B I S H O U J O S E N S H I S A I L O R M O O N A C R O S S T H E B O R D E R by DARK DAY FOR ANIME (Mark A Page) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer - This is a story containing characters who were created by anyone but me. That anyone would happen to be Takeuchi Naoko. Handle it. -------------------------------------------------------------------- W H A T H A S G O N E B E F O R E The DEATH SAILORS, Tsukino Usagi III, Hino Rei Jnr and Professor Mizuno Ami, operatives of President Serenity and the Republic of Surrealism, have survived what is, for them, a dangerous trek through their capital city, even if a very short one. Enemies lie in wait at every turn, ready to kill them, and their only hope is to reach the prepared safe houses that dot the capital. Surving this ordeal, they began a debriefing session with their President when the Lady Luna de Sade makes an appearance. Luna is to be their guide throughout the region known as Nemesis Gate, where their next target, the Reality Extremist leader, Adam Jade, is planning to gather together all the terrorist groups dedicated to the cause of reality. The relationship between Lady Luna and Usagi is exposed to be less than friendly, even though Luna had saved Usagi from death in the past after a terrorist bomb had killed her family.... -------------------------------------------------------------------- Perhaps Usagi might have looked upon her a little more kindly if Shingo had lived. He was already dead. A corpse, hanging over Luna's shoulder, on that day. As dead as the Lord and Lady Tsukino... But Usagi didn't want to admit that. She already KNEW Shingo was dead. As dead as she wanted to be. Usagi wasn't the only one to lose those she cared for. They never did find Azentor's body after they put out the conflagration that had gutted Luna's ancestral home. Somehow, she felt responsible for that. But what she did had been important to ONE individual. She found, at the very least, some solace and redemption in that fact. But not very much. ----o Part Three Insanity Takes Care of Its Own ----o Lady Luna stepped back into the main room some five minutes later, dressed in a similar bodysuit to that of the Death Sailors, with dark blue trim to match the black. She was somewhat disappointed at the lack of attention the others were giving her. They were continuing to discuss the operation with Serenity, sitting on the dais like they were the moment she first entered the main room. She did note that Usagi glanced at her, momentarily, then turned away. Luna sighed, dropping her face. She knew Usagi was going to be frosty with her, but the drama displayed by the girl was more than she expected. Sighing, she quietly made her way up to the dais. "I take it the three of you have heard of Nemesis Gate?" Serenity looked at them, questioningly. "Indeed, I have." Ami nodded. "It is the border post region with the neighbouring kingdom of Queen Beryl, is it not?" "Last bastion of the aristocratic regime that once ruled this land." Luna spoke up, smiling. Serenity lifted her eyebrows. "I take it you are versed in the affairs of the neighbouring kingdom, Lady Luna?" "How could I not be? There are members of my family living there. They chose to leave, rather than become citizens of the new republic." "Was this how you garnered your information about the gathering, Lady Luna?" Usagi looked aside at her, archly. "It might have been." Luna smiled. "Enough of this." Serenity barked, then turned aside as she was handed a brief from one of her advisors. After a few seconds of reading, she handed it back. "This most certainly confirms your suspicions. There is a gathering taking place within that district." "My connection are rarely wrong." Luna nodded with satisfaction. "Indeed, Lady Luna. You warn us about this quite a while ago." Serenity sighed. "We should have listened to your reports a lot sooner." "Blame it on your staff." Luna smiled, waving a hand at the screen, dismissively. Rei was furious at the action. "You can't speak to the President in such a cavalier manner." "It might very well have been my manner that made them ignore my reports in the first place." Luna chuckled. "I can live with that. But it doesn't change the fact that there is more to this than merely a gathering of the forces of reality." Luna paced the floor, now with the collective gaze of Serenity and the trio firmly fixed on her. She smiled to herself, used to being the centre of attention. "The reason that Adam Jade has planned this gathering within the Nemesis Gate district has a lot to do with the fact that it IS the border post between the Republic and Beryl's Monarchy. We all know that Beryl has had territorial designs on the Republic for some time, now. There could be no more effective weapon to use against us than an organised uprising by those disaffected with out philosophies." "So, Adam Jade is merely a means to an end?" Ami questioned. Luna nodded. "It would not surprise me at all if Jade is part of Beryl's forces. He wouldn't be the first to try and infiltrate our society." "I seem to remember that the last one to cause damage to the Republic was a member of the aristocracy...." Usagi sneered at Luna. "At least, that was what everybody thought." Luna scowled. "His actions brought down the aristocracy, reducing our power and influence." "Something that you have been trying to make up for ever since." Usagi shook her head. "I wouldn't put it beyond you, Luna De Sade, to have arranged this entire gathering, yourself." "Usagi!" Rei and Ami chorused. Usagi turned away, unrepentant. Serenity decided it was time to step in. "Tsukino Usagi the Third!" Usagi turned and stood to attention at the stern tone of her President. "I do not care what