Subject: [Fanfic - SM - Secrets 1 - corrected] Date: Sun, 04 Jan 1998 19:51:13 -0800 From: Ken Wolfe Reply-To: Ken_Wolfe@mbnet.mb.ca To: Chris Davies , Jerry Yen , John Hitchens , Piotr Gaj , echo5a@deskmedia.com, Tim Nolan (file attached. Minor silly errors corrected). -- Ken Wolfe | Fax: Sorry, I hate fax machines Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | Compu$erve: 73527.2203@compuserve.com Ken_Wolfe@MBnet.MB.CA | GEnie: k.wolfe8@genie.geis.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- This is my fifth Sailor Moon fan fiction story. Just as a warning, this story brings together events and themes from my previous four. In chronological order, they are: The Four Horsemen Frozen Time Kiss of the Enemy Under a Cloud It's not necessary to have read them to understand what is going on, I haven't made any big changes from the continuity in the TV series. But there are references to events in the previous stories that might be a bit confusing without having read them. Most of this story takes place after the end of the TV series, and it is *full* of spoilers, so be warned if you haven't seen the whole series. I use the character names from the original Japanese series, not the English dub. I would probably give the story a PG-13 rating for violence and adult content. I'd like to mention some unusual punctuation I use in the text. As is normal in plan ASCII text I indicate italics with asterisks, *like this.* There are places where I indicate non-verbal communication with double asterisks, **like this.** As to what this non-verbal communication is ... you'll see soon enough. I couldn't resist using some Japanese words in a few places, so for those unfamiliar with these words, here's a really short translation dictionary: baka - fool, idiot. onisan/onisama - elder brother (also term of respect) onesan/onesama - elder sister (also term of respect) senpai - upperclassman, senior (term of respect) obatarian - crabby old lady ... basically an old battle axe kami - god (either a shinto god, or gods in general) Name suffixes: -chan - casual, used mostly between women -kun - casual, used mostly between men -san/sama - formal honorific This story contains characters created by Naoko Takeuchi. All the usual fanfic disclaimers apply. Secrets Chapter 1 - Galaxia's Shadow "This must surely be the ugliest city in all the galaxy," K'Theelm said. "Careful, Tony," Thetan said, using K'Theelm's assumed name. He glanced nervously around the noisy, crowded cafe. The noon hour rush was in full swing. They were in a small booth next to the big window looking out onto the street. "Are you afraid somebody might overhear us?" K'Theelm said, reverting to their native language. "Well, this way they'll just assume we're a pair of foreigners speaking in our inscrutable language." "Yes, I suppose ... " K'Theelm smiled. "Besides, we can barely hear each other, who do you think could overhear?" "Granted. Ugly or not, it is certainly the noisiest place I have ever lived in." "Is that why you moved into a monastery?" Thetan actually smiled, something he did rarely these days. He was a big man, nearly two meters, stocky and well muscled. His shaved head and monk's robes made him stand out all the more in this bustling crowd of people in business suits. But he didn't stand out half as much as if he hadn't been wearing the glamour. The one that made him look more or less like a caucasian Earthling. K'Theelm himself wore the appearance of a tall, wiry brown-skinned man with tightly curled hair cut short. His features made it difficult to guess his racial origins, most would have guessed Arab or southern European or some combination thereof. Like Thetan's assumed appearance, his was one likely to get a second glance from many people. Hide in plain sight, that was the idea. "Anyway, what prompted you to suddenly comment on the city's appearance?" Thetan asked. "Just the irony of it, I suppose. The city seems to be a tribute to chaos. Hardly a place we would expect to find a great power of order." Thetan nodded. "Yet that power is here. Even after a year I still feel it, fresh as when we first arrived." Yes, when they first arrived. K'Theelm was aura mute, but Thetan and Jeneth described the feeling upon approaching the planet as overwhelming. Even from deep space, to their aura sense Tokyo had shone brighter than the sun. Somewhere here was the force that just might stand against the coming storm. K'Theelm finished off his coffee, and saw that Thetan was done with his tea. "Perhaps we should be going," he said, noting people lined up at the entrance. He preceded Thetan, paying their bill on the way out. They walked in silence for a few minutes, until they came to a slightly less crowded street. "Has Jeneth felt any more disturbances?" the big warrior asked. "Not that she's told me," K'Theelm replied. "She's been rather consumed by a couple of cases she's involved with." Thetan sighed, the sound from deep in his chest almost a rumble. "Ah, her errands of mercy." K'Theelm raised an eyebrow. He had never heard their leader utter a disparaging remark about the healer. He could guess the source of his friend's frustration. "You gave your blessing to her work, do you regret that?" "No, I can't fault her for seeking small victories over the darkness. I'm hardly in a position to criticize," he said with a crooked smile, gesturing at his monk's robes. K'Theelm took his meaning. Thetan had found some comfort in the Zen Buddhist temple he had joined months ago. Perhaps comfort enough not to dwell on the blasted earth that covered the ruins of his own order's temples, so far away. "I suppose we are all trying not to think too hard of what is coming," K'Theelm said. "Yes. It goes against the grain, this trusting in fate. But I still think that Jeneth is right. It was grandiose tampering with the old powers that brought about this catastrophe. Fighting fire with fire just makes it worse. Even if we could make a difference ..." K'Theelm's thoughts suddenly flew back to the final day of their homeworld, the day they watched Galaxia's twisted Avatars carve through their armies, destroying in hours what had taken millennia to build. Thetan was right, they could hardly hope to make a difference in what was to come. He felt Thetan suddenly give him a friendly slap on the back. The symbiont embedded there made its displeasure known through their neural link. The cut of K'Theelm's suit was made carefully to hide the slight hunchbacked look it gave him, there was only so much you could do with glamours. "Enough about the fate of the galaxy, K'Theelm. It has been days since we talked, tell me what more you have learned of this strange and wonderful world we have flown to." K'Theelm felt himself relax already, glad for the diversion. "I've been trying to learn more about these electronic devices they are so fond of. I purchased one of those general purpose digital computing machines I told you about. I was able to connect it to a global communications network right from our apartment. The technology is crude, but it's remarkable what they've achieved with it. It's almost like a virtual world laid on top of the physical one, with its own cultures and families spanning continents." "And all this with just electronic devices?" Thetan asked. "I would hardly have thought it possible." "That's the remarkable part. It's all based just on electricity and solid state physics. No biotechnology, no psionic devices, no quantum crystals, no telepathic enhancers, none of that." "Hmmm," Thetan's basso voice sounded a low rumble. "Sounds like quite the Engineer's paradise, you must be delighted." K'Theelm chuckled. "The Engineer Caste triumphant? Yes, that's what I thought at first. But what passes for engineering here, it just seems hopelessly myopic. I mean, look at this," they stopped before the window of an electronics store, and he gestured to a bank of televisions on display, all showing the same image of a newscaster. "Those images are sent here by a colossal, immensely powerful radio wave transmitter, probably that one over there." He pointed to the top of the Tokyo Tower, just visible over a neighbouring building. "On our world, the same thing would be done with a set of resonating quantum crystals, all slaved to one master crystal. Those crystals are grown in little vats, but these television sets ... the factories they make them in are a mile long." "Sounds like an allegory of their history. Earthmen seem to delight in taking the thorniest road, whatever their journey." K'Theelm thought about that for a moment. "Perhaps they're somehow compensating for living on such a benign world. Despite all they are doing to it, this earth is a paradise, more fertile than anything I've ever heard of." "You wouldn't think so from standing on these miles of concrete, but you're right. The web of life on our own world was so much more fragile. If we had taken this path, tried to live like this, it would surely have all collapsed." Mention of their world was like a shadow passing over them. K'Theelm didn't feel like thinking about that right now. "At least here they seem to take good care of what little green space remains, almost obsessively. Speaking of which, I found a remarkable garden not far from here, perhaps we should go visit there." Thetan smiled and nodded. He made a move to continue on their way, then hesitated. A shadow passed over his face again. He was staring at the bank of televisions. K'Theelm turned to look. There was a different newscaster now, a young woman framed by a blank background. K'Theelm was shocked by her expression. She was trying hard to hold on to her cool detachment, but he could see that she was terrified. They could not hear what she was saying through the store window. Feeling a sudden dread, K'Theelm thought he should go inside and ask somebody to turn up the sound on one of the sets. "K'Theelm, look." The warrior's voice was expressionless. But K'Theelm knew better, could hear the undercurrents of tension that not even his discipline could hide entirely. Thetan was pointing up to the sky. K'Theelm looked up and his whole world collapsed. Dark clouds were forming at an unnatural, hellish speed, wherever he looked. What had been a clear blue sky was blotted out in a matter of seconds, and the city was plunged into sudden darkness. "It can't be, not so soon," he breathed. Then the first flash of lightning came, as he knew it would, lighting up the unnatural purple clouds. It was not the clear white light of a natural thunderstorm, but a sick blood-red bolt of jagged snake lightning that seemed to leave unfathomable blackness in its wake. The thunder was muted, as if the air had suddenly grown thick. It was followed by another bolt, and another, now coming more quickly. "It has begun," Thetan said. People around them were starting to panic. Some were rushing into buildings, some were rushing out of them, all equally certain that some place, any place must be safer than where they were standing now. Traffic had stalled as people either abandoned their vehicles or just leaned out their windows to stare up at the impossible sky. The televisions caught K'Theelm's eye again, and he spasmed as if he had been stabbed. "Thetan," he croaked. It was Galaxia. The images of her sneering lips moved silently in perfect unison. He didn't need the words to know what she was saying. She was gleefully explaining to the people of Earth that she was their new master, that they would all give up their lives to her. "We have to go to Jeneth," Thetan said. K'Theelm just shook his head. His symbiont was bleeding off his excess adrenaline, taking the tension out of his body. But his mind was still screaming. "She's at Sanno Hospital ... trying to get there through this chaos-" "It doesn't matter, we'll fly. Prepare yourself." He wanted to protest that somebody might see. But that was unlikely, given what was happening. And it hardly mattered now. "I understand," he said, acknowledging that he understood it to be an order. He ordered the symbiont to generate the field. The air around them seemed to ripple like disturbed water, and they were enveloped in a shimmering translucent globe. Colours played across it like a soap bubble. But they could see through it well enough, even in the preternatural darkness. He directed the symbiont to cloak them as best it could. They could not be made invisible, but to outside observers they were now little more than a nebulous heat shimmer. The feeling of weightlessness came, and they slowly lifted into the sky. It really didn't matter at this point if people saw them. But there was another whose attention he would avoid at all cost. With increasing speed they flew to join their companion. K'Theelm flew as low as he dared. He had no idea whether that did any good, but he felt better close to the ground, as far from those clouds as possible. "She begins to take their Star Seeds," Thetan said. K'Theelm, concentrating on weaving between the buildings, only spared brief glances to their sides. Sure enough, some of the lightning was now reaching down to the ground. No doubt Thetan was feeling what he could not: the people having their very souls ripped from them, their Star Seeds drifting up to go complete Galaxia's collection. K'Theelm had been to this hospital with Jeneth several times before, so he had little difficulty locating it, even from the air. He dropped them into a rear loading dock area. He withdrew the shield and without a word they ran around to a side entrance. They dropped to a brisk walk as they approached the nurse's station in the section he knew Jeneth to be. He didn't want to alarm them ... though that hardly seemed a consideration now. People around them were obviously aware of what was going on outside. The staff went about their duties briskly and solemnly, as if determined to pretend that it was just business as usual. "I'm here to see doctor Constantine," K'Theelm informed the nurse. She spared a quick, annoyed glance at the towering monk. K'Theelm recalled that buddhist priests officiated at funerals here. For many people they had an unfortunate association with death, so they were not a welcome sight at hospitals. The nurse looked back at K'Theelm. "I'm sorry, she is with a patient right now, you'll-" "Nurse," Thetan growled, getting her attention and looking her straight in the eye. "Listen closely. This is professor Anthony Harth, a specialist with whom Doctor Constantine needs to consult. Doctor Constantine has instructed you to bring him to her the moment he arrives, along with his companion." The nurse blinked several times. Then her blank expression broke, and she was suddenly all flustered. "Oh, Professor Harth ... yes, Doctor Constantine has been expecting you ... right this way please." "Thank you," K'Theelm said. They followed the nurse down the corridor. He glanced at Thetan, but his friend's face was expressionless. K'Theelm knew he considered such tricks a misuse of his powers. Right now they didn't have time to ponder the ethics of mind control. The nurse pointed them to a closed door, bowed and left them. Thetan opened the door and they entered, both taking care to make no unnecessary noise. K'Theelm quietly closed the door behind them and locked it. He walked over to join Thetan near the foot of the room's single bed. Jeneth sat by the bed, holding her patient's hand and watching her face intently. Her glamour presented the form of an attractive caucasian woman with flaming red hair worn loosely around her shoulders and expressive, emerald green eyes. Like those of her companions hers was an ageless face, perhaps somebody in her thirties. Her slim form was covered by a long white lab coat. She had not acknowledged their presence in any way. Her patient was a young girl, asleep or unconscious. Her hairless scalp, sallow face and withered body all indicated the extent of her sickness, and the desperate measures being used to combat it. There were intravenous feeds and monitoring machines arrayed along the other side of the bed, but the girl was no longer connected to any of them. Jeneth was applying a quite different form of healing. The two of them waited silently for several minutes. K'Theelm could hear the muted thunder from outside. The lights flickered once or twice, no doubt a side effect of the colossal energies Galaxia was unleashing upon the city. The hospital could very well be under its own power by now. Presently, Jeneth broke contact with the girl. She took a slow breath and sighed deeply. She took two more deep breaths, then finally turned to her companions. "So it has begun," she said. "Yes, healer," Thetan answered. "We should leave this place right away." Jeneth shook her head, gestured to her patient. "I am not done with her yet. She will need me again in a few minutes, to complete her treatment. Then I must observe her for hours more." "Jeneth, she already takes their Star Seeds. It is only a matter of time before we are found out. And even if we survive the feeding, her corrupted Avatars cannot be far behind." Jeneth nodded incrementally. "I know. I can feel what is happening, just as you can. But tell me, where is there to run?" "She must be seeking out the power of order that we found here, for now she only attacks this city." Thetan still sounded calm, but K'Theelm could once again hear the undercurrents of tension, he was desperate to take his friends to safety. "No doubt. And when she finds that power, either it will defeat her, or she will consume it. If the latter, then it will no longer matter where we are." She spoke while sitting calmly, hands folded in her lap. Part of that would be the inward focus she required while in the process of a healing. K'Theelm had grown used to her unshakable poise, but still marvelled at how she could calmly sit there and discuss the ultimate victory of chaos. "Jeneth, the battle you speak of could start any moment and will unleash powers beyond comprehension. The farther we are from this place, the better." "I wish to remain with my patient." In her unwavering stare was the question she did not need to ask: *Will you make it an order?* K'Theelm glanced at Thetan. His expression was unreadable. After a brief pause, Thetan nodded. "Very well, we will remain." None of them contemplated or discussed the possibility of them leaving Jeneth behind. Thetan turned to K'Theelm. "Pilot, I believe our chances of escaping Galaxia's power will be greater if you put a cloak about us. Make it one that you can maintain indefinitely, I don't want you draining your power." "It won't be a very effective cloak." "It will have to do." K'Theelm nodded, then went to stand beside Jeneth, who was still sitting quietly, preparing herself for the next step in the healing. He linked with his symbiont, and once again a shimmering sphere formed in the air around them. It was a larger one, encompassing the four of them, and looked like little more than a heat shimmer. It would cloak their lifeforce to some degree. Perhaps enough to make Galaxia's power pass them by. He and Thetan stood by their companion, and they all silently listened to the muffled thunder. "Am I being selfish, Thetan?" Thetan looked to her and frowned. "Healer ... ?" Her stoic expression had softened somewhat. "Is it just hubris on my part, seeking these small victories against the darkness?" Thetan's expression also softened as he shook his head, slipping out of his role as commander. "No, healer. I believe the attempt alone is a victory. The small kindnesses done in the dark, the ones that nobody will ever sing of, those are the most precious." He smiled. "But you taught me this yourself, Jeneth, why do you ask me?" She returned his smile. "Perhaps because I find my friend's voice comforting." She turned to her other companion. "K'Theelm, your aura is wavering, are you overextending yourself?" He shook his head. "No, healer. The trip here was taxing, but this shield - such as it is - I can maintain as long as required." Or until one of those soul crushing bolts crashes into us. "Then if you will both excuse me, I will continue." They watched her carefully take the frail young girl's hand and once again stare into her tiny face. Had he not been making every effort to conserve energy K'Theelm could have tapped into his symbiont senses, seen some of the side effects of the energy Jeneth was wielding. The power itself was invisible to him, that was a world open only to his two friends. For quite different purposes, the adepts of the Warrior and Healer Castes tapped into the arcane powers that flowed between this plane of existence and its neighbours. As an Engineer, K'Theelm concerned himself strictly with what happened on this plane. They watched over Jeneth as she continued her work. Once they heard a clap of thunder that seemed to be right on top of them, followed by a barely audible scream from the hallway outside. Galaxia taking another victim. They could still hear the occasional voice or set of footfalls go past their room, people valiantly trying to continue with their work. "These people, they know nothing of the other worlds," K'Theelm commented when Jeneth was resting again. "They have no idea what is happening to them. That must make it worse, even than it was for us." They had at least heard rumours of the fall of other worlds, of Galaxia's onslaught, before their own world had come under attack. "It's not just that," Jeneth said. "They don't even understand the power hidden in their own worlds, in their own souls, or how that power could unleash something like ... this. How could they, without their Avatars as examples?" Thetan grunted. "Yet we know that one of their Avatars lives." Jeneth nodded. What but an Avatar could contain the power that had drawn them here? "It still puzzles me, how they could be here and none be aware of them." "I have an idea about that." They both looked to K'Theelm, who suddenly felt awkward. Now that he had broached the subject, he was unsure. But he could hardly stay silent now. "The forces of chaos that have been unleashed on this city since we arrived, the ones we feared were Galaxia's vanguard ... they were beaten back by something." Thetan nodded. They could hardly forget. Once the city seemed to be draped in shadow and spiderwebs, dripping with malevolent energy. Then it was as if all the mirrors in the city had become black holes, sucking in the souls of the unwary. Each time, something had turned the tide, beaten back the forces of chaos that threatened to consume them. "It's not just those two times either. I've read of other reports in the local news literature. Creatures which they pass off as phantoms from their mythical past have attacked people here. Always here, in this city that glows like a beacon even from deep space." "I've read of those myself," Jeneth said. "Do you think there's something to them?" "There's a common thread that runs through many of them. A set of mythical figures known as the Sailor Senshi." Thetan and Jeneth looked at each other. Of course they had heard of the Sailor Senshi. Anyone who worked with children as Jeneth did for any time could hardly help but hear of them, it seemed to be one of the most popular fairy tales, at least here. Jeneth was the first to make the connection. "K'Theelm, are you suggesting they could be ... ?" He nodded. "The Avatars." He could imagine the image what was going through his friends' minds right now. An image of a group of young girls in colourful skirts standing before Galaxia and her legions. Thetan sighed. "If you are right ... Heaven help us all." K'Theelm smiled ghoulishly. "It was not my intention to dash your hopes." Thetan chuckled. "I could think of worse things to put my faith in ... pretty young girls whose exploits are the delight of children." "We know that one of them possesses power unlike anything that has ever stood against Galaxia," Jeneth said. "They may surprise us. "Your pardon, I must tend my patient again." They stood watch over Jeneth and her charge again. The day passed. At one point there was a colossal explosion that rattled the windows, and the lights went out. Jeneth continued her work in the dim glow of K'Theelm's shield. While she was resting again, Galaxia's shadow suddenly lifted. The room was brightened ever so slightly by the sunlight that now crept in around the drawn curtains. To them, it was like a glorious sunrise. And the thunder which had long since passed into the backs of their minds stopped, leaving a silence that was shocking and wonderful. Almost without thinking, K'Theelm dropped his shield. Thetan walked to the window and drew the curtains, letting the early evening sun flood the room. K'Theelm looked unbelievingly at the blue sky. "Jeneth ... is it over?" Jeneth released the young girl's hand and smiled up at her friend. "Yes, I'm done. She still has a long recovery ahead of her, poor girl. But I'm sure she'll be fine." K'Theelm and Thetan looked at each other. For a variety of reasons, they both started to laugh. ***** Shoji brought his motorcycle to a halt in front of the gate that gave entrance to the grounds of his mother's house. As always, the great sliding iron gates were closed. He rang the buzzer, flipped up the visor of his helmet and winked at the camera, flashing a peace sign. Whoever answered the call didn't say anything through the intercom but must have recognized him, for shortly the gates started to open. He flipped the visor back down, gunned the engine and sped down the winding gravel road that led up the slope to the house. He cleared the woods and came onto the wide lawn that surrounded the big house. There would be space in the garages, but it was a clear day so he just parked his bike where the road widened out in front of the house. He removed his helmet, hung it on the handlebar and ran his hand through his coppery red hair a couple if times. Not that it did much to tame the unruly mop. He could see people working in the garden and a few of the children flying a kite on the lawn. The latter looked rather more interesting. He zipped open his black leather jacket to let the afternoon breeze cool him a bit and headed that way. There were happy cries of "Shoji-onisan!" from the older ones as he approached. They were the only ones he would know well, it had been years since he lived here. Some of the younger ones he was just barely able to attach names to. "Hey everyone, long time no see," he called as a couple of them came running out to greet him. He grabbed one of the boys and hoisted him up onto his shoulder. "Oof! By the First Ancestor, you've grown. Next year I won't be able to do that." Not wanting a sore shoulder all night he lowered the boy back down onto the ground. The boy was grinning, basking in the attention of his older cousin. "Shoji took the Ancestors' name in vain again." one of the girls said to another in a conspiratorial voice that really wasn't meant to be hidden at all. "Grownup's privilege," Shoji said, walking over and tousling her hair. She squealed and sidestepped away from him. The others ignored her and gathered around. Some of the younger ones had walked over too, curious about this cool cousin they'd heard about, the one who lived among the outsiders. "Did you bring us anything from Tokyo?" one asked. "Sorry, not this time. I'm just here to talk with my mom for a bit, I won't be staying long." There was a chorus of "Awww...." Then one of the younger ones asked "Shoji onisan, have you really been to Hokkaido?" "Yep, I've been to our house there lots of times." "Is it true the Matriarch has horns?" The older kids all groaned and one of them pulled the boy's cap down over his eyes. Shoji just laughed. "I've never seen her grow horns but you never know." Feeling some sympathy for the boy and wanting to divert attention from his gaffe, Shoji looked over to the three boys who were still standing some distance away. "So who's flying the kite today?" "Gen," four different voices chorused. Shoji and his fan club walked over to them. Even if he hadn't recognized Gen, Shoji could see who was doing the work. Little Gen stood stock still, his arms held rigid at his sides, his fists clenched. His brow was furrowed and beads of sweat trickled down his face. He was tensed up a little too much, but at least his face wasn't flushed, he was more or less in control. Shoji followed the boy's gaze up to the kite that fluttered about twenty meters overhead. The kite danced and bobbed in the breeze. But the stone it was tied to by the short string floated unmoving in the air, exactly where Gen was holding it. Shoji nodded approvingly. "Nice and steady. How long?" One of the girls, acting every part the official timekeeper, looked carefully at her stopwatch and solemnly declared "Thirteen minutes and twenty ... *three* seconds." "Not too shabby at all." Telekinesis wasn't Shoji's strong point, he hadn't been able to do half that good at Gen's age. A very familiar thirteen year old girl materialized above him and went into a ballistic freefall. **Senpai!** she called out as she slammed into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Shoji absorbed the impact and fell down onto his back. Only an instinctive burst of levitation stopped the landing from being very painful. A couple of the children just barely dove out of the way on time. **Senpai!** she cried again, practically choking him. As always her telepathic voice was clear and bright, washing through his mind like springwater. Just as he imagined her real voice would be, if she had one. **Hi, Yui-chan** he returned, smiling and gently returning her embrace. She let him go and pushed herself up, straddling his chest. **I saw you from the house, nobody told me you were coming today!** **Mom asked me to come see her, I just got here.** "She should be more careful," one of the other girls said in a huff. Shoji focused carefully, sending his message only to that girl. **That's very rude. Use telepathy when Yui is here.** The girl was startled. No doubt having heard how protective Shoji was of Yui, she transmitted back a clear feeling of apology. Shoji lifted Yui up, sat her a little further back then levered himself up so that she was in his lap. **And what has my favourite girl been doing today?** She pouted **Kaori-mama was trying to teach me sign language again. So that I can talk to the animals. It was really boring.** Ah. He had an idea of what he and his mother would be discussing. Not that he hadn't already guessed. **Not animals, Yui. Outsiders.** **I don't call them animals when Kaori-mama is around,** she said in a huff, implying he should give her some credit for brains. **Well, you really shouldn't call them that at all. Come on, let's go into the house.** She got up off him, but wrapped her hands around his arm as soon as he had picked himself up off the ground. **Aren't you going to stay and see how long Gen will go?** the timekeeper asked. She looked not at all pleased by the way Yui had suddenly monopolized his attention. **I'll just watch from the house. Be sure to mark down his time, that's your responsibility.** She smiled proudly and nodded, mollified somewhat. **How come just Yui gets to go with Shoji-onisan?** One of the young boys asked. **'Cause I'm his girlfriend, that's why!** Yui said, making everybody jump with the vehemence of her inner voice. Even Gen's floating stone wavered a bit. Shoji smiled. A couple of the boys here were nearly her age, but she made it clear even to them that they were out of her league. Shoji waved goodbye, and they started walking over to the house. He smiled fondly down at Yui, who was still two heads shorter than him. She had taken to wearing very tight jeans now, emphasizing that her figure was becoming a little less boyish. And she was letting her hair grow a bit longer now, the straight jet black hair bobbed around her shoulders. It still looked very cute. **So is my mom really getting on your case?** **All the time!** she said, pouting again. **If it's not that stupid sign language, then it's going on and on about how nice the outsiders really are.** **Some of them really are nice, Yui-chan. And you can't talk to any of them like this, you know.** **Hmph. Most of *them* don't know sign language either, so what's the point?** **Most of the deaf ones do.** **Yeah, but there's hardly any of them, just like there's only one of me.** Shoji grinned. **Yep, you're unique alright, that's why I love you.** Yui's eyes sparkled. **So when are you going to marry me?** **Maybe when your breasts get a little bigger.** **SENPAI!** She jumped back and then leaped into him, knocking him down on the ground again. This time, there was some telekinesis backing up her momentum. But this time he was more prepared, so the result was much the same as last time. He laughed merrily, something that came out both as sound and as a telepathic signal, deftly blocking the half-hearted blows she rained down on him. **Meanie! Meanie! Meanie! Meanie!** **Shoji, are you teasing Yui-chan again?** They stopped their grappling, recognizing the familiar voice. They turned to see Kaori standing in front of the main door, her arms crossed, a friendly smile on her face. Shoji grinned. **Hi mom.** **Hi Kaori-mama** The two of them untangled themselves from each other and stood up as Kaori walked over to them. She was a tall woman with a very beautiful heart-shaped face and wavy black hair that cascaded down over her shoulders and back. As was her habit she wore a plain kimono. Even her very conservative dress could not hide her ample figure, which would be the envy of women much younger than her. **You're both looking very energetic,** she said. **I'm not surprised to see that Yui intercepted you even before you got to the house.** **Well of course. He's my boyfriend, after all.** Kaori raised an eyebrow. **I see.** She had only a hint of a smile. Shoji knew that look. Time for business. **Yui-chan, Mom and I have to talk about some boring family stuff, I'll talk to you later, okay?** Yui didn't like being sent away, but the promise to see her later kept her happy. **Okay. I'll be in my room, so I'll see you there.** She waved and vanished. The teleport made a barely audible pop. "She's gotten a lot better at that," Shoji commented. Kaori nodded. "That's one thing she doesn't seem to mind practicing." "She's got a lot finer control over her TK too," Shoji said, reaching through his open jacket to rub the back of his shoulder where it had hit the ground. "Yes, she's coming along very well," Kaori said. She turned slightly and gestured towards the door. "Shall we go into the house?" "Sure." Shoji followed his mother towards the house. This wing of the house, like the others beside and behind it, had a style that owed more to modernity than tradition. The first level, mostly shared living space, was floor to ceiling windows almost all the way around. It was surrounded by an open hardwood patio that Shoji knew went all around the complex. The patio was covered all around by a roof supported on plain wood beams. The second story, mostly private bedrooms and suites, had painted walls and smaller windows, but some had large glass doors opening onto open patios. The roof was flat, the lines simple and clean with no ornamentation. "I don't think we've made any changes since you were last here," Kaori said as she walked across the patio from the steps to the great double doors that led into the house. "That was just a couple of weeks ago, mom," Shoji said, noting the implication that he didn't come here often enough. She smiled. "Yes, it was, wasn't it?" She opened one of the doors and they walked into the spacious foyer. The doors opened onto a tile floor. All around them, two wide, shallow wooden steps led up to the level of the hardwood floor of the foyer. The smoked glass windows to either side of the doors let the sunlight brighten the room. Shoji sat on the steps and removed his boots as his mother changed into her indoor slippers. "Lots of people out today," he said, noting that there were many slippers in the bin to one side but not too many sets of shoes laid out on the floor. "Yes, it's such a nice day, most everybody is either on the grounds or gone on an outing." "That's good, people here need to get out more." Again, that merest hint of a smile. "I try to encourage everyone in the household to take an interest in the world around us." Shoji just put his slippers on, saying nothing. That was the Matriarch talking. At least that was one thing she and his mother could agree on. He took off his jacket and hung it in the wide closet. Underneath he had just a tight red T-shirt that emphasized the well developed muscles on his slim form. "I have tea for us upstairs," Kaori said. Shoji followed her up the stairway, down the hall and into her private suite. It was the biggest in the house, almost an apartment in its own right with a separate bedroom, bath and sitting room with attached kitchenette. She led him to the part of the sitting room that was covered with bamboo mats. On it was a low table with a tea set. The glass doors beyond it led out onto a patio and afforded a spectacular view of the Tokyo skyline spread out below them. Seen through the hazy, humid air the city looked like a distant mirage. Shoji sat on a cushion by the table, opposite his mother. She busied herself serving the tea. The tea set was the only item on the simple wide black wooden table. Such a contrast to his own apartment, Shoji thought, where he barely had enough space left on the floor to lay down his futon each night. He didn't have the sort of space to play with his mother had, not where he was. Kaori placed his tea in front of him. "Thanks." He took a sip. Perfect, as always. "It must be a relief, being in an air conditioned house for a while," Kaori commented. "Oh, it hasn't been too bad this summer," Shoji said. "My apartment is at ground level, so it doesn't get as hot as the ones upstairs. Besides, with my job I'm usually not home until really late when it's cooled down a bit." "That's good." Kaori sipped her tea. "I understand you took Yui to your apartment again last week." *Here it comes.* "Yeah, we stopped by at my place before I brought her home from that theme park." "She seems to like your apartment." Shoji chuckled. "My whole place is smaller than her bedroom here. She just thinks it's really cool that I'm living in Tokyo, never mind what the place looks like." "Has she told you that she'd like to move in with you?" "Yes." They looked at each other in silence for a moment. "And what do you think of that?" "Same as you, Mom. I think it would be a bad idea right now. She's hardly met anybody outside the family. I don't think she could deal with living among outsiders yet." Kaori sighed. "Shoji, the way things are going, I don't think she'll ever be ready to live among outsiders." "That bad, huh?" Kaori nodded. She didn't need to ask what Shoji was referring to. "She's made no progress. Sign language, lip reading, nothing. She just doesn't care. Telepathy is her crutch and she won't let go of it." Shoji shrugged. "I don't know, is that so bad? There are others in the family that don't bother with anything else. Look at uncle Ryouchi, he talks to everyone but I don't think a word has passed his lips in twenty years." "Uncle Ryouchi is over sixty, and he's content to putter around on one or another of the family's farms in Hokkaido, talking to whatever family happens to drop by. I would hate to think that's all Yui has to look forward to." "I'm not suggesting that, mom. Our family isn't all in Hokkaido anymore," Shoji said, waving his arm to indicate the house. "The Matriarch has seen to that. So have you. It's different for us now, we're all over the place. If Yui can only talk to other Ancients, that won't put her in a prison like it used to." "I know. But to never even be able to speak with outsiders... it goes against everything the Matriarch has been trying to do for us. We can't live in splendid isolation anymore." "You're preaching to the choir, mom," Shoji said, indicating with a smile that he wasn't really complaining. His expression quickly sobered. "But you know, Yui is a special case. She wouldn't be able to talk to most outsiders anyway, at least not easily. Deaf mutes don't have an easy time of it, no matter how many tricks they learn. They're even more of outsiders than we've been." Kaori nodded, conceding the point. She looked very sad and troubled. "I have no illusions about her fitting easily into the outsiders' world, I know it won't happen. But I've wanted so much to at least give her a way to talk to others, not just Ancients. Without that, I don't think her attitude will ever change." She didn't need to tell Shoji what she was referring to. "Mom, she'll outgrow that. It's not like she hates outsiders or anything, she just thinks they're-" "Animals." Shoji looked away. "Well, yeah. But you know, it wasn't that long ago that we all thought that. A lot of the family still do, I don't need to tell you that." Kaori sighed. Shoji could guess what she was thinking. It had been an uphill struggle for her and all those who had led the Ancients' to their more active engagement of the modern age. This was just another reminder. "I think a lot of it comes from her mother, I wish she had taught Yui differently." "Mom, you know her mother doesn't give a shit." Kaori reproved him with a stern look. But she could hardly argue the point. Yui's mother had never been able to deal with her daughter's condition, had essentially rejected the girl. And of course Yui's father had been in no position to help. When he finally left in despair, it hadn't taken much for Kaori to have Yui moved here. Kaori and the other adults in her household were the closest thing Yui had to parents now. "I'm not the only one worried about Yui's future," Kaori said. "The Matriarch has been watching her development." That was not good. Shoji poured himself more tea, something to occupy him and hide his surprise as he absorbed this news. He decided on a delicate probe. "You know, Yui hasn't been to Hokkaido in a while. Maybe I should take her again, see some of the old places." Kaori nodded. "The Matriarch has expressed interest in seeing Yui at the house." She could hardly have given Shoji a more obvious hint. The Matriarch had already seen that Yui could become one of the most powerful. If she wasn't satisfied with the way Yui was being raised here, she might take the girl directly under her wing. Permanently. Time to end this mental jujitsu with a direct approach. Shoji sipped at his tea and put it back on the table. "You know, you don't have to worry about Yui becoming a black sheep or going rogue or anything." Kaori blinked. "I don't understand." Shoji smiled. "When she comes of age, I'm going to ask her to marry me, then we're going to settle into some nicer place in the city and have lots of little Ancients running around in no time at all. Tell the Matriarch that, I think it will make her happy." Kaori's surprised expression slowly faded, to be replaced by a warm smile. "Shoji ... you know that would make us all very happy." "Thought it might." Shoji decided to change the subject, treat this as a done deal. He gestured to a small postcard on the tea tray that he had been ignoring up until now. "Say, I think I recognize that handwriting." "It's from your father," Kaori said, picking up the postcard and handing it to Shoji. Shoji took it and read through it quickly. It was from Australia, where his father was vacationing. Shoji hadn't seen his father for several years, not since the divorce. He still sent New Years cards, and also postcards from any interesting place he visited. Like other women among the Ancients, Kaori had married an outsider, bringing new blood into the family. Like many such marriages, it had ended in divorce fairly soon after a child had been born. A mother of Ancient blood shared a gift and a bond with her children that an outsider father could never be a part of. The friction and resentment this caused was often too much to deal with. At least Kaori's divorce had been fairly amicable, both parties agreeing that it was the best thing for all of them. Of course, Shoji's father was sworn to secrecy. That's why he was still alive with his mind intact. Shoji flipped the postcard over. "Nice picture. You know, I've always wanted to go ... uh, Mom, are you okay?" Kaori's brow was knitted and her eyes vacant. There was growing alarm in her expression. She brought the fingers of one hand up to her temple. "I'm not sure, I ... sense a disturbance." Shoji watched his mother in silence for a moment. He was not as sensitive as her, maybe he was just imagining it ... no. He could feel it now, the psychic equivalent of stormclouds gathering. In a flash he remembered what this felt like. Last year, when that great black crystal appeared in the middle of Tokyo, along with a storm that had practically shut down the city for a day. All the Ancients had felt it then, like the Earth itself was stabbed, screaming in pain. Was it his imagination that it was getting darker? He glanced out the window. His blood turned to ice water. "Holy shit," he breathed involuntarily. Kaori turned toward the window and cried out loud. They both got to their feet and took a couple of steps closer to the glass doors. Stormclouds were building with hellish speed on the horizon. They were black like smoke, not white like thunderheads seen at a distance were supposed to be. It was like the whole city had been set on fire. But this was not smoke either. Shoji could see flashes of red, like alien lightning, arcing through the clouds and raining down on the city. Shoji didn't need to concentrate to feel its force anymore. Waves of pure malevolence washed over him like a distant scream. This was no storm, it was some monstrous abomination. "The children," Kaori said with a tremor in her voice. "I have to get them inside." She turned and ran out of the room as quickly as her kimono would allow. Shoji stood where he was, staring out at the hellish scene, struck dumb by the power he felt. Bring the children inside? What good would that do? Over the barely audible sound of the distant thunder, he heard a soft pop of air. Somebody teleporting. **Senpai!** Shoji turned around just on time to have Yui run into him, wrapping her arms around him and pressing the side of her face against his chest. **Senpai, I saw it from my window, I can feel it! What is it?** **I don't know, Yui-chan,** Shoji said, gently putting his hands around her back. He turned his head around to look back out the window. Whatever it was, it didn't seem to be growing any more or coming any closer. That was small comfort. **I'm scared.** Yui's breathing was ragged, she was crying. **It'll be okay, Yui-chan.** He stroked her hair. He was doing his best to mask his own fear, but he could feel Yui's, she was nearly hysterical. He had managed to calm her down a bit when he heard his mother's voice. It was from far away, it had the echoing quality of an open sending to everybody in range. **Everybody, this is Kaori. I have word from the Matriarch. She knows about what is happening. The Seed Crystal is reacting to the storm. She has told us to stay where we are and wait for the storm to pass. It is preventing us from contacting the Ancients in Tokyo, but when it passes they will surely contact us. Please don't worry, everything will be fine.** Shoji's mind was racing. The Seed Crystal. Of course, that was the best place to be. As far as possible from whatever in hell was going on here. He gently pulled himself from Yui's embrace, smiled down at her as he wiped her tears away. **There, you see? Grandma Himiko will take care of us, everything will be okay.** **Is she coming here?** Yui asked hopefully. The Matriarch was almost a legendary figure to the younger Ancients, Yui had only seen her a couple of times. **No, I don't think so. The Seed Crystal tells her things, so she'll want to stay with it to watch what's happening.** **I wish I was there.** That's what Shoji had been hoping to hear. **Would you like to go there, Yui?** Her eyes went wide, both hopeful and desperate. **Could we?** Shoji cradled her face in his hands. **I don't know Yui, do you feel up to it?** She nodded. Shoji could feel her eagerness, but also her confidence. She was desperate to seek out the protection she thought the Matriarch and the Crystal could afford. But not desperate enough to try something she wasn't sure she could do. Shoji thought he should let his mother know where they were going, but she might object. Yui might not go if Kaori told her not to. He couldn't risk that. **Okay Yui, I'll leave it to you.** He stepped back and took her hands in his. She took a deep breath and let it out. She relaxed visibly as she prepared herself. Shoji had seen her do this several times before, but still marvelled that somebody her age could- Before he was expecting it, they were standing in front of the Matriarch's house. It took just a moment for the vertigo to pass. Yui was powerful and skilled, but still lacked the experience that would allow her to teleport them such a distance with no ill effects. She shook her head to clear it. She was shaking slightly, and breathing a little harder than she was before. Shoji stepped toward her and allowed her to rest against him. It was cloudy in Hokkaido now. He could see bits of a grey sky in between the great, ancient gnarled trees that reached up and nearly succeeded in blocking it out. The big house was almost as tall as the trees that pressed around it, and looked about as ancient. It probably was as old as some of the trees, and stood on ground that had been occupied by far more ancient places. The wood, tiles and plaster were all dark, almost black. Even on a sunny day this could never be a cheery looking place. Today it looked positively grim. Shoji had never liked the place. But right now he felt just as Yui no doubt did: somehow it always seemed safe here, in the presence of the oldest and greatest of the family's places of power. He tried to ignore the fact that he could still feel whispers of the storm in Tokyo, all the way out here. He could see that Yui had pretty much shaken off the effects of the teleport. **Let's go inside,** he said. **Okay.** She had teleported them onto one of the great flat stones that formed the walkways that weaved through the ornamental garden that surrounded the house on all three sides. Many of the other stones, the largest ones, also acted as focus points, for other Ancients who could teleport. They walked along the path, past the fish pools, flower beds and stone gardens. As always, there was a guard at the front door. That always struck Shoji as being just a bit paranoid. The land for many kilometres around them had things that would protect them from any intruders, had protected them for millennia. The guard was a stocky middle aged man that Shoji recognized as a distant relative, one of the many who lived here. He wore a simple, traditional workman's short kimono and sandles. He stood stock still, arms crossed, regarding them sternly as they approached. Shoji marvelled how everyone in Himiko's household looked like they had dropped out of a Samurai drama, all he needed to do was shave the top of his head to make the picture complete. **Shoji-san, Yui-san. You bring news from Kaori's house?** **Nothing new,** Shoji replied. **Yui was frightened, she wanted to be here.** The man's frown deepened. **That was against the Matriarch's orders. The storm is interfering with long distance telepathy, it may interfere with teleporting as well. Especially for somebody so inexperienced.** **I got here okay,** Yui said. She was clinging tightly to Shoji's arm. She looked like she was barely resisting the urge to hide behind him. The man regarded her for a moment. **Since you are here, you had better go inside. Most everybody is in the Crystal room.** He went to slide open the door for them. Shoji led Yui inside. As they had been told, the house was deserted. They went to the very back of the house, where they stepped out onto a much smaller garden. It was surrounded on three sides by the great house. On the fourth side rose the rocky cliff that the house was built against. Between that and the two great gnarled oaks in the garden, they could barely see the sky from here. Even at midday the garden was dark and gloomy. Shoji wondered how anybody could stand living here. They walked onto a large flat stone in the middle of the garden. **Will you be okay, Yui?** he asked. **Sure, this one's easy.** Almost before she finished speaking, they were in a cave on the opposite side of the mountain the house sat against. The stone they stood on was a very powerful focus point, attuned especially to the rock behind the house. It made teleporting virtually effortless even for the least experienced of them. Which was good, since it was the only way in and out of the caves. As always, the caves were cold and damp. Shoji suddenly wished he had his jacket again. Wind whistled around the rocks, and sunlight filtered in through the various fissures far overhead. Glowing white crystals mounted on the rough rock walls provided the only other illumination. There was a sharp smell of rotting moss. There was only so much Himiko's people could do to make the place more livable. Shoji led Yui across the stone cave floor, cut flat by ancient stonecutters and worn smooth by centuries of use. Even if he hadn't known the route by heart, Shoji could not have mistaken where he was headed. He could feel the presence of many Ancients, the side effects of their telepathic conversations tickling his mind. And the Matriarch hadn't been kidding about the Seed Crystal reacting to the storm, he felt as if he could practically see it through the stone walls, its presence was so powerful. Much more than normal. They rounded a corner in the narrow tunnel and emerged into the Seed Crystal cave. For all this prewarning, Shoji was still astonished by what he saw. The cave was crowded. It looked like the whole household was here, and many others besides. Normally the huge irregular cave was very dim, having no opening to the sky above and being lit only by a few glowing crystals at its circumference. But now he was seeing it as he never had before. The rough ceiling was dotted by the stumps of formerly invisible stalactites whose water source had dried up ages ago. The stone, which had never looked anything other than dark grey, was alive with colour, striped by veins of various ores and dotted with patches of sparkling crystal. It was all basking in the glow of the Seed Crystal. The crystal Shoji remembered was a milky white translucent spire standing almost as tall as him, flanked on all sides by several smaller spires, all thrust up through the cave floor like some crude sword blades. When Shoji had seen it, he could never decide whether it was glowing of its own accord or just reflecting the dim light of the other crystals. Now it shone so brightly, it was almost uncomfortable to look directly at it. The dozens of people in the cave were all keeping a respectful distance from the artifact. The ones who lived here, the ones who saw the crystal nearly every day, all looked dazed. They just stared unbelievingly at the crystal that had stood unchanging all their lives, had stood unchanging since before recorded history. Well, almost unchanging. Shoji had heard the stories. Two years ago, when the sun had been covered with sunspots for a day and the weather seemed to go mad. Then again when the great black crystal had appeared in Tokyo and paralyzed the city for a day. Then when the Infinity Academy had been destroyed. Then the day when Tokyo had been buried in spiderwebs. Each time, the Seed Crystal had glowed brightly, radiating the same telepathic image. Then, just as abruptly, it had gone back to normal. Shoji had spoken to some of the sensitives who had been in the Tokyo area each of those times. None of them liked to talk about it. Each time, they had felt a dread like nothing they had ever experienced, as if the Earth had teetered on the brink of the abyss and been snatched back. That was exactly what he had felt like at Kaori's house, watching those abominable clouds spreading over the land like a cancer. **What are you two doing here?** There was no mistaking the voice. The Matriarch stepped out of the crowd and stood before them, hands on her hips. It was not hard for her to be lost in the crowd, she was no taller than Yui. Shoji could well believe that she was nearly a century old, the creases that etched a permanent frown on her face seemed to make her into a distant cousin of the gnarled oaks that surrounded her house. Her white hair was gathered back into a small bun at the base of her neck. Her stature was stooped, her movements slow and painful. She was also quite thin, but somehow it was impossible to see her as being at all frail. Her dark, deep set eyes burned with intensity, the intensity that in her youth had given her the power to change the Ancients forever. She wore a half kimono and work pants gathered at the ankles, as if she had been working in the garden when the crisis struck. **Grandma Himiko!** Yui called, breaking away from Shoji and running to the Matriarch. She collapsed to her knees in front of the old woman. It was hard to tell whether she just tripped on the uneven rock floor, or whether she was showing deference. **Grandma Himiko, what's happening?** **You haven't answered my question.** Yui seemed to shrivel under the Matriarch's gaze. She lowered her gaze to the floor. **I was scared, I wanted to come here. I'm sorry.** Himiko sniffed. **No matter. Listen young one, even you are old enough to remember the last time the Seed Crystal warned us of approaching evil. We weathered that storm, we'll weather this one.** **But this one's worse,** Yui whimpered. **Get up on your feet, girl!** Yui started at the vehemence behind the Matriarch's command. Shoji flinched, could see the people around them suddenly becoming more still. Himiko was making no attempt to keep the exchange private. Quite the contrary, it was the telepathic equivalent of shouting out loud. Shaking slightly, Yui got to her feet. She managed to meet the Matriarch's gaze. **Have you learned nothing of what your elders have taught you? Did you think we were lying? The First Ancestor was not a legend, she was as real as you and I are real. The legacy she left us is the proof, the legacy of the power in our bloodline, and the power in the Crystal. Her legacy has protected our family since before recorded history, has protected our family through calamities that we in this age cannot even imagine. It gave us the power to keep her legacy alive long after the oldest empires of the outsiders had crumbled to dust.** The Matriarch drew herself up to her full height, such as it was. **So I won't have a bearer of the bloodline cowering before a flashy display of power.** Yui nodded. **Yes, Matriarch.** Shoji could still see a slight quiver in her arms, but she was doing a good job of hiding it. She looked just as stoic as the guard at the door who had let them in. He felt a twinge of pride. **Now do what you should have done in the first place, sit still and wait. For now, we weather the storm as the mountain does. The mountain does not move.** She turned around and walked back toward the Seed Crystal. The crowd parted for her. They were very quite, Shoji could feel very little residual telepathy. After a moment, he walked up to Yui and put his arm around her. **You okay?** **Yeah.** **The old bird can be pretty scary, huh?** **Yeah.** She leaned against him, and they just stood there for a while. Every now and then one of Himiko's guards would enter the cave. Shoji called them her guards, since she seemed to run her household like a Samurai running a field command tent. The guards would come to Himiko and give her a private report. Sometimes, she would pass some of the news on to the others. Over the next couple of hours, a picture emerged of what was happening. The storm was still raging over Tokyo strong as ever. Some of the Ancients who had been trapped there had managed to get out and make their way to Kaori's house. They had seen people in the city being struck down by the unnatural lightning, had felt their souls being ripped out of them, had even claimed seeing their disembodied spirits floating up into the roiling clouds. Some had seen pictures on a television of a woman with madness in her eyes, a woman calling herself Galaxia, claiming the Earth as her own. Himiko said that none had reported any of the Ancients coming to harm. Shoji wondered what she might be hiding. He and Yui went back to the house to get something to eat and drink, as did some of the others. But they all found themselves quickly returning to the Seed Crystal room. However frightening a transformation it had undergone, it was still their point of stability, their anchor. Shoji always wondered how many of his family's legends he could really believe. But whether or not the bloodline and the crystal were as old as they said, their power was a fact that could not be denied. Here in this place, among his people, he could make himself believe that they would live through this madness. Then Himiko told them that the storm had passed. Shoji could feel his relief echoed in the minds of the Ancients around him. But it was short-lived. The tension in the room did not go down at all. Nobody spoke, but nobody had to. They knew what was wrong. The Seed Crystal was still glowing. The echoes of the chaos that had been unleashed over Tokyo had not abated, they were still there like a background of dark menace settling down into the land. **Senpai ...** Yui was at his side, staring into the light of the Seed Crystal. **I can still see it.** **Yes Yui, I can still see it too.