(Steve Stachowicz)
gerrek@hotmail.com
(Matthew Frey)
MAFREY@charter.net
Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/tokyo/shores/2307
Swords of Destiny
By
Eric Thorsen and Stacko
LEGAL STUFF:
** The characters and concepts used here are the property of those people
and companies holding the copyrights to the respective storylines, series,
and movies. The only exceptions are those created by the demented minds of
authors of this story. The use of this material should be seen as the sign
of respect that it is. Besides, suing either of us would be a waste of time
since we don't have any money to begin with.
****************************************
Chapter Two - Misunderstanding part II
****************************************
"Today in the Rapungi district, yet another in the Oni murders has
occurred," The morning news commentator announced as a news bulletin
interupted the normal TV schedule. "As little is known of this crime as all
similar cases and there is no mark on the body. The victim, a senior American
Naval NCO was slain in grizzly fashion while on liberty from his post at
Yokosuka Naval Station. His decapitated body was found a few feet from his
car, while his head was found several meters away, in the parking structure of
his hotel. The US ambassador has refused comment on this, the latest of these
bizarre slayings. The Police have no leads and are baffled by the seeming
randomness of the killings. The Tokyo Police are asking that anyone who may
have information regarding these killings contact the police in their area.
This station will keep its viewers apprised of any further developments in
this breaking news story. We now return you to your regularly scheduled
programming."
"EWWWWW, Gross!!!!" Chibi-Usa gagged slightly as the images of the blood
splattered garage and sheet covered body flashed across the screen before
being replaced by the anime she had just started watching returned to the
screen further along than when the news bulletin started.
"Chibi-Usa-Chan how many times do I have to remind you that we have to get
this project finished soon?" Hotaru muttered."Honestly, you're acting more and
more like Usagi every day."
"I do not, you take that back Hotaru!!" Chibi-Usa yelled as she walked back
over to the computer desk where Hotaru was sitting. Grumbling she sat down and
picked up the intricately detailed scabbard lying on the table.
"Well, what do we have on the scabbard, Hotaru?" she murmured as she looked
at the cover page that Hotaru had just set up on the computer.
"What we have is a scabbard that belonged to one of Totoyama Hideyoshi's
Generals over 400 years ago, and was given to his youngest son before the
battle of Sekigahara in which the general died." Hotaru read, "It was passed
down in the son's family for seven generations until the last heir of that
line died leaving it to his most faithful student and friend. It had been
passed down until 1912 when the last of that line had willed it to the
great-grandfather of the shopkeeper's friend."
"So what we have here is a really old sword thingy that people have been
giving to their kids because they didn't want it anymore?" Chibi-Usa asked, a
little confused.
Hotaru sweated a little at that, "More or less, but don't forget that
Schwartzster-san said we would be getting more information from his friend
this afternoon around three."
Chibi-Usa glanced at her watch and eeped in alarm "Hotaru we have to
hurry, it's 2:35 already!"
At this pronouncement, Hotaru shrieked, grabbed her notebook and dashed
out of the apartment. "We are so LATE!!" she yelled as she shut the door.
Chibi-Usa gathered her school bag, and the scabbard, then giggled when
she saw Botaru's key chain lying on the end table in the living room. Grabbing
the keys, she locked the door and then ran after her friend. When she caught
up with Hotaru she shook the keys in her friends face laughing at the blush on
her cheeks.
"Now who's acting like Usagi, ehh Hotaru?" Chibi-Usa giggled as her
friend grabbed her keys, blushing hotter.
**************************************
Scott was sweeping the front walk of his shop wondering where Kevin was.
Glancing at his watch, he realized that his friend should have been there half
an hour ago. Taking the broom to the closet, he was on his way back to the
office to check his answering machine, when he felt that familiar jangling of
his nerves that announced the presence of another of his kind.
He was returning to the front of the shop when he noticed that the shadow
in the doorway was too short to be his friend. Stifling the comment on
punctuality he had been about to make, he altered his course to bring him
close to the racks of swords in the middle of the room, and forced a smile.
"Can I help you sir?" he asked politely wondering why the man was just
standing in the doorway.
The man chuckled maniacally, as if Scott had just said the funniest thing
he had ever heard."Help me?" the man laughed."Like you helped Amanda perhaps?
What did she ever do to you to make you kill her in that way? She hadn't even
taken a head in two hundred years!" Having said this the man drew a rapier
from his dark green overcoat.
