I'm much too tired to try to make them funny so we'll keep
it at this: I don't own Sailor Moon or its characters. Don't sue me, I have no
money and I can't find my cat. 'Nuff said. On to the story!!
Eternally Yours
By Ai-chan
Chapter 6 - Eternal bonds
"I believe I told you," said Domitric, swirling his wine in his glass
and biting off the words, "to bring me Sailor Venus. Last time I
checked, she didn't look like THAT" he continued, pointing disgustedly
at a bound and gagged Sailor Moon, staring up at him in fear. "My
liege, *please*, you said to bring you the blond one. She is blond!"
begged Vega. Domitric threw the glass at Vega's feet. The blood red
wine splattered across Sailor Moon's snow white face and she gave a
muffled cry of fear. Domitric sent out a bolt of acid green at
Vega, shaped like a hand, which picked her up by her neck. "Master,
please!" she gasped out, her feet flailing. Domitric sighed and dropped
Vega. She curled into a ball, spasming slightly, and making pathetic
mewling sounds. "You failed me Vega" he said sadly, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, Master" she gasped out. "I thought I could trust you, Vega,
but I guess I was wrong." "Master-" she started. "Get out of my sight,"
he said, disgusted. She trudged out of sight her head hanging, but her
eyes blazing in subdued fury. Sailor Moon turned her eyes to Domitric.
"Now what do we do with you?" he said, looking down at her. He stood up
and acid green began to form around his left palm. Sailor Moon whimpered
and began to struggle violently. Domitric leaned over her and gently
began to wipe off the red with a towel he had conjured in his left hand.
He then stood up and pointed at Sailor Moon. A jet of green went streaming
towards her and she screamed as she was lifted up and slammed into the
opposite wall with a crack. Domitric smiled. He was going to have fun
with his new toy.
Mamoru grimaced in pain. "She's hurting her!" he yelled, standing up.
Ken quickly ran to his side to stop him but Mamoru was too fast. In a
flash he had morphed to Tuxedo Kamen and flung himself out the door.
"Shit!" cursed Ken and ran after him at full speed, while his General
attire replaced his clothes. Minako was right on his heels. "Stay here!"
she barked back at everyone else.
Kunzite ran at top speed after the rapidly jumping Tux. Suddenly,
from behind him came a flurry of golden lights, sparkles, and stars
and Eternal Sailor Venus swept by him, her feet barely touching the
ground, her wings fluttering in the breeze she was creating. Kunzite
almost stopped in pure awe of her beauty but quickly remembered himself
and burst off after her. Tuxedo Kamen jumped up onto the rooftops with
the skill of a cat and burst off across them towards an unknown point,
like a man possessed. Venus lightly jumped after him, gaining all the way.
Kunzite kept running from below, watching her progress as he pushed
through irate pedestrians. Tux dived off a building and rolled, landing
on the sidewalk and continuing his flight. Venus flipped off the building
with ease and followed. Suddenly, and quite abruptly, Tux stopped dead.
He was back at the park, at the original battle scene where the bird had
appeared. Kunzite,upon getting nearer, saw why he had stopped. Rehn was
hovering 20 feet in the air holding a small infant that was bawling
at the top of its lungs. Just under Rehn was an unconscious mother. Venus
glided to a halt behind Tux and Kunzite came up alongside her. "Where is
my princess?" spat out Tuxedo Mask, rose in hand. "Oh my master is having
a lot of fun with her" said Rehn evilly. Tuxedo Mask yelled in fury at him.
"You weak coward!" screamed Venus, "Taking an innocent child from her
mother!" "Hmm, feel like punishing me blondie?" said Rehn with a wicked
leer on his face. Venus shuddered and Kunzite yelled, "Don't even think
about it scum!" Suddenly Rehn disappeared. "Where-?" started Venus.