** It was clearer than ever, the telepathic image that the Crystal had been radiating since they got here, the same image he had heard others describe from the last time the crystal glowed like this. Shoji locked his eyes on the featureless white light of the Crystal, allowed his inner eye to focus on the image it was sending him. It rose up into a dark sky, shimmering and beautiful like it was cut out of a single immense piece of glass. A great crystal palace, its spires like daggers reaching for the clouds. ***** Agent Takada walked into the busy terminal building of Narita airport. He had been here many times before, but had never been to the particular place he was looking for now. He had some idea where it was. An airport directory on the wall confirmed he was headed in the right direction. Walking into a less crowded section of the terminal, he found what he was looking for. The airport police station. He walked in and approached the front desk. The young police woman there looked up as he approached. "Good afternoon, may I help you?" Her warm smile broadened as she got a better look at him. "Agent Hitoshi Takada, Special Investigations." He displayed his ID card. "I believe I am expected." "Yes sir!" she said brightly, standing up. "We were told to escort you directly to the aircraft as soon as you arrived. I'll take you there myself." She turned around. "Akiko, can you take over here for a while?" "Will do," a voice came from a door leading into the back room. The officer who had spoken came through the door, impossibly looking even younger than the first. You know you're getting older when all the police officers start looking like kids, Takada mused. Akiko got a look at him and she froze in place. She smiled shyly and bowed. "Good afternoon." "Afternoon," Takada replied, tipping his hat. Akiko went to sit down at the front desk, giving her counterpart a dark look that said she should have been the one to escort him to the hangar. "Right this way, sir," his escort said as she opened the little gate that let him come behind the front desk. She led him through the back room and into the section of the terminal that was closed to passengers. The inner sanctum, as it were. Takada cleared his throat. "I didn't quite catch your name, officer ... " "You can just call me Yuki," the young woman said cheerfully. She was keeping up a brisk pace, which the much taller Takada was able to maintain with a more leisurely stride. "I see. Yuki-san, I just wanted to confirm something. Nobody has been allowed access to the aircraft since after the police investigators and the people from Boeing were done with it, is that correct?" "Yes sir, we were given very specific instructions. The hanger is strictly off-limits." "I see. Thank you." She led him down a staircase to a utility tunnel that had all sorts of pipes and wires trailing down its length along the walls and ceiling, lit at intervals by bare light bulbs. She drove him down the corridor on an electric cart. She parked the cart and they went up another set of stairs that led out onto the runway near the hangar. Their ears were assaulted by the engines of the airliners taxiing nearby. They walked over to the tiny doorway that was lost in the immensity of the hangar wall. Two officers stood guard there. The officers removed their hearing protection headsets and exchanged some shouting with Yuki over the sound of the airplanes. Their identities were confirmed and they were admitted into the hanger. The relative quiet of the hangar was a relief. Takada looked up at the airplane that filled the immense space. The Japan Airlines 747 shone under the bright floodlights, there was no visible sign of the damage. That was as he had been told. The incidents in question had happened inside the aircraft. Yuki was standing at parade rest, smiling up at him. "If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know." "I should be less than half an hour, if you could wait for me here I would be very grateful." Her face fell. "Uh..." "I'll need you to escort me back through this maze of a place, Yuki- san," Takada said, and smiled. She blushed slightly. "Yes sir. Uh ... perhaps I could take your coat and hat." "No, thank you. If you'll excuse me." He tipped his hat and turned to walk over to the airplane. A universal step had been wheeled up to the one of the open doorways. He climbed the stairs and entered the lower deck. He looked up and down the rows of seats. Everything looked right and proper. He walked down the aisle to the stairway that led to the upper deck. Looking up the stairway, he saw the first signs of the "trouble" that had plagued this aircraft's most recent flight. There were dents and cracks in the walls of the stairway. Like something big and heavy and hard had tumbled down the stairs. He took a closer look at the damage as he ascended the stairs. This could easily have just been one of the service trollies falling down. Probably nothing of interest here. The upper passenger deck was another matter altogether. The loose debris had been cleared away and taken elsewhere. But the place was still a mess. The walls, ceiling, floor and many of the seats were scorched, cracked and dented in many places. In one spot the plastic that formed the inner walls had been blasted away completely, exposing the outer skin of the aircraft. From the looks of things, it was remarkable the plane had not lost pressure. Even more remarkable that there had been no casualties. Those pop stars and their guests had emerged unscathed. But the details of the physical damage was not quite what Takada was here to look at, it merely hinted at what he might find. He opened up the topcoat he still wore over his suit, and drew out the shorter of the two blades that hung under his coat. It was the shape of a wakizashi, a slightly curved short sword about fifty centimetres in length. The sheath, guard and grip were all of plain jet black. Takada chose a spot where he could see all the damaged areas of the room, and knelt down on the floor. He sat still for a few moments, collecting his thoughts. Then he brought the blade out in front of him and with his thumb pushed the guard away from the sheath, exposing some of the ancient blade within. With his other hand he gripped the sword and unsheathed it. A delicate rainbow pattern played up and down the blade, it almost seemed to glow. When Takada laid the sheath down next to him and began his incantation, the blade quite unmistakably began to glow. As he continued his chant, Takada brought up his other hand and pressed the tip of the short sword against it. He lifted his hand above the sword blade, letting blood slowly drip from his hand down onto the blade and along the blood runnel that ran down its length. The blade seemed to absorb the blood and glow even brighter. After a while Takada closed his hand into a fist, staunching the trickle of blood. He held the blade out in front of him, and observed what was illuminated in its glow. He touched a button on the recorder in his breast pocket and began reciting. "I am at the back of the upper passenger deck looking forward towards the flight deck. The areas which have received physical damage are showing unmistakable residue of magical or psionic weapons discharge. I am reading at least four distinct signatures, none of which are familiar to me. There is also a background residue throughout the room. Probable that one or more paranormal beings was disrupted or terminated in the room by said weapons discharge. Also definite spatial distortion echo in one spot on the floor. Speculate one entity teleported in and/or out of the room. Unknown teleport signature type so time delay difficult to judge, speculate around the time of the incident. Shapes of the signatures strongly indicates them to be collateral damage from weapons directed at said paranormal entity, no direct hits on the room itself. That being the case, probable high power weapons. Spells of Magi class or higher, or psionics of Ancients class or higher. Placement follows physical damage very closely, confirming this to be a melee involving several human size entities. No other signatures detected, no residual lifeforce, no psychoplasm, no spells on room or any items within." Takada returned his gaze to the blade, and its glow faded away. He took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. "No reason to believe the aircraft poses any further danger, recommend it be released for repair and return to service. No reason to make any change to the cover story. End recording." He stopped his recorder, sheathed his blade and stood up. He put the blade back in its place and buttoned his topcoat. Takada had finished his task, but he decided to have another quick look around before going back. He walked across the room and through the door to the cockpit. The crew had been incapacitated during the incident, just like everybody else. Luckily, the aircraft had been on autopilot and they had all recovered quickly. The damage had not threatened the operation of the aircraft, but after they had recovered the crew had quite properly cut the flight short and returned to Narita. They had the same story as the four hundred or so Three Lights fans in the airplane. We fell asleep, and when we woke up there was a mess in the upper passenger deck. That's all. It was being written off as a freak lightning strike. Takada continued to have a look around. In the washroom he took the opportunity to glance in the mirror and straighten his tie. He was a darkly handsome man with a long face, high cheekbones and dark, penetrating eyes. His black hair was swept back and caught in a short ponytail. His looks and lean build were well suited to the white shirt and dark suit which was the required dress for the Hidden branch of the Order. He was in his late thirties, but looked somewhat younger. He was well used to being fawned over by women half his age. He was about to leave the aircraft when his cellular phone gently chimed. He stopped, pulled out the phone and unfolded it. "Takada here." "This is the Tokyo office," came a familiar female voice. "Hi Noriko. What's up?" "We're getting reports of a major disturbance at Tokyo Stadium." "The Three Lights concert?" Takada asked, already knowing the answer. "Right. Metro police are treating it as definite Weird Shit. The stadium's already being evacuated, they're getting ready to do the same to the surrounding blocks." "Who's the closest field agent?" "Sorry, that would be you." Takada groaned. "You know I'm still at Narita?" "Yes. We didn't have anyone tailing the Three Lights, didn't know whether we should." "As it happens I was about to call and recommend we do just that." "You found something there?" "Yeah. Listen, I'll call back when I'm on the road." "Well, don't run any red lights. If it's like the last few, it's probably already over and done." "Tell me about it. Talk to you in a bit." He put away the phone and walked briskly for the exit. Yuki was standing right where he had left her. She frowned as she noted his quick stride. "Yuki-san, something's come up. I need you to get me to the reserved parking lot ASAP." "Yes, of course," she stammered. "Uh ... please follow me." She led him back out onto the great expanse of concrete around the hangars, and they headed for a group of airport vehicles. She trotted along beside him to keep up with his brisk walk. They requisitioned one of the vehicles, and in just a couple of minutes they were at the parking lot. They exchanged quick but polite goodbyes and Takada ran for his car. He started up the big black Mercedes sedan and headed for the exit. Once he was on the freeway leading back to Tokyo, he settled in behind a truck that was doing a good deal more than the speed limit. He pulled out the car phone and punched an auto dial button. "Tokyo office," Noriko answered. "Takada here." "Hi. I've got something new. Metro police report hearing a couple of *big* explosions inside the stadium. They're expanding the area of evacuation." "Nothing visual?" "No, as usual they're staying clear." One could hardly blame them. "Find out where they're setting up their command station, I may have to report in there." "Will do. There's one more thing. We're getting pretty high readings on all our astral detectors in the Tokyo area." "*All* of them?" "Yeah. It's really fluctuating, but the strongest readings are near the stadium. And the closest ward is nearly a kilometre from the stadium." *Shit.* "Noriko, contact all the field agents and get them all moving back to the Tokyo office ASAP. All except one, whoever is near a good sanctuary on another island, tell them to go there and stay put. Just pick one, your discretion." There was a slight pause. "You think it could hit the fan again?" "Yeah." "Should I call the shrine and the New York office?" "Definitely. When you're done, get our background material on the Three Lights and call me back, I haven't even bloody read it yet." "I don't think there's much, but I'll call you back." "Later." Takada replaced the car phone. He hit a button on the centre console. A siren began sounding, and a flashing light rose out of the dashboard. Takada gunned the engine, pulled out from behind the truck and started weaving through traffic. Technically, he wasn't supposed to be doing this. But some rather complex and delicate relationships between the Order and the various police forces went a long way towards making his job easier. It wasn't long after the sky turned black that the office called. "Noriko, are you seeing this?" "Yes, it's all over Tokyo. Takada-san, I'm not reading you very clearly." "Likewise. We may lose this link soon, so keep it brief." "Okay. The field agents are on their way, and Eiheiji and New York are aware of the situation. Oh, and all our detectors are off the scale now, no surprise there. I just pulled our background on the Three Lights. To put it simply, there isn't any. It's like they dropped onto the planet just on time to audition as idol singers." "Great. It's Ingolfsson all over again." "Looks like we got caught with our britches down. Ah ... sorry sir." "Not at all." As acting head of the new Tokyo office, it was his responsibility to keep on top of things like this. Well, it looked like he was going to be getting right on top of it very quickly indeed. "Listen, this damned lightning or whatever is getting worse. If this is still going on when other field agents get into the area, tell them to hold back. I don't want all of us getting caught in this. On no account is anybody to come after me until this clears. I'll call as soon as I can." "Understood. Good luck sir." "Thanks." Traffic on the freeway was quickly getting backed up, so Takada exited well before the stadium. Things weren't much better on the city streets. Many people had abandoned their vehicles, running for the perceived shelter of nearby buildings. The streets were slowly becoming deserted. Takada noted that the sickly blood-red lightning that arced overhead was striking the ground more and more frequently. One bolt hit a nearby building, leaving no visible damage. He thought he could glimpse a spark or something rising into the air from the spot it hit, but he couldn't be sure. He was still over two klicks from the stadium when it became clear he could take the car no further, the roads were all blocked by abandoned vehicles. The streets were deserted already. He got out of the car and continued on foot. When lightning struck a building just twenty meters ahead of him, he decided it was time to use the Masamune. He reached into his now open topcoat and carefully drew the long katana out of its black scabbard. He held the sword out before him with both hands as he continued on his way. The clarity of vision the blade afforded him never ceased to amaze him, even now. He could feel the storm around him like a physical presence, could feel each strike of the hellish lightning. It was a disturbing feeling, each bolt seemed to be accompanied by the sound of a soul screaming in pain. He suddenly spun about and shouted as he swung the blade down. Blue- white light ignited along the length of the blade. It connected with the bolt of lightning that had been bearing down on Takada's back, deflecting it to a nearby building. Takada staggered back, shaking, breathing in gasps. His whole body was tingling. He had never felt power like that before, had just barely been able to deflect it. He had to deflect two more bolts of the soul-eating lightning before he reached the refuge of the stadium. The bulk of the huge building over him may very well be an illusory refuge, he had seen and felt the lightning strike down people right through walls. Be that as it may, he made his way to an entrance that opened out onto the main stage. It looked something like the upper deck of that 747, only fifty times worse. The Masamune did not afford him anywhere near the enhanced vision of his smaller blade, but even with it the residue around the blackened craters that dotted the stadium was as clear as day. A paranormal of immense power had been terminated here, he was sure. But whatever had happened here, he had missed it. As usual. He started as the horizon to his left suddenly lit up. Over the rim of the stadium he could just see the clouds open up as an immense beam of white light shot down to the ground. He started counting, one thousand and one, one thousand and two, one thousand and- the shock wave hit him like a hammer, nearly throwing him to the ground. His ears ringing, he leaned against a wall, recovering from the blast. After a minute he went running through the empty corridors under the stadium and exited in the direction of the blast. No, it wasn't his imagination, the lightning was more intense around the spot that blast had hit. Whatever was going on, that's where the action was. He just had to walk about a kilometre. And then presumably look for a big crater. Half a kilometre and five deflected lightning bolts later, Takada was really starting to think this was not such a good idea. He had given up trying to call the office after the first two tries. The office had the strongest wards they could put up, at least Noriko would probably be okay. Assuming this madness ever ended. If it didn't end soon, his soul would be going to whatever place all the other ones had gone. He was staggering along the road, his nerves screaming from the immense energy that was being thrown at him. The lightning suddenly stopped. The clouds started evaporating like mist. In a matter of seconds he was standing under a clear blue sky. The setting sun was just peeking over a nearby building. The constant thunder was gone, echoed only by the ringing in his ears. Takada collapsed to his knees, let his sword slowly sink down to the ground. He just sat there for a couple of minutes, trying to convince himself that it was really over. When he felt more or less mobile again, Takada got back to his feet, sheathed his sword and buttoned up his coat. He continued in the same direction he had been walking. He started to see visible damage to the buildings around him. It was getting worse the further he went. By the time he got to more or less where he thought the epicentre was, it looked like a war zone. Some of the buildings had collapsed altogether. He couldn't see any bodies. Thankfully, it looked like this had been part of the evacuation zone. Old instincts had long since kicked in, prompting him to move near the walls, stay low and check corners before rounding them. So when he peered around the corner of a partially collapsed building and glimpsed a group of people, he dropped back behind the building in an instant. Checking all around him, he went around the other side of the building, where it looked like he would be able to approach the group from the relative shelter of a narrow alley. Entering the alley, he crept behind a big dumpster and peered around it. The group of people was still standing where he had seen them, in the middle of the rubble-strewn street just about thirty meters away. No, he hadn't been seeing things. It was the Sailor Senshi. He counted eight girls in the flamboyant uniforms for which these urban legends had become famous, the white outfits with the colourful skirts that were so reminiscent of the sailor fuku that school girls wore. There were three others in what he could only describe as leather fetish versions of the Senshi uniforms. And one other red haired woman in a set of robes that would not have been out of place in the court of an ancient Chinese emperor. They were all congregating around a man dressed in black formal wear. In between them Takada could just glimpse a girl who the man was holding. It looked like he had wrapped his cape around her, all he could see was her bare feet and ankles and two impossibly long golden pigtails cascading down her back. Takada smiled. *Sailor Moon, I presume.* He managed to get a few shots with his digital camera before the man gathered Sailor Moon in his arms, and led the others away. They moved at an inhumanly fast pace. Even on his best day, Takada would have no hope of following them. He put away his camera, walked over to an appropriately sized piece of rubble and sat down. He pulled out his cellular and called the office. "Tokyo office," Noriko said in the same deadpan she always answered the phone with. "Takada here." "Sir! Are you okay?" "More or less. And you?" "Yes, we're fine. Communications are back up and all our detectors are back online. They're reading zero now." "Yeah, looks like it's over." "The New York office is going nuts, they're requesting a report ASAP. I've got them on the line now, did you want me to transfer you over?" *Oh yes, they're going to just love this one.* "Sure, go ahead." End Chapter 1 Subject: [FANFIC: Sailor Moon: Secrets chapter 2] Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 19:01:02 -0800 From: Ken Wolfe Reply-To: Ken_Wolfe@mbnet.mb.ca To: Chris Davies , John Hitchens , Piotr Gaj , echo5a@deskmedia.com, Tim Nolan Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime.creative,alt.fan.sailor-moon [file attached] -- Ken Wolfe | Fax: Sorry, I hate fax machines Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | Compu$erve: 73527.2203@compuserve.com Ken_Wolfe@MBnet.MB.CA | GEnie: k.wolfe8@genie.geis.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- Secrets Chapter 2 - Life is a Beach They made an odd pair, the two women who emerged from the dressing room next to the tennis courts. The first was very tall and lean, with dusky skin and an ample figure. She had a lovely, ageless face with striking red eyes and full lips. Her hair, black with hints of green, cascaded down her back well below her waist. She wore a colourful sarong that nearly went to her elaborate sandals, an embroidered leather vest and a straw hat with a very wide brim and the feathers of all sorts of exotic birds arranged on top of it. She had an oversized tote bag slung over her shoulder. The other was a head shorter than her, a young asian woman with unusually pale skin and short blue-tinted black hair. She had a very cute round face with dark blue eyes. Her slim, athletic figure was emphasized very nicely by the simple light blue summer dress she wore. Her small sun hat, sandles and the sports bag slung on her shoulder were equally simple and functional. "What do you say we check up on our friends?" Setsuna said. Ami smiled up at her taller friend. "Do you think they'll still be at it?" "Yes, I would bet on it." "Okay, let's go." They made their way down the wooden boardwalk that went down the length of the beach, separating it from the food stands, shops and other facilities of the resort. It was a lovely day. The sky was dotted with little cumulus clouds, and a breeze blowing in from the ocean kept the July afternoon from being sweltering. Ami was still sweating a bit, perhaps she was still recovering from their earlier exertion. She really loved this place, but there was no getting away from the fact that tropical climates didn't quite agree with her, she tired easily in the heat. Setsuna, by contrast, seemed right at home here. "I can't believe you only started playing tennis last year," Setsuna said. "You're already quite good." "Setsuna, you beat me in every set," Ami reminded her. "Well, you didn't give me an easy time of it. That was the most challenging game I've played in a long time." "How long have you been playing?" "About two hundred years." Ami rolled her eyes. "Okay, I guess I walked right into that one." They both laughed, then continued on in comfortable silence for a while. They took a very leisurely pace, enjoying the air and the scenery. The beach area was fairly busy, with couples and families and groups of friends wandering around the shops, relaxing on the beach or playing in the water. They passed the occasional palm tree, its enormous leaves bobbing in the breeze far overhead. Far out to sea, Ami could see a cruise ship steaming towards the island, bringing another boatload of vacationers. She smiled sadly. One island of peace furtively making its way between others. "Setsuna, I wonder if I'm getting soft." Setsuna raised an eyebrow. "How so?" "Wandering around here, I feel as if I would be content to stay here forever. Forget about college and Sailor Senshi and the world and just spend my life on a beach. Do you think I'm getting soft, thinking such a thing?" "No, I think you just needed a rest, that's all. Nothing wrong with that." Ami smiled. "I suppose. I was going to be doing a special lab project this week, but I'm glad I came here." "I'm glad you came too. It's not often we've all gotten a chance to relax together, I thought this was just what we needed." "It's definitely what I needed." It hadn't been hard for Setsuna to convince Ami to accept her invitation ... or to convince the others, for that matter. And she was right, it had been a long time since they could all be together. Even if they all found different diversions the moment they showed up. "You know, we should go for a midnight swim tonight." Ami frowned. "You mean, after dark?" "Sure. Swimming on the edge of the ocean at night, it looks like an immense event horizon stretched out before you. It's like dancing at the edge of the abyss." Ami chuckled. "Setsuna, you have a strange aesthetic sense. But you're right, it might be fun. And it should get dark quickly here, at this latitude I can probably see stars I wouldn't see at home." Saying that suddenly reminded Ami of something else. "You know, ever since the Sailor Starlights left, I've been kicking myself for not even asking them which star they're from. It might even be visible, through a telescope if nothing else." "Perhaps it's just as well you didn't. The Princess was very fond of Seiya-san. If she knew where his home was, she might be tempted to drag us all over there, just to visit him." Ami stopped walking. "Setsuna ... are you serious?" "What, about how Usagi-san feels?" "No no, about travelling to another star." Setsuna smiled. "Well, it's not something I would recommend just to pay a social call, but it wouldn't be all that difficult. It would be just a series of long-distance teleports, much like the way we got to Nomura's Cloud. Ami ... are you okay?" "Um ... could we go sit down for a second?" "Of course." They walked over to an outdoor cafe that was just next to the boardwalk and picked one of the little round tables. Setsuna steered Ami to one of the seats that was shaded by the umbrella, then sat down beside her. After half a minute, a waiter came by. Setsuna ordered ice tea for both of them. Some time after their drinks arrived, Ami spoke again. "Setsuna, why did you never mention this before?" "That we can travel between the stars? I'm sorry, I just assumed you would have drawn that conclusion. If the Starlights could do it, why not us?" Ami spent some more time staring into space. "You're right, I should have come to that conclusion. So all the Senshi in the Galaxy ... any of them could do the same." "Almost certainly. That's the way Galaxia was able to sweep through the galaxy the way she did. The Senshi under her control, boosted by the power of the Star Seeds she had collected, could go anywhere they wanted." "Galaxia ..." Ami said. She rested her head on one hand, feeling weary, as if the heat had suddenly become oppressive. "It's something I haven't thought of for a while, but ... I've never been able to get my head around what she did. If we're to believe the story, she practically depopulated the galaxy. Hundreds ... maybe thousands of worlds laid waste." "And now she has to try and set it right again." Ami looked intently at her companion. "Setsuna, do you think she can really do it? I mean, restore all those people whose Star Seeds she took? Restore their worlds?" Setsuna looked out to the ocean. Ami just waited, watching the breeze play with the ancient woman's long hair. When Setsuna spoke, it seemed to be mostly to herself. "I'm not sure the Princess understood what she was asking, when she tasked Galaxia to return all those souls to their own worlds. I'm not sure I understand either. On each world, Galaxia may need to reawaken the Senshi who were born there, use their power to restore the worlds to what they were. It may take millennia. And even then, those worlds might not be what they were." "Our world is not what it was," Ami replied after a moment of silence. She was looking in the opposite direction. Setsuna turned around and followed her gaze. Behind the food bar where the cafe's cook worked, there was a television hung from the ceiling of the little wood building. It was hard to see from here, but Ami recognized the CNN logo on the screen. The picture was obviously being taken from a moving vehicle that bounced slowly across a rough road. As it moved, the camera panned across bodies lining the road. There seemed to be no end to them. They were all tied, all lying where they had been shot. Another mass execution. Ami didn't need to read the text in the logo to know that these were more pictures of the ethnic cleansing in east Asia. "Ami, that has always gone on. Believe me, I've seen worse with my own eyes. Many times. The only difference is now we can watch it right from our little islands of peace." "It's different now." Setsuna sighed. "Yes, it's different now." In the past four years, it seemed the islands of peace in the world had grown smaller, weaker, pressed in on all sides by the madness. People in the islands had grown jaded, almost able to ignore the fact that it was only getting worse. "Was it our fault?" Ami knew it was an unfair question. Irrational. But it was a question she couldn't help asking herself. It was a moment before Setsuna replied. "This all started with Galaxia's foolish attempt to seal away Chaos so long ago. But in her moment of victory, the temptation to make that victory complete, permanent ... I find it impossible to blame even her. But it was inevitable that Chaos would have to be unleashed again someday, nothing and nobody can hold it forever." "And now we're paying the price for that." Setsuna nodded. "Our world was at ... what is that term they use ... at 'ground zero' when Chaos was set free again. It stands to reason we would feel the worst effects. The demons that we struggle with, that all men and women struggle with all their lives, have been given new strength. So the war with those demons rages all the more fiercely." Ami tore her eyes away from the television, resolved not to look at the pageant of death any longer, met Setsuna's eyes instead. "You call it a war, but it's more like a disease. For us, evil used to be monsters and mad sorcerors. We could go fight them and make things right again. But it's like there are no more monsters, there's just this disease eating away at our peace, little by little." Ami was surprised by Setsuna laying a hand over hers. She tried to calm herself. She hadn't realized, she had almost been shouting. Her gaze dropped down. "Sorry." Setsuna continued to hold her hand, gave her a few moments to calm down. "Ami, peace has always been an elusive thing. It's never more than an island of calm, and it never lasts. I don't know if it can ever be any different, I don't know if we can ever make it any different." She smiled at Ami. "Maybe our Princess can. Someday. She has faith in the Light of Hope, the light that exists in all of us. Maybe all we can do is share her faith." Ami smiled. Yes, faith. There was one other who had asked her to have faith, when she was in the midst of utter despair. One whom she loved and trusted just as she did their Princess. "Okay. I think I can manage that. It's just that lately I haven't been able to shake this feeling, like this isn't just more wars ... like it could just fall to pieces, we could lose it *all*. When you just now told me we could go to the stars ... well, I've always assumed we would do that someday. I mean, humanity, in ships we make to sail among the stars. But now I feel as if that may never happen, that we could all fall down a pit and never come out." This time, she had managed to say it without working herself into a frenzy. Setsuna had her inscrutable, expressionless look again. "Ami, I won't lie to you. I'm probably in a better position than anybody to judge the health of any human civilization. I've seen so many rise and fall, I've long since learned what to look for. The release of chaos has dealt ours a body blow from which it may never recover. We could very well be facing a new dark age, perhaps a long one. But that danger has always been there. That's nothing new, it's just more obvious now, more out in the open." Ami sighed. "So I should just have faith?" "That's one thing you can do." Setsuna suddenly smiled again. Ami liked her smile, it could instantly transform her from the immortal warrior to the kind-hearted woman Ami had come to know. "If you want to do your bit, help hold our peace together, then keep doing as you have been and become a fine doctor. I've seen what healers can do, the hope they can bring to people. With your strong mind and warm heart, I really think you could work wonders." Ami resisted the urge to lean over and kiss her. "Thank you, Setsuna," she said, her voice slightly husky. "I mean ... for everything." Setsuna just nodded. They contented themselves with watching the ocean for a while. When they finished their drinks, they continued their way along the beach. Ami spotted them first. "Looks like they're still at it." "What did I tell you?" Ami watched them as she and Setsuna got closer and closer. Eventually, they came to the part of the boardwalk just a few meters from where their four friends were. She and Setsuna didn't say a word. They just sat back against the wood railing that edged the boardwalk and watched. The other four hadn't even noticed them. This morning the white sand around the volleyball net had been perfectly smooth, but hours of play had effectively packed it down. Ami noted that they had brought the oversized cooler down next to the net. No doubt so that they wouldn't have to bother themselves with walking the few meters over to the nearest concession stand to replenish their liquids. Haruka and Michiru were to their left. Haruka, with her slim figure, short blonde hair, androgynous looks and mannerisms, was often mistaken for a man, something she did nothing to discourage. Of course nobody would be making that mistake today, like the others she was in a two piece bathing suit that left little to the imagination. For better mobility, she had insisted. Michiru was an interesting contrast to her. She had a similar build, just a slightly fuller figure. Her lovely, elegant face had a look of calm focus, very unlike Haruka's aggressive look if fierce defiance. Her extraordinary turquoise hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, keeping it out of her bluegreen eyes. Minako and Makoto were to their right. Minako was shorter than the other three women. Her long blonde hair was tied back away from her eyes with her trademark red ribbon, but otherwise was loose, bobbing and waving about like a cape as she played. Her light blue eyes sparkled with life, her impish smile almost mocking. Makoto had her wavy brown hair tied back in its usual topknot. She was as tall as their two opponents, and more well muscled than any of them. Ami suspected she spent extra time in a gym pumping iron, above and beyond the Sailor Senshi training she did with the rest of them. Her expression mirrored Haruka's. They seemed to be watching each other a lot. They all looked like hell. Setsuna chuckled lightly. "Haruka and Michiru were probably expecting to have an easy time of it." "It looks like they got more than they bargained for," Ami said, also in a low voice. The two of them watched the game for a while. None of the women were moving with the same speed and grace they were this morning. But it was remarkable how well they were all holding out, considering how long they had been at it. Minako was clearly the most skilled and experienced player of the four. What her partner lacked in skill, she made up for in brute power. She was tireless, indefatigable. And when set up properly she could deliver a spike ball that was barely subsonic. Their opponents would probably have never had a prayer, were it not that their teamwork was so much better. It was like they were telepathic, they seemed to move as one creature with four arms and four legs. When Ami and Setsuna had left them, they were going to just do best two out of three. It had obviously gone far beyond that. It didn't look like anybody was prepared to concede defeat. "You've got that faraway look again," Setsuna commented with a sideways glance to Ami. "I was just thinking. Except for Hotaru, all of us are past the age where we're going to grow anymore. If things happen the way we think they will ... with Crystal Tokyo and all ... well, the way we look now, that's how we'll all look for at least the next thousand years." "Well, Makoto-san won't look like *that* unless she remains in the habit of repeatedly lifting weights heavier than herself." "I don't know, with her height I think the extra muscle looks good on her. But standing next to her, I always feel like I'm still a little girl. I was hoping I'd catch up a bit by now but you're all still taller than me. Sometimes I feel a bit jealous." Setsuna looked her up and down. "You needn't, you've filled out very nicely since I first met you." "Setsuna! Honestly, sometimes you're worse than Mako-chan." "And Urawa-san seems to like you quite well the way you are." "Stop it ..." Ami could feel a flush come to her cheeks. "If you want a second opinion, ask Haruka, she thinks you're very cute." "I'm sorry I brought it up," Ami said, exasperated. They watched a bit longer, until Michiru scored a point that ended the current game. "What do you say we call them over here and invite them to go for drinks?" Setsuna suggested. "Good idea. Otherwise, they'll probably go until one of them collapses from heat exhaustion." "Okay. Maybe we could drop a subtle hint, get them to go for a shower first." "Oh, I'm all for that." ***** **So how did you like the show?** Shoji asked as they walked out of the theatre building. **It was really good,** Yui replied, smiling up at him. **I wish I'd seen it on video a long time ago. In fact, I'd like to go pick up the LD, if it's still around.** **Well, 'Akira' is one movie that really loses something on video.** **Yeah, I guess it would. I'm glad you spotted this revival. I thought the Esper parts were really good, better than Locke. It was almost like they'd seen one of us using our powers.** **Well, I've heard stories, about some of the stuff the black sheep of the family do. Anyway, you want to 'port back home?** **I'd kinda like to walk.** **Okay.** Shoji put his arm around her shoulders, and they walked in the direction of their apartment. At seventeen, Yui was now only a few centimetres shorter than him . But she still wore the same short hair, tight jeans and T-shirts she had gotten into the habit of wearing four years ago. Shoji thought she still looked very cute. **Senpai, can we go see the Crystal again sometime?** **What, again? We just went last month. I thought grandma Himiko scared you.** **She does. But I like seeing the Crystal.** A lot of the Ancients liked seeing the crystal these days. Most went there a few times a year now. In a world that seemed to be slowly going mad, it was a great source of comfort. Shoji felt it a bit himself. After four years it was still glowing brightly, as if it would never fade away. Still emanating that lovely image of a great, shining crystal citadel. **I suppose we could go next weekend. Maybe we can 'port to the farm too, do some horseback riding.** **Yeah, that would be fun.** They were walking out of the main entertainment district now, so there weren't as many neon signs and the sidewalks were getting less crowded. They could better enjoy the warm summer evening now. The streets were still damp from an earlier shower, but Shoji could glimpse the occasional star overhead, there probably wouldn't be any more rain. Not that it was ever a problem, if inclement weather caught them by surprise Yui could just 'port them home. They passed by an ATM. **That reminds me, we're getting a bit low on cash.** Shoji glanced around, saw that there was nobody in sight. **Take care of it, okay?** **Okay.** Yui stepped up to the machine and put her hand against it. Its lights were off, closed down for the night. Shoji could never understand the logic behind shutting them down after hours. He heard that in America, you could use ATMs twenty four hours a day. Not that it really made a difference to them. After a few seconds, Shoji could hear machinery working inside the ATM. Yui had brought it to life. **How much?** she asked. **A hundred ... no, better make that two hundred thousand yen.** **Coming right up.** There was more clattering, and soon the machine spat out a thick sheaf of bills. Yui took them, rolled them up and put them in her pocket of her denim vest. She winked at Shoji and they continued on their way. Shoji grinned. Kaori had suggested that as soon as Yui moved in with him Shoji should have her handle the household finances. She wasn't his wife yet, but Kaori thought she should learn to take responsibility. Shoji had agreed this was a very good idea. It was just as well they didn't know exactly how Yui was handling the finances. Kaori in particular frowned upon this sort of thing. They passed by the entrance of a park. The black iron gate was open, inviting them into the woods beyond. It was quite dark, the walkways lighted only by the occasional lamps. **Oh Senpaaai ...** Yui said. Shoji could sense the playfulness in her telepathic voice. He could guess what she wanted. **Yes, Yui dear?** he said, playing their usual game. **I want to go hunting.** **Hunting what, Yui dear?** She grinned. **Whatever we can find.** **Well then, lead the way.** She took his arm and they strolled into the park. It looked deserted. The benches were still wet, not very inviting for young lovers looking for a dark quiet intimate place. They heard a noise in front of them, and stopped. They waited a few seconds. A cat poked its head out of the bushes, and stepped hesitantly out onto the walkway. It looked at them and meowed again. Shoji looked down at Yui and raised an eyebrow. **Start small?** **Sure, why not?** Shoji took a step forward and went down on his haunches. He held out his hand and beckoned. "Here, kitty kitty. Nice kitty." The cat stood a few seconds, then began to make its way very cautiously towards him. It came up close, sniffing at his fingers. Yui stepped forward. Too quickly. The cat turned and bolted. Shoji flicked his hand and a fireball burst into life right in front of the cat, flickering and burning a dull orange red. It lit up the walkway somewhat. Shoji kept it small, not wanting to attract attention. The cat was momentarily paralyzed by its instinctive fear of fire. Yui didn't waste the opportunity. She quickly crouched down behind the cat and put her hands over it. It convulsed, then fell down to the ground. Shoji let the fireball fade away. Now the animal was truly paralyzed. The most it could manage was little mewling sounds. Its body quivered now and then. Little spots of light started to form all over its body, like it was being covered with fireflies. They swirled over it, then started to converge on a point in between Yui's two hands. The cat lay utterly still now. Shoji stepped over to the other side of the stricken animal, and Yui stood up straight. She still held its lifeforce in between her hands. To Shoji's eyes, it looked like a little nebula or galaxy, countless points of lights all swirling about in a little ball. Shoji stared into the meaningless pattern of light, concentrating on what his inner eye was telling him. Yui was concentrating on holding it in place, so it was always easier for Shoji to read it. **Let's see. She's owned by a family living in an apartment. Young couple and a little boy. Seems to spend most of its time there. Maybe they're not supposed to have pets and they have to keep it a secret. She got lured out here by some tomcat, but ended up chasing him away. She was tracking a mouse when she heard us. Thought she would get a handout or something.** **Pretty boring.** **Well, housecats rarely lead exciting lives. Want to put it back?** **Sure.** Yui crouched down and held the cat's lifeforce over it's body. The kaleidoscope of little lights slowly fluttered down, disappearing inside it. When they were all gone, Yui stood up and they both stepped away from it. The cat's eyes came open. It lifted its head, looked around. Slowly, it got to its feet. It looked a little unsteady. It took one look at Yui, and something clicked in its mind. It turned and bolted into the bushes. "What are you kids doing?" They both turned. Of course Yui could not hear the voice, but she got a telepathic cue from Shoji that somebody nearby had spoken. It was a fat, middle aged woman in a shapeless raincoat and carrying a paper shopping bag. She walked towards them. She didn't look happy. Her face was one that Shoji could not imagine ever looking happy. A true obatarian. She strode up to them and scowled at each of them in turn. She was shorter than both of them. "What were you doing to that poor cat? You were kicking it around weren't you? I saw it lying on the ground. I suppose you think it's funny, don't you?" Yui looked up at Shoji. **Should I do her?** **I say go for it.** Yui didn't even bother stepping close to the woman. She just raised up her hands, and suddenly every muscle in her body tensed and her lips curled up into a wolf grin. "Wha-" That was all the old woman got out. Her body jerked and a blizzard of little lights shot out of her, straight into a point between Yui's hands. She fell to the ground. Her lifeforce writhed and rippled from the rough treatment, then settled into a gentle, swirling pattern. Shoji winced. **Ouch. That was harsh.** Yui sniffed. **Stupid old bitch. Should have minded her own business. Funny we didn't feel her approach.** She turned around to face Shoji so that he could get a better look. **Well, obatarians are naturally devious, and we were distracted.** Shoji bent close and stared into the lights. Since Yui had discovered this new talent, they had done a fair amount of experimenting on all sorts of animals, both the two legged and the four legged variety. They were pretty good at it now. **Oh my ... she's been a very bad girl. Cheated on her husband a couple of times ... in her younger days of course. These days just some casual shoplifting ... slipping fruits into her handbag and such. Stealing from her neighbour's garden too.** **Sounds like a real cow. Plant a suggestion, Senpai.** **Sure, why not.** Shoji concentrated, directing his will into the lifeforce floating before him. **Listen to me. When you wake up you are going to run home, tell your husband about all your past indiscretions in as much detail as you can, and then you are going to beg his forgiveness.** Yui grinned. **That's a good one. I hope she didn't sprain anything on the way down, I want her to get home while that's fresh in her mind.** **Well, the way you ripped out her lifeforce, she could be out for a while. Better put it back, she's going to be in rough shape as it is.** **Okay.** Yui walked over to the woman and casually flicked her wrists. The little motes of light spread out and cascaded down on her body. In a few seconds, they were all gone. Shoji shook his head. **Man, she's going to feel like shit when she comes to.** **Serves her right.** **Anyway, we should probably leave.** Shoji put his arm around Yui and steered her towards the nearest exit. Suddenly he stopped. **I sense somebody coming.** Yui looked around. **Where?** **Not sure. Somebody could find her lying there, it's probably not a good idea to be seen here. We should 'port out.** **Okay.** Yui took his hand. In the blink of an eye they were elsewhere. Shoji looked around. **Why here?** He had been expecting her to take them home. She linked her hands behind her head and backed away from him, smiling. **Oh, I don't know.** She did a little pirouette, which looked like it was helped a bit by levitation, spread her arms out wide then came to a stop again. **I kind of like it here. Somehow it makes me feel warm and cozy.** It was a little Shinto shrine they had visited a couple of times before. The grounds were barely big enough to hold the building and a little open space in front of it. The building looked very old, no doubt it had been here long before the city had spread out and swallowed up the land around it. Now it was nestled right in between an office tower and an apartment block. The shrine was still beautiful, but to Shoji it looked silly standing in this concrete jungle. Tokyo city planning, gotta love it. **Warm and cozy, huh? I don't know, there are a lot nicer shrines than this.** He casually sauntered across the crushed rock. The area was fairly well lit, just because of the various street and building lights, but of course it was closed and locked up for the night. **Yeah, but not too many shrines give me that warm feeling.** Shoji knew that Yui was sensitive to some things that he wasn't, but he'd never heard this before. **So you definitely feel something different here?** **Yeah, and in a couple of other places. It's like ... I don't know, like the place had a lifeforce of it's own.** She looked towards the building and smiled. **It's almost like when I'm looking at an animal. I feel like I can reach out and touch it's lifeforce.** Shoji chuckled. Yui was always more lively and expressive after doing a hunt. He liked it. **A lifeforce, huh?** She looked at him suspiciously. **Do you think I'm imagining it?** He shrugged. **I don't know. Why don't you try pulling it out and see what comes up?** Yui seemed taken aback by his suggestion. She looked back at the building. She didn't say anything. Shoji just stood waiting. He was well attuned to her, could tell that she was concentrating, probing with her inner eye. She looked at him again. **You know, I really feel like I could.** Shoji had been joking, but he could see that she was serious. **Yui, are you sure?** Expanding the limits of their powers was one thing that no Ancient ever took lightly. **Yes, I can feel it clear as day. It would be just another hunt.** Well, except that this prey couldn't put up much of a fight. **Why don't you give it a try?** She smiled and nodded. She walked closer to the shrine building and stood before it. She held her arms out before her, palms forward and slightly inward. Shoji stood behind her, watching her. He could feel her aura expanding as she directed it out toward the building. Then he felt something else becoming visible to his inner eye. It was becoming clearer now, just as it always became clearer as Yui was extracting lifeforce from an animal. There was almost a sense of vertigo, as his eyes saw an inanimate building but his feelings saw an animal. His eyes went back to Yui. He could see the tension in her body, could feel the effort she was expending. She was crouched down now, completely focused. Whatever she was trying to pull out of there, it wasn't coming easily. It was a little while longer before the dull rumble registered in his conscious mind. The ground was shaking. The air around Yui was starting to stir, whipping her short hair around. It was getting worse. She seemed to be oblivious to it. *Oh shit.* Shoji was balancing the relative merits of interrupting her or allowing her to continue. When an Ancient of her power was this highly focused, interrupting her could cause unexpected side effects. She might end up shooting out a kinetite that would take down a whole building. The way things were going, that might happen anyway. He looked around him. At least the effect was strictly localized, she wasn't letting any of the side effects bleed off. That meant she still had good control. Fine, let her continue then. It all happened at once. The earth around the shrine building erupted, spewing dirt and gravel into the air. The timbers and logs of the shrine building all shattered at once, and it started collapsing to the ground. A galaxy of dazzling light motes flew out of the collapsing shrine and into the air. The building finished collapsing. The lights all drifted together and settled to a point between Yui's hands. The dust slowly settled. Everything was quiet. Shoji had come down hard, his ass smarted. It looked like Yui had come down just as hard. But she looked too mesmerized by what had happened to care much. Shoji got up and walked over to stand beside her. She was staring wide-eyed at what she held between her hands. **Senpai ... it's beautiful.** Shoji would have to agree. It was many times brighter than any animal's lifeforce had looked. Instead of little blue-white motes, each light seemed to be a tiny little flame, all of different colours. They floated about at a much more leisurely pace than the lively little motes of an animal lifeforce. Shoji could hear shouts of alarm from nearby. Better book it. **Yui, we'd better get out of here real quick. Can you put that back now?** **Put it back where?** Shoji glanced over at the pile of rubble where the shrine building used to be. Oh great. **Yui ... do you think you can 'port us while you're holding on to that?** She smiled. She looked a little spaced. **Right now I feel like I can do anything.** She stood up, careful to keep her hands around the floating lights. I sure hope so, Shoji thought. He took a hold of her wrist. **Then take us home.** Their living room swam around him. Shoji staggered, but managed to stay on his feet. That had been a bad one, Yui was either tired or distracted. She was already sitting down on the couch. Maybe she had just fallen back onto it. **Are you okay?** She just nodded. She was still mesmerized by what she was holding. Shoji sat down hard on a chair opposite her. He spent a few minutes letting his head clear and his panic adrenaline bleed away. Then he leaned forward and had a closer look at Yui's prize. He tried reading it the same way he had learned to read the lifeforce that Yui pulled out of animals. Yui looked at him. **Do you see anything?** She could guess what he was trying to do. **Not really. It feels the same, but there's no memories, no images, no thoughts. It's just white noise, random. Just power, no mind.** **Yes, there's lots of power here. It feels all tingly. I like it.** She smiled at Shoji. **Can I keep it?** She acted like they had just found a little puppy. Shoji leaned back and sighed. He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He hadn't thought this far ahead. They'd never had one of these things that they couldn't put back. **Senpai, is something wrong?** **No, I'm just thinking. We have to do something with this.** He opened his eyes and gestured to the floating kaleidoscope of light. **After all, you can't keep holding it like that forever. If you just let it go there's no telling what would happen You remember the last time.** She nodded solemnly. When they were first experimenting with this she had pulled the lifeforce from a little squirrel. It had died of shock or something. When she let go of its lifeforce it had practically exploded in her hand. It had felt like daggers shooting through their brains, they had both had a headache for hours. And what she held was many, many times more powerful. Yui's face fell. She was beginning to see what a bind they were in. Shoji tried to smile. **Don't worry, I'll think of something.** Her face suddenly brightened. **I know! We can take it to grandma Himiko. She's got these leaded flask things with wards on them. The ones they use to hold the guardian spirits that protect the house. They would probably hold this.** Shoji shuddered. The Matriarch. He could just imagine what she would say about all this. But Yui was right, she would be the one most able to deal with this. Any other option looked too risky. He stood up. **Okay, we might as well get this over with. Listen, when we talk to the Matriarch, try to emphasize that you were just trying out something new with your powers and it got messed up. She's always preaching about us pushing the limits of our powers, and brother you sure did that tonight.** Yui frowned. **Nobody can lie to the Matriarch. It can't be done.** **There's a difference between lying and putting a spin on things.** She thought about that for a moment, then nodded. **Okay, I'm ready.** **That last 'port was kind of rough. Are you sure you don't want me to call mom's place and have somebody come help?** Yui smiled sheepishly. **Sorry about that. I was a little out of it. But I'm okay now, I feel like I could 'port to the moon.** **By the First Ancestor, be careful what you think!** She giggled. **Don't worry, I won't do that. But just in case, maybe hold your breath.** **That ... is ... not ... funny.** Yui winked. **Sorry. I'll be good.** Shoji leaned forward and gave her a kiss. **Just get us there in one piece.** He hesitated just a second before taking her wrist. Darkness. Shoji had a moment of panic, then spotted the light of a familiar looking lantern. He let out a shuddering breath. After sunset and no electricity, of course it was bloody dark here. They should have turned out the lights in the living room first, let their eyes adjust. Yes, he was doing just a fine job of goal directed planning today. "Who goes there?" Yui jumped too. The bellowing voice had been accompanied by a sending. Shoji sighed. *'Who goes there' he says. These people are so precious.* He turned in the direction of the voice and waved. **Shoji.** **Yui.** The man approached them. He was carrying a small lantern. One of the Matriarch's guards, naturally. He became more clearly visible, now that he was in the light emanated by the physical manifestation of the shrine's lifeforce. He looked at the thing, managing to look solemn and disgusted all at once. **What on earth is that?** Shoji decided to deadpan. **It is the lifeforce of a Shinto shrine. Yui-san was extracting it with the purpose of letting us examine it and see what we could learn from it. But in the process the shrine collapsed and we were unable to return the lifeforce to its normal place. We are unsure how to dispose of it. We seek the advice of the Matriarch.** The man's expression did not change as he chewed on that. **Follow me.** He led them through the garden and to the front doorway. Shoji had to help Yui take her shoes off. She could probably keep the lifeforce stable with one hand if she concentrated, but they didn't want to take the risk. The guard admitted them to one of the sitting rooms where they sat down on cushions. He lit two more lanterns there. Shoji suppressed a smile. The lifeforce was probably lighting this room brighter than it had ever been. Himiko's people were creatures of habit if nothing else. The man solemnly commanded them to wait here and closed the door behind them. **You still feeling okay?** Shoji asked. He was very careful to focus his thoughts directly on her. There were people in this house who could pull a casually sent message right out of the air. **Yes, I'm fine.** Yui's face had a spooky look, underlit by the glowing lights floating between her hands, but her expression was calm. Her voice was low and flat as well, the sign of a tight sending. Neither of them really had any friends in this household, they never felt comfortable here. They only ever came here to see the Crystal. They were doing things that the Matriarch didn't approve of, some of which she knew about and some of which she didn't. There was plenty of reason to feel paranoid. After a few minutes the door slid open again. The Matriarch walked into the room, dressed in a simple, functional kimono. She looked at Shoji and then at Yui. **I have been told what has happened.** Having said that, she sat herself down in front of Yui and examined what she held there. She sat there for about a minute, neither moving nor speaking. Then she stood up again. **Follow me.** They followed her through the house and into the back garden. She took a lantern down off one of the hooks, and walked over to the big stone in the middle of the dark little garden. **Into the caves.** She stepped onto the stone and vanished. Shoji looked down at Yui. **Want me to go first?** **Okay.** She looked nervous. He felt nervous. The Matriarch was inscrutable at the best of time, but Shoji had no idea what to read into her attitude. Shoji stepped onto the stone. This stone and its counterpart in the caves were the strongest focus points the Ancients had ever devised. It was one of the few places Shoji could reliably teleport by himself. He concentrated, and was in darkness again. He stepped off the stone. His headache wasn't too bad this time, it would pass quickly. Yui appeared with the lifeforce, bathing the cave with light. Without a word, the Matriarch led them through the tunnels, all the way to the entrance to the cave of the Seed Crystal. It shone brightly as ever, drowning out the glow of the little light motes dancing between Yui's arms. The Matriarch reached into the front of her kimono and pulled out a little round milky white crystal. She put it down on the stone floor. She looked at Yui, indicated a place next to the crystal **Sit.** Yui knelt down there, and looked nervously to the Matriarch again. **Don't fret, this will be simple, even for a young pup like you. You know how you apply pressure to the lifeforce like a soft PK barrier, keeping it together, keeping it stable?** The young girl nodded. **I want you to put it overtop of the crystal and lower it down until some of the psychoplasm starts bouncing off it. Then I want you to gradually increase that pressure, gradually make your PK barrier harder.** **What's going to happen?** **You'll see.