Sailor Jupiter 1 - 19, Sasami 1 - 3, Interregnum 1-3, Sailor Jupiter II 1

Sic Semper Morituri
Sailor Jupiter
(Pilots in Nerima)

Disclaimer:

I do not own any of the characters from Ranma 1 / 2, BSSM, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ah My Goddess, Tenchi Muyo or the Lovecraft Cycle involved in these stories. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Naoko Takeuchi, AIC Productions, Gainex, Kosuke Fujishima and Arkham House respectively.

C&C , MSTs are welcome

E-mail: dan_s.comments@comcast.net or dan_s.comments@att.net

Stories are available in Rich Text Format and HTML at:

http://home.att.net/~danjess.gibson

(these are the most updated versions)

Author's Note: Thanks to the people who commented on the previous section. This is a future chapter of SSM, a result of events in 1948 (yes I have it plotted that far in advance). While any comment is welcome, I am primarily interested in the correct characterization of the BSSM characters, the setting is the first season. Neither the Imperium Silver Crystal nor Moon Healing will have any effect on the fetter. I've got the solution, but that would be telling.

Nerima Beginnings 1 -PreSailor Jupiter Back to Index

Author's Note: Several people have asked I include how Asuka and Jeff arrived in Nerima. This is not the version that will appear in SSM, I decided to remove several details that would be spoilers at this point.

Nerima Beginnings 1 -PreSailor Jupiter

Another of our beloved commander's looney ideas, Asuka thought as she watched the small collections of concrete buildings, and the guard force surrounding them, 'Capture the flag, it will be fun and easy, just remember, there are no rules!' As if we didn't know there are no rules in war.

She glanced a distance away, and wondered if the others were having the same `fun` she was. She smirked and carefully tied her hair into a pigtail and slipped on the red silk shirt she'd `borrowed` for the occasion. Not that I didn't offer the others the chance to raid my closet for this little operation, she thought, 'You're just jealous that nobody dressed like you,' Jeff told me. I'm not weird enough to, yet, it is a bit uncomfortable, she thought, No one feels they can joke with me. Misato, even Horseface, but not me.

She spotted her partner in the operation, and saw he had his hair colored black, and styled appropriately. Red silk shirt and black pants, she thought, Considering this is the building Horseface and Wondergirl are supposed to `protect` after they get their flag, the guards won't be ready until it's too late.

Rei glanced at the mirror Ranma held. "The beard and hair are perfect," Ranma said, "I don't want to know how you got one of his uniforms, cause that one fits perfectly."

"It was an experiment," she replied, "You are prepared."

"Proceed with the plan, you have my orders," he said, mimicking Gendo's voice perfectly.

"Understood, Commander," she said and slipped through the brush. When she had the guards attention, she slid her glasses up her nose and tapped Ranma's shoulder.

From concealment he shouted, "There has been a change of plans, report to blockhouse B-5 to reinforce the guard force there."

"Yes, Commander!" the guards shouted and saluted. Then they headed off.

Rei grabbed Ranma by the shoulder, pushing him down and holding him in place.

"That hurts!" he complained, trying to pry her fingers lose before they crushed the bone.

"Not thinking hurts more," she replied and held him in place.

"I never ordered them to do that!" Misato complained. She looked around the command deck at the bridge bunnies and Ritsuko, all of whom were laughing at the kids' antics. "I didn't authorize that!'

"You told them 'No rules'," Gendo replied evenly, "We are fortunate they didn't simply take the EVAs and use them."

"Or the nuclear arsenal?" Simson added with a smirk, "Interesting they all attacked their target, rather than splitting up, one to defend and the other to attack."

Misato turned to stare at Ritsuko, who was chuckling softly. "You think this is funny?!"

"I think it's reassuring that only when they are told there are no rules, do they prove how paper thin our defenses against them are. Imagine if they had decided to use their full powers?"

"That's what they were supposed to be doing!" Misato countered.

"Shinji and Nabiki have achieved their objective," Maya reported, they are on their way towards Rei and Ranma's blockhouse."

"Redirect them to Miss Langley and Master Davis's," Gendo ordered, "They might be able to defeat those two."

"Admiral," Maya announced with alarm, "We have an energy transient at that location. Not an Angel - I'm not sure what it is."

"The exercise is canceled," Simson told them, "Sound the alert, get the kids back here and aboard their EVAs!"

"The pulse disrupted radios. I have the exercise coordinator on field phone," Maya said as she handed the handset to Simson.

"Go, both of you!" he ordered as he took Maya's seat.

Nabiki pulled off her red wig, glanced at Shinji running beside her. "What did you mean 'That's just weird'? What did you sense?"

"I can't really explain it," Shinji replied as they ran, "Like something was there, then it wasn't and something changed."

"Helpful as always," Nabiki complained, "Maybe Asuka can explain it to the rest of us."

"Pick'em up!" Ranma ordered as he and Rei closed in at a dead run.

Rei scooped up Shinji while Ranma collected Nabiki. "There was trouble," Ranma said, "Rei's weird sense got a jolt."

"There was a change in phase-space at the interface," Rei explained, "The transference is incomplete.

"At the interface of what?" Nabiki demanded.

"Where they were, and where they are now," Rei replied, content in her explanation.

Nabiki left that for later. "Ran-chan, you pick me up so you could hold me in your arms?" she cooed.

"No, you're heavier," Ranma replied.

Nabiki frowned. "Ranma - dear - keeping running, maybe you'll get away from me," she said sweetly.

Asuka slipped into the dark blockhouse. Poor guards never knew what hit them, Asuka thought as she looked at her fellow conspirator, I bet the others aren't half as far. She pulled the flag from its holder and the doors slammed shut, totally cutting off the only light in the room.

"DIE! Sorcerer!"

"Ranma no BAKA!"

"What's going on here?" Asuka yelled.

A scream from her left.

That was Raccoon! she realized. "Security get in here!" she shouted.

The muzzle flash and report from Raccoon's pistol froze everyone. Illuminating everything like a strobe.

Only Raccoon or Wondergirl would bring live ammo to this party! Asuka tried to get away from where the attackers had been, No, Raccoon should still be firing!

The attackers she had seen in that instant had been a mixed lot, mostly Japanese, some with hand weapons, some without, most in martial arts or historical costumes. A second shot and a scream from the attackers.

"Has she got a gun!?"

"My little girl is hurt!"

"I'll get her!"

That last voice was close, Asuka thought and attacked, Let's see if this stuff really works!

The four pilots were at a dead run as they heard the two shots and the sounds of fighting. Frighteningly, the sounds had subsided before they arrived at the blockhouse and the guards struggling to get the steel doors open. Rei arrived and tossed the guards aside, ripping the door off its hinges.

"Soldiers, my apologies," Rei said as she tossed the heavy steel door aside.

Rei began to glow, to illuminate as much as she could, as she entered the room. "Get lights here," she ordered.

"Doctor, is anyone hurt?" Maya asked as she and Ritsuko arrived.

Nabiki quickly moved into the room. The smell of blood and gun smoke assaulted her nostrils. The room was bare. There, she thought as she bent to pick up two spend casings, and noted there was blood on the floor and a nearby wall. "Don't touch anything!" Nabiki ordered, "Let's get out of here and let the forensics team do their work."

Nabiki practically had to drag Rei out of the building. Outside, Rei damped down her glow and stared at Nabiki with a less than placid expression that usually presaged an Angel being torn limb-from-limb.

"Can you explain this?" Rei said as she dropped the bloodied strip of cloth in her hand into Nabiki's, "The blood is her's."

I don't need a reminder who 'her's' is, she thought as the striped pattern of the cloth pricked her memory. She shook her head, wanting to deny the simplest explanation. "Oh no," her own rage grew to match or dwarf Rei's. "Damn you, damn you. You couldn't leave it alone?! You couldn't leave us alone?! Damn you all to Hell!"

The heavy steel cable bit into his sides and wrists. Whoever had tied me up, Jeff thought, I have to admire their thoroughness. The bag over the head is a nice touch, although I don't need eyes to make out there are people around me. Somehow, familiar . . .

"Ha, the foul sorcerer could never stand against my magnificence!" a haughty voice proclaimed in Japanese.

How did they know I was a mage? he wondered, This is starting to sound very familiar.

"What are you talking about?" another Japanese voice, cruder accent, "I got him, red hair and all."

Red hair? Jeff worried. "Langley speak only this language," he yelled in German, "They may not know -"

"Silence, cur!" a heavy stick hit him across the back and shoulder.

"We understand them! They don't - !" Jeff continued.

"Shut up Ranma!" What felt like a maul crashed down on him repeatedly, until he lay still and silent.

From the force of those blows, only my AT field kept me from being fatally injured, he realized, Something about all of this is tickling old memories. I hope I'm not where I think I am.

"Nay, cur," the haughty voice again, "I shall prove my righteous title and claim. And prove to even the heavens." A rumble of thunder. "That I am the superior claimant."

Oh, this can't be happening, he thought, They must have had some hallucinogen in the flag. This can't be really happening!

They whipped the bag off his head, the torchlight in twilight gave the scene an unreal look. If I didn't already know these idiots were bumblers, this might be frightening, he thought as he looked around at the expectant and angry faces surrounding him, Stupid, remember the injuries they've already inflicted on you! He started worrying again.

"I demand to be returned to the West German embassy or consulate. The German Government will file a protest with the Japanese government," he said in German.

A short haired Japanese high school girl with a bandage around her arm squatted down and stared at him. "Kuno, this isn't Ranma! He isn't even Japanese."

"Langley, don't let on you know Ranma." Jeff made it sound like a question. Asuka's continuing silence worried him.

If they've hurt her, he thought, Nothing's going to stop me.

A pretty young woman with a pony tail rolled her wheelchair next to the high school girl.

"Do you understand Chinese?" she asked in Mandarin.

"I demand to be returned to the West German embassy or consulate. The German Government will file a protest with the Japanese government," he repeated in German.

The high school girl stood up, "Get Dr. Tofu, maybe he can understand this idiot."

"He can treat your injuries as well." The ponytailed girl smiled, reached out.

Jeff knew spitting at her would get him killed instantly, instead he flinched away, it had the desired effect, the girl looked shocked and offended.

"No one will hurt you," she assured him.

Yeah, pull the other one, it's got bells on, he thought, These can't be the real people. There's no way they could get to us . . . unless Nyarlathotep or the Elder Gods took a hand, in which case we are in big trouble! "Langley, if you're alive, say something. Otherwise, I'm going to flash fry these morons and give you a proper warrior's funeral pyre!"

Another boy, with a back pack and umbrella yanked the bag off Asuka's head.

Jeff was glad to see she was gagged and not injured. The gag was removed, and she let fly with a stream of profanity, curses and imprecations, all mercifully in German.

Jeff relaxed a bit. Names pieced together with behaviors, and things Nabiki had told him about her birthplace, his and Asuka's dreams, all forming a lump of lead in his guts. They wouldn't be dumb enough to -? he didn't finish the thought, They obviously are that dumb and more. I should have known better. I guess you beat me on the head often enough I can't think so good.

"This isn't my worthless son either. It must be another iinakuze," a fat slob in a dirty white gi knelt over Asuka.

That was too much for Asuka, "Iinakuze! IINAKUZE!!" she yelled in Japanese, then she caught herself. "Hey Raccoon, what's an iinakuze?" she yelled at Jeff in German.

Everyone in the yard fell over in a comical pose.

"What kind of an asylum are we trapped in?" Asuka asked, looking disgusted at the idiots surrounding her, "Please don't tell me this is what I think it is. Tell me I'm hallucinating, or I've finally gone insane."

