(Realm Sagas: Story eight: Return of the Sailors) By: Chandra Rooney -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Legal stuff {for all the legal stuffies!}: Sonic & Knuckles, and all related characters are copy-right of Sega and Archie comics. Sailor scouts are copy-right of TOEI animation, co. ltd. KTE, ETK, and Masked Echidna are copy-right of KTE. Sephiroth is copy-right of FFVII. Moon the Echidna, Gabriel Shadows, k.a. Echidna, Tonia Hedgehog, Leslie Fox, The Chaos Knight, Sailor Evil, and all other original characters are copy-right of Chandra Rooney. All the characters and ideas presented are my own, unless otherwise noted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Prologue: The forest Realm Location: Vampire Home Realm Sailor Evil brushed narrowed dark blue eyes at the figure in the clearing. His silver hair, and green eyes. "Mmmmmm, dreamy." She muttered. She licked her lips, and the tips of her fangs. "Turn around, sweetie..." The figure did. He was tall. Sailor Evil knew him as the villain, Sephiroth. Through visible effort, she retracted her fangs. No need scaring him off....at least not yet. She stepped out into the clearing. "Hello." Sephiroth turned. "Who are you?" "A big fan." Sailor Evil smiled. "I love your work." "Really." Sephiroth seemed unconvinced. "The fact that I wish to call a meteor down to destroy your miserable planet doesn't distress you in the least?" "No." She smiled again. "In fact, that's why I'm here. I have a proposition for you, Sephiroth." "I'm listening." "How would you like to be on the Realm Destroyer team? Why settle for a single planet... when you can be a part of all their destruction?" Sephiroth laughed. "I don't know who you are...but I tire of you. Give me one reason why I shouldn't make materia out of you." Sailor Evil stopped smiling. She growled slightly. "All right, Sephy. We can do it the hard way." Sephiroth glared. "No one calls me 'Sephy'." He hit her. Sailor fell back, then stood, clearly enraged. "How dare you?" Sephiroth raised his masamune. "Enough of this." Sailor Evil's eyes flashed. "That's it!" She jumped forward before he could swing the masamune and sunk her fangs into his neck. She drank greedily. Sephiroth groaned, and sank down. His face paling from the loss of blood. Sailor Evil kept drinking. She didn't stop till Sephiroth's heart had nearly ceased to beat. Then, she sat back, licked her lips, and looked down at him. "It seems a shame..." she muttered. "He has such nice eyes..." Sailor Evil twisted a strand of silver hair. It was against all the laws...but who'd ever find out? She nodded, an uh hmm. Then, she slashed her wrist with her fangs. Dark, red blood began to trickle out from the cut. Sailor Evil didn't even flinch. She simply lowered her wrist to the parted lips of the boy laying in her lap. Sailor Evil smiled slightly. "Drink up, Sephy." Chapter One: Outside of Mobotropolis Realm Location: Sailor Vega H's home realm Moon the Echidna stepped out of the realm portal. She shielded her dark blue eyes from the bright sunlight. Then she turned back to the figure coming out of the closing doorway. "Ow.." he muttered, closing his green eyes. "Harsh. Especially with the sun glinting off your silver fur." He blinked. Moon turned away. "Moonbeam," Gabe began, softer. "I'm sorry about your brother. But...that explosion... there's no way he and the Masked Echidna could've survived." Moon opened her mouth. But she didn't remind Gabe of how Knuckles Ash was nearly indestructible. "It's not just that," she said instead. "It's KTE. I can't believe he's gone." "Sailor Evil was pretty clear on that point," Gabe replied. "But it just doesn't ring true. KTE just always pulled through, Gabe. Always." Moon sighed. "And now...that witch threatened Sailor Vega H. I'm...I just feel like nothing's real anymore." "Yeah, well, you're not the only one who's unhappy about returning to a sailor scout realm." Gabe replied. "I suppose you'll be wanting me to dig out the old tux?" Moon knew he was trying to cheer her up. She almost managed to smile. "KTE would've..." "KTE would've what?" Moon inhaled. "KTE would've wanted us to get Sailor Evil for him." She paused. "And I *am* going to get her, Gabe. She's going to pay." "We'll see she does, Moonbeam," Gabe replied, putting an arm around her. "We'll see she does." "Hey..." the guy in the dark brown cloak began. "What?" the red echidna in the black metal mask asked. "I just..." the