Part 11
by Sonya-chan
sonias@globetrotter.net
sutaahela@geocitoes.com
Everyone yelled out in fright as there was a blinding light over their head in the temple. Five forms materialized over them. There were 4 guys. Two of them looked familiar to Makoto, but the most familiar person was dressed in a black leather fuku and sported a silver ponytail.
"Sailor Star Healer!" gasped Usagi. Both Taiki and Seiya looked up. It was indeed her.
Since they were about ten feet above the ground, both Yuusuke and Kuwabara fell crashing down to the ground. Hiei managed to jump on one of the beams of the temple and Kurama, who still held Healer in his arms, landed gracefully to the ground.
Both Seiya and Taiki ran up to Healer. When Kurama turned, around Taiki gasped. He had seen that guy before in the book, the one Midori was engaged to...
"Kitsune..." whispered Taiki. Kurama tensed. Could this one see his true fox spirit form? Healer could feel his surprise, but she didn't know what to make of it.
"Oh... Hi guys!..." Healer simply said.
"Where were you? You had us worried sick..." said Usagi. "Especially after we heard the weirdness that happened in the college you were supposed to go to..."
Ryoga, Shampoo, Yui and Miaka were surprised Sailor Senshi were popping up everywhere in this temple and furthermore, everyone except them seemed to know them as though they went to school together or something.
"Aaaahhh.... It's going to take a while to answer that question..." Healer replied.
"Sooo..." piped Minako. "Who are your friends?" she smirked, looking at Kurama and Healer.
"Who's the hunk with the red hair... He looks just like my old..." started Makoto.
"HEY!" objected Healer. Kurama started to have a huge sweatdrop on the side of his head. "Do you have to say THAT all the time?
"Why, Healer-chan... are you jealous?" smirked Minako. Seeing Healer facevault and turn red, she smiled, she had her answer.
"Man, does this floor ever.... MAKO-CHAN?..." said Yuusuke. Upon hearing her name and finding the tone of voice familiar, she turned around. She gasped surprised.
"Yuusuke-kun! Kuwabara-kun?" she laughed. "How did you guys end up here?" Yuusuke started to laugh back except Kuwabara. He was looking at Makoto strangely; he did a full 360 degree turn. He couldn't believe it. Almost everyone in this room had tremendous auras. He could even see their color. The two remaining Lights had a blue and purple aura. The girl in the priestess clothing had a red one. The blue haired girl had a pale blue aura. The blond who seemed interested in Kurama and Yaten had a yellow aura and his long time friend Kino Makoto had a green one. He never felt her aura before. There were two other Sailor Senshi and they glowed of a turquoise and dark blue aura. Three other persons that stood in one corner had enormous fighting ki aura for human beings, and the two other girls also had a glow but it seemed like it was a hidden aura. It felt weird. But the ones that almost knocked Kuwabara out for a loop were a small blond hair girl with a really weird hairdo and the guy that stood next to her. Their aura surpassed all of those that were in the room and the blond haired girl's aura was bigger than that of the guy.
Kuwabara looked at Hiei would had pulled back his headband. His Jagan opened as he looked down on the people. He nodded to Kuwabara and gave a quick glance to Yaten. Kuwabara wasn't a genius but after working with Hiei for a while he knew what that sideways glance meant. Most of the people in here were Sailor Senshi... and one of them was Makoto, a girl he knew from kindergarten. He looked at her unbelieving. Makoto felt that gaze but thought he might be interested in her. Yuusuke noticed, too, but he concentrated a bit and felt the auras too. He almost yelled out at the concentrations of powers here. He saw Hiei but back his blindfold he looked a little groggy.
Rei approached Kurama and Healer. "Aaaa... Sailor Star Healer... Are your legs broken or something?" she asked.
Healer looked at her wondering what she meant, then it hit her. Kurama was still holding her in his arms and she was holding on to him very closely. She blushed and turned to Kurama.
"Uh... Kurama?... You can put me down now..." she said. Kurama blinked and blushed. He hadn't realized he was still holding on to her. Most of the girls started to whisper amongst themselves. Both Seiya and Taiki were looking at Healer, surprised to see Healer being so familiar with someone.
"Of course, Yaten..." he replied and bit his lips... Oh no, he thought.
"YATEN???!!!! How does he know your real name?" said all the senshi present.
"GREAT! First Seiya... now you!" said Rei angrily. "What is it with you Kou?..." she put her hands to her mouth. Too late, she said it.
"KYYYAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" said Shampoo, Miaka and Yui. Everyone else slapped their foreheads. Ranma thought Bingo! I knew it...
"YOU MEAN YATEN KOU IS WOMAN???!!!" said Shampoo, both Yui and Miaka fainted. Kurama sighed. Healer marched right up to Rei who was hoping she could be 2 inches tall right now and fall through the cracks on the floor.
