[Episode 101550] [Episode 101550]Minako crashed through the underbrush, desperately trying to esacpe the creature behind her. Taking a lang vault over a downed trunk, she felt the silence fall upon the park like a blanket. Taking a quick, worried, glance behind her, her heart pounding from the run broke into her attention. Slamming into a tree trunk, she slumped down bonelessly. Her lungs punping like billows, trying to catch her breath. Her eyelids fell shut, trying to block out the image of the beating the two Outers took.
Hotaru looked questioningly at Usagi, 'I've never seen someone that scared before.' Usagi fell limply to the ground and curled into a ball, whimpering. Hotaru's hand clasped onto Usagi's shoulder, attempting to calm the insensate girl. Several moments passed and Usagi slowly stopped shaking. The frantic conversation behind her drew her attention away.
Makoto head shook violently for a moment in a vain attempt to chase the images of a moment ago away. Eyes focused slowly before snapping to Usagi for a moment, then turned to the still motionless Rei.
Feeling a hand slap on her shoulder, Rei let out a thunderous scream and spun around, a Fire Soul already flying. A startled yelp and the crack of flesh on flesh caught her attention and she focused on her attacker. Only to see a wide-eyed Matoko crouched with a textbook perfect forearm block looking back at her.
The both silently stared at each other for a moment before Jupiter blinked and started yelling. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR MARS?!" Rei could see little arcs of electricity start running up Makoto's hand and knew she had to calm Mokoto down, fast. "Um... sorry?" The fire in Mokoto's eyes didn't fade in the slightest.
Rei's own anger started to build, but was cut off by Ami thrusting the Mercury Computer in-between them. "Venus ran that way." she gestured towards the park. "We need to get to her before... whatever that thing is catches her, you saw what it did to Uranus and Neptune, so stop fighting with each other and move!"
Hotaru's eyes narrowed dangerously when she heard the one with the blue hair insulted Ranma. The thought of just letting them run off by themselves teased her mind for a moment before she squashed it, they were on the side of justice supposedly. Although the two Ranma attacked sure didn't seem that way to her. Fighting down the small flame of anger, took a step towards the speaking trio. "Listen people, you really sh..." The trio just ignored her and bounded off into the park. Sending a glare that could blister metal at the three scouts, she screamed in frustration. "Damn it, is anyone going to let me FINISH A GOD DAMN SENTANCE TODAY!?" Amazingly, she felt a lot better. Taking a quick glance back at the blond, she muttered a second before tossing her hands out with a cry of "RAYWING!" She gently floated into the air for a split second before quickly flying off in pursuit. A dark form landed next to the fallen princess, and gathered her into its arms before bounding off.
Minako sucked a few more lungfulls of air before finally getting her breath back under control. As soon as she was finished with that, she slowly leaned around the side of the tree trunk, praying to whatever gods were out there that she had lost the creature somewhere in the park. Straining every sense into the darkness, she finally slumped to the ground. Moments later, she heard the sound of footsteps pounding through the park towards her. An almost manic grin split her pale face her friends were coming, she would be safe again. The footsteps came closer as a small chuckle escaped Minako's lips. 'Take THAT fate! Sailor V scrapes by again!' Minako had to restrain herself from shouting out to them.
Rei and Makoto rushed towards where Ami had said Minako had run off to, leaving the Senshi of Mercury a few seconds behind them. Blasting past a bush, a wave of relief washed over them when they saw Minako slumped back against a tree, grinning wildly. Behind them, Ami walked slowly into the clearing, typing furiously at her laptop.
Makoto took a step towards Minako, whether to give her a hug, glad that she was alive. Or a right hook to the face, to show her how angry she was for scaring her. A hand on her arm prevented her from taking another step. She turned and cocked an eyebrow in question at Ami.
Ami frowned and spoke in barely a whisper. "I think it's still here. I can't get a full scan on it, something is blocking my sensors, but my motion tracker is picking up on something." Barely audible thumps were heard from the computer in a rhythm.
Makoto steadied her breathing as she tried to focus on that small 'feeling' that had started a few weeks ago and had saved her head a few times since then. Her eyes swept the edges of the clearing, stretching out her mind to try to feel it, or anything. The only thing she was sure of was that something was... off about this, something that raised to hair on the back of her neck. A hint of motion caught her attention and she turned back to Minako.
