Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Of Demons and Love ❯ Flying Feet ( Chapter 16 )

Of Demons and Love
Author: Quintyss

Chapter 16 (T)
Flying Feet

Morning classes dragged by in a dazed blur for the girls. The Senshi collectively decided to train in the remote park area near Makoto's apartment after they were finished with them.

Mina and Ami had moved in with Makoto before summer's end, so it was the most convenient location now for meetings, training, and music practice. The outer Senshi were also closer to Makoto's. The jinja was the farthest away because it was nestled up in the foothills nearer to the University. The Tsukino's were somewhere in between.

Rei and Usagi came home to the jinja just long enough to grab a snack and change into athletic shorts and tank tops. They put their hair up and brought their musical instruments down the colorful tree-lined steps to the beautifully manicured grove at the bottom. The Jinja had its own private parking lot for accolades and visitors near the west jinja entrance. It was also where the Senshi vehicles parked and where Usagi's blue, five-door Subaru Impreza now waited. It was effectively a two-seater, right now, with the back seats folded down and stuffed with the 'traveling rig'.

Usagi carefully slid the hard case containing Rei's Nord piano into the back of the 'mom car' wagon first, then her Les Paul, followed by the old refurbished Kohno. On top of everything was a cart that lay upside down.

Rei sat and meditated in the passenger's seat and listened to birds chirping and the squawks and chirrs of fall-frenzied squirrels. Only Usagi packed her car or touched her gear while she was doing it. She had just been told in no uncertain terms to 'live with it'. Then Usagi went on to say they would have a 'good jam' today because she felt... inspired!

At one point along the way, Usagi's chatter stopped. Something seemed to have caught her attention on the radio. She hummed a few bars of something totally unrelated to what was on the radio and strummed her steering wheel. Rei thought she was about to close her eyes, but instead, she gasped.

"Hooo yeah, that's a wicked cool sound! Gotta record that... Rei, hold the wheel!" She ordered excitedly. Rei grasped the steering wheel while Usagi hastily scribbled something in a journal that she always seemed to have. She probably kept it in her sub-space pocket! Rei giggled out loud. "Thanks, Rei. I am so psyched! This will be perfect." Usagi positively vibrated by the time they arrived at Makoto's. Rei, conversely, was completely frazzled. So much for meditation.

Rei waited patiently while Usagi grabbed the cart that just needed the handle reoriented, then propped her two guitars and Rei's piano case against the side of the blue car. The first thing Usagi wanted on the cart was a large, heavy leather bag stuffed with cables, guitar stands, and other essentials. "Usagi, what on earth did you pack in here? This thing weighs more every time we use it!" Rei grimaced as she helped the blonde heft it onto the cart. Rei's keyboard was next. Usagi's instruments would be topmost since they were most fragile. The rest of the hard cases contained amps and mixers.

Usagi smiled winsomely at Rei. "We don't need to bring everything for practice. Just a couple of amps and the mixer. I put all we need for practice in this case. It's a little heavy."

"Please stop looking at me like that! You know how much I hate puppies, Ms. Whippet." The dark senshi proclaimed emphatically. "Oh, fine! I'll grab one side if you grab the other. Don't expect anything from me later, I'll be too tired and sore." Rei grumbled as she rolled her eyes in defeat. "Why do you keep all this old stuff? Where do you even find it?"

Usagi smiled sweetly at her disgruntled band member. She knew Rei was pretending. "On-line." Usagi huffed as she put the guitar hard cases on the cart herself, then closed the car's back hatch. "Pssht... this stuff is small potatoes compared to man-handling my defenseless body up a flight of stairs. And you don't have to do anything later, Rei. I'll make you feel so good, you'll forget all about pain. Aches, not so much." Her teeth gleamed. "I'll even throw in a massage with scented oil. Maybe even Aphrodite's perfume to see what it does." Usagi said happily and launched into her own rendition of 'Tonight's the Night' by Rod Stewart, with a few key changes to the wording so it fit her situation.

Usagi sang lustily until Rei interrupted her at "Spread... "

"Shhh! Stop it, Usagi, you're embarrassing me!" Rei hissed. Her face was aflame, not to mention a growing itch in her pelvis.

"What's the matter Rei... do I make you hot? Admit it, you want me!" Usagi grinned and pulled out her communicator to signal Makoto.

