The night was dark and frigid, as the wind created the only sounds that could be heard. A woman, wearing a traditional blue kimono, was walking home with a bag of groceries and a cylindrical bundle tied to her back. Her name was Nodoka Saotome. She wouldn't usually be out this late but tonight was special. This night, she would be revealing to Ranma her family's most guarded secret, a set of sword techniques that were feared throughout history to those who knew its origin and name. The techniques that she was going to pass on to Ranma usually only had one wielder per generation, sometimes two and Ranma was the chosen heir for his. After 11 years, she could finally teach Ranma in the true tradition of swordmanship.
Walking past an alley, Nodoka suddenly felt a chill. She knew something was wrong and started to walk faster. Looking back she saw three men following her. Two were looking at her while the third seemed to be scanning the distance for unknown dangers. All three were tall and well built. ' Avoid a battle when you can,' was one of the basic principles she was raised on.
Not paying attention to where she was heading, Nodoka suddenly found herself in an alley way, facing a dead end. Looking around she found no avenue of escape. Glancing back she saw that the three men were now blocking her only escape route. Dropping her groceries, she loosened the cylindrical bundle and drew from it her family's honored katana which she always carried around with her.
As the katana was drawn it reflected the light from the full moon overhead. Looking at the men, she knew felt confident. She was highly skilled with the sword and though it had never been used to kill, Nodoka knew that with it in her hands, she could hold her own. This was something she wanted to start teaching Ranma in as it was passed down to her from her parents but couldn't until now.
The confidence that Nodoka felt soon crumbled at the sight of the gun in one of the strangers' hand. It was unnerving to see someone with a gun. Japanese citizens were prohibited from carrying firearms. Most criminals in Japan didn't have access to one either. At that moment she knew someone would not live to see another sunset as she reversed the blade of her sword.
"Nice looking knife you have there lady. Just give up. It'll be much easier and we'll all have some fun. How about it?" one of the three strangers asked.
"Put the sword down and you won't get hurt; too badly that is," replied the one with the gun.
Steeling herself for what was to come, Nodoka knew she would be the one to die this day. She regretted many things in her life. Letting Genma take Ranma from her was near the top of her list. Not being able to see Ranma and say that she loved him before she died was what she regretted most.
With all the choices that suddenly leaped into her head, to surrender was not amongst them. To give up was to stain her family's honor as well as Genma and Ranma's honor. Honor meant too much for her. To live without honor was not to live at all. With a battle cry she launched herself at her assailants thinking only, *Forgive me, Ranma.* As the battle cry left her mouth, tears flowed from her eyes. She would never see her son, her manly son, again.
A loud gunshot could be heard across the neighborhood. That sound also echoed throughout the alley, followed by a loud clatter as metal met concrete.
-----
As Nodoka charged her assailants, her eyes widened as the hammer of the gun unleashed a deafening sound. As the bullet penetrated her body, she felt blood trickle down her leg. Though Nodoka had suffered many injuries in her life and felt pain as well as pleasure, this was something new to her. The pain was immense, as it suddenly shot through her systems. The bullet had penetrated cleanly through her body. As she leaned against the wall she could see one of the thug's face grinning with a look of, "I told you so."
"See what happens when you don't do what I say?" the man with the gun spoke.
Before she lapsed into unconsciousness, Nodoka could have sworn she saw someone had leaped in front of her. The blurred shape in front of her seemed to be a young man with a white aura surrounding him. *He's the one I've been reading about in the paper,* she thought. Trying to get a clearer picture of the young man, Nodoka willed her eyes to focus but in her weaken state that just increased the pain she felt all throughout her body, as it started to go into shock. She thought she saw a pigtail but in the darkness she could hardly tell. As the ground and dark skies appeared to merge, she heard the young man shout, "..... over my dead body," before slipping into a deep sleep.
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Creator of Kings and Lord Talon Proudly Presents A Crossover of the Biggest Stars of the Anime Fanfiction World Ranma ½ and Sailor Moon in Eyes of a Stranger Chapter 5
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The characters of Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon was created by Naoko Taeuchi while the characters of Ranma ½ Universe was the sole creation of Rumiko Takahashi. They are licensed to other companies. All materials save the environment and situations are being used without prior authorization. This is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended for material gains. If there has been an error in copyright, please email me. I wish not to be sued for expressing my interest in these series.
