Chapter Fourteen: "Anyway let's eat."



The next morning Youji woke up. It was early, 6:00 the clock said. Youji cursed and rolled over in bed. Since he was up he figured he should go eat. After put some clothes on (yes, I think the rumors are true, Youji sleeps naked ^__~) he found out why he woke up so abruptly. There was a smell in the air, more like a heavenly aroma. "Food," he said to himself. (A.N- I have no ideas where everything is in their apt.)

Youji wandered into the dining room. Maybe Omi cooked. Sitting by the table was the rest of Weiß. Omi sat on a chair looking a little forlorn. Aya was on one chair looking pissed and Ken was sitting on a chair thinking. But the smell was coming from the adjoined kitchen.

The odd thing was that they had bruises on parts of their exposed skin. "Oh well, not my problem," Youji thought. He walked into the doorway into the kitchen.10 seconds later sounds could be heard coming from the kitchen. "Get your hand off the crepe you baka! And get out of 'my' kitchen!" Makoto could be heard yelling. "Well at least he's getting it too," Omi said from his seat from the table. "But Mako-" "I mean it get out of here and join the others on the table!" "Fine." Youji muttered. "Put back that pork chop!" The others saw Youji run out of the kitchen, followed by a barrage of pot lids and spoons. Makoto went to the doorway and saw that the others were waiting patiently. Youji was tending to his own bruises. "Sometimes I don't think that this mission was worth it," Youji thought.

Makoto reentered the kitchen. Five minutes later she came out with about four trays balanced on her arms. She deposited those on the table with a warning look to everybody else. Five more trips later there were a large breakfast, way too much food for the five people present. There was crepe, pancakes, sausage, pork chops, biscuits, Belgian waffles, orange juice, tea, coffee, eggs.just about a weeks worth of breakfast. Makoto took off her apron. The boys were staring wide-eyed at all the food. "Just what time did you get up?" Ken asked. "Well I only slept an hour after I fell asleep and I got restless so I'd say about 4:00." "Are you sure this wasn't too much trouble?" Omi asked.

"Cooking is my hobby, you can say its my life. When I get stressed I cook. But I haven't cooked this much food since ondago-atama was here.she probably would have practically inhaled all of the food by now," Makoto answered sadly. "You mean Princess Usagi?" Youji asked. Makoto frowned. "How do you know about that?" she asked sharply. "Sailor Pluto told us," Aya lied. "Pluto needs to know when to keep her damn mouth shut," Makoto grumbled. The assassins exchanged looks but didn't dare tell her what really happened last night.

Makoto noticed the cigarette in Youji's mouth. "No smoking Youji-kun!" she said sternly. Rather then facing her wrath and pots he put the cigarette out. "Anyway let's eat," Makoto said cheerfully after closing her eyes for a while. Youji smiled, he had been eyeing the food for a while and wondered when she would get around to that. Makoto watched as the others piled food up on the plate, serving themselves. She served herself also but didn't really eat most of it.

Half an hour later, everybody had finished eating. Makoto looked at the remaining food wondering why she had cooked so much. She got up and began to clean up the leftovers after all of the thank you's she received. Omi helped.

Makoto finished wiping down the empty plates and walked into the dining room/living room. Omi had left to get ready for school. "It's 7:00 in the morning. Damn I need my schoolbooks. Ami said I need to study and study I will," she thought. Makoto looked down at her clothes. She certainly couldn't go to school dressed in Joe boxer. "Jupiter Disguise Power. Turn me into a Juuban high school girl," she shouted with the recently acquired pen in the air. When it was finished she had the school uniform that the others wore. "Wow it fits," Makoto said. The uniforms didn't usually fit her that's why she wore the ones from her old school. Omi, Ken, Aya and Youji were no where to be seen.

Makoto quickly scribbled a note that said: "Sorry guys. Didn't want to bother you. I'm going to my apt. to get my books then I'm heading for school. I assume you know where those two places are.Ja ne minna-kun." Makoto slipped out silently and dashed down the steps. She reached the bottom, panting. "I need to start going on my morning runs again," she thought. Makoto jogged down a couple of blocks until she reached her apartment building. It was a middle class apartment building. She worked a job at a small café. It paid all right but occasionally she had to fall back on the money from the lawsuit (her parents died in a plane crash so she got the insurance money and her estranged uncle sued). The money had been put away in a trust fund until she was 18. Now that she 18 she was free to spend it freely. But Makoto cherished her independence. She could be rich if she chose to stay home.

