Chapter 1: Reunited Again!
Everyone Loves Magic, Right?
The once tall and proud governor of the Seiji lands let his
exhausted eyes track the younger man that entered his room. Through
the gap in the sliding wooden door he could see several of his
officers leaving, no doubt to do the bidding of the man who had once
been his loyal subordinate.
"Damyo," he rasped, coughing to clear his throat, "what are you
doing to my province?"
The younger man just smiled into his reflection in the mirror
that hung on the wall of the sparsely furnished room, tucking his
official seal back into the folds of his clean black kimono. "I am
fulfilling the duties your illness has left you unable to see to,
Lord Himora," the Comte said. However, his words did not try to hide
his intentions. The old man was owed more credit than that.
"I am Margrave in name only," Himora said from his large bed. "I
am surprised you have not killed me yet, scorpion that you are."
Damyo smoothed out what hair he had not shaved on his head, the
neatly trimmed sides and neck, and tightened the long black ponytail
that grew from his crown. "I have made the lowlands the most
profitable place in your entire province, Lord, and I will not stand
idle as that gold is wasted on the Emperor's whims or ploughed into
the bottomless well of your constant and feeble researches."
He turned and looked at the man he had brought so low. "Seiji
could be the strongest of all the Emperor's provinces and he pays us
no mind at all. I shall be the strong, bold Margrave that you could
not, and make a legend of our province!"
Himora forced out a rattling cough and glared at the Comte. "We
are stable, the people are as happy as they can be, and the Emperor
does not come to us to fulfil his whims. If you expand our army they
will be sent out to die for the Emperor. Allow the Barons to increase
the price of their land and the proles will rebel against you. Your
dream for my beloved Seiji will bring you to ruin no matter which
approach you take. I made you a Comte, but you are not ready to
govern a province of your own."
"But I am a scorpion," Damyo replied with a smile, "and my most
obvious weapons are not my most formidable. You will see what I
create with my carefully applied poisons, and you will curse yourself
for your blindness. Seiji will thrive when it can feed on more than
the scraps an ant catches for it."
With that Damyo strode with poise and purpose from the old man's
room, no doubt to continue whatever plans he had put into motion.
Lord Himora let his tired head fall back into his pillow and wondered
how he could have fostered such a talented but self-destructive man.
He reached for the bowl of warm, thin soup that he had been given for
his supper and slowly ate. He knew that it was laced with whatever
poison was keeping him bedridden and empty of energy, but he would
not take the alternative and starve himself to death. As long as he
remained alive he might somehow be able to send word of the treachery
in his court.
But nobody suspected that his position had been usurped, and so
no servants hovered by his bed or came to his side in concern over
his long absence from the eyes of others. They would have no reason
to doubt Damyo's word or that of the doctors Damyo seemed to appoint
to him.
***
"When you look that serious we usually end up fighting someone,
or you go and disappear off for something."
Haruka looked around in surprise, her hand dropping from the door
and disappearing beneath her cloak again. "Minako-chan?"
"Miss me?" the vivacious blonde asked with a wink, her arms full
of the leather bag that held her shopping. Then her voice softened
back down. "We were beginning to wonder. The others all thought
they'd have to have a go at me for being the last one back."
Haruka took one look at the amount of supplies Minako held and
came to the right conclusion. "So, no rescue party, huh?"
Minako shook her head. "No. But we'll work something out. Rei-
chan came back with loads of info about this place, and we've already
got a few names of places to go first."
Her typical energy returned as she dropped her bag and, to
Haruka's surprise, gave the lanky young woman a quick hug. "So, what
about you then?" she asked as she let Haruka go. "Break any hearts
yet?"
Haruka smirked and shook her hooded head, making the effort to
suppress her concerns for the time being. "Nope, just putting up with
morbid old men who don't bathe enough."
Minako nodded, a carefree smile on her face. "I know what you
mean. The tavern I was working in - oh I got a dancing job in a
theatre-tavern-thing, isn't that cool? - always reeked by the time we
turned everyone out, and it was only just bearable by the time we
opened again!"
Haruka nodded, finding herself chuckling at Minako's seemingly
boundless energy, even though it must have been getting on towards
midnight. "It sounds like you did well for yourself. The new hair
works for you, very exotic!"
Even after two years Minako still blushed a little at Haruka's
flirtatious turns - not even Ami was immune to them - as infrequent
as the gentle teasing had become in the past months. Minako just gave
her tresses a little twist, the locks now held together by a long,
loose net that tucked under her ribbon. Her hair only just reached
her rump now, but that meant it was out of the way during her
energetic dances, and she did think it made her look more mature in a
foreign sort of way. "Hee hee, it does, doesn't it? Well, at least
you're still the same old Haruka-san! Now come on, everyone's been
worried. Rei-chan's probably still sleeping, but tomorrow you have to
tell us everything!"
Still beaming Minako hefted her bag over her shoulder and took
Haruka's hand, dragging the boyish 'oldster' into the run down house.
"But you know, that cowl thing just isn't you Haruka-san. We'll have
to get you some decent clothes. You should have seen what Mako-chan's
been wearing!"
Haruka just went with the flow, relieved and curious but still
more than a little apprehensive behind her bewildered smile.
***
The two blondes found Ami and Makoto in what passed for the
house's kitchen, neither of them quite as animated as they had been
when Minako had left to pick up some shopping before the last stores
closed. Their quiet talk was dropped though as they caught sight of
the other two, and the pair got to their feet as Haruka appeared
behind Minako.
"Haruka-san!" Ami exclaimed, surprised but still as polite as she
always was, smiling at her return. "Welcome back."
"Thanks," Haruka replied, leaning against the doorway. "Makoto-
san."
Makoto just nodded. "Haruka-san."
