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A Soldier's Duty
4th Labor, Chapter 4
"The whole art of life is knowing the right time to say things." - Maeve
Binchy
-------
The door exploded inward.
"For destroying a hard won's evening of relaxation,
where music and pleasant company ease the day's end,
the beautiful soldiers of love avenge this loss!"
"For this crime, you cannot be forgiven! - HEY!"
"Hey! Don't grab me there you ecchi!" Sailor Venus started struggling with
some blonde woman in a strange leather version of a Nazi SS uniform.
"Jagermeister," said Venus' opponent.
"Get off!" Sailor Jupiter started prying her own opponent off of her. "This
isn't how these things are supposed to go!"
The bouncy Germanic barmaid hugging Jupiter merely said "Schnapps!"
"Oh dear," said a girl in a blue sailor suit. "Mercury Aqua..."
"Beer!" "Scotch!" "Uzo!"
..."Rhapsody!" Mercury's attack rocked Scotch. Unfortunately Uzo grabbed her
and Beer pinned her.
Mimette noted there was enough energy to rebuild the door, so she did. There
would be no more interruptions. With these new energy sources, she ought to
get enough in a few minutes to impress the Wizard and prove how valuable she
was.
Someone checking the door and briefly silhoutted at the window was of no
concern. From the way the boy limped off, he wouldn't even be a good source
of energy.
A car alarm went off in the parking lot. There was a brief roar of an
engine. Followed by the window being smashed open by someone's compact car
going through it. The car alarm continued to bleep and beep and warn off
intruders, even as the car emitting all those noises came to a stop
partially inside the bar.
"Tequila!" A Latino seductress prepared to spring.
"Sorry, i'm underage," said the boy, stretching a chain between his hands.
"Oh," said Tequila, turning around to go play with that nice girl with the
blue hair.
Grey wasted a moment, blinking in confusion as the various "daimon" lost
interest in him.
"Daimons! What are you doing? Get him!" Mimette squeaked. What was wrong
with them?
"Vot? He iv underage," explained Jagermeister in a thick Germanic accent.
"Vot you not understand?"
"I'll deal with him myself!" Mimette raised her staff and turned back to the
boy only to notice a very *sharp* crescent blade was heading towards her at
high speed. And it was less than a foot away. "EEEP!"
*Poof!*
"Teleports pretty quick," commented Grey, then looked around. "Oh heck. How
the blazes am I gonna deal with *this*?"
-----------
"...beginning to wake up..."
Ami struggled to wakefulness, she felt strange. Then slowly peeled her
eyelids open. "Urgghhh?!" Eyes shut.
"Slow, Ami-chan, slow please."
Ami whimpered and curled up in a painful little ball. She had no idea how a
sea urchin had crawled up inside her skull, but she was really wishing it
would go away. Quietly.
Rei mumbled something, got a bleary look around, then shrieked.
They were the Sailor Senshi, the best of friends, they'd gone through thick
and thin. And each one of them entertained a brief desire to (quietly)
strangle Rei.
"...please don't do that again..." mumbled Usagi.
"-Mizuno-san, is that coffee ready yet?-"
"-Almost done. I've put a pot of tea on too. My goodness, I haven't seen
anything like this since I graduated from med school. The graduation party,
well, it did have a resemblence to this. Just rather larger.-"
Rei moaned inarticulately. Cheerful banter was *not* appreciated.
"Shard-san? Why are we in Ami's apartment?"
"-Something about apartment? Oh heck, i'm *major* tired at this point,
Mizuno-san, could you explain?-"
There were a few pitiful moans as the doctor entered from the kitchen, a few
styrofoam cups and a decanter of coffee entering with her. "-Certainly, and
you might as well call me 'Mother' or 'Kumori-san', we're practically
family. If you'll get the tea?-"
"-That isn't the impression i've gotten from Ami-chan. But call me Grey-san
if you like. As for the tea, certainly. Though i think administering it or
the coffee via IV would be a good choice at this point.-"
"Unnnngghhh." Ami managed again. Her head hurt more than her entire body had
during that fight in Antarctica, she felt nauseous, and she couldn't even
open her eyes without another flash of pain.
