Chapter 12: A Fateful Step

Shivering slightly, Celeste shoved her hands deeper into the pockets of her coat. An icy late December wind was gusting, making her regret her decision to walk to the gym. ‘I’ll be home soon,’ she reminded herself as she increased her pace.

However, as soon as she got to her block, she drew in a sharp breath. There was going to be an attack, if there wasn’t one already. Celeste remained frozen on the sidewalk for a moment, debating on what to do.

Lately, the creatures were getting stronger, and she never really knew what was waiting for her at an attack. While Sofia was willing to help, she had never fought before, let alone fought as a Sailor Soldier. As a result, Celeste was still reluctant to get her involved.

With her decision made, Celeste turned and began running down the street in the opposite direction of the apartment. No matter what she was about to face, it would be better for her to face it alone, instead of fighting and trying to protect Sofia at the same time.

Holding her transformation pen tightly in her hand, she prayed that she wasn’t too late to help.
* * * *

“So, we’re heading, beautiful?” Ian asked, his speech slightly impaired by alcohol.

Smiling, the woman brushed her long, ash blonde hair over her shoulder. “It’s a surprise, darling. You wouldn’t want to ruin my surprise, would you?”

He smiled as she traced the edge of his cheek with her fingernail. “Would never dream of it. But you’d better hurry. I’m freezing my ass off out here.”

“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I’ll warm you up in a minute.”

His drunken grin broadened as she led him into the alley. “You’d better, baby.”

“Oh, I always keep a promise,” she replied, the seductive smile still in place.

She turned suddenly, pressing him against the brick wall. His hands moved sluggishly to her waist. “Slow down, baby. Don’t you want to go inside first?”

“Why wait? We’re here now.”

Without warning, she punched him in the stomach. With a muffled gasp, he slid down the walls to his knees. Pulling his head up by his hair, she slapped him.

“Come on, fight me,” she ordered.

She pulled her arm back to hit him again, but he suddenly grabbed her wrist. He gazed up at her with a drunken smirk. With her smile still in place, she used her other hand to punch him again.

With a hiss, Ian clutched his face. As he fought to get air back in his lungs, the woman just watched dispassionately. All traces of her smile were gone.

“Is that all you have?” she demanded

Ian could only groan in reply.

“I really expected more,” she continued, “but it appears you’re not the one.”

Spinning on her heels, she turned and marched off into the shadows. However, before she completely disappeared, she paused. A pair of yellow eyes suddenly glowed in the darkness.

“Finish it,” she ordered. A contented growl answered. With a final glance back at Ian, she left him to his fate.

* * * * *

Celeste stood on the rooftop, peering into the darkness below her. She froze, straining for any sign that she wasn’t too late. As she was about to give up hope, she heard a muffled groan and an answering purr.

Dropping her gym bag, she raised her transformation pen. A part of her warned her to contact Sofia or Selene before she launched into battle. ‘I don’t have time for that now,’ she thought.

“Sol Star Power, Make-up!”

Closing her eyes, Sol concentrated and shortly the Sun Staff gleamed softly in the darkness. She lept off the roof and landed silently on the pavement below. Within moments, her eyes adjusted to the lack of light.

As she feared, another creature was attacking someone. With a silent curse, she quickly realized that she couldn’t use one of her attacks without possibly hurting whoever was in trouble. Tightening her grip on the Sun Staff, she stood to her full height.

“Hey, ugly,” she called, “how about playing with me instead?”

A pair of glowing yellow eyes focused on her, standing out vividly from the shadows. With a threatening growl, the creature tossed its victim away and lumbered toward Sol. Praying that the person could hang on, Sol began backing up. Intent on its new target, the creature followed.

Once she got the monster several feet away from the victim, Sol jumped on top of a dumpster and then behind the creature. The black, mangled leopard thing roared in anger, brandishing its claws. Without warning, it pounced.

