Worst Fear
-by: the Yarnspinner-
the_yarnspinner@yahoo.com
A Sekkushiaru Roman
featuring characters from the anime "Sailor Moon"> Part 3 <
The giant craft appeared directly above Juuban hospital, with Rubeus floating beneath it. As he looked down at the building, all remained quiet.
"Come and face me, Sailor Senshi!" he called out, watching for any signs of movement. "Come and face your doom!"
Only the noise of the city answered him. A frown of disappointment crossed his face. He'd been hoping for some excitement.
"This is almost too easy," he muttered, descending to the roof. As his feet touched the roof, his ship faded from view. He took a step toward the door.
"Shine Aqua Illusion!"
Rubeus screamed in pain as a blast of ice smashed into him. Almost immediately, he was struck hard by Sailor Jupiter.
As Mars unleashed her Burning Mandala, Venus smiled with grim satisfaction as their trap closed. Rising to her feet, she hit Rubeus with her Lovely Chain, sending him sprawling.
In pain, he rolled to the left, struggling to answer their attacks. Jupiter struck again, forcing him to keep moving, while Mars' Fire Soul scorched his back. More ice washed over him, the bone-chilling cold zapping his strength. He struggled to get up, but lost his footing on the frozen roof, going sprawling into the side of a steel vent shaft. Though in serious pain, he immediately realized the Senshi had stopped their attack. With a quick roll, he hurled several energy bursts, sending Mars and Mercury diving for cover. He narrowly avoided Venus' Lovely Chain, then felt the air crackle around him as a massive lightning bolt smashed into the vent. He cried out in pain. The lights on the roof blinked out, as Jupiter's blast tripped the circuit breakers in the building. Rubeus quickly floated upward. Seconds later the lights came back on. A single red rose struck him hard, sending him tumbling to the roof again.
"Surely you're not leaving so soon," Sailor Moon said icily, standing in front of him. "You did say you wanted us to face you."
As he glared angrily back at her, the other Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen gathered closer. His hand brushed his amulet, and a brilliant beam of light stabbed down from the sky, engulfing them. Overhead, Rubeus' ship had again become visible, and the beam drew them all up into it.
"Now we'll do things my way," he declared, sweeping his hand in front of him.
More energy pulsed around the immobilized Senshi, encasing them in dark crystal. A glow of energy surrounded both Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, shielding them from the trap. As the dark energy faded, Sailor Moon faced Rubeus, her moon rod in hand. He stepped back, clearly confused that they had not been trapped like the others.
"Sailor Moon. Surrender the ginzuishou and the rabbit, or I'll kill your friends," he demanded.
"No," she answered firmly, taking a step forward.
'Careful, Usako,' Tuxedo Kamen cautioned telepathically. 'This ship generates a lot of energy, which I'm sure he can tap into.'
'I can handle it,' she responded. "You're the one who is going to surrender," she told Rubeus.
"I don't think so," he laughed, before hurling a blast of dark energy at her.
Sailor Moon dove aside, her crystal, and the rose affixed to her brooch, beginning to glow. Tuxedo Kamen threw several roses at Rubeus, giving Sailor Moon a chance to attack.
"Moon... Princess... Halation!"
Rubeus flinched as her energy slammed into his shield. Although it held, he could tell she was more powerful than she had been before. He quickly fired back, but this time she met his attack with energy from the silver crystal.
She felt the energy coursing through her, realizing that she seemed to be stronger now, and noticed the rose tinge to the crystal's energy. Quickly, though, she found that even her increased strength was not enough to overcome the power Rubeus was drawing from the ship.
Tuxedo Kamen came to the same conclusion, observing the large pulsating dark crystal that dominated the chamber. With Rubeus' attention focused entirely on Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen drew closer to the large crystal. It was protected by an energy barrier, but an idea quickly formed in his mind.
'Mamo-chan! He's too strong!' her voice cried in his mind.
'Keep at it, Usako,' he answered. 'We need him to draw on as much power as possible.'
'Easy for you to say,' she muttered, struggling to coax still more power out of the ginzuishou.
Mamoru sensed the increase in power from the dark crystal as Rubeus countered. Just as Rubeus again began to gain the upper hand over Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen threw a handful of roses at him. Rubeus flinched as his power was drawn to protecting him. More roses hit the shield surrounding him. In anger and annoyance, he glanced over at Tuxedo Kamen.