"Hey, girlfriend we're here! Could you guys come down and give us a hand with our gear so Rei-chan won't have kittens? ...Thanks!" Usagi winked at the cantankerous Miko. Rei stuck her tongue out at Usagi, who rocked her hips at her with a wide grin.

Rei's tongue went limp and she retracted it. "Oooh, you are incorrigible!" Rei finally laughed at Usagi's sad face.

The 'roll' down the sidewalk from the parking lot to Makoto's apartment took maybe five minutes and Rei's job was to make sure nothing fell off. As they got to the door, the rest of the senshi descended upon them noisily with big hugs and began to grab Usagi's equipment off the cart to haul upstairs.

"Whoa, easy does it, this stuff means a lot to me!" Usagi begged.

Makoto carried the cube case into the apartment. Rei carried her piano up. Usagi carried her Gibson and the Kohno, Mina, and Ami grabbed the equipment bag between the two of them.

When Usagi was content her equipment made it safely inside, she asked Makoto if she had any word on where the outer senshi were. Mako told her Haruka had called to say they would be a bit late. A few minutes later, though, the doorbell sounded and Makoto opened her door to welcome Michiru, Haruka, and Pluto. Haruka sniffed the air and beamed at Makoto.

"Oooh, something smells really heavenly! Can we stay for dinner?" She asked impertinently. Michiru proceeded to smack her partner for the rude behavior who, in turn, yelped... "Owwwie! It was Setsuna's turn to cook tonight. You know her plans changed!" She defended herself, then gave Michiru a petulant look. Pluto smirked.

"I have a working dinner date, tonight. I'm sorry." Pluto ruffled Haruka's not so neat hair consolingly.

"Sure you can stay if you're still alive after I kick your butt in combat. Kendo, Judo, Aikido, Jujitsu... you pick." Makoto grinned menacingly. Haruka's face brightened immediately.

"Oh goody, another smart-aleck who thinks they can take me on, Michiru! And she'll even throw a pot roast in to sweeten the deal." Haruka flashed a jaunty grin, then made a beeline for Usagi who had started to set up her equipment alone.

"What's the matter, kitten, did everyone abandon you?" Haruka kissed her, "I'm glad you feel better! Are you sure you're up for full contact senshi training *and* music practice?"

"I'm never better, mommy!." Usagi assured the short-haired, sandy blonde with a nod. "If I get too tired and start to make a lot of mistakes, I'll stop. Did you bring your Washburn? I brought some extra cables for you. Have you practiced what I taught you and have you tried some experimentation to have a little fun?" Usagi asked in 'rapid-fire' mode. Haruka smiled broadly.

"You bet. I looove this beautiful instrument! I'll knock your socks off with my stuff! I feel like a good bass is the heart of the band. I'm glad you chose me to teach bass to when Rei refused, it has really helped to broaden my horizons. I don't know what Rei's problem is... she doesn't know what she's missing! I still have to keep up my piano practice for Michi, though. You are both such taskmasters!" Haruka exclaimed. Usagi gave Haruka a tight smile then spoke quietly.

"Rei is... aware of what she's missing and is content with her piano, the same way I am with my choice of instrument, or the way Michi loves her violin, Hotaru her cello, Ami her harp, or even the way Mina prefers to just sing. I'm grateful that you were willing to accommodate. You aren't wrong about a good bassist." Usagi glanced up at Haruka who reddened slightly.

"I stand corrected, Sensei Odango. Here, let me help you with that... where do you want it?" Haruka asked her friend. "You just got over a major illness and you are already pushing yourself too hard!" Haruka remarked pointedly and moved the Rei's piano-stand over across the room away from Mako's drum set where Usagi had indicated.

"I'm not, don't worry. My silver crystal completely healed me." She sighed, "I think we're almost ready to go here." Usagi looked up at the Haruka gratefully, who shared Rei's height. She carried her small portable audio mixer over and set it on top of an end table conveniently near the piano then hooked the instruments up to the mixer with the cables.

"I'm so far behind in everything! We lost so much time while I was sick." Usagi tuned each guitar and adjusted the mixer presets while Haruka set Rei's piano on its stand.

"We don't want you out of commission again, either, Usagi, so take a chill pill. I've got this!" Haruka responded gently and moved over to hug her kitten.

That's the scene Rei saw when she walked in to see if Usagi needed any assistance with hook-ups or arrangements. Rei gave the two a curious look, and Usagi beamed at her.

"It's too late to help now... everything is finished, thanks to Haruka. She was the only one who wanted to save me from me." She said cheekily and Rei pulled a wry face.

