Written by BHart
February 29, 2008

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Act LXXX
Shelter from the Arid Sands

They sensed something coming towards them in the darkness. As it got closer, they noticed the area around them get even darker. A black mass covered the ground. They backed up against the wall. It moved quickly, grabbing Nami, Mia and Tokamo. It caught Vasteel, Feral Heart and Rie with its large tentacles. It began squeezing them and throwing them around.

Omatase cast blaze spikesra on everyone, protecting them with a burning fire. The dark creature released everyone from its grasp. The creature retreated while recovering from the burns.

Omatase ran towards the entrance to the mines, leading into town. "I'll be right back. Just keep the creature at bay."

It blended in with the darkness, being virtually invisible.

"How did all this dust get all over me?" asked Feral Heart, noticing her hands were dirty.

"We're all dirty. Especially where that creature grabbed us," said Tokamo.

"This spell Omatase cast on us won't last forever. We should go to the entrance where there's light," suggested Kousagi.

They went to the entrance. The creature followed them as close to the entrance as it could.

Omatase returned, carrying giant flashlights for everyone.

"Where did you get those?" asked Nami.

"Cid's lab. Since it won't come to the light, we'll bring the light to it."

They turned on their flashlights, walking towards it. They backed it up against the gates, where it couldn't go any further west. It fled southward, towards darker parts of the mine. They cornered it in the eastern most part of the mine.

"Let's finish this thing off for good," ordered Omatase.

Vasteel threw knives at it.

"Help me kill this thing with fire spells," ordered Omatase, looking at Feral Heart and Rie.

The creature was consumed by fire.

"What the hell was that thing?" asked Mia.

Omatase examined the dirt on her. "Just what I thought; this creature was made of dirt, soot and dead skin cells from people. Something like this could happen again if people don't keep this mine cleaner."

They walked back towards the gates. Vasteel picked the locks, gaining them access to Korroloka Tunnel.

"Be careful. We don't want to run into any monsters down here," warned Omatase.

They traveled westward.

"Wait here, everyone. I need to take a taru tinkle."

Nami could feel something touching her. "Knock it off, guys."

"What are you talking about?" asked Rie.

"Someone keeps on poking me."

Feral Heart and Rie caused a small fire to appear in their hands to light up their surroundings.

There was a gigas' spider standing next to her. "Oh gross. I hate bugs. They're so ugly," said Nami, running up a small dirt trail.

Vasteel threw a knife at it, scaring it off.

"I hope she didn't run too far," said Tokamo. They followed after her.

"Ah, that feels much better," thought Omatase.

Nami ran up behind him, startling him. "What are you doing here? Can't a taru get any privacy?"

"Oh, I didn't know you were here. I was running away from a giant, creepy spider."

"Why are you afraid of those? You've come across stronger things than that."

"I don't like crawly things. Especially bugs."

"I think she went up this way," said Kousagi.

"There you are. Don't wuss out like that again, okay?" said Rie.

"I wasn't!" said Nami, upset.

"What's that behind you?" asked Mia.

Omatase turned around, shining a flashlight on the ground where he relieved himself. There were three wooden boards sticking out of the ground; with a name written on each. The three names were Kevin Salmon, Morris Linton and Danny Mecham.

"These must be paupers' graves. I've seen a few of these before in other places," said Omatase.

"Kevin Salmon. That name sounds familiar," said Feral Heart.

"It should. He used to work for the council. What a piece of work he was," said Omatase, sarcastically.

"What did he do?" asked Kousagi.

"He was truly insane. He went around on behalf of the council, massacring men and boys everywhere. He hated his own gender, persecuting them, calling them abnormal weirdos with no character. Other crazy people joined him. They called themselves "Defenders of Women's Feelings." There was one of many instances where they ripped out the throats of a group of boys who hurt a snobby girl's feelings. They were called salmonites; people who hated their own gender. Salmonites believed men were worthless and only existed to worship women. Only females' feelings mattered. Women were always right and never made mistakes. Those who escaped death by their hands had their reputations smeared. Kevin had pigs in blue and investigators under his command randomly accuse people of criminal acts, and exaggerated any of their misdeeds. In their own twisted minds, they thought they were being chivalrous," explained Omatase.

"What a horrible and insane person. Why's his grave here?" asked Mia.

"After years of service to the council, his followers were put to death. Kevin asked why he was spared. They told him his sex was inferior, and that all males must die. He earned the right to be personally killed by a member of the council. He got on his knees, being honored to be slain by the "superior" sex. He literally worshipped them, thinking of them as Gods. They discarded their bodies in remote places where they would be forgotten. The two buried alongside him were a couple of his top men. He was a fool. A damn fool," answered Omatase.

