{"sf1_id":8681,"sf2_id":"keN3v48m","title":"Tentacle Romance","author":"Braton","words":28630,"posted_at":"2006-01-02T09:20:00.000Z","tags":["Bizarre","F/F","Human","Love","Tentacles"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/8681-tentacle-romance","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/keN3v48m","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/c6/44/c644d273-bf0e-4e06-9509-25b00bd7ff46","description":"","content":"Tentacle ROMANCE  \n1.  \nBy  \n  \nBraton  \nTentacle Romance  \n  \nMinako sat down at her desk, just as her first class was started; signaled by the ever-  \nannoying chiming bell sound that was piped in through the ancient intercom system. All  \naround her, several other students scurried quickly to their desks as not to be late as  \nProfessor Togashi entered the room.  \n  \nHe stood patiently before his desk at the front of the room, his glasses shimmering almost  \nmenacingly. When at last absolute silence took hold, as the chatter died down, he began.  \n\"Good morning, class,\" he intoned rhetorically, \"Today I am pleased to announce the  \narrival of a new student to our class. Her name is Agasha Yuriko, a transfer student from  \nOsaka. I trust that you shall all make her welcome.\"  \n  \nWith that, a smallish female figure with deep emerald green eyes, and long midnight  \nblack hair that was tied back into twin French braids, stepped carefully and quietly into  \nthe room, almost making no noise at all. She gave the other students a weak smile and  \nbowed to them before being ushered to the only free seat left in the class.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako stifled a chuckle as she realized that the only free seat was next to hers. 'Must be  \nmy Karma!' she thought, 'But I guess it IS appropriate for \"Venus\" to be the one to give a  \nnew student the gift of friendship!'  \n  \nShe glanced at the new girl and smiled brightly. \"Hi! \" she said quietly, as their teacher  \nbegan writing part of the day's lesson on the black board, \"I'm Aino Minako, and I'm very  \npleased to meet your acquaintance!\"  \n  \nThe girl blushed visibly and looked down at her desk, for some reason unwilling to meet  \nMinako's gaze. \"I I'm Agasha Yuriko,\" she stammered quietly, \"But I guess that you  \nwere already aware of that\"  \n  \nMinako shrugged and tried to look busy as the class was instructed to commence note  \ntaking. \"Well, ya, but 'Politeness is a virtual shoe'!\" she whispered in response, quietly  \nmisquoting and causing Yuriko to stifle a giggle.  \n  \n\"You mean 'Virtue',\" corrected Yuriko, glancing sideways at Minako and writing  \nfuriously as the Togashi began the lecture.  \n  \nMinako shrugged and smiled. \"I do that some times\" she confessed, \"It's kinda like  \nWell, stuttering, I guess. It just happens, and I have no control over it usually.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"That's okay,\" replied Yuriko after a moment, \"We all have our little quirks Habits that  \nwe have no control over Things that we just can't stop doing No matter how  \ndesperately we want too\"  \n  \nMinako turned to face the girl with a look of genuine concern, noticing the sadness in the  \ngirl's voice. \"If If there's anything that you want to talk about later\" she offered  \nquietly.  \n  \nYuriko shrugged. \"I don't know\" she responded sadly, \"It^s Kinda personal\"  \n  \n\"Even too personal to discuss with a friend?\" Minako inquired.  \n  \n\"Um You want to be my friend..?\" Yuriko inquired, and gave Minako a surprised look,  \nwithout halting her note taking even once.  \n  \n\"Yup!\" responded Minako, \"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I be? I know what it's like to  \nbe the kid in town Trust me. I know!\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled and turned back to her work. \"Thank you, I am honored to be your friend,  \nAino-sama\"  \n  \n\"You needn't be so formal,\" commented Minako, \"We're friends now!\"  \n  \n\"Thank you again, then. Very much Minako-san,\" she replied.  \n  \nMinako sighed heavily and shook her head. \"No problem Yuri-chan\" she sighed, and  \nwent back to her school work  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \\*\\*\\*  \n  \nThe rest of the morning's classes went by fairly dully, and Minako found herself  \ndistracted through most of them. Her mind continually thinking back to her first meeting  \nwith Yuriko whenever the class got too boring. Fortunately, though, Minako somehow  \nmanaged to find herself somewhere in the vicinity of Yuriko for most of their classes.  \nAnd Minako found herself growing more and more accustomed to her presence.  \n  \nFor the most part, Minako was intrigued by the girl's mannerisms. The way she always  \nresponded to every question from her instructors with a polite exactness and formality  \nthat almost seemed unnerving. But her answers were always respectful, and accurate. She  \nalso seemed to have no problems with the more difficult subjects like \"Introduction to  \nReverse Calculus\", and \"Four Dimensional Geometry\", which moved her past Ami on  \nMinako's list of study partners.  \n  \nBut there was also a strange, indiscernible quality about Yuriko that drew Minako to her.  \nShe couldn't explain it, even to herself. But Minako was happy that she currently had no  \nneed to explain her feelings to anyone else  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Unfortunately, though, come lunchtime, Yuriko was nowhere to be found. Causing  \nMinako's mind to conjure up a thousand sinister fates that could have befallen her friend,  \nbeing that she was new in town  \n  \nTowards the end of lunch, though, as she wandered the campus in search of Yuriko,  \nMinako happened upon Artemis, wandering about and seeming somewhat lost. When he  \ncaught sight of his ward, he ran towards her with a worried expression upon his face.  \n  \n\"Minako-chan!\" he called, when he was sure no one else was in earshot, \"I've been  \nlooking all over for you, kid! Where've ya been?\"  \n  \n\"Oh I'm sorry, Artemis-kun, apologized Minako, looking forlornly down at her feet.  \n  \n\"When you weren't at our usual meeting place, I thought you'd gotten a call from the  \nothers about a Youma or something!\" the guardian cat explained, \"Hey Is there  \nsomethin' wrong?\"  \n  \n\"I Kinda lost someone,\" commented Minako, looking up at the sky and leaning against  \na tree.  \n  \n\"What?!\" exclaimed the cat, before realizing what Minako was saying, \"Oh! Hey, don^t  \nscare me like that! I thought someone had died!