Ok, here's chapter 7 for those interested, BTW, chapter 1 has been formated, so it should be okay now, if you want it just email me and I'll send it to you right away.
She was completely alone. She stood in the middle of a desert, it's
red sand extending to the horizon in all directions.
The wind stirred the red sand just below her feet, growing stronger
and making her brown hair buffet wildly against her face.
It stopped as suddenly as it had began. She saw she was no longer in
the vast desert, but a few miles away from a rift.
She decided to walk towards it. She suddenly found herself standing
next to it! Looking down, she discovered it was an endless abyss. The
scenery changed and she found herself walking alongside it. Confused
she stopped.
Suddenly she heard a growl behind her, but, before she could turn
completely around she was grabbed by a giant claw!
Covered by protective scales of the darkest black she'd ever seen,
the claw lifted her, and as it did the scenery changed again. This
time she was infront of a large cave, from where the claw came from,
and from where two blood-red reptilian eyes looked at her.
She suddenly saw a giant jaw open, exposing gleaming white fangs. As
they closed on her she heard Rae's voice saying something, accusing
her of something. The jaws closed, and blackness filled her
vision.
-------------------Sailor Moon; Masks & Dragons-----------------------
Chapter 7; Swordplay
By Wanderer D
Makoto sat up with a start, the echo of Rae's scream still in her ears
, although she couldn't make anything of it. She was in her bed
drenched in cold sweat. Shivering, she stood and looked outside the
window of her room, to her right she heard the distant rumble of
lightning, and she felt comfort in the strength of it's light and all
too familiar sound.
Sighing, she closed the curtain, as the first drops of rain were
visible through the window, and lay down again, turning and hugging
her cushion.
She wasn't the only one with weird dreams;
Nathan walked in a very similar desert, when suddenly, he heard the
sounds of battle.
Running he finally got to the place where he had heard the noises,
and stopped dead in his tracks.
The bodies of the senshi lay in the bloodied ground, Tuxedo Mask had
died trying to reach his beloved Usagi. He shuddered, he knew this
people in the flesh! Suddenly he was standing next to Makoto's body.
She looked almost asleep, with her eyes closed, her body relaxed,
then he saw it.
The sword had been buried to the hilt in Mako-chan's stomach, looking
closely at the hilt, he grabbed it.
Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth he pulled the sword free. A
katakana's blade met his eyes.
"She didn't put much of a fight, you know."
Nathan turned around, but couldn't find the origin of the voice.
"And neither did you."
Nathan noticed the katana wasn't in his hands anymore, looking down
to the ground to see if he had dropped it, he discovered he had it
buried to the hilt in the stomach, just like Mako-chan.
The next morning, as the class started everyone noticed Makoto and
Nathan were pale, as if they hadn't slept all night. The fact that
everyone knew that the two of them had become good friends raised
much expeculation in the classroom.
Ami had, for once, missed school. She had stayed in the temple trying
to keep Gold alive, her computer was a necessary part of his survival,
the other being her mother's expertise.
Makoto was going to take her homework to her after school.
After class Makoto and Nathan stood on the latter's favorite spot on
the school's roof.
Makoto sighed and turned to look at her friend. "Nathan, I think we
should stop seeing each other."
Nathan started. "What?! Why?"
"Sapphire said that Black might send after our loved ones and anyone
who might've been in contact with us..." She looked at him and
suddenly hugged him. "I don't want to loose you Nathan!"
For a moment he didn't know what to do, then, he gently hugged her
back resting his head on hers. "I know, Mako-chan. I know..."
He walked around Tokyo dressed completely in black, black boots, black
pants, black T-shirt and a black trenchcoat. All of which matched
perfectly with his black eyes and hair.
His skin had a peculiar tan that seemed to come from living near the
sea, and his pace denoted a will of iron.
He saw, as in slow motion, mothers walking with their children, a
group of girls talking and giggling, friends slapping each other's
back as they shared a joke, pairs walking or talking, old men and
women talking among themselves and with the youngsters.
He also saw the cars, the buildings rising up into the air, as if
trying to touch the clouds. He heard the noise of claxons, and the
screeches of brakes, the sounds of a million different devices, from
TV's to radios, and he came to a conclusion; humanity was a plague.
