OBLIGATORY LEGAL DISCLAIMER : None of these guys are mine. The Sailor 
Senshi belong to DIC and Kodansha, while the Yoroiden are owned by 
Sunrise and Graz Entertainment. Okay? So don't bother suing me. I'm a 
student. 

                    RONIN SUMMER 3 : SHELL GAME
            
         A Sailor Moon / Yoroiden Samurai Troopers cross-over

             by Morgan Hudson (dataraven_659@excite.com)


"If only I had known then... that a shell of iron... is hollow."
                                                        -Anthony Stark

Part 1 : Target Practice

	The worst thing about being Empress, Kayura thought to herself,
was the boredom. Day after day, she sat on her throne and watched other
people do things. Occasionally she stifled a yawn. Today, though, was 
different. 

	Today, her Minister of Defense was returning. Today, one of her
most loyal subjects and cherished friends was coming home from a long 
and dangerous mission in the Earth Realm. 

	Today, Rujuurou Sasaki, Yoroiden of Yami, was coming home to 
a hero's welcome. For the first time ever, the usually gloomy castle 
looked cheerful, festooned with ribbons and filled with throngs of 
youja, cheering and hurling chak seeds. Music floated through the air, 
played by a band formed for this express occasion by the Empress 
herself. All throughout the worlds of the Dynasty, a holiday had been 
declared. 

	Flanking her on either side, Naaza and Rajura, the Yoroiden of 
Doku and Gen, stifled their chuckles. If they knew Anubis, and after 
five hundred years they ought to, he was going to hate this.

	 With a brief crackle of energy, a solitary form appeared in 
the centre of the great throne room. Clad in the wolfish brown and 
black yoroi of Yami, Anubis bowed on one knee and lowered his head 
respectfully to his Empress. Then someone threw chak seed, and it 
rattled off of his yoroi like rain on a tin roof. He looked up, with 
confusion etched clearly on his face. Instead of a relatively barren 
and sterile room of black granite and white marble, he saw people. 
HUNDREDS of them, hooting and cheering and throwing things at him... 

	...it was a PARTY! He was about to growl, until he saw the 
cheerful face of his young Empress. Kayura. She seemed so pleased to 
have surprised him like this, despite the fact he felt like an idiot 
for being the centre of attention. 

	"My Empress, I seem to have inadvertantly interrupted some 
festivities. Please, forgive me my trespass." Anubis quickly bowed 
again, and listened to Kayura's merry laughter. 

	"Oh, my friend, you cannot possibly trespass in this castle! 
The party is for you, in honor of your return home, and your successful
mission. Tell me, how fare our allies, the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers?" 

	Sasaki stood and walked over to the throne. "They are well, 
Kayura, and send their regards. They have made new allies in the Sailor
Senshi, and it was these that I was assisting. One of their number 
had fallen, and my calling could not be ignored."

	Kayura smiled. "Ah, Anubis. Protector in the darkness, defender
of the weak, and finder of lost children. We have been without you for 
too long, I fear : our armies grow lax without their general."

	Naaza snickered. "Tell me, Anubis, how fares the fair Usagi 
Tsukino? She seemed MOST impressed with my healing powers when last we 
met."

	Rajura snorted. "There are matters of more import than your 
bragging, Naotoki Yamanouchi." 

	"A blasphemous statement, Jirougorou Kuroda! There is NOTHING 
of more import than my bragging!" Naotoki laughed crazily and slicked 
back his wild green hair with one hand. 

	"As true as that may be, Naaza, and I'm sure many of the ladies
of my court could attest to it, I fear Rajura has a point." Kayura 
rose from her throne, and the ensmeble quickly sank to their knees. 
"There is a matter which I would discuss with you all, my Masho. Let 
us adjourn for the moment."

**********

	The room to which the four retreated was much smaller and more 
sterile than the throne room at the moment. It was barren of all 
decoration, holding only a table and a small shrine bearing two 
stone tablets and a wicked looking Kusari-gama. Kayura took a moment 
to light the incense sticks bordering the shrine, and bowed to her 
ancestors. "May the spirits of Kauso and Shuten watch over us," she 
muttered softly. 

