"Thank you for allowing me to stay here." "It's my pleasure," Rei smiles as Chie sips her tea, both now in the sacred fire room of Hikawa Jinja. When she wasn't weeping over those who had died that morning, the priestess had cleaned the shrine, rendered it pristine for future use. Soon, her grandfather would call Chiezou Budou, the senior priest of Kantou, to dedicate a memorial for those who had fallen at the Shingi Maidens' hands. Until then, the shrine was closed to parishioners. While still uncertain over the sudden change that had befallen Usagi, Rei's personal faith was strong. She wasn't going to give Chie's ex-leader the satisfaction of seeing her surrender to Chaos, abandon her faith and everything else that marked her as a sentient being. Forgiveness for sin, especially when one was ignorant of right and wrong, was a lesson in all major faiths, so allowing the ex-Shingi Maiden to reside here was natural. Besides, forgiveness for honest repentance was something the Senshi practiced almost daily: Yuu and Asuka were staying with the Tsukinos while Wakana was staying with Katsura and Makoto. "I wish Yuu would've come stay here," Rei sighs. "Yuu can't forgive herself for what she did here, Rei," Chie bites her lips. "There were times, as Maidens, that we cringed at what we did. We didn't understand why we felt this way, but we did. The Reverend punished us every time, usually using Wakana as his weapon of choice. But deep down, even she understood what Yuu, Asuka, the others and I felt. She had her doubts, too." "When did these feelings come out?" Chie bites her lips. "Children." "Children?!" "Hai," Chie sighs. "As Shingi Maidens, it was forbidden for any of us to procreate. I'm...happy that Sakebu changed that. There were times when we had to...deal with children." "Gods..." Rei pales. "Look at me," Chie's eyes water, pointing to herself. "To you, the very concept of hurting a child is heinous, the worst type of crime imaginable. You would happily applaud your government if they legalized capital punishment for child abuse or child rape. To me...I don't know how to feel about that, Rei. Children are so alien to someone like me. Yet...whenever we were in previous Chaos Crusades, when I faced children...I couldn't do anything to make them Haishin, or send Haishin after them." "What about the others?" "Same with them," Chie sighs. "Try as the Reverend would, he couldn't...eliminate our hesitation about that. So, in the most recent Crusades, we only went after the adults...and allowed the children to wither...and die..." "Abandoned," Rei grimaces, her fists quaking. "Oh, Chie..." Reaching over, the priestess draws the ex-Shingi Maiden into her arms, allowing Chie to weep, though Rei understood that Chie was having a problem conceiving of why she was crying. A cough is then heard. Both women turn to see Rei's grandfather standing there. "Grandpa," Rei blinks. "I apologize; I couldn't help but overhear your words, young lady," the elder priest sighs. Rei smirks; who knows HOW old Chie really was. "It appears you need the chance to learn a few things about what it takes to be really human." "But you are of only one opinion of that matter," Chie warns, wiping her eyes. "I know, child," he nods, staring at his granddaughter. "Even after learning about Rei's secret, I still find it hard to believe that Creation is so vast. You've seen quite a lot, but you've never been permitted to learn from what you've seen. I assume that such is true with your friends, right?" "Hai," Chie nods. "Then would you permit us to teach you the ways of Shinto?" She blinks, then hugs herself. "Ojii-sama, you...for so long, I have worked at debunking faith. Accepting it...to be one I once would've targeted...is very hard for me." "It's not as hard as you think, child," the old priest smiles. "Not as hard as you think. I'll let you ponder that for a while. In the meantime, I'm going to bed." "Good night, Grandpa," Rei smiles as he walks away. The main doors then open to reveal Yuuichirou. "Hey, Rei, there you are...eh?!" the former rock singer blinks on noticing the ex-Fushin. "What's she doing here?!" "She's staying here for a while, Yuuichirou-kun," Rei sighs, then does the introductions. Yuuichirou sweats on seeing Chie's cheeks colour, her eyes...now that she was no longer a Shingi Maiden, they had transformed to a beautiful hazel...sparkling with intense interest. "Er...y-yeah!" he stammers, then quickly withdraws to his bedroom. "I'll s-see y-you guys l-later." Chie blinks as the door closes, then stares at Rei, a bemused smile twitching her lips. "Rei, he IS single, I hope!" Rei laughs... * * * "Faith No More" a tale of the Sailor Senshi by Fred Herriot gorgo@kwangju.net **** **** **** Edited by E.B. Kushnir kush1@iaw.on.ca **** **** **** Based on "Sailor Moon," created by Naoko Takeuchi **** **** **** PART THREE - CROSSING THE GREAT DIVIDE Shingo Tsukino suppresses a gulp as he stares at the lovely vision before him. Yuu was draped only in a large towel, her damp hair somewhat dried after she took a shower. She was also standing very still. "Y-yuu-chan..." "What are you waiting for?" Yuu smiles, winking. Shingo shudders, a lump the size of Tokyo in his throat. She was SO beautiful! Her hazel eyes hungrily sparkled as he finally gave in to his other "brain's" desire, rising to