Makoto, Usagi and Minako walked up the stairs into the temple. They
found Ami sleeping on a chair. Rae looked at them as they entered.
"She didn't sleep all night. Gold's stats didn't increase much, and
her mother had to go back to the hospital."
"I'll make something to eat if you want to..." Makoto offered. Rae
eagerly nodded and escorted her friend to the kitchen.
Gold was resting nearby in a make-shift bed barely big enough for him,
and didn't move a muscle as Usagi and Minako approached.
"Well, he doesn't look any better than yesterday..." Minako commented.
"I just hope he survives." Usagi said.
After a while they were able to smell Makoto's cooking, and both their
stomachs growled in anticipation. Smiling at each other, they ran to
the table to eat.
They didn't notice Gold's tail twitch.
"You called me, Lord Black?" Coldfire's scales glittered as she walked
into Black's throne room.
"Yes. I have found the last of the statues in this dimension. You will
retrieve it, then I'll destroy this place called Japan."
"What for?" asked Sapphire as she walked to stand next to Coldfire,
followed by Winter.
"To show this human cattle who their master truly is. When I have
gathered all the statues then no-one will stand in my way!"
Sapphire started, then looked at Winter, then back to Black. "Do you
mean there are more?"
Black smiled. "A few more, yes. Right now some of my agents are taking
care of gathering them in the land of Avalon."
Ami had woke up and had eaten all that was offered, which was a lot.
She was telling them about Gold's condition when her mother arrived.
Between them they explained to the others how precarious was Gold's
condition.
"It's a wonder he's still alive..." Dr. Mizuno was saying when they
heard someone knocking on the door.
Rae got up and after a moment came back followed by Haruka, Michiru
and Hotaru. Ami quickly got up and took Hotaru by the arm.
"What?!" Was all Michiru could say before her pupil was dragged away
by Ami.
"What's the matter Ami?" Hotaru asked. Then she saw where she was
pulling her and gasped.
Ami stopped and turned to look at her. "Listen Hotaru... Gold's not
really evil, he tried to avoid as many people he could, not like
Jade, you have to help him! He might tell us what are Black's
plans!"
Hotaru nodded and started working on him as the other two arrivals
approached.
"So, this is what the enemy looks like, huh?" Haruka muttered.
Suddenly someone gasped and dishes fell to the floor breaking.
Turning around Haruka saw a female dragon with blue scales running
at them.
Swearing, she pushed Hotaru away and jumped to the side.
She was about to jump kick the dragon when it grabbed Ami by the
shoulders. She stopped suddenly when she felt Usagi's hand on her
shoulder. Looking at her sternly, Usagi shook her head.
This however didn't stop Dr. Mizuno. "You monster! Get away from my
daughter!!" She then slammed a dish on Sapphire's head. Quickly
Makoto and Rae grabbed her by the arms, telling her to calm down.
Haruka and Michiru had huge sweatdrops on their foreheads as they
saw the two senshi wrestle Ami's mother until she calmed down.
Sapphire rubbed her head where the dish had crashed as she started
talking.
Everyone gathered around her as she explained what was happening.
Expressions grew grim as they heard Sapphire's story. When she
was finished a new voice interrupted them.
"This is worse than I thought..."
"SETSUNA!!" it was Usagi's turn to be held back as Sailor Pluto
walked towards her.
"Princess, get a grip!" Usagi glared at her.
"You knew this all along, didn't you?!" She accused.
Setsuna looked levelly at her. "No."
Usagi started struggling again. "Did you all hear that! She didn't..."
she stopped and looked at Sailor Pluto again. "You didn't know?"
For her credit, Setsuna managed to look a little depressed.
"No. This wasn't supposed to get this bad, you supposedly had an ally
that would help you out. Instead he turned into..."
Suddenly Ami's computer beeped. Opening it she looked at the others.
"There's trouble in the park..."
As they arrived to the park, they could hear the screams of people as
they ran away from there. Above their screams they could hear a
familiar voice.
"COME OUT, COME OUT, WHEREVER YOU ARE!!" Mask challenged as he brought
down a nearby tree with his katana.
"Mask!" He stopped and turned around. All the senshi, with the
exception of Pluto and Saturn stood in a semi-circle looking at him.
Knowing by now that he wouldn't stand for speeches, Sailor Moon
decided to shorten it. "This has to stop."
