1101 (Phase 02: Incubation) Rated R I see a red door and I want it painted black No colors anymore I want them to turn black I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes I have to turn my head until my darkness goes I look inside myself and see my heart is black I see my red door and it has been painted black Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black -The Rolling Stones, "Paint It Black" Have you ever stopped to wonder what might be? Look beyond what is real, and grasp at a destiny yet unrealized. You might be surprised at what you find--not just for yourself, but for everyone else around you. The future has been called a Pandora's Box at times. It is the mystery of not knowing what is inside, what our future truly holds, that gives us hopes and dreams. But to open the box and see what awaits you...fate becomes a cruel mistress. Everything becomes known, and the secrets die. Hope is lost in the darkness of knowing what tomorrow's sunset will bring. Dreams are dashed like fragile sands against an ocean tide. And yet there may be a way around it. Consider not one future, but many futures. Not a single Pandora's Box, but a legion of them. The possibilities of a future Naoko Takeuchi envisioned grow near infinite, the curiousity is satiated, and your dreams are always there with you. For in seeing many futures, you still see what is unknown. Which one will find you? So many realities, so little time. The past is history. The future is now. And His lordship Chaos welcomes you to the future that is Crystal Tokyo. Choose your future that is Crystal Tokyo. But choose wisely. The future has a nasty way of turning on you.... -His lordship Chaos hislordshipchaos@hotmail.com Crystal Tokyo 3XXX A.D. No longer was he watching the city of New Tokyo enter its median phase of the night. This hour found the Shadowgate president in his private office, awaiting an incoming transmission. He watched as the uplink was completed, and a subordinate's face appeared on the screen. Behind the assault team leader, Shadowgate soldiers were still moving about. "Report," he said from behind his private desk. "Everything is under control," the female Commander replied with a sharp salute. He leaned forward on his elbows, his hands clasped in front of his face. "I trust then that your men have not made the first offensive." The Commander shook her head. "The target has been inside the building for the past half hour, presumably to hide herself in the large crowds. The Senshi have already infiltrated it and are searching for her now. When they move, we'll be there to mop up the mess." "Good." The Shadowgate assault forces could be depended on, but that didn't mean he trusted them with the explicit details regarding their target. What they needed to know was that if they got a shot, they were to take the target down. All they had to go on was a face. Not even the subject's number, 1101, was divulged to them. He had little reason to doubt that his Inner Senshi would fail him, but it never hurt to exercise caution in such delicate matters. "Are there any final instructions you wish to give, Sir?" the Commander asked. He shook his head. "No. Contact me immediately after the confrontation. You know the drill on burying the bodies." The Commander gave a slight, wry grin. "Always, Sir. It's Sin City; no one will ask any questions so long as they can get back to the party a few minutes later." He terminated the transmission and turned away. Spun his chair around so that he could face the grandiose windows lining the rear of his private office. Everything seemed so much clearer up here, looking down at the city below. Here one could better grasp their ideals and goals. Here was where the power laid, and he was its dark and twisted heart. Cobalt blue eyes stared across the glow of the Crystal Palace far below, out to where he could see the enormous televiewer image of Neo Queen Serenity smiling fondly down at her subjects. Reassuring them that there was still hope. A hope he created for them, and could control--and thusly, giving him opportunity to control the people. Right now 1101 was threatening what he had established within Crystal Tokyo. Yet he was not overly concerned. Soon everything would be as it should, as it once had been. The queen was dead. And yet, long live the queen. what am i? why am i afraid to find answer? 1101 why do i haunt myself within my dreams? [PHASE 02: INCUBATION] Hotaru found herself backing away from the sailor soldier in front of her. Her entire body was tense, familiar surges of adrenaline coursing through her body. She should have seen a confrontation like this coming. The fact that she was the only thing standing between 1101 and these assassins didn't comfort her in the slightest. "Shit," she muttered to herself. There was no chance she would be able to hold her own against Jupiter without revealing who she really was. And it was a safe bet that Jupiter wasn't alone. Jupiter's emerald eyes narrowed as she stalked towards them. She was speeding her movements up, preparing to strike. They were beyond speaking: this would only end it bloodshed. And Hotaru had no intention of dying tonight. She'd just found a friend she thought lost forever; she wasn't about to lose Rei again. Suddenly Jupiter charged, moving almost too fast to see. "Hotaru!" 1101 cried out. A hard punch smashed into Hotaru's face, sending her into the air and rolling across the bar counter. She tumbled onto the floor, spilling drinks and glasses in the process. She blinked her eyes and tried to regain control of her swirling senses. Jupiter hadn't held back in the slightest. "I gave you fair warning, but now you're going to become an example for the others," the Inner Senshi remarked, swinging out her leg and kicking Hotaru in the face. Hotaru snapped back her head, but still felt the hard tip of Jupiter's boot strike her cheek. Her body spun back onto the floor. 1101 was sobbing. Unable to move. Overwhelmed by fear and helplessness as she watched Hotaru desperately try to push off the metallic grating at their feet. Jupiter hovered over Hotaru's fallen form and hissed, "Don't fuck with a Senshi." She raised her foot and tried to smash her heel down onto Hotaru's spine. But Hotaru had been expecting that, rolling out at the last second and barely missing having her back or her ribs shattered. She rolled onto her back, reaching out with an open hand and summoning the latent power she knew she still possessed as Sailor Saturn. To shout out an attack simply meant that was your channel for focusing your magic. It was the simplest and most effective way to deliver a devastating blow to your opponent, the shout acting as the trigger to unleash your powers. A commanding shout was what defined a Senshi. Hotaru had yet to transform. Shouting wouldn't have worked. But she didn't need to shout either. This was what her time on Kinmoku had taught her. A rapid, desperate focus drew together her energy and pooled it into the palm of her hand. Sailor Jupiter had little warning before there was a glow of indigo hue manifesting itself, and then a detonation of light. The energy exploded from Hotaru's palm and mercilessly drove itself into Jupiter's chest, forcibly pushing the tall brunette backwards and lifting her feet off the floor. She was crushed against one of the steel support beams, absorbing the full brunt of the impact. Hotaru was still coughing and gasping for air as she rose from the floor, clutching her bruised cheek. There was an opening and she had to take it. "Rei, run!" she shouted, waving for 1101 to retreat down the stairs. She whirled as she saw Jupiter charging again. The attack didn't seem to have damaged her in the slightest. But now the Inner Senshi looked definitely pissed off. Hotaru held out her palm and unleashed another volley of her magic. Jupiter sprang sideways as the charge rocketed past her, hitting the wall. Pipes and metal shrapnel scattered in every direction as the explosion tore a hole straight into an ante- chamber, smoke and steam blasting into the few people who caught sight of the battle. Hotaru grunted as her shoulder snapped back from the recoil of the blast, nearly popping it out of joint. She glanced back at the gaping hole, flaming debris and ruptured electrical panels littering the floor. She hadn't meant for the attack to be that intense, but it appeared her survival instinct had other ideas. Suddenly a blur of motion lunged for her. In the dim and flashing array of lights, she could only make out Jupiter's flying form. She threw her hands in front of her face as the two collided and were sent flying into the air. The Tokyo Raven became a spinning series of blurry lights and images as Hotaru was sent over the balcony railing of the third floor. She twisted her lower torso, trying to right her descent as she plunged into the jungle pool. Her crash into the cool waters was anything but pleasant. Now more than anything, the single horrific thought was that 1101 had no one to protect her. Pushing off from the bottom, Hotaru shook the water from her head. Ravendark bangs that clung to her skin were pushed away from her eyes. "That wasn't very nice," she snarled. She twisted around as a long, dark green form stealthily cut through the water towards her. People were beginning to stop dancing to watch the bizarre scene unfold, while others were