Yuu Yuu Hakusho / Sailor V crossover Sweet Oblivion - by Melissa Koh: safyre@jade-court.darkgod.net - - website: http://safyre.tsx.org - Oblivion 1: Prelude [Aino Minako] I wished that this was a dream that I could snap out of any time. That this was a nightmare, the work of an over-exhausted mind. But it wasn't. It never was and could never be a dream. My friends were dead and nothing could ever bring them back. I thought of the irony of things. We were the Sailor Senshi, guardians of the Solar System and Neo Queen Serenity. We were expected to be one with Eternity, to live until the end of time, always protecting and defending Chikyuu and the most important person in our lives. We had fought with dangerous enemies, almost losing our lives more than once, always rescued by Sailormoon in the end. We had turned out victorious in every battle, every fight, and it seemed as though we were invincible. There was nothing that could ever harm us. Or so we thought. All it took was one plane crash and they were gone, into the flames and empty space. The fiery flames took away nearly all the Inner Senshi, including the World Saviour, her consort and their daughter. Even Luna and Diana were not spared. Not even the Ginzuishou could save them. I was the only one among the Inner Senshi to remain alive. Guess it was pure luck when Mother grounded me after I failed in my Math test again. It had taken months for us to plan a trip overseas, and Usagi was hopping around in complete bliss when Mamoru announced that he was able to join us. Our destination was Europe, and two days before the trip, Mother found out about my results and threw a fit. I was barred from the outside world indefinitely. On the day of departure, I had sneaked out of the house to bid my friends a safe journey. The blessing had no effect after all, when the plane crashed within moments of take-off. Perhaps what was even more traumatising was the fact that I had witnessed their fiery deaths. Ami and Rei could not summon their powers in time to douse the fires, and followed the rest to their fates. I would never, could never forget the pain they went through, ripping across all the shields and mental barriers I had placed over myself. Nothing in the world could ever be compared to the pain of the shattered links. Artemis was badly affected as well when his wife and daughter died. I hadn't seen him since that fateful day. I couldn't even remember his last words before he left. The only thing I remembered was screaming out the names of my friends in helplessness. After that, I was in a trance. Whatever I did, said, was nothing more than distant memories that belonged to someone but me. I was no longer the Aino Minako two weeks ago. I became the Aino Minako who had lost eight important friends to a plane crash. I didn't understand how that could happen. After all the persuasion and sweet-talk, we managed to charm Makoto into going with us to Europe. I regretted having done that. If I hadn't, she would still be here, smiling and cooking lunch for Usagi and me. Two weeks flew by, faster than anyone could ever imagine. Distantly, I wondered if life had flashed past me as well. Perhaps it did, and I was just waiting for death to claim me. "Minako." Haruka's voice floated into existence, registering briefly in my mind. I felt her presence behind me as her hand rested awkwardly on my shoulder. I continued to stare straight ahead, eyes on the row of eight gravestones before me. On each of the cold white marble stones rested a single white clover, the only flower I could find to express myself. My promise to them that I would end the legacy. "Minako, you haven't been to school for days. The teachers are worried sick." I ignored her words, asking, "Where's Michiru?" She started momentarily and withdrew her hand. "Back in her fortress. She's trying to pull up the shields around the Solar System." "Then go help her. We need it," I said, my voice deathly calm. I was glad for the fact. What I was going to tell Haruka would take almost every bit of strength I had within me. She seemed to sense something amiss. I wassn't surprised. Haruka had an acute sixth sense, one that could almost rival Rei's. And Rei was one of the best fighters among the Inner Senshi. "Minako, what are you doing?" Her voice was suspicious, almost wary. For the first time since we started conversing, I reeled around, lifting my face slowly to meet her eyes. Haruka...she was as beautiful, as handsome as the first day we met. She was strength, the strongest fighter among the outer Senshi. Makoto had admired her resilience, her fortitude, and so did I, in a sense. I wanted to be as strong as her, to protect the most important people in my life. But it seemed useless to me now. Her boyish, sandy-blond hair swirled in the playful breeze of the quiet cemetery, reflecting