Chapt Four: Abune! Dare de?! Senshi Mix-Up!

Chibi-Usa gave her best scowl and poked at Usagi's bowl of ice cream. "You're eating slow today! What's up? I also know you didn't sleep well last night…" Though she was young, Chibi-Usa knew how to handle serious situations and she was definitely realizing that the events were turning quite grave.

"Oh… I'm sorry if I woke you," Usagi apologized. She shifted uncomfortably. "Anou… I'm worried. I don't know how strong I am anymore - if I can help!" She looked seriously at Chibi-Usa. "I know I usually don't confide to you like this, but please listen and don't tell anyone!"

"Arigatou." Usagi bowed her head briefly before continuing, "I had a dream - a nightmare. The Lights… they'll die and so will the anima-mates… They can't fight what this thing is. I don't know what it is, all I saw was a never-ending darkness that echoed death. It was so scary…" She shivered and looked away. "I saw them each fall, one by one. None of them could handle it… Nyanko, Crow, Siren, Mouse… Healer, Maker… Fighter! Star Kit wasn't there. I couldn't see her. I couldn't find anything else. Everything ended in blood… I couldn't see and I felt like I was drowning." She shuddered more before looking back at Chibi-Usa. "But how stupid of me, I shouldn't be scaring you thus!"

"Of course! I want to make more friends! And they seem interesting and friendly!" She grinned. Usagi smiled back warmly. "Let me guess, you're going to join in the fight even when being told not to?"

"What do you think my answer will be to that?" Usagi was smiling again. The two girls shared a small bout of laughter before getting up from the booth and heading out the door of the café. As they strolled down the streets, Usagi inquired, "Where's Mamo-chan supposed to meet us? By 11:00, right?"

Usagi smiled down at the enthusiastic girl at her side and once again noted how amazingly alike Chibi-Usa was to her at times. She would hate to admit that, though, so would always fight and argue against any comments that said as much. "Ne, Chi - !" she was cut off as she felt herself being slammed through the air. Painfully she realized she had come to a stop when hitting a building wall beside stone steps by a dead end. She was startled when she realized Chibi-Usa was still standing on the street and gaping at her from at least ten meters away. "Nan… de…?" she whispered, attempting to get up. She let out a sharp scream as she felt a knife-like pain biting into her arms. When she first looked she was sure she was blacking out, only able to see gray before her. When the gray moved, however, bright ruby eyes were revealed. `What is this…?' she wondered in horror.

The beam of light slashed dangerously close to Usagi but the attack was effective in getting the Shadow off from her body. She let out another pained cry as her flesh was torn more when the claws undid themselves from their hold. The Shadow stood up slowly, obviously prepared to fight. A meter to her right, Usagi heard a few pairs of heels click against the ground to announce the arrival of senshi.

"Shit! Again it's not working!" Crow lashed her whip out angrily and pulled at the Shadow's arm. Her impulsive act was taken advantage of by the Shadow as it pulled its arm back and dragged Crow high into the air before slamming her down.

The Shadow flashed its solid red eyes over the group and then returned to its prey, diving directly at Usagi. The blonde was too shocked and hurt to move and prepared to brace herself. "Odango!" Fighter dashed forward, slamming Usagi painfully out of the way and landing hard on her stomach just as the Shadow finished its descent. A strangled choke escaped Fighter and she tensed painfully before blood streamed down the side of her mouth.

"Fighter!" Usagi cried. Tears built up and she shook her head. `No! Seiya…' She gasped at the pain enveloping her from her arms but couldn't just sit by. Knowing the chances she was taking, she called out, "Moon Eternal, MAKE UP!"

Eternal Sailor Moon finally finished her transformation. She felt the weakness that was coming from the loss of blood and transformation but she just had to help - somehow. "Silver Moon… Crystal Power… KISS!" she yelled out. The Shadow was surprised at the sound and detached itself from its newer prey. Looking up, ruby eyes widened in surprise as it was thrown back against the wall. Within moments it was crushed into faded ash.

New footfalls echoed in the alley. "Usako!" Mamoru sprinted up with Chibi-Usa, an extremely worried look on his face. Eternal Moon reached forward for Fighter but fell to her knees.

"Aa, so the scout of the moon can actually destroy these things!" Star Kit exclaimed as she landed. "I was so late! I'm so very sorry!" she looked concerned. "Oh my god! FIGHTER!" She rushed over to the fallen senshi just as a burst of light blinded the group.

"Damnit Fighter…" a pained, female voice came, "you're such an idiot." The light began to clear a bit until Maker was apparent, leaning over Fighter's bleeding form. She whispered, "Did you really think it would be better to save her life?"

Maker lifted Fighter into her arms and looked her over from the front. Wincing with the deep pain, Fighter answered, "May… be she's got the better chance." She coughed and more blood stained her lips. "Gomen…"

Healer knelt beside the two, shaking her head with tears flinging from her face. "BAKA! I told you that you're blinded! BAKA!" She checked Fighter over. "Damnit…" she pulled back and gripped a fist, trembling all over. "We're so worthless…" she whispered.