Makoto took an elevator to the fourth floor. "I'm getting lazy," she thought as the doors opened. Makoto took the house key she kept under the door mat and opened the door. Every thing was the same as before. "Gotta hurry up Makoto," she whispered. As she rushed through her apartment, grabbing books and food, she felt home. Makoto grabbed her Calculus book. What kept her from burning the book on those long nights of studying, she didn't know. Rushing, she locked the door (which was a balancing act as she put the books in her backpack at the same time).

Checking her watch she found out it was 7:50. School started in five minutes. Makoto slid down the stair well instead of doing it the usual way. She walked out of the apartment doors and heard somebody calling her name. She turned around and saw Ken pulled up by the curb on his motorcycle. "Ken? What are you doing here?" she asked as she walked up to him. "Trying to give you a ride to school, that is if you don't want one." he said. Makoto blushed. "Of course I want one. I am already late," she said. "Good." Ken threw Makoto a helmet (one of Omi's). Makoto put it on and sat on the motorcycle behind Ken. She hung on to his waist, making him turn red, and looked at the scenery go by as they rode. Finally they stopped in front of Juuban H.S. There were other people running in late.

Makoto hopped off the bike and tossed him back the helmet. Out of impulse, she gave him a hug. With Ken's face another interesting shade of red, she pulled away. "His goggles make him even more kawaii then he already is, wait what are you thinking Makoto?" she thought to herself. Makoto heard the school bells ring. "Ja ne, Ken-kun! Thanks for the ride! I'll come by Koneko sometime later!" she called over her shoulder as she ran inside campus.

Makoto walked to Koneko. It was about 6:00. She had had a long day. Naru had seen her arrive that morning. She had forced every single detail about "that hottie on the bike" from her. Makoto felt a tinge of jealousy so she told Naru and the other girls about Koneko and the bishounen florists. The other girls (half the school's pop. of girls) had flocked there after school. Makoto felt guilty about bringing that plague of locusts upon Weiß but she was tired. She just got out of work early today. They were renovating the café so she had a temporary vacation. The boss accepted her excuse about catching the 24hr. cold.

Makoto continued walking down to Koneko. When she arrived there she saw Koneko still open. A couple of Juuban girls were still milling around. The doorbell chimed as she entered. She saw Ken and Omi were not present. Youji was basking in the attention from the girls. Aya was not looking at all pleased as he was trying to arrange a vase with a girl breathing down his neck. "Mako-chan," a voice called out.

Makoto turned and saw Naru coming her way. Makoto waved. "Hey Naru! What are you doing here?" she asked innocently because Aya and Youji were looking at her. "What do you mean silly? You're the one who told us really hot guys worked here," Naru said. Makoto blushed and scratched her neck. ".Yeah.I guess I did," she said sheepishly. Makoto felt Aya's glare boring a hole through her. "Well I guess I have to get going Mako. We have that calculus home work remember?" Naru said loudly. The other two girls in the flower shop groaned as they realized they too had homework. "I forgot about that," Makoto said.

"Well if I need help I'll call you Mako. Ja ne," Naru said and left the store. The other girls followed. She studied the back of the last one's head as they walked out. She had aqua colored hair. "Michiru? Nah, I'm seeing things," she said out loud. Makoto sighed and plopped herself on a chair. "What?" she asked Youji who was staring at her oddly. "I'm not going to say anything," he said and followed Aya to some room in the back of the shop. Makoto decided not to follow but she felt alone in the front of the shop. She took out her calculus book and opened it. Groaning she began work on her first problem.

Five minutes into that problem she heard the phone behind the counter ring. It rung about two times. Makoto figured somebody else would answer it. After two more rings she went and picked it up.







Chapter Fifteen: "Who called."



