Title: Sailor Minerva: Protector of Light Overall rating: PG-13 Part: Chapter 3 Author: Aimee*Dee*Dee E-mail: sailorminerva@yahoo.com Recap of Chapter 1, Cynthia: "The Protector of Eternal Light? Sailor Minerva Revived." *** "Failure is unacceptable. My master will _not_ allow such insufficiency among his demonlords. I hope I have made myself clear," the thing in the red cloak said. *** "I have total control of my demonth," a hideous demonlord bellowed. "We can do anything you dethire." *** A wicked red glow in the shape of a smirk gleamed in that terrible dark "face." "What pathetic creatures! I will have no need for them any longer as soon as they finish my dirty work." He continued to laugh egomaniacally. *** *My parents should be living right now, not me. I don't deserve life,* Cynthia realized. *Was that woman my mother? Just who am I anyway?* *** Desperately the demons fought with mechanic precision. They all seemed to chant in monotone voices simultaneously, "DO-MIN-ION. We must find DO-MIN-ION." *** At the last hopeless moment, Cynthia thought, *Did the demons get me? I am going to die.* A vision flashed in front of her hazy eyes, and she observed it in astonishment. The vision concluded. The strange gray gemstone from the vision now lay in the palm of Cynthia's hand. *Am I--am I a sailor senshi?* *** "I am _not_ a part of your team," Sailor Minerva said. "I must continue in my battle, alone. I cannot fight demons with you. Please excuse me." *Why am I doing this? I always wondered what it would be like to know the sailor senshi.* *** She walked softly in order to overhear the senshi's discussion. "What was all that mumbo-jumbo gibberish?" Sailor Moon asked. "I don't know," Mercury replied. "Let's talk to Luna and Artemis about this. It concerns me..." *** ===Note: One of my editors had a slight misconception on the meaning of alternating chapters. So, I will explain _everything_ here. Each chapter is written from mostly Cynthia's POV (point of view) or Chouko's POV. Some characters are the same in the chapters, but the stories are mostly unrelated. Different battles occur, different plans are made by the demonlords, etc. Cynthia and Chouko _do not_ know each other...yet. The chapters are from different POVs and they don't have anything to do with each other. There are a few vague links, but they have not met each other thus far. There is a _very_ good reason for this, but I can't tell you it now. :-P Because of these different POVs, I recap each chapter in the beginning of a chapter with the same POV. For example, Chapter 1 is being recapped for Chapter 3, because both are from Cynthia's POV. Chapter 2 is recapped for Chapter 4, because both are from Chouko's POV. Chapter 3 will be recapped for Chapter 5, because they're from Cynthia's POV. Understand? It's just a way to refresh the reader on what's going on, because the alternating chapters' storylines could get confused. My little sister suggested a quick refresher at the beginning of each chapter to keep her from getting confused. I hope it works for you, too. Sorry for any problems; this is my first fan fic and I'm not very experienced at doing it. If you are still confused about any of this (alternating POVs, recaps, characters, etc.) or have any questions, feel free to e-mail me and ask. I'd be glad to help, because I know my writing is a little strange sometimes and that can be confusing.=== :::PG-13>>>Violence and language::: >>>>>>Chapter 3<<<<<< )))Cynthia((( "Watch Out, Naru-chan! Return of Nephrite!" Fatigued after the grueling battle, Cynthia ducked into a nearby alley to untransform. Her energy had been consumed by the amount of power banishing a demon required, and maintaining her transformation would utterly drain her. Her eyelids drooped heavily as she fought desperately to stay alert. If she was careless, she could get jumped, as it was past midnight and she was roaming around a bad area of town. *Shimata! My leg seems to be broken!* ===Cynthia isn't one for swearing, so that leg must be _very_ painful.=== Her adrenaline pumped up from the battle, she had been oblivious to the mangled limb. Struggling to walk rather than limp, she stumbled through Juuban Tokyo's main streets until she reached her apartment complex. *Shit! Where the hell is my goddessdamn key?* ===[Sweat drop on baka author who is embarrassed to hear such things] No, not _very_ painful. _Incredibly_, _awfully_, _terribly_, _really_ painful. I've never heard her think such things! And, yes, as the author, I can always hear her think. ^_~=== Cynthia shuffled through her pocket for a few minutes, mumbling to herself, until she finally grasped the tiny key. Quivering, she attempted to insert the little piece of metal into the keyhole, but her hands were shaking too hard for her to slide it in. Gritting her teeth, she took several deep breaths, slowly inhaling and exhaling. This time, she was able to open the door. Locking it behind her, she succumbed to the exhaustion and tumbled onto her couch. She wondered if she should call the hospital, but the phone was out of reach. *My leg is getting numb...I wonder if that is a bad sign...