I Don't Have A Title Yet

Three





1







Jedite was running through the streets of the Juuban holding a hand his chest. He stumbled, falling hard into a couple garbage cans that were on the sidewalk. He struggled to pull himself up, but the wound his chest gape open causing him to cry out in pain.



He fell from on top of one of the large plastic containers to the hard concrete sidewalk and onto his injured side. The dark warrior cried out again, this time in rage.



How could this have happened to him?



He pushed himself up his knees. A shadow passed over him causing the suffering man to look up. Standing

half a stone throw away from in the middle of the cul-de-sac was the masked warrior himself.



Tuxedo Kamen stood grimly in the center of the empty street. His top hat was gone, his white shirt and vest splattered with alien black blood. He had removed his cape and jacket and stood now as man in white shirt, black dress pants and with a broadsword in his hands.



Jedite tried to laugh, but it came out like a wet, tearing cough. There was no slim little rapier tonight, Tuxedo Kamen had come to this battle with the sole intention of killing him, Jedite thought bleakly. How ironic this entire thing was. Here he had come to surface to kill the Senshi and drain the populace of it life force, but now he was going to die.



Kamen watched at the wretched creature slowly pushed itself to its feet. His entire body tensed as he waited for Jedite to make his move. Tunnel vision helped in situations like this. It was like taking an exam or making an incision on a cadaver. Everything had to be precise, he had to focus and be ready or the other guy would have the advance and he would have to work harder just to correct that mistake and then prove himself all over again. Kamen was not about let that happen here. Jedite had mocked him once when he threw a rose at him, but that never happened again. Cold, sharp steel made a much better impression than a flower any day.



Jedite was going to pay for hurting his Usagi. He was suffering for causing their friends pain, and he now he going to die because that big ass mutated cricket had wrecked Darien’s car.



Jedite steeled himself for the ensuing attack. With the last of his energy, Jedite summoned a fireball. “If I am dying tonight, Kamen, I am taking you with me.” He roared.



“That’s not going to happen.” Kamen snatched two steel tipped roses from the air and hurtled them at the dark warrior.



Jedite dove out of the way. With a backhanded toss, Jedite sent the ball of fire at the young warrior, but Tux was prepared for it. He jumped up, sailing over his promised death, rolled and came down on Jedite with the blade of his sword fixed on the dark general’s heart. Jedite could not move, he had expended the last of his energy and was now unable to defend himself.



The sword tore through cloth, skin, and bone easily to sink deeply into Jedite’s chest. The force of the blow pinned Jedite to the ground. Kamen rose quickly, ripping his blade from his fallen enemy’s chest, and Jedite’s back arch up. A fountain of black blood sprayed from his lips and green slime was secreting from the two massive wounds Kamen had inflicted. He took a half step back at the same time he raised his sword over his head. Jedite lay almost dead but quickly dying; He looked up at the masked warrior and croaked.



“Finish it.”



Tuxedo Kamen brought the blade down swiftly. Jedite faced his death with open eyes. In a single blow, Jedite was gone.



Tuxedo Kamen kicked the severed head aside. He staggered back, taking deep gulping breaths, but he could not settle his stomach.



When the Senshi arrived, a mask less Darien was still retching in some nearby bushes. Sailor Moon dropped his discarded clothing and rushed over to him.



Mercury had pulled out her computer and was scanning the area that Tux had fought with Jedite. Mars picked up Kamen’s cape; jacket and top hat and she followed Mercury, who was now kneeling on the ground beside the corpse, gathering samples of the black blood and slime.



“He actually did it?” Mars said in awe.



“He said he would.” Mercury murmured. She glanced up at Mars, “I doubt if I could have done this. At least not by myself.”



“I doubt if he could have done this before today. And I fear before long we all will be soaked in another’s blood.” She tightened her arms about herself and shivered. “I wish we could just find this Princess and have this nightmare over with.”