"Moshi, Moshi," she said. There was a pause on the other end as if someone was taking a breath to tell bad news. "The darkness is coming. The death will be amounting; the price of peace is high. To fight alone is failure. You cannot stop it alone. It will be coming all the same. It came before. One to see. Once to taint. This time to devour. An Old evil, the Old Serpent, the only progeny of-" the phone went dead. Makoto dropped the phone. She now knew who the other person was. It was Hotaru.

The Weiß boys came out of the back room (the mission room) in time to see the whole exchange. "Makoto, are you all right?" Omi asked. Makoto spun around. "You look like you've just seen a ghost," Youji said. He was right though. Makoto was pale and trembling, she was visibly frightened. "Who called?" Ken asked cautiously. "Death's prophet. Obviously the world is going to be devoured," Makoto thought grimly but didn't say it out loud. She didn't want to worry them further. "It was a wrong number," Makoto said weakly. Nobody else bought it.

"We have a mission," Aya said to try and change the subject. He would get her to tell him when they got back. Makoto regained her composure and decided to think about Hoturu's vision later. She didn't ask about what they had to do. She didn't want to know what they had to do but she had a feeling she knew what. "Do I come?" she asked. The men exchanged looks. " 'Pluto' said that you used up all of your elemental energy last night. You can't go. Besides, you are obviously the one they want," Aya said like the leader he was.

"But-" she started even though she knew he was right. She had felt the absence of most of her power. "You'll be safer here tenshi. And you don't want to watch us work," Youji said. Makoto wanted to pout and whine to force them to let her go. She knew that wouldn't work. "Didn't you make me your ally to help you fight?" she asked. "Don't worry, we can take care of it on our own. Just stay here please?" Omi asked. ".Fine, but I have nothing to do." Ken looked at the calculus book thrown on the floor. "Calculus," Ken said.

Makoto groaned and made a mental note to burn the book later but felt a little lightheaded for a moment as some fumes reached her nose. She swayed a little then felt her eyes begin to droop. Ken caught her. "I guess it worked. She should be out for awhile," Omi said. They all looked a little guilty. "She will be mad as hell when she wakes up," Ken said. They knew they would be on the receiving end of her fury even as they only had known her for a short while. "Where do we put her?" Aya shrugged. Ken picked Makoto up and carried her to a spot in the back of the store. Then the men walked out of the shop for their mission, pondering at what could have scared the girl so much.

Those words that Hotaru told her kept running through her mind as she slept. "The darkness is coming." Makoto felt something pulling her from the dream she had been having. Makoto mumbled something and turned over. She hit her head on something, hard. "Nande Kuso?" she cursed and bolted upright. "They put me to sleep.those devious bastards," she said and got up. Makoto walked around a little woozy from what ever they used to put her asleep. "I guess I'm still at the flower shop," she thought. Makoto ran to the door of Koneko as she realized what woke her up. There was a strong taint of evil nearby and she was afraid for the Weiß boys.

"I shouldn't care about them, I don't even know them. After they betrayed me like this, I hate them," she said as she pressed her head to the glass. "You don't hate them. You love them, what about Ken?" her inner voice said. Makoto was hesitant to admit anything. "I have to help them. Even without my powers," she said, determined. "But where are they?" she thought to herself. They would have to be near the evil.Reiji was after them and he commanded Schwarz and Makoto knew what the purpose of Weiß was. They would probably run into the evil on their mission. Makoto cursed again.

"If I can sense if they are nearby then I can try to find them.before its too late." She opened the door to Koneko with a jolt of electricity. Her powers seemed too be coming back. Makoto looked to the sky as she closed the doors. The clouds were dark, there was going to be a thunderstorm in a few minutes. The streets looked empty as if they were expecting something. The air had an aura of potential energy. "I must have been out for at least an hour. I have to hurry.Jupiter Eternal Power!" she said with her henshin stone in the air.

Seconds later Makoto stood there as Eternal Sailor Jupiter. "I don't know how long I can keep this form up. I just need the wings. There's no way I can use any attacks. Guess I just have to hurry." she thought.

