Youma blues
Jadeite days 3: Down Time


        The next week or so, I sweated.  Jadeite hadn't yet 
returned, and I was getting antsy - seeing Sailors around  every
corner, that sort of thing.
        Of course the experimentation I was doing with my
powers probably didn't help - it used up lots of energy - energy
I had to replace regularly.  Endurance, I just didn't have.  But I
did find out a few things that in retrospect, make more sense
than they did at the time.
        Youma, you see, universally posses the capability to
become mages.  Most, however, don't.  Because there are
always a few magical talents that come easily to you - things you
can do instinctively, without resorting to spells - and Youma are
really low on the 'personal effort' thing, for the most part.
        They always want the easy way out, and never put in the
time and study necessary to learn spellcasting.
        I don't know how it is for Senshi, but I'd assume it's the
same.  Then again, maybe not...

        With me it was teleporting and sensing that came easily. 
I quickly found out that I could sense energy (most Youma can,
but I'm exceptionally good at it - I can even sense energy in
empty space if I go into a meditative trance), and that I could
teleport quite well.  I just needed to have a vague idea where I 
was going, and enough energy - though it takes a *lot* of energy
- believe me people like the Generals and the Sailors - who 
teleport at the drop of a hat - are the exception, not the rule.
        I also had an energy bolt - more or less a concussion 
blast like Largo's but not nearly as strong.  I could get the same 
result out of just hitting something - it wasn't real useful.
        But I was fast.  Really really fast.
        That saved my life when I tried to move to Singapore...
        Now, you're probably thinking, as I was, that Minako, 
Aka Sailor V, was in London at about this time.  After all, that's 
all the place the Dic series says she went, but, well, Dic 
conveniently forgets to mention she was in Italy and Hawaii as 
well.  And she spent a couple of very *eventfull* nights in 
Singapore. (something about a late flight and missing her 
transfer..)
        I know, I was there for one of them.
        I'd just had a particularly close call involving two sailor 
suited heroines and a black, Youma sensing cat, and decided that 
a week on the run and a thoroughly destroyed Ferrari were quite 
enough excitement for one month.
        I needed to move a less hostile clime, and flights to 
Singapore were cheap. (hey, have you seen the prices for rent in 
Tokyo lately?  I was getting short on cash!)
        So I figured, 'what the ****, they couldn't possibly 
follow me, what could go wrong?' and flew the coop. 
        And of course, by this time I'm almost totally tapped out, 
so by the time the plane touched down I was in serious want of 
some power.  So following well honed instincts (or not so well 
honed, considering what happened..)  I decided to go to a rock 
concert I'd seen advertised, and glut myself.  
        I figured that if I could take in enough power  in one 
sitting I could go underground and not have to worry about being 
spotted anymore.  And besides, it was a goth concert - The 
shadow song, or some such band.  Everyone there wanted to be 
terminally depressed anyway, so if I kept my draining low level, 
who would notice?
        Famous last words...

