by

Eric Metcalf

The night was cool and clear, enfolding Tokyo in a dark velvet embrace. Tokyo's streets thronged with people: shoppers, lovers, and families all out enjoying themselves. Not all of those who moved through the crowds, however, were out for a good time.

Karaso scowled into his jacket at the crowds. The good feelings he kept picking up from them warred mightily with his own anger and frustration. A few days earlier, the peace rally he had planned to frustrate the defensive preparations was thwarted, not by the Sailor Senshi, but by his subordinate youma, Tuxedo Kamen and the very police unit he hoped to get disbanded. The bitter irony of it ate at him, twisting his features every time he thought on it. He felt the anger seeping out of him, touching those around him through his telepathic powers. Around him, lovers began fighting, children began whining at suddenly obstinate parents, and couples fell into icy silence. Reining in his powers, he decided to cause a little mayhem on a more focused scale. Perhaps that, he decided, will get my mind off of this and onto planning how next to strike these pitiful, if lucky, humans. Reaching out with his telepathy, he touched nearby minds, searching for seeds of anger, jealousy, or fear he could manipulate.

Usagi and Mamoru walked through the crowds just ahead of Ean and Minako, laughing and chatting. They had just come from dinner, and were debating about what to do next. "I think a movie would be niEEK!" Usagi shrieked as she stuck her foot into a crack in the sidewalk and tripped. Ean strode forward and caught her arm in a flash, stopping her before she fell flat on her face.

Usagi smiled sweetly at him as he helped her up, but Ean saw a frown flash across Mamoru's face. "Thanks, Ean."

"No problem, Usagi."

Mamoru reached forward and snatched Usagi's arm roughly. "Come on, Usagi, time for you to go home." Usagi protested, but Mamoru ignored her. Ean saw that Mamoru's eyes were on him as often as on his sputtering girlfriend and the jealousy there wasn't hard to read.

"Let's go, Ean," Minako piped up, looking up at him. Ean turned and walked with her, but the scene with Mamoru and Usagi kept nagging at him, and he kept turning his head from time to time, as if looking after them.

Minako snorted and, when Ean turned back to her, he saw a mirror for Mamoru's expression of jealousy. "Worried about Usagi?" Minako asked, sarcasm dripping from her words.

"Yeah, I've never seen Mamoru act like that before."

"Is it any wonder?"

Ean's eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, it is, because all I did was catch her before she fell and probably busted her head open, with her luck."

Minako snorted again. "You should have let her fall."

Ean's eyes nearly bugged out. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, I thought you were her friend."

Minako glared at him, her newfound jealousy flaring again. "Fine, if you're so worried about her, go to her. Goodbye." Ean started to call after her as she walked quickly away, disappearing into the crowd. For a moment, he stood in the middle of the sidewalk, looking first toward where Minako had disappeared, and then back to where Usagi and Mamoru had gone. After a short bit of indecision, he finally turned and headed after Usagi and Mamoru.

After what seemed like hours of searching, Ean finally stopped near a small park to get his bearings. He still didn't know Tokyo that well, and he started looking around for street signs to get him headed to Usagi's house. As he was standing there, he heard a small sound from the park.

Turning that way, he saw a person in one of the gazeboes, and, as he walked closer, he could tell that the sound was a girl sobbing. Taking a closer look at the girl, he could make out Usagi's odango-and-ponytail hairstyle. Her back was to him, and she obviously didn't hear him coming.

As he came up to the edge of the gazebo, he deliberately scraped his shoe across a rock. Usagi sat up straight and wheeled around. Ean could see red streaks down her pretty face as her eyes widened in recognition.

"Ean, oh Ean," she sobbed, running towards him and burying her face in his shoulder. Ean pulled her close and held her for a few minutes, stroking her hair while she cried into his shoulder.

After the first gush of tears was finished, he gently pulled her head up. "Usagi, what happened after Mamoru pulled you away?"

Usagi looked down and fought back sobs as she answered. "We argued as he drug me along. I couldn't understand why he was so mad, until finally he... he.."