"Don't say their names, but this may be where the Fourth and Fifth Children are actually from," Jeff told her with a growing despair. If we are in this place, it might be very difficult to get back home, he thought, Also our dreams may not be an accurate depiction. Great Old Ones are only so insane.

"Schiesse." Asuka looked around. "What do we do?"

"Do you want to tell Fourth or Fifth you slaughtered their parents and siblings?" Jeff asked.

Asuka shook her head.

"Then we wait for an opportunity to use our escape and evasion training. Don't let on you speak any language they use, except German. We're Germans, and want to go to the embassy."

"I heard you, twice," she replied angrily, "Then what?"

"We explain we were mugged, dumped in this place without papers. Let the bureaucracy sort things out from there. With luck the rescue party will be here soon."

Asuka looked at the others who were standing up. "If we're not lucky?" Asuka watched the high school girl help the wheelchair-bound girl up.

"The First, Fourth, Fifth and Third can carry on the fight," he continued, "If we can keep these morons off their backs, we'll be doing all we can."

"He has refused to come here," a pretty woman in a kimono entered and announced. The others digested the grim news.

"What about her?" Asuka asked, "She seems reasonable. Unless I'm wrong, she isn't who I think she is . . . is she?"

"That thing she's carrying is a sword," Jeff replied, "She wants to make Fourth-kabobs with it. Remember?" He gave her a grim look.

Asuka was horrified, "You're kidding. A nightmare sent by an alien god, and we have to live it again!"

"Oh, most certainly! She wants to chop off his head after he and fat-moron in the dirty gi slit open their bellies. I'll tell you why - later - like when we're safely back home." Jeff looked around "You suppose if I summoned an Angel, these fools would even notice?"

"You can summon ANGELS!" Asuka shouted at him, silencing all other conversations.

"How do you think they appear?" Jeff answered, looked at the figures around him, "I think we scared them." He gestured at group all posed in odd postures as if the shout had a physical force that affected them.

"Just shoot me now," Asuka lamented.

"I can't reach my guns," Jeff told her, "But if you want to die. Just announce that you like the Fourth, use his name and their language. And bobtailed highschooler will mash you to death toot-sweet. Fat-great idiot engaged him to every homicidal female in east Asia. Is it any wonder he lost his memory?"

"I lived it too," Asuka replied with her usual snarkiness, "I'd just hoped it was all fake. Raccoon, I don't delude myself about what happened, on both sides, during the last war. However, if the SS ever got a gander at this bunch, they'd lose their lunch, then they'd machine gun the lot of them. If this is the Fourth and Fifth's family, how did they turn out so well?"

"Maybe you can get a Nobel Prize for figuring that out."

"I want a drink instead." Asuka bowed her head.

"I am Soun Tendo." The tall man with the long, black-hair and moustache announced, "Master of the Tendo school of Indiscriminate Grappling. This is my dojo."

"Great, now the commercial." Asuka stared at the man. He'd evidently expected a better reception. So he repeated himself, v e r y - s l o w l y.

"What say we wait until they go to sleep, then we escape," Asuka suggested as each gave an introduction, more flowery, long-winded and boring than the last, until halfway through, Soun wanted to repeat his.

"Sounds good," Jeff replied as the combatants squared off and began fighting each other. "And yes, I don't think we can kill them, I don't want to explain it to our friends. Of course once we get their permission . . . it's payback time!"

"Weird then, isn't it," Asuka sighed, "Enough power to destroy this place ten times over, and we can't use it."

"Well, stick boy and fang face aren't relatives. We could do a nice brochette of fool, maybe it would scare the rest into -"

Asuka's screams interrupted him. A small wizened man had yanked her shirt open and was burying his face in her breasts.

"Pervert, lecher, rapist, get off!" Asuka screamed in German.

Bobtail grabbed the wizened man and immediately got the same treatment. The fight quickly became general, all of the others against this one. Asuka was screaming because no one had bothered to reclose her shirt. Jeff turned his back on the whole affair and began preparing to cast the enchantment that would convince the others to go to sleep, leaving him and Asuka the opportunity to escape.

The crowd prevailed, barely, and the old man sailed over the compound wall on an arc, and at a velocity, that would have done a 105mm howitzer proud.

"Did you see that?" Asuka asked, "That's impossible, even - the Fourth isn't that strong. Maybe Wondergirl is."

"Yeah, have they closed your shirt. I wouldn't want to be accused of peeping," he teased.

"Two of the morons noticed, they both got nosebleeds and fell over," Asuka commented, "I already hate this place. By the way, Fang Boy is fair game, but leave Stick Boy alive."

"Well, here goes the spell."

Jeff was rewarded by yawns from some of the participants.

"We will make our attempt tomorrow, to recover my worthless son," fat-idiot said, yawning.

"AH!" Soun ran into the house. He ran out of the house holding a burning scroll and plunged it into the koi pond. He stood and took on a solemn expression. "Unfortunately, old friend," Soun said gravely, "It appears damaged." He folded his hands into his sleeves.

Genma nodded. "Then we'll have to send a smaller group, only our finest."

"It's a piece of charcoal!" Akane protested.

Soun burst into tears, turning the dirt to a sea of mud, "And my little girl won't be hurt again!"

"It's only a small wound," Akane replied, "I should have pounded that pervert with the gun." She shook her fist at Jeff.

"Rei would have killed her," Asuka teased, "Took pity on her, or not as good a shot as you thought?"

Jeff stared at Akane as if he didn't understand her words.

The groups tramped inside, yawning, except for wheelchair Ponytail. "We can't leave them here in the mud!" she protested, no one else agreed. She reached down and buttoned up Asuka's shirt, and managed to drag the redhead to the porch, before falling asleep in her chair, then falling out of it into Asuka's lap.

Jeff sat up.

'What do we do now?' Asuka mouthed, afraid to make a sound or move, then grimaced when she realized Jeff had no way to answer. So they both waited.

Several moments later Jeff shed his bonds, Asuka saw him move and burned through hers.

"What do we do?" Asuka whispered, moving the sleeping girl off her, into the chair in a stable position. Then they put it back on the deck that surrounded the house.

"Like I said and you know, the Fourth was engaged to every homicidal female in east Asia, they formed factions. We go to a different faction and wait until help arrives. But first, I have to do something." Jeff moved into the house with Kasumi, carefully tipping her and the wheelchair over and covering the girl with a table cloth, before disappearing deeper inside.

Asuka looked at the sleeping girl and the environs. You think they'll right her in the morning, Raccoon? Out of the goodness of their hearts? HA! I've never felt this alone before, even when Tembris' men took me to die, she thought, I knew you and Anna were out there and free.

"I think we need a piece of this more than they do." He showed her the piece of scroll and several other items.

"Why not take the whole thing?" She smirked at the destroyed item.

"Then they'd know we stole a piece, and we don't want that. Agreed?" Jeff replied with a smirk, "I figure it's about 21:00 local time, that gives us some time."

She nodded her agreement as she reset her watch. The two of them slipped through the gate and out into the street.

"West German consulate?" she asked, she stopped and looked around, "Something is out there?!"

He shook his head. "Ignore it, not our problem. The German consulate is out. We have to think like the Fifth would think, she'll be leading the rescue party. We have to go where she'd expect us to be."

"Why didn't you use your gun effectively in that fight?" Asuka asked.

"Stick Boy nearly took my head off with his first stroke. I was having enough trouble just staying conscious, let alone focusing enough to hit a target," he replied, "Or miss a target."

"Only you and Rei would go to a party with a gun," Asuka teased.

"A - gun. I have you know I'm carrying two, and about fifty rounds for each. If I'd realized how porous our security was, I would have been shooting before the first blow landed. Next time, I teleport first, taking you and the room's atmosphere, and questions come later or never."

"Thank you, come again," Ukyo said to the customer. She looked around at the empty restaurant. She didn't blame anyone but herself, I've been going through the motions since Ranma disappeared. I don't know what I'm going to do. Everything I've focused my life around is gone.

"Excuse me, ma'am."

She shook herself. Zoning out like that, she chided herself, When there were customers. She found herself going out of focus again as she looked at the two people in the familiar red shirt and black pants, even their battle-worn expressions made her remember. "Ranma?" she looked closely at the boy, then the girl. These two gaijin are dressed just like him, she thought, Like cosplayers do. "Sorry, you reminded me of someone I used to know. Can I help you?"

"Yes, Kuonji Ukyo, Tendo Nabiki suggested we could come to you for help," the boy said, "Saotome Ranma is safe. He's my roommate."

Ukyo watched the entryway suddenly become the ceiling.

"You got any more bright ideas, Raccoon?" Ukyo heard a girl say.

Ukyo was on her feet in a moment, "Where is he, he's all right? Is he happy? Can I see him?" She grabbed the boy's shirt.

"You're choking me," he croaked as he feebly pried at her grip. The girl seemed to be laughing at both of them.

Ukyo was still in a daze. I can hardly believe what they had told me, she thought, These two gaijin. But they refused to answer some of my questions, the boy, Raccoon, had said 'I want to tell the crew at Nekohanten at the same time.' How does he know us?

Ukyo felt ready to explode from all the questions she wanted to ask. The first question is why are the pair both dressed as Ranma? They wore the right clothes and had the right hair color. Could it be that Ranma wasn't really Nodoka's or Genma's son, that these were his real siblings, or half-siblings? Ukyo wondered, Despite their obvious irritation with him, they both seem genuinely fond of him. I guess it's true, nobody can exasperate or love you like your own kin. Far more than anyone in Nerima, except me. She smiled at the last thought but kept silent as they walked.

Despite the late hour and the self-imposed curfew, there was shouting coming from the Nekohanten. She recognized the voices. "Why is Ryoga in there?"

"Come on," Raccoon said to the girl, Langley, and the two jogged towards the entrance, Ukyo followed closely.

That's just like Ranma too, Ukyo thought as she unslung her baker's peel, Somebody needs rescuing, and they just charge in without a thought.

Xian Pu was angry. Ryoga had charged in, screaming about two Ranmas and Akane. Then he'd hit her when her back was turned, knocking her down, and kept screaming nonsense. It makes my head hurt, she thought as she got to her feet to face him. "Stupid pig-boy charge in and start screaming about something Shampoo no care about," she growled at him, "You hit Mousse, between you and stupid Mousse. You threaten customers Shampoo getting to safety, that Shampoo's business."

You picked the wrong day, the wrong girl, and the wrong subject, Xian Pu thought, I think pressed pig out from this foreigner will go on tomorrow's menu.

Ryoga would not be denied. I'm going to beat this little gaijin tramp and her mummy mentor into a pulp for what they've done. First, they'd done something to Akane, they must have, then they destroyed the scroll that was the last hope to recover Ranma. "You've ruined everything! You're going to pay for this. For everything."

Shampoo faced him, then her expression changed, she stared past him in confusion. "Ranma? With, Ranma?"

Ryoga wasn't going to turn his back on her. I'm not that stupid! he thought I can see the mummy has stopped as well. I'm ready for both of them! He heard the footsteps coming towards him.

"You have an interesting habit of attacking people when their backs are turned."

Ryoga glanced at the gaijin dressed as Ranma, a second one with Ukyo were pulling Shampoo out of the battle line.

The two who escaped. "So you do speak Japanese! You tricked us!" Ryoga sneered, "You have no honor."

"From a coward who attacks children under the cover of darkness, that's a compliment," the gaijin replied. Voice slack, eyes dead as they bored into him.

"I'm no coward! I've seen Hell because of Saotome, and the demons he released! I will have my revenge!" Ryoga shouted back.

"You are a coward, I can see it in your eyes. Pig-boy wasn't it? It fits."