	"May their deeds go unforgotten," the three Masho intoned. 

	Rising, Kayura gestured to the table, which they then gathered 
around. "Rajura, my Minister of Intelligence, what say you?"

	The tall man adjusted his eyepatch self-consciously and tucked 
a strand of long white hair behind one ear. "The Dynasty should face 
no immediate peril. Our border wars with the Dark Kingdom are 
surprisingly free of espionage at the moment, although I believe that 
the Dark Kingdom's armies may be planning a thrust at the Shutara 
mountain range."

	Anubis nodded grimly. "I shall send our best warriors to 
reinforce the troops there. With my Empress' permission, I would wish 
to lead them myself, as her chosen champion." 

	"Do so, Anubis. Let the troops know that their Empress 
remembers them, and their struggles." 

	"Morale remains high, but such an act is sure to be 
appreciated." Rajura said with a smile. "Our Empress is considerate."

	"This is not the matter which you impressed upon me so urgently
this morning, Rajura. Get to the point. Is my position in danger?"

	"Always, Kayura, always. There are many who would supplant you.
The Ankoku Priests are displeased at the death of their master Arago, 
and Badamon seeks to unite them against you. Kokuyoen has been 
sighted in the outlying provinces, although he is most likely to 
assassinate you rather than face you outright. Saranbo spins his webs, 
but I have spun mine larger." Rajura stroked his chin as he considered 
his next words. "However, it is none of these who threaten you now. 
It is... HER." 

	The Masho of Deception pointed, and the air above the table 
rippled to show a young girl in a white and purple sailor fuku. Her 
black hair floated about her head like a halo as she spun the massive 
glaive she carried. 

	"By the gods..." Kayura clutched her chest and sat. "It's... 
it's... Sailor SATURN!"

	"The dreaded Senshi of Silence herself!" Naaza's voice was 
oddly hushed, and he had unconsciously lifted his hands in a common 
warding gesture. 

	"Three days ago, my Empress, I saw her in the province of 
Remora. With my own eye did I see this image. Twenty of our bravest 
youja, and she slaughtered them like flies." Rajura closed his eye and 
lowered his head. "Sailor Saturn has entered the Dynasty, Kayura. She 
has come to destroy our world."

**********

	"So, how about it, Makoto? Do you want to come?" Shin Mouri 
smiled expectantly. "Come on... Seiji's taking Minako, and Shuu's 
taking Rei, and you know Ryo and Ami are going... what do you think?"

	"A dance?" Makoto Kino bit her lip and thought about it. It 
DID sound appealing, and she hadn't gotten out and had fun since school
started, but there was one thing bothering her... "I don't know, Shin. 
Won't... you know... Touma be there?"

	"Probably." Shin shrugged. "He hasn't really been spending much
time with any of us lately. We're not too sure what he's up to, 
anymore." 

	"I suppose he's been busy getting to know  his father, huh?" 

	Shin nodded. "Mother, too. She dropped by after the two 
Hashibas got back from their astronomy hike, and now they're spending 
a lot of time together."

	Makoto thought it about some more. "Why not? I'd love to go 
with you, Shin Mouri." 

	"Great! We're all allowed to bring guests from other schools, 
so tell Usagi and Mamoru they can come too, okay?"
 
**********

	The first high school dance of the year was a big event, Makoto
guessed as she walked towards Ha'na High. Shin walked beside her in 
a tuxedo, and she was glad she had thought to dress up. Ryo Sanada 
was a few feet ahead of them, with Ami Mizuno hanging on his arm. He 
was wearing a black tuxedo with blue tie and cummerbund that went 
nicely with Ami's shiny metallic blue gown. 

	Rei had decided to go all out, too, wearing a dress of some 
strange material that seemed to shimmer and shift colours from red to 
orange as she walked beside Shuu Rei Fuan. She looks like a living 
flame, Makoto thought. How appropriate for her. 
	
