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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