on the peace and tranquillity of death. Our eyes locked, her dark-green gems boring into mine. For a moment, neither of us spoke. She blinked, and said in a cold, bland voice, "You're quitting the Sailor Senshi." It was a statement more than a question. "Hai, I'm quitting." My voice sounded icy, even to me. "But why? Just because they're dead? Minako, this isn't you! The Minako I know is far stronger than this. She would have scorned at the thought of giving up!" cried Haruka. I stared at her with cool eyes. "That was the former Aino Minako, the Minako who was also Sailor Venus. Then, she had a duty to her princess, to her friends. When they died, she followed them. The one standing before you is the new Minako, the one who is not a Sailor Senshi, without any special powers or friends." "I want to start my life anew. I no longer wish to entangle myself in matters that concern our powers and Chikyuu." "And leave Earth defenceless?" challenged Haruka. I smiled sadly and shook my head. "There's still the Outer Senshi and Sailor Saturn. Besides, there's no Galaxia to worry about any longer." She stared at me for a long moment. "You're determined to quit, aren't you?" Turning my head away, I gazed into the distance, wondering what the future held for me now that I was alone. Not even Artemis was with me. And by repudiating my post as Sailor Venus, I had effectively cut myself from the remaining members of the original Sailor team. Were all the sacrifices we made worth the trouble? Was our existence worth anything to anybody? It seemed as though we would never have a happy ending, even if we were to sacrifice our very existence. Nothing was eternal, not even Eternal Sailormoon. I had given up my love for the sake of my friends and never once regretted it. Until the day when I lost them. Life would continue as usual, except that for mine, it would lack my closest friends. Haruka could not possibly understand my feelings. First off, she wasn't me. She didn't understand my thinking, my reasoning. Secondly, she hadn't been as close to the Inner Senshi as I had been. The only one that she truly cared about was Sailormoon, Princess Serenity of the Silver Millennium, Neo Queen Serenity of Crystal Tokyo. Without replying, I stepped away from her, walking in the direction of the distant sunset. Like the sunset, my life was just a fading light. My life was twilight, awaiting for Darkness to cradle me in His arms, covering me with sweet oblivion. That was perhaps the only thing that could allow me to start my life afresh, without memories of my past, the ones that would shatter the fragile balance I held myself in. Even as I made that silent vow, I knew that there would be a day when this promise would be gone. When Chikyuu was once again threatened, this promise would be nothing but ashes to the mind, drifting further and further away from me... But for now, I drank the white wine of oblivion for myself. For my own sanity. ........................................... Oblivion 2: He was oblivious to everything around him except her---Yukina. Kuwabara sighed as he stared at the petite Koorime in complete ecstasy, content to sit still and watch her as she played with the wild birds that lived within Genkai's lands. The innocent joy that radiated around her glowed literally as she laughed, the birds chirping a sweet melody to accompany the pleasant lilting of her musical voice, was enough to set most hearts afire with the need to protect this beautiful, young being from the unknown world. Which, was Kuwabara's self-proclaimed duty at any rate. "Yo! Earth to Kuwabara! Are you still there?!" hollered a loud, booming voice beside him. Kuwabara fell forward, more at the fact that someone had screamed directly into his ear than anything else. Wincing at the continuous ringing in his ears, Kuwabara cocked his head to the side, faced the expectant Yuusuke, and took in a deep breath. He held it for a moment, averting his attention from Yukina, focusing on projecting his voice, and yelled back. Or rather, he screeched. "Baka! That's my ear you're yelling into!" Yuusuke backed up a couple of steps at the ear-piercing shriek that met him in the face. Face scrunched up into an expression less than pleasant, he opened his mouth to yell back an insult when Yukina paused in her play to look at them. He froze midway as she gazed at the two of them questioningly, her pink jewels blinking in wonder. The birds fell silent as she turned away from them. The two youths had the strange sensation that the birds didn't care for their rude disruption, as cold hard stares met them. The eerie quietness of the temple grounds, combined with the looks, raised goose-bumps on Yuusuke's flesh, even if Kuwabara failed to notice the unnatural silence. "Yuusuke-san, Kazuma-san, what are you doing?" inquired the blue- green haired