Tears of Light - Part 11 - Spreading Darkness


AN:  I like to believe that Vegeta has an addiction to chocolate though I 
haven't seen all the episodes.  Either way I think its neat that he has a 
weakness to the wonderfully rich substance.
 
Also, I would like to mention that I have NO time lately, and a lot of my time 
is being devoted to writing my term project.  That is why this chapter is poorly 
edited and probably full of mistakes but I did my best with the time I had.  On 
the plus side my term project has a hidden SM agenda which means it'll turn into 
a fan fic with ease!  So after this is all over you'll get another ficcy from 
me!  He he... enjoy!

I would also like to thank the people who have emailed me about my various 
stories (mostly this one) in the last little while.  It was thanks to all your 
lovely emails that I have pushed my term project aside today to get this edited! 
And if I haven't emailed you back yet I will soon I promise!

Disclaimer:  Naoko Takeuchi and other people own Sailor Moon but it was hers to 
start with.

Disclaimer 2: Akira Toriyama owns DBZ, but oh god I wish I owned Trunks or 
Vegeta!

Quote: "Kiss my Wookie!" - Han Solo - The Courtship of Princess Leia

***************

	Usagi jogged briskly across the damp, dew-beaded grass, hiding her hands 
in the sleeves of her sweater to keep them warm.  She took in a deep breath and 
sped up to a run, staying as silent as possible.  The stars above were starting 
to dim as the first of the sun's rays began to break out over the horizon, 
giving the sky a slight red tint.
	The nocturnal creatures were hidden away by now and the others were 
starting to emerge from their homes.  Usagi could hear the voices off in the 
distance but they were of people rising to eat their breakfast and not 
consequential to her.
	She reached a familiar cluster of buildings and slowed to a walk.  The 
gravity room and been recently rebuilt because of a slight accident and Vegeta's 
need for a higher level of gravity.  He hadn't been hurt in the accident, in 
fact the whole room hadn't been destroyed but it had needed a complete overhaul.  
As usual flashes of light emerged from the windows periodically along with the 
sounds of tiny explosions.  She sighed and pulled her water bottle out of her 
dimensional pocket taking a gulp of water from it.  The lights stopped flashing 
and Usagi took off again.  Vegeta had not done much more then mumble a few 
vicious words to her recently and she didn't want to risk a confrontation.  
Bulma was willing to talk freely to him now, not caring what he threatened to 
do.  She knew that Bulma cared for the Saiya-jin Prince even if only as a 
friendship and that Vegeta wouldn't actually attack her, at least not now.   But 
Usagi was a different matter, since she had powers, and she didn't want to risk 
his wrath.  Every time they met she had tried to get him to understand her, and 
that there was no need for him to be angry with her.  But he was too stubborn, 
so Usagi was going to try letting it pass until he forgot about her.
	She finished her jog and slid into the shower adjacent to her room to try 
and shake off her dreams from the last night.  They weren't anything special, 
just your average nightmares, but she hadn't been able to sleep afterwards.  So 
she had taken Mamoru's example, considering he tended to have a lot of bad 
dreams, and go for a jog.
	She finished her shower and slipped on a pair of white shorts and a white 
shirt, lacing her hair back up into odangoes.
	She hopped briskly down the stairs and waved cheerfully to Bulma's mother 
who was making some tea.
	"Ohayo!"  Usagi chirped with her usual brightness.
	Bulma's mother smiled.  "Ohayo Usagi-chan!  Bulma just went outside if 
you're looking for her."
	Usagi grinned and grabbed some toast, "Arigato, I'll be out walking.  
Later!"
	As Usagi finished her toast, slipped on her sandals and stepped outside, 
the brightness of the newly risen sun caused her to blink and cover her eyes a 
little before they adjusted.  She then trotted off toward one of the genetic 
greenhouses.  She knew Chichi and Gohan were going to be around and since it was 
Saturday they would be trying to get her caught up in the schoolwork she had 
missed, Chichi especially; and for that reason she was avoiding being found.
	She realized that Gohan would find her soon enough because of her ki, but 
she would give him a run for his money first.  When not transformed she had 
virtually no detectable ki.  Just like a warrior suppressing his ki.
	She entered through the main door and then exited again out through one of 
the various side doors.  The blond found herself in a garden of an assortment of 
tiny flowers.  They had a variety of pastel colours from white to baby blue to 
pastel pink.
	Usagi smiled joyfully and plucked a few of the white flowers and laced 
them into a small wreath.  She skillfully made a second and laced them daintily 
around her odangoes.
	She sighed contentedly and lay down in the grass, it was just like back on 
the Moon Kingdom, she was laying in a garden full of beautiful flowers avoiding 
her tutors and missing Mamoru.  Of course this time she could actually talk to 
him if she didn't want to disturb him in the middle of work.
	She sat up and began to dust herself off when she heard a sound behind her 
a whirled to her feet.  Gohan landed on the ground, smiling playfully.
	"Ohayo Usagi-chan, avoiding Okasan I see." He greeted cheerfully.
	Usagi blushed, "Ohayo Gohan-kun and ya, I guess I sorta am." She laughed, 
"I'll be there in a bit, I just needed to take a walk."
	"Want me to come with you?" Gohan inquired.
	Usagi shook her head, "No thanks.  I'll be there in a bit you go on 
ahead."
	Gohan nodded, "Ok.  Oh and I should probably warn you that Briefs-san is 
working on the gravity room so Vegeta's on the prowl, and probably loaded full 
of boredom and aggravation."
	The blond laughed, "And when isn't he aggravated?"  She joked.
	Gohan shrugged, "If I ever see him in a good mood I'll be sure to let all 
the news stations know about."
	Usagi giggled and shook her head; "You know we really shouldn't be talking 
about him like this.  I mean if you think about it he probably didn't have much 
of a childhood.  Maybe he never learnt to laugh."  Before Gohan could reply she 
started to walk back towards where she had come from.  "Tell Chichi I'll be 
there in a few minutes, I just need to walk a bit, I'll walk straight back 
though, I promise."
	The demi-saiya-jin nodded and took off into the air, back to where he had 
come from, and Usagi started her walk back.
	