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Huh? Oh, sorry, Artemis-kun\" she murmured, and picked him up, \"No, it^s just that I  \nmet a new friend today. She's kinda new here and I was just kinda worried that something  \nbad may have happened to her\"  \n  \n\"Because she didn^t stick around for lunch?\" commented Artemis with a sarcastic grin,  \n\"I'm sue that your just over reacting. She probably went home for lunch! And unless I  \nmiss my guess, you're either taking your 'job' way too seriously, or your jealous that she  \nmight have other friends besides you And judging by the look on your face, kid, I'd say  \nthat-!\"  \n  \n\"Oh no!\" exclaimed Minako suddenly, interrupting the guardian cat, as the sound of  \nambulance sirens filled the air, \"Yuri-chan!\"  \n  \nMinako quickly ran towards the approaching ambulance, jostling Artemis violently as she  \nwent. \"Ow! Hey! Slow down!\" complained the cat whist Minako squeezed him tightly as  \nshe approached a crowd of students who began crowding around the front doors of the  \ngymnasium.  \n  \nSoon, the ambulance backed up in front and the paramedics raced out, as the gym teacher  \nand several rugby players held the crowd back for them. \"This can't be good\" muttered  \nMinako as reached the outer edge of the group.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Minako-chan!\" gasped Artemis, forgetting himself as the girl finally came to a halt, and  \nwedged herself between several gossiping on lookers, \"I-! Ooops! Meow! Meow!  \nMeow!\"  \n  \nA few people glanced over at the suddenly very innocuous feline, but quickly lost interest  \nas the paramedics came back through the gymnasium doors. The crowd instantly pushed  \nforward for a better look as the stretcher was wheeled out, and as one they gasped and  \nbroke into several different speculative conversations.  \n  \nMinako leaned forward, and stood on her toes to see over the people, giving a momentary  \nsigh of relief as she saw that the body on the stretcher wasn't Yuriko. Instead, it was  \nMirimoto Tsukasa, the captain of the school's rugby team. The white sheet that had been  \ndraped over most of his body did little to hide the extent of his injuries, as peculiar  \nbloodstains soaked through it. His inhumanly pale skin making it seem as though he was  \nbarely alive. He breathed only with the assistance of a respirator, which Minako guessed  \nhad something to do with the dark purple bruises all along his neck, making it obvious  \nthat he'd been partially asphyxiated.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Tsukasa moaned in pain as his glazed over eyes stared up into nothing. The near constant  \nrumor mongering of the crowd drowning out the observations of the two paramedics as  \nthe prepared to lift him into the ambulance. But then, as his head rolled to one side, and  \nthe crowd gasped out loud at the way his skin seemed too have been almost dried out, his  \nTsukasa's eyes went wide with fright.  \n  \nHis whole body began convulsing madly, as his dry throat let out a long terrified scream  \nthat sounded like something from a horror movie monster. \"He's going into cardiac  \narrest!\" one of the paramedics shouted, as Tsukasa's screaming increased in pitch, and he  \nbegan babbling incoherently, and trying to get away.  \n  \n\"We need a sedative!\" shouted the other paramedic, as he did his best to hold Tsukasa  \ndown, as he began coughing up a mixture of blood and sickly green goo, \"And get these  \nkids out of here! NOW!\"  \n  \nMinako quickly extricated herself, not wanting to see anymore of symptoms of the effect  \nthat she knew all too well. \"Still think I'm overreacting?\" she whispered to the cat.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Artemis shook his head. \"Wow! That was more than just some sporting accident!\" he  \ncommented, \"I haven^t seen an energy drain victim that bad off in months! That must  \nhave been one hungry Youma You'd think they'd be more careful since the Sailor  \nSenshi've been on their cases\"  \n  \n\"You sure..?\" inquired Minako, glancing back over her shoulder as she walked to a more  \nprivate area.  \n  \n\"Definitely!\" exclaimed Artemis, \"There aren't exactly a whole lot of things that'll do that  \nto a person At least he wasn't reduced to ash\"  \n  \n\"That doesn't sound peasant\" commented Minako, and practically dropped the cat as  \nshe suddenly tore off without warning, \"Yuri-chan!\"  \n  \n\"Hey!\" grumbled Artemis under his breath, \"Watch it next time\"  \n  \n\"Minako-san\" Yuriko replied quietly as she approached, with the wind at her back  \ndramatically, and a slightly nervous smile crossing her face as she walked quietly  \nforward.  \n  \n\"Hey!\" called out Minako, running over to give her friend a quick hug, \"You had me  \nworried! There was an accident I thought you might have been hurt.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Oh. I'm sorry,\" Yuriko replied softly, glancing over at the dispersing crowd of students,  \n\"I just went to have lunch with my mother I also needed to do some thinking I didn^t  \nmean to cause you any worry.\"  \n  \n\"I see,\" commented Minako evenly, taking a step back, \"Well, I'm sorry for overreacting,  \nbut I guess You just had an effect on me. That's all. And also, you can't be too careful  \nthese days. Especially with what just happened to Tsukasa-san.\"  \n  \n\"Who?\" inquired Yuriko, and gave the departing ambulance a quick glance, \"Oh? I  \nsee\"  \n  \n\"Ya, it looked like some kind of wild animal attacked him,\" lied Minako. Feeling relieved  \nthat it hadn't been Yuriko on the stretcher.  \n  \n\"How odd\" the girl commented, turning back to Minako and glancing down at Artemis  \nwith wide eyes.  \n  \n\"Oh! Um, this is my cat. 'Artemis',\" explained Minako, \"Sometimes he follows me to  \nschool.\"  \n  \n\"It must be comforting to know that you have a guardian watching over you,\" Yuriko  \nreplied with a smile as she leaned down to offer her out stretched hand to the cat.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Well, sometimes\" admitted Minako, smiling at Artemis, \"But sometimes he can be a  \nreal pain in the butt!\"  \n  \nThe cat gritted his teeth and gave her a sidelong glance as Minako glanced back at him  \nwith a sarcastic grin. \"He's very unusual,\" replied Yuriko, as the feline leaned into her  \nhand and purred loudly as he rubbed against her legs, \"He almost seems like one of those  \nEgyptian cats.\"  \n  \n\"Well, let's just say that Artemis-kun's lineage goes way back!