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 3 : Senshi vs. Samurai

	Jirougorou Kuroda woke early that morning, as he had every 
morning. He dressed quietly, in his usual understated tones of grey and
black. The uniform, although definitely stylish, was carefully chosen 
to be generic. It came from no particular region, country, or even 
dimension. Anybody who saw it would shrug and move on, never paying 
any attention to the man within. 

	It was the perfect outfit for a spy. Jirougorou smiled tightly 
as he thought about how many youja had been making their secret plans 
and arrangements, blissfully unaware that the Minister of Intelligence 
was standing mere inches away from them. He knew everything that went 
on in the Dynasty, from the most intricate of Saranbo's takeover plans,
to what was being served for dinner tomorrow night. 

	He gathered his long white hair back into a ponytail and tied 
it in place. Yes, he knew every secret in the Dynasty, and today he 
would learn at least twenty more. If not, he would find some adequate 
punishment for himself. 

	Speaking of which... he snapped his fingers, and a youja 
appeared. "Arrange for the waiters to serve flavoured ice after dinner 
tonight." Ryo Sanada HATED flavoured ice, and Jirou planned to enjoy 
watching him force the sickly sweet slush down in an attempt not to 
displease Empress Kayura. A bit petty, but it still promised him some 
amusement.

	His smile faded as he tied on his eyepatch. There was still one
thing to do. He sat at his desk and pulled out a thick, faded notebook.
Opening it, he scanned the first pages, as he always did, which were 
filled with his own cramped handwriting. 

	"My dearest Empress. In the event of my death, and for the 
sake of the entire Dynasty, the following is everything you MUST know 
about your kingdom and its people. Some of this is disturbing, but 
all of it is true, for I have gathered each fact with my own hands..."

	Flipping past the first few hundred pages, Rajura picked up 
his quill, dipped it into the inkwell, and began to write. It went 
against his grain to do such a thing, for of course there was always 
the risk this book would be found by Kayura's enemies, but it had to 
be done. There was too much he knew, too many schemes and plans that 
HAD to be continued, for the Dynasty, and Kayura, for to him they 
were one and the same, to thrive.

	It was so much easier for the other Masho. Kayura herself had 
inherited the Oni yoroi, which bore the virtue of Loyalty, and thus she
was compelled to be loyal to her friends and subjects : a perfect 
ruler. Naaza was blessed with Obediance, which made him the perfect 
soldier, and Anubis was gifted with Piety, which left him utterly 
devoted to her. All of them found it so easy to be good, and loyal.

	But what did he have? Endurance. No matter what situation he 
was placed in, his yoroi compelled him to endure, to survive at any 
cost. And thus loyalty was twice as hard for him. Which was part of 
why he kept the book : to prove, if only to himself, that he was 
serving his Empress well.

**********

	Kayura, Empress of the Dynasty, waited calmly for her servants 
to finish dressing her in the ceremonial robes she was to wear for her 
announcement. Today, she was addressing her army, and it was vital 
that she look her best. She closed her eyes and pretended she was still
just Kayura, the pawn of Arago, battling the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers 
with little more than a pair of sai and a grin. But those days were 
past, and today she had to address her forces. 

	Although of course, most of the REAL army was out on the 
borders of the Dynasty, battling the remnants of the Dark Kingdom. 
Beryl's legacy of stupidity raged on in these skirmishes : she had 
somehow gotten the opinion that Kayura was an incapable little girl, 
and, with the fall of Arago, had assumed the Dynasty would be easy to 
conquer. They had been warring ever since, and several worlds had 
indeed been conquered... by Kayura. This was merely ten or twelve 
divisions, the most they could afford to take from the front line 
without being at a tactical disadvantage. 

	She exited her chambers, and saw her guests, the Yoroiden 
Samurai Troopers, walking down the hallway, their yoroi as gleaming and
polished as ever. With their sculpted steel masks down, it had been 
deemed they would be more imposing... and seem less... HUMAN. After 
all, with the exception of the Mashos and herself, every inhabitant 
of the Dynasty was a youja, youma, daimon, spirit, or whatever. Humans 
made her soldiers nervous.

	"My greetings to you, Yoroiden. May the spirit of Shuten watch 
over you."

	"Yeah, uhm, you too, Kayura." Ryo no Rekka looked a little 
nervous. "Do you have any idea how many youma are out there? Touma 
lost count! Touma NEVER loses count!"

