Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction ❯ In the Shadow of the Moon ❯ Chapter 36 - Check....Mate? ( Chapter 36 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: teturo 
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Fantasy / Martial Arts / Occult | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 03.22.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 542 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Mahou Sensei Negima! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Fantasy / Martial Arts / Occult | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 03.22.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 542 | Status: Work In Progress
I know I said many chapters and months ago that there would not be more references to Tenchi. Well I have to take that back, I finally got around to watching the last six OVA of Ryo-ohki and all of GXP. Now for the fun.
stay tuned after the notes for an omake of an alternate version of the first scene of this chapter. I only seriously considered it for about thirty seconds, but I could not resist writing it down
single quotes (' ') denote thoughts or telepathy
forward slashes (/ /) denote translated speech
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the series mentioned in this story. This story is created solely for entertainment and no intention of profit.
Chapter 36 - Check....Mate?
Astarte unable to speak, or even breathe, simply gaped as her knees buckled and she began to collapse. The blade that had speared her shivered and unfolded from the back. transforming into a double edged scythe. There was a sneer on Po Mad's face as the weapon nearly sliced the former goddess' torso in two as she fell lifelessly to the ground.
The black wings flapped once and pulled back to frame the boy's body, revealing the smoking ground where the throne had stood. As his head came up to look at the three women in the room, they were able to see his face, formerly handsome, was now transformed to an almost unearthly beauty. While his grey eyes were as cold and dead as the grave.
"Poor dear Astarte, her impatience to be in my presence again nearly cost me the opportunity I have been arranging for more then ten millennia." The deep voice sounded amused as it issued from Po Mad's throat. "Did you witches truly believe you could stop me by preventing my pawn Pluto from bringing about the pittance of an existence she dreamed of for the senshi?"
Astarte's body dissolves into streamers of light that flow into the weapon of death. The booming voice laughs. "I set Beryl on the path to destroy the Moon Kingdom all for the sake of making the senshi of the underworld serve my vision. Now instead of there being survivors I will destroy all life on this world."
The creature now possessing Po Mad's body throws its wings wide and and lifts the scythe into the air. "I am Samael the Archangel of Death. All the souls of this world shall soon be mine and with that power I shall claim the throne of heaven and recreate the universe in my image." Samael swings the scythe around and points it at Sakura. "You three shall become my slaves and watch as I destroy this world utterly."
Kari looks at the self proclaimed archangel with wide eyes for a moment before breaking down laughing.
"Like your entrance was great, but that speech just like sucked you know." Tomoyo now dressed as a kogal, complete with bleach blonde hair, burnt umber skin, and over done makeup, says from Urd/Sakura's other side.
Kari not to be left out switches to a similar appearance. "Like do you want a do over. We have time you know." The effect of this was clear as the sound of grinding teeth could be heard in the warehouse area.
"You witches will not mock me after I control your minds." Samael sneers and gathers an orb of golden energy in his right hand. Throwing the arm forward reveals the bracelet of Dire Wight where the blue gem has turned into a crystalline blue serpentine eye. just before the ball of energy is sucked into the eye and Samael falls to the ground with a shriek of pain.
Kogal/Kari looks down at the man and puts her hand to her jaw with a pensive frown. "Like it's obvious that you have been hiding out since the Silver Millennium, but you should have at least heard of the idea of a poison pill."
Samael now shrieks in rage and prepares to attack directly. Across the glowing eye of dire wight flash the words, "Omega protocol: Setup. All limiters released. Consumption Boost Mode: Vampire Hydra" White smoke billows out of the bracelet taking on the form of a single eyed serpent.
Samael laughs at the apparition and effortlessly beheads it with a swing of his scythe. His laughter falters as two new heads appear, one latching onto his weapon and the other his throat. In rage and panic, the celestial spins his weapon removing all the creatures heads only to find the number doubled again. Now the serpent has grown large enough that it wraps the man in its coils, restraining him while it absorbs all the body's life energy.
The scythe looses coherence and dissolves first. The still struggling form caught in the hydra's coils looks more like a withered corpse before it shatters and a black form streaks through the broken outside window.
Outside the window a large black raven looks back inside malevolently. "I can not be defeated, I am death." The unearthly voice resonates back through the air.
Kogal Tomoyo sighs. "Like can't you just run away now."
"While it is neat to see the avatar of death is really a carrion eater, we have other things we would like to do tonight you know." Kogal Kari says while buffing her nails on her sweater.