gently pull her towel away...and reveal a strapless bikini! "Gotcha!!" Yuu winks. Shingo faints! Yuu laughs as she collapses on the bed beside him. The door opens to reveal Asuka. "Onee-chan, what are you up to?!" she walks in, then chuckles on seeing Shingo. "Aw, it's not funny!" Shingo moans. "My love, learn to laugh at yourself a little," Yuu jabs him in the short ribs. "It makes for a much easier life!" "And you didn't laugh at yourself?" Shingo stares at her. Yuu blinks, then looks down. "No, we did laugh. We laughed too much in fact. We should have cried more." Shingo winces, then sees the downcast look on Asuka's face. "Oh, geez, I'm sorry..." "No, brother-in-law, it's alright," Asuka ruefully smiles. "We were never permitted...or allowed...to ponder what we did. If we did, the Reverend was all over us like a bad plague." "There were many times I wept, deep in my heart," Yuu bites her lips. "Even then, I was caught and punished." "Yuu..." Shingo reaches over, drawing her into a warm embrace. Asuka watches them slip under the covers, then withdraws to Usagi's room. There, Luna relaxes in a chair. The cat blinks as Asuka slumps on the bed. "Are you alright?" "No, not now," she tries to smile. "But I hope that when school starts tomorrow, I find a nice guy like Onee-chan did." "Well, you can thank Ayako for Yuu's success, Asuka," Luna smiles as she hops over to lay beside the former Shingi Maiden. "Perhaps you will be quite lucky when morning comes..." * * * In high orbit, Butsubutsu sighs, gazing at the image of her playmate asleep in the enemy's very own bedroom, the enemy's feline familiar by her and her sister next door in the comforting arms of the enemy's brother. With the other Maidens were busy energizing themselves with Chaos' power or tending to the Reverend's personal lusts, she was alone in the scrying glass room. And with the First Maiden being one of the four lost to the Reverend's control, the inner desires of his elder Maidens were starting to openly emerge. Butsubutsu...she had recently picked a "post-Maiden" Earth name, Emiru Hoshino...was six hundred years old though she looked fifteen, easily welcome in Shingo's third year junior high school class. She had been in on all fifteen Crusades in this galaxy, plus several probes into other galaxies, linking up with other Fushin as they continued their eternal, dark mission. And every time, her innermost soul screamed out at the Chaos she unleashed, cringed at the stench of burning flesh and rotting corpses, wept at the destruction she helped unleash. In many ways, she was still a child. She yearned to be a child again. Now, there was a way for that to occur, Butsubutsu smiles. Soon, she would be with her beloved friend again... * * * "You want to go to her now, don't you?" "So do you," the Forever Knight muses, gazing with his all- seeing eyes at the young Shingi Maiden from his perch on the Rock of Infinity. "Even though you are the guardian of Eternity, Yuki, you're still part-Nendo-kata. Charity is second nature to your kind, remember?" "Touche," Sailor Hades grins. "Tomorrow." "Hai, tomorrow," the guardian of Infinity nods... * * * "Class, we have two new students joining us," Mrs. Haruna smiles at her third-year homeroom. "Would you care to introduce yourselves and tell us a little something about yourselves." "Hai," Yuu nods, then bows. "My name is Yuu Nanase. This is my younger sister Asuka," she indicates her sister. "We're only ten months apart age-wise," Asuka adds. That WAS the truth, Shingo smiles. "We've just come to Juuban from a long time abroad..." Yuu begins. "Practically since we were born," Asuka cutely winks. "So being back in Japan is very strange for us," Yuu finishes. "But we hope we can still make many friends here." "Wonderful," Haruna smiles, then indicates two empty seats flanking Shingo. "Why don't you sit beside Mr. Tsukino, please." "Arigato, Sensei," the Nanase sisters bow, then sit down. The students gaze at Yuu and Asuka. Many of the boys knew the elder Nanase was Shingo's new girlfriend, meeting after Yuu Morii, now sitting in the back of the room glaring icy daggers at the other Yuu, dumped him. The other girls stare quizzically at the newcomers, intuition telling them there was a lot more to these two than met the eye, yet not sensing anything dark about them. One boy, a slender fellow with spiky black hair, was trying not to drool at the very kawaii Asuka...and got a bop on the head for it! "Mr. Yoneda, we're in the middle of class right now!" Mrs. Haruna snarls. "You can stare at Miss Nanase later!!" "H-hai!" Ichiro Yoneda nods. The other students chuckle. Shingo and Yuu exchange knowing looks. Asuka blinks, then gazes strangely at Ichiro, who flashes her an apologetic smile before looking at the blackboard... * * * "Hey, Ii-chan, you okay?" Ichiro blinks, then smiles at Shingo as they meet on the roof of Juuban Junior High later. "Yeah, I'm okay, man," he sighs, then rubs his head. "Though, you have to admit, I did deserve getting bopped by Haruna-sensei for gaping at Asuka-chan like that." "Hey, if you want introductions, I'll help," Shingo winks. "I'll keep it in mind...urk!" Ichiro gapes as the door from the emergency stairwell opens to reveal Yuu Morii. "Oh, shit, man, you're in for it now," his voice drops to a whisper. "What do you