Subject: [FFML] [Fanfic][Draft 1][SM/SM][Bit of lime and lemom] The Amazing Spiderwoman-Chapter Five
From: Steve T.
Date: 8/2/2003, 5:39 AM
To: FFML

Whew! Just cookin with gas on this. Gas, hell. We lit up with liquid 
oxygen. One second and the charcol is ready go, thank you Mr. Goble.
Disclaimer: The concepts of Spiderman are the creation of Stan Lee and 
Owned by Marvel Comics. Sailor Moon is the creation of Nakao Takeuchi 
and owned here in the states by DiC.
C&C, public or private, is always welcome.

----------
Today's Fortune Cookie:
New York is real. The rest is done with mirrors.


"How did you do that, anyway?" Usagi asked as she, Mercury and Naru 
headed towards the building.

"Do what?" Mercury responded.

"Gesture and make an image appear like that?"

"I don't really know." Mercury frowned. "I wanted to show you, and I 
felt the water vapor respond. I know my Senshi powers are water based, 
but--"

"Senshi!" Usagi exclaimed in a choked whisper. "I thought you said you 
were part of Ami."

"I am, but I also know I'm a Senshi, whatever a Senshi is, and I know 
that  Spiderwoman is also a Guardian Spider, but I--" She broke off as 
Usagi suddenly yanked her towards the nearby bathroom.

"Why don't we step into my orifice for this?" Usagi said, as they burst 
in, startling several girls who were standing before the mirror 
primping. "Anyone who doesn't want to wind up naked should scram." The 
room empited immeditly. Naru inspected each stall to be sure there were 
no straggelers. "Talk," Usagi growled when Naru had signaled all clear.

"I don't know anything more then that, I'm afraid. No," Mercury frowned. 
"Now that I think about it, I seem to recall seeing Luna at Scienceworld 
yesterday." Her eyes suddenly emptied and her expression became cold.

"The animal spoke to me," Spiderwoman said. "It gave me a pen and told 
me to say 'Mercury Power Make-up' and then she awoke, then Ami awoke 
soon after that."

"Mercury power...Usagi," Naru said. "That's just like--"

"My transformation phrase," Usagi said. "Yeah. I know."

An image of Mercury, faint and indistinct, like a cloud, suddenly 
materialized next to Spiderwoman. "Are you suggesting that I and Sailor 
Moon are related somehow?"

"It adds up, Usagi," Naru said.. The similarities in your outfits before 
you went Matrix, the transformation phrases, everything. I don't know 
what it all means, though."

"It means Luna has been holding out on me," Usagi growled. "It's time we 
had a talk with that furball."

The two minute warning bell went off.

"Meet us after the game," Usagi said to Mercury. "We'll go back to my 
place and see what Luna has to say."

They nodded and left, almost bumping into Beryl and three of her 
cohorts. Jinnai, Zon, and Katsuhito.

"Hi, Beryl," Naru said, grinding her heel onto Usagi's toe.

"Okasa...Tuskino, I trust you are both well."�Beryl's voice was cultured 
and controlled. She spoke very precisely and clearly, forming each word 
as she spoke it. In anyone else, it might have seemed fussy, but in 
Beryl, it was simply a trait that accentuated the overall picture.

"Great. You?"

"I have no new complaints." Green eyes met Blue ones, challenging and 
Naru ground down harder until Usagi visibly winced and broke the staring 
contest.

"Now's not the time," Naru whispered as she dragged Usagi away. "The 
school won't overlook fighting on school grounds and you know it."

"Mizuno...Ami. Stay a moment," Beryl said. The three guys moved around, 
enclosing the two women in a circle of flesh and Mercury shrank back, 
her back touching the wall as she struggled momentarily for control of 
their body with Spiderwoman.

Their danger sense whispered warnings as Mercury raised their eyes to 
meet Beryl's. "Yes, Miss Beryl?"

"Flash Kino is having a small, intimate get-together at her residence 
tonight. I would like you to attend as my guest." She laid her hand on 
Ami's shoulder and the danger sense shrieked ear piercingly loud. "You 
have a lot of potential, Ami. I want to help you...release it." She 
smiled, but the expression did not reach her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Miss Beryl," Mercury replied. "But I must decline."

"Very well," Beryl replied and the men stood aside. "I shall be rooting 
for you should you take the ice tonight. Good luck."

"Thank you, Miss Beryl." Mercury ran off.

"Look at her go," Jinnai murmured appreciatively.

"Good coming and going," Zon noted.

