Written by BHart
May 12, 2008

click for map

Act LXXXVI
Macabre Couple

"I can't look," said Kousagi.

"Hold on tight and you'll be ok," reassured Sailor Miranda.

They landed on the island where Utaroh and Tokamo were waiting. Tokamo explained to them what happened to her.

"Rakuah!" Utaroh greeted Sailor Miranda with a bear hug.

"Not too hard, I squish easily."

"Now what?" asked Vasteel.

"Just one minute, I'm still going over Maxie's notes," replied Omatase.

"That's Maxie for you. Eccentric and unpredictable," stated Rakuah.

"Does it say in his notes who the next contact is?" asked Vasteel.

"It looks like we'll be seeing Rykel and Maybel again. According to these notes, they can help us find our next contact," answered Omatase.

"Tell me where we need to go and I'll take everyone there," offered Rakuah. Everyone formed a chain again, gliding eastward across the sea on the air turbulence.

A sailor senshi dressed in a black and red outfit with long, black hair was at the council's headquarters, speaking with some senior council members. Sailor Rosalind was standing next to her.

"What are the statuses of the two sailor senshi you brought here?"

"They are only semi-conscious right now. They are with the others in the depletion caskets."

"You have done very well, Sailor Calypso. You would do well to learn from her, Sailor Rosalind. Your fiasco at Jeuno cost us a great deal."

Sailor Rosalind apologized profusely.

"Sailor Rosalind, keep watch over the sailor senshi in the depletion caskets. Sailor Calypso, bring more of those rebellious, wayward sailor senshi here."

Sailor Calypso and Sailor Rosalind bowed before the senior members before leaving.

Omatase's group was gliding in the skies of Sauromugue Champaign. "We need to go further west," said Omatase.

"I can only go in the direction of the wind. When the winds are too strong, I cannot go against them," explained Rakuah.

"Let's land here. It looks like a safe spot," said Omatase. They landed on the southern edge of Sauromugue Champaign.

They waited for the wind to change direction.

Kousagi had a worried look on her face.

"What's the matter?" asked Rakuah.

"I'm really worried about Nami and Mia. I hope they're ok."

"Don't worry, we'll find them."

Vasteel looked southward. "We've got to get out of here. There's a small army of Traliz soldiers coming this way."

"What? Where'd they come from?" asked Kousagi.

"Probably from Garlaige Citadel," replied Omatase.

"We'll have to go on foot to safety," said Rakuah.

Omatase cast float on everyone so they could cross over the chasm to the west. After crossing, there were Traliz soldiers on that side too. "Damn! It looks like we're gonna be surrounded," said Vasteel.

"They must be coming from the other opening to the citadel," realized Tokamo.

"We'll have to fight our way out of this one. Give it all you've got," ordered Omatase.

The soldiers quickly approached them; battle ensued.

Sailor Titan stomped on the ground, causing a tremor to knock down many soldiers.

Sailor Ares used her trail blazing technique, burning them with a long trail of fire.

Sailor Miranda used her tornado alley ability. A large tornado swept the soldiers in its path, tossing them everywhere.

Sailor Io was striking down groups of soldiers with lightning bolts.

Sailor Parallel Moon was using her sacred light attack, consuming the flesh of the soldiers that were exposed to it.

Vasteel was throwing poisoned daggers at them, striking them where their flesh was exposed.

Omatase was busy casting many spells.

There were too many of them, and they were eventually surrounded and forced to surrender. The soldiers surrounded them, forcing them to keep their hands in the air.

"What are they waiting for? We've been standing here for at least 15 minutes," asked Rie.

"They're waiting for their leader to get here to decide what to do with us," explained Omatase.

A fat, ugly woman with short, brown curly hair approached them. "Well, well. What a lucky day for me. The major rebellion against the council has landed right at my feet."

"Who's this fat slob?" asked Rakuah.

"I have no idea," responded Omatase.

"I'm a law enforcer for the council. The name's Tammy Bivins."

Omatase laughed, shaking his head. "The council's twisted regulations are not law."

"I've heard about you. You were put in jail for falsely accusing your ex husbands of crimes they didn't commit. When the council came in power, they freed you." remembered Vasteel.

"It's not my fault. They wanted a divorce and I didn't. So for revenge, I lied about them being child molesters, and had them thrown in prison. That's what they get for not staying with me," explained Tammy.