want, Morii-san?" Shingo turns his back to her, staring at the playground below. Morii's eyes burn at Shingo's silent insult. Ichiro was staying clear of the two. "So, what's this about you bringing that amazon into school?!" she growls. "Do you have any idea how badly she hurt poor Satoru-kun?!" "Hey, he was the one hitting on Yuu-chan!" Shingo smiles, not turning to her. "She hit back. What's your problem?!" Morii snarls, then crosses her arms. "Well, some of the girls were asking Nanase about how she met you! SHE said you two are now sleeping together in YOUR bedroom in YOUR house!! Some gentleman YOU turned out to be, you horny hentai!" Shingo sighs, then exchanges a knowing look with Ichiro. Some people were always trying to twist information to their advantage, just to make enemies squirm. Go figure. "Yes, Yuu-chan and I do sleep together. It's mutually agreed on, my parents don't object, hers have passed away...and we don't have the room at the house." He winks at his friend. "And...she wears the cutest nightgowns." Morii's head explodes in a volcano as Ichiro tries not to fall over laughing. The idiot's buttons were always easy to press, even though before now, Shingo never stooped to that level. At that moment, the door opens to reveal Yuu and Asuka. "Shingo-kun!" the former waves, running up to embrace him. "There you are, my love!" Morii screams as the couple passionately kisses, her shout alerting curious onlookers at ground level. Staring up at the new hot couple of Juuban Junior High, the student body whoops them on. The few teachers on yard duty exchange knowing smiles, remembering a time when they were that young and innocent. Ichiro smiles at his friend's success, then blinks, tensing on sensing Asuka's appraising gaze. The bell then rings. "Going my way, Asuka-chan?" Ichiro offers his arm. "Hai, Ichiro-kun," Asuka slips her arm around his. The two couples head downstairs, leaving a stunned Yuu Morii standing slack-jawed at what she observed. "I can't believe that!" she mutters. "What does that bitch have that I don't?!" "She understands loyalty!" a voice utters from behind her. Morii turns to see a dark figure in a black gown standing at the corner of the building, her body silhouetted by the sun. All that could be seen are twin stubby side pigtails and glowing eyes. "Who are you?!!" she gasps. "Someone who needs help!!" Butsubutsu snarls, dark energy forming around her. "And you were just elected to help me!!!" Morii screams... * * * "No!!!" Chie gasps, eyes widening on feeling an overpowering sense of danger. "What is it, Chie?!" Rei turns to her. "It's Butsubutsu!!" Chie stares at the priestess. "She's Asuka's best friend! She's here now, at Shingo's school!!" Rei's eyes widen, then she grabs her communicator... * * * "Time to bring someone from the darkness," the Forever Knight smiles as he teleports away... * * * "We're closest, Rei-chan!" Matsuri reports as she, Ayako and Chuuko race for the school. "We're on our way!!" "I'll call the others," Rei cuts the comm line. Ducking into an alley, the Twins draw their henshin sticks and transform. Chuuko stands back, then crosses her arms as her special wrist bracelets, more beautiful versions of the weapons she used as an Anima Mate, glow. "TETSUZO COSMIC SALVATION POWER, MAKE UP!!!!" she bellows as globes of energy shed her clothes, revealing the white jumpsuit she wore as Sailor Tetsuzo. "Would you ladies care for a lift to the school?" a voice wonders from behind them. The three turn to see the Forever Knight standing there, his black cape melting into the alley's shadows, his white tuxedo standing out like neon. "Wouldn't mind it," Aphrodite nods as the Sailor Senshi race into the darkness... ...and emerge on the roof of Juuban Junior High School, seeing a Haishin appear where Yuu Morii once stood, Butsubutsu relaxing after energizing her helper. "The Maiden's mine!" Aphrodite snaps as Ares and Tetsuzo leap at the monster. "Get the Silver Crystal!" "Got it," the Forever Knight reaches into his cape, then draws out Sailor Moon's weapon, just as the door to the roof opens to reveal Yuu, Asuka and Shingo. "Uh-oh!!" "Butsubutsu!!" Asuka gasps. "Oh, no, that must be Morii-san!" Seeing Shingo, the Haishin bellows as he lashes out with a blaze of ebony energy. Yuu and Asuka leap before the hapless Terran to shield him...just as a silver blur appears before them! "***IRON SHIELD!!!!!!***" Yuu and Asuka gape as a forcefield forms around them, Shingo and Tetsuzo, the Haishin's attacks bouncing off with ease. By then, Ares is in range. "***FIRE PHOENIX!!!!!!***" The fiery bird consumes the Haishin, allowing a scarred Yuu Morii to drop to the concrete floor in a daze. By then, Aphrodite has nailed Butsubutsu with a roundhouse kick. "Catch!!" the Forever Knight tosses the Crystal at the passion mistress. "Thank you, kind sir!" Aphrodite grabs the staff, then draws the Lancer. "Okay, honey, it's heartbreak time!!" The Shingi Maiden remains still, gazing...hopefully?...at the passion mistress. "Do it." It took a lot to surprise Sailor Aphrodite. This was one of those times. "Eh?!" "Let me be with my friend again," Butsubutsu smiles, her eyes turning to stare at Asuka. Aphrodite blinks, then sheathes the Lancer before twirling the Crystal. "Okay, Emiru-chan!!! ***HEART PASSION NOVA!!!!!!