"Shifting Positions"
Part Four
by Luna and Phoebe

Some minor 'who writes whom'-changes: Phoebe still does Kunzite and Ami, but she now got Tuxedo. Luna got rid of Tux (lucky, lucky me) and still does Zoisite, Usagi, Rei and (new) Yasoma-san. Our sister Selene does some of Ami, too and her all-time-favourite Neffy. (Because Phoebe didn't want to anymore and I don't like him at all...sorry if I offended someone now...)

When they reappeared they were in the crypt below Nephrite's church. In the gloomy depths glowed a few thick candles. Some rats scurried over the humid ground. The air was stale and warm and hard to breathe. Sailormoon had already given up fighting because she felt that the man - whoever he may be - was much more powerful than she. When he noticed that she was silent he removed the hand from her mouth putting her down. Sailormoon let her shoulders slump and hung her head while tears ran down her cheeks. 'Ami. Rei. Tuxedo Kamen!'

Kunzite reappeared as well in that place. He leaned against one of the dark walls and watched the scene.

Nephrite shot a glance at him but didn't mind that the other king was there.

"So, Sailormoon, tell me, who are you?"

"No-one," she wailed, not moving.

"Dear, I have other things to do --"

"Good, then leave me alone."

Kunzite smiled about the witty answer.

Nephrite grabbed her shoulder and pushed her around. "Look at me when I'm talking to you."

Sailormoon looked back rather unimpressed.

"So, once again, who are you? Tell me or I have to force it out of you."

No reaction.

He grinned and put two fingers under her chin, lifting it up. "One of the senshi in my grip. You are aware that you are mine? Surrender while you can and answer my question, girl."

"Sailormars and Sailormercury will come to my help and then your game will be up."

"They won't find you here." Triumph gleamed in his eyes. "By the way, after you've told me who you are, you can tell me as well who they are."

Sailormoon took some steps back, trying to escape that dangerous man. She looked aside fearfully when she felt her back touching a pillar. Trapped.

"No, no way, no way," she stammered.

Nephrite folded his arms. "Mmh, scared yet?"

Tears built again in Sailormoon's eyes and helplessly she gazed over to Kunzite. "Please, Sir, help me."

Kunzite pushed himself off the wall and went through the crypt. His eyes were cold, no pity came from them. While he was heading to a sarcophagus in order to sit down he said, "You better answer him his question. It's better for your health, little one." He didn't feel the urge to help her. She was the enemy and if Nephrite failed in his mission he would have to face her next.

Now Usagi's vision was completely blurred by the tears. "You don't help me?"

"Get used to the thought that you don't have any friends down here," Kunzite replied.

She fell to her knees, leaning her shoulder against the pillar. Desperation grew in her.

Nephrite marked with delight that she was close to give up. 'Let's give her the final shove.' Back over his shoulder he asked the other king, "How far have you got with the other senshi, Kunzite?"

Sailormoon looked up in shock by the mentioning of her friends. "The other senshi? What have you done to them, you monsters?"

"Nothing --" After a grin Nephrite added, "--yet." He let the answer sink in and do its effect.

"But you could help them if you answer my question."

Sailormoon lowered her eyes, grabbed her brooch and slowly removed it from the bow.

Light sparkled around her like fireflies and then her fuku turned into a normal school-uniform. Her hairstyle changed into a simple pony-tail.

Kunzite stared at her. 'Oh, oh.'

"Nice style, but who are you?" Nephrite asked.

"Tsukino Usagi," Kunzite gasped, who tried to regain his composure again. He was sure that Zoisite wasn't in control of that body right now, otherwise Nephrite would be in nice, green pieces already.

"How do you know?" Nephrite questioned suspiciously.

"That's none of your concern."

"Having secrets? You know her closer, eh? Oh, I know she's the new bed-toy you tried to hide from me!" he mocked.

"Don't step on my toes, Neffy," Kunzite returned the attack.

Nephrite decided to ignore him. He had better things to do right now. If the girl was that broken already she would give him the other names, too.

"Tsukino Usagi ..." he looked her straight into the eyes. "... would you have the courtesy of telling me the other senshi's names as well? It would be nice of you."

"I -- I -- want to see them -- first." She was still clutching her knees.

"You are not in the position to make demands, Usagi, my dear." This soft tone of his made her shiver.

"I don't care," she replied low spirited.