"You're going to pay for that!" Ryoga couldn't drag his eyes from the gaijin's, or raise his hands to strike him.

"Should I turn around? Give you an easy target. A familiar one?" The gaijin took a step closer, no change in his tone or voice, and still those eyes bored in.

I'm not afraid! I - am - not - afraid! Ryoga assured himself as he stared back, I'm not moving, because I don't want to. But he knew death was coming soon, I can't move, if I do this gaijin will kill me. He knew it, he knew it better than he knew his own name.

"Then start something, start something and see what happens."

"I don't fight - " Ryoga began, the boy was no martial artist.

The gaijin's slap interrupted him. Slapped me? Ryoga couldn't believe it, I must be imagining things. It's a trick! Still those eyes bored into him, reminding him that his death was here.

"I said start something, put up or shut up, little boy." Then the gaijin slapped him again. Neither slap hurt, he thought, ignoring his wounded pride, But I know they are a trick. The gaijin is looking for an excuse, any excuse to kill me. How do I know that? Why am I so sure? I should just hit him, it's just a trick, a mind-control trick! But he couldn't get his arms or legs to respond.

"Attack from ambush, assault the weak. Have you got the guts to start something face-to-face? Ready to put it all at risk?" the gaijin slapped him again.

Uncertainty had given way to the fear that paralyzed him, sapped his confidence, and his depression, he couldn't move, now he couldn't even reply. It's as if I'm outside my body, he thought, Watching it all, unable to intervene.

"No?" the gaijin sounded almost sympathetic, he signed, disappointed, "I didn't think so."

Kho Lon had seen these two Ranma-like gaijin walk in. The male one confronted Ryoga, while the female helped Kuonji Ukyo pull a stunned Xian Pu out of the arena. I would have expected to watch Ryoga splatter this arrogant newcomer all over the walls, she thought as she considered, both the newcomers and the chill that seemed to emanate from both of them, Except Ryoga never moved, I've seen this in nature: a bird so paralyzed with fear of a snake, that it does not attempt to escape. Ryoga has the bird's expression, as the newcomer stared at him. Questioning his bravery, his honor, then slapping him. She considered that none of it roused Ryoga to action. His tone is almost . . . soothing, Kho Lon thought, That would be a trick worth learning.

Finally, almost reluctantly the newcomer stepped away, pulling Ryoga's umbrella from it's resting place. Interesting, this newcomer seems unconcerned about the extreme weight, Kho Lon thought, Handling it easily.

Kho Lon considered, I must have misjudged these newcomers. Things are going to get interesting again. The boy grabbed Ryoga's ear, twisting it. Ryoga grimaced in pain now, but he didn't cry out.

"Out you go, half-man." He threw Ryoga bodily out of the restaurant and into the street, "Don't come back, 'til you've grown some manners."

The newcomer turned to face Kho Lon with a genial expression, saluted with the umbrella as if is were a sword, then bowed low, "Honored Elder. Room and board plus a quarter of what Langley and I can bring in above what you're making now?" he asked in perfect Mandarin.

Before Kho Lon could react, the girl spoke up, also in flawless Mandarin, "Hold it Raccoon!"

Ah! Kho Lon realized, That explains everything.

"I didn't agree to this," she finished. Glaring at the boy.

"How long will the money you brought with you hold out?" he asked, "Are you willing to say that Nabiki is better than you at something?"

Before she could retort he turned, "Fiery temper, exotic good looks, and a nice figure, Ranma has trained her in the Art, a good cook, she also speaks Chinese and Greek. People have called her an Amazon, in both complementary and derogatory tones."

The girl started sputtering. Kho Lon hid her smile. I recognize the principle of using the opponent's own energy against them, now transferred to conversation, she thought.

"I'm arguably the better cook, and Nabiki has trained me in the Art," he added, "To put it in your terms, we - " He indicated himself and the girl. "Could and have taken Akane's finished cooking, and made it a meal that not only didn't poison the diners, but they all enjoyed it immensely."

"You cheated, that wasn't - you finished everything." The girl rallied, rehashing an old, and private, argument.

"Where is Ranma?!" Xian Pu demanded in Chinese.

"Safe, when the assault took place, he and Nabiki-san weren't even in the room," the boy told her. He glanced from Ukyo to Xian Pu, "No offense to either of you ladies, but aren't you both a bit old to be engaged to him? For that matter, so is Nabiki's older sister, Akane."

That boggled both girls. Kho Lon stepped into the breach, "How old is Ranma?"

"Langley's and my age, about fourteen, fifteen, sixteen at the outside, same as Nabiki-san."

The other girls exploded with comments on the impossibility of such a thing.

Kho Lon banged her staff for quiet. "For the answers to our questions, a meal and a roof over your head for the night. Agreed? There are things that stalk aboard in the night," she paused for a moment, then added, "And if you say you're immune because you're male, I shall strike you." She thought she had the measure of both of them, the girl would have been an Amazon except for an accident of birth, the boy was a schemer in the Nabiki mold. Both had a hard edge to them she hadn't seen since the Pacific War.

"Very well." the boy bowed, "I shall start with the background I know, and then we will segue into speculations."

Ukyo shook her head. Ran-chan is alive, and a hero, the thought warmed her heart, That he's chased by a few girls is expected, fortunately none are serious . . . but the age difference? How did that happen? How can he not remember us, how can he not remember his Uc-chan?

"You fight big monsters, with giant robots?" Shampoo couldn't believe it anymore than Ukyo could.

"Living beings, but the principle is the same," Asuka told them, toying with the last of her meal. "Ancient creatures of darkest myth."

"And son-in-law uses his skills to drive the - device?" Cologne asked.

Asuka nodded, "Ki blasts, a superfast punch, a few other tricks." She glanced down. "It's why he's the best pilot," she said bitterly.

"Langley, he's not the best," the boy, Raccoon soothed, "Shinji is."

The girl stood up and began screaming at the impassive boy in a language Ukyo didn't understand. He simply nodded as she wound down.

"I have to do that occasionally, Colonel's orders," he apologized.

"She was asking a question, not giving an order!" Asuka shot back.

"Well, we've satisfied our curiosity for the moment." Cologne prevented another explosion. "But if you are going to work here, I need to know about you two."

"Like why you called Raccoon," Shampoo laughed, "More silly name than Pantyhose Taro."

"Well, Xian Pu, that's correct isn't it?" he waited for Shampoo to nod, Ukyo caught the subtle difference in pronunciation. "My parents christened me Jeffery Kevin Davis, none of which can be pronounced by the Japanese."

"Jeffuri isn't so bad," she said.

"Neither is Yukio," he replied with a smile.

"My names is Ukyo, not Yukio, sugar." she replied, a bit testily, returning the smile.

"And mine is Jeffery, not Jeffuri." He returned her smile. "Well, Nabiki commented that I was number six, and I was not a man but a free number."

"Be seeing you," Mousse interjected, and made a two fingered salute, then left as everyone stared at him.

"Where does that come from?" Asuka demanded, "Nabiki taught him the same salute and salutation. It's creepy."

"Go beat up Mousse, easy enough, maybe he tell." Shampoo snickered.

"Anyway, Langley changed Roku-kun to Rakkuun, which Nabiki changed to Raccoon, from Tanuki."

"It fits," Asuka grumped.

"So," Ukyo said, "Are you sweet on her?"

"Yes," Shampoo piled on, "I not recognized Nabiki you talk about."

"We have a business and teacher-student relationship," Jeff told them.

"Jeff - "Asuka began.

"She's my student, nothing more," Jeff interrupted, "If she won't trust me, how can we have a relationship? Heck, if she doesn't trust Ranma, how can they have a relationship?"

Asuka shook her head disgustedly.

"Are you two still planning to take over the world?" Cologne asked.

"Too much paperwork." Jeff dismissed the idea.

"Well, back to business," Cologne said.

They laid out three futons for their guests and Xian Pu retired to her own bed. It was too late for Ukyo to safely return to her restaurant, Xian Pu thought, Pig-Boy deserves to be out there, but no one else. Three strangers in our restaurant seems very peculiar. I was overjoyed that my Airen was safe and might be returning, at least to rescue these others, maybe I could go with them. She smiled broadly at that happy thought.

Below in the main room, Mousse let out a yelp, and received a sincere-sounding apology from Raccoon.

Stupid Mousse, just leave him alone! Xian Pu thought, Killing him won't get you any revenge on my Airen! Although Raccoon, Asuka is right, the trickster name fits, told us all he and Ranma were sleeping together. He nearly had me and Spatula-girl kill him, until Asuka explained about the bunk beds. Xian Pu chuckled about that. I remember how Great grandmother believed my Airen was taken by a higher power, now we know this is true. I worry that he has never spoken about any of us. How can he not remember us, does he still love me? It is much to think about, she thought as she stared at the ceiling, What also worries me is how can this girl, Asuka, not love my Airen? Every other girl seems to, even cold-hearted Nabiki tries to take him away. Also, how can Jeff hate Ranma, but stand by him? It makes my head all spinny.

Sailor Jupiter 1 Back to Index

Sailor Jupiter - By Daniel Gibson

The day was shaping up to be a typical day for Nerima, since Jeff was currently in Juuban, it meant the shineola had truly hit the fan in impressive quantities. Since Cologne and Ukyo are off dealing with their respective `homefronts`, not much to do in Nerima except dodge morons. Heard Juuban was a target-rich environment, as long as you beat the Sailor Scouts to the punch. Not that I really mind, I can cooperate or flee, as required, Jeff thought as he cornered a `youma` that had been luring young men and boys into an alley and `draining their energy`. She's obviously a youma, or she'd be draining their wallets as well, or be downtown in the business district, 1000 to 10000 yen a grope, 50,000 to half-mil for more. I haven't seen a woman that well endowed since Asuka dragged me in to see a Gainex porn site Mousse had `stumbled upon`. Asuka didn't think her resemblance to the `star` of the site was either funny or coincidental.

He teleported the creature to Happosai's room in the Tendo dojo. Let the two of them decide things, he thought as he continued walking, after dispersing the disappointed `customers`. Funny, I don't think any of us would have fallen for that, he considered as he dodged insults and a few thrown lunches, But I guess we were warped. That makes four, I thought these things operated sequentially, not simultaneously. So much for folklore.

A distant explosion and a sudden eclipsing of the sun forced instinct to overcome training. It had taken months during his first dream of Nerima to learn to quit catching pretty girls who fell out of the sky. In Nerima, if you do, they think a) you have shown them and their art terrible disrespect; b) you've harmed their marriageability in some vast, inexplicable and unforgivable way; or c) both, plus, fill in the blank, he thought as he positioned himself for the catch, while everyone else scattered, he cast a spell to slow the girl's descent to nonlethal speeds, So this should be far enough away from Nerima that letting a pretty girl go 'Splat!' is a bad thing. I never have figured out how picking a fight with someone able to launch you 500 feet into the air, and landing face-first makes you more attractive, rather than more repulsive. A mystery for another time.

The girl was wearing a badly torn leotard, with some fringes reminiscent of a skirt, collar and perhaps some bows. Combat cheerleaders? Jeff wondered as he took mental inventory of her injuries, Cuts and burns clear through the uniform, bare feet with second and third-degree burns, right glove burned off, left glove and black bracer intact. Took the blow on the right, so catch her on the left.

He caught her easily, then an identical black bracer formed on his left wrist and fused with the one on hers. That's going to complicate things, he thought as he turned to face the two men running towards him, Bad guys, considering everyone else is running away, even in Nerima they'd just stand around and watch. So if they close, they're in the fight.