beginning to panic. The creature drew closer to Hotaru, and two cold eyes focused on her body. The cayman suddenly decided to rear up from the water, snapping at her. Hotaru jerked herself back, trying to fight the sluggish pull of the waves around her. She extended her arm, by pure reflex summoning her power. The crocodile charged, ready to tear her arm off into a bloody pulp. Hotaru's face was expressionless as she unleashed another blast, this time minding the force that came with her power. People screamed as the back of the crocodile's head exploded and burst, sending bits of gore and grey matter raining down upon the dance floor. The headless beast collapsed and sank into the pool, a crimson cloud now moving to overtake the otherwise blue waters. Panic swooped down upon the dance club, and a frenzied race to the exits ensued as the nearest patrons scattered in a desperate attempt to escape the carnage. Half of the people ignored the hysteria, using it as an excuse to shed their inhibitions even further. Hotaru could have cared less about the chaos that was engulfing the Tokyo Raven. She pushed herself out of the pool, swinging her legs over the side and coughing out water. It had been too long since she'd done fighting this intense. As a Senshi her body would be able to take a greater degree of abuse--but at the cost of the Inners sensing that change of power and realizing who she was. For now all she could do was hide her identity behind the guise of an Esper. Damn, this was all falling apart. Where were Haruka and Michiru when she needed them the most? Hotaru slowly rose to stand, and abruptly froze as she saw someone else who was ignoring the riot this place was generating. Another woman wearing a white sailor fuku. "Nimble little bitch, aren't you?" Sailor Mercury remarked with a disapproving scowl. The sudden outpouring of clientele from the Tokyo Raven's front doors caused nothing short of mass hysteria in the streets. Human floodgates opened, and terrified patrons were pushing each other aside and trampling each other in a desperate bid for freedom. From their posts across the street the Shadowgate soldiers, who had been quietly waiting the order to enter the building, found themselves at a loss. "What the hell is going on in there?" one of the men remarked between chews of his gum. The Commander tried not to frown in front of her subordinates. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't a part of the operation. The Senshi were supposed to take down the target, and if needs be request for back-up from them. Every officer was in full armor despite the appearance that they wouldn't be required to fight. This entire street had been sealed off from the rest of the public to ensure no fuck-ups would take place. Abruptly the darkened ambience of the street was broken by an explosion from one of the upper floors. Sealed windows and wall were blown apart amidst a haze of fire and lightning, letting loose with a deluge of debris that sent the already confused masses into greater panic. "Kuso," she hissed through her teeth. At this rate they'd have to fight the frenzied mob before they could even step foot in the club. And there still was no update on the Senshi's progress within. All hell seemed to be breaking loose inside and was now raining down its own version of brimstone upon everyone. The Commander began to march towards the Tokyo Raven, removing the safety catch of her assault rifle and priming her weapon. "I'm through waiting," she stated. "Everyone, on the ready line!" As she barked out her orders, the surprised soldiers quickly raced into position. A number re-checked their assault rifles. Others primed their shoulder-mounted laser cannons, plugging the cannon interface into the battery pack strapped around their waists. "The Senshi will have your ass," her Lieutenant said, reluctant to follow through with the order. He suddenly found himself hauled up by the collar. "And I'll have your ass if you stay here," she snarled. She turned the man loose and looked back at the Tokyo Raven. Without any hesitation on her part, she led the Shadowgate operatives into the battlezone. 1101 could only cry out in horror as she watched Hotaru's body seem to hover momentarily in the air before plummeting to the gyrating masses below. She leaned against the railing, oblivious to the long strands of dark hair that were clinging to her skin. Her entire body was growing damp, coated in a layer of sweat. Her legs refused to move. She stood upon the edge of the stairwell, looking down to the Tokyo Raven below. The music grew to silence within her mind. Something was taking the newfound terrors and fears, and moulding them. The form was taking shape. Jupiter gave an approving, callous laugh at Hotaru, and returned her attention to 1101. "And where do you think you're going?" she inquired. 1101 slowly turned to the Sailor Senshi before her. Something deep within was screaming, fighting to be released. This was all familiar. Impossibly familiar. The blur of identity suddenly shattered within her mind. A memory returned. It exploded inside her mind, blood spattering across the side of her face. Trembling fingers rose to touch the crimson stains on her cheeks. This wasn't her blood. A friend...she saw a friend. It was her friend's blood now dripping from her face. She could see the young woman's face. Vacant, betrayed eyes grew dim and lifeless. A head topped with blonde hair slowly lowered itself onto the broken remains of a marble table. And then 1101 saw her own body laying next to the blonde one. Horror seized her. And suddenly she remembered her friend's name. For one brief, terrifying moment, she was no longer 1101. "MINAKO-CHAN!!!" The girl's body erupted with power, the force of the shockwave causing Jupiter to stumble back in a hasty attempt to stay balanced. "You killed her!" 1101 screamed, charging forward. "You killed her!!" Somewhere amidst the madness, the one called Haruka appeared. Shouted out what might have been her name. She didn't care, lost in the insanity of pure rage, and threw herself at Jupiter. The fact that Haruka's arms had now snaked up beneath her armpits in the frantic attempt to hold her back was a vague thought echoing inside her mind. Everything was so suddenly clear as she felt a euphoric power turning the air into a churning body of ancient magik. She let out another scream, incoherent save for the rage and retribution it possessed. Jupiter raised her hands to countermand the surprising energy now manifesting against her. That failed seconds later when the air became fire and rippled like waves of translucent smoke. Liquid inferno howled and smashed into Sailor Jupiter, catapulting the soldier across the open expanse of the atrium. Scalded metal was melting from the intensity of the attack, a trail of black smoke following in Jupiter's wake as she collided with the railing on the opposite side of the club. The banister was sheared apart like it was mere tin foil, Jupiter's limp form disappearing into the shadows. "You killed her!" 1101 screamed again and again. "You killed her!" The firestorm was growing, pulsating. And with each pulse it swelled out to engulf more of the area. Haruka knew the only thing that allowed her to exist in the sulphuric air without being burned was her own power as Sailor Uranus. But at this rate, even that would do her no good. "Rei, don't!" she exclaimed, finding herself barely able to hang on to the girl. "You'll destroy the entire building if you don't control your powers!" 1101 was still screaming for blood. Death for death. And then she broke free of Haruka's hold, racing across the catwalks in a blur of speed and jumping onto the railing. She was poised for a heartbeat before leaping towards one of the towering structural columns on the corner of the dance floor. Spinning her body, her feet touched the column and then pushed off again. 1101 ricocheted across the room, rebounding and pushing upwards against another pillar. Her frighteningly angelic and graceful descent brought her to land precariously on the edge of the sheared railing. She turned her head, maniac eyes staring back at Haruka. And then she vanished into the shadows after Sailor Jupiter. Against her better wishes, Haruka knew what had to be done. She momentarily closed her eyes and focused her powers. The fuku never rippled to life around her; she had long since learned the ability to call upon her power without the necessity to transform. Only now, the other Senshi should know who and what she was just by her aura alone. That was a minor detail by now. With a determined look, Haruka made a running jump across the club, clearing the open atrium with one enormous lunge from railing to railing. Her legs and arms slowly kicked in the air to keep herself balanced, and when she came down to land, the metal sank beneath her feet in absorbing the impact. Her body barely felt the sudden, jolting stop. "What a rush," she muttered to herself. How long had it been since she'd tried something like that? How long had it been since she'd actually been Sailor Uranus? Haruka whirled as she saw something move amidst the smoke bombs and flashing lights. A human figure pounced from the darkness, white fuku and flowing blonde hair betraying her to be Sailor Venus. Haruka caught a heel to her sternum, and was kicked backwards. Her back