cloaked one trailed off. "Yeah? You just what?" "I just wanted to say thank-you." The one in the mask stopped. He looked back. "For...?" "What you did back there...the whole dagger thing...it was really brave of you. So...thanks. I owe you one." "Yeah, well, I'd wanted to beat the tar outta you for a long time. You stupid jerk, what's your problem anyway?" "I...I've had some stuff to work out." He swallowed. "And...I deserved that. I have been a total jerk...since day one to you. If it helps explain things, I've been going through a lot lately." "So? You think you're the only one with problems?" The one in mask demanded. "Look. I'm trying to apologize to you here. Are you going to give me the chance or not?" "Apologize? Look, don't think you can tell me how tough your life is, blame your bad attitude on circumstances, and offer up some wimpy 'i'm sorry'. That won't make me hate you any less." He paused. "In fact, as far as I'm concerned, you can go back to whatever screwed-up world you came from, Mr. Chaos Knight. I don't need your help to find Moon. And I sure as hell don't want it. There's nothing you can say to me to change what I think of you. Nothing." The masked one pushed on ahead. Stomping off deeper into the cavern passage-way. "My name isn't the Chaos Knight." The cloaked figure called from behind. "It doesn't matter to me!" The masked one yelled back. "I don't really give a damn who you are!" "My name," the cloaked one replied anyway. "Is Sir Knuckles Ash Echidna." Chapter 2: Mobotropolis Palace "Really, dear one," her majesty Queen Sally Acorn frowned. Her light blue eyes seemed tired. "Must you insist on wearing those clothes?" Princess Tonia Hedgehog sighed. "Mother." "It's just, Prince Alan of the Island will be here any day. What would he think seeing his betrothed bride-to-be running around in a vest and tattered pants?" "Mother." Tonia repeated, rolling her dark eyes. "You know how important this marriage is. The joining of the kingdom of Acorn, and the I sland kingdom." "Yes, Mother." Tonia replied. Of course she knew, she'd heard *nothing* but how important it was for the past two weeks. "Can I go see Leslie now?" Tonia asked. She pushed at her black hair. "Stay close," her mother frowned. "And don't do anything disgraceful." "Well," Sailor Evil looked at the pink echidna and purple hedgehog. "You're not much, but you're all I have to work with. Here you go, girls." She handed them each a black stick. "A present from Queen Hecate-Chaos." "What are they?" Julie-su Echidna asked. She snapped a pink bubble while waiting for the answer. "Your transformation wands." Sailor Evil glared at them. "You're in a sailor scout realm, girlies. What did you think you'd be doing?" Ember looked at Julie-su. "Do you know where Kit is?" Sailor Evil snaked forward and smacked Ember. "Pay attention!" Ember, rubbing her cheek, looked at Julie-su again. Julie-su shrugged. Sailor Evil's temper had been especially short today. Sailor Evil held up the final wand, and turned. The shadow that had been lounging in the hammock got out. The clone of the 13-year-old-guardian-look-alike was walking over to them. ETK adjusted his hat, and then looked from Sailor Evil to the outstretched wand. "Oh, no." He shook his head. "You're not getting me in no sailor outfit." "I was thinking of something more along the lines of a full formal tuxedo," Sailor Evil replied, scowling. "And you're supposed to do whatever I tell you to. That was the deal, remember?" ETK nearly choked. "No way! Listen, Sailor Evil, you maybe the leader and all, but an echidna's gotta draw the line somewhere. I have my dignity, y'know." "So not only do you share KTE's face, but also his dislike for sailor scouts?" Sailor Evil tossed her silver hair. "Oh, well. No matter. I'm sure I can find someone else who's more than willing." She turned and over dramatically gestured to the figure that had entered unnoticed. "Realm Destroyers, meet the latest addition to the team...Vampire Sephiroth!" "*Sir* Knuckles Ash?" The one in the mask, blinked. "I was knighted by Princess Sally Acorn when I was fifteen. For my efforts against Robotnik." The one in the cloak replied. "k.a. is five." "I fluctuate between five and seventeen when I go into Realm Protector form. I don't know all the details." "Yeah, well...you're still an arrogant jerk. I like you better as k.a." "Yeah, well, as k.a. I don't remember anything past being five. Can imagine what