***" The energy burns away Butsubutsu's clothes, face markings and black eyes...allowing Emiru Hoshino to collapse into Asuka's arms. "Emiru!!!" she cries out, then embraces her sobbing friend. The others exhale, then blink on hearing Ichiro's shocked voice. "Man, what's going on here anyway?!" "Oh, Ii-chan, shit!" Shingo shakes his head. Sighing, Tetsuzo walks over to stare evenly into his eyes, her own glowing to emphasize her point. "If you EVER tell anyone about this, Ichiro-san..." "No problem!" he backs away from the Salvation Senshi. "I'll tell you later, man," Shingo sighs. "Tell us what?!!" a voice barks. Eyes turn to see an incensed...and nicely roasted...Yuu Morii glaring at him. "Oh, jeez, you okay?!" Shingo walks over to her. "Leave me alone!!!" Morii snarls, pointing at Yuu. "What's going on here, Shingo?! Who ARE these girls...?!!" "***HEART MIRROR SHOCK!!!!!!***" ZAP!!!! Morii jolts as the black heart slams into her, then her face softens. "Shingo-kun, I'm so sorry," she stares dolefully at her former boyfriend. "I didn't realize that you were offering shelter to Nanase-san and her friends..." Shingo sweats. "Aph-...ro-...di-...te!!" Ares growls. "I'm such a stinker at times!" Aphrodite blows the "cordite" from her fingers... * * * Galaxia scowls, seeing what happened from her own personal scrying glass. Wonderful. First a Sailor Terra, one immune to her star seed sapping power. Then doubles of ALL the Senshi, quite powerful and utterly ruthless in battle, one of whom could weld the Imperium Silver Crystal with the ease Sailor Moon demonstrated. Three of her Anima Mates restored to full life by means she couldn't understand. Now this black-caped, white-suited dimension- hopper who obviously was MUCH more powerful than he looked. Worst of all, one of the Reverend's Shingi Maidens had happily allowed Aphrodite to cleanse her of Chaos, all just to be with her friend. "You're right," a voice warns from behind her. The Golden Senshi spins to see Sailor Hades standing behind her. "Who...?!" she bolts off her throne. Hades smiles. "The Forever Knight IS more powerful than he looks," she turns away, then vanishes. Galaxia emits a guttural snarl. "Princess Galaxia," a voice inquires from behind her. She turns to see one of the younger Maidens, Onmitsu, standing there. A bright, deceptively cheery girl with flowing purple hair, she would definitely fit the role of First Maiden once Fushingi got around to choosing a replacement for Kurushimi. "Yes, what is it?" "I have a plan to deal with the Sailor Senshi...but I require your assistance on this matter," Onmitsu smiles. Finally, SOMEONE was getting back to business here! "What sort of assistance do you require?" Galaxia relaxes in her chair... * * * "You WANTED to have Aphrodite cleanse you?!!" Asuka gasps. Emiru nods, now sipping a cup of hot chocolate the Forever Knight had magically produced, saying something about getting it from a vendor in Zurich. Everyone, including Mrs. Haruna, now relaxes in the health station while Yuu Morii was being transported by the school nurse to the Juuban Medical Centre for treatment. "Aye," she nods, staring at her friend. "It was so lonely up there without you, Asuka-chan." Asuka blushes, then feels Ichiro's hand on her shoulder. "So you and Yuu used to work for the bastard Sailor Moon's after now, huh?!" he muses, then stares at his best friend. "Man, you're a lucky one, Shingo! Getting Sailor Moon to agree to let Yuu and Asuka-chan stay with you!" "Well, it's no problem in her eyes," Shingo shrugs, mentally adding, *Hey, she's my sister! What else would I've said?!* "What of the others you've captured?" Mrs. Haruna stares at Aphrodite and Ares. "There were one more captured in Sapporo..." "Two," Tetsuzo amends. "One other tried to kill the children Sailor Ginkaibijou, Sailor Enko and I were protecting. I suspect it was you who healed poor Wakana-chan of her disUnifying thoughts, ne?" she smiles sweetly at the Forever Knight. "Guilty as charged," he smiles. "Sending her through fifty different dimensions in three seconds can do that to a person." "Fifty dimensions in three seconds...?" Mrs. Haruna blinks. "They don't call me the Guardian of Infinity for nothing, Haruna-sensei," the Forever Knight smiles at her. The teacher whistles. "Okay, well, I'm sure Sailor Gaia would certify you as being free of the sub-creature Fushingi's influence, so we now have to determine where you'll stay," Ares sighs, getting the conversation back to Emiru's fate. "Mr. Yoneda, why don't you fetch Miss Hoshino another cup of hot chocolate," Mrs. Haruna stares at Asuka's would-be boyfriend. "Hai," he nods, then heads out. The teacher closes the door behind her, then stares at the Sailor Senshi. "If you want, Emiru can stay with me." "I take it you're aware of who some of the Senshi are," the Forever Knight hums knowingly. "Hard not to notice; I taught four of them in my own class," Mrs. Haruna smiles. "Not to mention yourself..." "No names," Aphrodite sighs, wagging her finger. "It'll spoil the surprise for a certain time guardian's birthday." "Okay, okay!" Mrs. Haruna laughs... * * * Later, Emiru is escorted by Ares, Aphrodite and Tetsuzo to the Tsukino home, where she'll stay until Mrs. Haruna got off work and could help the ex-Shingi Maiden settle in. Shingo, Yuu, Asuka and Ichiro return to class. Mrs. Haruna