Absence - By Kirika
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Chapter 12 - The Longest Night
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Khairephon threw the youma messenger hard against the stonewall and heard a crack of bone. The beat-beat-beat of dance music pounded above him, in sync to the throbbing vein at the side of his head. Khairephon was royally pissed off. Because of Rodoth's gross incompetence the second gate and an entire company of youma had been lost. The human authorities had completely locked down the gate location, making it impossible to be used for who knows how long. Khairephon was reduced to using the original small gate that only let youma through in a trickle. If Rodoth hadn't been killed Khairephon would have gutted the fool himself.
All his `infiltration this' and `infiltration that', the bloody moron. He thought he was so smart, so cunning. Pah!
Khairephon had his own spy's amongst Rodoth's youma, however. While he had to admit they weren't as good at information gathering as Makareus' youma, they did the job. Khairephon had learned about what Rodoth was up to just before the youma had left on his personal vendetta, too late to stop him. But he had learned that one of Rodoth's youma infiltrators had found a source of information about the human with the powers of fire. It had been easy to apply pressure to the weak-willed youma and force it to swear allegiance to him. Khairephon's first orders for his new recruit were to find out all the information about the human rebel it could from its source. Khairephon had been foolish to put the matter in Rodoth's hands; he should have handled it himself. Makareus' youma were constantly backstabbing each other; Rodoth's treachery should have been anticipated.
Santhesis should report back soon... the night is young, it is time I met this female...
The stars were still in alignment to open the other, original gate. Khairephon had decided to take no chances and accompany the three youma who were heading to the gate in the industry district. After he had overseen the arrival of more youma, Santhesis should be back at the Ragnarok to tell Khairephon his findings. Khairephon hoped they would give a location to the human... he wanted to end this farce now. It had dragged on long enough; the female had killed far too many youma, including some of his best warriors; warriors who had been with him on many other planet assaults. It was ludicrous. What had happened earlier tonight would have caused Khairephon to laugh hysterically if he wasn't so damn angry. Tales had been spreading through his dwindling ranks about the human; whispers of how fire would come to her aid to incinerate youma, hushed murmurs of her divine favour that gave her strength and luck in battle. And after what happened at the second gate site, the youma
would be running for the hills, thinking she was some vengeful god's avatar or some insanity like that. But Khairephon would show them that she was still just a human. A special human he had to admit, but still simply a human being nonetheless.
And humans bleed... just like everyone else...
******
Rei sat in her underwear on Sanjuro's couch, her head tilted back, staring at the ceiling. Her breathing was slow and even as Tsubasa sat beside her, putting soothing ointment on her burns. Rei was aware of the pain but it was like it was happening to someone else far away. Most of her body was in white now, covered in bandages tinged with red. Soon more of it would be once Tsubasa had finished his mothering. All Rei had wanted to do was stop the bleeding of her cuts and then go out again to try to find another youma lead. Instead he had insisted, no, demanded, that she sit down and get treatment. Rei didn't know why she agreed; maybe she was just tired and wanted to rest for a while.
It had been close in the fireworks shop; she had almost been blown apart with all the youma. Rei had hesitated for a split second after she had shot off her fire soul. Many thoughts had raced through her mind, all on the same vein: Was it really worth the bother to go on; was it worth hanging on to this life? It would have been easy just to stand there, giving in to death. Rei had done her job and stopped the gate. But something had held her back from making that decision. Rei wasn't sure what it was exactly, but something inside her told her that she wasn't ready to die, not yet. Rei thought it was because Khairephon, the youma leader, was still alive. Her job wasn't totally complete. And so, Rei had run to the nearest window and threw herself through it while all the youma were staring open-mouthed at her fireball. If she had waited any longer she would have died with them.
Rei idly wondered where Sanjuro was. He had been gone for a while... but maybe he had headed back to Chinatown once his business at the Yokohama Daily was done. Sanjuro was no doubt extremely disappointed he had missed out on what happened.
"There," said Tsubasa, tying off the last bandage, "all done. Don't you feel better?" He gave her a slight smile.