\" laughed Minako,  \nignoring her guardian cat's attempts to make her jealous.  \n  \n\"We should probably be going soon, though,\" Yuriko replied sadly, suddenly standing up  \nstraight and staring down into Artemis' big blue eyes, \"Class shall begin again soon  \nenough. It would be most unfortunate if we were late, let alone get caught out here with  \nwild animal's attacking students Unless we could convince Artemis-san to protect  \nus\"  \n  \nThe cat meowed loudly at her words, causing both girls' to laugh. \"You're right, though,\"  \nreplied Minako, \"We'd best head back. But tell me, Yuri-chan, would you be willing to  \nlet someone walk you home after school today? Maybe we can help each other with our  \nhomework?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko smiled sadly. \"I I'm sorry, Minako-san,\" she said, turning away as the wind  \nblew her twin black braids to one side dramatically, \"I can't today I I'm getting a ride  \nhome with my mother today I'm sorry\"  \n  \n\"Oh. Okay, well then, how about tomorrow?\" inquired Minako.  \n  \nYuriko shrugged. \"Maybe\" she replied quietly as she forlornly turned and walked back  \ntowards the school.  \n  \n\"Um Okay,\" responded Minako, \"I guess we'll just have to wait and agree then\"  \n  \n\"See\" corrected Artemis in a low voice, as his brain processed the information that he'd  \njust received.  \n  \n\"Whatever\" replied Minako as she left him behind.  \n  \n'How odd' thought Artemis, 'Yuri-san was lying'  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nMuch to Minako's dismay, Yuriko somehow managed to disappear without a trace once  \nagain, shortly after the end of their last class. But Minako spent only a little time  \nsearching for her friend. Mostly she just stood by the parking lot, watching as parents and  \nrelatives came to collect their children and loved ones.  \n  \nBut through the crowds of people, who still chattered and gossiped on and on about the  \nincident with Tsukasa, Minako found not a trace of Yuriko. And as she finally walked  \naway, she noticed Artemis walking towards her.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako gave him a sad smile and picked up the cat. \"I'm sorry about earlier,\" she told the  \ncat, as she walked through the open gateway, \"But I guess that I was just getting a little  \ncarried away\"  \n  \n\"It's okay, kid,\" replied Artemis, leaning against her, \"We all loose control sometimes.  \nBut I did find out a thing or two today, though.\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Minako.  \n  \n\"Ya,\" continued Artemis, \"I found out that that Tsukasa guy's been in hospital all  \nafternoon, under constant observation, but the doctors have absolutely no clue what's  \nwrong with him.\"  \n  \n\"No duh,\" commented Minako, only half listening to the cat, \"So I guess you were tight  \nthen.\"  \n  \n\"You bet!\" exclaimed Artemis exclaimed Artemis, suddenly getting that look in his eyes  \nthat said he was up to something, \"So I popped by to see Ami-chan this afternoon. I told  \nher about the situation and she agreed to stop by the hospital after school.\"  \n  \n\"Does Luna-chan know?\" inquired Minako teasingly.  \n  \n\"What's that supposed to mean?!\" demanded Artemis, suddenly going on the defensive,  \n\"It's just a little reconnaissance! What could possibly go wrong?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Well,\" continued Minako, \"I just think you should have told everyone else as well.  \nMaybe we could get some more insight that way. You know, fresh ideas, that kind a  \nthing?\"  \n  \n\"What?! You have no faith in my planning skills? Is that it?!\" accused Artemis,  \nfeeling strangely insulted.  \n  \n\"No!\" exclaimed Minako, \"I just think that only three of us know that the Dark  \nKingdom's on the move again. And if the others knew about it, we'd have some kind of  \nback up in case something goes wrong with your little scouting mission. Ami-chan's  \npowers aren^t the most offensive, you know.\"  \n  \nArtemis turned away, looking slightly insulted. \"I don^t know what's gotten into you  \ntoday,\" he grumbled, \"But if you're so concerned about one little Youma, go ahead! Alert  \nthe others! Eventhough this IS the sort of thing we used to be able to take care of on our  \nown. But, that was before we came here\"  \n  \n\"Are you saying that I've gone soft since I joined a whole team of Sailor Senshi, as  \nopposed to going it alone?\" inquired Minako with a scowl, \"Are you implying that I can't  \ntake care of one lousy Youma all by myself?! Well, you needn't have called in Ami-chan  \non this one! 'Cause Sailor V is on the case!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"That's the spirit, kid!\" the cat commented as she tore off in the direction of the  \nhospital  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nAmi found it surprisingly easy to get in to see Tsukasa. The only thing resembling  \nsecurity was a sign on the door marked \"Family Members ONLY\". And the woman at the  \nnurse's station easily bought her story about visiting her mother.  \n  \nOnce she had slipped quietly into the well-lit room, Ami shook her head almost  \ncondescendingly. The large number and variety of medical devices that the medical staff  \nhad hooked the student up to were insane. Most of monitors and observation devices  \nwould tell them nothing, irregardless of how long they had him hooked up. But, current  \nmedical technology seldom covers the treatment energy drain  \n  \nQuietly, Ami pulled out her computer, and began scanning Tsukasa for various things  \nthat not even several million yen in mundane monitoring equipment could have told her.  \n  \nAs she waited for the results, she could hear the sound of someone approaching just  \noutside the door. Quickly, and with out looking back, Ami slipped under the bed, and  \nclosed the cover of her computer most of the way to hide the light.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; She soon saw what appeared to be a nurse enter the room, and stand near the bed. Ami  \nheld her breath as the woman made a few peculiar noises, before chuckling to herself. A  \nsecond later, Ami's computer beeped that it completed the scan.  \n  \nThe girl carefully opened the lid and nervously glanced down at the screen, as the nursed  \nseem to pause in whatever examination she was performing. \"Task Complete\" flashed  \nacross the screen, and with a shaky finger, Ami hit \"Enter\".  \n  \nShe glanced up, and saw that the nurse had gone back to her work, and Ami gave an  \ninternal sigh of relief as she went back to the task at hand. Her eyes narrowed as she  \nfound what she expected to find. Tsukasa's life force had been drained to 10% of  \nnormal and were somehow falling rapidly  \n  \nAmi's eyes widened with fright as she realized what was going on. She glanced up as  \nseveral monitoring machines began beeping, buzzing and clicking madly, desperately  \ntrying to sound alert status.  \n  \n'Oh no!' thought Ami, feeling a serge of panic as the sounds of Tsukasa's struggling  \nincreased, and the bed shook violently above her head, until the heart monitor gave off a  \nprolonged high pitched whine, 'She She'  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; But then, the heart monitor gave a single \"beep\", before going back to flat line status.  \nAmi gulped as the nurse again chuckled to herself, and left the room. 'This can^t be  \nhappening,' Ami thought to herself, as her computer confirmed her worse fear. Tsukasa  \nhad been completely drained, and brought back as a Youma. The heart monitor still  \ncounting out a single heart beat every ten seconds. Indicating that the complex bio-  \nsystems that maintained a Youma were operating \"normally\".  \n  \nAmi waited a few seconds for the heavy door to close, recording everything that was  \nhappening on her computer, and pulled out her Senshi Transformation Rod. 'I hope this  \nworks' she thought, fighting down her nervousness, and held the rod straight out.  \n  \n\"Mercury! Star! POWER!!!\" she exclaimed, and was relieved as she was dragged into  \nsubspace for a few precious seconds  \n  \n  \nSeconds later, once Sailor Mercury popped back into the real world, albeit under the bed,  \nin an awkward position, she scrambled out from her hiding place to face the newly  \ncreated undead monster. But, as she struggled to her feet, she was relieved to find Minako  \nbursting into the room.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"The nurse!\" exclaimed Mercury, \"She's the Youma! Where'd she go?!\"  \n  \n\"Nurse?\" inquired Minako, \"Which one? OH! Mercury! Look out!\"  \n  \nInstinctively, Sailor Mercury leaped to one side, knocking over the IV stand, just as a jet  \nof green acid hit the floor where she had previously been standing. \"Keep it busy!\" called  \nMinako, pulling out her Transformation Rod.  \n  \n\"Um No problem?!\" Mercury said nervously, as she stared at the oozing black globular  \nmonstrosity that had once been Tsukasa. He/it turned what could best be described as its  \nface towards the Senshi and opened its mouth, which was little more than a jagged line  \ncut through the center of its torso. It drooled for a second before letting out an innerving  \nsound similar to a slimy roar, sending its acrid smelling breath out to fill the small room.  \n  \n\"You sure did get ugly!\" commented Minako, raising her Rod, \"Oh, well! Venus! Star!  \nPOWER!!!\"  \n  \nMercury saw Minako vanish out of the corner of her eye with a soft -pop- and quickly  \nleapt up across the room to evade the long, slimy black tentacle the Youma had grown at  \nher.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; She took a moment to regain her footing, and realized that a small bit of its ooze had  \nlanded on her arm. The formless goo seemly trying to envelop the appendage, but failed  \nmiserably due to its sheer lack of mass.  \n  \n\"I sure hope that you're not immune to ice!\" commented Sailor Mercury, crossing her  \narms across her chest as the Youma turned to face her, \"Shining! Aqua! Illusion!!!\"  \n  \nInstantly, a jet of freezing water blasted forth, enveloping the Youma, and freezing  \nalmost instantly. He screamed loudly as he endured the instantaneous frost bite of the  \nnear absolute zero temperature, and tried to ooze out of the way shortly before his body  \nbecame frozen solid.  \n  \nMercury gave a smug grin at her handiwork, and turned as Sailor Venus popped back into  \nreality beside her. \"Hey! Not bad, Mercury-chan!\" she commented with a wide grin.  \n  \nMercury nodded, and was about to speak when she saw Venus raise her arm. \"Oh!  \nVenus! NO!\" she cried, but it was already too late.  \n  \n\"Crescent! Beam!!!\" the Senshi shouted, sending out a beam of solar intensity photons  \nsmashing into the frozen Youma. The golden laser beam melted a small hole in Mercury's  \nice, and cut its way deep inside the Youma's body, causing it to emit strange hissing a  \npopping sounds. A vile noxious steam that rose swiftly upwards from the hole followed  \nthis, and Mercury's eyes went wide.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Get down!\" she exclaimed, dragging Sailor Venus to the floor as the Youma's shaking  \nbody began to crack and splinter before exploding out wards. Dozens of sharp edged  \nfrozen Youma pieces filled the air for several seconds, causing smaller chunks to land  \nmessily around the two Senshi.  \n  \n\"Wow\" commented Sailor Venus, with amazement, \"That was just too easy! But  \nawfully messy, though\"  \n  \n\"But unfortunately you didn^t give me a chance to scan him for further information on the  \nYouma who created him\" Mercury commented, trying to hide her frustration as she  \npicked frozen goo from her hair, \"Its negative planar energy signature would still be all  \nover any Childer it created But now all that's left is a handful of Youma chunks. I  \nguess I'll just have to work with the information I acquired at the time of his Embrace\"  \n  \n\"Oh I'm sorry\" apologized Venus, feeling foolish, \"I guess I've had allot on my mind  \nlately. I guess I just got carried away And lost control\"  \n  \n\"It's okay,\" assured Sailor Mercury as she picked up her computer and studied the  \nreadings, \"It happens. But I think that we should get out of here before we have to answer  \nany tricky questions\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Agreed,\" replied Sailor Venus, and followed her friend out of the room  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nOnce outside the hospital, and out of uniform, Ami and Minako found Artemis waiting  \nfor them. He looked up from the newspaper that was lying on the ground before him and  \ngave them a quizzical look.  \n  \n\"So how'd it go?\" he inquired.  \n  \n\"Oh, just fine,\" replied Minako confidently, causing Ami to give her a nervous sideways  \nglance, \"It was nothing we couldn't handle!\"  \n  \n\"Um Actually,\" inserted Ami, \"The Youma who did this made an appearance before  \nMinako-chan arrived It finished what it started.