25: Kidnapped
When I woke up, there was still a great darkness. It was almost as if I had not woken up, that all my eyes were not responding in the way they should have with the rest of my body. Or perhaps the feeling was vice versa. But I digress.
But I did hear voices. There were several of them, slightly raspy and always low, as if they gasped for air. Such voices were so foreboding to me! I was frightened that I would be killed then and there.
-She's awake.
-She is not awake.
-She is. One of her appendages is moving.
-Then questioning is appropriate now.
-Very well.
-.....I.......
I felt weak and numb, and when my lips opened, they felt like I had swallowed old money down with each movement. It took a great effort to speak.
-L.......let.....mego. I fumbled with my tongue. -Whur......m........ai?
-Remove the blindfold?
-Yes. The raspiest voice came forth, grating on my sense. -Remove it so she may see us.
Instantly, the blackness turned into a tiny, one windowed room. I was still on Mehsheh; the faint blue light from the outside, which seemed to come from the stars, and not the other way, told me this. I was tied up to a chair, and tied well enough for consideration of my physique, so that I was rendered unable to move.
-Welcome. The raspy voice came back. -Our guest.
I blinked several times to get my bearings, to get my vision back. I could see several figures in the shadows in front of me, but only in silhouette. I could see no detail then, and so could not recognize any of them, or if I even knew them.
-Wh...... I became nervous. -Where am I?
-You are with us, one of the voices replied bluntly. -And you shall remain here until we are finished with you.
-What...?! My eyes widened at this. -You abducted me?!
-That does not matter. One of the figures, they with the raspy voice, came forward. -What matters is the fate of billions of peo-no, everyone. Especially you.
And so, the figures came out of the shadows, and my heart stopped at the sight. My captors wore cloaks as black as the void, which covered their features and anything else that confirmed an identity. They were all of different sizes to some degrees, but to me, that night, they all looked the same.
-......Killers..... I cried. -Y-you are Astramort, the Blood Thirsters!
There was a chorus of laughs at this. I was unsure whether they were laughing at my fear, or simply laughing at my stupidity as to not having figured them out already; for me, it is not difficult to figure out that they who wore black, even sailor soldiers, tended to be less than savory characters. Even to this day, I do not know why they laughed. But I digress.
-Blood Thirsters? The one with the raspiest voice was amused. -Is that what they call us? How convenient, considering our calling.
-Calling? I looked at the figure. -What 'calling'?
-We are working to save what we hold dear. The raspy voice hissed. -Unlike others in this room.
The insult stung me. I became indignant. How dare they - to me!
-Saving things?! Hmph! You are murderers. I suddenly found my bravado. -And I can assume that you have come to murder me at your pleasure. Just as you thugs murdered Sailor Jyanda, and Sailor Zra, and Brutus at Veldanis when you freed your friend, Sailor Yomakei!
There was another round of chuckling at this, but it was different from the first. They seemed slightly more nervous.
-Hmm. The raspy-voiced figure held its hand up. The others became silent. -You have much to learn. We are not killers, and we did not certainly murder any of them.
-One of you was seen fleeing the scene of Zra's murder.
-Actually, one of them suddenly spoke. -We were chasing the killer. I was checking to see if she could be resuscitated.
-A likely story.
-For one such as you, perhaps, Sailor Themis. Another figure spoke with contempt. -We know you very well from our observations. You seem more interested in saving yourself from needless embarrassment than in your real job in protecting the innocent.
I became angry at this. How dare they, low lifes insulting me! I went to open my mouth, only to find them putting a gag in.
-No! I turned my head away. -I'll.....I'll...........I'll bite you.....!!
Another laugh came, mainly from the raspy-voiced one, and I felt extremely silly at my comment. What was my biting them going to do to them? Hurt them? They didn't care. They were surely heartless killers who did not mind the sight of blood, any blood, even their own, so long as it was flowing freely from a mortal wound.
-Ah! Suddenly, my head was being held up, and I could not move. -Is this more convenient?
-Thank you. Despite my pitiful attempts to move my mouth around, they got the gag in. -Let us begin our meeting.
I felt clammy as the figures began to circle me. They were like hawks looking down on a great carrion feast, walking around the chair as I sat there, bound and helpless. I tried to look into their hoods - to see if there was even the sign of a decent form within - but I could see nothing but blackness underneath the dark cloth. Not even a glint of an eye, or the faint sight of a mouth, to designate any other form than that of a robed phantom of the shadows.
-Naturally, one of them hissed. -We must decide the fate of this weakling. She must know what is involved with what is going on, and what is at stake!
-We should. Another nodded. -This is important to decide.
-I say put her down! Let us put this great fool out of her misery! One of them growled. -She deserves death for her crimes!
-Patience! The others suddenly turned on this one. -Retribution shall come to all those who deserve penalty.