* She fell asleep before she could ponder it further. ++Back at the dreary room with the round table, the demonlords' hideout.++ "I was forced to call this conference because of a very serious mistake made on our last mission. The journey through time space has deprived our energy sources from anything closely resembling multitude." The demonlords stared blankly at the thing in the red cloak. Sighing, it added bluntly, "You idiots failed in your last mission and now we're in trouble. When we travel through time, as we did to get to this place, we use energy. We're low on energy and need more." "I understand PERFECTLY," a female demonlord drawled. "It SADDENS me to THINK of the INCOMPETENCE of my companions." The other demonlords hesitated to protest against her rude statement, but dropped the option altogether when their master smiled faintly. Returning the smile with a white, toothy grin, the red-head stated in her annoying voice that overemphasized some words, "I have a PERFECT plan. NO ONE will ever guess. I KNOW that Metallia (the Negaforce) received A LOT of energy from a GIRL, Osaka Naru. I know EXACTLY how to drain her AGAIN." "Don't get inept like Beryl and Metallia, but go ahead. If I don't get energy soon, we will have to temporarily halt operations. Bellona, choose the best place to find this girl, and get going. NOW!" the leader roared. Bellona fled to a portal to Earth without hesitation. Cecrops, her leader, meant business! ++A spacious office with windows overlooking a serene city horizon and polished mahogany furniture. The gleaming reddish-colored wood and dim, incandescent lighting lend an elegant but serviceable atmosphere to the relaxed room.++ A woman seated at an ostentatiously large desk diligently typed on a small laptop computer. The name plate at the head of the desk read "Osaka Naru." (Molly ?) She had frizzy red hair partially tamed by a teal ribbon. Every so often she would glance upward with turquoise eyes and drum her fingers on the wooden desk in frustration. Sometimes she would grow so impatient that she would start to nibble on the wiry ends of her hair. Eventually she would continue to click away at the buttons on her keyboard. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't look up as a tall man in a tuxedo tiptoed in through the open doorway and cleared his throat. Still she ignored him, and he coughed somewhat nervously. [He develops the (in)famous sweat drop] Sighing, he stomped towards her desk and tapped the wood, speaking quietly, almost in a whisper, "Osaka-san (Miss Osaka), your editor wishes to discuss your newest work..." "Bring him in," she responded wearily. Her eyes had deep circles under them and her voice shook as she spun her chair away from the computer to rest her head in her hands on the desktop. The butler did a little half-bow and left the room temporarily to fetch her editor. Her short, dark-haired editor sauntered into the room and lounged in a comfortable chair opposite her desk. "Konnichiha, Akimoto-san." (Good day, Mr. Akimoto.) "Konnichiwa. (Hello; informal.) Good to see you." her editor said crisply and skipped the pleasantries to move on to more important matters. "I know your past seven novels have been a complete success, but I'd like to insure that this next one is also. I've organized a promotional campaign including an extensive North American one that should make your upcoming book number one in the world." "Don't you think I'm working hard enough to finish the novel?" she asked shrilly. Normally mild-mannered, Naru was too tired to be respectful of her editor. "I'm working day and night to finish it, and now you want me to advertise for it as well. I haven't gotten even close to the end yet!" "Well, don't you want it to be a big hit?" Akimoto asked sweetly. His round face turned up in a slight smirk. "You do, don't you?" "Do you think I'm crazy? Of course I do! I'm just too tired now." Naru took a deep breath, calming down after her outburst. Her exhaustion was making her act so rude, even though she didn't mean it. "Gomen nasai, but I can't prance around trying to entice readers. I'll never get done if I do..." "Perhaps, perhaps we could postpone the deadline for that book...not too long, mind you. It will just be long enough to give you a little rest, but not so long a time that you will lose your fans. How does that sound?" "All right," Naru said reluctantly. "Set up a new deadline and fax it to me. Send me the details of this campaign, too." "Right away. But, before I do, you need to go to bed. You don't look like you've slept in days. I'll see you tomorrow to consider this further." As soon as he left, Naru dragged herself up and collapsed into bed, setting her alarm for six hours later and drifting off still holding the clock. ++A living room of a tidy apartment with a television, couch, coffee table, two chairs, and a small dining table. The walls have various sculptures hanging from them to cheer up the drab room. Two sculpture portraits perch on a windowsill and watch the room with dead marble eyes.