Title: "Across the Border Part 6" Author: Dark Day for Anime (Mark A Page) E Mail: ayanami@merlin.net.au Rating: PG-13 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Having escaped the safe house alive, after the attack by the Realist Militia soldiers under the command of ADAM JADE, the DEATH SAILORS: TSUKINO USAGI III, HINO REI JNR and PROFESSOR MIZUNO AMI, operatives of PRESIDENT SERENITY and the REPUBLIC OF SURREALISM, with the LADY LUNA DE SADE, have made their way into the sewer system of the Republic's capital in an effort to reach the district of Vermion Lock, which borders Jade's stronghold in Nemesis Gate. A single Realist soldier, by the name of DETERN, pursued them into the sewers, and managed to catch up with them, but was dealt with by Ami's underhanded technological trickery, and only just escaped with his life as the sewer tunnel collapsed.... The Death Sailors reach the sewer access door at Bardon Park, partway to their intended destination of Vermion Lock, where they must cross the parkland border into Nemesis Gate. After a few moments rest and discussion of their situation, they encounter.... -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Uh, I really think you should turn. I have something of a small problem, here." Luna's voice was rather insistent, so they did turn, and saw something they didn't want to see. Two masked soldiers, dressed in black uniforms were standing either side of Luna, holding rifles up to her head, as a third emerged from a ventilation shaft set above the access door, jumping down and holding the trio at bay with his own rifle. As they moved for their own weapons, they heard clicking noises and splashing sounds from the water channel behind them. They turned back to the stream to see another ten or so soldiers, standing in the water, their own weapons, mostly automatic and semi-automatic rifles, targeting the three operatives.. "Oh shit bugger damn." Rei muttered. "Yes.... Not the best of positions to be in." Ami swallowed as the three lifted their hands from their weapons, trying to smile and look unthreatening. "Nice people...." Usagi croaked pathetically. "We don't want to mess up your nice, clean dirty sewer, or anything. We'll leave, if you want...." "Who are you?" The figure at the front of those standing within the stream strode forward. The voice was that of a stern young woman. "More to the point...." Usagi swallowed. "Who are you?" The woman paused, lowering her rifle, cautiously. Slowly, she lifted up her free hand and took hold of the top of her mask, removing it. The woman's face was regally attractive, with a soft, round face with high cheekbones, fringed by dark, wavy hair that had small, wavy cowlicks, falling across her forehead. Dark eyes pierced the very souls of the four within the twilight of the tunnel. She lifted her face and stared at them, arrogantly. "I am Angelique Petz, commander of the brave soldiers of the Republic of Darkness. I repeat my question. Who are you?" ----o Part Six Underworld ----o "The Republic of what?" Usagi had just enough time to put on a comical expression of confusion before all four were disarmed, and bundled from the doorway ledge, into the stream below by the trio of soldiers behind them. Usagi almost toppled forward into the water, caught in time by Rei. "Thanks." She whispered softly to the dark-haired girl. "I'd rather not see anyone take a mouthful of this gunk." Rei replied, pulling Usagi close to her. "Don't say anything to these people that may antagonise them.... If they are who I think they are, they might be of some assistance." "What are you talking about?" Usagi frowned, before she felt the muzzle of Petz's rifle prod her in the shoulder. "Quiet, you." Petz sneered. "You remind me of someone I used to know." "Oh.... Uhh... That's nice." Usagi swallowed. Petz shrugged and looked away. "Yeah, I suppose you could say that. But she's dead now. I had to kill her...." Petz rubbed the length of her rifle. "People with faces like yours always turn out to be trouble." Usagi managed to place Ami between herself and Petz, much to the woman's amusement. Ami, put on the spot, felt it was time to exercise a little of her knowledge involving the Republic of Darkness. "Eraewoh wuoysa edursa enoemos llet ewdluo hsyhw." Ami stared nervously the stunned Petz, who turned aside to her deputy. He shrugged, gesturing to his mouth with one of his hands. Petz curled her lips and turned back to Ami. "You understand... our language?" Ami raised an eyebrow, now feeling a little more confident. "Won, kuo, ynah teromd natsre dnu spahrepi." Petz's lips pulled back even further as she gritted her teeth, feeling that she had lost control of the situation. "Ylrael ceti uquoy. Dnat sred nuiemk comot deenon siereht." "What did she say?" Usagi whispered aside to Ami, who tried to hush her. Usagi wasn't having any of it, though. "It's no good if you're going to talk a language I don't understand." "You don't but she does, eh?" Petz smiled at Usagi, relieved to learn that not all of her captives were