	Kayura shrugged. "Not SO many, only eight or nine hundred..."

	The Yoroiden brightened up a little. Well, that wasn't so 
bad! Sure, if things got tough, it would be a heck of a fight, but...

	"...thousand," Kayura finished.

	The Yoroiden got scared again.

**********

	Sailor Moon woke up and wanted to curse. It had only been one 
day, and she hated the Dynasty. It was cold, it was muddy, it smelled 
funny, and everything seemed to be construsted for the express purpose
of scaring her. Worst of all, she noticed as she slowly sat up, Haruka 
had failed to reappear like they had hoped. So, she was either lost, 
or... Usagi looked over at the tear streaked face of Michiru Kaiou. 
No. She was just lost, that was all. She had to be lost.

	The ground sucked at her as she tried to stand, tugging on her 
legs as she struggled her way up the spinal cord of some long dead 
creature. Using it as a brace, she yanked her legs out of the muck and 
got back on her feet. She was coated in the blackish red slime now, 
from the waist down. Ami had never said what made the ground so slimy 
here, but she didn't have to : Usagi had been a Senshi long enough to 
know the smell of blood. This mud reeked of it. Making a nasty face, 
she tried hopelessly to scrape some of the muck off of her. 

	"Good luck, 'Sagi." an equally slimed Rei Hino said from her 
perch in the lone branch of a dead tree. Most of the vegetation here 
was dead, and, as the girls had found out when they tried to start a 
campfire, petrefied. "That goo doesn't even burn off." 

	"What about a bath?"

	"The water isn't water, remember? I checked with Ami. Snake 
venom, mixed with a bunch of other nasty stuff. You don't drink it, 
and you SURE don't take a bath in it." Rei shook her hair. "This stupid
hair of mine seems to attract that crud like crazy." With a disgusted 
grunt, she pulled the thick curtain of raven hair back and tied it into
a long ponytail. 

	"At least there aren't any bugs..."

	Rei snorted. "Even bugs have standards, Usagi."

**********

	The crowd began to cheer wildly as Kayura walked out onto the 
balcony with Naaza and the Yoroiden standing on either side of her. 
Rajura, as usual when not expressly ordered to stand beside his young 
Empress, was lurking in the background somewhere. 

	To the Yoroiden's surprise, Kayura raised her hands and a 
complete silence fell over the crowd as if someone had flipped a 
switch. "My loyal troops," she began softly, "I am honoured by your 
attention, and I know how long and hard your journeys here must have 
been. But I have always had faith that you, my best and most elite 
units, would prevail against all such adversities." She paused, and 
looked over the banners. "It is in this faith I must beseech you to 
turn away from your fellow youja and aid your Empress against a force 
which threatens us all."

	One of the group's leaders stepped forward as Kayura's last 
words finished their echoes. "What is this threat, my Empress? Tell me 
what it is, and send these other units back to the front, for I shall 
teach it the error of facing our might!"

	Ryo's eyes widened as he got a better look at the speaker. 
That booming voice, and most of all that huge ego, made him 
unmistakable. It was Dara. Holy crap, it was DARA! Did he still have? 
YES! There it was, hanging on his waist : the SeiRyuKen, the sword 
which possessed the powers of Suiko, Korin, and Kongo combined. Kayura 
wasn't KIDDING when she said these were her elite!

	"The threat we face is none other than Sailor Saturn herself." 
The entire courtyard fell silent again, from shock more than from 
respect. Even Dara had a slightly shaken look on his face... er, mask. 
However, being Dara, he quickly recovered. 

	"Then we shall destroy Sailor Saturn!" Drawing his sword, he 
raised it high above his head and the army began to roar until Kayura 
gestured for silence again.

	"If it were that easy, my men, I would have no qualms about 
sending you to crush this monster! However, we have reason to believe 
that she has many more, powerful allies. To deal with these, I have 
summoned the men you see before you, my newest Masho!" Turning, she 
pointed to each of the Yoroiden in turn. "Touma Hashiba, the Masho 
of Chi! Ryo Sanada, the Masho of Virtue! Shuu Rei Fuan, the Masho 
of Justice! Seiji Date, the Masho of Wisdom! Shin Mouri, the Masho of 
Truth!" The crowd went wild all over again. 

