Hito wrinkled his nose. A jewelry store. What business did he have here? The lady had told him to keep his eyes open and make sure no senshi were killed. That didn't tell him much at all, except that she had a very overrated opinion of his abilities. Who was he to save a team of super heroes? He wandered around, trying to look like he knew what he was looking for so a salesperson wouldn't come and offer to help him. The people here made him uncomfortable for some reason. Suddenly the door at the front of the shop opened, and Hito gaped in surprise. A woman who looked like the black lady walked in! Hito stepped quickly behind the cardboard display and peered around it at her. She looked different, somehow, and now that he looked at her more closely...she didn't resemble the black lady at all! What had made him think... She smiled a little forbearingly at five girls that trooped in behind her. One of them, a girl with a long brown ponytail, was actually taller than him, though the rest were shorter. He was about to come out from his hiding place when a girl dressed all in blue raised a strange little object that looked like an electronic notebook and nodded to the other girls. She reminded him of someone familiar as well--someone he'd seen before somewhere. . . Everyone's face suddenly became very serious, and the older woman looked around with narrowed eyes, then strode over toward his hiding place! He shrank back. Now what was going on? Suddenly he saw all the girls raise their hands, and begin to shout.
"Moon Crystal Power! Make UP!"
"Jupiter Power! Make UP!"
"Venus Power! Make UP!"
"Mars Power! Make UP!"
"Mercury Power! Make UP!"
Hito's mouth dropped open, especially when he saw that Sailor Mercury was the girl in blue. She had changed! Again! The woman slipped behind the cardboard piece too, on the other side of its thick triangular back support, but she was so focused on the five senshi that she didn't even notice him in the shadows. "I will not forgive you for using a girl's love of jewelry against her! I am Sailor Moon, and in the name of the moon, I will punish you!" Hito was amazed. Here were five of the Sailor Senshi...he looked at the woman who still stared intently around the store. Could she really be...? But if she were the black lady, she'd know he was here...maybe...maybe she was the other one, the one that had been with that other Mercury...
"So, I see you've found another of my little projects, Sailor Senshi!"
Hito jerked his head to the right as he recognized that voice. He watched the woman too--she still hadn't looked over at him. Should he try to join her? Would she return him to his parents?
"We're here to stop you, whoever you are!" Sailor Moon's face was flushed with anger. Suddenly Hito watched Mercury push herself forward.
"You won't escape from us a second time!"
Jedite seemed remarkably relaxed as he looked at the five girls. "Why should I try to escape? You children are harmless. I think that I'll just squash you like bugs instead!" He turned around to face the sales clerk standing calmly behind the display cases. "Attack them!" The clerk morphed into a horrible creature with cracked skin and skeletal features, then jumped over the cases, launching itself at Sailor Mercury.
"Moon Tiara--"
"NO!" Jupiter grabbed Sailor Moon's arm before she could throw her glowing tiara. "Don't do that!"
"What are you doing?!? I have to stop that thing!"
"It's too close to Mercury! You could hurt her."
"But-"
"I could use a little help here!" Mercury shrieked, as she desperately held back the creature's wicked talons. Jupiter let go of Sailor Moon's arm and ran at the creature with a bellow. She rammed into it, knocking it away from Mercury and onto the floor. Jupiter and the creature tumbled along the floor for a second, tearing and punching and kicking at each other. Suddenly Jupiter rolled a few feet away from it and began to struggle to her feet, ignoring her wounds.
"Okay, somebody, hit it now!"
"Moon Tiara Action!" Sailor Moon's tiara flew wide and only cut into its left arm before flying back to her. She caught it and got ready to throw it again.
"Shabon Spray!" A thick mist filled the room. Hito peered into it, trying to see what was going on. Why had Mercury done this? All it did was make it harder for them to fight!
Evidently the woman behind the cardboard ad with him felt the same. "What is she doing now?" he heard her mutter angrily. "We can't let them keep getting away with this! At this rate we'll get killed!" Hito shook his head. He couldn't let that happen! The black lady had said so! None of the senshi could die.
"Mercury! What'd you do that for? How are we supposed to stop this thing now?" Sailor Moon sounded even angrier than the older woman had been.
Jedite's laughter echoed at them through the fog. "And here I was concerned you might put up a decent fight, Sailor children! Instead you seem determined to defeat yourselves!" A high pitched cry rang out, followed by a dull thud. Hito heard heavy footsteps and caught a glimpse of a dark figure walking by. Behind him a shape in red lay crumpled on the floor. Both he and the woman shrank against the cardboard. Hito leaned against it too hard, and it almost tipped forward. Both of them caught it at the same time, and their eyes met. Hito watched with trepidation as recognition washed across her face.
"YOU!" she hissed, snaking out a hand with lightning quick speed to catch his arm.
"I thought the mist could stop it from seeing our attacks!" Mercury's indignant voice responded to Sailor Moon's complaint.
"Yeah, well you obviously thought wrong!" Jupiter's voice faded in and out, as if she were constantly turning to keep track of any approaching dangers.
"Anoo...minna?" A hesitant voice floated timidly out of the mist.
"What is it, Venus?"
