The scene opens in the middle of a fierce fight outside of the Hikawa Jinja Shrine...two warriors face off. Kibagami Genjuro and the demon sorcerer Amakusa Shirou Tokisada.. Kibagami dodges back as a large explosion rips open the earth before him and narrowly takes him with it. He comes to a sliding halt a few feet away then falls to one knee, sword clutched in both hands and ready for an attack. Small cuts and burns cover his body and his gi top, has long since been discarded to the ground. "Che..sore dake ga!??"(Is that all you got?) Genjuro pushes himself to his feet and steps forward, gripping his sword tighter, his body tensed. His eyes are locked on his enemy before him who hovers off the ground slightly, enveloped in flowing robes.

Nakoruru rushes from the entrance of the shrine, having waited there...just in case Rei's friend was in need of further assistance.  She hears the explosion in the street and quickly runs to the top of the stairs to see what is going on down there.

From inside of the shrine Hino Rei sits at the edge of her bed, looking down at Kamui who seems to have finally drifted off to sleep.  She sighs wearily, but her thoughts are suddenly disrupted by the sound of the explosion and the loud kawing of the crows, perched high in the trees and on the stone walls of the shrine.  Rei races out of her room and exits the shrine.  Spotting
Nakoruru at the top of the stairs she slows to a stop and stands beside her looking down.

Amakusa hovers in the air, dark energies flowing around him in ribbons, along with the fabric of his robes. He clutches a dark emerald orb, which glows and pulsates brightly. The expression set on the handsome man's face is smug, confidence radiating from him as strongly as the dark energy that flows through his body. He has wounds, one being on his shoulder showing the effects of a succesful hit from Genjuro's sword, bleeding but of little concern to Amakusa at this moment, his attention fully on Genjuro. "Give this up Kibagami-san.." his voice echo's off the walls of the nearby buildings. "It was foolish to attack me and more so to think you could beat me..."

Rei stares at the scene at the base of the concrete steps.  She looks over Amakusa, her lashes lowering, her eyes forming slits.  o O (I recognize that energy...it's the same I felt the last time.  So that's who it came from...)  She looks between the two men, recognizing Genjuro instantly.  (...maybe he _was_ telling the truth before...)  The crows continue to kaw in persistance, enraged at the broken peace.  Rei turns to look curiously at Nakoruru beside her, to see how the woman will react to all this...

Genjuro straightens his back as he points to Amakusa with his sword, "You will not live past this day demon! You have come back to this world but will die by my blade." He spits out blood and then wipes the blood from his lips with the back of his hand as he widens his stance and clutches his sword with both hands, bringing it to a ready position. "Ahou ga...." There is a pause as Genjuro waits quietly, breathing deep and concentrates. His sharp eyes lock onto Amakusa, fear not even a trace there, just determination. Then suddenly his body tenses everywhere as he pushes forward with his foot and into a dash, sword slowly raised up as he rushes forward. "Ouka..." The grip tightens on the hilt, the tensed muscles in his forarms readying to deliver the strike that will down his opponent. Genjuro's battle aura starts to flash as he makes his way across the battle field and closer to Amakusa. "ZAAAAN!" Thrusting his arms down he then reverses the motion and slashes up, the gathered energy rushing forward along with the
faint image of a 'Hanafuda' card.

Nakoruru glares at Genjuro, switching her gaze between him and the wizard, and the ronin.  She hears Genjuro's words, yet somehow dismisses them as being impossible, a figment of her imagination perhaps. She seems strangely baffled, as if the battle she is watching is someting that could not possibly be...the demon warrior, she ponders, battling the demon...no...it must be an illusion, some foul trickery of Amakusa...she tries to convince herself, though she knows it is not true.

The smug grin of Amakusa deepens into a cruel one, lips turning sharply up on one side as his eyes narrow and flash blood red. "Come to your death, Ambrosia will embrace you." He drops to the ground and slides to the side, bringing his arm out as he widens his stance. The dark ribbons around him whip about wildly as Amakusa stretches out a long slender finger and mouths a quiet incantation. The ever present dark emerald stone of Amakusa spins around him then rushes forward, rapidly turning black then disappears. What takes it's place is a wide wave of black, dark hellish energies that streak across the ground, burrowing up earth and heading towards the advancing samurai.

Rei's hands tighten, balling into fists and she watches enraged that such dark energies have been released.  And in front of the Hikawa Shrine, her home!  Rei glances over to Nakoruru again, who seems to be watching everything intently.  So taking advantage Rei, quietly slips back and away, retreating to henshin into Sailor Mars.  Then return better able to fight or defend her home, whatever the case may be.

Genjuro has no time to react to what rushes towards him, seeking him out. His mind barely realizes what is happening before him, his determination blinding him and causing him to rush forward in the same manner. A lesson he will learn now. The wave engulfs the samurai who can only try to stop his dash, sliding forward as his weight carries him, and then brings his sword up and curls his body up for the impact. The wave streaks forward taking Genjuro and then continues till it finds a nearby wall at the end of its destructive path. It slams into the wall and if it were made of anything weaker, would be rubble now. When the wave dissapates Genjuro is embedded into the wall, his body covered in deep cuts and gouges. He opens his eyes as he grimaces, bringing one arm forward and trying to speak. Blood rushes from his mouth as it opens, then he falls forward into a battered heap, his sword sticking into the ground besides the defeated samurai.