Usagi tried to turn her left cheek to the ground, blushing fiercely. Ean took her chin and gently turned her face to let him see the cheek. His breath caught and his face twisted with anger when he saw the handprint on her cheek.

She tried to pull away, ashamed, but he pulled her tight. "Shh, Usagi, it's all right," he cooed, holding her close as she started crying again.

After a short cry, she looked up at him. "Why is Mamoru acting like this?"

"I don't know, Usagi, but Minako's acting the same way, mean and jealous. I think something's wrong. If you're okay, I've got an idea." Usagi looked up and nodded, sniffing a couple of times.

"I haven't had any luck talking to Minako, but you might. Sometimes girls and guys can't really talk with each other, but girls and girls can. So why don't you call up the other Senshi and track down Minako, and I'll find Mamoru and try to talk some sense into him."

"Why call up the other Senshi? I don't think they need to be involved in this."

Ean drew in a low breath. "I think something weird is going on here, something that may involve youma. Even if it doesn't, Minako may just be crazy enough to become Sailor Venus, and I don't know if even you could win a one-on-one shootout with her." Usagi's eyes widened at the thought of battling one of her best friends.

Ean gave Usagi a quick kiss on the forehead before untangling himself from her. "Which way did Mamoru go?"

Usagi pointed down one street. "That way, I think. I didn't see too well." Ean smiled and nodded in understanding, then waved and started off. Usagi took out her communicator and started contacting the Senshi, explaining roughly what had happened to each one as she reached them.

Ean had walked about two blocks before he began to recognize some of the buildings. It took him another block to realize where he was heading towards, and he began to quicken his pace. He crested a rise, and caught sight of Rei's temple just before he saw Mamoru, walking along.

"Mamoru," Ean shouted, causing the dark-haired man to turn.

When he saw Ean, his blank expression curled into a snarl, but he stopped, allowing Ean to catch up. "What do you want," he snarled, anger and a hint of superiority in his voice. "I was on my way.."

"To find Rei and use her to get revenge on Usagi, yeah, I figured it out. Why are you doing this, Mamoru, what is up with you? Only a coward hits his girlfriend, and the Chiba Mamoru I know is no coward." Mamoru's nostrils flared, and he swung a karate strike at Ean's head. Ean blocked the strike and caught Mamoru on the chin with a solid right cross. The punch seemed to stun Mamoru, who stood still for a long second while Ean shook his stinging hand.

When Mamoru opened his eyes, the rage was gone from them, replaced by confusion. "Why did you just hit me?" he asked, rubbing his jaw.

Ean's eyes widened. "You don't remember," he said slowly, then he started again. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Mamoru screwed his face up in concentration. "I remember walking with Usagi and you and Minako. I remember seeing Usagi trip, but being too slow to catch her and you caught her. I remember her smiling at you, and a little bit of jealousy that you caught her and I didn't. Then, I remember getting hit in the jaw." He looked around, as if for the first time. "Wait a minute, this isn't where we were, we were several blocks away." Ean nodded, then nodded his head at Mamoru's watch. Mamoru looked down, and his eyes almost bugged out. "It was, well, almost an hour ago. What's going on here?"

Ean took a deep breath. "I'm not sure, but I think that the youma telepath from the peace rally used your jealousy to, if not take control of you mind, then to twist your mind. You've done some things that you normally wouldn't do, and we'll worry about those later."

Mamoru looked around. "Where's Usagi?"

"Going after Minako, who I think is in the same shape you were in just a minute ago."

Mamoru seemed to start, and Ean felt as if someone had thrown a steel band around his heart. No, he thought, make that three steel bands.

"She's in trouble."

"So that's what this feeling is. When I felt it the other day, I thought it was just nerves."

Mamoru looked a little jealous again. "Usagi?"

Ean shook his head. "No; Ami, Rei, and Makoto, although don't ask me how I know that."

Mamoru nodded, then pulled a rose out of his coat. "We need to move fast."

Ean nodded and drew the moon saber hilt. "Lead off. You've got more experience at this rescue stuff than I do."