“I do hope you mean the fighting?” Mercury asked teasingly.



Mars gave her a playful shove, “I am beginning to have several reservations about calling you my friend.” She winked at her. “Just finish gathering your samples so we can leave this place. People are bound to get curious and start looking for the fight…”



“Got it.” Mercury hopped up. Her tools disappeared into her subspace pocket. “Alright, we should leave now.”



Mars nodded. “Moon, Kamen,” she called. “I hear sirens.”



Sailor Moon had Darien’s domino mask in her hands. She shoved it back on to his face as he scrubbed at his mouth with the handkerchief she had stuffed into his hands.



“C’mon, sweetie.” She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and hug. “We have to get out of here.”



Darien nodded weakly. “I need to call someone about my car.”



“We are close to my house.” She told him. “I want to get you home, Darien. I need to make sure you’re—“ Her voice broke off as tears overwhelmed her.



Darien pulled her into his arms and held her for a moment.



She clutched the back of his shirt as great heaving sobs wracked her small frame. “I don’t—know—what…” She shook her. “Oh, God. I can’t lose you, Darien.”



“I’m not going anywhere, Buns.” He said fervently.



“You are going somewhere right now.” Mars said. She and Mercury had run over to the pair and were hauling them to their feet. “We have to go, right now.”



The flashing lights of the emergency vehicles could be seen from two blocks away. Darien let go of Sailor Moon to grab the things Mars pushed into his hands. The two girls grabbed Sailor Moon by both hands and they all started running for one of the darken yards in the circle. They leapt over the back fence and headed towards the park. Once there in the safety of a grove of trees, they all dropped their transformations and went their separate ways.



Darien was going to double back to his car, but Usagi put a fuss. She still hadn’t recovered from his fight with Jedite and she did not want him out of her sight. Had he not been in such a somber mood himself, Darien would have teased her about her reaction and would have reminded her that she too had been battle that night. But at that moment, he couldn’t think of doing anything except comforting Usagi. And letting her fuss over him seemed to make her feel better so Darien indulged her.



They walked the three and half blocks to her house. She pushed the gate open and they were surprised to see her parents and Lita standing on the front lawn. They were all in their nightclothes and robes and each of their beloved faces were masks of concern, worry, and fear. When she saw her parents, Usagi broke out into fresh tears and with a child like wail, she raced into her parents’ arms.



Quietly, Darien closed the gate and made sure that the latch was in place. He looked back at his girlfriend, now caught up in the embrace of her family, Darien suddenly felt alone and like an emotional voyeur.



“Oh, Darien.” Ilene clucked like a mother hen. “Honey, are you alright?”



He hesitated a second to long to suit the Tsukinos and the family went on emergency mode. Ilene and Lita had Usagi and were leading into the house. Kenji came over to the young man he had already though of his son-in-law (but not six more years hopefully and he was not going to tell him that;) and laid a fatherly hand on his right shoulder.



“Ilene is right, you’re staying here tonight, son.” He steered the youth towards the front door. “Beside, I doubt we would be able to keep Usa at home if we called one the boys to come pick you up.”



“I don’t think I could leave her either.” Darien admitted shakily. “I hope you don’t mind.”



“Of course not, just as long as you stay in Sam’s old room there won’t have any problems.” He warned mildly.



Darien heard the implied threat and he nodded. “I’ll be nothing more than Buns very good male friend who doesn’t kiss her.” He vowed.



Kenji clapped him on the shoulder, “Good to hear, son.” He grinned sagaciously. “You do know Lita is a snitch, right?”



“Ah, no.”



Kenji pushed him through the front door, “Now you do.”





2





The Crown Arcade was packed which was odd for a Monday afternoon. The sounds of machines, laughter, and the snappy bubble gum pop music were enough to drive any self respecting adult insane.



