Legend: "(...)" English dialogue. ------ "How close are we now?" Sylvie asked as Michiru continued to lead the way. "Not much farther, maybe another block or two. I... Listen." she whispered as she heard galloping in the distance. The two young women quickly ducked into a side street just as Major Leon McNichol and police officer Daley Wong rode by, followed closely by three women, two of whom were wearing glasses. They were about to go back out, when they saw Nene in her Knight Saber armor ride by, Jeena holding on tightly around the Russian's waist. "That... That was one of the Knight Sabers, wasn't it?" Sylvie asked, stunned. "It sure looked like it." Michiru said as the two of them left their hiding place. Coming back out into the road, they walked another ten minutes before Michiru's heart finally lifted at seeing the outside of the Silky Doll. "We're finally here." she said in a relieved tone of voice. Sylvie looked over at the lovely young creature she'd walked home, and felt desire once again swelling up within her. She was about to try to make another pass, when the sound of galloping was once again heard. She looked around, and couldn't see any place nearby to hide. Turning around, she ran from Michiru to the entrance of the Silky Doll. The door was locked. As the galloping got closer, she ran back to the smaller girl, pulling out her knife as she did so. "Michiru-san." she said fearfully, "Get behind me." ------ Sylia was cold and tired. She was riding a horse given her by Lupin, and she was still trying cope with everything that had happened in the last eight hours. She still couldn't get over the French thief's arrogance; he actually had a katana already waiting for her at his hideout. As if there were no possible way she'd refuse to help. On the way back, two things were nagging at her. The first of course, was Jeena dredging up painful memories of the past, to say nothing of her invocation of rule eleven as her justification for revenge. The second was where on earth were Priss and Linna? Why would Nene have come with the unlikely group of Major McNichol, Officer Wong and Malso? She was going to ask them, but by the time she'd finished agreeing to meet together with Lupin and his gang in three days, they'd already left. Coming around the final corner, she tried to stifle a yawn. She was both physically and mentally exhausted. As she got closer to the store however, she was able in the darkness to make out two figures. One was holding a knife in front of her, and the other was... Sylia pulled on the reigns and came to a stop. "Don't come any closer!" the stranger called over. Sylia quickly assessed the situation as she got off her horse and started walking forward, leading the animal by its reigns behind her while she smiled as pleasantly as she could given the circumstances. "Hello." she said in a disarmingly pleasant tone of voice ,"May I help you?" "Stay back!" Sylvie shouted again, flashing her knife around. "Michiru." Sylia called over, "What's going on?" Sylvie turned to Michiru. "You... know this woman?" she asked, her back to Sylia. "Yes, she owns this store." Michiru said, as Sylia walked silently over to her. Sylvie, seeing that the woman paid no attention to her threats, became indignant. "Hey!" she yelled, "I'm serious, damn it. Until I know who you are, stay away from..." Sylvie's voice trailed off as she now noticed that, instead of the knife she was holding before, she now had the horse's reigns in her hand. She then looked over, to see Sylia carrying the knife with its blade pointed downward. "I don't like having these things pointed at me." Sylia said over her shoulder as she looked at the young lady with the wavy hair in front of her. "What happened, Michiru? How did you get so dirty?" she asked, concern evident in her voice. "I went to get help, and I fell off the horse during the attack. I landed hard on my side." "You poor thing." Sylia said, gently putting her hand up to Michiru's face as she looked for any bruises. "Did you get hurt?" "Well, I suffered a charley horse and a sprained wrist, but other than that I was okay. Sylvie there helped me and together we made it back here." she answered, leaving out the part about Sylvie making a pass at her. Sylia turned to the woman Michiru indicated and studied her. "Thank you." she said after a moment's hesitation. Sylvie waved it off "Don't worry