RPG: And then there was Light
Started By: Riona
Players: Riona, Neffy, Kunzite, Zoisite, Michiru, Dunican, Guardian

Michiru stopped suddenly at the sight of the youma attacking Zachary. *Oh no..I'm late.* her mind screamed. She quickly dashed into a corner and shouted "Peacekeeper, Make Up!" Instantly she transformed into Sailor Peacekeeper and ran out to help her fallen friend. "Come on, we got to get you out of here." she said to Zachary, trying to help him to his feet.

Kunzite crossed his arms over his chest, an angry retort on his lips, but paused when he saw a senshi run into view. "Good, now it looks like the fun really begins," he said, levitating up into a more comfortable position. "And stop hogging the popcorn!" ~If you need any help, Zoi, hollar.~

Nephrite handed over the popcorn. "Now where are those senshi. You would think they would have shown up by now." he said.

Zoisite tried to get to his feet as the tentacle wrapped about his waist gave another tug on him. Even through his clothes, he could feel the suckers on the limb leeching his energy through his clothing. Needless to say, it wasn't one of his more interesting experiences. As Michiru's hand closed about his, he started to get to his feet. Pulling Peacekeeper closer to him, he fell back, making it look to the casual observer as if she had shoved him back into the monster. Dragged another foot or so from her, his consciousness began to waver in and out, the youma gaining more energy, especially the pure one of a Dark Kingdom king. Oddly enough, the youma never reached for Peacekeeper, acting as if it were following her guide by moving in whatever direction she moved for victims.

"All I see is one," Kunzite growled, studying a kernel of corn as if it hold the answers to everything. "Maybe I should have blown the roof off the building as well. Then we'll have all the attention we want." He crunched down hard on the kernel with his incisors, cutting it in half.

Guardian let a single blue rose sail forward, aiming directly for the youma itself. He kept in the shadows and moved silently, this battle he would use stealth to his advantage.

Riona turned the corner and watched Peace Keeper and Guardian battle it out with a youma. Smiling she leaned against a building and watched. The unicorn at her throat started to heat up. "I'm not going to help them... Leo, they killed you!" The necklace started to get hotter and she yelped. "Okay! Fine. But when you come back there's going to be something slimy in your bed..." She rubbed the spot on her neck where the heat had been and called out, "Light of the earth, Give me strength!" She promptly turned into Lukene knight and ran out to the fight and watched for an opportunity.

It occurred to Zoisite a little too late that the plan had backfired. Caught within the creature's grasp, he had to be amused dimly at being about to die within the jaws of something he'd helped create. It was well enough that the youma wasn't touching Peacekeeper even as it destroyed everything else within reach of its tentacles. To the passive observer, it looked as if it were being directed by her and her alone. *This is absolutely the last time I let Neffy talk me into being the bait* he thought as he vaguely felt himself being dragged about again. It wasn't exactly a bad way to go, that much he could admit. More like being sleepy and not waking up. Seeing Guardian and Lukene Knight moving into position, he simply yawned and smiled bitterly. Things were going as expected. The youma will trying to kill people, and the senshi were going to get blamed. It was pity that Kunzite wasn't here as Kitsune with his Yakuza cronies. What a turn around it would be if a street gang saved the innocents instead of the senshi.

Peacekeeper looked from Lukene Knight to Guardian. *Two guys to help me this time. Too cool!* she thought. "Cover me...I'm going to get Zach-chan out of there." she cried and ran towards they youma. She tackled the youma to the ground. "Let him go!" she cried.

"Not exactly the plan," Kunzite muttered exasperated. "But easily fixed. They can defeat the youma, but maybe they will also hurt the bystanders." ~Zoi, try to get them to hurt you when they bring down that youma. Here’s some extra energy to keep you awake.~

Lukene looked around. *Cover you from what?* There was only one youma here and it was on the kid. She shrugged and waited.

Zoisite considered lodging a formal complaint as he continued to get orders from the peanut gallery of Kunzite and Nephrite. Get hurt... lovely. Another vow was made to never ever again be the victim. Groaning as the youma thumped him against the floor again, he rolled his body to be right where Peacekeeper was as she came down at the youma. Eyes squeezed shut, he didn't even want to know how badly he was going to get hurt on this one.

Kunzite winced in sympathy as he finished up his popcorn. Standing, he handed the empty container to Nephrite. "Time to make this more interesting," he muttered, teleporting from the room. A couple of phone calls later, and the scene was swarming with reporters, who stayed well out of reach of the youma, but were catching every single moment on tape. They had already cornered a couple of eyewitnesses for interviews.

Guardian's mind raced as the reporters started to arrive, he had little time to end this, and that little time was coming to a head. Finally he made his decision and drew his katana, charging straight forward towards the youma's back and aiming carefully to connect wide of both Peace Keeper and the youma's ensnared victim he whispered, "Imperium Spirit Cut." The katana glowed a faint blue aura as it soared to its target.

Lukene swore fluently under her breath. *Just what we don't need...* She pulled out one of the diamonds from her blade and threw it at the youma and Zach. "Light Shield!" The diamond stopped over the beastie and Zach and a shield of light sprung around Zach, looking almost like a second skin. The youma was pushed away leaving it open for attacks.

As Zach floated away from the youma, Sailor Peace Keeper jumped away to help Zach. "Zach-chan...can you hear me?" she asked.

Guardian cursed silently as his blade hit the ground, he never showed any outward sign of emotion though. As the blue energy released by the blow cascaded down through the floor he pulled the blade up and leveled it, *Damned rookie. Her little ploy saved the kids life but threw my attack off completely.* He kept his blade leveled and charged once again, this time leaping and slashing at the youma's neck as he soared over its head.