Minako felt the mood plunge back down when Ami entered the clearing and started talking quietly. Slowly rising to her feet, Minako swept the area, looking for anything out of place. So intent on her search, she only dimly registered something smacking on her shoulder. Idly reaching to rub the area, her focus spiked when her hand hit something sticky. She pulled her hand to her face and took a quick look at it. Rolling it in her fingers, the odorless... slime pulled and tugged at her fingers. 'I've seen this before, but where? A brief instant later, another glob of the slime hit her arm. Frowning, she tilted her head back to look up.
And stared into the abyss. And the abyss stared back into her.
Makoto's head whipped around towards the startled gasp. Her hand already held a Sparkling Wide Pressure ready to be released. Time seemed to slow down for Makoto and she could only watch in horror as a bony tail wrapping around Minako's neck cut off her 'Crescent Beam' and yanked her thrashing body up into the trees, leaving a jagged bloody smear along the trunk. Makoto stood still for a moment, not knowing how to react, did her friend just die in front of her? A red haze fell over her vision and she thrust her hands towards the trees.
"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE! A lightening bolt crashed into the tree, sap instantly flashing to steam and shattering the bark in small explosions.
"JUPITER THUNDER DRAGON!" Another lightening bolt, this time with a vague impression of a head hit the trunk dead on, scorching the wood in its path even as the trunk disintegrated.
Several seconds passed before a wet ripping sound split the silence, followed by a soul-rending scream of an animal in the jaws of it's killer.
Both Makoto and Rei lost whatever restraint they had when they heard the scream. It just seemed to slither past their rational mind and curl up in their fears. Both knew that Minako had made that sound, and they were going to put an end to the creature that had hurt their friend.
The next instant the clearing was filled with dozens of streaks of lightening, burning arrows, and blasts of ice. The very air seemed to boil with the energy being poured through it. Trees froze, then exploded as searing bolts of power slammed into them. The clearing rapidly grew as the random destruction slew all life around it.
The orgy of destruction continued, a roar of thunder crawled through the park. A quiet, yet powerful whisper cut through the sound, clearly audible, even though the explosions in the clearing.
"..dead scream.." A flash of light to their right and a loud thump preceded a smoking flying through the air toward them.
Rei had almost let another Fire Soul off before the body had hit the ground and wasn't moving. A cry of surprise forced them to snap their attention above them.
Right to a girl floating in the air.
Hotaru frowned, she knew Ranma was dangerous when he was like that, but they didn't need to burn him. Her eyes narrowed and she lightly dropped to the ground. Taking long, sure steps, she strode over to Ranma. Kneeling down and seeing the blood pouring out of him, she grabbed a rock and flipped his charred body over and winced. She had seen him hurt before, pretty badly even. But this was the worst she had ever seen. Both his legs looked like someone had taken a steel bar and beaten them, shards of bone sticking through his shins and an almost foot long gash on his right thigh was still oozing blood. 'At least whatever did this knocked his transformation away.' His chest looked little better, two white shards protruded from the right side of his chest and left side looked almost... dented. Both of his arms were obviously broken and his right arm was turned around backwards. And worse, in Hotaru's mind at least, his jaw had been smashed in. Taking a closer look, it was like someone had caved that side of his face in. A flicker of rage briefly washed over her face. Turning a baleful stare back to the trio, she slowly ground out, "Did you do this to him?" The pale faces on the tall on and the one in red as well as the blue one vomiting answered for them. A mana-flare erupted beside her and she spun to see an older green-haired women carrying a ridiculous-looking staff frowning at her and Ranma.
Silence covered the area for a moment before the woman spoke. "I did it child. I can allow no interference in my mission, and his existence threatens that mission."
Hotaru's eyes narrowed and a frown formed on her face. "And I care... how?" A flicker of anger crossed Pluto's face and she took a step forward, bringing the Garnet Rod to bear. Saturn slowly stood, menace etched into every movement. A quick flick of her wrist and the Silence Glaive flashed into existence in her hands.
