister. In a way, she IS my sister! I owe it to her to find a way out of this mess! I have to!
At that moment, Mercury came up with a plan. Employing every ounce of concentration, the Scout of Water employed her powers in a way she never had before as she began to lower the temperature in the room, just like the air turns ice cold when she calls upon her Mercury Bubbles. This time though, she planned to go one step beyond that.
Delicate electrical and electronic equipment cannot function in an environment that's below freezing because of condensation from moisture. No doubt the same applies to whatever technology Dharsite's using aboard her ship, thought Mercury. If I can lower the temperature enough, the machines keeping us imprisoned should short out from the introduction of ice and water. That's our only hope. Next stop, absolute zero.
As Mercury concentrated for all she was worth, sweat trickled down her face, only to freeze on her skin while she started seeing her breath. The room quickly grew colder and colder.
Jed and Shigeiru walked in silence down to the river where the old man said Toshi had gone. Jed, a bounce in his step was in high spirits, remembering the bout of lovemaking between he and Miko enjoyed after his having asked to marry her.
Unlike the other nights they had sex, last night was particularly different, exceptionally special. The lust, the passion, the pure, primal desire they unleashed was filled with such force, such power, it all but stunned the both of them into unconsciousness. The fantastic beauty of it all as Jed and Miko erupted together in mindboggling joy had been absolutely glorious, like nothing he had ever experienced before. Somehow, Jed had the feeling it might never be like that ever again.
Ahh, but we can sure try to recapture that moment in the months and years to come, he thought, smiling wickedly.
As the men neared the river which was unusually high and rough looking, Jed could see Toshi atop a tall rock at precarious point, skipping stones across the river. Jed immediately became worried as he didn't like the boy being up that high with the river so strong. Jed saw the old man's face tense up. He didn't like it either.
"Toshi! Get down from there!" Jed called out to him.
Toshi, turning at the sound of Jed's name started to wave back, but lost his balance and, with a cry, fell off into the water.
"No! Toshi!" yelled a stunned Shigeiru.
Jed, his heart in his throat acted. Running at breakneck speed, Jed dashed to the river's edge as he heard Toshi screaming fro help and dove into the rushing waters. Swimming for all he was worth, Jed caught up with Toshi just as he went under. Taking a deep breath, Jed went after him. Once under the water, Jed saw Toshi, unmoving, his small body mercilessly buffeted by the fierce current.
Using all his strength, Jed swam up to Toshi, grabbing him by the wrist. Ignoring the burning sensation in his lungs, Jed headed for the surface. Once there, he tried to make for the shore, but the current was too strong as it carried him further and further away from Shigeiru who couldn't keep up from the shore. Then, Jed remembered who he was. Concentrating mightily, Jed employed his Negaverse powers and vanished from the river in a wink of light.
On the shore, Shigeiru gasped as a sudden ball of light blinded him and, an instant later, Jed was before him with Toshi, limp in his arms.
"Good heavens! How did you do that?" the old man asked.
"Never mind that! Toshi's not breathing!" Jed snapped, laying the boy down on the ground.
"Move! Let me see him!" said Shigeiru, shoving Jed aside. "Miko taught me CPR!"
Jed stood nervously nearby while the old man ministered furiously to the boy. After several minutes, Shigeiru stopped, he dropped his head, looking infinitely sad.
"It's too late. He's gone. I couldn't save him."
Jed's eyes widened at hearing those grim words. Pushing the old man away, Jed cradled the lifeless boy in his arms and broke out in tears.
"No. No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he screamed. All at once, Jed's body flared bright as the sun, causing Shigeiru to turn away from the incredible intensity. Inhuman energies coursed from Jed's body into Toshi's like a torrent. The heat from those energies was so great, it scorched the ground all around Jed and made the old man quickly back away when he felt his hair start to singe. All the while, Jed screamed.