** Yui did as she was told. The motes of light that made up the lifeforce started to press closer and closer together, moving around faster and faster, getting brighter and brighter. Yui moved her hands in. Shoji could actually see the psychokinesis barrier now, like a shimmering transparent bubble held between her hands, confining the little motes of light to a smaller and smaller area. The lights disappeared, and suddenly the crystal was glowing brightly. It was all over in an instant. Yui squealed, and her PK barrier collapsed. The Matriarch picked up the crystal and walked over to the cave wall. She reached over her head and placed it on a little shelf that had been carved into the wall. Shoji realized that it looked something like the other glowing crystals that used to light up this room before the change in the Seed Crystal made them reductant. But they had never been that bright, this one was almost painful to look at. The Matriarch walked back to where Yui sat. The girl still looked stunned by what had happened. Himiko looked down at her, her hands at her hips. **I suppose you're feeling very proud of yourself.** Yui looked bewildered. **Matriarch ... ?** **You think you made some great discovery, that holy places have souls like living things? You think you're the first person to ever find that out? Why do you think we always tell you to consult your elders before trying something new with your powers? I could have told you exactly what would happen. And believe me, it could have been a great deal worse. If you had lost control of that lifeforce, let it go free right in front of you, it could have killed you.** Yui looked down at the ground. **I'm sorry, Matriarch.** **That isn't even the half of it!** Shoji and Yui both flinched. Her sending had been like a physical blow. **You tried this damned fool thing right in the middle of a city, with thousands of outsiders around you. What if you had gotten some of them killed? What if you had been hurt and they had seen what you did? You could be sitting in a detention cell trying to explain how you managed to collapse a building all by yourself. And do you know what would have happened then?** Yui shook her head, still looking down at the ground. **Even if you were in condition to 'port yourself out, I would have to send people in there to kill or mind-wipe anyone who had seen what you did. And if they couldn't do that well then we would have to make you disappear. We'd lock you in a cave you couldn't 'port out of and that's where you'd stay for the rest of your life. We've done it before, done it to stupid young fools who didn't even have the sense not to try out new powers in the middle of a nest of outsiders!** Yui was sobbing now. The Matriarch fixed her gaze on Shoji. He had his best poker face on. **I thought at least you would have more sense than this.** He lowered his gaze. **I should have taken better care of her, I know that.** He surprised himself by finding that he meant it. Gods, she really *could* have been killed! **They'll prepare a room. Take her back to the house and put her to bed. I'll talk to you both in the morning. Make no mistake, I am far from being done with you.** She took her lantern and walked out of the cave. Shoji went to sit down beside Yui. He gathered her in his arms and held her. She continued to sob softly. **We really blew it, huh?** he quipped. He could feel her head nod. Shoji tried to think through what might happen. Yui was of age now, by Ancients reckoning, so she could only be punished for a direct violation of their laws. The destruction of outsider property definitely qualified, but the Matriarch seemed to accept that part as being an accident. Which it had been. One hell of an accident. At worst, they'd be getting the cold shoulder for a while. Which was nothing new, really. A little obsequious grovelling and this would all blow over. There was something else tickling at the back of his mind. It was something in the room, he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He looked around. Had they changed something in here? It looked the same. No, it was more a feeling. He directed his inner eye at the Seed Crystal. His jaw dropped down. **Yui-chan?** She sniffed. Her sobbing was pretty much done. She leaned away from him, wiped her tears away and looked at him with her red-rimmed eyes. **Yes, Senpai?** **Have a look at the Seed Crystal's telepathic image and tell me if I'm crazy.** She looked. Her mouth dropped open and she gasped. She stared in wonder for a few moments before she spoke. **It's so clear, much more vivid than before. It's like I'm standing right in front of it. It looks like the central tower is a thousand meters high!** **So it's not just me. We were here just last month, this must be recent. If it's so obvious just looking at it, why didn't we hear about it? It's the first change in the Crystal in four years, everybody would be screaming about it.** Yui thought about that. Shoji was happy to see that this new mystery had taken her mind off the Matriarch's grilling. **Unless ... it started just now. Tonight.** **Seems like quite a coincidence, us coming here and ... ** his sending trailed away. He looked over at the crystal set in the wall, the one with the lifeforce from the shrine. Yui pointed at it. **Do you think it's because we brought that here?** **It makes sense. Think about it. We're always hearing about how certain holy places can enhance our powers. Especially making telepathy and clairvoyance sharper.** Yui nodded. She actually looked a little excited now. **Yes! Senpai, maybe all those holy places have a lifeforce like that. When I was holding it I felt ... almost invincible.** **Don't be thinking that. Makes it sound too much like a cocaine rush.** She smiled. **It's like we've brought a portable holy place right into the Seed Crystal room. A lot of the clairvoyants come here because they say it makes their visions sharper, maybe it will be even better now!** Shoji grinned. **You know, I think tomorrow isn't going to go so badly for us after all.** ***** "Check." Ami said as she took Setsuna's pawn. Setsuna looked at the little chessboard. Her frown deepened. She leaned back and sighed. "That's it, tomorrow we go back to tennis. I concede." Ami smiled. "Thank you for the game, you played very well." "Ami, you beat me every single game." "Well it wasn't easy, you really made me work for it." Setsuna's mouth twisted into a smirk. "Ami, haven't we had this conversation before?" Ami folded up the little travel chess set. "Anyway, tennis tomorrow sounds great." "I'm glad you agree. I was afraid you might want to play Go! next." "No, it's not really my game. Ryou beats me at Go! about as often as I beat him at chess." "Oh dear, I hope that's not all you two are doing with your time." Ami stabbed a finger at her. "Don't start." Setsuna put her hands up in surrender. "I hope he doesn't feel too badly, us taking you away from him for a week." "No, he understands that this time was for us. It helps, him knowing who I really am. I can tell him about things I can't even tell my mother." Setsuna smiled. "Yes, you're very lucky to have him." She looked out over the ocean, smiled wistfully. "Somebody you don't need to keep any secrets from." Ami watched Setsuna carefully. She thought she was missing something there, but decided to let it pass. She took another sip of her lemonade, and joined her friend in contemplating the seawater sparkling under the noonday sun. They had been here five days now and she still hadn't tired of the sight. "I don't believe you two!" They both looked to see Minako standing over them, hands at her hips. "You must be the only people in the world who would come all the way down here just to play chess!" "I think they're the smart ones," Haruka said, coming up behind Minako. "They didn't get pulled into the beach volleyball marathon from hell." "Tell me about it," Makoto said. She walked past the other two, pulled one of the empty seats at the table and sat down heavily. "Oof. Yeah, chess is suddenly looking very appealing right now." "I'll settle for a drink," Michiru said. She signalled a waiter and gestured to the pitcher of lemonade on the table. He nodded understanding ... refill and more glasses. "Wimps," Minako said, taking her seat. "Volleyball is the sport that God made beaches for." "Oh, I don't know," Michiru said, looking out over the top of her small sunglasses. "There are lots of other interesting things to do on beaches." Haruka was suddenly looking very uncomfortable. "Right," Makoto agreed. "That midnight swim was cool, we should do that again tonight." Haruka relaxed a bit. "Fine, as long as Ami doesn't go missing again," Minako said in a huff. "I had just gone to do some stargazing," Ami said. "Yeah, but we didn't know that, we thought you had drowned or something. That scared the hell out of me!" Ami took her hand and kissed it. "I said I was sorry." Minako smiled a little. "Well, just don't do it again. Tonight, I'm your swimming buddy and I'm sticking to you like a barnacle." "I take it you're done with your marathon," Setsuna said. The four of them had changed after their shower, it was the first time Ami recalled seeing them in anything other than bathing suits since getting here. "We negotiated an armistice," Haruka said. "Michiru has to give Minako her firstborn or something, I don't remember the details." Michiru took off her shades, regarded her partner. "That's not quite how I remember it. I believe you had to promise to take Minako out on a date ..." "Oh, right." "... followed by a torrid night of passion at a love hotel of her choice." "WHAT?" Minako and Haruka, simultaneously. "Uh, guys," Makoto said, "I'll back you up on this, I definitely do not remember that last part." Michiru looked thoughtful. "Maybe I'm getting that mixed up with something else." The waiter came by with their lemonade, and some of them took the opportunity to order ice cream. "Hey, don't forget about us," came a voice just as the waiter was about to leave. "Two more glasses, and an ice cream for my friend," Rei told the waiter. Rei and Hotaru looked like their hearts were as full as their shopping bags. They also sported brand new sun hats, shades and souvenir T-shirts. Rei had her long, lustrous black hair tied about halfway down her back, keeping it off her shoulders. She had gotten more well tanned than any of them, right now she was about as dark as Setsuna. Hotaru, like the others, had been diligent in using sunblock, so had kept her pale complexion. The younger girl was almost as tall as Ami now. Ami marvelled at how beautiful she had become. Her hair was almost the same purple-tinted black as Rei's, but despite repeated suggestions to let it grow still kept it cut straight just above her shoulders. "I hope you two left something in the shops for us," Minako said. "I haven't done any shopping at all yet." "I'm not surprised," Rei said. "This is the first time I've seen you off the beach." "Well, the beach is long but time is short, so we have to live each day like it would last forever." Rei cocked her head. "Uh ... right." "Dear me," Setsuna said, glancing in the shopping bag that Hotaru had set down nearby. "Didn't we overdo it a little?" "But there were all sorts of neat things, and lots of bargains," Hotaru said brightly. "Oh right, I got something for you." She reached into the bag and drew out two bright tropical flowers that had been carefully laid on top of her other shopping. She stood up and leaned over Setsuna. "Hold still." "I don't know about this," Setsuna said as Hotaru carefully placed one of the flowers in her hair over her ear. "I thought of you as soon as I saw these," Hotaru said, ignoring her. She walked over to her guardian's other side. Setsuna obediently sat still, just a hint of a smile on her lips. Ami watched as Hotaru carefully adjusted the second flower to match the first. It wasn't "Setsuna-mama" anymore, but you could still hear it in her voice. Understandably, Hotaru was clinging to this small part of her youth, the part that had not been stolen from her by the alien invaders she had saved them all from. And Setsuna looked quite content playing the role of mother for her. "Now you really look like an exotic native princess," Hotaru said when she was done. "I don't suppose you've got a grass skirt for her in there," Haruka said, peering into the shopping bag. Hotaru looked thoughtful. Setsuna pointed at her. "Don't even think about it." "I thought Usagi was with you two," Minako said to Rei. Rei sighed. "She said something about spotting watermelon for sale. Then I blinked and she was gone, it was the strangest thing." "Gee, you don't think she would eat a whole one by herself, do you?" Makoto asked innocently. They all laughed. Having found watermelon, Usagi was very unlikely to stop at just one. "Poor Mamoru," Haruka said. "His food budget must have tripled since she moved in." "You know, I'm getting very impatient with those two," Michiru said. "Oh, thank you, just leave those." The waiter had just set down a tray with their lemonade and ice cream. He bowed and withdrew. As some of the women around the table reached out and picked up their refreshments, Michiru continued. "For a year now they've been threatening to set a date for their wedding. She must have asked me three times already to be one of her bridesmaids." "Four times," Ami said, holding up that many fingers. "Five," Minako said, doing likewise. "Rei, hasn't she been asking you about what would be auspicious days?" Setsuna asked. "Sure, I've got a whole calendar marked up. Gave it to her ages ago. Say, maybe I should start a pool, guess which day she'll pick for them." "Five to one odds it's this year," Haruka said. "Three nines in the next year, that doesn't sound very auspicious." "Yeah, she is sounding serious now," Makoto said. "I'd bet it's before the end of the year." "A royal wedding," Hotaru said wistfully, her chin resting on her linked fingers. "Gee, after they're married, do we stop calling them prince and princess and start calling them king and queen?" "Technically, we should," Setsuna said. "When the Princess marries Endymion, that will unite the Earth and the Moon kingdoms. She will then be Neo-Queen Serenity." "I wonder if that would mean we've seen the last of Sailor Moon," Rei said. "What?" Minako looked shocked at the idea. "Well, as far as we know, Sailor Moon was just a legend in Chibi-usa's time," Rei continued. "Maybe when Usagi becomes Neo-queen Serenity, she doesn't need to be Sailor Moon anymore." "That would be a shame," Minako said sadly. "I'd miss her." "Yeah," Haruka said, "she really looks cute in that skirt." "Interesting." They all looked at Ami, who was staring off into space. "That might mean she loses her ability to become a Sailor Senshi after she's married. Maybe we're like valkyries and our strength lies in our maidenhood." There were strangled gasps all around the table. An ice cream spoon clattered onto the table. That seemed to snap Ami out of her trance. She laughed nervously, brought a hand up to her blushing cheek. "Ah ... sorry! I was just thinking aloud, that's all." Makoto put a hand on Ami's shoulder. "Ami-chan, that's a habit you're definitely going to have to try and break." "Minako, did you say something?" Michiru asked, looking out over her shades again. Minako blinked, her look of dread evaporated. She had mumbled something that sounded a bit like "A thousand years ..." She laughed, self-consciously rubbing the back of her neck. "Nothing, nothing..." Silence descended on the table like a shroud. Setsuna discretely went back to contemplating the rolling surf. Haruka and Michiru exchanged a glance. They both smiled and shrugged. "Hey everybody!" came a familiar, cheery voice from far away. Ami silently blessed Usagi for her perfect timing. Usagi came jogging down the boardwalk, waving at them, carrying a folded-up newspaper in her other hand, smiling brightly. She ran with somewhat more grace than they were used to seeing back when they had all first met. A few more years of growth and a more serious devotion to her Senshi training had curbed much of her clumsiness. Right up to the point where she tripped on the step up to the restaurant patio, sending her sprawling across a table between two startled tourists. Rei let out a sigh. "That airhead." Ami smiled as she saw Usagi get back up and start bowing repeatedly, putting on her best smile, stammering her apologies. She was switching freely between Japanese and halting English. Ami recognized the couple as people she had spoken with once or twice. Too bad Usagi didn't know they only spoke German ... no wonder they looked so bewildered. Some of it may have been awe over the vision that had come falling down on their table. For Usagi truly was a vision. She had always been pretty, but in the past four years she had blossomed into a stunning beauty. Her golden hair was tied up into the same two round odangos and impossibly long pigtails she had worn since Ami met her, a style that would have looked ridiculous on most anybody else, but was somehow perfect for her. Her eyes were the colour of the sky. Altogether, it was easy to think that she was an angel slumming it down here on Earth ... tonight she would surely trade her shorts and checkered top for robes and wings to go back up and tell the gods all about her vacation. Usagi walked over and took her place at the table. "Boy, that was embarrassing." She hissed and pulled up the arm she had just laid down on the table, started rubbing at it. "Really hurt, too." "Well, you just need to watch where you're going," Rei said, exasperated. Usagi showed her tongue briefly. "I was busy trying to find you after you ran off." "*Who* ran off?" "I told you I was going for watermelon! Coudln't you smell it?" "Usagi, watermelon doesn't ... no, on second thought, you probably could smell it." "Well, your loss." "I haven't seen a paper since I got here," Ami said. "Mind if I take part of that?" "Oh, you can have the front page," Usagi said, unfolding it. "I just wanted to see the restaurant reviews, we need to decide where to eat tonight!" Rei had a look at the section of the paper that Usagi handed across to Ami. "Usagi, that's a Tokyo paper." "Yeah, I know." Usagi fished out the lifestyle section. "It's the one Mamo-chan gets. So?" "We're nowhere near Tokyo." "It was the only Japanese newspaper they had." Rei opened her mouth to say something, then just slumped down and sighed. "Never mind." She took the local news section and opened it up. They all spent the next few minutes variously reading the paper, showing off their shopping, eating ice cream or just chatting. Ami tried to find some news items to read that wouldn't get her depressed. "Hey, great timing!" Usagi said. "Suginae Minori wrote another Best Ten Hidden Gems article, and guess what? It's the best ten places to eat!" "Great," Rei said, peering over the top of her paper. "Any ones nearby?" "Well, the first one's in Shinjuku ...." Usagi's voice trailed off. "Finally clicked, huh?" Rei went back to reading. Usagi laughed nervously. "Well, I was thinking we should all go out to dinner the day we get back into town, what do you think?" There were a few words of agreement around the table. Usagi folded her paper so that just half of the full page article was visible. "Let's see ... boy, these places are scattered all over ... she must have been to every restaurant in Tokyo." Minako giggled. "Usagi, I bet that's a job you'd love to-" "NO WAY!" Everybody jumped. Usagi sounded like she had just spotted a UFO. "Mako-chan, this is *your* restaurant!" Makoto looked like she had just been struck by lightning. "Huh?" "Look, right here!" Usagi plopped the paper in front of Makoto, right on top of her empty ice cream dish. Very hesitantly, Makoto reached out and lifted the paper up a little. Minako and Hotaru had already run over and were leaning on each of Makoto's shoulders, straining to read. Makoto didn't seem to notice. After about a minute of silence, Makoto put the paper down. She still looked stunned. "Oh boy." "I take it you got a thumbs up?" Haruka asked. "Yeah." "Congratulations," Michiru said, smiling warmly. "It's well deserved." Her sentiments were echoed by everybody around the table. Makoto smiled, thanking everyone. She was looking a little less dazed now. "This is great!" Usagi enthused. "Everyone talks about Suginae's Best Ten lists, I've got a bunch of them in a scrapbook." "Yeah, she's very well known," Haruka said. She smiled at Makoto. "Your place is always pretty busy when we go there, but business should really pick up now." Makoto's eyes went wide. "Omigosh!" She stood up, looking panicked. "They're going to be *swamped* this weekend!" Minako squeezed her shoulder. "Relax, Mako-chan. You've got a great bunch of people working there, they can handle it." "But they're going to run out of everything. With me gone, the people who usually go out for stuff will be too busy in the kitchen. Oh jeez..." "Not to worry," Setsuna said, catching her attention. "I made contingency plans, in case any of us had to go back early. There's a seaplane that can take you as far as Osaka. If you really think you need to go back, you can be back in Tokyo in a day." Makoto looked unsure. "I don't know, that sounds like it would be expensive. You've done so much already, flying us out here ..." Setsuna dismissed her concerns with a wave. "They'll be leaving on their regular run later today. I know they've got at least a couple of seats free." She glanced at her watch. "Meet me at our hotel room in two hours and I'll take you to the pier." Makoto smiled, looking infinitely relieved. "I can't thank you enough. Um ... I should probably go call them, let them know when I'm coming back. I'm really sorry everyone, I hate cutting out early on you like this." "That's okay," Usagi said brightly. "It's so exciting! Now I can brag to everyone that I know one of the famous chefs of Tokyo!" Minako steered Makoto back toward her seat. "I think you have time to finish your lemonade first, right?" "Right." Makoto sat down, picked up her glass and tossed it back in one gulp. "Well, I'd better go make that phone call." She stood up again. "See you later everyone." There was a chorus of goodbyes as she walked back toward the hotel. Minako sighed. "Well, that was quick. I'm really happy for her, but it's such lousy timing. I was looking forward to us all going home together. Now Mako-chan's going to have to make the trip by herself." "Well, maybe not," Rei said. "Setsuna, I hate to impose but do you think they'd have room for another on the plane?" "Yes, of course," Setsuna said. "Oh, not you too," Usagi whined. "How come you have to go back?" "I think it's very sweet of you," Michiru said, smiling at Rei. "It will be so much nicer for Makoto, having the company." "Well, there's that, yes," Rei admitted. "But I have my own reason for going back." Ami caught the undercurrents in her tone. "Rei, is something wrong?" Rei made no further attempt to hide her seriousness. "I didn't want to say anything while Makoto was here, didn't want to burst her bubble." "Bad news?" Haruka asked cautiously, gesturing to the section of paper Rei had been reading. "Sort of. Last night there was some sort of accident at a shrine, somehow the whole building collapsed. I recognized the name, a friend of mine is a shrine maiden there." "Oh my God!" Usagi said, bringing her hand to her mouth. "Do you know if she's okay?" "The paper says nobody was hurt, so I assume so. But Miho really loved that place, she'll be very upset. I should really go back and see her." "Maybe you could put her to work at your shrine," Haruka quipped. She put her hands up defensively against the cold look Rei shot her. "I mean it would be very therapeutic for her, right?" Rei smiled, but the look in her eyes was no less dark. "You truly have the heart of a mercenary." She grabbed her shopping bag and stood up. "Well, I'd better get back and figure out how I'm going to pack all this stuff. Setsuna, I'm sorry again for imposing like this." Setsuna smiled. "Not at all. I'll see you in a little while." "Hang on a second," Usagi said. With practiced ease she wolfed down the last of her ice cream and washed it down with the last of her lemonade. "I'll come with you. I found this little confection stand on the way to the hotel. They've got a cake that's something like kasutera, it's simply to die for! Since you're leaving today, this is your last chance to try it." "You've already eaten," Rei protested, not having had any ice cream herself ... or any watermelon for that matter. "I'd feel silly, having you watch me eat." "What are you talking about?" Usagi said as they walked away. "I told you they're to die for, I'm having two." "Fine, as long as you don't go for a swim until an hour after you've eaten," Rei said sternly. "Rei, I'd *never* get to swim if ..." their voices faded out as they walked away. "The way that girl puts it away," Haruka said, "It's astonishing her body can still maintain positive buoyancy." "Speaking of which, I feel like going for a swim," Ami said. "Anyone care to join me?" "Oh, I don't know," Michiru said, sounding a little bored. "I'm getting a little tired of just frolicking on the seashore, it's not really proper swimming." Ami raised an eyebrow. "Well, actually I had something a little more interesting in mind." "Really?" Michiru took off her shades. "Do tell." Ami pointed out towards the ocean. "You see that island out there?" "Yes." "I was thinking of swimming there and back." Michiru looked a little more interested now. "I don't know, I thought it would be more interesting to go around it and swim to the island that's behind it, the one you can't see from here." Ami smiled sweetly. "Oh, you mean the one that's only one kilometre further?" "Dear me, is it only that far?" "I'm afraid so. But actually, if we swim around that one we can go to a sandbar that's on the other side of it. The sandbar disappears when the tide comes it, but if we start now and keep up a good pace, I'm sure we can make it." "My, you've done your homework." "I always do." "Well, that's beginning to sound interesting. I assume you have your bathing suit in your bag?" "Naturally," Ami said, indicating the sports bag next to her. "Good, then we can go straight to the changehouse." They both stood up. "I should think we'll be back by sunset." "Oh, I should think so," Ami agreed. "We'll be a little late for dinner, though." "Yes, we will. The rest of you had better make your own plans, we'll just pick something up later." There was another chorus of goodbyes, and the two of them headed off towards the changehouse. Everybody at the table watched them until they were out of sight. "They really take swimming seriously, don't they?" Hotaru finally said. "Somehow, they take it most seriously when they're both swimming in the same water," Setsuna noted. Minako took a drink of her lemonade. "Ami sure seems to be getting competitive lately. I wonder where she picks that up from?" "Oh brother," Haruka muttered. Minako frowned. "What was that?" "I said, from her mother." "Oh. Yeah, I guess you really need to be the A type personality to make it as a doctor." "I forgot to mention," Setsuna said, looking at Minako. "I saw your concert on television last week, you were very good." Minako beamed. "Thanks. It wasn't exactly my concert, there were a dozen other singers on the program." "But I thought you were a cut above the rest." "That's nice of you to say. I didn't think techno-pop was your thing." "She was watching with me," Hotaru explained. "I was taping it. A lot of my favourite singers were on that program." She smiled. "I mean you too. I'm your number one fan." Minako winked. "Aww, that's what they all say." She suddenly looked around and beckoned Hotaru to come closer. "I'm not really supposed to be telling you this," she said, her voice low, "but, well ..." she leaned even closer, murmured in Hotaru's ear. Hotaru gasped and shot back upright. "He's *here*? I don't believe it! He's so dreamy, I have all his CDs, I've got that big poster of him on my wall!" Minako was grinning from ear to ear now, very pleased with herself. "So how would you like to go meet him?" Hotaru's eyes went wide. "You mean it?" "Uh huh. I just happen to have an open invitation to a private party he's holding not far from here right this very minute. Want to head over there?" "I don't know, do you think it would be okay?" Hotaru glanced furtively at her guardian. "You two go ahead," Setsuna said. She looked at Minako. "Try not to keep her up too late, okay?" Hotaru stood, looking both thrilled and terrified. "Gee, do I look okay? Maybe I should go change." "You look fine," Minako said, putting her arm around Hotaru and leading her away. "Just leave everything to Minako onesama, we'll have a great time!" Setsuna glanced at her watch. "Well, we were all together for approximately five minutes. I think that's a new record." Haruka chuckled. She nodded towards the two walking away. "You really think that's okay?" "I'm pretty sure I know who they're going to see, you can't walk into Hotaru's room without it being obvious who her latest heartthrob is. He's got a squeaky clean reputation, which is pretty much mandatory for an idol singer." "Hotaru seems to go through idols as fast as she goes through boyfriends." Setsuna smiled. "I haven't asked her, but it looks as if there's a young man she's quite serious about now. They don't seem to go out all that often, but she gets at least weekly letters from him. Three or four pages, from the thickness of the envelope." "And her letters?" "She posts them herself." "Yes, that does sound serious. Michiru will be pleased, she's been fretting about how all Hotaru's boyfriends have been semi-literate jocks. So, anything else we've been missing out on?" "Not much you haven't heard already. I think Rei's grandfather is doing rather more poorly than either of them is willing to admit. He'll probably spend the winter down south, like he did last year. I suspect he only has a few years left at best." Haruka's expression darkened. "That's going to be really hard on Rei, when he goes. For all their fighting, we all know she adores him. I guess that would pretty much set her future, I couldn't see her doing otherwise. Unless ... ?" "Someone marrying into the family?" Setsuna quipped. "No change there." Haruka sighed. "Status quo, huh? Thought as much." "Well, be that as it may, there's another relationship that's developing nicely." "Our little genius?" "Correct." Haruka smiled broadly. "Well, what do you know. Sounds like she's coming out of her shell with a vengeance. Didn't I say that year in Germany would do her good?" "Did you say that?" "I very definitely said that." "Well, then I suppose you must have been right. Anyway, I'm just happy to see that she's lost her millennial fever." "What, no more sinister experiments freezing poor little animals in crystal?" "No, she's already done about as much as she can with that. And her reading material has improved, no more long turgid analyses of the nature of evil." "Thank goodness. Half those books would end up in our house, it was pretty grim stuff. After reading some of that, you start to wonder how our species made it this far." Setsuna just nodded agreement. They both leaned back and relaxed, watching the ocean for a while. "So do you think it's all going to fall apart?" Haruka asked. Setsuna didn't look to be at all surprised by the sudden question. "I'd say there's slightly better than an even chance," she said as if they were discussing stock options. "Think we ought to be making plans?" "I think we're in about as good a position as we can be. We're all together," she smiled, "that is when you two aren't galavanting all over the world. We're staying sharp and focused, honing our powers as best we can. Beyond that, I'm reluctant to have us do more." "Reluctant?" Setsuna wore that perfect poker face again. "I want you all to be able to enjoy this peace, however short or long it ends up lasting." Haruka smiled. "Eat, drink and be merry?" "And keep your powder dry, just in case." "Good advice." "Anyway, you haven't told me anything about your own plans. Is Michiru at least going to do some concerts in town before you head back to Europe?" "Yeah, she's already got three nights lined up. Naturally, I've got the advance tickets sitting at home." "Always an incentive for us all to get together again." "Yeah." A knowing smile spread across Setsuna's face. "Haruka, you're a lot like Ami, you answer in monosyllables when you've got something on your mind." Haruka chuckled. But there was still a hint of seriousness in her face. It was a moment before she answered. "It may be nothing. I'm only mentioning it because we always said we would tell you, whenever Michiru had a vision." Setsuna leaned forward onto the table, looking at Haruka expectantly. "It was only once. Two days ago, when she was looking in the talisman mirror, like she does every morning. She said it was very brief, but quite clear. A picture of the Crystal Palace, exactly the way you described it to us." Setsuna's face was expressionless. "Nothing more?" "No. The palace against a black background. That's all." Setsuna pondered that for a moment. "Why now?" she asked softly. She didn't sound alarmed, just puzzled. Haruka had a slight frown on her face. "I'm always afraid to ask you anything when you look like that. You've tried to explain it to me so many times. How you know what's to come but not how we get there. How the Pluto who helped raise Chibi-usa is both your past and your future. I still don't get it." Setsuna's expression darkened. "Do you want to know something, Uranus?" She leaned forward. Her red eyes burned like coals. "I don't get it either." She leaned back and laughed softly. "I'm sorry Haruka, have I disillusioned you?" Haruka shook her head slowly, her horrified expression changing to one of profound annoyance. "No, you just scared the hell out of me, that's all." "Well, quite honestly, I don't know what the vision might mean. I think I'll ask Mars to do a reading when we get back, see if she can come up with anything. If not, then I'll just make a note in the journal and we'll wait and see." Setsuna's tone was casual, with just enough hint of finality to indicate there wasn't much point talking any further on it. "Fair enough. Well, since everybody's abandoned us I guess we'll have to keep ourselves amused. Feel like a swim?" "I'll pass thank you, I'm starting to feel a bit waterlogged. Besides, I have to meet Rei and Makoto in a little while. In fact, I should call and arrange their seats. Once I've done that, maybe we can go shopping for a while." "If you like." "Oh dear, does it sound that boring?" "No, not that. I was just so looking forward to seeing you in a wet bathing suit." "Baka." End Chapter 2 Subject: [Fanfic: SM: Secrets, ch. 3] Date: Thu, 01 Jan 1998 10:50:51 -0800 From: Ken Wolfe Reply-To: Ken_Wolfe@mbnet.mb.ca To: Chris Davies , John Hitchens , Piotr Gaj , echo5a@deskmedia.com, Tim Nolan (file attached) -- Ken Wolfe | Fax: Sorry, I hate fax machines Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | Compu$erve: 73527.2203@compuserve.com Ken_Wolfe@MBnet.MB.CA | GEnie: k.wolfe8@genie.geis.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- Secrets Chapter 3 - The Palace Shoji was sitting on the stone floor staring at the glowing Seed Crystal when he felt a familiar presence approach the cave. "Hi Akechi." He heard the man's footsteps approach from behind. Akechi came and stood next to where Shoji sat cross-legged in the middle of the cave floor. Shoji looked up at him. Akechi was a year younger than him, but with his receding hairline and long, severe face he somehow looked older. Akechi wore his permanent frown like a wound. He looked even more nervous than usual. He wore the same casual but neatly pressed open collar shirt and slacks that Shoji always saw him in. Shoji noted he was putting on a bit of weight. Maybe he was getting lazy about how he went about his hunting. "Isn't that cold?" Akechi asked, his attempt at small talk. "I've gotten used to it. One hot bath and my ass warms up just fine." "Even after two hours?" Shoji sighed. "I suppose Yui-chan sent you." Akechi didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Shoji went back to contemplating the Seed Crystal. The cave was empty for the first time in the two weeks since the change in the telepathic image. Naturally, it had caused quite a stir among the Ancients. So much so that his and Yui's little slip-up had been virtually forgotten. Shoji had finally been able to come here to get some peace and quiet while he studied the crystal. "It can't look any different than it did last week," Akechi said. "It doesn't," Shoji agreed. "Then what's so interesting about it?" Akechi hadn't been one of the Ancients mesmerized by the changes in the Crystal. He rarely got excited about anything other than his hunting. "I've just been thinking of how it got this way." He looked up at Akechi again. "Bringing just one Soul Icon in here made the Crystal's vision this much clearer." Akechi gave him a look that said "so what?" He knew what Shoji meant of course, by now everyone knew they were calling Yui's prize a Soul Icon. It was still blazing brightly in the little crystal resting up on the wall behind them. Shoji continued. "What if we brought in another? Or two more? Or three? Wouldn't the vision get even clearer?" Akechi shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. But it's pretty clear right now. What more would you expect to see?" "I want to know the meaning behind it. What is this palace, where is it? Is it going to exist in the future? When? What's special about it?" Akechi thought about that for a second. "The Matriarch is still mad about what you did. I don't think she'd let you go out and get any more of those things. It's too dangerous." Shoji reached into a pocket of his open denim jacket and took out a little dark crystal. "Who said anything about telling the Matriarch?" Akechi's frown deepened. He obviously knew what it was. "You're serious. You really want to do this." "Of course. How else are we going to find out more, by sitting in here and staring at the same damned thing day in and day out? Tried that, it just gets you a sore ass." "But the Matriarch is right, it's too dangerous. What if you get caught by outsiders?" "We won't. Last time we were caught by surprise, we didn't know what would happen. We just tried something and that poppled out." He gestured back towards the crystal holding the Soul Icon. "With just a little planning, it will be a cinch. Lots easier than any hunting you ever did." Akechi's eyes darted furtively over towards the cave entrance and back again. He looked annoyed with Shoji. He was nervous about any mention of his hunting, especially in a place where they might be overheard. If other Ancients found out what Shoji and Yui knew, he would be in severe trouble. Very severe trouble. "The Matriarch will find out eventually," Akechi said. The wild look flashed in his eyes, the look he usually did such a good job of hiding. Shoji knew that look from childhood, had learned to expect it whenever Akechi anticipated danger ... or anticipated the thrill of the hunt. He had guessed where Shoji was going to take this. Shoji grinned. "By the time the Matriarch finds out, the results will already speak for themselves. They've been trying to figure out the Crystal for centuries, longer if you believe all the stories. We may be able to crack this, find out what it's all about once and for all. If we can do that, nobody will give a damn about a few shrines, we'll be the biggest heroes since the First Ancestor." "So who wants to be a hero?" "You're missing the point." Shoji stood up and stretched, getting the kink out of his back. "If we can pull this off, who do you think is going to be the next Matriarch?" That took Akechi off guard. The wild look flashed in his eyes again, as he contemplated the possibility of a Matriarch who knew his secrets. Then he looked calmer, more thoughtful. Shoji could guess what he was thinking: Yui, a Matriarch who would never raise a hand against him. It couldn't happen immediately, by tradition she had to have at least one child first. But that was easily taken care of, and she already had powers greater than most Ancients twice her age. No, it was not inconceivable. "So what do you say, are you in?" Akechi nodded slowly. "I'm in." Shoji clapped him on the shoulder. "Great. Time to call in the star of the show." He closed his eyes, cast his mind out, looked for one aura among the many. It was the one more familiar to him now than his own mother's, he found it easily. **Yui, can you hear me?** Without even an acknowledgement, Yui 'ported in right next to them. They were both used to her doing that. That is, normally. Right now, they both stared at her in wide-eyed shock. Yui grinned, looking very pleased with herself. **Hi Senpai.** **Yui ... since when could you do this?** **I tried for the first time last week. I was still feeling pumped from getting that Soul Icon, I really felt like I could do it. It was hard the first time, but now it's pretty easy. Surprised?** **Yeah, you could say that.** As far as Shoji knew, no Ancient had ever been able to teleport directly into the Seed Crystal cave. Everybody just assumed that it was impossible. Yui gave their friend a little wave. **Hi Akechi, how's it going?** **Not bad.** He actually smiled a bit. Yui was one of the few people who could make him do that. Probably because most Ancients just tried to avoid him. He was even more isolated than Shoji and Yui, just short of being outcast like the black sheep. And of course, he and she were fellow hunters, though of quite a different nature. It still surprised Shoji, how little it bothered Yui knowing about it. Of course, she thought of his victims as animals, something Shoji hadn't exactly been discouraging. **Akechi and I have just been talking,** Shoji said. **How would you like to go get another Soul Icon?** Yui frowned. **You mean ... from another shrine?** **Yeah. We want to bring another one in here, we figure two are better than one.** He took the dark crystal out of his pocket again, tossed it up and caught it. The meaning of this sunk in. **Yeah, that would be pretty cool. Won't we get in trouble, though?** **Not if we do it right. Just like you figured, the first one made this place even better, the precognitives are in throes of ecstasy. The only reason they're not here with the crystal right now is they're all bloody morning people. If we get another one, we might make it better still. We may even be able to figure out what this vision really means. We do that, and even the Matriarch will have to be nice to us.** That struck a chord with Yui. Shoji knew she still felt bitter about how Himiko had treated her. She would jump at any chance to count coup on the old witch ... what better way than to crack the mystery of the Crystal that had puzzled the Ancients since the First Ancestor had given it to them. Yui nodded. **Okay, I'd like to try it.** Shoji gave her a hug. **That's my girl.** He glanced over at Akechi and smiled. Akechi looked a little disappointed, perhaps he had been expecting Yui to say she didn't want to do this. Yui stepped back, looked up at him. **What should we do first?** **We've got to be careful,** Akechi interrupted. **There are all sorts of things that could go wrong, we have to plan it all out.** **Of course,** Shoji replied. **Yui being able to teleport right in here is going to make bringing Soul Icons here a lot easier, that solves the worst problem right there. As for the shrines, there are things we can do to minimize the risk. Around sunset is probably the best time to hit, it's after closing time but it's still light enough that the pyrotechnics are less likely to attract attention.** **We've got to pick the right one, too.** Yui said. **There are only certain ones that really have a lifeforce.** **We really shouldn't be talking about this here,** Akechi reminded him. Actually, this was probably one of the best places. As long as nobody else was actually in the cave, it was very unlikely anybody would be eavesdropping on them. But Akechi was nervous enough as it was, might as well keep him happy. **Yui, did you 'port from our room in the house?** **Yes.** **Then 'port go back there and walk over to the back garden, we'll meet you there. I don't want anybody else knowing you can teleport into here, we need to be careful about that.** He bent down and kissed her. **Sounds good?** **Sounds good!** She waved and vanished. She was suddenly looking more lively again, no doubt anticipating what was to come. She had been pouting about how much time he had been spending in here by himself. But that stage of the game was over now, time for action. "Not to worry," he said to Akechi as they made their way out of the cave. "This'll be a piece of cake, really." ***** Their morning meditation done, Thetan and his fellow monks filed into the temple's communal dining hall for their first meal of the day. It was the same modest breakfast they had every single day, and as usual it was eaten in silence. This gave Thetan time to think. Yesterday he had met with Jeneth and K'Theelm for the first time in two months. It had been a very pleasant day, they had taken lunch together then walked through a nearby park, talking and catching up on what they had been doing. Jeneth was still consumed with her healing. She had recently found a young intern whom she was positive had latent psychic healing abilities. She was seriously contemplating revealing her own powers to him, offering to be his tutor, to help awaken his powers. It was a hard decision to make. She felt the young man could be trusted. But if he reacted badly to the revelation that there was a whole world he was unaware of, he could expose her, put them all in danger. Thetan had told her the decision was hers to make. Secretly, he hoped that she decided to confide in the young man, it was clear how much she wanted to. K'Theelm had become more fascinated with the Earthmen's information technology. Their software was a realm of pure logic that he could lose himself in, apply his Engineer's mind to without regard for the primitive hardware that supported it. He had found that his own very unique perspective had allowed him to devise ways of using the technology that the Earthmen had not yet contemplated. Already, programs that he had anonymously posted on their communications network had become very popular, had inspired software engineers across the globe to explore new directions, new possibilities. It looked like he had found an area where he could make a contribution without trying to introduce radical new technology. Yes, it appeared as if they had all well and truly gone native. Jeneth and K'Theelm were still occupying the same apartment they had acquired soon after they had infiltrated the local population. But they probably saw each other not much more than Thetan saw them, what with Jeneth spending all her time at one or another hospital. It was astonishing how quickly this world had seduced them all into their own separate lives. Thetan's reverie was broken by the call to prayer. He offered thanks to the Buddha for the good fortune of himself and his friends, offered it with no less sincerity than he had offered it to the divine spirit worshipped by the order on his own doomed planet so far away. His newly adopted brothers connected with the divine spirit in ways that were still new and strange to him, but no less comforting or fulfilling. Thetan soon went to continue the work he had been doing for several days now. It was a major temple renovation that required a great deal of heavy lifting. His size, strength and stamina had made him well suited to the work. And though raised and trained as a warrior, in truth he loved nothing more than the act of building and fixing. Particularly building places where people would live, and most particularly houses of worship. "Brother Russell." Thetan looked up from where he was kneeling, fitting a stone into the new walkway he was constructing. He recognized the monk who had addressed him, a young man who had just entered the temple this year. "Good day, brother." The young monk bowed. "Forgive the intrusion, I have a message from his grace. He would like you to present yourself in his room at ten o'clock." "I understand. Thank you." The man bowed and went on his way. It was nearly an hour before the appointed time, so Thetan got some more work done before going to wash up in preparation for meeting the head priest. Thetan had few direct dealings with the head of the temple, he wondered what this might be about. When he walked up to the entrance to the priest's room, he found another of his brothers also approaching. The sliding door was open, so they both kneeled on the bamboo mat before it and announced themselves. >From within, they heard the priest give them permission to enter. They walked in to find that three other monks were already seated within. They took their place beside them and waited. About a minute later, one more arrived. The priest asked him to close the door. Apparently, all who were bidden here had now arrived. "Thank you all for coming," the old priest said. He was sitting on a cushion behind his low, lacquered table. His normally cheerful face was grim. "Earlier this morning I was brought rather grave news. One of our neighbouring temples has become the scene of an accident." He named the temple. It was one Thetan knew well, had visited several times. "The report I was given was rather incredible. For no reason that anybody can explain, the main temple building collapsed to the ground some time last night. Fortunately, nobody was inside, so nobody was hurt. I have spoken with my counterpart at the temple, he is at a loss to explain what has happened. There is no reason to believe it was anything other than a simple accident, however strange, but for reasons unknown to me the police have become involved. Apparently they wish to examine the ruins of the building without delay. I have offered our brothers at the temple whatever assistance we can give, which they have graciously accepted. I have made arrangements for transportation to take you to the temple grounds. Once there, you will present yourselves to my counterpart there. Most likely, he will put you to work assisting in clearing out the ruins of the building. It is an old temple with many artifacts of great value, we wish to ensure that these artifacts are treated with proper care and respect. Hence, our desire to have as much of the work as possible performed by our own brothers. You will be staying at the temple there as long as you are needed, apparently the living quarters were undamaged and there is extra space for you." His expression became stern. "I expect you all to conduct yourselves properly. It is not your place to speculate on what might have happened, only to render assistance. Especially in the presence of those outside the temple, idle speculation will not be tolerated. If in performing your work you find anything you feel might shed some light on this event, bring it to your appointed superior and to nobody else. We will decide what needs to be brought to the attention of the police." He dismissed them. They went to gather what few belongings they needed and went to wait in front of the temple grounds. The van which had been sent for soon arrived, and took them to the temple. The first thing Thetan noticed upon arriving was that there were more police here than one would expect to be supervising the scene of a simple accident. They had two cars parked in front of the barricade they had set across the front gate. There were officers standing at intervals to the left and right, and presumably around the perimeter of the grounds. The senior of the monks in their group presented themselves to the officers at the gate. It took several minutes to confirm that these were the people whom they had been told to expect. They were admitted onto the grounds, and were escorted up the stone stairway to the temple grounds proper. As they topped the stairs and approached the ruins, two things became apparent to Thetan. First, the building had not simply collapsed. It had been practically reduced to kindling. Thetan could see no piece of wood bigger than his arm. Even the large support beams had been shattered this way. He would have thought only a violent explosion could have done this. Except there was no indication of a blast. All the pieces had collapsed straight down. It was like a great pair of hands had scooped up the building, crushed it and sprinkled the debris back down. The earth and gravel around it looked like it had been churned by a great plough being drawn over it at random. It was no wonder they were all so perplexed, no physical phenomenon by itself could have done something like this. Second, the power he had felt emanating from this place on his previous visits was now utterly gone. To Thetan, this loss was far more devastating, far more disturbing than the impossibly shattered building lying in ruins in front of him. Somehow, the soul of this holy place had been ripped out of it. Thetan suppressed a shudder. Only a being of immense power and malevolence could have done such a thing. They presented themselves to the head priest, and were soon put to work. Thetan applied himself single-mindedly to the task of clearing the rubble as delicately as he could, leaving the task of retrieving precious artifacts to others. There was little to retrieve. About all they came across was pieces of statues or ornaments. Small pieces. Some he recognized as being from artifacts he had seen, artifacts that had glowed with power to his aura vision. Whatever had shattered them had drained them of all life, left them cold and inert as stones. By the time the first day's work was done, Thetan had resolved to bring Jeneth and K'Theelm to this place. They could each bring unique sorts of vision that might shed light on what had happened here. Jeneth's pacifist stance notwithstanding, an abomination of this magnitude could not be ignored, could not go unpunished. ***** "Kino-san, these are the last of them," the girl said as she hung the utensils on their racks over the long, gleaming stainless steel kitchen counter. "Oh, bless you," Makoto said, smiling warmly. She put the mop and pail she had been using back in their place. She took a deep breath and let it out with a low groan. "Lord, what a day. Listen, I'm just about done too. Why don't you take off, I'll close up." "Are you sure?" "Yes, that's an order. Now off with you, scoot." She gave her new waitress a playful pat on the back. "Thank you, Kino-san." The girl walked to the doorway, turned and gave a quick bow. Her smile was weary but friendly. "I'll see you tomorrow." "'Night." Makoto smiled as she watched the young woman leave. She had been quite a find. Pretty, bright, cheerful and energetic, always willing to lend a hand. Already very popular with the staff and customers. Makoto felt bad about the long hours she was making the girl work, making them all work. But none of them seemed to mind. Minako was right, she had a great bunch of people here. She finished putting away a few more things, turned out the kitchen lights and walked into the restaurant. There were just a few lights on, but she could see that the others hand finished cleaning up. All the chairs were up on the tables. All but one. That was the 'collapse chair', a courtesy to whoever was the last one out. More often that not, it was her. So she decided to collapse. *It's a good kind of tired* Makoto tried to convince herself as she slumped down in the chair. Her feet throbbed, she had hardly been off them for about sixteen hours straight. Which in the past couple of weeks had been a fairly typical day. She hadn't even found time to send Suginae a thank you note for the positive review that had suddenly tripled her business. She had been rather anxious these past few months. The restaurant she had sunk the entirety of her deceased parents' trust fund into had just barely been breaking even. But now, tables were booked at her place for the next two weeks. Practically overnight, she had the success she had dreamed for. "Be careful what you wish for," she murmured to herself. She heard the chimes at the front door. She made a mental note to tell everyone to have that door locked as soon as the last customer was out. Lately people had been walking in at all hours of the morning expecting to get served. "I'm sorry, but we're closed," she called out, too tired to even get up and greet the person. "Well, I should think so," came a familiar voice. Ami appeared through the entryway from the lobby. "You should have been closed nearly two hours ago." "Hi Ami. Let me get you a chair." "Oh, don't get up ..." Ami said, signalling her to sit back down as she walked over. "It's okay," Makoto said, flipping over another chair and laying it down beside hers. "Your showing up reminded me I could do with a drink, I suppose you could do with one too." Ami smiled. "I wouldn't say no." "The usual?" "Yes, thank you." Makoto went to open up the liquor cabinet and mixed their drinks. She came back to see Ami waiting patiently for her. "So how long have you been up?" "I did two straight shifts today, plus some extra." She took a good swallow of her drink. "Mmm, that's good. Twenty hours and counting." "Ouch, that's even longer than me." Makoto noticed that Ami hadn't even bothered changing before leaving the hospital. She still wore her white coat. She had at least changed into running shoes. "So this was your first double shift?" "Mmm Hmmm." Ami relaxed, cradling her drink. "Did you have to do anything gross?" Ami laughed. "No, nothing worse than taking vital signs and blood samples. It'll be a while before I'm doing much more than that." "So what brought you 'round here?" "Well, somehow I didn't think I'd be getting any sleep soon. Sure I'm exhausted, but I was really nervous about today so I'm still a bit jittery. I thought you might still be here cleaning up." "Good guess," Makoto said. "It wasn't as bad as yesterday, we actually got the last of our guests out of here less than an hour before our posted closing time." "So how are you holding up?" "Okay I guess. That new waitress is turning out very well, and I hired a new cook this week. Once he's up to speed, I may actually start using my apartment for something other than sleeping." Ami smiled impishly. "And maybe start coming to training sessions again, too." Makoto groaned. "Don't remind me, I missed the last three straight. Next one I show up at, Uranus will really have it in for me." "Well, you'd better make it soon, otherwise you'll be so out of shape she'll have you on the ground in nothing flat." Makoto smirked. "Well, if that's what she thinks, I'll make a point of doing at least one session before they go back to Europe again. So who is she taking her frustration out on in my absence, not you I hope?" "Nobody in particular. Actually, I missed the last session myself." Makoto blinked. "Ami, you *never* miss a training session." "Ryou invited me for a weekend trip to Nikko. I made the mistake of telling Usagi, she insisted that I go." "A trip to Nikko, huh? Sounds romantic." Ami smiled. "It was very nice." She took another swallow from her drink. "We managed to get lost in the mountains, the maps we had were out of date. We almost ended up spending the night out there." "That wouldn't have been so bad." "I like being close to nature, but not that close. Give me a nice warm bed, any day." "Uh-huh." Ami blinked. "What?" "Nothing." Ami shrugged. She tossed back the rest of her drink. She sure went through that in a hurry, Makoto thought. "Ami, if I mix you another of those, will you be able to make it home without passing out first?" Ami smiled, put her glass on the table. "I'll pass thanks. Sorry if I'm a bit distracted." "Something in particular on your mind?" Ami nodded. Her eyes were averted. Her expression was difficult to read. Sort of anxious and uncertain, but softened by a hint of a smile. She sat like that for a moment before she spoke. "He's asked me to marry him." Makoto took in a sharp breath that was almost a gasp. In an instant her feeling of elation was cut through by the reality of what Ami had said, or rather had not said. The meaning of her enigmatic expression was clearer now. "You haven't given him your answer," she said carefully. She did not need to frame it as a question. "He wouldn't let me give an answer. He said there were too many things to think about. I mean, because of who I am. And because of all I know about what's to come. He said I should take some time to think about this." Makoto shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure I understand. Does he think you're unsure about your feelings?" Ami smiled and shook her head. "It's not that. My feelings are the one thing I'm sure about, and he knows that. I'd marry him in a heartbeat." "But ... ?" "We've talked about this before Makoto, have you forgotten?" "No, I haven't forgotten. So we're Sailor Senshi, that makes us different. What's that got to do with your getting married?" Ami sighed. "Like I said, we've talked about it. I've been turning it around in my head so often I can list the points in my sleep. Our lifespans are so much longer, we may outlive by centuries any mate we take. We put ourselves in the paths of malevolent beings whose nature and powers we barely understand, so anybody close to us could very well be exposed to that, be put in danger. We have all pledged ourselves body and soul to the Princess, so we can never truly pledge ourselves to another, not even in marriage. We have to lead double lives, anyone close to us who knows our secret would have to live a lie, just like we do. If our true natures and identities are ever revealed to the world, our lives will no longer be our own, no matter how much we would like them to be." Ami gave a little lopsided smile. "You know, the usual." Yes, Makoto had heard all this before. "Ami, do you remember what we concluded each time we talked about this?" "Yes, I remember. We shouldn't let who we are get in the way of our happiness. That's what *you* concluded, as I recall." "I don't remember your ever disagreeing with that." "No, I never did disagree," Ami admitted. "But now, when I'm actually faced with this decision, somehow it's not that simple." "Ami, I can't believe that Ryou hasn't thought of all this himself. If I know you two, you've already