Jupiter launched herself in the air with a couple of strong wing beats. Then she soared around the city for awhile. There was a sense of something not being quite right in the air; then again there always was that feeling in the air. But as she flew closer to Tokyo Harbor, the feeling became stronger. She landed on the wooden planks near by the seaside warehouse. That feeling, the pressure in the back of her head increased. Jupiter ignored the feeling as she heard sounds that were evidence of fighting. There were no gunshots though.

She saw shadows of figures above the tall warehouse. That's where they were fighting but with who. There was a burst of light and one figure fell off the edge. There was no time to think. With her wings outspread she raced to catch it. There was a grunt as she caught them a couple of feet away from the ground. Their weight caused Jupiter to fall the rest of the way with the person in their arms. Her job was to protect the innocent. It didn't matter who she carried. Jupiter let the person fall on her as she took the shock of the impact. Both of them rolled for awhile.

When they stopped Jupiter was on bottom. She opened her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. "Ken?" she asked. He opened his eyes and groaned. "Mako." he asked surprised. She looked into his eyes and lost herself in them for a moment. She knew something revealed what was going through her head at the moment because he leaned down and slowly moved forward for a kiss. He kissed her gently, unfortunately it didn't last long.

There was an explosion on the roof of the warehouse. Ken rolled off Jupiter, careful not to injure her with his bugnuks (sp?). As he got up he helped her up. Jupiter blushed and offered her his hand. "What just happened between us?" she thought. But now it was time to save the day again. "Where are Ken, Omi, and Youji?" Makoto asked. Ken frowned. "Up there battling Schrient, another assassin group that works for the enemy. I thought you ran out of energy? Don't lie to me Mako-chan," Ken said sounding worried. "He cares," Makoto thought.

"I did. I have enough energy to keep this form.for awhile.I-I can't use any attacks though," she said. Jupiter felt useless. A tear was sliding down her cheek. Ken resisted the urge to kiss her and tell her everything was all right. When in reality he didn't know what was going to be all right or why he picked a time like this to kiss her. "Let me get you up there. There has to be something I can do. It's not your fault," she said. Ken smiled. "Hold on to me though," she said. Ken wrapped his hands around her waist. She held him tightly. Very awkwardly, as not to hurt herself on his bugnuks, she flapped her wings. They rose steadily into the air. Jupiter was straining herself. Finally they both landed on the roof.

Jupiter set Ken down and looked around. Omi, Ken and Youji were lying on the floor, injured and bound down by dark rings. Four women were approaching them, appearing to finish them off. The women were giving off the black mist and had red eyes. "Ken, go help them up.I'll divert their attention. See I'm helping," she said with a forced smile. Jupiter ran and stood in front of the four assassins as they fought to break from their bindings. She felt Ken's presence behind her as he tried to free them. "Who are you?" one of them asked. "I am Eternal Sailor Jupiter. And if you think you can treat people this way.I'll make you change your mind but just who are you?" Jupiter said as she clenched a fist. The one with the yellow umbrella laughed.

"Tot," said the one with the wicked looking pink umbrella. She introduced the rest as Hell, Neu and Schoen. "Tot play." Tot's eyes glowed red as she opened her hand and threw a black stream of electricity at Ken who was working to unbind the rest of them. Jupiter jumped in front of all of them and out spread her wings. The black energy hit her square in the chest. Jupiter screamed out in pain but would not move. The pain was making her weaker. The dark energy stream drove her to her knees. She knew she would probably not survive the next minute.

"Silence Wall!" a voice screamed. Jupiter lifted her head and saw Sailor Saturn standing in front of her. Saturn had her glaive in front of her and concentrated on keeping the purple bubble shield going. Jupiter looked over her shoulder and saw Ken freeing the last person. She turned her attention back to Saturn. Sailor Saturn let the shield drop as the attack ended. "Who are you?" Neu demanded. "I am Super Sailor Saturn, Senshi of Death and Destruction," Saturn said.