	"Each of these shall lead two divisions, and scour our realm 
for Sailor Saturn! Find her, find her allies, and destroy them all!"

	Seiji leaned over and nudged Shuu. "Psst! Hey! Since when the 
hell was I a Masho? Was there some kind of initiation thing I slept 
through?"

	Shuu shrugged and whispered back. "Beats me... I was about to 
ask you the same thing!"

	Naaza frowned and leaned in over both of them. "Shut up! To 
be a Masho is the greatest honour our Empress could give you! She has 
just placed you in charge of everybody in her army but us!"

	"EVERYBODY?" Touma winced. "Out of curiosity, how many people 
in this dimension AREN'T in the army?"

	Naaza blinked. "Why, none, of course."

**********

	Sailor Pluto leaned on her staff, pushing herself up out of 
the bog and onto relatively dry land. "Come on!" Setsuna called back to
the straggling Senshi behind her. "A little further, and we'll be 
there!" 

	A passing youma of some kind had been suspiciously helpful when
Setsuna asked for -or rather, DEMANDED- directions to the nearest town.
He had even explained that the Dynasty was currently at war with the 
Dark Kingdom, and that he was a scout for the Empress. Now the Senshi 
had a name to work with : Kayura. Clearly she MUST be pretty powerful, 
to have gotten Queen Beryl's attention so long ago. 

	Hotaru quickly scrambled up onto the rocky ground, followed by 
Michiru and Usagi, who were mostly glad to get out of the black mire 
they had been wading through for the past day. Rei and Ami were next, 
and then Minako and Makoto. 

	The town of Abrura, they had been assured, was just over the 
rise of the hill they stood on, and was the only town still active in 
this area, because of the war. The Senshi needed food, and a few other 
supplies, and this was the only place to get them. 

	Of course, as Makoto was quick to point out, it also just 
SCREAMED "Please put a trap for the Senshi here". So, they devised a 
slightly different plan. 

	As soon as the town was in sight, Setsuna turned to two of the 
Inner Senshi. "Well, it's your turn now. Be careful."

	Minako smiled. "I'm just glad I thought to bring this," she 
said, drawing out a small golden compact and opening it. "CRESCENT 
MOON POWER! TRANSFORM!" A blast of light emitted from the magic 
compact, and the form of Sailor Venus grew taller, broader, and MUCH 
heavier, until she looked like a mirror image of the armoured youja 
they had questioned before. 

	Usagi was next, not wishing to be outdone. "DISGUISE POWER!" 
Soon, Sailor Moon as well had been disguised as the armoured youja, 
which, plated in grimy black armour and bristilng with spikes, would 
have been quite imposing as it loomed a head above the Senshi. If, 
that is, it hadn't begun giggling and pointing at the other youja. 
"We look like twins!" 

	"Yeah, REALLY UGLY twins!" Rei grumbled. "Just get in there, 
grab some supplies for us, and get out before anyone catches you."

	"Or worse, recognises you." Ami added.

**********

	The search party had been looking for a day, and frankly, it's 
leader was getting a bit tired of having to deal with the ego of his 
new lieutenant. 

	"Masho! We have received reports from our forward scouts that 
the Senshi are mere miles from our position!" Dara grabbed his sword 
eagerly. "We should crush them while we have the chance!"

	The newly christened Masho pondered that for a while. "Are 
you sure Sailor Saturn was among this group?"

	Dara shrugged. "How many human girls can there be in the 
Dynasty? We should charge them, strike them all down in one blow!"

	"Sure, and get blasted by the Death Reborn Revolution while we 
struggle with her gaurds? Or worse, go through all that trouble for 
NOTHING, and risk losing Sailor Saturn in the confusion? Never!" 

	Dara looked around at the group of six hundred youja 
surrounding them. These were the core group of his own division, the 
Holy Swords of Kayura! The very idea that they could lose to some... 
GIRLS... was preposterous! "What then, do you suggest, Masho?"

	"We'll stop in that town nearby... what was it called?"

	"Abrura."

	"Yeah, Abrura! We'll stop there for the night, then stock up 
on our supplies and check our backtrail. Who else is searching this 
sector?"

	"Rajura and the Swirling Sands of Despair, Masho."

	"Fine. We'll meet up with Rajura in Abrura and compare notes. 
We'll all be rested and ready to fight, instead of tired from a long 
day's march. How does that sound?"