The streets had cleared around Usagi, Rei, Makoto, and Ami as they looked around. Ami stood in the center of the other three, using her computer to track Minako's energy signature. While Makoto kept a sharp eye out, Rei and Usagi were arguing. "Are you sure you didn't say anything to really make him jealous? The Mamoru I know isn't that way."

"REI," Usagi whined, "why are being so mean? Why don't you believe me?"

Makoto rolled her eyes. "Rei, knock it off, she was being so mature. Was this whole thing about the telepath being involved your idea or Ean's?"

Usagi looked down and bit her lip, then replied softly. "Ean's." She perked up almost immediately. "But I think it's a good idea."

Rei rolled her eyes and started to reply when Ami cut the discussion off. "Whoa, Minako's energy signature just jumped, I think.." Ami didn't finish, as a familiar voice echoed through the streets.

"Venus Star Power, Make Up!" The four senshi looked at each other, wide-eyed for a moment.

Usagi spoke first. "We'd better transform ourselves." The others nodded and drew their transformation wands.

"Moon Star Power, Make Up!"

"Mercury Star Power, Make Up!"

"Mars Star Power, Make Up!"

"Jupiter Star Power, Make Up!"

After their transformations ended, the four began running towards the sound of Minako's voice. As they rounded a corner, they pulled up short. Venus was standing beside a young man with red hair, who seemed familiar to all of them.

Mars recognized him first. "He was at the rally, he must be the youma."

Sailor Moon strode forward. "Manipulating young peoples' hearts is truly evil. In the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

The youma turned, as if he just now noticed them, and smiled evilly. "Well, well, well, the Sailor Senshi appear. My dear, restrain them, please."

Venus's smile mirrored the youma's. "Of course. Venus Love Me Chain!" The chain of illusionary hearts shot out, encircling the four Senshi and, in an instant, snapped taut around them, binding them together with their hands at their sides.

"Venus," Moon cried, "no, don't do this! What are you doing?" Venus didn't reply; she just held the chain taut.

The youma laughed, as a sudden wind whipped their hair about. "Proving her loyalty, that is what she is doing. However, she shall not be required to actually harm you, another shall have that pleasure." The wild-haired youma flew down from the clouds, but her usual laughter was silent. Instead, she simply stared, blank-eyed, as she rode the wind down to the group.

The red-haired youma had closed his eyes, evidently in concentration, as she approached. She raised her hand, as if calling to the sky. Jupiter tried to shy away. "That's what she does just before she hits you with lightning. We're sitting ducks like this." Suddenly, the youma fell back, a red rose having seemingly sprung from her chest. All eyes swung towards the street.

"Turning friends against each other is truly bad form. Perhaps you would care for a more, even, contest?" Tuxedo Kamen drew another rose.

"Well, ladies, the boys are back in town." Warlord held his saber out as Moon gasped.

"Tuexdo Kamen, Warlord!"

The red haired youma's eyes snapped open. He snarled. "Venus, destroy them!"

"Go try and free the girls, I'll deal with her," Warlord shouted as Venus turned towards him. He started running forward, moving the saber so that it was slightly in front of him as he ran.

"Venus Crescent Beam!"

"Moon Saber Shield!" A glowing circle of force appeared around the saber's finger-guard.

Quickly, Warlord brought the shield up to block Venus's pencil-thin beam, reflecting it back. The beam cut the chain holding the senshi, and both disappeared in a flash of energy. The youma snarled again and, motioning for Venus to follow, took off running.

"Nice save," Jupiter said.

"It's all in the wrist," Warlord replied, "let's go." The group took off after the two, Warlord in the lead.

Karaso ran with Sailor Venus down side streets and along main thoroughfares, trying to lose the senshi and their allies. After failing to lose them several times, he knew he needed something to really slow them down. Seeing that he was out of their sight for the moment, he grabbed Venus by the arms and stared deep into her eyes. A strangled gasp escaped her lips.

Warlord heard the sound of running footsteps ahead stop, then heard a low sound, like someone being strangled. Turning the last corner he saw the youma holding Venus by the arms, and she wasn't moving. The youma looked up at him, and dropped Venus to the ground and smiling sadistically, raced away.