\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Artemis, fixing the two with a look of concern.  \n  \n\"Ya, it Embraced Mirimoto-san,\" Ami finished.  \n  \n\"Did you get a reading on it?\" the cat inquired hopefully.  \n  \n\"Um, only a partial one,\" replied Ami tensely, \"I didn^t have a whole lot of time It all  \nhappened so quickly. But I did find that the Youma was once female.\"  \n  \n\"Technically it still is,\" commented Artemis with a look of disdain.  \n  \nAmi shrugged. \"I also got a reading on its um, her, feeding process It's kinda odd\"  \nshe replied somewhat carefully, \"I may need to run further tests to analyze what my  \nreadings, but It seems that we're dealing with something of a succubus\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"What's that mean?\" inquired Minako.  \n  \n\"Um I think it's better if Rei-san explains that one\" replied Ami nervously, as  \nArtemis chuckled to himself.  \n  \n\"What's your problem?!\" Minako demanded, suspiciously eyeing the feline.  \n  \n\"Oh Nothing\" he said innocently and quickly tried to change the subject, \"But hey!  \nYou know, this isn^t exactly an isolated incident. I was browsing through this old  \nnewspaper I found. And apparently, several dozen people in Osaka fell victim to similar  \nsymptoms. But, before the matter could be investigated, the victims all either died or  \ndisappeared Hey! You know what this means don't you?!\"  \n  \n\"That this goes allot deeper than we thought?\" volunteered Ami.  \n  \n\"Nope!\" laughed Artemis, \"It means that you guys have to expand your operation to  \ncover Osaka!\"  \n  \n\"Oh, get serious!\" scolded Minako, glancing at the paper, \"So, does it say anything else  \nnote worthy?\"  \n  \nThe cat shrugged and glanced downward at the paper, and replied, \"Only that the  \nsymptoms were being attributed to some kind of chemical spill. The police kept it all  \nfairly under wraps, though The press really wasn't able to get their claws into it.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Sometimes I feel like we're the Reality Police\" muttered Minako, \"We always seem to  \nwind up trying to keep things like that quiet.\"  \n  \n\"Wait a second, here,\" interjected Ami, \"You said 'were' and 'wasn't', as in past tense. Just  \nhow old IS this newspaper, Artemis-kun?\"  \n  \n\"About 50 years old,\" the cat replied as the two Senshi slapped themselves on the  \nforehead.  \n  \n\"Artemis!\" the both exclaimed in exasperation.  \n  \n\"And wherever did you find a paper THAT old, anyway?\" inquired Minako suspiciously.  \n  \n\"Eh, I'm a cat,\" he replied nonchalantly, \"We're always getting hold of things that we  \nshouldn't. But it doesn't mean that the incidences aren't connected. Most of the previous  \nvictims were males in their late teens to early twenties, and all of them had suspicious  \ncontusions, and abrasions similar to Tsukasa-san's. And, I'd like to point out, Youma  \nARE immortal!\"  \n  \n\"It's possible,\" commented Ami, taking out her communicator, \"But I think what we need  \nis some current information as well. If there is a correlation, old newspapers probably  \nwon't help us too much unfortunately. But it's a start. Anyway, I'm calling a meeting.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Good idea,\" commented Artemis, as he read some more.  \n  \n\"Hypocrite\" muttered Minako.  \n  \n\"What?!\" the cat replied sarcastically, \"I just agree that this situation requires some fresh  \ninput, that's all.\"  \n  \nMinako shrugged and glanced over at Ami as she finished making arrangements to meet  \nthe others at Rei's place. \"All set,\" she announced, \"And I asked Rei-chan to do a little  \ndigging based off my findings. She promised to have something by the time we get there.  \nAlso, Mako-san said she'd try Artemis' trick and dig up some old newspapers on her way  \nover.\"  \n  \n\"Good!\" proclaimed Minako, slamming her fist into her palm, \"Now we're getting  \nsomewhere! With any luck we can wrap this up tomorrow, and I can concentrate on  \nmaking Yuri-chan come out of her shell!\"  \n  \nArtemis sighed as Ami turned to him curiously. \"New friend?\" she inquired.  \n  \n\"Yup!\" replied Minako nodding, \"And this girl really needs a friend too. She's new in  \ntown and knows nobody! Also she's very Mysterious I get the feeling that all Yuri-  \nchan needs is someone to help her lighten up a little and have fun. Then maybe she'll  \ncome out of her out of her shell\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Ya!\" laughed Artemis, \"Just like a seagull and a clam!\"  \n  \n\"What's that supposed to mean?!\" demanded Minako, rolling up her sleeve menacingly.  \n  \n\"I think what Artemis-kun is trying to say, is that sometimes You just try to hard at  \nyour roll\" explained Ami, \"And that the best way to coax a clam out of its shell isn't to  \ndrop it from a great height, hoping that it's shell cracks open.\"  \n  \n\"Are you implying that I'm too pushy?!\" Minako demanded of the cat, and earning a  \nstrange look from a passer by.  \n  \n\"Umer, no!\" stammered Artemis, backing away slowly with a bit of a smirk, \"Just that  \nyou can be a little too over enthusiastic about being Sailor Venus sometimes\"  \n  \nMinako cringed, knowing how true the cat's statement was. \"Oh, alright,\" she muttered,  \n\"I'll back off a little.\"  \n  \n\"Good,\" replied Artemis, \"Trust me, good friendship happen on their own. There's no  \nsense in scaring her away by being too pushy. Now let's get going.\"  \n  \n\"Sounds more like dating advice\" commented Ami.  \n  \n\"Oh just..!\" stammered Minako exasperatedly as Artemis chuckled and lead the way to  \nthe Cherry Hill Temple  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \\*\\*\\*  \n  \nAs the trio entered Rei's room, they found the other three Senshi and Luna in the midst of  \na heated debate, that paused only for the briefest of seconds as the door slid open.  \n  \n\"Problem?\" inquired Artemis as he sat down beside Luna.  \n  \nThe other Guardian cat rolled her eyes and shook her head. \"Same old, same old\" she  \nmuttered in reply.  \n  \n\"So, why didn't you tell ME that there was something weird going on?!\" demanded  \nUsagi, looking hurt and angry in an ineffectual way, \"I AM the leader of the Sailor  \nSenshi after all!\"  \n  \n\"Fine then,\" commented Rei, glancing up from the enormous tome that she was reading,  \n\"So lead us! Tell us exactly what we're up against and how to put an end to it, oh great  \nand glorious leader!