and the Forever Knight remain in the nursing station. "To believe I berated her so often for being late," she shakes her head. "How is Usagi handling this?" "Much better than you'd think," he sighs. "It took her a long while just to stop being scared when dealing with youma; at least that's what Sailor Hades has told me. These days, she's hell bent and determined to be strong enough to take them down no matter how powerful they are. It's a good sign." "How did you find out about them?" "Pretty well the same way Naru did; deduction," the Forever Knight reverts to Gurio Umino. "I can guess why; Usagi values both of us as her friends, but we were outside the 'permissable' limits of friends vis-a-vis Usagi's destiny as Sailor Moon, the Silver Millennium and Crystal Tokyo. Naru took big objection to that; hence, she's now Sailor Terra. So did I, but I had the fortune of falling in love with Sailor Pluto first." "I hear she's a bit...aloof," Mrs. Haruna gazes at him. Gurio had been one of her prize students, so she remembered him much more fondly than most others in that class. Ditto with Usagi, but that was for a whole host of other reasons. "She's not normally that way," Gurio hums, then heads out. "See you later, Haruna-sensei. Good luck with Emiru-chan." "I'll need it," she muses... * * * "Your plan is a sound one, Onmitsu." "Thank you, Reverend," Onmitsu bows to him. "Further, we are very fortunate. Sailor Pluto will celebrate her birthday tomorrow afternoon in Juuban. The Senshi who are now studying in America will be there, along with the other Senshi, their twins and most likely, this Forever Knight; we have heard comments about him being a 'birthday present' to Pluto bandied about. All we need to do, with Princess Galaxia's gracious help," she nods to the Golden Senshi, "...is seize their star seeds." "That could kill them," Fushingi muses. "Perhaps, Reverend." "You have doubts?" "I do," Onmitsu nods. "It is logical to assume that between the final act of the Sailor Wars and now, the Senshi have upgraded their powers to the point where the theft of their star seeds will not be physically terminal. Further, Sailor Terra seems versed in energy attacks designed to destroy other energy attacks. This plan does work on the hope that the star seeds will be restored to the Sailor Senshi...and by doing so, they will be under our power." Fushingi nods. "I like this very much, Onmitsu. Very well, you may proceed." "Reverend," she bows, then departs with Galaxia. The other Maidens gaze upon their leader. "Reverend, we have learned that there will be a large multi-faith rally at the Juuban Arena in three days time," another of the new breed, Junketsu, bows to him. "There, we can do much. And if Onmitsu's plan is a success, we could easily eliminate Sailor Moon then and there." "Very well," the dark preacher grins savagely. "Once their precious moon princess is gone, this whole planet will see how powerful Chaos really is! In the meantime, we must ascertain what has happened to Butsubutsu! I sensed her being severed from her sisters by the witch Aphrodite, but why did she go alone?!" "Reverend, we have no idea," one of the older Maidens, Kosokoso, a woman with black hair pulled back in a short ponytail, shakes her head. "By the time we noticed Butsubutsu gone, she was...eliminated," she looks down. The half-dozen other elder Maidens also look down. "Then find out what did happen!!" Fushingi snarls. "And I wanted the little survivors from our last Crusades killed! Do it!!" "Hai!!!" the seven Maidens bow, then leave. "Sir, is it wise to send them all out?" Junketsu wonders. "Perhaps it is, if Butsubutsu *voluntarily* left our fold," Fushingi icily smiles. "They know well what will happen to them if Butsubutsu did defect to Order's side and is allowed to get away. The fear of their own deaths will remind them well who is their true creator and master." The younger Maidens grin; they were too young, too innocent in their own way, to be afraid of Fushingi's veiled warning. Besides, how could you betray the one who created you, was in a sense of the term your own father? "Then may be demonstrate our loyalty to our creator and master?" Junketsu smiles. Fushingi nods... * * * "The others of Yuu-chan's generation are heading down now," Yuki advises everyone over the comm line from hers and Sakebu's home. "Part of the group will focus on killing Emiru-chan at Mrs. Haruna's residence. The other part is after the children the Salvation Senshi brought with them from their worlds over at Ayako- chan's place. Be ready." Michiru's face appears on the screen. "Yuki, Haruka and I are closest to Ayako and Matsuri. We'll go there right away to help out as soon as we drop Mame-chan off." "Hey, I can take care of myself, you know!" a protesting voice with an American West Coast accent calls from behind Michiru. "Relax, Mame-chan, we do this all the time," Haruka's voice calms their houseguest down. The screen is replaced by Naru. "Yuki, Haruna-sensei might not recognize some of the Sailor Senshi. Can you teleport up here to get Usagi-chan and I down? We can meet up with Ami-chan and Makoto-chan when we're down there." "Someone's on his way to get you down there now," Yuki sighs, cutting the line as the rustle of a cape announces the Forever Knight's departure... * * * "Eh?! What