With a final shriek of rage the bird disappears into the night. Kari shifts back to her normal appearance and holds out her right hand to the massive hydra. Dire Wight transforms back into a brightly glowing blue gem and joins the grey one on Kari's bracelet.
Kari then turns to the crumpled forms of her angels, and holding her arms out sends streamers of energy to them. The bodies lift off the floor. Their features begin to melt and flow back into an undamaged condition. The angels open their eyes and as Kari rushes towards them, her wings appear to enfold all three of them. "I am sorry to put you through that little sisters." Kari sobs. "Can you forgive me?"
In response the two taller angels return her hug. Karinka, being the smallest, can only manage to get her hand out from where she is covered by Kari's wing and hold up a V sign, causing the others to giggle.
Kari turns to Sakura, now back to her normal form as well. "Are you sure we should have let him escape Auntie."
Sakura shakes her head sadly. "We would not have been able to destroy him even in his weakened state. If we had tried he would still have escaped, and one or more of us would have died. As things stand now his plans have been set back and he will not have the strength to attack directly for some time.
Sakura looks out the offices broken windows to the warehouse, where her husband is looking after the other teenagers and smiles. "We better go check on the others."
Syaoran has the flat of his great sword lying on his shoulder, and holds it with his right hand with the handle next to his head, looking up at the ceiling in exasperation. The younger of the two girls, that came to rescue the amazons, is currently prancing around the older one, kneeling next to the unconscious Bru Xi, chanting "Ayako has a boyfriend".
"Miya cut that out now." Ayako growls as she finally loses her patience, and tries to grab for the younger girl.
Miya dances out of reach and dashes to stand behind Tomoyo. Safely behind the older woman, the girl peaks out and gives her friend a red eye while sticking out her tongue.
Tomoyo takes ahold of the girl's shoulder. "Now Miya-chan that was not very nice. You should apologize."
"But auntie Tomoyo." The dark blue haired girl looks up with her best puppy dog eyes. Leaving the woman completely unfazed, and the girl pouting. "I am sorry Ayako." She finally admits.
Ayako looks over the three women. "While I appreciate that you were able to get rid of the beings here, I still don't feel comfortable working with demons." Turning her head to glance at Syaoran, she finishes, "or sorcerers."
"Oh really," Sakura snickers. "Your great grandmother did not seem to have a problem with sorcerers. Nor do you seem to have difficulties with using the Youma bracelet, or whip, Clow Reed created when he was refused the chance to teach either of his daughters to use magic."
Tomoyo looks down at the girl next to her. "Miya-chan you like the guard I made for you when Chiaki-san asked don't you?"
The girl looks up and then looks at the guard on her left hand before crossing her arms in front of her. "I like it just fine." The girl pouts. "I would like it even better if you had not made two and eventually gave the other to my sister."
"Now you two are twins, I thought if you were interested in this profession she would be eventually as well." Tomoyo says with a wink.
"Oh the amazons are here!" Kari says excitedly to Sakura. "Can I play with them some more Auntie?"
Sakura shakes her head emphatically. "No! absolutely not! You, Tomoyo, and the angels should go home now. Syaoran and I will handle the elders."
Kari pouts but gathers up her girls and casts a teleportation charm. Tomoyo waves and makes a similar exit. Sakura turns to the elders who had just cautiously entered and smiled.
-----------------
Half way across the galaxy in a ring of artificial satellites, a stout blond haired woman looks up from her desk as one of her officers enters the room. "Lieutenant Balta, What information do you have for me?" The woman's light brown skin shows almost no lines as the corners of her mouth turn up to reflect the smile in her blue eyes.
"There has been a sighting of the ship your great nephew disappeared with director Kuramitsu." The black haired young woman states, while handing the other woman a data chip.
"Oh and what was Mikaro-kun doing after laying low for more than thirty years(1)." The woman says pleasantly, while studying the photos.
"It appears that he was purchasing subspace gate generators." The younger woman responds. "He would likely have escaped notice, if he had not paid for them using rare high quality energy crystals. The other concern is that the ship was tracked going towards the Sol system after the purchase was completed."
The director looks up at this. "That could be a problem Lieutenant. Taking advanced technology to an underdeveloped system is a serious crime."
"I am not sure they will actually be used on any of the planets." The other woman responds. "They were loaded into an odd addition to the ship."