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Leaping from rooftop to rooftop, Ranma was almost finished with his nightly rounds when he saw in the distance a woman running from three men. Speeding up, Ranma had lost sight of the group until he heard the sound of a gun shot two buildings to his right. Ranma's heart skipped a beat as he realized that he might have been too slow to save another innocent victim. Landing on one of the buildings that overlooked the alley, he could see the lady leaning against one of the walls. Ranma was angry with himself for not stopping this and at the thugs for shooting a harmless woman, at night and taking pleasure in it. Knowing that he didn't have much time, Ranma leaped down between the woman and the three thugs.
Seeing someone land between them and their night's pleasure, surprised all three men. Seeing that the hero-want-to-be was only a 17 year old boy, their initial surprised was replaced with curiosity. "Move out of the way boy. You wouldn't want to be hurt like the lady over there, would you?" the man with the gun said.
"The only way you're touching her is over my dead body!" Ranma snarled at the three thugs. Turning around to see if the lady was alright, Ranma paled as he recognized the lady to be his mother. Scenes of Mount Phoenix flashed through Ranma's head, this time the body in his hands was not Akane but his mother. Looking down, Ranma could see her blood on his hands as well as hear her final words, "Why didn't you save me?" Ranma's vision clear as he found himself back in the alley, his mother was bleeding and the family's katana was laying near her feet; stained with her own blood. A cold rage soon replaced Ranma's initial anger. *I will not lose someone else I love,* Ranma vowed. The faint aura that had been surrounding him flared into an inferno of pure energy. The pure white light flickered and started to shift between more violent colors, more commonly found around Ryouga: red, blue, purple and green. The alley started to darken as Ranma gathered more and more Chi. Cracks started to appear on the concrete ground and the walls around him.
"Fuck! Boss, I think he's the guy the papers have been talking about," the thug to the right of the man with the gun spoke; fear was evident in his voice.
"What can he do? I have a gun," the man tried to calm himself as well as his subordinate. Gripping the gun a little tighter to reassure himself, the man smiled, showing his yellowish teeth. Any shred of control which he had held on to was gone as the glowing individual started to turn his way. In a panic the thug opened fired and emptied his gun.
Quickly turning around, Ranma caught every single bullet. Instead of dropping them, he started to flick each bullet back at the three men, missing the head of each man by mere inches. Staring at the men that had done this to his mother, Ranma's face was stern yet emotionless throughout this simple exchange. All the frustration he had suffered over the years started to play through his mind. He lost his home and a sense of family at the age of six and for the next ten years, he traveled and endured hardships no one should ever experience, especially someone as young as he had been. Finally a year ago, he found a new home and family in the Tendous but that too was stripped from him as Akane died in his arms during his battle with Saffron. Now, someone else was going to take away the only reminisce of a home and family he had left. Thinking back, Ranma had only felt this angry once. The last time, he had killed Saffron. In a low voice, filled with malice, "If she dies then I will hunt all three of you down. There won't be a single place on this planet that would be safe for you. Anyone who stands in my way, may it be police, thugs, monsters, demon, or anything else that dirty mind of yours can think up, I will kill. When I do find you, I will send you straight to Hell." Ranma warned. Slowly picking up his mother, he leaped up into the air, heading towards the closest hospital.
All three thugs just stood there, unable to move due to fear. They had heard what happened to some of the various other groups that had crossed path with the individual that had been before them. Two of the thugs had lost control of their bladder the instant those bullets flew past their head. Each had seen their life flash before their eyes as the young man in front of them continued to speak. They all had been threatened before but never by a guy with glowing eyes. They glowed with an eerie power yet that same power could not mask the depression and death held within those two bluish-golden globes. Staring at the spot where Ranma had last been, there was a circular depression that reminded all three thugs of their impending fate should the lady die.
Pushing himself to the limit, Ranma raced to the nearest hospital with his mother cradled in his arms. Hopping from rooftop to rooftop, to avoid traffic, Ranma scanned the distance for the hospital. On the outside, Ranma was calm with a look of determination in his eyes, but inside he was worried. *Where is it?* Ranma mentally screamed. Seeing a policeman below and checking on the condition of his mother, Ranma knew that he didn't have much time. Although he had stopped the bleeding, his mother had lost too much blood. Leaping down in front of the man, "Where is the hospital?" Ranma demanded.
-----
"It's quiet today," Sergeant Tanaka commented.
"Yeah, ever since word of the new vigilante started to spread, crimes have been decreasing." replied his partner, Lee.