"I'm sorry. I was yakking and not thinking. Obviously, someone like *me* needs to keep an eye on you two, instead!" She spoke the last sternly. When they both looked sheepish, Rei laughed at their public humiliation.

Haruka started to tidy up the area a bit and when she picked up Ojiisan's old guitar case to set against a wall, she noticed the names hand-printed in permanent ink on the lip of the lid. On it was the name of Ojiisan's wife who died in the same airplane crash as the elder Kino's... and the name of Rei's mother. The big 'Oh' light went off in her head. She felt terrible.

Everything was set up and ready to go for rehearsal later after senshi combat training. Usagi walked Rei out and surreptitiously squeezed her girlfriend's hand to let her know that she and Haruka were nothing to worry about. Rei squeezed back.

All the senshi decided on hand-to-hand combat, Judo or Aikido and matched up this way:

Haruka - Makoto
Rei - Minako
Usagi - Michiru
Ami - Pluto

Everyone fought without incident for a while. Included as part of the training, was a requirement to not lose your temper, lose your concentration by distraction, or use lethal force. All of these things were exactly what was beginning to happen with Mina.

Rei anticipated Mina's every move and pelted her mercilessly with shot after shot. Mina hadn't touched her opponent even once. Finally, Rei stopped and relaxed into her 'ready' stance, aware of her friend's frustration, and spoke to her partner.

"Mina, stop. Breathe deeply for a moment and empty your mind. Close your eyes and feel my Ki." Rei stood near Mina, "now, keep your eyes closed and stop my hand." Rei directed then took a short controlled punch at her. Mina stopped it, smiled, and opened her eyes. Then she nailed Rei in the gut with a knee.

"Never underestimate your opponent!" Mina spat gripping Rei's fist hard.

Rei took a step back and shifted her weight, and caused Mina to shift forward. Rei used Mina's own weight to throw her over her own shoulder.

Mina tucked and rolled, while Rei re-positioned herself and waited, relaxed. Mina came up with a kick to the head, but Rei fluidly caught her foot and came around Mina's other leg with a leg sweep of her own. Mina was on her backside before she could blink. Rei stepped back and waited once again in her relaxed stance.

Rei could feel Usagi and Michiru behind her but didn't let the distraction break her concentration with Mina who had begun to move fast towards her. Mina sprang high into the air. Rei expected and readied herself for a double kick, moved sideways, then leaned backward slightly.

When she did, she noticed it was Usagi's head Mina's feet were about to make contact with. Rei leaped up with a scissor kick of her own and deflected the blow to herself, but the force powered by Mina's rage was so potent, one of her flying feet drove past Rei and into the back of Usagi's head.

Usagi felt something come from behind and tried to drop, but the movement caused Michiru's foot to land hard in her solar plexus at the precise instant Mina's other foot glanced off the back of her head. Usagi landed in a motionless heap.

Rei had known by the exertion it took to deflect Mina's attack, someone would have been killed had it landed with the full impact... and she was afraid for Usagi. Rei dropped to her knees and checked to see if her friend's neck was broken, checked for a pulse.

Ami was the second one there because everyone let her be. She used her computer to scan Usagi's bio functions and brain waves. Ami heaved a sigh of relief and said Usagi was extremely lucky. Rei had redirected enough of the attack so that it caused a minimal amount of damage. She just got her bell rung and would have a lump on her head with a headache.

Usagi came to with a gasp and found herself on her back. Rei was on her knees, crouched over her. Usagi's eyes blurred and she was overcome by nausea. Rei quickly rolled Usagi onto her side towards herself as her friend began to retch. Usagi's stomach lay against Rei's lap and she cradled Usagi's head away from onlookers.

Mina stood frozen with horror through it all and Rei's countenance looking up at her was cold. When the quiet voice spoke, at last, it sounded like a death knell to Minako's ears.

"Mina-chan, I think we need to talk. If there is a reason you want me dead, I'd like to know about it. If not, you need to do something about your anger." Tears streamed down Mina's face.

"Rei-san, I am sooo sorry. We do need to talk. I lost my cool and it was juvenile. It won't happen again." All eyes were on their senshi leader, fingers poised on henshin pens. Mina looked at all of them squarely then addressed Haruka.