"Can anyone see Mars? She was right here. . ."
"Ah, I think I can help you there!" Jedite sounded all too pleased with himself.
"Oh, no you don't!" Sailor Moon's angry voice called. "Get back! Moon Tiara Acti-" Her voice fell silent suddenly.
"Sailor Moon?"
"Sailor Moon!"
"Stupid bitch got herself caught."
"Shut up, Mercury! Venus? Follow my voice! We'll have stick together to beat these guys!"
"I-I'm coming, Jupiter. . ."
Hito looked over at the woman. "Aren't you going to help them?" She glared angrily at him, then her eyebrows drew together with worry as she peeked around the edge of the cardboard.
"Jupiter's still all right--she's calm and rational--"
"B-but Jedite's already got two of them! What if he--if he--"
She spun on him. "So you know his name. You are helping Beryl. Damn."
Hito tried to free his arm. "I don't want to! She's making me! And I'm not helping them! I'm supposed to make sure he doesn't kill you!"
"Me?!?"
Hito nodded. "All of you! She said not to let any of the senshi die!"
"So this woman you're working for--she knows about me? Did she tell Beryl?"
Hito shrugged, ceasing his struggle to fight out of her grip. He had a plan he'd read about in a book somewhere. "I know she knows about you. I don't know if she told Beryl. They don't seem to get along too well. She won't tell Beryl much, from what I can see."
The woman turned away, muttering to herself while she still kept a tight hold on his arm. He relaxed as much as he could in such a strained situation.
"There you go, Venus, just hold on to my arm." Jupiter's voice was still relatively calm, and it sounded like she was trying to soothe a very nervous Sailor Venus. "Mercury!" Her voice cracked like a whip. "Get down!"
"Why should-"
"SUPREME THUNDER!"
Lightning tore through the store, illuminating the fog enough for Hito to see the shadows of figures through the thinning fog. One shadow was large--that had to be Jupiter and Venus. Another was short, and behind that lone figure stood a misshapen shadow that couldn't belong to anything human. . .
Hito bit his lip and tore his hand from the lady's grip. It worked! He'd been so relaxed she'd unconsciously loosened her hold, and the sudden tug had freed him. He bowled the cardboard figure over and threw himself at the shadow he knew was Mercury. As he slammed into her he heard a surprised grunt and an indignant "What the hell!" They hit the floor and rolled a bit, then Hito struggled to his knees as the monster that'd been behind Mercury stumbled. Mercury was staring up at him with a strange mixture of anger and gratitude on her face, and she opened her mouth to say something, but Hito didn't give her a chance. He held out his hand to her.
"C'mon, I can't do anything to stop that thing! We have to get out of here!"
She slapped his hand away. "I can't just run! I'm a senshi! I'm supposed to fight these things!"
"You can't!" he exploded. "You can't fight it! You've already screwed things up!" He waved his hand at the fog. "C'mon, we have to get to Jupiter! Or the good black lady! Someone who can protect us!" He didn't think he liked this new version of Mercury too much.
"I-"
He growled angrily under his breath as he saw the monster begin to rise and grabbed her arm, pulling her back toward his old hiding spot. "Come on!"
As they ran back toward the cardboard advertisement Hito noticed that the fog had begun to clear. It whirled in fading wisps around the floor. He looked over his shoulder and saw a new figure standing in the doorway of the jewelry shop, and it looked like he had turned on a large fan.
"Jewels shine true under a bright light, but the flaws in your spirit show just as strong!" Hito shook his head as the man's cape flapped in the fan's wind. Who was this guy?!? He saw Venus stare over at him with hope shining out of her eyes.
"Tuxedo Kamen-sama!"
*****
Setsuna winced. His speeches were still horrible--the only fault she could ever find in him. That and that horrible green jacket. Why hadn't Usagi ever burned the terrible thing?
Shaking her head to free it of distractions, she scanned the clearing room. Only a few feet from her lay Mars. Jedite and the monster were both watching Tuxedo Kamen--maybe he made the speeches pompous and obscure on purpose--goodness knew they were as distracting. She crawled to Mars' side and sighed in relief. She'd have a huge bruise on the back of her head, but other than that she was going to be fine. She looked to her side and saw Sailor Moon on the ground--but she was breathing as well. Things weren't lost yet.
Jupiter's eyes lit up with a military glee as she realized she was able to see again. Venus clung to her like a barnacle, but Jupiter ignored her as she got ready to call down more lightning. That boy was pulling Mercury toward her, glancing over his shoulder every few steps to steal a look at Tuxedo Kamen. Setsuna grimaced. What was she supposed to do with Mercury? She wanted to keep herself anonymous, and the boy wasn't helping matters any. Oh well, at least she'd found the boy again. If she could just get him to tell her more. . .come to think of it, this Usagi might even stand for some...tougher...forms of persuasion in an attempt to get the information they needed. Now there was an interesting thought...
"Supreme-"
"Eek!"