	"Hey, look!" Shin pointed. "It's Akane Tendo, from my SCUBA 
class! Hey Akane! Glad you could make it!"

	The girl waved and smiled, and even the pig-tailed boy she was 
with stopped pulling at his collar long enough to wave one hand. 

	"Shin! It's been ages!" Another girl in a pink dress ran over 
and gave the boy a giant hug. 

	"Nasuti! How have you been? Have you seen Jun lately? How's 
your grandfather? And the house?" Shin stopped and realized 
introductions were in order. "Oh! Makoto, this is Nasuti. She's an old 
friend of the Yoroiden. We kind of lived with her for a few weeks 
last year." 

	"Yes, and between Shuu eating everything in sight, and Shin 
here running our water bill through the roof, I'm lucky to have 
survived it!" Nasuti laughed. 

	Umino and Naru were here, too, Makoto noted, tagging along with
Mamoru and Usagi. Ironically, Mamoru and Umino were wearing pretty 
much the same tuxedo, but Umino's thick glasses ruined the look for 
him. Naru didn't seem to mind, though, as she and her friend Usagi 
latched onto their men like mirror images of each other. 

	"Come on, Makoto! Seiji and Minako are already inside!" 

**********

	Sailor Saturn stood on the outskirts of town. Silently. 

	Hours passed, and she didn't even blink. Eventually, another 
woman in a fuku joined her. 

	"Hotaru?" Sailor Neptune asked kindly. "What seems to be the 
problem?" 

	"They're hiding from me, Michiru," the younger girl said 
softly, resting her glaive against her shoulder. Her voice sounded 
both distant... and somehow sad, at the same time. 

	Michiru shrugged slightly. "I suppose they would be, Hotaru. 
But there is no other choice. If we wish to purchase supplies for our 
training mission, this the only town in which we can hope to do it. And
the others are waiting for us back at camp."

	"Why do we have to be here, Michiru? I don't like it here." 

	Sailor Neptune sighed. "Because we've received reports that 
a large army of youma are forming here. This appears to be their home 
dimension, and we have to stop them before they threaten Earth. 
Besides which, it's a good oppurtunity for you to practice with your 
powers." 

	A shadow formed in the town square, and slowly windows and 
doors began to open as a human shape appeared in its centre. Michiru 
and Hotaru watched curiously as the strange inhabitants of this town 
muttered amongst themselves. 

	"The Master of Shadows! He has come!"

	"It's the Black Jackal! HE will protect us!" 

	"Quickly, come look! It is Kayura's Champion!" 

	"I wonder," Michiru whispered, "who that guy is." 

	Slowly, he landed on the ground, posing dramatically in front 
of a statue of a young girl in samurai armour which seemed to take up 
most of the town square, festooned with ribbons and garlands of 
flowers. His red cape fluttered in the breeze, and his brown and black 
armour, studded with spikes and blades, shone wickedly in the sun. A 
set of long steel claws ended his left arm, and a long sword was 
clutched in the other. 

	"Probably trouble." Hotaru said sadly, and lifted her glaive. 
To her surprise, a purple gauntlet reached out of nowhere and 
plucked it out of her hands. 

	"I'LL take that," Rajura hissed, hanging by his feet from the 
lone tree in the landscape. "Wouldn't want you to... lose an eye." 

	"Although your life is already forfeit," Anubis growled, 
standing and lifting his sword.

	"You have attacked and killed our people, wench!" Clad in 
his distinctive green and red yoroi, Naaza seemed to burst out of 
the ground and snarled as he drew a pair of katana blades from his 
back. "Now, the Mashos of the Dynasty will see that you pay for their 
blood with your own!" 

	"I think you're right, Hotaru." Michiru looked at the trio of 
armoured men, all of whom seemed to radiate with dark power. "Let's 
call Haruka and Setsuna..."

**********

	Touma Hashiba blinked and rubbed his eyes. It felt like 
sandpaper was coating the inside of his eyelids. He didn't want to be 
here. He wanted to be at home, where he belonged, but his parents had 
insisted he come to the dance. 