"There's something wrong," Kasuhito said. "Did you see her eyes? It was 
like she was someone else for just a moment."

"It is of no importance," Beryl said as she swept off to class, perfect 
lips pursed in thought. "We have plenty of time. In the meantime, I 
think its time we proved our commitment. We'll do that tonight."

"Nico won't like that," Zon pointed out as the trio followed. "I think 
he actually likes her."

"Nico will understand," Beryl said. "We all do." She walked down the 
hall and they followed her.

It was all as it should be.

****
As there are those in the western part of the world obsessed with all 
things, Japanese, there are those in Japan who were obsessed with the 
West. Usagi, who had more money then most, was one of those and could 
afford her obsession. Her room was an museum of western culture. Posters 
of the Beatles, Monty Python, and Mel Brooks Movies adorned her walls. 
Her DVD's were half shows from America, Canada and England and half from 
Japan. Next to her stereo was a rack of CD's from the likes of Tom 
Leher, Weird Al, They Might Be Giants and even several from Canadian 
humor band Moxy Furvous among others. Statues of Superman, Spiderman, 
Batman, sat on her shelves, bookending tomes on Western films and of 
course, animation. Another bookshelf held works of western science 
fiction, fantasy, humor, history, Myths and legends, and surprisingly, 
books on theology and philosophy from both the eastern and western 
halves of the world. Near her desk and a work table was a stack of 
magazines almost as tall as Usagi herself. They ranged from science and 
astronomy to fashion and Japanese and American pop culture.

In short, Usagi was geek.

Over her bed was a giant poster of Mark Twain and taped to that in one 
corner was a photo of Usagi, Naru, and J. Micheal Strazincski, whose 
signature was scrawled across the photo. And on the bed, Luna the moon 
cat slept.

Cats are not heavy sleepers. Even asleep, a cat's brain continues to 
process information received through its ears and nose. However, 
watching over Usagi, who was not the world's most sane person, would try 
the patience of a saint and Luna was no saint. She was bone tired and 
Usagi raising cain at the hockey game was a chance for some much needed 
rest.

For that reason, she was completely unaware of the hockey stick until it 
came whistling through the air to come down on the bed. With a startled 
yowl, Luna leapt straight up into the air only to be shoved to the wall 
where she was covered with some kind of stringy gauze.

"Spider webs?" Luna yelped as she saw what was holding her to the wall. 
"What the--AHHHHHHHHHH!" She screeched as the blade edge of the hockey 
stick hit the wall mere centimeters from her nose. Trembling, the Moon 
Cat looked up the length of the stick to see that it was being held by 
Usagi. The blonde was wearing an expression of cold rage and behind her, 
she could see Naru and Ami looking on.

"Other Senshi? A Spider Guardian?" Usagi asked breathily, reaching out 
to stroke Luna's nose. Her fingers suddenly grabbed the cat's ear and 
twisted it ever so slightly. "Was there something or three that you 
forgot to tell me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Luna said stiffly. "I told you 
when I found you that my memory was hazy.

"I think that's a near complete crock of shit," Usagi shot back. 
"Senshi. Spider Guardian. Talk or I twist your ear right off."

"You wouldn't!"

"Try me," Usagi said in a voice dreadful enough to make the rocks cringe.

"I only know that there are others. Fire, Water, Metal, Wood, Earth."

"The Chinese Elements, yes?" Mercury said. "Fire, Water, Earth, Metal, 
Wood, and Spirit. I suppose I'm water."

"Correct," Luna approved.

"Usagi is probably Spirit," Naru said. "That means Fire, Earth, Metal 
and Wood are still out there."

"And why," Usagi said quietly to Luna, "did you not wish to share this 
information earlier?"

"Because you needed to be taught a lesson. You're not as clever as you 
think you are, Usagi and that's going to backfire on you one day."

"If it does it does," Usagi said. "And what about the Spider Guardian?"

"I don't know anything about a Spider Guardian!" Luna said and then her 
eyes widened as Usagi reached for her ear! "Nothing! I know nothing!"

"Who's shouting?" Asked a new voice. The girl's turned to see Shingo 
Tuskino standing in the doorway of Usagi's room. Younger then Usagi by a 
few years, Shingo was obviously taking after their father. He wore a 
dress shirt and tie, black slacks, sensible shoes and a white lab coat. 
"I am attempting to assist Father in his calculations and the noise is 
distracting."

"Father's here?" Usagi asked. "Well that's a surprise. After a year and 
a half, I was starting to wonder if he'd forgotten where he lived."