does she mean by that?!" Naru wonders. "She means me." Usagi and Naru see the Forever Knight standing in their dorm room. "Hey, who are you?!" the former gasps, crouching in a defensive stance, then blinks, her eyes widening in stunned recognition. "Gods...!" "Sorry, Usagi-chan, but a defenceless girl needs you now," he picks up his cape to sweep over them... * * * ...and deposits the two right before the Haruna residence. "Wow, that was quick!" Naru gasps, then turns to see the Forever Knight has vanished. "And a quicker exit, I see." "Hey, who was the guy in the black cape?" a voice wonders. Mamoru, Ami, Makoto and Katsura race up. "A friend of Yuki- san's," Naru sighs, not wanting to spoil Setsuna's surprise either. "Company!!" Katsura's eyes glow, her eyes sweeping up. Bolts of black energy slam into neighbouring homes, the bellows of angry Haishin echoing from open windows. From up above, three Shingi Maidens land before the house, turning toward the front door...where Mrs. Haruna was now standing protectively before Emiru, a bokan stick in hand and ready. "We're needed!" Usagi hisses as everyone ducks into an alleyway to transform. "So there you are, Butsubutsu," Kosokoso hums as Haishin shuffle out of several homes to stand beside their creators. With her are Ajui, Kosokoso's sister, and Gyooshoo. All three Emiru knew well. "So, you decided that listening to those foolish dreams was more important to you than serving the Reverend, eh?!" "You have those same dreams...Kaho-chan," Emiru places an assuring hand on Mrs. Haruna's shoulder, then walks around her. Kosokoso shudders, glaring at her. "What did you call me?!" "Kaho-chan," Emiru smiles. "That's the name you chose for yourself if you should fall at the Senshi's hands: Kaho Sawatori. As your sister," she turns to Ajui, "...chose the name Honoka and as Gyooshoo," she looks to the third Maiden, "...has privately taken the name Rurika Endou for when her time comes." The three Maidens jolt, sensing the subtle psi-probes Emiru was still capable of using. "You will not corrupt us with your filth, Butsubutsu," Gyooshoo vows, her square-cut light brown hair shifting with the wind blowing through the street. "Who says she's corrupting you?!" a voice wonders from above. Eyes turn to see five Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen standing behind and above them on a house's roof. "I'd say Emiru-chan would want to LIBERATE you from what Fushingi made you out to be," Sailor Moon smiles dangerously. "So we'll help her." "In your dreams!!" Ajui, a woman with long strawberry blonde hair, snarls, then points. "Haishin, attack them!!! Kill!!!" "Terra, Sunaru and I've got the Maidens!!" Moon barks, snap- drawing the Lancer. "Rest of you, cover us!!! GO!!!!" With a leap, the three attacking Senshi soar over the Haishin to drop onto Mrs. Haruna's front lawn. Mercury, Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen exchange stunned looks. "Since when does THIS happen?!" the caped knight wonders. "Worry about it later!!" Jupiter winds up, then lashes out. "***SUPREME THUNDER DRAGON!!!!!!***" Blasts of energy lash out to nail the Haishin as Moon, Terra and Sunaru close up on the Maidens, tackling them and sending them sprawling. The Haishin closest to them turn to assist, but bolts from the heavens scatter them. "This party private?!!" Sailor Diana wonders as she and Chronos dive into the fray. "Everyone's welcome to it!!" Moon grins, then catches Ajui with a roundhouse kick. "HIYAAAA!!!!" The Maiden slams into the stone fence around Mrs. Haruna's home, dropping hard. "Honoka-chan!!" Emiru races to her side. "Emiru-chan, be careful!!!" Mrs. Haruna gasps. Moon backs off to allow the cleansed Maiden a chance to talk to her friend. Tuxedo Kamen turns, noticing that Kosokoso was being pushed by Sunaru close to his fiance, then he leaps away from the Haishin to help the weather mistress. The Haishin he was busy detaining automatically turn to dogpile Sailor Moon. "Mamoru, you idiot, what are you doing?!!" Terra cold-cocks Gyooshoo, then draws her soulsword. "Keep them off Usagi-chan!!" The caped knight turns to see several flying at Sailor Moon just as she was about to turn. Hands flick a storm of roses to send them sprawling. Tuxedo Kamen curses himself, then gets back to keeping the other Haishin away. Moon sends him an I'll-talk- to-you-later look, then turns back to Emiru, who was now trying to help Ajui sit up. "Honoka-chan?!" she prods. Growling, Ajui grabs Emiru's throat, then rolls herself atop the surprised girl, a burning energy globe in the palm of her hand. "Now, you die, traitor!!!" she cocks her hand back. Emiru blinks, her eyes tearing, trying to see any sign of an awakening humanity within her friend. Ajui pauses, her eyes widening on seeing her tears, her heart churning as a voice inside her mind keeps chanting, *This is your friend! You can't kill her! This is your friend! You can't kill her!