MANIFOLD DESTINY Book One: Other lives, other paths By: Rick Federle and WolfByte _______________________________________________________________________ Sailor Moon and all associated characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and are trademark of Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha Ltd., and Toei Animation Co., Ltd. Usage of them is without permission, and for the sole purpose of entertainment. Solar is property of WolfByte, and if you wish to use the character he requests you ask permission first. The Guardsman/Warrior of Light is the property of Rick Federle, and if you wish to use the character please ask permission before hand. All other characters are joint creations of the two. _______________________________________________________________________ Chapter Two: "Awakenings" The rusting metal door opened with a loud squeak, it's cries echoing inside the small stone room. It's strong, yet ancient hinges strained at their simple task, as if protesting the use, demanding to be left alone. A large seemingly feline creature entered the cell, it's arms laden with the limp form of a young man. Behind them walked another human. A female figure with long black hair, and two half worried, half angry violet eyes. Behind her, his rifle-like weapon leveled, was a second of the felinoid beings. The first of the two cats dumped the man unceremoniously to the cold floor, his body impacting with an unpleasant thud. "Hey you!" she yelled, her face turning red with anger, "Be more careful with him!" "Quiet!" ordered the creature behind her, as it stabbed the point of the barrel of its weapon into her back. "Hey! Watch it with that thing!" she snapped back, her expression filling with more hatred as the creature simply grinned at her. Glancing back at the sprawled figure on the floor, she felt the butt of the weapon slam into her right shoulder, pitching her off balance to land atop the young man. Pushing herself up, she spun and leapt at the door, only to have it finish closing mere inches before her face. Pounding her fist upon the door, she could make out the distant, faded sound of the creatures laughing at her, the noise taunting her from behind the door's metallic confines. Mina watched without comment as a black-haired young man was dumped to the floor. Her attention fixed upon Raye as she yelled momentarily at the guards before she was also sent sprawling to the floor. Her friend rolled to her feet and lunged back at the door, but it was far too late for her to do anything. The faint sounds of deep laughter echoed through the door. Mina glanced down at the face of her husband for any signs of either discomfort or alertness, and seeing none, she sighed softly and returned her attention to the cell's newest occupants. "So they got you too," Mina commented quietly, startling Raye, who spun quickly to look at her. Rei instantly recognized her friend, the sudden tension of being startled slipped away with the familiarity of the room's other conscious occupant. Letting out her breath in great relief, Rei nodded slightly. "Yes," she added as she walked back over to the figure upon the floor. Lifting up the form of her boyfriend Jason, she weakly carried him over to the less occupied of the two stone slabs that appeared to serve as beds. Setting him gently down upon it, Rei gave his forehead a small kiss, brushing his dark hair back into place with her hand, revealing a small bruise that she knew had been caused by the guards rough treatment. Slumping down in the floor before him, she looked across at Minako, who was sitting upon the other stone slab her blue eyes intent upon her, cradling the head of a man that Rei couldn't recall having seen before, but could only guess was her current infatuation. "Yes," Rei repeated bitterly. "They got us. Those large hair-balls ambushed us while we were walking in the park! Can you believe those creeps?" Minako nodded soberly, her eyes drifting back down to the face resting in her lap for just a moment before she looked back up at Rei. "That's how they got us, too. We were just on the way home when they bushwhacked us," her fingers absently caressed the man's right cheek as her eyes grew hard. "William and I didn't even have a chance." "Neither did we I suppose. They got me first I think, but that doesn't matter. The fact that they did this means that they will have to pay!" Turning her head slightly, Rei looked up at Jason's sleeping form. Although unconscious, he seemed alright for the moment. He didn't have any visable bruises or cuts, but she couldn't help but be worried. Letting out a deep breath, Raye turned back to her friend. "So you woke up before they got you