"Yes," Shingo replied. "And if you were not so absorbed in your," he 
paused and looked scathingly at the poster of Mark Twain. "Hobby, you 
would have noticed his car in the garage when Koyua brought you home." 
He slammed the door shut.

"Kouya?" Mercury asked curiously.

"Driver. Actually, he's my keeper." Usagi shrugged. "Well, mine and 
Shingo's. I bribe Kouya to keep his mouth shut and then Naru and I walk 
to school. But Shingo's busy sucking up to Dad, so he takes the car. I 
go with him as a far as Naru's and then supposedly, I ride with her. His 
school lets out earlier, so he usually gets home first." Usagi dug in 
her closet and pulled out a conservative skirt and blouse.

"Shingo doesn't notice Kouya unless he needs a ride so he's clueless 
that Usagi has been breaking the rules for the past eighteen months," 
Naru put in as Usagi began changing clothes. "Koyua gets paid more and 
works less, Usagi has her freedom and Shingo doesn't have his world 
shattered by the knowledge that your legs can take you places outside 
the house. Everyone wins."

"How do I look?" Usagi asked Naru. "Proper enough?"

"Yeah. Should I change?"

"Nah. The two of you can get away with school uniforms." She walked over 
to Mercury. "Ami's never been here and Father won't know her. Just be 
calm and keep your answers short and to the point if he talks to you. 
Oh, and keep your emotions under control and off your face." She studied 
Mercury. "I don't suppose you could let Ami handle this."

"Ami is asleep," Mercury replied as the trio left the room. "She was 
having trouble dealing with what Spiderwoman had done--she holds herself 
responsible--so I put her to sleep and have been holding Spiderwoman 
back."


"What's it like?" Naru said. "Being three different people, I mean?"

"We're not all that different, actually," Mercury replied. "We all share 
certain traits and quirks. Spiderwoman and I are aspects of Ami. 
Spiderwoman represents Ami's dark side. Her rage, anger, determination, 
sense of responsibility for her actions...like the ones that led to 
Gendo's death." Mercury wiped away a tear.

"You miss him." Naru said.

"More then we could describe," Mercury replied. "Ami is...well, the 
light side. Love, joy, conscience, friendship. I am intellect.  But 
until Ami wakes up, we are...incomplete."

Naru squeezed Mercury's shoulder. "It will all work out. Trust me."

****
Kenji Tuskino was a lanky, athletic man with short hair and wire-rimmed 
glasses. His movements were purposeful and wasted very little energy.

The danger sense sang a gentle warning as soon as Mercury entered the 
room just down the hall from Usagi's bedroom. It was very neat, very 
tidy. Clean, almost severe in the organization.

"Welcome home, Father," Usagi said. She did not bow and her tone was 
just shy of disrespect.

"Uncle Kenji," Naru said, offering a bow.

"Daughter, niece," he paused and looked inquiringly at Mercury.

"Ami Mizuno," Mercury said, bowing her head. "Pleased to meet you."

"Mizuno...as in Doctor Akane Mizuno?"

"My mother."

"Your mother was a brilliant doctor and a fine woman," Kenji said. He 
sounded sincere but her danger sense argued otherwise. Mercury wasn't 
sure which to believe. "I read her papers, remarkable."

'He lies,' Spiderwoman said.

"Daughter," Kenji said to Usagi. "I contacted your school when I 
returned to Japan. They tell me you're a class officer and your grade 
point average is commendable. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Father." Usagi said.

Kenji turned back to whatever he had been working on and the trio took 
that as their cue to leave.

"Hey, Naru? Buckstar's should still be open, ya wanna go grab some 
mochas or whatever?"

"Naturally."

"Merc?"

"No. Spiderwoman has work to do. But thank you."

They parted company at the estate's front gate.

****
She was flying.

With a cry, Ami flailed her arms and then found herself being held 
gently in someone's arms. Looking up, she saw Mercury smiling at her.

"Welcome back," Mercury said. "We missed you." Ami glanced down again 
and whimpered. "You're perfectly safe," Mercury said and pointed. "See?" 
Turning to look, Ami saw that they were following Spiderwoman as she 
swung them across Tokyo.

"Murderer." Ami said, the shock and horror returning in a rush.

"Yes," Mercury agreed. "She did kill. Did. Do not allow yourself to be 
overwhelmed by that." She stared into Ami's eyes, that cool clear gaze 
somehow holding the panic at bay.  "We regret what we did and we will 
never take another human life. But by the same token, neither can we 
turn ourselves in. Aunt Mai would die of shame. We will atone for our 
sins another way. We have a responsibility to do so."