"Uhmmmmhgg," agreed several other voices.
"-Here, Ami-chan.-"
Ami felt herself being held, and a warm cup of something being held to her
lips. The aroma of coffee seemed to shrink the sea urchin a bit, and Ami
gratefully latched on to the relief. Holding the cup herself, letting its
heat sink into her hands, felt good. She felt herself squeezed lightly, her
hair stroked gently, then the presence left her to assist her mother with
the others.
Ami cracked an eye open again, observing her fiance. Okay, maybe he had his
uses. Still, wouldn't this interfere with her studies? On the other hand,
how could she even consider sending him away when family honor demanded...
but then...
Minako looked around blearily after taking a few sips of the hot tea in her
hands. "Uhm, how did we get here?" ~And out of Senshi identity?~
"Grey-san called me and asked if I could possibly give him some assistance
getting you all home." Doctor Mizuno shook her head. "I have to get back to
work now that you're all okay. Thank goodness the case load is light
tonight. Be more careful in the future."
Various eyes closed again as the Doctor returned to her hospital.
"Tonight? What time *is* it?" Minako didn't want to open her eyes and check.
"Time? Time seven thirty is. You no worry. Kumori-san call parents, let them
know you with her. Everything..." There came a rustle of pages as Grey
looked up a word. "Hunky-dory? You stay over is problem not is you rest they
told... okay?!"
"...ami-chan," croaked Usagi. "please please please teach my dad to speak
Japanese..."
Mutters of agreement from various young girls.
Minako, with the greatest facility for English, took a sip of tea but was
mainly content with breathing in the steam. Finally she opened her eyes.
"-How come we...- AAAAAAAA!"
Briefly, many minds pictured killing one Minako Aino. As the worst of the
pain was fading, this was banished even faster than the earlier set
involving Rei.
"-What's the matter?-"
"-We've grown?!-" Minako carefully set the cup down and checked.
"-Hmmm? Oh that was due to 'Beer' using her 'Beer Bust' attack. i think she
can dispel it. We can go back and fix that. i was more concerned with
getting you all to safety.-"
"-The daimon are still alive?!-" Minako's opinion of Nebula dipped slightly.
"-Spirits, Aino-san. Completely different set of operating rules. They
thought of the whole thing as play. And could you please not do that?-"
Minako realized that she had been checking out her new 'talent' in front of
a guy. "Oh."
"What the?!" Others, wondering what was going on, were discovering the
change. Shock was helping to further clear cobwebs and the caffeine was
pushing the pain back enough for some basic functioning to occur.
Grey looked distinctly uncomfortable for a moment, trying NOT to stare,
despite being a fifteen year old boy. "Excuse me. Coffee more make i will."
"No wonder my bra feels tight," offered Rei a few moments later. "This'll
certainly get attention. We should probably get this dispelled as soon as
possible."
"Hmmmm," said a distracted Usagi.
Rei growled. "Usagi, they're real. Don't do that."
"Hmmm?! Oh. Hahhahahahahaha... uhm." Usagi looked back down.
"You know, if that daimon *hasn't* been dispelled, and she can do this, she
could become very popular." Minako immediately grasped the benefits of such
a power.
"Hmmmm."
"-Here's more coffee... ACK!-"
Everyone briefly glanced at the door that a boy had just entered from,
turned around, and then fairly leapt back through.
"Americans are so uptight about a little skin," noted Usagi, pulling her
shirt back down. He was her dad, after all, one expected a bit more
composure.
"Maybe because me and Minako were adjusting our bras," suggested Makoto with
an evil gleam. "What do you suppose would happen if we..."
"Let's not," said Usagi, feeling sorry for her dad. Besides, Ami was now
glaring at Makoto. Or was that a wince?
"Well, Ami doesn't want him," began Minako.