Scott drew his Katana from it's scabbard on the nearest rack just in time
to parry the cut aimed at his throat, then did a backward dive roll to get
some distance between them. The man kept coming, driving Scott back into the
rear storeroom and when Scott found himself backed into the door the man hit
him with a snap kick, knocking him through the door. Shaking his head clear
the fog from it, Scott merely defended himself for a few more minutes to get
his bearings back. Finally, heartily tired of the mans constant ravings, he
dodged further out the man's way to get some breathing room.
"I don't know what you think I've done, nor do I really care." he shouted
back at the man a trifle breathlessly. "What I can tell you is that I have
never heard of you, whoever the hell you are,or this Amanda you keep raving on
about. If you plan to kill me, don't you think you should at least tell me
who you are and why you want me dead?"
"Very well then demon, I shall tell you of your crimes." the man ground
out."Know this, I am called Austin Derrindelle, and two nights ago I came to
my home to find my wife, Amanda, lying in her own blood, with a sigil burned
into her forehead. By her hand I found your name written in her own blood. She
had not even been killed cleanly. You slowly crippled and brutalized her until
until she couldn't bear anymore. Then you killed her. For this evil deed shall
you die, to avenge my love's pain and suffering."
Scott grew even more bewildered as Derrindelle continued with his story
until as he finished Scott could only stare at him in disbelief.
"You mean to tell me that you intend to kill me because your wife died,
all be it rather gruesomely, and my name was written in her blood?" Scott said
perplexed. "Has it ever occurred to you that it might have been someone trying
to set me up by writing my name there?" he demanded angrily.
Upon hearing this denial Derrindelle roared like a wounded lion and
charged Scott driving him further down the alley.
***************************************
Hotaru and Chibi-Usa were walking now, Chibi-Usa holding an ice-cream
cone with two scoops of blue colored ice cream on it. Hotaru was muttering
darkly about being late and ice cream until finally she couldn't stand
watching Chibi-Usa eat peacefully any longer.
"I told you to hurry up or we would be late," Hotaru said disgustedly.
But did you listen? No! You had to spend twenty minutes in an ICE CREAM SHOP.
Honestly Chibi-Usa-chan you really are becoming more and more like Usagi
these days."
"You take that back Hotaru, you were the one who wanted to get something
cool after running half a mile." Chibi-Usa growled back. "Besides Usagi
doesn't even like bubble gum ice cream, she says it tastes wrong." she added
needlessly.
Chibi-Usa finished her ice cream and then ran to catch up with Hotaru
who had run ahead after making her comment. As they turned the corner the shop
came into view.
**************************************
Scott had been driven three blocks from his shop before he could return
to the offensive.He finally got tired of simply blocking Derrindelle's strikes
and drove the man back for about fifty feet.It wasn't long before he knocked
Derrindelle's sword from his hand and stopped again.
"For the last time Mr. Derrindelle, until you showed up, I had never heard
of your wife. I hadn't even heard of you before you came here, nor have I
taken anyone's head in the last two hundred years." Scott growled out
impatiently. "What do you say we stop this idiocy, and I'll help you look for
the man who did this."He gasped a little winded from the nearly 45 minutes of
fighting they had been doing.
Austin just stood looking confused and muttering to himself. Seeing
that he wasn't going to attack soon Scott lowered his sword even more. Then
moving a little away from the still muttering maniac he propped himself
against the wall with on hand on his knee. As he leaned back, the front of his
shirt, which had been cut by a near miss, fell open and the medallion he had
worn for the last 2000 years fell out and the sigil on it glimmered in the
sunlight.
The only warning that Scott received was the hoarseness of Derrindelle's
breathing before the mad man's sword came whistling through the space formally
occupied by Scott's neck.
"You almost convinced me of your innocence friend but that medallion bears
the sigil I found burned into my love's forehead when I found her. For this
too you shall die then DEMON!"
Blocking the mad man's sword yet again, Scott staggered back muttering
about near-sighted idiocy.
**************************************
Hotaru and Chibi-Usa stood in shock at what they had just heard.They had
almost come to the door of the shop when they had heard the shriek of metal
on metal, and someone shouting something about demons. With a horrified look
at each other they ran down the alley following the sounds of fighting. They
were getting very close to the source when Chibi-Usa suddenly slowed looking
a little worried.
