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SAILOR MOON AX R:
Torn Asunder
=<+>=
Prologue
Paths Taken
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind
on the present moment."
-Buddha
Montego Bay, Jamaica
September 1998:
Raye looked at the ring on her finger for the umpteenth time, said the
words to herself once more: Raye Hino-Thompson. Or maybe just Raye
Thompson, or maybe she�d just keep her maiden name--Chad wasn�t the type to
be bothered by things like that. But the nice expensive sparkly thing on
her finger and the smile on Chad�s face said one and the same: she was
married, finally and happily married.
As the pair stepped off the plane into the sweltering heat of Montego
Bay International Airport, Raye leaned against her husband�s arm and cooed,
�This is going to be great! Two weeks alone, just you and me and that cozy
little private island that you rented for us--�
�Which I have to admit, was a great idea,� Chad conceded, as the pair
got into the Immigrations line.
Raye nodded her agreement as they moved up to the counter and presented
their passports. �Wasn�t it, though? Anyways, the thing I think I�m going
to love the most is the freedom! No college for me, no studio sessions for
you, and best of all....�
�No costumes, terrorists, supervillans, monsters or natural disasters,�
Chad said, putting his arm around her and retrieving their passports from
the officer. He paused for a second before adding, �You did leave your stuff
at home, did you?�
Raye shook her head. �You didn�t leave your guitar at home, did you?�
�I brought the acoustic one, Raye. And it�s not like I�m going to be
bopping burglars in the street with it.�
She grinned. �That�d make an interesting scene. Don�t worry, though; I
can�t get involved here--I have no jurisdiction.�
�Since when has that stopped you guys before?�
�Gee, thanks for the positive support, dear husband,� Raye murmured, her
sarcasm thicker than the smog over the LA Basin. �Well, I�ll admit that I
did bring my Prism Ring, but you know I always wear it; and I brought one of
the group�s Iridium laptops.�
�Iridium laptops?�
�Think of them as about as powerful as a mainframe. They�re almost even
as powerful as the monster mini-palmtops that Amy, Ami, Molly, and Cathy
carry. But I brought it with me so I can mainly use our digital camera and
email pictures to everyone.� She looked at him with loving eyes and said,
�For two weeks, I�m just going to forget that I�m Sailor Mars. After all,
the crime level in this country is non-existent, and the least thing I need
to do is to get involved down here.� A final check by Jamaican authorities,
and the pair were waved through, heading off to find their courtesy van.
�Oooh...Mamoru-kun,� Chiba Rei complained, �I think this heat�s getting
to me.�
�You? The Senshi of Fire?� Chiba Mamoru commented, a faint smile
playing on his lips.
�Ha ha, anata. Seriously, though, I think I might need to lie down when
we get to the hotel. I thought I just saw....�
�Saw what?�
�I thought I just saw myself and Yuchiro, walking out of the customs
area, towards the taxis.�
Mamoru gave his wife a strange look. �Dear, you know that�s impossible.
After all, Yuchiro�s still at the shrine back in Japan, ne? Either that, or
he�s with his girlfriend.� He grinned and said, �Or is that a subliminal
hint that you�d rather be somewhere else right now?�
Rei purred, �When we get to the hotel, I�ll show you where I�d rather
be.�
�Can we at least wait until after we meet with Pizer-san? I would
rather I set things up with him before continuing.�
�Of course, dear. I don�t see why not--�
�REI-CHAN!!!!! REEEEEIIIIII-CHAAAAAANNN!� Rei was abruptly tackled by
a redheaded rocket.
Looking at her somewhat loud attacker from her position on the floor,
she was surprised to find out it was... �Naru-chan? What are you doing
here?� One of the things that Usagi had done when she�d erased her
existence four years ago was to place her childhood friend, Osaka Naru,
under the care of her other best friend, Rei. Apparently, Usagi felt that
Rei and Naru were perfectly matched for each other, and over the course of
years, that had proven to be true: Naru had turned out to be the closest
friend that Rei had outside of the Senshi. However, it still unnerved her
that a girl that she�d only known in truth for about six years had an entire
life�s worth of memories about her.
Naru said a quick hello to Mamoru, then commented as she got off the
floor, �Don�t you remember? I told you that I was going to be attending an
International Jewelers Convention, since I�m taking over my mom�s business.
Well, surprisingly, the Convention was here in Jamaica! What are you two
doing here?� Before Rei could answer, Naru continued on: �Oh, that�s
right--you two are on vacation here. Well, I�m not going to bother you
both, and I have to get a taxi to my hotel, so I�ll leave you two be. Just
give me the details later, okay?�
Rei grinned and nodded; Naru�s bubbly enthusiasm was like Usagi�s had
been...very infectious. �Which hotel are you staying at, Naru-chan?� Rei
asked.