"Ah, caught an innocent, poor defenseless mortal," the first target said, a boy so pretty he'd give most of the Nerima girls a run for their money.

Except his pants are so tight, Jeff considered his new target, I can tell he hasn't been circumcised.

"Girl, you shall helplessly watch as we - gick."

The steel toe of Jeff's boot slamming into a place specifically prohibited by Marquis of Queensberry rules silenced Mister Bishi, who rolled into his personal, private ball of pain. Bon Voyage three diamonds! That leaves Opera Man, Jeff considered the cape, cane, domino mask, and suit of his opponent with contempt, I wear a suit for the pockets and the hidden armor, what's your excuse? Then the cane morphed into a shoulder-fired howitzer by M.C. Ecsher and Rube Goldberg. Crap! Jeff swung the waking girl out of the line of fire and raised his AT field to maximum intensity.

Makoto wasn't quite sure what had happened, she'd encountered Tuxedo Mask and another man, and she'd been shot. Now she had her arm around her own shoulders and was being forced into a tight little ball. A guy grabbed me, she realized, as she saw the arm under her knees folding her legs against her chest, He can't hold me! I - Her thought ended as she heard the muffled sound of the weapon that had shot and wounded her before, and the glare as its energies crawled along the shield that encompassed her and her caretaker. The weapon struck the shield again and again. The wince and grunt from the man cradling her made it clear that maintaining the defense was costing him seriously.

Then one blast struck and her foot brushed the inside of the shield. Makoto nearly screamed as the conflicting emotions sleeted through her. A warmth and passion like she only experienced around Usagi-chan at her `gushiest`, not even from her fellow Scouts. Then a dark cold so deep, profound and lonely she wanted to never stop weeping. Deep underneath it all, a rage so hot it threatened to consume her, only the chains of duty and love of Humanity wrapped tightly around it prevented its escape to kill and destroy everything she held dear.

An instant later she was free of it, as she tried to draw in on herself, to retreat from the cold, uncaring world and to hold and cherish the light and warmth she had seen and felt. Absently, she realized that the shield was down, she could feel the sun and wind on her skin. All thought of her injuries had been driven from her mind by the contact, now she was becoming aware of the cuts, bruises and burns that dotted her body. Another thought, spurred by the image of the chained hatred forced its way to her mind. "Don't kill him!" she prayed as her savior turned to face the corrupted Tuxedo Mask.

"Brainwashed former ally?" the gaijin boy said with a sardonic air, as if he'd been expecting it.

"Yes," she admitted, taking a moment to admire the face and determination of her rescuer, and his easy acceptance of her word as fact.

"Hold tight," he warned, "This is not going to be fun, or pretty. It won't kill him, but it will hurt him." He cradled her with their linked left arms while his right arm rested beneath her knees and in that hand, he held a cane similar to the one the brainwashed Tuxedo Mask held.

"Hey, Kuno Total Wacky! Toss a rose and spout a speech, I haven't had a good laugh in ages."

Tuxedo Mask's face contorted in fury, beyond any darkness the Negaverse could inflict on him. "You dare compare me to that - that - "

"Fancy pants, rose-tossing, poetry spouter?" her protector offered innocently, "I just can't imagine how I would confuse the two of you."

Tuxedo Mask charged with a scream of pure fury, his cane raised in a double overhand grip, to chop both of them in half. The boy parried the cane with his own, and lashed out with a booted foot, catching Tuxedo Mask's inner thigh. Her former ally gasped in pain and crumpled slightly. Her rescuer shifted and his other foot lashed out, catching the stunned Tuxedo Mask in the side.

The dance continued, Makoto realized that the boy had been trained by a master martial artist. He rained kicks down on nerve clusters and chakra centers preventing Tuxedo Mask from mounting an effective counter attack, or even a semblance of defense.

Bruised, battered, but no broken bones or permanent injuries, she marveled, All while avoiding abrading my burns.

Suddenly a black circle formed underneath the fallen Tuxedo Mask, she had no time to shout a warning as her rescuer leapt back out of the circle. When the circle vanished, so had Tuxedo Mask and his new ally.

"Sorry," he said, looking at her frustrated expression, "I wasn't sure I could prevent the escape without injuring one or both of you. There'll be a next time. I'll be more ready."

"You can set me down now," she teased, "I'm not that fragile."

"Have you seen the soles of your feet?" he asked with a frown, "I have, and I'm not going to inflict that much pain on any one."

She saw the tenderness of his expression, felt sincerity of his words. He's so sweet . . . and caring, she thought.

"Unintentionally," he added, immediately reminding her of the darkness he also carried within, "I'll warn you, this is going to feel extremely strange, and if your injuries are as extensive as I think, you may have to catch me, when I fall."

She was about to request an explanation when she felt a warmth flow through her. Revitalizing, she thought, That's the only way - oh ick! That is weird! She watched her cuts flow together like water or clay, and her burns shrivel up and vanish like dying flowers. In both cases, they left healthy, unscarred skin behind. As if the wounds had never happened. She quickly got on her feet and held up her reeling partner.

"You're tougher than I thought," he admitted as she slung his arms over her shoulders, "That hurts - a lot."

"Sorry."

"No, your injuries. I transfer them, then heal them on myself. That's what hurts."

"Oh." I'm glad I didn't hurt him by supporting him, she thought, I do feel a lot better. She lowered him to the ground so he was sitting next to her, their left arms still around his shoulders. I can feel his heart pounding from the effort, she thought, This is too much like those romance stories. The girl who is misunderstood and an outsider, comes across `Cruel Eyes` so dashing and handsome, but dark and cold inside, and she tames him with her own goodness and light. Usagi would think it was ROMANTIC!!, Rei and Ami would think I was being stupid, for different reasons. But I - She nearly broke down and cried. It's the aloneness, she thought unhappily, Not loneliness, but the acceptance that loneliness, that sadness, that hopelessness should be fought, so others can be happy, but he can never banish them for himself. Like what the youmas believe, that the universe is dark and cruel, and strength is to be used against others. Yet, he also believes what we believe, that there is light and happiness. She touched his chin, turning him to face her. Maybe, I can show him that happiness and someone special are for him too, she thought, staring into his eyes.

He smiled and her heart leapt. "Much as I enjoy your company," he said as he helped her to her feet.

He's tall too, she thought, Not as tall as Tuxedo Mask, or Mamoru, but definitely taller than me, that's good.

He held the paired manacles in her field of view. "I think we should dispense with these," he suggested, "Agreed?"

You're going to try to run away, she realized in shock, You think I'm going to abandon you too! So you're going to leave quickly, before you feel anything for me. But I don't want you to leave. I don't want you to be alone.

"I'm an expert in curses and enchantments," he reassured her, "You won't be harmed."

What about you?! she wanted to shout. Suddenly she was standing next to a glowing skeleton surrounded by a human-shaped, purple haze. Before she could scream, her rescuer was back, smoke streaming out of his ears and hair.

"Ouch," he said, a cloud of smoke issuing from his mouth as he spoke, "Falling now."

She caught him as he bonelessly collapsed. "Sir, sir!" she cried out. Wonderful, she thought, I know his pain and his soul, but I don't even know his name! She sighed, centered herself. I know one place I can go where he'll be safe, she thought determinedly, scooped up her rescuer, By the ancestors, he's heavy! She sprinted towards her destination.

Makoto opened one eye and saw the clock. As the numbers registered on her sleepy mind, she came fully awake. She sprang from her bed, and was immediately yanked back. I know Usagi's claimed this happens, she thought, as she settled back into the warm softness, But I thought she was exaggerating.

Suddenly her memories of the night came back. I was sitting in that chair last night, she realized, as she noted the sheets and blankets that had so firmly `retrieved` her, were in fact, someone's arms and legs, I must have fallen asleep, and fallen onto the bed. Then he . . . collected me in. She realized she was still wearing her combat fuku, and her rescuer was lying behind her, with her spooned up against him. Her arm was over her breasts, and lying across her waist, his arms were just above, Risque but not terribly improper, she thought, Of course his legs wrapped around mine, and my fuku isn't the most modest garment. It's as if he could pin me down, and take whatever he wanted. She enjoyed the dark thrill of the thought, then discarded the entire idea of being ravished while she was helpless, If I was naked screaming 'Take me take me, make a woman!' 'Plunder my nubile body before I die from need!', and other things, he'd cover me with a sheet and determine if I was on drugs or under mind-control. It would be very irritating if I meant it, she thought as she snuggled back against him and felt him tighten his grip on her body in response.

She was half-asleep when she suddenly tried to leap from the bed again. "Would you please fully awaken before you do that again?" she heard behind her as she was again restrained, "That's twice you've tried to rip our arms out of their sockets. What's so all fired important?"

"You're awake?" she asked.

"Have been for almost half an hour," he replied.

"Wha - what have you been doing?" she asked as she blushed.

"Trying not to wake you," he said, "I admit I moved you around, but only after you nearly dislocated both of our arms when you fell asleep, literally."

"So . . . you . . . uh . . . " Why can't I just come out and say it? she thought, I know he wasn't trying to take advantage of me. "Well, how did we end up . . . uh," she said.

"The arms were your idea," he said," I'll admit the leg was mine, but you kick in your sleep."

"Sorry," she said.

"Who is Ken-chan and why were you so afraid he was leaving you? If you don't want to tell me, don't," he told her as he lifted her to a sitting position, "But you seemed absolutely disconsolate about it, enough to sleep run after him. So it was weighing on your mind."

"An old friend."

"You've lost people in your life," he said sympathetically, "Me too, frankly, it's easier to count the ones I haven't lost. It hurts, it hurts a lot, but you survive. Carrying on their dreams or their dreams for you is the best way to honor their memory."

She felt the world get all sparkly, she leaned towards him, her eyes closing, her lips puckering for a kiss. He really is thoughtful and deep, she considered their lives together, curing each other's loneliness, becoming true soul mates, she leaned closer, her fingers entwining with his, I will never hurt you, I promise.

"Mako-chan! It's Usagi!" Someone pounded on her front door.

If only it was a youma, she thought, frowning.

"Ooo, scary face . . . and you're squashing my hand."

"Sorry," she apologized as she planned a suitable `welcome` for her friend.

"Kino-san, it's Tsukino, are you there?"

Usagi's mother, she thought as she looked around her bedroom, She can't find us like this!

"Oh, scared face, and it really is starting to hurt."

"What are we going to do?" she asked desperately.

He pulled his fingers loose and stared at her. Suddenly her fear of being found by Ikuko-san retreated to the horizon. "You are a soldier," he told her coldly as he stood, pulling her to her feet with him, "You will comport yourself as one. This was a directed enemy action specifically to damage your ability to fight your enemies. That is what you will tell Tsukino-san and Usagi-san." His surety, dark gravitas and hauteur gave her some confidence back. He held the bond up, she noted it had changed from a pair of bracers into thick figure-eight encircling their wrists.

"Yes," she said, feeling herself standing straighter and more confidently, "Thank you."

They walked together to the door, Makoto noticed he fell into step with her automatically, and that he didn't walk, he strode.

She opened the door to her fiend - friend, and her mother and Sailor Jupiter - regarded - them.

Usagi boggled at the pair.

"Tsukino-san," he said and bowed formally, "I'm afraid Kino-san is not here."

"You're a Sailor Scout," Ikuko said as she looked around.

"Sailor Jupiter," Makoto said, smiled with warmth but little friendliness, bowed, "You must be Tsukino Ikuko, Kino Makoto-san said you might come here, this must be Usagi-chan." Please don't see me as Makoto, she thought, Please don't see me as Makoto.

"Uh," Usagi stammered, "What did Mako-chan want?"