*

	Vegeta sat in Bulma's living room flipping through TV channels with a dull 
boredom.  He was sitting on the couch with a basket of fruit beside him to eat 
from.  On the middle of the table was a bar of something Bulma had called 
chocolate.  The Saiya-jin Prince had examined it thoroughly and was admittedly 
confused by it.  It contained no nutritional value and wouldn't ever be able to 
satiate an appetite.  Bulma had mentioned something about him needing to mellow 
out when she gave it to him and that made him even more suspicious.
	He ate another banana and then broke off a piece of the dark brown bar.  
After examining it thoroughly he popped the precut square into his mouth the 
chocolate immediately began to melt in his mouth and his eyes widened.  It had 
to be one of the best things he had ever tasted.  He quickly devoured the rest, 
savoring the sweet richness as best a Saiya-jin could.  He then jumped off his 
seat and left in search of Bulma, and more chocolate.

*

	Usagi was nearing Bulma's house again when she suddenly felt a pang of 
hunger in her stomach.  After all she had only had one piece of toast that 
morning and she needed her energy food.  She reached into her dimensional pocket 
and pulled out a quick energy fix.  Chocolate!
	She grinned and opened the wrapper; chocolate was one of her favourite 
treats.  It came better in the ice cream variety but this was almost as good.

*

	Vegeta had just stepped outside when his enhanced Saiya-jin sense of smell 
detected the one thing he was looking for.  Chocolate.  Without thinking to hard 
on the matter he shot towards the source of the smell stopping right in front of 
it.  The person he had originally thought to be Bulma, and clearly was not, 
screamed in surprise and reeled backwards, causing her to trip and land on her 
backside.
	Vegeta shook his head, "You are such a klutz." 
	Usagi frowned and stood up, brushing herself off.  "Well it would help if 
you wouldn't just appear out of nowhere and scare the living daylights out of 
me!" she shot back.
	Vegeta just shrugged in his 'I couldn't care less' way.
	Usagi brushed it off, "So what do you want anyway?"
	Vegeta blinked in a one barely noticeable falter.  "I was looking for that 
woman."  He slid out without much of a strain on his usual voice.  But Usagi 
caught it.
	"Why?" she asked as innocently as possible, "And why then are you here 
with me?"
	Vegeta's eyes darted once towards Usagi's chocolate bar before turning 
away to walk off, "Its none of your business girl!"
	Usagi's eyes narrowed and she cut off Vegeta's exit path; and before he 
had a chance to take off an evil grin spread across Usagi's face.  "Bulma got 
you addicted to chocolate didn't she?" She exclaimed, waving the chocolate bar 
in front of Vegeta's face.
	Vegeta put on his princely, 'I'm much more superior than you' expression 
and crossed his arms in front of his chest.  "It's just a stupid piece off food.  
I wouldn't go so low as to be addicted to one of your Earth foods!"
	However Usagi saw right through it, and out of the corner of her eye she 
noticed Bulma step into view.  "Bulma-chan!" she exclaimed loudly. "Come here 
for a sec!"
	Bulma turned her head in that direction, and after catching one brief 
glimpse of the scene that was transpiring ran up to the two, with Vegeta looking 
as if he was on the verge of leaving in order to save face.
	Usagi grinned.  "Bulma-chan!  Did you give Vegeta chocolate?  He's 
addicted."
	Bulma started to laugh and poked a finger in Vegeta's face.  "I TOLD you 
it was good!"
	Vegeta growled with frustration, not wanting to admit he had been wrong 