Warlord ran to Venus, who lay sprawled bonelessly on the ground, and looked at her. Her eyes were open, but they weren't focusing. "No, no, oh no," he muttered as he pulled off one gauntlet and felt for a pulse. The other senshi had caught up by now. Mercury activated her visor as the others looked after the youma.

"He's getting away," Jupiter said, perturbed.

Warlord snarled. "Fuck him." His sudden profanity caused the others to turn and gasp as they saw Venus, lying there on the ground.

"She's alive," Ami said, "but that's about all I can say. I'm reading next to no higher brain function." Warlord gently pulled her head into his lap, then rocked his head back and roared. The cry was more like the roar of an animal, crying for its mate, than any human shout. The Senshi stood by for a moment stunned by what they saw and the raw pain in his cry. After he had stopped, his head dipped down, looking down into the staring eyes of Sailor Venus.

A moment passed then Sailor Mars spoke. "We need to get her to the temple. I think I can help her there."

At the temple, Luna and Artemis joined the senshi, Mamoru and Ean. Ean and Rei sat before the ceremonial fire, with Minako's body stretched out between them, with her head on Ean's lap. Artemis sat by her, his expression a mask of pain and frustration at his helplessness. The other senshi sat back in a rough semicircle, with Usagi sitting in Mamoru's lap.

Luna looked ready to burst. "When will somebody tell me what happened?" she asked, perturbed.

"Later," Ean replied hoarsely, in a voice that brooked no disagreement. Luna glared at him for a moment, then curled up and began washing.

Rei had been meditating for the past several minutes. She opened her eyes and looked at Ean, concern etched on her features. "As I feared, Minako is alive, but her conscious mind has been trapped somewhere in her mind, locked away, if you will. We have to free her conscious mind, or..." her voice trailed off, and no one picked up.

"What do we need to do?" Ean asked.

Rei took a deep breath. "We need to enter her mind and free her conscious mind from whatever the youma used to trap it. It won't be easy, and the danger will be great. But it's the only way."

Usagi started to speak up, but Ean cut her off. "I'll go," he said simply, and Rei nodded.

"Hey, wait, that's not fair," Usagi whined, "I'm her friend too."

Rei shook her head. "No, Usagi, I think it's best for Ean to come with me, and I can only take one other person. Ean, when you're ready, relax and stare into the fire. I'll take it from there."

Ean nodded and took a couple of deep breaths, then, with a smile down at Minako's face, turned and stared deep into the roaring fire. Slowly, the hushed whispers of the other senshi were drowned out to his ears by the crackle of the flames, and all he saw was fire. He felt himself floating, almost flying, then the scene changed. He felt a sickening lurch as the world shifted around him, becoming a flat plain of green. The green wasn't like grass, but more like green plastic. Looking up, he saw Rei standing beside him, looking as confused as he felt.

"Where are we?" Ean asked.

Rei looked around then snapped her fingers. "Of course. The telepath would need to block off all of her pleasant memories with us in order to turn her against us, but she really doesn't have any bad memories of her own of us, so that's why we aren't seeing anything." For a moment, Ean envied Rei her insight then he realized that he shouldn't. Glancing down, he saw that the green around them was slowly trying to climb up his legs, but it could barely lap over his boots.

"Ean," Rei said in an odd voice, "where was Mamoru going to when you stopped him?"

Glancing back, Ean could see the green climbing up Rei's ceremonial robe. "He was coming to see me, wasn't he?" she asked, the jealousy becoming clearer in her tone.

"Rei, it's not you that's feeling that, it's this place. The jealousy he used to control Minako is attacking us," Ean said urgently. Rei stiffened, as if waging an internal war.

"Rei," he continued, "you have to beat it. I need you with me to do this."

Rei shook her head, and spoke in a normal, if quiet voice. "No, I'm just a taxi driver. You are the one who needs to do something."

"Ean, why?" Minako's voice echoed over the plain. Turning, Ean saw her. Dressed in her school uniform, she hung just above the ground, spread-eagle, with tendrils of the green slime cris-crossing her body. "Why did you betray me, Ean? I thought you cared about me."

Ean began walking towards her, arms outstretched and palms up. "Minako, I never betrayed you, not for a minute, not in my heart. I do care about you, I never stopped caring about you."