"She suggested you might have some way of contacting Sailor Moon," he said as the two of them stepped aside, letting Usagi and Ikuko into the small apartment, "There was another girl who could contact Sailor . . . " He turned to Makoto. "I apologize, which Sailor Scout, the fire expert?"

"Sailor Mars," Sailor Jupiter said regally, "She could contact Hino Rei-san."

"That - chain - " Ikuko pointed to their fetter.

"An enemy thought it might be . . . amusing," he said the last word as if he might rip out the entrails of anyone who found it amusing. Ikuko and Usagi took a step backward towards the door. "My reputation is not good in any case, but to besmirch Sailor Jupiter's is petty and cruel."

"Yes, of course," Ikuko agreed as she backed towards the door, pushing Usagi as she went, "I'm sure Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars will be able to help you. We do have to go."

The Tsukino mother and daughter couldn't leave fast enough, they were careful not to slam the door.

Makoto remained standing in grandeur until she was certain that Ikuko was no where near them. She turned to her fellow prisoner and fell into his arms, laughing hysterically. "You are awful! But it was good to see them run out of here."

"You did very well," he told her, wrapping his free arm around her waist.

She looked up at him, felt a smile forming on her lips, she sought out his fingers with her own. "You even scared me," she said tenderly, "But you don't now, why is that?"

"Because I don't want to," he explained as he smiled back at her.

I could get lost in those eyes, in that smile, she thought. She blushed furiously as he leaned close, touching his nose to hers.

"Should we try to get your friend to show up again, by trying to kiss?" he softly asked.

I didn't think I could blush more without exploding, she thought as she gulped, unable to speak.

"Okay, we have time." He stood back up, ending the moment. "But we do have a serious problem."

Makoto felt her heart freeze. "You aren't hurt?"

"I have to go to the bathroom."

"Oh it's . . . " she fell silent as she realized the real problem. With the fetters, the arrangement of the bathroom, the only place I could stand would be beside or behind him, and the same for him. Her heart chilled further. My uniform doesn't have a - flap. I'll have to transform completely out of it to . . . She looked at him saw a fear in his eyes matching hers.

"Isn't that ironic? Someone trying to kill us, it's all in a day's work," he asked sardonically, "A natural bodily function, and we're both terrified."

"Uh huh," she said, "We'll figure out . . . something."

"I do think we need to hurry," he admitted to her.

"So," Ami said, fingers poised over her mini-computer's keyboard, "What is your name."

Makoto nearly fell out of her chair. After what we've been through, she thought, I never even thought to ask that.

"Jeffery Kevin Davis, born February 13, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois, the records might say I was born August 1st, the 213th day of the year," he told Ami.

Five Sailor Scouts, both cats and Jeffery made her apartment very crowded. Makoto sat near him by necessity. Both cats were peering closely at the binding, and suspiciously at the boy.

Ami's face suddenly fell as she looked from her computer to the boy and back again.

He frowned slightly. "Look up Howard Phillips Lovecraft, and especially Cthulhu, Nyarlathotep and Yig," he replied offhandedly, "In your world they are literature, in my homeworld, they are very real."

"That . . . that isn't it," Ami admitted, she cleared her throat and read from the screen, "Jeffrey Calvin Davis. Born February 12,1933, in Chicago, graduated from Harvard 1949, went into the Marine Corp as an officer." Ami licked her lips nervously, looked at him. "You are reported Missing In Action during the retreat from the Chosin Reservoir, there is a posthumous Navy Cross, for knocking out three T-34/85 tanks, single-handed. No body or dogtags were ever recovered."

"Probably got clobbered by the others," he replied, "Russian tank platoons of the time could contain up to 5 tanks. So I'm long-dead here."

"Yes," Ami whispered.

"What about Asuka Soryu Langley, born in Rottweil, Germany, 1933."

Ami eagerly took up the new task, so she didn't have to consider the implications of what she'd just found.

"So," Minako spoke up, "How did you two sleep?" She tittered and Usagi giggled right alongside her.

Makoto felt her blush rising.

"Soundly," Jeffrey replied coldly, "How do you sleep? Consumed with jealousy?"

Minako looked like she'd been stung.

"Rei, what's your problem," Makoto asked the miko, "You keep staring at him." And not like Usagi and Minako have been, she silently added.

"His aura," Rei said.

"Great Old Ones," Jeffery explained, "That's what she's picking up. Dark gods of insanity and corruption. You know what happens when you fight something for too long?"

He leaned close to Makoto, whispering in her ear, "I also need a shower." He sniffed and wrinkled his nose.

Makoto laughed at that.

"I can't see anyway to fix this," Artemis said as he stepped away from the bond. Luna seemed to agree.

"Look, I know enough that there is no way either of us can affect it. It will draw as much energy from us to defend itself as necessary, then hurl the power of the attack and the defense back on whichever of us made the attack. So, it has to be defeated by an outside agency. Unless the death of one of us would free the other."

"You can't die!" Makoto told him.

"No, as a minor Great Old One, I can't stay dead, I can die," he replied.

Makoto was horrified. "That's - "

"What your friend Rei is picking up," Jeffrey explained, "Nothing can permanently kill a Great Old One. If a temporary death would free you, I'm willing to do it."

"Let's - let's find another way," Makoto insisted shakily, turned to Ami, who looked back at the others. She didn't seem pleased.

"I don't know," Ami admitted, "I'll keep working."

"What about you?" Jeffrey asked Rei, "A ward, spell or spirit?"

Rei seemed shocked by the implication and his knowledge of her craft. "I don't know. I can do a fire reading, and talk to my - talk to others about it."

"Well, we'll let you talk," Jeffrey said, turned to Makoto, "Let's get them something to eat."

"Yeah!" Usagi said, "Mako-chan's the best cook."

"Indeed?" he asked haughtily, "We shall see, shan't we?" He smiled.

Makoto felt burning need to wipe that challenging smile from his face.

It's like having an extra pair of arms, she thought as he lifted a lid out of her way so she could stir the pan's contents, And he's quick enough on his feet, I haven't stepped on him or brushed up against him. Except when I meant to. She thought of her dancing shadow. "I thought you were an expert," she teased, "You haven't said anything."

"You know your friends' tastes better than I, so I watch and assist," he leaned close brushing her neck with his cheek and whispered, "Lessons are private."

Get your mind out of the gutter, she told herself as she briefly considered what those 'lessons' would include, If I had my way. But I also know you'd refuse.

Spooky, to know someone so well, so suddenly, she thought as she cooked, What was that shield made of!? Did I `read` him because I'm a Sailor Scout? She considered the problem while she worked.

"Heads up," he warned.

Makoto saw her best plates sailing through the air. They soundlessly landed in the clear space next to each girl, and two smaller one where the Moon Cats had been. When none of the plates shattered, she put her scream on hold.

"Fraidy cats," he said of the two felines clinging to the ceiling.

"How did you -?!" she managed before her voice cracked.

"Martial arts," he replied with the arrogant smile that she both loved and wanted to wipe off his face instantly.

"How come they didn't shatter?" Ami asked.

"Structural integrity field and an antigravity pulse at the last moment, their acceleration due to their mass counteracted their velocity."

"Oh, of course," Ami said, "Makes perfect sense."

"Maybe to you it does," Rei said, still staring at the plate which had landed in front of her.

"Shall we serve?" he asked Makoto.

"Of course."

Makoto wished she could pace, she wished she could think of some delicate way to address this. A Westerner probably wouldn't be so sensitive about it, she thought as she glanced at her bed, Our bed, until we can get loose. Maybe even after that.

This is ridiculous, she chided herself, If he asked me to marry him, we'd be in front of Rei's grandfather so fast the dust wouldn't settle for a month! I was thinking about how our children might look, AmeriAsians, whether they should be born here, or in the U.S. to get dual citizenship. And I can't bring up one little subject.

"Are you all right?" he asked, "You look one step away from chewing your arm off in frustration. Can I help? It helps to talk about it."

He's a Westerner, so it won't be as big a deal, she thought as she knelt next to him, And he did say we should talk about it.

"It's about . . . bed," she said flatly, and couldn't continue. Coward! Coward! Coward! Coward! she accused herself.

"Oh, you can sleep behind me," he said, smiled, "I prefer it that way."

"Wha?"

"It's not that I don't like to wrap my arms around you," he teased, pulling her into his lap, "And hoding you until the twin fires of our love untie eternally and the coldness of our loneliness is extinguish like an attic snow."

"Unite, not untie, and arctic, not attic," she replied, "You nut." She giggled.

"Truth be told, your hair kept wrapping itself around my neck. It made me a little nervous."

"Oh, yes, sure, only . . . that's not it." How do I start this? she wondered. "My transformation, it . . . removes all the dirt, sweat, blood, and so on, from me and my uniform."

"But without it, I'm getting a little wiffy, as a Canadian friend put it." He carefully set her off his lap.

"Um, yes," she said, bowed her head in shame at the insult to him.

"I can cut the seams to the shirt and coat so I can get out of them, and sew some eyelets on so I can put them back together, but that still leaves several major problems."

"Oh, I can wash your back," she said cheerfully. And your front, and sides, she thought, Quit smiling like that you're scaring him.

"That certainly answers the question about sleeping in the nude. You look like you hurt yourself just thinking about it."

"Damn!"

"I heard that," he accused.

Makoto blushed, covered her mouth with her hands. "Sorry," she squeaked.

"It's a bit flattering, but a bit overwhelming," he said, "You just met me, you may not like me."

Makoto's heart was in her throat. I do like you, I do know you, I do, I do! she thought.

"And it's a little early in the relationship for . . . bathing together," he said sheepishly.

Oh, the Westerners' . . . he's shy about it, she thought, laughed. "I've been to hot springs, I've seen naked men before."

"Have you seen naked soldiers before?" he asked earnestly.

Makoto stared at him, not understanding.

Makoto looked at the cloth in front of her. She reached out, and her confidence failed before she could touch it. Two of her shirt buttoned together made a decent nightshirt for him. A towel made his `kilt`. She felt ashamed as her partner slept with his back to her, curled up as much as the small bed allowed.

"I'm sorry," she said, for what seemed like the hundredth time, "I didn't mean to scream, it's just that . . . "

"I said I forgive you, and I told you a blindfold wouldn't work," came the muffled response, "At least your neighbors believed your explanation."

"Why didn't you just become invisible in the bath?" she asked miserably. I'm sorry I shamed you, she thought sadly, If I could take it back, I would.

"Because you were in the field, so dispelling the illusion was easy," he told her, "So they didn't see me, you did. The same will happen every time I use that spell. Please, let's just get some sleep. We survived and your honor is intact, that's all that matters."

Except I shamed you in doing it, she thought, And there's no way I can make it up to you. Is this why you're so sure you'll always be alone? That everyone you let get close will betray or abandon you? You think I'm getting ready to do the same? Only silence answered her silent questions. I want to hold you to me, she thought Until your pain and fear goes away. But I can't. I caused it, and I can't bring myself to do even that. I'm sorry.

The night passed slowly. The last time I was so lonely, Makoto thought as the sleepless minutes ticked by, Was the night of my parents' death. People all around, and I was lonely.

Next: Knights are supposed to be grrls?

Sailor Jupiter (second section)

Sailor Jupiter Second Section Back to Index

Makoto woke, she muzzily realized she was wrapped around her new roommate, like a python strangling a kill. The first and important difference was she was face to face with him, their left arms raised above their heads. "Uh, hi."

"Good morning," he replied, "I'd say you never slept as a Sailor Scout before, your strength is considerably great than a humans'."

