dd204@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Andrew J. Currie) I've got nothing important to say here....:) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sailor Moon Chrysalis - Part 4 On a sunny afternoon Ami and Urawa in their school uniforms are walking down a street holding hands. "Are you sure you want to do this Ami?", Urawa asks. "Yes," she says, "I have to tell Usagi's mom the truth, about Usagi being Sailor Moon. She at least need to know that." Ami and Urawa walk toward a fancy restaurant. Luna and Artemis are there sitting underneath a tree. "Hello, Urawa", Luna says getting up walking toward Ami., "Hello Ami, how you felling today?" "Much better.", she says, "It's nice to get out of the hospital. The fresh air, the sun, and I'll be able to catch up on the schoolwork that I missed.", she says looking around, smiling. She bends down to get a better look at Artemis. "And how are you felling Artemis?" "I feel happy!!", says Artemis looking rather perky. "He was complaining of some pain, so I gave him some pain killers.", Luna says looking at Artemis, "But I think I might have given him a little too much." Artemis looks up at Urawa, "Wow Urawa! You're up so high!" "He's really out of it.", Urawa says. "You better keep him quiet, it be kind of strange if people suddenly heard a talking cat." "Hey!", Artemis says looking a very annoyed, "I'm not a cat! I'm a person too!" Ami looks a little concerned, "What dosage did you give him?" "It said on the bottle, 1 to 2 pills every 4 hours." "But that's the dosage for humans!", Ami says. "But am a human!", Artemis insists. He attempts to stand on two of his legs but falls over. "But your a cat!", Urawa insists. "Well it didn't say reduce dosage for cats.", Luna says Ami lets out a little giggle to herself, "She has a point there Urawa." Artemis asks, "Urawa if you're not dating Ami, can I have her?" Ami blushes, Luna looks at Artemis slight angry and Urawa is very embarrassed. Luna hits him on the head with her paw, "Artemis!", she says rather crossly. "What?", Artemis says, "You had that thing with that guy a few months ago. I never got to kiss Minako...", he start to get very depressed suddenly. I think we better get going." Ami says and they walk toward the front doors. Artemis starts to ramble on and Luna looks like she is about to kill him. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ami and Urawa enter a large dining hall. Urawa is quite surprised, "I didn't think there would be this many people here!" They see Naru and Umino are taking about something. Umino is getting overly excited. Shingo is sitting down looking very bored. Miss Haruna is talking to Usagi's parents. The rest of her classmates and many other people from her school are among the crowd. Wren is talking to Haruka and Michiru about how she met Usagi and the others. "So, let me see if I got this right.", Haruka says, "You're not really a sailor scout." "That's right", Wren says, "Luna thought it would be better if I got some practice in and worked with Usagi and the Sailor Senshi. I mean I just can't go around in this world and start casting spells everywhere, I would most likely be locked up and studied.", she smiles, "But there other worlds where magic is quite common and I get paid well for my talents", she looks at Haruka, "But I didn't know that guys could become Sailor Senshi!" Haruka grabs Wren's shirt looking very angry, "What do you mean by that Wren!" "Let go of me you amazon!", Wren says, "It was just a joke!" Michiru puts her hand on Haruka's shoulder. "There's no need to get so violent Haruka. I never seen you get so upset over that before." Haruka let's go of Wren's shirt, she turn's toward Michiru, "Just leave me alone for a while O.K.", and she walks away. "What's up with Haruka?", Ami asks, "She didn't even say hello." "I never seen her quite this upset before.", Michiru says, " I guess Usagi's death hit her pretty hard." "Don't we all...", Ami says looking a little depressed. Anyway how are you felling Ami?", Michiru says "A lot better now that I'm out of the hospital." "Urawa taking good care of you?", Wren asks looking at her intently. Ami looks slightly embarrassed, "What do you mean by that? He's just a good friend." Wren appears to be concentrating on something, Ami notices this. "What's wrong Wren?", Ami asks a little concerned. "I don't mean to pry Ami.", she says, "But what's that in your pocket?" "You mean this?", Ami put her hand into her pocket and pulls out the Silver Crystal. "Why are you carrying that around Ami?", Michiru asks. "I couldn't just leave it at home...", Ami says. "No wonder those people were able to find you so easily.", Wren says, "They were just following this crystal's energy. But I have something you can put that in that will keep it safe." Wren turns her back to the crowd and concentrates for a second, then turns back toward Ami and Michiru. In her hand there is this a small leather pouch with some strange symbols covering it. "Put the crystal in here.", Wren says, "This will damper any magic energy it emits and it will keep it safe." "How's that?", Michiru asks. "Anyone that tries to take away the bag forcefully will have their hand catch on