collided with a chainlink wall, and then Venus delivered a hard punch into her chest. Despite her Senshi abilities, Haruka gasped as her stomach seemed to sickeningly collapse within her gut. She slumped to the floor, desperately coughing for air, Venus leering into his face. "You're rather weak," the soldier of love taunted. Haruka growled, throwing out her leg and taking out Venus' ankle. Venus tumbled onto the floor. With her chest exposed, Haruka slammed the heel of her boot onto the woman's stomach. "And you're slow," Haruka retorted, getting to her feet. Sailor Venus leaped back up, her Venus Love-Me Chain erupting to life. She cracked it like a whip and then flung the pointed tip at Haruka. Haruka dodged the strike, dropping down to her knees and rolling across the floor. But that proved a useless defensive as she came back up to her feet and suddenly found the Love-Me Chain wrapping around her throat in a stranglehold. Haruka found her breath stolen away. Sailor Venus smirked at the sight before giving a savage yank on her whip, forcing Haruka to stumble forward on her knees. Without missing a beat the whip went slack and was replaced by Venus' equally merciless fingers. Haruka had enough time to take half a breath before the hand clamped around her throat and hoisted her into the air. She had no time to say anything before Venus began to squeeze. Haruka grappled onto her surprisingly strong arms. "Impressive, even for an Esper," Venus remarked. "It's not often someone can actually deliver a hit that I feel." Haruka's blue eyes narrowed. Couldn't Venus feel the power she was exhibiting as Sailor Uranus? Even without the fuku, this sort of energy should have made the answer more than obvious. Unless, somehow, Venus had lost the ability to sense her. And then Haruka suddenly realized that Sailor Venus, once Aino Minako, didn't even recognize her. "Now you will answer my questions," the Senshi stated in no uncertain terms. "Or else I'll tear out your throat and drop you." Haruka's gaze moved downwards; Venus was holding her over the railing. Her feet were dangling in air three storeys directly over the dance floor. "Why are you trying to protect Eleven-oh-one from us?" Sailor Venus demanded, leaning closer into Haruka's face. "What good does it do you to pick a fight with the Sailor Senshi?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What faction do you work for?" The vice-like grip around Haruka's windpipe was tightened. She could only choke out a strangulated gasp. "Let her go," a foreign voice interjected. It sounded just as cold as Jupiter's voice had. Venus turned as a young woman stepped out from a venting of steam. Long wavy hair flowed down the woman's shoulders, and in her hands she carried the sleek, black form of a ceramic Glock handgun. "Another one?" Venus exclaimed incredulously, ignoring Haruka but not relaxing her death grip. "What did that freak do, hire a support team?" Michiru lifted the Glock, her grip on it steady and firm. The weapon seemed so unlike her, yet she held it like a natural. Years of living in Sin City had given her the ability. "I'm not here for that girl. I'm here because you want to kill the woman I love." At that, Sailor Venus grinned. Haruka could feel her lungs starting to burn. She figured she had maybe twenty more seconds at best before she blacked out completely. Her vision was already starting go out of focus and fade. But now Michiru had given her a distraction. What little power she had started to pool into her palm, which she kept dangling at her side. The air around her clenched fist started to shimmer with golden light. She could only think the words to unleash the attack. That was all she really needed. World.... Sailor Venus turned her head as she felt the surge of magic, blue eyes wide as Haruka raised her fist and leveled it with the soldier's face. ...Shaking. Those two blue eyes widened even more in the split second before the attack detonated. Venus' head exploded into hundreds of small bloody pieces as the World Shaking paid no heed and simply rammed straight through her skull. Her grip around Haruka's throat went immediately slack. Michiru swung herself out of the way of the ringed orb's flight path. A gouge was carved into the dark metal before the World Shaking struck a wall and exploded all over again. The force from the initial blast sent Haruka soaring backwards out of control, the entire interior of the Tokyo Raven becoming a warped kaleidoscope of colour. Suddenly she was plunged into a roaring flood of icy water, her horizontal flight abruptly now a plummet down to the ground. She had hit the waterfall. Haruka's vision of the dance floor grew distorted as the water pummeled her downwards. She could feel herself drop towards the pool. The roar of the falls drowned out all other sounds. And then she crashed into the pool, submerged in the crushing force of the water. Her feet touched the bottom, and she pushed off to bring herself back to the surface. Haruka emerged from the water. Bloodied. Bruised. And soaking wet. "Kuso, that hurt!" she sputtered, making her way back to the edge of the pool as the waterfall continued to thunder behind her. The carcass of a dead crocodile drifted lazily past her. Wearily Haruka dragged her upper torso onto the walkway, staying like that as she gasped for air and a chance to relax. A pair of arms seized her, hauling the rest of her body onto the floor. "Daijobu?" Michiru asked, kneeling down. Haruka nodded. She managed to regain her internal balance, and wiped the wet bangs of sandy-blonde hair away from her eyes. "I came as soon as I sense you and Hotaru suddenly using your powers," Michiru said. She then added softly. "We just killed one of our own." Haruka tried not to let it show in her stoic expression. "I know," she answered before forcing herself to stand up. "But it was either her, or us. And that wasn't Minako I killed. It wasn't the Minako we once knew." She glanced around the club. Half the patrons had already fled. The other half was either ignoring the carnage and dancing regardless, or else standing on the sidelines to take bets and cheer the fighters on. It was disturbing to listen to the shouts, and realize that the patrons here were cheering against the Inner Senshi. That meant they were cheering against the Sailor Senshi. "Get to the cage, and prep our Cyclopaths," Haruka said, taking the Glock from Michiru. "We'll need a fast exit out of here, and I don't think the Senshi will give us much of a headstart." Michiru nodded. She already knew where Haruka was going. "Hotaru should have never brought that girl here," she said quietly, just so that only her and Haruka could hear those words. And then she brushed past Haruka and made her way to the back of the Tokyo Raven. Haruka took off in another direction, using the shouts and pointed fingers of some of the spectators to see where Hotaru and the girl were. Apparently, both of them were somewhere in the upper echelons of the Tokyo Raven. And to further serve as encouragement to quicken her pace, the ceiling lit up as electric blue lightning snaked across the rafters. Triggering an explosion that sent flame and debris raining down on the world below. A piece of smouldering metal narrowly missed grazing Haruka's shoulder as she launched herself into the air and soared over the dance floor. Her feet made contact as she landed on the second level, and from there raced to the nearest stairwell. Unexpected noises from below caused her to stop in mid-step and glance over the railing. The front doors of the club were being forced open to accommodate a sweeping tide of visibly armed soldiers. Shadowgate military was storming the building, no doubt because of the frightened mob that had fled this place only minutes ago. That could only mean more enemies for them to run from. This wouldn't be easy. It never was. Hotaru found herself racing against an opponent who could match her speed for speed. The higher levels of the Tokyo Raven were left open, designed to let people to simply lounge around-- among other things. Except now that such people were frantically running for cover as Hotaru dashed around them, and a Sailor Senshi relentlessly attacked. Sailor Mercury unleashed another volley of solid ice. Hotaru dove out of the way, wincing as she rolled on her sore shoulder. Some of the other people didn't fare as well. Their stunned expressions were preserved in the hauntingly clear block of ice that now stretched across the wall. Stark reality told her that such people would not have survived the shock. The Shining Aqua Illusion would have killed them instantly. She had long since gone into full battle mode, invoking all her powers as Saturn, but without the dressings of her fuku or taking up her glaive. Mercury didn't seem to register this heightened power as that of a Senshi, and never hesitated. "Why can't you just take a hint and die?!" she shouted, spinning her body and delivering a harsh kick between Hotaru's shoulder blades. The raven-haired woman tumbled onto all fours, reeling from the sting of the hit. She twisted onto her back and unleashed a surge of her magic, letting it gush out and blow Mercury back a step or two. Anything to gain some distance. Hotaru got back up, wiping a trickle of blood away from her lips. It wasn't life or death. Not yet. If it came to that, Hotaru knew