"Sailor Moon! Now!" he yelled, hurling two roses at the dark crystal.
In an instant, she redirected the ginzuishou's energy through the moon rod, and hurled it toward the dark crystal, striking his two roses like lightning rods. The two intense points of energy penetration burst through the barrier and cracked the dark crystal, which began pulsing and flaring ominously. As it did so, the crystalline tombs entrapping the Senshi faded away.
"Enjoy your triumph while you can, Sailors!" Rubeus declared. "You cannot escape!"
As he spoke, one part of the wall became transparent, revealing that they were now several kilometers in the sky. He teleported to the control center, floating high above them, and the ship climbed faster.
"He's taking us higher!" Mako said.
"But he'll be killed as well," Minako exclaimed.
Rubeus laughed. "What better way to die than to take you miserable Senshi with me!"
Just then, the dark crystal flared once more and exploded. The ship began vibrating, throwing them all off their feet. Above the Senshi, the control center erupted in flames. They heard Rubeus scream, when it suddenly exploded. Flaming debris rained down, and the ship shook again violently.
"We have to get out of here!" Rei said.
"The Sailor teleport," Ami said. "It's our only choice."
"But Sailor Moon is weakened..." Rei protested.
"I'll make it," Usagi insisted. "Let's do it."
They quickly formed a circle around Tuxedo Kamen. As they activated their powers, Usagi added energy from the ginzuishou, and could feel power being shared with Mamoru. A multi-hued glow engulfed them and they faded from sight.
An instant later, they reappeared in a burst of light on the hospital roof, while a bright flash filled the night sky as Rubeus' ship exploded.
"You did it! Good job!" Artemis cheered.
"Well done," Luna agreed.
Usagi's face quickly became serious again. "I want to find out how Chibi-Usa's doing."
They quickly transformed back to normal. Minako concealed Luna and Artemis in her backpack, and they made their way downstairs to the waiting room on Chibi-Usa's floor. They arrived simultaneously with a dejected Shingo.
"What's wrong?" Usagi asked, concern welling up inside her.
"Ohhhh, I missed all the fun," he grumbled.
"What fun?" Mamoru asked.
"They're saying the Sailor Senshi fought off a UFO that tried to land on the roof. And I missed it."
"A UFO landing on the roof of the hospital? I think somebody's been feeding you a line, Shingo-chan," Minako said with a grin.
He scowled at her, and they all entered the waiting room.
"Usagi," Ikuko called.
"Mom. Any word yet?" Usagi asked.
"No. Nothing, I'm afraid," she said.
Shingo was perched on the edge of a seat, clearly getting antsy.
"Shingo. Behave yourself," Kenji said quietly.
"I think we should get him home, dear. It is late," Ikuko said.
"I'd like to stay," Usagi told her mother.
"Yes. We'll stay," Mamoru said. "You go home and get some sleep. We'll call you right away if there's any news."
Kenji rose to his feet. "Well..., thank you. I think we will take you up on your offer."
"Thank you," Ikuko said.
As they left, Mamoru, Usagi, and the other girls sat down to wait.
"Are you sure you want to wait here?" Usagi asked the others.
"Sure," Rei answered. "I think we all want to see that she's alright."
Usagi nodded, her eyes expressing her thanks to her friends. She rested her head on Mamoru's shoulder, soon dozing off.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mamoru nudged Usagi awake softly.
"Hmmm?"
"Would you like to go sit with her?" he asked.
"What?" she asked, blinking the sleep from her eyes. "I didn't think I could. Besides, isn't it too late for her to have visitors?"
"It's a special case," he said.
"What's happened?" she asked, concerned.
"She's stirring a little," a doctor said quietly. "Not conscious yet, but getting closer. It can help if the patient hears familiar voices. Also, it's preferable for a child that age to have a familiar face present when she does wake up."
"Can you project when she'll wake up?" Mamoru asked.
"Not yet, I afraid," the doctor answered.
"Thank you."
The doctor led Mamoru and Usagi down the hall to Chibi-Usa's room, where the little girl lay in the bed. Occasionally, her head would move slightly. They pulled chairs up next to the bed and sat down. Usagi rested her hand on Chibi-Usa's shoulder.
"Hi, Chibi-Usa," Usagi said quietly. "Mamoru and I are here. We want you to get better."