fire.", Wren says. Ami looks a little surprised by this. "I picked it up in Aysle. Good for keeping pickpockets away." Ami opens strap on the leather pouch and puts the crystal inside it. She clothes the bag and puts it in her pocket. She sees Usagi's mom , "I have to go talk to Ms. Tsukino now.", she wanders off toward her. "Good luck." Michiru says. Wren looks at Michiru, "She not going to tell her..", Wren begins. Michiru, "Yes she is Wren. Yes she is.." "I wish her the best. I could never tell her.", Wren says --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ami walks over to Usagi's mom. "Hello Ami.", she says slightly subdued as she wipes the tears from her eyes, "I'm glad you're here." Ami looks around, "Is there somewhere we could talk private for a while." "Sure Ami.", They walk over to one of the empty dining areas. Ami closes the door behind them. Usagi's mom sits down, "What did you want to talk about Ami?" Ami pulls up a chair and sits down across from her. "How can I put this..", she says thinking for a minute, she takes a deep breath, "I'll be up front, Usagi was Sailor Moon." Usagi's mom gets up quite shocked, "This is not time for jokes Ami!", she says rather sternly, "What you're suggesting is ridiculous!" Ami stand up, "I know it sounds silly but I'll prove it to you, because I am Sailor Mercury!" Ami holds her stick with the Mercury symbol and says, "Mercury Star Power! Make up!", and she transforms into Sailor Mercury. Usagi's mom sits down in looking quite shocked. "You're Sailor Mercury?!?!", she puts all the pieces together. "That mean that my daughter was.. "Sailor Moon.", Ami finishes "My ditzy daughter was Sailor Moon, out saving the universe." "I hope your not too upset with me Ms. Tsukino." She stands up and put her hand on Ami's shoulder "No Ami. I'm glad you told me. It explains a lot of things like why she was always so tired and got such low marks on her tests. She was too busy out saying the universe." Ami just nods in agreement. "Can you tell me how Usagi became Sailor Moon?" "Sure.", Ami says, "It all starts with a Usagi saving this black cat from some ruffians.." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the main hall, Umino is babbling on to Naru about his computer project, "...then I added a 2 megs ram and a 486 processor and...." Naru starts to walk away, completely ignoring him. "Naru", Umino says looking quite puzzled, "where are you going?", he starts to follow her. "Someone is calling me...", she mumbles to herself and walk slowly toward the door. Umino is quite confused by all this and follows her outside. Outside Haruka stands on the porch mingling with a few other people, she sees Naru start to walk towards the parking lot, Umino following her. She is not paying attention to him or anything else. A man in white robe appears in the parking lot beckoning Naru toward him. He says, "Come child." Umino jumps in front of Naru, "You won't hurt Naru!" "Get out of my way boy!" He waves his hand at Umino and says, "Falh tu cin", blood flies across Naru body and the man's cloak, as the upper part of Umino's body flies toward the restaurant, hitting the wall, his legs fall to the ground. A couple people scream. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wren suddenly is distracted. Michiru asks, "What wrong Wren?" "I thought I felt magic but it seemed.. different somehow." "Where is it coming from.", Michiru asks "Outside." They hear screams from outside start run toward the door. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ami and Usagi's mom are talking when they hear some commotion coming from outside. Usagi's mom get up and asks, "What's going on?" Ami, back in her school uniform, goes back into the main hall wondering what's going on. She sees Wren and Michiru go outside, she follows them. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile Haruka has run over to Naru and the man in the white cloak. Naru hasn't noticed anything. Haruka looks down at what's left of Umino's body. "Shit..", she says, and gets into a fighting stance. The man looks at her, "I don't have time for this.", and a force pushes Haruka back and she goes flying into one a windshield of a car, smashing it. She moans in pain. Luna, Artemis, Wren Michiru and Urawa walk onto the parking lot, followed at a distance by Ami. Michiru sees Haruka on the hood of the car, "Haruka!", she says and goes over to her. The man looks and Wren, "I have more pressing matters right now than to deal with you mage.", he looks at Naru, "Come child and show me where Nephrite is." "Nephrite?" ,Luna says , and red lighting start to come of the man's cloak hitting the pavement hear him. There is suddenly a large flash of light and Naru and the man are gone. Wren looks around, "What was all that about?" Michiru start to helps Haruka off the hood of the car. Luna and Artemis walk over to Wren and Luna looks very concerned, "I don't like this at all." Wren looks at Luna, "What do you mean?" "Nephrite was one of Beryl generals." "What?", she says "This could be bad..." "He's dead now though, but I have no idea what that man wants with him." "Resurrect him maybe?" "No.", Luna says, "He fell in love with Naru and was betrayed