	Slowly, he lowered the ladle into the punch bowl and watched 
as the green punch slowly filled it. Green... why did it have to be 
green? He sighed, and looked over his shoulder just as Shin came in. 
After a second, he realised he was pouring the punch onto the table 
instead of into his cup. He quickly set the cup down and rushed out 
of the room before SHE could see him. 

	Running blindly, he found himself outside somehow. He looked 
up to the stars, but even the heavens themselves seemed to be mocking 
him. Without error, his eyes were drawn to one speck, one small 
glimmer that wasn't a star at all. "Jupiter..." 

	"What the hell is wrong with you? Were you BORN this stupid?" 

	Touma spun around. "Shin! What... what are you doing here?"

	His friend sighed in frustration. "I'm trying to help you get 
your little blue head back on straight, Touma Hashiba. You've been 
moping around ever since you broke up with Makoto, and I'm sick of it. 
You fall asleep in class, you don't talk to your friends, and nobody 
can REMEMBER the last time you ate something." Shin crossed his arms 
and glared at Touma. "What did you get on our Algebra test last week?" 

	Touma mumbled something.

	"Pardon? I couldn't quite hear you..."

	"THREE OUT OF EIGHTY! Okay? I got three out of eighty." 

	"And why is that, Touma? You're always working in your 
notebook." Shin lifted the notebook in question, and Touma tried 
desperately to grab it back. "What's in here, anyway?" Shin opened the
book. "Oooh! Nice sketch, Touma. But gee, she looks familiar. And 
here she is on the next page, and the next, and the NEXT..." Sure 
enough, every page of the book was filled with very lifelike drawings 
of Makoto Kino, laughing, smiling, talking, walking, standing, sitting,
playing baseball, playing soccer, even fighting youma. Sometimes she 
was alone, sometimes in a group of Senshi, although she was the only 
person in those group drawings drawn in any real detail. For Kami's 
sake, one page was devoted to drawings of her EARRINGS! 

	Touma groaned and finally stopped trying to recover the book. 
"Just leave me alone, Shin." 

	"Why, Touma? I can sort of understand why you broke up with 
her in the first place : you were moving away, you didn't want to 
put her through the stress of a long distance relationship, and so on. 
But if you're back in Tokyo, and she's RIGHT HERE, why don't you 
talk to her? Do you LIKE being miserable?" 

	"It's not like that, Shin. It's just... I can't, okay? I can't 
talk to her right now." 

	Shin shook his head sadly. "You know, Touma? For such a smart 
guy, you sure are stupid."

**********

	Anubis knew his target : with little more than a warning growl,
he lunged across the town square, his claws itching to tear through 
purple ribbon and red flesh... 

	Sailor Saturn tumbled backwards, and Anubis flew over her, 
somesaulting in mid-air and landing on his feet. His sword slashed, and
Hotaru leapt into the air to avoid losing her legs. Even as her jump
peaked, she was summoning her energy. 

	"SILENCE BLOCK!" 

	Anubis snarled. "A force field? How... COWARDLY of you! Death 
Frost!" The temperature dropped suddenly, and a thick white fog crawled
over the battlefield. To Saturn's surprise, her energy sheild became 
covered in ice, and shattered easily as Anubis charged again.

	Rajura laughed as he landed in front of Michiru. "Over here, 
Sailor Neptune!" 

	"DEEP SUBMERGE!" A funnel of water blasted through the illusory
Rajura and shattered a large boulder. 

	"Close, but not quite good enough, girl!" The REAL Rajura 
(maybe) stepped forward and laughed. He seemed to shimmer, and then 
split into twelve different Rajuras, all armed with Saturn's Silence 
Glaive. The army of illusions surrounded Michiru, circling and 
jabbing at her without distinction. 

	"Dead Scream." The words were little more than a whisper, but 
a blazing ball of pink energy still slammed into one of the Rajuras and
caused it to dissapate into energy. Michiru smiled as Sailor Pluto 
leapt into view, using her staff to engage five of the Rajuras in 
battle. 