"NICE GOING REI! AT LEAST HE HADN'T SAID MY LAST NAME..." Healer was furious at Rei who apologized. "IT'S A LITTLE LATE FOR THAT now..." Healer felt groggy. She stopped yelling and stumbled forward.
"Yaten..." said Rei. Kurama, acting fast, supported Healer.
"I'm okay..." she said. "If it weren't so damn hot in here..." she put her hand to her head. She had a splitting headache. She felt a bit nauseous.
Everyone looked at each other. The temple was cold the only source of heat was Rei's crying fire.
"Yaten? Are you okay?" Kurama looked at Hiei who cursed his Jagan uncovered, but there were too many powerful auras around here. He couldn't see he was getting aurablind. Rei gasped when she saw Hiei's third eye. "Who are you people?"
"Friends..." said Healer. Her world was turning tipsy turvy. Vertigo took a hold of her.
"Hiei... Kurama..." she said. Kurama passed his arms around her. Hiei was next to her in an instant. She tried to regain her composure, but she let out a small sound and went limb into Kurama's arms. He immediately took her back in his arms. She was like a ragdoll and her head went backward.
They all gasped when they saw her. Brow covered with sweat and her hair tattered on her skin. Kurama could feel the heat through his clothes. She was too feverish for that to be normal.
"Hiei... What is wrong with her?" Kurama asked worried.
Hiei growled, frustrated. "I can't tell. All those other Senshi are causing too much interference... " he eyed them all. "... but offhand I'd say she's possessed..."
Rei took out an ofuda, and started her littany. She yelled, throwing it. "Akuriyo Taisan!" her ofuda struck true on Healer's forehead. Her whole body tensed as she made a gut wrenching cry. She yelled as though she was put into the most horrible torture. Rei was pale. It was not a regular possession. The spirit possessing should have gone out. But it stayed still as Healer was put through hell.
Hiei took the ofuda and screaming himself, tore it from Healer's forehead. She slumped back into Kurama's arms convulsing, eyes rolled back in her sockets. Hiei took out his katana and with a unseen motion shredded the ofuda into a thousand little pieces. Healer stopped convulsing as she went back to being limp as a ragdoll. Kurama then laid her on the floor. He unfastened his sash and rolled it to form a small pillow.
Rei saw the burnt marks on Hiei's hand. "You... you're not human..." she said. Immediately Uranus and Neptune assumed a fighting stance. All the other ones, including Ranma's gang, stood to attention.
"WOA!!! TIME OUT!" yelled Yuusuke. "Before any of us do something they might regret later..." he scanned the people making sure he had everyone's attention.
"I got everyone's attention... Good! First of all we are the good guys. we're fighting on the same side you are..."
"How would you know which side we're fighting on..." said Uranus.
"Because... we were asked to protect Sailor Star Healer because she knew something the Makai wanted to know... the identity of the Future Queen Serenity..." Yuusuke paused for effect. Everyone gasped. Neptune went next to Rei and showed her what she saw in her mirror. Rei gasped.
"You!" she pointed Kurama. "You're a Youko... a fox spirit!"
"What?" yelled Seiya. "Get away from Yaten, you..." He was about to advance toward Kurama when Taiki put his hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay Seiya. He won't hurt her..." said Taiki calmly. "Trust me..." Seiya raised an eyebrow but Taiki's calm face made him pipe down. Kurama sighed. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation with the Senshi, too much was at stake. But still he wondered on how Taiki was so trusting in this regard.
"Taiki-san is right..." said the senshi of the ocean. "I see no evil in them... other than their origin." She looked at Yuusuke. "Not is all what it seems here..." she added.
What the heck does she mean by that? thought Yuusuke. He decided not to dwell on that. "Hiei here is a Koorime, or if you like better, a Fire spirit, but I will vouch for Hiei and Kurama. They as Kuwabara and I, are Maho detectives of the Reikai under the orders of Koenma himself. Yaten was captured by one of the demons of the Makai, Pazoles, there. We don't know how, but he was able to bound himself to her. Those scars you see on her appeared when we struck Pazoles, the demon who held her captive. Seeing on how we could not harm the creature because we would also hurt Yaten, we used a scroll, to teleport us here. Although we didn't know at the time, we would end up here..."
"And who gave you that scroll?" asked Rei.
"I did!" a voice boomed behind them. They all turned around and there stood an old woman and a young girl. Next to them stood Rei's grandfather and Yuuchiro.
"Genkai-sensei!" said Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei and Yuusuke.
"Ojiisan?" asked Rei.
"I'm afraid the time is dire, magomusume..." Rei swallowed hard. Her grandfather never called her granddaughter unless something was wrong. The last time he called her like that was when he announced to her that her mother had died. "I'm afraid we will have to rely on your and your friends' power to concur this..."