it's like to have to live your life in brief flashes?" "Flashes?" "I can stay like this, seventeen, for a while...but eventually the reversal process overrides my will. I can only hold being k.a. off for so long." "Why are you telling me this?" "My strength's low because of the separation from the Mask of Enerjak. I need more time to recover...to heal my stab wound. Plus, it's also caused the reversal process to reactivate faster than I thought." The one in the cloak swallowed. "Since Moon's not here, I want you to look after k.a." "Why should I?" The masked one demanded. "Because I trust you. You may not like me...and I sure don't like being dependent on someone, but I know how helpless k.a. is. Think about it. Do you honestly believe he could last one day in any realm all on his own? No, especially not with the way he finds trouble." The cloaked one winced. He closed his eyes, then he held out a silver dagger. "At least hold onto this for me. If the Realm Protectors are needed, give it to k.a." The one in the mask took it. "I don't know..." "Please?" the cloaked one, looked up at him. The desperation was clear in his eyes. It made him look...humble. "I'm asking you as one wielder of the Master Tools-" The one in the mask turned, ready with a snappy comment, but it died in his throat. The cloaked one wasn't there anymore. But crawling out of the bundle of brown cloth was a five-year-old, red, knuclawed echidna with dark blue eyes. "Ahhh! Your face is scary!" k.a. cried, and ducked back under the cloth. The one in the mask sighed. He tapped at the mask. Electronic motors whirled and the mask's face-plate rose. "k.a., it's me." k.a. stuck his head back out. "Mista KTE? Hellwo!" He thrust something at KTE. "I got your hat for ya!" KTE chuckled. "I can't put it on just now, k.a. I need my mask for a little bit longer." He paused. "You hang on to it till we get where we're going." He reached down and put the hat on k.a.'s head. "Take good care of it, you here?" "Sure will," k.a. nodded, the hat sliding back and forth on his head. KTE smiled. He reached down and picked up the cloak. It had hung near Knuckles Ash's boot tops. It might *just* fit him. He slipped on the cloak. Then he tapped the mask. The electronic motors whirled again, and the face-plate slid down. The echidna in the mask nodded to himself. An echidna in a cloak wouldn't be given a second look in most places. But an echidna in a black metal mask, with a skull face-plate, was sure to draw attention. He didn't know what kind of place they were headed into. It was best to be ready for anything. Chapter Three: "Well, we're in the city," Gabe said. "Any idea where to find Sailor Vega H?" "I guess we just ask around," Moon shrugged. "Someone's bound to have heard of her." "Are you sure it's wise to simply walk around asking?" Gabe asked. He paused and leaned in closer. "I mean quite a few people are you odd looks." Moon blinked. Slowly, her higher awareness focused, then cast out. She discovered many people were harboring suspicious thoughts towards her. Feelings of distrust and hatred, simply because she was an echidna. They didn't even seem to care about her unique coloring. "Is there anywhere you wanted to go?" Moon asked Gabe, smiling. Mentally she projected <>. Gabe appeared to look thoughtful. <>. He smiled. "Join me for a bite to eat, dear?" The Cloaked Masked Echidna looked out of the cavern's exit. "All be...it's a city." k.a. squirmed. "I'm tired." He looked down at the little one. "Not much farther." Masked reached up, and tapped the mask. Electronic motors whirled, and the face-plate rose. He pulled it off. "You got room in that pack of yours for this, k.a.?" "Yep, mista KTE," k.a. turned, and stood relatively still. KTE slipped the mask in and reclosed the white pack. "My ouchie hurts." k.a. protested. KTE looked down at the white cloth bandage over the little echidna's heart. He considered. No doubt a doctor wouldn't be much help to k.a. But he knew how to clean and dress a wound. "We'll go into that city," he told k.a. "And find a place to stay. Then, I'll have a look at your ouchie." "Oh-tay," k.a. said. "Do I haveta give back your hat?" KTE looked down at him. As much as he disliked Knuckles Ash, he did have a soft spot for k.a. "Naw, you can keep holding on to it for me till we find a place." He looked at the city. "I wonder if that's Mobotropolis." He pulled the hood of the cloak up. "C'mon k.a." "I just don't