Kunzite whirled around and Tuxedo Mask edged towards a clump of rustling
bushes. Suddenly Rehn popped up and with a wicked laugh grabbed Tuxedo
Kamen by the neck and teleported himself 40 feet above them, dangling
both Tux and the child. He then lazily sent a bolt of dark energy at
Kunzite who was knocked unconscious into a tree. "BASTARD!" screamed
Venus, flying up towards him like a beautiful golden arrow. Rehn smiled
at her, unblinking. As she neared him he suddenly dropped both the baby
and Tux. The two hurtled toward the ground. Venus was paralyzed by
momentary indecision. She then hurled herself into a dive-bomb towards
the infant and swooped it up seconds before it would have smashed onto
the ground. Tux hit the grassy hill with a sickening thud. He made to sit
up but fell back to the ground unconscious and bloody. Venus let out a cry
and ran to him, the child in her arms. Rehn teleported himself right behind
the fallen Tux. In one movement he threw him over his shoulder, winked and
disappeared, taking Tuxedo Mask with him. Venus did the only thing she
could think of, she sat down and cried like the child in her arms.
Kunzite moaned. It felt like someone was poking him. Poke poke poke. Almost like
they were laughing at him. Poke poke. "Stop it," he murmured, groggily opening
his eyes. His vision was a blur of swirling greens. Poke poke. "What the-?" he
said turning towards the offender. It was a long, slim brown finger. Poke poke.
Kunzite shook his head and then realized a twig was poking him. He also
realized he was butt up in a shrub. He fought and untangled himself and got
dizzily to his feet, looking around. "Venus?" he called "Tuxedo Kamen?" His
ears suddenly picked up small sobs and he ran unsteadily towards them.
There sitting on the ground, with a bundle of blankets and feathery wings,
sat Venus, crying quietly. Her grief-stricken sobs broke his heart. He came
up silently behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned her
tear-stained face up to his and said in a destroyed voice "I failed them."
"No you didn't Venus-chan. What happened, where is Tuxedo Kamen?" "That
man, gave me a choice, the baby or my Prince to save, and I saved a
small, insignificant child. I failed him. And her." She began to cry harder.
Kunzite, his hand still on her shoulder was torn between walking away to
give her a moment of privacy and folding her into a hug. Just as he made
up his mind and turned to enclose her, the child began to glow. "What the-?"
said Kunzite for the umpteenth time that day. The violet light completely
enclosed the small child. Venus' eyes grew in amazement as the child floated
out of her hands. She looked towards its "mother" and recognized the
familiar sea-green head, that was starting to moan and move. "Hotaru-chan!"
she whispered, smiling. Suddenly the dark headed child began to
unexpectedly grow. "Umm.." started Kunzite moving back, his hand still on
Venus' shoulder. She made no move to get up or back away. So Kunzite picked
her up and physically took her away from the bright violet shimmer that
now blocked the child from view. When the ribbons subsided, they were
both gawking at a 14-year-old girl in a sailor fuku with a deadly
looking glaive. Super Sailor Saturn smiled down at them.
"Something's wrong," said Ami and Zach at the same time. It had been five
minutes of tense silence since Kunzite and Minako had dashed from the room
after Mamoru. They all felt something was wrong. "Enough waiting around
here!" said Makoto impatiently. "Someone needs to stay here just in case
Tux comes back." said Zach. Rei looked around. And sighed. "I'll stay,"
she said gloomily. "Me too," said Jared quickly. "Us too, I guess,"
said Luna despondently. "Henshin yo!" yelled Makoto and in a flash of
color and elements, two Generals zipped across the lawn with Sailor
Jupiter and Sailor Mercury behind them. Jupiter, Nephrite, and Zoisite
had determined looks on their faces and Mercury was tapping away on
her computer, pinpointing a location. With a yell of triumph she said
"They're at the park" and away they all dashed out of sight. Sailor
Mars sighed and turned back around. "Anyone up for a game of Scrabble?"
asked Jadeite with a moronic grin on his face and a Scrabble box in
his hand. Sailor Mars sighed again and rolled her eyes to the cats.