"Don't you think we should call the others and wait for backup?" she
whispered to her friend,who had stopped with her."I mean what if we can't
handle this demon oroneofusgetshurtor...?"
"You know Chibi-chan, you are really starting to remind me of Usagi now."
Hotaru interrupted, annoyed by the whiny note in the girl's voice. "You go
ahead and call them then wait for backup,and I'll go stop the Demon." Hotaru
then continued toward the sounds,which had gotten a little further away.
"I...But...Hotaru wait for me!" Chibi-Usa squealed as she ran to catch up
with the other girl. They moved further down the alley until they reached a
small side street and then stopped in horror at what they saw.
**************************************
Scott was getting tired after the last 25 minutes of fighting, and the
other man's hoarse gasps were roaring in his ear as he set his teeth. Then he
drove the man back twenty feet, and changed his target from the man to his
sword. As he drove Derrindelle even further back down the side street he
realized he was about half a mile from his shop, and after repeated strikes
on the man's sword, Schwartzstern heard a tell tale change in the clash of the
swords, then grimly raising his Katana one last time, he cut down, removing
the last nine inches from the end of Derrindelle's blade. At the protesting
shriek of his sword Derrindelle gaped at the blade of his sword in shock.
"For the last time, Derrindelle," Scott shouted to get his opponents
attention, "I have no idea who killed your wife, nor do I truly care any more.
If you don't stop this insanity here and now you will die here."
Derrindelle's only response was a roar, followed by a wild charge.
Blocking the ferocious attack, Scott set his mouth into a grim line.
"There can be only one." he muttered in disgust. Then, parrying
Derrindelle's wild swing, Schwartzstern turned his Katana. Suddenly, to
Derrindelle's horror, the last 26 inches of his swords exploded into fragments,
and Schwartzstern smoothly removed the man's head on the backstroke.
Then the Quickening took him.
**************************************
Hotaru stared, horrified at what she had just seen. When she and
Chibi-Usa had arrived on the scene they had been shocked to silence by the
sight of Mr. Schwartzstern,the young owner of the antique shop they had been
on their way to see, fighting a crazed looking man with a sword. Mr.
Schwartzstern was calmly parrying every attack the apparent lunatic made with
no effort at all.They then noticed a slight shift in the shopkeepers attacks
shortly after they arrived, but they were as surprised as his opponent when he
suddenly removed the last few inches from the poor man's sword. As the man
stared at his smaller sword, the antique dealer had spoken to him angrily as
if trying to change the man's mind about something. However, what he was
saying only seemed to anger the man more, resulting finally in the man
attacking with the shortened remnants of his sword.
Mr. Schwartzstern had parried the man's attack then in a blinding flash of
speed had apparently shattered the other man's sword. Then on his return
stroke the man's head had gone flying a meter away. Chibi-Usa was still over
by a trashcan losing her lunch over that. Then the really strange part had
started. A strange white mist had formed around the dead body and severed
head.
As the haze touched Mr. Schwartzstern,he stiffened and the mist vanished,
as absorbed. Then something like lightning had erupted from his body and the
dead man, and he shook as if he were being electrocuted. Arcs of power were
everywhere, scorching the walls and destroying every street lamp in sight. Mr.
Schwartzstern screamed, then, as quickly as it appeared, the lightning
vanished leaving the antique dealer to fall to his knees looking exhausted.
Hotaru slipped over to where Chibi-Usa was finally getting control of her
stomach again. Chibi-Usa looked up as she approached her and wiped her mouth
with the back of her hand.
"Well, Hotaru I guess it's up to us now,"she muttered smiling sickly at
her friend. "Let's try not to get killed, okay?"
Chibi-Usa and Hotaru transformed and prepared to fight. Then, Sailor
Chibi-Moon stepped into the side street as the man finally struggled to his
feet.
"Hold it right their Nega-creep," Sailor Chibi-Moon yelled. "I am Sailor
Chibi-Moon, and on behalf of the moon, I will right wrongs and triumph over
evil. And the means you." She posed dramatically only hearing the giggles
behind her once her speech was finished.
**************************************
Scott stared in surprise at the two Senshi in front of him, wondering
what was going on. One minute the quickening was receding,the next he was
being confronted by a short, irate little girl with pink hair, dressed in a
Senshi uniform. The second girl was very familiar somehow. The problem was it
seemed that the little one thought he was from the Negaverse. Turning to the
one who had spoken, he glared at the insult.