"I think you are not fully aware of the danger you are in." He lifted one hand, energy sparkled around it. "Give me their names, Usagi-chan."

"No!"

Kunzite was about to run to Nephrite to hold him back from shooting the energy-ball at the girl, but was too late. He saw in midstep how the fire hit the girl and made her cry. 'Zoisite, you are not hurt, you are not hurt. Hopefully.' The king positioned himself between Nephrite and the girl to protect her.

The other king was surprised and wondered what the reason for this behavior could be.

"Stop that!" Kunzite demanded.

Nephrite got angry that the other one dared to spoil his victory. "What are you doing?" he asked and pushed Kunzite aside. Immediately a new energy-ball built up in Nephrite's hand ready to be thrown at the girl. Kunzite jumped at him fiercefully in order to prevent a new strike against his koibito's host. Nephrite was pushed against a wall. He saw no other way to get rid of his attacker than to discharge the energy on him. Kunzite was hurled through the crypt against a wall. The 'thump' of the impact was the last thing he recognized before darkness overwhelmed his mind.

Nephrite was outrageous, stomped over to Usagi and closed his hand around her neck. "Tell me their names," he hissed.

"How dare you?" the girl hissed back and closed her hands around his neck, unusually strong.

"How--?" Totally shocked he quickly gripped her hair with the other hand and pulled.

"AAAAAAYYYYYYKSSS!" Zoisite squealed and increased the pressure on his neck. Nephrite - at a loss for breath - let go of her hair and grabbed her wrists to open the grip. When he finally succeeded and tried to yank her arms behind her back he felt a very painful bite in his lower arm and howled in agony. Zoisite was free from one moment to the other and immediately ran over to Kunzite who was still slumped at the opposite wall. "Kunzite-sama," she called, "Koibito!" She knelt beside him and caressed him gently.

As soon as Nephrite heard the words of the girl he jerked around. "What--? Who--? Why--?" He was stunned when he saw how the alter ego of Sailormoon treated Kunzite. "Wh--, you! You work together? Traitor!" he yelled.

Zoisite didn't let herself be distracted from her lover. Tightly embracing him she stared at Nephrite spitefully.

Kunzite slowly awoke and opened his eyes. "Zoisite?" he mumbled.

She looked down at him and smiled softly. "Yes, my dearest. Are you all right?"

"What a question. Do you think I would have opened my eyes if I weren't?" he asked and tried to grin, but a new wave of pain thwarted this intention. Instead he made a face and moaned.

"Kunzite!" Zoisite gasped in fear and let his body slowly glide down on her lap. "Nephrite, you will pay for this," she muttered under her breath.

A new energy-ball flew towards them and hit the wall close to her head. "Get away from him, little moonrat," Nephrite bellowed at her. He really was beside himself now. His plan had failed again and the situation started to slip totally out of his control.

"Nephrite, are you mad? You mustn't hurt Kunzite-sama!" she yelled at him.

"He shouldn't have attacked me. Traitor!"

Kunzite leaned forward. "Nephrite, listen, there is something --"

"No, spare your breath, Kunzite. I won't listen to your lies anymore! You don't fool me. I've seen through you and I will see to it that Queen Beryl also gets to know about your betrayal."

"You won't tell the old dragon anything!" Zoisite shot a sharp ice- crystal in Nephrite's direction. He was hit deep into the left shoulder.

'Dammit, too high,' Zoisite thought but was content to see her opponent fall to his knees, eyes wide in shock, gasping.

Kunzite moved and stared at the wounded king. "Zoisite, what have you done? Why? Baka!"

"Z--Zoi--si--te?!?" Nephrite panted. He couldn't believe it. "How-- ?"

"Yesss," Zoisite hissed back caustically.

With a deeply afflicted face he touched his shoulder where the crystal had hit him and noticed that it had already disintegrated. Driven by pain he broke down.

"Strike!"

"Zoisite!" Kunzite who had used the time to heal himself with the help of his dark powers was shocked. "Why did you do that? Now he knows who you are and surely will tell Beryl about that. The only way to prevent that would be to kill him and I hope you haven't done that, because Beryl would be furious and punish --" A kiss muted him down.