capable of speaking her kins' tongue. "So what if I don't?" Usagi huffed. "I don't even know who you people are. I've never heard of you before. Are you members of the republic, or affiliated with the Reality Militia?" Ami and Rei cringed as Petz strode forward, pushing them aside and gripping the collar of Usagi's coat. "What did you say?" "I... I said...." Petz didn't give Usagi the time to reply. "WE ARE SOLDIERS OF THE REPUBLIC OF DARKNESS! WE EXIST TO HIDE OUR ART FROM THE LIGHT OF DAY AS A STATEMENT IN ITSELF. WE ARE NOT ALLIES OF THE REALITY DISEASE! THOSE WHO SAY SO MUST DIE!" And with that, Petz lifted the muzzle of her rifle underneath Usagi's chin. Usagi was as close as one could get to wetting herself at that moment. It was Rei who managed to save Usagi's bacon. Getting down on her knees, lowering herself into the murky water that ran along the sewer, she bowed her head to Petz. "Syaw ruo yfot narong, isi ehsr uono hruo yott lusni rehevi grof." Petz looked down at Rei, sneering. "Diaseh stah wrof rehlli, kotgnill iwnah teromerael poepy muo ydnuo rakool ruo noh ruoottlus nireh rofes ucxeons iecnarong ireh!" Rei lifted her head and stared at Petz's soldiers, all of whom appeared ready to use their weapons on Usagi at any moment, she lowered it once more, trying to affect an appeasing stance. "Esru ocfol liwru oyotre, dnerru sew." Petz laughed in Rei's face. "Ecioh cynau oygni vigtonerae werau oyes ruocfo." She lowered her gun from Usagi, who used the occasion to take a breath, having held it in until now. "Are you members of the Reality Militia?" Petz asked of Rei, who raised her head to meet Petz's gaze. "We are... operatives of the Republic.... We are... were... being pursued by members of the Reality Militia, who are attempting to kill us, so we are not given the opportunity to kill their leader, Adam Jade." "Hino....." Lady Luna pushed past Ami. "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I'm doing?" Rei turned to Lady Luna with a pained expression. "Kneeling in parasite-infested water.... You can't just tell these people about our plans.... They're not members of the Republic's system...." "What else would you have me do? Allow them to kill Usagi?" Rei held up a fist to Luna, who went silent, then turned back to Petz who had let go of Usagi, pondering what Rei had told her. "And who might you be?" Petz's attention changed to the new interloper, placing Luna on the spot. "Who indeed." Luna crossed her arms and looked away. "I don't give my name to barbarians who lurk within the foetid darkness of the sewers." "Good one, Luna. Antagonise them. It'll make everything so much better." Usagi croaked as she rubbed her throat, still feeling the aftereffects of having her collar dig into her skin. "Lady Luna de Sade." Petz chuckled. "Well well well.... This is a comedown for a member of the old aristocracy...." She paced around Luna, pressing her face uncomfortably close. "Not used to getting down and dirty with 'barbarians' like our good selves, yet more than willing to traverse these sewers with a trio of incompetents, not knowing what you might stumble into." "They are not incompetent." Luna huffed. "They are one of the Republic's best assassin teams." "Hoooo." Petz and her soldiers mocked, then started to laugh. Within a moment, Petz raised her hand, and they all went silent. "Very impressive, my dear Lady.... But it must be said, if they were competent, then they wouldn't have been so easily caught out by the ambush we had sprung on them." She pressed her face underneath Luna's right ear. "Ne?" "That was.... unfortunate." Luna shivered at Petz's presence. "And I am not 'traversing' the sewers by choice. That was her decision." Luna gestured to Rei, still on her knees. "Are you going to kneel there all day? You've probably got a terminal blood fluke infestation, already...." She turned back to Petz, pressing her own face up close. "So, what do you intend to do with us, hmmm?" Petz smiled, stepping back as she shrugged. "I suppose I could dispose of you.... That would be the normal course of action. We can't have anyone from the world of light witnessing our performances, especially those dedicated to serving the light...." She paused. "However, your purpose.... to kill this Adam Jade.... has me intrigued. I think it may be worthy to take you to see OUR president." "Di... Dimando?" Ami gasped as she helped Rei to her feet. "I'm lost." Usagi scratched her head. "I'm not surprised, for someone as stupid as you." Petz snapped at her, making Usagi cringe. "Don't be like that.... I dunno who this Dimando person is...." "You've never heard of the GREAT DIMANDO?" Petz stared at her, disbelievingly. "No... Should I?" Usagi swallowed, quite certain she had sealed her fate with this. Petz, however, arched her back, laughing out loud. "Dimando shall be truly disappointed.... Someone who DOESN'T know of him.... The great hero of the civil war...." Petz slung her rifle over her shoulder. "One of the reasons he joined us, to become our president.... To escape the fawning