Rei moved her eyes to his, as if silently telling him how stupid the question was. She didn't -feel- anything. It was like she was viewing the world through a veil of apathy, not truly caring what happened. But Rei supposed that was not entirely true. She was trying to stop the youma; that was a sign she cared about something, right? No, that was wrong. She didn't really care; Rei wanted to stop the youma because that was all she had to do now. It was the only part of her former life that she had held onto.
Rei returned her eyes to the stained ceiling of the ratty apartment. She wished it would all just end... she didn't have much fight left in her.
******
Tsubasa looked at Megumi with worry as he put away the medical supplies. He had never felt such relief before when he had realised that she had escaped the shop. The two of them had gone back to Sanjuro's post haste. It was strange; one minute a girl was running alongside him, all decked out in black, the next Megumi was running in normal everyday clothes. Tsubasa surmised the black covered girl was Megumi's alter ego. When they had reached Sanjuro's apartment, Tsubasa had insisted that Megumi take a seat and get her injuries seen too. She had some rather nasty burns on parts of her body, but mercifully her coat seemed to have provided some protection from the fire.
Tsubasa stood up and walked into the bathroom to wash his hands. He was concerned about Megumi's mental state. For the short time he had known her, Megumi had always been sharp tongued and easily angered, but was still capable of letting her hair down so to speak and act like a normal, everyday girl. But now... she didn't talk much at all and what she did say was right to the point. Megumi just seemed... dark, and disturbed. And her eyes... Tsubasa got slight shivers when she looked at him with her cold lavender eyes, the eyes that he had once thought pretty.
Tsubasa picked up a semi-wet towel off Sanjuro's bathroom floor and attempted to dry his hands.
Wonder where that heartless slob is... I hope he's waiting in Chinatown... I hope he ends up waiting all night Tsubasa thought.
He didn't usually think about people like that, but Sanjuro just got under his skin. He was so selfish, he only thought about his `award winning' story. Tsubasa shook his head and left the bathroom. Megumi was still sitting in the same spot when he came out, still looking at the ceiling. He sighed and looked over to the empty picture frame lying on the bed. Tsubasa supposed she had taken the photo out and kept it on her person now. At least it was a sign she still cared about something.
Tsubasa was jolted out of his thoughts by the phone ringing. He glanced over to it, wondering if he should answer it.
I'll let the machine get it; it's probably some friend of Sanjuro's or maybe Sanjuro himself calling to see if Megumi is here
The answering machine kicked in and Tsubasa tried to ignore Sanjuro's inane novelty phone message. There was a beep and then there was something that sounded like deep breathing on the other end.
Great, a prankster
But as Tsubasa listened he picked up something else. It was like someone was trying to say something but couldn't quite get the words out. Like when you had been to the dentist and your mouth was numbed.
"Gelf?" What the hell is a `gelf?' thought Tsubasa, trying to deceiver what the speaker was saying.
Tsubasa was knocked aside as Megumi brushed past him and picked up the phone.
"It's me, I'm here. Where are you? ...Can you understand what I'm saying? Sanjuro? ...I understand, hold on," Megumi slammed down the phone and started to pull on her clothes.
"What's going on?" Tsubasa asked, "Was that Sanjuro? Is he in trouble or something?"
Megumi ignored his questions and ran out of the apartment. Tsubasa cursed and ran after her.
******
Sanjuro lay under his desk on his side, still clutching the phone. His head fell full, like he had a bad head cold. Something cold and slimy was leaking out of his nose and ears. It was hard to think... he could barely remember his own name. Sanjuro had lay there a long time just trying to remember the phone number of his own apartment, and even after he remembered that he found it difficult to form words, like they were in a different language.
But one thought had remained strong: Sanjuro had to get her here. Sanjuro blinked his eyes slowly. His eyelids were sticky... the slimy stuff was coming out of the corners of his eyes too. Sanjuro heard cries far off, two men screaming. There were quick footsteps like someone was running. And also something not quite right... something inhuman. Sanjuro knew what that `something' looked like but his mind seemed to rebel calling the image up. His mind was so sluggish... it was hard to even move. Everything was just so slow...
******
The taxicab pulled up at the Yokohama Daily office tower and Tsubasa threw a handful of yen at the driver then quickly followed the running Megumi into the building. Tsubasa stopped to catch his breath as Megumi scanned the information board for something; most likely Sanjuro's office location. He turned his head to his right and saw a security guard come jogging over.