talked about all this, in excruciating detail." Ami smiled. "Yes, it was a long talk." "So you must know whether Ryou has his eyes open." "He does. He knows what he might be getting into, being married to a Sailor Senshi." "If he can accept that, why can't you?" "I'm just not sure it would be fair. I've already pledged myself to another." Makoto tried to reign in her growing feeling of frustration. She wasn't doing a very good job. "Ami, are you saying none of us are entitled to take husbands?" Ami's eyes went wide. "No, of course not! Makoto, that's not fair, this is a personal decision." Makoto reached over and clasped Ami's hand. "I'm sorry Ami. You're right, that wasn't fair. I'm just trying to understand why this is so hard for you. To me, if your feelings are clear then the answer is obvious." Ami sighed. "It's such a big decision, maybe I'm just thinking up reasons to avoid it." "You know what Usagi would say if you asked her." "Oh yes. She'd be mad at me for even hesitating." "I know how she feels." Ami smiled shyly. "Do you think I'm being silly?" "No. The only problem I see is you're thinking too much about this, instead of just following your heart." Ami's expression became slightly wistful, as if she had suddenly been reminded of some happy memory long buried. "You're not the first person to tell me that." They sat like that for a few moments. Then something else occurred to Makoto. She let go of Ami's hand and looked at her intently. That caught Ami's attention. "What?" "Ami, you weren't serious about that Valkyrie business, were you?" It took a moment for Ami to figure out what Makoto was talking about. "Uh ... no, like I said then, I was just thinking aloud." She was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. "That's got nothing to do with it. I mean ... well, it's not really a consideration. In fact, it's sort of a moot point, as it were. That is-" Makoto laughed cheerfully. She put her hands up. "Okay okay, you don't have to spell it out, I get the picture." Ami's face was a lot redder than just the alcohol would account for. She averted her eyes and tried to smile. "This really is silly. I'm supposed to become a doctor and here I am getting all bent out of shape over a perfectly normal biological function." When she caught Ami's eye again, Makoto winked. "Silly girl." "Yes, I know." They sat in companionable silence for a little while. Makoto debated the wisdom of inquiring further, decided that she should ask. She chose her words carefully. "Ami, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but is your relationship with Minako one of the things you've been thinking about?" To Makoto's surprise, Ami did not seem at all put off by the question. "No, Ryou is aware of what Minako and I mean to each other, it's not a problem. Strictly speaking, Minako and I haven't been lovers for a couple of years now. Does that surprise you?" Makoto felt bad about her surprise being so obvious. "Yeah, sort of. I had kind of assumed just the opposite." "Why?" "It just seems like in the past couple of years you two have been ... I don't know, more affectionate towards each other." Ami looked thoughtful for a moment. "I guess I can see why you would think that. It was almost exactly two years ago that Minako and I had a long talk and decided to end our relationship. Part of it was that her singing career was taking off and we would be apart a lot anyway. And of course I would be going to Germany soon. Mostly it just seemed the right time. Don't get me wrong, I still think she's very beautiful and I love her dearly. We figured out that what we both really liked was just to be close. I mean, physically. The two times we became lovers, it was just after we had nearly gotten killed ... once by the Death Busters, once by Galaxia. I guess it was our way of expressing our joy at just being alive." Ami smiled. "And of course, hormones had something to do with it. I guess before we came to this decision, we were both a little self conscious about public displays of affection." "You needn't have been," Makoto said gently. "We all know how you two feel about each other, and we're all happy for you." "I know, Mako-chan. We never doubted that." "And you know what else? When you weren't around we've all been taking bets as to when Ryou would pop the question." Ami's eyebrows went up. "Really?" "Really." "Then you were way ahead of me. He took me completely by surprise when he proposed. I didn't see it coming at all. Maybe love is blind after all." "It's going to be hard for him you know, this waiting." Ami sighed. "I know. I feel awful, leaving him hanging like this. I want this so badly, Mako-chan, but I have to make sure I'm doing the right thing. I have to be sure this is best for him as well as me." "Are you sure that's all there is to it?" Ami's eyes narrowed. "You sound like you think there's something more." "Not exactly something more, more like something less." Ami shook her head. "I don't understand." "I just can't help feeling your reasons for hesitating are a lot simpler, nothing to do with being Sailor Mercury at all. If you marry Ryou, chances are you'll be starting a family sometime soon." Ami cast her eyes downward. She nodded. "Yes, I have been thinking about that," she said slowly. She looked back at Makoto. Her smile hinted at something like gratitude, or at least acknowledgement. "I'd have some really tough choices to make." Makoto just nodded. She didn't need to say more. Ami's mother had tried being a doctor, a wife and a mother all at once. She had only been really successful at the first of those, Ami had mostly had to raise herself. She'd done a good job, and felt no resentment, but Makoto knew that her relationship with her mother could at best be described as cordial. It was natural for Ami to fear treading the same path. "I'll probably end up spilling my guts to all of you before I've made up my mind," Ami mused. "I imagine I'll get much the same answer from everyone else too." "And you know why, right?" Ami gave her head a quick shake. "I don't' follow you." "As far as we know, you're the only one of us who's caught the bouquet at a wedding. You're holding us all back, so you'd better decide to fish or cut bait." After two heartbeats they both started laughing hysterically. Ami nearly tipped her chair over. ***** "Shoji-onisan, can I go first?" "Don't you remember what I said?" Shoji said to the little boy. Then to everyone, "My rules are, first time 'round we go youngest to oldest." He clapped twice. "Come on people, line up. Time's 'a wasting." The gaggle of children around him went very noisily about the business of arranging themselves as he had ordered. When they were done, he had a ragged line of boys and girls more or less from the smallest to the biggest. It didn't look like anybody was cheating, not that anyone else would have let them get away with it. "Okay, listen up," Shoji said, and they quieted down. He pointed out across the field to a huge rock embedded in ground about fifty meters out, just in front of a short, rocky cliff that gouged into a little hill. In contrast to the lush grass in other parts of the field, the ground between where they were standing and the cliff was all bare sandy soil, crushed rock and stones. On top of the huge rock was a smaller one, squarish and a meter high, looking almost like a rough tombstone. It was framed by the blackened, shattered rock of the cliff face. That cliff would be getting some more punishment pretty soon. "That is your target. This time, you get one shot each. Don't try anything fancy, just try and hit it. I'll tell you if it's a hit or not, so no arguing. If you hit, you go over there. If you miss, you go over there. Any questions? No?" He drew a line in the dirt with the big stick he was carrying. "Okay, first one behind the line and give it your best shot." The boy who stepped up to the line was perhaps eight years old. He was best at kinetites, as Shoji recalled. Sure enough, the boy cupped his hands before him, and a little ball of blue-white plasma began to form between them. His little brow knitted with his concentration. When the bright kinetite grew to its full size, he crouched down and brought his hands down to his right side, his gaze now shifted to his target. Shoji smiled at the boy's stance. Looked like somebody had been watching a bit too much Dragonball. The boy shouted and threw his arms straight out before him. The kinetite shot out of his hands, now a dazzling beam streaking out across the field. It missed the rock by a wide margin and detonated against the cliff, kicking up a cloud of dust and sending a little stream of rocks and gravel tumbling down to the ground. "Miss," Shoji declared, bringing a stop to the muttering that had started up among the children. "Good try, though. Plenty of power, but kept under firm control, that's good. Try less movement next time. Don't try to use your body as a source of your power, just use it to focus. The power comes from your mind, your body just directs it, that's all. Watch." Shoji stepped to the line and cupped his hands before him. The kinetite appeared between them, glowing brightly. His hands twitched forward and the little ball of energy streaked out across the field. It hit the rock dead centre, flashing against the surface but doing no apparent damage. Shoji hadn't put much power into it. He turned to face the line of children, putting up his hand to silence their exclamations of surprise and admiration. "You see? Not much movement. Your body can help you focus, but don't become dependent on that, use your mind. Okay, next." Shoji stepped aside and a little girl took his place, not much older than the boy. As Shoji expected, she brought up one hand and a ball of orange-red flame materialized above it. Fireball. A girl after my own heart, Shoji mused. Her approach was as different as her weapon. With no apparent movement, she sent the fireball floating slowly out towards the target. It gained speed gradually, and bobbed this way and that as she adjusted its course. It flared and sputtered as her hold over it slipped away. By the time it flared against the stone and died, it was barely visible. "Hit ... " Shoji said, and the girl grinned. "But just barely." Her face fell. "You tried to keep conscious control of it too far out. When it's twice as far out, how much harder is it to control?" The girl's eyes went blank for a moment as she did the required mental arithmetic. "It's four times harder." "And when it's three times further out?" She used her fingers this time, that took a little longer. "Nine times harder." "Very good. Remember, when you create an artifact, a fireball or anything else, you put some of your own life energy into it. It's almost like a living thing itself, so it can hold itself together for a little while, even after you stop concentrating on it. Take advantage of that. Once you've sent it on its way and it's on target, just let go of it and let it get there by itself. Okay, next." As they worked their way to the older children, the attacks became more powerful, and the ratio of hits went up a bit. The last one, a boy of thirteen, actually took a chunk out of the rock and nearly tipped it over with an invisible force blast. "Hit," Shoji declared. "Well done, go stand with the others. Okay, everybody listen up." He pointed at the group who had missed their shots. "You are all going to sit down, conjure your favourite artifact and keep it stable until I tell you to stop. Get to it." There was a chorus of groans. It was a dull but demanding activity that was likely to leave them exhausted and with headaches. "Work up a sweat, it will do you good." He pointed to the other group. "You are going to line up youngest to oldest, and we're going to try this again. This time, you are going to try your level best to knock the stone over." The third one had just about succeeded doing that with a lightning strike when Shoji felt the presence approach. He looked over to see his mother walking down the path they had taken from the house earlier. When she spotted him, she stopped and stood there, her hands tucked in the sleeves of her kimono before her. She sent no telepathic message and it was too far to see her expression clearly, but Shoji could tell she wanted to talk. "I need to go talk to Kaori-mama," he announced to the group he was working with. He tossed the stick he was carrying out towards the target rock, it fell to the ground about ten meters out. "If nobody knocks it over from here, go out to where the stick is and everybody gets another try." They all nodded or otherwise acknowledged this. He turned to walk back to where his mother stood. He spared a glance at the first group. The were all sitting cross-legged in a rough circle, concentrating on the variety of fireballs, kinetites and ball lightning they had conjured between their hands. Everybody was still holding up. "Hi Mom," Shoji said as he came within earshot, waving casually. She just nodded. "How is target practice going?" Shoji shrugged. "No surprises. Everybody's doing at least passably well for their age, one or two are actually quite good. Nobody really outstanding." "It's not the sort of training they're used to," Kaori said, a hint of disapproval in her tone. "Well, it's obvious they've been getting at least some practice." "One of the things the Matriarch insisted upon," Kaori said regretfully. "That and PK barriers." "It only makes sense," Shoji insisted. "Offense and defense. Whatever our special talents, we should all be able to take care of ourselves. Have to make sure everybody can dish it out and take it too." "As you say," Kaori said, sounding unenthusiastic. "I'm just afraid that this sort of thing encourages a seige mentality. Us against the world." "No harm in being prepared," Shoji said, hoping this wasn't going to lead to another weary argument. "At any rate, the reason I came is to tell you she has summoned you. Yui and Akechi as well." Shoji managed to keep his poker face intact. "You mean grandma Himiko?" "Correct." "Did she say what for?" "I can't imagine." Shoji could hardly have gotten a stronger hint that he owed her an explanation. Shoji sighed. "I can." "Is there something I should know?" "Oh, I suppose you'll be finding out soon enough anyway. Yui's taken two more Soul Icons." Kaori's expression darkened. "Then she was the one responsible for the other shrine that was destroyed. And the temple as well." Shoji chuckled. He tried to convince himself that his nonchalance wasn't an act. "They seem to really like keeping the Weird Shit under tight wraps, but I guess it does get into the papers eventually." Kaori's expression and tone did not change. "Shoji, why on earth did you allow this to happen?" "Because I want the same thing we all do, Mom," Shoji said, a little more serious now. "I want to know what's going on, what this is all about. The Crystal, the Palace, everything." Kaori shook her head. "Shoji, the Matriarch had explicitly forbidden this, did you really think you could keep it secret?" "No. At least not for long." "The Matriarch will be furious." "Not when she sees the effect two more Soul Icons have on the Seed Crystal." Kaori's eyes went wide. In a tremulous voice she asked, "Shoji, you didn't ... ?" Shoji nodded. "Yep. We took them into the Seed Crystal cave. They're sitting there right now." Shoji was surprised to see what looked like real fear in his mother's face. "Oh Shoji, to do such a thing in secret ... " she took a moment to compose herself. "Did anything happen?" "Nothing bad. Why don't you come see for yourself?" She shook her head. "The Matriarch was very clear, only the three of you are to go." Shoji tried to ignore the feeling in the pit of his stomach. That didn't sound good. "Did she say anything else?" "Only to come without delay. You had better go tell Yui and Akechi, they're in the house. I'll go tell the children that you were called away." "Okay. See you later." Shoji turned to go. **Shoji.** Shoji turned back, startled at the intense anxiety in his mother's sending. It was very rare that they spoke like this to each other, when it was not for the benefit of Yui's condition. **Yes, Mother?** **I beg you, do nothing more to anger the Matriarch. For Yui's sake, if nothing else.** Shoji slowly nodded. **It'll be okay, Mother.** **The First Ancestor be with you.** **Thanks.** Shoji turned to go. As he entered the wooded area of the grounds and rounded a bend, he quickened his pace. Kaori had infected him with her anxiety. By the time he got near the house, he managed to tuck the feeling away. **Yui, Akechi. I'm coming to the rock garden. Meet me there, okay?** **Is something wrong?** came back Yui's anxious reply. **We'll talk there.** The two of them were waiting for him on one of the great flat stones that formed the paths weaving through the rock garden at the back of the house. It was a simple place, but well tended. The gravel was freshly raked, the whole thing practically drooled peace and tranquility. A sharp contrast to the mood of his friend and his lover standing there waiting for him. **Have they found out?** Akechi asked without preamble. **Looks that way. We're supposed to go see grandma Himiko, all three of us.** **You think we should go?** Akechi asked. Shoji rolled his eyes. **Yes of course we should go, we have to. Now take it easy, we knew this was going to happen. It'll be just like last time, once grandma Himiko sees what we've accomplished, she'll forget all about being mad at us.** **It wasn't an accident this time,** Yui reminded him nervously. **We deliberately disobeyed her orders.** **It's just like we discussed, we'll let the results speak for themselves.** He stepped onto one of the big flagstones and beckoned them. **Shall we go?** After just a moment's hesitation, Shoji's two companions walked over to join him. They stepped onto the stone, and wordlessly the two men each took one of Yui's hands. She closed her eyes, and an instant later they were standing in front of the Matriarch's house. It was cooler here, and there was a very light drizzle. The dark house looming over them looked even more depressing than usual. Shoji put his arm around Yui and steered her towards the front door. Akechi followed closely behind them. As usual, a man stood guard. Shoji recognized the big, bearded man as one of his great uncles. **We were summoned by the Matriarch,** he said, adding just enough formality not to be rude. **She awaits you in the rear garden,** the man returned, the icy timbre of his sending suggesting they had been keeping her waiting. **I will accompany you.** **We know the way.** **Nevertheless.** The guard led them down the familiar path through the house to one of the elaborately painted ancient sliding doors that led out to the garden that faced the cliffside. Exiting through the door onto the covered wooden walkway that separated the house from the garden, the guard turned right and led them down the walkway. A short distance away, Shoji saw the Matriarch kneeling down on the walkway. Before her was a small bonsai tree in a ceramic pot. As they approached, she reached out and cut off another microscopic bit of green with a tiny set of shears. The guard knelt before her. Shoji heard nothing, but could guess he was giving her a private telepathic message. After a moment, he stood and walked away, no doubt having been dismissed in similar fashion. She had not acknowledged him in any visible way. Shoji and his two companions simply stood and watched the Matriarch as she seemed to consider which piece of the tiny tree was not quite right. The only sound was the drizzle on the stones and gravel nearby, and water dripping off the two great oak trees towering over the garden. **Whose idea was it to ravage more holy places?** Himiko still sat unmoving, contemplating her handiwork. Shoji took a step forward and knelt down on the floorboards. **Grandma Himiko, it was my idea to take more Soul Icons.** **And was it your idea to bring them into the Seed Crystal cave?** **Yes.** There was a pause. **Is there any reason I should not have you all mind scanned, brand you as renegades and have you all cast out with the rest of the black sheep?** Shoji took just a moment to collect his thoughts. **Matriarch, I was acting on a hunch, and I realize that what I have done was not without risk. But in doing this we have discovered something the Ancients have always been longing for.** **And what might that be?** **The purpose of the Seed Crystal.** Himiko snorted and fixed him with a cold stare. **That is some boast, stripling. So tell me, how did you find the thing that millennia of searching by generations of Ancients was unable to uncover?** **When we brought the third Soul Icon into the cave, we spent a great deal of time contemplating the image from the Crystal, which was even clearer. Yui-chan was the first to see it, but when she explained it to me and I looked for myself, I found that what she said was true.** Himiko shifted her gaze to Yui, who was still standing a step behind Shoji. **And what is it you think you found, girl?** Yui stepped forward and knelt beside Shoji. He could see how frightened she was, but she was keeping it under control. It didn't hurt that she had learned how to keep her heartbeat and adrenaline level down with her powers. **When I was in the cave, I tried to read the image like I read the lifeforce of an animal. The same way I read the animals' memories. I wanted to find out where the crystal palace came from. It was revealed to me as if the palace really had a memory.** Yui paused for just a moment. **The Seed Crystal will become the palace.** Himiko's expression was inscrutable. After about half a minute, she came stiffly to her feet. **Follow me.** She walked to where a single stair led down to the garden. She moved to step into a pair of crude sandals that were on the step. **Grandma Himiko, there's no need for you to get wet,** Yui suddenly said. **If you're going to the caves, I can teleport us all from here.** The Matriarch looked up at her. **Very well.** She stepped back up onto the walkway. Yui walked over to her and took the hand the Matriarch offered. Akechi took Yui's other hand, and Shoji stood behind Yui, resting his hands on her shoulders. A moment later, they were on the great flat stone in the familiar little cave, the twisting tunnel to the Seed Crystal cave opening before them. Shoji felt himself relax. He had been afraid Yui would forget herself and 'port them directly there. They followed the Matriarch down the dimly lit tunnel. Shoji kept one hand resting gently on Yui's shoulder. She looked to be holding up quite well. And Akechi just looked very nervous. Only once did he see the wild look flash briefly in Akechi's eyes. That was to be expected, under the circumstances. When they entered the cave, Shoji stole a quick look around at the walls. Three points of light marked the positions of the crystals holding the Soul Icons. Right where he had left them. Whatever the Matriarch thought of how he had obtained the Soul Icons, it seemed she had no intention of removing them. But the cave was deserted. For now, the Matriarch was apparently keeping the secret of the additional Soul Icons to herself and her chosen few. Which meant the prey was nearly down. The Matriarch walked up close to the brightly glowing Seed Crystal in the centre of the cave. Shoji and his companions stood well back. Himiko stood unmoving, silhouetted and dwarfed by the great crystal before her. They waited for what seemed like an eternity. At length the Matriarch turned and walked back towards them. She stood before Shoji and looked up at him, her expression neutral. **As you say, the Palace is the future form of the Seed Crystal itself. So how does knowing this help us? How does it justify the risk of attacking the outsiders' holy places?** Shoji had her right where he wanted her. Barely containing his elation, Shoji played his trump card. **Matriarch, each new Soul Icon we have brought before the Seed Crystal has resonated with it, clarified its image as the holy places they were taken from clarified our individual inner visions. Now when I see the vision of the palace, I see not just a place, but a place with a purpose. It is a sanctuary and a source of power. **Matriarch, I believe that if we can clarify the image further, it will reveal exactly how we can bring the crystal palace into being. The outsiders' world is becoming more and more dangerous, not just for them but for us. Sometime soon it may fall to pieces. When that happens, we may need this sanctuary.** It was three heartbeats before the Matriarch turned around to face the Seed Crystal again. But before she turned, Shoji had glimpsed the look in her face. He saw the hunger and the eagerness, saw enough to know that he had snared her. After a minute or so, she turned to face him again. **If the outsiders see you use your powers even once, I will make sure no outsider ever sees you again. If they capture you, we will leave you to their mercies. If they kill you, we will neither bury nor avenge you.** Shoji nodded. **I understand. Thank you, Matriarch.** **You may all go.** Shoji had to take Yui by the shoulder again, lead her back to the tunnel. She looked stunned, as if unable to believe the Matriarch had just let them go. Akechi just looked a little less nervous. When they were near the other end of the tunnel, Yui stopped and turned to face Shoji, still looking bewildered. **Senpai ... what did the Matriarch mean? Is it really okay? She's not mad at us anymore?** Shoji grinned. **She's too busy to be mad, too busy thinking of all the Soul Icons you're going to be getting for her.** Yui's mouth dropped open as the meaning of Himiko's parting words finally sunk in. **She wasn't exactly giving us an open endorsement,** Akechi noted. **Nope, she gave us something better,** Shoji answered him. **She gave us carte blanche. I was afraid she might keep us on a short leash, even have one of her lackeys follow us around. This is even better than I had hoped.** **Do you really think we can turn the Seed Crystal into the crystal palace?** Yui asked. **One thing at a time,** Shoji said, leaning forward and kissing her forehead. **Today, we go celebrate. Tomorrow, we go visit some more of the shrines, the ones that give you a warm fuzzy feeling. Then we pick one and start planning our next hunt.** End Chapter 3 Subject: [Fanfic - SM - Secrets 4 - corrected] Date: Sun, 04 Jan 1998 19:56:28 -0800 From: Ken Wolfe Reply-To: Ken_Wolfe@mbnet.mb.ca To: Chris Davies , Jerry Yen , John Hitchens , Piotr Gaj , echo5a@deskmedia.com, Tim Nolan (file attached. Minor silly errors corrected, mispelled names and such). -- Ken Wolfe | Fax: Sorry, I hate fax machines Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | Compu$erve: 73527.2203@compuserve.com Ken_Wolfe@MBnet.MB.CA | GEnie: k.wolfe8@genie.geis.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- Secrets Chapter 4 - Night Stalkers "A fine dinner," Thetan said, placing his chopsticks down on his bowl. "Are you sure you won't have some more?" Jeneth asked encouragingly. "No, thank you." "I'll wager it's more than he usually eats in a week, up in his temple," K'Theelm said. They all laughed. Jeneth stood up. "I'll put away what needs to be refrigerated. I think K'Theelm is eager to show you the results of his work." "And I'm eager to see it." Jeneth smiled and carefully picked the big tray containing the remains of their dinner up off the dining room table. "Don't bother with the rest, I'll clean it up later," K'Theelm said as he and Thetan also got up. "Thanks. If you'll excuse me I'll be out on the balcony. It should be a lovely sunset tonight, no offense intended but I'd much rather watch that than look over your shoulder at your infernal machines," Jeneth said, placing the tray on the kitchen counter. "Well, it won't be anything you haven't already seen," K'Theelm replied. He led Thetan to his room. "So you two have reviewed the results already?" Thetan asked. "Yes, earlier today." K'Theelm entered his room and switched on the ceiling light. Thetan followed him in. In sharp contrast to the rest of the apartment he shared with Jeneth, K'Theelm's own room was what could politely be described as busy. One wall was floor to ceiling shelves overflowing with books and stacked magazines. Another wall was dominated by a huge bulletin board on which had been pinned various overlapping newspaper clippings, scrawled notes, software reference cards and the like. Against a third wall was a functional wide steel desk, with a smaller set of shelves resting on it. Only the sliding closet door and the wall around the window was relatively clear. To his credit, K'Theelm left enough of the bamboo mat floor free of cardboard boxes full of Heaven knows what that it was not awkward to move about. There was probably even ample room for him to lay out his futon each night. Thetan knew K'Theelm well enough to be sure that there really was a precise order behind what looked like utter chaos. K'Theelm sat down in one of the little office chairs, and invited Thetan to sit in the other. Thetan carefully lowered his bulk onto the fragile looking thing, hoping he wouldn't damage the tatami mats underneath. He was even heavier than his size would suggest, his muscle and bone built up by means both physical and otherwise. The screen of the computer monitor sitting on the desk was displaying pictures of two planets, slowly rotating. One was Earth, the other their own home planet. Thetan had seen this before, understood that it was called a Screen Saver, though what exactly it was saving K'Theelm had never made clear. "I see you've dispensed with the typewriter," Thetan noted. "Keyboard," K'Theelm corrected him. "Since Jeneth says she's afraid to touch the computer, I'm the only one using it." From underneath the desk K'Theelm pulled out the thing which had made the keyboard superfluous. It was a metal band with a hinge that let it split apart. K'Theelm closed the band around his left wrist and locked it in place. A wire trailed from the band down below the desk. On a previous occasion K'Theelm had showed Thetan what the wire led to, a tangled mass of wires and circuit boards that acted as what K'Theelm called an interface between his symbiont and the personal computer that stood upright on the floor under the desk. Somehow, it read electromagnetic signals that K'Theelm's symbiont sent pulsing through his body, and translated it into commands that could control the Earth computer. It had taken him months to perfect. The screen saver image on the screen dissolved, to be replaced by what K'Theelm referred to as a desktop. The image was divided into rectangular sections, each containing rows of tiny symbols. Each symbol had a name attached in small text, designating its function. As Thetan watched, the image of a little arrow moved around the screen, no doubt controlled by signals K'Theelm was sending through his symbiont. One of the symbols suddenly flickered and expanded to fill the screen. "My symbiont did most of the analysis," K'Theelm explained as he worked. "I'm simply using a graphics program to display the results that I transferred to the Earth computer." The mostly blank screen was suddenly filled by what Thetan recognized as a map of the grounds around the temple which had been destroyed. As K'Theelm spoke, the little arrow, what Thetan had heard him refer to as a cursor, moved around the map, indicating particular places. "Over here, there was a definite signature of spatial distortion, quite recent. Also over here." "Teleportation?" "Almost certainly. It's small enough that it would have to be at most two or three man sized beings. Certainly not a warp capable vehicle. That means one or more beings with teleportation as a natural or induced ability." "Interesting ..." Thetan said, prompting his friend to shift his gaze from the screen and look at him. "The police investigators were telling us to keep an eye out for two perpetrators, who they described as a young man of medium build and a short, slim young woman. Supposedly this was based on an eyewitness at another incident, just a glimpse of them at a distance." "Two people would fit what evidence I found. Perhaps one to teleport them in, and the other to attack the temple." "You think the attack on the temple was also by a person with some natural power?" "Yes. Look here." K'Theelm shifted his attention back to the screen. "A very powerful psionic attack was directed against the lifeforce that was suspended in and around the temple building. It was directed from a single point, right here. The destruction of the building and grounds was simply a side effect of extracting that lifeforce." "Would it really cause that much physical damage, just extracting the lifeforce from its resting place?" "The lifeforce was strengthened and secured over a period of centuries. As to why this happens at certain holy sites ... that question is outside my domain. At any rate, it was extracted in a matter of minutes. One would not expect it to go gently." Thetan thought about that for a moment. "Just how powerful would these creatures have to be, to do this?" "Personal teleportation, pulling deep-seated life energy out of an ancient holy place? They would have to be immensely powerful, at least close to what one would expect of an Avatar." Thetan raised an eyebrow. K'Theelm shook his head. "I don't know if it could be one of the local Avatars. We know virtually nothing about them, other than my own idle speculation." Thetan knew what K'Theelm was referring to, his speculation that the legendary Sailor Senshi were in fact the Avatars. "I find it inconceivable that an Avatar would do such a thing," Thetan said gravely. "Unless they had been corrupted by Galaxia." "We have always assumed that the local Avatars defeated her. Perhaps one or more of them was corrupted by her first, and is still at large." "That's as good an explanation as any. Even if we knew whether it was true, it wouldn't tell us anything useful about these creatures." Thetan smiled. "Quite right." K'Theelm had no use for data that didn't tell him something practical. Which was what made him a natural Engineer. "Do you think it would be worth examining some of the other sites?" "Probably not. This site was the freshest, and by now the residual energy even there will be fading away. As for physical evidence, we probably couldn't find anything the local police forces have not." Which was precious little, Thetan thought. "Then for now it looks like we've learned everything we can. Thank you K'Theelm, this was excellent work." K'Theelm nodded. Thetan could see the unspoken question in his expression. *What now?* Thetan wished he had an answer. No point dwelling on that now. "Perhaps we could go rejoin Jeneth." "You go ahead, I want to finish up one or two things here and go clean up in the other room. I'll join you later." "Very well. See you soon." Thetan got up and went out to the living room whose sliding glass doors led out to the balcony. He could see Jeneth seated in one of the chairs around the little round table there, facing away from him, watching the sunset. Thetan stood there for a moment and let his mind drift. K'Theelm and Jeneth had shared this apartment since he had joined his temple five years ago. He had taken this as a sign that they were growing closer. But as it had turned out, their closeness seemed to be like that of siblings, and would almost certainly remain that way. Thetan felt some regret over that. His own vows, both those of his original order and of his new adopted one, precluded his taking a mate, so he had always thought his two friends would make what seemed to be the only reasonable choice. Taking a mate from among the Earthlings would involve the awkward matter of revealing their true origins ... and of course, their true forms. So far, neither of them was showing any inclination of treading that path. Thetan slid open the door, stepped out onto the balcony and closed it shut behind him. Jeneth turned her head and greeted him with a warm smile. "That didn't take much time." "As always, our Engineer does an outstanding job of distilling the facts to the bare essentials." "Well, you still missed the sunset." Indeed, there was just a tiny, red sliver of the sun still visible at the horizon. It would probably be gone in less than a minute. Thetan sat down across the table from Jeneth, in another chair that faced the magnificent view of the city presented by the high balcony. The delicate black steel railing did little to obscure the view. Lights were starting to become visible down below as twilight slowly descended. Thetan noticed what Jeneth was holding. "Are you still examining that?" "Not really." She turned it about in her hands. It was the head of a small obsidian statue, one of those which had been destroyed with the temple. A jagged edge marked where the neck had sheared off, and chips were taken out of it all over. It was barely recognizable. "I was just thinking about what happened there, somehow it seemed natural to have this with me." "K'Theelm told me what he found," Thetan said. Jeneth didn't need any further prompting. "I'm afraid I can't add much. I saw the same thing that you did. The life energy held in that holy place has been taken away or destroyed. The only thing I could see more clearly than you was the pain, the agony of the lifeforce being uprooted like that. Of course a pool of energy like that has no mind of its own, but still ... " she shook her head. "Whatever did that, must have been capable of feeling the effects of what it was doing. It would have felt just like killing something by inches, like slowly crushing its soul. And yet they did it." "And may very well do it again." "K'Theelm told me how powerful these beings must be." Thetan could hear the hints of anxiety in Jeneth's voice. "Jeneth, I have no intention of putting you in danger." Jeneth shook her head. "You mistake me, Thetan. Yes, I am frightened at the thought of facing these beings. They may even be some of Galaxia's twisted Avatars, the same ones that destroyed our world. But if you feel it is our duty to confront them, I will follow you without hesitation." Thetan had mixed feelings at hearing this. "Jeneth, it pains me that I must ask this of you, and of K'Theelm. We had told ourselves that we are done with the Avatar Wars. But I don't know what else to do. The Earthmen seem to be out of their element. They can't even seem to grasp that they are dealing with beings who can warp reality with their minds. It's like they simply cannot accept the idea. We may be all there is to stop them." "We hardly know more than the Earthmen do," Jeneth reminded him. "We have no idea why they are doing these things." "I don't think these are acts of simple malevolence or hatred. These attacks have been carefully planned to be quick and efficient, avoiding contact with the local inhabitants. There is purpose behind this, of that much I am sure." "Perhaps it is time we once again consider trying to contact the local Avatars," Jeneth said hesitantly. Thetan had expected her to suggest that. "Yes, we know that at least one of them must yet live." The power that had drawn them to this world still lit up this city like a beacon, as strong as ever. The elusive Avatar to whom they and everyone else on this world owed their lives. It could be none other. Thetan felt a sudden unease. His eyes shifted this way and that. It felt something like his Warrior's sixth sense, warning him of a threat. But this was something different. More like hearing a distant scream. His eyes met Jeneth's. She nodded in understanding. They were both feeling it. Jeneth stood up, and walked over to the railing, resting her hands on it. She looked out over the city, its buildings now dark shadows under the dim twilight. "I've felt something like this before," she said softly, still scanning the horizon. "On at least two of the nights where holy sites were ravaged." "You never told me this," Thetan said, standing and going to join her. "I wasn't sure. This one is stronger ... no, nearer." She turned to face him. "Thetan, I think another holy place is coming under attack right now. Nearby." She pointed to the northwest. "Somewhere out there." Thetan made his decision on the spot. He turned, took two long strides to the door and slid it open. K'Theelm was in the kitchen, putting things away. "K'Theelm, Jeneth has detected another attack. I want you to take me there." K'Theelm froze in surprise for just a heartbeat. Then he just nodded, put down what he was holding and walked into the living room. Thetan moved for the door, but K'Theelm waved him back to the balcony. "It's quicker to fly straight out." "We risk-" "Too dark, nobody will see." He was probably right, if they went out cloaked then in this light they would be essentially invisible. K'Theelm dropped his glamour, reverting to his true appearance as he shunted power to his symbiont in preparation for flight. Thetan did likewise, preparing himself for battle. Even when alone, they tended to keep their glamours activated. It was a good habit to maintain. When Thetan stepped out onto the balcony, he noticed that Jeneth had dropped her glamour as well. "Jeneth-" "I can pinpoint the spot more closely as we approach." "I can-" "Not as well as I can." She seemed prepared to stand her ground, and he didn't have time to argue. Besides, she was right. "K'Theelm, take us north west." "Yes, sir." As K'Theelm's symbiont enveloped the three of them in a shimmering sphere of energy, Thetan mused how long it had been since K'Theelm had addressed him formally like this. Not since the day of Galaxia's defeat, probably. Faced with a coming confrontation, they had quickly slipped back into old habits. The feeling of weightlessness came, and they slowly rose up and over the balcony railing. They picked up speed rapidly as they flew out across the city. Thetan fought a slight feeling of vertigo. *Out of practice. I've gotten soft.* But he could see and feel his battle aura come into being, rising to the level of a slow burn. Yes, old habits died hard. And K'Theelm must have been keeping himself prepared as well, he was giving them a fast, smooth ride. "Left by one point of the compass," Jeneth said. K'Theelm complied without responding. Thetan glanced at the healer. K'Theelm's barrier protected them from most of the effect of their passage through the air, but even so they were buffeted by a fairly stiff breeze. Like all of them, the healer tended to go more or less horizontal when in flight, to minimize resistance to the breeze that set her long hair streaming behind her. It also made it easier for her to scan the ground below them. She pointed down. "Over there, the slight rise to the left of the apartment tower." "Got it," K'Theelm responded. He took them down, vectoring straight in on the temple that Thetan could also see now. It was quite dark, but not enough that Thetan could not still make it out quite well. It was a small Buddhist temple sitting on the top of a low hill, surrounded by trees. "Spirits ... !" Jeneth breathed. The temple building looked like it was being demolished. Tiles were being ripped off the roof, and pieces of the sliding panels around its perimeter, the white rice paper in the panes long since shredded, were breaking away. The pieces were being whipped around the building along with dust and gravel from the surrounding grounds, as if it were trapped in an immense cyclone. It seemed like there should have been more noise, but there was just a gentle whisper of wind, a low rumble and muted sounds of breaking timbers. But this was probably not what Jeneth had reacted to. Thetan felt it now too, as if the Earth itself were screaming in agony. Thetan was the first to spot them. "I see two people on the grounds, just in front of the temple building." "I see them," K'Theelm acknowledged. Thetan debated dropping Jeneth off first. But unless they took her further away, she was probably safest near him anyway. "Bring us down ten meters behind them, then withdraw the cloak. Have your shield at the ready. Everybody stay close." "Understood," they both said. K'Theelm sent them plummeting straight down now, giving them just enough time to get their feet under them. It didn't look like he was giving himself enough room to slow them down. Thetan's stomach did a flip as they were brought to an abrupt halt just a couple of meters above the ground. To K'Theelm's credit, he did not falter in his task of lowering them to the ground, even when the building exploded. It didn't exactly explode, it was more like every piece of wood, every tile, every stone in the foundation suddenly broke into pieces. Again, there was not nearly as much noise as there should have been. Instead, there was suddenly a flash of light. Or rather countless lights. A swarm of multi-coloured motes of light shot up out of the collapsing building. They swirled about madly like a swarm of angry bees, but quickly their motion became calmer. They drifted down, coming together into a tighter formation. The screaming in Thetan's head had suddenly stopped. That silence was more stunning than the relative silence with which the building fell down into a cloud of dust. Thetan was momentarily startled to have ground under his feet and a returning sensation of weight, so intent had he been on the horrible spectacle before him. He recovered in a heartbeat, directing his attention at the two people before him. As the energy sphere around them withdrew, his vision of them became even clearer. They matched the description he had heard from one of the other sites, a man of medium height and build, and a short, slim young woman. They were dressed in the casual denim slacks and T-shirts so popular among young people here. They looked just like any of the thousands of young couples who might have been walking about the city enjoying the summer evening. Except that this petite young woman was calmly gathering the life force of the destroyed temple in between her outstretched hands. Thetan strode forward and was about to shout a challenge when the young man abruptly spun about and dropped into a crouch. Thetan wondered what had warned the man, his steps had been careful, noiseless ones. He got his first good look at the man. He was a slim, well muscled young Asian man. His unruly mop of hair seemed lighter than it should have been. His handsome face showed alarm, but no sign of panic. The alarm was quickly giving way to wonder and bewilderment. Without their glamours, Thetan and his two friends were clearly not human, even to a casual glance. His companion also turned around now. She gasped at sight of the newcomers. The bright kaleidoscope of light held between her hands wavered slightly, but she held it in place. Thetan only spared her a quick glance. She looked even younger than he had supposed. She just stared at him with wide eyed shock. So they were apparently unused to seeing extraterrestrials. Whatever powers they had, they were undoubtedly Earthlings, they would be confused by the appearance of these alien beings. Well and good, time to press his advantage. The young man was probably the greatest threat, if for no other reason than that his hands were free. Thetan decided to address himself to that one. He stood in place and fixed the man with an icy stare. "I am Thetan of the Warrior Caste. I have witnessed your crime. You have defiled a holy place. You will answer for that in due course. Right now, you will return the life energy of this temple to its rightful place." The young man gave no answer, just stared at him. His eyes shifted, he looked distracted. No doubt also sizing up Thetan's companions, who would look equally strange to him. Thetan was about to repeat his demand when his sixth sense tickled. He spun around to shout a warning, but it was too late. Another man had already grabbed K'Theelm's neck from behind. The Engineer convulsed, his eyes glazed over and he started to fall. Jeneth shrieked and sidestepped away. She would have sensed the psionic attack just as Thetan now did. Thetan's battle aura flashed and crackled as he prepared to blast the attacker. Acting on pure instinct, Thetan spun around and threw up a psionic shield just on time to deflect the orange-red tongue of flame that the first man had thrown at him. It splashed against the barrier, sent him staggering back. *Strong. Won't be able to deflect many of those.* He could only spare his companions a quick glance. The attacker was nowhere in sight. Couldn't have moved that fast, must have teleported or cloaked. Jeneth was already kneeling over the comatose K'Theelm, examining him. She should have been watching out for the other attacker. There wasn't exactly time to suggest that right now. The next attack was two fireballs in quick succession. Thetan's shield held. He was gathering his ki for a counterattack when the man spread out his arms and suddenly he and his companion disappeared behind a wall of flame. Thetan kept his place in front of his companions, kept his shield at the ready. It could be an illusion through which a new attack would come. He reached out with his sixth sense, trying to locate the other attacker. Nothing. He was debating shooting a force blast through the flame barrier, blind. If those people had any sense they would have shifted position by now, but ... The barrier abruptly disappeared. There was nothing on the other side but the collapsed temple. They were gone. Thetan turned back to his companions. Jeneth had put K'Theelm on his back. She was kneeling over his head, his face cradled in her hands. His eyes were closed now, and Thetan could see him breathing. "How is he?" "Just unconscious. It was a powerful psionic attack. His symbiont protected him, there won't be any permanent damage. But he won't wake up for hours." Her words were clinical, but she couldn't hide the distress in her voice. She was hunched over K'Theelm, Thetan couldn't see her face. It sounded like she was probably crying. He could hardly blame her, K'Theelm was like a brother to her and he could have been killed. They all could have. Thetan cursed himself. He had *known* there could easily be a third enemy, but he had dropped them down here like some over anxious greenhorn. There would be plenty of time for self recrimination later. "Can he be moved?" "Yes." "The local authorities could be here any minute, we should move him out of here." "I saw a side entrance to the grounds on the way down, perhaps we should use that." Well, at least somebody was doing a good job of looking ahead, Thetan thought bitterly. He bent down, and easily picked K'Theelm up in his arms. Jeneth led him down a path through the line of trees to where she thought there was a gate. It was locked. Thetan put K'Theelm down long enough to force the lock, then carried him out onto the street beyond. By the time they found a little park a couple of blocks away, they heard sirens approaching the temple behind them. Somebody had taken note of the fireworks. Thetan set K'Theelm down on the ground under a tree in a dark section of the park. "How are we to get him home?" Jeneth asked, sitting down beside him. Thetan considered this. "Jeneth, I understand you have some minimal rapport with his symbiont, do you think you could coax it into activating his glamour?" "Yes, I think so." "Then I can go call a taxi cab. We'll explain to the driver that our friend has overindulged in drink, and we are taking him home." And if he didn't believe that, Thetan could easily make him believe it. Jeneth laid her hands over K'Theelm's head again. It was several minutes before the glamour reasserted itself, making him look human again. His human guise appeared to be sleeping peacefully. "Are you okay?" Thetan asked, noting that Jeneth was shaking slightly. "Yes. It was difficult, the symbiont is still agitated from the attack." "Then I'll let you rest for a few minutes. I saw a phone box a block back, we can take him back there." "That reminds me." Jeneth reached into a back pocket of K'Theelm's trousers and drew out a wallet. Thetan frowned, wondering what she was up to. That is, until she found and removed a telephone card. "It's a good thing he always carries this." She looked at him, and her smile faded. "Thetan, is something wrong?" "Not really, I was just thinking how much better a job of planning ahead you've been doing. Tonight I've behaved no better than a reckless child." Jeneth shook her head. "Thetan, you know that's not true. We saw an opportunity to oppose a force of chaos, and we took the risk. Nothing more." "But the risk was not mine alone." "K'Theelm and I took the same oaths." True enough. Each caste had its own set of oaths, its own set of obligations which was pressed upon anyone who chose to enter. But the one oath they all had in common was to fight the forces of chaos, whatever form they may take. "Well, if we're going to uphold our oath, no more halfway measures," Thetan said. "From here on, we are fully dedicating ourselves to hunting down these criminals. We'll show them as little mercy as they showed us." A little later, Jeneth suggested they start moving. Thetan carried K'Theelm over to the phone box, and Jeneth made the call. As it turned out, the cab driver didn't really care why a monk and a pretty American woman were carrying some drunk skinny guy around late at night. It's a strange world, shit happens. ***** Usagi looked up from her reading assignment. It sounded like Mamoru had made some sound. He had stopped typing on his laptop. His expression was odd. "Mamo-chan, is something wrong?" He looked at her and shook his head. "No, I just had this odd feeling for a moment. Like something was wrong. Anyway, it's gone." He shrugged. "Maybe somebody was talking about me." "You're supposed to sneeze when that happens," Usagi quipped. Mamoru smiled. "Okay then, maybe my subconscious is trying to remind me of something I've forgotten." "Well, you did forget to get me my ice cream at the store today." "I'm afraid not. We agreed, one bucket per week. Not my fault you ate it all in two days." "Oh well, it was worth a try." Usagi closed the book she was reading, rolled onto her back and stretched out cat-like on the carpet, uttering a low sigh. "Oh, my brain hurts, it just can't hold any more." "Well, you've been at it for three hours, I'm impressed. I had that reading assignment too, It's pretty tough." "Does that mean you won't scold me if I take a break?" "Well ... I could probably do with a break too, so why not." Usagi smiled sweetly. "Why thank you, Senpai." Mamoru chuckled at the running joke. Usagi was taking many of the same liberal arts courses Mamoru had when he was in university, so inevitably he ended up giving her help and advice, just like any good upperclassman would. Usagi crawled over to where Mamoru was sitting cross-legged in front of the coffee table. She gave him a kiss and snuggled up next to him, peering down at his laptop. "So what'cha doing?" "I'm starting to type up my new article, the one on recent terrorist acts in Japan." "I thought you didn't want to do that one." "Well, they really want it so the money's good. I've managed to convince them I should change the slant a bit, talk more about incidents further in the past. It means more research work, but I think it'll be worth it." Usagi remembered him talking about this before. He felt uncomfortable writing on that subject, it seemed too much like jumping on the millennial doom bandwagon. "Well, try not to make it a doom and gloom piece, okay? There's too much of that." "Couldn't agree more." Mamoru touched a key to save his file, then folded the laptop screen down. He leaned back against the couch behind him, and Usagi settled into a more comfortable position next to him. He wrapped his arm around her and she sighed contentedly. Yes, she really had needed this break. She closed her eyes and just let the music wash over her for a few moments. Some time after she had moved in they had settled on the subsets of each other's CD collections that was acceptable to both. Her techno pop and his classics had mostly been pushed aside in favour of her new age and his jazz. It was one of the former playing right now. "Is this calendar what I think it is?" Usagi heard Mamoru ask. She opened her eyes to see him fingering a calendar that was lying on the coffee table. "Yep. I was looking at it today, I think I've settled on a date." "Again?" She poked him and he grunted. "Smart aleck. Open it up to October." He slid the calendar closer, turned over a couple of pages, then picked it up and held it for them both to see. "Hmmm ... on a hunch, I'd guess it's the day where you've drawn the little rabbit head and the top hat inside the pink heart shape." "Mmm Hmmm. You like it?" "What, the day or the drawing? Ouch! Sorry. Sure, the day is fine. It's the one that Rei suggested in the first place, after all that research you had her do." "Well it's important. We're going to be married for at least a thousand years, we want to start it off on a lucky day." "I'm all for that. Just make sure you keep this calendar around." "Why?" "So that I don't forget our thousandth anniversary." Usagi put on her best femme fatale look. "Mamo-chan, I am running out of spots to hit that don't hurt very much." Mamoru drew her closer and kissed her warmly on the forehead. He drew back and looked at her, more serious now. "So you've really decided?" Usagi smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'd like it to be that day." "Really and truly?" "Really and truly." "Really and truly and really and truly?" "Really and truly and really and truly." "Really and truly and-" "Mamo-chan!" She did manage to find one more spot that wouldn't really hurt ... much. They ended their fit of laughing with a long kiss. Mamoru pulled away slightly and took Usagi's hand. "Okay, I guess that's settled. I'll call Rei's grandfather in the morning, so he can free up all those other days at the shrine we had reserved. We'll have crossed the Rubicon then, so there'll be no getting out of it." "Crossed the what?" A minute into Mamoru's lesson on Roman history, Usagi regretted asking. "Okay, so it's the point of no return, right?" "Uh-huh." "Then I guess we'd better start getting visas and stuff for our honeymoon." "Well, before I call tomorrow we should decide at least one other thing." "What's that?" "Maid of honer." Usagi's feeling of elation at having finally announced her decision went down just a notch. In a way, this other decision had been even harder. Of course it was a no brainer figuring out who her bridesmaids would be. But to choose one among them for the position of honer ... that had been agonizing. "Actually, I've decided that already. I'm going to ask Rei-chan." Mamoru smiled. "Naturally." "What do you mean naturally? It was a hard decision for me!" "I know, Usako," Mamoru said, reaching out and gently stroking her hair. "I know it was hard. But really, your choice was inevitable." Usagi's indignation melted away. But she felt uneasy, they were heading into an area where they needed to tread lightly. "Why do you say that?" she asked hesitantly, trying to sound neutral. "Because she's in love with you." Usagi just stared at Mamoru. She wasn't sure what answer she was expecting, but it wasn't that. Before she could decide how to respond, Mamoru's expression relaxed. "Anyway, your decision makes mine easier. I've decided to ask Yuichirou to be the best man." Usagi was taken by surprise again. Thoughts of Mamoru's previous statement faded away. "Really? I thought for sure you would ask Motoki." "It was a tough choice for me too. I've known Motoki longer, and I probably know him better." "Then why?" Usagi knew that Mamoru and Yuichirou had come to know each other better over the past few years. They did all sorts of things together, had even gone on a couple of long cycling tours in the country together. But still, they weren't exactly best friends. "I'm pretty sure he knows about us." His meaning took a moment to sink in. "You mean ... do you think Rei told him?" "I'm not sure. He's sort of dropped hints, like there's this thing we have an understanding about, but we don't talk about it. I'm certain he at least knows about Rei being Sailor Mars, even if she hasn't told him outright." Usagi nodded. "I've suspected that he might. I know I should have asked Rei by now. I mean, if there's somebody else who knows our secret, we should all know about it, right? I just ..." "What?" Mamoru asked encouragingly. Usagi sighed. "I guess I was afraid of giving Rei an excuse for ending her relationship with Yuichirou." "Security risk?" "Yeah. I want nothing more than to say 'tell him', and I would if I was sure she really would do it. It would be the best thing for them, no more secrets. I mean look at Ami and Ryou. Knowing about her didn't drive him away, it brought them closer. But Rei is so stubborn, she might just do the opposite and send him away. She's so much into that stoic self- sacrifice thing. Sometimes it gets me mad." "Looks that way." Usagi blinked, realizing she had gone off on a tangent. She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." She gave him a little peck on the cheek. "We were talking about our wedding." "Oh yeah, I forgot." Usagi had run out of places that wouldn't hurt much. She got a satisfying noise out of him. "That was harsh. Anyway, I sort of like the idea of having a best man who at least kind of knows who we are. It'll make it seem just a little more like a royal wedding." "In that case, I approve. Anything else we need to decide on tonight?" "Nothing in particular, why?" "Making all these important decisions is hard work. I'd like to do something easier right now." "Like what?" Usagi grinned. She reached over and took the little package from the table, the one she had picked up from the photo shop today. "Like deciding which of these pictures from our trip I'll be putting in our album." They spent a little while going through the pictures. They were mostly group shots, but Usagi had managed to get a few good candid shots. What she lacked in skill with the camera she more than made up for in good timing, she seemed to have a knack for catching people in embarrassing moments. The one of Setsuna had them both rolling on the floor. Mamoru wiped a tear from his eye, his laughing fit done with. "Heh ... whoa ... okay, how did she get so sopping wet?" Usagi pulled herself up against