about it." she said with a smile. "I saw she was alone and in danger, and did what I could to help." Sylia returned Sylvie's smile before turning back to Michiru. "You said you were out trying to get help. Why? What happened to Linna and Priss?" "Linna was..." Michiru thought of her cousin, and Jeena's words earlier in the evening about her captors using torture on her, and started to weep. Sylia took Michiru into her arms (much to Sylvie's chagrin) while she continued to cry. As she was trying to comfort her, the front door opened and a very tired looking blond came out. "Sylia, you're back." Nene said, wearing her usual European apparel. She frowned when she saw Linna's cousin crying in her embrace. "Michiru? What's wrong, are you..." "Nene." Sylia said, "Where are the others?" "Well, Daley and Leon went on to take the ladies to a hiding place. I believe they're staying at Daley's place." "I see. And where's Linna and Priss?" Nene, noticing the stranger nearby, came over and whispered in her leader's ear. Sylia's eyes suddenly opened wide. "Kidnapped!" she exclaimed. ------ Linna was fighting the urge to cry as she walked alongside the horse carrying her love and officer Ten'ou, the reigns of the horse resting in the former geisha's hands. Priss' hands were cut up terribly, several of her stitches had been ripped open, and her cracked ribs were causing her to breath with difficulty. She should never have gone out to fight this soon after her previous injuries. Sitting practically in Priss' lap in a sidesaddle position, Haruka was worrying both Knight Sabers. She was unconscious, and babbling on and on about a dark kingdom and someone named Serenity. Linna could remember their departure from the opera house. There was, for the moment at least, an uneasy truce between the White Tiger Clan and the Knight Sabers. She could remember telling Reika that the members of her clan who'd been killed had not died in vain; they'd died protecting her, and for a cause they'd believed in. Cold comfort, but at least now the truth was out. She could feel tears forming in her eyes, and looked down. "Linna?" Priss asked, seeing her beloved turn away from her, "Koibito, what's wrong?" "B... Beryl..." Haruka whispered. Linna looked up at Priss, "It's my fault. If I hadn't gone out to investigate alone, I..." "B... breached the... defenses..." Haruka muttered. Priss ignored the younger woman's babblings as she answered her love. "You did what I would've done, given the situation. Don't beat yourself up about it." Linna was about to respond, when a wagon came into view from a side street, stopping in front of the travelers. One of the men on the wagon got off and ran over to the three women. As he got closer, Linna breathed a sigh of relief. "Nigel!" she cried as he reached them. He took the reigns from Linna and guided her and the horse with its two passengers over to the wagon. ------ "This really isn't necessary, Ma'am. I..." "Nonsense. There are two guest rooms upstairs, and I'm sure after walking Michiru home you're exhausted. After all it's," Sylia looked up at the clock, "Good lord, one-thirty in the morning. Nene, will you show Sylvie here to one of the guestrooms?" Nene promptly nodded, and grabbed a candle to show the woman the way upstairs. Sylia then turned to Michiru, sitting in front of the Franklin stove. She sat down and put an arm around the younger girl's shoulder. "Stingray-sama, I'm afraid. Where are Linna and Priss? Where's Ruka-kun?" "Ruka-kun?" Sylia asked with a bemused tone. Noting the younger woman's sour expression, she ran her fingers through her hair, "Worrying isn't going to solve anything, Michiru. As soon as Nene comes back down, I'll change into my armor and..." Sylia was cut off by a knock at the door. Startled, she left Michiru's side to see who it was. "Mackie?" she asked in surprise, seeing her brother on the other side of the windowpane. Opening the door, she watched as he rushed in carrying something. "Mackie, what's happening?" "The others are behind me." he said as he ran through the store carrying Henderson's medical bag. "We need hot water. Lots of hot water." he called as he passed by Michiru on his way to the back library. Before Sylia could move to get any hot water, Linna came in with Priss, whose arm was draped around the former geisha's shoulders for support, and whose bloody palms were staining