"Artemis! The girls are in the park!" Luna said as they ran.
Artemis nodded in understanding.
"HALT!" a figure said as it grabbed them by the scruff. Both cats
immediately started biting and scratching like there was no tomorrow.
"HEY LUNA! ARTEMIS! STOP THAT!" Surprised they stopped and looked up
at... Nathan.
"Meow?" Artemis said.
"Okay, that's it. Are they fighting?"
The cats looked at him, all innocence. "Stop it guys, this is
important! Listen, I know you can talk..."
The cats looked at him. "Makoto, or Jupiter told me."
The cat's eyes bulged out.
"So. Who goes first?"
Uranus glared at him. "That would be me, you dimwit!"
"Uranus! Don't! He's very dangerous!"
"Don't be silly, Venus! I can take care of him. So don't interfere!"
With that she strode out of the semi-circle. The other senshi
looked at each other, unsure.
"Well then lets FIGHT!" Uranus shouted. "World Shaking!"
Sailor Uranus's attack shattered the ground as it went straight towards
Mask.
The knight however jumped high and back, as the blast reached his
previous position.
Scowling, Uranus attacked him with her fist, Mask grabbed her extended
arm and pulled, rising his knee to meet the mouth of her stomach.
The air left Uranus' lungs in an instant as the knee connected. As she
stumbled forward, Mask used a karate chop on the back of her head.
She fell unconscious.
"Uranus!" Neptune screamed as she ran towards Mask. "Deep Submerge!"
The other senshi didn't wait longer and started running towards him.
Mask took up his katana. "Don't think for a moment that you're the
only ones with special attacks!" he swung his sword in an arc.
"Remember this!?" a curved ray shot out from the katana, went right
through the Deep Submerge and almost separated Neptune's head from
her neck, she had managed to duck, and that had saved her life. She
looked up only to see Mask's armored fist coming straight at her.
Mask barely avoided two of Mars flame snipers, before jumping at his
closest adversary: Sailor Moon.
The sword went up. "Venus love me chain!" It didn't go down. Sailor
Moon jumped away as Mask turned to look at Venus. Casually swinging
his sword he cut cleanly through the heart shaped links.
"Are you sure this will work?" Sapphire asked dubiously.
Setsuna nodded. "I believe it will. Between my time powers, Saturn's
power and your magic, we'll be able to create a forcefield strong
enough to repel whatever Black sends.
"If you say so... How's Gold doing, Hotaru?" Sapphire asked the small
girl.
As an answer, Hotaru sat back. Gold's wounds were completely healed,
but he didn't seem much better.
"I healed his body, but the real damage is in his mind... he'll have
to fight his way out." Hotaru answered to her unspoken question.
"Supreme Thunder!!"
The lightning bolt flew straight at Mask, who giggled softly as he let
go of the unconscious Venus. Holding his katana out, he received the
lighting bolt with it. The raw energy made the katana shine like a
small sun. Spinning it, he pierced the earth. The electricity faded into
nothing.
"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"
The moon tiara hit Mask in the small of the back, sending him flying
with a scream. He fell to the ground and slowly stood up. Looking at
Sailor Moon, his eyes glowed red. "How dare you!"
Pointing his open palm at her he fired a huge fireball. Sailor Moon
jumped to the side but the fireball exploded sending her sprawling,
she fell with a loud thump, and lost consciousness.
"You bastard!" Jupiter managed to hit Mask in the face, but without
much effect. He backhanded her with enough force to send her crashing
against a tree.
He then jumped away avoiding being cut by Prince Endymion's sword.
Thunder announced the arrival of rain, as the two swordsmen looked at
each other, it started pouring.
"Let's see how well you handle your sword, prince."
Endymion risked a look around. All the senshi were unconscious, but
they all seemed to be alive.
That small moment of distraction was all Mask needed. He quickly ran
towards Endymion as he turned his attention back to him.
Endymion managed to block the attack, however, Mask used his lame
block to slide his katana down to the cross guard, and doing a small
circle he managed to slip his blade between Endymion's sword and his
arm. He then pulled the sword up and out. Endymion grunted in pain
as the katana's bladed tip cut just bellow his arm pit.
His hold went slack and with a swing Mask unarmed him. Laughing he
blasted the future king with a fireball.