The creature opened it's mouth and a huge spray of something sprayed out in Jupiter and Venus's direction. They leapt out of the way and crashed to the ground. The spray burned through the floor they'd been standing on like acid. The creature turned to them with a satisfied smile on its face. Jupiter tried to fight her way to her feet but Venus was a huddling and shaking mass on top of her, weighing her down too much for her to rise. The monster opened its mouth again. . .
And screamed. A red rose was embedded in its arm. Tuxedo Kamen ran for the two girls, yanking Venus to her feet. Jupiter got to her knees and the antenna in her tiara began to rise again. "Supreme--"
"Youma!" Jedite called out, "Unleash your minions on them!"
"What the--" Jupiter looked behind her in surprise as a hand clapped around her ankle. An older woman looked up at her with frighteningly blank eyes, then grabbed her other ankle with a low growl.
"No! Stop! What's going on!" Venus's voice turned high and plaintive as she struggled in the grip of two teenage girls. Tuxedo Kamen held off the women who were after him, but with twenty people under the youma's control, Setsuna knew he couldn't hold them all off himself. She got to her feet and pulled out her henshin rod. . .
*****
Mercury pulled her arm free from Hito's grip with an angry growl. "They need my help!"
Hito kicked a steadily advancing matron back. "And what can you do? Can you fight? Your fog isn't going to do much good!"
"Well," she turned her back to him to grab the arms of a younger girl reaching out toward him, "I've gotten in my share of trouble before...I can fight well enough."
Hito wished all these brain-washed women would leave him alone--he had a hard time with fighting them...and they were stronger than normal. "Tell me, how do you always get into such trouble?" There were three of them in front of him. He didn't think he could stop all of them this time. Where was the black lady? Either black lady?
"What do you mean 'always'? I've never seen you before in my life."
"Yeah, yeah, I know...why are they doing that?!?"
"What?"
Two of the women facing him suddenly turned away. Hito pushed the other one back as hard as he could and looked in the direction the others walked off in. "Where are they going?"
Mercury gasped. "Kami-sama! Can they fight!"
Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen fought desperately, holding the advancing zombie-women off of Venus. Venus stood in the middle, shaking uncontrollably with fear and indecision. Hito heard a muffled grunt and a thud behind him and turned quickly, to come face to face with the other black lady kicking a blank-faced zombie aside. She put a strange stick in a pocket with one hand, muttering something about all not being lost quite yet, while she snaked out her other hand to grab Hito's arm. "Mercury!"
Mercury whirled. "Wha--oh. It's you. What?"
"Do your job, Mercury! You're supposed to be our source of information. So gather some intelligence already! Find out a way for us to defeat these guys!"
A sheepish look washed across Mercury's face and she pulled out a small little computer and began typing. After a couple seconds she reached up toward her earring and a transparent blue visor covered her face. Hito watched in fascination as red figures and graphs flowed across its smooth surface--then the lady pulled him around to face her.
"Who are you?"
He struggled fruitlessly for a second, then stopped with a sigh. "My name is Futsuno Hito. I-I was kidnapped by...the black lady."
"Black Lady?!?!? But Chibi-Usa wouldn't...she was saved from that! How could she come back...?" The woman looked at him through narrow eyes. "Does she have long hair in a style similar to Sailor Moon's?"
Hito shook his head, thinking furiously. Should he tell her? Would she believe it? "Actually no, she looks more like...uh...well, more like you."
"'More like me' how?"
Hito opened his mouth to answer, but something suddenly grabbed his ankle and pulled. "Wha--?" He fell down, pulling the lady down with him. Suddenly three brainwashed women held them down. Hito fought desperately, but he could tell it was already hopeless. "Mercury! Hurry!"
He looked up at her and saw she was fighting off a couple of people herself. "You've got find their weakness!"
Mercury spared time to glance down at both of them, and lost her concentration. One large woman grabbed her in a bear hug. Mercury gasped as her breath got knocked out of her, but she dragged in more air. "MINNA! Attack the youma! When it goes down, so do the people!!!!"
Venus turned frightened eyes on Mercury--Hito could tell that she'd heard, but was too frozen with fear to act on it. The man in black--Tuxedo Kamen--and Sailor Jupiter were fighting too desperately to have heard. A few of the people that had been fighting Mercury and Hito left to take on Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen now that they were subdued. Hito could tell they'd overwhelm the two soon...their movements were slowing--they were getting tired--while the women didn't seem to lose any strength at all. Hito watched in horror as Jupiter stumbled. Three women piled on her at once and the rest threw themselves at Tuxedo Kamen. Venus stumbled back in horror. Hito felt anger rise up to choke him. Why didn't she do anything?!?
"Venus!" the lady bellowed angrily. Obviously she felt the same way. "Venus! NOW!" The blonde girl turned wide blue eyes toward the struggling trio on the ground, then on a soon to be overwhelmed Tuxedo Kamen. "Kami-sama," the lady said softly, with a catch in her voice, "what's happened to these girls? Is this how we're going to--" A deep voiced cry sounded out as Tuxedo Kamen was finally overwhelmed and Hito watched a look of unbelievable pain cross the lady's face as she closed her eyes. "Mamoru-san..."
He closed his eyes with a gulp and saw Mercury open her mouth to bellow. "Damn it! VENUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
*****