\"  \n  \nUsagi glared at Rei and stuck her tongue out at her, in her usual childish way, as Makoto  \ndropped smacked her self on the forehead defeatedly. \"They've been like this since we  \ngot the call,\" she commented, shaking her head, \"But you have to admit, it was kinda  \nrisky trying to hunt down a Youma more or less on your own. Brave, but just a touch on  \nthe foolish side.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Well, sorry, guys,\" responded Minako as she sat down, \"I just thought that it was going  \nto be a simple matter I thought that I could take care of it. But I have been kinda  \ndistracted lately, I guess. It's probably affecting my judgement.\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Usagi suspiciously, as Artemis tried to look innocent when Minako gave  \nhim a displeased look, \"Did you meet some new guy that your keeping all to yourself?\"  \n  \n\"What?!\" exclaimed Minako, \"That's not it at all!\"  \n  \n\"Oh, sure it isn't!\" laughed Usagi, tugging at Minako's sleeve, \"Come on now. I want  \ndetails! I DO have a right to know. I AM your best friend, after all!\"  \n  \nMinako's expression betrayed her sudden feeling of dread, at Usagi's not so true  \nstatement. \"Leave her alone, Usagi-chan,\" cautioned Artemis, \"There's no new guy in her  \nlife. Just a new friend at school Kind of a strange girl though And besides, I'M  \nMinako-chan's best friend!\"  \n  \nLuna sighed heavily at Usagi's hurt expression and turned to Artemis. \"How do you mean  \n'Strange' precisely?\" she inquired.  \n  \n\"Well, actually,\" replied Artemis, \"I'm not as good at sensing the oddities of things like  \nyou or Rei-chan, but she did give off some odd 'Vibes'. Yuri-chan's probably just a low-  \nlevel Esper or something, though. Probably nothing to worry about. But, it's her  \npersonality that I was taking about.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; The cat shrugged and turned to Rei. \"So, find anything useful?\" he inquired hopefully.  \n  \nRei slammed the book closed and put it down on front of her. \"Well, I found several  \nreferences to creatures in mythology that fir the M.O., but I think that Ami-chan's  \ncomputer might be able to compile a more precise view of just what it is we're dealing  \nwith, assuming we can find anymore survivors. Anyways, she mentioned that the Youma  \nwho took out Mirimoto-san was something like a 'succubus'. And while that's a  \npossibility-\"  \n  \n\"Hey! Wait!\" interrupted Usagi, \"What do you mean by 'succubus' exactly?\"  \n  \nRei smiled with a sinister grin and looked directly into Usagi's eyes mischievously. \"It  \nmeans,\" she explained with a smirk, knowing what such knowledge would do to the girl,  \n\"that this Youma only feeds off of people who's energy has been augmented sexually\"  \n  \nUsagi let out a yelp, and covered her mouth with both hands, as she turned bright red.  \n\"You mean that In order to feed..? It has to-?! Ami-chan! That can't be true!\"  \n  \nAmi blushed and glanced down at her computer. \"I'm sorry, Usagi-chan,\" she said, trying  \nnot to snicker, \"But machines don't lie\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"AND!\" continued Rei triumphantly as Usagi began to squirm uncomfortably, \"There are  \nmany precedents to prove it! For instance, we've fought Youma with rather selective  \ndigestions before. Some just need their victims to be experiencing certain emotions in  \norder to gain sustenance. Such as pain, fear, adrenaline rushes, exhaustion Orgasm!\"  \n  \nMinako and Artemis both burst out laughing as Usagi let out a long whine as she hid her  \nface in her hands, and bending her knees to conceal herself. \"That'll be quite enough!\"  \nscolded Luna, glaring at Artemis.  \n  \n\"Sorry\" he replied sheepishly, bowing his head.  \n  \n\"So,\" interrupted Makoto, \"Is there anything else that we should be aware of? I already  \nchecked through those old newspapers from Osaka, but it seems that the trail's pretty cold  \non my end.\"  \n  \n\"True,\" replied Luna, looking meaningfully at Artemis, \"But at least NOW we're acting  \nas a team again\"  \n  \n\"I'm sorry\" whispered Artemis as he inched his way into Minako's lap.  \n  \n\"So what's the plan, then?\" inquired Rei.  \n  \nLuna looked thoughtful for a moment, and glanced at the stack of newspapers beside  \nMakoto. \"Well, I guess all that we can do for now is to keep our eyes open. And we all  \nknow what THAT means\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Aw! Not patrols!\" whined Usagi, \"But that'll take away from my reading Manga-! Er-!  \nUmI mean, doing my homework!\"  \n  \nLuna rolled her eyes. Would you rather be reading about this Youma's next victim in the  \nnewspaper, Usagi-chan?\" she inquired.  \n  \nUsagi shook her head. \"No, I guess not,\" she conceded.  \n  \n\"Actually,\" commented Rei, \"Minako-chan, if your friend IS an Esper, maybe she can  \nhelp a little. Without knowing the whole story, of course\"  \n  \n\"Of course,\" agreed Minako, enjoying the feeling of being in on a mini-conspiracy, \"But I  \nguess I could always ask Yuri-chan if she'd like to stop by here after school to meet my  \nfriends But\"  \n  \n\"But what?\" inquired Luna.  \n  \n\"But Yuri-chan's a bit reclusive,\" she answered quietly, \"It'll take some doing\"  \n  \n\"That's fine,\" commented Rei, \"We're mostly grasping at straws on this anyway. Artemis-  \nkun's instincts could be wrong about her.\"  \n  \nArtemis shrugged. \"I definitely think that you Luna-chan'd have a better time asencing  \nher that I did. I'm not as in tune with that sort of thing as you are,\" he admitted, looking  \ndowncast.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Don^t worry about it,\" Minako whispered to him, and gave the cat a gentle hug.  \n  \n\"Anyway,\" continued Luna, \"That about wraps it up for now, I think. Um, Mako-san,  \nyou're up first. Meanwhile, I think Usagi-can needs help with her homework. Any  \nvolunteers?\"  \n  \n\"Slave driver\" muttered Usagi as Makoto stood up.  \n  \n\"No problem!\" she announced confidently, \"I ain't gonna allow some Youma to murder  \nall the cute guys in Tokyo! Not on MY watch!\"  \n  \n\"Um actually\" commented Rei, as the others laughed, \"The Youma probably won't  \nstick exclusively to males, \"In western mythology, succubae don't feed exclusively from  \none gender. They also tend not to stick to one or the other either\"  \n  \n\"Oh great!\" exclaimed Usagi as Ami pulled out her geography textbook, \"So no one's  \nsafe, then!\"  \n  \n\"Don^t worry,\" chuckled Rei, \"You actually have to have a libido to attract it!