hero worship of those within the light. He shall, indeed, take a shine to you, girl. Come, let us return to our homeland." And with that, Petz snapped her fingers, pointing further along the tunnel. After replacing her mask, Lady Luna and the Death Sailors were marched away from the Bardon Park doorway intersection. At gunpoint, to their consternation. ----o The first sign that they were approaching anything that could be described as a form of civilisation was the noise of people.... Partying. It was distant, but with each step, it came closer, and louder. They had trudged through a series of tunnels of varying standard and condition. Across dilapidated metal and concrete walkways which spanned underground caverns of immense size and proportion, both manmade and natural. Then through a succession of locks and doors, many of which, surely, no longer existed on the maps of the capital city management. Usagi remarked, occasionally, over the writing that had been stamped on much of the construction they had encountered.... Characters she was unfamiliar with. Only Ami and Lady Luna seemed to understand the language, and remarked that it was nothing more than inconsequential directional and safety guidelines, written in a language that they'd described as 'Japanese'. "Japanese?" Usagi scratched her head. "I've never heard of it. Does it still exist?" "It did. Three thousand years ago, back in the pre-Elysian era of our nation's history, when all the islands were united.... The language was used to create a semblance of a common bond between the people." Ami rubbed her chin as she studied some of the symbols on a doorway they were passing through. She was moved along by one of Petz's soldiers. They continued along the sewer, which began a slow descent. There was tacked-on railing at the side if the tunnel, which they used to stop themselves slipping on the wet, mold-laden floor. The rails had obviously been placed there well after the tunnel's construction, possibly by members of the Darkness. Most of Usagi's efforts to question Petz or any of her soldiers on the matter was met with cold silence, or a form of gentle persuasion to keep moving, by a now-consistent nudging of gun muzzles. After ten minutes, the tunnel started to level off, then widen. Usagi pushed up alongside Ami, nudging her in the side. "What happened to the language?" She sniffed. "A language just doesn't disappear, does it?" "What language?" Ami frowned. "This 'Japanese' language...." Usagi looked at her, hopefully. "Is that how you say it?" Ami opened her mouth and nodded. "Oh, it exists.... Or fragments of it.... However, the collapse of the pre-Elysian society into a succession of feudal militarist regimes saw the upswing of regionalism and regional dialects and the watering-down of resistance to outside influences. The majority of the language we speak today finds its source on the other side of the planet." "Yeah, what you said." Usagi scratched her head, lost in Ami's explanation. "Look, it's very simple.... All languages change over time, mostly through little pockets of population speaking in accents, which become less and less like the original language to form languages of their own. Place, on top of this, frequently spoken languages from outside these regions, and what you get is a totally new language that bears nothing in common with the original, not even in their basic patterns of written form and audible expressionist content." "You're starting to use the long words, again." Usagi sighed. "I almost managed to follow you, that time." Usagi felt someone nudge her in the side, and turned to see Luna, who was staring around at the walls and ceiling of the tunnel. "What? What is it?" "Is it my imagination, or is it unusually bright in here?" Ami and Usagi looked around, surprised to find that their torches were no longer providing the lion's share of the illumination. Ami switched off her torch, placing it within her jacket. "A strange, green glow, wouldn't you say?" She ran her hand along the wall of the tunnel. "A form of fungus, producing a phosphorescent-like glow." Ami turned to Petz's voice, surprised to find the woman so close behind her, so quickly. "Despite the fact that our people have grown accustomed to the lack of light that exists within the world we live, we are not yet capable of seeing in the dark.... We congregate wherever this fungus is to be found.... Indeed, we have studied it, and learnt how to make it grow, and prosper...." Petz gripped Ami's arm and dragged her to the head of the group, watched by Usagi, Luna and Rei. At the end of the tunnel was a ledge, lined by a railing. Beyond the ledge, they could hear the sounds of people, and see a greater amount of the eerie green glow. Petz held Ami up against the railing, the blue-haired girl staring at the scene below her with awe. "You see it? THAT is OUR homeland." "A CITY?!?" Ami's mouth hung open. "Down here?" "A city beneath a city." Petz crowed, proudly. Beyond the tunnel, a monumentally huge cavern opened up, running for miles in