"Did you feel that?" Hotaru asked Setsuna.
"Yes," she answered standing up. "both Mamoru and Usagi are in
trouble."
Sapphire, who had been pacing around stopped. "Then I suggest we help
them."
Both senshi nodded.
Nathan and the two cats looked at Mask as he started walking among the
fallen.
Finally, Mask stood before his chosen victim and he raised his sword.
"No..." quickly standing up, Nathan started running into the battle
field.
"Nathan! Don't!" Luna warned.
Nathan ignored her as her ran towards Mask, his dream ever present in
his mind.
He saw with horror how the sword started it's descent. "No!!!"
Mask turned around surprised as Nathan threw himself at him.
Unprepared, Mask and Nathan fell in a tangle, the later wheezing as
he lost his air.
Mask quickly recovered and threw Nathan away. Nathan landed in the mud
and slipped to a stop next to Endymion's sword.
Making a wild grab for it, he stood up and faced Mask.
"A kid like you won't stop me." Mask stated coldly as he walked
towards Nathan.
"Yeah, well, maybe you'll be surprised!"
Makoto saw only darkness, however, something in the back of her mind
nagged at her.
She tried to ignore it, too tired to do anything, and only wanting to
sink down again in the warm darkness.
The nagging continued, this time accompanied by indistinct sounds.
She thought she heard and explosion, then the sound of steel meeting
steel, then another explosion.
There had been silence then, for a moment. She had heard a familiar
voice shouting. This time she felt cold, and slowly she started feeling
cold water running on her face.
Opening her eyes, she regarded the clouded sky in confusion, then she
heard the voice again, this time she could make out the words.
"Yeah, well, maybe you'll be surprised!"
With a shout, Nathan attacked Mask, who side stepped him and tripped
him with his foot.
Nathan went face first into the mud again. Spitting some mud, he stood
up again, holding the sword in what he assumed to be a defensive
position. "You won't get away with this that easily!"
Mask smirked. "Oh, please."
Screaming, Nathan threw himself into 'battle' again. Mask easily
avoided his wild swings. Finally he spinned and hit Nathan's backside
with the flat of his katana, sending him down into the mud again.
When Nathan stood up, he had a small cut in the right cheek.
"Tsk, tsk. You know kid, swords are not for the untrained, you've cut
yourself!" Mask said amused.
"That," Nathan said "may be true, but I'm not the only one who's cut!"
He glanced at Mask's arm. As Mask looked at his arm Nathan jumped at
him, swinging the sword down. Mask casually grabbed the sword blade
with his hand. "You know kid, that's a lower move than I would have
though you capable of. Congratulations. You're dead."
Without further ceremony he buried his katana deep into Nathan's
chest.
Sapphire, Sailor Saturn and Sailor Pluto stepped out of a portal right
next to Luna and Artemis, who started when they saw them.
"Hey! Who's that?" Sapphire asked as Nathan swung down at Mask.
"That's Nathan!" The three new arrivals looked at her without speaking;
it was clear they didn't know who Nathan was. Well, two at least.
"He's Makoto's boyfriend!" she said. Hotaru, who had seen the exchange
of words between Mask and the new boy gasped in horror.
Luna turned around, and moaned. "Oh, no..."
Mask freed his sword and pushed Nathan back, the later fell backwards
into the mud.
An inhuman scream snapped them out of it. Luna and the others saw in
surprise as Jupiter bellowed a roar filled with rage and pain that
no human vocal chords should be able of producing.
Her eyes literally glowed a cold blue, as she was surrounded by a
black aura.
Standing there in the rain she looked into the sky roaring again, the
black aura formed a winged silhouette around her as she technically flew
straight at Mask.
Mask raised his sword, but Jupiter batted it away with her arm. Landing
infront of him she shot a ball of black energy in to his stomach. This
time it was him that crashed into a tree. Makoto then ripped the silver
mask off of Mask's face. Since he had landed away from them, the others
couldn't see anything, but Makoto stopped for a second.
Mask took the chance and kicked her back, he then stood up and
disappeared. All in one motion. The katana and the mask disappeared too.
Makoto, still surrounded by the black aura fell to her knees next to
Nathan, as she fell over him she seemed to lose consciousness.
The black aura slowly faded away.
End Chapter 7