bitterness has passed between yourself and the Lady, but you shall not allow it to affect this mission, do you understand?" "Yes, my President. I apologise." Usagi bowed, slightly. "There is no need to chastise her, President Serenity. Her feelings towards me are valid." Luna stepped forward, crossing her hands in front of her. "We have been involved, in the past, in some.... For want of a better name, messy operations. She is upset at having lost some of her friends in those operations." "Accepted, Lady Luna. However, since it was MY decision to put the pair of you together on this mission, you shall both push past hostilities aside for the sake of the Republic." "Yes, my President." Usagi and Luna said in unison. "Now, then...." Serenity continued. "I have planned a route by which you should be able to traverse in safety. It shall take you three days to get to Nemesis Gate. I suggest you all try to rest as much as possible, in which time you can study the map of the region and define the best possible way out of the district when you have completed the task...." ----o Adam Jade sat in the small office he had commandeered for the gathering. Sunk into the deep folds of the vast black leather chair, fingers of both hands intertwined in front of his mouth in an expression of deep thought, he contemplated those who were passing his field of view, through the large open window that looked down upon the quadrangle below. He sighed. He hated what he was doing. At least, he hated these kind of people. Militarists.... Easy to manipulate. Stupidity made flesh. They would follow any moron for any cause. He just happened to be the latest model. And that was what he really hated about it all. They weren't following him because they were following HIM. Anybody with the gift of the gab could have worked them up as well as he had. No, he was not that important to these people. At least, not in his mind. But he never strayed very far down those lines of thought. Not that he didn't want to, but too much of that form of introspection created the kind of madness he found particularly distasteful, and he had always prided himself on his immense self-control. He stood from the chair and stared down at the rows of soldiers, hands now crossed behind his back. Hundreds of men and women, and not a neuron between them all.... No imagination. No imagination whatsoever! What a horrible fate for them to suffer. Instead of being artists, they were to suffer the indignity of being art. HIS art. At least, the kind of art that he now found himself to be a master.... He shook his head. He had to learn to put aside his days as a member of the art set in the Republic. He had spent much of his life, trying to make it as a painter, and failed. What else was there for him to do but become a fascist dictator? He chuckled at his own black humour. Perhaps he should have been a comedian. There was still an opportunity.... To back out. To cease this stupidity, here and now. To try and finish a career that had struggled up to now.... A smile crossed his face. A dark smile that understood the private joke he was sharing with himself. Turn back? What a hopeless individual he was. It would mean admitting to himself that he was afraid of what he was doing, what he had created. No artiste should ever be afraid of their work. And he'd enjoyed, far far too much, the creation of this work. The little deals and compromises he'd had to make in the underworld of this society were something he had revelled in. And that was the crux of it all. He LIKED the idea of playing the political mastermind and dictator. He LIKED the shadowy worlds in which he'd travelled these past few years. He wanted for it to go on forever. But there was no real likelihood of that happening. For he knew the destiny of all dictators. It was because of people like that that the Republic had been formed. Artistes who had been equally proud in their tearing-down of the aristocracy. They weren't going to allow him to do the same. "Sir..." He turned to the woman's voice, with deliberate slowness. His secretary, Titus, stood in the doorway to the office, saluting him. He swallowed and nodded at her deference, feeling a nervous tightness building up in his chest at her presence. "It is time to address the first arrivals." "I'll be ready in a couple of minutes." Jade waved at her. He never liked the silky tone with which she would address him. Titus was different from all the others he had gathered. She DID have imagination. That was why he had made her his secretary, so he could keep a close eye on her activities. One never knew when one might become the victim of a less than supportive critic.... "Yes sir." Titus nodded, sly smile on her face, and left the office, closing the door behind her. He let out a long sigh, relaxing slightly, picked up the cap that sat on his desk, put it on, steeled himself, reciting the words he would say to the gathering in his mind and stepped up to the office door.... ----o Four figures crouched on top of a building, overlooking the quadrangle within which the gathering of reality forces was taking place. The Republican operatives that went by the name of the Amazoness Quartet. All were dressed and kitted in much the same manner as the Death Sailors. However, the Amazoness Quartet weren't even close in attitude when it came to their work. In fact, they were the Republic's wild cards. It was visible even in the hairstyles they chose for themselves, and the adornments that they would attach to the bodysuits, overcoats and backpacks in their posession. They were as close to insane as anyone allowed to run around, free of authority, could be. And there were very good reasons for that. Reasons that only a very few knew