in here too huh?" "No." Minako blinked once then shook her head. "I woke up in time to hear them slam the cell door closed, though." "Tough break," Rei said frowning, "You might have been able to do something had you been awake. But then again, maybe not. I know I didn't get much of a chance for resistance." "I didn't get a chance at all," Minako commented quietly, her eyes drifting toward the cell door, "but I don't know how it would have mattered." "Hey," Rei shrugged, "you never know. You might have found a way out. Although it seems that you would have had some slight trouble with that. You appear to have your hands full. That definitely would have made things a bit tougher. Especially if you had to fight your way out." "Yes." the blonde agreed as curled her right hand under William's chin, cradling his head against her stomach. "We've been through too much together for me to simply just go off and leave him. He'd never abandon me, no matter what." Minako turned her attention back to Rei. "We've fought for our lives together against too many forces..." her eyes grew determined as she continued. "I'm not going to abandon him." "I would never abandon Jason eith-" Rei froze. "Wait a minute. What do you mean by 'we've been through too much together'?" Minako's eyes were filled with slight puzzlement as they fixed upon Rei. "You remember, Raye. Azmaria, the Negaforce, the Dark Lord." "Dark Lord?" Rei asked confused. "Minako-chan, what are you talking about? What Dark Lord?" Minako frowned, her expression shifting to show her concern. "How can you forget about Anna? You were there when her treachery nearly killed us all." "I have no idea what you're talking about Minako-chan-" "Why do you keep calling me that?" "It's your name isn't it?" The blonde shook her head, her expression growing stern. "My name is Mina. And you are not Raye. Raye knows Willaim, she was at my wedding." "Wedding?!" Rei repeated in shock, her disbelief written all over her face. "Minako-chan isn't married! Who the hell are you?" The two women eyed each other warrily for a moment. "You look like Raye, but you did a lousy job studdying," Mina said coldly. "That's cute," Rei snapped back, "I was about to tell you the same thing. Sailor Venus isn't married, in fact she's not even dating." The blonde's expression changed to shock. "What did you just say?" "I said that she isn't even dating." "You said Sailor Venus," Mina corrected. She crossed her arms and studdied the raven haired girl accross from her. "What's your last name?" "Hino." "Who's Sailor Mars?" "I am." "Who was Sailor V?" "Same person who is Sailor Venus." "How many Sailors are there?" "Counting, or not counting the Starlights, and Galaxia?" An uncomfortable, silent air hanging about the room as they both seemed to ponder the few facts at hand. "What's my birthday?" Rei asked suddenly. "You're not my Raye." "Take a guess," Rei insisted. "April seventeenth." Rei's eyes took a distant appearence. "Minako-chan?" "Off hand," William commented without opening his eyes, "I'd say that she's from another dimension, love." "That's more or less what I came up with." Mina agreed, looking down toward the face in her lap. "How are you?" William struggled to a sitting position with an assist from Mina, then leaned back against her. Mina put her arms around his shoulders as he answered. "I've got a migraine." He said, resting his head against her shoulder. "A side effect of the weapon they used, no doubt." "Electric shock weapon of some sort," Mina guessed. "Designed for capture, no doubt." "Could also have been an EMP." William added. "Would explain my migraine nicely." "EMP?" Raye asked, puzzled. "Electromagnetic pulse." Jason commented from over her shoulder. "Designed to shut down the target's nerve system temporarily." "Something like that, yes." William grunted in agreement. Rei gave her boyfriend a look of mild surprise. "You don't watch enough science fiction dear." he chuckled. Turning his attention to the remainder of the cell, he eyed it's occupants suspiscously. "I only caught the tail end of things at best. But from what I understand, you," Jason pointed at the blonde, "are and yet are not Minako Aino." "Mina Johnson," she introduced herself, flashing her wedding band for emphasis. "And this is my husband." "Alternate version?" Jason asked. "We're giving them the benifit of the doubt," Rei stated flatly, "for now." "Right." He turned his attention back to the other couple. "I'm Jason. I'm also a Sailor Senshi of sorts." "You mean a Sailor Scout?" Mina inquired. "Same thing I'm betting," Jason muttered. "Probably, yes. Solar, when I'm my alter ego." He sighed for a moment. "Which you probably won't