"The more I learn about the council, the sicker I get," said Kousagi.

"We've got to be careful around here. There are giants up ahead," warned Omatase.

"There are at least four of them near the tunnel's exit," reported Feral Heart.

"Damn. It will be too risky fighting them all at once. We've got to create a diversion. I've got an idea," said Omatase.

"What is it?" asked Kousagi.

"I'll run at them and yell something. Listen for the signal," instructed Omatase.

He ran down the tunnel, towards the gigases. They didn't see him at first, but noticed him when he ran underneath one of their legs yelling, "Taru tank!"

While the gigases were chasing Omatase, the sailor senshi, Vasteel and Feral Heart were closing in on them from behind.

They attacked the gigases from behind, taking them completely by surprise. Before they figured out what was going on, they were wounded, having no time to fight back before they got away.

They exited the tunnel leading to the Eastern Altepa Desert. Omatase was catching his breath. "You sure are fast for a little guy," commented Rie.

"You didn't get hurt, did you?" asked Nami.

"Nah, I'm okay."

"Is there any place we can get washed off and clean? The hot wind is covering me in sand," asked Nami.

"Yeah, I know a place. Follow me," ordered Omatase.

Back at the council's headquarters, Sailor Telesto was tending to her wound. She was recovering quite quickly.

A woman wearing a black and gold colored sailor uniform walked up behind her. She had brown hair with golden streaks in it. "Those sailor senshi really whooped your ass."

"Shut your mouth, Himalia. They just got lucky, that's all."

"You'll need to go after them with everything you've got this next time."

"I've got a surprise for them," replied Sailor Telesto.

Omatase took them to a secluded area in the Gatidav Oasis. The area was concealed by large sandstone and palm trees. There was a large pond with cool, crystal blue water.

Omatase headed towards a small cave. "Where are you going?" asked Kousagi.

"I'm going to take a nice, relaxing bath in the hot springs over here." The cave entrance was too small for the others to enter. He wriggled his way inside.

The others bathed themselves in the pond and washed their clothes.

Feral Heart caught Kousagi staring at her momentarily. "Yes?"

"Sorry, I just never saw furry boobs before."

"Hey, where's Vasteel?" asked Rie.

"I don't know. She must've found another place to wash off. I'll go look for her," offered Nami.

After walking around in the nude, she eventually found Vasteel bathing near a small waterfall. She was washing her breasts. Nami was about to greet her, when Vasteel stood up out of the water. Nami was shocked at what she saw, and walked back to where the others were.

"Did you find her?" asked Mia, who was floating nude on the water.

"Yeah, I did. She's over by the waterfall."

"There's a waterfall here? I want to see it," said Tokamo.

"We should wait until she's done bathing," suggested Nami.

"Why? We're all women here. We've all got the same goods," reasoned Feral Heart.

"I don't think that's a good idea," replied Nami.

"Why not? Something wrong?" asked Kousagi.

"When I found Vasteel by the waterfall, she stood up out of the water. She had a penis and balls. No vagina at all."

They were speechless. Omatase walked along the sand, near the pond the others were in. He had his newly cleaned mage robes on. "Will you guys be done soon? We've got to get moving."

The girls turned around, covering up their boobs and pussies. "Omatase!"

"Oh, grow up. You don't have anything I haven't seen before," replied Omatase.

"We'll be ready in a few minutes. We were just talking about Vasteel," said Kousagi.

"What about her?" asked Omatase.

"She's got male genitalia," explained Nami.

"Yeah, I know. Vasteel is a shemale," replied Omatase.

"You knew?" asked Nami, surprised.

"There was an incident a few years ago on a link shell owned by Vasteel. She gave the members on her link shell a web address where there were nude pictures of her. Artemis Evans used to be a member of that link shell and told me all the sordid details. She was mocked and to this day is too embarrassed to show herself in some places. Just don't bring it up around her, she's still sensitive about that," explained Omatase.

He walked back to the cave, telling the others that he would wait for them there when they were ready to leave.

Vasteel returned, fully dressed and ready to go. The others acted a little uncomfortable around her, and left to get dressed.

When they were ready to leave, Omatase wasn't at the cave entrance. They called his name a few times, but no one responded. "That's strange. I wonder where he could be?" said Rie.

Kousagi noticed some giant foot prints in the sand. They followed the foot prints, finding one of Omatase's mage sashes lying on the ground. "This doesn't look good," said Tokamo. They followed the foot prints out of the oasis.

..to be continued..