"I didn't hurt you . . . did I?" No, after last night, getting stabbed in the heart wouldn't be considered `hurt`, she thought, Idiot.

"No, I'm more resistant than a human, but I think we need to adapt some of your clothes so you don't have to stay a Scout the rest of your life."

"Good idea," she said, "Just one question, how? I'm not exactly rolling in money."

"Would three-quarters of a million yen be sufficient?" he asked dryly.

"Yes, but where would you get that kind of money?"

"Out of my pants pocket," he replied, "A master wizard is never out of money, or ideas, that's how you prove you're a master."

"Yes, that would do very well." The thoughts of a shopping spree suddenly collided with another fact. "School, I have to go to school today."

"I think you call in sick," he replied, "That invisibility spell is limited in both effect and duration. It won't be sufficient for an entire school day, and I can't think of a good explanation for us being tied together."

"How do we hide it if we go out shopping?" she asked.

"We don't," he said, "We merely minimize it's noticeability and we keep a hold of each others' hands."

"That will get noticed," she countered, "How do I call in sick and still go shopping? High school isn't mandatory, Junior High is."

"Leave that to me," he said confidently.

Definitely colder, she thought, But after last night, who can blame him.

Makoto was idly wondering what form of youma she'd fallen for. No, this is more evil than any youma, she thought. She checked the slacks and wrap that concealed her fuku and would let her blend in.

"Yes, Tatewaki and Kodachi Kuno," he told the principal of Juuban Junior High, "Yes, sir, they're on their way there. I'd recommend a full evacuation and a mobilization of the JSDF." He paused, winked at her. "Yes, sir, I'm sure you have stood for education against the youmas, but have you considered why the youmas never hit Nerima, which has more people and . . . how can I say this politely, more energetic people. Yes, sir, very wise." He hung up the phone and turned to her. "Everybody gets the day off."

"How - how did you get through to them directly - !" she shouted, "To both of those maniacs! I've heard of those two, and their looney father! They've got more money that the rest of Japan and less sense that a rock." Makoto found herself edging away from him. "And how did you know exactly what would direct those two so precisely?"

"I will explain it again. Great Old Ones cannot be killed, but you can change the container their intellect and powers reside in. I have much of the intellect and some of the powers of all the ones I have destroyed. Understanding the ways and means of the clinically insane is childs' play." He gestured to the door. "Shall we go?"

"Where is she?!" the madman with the traditional clothes, wooden sword and the poofy hair demanded of Zoicite.

This can't be happening! the General surveyed the dozens of dispatched youma, who'd all failed to stop this juggernaut, or even slow him down.

"Play no games with me," the man growled, "And I will not keep thee from thine appointed Hell, youma!"

How could he know? Zoicite thought as he scrambled to get away, Even my most powerful attacks have no effect! "If you'll tell me who you're looking for I - "

"NO MORE GAMES!" the man roared, "I strike!"

"This is where I got the reading for the youma," Sailor Mars told her two fellow Scouts, Venus and Moon, as they stood outside the ring of tanks and cloud of attack helicopters. "I don't know how the JSDF got here ahead of us."

"Don't they need an order from the cabinet and the Prime Minister to even deploy?" Sailor Moon asked.

"I believe so," Sailor Mars replied.

"Then why are they just waiting out here, instead of going in?" Sailor Moon asked peevishly.

Neither Sailor Mars nor Sailor Venus had an answer.

Makoto looked over her shoulder at the platoon of tanks rumbling down the street.

"Hold still dear," the shop owner admonished, "You want me to get these measurements right?"

"Yes, ma'am." Makoto kept calculating how much all of this had to cost, and kept coming up with a number that frightened her more than the tanks rolling down the street. She looked at Jeff, who seemed calm and unperturbed by events. Events he set in motion! she thought, then she spotted over a dozen tanks heading back from where the last ones had presumably gone, They look like wrecked toys! She considered the bent guns and armor, the pieces sliced off. "What happened to them?" she asked as she watched them meander down the road.

"Same thing that's going to happen to you if the young lady gets mad at you," Jeff told her, squeezed her hand reassuringly. The woman taking her measurements chuckled.

"Flatterer," she accused him. Jeff managed to nod without moving any other part of his body.

"Sanctuary!" someone outside the shop cried. Makoto turned, and saw the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen in her life. His long, flowing, hair, he reminded her of the guy Tuxedo Mask had been with. He held out a hand beseechingly, his eyes a window into a soul in terror. He saw her and headed towards her, as if only Makoto could assuage his torment. Only to have a tank land on him.

Then a second. A third. A fourth.

"That's a self-propelled howitzer," Jeff commented idly, another vehicle landed, "That's a USMC Abrams, I didn't know they called in the Marines."

"What the heck threw those?" Makoto asked. I'm the strongest Scout, she thought, I doubt I could pick up a tank.

Private Abe Nishimura was not having a good day. He'd won, read lost terribly, at the impersonation contest, he had lost the draw of the straws from the contest's finalists, a word he now considered prophetic. Now my Captain says I can receive the personal gratitude of the Emperor, or I can be shot, he thought despondently as he made sure the red wig was on correctly, that the sand-filled `balloons` in his shirt were correct. Last Will and Testament filled out, burial instructions all correct, he thought, glanced at the troops, even the generals saluting him, he returned the salute proudly, determined to die honorably for the good of Japan.

He walked out of the concealing mass of truck, tanks and other armor. "Kuno-chan!" he squealed, "Don't be such a silly playing with them."

"My pig-tailed goddess!" came Private Nishimura's cue to run for his life.

In the distance, a Marine band played 'Taps'.

"That was originally called 'Butterfield's Lullaby'," Jeff explained the odd tune, as they shopped through the nearly empty grocery stores.

Makoto nodded. How are we going to afford this?! she wondered, A lifetime of making every yen go as far as possible, and he's buying beef enough for all the Scouts to have sukiyaki! He has to remember how Usagi eats! She realized she was in a totally alien world now. One where you didn't settle, you got the best. This day is just getting scarier and scarier, she thought. Then she heard the laughter. A demented soul being dragged off to eternal torment would make a noise like that! she thought as she suppressed the shudders.

"Fifteen hundred for the lot?" Jeff asked the equally stricken butcher. The man nodded.

I bet he would do anything to erase the sound of that laugh, she thought, What kind of monster makes a sound like that?

She followed Jeff out of the store, she had little choice with the fetter attaching them.

"Having fun?" Jeff asked smilingly.

"Fun - Fun?" she asked, her voice quavering, "I watched someone have a platoon of tanks land on them, I watched you spend more money on food and clothes that I spend on everything in a year. You think this is fun?"

"Actually, yes," he admitted, "Nobody is shooting at us. We got some great deals on this stuff. Besides, money isn't a big problem. I can get more, I thought you'd like getting new outfits and get a chance to show off your cooking skills with first-class materials, instead of trying to make do. I also promised you some lessons, and I keep my promises."

This is all repayment for screaming last night, she thought, I just know it. Okay, that makes it a lot more understandable. I guess it has been kind of fun. In a bizarre kind of way.

"I'm going to need a bath," Usagi grumped as the trio trudged home,"And to wash my mouth out with soap."

"I'm going to need a bath," Minako complained, "And to steam clean my ears."

"I'm going to take a bath, and burn these clothes," Rei whined, "I don't want any male to ever touch me again. I don't think I want any other human to touch me again. Was that a human being, or an octopus youma."

"I did warn you," Minako said, "But he was so fast."

"At least he didn't kiss you," Usagi replied, "I don't think anyone will ever kiss me again, without me getting nauseated."

"Why was Kuno Tatewaki even in our town today?" Minako asked, "I thought youmas were bad enough."

"Maybe he was looking for this 'pig-tailed goddess'," Usagi offered then touched her hair, "Do these look like pig-tails to you?"

"At least he didn't compose a poem about you," Minako said, "You two are lucky, you don't understand English as well as I do. I'd rather have a pitchfork in my brain, I just can't get it out of my mind. It's so awful!"

"I wonder if the Catholic nuns take transfers," Rei said, "They aren't allowed to be around guys, right?"

"Where is she?!" the madman with the traditional clothes, wooden sword and the poofy hair demanded of Makoto and Jeff. Only by catching the blade on the fetter had they been able to avoid being chopped into bits.

"Where is who?" Jeff asked innocently.

"Play no games with me! I -"

"Ranko or Akane?" Jeff interrupted the man.

He paused, actually looked thoughtful. "My pigtailed goddess," the man answered.

"She isn't on this planet," Jeff replied, "That's already been established."

The blade came down, miraculously striking the fetter again.

My arms are beginning to hurt, how strong is that guy? she wondered, And why does Jeff keep egging him on?

"My father assured me - "

"Your father," Jeff laid on all the sarcasm the phrase could hold, "Been credible in the past has he? Always the source of reliable information? He'd never tell you something just to sit back and watch you react to it?"

The man actually lowered his bokken and considered Jeff's words. "I have been deceived." He turned to run away.

"Hey!" Jeff shouted.

Don't upset the madman! she wanted to scream as he turned back towards them.

"I don't care what you think of me, but you spoiled the lady's afternoon. Now you run away as a churl would."

Don't kill him, don't kill him, Makoto thought as the man's face contorted with rage.

Then he bowed. "Of course, were I not pressed with matters of limitless urgency, I would date with thee." He handed her a rose, from somewhere, gave Jeff a venomous look, and ran off at high speed, proclaiming, "The vengeance of Heaven is sure!"

"That was Tatewaki Kuno," Jeff said as he caught her before she fell.

"You are crazy?" she gasped clutching him tightly to her, "Aren't you afraid of anything?"

"You're well-aware of one of the few things I fear," Jeff said quietly.

Makoto expected him to push her away to the ground, but he didn't. She took advantage of the calm to just stand there and hold him. I am sorry, she thought, Please don't keep pushing me away.

"We should get home, your friends are probably as shell-shocked as you," he said gently, reminding her of their earlier tenderness, "We might want to put the sukiyaki off until tomorrow."

"Yes," she said. Then what do I cook tonight for you? she considered.

Makoto watched closely as Jeff moved through her kitchen, cutting, slicing, sauteing, so fast she couldn't take it all in, she could barely avoid getting stepped on. Even with the on-going commentary, she thought, I'd never be able to keep up with all this information.

"So you slice to avoid compressing the cells in the meat," he told her, "But since we want the meat to absorb the liquid it's soaking in - "

"You do this slow chopping motion," Makoto answered, "I never knew it was so complicated."

"I am a college graduate, in chemical engineering," he told her, turned and smiled, "All cooking is a process. And truthfully, I drove my teachers crazy by forcing them to help me figure all this stuff out."

"You make me feel like an amateur," she complained.

"You are an amateur, no one is paying you to do this," he replied without condescension, "But you do know more about the presentation of the food. I never understood the rules of how that is done."

"Oh," she said happily, "I don't know the rules, but I do know the bits of advice I've heard over the years." At least I know something you don't, she thought, But I really have to figure out the best way to make thing up to you.

"I'm stuffed," Makoto said, "I think you're trying to make me fat."

"With the stress and the exertions of battle," Jeff replied, "I doubt you'll have a chance. I also need to give you some training in martial arts."

"Not marital arts?"

"You're a little young. Besides, we haven't known each other that long."

"I think we should get cleaned up and get some rest," Makoto said, trying to ignore the slight droop in his expression. She stood and headed towards the bathroom. "I know you aren't used to the public baths," she said conversationally, "But I do miss just soaking in the hot water. Letting all the tension drain out."

"I always considered meditation for that," he replied, "I do prefer the Japanese method of getting clean." He was unbuttoning the underside of his sleeve so her could shed his shirt.