see, because I left Pauhl behind. And before you ask, Pauhl is a sentient growing yellow crystal who acts as my guardian and also allows me to change." "Uh huh," William began, "'Hi', either way. I'm William, formerly of the Imperial Moon Guard. They call me Guardsman because I'm the only member of the Guard to survive the destruction of the Moon Kingdom." He opened his eyes and rose to his feet, looking abount the cell critically and frowning. "I'm not spending any more time in this cell than I have to." He walked to the door and kicked it. letting loose a string of strange words, and drawing a shocked look from Mina. "Love," she protested. "That's hardly proper language." "Sorry," he apologized, turning toward the three of them. "My commoner roots are showing again." She sighed and rose to her feet. "You sit right there and let me see if you've hurt yourself." She commanded, pointing at the now empty bench. "As you command, Highness." William hobbled over to the bench and sat down on it. Mina knelt down and ran her fingers over his right ankle, checking it. "You'll be fine." She commented after a moment, standing up then leaning forward to kiss him. "Touching," growled a deep voice. "Disgustingly so." Four heads turned towards the cell's entrance, where a large figure stood, somehow having managed to open the ancient door without it protesting. The brown-furred Feline gazed around the room momentarily, as if sizing up the strengths of it's occupants. Mina and William turned their eyes toward the doorway, their eyes wary as they sized up their captors. Rei backed herself into the stone slab behind her, instinctively trying to become closer to Jason, wanting both to protect him, and the same time, be protected by him. Jason simply locked gazes with the large cat, creating a silent moment that seemed filled with a war of wills, one with no definitive outcome. "I am First Fel Jehu," the cat told them. "It is by my will that you have been brought here, as experiments." Rei's face turned away from the large cat, showing her distaste of being referred to as an experiment. "We aren't experiments," Mina snapped, rising to her feet. "You are whatever I say," Jehu told them. "You were brought here so that we could learn about your people. You were chosen from your dimensions because those two versions of your planet are of the greatest interest to me." "Interest?" William asked. "To be conquered. We will study you, and when we have gathered all we wish, we shall invade." "Dream on pal!" Rei shouted. The sounds of rifles being cocked echoed through the room as two guards entered, their weapons readied. The tension in the air grew palatable as the guards entered. Startled Rei fell back to the floor, knowing she wasn't currently able to take on the two guards. "And," Jehu continued, ignoring the interruption; "when we are done with you, you shall be disposed of." The large cat's eyes gleamed evilly. "The four of you," he laughed, "will make quite a banquet." "That settles it," Jason stated, rising to his feet as the door finished shutting. "We're leaving." "Now." William rose unsteadily to his feet, his eyes determined. A white power stick with a golden sun for a symbol materialized in his hand. "Warrior of Light Transform!" He commanded. The power stick sat silently in his hand, failing to produce even the tiniest change. Rei and Jason exchanged quick, looks filled with confusion and worry. "You sure they're who they say?" Jason asked Rei in a whisper. She shrugged her reply. "Arrgghh.." They looked back as William suddenly doubled over, his arms wrapped around his stomach, curled up in a ball. "William!" Mina gasped. "What's wrong?!" She asked as she knelt next to him. "I can't connect with the Light." He got out between ragged breaths. "Is it gone?" Mina asked, an edge of pain in her voice. "I doubt it," he managed to get out as his breathing returned to a more normal level. "I think it's blocked somehow." "Maybe we can still transform." Rei suggested to Mina. "If he can't then I can't." Mina stated distractedly. "Go ahead Rei-chan." Jason asked, his voice still quiet. Rei merely nodded, and after a slight pause, she held out her hand. The red power stick flashed into her hand, and with a uncertain tone she cried, "Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!" The symbol upon the tip lit up weakly for a fraction of a second before returning to it's normal sate, leaving Rei, like the others, still normal. Finding the others eyes settling upon his, Jason turned towards the door, inspecting it carefully. "Can you take out something that big without Pauhl?" Rei asked. "Might as well try. Step back everyone." Leveling his arms at the door, he