Until 4

The man silently wondered around the dark place impatiently. He had spent so much time hiding in the dark and now, he was sure that he was ready to face his old enemy. “I’m ready for you,” he whispered promisingly. “I hope you do too.”

* * * * * *

Lita awoke with a start when her communication watch beeped. Sleeping in Nephrite’s embrace was so comfortable that she almost didn’t want to wake up. She reached out for the watch and answered it.

“Yeah?”

“Lita! Rei is under attack! Come to the abandoned park right now,” Serena’s high pitch voice awoke the still sleeping Nephrite.

“What’s that all about?” asked Nephrite.

“Rei’s in trouble,” explained Lita as she stood up and pulled him. “We’re coming Serena.”

“We?” echoed Serena.

“Uh…well,” Lita stammered as she blushed. “What was Rei doing in that old park, by the way?” Lita changed the topic.

“You know,” Serena smirked. “Rei and Jadeite. What else?”

Lita smiled knowingly. “We’ll be there.”

“Come on, Jupiter.” Nephrite pulled her closed to teleport to the abandoned park.

* * * * * *

When they arrived, the guardians were already in the battle. It would be easier if the enemy was only one but this time the attackers were more than one-there were four. Sailor Jupiter and General Nephrite quickly joined the battle to help their friends.

Sailor Venus was busy fighting the greenish dragon like monster that she wasn’t aware of the other monster that managed to escape from General Kunzite watchful eyes. As the monster raised its sword, Sailor Jupiter arrived at the perfect time to launch her attack.

“Jupiter Thunder Dragon!”

A bolt of lightning shot like a comet from the cloudy sky towards the monster. It slipped its sword as it felt the current flowed through its body. General Nephrite took it as an opportunity to strike and he swayed his sword to slay its throat from behind. The monster spurted the green and acid like blood from its mouth and wound before he fell down and turned into dust.

“Thanks,” Venus stared at the horror when she realized the close call.

“Oh, don’t mention it,” Jupiter said modestly.

“Well, excuse me, milady,” Nephrite interrupted. “As far as I recall, it is me who killed it,” he teased her.

“With the great help from my supreme power,” she reminded him playfully.

Venus left the couple alone as she off to help her general. Even though he looked fine without her help, Venus couldn’t help from being worried and she watched him, waiting for anything to help him. Kunzite was in his full concentration and he was in control of the fight. At that time the monster that was fighting Zoisite and Mercury let out an attack and Mercury ducked and the attack flew through her. That was when a beam of light came out from no where and hit Kunzite from behind and it took him by surprised that he dropped his sword.

“Kunzite!” Venus let out a warning shout when she saw the monster was about to make another attack. She knew that Kunzite was still in surprise, so she performed an attack to save her beloved.

“Venus Shower Beam!” she shouted and a shower of golden lights flew right to the monster, stalling it from making an attack.

“Venus Love Me Chain!” she let out another attack and the attack killed the monster.

As Kunzite watched the monster turned into dust, anger flowed through his mind. He was furious at Venus’ attack because it unintentionally shamed him. It was as if Venus thought he couldn’t face the monster alone. He, the leader of the entire general, couldn’t fight that slime ball alone.

“Nice attack, Venus,” he said coolly. Venus looked at him in confusion when she heard the sarcastic tone. She had just saved him! What’s wrong with him? Well, I’m not going ask why he is acting like that.

“A thank would be appropriate,” she said with matching coolness.

His silver gray eyes narrowed at her dangerously. “Whatever,” he said, sheathing his sword and turned around. Venus watched him with disbelief at his attitude. I just don’t understand men, especially him!

“That’s was the close one,” Mercury said when she succeeded avoiding the attack.

“Yeah, but it hit Kunzite,” Zoisite said dryly. “And he’s gonna get me bad this time.”

“What are we going to do with this monster,” Mercury wiped sweat off her forehead. Zoisite moved closer to Mercury and whispered to her ear. “You used your foggy power and tell where’s the monster’s exact location, then I slay the monster.”

“Don’t you think it might effect the other battle?” Mercury raised her eyebrow.