Good, he's distracted, she thought as she caused her sailor fuku to vanish, I knew Westerners were nervous about nudity, but I was the one constantly walking around in a suit of armor covering all my intimate bits. I expected him to set aside his terrible fear of being vulnerable, with someone he didn't know. But I wouldn't let go of my security, even though I knew he wouldn't take advantage of me. He accepted his inferiority and was hurt for it, I was safe and wouldn't release any important part of my `refuge`. Now I have to be more vulnerable than he ever was with me.

She sat on the bath stool, forced herself not to cover herself with a towel or her hands. She looked at her stunned roommate over her shoulder. "Will you wash my back please?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from breaking. Please, I know you won't hurt me, she thought, We both know you won't take advantage. I can be vulnerable too, can I trust you. Please trust me again.

"Yes," he gulped as he knelt behind her.

She ignored that he was still half-dressed as he used their linked hands to hold her hair out of the way as he wetted, then began soaping her back with the sponge she used. She forced herself not to sigh as he made slow circles with the soft sponge, removing the dirt, sweat and tension from her body. This is more like a massage, she thought as she relaxed, then more as he streamed warm water down her back to rinse away the soap.

"What about your hair?" he asked tenderly, "I think it needs a shampoo."

"Yes," she said, knowing how much he loved long, soft hair, like hers. Loved running his fingers through it. She shivered with pleasure as he wetted her hair, taking special care to keep first the water, then the shampoo suds out of her eyes.

She luxuriated in his strong fingers working the shampoo into her hair and scalp. I haven't had someone else do this, for so long, she thought as he painstakingly rinsed her hair, squeezing out the water. I may get so relaxed, I'll fall asleep, she thought as she rested her head on his shoulder, so he had both hands available to bundle up her damp hair in a towel.

Rather than finish her bathing, she turned to face him so she could help him unbutton his shirt. Their two hands fumbling as much as they cooperated unbuttoning the buttons. I must be blushing so much, she thought as she considered her nakedness as she faced him. When she could raise her eyes from the buttons to look at his face, he always looked straight into her eyes. She'd immediately drop her eyes back to the buttons or the floor. I'm so embarrassed, she thought as she helped him slip out of his shirt, I've got to do something! She looked up at him, keeping her eyes on his. Raising herself up, leaning close. Forget the outside world, forget the door, forget a youma climbing out of the drain! she commanded herself as she approached, putting her arms around his neck, Am I trembling, or is he? She cocked her head slightly, before their lips touched. She held like that, no wrestling of tongues, no frantic grouping at their naked bodies. His right arm encircled her bare back, holding her to him.

She broke the kiss and dropped her arms to her sides. My cheeks must be on fire, she thought as she glanced down a the floor. She slowly sat down, aware of her nakedness, and her brazenness in kissing him. Maybe inviting more, she thought, I don't want it to go further, but do I want to stop it if it does?

When he took her chin in his left hand, she whimpered in a mix of fear and expectation. Just a kiss or . . . more? she felt her thoughts racing, I don't know, I don't know if I want more than that. He kissed her neck as tentatively as she had kissed him. He broke the kiss and it was all she could do not the throw her arms around him to make him continue. She squeaked as he kissed the other side of her neck, feather soft. Oh please, don't tease me, she thought desperately, What are you going to do? She found her uncertainty exhilarating and terrifying. She clamped her eyes shut as he slowly drew a finger down each side of her neck and down her shoulders. A touch like gossamer drew forth whimpers as her mind played dozens of possibilities. Some were based on his gentleness, others on his rage, most were inspired by too many shojo manga. But he's not `liberated`, she thought, as his fingers reached the curve of her shoulders and reversed themselves, moving up as she trembled in growing fear, He's from Hino Ojii-san's time, men were . . . different.

She nearly screamed when his lips brushed hers, as softly as his fingers had teased her skin. Her eyes snapped open, she stared into his eyes, tears of fear forming in her own. "I said I don't hurt people," he said softly, "Unless I intend to, so I don't play those games."

I don't care, she thought, her lips trembling, I don't care anymore. She threw her arms around his neck. She felt a dam had broken inside, she was always the strong one, the fighter. She had to be responsible and strong since her parents died, and people stayed away from her because she was too strong. She realized here she could be weak, here she could let someone else protect her, for a little while she could just let all the cares of the past weeks and months and years cascade out. She held him and sobbed her heart out. He won't hurt me. He won't hate me for needing him, she thought joyfully, And maybe we won't lose each other.

Makoto woke slowly, looked down at the face pillowed on her shoulder. She knew part of their position was the fetter and his much longer arms. But a big part of it isn't. She smiled but restrained herself from running her fingers over the jawline, and other contours. He could stand off a youma, tell off one of the crazy Kunos . . . but he's still afraid of so much. And yet . . . and yet . . . she thought warmly as she lay there, their arms and legs wrapped around each other, He trusts me to protect him while he sleeps. He trusts me not to hurt him while he is completely in my power. She sighed. And what insanity will come to us today? she silently asked, And how much of it have you already planned?

Jeff looked at the approaching Sailor Scouts. Mars/Rei, Moon/Usagi and Venus/Minako looked like they'd been pounded into dog food and reconstituted. Mercury/Ami seemed far more chipper than her friends, but still deeply jealous of Jupiter beaming at all of them.

"Are you three all right?" Jeff asked, "If you're not up to this, we can take it from here."

"No," Moon said, glaring at the entire world on general principles, "If there's a youma here, we must fight it."

Something to take out your aggressions on, he didn't say aloud, Cause they'd kill me if I did. "It shouldn't take too long."

"Then we can have lunch, sukiyaki," Jupiter told them, earning a dark glare from three of the four. "What did happen?" she insisted.

"We ran into Tatewaki Kuno," Minako said, "I don't ever want to talk about it."

"We ran into him too," Jupiter said brightly.

Just drop it, Jeff mentally warned, while unsuccessfully trying to get Jupiter's attention, We need the youma in condition where we can question it, without resorting to a Ouija board.

"He was very charming," she told them, turned the Jeff and patted him on the cheek, "He made him apologize for spoiling out shopping. I even got the most beautiful rose out of it."

There's something going on here I don't know about, Jeff thought as he could almost make out a thunderstorm forming over Moon, Mars and Venus's heads, complete with lightning bolts. "You're cute when you smile, but you're overdoing it," Jeff whispered to Jupiter, "Let's avoid a fragging if you don't mind."

Jupiter turned and beamed at him, further darkening the trio's mood. How Mercury and those cats managed to open the distance that far without moving is a mystery, Jeff considered the `noncombatants` edging away from the little verbal scuffle he was witness to.

"Ladies, the youma," he suggested politely. The trio turned as one and march into the small shop, Jeff dragged Jupiter along behind him. Let's keep the unnecessary cruelty to an absolute minimum, he thought, That is so out of character for me. I have to be the `nice` one, disgusting.

The youma, a human-looking creature, hid. Keeping Jeff between him and the deathly trio. "No you promised, "You'll kill me when I tell you what you need to know."

"That was the agreement," Jeff said patiently, "Just tell us where Tuxedo Mask is." It's almost too bad you surrendered, he thought, They could have used the work out. But maybe we'll find others.

"He was with Zoicite, but after that crazy man attacked his base . . . I don't know where he was moved," the youma stammered.

"That really isn't very helpful," Jeff said, sounding terribly disappointed, "I thought you were going to help me. That was the basis of our contract." He tried to sound sympathetic.

The youma grabbed him around the knees and wailed. "I don't know anything! Please don't let them kill me!"

"Then how about something useful but unrelated," Mercury offered helpfully, "Like the location of the other Generals' hideouts."

"Yes, that might just do it," Jeff agreed, smiled at the trembling youma.

"Ah, I know that one has disguised himself as Masato Sanjouin."

"We already defeated him," Mercury said, "Just before we met Jupiter."

"But he must have holdings, even if they are in probate after his death/disappearance," Jeff said, smiling to the youma, "Yes, that will do nicely."

"Then you'll kill me?" the youma asked with true hope in its voice.

"Give me all the details, and I'll do as I promised," Jeff replied.

Ami seemed to be the only one enjoying her sukiyaki. The cats look like they wandered into a rocking chair factory, and the other three look like the only thing that would improve their mood is stringing Makoto and Tatewaki up with their own entrails, Jeff thought as Makoto fed him. "Don't you - " He chewed and swallowed the morsel. "- trust - " And again. " - my cooking - ?"

"Oh it's delicious," Makoto said happily, "You're such a wonderful cook."

Even I can tell you're laying it on thick, Jeff thought, Even Miss Computer Nerd knows you're laying it on thick. But I don't want to punish your teammates for past misdeeds. "I too want out of this fetter," he told Makoto while dodging her chopsticks, "But I don't want either of us dismembered to do it."

"Ahhh!" Makoto told him firmly, opening her mouth wide and her chopsticks at the ready.

Jeff noted the trio's faces. I haven't seen expressions like that since I told Akane she might be cute, but not beautiful, he thought, I barely survived that excursion into unvarnished truth either.

"Got it!" Ami said happily. Only the eyes of the trio moved, their shoulder remained hunched, their expressions presaging violent death. "It's a warehouse only a block from where you met Makoto."

The growl from the three throats was like something that told ancient man in a box canyon, he was about to become an ancient boxed lunch.

"Say, who's up for trashing more youma?" Jeff asked brightly, and saw the flicker of smiles on the three. "We'll let you three scout ahead, while we slip around the back to make sure no one can escape." The flickers increased in intensity and frequency. Scary, Jeff thought as he set put the leftovers away.

They returned to Makoto's apartment. All were in a foul mood. "I had him!" Usagi wailed, "I - I - I had him in my ar - ar- ar -ar -ms."

And they yanked him away, Jeff thought angrily, I am not going to mention if you hadn't held him, I might have been able to keep them from stealing him away. It's only a theory and you don't need to hear that. He glanced at Makoto, who was being stoic, the pair of them surrounded the sobbing girl. She doesn't seem as eager to tease her friends about our relationship, he thought, Whatever that relationship is.

He patted the sobbing girl, rubbing her back as she held tightly to him. Makoto doesn't seem jealous, maybe she knows how I despise clingy, weepy types. But I can sympathize with her frustration, he thought.

They sat around, eating the leftovers of the lunch's sukiyaki. No one wanted to talk about the events that had unfolded. Jeff remembered the look on the enemy leader's face, When he ran me through, I don't think he expected me to yank the sword out of his hands. He regarded the blade they had recovered. I went after Tuxedo Mask, and all I got was this stupid sword. He sighed and centered himself. All right, it wasn't the sword that let him open the gateway, Jeff thought, But now I have an idea how to open the gate into another plane. I may not be able to get home, but I should be able to get some help. I wonder how those jokers would enjoy meeting a real, heavy-duty bit of darkness? 'You underestimate the power of the Negaverse!' Steal something original why don't you?

Makoto woke, her arms around his waist tightened. She's not fully awake, he thought as he switched to German to continue talking on the phone. "Langley, is herself in?" he asked.

"No," Langley replied over the phone, "You lucked out, neither is in. I think not all is well in happy land."

"Message received," Jeff said, "How quick can you get down here?"

"To Juuban?" Langley asked, "The trains run all the time."

"How did you - ?"

"You were on the TV," Langley teased, "Jupiter's Knight, practically glued to the hip to your Sailor Scout. I spotted the shackle, I figure you're stuck. You'd never get so close to a pretty girl you just met otherwise." Asuka laughed. Jeff frowned and became aware of Makoto's intensely querulous gaze.

"Is she pretty?" Langley asked.