"So maybe someone else should take up the engagement," Makoto suggested. "I
mean, he *is* kinda handy to have around." ~Though if he were taller, I'd
consider him myself. He's what? Five foot five? Doesn't look a bit like my
sempai. It'd sure be handy to have a boy around who wouldn't freak at the
stuff we go through.~
Oddly enough, the same thought (more or less) was going through Minako's
head.
Though the wind outside briefly picked up and seemed to mutter something
about how Sailor Pluto had already staked a claim.
Odd how everyone ignored it. The wind muttered something uncomplimentary
about that as well.
--------
Haruka "manfully" bit back a groan.
Getting a hangover would *not* be elegant. Therefore Michiru did not get
one. She merely carried herself *very* carefully and flinched at anything
approaching a loud noise. As throwing up would also be inelegant, she would
absolutely not do such a thing.
Haruka wasn't nearly so elegant, and after having carried Michiru out of the
bar, past the gaping hole a car had made out of that one window, had gone
from drunk to hung over. Badly hung over. She'd drank alcohol before, of
course. Nothing too heavy. Wine with Michiru, beer after a successful race
with some of the guys who did *not* find a woman racer a threat to their
"manhood", or other such social occasions. Rare occasions to be sure. This
beat all of them together without serious competition.
In many ways, their current opinions notwithstanding, it had been Haruka's
finest moment so far. She had managed to get herself and Michiru out of a
*very* bad situation, where they might easily have been defeated or at least
discovered, despite an enormous handicap. (ie: being so drunk that she
couldn't walk a straight line if her life had depended on it). The two had
collapsed along the side of a drainage ditch, found some measure of refuge
under a bridge, and Haruka had spent several long minutes being quite ill.
"I'm not sure what exactly happened," whispered Michiru, who found that
everything after they'd decided to visit "Karaoke Underground" had turned to
a muddled haze, "but I remember one thing. That chain."
Haruka wasn't sure. There had been something. Maybe. She had been mainly
concerned with getting Michiru away from some hentai waitress. Or something
like that. Some kid had smashed the window open by driving a car through it,
that she clearly remembered. Another spike of pain and nausea kept the
sometimes Sailor Uranus from replying other than by grunt.
At this point Haruka didn't care about the Silence, about the guy with the
chain, about the girl with the weird hairstyle, or about those hentai
waitresses. She wanted some aspirin.
-------------
The conversation had started innocently enough. Grey had asked to be caught
up on what had happened before he had met them, specifically what had
occurred as far as things like that daimon. He'd pulled out his chain,
saying it would help him focus, and if they'd switch to Senshi mode they'd
all be speaking the Lunarian language - thereby overcoming the language
barrier.
As the group eagerly started off, they'd begun to lose enthusiasm as the
boy's expression continued to look more frustrated and upset. Though with
one girl interrupting another to correct or expand on points (including
Usagi acting out what she felt was a really good pose-and-speech) it took
several hours.
The good thing was that the caffeine (and application of warm compresses to
afflicted body parts) and cookies had, over those several hours, reduced
their invalid status considerably.
"...and then we fought Beryl in her base in the Antarctic...?!"
Nebula took a deep breath to calm himself. "And you're still alive?!"
There were a few guilty and startled looks at that. They had specifically
not mentioned that they had all died and then been brought back by the
Silver Crystal.
"You're facing an enemy which is trying to kill you, kill civilians, and
drain the world of life energy, but you make speeches while posing like a
target? And then, when your single consistent strength against these enemies
is usually that you outnumber it, you allow yourself to get seperated?"
Neither Grey nor Nebula could believe this.
"Well... it worked..." Usagi offered.
"My Princess, truly were you named accurately, for if you didn't have the
luck of a rabbit..." Nebula shook his head. "Have you considered scheduling
some training trips, become a bit more practiced in your attacks, combining
them, using code phrases for specific tactics, maybe attacking your enemy
first THEN giving a speech?"
Much blinking. "...but that's how we've always done it..." Usagi finally put
in.