"It does help that half of them are still in the hospital," Tanaka joked.
"Yea....Shit!" Lee yell in fright as his heart decided to stop for a few moments. In front of him was a boy in a red shirt and black pants, carrying a woman. Taking a few seconds to calm himself down, *Where in the world did this kid come from?* was Lee's first thought.
As both men concentrated on Ranma, they heard him ask where the hospital was. As Tanaka started to give instructions on how to reach it, Lee took the opportunity to take a closer look at the woman in Ranma's arms.
"Shit! Sergeant, the lady is hurt." It was quite difficult to see the wound and the blood due to the kid's red shirt. "Call an ambulance."
Before Tanaka had the chance to turn around, one of Ranma's hand darted forward very carefully, trying not to upset his mother's wound any more than possible, "Just tell me where the hospital is!" Ranma snarled. *This is taking too long.*
*The kid is stronger than he looks,* Tanaka thought, a bit shaken up.
"Let him go, now!" Lee ordered, having drawn his gun. With the increased amount of crimes and strange monsters appearing in the last few months, every officer had been given a gun.
"Tell me where the hospital is now! I have no time to play games." Ranma demanded, anger clear in his voice and posture.
"Lee, put the gun away!" order Tanaka. "Calm down kid. Let me go so that I can call for an ambulance for the lady you have in your arms." he tried to calmly reason with the kid.
"TELL ME WHERE THE HOSPITAL IS NOW OR ELSE!!" Ranma shouted.
Seeing that reasoning with the kid had failed, Tanaka humored him for a moment by telling him the direction to the hospital. *We could always catch up with him when the ambulance arrives. It's over five miles away and there is no way the kid can get there in tim....* Before he could finish his last thought, Ranma had released his shirt and started to glow.
Both men were shocked to see the kid in front of them glow and moments later the lady in his arms as well that they took a step back. Before either of them could ask Ranma a question about his current condition, he had leaped up onto one of the rooftops over 20 meters high and sprinted away.
-----
"Slow night, huh?" a man called out.
Dr. Aileen Mizuno looked up from the computer she was working on. In front of her was a man dressed in a lab coat. "Sure is, Carlyle." Aileen replied with a smile, "Seems like the sick and injured are taking the night off. Wish we could do the same, ne?" she commented wryly.
Laughing, "No break for us busybodies. Let me go get some coffee. Do you want some?" Carlyle asked.
"A cup would be nice right now," Aileen replied gratefully while stretching a bit.
"Be right back."
"Don't forget. I like mine with one shot of cream and ex..." she started to shout at the retreating figure when he turned around with a smile.
"Extra sugar. Yeah, I remember!" he grinned back.
Dr. Mizuno let out a small sigh of contentment. For a while, tension had been high strung between mother and daughter. Work kept her busy, mainly due to the increased in attacks from monsters and the high crime rate. On the rare occasions that she had time to spend with Ami, her daughter was usually out with her friends. Recently though, the hospital had become better staffed, reducing her workload and responsibilities, allowing her to spend some time with Ami. This brought another smile to her face. Lately, Ami appeared to enjoy tutoring the son of her friend, Ranma Saotome. Last week, she had found Ami in the kitchen, making cookies. When she asked Ami who they were for, Ami got a faraway look in her eyes and said that they were for a special friend. Aileen chuckled slightly at that memory. Any other thoughts were quickly forgotten as the silence was suddenly broken by loud shouting.
"Someone please help my mom!!! She's been shot!" the voice cried out.
"Now, see here, young man. You just can't ... " a second voice began but soon followed by a loud crash.
Aileen quickly got up and went to see what the commotion was all about. In the doorway of the emergency room was a young man in his late teens, carrying a woman's body. Aileen quickly notified a couple of orderlies to quickly prepare a gurney for the woman. Aileen approach the young man, as a couple of orderlies rushed a gurney into the room for the woman. Taking stock of the situation, "Now, what seems to be the probl...," the rest of her sentence died in her throat as she saw who the young man was and who his passenger happened to be.
"Mrs. Mizuno? Are you a doctor here?" Ranma asked, calming down a bit, having seen someone he knew.
"Yes I am, Ranma." she answered. "Tell me what happened."
"Mrs. Mizuno, my mom's been shot. Please, save her! She's all I have left!" he cried, his voice thick with unshed tears.