Of all of them Makoto had found it most difficult being around
the outers since the end of their last battle. After a whole month
away from them all she suddenly found herself feeling uncomfortable
again, not least because of the older girl's subdued greeting. Not
knowing how she was supposed to reply she had just responded in kind,
but as the pregnant tension filled the room she began to regret it.
Haruka was not an easy person to read, but Makoto was let off the
hook when Minako jumped in to break the silence.
"Now, now, come on Haruka-san, sit down and don't get all
mysterious on us! We want details!"
Ami nodded, taking her seat again and looking very eager for
information. "Yes, I'm sure we would all be interested to know what
you've been up to."
Haruka let out a small sigh, both of relief and of plain
tiredness. "Girls, please. Normally I'd love to spend the whole night
talking with you, but for once I think it should wait until morning.
I've been on my feet for two days, and spent sixteen hours in a bumpy
coach before that."
"Oh, of course!" Ami replied, scandalised at her own
thoughtlessness. "Forgive us Haruka-san, you and Rei-chan get some
sleep. We'll talk in the morning."
"She's still in bed huh?" Minako asked, knowing full well that
was likely to be the case.
"Yeah," Makoto replied, letting her emotions show again after her
faltering greeting, "she's been sleeping for almost a day."
"Mako-chan and I were just hoping she isn't sick," Ami added, her
concern evident in her voice. "She was soaked to the skin when she
turned up."
Then Rei's voice made them all jump as the raven haired shrine
maiden appeared in the doorway. "No, I'm fine, I've just been
exhausted recently."
However, her lethargy vanished when she saw Haruka, and Haruka's
reaction to her was just as sharp. "Rei-san!? Wh-what have you done?"
Rei blinked, angry and disappointed that the boyish outer senshi
had remained true to form once again. "Nothing worse than you have,"
she bit out. Then her short temper subsided into an exasperated sigh.
"But I suppose we should have expected it from you."
"Rei-chan!" the younger girls gasped at their friend's harsh
reaction. She of all people wasn't one to behave like that to anyone
except Usagi-chan, and even then it was just playful antagonism.
"What are you two talking about?" Ami asked.
"Can't you tell?" Haruka asked back, more than a little concerned
at their lack of response to the force she felt radiating from Rei.
"Of course they can't," Rei replied. "That kind of thing isn't
part of their training."
"What isn't?" Makoto asked.
'Well, the game is up. Let's get this over with,' Rei thought.
She looked up towards nothing and spoke into the air. "Alright, you
wanted out. Let's get on with it."
Nothing. Ami, Makoto and Minako gave each other a worried look,
wondering whether Rei had gone strange.
"Don't give me that," Rei suddenly warned no-one in particular,
"I'm *really* not in the mood."
Still nothing. "Rei-chan?" Minako ventured. "Are you feeling
okay?"
Haruka just stared, tense and ready for what she knew was to come.
"Fine," Rei huffed at last, clasping her hands together and
starting to chant. "Rin, Byo, Toh, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen...
Demon, heed your master!"
A burst of flame suddenly erupted from in front of her and a
svelte form fell from it with a shriek of pain.
"That HURT!" the female form yelled as it turned to stare
balefully at the one who had just given it such a painful eviction.
Minako, Ami and Makoto stood in awe while Haruka was on her feet
in seconds, her staff in hand as she dropped into a fighting stance.
The creature seemed female and humanoid but its skin was a flat, dull
orange colour and its head was crowned with fire rather than hair,
though it fell to her shoulders instead of rising upwards as fire
should have done. It vaguely reminded the younger girls of the almost
featureless, feminine monsters they had faced as senshi.
"Sorcery," Haruka whispered to herself.
Rei looked drained but just stared at the creature she had forced
out of her mind and into reality. "I warned you."
Then she turned to the others. "My meditations didn't work the
way I expected," she said. "This is the result." She turned to Haruka
and raised a placating hand. "I know what you've probably heard, but
you just have to trust me, she isn't dangerous." Rei gave a wan smile,
"At least not unless I want her to be."
The creature turned to the others and grinned, showing her pure
red eyeballs and fang toothed smile. In fact her teeth seemed just to
be a single sharp cutting bone in her top and bottom jaws, with
points where the fangs would have been. Her fiery hair also burned up
from where her eyebrows should have been and from above her crotch,
but other than that she wore nothing but her own orange skin. "Oh, I
can be dangerous all right. And being summoned and bound by a
complete novice to boot!" She shrugged. "Still a pact is a pact, and
Rei can be such fun!"
The creature winked at the group and gave a little wave which,
coupled with her grin, somehow seemed vaguely threatening. "See you
again soon girls."
Then without so much as a puff of smoke she was gone, the embers
of her hair burning off as she disappeared back into Rei's head.
"Wow," Makoto said, voicing what Ami and Minako had also been
thinking, all three of them very unnerved.
"You have no idea how dangerous it is," Haruka said, staring at
Rei with concern for both the shrine maiden and for the rest of them.
"Dealing with demons here..."
Rei cut her off with a shake of her head as she walked over and
sat heavily at the table. "I know exactly how dangerous it is. More
than you do, I think. She's powerful, and if anyone finds out I'll be
lynched for sure, or worse. Even after everything I've learned, it's
all I can do to keep her under control. And you only hear her when
she comes out, I'm stuck with her all the time!"
Then Rei let the accusation into her voice. "I had no idea that
what I was doing would force me into a pact with a demonette. It was
an accident. But it wasn't an accident when you learned the 'Dark
Art', was it?"
Haruka just blinked at her, her face betraying no emotion.
"She can tell me a lot of things about this world," Rei continued,
"often whether I like it or not. I spent my time trying to learn to
control her, but I learned a lot besides that too. Warlocks don't
care about anyone besides themselves Haruka-san, and their magic...
it won't let you off just because you think you can handle it."