her Saturn sigil would appear. And there could be no more disguising her identity. A part of her was tempted to let it happen; the shock that would no doubt overtake Sailor Mercury would probably give her the opportunity to run. Or, more preferably, it would give her a chance to return some of the blows she'd been dealt. Hotaru dropped down onto her arms, pushing her legs up and kicking Mercury in the chest. The added momentum sent the Sailor Senshi crashing stumbling back and toppling over a chair. But Mercury was back on her feet in a heartbeat, looking more incensed than ever. She charged. Hotaru ran. Ran right onto one of the few catwalks that actually stretched up and over the dance floor. Only the top three floors had something like this, and right now it seemed like her only chance for escape. Hotaru's eyes widened as she hear Mercury shout, "Aqua Rhapsody!" behind her. A violent tidal force smashed into her back seconds later, throwing her into the air and onto the ground. The attack continued to push her forward against the grillwork, trying to grind her into the catwalk. She let out a stifled cry of pain as the attack finally dissipated. The pain became a dull echo in her mind as she felt Sailor Mercury slowly walk up and tower over her fallen form. Hotaru turned her head, ravenwing hair askew on her face as she looked up at someone who had once been a friend and fellow soldier. Mercury made a fist with her right hand, the air swarming around her arm and morphing into a churning whirlpool of water and ice. The only thing colder was the glare she leveled at Hotaru. "Sayonara." And then the catwalk was alive in gunfire, causing Mercury to jump back in unexpected surprise. Haruka was rounding the corner and racing across the catwalk, her expression chillingly void of emotion as she continued to pull the trigger of her Glock. Bullets screamed through the air and sent up showers of sparks all around Sailor Mercury. Mercury flinched and retreated, shielding her face but not about to run away entirely. "Hotaru, we've got company!" Haruka shouted. She knelt down next to Hotaru, trying to help Hotaru get up. Her gun was still trained on Sailor Mercury. Haruka's eyes narrowed. And she pulled the trigger. A loud 'click!' sounded from the chamber. Empty. Mercury outright laughed as Haruka gave the Glock a disbelieving look. She kicked it out from the tall sandy-blonde's hand a moment later. "Bullets don't exactly work against someone like me," she stated. Haruka's fist clenched, her magic already crackling with the formation of another World Shaking. "What makes you think that's all I have?" she growled in response. Suddenly the floors beneath them were filled with Shadowgate soldiers, each one armed and raising their weapons to the three Senshi above them. "Fire!" one bellowed, raising her own modified assault cannon. The soldiers all fired at once. And catwalk where Haruka and Hotaru stood upon became a dazzling lightshow of laserfire, sparks, smoke and explosions. Both screamed as they threw themselves aside to evade the devastating attack. Bullets and laserfire flashed all around them, burning or punching holes through the grating beneath their feet as they made a desperate run for cover. Glowing white sparks fell down around them like rain. "Haruka!" Hotaru shouted, squeezing her eyes shut like this was all some horrific nightmare. Haruka said nothing, using the best of her strength to throw Hotaru off the walkway. The structure abruptly shuddered and then collapsed, the braces of either side torn apart as the catwalk crashed down to the rest of the Tokyo Raven below. Haruka's eyes widened as she felt a sudden jolt. She launched herself forward, her powers letting her fly through the air and narrowly land at the edge of where the catwalk had once been. She stifled a scream as a piece of metal shrapnel ripped right through her shoulder, leaving a trail of her blood behind it. As the catwalk plummeted it flipped over, smashing against the edge of the fourth floor. Even more explosions were ignited, sending down an apocalyptic shower of fire and metal. For the second time in one night, panic erupted inside the Tokyo Raven. But this time, the frenzy to escape was universal. The screams all merged into one terrified cry. Two shadows quietly slipped through the smoke and fires above, now almost completely ignored by everyone else. Hotaru now found herself being Haruka's crutch, trying not to be alarmed by the slick river of blood now running down Haruka's back. "I'll live," Haruka muttered with her usual stubbornness when it came to admitting defeat. She winced as she turned her body, trying to keep the tearing of her wound to a bare minimum. "We need to get to the cages; Michiru has our bikes ready." Hotaru nodded, wiping the sweat, blood and ash from her own face. "Where's Rei?" "I don't know." That answer proved unacceptable for Hotaru, who made her way up another set of stairs. The last glimpse she'd had was of a nearly maniacal Rei chasing after Sailor Jupiter, the two disappearing somewhere amidst the darkness and haze of the ninth level. Above that, there was nowhere else to go--unless either of them had decided to tear a hole into the otherwise secured tenth and final floor. Hotaru came up the stairs. And abruptly froze as she bore witness to the remains of the battlezone. Piping and walls were either melted or scorched. Everything was wearing the telltale signs of being victim to a Senshi's attack. The noise must have been comparable to the loud music that even now persisted to flow across the club. But now this area was silent. Sailor Jupiter was sitting on the floor, her back propped up against the balustrade. Jaw hanging open. Emerald eyes wide and unfocused. Breathing in erratic, shallow gasps. Her entire body was limp, and shivering. 1101 lay face-down on the grillwork floor a few steps away from the Senshi. Unconscious. Her face hidden by a sea of dark, silken hair. She didn't stir as Hotaru picked her up and carried her piggyback. "She's a dead weight," Hotaru said with some slight displeasure. Given the beating her own body had already taken tonight, this added load was the last thing she wanted. "Then leave her," Haruka replied simply. Hotaru shot the tall sandy-blonde an angered glare. "I came back to get you, not her," Haruka stated. "Because of her, we can't ever come back to this place. The Tokyo Raven isn't our home anymore." "It never was home," Hotaru snapped. "The palace was our home, but when this--" She paused in the heat of her anger, almost at a loss for words. "This shit happened, we lost that home. This dance club is only a poor copy, Haruka, and you that. If we ever want to find that sense of security again, we have to protect Rei." She started walking past Haruka, moving towards one of the hidden stairwells that would take them down to the motorcycle cages. "We have to be soldiers once more," she stated firmly. With as much resolve as she could get into those words. Michiru pushed open the metal blast door hidden in the back of the Tokyo Raven, the night air cold against her skin and clothes. The streets were still full of traffic, and in the distance she could hear the buzzing of aerial patrol units no doubt responding to the carnage from within this dance club. Aqua-green eyes glanced back to the three custom-built Cyclopath motorcycles sitting in the dim light behind her. This garage was someplace Haruka spent a lot of her off-hours within, putting what was perhaps all her nervous energy into working on her prized Cyclopath: the Nevermore. It was sleek and cherry red, its frame designed for speed and agility. The body and chassis was deliberately kept low to the ground, and the driver had to lean back in order to settle into steering this behemoth. A small computer panel was situated just beneath the handlebars, neatly covered by the sloping glass windshield. Upon the rear compartment was the kanji for "Wind." Haruka's way of personalizing one of the few things they had left. Michiru's fragile smile was destroyed yet again as she heard the loud explosions rocking the Tokyo Raven, and closed her eyes as if that might make it all go away forever. Maybe she'd open her eyes and find, as she had prayed for so many times, that this Crystal Tokyo was just a vivid nightmare. A figment of her imagination. But was all too real. She could smell it with every choking fume. Hear it with every loud noise. Taste it every time she swallowed. See it whenever she gazed at the sky-scraping behemoths which towered into the night skies. Feel it with every gush of wind and drop of rain. It overwhelmed her senses and clung to her body like a paint that refused to be washed off. Despair hung over this city like a cloud, a dark and living entity which blackened the light of hope they might have otherwise had. It was something everyone could feel. Something most people either ignored or tried to forget. Michiru forced herself to open her eyes, and she retreated into the solace of the garage. Haruka had crafted a Cyclopath just for her, one that was lapis in colour and looked overall more elegant than the souped-up version Haruka drove. It was a sad fact that they couldn't double up on a Cyclopath. But riding one of her own, and feeling the wind whip through her hair, she understood a little better why Haruka enjoyed this so much. Her eyes