know," Tonia was saying. She looked over at the brownish fox beside her. Leslie Prower shook her head. Her light green eyes friendly. "Oh, Tonia, look on the bright side. Maybe Prince Alan will be someone wonderful." "And maybe he'll be a stick in the mud like everyone else." "At least things have been quiet on the home-front." Leslie replied. "Your mother finally stopped asking where you disappeared to for those few days a couple weeks ago." Tonia sighed. "Sometimes I think it would just be easier to tell her." Leslie looked about to answer when a guy with black hair nearly knocked her over. "Hey, watch where you're going!" She snapped. "Sorry," the guy said sincerely. He turned, and helped her up. His emerald-colored eyes flickered over her face. "Are you all right?" Leslie nodded. Tonia blinked, and took another look at the silver-haired girl with the dark blue eyes tugging gently on his arm. "Hey wait..." she began. It was crazy... It couldn't possibly be... "Look, Miss, I am *really* sorry. My fault. Completely." The guy replied. He patted the girl's hand. "Won't happen again." Then with a small smile, he turned back to the girl, and the two of them were lost in the crowd. "What was that all about?" Leslie asked. "Uh...nothing." Tonia smiled. "Just looked like someone I met once." Chapter Four: Realm Destroyer's Temporary Base of Operations "We attack here," Sailor Evil pointed a gloved-finger to a point on the map. "Make enough noise, stir up enough dirt to get Sailor Vega H's attention. Then follow the plan. Does everyone understand?" There were nods all around. "All right then. Julie-su, Ember, move out. Kit, ETK, you know what to do." "Secure the Island dignitary and his diplomats." ETK nodded to Kit. "We're on our way," the green fox nodded. The two of them left. Shortly after, Julie-su and Ember left in the opposite directions. "And don't screw it up, you idiots." Sailor Evil hissed. ETK would do his job, he was more than capable. Providing he didn't get distracted, and he kept Kit in line. As for Julie-su and Ember... Hands rested lightly on her shoulders. "You're so tense, m'dear." She sighed with relief. "Sephiroth you... *Don't* ever sneak up on me again." "As you wish," he replied. "But I wish you would allow me to handle this Sailor Vega H. I am more than capable." She smiled. "Mmmmm, yes. But I want you to save that little trick for someone special." His breath was slow, relaxed, confident. "As you wish." Julie-su looked at Ember. "Now?" Ember nodded. "Now." Julie-su raised the black stick Sailor Evil had given her. "CHAOS DARKNESS POWER!!" Ember raised her own wand. "CHAOS NEGATIVITY POWER!!" KTE passed through the crowd, k.a. tightly clinging to his one hand. People were pointing and whispering. Most of it sounded hostile. All of it directed at the two red echidnas. More than once they'd nearly been separated. KTE keep his head high, and made sure k.a. was still at his side. What was these people's problem? Sailor Negativity adjusted her purple gloves. She pulled at her short, purple skirt. Her purple scarf was edged with yellow. Where Sailor Evil had a white shirt...hers was black. She had a green bow with a lightening blot on it. The same bolt was on her choker and two hair things that tied her purple hair back into pig-tales. She looked down at her green and yellow shortie boots. She blinked blue-green eyes. "Not bad." She said. Then she looked over at her partner. Sailor Darkness was playing with her long, wavy brown hair. She looked back at Sailor Negativity with purple eyes. Her scarf was purple, trimmed with blue, and it came down to a point that hung down. She had no bows. Her purple skirt was longer than Sailor Evil's. her long purple gloves reached up past her elbows. Sailor Darkness kicked at a rock with her blue boots. They looked a lot like Julie-su's, except for the color. "Let's wake this sleepy town up," Sailor Negativity said. She pointed to the nearby power generator. "NEGATIVE CHAOS STRIKE!!" A bolt of black lightening zapped the generator. "This should get Sailor Vega H's attention," Sailor Darkness said. "CHAOS ECLIPSE ATTACK!!" A ball of black energy formed in a nearby street. It exploded, sending dark rays lashing out at the startled citizens. "Now what?" Sailor Darkness asked. "We wait." Sailor Negativity replied. "Sailor Evil will be here any time." Chapter Five: Mobotropolis Tonia stopped right in the middle of her sentence. "What is it?" Leslie