Amakusa lowers his head as he opens his hand, the dark orb flashing into exhistance back with it's master. "It is done...." he says in a soft tone, slowly looking up and towards the down swordsman on the ground yards away with eyes of deep crimson. He moves his open hand down as the orb hangs in the air then moves behind Amakusa and floats, humming low and pulsating. Amakusa brushes back a long strand of hair as he watches Genjuro for movement, laughing softly in his amusement.

Nakoruru knows true pain when she sees it, that is no illusion, Kibagami really is battling against Amakusa, her hand reaches her side, and she calls out, "Iku! Shikuruu!" over her shoulder as she rushes down the stairs. o O (Why am I doing this?!)
Rei raises her hand high into the air and shouts, "Mars Star Power!  Make up!"  Rei spins surrounded by numerous rings of fire that converge onto her forming her sailor fuku.  Rei has become Sailor Mars!
Shikuruu approaches from the garden.
Shikuruu has arrived.
Sailor Mars, after performing her henshin leaps high onto the wall of the shrine, looking down, watching Nakoruru decend the stairs.  She crouches down, content to watch for now.  But ready to enter the battle the moment things take a turn she doesn't like.

Genjuro is down, his body unmoving excpet for the slight rising and falling as he breaths shallow. Each breath choked off by a gurgle of blood that seeps from his lips.

Nakoruru slides to a stop at the base of the stairs, Shikuruu covering that space with only two leaps.  Nakoruru glances towards Genjuro, she finds herself sickened slightly as her mind almost feels glad to see the man down, though her hear tells her this is wrong.  She glares at Amakusa, "Why have you come here tonight?!" she demands as the wolf reaches her side.

The haunting but elegant laughter echoing off the walls is halted as Amakusa senses others present. Slowly he turns to face the two who have arrived, casing a faint glance to Genjuro as he does. "To see this place rubble...but my attack was halted by this rounin.." He motions over to Genjuro then clenthes the hand into a tight fist. "And I would continue with my mission, but it seems that he has injured me.." Amakusa moves his hand up to his shoulder, the cloth stained with his own blood. When he moves his hand away from the deep gash it is covered in blood. Amakusa frowns slightly and squeezes his fist togther, his tone lowers in annoyance. "Che...no doubt this damned wound will distract me..." He returns his gaze over to Nakoruru, at times glancing about knowing that Rei is near.

Nakoruru scowls, trying to decipher the truth from the fiction, though it is only in her mind, as the wizard's words ring true. Genjuro has save the shrine for tonight. She makes a quick decision, the wizard is wounded, and has admited to his destraction from that wound. "Shikuruu!" she calls as she breaks into a dash, her hand on the pommel of her kodachi, as she sprints towards Amakusa, Shikuruu running slightly ahead of her. o O (I will take him down while he is weak.) she decides, perhaps not fully rational, but she hasn't had a long moment to think about it either.

As Amakusa speaks Rei's eyes narrow, fury building up deep within her once he reveals his plan, to see her beloved shrine, the place of her childhood and home to this day destroyed.  She glances slightly over to Nakoruru, but returns her dark eyes to Amakusa, knowing that he can sense her presence she slowly stands from her crouched position on top of the shrine's stone wall.  She looks down to see Nakoruru then sprint into action, hoping that she will be able to take out Amakusa.  While her friend rushes in she dares not send out a burst of flames yet.

Amakusa takes a step back as he flicks his wrist sending the blood from his hand and to the ground in droplets. A unsettling smile returns to Amakusa's face as his eyes take in the figure of Nakoruru running towards him. "How sad..." is said quietly as he raises his arm, his sleeve sliding down to his elbow, then lowers his arm and points forward. "HyaaaaaaAAHHHH!" The air explodes behind him as the dark orb vanishes then appears infront of Amakusa and rushes forward, turning black. There is a loud howl as the blackening orb seeks out Nakoruru, a faint trail of black energies behind it.

Nakoruru barreled in too quickly, and she realizes that right about the time that Amakusa unleashes his attack. But she has dealt with a myriad of attacks in her own life, and she has developed methods around the mayhem, if you will.  She leaps forward, as if to dive along the ground, "Annu mutsabe!" she cries as she summons the forces needed to propel her along the ground, her kodachi already drawn and held before her as she hopes to slide harmlessly under the black sphere. Shikuruu takes a different approach and makes a 90 degree turn in his dash, heading off perpendicularly from the sphere, planning to come back at the wizard from another angle.
Sailor Mars watches intensely as Amakusa releases the power towards Nakoruru.  She shouts, "Look out!" now definately giving away her position, if Amakusa wasn't already aware of her place on the wall.