Luckily for Andrew, it was his day off. He tore out of the place after asking a couple of the clerks to tell Usagi that they had moved to the Fruit Parlor upstairs



“I still can’t believe it. That Darien’s pretty little toy was ruined.” Andrew dropped down in the already packed booth. “Josh, shove over.”



“God, who though we all could fit in this thing?” Darien’s doppelganger but with a long black ponytail complained for the hundredth time since he had gotten there.



A girl with a camera ran by and cried, “I love you, Seiya!” Snapping a quick photo of said copy and his two brothers.



The three guys groaned in chorus as they pulled on their sunglasses and lowered themselves further in the booth.



“God, don’t be so overly dramatic.” Lita told them.



“This is why we don’t hang out with you guys.” The silvery-blond Kou brother pouted.



“Correction, it’s why we don’t hang out with you.” Dave told him. “You ain’t nothing three glorified pretty-boys.”



“Dave, one day your mouth is going to write a check your ass can’t cash.”



“Seiya, I will kick your pony-tail wearing ass all across this arcade and back to your house without breaking sweat.”



“C’mon on then.”



Both moved to stand up only to be pulled back down. Lita glared at both of them, but gave the closest one a head slap (Seiya was the happy recipient!)



A blond guy with curly hair and glasses raised up as much as he dared in that packed booth and scanned the floor of the arcade below. “Where is Usa, Lita? It’s not like her to be late.”



Lita had been worried and for the last twenty minutes she had been paying close attention to the dial on her watch. Josh was right, Usagi was never late, and that girl strove to be on time for everything. And if she called a group together, she was there at least ten minutes before everyone just to make sure everything was ready. And with these strange mutant creatures running about Tokyo, she was doubly concerned.







Sailor Moon was thrown into a solid brick wall with enough force to shattered every bone in her body. But in this case, it just knocked the wind out of her and most likely left an imprint on her body. Moon slid helplessly to the ground raising a trembling hand to her spinning head.



“Moon!” Mars shouted, “Look out!”



The two Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen scrambled to her aid, but they too late and the creature slammed into the tiny warrior again.



Moon screams of pain echoed throughout the Juuban Business District. The glass in the windows shattered and crashed down on to the streets. People, scrambled from their hiding place to avoid the deadly shower raining down on the sidewalks and the streets.



Tuxedo Kamen rammed his shoulder in the mutated green humanoid back, knocking it off the downed blonde warrior. Mercury came to her leader’s aid while Mars jumped into the fray with Tuxedo Kamen. Both warriors were giving the fight their all, unleashing all the stops as they poured magic into their physical attacks.



An apprehensive Mercury was supporting Sailor Moon as she pulled her leader away from the fighting. Lithe gloved hands moved quickly over Moon’s ribcage checking for more damaged as they made their way to safety, which was behind an overturned mailbox. Mercury leaned her leader the mailbox as she pulled out her mini computer to scan Moon thoroughly.



“Nothing is broken,” the ice Senshi reported shortly. “But there is some internal bruising. We need to get you to the hospital.”



“Don’t worry about me,” Moon protested weakly. “I just need to get my breath back and then I’ll finish off this demon.”



Mercury wanted to argue, but now was not the time. Although concern was still in her eyes, Mercury moved away from her leader and started towards the fight. “Catch your breath, Moon.” She said over her shoulder, “I’ll distract it long enough for you to get back on your feet.”



Moon nodded once. She held her left hand to sore chest. Her ribs might not have been broken but they sure as hell felt like it. Sailor Moon moaned from the pain as she pushed herself up to feet only to be slapped to the ground.



Kamen felt her pain through their link immediately and the masked hero retaliated. Mercury moved in on the beast to give Kamen a chance to help their leader. And to think, Luna did not want them have this guy on their team.



Deadly roses with steel stems cut through the air like a thousand pointed knives aiming for whoever dared to attack Kamen’s beloved. Moon got out of the way as the intended victim of Kamen’s wraith was skewered with several of razor sharp flowers. Today, it was a beautifully hand crafted Sixteenth Century rapier from Toledo that came out the masked one’s cape.