-....I think she does, my friends.
This, of course, led to a hissing argument between the parties. To me, they sounded like snarling beasts, lashing out at one another. It made me sick to think that my final fate would be decided by this scum, by the antithesis of the sailor soldier. Astramort!
-I've had enough!
Suddenly, one of them appear in front of me. It looked at me and gave a hiss. Though I could not see its expression, I could feel the anger which it had toward me.
-I don't care anymore. She is nothing more than a diseased piece of carrion who pollutes that which we love! Suddenly, a large, hellish flame leaped from beneath its folds. -She needs no second chance! DIE, you PITIFUL worm!!!
I gave a scream of fear, at least as best as I could with the gag in my mouth. Surely, it was a flame which reduced Michag's family and home to nothing! Now, it was my fate! I shut my eyes, not wanting to see the flame hit me, not wanting to bear the pain which would be brought upon me!
-NO!!!
I suddenly felt a strange rush of cool air flow in front of me, and I opened my eyes to find the flame extinguished. I gave a gulp as my attack faced the other hoods.
-YOU! It screeched. -WE MUST GET RID OF HER!
-You damned fool! Another one of them, the leader, hissed back. -This is not what others would wish for, and you know it!
-She doesn't deserve pity!
-She doesn't deserve death.
-YET.
I thought, since the Astramort were now fighting over my fate, that perhaps I could escape while they weren't looking. Unfortunately, this was easier thought than done. In fact, so well I was bound that I could not even move anything other than my head. And bending down to eat through ropes was out of the questions, since I was tied in such a way that prevented me from bending myself low enough to do even that.
-SILENCE!!!
The group became silent. It was not the leader whom spoke, but rather, a Blood Thirster who had retreated through the throng to the shadows of the room once more. It was this one whom I probably liked more than the rest at the moment.
-Killing will not solve what we have! This one growled in a gurgled whisper. -She is not innocent, but there are more things to bring into consideration with this creature.
-What could she possibly be good alive for? The one who tried to barbeeq(?)* me snarled. -You know what she d-
-But she still has.....her uses. The figure began to walk towards the group. -She can be taught the error of her ways very readily. It would not be the first time one of her kind has been shown the truth, yes?
The group stopped at this. Suddenly, to my shock, they drew close together, and they began to whisper fiercely amongst themselves. I, of course, was truly flabbergasted. What kind of phantom evil was this that they has people who didn't want to kill me? What if they planned on cursing me some other way? It was strange that people born from men's breasts had any kind of notion of mercy whatsoever. But I digress.
This wary discussion wore on for many moments. I reckon it that a good amount of time passed before, finally, they turned back to me. Suddenly, my gag was again off.
-......You........ The leader looked down on me. -.......Shall live.
I gave a cry. I couldn't believe it! Not because I was happy, but because, suddenly, it made no sense! They were letting me go!?
-This is madness...!
-Silence. I immediately became quiet. -We will let you live, but you must do something for us in return.
-S-s-something? I began to quake. -Wh....what does it involve?
As if to answer my question, one of them took out a piece of paper, and immediately stuffed it into my suit. I winced at this, as there seemed to be the sensation of a cold hand wallowing around in my chest as the phantom did this. But soon, it was done, and the hand withdrew.
-You shall follow the instructions on what we have given you. The Astramort began to circle me. -You shall follow them, and we shall know if you don't follow them. But most importantly, tell no one we have spoken.
-I......
-You shall follow them. By now, the entire group stood over me, and all I could see were their formless shadows. -Are we all on agreement?
-She shall know the truth. The shadows all seemed to converge into one. - This meeting is then hereby adjourned.
I gave a gasp, but before I could scream, a gust of a powerful wind overtook me. The force knocked my head into the wall, and again, I was left with nothing to remember after that once more.
-
-.....................na..........................lo...........loooo......he........loooooooo......
The next thing I knew, and I was sure I was dreaming, was someone staring right into my eyes from not even a breath away. I opened my eyes slowly, and found a pair of eyes staring right back at me.
-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
I was instantly up, my appendages out in front of me, ready to fight. I expected Astramort at my feet, inside the darkness of the mysterious room which I was put in. Instead, I had Varuna suddenly tackle me to the ground, a frown on her face.
-HEY!! She growled. -You were almost run over by a transport. Is this the thanks I get?
-Huh?
I looked around, confused. I was in the main room of our house. I had jumped off of my makeshift bed to face Varuna.
-Wh.....
-Floritiuse.
At this, Dyka appeared behind me. She had been up the stairs. Her usual frown was on her face.
-You stumbled onto the street and fell. A transport almost knocked you over.
-It...... I was genuinely confused. -It did?
As I spoke, however, I noticed that my mouth felt like there was an unpleasant taste in my mouth. I couldn't quite describe it, as I had never tasted anything like it before. I also noticed that my words were somewhat unintelligible. When I had said it did?, it came out eh deh?