It was going to be a long wait.
"Venus-chan!" said Saturn happily. "Wow you've grown and what-in-
Selene's-name-happened-to-your-fuku-have-you-been-playing-with-your-
disguise-pen-again?" Venus smiled and shook her head. She opened her
mouth to respond when suddenly a moan and a panicked "Hotaru-chan
where are you?" came from behind Saturn. "Michiru-mama!" yelled
Saturn happily and knocked the startled woman down in a running embrace.
She gave a surprised gasp and then exclaimed "HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET
OLD?!?!" "Michiru-san!" said Venus in surprise. "Who-?" said Michiru
looking behind Saturn and then, tentatively "Venus?" "The one and only"
said Venus, smiling slightly. "What happened to your fuku? Since when
did you have wings?" she said in awe. "I evolved" Venus said quietly.
"Who's that?" said Michiru pointing over her shoulder. "Huh? Who? Oh
that's Kunzite. Kunzite this is Kaioh Michiru otherwise known as
Sailor Neptune and that one over there is Tomoe Hotaru a.k.a. Sailor
Saturn." said Venus. "You mean Kunzite as in-?" said Michiru,
trailing off. "Huh? Oh yeah, reformed bad guy," she said carelessly.
"Oh, what, so now I'm reformed but 10 minutes ago I was still
untrustworthy?" said Kunzite, feigning an offended look. "Shut up
Kunzite" said Venus. "We go away for a few days and you go off and
get yourself a boy friend Venus-chan? Tsk tsk" said a masculine voice
to the right. "Haruka-papa!" yelled Saturn and dashed towards a tall,
sandy-haired figure in a sailor fuku. *That's no papa* thought Kunzite.
"And I leave a chibi-Hotaru and an injury-free Michiru alone for 10
minutes and I get back a full-grown Senshi and a senseless Michiru.
I can't leave anything alone and get it back the same." said Uranus
in mock exasperation. Saturn giggled. "Can someone please tell me
what happened?" said Michiru plaintively, still rubbing her head.
"I think we dashed right into a trap is what happened. I also think
that goon had no idea who he was kidnapping or he might have
held on to her." said Kunzite quietly. "Kaioh-san," he continued,
"what happened to you?" "Well we got back from Munich yesterday and
I decided Hotaru could use a little air. So I got her stroller and
took her here. A huge gust of wind swept by and I felt something wrong,
so I took out my transformation pen under the pretense of fixing
Hotaru's blankets. Suddenly this huge blast of dark brown energy hit
me when I was just about to turn around. It knocked my pen over there,"
said Michiru gesturing towards a bush where her foam-green pen lay
gently glowing,"and I was knocked out. Why were you two here? Where's
everyone else?" "Right here!" said a cheerful voice. "Mercury-chan,
Jupiter-chan! Umm....err...some guys!" said Saturn, excitedly. "I
love going to a place where everybody knows your name." said Zoisite
sarcastically, to Nephrite. "Let me guess, more Generals? My you Inners
are busy" quipped Uranus. "Where's the prince?" said Nephrite,
scanning around. Venus looked down to the ground and said "That man
took him," and she recounted all that had taken place. When she was
finished, Zach smashed his hand through a bench. "That piece of CRAP!"
he shouted. "It's my fault" said Venus quietly. "Okay, that's enough
self-pity V-chan" said Michiru softly, striding over and kneeling next
to her. "You couldn't have saved both of them. If you had let Hotaru
drop, she would have died. Tux is probably pretty injured, but he's
alive. If what you say is true about those three Generals and our
Prince, then they would know if he was dead. Okay?" She helped Venus
to her feet with a smile. Uranus hooked arms with Venus and said
"Now, I'd like to hear how this costume change came about,
would you care to enlighten me?" Michiru looked around and said
"Hey we're missing a few...where's the princess? And Mars-chan. And
unless I'm mistaken I believe there's a fourth General, ne?" "Mars
and Jadeite are at Neph's house, just in case those two scum buckets
decide to show up again." said Jupiter "And the princess is.." here
she trailed off. "She was also taken by those two weirdoes." said
Venus quietly. "I think we need to have some explanations" said Uranus,
as her fuku shimmered back into a casual shirt and slacks. "Let's
head back to my place, Jade and Mars will be wondering what's going
on. We left Artemis and Luna with them too." said Nephrite as he
shimmered back into Nathan. The rest followed suite and soon a group
of young people emerged from some torn up shrubbery, leaving an
overturned stroller behind them, its front wheel creaking in
the breeze.