"I have missed him," Zoisite whispered into his ear. "He won't die if you don't wish him to, koibito." (Selene: Stop sliming around and go help Nephrite-sama. I'm going to loose my sanity if you continue like this! Phoebe: Away whe'yer! Leave us alone. We want to go on. Luna: *grin* You have a sanitiy? Didn't notice yet... Selene: *sulk*)

'Kunzite! Nephrite! Zoisite! Report!' The three kings heard Beryl's voice in their heads and knew that they had to hurry into her throne chamber immediately.

Zoisite looked down at Kunzite and swallowed hard. Her mood had jumped from great joy to bitter worry. "Kunzite, what shall I do now? I cannot go to Beryl, not like this!"

Kunzite got up and looked down at her, "Then you shouldn't go. I'll find a way to apologize your missing." He turned to the other and went in his direction. "Nephrite!"

"Awww, what -- d'you want? I'm al-- ready hurt. Wasn't that -- what you wished?"

"Let's make a deal, Nephrite. You don't tell Beryl what you know and I help you with this." He crossed his arms and watched unimpressed how the other still was controlled by the pain.

"Agreed?"

"Do I have any other chances?"

"You could die."

"You have a deal."

"Take my advise and don't try to take me in. Zoisite won't miss you twice."

"You have a deal!"

Kunzite held his hand close over the wound and let some kind of energy flow to it which dissolved the pain. Nephrite tested his shoulder by rolling it slightly and then got up.

"Are you ready to go?"

Zoisite nervously watched how the two of them teleported away.

The old bell rang again when they entered the antique.

"Gomen kudasai, is anybody in here?" Sailormercury asked politely with a raised voice.

Akabe tapped out from behind a curtain and greeted them. "Irasshaimase." He went behind the counter. "How can I help you?"

"Konnichi wa, Yasoma-san! We have a question. Can you still remember the blonde man and the two girls who were here two days ago?" Sailormars asked.

"I can remember a dark-haired man who was interested in this necklace here," he showed it to them, "and two girls who were interested in some old books, but a blonde man ...? There was a blonde woman here who asked me for the ryunome..."

"Yes, that's him," Mars chimed.

"What is this ryunome?" Mercury was curious.

"The eye of the dragon." Akabe bent down and groped for something under the counter. "Ah!" He came back to the surface with a small box in his hand and stretched. "The back doesn't become younger with the time, too," he moaned.

Yasoma put the box on the counter and took away the lid. It revealed a white satin cushion.

Some seconds went by.. . . . . . . . . .

Mars stared at it. "A white plushy cushion," she stated. "And?"

"IT'S GONE!" Akabe yelled, close to tears. "MY RYUNOME! POLICE!"

"Don't fear for your precious stone, honored shop owner, Yasoma- san!" a heroic voice yelled.

When all looked up they saw Tuxedo Kamen striking a glorious pose upon a bookshelf.

*Crackle*

"Ehr, Tuxedo," Mars remarked after she had recovered and pointed her finger at the shelf.

*Cracklecrackle*

"Yes?"

*Crack*

*WHAM!*

"Ouch!"

"That's what I wanted to tell you," Mars hung her head. *Sweatdrop*

Tuxedo Kamen crawled out of the wreckages and started to cough while he freed his cape from the dust. "I'm all right again," he said and stepped to the counter. "Sorry for the mess. I'll pay you back," the caped man apologized.

"Now that is going to be expensive, boy! Look at the books. They are antique." Akabe was even closer to tears than before. "Go, do something useful and call the police, boy."

"Even if the stone isn't here anymore, could you tell us something about its story? That would help us a lot and maybe we could help you gaining it back," Mercury suggested.

"You? You two little girls? I am lost."

Mars sulked. "Let him be. If he doesn't want our help then that's his problem. Let's go, Mercury."

"But Mars, wait! We need him. He is the only one who can tell us something about the stone."

"It seems he doesn't need the stone. Otherwise he wouldn't have refused our help."

Akabe who lay on the counter and shed tears looked up. "I need this stone. It is the most precious item in this shop! They even published an article in our newspaper about it." He ran to Mars and clung to her fuku.

"Please, I need every help I can get."

"I will help you as well," Tuxedo added.

"No!" Akabe was shocked. "You've helped me enough for today. You stay here and give me your address."

"Can we have it as well?" Mars asked silently but loud enough not to be overheard.