"Ara... Ojiisan, I don't understand..." Rei started.
"Rei-chan, I may be old but I'm not senile... I know of yours and your friends power. Yuuchiro and I have been keeping your secret for over two years now..." said her grandfather smiling, Yuuchiro nodded next to him.
"We've seen all of you change enough time... but we kept your secret so well even you didn't know we had discovered it..." said Yuuchiro.
"You... you know?" replied Rei.
"We all know... Sailor Mars," Genkai-sensei said. All of the senshi gasped. "Right now your secret is safe..." she then saw Ranma and company. "Until we can erase those three's memory..."
"Now wait just a darn minute. Saotome Ranma doesn't back from his word..." said Ranma. "I already knew about Seiya, and if I came here it was because Cologne, Shampoo's grandmother thought I'd be of use here..."
"Saotome, Cologne..." said Genkai-sensei, looking at the weapons Shampoo carried. She recognized them for what they were. "Cologne... of the Clan of the Amazons in China..." Shampoo was surprised her great grandmother was known to this woman.
"You know Great Grandmother?" she asked.
Genkai-sensei laughed softly. "Know that Cologne, and your grandfather Rei have fought at my side in our younger days... when WE were the envoys of the Reikai... and your father Ranma was one of my apprentice."
"WHAT?" both said Yuusuke, Rei, Ranma and Shampoo.
"Of course Genma couldn't cut it as a Reikai investigator, but his ki was extraordinary. I sense in you an even more powerful ki as your father, so I know you can stay and fight... as for you"
She pointed Ryoga. "I do not know you..."
"I am Hibiki Ryoga, and only Ranma is my equal..." Ranma started coughing at this point. "My strength and techniques are at your service against the demon..."
"Brute strength won't cut it boy..." Genkai-sensei faster than lightning made a series of punches in Ryoga's direction. Yuusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama expected to see Ryoga splattered on the wall but were surprised to see that Ryoga not only was still standing at about the same place but that he had successfully blocked each of Genkai-sensei's attacks.
"Good boy, you may stay but you will have to vow to keep this promise to your dying breath," she said.
"I don't know what secret you want me to keep but my mouth is sealed," said Ryoga as Yuuchiro Rei's grandfather put Miaka and Yui in the next room, locked it and put ofuda on it.
When this was done, Genkai-sensei turned to Usagi and her band. "You may now transform..."
The girls, Seiya, Taiki and Mamoru looked at each other, They all nodded, rose, an arm in the air and said:
"MOON ETERNAL..."
"FIGHTER STAR POWER..."
"VENUS STAR POWER..."
"MARS STAR POWER..."
"JUPITER STAR POWER..."
"MERCURY STAR POWER..."
"MAKER STAR POWER..."
"MAKE UP!"
There was a blinding light as the girls, Seiya, Taiki and Mamoru transformed. Mamoru choose to become Prince Endymion, thinking that the armor would be better suited to battle demons than his Tuxedo, also his sword might come in handy. But something weird was happening to Maker and Mercury, their transformation meshed together. When their transformation was complete, their costumes had undergone some modifications.
First Mercury's boots were now as long and of the same cut as Maker but they were still blue with a white trim. Her gloves were still white but were as long as Maker's. Both she and Maker had a visor that melded with their tiara, Mercury's was blue tinted and Maker's purple tinted. Maker now had leather shoulder pads with the same black transparent wing at the end just like the Sailor Senshi.
What used to be Mercury's computer had now melded with them. They both knew that they could now use it as one would operate a virtual reality. Their gloves were connected to them as the visor and was now the new interface of the computer. All of the computer's functions were now literally at their finger tips. They now also knew that their power could work in conjunction via their computer ether-link but that they had also gained a new combined attack. And they both agreed on a virtual reality level to keep it a secret to gain the advantage of surprise on their new enemy.
"What the?" said Fighter "What happened?" "It seems our..." both said Maker and Mercury at the same time. They stopped then as though Maker had given her permission, Mercury continued.
"It seems our transformations have merged together..."
"and that we know share some common paraphernelia," finished Maker.
"That's uh... great... I guess..." said Venus.
"VR MODE ON!" said Maker. She wiggled her fingers in front of her and soon said. "Your Generals are at the temple doors, Prince Endymion, making sure no one disturbs us inside..."
"How did you know that? And how did you know to call me Endymion..."
"I took it from the computer's memory banks..." lied Maker, in fact the information was indeed there but Mercury had relayed that information via their shared link.
"MAKO-CHAN!!!!" said Kuwabara. "You're Sailor Jupiter." Jupiter smiled.
"Sooo..." said Yuusuke. "Who will be Neo-Queen Serenity then..."