"Yeah, we're so good we don't require any of that stuff!" Makoto made a
"muscle" gesture.
"Uhm, it's getting late, and I think we ought to get home before much
later," Rei pointed out, NOT wanting yet another argument. "That's two
attacks from our mysterious enemy, we ought to get Artemis and Luna to input
on this."
"'Artemis?!'" Nebula blinked. "How is old Arty? Luna still giving him
problems?"
"It's so weird the way you remember this stuff," mumbled Rei. She didn't
like this. The boy might be trying to take over. Or maybe he was actually a
spy from this new enemy. She'd have to get together with everyone tomorrow
*without* Ami's fiance around. "Enough, home, now."
----------
Grey had decided to get an early start on it. He was a soldier and a special
agent of the Moon Kingdom. Well, actually he was a 15 year old boy about to
start a Japanese High School the next day. But he *remembered* being an
agent of the Queen and Marine. Well, mostly.
He couldn't use the Chain openly, obviously. A gaijin walking around with a
weapon would at the very least draw undesired attention. At worst case, he'd
be a matter of public record and his identity known and a draw to the
Senshi.
Unfortunately, when the Chain was forged and bonded to Nebula, he'd
sacrificed a great deal of esper capability without the Chain.
~At least now i can duck into an alley or restroom, use the Chain, and find
my way back to Ami's place. Though i need my passport just to get a #$#@
snack. And what's with the price of food here?! A baked potato costs $4.50
US? Or are they charging me one rate and the locals another?~
The crowd going by didn't pay much attention to him, nor did they really
register. Until he saw one fellow, walking out of a bookstore. "-Hey you!
Hold it right there! You and me gotta talk!-"
Mamoru Chiba stared as a little fifteen year old boy came stalking up to him
under full steam. "-Uhm... You're American?-"
"-And *what* exactly are your intentions towards my daughter?-" The boy held
up a finger and stared menacingly up at the sometimes Tuxedo Kamen. "-They'd
better be honorable, boyo!-"
"-Errr, your daughter?-" Mamoru felt himself backing up against a wall from
this boy's intensity. He didn't personally know any Americans. Edwards was
English. A few amused looks from passerby, but mainly they ignored the
drama. No help from *that* quarter. "-Aren't you kind of young?-"
"-PRINCESS SERENITY, YOU DOLT!-" The boy shouted (as best as he could
considering the size and age difference) in Mamoru's face. "-You'd better
start treating her right, Endymion! i've heard of some of your
shenanigans!-"
Mamoru blinked. Not necessarily a crazy American after all. Someone who knew
his Silver Millenium identity? Who had fathered Serenity? An elusive wisp of
a memory provided a name. Queen Serenity had had a consort, then dismissed
him. There had been talk about it, apparently the Queen had been developing
feelings for the semi-retired soldier, and he'd been banned from the Court.
Something about the Queen feeling that feelings for a single man could not
be allowed to compete with her devotion to her kingdom. The Consort had been
some professional soldier, who'd retired from the "Space Marines" to become
the Knight Of Duty. His professional name was "Basalt?" On seeing the boy
nod, Mamoru winced. "Oh dear."
--------
School had been the usual bore. Now the study session had become a planning
session. Grey had been deliberately excluded from this, as he was a major
topic of discussion.
Rei and the others were discussing matters related to Ami and how to deal
with it if the boy:
(a) didn't like her anymore because of certain minor problems that
*might* have been their fault, (Makoto looked acutely guilty during this
phase). Minako slyly suggested that Ami might be able to find a way to make
it up to him. This line of teasing was dropped due to Ami turning beet red
and panicking at the insinuation.
(b) liked her but didn't like them, due to said problems. Thus posing a
danger to the group. (Usagi discounted this immediately - saying her SM
Daddy would forgive her. She wasn't too sure about him forgiving Makoto or
Rei, but felt she could play mediator. The others weren't as sure about
this.)
