Battle & Romance Senshi of the 6th Dynasty
Author: loki
Rated: PG13
The girls are about to be thrown into the deep end, and the strange enigmatic Mauan and the mysterious woman with him prepare them for what lies ahead.
Chapter 4
Kittens in a cage
Woke up this morning
Closed in on all sides
Nothing doing
I feel resistance
As I open my eyes
Someone's fooling
I know what's going on
Am I living in a box?
Life goes in circles
Around and around circulation
I sometimes wonder
What's moving underground
I'm escaping
I've found a way
Am I living in a cardboard box?
Crystal Tokyo: Old Quarter
"So, where are they?" I probed, as the Old Quarter's long and near empty causeways flashed by as we moved at speed.
"I'm taking you to them."
"All right, but you better not be lying to me."
"You know, I know Incarnadines very well, many females on an intimate level, I might add," he winked and grinned.
I shuddered; it wasn't that he wasn't hot, but his power, his warrior energy came off the guy in waves and scared me a little, yes, even I with all the magic I knew. He made me weak at the knees.
"I'm sure you do," I managed, blushing, to my utter shock and consternation.
Staring at my hands, still wrapped around the base of the Crystal Pod I had switched on to hide my embarrassment.
After viewing the holo-images, I knew without doubt that he spoke the truth.
"I've worked as a bounty hunter for them for centuries now. You are a very astute species, and I trust you'll not disappoint on that score?" he chuckled as I shuffled uncomfortably in the plush leather seat.
"Are the girls unharmed?"
Raymore sighed with a hint of annoyance and impatience.
"If you mean, are their hymens intact, and are the senshi princesses otherwise in good mind and body? If that's what you mean, the simple answer is yes."
"Thank you," I almost whispered, my heart racing, the air abuzz with energy, an energy I'd not felt since…
Old Quarter: Central Control outpost # 3
I looked at the door, solid cedar. I could slip underneath it so easily. What was the point of that? The man, the Mauan had greater powers than all of us, but how could that be? I supposed he must be a Shitennou of some kind, a warrior mage or whatever, but he was on our side, wasn't he? He definitely had his own agenda and I needed to know what that was about, so I bided my time.
---
I heard a loud click and a snap and he came in, but wasn't alone, the woman looked me in the eye and did the senshi-Shitennou salute and I reciprocated.
"Nagai Fumie I presume, my name is Cerciana."
"Whatever," I began to cry, damn it; I was overwhelmed by all that had happened over the last forty-eight hours. I was tired, felt dirty from lack of a shower and suffering a dangerous degree of cabin fever from being cooped up in this dank room all that time against my will. Yet, despite my temporary incarceration, I was glad of the company, but why had he locked us up? I didn't know.
"Ek, I need to wash my hair; it is a little greasy, unkempt and filthy. I need to get into a set of clean clothes. I have slept in these for days now and this jerk has no soap," I cried, hugging the strange girl with the most calming energy I'd ever felt. She was like a mother, or sister.
"Come, I have everything you need. Please forgive Raymore, he is a tad ignorant of those things we womenfolk consider vital to our self-respect. I have chastised him I assure you."
"Shower, dress and then a debriefing session and a lavish feast for you all," he actually sounded chirpy, like an elf bearing gifts, although Cerciana was the gift bearer here.
"Towel please, sir?"
He held out my towel, a large soft pink one, then grinning, he threw it to me and I caught it, and offered a smirk and gathered my things and headed for the shower recess.
Raymore bowed as I moved past him, and I caught the wry grin on his face. He did look sufficiently contrite.
Cerciana handed me a bag of clothes, and some additional personal care items. I thanked her. The underwear, denim shorts, tee shirts and footwear along with other things I needed including a hairbrush.
"Thank the kamis for a brush!"
"I left nothing to chance, Fumie-san." Cerciana said, as if she'd known my thoughts, and hell, she likely did.
"Men, they've no idea, grrr." I muttered.
---
We made our way down a long hall. I saw the paintings of the royal family of the Crystal Kingdom going back to the first Neo-Queen, Serenity. They were all here: senshi and the Mauans, Luna, Artemis and of course Diana gazed at me from the ornate frames upon the oak paneled walls flanking me as we entered an antechamber, luxurious by comparison to my austere accommodations.
Cerciana sat demurely upon a sofa of soft pink.
"Sit," our host invited.
"Yes sir, forgive me if I appear rude, but I guess we're all part of some new elite force now and must obey your orders, mister?" I snapped, glad to see the others filing into the room and taking their places in the array of comfortable chairs.
"No, but if you want to live, it might be best if you allow us to shelter you until we secure the city, after all, you've not been trained in the powers and their use to the degree you'll be any use to us and humanity."
"Look Raymore-san, our guardians have taught us a lot, and we've not slackened off for a moment, we can't be that bad…, can we?" Marico trailed off and lowered her gaze, stroking a salt and peppery bunny as it began nuzzling her ankle.
"The bar has been lifted much higher now girls, time to do a little leg-work of your own. Your guardians are stepping back, for now. Sailor Senshi, this is your time to prove yourselves and to do that, you're on your own as far as the Nexus is concerned so listen up ladies," he looked at me and turned his attention to the rest of the girls waving his arm to punctuate his points. "This is both a haven and boot camp your royal highnesses. Cerciana and I your trainers," he said, in a more conciliatory tone.
Why, I didn't think the guy had it in him, and then I took a closer look at the Mauan warrior. He was hot. I blushed. He winked and I looked away not understanding why I couldn't see it before today, was it a feline ‘glamor thing' or something?
Cerciana giggled and covered her mouth. I half-smiled at her in spite of the situation.
"Okay…, Gomen," I said, looking at each girl.
Mariko, the leader of our group stood up and bowed to Cerciana and Raymore, some bunnies hovering nearby and Raymore's eyes went wide in curiosity.
"I think all of us, if I'm not speaking out of turn, girls, will go with this. I trust you guys," she said, her odango flouncing off her petite frame as she hugged both Cerciana and then Raymore, who was all left feet, unsure how to react to the Bunny's affectionate nature, but smiled with genuine warmth and hugged her back.
I was then lost in a cloud of goo and mortification at my racing heartbeat, the flushes and weak knees as I drank in the image of Raymore. I was being a typical female; my hormones would save the day, yeah right.
After all of us chatted for a time, it wasn't long before everyone got down to business here in this place called, "Central Control" yeah, I remembered it was run by Luna and Artemis who were now in the Crystal Nexus, this guy the new kid on the block it seemed in the Sixth Dynasty.
TBC