	"It sounds... like we're going to Abrura. I shall have one 
of our runners contact Rajura's troops."

********** 

	Minako Aino and Usagi Tsukino had to try very hard to keep a 
straight face as they wandered through town. For one thing, Minako kept
humming the "Mission : Impossible" theme song, and Usagi kept 
giggling over the fact that they were going on a shopping spree in the 
middle of enemy territory. 

	All in all, it had gone very well : despite the small amount of
local coin Setsuna had given them, they were now the proud owners of 
several tents, pots, pans, supplies, and warmer clothing. It was all 
kind of depressing and ugly looking, but as Minako had told her friend,
"Beggars can't be losers!" 

	With Artemis back at camp, there was nobody to correct her.

	Side by side, the two youja Senshi wandered through the streets
of Abrura and checked out the sights. Reaching an inn, they made a 
quick count of how much money they had left. After all, if they could 
afford a room, then the rest of the Senshi could sneak into town that 
night and sleep in a REAL bed again. The promise of a bath to wash the 
bog glop off of her was what sold Usagi, and they entered.

	Minako walked over to the desk, waiting patiently as the man 
ahead of her finished making his reservations. "Excuse me," she said 
as she brushed past him. 

	"No need, Sailor Venus. Entirely my fault." The man with the 
eyepatch replied. 

	"What do you require, good sir?" The youja at the desk asked.

	"Oh, uhm, we'd like a room..." Minako tried to remember why 
the man seemed familiar... there had been something about him... 

	Why was it so hard for her to think straight?

**********

	After nightfall, the other Senshi were snuck in and made 
themselves comfortable. It wasn't much, but at least it was better than
sleeping neck deep in slime. Makoto had immediately begun cooking up 
what turned out to be a very good meal, and everybody eagerly dug in. 

	Hotaru Tomoe finished her nihon soba and looked over at 
Setsuna. "Mother, I have a question..."

	"Yes, Hotaru-chan? What is it?" Setsuna smiled down at her 
adopted daughter. 

	"Earlier... you seemed to know about these strange men who are 
chasing us. How do you know them?"

	"Yes... HOW do you know them?" Rajura asked from his perch on 
the windowsill. "I, for one would LOVE to hear your explaination." 

	"Rajura?" Setsuna spun and gazed at the purple armoured Masho 
of Deception. Her face changed suddenly, teisting with anger. "DEAD 
SCREAM!" It was the first time she had ever actually screamed her 
attack, and a massive ball of pink energy blasted off of her fingers 
and into the figure, who flew back out of the window. 

	Suddenly, the walls of the room seemed to explode inward as 
dozens of youmas burst through the flimsy brick and cement. Makoto 
screamed and kicked one in the head before three others dragged her 
down.

	"JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

	 The pile of armour trembled suddenly as lightning burst from 
its centre and Sailor Jupiter leapt back to her feet, fists swinging. 

	Minako shrieked and dodged as a halberd the size of her head 
swung at her, wielded by another massive armoured demon. Grabbing for 
her henshin, she tumbled backwards over the couch and landed on her 
feet. As the youja tore the couch in half and reached for her, she 
lifted the pen high. 

	"VENUS CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

	Sailor Venus leapt forward and nearly decapitated her opponent 
with a viscious kick. "SAILOR V KICK!" 

**********

	"General Dara, Masho!" The scout youja was panting. "I bring 
news from the Burning Sands of Despair! They have tracked Saturn to 
a local inn, but they are badly in need of reinforcements! The other 
Masho are already en route!" 

	"An entire division of youja... could Saturn truly be SO 
powerful?" The Masho wondered, stroking his chin. "What does she look 
like? Has anybody seen her?"

	"We're unsure which she may be, Masho. However, her allies have
already slaughtered several of our finest troops!"

	"So quickly?" Dara asked, stroking his sword blade. "These 
Senshi must be formidable! Leave the unit here : the Masho and I will 
face this threat ourselves!"

**********

	"JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!" From nowhere, a cyclone of oak leaves 
rose up, tearing through dozens of the armoured creatures, who howled 
as they were tossed back into their allies. 

	Sailor Mars and Sailor Neptune had finally made the scene as 
well, and were eagerly making their presence known. Rei tackled one 
youja in mid-air as it lunged at Hotaru, who shrieked and cowered in 
the corner, clutching her temples. 

	"BURNING..." 