Aileen had met Nodoka a few years ago. She was one of the few people Aileen could call a friend with her busy schedule. Steeling herself, "She's going to be all right, Ranma." she assured the young man.
Five hours after the incident, Dr. Mizuno went in search of Ranma. He had not been in the waiting room or the cafeteria. On a hunch, she paid a visit to the physical therapy room, where she found him doing some katas in front of a mirror.
"Ranma," she softly called out to him.
Hearing someone call his name, Ranma stopped with one of his legs suspended in midair and faced her.
She didn't know what amazed her more, the position she was seeing Ranma in or the fact that he had been crying. She could see the that his cheeks were tear-stained, and his eyes were red and puffy but even with that in mind, no one could miss the look of determination in his eyes. He reminds me of that other young man, Mamoru Chiba. Both kept their feelings locked up within them so deep that no one usually knew what they were feeling. Clearing her throat, "First off, your mother is going to live. She was really lucky. The bullet had entered in through her abdomen and exited from the back, missing every single vital organ. However, she did lose a lot of blood in the process. I'm amazed that she survived this long. Another piece of bad news is that although the operation was a success, she had slipped into a coma. We're not sure when she'll wake up." Dr. Mizuno had tried to break the news to Ranma as gently as possible.
"What about...?" Ranma weakly began.
"Don't worry about the cost, Ranma. She has medical insurance to cover the bill. She will be well taken care of, I promise you!" she declared confidently.
"Can I go see her?" he asked hesitantly.
"Sure, but don't you think you should let your father know what has happened?" she asked.
Ranma just snorted in disgust. "I'd tell him, if it weren't for the fact that Mom threw him out a short time ago. For all I know, he's back with the Tendous. Stupid Oyaji deserved it too! So, which way to my mom's room?" he asked. Dr. Mizuno gave him directions to his mother's room and soon left to go make her rounds. Following her directions, Ranma quickly found the room his mother was in. Opening the door and entering, he noted that the room was large enough for two but at the moment it only held one occupant. Seeing that his mother was not dead, Ranma allowed a smile to reach his face. His face then became emotionless as he recalled the men who had shot his mother . *They'd better pray that my mother wakes up soon or there will be three less people in the world,* Ranma thought.
-----
"Do you really need that?" Luna asked the girl next to her.
"I guess not," Usagi answered with a pout.
"Then, why are we spending our time looking at it?" Luna knew she wouldn't like the answer to this.
"Because, I'm picturing how Mamo-chan would react if he saw me in it." Usagi said, cheering up again.
"USAGI!" Luna scolded her charge, scandalized at the very idea. Usagi just giggled at her action. The source of their discussion was a daring, low cut evening gown, that left very little to the imagination. Luna sighed as the two continued on their journey through Downtown Tokyo. *I really shouldn't complain. This business with the Dark Moon coming back and this powered vigilante has got everyone's nerves wound up tight.* Luna deep in thought, reflected back to an earlier Senshi meeting they had this afternoon.
-----
"Okay, we're here. So, what do you want to talk about?" asked Haruka, "I've got a tournament to get ready for next week and I don't have time to baby-sit anyone."
The Senshi had all gathered at the Cherry Hill Shrine to discuss the events that had led them to this impromptu meeting. As usual, Haruka found it necessary to down-play the skills and power of the Inner Senshi, which infuriated them to no end. Secretly though, she only wanted to keep the Inner Senshi safe and out of harm's way.
"Why you arrogant blow-hard," fumed Makoto, as she was the one who usually responded to Haruka's insults first. "Just cause you're a little stronger, doesn't mean you're better. I've beaten dozens of guys who thought they were better than me. All of them lived to regret it!"
"Is that so? Any time, Makoto-chan. Why not settle our differences then. Enter the tournament. Make it to the finals and face me in front of a group so that we'll know once and for all who is better." Haruka replied, challengingly.
"Why you..." Makoto growled and leapt to her feet but was restrained by Minako. Haruka also rose but was likewise restrained by Michiru. Staring into Haruka's eyes, "I accept."
Ami looked at the group in front of her. "Guys, settle down and let's get on with the meeting." Ami then tapped a number of keys on her computer "Okay, according to my data, the glowing figure has appeared every night since the fight with the droid a couple of weeks ago." she said.
"So, is this figure part of the Dark Moon?" asked Minako.