        So I get there, but of course I had to walk, so I'm late.    
And of course the Shadow Cabinet is the band in concert, and 
of course, they're all Youma on assignment. 
        And *of course* Sailor V has shown up to defeat their 
'nefarious plot. (Which it was, anyone who would sing *that* 
drivel in front  of an audience deserves to be shot) 
        Some days you just can't win.
        The instant I walk in the door I notice the crowd (in a 
frenzy), The band (glowing with dark power and practically 
*shouting* 'we're Youma'), and Sailor V (throwing crescent 
beams all over the place and making me very nervous.)
        So I mutter something highly uncomplimentary and turn 
to leave - so it's then that I notice the force field on the door 
that's keeping the fans from leaving.  And I don't have enough 
power to break out.
        By this time I'm in a really bad mood.  So when this true 
died-in-the-black goth bumps into me and asks who I am, I 
snapped.
        "I'm from the department of energy - and I'm taking 
yours." I said, and I did. Didn't bother to be subtle either, which 
was a mistake.  Instead I just hauled off and drained as many 
people into unconsciousness as quickly as possible, filling every 
containment gem I'd been able to make. (I copied them from the 
one Jadeite made me.  The fact that I didn't know what I was 
doing didn't especially distress me..amazing what one can do 
when one doesn't know what one can't do....)
        So at this point the Shadow Cabinet has vamoosed, and 
Sailor V notices me.
        I got lucky the first time: I'd missed sensing the Crescent 
Beam building up but tripped over an unconscious concert goer  
and kissed dirt.   But the second and third bolts I legitimately 
dodged.  By that time Mina was getting mighty annoyed and I'd 
forgotten something about our heroine(maybe because I was 
staring at those legs...).
        Out comes the gun, and blam, blam, blam.    She 
obviously doesn't want me here.. I obliged her by teleporting like 
a scalded cat.   Where does she hide that thing anyway? 
        I only got to the edge of the shield.  
        I immediately realized that while that thing was up, I 
wasn't going anywhere.  I found out later that it was a parting gift 
from the Shadow Cabinet, for moving in on their turf. 
        Unfortunately this leaves me in a coliseum with half a 
million unconscious people and a pissed off Senshi who has 
obviously had her concert going plans for tonight ruined.   I 
decided instantly that standing still was a bad idea, and jumped 
up to the ceiling braces (good move).  Then I decided to see if I 
could talk my way out of this (bad move).
        "Hey! Um, Sailor V?" Don't make her panic by using 
Minako, gotta remember not to do that.."Could you not shoot at 
me, please?"  I assayed in my best 'I'm just a worker Youma' 
voice.  This immediately required more dodging...blam, blam, 
Crescent beam, blam yada yada..so obviously not.
        "You've deprived innocent concert goers of their well 
deserved fun!  Your friends may have fled but you'll not escape 
the wrath of Sailor V!"  Ouch.  She must *really* have wanted 
to go to this concert.
        "They're no friends of mine!  They trapped me here! Uh, 
I'm sorry about the, you know, the other fans.  I sorta panicked." 
Ohshitonmeteleportnow.  That Crescent Boomerang move isn't 
nice at all, especially when she uses the Crescent slender beam 
to lead it.  It cut down most of the lights and rigging I'd been 
hiding behind..
        "There is no excuse for such evil actions!"  By this time 
the inside of the place is starting to look like an 
observatory..holes everywhere..She's obviously very pissed.  
And moving to take better aim.  My time to rabbit..again.
        "Um, they'll be all right in the mourning.  They're just 
tired." Ah HA! A door to the roof!  I slammed myself into it.
        "You loose."  I bounced.  Damn forcefeild.  
Unfortunately Mina had me dead-bang: I'd fallen from the 
second floor catwalk onto the stage - no cover in sight.
        I did the only thing I could: Return fire.  
        Her turn to dodge while I headed for cover and my force 
bolts took chips out of the floor.  At this rate even the hoard of 
energy I took isn't going to last long...I needed a way out...I hid.  
Then I tried to sense the force field - successfully as it happens.
        It had a very interesting flaw: It didn't extend 
underground - it cut off at ground level and only blocked 
teleports from that direction, not bodies.  I guess they figured the 
ground would do that.
        I headed for the sewer.  I'd sensed a manhole just inside 
the field - it had been built over, but a really over powered force 
bolt took care of that problem.
        Unfortunately Mina followed me.
        Fortunately I was able to loose her by hiding 
underwater.
        Unfortunately she somehow managed to find me again as 
I hit street level.
        Oh well.  At least now I could run.  I did.
        It was fun until the we ran into the ninja hit squad.  They 
were just getting off a job, and climbing down some apartment 
building I'd decided to climb up (it had neat ledges that made 
great cover).
        We were witnesses.  Witnesses are overhead.
        Things got ugly.
        Now, some hour and a half later, between the two of us, 
there are twenty or so less ninja in the world.  Supernatural 
powers go a long way in these situations.
        Of course by that time we were both exhausted out of 
our minds.  She, after all, had already done the four-on-one 
drive off Youma thing once tonight before starting this whole 
chase thing.
        I had problems enough just keeping ahead of her.   I still 
had two charged gems left, but using that energy takes something 
out of you to.
        So as the last ninja falls, I half collapse against a water 
tower that dominates the roof of the skyscraper we ended up on, 
and groan, She manages to sit up and point that gun at me.  I 
manage to lurch to my feet and it goes 'click', and she gets this 
comical expression.
        I managed to find my voice on the third try.  
        "Truce? Please?  At least until we can get off this 
building?"  She just nodded, and panted.  After a minute, she 
said "I'll get you tomorrow." and lurched over to the edge - then 
she sank back from edge of the building in exasperation.  
        "Problem?" I managed to croak out.
        "It's..to bloody..far down. " I laughed, she glared at me.
        I staggered over to her and offered her a hand, which she looked at
uncertainly.
        "Here, I'll give you a ride down."  Caution warred with 
exhaustion for a bit, but she eventually took it.  
        Just to make a point I half drained another gem to 
teleport us both.  It apparently isn't a comfy ride for others - she 
looked ill afterwards.   It wasn't fun for me either - I was tired, 
and teleporting two is *hard*.
        I took her over to a bench to sit down, smiled at the cat, 
muttered, 'nice legs' and tried to vanish into the crowd.     
        From the sound of things I don't think she'd noticed the 
condition of her skirt until then.
        That's how I met Sailor V.
I figure someday I'm going to pay for my parting words


Gamlain@airmail.net
Gamlain, transuniversal courier & Hero for rent
Sorcerer to the three great Anime demonesses: Ryoko, Marller, and Ifruita 
"So then I shot a goon and I cut the head man's throat, and after that
things got violent." - Tarnkep Protree
Of course, my homepage is at
Http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Bay/8762/index.html