	Sailor Neptune glanced up. "No, Rei, WAIT! We're..."

	"MANDALA!" Mars cried, and blasted rings of flame at the enemy.

	"...inside," Michiru groaned, as the carpet and furniture 
caught fire. 

	"Woah!" Minako's eyes bulged out as she blocked a sword thrust.
"Mind if I borrow this for a sec? Thanks!" Plucking the blade from her 
opponent's fingers, she quickly hacked the arm off of another. The 
youja she held began to bellow in some strange, hissing language.

	"What? If you want it back that badly..." Minako shrugged and 
rammed the blade into the youja's stomach. "Hey guys!" Smoke had 
already begun filling the large room, and she coughed into one fist. 
"I think we ought to hit the roof! You know what they say : only fools 
fight a burning building!"

	Makoto tossed a youja over her shoulder and looked up as she 
broke its neck with her heel. "It's 'only fools fight IN a burning 
building', Minako! But you have a point..."

	Michiru snorted. "Thanks, Rei. Thanks a bunch."

	"Hey, shut up! I was TRYING to save YOUR little Hotaru-chan, 
remember?" Rei would have argued further, but both girl were overtaken 
by coughing fits. It was getting harder to see, too.

	"Sheesh!" Sailor Moon said, opening a window and crawling out. 
"Let's just get out of here, already! Has anyone seen Setsuna?"

**********

	Sailor Pluto stood on the roof of a nearby building, her long 
green hair blowing in the wind. Wordlessly, she lifted her Garnet Rod 
and stepped back, facing her opponent. 

	Rajura grinned behind his steel mask. "Ah, dear little Setsuna.
Is it time for another lesson, already? How the time flies... but then,
I suppose YOU know that better than anyone..." Reaching up to his 
left gauntlet, he drew a nunchaku from its holster there. "Have I 
mentioned I love what you've done with your hair? It really does 
suit you much better." 

	"Shut up and fight, Rajura." Setsuna stepped forward. 

	"I don't have to, my dear. As we speak, my troops are no 
doubt already taking care of your little master, Sailor Saturn." Rajura
shook his head sadly. "I'm surprised you would give your loyalty so 
easily, Setsuna."

	"This from the man who spent four centuries taking orders from 
a floating head. And my daughter is far stronger than even you can 
imagine, Rajura."  

	As if on cue, the building behind her burst into flames. 
Rajura flinched, and Setsuna struck, her staff slashing towards 
his one remaining eye...

	Rajura turned aside and hooked the cord of his nunchaku around
her staff, yanking it out of her grasp. In one smooth motion, he then 
brought the ends of the handles up to smash into her nose. She 
reeled, and he swung the nunchaku into the side of her jaw. Setsuna's 
head snapped back, and she spun slightly before crumpling in a 
senseless mass on the roof. Judging from how hard he had struck her 
pressure point, he was sure she wasn't getting back up for some time. 

	"Stupid girl." The Masho of Deception gently stroked his 
eyepatch. "As if I was really going to let you take my OTHER eye, 
too..."

**********

	The Senshi staggered out onto the roof and Sailor Moon did a 
quick head count. There was Ami, Minako, Makoto, Rei, Hotaru, and 
Michiru. Nobody had seen Setsuna since before the fight, and of course 
Haruka was still missing, so that seemed to be everybody. 

	Except... "Hotaru? Why haven't you transformed?" 

	The twelve year old girl looked down in surprise. "I... don't 
know... it all happened so fast, I didn't think to..." 

	With a VERY loud crash, several armored forms leapt through the
weakened roof and landed in crouches in front of the Senshi, their 
forms hidden in the shadows. Weapons gleamed in the moonlight.

	"Uh-oh..." Michiru muttered. "Everybody, form a circle around 
Sailor Saturn! Don't let them through!"

	"Right!" Usagi stepped forward and lifted her hand, pointing at
the figures before her as the other Senshi quickly circled around 
Hotaru, raising their hands and preparing for battle. "I am Sailor 
Moon, champion of love and Justice! You creeps are attacking a friend 
of mine, and on behalf of the Moon, I WILL PUNISH YOU!"

	The lead shadow groaned as if stricken, and walked forward, 
lowering its twin katana blades. "Sailor Moon," Ryo said, "on behalf 
of the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers, I must warn you... let this be."