"HOLD! STOP! Don't answer that!" said Genkai. "There are unwanted ears here..." Everyone looked in surprise in Genkai's direction, wondering who she meant. When they heard a familiar yet twisted voice.
"Old goat..." said Healer opening her eyes which now glowed red. "You were always a pain in the neck..." Healer got up but the way she hovered over the ground, the devilish smirk on her face told them the demon was using her as one would a puppet.
"You better get out of this body, Pazoles... You aren't going anywhere with it!" said Genkai.
Before replying Pazoles passed Healer's hands over her body. "I don't know. I like it here... It's a compact model but... It's got curves at the right places..." it started to laugh. Venus, Mars and Jupiter were fuming. How could this thing use their friend in such a way? They were poised ready to attack, especially Jupiter who didn't appreciate the way the demon was sampling Healer's wares.
"I'm staying here, Genkai... I have no intentions to leave. I'm going to have way too much fun with her..." Healer then floated next to Ryoga and started to caress his face. Ryoga blushed deep red but looked forward trying to ignore the demon's advances on him.
"Why do you do this?" said Sailor Moon. Healer had a smirk on her lips. She slowly advanced toward Sailor Moon. The Senshi put themselves between Sailor Moon and the possessed Healer.
"Because... it is what I am... little princess..." gauged the creature. "Or should I say..."
Uranus sprung into attack. Genkai and Sailor Moon objected but it was too late. Uranus was almost at the possessed Healer. Healer's arm moved so fast it was a blush and she grabbed Sailor Uranus by the throat. Uranus struggled against the grip surprised at Healer's strength. It started to laugh...
"You are sooo predictable..."
Uranus started to glow and cried out. A series of weblike beam sprung from her and hit all the Sailor Senshi present. They all yelled out. They could feel it. Healer, rather the demon, was draining their energy. Hiei, Kuwabara, Kurama and Shampoo leaped into action. They cut the web that held the senshi together and was draining them. The glow around Healer intensified as she laughed maniacally.
Uranus stopped yelling and tried to punch Healer's face, as she tried to go so she felt Healer's fingers start to crush her throat.
"Yes... now you realize just how Healer holds back in battle ne? Uranus..." said the demon. "Unfortunately for you I have no such problems..."
Uranus gasped. She couldn't breathe any more. She felt her strength ebb as her oxygen source was cut out. She tried to find a glimmer of awareness in Healer. She found none. She was almost falling unconscious when she saw Healer's eyes waver and turn back green, the grasp relenting. Uranus took one deep breath. The air never tasted so sweet as it did now.
Her respite was short lived. The eyes turned back into flaming coals. It growled. "STAY PUT YOU LITTLE BITCH!" it yelled. At that split second both Maker's and Mercury's calculations discovered that the demon's hold on Healer wasn't as strong as first thought. They were about to tell that to the rest of the Senshi went the demon hurled Uranus in their direction in frustration.
"You won't get a chance to do this twice you little minx..." whispered the demon as it watched. Uranus crash into Mercury and Maker. The strength of the throw was so powerful it knocked the three of them clear out of the temple, leaving a gapping hole in the wall.
"URANUS!!!" yelled Neptune as she ran outside to her lover's help. The demon felt someone tackle Healer's frame. It was Sailor Star Fighter. Taking no chances, the demon also took Fighter by the throat, lifting her as if she was nothing and throwing her into the hole.
Unfortunately, Nephrite at the same time had placed himself at the entrance to block the access. He received Fighter's body at full force knocking him over. They both flew out, Nephrite taking the brunt of the attack. Fighter connected with the tiles outside, winded, bruised but otherwise unharmed.
Before the others could react and stop it, the possessed Healer leap out of the temple.
"STOP IT!" yelled Genkai.
Kurama and Hiei were both on him trying to stop it, but as they tried to close down on Healer, the demon had a magic shield put on that reflected them back. Healer's body then did a small dance. Her hands started to trace sigils in the air. From her lips escaped a strange glutural litany. All those in the temple ran outside. The black lightning had intensified around Healer, preventing them from attacking her. The black lightning combined before Healer and the demon smiled. Then the red glow disappeared from Healer as she screamed a most blood curdling yell.
The others gasped as Healer's Starseed was leaving her chest as if plucked by an unseen hand. She screamed as they saw the soft green glowing crystal merged with the black lightning.
Healer was knocked back, her eyes rolling back in their sockets. Hiei leaped and caught her. They were both knocked for a loop when the energies collected in Healer and the black lightning collided, forming some sort of portal. Kurama snatched them both before they would collide with one of the granite statues that guarded the temple. When he landed with both of them unconscious in his arms, he turned just in time to see that an horde of demons were leaping out.
Sailor Moon and the others stood ready for the onslaught.
"This thing has really taken a turn for the worst..." said Ranma as he saw three demons rushing to him.
End of part 11