* "Honoka-chan..." Emiru smiles. "I love you..." Ajui shudders, the energy in her hands fizzling out as she screams, leaping off her friend. Turning, she sees Gyooshoo being nailed by Terra's soulsword, then bellowing, she leaps at the blazing blade. Two seconds later, she collapses to the ground beside the cleansed Gyooshoo, a sense of...relief?...in her eyes. "Honoka-chan!!! Rurika-chan!!!" Emiru races over to help them. By now, Sunaru has telekinetically shoved Kosokoso far enough from her target to allow Terra and Moon to come support. Diana and Chronos were presently helping Mercury, Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen keep the remaining Haishin off their backs, those created by Kosokoso's companions having reverted when their mistresses had been cleansed, the poor souls now passed out on the ground. Moon draws the Lancer as she and Terra take ready stances, Sunaru backing away. "The choice is yours," Moon smiles. "You suffer like Asuka-chan did before we helped her join Yuu-chan...or you come over now." Kosokoso blinks, then watches Emiru and Mrs. Haruka fret over Rurika and Honoka, the love her fellow Shingi Maiden...and yes, her good friend...was showing for them quite obvious even to someone like her. Shuddering, realizing that no matter what, she went where her sister went, she lowers her hands. "Alright." Moon nods, sheathing the Lancer, then points the Crystal up. "***MOON COSMIC HEALING ACTIVATION!!!!!!***" A second later, Kaho collapses into Sunaru's arms as the last of the Haishin revert to normal. With potentially witnesses passed out or now passing out, Moon turns to Mrs. Haruka. "Can we move inside to help these three, Sensei?" "Sure, c'mon in!" the teacher opens the gate. "Gods, Usagi, are you ALWAYS this busy?!" Sailor Moon jolts, staring in shock at her former homeroom teacher. "YOU know now?!! Gods, at this rate, you might as well plaster my name in neon all over the city!!" The others laugh... * * * For Beans, this was NO laughing matter. The Oregon native had sworn, once she'd seen two good friends in their alternate identities try to deal with a lake god who only wanted to get back to where he was born the previous Hallowe'en, that she'd never delve too deep into the Sailor Senshi's business. That oath held when she had trapped a computer hacker from getting at Haruka's and Michiru's personal data, and stayed up when four of the Sailor Senshi Twins helped her and Michiru deal with a heckler. However, even knowing about the Twins' origins hadn't prepared the computer sciences sophomore for something like THIS! Presently, near a nice home in Juuban's west end, Uranus, Neptune, Aphrodite and Ares...Beans learned who she was when she met her life-mate sometime ago...along with three other strangely dressed women...one who had mouse ears and a TAIL, plus another who had ORANGE skin!...were facing four young girls in black evening gowns, all bearing weird tattoos on their faces, their eyes as black as night. Teenagers, for crying out loud! All of whom looked mad enough to kill. Around them were a company's worth of very BIG, very UGLY, very SCARY monsters who seemed ready to tear the district apart. Their targets, incredible as it sounded, were twelve little kids now inside this home. Beans wondered if the tabloids would believe THIS story! "You persist on living when Chaos claimed your pitiful race long ago!!" the leader of this band of alien women...Daraku, Beans had heard her name earlier...points at the Senshi's weird friends. For heaven's sake, she was as much a geek as Beans; you could tell by the dirty blonde hair drawn back by a headband and the reading glasses! "If you surrender now, we'll be very merciful." The three alien warriors exchange looks. "True, almost all our Great Schools are now within the Cosmic Chain of Life," the platinum blonde short one with the mouse ears and tail...Sailor Tetsuzo, Beans had guessed from her transformation phrase...crosses her arms, smugly smiling. "But it doesn't mean that OUR Great School will let you sub-creatures finish your disUnifying task!" Nendo-kata, Beans grins. You can always tell who they were because of those corny terms for the bad guys. "Too bad!!" Daraku winds up, then lashes out with a bolt of black energy! Beans blinks as the bolt slams into Tetsuzo without her making a move. If she was like the other Senshi, she could've jumped clear of that with no problem. Were her powers defensive? Tetsuzo yawns. "Interesting...in a primitive way." The evil geek was obviously badly shaken up by Tetsuzo's inaction; Beans guessed that's how she and her buddies turned the neighbours into the big uglies now with them. "How...?!" "Your power affects one's faith," Tetsuzo smiles. "Nendo-kata have no faith. We have the Truth to guide us." Beans smiles as the other platinum blonde in the blue suit and the orange-skinned one in the tanned leather suit...Ginkaibijou and Enko, she remembered...spread out, Ares and Aphrodite also moving out as back up. Uranus and Neptune fall back to cover the doorway to their home...and their friend. "Truth?!!" a girl with long dark grey hair and braded sideburns snarls. "What Truth?!!" "You could succeed in killing us, Manami-chan," Enko stares at her, causing the Shingi Maiden to jolt. "But you can never escape from those who will come to destroy you," Ginkaibijou adds. "You can never hide, you will always be confronted and some way, somehow, you will be destroyed," Ares completes. "That is not Faith, Manami-chan," Tetsuzo smiles. "That is the one unshakable Truth of the Universe." "Time for a little heartbreak," Aphrodite snickers, her eyebrows wriggling. "Of course you know, this means war." Beans guffaws. Ayako always said Bugs Bunny's crazy battle line when she wanted to party. Suddenly, space beside her opens to reveal a pretty handsome guy with curly brown hair and blue eyes appear, now in a white tux and a black cape, a white mask covering his face. In his hand was a big-ass sceptre-mace that also seemed to be the scabbard for a sword, a red ruby jewel at the other end. "Catch, Aphrodite! Compliments of Sailor Moon!!" he tosses it. "Great!" Aphrodite grabs the Crystal, then before the Shingi Maidens could react, winds up. "***HEART PASSION NOVA!!!!!!