but craving the chocolate in Usagi's hand very much.  His thoughts ran back and 
forth between pride and craving and without a second thought he snatched the bar 
from Usagi's hand and ate it before she could utter a complaint.
	Usagi was shocked but Bulma had a smug grin on her face.  "Told you!"
	"Shut up woman!" he shot back.
	Bulma looked like she as going to give him a good verbal lashing when the 
three suddenly heard a whistling sound from up above.  All three heads turned 
upwards just as something plummeted from the sky and crashed into the ground.  
The impact threw Usagi and Bulma off their feet with a scream of surprise while 
Vegeta held his ground.
	The two girls picked themselves off quickly, neither too badly bruised, 
and ran to where Vegeta was.  In front of him was a significant crater cause by 
what looked like a baseball shaped sphere.  The sphere was made of a metallic 
substance and had a tiny, barely visible opening at the top.
	"What is it?" inquired Usagi, still a bit shaken from the impact.
	Bulma shook her head but Vegeta was staring at it intensely; the teal 
haired genious looked up to Vegeta who was floating slightly off the ground.  
"Do you know what it is Veggie-chan?" she asked, knowing that he was too 
distracted to yell at her for the nickname.
	Vegeta didn't answer as the sphere suddenly lifted off of the ground, 
causing Usagi and Bulma to take an involuntary step back.  It reached level with 
the ground and an antenna shot out of the top.  In the blink of an eye Vegeta 
fired a small ki blast that incinerated the antenna, leaving the rest intact.
	Without another word he flew over and grabbed the thing, which was now 
trying to escape.  It emitted a high pitched electronic wail that almost 
prompted Vegeta, with his sensitive ears, to let go; but instead he flipped it 
over, easily controlling it's attempt to escape, and fried a tiny spot on the 
bottom.  The metallic sphere fell into lifelessness and he tossed it over to 
Bulma who just barely caught it.
	"Wha-" she started but Vegeta cut her off.
	"It's a scouting device." He said simply, returning to the ground. "They're 
used mostly by Frieza's men but the design has been stolen by others 
over time so it could belong to anyone.  If you open it up you might be able to 
find what it's purpose was."
	Bulma nodded, "I understand."
	Usagi's eyes looked saddened, "I guess this means there really is someone 
on their way."
	Vegeta's eyes were hardened, any weakness they had briefly shown over the 
chocolate incident completely forgotten.  "Whoever's headed here seems to be 
following standard invasion procedures.  In less then a week we'll encounter the 
first live scouts, weaklings probably.  Then a few days after that we'll either 
encounter a large task force or one or two powerful fighters.  There's no use 
denying the possibility any longer, and since we don't know who's coming we need 
to continue preparing."  His eyes rested disdainfully on Usagi.  "Fortunately 
I've been training all this time, unlike you who hasn't done more then 
occasionally spar with Kakarotto's brat a few times.  I'm going to continue 
training, I suggest you prepare as well."  And without waiting for Usagi's 
response, Vegeta took off to see if Mr. Briefs had finished his work on the 
gravity room.
	Bulma muttered something that Usagi couldn't hear, but it didn't matter.  
She had hoped desperately that Bulma had been wrong, and that she wouldn't have 
to fight here, only when she got back, but now she couldn't deny it.  She had to 
fight in defense of the Earth, even if it wasn't her own.

