Chapter 207
It was early morning in Tokyo. Patterson stood in a field. He held a sword in his hand. He starred at the wooden targets he had set up around the field and narrowed his eyes. Without further hesitation he jumped forward swinging the sword. He darted from target to target slicing through each. He slid to a stop and glanced at his watch.
"Thirty eight seconds," he said glancing at the various targets all lying in pieces. He shot a glance into a nearby patch of bushes. A figure emerged from them. Hotaru Tomoe said.
"I couldn't help watching," she said. "You were aware of my presence?"
"For the past twenty two minutes, I was seeing how well I could keep up the appearance that I didn't notice you," Patterson remarked.
"You showed little distraction from your task," Hotaru said. "Do you always do this?"
"More or less," Patterson said.
"You could be quite a killer," Hotaru said.
Patterson's eyes widened at that comment.
"If you were that way," Hotaru said.
"Hopefully I won't have that problem," Patterson said.
"It's always a risk," Hotaru said. "The end justifies the means."
"Why are you saying all this?" Patterson asked.
"I worry," Hotaru said and paused. "You are dangerous."
"I try to be."
"The problem with many things dangerous, is that they have no control over themselves. Fire, tsunamis, and other forces of nature. Or even the weapons my father works on. Are you in complete control?"
Patterson didn't exactly know how to answer.
"No...you're not," Hotaru said. "Remember that."
She headed off.
Patterson stood there speechless.
Why is she trying to warn me? He asked himself.
Later in the kitchen of the A.P.T. House.
"Hotaru Tomoe?" Greg asked. "What does she have to do with you?"
"I wish I knew," Patterson said. "She seems to have taken some interest in me."
"Strange," Greg said. "But then again..Hotaru's pretty weird herself, considering what has happened."
"She said she wanted my help to become a member of society, as if I knew.."
"Well..you did go from being clinically insane to having a bunch of friends."
"Few friends, several allies."
"Still...allies is better then no one."
"Right, but I think she wants to learn by my example. I'm really not someone anyone should model themselves after."
"Why not? So you have very few social skills, you're a real nice guy, and you're committed to defending your allies.."
"I'm also an uptight wreck," Patterson said.
"Nobody's perfect," Amy said emerging from the next room. "I think you've done quite well considering the circumstances."
"I guess," Patterson said. "But that's not all. She said something to me today."
Greg and Amy both became curious.
"What?" they asked.
"She says I'm not in control of myself, that I'm dangerous," Patterson said.
"Well of course you're dangerous," Greg said. "Isn't that your goal?"
"But Hotaru didn't mean it that way did she?" Amy asked perceiving the root of the problem.
Patterson shook his head.
"So now you're worried that she's somehow right," Amy said.
"She wouldn't tell me this is she didn't have a reason to," Patterson said. "And I think she might be genuinely worried. Though I'm really no good at telling."
"There's no reason she would just mess with your mind.." Amy said.
"That we know of," Greg said. "I have nothing against her, but who knows what goes on inside her mind."
"You think it was some sort of warning?" Amy asked.
"I think so, and considering she does sort of have a sixth sense, maybe she's trying to prevent something bad from happening," Patterson said. "But even if it's not something immediate.."
"I understand," Amy said. "What if it's a disaster waiting to happen."
"Right.." Patterson said.
"She isn't exactly handling this well," Greg said. "If she gave you some more details without being some aloof prophet."
"She may be afraid to go into it," Amy said.
"She's not afraid to scare D.V.," Greg said.
"I'm not afraid, just concerned," Patterson replied.
"You're afraid..we can tell," Greg and Amy replied.
Patterson sighed.
And later at SDF headquarters.
"Gentlemen, I give you yet another military development," Doctor Richter said.
"This one's a doozy," Doctor Tomoe said. The various SDF and Police bosses said little and just looked on.
"What we believe we have here, is a radar capable of detecting the forms of negaenergy we have already encountered," Doctor Richter said.
"All of them?" Nagumo asked skeptically.
"Well we haven't been able to test the thing of course, but it appears that way on paper," Richter said.
"We think," Tomoe said.
"I find this hard to believe," Maxfield Stanton said. "Negaenergy isn't from your world, how can you develop countermeasures based on your own ideas."
"Physics is universal Stanton," Richter said.
"But some of these powers defy physical laws," Jaedite found himself saying. "You should know that."