or understood. Just the way they carried themselves whilst watching the quadrangle said everything about their attitude to their work. VesVes, the readheaded firebrand with her hair up in a standing tail, like a flare that had only just been fired, kept watch over the events. Her nervous tension was almost at breaking point as she variously peered through the binoculars and put them down to roll her fingers with anticipation, licking her lips. VesVes was already plotting a course of action, to take out the entire gathering in one fell swoop, in her mind. This was her area of expertise.... Operational assessment and planning. Oh, and of course, she was a mean hand with a razored whip.... After giggling inanely for a few moments, thinking of all the heads she'd lopped off with that whip, she glanced back at her compatriots. JunJun, who sat behind her, staring at the clouds as they flew by, her green hair tied up in a three-tail pattern, one up two down, with the top knot in triple braids, was completely unfazed by the situation. In fact, she looked a little bored. There was nothing she could have done to annoy VesVes more. "Mooouuuu! What is wrong with you?" She pointed at JunJun with the binoculars. JunJun gave her an imperious gaze, then lay her head back once more, a slight smile on her face. "You just can't appreciate the importance of these moments, you know that?" VesVes crossed her arms and huffed. "Has there been any change in what the extremists are doing? Any sign that they've detected our presence, or are about to launch some attack on helpless civilians?" JunJun sniffed with patent disinterest, her tone when describing the 'helpless civilians' tinged with anything but concern. VesVes decided to brief her on what she was seeing, even though she knew JunJun could have given a stuff, anyway. "I think Jade is getting ready to make his first declaration." She shook her head, making the large pigtail jiggle about. She simply couldn't understand her partner's lack of enthusiasm for what was about to happen. "You know, big historical speech and all. We're about to witness a moment that will go down in all the record books as a turning point in the history of the Republic and all. Not that that matters, and all...." "Ho hum." JunJun turned and looked at VesVes. "Does that mean we'll have an opportunity to take him out before those Death Sailors get to him?" "I do not think that that would be a very wise decision. At least, not being as close to the gathering as we are." VesVes and JunJun turned and looked up at the standing figure of CereCere, her pink hair turned into circular tubing that smacked of spaghetti architecture, something that she was justifiably proud of. It encircled her head like a decorative crown that spoke volumes of her personality. In some ways, she was the leader of the Quartet, but she was without the air of authority that it required to lead such a group. When she spoke, her hands were crossed in front of her, and her voice was soft and delicate, her words measured and well thought out. Indeed, she seemed completely unsuited to the lifestyle in which the Quartet found themselves. A mistake more than one of her victims had discovered altogether too late. "PallaPalla wanna throw a grenade at them." The last of the four pulled a large object from her backpack, which she then proceeded to detach from its casing. Her short blue hair, lined with bolas that bore astrange resemblance to a merry go round, shook as she excitedly held up the grenade to the others, her eyes sparkling with love for this most treasured of toys. A large sweatdrop ran down the side of CereCere's head as she watched PallaPalla run her hands across the egg-shaped object. "I do not think that would be a very wise decision, either." CereCere wagged a finger at PallaPalla, who screwed up her nose in disappointment. "Aww.... PallaPalla wanna blow up people. PallaPalla likes blowing up people. It's fun." There was no doubt, in her words, the game-like attitude to which she considered their occupation. Something the others had long clued about her and equally tried to stop. There simply was no point, PallaPalla was not going to get any better. "You can play your games later." JunJun sniffed and turned back to VesVes, who was gesticulating wildly as she peered through her binoculars. "Now what's up with you? Not getting enough caffeine in our diet, or something?" "He's there! He's there, I tell you!" VesVes whispered excitedly. "Jade's taking his place on the central platform." They could hear the distant roar of the gathering as they gave a cheer for Jade's appearance. VesVes gave her own brand of non-verbal salute to him as he waved to the crowd. The other three almost bundled her out of the way to get a glimpse, much to her annoyance as she landed on her butt, pulling their own binoculars from their backpacks. "Hmm.... He doesn't look like much to me." JunJun shrugged. "I can't see what Serenity is so worked up about." "He is very handsome, and he has an excellent speaking voice. It is the mastery of the two elements that makes him such a threat." CereCere pointed out, waving a finger in the air. "PallaPalla wanna blow him up." She juggled the grenade in one of her hands, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "Ano... I don't think that's a very good idea..." VesVes, afyter having lifted herself to her knees, grabbed the grenade in mid-air and very carefully placed it back in its carry case, much to PallaPalla's discontent. "Aww... VesVes is being cruel to me." PallaPalla started to cry, volumes of tears flying out of the corners of her eyes. JunJun and CereCere facefaulted, dropping their binoculars. "Honestly...." JunJun shook her head. "Here, play with