***********************
Just outside of Tokyo - June 15
***********************

	Chikyuno Kiji sat on her dark green beach towel with her legs crossed 
before her.  The sun shone brightly but she was sheltered from its rays by a 
large light blue sun umbrella.  She wore a baggy T-shirt over top of a bathing 
suit that she had yet to let anyone see, the only hint that she was even wearing 
one was the white strap that tide at the back of her neck.  Her hair was pulled 
back in her long ponytail and she wore purple tinted sunglasses that got less 
tinted near the bottom so that she could read.  In her hands was one of the many 
books from her vast collection.  This one was small, and would easily slip into 
the bag she had with her, unlike some of the Mammoth books she had been seen 
reading at school.
	Her eyes flickered towards the water for a brief moment to see the others 
swimming in the water, their eyes full of happiness, all except for Silia.  When 
Kiji had first met her the first thing she had learned was that Silia loved to 
swim, she was like a dolphin almost.  But while she smiled with the others Kiji 
could tell that she wanted something else.  Of course Kiji also knew what that 
was.  
	Kiji bit her lip in a touch of anxiety; she had only come on this trip 
because Silia had begged her to come and knew it would be a nice day to spend 
outside.  But as soon as they had arrived the other girls had slipped off their 
shirts and shorts to reveal their bathing suits and dove into the water.   They 
all looked so gorgeous, and the guys that had come along, Mamoru and Goku, were 
very well built as well.  She had immediately shied away and told Silia that she 
preferred to sit on the beach, feigning that the water was too cold for her.
Silia had been disappointed and Kiji could only see evil intentions behind it at 
the time.  The last time she had ever gone to a beach party the other girls had 
invited her only as a joke, she had left feeling broken and humiliated, kicking 
herself for ever trusting the girls she had thought were her friends.
She could only see the exact same thing happening here to start with, and had 
wondered what could ever have possessed her when she had accepted.  But now, 
watching Silia's saddened eyes and not seeing any of the malicious intent she 
had learnt to interpret, her mind started to soften to the idea.  After all, 
Silia had not forced her to go swimming with the others though she had pleaded 
with her.
	Kiji glanced between her book and Silia for several moments, a million 
thoughts running through her mind.  It was a warm mid June day and the others 
seemed to be having a barrel of laughs.  Her mind was screaming at her that she 
would only get hurt again and for an instant she stopped, and then, knowing that 
this could all be a huge mistake if she was wrong, she put down her book.
	