(c) left and she left to follow, having her family honor tied up in
this, after all, and thereby returning to the above said threat to their
group. (Ami got thoughtful and started speculating about American medical
colleges and studying abroad. After all- in America it was possible to skip
grades and she might actually be able to start college soon. Which got
everyone else either a) - mooning over how romantic the concept was, or b)
panicking about the effect on the team.)
(d) stuck around, but tried to assume leadership of the group at least
in combat situations - due to his also having more military experience. (Rei
really got ticked at this, Usagi thought about it briefly, and Makoto
pointed out his raw power level was insufficient for such a position. On the
other hand, Makoto *did* wax poetically about a long training trip.)
(e) stuck around, married Ami, and the two started screwing like crazed
rabbits. (Ami curled up in severe embarassment at this suggestion by Minako,
mouthing barely heard denials. Oddly enough a really severe wind rattled the
shrine office at this point.) Rei pointed out that this also was a threat to
the group, as this would also keep Ami from getting out nights. More
speculation, severe embarrassment, and denials from Ami about she how she
couldn't even think of such things.
(f) stuck around, turned out to be a spy from the new enemy, and Ami
(in what everyone would agree would be typical for their sort of adventure)
had to kill her fiance in order to save the world. (Or, as Minako put it,
"he'll die tragically saving Ami's life - leading to a long tearful goodbye
scene." Rei immediately suggested Minako had been reading too much shojo
manga.)
They hadn't yet covered why Luna was staring so interestedly at Minako this
evening. Or Artemis seemed to regard first Makoto and then Rei and seemed to
be in deep thought. That Minako was smiling suggestively and contemplating
Rei, especially after asking if Rei had changed her mind and now *was*
interested in Yuuichiro, and the chuckle upon hearing Rei's denial, that
could have indicated something dangerous. Usagi repeatedly suggesting that
Makoto should "kiss and make up" with Grey after her little fight, well,
that *might* have tripped a few alarms.
There were also the issues of the New Enemy, the odd behavior of Sailor
Pluto earlier (immediately discounted - the age difference was too extreme,
Pluto *had* to have made a mistake), their enhanced busts (Rei, Minako, and
Usagi wanted to keep them. Ami worried about the long term health effects of
going from an A cup to almost a C. Rei, Usagi, and Minako all felt that
having attained a C cup, they looked far more adult and alluring. Makoto had
decided to try and have the effect dispelled as this would interfere with
wearing kimonos.) Usagi's inability to transform, and (Ami stressing this
last) High School Entry Exams.
Which was when a twenty-one year old girl came to the shrine office to buy a
good luck charm and got a LOT of staring.
------------
"-She did *that*?!-" Grey shook his head. "-Dang.-"
"-Afraid so. Things haven't run too smoothly between us.-" Mamoru flicked a
crumb towards one of the pigeons.
"-The Italian word for pigeon is 'sky rat' and i have yet to see anything
good come of the breed.-" Grey glared at the little red-eyed creatures.
"-Try cleaning up after the little buggers for any length of time and see if
you remain at all fond of them.-"
"-I realize I haven't been an *ideal* suitor for Usako.-"
"-Nevermind, Endymion. i heard about you back in the Kingdom. Don't even
know if there *is* an ideal suitor. From what you've told me and Ser...
Usagi's told me, you've had as many good times as bad. You're the only
remaining prince, she's *the* princess. Just one question.-"
Mamoru Chiba winced. Here it came. It was traditional for fathers in the
Moon Kingdom to set some task or quest for suitors of their daughters. He
expected this one would be a doozy. "-Yes?-"
"-Do you love her?-"
Mamoru closed his eyes and sat back against the bench. "-Yes. I love Usako.
Whatever we may have been a lifetime ago, isn't as important as what Usagi
and I have now.-"
Grey nodded. "-Good enough. I just wonder which father will give away the
bride? Or do the Japanese do it differently?-"
"-What?!-" Mamoru sat upright. "-I thought you'd give me a quest for
permission.-"
Grey snorted. "-Yeah right. You've already been through enough to qualify as
a Quest. If we have to go through the custom... Do you think you can brain
that pigeon with that piece of pretzel?-"
*WHAP!*
"-Good shot, Chiba-san!-"
"-I'm better with roses.-"
---------
"Uhm, what are the prices on good luck charms?" The young lady inquired,
looking a little self-conscious with all the staring going on.