"My my" The woman sighs finding what the younger woman is referring to. "I believe it will be necessary to tell Mitoto where to look for her errant child."
-----------
Kari returns to the club room to find the twins happily playing with their new angels on one of the layers. "I don't believe they allow you to equip your angels with swords." Kari laughs while watching the two focused girls.
Fuka and Fumika look up in surprise, breaking their concentration. On the layer the giant broadswords wielded by two nearly identical angels disappear. "Oh and we almost had it mastered too." Fumika pouts.
Kurumi waves as she leads the other steel angels back into the retreat. Fuka shrugs at her sister and smiles at Kari. "Kari-neechan did you and your angels enjoy your outing?"
"I would not call it fun, but we were able to get some things squared away." Kari grins evilly. "I do have some ideas on how to upgrade the girl's abilities now. So are you going to introduce me to your angels?"
Fuka picks up her small female angel and holds it for kari to see up close. "This is Mimiru." Kari looks at the angel and finds it looks like a brown haired teenage girl with short brown hair wearing a metal bikini top, short leather skirt, metal greaves, and knee high leather boots over tights.
"Fuka and I figured out how to create the swords like Athena and Hikaru create their wings." The younger sister says with a grin, while holding up her pink haired angel with similar attire, in a different color scheme. "This is Black Rose."
Kari just smiles and shakes her head. "I realize you girls are having fun but don't stay up too late. I need to go check on the others." Kari waves as she enters the retreat herself.
---------------
Tomoyo glided softly into the room where Eishun was sleeping peacefully in his large bed. Smiling at his peaceful face she kneels on the floor next to him. Reaching forward she gently turns his face towards her and leans in to kiss him. Oddly for the highly trained swordsman this does not wake him. He does wake to the sound of the woman's quiet sobs a moment later.
His eyes blinking rapidly to clear them of sleep, Eishun reaches forward to pull the woman close to him. Through her sobs he can her her moan. "You hold me and it feels right. I hold Konoka or Setsuna and it feels right. Being in this house feels right, but I can't remember. Even after fifteen years it still hurts." Eishun just holds the woman in his arms gently until her sobbing stops.
Eishun leans forward and whispers. "I am truly sorry Tomoyo. I am a selfish and weak man, and I do not begin to deserve your affections."
Tomoyo had been wondering for a moment if the affection she felt was truly hers, but hearing anyone call the man she loved things like that convinced her what she felt was hers alone. "Your not selfish or weak. Your the bravest and most caring man I know" She stated adamantly, while holding him tightly as well.
Eishun sighs and leans back to look in her eyes. "I am selfish. I demanded of our group's sponsor that she send her student, a gifted healer, to care for my wife in exchange for helping her hunt down a dangerous creature. Then after I failed and fell under the siren's spell, with Noriko having to rescue me, I thought nothing of it when I returned home to find my normally frail wife now healthy and eager to make up for lost time. I lost a great deal of respect for Setsuna when I realized she could take advantage of a young woman's kindness."
"She was dying and she knew it." Tomoyo protests. "She wanted to leave something of herself behind."
"That can not excuse what she did." The man states firmly. "She tried to take over your body and mind. She nearly drove you insane. You thought you were her for almost a year after her death. Noriko had to strip all her memories from your mind, including the ones of the time you lived as her. Including the ones of when Konoka was born." He finishes quietly.
"I have already forgiven her." Tomoyo says quietly. "That is why I asked you to name your daughter by another siren after her. If you want me to forgive you then there is one thing I ask."
To the man's expectant stare she grins impishly. "Give me another child I can remember without question as ours, and start tonight."
In the hall outside the room two young women gape at each other, processing what they had just overheard. Konoka leans forward and happily embraces her half sister. After a few moments Setsuna returns the embrace. "Isn't it wonderful Set-chan. We get both of our parents together and we get a new little brother or sister." Konoka whispers.
Setsuna turns her head towards the nearby room and blinks at the new sounds. "Ojo-sama I think we should leave now." Setsuna says quietly but forcefully.
Konoka turns her head to the side and looks at the other girl quizzically. "Why now Set-chan."
Setsuna stares at her sister and sighs. "You do realize what Oka-san's last request would involve don't you?"
Konoka turns an unhealthy shade of green as realization strikes. Setsuna quietly leads her away to their own rooms.