Linna's kimono with scarlet hand prints. "Priss." Sylia gasped. "Help..." Priss started to say. Sylia and Michiru rushed over. "Priss, we're right here." Sylia said, "Tell us what you need us to do." Priss shook her head. "Help... her..." she got out just before the door burst open almost off its hinges as Nigel backed into it carrying someone, Henderson right behind him. "Careful, Kirkwood. For heaven's sake watch her knee!" As Nigel turned around, Sylia and Michiru got a good look at who he was carrying. Haruka's lower lip and forehead were covered in congealed blood, staining both the top of her shirt and the hairs in the front of her head red. Her right knee was visibly swollen underneath her pants, and around her neck were black and blue marks left from when her assailant had tried to choke her to death. A bloodstained tie was wrapped around the young woman's head. Michiru could feel a scream catch in her throat as she looked at the young woman she had fallen in love with. Nene emerged from the staircase just in time to allow a gasp to escape at seeing the young officer's condition. "Sylia, didn't Mackie tell you to get the hot water?" Nigel asked as he rushed past the five women in the room toward the entrance to the pit. "...World..." Haruka slurred out as Henderson ran to keep up with the younger man. "Slow down, Kirkland." the older man called. "It's not going to help anyone if the two of you tumble down the bloody stairs." "...Shaking..." Haruka mouthed. As the three of them descended, Michiru followed close behind. Linna and Priss headed down as well with Nene, while Sylia rushed off into another part of the building to get hot water. ------ "Holy shit." Jeena gasped as she saw what was coming down the stairs. "What are you doing down here?" Nigel asked in annoyance as he saw the American. "I was just leaving but..." as she looked at the unconscious officer, she could see that the woman was not doing well. Looking around, she saw a rather large table with papers stacked on it. She went over and swept them off with her arm. "Lay her here." she said, as Linna and Priss came into the Pit. "Careful with the knee, it looks swollen." "I already told him that." Henderson said. "Hey Jeena," Priss called over, "You feeling okay?" "What? Yeah, why?" "You're being nice." Priss answered sarcastically. Jeena gave Priss an icy stare as Michiru did her best to stay out of everyone's way. She wanted to be next to her Ruka, but she knew she'd only be a hindrance to Nigel and Henderson if she stayed by her girlfriend's side. She wiped away the tears and looked on as Mackie set up a tray to put Henderson's medical bag on. Haruka was still unconscious, and still mumbling nonsense. It was almost as if she were in a trance. "...the princess... Endymion... dead..." "What the bloody hell is she going on about?" Nigel asked. "We're not sure." Linna answered, "She's been going on like this since we left the auditorium." she added, unable to hide the fear in her voice. Henderson looked over to Priss. "Come on over, Priss. We..." Priss shook her head. "Take care of her first." she said as Linna began to undo her faceplate and helmet for her, "I can wait." "...N..." Haruka whispered. Jeena, whose curiosity was getting the better of her came closer. "She's trying to say something." she said. "Malso, for heaven's sake get back." Nigel said. "...Nep..." Jeena leaned closer, much to both Nigel and Henderson's chagrin. "I thought I told you to get back." Nigel said, a bit angrier than last time. "Jeena." Priss called over, "Knock it off and back up." "Miss Malso, please. We need to put her under. Give us room." Henderson added. "I'm telling you, she's trying to give us some sort of a message." Jeena said, leaning ever closer. It was then that Haruka shocked everyone by sitting bolt upright and reaching out to Malso, her eyes wide open. "Neptune!