-What....teh...
-....Are you all right? I noticed, to my surprise, a small flick of concern in Dyka's eyes. -Your voice....
-Ah.....I dunt kno. I swallowed. -Ah, uh....
I glanced over to each side of myself, trying to figure out how I had ended up back at the house. How would I explain it? Certainly, saying that I had met Blood Thirsters would convince those in the house that I was, without a doubt, crazy.
In fact, I was beginning to think I had dreamt the entire incident. The clock on the wall showed that I had only left the house five minutes ago in your time. Yet my encounter felt like it had taken at least an hour in your time.
So, it was settled. I was losing my mind!
-Eh....... I looked down. -Ah dun kno.
Dyka and Varuna both looked at me as if I had grown five more appendages instantaneously. Then, to my surprise, Varuna gave a soft laugh.
-Floritiuse, if you were beat up, just admit it! Varuna nodded to Dyka. -I'll go get the bandages.
-Eh?
-...Your face. Dyka was suddenly up close to mine. -It's bruised. And right up here....
She suddenly touched me over my eye, and a sharp pain made me tear up. When she withdrew, I saw blood staining the skin that had bushed against mine.
-Whoever did this, got you pretty badly. Dyka looked at me. -I'm going to call security. Stay here.
Which I did. Now, of course, I wasn't so sure I was really losing my mind anymore. For the Astramort had hit me in my face before I had fallen asleep the first time. I gave a gulp as I looked down at myself, and quietly reached into my sailor suit.
My appendage touched a piece of paper. It was situated near the beginnings of one of my other upper appendages.
-Ok. I heard Dyka's voice echo into the room. -I called them on the hologram....
I quickly brought myself back to attention as she entered the room. Varuna also entered with a load of bandages.
-Ok. She smiled as she took out a large bottle of umachol**. -You'll just have to suck this up, Floritiuse.
As I winced from Varuna's approach, my eye strayed towards the cooking counter. It was here where I had eventually placed the strange flower, my repentance towards Tsukinousagi, which I had bought that day. It was not there.
-Varuna?
-Hmm?
-...Where.......where is that flower?
-......I don't know. The umachol stung badly. -Truthfully, I don't care.
-
The security force, unlike last time, made the report very quick and simple. They were there and they were done.
-Hm. The man that came this time was much older than the detective we had met when we learned of Zra's death. -Well, gangs have been becomin' a problem in this sector of the galaxy. In th' shadow of the Seemarin too, right under their nose. Takin' their example from those tabloids, those Bloody Drinkers or whatever th're called. Hittin' and gettin' away, that's their game. It's no longer even about robbin' ya now.
-Can you find them?
-Doubt it, seema-ship. The man had frowned. -They strike so fast and hard, its hard to catch 'em afterwards. Methinks ya should be thankful that this was all the damage done. No hospital time, nothin' like that.
I was thankful, but not quite for that reason. I had managed to get away with claiming that I hadn't seen who my attackers were, though I knew full well who they were. I knew that everyone would think me crazy, as there was really no way I could prove it. That, and such news would spread such a panic in the galaxy that the Astramort were that close to Asgerd. Which they were...and if they learned that I had told of their presence....!
I waited until everyone had left, and until long after everyone had gone to bed, to retreat once more to the basement. I had, in the past several days, made it into my special place, since no one else went down there. Down there, among other things I was starting to collect, were newspapers I had managed to collect, Tsukino Usagi's writings, several shards of the damage from the fateful night, which I fashioned into a shelf for my things, the original report which I had gotten from Dyka before the trial, and another small stack of coocor.
Quietly, I took out the piece of paper from under my clothing, and unfolded it. Sure enough, it was of the same type of paper which had first been put on our door. The difference, of course, was that the message I now had was not written in red blood. It was written in black:
-YOU WILL COME TO ASGERD TOMORROW. YOU WILL GO TO A STAND CALLED KASTAGATA ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE. YOU WILL REQUEST A HOLOPAPER RESERVED IN THE NAME OF SEIGIKO. FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOU WILL BE IN IT. APPROPRIATE PAGES WILL BE MARKED. DO NOT BRING MONEY TO PAY FOR IT - THE PAPER HAS BEEN PAID FOR. YOU WILL COME ALONE. YOU WILL BE WATCHED THE ENTIRE TIME. DEVIANCE FROM THE INSTRUCTIONS WILL RESULT IN A NEGATIVE RESPONSE FROM US.
FROM YOUR NEW BEST FRIENDS
Perhaps death at their hands when they had me would have been the better option after all.
*Barbeque.
**A special ointment made only in the Asgerd districts. The main ingredient is melted blue rock. Wounds affected by this ointment heal much faster.