"I don't know who you are, but I am not in the mood to be insulted by
little girls playing dress up. So if you don't mind, I'll be leaving now."
He growled, walking toward the other end of the street where the opening to
another alley could be seen.
Seeing the man walking away and ignoring them, Sailor Saturn summoned
the Silence Glaive, and started walking toward him. Scott stopped moving when
he saw the second girl apparently summon a rather wicked looking pole arm
from thin air. As he finally recognized who the girl was, she began speaking.
"For betraying the trust of others, and murdering innocents I, Sailor
Saturn, the Senshi of Silence shall punish you." Having said this she swung
the weapon at Scott's head.
Scott was stunned. "Are they all back now? They must be if she's here."
His eyes refocused suddenly as he caught the glint of the sun off metal from
the corner of his eye. Ducking,he rolled away coming to his feet out of the
pole arm's range.
"Watch where you swing that thing, Talia." Scott yelled as he came to his
feet. "You could hurt somebody." He then ran the remaining 20 feet to the
open alleyway and down the alley. "Got to get away, must not hurt those two." he
muttered to himself a he ran down the alley.
Sailor Saturn stared after him blankly for a few seconds. "How...?" she
muttered to herself then swore because he was getting away. "Idiot, that was
the point of the attack, to hurt HIM!" She then started chasing him, with
Chibi-Moon not far behind.
Scott sent his sword into subspace, then made several random turns in an
attempt to lose the two Senshi, but he couldn't seem to shake them from his
trail. That was when his luck ran out again. He rounded a corner looking
behind him and ran through a cloud of steam from a vent, straight into a brick
wall. Literally. He got up and dusted himself off as he heard running steps
come up behind him. He turned to meet the two Senshi as they ran around the
corner. He tried to reason with them again.
"I don't know why you're after me Talia, but I can tell you I'm not from
the Negaverse," he began. "You see I'm..."
"Silence Negaverse scum," Saturn interrupted. "You have killed at least
five innocent people in cold blood for their life energies. This will be
stopped now."
Having said this, Sailor Saturn attempted a number of overhand strikes,
missing repeatedly. In the background she could hear Sailor Chibi-Moon
giggling. Enraged beyond thought she charged at the man, attempting to impale
him with the Silence Glaive.
As the blade neared him, Scott dodged to the side and grabbed the shaft
of the pilearm just under the blade.Using Sailor Saturn's momentum, he lifted
her
off her feet, carrying her through an arc which ended with her landing,
screaming, in a dumpster belonging to the restaurant backing onto this alley.
Feeling an unfamiliar tingling at the back of his neck, Scott dropped and
rolled as a blue-white energy beam hit the wall at the level of his chest.
Turning as the beam dissipated, he saw that it had from the pink haired Senshi
that he didn't recognize. With a disgusted shrug he drew his sword and walked
toward the girl.
Sailor Chibi-Moon shrieked as the man approached her with his sword drawn,
then suddenly stopped as she slumped to the ground, unconscious from the blow on
her head from the sword's pommel. In the distance he heard sirens approaching.
He turned back to the dumpster and yelled to girl he could hear struggling to
get out.
"Talia, if you don't want to spend a very uncomfortable evening answering
questions, I suggest you get your unconscious friend here and get home," he
shouted."Don't worry about the Silence Glaive, I'll take care of it and you can
get it back later at 'The Lost World of Wonders' on Nakamura Street. I'll see
you later there." This said he walked out of the alley and headed back to his
shop.
Hotaru climbed out of the dumpster covered in rotting food a few minutes
later just as Chibi-Usa woke up.As she changed back, the slime settled into her
school uniform. Standing up, Chibi-Usa changed back, then wrinkled her nose as
Hotaru approached.
"Yuck, Hotaru, you smell awful," she said holding her nose. "Why didn't you
wait to change until after you were out of the dumpster."
"I did, smart-alec, it didn't go away with the other stuff," Hotaru
grumbled.
"I think we had better go tell the others what's going on. Besides, we're going
to need a lot of help if we're going to get the Silence Glaive back," she said
mumbling the last part in self-disgust.
"WHAT? You mean he took it with him?" Chibi-Usa shrieked. "But, I thought
no one from the Negaverse could touch the talismans," she said in confusion as
they walked down the side street away from the sound of the sirens now blocks
behind them.