"It's my path Rei-san," Haruka replied. "It was a magic I could
learn, and I know what I can do with it. After what you've wandered
blindly into I think you'll finally learn that real power comes with
a price - a price that's worth paying."
"Girls," Ami ventured, trying to disperse the volatile air she
felt between the two, "I think maybe we should all get some sleep now,
and we can talk about it rationally in the morning. I'm sure we can
work it all out, and we still have a lot we should learn from each
other before we start arguing."
To Ami's relief Haruka nodded. "Agreed." She pulled her cloak
from her shoulders and left it over the back of her chair. Minako was
surprised to see that aside from that one tatty robe Haruka was still
wearing the old casual suit she had been wearing when she arrived in
this world. Apart from Rei the others had all come back with new
outfits to help them blend in, and Rei's shrine garb didn't stand out
among all the kimonos and old Japanese-esque fashions, even when she
wore the archery harness over it.
"This is going to be awkward," Makoto said after Haruka had gone,
and the others nodded.
"I don't know what she was thinking," Rei added, before taking
the hint from Ami and letting the subject drop. "Anyway, I'm glad we
all made it back okay."
"Well I for one think that being a motley gang will be good for
us," Minako said. "Lots of cracked eggs make the best cakes!"
Ami sighed at the mangled proverb and at what it insinuated.
Surely all the tutoring she had given them should have accounted for
something. "Well, at least you got the sentiment right this time
Minako-chan."
***
Dawn had only just broken when Ami padded downstairs, her hair
still mussed and her eyes still tinged with sleep. The house they had
all chosen to rent was small and in very bad repair, but it was just
big enough for the five of them and had given Ami plenty of space to
go about her business while the others had been away. The only catch
was that they would owe the landowner, the Baron as he was called, a
fair amount of time or money to pay for it. Ami had already come up
with several ways to deal with the rent, but she felt that, as drafty
as the old place was, she would come to miss it when they left. The
surroundings she had lived in for so long now were the only thing she
had really become attached to since coming to Seiji.
She was still wearing her high school uniform which, now not
needed, had become her pyjamas. They were not as comfortable as they
could have been, but she had felt her money was best spent on things
other than sleep wear. Unlike the other girls her uniform was a
treasured possession, a reminder to herself of what she was best at
and what she had achieved. She supposed it was silly, but in this
strange world it was comforting to wear at night.
Downstairs Ami was surprised to see Makoto lying on the long
futon-like mat that passed for living room furniture. Settees still
had to be invented on this world it seemed, and wooden chairs were
only considered comfortable enough for servants or employees, which
was why they were all kept in the kitchen.
"Mako-chan, good morning," Ami greeted, running her hands through
her hair to make herself look a little more presentable. "You're
wearing it again," she added, referring to the outfit that Makoto had
received from the caravan nomads. "It looks good on you."
"Morning Ami-chan." Makoto lifted herself onto her elbows,
looking down at the bright green and red clothes she wore. "I like
'em. They're a bit bold though; they kind of make me look like a
pirate!"
Ami could see what she meant. The leather panels were vividly
dyed green and red, held together with yellow stitching. The dress
fell to Makoto's mid thighs and split almost to her hip each side,
while the sleeveless vest stopped at her midriff and buttoned up the
front. It was certainly designed to stand out and it complemented
Makoto's obvious curves and height very well. It didn't tease because
the fabric was well cut and overlapped where it could have showed a
bit too much skin, but it managed to be provocative by the sheer
daring of its style.
"It does you justice," Ami said, both complementing her and being
diplomatic over the piratical style. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
"You aren't usually an early bird."
"I couldn't sleep much," Makoto admitted, sitting up. "I think
Haruka-san and Rei-chan put me on edge."
Makoto could be good at hiding her feelings when she wanted to,
but Ami knew what to look for. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Ahh..." Makoto started, not about to lay her half-thought
feelings on her closest friend, but Ami stalled the reply.
"Over breakfast?" she offered. "I don't think the others will be
up for a little while. I don't think Haruka slept well either, but
she was snoring when I passed her room."
The gentle persuasion was enough and Makoto nodded, the smile in
her eyes fading a little. "Okay."
Once the pair of them had cooked up some eggs and toast they sat
at the kitchen table and Ami smiled at her friend, prompting her with
a questioning eyebrow.
Makoto swallowed a mouthful of the early meal and shrugged. "I
don't know. I just don't get how Haruka-san acted. We're all in this
together now, but she just seems... she seems like she's getting
further away again. At least we could talk before this happened."
"It's going to take time Mako-chan," Ami replied. "She's still
one of the outers. With all four of us trying to do things our way
she's going to feel isolated as it is. She's the only one who sees
things her way now."
Makoto nodded, but didn't look happy about it "It's just the more
things go on the less she seems like the Haruka-san I thought I
knew."
Ami gave her a gentle smile. "How so?"
Makoto let out a breath, trying to work out how to explain it. "I
looked up to her I guess. I still do, or at least I want to. But
sometimes, right out of the blue, she'll say or do something really
heartless that just doesn't seem 'her'."
Ami couldn't help but let her smile grow. "So that was the reason
you used to blush every time she looked your way. The others knew you
had a crush on her."
Makoto's eyes grew big as she stammered out her reply. "H-hey now,
it wasn't a crush. It was just hero worship, that's all. Well...
maybe it was a crush at first, but you can't tell me she isn't
handsome for a girl!"
Ami giggled a little as the flush began to creep across Makoto's
cheeks. "Mako-chan, I'm teasing."
"But if being cold is the price of being like her then maybe I
was wrong about her," Makoto added, getting sombre again. "I really
wanted to be as happy and confident as she is, about being big and
unfeminine I mean, and now I keep trying to hold onto that image of
her..."