"No way," breathed Usagi.
"Oh my," indicated Ami.
Luna merely freaked, having heard the story. ~Nebula must be given a talking
to!~
"You're 'Biiru' aren't you?" Usagi asked the daimon. Spirit. Whatever she
was.
"Unnn," agreed the blonde with a nod. "Oh! You're the girls who visited the
other night! I recognize 'Teapot' over there!"
Rei had this sudden sinking feeling, though much of yesterday was just a
blurry muddle. She had some strange feeling that maybe she ought to hide.
Now.
The youma/daimon/whatever rooted around briefly in her purse. "I made a copy
just in case... Here ya go!"
Usagi practically leapt across and grabbed the videotape, seconds before Rei
could reach it.
"A 'copy' of a video tape?" Ami frowned slightly. Though Biiru *did* seem
both nicer and more articulate than her brief glimpse from yesterday.
"Oh yes, your boyfriend was most enlightening on this concept of 'proper
behavior' and 'moral responsibility' - imagine that." Biiru nodded with a
smile. "Where I was summoned from, we didn't have such things."
"Go figure," mumbled Rei, eyeing the video in Usagi's hands.
"So we've made plenty of copies using the equipment left behind. Practically
everyone who was there wanted a copy!" Biiru smiled pleasantly.
There was a brief moment of peace, while Rei sold a "Good Luck On Your New
Business" charm to Biiru, then a mad scramble for the VCR.
----------
"-Uhm, so what about you and Ami?-" Mamoru was amused by the thought that
Princess Serenity's father was engaged to one of Usagi's best friends. That
he'd be sticking around and keeping an eye on Mamoru's relationship with his
reborn daughter, much less amusing.
"-What about me and Ami?-" Grey shook his head. "-i don't think she likes me
much.-"
"-Still, from what I understand, her family honor depends on her marrying
you.-" Mamoru looked at the younger boy, seeing a struggle on his face.
"-Is family honor so much more important than her own happiness? She hasn't
talked much to me at all since we've met.-" Grey let out a deep breath.
"-Admittedly, that bit yesterday at the karaoke place was mainly because of
that weird girl, but she just ain't interested.-"
Mamoru was quite aware that Usagi and himself were a Fated Couple. He was
also quite aware of lingering glances from more than one of the other
Senshi, and Rei had flirted more than a few times with him. There was *no
way* he was going to pass up an opportunity to deflect some attention away
from himself. "-Maybe what's needed is a different atmosphere. I know a
British gentleman named 'Edwards-san' who will be throwing a party soon.
Perhaps if you spent some time with Ami in an environment that was more
conducive to romance...-"
Grey considered for a moment, then shrugged. "-What have i got to lose?-"
Mamoru nodded. ~And if Ami remains uninterested, maybe I can get Rei a nice
boyfriend and she'll quit eyeing me like that!~
Grey stopped and turned to face a building. "-What the heck?!-"
Mamoru eyed the building himself, frowning. "-What is it?-"
"-There's a feeling. Similar to the impression i got from that girl. We
ought to check it out.-"
"-Uhm, actually we shouldn't. That's a 'love hotel'.-"
"-You mean it's... oh. 'Rooms by the hour' huh?-"
"-If you think it's important,-" Mamoru suggested, thinking that this could
*really* deflect attention of this sort away from him, "-you and Ami should
check it out. With your esper abilities and her computer, you're sure to
turn something up.-"
Grey wondered what that odd premonition of doom was from.
-----------
Ami stared.
Rei was being forcibly restrained by Makoto, her initial shriek and attempt
to beat on Usagi would have meant they'd never have seen the rest of the
tape.
"I'm a little teapot,
short and stout,
This is my handle,
this is my spout."