	Haruka had appeared too, but she had her hands surprisingly 
full. Naaza had drawn six different katanas, and, moving his hands so 
quickly he seemed to have grown extra arms, was managing to attack 
her with all six at once. The Uranus Space Sword slashed and parried 
with inhuman speed, but this warrior just kept coming! Worse, there 
was a look in his strange golden eyes : she didn't think he was all 
that sane. 

	"SUFFER!!!" The Masho of Poison shrieked, and slashed wildly. 
There was no rhyme or rythm to his attacks, making it nearly impossible
for Haruka to dodge them all. Her fuku was slashed and torn, and she 
felt a slight cut graze her cheek. It was nothing, really : little more
than a nick, a paper cut... 

	So why was her head spinning? Dropping to her knees, the Senshi
of Uranus gazed blearily at the blurry figure of her opponent as he 
gathered all of his swords together. "Do you like the taste of my 
venom, girl? It won't kill you quite yet... I can only hurt you while 
you are still alive!" 

	Haruka groaned and vomited, falling on the ground and 
shuddering. It was so cold... pain burned its way through her and her 
body arched as she howled in agony. Naaza grinned and his swords began 
to glow, fusing together into a long whip of energy. 

	"SNAKE BITE STRIKE!" 

**********

	Haruka Ten'ou shrieked briefly as the ground beneath her 
exploded, launching her into the air. Naaza laughed and struck her 
again, tossing her body even higher. As she fell, he struck again with 
his crackling whip of energy, and howled maniacally. That bastard! 
Michiru struggled to repress her own scream of rage as she charged 
towards him. He was... was JUGGLING poor Haruka!

	She leapt into the air and lifted her hands. "DEEP SUBMERGE!" 
she cried, and watched as a torrent of water slammed into the armoured 
monster. Staggering under her assault, the youma general, or WHATEVER 
he was, fell against the statue, cracking his face on its granite 
surface. He lay there for a moment, and then rolled over to face her. 
A trickle of blood flowed down his face, and he absently licked it, 
smiling. His canine teeth were pointed, she noticed. 

	"I have withstood attacks from Shin no Suiko in MY day, little 
one. And whatever else you may be, you are NOT Shin no Suiko." With 
the usual feverish glint gone from his eyes, Michiru began to see the 
OTHER side of the Snake Masho. Calculating, vicious... cold-blooded. 

	"I hope you enjoy suffering, little girl. I know I do..."

**********

	Anubis snarled and swung again with his sword, and Hotaru 
ducked. Without her Silence Glaive, she was at a serious disadvantage. 
This was without a doubt the toughest youma she had EVER fought! Why 
wasn't anybody helping her, she wondered, and looked around. 

	This was a mistake, as the Wolf Masho took advantage of her 
distraction to rake at her face with his claws. Hissing in pain, Sailor
Saturn fell back and felt the breeze of his sword strike. 

	Anubis cursed under his breath. Somehow, this girl was giving 
him the fight of his life! Four hundred years of battle, and this... 
this CHILD was meeting his every move as if he were an amateur! He 
stepped back and lifted his sword over his head for another strike. He 
HAD to kill her, he HAD to do it... 

	If only she didn't look so much like Kayura...

**********

	 Rajura snickered. "So... I am honoured to face the mighty 
Sailor Pluto, guardian of time itself. Or is it just little scared 
Setsuna, looking for another... LESSON?" 

	"And I," Setsuna said calmly, trying to ignore the dig, "am 
honoured to face Jirougorou Kuroda, who it is said was once a good 
and decent man."

	Rajura bowed gracefully, and caused his duplicates to vanish. 
"So you remember me. Of course, considering what I did, you'd have 
trouble FORGETTING, wouldn't you, my dear?"

	"Be warned, Kuroda. I have seen the futures that rise and fall 
once more, and this I know : you shall NEVER defeat me."

	Rajura laughed. "Time may be yours, Sailor Pluto, but REALITY 
is MY plaything! THAT... was the FIRST of your lessons..." 

	Setsuna knew then she had only one response she wanted to 
give this armoured creature before her. "Dead Scream." 