the couch, also still breathing heavily. "Well ... you see ... she didn't seem to quite understand what a dolphin show entailed. She sat in the first row." "So you just let her do that." "Hey, I was there with her, I got just as wet." "I'll bet you weren't in a straw hat and sarong, though." Usagi grinned. "Nope, I was in my swimsuit, and the camera was in a waterproof fanny pack." "You're evil." "But it was for the sake of a great shot. I take my art seriously." "Yeah. Can you imagine what she'd pay for the negatives?" Usagi sniffed. "And you say I'm evil." "You know, Usako, I'd be careful about pulling this sort of thing on a woman who can change the course of history any time she wants to." "Oh, she was a good sport about it." "I don't know, she looks about ready to kill somebody there." "A few seconds later she was laughing as hard as everybody else. Anyway, that one is definitely going into the album." "I wondered why this table was suddenly looking so cluttered." Mamoru reached over and picked up the big photo album. "You were planning to update the album." "I've already been rearranging the pictures a bit." "Oh?" Mamoru put the album on his lap, and let it fall back to lean against the coffee table, angling it for them both to see. He flipped open to the first page. "Well, it already looks different." "You know what this is, right?" "Hmmm, let's see ..." On the left was a blown up shot of Mamoru in the green jacket and black turtleneck he usually wore around the time they first met. On the right were four regular sized pictures, one each of Ami, Rei, Makoto and Minako. They all appeared to be from their junior high days. "Oh, I get it. That's the first picture you ever took of me." "Bingo. And those are the first pictures I ever took of Ami, Rei, Mako-chan and Minako." "Well, I know the story behind mine, you caught me unawares in front of the Crown arcade ... " "You wouldn't exactly have posed for me back then." "... but what about these ones?" Usagi pointed at the one where Ami was about to take a bite out of a hamburger. "That was a couple of days after I found out Ami was Sailor Mercury. I was so happy to find another Sailor Senshi, I really wanted to celebrate. So I took her on the Usagi special Tokyo shop-'til-you-drop tour. I knew how smart she was, I was kind of afraid she'd be stuck up and everything. But she was so sweet, she didn't even make fun of me buying only manga at the bookstore. I think Luna was pretty relieved to find her, she got along with Ami a lot better than she got along with me. I know it was mostly my fault, I feel kind of bad about it now." "You really were a terror then." "Hey, I can still be a terror when I want to be." "Tell me about it." Usagi decided to let that one slide. She pointed to a picture of Rei in her shrine maiden robes, holding the broom with which she waged her never ending battle against the leaves of Hikawa shrine. "This one was just a day before I found out that Rei was Sailor Mars." "Before? I thought you two had just met then, why do you have a picture of her?" "Well ..." Usagi could feel herself blushing. She looked down, started playing nervously with the end of one of her long pigtails that lay spilled all over the carpet. "Back then I sort of had a crush on her." "Now that I find hard to believe." "Why is that so hard to believe?" Usagi shot back. She knew she was overreacting, he really wasn't teasing her. "Usako, remember, I was *there* when she awoke as Sailor Mars. You two were like oil and water right from day one." "Well, yeah, we would fight a lot back then. But I still thought she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. I still think so. I mean, now she's even more gorgeous. I guess that was why I always felt so jealous whenever she got within a mile of you." Mamoru nodded. "I understand, Usako." Usagi felt suddenly apprehensive at hearing his serious tone. "You do?" "Of course." Mamoru took both her hands in his own, looked intently into her eyes. "You were afraid I would take her away from you. I understand that now." It took a moment for the penny to drop. Usagi narrowed her eyes. "Mamo-chan, do you enjoy having me hit you?" He just grinned. "I'll take that as a yes ..." She folded her arms, turned away from him and stuck her nose up. "Which means I won't." "You won't?" "Nope." She turned back to face him. "I'll just tickle you to death." She pounced. Pinned between the sofa and the table, with the big album still sitting on his lap, he had nowhere to manoeuvre. She knew from long experience exactly where to hit. She stopped once he started begging for mercy. "You had enough now?" Mamoru just grinned and nodded, still panting. "Let that be a lesson to you. There are some things you just don't joke about." "Sorry." He was still smiling, but he sounded like he meant it. He brought the album back down off the table, where he had somehow managed to slide it while under attack. "So why don't we continue our trip down memory lane." Usagi took note of how Mamoru had managed to deftly change the subject again. She felt more than a little grateful. She slid next to him again, and he wrapped an arm around her. She pointed to a picture of Makoto smiling uncomfortably at the camera, and holding onto a tray on which was an exquisite cake. "That's from the first time Mako-chan invited me over to her apartment. It was a few days after we'd found out she was Sailor Jupiter. She said she'd make anything I wanted for dinner, but somehow all I could think of was cake. She made a nice dinner too, but she really went all out with the cake. I thought it was so pretty, I just had to take a picture. I wanted to take some more of her to commemorate the event. But she was a bit camera shy, so I ended up just taking a couple of pictures of her place with plants everywhere. I was really surprised. I mean, everybody had her pegged as this tomboy troublemaker. I knew the troublemaker part must be a lie, I could see how nice she really was. But then I went to her place and she had this kitchen with professional stuff right out of a TV cooking show, and all these beautiful plants, even orchids and things." "And her restaurant looks even greener," Mamoru said. "Boy, you got that right!" Usagi would swear she had spent half her parents' money just filling the place with plants. "Ami tells me she's going to be getting even more with all this money she's making. Honestly, her waiters will be spending half their time watering plants! Ami even suggested she design some sort of automated watering system for the place, can you believe that?" "I'll bet that got thumbs down." "You'd better believe it." Usagi closed her eyes, raised an index finger and recited. "'Watering plants is an act of love. You can't deny them love any more than you can deny them water,' to paraphrase." Mamoru chuckled. "Good impression, you're getting better." "Thanks. I do a passable Ami too." "Your Minako is still the best." Usagi wrinkled her nose. "Well, that's no effort at all." Mamoru pointed at the picture of Minako in her school uniform, mugging for the camera and flashing her trademark V for victory sign. "And that's one girl who's not camera shy." "I don't think I've ever gotten a candid shot of her, I swear she can smell a camera a mile away. This one was at least a couple of weeks after we'd met her, maybe longer. I guess around that time, I wasn't much into taking pictures." "That's understandable," Mamoru said gently. Usagi smiled, wanting to show him it wasn't a problem talking about it. "We actually did have a sort of party for her just a couple of days after we wasted the Starlight Tower. To welcome the newest Sailor Senshi and all. I was still upset over your having been captured by Beryl, but I more or less forced myself to go. I actually managed to have a good time, it really made me feel better. Now I wish I did have a picture from that party." "I had thought she was the one you had a crush on." "It was more like hero worship. I mean, when I found out she had really been Sailor V, I just flipped out. Having her with us, I thought now we can do anything. I think that's what kept me going, all that time when Beryl had you. And she was just so nice to me too, doing everything she could to cheer me up. Here we had just met, and she was already treating me like her oldest and dearest friend." She sniffed. "Aw jeez, there I go again." She reached up and wiped a tear away. Mamoru put the album up on the table. He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "Why don't we put your new pictures in there some other time?" She smiled at him. "Sure." She felt silly, getting worked up like this. She had actually wanted to show him the next page, where she had arranged her earliest pictures of Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna and Hotaru. But maybe this wasn't the time. Mamoru gently stroked her cheek. "You okay now?" "Uh huh. You know what I was thinking?" "Tell me." "None of them ever asked to be Senshi, maybe Pluto didn't either. But they've all given up so much of their lives for me, even died for me. I've always wished I could give something back to them. Now I finally feel like I have given something back." Mamoru frowned, looking puzzled. "Finally?" "This world that I've helped to protect, that we've all helped to protect, is finally letting them find some happiness. It's letting them all follow their dreams. It seems odd to say, but when Makoto's restaurant suddenly became a big success, I just thought that's the reason for everything we've gone through." "It's not odd at all, Usako." He moved his hand down to her neck and shoulder, caressing, almost massaging. It felt good. "You're right, that is the reason for everything we've endured. So that we can pursue our dreams, at least for a little while." *At least for a little while.* It seemed that sort of caveat was being added to everything lately. But Mamoru was kissing her again, and she just lost herself in the moment. He leaned back and smiled. "You about ready for bed?" "Mmm Hmmm. Bed sounds like a fine idea." ***** "Akechi, you'll wear a hole in our carpet," Shoji said. "Why don't you sit down and finish your drink?" Akechi complied, sitting on the edge of the couch, barely making contact with it. He grabbed the gin and tonic Shoji had made him and tossed back what was left of it. "Didn't mean that literally." "Dammit, they were fucking *aliens*," Akechi spat, mostly to himself, not looking at Shoji. "Yeah, I saw." "Why are fucking aliens suddenly after us?" "We've been over this, Akechi. I haven't got a clue." They sat in silence while Akechi fumed. He'd practically been bouncing off the walls since they 'ported back to the apartment Shoji shared with Yui. As for Yui, she had stayed in the living room just long enough to squeeze the Soul Icon into the crystal that now stood on the mantlepiece, glowing brightly. Then she had gone to take a bath to calm herself down. Shoji had some idea what would calm Akechi down, he was just waiting for the right time to suggest it. "I still don't like keeping this from the Matriarch," Akechi said, glaring at him. "She may know something about them, something that would help us." "And what would the Matriarch know about aliens? She's not a goddess or anything, Akechi. We tell her, she'll probably just get nervous and shut us down." "Yeah? Well right now that sounds like a *damned* good idea to me!" Akechi said, punctuating his outburst with a finger thrust at Shoji. Shoji debated offering another drink, decided against it. That would just make him more argumentative. "Okay, let's review." He stood up from the oversized armchair that he and Yui could squeeze into when they wanted. He paced as he talked, thinking that might mitigate Akechi's desire to do the same. "We've got three aliens. One of them knows how to cloak and how to levitate. You saw hints of it before they landed, would have seen it earlier if you knew what to look for. So their cloak's not that good, certainly not as good as yours." "Mine's not a cloak, technically speaking." Good, he was thinking technical now. "Granted. It still works better than theirs, you got the drop on them no problem." "For what good it did." "Okay, that's the next point. At least two of them have shields. And not very good ones either." "Good enough. I gave that guy everything I had, his brain should have been blood porridge." "For all we know, it was. Just because you didn't see blood gushing out of every orifice doesn't mean he survived. We may have dropped one of them already." "And how many more will come next time? Maybe they were just playing for time until more of their friends could arrive. What he said suggested they're part of some big organization, a caste or something." "Yeah, and maybe they've got a star fleet parked behind the moon. Whatever. The solution is simple. From now on you stick close to us. Any nasties show up, Yui drops the Soul Icon and we 'port out." "Can she do that? Just stop cold?" "She's gotten a lot better control over it now. Better at masking it too. I bet next time, they won't even see it happening, whoever in hell they are." "Well, they sure saw it this time. Maybe they've got a surveillance network or something." "Could just as easily be a halfways decent sensitive. Maybe that wimpy broad is their eyes and ears. We take her out, they're deaf and dumb. Anyway, all in all they're not so shit hot. If what we saw is the best they have to offer, they're little more than a nuisance." "How many more of these things do you figure we need to get?" Shoji shrugged. "We'll just get one at a time. We go to the cave, Yui sees what she can see. She thinks we need another, we get another. We'll sit tight for at least a week, regardless. Sound good?" After a moment, Akechi nodded. He looked a bit calmer now. Maybe time to suggest something that he will like. Shoji walked over and sat down beside him. "You know what I think you need right now?" "What?" Shoji clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I think you need to go out on a hunt." The wild look flashed in Akechi's eyes. Shoji felt him shiver. Yes, it looked as if he liked that idea. He smiled. "You want me to get Yui to 'port you somewhere?" "No." He stood up. "Think I'll just head straight out. Could probably do with a walk afterwards." "That's the spirit." Shoji walked him to the door. Akechi's apartment was just a couple of kilometres away from here, after he was done with his business he could walk there easily. Would probably do him some good, work off the nervous tension. "Oh, and Akechi?" Akechi rose from doing up his shoes. "Yeah?" "As usual, take a bit of a walk *before*, too." "I know. See you later." Shoji winked. "Have a good one." He sighed and walked back to the living room. Akechi was getting a bit lazy, some of his victims where being found just a little too close to here. Ancients read the newspapers too, one of them might put two and two together. That would be all they needed. But Akechi's survival instinct was good, and discretion was his middle name. He would probably be okay. He plopped back down in his big easy chair and took another good gulp from his own drink. "Lord, what a day." This was the first chance he'd had to sit down and think since they 'ported back here. It had been damned close. He had gotten a good look at the big guy's aura. He was no spring chicken, that's for sure. If he'd decided to just cut loose instead of stop to challenge them, they would have been toast. And he was good. Knew how to use his powers. Had brought up that shield in nothing flat. In a straight out fight, Shoji had no doubt that guy would give him a run for his money. The other ones hadn't even gotten a chance to strike back, no telling what they were capable of. And like Akechi had repeatedly reminded him, they were *aliens*. Well, as long as they were careful and on their guard, worst case would be they might have to 'port out of a place and leave the Soul Icon behind. It would still be okay. Shoji heard the door to the bathroom open. He got up and met Yui just as she was entering the living room. She had on a fluffy bathrobe and slippers, and a towel around her hair. She smiled as he approached. But he could see that she was still a bit upset. He bent down and gave her a kiss. **Hi sweetie. Feeling better now?** **I guess so. Did Akechi leave?** **Yeah. Wanted to go hunting.** **Oh.** **Let's relax for today. We can wait until tomorrow to take the Soul Icon over to the cave.** He led her over to the big easy chair. Instead of squeezing in beside him, she sat up on his lap, wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his. **Senpai, I was really scared.** **That was sort of a surprise, wasn't it?** He pulled her closer. **You did a really good job. Got us out of there in nothing flat.** **Why were aliens trying to protect a temple?** **Who knows. Maybe they're Galactic Patrol, Esper division or something.** **Do you think they'll try and hunt us down?** **Can't. We got away clean, they haven't a clue where we are.** She was silent for a moment. **I hope we don't need to do this again.** **If we do, there are precautions we can take, to make sure we're not caught by surprise again. We can talk about that later.** **They're not just animals. They're like us.** **Maybe, maybe not. Just because they've got a bag of tricks doesn't make them like us. They didn't even try to use telepathy. They could be using spells or just some weird alien technology.** She moved away just enough to be able to look at him. **But they're strong. I don't want to do this again with just the three of us. I think we need help.** **Yui, we talked about this. If we tell the Matriarch we ran into some opposition, she'll probably tell us to cease and desist. And if we told her we'd met aliens, she'll probably insist on a mindscan to corroborate the story. That's the last thing we need.** **I didn't mean to tell grandma Himiko. I can talk to one of my friends.** **Who did you have in mind?** **Hitomi.** After taking a moment to mentally kick himself, Shoji grinned from ear to ear. **Now why didn't I think of that?** ***** Minako flipped through the script until she got to her part. Typically, they had let her pick it up just a day before they were supposed to do the taping. It was just another cameo role, so there wasn't much to memorize. Still, it was annoying. She would definitely have a talk with her manager in the morning. It was getting darker now, so she reached over and flipped on the lamp on the bedside table. She fluffed up the big pillow she had been leaning against and got herself comfortable. For some reason she suddenly noticed the familiar bedspread. She smiled. She was probably a bit old to have a bed with a bunch of little pink hearts all over it. But they had done a photo session of her in here about a year back, and the fans had eaten it up. Even had a set of pyjamas made up that matched the bedspread. The same set she was wearing now. She looked at it and sighed. Just too adorable for words. "Yep, that's me alright." She picked up the script and started reading through it. She had just read through the whole thing for the third time when a white cat jumped in through the open window. "Hey, Artemis." "Hey, Minako." He jumped up onto the bed. "Another cameo appearance?" "Sunset Dreams." "Hey, I've even heard of it." "Smart aleck." It was a television drama of rural life thirty years ago. Nostalgic shows had become very popular in the past couple of years. "I would ask you to help me practice the part, but I need another female for the scene." "Luna's out hunting." Minako's eyes narrowed. "Have you two been fighting again?" "Nothing like that. We're a good team, but solitary hunting has its appeal too. Anyway, she prefers birds and I prefer mice, so sometimes we have to just agree to disagree." "Oh, ick." "Hey, we're predators. Deal with it." They both smiled at the running joke. Luna had moved in with them at about the same time that Usagi moved in with Mamoru. Since then, the two of them had been getting in touch with their inner felines, as it were. Minako almost never had to feed them anything. Which was just as well, since she was away often as not. Her mother hadn't been happy about the second cat, but since they had proved to be very little trouble, it was more or less working out. "So then what have you been up to?" "Just snoozing. I got woken up by something weird. Did you hear those two crows that just flew overhead?" "Boy, did I ever. They sounded ticked." "That they were. The weird part was, they were squawking about an earthquake at their temple." *At a temple?* Minako put down her script. "Artemis, I didn't feel any tremor." "Neither did ..." his voice trailed off. "You know which temple?" He named it. Minako threw off her covers, sent Artemis jumping. "Minako, wha-" "Hop on, we're going." Artemis didn't even hesitate. He was on her shoulder a second before she hopped onto the window sill. She leaped straight out, transformation wand in hand. She didn't even have to speak the words, a trick they had all learned from Pluto. By the power of her will, she transformed to Sailor Venus in midair. She rebounded off the brick fence below, and went bounding across the rooftops. When she started running lightly over a fence that bordered a commuter train line, Artemis, who was no longer having the wind knocked out of him by her prodigious leaps, shouted in her ear. "This isn't the quickest way." "It is if we hitch a ride." "You're not-" He was cut off by the whistle of the train that was coming up behind them. Venus had heard it as they approached the line, which had given her the idea. As it sped past them she leapt. It was still accelerating, going at only about half its top speed. So when she grabbed onto a handhold at the side of the roof it didn't quite feel like her arm had been pulled off. The train continued to accelerate. She turned to Artemis and grinned. "This train stops right by that temple. We'll be there in just a couple of minutes." Artemis just panted for a while. He looked kind of ill. "Venus, I am getting too old for this." "Oh, go ahead and tell me you don't love this." The look on his face softened. He smiled in a way she hadn't seen before. "Hey partner, you okay?" It was supposed to sound glib, but she found the question was genuine. "Minako, I haven't felt this alive in years." Minako's smile faded. "Artemis ..." "It's been a while since it was just you and me on the prowl." He winked. He too had tried to sound glib, but that same look was on his face, an odd mix of intensity and contentment. The look that said everything was right with the world. It was something they had never talked about, except as a casual joke. When Artemis had awakened her to her role as Sailor Venus, as far as they knew it had just been the two of them against the Dark Kingdom. Out of necessity, Artemis had thrown himself into the thick of the battles, as a vital extra set of eyes and ears, as an advisor, as a diversion, and sometimes even as a combatant. When she had linked up with the other Senshi, that had abruptly changed. The five Senshi could support and watch out for each other, for the most part Luna and Artemis never had to engage the enemy themselves. Somehow, it had never occurred to Minako that he might miss it. After a moment, she flashed him a wolf grin and winked back. "Yeah, it has been a long time. Too long." She reached over with her free hand and gave the fur on his head a good ruffle. Not that it did anything, the wind of their quick passage through the city was already tossing their hair all over the place. Artemis took a tighter grip, his claws digging into the fabric of her uniform. "So why exactly are we here, anyway?" "On a hunch. I figure whatever demolished those other shrines and temples we've been hearing about is doing the same to this one right now." "You figure we should call the others?" "It would be all over by the time they got here. Besides, it's just a hunch, I may be barking up a tree with no partridge in it." "Well, whatever the case, there's a slight flaw in your plan." "Flaw?" "This is an express train. It won't be stopping at the station you want, it goes right through." "That's no problem. We'll just jump off." "At a hundred kilometres per hour?" "Don't worry, just leave it to me. I'll improvise something." "I was afraid you'd say that." "Oops, looks like we're here." "Oh my Go-" Venus selected her target and leaped. In midair she conjured the Venus Love Me Chain. She took a millisecond to thank Pluto for teaching her to do this silently, it allowed her to do a really quick speed draw. And brother, she needed that right now. The chain caught the end of the streetlight post and they went sailing around it. They started executing a lovely spiral all around the post as Venus let out more of the chain and gravity angled it down. Suddenly some ancient American cartoon popped into Minako's head, and she felt compelled to sing out "Spiderman, Spiderman, Does whatever a spider can ..." "Minako are you cra-" The rest of Artemis' sentence came out as a grunt as Minako hit the ground running, letting her chain dissolve into the air. She was even running in the right direction. She grinned. *Sometimes I scare myself.* "Whoa, what a rush. You still with me partner?" "'A piece of him.'" "Huh?" "Nothing." "Heads up, we're almost there." Minako recognized the place, she had been here once before. It was on a lot barely big enough to contain the temple building and a small open plaza in front of it. She could see the high brick wall that enclosed the lot. It was hard to tell running at full speed with a gale force wind blowing by but she thought she heard something like a muffled explosion ahead. Suddenly a blizzard of colourful fireflies burst out from behind the wall, up into the twilight sky. "What the hell is that?" Artemis asked. "Let's go find out." A few more seconds and the wall was right before them. Not wanting to jump in blind, Venus decided to leap up onto the wall first. She took one look down into the temple grounds and thought *This must be the place.* To her right there was a roiling cloud of dust where the temple building used to be. The swarm of lights that had surged up into the air was now rapidly drifting down. It gathered into a smaller, tighter swarm as it approached the ground. It drifted straight down into the arms of a young girl standing in the middle of the plaza. Somehow, Venus understood that the girl had just stolen something vital and sacred as a human soul. There was a red-haired man standing beside her. Except for the fact that they had somehow just demolished a building from where they stood, the two of them looked quite normal. There was a ghost standing a few meters from them, to the left. Or what certainly looked like a ghost. It was a slim young woman with very pale skin and white hair, wearing a flowing white dress. There was a white dove perched on each of her shoulders. Only her tinted glasses spoiled the effect. She appeared to be casually watching the other two. Venus had seen enough. "Artemis, eyes open," she said softly. "Got it." He leaped off her shoulder and ran a couple of meters down the top of the wall. With her eyes and ears in place, Venus was ready. She leaped off the wall and landed in the plaza just a few meters from the couple who were standing together. "Hold it right there!" They started at the sound of her voice. The young girl holding the portable light show between her hands took a step back. She looked frightened. The man stepped in front of her, dropped down to a crouch, watching her warily. Venus spared just a quick glance at the ghost lady. She regarded Venus with mild surprise. Her doves appeared a bit agitated now, but she just stood in place. "I am Sailor Venus," she announced. "You just destroyed a holy place for the last time. Whatever you just took from it, you'll put it back right now if you want to live." They just stood there. Maybe a demonstration was required. A Crescent Beam past his left ear, perhaps? "Behind you!" Venus was in the air before Artemis even finished shouting. Her leap took her right back onto the wall. Almost. She staggered for a moment, regained her balance. There was a man standing right where she had been. *Where the hell did he come from?* She locked eyes with the man ... and a shiver went down her spine. She had seen that look in other eyes. The eyes of demons consumed with a madness that could only be quenched with blood. As if on some signal, the man backed away from her, towards the other two. The ghost lady was also converging on the couple. Still, none of them had said anything. The girl holding their prize certainly wasn't moving to comply with Venus' demand. "I warned you," she said in a clear voice. She brought one arm up and the Venus Love Me Chain once again spiralled around her. She sent it coiling at the man with the wild eyes. Him in particular she wanted to take out of action right now. A fireball cut through her chain, incinerating it. Venus threw up her arms in front of her. Running into the chain had dispersed the fireball, nothing but a hot wind blew by her. The red-haired man had another fireball held at the ready in one hand, but made no move to use it. She was gearing up to retaliate with the Love And Beauty Shock, when movement caught her eyes slightly to the left. The Ghost Lady's doves had left her and were flying straight at Venus. Except, they were no longer doves. As they flew at her they grew and transformed. They shrieked hideously, displaying rows of teeth along their grotesquely oversized beaks. Their eyes glowed red and their feet were growing into great shining claws. Their wingspan was now that of a large hawk, and still growing. "They're temple guardians!" Artemis shouted. *Temple guardians?* It was the term Artemis used to describe guardian spirits that would watch over holy places in animal form. Like Rei's two crows, Phobos and Deimos. Venus didn't have time to think. She conjured another Love Me Chain and sent it whipping out at the creatures. It connected with both of them, knocking them to the side. They shrieked in agony. They barely cleared the wall, but they did not go down. Far from it, they were already wheeling about to come in for another pass. No choice, she had to end this now. "Love and Beauty Shock!" She whipped her arm around behind her, casting the shimmering golden ball of energy out at them. Something made her deflect it at the last moment so that it only dealt them a glancing blow. But it was enough. They were knocked high in the air, straight over her head and back onto the temple grounds. They fell to the ground, limp as rag dolls. The grounds were deserted. "They all teleported out," Artemis explained. "Damn." She leaped down to where the two creatures had landed. Before her very eyes, they were shrinking, turning back into doves. They looked much the worse for wear. Artemis came padding along beside her. "What was that stuff about temple guardians?" She asked. "These two called out just before they started to transform. I recognized the voices." "You *recognized* them?" "Sure. I'm on a first name basis with most of the temple guardians in Tokyo, I'll have you know." "Great. So what were they saying?" "'Kill.'" Venus sighed. "Great company you keep." "They weren't under their own control. That woman all in white must have done something to them." "Well, they look to be in pretty rough shape. Damn, I should have called for backup after all. Mars or Saturn might be able to do something for them. Maybe I can still-" "Venus, to your left." Venus spun about, her power at the ready but held in check. There had been urgency in Artemis' tone, but no alarm. Potential threat, not immediate. Venus' first thought was to wonder how these three people had just appeared out of thin air. Her second thought was to wonder what planet they were from. The big man had slate grey skin with a pronounced sheen. He looked like a statue. It was his eyes she noticed right away, inky pools with no whites at all. There was nothing else she could put her finger on right now, but his face was somehow ... wrong. Her gut told her she was not looking at one of her own species. Incongruously, he was dressed as a buddhist monk. He raised his hand and spoke with a voice that was soft but deep and powerful. "No harm intended, warrior. We saw enough to know you were trying to defend this holy place." Venus relaxed from her combat stance ... a little bit. "And you are ... ?" "Thetan of the Warrior Caste." He bowed deeply. The other man took a step forward. His skin and eyes were the same as the first man's, but that was where the similarity ended. He was almost as tall as the first, but thin, almost looking emaciated. Instead of being bald, he had blue-black wiry hair, cut very short. Venus wondered if he was suffering from some disease. What she could see of his skin - his face and hands - was covered with what looked like thick dark red blood vessels, almost like he had an incredible case of varicose veins. It was hard to tell since she was seeing him face on, but he looked to be hunchbacked. He wore a very ordinary sports jacket, shirt and slacks. "K'Theelm of the Engineer Caste." He bowed low. The woman stepped forward. Shorter, grey skin a bit lighter, same bottomless dark eyes. Her face was lovely, but like the others inhuman in a way she couldn't quite articulate. What Venus noticed right away was her hair, a shocking cascade of impossibly bright scarlet that spilled around her shoulders like a lava flow. She was in a pleated skirt and white blouse that just looked too ordinary for her. "Jeneth of the Healer Caste." She bowed. *Okaaay ...* Their tone was polite and formal. Venus decided to keep things at that level for now, so as best to keep her guard up without giving offense. She relaxed more from her combat stance, stood up to her full height. "Under the protection of Venus, planet of beauty, I am the Sailor Senshi, Sailor Venus." They all looked a bit startled by her self introduction. The big man, who Venus had already pegged as their leader, looked to each side of him, exchanging a glance with one then the other of his companions. As one, they all went down on one knee and bowed their heads. "We greet you, Avatar," Thetan said gravely. "We thank the Avatars for their role in defeating Galaxia and her forces of chaos. By your efforts, we have been able to life peacefully within your realm. We are deeply grateful." Venus was quite taken aback by this performance. She was a bit disoriented, trying to assess the implications of what he was saying. "You're ... welcome." They did not move. "Uh ... you can, you know, get up. We really don't stand on ceremony." They stood up. There was what Venus would describe as awe in their alien faces, as if they were in the presence of a Goddess. Venus had mixed feelings about that. Jeneth took a step forward, and with what looked like great effort met her eyes. "Avatar, by your leave-" "You can just call me Venus," she said, trying to show a friendly smile. This formality was getting on her nerves already. "Ahem." Venus turned to look at Artemis. He appeared a bit annoyed. "Oh, sorry. Everyone, this is my friend and advisor, Artemis." He smiled at the woman. "I'm very pleased to meet you." Jeneth took a moment to realize that her jaw had practically dislocated itself open. No talking cats where she came from, it would seem. But her look of shock quickly dissolved, to be replaced with one of delight and wonder. "Likewise I am very pleased to meet you, Artemis." Venus smiled down at her partner. *You old smoothie.* Jeneth turned her attention back to Venus. "Venus, if you will permit, I believe I can help these two stricken guardian spirits." Venus cursed herself, she had forgotten about that altogether. Too many things happening at once. Jeneth had said she was from the Healer Caste, whatever that meant. There didn't seem to be much choice. "Okay, go ahead." She took a step back and Jeneth approached closer, went to kneel down before the two doves. The two men stood where they were, as if giving their companion space for her work. Venus crouched down a couple of meters away, not wanting to interfere but curious to see what Jeneth would do. The woman laid one delicate grey-skinned black-nailed hand lightly over each dove's still form and closed her eyes. Suddenly a delicate blue glow like a penumbra was dancing around the two birds. Venus had seen something like this before, when Hotaru would use her own healing power to treat a cut or scrape on one of the Senshi after a training session. She had felt that healing touch more than once herself, warm and soothing like no balm or medicine could ever be. After a minute or so, the glow subsided and Jeneth withdrew her hands. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, her body visibly relaxing. She opened her eyes and smiled at Venus. "They will live." Venus let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness, I thought I'd killed them." "We were able to witness the end of your battle. I saw how you deflected your attack at the last moment, that is no doubt what saved them." "It was Artemis who warned me what they really were." She stood up and looked down at the cat, suddenly remembering something. "But I thought you said those two crows we heard were this temple's guardians." "They are. These two are a long ways from home. That girl in white must have found them there, then put them under her spell or whatever it was." "It will likely be a couple of days before they can fly home," Jeneth said. "They need no further treatment, but they need food and rest." "Not a problem," Artemis said. "Birds at temples have no problem getting fed, and guardians look after each other, regardless of species. The crows will probably be back soon, they'll watch over these two." The doves were already beginning to stir, showing signs of life. Venus looked around the temple grounds. No other sign of life. But that could change quickly. "We should probably get out of here, the fireworks are likely to attract attention." The big man took a couple of steps closer. "Your pardon, Venus, but is it your intention to avoid the local authorities?" Venus sighed. "I take it you're not from around here." "We are from a different world, yes." Well, that settled that part. Venus could save the million other questions for later. "Well, just take my word for it, we don't want to have to explain to people just what happened here." Venus grinned. "Not that I know much about it myself, I was hoping you might be able to tell me more at some point." "Very little, I'm afraid," Thetan said, bowing as if in apology. "I can take us all from here unseen," K'Theelm said, stepping up beside his companion. Venus frowned. "Excuse me?" "Well ..." K'Theelm seemed to be at a loss for words. "Perhaps I could quickly demonstrate." There was a shimmer around him, and suddenly he just wasn't there. All she could see was a sort of ripple in the air, like a heat shimmer. It rose into the air. Had she not already been looking right at it, she was sure she would have missed it. Suddenly K'Theelm was floating a couple of meters above the ground. "I can carry us all within this cloak if you wish." Venus thought about this for a second. Her instincts were telling her to trust these people. And their actions so far had done nothing to contradict her feelings. She had her own ways of making a discrete exit, but this looked even better. And she didn't want to risk losing contact with these three, something told her that she really needed to talk with them. She made her decision. "Okay, what do I do?" K'Theelm floated back down to the ground. "Just stand beside me. When you tell me you are ready, you will feel a sensation of falling and we will rise into the air. Nothing more." Sounded simple enough. "Artemis." The white cat leaped up onto her shoulder, and she walked up next to K'Theelm. "Ready when you are." The other two joined them. The air around them shimmered, and as K'Theelm had warned Venus felt a moment of vertigo as the ground dropped from under her feet. It was very similar to what she felt during a teleport with the other Sailor Senshi. They rose a few meters into the air. "Is there a particular place you wish us to take you?" K'Theelm asked. "Uh ..." Venus was having trouble keeping her feet under her, her body seemed to want to go horizontal. It was distracting. "Venus, allow me." Jeneth extended her hand. Venus took it. With her other hand, Jeneth took Venus very lightly by the waist and slowly got her back into position. Venus felt compelled to wrap her other arm around Jeneth's shoulder, she was still a bit uncomfortable with this levitation business. She hoped she wasn't being too familiar with the strange woman. But the healer just smiled and held onto her. "Thanks," Venus said to her. "We should go somewhere we can talk in private." "Our apartment is about four kilometres away," Jeneth said. Venus' uncertainty about flying such a distance must have shown on her face. "It will only take a few minutes, and it's quite safe. K'Theelm took us safely all the way from our own planet." "You flew to Earth like *this*?" Jeneth seemed puzzled by the question. "How else?" "You don't have a spaceship or something?" "No, I'm afraid not." "We had to leave our planet in a hurry," K'Theelm explained. "There was no time to acquire more comfortable transportation." He sounded like he was apologizing. This was fascinating, but Venus wanted to get ground back under her feet as soon as possible. "That sounds fine." By the time they arrived at their destination, Venus had changed her mind about levitation. She decided it's the only way to fly. Before they sat down to talk, she extracted a promise from K'Theelm to fly her up over Tokyo Tower sometime. ***** Agent Smith walked up to the big set of ornate dark wooden double doors and waited. Just as the sweep second hand on his watch approached twelve, he knocked lightly three times. The Director always demanded punctuality, and always got it. "Come in," a barely audible voice said from the other side of the thick doors. Smith opened one of the doors, stepped through, and closed it behind him. He turned to face into the room and stood at parade rest. The room was quite dark, lit only by a desk lamp and two lights on the walls that looked like they had started their lives as gas lamps. The room was full of dark mahogany furniture, shelves full of old books and red leather high back chairs. But for the electric lights, it may not have changed much in a hundred years or more. The man behind the great mahogany desk smiled and nodded. "Agent Smith." "Director." "Please, have a seat." "Thank you, sir." He walked over and sat in the chair closest to the Director's desk. The Director closed the file he had been reading from and placed it on top of another file, the only two items marring the bare surface of his massive desk. He laid his reading glasses on the desk and leaned back in his own old leather chair. Smith had not seen the Director in almost a year, having just returned to New York from a long assignment in England. He seemed to be wearing the same suit he had been a year ago. Probably the same one he wore twenty years ago. The cut of the suit could have been from a hundred years ago. The Director only ever changed things that needed changing. "Have you read the report from the Tokyo office that I had sent to your desk?" "Yes sir." As always, the Director didn't waste time on small talk. "Could you find any fault with their analysis?" "No sir. Agent Takada is reluctant to draw conclusions from these events. Quite properly, I believe. The only thing that is certain is that the various incidents in question are related." "You think Agent Takada qualified to make that judgement?" "Yes sir. I learned a fair amount from him even five years ago, when I was studying in Japan. He is eminently qualified to perform such analysis." The Director took just a moment to digest that, his face expressionless. "The day before yesterday, I received a telephone call from Agent Takada. It seems that since he sent that report, two more incidents have occurred. Two more temples in the Tokyo area have been destroyed under similar circumstances." "I see." "He now believes this matter merits our full attention, and has requested assistance. I have no reason not to agree with his assessment. Therefore, I am sending you to Japan. You will be leaving in the morning." "I understand." The Director didn't need to explain why he had been chosen. He had been in Japan for three years, both studying under members of older branches of the Order, and helping Takada in setting up the Tokyo office of the Hidden branch. He was the natural choice. "Before you leave, I have some background material for you to review." The Director pushed the two file folders closer to Smith. "The first is regarding a family of paranormals who live mostly on one of northern islands of Japan. Though he is reluctant to draw conclusions, as you say, Takada suspects their involvement. The second is a newer file, probably one you haven't seen yet. Takada submitted most of the material about three years ago. It's regarding some local urban legend, a group of vigilantes that we have very little solid information on. Takada said he cannot connect them to these incidents, but he did suggest anyone I send to him review the file. I've only glanced over it myself. Apparently it's a group of young women who show up in navy cadet uniforms or some such thing. Anyway, it's all in the file." The Director leaned forward against his desk. His poker face came off, his look of concern was plain. "I've got a bad feeling about this one, Smith. I don't like what's happening over there, and I want it stopped. I've already told Takada that I am authorizing the two of you to take whatever direct action is required to stop whoever is doing this. If we can't come to an understanding with them, that includes deadly force. And whatever backup you may need." The Director letting his guard down indicated to Smith that he was free to be candid. "I am puzzled about one thing, sir. These are hardly the most serious incidents to occur in Tokyo in recent years. Why the sudden concern?" "Like I said, I've got a bad feeling. Other reasons too. The older branches are in a frenzy over this. As you can imagine, they're rather sensitive about desecration of holy sites. I want the Hidden branch to be seen as taking direct action, it might calm them down a bit. The powers that be in Tokyo are pretty upset as well, I don't want them doing anything stupid." "I'll be using the usual cover?" "Naturally. Agent Takada will give you the details when you get there. I've also arranged to have your weapons shipped over, they should arrive no more than a day later than you do. It would take longer, but I can also have one of our new toys sent over if you think you'll need it." "I'd just as soon hold off on that, at least until I've had a look around there." Smith gestured at the file folders. "Any directives regarding contact with these groups?" "It seems Takada has had some contact with both of them, so ask his advice. Otherwise, your discretion. Any developments, let me know in no more than one day." "Understood." "Any other questions?" "No, sir." The director stood, indicating the meeting was over. Smith did likewise. In unison, the two men put their clenched right hands over their hearts and recited the pledge that all members of the Order had made in a hundred different languages since its beginnings, lost in the mists of time. "That life shall never perish." End Chapter 4 Subject: [Fanfic: SM - Secrets 5] Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 19:45:53 -0800 From: Ken Wolfe Reply-To: Ken_Wolfe@mbnet.mb.ca To: Chris Davies , Jerry Yen , John Hitchens , Piotr Gaj , echo5a@deskmedia.com, Tim Nolan (file attached) -- Ken Wolfe | Fax: Sorry, I hate fax machines Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | Compu$erve: 73527.2203@compuserve.com Ken_Wolfe@MBnet.MB.CA | GEnie: k.wolfe8@genie.geis.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- Secrets Chapter 5 - Refugees from the Stars "So what happened then?" Usagi asked. Minako had paused just long enough to take a bite from one of the cookies Makoto had brought to the meeting. "Then K'Theelm went to make tea, and we all sat down and talked. Say, these are really good, Mako- chan." "Thanks," Makoto said. She smiled. In the past, a comment like that in the middle of discussing Senshi business would have prompted Rei or Ami to chide her for not staying focused. But over the years, they had learned to tell when Minako was really letting her capricious nature get the better of her. They all sat on cushions around the long, low table. It was their usual meeting place, the dining room in the residence of Rei's shrine. The big room easily accommodated the seven of them. Plus of course the two cats. All the Senshi were here, except for Haruka and Michiru, who had gone overseas again. The sliding panels along both sides of the room were open so that the breeze would offer some relief from the heat of the summer evening. Everyone was dressed for the heat, mostly in shorts. The exception was Setsuna, who wore a suit with a knee length skirt. Makoto wondered how she could sit like that in this heat and not even sweat. Must take practice. Minako was continuing the story she had called this meeting for them to all hear. "So anyway, the first thing I asked them was where they come from. They said it was a planet really far away. It had some long name with no vowels that I couldn't even pronounce. They came here five years ago when their planet was destroyed by Galaxia." "Their whole planet was destroyed?" Usagi exclaimed. "That's horrible!" "It was only one of many," Setsuna reminded her. "Galaxia's armies of possessed Senshi probably laid waste all the inhabited planets in the galaxy save this one." "I know that!" Usagi said, visibly upset. "It's still horrible. They're all alone." Her face suddenly lit up. "But wait a minute, they're not alone! Galaxia sent all their friends back to their planet!" "Or is in the process of doing so," Setsuna said. "Minako, did you tell them anything about our battle with Galaxia?" Ami asked. Minako shook her head. "No. I sort of wanted to. I mean, like Usagi said, they think everyone else on their world is dead, right? I think they have a right to know what happened. But I didn't want to tell them anything much until we all had a chance to talk. About all I said was that there were other Senshi besides me and we defeated Galaxia four years ago." "So what have they been doing here for five years?" Rei asked. "Thetan is a monk at a Buddhist temple. It sounds kind of like he had a similar title on his home planet. But he also had some sort of combat training. Jeneth is working as a doctor." "You mean she's impersonating a doctor?" Ami asked. She sounded rather disturbed at the idea. "Well, she doesn't use any of our medicines. She heals sort of like Hotaru does, I saw her do it. She's just using her identity so that she can get into hospitals." "What sort of things does she cure?" Hotaru asked. "I really didn't ask. Sounds like terminal patients. Maybe cancer or something." "I'd have no idea how to do that ..." Hotaru said, her voice trailing off and her eyes becoming unfocused. Makoto got the impression that Hotaru wanted very much to meet this alien healer. "Anyway, K'Theelm is some sort of engineer, it sounds like he's mostly doing computer programming right now. That's how they pay for their apartment and stuff, he does programming jobs for people he talks to on the net. It's all done anonymously, he gets paid in binary cash." "Digital cash," Ami corrected her. "Right. So they were all living peacefully when suddenly Thetan goes to this temple that's been destroyed. He said he could tell right away that it was attacked by some sort of ESPer. K'Theelm has some scanner thing sort of like what Ami uses, and he used that to figure out that it was two or three ESPers. Well, it seems that Jeneth is a sort of ESPer too, so a few days ago she sensed this thing happening and they all flew out there. There were only three ESPers that time, but they had about as much luck as I did last night. The ESPers fought them off, then teleported away. Last night she sensed it again, but this time it was all over by the time they got there. All they saw was me shoot down those possessed temple guardian birds." "Who are doing just fine, by the way," Artemis interjected. "I thought you ate birds," Usagi said, looking at him suspiciously. Artemis flashed a toothy grin. "I do on occasion. But never guardian spirits. Professional courtesy. I can't vouch for Luna of course." Luna sniffed, turned her nose up. "I know enough not to hunt guardian spirits. Whatever do you take me for?" "So what was your impression of them?" Makoto asked Minako. "Well, it sounded like they were all being honest with me. I mean, they even showed me the human forms they've been using to disguise themselves. They've got this thing called a glamour that makes them look human. Sure would have fooled me, let me tell you. They even offered to work with us, help us catch these ESPers." "Do you really think they can help?" Rei asked. "Yeah, I think they would be a big help. Especially Jeneth, she can sense these attacks happening right across the city. I only found those ESPers because of dumb luck. Without Jeneth, we may never catch them, unless we can come up with some other way to detect these attacks." "Did they say whether they intended to continue hunting down the attackers?" Setsuna asked. "Well, actually, they *asked* me if they should. I mean, they were kind of apologetic about acting on their own like that, sort of like they needed our permission. They said they hadn't known whether the local Avatars were aware of what was going on." "Avatars?" Usagi asked. "That's me," Minako said, pointing at herself. "I mean, us. That's what they call us. I'm not clear on the details, but it sounds like on their planet there were people like us. Except everyone knew who they are, I guess sort of like the way we were in the Silver Millennium. And they didn't call them Sailor Senshi, they called them Avatars." "So in effect they were acknowledging your authority over them," Rei suggested. "Yeah, big time. I really felt like they would have done anything I asked them to. Anyway, about all I said was that they shouldn't act on their own until I meet with them again. I promised I'd call soon and arrange another meeting." "You think we should?" Usagi asked. "I mean, meet with them?" "Yeah. Like I said, they could be a big help. And I think we can trust them." "Well, they were right about the shrines that were destroyed," Rei said. "I was at the first one that was attacked. The one where Miho used to work. It's just like they said, it was like the soul was ripped out of the place. It was horrible." "Is Miho doing okay?" Makoto asked. She already knew the answer, but could sense Rei's temper rising to a slow boil. She was hiding it well, but Makoto could see she was upset over this business of the shrines. She needed to be diverted. Rei's expression softened, and she smiled a little. "Yes, she's very happy here. And she's worked out very well for us." It hadn't taken much for Rei to convince her grandfather that they should take the pretty young shrine maiden in at their own shrine, now that hers was gone. "Has it occurred to her where all those leaves go in the autumn?" Makoto said, gesturing out at the trees visible through the open sliding doors, the ones that surrounded the shrine. Rei's smile looked a little more genuine now. "I'll break it to her gently." "Did I miss something?" Usagi asked. "Ask me later," Rei said. "Okay, be inscrutable," Usagi said good naturedly. "Anyway, I agree with Minako, we should meet with these three people." "Should we all go?" Ami asked. "Hmmm ...." Usagi took a moment to consider that. "Well, the way Minako describes it, they were kind of intimidated when they found out she's a Senshi. Or ... what did they call her... an Avatar." "That's a fair statement," Minako agreed. "Then maybe just a few of us should go. I think they'd feel more comfortable. Minako and I should go. Rei, maybe you should come to." Rei nodded. "Agreed." There was no need to explain why. Rei had a sixth sense about people's character that none of them could match. "Princess, I'd like to go as well, if you'll permit." They all looked at Setsuna. Her expression was unreadable, just her usual implacable calm. Her tone had been pleasant but neutral. Usagi looked to be a bit surprised by the request. "Sure, that would be okay." "Maybe we should even go tonight, if everyone's willing," Minako suggested. Usagi shook her head. "Minako, you hardly got any sleep last night and you had a hard day at the studio. It can wait for tomorrow." Minako smiled. The empty pot of coffee behind her was mute testament to what was keeping her awake. She looked grateful, and not inclined to argue. "Okay. Jeneth said if we gave her a few hours notice she would treat us to a meal. Their dining room would be a little tight for seven, but not too bad." "Oh, then lets definitely make it a dinner date!" Usagi said, her face suddenly lit up. "Maybe she makes exotic foreign dishes." "Usagi, she's from another *planet*," Rei said wearily. "We'd better all hope she sticks with domestic cuisine." They both showed their tongues at each other briefly, and everyone else laughed. Their legendary raspberry duels of earlier days had gradually evolved into this slightly more civilized form. "Does six tomorrow sound fine?" Minako asked. The other three indicated it was. "Then I'll give Jeneth a call." "You can use the phone in the living room," Rei said. She stood up. "I'll walk you there. Oh, and you had probably better transform before you call. Your voice is different when you're Sailor Venus. I'll make sure nobody interrupts you." "Oh, I forgot!" Usagi said. "We'll all be going there as Sailor Senshi." "Well of course," Rei said. "They're expecting to see Sailor Senshi, we can't very well go there like this." "I know that," Usagi said indignantly. "How am I supposed to sit down to dinner with those great huge wings on my back?" Rei sighed heavily. "We'll put you at one end of the table and the big guy at the other end. For the love of all the Kami, just don't ask them to show you around their apartment, you'd end up knocking everything over." ***** Eiheiji temple was a long way from Tokyo. Even though it was one of the most famous temples in Japan, somehow Shoji had never managed to make it out here before. Despite himself, he found that he really liked the place. You certainly couldn't ask for a better venue. The sprawling temple complex was spread out along the steep slope of a mountain. The temple buildings were all surrounded by big, ancient trees which hid any other sign of civilization. Walking up and down the covered stairways that led to the various buildings in the complex was like walking through history. Some of these buildings looked a thousand years old. Others looked like they had been put up yesterday. He could hear a chorus of voices chanting nearby, as services were conducted. Elsewhere, tour guides recounted the long history of the temple, in at least three different languages that Shoji had heard. The whole thing gave the impression of a work in progress, a truly living place of worship and enlightenment. But maybe not for long. After a little more wandering, he met up with Akechi and Hitomi again. They were leaning on the railing of one of the covered wooden walkways that connected the different buildings. They were looking out at a great oak tree that hugged the rocky slope above them. Shoji followed their gaze. In a moment he found what they were looking at. A squirrel had locked eyes with Hitomi. It looked like she had it under her spell. Shoji just kept his distance, not wanting to disturb her. A couple of groups of tourists walked by, oblivious to what the strange white-haired girl was doing. After a couple of minutes, the squirrel turned and ran down the branch on which it had been perched. It scampered down the trunk of the great oak and hopped across the rocks that led the few meters down to the walkway. It jumped up to the walkway and shimmied up one of the ancient wood posts that held the open roof up. It ran along the balcony railing, straight into Hitomi's outstretched hand. "Hello, little one," Hitomi said to the animal, which was up on its hind legs in her palm, once again locking eyes with her. She held out her other hand, and the squirrel jumped over onto it. It went up on its hind legs again, staring up at her. Then it jumped back into her other hand, did the same. It kept doing this, over and over, as fast as it could, as if under some strange compulsion. Shoji heard Akechi chuckle lightly. He smiled. Besides Yui and him, 'Tomi was about the only one he knew who could make Akechi do that. "Having fun?" Shoji asked as he approached them. Hitomi looked over at him and smiled in greeting. She was in a white dress and white sneakers, as usual. About the only part of her that wasn't a shade of white was her round wire rimmed glasses. They were tinted blue, to slightly soften the colour of her irises, colored red by her albinism. She was a similar build to Yui, just a bit taller. She wasn't exactly pretty, but her face had character, Shoji had always liked it. As did Akechi, obviously. The two of them weren't exactly an item, but they got along very well together. Which for both of them was an achievement. Hitomi glanced back at the squirrel. It immediately scampered up her arm and perched on her shoulder. She promptly ignored it. "So I take it Yui isn't done yet?" "I looked in on her about ten minutes ago. She's still at it." Which meant she was still sitting cross-legged in front of that huge statue of the Buddha, eyes clenched shut, trying to get in touch with the temple's life force. "That makes it nearly two hours now," Akechi noted. "Not a very good sign." Shoji sighed. "No, it's not. She thought it might just be because this place is so spread out, but I doubt that. It's something different." "She said she felt a very strong life force here," Hitomi said. "Even I feel it." "Feeling it is one thing, locking onto it is another," Shoji said. "It was almost getting easy for her, with those places in Tokyo," Hitomi said. "You call that easy?" Akechi asked, indignant. Hitomi smiled up at him. "I mean, before the weirdos turned up." Yes, the weirdos. That Sailor Senshi showing up out of the blue had really spooked Yui. Which is what had led them all the way over here to Fukui prefecture. Yui had never been here before, so teleportation was out of the question. They had taken Shoji's car over here and checked in to a hotel, making a trip out of it. Shoji had quite liked the idea. With Yui 'porting them all over Tokyo all the time, he didn't get much chance to do any serious driving, except when he and Yui would just cruise around for fun. And if they could take a Soul Icon from the temple over here, maybe there would be fewer weirdos to bother them than there appeared to be crawling around Tokyo right now. "You figure we should try another place?" Akechi asked. "I suppose we could," Shoji answered. "I doubt it would be any better. She said this was the strongest life force she had ever felt, bar none. If she can't lock on to this one, not much chance of this working anywhere else." "But what's different in Tokyo that would make it easier?" Hitomi asked. "I've got some ideas about that," Shoji said. "Anyway, I think it's about time Yui gave up on this one, I want to go tell her before she wears herself out." "Okay, let's all go," Hitomi said. "You're going to look damned silly, you know, with that squirrel on your shoulder." "I'm keeping him. If any of the other animals object, I'll tell them to go climb a tree." Shoji laughed, because he knew she meant that literally. They all walked along the walkway and up the open stairway that led to the ancient temple building where they had left Yui earlier this morning. It had stopped drizzling, so they could walk out to the building without getting wet or putting up a PK barrier. Yui sat alone on the floor in front of the great black statue, as they had left her. She was using her folded jacket as a cushion. Still, it couldn't have been too comfortable, sitting there all this time. Since she had started, people seemed to be avoiding this particular temple. Even animals could probably sense the extremity of her effort. To Shoji, the tension in the air was palpable. **How's it going, sweetie?