Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Senshi: Gathering of the Five ❯ Chapter 12

Senshi: the Gathering of Five

Part Twelve

The trip to the video arcade Ami had identified was a quiet one, with most of them occupied with their own thoughts. Sailor V had vanished on them once again, of course, promising to meet them there, and the rest of them piled onto the bus to get there.

"Somehow this mode of transportation lacks the proper heroic urgency," Ami Mizuno noted. The professor pushed her glasses up, then brushed her short blue hair back. "I wonder if I should look into getting a car?" she mused.

"Don't on our account," Rei noted. Her black hair fell around the miko like a wave, her white and red garb suiting her well. Her hand tightened on her bow as she looked towards where Usagi was sitting, "Are you all right?"

"I think so," Usagi offered her a gentle smile, the long blond hair falling in twin rivers from her head. She nervously adjusted the sword that she carried on her shoulder, "It's just a bit odd, I think. I've been working to track down the Youma and their masters the Oni for months, but now that it's finally happening.. it seems a bit unreal."

"It's real enough," Makoto said calmly. She smiled to herself slightly, watching the houses go by the window, "I'm looking forward to a rematch with those things."

"Don't lose sight of our ultimate goal," Luna quietly reminded them all from where she sat on the seat beside Usagi, "we need to focus on stopping these things from hurting anyone else. Our personal vendettas can wait."

Usagi's hand tensed on the pole in front of her, but she nodded firmly. "Luna's right," she said, "we need to stop these things from attacking people in Tokyo." With a grim little smile she added, "Anything else is just a bonus."

'Just a bit too eager,' Rei thought to herself grimly, silently resolving to keep an eye on Usagi. The bus bounced around a turn, then it slowed to a stop.

"This is our stop," Ami rose smoothly, picking up her large bag from the seat and then slinging it over her shoulder.

"Not much to look at," Makoto calmly noted as they gathered there in front of the small video arcade. The automatic doors slid open and shut as people moved in and out, while just above it a small neon sign glowed brightly.

"It gets more exciting once you go inside," the quiet voice commented. Sailor V stepped out of the shadows of a nearby alley, long blonde hair flowing around her, the mask hiding her eyes.

"Don't people ever ask about your wearing that?" Rei asked curiously.

"Not really," Sailor V smiled. She swept them under her steely gaze, finally settling on Usagi to say, "We'll probably be targeted as soon as we walk in."

Usagi shifted her sword slightly, readying it to be drawn. "I'm ready," she said simply. Beside her Rei strung the traditional Japanese bow, Makoto wrapped strips of leather around her knuckles, and Ami drew a slim pistol from her bag.

"Would some cover be good?' Ami asked. At Luna's questioning gaze she continued, "I've improved on the smoke bombs I used earlier."

"Couldn't hurt," Artemis said, the white haired young man moving to stand by Sailor V.

"And here I was hoping you wouldn't be coming along on this," Luna sighed, her cat's form blurring to that of a young woman dressed all in black. Knives gleamed in her hands as she added, "I'm ready to help, Usagi."

"Then let's go," Usagi lead the charge into the building, Sailor V there at her side. The arcade gamers looked up at them in surprise while a metallic capsule landed in the middle of the narrow aisle, billowing out cold mist.

They quickly reached the back wall where a curtained doorway waited, a young man standing guard there in front of it. He began to swell, his body changing forms, but before he could complete the transformation Makoto hammered him backwards through the curtain with a single blow.

"Looks like we're in the right place," Makoto noted, looking down at the unconscious Youma with some satisfaction.

Rei drew her bow smoothly, "Watch yourselves." The arrow flew through that air to where a seemingly innocent young woman was entering the rear chamber. She tried to change form, but the arrow exploded into flames, rapidly consuming her.

"Mizuno," Sailor V demanded, swinging her golden chain as she looked around them warily, "where do we go next?"

Ami slid her visor on, tapping the side as she searched for the energies of the portal she had detected. "Through there," she nodded to where the young woman had come in, "there should be a passage to lead us to the nexus."

Usagi moved silently, taking the door handle in her hand. She turned it silently, then swiftly swung it open as something lunged at her. The large Youma reached for her with claws gleaming, but Usagi struck first, the light shining from her blade.

Thump!

The head rolled across the floor, coming to a stop at Makoto's feet. "Nice," she noted as she used the side of her foot to tap it aside.

"Forward," Usagi murmured softly as they went into the stairway together.

The bare walls shifted as they traveled farther down, going from worn cement and traces of the steel reinforcement beams to a roughly sculpted out cave. The light itself seemed to fade away, a odd moistness carried in the air. The scent of rot and corruption grew, and earthy scents they didn't really want to try to identify too closely.

Rei's eyes narrowed as they descended the now curving staircase, feeling that odd chill once again. "There's something waiting for us just ahead," she warned.

Artemis narrowed his eyes, smiling with a hint of fangs. "I'm looking forward to it," he murmured as they came around a corner.

The chamber down at the base of the steps was large, three figures standing there, already shifted to their tougher Youma forms. Rough, gray skinned creatures, muscles and powerful, they charged at the band of five as soon as they saw them.

Luna and Artemis moved almost at the same time, knives gleaming as together they flung them into one of the Youma. With a soft clink Sailor V flung her weighted chain, wrapping it around a creatures neck. A twist of her arm and with a crack the neck broke. Beside them Ami raised her pistol, bathing the last Youma in liquid cold, shattering it.