by another of Beryl's general's, Zoisite." "That's why he needs Naru to find where Nephrite died.", Wren says. Michiru and Haruka walk over, "I guess we'll have to see what the guy is up to.", Michiru says. Haruka clenches her fist, "I'll get him for this.." Michiru looks at Luna, "Do you know where his Nephrite character died?" "Yes, it was a park nearby. It's not very far away, Ami knows. "We better get going then.", Artemis says, "To the Sailor-mobile!" They all look at Artemis quite confused. "Uhmm, Luna,", Wren says, "I think you better stay here with Artemis so that he doesn't cause any more trouble." "That sounds like a excellent idea.", Luna says. Ami walks over, Urawa goes over to her. "Don't look Ami.", he says very calmly, "Don't look." "What's going on?", Ami says "I fill you in on the way Ami.", Wren says, "We have to go rescue Naru." They go over to a secluded spot away from all the people and transform into their respective Sailor guises [Eye-catch: Side shot of Sailor Mercury with the Imperial crystal floating in her cupped hands as she looks up toward the moon.] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Eye-catch: Side shot of Sailor Mercury with the Imperial crystal floating in her cupped hands as she looks up toward the moon.] Elsewhere in a park the man in the cloak and Naru appear. "Show me where he died child.", he says calmly. Naru walk over to a tree and points at it, "Here.", she says in a monotone voice. "Good.", he says and start to chant something, and the ground near the tree cracks open and a black ball of energy with white spikes about the size of a baseball rises out and floats in front of the man's face. He looks at it for a second, "Looks like Nephrite got a little corrupted." Naru snaps out of her trance, she looks around. "What going on?", she says, "Last thing I remember is that I'm at the reception for Usagi's and then..", she sees the black ball of energy. "Nephrite...", she says in a low voice. The man grabs the ball of energy and puts it in his cloak. He looks at Naru, "I am most surprised that you could recognize it, child.", he says, "But you do had a unusual bond with him." "Who are you?", she asks falling onto the grass, "What are you going to do with that?" "Where are my manners?", he says" I am called Mummu.", he says, "And that..." "Stop right there!", a voice says from the trees. "It appears that your rescue party is here Naru.", he says looks toward the trees. Sailor Mercury walks out of the trees followed by Sailor Magus, Neptune and Uranus. "For kidnapping this girl, in the name of Mercury I will punish you!", Mercury says. "I've heard better speeches. Well, ", Mummu says looking at Naru, "Go over to them I have no need for you anymore." Naru looks a little confused, but gets up and walks over to the Sailor Senshi and keeps running out of the park. "Let's get this over with Sailor Senshi.", he says, "Plasma Defense!', and balls of energy appear around him ,and he fires them at the Senshi, they dodge out of the way except for Magus, those shots get deflect off of an invisible barrier, hitting a few of the trees. "World Shaking!", Sailor Uranus says a ball of energy builds up in her hand at she launches it at Mummu. It dissipates before it even touches him, she is quite shocked by this. "Nice try Sailor Uranus.", he says and he start to float of the ground. "I like to play with you Senshi all day, but I have more pressing matter right now. I'll let Tiamat deal with you." "Key's of space unlock the way...", he says moving his hands in a pattern "Oh Shit!", Sailor Magus says. "Mercury get over here now!" "open the door to another place.", he continues, and the sky start to darken and a wind picks up --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elsewhere Artemis has fallen asleep under some trees Luna and Urawa are keeping an eye on him. She sees the sky darkening. "Shit!", she says, "Not again!" Urawa looks up, "It's like the end of the world..." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Neptune is looking around, "What's going on?" ,she says looking around. "It's appears to a forming some sort of a dimensional gate", Magus says looking around, "I'll try and counteract it.", her eyes start to glow green and she begins to weave a spell. "I'll see if I can get any readings on it." Ami says taking out her pocket computer. She punches a few keys on the computer. "I never seen reading like these before..", she pauses for a second and punches a few keys on her computer, "He appears to be warping the space around him. If we can stop the energy flow from him we can possibly stop the portal from forming." "O.K.", Neptune says, "Deep Submerge!" she says an a ball of green energy build up on her hand and she launches it a Mummu, it too dissipates. "Stay close." Wren says and an invisible shield covers the four of them. "Let the way open between the two...", Mummu continues and red lighting start to arc of the ground onto him and some of the trees and Wren's shield. "to allow others to cross through.", and suddenly space rips opens behind him forming a 20ft portal behind him. Looking inside it all that can be seen it blackness. Energy pours out of the sides of it into the park