"So when she acts like Sailor Uranus instead of the Haruka-san
you know it mixes up your feelings," Ami finished for her.
"Yeah," Makoto nodded. She let out a laugh, but it didn't hold
much happiness. "Kind of like my Sempai. I always saw what I wanted,
not what was there, and thought if I tried a little bit harder then
maybe I would get *my* one in the end."
"Mako-chan," Ami soothed, giving Makoto's arm a friendly squeeze.
"Don't blame yourself for that. You're willing to do so much to try
and make someone else happy, and that's part of what makes you
special. And you're certainly not unfeminine. You have more talent at
the feminine arts than any of us."
She paused for a moment. "I think the Haruka-san we know will
come back. We just need to show her we care about her, and try and be
understanding. "
"Yeah," Makoto replied with a thankful smile, her once role-model
no longer seeming quite as far removed as she had. "And thanks Ami.
You'd better eat though; your eggs are getting cold."
***
It was almost midday before everyone had woken but thankfully
they all seemed happy to let the events of the previous night lie in
favour of a good lunch, courtesy of Makoto's culinary skill. Instead
Minako regaled them with stories about her time at the theatre-tavern,
the various simple and clich‚-ridden plays that she had seen put on
and her progress under her two teachers.
And, in typical fashion, it took a lot of wheedling from Ami
before they could extract any information about the less than stellar
results of her magical apprenticeship.
"Well, it's hard!" Minako justified. "It's like trying to do an
exam while remembering the best parts of your favourite manga, and
doing push-ups in your head at the same time! He said I was really
good, considering, but I guess that wasn't much of a compliment."
"You guess right," Rei jibed, all the while trying to filter out
the running commentary in her head courtesy of her demonette. "Still,
you can do *something* at least, can't you?"
"Of course!" Minako retorted holding out her hand. "Watch."
A brief shadow of concentration crossed her face before, with a
flick of her wrist, there was a flash from her fingertips and a puff
of yellow incense rose up over the table.
"See!" Minako said, beaming while the others blinked away the
after-flashes in their eyes. "And that was just a small one!"
"So it's all bangs and flashes," Makoto said, wondering what
conclusion she was supposed to come to. "So you're like, what, a
dancing sentai ranger?"
"Mako-chan!" Minako whined. "Can't you give me a little support?"
"Well special effects like that would be useful in a theatre,"
Haruka said. Being a minor patron of the arts did give her at least
something to say, and she felt she had to make the effort after the
previous night. "What else can you do?"
"Umm... coloured lights, light and heavy smoke... Oh, I'm really
good at voice throwing, and a can even do some conjuration too."
"Conjuration?" Ami asked, curious.
"Like making things appear and disappear. It's a light trick, so
people don't see what's right in front of them. That always got loads
of applause on stage 'cos it's really hard to do, especially for a
long time."
"So, yeah, like a sentai ranger then," Makoto repeated, satisfied
with the simple analogy.
"Or a brightly coloured ninja," Rei added with a cheeky grin, but
that quip seemed to make a lot of sense to Ami.
"Actually that would be very useful if you think about it Rei-
chan," Ami said before turning to Minako. "It means you always have
the element of surprise Minako-chan. Can you actually make yourself
disappear?"
Minako blinked at the sincere look on Ami's face. "I suppose I
could, if I tried. I got the impression you could only use it for
objects, but that's a really cool idea! The vanishing Sailor V!" Her
smile fell a few notches. "But even if I could, it would only be for
a few seconds. Like I said, I didn't really do too well at the
studies!"
"That might be all you need," Haruka added, very taken with the
idea. "In the middle of a swordfight just up and vanish, get behind
the berk and you could stick a blade in his back before he knew what
was happening."
"Haruka-san," Makoto said, more than a little disquieted by the
reply and already thinking back to her conversation with Ami earlier.
"This could be a very dangerous place Makoto-san, especially
since we know so little about it."
Then, to everyone's surprise, it was actually Rei who spoke up
for Haruka this time. "As much as I hate to say it we can't ignore
the fact we might have to fight people here," she said, her eyes
downcast. "Someone already tried to mug me on my way to the Great
Northern Library."
"Did you kill him?" Makoto asked quietly, both worried and
shocked at the revelation.
"No, though I only just stopped Desir from roasting him. I just
stole his bow and his purse. That was how I could pay for my room
near the Library."
That seemed to shake everyone. Rei was someone who defined
herself by her principles when times got hard, and she wouldn't have
done anything like that without real need. Haruka had long since come
to terms with the idea that some people were willing to kill for
little reason. Ami knew it was a possibility in this world, but
hearing it for real was something else even for her.
Ami also knew they should have been better prepared before
splitting up, at least as far as money was concerned. In fact they
had been lucky in being able to pay their ways as easily as they had.
"So," Minako said, suddenly breaking the others out of their
thoughts, "your demon's called Desir?"
Before Rei could answer a plume of fire erupted over the table
and Rei choked on her food as she felt the pull of the creature
exiting her body.
"That's 'Demonette' little Minako. Demonette," Desir explained as
she knelt over their meal.
Minako just looked at her, puzzled. "What's the difference?"
Desir gave her a flat stare. "The difference, oh vacuous one, is
that a Demon is a great mass of muscles, teeth and tentacles, while I
on the other hand am the lithe and nubile beast you see before you."
"Nubile?" Haruka asked herself, raising an eyebrow even as she
tensed for any unfortunate turn from the demonette.
"Don't just pop out any time you feel like it!" Rei raged once
she had recovered from her choking fit with a few slaps to the back
from Ami. "It's hard enough just putting up with your constant
prattling without having you put me through the wringer every time
you want to butt into my conversations!"