"Hey, you two, this building is closed to the public now, employees only," the guard said.
"We're just visiting a friend," said Tsubasa.
"Don't care, the building is closed... you have to leave -now-," the guard said with some menace.
Megumi ignored their conversation and ran towards the elevators, having found what she was looking for on the board. Tsubasa ran too, the security guard yelling and chasing after them. He ran into the elevator Megumi was in just in time, the doors closing behind him as the security guard tried desperately to stop them.
"Phew... I thought he'd get us for sure," Tsubasa gasped.
Megumi ignored him as per usual, and looked at the floor numbers tick upwards. Tsubasa was going to ask what was going on but instead decided to save his breath.
"Nearly there..." Megumi whispered to herself and then abruptly shouted, "MARS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"
Tsubasa covered his eyes with a hand as a bright red light shined from Megumi for a fraction of a second. He lowered his hand and blinked in amazement. She looked like the girl who came out of Wong Fei's earlier; dressed in a black duster-style coat over a similarly coloured bodysuit and a veil over her face.
"Megumi...?" Tsubasa questioned quietly.
Megumi's eyes moved to him as if looking at bug that had no right to live. Tsubasa moved back nervously. Maybe it would be better if he just stood there and shut up.
******
Sailor Mars moved cautiously out of the elevator when it arrived at the fourteenth floor. Sanjuro was in trouble and it was to do with a youma. His speech had been badly slurred and mangled on the phone, but Mars had learned that much. Make no mistake: she had not come to his rescue; Sailor Mars had come because a youma was here that could tell her where Khairephon was. And before it died it would talk.
Sailor Mars stepped carefully down the hall being as quiet as possible. She made her way to the main office area by following the helpful signs posted on the walls. She was aware of Tsubasa moving at what he must of thought was a low noise level. His heavy breathing was a dead give away.
I should have left him at the apartment
Tsubasa gasped as they rounded a corner and saw a rotund balding man lying face down in the hallway. Sailor Mars stopped and looked around, making sure it wasn't an ambush. She moved towards the man and crouched down beside him, examining the body. Mars heard Tsubasa heave as he looked upon the corpse. It was like the man's face was partially melted into the floor; his flesh and bone had been dissolved by something, most likely some sort of acid.
"Youma..." whispered Mars.
Sailor Mars turned her head back to Tsubasa. He looked quite pale and ready to throw up.
He's going to get in the way
"Maybe you should stay here," she said quietly.
Tsubasa shook his head, his eyes wide. "W-with that?" he pointed to the melted body. "I don't think so..."
"Then go wait in the elevator or something,"
Sailor Mars resumed moving towards the main office area, leaving Tsubasa behind. As she crept down the hall, she heard someone whimpering behind a door that was labelled as an office supply closet. Mars approached the door carefully then kicked it open without warning, ready to torch anything not human. She was greeted with a loud scream by a man cowering in a ball, his hands covering his head.
"You, talk. How many people are on this floor?" Mars demanded, one hand pointed at him.
The longhaired man peered at her through his fingers. His one visible eye blinked as he took in Mars' appearance.
"Y-y-you're her, t-the masked hero! Y-you came... Sanjuro-"
"How many?" Mars demanded again, her voice harder.
"Four! ...No, w-wait... three... me, Sanjuro and Mr. Takaji, the editor. Tetsuyo... T-tesuyo c-c-changed-"
Sailor Mars closed the door shut before he finished.
So. One youma and Sanjuro are left running around here somewhere. I hope the youma is still here... it would probably want all witnesses dead before it left
Mars ducked on instinct as a green mass flew at her, sailing over her head and splattering on the door. There was a sizzling sound as a hole was melted through the door. Mars heard the man start to scream again. She turned her head in the direction of the attack, at the youma. The creature was humanoid, but it was like its' head had been replaced by a squid. Dark purple tentacles dangled over its mouth, matching its skin colour. Some tentacles had suction cups at the ends.
"Here you are," it rasped, the tentacles over its mouth wobbling, "it seems I wasted my time sucking on that other human's brain,"
Sailor Mars tilted her head slightly at it, her eyes boring into its own on its large balloon head. The youma shifted his feet a little, no doubt thinking about how many youma she had killed and her obvious lack of fear.