	"Ryo? NO!" Usagi shook her head. "I won't let you hurt her!"

	Seiji stepped forward, followed by the rest of the Yoroiden. 
"You have to, Usagi. We gave our word to stop Sailor Saturn." He 
looked guiltily at Minako from the corner of his eye and blinked back 
a tear. "If you don't move... we'll have to move you." 

	"NO! NO! How could you do this?"

	Touma looked down at his hands. "We gave our word, Usagi," he 
said, barely above a whisper, "we PROMISED."

	Minako was shaking her head, and Makoto was almost crying as 
they stepped forward, shielding Hotaru with their bodies. "Look out, 
Sailor Moon!" Minako forced herself to say. "Seiji gets his power from 
light attacks. Your tiara would only make him stronger." 

	Ami gritted her teeth and joined them. "Ryo," she said in a 
shaky voice, "is weak against cold. We should use that against him."

	Seiji nudged Ryo. "Ryo, I can't do this. I can't fight Minako."

	The Yoroiden of Rekka shrugged. "Not a problem : I'll fight 
Venus. You can fight Jupiter, and Touma will fight Mercury." 

	"Oh, thanks! THAT makes this a LOT easier!" Seiji muttered 
sarcastically. 

	Dara stepped forward and lifted his sword. "Enough TALKING! 
Let's just KILL them!" Yelling a battle cry, he lunged at Sailor 
Moon, and the fight was on. 

**********

	Hotaru Tomoe backed away uncertainly. She should probably 
transform into Sailor Saturn, she knew, but the sight of her friends 
fighting people they so obviously cared about... why didn't anybody 
trust her? Why did they always have to want her dead? 

	"Because," a voice whispered in her ear, "you an evil, evil 
creature, and nobody loves you." 

	Hotaru began to turn... and a pair of purple gauntlets clamped 
onto either side of her head. 

	"For my Empress," hissed Rajura, and dragged her, screaming,  
off of the edge of the building.

**********

	Shin Mouri tried not to laugh as he faced Sailor Jupiter, 
spinning his trident. "Let's see, here : I have a trident, and you have
your bare hands. I have armour, and you have a skirt. Want to just give
up and call it day?" 

	Makoto Kino grinned in a predatory manner. "Nah... 'cause 
there's one thing you forgot : SUPREME THUNDER DRAGON!"

	Shin howled as a giant dragon of electricity erupted from 
Makoto's fingertips and caught him in its jaws. His yoroi began to 
steam and his howls turned to screams. 

	"Bolt ALWAYS beats water, Shin," Makoto tossed over her 
shoulder as she walked away from the twitching form of Shin no Suiko.
"ALWAYS." 

**********

	Touma ducked as Usagi swung at him with her scepter. On 
instinct, he grabbed the gloved wrist... and punched her. In the face. 
Wearing a metal gauntlet. As hard as he could. Her whole body left 
contact with the roof and flew back several feet before thudding 
heavily on the tile. 

	"Oh, NO! USAGI!" Touma shook his head and ran over to the 
fallen girl. "My Queen, please, forgive me! Are you all right?" 
Kneeling, he lifted her head and watched as her eyelids fluttered open.
"M... Moon..."

	"What?" Touma began to step back as he felt her sceptre press 
gently against his chest. 

	"Healing... ACTIVATION!" 

	And, just like that, Touma's armour disappeared, in a growing 
cloud of sparkling mist. Even as he felt his own body going into 
shock from the removal of his yoroi, and as he watched Usagi slip into 
unconsciousness, he had the presence to think that maybe Sailor Moon 
really WAS the most powerful of the Senshi, after all...

**********

	Sailor Neptune watched impasively as Touma no Tenku's body 
slumped, and fell over the downed form of Usagi Tsukino. They had 
taken each other out at the same time. A shame, really : she could have
used some help. Makoto Kino was already far too busy helping Minako 
Aino fight off the strange youma with the enchanted sword who had shown
up with these... Yoroiden, and the one in the orange armour seemed to 
be whaling on Sailor Mars with some kind of staff. One of the other 
Yoroiden seemed to have distanced himself from the battle, occasionally
helping whoever needed it, and the other stood before her. 

	The roof was already creaking dangerously under their weight, 
and a section suddenly gave way and collapsed. The armoured boy in 
front of her gulped. "Uhm, listen. As much as I would like to give you 
the beating you so richly deserve, I don't think - you know, 
structurally speaking - this is the time or the place..."