** he said, crouching down beside her and sending the gentlest of messages. She started, coming out of her trance. She took in a couple of slow, deep breaths. She opened her eyes and looked at Shoji, utterly despondent. **I'm sorry Senpai, it's no good.** **Well, might as well give up on it. We tried.** **I just don't understand it,** Yui said, the weariness and frustration clear on her face and in her sending. **I know it's there, but I just can't see it, like I can with those places in Tokyo. It's like ... I don't know, like there's a big light on over there that lets me see them, but over here it's dark.** **A big light, huh? Yeah, that's likely the problem.** Yui frowned. **What do you mean?** **Ever since the Weird Shit started in Tokyo about five years ago, a whole bunch of sensitives started talking about how something in the city had changed. A lot of them described it as a big lamp that lit up the city for their inner eye, the same way the sun lights it up for your regular eyes.** **Yeah, I've heard of that,** Hitomi said. **I kind of feel it too. Animals are easier to take, over there. I can still see into their souls over here, but I have to look harder.** **So what do we do?** Yui asked. **These Soul Icons aren't doing as much good as we thought. It's the ... what did you call it?** **Law of diminishing returns,** Shoji said. **The more we've got, the more we need to make the vision any clearer. Since neither you nor any of the other sensitives has seen anything new in the vision, we'll probably have to get a few more.** **Which means operating in Tokyo again,** Akechi said, obviously not happy about the idea. **Maybe,** Shoji said. **I think we should turn this into an extended vacation. We can spend a few days wandering around the countryside, and let Yui try out a few other temples. In the meantime, we can think about how to do this better. If we do need to go back to Tokyo, then by that time we'll have thought up lots of things.** **I'm game,** Hitomi said. Like the others, she didn't really have a job or anything she needed to worry about. She could do much the same thing to a human bank teller that Yui did to an ATM, so money really wasn't a problem. **That's settled then.** Shoji stood up and reached down to help Yui up. She got up awkwardly, her legs still cramped. She bent down and massaged them a bit, then picked up her jacket and put it on. She sent out the telepathic equivalent of a squeal when she saw what was perched on Hitomi's shoulder. **'Tomi, he is so cute! Can I hold him?** The two girls cooed over their new pet for a while. Well and good, Shoji thought. Just the thing to take their mind off the weirdos waiting for them back in Tokyo. ***** Setsuna walked into her favourite Roppongi restaurant. It was part of a club which was strictly members only. Naturally, the hostess recognized her immediately. The young woman smiled in greeting as Setsuna approached. "Good day, Meiou-san." "Good day," Setsuna replied. "We have your table ready. I understood you were to be having a guest joining you for lunch today." "That's right. I gave her name, she will be arriving shortly. I'll go sit down now, you can just show her in." "Of course. Right this way." She was escorted to her table, a booth that was in a dark corner, isolated, where she would not be disturbed. Half a minute later, a waiter came with the drink she had pre ordered. She was about halfway through her drink when she saw her friend being escorted towards her table. She stood up to greet the other woman. "Good day, Kaori-san. It's been a while." "Yes, it has. Thank you for inviting me." Like the Sailor Senshi, the Ancient was dressed to the nines, pretty much a requirement for even entering this place. Setsuna marvelled at how well she looked, one would hardly guess she was in her forties. Ancients tended to age well, especially the women who passed down the Power in their blood. Which was a rather ironic thought for someone like Setsuna to be having. The waiter arrived just seconds after they were both seated, and told them what was available. They ordered, and he left them. A few seconds later, another waiter came with the drink Setsuna had pre ordered for her friend. "So how was your week in the Pacific?" Kaori asked. "It was very nice. Everybody had a good time. Poor Jupiter had to leave a couple of days early to take care of something back home." "Nothing serious, I hope?" "No, quite the contrary. Her business ran into good fortune all of a sudden. She had to go back and make sure the increased volume was being dealt with properly." And that was as specific as she was going to get. The identities of the other Senshi was strictly off limits, they had agreed to that very early. Kaori nodded in understanding. This relationship of theirs had gone on for years now, but it was still a very delicate game for both of them. "That's good to hear. I know you were worried about anything happening here while you were all away, as I was. I'm glad you all had a chance to relax together, but I feel better now that you're back." "Thanks for keeping your eyes open while we were away." "Not at all. It's been so long since there's been anything requiring the attention of the Senshi, I suppose we were just being paranoid." Setsuna took another sip from her drink just then, as if for emphasis. "Actually, young Venus came across some trouble night before last." Kaori looked mildly surprised. As she had said, it had been a good long time since the Senshi had faced any paranormal adversary. "Really? I hope she's alright." "Yes, she's fine. I was talking to her last night. Her familiar had sensed something was amiss, so she went out to see what was happening. She found a temple that had just been demolished. There were four people there, two young men and two young women. One of the latter had extracted the life force from the holy place, precipitating its collapse. When she challenged them, one of the men assaulted her with weapons of fire. The other woman unleashed two monstrous birds on her. The other man nearly caught her unawares, he seemed to have some means to make himself invisible. By the time she fought the birds off, the four people had vanished. Teleported away, it seems." "I see." "The other Senshi are very concerned about this. The Princess may very well decide to intervene." Kaori would know that she was referring to Sailor Moon, and that Setsuna, as Sailor Pluto, owed allegiance to the Princess. Kaori stared down into her drink for a little while. Setsuna just waited. When Kaori looked up at her again, her expression was grim. "The young man who used the fire is my son. The young lady who took the temple's life force is his fiancee. The others are friends of his." Setsuna was not really surprised to hear this. She already knew that Kaori had a son. She didn't know his name, but she knew a fair amount about him. She knew that his specialty was use of fire. She knew he was engaged to a deaf mute girl with exceptionally strong powers. And she knew that Kaori was worried about how the both of them were fitting in to outsider society. "Since you know what they are doing, I must assume they are doing this with your approval," Setsuna said. There was no reproof in her tone, it was just a statement of fact. "With my reluctant approval, I must confess. They also have the support of the Matriarch, to some degree." The Matriarch. That was a person they rarely talked about. Kaori guarded her identity just as jealously as Setsuna guarded the identity of her Princess. Setsuna knew virtually nothing about her, except that she appeared to be the undisputed leader of their family. "Then I must also assume there is some purpose behind this activity." "There is. As the life force from each new temple is brought into the presence of the Crystal, we have found that the telepathic image it transmits becomes clearer and clearer." She looked troubled, as if wondering if she should say more. The Crystal was another thing she gave only vague hints about. She seemed to revere it even more than she revered the Matriarch. "Why is that image so important?" "My Son seems to believe it points the way to a great source of power." "Have you seen the image yourself?" "Yes." "Is it something you would be willing to share directly?" Kaori stared at her for a moment. She obviously knew what Setsuna meant. It's something they had done a few times in the past. More as a gesture of good faith than as anything with practical use. Kaori nodded. "Very well." She held out her hand. Setsuna took it in her own, and closed her eyes. She emptied her mind the way Kaori had explained to her in the past. This was Kaori's specialty, the ability to bring out latent psionic abilities in others. It hadn't taken Setsuna long to learn to receive telepathic images from Kaori. What Kaori didn't know was that Sailor Pluto had been trained to ward against psionic probes a very long time ago. If she had tried to read Setsuna's mind, she would have been stopped cold. To Kaori's credit, she had never tried. Setsuna could feel the link forming between them. She opened her mind to receive the image being sent. It was remarkably clear. And remarkably familiar. They severed the link. Setsuna opened her eyes and released Kaori's hand. Out of courtesy, she gave Kaori a few moments to recover. It was harder on the Ancient, she had to do most of the work. "Did you see it?" Kaori asked. "Yes, very clearly. A great crystal palace, rising up into a black sky." "My son is convinced that if we can secure the life force of more holy places, the Crystal will show us how we can bring the Palace into being. He believes it to be a great source of power. A sanctuary." "I see." Kaori didn't need to explain that last part. One thing they were both open about was their worry over the chaos that had been unleashed on the world, and what it would mean for Kaori's family and Setsuna's adopted family. The desire for a sanctuary in the times to come was something they both understood. Setsuna took a moment to sort out what she needed to say. As always at these meetings, she chose her words carefully. "I can tell you a few things. The palace is familiar to me. It is what you said, both a source of great power and a sanctuary. Bringing it into being is a worthy goal, and would be a remarkable achievement. I must ask you this, though. Can you think of no other way to achieve this than to attack more shrines or temples?" "Believe me, Setsuna, I have driven myself to distraction trying to find another way, as have others. All to no avail. If we are really to do this, it seems my son's method is all we have." Setsuna nodded. "That is unfortunate." "Setsuna ... I don't want our loved ones to come into conflict." "I'll do what I can to make sure that doesn't happen." "Is there anything I can do?" "I can't ask you to give me specifics, but can you tell me if your son is planning to move again soon?" "No, not for several days at least." "Then I'll try to see that they are not interfered with. I have to warn you about one thing, though. If they ever actually harm anybody, then all bets are off. The Senshi would come down on them hard and it would be out of my control." "I understand. The Matriarch has impressed upon them that harming innocents will not be tolerated. I think they've taken that to heart." "Let's hope they have." Setsuna relaxed, let her expression soften. "Now, do tell me about this new garden you're planning for your place." Soon their first course arrived, and they were discussing less weighty matters. Out of necessity, the two women had to keep some distance between themselves. But once they had defined what they could and could not discuss, they had found themselves becoming quite good friends. These careful exchanges of information had proven useful to both of them in the past. But over the years Setsuna found herself looking forward to these meetings more and more. Very soon after they parted company, Setsuna sat down in the club lounge and drew her cellular phone out of her handbag. She tapped the key that called a present number and waited. "Haruka, it's me ... I'm sorry, I imagine you must have been sleeping ... Oh, I see. My apologies ... No, everybody's fine. The reason I'm calling is I've found the reason for Michiru's vision ... Yes, that one ... It's not something we should discuss on the phone ... No, it doesn't need to be right away, but it would be best if you two were back here within the week ... Yes ... Yes, that would be fine ... We'll discuss that when you get back ... Thanks. My regards to Michiru, tell her I'm sorry for the intrusion ... Goodbye." Setsuna put away her cellular and checked her watch. Plenty of time to make their appointment with the supposed extraterrestrials. She was not looking forward to it, not looking forward to what she would have to do there. ***** Daniel Churchland drove his silver Cressida sedan up to the gate of his customer's residence, noting that it was closed. That had been instituted in the last couple of weeks. It was just a sign of the times, his customer was hardly the only one hunkering down, hardly the only one becoming more security conscious. On top of everything else that was going on, this business of the temples, for all the attempts to keep it under wraps, really seemed to have struck a nerve with this country's people. It seemed like he was being asked to show his passport and visa more and more often. He reached out the window and pressed the buzzer. The speaker next to it crackled. "Yes?" came a tinny male voice. Daniel looked at the tiny video camera. "Daniel Churchland, here for my usual appointment." "Thank you, please proceed." Daniel heard a rattle ahead, and slowly, the wrought-iron gate slid aside. He pushed the switch to close the car window, and proceeded down the long driveway to the mansion. The gardener was already at work in front of the house, he noted. Maintaining a carefully manicured lot this size would easily keep at least one man occupied full time. He parked in a designated area at the side of the house. He took his briefcase, locked his car and headed back around to the front door. Though he was employed by the household, his position was such that he was not asked to enter via the servants' entrance. Not that he would care, such things had long since ceased to matter. The butler who answered the door recognized him, of course. He led Daniel down the long hallway to the usual room. He opened the door for Daniel and stood aside. As usual the butler's manner was at the same time excruciatingly polite and utterly cold. It was unusual for a gaijin to be hired by such a distinguished household, so he often found his caucasian features raising eyebrows among other servants of the households he worked for. But in just the few years he had been in the country he had developed enough of a reputation that his credentials were not questioned. The room he entered faced east and had tall, wide windows opening up onto the garden, so it was lit brightly by the rising sun. The two children who sat on cushions at the low table near the window turned to look at the sound of the opening door. As one, they rose, turned to face him and bowed to their tutor. "Good morning, Sensei," they said. "Good morning Gen," Daniel said to the boy of eight. "Good morning, Yuriko," he said to the slightly younger girl. He walked over to the table, put down his briefcase beside it, sat down at a third cushion and gestured for the children to do likewise. He indicated with a smile that the formalities could now be dropped. "I see you're still going through the newspaper. Have each of you found something?" It was his habit to have each of the children he worked with read through the day's newspaper and find at least one item for them to discuss. It was somewhat above their reading level, but he always encouraged them never to be afraid to make mistakes and ask questions. "I found something!" Yuriko said, shooting her hand up. "Fine, would you read it to us, please?" She already had her section of the paper open to where she wanted, so she started reading immediately. When she had her first problem with the reading of a set of characters, Daniel slid over beside her and started giving her help. It was a fairly short article describing in a very matter-of-fact, low-key fashion the mysterious destruction of yet another temple in Tokyo. "And why did you pick this article?" Daniel asked. "What did you find interesting about it?" Yuriko grinned. She pointed to a part towards the end of the article and read it again, slowly and carefully. "One resident is reported having seen a young woman dressed in a white and orange fuku running towards the temple at around the time it is believed to have collapsed. The eyewitness report was consistent with others who have reported these unusual sightings in Juban area in the past few years." She turned back to Daniel, still smiling brightly. "That's what the papers always say when somebody sees one of the Sailor Senshi. And she was in orange, so it must be Sailor Venus!" Gen groaned. "Yuriko, you're supposed to read something *serious*." "It is serious!" the boy's sister shot back. "It means the Sailor Senshi are fighting the bad guys again." "The Sailor Senshi aren't real," Gen said haughtily. "Everybody knows that." "They are too!" "Okay, that's enough," Daniel said gently. "It doesn't really matter whether they're real, that's not the point. The point is, the eyewitness probably believed they had seen a Sailor Senshi and had said so to the reporter. But the reporter didn't want to say that in his article. You were able to read between the lines and make a good guess as to what it really meant. Very well done. Gen, do you have something for us?" He did. It was somewhat longer and more involved. Even though Gen was one year more advanced, he had bitten off a bit more than he could chew, Daniel had to help him out with quite a few of the words. It was a piece on a border clash in Southeast Asia that seemed to be quickly escalating into a full scale war. "And why did you pick this article?" Daniel asked. As he had told the children many times, his criterion for a reason was something outside the article itself, some other point to relate the article to. "In history class in school, the teacher there told me that this border they're fighting over isn't supposed to be there. It's only there because that's how the western countries divided up their colonies. If it wasn't for what the old western empires did, there might not be a war right now." Daniel nodded. "There is some truth to that. But it's only a half truth, at best. In fact, there are many reasons for that border to be there, both because of the local physical geography and the human geography. In fact, that border existed almost exactly as it is many times in history. People were fighting over that border four thousand years ago." Gen frowned. "Four thousand years?" "Yes, that's right." Gen shook his head forcefully, his expression grim. "You must be wrong." Daniel raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?" "My history teacher at school says history there started only about two thousand years ago." "State your position more clearly, please," Daniel said, with just a hint of sharpness in his tone. Gen took a moment this time, spoke more carefully. "He says that nobody knows what was happening in those countries that far back. There aren't any books or anything that old." Daniel nodded. "That's correct, there is no record of the history of that region older than about two thousand years." "So how do you know there was a border there four thousand years ago?" Daniel could see the triumph in Gen's eyes. He had actually tripped up the Sensei. "Well, it looks like you got me. Now, how to explain this?" Daniel rubbed his chin dramatically for a moment. "I guess there's nothing else to do." He looked all around the room, his expression grim and nervous, as if making absolutely sure they were all alone. Both children had looks of growing puzzlement on their faces, unsure what to make of his behaviour. He leaned forward, gestured for them both to come closer. They looked at each other briefly, each wondering if the other knew what was going on. Since neither did, they both slid closer. "Can the two of you keep a secret?" Daniel asked in a low, conspiratorial voice. They both nodded vigorously, their eyes wide, their faces full of anticipation. He was surely going to tell them one of the Big Adult Secrets. "The fact is, Daniel Churchland is not my real name." "It's not?" Gen asked, his voice also very low but with a tone that implied *is that all?* "No, it's not. I've gone by many, many names in my life. But my real name is Cyrus." "Cyrus what?" Yuriko asked. "Just Cyrus. I was born in a kingdom that is older than any kingdom you ever read about in a history book. When I was a young man, I had a spell put on me that kept me from ever growing old. All the people I knew then have long since died, and the city I was born in crumbled to dust thousands of years before the Egyptians built their pyramids. I have wandered across the Earth since then, teaching people about the history I have seen with my own eyes. I know that border existed four thousand years ago because I was there." The two children stared at him for a few seconds longer, then looked at each other. Abruptly they both fell over, heaving with hysterical laughter. "That's a very silly story!" Yuriko declared, being the first to recover from her laughing fit. Daniel smiled. "Yes, it is a silly story, isn't it?" Now Gen also sat back up. "Sensei, did you expect us to believe that?" "No, Gen, I didn't." "It couldn't possibly be true," Yuriko said, not sounding as indignant as her brother sounded. "No, I expect not. Anyway, enough of that. I want you both to read me the essays I asked you to write." "Me first!" Yuriko said, already reaching for her notebook. Cyrus made a mental note of the name of the other shrine which had been mentioned in the article Yuriko had read, the first shrine to be destroyed under mysterious circumstances. Later he would do some research, find out when it had happened. It was a long shot, but if these Sailor Senshi were who he thought they were ... his long search might finally be over. ***** Jeneth stirred the simmering contents of the pot a bit more, gave a little more time for the spices she had just added to mix in. She ladled a little bit of the broth into the tiny saucer she used for tasting. Seemed okay. "K'Theelm, could you come taste this and tell me what you think?" "Okay, just a moment." K'Theelm was at the counter behind her, cutting the fish they just got for the sashimi. "You know, they did say there would be only four of them," Thetan said suggestively, watching them from his seat at the dining table. His own eating habits being remarkably spartan, he had been rather overwhelmed by the elaborate preparations his two companions were making. He had quite properly decided to just stay out of their way. *Only four,* Jeneth thought. Yes, just four Avatars coming for dinner, that's all. Nothing to be nervous about, nothing at all. "We want to have a large variety available," K'Theelm explained as he cleaned off his knife, done with the sashimi. "For all we know, their eating habits may be as restrictive as yours." "I believe Venus-san indicated they were ... flexible." "That's Sailor Venus," Jeneth corrected him. She paced the kitchen nervously as she spoke. "Or just Venus, as she said. I assume we can just address the others as Mars and Pluto. I'm not sure about their leader, somehow Moon doesn't sound right." "Best stick with Sailor Moon," K'Theelm suggested. "That's how she's referred to in the popular media." He walked over to the steaming pot, and carefully ladled a small amount into another of the tiny saucers. "Mmm. Yes, I think it's just right. We can let it simmer." He put the lid over the pot, turned the element down a notch. "Looks like everything's ready, good timing." "Yes." Venus had assured Jeneth they would arrive at exactly the appointed time. Just a few minutes now. Jeneth took off her apron and hung it up. "It was such short notice, I wish we had thought to rent a larger place for a night. We're so cramped here, they may be used to much better." "Venus actually complimented you on your choice of apartments," Thetan reminded her. "That's true." Venus had seemed quite comfortable here, maybe it would be okay. "She seemed remarkably young, I wonder what the others are like?" "I think we'll be finding out very soon," Thetan said, getting up from his chair at the end of the table. "You sense something approaching?" K'Theelm asked. He was now standing with them in the dining area. "Yes, I think they're here." Thanks to Thetan's warning, Jeneth did no more than flinch when the four women dropped down onto the balcony outside the sliding glass doors. Venus caught sight of her immediately. She smiled warmly and waved. Jeneth did likewise. Venus looked just as she had the first time they had met, a pretty young woman with sparkling blue eyes and long blonde hair tied back with a big red ribbon. The outfit she wore bore a superficial resemblance to many of the uniforms the school girls in this country wore. The white bodysuit that covered her upper body seemed to cling to her like a second skin, yet softened the lines of her body as if there were some padding or, as K'Theelm had speculated, flexible armour. The orange collar, short orange pleated skirt and the purple ribbon at her breast was what made it resemble a school uniform. But there were embellishments that marked the outfit as something quite different. The orange sandals, for instance. The white gloves that went to her elbows and ended with what looked like ribbed elbow pads. The little transparent wings at her shoulders. The tiara that held a glowing jewel at her forehead. And of course the oversized yellow ribbon at the small of her back, whose ends trailed almost down to her knees. Jeneth quickly sized up the other three women. The first was a raven- haired beauty with dark eyes and a stern, wary expression. Her outfit was identical to Venus', except for being red wherever Venus' was orange or yellow. If the depictions in the media which K'Theelm had shown them were correct, this would be the one called Mars. The second could almost have been mistaken for Venus, except her hair and eyes were slightly darker. And her hair was done up in pigtails that Jeneth would swear came close to touching the ground. Her outfit was a little more flamboyant as well. The skirt was white with blue and yellow along the hem. She wore red knee-high boots which matched the ribbon at her breast. The dark blue of her collar matched that of the skirt, and the transparent wings at her shoulders were a bit larger. The ribbon at her back was a translucent mauve affair that fluttered down even lower than her pigtails. Sailor Moon, presumably. By process of elimination the fourth one must be Pluto, on whom K'Theelm could find no information at all. She was tall with dusky skin and long, green- tinted black hair. But for the little red heart-shaped ornament at her breast, her outfit was all black and white. Her disturbing red eyes locked on Jeneth's for just a second before continuing their calm, methodical scan of the room. Jeneth suppressed a shiver. There was something very different about that one, something that set her apart from the other three. Jeneth's eyes saw a beautiful young woman, but everything else was telling her that she was looking at something as ancient as the stars. Even more so than the others, her aura had a depth and richness that it seemed could not possibly have been developed over a single lifetime. They had no idea the Senshi were going to show up like this. Thetan was quick to adapt. He walked to the glass door, and bowed low as he slid it aside. "Welcome, Sailor Senshi. You honour us with your presence." "Thank you," Venus said, doing a quick bow but never losing that friendly smile. "Sorry for dropping in on you like this." She giggled. "Sorry, I can never resist that joke." "Please come in," Thetan said, stepping back towards his companions and beckoning their guests to enter. Venus led them in. She was very relaxed, as she had been two nights ago after she had gotten solid ground back under her feet. Sailor Moon smiled shyly, looking a little nervous. Mars and Pluto wore neutral expressions. They were both still watching the room and their three hosts warily, the latter managing to be a little less obvious about it. "Let me do the introductions," Venus said. "This is Sailor Moon, our leader." "Pleased to meet you," the young woman with the pigtails said, bowing. Jeneth took a closer look at her ... and was barely able to suppress a gasp. It hadn't been obvious at first because it was so deeply hidden. But looking at her aura close up was like looking at a fractal pattern, it gave the impression that it went on forever, infinite in all directions. Jeneth's heartbeat quickened. *She is the one. She must be the one who drew us here.* "This is Sailor Mars." The severe young woman nodded curtly. Her gaze was almost as disturbing as Pluto's. "And this is Sailor Pluto." Again, just a curt nod. "I am Thetan of the Warrior Caste," Thetan said, bowing again. "Jeneth of the Healer Caste," Jeneth said, doing likewise. "K'Theelm of the Engineer Caste. Welcome to our home." "Thank you," Sailor Moon said. She smiled in an impish way that reminded Jeneth so much of Venus' manner. Already she could see they were alike in more than just looks. If she could find an appropriate time, she would have to ask them if they were related. "It's a bit late to be saying this, and I hope it doesn't sound silly, but ... welcome to Earth." Her expression suddenly changed, as if having just become aware of something. She sniffed. "Boy, something sure smells good." Jeneth thought she heard Mars make some sound. She spared a look at the raven-haired Senshi to find her barely suppressing a look that seemed to mix indulgent amusement with long-suffering sadness. "Venus told us you'd be joining us for dinner," K'Theelm said. "We took the liberty of preparing a modest meal, I hope you'll do us the honour of joining us." They did. Over dinner, the Senshi asked them all a barrage of questions. Sailor Moon, like Venus, seemed to be just curious about the sort of lives they had made for themselves here on Earth. Mars and Pluto were also friendly and polite, but their questioning seemed a little more calculated and systematic, they listened a little more intently to the answers Jeneth and her companions gave. Remarkably, the Senshi asked nothing of their own dead planet. Jeneth wondered if this was something they had all agreed on beforehand, out of consideration for their hosts' feelings. She considered volunteering some story of their home world, but decided to follow the lead of the Senshi and avoid the topic. Sailor Moon managed to devour more than any three of them, all with great enthusiasm and repeated words of praise and gratitude. Avatar or no, Jeneth was really beginning to worry about her becoming ill. They certainly wouldn't have many leftovers to put away. "That was simply delicious!" Sailor Moon enthused after polishing off the last of her dessert. "I'm glad you liked it," Jeneth said. "Do you have any room left for tea?" "Absolutely." After everyone was served, Mars discretely cleared her throat. Sailor Moon glanced at her, and they exchanged barely visible nods. From her place at the end of the table, Sailor Moon looked back at her hosts, her expression a bit more serious now. "Jeneth, K'Theelm, Thetan, there are some things I think you ought to know. I mean, about what happened when Galaxia came to Earth." "Venus explained to us that you defeated her," Thetan said. "Well, it wasn't quite that simple. You see, Galaxia was actually possessed. A very long time ago, she had defeated a being that we know only as Chaos. Eventually, it corrupted her, and she started taking the Star Seeds from people all over the galaxy. By the time she got here, by the time I fought her, she had been taken over completely by Chaos. The two of them together were too powerful, there was no way I could defeat them." "I'm not sure I understand," Jeneth was moved to say. She glanced at her two companions. K'Theelm also looked puzzled, but she saw a glimmer of comprehension in Thetan's eye, as if he had some idea where this was going. "All I did was to undo what Galaxia did so long ago," Sailor Moon continued. "I set Chaos free. Without a host to bind it, Chaos spread out through the galaxy, the way it had been in the beginning. Galaxia was also set free, she went back to her normal self." "Her normal self?" Thetan asked. Jeneth could hear a slight edge, a deeper resonance in his great voice. He was not happy about what he was hearing. "Thetan, Galaxia was not a bad person at all. What she tried to do was good, she tried ridding us of Chaos forever. But she couldn't do it, probably nobody could do it. She couldn't help what happened." Thetan sighed deeply, shook his head. "Forgive me, I don't doubt what you say is true. But so many people, so many worlds have paid for her folly, I cannot find it in my heart to forgive. If I may ask, what judgement did you make upon her?" Sailor Moon shook her head. "I didn't punish her. I just asked her to undo what she did. I asked her to return the Star Seeds to their homes." Jeneth felt utterly lost and bewildered. The magnitude of what the Avatar had said was just sinking in. "Sailor Moon ... " she said hesitantly. "Do you mean to say, you asked Galaxia to guide their souls to their final resting places?" Sailor Moon looked puzzled by the question. She was interrupted by Mars. "Perhaps I can explain," the red-clad Senshi suggested. "As Sailor Moon said, we couldn't defeat Galaxia when she was possessed by Chaos. We tried, but we were defeated. Pluto, Venus and I all had our Star Seeds taken." Mars waited a moment as the implications of that sank in. She nodded, probably in response to the look of shock and comprehension Jeneth felt must be on her face right now. "That's right. After Sailor Moon set her free of Chaos, Galaxia was able to restore us from our Star Seeds. She is the most powerful Senshi who ever lived, if she could do that for us then we have no reason to believe she couldn't do the same for the countless other people whose Star Seeds were taken." Again, there was silence. Jeneth had no idea what to say, this was just too much to grasp all at once. "I'm not sure I see how she could do that," K'Theelm said. Jeneth looked at him. She could see and hear hints of what he felt, the disbelief and the hope that just refused to die despite that disbelief. But his engineer's mind was in full command right now. "Our world was laid waste by the forces Galaxia unleashed," he continued. "Even if she could somehow bring everybody back, restore their bodies from their Star Seeds, they would have no world to live on." "Having the Star Seeds under her protection gives Galaxia great power," Pluto said. "Especially those of the Senshi, whom you call Avatars. I believe it would give her the power to restore worlds, as it gave her the power to destroy them. If she goes to your world and restores your own Avatars, I believe that under her guidance and lent her strength, they could restore your world to a livable state." "It could not be done quickly," K'Theelm said, his natural scepticism still in play. "No, it could not," Pluto agreed. "Though perhaps it would not take as long as you might think. Since your own world was attacked just a year before Galaxia arrived here, it was likely one of the last places she attacked. If she follows the logical course, it will likely be one of the first places she visits. With the power of all the Star Seeds behind her, she would be able to move very quickly among the stars. In fact, I think there is a good chance she may have visited your world already." "Oh Spirits ..." it was too much. Jeneth buried her face in her hands, broke down and wept. To think of the blasted rock that was her home, restored, to think of all her friends and family, alive again. It was too much. "Jeneth ..." K'Theelm put his arm around her. His voice was husky, he sounded as overcome with emotion as she was. Perhaps because of the bombshell the Senshi had dropped, perhaps because of her own reaction. Jeneth knew how he hated to see her cry. "Jeneth, it'll be okay." Another voice, another arm around her. Sailor Moon. "Whenever you're ready to go home, your friends will all be there waiting for you. I'm sure of it. Believe in Galaxia. She brought my friends back to me, I'm sure she'll bring yours back to you." Jeneth sniffed, dried her eyes with a napkin. "Thank you," she breathed. She took Sailor Moon's gloved hand, kissed it, beyond caring about any impropriety. "This is a miracle, we never dared hope," she sobbed. "I'm glad we were able to tell you what really happened," Sailor Moon said. Her other arm was still around Jeneth's shoulder. "I'm just sorry it hadn't been sooner." Jeneth looked from the Avatar to her friend ... no, her brother in all but blood. He smiled lovingly at her. "We can go home, Jeneth. I can take us all home." His voice was steady again. Sometimes Jeneth envied him the benefits of the symbiont, which could drain the physical effects of emotional stress out of his system at a moment's notice. Sailor Moon had stepped back, letting them share the moment privately. Thetan was behind his two companions now. He gently rested one great hand on each of their shoulders. "Yes, we can go home." He turned to face the Avatar, who had gone back to stand by her chair. "Sailor Moon, Avatar ... words fail me. It is as Jeneth said, you have worked a miracle. For this, my life is yours. Command me." Sailor Moon's eyes went wide, her mouth dropped open. She couldn't have known the full significance of a member of the Warrior Caste speaking those words. But it was as if some warrior's instinct allowed her to understand at least partially. She nodded in acknowledgement. "This probably isn't a good time for us to talk, we should leave you for today." "No, please stay," Jeneth said. She reached up to her shoulder, laid her delicate hand over Thetan's massive one, feeling as if she could really draw strength from it. "You came here seeking our aid, we simply can't turn you away." "Are you sure you'll be okay, Jeneth?" Sailor Moon asked gently. "We can always come back and talk some other time." "I'll be fine, thank you," Jeneth said. "Now more than ever, I'd like to help you fight these criminals who are desecrating your holy places." "I concur," Thetan said. He withdrew his hand from Jeneth's shoulder, and went to resume his seat at the end of the table. "We don't know when they may strike again, perhaps even this very night. Please, tell us how we may best serve you." Sailor Moon resumed her seat at the other end of the table. "Okay. I guess we should plan how we're going to work together." "Before we continue, I have a question, if I may." They all turned to face Pluto, who was seated near Thetan. She was looking to Sailor Moon, as if for permission. "Of course, Pluto," Sailor Moon said. "What is it?" She turned to Thetan sitting beside her. "I'd like you to tell me everything you know about Galaxia's attack on your planet." "Pluto, why are you asking them about that?" Venus asked, sounding almost angry. Pluto turned to look at Venus, not reacting at all to her challenge. "What we see happening here in Tokyo is much like what is happening all across the world, it is simply a symptom of the Chaos that was unleashed from Galaxia's hold. I have been trying to understand the nature of this force as best I can, in order to better combat it. Everything I learn about how this force works, however irrelevant it may seem, may point to another weapon that can be used against it." "Pluto, that's fine but I don't think this is the right time," Sailor Moon said sternly. "Especially considering the shock we just finished giving them," Mars said, also sounding none too happy. "Your pardon, but if you think it will help I will be happy to recount what we know," Thetan said. "It happened very quickly, and we had a very limited view of what happened, so the story will not be long in the telling." He looked to Sailor Moon. She nodded and gave her assent. Thetan began his tale. "Our own world had been in communication with several neighbouring worlds for centuries. Some of them had also devised means of travelling between the stars. Our first warning of Galaxia's advance was when the small but steady traffic from one of those worlds suddenly ceased ..." ***** Five years ago, another part of the galaxy Thetan swung open the heavy wooden door and emerged from the squat stone building that served as their living quarters. The cold north wind bit into him, barely kept at bay by his woolen cloak. It was an early autumn this year. The farmers in the valley far below would be racing to bring in their meagre crops before they withered. They would be depending on shipments from the northern hemisphere more than ever this year. Everyone would still eat well, but by no means extravagantly. He made his way up the narrow path that hugged the edge of the cliff face. He rounded an outcropping, and the temple proper came into view. It was a somewhat larger dark stone building, surrounded by what was the largest piece of flat ground for miles around. Which wasn't saying much. It was sufficient for the exercises he and the other temple warriors performed each day. And for the rendezvous he was now hurrying to keep. He pulled his knapsack tighter to him, making sure it was secure as he rounded a particulary narrow, treacherous part of the pathway. More than one careless traveller had plunged to his death from here. The path led onto the tiny plateau. Other than the few little tufts of scrub grass that hung precariously to the rocky ground, the only sign of life was the five other warriors lined up in front of the temple, waiting for him. Not much of a sign of life, since they were standing like statues. Like him, they wore heavy cloaks to offer some protection against the cruel wind, and had knapsacks slung over their shoulders. As Thetan approached, the first in line stepped forward. "Command me." He was a big man, even bigger than Thetan. And with even more scars. >From his formality, you would hardly guess the two of them had seen a hundred battles together, from the vampire killsweeps to the assaults on the pirate asteroids. He was a stickler for protocol, as always. "A shuttle will be arriving shortly to take us to the greater L-4 fortress. We will be making ourselves available to the Guards legion there. They have been instructed to be at a higher state of readiness, and are calling in extra forces. We will find out more when we arrive." Thetan took his place at the head of the line and waited with the others. He gazed up into the sky. *You'd better be here on time, old friend, I feel like I'm about to freeze off my-* The thought was interrupted by the sight of a vessel emerging from around the mountain to his left. It curved around gracefully, and descended towards the plateau. These shuttles the Engineers concocted always reminded Thetan of great fish. Supposedly that was not a coincidence, though how exactly a fish could be of any use in constructing an airship was quite beyond him. The grey surface of the vehicle was featureless but for the two round sensors up front like great bulging eyes, and the various fins that supposedly helped it cut smoothly through the air. Four of those fins were now swinging lower as the shuttle approached the ground. Despite the vicious winds, the shuttle came down smoothly to the ground. Thetan smiled. There were very few pilots who could make a landing under these conditions look so easy. Thetan stepped out of line and walked out towards the shuttle. As he approached, a slit in the leathery grey hull parted and dilated open. The pilot stepped out into the opening, but ventured no further. Thetan walked up the fin and smiled in greeting. "Well met, K'Theelm." "And you, Thetan," the slender man said, clasping his hand. "Spirits, how can you live here?" "It only gets really bad in mid-winter." "I know, that's why I try to get assignments in the northern hemisphere then." "Are you ready to take us up?" "When you are." Thetan turned and bellowed an order to be heard above the wind. The five warriors strode out to the shuttle, and they all embarked. After seeing that they were all secure, K'Theelm led Thetan into the cockpit. Thetan settled his bulk into the copilot's harness. In a pinch, he really could fly one of these beasts, more or less. Had done it under fire more than once. But right now, he was happy to leave that to the expert. The round glass plate in front of each of them showed a panoramic fish-eye view of the terrain around them. K'Theelm had told him you got used to seeing the world this way after a while. He found that hard to believe. There was a slight lurch as K'Theelm coaxed his vehicle into the air. He did not require the crude controls that Thetan would have needed, he talked to the beast strictly through his symbiont. The one embedded under his skin-tight pilot's suit. Thetan waited until they had cleared the mountains and were in a clear ascent which required little of K'Theelm's attention. "I called your house yesterday, your father told me you'd already been called to duty." "Since day before yesterday, in fact. I've been shuttling warriors everywhere. It's not just the orbital fortresses, everybody is on alert. >From the activity I've seen, I'd say all the reserves are being called up." "*All* of them? Spirits, that hasn't happened since the Mad Avatar rebellion." And that had been centuries ago. "Funny you should mention that. Yesterday I shuttled none other than the Storm Planet Avatar to the lesser moon." Thetan frowned. "Why did she not teleport herself? Did she look ill?" "No, but she did look very spooked. I didn't ask any questions, of course. But you know what they say about some of the Avatars' powers, they can call upon them only when they're all in link." Which meant that one of the Avatars could no longer link with the others. "Do you think one of them has been assassinated?" "A coup? No, I've been all over cislunar space and haven't seen any actual sign of fighting, just preparations. Me, I think it's got more to do with losing contact with the Great Dragon Star." Thetan had heard about the mysterious drop in traffic from that star a few days ago. But he couldn't imagine an actual threat coming from such a distance. Only Avatars and certain very gifted pilots could transport themselves and at best a tiny vessel over such distances. An attack on a planet as heavily defended as this one would be suicide. "What makes you say that?" "When I got called up, they were specifically asking for pilots who had made the run to Great Dragon. I almost got that detail myself, but got assigned to high priority shuttle runs instead. I figure they sent somebody over there with a Sensitive in tow to scan the whole system, check things out. Either they came back and told the Avatars something scary or they haven't come back at all, which is even more scary." "I wish we knew more. A lot of people have been on edge lately. In the village below our temple, there's a very gifted Precognitive. She hasn't been able to work for days, she's been wracked with nightmares she doesn't understand." "She's not alone, I've heard a few stories like that. Just a moment, I need to prepare for our jump." The view on the glass plates had gradually changed, the blue sky slowly turning black and the stars appearing as they left the atmosphere. Now the view changed abruptly, the stars and the planet below taking on a red hue. Other objects showed up as bright red spots. The beacons on all the orbital stations that guided the pilots. "This is the pilot," K'Theelm said, his voice suddenly amplified and resonating through the vehicle, no doubt also into the passenger compartment where the other warriors were strapped into the harnesses. "We are about to make our jump to L-4." The view swung over until one of the red points was centred on their view. Thetan was always tempted to close his eyes at this point, but he knew that only made it worse. In the blink of an eye, the great fortress loomed before them. It took just a moment for the vertigo to subside. And another moment to realize the fortress was under attack. "What the hell are those?" K'Theelm shouted. He switched the screens back to normal vision, then zoomed in on one of the tiny figures buzzing around the great sphere. It was moving fast, they just got a glimpse. An alien woman in a strange uniform, surrounded by a battle aura and a spherical force shield. A jewel on her forehead blazed brightly. As she swooped by, she shot something out of great metal bracelets, balls of energy that slammed into a gun emplacement, destroying it. Alien Avatars. It could be nothing else. But there were dozens of them. "Do we run?" K'Theelm asked. Now they were in a combat zone, the warrior was automatically in command of the vessel. "Try and dock us, quick as you can. Get us in, then get yourself out. Warp to the nearest fortress." That is, assuming the nearest fortress was any safer. Spirits, what the hell was this? K'Theelm dove straight in. The curved surface of the fortress leapt out at them. The first docking port they came to looked badly damaged, so they sped along the surface to the next one. There was a lot of damage, most of the outer sections had probably lost their air by now. The organic hull's self-repair was being completely overwhelmed. Thetan was the first to spot the alien Avatar swooping in on them. His shout of warning came just as he saw her bracelets flare. There was a thunderclap and the ship lurched violently. "Release a cloud!" Thetan shouted. "Done." There was a gentler concussion as the bladders burst, filling the surrounding space with an inky black cloud. Under its cover, flying blind, K'Theelm dove even closer to the fortress, hugged close to it. He dove into one of the really big docks, the ones for the slow boats. Good, that might offer some protection. "I'm taking us into one of the cargo locks." "Aren't there docks for skiffs in here?" Thetan asked. "We can't dock. Thetan ... we lost the airlock." Rage and shock wrestled for dominance in Thetan's mind. K'Theelm meant the passenger section. They were all dead. His entire command. Even before they got onto the battlefield. *Old friend ... rest in peace. I will avenge you.* K'Theelm manoeuvred the wounded ship inside a cargo lock. On his command, the transparent field came up behind them and the compartment filled with air. "K'Theelm-" "I'm coming with you. She's too badly damaged to warp, and you may need a protective shield." That was true. There was no time to argue. "We'll report to the war room, assuming we can make it there." Thetan unstrapped himself from the harness. They were weightless now, so he just pushed himself up to the ceiling. "This way," K'Theelm said. A small section of the hull beside the pilot's seat dilated open. Emergency exit. Yes, the pilot would want to avoid the horror that lay in the compartment behind them. Understandable. They made their way along narrow corridors, pushing themselves off walls or proceeding hand over hand along ropes, as need dictated. The air was hot and rank, the corridors only dimly lit by a few of the glow plugs. The veins in the living matter of the walls heaved and pulsated. The fortress was straining to repair itself and cool itself. It looked to be a losing battle. They found one of the great spoke corridors that led straight to the core of the fortress. Traffic was much heavier here, it was pandemonium. Thetan noted wounded Warriors and Engineers being led towards the interior. Some of them were comatose, but showed no sign of injury. "Thetan! It *is* you!" Thetan recognized the man sailing up the wide corridor in the opposite direction. A Guards officer he had served under once. They both killed their momentum, as did K'Theelm. "Well met, Centurion." "And you, Warrior." They ducked into the entrance of a side corridor, so as not to block the way. "Did you just arrive?" "Yes, we were on our way to report. This is K'Theelm, our pilot. Our shuttle was attacked, we were the only survivors." "I'm sorry," the Centuriou said, placing a hand on Thetan's shoulder. His expression showed he understood what that meant. But a moment later, his expression hardened. "Communications are being jammed, I have need of a first class Warrior and Engineer for an important detail, I was going to seek aid from one of the other units. Will you serve?" "Command me." "This way." They continued their way further down into the interior. There was some modest drop in the heat and the pandemonium as they went. The Centurion led them down a number of side passages. From the number of checkpoints they passed, they were headed into a very highly secure area. The white helmets and holstered power wands of the last set of guards marked them as the personal guards of the Avatars. They were admitted entrance. Symbols on the wall of the corridor beyond marked it as an area that afforded artificial weight. The three of them oriented themselves properly, and were drawn down to the floor with increasing force as they proceeded. Very few sections had such a luxury, it was very draining on the fortress' systems. As the door at the end of the corridor dilated open, Thetan felt growing trepidation. Which was as nothing to what he felt at the sight that greeted him. It looked like a much smaller version of the war room. Round glass plates of all sizes covered the walls of the round room, walls that merged into the ribbed, dome ceiling. There were just a few ornate chairs in the room. Thetan had heard that such a place existed. A private council chamber for the Avatars and their advisors. A mattress had been rolled out on the floor. On it lay the Ring Planet Avatar in her battle uniform. She looked dead or unconscious. Presumably the latter, since a red-haired woman in a Healer's tunic was kneeling over her, probing the Avatar's face with her hands. The Healer's aura was blinding, she was applying an incredible amount of energy, probably enough to kill an ordinary mortal. Thetan's heart leaped into his throat as he noticed the heavy silver bracelets the Avatar now wore. The Centurion bowed to the other occupant of the room. "I have brought aid, as you instructed, Mistress. The Warrior Thetan, and the Engineer K'Theelm." The Greater Moon Avatar smiled weakly. "Thank you, Centurion." The leader of the Avatars did not look well. Her slim form was slumped in the great wooden chair. Her bluegreen hair, normally done up in elaborate rings, spilled around her shoulders in tangles. Her white robes were torn and blackened in places. There were bruises on the delicate grey skin of her face and arms. She had one hand on the sceptre that lay on one arm of the chair. Somehow, Thetan had the impression it was being held at the ready in its capacity as a weapon, not as a badge of office. She beckoned for Thetan and K'Theelm to approach. "Time may be short, so I will be brief. Two days ago, I sent the Ring Planet Avatar on a mission to the Great Dragon Star. Today, she returned. As leader of the army which now assails us. She came to our fortress on the Lesser Moon, where I was in council with the other Avatars. She demanded our surrender. She told me she now serves Galaxia, who means to rule all the stars of the galaxy." The Avatar seemed to shrink into herself, her voice became lower, with a slight quiver. "We ... fought her. All the other Avatars were slain. Only by their sacrifice was I able to subdue whatever is possessing the Ring Planet Avatar. For she is possessed, unable to control her own actions." Thetan felt a shiver of sick fear. *All the Avatars ... slain.