"That's right," he agreed. "We want to see you wake up."
The doctor nodded. "That's good. Just let her hear your voices."
As the doctor left, Usagi brushed a finger along the girl's cheek.
"I don't think we need to call your parents yet," Mamoru told Usagi. "Not until there's more to report."
"I agree," she replied.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rei crept into the room. "How's she doing?"
"No change yet," Usagi answered.
Rei nodded and moved closer. "Hi there, little girl," she said to Chibi-Usa. "It's me, Rei. Are you going to wake up soon, or are you going to sleep all the time?"
"You just get well," Usagi said.
"I'd better be getting back," Rei said. "Let us know if there's any change."
"Sure," Mamoru replied.
The door closed behind Rei, and the room remained quiet, except for their soft words to the little girl, and the occasional noises out in the hall.
After some time, Usagi felt the girl move, looking up to see her eyes flicker open.
"Mamo-chan," she whispered.
Mamoru saw the same thing, leaning closer.
"Hi there. How are you doing?" Usagi asked her.
"You really had us worried," Mamoru added.
Chibi-Usa's eyes swept briefly across their faces, then closed. "Mommy. Daddy," she sighed.
Usagi leaned forward and hugged her, with tears in her eyes.
Mamoru placed a hand on Usagi's shoulder, feeling a lump in his throat.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kenji and Ikuko burst from the elevator, finding Mamoru outside the waiting room.
"How is she?" Ikuko asked.
"She woke up briefly," Mamoru answered. "The doctors are running some tests, but seem to think things are looking good."
Usagi rushed out of the waiting room and embraced her mother.
"Oh, Mom," she sobbed. "I felt sooo happy when she opened her eyes and looked at me."
"I'm happy, too, dear," Ikuko told her. "And I'm sure she'll be fine."
A doctor approached. "Mr. & Mrs. Tsukino?"
"Yes," Kenji answered.
"Your niece is awake again," the doctor said. "She's still pretty groggy, but looks to be doing well."
"That's wonderful news," Ikuko sighed with relief.
"Can we see her?" Kenji asked.
"Yes. That's fine."
Kenji, Ikuko, and Usagi followed the doctor back to Chibi-Usa's room, while Mamoru remained behind, offering his own quiet prayers of thanks.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Later, as the sun shone brightly over the city, Mamoru sat beside Chibi-Usa's bed, amusing her with his Tuxedo Kamen puppet.
"Sailor Moon protected you from the bad man, Rubeus," he said in the puppet's voice. "Rubeus will never bother you again."
"She's very special, isn't she?" Chibi-Usa asked.
"Yes. And she cares about you very much. So do I," Mamoru said.
"But how can Usagi be Sailor Moon? She's such a crybaby."
"Not all the time," he told her. "We can't be brave fighters of evil all the time. Not even Sailor Moon. Her greatest strength is her heart. She really cares about people, and keeping those she loves safe. But even she needs to relax from time to time, and just be an ordinary person."
"Now that Rubeus is gone, can you take me home?" she asked. "I want to go home."
"I know you do. And I think we should be able to arrange that soon," he said. "But first, you have to get all better. OK?"
"OK," she agreed.
Usagi entered the room. "So, how are you doing?" she asked.
"Fine," Chibi-Usa answered. "I suppose you're going to spend all day smooching with Mamo-chan."
"Well, that does sound like fun," Usagi agreed, pausing to kiss Mamoru. "But actually, I'm here to see you. I've been worried about you. And I brought you another visitor!" She set her bag down on the bed and opened it, revealing Luna.
"Luna!" the girl exclaimed, reaching over and stroking the cat behind her ears.
"I'm glad you're doing better," Luna said. "I wanted to come in and see you."
"The hospital doesn't like cats," Usagi said, winking conspiratorially at Chibi-Usa. "We have to keep this a secret."
"They won't get a word out of me," Chibi-Usa giggled.* * * * * * * * * * * *
NOTE: None of the steamy stuff here in the third installment, but I'm sure you'll agree it wouldn't have really fit.Always remember, good gentles, that a yarnspinner works from and within existing legends and stories. The characters of "Sailor Moon" belong to others. In spinning my yarns, I do not seek to infringe on their rights of ownership, but merely to join with other fans to spread the legend still further. "The moonlight carries a message of love." Enjoy.