"Well yes, but we have compensated, we have vast experience with negaenergy forms," Richter said.
"I don't understand why you call it negaenergy in the first place," Malichite said. "Most of this is from other sources then the negaverse."
"It's a term we used to classify the energy as a whole," Tomoe said again. "We've explained this before."
"Are you sure about all this gentlemen? Just how are we able to understand their energy this well?" Nagumo asked.
"You're not a scientist Nagumo, it is not easy to explain," Tomoe said.
"If you had the background knowledge we have, you might contemplate it, but no one does, that's why we're here," Richter said.
"Great..that's all we need," General Patterson said. "Them messing with powers we don't understand."
"What's the worse thing that could possibly happen, that hasn't already," D.V. muttered sarcastically.
"I'm sure those two could surprise us," General Patterson remarked.
"No doubt," Maxfield Stanton said.
"You have got to be kidding," Zoicite said. "This device probably won't even detect common negaenergy, these are powers so far above human comprehension. You would need your own sources of supernatural energy to figure it out."
"You're skepticism is understandable," Doctor Tomoe said. "But...I know first hand what the power is like."
He stepped down from his platform.
"I know..like you, the feeling of having it surging through you, giving you meaning, a purpose."
"The energy doesn't control me it gives me power," Zoicite replied.
"Of course technically how could it be considered evil energy, you four used it in a good cause," General Patterson said.
"Believe it or not I was wondering that myself," Doctor Richter said. "Just how did that work?"
"Negaenergy is merely the product of it's creator," Stanton said. "You don't have to be evil to use it, and it doesn't make you evil.."
"Not necessarily," Malichite said. "Even we were not privy to the secrets of how the energy actually worked."
"And we were very high up in the ranks," Zoicite said.
"It could conceivably have made us how we are," Malichite said. "It might also be true that everything was up to us all the time."
"So just why are you here, if you don't know.." General Patterson said. "Shouldn't you still be evil?"
"Things have changed," Stanton said. "I somehow believe my colleagues have seen the error of their ways."
"Or they jumped off a sinking ship," D.V. Patterson said.
"And just who are you to say that?" Malichite said. "A teenager..what do you know?"
"He knows much more than you can imagine," Doctor Tomoe said.
"I hired you four because regardless of your motives, right now you seem interested in assimilating into society," General Nagumo said. "Furthermore, it's not like the Sailor Scouts couldn't destroy you if you went rogue."
"Our operations here are not the first line of defense," Richter said. "Which makes them somewhat expendable."
"The reasons for our change of heart and the actual processes involved are not important, what is, it that we will prove ourselves,"Malichite said.
"We truly are sick of fighting battles," Zocite said.
"But we had to work somewhere," Jaedite said.
"Weren't they hiring any cruise ship captains," D.V. Patterson remarked.
"I remember you now.." Jaedite said. "Clever kid weren't you?"
"Please..enough fighting," Nagumo said. "Doctors continue your briefing," Nagumo said.
The two doctors nodded.
"Anyway where were we.."Richter said.
Minutes later.
"Was it wise to tease those guys like that?" General Patterson asked.
"Probably not...I haven't felt too good lately," D.V. said.
"You never feel good."
"I feel worse."
"Why?"
"Hotaru Tomoe."
"You're not in love with her are you?"
"OF COURSE NOT!" D.V. shouted.
"Jeez..you really are in a different mood, you don't yell."
"I know.." D.V. said. "This has nothing to do with romance."
"Why not? She's a beautiful girl, and you've always had a fancy for short haired girls."
"What are you talking about?" D.V. said.
"Nothing..nothing.." General Patterson said. "Still...think of the conversations you could have on a date."
"I think I've heard this somewhere before, and if you're not going to be serious about this I can go."
"Lighten up. So what's the real problem?"
"She's just been saying things, and not explaining them."
"Serena does that all the time doesn't she?"
"Serena, doesn't understand what she's saying, that's different from knowing and holding back."
"Well Hotaru's a lot like you, she's probably trying to get by saying as few words as possible."
"I know, but it's disturbing."
"What's she saying?"
"Essentially, that I'm dangerous, but not in the good way."
"Oh...well of course you're dangerous, you're a time bomb waiting to go off..I could have told you that."
"I'm a what?"