After what seemed like an eternity, the pyrotechnic display ceased. Jed's body returned to normal and he collapsed next to Toshi. Cautiously, Shigeiru, shocked at what he had just seen approached the pair when he saw something even more amazing. Toshi's chest began to heave. Stunned, the old man dropped to Toshi's side and felt for a pulse. He gasped at finding one, weak, but growing stronger by the second.
"My God. It's....impossible!" the old man cried. "Toshi was dead. I know he was! How could this have happened?"
"All it takes, old man....is a little faith," said a weakened Jed as he slowly sat up. "And a great deal of power. Power to do almost anything."
Shigeiru's eyes widened in sheer horror. Now he knew he was dealing with the Devil himself.
As it turned out, Shigeiru wasn't the only person who was aware of the miracle Jed performed. One mile above Tokyo, Dharsite suddenly bolted up from the large bed in her expansive private chamber screaming, her mind assailed by great pain. Pain, and anguish, and the release of tremendous power. Power the madwoman had felt before. The recollection of it made her smile.
Venus, laying next to Dharsite sat up and looked at Dharsite in concern. "Mistress? What's wrong?"
"I....just felt something. Something old, familiar, and unbelievably powerful!" Dharsite said excitedly, all but stumbling over her words. "It is he, Mina! One of the Four! He has returned!"
"Who are you talking about?" a puzzled Venus asked.
"No time for talk! Even though he is many miles away, I felt his awesome power and was able to get a mental fix on his location! We must go there at once and greet the Master!" Only then did Dharsite see her breath and shivered. "Wait a minute. Something's wrong here. The temperature. It's become so cold. What could be causing...."
Before Dharsite could finish, the double doors at the end of the chamber exploded inward with a loud and fiery explosion, blowing the madwoman and Venus off the bed and hurling them both against the far wall of the room.
As the pair struggled to stand, they saw four figures stagger into the room. Dharsite gasped from horror when she saw them.
Sailor Moon was at the lead, her face hard and drawn from anger. Standing next to her was Sailor Mars, her hands smoking from a fireball she had unleashed. Sailor Mercury, looking terribly weak, her broken arm in a makeshift sling consisting of her gloves leaned against Moon for support while Sailor Jupiter glared from rage with sunken, haunted eyes. Luna and Artemis stood boldly beside them. The Scouts looked like they had been to hell and back but were spoiling for a fight.
"Time for round two, Dharsite," Moon snarled. "You up for it?"
"You tramps! How dare you escape and spopil my fun!" an incensed Dharsite roared. "Venus! Destroy them!"
The smile that curled Venus' lips was demonic. "As you command, Mistress." Then she pointed her fingers at the Sailors and twin crescents of light enveloped them. "Venus Crescent Beam....SMASH!"
The Scouts and familiars dove as the beam sizzled the air where they once stood, demolishing the wall behind them. The ship shuddered and pitched from the blast. Snarling, Jupiter leaped straight at her entranced friend, plowing into Venus as Dharsite jumped to safety.
"Venus! Mina! It's me! It's Lita!" yelled Jupiter, straddling Venus. "Snap out of it, girl!"
"I know who you are! Get screwed!" Venus snapped, delivering a haymaker to Jupiter's jaw. Then, for good measure, she kicked the stunned Scout on her wounded thigh. Jupiter screamed from the pain and crumpled to the floor. As the Sailors and Dharsite looked on, Venus, her eyes devoid of mercy towered over Jupiter and pointed her fingers at the amazon's head in preparation to fire another energy beam.
"Time to die....babe!" Venus growled.
"Forgive me, Mina!" Jupiter whispered, the antenna shooting up on her tiara. "Jupiter Thunder....CRASH!"
Realizing there was no other way to stop her best friend, Jupiter, leaped up, grabbed Venus' arms and sent a lightning surge through her. The entranced Scout shrieked long and hideously from the energy that coursed through her body. Her uniform smouldering, her flesh reddened, Venus collapsed. Jupiter wanted to cry after having brutally struck down her partner, but she refused to allow herself to feel anything, except hate. Terrible, monstrous hate. The others gasped from what they saw.