“Take a look around and tell me if there any battle left to fight?” Zoisite said dryly. Mercury looked around and she saw Mars and Jadeite struggled together and smiled triumphantly. “There’s Mars and Jadeite.”

“And they’re so far from us to be effected by the fog,” Zoisite said back. Mercury sighed. Typical Zoisite. Mercury rolled her eyes. Always had something to say back. She quickly perform the fog and immediately a bifocal appeared and an image of the monster in a mist of thick fog become visible. “Got it!” Mercury shouted at the man beside her. “On your left, about seven to eight feet and it’s moving toward you.”

Zoisite unsheathed his sword and prepared to slay the monster. “Tell me when it’s getting very near!”

The monstrous figure moved fast toward the other familiar figure and they were getting so near. “Zoisite! Now!”

Putting his trust fully in hers, Zoisite closed his eyes tightly and with all his might, he swung his sword, splitting the monster into two. Its green and sticky blood spurted to his face and body. “Ugh, man! It’s gross!” Zoisite groaned as he wiped out the green ooze off his face unsuccessfully.

Mercury looked at her boyfriend with her jaw dropped and her eyes widened in disbelief. When their eyes met, it took several seconds before they both dissolved in laughter. Quickly Mercury ran toward him and stroked his cheek softly. “Not only you look very stink but you smell stink too,” she teased him.

“Oh, yeah?” he said challengingly. “Let see if you still smell the way you are.” At first Mercury was confused then when she saw the twinkling in his eyes. “Now…Zoisite…” Mercury said laughingly at him as she took a cautious step backward. “Don’t you dare…”

He grabbed her waist and pulled her close. The ooze splattered all over their body. “Ugh, gross!” they both said in unison.

Meanwhile, Mars and Jadeite were still fighting the last monster. “I should never ever follow you to this old and creepy place,” Mars glared at him as she released her fire beam toward the monster.

The monster expertly dodged the attack and at the same time let out an attack to Jadeite. “Well, you said you wanted to be alone!” Jadeite glared back at her and he evaded the slimy looking tentacle that nearly touched him.

“I said private! I can hardly see you without reporters swarming around you!” Mars snapped back carelessly, unaware of the monster that had targeted her as its victim. As she continuously glared at Jadeite, the monster had lurched to capture her within its long tentacles.

Jadeite saw this. Tightening his grips on his sword, he rushed near Mars and cut off all those tentacle that had threatened his love. “Well, this is private!” The monster let out a howl of pain and Jadeite ended its misery with a quick slash.

Mars choked back her breath in horror, realizing how careless she had been. Jadeite sheathed his sword and walked slowly toward Mars. “Are you okay?” he said concernedly.

“Yeah,” she sighed out. “I’m fine.”

“That was very reckless, Mars,” Jadeite furrowed his brows in worried. “Don’t do that again.”

“I don’t know happened. I’ve never been careless before.” Mars massaged her forehead.

Jadeite broke out into a boyish grin. “Well, I’ve always have this kind of effect to girls, so I wasn’t really surprised.” Jadeite laughed when he heard Mars groaned.

* * * * * *

“So, who do you think sent those monster?” Darien began their meeting.

“Whoever she or he is, he or she must be really angry with us because on his first encounter, he’d already sent four monsters to attack us,” Serena exclaimed.

“Yeah, no one had ever done that to us before,” Mina agreed. She and Kunzite are still no talking and Mina intended to talk to him.

“Well, at least we know we have new enemy. It gives us a reason to be observant and careful.” Nephrite said.

“I wonder if he or she was someone from our past,” Ami said thoughtfully. “Most of our adversaries were from our past, seeking for revenge.”

“I don’t why, but I’ve got this feeling that he or she is someone from our past,” Rei replied. “Why did you say that?” Ami asked her. “When we fought them, I could almost feel the anger in his or her monsters power and attacks.” Rei bit her lips. “And hatred.”

“So, I guess this is not a good sign?” Serena asked.

“What do you think, Serena?” Rei asked sarcastically. “Do you think it is a good sign?”

Serena knew that Rei was mocking at her and she secretly stuck out her tongue. Lita saw this and she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

“Well, just be careful.” Kunzite said as he stood up, telling them the meeting is over.

* * * * * *