girl, her gentle voice shattering the spell. Kuwabara laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck at the same time as he racked his mind for a proper reply. Hiei blurred into view, scowling as he greeted Kuwabara. "Idiot." And promptly pried a reaction out of the orange-haired youth. "What *did* you just say?!" shrieked a fast-burning-red Kuwabara Kazuma, shaking his fist at the dark-clad fire demon. The latter ignored him, turning his attention to the pleasantly surprised Yukina, and nodded his head in acknowledgement of her presence. She smiled. Kuwabara felt the beginnings of jealousy simmering within him, inviting him to change it into a full-class rivalry. Fortunately, he was smart enough to repress the feeling to the back of his mind, which would be forgotten in time. After all, brain cells were always moving about. He shifted uneasily at the thought. "Hiei, where's Kurama?" asked Yuusuke after a moment, noting that their red-haired friend had yet to arrive. The fire demon levelled him a withering look. "How the f---hell should I know?" Yuusuke almost grinned at Hiei's refrain from swearing too much. "Well, you *are* his closest friend, and both of you are always seen together," the raven-haired youth pointed out logically. "Hn!" Hiei turned away to look at the walls, giving no regard whatsoever to the glowering looks Kuwabara was targeting at him. Yuusuke shrugged. He knew from experience that it was usually useless to try and drag answers from the unresponsive fire demon. Besides, he had other things to worry about. With the most pressing one as Koenma's summons. Two days ago, Botan whizzed into his stall on her flying oar, creating not only a huge commotion, but also startling Yuusuke into dropping two bowls of hot, steaming ramen on the floor, scalding himself in the process. He hadn't found that enjoyable, even though Botan healed his wounds later on. The pain had most certainly not been fun for him. And all he gathered from the panicky blue-haired Reikai Guide was that Koenma had another mission for them. Yuusuke frowned thoughtfully. When Koenma summoned them, it usually meant another mission with lots of action and fist-fighting, which was equivalent to the term 'fun' in Yuusuke's vocabulary. With all the peace and tranquillity in the world, he was getting seriously bored. He grinned widely. The mission was starting to look very interesting. And when a mission appeared to be interesting, it meant mass destruction of certain buildings and skyscrapers. Along with a couple of commercial companies. That was an intriguing thought. Yuusuke cracked his fists in anticipation. Yukina smiled innocently at their banter, which was mild compared to their other 'discussions', involving the exchanging of blows and lots of healing later on. Most of the time. She wondered where this was leading to. ........................................... Oblivion 3: The youkai was fast. But not fast enough. Kurama narrowed his eyes, hiding the vivid green in darkness and pinpointed the youkai's position. It wasn't all that difficult; the youkai, though B-class, had either little or absolutely no control over his own youki. It flared around him like a blinking red beacon, beckoning the Reikai Investigator to capture him. Normally, the scarlet-haired youth would have just ignored him, if he hadn't attempted to attack Shiori the day before. It had been a miracle that Kurama was able to reach her in time, just before the youkai could absorb her 'ki' for himself. There was no way Kurama was ever letting the youkai off that easily. Plus, it would be a blessing to rid the world of another vampire- like demon. At a thought, he sent one of his youki-transformed Ningenkai plants after the youkai. For the next few seconds, there was nothing but the gentle rustling of leaves as it moved at a stealth as commanded by its master. Quietly but swiftly, it followed the trail of the youkai to a dark, empty alley way. Pausing for a brief moment, it waited patiently for the signal. Kurama nodded his head shortly, giving his 'pet' permission. Gleefully, it drew itself to a certain height before launching itself on the unaware youkai. He stared at the monstrous plant with wide, petrified eyes, rooted to the ground. And opened his mouth when its 'mouth' neared him, finally gobbling him avariciously. Pain-filled shrieks filled the air, reverberating across the empty alley way. Kurama closed his eyes, shutting out the unpleasant noise from his ears. It was only a matter of time before the shrieks became softer, and softer, until they finally died away. If the mutated wild flower had lips to smack, it would have smacked loudly in satisfaction. The youkai was good dinner, and his youki was enough to allow it to survive for the next couple of centuries or so. That was more important than anything else. It *had* to survive. Stilling, it awaited for further instructions from its master. Kurama nodded his head in approval. His plant had done a good job; there wasn't even a trace of blood to act as evidence that anyone had been killed. Smiling pleasantly, he stuffed his hands into his pockets, walking away from the alley way, and at the same time, returned his 'partner' to its original form. the wild flower enquired in a hesitant voice, just before it reverted to the tiny, frail-looking flower, swaying in harmony with an unfelt breeze. Kurama replied humbly, deciding that he was liking the wild flower more and more. Kurama smiled and whistled a cheerful tune as he headed towards the direction of Genkai's temple, running to make up for lost time. ........................................... Oblivion 1 - 3 ~ End Author's note: No, I am not a fan of Sailormoon, and nothing can ever make me like that ditz who probably can't tell left from right... Well, I'm glad that I found a way to get rid of the airhead, and by the time I'm through, I'll probably twist the entire SM concept beyond repair... Not a bad idea after all... - End Part - Yuu Yuu Hakusho / Sailor V crossover Sweet Oblivion - by Melissa Koh: safyre@jade-court.darkgod.net - - website: http://safyre.tsx.org - Oblivion 4: The hall was silent, only to be shattered by Koenma as he droned on in a bored voice, mumbling more to himself than to anyone else. "...And so, it is imperative that we find Aino Minako-san..." The four Reikai Investigators reviewed the files handed out by the Reikai Lord earlier, their confusion displayed clearly on their faces as they tried to piece fragments of Koenma's words and the illegible writing together. Unfortunately, all they came up with was just confusion and more. All four of them shared meaningful gazes, wondering what in the world Koenma was muttering about. Yuusuke gritted his teeth in frustration, his impatience getting the better of him. The reason why he wasn't on his feet and screaming his head off was mainly due to Keiko's restraining presence. She stood behind him as he sat restlessly on the stool provided, as she bent over to get a better look at the horrible script. thought the raven-haired youth, gazing shrewdly at the Reikai Lord, <*If* I live that long to enjoy my wealth...> he added mentally, sweeping the entire hall with a glance in boredom. His eyes fell on the black-and-white photograph of Aino Minako included in the file, and scrutinised at her face for a long moment, half-certain that he had seen her somewhere before. That face, that pair of impossibly large eyes stared at him accusingly, jarring his mind with a dead certainty that he knew her, albeit briefly. Yet, for all he was worth, he could not place her features on the people he *knew*. On the stool next to him was Kurama, prone over his file as he too, struggled to read the fine print. Scarlet locks fell over his face lightly, obscuring his view even further. Absently, he brushed them back and crossed his legs in a gentle, feminine manner, listening to Koenma's instructions half-heartedly. In fact, he paid the most attention among the four Reikai Investigators, though Keiko's understanding of the mission far exceeded his. He raised his head, wincing briefly at the ache of his neck and shoulders, and stared at the wilderness beyond the constrictive hall longingly. After a week of neglect, the plants within the temple grounds, in Genkai's courtyard and garden, were literally screaming at him to do something before they became the fertilisers to the weeds. Kurama flinched inwardly at the memory of the rose bush as he entered the temple grounds earlier that day. It was *not* happy about the oversight, much less amused, and indicated its displeasure primarily by ignoring Kurama's attempts to communicate with it. he asked mournfully, keeping the other areas of his mind busy as he absorbed Koenma's half understandable info, communicated with the haughty rose bush and keeping his own thoughts at the same time. He decided that the difference between the rose bush and the wild flower was that they had different 'tones' in their 'voices', just as they were different in every other aspect. The wild flower could never be a rose, and vice-versa. Another point to add on: a rose bush was prone to be more demanding than a wild flower. Crouched on his seat, Hiei was beginning to feel the pangs of boredom and complete annoyance, along with an insatiable curiosity over the mission. But him being Hiei, his curiosity never showed, though his irritation did, only too much. Face darker than the night, he was ready to kill just to release his agitation. He stared sullenly at the file, *his* file, which remained closed since he refused to touch it. It wasn't that he was illiterate; being Mukuro's heir required him to be literate, and as farr