"I don't think so. The actions aren't consistent with those of Dark Moon nobles. In fact, from everything that the sisters have told us about the royal family, they would be more likely to kill anyone they ran across. There is one thing I have determined, whoever this figure is, they are very thorough. Each attack is carefully orchestrated and his/her targets are human predators themselves. I estimate each fight lasting long enough to do serious damage to the would be offenders and disappear before the police arrive." Ami finished up her summary.
"Could this person be another Sailor Senshi?" asked Usagi.
"Yeah, aren't we all accounted for?" Rei added.
"There are others besides those that are representatives of this Solar System," Setsuna quietly commented.
"So, what now?" asked Michiru.
"I am afraid that we'll have to start our own nightly patrol of the city. Hopefully, between all of us, we should be able to find out who is behind that glow." said Ami, as a determined look entered her eyes.
-----
"What are we doing here boss?" Shiro asked.
"Yeah! Hospitals gives me the creeps," Yatin commented as well.
"We're here to see if that lady is all right," Jun answered.
"You mean the one that you shot a few hours ago?" Yatin asked a little confused.
"Shut up moron! Do you want everyone to know?" Shiro snarled quietly at Yatin.
All three men were wearing what casual clothes. As they approached the entrance of the hospital, both Shiro and Yatin started to look about them nervously. All of them were hoping for the best. In Shiro's hand was a bouquet of flowers.
Walking to the front desk, "I was wondering if you could tell us if a lady was admitted a few hours ago with a bullet wound and if so, where we could find her?" Jun asked with all the persuasive skills he had. He couldn't help but gaze at the lady behind the desk.
The nurse on duty looked up at Jun. Seeing the gaze she usually get from men, "What is the lady's name?" she asked a little annoyed.
"That's it, I don't know. I was there when she got shot and was wondering how she was doing." Jun continued to apply every once of charisma he had. Seeing the nurse relax a little, Jun allowed himself to smile a little more.
Moments later the three men were standing in front of the door that would ultimately determine their fate. Opening the door, they were startled to see the young man beside the bed the lady was in.
Looking up from his mother's side, Ranma's eyes narrowed as he recognized the three men in front of him. "What do you want?" Ranma asked, the glass of water in his hands shattered.
For a moment all three thugs forgot what they were about to say. They noticed that Ranma's hand was not bleeding. "We're here to see how the lady is doing," Jun answered after clearing his throat, "We brought her some flowers as well," elbowing Shiro who was just standing there looking at the shattered glass on the floor.
Walking up to the end of the bed, Shiro placed the bouquet of flowers on the table.
"Just pray she makes it," Ranma commented, never taking his eyes off of the trio.
"Hai," they all answered, swiftly backing out of the room as they noticed Ranma's eyes were starting to glow and taking on a goldish glint.
Returning to gaze at his mother, *What should I do?* Ranma asked himself. Looking at his mother's calm face, "What should I do, Okaasan? I want to finish my nightly patrols but I don't want to leave you, yet I don't want someone else to suffer like you did. I'm so tired, please give me an answer." Ranma pleaded, kneeling next to her bed-side. Closing his eyes, he prayed. Silence soon filled the room. No one was present when Ranma's body started to glow slightly for a few short moments. As Ranma's glow subsided, Nodoka breathing became more relaxed and still there were no witnesses but the machines. Opening his eyes, Ranma stared at the machines that held his mother in their cold embrace. *Live,* was his only thought.
-----
"What are we going to do now, boss?" Yatin asked as he and his two comrades left the hospital.
"Yeah, we didn't get to have any fun tonight." Shiro added.
"The same thing we do every night, boys." Jun answered.
"I don't want to mess with that kid again, boss." Shiro said in a tone very close to whining.
"What are you worrying about? He said he'll kill us if the lady dies. He didn't say anything else so lets get some excitement before the night's out." Jun reassured his men.
"Where to?" Yatin wondered.
"We wait," was the reply Yatin got.
-----
Having finished their shopping and supposed patrol of Down town Tokyo, they were walking home when suddenly Luna felt a chill run up her spine. Leaping onto Usagi's shoulders, "Usagi, I feel some negative energy close by." Luna whispered into her ears.
"Are you sure?" Usagi asked.
"Yes, but this time there is something different about it. It's not from the Dark Kingdom."
"The Dark Moon?"
"Close. It's something new though. I want to know if Ami's computer picked up anything." Luna commented. Usagi nodded, and called Ami on the communicator.