Sailor Moon just stared at her boyfriend in open mouth wonder. He looked like he just stepped out a novel. Dark black hair and his night black cape moving in the wind. His handsome face was hard as he raised his sword and prepared to attack who or whatever that had attacked her.



Moon was distracted from her thoughts by a shrill scream of pain. She turned her head sharply and saw Mars and Mercury bringing the beast to its knees.



“Now, Moon!” Luna appeared out of nowhere.



Not that she needed that warning. Moon rolled to her knees, her right hand going up to snatch the golden tiara from her brow as called out, “Moon Frisbee!” Mercury and Mars leapt clear of the beast just as the Moon’s attack hit.



Kamen made a desperate grab for the auburn haired warrior, but the thing disappeared into a portal. Kamen’s vicious curses blistered the air around them. Sailor Moon wrapped her around her chest, tears of pain welling in the corners of her large eyes.



“Kamen,” Mars snapped as she and Mercury helped their leader to her feet. “Moon’s hurt, we need to get out here…”



Without a word, Kamen turned sharply on his right heel, his drawn rapier disappeared as he scooped Sailor Moon up in his arms.



People were coming out of their hiding places as emergency vehicles appeared on the scene. News helicopters were already in the air going live to the networks reporting on what was being described as one of the greatest disasters not caused by nature. It was hard for the four warriors to shake the press. Helicopters followed them as they raced across the rooftops to avoid the jam packed streets and sidewalks.



“Oh, my God!” Andrew pointed frantically at one of the televisions that hung on the walls of the Fruit Parlor. “It’s the cheerleaders and that guy they hang out with.”



“Hell, I thought they weren’t real.” Frankie narrowed his eyes at the screen.



On the television, Tuxedo Kamen ran off the ledge of skyscraper and plumed down a couple hundred feet to land on the roof of a smaller building and he jumped straight into the air onto another building. Mars and Mercury were slightly ahead of him.



“We have just learned that the blonde one, Sailor Moon, she has been seriously injured during the fight.” A reporter’s voice came on over the live feed. “We are assuming that the so called Sailor Senshi are taking their comrade to the closest hospital…Whoa! What the hell was that?”



A dense fog clouded the screen and most of down town Tokyo. The Four teenagers hurried out of an alley three rushing into a cab and the fourth hurrying to a bus stop.



“I’ll meet you guys there,” Ami shouted over her shoulders to her friends.



“Hurry, Ami.” Rei cast a worried glance at Sailor Moon who was bundled in Tuxedo Kamen’s cape.



“17 Yanagi Gairo.” Darien told the driver as he tossed him a handful of bills, “And hurry.”







Ami got off the bus half a block later, she ducked into an alley, making sure that it was clear before she drew her transformation wand and morphed. Sailor Mercury surveyed her fog, light was slowly, yet surely making it’s way through in some patches and by her estimation, it would cleared up in ten minutes.



In ten minutes, she had to cross town, raid the supply closets at Tokyo General, managing not to get caught or be seen and then rush back across town to Darien’s house without attracting attention to herself or

where she was going or alerting his housemates…



Sailor Mercury collapsed in Darien’s living room eight minutes and thirty-four seconds later.



“Here,” she shoved her purloined supplies towards a startled Rei.



Rei snatched up the bag and hurried up stairs to Darien’s room.



Ami rolled onto her back, holding a hand to her heaving chest as she released her transformation. She sank onto the floor in a graceless heap moments before her eyes drifted shut. Opening the patio door had taken the last of her energy and now Ami just wanted to sleep.



“Kusatta oni,” She muttered tiredly, thinking of the beast they had fought against. “Kusatta ma.” Her mouth thinned as she recalled the auburn haired man who wore the same gray, military style suit that Jedite had worn. “I wish I knew where are they coming from?”