drifted down to the kanji for 'oceans' that was sported on her vehicle. Already secured to the rear compartment was a small case which carried one of her violins. When she had first sensed the ripple of energy that could have only come from a Sailor Senshi, she knew the Tokyo Raven would fall. There was little else she could do save for rescuing this from the inevitable raiding parties. The club, like everything else they had tried to create for themselves since this began, was nothing more than a delicate house of cards. Once again dashed to pieces. The sound of racing footsteps reached her ears. Michiru turned her head and patiently waited next to the access corridor entranceway. Moments later the darkness gave up Haruka. Right behind her was Hotaru--who was carrying that strange girl she insisted had to be Rei. Michiru scowled, but kept her protests to herself. Now was not the time for a sharp tongue; that could wait until after they had escaped the authorities. Haruka abruptly turned, letting Hotaru move past before she unleashed a World Shaking attack that decimated the corridor behind them. The metal framework collapsed upon itself, the weight of the floor above crashing down and turning the passageway into a twisted spider's web of gnarled debris. Michiru said nothing, but was never the less impressed. Haruka wasted little time, barely even pausing to give a satisfied smile to her magic. The tall sandy-blonde grabbed a leather riding jacket from its hook on the wall and slipped her arms into the sleeves. She caught sight of the violin case strapped to her lover's Cyclopath. "Was there time to salvage anything else?" she asked. Michiru shook her head. While she said nothing, the frustration in Haruka's eyes was more than evident. Like Michiru, she bit it back and concentrated on their dire need to disappear. "You're hurt," Michiru said. Haruka tried to dismiss the wound. "I don't have time to bleed right now, Michiru. Right now we need to regroup and figure out what to do next." She turned to Haruka. "She's riding with you." Hotaru nodded, already trying to find a way to keep both herself and 1101 secure in her raven-dark Cyclopath. A quick decision forced her to sit in the back, with 1101's limp form practically sitting on the visuals console. Hotaru's biggest concern was that the girl's legs might slip out, but there was no other way. The three Outer Senshi settled into their motorcycles and started up their respective engines. Three tuned-to-perfection roars greeted their efforts. "Where are we going?" Hotaru asked, feeling the body of the Cyclopath vibrate beneath her. Haruka was busy playing with the displays for her console. A quick check with the orbiting GPS satellite brought up a virtual map of their part of the Asakusa ward. "Anywhere but here," she replied, paying more attention to the map. Once she found a route she liked, she looked back up. "Most of the Shadowgate forces are inside the building. We keep to the alleyways for a while, and we should be in the clear." "Then where?" Michiru asked. Haruka's grim expression didn't change as she stared out at the harsh realm beyond the open cage door. "I don't know." Right now they all needed room to breathe. That might give them the chance to find out why the Senshi wanted 1101 so much, if she and Michiru even wanted to pursue the answers after what had just happened. Hotaru would no doubt protest and try to push them into helping. But they would come to that confrontation when they reached it. "We've also got one other problem," Haruka stated, revving the motorcycle a little more. "Rei must have a locator on her somewhere. They're homing in on us even now." Hotaru's head snapped to attention, her wide eyes focused on Haruka. "Are you certain?" "None of the Inners we fought could sense we were soldiers like them," Haruka answered. The calmness of her own voice unnerved her. Amazing how she could slip back into her Uranus role so quickly, even after so long an absence. "If we can't even tell that this girl here is a Senshi herself, how could they possibly know? But they sure as hell found her in a hurry." That naturally begged the question: why hadn't anyone come after them yet? Haruka's eyes narrowed as she followed the logic. Between her and Hotaru, they'd done a lot of damage to the Inner Senshi. Venus was dead--and whatever 1101 had done, it had left Jupiter in some kind of catatonic state. That left Sailor Mercury, and she was probably busy tending to her comrades. Not to mention the carnage left in the Shadowgate army's wake. Who would have thought they'd have their very own private Sailor Wars here on Earth? Hotaru was still reeling from the possibility of having to fight and flee again. She was still stinging from having suffered at the hands of both Jupiter and Mercury. "Michiru, can't your Aqua Mirror do something?" she asked. "It's meant to see through and shatter illusions, not the other way around," Michiru answered, giving a helpless shrug. "I don't know if it could do that." "Now's a good time to try," Haruka spoke up. Michiru slowly turned her head, leveling a frustrated expression to Haruka. She still had reservations about this. And she was still angry with 1101 for having shattered the illusion of their contented life. When 1101 had first arrived Haruka shared in these reservations herself. But now it appeared that she was taking Hotaru's side. Michiru was finding herself threatened with being left alone. "We don't have time," she protested. "If they can follow us, then we won't have any time, period," Hotaru stated. "Even if we leave now and stop the homing beacon at a later time, they'll always knew where we last were. You can try now, and I'll stand guard. I'll become Saturn if I have to; that'll give anyone reason to stop." Aqua-green eyes locked with violet eyes. It came down to a battle of wills. And Michiru found herself too tired to out-stubborn her own surrogate daughter. Resignedly she conceded to Hotaru's request and drew out her Talisman from its dimensional pocket. The Aqua Mirror's glass surface flickered with its own incandescent light. Familiar winds of magic stirred around her, bringing both memories of laughter and tears. She stared at her reflection. Watched the reflection change. The images she saw were murky, but what she felt could not be denied: the Aqua Mirror was obeying her command. The transponder buried somewhere within 1101 found its signal muffled. "It's finished," she said, sitting back in her Cyclopath and exhaling deeply at feeling the sudden drain of energy. They all glanced back to the entrance corridor. Somewhere deep beyond the shadows they could hear a scourge of footsteps racing towards them. Confused shouts that could have only been barked from a soldier's mouth, but they were muffled from the blockade Haruka had created. The three Outer Senshi knew what to do next, communicated with just a silent, shared look. Haruka revved her engine once more and then popped the clutch. Her Cyclopath roared even louder before it took off and left the cage. Hotaru and Michiru followed single- file, leaving the fallen paradise of the Tokyo Raven behind them all. Whatever exotic or surreal atmosphere the Tokyo Raven had once projected to its patrons, that was gone now as both Sailor Senshi and Shadowgate soldiers finished up their sweep. Body bags were still being transported out as more dead were discovered in the dim antechambers of the club. Some had died in the chaos. Others had been victims of the war between the Senshi. Mercury glanced over the railing of the ninth floor, her eyes fixated on the jungle pool. The waterfall had been shut down, the flashing lights were deactivated, and the pounding music was turned off. The Tokyo Raven now seemed more like an eerie and near- deserted crypt of twisted alien metal, vent systems and catwalks. "What the hell did you do?" the Commander demanded coldly. "We've got twenty-five dead in the stampede inside the club, fifty more from the riot that ensued on the streets outside. Cars overturned, exploded, buildings shot apart, and we still have to contend with the mess in here." "I'm not here to listen to you whine," Mercury snapped, walking away. "I don't even recall giving you authorization to come in here." Her blue eyes narrowed. "You destroyed the one good chance I had to killing those damned Espers." The Commander stopped dead in her tracks for a moment, but seemed to have already braced herself for the fallout from taking her own initiative. "I had reason to believe you were failing in your objective," she defended herself. "And I don't see any sign of the target either." But those words fell upon deaf ears. Sailor Mercury's attention was upon the form of Sailor Jupiter. The tall brunette was still trembling, a vacant gaze lifted to the ceiling. A quiet, perhaps even human smile flickered across Mercury's face. She knelt down next to her fallen comrade, gently cradling Jupiter's head in her arms. "I had reason to believe you were in danger, Sailor Mercury, and I think I was justified in my actions." The commander's voice was now almost pleading to be heard, to be vindicated when it came time to report to her superiors. "Are you listening to me?!" Sailor Mercury jerked her arm up, silently unleashing a volley of ice that sheared the woman's head from her shoulders. The decapitated corpse tumbled