It's going to run, the coward thought Mars.
"Hey what's going on?!" said the security guard from downstairs, who was at end of the hall with Tsubasa latched onto his arm and trying to pull him back.
The youma turned and spat a green slimy substance at the guard, hitting him in the chest. The guard howled in agony as his uniform, flesh and then his ribcage melted, vapours coming off the wound. He fell to the floor dragging Tsubasa down with him.
"FIRE SOUL!"
Sailor Mars launched a fireball at the youma as it bolted over the two fallen men. But she was too slow, the ball scorching the hallway wall and causing the automatic sprinklers to activate. Mars hurriedly took off after the youma as water fell down around her. She turned a corner fast and quickly ducked and rolled to her right as an acid ball shot at her. The youma, who had waited on Sailor Mars coming around the corner, cursed and began running off again down the hall.
Enough of this; I refuse to chase this thing all over the place
"FIRE SOUL BIRD!"
A phoenix soared down the hallway after the youma, setting off sprinklers in its wake. The bird smashed into the fleeing youma's back throwing it to the ground and causing it to slide along the floor. It flailed wildly trying to put out the numerous flames on its body with the help of the activated sprinklers above. Mars marched up to the youma and then stood over it, hands on her hips.
"Tell me where Khairephon is, where are your headquarters?" Sailor Mars said.
The youma struggled onto its back and looked up at Mars through beady eyes. It gurgled as it looked upon her. Mars supposed this was some kind of response to fear. The sprinklers continued to rain water down on them from above, clapping Mars' hair onto her head. The youma seemed as if it was deciding its chances of survival if it refused to talk. It caved pretty quickly.
"R-ragnarok..." it rasped in a shaky voice, "Ragnarok nightclub..."
Sailor Mars smiled tightly down at the youma. She would finish this tonight. Mars would bring a conflagration to the `Ragnarok' and the youma that dwell in there of the likes they had never seen before. And Khairephon would burn in that inferno as well.
The youma, seeing Mars lost in her thoughts of flames and burning, jumped to its feet and barged past her, seeking its escape. Sailor Mars turned around, about to fry the youma to a cinder when there was a loud squelching sound as the youma passed a hallway opening. It stood stock still for a second, its arms spread out slightly, then collapsed onto its back. Mars looked dispassionately down at the youma, looking at the paper guillotine blade wedged in its neck, blood pumping out and onto the floor from the grievous injury, mixing with the sprinkler water. She lifted her eyes as Sanjuro staggered rigidly around a corner, his face covered in a yellowish glutenous substance.
"Thaf'll... teef... `im... ti... poke... tenticeels in ee..." he choked out.
Sanjuro fell backwards against a wall and slid slowly down it onto his backside. Tsubasa moved quickly to his side, having pushed off the heavy guard from on top of him, and felt Sanjuro's neck for a pulse. Tsubasa did his best to avoid the slimy fluid on Sanjuro's face. He looked back through wet hanging hair at Mars.
"His pulse is really slow, I think he needs an ambulance... and those other two..." he looked back down the hallway where the corpses of the editor of the Daily and the security guard lay.
"Then call one," said Mars in a monotone voice, "the night isn't over yet and I have things to do..."
Sailor Mars turned around and walked towards the elevator. She heard a shrill ringing as the fire alarm was pulled. Mars saw Tsubasa's hand appear through the closing elevator doors, causing them to open and let him in.
"The alarm should bring help and the sprinklers activating will bring them to Sanjuro..." Tsubasa said, as if trying to justify his decision.
Mars contemplated telling him about the other man in the office supply closet, but decided to remain quiet instead. The elevator doors opened on the ground floor and the two of them exited, leaving puddles of water with each step.
"Where are we- I mean, you, going?" asked Tsubasa warily, not wanting her to leave him behind.
"A nightclub, the Ragnarok. It's their base,"
"A nightclub? Won't that mean there are people there? Just ordinary people, you know, humans?" Tsubasa said with worry.
"...Probably..." said Mars, unconcerned as she squeezed water from her long hair.
Tsubasa stared at her and swallowed nervously.
Part thirteen |
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