"D.V. you still hold all this anger inside of you, sure you get rid of it by fighting off evil, but somehow I don't think it's doing the trick..and if you were ever to meet up with the guy who you know.."
"Killed my parents."
"Foster parents."
"No difference."
"I know."
"When I meet up with him, that's another matter," D.V. said clenching his fist.
"No it isn't," General Patterson said. "See..you still have the anger, it's not waiting for when you see him to show up. It's already there and waiting for him. It's in everything you do."
"Not everything."
" D.V.you've been hurt by others, but your response was to beat them up..even today that's happened, or have you forgotten how you were expelled from school."
"That was a one time thing."
"D.V. I should have talked to you more about this, with my work I began to forget. D.V. you have made great progress, but there's still part of you, that's very dangerous. When you let anger control you, when you let it govern you, you won't be able to prevent any consequences."
"And just what can I do to prevent this?" D.V. said.
"Seek counseling, before it hurts you."
"That's what I should do I guess," D.V. said. "But you know I'm not so free and loose."
"Well then talk to me more. Complain all you want."
"I rarely complain."
"I want you to do it more."
"Fine..of course I could just intensify my training."
"No..you only train because you've got something to prove, and you're waiting for that day."
"That's not true, I train now because I have another purpose, I'm one of the defenders of this planet."
"Hmm...that's true, but I don't know if that's why you train so hard."
"I train so hard, and work so hard, because that's what comes naturally at me. Being protective doesn't necessarily mean being angry too. They can be different."
"We should talk more about this," General Patterson said. "D.V. just be careful. At least you have some understanding now."
D.V. reluctantly nodded.
The goddess of Anger followed from a distance, on foot, stealthily waiting for her perfect opportunity.
"My sisters think that pure force, is the way to win battles. They're wrong. Especially with this target. I'll make him so angry, he'll lose all concentration and then he'll be mine."
But what would have the most dramatic effect? She thought. What could I do to absolutely positively make sure he gets angry. Hmm...I know..I have studied him carefully. I know what I can do..but it's going to be a bit risky. Still that's how I work.
She noticed Patterson had sat down outside a restaurant.
"Hmm..meeting with Sailor Saturn again," she muttered. "Very well..I will wait, and plan my next move."
What would make a good battlefield? Somewhere the scouts wouldn't happen upon
him. I know I'll wait till he's going through that training routine of his every
morning. The perfect time to attack. That is if I'm not interrupted.
"I must apologize for the way I have treated you," Hotaru said. "I have been cautious, and I did not know how to say what I should have. That is why I wished to speak with you."
"I understand," Patterson said.
"You do?"
"Yes...and I know what my problems are too.."
"Hmm..I thought you did all along, I am afraid that my studies of humans has caused me to speak out my ideas about them to their faces hoping for conformation, however, telling someone the truth about themselves is not always the best way to do things. I had hoped though that you would be able to understand my dilemma the best."
"I do..and I was a little worried, but I know there are dangers inherent with me. There are dangers within all of us, some more prominent then others."
"So true," Hotaru said. "But I hope maybe..together we can both help each other become human again."
"Sometime..I..don't know.." Patterson said.
"What?"
"Nothing.."
"I would like to know.."
"Well...I've gotten used to myself," Patterson said. "I'm not sure I'd want to change."
Hotaru looked at him.
"I can understand that desire. If it's not broken, do not fix it.." she said.
"Well..I guess...but I'm more along the lines of, if it's broken, still don't fix it, because who's knows what a bad repair job might do to it."
"Words to live by," Hotaru said. "Maybe not the way I would put it."
Patterson managed a brief grin.
"You grinned.." Hotaru said.
"Not really," Patterson said returning his face the stoic expression he usually had.
"So you didn't," Hotaru said. "There's nothing wrong with it."
"Then how come..no..never mind.."
"Why don't I grin or smile?"
"I..uh..that's not uh.."
"I should smile more.." Hotaru said. "But then again, so should you."
"Guess we both have that problem," Patterson said.
"I won't lose sleep over it," Hotaru said. "That was a joke wasn't it?"
"Sort of.."
"Was it funny?"
"In a way," Patterson said.
"In a way," Hotaru said and started laughing. Patterson's eyes widened.
This is strange. He thought.
Patterson swung his sword in a circular arc and cut another piece of wood down. The goddess of anger finished checking to make sure no one else was around.
Now I will attack. She thought. The area was filled with smoke as Patterson had dropped a smoke bomb and begun to transform.