"Rehn, perhaps you need an anatomy lesson" said Domitric, gritting
his teeth."This is A) Not Sailor Venus B) Not a blonde and C) NOT
A WOMAN!" he yelled his temper getting the best of him. To prove
his point he picked up the bound and gagged Tux by his lapels and
threw him back down to the ground. Tux gave a gasp and coughed up
blood. "Ug." said Domitric disgustedly, "my shoes." With a careless
wave of his hand he sent acid green waves to enclose Tuxedo Kamen.
When they had subsided, he was fully healed and deeply asleep. "I loathe
healing do-gooders" said Domitric. "Put him in the cell with the blonde
one. And then you and I need to have a little chat about taking orders."
Rehn gave an involuntary shiver of fear as he teleported out of the room
with Tux.
After introductions and a few hurried phone calls to worried parents,
the group settled down for some further planning. Hotaru, Haruka, and
Michiru had been updated on all that had gone on since their absence and
all were thoroughly pissed off that their Prince and Princess had
been kidnapped. After careful thought, the group decided that the enemy
was hunting them down one by one. So, to be safe,it was decided that
none of them should ever be alone. Fortunately it was summer so they
didn't have to worry about school. Or at least no one but Ami was
worrying about school. So each General paired up with a Senshi, and
the Outers promised to stick together 24/7. Jade was with Minako, and
Artemis was going to pull a Chibi-Usa on her parents to make him a
distant cousin there for a visit. Ami paired off with Zoisite, who she
was going to tell her mom was a physics tutor who she was going to a
cram school with. Kunzite went to Rei's shrine, where he was going to
pose as a priest in training. And, since Makoto had no one to report
to, she was going to be staying with Nathan in his mansion. The only
one truly happy about her pairing, was Minako, who got to spend some
bonding time with her brother. Nate and Zach were a bit worried as to
how their women would respond to being with them. At the moment neither
of the girls looked very happy. Ami and Zach were camping out at Nate's
as well. Agreeing to meet back later, all but Nate and Makoto set out
on the arduous task of convincing their guardians.
"Please try and at least act serious!" hissed Ami as they approached
her front door. Zach just grinned at her. Ami said a silent prayer,
took a deep breath and walked in. "Mom, I'm home!" she yelled.
"Oh hello, sweetie. I'm in the kitchen." "Mom, I've got someone
I want you to meet. He's a pro..professor at my school." gulped
Ami. "Oh?" said her mother as Ami and Zach walked in. " Mom this is
Professor Linder. He uh he thinks I need some uh extra help with
my physics. He offering a week-long overnight physics camp out in
Juuban. Is it okay if I go?" stuttered Ami. Now Ami's mother may
have been overworked, but she wasn't stupid. Her first thought when
she saw Zach was *Professor my ass!* But Ami's mother was also very
concerned with her daughter's lack of contact with the opposite sex.
She had been fairly happy when Ami and Greg had hooked up, but that
boy had been a bit of a nerd. This "Professor" Linder was a hunk
though. Wavy blond hair and bright green eyes he looked like a
model. So Ami's mother's second thought had been *It's about damn
time sweetheart!* "Of course you can go dear. Whatever you need to
further your uh studies. How much will it cost 'Professor?'" "Huh?