* "I brought her here, barely on time to avoid this attack of the alien Avatars," the Greater Moon Avatar continued. "This is our strongest fortress, it may buy me the time I need to free my sister from her tormenter." She fixed her eyes on K'Theelm. "Engineer, please offer assistance to the Healer. Your symbiont may see things she cannot. Try to find a way to remove her bonds without ... harming her." "I will do my best," K'Theelm said, bowing. He turned to walk over to where the Healer still tended the Ring Planet Avatar. "Warrior, your task is simple. If the Star Planet Avatar awakens and she is still possessed, I will bind her with the sceptre. I have already found out that I will only be able to do that for a few seconds. My other sisters paid for that lesson with their lives. In those seconds where she is helpless, I want you to gather all your ki into a kinetite, come behind her and detonate it at the base of her skull. Do you understand?" It took a few seconds for that to register. "Avatar ... is it your intention that I kill her?" "Yes. If I can, I will let her live the last day of her life under her own free will. If I cannot, I will see to it she does not live as a slave." She sighed, closed her eyes, rested her forehead against her hand. "It's all I can do." "Avatar, is there no hope?" She opened her eyes and gave a sad smile. It looked like she understood, he hadn't missed her reference to 'the last day of her life.' She gestured to the glass plates that surrounded them. "See for yourself." Thetan glanced up at the screens ... and soon what was happening in the room faded into the background. Half the screens were blank, and more were winking out as he watched. Those that remained all showed scenes of horror. The alien Avatars were everywhere. The floating fortresses, the colonies on the moons and planets, the cities on the planet below, all were under attack. The crazed berserker women, glowing with power, destroyed all in their path. Nothing could stand in their way, the few who offered resistance could only watch as any weapon launched at the twisted Avatars simply bounced off their shields. Wherever they swarmed, hellish black clouds gathered around them, blotting out the sun. And they hunted down all those who were flushed out of the structures they destroyed. Blasts of energy from their bracelets cut through men, women and children, striking them down. Thetan noticed something he had thought to be his imagination. "By all that's holy," he breathed. "Is that their souls I see being taken?" "The Ring Planet Avatar called them Star Seeds," the Greater Moon Avatar answered. "I fear hers has been taken as well, and all I try and do for her will be in vain." "Avatar, I fear that is true." Thetan had not even noticed the Healer moving up next to him. He had been dimly aware of her and K'Theelm exchanging murmured words as they conducted their examination. She looked infinitely tired, as if barely able to stand even with the much reduced weight afforded by this room. "Then you cannot revive her, Jeneth?" the Avatar asked gently. "I searched and searched, but her soul is not there. Her body lives, but only as a puppet. Even if the ... even if K'Theelm can free her from her bonds, it will not bring her back. It will undoubtedly kill her. I'm sorry." The Avatar closed her eyes. For just a moment, Thetan could see it on her face. The last of her sisters, lost to her. When she opened her eyes, her expression had hardened. "Centurion, the screens show me that Galaxia's army has begun boarding the fortress. Your unit is no doubt being deployed, you should be with them. I release you from my service." The Centurion hesitated. "Mistress, if I may-" "These two you have brought, I would have stay with me. Your place is elsewhere." Her words brooked no argument. The Centurion bowed and turned to go. When the door sealed behind him again, she turned to Thetan. "I perceive you would join him, Warrior." She spoke truly. But Thetan did not feel it proper to ask. "I am yours to command." "Engineer," The Avatar said, raising her voice to be heard by K'Theelm who was still bent over the Ring Planet Avatar. "I would speak with you." K'Theelm, stood, walked quickly over and bowed. "Avatar, I have no news, the bonds that have been placed on her still confound me." "Don't concern yourself," the Avatar said gently, smiling as if to assure him no failure was implied. "Tell me, is your symbiont capable of star travel?" "Yes, Avatar." "And its capacity?" "Two others besides myself." She nodded. "Fine. Then I have a task for the three of you. Go to the Kinmoku system and seek audience in the court of Princess Fireball. Their planet is furthest from the galactic centre, and least likely to have fallen under attack yet. Tell them what has transpired here. You three have seen close up, each in your own way, what Galaxia was able to do to one of our Avatars, and to our world. They may very well face imminent attack themselves. I have little idea what they can do to prepare, but we owe them a warning if we can give one." Thetan went down on one knee. "Avatar, I implore you-" "No." She stood up, held her sceptre close to her breast. Thetan could feel power building in it. "I will ... release my sister from her burden. Then I will help my people as best I can. Engineer, there is a jump corridor set up between here and a transit station in the great comet cloud. Your symbiont will be able to detect it easily. Please prepare yourself." "Yes, Avatar." K'Theelm had a somewhat glazed look on his face, as if it was finally sinking in that they were leaving their doomed home behind. Probably for the last time. But he was doing as ordered. Thetan could sense the power building in his symbiont as K'Theelm prepared it for flight. The Avatar smiled, looking briefly at Jeneth then at Thetan. "May the Spirits watch over you." She walked past them and went to kneel next to her comatose sister. Thetan knew what she was preparing to do. It seemed she would be waiting until they left. At any rate, their audience with her was finished, there would be no more words. "Warrior ..." He turned to face the Healer, getting a good look at her for the first time. She looked younger than he would expect for one with the magnitude of power she had displayed earlier. She was trying to hide it, but she was terrified. "I confess I've never flown ... in ... like-" "In a protective bubble?" Thetan said softly. "Yes. Is there ... anything I need to do?" "No, K'Theelm will do the work." He smiled. "Don't worry, K'Theelm has flown me like this many times, to farther places than Kinmoku. We're safe in his hands." "I'm ready," K'Theelm said just loud enough to be heard. Suddenly they were all walking on eggshells, not wanting to disturb the Avatar as she prepared herself to do the unthinkable. Thetan looked at Jeneth. She swallowed hard and nodded. She was ready. Thetan took her hand, and led her to stand in front of K'Theelm. In moments, the protective barrier appeared around them. The feeling of weightlessness came, and they floated up into the air. "I've got the jump point," K'Theelm announced. "We're ready to go." ***** Five years later, Tokyo All thought of their current problems were swept aside as Mars sat utterly enraptured by this strange tale of faraway worlds. "We made it to Kinmoku," Thetan continued. "But we found the planet surrounded by the black clouds that Galaxia's hordes had unleashed on our world. Jeneth and I could sense the horrors that were transpiring below. We could think of nothing other than to continue in the same direction. That area was uncharted, so K'Theelm was flying blind. His symbiont could take energy directly from the stars, and Jeneth showed us how we could obtain nourishment from it. But we are no Avatars, so we could not live like this indefinitely, we needed to find a planet we could live on. "We were near despair by the time we felt your presence here," Thetan said, now looking at Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon blinked, looked rather confused. She pointed to herself. "You detected ... *my* presence? From way out in space?" Thetan smiled. "As the healer will attest, your aura is like nothing we have ever seen. Looking at you now, I feel as if I see the whole of time and space laid out before me, a pattern of perfect order and harmony going on forever. It extends over this whole city, then sends more nebulous tendrils over all of the Earth, then sends out tendrils still more delicate to encompass all the planets. If the vision of our inner eyes were more sensitive, I don't doubt we would see that same pattern repeated at even wider scales, reaching out to encompass the galaxy and the Universe." "Oh." "Sailor Moon, are you well?" Jeneth asked hesitantly. Sailor Moon lost her glazed look, started as if coming out of a trance. She laughed nervously. "Uh ... yeah, I'm fine. Just fine. Sorry Thetan, please go on." "Well, the rest you know. We settled down in the city that held the source of this aura, just as we've told you." "There's something I've been wondering about," Mars said. "Were you never tempted to try and warn anybody about what was coming?" "Certainly," Thetan said. "But we couldn't find anyone who we thought would even believe us, much less be able to do anything about it. We thought surely the aura we detected must be from an Avatar. And of course, this city had come under attack by very powerful mystical energies more than once, and somebody had fought them off. But we could never find who that might be. K'Theelm had even speculated that the legendary Sailor Senshi may in fact be the ones. But ... your pardon, but until we met up with Venus two days ago we had no reason to believe you were anything but legends." "We like to keep a low profile," Venus said. "Mostly for the sake of our families. Sorry, I guess that made us kind of hard to track down." "I quite understand," Thetan assured her. "On our world, when an Avatar awakens to her powers and assumes office, her family is kept under guard lest the Avatars' enemies try to harm them. It's only right you would want to spare your own families that burden." "Well, operating in secret has its advantages," Venus said, winking at him. "Anyway, thank you for telling us about what happened on your world. Don't take this the wrong way, but I enjoyed the story even though it was such a sad one. I hope you can tell me some happier stories about your world sometime." "I would be glad to," Thetan said, smiling in return. "Right now, we would like to know how we can be of service to you." "I'm not sure it would be proper for us to ask for your service," Pluto said. Mars turned to her, having no idea what she was talking about. "Excuse me?" Pluto still addressed herself to the three aliens. "After what we have heard, I'm not sure it would be right for us to ask you to stay here any longer than you need to. Galaxia has no doubt restored your world as best she can. But she has hundreds, maybe thousands of worlds to restore. She probably can't afford to spend any more time at any world than she has to. She is most likely doing little more than returning each world to a livable state, and reviving the people from their Star Seeds. If I were her, that is what I would do, so that I could help as many worlds as quickly as possible. After she leaves your world, there will be much work to restore your civilization to what it was, probably many generations of work. They will need all the help that they can get. Clearly you are all very powerful and highly skilled in your own fields. They will have great need of warriors, healers and engineers. I would think your duty lies with them, not with us." They all seemed at a loss how to respond to this. Jeneth glanced at Sailor Moon, as if seeking guidance from her. But she looked even more taken aback by what Pluto said. "I ... didn't really think of that," Sailor Moon said slowly. "But Pluto's right, you're probably needed more on your own world. And from what Venus told me, these new enemies are no more powerful than others we've faced. We can take care of them ourselves, like we always have." "For the moment, it's a moot point," K'Theelm said. "I never thought we'd be leaving this world again, so a long time ago I directed my symbiont to put its star flight functions into dormancy. It will take me weeks to regenerate those functions and test them properly. In the meantime, please consider us at your service." "That's great," Venus said, sounding very relieved. "Until Mercury can figure out our own way of detecting these attacks, Jeneth can find them for us." "Mercury?" K'Theelm asked. "Oh yeah," Venus said, giving her head a rap with her knuckles. "I guess we haven't told you yet. There are more of us. There's Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. One for each planet, you know. Except Sailor Moon, she's kind of a special case." Mars suppressed a smile. Sailor Moon had given her veto power over whether they would trust the extraterrestrials with knowledge of the other Senshi. Her nod to Sailor Moon just before they explained what happened to all the Star Seeds had been her green light signal. Her impressions of them were very positive. And she found that the more they spoke together, the more she was getting to like all of them. "I see," K'Theelm said. "Is Mercury an engineer of sorts?" "Oh yeah," Venus said, rolling her eyes. "She's a mega-ultra-hyper engineer. And a doctor too, I think you and Jeneth will love her to death." "Venus, I don't think Mercury's medical skills will be relevant," Mars said, giving her a cold gaze. She was trying to obliquely suggest that Venus shouldn't be talking about their civilian identities. The apologetic look on her face indicated she understood. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Anyway, we should probably get her to rig up some way for you to contact us. Hopefully she can have it ready before sunset tomorrow, that's about the time all these attacks have been happening." Mars nodded. "Jeneth, when you detect an attack, how accurately can you place it?" "From a distance, I can only tell what part of the city. I have to get closer to be more accurate." "I can fly her to any part of the city in a matter of minutes," K'Theelm said. "Regretfully, my symbiont is best at long distance travel, so short distance jumps this close to a planet are out of the question." "It sounds to me like you should keep on doing what you have been doing," Mars said. "Just contact us as soon as you detect an attack and give us a more accurate position as you approach. Then we can come back you up as quickly as we can." "I think you're forgetting something," Pluto said. "Jeneth is a noncombatant. Even if she is willing, I don't think we can in good conscience ask her to enter a combat area. And she should not be left alone either, we know that these people can teleport whenever and wherever they want. The only safe solution I see is to have K'Theelm fly her close enough so that she can pinpoint the location, communicate that to us, then keep her at a safe distance." "I can keep us cloaked as we fly," K'Theelm reminded her. "We can approach without being detected." "Venus told us that your cloak is not perfect. And they may learn to see through it. My own feeling is that as soon as Jeneth thinks the attackers are any less than a kilometre away, you should keep her at that distance until we've made sure there is no further threat. Nobody but us should engage them directly." "I agree," Sailor Moon said. "We can't ask you to do more than that." Jeneth looked somewhat troubled, almost angry. Mars could almost believe she resented being coddled like this. But she just nodded. "If you think that's best." "These attacks take just a few minutes," Mars said. "We'll be hard pressed to get there before it's all over." "We'll have to do the best we can," Pluto said simply. "That is, assuming we decide to do anything at all." Mars glared at her openly. She was becoming very annoyed at how Pluto kept playing naysayer. "What do you mean?" "I have to question whether these attacks fall under our domain." "What do you mean, our domain?" Venus asked. She sounded almost as annoyed as Mars felt. "These criminals have some rather unusual powers, but they are in fact human. Their crimes are serious, but hardly constitute a threat against humanity. The purpose of the Sailor Senshi is to protect humanity from external forces that threaten its existence. This hardly applies." Mars couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Pluto, you can't expect us to do nothing just because of some technicality." "It's more than a technicality, it goes to the very meaning of our existence. Is it really our role to seek out human wrongdoers and bring them to justice?" "This is different!" Venus protested. "I fought them, remember? They were no ordinary humans, let me tell you." "What is ordinary? There are a great many people with paranormal powers, some families have it in their bloodline. They've always been around, but the few I've met taught me that they tend to be very secretive. That's why virtually nobody knows about them. I have seen people with the sorts of powers you describe. I assure you, they are as human as anybody else." "That doesn't sound like a good enough reason for not doing anything," Venus said. "I'm not suggesting nothing should be done," Pluto said. "I'm suggesting it's a matter for the proper authorities, not for us." "You mean the police?" Mars asked. "What can they do? They don't even know what they're facing. Besides, you know what they're like in this city. Anything looks just a little bit strange, they just back off and hope somebody else will take care of it, namely us. Then they go back and clean up the mess and tell everybody it was just some freak accident. They won't do anything, we're the only ones who can stop this." "That may be so," Pluto said. "Nevertheless, I don't think this warrants our attention. Whoever these people are, they seem to be little more than a combination of arsonist and art thief. They simply demolish shrines for their mystical energy or whatever you wish to call it. It's hardly worth putting ourselves at risk over." "How can you say that?" Mars snapped. "What they're doing is an abomination! The Earth has a soul just like we do, and they're ripping pieces out of it. If that doesn't fall under our domain, then what does?" Mars felt Venus squeeze her leg under the table. She was on the verge of turning and snapping at her too, when she realized what she was doing. She was losing control. She had been prepared to say a great deal more, but she bit it back. She just continued to glare at Pluto. Silently, she recited the mantras she would use to calm herself. "Pluto," Sailor Moon said. "Are you saying you won't help us?" "I am saying that we have no reason to get involved in this matter. I can only tell you what I think is right. Of course, I will abide by whatever decision you make." "I see." Her voice was quiet. She looked troubled. Mars felt so much like telling her there was no decision to make. But she already felt bad about having lost control like that. However unreasonable Pluto was being, she was raising legitimate concerns. "Pluto, I think you're right," Sailor Moon said with what sounded like great reluctance. "Technically, this isn't Sailor Senshi business. But I can't just sit by and do nothing. And I think Mars and Venus feel the same way." "Damned right," Venus said. "So we'll proceed as planned. But each of us has to decide whether we're going to help. I'm not going to ask anyone to take part in this if they don't think it's the right thing to do. Pluto, you've already told me what you think, and I accept that. I won't ask you to do anything further." "I am still opposed to this," Pluto said. "You are putting yourself at risk. But since you've framed it that way, I can hardly object. I'll contact Saturn and the others and let them know what you've said." "Fine, I'll contact Mercury and Jupiter. Thetan, by tomorrow I'm sure we can come up with some way for you to contact us. I can't thank you enough for helping us like this." "Not at all," Thetan said. "I wish we could do more than just sniff out the enemy four you." "No, Pluto's right. It's your job to protect Jeneth. I'd feel awful if anything happened to any of you before you went back home. Don't worry, with your help I'm sure we'll wrap this up long before you leave." "Perhaps we should adjourn for today," Pluto suggested. "Many of us have early morning engagements." *Gods, she's really talking like some damned corporate lawyer today* Mars thought. She didn't want to say anything here, but she was almost as mad at Sailor Moon as she was at Pluto. This was so typical of her, deciding not to decide. But once again, Pluto had raised a legitimate point. They said their goodbyes, and the Senshi left the way they had come in. They went back to the roof, across a couple of blocks over the rooftops, then back down to street level. In a secluded alley, they all transformed back. Usagi's transformation took just that extra second longer. She had managed to figure out how to transform into Super Sailor Moon instead of Eternal Sailor Moon, solving the problem of walking about with those great huge wings. Since that was no longer her natural form, it took extra concentration to shift in and out. "I'll contact Haruka and Michiru tomorrow," Setsuna said. "Can I assume they are free to make their own decision?" "Of course," Usagi said. "Fine, then I'll probably talk to you again tomorrow. Good night." She turned and walked out of the alley onto the street, headed towards where her car was parked. "That was cold," Minako muttered. "She was just full of attitude today. Couldn't get her to agree to anything. You ask me, you should have just told her she's helping us whether she likes it or not." "I couldn't do that," Usagi said. "She is right, you know. If Artemis hadn't heard those crows, we might never have gotten involved in this in the first place. It was just a fluke." "So what?" Venus protested. "Jeez, most of the enemies we fought we just stumbled onto by accident. This is no different." "Anyway, let's head for the car," Usagi said. They started walking towards where Usagi had parked Mamoru's car. "We won't be getting home until late, so I'll see if I can meet with Ami and Mako-chan tomorrow. They're both morning people, God help me, I'll probably have to meet them for breakfast." "I'm sure they'll back you up on this," Rei said. "But the others will probably follow Pluto's lead. They usually do. I just don't understand why she's being so pig-headed about this." "She pretty much told us why," Minako said bitterly. "She doesn't care about a few temples being demolished." "At least not enough to do anything about it," Rei said. Usagi sighed. "I guess she has her reasons." "Yeah," Minako said. "Problem is, we usually never find out what those reasons are until after it's all over." End Chapter 5 Subject: [Fanfic: SM - Secrets 6] Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 19:47:30 -0800 From: Ken Wolfe Reply-To: Ken_Wolfe@mbnet.mb.ca To: Chris Davies , Jerry Yen , John Hitchens , Piotr Gaj , echo5a@deskmedia.com, Tim Nolan (file attached) -- Ken Wolfe | Fax: Sorry, I hate fax machines Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | Compu$erve: 73527.2203@compuserve.com Ken_Wolfe@MBnet.MB.CA | GEnie: k.wolfe8@genie.geis.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- Secrets Chapter 6 - Wedding Dress "This must be the place," Smith said, seeing the police line barring entry to the temple grounds. "Yep, that's it." Takada parked his Mercedez beside the diminutive police car in front of the gate. "You about over your jet lag?" "I suppose. This is morning, isn't it?" "Last time I checked." "I guess we can get to work, then." They locked up the car and presented their credentials to the uniformed officer at the gate. He waved them in. Smith let out a low whistle. "They really did a number on this place." "Looks pretty much like the others." In other words, a pile of rubble. The grounds and the brick wall that surrounded them were untouched. "It's a good job you've kept the press photographers out of here. You'd have a hell of a time explaining this." Takada chuckled. "I wish I could take the credit, but that's just Metro Police S.O.P. for Weird Shit. No reporters get within a mile. Speaking of Metro, looks like our liaison has taken notice of us." A young woman in a business suit who had been speaking with another uniformed officer over by the ruins was now walking over to them. As she approached, Smith and Takada fished their badges out of their breast pockets. "I'm agent Takada, and this is agent Smith, Interpol." The woman did likewise. "Lieutenant Saori Nagashima, Metro Police. Feel free to call me Saori-kun if you're so inclined, everybody does. I was told to expect you, but I wasn't told much else. Would it be improper for me to ask why Interpol is interested in this horrid case?" "Of course, Saori-kun," Smith said, keeping his deadpan fully intact. "We're investigating possible links with cult activity in America and Canada." Saori cocked her head. "Cult activity?" She sighed. "As far as I know, no cult in America or anywhere else is in the habit of demolishing temples. Believe me, I checked. Not that they would have the wherewithal to do something like this anyway. May I ask why you think there may be a connection between American cults and these temples being demolished?" "We're just investigating at this point, Saori-kun," Smith said. "We won't be able to say more until we've had a look around." "And what exactly do you expect to find?" "We won't know that until we've looked around." Her scowl deepened. "Fine, whatever. Before I let you waste too much time, maybe I should bring you up to speed on what to expect from Sailor Senshi cases." Smith raised an eyebrow. "Sailor what?" "Oh, weren't you told? There was a Sailor Senshi sighting at this one. You've heard of them?" "Some local urban legend, if memory serves." "Right. Anyway, this is a typical Senshi case in most respects. First, no physical evidence. Just some property damage and no idea how it happened. The forensic reports are always interesting studies in how to say 'I haven't got a clue' in the most long-winded way possible. Next, no reliable eyewitnesses. Just lots of people saying there was a bunch of angelic little girls leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Any police sketches that get done always have them looking remarkably ... well, angelic. Lots of guys at the station have them pinned up on their bulletin boards, they're kind of cute. Oh, and lots of monster, too. I won't even bother describing those, since no two of them are ever the same. Next, no possible motive. Just some random property damage. This latest bunch is remarkable only in that they're all shrines or temples. No other connection. And finally, needless to say, no suspects. Anyway, that about sums it up. If there are no other questions, I'll leave you to it." There weren't. Saori called over the uniformed officer, and they both left the premises. Smith watched them leave. "Is it just me, or does she have a chip on her shoulder about this long?" "You can hardly blame her for being annoyed. Getting assigned to one of these cases is the kiss of death." "Why's that?" "What she said. They never get solved, period. I figure somebody in the force has it in for her. Metro Police isn't exactly an equal opportunity institution. For her to have gotten her rank at such a young age is remarkable. This could easily put her career into a nose-dive. No wonder she's pissed." "I thought maybe she just didn't like me." "Well, I keep telling you those shades make you look distant." Smith grinned, reached up and adjusted his sunglasses. "Force of habit I guess. They've been standard issue for American field agents for years. Psychological dominance and all that. But actually, these ones are new." "Meaning what?" Smith reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a leather glass case. He drew another set of tinted glasses out of it and held them out. "Try these." Takada shrugged. He took the sunglasses and put them on. His jaw dropped open. "So what do you see?" Smith asked. Takada scanned the grounds for a few moments. "Auras," he said softly. "I can see auras. Residual magical energy." "Not bad, huh?" "It's ... not as clear as using a spell, but still it's remarkable." "It's got to beat taking slices out of your hand." "Granted." Takada walked over to a part of the grounds that had been roped off with police tape. Smith followed. "It's a bit different, but I'd swear that's a spatial distortion residue," Takada said, pointing. "You got it. Pretty cold, probably will be gone by tomorrow. Small group of human sized entities teleported in and out. No surprise there, I guess." "Four this time, according to the footprints in the gravel. Two men, two women. Also, four others who appeared over there then disappeared. Again, two men and two women. One of those may have jumped from the wall, the one with sandals, which matches how this Sailor Venus character is described." "Takada, you sound like you're quoting a forensics report. You don't mean to say there's a Metro Police report that says a girl in sandals jumped off that wall and landed over there, do you?" "Despite her attitude, Saori is being very thorough. She's demanding that everyone in the case set down their observations and conclusions, however ridiculous they may look at face value. She had them go over every inch of this place before anything got touched and whip up a quick preliminary report. Probably so that people get their reports in before they even realize how impossible they sound. I think she really does want to find out what's going on here, whatever it takes." He noticed Smith's smile. "What?" "I know that tone. You've got your eye on her." Takada chuckled. "Like I said, for her to have gotten this far this fast, against the odds, she really must be something." "Think hard, Takada." "Why, just because she doesn't like you?" "I've always said you need a good sense of humour for this job. She hasn't got one. I can tell." "I think that's a cultural misunderstanding. We tend to show our sense of humour in more subtle ways." "I've seen what passes for comedy over here. Subtle, it ain't. So anyway, anything else of interest in miss supercop's report?" "It looks like the girl in sandles came close to getting backstabbed by one of the men in the first group. They figure she jumped back onto the wall then back off again." "Now that is interesting. Have we got two rival groups here, after the same thing?" "Or one group trying to stop the other from doing their business." "Which is?" Takada shrugged. "I guess that's the million yen question." "Right. I suppose we should do the standard walkabout here, but I doubt we'll find anything we don't already know. Sounds like we can depend on Saori-kun to gather the physical evidence, which is a welcome change." "And that's why she doesn't like you." "Come again?" Takada sighed. "How many years have you spent in this country?" "Three. Why?" "You ought to know she would detest being called Saori-kun." "But she said-" "Like I said," Takada interrupted, grinning, "our sense of humour is more subtle, including our sarcasm." Smith sighed. "There's just no pleasing people. I'm beginning to see why she's pissed at this case, though. We haven't a hope of catching these people in the act. There are hundreds of shrines and temples in this city." "Thousands, if you count the little ones. And even if we could keep them all under watch, we couldn't in good conscience suggest to Metro that they post officers in these places at night. They wouldn't stand a chance." "True enough. Which seems to leave us with exactly one lead. Your contact with the Ancients." Takada's face fell. "I was afraid you were going to bring that up." "You were the one who said some of them are likely to be involved." "Yes, that's true. They're the only family of paranormals we know of who might have people powerful enough to do something like this." "So what exactly is your relationship with this contact?" "It's the mother of the young boy I pulled out of that lab." Smith let out a low whistle. Everybody in the Hidden branch new about that story, it was the Tokyo office's claim to fame. A top secret government lab had gone rogue, secreting away a young boy who had scored positive on some PK tests. The poor, tormented boy had finally turned on his captors, releasing energies that could have caused a cataclysm. Takada had managed to wade through the rogue scientists' steaming pink entrails, and to find the boy, talk him out of nuking the whole city. "I take it you're on friendly terms with her." "Yes, we still meet every now and then. I also like to check up on her son." "How's he doing?" "He's still very withdrawn, poor kid. His powers never manifested again. I think we can all be grateful for that." "So may I assume it would not be inappropriate for you to make some polite inquiries on our behalf?" Takada smiled. "That was a delightfully indirect question. I think you're going native." "Bite me." "Anyway, shall we do our rounds so that I can give you your spare sunglasses back?" "Actually you can keep those, I requisitioned them specifically for you." "Oh fine, now everybody will think I'm a Yakuza." ***** "That was Michiru again," Hotaru said, hanging up the phone. "She says they just got onto the highway, they'll be here in about twenty minutes." "Okay," Setsuna said. She put down her book and stood up. "I guess we can start preparing things, then. Can you give me a hand?" "Sure." Hotaru followed Setsuna into the kitchen. They had already prepared what could be done ahead of time, it was just a matter of cooking what needed to be cooked and laying it out. It was a big meal, but heavy on green vegetables, which Setsuna had explained to her was best for relieving the effects of jet lag. Haruka and Michiru wouldn't eat airline food, so they would be starving. "They're a bit early," Hotaru said as she put on water for the miso soup. "Maybe they didn't get too badly mobbed at the airport." "They tried as best they could to keep their flight a secret. But with both of them cancelling events in Europe so suddenly, it was bound to attract attention. Reporters have their way of finding out." "Well, whatever they say, I know they both love the attention," Hotaru said. That very attention was the reason they hadn't gone to pick up their friends at the airport. Hers and Setsuna's lives revolved around carefully constructed false documents and false personal histories, each for different reasons. Neither of them could afford the close scrutiny that would no doubt follow being seen publicly with their much more famous friends. "I just feel kind of bad, they both had to cancel events they were really looking forward to." "Well, it can't be helped." Another of her enigmatic answers, Hotaru noted. It wasn't clear why exactly they needed Uranus and Neptune on hand. Setsuna seemed convinced both of them would make the same decision she did, not become involved in hunting down the ESPers. It seemed like they were coming back for nothing. "Just in case," was about all Setsuna would say. She had also extracted a promise from Hotaru not to make her own decision regarding the matter until the four of them had a chance to talk. Which was also puzzling. As far as she knew, Setsuna would be telling Haruka and Michiru the same things she told Hotaru just a few days ago. There was a gentle beep. Hotaru looked over at the home security panel on the living room wall. There was a flashing green light on the otherwise featureless black surface. Somebody had opened the front gate with a remote. That would be Haruka. Whenever she was abroad she had her convertible sportster kept in a garage near Narita airport, that way they wouldn't need to take a cab. "I'll go see them in, okay?" Hotaru said. Setsuna smiled knowingly, noting Hotaru's eagerness. "Go ahead, I'll finish setting things out." Hotaru hung her apron in the kitchen closet and ran through the house to the garages. When she arrived, Haruka had just killed the engine. They were parked in between the sedan and the minivan. The garage door was just closing. Hotaru flipped on the main garage lights on the way in. "Haruka, Michiru! Welcome back!" Michiru waved. "Good to see you again, Hotaru-chan." "Hey, Hotaru," Haruka called, already getting out of the car. "Long time no see. Looks like you've grown some more." Hotaru made a face. "You always say that, even when you've only been gone a few weeks." Haruka winked. "You miss us?" "You know I do. Let me help you carry your stuff in." "The heavy luggage is arriving later," Michiru said. "You must have carry-ons, though." Haruka chuckled. "Nice try. We don't unwrap the souvenirs until after we get fed." "Same goes for the duty free," Michiru added, walking back to the trunk. Haruka reached down over the door and pulled the lever that popped the trunk. "Well, I don't think Hotaru's interested in that." Hotaru pouted. "You know, chronologically I'm eighteen now." "Which still isn't twenty-one," Michiru noted. "That never stopped you," Hotaru said. She reached out her hand, and Michiru handed her one of the packages with a smile of gratitude. "We're just trying to make sure you don't repeat the mistakes of our own misspent youth," Haruka assured her. She slung the last of the carry- on bags over her shoulder and closed the trunk. They all started making their way over to Haruka and Michiru's room, which Hotaru had just finished cleaning up for them today. "Did you bring back any pictures?" "Plenty," Michiru said. "Especially from around the Black Sea, we spent a week touring there." Hotaru frowned. "You never told us about that. There's a civil war going on around there, isn't it dangerous?" "There are some areas we had to avoid," Haruka said. "Besides, if we really got into a pinch we could just transform and beat up anybody who gives us attitude." Hotaru sighed. "I thought you were supposed to be role models for me. Do you at least have the pictures with you?" "Yes," Michiru said. "But like Haruka said, we don't open up anything until we get fed." They put all the packages down on the dresser in the bedroom. Haruka put her arm around Hotaru and steered her back out towards the dining room. "But after dinner, the first thing I want to see is this bridesmaid's dress you've been raving about." "And I want to see yours!" Hotaru said, grinning up at her. "Not until the rest of the luggage arrives tomorrow," Michiru said. "You haven't told me anything about them," Hotaru complained. Over the phone she had described in excruciating detail the dress she had chosen, but the other two had been very mysterious. Haruka grinned. "It'll be worth the wait, you'll see." Setsuna had dinner waiting for them. They dragged it out, making it last insufferably long. Mainly because Setsuna was bringing Haruka and Michiru up to speed on what had been happening. She described Venus' encounter with the ESPers and the extraterrestrials. Then she related what they had learned from the extraterrestrials, in somewhat greater detail than she had related to Hotaru a few days ago. She gave what seemed to be almost a word for word account of her subsequent argument with the inner Senshi and how it was resolved. Haruka and Michiru had been almost silent during all this, only asking the occasional question. Hotaru had cleared away the remains of dinner while Setsuna spoke, they were now drinking tea. "We have some news of our own," Michiru said. "Yesterday, I had the same vision again. This time it was unmistakable." "Vision?" Hotaru asked hesitantly. Michiru looked at her. "I'm sorry Hotaru, I didn't say anything to you because I wasn't really sure. But now I am sure. It was a vision of the Crystal Palace." Hotaru gasped. "You mean ... *the* Crystal Palace? Crystal Tokyo?" She nodded. "Yes. It's exactly as Pluto described it." Her use of Setsuna's title put Hotaru on edge. It was a signal that things were serious. There was obviously something going on that Hotaru didn't know about yet. "Pluto, can you tell us what it means?" Haruka asked. Her tone implied she had some reason to believe Setsuna did indeed have an answer. "Yes, I believe I can." Setsuna paused, her expression became very grim. "I need you all to understand that in telling you these things I am violating a sacred trust I have held for several years. Before I continue, I need your solemn oaths that none of what I say will go beyond this room." Hotaru looked to see Haruka and Michiru both nodding. Suddenly they were all looking at her, waiting. "Yes, I promise," Hotaru said quickly. She felt even more uneasy now. "I know who is destroying the temples and why they are doing it." Hotaru's heart was fluttering. *She knew?* "Setsuna ... !" The piercing stare of those red eyes stopped her cold. Setsuna's expression implied she should be careful what she asked. She tried to calm herself, frame her question in a reasonable way. "Pluto, how long have you known?" "I found out shortly before I met with the extraterrestrials." So she knew even then. While they were all talking about it, trying to figure out a way to fight them. "Why ... why did you keep it a secret?" "I believe that will become clear." Once again, she addressed herself to all three of them. "The people attacking these temples are four members of a family of paranormals called the Ancients. I have had dealings with several generations of this family. Over the past few years I have had repeated meetings with a particular member of this family. This is the confidence I spoke of earlier. I cannot even tell you her name. She knows who and what I am. To a limited degree, she knows about us. Not our identities, obviously. We have exchanged information where appropriate. I have warned her about the times when her people should avoid the Juban area or other areas. ESPers tend to invite attack from paranormal beings, you see, they are in greater danger than most. In exchange, she has shared visions from sensitives and precognitives in her family, visions I have found useful. "A week ago, I mentioned to her that the Senshi had become involved in one of the attacks on the temples. I had already suspected, but she confirmed that the attackers were in fact Ancients, and they were operating with her knowledge." "And she told you why they are doing this?" Haruka asked. "Yes. The Ancients possess an artifact known as the Seed Crystal, something that has been in their family for many centuries at least. It appears to be a source of visions, something like Neptune's talisman. Four years ago, after Chaos was released from Galaxia's body, it suddenly started emanating a vision of the Crystal Palace." "Have you told her about Crystal Tokyo?" Michiru asked. She sounded anxious. "No. I simply told her that I have seen the Palace before, nothing more. Some weeks ago, I suspect by accident, some of the Ancients found that if they extracted the life force of a holy place and brought it before the Seed Crystal, it would strengthen and clarify the vision." "So they hope to learn the meaning of the vision," Michiru said. "More than that. They hope to bring the Crystal Palace into being." "What?" Haruka sat upright, her whole body suddenly tense. "How do they expect to do that?" "My contact shared the vision with me, telepathically. Don't worry, she would be unable to read my mind, even if she tried. The vision was sharp enough, even seen indirectly, to convince me that the Seed Crystal is more than just an oracle of sorts. I believe that the Seed Crystal *is* the Crystal Palace. Or rather, its purpose is to become the Crystal Palace." They sat in silence for a few moments. Haruka and Michiru looked very troubled. And rightly so. The implications of this were just starting to sink in. "By obtaining the life force of more holy sites and bringing it before the Seed Crystal, the Ancients hope to make it reveal exactly how the Crystal Palace can be brought into being." "Do you think they could really do that?" Haruka asked. "It's possible. I honestly don't know. All I know is, they mean to try." Michiru leaned forward. "You don't intend to stop them." It was a statement, not a question. "Correct." "Gods ..." Haruka breathed. "Pluto ... you have to tell us, this is too important to keep us in the dark. Do you know that this is the way that the Crystal Palace is supposed to come into being?" Setsuna sighed. She let her poker face slip a little. Hotaru saw sadness, and ... a flash of what she would not quite describe as fear. "Uranus, in truth, I don't know. I know the future for which we are striving, but there are many possible paths to it. This may be one of those paths." "Do you have any idea where this Seed Crystal is?" Michiru asked. Hotaru didn't like the look in her eyes, didn't want to think of the reason for asking the question. "No. They've kept it hidden for centuries, it is their most closely guarded secret." "So that means if they truly can bring the Palace into being, it will be under their control," Haruka said. The look in her eyes was even more disturbing than that of her partner. "It will be in their possession," Setsuna agreed. "Not necessarily under their control. Remember, the Palace is truly enormous. If they bring it into being, wherever it might be, they will no longer be able to keep it a secret. Its location will be revealed to us." "They must be doing this for a reason," Haruka said. "They figure it will be a source of power for them or something. I don't imagine they'll sit by and let us or anybody else just walk up and move in." "No, I would think not." Setsuna said. "If they really can do this, then all bets are off. The appearance of the Crystal Palace would change everything, not just for us but for the whole world. It's impossible to predict what would happen at that point. We would just have to play it by ear." "Pluto, I just don't get it," Haruka said. "It sounds like you're playing dice with our future, everybody's future. You just admitted you have no idea what might happen if you let the Ancients continue what they're doing. Why are you so determined to let them try this?" "Because we may need the Palace soon." "What do you mean?" Hotaru asked. She suddenly heard an intake of breath and glanced at Haruka. She looked as if something dreadful had occurred to her, as if she knew what Setsuna's answer would be. Setsuna glanced at Haruka and nodded, as if confirming her unspoken fear. "The effects of the release of Chaos are still with us, and will get worse before they get better. There is a better than even chance that within the next few years, global civilization will collapse entirely." "You mean to have the Palace for a sanctuary," Michiru said. "A sanctuary against a new Dark Age." "More than that," Setsuna said. "If a new Dark Age does come, it would fall upon us to help the Princess forge a new order out of that chaos, to bring her future kingdom into being. With the power and protection of the Palace at our command, we would have a much better chance of success. Without it, Crystal Tokyo may never come into being." "It still sounds like a craps shoot," Haruka said. "My God, if that thing really does appear can you imagine the panic it would cause? You keep telling us how fragile our peace is, that sounds like just the sort of thing that would shatter it." "I agree, there is a risk," Setsuna said. "Yet the risk of the collapse is there regardless of what we do. If the collapse comes, and the Palace has not come into being, it may be lost to us forever. That we absolutely cannot allow to happen." "Something is troubling me," Michiru said. "You make it sound like the Ancients had no idea what the Seed Crystal really might be until recently. That seems to suggest that they didn't create it themselves, they simply obtained it somehow. Which begs the question, who did build it?" "I can only speculate," Setsuna said. "It could very well date from the time of the Silver Millennium. At the time I had heard rumours of sorcery being used to create crystals that could be commanded to absorb matter and energy from around them, to grow and assume certain shapes. This could very well be one of those artifacts. Even once the palace becomes ours, we may never know to whom we owe its existence." "The Princess will never go for this." They all looked at Haruka. She looked to be awaiting a reply from Setsuna. "Won't go for what, exactly?" Setsuna asked calmly. "Any of it. Letting the Ancients demolish more temples, letting them try and create the Crystal Palace. It's all premised on us preparing for the end of civilization, and she just won't buy into that." Hotaru felt her stomach flutter as she caught on to what Haruka wasn't saying. She was no longer arguing with Setsuna's plan, her question was a tactical one. She had already accepted the necessity of what Setsuna was planning. From Michiru's look of calm resolve, she had accepted it as well. "That's why you didn't tell her," Hotaru said, surprising herself by the amount of anger that showed through in her voice. Hotaru had expected reproof, but Setsuna's face showed only sympathy and patience. "Saturn, do you know what is the source of the Princess' strength?" Hotaru was taken aback by the question. "The Ginzuishou." "The Ginzuishou is only a tool. How is it that she uses it to help people, not to hurt people?" "How? I don't know what you mean. She would never use it to hurt people." Setsuna nodded. "That's right. It would never even occur to her to try. It is her innocence that ensures the Ginzuishou will never be used to harm people. But that innocence comes at a price. There are certain things she simply cannot do. She cannot stand by and allow acts of evil to be committed. She would very simply refuse to believe that a malevolent act could eventually lead to a positive result. She doesn't have it in her to believe that. Just consider what she would do if I told her what I have told you." Hotaru thought about that very carefully. The others simply waited, giving her all the time she needed. At length, Hotaru bowed her head, unable to meet their gaze. "She would try to stop them," she said very quietly. "She is going to try regardless of what we tell her," Michiru reminded them. "They all are." Hotaru stared at the table. *They,* she thought sadly. Not *we* any more. "That's the problem," Haruka said. "And even if Mercury doesn't figure out some way to track the Ancients, they've got those E.T.s to help them now. Eventually, they're going to get into a scrap. If that happens, we'll have to help the Princess, whether she wants our help or not." She framed it not as an argument but as a simple statement of fact. Which it was. "I think I can arrange things so that there won't be any further conflicts," Setsuna said. "We can't do anything that puts the Princess in any more danger than she's already putting herself in," Haruka said. Again, just a statement of fact. "She won't be in any danger, not if I can help the Ancients escape detection in the first place." "How can you do that?" Michiru asked. "By dropping a hint in the right place." ***** "What, she's coming here *again*?" Rei asked. "They both are," her grandfather said, smiling up at her. "Usagi-san wants to do another walkthrough of the ceremony, and she needs Mamoru-san with her to do that." Rei sighed. "That's the second time this *week*. I'll bet she's using this as an excuse to skip classes." "Oh, I think she's just nervous, that's all. Since you're here, you might as well participate too." "I've already practiced more than enough, I can do it in my sleep now. The maid of honour doesn't have to do a whole lot." "Actually I thought you might do one walkthrough as the bride, show her how it's done." *Oh yeah, that would go over with Usagi just dandy.* "I don't think that would be appropriate, grandpa." Her grandfather rubbed his chin thoughtfully, looking up into the sky. "Perhaps Mamoru-san would benefit from having somebody show him the groom's role. When Yuichirou gets back-" "Grandpa!" Rei tightened her grip on her bamboo broom. "Just a thought." He groaned and stretched, making a production out of it. "These old bones ache more and more each year." He folded his arms, scanned the temple grounds. "I'm going to have to step down sooner or later," he said wistfully. "I really have to start thinking about who will be succeeding me." Compared to some of the other hints he had been dropping since Usagi's wedding date was decided on, this one had been downright subtle. "That won't be for a long time, grandpa." "Well, hopefully I can stick around long enough to see all your other friends married off too." *Oh boy.* "Don't hold your breath. They're all career girls now." Though from what she'd been hearing, they might expect to hear news from Ami sometime soon. "Well, I can only hope that Usagi-san's example will inspire more of you to take the same path." Rei spotted somebody climbing the steps that led down to street level, and silently gave thanks to whichever Kami had saved her this day. "Grandpa, it looks like Ichiro-san is here to visit." Her grandfather looked over to the gate at the top of the steps, and smiled. "Why, so he is." Without further ado, he walked over to greet his old friend. Rei noticed he was walking with a slight limp. Probably overdid things in his morning exercises again. Hori Ichiro wore the dark robes of a Buddhist priest, which contrasted with her grandfather's white robes. Ichiro was even shorter and chubbier than her grandfather, which was really saying something. And just as bald. Rei would swear his head and body formed two perfect circles. They came to a halt right where they met and started talking. Great, that would keep him busy for a while. Rei continued her sweeping. She glanced across the grounds to spot Miho doing the same. She smiled. The first of the autumn leaves were just starting to fall. It was beginning to dawn on poor Miho just what she had gotten herself into by joining a shrine with such heavily wooded grounds. She had just about reached the shrine building when she spotted Yuichirou walking towards her. They both waved. He wore his usual white acolyte's robe and sandles. Some time ago she had convinced him to wear his hair just a bit shorter. You could actually glimpse both his eyes now if you looked hard. He carried the big parcel she had been expecting. "Thanks for your trouble," she said. "Not at all." He handed her the paper box tied with ribbons. "I checked, they said they were able to do all the alterations you asked for." "Well I hope so, I'm sure paying them enough." It would be worth it, though. "They couldn't believe it when I told them this was going to be a bridesmaid's dress." "Well, Usagi said do your own thing, so that's what I'm doing." Actually, it was more like Usagi giving up on all eight of them agreeing on the same style of dress. "I spotted your grandfather and Ichiro-san on the way in. They didn't even notice me." "I don't think they'd notice if a brass band paraded by them. Probably arguing about whether the Buddhas are the true forms of the Kami or the Kami are the true forms of the Buddhas." "How long have they been at it?" "Less than half an hour." "I guess we'll have to go dump water on them or something when the happy couple gets here." Rei chuckled. Yes, they would be there until sunset otherwise. Unless their legs gave out from standing there. Grandpa was still in fine shape, but was getting more aches and pains these days. "You know, it's kind of nice," Yuichirou said, a fond smile growing on his face. Rei raised an eyebrow. "What's that?" "It's kind of nice to think that two people could disagree for fifty years and still be close like that." Rei returned his smile, stepped a little closer. "Yeah. That is a very nice thought, isn't it?" She suddenly regretted that her hands were full. He divested her of the broom. "You'd better go try that dress. I'll take over leaf detail." "Thanks. I'll see you tonight." She went up on her toes to give him a quick kiss. Then she turned to walk to the temple residence. As she walked, her smile slowly faded. Her grandfather wasn't the only one dropping hints these days. *I'm sorry, Yuichirou.* She glanced at the box she carried. *Maybe when this is over and done with ... maybe then I'll have the courage.* She removed her sandals at the door, walked a ways down the corridor, and slid aside the panel leading to the room that had been requisitioned for the preparations. She closed the door behind her, then turned to look at it for a moment. The wedding dress. Of course for the ceremony Usagi would be wearing what was appropriate for a traditional Shinto ceremony. The elaborate kimono was packed away in a nearby cupboard. What the black mannequin in the centre of the room wore was the dress Usagi would wear at the reception. Rei glanced at the box again and smiled. *A matched set.* She went behind the screen and opened up the box. She hung the dress up on a hanger and inspected it. Almost impossible to see where the alterations were made. Great. She removed her red and white priestess' robes, stripping down to her underwear. She relaxed considerably when she had the dress on. A perfect fit. She examined herself in the full-length mirror and smiled. Yes, this would be perfect. She glanced at the make-up kit sitting on a desk nearby. What the hell, might as well see how this looks for real. A little while later she was inspecting herself in the full-length mirror again. She still had a vague feeling that something was missing. It was annoying her. After some more craning her neck seeing what it looked like from the side, it suddenly hit her. The hair. She grinned. Oh yeah, she could just imagine herself doing that. It was out of the question for the wedding ... but somehow she was just dying to see how that would look. It took more work than she had thought. After three tries, and some creative use of hairpins, it looked about as good as it was going to get. She shook her head as she examined the results in the mirror. No, it definitely lost something in the translation. "Rei-chaaan. It's meee." Usagi's voice came closer. Rei could hear her footsteps coming down the corridor. Rei looked in the mirror and grinned from ear to ear. Yes, the Kami are in a playful mood today. Best not disappoint them. Rei heard the door slide open. "Rei-chan, you in here?" Rei leaped out from behind the screen and struck a pose. "Stop right there! How dare you enter this sacred place uninvited! The wedding dress expresses the hopes and dreams of all young girls who wait for their prince charming! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" Usagi looked like she had been struck by lightning. After a moment the corners of her mouth started going up. She snickered. Then they both lost it. After spending about half a minute doubled over laughing, Rei managed to stagger over to a table and grab a tissue. She dabbed the tears out of her eyes before they could smear her makeup. Usagi stood up straight, her wheezing just about done. Her face was still flushed. "Rei, where did you *get* that?" "I bought it years ago. Never had the nerve to wear it, though. It had a shorter skirt then, I had to have some major alterations done to get it like this." Usagi gasped. "I remember now!" She glanced at the wedding dress, pointed to it, then to Rei. "They ... it ... they're both-" "Right, both designed by Usui Yoshiki." That was the fashion designer they had rescued from one of the Amazon Trio, back when they and Chibi-moon were fighting them. Soon after that he had designed a wedding dress, which Usagi's was patterned after. At the same time, his encounter with Sailor Moon had inspired Usui to design a white, blue and red dress patterned on Sailor Moon's outfit. Rei's dress was essentially the same one, but with a new skirt that went just above the knees. "Wow. It's, uh ... still pretty short." "It would ruin the effect if the hem were any lower. I compromised." Usagi smiled again. It was different this time. Not amusement, but warmth. "Rei, it's perfect. You'll look beautiful." "Thanks." Usagi's smile faded a bit. She looked a bit embarrassed. "Uh, I'm wondering though, are you really planning to do your hair up like that?" "Gods, no! I just did this for fun. How do you like it?" She reached up and patted one of the buns she had curled her hair into, slightly larger versions of the odangos Usagi always wore her hair in. The pigtails that emerged from them certainly could not compare to Usagi's, they only went about halfway down her back. Usagi cocked her head, rubbed her chin meditatively. "I think I liked it better the way it was before." "Well, I should think so." Usagi giggled. "At least you did a better job than when Venus tried it." Yes, Rei remembered that well. "That was a rush job done under duress." It had been part of an on the spot plan to have Venus impersonate Sailor Moon, back when they were fighting the Death Busters. "I mean, the pigtails didn't even match," Usagi said. "That was because I did one of them while Jupiter did the other, we didn't even have time to check our work." Usagi crossed her arms, made a face of mock haughtiness. "Well, I hope this made you appreciate how much work I put into achieving this look." "Yes, your odangoness. So anyway, what brought you in here?" Usagi hesitated for just a moment. "Oh, I just wanted to come see you for a second before we go practice the ceremony." "Isn't Mamoru-san with you?" "He's parking the car. I told him I'd meet him at the shrine." Usagi was answering her questions almost tonelessly. She looked preoccupied. Definitely she was nervous about something. And not just wedding jitters. "Was there something you needed from here?" She shook her head. "No. There was just something I wanted to ask you." "Yes?" Usagi's eyes dropped down to the floor. She was fidgeting. Rei had a bad feeling about this. Usagi met her eyes again, with some effort. "Rei-chan, are you happy?" Rei blinked. She didn't know quite what to make of the question. "Why are you asking me this, all of a sudden?" "I just want to know if you're happy. I mean, with the way your life is going." Rei sighed. "I think we should go sit down." In this mess there actually were two cushions next to a table with not too much clutter on it. They both sat down. Usagi was still looking nervous. "Usagi, this is about Mamoru and me, isn't it?" Usagi just nodded. Rei reached out and took her hand. She took just a moment to review the long rehearsed words. "I'll just tell you the truth, Usagi. Even if we really do live a thousand years, I will never, ever love anybody as I love you and Mamoru. It's that simple. I'll just have to deal with it, that's all." Usagi's expression became even more troubled. She almost looked to be in pain. "Rei, I would rather die than do anything to hurt you," she said softly. Rei counted two slow breaths, using the breathing exercise to calm herself. She had no doubt at all that Usagi meant that literally. After all this time it still frightened her, the intensity, the completeness with which Usagi loved them all. "Usagi, the only way you could hurt me is by not marrying the man you love and raising a lovely pink-haired daughter." "But you love him too." *Here comes the hard part.* "Yes, just as much as I love you." Usagi shook her head. "That's different." Rei slid a little closer and took Usagi's other hand, clasping them both firmly. "Usagi, let me tell you something. If, God forbid, you and Mamoru were to break up, I would have a very, very hard decision to make." Usagi frowned. "Decision?" "Which one of you to try and seduce." She leaned forward and gave Usagi a kiss that was just long enough to show that she meant it. She backed away just a couple of centimetres, no more. Usagi went slack-jawed. Her face turned beet red with astonishing speed. Rei would swear she could feel the heat radiating off Usagi's face. "Rei ... I ... Uh ... Um ... Oh ... I see." Rei sat up straight again, released Usagi's hands and smiled. "I'm really happy I'll never have to make that decision." "Right. Good. Uh, thanks." "No problem." "I'd better go now, Mamo-chan is probably waiting for me." "Yes, he probably is. Drop by for some tea later, okay?" "Sure." Usagi got up. Her colour was almost back to normal, but she still looked rather dazed. She made her way through the mess to the door. She even remembered to say goodbye and to close the door behind her. Rei took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Well, that had gone fairly well. Almost anti-climactic, really. For a long time she had anticipated Usagi asking her about this, prepared herself for it. Now, it was finally laid to rest. Hopefully. She stood and stretched. Time to put the dress away. She felt sad somehow. She'd been having such fun with it on, it was like a party coming to an end. Rei spotted something on the table. She groaned. "That airhead." Usagi had forgotten her purse. Well, this time she could hardly be blamed. Rei had played the shock value of her confession for all it was worth. Rei went back behind the screen to change. She had just about finished putting the dress back into the box when she heard footsteps in the hallway. The door slid open. Back sooner than expected. Rei walked around the screen. "Honestly Usagi, if your head wasn't attached to your neck you would ... oh." Mamoru stood in the doorway, looking very astonished. Rei was suddenly very conscious of being in nothing but her underwear. Neither of them moved. Then Mamoru's expression brightened. He started laughing. Rei put her hands on her hips, suddenly not caring about how embarrassing this was. "Do you find something amusing, buster?" "If ... If you dyed it ..." that was all he got out before doubling over in another fit of laughter. *Oh Gods, the hair.