*

	Rei was treading water at a deeper part of the lake when a shadow crept up 
behind her, she noticed it a fraction of a second too late and with a scream was 
pulled under.
	A few seconds later Makoto surfaced, laughing hysterically, followed 
quickly by a fuming Rei.  Rei growled a little but she knew it was all in fun 
and quickly joined Makoto in a fit of giggles.  The two were so enraptured in 
their laughter that neither heard the cry in time.
	"Cannon ball!" came Goku's voice and with a crash the two girls were 
swamped with a tower of water.  Obviously Goku had flown up a ways before he let 
himself drop.
	After recovering from the sudden swamping the two girls turned their 
attention towards the cause.  Goku and Mamoru were chuckling to themselves both 
having a blast!  There was still a distant sadness in Mamoru's eyes but it was 
faded for the moment so that you would really have to look hard to see it.  
Likewise, Goku had managed to wrench himself away from his training in one of 
the more isolated parts of Japan, not to far off.  He had been working on 
controlling his ability to go Super Saiya-jin and so far he had only been able 
to accomplish it if he was able to make himself incredibly angry.  The haunting 
memory of Krillin's death helped a little in that aspect, but he knew that if he 
ended up in a fast paced battle soon he wouldn't be able to transform at will.
	
	Rei and Makoto nodded to each other and in moments dunked Mamoru and Goku 
under the water!
	Off to the side, Ami and Minako were discussing how they could get a water 
volleyball net set up, and maybe get a couple of the other people on the beach 
to join in.  Silia was there with them, but wasn't really contributing much.  
Ami was in the process of trying to explain why they shouldn't use a regular 
volleyball in the water to Minako when Silia's concerned voice cut into the 
conversation.
	"Why do you think she's so reserved?"
	Minako and Ami turned to face her.  "Nani?  Who?"  Asked Minako.
	Ami and Silia shook their heads, "Kiji, Minako-chan." Explained Ami calmly 
before turning to Silia.  "You know Sil-chan I'm not sure.  I expect from the 
fact that she's turned down nearly all our attempts to befriend her and only 
occasionally listened to you that she's got some reason to not become close to 
others.  She's been all over the world and we don't know how or why she goes to 
all the places she's been.  I mean we're assuming she has rich relatives or a 
job we don't know about right?  If she was really rich I'd say she might be a 
snob but that doesn't seem right."
	Minako tilted her head to the right, bobbing slightly in the water, "Maybe 
she had an experience like mine, without the Sailor V thing of course, but 
didn't recover from it as well."
	Silia sighed, "I wish she would come join us...  She looked like she was 
going to but then she decided not to... I dunno, I guess the fact that I got her 
here means I'm making some progress."
	Ami smiled, "She's lucky to have you so determined to help her, you'll get 
through eventually..." she paused, looking towards the beach.  "In fact here she 
comes now."
	Silia's head shot up, and sure enough Kiji was standing up, removing her 
sandals and glasses.  She seemed to pause for a moment before removing her shirt 
to reveal a royal blue halter bikini with a white neck strap and shorts bottom.
	Silia waved to her excitedly to her brown haired friend who waved 
hesitantly back, checking her loose pony tail to make sure that it would hold in 
the water before heading towards the water; because, after all, she knew that 
her hair was so long that if she let it completely loose it would become such a 
tangled mess that she would never get it fixed.
	She made her way slowly to the water and waded out towards Silia, Ami and 
Minako, who had just been joined by Rei, Makoto, Goku and Mamoru.
	After she was waist deep she dove lithely under the water and swam 
underneath towards the group.  She surfaced with a touch of a smile on her face, 
not knowing quite what to say; fortunately Silia started the talking for her.
	"Ki-chan!  I was wondering when you'd join us!" she chirped happily, not 
sounding the least bit offensive.
	Kiji smiled shyly, "Well it was getting hot."
	Rei laughed, "That's for sure, I was wondering how long you were going to 
let yourself swelter."
	The girls laughed as Kiji blushed a little but joined in on the laughter a 
little.  It was a beautiful day and the group found themselves having a barrel 
of laughs, their troubles all forgotten for a short time.