The claws sunk into her shoulder as Sol fought to stay on her feet. With strength she didn’t know she possessed, she threw the creature off of her. With a bang, it crashed into a pile of trash.

“Sol Corona Flare!”

At the last second, the creature moved, the attack barely grazing it. Roaring, it pounced on Sol again, claws ripping through the flesh of her side. Crying out in pain, Sol finally managed to throw it off of her once again.

“Sol Nemesis Nova!”

This time the attack found its mark. With a final roar, the creature glowed and then disappeared. All that was left was a pile of ashes.

As she walked toward the victim, Sol gently ran a hand over her injured shoulder and side. Bright crimson blood covered her gloved hand, glistening in the faint light. With a sigh, she knelt beside the person.

She turned him over and gasped at the face. However, her surprise quickly turned into annoyance, as she began wondering what stupidity led Ian to be a victim of a creature’s attack. ‘No telling,’ she thought, finding his pulse steady and strong.

The main problem with Ian was the rather large bump on his head. He began moaning, signaling his labored return to consciousness. He would be fine, she noted, although she didn’t know if she was content or still annoyed.

Wincing, Sol rose slowly to her feet. She made the Sun Staff disappear with a wave of her hand as she headed toward the fire escape. With a jump, she grabbed the ladder and pulled it down.

Sirens wailed in the distance. Help would arrive for Ian soon so she wouldn’t have to linger. Satisfied, she began to climb up the ladder.

“Wait!”

Sol froze before she found the source of the voice. Ian was leaning weakly against a wall, watching her. “Who are you?”

Shaking her head, Sol finished climbing to the first landing of the fire escape. She jumped to the roof and disappeared from his sight. Grabbing her gym bag and assuming her normal form, Celeste just hoped that the bump or the shadows kept Ian from figuring out who it was that saved him.

* * * * *

Rising from her hiding place, the woman brushed back her wind-tossed hair. She had watched the battle in fascination. “So this is our enemy,” she murmured. She didn’t think that Aeolus would be happy.