***" A blaze of rose-red energy balls, shaped into large hearts, lashes out, barely clipping Tetsuzo and Ginkaibijou before swamping the four girls in the gowns!! Beans blinks as their clothes, face tattoos and the black in their eyes is burned away, revealing causal civilians and pretty hazel eyes. Must be normal for their kind. Behind and around them, the BEMs vaporize, reverting into a sea of normal people mostly in night clothes, now passing out from the shock of being possessed. "Not bad!" she whistles, then looks at the guy in the tux. "This pretty normal for them?" "Somewhat," he doffs his white stovepipe hat at her, then waves his cape...and vanishes, reappearing on street level to teleport the four captured Maidens into the home. "Let's get inside before the police get here to ask questions about us," Uranus relaxes. The other Senshi and Beans head inside, the American's hosts reverting to normal as the door closes behind their friend. "I'll get this back to Sailor Moon," the Forever Knight takes the Crystal from Ayako, then doffs his hat. "Pleasure meeting you, Mame-chan." He vanishes. To Beans, it reminds her of a classic "Star Trek" episode where the hologram of a military officer who was guarding an alien base the "Enterprise" discovered would vanish; the mass warps into a thin vertical line, then blinks out. All you needed was the background fanfare. "I take it he's a friend of yours, right?" she turns to Haruka and Michiru. "Actually, we just met him tonight, though Ayako and Matsuri seem to know who he is," Michiru admits. "Sorry, we can't tell just yet," Ayako smirks as she walks into the kitchen to warm up tea for their new guests. "It's a big surprise...for Setsuna most of all." Haruka and Michiru exchange very surprised looks. "How can you surprise Setsuna?" Beans wonders. "Get Yuki to lean on her for a bit; works every time," Matsuri smiles as she and the Salvation Senshi tend to the wounded. Beans sighs, crossing her arms. "Geez, you guys really do live exciting lives, don't you?" she gazes at her mathematics partner and her life-mate. "Stick around, Mame-chan," Haruka snickers. "You'll see how exciting things can get around here." "Like it says on my shirt," Beans hums. "Byte me, Haruka!" "Speaking of which, this is for you," Matsuri grabs a package from a coffee table, then tosses it to the American. "Hey, what's this?!" Beans blinks, then rips it open to reveal several green T-shirts her size with BYTE ME in red computer print and katakana on the front. Michiru *glares* at Matsuri as the American hugs her gift, grateful tears streaming down. "Aw, you guys are too much!!" "Anytime, Beans," Matsuri smiles, again falling into the habit of using the American's real name; the Shingi Maidens were passed out, the others here were obviously Nendo-kata and Haruka and Michiru already knew their friend's secret. "Lucky thing Nareta- chan gave us the mental projection of your clothes when she and Ayako-chan visited Michiru-chan last month." "I'll *talk* with my sister about that later," Michiru huffs. * * * "The Nendo-kata...?!" What sort of cosmic joke was THAT?!?! Fushingi shudders, staring at the image of Ayako making a pot of tea in the kitchen of their home. Suddenly, the passion mistress' eyes glow as she turns her head, staring seemingly at the dark priest's face, giving him a red-eye and sticking her tongue out before taking the tea out to her friends. "What are these things?!" Onmitsu shudders. Galaxia mentally echoes the question. If Ayako had the power to sense them when she was normal, how powerful was she when she was Sailor Aphrodite? "A race that has lived and haunted this universe for a hundred millennia as Terrans tell time," the dark priest snarls. "From another galaxy, Princess Galaxia," he then stares at the Golden Senshi. "Where they go, no matter what, they always go out and destroy anyone who dares bring the cleansing winds of Chaos to those who love Order too much." "Then...how did they come to be here?!" Galaxia demands. "How did they restore three of my Anima Mates?! How?!!" "No doubt by that Crossing Over ritual of their's," Fushingi sighs. Having never actually met a Nendo-kata...he had heard of them through exchanges with other Reverends...he is now confirming things through probing the thoughts of the American woman Beans; she had mind-melded with Sailor Uranus' twin sometime before to learn their story. "To them, a lifetime devotion to hunting those such as we is a good life. Indeed, to them, their faith IS Truth; they'd rather die than be corrupted by Chaos." "Then we will kill them," Galaxia grins. Fushingi nods. "Aye. We will do that...once you have brought the original Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen...to our side." The Golden Senshi nods... * * * To be continued...