Amakusa's eyes dart over to Mars as she yells out, his robes whipping about as he turns quickly to face her. His launched attack cancels as it misses it's target, the orb fading away then reappearing behind Amakusa. "Who are you...the owner of this shrine perhaps?" As he looks up to her a sharp pain digs into his shoulder causing his hand to clutch at it out of instinct. But he makes no other movement or sign that the pain is slowly getting to him. Mainly blocked out but the fight has worn him out and expended a certain amount of energy, energy he could use to be healing but is instead delaying.

Nakoruru rolls to her feet out of her attack, coming to stand not more than nine feet from Amakusa. Her hand still grasps the kodachi tightly.  Shikuruu keeps a little ways off, wary of his master's moves, not wanting to interfer unless needed.  Nakoruru makes no other immediate move, she does not know the nature of the wizard's defense, to run straight at him would be foolish, she realizes.

Sailor Mars glares down at Amakusa, her dark hair flowing behind her, brought on by a gust of wind from her high vantage point.  Then shouts down,  "For love and fire, I am the soldier, Sailor Mars!"
Sailor Mars (OOC) continues... n.n;
Sailor Mars glares down at Amakusa, her dark hair flowing behind her, brought on by a gust of wind from her high vantage point.  Then shouts down,  "For love and fire, I am the soldier, Sailor Mars!"  She holds out a gloved hand to point down at the man in flowing robes.  "I will not allow you to harm this peaceful shrine!  And in the name of Mars, I'll punish you!"
Somewhere on the muck, Iori_Yagami has connected.
Somewhere on the muck, Requiem has connected.
Amakusa laughs softly as he trades glances between Nakoruru and Mars, his face half obscured by his fiery mane. He takes the moment to assess the situation and looks to his hand, stained with blood. "You will punish no one my dear child...it is you and all humanity who will be punished. " Amakusa holds an open palm up as his eyes narrow, ribbons of black begining to swirl around him. "Without this wound I would offer you a fight...but it needs my attention and plus. I had hoped for this to go more smoothly, but there is always another time. Pray to whatever God you wish...Ambrosia will show you the true way..accept his word or burn in torment!" His image begins to flicker as the ribbons of black swirl around faster creating a biting and cold wind.

Nakoruru remains standing still, the wizard leaves, she cannot stop his comings and goings she realizes glumly. Her kodachi remains ready, inspite the wizard's obvious eminent departure.
Sailor Mars clenches her gloved fists as Amakusa speaks of punishing humanity.  It is evident that the other senshi will have to be told of this new advasary.  She watches silently as the wind begins to pick up, sending a cold shiver down her spine, and he departs.

Amakusa's body fades as the black energies take him away, a soft chuckle growing into laughter that echo's thru-out the street even after he has faded away.

Nakoruru moves from Amakusa to Genjuro, standing over him quietly. He seems pretty beat up, she decides...and what's this about him protecting the shrine? Not possible...her mind tells her. But still, he is injured, and in the middle of the street, "Rei-san..." she calls out as Shikuruu moves to her side to sniff at Genjuro, "We should get him inside."

Nakoruru glances over her shoulder, idly looking for Rei, she remembered her being present before. She glances up towards the wall, where that crazy girl was shouting things about Mars and punishment. o O (This city is full of those types...) she ponders before calling out again, "Rei!"
Sailor Mars discretely leaps from the wall, leaving as Amakusa disappears.  After a moment, Rei comes out through the courtyard of the shrine and decends the steps running over to Nakoruru, looking around timidly.  She stares down at Genjuro's fallen form, "Nakoruru-san.  Is that guy...is he gone?"

Nakoruru nods a couple of times, her expression grim, "Hai...but he left this one behind." she gestures at Genjuro and frowns a little, "A little on the large side...I was hoping that maybe the two of us could..." she pauses, "...get him inside some how."

Rei blinks and stares down at Genjuro.  o O (That guy is huge!)  She sweatdrops and looks at Nakoruru and nods.  "I'll try my best.  Do you think we could really carry him?"  ^_^;

Genjuro groans slightly as he stirs, then coughs harshly, his body shuddering then coming to rest as he passes out again.

Nakoruru swallows, "A ver..." she whispers as she bends down to try and drag him from one of his shoulders. o O (Going to be a bumpy ride up those stairs...) she ponders.

Rei bends down and takes the other shoulder of the large man.  o O (...sorry mister.  But this is probably not going to be fun...for you or me.)  And begins dragging along with Nakoruru.

Genjuro stirs again and reaches out for his sword stuck into the ground, more out of instinct rather then being aware of where he is even at. As quickly as he is awake, his weary body causes him to pass out again.
 
Nakoruru ponders quietly and decides to come back for the sword,_after_ he's in bed, and place it in a different room.

Rei helps to drag Genjuro along, a bumpy ride up the stairs no doubt.  n.-  And into the Hikawa shrine.

Rei tugtugs the man, "Well stick him in the second room....oof."  *tugtug*  o.o;;;

Nakoruru nods and tugs, working up a small sweat.

Rei tugs at Genjuro, pulling him over to the futon which enhabits the room.

Genjuro's body barely fits on the futon, his legs hanging over the edge of the couch and dangling. He breathing has deepened but he is still out..

End.
 

- Saturday, April 03, 1999