The goddess quickly blew the smoke away as Patterson finished his transformation.
"So...you finally decided to challenge me...you chose your battlefield well," Maverick said coldly.
"Indeed," the Goddess of Anger said and filled the area with light. There was no where for Maverick to go. But he didn't care, and leapt forward swinging his sword. He cut right into her chest. She staggered back.
I should have expected as much. She thought.
Still..it wasn't hard to read his mind with the anger coming through him like that.
Maverick drew two of his swords and attacked again. He cut her and she yelled.
"Stop doing that!" She said and launched an attack. Maverick avoided it and attacked again. She avoided it and flashed changing her form. Maverick stepped back and waited for the flashing to stop. He then prepared to fire. But what he did caused him to hesitate. Staring at him was the form of his mother, Lisa Patterson.
"Hah...you can fight me all you want Maverick, but you're going to have to fight me like this," the goddess said.
Maverick tensed, the anger flew through him. He charged.
Got em! The goddess thought and did her own maneuver attempting to sidestepped him and launch her own attack. Only Maverick was much faster, he turned and caught her with both swords. She staggered back.
"You miscalculated!" Maverick shouted pressing the attack. The goddess screeched and dived out of the way.
"Anger makes me very irrational, but it also causes my skills to reach their highest level, and the only danger would be to innocents around here, but you're the only target!"
He unleashed another attack. The goddess of anger jumped out of the way again.
"If you're so good, how come you're not..." the goddess said before being plowed into by Maverick and knocked to the ground. Maverick began cutting at her showing no regard for rules of combat. The goddess yelled and built up all her energy. Maverick leapt off before she got the chance.
"You maybe skilled..but I'm more powerful!" the goddess shouted. An energy sword appeared in her hands.
"Now..I'm going to fight you head to head!"
Maverick swung in on the attack using one sword. He beat back the goddess' thrusts and made his own attack.
"One thing about your anger is that it can't last indefinitely, you'll tire!" she shouted. "You're sword attacks are hardly enough to kill me."
"We'll see!" Maverick said and slipped under another of her attacks and jabbed his sword in. The goddesses screamed but grabbed Maverick and sent energy streaming through his body. The two both let out shouts as each tried to hold out. The energy received feedback and both were blown backward. Maverick's sword still stuck into the goddess. Both struggled to recover.
"Maverick.." came a voice he recognized.
"Queen Serenity?" Maverick said with some surprise.
"It is time?"
"Time"
"Yes..."
Maverick saw a brand new sword appearing in front of him. It was immaculately decorated.
The anger goddess stood up and pulled the sword out of her. She held it.
"I will kill you with you're own sword!" She shouted.
Maverick grabbed his new sword and was surrounded by energy. When he emerged he was wearing the same Grey outfit he usually wore, but he now had armor on his shoulders, and his cape flew from behind that.
"I'm ready for you.." he said as his knew energy blade sprang to life. The goddess of anger stood there dumbfounded.
"Well this is annoying," she said and charged forward. Maverick met her and the two sparred back and forth, Maverick then started hammering at her and pushing her back using his superior skill.
"You won't beat me!" She shouted. "You're weak!"
Maverick said nothing and hacked at her and swept his sword through. The goddess let out a cry and dropped to the ground. Maverick stepped back and fired his sword blast. It flew through her and caused her to disintegrated. Maverick picked up his other sword and put it on his belt.
"You have done well," Queen Serenity said. "You're power upgrade should only be used when absolutely necessary though. There are reasons I can't go into. Also, it will usually take five seconds to do so keep that in mind."
Maverick nodded.
"Thank you," he said.
"And Maverick..your anger is a part of you now. You will have to learn to both use it and control it."
Maverick nodded and then sighed staring at the ground.
CHAPTER 201 CHAPTER 202 CHAPTER 203 CHAPTER 204 CHAPTER 205
CHAPTER 206 CHAPTER 207 CHAPTER 208 CHAPTER 209 CHAPTER 210
CHAPTER 211 CHAPTER 212 CHAPTER 213 CHAPTER 214 CHAPTER 215
CHAPTER 216 CHAPTER 217 CHAPTER 218 CHAPTER 219 CHAPTER 220
CHAPTER 221 CHAPTER 222 CHAPTER 223 CHAPTER 224 CHAPTER 225