Desir put her hands up in surrender. "All right, don't get your
hackles up. The least you girls can do is have the courtesy to get
demonic gender nouns right."
Then she was gone, leaving them all with a rather unpleasant
picture of what a demonic couple might look like.
"Eww." Minako said thinking of Desir in a wedding dress holding
the tentacle of a twenty-foot, muscle-bound octopus in a tuxedo.
"So how does a shinto meditation summon up a demon - err
demonette - anyway," Makoto asked, quickly changing the subject
before she could wonder whether Minako's mental image was worse than
her own.
Rei paused for a moment before replying, obviously listening to
whatever explanation Desir was giving. "It was the ritual nature of
the meditation, apparently. It's a matter of force of will, devotion
to a cause or belief and ... hey, I am not arrogant!" Rei exclaimed
at what she was evidently being told, before giving Desir the psychic
equivalent of a hard slap for her cheek.
"Right, and sense of self control," Rei finished, now looking
more composed. "Shinto isn't a demon-summoning power," she said, now
using her own knowledge, "it's just the depth of meditation I was
using. My foresight helped too I guess."
"But that was just the summoning, right?" Haruka said, her voice
level and unreadable.
Rei nodded. "Once she was there I had to deal with her, and this
kind of magic is really tiring so I couldn't have fought even if I'd
wanted to. Not that I could have won in any case. She may be a pain
in the butt, but she is very powerful. Either I got eaten, or I tried
to cut a deal." Rei sighed. "And the deal was good enough for a
pact."
"What were the terms?" Ami asked. She wasn't particularly worried,
but while it didn't seem like a monkey's paw sort of deal, she knew
how a contract - what was and what wasn't in it - could be twisted to
suit the demonette's desires.
Rei huffed, remembering what had happened. "To begin with it was
just for her not to kill me or anyone else, and in return she would
do favours for me as long as I made sure she got fed."
"Would she really have killed you?" Makoto asked. Despite her
attitude Desir hadn't seemed to be that evil.
"In a heartbeat," Haruka answered for her.
Rei nodded. "Well, she'd have burned me to ashes, which is how
she eats, but yes. But to her it's just like us eating a beef burger.
She just isn't squeamish about killing her own food."
The example didn't do much to put the others at ease though.
"After going to the Library and finding out what I had got myself
into I persuaded her to re-work the pact a bit, so we both get more
out of it and she can't take as many liberties."
"But you still have to feed it," Haruka noticed when Rei didn't
elaborate on the new details.
"Yes, but it doesn't have to be people or even living things, and
it doesn't have to be often. Just enough to keep her happy." She gave
a wan smile. "I'm getting quite good at shooting wildlife though. She
can't live on wood alone."
"Wow Rei-chan," Minako said, slightly awed by the story. "I guess
being a real shrine maiden is more than just selling charms and
having visions after all," she said. "I don't know if I could have
been that strong all on my own like that."
Rei gave her a knowing look. "You'd have done just as well, if
not better, and you know it. You may be a showy ball of enthusiasm
but you're also the leader of the senshi - after Usagi-chan."
Minako frowned. "I don't know about that. Really. I mean, all of
us had help except you and Ami-chan, and Ami-chan's just naturally
good at everything anyway!" she finished with a grin and a wink.
Ami blushed a little and began to study what was left of her meal.
"Not really. After all, I'm not very good at arcane magic the way you
all are."
"What did you end up doing?" Rei asked, suddenly curious again.
"You never did tell us."
"The arcane just seems too abstract and instinctive for me," Ami
elaborated. "I've never been as good at things I can't learn
academically. So... I got a little frustrated while trying some
levitation magic, and accidentally shot a fork into the roof."
"Eh?"
"You what??"
"A fork?!?"
Ami blushed even deeper, giving the others an embarrassed smile.
"Yes, that one up there," she said, pointing to the piece of cutlery
embedded in the ceiling.
"It's telekinesis. It seems that all my emotional repression can
do something for me after all," she joked. "It's very unpredictable,
but the more worked up I get, the further and faster I can throw
things."
"You mean you can move things just by thinking about it?" Minako
asked, impressed.
"No, I'm not nearly good enough for that," Ami explained.
"Actually moving anything with any degree of precision requires a lot
more fine control than I have, but with enough focused emotion I
can... Well, I suppose the best analogy would be that I can give the
object a hard smack. I can throw things from where they stand or hit
something in mid-air to change its direction. Anger and frustration
work best but any emotion will do, and if I really tried I could
probably throw someone across the room, so it would be useful if we
ever had to fight. And it would mean we wouldn't have to hurt them
too badly."
"That would be great," Minako said as the others nodded. "I said
you were good at everything, and you sound as good as you need to be
at that!"
"Plus you could cover against arrows, or any weapon for that
matter," Rei added.
Ami nodded, "I was thinking of trying a bow or crossbow, and I
could alter the trajectory mid flight if needed. But as I said, it's
unpredictable because it has to be based on my emotions rather than
my brain."
"I think you'll surprise yourself Ami-chan," Makoto said.
"Mmm hmm," Rei agreed. "So what about you Mako-chan? You already
said you were good at magic."
Makoto beamed, remembering her time with the nomads that had
become a sort of foster family. "The nomads were really great
teachers. They have different sorts of nature magic, growing things,
healing and stuff, and they figured out what I was good at really
quickly. I guess being Sailor Jupiter must have helped, because
lightning and electricity is my best power, but I can do different
types of weather magic."
She smiled at Ami. "It's like a cross between a martial arts
meditation - cool and calm - and the physics lessons Ami-chan used to
give! Charging the lightning by moving the air and water around the
right way. It's kind of hard to describe, and it takes time to get
going unless I'm just going to blow wind at people or zap things!"