area. Wren's shield is shattered and she falls to the ground. Some of the trees in the park suddenly die and turn black others burst into flame. The grass turns brown and in some places the ground starts to open up. Uranus looks into the portal, taking a step back. Wren gets up and stares in amazement. "In all my travels I've never seen anything quite like that..." Ami continues to punch keys on the computer at a frantic pace. "These reading are crazy!", she says and her computer shorts out. A voice speaks from the portal, "So these are the infamous Sailor Senshi.", the voice says, "Two of you are missing though.", the voice says, sounding a little disappointed. "They shall be easier to deal with after the rest of you are gone." Three loud inhuman screams come from the portal. "Ahh", The voice says, "Tiamat has awaked. Have fun." Mummu looks down at the Sailors Senshi, "I'd wish you luck Senshi.", he says, "But you don't have a chance." Then he disappears. A number large tentacles come out of the rift one or two have mouths with very large teeth. "This does not look good.", Sailor Magus says. "I don't want to see the rest of it!", Sailor Uranus says. "World Shaking!", and her ball of energy hits a few the tips of the tentacles destroying them. A monstrous scream comes in unison form the mouths. "I think you upset it!", Mercury says. The rest of the creature crawls out, the portal closes. It has a large mass of flesh at the center on top the mound of flesh is a large eye, that is currently looking around, numerous tentacles flail around, some with mouths, screaming in an shrieking tone. The center mound of flesh floats above the ground. The eye sees the Senshi and moves toward them attacking with the tentacles. Mercury and Neptune dodge out of the way while Uranus takes her space sword out of the scabbard and begins to slash at the tentacles cutting them. "Keep me covered Mercury.", Sailor Magus says, "I try to hit that oversized eye.", her eyes begin to glow green. "O.K.!", Mercury says as a number of the tentacles try to hit Magus and her. "Shining Aqua Illusion!", she says freezing the some of the tentacles. A ball of fire builds up in Magus' hands and she fires it towards the center eye, and it is engulfed by the fire, but it seems unaffected. "A shield?", Wren says, "O.K. then I'll have to use something a little more powerful!" But before she can begin to start casting the large eye on the creature blinks and a wave of invisible energy starts to come toward her destroying trees in its path. The energy wave hits her shield but it has enough force to knock her a considerable distance away from the other Senshi. "Great.", Neptune comments, "Probably the only person who could defeat this things is out of the battle." One of the tentacles with a mouth start to come toward Ami. "Look out!", Michiru says, and pushes Mercury out of the way and the teeth bite deeply into her shoulder. She screams in pain as blood starts to run down her arm and chest. Sailor Uranus sees this, "Shit!", she says and tries to work her way over to where Ami and Michiru are attempting to cut though the tentacles that block her way. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Wren, in the meantime has landed a distance away from the battle, she has a couple abrasions on her legs and arms, and is now back in her normal clothes. She is semi-conscious. Two men in black jumpsuits come over to her. "Mummu will be most pleased with getting her.", one of them says, "Won't he Endiku." "Yes, he will Endiku", the other says. Wren begins to mumble something. "Not this time mage.", one of them says and pull out a taser, and put it to her chest electrocuting her, she convulses for a second and then she blacks out. "That was kind of fun!", the one with the taser says. "I did not know you were masochist, Endiku.", the other says. "It does not matter what condition the body is in right?", he says, "I'll just make sure she doesn't wake up soon and shock her again. But at a higher setting this time." and he turns it up getting ready to shock Wren again. When a rose suddenly flies from the air hitting the taser, causing it to flip around shocking him, causing him to fall to the ground unconscious. "Who?", the other one says looking up. And there on a tree branch stands Tuxedo Mask. "Molesting innocent young girls for your own pleasure, is not something I can stand by and watch.", he says leaping down from the tree. "Hey, I didn't do a thing to her.", the one still standing says, "But if its a fight you want,", and a black blade appears in his hand, "I'll be happy to oblige!", and he charges him. Tuxedo Mask parries the blade with his cane. Sparks fly as the combatants parry each other blows. This continues on for a while then quite suddenly Tuxedo Mask stabs him in the chest with his cane. "Fuck!", he says and coughs up a little black blood. "Ready to give up?", Tuxedo Mask says. "Not in this lifetime!", and charges at him slashing with his blade, Tuxedo Mask, manages to parry some of the blows but a few get through, and his costume is torn in a couple places and blood start to come out the slashes that Endiku had made. "Now for the final blow!", Endiku says, but suddenly he begins to twitch. "No I can't die yet." ,he says and then his skin turns black and he begins to melt. "Not yet...", he says and his forms disappears and all that is left is a black pile of goo. Tuxedo Mask looks around, then at Wren, "Did she do that?" Wren opens her eyes. "I knew you would never let me down Mamoru.", she says softly. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- At a distance from Wren and Tuxedo Mask a man in chain mail armor watches them. In one hand he hold a large spear. "The prince of the earth is my kill. No one else's", he says. Then he disappears. The battle is not going well for the rest of the Senshi. Sailor Uranus is in a stalemate with some of the tentacles, Sailor Mercury is busily dodging some of the tentacles unable to do anything and Sailor Neptune is still in the grip of the tentacle's mouths. "Everyone that I slices at another takes it place! Fuck this! World shaking!', she says and a yellow ball of energy builds up in her hand and she shoots it at the tentacle that has gripped Michiru. The attack cuts the tentacle in half and it lets go on Michiru, she fall to the ground, Ami goes over to her. After doing her attack, the tentacles overpowered Sailor Uranus and managed to wrap themselves around her and are beginning to crush her. "Shit...", she says in a low tone and the sounds of bones crushing can be heard. "Dead Scream.", a voice whispers off to the side and a glowing ball of energy hits the tentacles that have gripped Haruka. They are destroyed. "Shabon Spray!", Mercury says and a fog covers the area. Michiru manages to get up and walk over to Haruka, who is being helped up by Sailor Pluto. "I'm really glad to see you Setsuna.", says Ami "Likewise Ami." ,she says. Some of the creatures tentacles have found them, but Sailor Pluto keeps them at bay with her staff. "What does it take to kill this thing?", Ami asks. Pluto is parrying the tentacles with her staff but it does not look like she can keep it up for long. "We have a losing battle here...", Michiru says. Ami starts to reach into her pocket. "No Ami. We have one other option....", Michiru puts her hand on Ami's shoulder, "I don't know if will even work." "I couldn't.. Only Usagi could use the.." Haruka gets up supporting herself with her sword. "I don't see Usagi anywhere around here, Ami. If we die here that thing will probably go on and destroy the city. Do you want that?", she coughs up some blood. "No..", Ami says, "I do it. What have I got to lose?" Sailor Mercury takes the Holy Grail holds it over her head and says, "Crisis Make-up!" A large ice crystal forms around her. A crack appears in it, then it shatters. Ami skirt is now a white with a slight blue tinge to and the ribbon in the back now almost touches the ground, the dress has a gold trim around it. She walks toward the creature and says, "In the name of Mercury and the spirits of the children of the moon, I am Super Sailor Mercury and I will punish you!" It starts to snow around Mercury. Then some of the snow begins to collect into large sharp icicles. "Ice Shard Attack!", Mercury says and the crystalline shards cut through the remainder of the tentacles, going toward the eye, one or two are destroyed by the invisible shield surrounding the eye, but the remainder go through, impaling themselves on the eye, the main body fall to the ground, and the tentacles stop moving. Black smoke start to rise from the creature and it start to disintegrate. Sailor Mercury falls to her knees. "Good work Sailor Mercury!", a male voice says They all turn to see Tuxedo Mask carrying Wren, who is unconscious. "Mamoru!", she says. "I heard you were dead.", Neptune says helping Haruka to get up. "My death has been greatly exaggerated.", he says. "Ami", Pluto says pointing to her leg. "You leg it's bleeding." Ami looks at her leg. Her boot is now stained red. "The wound must have re-opened during the fight.", she says. The Sailor Senshi start to talk among themselves. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elsewhere, a man in a cloak watches this scene unfold. He waves his hand and the image disappears. "Tiamat has failed, my lord.", he says looking up at the large crystal. "I did not know they had the grail." Kingu walks onto the scene. "The grail?" he says, "I though it was only a myth.." "So are Pegasi, but we have one of those...", Mummu says causally. "Nergal will really upset to see Endymion is still alive.", Kingu says. "Have you tracked down any more of my essences, Kingu?" "I have a team working the arctic, I have Ishtar and a team of Endikus looking for one and we have possibly found another in Tokyo at a place called the Cherry Hill Temple." "I see.", the voice says, "Send Lilith and a team to see what they can find at this temple. She will have a chance to redeem herself after he last failure." "Yes my lord.", he leaves. "Mummu." the voice says, "Are you ready to perform the ritual?" "Yes my lord." he says and he takes out the spike ball of energy and lift it up and he begins to chant. The ball of energy moves toward the crystal and merges with it. A crack appears in the crystal. "One down three to go..", Mummu says. (To be continued) Comments/praise go to Andrew J. Currie.