"That's right, Chibi-Usa-chan,no one from the Negaverse can," Hotaru said
as she turned at the gate to the Hikawa shrine. But this wouldn't be the first
time they used humans as tools to collect energy. We MUST get the others, and
stop him before he can get in contact with his masters," she added.
They climbed the steps hurriedly, hoping that Rei was home.
************************************************************************
Scott walked back in to the shop through the shattered back door just as
his answering machine hung up. Grumbling about impossible timing, he hit the
button on the machine for playback.
"Scott, this is Kevin. Sorry about the time, but I'm going to be a bit
late for that meeting we discussed earlier," the voice said. "Thorne is back in town
from wherever he vanished to, so I'm going to try and track him down, see if I
can get some info on Rochefort's whereabouts. If those students we were talking
about get there before I do, entertain them with some story from the last time
I was in Japan. Or you could show them some of the stuff I sent you by courier.
Well talk to you later my friend," then the machine cut off. There was another
call but the caller hung up on the machine.
Grumbling about unreliable friends, Scott glanced up at the clock as he
entered the shop, only now noticing that the two girls were half an hour late
already. With a little concern he went to the front door to see if there were any notes
on the door, but there were none. Shrugging philosophically, he walked back
into the shop and started cleaning.
************************************************************************
Chibi-Usa ran into the courtyard of the Hikawa shrine, and started looking
for Rei, as Hotaru trudged up the stairs behind her holding her school uniform
as far away from herself as she could. When she reached the top, Phobos and
Deimos flew from the tree they were in and went toward the back of the shrine.
Following them, Hotaru called to get Chibi-Usa's attention. As they came around the back
of the shrine, they saw Rei raking leaves. Rei stopped as the two girls came
around the office, then stared at the miserable young girls.
"What happened to you Hotaru," she gasped. "You look like you were dumped
into a trash heap."
Chibi-Usa collapsed into a giggle fit rolling on the ground, as Hotaru
blushed hotly. After a few minutes, Chibi-Usa regained control and glanced
apologetically at her friend.
"That probably because she did Rei," she said.
"Who did that to you, Hotaru," Rei muttered darkly, her expression
promising great pain for the culprit.
Chibi-Usa glanced quickly at her friend then said, "It was the Beheader,
Rei. We actually know who he is. But he's a really good fighter and we got
beat up."
As Rei got ready to yell at them Hotaru spoke up in a small voice. "He
also took the Silence Glaive." She muttered.
Rei stopped with a shocked expression on her face. "What?" she gasped.
"We had better call the others to an emergency meeting."
As Rei went to start calling, Hotaru stopped her.
"Would you please have Michiru-mama bring me some new clothes when she
comes, Rei," she asked pathetically. "I'll be taking a REALLY long shower."
This said she walked into the shrine and went into the bathroom.
Rei shook her head in sympathy, then went to start calling the others.
************************************************************************
After he finished sweeping up the broken glass Scott went into the
storeroom and opened the package that had arrived earlier that day. In it were
the extended history of ownership forms that Kevin had promised and a few
newspaper articles. On top were some articles about something called "The Oni
Murders", the last was simply a very grainy photograph showing what appeared
to be ten figures in rather short skirts, scattering. The writing on the last
said, "another photo for your strangeness collection, Kevin"
Looking closely at the figures Scott muttered to himself, "So they ARE
all back. I wonder if she even remembers me." Placing the clipping on his desk,
he walked up the stairs to the roof, and gazed into the distance as if looking
for an answer.
************************************************************************
A man in a green overcoat, with short brown hair glanced across the
rooftops at the man staring into the distance. His face showed contempt for
the man as well as a twisted humor.
"So the great Scott Schwartzstern I was warned of is merely a dreaming
shopkeeper," Daryl Thorne muttered to himself. "Oh, well if I must attack the
man, at least he might beg for mercy like that woman. And the look on her man's
face when he found her was priceless. Too bad he went so quickly. I wonder
what about that symbol Damian gave me was so damaging to Schwartzstern's image
though. Maybe he'll tell me before I kill him." Chuckling to himself he walked
down the storefronts looking in every so often.
He didn't notice the tall, auburn haired man in a black duster following
him at a discrete distance. Or the dark look the man cast him as he realized
his quarries next target.