++ Cynthia sat up suddenly, feeling feverish. Her left leg not only ached with throbbing pain, it was also totally immobile. She knew she needed medical assistance, so she lugged her heavy body to the table to grasp the phone. Quickly she dialed the emergency number and talked to the receptionist. Exhausted after talking, she sat down on the floor and caught her breath. Looking back at the couch, she noted that it was stained with a large red blotch. Maybe her leg wasn't broken and it was just a cut or something. Too drained to care, she awaited the arrival of the ambulance. ++A black and endless plane of space++ "HELLOOO!" called the red-headed demonlord. "Nephrite! Nephrite, where ARE you?" "Right here," a man identical to Nephrite stepped out of the shadows. "You don't have to call me that in private." "Of COURSE I don't. You are the STRONGEST of all my DEMONS. Don't DISAPPOINT me. SHE'S having an autograph session TOMORROW. You SHOULD be there. You're CERTAIN this woman will COMPLY?" "It won't be a problem, Lady Bellona. She used to be in love with Nephrite," the demon said sinisterly while thinking tiresomely, *I hate this stupid mission. I just want to be a normal demon again, before all this organizing evil creatures began...* Images of his old life, when he lived in seclusion in his endlessly black area of space, cut off from the rest of Hell and Earth, filled him with regret. Why hadn't he fought for his home, for his liberty, when he still had the chance? How could he live knowing that he was a slave to the most evil creature in existence? A single teardrop stained his cheek as he turned away from Bellona to hide his sadness. ++A hospital room in the children's wing. A television and a forlorn bed are all that decorate the hollow, drab-looking room.++ Cynthia, lying in the bed, sighed. She was currently in the children's ward of a hospital, itching to move around, go outside, or just _do_ something. *Boredom is a very monotonous thing,* she thought to herself cynically. Flipping channels, she found one of her favorite movies on television, but it was no relief in this world of whitewashed walls. She had been thinking for hours on two subjects, Sailor Minerva and the Aurora. Why did she say and do such odd things when she was Sailor Minerva? Why couldn't she figure out what her statements meant? She remembered calling the Aurora the "true love and light" and the "Eternal Light," but what had she meant by that? And why had she been so cold towards the senshi? She knew that they were tough fighters and she had no right to insult them. Perhaps she was fighting for something entirely different than they were. They fought for justice and destroyed evil. Was Sailor Minerva evil? From all her musings, she had two conclusions. First, the Dominion Orb was the gray gem on her brooch. The choker she had obtained after transforming with the jewel from her vision had remained after untransforming. She had mentioned while talking to the senshi that the Dominion Orb was "reactivated." That would have to be the jewel that adorned her necklace. Her second conclusion was that Minerva, her home planet, was in not in this solar system. She had stated it was "lost" and her astronomy teacher had never mentioned a tenth planet in the solar system. Surely scientists would have detected a new planet. A new thought suddenly came to her. What if her dreams of darkness taking over all of the stars had something to do with Sailor Minerva? The nightmares that haunted her every night could be connected somehow with Sailor Minerva. But wasn't the darkness evil? If Sailor Minerva protected some "light," wouldn't that make her good, not evil? Then why did she feel so compelled to hate the other senshi? The senshi were definitely fighting for good, but perhaps not the same good as Sailor Minerva. This was too confusing for Cynthia to make sense out of. Maybe Sailor Minerva was reawakened because the darkness-- A nurse entered the room, interrupting her reflections. "Cynthia-san," the nurse called. "You might want to come out and see the visitor today. There's a famous novelist who is visiting, and you might want to meet her." "Who is she?" Cynthia inquired curiously. "Osaka Naru," the nurse said while tidying up. *Osaka Naru! She is my favorite author. I absolutely _love_ romance novels, and hers are _so_ sweet.* "I would love to attend. When is it?" "Ara, about a half hour. I'll get you when it's time." The nurse bustled out of the room and left Cynthia to wait anxiously for the event. Giggling, she thought, *That's funny, Osaka-sama coming to see children in a hospital. As if any of them understood her books. Ooh, maybe it was good that the hospital was overcrowded and I had to stay in the children's wing.