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, grabbing Jeena by the collar and pulling her to where she was inches away from the other's bloodstained face, "NEPTUNE!" "Aaah! Get her off me, damn it! Get her off!" Jeena screamed as flashbacks of Priss giving her a black eye flashed before her mind. Nigel and Henderson grabbed Haruka's arms while Nene and Linna tried to pull Malso away from her. "Haruka, calm down!" Linna shrieked. "(Mackie, grab a sedative out of the medical bag, damn it.)" Nigel ordered as he tried to disengage Haruka from Jeena. "Where is she?" Haruka yelled, "She can't leave me! Not now, not like this!" "(The bitch has gone meshugina!)" Jeena cried out as she grabbed Haruka's right wrist with her hand. "(Where's the sedative?)" Mackie asked as he anxiously searched the bag. "Haruka, let go!" Priss yelled as she likewise came over. While her hands were heavily damaged, she still tried to at least reason with the officer. "Haruka!" "(Look for the hypodermic needle.)" Henderson answered as he frantically tugged on her right arm. "(She's... Urgh... Strong, isn't she?)" Nene said as she tried to pry the fingers of Haruka's left hand off of the frightened American. "(I've got a sedative for her!)" Jeena said as she let go of Haruka's wrist and balled her hand up into a fist. Linna quickly grabbed the scared woman's arm before she could swing. "Jeena, are you crazy?" the former geisha yelled, "You can't punch her!" "Watch me!" Jeena screamed back. Michiru ran over to where the struggle was taking place, "Ruka!" she cried out, tears running down her face, "Ruka please, calm down!" Haruka turned to Linna's cousin, and focused on her face. She let go of Jeena, who fell backwards along with Nene and Linna. As she looked at Michiru steadily, the crazed look in her eyes slowly receded. She blinked her eyes a few times and looked around at the startled faces watching her. "Wh... What happened?" she asked. "You flipped out, you freak!" Jeena yelled from the floor, still badly shaken. As Nene and Linna got up, they each grabbed Malso's left arm and helped her up. Haruka looked from Jeena to Michiru, and hung her head. "I'm sorry, I... I don't know what happened." Michiru walked over to the table she was on and, being careful of her love's knee, pulled her into a hug. "I don't know either." she whispered, "But you're not alone, Ruka. I'm here for you. You know that, don't you?" Haruka looked into Michiru's beautiful blue eyes, and saw the love there that the smaller girl felt for her. "I know, Michi-chan." she said, gently wiping a tear from her girlfriend's face, "I know." As Sylia finally came down the spiral stairs with the hot water, Michiru and Haruka released each other and the officer lay down on the table. As Henderson began to put her under, Michiru went to Linna and broke down. ---The Next Day--- Priss slowly woke up on the futon in her house to find Linna's lips next to hers. As her beloved saw she was awake, she backed away a bit. "Good morning, my love." Linna said, smiling as she ran a hand through Priss' hair. "Morning?" Priss asked, "It feels more like afternoon, Linna-chan." "Well, I suppose it is." she said. Priss turned away from her to look at her heavily bandaged hands. Memories of the previous night began to flood her mind. "Is Haruka okay?" she asked. Thinking back, she was more frightened by what happened in the pit than she was comfortable admitting. "She's fine." Linna answered. "She and Michi-chan are sleeping in the next room over. After all Priss-chan, they're old enough." she added when she saw Priss' startled face. Priss thought about that for a second, and nodded. They both cared deeply for each other, and she herself had been only seventeen when she'd been with Sylia. Besides, given Haruka's current state, Priss doubted much would be going on between her and Linna's cousin. She then looked deeply into the former geisha's eyes. "And you, koibito. Are you okay?" Linna looked away from Priss' gaze, "I'm alright, I... I'm just so sorry. For scaring you, for making you suit up when you should've still been recuperating, and for causing Haruka to..." she trailed off when Priss put a heavily bandaged hand up to her face. "It's okay. I already told you, I forgive you. Having you here with me, waking up to your kiss, that's all that matters to me. And as for Haruka," she added with a smile, "I'm sure she feels the same way." Linna met her eyes again, and saw only love there. Love and relief to have her back safely. "Priss-chan." she whispered, before pressing her lips to Priss'. ------ Sylvie wandered the cold streets alone again. Having woken up before anyone else, she'd snuck out of the Silky Doll with a large knife she'd found in a kitchen to the side of the store (that Stingray-woman having neglected to give her back her knife). She wandered the markets of Tokyo, keeping an eye out for