Fighter forced herself to sit up a bit more and looked over at Usagi. Face laced with pain, Fighter gave a small reassuring smile before leaning back against Maker. "Yakatta…" The other two Lights next to her just shook their heads with eyes shut tightly.

Two more senshi stepped through the lighted door that was open in the air. "Mouse, you're assigned here. Fighter, you're coming back to the Time Streams. Princess?" Pluto walked over to Mamoru and Usagi and knelt down. She checked Usagi over before lifting her up in her arms and standing. "The princess will stay in the Time Streams for a brief time until we are sure she can be okay here. Rely the information. We'll keep you updated." Pluto turned without waiting for any other response and returned through the door to the Time Gates, Maker following as she carried Fighter.

The door closed and the ground remaining glanced over themselves and the newly arrived Sailor Iron Mouse. "We failed again…" Crow whispered angrily, fisted arm trembling as she held out her hand, as if reaching for something. "How many are going to die for this…?" Her head dropped to her chest as angry tears stained her face.

"Fate says follow, Fate says see; go laugh who follow Destiny. Ha! Fate didn't say!" the voice remained bodiless but now maniacal. It gleefully laughed and sounds of childish clapping echoed in the dark. Shadows were leaving again, their eyes opening and then disappearing as they were released. "Fate says stay on track! Fate says follow Destiny! Never will She say Follow your heart!" The laughter continued on as the voice made up rhymes and chants to call out the Shadows. It mocked Fate and Destiny, making fun of them as it sent Shadows out to tear apart set Fates.

Sparkling wind splashed against the blackness of the nothingness and a dark form appeared. Mostly human in appearance, the male figure came up from its bowed form and gazed into the darkness. "You have called."

"Of course!" the figure bowed down with closed eyes. Suddenly his eyes snapped open wide, revealing the solid, soft brown color, and a warm glow came about him. A staff formed in his hand and on the end rested a long, slender, silver scythe.

The whirlwind of pale cream swept away the dark warrior and left the voice to its soft, childlike singing. "First attack, second attack, third attack… on the fourth attack, Daddy was killed, Mama ran away… fifth attack, sixth attack, seventh attack now… on the eighth attack, they went to the grave and that's where you'll go too…"

Maker's eyes flashed but did not look to the blonde. For long, long moments she did not reply, trying to keep a cool head as she worked on Fighter's deep wounds. Finally, in a tone so low it was hardly heard, Maker said, "I pray that eventually she will be fine. But in the small time limit we have, she'll hardly be able to help in this condition." She sighed and finally looked at Usagi with a defeated expression. "Listen, it's not your fault, alright? She's just an idiot who's a blind fool."

Maker poked Fighter in her uninjured shoulder and shouted, "What do you expect running in like that?! That thing could have killed you like all those other people!" Fighter winced and the brown-haired Starlight regretted her words - realizing that the other would take them offensively. "Gomen… that wasn't what I meant." Fighter acknowledged that with a nod before wincing again at the pain.

Soon Maker was back to work, finishing cleaning the wounds and then preparing the torn shoulder for stitches. Pluto glanced over after she finished with Usagi and took Maker's spot. "I'll do this. Look over the new data, okay? We don't have that much time." Maker nodded and stepped away to pull up the ethereal computer before her.

"Wow, this is neat!" Usagi exclaimed, looking over Maker's shoulder as the statistics and data flew past on-screen at a dizzying rate. She watched with interest while the Light's lean fingers literally flew across the keyboard, accessing the newer battle data just collected.

"We've collected as much data as we can the past few days. There's statistics on that Shadow that attacked you and Fighter." Maker nodded towards the wincing Light a few meters away. "This Shadow," she hit a button and an image popped up of the creature, "had a very high and unique ki reading compared to the others. Very little human ki was combined with the dead star particles - and extra magic was added in with this. Obviously this thing was not to just attack normal humans - it was after a senshi." Her eyes focused sidelong on Usagi. "Understand?"

The blonde looked up at her, blinking, "Well I get the general idea… but I don't know what you mean about the ki readings. I haven't heard about the human and ki readings before."

"Oh…" Maker flushed lightly, "that's right, you're not one of the ones informed. These Shadows have been made from a combination of dead star particles and human ki - ki not from the humans they tear apart." Usagi's eyes widened in surprise. "Do you not keep up with the news?"

Maker shrugged. "There's no real explanation for the attacks. There's been nothing in common with the people at all." She looked up, frowning suddenly. Pluto was also moving to stand from her position beside Fighter. All four stared down the corridor with apprehension apparent on their faces.

Eyes widening, Pluto ran into Usagi and threw both of them to the ground just as a burst of energy consumed the Time Space. The senshi's screams echoed out before fading away like a stone skipping across the water top before sinking to its death.