"You're next, bitch!" Jupiter snarled at Dharsite in a broken voice, tears streaming down her face. "You tortured me! Made me beg! Made me hurt my best friend! For that, you're gonna die!"
"Not bloody likely!" Dharsite brought her mental powers into play and hit the Scouts with the same sort of mental force blast that incapacitated Lita and Mina at the hospital. Now it was the Scouts and familiars who cried out before dropping like flies. Not wanting to view her handiwork, the madwoman fled.
Dashing out into the hall, Dharsite was shocked to see the walls encrusted with ice, causing electrical components to short out and fail. The madwoman concluded that Mercury used her ice powers to disrupt the ship's interior circuitry. The madwoman knew that the damaged components would make keeping the ship properly operating problematic, not to mention employing the Demons difficult, meaning she was at the mercy of the Scouts whom she knew would show her none. Dharsite's only hope was to get the ship moving and reach Him.
Upon arriving on the bridge, also sheathed in frost, the madwoman sat down at the command console and, using coordinates in her mind, set a course for where she would find Him. Together, they would destroy the meddlesome Scouts once and for all. She felt the ship lurch painfully forward, wondering how much of it's systems were affected by the ice. But it wouldn't take long for the ship to reach it's destination. Now, she thought, something to keep the Scouts busy until then.
Picking up a spare control box on the console, feeling fear for perhaps the first time in her life, Dharsite pressed several buttons on it to activate the Demons in the hope they were still functioning.
"No, no, my dears. The game's not over yet," she whispered.
"You hit Venus pretty hard, Lita," Mercury said tiredly, checking Venus' pulse. The vast amount of energy The Scout of Water used to create the sub-zero environment that damaged Dharsite's ship and freed everyone nearly exhausted her lifeforce and left her dangerously weak. Yet, she never let the crushing fatigue, or the pain of her arm show on her face.
"Will she pull through?" a worried Moon asked.
Mercury nodded. "Yes, I'm sure she will. Thank God. Still, that lightning strike could've killed her."
"I know. But I had no choice. I was hoping that zap would short circuit Dharsite's brainwashing," said Jupiter, desperately trying not let the fear in her tortured mind break her. Jupiter, her heart pounding was scared to death as being airborne reminded her of the monstrous torment she suffered at Dharsite's hands. Then there was the awful pain in her heart from having hurt the one person she loved most in all the world. "I can control my powers and knew just how much force to use. I only hope it worked."
Just then, a soft moan escaped Venus' lips. Jupiter lovingly cradled Venus in her arms, tears stinging her eyes. "C'mon, baby! Open your eyes," Jupiter said. "Please! For me!"
Venus did, and looked up at Jupiter. "Lita?"
Jupiter smiled from elation and hugged her friend. "You betcha! Welcome back! How do you feel?"
Venus warmly returned Jupiter's embrace. "To use a highly clinical term, girlfriend....like shit. Now I know what a well done steak feels like."
"At least your sense of humor's back," said a greatly relieved Artemis.
"I wish my memory hadn't though," said a now somber Venus who looked up at the others. "Guys, I'm so sorry about what happened. All the terrible things I did to you. Can you possibly forgive me?"
"Sure we can, Mina. We know it wasn't your fault," said Moon with a broad smile. She took Venus' hand in hers and squeezed it tight. "All that matters is that you're back with us, where you belong. We love you."
Smiling, Mars squeezed Venus' shoulder. "That's right. After all, you're our friend. But for right now, can you stand? Better yet, can you fight?"
"As long as I can breathe, I can fight!" Venus snarled, feeling her anger swiftly rising. "And I owe Dharsite some serious payback for everything she did to me! Where is that maniac?"
"She fled after knocking us out," Luna replied. "There's no telling what she might be up to."
At that moment, the sound of slow, heavy footfalls could be heard out in the halls. The sound chilled the Scouts and familiars.
"I think I've just figured that out," said an openly nervous Mercury. "Sounds like the Demons are coming!"