------------------
The next day passed by peacefully until after lunch when Kari finds herself along with Akiri in Winry's office. Winry was happily showing her the parts she had made at Kari's request. "They are exactly what I was looking for Winry-sensei." Kari grins impishly. "Do you think you can tell me what all those symbols were that you had me magically carve in those bracers I made for Ku Fei now?"
"Not yet." Winry smiles. "Edward owes me for being patient with him. When he gets back I am going to finally make him pay up."
"So have you decided who you are going to have test out the system Tomoyo-sensei put together?" Kari asks while looking at the silver bracelet with an eight sided black crystal sitting on the desk between them.
"Shuko-san, Icchan and I were working very late last night to make sure the neural system was working properly." Winry smiles wistfully. "They asked that Misaki-chan could get to be the first to try it out."
The two settled into quiet conversation while they waited for Shuko to arrive with her daughter. Kari watched as Akiri played with Tachi, and prayed that she was not playfully experimenting with the robot's A.I. subroutines.
The Mihara family arrived shortly after school ended for the day. Misaki seemed nervous about the experiment they wanted her to participate in, but her mother assured her it would be safe. Kari had her put the bracelet on her right wrist, and say her Angel entry phrase. Winry advised her just to hold the angel and say heshin instead of descends.
Misaki holds Hikaru out in front of her and pulls up her courage.
"Angel's Wings, Guide Hikaru and Me." The child pauses for a moment before finishing. "The Angel Henshin."
First Hikaru starts to glow. and vanishes into a blue light. The glow spreads up the girls arms until it surrounds her completely and the girl shimmers inside the glow. As the glow fades a pink haired girl wearing a red leotard over white bike shorts. With red coverings going up from her white shoes to her thighs and from white hand guards over black gloves to a golden ring mid-bicep. The girl reached up and felt antennae curving up and back from where her ears should be.
Winry uncovered a full length mirror to let the girl see herself.
The girl looks into the mirror and smiles. "I'm Hikaru." The girl breathes. "I'm Hikaru!!" the girl cheers as she gathers her legs under her to jump. Winry tries to warn her, but can only cringe as the girl rockets into the ceiling with a crunch. Inevitably the girl falls back to the floor and stares up at the dent she had put in the ceiling.
Winry looks at her computer monitor and sighs with relief. "That is definitely not the way I wanted to find out, but at least now we can be certain that damage taken by the angels will not be transfered back to the deuce psychosomatically."
notes:
kogal - japanese equivalent of a California Valley Girl
Mano Ayako - Mano Yohko's second cousin who looks like her twin, except Ayako's hair is a lighter shade of brown. Introduced in the last Devil Hunter Yohko OVA. Unlike Yohko she knew of her family heritage and trained from a young age to be a devil hunter by Mano Chiaki, Yohko's great aunt.
Kanzaki Miya - better known in the last DHY OVA as Azusa 2 - calling her that sounded odd to me, not to mention the name reminds me of the golden pair, so I thought up a different name. Except for having trained longer she is just about as klutzy as Azusa.
(1) the galaxy police and jurai use galactic standard years. approximately 2.5 earth years
Kuramitsu Mitoto - mother of Mihoshi and Misao from the ryo-ohki OVA series.
Mimiru - heavy blade character from the anime .hack//sign
Black Rose - heavy blade character from the original quartet of .hack games
down to their haircuts these two characters look like twins and seemed the best choice for angels for the Narutakis, at least to me.
=*OMAKE*=
Samael now shrieks in rage and prepares to attack directly. Across the glowing eye of dire wight flash the words, "Omega protocol: Setup. All limiters released. Consumption Boost Mode: Materialize" White smoke billows out of the bracelet, and a new male voice begins to chant.
"Zaazard Zaazard Sukorono krono souk"
Urd/Sakura looks at Kari with concern. "You didn't" Kogal Kari just grins
The white smoke takes on the shape of a man swinging its arms around and gathering energy between its hands. "Hellfire burning in the pitch black mist." Sakura groans.
The smoke finally forms into a tall, powerfully built, platinum blond haired man. "Become my sword and destroy my enemy." The man extends his hands forward and finishes with a smirk. "Unleash Hell's Explosive VENOM!"
Samael screams as his stolen body completely dissolves in the wave of unleashed power.
The man balls up his fists and sneers at the pathetic pile of remains. "Fool, there is room for only one immortal lord of darkness and that is me." The victor swings his right fist and thumps himself in the chest, "Dark Schneider."