concentrated. Flames spiraled around his hands before errupting in twin streams that struck the door. The fire grew weak rappidly, and Jason dropped to one knee, grinding his teeth. The flames once again gained strength, but dropped off quickly as he fell to all foors, breathing heavily. "It's like working durring a snowstorm," he managed between ragged breaths, "Something's ruining my focus." "What are you?" Mina asked worriedly. Her arms entwining around William all the more protectively. "A pyrokinetic," Jason explained as he pulled himself onto the stone slab once again. "Right now, a very tired one. That took far too much effort." "Just rest," Rei pleaded. "We'll figure something out soon." * * * "So now that we're all back amongst the effectively living," Jason commented, "How do we get out of here? You can't transform." "There's no lock on this side," Rei noticed, "so we can't pick it." "No handle either," Mina added, pointing to the smooth door. "So even if there was, it wouldn't matter." "We could wait until they come for us," Jason added, "but then they'd be in full force." "What we need to do," William told them, "Is to find some reason for them to come in here." "They stunned us..." Jason started. "...so it's logical to think they want us alive and well," William finished. "I think I know what to do." * * * First Fel Jehu finished typing commands out on his small built-in console. It was a simple computer, little more than a typewriter who's text was displayed upon multiple screens located throughout the complex. "There," he laughed. "That should do it. Everything's ready for those humans. Soon we shall find out all we need to know, and then their worlds are ours. To conquer, to enslave, and to feast upon." * * * William doubled over, once more clutching at his ribs in a vain effort to suppress the obvious pain that he was in. His breaths were short, and forced, and he was apparently unable to speak. "William!" Mina cried in fear, turning to him. "William what's wrong?!" "Mina is he..." Rei seemed unable to finish the sentence. In a maddened frenzy Mina rushed to the door and began to pound frantically against it with her small fists. "What have you creeps done to him?!" she demanded. "He's dying! What did you do?!" William squeezed his eyes shut as his face continued to contort in pain. Jason held Rei close, expressions of sadness upon their faces they watched from the other side of the room, not knowing what could be done to help the new friend. The large metal door opened with only a small squeal, blocking them from view. Two gray-white feline guards entered the room, each with their weapons drawn as they looked at the suffering William and the enraged Mina. "What did you do?!" she demanded. "Nothing," the first guard growled. "Although we would have enjoyed doing it." "First Fel Jehu will not be pleased if his specimens die before he studies them," the second one pointed out. With a loud sigh the annoyed first guard slung his rifle over his shoulder so that he would have the arms to take the ailed prisoner to medical assistance. Halfway through the motion however, the rifle ceased to be in his hand, it's strap sliding rapidly off his shoulder. Turning around to grab the escaping weapon, he found Jason clutching the weapon in his arms the rifle seemingly turned backwards. With a stupidly arrogant grunt, the creature smiled, it's expression not changing until after the butt of the weapon had been slammed into it's lower jaw, and it fell to the floor, his hard skull slamming the stone surface with enough force to send him into an empty sleep. Bringing his weapon to bear upon Jason, the second guard suddenly felt a strong kick upon it's spine, right above it's tail. The sudden change in force pitched it face-first to the floor, where it was rewarded with the feeling of a rifle's stalk slamming into the back of it's head. With a small, garbled "Ack!" the creature joined it's partner in a dreamless form of sleep. Opening one eye, and then the other, William stood up as soon as he discovered the successfulness of their plan. "Good work," he told them with a nod. Jason looked over at Rei, who was retrieving the other rifle. "Nice kick there love. Thanks for the save." Tossing her hair back over her shoulder, she simply smiled and said, "You're welcome." "Nice performance Mina," Jason added. "Yes, good timing, love." William agreed. Mina flashed both of them a brilliant smile for a reply. The two girls ran out of the room first, and Jason fell into step next to William. "Exactly how did you come up with that corny plan?" Jason asked. "Simple," William shrugged, a grin spreading onto his face. "I saw it in a movie once."