She pointed at her plate and stared smiling for a moment before
they all felt a slight tingle in the air and a blue spark of
electricity arced from her fingertip to her knife. "Not that it's as
much use as all yours, but I'm pretty good at it."
"And what about you Haruka-san?" Ami asked as delicately as she
could. "What is Warlock magic like?"
Haruka was more than hesitant to talk about it, but she knew that
if she didn't then Rei would. "Warlocks are intellectuals. They study
what life really is."
"And how to control it," Rei added. Everyone noticed the tone of
distrust in her voice. "The results are nasty. It's called the 'Dark
Art' for a reason.
"It's my responsibility to use it properly," Haruka replied. "I
won't hesitate to use it if I have to, to keep myself or any of you
alive, just like I won't hesitate to cut someone down for the same
reason."
She explained a little for Ami's sake. The inquisitive girl was
an intellectual herself, so she would at least understand some of
what it was about. "When it is cast, part of me goes with it just
long enough to get a glimpse of the person I touch - a sort of
spiritual abstract image of their body. I can see how it is all
interrelated, and I can affect it."
"To make someone unable to breathe, or to make their heart forget
to beat," Rei elaborated. "Some of the worst Warlocks could even
bring the dead back, commanding mindless walking corpses instead of
men."
Haruka frowned at her extreme example. "Any Warlock that powerful
would already have been driven mad by it, excised from their cabal
and hunted down. What they don't write in the history books is that
this power can also be used to heal, and it seems like none of you
have that ability."
"Then why haven't they told people? Why not use that power to
help everyone instead of sealing themselves off from the world in
their towers and laboratories?" Rei asked. "Then people wouldn't be
so afraid of them."
"Less than a hundred people healing the entire country?" Haruka
countered. "There would be riots as to who was cured first, people
would war over who owned the two or three cabals in each province.
Better to let everyone live as they always have in relative peace and
let the cabals do their own work. The 'Art' is more to the Warlocks
than the result of the magic. It's the process that furthers their
understanding." She looked down, suddenly feeling a little inadequate
as she realised what she was saying about herself. "I admit I don't
understand any of that, but the fact that they initiated me at all
means something!"
The others were silenced by that last revelation, but Ami nodded,
smiling. "I think it does Haruka-san. From what you and Rei-chan have
said about their eccentric and elliptical ways, I think they decided
to teach you for a very good reason."
Haruka looked up at her in shocked surprise. Then she slowly
allowed herself to smile.
***
That afternoon Minako treated them to a display of her blade
dance in full costume. The tan, orange and lavender outfit was
somewhat less garish than anything they were used to seeing her
perform in, but it couldn't have been more elaborate without being
sliced to ribbons by the pair of small scimitars that whirled in
Minako's hands.
Eight orange tassels hung from the belt line of her tight, dull
coloured shorts, at the back of which fell a lavender scarf that tied
around her middle. Her top, the same dull tan as the shorts, wrapped
around her only at the neck and lower bust, and would have left her
back and midriff bare if not for the loose, veil-like shirt that she
wore over it. Like the scarf that fell behind her, the 'shirt' was a
pale, translucent lavender and its sleeves were tied around her upper
arms with red string, the lower hem similarly tied where the tan top
ended just below her bust. Other that that the whole garment barely
seemed to touch her skin, flowing loosely like water as she moved.
The tassels that hung from the red string and from the hilts of her
blades finished the ensemble perfectly.
The others could only watch in wonder as Minako made the
dangerous performance look effortless, her bare feet dancing lightly
on the low living room table. The blades flipped and twirled in her
nimble fingers with amazing speed, and more than one gasp was heard
from the girls as the blades spun only inches from Minako's bound
hair or bare skin.
Halfway though the routine Minako decided to give them something
really special and she closed her eyes in concentration. In mere
moments the blades felt warmer to the touch and her friends' 'Ohhhs'
widened her smile. The others watched in amazement as the blades
arced around Minako, each now leaving a brilliant yellow trail behind
it as it cut through the air. In no time at all Minako was surrounded
by them like they were paper streamers, each vanishing almost as fast
as it appeared.
It seemed like no time at all before it was over and Minako
struck her final pose, one leg raised and one sword held above her
head while the other came to rest over her stomach. She was a little
tired after the energetic dance and the sustained spell on her swords,
but the applause that erupted from her friends buoyed her up more
than any other audience could have.
"Minako-chan, that was amazing," Rei said in awe as they all
applauded.
"I can't believe you got so good in such a short time," Makoto
added, as the others nodded in agreement.
"Natural talent," Minako replied with her usual lack of modesty,
but behind her ego she was blushing at their praise. It meant a lot
to her that the last month hadn't been wasted, especially in their
eyes. "Okay Ami-chan," she said, hopping down off the table, "your
turn!"
"M-me?" Ami stuttered. She hadn't known that she would be
expected to show off something as well.
"Yeah," Makoto agreed, "show us some of that tele-watsis."
"Telekenesis," Rei corrected, before realising what she was doing,
and she mentally frowned at her demon for being so pedantic. "She
knows. Stop butting in, Desir."
Minako and Ami giggled as Rei talked to herself, but Ami had to
shake her head. "I'm sorry guys, but it's not something I can
demonstrate like that. It's rather destructive."
'Besides,' she thought, 'I'd rather you didn't see me like that
unless you have to.'
"Mako-chan?" Rei prompted. "Come on, you've already seen my
personal pain in the butt."
"Sorry," Makoto said, holding up her hands, "mine's like Ami-
chan's. Unless you want some electro-shock treatment I can't really
show it off much."
"Haruka-san?" Ami ventured. "I'm sure you could show us
something."
Haruka frowned a little, the happy mood left from Minako's dance
ebbing. "The Art is... very introspective. It only means anything if
you're the one doing it."