* A half an hour later, Cynthia was wheeled out into the main room of the children's complex. The smiling, pleasant Osaka Naru walked in to grace everyone with her lovely presence. Her auburn hair was lively, but not wild, and her blue-green eyes sparkled. She was followed by a short man with muddy brown hair. *Wow, she is really pretty,* Cynthia thought in awe. Naru whispered to her editor, "Do I _have_ to do this?" [Sweat drop on Akimoto] He prodded her with an elbow and silenced any objections with a single glare. She walked in to talk to the sick children and pose for a few pictures. Realizing that she was a famous celebrity to them, she pretended to be outgoing and friendly, although she would have been shy in normal circumstances with this many people. After meeting a few children with life-threatening diseases, her feelings changed drastically. Looking in admiration at the doctors and nurses who withstood this each day, she somehow felt her heart being warmed, in spite of what many would believe to be a depressing atmosphere. *Do my novels warm people's hearts like this?* she mused. *If they do, that is so ironic...my whole occupation is an irony. I can't ever love again, not after Gurio...* A tall man with long, wavy brown hair walked into the room, noticed by no one except Naru. She had been signing an autograph and taking a snapshot with a child who had leukemia. The book and pen dropped out of her hands and clattered onto the floor with a loud crash. Stifling a scream, she gaped at the ghost of the man she had once loved with brimming eyes. "Mol--Naru, I've finally come back to you..." ===I hope you've already figured out that this is NOT the real Nephrite...he almost called Naru by her dub name, for crying out loud!=== With a squeal of delight, she was in his arms in an instant, bawling like a little girl. "Ara, Nephrite, I've missed you...where--where have you been...Baka, I'm blubbering, aren't I?" Sheepishly, she looked abashedly around the room at the sentimental crowd adoring this scene that seemed to be derived directly from one of her books. Teary eyes were rubbed as everyone admired the idyllic couple. Only one person remained untouched by the romantic pair, Cynthia. *There's something wrong with this,* she suspected, her gray eyes flashing. *That man is a good actor, but he has no feelings of love or even friendship for her, that's obvious. Why would he do that? For her money?* Then she noticed something that made her blood run cold. The man was wearing a fairly inconspicuous thin gold bracelet identical to that of the demon she had fought earlier. Wheeling herself to an adjoining room, she quietly transformed. "Minerva Dominion Power, Make-up!" Surprisingly, after the transformation, Cynthia found that she could walk on her leg. Perhaps the transformation somehow lessened the bad effects of injuries on the human body. Or maybe it was just out of necessity that she marched back into the room using her wounded leg to confront "Nephrite." Kicking over a chair to get his attention, she announced her presence with ===what else?=== a speech. "Excuse me, Nephrite. No one can fake love worse than you. Osaka-sama is vital to the Aurora, and you are up to no good. I, Sailor Minerva, will not tolerate such behavior!" Nephrite stood above the cowering Naru and said innocuously, "Naru, I will protect you with my life." "No, Nephrite! Don't endanger yourself again!" Naru threw herself back into his arms. "Naru-chan! Don't listen to him! He's not the real Nephrite!" a familiar voice rang out from behind Minerva. *Oh, great,* she thought sardonically. [Sweat drop on Minerva] *Just what I need. A bunch of annoying senshi to get in my way.* "In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!" Sailor Moon finished her speech. Naru, stricken with grief, looked back and forth from Sailor Moon and Nephrite with wide eyes. Nephrite howled in fury and his civilian clothing vanished to reveal a multi-colored demon. The senshi were already powering up for a "Sailor Planet Attack." Paradoxically, the demon cut off their attack with the same kind of vines that were used to kill the real Nephrite. The senshi were all struck down, and Minerva started to work the jewel off her necklace. Before Minerva could assault, Tuxedo Kamen's rose struck the demon's hands, which were ugly dead-looking vines. "I will protect my princess, but you are hurting her!" He lunged toward the demon, brandishing his cane like a staff. Swinging it in a swift pattern, he pushed the demon to the ground. By now, the hospital staff was fleeing with the children. The demon looked none too happy about this turn of events, but Tuxedo Kamen's cane prevented the demon from rectifying the situation. Sailor Moon and the others stood up, joining hands and trying once more. Repetitively, they used every strategy they could imagine. Almost amused, Minerva observed them, but bit back her laughter when she saw how determined they were to protect the world from this monster. *Sometimes the dedication involved in a fight is far more essential than the ability required,* Minerva thought with respect. *I might want to consider that...