"Haruka, I want you to take over as our senshi leader until I figure out how to fight what is messing with my headspace. I haven't been myself, lately. I apologize to everyone, but especially to Rei and Usagi. You can finish this session without me today. I need to go home and try to make some sense out of this." Mina stated. Everyone stared in shock, as Minako's dejected figure retreated towards the apartment. Mina went to her room, locked the door, and wept bitterly. 'What is *wrong* with me... '

Everyone's attention shifted to their stricken Princess when she moaned and sat up shakily, her hands pressed around her head.

"What happened? I was fighting Michiru and I suddenly couldn't breathe then everything went black. Oooh, my head hurts!" Usagi looked askance at her partner.

Michiru smiled weakly. "You had me whipped and then I guess I finally got a lucky shot in. I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to hit you so hard. Your head sort of got in the way, too." Michiru replied evasively, in a very contrite voice. Usagi smiled warmly at her.

"It's all right, Michi-chan, that's why we train. I guess I need to work on my awareness more. I'm not the ninja I thought I was!" Usagi then turned to Rei.

"Would you mind driving me home, Rei? I suddenly feel that music practice and my headache are a really bad combination." She turned then to Makoto, "Mako, may I leave my set-up at your house and try again tomorrow? I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew today." Usagi asked her tallest senshi.

Rei glanced over to Makoto, who still looked shocked. She stood and waved a hand in front of Mako's dazed face.

"Hey, Cuisine Queen, wakey-wakey! Earth to Jupiter! May we leave our equipment at your house and practice tomorrow? And while I help Usa to her car, do you think you could fetch our handbags?" Rei reiterated to Makoto who then blinked once.

"Certainly, Pyro! Is there anything else you need? Usagi?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah, grab my Kohno. I need to work on something." Usagi answered. "Thank you so much, Mako."

"You got it, Princess." Makoto took off like a shot with the others in close pursuit.

Rei helped Usagi as she got unsteadily to her feet then stood and leaned heavily on Rei. They walked slowly to the vehicle. By the time they arrived at the car, Ami and Mako were already there. Ami held the front passenger car door open for Usagi, then flipped up a back seat to put the rest of their belongings in.

Mako had thrown a 'care package' of food together for them and laid it next to the handbags. She explained that it was 'their portion' since she had planned for the two of them to stay for lunch. Ami handed Usagi a sports drink. Usagi thanked them both for their kindness while Rei slid gleefully into the cockpit.

Usagi fought nausea all the way home. Meanwhile, Rei obliviously celebrated her momentous occasion for a chance to drive Usagi's 'mom car' for a change. Usagi rarely let her drive. Rei glanced over at Usagi and noticed her pasty complexion, tightly closed eyes, and thin, pale lips. She looked as though she were in real pain and extremely nauseated. Rei felt a slight twinge of guilt and reached across to caress Usagi's bare right thigh.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. We're almost there." Rei's concern was duly noted. Usagi's lips pulled back into the semblance of a smile. It looked more like a grimace to Rei.

"'Sookay... I really should let you out of your cage more often." Usagi lay her head back and closed her eyes again.

Rei drove more sedately after that and arrived home a few minutes later. Rei commented on Makoto's generosity as she turned the ignition off.

"It sure was nice of Mako to share her meal with us. There's enough food here to feed a small army, so I hope you're hungry... " Rei turned to smile at her companion, but Usagi had scrambled out of the car trying not to retch. She held her head with one hand and her stomach with the other. Must have been something I said, Rei mused.

Rei noticed the girl's predicament and hoped Usagi could avoid sickness. She came around the car to see if Usagi needed any help and put her arms around her.

"Usa-chan, I can get you to the house a lot quicker if you let me carry you. It's really no problem. I'm sorry I mentioned food." Rei said sincerely.

Usagi promptly swallowed hard again. Rei's offer sounded awfully tempting. But no matter how generous and chivalrous Rei felt, the reality was, the Jinja was a long way *up*. Neither could she see how being jounced up several stairs could help her plight much, she concluded, in afterthought.

"No, I can walk if you'll help me." Usagi firmly replied, grabbing her guitar.

Rei sighed, looped both handbags around her neck, and grabbed the food with her free hand. She helped a woozy Usagi slooowly into the jinja. Stubborn Odango Atama!

Usagi made her way to her room and wearily lay down on her futon. Rei came in shortly with an ice pack for the lump that swelled on the back of Usagi's head.

"Lie on your tummy, Princess. I'm supposed to make sure you don't fall asleep for a while. The food will be ready in about an hour. Don't worry, Mako taped instructions to the tin foil, although..." she rubbed her chin thoughtfully, "I can't seem to remember if I peeled them off before I put the dish into the oven." Rei smiled brightly at her.