"But I got the feeling your staff was more than just decoration,"
Ami prodded subtly.
"Yeah," Makoto added hopefully, as she cottoned onto what Ami was
doing. "You've always been a great fighter. You could show us a kata
or two, right?"
Haruka nodded, sighing in defeat but somewhat heartened that they
were doing their best to include her. "Okay, I'll get my stick."
In fact the simple pole of wood meant a great deal more to her
than 'just a stick', but the last thing she was going to show was
dependence on anything but herself, even her staff.
Clad in her old casual suit she was a strange sight as she
centred herself, then started to perform her slow, forceful attack
pattern with the wooden weapon. Makoto was more martial than the
other Senshi thanks to her turbulent school life and her occasional
lessons in the martial arts, and Minako was the same thanks to her
time before the Senshi as Sailor V, England's lone super-heroine. As
such they could appreciate the way Haruka fought in a way Ami and Rei
couldn't.
It was clear to them that Haruka was a newcomer to the style, but
she was a talented one who could likely hold her own in a real fight.
Combined with her own unarmed skill it would make her formidable when
the openings to use it arose. However, they could also see how tense
the kata was compared to her usual style. Perhaps that was part of
the way she was taught, but both Minako and Makoto thought that the
power might have been covering for something. An anxiety or lack of
confidence perhaps, but whatever it was they made sure that their
applause was louder for it.
"Alright Haruka-san!" Minako called as the sandy haired young
woman finished. "It looks like I'm not the only one with natural
talent."
Makoto nodded enthusiastically. "Yep, that's one more weapon you
can knock me on my back with when we spar!"
Haruka let out an amused breath and shook her head. She knew they
were being too effusive to be completely honest, but right then she
was happy to hear it all the same. "Thank you ladies," she quipped
before taking her seat again, this time leaving her staff next to her,
just within comfortable reach.
"Now all we need is a decent outfit and you'll be set!" Minako
added before the topic moved on again, leaving Haruka to sweat a
little before lapsing into silence as the others chatted.
***
Minako hadn't been joking, nor had Haruka ever really been
shopping with her. Even after living in Seiji for two months Minako
still shopped like a girl possessed, squealing over the dresses or
jewellery that caught her eye and constantly urging everyone to try
things on. If they hadn't been surrounded by simple kimonos and rough
labourer's clothes instead of evening gowns and T-shirts, Haruka
would have sworn she was back home. It was a shame that the feeling
wasn't a happy one.
It was also a shame that she was Minako's current victim, because
it was clear that they had *very* different tastes in clothing.
Haruka had already made the point that she was *not* going to wear
anything more feminine than a proper kimono, and made it loudly
enough that the girls had been embarrassed into submission when the
shop owner had looked their way. If they could have their fun at her
expense then Haruka could return the favour.
Ami at least seemed to have the right idea. Unlike Minako and
Makoto's flashy ensembles she had purchased a pair of simple outfits
early on to avoid drawing attention; a beautiful black and silver
embroidered kimono with a crystal blue obi for formal wear and a
simple purple yukata with red sash for travelling. With a pair of
tabi socks and wooden sandals they had all set her back a pretty
penny, but the others had to admit even the yukata looked good on her,
and the formal kimono made her look stunning.
Ami had spent most of her funds on those and on various supplies,
while Rei had spent hers on her archery harness and lodgings, and
Minako's had gone on her outfit and swords, despite the reduced price
her dance tutor had asked for them. Luckily for her the
apprenticeships and board had been her pay for performing. For Makoto,
the work she had done as part of the nomad family had paid for her
food, bed and the clothing they had made for her, and she was the
only one who still had a full purse.
"Haruka-san," Ami asked quietly while the other girls looked
around the large and varied selection in the town's only clothing
store, "I do suggest you buy one formal outfit, even if it is just a
kimono and not a dress. In fact Rei-chan says that the more oriental
fashions are considered far more respectable by the noble people here.
Will you have enough money for two outfits?"
Haruka nodded seriously. "I was well provided for," she replied
elliptically. Before coming out everyone had been sworn to secrecy
about Haruka and Rei's 'affiliations'. Warlocks provoked a respectful
fear in people at best, and sorcerers were reviled outright.
As such Rei wasn't her usual self as she browsed through the
clothes. Could people tell she had bound a demonette to herself? What
would happen if they ran into someone who could detect it, like a
Warlock or a powerful Seer? Inside her head Desir was very unhappy at
the amount of pressure Rei was putting on her to keep her inside and
in check, but Rei couldn't have cared less as long as it meant that
nothing happened.
"Rei-chan..? Rei-chan?"
Rei blinked a little as she focused back into the real world and
dropped the sleeve of the yukata she had been admiring. Both Minako
and Makoto were staring at her and she stepped back a little under
their gaze.
"You okay Rei-chan?" Minako asked.
Rei just laughed it off. "Of course, of course. Have you found
anything Haruka-san will wear yet?"
Makoto nodded, "A pair of hakama trousers and matching gi shirt."
"Both boring and brown, but at least they're her size," Minako
added. Finding clothes for Haruka had been hampered by her height;
she seemed to be just as unusually tall in Seiji as she had been back
in Japan.
"I can't fight in a kimono," Haruka suddenly said from behind
them, making the trio jump as her voice softened, "but I got the blue
one anyway."
"The one with the birds?" Minako could feel the heat rise in her
cheeks at the soft boyish lilt in Haruka's voice that seemed to say,
'...and I got it just for you.'
"Orange birds in a midnight blue sky," Haruka murmured huskily,
before sauntering off, leaving the three girls to catch their breath.
Even with everything that was going on, sometimes Haruka couldn't
help herself. If they were going to put her through a shopping trip
then she would have her fun in return. She only hoped they would take
it the right way given everything that had happened. She smiled to
herself. Well, if nothing else, it was a good catharsis.