onto the gridwork, no longer an annoying buzz in Mercury's ears. "Mako-chan," she whispered, letting her fingers drift across the other soldier's skin. "What did she do to you?" Upon the 218th floor of the Shadowgate Tower, a man stood silently within his office, gazing out through the immense windows. Cobalt blue eyes surveyed all that he ruled. Skyscrapers pushed out from the ground, rising above the myriad of lights that stretched across the streets below. These megalithic structures each tried to reach as high as the Shadowgate Tower, but failed to come close. Here in the Shinjuku Ward only the Shadowgate Tower, with the shimmering glow of the Crystal Palace at its base, could be the sole beacon of light. A vast and sprawling expanse of smaller office towers and lush green parks clustered around the tower, encircling the district. On the other side of the district's edge, the highrises were allowed to be 150 storeys high. When he gazed out his windows, the result was as if the entire Shinjuku area had been swallowed up, yet was still alive. But the grandeur of the city was a far and distant thought within his mind. Other concerns demanded his full and focused attention. The operation should have been completed by now. And so it was that he sat down behind his desk and accessed the computer before him. All three Senshi communicators were paged, but only one responded. Sailor Mercury's face appeared. Her expression was one contorted by a dichotomy of helpless grief and profound rage. Already he knew this report would not be giving him the answers he so desired. "We have a soldier down," she stated. Her voice echoed bitter defeat. He stiffened. "Who?" "Venus." "How long ago?" he asked. Mercury glanced around wherever she was for a moment. "Not long." He exhaled deeply, his mind racing and not permitting him the leisure of time to scowl or frown. They would have to move fast if he wished to salvage Venus' Essence. Before it found another host other than the one he had already selected. Preparations would have to begin immediately after this call. "Jupiter is also hurt," Mercury added, and the communicator shifted views to allow him a glimpse of the catatonic Senshi. "I don't know what happened, but Eleven-oh-one seemed to lose control of her powers. I was unable to watch the outcome of their battle." "I can arrange for transport of Jupiter here to the Crystal Palace," he stated, one hand moving over to a small keypad and starting to type in commands as he spoke. "It can be there within twenty minutes." Mercury nodded. But was still concerned for the woman being cradled in her arms. "Let me take care of her, Ami," he stated, returning their focus to the problem at hand. "We have other things to worry about right now. What about Eleven-oh-one?" "She escaped." Suddenly he found time to scowl. "She escaped from three Inner Senshi?" he remarked, somewhat unbelieving himself that such a feat was even possible. "Eleven-oh-one had help," came the reply. "I'm a little vague on the concept of 'help', Mercury. Elaborate." Mercury paused to readjust her hold on Makoto. "She's currently on the run with a small faction who can hold their own against us. I have reason to believe they're Espers, and powerful ones at that." For the first time since this entire ordeal had unfolded, he had reason to pause in hearing something completely unexpected. "Espers?" he asked. Esper was merely the common term people in this city used in reference to a growing phenomenon. 'Esper' was a much easier and quicker word to say than 'ESPers.' The Silver Crystal had triggered something within the human body when Crystal Tokyo had first started to rise. None who survived the apocalypse showed any signs or symptoms of telekinesis, empathic powers, or the like. But the children who were subsequently born into the new world...slowly but steadily, the percentage of naturally-born Espers was growing with each generation. If the end result of this Esper evolution was a human who's powers could rival the Senshi, then his entire plans for Crystal Tokyo would have to be drastically altered. That was not to his liking in the slightest. He had worked too long and too hard, betrayed too many people to have to revise the Program. Unless they weren't dealing with Espers at all. "Once I'm done here, I'll resume pursuit," Ami stated, wishing to end the discussion and get back to caring for Jupiter. Or else getting back at 1101. "Ami," he abruptly asked. "Where did these Espers first appear?" Mercury's eyes revealed her momentary confusion, but she answered never the less. "A dance club called Tokyo Raven." His eyes narrowed. "Thank you. Happy hunting." The transmission was terminated. Sailor Mercury was left to her worries and vengeance. And he was left with his own thoughts and conspiracies. A peculiar smile dared to pull at the corners of his mouth. The Tokyo Raven brought with it unexpected complications. The rules of engagement had suddenly changed. The fluidity of war was like that. But it didn't mean he was caught completely off-guard. There were more resources at his disposal than mere Shadowgate military officers, or even his Inner Senshi. It was time to pay an old friend a little visit. But not before he took care of Jupiter...and Venus. A darkened facility. Everything here rippled in navy shadows, throwing a ghostly paradery of light across the entire room. And he stood atop a raise platform to the rear of the immense laboratory. Computer screens made eerie flickers of light. Hundreds of small, coloured lights blinked off and on. Coils of cables of all different sizes were draped everywhere, some of them hard to distinguish with the maze of piping all around. A rhythmic heartbeat echoed loudly across the chambers. A slightly mechanic hum accompanied it as the machinery synchronized with its pace. The president of Shadowgate glanced at the handful of technicians in the room. Usually no one was in here save for him. This time, however, things had changed considerably. He turned his head, cobalt eyes watching a hovering gurney be placed inside a lift elevator. Upon the gurney was Makoto, naked beneath a white cloth. Her emerald green eyes were still vacant, staring out at nothing. He stepped onto the lift with her and let the platform slowly descend onto the main level. Grilles covered the floor, cables and wires sprawled everywhere. With slow, deliberate steps he directed the gurney up to the reason this facility existed. Cobalt eyes beheld a cylindrical, glass chamber that was giving off the rippling blue light that danced across the walls. Bubbles from the liquid inside surged every few seconds, floating to the top. It wasn't water. He smiled as he saw the sleeping soul who was kept within the glass chamber. Her arms dangled loosely at her side, suspended in the liquid. Long hair that could only be golden blonde drifted alongside the dozens of thin black cables that seemed to be fused into her skin and connecting her to the machines outside. Crystal blue eyes slowly opened. "I trust I'm not disturbing you," he said to her. His voice betrayed the fact that he wouldn't have cared either way. The woman in the water shook her head. The saddened visage she wore deepened as she saw Makoto. Unbridled concern seized her, and she swam forward through the liquid until her palms were pressed against the glass. Bubbles surged all around her moving body. "Eleven-oh-one did this," he stated in no uncertain terms. "It's like she's scrambled Makoto's mind. I need you to undo the damage." The woman hesitated. She didn't seem to have faith in him. Or faith in herself. "You can still harness what's left of the Silver Crystal," he told her. "It's the only chance Makoto has of recovering." The woman trapped within the glass still hesitated. His cobalt eyes narrowed in vicious scorn. "So you would like to see her die, then?" he inquired. "If she remains like this, she might as well be dead. I will be forced to bring out another Candidate host for her Essence. And we both know what must happen for Jupiter's Essence to move from one body to the next." The woman shuddered as she listened. If it were possible to shed tears amidst floating in the liquid gel, he would have witnessed her sadness. She bowed her head, her chest heaving with pained sobs. One of her palms lingered against the glass before slowly sliding down the surface. She resigned herself to her fate. She felt responsible for this. And so her crystal blue eyes sealed themselves shut, and she began to harness the magic that would save Makoto. Serenity Square. Here stood the largest display in the city, which projected the ethereal face of Neo Queen Serenity. Over a dozen smaller screens worked together to create one giant image of the queen, who smiled out at all the people and wished them reassurances. The area around the Serenity Square consisted mainly of five to ten storey office buildings. There was a small and not entirely lush piazza that separated two directions of traffic. It featured a lack of trees, but patio tables and benches for the weary traveler who had walked too far. Though now everything was covered in a damp blanket of rain. At times, Haruka found herself wishing it would storm, and perhaps the heavens might rage so fiercely that they'd wipe out this city, and put a merciful end to everything. But the rain was always this way: a drizzle. Not