Zoisite nearly screamed as he felt light and goodness wrap about him. For someone of his evil alignment, it was not a pleasant sensation. Teeth gritting together, he finally shrieked, feeling as he had long ago when Serenity’s light had shone on them all on the surface of the moon, ripping them out of this world to be imprisoned in the Dark Kingdom. The youma may have been a little evil, but Sanjouin Zachery... AKA Zoisite... was a big evil. "Get it off!" he screamed, trying to latch onto the shielding with his fingernails.

Sailor Peacekeeper watched Zachary for a moment. "He's possessed." She whispered. She stayed perfectly still for a few moments trying to think of what to do next. "I can't just stand and watch." she muttered, but there was nothing she could do.

The murmurs of the crowd was interrupted by loud voices and angry curses. Pushing people out of the way was a group of thugs, thick armed and heavily scarred, and in the lead was Kunzite in his street thug persona. His mouth dropped at the sight of Zoisite screaming and clawing at the shield, then he turned to the nearest senshi, his shock turning into rage. He grabbed onto one and lift her up by the shoulders, yelling, "You're hurting Zach! Let him out of there now!"

Guardian turned at the commotion and calmly lept from the fallen youma, at least if the youma was going to get back up there would be distance to react. His eyes focused on the newcomer, "Whoever you are remove your powers effects immediately."

Lukene squirmed and broke free of the thug's grasp. "Back off no-neck!" She murmured a word and the shield was sucked back into the diamond and it fell to the ground. She waved her hand and the diamond flew back into her blade. "How was I supposed to know that he'd flip like that? It doesn't hurt..." She looked over at Zach. "It doesn't hurt humans." She finished.

As he fell to the floor, Zoisite dove into Kunzite's arms, whimpering in pain. Small burns laced the bare skin that had been touched by the shielding... the effect of Serenity's goodness making contact with Beryl's evil. Shaking and crying, his words carried to the few gathered around, "Please don't let them hurt me anymore! I didn't so anything! I was just sitting there reading!"

Cradling Zoisite gently in his arms, Kunzite glared at the senshi, his mouth a thin white line. "Yeah? If it don't hurt humans then why is he hurt?" he snapped. "You senshi are nothing but trouble, if you ask me! Running around and destroying buildings, trashing streets and talking about some kind of war. You want a war, I'll give you one!" Taking a step back, he almost nodded to his gang, but stopped as if suddenly aware of the press hovering nearby. Biting off whatever he was about to say, Kunzite tightened his arms around Zach and half-carried him away from the battle, the gang acting like a shield to keep them away from the worse of the crowd. ~We're going to have to go to the hospital first, Zoi, to keep up appearances,~ Kunzite said softly. ~We'll make sure he says what we need him to say, then I'll take you home for my own treatment. How are you doing, love?~

Guardian merely sheathed his blade and glanced at Lukene Knight, "Your powers can always hurt others. Not every human being is identical, some have black souls or some react to things differently. We can ever guarantee how someone will react to even our protective powers therefore all we can do is act, and if they do harm act again." His head never turned towards the press, but in the shadow of his hood his eyes focused on them, "Remember that you are both Senshi, act as Senshi. Protect all and destroy evil." With that he simply turned and left, taking to the roof tops and thinking, *Something about that whole situation stunk of set-up.*

Lukene watched Guardian jump away. *Prick...* She thought and looked down at Zach who was looking a little friendly with no-neck. "Hey, uh, Zach." She made her way through the crowd and stood infront of Zach. "Hey, I'm sorry the light thing hurt you and all. I honestly didn't know it would. And look on the bright side, at least you won't be eaten by that big nasty monster thing."

"COWARD!" Peacekeeper shouted after Guardian. "Leave us to fight a gang, I don't think so." she muttered and looked over at Lukene Knight. "We better go and wait for another day to fight. We aren't at war with the humans, we're at war with forces beyond their imagination." she said and took off down an alley way. She turned to make sure that Lukene was following and that the gang decided to back off.

The gang moved in closer to Kunzite, who gave Lukene a nasty look. "We don't need anything from you," Kunzite growled low, his arms closing protectively around Zoisite.

Lukene shrugged. "That's great, cause I'm not offering you anything. I'm just saying I'm sorry. Believe it or not, I don't care." She turned to walk away, but members of the gang were blocking her way. "Excuse me."

"Say please." One of the other no-necks replied.

"You've got to be kidding." She scoffed. A cruel grin spread over the mans face. Lukene looked over at the long staff and blade in her hand. "Did you know that with this I can sufficiently make sure that you're horrid gene pool will NEVER be spread around?" The threat went unnoticed or wasn't understood, but one of the smarter guys in the back pulled him out of the way. "Thank you." She moved through the crowd and followed Peace Keeper.

"What a mess," Kunzite muttered to himself and shifted Zoisite in his arms, trying hard not to touch any of his hurts. "Do you need anything Zach? I think I know where your pills are.."

~You two look like a scene out of Romeo and Juilet,~ Nephrite sent with a smirk. Sitting in front of the divination mirror, he had an excellent view of the two surrounded by thugs and being followed by some reporters. ~Alas dear Juilet, you are dead. Maybe I should give you two costumes to finish the effect.~ He began laughing at the image in his mind and choked on some popcorn.

~Why don't you die and leave us alone,~ Kunzite grumbled back.

Coughing to clear his throat, Nephrite wheezed in reply, ~But that won't be any fun!~

Back to Part One