Mercury's words left the Sailors apprehensive as memories of the nightmarish battle with the cyborgs from three days ago came rushing back in a flood. A terrible coldness invaded their minds and hearts, just like the last time when they had been assailed by visions of their deaths six months ago. Once again, they could feel the fear, feel the pain, feel the agony of dying. It left them unable to move, unable to function, unable to even think, save for one.
"Guys, I know you're scared. I am too. I don't want to die again, but we can't let the fear cripple us like before," said Moon. "It's now or never. We have to beat our demons, or we won't survive. And I won't allow that to happen! Besides, the new Sailor V game is due out next week, and I intend to play it!"
Moon's unexpected joke eased the tension and everyone smiled. Suddenly, they could feel the terror ebbing as strength filled their tired and ravaged bodies. Strength that came from each other and the unbreakable faith they had in their ability to overcome any obstacle in their way.
"Message received, boss! It's time for some major league ass-kicking!" snapped Jupiter, rising to her feet as her antenna rose again on her tiara. "Nothing on God's green Earth is gonna keep me from getting my hands around Dharsite's throat!"
"Unless I beat you to it!" Venus growled. Standing up, her eyes were filled with fierce, deadly wrath. "It's time to end this farce! And her!"
The Scouts, brutalized but unbowed walked out into the hallway to meet the enemy.
Miko was casually sweeping the front porch and looking forward to telling Toshi that Jed would be staying on the farm when she was suddenly blinded by a powerful ball of light that appeared out of nowhere. An instant later, Jed, bearing Toshi in his arms and Shigeiru appeared before her. Miko gasped, wide eyed from what she had seen.
"Jed? Father? Where did you come from? And what happened to Toshi?" she demanded.
Jed rushed the boy up on the porch and sat him down in the chair. "Toshi fell in the river and nearly drowned, but I managed to rescue him," he said.
Miko dropped to her son's side. Her years of training as a nurse immediately came into play as she quickly checked Toshi's vital signs. Once she finished, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"He's a little weak, but he'll be fine. Thank the Lord," Miko said. She then turned to face Jed, his face strangely hard and impassive, then to her father who, backing away from Jed was flat out terrified. "Jed? You look so....omnious. Father? Why are you frightened? How did you all get here so quickly? What's going on here?"
Jed frowned, not knowing how to respond. He hoped that he would never have to use his powers in front of the others, preferring instead to live life as best he could as a normal human being. Jed wanted to laugh out loud at the absurdity of it all, thinking he could be human when he knew that was clearly impossible. Now, after what Miko and Shigeiru had seen. Jed had no choice but to reveal the truth.
"Miko. There's something about me that you don't know about. Something I never wanted you to discover," Jed began slowly, remorsefully, reluctantly. "The truth is, I'm not quite the man you thought I was. In fact....I'm not even human."
Miko was hopelessly confused. "Not....human? I don't understand. Please, darling, tell me! What is this all about?"
With a sigh, Jed was about to shed his disguise and reveal his true guise to Miko as a General from the Negaverse when he heard a roaring sound behind him in the distance, not unlike the engine of a jet airplane. Thinking about jets brought back more memories and made Jed apprehensive. He looked behind him and saw something descending from the sky. It was bright, shiny, metallic and trailing plumes of dark smoke as if it had been damaged. And there was something else. The object looked....familiar to Jed.
"Good heavens! What on Earth is that?" wondered Miko.
Jed scowled. Then he became worried. The object was coming in hard and fast, getting closer by the second. It's course, inexorable.
"Damnation! It's coming right this way!" he yelled, horrified. Thinking fast, he grabbed Toshi and Miko and dashed towards the old man, frozen in place from the descending object. Throwing the Kimuras to the ground, Jed shielded the family with his body. "Get down! It's going to crash!"
No sooner had the foursome dove for cover when the craft smashed through the sturdy farmhouse like a house of cards and burrowed into the ground with a terrible, painfully loud impact of grinding, twisting metal, pulverizing the area all around it with a massive, unstoppable shockwave.
Then, all was quiet.
Next: Reap The Whirlwind