as he was concerned, he was a competent reader. However, that literacy did not allow him to read illegible handwriting. he asked himself, the tension building up in him as seconds ticked away. replied a very dry inner voice. Hiei scowled darkly, his black mood getting from bad to worse. If Koenma didn't hurry soon, the consequences would be...undesirable. Kuwabara stared at Yukina's distant, laughing form dreamily as she sat in the courtyard with Botan, daydreaming of the day when he would propose to her. Dreaming of the moment when he would be Kuwabara the Great / Kuwabara the Invincible, winning the hand of the fair lady Yukina, whereupon they would live happily ever after, with children to continue their legacy of romance... Kuwabara threw a penetrating sideways glance at Hiei, who had yet again, ruined his day by just appearing. "Kuwabara..." The carrot-haired youth glowered at Yuusuke, face scrunched into an ugly scowl. "Nan da?" he demanded irritably. "SHUT UP and SIT down!" Belatedly, Kuwabara noticed the strange expressions on the faces that met him, blushing furiously when he realised that he was on his feet, on top of his chair and pounding his aching chest like an insane gorilla. He gulped and smiled weakly, shrinking. The looks directed his way had not been particularly friendly, especially Hiei's. There was something in that pair of eyes, aflame with the dangerous darkness and passionate promise of death, which shook his sense of being. vowed Kuwabara heroically, resuming to his daydreaming once more. Koenma breathed in deeply and began counting to ten in silence, promising that he would not lose his temper. "As I was saying, before someone interrupted me," a glare at Kuwabara's direction before continuing in a forced, neutral tone, "Otousama wants her to be protected twenty-four hours daily, by two Reikai Investigators in each shift." "But why?" whined Kuwabara in a petulant voice, snapping out of his reverie. "We're not babysitters for hire!" The Reikai Lord sent him a look. "Aino-san was a princess in her previous life, which is why we have to protect her at all costs. And she is not as young as you might have imagined. She's about the same age as the rest of you. Kurama disengaged himself from the file, the expression on his face thoughtful. "A princess? But what does it have to do with her present life?" Koenma sighed. "Have you ever heard of the Sailor Senshi? Or even Sailormoon?" Two out of the four members nodded, one refused to reply, looking away into the distance, and the last simply looked blank. The chestnut-haired young man sucked on his pacifier furiously, wriggling it ridiculously in the process. The urge to burst out in spontaneous laughter was overpowering; sheer willpower, however, suppressed it. "To summarise, the Sailor Senshi are a group of schoolgirls who devote their time to protect Earth from alien invaders, just as the Reikai Investigators prevent youkai from destroying Ningenkai." Yuusuke rubbed his chin, frowning as he tried to remember a distant fact. "The last time I saw them on television was a couple of months ago. The most memorable fact about them was their skimpy skirts and high- heels. I never thought anyone could run with those heels. Last time when Keiko dressed me up, man, those heels were pure torture..." He trailed off at the variety of expressions that stared at him in bewilderment. Seconds passed before he realised what he had just announced to the world. "OI ~!! It's not like that!!!" That did it. Or rather, Kuwabara did it, by breaking the stunned silence that followed Yuusuke's verbal defence. He did the one thing that he should not have done: by rolling on the ground in unrestrained, hysterical laughter. Pointing a finger at Yuusuke, Kuwabara howled with mirth, "You, dressed as a woman and in high heels?! I wish I'd seen that! Ultimate humiliation of Urameshi Yuusuke!" Koenma's complexion slowly turned into a pretty blue-purple shade from lack of air, before giving in to the temptation. Keiko and Kurama buried their faces into their hands, body racking with uncontrollable giggles, despite their best efforts to stifle their laughter. Only the basic need for air stopped them from laughing for too long. Even then, just by glancing at each other was enough to send them into another unstoppable laughing fit. Hiei glared at them with his usual, potent-like-death look, taking one last look at the picture of his charge before flitting off, unnoticed by anyone except by Yukina. She watched him leave with a serene expression on her face, barely paying attention to Botan's ramblings. In the hall, Yuusuke proceeded to bash Kuwabara up quite thoroughly. It remained as a mystery to the others whether the larger of the two was howling in pain or in laughter. ........................................... Oblivion 5: [Aino