"But..." Ami said, even though in her heart, she knew that Mercury was 
right. "Grandpa... he said we're dangerous."

"Grandpa is entitled to his opinions. But he is not us. We have to do 
this, Ami. For Gendo's sake. You understand, right? For Gendo."

Ami nodded. "For Gendo."

"For Gendo," Spiderwoman and Mercury said together.

And all of Ami's misgivings faded away.

It was as they crossed back into Juuban that the danger sense shrieked 
and Spiderwoman lost their grip. Instinctively, she straightened their 
body and fired a webline at the corner of an apartment building and they 
swung down and up in a low arc that flung them up and over to land on a 
crouch in the roof.

'What was that?' Ami asked.

'It came as we passed this building,' Mercury replied.

"It's coming from this building," Spiderwoman said and began crawling 
down the side. She had gone no more then two stories when Ami realized 
something.

'This is the Akkona. Flash lives here.'

'And Beryl invited us to a get together at Flash's place tonight,' 
Mercury said.

Spiderwoman crawled along until they came to the right window and peered 
inside.

'Good Lord,' Mercury said as Ami blushed.

Inside, on the bed, naked at the day they were born, Beryl, Nico, 
Jinnai, Zon, and Katsuhito all writhed together and at the center of 
that mass of limbs was Flash. The amazonian's hands and mouth seemed to 
be everywhere as she received the quintet's efforts and gave back plenty 
as well.

'My, she's...enthusiastic,' Mercury noted. On the bed, Flash moved into 
a new position. 'And flexible too.'


"Copulation is hardly a threat to us," Spiderwoman said.

'That would depend. It may be this is the starting point.'

'Like...some kind of...'

'Dark Ritual? Yes, Ami.' Mercury surveyed the room. 'This feels like the 
Youma we've encountered...we'll have to call Usagi.'

"We don't need her," Spiderwoman objected. "We don't even need to be 
here. Why should we care about what happens to Flash?"

'We promised,' Ami said. 'We dedicated ourselves to seeking out  and 
stopping those who would harm others for profit, amusement, and evil. 
Remember?'

'Logically, whatever in there threatens us, also threatens those we 
swore to protect. Those people include Flash Kino.'

Spiderwoman growled, but she stopped trying to make them leave.

'Good.' Mercury approved. 'Where is our cell phone?'

'In the clothes bundle we left secured to the Oiya Tower roof,' Ami said.

'There must be another way,' Mercury said. A drop of water fell from a 
ventilation shaft and plopped on their hand. 'Eh?'

Spiderwoman lifted their hand and they stared at the clear drop.

"It's a water drop," Spiderwoman said. "So?" She started to shake it off.

'No,' Mercury said. 'Wait.' They could feel her concentrating, reaching 
out. Before their eyes, the drop seemed to come to life, twisting itself 
into a different shape. 'Intriguing.'

Spiderwoman then reached out and the drop became a different shape. Then 
Ami changed it again.

Then they reached out and their perception of the world seemed to 
change. The water vapor in the very air was visible to them. Perceivable 
in a new and different way. They could see the very vapor in the air, 
see the water flowing through the climate control systems and pipes of 
the surrounding buildings. Within the buildings, they could see the 
people working late by the water in their bodies. The water was just 
waiting for their command.

'You do it, Ami,' Mercury said.

Ami did it.

****

"Usagi, we need you," Ami said. "Come to the Akkona apartment building."

"Apparently, so am I," Naru said. "I heard that."

****
A pebble bounced off of their heel. Looking up, they saw Sailor Moon 
leaning over the edge of the roof. Spiderwoman fired a webline and 
Sailor Moon slid down to join them headfirst with little apparent 
concern for life and limb.

"So what's up?" Sailor Moon asked as she peered into the window. "Oh 
wow. You guys should have--hooooooooolyyyy....Is that Flash? And Beryl? 
and four guys? That...oh wow. Good thing I brought my camera."

Her skill growing by the minute, Spiderwoman laid their fingertips on 
the window and the water vapor in the air carried the sound in the room 
out to them.

With one mighty collective groan, the encounter ended and Flash 
collapsed on the bed.

"No wonder the French call it, la petite mort," Beryl said. "She does 
look almost dead, doesn't she?"

"Told you," Nico said, lighting a cigarette. "Practically insatiable. 
Nearly kills me every time."

"A shame the frequency she's been having these...interludes has been 
degrading her athletic performance," Beryl said. "Still, I'm sure Mizuno 
will prove an adequate replacement."