Tomoyo having dropped her transformation stares wide eyed at the man's unclothed state, and breathes a kasumi-ish "Oh My".
Sakura turns to the star struck looking Kari and says, in a very irate mother sort of way. "That's it young lady I am confiscating your manga collection."
"Awww." Kari pouts.
stay tuned after the notes for an omake of an alternate version of the first scene of this chapter. I only seriously considered it for about thirty seconds, but I could not resist writing it down
single quotes (' ') denote thoughts or telepathy
forward slashes (/ /) denote translated speech
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the series mentioned in this story. This story is created solely for entertainment and no intention of profit.
Chapter 36 - Check....Mate?
Astarte unable to speak, or even breathe, simply gaped as her knees buckled and she began to collapse. The blade that had speared her shivered and unfolded from the back. transforming into a double edged scythe. There was a sneer on Po Mad's face as the weapon nearly sliced the former goddess' torso in two as she fell lifelessly to the ground.
The black wings flapped once and pulled back to frame the boy's body, revealing the smoking ground where the throne had stood. As his head came up to look at the three women in the room, they were able to see his face, formerly handsome, was now transformed to an almost unearthly beauty. While his grey eyes were as cold and dead as the grave.
"Poor dear Astarte, her impatience to be in my presence again nearly cost me the opportunity I have been arranging for more then ten millennia." The deep voice sounded amused as it issued from Po Mad's throat. "Did you witches truly believe you could stop me by preventing my pawn Pluto from bringing about the pittance of an existence she dreamed of for the senshi?"
Astarte's body dissolves into streamers of light that flow into the weapon of death. The booming voice laughs. "I set Beryl on the path to destroy the Moon Kingdom all for the sake of making the senshi of the underworld serve my vision. Now instead of there being survivors I will destroy all life on this world."
The creature now possessing Po Mad's body throws its wings wide and and lifts the scythe into the air. "I am Samael the Archangel of Death. All the souls of this world shall soon be mine and with that power I shall claim the throne of heaven and recreate the universe in my image." Samael swings the scythe around and points it at Sakura. "You three shall become my slaves and watch as I destroy this world utterly."
Kari looks at the self proclaimed archangel with wide eyes for a moment before breaking down laughing.
"Like your entrance was great, but that speech just like sucked you know." Tomoyo now dressed as a kogal, complete with bleach blonde hair, burnt umber skin, and over done makeup, says from Urd/Sakura's other side.
Kari not to be left out switches to a similar appearance. "Like do you want a do over. We have time you know." The effect of this was clear as the sound of grinding teeth could be heard in the warehouse area.
"You witches will not mock me after I control your minds." Samael sneers and gathers an orb of golden energy in his right hand. Throwing the arm forward reveals the bracelet of Dire Wight where the blue gem has turned into a crystalline blue serpentine eye. just before the ball of energy is sucked into the eye and Samael falls to the ground with a shriek of pain.
Kogal/Kari looks down at the man and puts her hand to her jaw with a pensive frown. "Like it's obvious that you have been hiding out since the Silver Millennium, but you should have at least heard of the idea of a poison pill."
Samael now shrieks in rage and prepares to attack directly. Across the glowing eye of dire wight flash the words, "Omega protocol: Setup. All limiters released. Consumption Boost Mode: Vampire Hydra" White smoke billows out of the bracelet taking on the form of a single eyed serpent.
Samael laughs at the apparition and effortlessly beheads it with a swing of his scythe. His laughter falters as two new heads appear, one latching onto his weapon and the other his throat. In rage and panic, the celestial spins his weapon removing all the creatures heads only to find the number doubled again. Now the serpent has grown large enough that it wraps the man in its coils, restraining him while it absorbs all the body's life energy.
The scythe looses coherence and dissolves first. The still struggling form caught in the hydra's coils looks more like a withered corpse before it shatters and a black form streaks through the broken outside window.
Outside the window a large black raven looks back inside malevolently. "I can not be defeated, I am death." The unearthly voice resonates back through the air.
Kogal Tomoyo sighs. "Like can't you just run away now."
"While it is neat to see the avatar of death is really a carrion eater, we have other things we would like to do tonight you know." Kogal Kari says while buffing her nails on her sweater.
With a final shriek of rage the bird disappears into the night. Kari shifts back to her normal appearance and holds out her right hand to the massive hydra. Dire Wight transforms back into a brightly glowing blue gem and joins the grey one on Kari's bracelet.