* Suddenly Minerva had a flashback of a bright light overcoming a great darkness. It lasted a split second, but she knew it was a memory, not a figment of her imagination. *What could that mean?* Edging around the demon, she prepared to attack it as soon as the senshi became too weary to continue their fruitless yet meaningful battle. The demon then did the unexpected. Naru had been witnessing the battle from a corner, but remained unharmed. The demon dove towards her and grasped her roughly by the neck. "You want your precious Naru to live, you surrender now," he rasped. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= Commercial break! ===Sometimes I think these take longer to write than the story itself! ^_^ Hint, hint!=== =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= The following commercial was written by Achicagoil (senshi_pluto_@hotmail.com). Thanks so much! ^_~ This kind of goes with the tone set by that Cluttstop commercial in Chapter 1. (You'll see more of Clutsstop soon. ^^;;;) =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= Do you often find yourself with too much time on your hands, or just plain bored? Do you perhaps want to live forever and be able to see you future? Well, about a million years ago, so did Meioh Setsuna. To this day, she is still, alive and well, guarding the Gates of Time for all eternity. (Sailor Pluto appears)"It was a real... err... expierence. I know the past, present, future, and any time inbetween by heart!" (Sailor Pluto disappears) If you have had a lost love, are too bored, or just want a place in the unknown history of darkness, sigh up today to be the immortal goddess of time for all eternity! all you have to do is write to the address below, and sell your soul to Chronos for a million easy payments of 100 yen, and the job is yours! Time Gate Universe P.O. Box 000 In the Middle of, Nowhere 00000 (small print is seen) Common side-affects are falling in love with your Princesses' boyfriend, getting even more bored than ever, having your eyes turn abnormal shades of red, hair turning green, growing/shrinking to five feet, eight inches, and monotone speaking. Not to be taken if over the age of 1000, and under the age of -5, and if you already are bored with your job now. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= That was hilarious, ne? =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= "NOW INTRODUCING... _Tuxedo Kamen's 1001 Irrelevant Sayings_ This new book contains flowery speeches for every occasion!" [Note at bottom of screen: Really, every occasion calls for an irrelevant saying; it flaunts an air of stupidity] "Poetic style allows you to rhyme all the time!" [Note at bottom of screen: We already know people who "rhyme all the time" sound ridiculous] "Puns included! No one can resist a little laugh!" [Note at bottom of screen: A little laugh at your idiocy! You can be absurdly ludicrous! Doesn't that attract you?] "Available now at quality bookstores." [Note at bottom of screen: And not-so-quality bookstores] "Ah, the power of cheese! Uh, no...Ah, the power of words!" [Note at bottom of screen: Just remember, Bob Dole thinks you are a dufus!] =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= (Thanks to Emerald for the Tuxedo Kamen irrelevant sayings idea.) =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= Now, back to the story! =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= "Nephrite! Nephrite!" Naru shook him. "I know those evil people must have taken control of your mind, but you must stop this, please." The demon seemed to remember that he was still acting. He whispered into her ear, "I am not evil anymore, no matter what lies they tell. Naru, you must distract them for a moment. Then we can escape together." Looking up at him with shining, childlike eyes, Naru nodded. Pointing to the other side of the room, she screeched, "There's another one coming!" All the senshi whirled around to look, including Minerva. "Nephrite" snatched up Naru and dove out the door. Expletives were yelled as the senshi followed. Moving incredibly fast, Nephrite was losing them. Minerva felt strangely complete running with the senshi. Shrugging off the d誡 vu feeling, she called on the planet Minerva to provide her a faster mode of transportation. "Silver Vines!" The vines twisted easily around the hand rail on the stairs going down into the hospital's basement, and she slid down with ease. Smiling, she slowly gained on the demonlord. *I've got him now!* Thrusting her vines at him, Minerva pulled him away from the unconscious Naru. Nephrite pulled out some kind of energy capsule and threw it on the floor. The ensuing explosion knocked her to the ground and lasted for a few precious seconds. Dragging Naru behind him, Nephrite entered a warp hole. Just then, Sailor Moon and the other senshi entered the basement. "No! Naru-chan!" Minerva turned to Sailor Moon. "It looks like we're fighting for the same thing here. If you ever want to come back through that warp hole, someone will have to keep it from exploding. Do any of you have that kind of discipline?" The senshi all shook their heads a little a shamefully. "Well, then, it appears that I will have to go with you," Minerva concluded. *Just peachy. Now I have to work with _them_. There is no other way to get what I want, though, is there?