	"Where's Haruka, you bastard?"

	"Pardon?"

	Michiru raised her hands and pointed at the Yoroiden. "Tell me 
what you did to her."

	"Did to her? Did to WHO?" 

	"DEEP SUBMERGE!" A massive torrent of water smashed into the 
man, sending him spinning off of the rooftop and across the street, 
where he slammed into the side of a nearby building hard enough to 
stick. However, he didn't, instead falling limply to the street 
below. 

**********

	Shuu Rei Fuan lifted his staff. "That's IT! This fight is 
OVER!"
	
	Rei Hino smiled. "I'm glad you agree, Shuu. Just put the stick 
down and we'll start talking about your surrender..." 

	Shuu snarled. "That's not what I meant, Rei. All you had to 
do was trust us enough to leave us alone, but NO, you had to pick a 
fight. Well, YOU JUST GOT ONE!" Quickly, he looked over to Dara. 
"DARA! LET'S ROCK AND ROLL!"

	The youja knocked back Minako Aino and nodded, spinning his 
sword above his head as Shuu did the same with his staff. The Senshi 
all began to back away from the two as the entire building began to 
shake violently. 

	"IRON... ROCK... CRUSHER!" The two screamed in unison, and 
brought their weapons down. 

	The building followed very quickly.

**********

	As the final rumbles of the massive earthquake began to settle,
and the rubble finally stopped falling, a small girl with black hair 
peered out from her hiding place. She wasn't sure why, but she felt 
very sad. 

	It began to rain, slightly, and the girl shivered from the 
cold. She wanted to go out, to find a place that was warm, that was 
safe... but she couldn't. THEY were out there : the monsters.

	She shivered again, as she gained a dim memory of a man in 
purple, his hands clutching her head, his glowing eye burning into her 
mind, stealing something important, something...

	...something she couldn't remember...

	...like WHO SHE WAS...

	Suddenly, a pile of trash began to shudder and tremble as a 
figure burst out. Stifling a shriek, the little girl ran and ducked 
back into the small alcove she had found in the brick wall. Maybe it 
wouldn't see her, maybe it wouldn't hurt her...

	"Yeeeow!" The figure slowly stood and looked over at the 
burning mountain of rubble. "Well, that's great. Just GREAT! Go ahead 
and leave, guys! Don't worry about little old me, or anything!" 
It clutched its horned head and sat on the trash pile it had just 
emerged from. "This is just prime. I'm in a strange place, I'm alone, 
I'm totally unprepared, I'm surrounded by people who PROBABLY want to 
kick my..." 

	The girl sneezed. Suddenly, the monster looked over at her, its
strange metal face sneering at her. "Who's over there?" She gasped, and
shrank back into the corner as it came closer. 

	"Heeeeey... what's a cute little thing like you doing in a 
place like this?" The monster seemed confused when she bit her lip and 
tried not to cry. "What's wrong? OH!" It reached up and grabbed the 
horns on its head. "I'm not a monster, I'm a person like you, see?"

	The fearsome head came off, and an older boy smiled at her. 
"See? What did I tell you? Just me. Now, what about you? Where are your
parents, little girl?"

	"I..." She bit her lip again. "I..." She was NOT going to cry. 
"I DON'T KNOW!" Bawling, she flung herself forwards and felt the boy 
wrap his arms around her in a hug. His armour was warm, she noticed, as
she started crying into his shoulder. "I can't remember ANYTHING..."

	"Shhhh," the boy said, rubbing her back, "it's going to be 
okay, I promise. We'll get you home. I won't let anything hurt you." 
After a moment or two, he noticed her crying had subsided, although 
she was still hugging him tight enough that he could feel it through 
his armour. "Do you remember your name, or do you want me to give you 
one?"
	"No... my name's... Hotaru? Hotaru!" The girl - Hotaru - looked
up at him with her big shining eyes and he couldn't help but smile. 

	"Well, hello, Hotaru. What say we travel together for a little 
while? I'm kind of lost here myself. You can keep me company, and I'll 
keep you safe. Deal?"

	"Deal." Hotaru nodded. She liked this man. She wasn't sure, but
she thought he was the nicest person she had ever met. "What's YOUR 
name?"

	The man smiled. "Ryo. Ryo Sanada."

TO BE CONTINUED...