"It was fun," Kasuhito said. "But Mettalia doesn't require this sort of 
thing. Why bother?"

"Why should we forsake the pleasures of the flesh?" Beryl asked. "Its 
not as though she'll need it now." She walked to where her school 
uniform was laid out on a  chair and removed a large knife from her bag.

"Hold on," Nico said. "What are you doing."

"Mettalia requires proof of our commitment. This human's life energy 
shall be that proof."

"But why her? Why not that Tuskino girl you hate so much?"

"Usagi will get hers in time, Nico. Jinnai told us she is Sailor Moon, 
our ancient enemy. Let her continue in her ignorance for now. 
Eventually, we will deal with her and I shall take pleasure in 
personally taking her life energy."

"No. Pick someone else." Nico was all but pleading now. Beryl gestured 
contemptuously and Nico flew backwards, hitting the wall hard enough 
that  Spiderwoman and Sailor Moon could feel the impact from outside.

"Hear me, Queen Mettalia, ruler of Shadows, Lady of Darkness," Beryl 
intoned, raising her knife high. Kasuhito, Zon, and Jinnai closed their 
eyes and began to chant in a strange language. Unnoticed by them, on the 
bed, Flash opened her eyes and they widened as they saw the knife. "I, 
Beryl, your Queen here on Earth and loyal servant, offer up this life 
force in your name as proof that we honor our bargain."

Flash Kino was many things, but she wasn't stupid. She had, after all, 
gotten into Juuban Academy, made it to the top of the sports leagues and 
done so without ever letting anyone realize that her parents were dead. 
How could you do that without having brains? Okay, so she liked a good 
screw, and maybe she did it more often then she should, but damnit, 
she'd earned some fun.

She stared up at the knife, comprehension slowly dawning. These fuckers 
were some kind of nuts.

That's when the window shattered and two figures came in.

"Ding dong! Senshi calling!" yelled one of the figures as they landed on 
the carpet and then leapt at the knife. The other one began throwing 
punches left and right, scattering the others. Then Nico was leaping 
across the bed and diving at somebody.

A cold burning sensation appeared on Flash's forehead as she struggled 
to get up. Nobody carved up Flash Kino without a fight, damnit! She felt 
something placed into her hand and then a voice whispered in her ear. 
"Jupiter Power Make-up."


The fight had moved out of the sleeping area and was raging in the 
living area. The odds were four on three with Spiderwoman fighting two 
at once. She, Nico, and Sailor Moon were almost back to back, and the 
other four were closing in.

"Supreme Thunder!" A voice shouted and white hot lighting ripped through 
the room. Standing the doorway was a tall young woman dressed in green 
and white. Her brown eyes were filled with rage and she held a short 
sword in one hand. "Carve me up like a fuckin turkey will ya?" She 
demanded and electricity arced along the sword blade.

Sailor Moon gaped. "She's a Senshi?! BWAH HA HA HA HA!" She doubled over 
laughing, hands clutching her sides.

"Who?" Beryl asked and then smiled. "No matter. You can't defeat us 
without all five, Sailor Moon, and you'll be dead before you can gather 
them all." Then she and the four men vanished.

There was a pounding on the door and shouted voices.

"I'd say that's our cue to leave," Sailor Moon said and ran into the 
sleeping area.

"But where--who--what?" The person who had been Flash Kino only moments 
before stared helplessly as the blonde in the Trenchcoat pulled a camera 
from what looked like spider's webbing.

"We're friends, we're headed out there, and unless you want to explain 
this mess to your landlord, you'd probably better come with us and 
pretend you weren't home." The woman in red and blue had already 
disappeared. "Grab some clothes and meet us at the Buckstar's by the 
Crown Cafe in ten minutes. Later." With that, the trench coated woman 
slipped out the window and clambered up some kind of rope.

****
Flash, dressed in pants, a t-shirt and soft shoes stepped into the 
Buckstar's, one hand in the pocket where she fingered the strange pen 
that had been given to her. Her wallet and keys had both been undamaged 
in whatever the hell had happened.

"Yoo-hoo! Oh, Kiiiiiiinoooooooo!" Flash looked and saw Tuskino, Mizuno 
and Tsukino's sidekick Okasa sitting at an isolated booth. Tuskino was 
waving her fingers and grinning like a demented chimpanzee.

Great, what the hell were they--it felt as though she had been punched 
in the gut as realization dawned.

"Aw, fuck..." Flash said to herself.

*********************************************
-Steve "Komodo" T.
http://livejournal.com/users/pandoras_closet
http://livejournal.com/community/aberdawnknights


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