"Bwahahahahahaha!" *Clunk!* Usagi's reaction was also quite predictable.
"Rei, other people have seen this tape. If you destroy it, we won't know
what they're seeing."
"I don't care, Makoto! AhhhhhH!"
"Hahaha AAAAAA!"
"Wow! Usagi. I never expected THAT!"
"Two little maids from school are we,
Pert as a school-girl well can be,
Filled to the brim with girlish glee!"
Ami was likewise impressed. Usagi and Rei knew Gilbert & Sullivan? Though
the original was 'Three Little Girls From School' not two. And the original
was in English, whereas they were singing the equivelant in Japanese. Still,
it was better than she expected.
Usagi (on screen): "Everything is a source of fun!"
Rei (on screen): "Nobody's safe 'cause we care for none!"
Both (on screen): "Life is a joke that's just begun!"
Rei and Usagi stared in horror as the two girls on screen fell backwards off
the stage and were only visible by their legs sticking straight up.
"UsaGI," said Rei in a dangerous tone.
"Rei-chan?" Usagi looked unusually dangerous as well.
"We burn that videotape."
"Right, Rei-chan!"
"But there are other copies of this out there," Makoto pointed out. Then saw
what was on the screen. "EEEEEP!"
"...if this becomes public knowledge, the Sailor Senshi will *never* live
this down." Luna was somewhat distressed at seeing three of the Princesses
getting kissed and laid tenderly down on the ground by their opponents.
Then...
"Well at least Nebula knew how to counter their attacks," suggested Artemis.
"Okay, so he's walking around, he's using the phone? Oh, calling Ami's mom?
That makes sense. Pity we can't hear him."
"Actually, that's good," Ami indicated. "Otherwise everyone seeing this tape
would know that he was calling my mother to drive the Senshi home."
"Oh right," Rei said, hanging her head at having missed that. Maybe Usagi
*was* contagious.
"Awwwwwwww!" Usagi gushed as Nebula tenderly picked up the snoring Sailor
Mercury, and brushed hair from her face. Ami merely went into severe
embarassed mode.
The tape ended as an unconscious Senshi was put into a chair, a forehead
lightly kissed.
Everyone glanced towards Ami. Who had now passed Severe on her scale of
embarassment. Seeing everyone staring at her, Ami was quick to say
something. "There's really nothing between us! I-I-I-I'm sure he was just
concerned... I mean it's nothing special, just an arrangement between
families. That's all!"
Minako raised an eyebrow at Ami. "Ami-chan, if a boy was *that* nice to me,
had even a tentative omiai relationship towards me, and was as useful, we'd
be picking out wallpaper about now." Minako surreptiously looked towards Rei
and was gratified to see the frown on the other girl's face. ~Heh heh. The
seed has been planted.~
Makoto frowned slightly. Sure the boy wasn't even as strong as Tuxedo Kamen,
and he certainly wasn't tall or handsome, but that briefly seen indication
of caring and affection. Heck, if it had happened to *her* and she'd been
engaged to the boy, she doubted she'd be mumbling denials like Ami was.
Rei also frowned slightly as she watched Ami twist and deny that she had any
romantic feelings for this American. ~He *was* American, and therefore not
Shinto. Still, if the engagement could be switched to Makoto... a nice
Shinto wedding could be planned. Hmmm. How to do it?~
***
Mimette wept. Silently, but she wept.
The other members of the Witches 5 did their best to ignore her.
Mimette's arms and legs had been melded with the stone of the wall at the
elbows and knees. After she'd started weeping and pleading, the Wizard had
removed her voice.
Yes, the other members of the Witches 5 *tried* to ignore Mimette. It was
way too easy to imagine themselves in that position. It was even easier to
picture what had happened to the Professor happening to them.
"Eudial. Report."