Kari then turns to the crumpled forms of her angels, and holding her arms out sends streamers of energy to them. The bodies lift off the floor. Their features begin to melt and flow back into an undamaged condition. The angels open their eyes and as Kari rushes towards them, her wings appear to enfold all three of them. "I am sorry to put you through that little sisters." Kari sobs. "Can you forgive me?"
In response the two taller angels return her hug. Karinka, being the smallest, can only manage to get her hand out from where she is covered by Kari's wing and hold up a V sign, causing the others to giggle.
Kari turns to Sakura, now back to her normal form as well. "Are you sure we should have let him escape Auntie."
Sakura shakes her head sadly. "We would not have been able to destroy him even in his weakened state. If we had tried he would still have escaped, and one or more of us would have died. As things stand now his plans have been set back and he will not have the strength to attack directly for some time.
Sakura looks out the offices broken windows to the warehouse, where her husband is looking after the other teenagers and smiles. "We better go check on the others."
Syaoran has the flat of his great sword lying on his shoulder, and holds it with his right hand with the handle next to his head, looking up at the ceiling in exasperation. The younger of the two girls, that came to rescue the amazons, is currently prancing around the older one, kneeling next to the unconscious Bru Xi, chanting "Ayako has a boyfriend".
"Miya cut that out now." Ayako growls as she finally loses her patience, and tries to grab for the younger girl.
Miya dances out of reach and dashes to stand behind Tomoyo. Safely behind the older woman, the girl peaks out and gives her friend a red eye while sticking out her tongue.
Tomoyo takes ahold of the girl's shoulder. "Now Miya-chan that was not very nice. You should apologize."
"But auntie Tomoyo." The dark blue haired girl looks up with her best puppy dog eyes. Leaving the woman completely unfazed, and the girl pouting. "I am sorry Ayako." She finally admits.
Ayako looks over the three women. "While I appreciate that you were able to get rid of the beings here, I still don't feel comfortable working with demons." Turning her head to glance at Syaoran, she finishes, "or sorcerers."
"Oh really," Sakura snickers. "Your great grandmother did not seem to have a problem with sorcerers. Nor do you seem to have difficulties with using the Youma bracelet, or whip, Clow Reed created when he was refused the chance to teach either of his daughters to use magic."
Tomoyo looks down at the girl next to her. "Miya-chan you like the guard I made for you when Chiaki-san asked don't you?"
The girl looks up and then looks at the guard on her left hand before crossing her arms in front of her. "I like it just fine." The girl pouts. "I would like it even better if you had not made two and eventually gave the other to my sister."
"Now you two are twins, I thought if you were interested in this profession she would be eventually as well." Tomoyo says with a wink.
"Oh the amazons are here!" Kari says excitedly to Sakura. "Can I play with them some more Auntie?"
Sakura shakes her head emphatically. "No! absolutely not! You, Tomoyo, and the angels should go home now. Syaoran and I will handle the elders."
Kari pouts but gathers up her girls and casts a teleportation charm. Tomoyo waves and makes a similar exit. Sakura turns to the elders who had just cautiously entered and smiled.
-----------------
Half way across the galaxy in a ring of artificial satellites, a stout blond haired woman looks up from her desk as one of her officers enters the room. "Lieutenant Balta, What information do you have for me?" The woman's light brown skin shows almost no lines as the corners of her mouth turn up to reflect the smile in her blue eyes.
"There has been a sighting of the ship your great nephew disappeared with director Kuramitsu." The black haired young woman states, while handing the other woman a data chip.
"Oh and what was Mikaro-kun doing after laying low for more than thirty years(1)." The woman says pleasantly, while studying the photos.
"It appears that he was purchasing subspace gate generators." The younger woman responds. "He would likely have escaped notice, if he had not paid for them using rare high quality energy crystals. The other concern is that the ship was tracked going towards the Sol system after the purchase was completed."
The director looks up at this. "That could be a problem Lieutenant. Taking advanced technology to an underdeveloped system is a serious crime."
"I am not sure they will actually be used on any of the planets." The other woman responds. "They were loaded into an odd addition to the ship."
"My my" The woman sighs finding what the younger woman is referring to. "I believe it will be necessary to tell Mitoto where to look for her errant child."
-----------
Kari returns to the club room to find the twins happily playing with their new angels on one of the layers. "I don't believe they allow you to equip your angels with swords." Kari laughs while watching the two focused girls.