A Fateful Step Shivering slightly, Celeste shoved her hands deeper into the pockets of her coat. An icy late December wind was gusting, making her regret her decision to walk to the gym. ‘I’ll be home soon,’ she reminded herself as she increased her pace. However, as soon as she got to her block, she drew in a sharp breath. There was going to be an attack, if there wasn’t one already. Celeste remained frozen on the sidewalk for a moment, debating on what to do. Lately, the creatures were getting stronger, and she never really knew what was waiting for her at an attack. While Sofia was willing to help, she had never fought before, let alone fought as a Sailor Soldier. As a result, Celeste was still reluctant to get her involved. With her decision made, Celeste turned and began running down the street in the opposite direction of the apartment. No matter what she was about to face, it would be better for her to face it alone, instead of fighting and trying to protect Sofia at the same time. Holding her transformation pen tightly in her hand, she prayed that she wasn’t too late to help. * * * * “So, we’re heading, beautiful?” Ian asked, his speech slightly impaired by alcohol. Smiling, the woman brushed her long, ash blonde hair over her shoulder. “It’s a surprise, darling. You wouldn’t want to ruin my surprise, would you?” He smiled as she traced the edge of his cheek with her fingernail. “Would never dream of it. But you’d better hurry. I’m freezing my ass off out here.” “Don’t worry,” she whispered. “I’ll warm you up in a minute.” His drunken grin broadened as she led him into the alley. “You’d better, baby.” “Oh, I always keep a promise,” she replied, the seductive smile still in place. She turned suddenly, pressing him against the brick wall. His hands moved sluggishly to her waist. “Slow down, baby. Don’t you want to go inside first?” “Why wait? We’re here now.” Without warning, she punched him in the stomach. With a muffled gasp, he slid down the walls to his knees. Pulling his head up by his hair, she slapped him. “Come on, fight me,” she ordered. She pulled her arm back to hit him again, but he suddenly grabbed her wrist. He gazed up at her with a drunken smirk. With her smile still in place, she used her other hand to punch him again. With a hiss, Ian clutched his face. As he fought to get air back in his lungs, the woman just watched dispassionately. All traces of her smile were gone. “Is that all you have?” she demanded Ian could only groan in reply. “I really expected more,” she continued, “but it appears you’re not the one.” Spinning on her heels, she turned and marched off into the shadows. However, before she completely disappeared, she paused. A pair of yellow eyes suddenly glowed in the darkness. “Finish it,” she ordered. A contented growl answered. With a final glance back at Ian, she left him to his fate. * * * * * Celeste stood on the rooftop, peering into the darkness below her. She froze, straining for any sign that she wasn’t too late. As she was about to give up hope, she heard a muffled groan and an answering purr. Dropping her gym bag, she raised her transformation pen. A part of her warned her to contact Sofia or Selene before she launched into battle. ‘I don’t have time for that now,’ she thought. “Sol Star Power, Make-up!” Closing her eyes, Sol concentrated and shortly the Sun Staff gleamed softly in the darkness. She lept off the roof and landed silently on the pavement below. Within moments, her eyes adjusted to the lack of light. As she feared, another creature was attacking someone. With a silent curse, she quickly realized that she couldn’t use one of her attacks without possibly hurting whoever was in trouble. Tightening her grip on the Sun Staff, she stood to her full height. “Hey, ugly,” she called, “how about playing with me instead?” A pair of glowing yellow eyes focused on her, standing out vividly from the shadows. With a threatening growl, the creature tossed its victim away and lumbered toward Sol. Praying that the person could hang on, Sol began backing up. Intent on its new target, the creature followed. Once she got the monster several feet away from the victim, Sol jumped on top of a dumpster and then behind the creature. The black, mangled leopard thing roared in anger, brandishing its claws. Without warning, it pounced. The claws sunk into her shoulder as Sol fought to stay on her feet. With strength she didn’t know she possessed, she threw the creature off of her. With a bang, it crashed into a pile of trash. “Sol Corona Flare!” At the last second, the creature moved, the attack barely grazing it. Roaring, it pounced on Sol again, claws ripping through the flesh of her side. Crying out in pain, Sol finally managed to throw it off of her once again. “Sol Nemesis Nova!” This time the attack found its mark. With a final roar, the creature glowed and then disappeared. All that was left was a pile of ashes. As she walked toward the victim, Sol gently ran a hand over her injured shoulder and side. Bright crimson blood covered her gloved hand, glistening in the faint light. With a sigh, she knelt beside the person. She turned him over and gasped at the face. However, her surprise quickly turned into annoyance, as she began wondering what stupidity led Ian to be a victim of a creature’s attack. ‘No telling,’ she thought, finding his pulse steady and strong. The main problem with Ian was the rather large bump on his head. He began moaning, signaling his labored return to consciousness. He would be fine, she noted, although she didn’t know if she was content or still annoyed. Wincing, Sol rose slowly to her feet. She made the Sun Staff disappear with a wave of her hand as she headed toward the fire escape. With a jump, she grabbed the ladder and pulled it down. Sirens wailed in the distance. Help would arrive for Ian soon so she wouldn’t have to linger. Satisfied, she began to climb up the ladder. “Wait!” Sol froze before she found the source of the voice. Ian was leaning weakly against a wall, watching her. “Who are you?” Shaking her head, Sol finished climbing to the first landing of the fire escape. She jumped to the roof and disappeared from his sight. Grabbing her gym bag and assuming her normal form, Celeste just hoped that the bump or the shadows kept Ian from figuring out who it was that saved him. * * * * * Rising from her hiding place, the woman brushed back her wind-tossed hair. She had watched the battle in fascination. “So this is our enemy,” she murmured. She didn’t think that Aeolus would be happy.


Chapter 13: Clashes of Wills Sailor Sol: Homefront