�Um....� She fished a paper out of her shorts pocket. �The Hotel
Seabay, in Ocho Rios.�
�Wow! We�re staying there as well. Why don�t we take a taxi to the
hotel together!�
Naru bounced up and down for joy. �Hey, that�d be great!� Both women
giggled excitedly and began chatting away as a resigned Mamoru went to look
for a cab, thinking it was going to be one hell of a long trip.
Standing on a nearby hill overlooking the main building of the airport,
a small group stood, looking down at the display below. Two men and one
woman, all well-built and giving an effect of power unbridled, watched the
procession with looks of disgust on their faces.
�Look at all the little insects down there just living out their lives,
mon,� one said to the other in a thick, accented pidgin English that was the
patois of this nation. He wore a stained white T-shirt, torn jeans and
sandals. His dreadlocked hair and beard was arrayed in a chaotic splash of
burgundy, and his dark brown eyes were only slightly darker than the color
of his skin. For all intents and purposes he would have looked like just
another local if it were not for the rippling dancing strands of energy that
hugged his well-muscled body.
�I and I and I see the things down there,� a woman at his side said,
�and all of I-ration weeps at what they�ve done to the land. They destroy
all there is, and rape our nation of its rightful place.� Well built for
her size, the young woman had coffee colored skin, her face framed by golden
eyes and aqua hair done up in a tight, almost male hairdo. She wore a white
shirt with matching white pants. There didn�t seem to be anything abnormal
about her, but appearances were always deceiving. �I think it is time to
deal with the problem.�
�A nation of our own, all praise to Jah,� said a third. His skin was as
light as they came, and he gave the other two a dazzling smile, through his
long azure hair that obscured his eyes and threatened to cover up his nose
as well. He stood there in an all-white suit, though he wore an ice-blue
collarless shirt under it. Carrying a cane, he too looked as harmless as
the woman, but again there was a different sort of truth to it. �Our
nation, free of the people who would plunder it.�
�They will learn,� the first man said, �or they will fall to the
oppression of those from other places.�
�Then it will be up to us to show them the light and the path,� the
woman answered.
�That it is, that it is. So is it time?�
�It is time,� the man in the suit replied.
�It is time,� the woman answered.
�Then let us deal with it,� the first man answered, and all three drew
away from the hill, headed into a destiny that would unfold upon the
unsuspecting island nation.
=<+>=
Yokohama, Japan:
The two groups stood on the rooftop of their
office-building-turned-headquarters, looking at the darkest phase of night
and the dark waters of Tokyo Bay. The Basalt Outcasts, as they called
themselves, having grown in numbers over the past few months, were ready for
two of their most high-priority situations. If they succeeded, a major blow
would be dealt to the Basalt City of the future, and the war there would be
lessened, perhaps even never coming to pass. There was an electric
enthusiasm amongst the entire assembly as both teams prepared for perhaps
the most significant offensive of this guerrilla war of theirs.
However, the battle commanders of the two groups weren�t as calm or
relaxed. Standing in her combat suit, Morigami Chiaki, the woman known as
Cobalt, looked at her friend, concern etched on her features. �Please be
careful, Usagi. What you�re about to do is dangerous.�
The other woman, Chiba Usagi, known to this assembly as Briar Rose,
stood in her bodysuit and armor, her cape shrouded around her and giving her
a ghostly appearance. �I�ll be fine, Chiaki-chan,� the rose-haired woman
replied. �I just have to admit, I don�t want to do this. Killing those
children in England was bad enough, months ago. All the deaths I�ve caused
since are just as bad. But this�.�
Cobalt nodded. �I know, Usagi-chan, but those are armies that we�re
dealing with.� To her side, she told someone, �Portal, please open a gate
for Briar Rose�s group.� The young man at her side bowed, and with a few
hand motions, created a shimmering pool of light on the floor on an empty
part of the building�s rooftop. �And you won�t be the only one dealing with
a mess. I too, must deal with a high profile issue.�
Usagi sighed, turning to look at the water. ��And we must unmake beauty
to right the wrongs, said the knight, for naught else will come that would
think that nobly.� That was one of my father�s favorite quotes. I never
knew where he got it from, and I�ve never heard Mamoru use it. I wonder if
I�ll ever get the chance to ask him.�
Cobalt smiled. �You will, Usagi-chan. You will. Now good luck, and
brightest hope to you.�
�Brightest hope to you as well,� Usagi murmured as she strolled away
from her friend, and towards the warp hole only a few meters or so.
=<+>=
JUNE 2000. It comes once more.
Bai bai,
Studio YOGIPIGS staff
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