asked. "Trouble." Tonia stepped into an empty lot. She raised a wand topped with a star emblem. "VEGA STAR SYSTEM POWER!!" Leslie reached, and drew out her own wand. Topped with a sun symbol. "PHOENIX SUN FIRE POWER!!" Sailor Vega H, stood and waited. Her red scarf, and skirt blowing in the breeze. Her blue boots, bows, and choker gleamed. The star on her choker matched the one on each of her boots. She pushed dark blue-black hair out of her dark eyes. Sailor Phoenix F looked sheepishly at her with green eyes. She pushed at her long, blond hair. Her own scarf and skirt were orange. Her bows, and boots were yellow. On her short boots, orange choker, and in the middle of her bow was a sun emblem. Her tiara was orange with a gold sun on it. "Where to, gov'ner?" she joked. "The generator." Sailor Vega H replied. "Let's go." "Now, m'love?" Vampire Sephiroth asked from the beside her. Sailor Evil held up her hand. She wanted till the two scouts were out of sight. "Not just yet, Sephy. When the time comes, you'll know." Gabe pointed out the two sailors racing by. "Isn't that dark-haired one..." "Yes," Moon replied. "It's Sailor Vega H!" "Shall we join them?" Gabe asked. Moon gestured to the empty lot the sailors had come from. Once they were safely out of the crowd she raised the Silver Crescent Moon Wand. "SILVER MOON EMERALD POWER!!" Gabe reached into his pocket and pulled out a single rose. "BLOOD ROSE POWER!!" "HOLY-" KTE was cut off. The ball of black energy exploded. "k.a.! Get down!" The two freaky-looking sailor scouts grinned. "Well, well, well, Sailor Darkness, what do we have here?" the one with the purple hair asked. "Looks like Realm Protectors to me, Sailor Negativity," the one with the brown hair, Sailor Darkness, replied. "Aw, crud. This doesn't look good, kid." KTE said to k.a. "Let's move." He grabbed the kid and pulled him into a store. "Hey! Come back here!" One of the Sailors cried. k.a. was digging in his pack. He pulled out the black metal mask. KTE looked down at him. "Good thinking, kid." He took the mask from k.a. He reached into his boot and pulled out the silver dagger. He handed it to k.a. "I hope you know how to make this work." Sailor Vega H and Sailor Phoenix F stopped in the alley-way to the generator plant. They looked at the two sailors in the purple/black outfits, and then at each other. "Who are you?" Sailor Vega H demanded. "We're Anti-Sailors Negativity and Darkness!" They cried. "Anti-sailors?" Sailor Phoenix F asked. "Who's your leader?" "I am." The girl with the black sailor outfit and silver hair said. "Sailor Evil! I should've known!" Sailor Vega H cried. "What are you doing here?" "Destroying your miserable realm, fool." The guy with the long silver hair and green eyes said. "Veg-y," Sailor Evil said. "This is Vampire Sephiroth." Vampire Sephiroth drew his masamune. "Prepare to die, Sailors." "Not if we have anything to say about it!" the other silver-haired girl said. Her blue scarf and skirt fluttered. Her bows, choker, and boots were red. A crescent moon was on them. Her long silver hair hung in six sections, like dreads. Two shorter pieces hung by her face. A red clasp with a golden crescent moon held up a small bun her head. She was holding a silver crescent moon wand, with a silver gem in the curve of the moon. "Sailor Moon E?!" Sailor Vega H cried. "I don't know how you got here...but talk about great timing!" The guy in the full formal black tux, complete with white gloves, black cape, and black top hat waved to Sailor Evil. His black hair peeked out from under his hat. A black mask obscured his eyes. "And Tuxedo Mischief!" Sailor Vega H added. "Bet you're not so confident now, Sailor Evil," Sailor Phoenix F remarked. Sailor Evil smirked. "Are you all the resistance this pathetic realm has to offer?" "Not all." A voice said. Everyone turned. to be continued.... --------------------------------------------------------------------- Moon/Sailor Moon E: Looks like she found Vega. Gabe/Tuxedo Mischief: same. KTE/Masked: He's alive! And he's not getting in any sailor outfit... k.a.: he's alive! Tonia/Sailor Vega H: sailor scouts are funny... don't you think? Leslie/Sailor Phoenix F: New character I promised. Sailor Evil: What's going on between her and VS. Vampire Sephiroth: New villain. Julie-su/Sailor Negativity: New anti-sailor Ember/Sailor Darkness: New anti-sailor Kit: What are he and ETK up too? ETK: he stood up to Sailor Evil. Good for him!