The Witch swallowed uneasily, and tried to focus on the task at hand. "I
bought the location with funds that you provided. I currently have taken my
Midnight Heart Crystal and set it up within that building only a few blocks
from the Tokyo Tower. It is currently set to drain the emotions of those
within, then reinvest 10% of that into the single emotion that such an
environment can best cultivate. There are four specialized Spirits enspelled
via the ritual and bound to the building. Energy harvesting the first day
was good, and shows every sign of increasing in number daily."
"Hmmmm," the Wizard looked over the figures. "Good. Good. A *much* better
job than Mimette. And your plans should the Senshi or their allies come
calling?"
Eudial frowned, disliking this, but not wanting to join the Professor *or*
Mimette. "Per your instructions, nothing fatal. Neither the customers nor
these 'heroes' will be harmed irreperably."
"We can hope then, that you will not follow Mimette's lead?" The Wizard
smirked. "In the meantime, in the interest of spreading Chaos and
Destruction, I have released a few summoned beasts in other areas."
Terurun held up her hand, glancing back at Mimette and shuddering. She
wanted to be *darn* sure that she didn't end up like that. "Other areas?"
"Hong Kong is currently facing a Lemurian Hydra. In Beijing, a creature
known as an Invisible Stalker. A Tarrasque in Reyjavik. Giant venomous
spiders in Liverpool. A flock of Wyverns in New York. A few Basilisk in
Baghdad. Minor problems that they will undoubtably deal with given time."
There were a few sweatdrops at the "minor problems" label.
"Tomorrow, I'll drop a few Fomorians into Ireland. Perhaps a swarm of
Gibberlings into Paris or an Iron Golem could stir things up in Sri Lanka."
"Why those areas?"
The Wizard glanced at Eudial for asking the question. "Random targets,
excepting that they have high populations. Therefore a fair amount of
victims. It will take the normal forces some time to deal with these
problems, causing erosion of confidence by the public in those forces. Once
they've stirred things up, we can take advantage of the chaos."
"Ah," said Kaolinite, not happy about any of this but not willing to join
the Professor. Besides, there might be a way to restore him and she needed
to remain free for that.
"Oh, and I have changed my mind about one thing. We will also be using the
Eggs Of Daimon to go out and attack people, however I have taken the
liberties of enhancing them somewhat." The Wizard pointed. "They still look
pretty silly, but they won't be stealing any 'pure hearts' or any other
silly portion of the akashic pattern. Any guesses?"
"Energy? Life force? Emotions?" Terurun asked.
"Will? Souls? Humanity?" Yuri Viluy suggested.
"Money? Pride? Strength?" Cyprine added.
The Wizard nodded. "Yes. To start with."
-----------
"Little girl. Okay you is?"
The girl jumped. "Ah ah ah. I'm fine, really!"
Grey smiled at her, bowing, then putting a hand in a jacket pocket to rest
on the shortened chain there. Play a hunch, bet a bunch. "Sorry miss, but
you don't look so okay. You look pretty hungry. How about i buy you one of
those sweet potatos from that stall?"
The girl frowned, there was something strange about the stranger's Japanese.
But he was a gaijin so maybe that was to be expected. Her stomach,
protesting that she hadn't had anything to eat in over 24 hours, chose that
moment to become very vocal.
He chuckled and smiled, then inclined his head towards the vendor.
Hotaru finally nodded, but was sufficiently weak she had to be helped
towards the stand.
Grey doubted if she even realized he had spoken Lunarian.
=================
i've been told Grey's a wimp. Well, at least it's a break from the
all-powerful SI then, ne?
changing the title from "Fourth Labor" to "A Soldier's Duty" to get away
from the numbering concept.
-----------
Having seen enough to know that this wasn't
a slapstick but a heroic moment, Ukyo played it to
the hilt. After all, when had she had a chance to
do something like this in HER life? "Enter the high
school warrior-chef (sentai-pose - chain to spinning
the spatula around and another pose with it behind
her in a more samurai pose) whose spatula strikes
injustice. Ukyo Kuonji, age 16!" (gleam of teeth)
-Reluctant Bet
metroanime@mindspring.com
http://metroanime.home.mindspring.com/