Ami's face appeared in the screen a few moments later. "What's up, Usagi? Have you managed to locate the figure?" she asked.
"Ami, Luna senses something. Could be another droid. Better get the rest of the Senshi"
"Better keep your head down, Usagi. We'll be there as soon as we can!" Ami said, before her image faded.
"Count on it," Usagi agreed.
-----
"Do we have to wait any longer?" Shiro asked.
"Any time now," Jun answered, "And stop whining."
"But boss, we've been here for over 3 hours." Yatin said.
"Patience. Ah, there she is," Jun pointed at a young lady walking out and away from the hospital.
"Hey, it's that nurse you spoke to," Shiro commented, having recognized the nurse that was working behind the counter.
"Shut up and follow me quietly," Jun ordered.
Coming out from behind one of the alleys nearby the hospital, the three men followed the young nurse. Yatin and Shiro were looking around for trouble and while Jun was keeping an eye on their unsuspecting target. Having deemed it far away enough from the hospital, Jun gave the signal for Shiro and Yatin to close in on the lady and escort her into one of the numerous alleys.
As Hakura found herself flanked on both sides by two large men, she was able to scream out for help and make a run for it when she saw a knife in the hand of the man to her right. "Please don't hurt me," she pleaded, "I'll give you anything you want."
Shiro smiled, "We just want some fun, Lady."
Understanding instantly came to Hakura when the man to her left said that. *They're going to rape me,* she thought with panic. Before she had a chance to run, she found herself in an alleyway. A third man appeared. "You're the people that came in earlier," Hakura spoke up in recognition.
Jun just shook her head, "Why did you go and have to do something like that. Seeing as how you could identify us, I can't let you leave here alive. What a shame too." He said in mock sympathy.
With all her might, "HELP!" Hakura shouted, hoping someone would hear her.
"Yatin, shut her up." Jun ordered.
Grabbing the nurse by one of her collars, Yatin punched her in the stomach.
"Try not to damage her before we've had our fun," Jun reprimanded Yatin, with no real force behind his words.
Nodding his head, Yatin reached out and ripped open her shirt.
"No fair, Yatin is having all the fun, Boss. I want a piece of the lady as well." Shiro complained.
"All in good time," Jun assured Shiro.
Before they could get any further, "Will you three ever learn? I mean, how stupid can you be. You have been warned and now you will pay for your transgression against this lady as well as many others." A voice rang out in the dark.
All three men turned their heads around to see a man standing at the entrance of the alley. *Shit, it's that boy.* they all thought before realizing that it wasn't. The newcomer was way to old to be the kid, even in a disguise.
"Can't a guy get a good funk these days?" Jun murmured.
Hope filled Hakura's heart after having realized that the stranger was not part of the group that was trying to rape her.
Ordering Shiro and Yatin to get the man, Jun moved into a fight or flight position. He has had it with strangers who turned out to be more than they're not. Seeing as how the man quickly dispatched Yatin with a sword, Jun started to flee, leaving behind Shiro to face the man by himself.
As both Yatin and Shiro charged the man, the stranger's right hand darted towards his left hip and wrapped around the hilt of a sword. He ran towards the two men, ready to unsheathe the sword at a moment's notice. Nearing the two would-be rapist, his hand blurred and in a blink of an eye the blade was naked, freed from its sheathe. Two upward swings quickly finished off both thugs. Without missing a beat, the stranger's gaze started to follow the retreating Jun. Walking past the two moaning men clutching their groin, who were in too much pain to notice that they were missing an important organ, he went to check on the condition of the woman he had just saved before racing after the man. Flicking the blood off the blade, "There's two people who will never have kids again," the man chuckled. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Taking the remains of her shirt, she covered herself as best as possible. Nodding her head, "Thanks you so much. I never knew that there were still men like you these days." She spoke in gratitude. Looking at the two men on the floor, "Are they dead?" she asked.
"No, they're in a lot of pain. Be well." Having said that, the stranger started to sprint after the last of the three thugs that had tried to rape her.
The last thing she saw of her knight was his face and cape. *He is so handsome,* she thought.
-----
The sound of battle could be heard by people who passed by the park. Whatever was happening inside was none of their business. Within the concrete divider that held the outside world at bay, the forces of light were battling a minion of darkness. All around the once peaceful park, trees were uprooted, benches were destroyed, and a few unlucky objects were burnt beyond human recognition.