"Funny, Rei, very funny. Could you not talk so loudly, please?" Usagi begged.

"I'm sorry, Angel. I'll be good now." Rei repented and scratched Usagi's back soothingly.

"Rei?" Usagi whispered, after a while.

"Hmmm?" Rei answered.

"What really happened? Michi is a terrible liar!" Usagi pressed. Rei sighed and answered her *softly*.

"The truth? Minako was trying so hard to land lethal blows, she couldn't feel me. She eventually got frustrated. I tried to help her, and she took a cheap shot at me. The whole training session with me was very un-Mina-like. I decked her and she came at me with hatred in her eyes. I leaned away from the attack and noticed her feet were aimed for your head. I tried to kick her feet out of the way but was only partially successful.

As you ducked, Michi's target for your stomach area changed to your solar plexus. Her kick pushed you up just far enough for one of Mina's feet to make contact with the back of your head.

I'm worried about her, Usagi. Mina's attacks would have killed me if my senses weren't so keen, which makes me glad I was her partner. She handed her role as Senshi leader over to Haruka and left." Usagi gazed at her partner thoughtfully. Rei definitely had an edge over everyone else in martial arts as it was a daily part of her regimen as Shinto priestess and she had been at it since 3. Makoto was the only one who could really offer the fire senshi a good challenge.

"I'm glad you told me the truth, Rei, and I think Mina made the right decision with Haruka-chan. Sounds like she's been infected with a small amount of Chaos' energy, although I don't know-how. Computers are picking up nothing. I know that energy very well since I fought intimately with him in Galaxia's realm. Then there's this strange spore-type bacteria infecting people. We need to get to the bottom of things soon."

Rei rubbed her Hime's back thoughtfully. "I agree. I'm half afraid I may wake up one day and wonder 'what was I thinking'. I want our love to be real, Usagi-chan, and not the result of just another unscrupulous plot from an enemy."

Usagi nodded. "I already feel as though my life is a travesty... as if it's someone else's idea of an insidious fairy tale. Fate this, destiny that." Usagi mused sadly. Rei sympathized. She had often felt pretty much the same way but reached inside of herself to find some shred of truth that would lend some comfort.

"I think, Usa," Rei began slowly, "we both know the love we share is as old as Mars in the original Silver Millennium. It probably will not change. Our souls will always find a way back to each other somehow." She gave a lopsided grin and Usagi's pensive mood brightened considerably.

"Oh, Rei, thank you for your insight. You are right." Usagi rolled over and sat up, "let's eat lunch and then visit our fire room, my beautiful Miko Mistress." Usagi had hearts in her eyes and Rei's did too. The oven timer went off in the kitchen just then. They laughed... timing was everything!

"Are you sure I won't be a distraction, Rei?" Usagi asked as she settled in next to Rei in front of the Sacred Flames. She had showered and changed into jeans and a dark green sweater.

"Only if you insist on talking to me, Baka-Dango." Rei was trying hard to scowl and failing miserably. Usagi tried to say she was 'sorry' and Rei held up a hand for silence. So Usagi snoozed and Rei meditated.

The flame flared and Rei's raven locks stirred as if moved by a gentle zephyr. Usagi opened her eyes to see Rei's lips moving with silent words. There was no sweat upon her brow, yet the heat of it forced Usagi to stand and move away from it. Then Usagi saw images in the flame and held her breath as Rei's hands moved in patterns, silent words coming faster. The images became clearer and she saw Makaria at what looked to be Castle Charon on Pluto. She saw darkness and then it moved like a shadow in a dim place. The fires died and the visions stopped.

"Rei," Usagi whispered, "Do you think that shadow could be Chaos' energy? It sort of looked like it was in a sewer or something. Maybe it's after Makaria."

Rei turned to face her lover. "Or closer. We have to tell the rest of the senshi. Looks like we are headed back to Makoto's apartment after all." Usagi extended a hand and Rei took the help to rise.

When they got to Makoto's door Rei handed the taller girl cleaned dishes, with thanks, while Usagi beat feet to the living room to fondle her music equipment. It was sad how she crooned over that stuff while most sane people talked to plants. Rei shook her head.

The inner senshi were gathered around the living room coffee table when the lunar cats trotted in to join them. Minako could not look at Rei and Usagi.

