And So it Begins... [Canon Plot Thread]

[Minor Tarot]

So this was Crystal Tokyo's Palace... heh. Couteau had to admit, this palace rivaled their own back on Felek. It was impressive indeed.

The tarot youma had been sent here, of course, to spy. To see how heavily guarded it was, and to see how easy it would be to infiltrate the palace and attain their Fortune Keys. Right now the court yard was the only place she was getting to in the dark of the night. Easy enough, considering it was open to the public. Oh, but that didn't mean she couldn't find some mischief to cause. She'd make sure that Earth knew they were no longer safe, like so many other planets. She would destroy them.

Summoning her sword, Couteau grinned with her sharp pearly teeth against her lilac skin. It was time to cause some mischief.

The youma slashed her sword against a number of trees, forcing them to fall down and send civilians and guards still in the vicinity in a panic. The more chaos amongst them, the easier the grasping of Fortune Keys.

[Haruka Tenou]

Haruka was just wandering around the court yard of the crystal palace for a bit. She had needed some time to just herself for a bit. After her talk with Chibi-Usa in the park she realized she had been wrong to push that feeling that something was wrong to the back of her mind.

As she walked past a tree she jumped back pulling a child back with her to keep from getting squished under the tree when it fell. Quickly the blond found a hiding place and ducked behind it pulling out her henshin wand.

"Uranus Eternal Power, Make Up!" she called and in moments she was in her fuku. she was out of hiding and standing in front of the Youma holding her hand in the air. "world Shaking!" She yelled sending the yellow energy ball at the Youma causing so much Chaos on the crystal palace grounds.

[Yūgana Suwan]

Yūgana had been walking elegantly through the Palace Grounds, giving a one on one session on poise whilst reading to a student who seriously needed some extra tutoring when her head pricked up at the sounds of falling trees and she sent the student to get away from the Crystal Palace grounds and all others with her. Finding a safe spot nearby the Courtyard, Yūgana pulled out her compact mirror with her Constellation on it. "Pegasi Constellation power.... Make up!" She commanded.

Soon, she was Sailor Pegasi as she leaped up to the roof and the Palace, seeing the problem, Pegasi saw Uranus and leaped down to her side. "Uranus-chan! Are you alright?" Pegasi asked as she stood beside the blonde, her white hair staying in place remarkably well during her descent as she landed gracefully. Hard to believe for someone over 100 years old as no doubt Uranus was still getting used to in a way.

Spying their new enemy, Pegasi frowned as she looked for obvious weaknesses in the enemy. "Well, looks like my bad feeling wasn't just that after all...." She mused, her usual intermix of British and Japanese accents still clear as she quickly jumped away from a falling tree. Good thing she kept in shape.

[Michiru Kaioh]

She had been walking, minding her own. On her way to the royal library, actually, just to study, to brush up on a few of the historicals, when it struck. A tingly feeling crawled, leaving slimey trails on her skin, and a nagging sense in her head. Her inner compass spun until she halted and waited for it to point her in the right direction. When her intiuition told her, she started running. And designer heels clacked against crystaline floors.

She found herself outside, still around the Palace entrance and exits, near the gates. Thankfully, no where near their tranquil queen. She sensed danger, a threat, and then saw the bark of tree trunks and the arms of boughs keel over and harshly land on the floral decorations, the beautiful gardens below them. It was no sooner that she spotted her lover, Sailor Uranus, and an aquaintance whom she vaguely recalled as Sailor Pegasi.

She quickly followed their lead -- wittingly choosing to hide behind one of the palace walls before raising up her Crystal wand. "Neptune Eternal Power, Make-Up!" Then, she was rushing into the fray, rushing to Uranus' side to fight in her rightful position beside her. Once she was there, Sailor Neptune gave her partner a quick once-over before coming to the conclusion that she had not been harmed.

"Well, looks like my bad feeling wasn't just that after all...."

She glared at the youma before them, a mixed look of perfection and beauty and grace upon her features, only interwined by ones like duty and wisdom and disgust. "Your right," she answered platonically, "It's real."  

[Minor Tarot]

And people ran, Couteau cackled. This was so easy! No one could take her on! She was queen of the world! Or at least she thought she was until she heard the sound of defiant shouting and a rumble.

"What the... yikes!" the tarot narrowly dodged the senshi's attack. "Ugh, RUDE! How dare you defy Couteau; Ace of Swords!" She was going to pay... but then there was two... three of these warriors! No matter... she could still get rid of all of them anyway.

"Oh, I'm sure you have some love Fortune Keys, you three..." she said with a sly grin. "Hiyaaa!" Couteau then rammed her sword into the group and an eruption of energy went zooming towards the three senshi.

[Haruka Tenou]

She looked to pegasi with a nod. "I'm fine I was quick enough to keep from getting hit with any of the tree's." she said. holding her ground at she glared up at the youma. Peace was that to much for any of them to ask for. Haruka could deal with a threat sure but she knew some of the others were more than happy with the peaceful turn earth had taken. Haruka had enjoyed the peace when it had started but had started to get antsy so this was a welcome change to her not that she would tell anyone that.

"I'm fine." she said so only Neptune would hear her. she watched the thing in the air carefully. "Love fortune keys?" she asked looking at Neptune from the corner of her eye. That definitely didn't sound good.Her hand tightened around the sword now resting in her hand. She was going to be ready for anything and figured it wouldn't hurt to have her space sword in hand for this fight. She didn't use it to often in a fight but it made her feel slightly better to have the talisman in her hand non the less.