	Rajura flickered, and her bolt passed through harmlessly. 
From behind, a web of energy wrapped its tendrils around her neck, 
and pulled. "WEB OF DECEPTION!" 

**********

	Seiji Date grinned as he saw Shin drag Touma back into the 
dance. "Good. We may actually beat some sense into that dolt yet." 

	"Hmmm?" Minako Aino looked up from her position in his arms. 
"What are you talking about, Seiji?" 

	"It's Touma. He's still nuts about Makoto, but he's so sure 
that she hates him he won't even talk to her!" Seiji chuckled a bit. 
"So... Ryo and I decided to make sure they wound up at the dance 
together. Just for one song : we've got the perfect tune picked out."

	"What if it doesn't work?"

	The blond boy shrugged. "Plan B : we stuff them both in Ryo's 
locker and don't come back until Monday." 

	Minako thought for a moment. "I'll hold Makoto's feet." 

**********

	Makoto was minding her own business and chatting with Usagi 
when Ryo and Shuu walked over and each grabbed an arm. Lifting her 
off of the ground, they then hauled the girl across the crowded 
dancefloor and set her down gently. She turned around in time to see 
Shin and Mamoru doing the same for Touma. 

	"Now this is the deal," Ryo said calmly. "You two are going 
to dance together for this next song. And the first one to pull away 
gets a punch bowl over the head. Got it?" 

	Both Touma and Makoto nodded dumbly. Ryo whistled, and the 
sound of a record being scratched to a halt filled the room. "THEY'RE 
HERE! PLAY IT!" the Yoroiden of Rekka hollered, and a new song was put 
on. Touma shyly put his arms around Minako like he was afraid she was 
going to break... break HIM, that was. The song began to play.

**********

	"It was a cold day for September", was all I thought to say
	When I saw you on the street the other day
	Something's changed between us, all the talk we made was small
	What do you say to someone when they've heard you say it all?
	It's an awkward conversation, in a most peculiar way... 

	How did we get from saying "I love you" 
	to "I'll see you around someday"
	How did we get from saying "I love you" 
	to "I'll see you around someday"...

**********

	Makoto closed her eyes and tried not to feel anything. This was
the guy who had, for no good reason, dumped her cold just two months 
ago! If he thought she was going to just melt the second he put his 
arms around her, he had another think coming... damn, he smelled good 
tonight... she shook her head. NO!

	Touma bit his lip and tried to ignore how good Makoto felt in 
his arms. Screw it, he figured a second later, I'm never going to get 
to do this again, so I may as well enjoy it as much as I want! He held
her a little tighter and rested his head on her shoulder. Odd, he'd 
never noticed that she was so tall before... 

	Seiji turned to Ryo in confusion. "They're not dancing, Ryo.
They're just standing there holding each other. Why aren't they 
dancing? MAKE THEM DANCE!" 

	"We'll give them another minute or two, Seiji." Ryo tried to 
placate his frustrated partner in matchmaking. "Then... if nothing 
happens... it's on to Plan B." 

**********

	Seems like only days ago, we had so much to say
	We'd take it all for granted, then it all gets thrown away
	"It calls for rain this afternoon", she finally replied
	There was a stuttering silence, that I felt my mouth go dry
	So we'll talk about the weather, 
	'cause there's not much else to say... 

	How did we get from saying "I love you" 
	To "I'll see you around someday"...

**********

	Makoto closed her eyes and sighed. Slowly, they began to rock 
back and forth, swaying in tune to the music. Seiji and Ryo nodded 
in satisfaction and put down the ropes. Touma sniffed slightly and 
Makoto felt him hold her a little tighter. She felt the first few 
tears fall onto her chest. 

	But that was fine. She was crying too. Gently, she lifted 
Touma's face. "Are you okay, Touma?" 

	"No. I'm not okay in the least," he whispered to her, "I'm 
a fool who broke up with the only girl he's ever loved."

	Makoto smiled gently. "Too bad for her. So... does that mean 
you're free tomorrow night?" Inside, she felt something twist. He loved
her. He'd just said it. 