The green tendrils sped up, as if trying to strengthen their hold. "Liar," she spat, "all lies!"

"Minako, listen to me," he said patiently. "You're being manipulated. These aren't really your feelings or thoughts, someone else put them there. You have to fight it, you have to believe me."

Minako writhed in her bonds, but she couldn't break free. Ean had approached now almost next to her. Reaching forward, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, full and hard. She twitched for a moment, then gave in to the kiss. Almost instantly, bright light filled Ean's senses.

When Ean could see again, he was once again sitting next to the fire in Rei's temple, with Minako's head in his lap. Seeing that Rei was coming to, he looked at her questioningly. She just smiled and nodded towards Minako.

After a long second, Minako's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled. "This is becoming a...habit," she said weakly.

Ean smiled back at her. "Not that I don't mind looking into your baby blues, but we've got to find an easier way to do this, kiddo, or I'm going to grow old real quick." They chuckled quietly.

Artemis looked up at Rei. "How did you do it?"

She nodded at Ean. "He did all the work. One good kiss brought her out of it."

Ean shrugged at their looks. "You know what they say: a kiss is worth a thousand words."

Usagi came over amid the laughter and looked at Minako. "Minako, I.."

Minako just shook her head, then sat up and hugged Usagi. "Usagi, I'm the one who should be sorry, if I did anything to hurt you while I was, not myself. I don't remember anything clearly, just some images, like waking up after a nightmare."

Mamoru nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty much what it was like for me as well, although Ean wasn't nearly so gentle about waking me up. Well, what now? Go home and get a good night's sleep?"

Ean shook his head and stood up. "Maybe for you, and definitely for you and Minako, but I'm going to find the son of a bitch who did this, and deal with him, once and for all."

Usagi stood up. "I'm going with you."

Rei stood next. "Then we're all going, all except Minako and Mamoru."

Mamoru shook his head and stood by Usagi's side, and Minako also shook her head and stood, albeit a bit unsteadily. "No, I need to go," she said.

Ean looked at her askance. "Whoa, there nellie, you can barely stand, much less fight."

Minako smiled and pulled out her transformation pen. "True, but I have this, and besides, none of you know where he is."

Karaso walked swiftly down the street, moving away from his previous rented apartment to a new one, one that hopefully the senshi couldn't find. The streets were deserted in the early morning, so Karaso was surprised when he heard a rustle from an alleyway ahead. He stopped dead in his tracks when Tuexdo Kamen and Super Sailor Moon stepped from the alleyway.

"Justice has come for you, evil one." Tuexdo Kamen said as he stepped forward to block Karaso's path. Karaso spun suddenly, only to see Warlord and Sailor Venus blocking that route.

"No way, Tuxie," Warlord said, "this one's mine." Karaso spun away, toward the street, only to see the other three Sailor Senshi suddenly appear to block that route as well. Karaso snarled, and suddenly a wave of mental force smashed against the senshi, driving them to their knees in pain. Trickles of blood started from their noses and ears at the sheer power.

"If I shall not leave this place," Karaso intoned, "then neither shall you." His eyes glowed a baleful red as he concentrated, sending out wave upon wave of mental force.

Warlord saw, dimly, Mars looking back and forth between him and Sailor Moon. Suddenly, as if Mars had come to a decision, he saw Sailor Moon straighten up, as if a weight had been lifted from her. "Now, mind raper," she said, voice proud and high, "feel the justice of the moon. Moon Scepter Elimination!" The attack blasted Karaso, driving him to his knees. The others gasped as the pain ended as suddenly as it had begun.

Warlord stepped forward, towering over Karaso. "No more mind games," he said, then decapitated Karaso with one clean cut of the saber. Sailor Moon cringed as the body dissolved to dust.

"There can be only one," Warlord intoned, then smiled as he saw the blank looks on the other's faces. "Sorry, too perfect."

Tuexdo Kamen looked down. "Well, what now?"

Warlord pulled his visor up. "Now, we go home and get that good night's sleep you were talking about earlier. I don't know about you, but I'm beat."

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