From the distorted fog, a tall, lean figure stepped out. He wore a long kimono of tan and maroon, tied with a black sash. The face was stone, nothing changing on the features as he walked - not even blinking. The clank of his metal staff hitting the ground was the only thing heard within the Time Streams, creating an eerie effect. He waited some time as the mist moved away from the senshi scattered on the tile floor. Each appeared to be unconscious, the first part of his mission was done. Nodding his head once, Anubius turned and walked to the nearest Gate.

He drew his scythe away from him and slashed it down through the Gate. Jumping away at the last minute, he moved to another Gate and cut that one also open. He continued down the hall, picking random gates to open. Finally he landed in a crouch and looked back towards where the senshi had fallen. Finally his face broke into a small smirk. The Shadow Master stood and moved to the brightly-glowing, golden door. He looked it over before reaching out a hand and passing through it.

The screaming voice of Healer jolted into Maker's senses and she finally pulled herself up. Wincing at the major headache she'd gained, she brought up the communication system before her. "Nan de…?"

The corridor was frazzled with mixing energies that spurted from broken gateways. The mists swirled in mini-tornadoes that picked up tiny pieces of the broken Gates and moved them elsewhere. Through all the destruction, Maker could see the form of the tall, Time Guardian. Her frame was rigid and her grasp was tight about the Time Staff that was braced against the ground. Pluto had her back to Maker, her dark-green hair swishing about her in careless winds.

"Pluto!" Maker shouted. The senshi of time finally turned, face hard but cheeks still stained with silent tears. "We have a lot of problems back on Earth. I don't think we can do anything else here." She glanced over at Fighter and Usagi, who seemed to be regaining consciousness. "We'll have to just help them on Earth…" She snorted lightly while looking over the images. "Looks like we've got a few extra hands - for us and against us."

"But the barrier was supposed to prevent this!" Pluto hissed angrily. She was the only one of the present-day senshi transformed. Mostly this was because they wanted to avoid confusion with the… `others'.

Everything was rather… confusing. But then again, that hardly described how messed-up and bewildering the situation was. The present-day Earth senshi - including the outers, inners, Mamoru, Chibi-Usa, and the cats - stood, mingled with the former anima-mates and Starlights. In various areas of the temple's yard - for they were at Rei's grandfather's shrine - there were scattered all sorts of people the senshi knew very well.

In one group, a fifteen-year-old Sailor Mercury stood with Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter. Another ways off, Super Sailor Moon was talking worriedly with a small black, cat form of Luna. Tuxedo Kamen was off a ways too, looking uncertain next to the fiery Sailor Mars beside him. Even a younger Super Sailor Uranus was glaring at the Star Healer and Star Fighter from her time. Last there ended up being Sailor Neptune holding a small, dark-haired baby to her chest and looking concerned.

"SILENCE!" Pluto finally shouted over the various conversations. Everyone hushed and looked at her. "Please, gather in here," she sighed and leaned heavily against her staff. "The Time Streams have been nearly destroyed," she looked everyone over carefully. Noting the blank looks on some of the younger senshi's faces, she winced. "Oh boy… I forgot how long it can take to explain such things."

Yes, this is a short and weird and confusing chapter.... ;;^^ Anyhow, that *would* by why I'm writing these notes out -- giving credti where it is due and jsut a few other notes.

~Anubius (still double-checking the spelling). Two reasons for choosing this: 1) Anubius is a helper/messenger of the dead in Egyptian mythology, from what I remember. 2) Anubius is the name of one of the characters in Ronin Warriors (aka YSTroopers). Um, the Anubius in the English version was whom I was thinking one. Newaz, it just sort of worked out. There'll be more explainations of him later, however. ~

~The little rhyme that the 'voice' is chanting ("first attack, second attack, third attack...") is altered and put together from the bits and pieces I can remember from a little odd rhyme used in Wrath of the Ninja: The Yotoden Movie. (Very obviously I watched this recently since I have the 'shadow' quote for the story, now, and this little thing from it too...). Anyhow, the song is quite odd, ne? If I can get my microphone to work, I'll get the tune to you. It's kind of hypnotizing... bizarre @_@ ~

~Lastly.... well... I wasn't going to do it but I did! ;;^^ So, now the confusion starts! Yay! That's what I love to write ::sweatdrop:: Ahem. Be glad I didn't do what I really had originally wanted and written in triples and quadroples of people. ^__^ heehee... that'd be fun. There's some past enemies that'll get mixed in here too, just so you don't think I'm biased to the allies. ;;U_U I'll get more info out as to which time period each mini-group of senshi is from so that you can get that straightened out. Oh yeah, I was rereading Sora-san's "Sailor Stars: Destiny Anymore?" in the middle of writing the story. ;;^^ Guess how the little idea lurked into my mind about adding past senshi...? ~

Okay, I apologize for the short chapter, but looking over the author's notes, guess it's not so short anymore. ;;U_U Gomen. I'm a babbler when it comes to typing, but a total clam in person. This 'shorter' chpt was to lessen the blow of the last chapter which was rather long... g2g now, my dears. Love ya all. Send feedback please!