"Why don't you come to our side? The master is very generous," Schoen said. "Never!" Saturn shouted. Hell chuckled. "We'll have your power eventually. It's still four against two, or shall I say one, once we take care of the weakling," she said and turned her glowing red eyes to Jupiter who Ken was trying to help up. "Not in this life time," a voice said. Every body turned their attention to the top of a crane not even 20 feet away. There were two figures that emerged from the shadow. "I carry the protection of the planet of the deep sea Neptune, the soldier of embrace. Invited by a new age I am the elegant Sailor Neptune," she said and jumped down the height to stand by Saturn who was standing in front of the 'civilians' and Jupiter defensively. "Also invited by a new age, I am Sailor Uranus, Senshi of earth and Wind, " said the other woman who jumped and stood by Neptune.

The women (and Tot) of Schrient glared at the new additions to the fight. "Weaklings," Hell muttered. "I'll show you weak.Uranus World Shaking!" she yelled. The attack was hit the space around Hell. Hell's eyes glowed and the attack vanished as it hit an invisible shield. But the attack blew her back some. "Don't you hate it when evil learns new things?" Sailor Uranus asked nobody in particular. Neptune laughed softly. Sailor Neptune and Uranus both rushed into battle, with their talismans (space sword and aqua mirror) in hand, taking two woman each.

Sailor Saturn turned and walked back to the others. "Who are you guys and why do you think you can try to take down evil alone?" Saturn asked. "Well, It seemed like a good idea at the time," Youji said and laughed. He winced as he felt one of his cracked ribs. Saturn noticed this. She walked over to him. "Lay down," she said. "Look little girl, I'm not that kind of person." he began. "Listen to her!" Jupiter said in a tone that the guys didn't ever hear from her. He obeyed. Jupiter herself had one arm around Ken's neck for balance and support through her injuries.

Saturn tossed her glaive to Jupiter, who caught it, and knelt by Youji. She put her hands just above his chest. Her hands glowed a cool purple. Youji looked relaxed as if he were getting a massage. Saturn snorted as she finished and moved on to Aya who had a broken wrist. It was raining very heavily and thundering by the time that Saturn finished Omi. Ken had no need to be healed seeing as Makoto saved him. "Mako-chan," Saturn said as she turned to face her. Saturn looked a little pale from the healing. "I'm ok, really firefly," she said.

Jupiter at the present moment was sitting down by herself. Aya glared at her not unfriendly but like a big brother would. "Fine Ru-chan but if you tire yourself out I'd never forgive myself.not after the deaths I've been through," she said. Saturn's eyes showed understanding. She too hadn't gotten over the death of their hime and her best friend Chibi Usa. Saturn walked and stood above Jupiter. The soft light was pouring through her body. She could feel the coolness as her most serious wounds disappeared. Jupiter felt something fall on her. It was Saturn; she was still alive but very weak.





Chapter Sixteen: "You are human."



"Damn it Saturn. You never listen do you," she cursed. Jupiter got up and carried Saturn and her glaive to a spot by where the Weiß boys were watching the battle. "I have to get in there and help. Uranus and Neptune can't take those odds much longer." "What do we do. Its hard to sit in here unable to help," Omi said. Jupiter's fuku started to flicker between normal and sailor. Saturn healed her body but didn't give her any energy. "Now you know how I feel," she said sadly as her fuku turned back to her school uniform.

There was something she could do to help the fight. She held out her hand and Ruri Nizomo, her sword appeared in her hands. "I hate ordering people around but Aya come help me relieve the others of some of the work. Ken, Omi and Youji watch Saturn," she said with authority and with her warrior calm on her face. Ken looked a bit sad about not being asked to help. "Cheer up Ken-kun. You guys have the most important job. If we fail, get Saturn out of here. Her powers have more of a chance of destroying the Old Serpent," she said with a wink. The others looked confused, about whom the Old Serpent was, the wink Jupiter gave Ken, and Saturn's importance. "What kind of powers does she have?" Omi asked. "Sailor Saturn is the sovereign of Death. She can destroy the world if she chooses to or create them," Mako said and ran into the battle with Ruri, Aya and his katana leaving the others shocked.