*******

	Deep in the absolute blackness of her lair Mamono had a cruel smile on her 
expression.  Her shadow creatures had attacked on and off over the last few 
months but had not been able to permanently damage the Sailor Senshi or Son 
Goku.  Many of the Shadows had been sent back into the darkness for all eternity 
for those failures, but now the time had finally come for her true agenda to 
surface.
	Mamono had power over 3 types of demons, the first two, both mainly male, 
were barely distinguishable from each other and she referred to them all as her 
Shadow Creatures, their only differences were their abilities and so she had 
sent them out together.  But the third type was her pride and joy, and she had 
finally managed to summon enough to begin.  They were generally called sylphs 
because of their form and female nature though their names did not begin to 
describe the unique power they contained.
	The sylphs each have the power to invade creatures, their favorites being 
humans, and feed on the darkness and despair in their souls.  The soul will then 
belong to that sylph or the sylph's summoner, no longer with a will of it's own.  
Sylphs live in one of the less populated dimensions and on their own feed on 
despair to live.  But if unleashed on a planet like earth they would have more 
then enough to spare to give to their master, and in this case, that was Mamono.
	Mamono's cruel smile grew, and with that, she would obliterate the light 
from the ancient kingdom and this universe would be the first to fall to her.
	The darkness behind her swirled slightly and Mamono nodded, "Go now, you 
know where to start."  Choruses of sinister giggles rang out behind her and then 
were gone.  Her sylphs would start far enough away from the senshi that even if 
they could do something about it, which she knew they couldn't, her foothold 
would be too strong to uproot.
	"Today." She declared to herself and the demons that remained, "Today is 
my beginning and the light's end!"

********

	Rei twisted her wrist lithely, sending the white disc twirling towards 
Silia who nearly missed catching it but managed to fling it back in Rei's 
general direction.  The sand was hot under their feet but not unpleasantly so.
	Just behind Rei, Ami had Kiji engrossed in a Medical text, allowing her to 
read but making sure she remained sociable at the same time.  Currently the two 
were giggling to each other joyfully.
	Behind Silia, Goku and Mamoru were playing a fast-paced game of Beach 
Volleyball against Minako and Makoto.  Goku's strong spikes were giving Minako 
and Makoto a hard time but since the Saiya-jin had never played before his skill 
was poor, which gave Minako and Makoto a better chance.  Mamoru was doing pretty 
well but Minako was much better then he was.
	The white Frisbee was sailing towards Rei when the first screams were 
heard.  She whipped her head around to see what was going on, all of her senses 
alert, leaving the Frisbee to land on the ground.  Minako's spike went totally 
unnoticed by the two boys in the group and Minako landed clumsily, thrown off by 
the scene before her.  Ami and Kiji's eyes shot upward to see a horrifying event 
taking place not more then a few meters away.
	The lake had turned completely black and the evil, sickly darkness was 
starting to spread onto the beach.  Above the darkness floated a swarm of black 
sylphs, the likes of which no one had ever seen before.  The screams seemed to 
stop abruptly as the sylphs dived INTO the unfortunate people on the beach.
	Kiji turned completely white and found herself unable to move as the 
senshi started to move into action; they couldn't transform in front of their 
newest friend so they were going to try and get her out of there when suddenly a 
swarm of sylphs headed their way.  Most of them stopped outside the group, 
giggling evilly to themselves.  But one of them shot out straight towards Kiji 
and Ami.
	The sylph laughed, "Your despair is mine!!!!!" it screamed, b-lining 
towards Kiji.  In a desperate attempt Ami threw herself in front of the 
paralyzed girl, but the sylph ignored her and passed right through her.  The 
petite girl's breath stopped short as her entire body seemed to freeze over and 
she began quaking in an uncontrollable despair, when suddenly it was gone.
	She whirled clumsily around to see the prehensile end of the sylph 
disappear inside of Kiji.  The already pale girl turned completely white and 
collapsed to the ground.  The blood chilling experience dulled Ami's mind but 
Silia's pained scream brought her back to reality and, along with the others, 
she transformed.