Hotaru's gaze locked with the older woman’s, a battle of wills between near-infinite patience and a bitter cold rage. The battle stretched on for what seemed like hours. The other scouts unable to move, knowing if they did they would release something that should stay hidden.
Finally, Pluto's mouth opened. "Move aside Saturn. Even though you aren't supposed to be awakened yet, you can still follow us to the future. There is no need to protect this...thing any longer." The disgust dripped from her voice and she spat on the ground as if merely talking about him left a revolting taste in her mouth.
Hotaru's lips pealed back from her teeth as she silently snarled. "No one will kill my friend. You least of all." Hotaru could see the rage practically explode out of the woman's red eyes.
Pluto immediately attacked. "..dead scream.." A ball of energy streaked across the clearing toward Hotaru and Ranma.
Hotaru cursed under her breath and let out a quiet mutter before yelling, "FIREBALL!" A rolling ball of flame burst from her hands and smashed into Pluto's dead scream. The two powers viciously tore at each other for an instant before both winked out. Hotaru spun the Silence Glaive around in a textbook perfect pattern before settling into a ready stance.
Pluto sneered before pulling the Garnet Rod through an incredibly intricate set of maneuvers before coming to rest pointing at Hotaru. "I have millennia of experience child, you're centuries too young to beat me."
Hotaru's eyes narrowed and she dashed forward, the Glaive already spinning through an attack. Setsuna met the charge and the next few moments were filled with the screech of metal slamming into metal as both of the senshi attacked, blocked, and counterattacked at near-impossible speeds. Finally, Hotaru extended the Glaive an inch too far and the Garnet Rod came smashing through her weakened defense, slamming into Hotaru's stomach with a thunderous 'thump' and sending her across the air, blood spraying from her mouth and nose. Her body slammed into a charred tree before flopping down to the ground.
Pluto face had a look of smug satisfaction as she looked at her fallen opponent. A short sniff and she walked over to Ranma's still unmoving body. A wild look of exaltation appeared on her face as she raised the Garnet Rod, ready to swing it down and smash the obstacle to her plans. Coughing from behind her caused her glance behind her.
Hotaru had jammed the blade of the Glaive into the ground and used it to lever herself to her feet. A white glove smeared blood across her face and a small frothy trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth. She spoke in an unsteady voice. "You haven't beaten me yet, I won't let you kill him."
Setsuna's face froze into an emotionless mask. "You can't possibly stop me child, I refuse to let some half-breed ruin all I've been working for. You won't stop me, and if you continue to try, I'll kill you and anyone else that I have to."
Neither spoke for a moment. A wet cough ripped itself from Hotaru before her eyes drained of life. An eerie, almost ethereal voice spoke in unison with Hotaru. "So be it Guardian of Time." Hotaru spun the Glaive once before slamming it blade-first into the ground. A dull thump spread through the park, almost as if the world was a gong that had just been struck. The double voice continued. "Your choice is made and the consequences known, my Glaive is brought down upon this world." A small purple more rose from Hotaru into the sky, exploding soundlessly into a web of energy that slowly oozed across the sky.
Pluto's face paled for a moment before she spoke in a firm voice. "You wouldn't dare."
Hotaru's empty eyes rolled to lock her in her gaze. Her hands tightened around her glaive and whispered quietly into the wind.
"DEATH.."
And the ground shook underneath their feet like a bell struck.
Pluto face went white and her voice was shaky. "You can't, you won't! You have to be bluffing. He has to die for the future!" The last bit coming out near a screech. Hotaru's face was still as stone, but her mouth once again opened.
"REBORN.."
Silence descended upon them, their breaths frozen in their chests as a wave of blackness started pouring from where the Glaive had pierced the ground. A great rumbling could be felt, but the air was silent as death.
Pluto screamed. "NO!! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!" Seeing no reaction on Hotaru's face, she let out a wordless scream and vanished into the air.
Hotaru blinked once before yanking the Glaive back out of the ground. The waves of blackness dissipated like mist under the sun and the spark of energy winked out above them.
No one dared move, the people on the streets, the birds in the air, or the dogs in the trash. For all knew that this day, Death had come, and passed them by.
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(Posted Mon, 10 May 2004 06:08)
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