Uranus breathed deeply as she vanished into the dark back alley.
Neptune was waiting for her. "The heart crystal?"
Uranus shook her head. "I'm sorry... I couldn't do anything. That blue hedgehog got it."
Neptune frowned. "Aren't cheetahs supposed to be the fastest animals on Earth?"
Uranus growled. "Tell that to this damn hedgehog. He was also able to attack me with some magic. But he clearly was nothing like a Senshi. I wonder if it has to do with those rings..."
Neptune nodded. "Yeah, I always wondered why they were lying around everywhere. Well, maybe next time."
They dropped their Senshi magic and turned back to their civilian selves.
"That fox... somehow I pitied him," Michiru said in a small voice. "He was still so young."
Haruka shook her head. "We cannot afford any pity. We have to find the three talismans, or the world is doomed."
"Now, that is pretty interesting," a calm voice said to their right. "And would you tell me what's so important about those talismans that you are willing to sacrifice lives?"
Haruka and Michiru were startled when suddenly, Espio appeared out of thin air. They totally forgot his ability to turn invisible.
"What...? How long have you been standing here?" Haruka asked in surprise.
Espio looked at her. "Long enough... Sailor Uranus! I suppose you won't just stop endangering helpless people just for a chance to find those talismans you talked about, right?"
"You don't understand," Michiru said in a quiet voice. "Those talismans... if we don't find them, the Earth will be destroyed by the Silence."
Espio raised a non-existing eyebrow. "Interesting," he said. "But I'm afraid saving the world normally would include protecting their inhabitants... and that's exactly the opposite from what you're doing."
"Espio, you won't stop us." Haruka said. "You're a nice guy, but you just don't know what you're talking about." She reached for her transformation pen.
But it wasn't there. "What?"
Espio raised the two pens and smirked. "Are you looking for this? Before you get them back, I suggest we should talk a little. Do you disagree?"
"Give those back," Michiru shouted. "We're the only ones that can find the talismans!"
The chameleon sighed. "You aren't making this very easy, you know? Well, think about it first. I'll be waiting for you at our apartment. If I really can't convince you, I'll give them back to you. I swear it on my honor as a ninja."
Michiru stepped back. She knew he wouldn't make jokes about his ninja heritage. "All right, agreed. But give us some time to think this through, okay?"
He smiled. "That's exactly what I want you to do. See you later..." And he vanished in a swirl of air and leaves.
"What should we do now?" Haruka asked.
Michiru shook her head. "I wonder... perhaps he's right."
"What are you saying?" the cheetah shouted. "You are the one that told me that the Silence will destroy the Earth when our enemies get the Holy Grail, right?"
"Yes, that's true," Michiru said. "But... perhaps there are other ways of finding the talismans. We really don't know much about it. And relying on the hearts our enemies take from their victims isn't really the best method, don't you agree?"
Haruka sighed. "Perhaps, perhaps... Well, we should talk to Espio. Maybe he and his friends can help us, after all."
The elegant dolphin nodded. "Yes, that's what I'm thinking too. Let's go."
----
Tails stood up. "Whoa, what happened?"
Sonic smiled at him. "You're lucky I and those Sailor Senshi were around, buddy. That plane monster almost got your heart."
Tails gasped. His hands flew to his chest. "My... heart?"
Sonic nodded. "Yeah, she turned it into some kind of crystal, and some crazy cheetah-girl wanted to steal it away from you... but I got it back. And the monster is toast, too."
Tails smiled. "Thanks, Sonic. What would I do without a friend like you?" He looked around. "Where are the Senshi? I want to thank them too."
Sonic shrugged. "Dunno. When they saw that you're all right, they vanished. But they were pretty worried about you. The blue fox-girl especially made sure that I'm taking good care of you."
"Blue fox-girl? You don't mean...?"
Sonic shook his head. "Nah, can't be your sister. Ami looks totally different from that fox. She only has the same fur color. But what surprised me most is that one of those girls was an echidna. I thought Knuckles, his girlfriend and the old guy were the last remaining of their tribe. Have to ask him if it's possible that some of them are hiding somewhere." He picked up the Chaos Emerald. "What about that thing? The Senshi said it would be safe if we guard it from evil guys like that."
Tails nodded. "I think they're right. I have to think about it, though... I don't know if I'm going to use it as a power source after all this."
----
The Senshi had returned to Makoto's apartment. "Is it really okay to leave that emerald with Sonic?" Usagi asked.
Rei nodded. "It's okay. He used them before. And something tells me that he somehow is destined to protect them, just as our tribe protects the Master Emerald."
"Master Emerald... Chaos Emerald..." Ami thought aloud. "You think there's a connection?"
Rei shrugged. "Perhaps. But we should concentrate on our enemies. And we still couldn't find Luna."
"And Artemis," Minako agreed. "I wonder where they are..."
----
"Excellent," Dr. Eggman grinned. "All systems, full power!"
The red robot looked around the room. "Look at me," Eggman shouted. "I'm your creator, the cunning Dr. Robotnik. You will obey only me. You're the second one of my E-100 model machines. Code name: Gamma!"
"Gamma!" the robot repeated in a female voice. It was looking exactly like Beta, only red instead of white. And on its chest, the number 'E100' was written.
And while the new robot called E-102-Gamma prepared to follow his master's first order, a black cat that was imprisoned within its metal frame was crying to be let out.
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(Posted Fri, 11 Aug 2006 18:00)
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