Jeff switched to Japanese. "Yes, she's very pretty."

Makoto blushed.

"What does she look like?" Langley asked, "I assume she's listening in."

"Yes, she's listening. Tall, about 5'6", ah 167 cm, so she's on the short side." That earned him a squeeze that wasn't entirely hostile. "Athletic build."

Makoto fetchingly posed.

"Not as busty as Misato or Ranko."

Makoto glared at him.

"You aren't 16 or 30," he told Makoto, then to Langley, "She can only manage a Glare Of Death Mark 2, I'm immune up to a Mark 5, so she'll need a Mark 10. Dark, long hair, dark eyes, nice smile."

Makoto blushed.

"With something green between her - "

Makoto rubbed her teeth frantically, then glared at him.

"Still a Mark 2. She's also really easily embarrassed." He shook his head sadly.

Makoto stared at him in shock.

"So, Langley, you will have to behave."

"Spoilsport," Langley accused, "I think can trick some of the Nerimaniacs to follow me down there."

"Good Lord no!" Jeff exclaimed, frightening Makoto, "Let's keep the collateral damage down to the nuclear exchange level."

"Spoilsport," Langley accused again.

"I know, I'm a spoilsport," Jeff replied, "I'll be waiting, also bring enough clothes for a week. It shouldn't take longer than that."

"Got it, see you."

Makoto stared at him. "Who was that?"

"Your friend Ami may be clever with her computer," Jeff explained, "I need a brilliant engineer. There's only one I know of locally. Your team also needs a bit more firepower. Langley doesn't have the powers I do, but I wouldn't bet against her in a fight."

"I mean is she your girlfriend," Makoto asked in a icy tone.

Jeff couldn't answer, he was too busy laughing.

Asuka set her bag down. Makoto glanced around nervously as she started thinking how crowded her small apartment might be. And her - personality - seems to fill up the room just standing there. She isn't much older than me, nor is Jeff, but they seem so much older.

"Don't look so sour," Asuka said, "I'm not staying, I've got a small room at a nearby temple."

"The Hikawa Jinja on the Sendai Hills, the Hino's temple?" Makoto asked worriedly, "The head priest is . . ."

"No comparison to Happosai," Asuka said, then she leaned close to Makoto, "I don't want to interfere with the development of your relationship. He's so shy, it's charming, but it can be frustrating."

Makoto thought she might die of embarrassment. "We never -! I wouldn't - he wouldn't -!" she stammered.

"Yeah, he's frustrating that way," Asuka sympathized, patting Makoto's shoulder, "Just hold him down and don't take no for an answer."

Makoto stood their gulping like a beached fish. She looked at Jeff who looked vaguely displeased.

"I thought I told you to behave," he said sternly.

"You get chained to a pretty girl, you have to sleep together, dress together, bathe together, eliminate together . . . " Asuka said in frustration, "And you not only don't take advantage, but I bet you ignored any invitation she made. I swear, you're going to grow up into a eunuch."

Makoto relaxed slightly. "She pushes the limits," she whispered to Jeff.

"So does he. You don't survive as a pilot if you don't," Asuka told her, "When can I get a look at the scans your friend took?"

"Later today," Makoto said. Why do I suddenly feel sorry for any youma the two of them run into? Makoto wondered.

"No," Asuka said, "Highlight that part and break it down into an augmented matrix as I described, and check for orthogonality of the resulting vectors."

Ami stared at her in shock, "Huh?"

"We need a homogeneous matrix, to do that, we have to transfer from one mutually orthogonal basis to a different nonorthogonal basis, then we convert the matrix to vectors that can be individually analyzed. We need to determine if those vectors are independent or linear combinations of other vectors." Asuka looked at the girl with the tears running down her cheeks.

"I don't understand a word you just said," Ami said miserably, bursting into sobs.

Asuka stepped away from the sobbing girl and tried to stare a hole in the wall. "Are these people the best that are available?" Asuka asked in a neutral voice, in Greek.

"They aren't college graduates," Jeff replied in Greek, "Just Junior High Schoolers."

"So I have to lead the brains of the group through a simple mathematical analysis. She doesn't even have or know how to use the advanced tools on that thing that would simplify that analysis," Asuka said quietly, still in Greek, "What happens when I have to get her to do the finite element analysis on the mystical elements which are not in the normal, four dimensional space-time?"

"Be patient," Jeff replied in equally calm tones, still in Greek.

"Ami, dear," Asuka said in Japanese, with forced politeness, "I need you to take these data, do you know how to use a spreadsheet?"

"Yes, ma'am," Ami said fearfully.

"Okay, put these data in these cells, and these data in these cells," Asuka explained to Ami with painful patience.

Jeff led Makoto outside, leaving the to mathematicians alone.

"I never expected to meet someone who'd outbrain Ami," Makoto said.

"Ami may be smarter, although I doubt it, but Asuka is much better educated and more experienced. I doubt Ami's a college graduate, nor were her math skills ever a matter of life and death."

"No," Makoto admitted, "We're all pretty new at this."

"For Asuka and I, it's been over a year. If Asuka hadn't been able to do complex math in her head," Jeff explained, "A lot - a lot more people would be dead. She knows that. It's made her a very skilled, very innovative mathematician, math-a-magician practically. Ami needs time to catch up."

"She was the one you asked about," Makoto said, "The one born in Germany in 1933."

"Yes," Jeff replied, "And before you get jealous, we've been friends and allies since we were four-years-old. Our - interest - in each other has never been romantic. We know each other too well."

Author's Postscript: This is not nor ever will be Sailor Jupiter 2, it conjures too many ideas of Ryoga Hibiki getting fuku'ed.

Sailor Jupiter 3 - By Daniel Gibson

Sailor Jupiter 3 Back to Index

"Crescent Beam!" Ami shouted.

"Supreme Thunder!" Artemis added.

Asuka glanced over the battlefield. It's always the quiet ones, she thought. "Two serious wounds," she pronounced, "The youma is down." She glanced at Jeff and asked in Greek, "Are any of them watching the rear?"

Jeff frowned and shook his head.

The Sailor Scouts and their advisors have learned, when Asuka speaks Greek, they've screwed up somehow. Of course sometimes I just ask which one is which, she thought, Keeps the tension high.

"I'm pulling out my computer to scan the area," Makoto said.

Somebody's paying attention, Asuka thought and told her, "Your scan picks up two youma." Asuka put two pawns on the board that simulated the local beefbowl place. "Just before they blast you. Two minor wounds, unfortunately that knocks you down. You can't warn the others."

"I - " Luna began.

"You don't even know what happened," Asuka interrupted as she concentrated on the others.

"Still no Tuxedo Mask?" Usagi asked.

"No Tuxedo Mask," Asuka told them, "Sailor Venus, you detect some movement behind you."

"I turn and attack, shouting a warning," Ami said.

"One action," Asuka corrected, "You can turn and fire blind, or warn, not both."

"I shoot the black pawn youma. Crescent BEAM!"

"So much for Tuxedo Mask, critical hit," Jeff said.

"WHAT!"

"It's a youma," Asuka told the panicked girl, "Clean miss. Sailor Moon, one serious wound, when the white pawn youma shoots you in the back. You're down and out."

"Damn!" Rei said, turned to Usagi, "Can't you do anything right?"

"But you're me!" Usagi retorted on the verge of blubbering, "It can't be my fault."

"Those two youma duck back in their hallways. They shot at you, but both missed," Asuka told Ami.

"I run after them!" Ami said.

"Which one?" Asuka replied, making notes for the debriefing later.

"Uh, the one I shot at."

I've had enough of this, Asuka thought angrily.

"You're going to chase a youma into a hallway, alone?" Artemis pointed out.

Finally! Asuka thought.

"Asuka said there was one youma for each of us, we've only accounted for four of seven," the talking cat continued.

"We can't let him get away!" Ami countered.

"All right. I'll go with." The cat picked up its piece and moved it to the entrance of the hallway. "I'm watching the other hallway until we are around the corner."

"What are we supposed to do without you two against the youma with the hostage?" Luna complained.

"Hey! I'm not exactly weak!" Rei complained.

"You mean Sailor Mars isn't," Makoto replied, "You're unconscious." She chuckled at the others around the table. "Hey! Why are you moving my piece?!" Makoto demanded of Asuka.

"Because once the others were out of line-of-sight, this youma kidnaped you. At this point, you are awake and can begin fighting back," Asuka replied as she set up the cardboard pieces that indicated the hallway configuration.

"Okay I'll - drat, all right, I'll scream for help," Makoto said, earning a glare from Ami, "What else can I do?! You don't know martial arts, your attack really won't hurt them. What's left? Beating them up with your computer?"

"Wait one," Asuka interrupted the impending screaming match, "Luna, Artemis, Mars, the youma starts backing towards the door, keeping his hostage between himself and Mars. He threatens to drain the woman if you don't let him escape. Insert scary laughter."

"If he drains a pregnant woman, it might harm the baby," Luna explained, "I, Sailor Mars, challenge him to release the woman and face me. I continue to advance, looking for an opening, but not pressuring him."

"I don't talk like that," Rei replied.

"Wondergirl would, if it was necessary," Asuka said. Jeff smirked.

"Who's Wondergirl?" Rei asked.

"Private joke," Jeff said in Japanese, then added in Greek, "Were we ever this disorganized?"

"No," Asuka answered in Greek, "But we had competent help looking out for us." She returned to Japanese, "Okay, Mercury."

Makoto and Ami had their heads together, discussing what actually could be done. "Shabon Spray!" Makoto shouted, "Then I kick him as hard as I can."

"What version?" Asuka asked, "Fog or something else?"

"Fog," Makoto said, "And I run away under cover of the fog." She turned to Jeff. "Can't you do something? You're Jupiter's Knight!" A groan from the rest of the table displayed what they thought of that statement.

"Sure, Jupiter's Knight arrives, pour gasoline on the board and set it on fire, acceptable losses," Jeff replied, "I'm taking notes for debriefing where I help all of you."

Makoto pouted, "Fog. Not like I've got a real attack."

"Hey!" Ami complained.

"Admit it!" Makoto said, "You love to blast things. You've fired your crescent beam more than Minako ever does."

"That's true," Minako replied.

"You can't . . . since our cats can talk," Ami complained, "So why can't they fight."

"All I've got is what you provided," Asuka replied, "I don't know what a 37th dan in Kat-fu means."

"I told you, 56th!" Luna complained.

"And your partner said 17th, I compromised, same way I left off his `furrimoan` control that makes him irresistible to female moon cats, it's pheromone by the way. Okay." Asuka slapped her hands together. "The youma escapes out the door, throwing the woman at you, what are you doing?"

"I catch her!" Luna said.

Asuka glanced at the others and they said nothing. "The one you zapped stays down. Mercury, you don't escape, but Tuxedo Mask is waiting for the youma, he beats it up and rescues you."

"My hero!" Makoto took advantage to give Jeff a hug, pointedly ignoring the auras of Death emanating from her colleagues.

"You got one out of four."

"You said there were seven," Luna protested.

"I said your information was there was one for each of you. They only thought there were four of you, since Venus is a new arrival, they haven't been given the best information, and they didn't count you cats." She turned to them, steepled her fingers staring over the top of them. As the girls and cats shuddered, Asuka announced, "Now, the debriefing."

"No," Jeff said, immune to her `Gendo` impression, "Let's let everyone get up and stretch. We've been at this for over two hours."

The girls agreed, Asuka relented.

"Where'd you ever get this idea?" Ami asked as she followed Asuka outside.

"One of my colleagues," Asuka explained, "We were supposed to 'learn about each other'." She shuddered at the memory of Gendo's introduction to t