*

	Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru and Setsuna sat in a small café in the middle of 
Tokyo.  There was a touch of rain splattering against the window in an almost 
hypnotic rhythm.
	Setsuna stared down into her tea forlornly.  "I was hoping it wouldn't 
come to this.  But I was right to begin with."
	Haruka lent back in her seat, staring out the window, watching the 
rainfall.  "Well we'll just do what we always do ne?"
	"Do you think the inners will need our help?" asked Michiru, a mostly 
rhetorical question.  Setsuna answered anyway though.  "The future is vague from 
this point on...  Having Son Goku on their side helps a lot but Mamono knows
 what she's doing and even if we do go to help it might not change anything."
	Hotaru, who hadn't really said anything since the four had arrived at the 
tiny café lifted her eyes to stare up at the ceiling.  "But we're just wasting 
our time here.  We knew that we would have to work separately for a time, and 
we've discovered what we need to.  The battle that will decided the fate of the 
Earth has started and one way or another we'll be getting involved."
	The other three glanced at Hotaru with a slight fear in their eyes.  
"Hotaru-chan... We won't let you do it.  You know that."  Murmured Michiru 
lightly but with a slight hint of threat in her voice.
	Hotaru glanced out the window, her eyes distant.  "The darkness is 
spreading.  If it is not stopped here it will take over everything."
	Haruka and Michiru had worried expressions but Setsuna was impassive.  
"Earth is such a small planet Hotaru, it's true....  And Mamono's goal is so 
great that you are right in a sense...  But there are many possible futures and 
that's just one of them.  It will take a while for her to get a really secure 
foothold, until then we try our best to stop her without getting killed."
	Hotaru's lips lifted slightly, "I suppose the light deserves a chance to 
push back the dark..."
	
*

	Rain Drop was the first to react to the sudden battle.  "Gentle RAIN!!!!" 
she screamed out, shooting a barrage of blue energy at the Sylphs, but they 
dodged with ease and immediately went on the attack.
	Goku intercepted one first and lashed out with his fists only to find that 
the creatures weren't tangible and his hand went straight through.  Fortunately 
the sylphs didn't seem intent on doing the same to the senshi as they did to 
everyone else, but all they did was fly around in seemingly random patterns, not 
even attacking.
	"Mars Flame, SNIPER!"
	"Jupiter Oak, EVOLUTION!"
	The two senshi's attacks missed yet again, although part of Jupiter's 
looked as if it had just grazed the side of one of the creatures.
	"Mercury Aqua, RHAPSODY!"  Mercury's attack nearly missed but part of it 
managed to slam into one of the sylphs.  The creature shrieked in pain and 
backed off only to be replaced by another.
	Sailor Venus was about to attack when suddenly a black mist started 
surrounding Kiji, Venus halted in her steps and noticed that there was a similar 
black mist surrounding the other attack victims.  The mist covered their whole 
bodies in mere seconds, seemed to thicken and then suddenly shot upwards and 
towards a point above the lake.  The sylphs that had attacked the people 
reemerged with the energy and joined the group surrounding the senshi.
	"Sweet Kami..." breathed Venus in shock.  However the worst was yet to 
come.  As the sylphs continued to circle the senshi, dodging most of their 
attacks, a patch of air near the pooling energy shimmered and formed into Kuroi 
Mamono.  She seemed not to take any notice of the senshi and instead turned her 
eyes towards the pooling dark energy.  She licked her lips slightly, and eased 
her hand into the core of the energy.  It seemed to expand to twice its size and 
then suddenly contracted, flowing into Mamono eagerly.  She closed her eyes and 
smiled as the raw darkness flowed into her, it would have been so easy for her 
to loose herself in it, but she focused her mind and channeled the energy down 
into the lake.  At the bottom of the lake it joined the darkness that had 
already started to grow there.
	The new energy merged and supported the existing darkness and started 
spreading.  The beach started to turn completely black and it just kept 
spreading.  Once it started hitting grass the grass withered and died, fish were 
floating belly up in the water and the area was starting to become permeated 
with the stench of death.
	Mercury had her visor going as the others started taking out some sylphs 
but they were being pushed further and further back.  Goku was taking sylphs out 
with his Kamehameha and various other energy attacks but more started appearing 
from the darkening ground.
	Mamono let out an evil cackle as the entire beach become covered in the 
darkness and a black mist started seeping out of the ground.  Neither the Sailor 
Senshi nor Goku was able to get to the innocent people who were now completely 
obscured by the mist and even if they had been able to Mercury was urging them 
against it, not knowing what Mamono's hold on the land would do to them.
	"Fire SOUL!"
	"Venus Love and Beauty, SHOCK!"
	Venus and Mars' attacks took out 2 more sylphs, and while they were 
getting easier to destroy they didn't seem to end.  Those that were destroyed 
were replaced and then some.
	Mamono, finished with the gathering of the first batch of energy floated 
down closer to the battle.  The darkness was slowing to a halt but it was only 
from the first batch on energy, and once she secured this area she would not be 
beaten back.
	The energy collection finished and she felt revitalized, full of a power 
she hadn't felt in ages.  Knowing that the sylphs were only getting themselves 
foolishly killed in keeping the senshi back while she gained her foothold, she 
raised her finger, and out of the mists rose her shadow creatures.  There were 
at least 100 of them and she could always summon more.
	