every direction. From both the roof and the floor of the cavern, like massive stalactites and stalagmites, were buildings and residences, hewn from the same material as the walls of the cavern itself. The entire scene was illuminated by vast quantities of the same fungus that lined the entrance tunnel. And along the centre of the cavern's floor was a vast esplanade, along which hundreds of people were celebrating in various groups and marquees. "They're.... They're celebrating the Festival of Ephis?" Ami turned to Petz, who removed her mask with a flourish, her face a picture of rapturous madness. "Do you think those who prefer to live in the light have the sole rights of ownership to the ways and thoughts of the great Montxo Ephis? It is by his teachings that we choose to be what we are." "OX TNOM LI AHLLA!" Shouted one of Petz's solders. "OX TNOM LI AHLLA!" The others replied. Ami shook her head and sighed. Next to her, Petz had lifted up a small lamp, which had been hooked to her belt, and started to signal to a figure who could be seen through a window in the nearest building that hung from the ceiling. Usagi, Rei and Luna joined Ami as they watched the private conversation that was flashed back and forth. "What are you doing?" Luna inquired of Petz as she refastened the lamp to her belt. "You don't think I brought you here just for the view, do you? We have to get down from here, somehow." "And how would that 'somehow' be?" Luna stared at Petz, archly. "You're really cruisin' for a good whuppin', you know that?" Usagi snarled at her. Luna ignored her and leaned over the railing. "It's a long way down. I hope you're not expecting us to abseil down the side of this cavern." Petz chuckled at Luna's statement. "Nothing of the sort, my dear Lady. I promise you, we shall make our way down, into the city, with a little more style than that." Petz gestured towards the nearest building. From underneath the window where the figure that had been having the conversation with Petz could be seen, a metal platform started to slide out, to the humming of whirring gears and machinery. "That's one hell of a gangplank." Usagi muttered. ----o The platform connected with a lock that sat underneath the railing, giving a very satisfying click that made the four jump with surprise, to Petz's amusement. The railing then slid aside, allowing them all access. Usagi, Rei, Ami and Luna were then marched across the platform by Petz, her second in command and two more of her soldiers, the others remaining on the ledge, as if guarding the access from some invisible enemy. On the other side of the platform, a doorway slid open in the wall, with the same clunking of machinery that accompanied the platform's movements. The individual whom Petz had had her private conversation with stood in the doorway, a young woman, dressed in the same black uniform, who had light hair that matched her complexion, and a young, almost innocent face. She smiled, sweetly, at Petz as they entered the building. "My, I must say, these four don't look anywhere near as troublesome as you described them." The young woman giggled. "Thankyou for your kind words, Guardolier Beruche.... Is everything prepared for them?" Luna and Usagi turned when they heard Petz's question. "What is prepared for whom?" Luna turned to Petz, indignantly. Beruche ignored her. "After your initial contact, we had the cell block readied for them.... Plus the interrogation units, if need be." "Interrogation units?" Usagi bit her lower lip. "Interrogation for what?" "Are they normally this talkative?" Beruche pointed to the four. Petz shrugged. "Well, they haven't stopped talking since we nabbed them. I suppose you could say yes." "I must protest...." Luna began, but wasn't given time to finish. With a snap of Beruche's fingers, a dozen security guards, dressed in a plain gray uniform, emerged from the wings and dragged the four away to much noise and clamour. Petz and Beruche stuck their fingers in their ears as Usagi and Rei used the most foul language imaginable. Once they had been dragged through the rear door of the guard room, Beruche relaxed. "You may return to your patrol duties, Petz." She removed her fingers from her ears. Petz, who still had hers firmly planted in, looked at her with confusion. "What did you say?" Beruche sighed and gripped Petz's wrists, pulling them down to her sides. "I said you can return to your patrol duties, now." "Oh, right.... Sorry about that." Petz shook Beruche off and clicked her fingers at her henchman, pointing back across the platform. They nodded and started to make their way back across. Petz paused before leaving. "Don't have too much fun with them. I'd like to see them in one piece when I return, tonight." "Oh, you...." Beruche waved her away as Petz chuckled. ----o Usagi was bundled into the small, dark cell not long after she had been stripped of her backpack and clothing, and bodily searched. The indignity of the act was compounded by the number of people who were watching, through various portals, into the common