this." JunJun handed PallaPalla a small, well punctured cotton doll. "Wai! My Daddy Doll.... PallaPalla loves her Daddy Doll." PallaPalla grabbed the doll and stepped aside, pulling a large, evil looking needle from her overcoat. "PallaPalla stab Daddy Doll." And thus she began to skewer the doll with much joy. CereCere and VesVes looked at JunJun strangely. She just shrugged. "Don't blame me. It's a kind of Oedipus Complex. Her father used to nail her to the kitchen wall as a statement of individuality...." The irony of the statement was not lost on them. Father? None of them had such a person. After several moments, the remaining three stepped away from the side of the building, growing tired of watching Jade mouthing his speech without hearing what he had to say. "Damn, I wish we had the high tech equipment some of the other operatives have." VesVes punched a fist in the palm of her other hand. "They wouldn't trust is with it, dearie." JunJun shrugged. "So, what do we do?" "I dare suggest...." CereCere began. "That we wait and see what the Death Sailors have up their sleeve before we make our move." "PallaPalla stab and stab and stab her daddy doll. PallaPalla loves stabbing her daddy doll...." PallaPalla held the doll up in the air as the other three facefaulted. "Maybe we should just send her in instead?" JunJun shook her head and rested herself back against her backpack. ----o "So, the Amazoness Quartet are in on this as well...." Rei rubbed her chin, smiling thoughtfully as she sat on the middle of the safe house floor, opposite Luna. "Indeed. With something this big, that group of lunatics were bound to be attracted." Luna nodded and turned to Ami and Usagi, who were pouring over the diagram of the Nemesis Gate and surrounding districts. "Like flies to a carcass...." "We could do without them." Usagi muttered, grumpily. "We'll have a hard enough time traversing some of the gullies between the Vermion Lock and Nemesis Gate without their butting into our business." Ami nodded. "The parkland gully between the eastern border of Vermion Lock and Nemesis Gate is immense. We'd never be able to get across that without being spotted." "Then I dare suggest we disguise ourselves as part of the festival celebrations that are going on there at the time." Luna wagged a finger at the pair. "I'm sure you're all quite capable of fitting in with the arts set again. It might even bring back old memories...." "Thanks but no thanks. Old memories are something I'd rather do without." Usagi huffed and threw her nose in the air, obviously ending the discussion there. Luna shook her head and turned back to Rei. "How are they allowed to just run around the way they do?" Rei scratched her head. "And they get away with it with their lives, too. It's almost inhuman." "Who?" Luna blinked. "The Quartet. That pack of psycho bitches." Rei crossed her arms, closing her eyes with annoyance. "Well, it has a lot to do with their backgrounds...." Luna cleared her throat. "They're.... not quite the same as the rest of us...." "What do you mean by that?" Rei gave Luna a strange expression. Luna cleared her throat and wondered how she could explain what she knew about the Quartet.... "Well.... It's hard to say.... You were quite right by describing them as inhuman. They're not, so to speak." "They're not what?" "Human. Not as you or I would understand the term...." "What do you mean by that?" Rei frowned as Luna fumbled for words. Within seconds, all were lying on the floor after the building had shaken. The rumbling noise of an explosion echoing throughout the city. Rei was the first to her feet. "What in hell was that?" END OF PART 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ACROSS THE BORDER In the heat of the day Many miles away when the Sun is beating downthe main street. I'll be waiting at the station, I gotta move down the line. They'll be dancing and singin' And doin' their thing And they'll be rockin' and rollin' Until the day is done. You know I've got to Make the deadline- I gotta get that southbound train tonight- If I don't get to the border then I'll write. The Mardis Gras Will be blowing strong And the people dancing All across the city I'm leavin' here tonight I gotta move down the line. I'm gonna catch a ride On the 9.05 I'm gonna ride the rails Until we reach the morning, Maybe three or four Hundred miles. I gotta get that southbound train tonight- If I don't get to the border then I'll write. When the wind is blowing Softly throught the streets of a little town And the music's playin', You're waitin' somewhere Over the horizon. I gotta get that southbound train tonight- If I don't get to the border then I'll write. -Jeff Lynne- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Next Chapter - "Open Invitation" I thought it best to rewrite the original chapter 2 of AtB.... There were many elements that my friend and sometime co-writer, who prefers to go by the title of "Night Rider" (for no visibly apparent reason. Well, not visible to me, anyway) wanted to see put into this story that seemed to be workable that I decided it prudent to do so. Of course, this virtually doubled the length of chapter 2, so it is now chapters 2 and 3. This makes the story a tad more wordy, with less in the way of action, but I'm a writer who tends to dwell on the little things that make each character what they are. Anyway, enough of these notes. PallaPalla is tugging on my sleeve, wanting to know when she gets to blow someone up. I should get on with chapter 4.... ^_^ DDFA (The Right Dishonourable Mark A Page) ayanami@merlin.net.au Chief Propoganda Officer, Keeper of the Tapes, Co-Founder of the Saitou-chan Fan Club and Compulsive Rabies-san Shit-Stirrer. ^_^ Version 2.0 - 22nd Jun 1998