When the energy blast started coming Uranus reached out on instinct to grab Neptune's arm as she jumped out of the way pointing her sword at the Youma. "What is it you want here!" she called firmly her feet planet firmly on the ground shoulder width apart.

[Yūgana Suwan]

Sighing as she heard Neptune, not needing to look to know that she was there, Pegasi hummed in reply to her statement. "Sometimes, I would really like my feelings to just be feelings, not actual threats...." She stated before she heard Uranus' reply and nodded in reply to her statement to show she had heard before her noble features creased in confusion about Love Fortune Keys..... What in the name of the Cosmos were those?

And couldn't they go a few years with having peace without the next lot of enemies came onto their doorstep to spoil their Queen's peaceful reign? Pegasi was rather enjoying the serenity and tranquility of simply teaching her young ladies and watching them blossom into proper young ladies.

She had time to shrug at Uranus before the Youma struck her sword into the ground. Bending her knees, Pegasi grunted a bit as she flipped up and over the blast, using the momentum to twist herself into a spin, her royal blue eyes shutting and her arms to go around herself tightly as her tail ribbons also wrapped around her slender frame.

Allowing the spin to continue a little as she charged, the words left Sailor Pegasi's lips, "Pegasus....... Wing....." Stopping her spin to face the Youma, Pegasi opened her arms and ribbons sharply to create a slashing gust of wind. "SLASH!" The sharp gust powered it's way towards the Youma, not only knocking her back if it hit her but also seeming to slash her skin like a sword. Following an old saying of the wind feeling like a thousand knives.

[Michiru Kaioh]

She noddded in agreement to Pegasi's comment. Feelings never seemed to be just feelings. They were always something more...

"I'm fine." "Love fortune keys?"

Eternal Neptune was washed with relief at the confirmation. Though, a thin, teasing grin did dare to tickle upon her lips, even at a time like this.

"What the... yikes!" "Ugh, RUDE! How dare you defy Couteau; Ace of Swords!"  "Oh, I'm sure you have some love Fortune Keys, you three..."

All playful thoughts dispersed at the mention of such foreign treasures. This youma, like all others, was obviously up to no good, but the curosity of the new targets spoke legions of underlining trouble. The Senshi of the Seas met the Senshi of Sky's gaze swiftly, knowingly. And, she could feel the ocean already beginning to become unsettled, to stir and rock in compliance to the approaching storm.

The aquanette focused her eyes back upon the youma, guarded yet questioning. Would it actually answer Uranus' question? She decided to ask one of her own. "Why are you collecting fortune keys?" She tensed, placing herself in a poised battle stance, in case the enemy were to attack.

"Hiyaaa!"

She wasn't quick enough. The blast was coming at her before she had the choice to respond. Thankfully, Uranus tugged at her arm, taking her away from the attack. Neptune's legs acted appropriately, jumping in sync to her partner.

However, her mind was soon on the other senshi -- Sailor Pegasi -- who had been standing with them a moment before. Her gaze fell on the spot where she had been, just in time to see the constellation senshi jump into the air and perform an attack.

Neptune, deciding that they needed to prevent the threat from going any further, lent her assistance. "Deep Submerge!" The mystic sphere of roaring seas was thrust out of her hand, and coasted forth with the intention of dowsing the youma.

[Minor Tarot]

Couteau smiled as she fought with the trio. This was certainly a rush compared to what she had been dealing with. That grin on her face widening as they asked about the  Fortune Keys, "That's on a need to know basis. And you're definitely not on the list."

As the attacks flew, Couteau adjusted herself. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other and with a quick slash, her blade met the gust of wind and attempted to reflect the attack right back at its owner. She wasn't so quick on her feet with the Deep Submerge attack. The sphere connecting squarely with her side, Couteau let out a cry of pain and was sent tumbling.

The tarot was down but not out, quickly regaining her balance but was visibly wounded from the attack. "If you think that's enough to stop the Ace of Swords, think again!" Throwing her weapon up into the air, it spun end over end before it stopped mid-air. The blade pointed at the trio. Couteau pointed her hand at Neptune and smiled. "Bang." Making her arm recoil like a gun the blade of her sword illuminated with a purple aura and fired a blast of energy that lit up the night as it streaked toward its target.

[Haruka Tenou]

Green eyes narrowed as Uranus shot a nasty glare in the direction of the thing. It was what she was going to refer to it as since it was doing nothing but irritating her at the moment. The blond was really close to going in and taking it out with her bare hands. No weapon no attacks just her hands. Where as she knew she was strong when it came to physical fighting however she didn't think she would win this battle that easily. Her gloved hand tightened around the sword in her hand. It was comforting more so than anything and that was something she needed at the moment. TH hard mettle pressing into her hand it was familiar to her and so it was much more comforting.

She watched as Neptune and Pegasi sent their attacks at the enemy. When it spoke she glared darkly. As soon as it pointed at Neptune Uranus Moved closer. She couldn't help it when it came to Michiru or Hotaru she tended to let her protective side out. What could she say she just wanted to keep the people she loved out of harm. There was only one person she was more protective of but she wasn't there so it was out of instinct that she got closer to Neptune when it seemed the Aquanette was in danger. As soon as the attack came Uranus was close enough to her partner that it grazed her shoulder. She was tired of it already so she tightened her hand on the space sword. "Space Sword Blaster!" she called shooting the attack from her weapon before jumping up and towards Couteau swinging her sword trying to get a good hit in on the thing.

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