Rei spoke. "The fire reading showed me a dark shadow. It seemed to be in a dim tunnel, sewer, or maybe even a cave. It also showed another vision of Makaria at Charon Castle."

Mina nodded her head. "You may be onto something. With the epidemic going on and all the deaths, authorities aren't paying attention to sewer worker statistics specifically. My father reads newspapers cover to cover, including obituaries. About a week ago, I heard him comment that it was strange how 20% of those listed were city maintenance workers and had been for weeks. I decided to go do a little detective work and went into the sewers. There were a lot more spores down there and I was sick by morning. I didn't see any moving dark shadows, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there. Something in my head is making me behave erratically and it didn't start until after I went down there."

Ami's fingers were flying on her computer. "Your dad is right. We have all had this flu now, so maybe we should transform and go down there to finish what you started, Minako."

"I could probably burn us a path as we go to ease the spore problem," Rei suggested. "Should we call the outer senshi?"

"Only Haruka and Michiru are available," Mako said. "Pluto has work and Hotaru is with Chibi-Usa trying to mend Tsukino-mama's, broken heart. She popped in yesterday."

Usagi didn't know. She couldn't feel her daughter anymore and it hurt. She felt Rei's soft touch. Usagi cleared her throat hastily. "Let's do this, then."

It was mid-afternoon when Mina took the senshi to a remote area where she had previously gained sewer access. Ami had printed out a sewer tunnel map. It was an extensive system and it could take several days to get through it all. "From the obituary listings, I've narrowed it down to a few key areas where there were the most incidences." Ami had circled 3 areas, one of which was relatively near where they dropped in. Each area seemed to be where multiple tunnels hubbed together.

MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!

MARS CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!

JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!

VENUS CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!

NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!

URANUS CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!

SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!

"You're on Mars. You weren't lying about the spore density down here, Mina," Ami said looking around.

MARS FLAME SNIPER!

Mars sent an arrow left and right of them in the first tunnel, incinerating motes of 'dust' and rats alike. They moved carefully through the sewers in this manner. They stopped at the first juncture an hour later and Mars sent an arrow through each adjoining tunnel that met there. They waited to see if anything happened for a few minutes, then proceeded to the next hub. This one, according to the map, would put them directly downtown Tokyo and it took a few hours to get there. Mars shot arrows down every tunnel they passed along the way. The air grew thicker with the viral 'dust' as they got closer to the next hub. Mina noticed the dust beginning to gather first.

CRESCENT BOOMERANG!

The attack whooshed through the motes and they scattered. A minute or so later they began to gather again.

BURNING MANDALA!

JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!

As two attacks combined, the motes dissipated. "There's definitely a faint energy signature here my computer is picking up on now," Ami exclaimed. All the senshi started sending attacks through the tunnels they passed with Mars after that. At the central hub, the spores were densest and appeared almost shadow-like.

VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!

WORLD SHAKING!

MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!

DEEP SUBMERGE!

JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!

MARS FLAME SNIPER!

Then it came. The faint whispered chuckle. "So we meet again, Sailor Cosmos."

Eternal Sailor Moon closed her eyes, remembering. 'Where there is light, there will always be darkness.' The ginsuishou floated and her moon rod lengthened into a scepter, wings unfurling. She would have to greatly temper her power to be just enough...

"I won't let you hurt any more people in this city! In the name of future Silver Millennium, I WILL PUNISH YOU!

THERAPY KISS! A flash then, there was silence. Her senshi watched the spectacle in quiet awe of their Princess as the moon rod shortened and the wings faded.

It was only a matter of time before Chaos began regaining his power after he and his star seed melted into the galaxy cauldron. Sailor Moon sighed and wondered if Mamoru had taken a trip into the sewers like Mina.

"Let's go to the next hub and clear out as much as we can, everyone. I think the Chaos spirit is actually in the spores themselves. It's a very subtle way to attack us and it will take a while to get rid of it all."

They cleared the tunnels leading to the last hub and every passage that led to it. It had taken a few more hours and it was well into the evening. The remaining areas would have to wait for another day.

The good news was, the sewers seemed to be the origin of the virus and the main culprit had been drawn to Serenity. Mina seemed much, much happier and herself again. The girls fought their way to another remote manhole Mina pointed out to Ami on the map. They de-transformed and exited the tunnelways out into a cool night air to find themselves in the middle of a junkyard on the edge of Tokyo.

"Miinaaaa!" They all shrieked.

To be continued...