The forces of light which consisted of a group of female warriors were facing off against something that looked like a very large Roman soldier. This particular monster was over eight feet tall, composed of iron and was wielding a monstrous broad sword.
The battle had lasted for all but ten minutes. The balance of the battle had shifted to the Iron Golem the moment the first punch was thrown. In short, the Senshi were losing. Sailor Mars and Jupiter had been knocked out earlier by flying debris. Hope for victory was brief with the arrival of the Outer Senshi. That spark was soon extinguished when the monster had defeated both Uranus and Neptune after shrugging off their most powerful attacks. Saturn had very little luck as well when the Golem penetrated her Silent Wall and knocked her into one of the few trees that were still standing. Venus was soon by her side attending to a badly injured Saturn. The only ones left to face off against the Golem were Sailor Moon, Mercury and Pluto.
Mercury again glanced at the monster. The Senshi had been patrolling the neighborhood, trying to locate the strange energy signature she had picked up on her small computer when this monster showed up. Even with her visor, she couldn't find a single weakness. That thing had already shrugged off most of the Senshi's attack. Nothing seemed to faze it as it slowly approach the remaining Senshi.
Sailor Moon looked over at the blue-haired Senshi, "Anything at all, Mercury?"
Shaking her head, "I can't find any weak points on that monster. It's as though he was immune to all of our attacks. I just don't understand how this is possible?" she declared in frustration. Looking at Pluto, the only Outer Senshi still capable of fighting, "Pluto?"
"It's a Golem. I haven't seen one in such a long time that I've forgotten all about them. They were built during the Silver Millennium as guardians versus any magic user. So in essence, all of our attacks save Sailor Moon's tiara attack wouldn't work." Pluto answered, worried about the outcome of this battle.
Taking its time, the Iron Golem slowly marched towards the trio super heroines. Suddenly it stopped and looked down at the rose that was embedded within its chest.
"Oh and Tuxedo Kamen's roses," Pluto corrected herself.
"Tuxedo Kamen!" both Sailor Moon and Mercury shouted.
"Sorry I'm late, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Kamen replied,
"Seems like the odds are shifting," Mercury commented.
"Yeah, that monster will be moon dust!" said Moon.
Roaring with anger, the Iron Golem started to move once again in the direction of its attackers.
"Well, it's worth a try," Mercury agreed with Moon's plan. Both Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen were preparing to attack at the same time as Mercury crossed her arms in preparation for her Shabon Spray attack to cover their retreat if the attack failed.
Before either one attacked, a man suddenly ran through the clearing, his face as white as a ghost. "Help me. He's going to kill me!" he cried, and ran blindly in the middle of the battle, right into the arms of the Iron Golem.
As the beast picked the man up and began to drain the life from it, another figure burst through the trees. The new arrival was wearing a gray uniform with a cape flowing behind him. Over his heart, a symbol could be seen. Two crescent moons were joined to create a circle. One was silver and the other black. In the center was a bright yellow sun. All three were inside what seems to be a ring that looked a lot like the one circling a few of the outer planets. "YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE ME!" the figure declared. Seeing that the monster was draining his prey, "Drop him. NOW!" he demanded.
Hearing a mortal demand something from him, the large Daimon stopped draining the human in his arms, as it contemplated the figure before him. It was a man in his late twenties, dressed in a grey uniform with cape and sword. His hair was tied back in a ponytail. The Golem blinked a couple more times, as the man repeated his demands. *Did this human think to order me around?* the Golem thought. With a snort of contempt, the monster crushed the skull of the man he was holding and let the corpse drop to the ground.
For a moment, all was quiet. Sailor Moon was holding on to Tuxedo Kamen while both Mercury and Pluto were looking at the newcomer. Looking at the corpse, the man soon raised his head to face the monster, his eyes were glowing. In a quiet, chilling tone, "That was your last mistake, EVER!" he spoke in a whisper that could be heard by all. Drawing a katana from its sheath on his back, the blade gleamed in the moonlight. The man was about to charge the monster when he suddenly slid the katana back into its sheath.
Puzzled by the reaction from the stranger, Mercury took the time to examine the man with her visor. Gasping in shock, "He was part of the Silver Millennium," Mercury spoke.
"What?" Moon asked equally shocked. Here was a man that was wearing a uniform similar to the four Dark Kingdom generals they had fought so long ago and Mercury was telling her that he was from the Moon? She was confused.
"It can't be. Ran?" Pluto whispered.