	Touma grinned like an idiot. "For you? Every night of my life. 
Forever." And, he added silently, considering we're both immortal, 
forever is a VERY long time. But maybe, just maybe, he and Makoto could
pull it off. He was just glad nobody had looked at the last page of 
his notebook... the drawing of Makoto dressed as a bride. 

**********

	Naaza was knocked sprawling and didn't get back up. Sailor 
Neptune pushed back a few stray strands of sea green hair back behind 
her and tried to catch her breath. "Since you like suffering so MUCH, 
creature, please, take ALL of it!" Walking over, she kicked the fallen 
Masho in the ribs. It was beneath her, she knew, but this monster had 
hurt her Haruka. 

	Anubis quickly began to revise his opinion of these strange 
Senshi. He had been anticipating a battle against Sailor Saturn alone, 
NOT these three additional women! And with Naaza down, the advantage of
numbers was no longer theirs. 

	Sailor Saturn simply stared up at him from her position on 
the ground, gazing calmly and unblinkingly at her reflection in his 
raised sword blade. Anubis thought for a moment, and then slowly lifted
his foot from her stomach. 

	"You may have won this round, Saturn," he snarled down at her, 
"but I WILL return. And then, you DIE!" With a dramatic swirl of his 
cape, he disappeared back into the shadows. 

	Rajura looked over as Sailor Pluto. "It seems we have reached 
a stalemate, my dear. We shall have to continue your... LESSONS... 
next time!" 

	Setsuna raised an eybrow in question. "And what makes you 
think you shall escape us, Kuroda?"

	Rajura laughed. "You still do not see the webs WITHIN the 
webs, my dear! If you check, you'll find I was never even here to 
begin with." 

	Sailor Neptune looked up from treating her fallen lover. "What 
happened? Where did they all go? And why are they attacking us?" 

	Sailor Pluto lifted the Silence Glaive and tossed it to Sailor 
Saturn. "I think we just met this dimesion's big guns, girls. And this
was just target practice. Next time... they'll be serious." 

	Hotaru walked over to Michiru. "Michiru, why do they want me 
to die? I have done them no harm..."

	"They are evil creatures, Hotaru. Look what they've done to 
poor Haruka!" Michiru gently stroked the fallen girl's face. "Poor 
dear, you're burning up."

	Setsuna leaned against the tree and fingered the strand of web 
between her fingers. "Rajura..." she hissed.

	*I shall kill you a million times in your mind, my dear! I 
shall make you BEG!*

	*Please, no! I... I never hurt you!*

	*Ahhh... but you MIGHT, Sailor Pluto. And my lord Arago shall 
not take such chances...* 

	*Pain is an IMPORTANT lesson, Setsuna. You MUST learn it 
VERY well...*

	"We must call the Inner Senshi." Sailor Pluto's voice was 
strangely choked with emotion as she tore the web to shreds. "We will 
need help... if we want to crush these monsters."

**********

	Kayura waited impatiently as her three Masho returned, beaten 
and scarred, but still angry. Anger was good, she knew. Anger would 
keep them fighting. 

	"How fared the battle, my loyal Masho?"

	Naaza sunk to one knee. "I have failed you, oh Empress! I beg 
you, do not take my soul, take only my life!" 

	"I am not our former master Arago, Naaza. You may rise." Kayura
turned to face her generals, a look of determination on her face. "But 
against a threat such as Sailor Saturn, we MUST have no more failures!"

	Rajura looked smug, yet uncomfortable. "We shall not fail, 
my Empress. Setsuna Meioh is one of the girl's protectors." 

	Anubis growled. "I would feel more comfortable relying on 
something more than THAT. If we wish to survive, we must strike this 
girl, and strike her HARD. Kill her before she can find a way to 
destroy our entire world."

	Kayura sighed. "We must pool our resources. Gather our allies. 
In this, our direst hour of need, we must trust that the Yoroiden 
Samurai Troopers will aid us once more. We will need help... if we 
want to crush these monsters."

TO BE CONTINUED...