Makoto and Aya dove into the fray of the battle and picked their 'victims'. Sailor Neptune was now fighting against a demonic Schoen. Uranus was fighting with Hell and Aya with Neu. Mako had Tot. Uranus and Neptune weren't getting hits in and were attempting to dodge the dark energy. Aya was just getting started. Makoto turned her attention to Tot. "She doesn't seem evil," she thought. She spoke to soon and had to dodge a ball of dark energy. Makoto grew furious. Soon she was locked shoulder to shoulder, sword to, er.a wicked pink umbrella. Then she aimed a blow at Tot's leg. Staining her sword with the girl's blood.

Seconds later Makoto stood above Tot, ready to deliver the final blow. Her sword was above her head but as she tensed to move she felt a drop of something fall on her forehead. It wasn't any of the rain that was pouring down, it was thicker then that. "What was that," she whispered. Mako brought one free hand, while keeping an eye on Tot, to touch the spot on her head. Then looked at her hand. The water was pinkish, whatever it was mixed with the water.

On impulse Mako examined her sword. Its edge was coated in red blood, not her blood but Tot's. "Tot is not a demon, she possessed. Kami, I have human blood on my hands," she thought in horror. "Makoto!" somebody yelled. Makoto grew alert and saw Tot in time to see a large wave of energy that sent her back.

Makoto flew back and landed perilously close to the edge of the roof. Her sword flew away from her some point in her 'glorious' flight. Makoto got up weakly, weaponless. She saw Tot walking to her slowly, a twisted grin on her face. "Tot, don't do this. Don't let the demon inside win. You are human!" she said. The other members of Schrient stopped in the middle of the battle and watched Tot, with looks of disgust on their faces. Tot stopped on her tracks.

Neu, Hell and Schoen ran to Tot. Tot looked confused as if she were trying to fight something inside of her. "Don't listen to her!" Hell said in a twisted voice. "You guys are human too! Neu, Hell Schoen don't let the demon win," she said. All of the girls collapsed. Schoen looked, as if she were trying to claw at her face (I had to disfigure the model sometime in this story). "Demons, get out of them. You all are cowards! You can't even fight your own battles," she yelled. The members of Schrient started to convulse, the demons had accepted the challenge.

Finally the girls went limp in the rain, still alive as a shadow rose out of each of them. The shadows were human formed but still not fully solid. "What have I gotten myself in to?" she whispered, her eyes wide in horror as the demon shadows locked eyes with her. Two blurs went past the shadows and carried Makoto away just as the demons threw their attacks at her.

They stopped and deposited Makoto near where Saturn was being protected and where a pissed Aya was. Makoto looked at the figures. It was Uranus and Neptune but they had wings, they had reached their Eternal stage. Neptune caught Mako's expression. "Serenity-sama came. She said this is our final stage. Our strongest," Eternal Sailor Neptune said. "We have to go finish off these demons. You felt that they were human, you gave them a chance but you have to rest," Uranus said and dashed off to block the advancing demons. "Wait, Neptune!" Mako yelled before she had a chance to leave. Michiru turned around. "You can't help.oh," she stopped as she recognized the light in Makoto's eyes that said she had an idea.

"Do you mind giving me a lift? I'm feeling a little energy deprived," Makoto said with a small smile. "Where?" Neptune asked suspiciously. Makoto pointed to one particular cloud in the dark sky where it was thundering. Neptune smiled. "You'll need this," a voice said. Makoto turned and saw Ken with Ruri in his hand. He walked and gave to Makoto. Makoto smiled. He came closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Come back safely," he said. "I will. Now go away before I realize how ridiculous this plan is," she said. Ken smiled and saluted her before running off to join the others.

"How far up do you want to go?" Neptune asked. "Halfway," she said. Neptune nodded and closed her eyes in concentration. A small 3-foot funnel of water formed to Makoto's left. She watched as it solidified until it was a small, solid, aquamarine pillar. Mako stood on it. "It will only take you halfway as you requested. I can't hold it for too long though," Neptune's voice said in her mind. Makoto was a little shocked. "It must be an outers' thing," she thought. The pillar rose under Makoto's feet.

When it was halfway to the cloud it stopped. Makoto watched as the lightning played from the clouds. She was a little shaken from the ride but it wasn't that she was afraid of heights, just airplanes. Makoto raised Ruri above her head hoping to get struck by lightning, after all her body could take it, it was her element.