	Rain Drop's expression was grim as she noticed the shadow creatures 
approaching.  They were vastly outnumbered.  And while Goku had shown an ability 
to kill the Shadows with relative ease they were as outnumbered as they had been 
when Usagi had made her last visit to their dimension.... But this time there 
would be nothing to scare Mamono away.  This time she was on the attack for good 
and would not be scared away so easily.  Silia could only pray that they had the 
strength to win.

	Tuxedo Kamen had found himself all but useless in the fight until now; the
 sylphs were untouchable by physical attacks and that was all he had.  However 
now that he had a chance to get involved in the fight he was starting to wish he 
didn't.
	A set of razor sharp claws whipped by, barely missing his face.  He 
twisted around, readying his cane and roses to attack.  It was going to be a 
long fight indeed.
	Before long each senshi found herself or himself alone, Goku was 
destroying Shadows and Sylphs but more and more kept coming.  The others were 
doing the best they could, but they were wearing thing and their energy running 
low.
	Sailor Venus let loose another crescent beam, leapt overtop of a charging 
shadow and then wrapped her Love-me Chain around it.  She let out a whoop of 
triumph and was powering up another Crescent Beam with her right hand when a 
Shadow she hadn't seen in time ripped through the chain, sending her reeling 
backwards and loosing her prey.
	She let out a grunt of pain as she slammed into the ground.  Her muscles 
ached and her energy reserves were zapped.  She started to stand back up but she 
had remained on the ground for two long and she immediately felt herself being 
blasted backwards.  She shrieked in pain but managed to roll to her side, barely 
missing getting run through.  She gulped, lying on her back in pain, a gash in 
her shoulder bleeding freely.  She couldn't move, she didn't have the strength 
left anymore and she was vastly outnumbered.
	As the Shadow Creature she had had tied up earlier descended on her, her 
thoughts were of regret that she would not be able to protect Usagi from this 
threat when she returned.

********************

AN:  *evil laughter* he he he he....  Cliffhanger....  I think Stef's rubbing 
off on me too much.  Heh....

Next Time:  The senshi, vastly outnumbered and their strength waning fall back 
and regroup, determined to come up with a plan to defeat Mamono.  Meanwhile the 
first of the invasion squad under the direction of "The Lady" lands.  Vegeta, 
Piccolo and Gohan assume that this battle will be easy... but will it?

I'm sorry if this is the last chapter out for a while.... I'll work on the story 
once I get some free time again but I have a very major project due soon and it 
will take a lot of work on my part.  At the very least this will be continued in 
early November, though I hope sooner.

Please email me with your thoughts!  The rest of the story is basically written 
out in my head but comments and suggestions can only improve my thinking!

Arigato for your patience minna!

Email: tiana@nrtco.net
Website: www.geocities.com/rachael_7_/
ICQ: 14315884
MSN: tiana_howa@hotmail.com
AOL: Tiana of 7

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