Looking to his left at the source of the commotion, he spotted the remaining Senshi.
Seeing as how the stranger was looking this way, Tuxedo Kamen readied one of his roses as he saw the look of anger deepen as he scanned the Senshi.
From one of the bushes, two pair of eyes, locked onto the new arrival.
"I remember him from somewhere," Luna spoke.
"Where?" Artemis asked.
"During the last battle on the Moon versus the Dark Kingdom."
Turning his attention back to the monster, "That blade had never taken a life," Ran replied at the unspoken question. Holding his hands out in front of him, a ball of silver light appeared. Closing his hands on the ball created a bright flash of light. In their dazed condition, the Senshi heard the stranger shout out loud, "Across time, From all that is pure, I call unto thee, Mother Nature, Lady of Terra, Grant me your power, Earth Sword appear!" When their vision returned, the Senshi could see that the stranger was now holding a sword. At night where there were little light other than from the moon overhead, the blade reflected it and started glowing, giving off an eerie lavender aura.
At an unseen sign, the monster charged the figure but the man remained still, unmoving.
As it drew closer to the man, "Watch out!" Sailor Moon shouted. *I have to do something fast or else he'll be crushed or even killed like the other man,* she thought. Concentrating on the Golem, she threw her tiara at the iron monster. Her aim was true as it tore off a chunk of metal from the monster's arm, causing it to roar in pain.
The Golem spun around to face this new threat, when a blur caught everyone's attention. The monster's roar dwindled off into a small squeak and the sound of grinding stone assaulted everyone's ears, as the monster appeared to slide against itself. A small line formed at the top of its head and quickly spread down through the torso. It may have taken a few seconds but it lasted an eternity for the Senshi as the creature fell in half and quickly turned to dust. A small egg fell out of the center of the right half of the monster, which cracked open and dissipated.
The Senshi could only stare in shock at what the stranger had just done. The man turned towards the three Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen. Pointing his sword at them, "Do not involve yourselves in my affairs. I will consider it a threat to my personage and you would not like it when I'm mad. Right, Princess?" he spoke in the same voice that he had addressed the monster. The sword in his hand soon disappeared as he turned around and walked away.
"What did he mean with the last statement?" Mercury wondered aloud.
"Yeah! How did he know I was the Princess?" Moon commented.
"I don't know. Who was he?" Tuxedo Kamen asked.
All three were busy talking to one another and did not see Pluto nod her head.
High above, Ambyra's eye shone with hatred as she gazed at the awaking Senshi. When her gazed appeared upon the back of the retreating man, her expression changed to one of bafflement. *Who is he?* she wondered. Looking back down at the Senshi, "I'll get you the next time, Sailor brats." she vowed. *The Master will not be pleased with this turn of events.* Ambrya thought before disappearing.
Appearing from behind the bushes, two cats approach the Senshi.
"Are you sure he was part of the Dark Kingdom, Luna?" Artemis asked.
"He was watching the fighting from one of the hills. He must have been one of the generals that were coordinating the battle against us." Luna explained. "Plus, he had on the same uniform as the four Dark Kingdom generals."
"I suppose you are right. This calls for an emergency Senshi meeting." Looking around, "After everyone has recovered from this battle," Artemis added.
Pluto nodded in agreement. "I have some personal business to attend to, Artemis. I suggest that we all get some rest as it promises to be more difficult from here on."
Artemis gave her one of his patented, 'What do you mean,' look. Before he could ask, he found himself staring at the spot where Sailor Pluto had been moments before. Seeing how she was nowhere in sight, Artemis sighed and quickly made his way over to Minako.
As she watched the last of the Senshi leave, Setsuna Meio stepped out from behind a group of trees and made her way to one of the few benches that were still intact; her gaze remaining on the spot where the mysterious man had arrived and then left. A few tears were shedded as she started to recall events that happened over a millennium before. *In the name of Serene, what have I done?* Pluto thought miserably. The howling wind from a deserted park was the only response she got.
To be continued:
Author's notes:
Started September 29, 1998 Finished November 20, 1998 Revised November 21, 1998
Thanks to my pre readers: Octavion, Jason Liao, Eric McGinnis, Tony Loco, David Johnston
Recently I've been taking scenes from a few of my other fics that I've never released and using them for my current projects. I might release a story in the future with similar scenes so please be patient and forgiving. The first scene was written about 1 year ago when I was still writing Fate and Destiny.
Well until next time. Ja ne.