anyone seeking to make money off the bounty on her head. She desperately wanted to see Michiru again. To run her fingers through her hair one more time. Unfortunately, love wasn't cheap. And Michiru was quite obviously a high-classed young woman. Sylvie needed a job if she was going to win the smaller beauty. Sadly, she only knew how to do one job. She was determined not to sell her body again, though. She looked around at the market. True, after the attacks of last night there were fewer out today than normal, but there were still some food vendors out. As her stomach growled, she stared hungrily at a rice ball. She was broke and hungry, which is always a bad combination. Looking to make sure no one was watching, she went to snatch it. Unfortunately, a hand quickly came out from the side and grabbed her wrist. "What do you think you're doing?" an angry man in his fifties asked. Sylvie began shaking. "Please, I'm sorry. I..." "You're sorry, are you?" the man yelled. "Well why don't we get the police over here, and you can tell them how sorry you are." Sylvie, now very afraid, began to reach into her kimono for her knife. "There you are!" a man's voice called over. Both Sylvie and the vendor looked to see a European walk over, a smile on his face. "Sir." he said, addressing the owner, "I believe my young friend here forgot to get the money from me when I asked her to go out to get me something to eat." "What?" Sylvie asked in confusion, "But I..." "Here." The man said, slipping several yen into her hands. "Now pay the man, and come with me." Sylvie's mouth hung open; she didn't know what to say. The shop owner took some of her money and let her go as she continued to watch the man walk away. She began to follow him as he slipped into a side street. "Sir, wait." she called. He stopped once they were in an isolated area, and turned to her. "Sir, I... You... How can I ever thank you for this?" she asked as she held the rice ball protectively to her chest with both hands. The man smiled down on her. "I can think of a way." he said with a smile. Sylvie's heart sank. She didn't want to go back to that life. She didn't want to be used, to feel so empty and dirty inside. Sadly, it looked like history was once again about to repeat itself. "Very well." she said dejectedly. "I guess there's no such thing as something for nothing." she said as she began to kneel down in front of him. "What in the bloody hell are you doing?" the man asked. Sylia looked up at him, once again perplexed, "What? But I thought you..." The man started laughing as he held out a hand to help Sylvie back up. Feeling embarrassed, the former joro took his hand and allowed him to help her. "You have me all wrong young lady." he said reassuringly. "I was going to make you a job offer. You'll become very wealthy and very powerful if you take it. And no one will ever be able to hurt you again." he added. Sylvie's eyes widened. "What's the job?" she asked suspiciously. "I'm glad you asked me, Miss..." "Sylvie. And what do I call you?" "Mr. Joker." he answered, leaning on his cane. "Now come. I'll give you all the details on the way, and you can eat your rice ball there while we talk." ---To Be Continued--- End Notes: Okay, as mentioned before, Reika Chang is from episode seven of the original Bubblegum Crisis OVA, where her character was out for revenge on those who'd killed her sister in episode two. An interesting side note is that originally she was going to be more than a supporting character. Due to contract disputes, it was looking like Kinuko Ohmori (the original voice actress for Priss) was dropping out of the series. So, they were all set to kill Priss off in episode six, introduce Reika in episode seven, and have her become the new fourth Knight Saber. Luckily for everyone except the actress signed on to play Reika, the contract dispute was settled, and Ohmori-sama stayed on until the final episode of the original OVA. Also, I haven't addressed this yet, but I went to a website where they had about five different versions of how to spell Haruka's last name in English. I picked "Ten'ou," but I've noticed most fanfic writers use "Tenoh." So here's the thing; does anyone want me to go back and change her last name to Tenoh, or is everyone okay with Ten'ou? Let me know. Oh, and "meshugina" is Yiddish for "crazy."
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