"Wow, you're a really sickening person. You're a low life. Guess that was reason enough for the council to free you," said Tokamo.

"The council protects me from any wrong doing. After disposing of you, I'll be promoted and have more power to slander any man I choose. Kill them!" ordered Tammy.

A large blast of fire engulfed the soldiers from above.

Only mixed, melted piles of flesh and armor remained. The rest of them were in disarray. Tammy ran for cover.

Lady Dragon Guardian was flying on her dragon, helping them. She was accompanied by Steve Jones. "Make a run for it!" yelled Steve.

Sailor Titan plowed through the soldiers like a locomotive, tearing them limb from limb, making a path for the others to escape.

Tammy waddled away as fast as she could.

"Don't let her get away!"

Steve Jones threw a spear at her with the name "Richard Melvin" carved in it. It struck her in her left heel. Her sloppy, fat body hit the ground.

Sailor Titan pounded her face and body with brute savagery. Tammy was smashed flat, like a pancake. She was beaten beyond recognition.

Steve Jones swooped down on his wyrm, retrieving the spear. He borrowed it from a friend.

Lady Dragon guardian gave Omatase's group a ride on her dragon. She dropped them off at Batallia Downs, where they entered the Eldieme Necropolis.

"What are Rykel and Maybel doing here?" asked Rie.

"They have their own necromancy business. They collect ingredients down here. They should be here somewhere," explained Omatase.

"There's a dead, fat lady lying on the ground. Looks like the one that was beat to death earlier," commented Tokamo. The body belonged to a council member named Barbara Mays Blackard.

"A lot of people here are collecting the seven deadly skulls. A lot of necromancer enthusiasts down here," mentioned Vasteel.

They walked by a small area rarely frequented. They heard some voices. "It sounds like a wedding ceremony," said Omatase.

Rykel and Maybel were standing together next to a skeleton.

"Hey! We've been looking for you."

"Omatase? What are you doing here?" asked Maybel.

"We need your help in finding the next contact."

"Maxie should know. Where is he?" asked Rykel.

"Well, you see.."

"Oh God, don't tell me he ditched you," interrupted Rykel.

"Yeah, he's missing in action. We don't know where he ran off to."

"I'll never understand that guy. Yeah, we'll help you out," said Rykel.

"I hope we didn't interrupt anything," said Omatase.

"Not at all; we just finished renewing our wedding vows with this skeleton priest we created with necromancy," replied Maybel.

"You guys always were attracted to the macabre," said Omatase.

They followed Rykel and Maybel towards Jeuno. "Are you sure it's safe to go into Jeuno?" asked Vasteel.

"After Rosalind was exposed for impersonating the duke of Jeuno, things have been chaotic. The security the council had there is gone. Things are very lax," explained Rykel.

While heading towards Jeuno, Rykel and Maybel stopped.

"What's the matter?" asked Kousagi.

"We sense something evil nearby," answered Rykel. They looked back at Rie. There was a dark spot underneath her.

Utaroh pushed her out of the way, falling through the spot and vanishing instead.

"Damn! They got another one of us," said Omatase.

"How could you sense something was going to happen?" asked Tokamo.

"We are in tune with the darkness. We have a sharp ability to sense it," explained Maybel.

"There's nothing we can do about it now. Onward to Jeuno," said Rykel.

"Thank God the council isn't controlling this place anymore. It's almost like it used to be, without the rampant confusion," remarked Omatase. They went to port Jeuno, where they boarded an airship to Kazham.

Sailor Calypso was dragging the unconscious body of Sailor Titan across a long room, filled with pillars and expensive draperies. "She's so heavy."

"Need some help?" asked Sailor Himalia, appearing before her.

"Yes. It feels like she weighs a ton."

Sailor Himalia grabbed her by the feet. They carried her across the long hallway into a smaller room where Sailor Marina and Sailor Magellan were being held in capsules; along with many others.

"You chose a really big target this time," remarked Sailor Himalia.

"I was actually going for another senshi, but this one came and pushed her out of the way. So I got this one instead. It's like they sensed my presence. I'll have to be more careful."

They lifted Sailor Titan into a capsule and hooked up some wires to her body.

"By taking them down one at a time, they'll be divided and easy to destroy. A great plan," said Sailor Himalia.

After closing the capsule lid, they wrapped Promathian chains around it. They turned off the lights and secured the door behind them before leaving.