room of the cell block. Given back her suit, she quickly dressed, an instinctive need to cover herself from the prying eyes.... Then she was manhandled into the cell, a cubicle not much larger than a small shipping container.... The cell comprised nothing more than four walls, a floor and a ceiling, all made of the same rock-like concrete that everything in the city seemed to be made of. The only concession to comfort was a canvas mat at the far end of the cell. Usagi listened, silently, as she heard Rei and Luna complain, bitterly, about their treatment, as they too were bundled into cells of their own. Then silence. Usagi slunk her way over to the mat, and sat down, feeling somewhat drained by her experience, and stared at the light that was cast through the small window of her cell door, almost hypnotised by the pale luminescence. She must have been this way for close to an hour before her cell door was opened. It surprised her, although it was standard procedure within the Republic Security Forces to allow prisoners to stew in their own juices for that length of time before they started to question them. She didn't feel ready to be interrogated for whatever reason it was they were going to be questioned.... She looked up at the doorway, and was surprised to find that the only figure standing there was that of a small-framed man in his late thirties. He was quite attractive, with a soft, boyish face and white hair.... His skin, like most of those who lived in the underworld, was pale, and his eyes seemed tired and somewhat distant. "So.... You are the one who professes not to know of me..." He mused, softly. "Strange.... Since you seem to remind me of someone I used to know." "Who are you?" Usagi croaked. The man's face lit up with amusement. "Oh yes.... I remember now.... Indeed...." He stepped into the cell, the door closing behind him. "Your name would be Usagi, would it not?" "Ano...." Usagi swallowed. "That is... my name... But how did you...?" The man took a breath and knelt down before her. "Yes, I thought so. Well, you can call me Sergei.... Sergei Dimando...." "Dimando?" Usagi's jaw hit the floor. "You... Aren't you supposed to be.... The president of all this, here in these cells, with a prisoner...." "I witnessed you... ahem... 'search', and put an end to it before my people caused you to endure much more of the indignity..." He reached out a hand. "Please forgive their uncouth treatment.... They are a paranoid breed, but I fear it comes from some justification." Usagi took his hand, and the both of them got to their feet. "Aren't you taking a risk, then, coming into the cell of a prisoner like myself?" Dimando smiled. "My dear, pretty young lady.... I know you, perhaps better than you realise.... If you are willing, I would like to extend the hand of our hospitality...." "Why should I trust you?" "Hmm?" "One of the classic methods of interrogation is to get the prisoner to let down their guard. How can I be sure that you aren't just leading me on?" Dimando seemed genuinely disappointed by Usagi's question. "I guess.... You're just going to have to trust me...." END OF PART 6 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ACROSS THE BORDER In the heat of the day Many miles away when the Sun is beating down the 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 throughout 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- "Across the Border" is the 4th track from the Electric Light Orchestra's 1977 double album, "Out of the Blue". -------------------------------------------------------------------- Next Chapter - "The Fish" Sorry about the break in my workload.... And the time it took to write this chapter.... Over the past couple of weeks, I had come down with a fairly resistant strain of flu virus, which infected my sinus and mucus membranes, leading to a significant amount of bleeding. This, of course, meant that I was layed out whilst I recovered, thus putting all my fanfic work on hold. Whilst the infection (and the resultant bleeding) haven't quite subsided, I am well enough to get back to work on my stories. ^_^ Oh, and I apologise to all those MSTers for my line about "intellectual parasitism".... I tend to get easily upset when I'm on my deathbed.... I just feel that a MST can be too easily misused by those with mischievous or more insidious purposes. For those who have trouble understanding the language of the underground dwellers.... Just read it backwards. Although, you should ignore the way the letters are grouped.... That's just to make sure it looks like a real language when spoken. Be a nightmare for anyone to deal with if they intend to translate this into any language other than its original English. ^_^;; _________ / @ \ DDFA (The Right Dishonourable Mark A Page) / / ^ ^ \ \ ayanami@merlin.net.au /\ Chief Propoganda Officer, Keeper of \/ \/ the Tapes and Co-Founder of the Saitou-chan \___________/ Appreciation Society - Adelaide Japanese /_/ \_\ PU Animation Society --------------------------------------------------------------------