Fuka and Fumika look up in surprise, breaking their concentration. On the layer the giant broadswords wielded by two nearly identical angels disappear. "Oh and we almost had it mastered too." Fumika pouts.
Kurumi waves as she leads the other steel angels back into the retreat. Fuka shrugs at her sister and smiles at Kari. "Kari-neechan did you and your angels enjoy your outing?"
"I would not call it fun, but we were able to get some things squared away." Kari grins evilly. "I do have some ideas on how to upgrade the girl's abilities now. So are you going to introduce me to your angels?"
Fuka picks up her small female angel and holds it for kari to see up close. "This is Mimiru." Kari looks at the angel and finds it looks like a brown haired teenage girl with short brown hair wearing a metal bikini top, short leather skirt, metal greaves, and knee high leather boots over tights.
"Fuka and I figured out how to create the swords like Athena and Hikaru create their wings." The younger sister says with a grin, while holding up her pink haired angel with similar attire, in a different color scheme. "This is Black Rose."
Kari just smiles and shakes her head. "I realize you girls are having fun but don't stay up too late. I need to go check on the others." Kari waves as she enters the retreat herself.
---------------
Tomoyo glided softly into the room where Eishun was sleeping peacefully in his large bed. Smiling at his peaceful face she kneels on the floor next to him. Reaching forward she gently turns his face towards her and leans in to kiss him. Oddly for the highly trained swordsman this does not wake him. He does wake to the sound of the woman's quiet sobs a moment later.
His eyes blinking rapidly to clear them of sleep, Eishun reaches forward to pull the woman close to him. Through her sobs he can her her moan. "You hold me and it feels right. I hold Konoka or Setsuna and it feels right. Being in this house feels right, but I can't remember. Even after fifteen years it still hurts." Eishun just holds the woman in his arms gently until her sobbing stops.
Eishun leans forward and whispers. "I am truly sorry Tomoyo. I am a selfish and weak man, and I do not begin to deserve your affections."
Tomoyo had been wondering for a moment if the affection she felt was truly hers, but hearing anyone call the man she loved things like that convinced her what she felt was hers alone. "Your not selfish or weak. Your the bravest and most caring man I know" She stated adamantly, while holding him tightly as well.
Eishun sighs and leans back to look in her eyes. "I am selfish. I demanded of our group's sponsor that she send her student, a gifted healer, to care for my wife in exchange for helping her hunt down a dangerous creature. Then after I failed and fell under the siren's spell, with Noriko having to rescue me, I thought nothing of it when I returned home to find my normally frail wife now healthy and eager to make up for lost time. I lost a great deal of respect for Setsuna when I realized she could take advantage of a young woman's kindness."
"She was dying and she knew it." Tomoyo protests. "She wanted to leave something of herself behind."
"That can not excuse what she did." The man states firmly. "She tried to take over your body and mind. She nearly drove you insane. You thought you were her for almost a year after her death. Noriko had to strip all her memories from your mind, including the ones of the time you lived as her. Including the ones of when Konoka was born." He finishes quietly.
"I have already forgiven her." Tomoyo says quietly. "That is why I asked you to name your daughter by another siren after her. If you want me to forgive you then there is one thing I ask."
To the man's expectant stare she grins impishly. "Give me another child I can remember without question as ours, and start tonight."
In the hall outside the room two young women gape at each other, processing what they had just overheard. Konoka leans forward and happily embraces her half sister. After a few moments Setsuna returns the embrace. "Isn't it wonderful Set-chan. We get both of our parents together and we get a new little brother or sister." Konoka whispers.
Setsuna turns her head towards the nearby room and blinks at the new sounds. "Ojo-sama I think we should leave now." Setsuna says quietly but forcefully.
Konoka turns her head to the side and looks at the other girl quizzically. "Why now Set-chan."
Setsuna stares at her sister and sighs. "You do realize what Oka-san's last request would involve don't you?"
Konoka turns an unhealthy shade of green as realization strikes. Setsuna quietly leads her away to their own rooms.
------------------
The next day passed by peacefully until after lunch when Kari finds herself along with Akiri in Winry's office. Winry was happily showing her the parts she had made at Kari's request. "They are exactly what I was looking for Winry-sensei." Kari grins impishly. "Do you think you can tell me what all those symbols were that you had me magically carve in those bracers I made for Ku Fei now?"