* An image of what she must look like flashed through her head. Standing in her underwear with heavy makeup and her hair in odangos. She lost it again. This time it was almost painful, her stomach still ached from her first laughing fit. In spite of the delightful moment, in the midst of her uncontrollable laughter, she still felt awkward about her state of undress. There was a yukata hanging on a rack, from when Usagi had been in here trying on her kimono. Rei stepped over to it and tripped over a box. "Whoa ... !" Already doubled over, she was hopelessly unbalanced. She flailed her arms as she went staggering headlong, straight for the wedding dress. Mamoru came out of nowhere, intercepting her at the last moment. They both went tumbling down to the floor. Incredibly, he managed to avoid any of the clutter on the floor and to also break her fall. He grunted as her weight knocked the wind out of him. Rei untangled herself from him and levered herself up on her arms. She shook her head, trying to clear it. Nothing hurt badly, she must be okay. She looked at Mamoru lying next to her. He was just getting his wind back. He met her gaze and they both smiled. An instant later they both realized their mistake. But it was too late. Rei involuntarily snickered, priming the positive feedback loop. Her arms gave out and she dropped back down next to him. This time it was more wheezing than laughing, neither of them had much breath left. Rei didn't think she could stand up even if she wanted to. After a minute or so, she managed to at least sit back up again. "Are you okay?" Mamoru nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." He also pushed himself up into a sitting position. "I'm sorry, I feel so stupid." "It was my fault for barging in like that. I really should have knocked." Rei was about to agree, when she spotted something more pressing. "Oh my God, your shirt! Look!" Mamoru looked down to where she was pointing. She had gotten lipstick on the front of his white dress shirt when she fell on him. "Take it off, quick. I've got something that will keep it from staining." "Aren't you supposed to soak it?" Mamoru asked, already unbuttoning the shirt. "I've got something better. Now where is it?" She went to one of the tables and started rummaging through the small boxes there. "Ah, here." She took a small vial out and walked back to where Mamoru sat on the bamboo floor. He already had the shirt off. Rei sat down and took it from him. She inspected it quickly, making sure it was just that one spot. Then she laid it on the floor and opened up the vial. "It's something from the former Rising Wind company," she explained as she carefully squeezed drops of the milky liquid onto the red stain. "Some nano-goo that binds with the stain, or something like that. You just have let it dry for a few minutes. Then wash it later on." "Thanks." "No problem." Rei reached over and put the vial on a low table nearby. Stretching out on the floor suddenly seemed more appealing than sitting back up again. She let out a long groan. Mamoru grinned at her. "My, don't we look like we've been up to something naughty." Yes, they certainly did. Rei just felt too comfortable lying there to go do anything about her state of undress. "It's not like you to barge in without knocking." "I wasn't expecting to find you here. Usagi sent me over here to pick up her handbag. She told me she had come here looking for you, but you weren't here." "What? But I was just talking to ..." her voice trailed off, as the realization hit her. She suddenly sat bolt upright. She saw the same look on Mamoru's face. As one, they pointed to each other and exclaimed "She set us up!" Rei just shook her head in disbelief. "I didn't think she had it in her." "I thought something was fishy," Mamoru said. "There was something in her smile, almost like satisfaction or triumph." "Maybe she was just getting even." "For what?" Rei sighed. The circumstances were far from ideal, but she would have to talk to him sometime. "She came in here to ask about us." "Oh." Mamoru's expression sobered. "What did you tell her?" "Exactly what I told you." That had been years ago. Mamoru had come to her asking much the same questions, though rather less awkwardly than Usagi had. "How did she take it?" "Hard to tell. I'm not even sure if she believed me. It looked as if she would need some time to digest what I told her. If this little trick of hers is a message, I'm not sure what to make of it." Mamoru smiled. "I think it means that whether she believed you or not, she's satisfied with the answer you gave her. She hasn't said in so many words, but she's really been worried about you." "I know, I could tell too. I hope I've set her mind at ease," she said quietly, really meaning it. "We're so lucky, having a friend like you," Mamoru said softly. Rei returned his smile. She was almost at the point now where she no longer felt regretful about Mamoru seeing her as a friend, almost at the point where it was enough. Rei heard something drop. She turned her head, and suddenly her heart leaped up into her throat. Minako was holding onto the door she had just opened. The package she had dropped lay on the floor beside her. The look on her face was appropriate for somebody who had just stumbled on an act of cannibalism in progress. Her arm shot up and she pointed at Rei, sighting down her finger like it was a gun. "Rei! How could you let this happen?" "Minako-" Rei and Mamoru both stopped in mid sentence, each hoping to God the other could think up something more original than 'this isn't what you think.' Minako strode into the room, her clenched fists swaying at her sides. She kicked another box aside as she went. She didn't seem to notice. Minako thrust her finger out at Rei again. "We all trusted you Rei, and now look at what you've done!" "Minako-" "We do everything we can to make sure they have every possible kind of good luck, and this is what you do!" Rei blinked. *Good luck?* "Huh?" "Don't you 'huh' me, Rei! You're a priestess now, you're supposed to know these things! Oh Gods, you can't tell me you actually don't know!" Rei shook her head, utterly lost. "Know what?" "It's bad luck for the groom to see the dress before the wedding, that's what!" Rei just stared back at her. She didn't know whether she should laugh or cry. Just at the moment she was too stunned to do either. "Well what have you got to say for yourself?" "Minako, it's only bad luck if he sees her in the dress," Rei said calmly. Minako's look of outrage faded. "Are you sure?" "Yes. I looked it up." "Oh." Minako relaxed. Her anger vanished like a popped balloon. "Well, I guess that's okay then." "Is that by any chance your bridesmaid's dress?" Mamoru asked, pointing at the big box Minako had dropped. There was a hint of fear in his voice. Rei could imagine him being unsure about this attempt to divert the attention of the unpredictable girl. "Oh, right." Minako went back to retrieve it. "I just wanted to store it here for now, is that okay?" "Sure," Rei said. "You can just leave it over there." "Okay." She put it down on the table Rei had indicated. She glanced over at Mamoru's shirt lying on the floor. "Hmmm. Lipstick on cotton, huh? You know, once that nanogoop dries you can get it off with a fine-bristled brush, you don't have to wait until you wash it. I'd suggest doing that, you might have trouble explaining that stain to Usagi." She winked, flashed a wicked smile. Rei held up her hand. "Minako, it's not-" "I've gotta run, I promised Usagi I'd help her with the rehearsal. Mamoru, see you there in a few minutes?" "Yeah." "Okay. Have fun, you two." She blew them a kiss, twirled around and walked briskly through the door, closing it smartly behind her. The two of them just stared at the door for a few moments. "Rei?" "Yeah?" "Do you sometimes find Minako scary?" "Oh yeah. Being with her can be like chugging enriched essence of Usagi. Anyway, I think we should take her advice." She found an appropriate brush and went to work. It was coming off like it was just powder. "I didn't know it would work this fast. I wonder how she found that out?" "Why don't you ask her sometime?" "Pass." She looked up from her work. Mamoru met her eyes, and realized she had seen where he had been looking. He smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." Rei smiled in return. "I suppose you're wondering about this." She pointed at the mark that was half hidden by her bra. "Well ... yeah." "Don't worry, I don't mind." She put down the brush and reached up to carefully push back the fabric of her bra just enough to reveal the rest of the tiny tattoo. It was a little red rose on a green stem etched over the top of her right breast. "It's beautiful. When did you have that done?" "It was shortly after you had been taken by Queen Beryl. Surprised?" "Well, to be honest, you're the last person I'd expect to go get a tattoo. And you were barely fifteen at the time. Was it just a whim?" Rei smiled. "No, there was a purpose behind this. It's hard to explain, but it was a kind of tribute to you, or maybe a memento. After that day at Starlight Tower I pretty much knew I had lost you. I mean, even if we could get you back, you were destined for the Princess. Either I would end up having to kill you in battle, or if you broke the hold Beryl had on you, I would have to give you up to Usagi. I had this silly notion that this rose would be my little secret, never ever seen or touched by anyone." "And is it still your little secret?" Mamoru asked playfully. "Hmph. None of your damned business, buster." "Well, I'm honoured." Mamoru did a little sleight of hand move and suddenly there was a red rose in his hand. He held it out to her. "Just to say thanks for everything." She accepted it, a little astonished. "Thank you. I didn't know you could do that if you weren't Tuxedo Mask." "I can only do ordinary roses like this, not the ones I love to embed in concrete." Rei took in the flower's scent. Yes, it was genuine. Just for the hell of it, she decided to put it in her hair, just below the odango on her left. "Now I've got a matching set." "Just promise me something, okay?" Mamoru asked. "What's that?" "Wear the rose if you must, but please let your hair back down before you step out of the room." "Deal." Rei picked up her brush again and continued brushing off the powder that the stain remover had left on his shirt. Mamoru reclined on a cushion, getting more comfortable while he waited for her. "Usagi told me Ami's rigged up a communicator for the extraterrestrials," he said. "Yes, she took it over to them a couple of days ago." Ami and Makoto had gone over to their apartment in their Senshi form, both to introduce themselves to their new allies and to give Jeneth the communicator Ami had made for them. Since then Jeneth had been checking in twice daily as arranged, but there had been no other occasion to use the device. "I suppose you heard what Setsuna had to say about all this." "Yes. Usagi's rather upset about it. She's beginning to wonder if Pluto might be right." Rei glanced up from her work. "Do you think she's right?" "I can see her point, but I don't know how she can back it up. I mean, there isn't exactly a body of law defining what the Sailor Senshi should and should not be doing. She's just making a personal value judgement, same as Usagi is." "But what do *you* think?" "Usagi has never led us wrong. I believe in her." Rei smiled. They didn't need to say more. She looked closely at her work one last time. "Well, you should still wash it, but that should do it for now." "Thanks." Mamoru took back the shirt and stood up to put it on. Rei walked over to where the yukata was hanging and put it on, just in case anybody else decided to barge in. Then she went to put the box with Minako's dress where it would be out of the way. By the time she was done, Mamoru had finished doing up his shirt. "You'd better get over to the shrine before Usagi starts getting antsy." "You know, after what she pulled on us I'm almost tempted to stay here a while, make her sweat a bit." Rei sighed. "Mamoru, let me give you some expert advice. Usagi had me look up practically every astrological calendar in existence to find the perfect wedding day for the both of you. I've practically memorized the work. And I very distinctly remember that today is a very inauspicious day for you." Mamoru seemed to shrink down into himself a little under her stern gaze. "It is?" "Yes. My professional advice is simply this: don't press your luck. Finish your business here as quickly as possible, then go home. Stay there for the rest of the day. That's all." Mamoru smiled nervously. "Right. Would it be pressing our luck to stop by for tea before we go?" "If Usagi insists, go with the flow." "Okay. See you later. And thanks again." "No problem." When Mamoru had left, Rei marched straight over to the mirror, took the rose out of her hair and let it back down again. The way the last little while had been going, she was beginning to feel that putting it up in Usagi's unique style had somehow altered the fundamental balance in the universe. Only when she had set it right again did she go find something that she could put her rose in water with. After hesitating at her bedroom door for a moment, Rei walked over to the dining room and put the little vase in the middle of the long table. She looked down at her rose, smiling. *Not my little secret any more.* ***** Shoji looked at the group of Ancients sitting around the Seed Crystal, all with eyes closed and heads bowed. His lip curled into a sneer. *Groovin' with the Crystal. Why do I suddenly feel like putting flowers in my hair?* Yui was among them, she had been there for almost an hour. They were trying something new, setting up a group telepathic link as they all strove to clarify each others' view of the vision. Yui was suddenly becoming more popular in the family, even among the snot-noses in the Matriarch's household. It looked like they would be here a while, so Shoji decided to leave them to it. This mystical group hug thing just wasn't for him. Shoji walked onto the teleportation stone and 'ported to the garden. Even on a sunny day the garden was well shaded, but after the gloom of the caves he had to squint while his eyes adjusted. The Matriarch was seated where he had seen her on the way out, contemplating her bonsai tree. Once again, she did not acknowledge his presence in any way. Which was fine with him. It seemed that in the past few days she had been even more grim and reticent than normal. Shoji liked to think she was pissed off by Yui stealing her thunder. When he and Yui had come back from their trip they had been delivered a terribly polite letter inviting them to the house here, handwritten by grandma Himiko herself. Since she and Shoji had graciously accepted, they had been placed in the nicest guest room in the house and Yui had been the centre of attention at each family meal. Everyone wanted to know what it was like taking the life force out of a holy place, or what was her interpretation of the Seed Crystal's vision. A little bewildered at first, she seemed to be basking in the attention now. Everybody seemed to be thinking of this as her pet project now. He was happy to see her having such a good time, it really was taking the edge off the anxiety she felt over going back to Tokyo. Problem was, at times like this he didn't have much to do. This place was about as much fun as a museum. He walked into the house, contemplating whether he should go soak in the nearby hot springs, or go toss some fireballs around where Himiko's people would practice. As he walked down the dark hallway, he became aware of a familiar presence. When he rounded a corner, it was no surprise who he found standing there. "Hi Mom. When did you get here?" "Just a few minutes ago," Kaori said. "Is Yui still in the cave?" "Yeah, I just finished checking up on her. I've got to watch these people, if they had their way she'd be in there day and night until she dropped." "The Matriarch is very strict about people contemplating the Crystal being sufficiently rested and prepared." "Well, she's not saying much these days." Kaori did not react to the implied criticism. "Can we go sit for a while?" "Sure, let's go to my room." They climbed to the second story and Shoji ushered her into the rooms that he and Yui were sharing. With all the rice paper panels open to admit the air and the afternoon sun into the spacious rooms, it felt a little less like living in a museum. Shoji plopped himself down cross-legged on one of the cushions. His mother sat across the table from him, kneeling and folding her hands over her light blue kimono. "Yesterday I was told that Yui and the others had been trying to clarify the vision by a group effort," she said. "That's what they're doing now. I talked to Yui after their first try. She doesn't think it's going anywhere, but they'll give it another go." "I see. It's unlike her to be that patient. I wonder if she is being agreeable because this delays your return to Tokyo." Shoji kept his tone casual. "No, we've talked about it. She's okay about going after more places. It's almost getting fun for her now." "Shoji, that is not something that anybody should get any joy out of doing," his mother said, the hint of sharpness in her voice only detectable by Shoji's long experience. "I don't mean it that way, Mom. I just mean it's getting easier for her, that's all." "So you've encountered no problems?" "Only with places outside of Tokyo area, that idea turned out to be a bust." "I meant other sorts of problems." Shoji met her gaze firmly, slipping easily into their old game of mental jujitsu. "No, there hasn't been any problems worth mentioning. We're always long gone before anybody can see us." "The authorities are becoming greatly concerned over your activities. They would give a great deal to capture those responsible and hold them accountable." "We won't give them the chance." "Be that as it may, I would feel better if you took an additional precaution." Shoji frowned. "What precaution?" Kaori reached into the front of her kimono and drew out a small white cloth bundle. She put it on the table between them and unwrapped it. She laid the cloth out around its contents, and withdrew her hands. Shoji leaned forward to get a look. It was a little obsidian statue, rough and very stylized, about ten centimetres high. "It looks ... old." "We have no idea how old." "It's got quite the aura." Now that it was no longer hugged against Kaori's breast, Shoji could easily see that it had its own aura, almost like a living thing. He was nowhere near as aura sensitive as his mother or as Yui, so it must be very powerful. "Shoji, I would like you to raise its temperature by five degrees celsius." Shoji blinked. Suddenly, his mother was talking to him like she had when he was five years old. That's about when she had started him doing this sort of practice. This was the most elementary of exercises for him, he could do it blindfolded by the time he was six. He got the impression there was no point asking what this was about until after he had complied. "Okay." He glanced back down at the statue, directed his will towards it. Shoji let out a grunt of surprise. He resisted the urge to put out his hands to steady himself. The vertigo passed in just a second. To his inner eye, it had seemed like the room had suddenly gone reeling. "That was ... weird." Kaori pointed at one of the teacups in the tea set on the table. "Feel that cup." Shoji did. It was warm. "Did I do that?" "Yes. The statue misdirected your psionic probe. It acts like a sort of refractor of psychic activity." She picked up the statue, held it between them. "Try to see my aura." Carefully this time, Shoji reached out again with his inner sight. He found the feeling of vertigo was not too bad, now he was expecting it. But his mother's aura, usually so familiar, looked all wrong. It was distorted, and somehow it seemed to be all over the place. If he closed his eyes, he probably would have no clue where she was. Kaori placed the statue back on the table. "I think you should take this with you, whenever you and Yui go out to take the life force from another holy place, as you no doubt will soon be doing. This will help to mask your activity." Hesitantly, Shoji picked up the statue. "I don't get it. This isn't going to help Yui contain the light and noise of taking the life force, is it?" "No. But it will help mask you from psychic sensitives." "What good will that do?" Kaori's expression had those familiar hints of impatience and sadness, the very face she wore when she knew he wasn't telling her the whole truth. "It has come to my attention that there are a group of Sensitives in 3- chome Shinjuku. Your activities have apparently attracted their attention. I think that attention would best be avoided. Whenever Yui is taking another Soul Icon, this artifact would be best utilized if you place it approximately between her and 3-chome Shinjuku. I might suggest you study a map before venturing out." *She's serious about this.* "So who are these people? Black sheep?" "Just friends of a friend." Shoji blinked. Was that all? "I would feel better if you assured me you will do as I have asked." Her tone was almost cold now. "Okay. I'll do it. Is there anything else I should know about these people?" "No. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to the house. Men will be delivering material for our garden later today, they like me to be on hand when outsiders are let onto the premises." She rose gracefully to her feet. "Give my regards to Yui-chan." "I will. See you later." Shoji just sat and watched her leave. She definitely knew more than she was letting on. These sensitives she was talking about, were they the alien weirdos they had run into? How in Hell could she know about them? This didn't make any damned sense. He picked up the little statue again. It really was an evil looking thing, he thought. He wondered if he should tell Yui about this. No, probably not. He'd do as his mother asked. If Yui noticed the statue and asked about it, he'd say Kaori just gave it to him as a good luck charm. Now he really felt like working off some stress. He pocketed the little statue, got up and headed down to the main floor. When he walked into the front foyer, he found Kaori's younger sister there, tying her son's shoelaces for him. She looked up at his approach and smiled. "Hello, Shoji." "Hi Aunt Megumi. You're all dressed up, are you going out on the town?" She blushed slightly at his teasing. "A friend from Tokyo is meeting me in Sapporo for dinner," she said in her soft, tiny voice. "I'm taking Akira there early so that we can take a walk through the park first." They had family in Sapporo, one of the big cities in Hokkaido, so she would no doubt be 'porting them there. That was about as far out as Aunt Megumi and her son ventured these days. "That's great." Shoji stepped over to them and went down on his haunches, bringing him level with the young boy. "You really like Sapporo, don't you, Akira?" The little boy just smiled shyly and nodded. Looked like he wasn't very talkative today. Too bad, he was actually a nice kid when he wasn't in his depressive phase. He wasn't too messed up, considering what he had gone through. Shoji stood up again. "Aunt Megumi, can I ask you a quick question?" "Of course." "Do you know any family or friends of the family living in 3-chome Shinjuku?" Megumi thought about that for a moment. "No, I'm quite sure there aren't any." Which probably meant there weren't. Megumi knew the family very well, other than these occasional outings they were about her only contact. "Oh well, thanks anyway." "Why do you ask?" "Oh, I have some business there next week, I was just wondering if there was anybody I could visit while I was in the area. Anyway, have fun." He went out and spent a little while blasting a cliff face with fireballs. It was still bothering him, that Kaori seemed to know about these aliens. Somehow he no longer felt like it was his own game he was playing. End Chapter 6 Subject: [Fanfic - SM - Secrets 7] Date: Mon, 05 Jan 1998 19:49:14 -0800 From: Ken Wolfe Reply-To: Ken_Wolfe@mbnet.mb.ca To: Chris Davies , Jerry Yen , John Hitchens , Piotr Gaj , echo5a@deskmedia.com, Tim Nolan (file attached) -- Ken Wolfe | Fax: Sorry, I hate fax machines Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | Compu$erve: 73527.2203@compuserve.com Ken_Wolfe@MBnet.MB.CA | GEnie: k.wolfe8@genie.geis.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- Secrets Chapter 7 - Best Laid Plans Sailor Venus ran at top speed down the narrow residential street. It was three in the morning, the streets were deserted. Still, she had to watch her front very carefully. If she slammed into somebody at this speed, it would probably kill them. She broke out onto a major thoroughfare. Great, now she had to go uphill. Reluctantly, she slowed her pace a bit. Her muscles ached, pushed past the limit of what even a Sailor Senshi should be doing. If she pushed too hard, her legs might give out altogether. She spotted the great wooden archway that served as the entrance to a shrine. *This must be the place.* This one had no wall, so she ran straight up to the shrine building. She stood there, panting, scanning the area. "Nothing," Artemis said. He didn't even bother jumping down from her shoulder. No point getting out of her way, there was nothing happening here. Venus flipped up the face of her wrist communicator. She wheezed out words between great gulps of air. "Venus here ... no contact ... need directions." "Continue west," came Mercury's voice. She sounded like she was running. "Same street ... one kilometre ... shrine ... on your left." "Got it." They were still doing their sweeps. That meant nobody had pinpointed them yet. She ran back to the street and continued running west. Mercifully, she crested the hill and was going down the rest of the way. After just a few seconds, her communicator made a distinctive set of beeps. Venus rasped out a curse as she ran. She knew what that signal meant. There was a big long black iron fence to her left, that must be it. She leaped the fence, landed between two trees and ran out into the open space within the grounds. The dust was just about settled over the rubble. She must have missed them by seconds. "Damn it all to hell!" she wheezed. "Venus," Artemis said. "There are two people down." Venus saw them. Two women in shrine maiden robes, lying on the ground just in front of the ruins. "Oh Gods ..." She ran over to them. As she slowed, Artemis leaped to the ground. Venus knelt down next to one of them, and Artemis jumped over to the other. Venus felt the young woman's throat. There was a steady pulse. She brought her face down next to that of the comatose woman. It was hard to tell, what with Venus still panting from her running. But yes, the girl was breathing. Venus glanced over to Artemis, and got a nod from him. Alive and stable. She flipped up her communicator again. "Venus here. We missed them. Found two people unconscious. No emergency, but we should check them out." "We're on our way," came Mercury's voice. Venus closed her communicator and went to examining the two women more closely, looking for blood and feeling for any major broken bones. Nothing. Probably that guy with the creepy eyes got them from behind with some ESPer thing. "They must have been waiting in the shrine," Artemis said. "Yeah, just like that last one." At a previous site they had found three monks lying in front of a shattered temple building, just like this. There had been no sign of a physical attack, and supposedly they had woken a few hours after the Senshi left them there for the emergency workers to find, none the worse for wear. Like these two, they had defied standing orders to keep out of the temple buildings after dark. They had tried doing just what the police told them not to do: defend their holy places. "I hope they'll be okay," Artemis said, sitting down next to one of them. "Looks like these ones put up more of a fight," Venus said, walking over to a spot a little further from the ruins. There were two wards lying on the ground, the ink which inscribed the characters on the little pieces of paper grey and faded. Much like Rei's wards looked after she had used them. The gravel near them had been scattered about as if blown by an explosion. But there was a semicircle within whose arc the gravel was undisturbed. Except for some footprints that went from nowhere to nowhere. So the ESPers had taken a hit, but blew it off with some sort of barrier. Hopefully, it had at least hurt. Mercury and Mars came running around one side of the ruins, no doubt having leapt the back wall. They were both panting as badly as Venus had been. Whenever they found the site of an attack, they always converged on it as rapidly as possible, to back up whoever found it first in case the ESPers left a trap for them. So far, there had been nothing. The closest they'd come was Jupiter catching a glimpse of the four ESPers teleporting away one time. Without a word, the two of them went straight over to where the two unconscious women lay. Mercury flipped open her computer and started scanning. The translucent blue visor over her eyes, which in the dark more or less matched the blue of her collar and skirt, was already in place. Mars knelt by the other one, put a hand over her forehead. After a moment, the two Senshi looked up from their worked, gave each other a quick nod and switched places. Venus walked over and waited for them to finish. "They'll be fine," Mercury announced. "They suffered quite a shock, but in a few hours they should wake up with nothing worse than some aches and pains." "Their spirits are very troubled," Mars said, standing up from her examination of the second shrine maiden. "Whatever happened to them must have ... hurt." "Well, they got at least one good shot in," Venus said, gesturing over at the spent wards. It was small consolation, but she thought it might let Mars feel just a little better. The mirthless smile on Mars' lips confirmed that it was just cold comfort. "That isn't the half of it. There were wards all over this place, powerful ones. I could feel them as we came over the fence and through the trees. I saw shreds of many more in the ruins." "Maybe that's why it took the ESPers longer," Mercury suggested. "From the time Jeneth first detected them to the time she lost them was over fifteen minutes." "It still wasn't enough," Mars said bitterly. "So you didn't see them?" Mercury asked Venus. "No, I got here just on time to see the dust settle." She was feeling her frustration all the more. These shrine maidens had done everything they could to hold the ESPers off, and still the Senshi had just missed them. Venus heard footfalls behind her, and turned to see Sailor Moon and Jupiter running towards them. The last of their two-element teams, counting the recently conscripted Artemis. Venus flipped up her communicator. "We're all here now." "Understood," came Jeneth's voice. Sailor Moon had insisted at the beginning that the refugees, as they were all beginning to call them, would not be called to a site unless to aid a Senshi or a bystander in immediate danger, or until all the Senshi were there. Sailor Moon walked over to where the two shrine maidens lay. She had a stricken look on her face. Mercury and Mars had to give her repeated assurance that they would be okay. "Do you know these two?" Jupiter asked Mars. "I've met the one with short hair once or twice. I think her name is Nagisa. She's supposed to be quite a gifted oracle, but I had no idea she had it in her to try something like this," she said gesturing over at where the ESPers had apparently set down. "I don't know the other, I've almost never been to shrines in this area." They were in Adachi-ku, in the extreme norther part of metropolitan Tokyo. This new round of attacks had been even more spread out than earlier ones. The Senshi had taken to gathering at the shrine and teleporting to the area as soon as Jeneth notified them. The idea had been that they could pinpoint the exact location as Jeneth was brought in closer. Unfortunately, that wasn't the way it was turning out. The refugees shimmered into existence a short distance away. As Sailor Moon approached them, they all took a step forward and bowed. Venus knew how awkward that made Sailor Moon feel. The two of them had been wondering if they could find a way of getting them out of that habit. Short of saying something directly, which would be rude. "We just missed them," Sailor Moon informed them. "I'm so sorry," Jeneth said, sounding truly mortified. "Don't worry," Sailor Moon said gently. "With your help, we'll catch them yet." "That's right," Venus agreed, coming up beside Sailor Moon. "Their luck has to run out some time." "They may be lucky," Thetan said, "But they are also becoming clever. Once again, they have us moving all over the city, and at all different times of the night." "And I still have no idea how they're eluding aura vision," K'Theelm added. "Maybe I'm defeating myself somehow," Jeneth said, still looking miserable. "Only if you believe so," Thetan said gently. "Thetan has confirmed what you told us," K'Theelm reminded her. "They've started doing something to confound aura vision, and it gets worse as we approach closer to them. That's why you've only been able to detect their general vicinity." Jeneth shook her head. "Whatever the case, I am failing everyone." "No, you're not." Sailor Moon stepped up to her and gave her a tight hug. That really seemed to take her by surprise. Her haunted expression had vanished. Sailor Moon stepped back, held her at arms' length. "We wouldn't even have a chance of catching them without you. We still need you." "I will do my best," Jeneth said, smiling weakly. "Your pardon, but I would like to see what I can do for those poor young women." Sailor Moon accompanied her over to where the two shrine maidens lay. In the meantime, Mercury had walked over. She took the opportunity to get K'Theelm's attention. They moved aside and started talking technobabble. Venus knew they had been thinking about other means to detect these attacks, but from what she heard they had no luck so far. "I'm really glad we ran into each other," Venus said, smiling up at Thetan. "Sailor Moon is right, we'd be lost on this one without you." "I've just been coming along for the ride," Thetan said good naturedly. "I confess I'm beginning to feel ... how do you put it ... like a fifth wheel." "Your time will come," Venus said, winking. "Once we do catch up with them, it's open season on ESPers. And I for one plan on making them damned sorry for all this running around they've made me do." Thetan's face was split with a wide grin. "And I for one plan on making that invisible thief regret his shameful sneak attack on my good friend." "Well, just leave a piece of him for me, okay?" "I will do my best to pass him to you in a conscious state." "When we're done with these ESPers, I hope you'll have time to tell me some more of your stories." In the past couple of weeks, Venus had found time on a couple of occasions to pay a social call to their new allies at their home. Over exquisite dinners she had talked mostly with the big warrior, swapping war stories. She had enjoyed it immensely. "As always, it would be an honour and a pleasure," Thetan said. "As it would be to hear more of your baptism of fire in Great Britain." "Oh great, you want to hear about when I was even more young and stupid." Thetan had been astonished to learn that she had woken to her role as a Sailor Senshi when she was barely thirteen. And had been thrown straight into combat, learning as she went. A far cry from his own experience, where his first battle had been preceded by years of training. Jeneth and Sailor Moon returned to them. K'Theelm and Mercury also came to join them. "It is as they said," Jeneth told them. "The shrine maidens will awaken tomorrow with no ill effects. Hopefully I was able to give them a more restful sleep." "We've done all we can," Sailor Moon said. "We should be going." They all said their goodbyes, and the three refugees vanished behind K'Theelm's shield. The Senshi made their way out the back and walked slowly down deserted narrow residential streets, wanting to get some distance from the place that would likely be the site of intense activity very soon. "I think we're getting better at this," Venus commented as they walked. "Between us, we must have covered half the temples in this district in about five minutes." "You're right, it is going a lot smoother now," Sailor Moon said. She was in her Eternal Sailor Moon form, with the great feathery wings at her back. She smiled warmly. "Good job, everyone. We'll get them yet." "We'd have a better chance if we did our sweeps individually," Mars said. "We talked about that," Sailor Moon said firmly. "One of us against the four of them is just too risky." It had taken a lot of persuasion to get her even let Venus form a third group with only Artemis to help her. But he had already proven that a set of feline eyes and ears gave them an edge. "The problem is, we're shorthanded," Jupiter said. Sailor Moon sighed. "It can't be helped." Venus could hear the pain in her friend's voice. Shortly after Haruka and Michiru had arrived in town, Setsuna had invited Usagi over to their house. From Usagi's account, they had spent a long time trying to persuade her that these ESPers did not merit her attention, that she was risking herself for nothing. It had been very upsetting for her, but Usagi had held firm. Hotaru had kept the situation from becoming awkward by suggesting that they just agree to disagree, and further suggesting that the four of them show off the bridesmaids' dresses they had picked for Usagi's wedding. Minako hadn't said anything, but the whole thing sounded just a little too much like a good cop, bad cop routine. "I'll call Setsuna in the morning," Mercury said. "I guess she'll ask the usual questions about how things went, give me the usual lecture." "Is she still giving you a rough time?" Jupiter asked, sounding angry. "She only talks about it when I call after the Senshi go out," Mercury said. Setsuna had requested they keep her informed of their activities. Ami had volunteered, probably because among all of them she was closest to Setsuna. "I had lunch with her yesterday and she never even mentioned it. You know, it's really different from other times we've had disagreements with the Outer Senshi." "Yeah, this time they're not avoiding us," Venus said. "Hotaru showed up at my last concert, and I invited her backstage afterwards. From the way she acted, you'd think there was nothing going on." "Same with Haruka and Michiru," Jupiter said. "They just showed up at the restaurant last week and acted like nothing's wrong." "Well they are our friends," Sailor Moon said. "Even if we disagree about something, that shouldn't change." "Or maybe they're all just good actors," Venus said. "Sure wouldn't play poker with those four," Mars muttered. The rest of them had a good laugh. Even Mars smiled. "To be fair, I think they're really trying to make sure there are no hard feelings," Jupiter said. "Especially just before the wedding," Sailor Moon sighed heavily. "I've been wondering-" Venus grabbed Sailor Moon by the shoulder, whipped her around and held her tightly at arms' length. "Don't you even *think* about it! You are getting married next week and then you are going to Hawaii for your honeymoon. Period." They all watched Sailor Moon in silence. Her shocked expression slowly faded. "Venus, if we-" "If we haven't caught up with the ESPers by that time, then we just leave them alone for a week." She winked. "Just enough for them to get cocky and us to come back with a vengeance." "Minako ..." Sailor Moon ran into her and crushed her in a tight embrace. "Thanks. You're the greatest." "Don't mention it." They found a little park a short distance further, a reasonably hidden place for them to teleport back to Hikawa Shrine from. They had long since gotten good enough at this to do it without tearing up the ground, so Rei didn't have to fuss over the shrine's maintenance bills anymore. ***** Setsuna rounded the corner and walked down what she thought was the right street. This particular place was harder to find than the earlier ones had been, it was a good deal more obscure. It being nearly midnight, there was nobody around to ask directions from. But it couldn't be helped, this was the proper time for what she needed to do. The sharp footfalls of her high heels were the only sound to break the silence of the cool, windless night. She approached what looked to be the right place. The name on the brass plate beside the gate confirmed it. The police tape had been removed, but the gate was well secured with chains and locks. A discrete sign announced that the small temple was closed for renovations. Which was a nice way of saying that the rubble had been cleared and the place locked up. Setsuna stood before the gate, bowed her head, and joined her hands in the sign of prayer most common in the time of the Silver Millennium, left fist held within right hand at her breast. In a very low voice, she murmured a prayer to the dead which had not been heard on this world for thousands of years. As Mars had pointed out, these places had souls no less precious than those of living persons, deserving of no less respect. In just a slightly louder voice, in the same ancient language, Setsuna ended the prayer with a more personal appeal. "Please forgive." Having finished what she had come to do, Setsuna stood where she was just a moment longer. The ritual brought no comfort, nor any sense of having done proper penance, only a feeling of duty fulfilled. Her plea had been no less sincere for all that. It was no weakness, feeling grief for the sacrifices that had to be made. But the one whose forgiveness she would one day need to ask had no use for sacrifices. Even her seemingly infinite compassion might not let her forgive such treachery. Of all the possible consequences of what she was doing, none frightened her more than the thought that the love of their Princess might no longer extend to her. Setsuna turned and walked back to where she had parked her car. Somehow, it had not seemed proper, driving right up to this holy place in one of those noisy, smelly beasts. "Good evening, Ferine." Setsuna's whole body seized up. She could not have moved even if she wanted to, so great was her shock. That was a name and a voice she had not heard in millennia. She finished turning towards where the voice had come from, managing not to stagger. A man walked out of the shadow where he had been standing. He stood before her and smiled warmly, his hands held casually in the pockets of his light coat. He was a tall, slim man with light skin and wavy brown hair that went almost to his shoulders. He had an ageless face that it was hard to imagine displaying any emotion much beyond the amiable calm with which he regarded her. "I thought somebody might appear tonight," he said in a soft, clear voice. "Exactly one lunar month since this shrine had its soul ripped out, since it had in effect passed from this world. The traditional time of mourning for the Moon Kingdom. I never dreamed it would be you who would come." "Cyrus?" Setsuna whispered, trying to control her shaking. The man nodded. He took a couple of steps closer. "It's good to see you again, Ferine. It's been a very long time." "Cyrus ... how?" "After you and I went our separate ways, Queen Serenity took some interest in my work. She wanted to have me around for a while, so she worked her magic on me. I had never known she had the power to do such a thing. Understandable that she would keep it a secret." Involuntarily, Setsuna reached out her hand. Cyrus took her hand, squeezed it gently. It was sinking in now, this really was him. "I thought you surely perished in the Final War," more thinking aloud than asking a question. "I nearly was. I thought the same of you," he said, still holding her hand, watching her with that calm, placid smile. "When I saw you walk by here ... it was all I could do to stop from crying out. By the time you came back this way, I had just barely gotten over the shock. I'm sorry, I must have given you such a fright." Setsuna shook her head in wonder. "But ... why are you here?" Cyrus chuckled. "You can thank one of my students for that, a little girl who told me the Senshi Venus had been spotted running to the scene of one of these terrible acts of sacrilege. The rest was just a hunch." Setsuna smiled, her shock being washed away by the return of long forgotten memories. "You're a teacher again." "Some things never change. The relationship between sensei and student, however close, is a temporary one. It is a role well suited to somebody who cannot remain long in any one place." Setsuna knew what he was talking about. Somebody who never aged visibly could not hold on to any identity for much more than a decade before moving on. "My God, Cyrus, the length of time you've lived, it's mind-numbing." Cyrus looked puzzled for a moment. Then realization came, and his smile returned. "Oh, of course. You are the Guardian, you can travel outside of time." Setsuna saw and heard the hints of sadness, of regret. Her mind was suddenly cast back to the time of their parting, to the thing that had sent them on different paths. ***** The Moon Kingdom, the time of the Silver Millennium She found him standing on the balcony, leaning on the massive stone railing, still waiting for her. His back was to her, he was looking out over the palace grounds. He never seemed to tire of the sight, not in all the years since he arrived here from Earth. It was daytime, or what might be called daytime. Here, the sun was as irrelevant to the cycles of their lives as was the great globe of the Earth that always hung in that same spot above them. Its rays baked the dust and rocks on the horizon, but the invisible shields that protected this area threw back most of the Sun's merciless glare, reduced it so that it seemed little more than a brilliant golden moon. She could imagine Cyrus standing here pondering the mysteries of the Moon Kingdom as he waited, looking with his eyes that were at once child like and wise. He had made the most of Serenity's generosity. Hardly a boy when presented to the Queen by his teachers from Earth, he had devoured every bit of learning thrown his way, right from the day he was accepted into the court. His insatiable curiosity and unfailing devotion to the truth had earned him respect never before afforded an outsider, had won him a position as one of the Queen's trusted advisors. It was those same qualities that had attracted her to him, had forged a friendship that promised to blossom into something more. But now, for the very first time, she found herself wishing she did not have to speak with him. As she approached he turned. Their eyes met, and the beginning of a smile formed on his lips. It faded just as quickly. They had known each other long enough to be well attuned to each other's state of mind. However stoic her bearing, he of all people would be able to see the anxiety she hid. He walked over to her, and they clasped hands. "Ferine, I was beginning to worry. You'd been locked up with the Guardian for hours. Are you okay?" "Yes, Cyrus. I'm fine." "What in Heaven's name did she want with you?" "She wants me to succeed her." His eyes went wide. "Ferine ..." "Cyrus, that is no longer my name. I am the younger Pluto." He released her hands and stepped back. He must have seen it in her face, must have seen that it was true. "You've accepted?" "Cyrus, it was not a matter of accepting. I am the one, that is all." Cyrus shook his head. "It doesn't make any sense. You've been one of their harshest critics, do you really mean to tell me they intend to share their secrets with you?" "They already have. I now know what the Guardians of Time do, and why. It is what I will also do, when my time comes." Cyrus' expression darkened. "You have taken their oath of secrecy." She hesitated for just a moment. "Yes, I have." His reaction was exactly what she would expect. Anger, confusion, hurt. "You mean to manipulate history in secret, just as they do?" A few short hours ago, she could imagine only one possible answer to that. *Never.* Never to follow the path of those who dared set themselves up as gods. But now, everything was different. "Cyrus, what the Guardians do is necessary. And the secrecy is necessary." She could see his anger simmering down to a cold intensity, the same intensity with which he confronted all those who would murder the truth. "Tell me why." She wanted to, wanted it more than anything she had ever wanted. But she knew what the truth had done to her, what it would do to him. She would protect him from that, no matter what. She shook her head. "I can't." "You mean you won't." His bitterness stung like a blade. "Cyrus ... I'm sorry." Cyrus nodded slowly, his expression dark and cold. "I'm sorry too." It hurt even more than what she had feared. The only thing that kept her from breaking down was the enormity of the burden that had been placed on her. Held up to the truths she had woken to, her pain seemed a mere trifle. Yet she longed to make amends. "Cyrus, I have no right to ask, but can you trust me when I tell you there are good reasons for what I must do?" He shook his head. "If you cannot tell me the reasons, then they cannot be good. If you cannot trust me with the knowledge, then I cannot trust you to use it well." They were her own words, ones she had both written and spoken many times over many years. His voice held no more bitterness, but it held judgement. He accused her with her own voice ... no, with the voice of Ferine, she thought sadly. The woman whose passion for the truth made her the perfect candidate for preserving the greatest lie of all, the perfect candidate for becoming Sailor Pluto. She looked down, no longer able to meet his accusing eyes. "There will be an announcement tomorrow. I will be leaving the day after." "I see." She looked up again. "It will be years before I take the Guardian's post, I will be visiting the Moon Kingdom frequently." "I would expect so." She could hear it in his voice. He didn't care. As far as he was concerned, Ferine was already dead. The woman he faced was a stranger. "The Guardian told me that Serenity was waiting for me," she said. "Then you'd better go." Again, only the enormity of what she had been told, what she had been shown, allowed her to ignore her pain. "Goodbye, Cyrus." "Goodbye, Pluto." In the years between then and her assuming the Guardianship, she visited the Moon Kingdom many times. Somehow, Cyrus always arranged to be elsewhere at those times. She never met him again. ***** Tokyo, 1998 She drove him to his apartment. They sat down and talked until morning. Pluto had spent most of the centuries after the Final War in her ethereal realm outside of time, in the misty little world beyond the Gate of Time where past, present and future were one. She had seen little of the utter devastation the war had wrought on the world. But Cyrus had seen it all. Fortunate enough to have been far from the great cities of the Golden Kingdom on Earth, he and a pitiful few had escaped the holocaust brought about by Beryl's demon hordes, and Serenity's attempt to contain them. He had spent centuries wandering the Earth with one group of refugees, then another, then another. Eventually he had despaired of finding any signs of the world he had known. Were it not for the evidence of his own immortal body, the evidence that magic had been done to him, he might think that those great kingdoms had never existed. That they had all been a dream. It took all night for him to recount even the barest outline of what had transpired since then. He had taken on literally hundreds of identities, many of which he remembered only as a name, a time and a place. A few of the names she even recognized as obscure historical figures. Of her own activities she could say little. He seemed to accept that. "It is astonishing we never met before this," he said, still holding her hand, as he had been for a while. "For all your time travel, you spent centuries wandering the Earth, just as I did." "I didn't spend even one tenth of those centuries in the timestream," Setsuna said. "Next to you, I am barely a stripling." He chuckled. "Well, I guess we both had our reasons for keeping a low profile. It wasn't very likely we would just stumble upon each other by accident." "If the dates and places you've given me are accurate, this isn't the first time we've lived in the same city at the same time." "Well, this time wasn't an accident." She nodded in understanding. "The Sailor Senshi." "Right. When I first heard of them, I thought it must be some joke of the Gods. I had hardly even thought about the Silver Millennium for centuries. Yet it seemed that its guardians had suddenly reappeared in Tokyo." "You truly hoped to find us here?" "Setsuna, to tell you the truth, I didn't know what to think." They had taken to calling each other by the names of their current identities. They both understood the importance of maintaining a false character, the discipline it imposed. "But you did move into the city." "Yes. I'd been here many times in the past, so I knew my way about. I could continue my work, while wondering if the stories I was hearing were true." He looked intently at her. "Setsuna, can you tell me, are the others really the Sailor Senshi brought back to life?" "That's not a simple question, Daniel. I'm not sure I know the complete answer myself. I'm sure each of them shares some part of the Senshi we knew in the Silver Millennium, not just the power but the soul. I knew all of them, and I recognize much of the Senshi I knew then in the ones I have come to know in this age. Only Princess Serenity retains much memory of her past life, though." Daniel gasped. "Princess Serenity ... ?" Setsuna smiled. "Now she is better known as Sailor Moon." Daniel slapped his forehead and uttered an oath Setsuna had not heard since before she became the Guardian. "How could I have missed it?" "Don't feel badly. As far as I can gather, Queen Serenity placed a very powerful confounding spell on all of them. Unless you knew them to be the same person, it would be almost impossible for you to associate the Princess with Sailor Moon, or with her current identity." Daniel smiled wistfully. "The Princess was such a joy to behold, such a treasure. Is she changed much now?" "At the core, she is the same. They all are. But they are also products of this age, and of the families they were born into. They have been guided by their ancient souls, but they have also been shaped by the blood of their new families, and the world they were born into." "I had always been told that were the Senshi to all perish, they would be reborn when the world needed them most." Setsuna nodded. "Not just the world, but the galaxy. They were reborn to end the Sailor Wars, once and for all." Daniel's expression became grim. "That was something Serenity only ever hinted at, even after taking me into her confidence. So it was true. Her battle with Beryl was only one part of a larger war." "Yes. The approaching forces of chaos triggered the resurrection of Beryl in this age, among other events. The final conflict came four years ago. Chaos was scattered, with the results we have seen. Chaos can no longer take conscious form, it simply lies in our hearts where we must deal with it as we will." "If that is true, then what enemy do you fight now?" Setsuna sighed. "That is not a simple story." Daniel glanced over at the rice cooker he had turned on some time ago. "Perhaps you can tell me over breakfast." She told him the story in a fair amount of detail, only leaving out anything that might identify the players in her tale. She had told him even before they got here that the identities of the Senshi were a trust she could not betray, even to him. With that exception, she told him everything of importance. He listened with a patience she recognized as being much like her own, one nurtured by the centuries. He never spoke, trusting her to tell him all she thought he should know. When she was done, he thought in silence for a while. "So you mean to resurrect the Silver Millennium here on Earth." "In effect, yes." He shook his head and sighed. "It's quite the tangled web you've woven. The Ancients and the Senshi play cat and mouse in the dark, none of them knowing the whole story. It's subterfuge worthy of Machiavelli himself." "I wish there were another way." "I think there is." Setsuna frowned. "What do you mean?" Daniel leaned forward, fixed her with a cold stare. "Tell the Ancients the truth. Tell them that bringing the Crystal Palace into being would destroy their world. Tell them if they value their lives they must keep the Seed Crystal buried forever." Her eyes narrowed. "Daniel, if I didn't know better I would think you know something about the Seed Crystal that I don't." "I know what you know, which is enough. I know it is almost certainly an artifact from the time of the Silver Millennium. It has to be something created by use of the Old Powers. The same powers that were used to create the Ginzuishou, to build the Moon Kingdom. The same powers that ultimately destroyed the Silver Millennium." Setsuna shook her head. "The Silver Millennium was destroyed by Beryl's demon hordes." "Beryl simply used those same powers in a different way. And Serenity's retaliation did no less damage. Believe me, I saw." Setsuna felt a tinge of anger. "Daniel, you know that's not fair. What happened was not Serenity's fault, she had no other option." "You're right. When faced with an enemy who used the Old Powers, she had no choice but to respond in kind. The result was inevitable." Setsuna shook her head. "No, the result was not inevitable. It could have been prevented, if different choices had been made before Serenity's time. Had the Moon Kingdom been able to exercise closer control over the Earth, Beryl could have been stopped long before her power grew out of control." "Is that your answer, control?" Daniel asked. The sharpness in his voice was only detectable by somebody like Setsuna, who knew him and observed him carefully. "How can you control something you don't understand? Do you have any idea what it is that gives the Senshi their power, that allows them to conjure their weapons out of thin air?" "No," Setsuna answered truthfully. "It could be that nobody knows that." "Then you cannot claim to know the consequences of using those powers once again." "I make no such claim. We have all learned to use the gifts we were given as best we can. What more can we do?" "Now that Chaos is dispersed, the Old Powers are no longer needed. Bury them, once and for all. Bury the Seed Crystal, bury the artifacts that give you your powers, bury it all." Setsuna regarded him in silence for a moment. "Why would you ask me to do such a thing?" Daniel leaned back, regarded her with that slightly distant look that told her he was choosing his words carefully, that he was trying to make her understand something important. "When I was watching this new, modern age develop, I was beginning to think that I was seeing the old kingdoms born again. This age has produced wonders to rival those of the Silver Millennium. For a while I even tried searching out the sources of these new wonders, thinking that some artifact, some piece of knowledge from those lost kingdoms had been uncovered. Eventually it dawned on me, how utterly wrong I was, how utterly different this new age was from the old. The Old Powers had been handed to us in a time that was little but legend even in the time of the Silver Millennium. Whether by design or by accident, the original Senshi were given powers that were passed on to their successors over the ages. They learned to use those powers, and to a limited degree they and the people around them grew to understand the nature of those powers. But there was never any doubt that they were not our own, that they were the product of some minds utterly unfathomable to us. Whether those ancient ones intended these powers as a gift or a curse or simply cast them in our direction as discarded flotsam, the fact is they were never truly ours. We were never more than children, playing with things we did not understand." Daniel leaned forward, folded his hands on the table. "This age is different. This civilization we can truly say we built with our own hands, with the products of our own minds. Wherever we are intended to go from here, we can truly say it is our own destiny. Bring back the Old Powers, and we will lose that. Even should the new Silver Millennium flourish, and not be demolished as the last one was, it will not be truly ours. It will be a hand-me-down." Setsuna sensed that he was done. "Daniel, those very ideas were debated even in the time of the Silver Millennium. Even by you and I." "I know that," he answered. "The difference is that back then we could not conceive of a civilization that was not built on the foundation of those alien powers. Now we know that there can be one. Look around you." Setsuna smiled sadly. "I see a world that is no less capable of one day destroying itself than was the Moon Kingdom. I see that fate coming closer with each passing day." "Much of that is the fault of the most recent clash of the Old Powers. You make my argument for me." "Be that as it may, the point stands," Setsuna said. "This world stands on the brink. Whether in a few hours of atomic fire or generations of decay, its ultimate collapse is becoming more and more likely. There is no denying that. The Old Powers may be the only thing that will let us survive what is to come." "I don't deny that a new dark age may be approaching," Daniel said. "But that gives me no reason to think the Old Powers could save us. For millennia, humanity has survived the worst this world had to throw at it, survived and flourished, without the dubious benefit of that old curse. I think we've proven that we can walk our own path. However thorny it may be, however many missteps we make, we have always managed to persevere. We've earned the chance to make our own future." "Daniel, I've already told you that I've seen the sort of future the Princess can make for us. If she uses the Old Powers to bring Crystal Tokyo into being, what of it? Those powers are a fact of life, they exist whether we like it or not. If we try to bury them, they will reappear again, sooner or later." "If it's later rather than sooner, maybe we'll be ready for them this time," Daniel said. "They were buried for more than ten thousand years. Think of what we may know, what we may be able to do in another ten thousand years. If the Powers emerge again, they may be nothing but quaint anachronisms to the giants we could become." "The Old Powers are different," Setsuna insisted. "You can't engineer a ginzuishou into existence, can't build one in a factory." "No. But somebody did create it. Somebody *made* those artifacts. Someday we could learn h