"Nice," Artemis offered to Luna with a smile.

Luna gave him a deadly glare, and the man visibly wilted. "Don't interfere with one of my kills again," she warned him.

"I'm picking up massive energies not very far ahead," Ami noted as they moved forward together. The passages they navigated through were dark, only the soft glow of Ami's visor lighting their way. Makoto, Usagi and Rei swiftly dealt with the few Youma they encountered, dispatching them with lethal efficiency.

At the end of the hall a tall figure guarded a heavy door, an oddly different looking figure than they had seen before. He was very handsome, but in an almost unearthly way, his simple looking black military garb edged in silver.

Rei drew her bow, bringing it up to release it with a soft twang. The arrow flew straight and true, piercing into the neck and sending him staggering backwards. "Why isn't he dying?" Rei blinked as he reached up to grab the blood slick arrow, jerking it free.

"He's an Oni," Sailor V cursed, tossing her chain out and tangling one arm to restrain him. He jerked his arm up, the man dragging her forward bodily. "Help," she squeaked.

Usagi moved like a blur, her katana glowing in the near darkness. The man froze, looking at her in shock as he murmured, "Princess?" A strike across the belly and the Oni tried to hold his guts in, then Usagi swung upwards, dropping him to the ground.

"Thank you," Sailor V looked up at Usagi with a smile, carefully winding up the length of golden chain once again.

"Oh," Rei gasped out softly, the oddest look on her face. The arrow she had resting on the bow string flickered, flames dancing up it's length as she said, "There's someone in the next chamber.. so dangerous. It's the heart, I think."

Ami tapped the side of her visor, checking the readings. "The portals are in the next room," she confirmed, "as well as something else. I don't know quite what it is, but it's powerful."

Makoto walked over to the heavy door, stepping over the Oni's body. "We've come this far," she said simply, laying her hand on the dark, oily wood.

"Let's finish it," Usagi agreed.

The door was hammered open with a loud crash, the seven of them charging forward. The massive chamber arched up into the darkness, arched portals spaced out all around the room, energies swirling within them. Their gaze was drawn to the center of the room, where a raised podium rested. Atop it were two thrones, one large and a smaller empty one, surrounded by a small crowd of people.

"No," Nephrite looked at them in shock, his reddish hair wild.

"It seems you have lead them here," the woman sitting in the larger throne mused, "you have failed me once again, Nephrite."

"My Queen," Nephrite bleated, "I didn't.. I mean, I never intended.. mercy, please!"

"Silence," the Queen gestured, and with that wave Nephrite was engulfed in light. In moments a curl of foul smoke swirled up, nothing else remaining of the Youma.

"Guess we're not going to have a rematch," Makoto muttered.

"You really have a one track mind, you know that?" Ami shot back softly.

"Come forward," the Queen spoke firmly, "I would see the Senshi who had troubled my servants the Youma so much."

"Come on," Usagi lead the way, walking towards the thrones and those gathered around it. A few Youma, gazing at them with fear, and a few of the handsome Oni gazing at them darkly.

The dark haired young man stood by the thrones, as beautiful as the others in his silver and black armor. Usagi slowed, gazing at him in shock as he smiled, "Hello, Usagi."

"Mamoru.." Usagi said weakly, her eyes wide. Tears began to glitter in her eyes, then gently rolled down her cheeks as a painful realization struck home.

"I was sent to your side," Mamoru said softly, "to prepare you." He glared over at Luna, "But the damned cat contacted you, and we needed to act quickly."

"Welcome home, Usagi," the Queen stepped down from the shadows, long, almost silver white hair flowing down in two ponytails, so much like Usagi's own hair. "I am called Serenity."

"The Princess out of Shadow," Rei murmured in shock, "it was Usagi.. it was her all along."

"Why?" Usagi's voice was soft. The questioning gaze from the Queen prompted her to continue softly, "Why kill the Tsukino family?"

"They held you back, made you weak," Mamoru said simply. "They might have kept you from becoming the warrior you were meant to be, the Princess of the Oni."

Sailor V held her chain ready, looking at Usagi grimly. Rei was shocked, while Makoto glared at the Oni and Youma around them. Ami's eyes were wide, then she reached out to gently lay her hand on Usagi's arm. "Blood doesn't matter," Ami offered softly, "what you choose to do does."

Usagi looked up at Serenity, their faces so alike. But where Serenity was calm, Usagi looked coldly furious as she said, "The Tsukino's were my family, until you took them away from me." A soft click, the sword sliding out with a steely rasp, "And you will pay."

"You deny your blood?" Serenity asked mildly.

"I'll see you and all your kind dead," Usagi vowed softly, "does that count?" She looked over at Mamoru, her expression if possible even more furious, "I thought I loved you, you know."

"I'm sorry," was all that Mamoru could manage to say.

"You are my blood, whatever foolishness you may be filled with," Serenity said gravely, "and for that reason only I will let you live, for now."

"Don't do me any favors," Usagi swept her sword out, only to have Mamoru and Serenity simply disappear, teleporting away. "Damn it!"

The remaining Youma charged, only to meet death. They moved as a unit, each one working to protect the other as they cut the enemy down. Bursts of ice slowed them, fists crushed, slim knives flew, the bow sang, chain and sword flashing as they dealt with the last of them.

The room fell silent, the only sounds the rasp of their breaths. Finally Rei spoke up, "So what do we do now?"

To be continued...