"Not yet." Winry smiles. "Edward owes me for being patient with him. When he gets back I am going to finally make him pay up."
"So have you decided who you are going to have test out the system Tomoyo-sensei put together?" Kari asks while looking at the silver bracelet with an eight sided black crystal sitting on the desk between them.
"Shuko-san, Icchan and I were working very late last night to make sure the neural system was working properly." Winry smiles wistfully. "They asked that Misaki-chan could get to be the first to try it out."
The two settled into quiet conversation while they waited for Shuko to arrive with her daughter. Kari watched as Akiri played with Tachi, and prayed that she was not playfully experimenting with the robot's A.I. subroutines.
The Mihara family arrived shortly after school ended for the day. Misaki seemed nervous about the experiment they wanted her to participate in, but her mother assured her it would be safe. Kari had her put the bracelet on her right wrist, and say her Angel entry phrase. Winry advised her just to hold the angel and say heshin instead of descends.
Misaki holds Hikaru out in front of her and pulls up her courage.
"Angel's Wings, Guide Hikaru and Me." The child pauses for a moment before finishing. "The Angel Henshin."
First Hikaru starts to glow. and vanishes into a blue light. The glow spreads up the girls arms until it surrounds her completely and the girl shimmers inside the glow. As the glow fades a pink haired girl wearing a red leotard over white bike shorts. With red coverings going up from her white shoes to her thighs and from white hand guards over black gloves to a golden ring mid-bicep. The girl reached up and felt antennae curving up and back from where her ears should be.
Winry uncovered a full length mirror to let the girl see herself.
The girl looks into the mirror and smiles. "I'm Hikaru." The girl breathes. "I'm Hikaru!!" the girl cheers as she gathers her legs under her to jump. Winry tries to warn her, but can only cringe as the girl rockets into the ceiling with a crunch. Inevitably the girl falls back to the floor and stares up at the dent she had put in the ceiling.
Winry looks at her computer monitor and sighs with relief. "That is definitely not the way I wanted to find out, but at least now we can be certain that damage taken by the angels will not be transfered back to the deuce psychosomatically."
notes:
kogal - japanese equivalent of a California Valley Girl
Mano Ayako - Mano Yohko's second cousin who looks like her twin, except Ayako's hair is a lighter shade of brown. Introduced in the last Devil Hunter Yohko OVA. Unlike Yohko she knew of her family heritage and trained from a young age to be a devil hunter by Mano Chiaki, Yohko's great aunt.
Kanzaki Miya - better known in the last DHY OVA as Azusa 2 - calling her that sounded odd to me, not to mention the name reminds me of the golden pair, so I thought up a different name. Except for having trained longer she is just about as klutzy as Azusa.
(1) the galaxy police and jurai use galactic standard years. approximately 2.5 earth years
Kuramitsu Mitoto - mother of Mihoshi and Misao from the ryo-ohki OVA series.
Mimiru - heavy blade character from the anime .hack//sign
Black Rose - heavy blade character from the original quartet of .hack games
down to their haircuts these two characters look like twins and seemed the best choice for angels for the Narutakis, at least to me.
=*OMAKE*=
Samael now shrieks in rage and prepares to attack directly. Across the glowing eye of dire wight flash the words, "Omega protocol: Setup. All limiters released. Consumption Boost Mode: Materialize" White smoke billows out of the bracelet, and a new male voice begins to chant.
"Zaazard Zaazard Sukorono krono souk"
Urd/Sakura looks at Kari with concern. "You didn't" Kogal Kari just grins
The white smoke takes on the shape of a man swinging its arms around and gathering energy between its hands. "Hellfire burning in the pitch black mist." Sakura groans.
The smoke finally forms into a tall, powerfully built, platinum blond haired man. "Become my sword and destroy my enemy." The man extends his hands forward and finishes with a smirk. "Unleash Hell's Explosive VENOM!"
Samael screams as his stolen body completely dissolves in the wave of unleashed power.
The man balls up his fists and sneers at the pathetic pile of remains. "Fool, there is room for only one immortal lord of darkness and that is me." The victor swings his right fist and thumps himself in the chest, "Dark Schneider."
Tomoyo having dropped her transformation stares wide eyed at the man's unclothed state, and breathes a kasumi-ish "Oh My".
Sakura turns to the star struck looking Kari and says, in a very irate mother sort of way. "That's it young lady I am confiscating your manga collection."
"Awww." Kari pouts.