Just as Raptor was about to bring down his blade, a flying jump kick sent him hurtling back to slam into the wall of the far end of the olympic-class swimming pool, even as his kicker landed daintily before the edge of the near end, the shattered debris from the wall that he had pinned Neptune to falling between Neptune and her rescuer.
"Nice kick, girlie," Raptor smirked, as he rose out of the waters, "but if you think a little thing like that is going to stop me..."
"I hold no enmity..."
"Aw, crud."
It had, perhaps, been inevitable that she would seek to defend herself. The attacks on her had never really ceased, and the Senshi themselves were occupied dealing with stronger and more important menaces. Her training as a Devil Hunter had progressed with notable alacrity, thanks to the constant attacks.
Then, soon after she completed the training, something else had occurred.
In becoming the Slayer, her physical and combat abilities had increased dramatically. The psychic visions that came with it, however, were the real bonus. Not that the bonus to her willpower did not hurt.
Her magic, which she had learned from both her training as a Devil Hunter and from the extensive library in the santuary she had inherited from her deceased first love, was also good enough to serve as a third pillar for her strength. Primarily through the telepathy which was her natural magical ability, and gave her the edge she often needed.
Sendai Hill, atop which stood the Hikawa Shrine, is where five hills converge. However, there also exists a phantom sixth hill, just beyond the bounds of physical reality where they stretch thin.
Long ago, it had served as a staging area for the attacks of the Dark Kingdom General named Jadeite, and afterwards his successor, Nephrite, had established his base of operations there, as its unique location made dimensional travel to Earth and other realms quite economical.
Since then, it had been forgotten.
On the winter solstice night that Beryl had finally attacked and been destroyed, along with the Elder Greater Power Metallia and her entire realm, she had instinctively sought sanctuary there. As she had been outside Earth's reality when Serenity used the power released by Metallia's death to turn back the flow of time so that her friends had never been killed, she had retained the knowledge of that lost year, and used her free time for the aforementioned training, as well as learning the lore Nephrite had recorded.
One might think that with the Senshi being around, that there would be little use for either a Devil Hunter or a Slayer around Azabu-Juuban.
The truth was quite the contrary. The area, which was called by some 'Crossroads', ostensibly because it lay at the origin point of the various major highways during the Edo Shogunate, but actually because of the numerous leyline nexi and resultant ease of dimensional travel, was actually a major centre of mystical activity.
While yöma, and their successors, were quite powerful, most threats were careful to avoid the attention of the Sailor Senshi. Not surprising, considering that their initial attacks could punch through the front of a main battle tank, and had only multiplied in their effectiveness. And so, she had found herself dealing with what might be considered the leftovers of their battles.
Leftovers which would have quickly terminated the career of any lesser Devil Hunter or Slayer.
She had known Usagi for years, and had been, and remained, her best friend for longer than all of her new friends combined, with whom she had become acquainted thanks to Usagi. She had sensed the truth of their natures, both Light and Dark, as her training as a Devil Hunter had progressed, and long since come to terms with it.
As such, she had been aware of when Usagi's heritage had kicked in, and thus triggered the others. She had watched the battle with Minako from afar, and had been prepared to intervene in Makoto's when Uranus and Neptune had shown up. She had been aware of the Dark Fae seeking and retrieving Hotaru, and had been dealing with a number of Demitri's agents.
She had to admit that her best friends new physique was most impressive. Her chest had swollen to a full and firm DDD-cup, although it was likely that it would grow another couple cup sizes before Usagi was finished growing up, carried effortlessly and gracefully thanks to her improved muscle tone.
Her hips had also widened, and her butt swollen, so that it measured the same around as her butt size. Although, since her hips came out parallel to her shoulders, that butt did not protrude quite as much as her bust.
Finally, she was also notably taller, of a height with her boyfriend, so that, in spite of her generous curves, she still appeared to be classically Amazon in her divine beauty.
She had heard of Donovan Baine and his malevolent blade, Dhylec, of course, and of his mad quest, which had resulted in his being ostracized from the spiritual community, particularly after he had desecrated the local shrine over a decade before. When he had attacked Jupiter for no reason, she had known that his career was coming to an end.
The Sailor Senshi were quite well known for permanently eliminating any who posed them a true threat. A fact which served well to ward off most of the more trivial potential threats. She, of course, immedietely alerted the spiritual community that Donovan Baine had decided to attempt to hunt down and slay the Sailor Senshi.
When Raptor ambushed Neptune, she knew that she must finally intervene. While Uranus was too enraged to realize her transformation, and Jupiter was too experienced to be distracted by hers, Neptune was still in shock and off-balance.
Activating her telepathy, she picked the appropriate spot to knock Raptor clear from Neptune without causing any more injury, and kicked him the length of the pool, passing through the wall, its debris falling beyond Neptune, using her full Slayer strength.
Landing daintily, her shoulder length crimson hair rippling, she introduced herself.
"I hold no enmity against those coerced into evil, but to those vile beings who toy with the hearts and souls of men, since the time of ancient gods, we have been your destroyers.
Now, Devil Hunter and Chosen One both, I am the Devil Slayer, Naru Osaka."
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See other episodes by Andrew Greaves
(Posted Tue, 18 Feb 2003 19:30)
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