Minako] "Venus love-me chain ~!" I shouted, lashing the energy chain at the youma. "Beauty shock ~!" The chain of golden hearts bounced off the youma harmlessly, dispersing to scattered golden glitter before disintegrating. Blood- shot eyes slid in my direction, and before I registered anything, it delivered an energy blast in my direction. If Sailormoon had been here, the youma would have returned to its original form---a human. But she wasn't, not any longer. Leaving me all alone to defend...who? scolded an inner voice within me. Sound advice, but why did my heart continue to ache at the very memory of my friends? I was now all alone, without my princess, the most important person in my life. The one whom I would give my life to without question. The one whom I was supposed to protect. And I had failed in my duty once more. I had failed to protect her from making the mistake of falling in love with Prince Endymion of Chikyuu. They were cursed from the start, for none from the Silver Millennium was allowed to fall in love with one from the Golden Empire. Though both kingdoms shared the same goal of protecting Chikyuu, the Silver Millennium had unknowingly incurred the jealousy of the Golden Empire by just existing. The Dark Kingdom made use of the fact that the citizens of Chikyuu had always been envious of our immortality, and brainwashed them to attack us. They had conveniently forgotten about the duty our both kingdoms shared, about the one thing that mattered more than anything else in the Galaxy, in the Universe. That we protected Earth, protected Chikyuu. By the time anyone remembered this detail, it was too late. Lives were lost, and among the many, the lives of my princess and her beloved as well. Sent into the future, our memories and sense of duty remained as part of us. Our duty to Chikyuu, Their Highnesses, and to one another. Princess Serenity had once said that, before her death during the war with the Dark Kingdom, the war that destroyed the Silver Millennium. Their Highnesses were reunited, but even then, they were not spared from the curse of their love. Their love had brought destruction and mayhem to themselves and everyone around them. And I could not stop them. Just like my inability to stop them from dying in this lifetime, when they had finally found each other again, my inability to save them, and the others from the flames of death. Survival instincts taking over at the last moment, I leapt out of the way, barely dodging the energy ball in time. Behind me, frantic screams of fear and horror rang out as a building collapsed at the impact of the blast. I screamed as well, when flashes of the plane crash replaced the scene unfolding before me. The plane's initial explosion... Orange-red flames of death reaching out with tentacle-like arms... Pain, fear, anguish and finally, death. Tears fell, then pain, and finally, oblivion to the rest of the world... ........................................... Oblivion 6: He stood on the rooftop, watching the on-going fight indifferently with his Jagan. The white headband lay clutched in his left fist, tightening at every passing moment despite the coldness in his ruby- like eyes. Hiei came within an inch of falling off the skyscraper when the strange ningen female screamed, her raw emotions ripping across the mental barriers erected by the Jagan. The violet eye glowed like an open wound on his forehead, just as a burning tear slipped from the implanted third eye, making a single track down his face as it did. The Jagan observed the female with inhuman interest, then slowly slid close. The fire demon scowled unpleasantly at her, something akin to pain flickering in his eyes before settling to his usual I- despise-this-world look. whispered the voice of the Jagan, tickling his mind with an annoying itch. Hiei folded his arms across his chest resolutely, clearly unwilling to listen to the Jagan's request. The voice of the third eye, however, was equally as insistent as Hiei was unwilling. The fire demon faltered for a brief moment, his eyes flashing with hesitance. The Jagan usually never referred him as 'Hiei-self' unless it was something important. Or something it wanted desperately. Not always so, but enough to make Hiei sit up and listen. Granted, she was the ningen female that-idiot-Koenma wanted the Reikai Investigators to guard, but there was no reason for him to care about the damn affairs of Reikai. Or Ningenkai for that matter. swore Hiei fervently. The fire demon gazed on expressionlessly, as Aino Minako struck the ground, unconscious. He reached for his katana, and disappeared in a black blur. ........................................... Sweet Oblivion 4 - 6 ~ End Author's notes: I wonder if I can apply for the position to be totally oblivious to the world. ...definitely an idea worth puzzling about... - End Fic -