Oh umm a week-long uhh,oh I think that will cover it Mrs. Mizuno."
said Zach pointing to some bills in her hand. "Okay-thanks-mom-I-love-
you-bye-I'll-call!" said Ami dashing out the door dragging "Professor"
Linder with her who yelled a quick "nice meeting you!" before Hurricane
Ami dragged him back to Nate's. When they were halfway down the street,
Zach said "Uhh Ami? Don't you need some extra clothes or something?"
Ami braked to a halt and dashed back to her house, leaving Zach standing
on the street corner whistling tunelessly. Exactly 35.8 seconds later Ami
returned lugging a suitcase with various garments sticking out haphazardly.
She grabbed his arm before he could say another word and dragged him off
towards Nate's. Watching from the living room window, Mrs. Mizuno smiled
and turned back to her cooking, humming a catchy little tune.
"So umm...Nate. What do you do for fun?" said Makoto staring at him
fiercely. "You know this whole hostility thing is a major turn off
Makoto. I don't know what you're trying to prove but I'm not in the
mood to figure it out." said Nate tiredly. Makoto gaped at him. "I've
lost my Prince and my car all in one day and damn it I really liked that
car!" he said, half-sobbing. "Hey it's not like I didn't lose anything
today all right? Mamoru was just as close to me. And Goddess, Usagi?
She's like a sister to me, so don't you talk to me about loss. I've
lost so much in my life already, you spoiled brat. You're crying over
a car. Well you know what? I lost my parents a few years back. So if
you're going to cry, cry over something worthwhile, not a dumb car!"
yelled Makoto angrily. "You're parents are dead? Well ya know what? So
are mine. So before you go cursing people out about being stupid and
spoiled maybe you better do a little HISTORY CHECK!" yelled Nate, just
as angrily. "I'm...I'm sorry I didn't know" whispered Makoto, obviously
hurt and fighting not to cry. *Stupid General* she thought *Stupid stupid
stupid!* thought Nathan to himself. *Way to go Nate! That ought to impress
her,make her pity you and then hell, why not go all the way and make her
cry.* *I will not show weakness in front of him* Makoto thought,
struggling to hold back the hurt in her voice. *I will not* "Hey look,
I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. It's a hard subject for
both of us. Here let's talk about something else." he said consolingly.
"Hmm what do I like to do? Well I used to like driving my car around
but considering it's now a pile of ashes I guess that's out. Well, Jade
told me a good icebreaker is Scrabble." he picked up the box invitingly
and jiggled it a little. Makoto looked up and raised her eyebrow. Then
a small twitch started to appear on her lips. Nate, looking at her felt
his own lips start to twitch. Then without warning, both fell into
fits of giggles, rolling on the floor and shaking with laughter.
"Scrabble?!" gasped Makoto at last. "Leave it to Jared to woo a lady
with Scrabble." said Nate, still clutching his side. "Oh god would I
have liked to have seen Rei's face!" said Makoto, falling into another
fit of giggles. Nate couldn't help but sigh inside as he laughed with her
*She is so beautiful* he thought. Makoto too couldn't help but notice
how cute Nate looked when his eyes twinkled like that. *He's okay, for
a General* she thought. So by the time a disgruntled Ami arrived, toting
a passive Zach behind her, Nate and Makoto were carrying on like good
friends.
*Why me?* thought Rei, shooting another secretive look back at Kunzite
who had been completely silent the whole way to the shrine. *He's
so...serious!* she thought to herself as she looked at the man who
seemed to almost be made of ice. She doubted if anything could break
through that shell of his. "This is it" she said finally, pointing up
the stairs to the shrine above. Ken merely nodded and followed impassively
behind her. She sighed as she trekked up the stairs. "Grandpa!" she
called out, "I've got someone here I'd like you to meet." "Oh is it a
man?!? Does my little Rei finally have a boyfriend." Ken blinked rapidly
at the tiny man. "Geesh Rei what'd ya do, go to the park and bring back a
statue?" Ken gave a small laugh that he quickly turned into a cough and Rei
hid her smile behind her hand as she admonished her grandfather.