enough to soak someone caught outside, but enough to annoy anyone who was forced to use a route other than the underground pathways and sub-levels. For now, she didn't entirely mind the rain. It helped reassure her that she was alive. This feeling was warm within her body, a rhythmic surge that reminded her of what it was like the experience the adrenaline rush of battle. Of being a sailor soldier. If only she didn't have to be slowly coming down from that high in the shadow of Neo Queen Serenity's tranquil propaganda. Her shoulder was only mildly annoying her now. Hotaru had used her healing powers to clean up the worst of the injury. Fortunately, healing others didn't result in a drain on Hotaru's body. Haruka idly revved her engine. The Cyclopath motorcycle had been introduced to the city about fifty years ago. She had taken the identity of a garage mechanic-- who had been killed by an underground mob run by both humans and youma--and helped contribute to the overall design and schematics. As a result she had been able to gain access to all the newest upgrades and technology for making these three custom Cyclopaths. But even that might not be enough to hide them. The Senshi knew their faces, and would be hunting them along with this 1101 girl. And if they were being hunted by the Senshi, then they were being hunted by Shadowgate. Out of the ashes of tragedy some two hundred years ago, Shadowgate had arisen. And Crystal Tokyo didn't know to fight back until the Shadowgate Council had spread its grip to seize hold of everything. For now they had escaped and come here. They had parked upon the edge of a greenstrip. Since they weren't completely blocking access to the path, no one complained. This sort of occurrence was common in the city. But here they could be assured a multitude of quick escape routes that would take them anywhere in the city. Haruka's blue eyes darted across the rest of the Shinjuku ward. Somewhere beyond these offices and the grandiose image of their queen laid the Shadowgate Tower. She could see its darkened form rise up above the others in the distance. "How is she doing?" she asked, turning her hand and looking over to Hotaru. Hotaru was kneeling next to her black Cyclopath, motherly caring for 1101. The girl was still unconscious. Had been for the entire hour-long ride across Crystal Tokyo's roadways. The last place any of them wanted to be right now was in Sin City. Hotaru had tried to make 1101 as comfortable as possible in the driver's seat. She'd even taken her own coat and placed it over 1101 to help stave off the rain. "I don't know," Hotaru answered, shaking her head. She seemed oblivious to the rain. "I still have mild healing abilities, but when I use them on her nothing happens. Whatever's wrong with Rei is not merely on a physical level. I can't help right now." Haruka's eyes shifted to the empty Cyclopath securely flanked by either of them. "There's no guarantee any of us can." Michiru had needed some cajoling to go get some food and supplies from one of the storefront vendors just down the street. Using their SatCards was out of the question; Shadowgate would surely be waiting to see if a purchase turned up. Luckily they had some cash to make do with. "We've survived this once before," Hotaru stated emphatically. "When we were driven from the palace and hunted down, we had nothing but our wits and our powers. And we made it out alive. The situation hasn't changed, Haruka." "I'd actually argue it's gotten worse," Haruka countered evenly. "Then it's our fault for having let it get worse." "We weren't even here when it happened. We didn't know." Haruka tried to forget the pain of memory again, and she knew that in many ways Hotaru was doing the same. How long had it been since she even dared to transform, reassure herself that she could still one day become Sailor Uranus again? These days her Esper-like power was all she needed--or wanted--to get by on. The existence of Espers was how she, Michiru and Hotaru had managed to survive this long without drawing noticeable attention to themselves. The powers they possessed as Senshi could be easily utilized even if they hadn't transformed, but what they manifested was similar to something an advanced Esper could do. Everyone just dismissed them as Esper prodigies and that was that. Besides, the Outer Senshi had died long ago. Both in the history books...and in their own minds. A welcomed distraction presented itself as Michiru quickly darted between the openings in traffic, and rejoined them on the esplanade. "Finally," Michiru sighed, shaking her head. She rummaged through her shopping bag and tossed Haruka and Hotaru each a metallic cylinder. "It's not exactly what I'd call great cuisine, but it's the best I could find given our budget." "What about any medical kits?" Hotaru asked. Michiru shook her head. "Gomen. Everything I found was specialized, and selling for a few hundred thousand Yen." Trying not to look crestfallen, Hotaru nodded and went back to caring for 1101. Michiru tried to wipe some of the precipitation from off the seat of her Cyclopath, and sat down. "What's our next move?" she asked, pulling out a canister for herself and unscrewing the cap. Inside was a small generic sandwich, and a carbonated soft drink. "We need to get that locator out of her," Haruka answered. "The sooner we do that, the sooner we can disappear and figure out what to do next." Michiru nodded in agreement with her lover's assessment. "We will also need to visit 'him'," she added, taking a bite of her sandwich. "Not that I'm entirely looking forward to the prospect." Hotaru let the two debate. Her own concerns rested with the girl laid out in the seat of her own Cyclopath. The physical resemblance 1101 bore to the original Rei Hino was uncanny, but there was something else. Something Sailor Mars had lacked for almost two centuries. Unlocking that would unlock the truth about what happened inside the palace all those years ago. She couldn't give up, not now. She refused to give up. Hotaru closed her eyes once more and rested her palm against 1101's forehead. She focused her healing powers, but then broke down the walls of her carefully-guarded power. The magic of Saturn shimmered as her fingers pressed against 1101's skin. Haruka and Michiru took immediate notice, but said nothing. No one around the park seemed to care. For a moment, the sigil of Saturn was almost visible on Hotaru's forehead. But she desperately tried to conceal it as she called upon more power to break through the clouded world within 1101's mind. The darkness was pierced. 1101's eyes fluttered open. She lifted her head from the back of the Cyclopath, none of them certain if she was now sweating or just covered in rainwater. The girl's violet eyes widened, and 1101 sat up with a start. Her lips formed a near incoherent string of frightened words. "Shhh," Hotaru countered, gently pressing the girl's shoulders against the cushioned back of the seat. "After what happened, it's probably safer for you to take it easy." After calming 1101 down, Hotaru offered the girl some of her sandwich. 1101 wordlessly accepted the food offering and devoured it. "If she's awake, that might make your traveling easier, Hotaru," Haruka remarked, adjusting her leather coat. "Regardless, we need to go. Even with the Aqua Mirror concealing that girl's location, it's not in our best interest to stay in one place for too long." 1101 turned away from the last crust of her sandwich and watched Haruka. There was still a high degree of timidity and fear in those violet eyes...but now there was something else. Perhaps vague recognition. "We can take the Shinjuku Expressway and cut off a half hour of travel time," Michiru said, settling into her Cyclopath and starting the engine up. "That is, if it's not closed because of an accident, or faced with its usual traffic jam." Hotaru's eyes drifted skyward, where laneways of hovering vehicles stacked atop each other moved at a blinding blur of colour and light. "What about the skyways?" she asked. Haruka shook her head. "No good. You know Cyclopaths are land- based; no hover capabilities whatsoever." "That doesn't mean we can't find something to transport them in." "Not with the money we have left," Michiru said. "And don't even think about volunteering to sell your Cyclopath. I'm not doubling up." Hotaru granted Michiru that, and agreed to the expressway. It took a few minutes to get 1101 accustomed to practically sitting in Hotaru's lap. "Daijobu," she reassured the girl. "We're going to see an old friend." 