She needn't have worried. All three of them were staring off into
the distance after her by the time Ami reached them. "Everyone, we do
have enough money between us for a little more formal wear, and you
all do have rather striking... Guys?"
Minako and Rei just sighed.
"Ami-chan... I just saw my Haruka-san again," Makoto said with a
smile and a blush.
Ami could do nothing but shake her head. At least their situation
couldn't have been getting to them too much if they could still play
these games. She decided to take that as a good sign, before trying
to get them to invest the last of their money in some more
presentable clothing - something that would give them a better image
if they had to deal with anyone important.
***
That night, long after the other three had gone to bed, Ami
knocked gently on the door to the small room Haruka had taken for her
own. "Haruka-san?"
After a moment of silence the door opened, but Haruka just left
it and went back to sit on the small quilt that passed for her bed.
Ami hesitated at the door, but realised that it was as much of an
invitation as she was going to get. "Haruka-san," she said, stepping
inside and closing the door behind her so she wouldn't disturb anyone,
"whatever it was you said to the others, thank you. I think they've
cheered up a lot."
"I didn't say anything," Haruka replied, staring out of the
window and into the night sky. "Just a little play."
"Right now a little play means a lot," Ami said, still standing
by the door. "You might not believe it, but this has been very hard
on all of us. Seeing anyone, especially you, being a little normal
makes it easier on them I think."
"After everything that's happened, especially what Michiru and I
did in that last battle... I still don't understand why I'm welcome
at all. I think Michiru might have seen it, but I don't."
Ami nodded. "It felt strange for us too, trying to be friends
after that, but Usagi-chan knew we couldn't exclude you from our
lives. Not even after everything that had happened."
Then a small, strange smile appeared on Ami's face. "The thing is,
it was easier for us in the end. We do believe your intentions were
good, and even if it might have seemed like a betrayal we know that
wasn't the case. Not really. Because we were already dead. We had
already failed. We only knew about what you did when you asked us to
forgive you. Usagi-chan might never have told us if it wasn't for
that. If that's what has been keeping you distant, then please don't
be. You're still our friend, the responsible, funny woman that we
look up to. Even if you don't think you should be that person any
more, we don't want to let her go."
Ami sat down against the door and wrapped her arms around her
knees, feeling at peace with herself again in knowing she was helping
her friends, and no longer worrying about them. "Now that we can't
transform I think we're going to have to help each other more than we
used to, even when we aren't fighting. If we are lucky we might not
have to fight at all, but even besides that there will be a lot of
things we have to help each other with."
"I know I'm asking a lot," she finished, "but please try and help
us, even if it's only by 'just playing' every once in a while."
Haruka let out a heavy sigh and hung her head. "Don't worry Ami-
chan. I'll do a lot more than that. A hell of a lot more. Whatever it
takes to get us back home."
"But please," Ami interrupted, "remember that we are all here to
help you too. Every relationship has to work two ways, so remember to
let us in as well."
Haruka nodded. "Ami-chan... I never had many friends before
Michiru. I'm not going to drive off the only ones I have left now."
Haruka was smart when it came to answers like that, but there
were few people who could talk their way past Ami when she wanted to
hear something from them. "I know how you feel, but you also avoided
my request. Please Haruka-san, this is important to me. We all need
to be in this together. Maybe not all as equals because we're all so
different. I know I can't ask you that, but we have to be united - as
friends and as people trying to get home. If any one of us shuts the
others out, who will we have to keep us going in this world?"
"Alright," Haruka said after a long pause. "You have my word. But
in return let me do the things that I have to when they need to be
done. They will, they always do, and they need to be my
responsibility."
Ami nodded, getting to her feet. "As long as you always tell us
before hand. There have been enough secrets between us for this
lifetime, don't you think?" she asked with a lightness in her voice
that made the rhetorical question totally innocent.
"Yeah," Haruka agreed. She looked back over her shoulder with
questioning eyes. "So... that's just it? Forgive and forget?"
Ami nodded. "Haruka-san, the only one who hasn't is you. If any
of us seemed uncomfortable it was only because we seemed to make you
that way, and this afternoon I think you went a long way to cure
that."
Haruka got up and stretched in the moonlight, a small smile
growing on her face. "Thank you," she said, keeping her thoughts to
herself. 'Even if I don't deserve it.'
"Sleep well, Haruka-san," Ami said as she opened the door to
leave. "Tomorrow, as soon as I have dealt with the people who will be
coming for the rent, we'll head off for the library. I'm sure we can
all learn a lot there."
Haruka nodded. "Sure. Good night."
Once Ami had left, Haruka lay on her makeshift futon and curled
up. That simply spoken acceptance made her feel better than she had
in a long time. Still, it wasn't quite enough to dull the nightly
emptiness of her lover's absence.
'Michiru... I miss you.'
***
To Be Continued...
***
Author's Notes: For those that want some continuity information this
is based on the anime rather than the manga, hence Haruka's stronger
predilection for male clothing. A hakama is a loose pair of folded
trousers and a gi is the top often worn with them as a martial arts
outfit.
A yukata is similar to a kimono but lighter and less
formal, and in Ami's case worn with a thin sash belt rather than the
wider obi belt of the kimono. Tabi are those socks with big toes in
them so you can wear thonged sandals.
Also, the eccentric language of Seiji doesn't use
suffixes, but the girls will still be using them for each other as
they did in the anime. For them, referring to each other without a
suffix would be rather intimate, and I think their dialogue will
benefit from that extra level of reference for their respective
relationships to each other.
Please send any comments and constructive criticism.
They are always greatly appreciated, and there is no better reward
for a writer than to hear back from the readers.
Many thanks to Richard King for his proofreading assistance.
(c) Nutzoide 2006
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