Akabe who had went behind the curtain to fetch a sheet of paper and a pen shouted, "And take this stupid hat off in my shop. A little respect, if I may ask." (Luna suddenly stops dictating and starts to rollonthefloorwithlaughterscaringhercat. Phoebe made a little misprint, it was REALLY an accident, REALLY, but even I couldn't believe my eyes! She wrote: 'And take this stupid head off in my shop.' Nuff said, no da! ...btw, my cat's name is Sais, just in case anybody wanted to know... )

"We are in a bit of a hurry, Yasoma-san, please, tell us the stone's story and let that superhero leave. I think he has enough honor to keep his promise to pay for the damage he has done," Mercury said and looked back over her shoulder where Tuxedo Kamen stood, hat in his hand (Luna: Wha--?!? HEAD in his hand??? Phoebe ga baka desu ne! She made the same mistake two times!) and looked embarrassed at the broken shelf.

Akabe came back from behind the curtain and gave him the bill.

"You wanted to hear the ryunome's story?"

"Yeeesss!" Mars said.

"Once upon a time," Yasoma began and Mars rolled her eyes. "Once upon a time, there was a samurai-senshi called Hido. He always lost in any battle he fought. So nobody hired him. He went to another town hoping to find his luck there. After days of walking he came to the bank of a river where he saw a small bridge and wanted to go over it. But then, surprised, he came to a halt. A giant sleeping snake lay on it. It breathed fire. Hido had only his sword, his bow and three arrows left, but he decided to go over the bridge. Bravely but carefully he stepped over the snake's body, yet before he had reached the end of the bridge he heard someone calling his name and turned around. The snake was gone. Instead of it a nobleman stood there and bowed in courtesy.

'Obviously you are a brave man and don't fear evil snakes,' he said. 'I look for a samurai who serves me. From all who came to the bridge you are the only one who dared to cross it.'

Hido said, 'Who are you?'

'I'm Mizuumino Shihaisha,' the nobleman answered.

Hido was surprised. Shihaisha told him that a big town was build under the water which was shielded by a crystal-roof. Then he became sad. 'My people lived there in great happiness until the dragon came. Now we suffer from fear, because every second night the dragon comes from this bridge through the crystal-roof and it won't be long until he has killed all of my subjects.'

'I will fight for you, my lord,' Hido offered. 'But I believe thou shalt know that the people think of me as an unlucky guy.'

'I believe what I see and not what I hear,' Shihaisha answered, took Hido by the hand and walked into the water. Amazing! They sank fast down on the crystal- roof. Shihaisha knocked three times.

They walked into the town and went to the castle. Hido got served a great meal and sake here.

'Soon you will hear a frightening roar, Hido. Then you have to fight the dragon.' 'I will face him with my sword, my bow and my three arrows,' the samurai answered.

'Only three arrows? You need a hundred,' Shihaisha called out loud.

'If three arrows aren't able to stop the dragon then there will be no time left to shoot anymore,' Hido answered. While speaking he heard a loud roar. Hido grabbed his weapons and ran out of the castle towards the dragon.

The terrifying animal moved towards him and spat fire. The senshi shot his first arrow and then the second one. But the dragon still came closer.

In his despair Hido remembered that a dragon can only be stopped by human saliva. Fast he spat on the third arrow's top and shot. SSSSST! The bow trembled and the arrow found its target in the dragon's left eye. The dragon roared for a last time and fell down and made the earth shake.

Shihaisha and his people ran to Hido to thank him. 'Oh, brave samurai, the luck is on your side. You will be our senshi forever.'

Then Shihaisha took out the dragon's undamaged eye and in his hand it turned into a sparkling silvery crystal. 'This is your reward for the victory over the dragon,' he said and gave it to Hido. The samurai-senshi finally found his new home and his luck."

Mercury was fascinated. "And how did you get this crystal?"

"It has travelled around the world since then until one of my ancestors got it and saved it for the following generations of his family, this was the way it came to me."

"And you sell it?" Mars was beside herself.

"My children went to become computer-specialists and my grandchildren are still too small. The shop isn't running as well as it should, so I have to make money out of everything I have, no matter how much it pains me. And that's why I let publish an article in the paper about it in hope to sell it to somebody. With the price it has I thought it would have come into good hands."

"We will help you to get it back," Mercury said determined. Mars nodded. Tuxedo Kamen sighed and said, "Let's go, girls." The three of them ran through the door and were gone.

END OF PART FOUR

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