"No Grandpa, he's interested in being an apprentice." "Well he
definitely is stoic enough for it." said Rei's grandfather, looking
him over. "He is rather sturdy. I guess he'll do. Welcome aboard young
man, and keep your hands off my grand- daughter, she can't date yet."
Ken started opening and closing his mouth,no sound coming out as the
old man turned about agilely and walked back inside. "HE'S NOT
INTERESTED GRANDPA SO HUSH!" screamed out Rei embarrassedly. "You'll
have to get used to him" said Rei quietly as her face went beet
red. She sighed again. The things she put up with. "C'mon, I'll
show you to your room" said Rei with barely disguised disgust. "What
a friendly staff you have here at Chez Rei. I'll make it a point to
recommend you to my friends." said Ken sarcastically. Rei whirled
around and glared at him, her eyes smoldering. Ken simply returned
the stare icily. After a tense few seconds Rei whirled around and
stalked off, Ken in tow. "Here's your room" she said scaldingly,
"After you get unpacked we'll head back to Nate's. And after we're
done there, you've got leaf duty." finished Rei, giving a haughty
smile. Kenneth laughed in spite of himself. "Leaf duty? Oh great
torturer, no anything but..but..LEAVES!" and he mock fainted on the
bed. Rei rolled her eyes and exited the room, sighing as she went.
"We'll meet you there" said Minako to Artemis and Jade. They were in
front of Usagi's house. After a few alterations, using the Luna
pen, Minako had disguised herself as Usagi. She and the cats
had agreed it only fair to give Usagi's parents an explanation
of where their daughter was. So she and Luna were convincing
Usagi's family, while Artemis altered a little memories over at
Minako's, to make Jade her "cousin." Luna was going along with Minako
just in case she goofed, then Luna would have to use a mind-meld.
But they were going to try not to if they could help it. The story was
that Minako's parents friends had gotten her tickets to an exclusive
mountain getaway for a week. Minako hoped Usagi's parents would
believe her. It was one of her biggest acting roles yet. *C'mon
Minako, do it for Usagi. You owe her that much* Taking a deep
breath she walked inside with the subdued cat and yelled "Mom!
I'm home! You'll never believe what Minako-chan got!"
Artemis watched Minako's back disappear inside. Mentally he sighed.
He turned and glowered at the amicable Jade and then made a
flicking motion with his tail, as if to say "C'mon." Jade gave
a slight shake of his head at the cold attitude of the cat. *He
doesn't seem to like me much* thought Jade. Out loud he said
"You know, I'm not going to hurt her." "Who?" said Artemis,
knowing full well who she was. "I'm her brother Artemis, I won't
hurt her," Jade repeated. "Well, that's funny," said Artemis "Your
actions in the past don't really say much for that. In fact if I were
going to judge your character, I'd say you didn't have any
qualms about hurting her or the other Senshi. Based on past meetings,
that is." he finished acidly. Jade just shook his head again.
"Artemis, I wasn't me. I'd just as soon hurt her as I'd hurt
the Prince." "Oh, that's reassuring" Artemis said, rolling his eyes.
"You need to let her go. She's not a kid anymore. You saw her take
charge this morning against that woman who took Usagi. She can
handle herself." said Jade quietly. Artemis made no acknowledgement
of what he had said. "We're here" he said stiffly. "Give me five
minutes, then come waltzing in and say hello to your 'Auntie and
Uncle', explaining your train was late. Can you handle that or should
I write it down." "I think I've got it" said Jade, "but can you go
over that part again where I embrace them in joyous hugs and we all
weep happily over hot cocoa?" he finished sarcastically. Artemis
sneered at him and leaped onto a tree branch, and through an open
window, disappearing from Jade's view. Jade mentally counted down
in his brain and at six minutes and forty-five seconds, he opened
the front door, his revenge on Artemis. "I'm heee-ree!" he yelled.
Artemis growled under his breath as he impatiently tapped his hind
foot.
************************************************************************ |