1101 quietly spoke up, "Who?" Haruka's expression was brooding as she glanced over her shoulder and began to pull out from their ersatz parking space. "He who would be Chaos." It might have been Aino Minako. This young girl had her blonde hair and blue eyes. Had her supple, athletic body. Yet she was more an empty vessel. A shell waiting to be filled. Her eyes were closed as she laid there upon the raised alter: naked, hands at her sides, palms facing the cathedral-like glass dome high overhead. She was not dead. For that matter, she was neither alive. But she was waiting. He watched the girl who might have been Aino Minako from a safe distance. The last thing he wanted was to inadvertently taint the bait meant to lure Venus' Essence back here, to the host he had designated. His cobalt blue eyes took in every detail of this citadel. This place had once been the throne room, where Neo Queen Serenity had been frozen during the attack from Nemesis. Here was the heart of the Crystal Palace, and in this inner sanctum the power of Neo Queen Serenity still lingered. It would amplify the signal he was about to give. With Sailor Venus dead, the Essence of the soldier of Venus was now wandering the city. Searching for someone to become its new host. This place would help draw it to the Crystal Palace, to the young blonde girl in front of him. The citadel was a homing beacon. She might have been Minako. But that girl had died long ago. Who she was, a vivacious and emotional human, died with her. All that remained was the hardened soldier. The beating heart and pulsating magic that had made her Sailor Venus was something more eternal than he knew he could grasp. Her Essence. Death could come to any sailor soldier. The soul of who they were lived on, and would search restlessly for another to carry on the mantle. An Essence chose carefully, and arbitrarily selected the best candidate. Such randomness was something he could still control. The girl on the alter may not have been the original Minako. But she was the next best thing. Like all the other versions gone before her. The Essence would take control and give her life. But he could also implant whatever memories into her that he wanted. Memories shaped personality, regardless of the Essence. And thusly he could control the Senshi by moulding them into what he wanted them to be. Of course, he wasn't above some amusement by implanting a stray memory here or there to freshen the ladies up. The previous Jupiter had been lovers with Mercury. Mild curiousity had prompted him to try and push that relationship upon them. He had seen echoes of it in the past, with each different incarnation. But now the situation was changing. 1101's Essence seemed to have ideas contrary to his own. Abruptly a gust of wind dispelled the haunting silence. Hands at his back, he calmly watched the ceremony take place as it had many times over. The newest Candidate was being given an "injection" of Essence. Through the glass dome an impossible cloud appeared. It hovered and then filtered down through the air, shimmering like a thousand stars all at once. For a moment it hesitated. Assessed the girl upon the alter. And then it dove, tendrils of light reaching out and enshrouding her face before snaking their way down the rest of her body. The sigil of Venus began to glow upon the girl's forehead. Blue eyes suddenly opened. And then the union between body and Essence reached its culmination. Momentarily all was lost from his vision as a golden light overtook the citadel, and he raised his arm up to shield his eyes. An explosion of air gushed past him, leaving his nerves on edge from the magic now saturating everything in this place. It was like bearing witness to the smallest of supernovas. Slowly he lowered his hand, a quiet and unreadable smile spreading across his face. The new Sailor Venus slowly sat up, and then lifted her arms. She examined her palms, studying them for the first time, showing a child's fascination and confusion. It was to be expected; she was only a few minutes old. The procedure of memory implantation always had to follow the Essence bonding to the Candidate. He could manipulate the one who held Essence easier than he could manipulate the Essence into taking a specific body. The Essence would know of his intentions based on the memories implanted within the girl, and would reject her. But this girl was a clean slate. A life like this...the Essence only saw the purity and innocence of a child. The perfect candidate to make into the new generation of sailor soldiers. His stern gaze seemed to penetrate into the very heart and soul of the young girl in front of him. She was slowly learning to live, oblivious to his presence. Everything was falling into place, as he had anticipated. This newborn Senshi would become his Senshi. And he would be her father and master. She would never question him, never desert him nor betray him. She would never consider him expendable. It had been like this since the beginning. 1101 was making herself the exception, however. Cobalt eyes shifted, and gazed at the tall brunette now standing next to him. When Sailor Jupiter had entered the citadel, he did not know. Nor did this concern him. "Is this how I was born?" she asked. Her tone betrayed nothing. No suspicions. No naivete. He nodded, returning his attention to the girl upon the alter. "This is how all of you are born, Makoto. I search out the Essence, and together we breathe life into you." Jupiter kept silent, standing beside him, her hands crossed over her chest. Her emerald eyes studied the curious, awkward movements the newborn Venus was making. "How soon will she be battle-ready?" "I regret that she will not be able to fight this war alongside you," he answered. "Venus is but a child right now; it will take time to ensure she has matured enough." He glanced back at Jupiter. "You seem to have recovered quickly." Her eyes narrowed. He said nothing to spurn her on, knowing full well the vengeance she wished to exact upon 1101. It was fortunate that whatever 1101 had done was able to be dispelled. "Ami has lost track of Eleven-oh-one," he told Jupiter. "Those Esper women you fought have found a means of disrupting the signal of her locator. They could be anywhere in the city by now." The sound of Jupiter's knuckles abruptly cracking echoed across the now quiet citadel. He knew that bit of news would strike an exposed nerve with her. "Makoto," he stated. "Right now I require you to tell me exactly what you noticed about Eleven-oh-one during your battle. What she did to you was unprecedented, but it may happen again. The more you tell me, the more I can predict what we're up against. And the better I can protect us all." Jupiter nodded. "She appeared disoriented. She didn't fight back at all in the beginning; she didn't even transform. Whatever she did to escape, I think it must have caused her to go into some kind of shock." He silently concurred. From what he had gathered in inspecting the facility and interrogating those involved, 1101 had used a tremendous amount of power to aide in her escape. She had pushed her Essence past its limits, and was now suffering from a psychic burnout. In short, it was amnesia. "That at least is not disappointing," he said. "She is, for now, not as much a threat to the Project as we had first feared. You are still to make sure she does not find a means of becoming any more a threat to us." "I wouldn't have it any other way," Jupiter answered, her voice like ice. "I'll pay that bitch back tenfold for betraying us." A wry smirk tugged at his lips. "Be careful, my dear. It would appear that when push comes to shove, Eleven-oh-one can still bite back." He paused to let his words sink in, and then continued. "All indications are that she had a brief resurgence of memory, and that triggered her violent explosion against you. It would not surprise me that in future moments of extreme danger this will activate itself again. It's her survival instinct kicking in." He turned his head, made deliberate eye contact with Jupiter. "Do not toy with her, Makoto. Do not flaunt your position or your powers, even when fighting those Espers who are with her. Unless you want to experience oblivion for a second time, I suggest you kill her swiftly and efficiently. Eleven-oh-one should not be given the chance to realize she's dead by the time the first drop of her blood hits the floor. "Now then," he said. "I can imagine you wish to rejoin with Mercury and resume your search." Jupiter nodded, already knowing he had just given her permission to leave. "Hai." She then glanced back to the emerging Sailor Venus. "What about her?" The girl was now trying to discover the use of her legs, to slide off the edge of the alter and stand upon the floor. The clumsiness of her attempt was painfully obvious. "Leave her to me," he answered. "There are certain things that must be done before Venus can be fully restored to active duty once more." Jupiter departed with the same stealth she had used in entering. Left alone with this newborn soldier, he slowly walked forward, wary to make his presence known without startling her. The girl's blue eyes widened as she found her legs unable to support her weight. She slipped, her hands desperately gripping the edge of the alter. She turned her head, tresses of golden blonde hair spilling down around her naked body. She looked so beautiful. He stopped when she at last caught sight of him, and her blue eyes widened even further. She looked at him, surprised to see someone else here. He was the first person he saw. And so she imprinted on him. "Come with me," he said, offering a hand to her. "You have nothing to fear...." [incubation complete.] [next phase: interrogation] My indebted gratitude goes out to Greenbeans and Meara, who walked by my side as this realm first unfolded. To Angus MacSpon and "Sailor Moon 4200", which dared to ask me the question: what if Crystal Tokyo didn't last as long as we all thought it would? Thanks must be given to the "Crystal Tokyo for the Baka" compendium. My work as its archivist has no doubt contributed to many of the ideas that are here within this story.