* Part of Sailor Minerva, the girlish part of Cynthia, shrieked, *Yay! I get to work with the sailor senshi! I'm so lucky!* The senshi cautiously approached the warp hole. Sailor Mercury snapped on her VR scanner, but Minerva objected. "I know we can return with my power, Mercury. You shouldn't need a computer to understand that." *Okay, so I am being more arrogant than necessary, but I don't approve of those senshi. Not at all.* Once again, the girlish side of Cynthia objected, *But I approve of the senshi! How could I ever think for one minute that I didn't! BSSM was my favorite comic book when I was younger...What is wrong with me now? Why is this Sailor Minerva part of me so rude to the senshi?* "Wait a minute," Sailor Venus said cautiously. "We need some sort of plan." The senshi were a little impatient but held back their impulsiveness. Sailor Minerva nodded. "You're right. We can't tell if that portal is a dead-end, and we should be prepared for the worst. Mercury, I suppose you should use your computer to check it out." Mercury snapped on her computer. "It appears that the warp hole leads to an alternate dimension. Hm...No, it's not an evil dimension because it wasn't created by an evil being. I think it's just a place in between Earth and Hell, where the demonlords abide." "A place between Earth and Hell? Wouldn't it have to be closer to one or the other?" Sailor Mars questioned. Mercury shook her head but failed to think of an response to Mars's question that would not confuse the others. Deep in thought for a minute, Minerva stood still, before suggesting, "I don't think so, Mars. What Mercury means is that the place the warp hole will take us to is directly in between Earth and Hell. It's always been a possibility that a plane of space lay exactly between the two, but it's never been proven. Now's our chance to try it out." Jupiter's brow furrowed and she stated grimly, "We need to get going, or the portal's going to close." "We've got to save Naru! Come on!" Sailor Moon exclaimed, running towards the portal. They jumped into the warp hole and entered a vast, empty black space. "Welcome to the place between Earth and Hell. I control everything here." Nephrite chuckled. The senshi started to fall, dropping far into the endless space. TO BE CONTINUED... (In Chapter 5) New names: Akimoto means "autumn books." Fitting for an editor, ne? No other new names. ...Previews for the next chapter... >Chapter 4< )Chouko( Chouko knows the earth identity of Tuxedo Kamen. Will she keep his secret? The evil that has befallen the world is at rest, but they have a new plan. Chouko wants to help out, but she'll have to find the battlefield first! "Evil United! Loving Mothers Abducted!" By the way, Cynthia and Mamoru _do not_ see each other in the hospital with earth identities. Only after they transform do they see each other. This will be explained in Chapter 4. True, Tuxedo Kamen was hurt last chapter, but a few things have happened since then. That's why I'm posting these two chapters (Chapters 3 & 4) at the same time, because I want everyone to understand about Tuxedo Kamen being in and out of the hospital. I'm also posting these two chapters and the special part at the same time because it's all you'll get for a while. I know most people would suggest that I release Chapter 3, 4, and the special on different weeks because it will be some time before I get out another, but I wanted to avoid the inevitable confusion by posting it all at the same time. I'm sorry for this being so late in getting posted, but my life has been very chaotic recently. The hospital could be referred to as my second home now. The problems on the ASMR board have bogged me down, too. Everything happening doesn't leave me much free time and I can't neglect my studies. I'll try to get out at least one more chapter in October, though. Thanks for your patience. I never would have serialized this story and posted the first two chapters in August if I had known about every bomb that's been thrown at me this month. I'm sincerely sorry, but I can't stop the bad things that seem to constantly happen to me and others around me. *_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~ *_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~ *_~ Once again, I'll ask for your input! *_~ *_~ Send in your own commercials... *_~ *_~ If they make me laugh I will put them in. *_~ *_~ I'll give full credit to the people who send them in *_~ *_~ And I will be _very_ thankful! So, please, go ahead! *_~ *_~ (Thanks to Achicagoil for the Pluto time commercial) *_~ *_~ Comments are always helpful as well! *_~ *_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~ *_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~*_~