\"  \n  \n\"What's THAT supposed to mean?!\" demanded Usagi.  \n  \n\"Oh, nothing\" Rei said with a smirk.  \n  \n\"Here we go again\" muttered Ami  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nThe rest of the day came and went uneventfully, and Minako felt a strange sense of relief  \nas she found Yuriko sitting in her assigned seat as she entered the classroom the next  \nmorning.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Hi, Yuri-chan!\" she called from across the room and hurried to take her seat beside the  \ngirl, \"So! How, ya doin'? Anything new and interesting in your life?\"  \n  \n\"Um Hi,\" stammered Yuriko, feeling a little taken back by Minako's entrance, \"I'm  \nFine. And my life is Well, uneventful\"  \n  \n\"Really? That's too bad,\" commented Minako slyly, \"Then how would you feel about  \ntrying something new?\"  \n  \nYuriko's eyes widened for a moment as she took a deep breath. \"What What did you  \nhave in mind, Minako-san?\"  \n  \n\"Oh, nothing much,\" replied Minako, \"It's just that I wanted you to meet some of my  \nfriends today, that's all.\"  \n  \n\"Oh\" Yuriko replied, turning away, and looking a little pale. \"I I guess so. But I  \nI'll have to ask my mother\"  \n  \n\"Well, there's no rush or anything, but\" began Minako, feeling her pulse quicken as she  \nsaw moisture beginning to form in Yuriko's eyes, \"Yuri-chan, what's wrong? Are you  \nokay?\"  \n  \n\"It's It's nothing\" the girl lied, \"It's just that I have a lot on my mind, that's all\"  \n  \n\"Hey,\" Minako said consolingly, and putting a hand Yuriko's arm, \"It's okay. But I do  \nworry about my friends when they're not happy And with the incident yesterday, I'm a  \nlittle concerned that something might happen to you I mean, a lot of criminals target  \nnew people in town, who won^t be missed and-\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I I'm always careful!\" interrupted Yuriko, \"Nothing bad EVER happens to me I can  \npromise you that, Minako-san\"  \n  \n\"I hope you're right,\" Minako replied, \"And with me around, it's a guarantee. I always  \nlook out for my friends. No matter what!\"  \n  \nYuriko turned back to her and smiled. \"I know,\" she said softly, her deep green eyes  \nbetraying her mixed emotions, \"Thank-you, Minako-chan, but our instructor has just  \nentered the class, and discussing this later would be far more appropriate. Perhaps at  \nlunch?\"  \n  \nMinako smiled broadly. \"You bet,\" she whispered, reluctantly pulling her hand back.  \n  \n'How odd' Minako thought as the class began, 'I feel so emotionally charged  \nMaybe Artemis-kun was right. I am taking this far too seriously Oh well..!'  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nWhen the lunch bell finally rang and the crowds of students dispersed into the halls,  \nMinako had to scramble her stuff together quickly to follow Yuriko. The girl almost  \nseemed to disappear into the crowd as Minako raced up behind her.  \n  \n\"Hey, Yuri-chan! Wait up!\" she called, and tapped her on the shoulder.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko paused, and reached back to touch Minako's hand without turning around. \"I'm so  \nsorry, Minako-chan\" she said sadly, \"But I have to go see my Mother at work again  \ntoday I'll be back in time for class I promise\"  \n  \n\"Oh, I see\" Minako responded forlornly, feeling her heart sink as Yuriko seemed  \nreluctant to meet her gaze, even as she began to walk away.  \n  \n\"Will I get to see you after school?\" she called out over the noise of the other students, as  \nher hand slipped out from underneath Yuriko's soft fingers.  \n  \n\"I I'll have to ask\" the girl responded as she disappeared into the crowd, leaving  \nMinako alone, staring sadly off into space for several minutes.  \n  \nOnce the hall had cleared of all other students and faculty, Minako sighed heavily and  \nturned to go. \"Hey, kid. What's wrong?\" came Artemis' voice, as the cat came out of  \nsome hiding place or other and noticed the tears forming in her eyes.  \n  \n\"I Don^t know,\" she replied quietly, almost to herself, and leaned against the wall, \"I  \nthink that I'm just letting myself get wrapped up in things too much lately.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"It's Yuri-chan, isn^t it?\" Artemis inquired sympathetically, and sat down in front of her.  \n  \nMinako said nothing, and looked away.  \n  \n\"I thought so,\" the cat replied quietly, \"And I think you worry about her way too much.\"  \n  \n\"I know,\" Minako answered, not meeting his gaze, \"But I just wish that she's stop  \npushing me away every time we start getting close.\"  \n  \n\"I see,\" commented Artemis contemplatively, \"I know what you mean. But I think that  \nthere might be more to this than you think.  \n  \n\"What do you mean,\" Minako asked, barely listening.  \n  \nArtemis shrugged. \"I just think that maybe you're setting yourself to take a fall,\" he  \ncautiously explained, \"That maybe this girl's just a loner, and that maybe it's best to just  \ngive her her space. Maybe she likes being alone more often than not.\"  \n  \n\"But I-!\" exclaimed Minako, turning to face her Guardian Cat with tears in her eyes, \"I  \nJust can't\"  \n  \nArtemis sighed and shook his head. \"I was afraid of this,\" he said under his breath,  \nbowing his head, \"I thought that I sensed something between you two yesterday. At first I  \nthought that it was just you rubbing off on me, but I can see it all clearly now. And I think  \nI know why my asencing of Yuri-chan was made so difficult. Strong emotion in the  \nimmediate area You're in love with her\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako closed her eyes tightly and took a haggard breath. Don't be ridiculous!\" she  \nhissed, \"That's not possible..!\"  \n  \n\"It is said that we have no choice to whom we fall in love with, Minako-chan,\" the cat  \nreplied solemnly, \" And you know better than anyone that love follows no logic beyond  \nit's own.\"  \n  \n\"Ya\" she replied in a whisper, \"I AM 'Venus' after all\"  \n  \nThe cat was silent as Minako slid slowly down the wall to sit on the floor. He then  \nclimbed into her lap and leaned against her. \"I know it hurts,\" he responded, \"I've loved  \nLuna since we first met a thousand years ago And I feel like I'll die every time she  \nignores me. Every time I say something stupid that makes her angry, I feel like I should  \ngo jump off a high building or something\"  \n  \n\"But cats always land on their fleet,\" Minako said with a weak smile, as she petted him  \nidly.  \n  \nArtemis smiled as she put her arms around him. \"I know,\" he replied, ignoring her  \npatented misquoting habit, and sensing his ward's deep sadness.  \n  \n\"So Where do I go from here, Artemis-kun?\" she asked, hugging him tightly.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"That's entirely up to you, Minako-chan,\" he answered, \"Just talk to her, though. Find out  \nhow she feels But, be careful. Just don't ruin a perfectly good friendship over it, okay?  \nI know you. And I know that you care about her enough to simply accept her as just a  \nfriend.\"  \n  \n\"Thank you, Artemis-kun\" Minako whispered, her tears soaking into his white fur.  \n  \n\"For what?\" he asked quietly.  \n  \n\"For not making fun of me\" she answered, \"And for being a better parent to me than  \nmy actual parents\"  \n  \n\"Um Thanks I think\" gulped the Guardian Cat, \"But you know that I'm always  \nhere for you.\"  \n  \nMinako smiled. \"I know, \" she said, \"Now come on. I brought you some tuna for  \nlunch\"  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nAs promised, Yuriko was back in time for school, and Minako felt her pulse race as the  \ngirl sat down beside her before turning to her with a meaningful expression. \"We Need  \nto talk,\" she commented nervously with a grim tone.  \n  \n\"Then I guess you won't be coming with me to visit my friends today, then?\" Minako  \nsaid sadly.  \n  \n\"No I can^t. I'm sorry,\" she replied sadly, \"But I can walk part way home with you  \nthough.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Really?!\" exclaimed Minako happily.  \n  \n\"Yes,\" Yuriko said with a weak smile, \"But I really need to discuss a more personal  \nmatter with you along the way\"  \n  \nShe glanced around nervously for a moment and caught sight of Artemis sitting in a tree  \noutside the window. \"He must really care for you,\" Yuriko commented, wistfully, \"It's  \nkind a unusual for a cat, though. Usually they're fairly aloof and independent.\"  \n  \n\"Well, Artemis is different,\" she explained, sensing a certain irony in Yuriko's words,  \n\"He's been there for me for the longest time. I guess he just sees me as his daughter or  \nsomething And sometimes I feel like I should return the favor.\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Yuriko, giving the cat a little grin, and waving subtlety.  \n  \n\"I guess it's like Karma,\" explained Minako, nervously, \"If someone's always there to  \nlisten to your problems, you should at least do the same for someone else. Especially  \nsince he can^t tell me his problems\" Minako surpressed a smirk and a laugh at her last  \ncomment by biting her lower lip.  \n  \n\"I see,\" replied Yuriko, her voice taking on its normal calm, controlled tone, and loosing  \nthe edge it had earlier.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"And that's why I Want to help you in any way that I can\" continued Minako  \nnervously, \"So, like, if there's ever anything you need to discuss I'm here for you. Also,  \nI really want to be your friend and that's why Why I want to To\"  \n  \n\"Spend more time with me..?\" finished Yuriko in a hushed tone, looking directly into  \nMinako's light blue eyes, and causing her to shuffle uncomfortably in her seat.  \n  \n\"Y-Yes\" admitted Minako, her whole body shaking a little as her pulse raced.  \n  \n\"Good,\" Yuriko replied with a smile, \"Then I guess you won't mind talking after school  \nthen?\"  \n  \n\"Absotively!\" agreed Minako breathlessly.  \n  \n\"Posolutely\" Yuriko responded, with a hint of sadness as the class began  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nWhen the bell rang to announce the end of the day, Minako literally snapped her pen in  \nhalf. \"OH!\" she exclaimed, dropping the broken writing implement, and searching for  \nsomething to wipe the black ink off her fingers with.  \n  \n\"Here,\" came Yuriko's soft voice, and Minako blushed as she accepted a handkerchief  \nfrom her  \n  \n\"Thanks,\" Minako replied, feeling horribly embarrassed as she did her best to wipe her  \nfingers clean, \"So, did you still want to talk?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko nodded as they both stood, but Minako could sense that something more was up.  \n\"What's wrong?\" she inquired, as she grabbed her school bag.  \n  \n\"I Um, not here,\" Yuriko answered, taking Minako's free hand, \"Outside!\"  \n  \nMinako wasn't given time to respond, as she was pulled quickly out into the hallway and  \ninto the sluggishly moving crowds. Somehow, they seemed to dodge and weave between  \npeople, as Yuriko lead her with amazing efficiency through the school. It almost seemed  \nas though people were subconsciously avoiding them as they practically flew down the  \nstairs, and Minako couldn't help laughing as they went. Soon, though, they somehow  \nmanaged to find a clear path through to the front doors of the school, and were standing  \nby the front gates before anyone noticed that they had left.  \n  \nOnce they were out on the sidewalk, though, Yuriko slowed to a walk. \"Wait A  \nSecond..!\" panted Minako.  \n  \nYuriko stopped, and turned to face Minako as she bent over, holding her stomach to catch  \nher breath. Yuriko's breathing, though, was even, and not a single drop of sweat showed  \non her forehead. \"Oh, I'm sorry,\" she said sincerely.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"It's Okay!\" laughed Minako, \"I should be used to this sort of thing by now! I guess  \nI just wasn't watching my breathing\"  \n  \nYuriko shrugged. \"No, it's my fault,\" she said, \"I do a lot of running around, and I  \nsometimes forget that others don't like travelling quite as swiftly as I do...\"  \n  \nMinako gave her a curious look. \"Were you on the track team at your old school?\" she  \ninquired as Yuriko released her hand and the two began walking again.  \n  \nThe girl nodded and replied, \"Yes, but that was a long time ago But I did hear  \nsomething about you being an avid volleyball player\"  \n  \n\"Guilty as chargened,\" Minako said with a grin, purposely misquoting, \"But I've been  \nneglecting it a little lately. I guess I just haven't had the time\"  \n  \n\"I know the feeling\" Yuriko said sadly, and turned to Minako with tears in her eyes.  \n  \n\"Yuri-chan, what's wrong?\" Minako asked, stopping and taking her hand.  \n  \n\"Minako\" she whispered, bowing her head and staring at the ground as her tears fell  \nfrom her eyes.  \n  \nMinako stepped forward, took Yuriko in her arms, and holding her tightly. \"Shh It's  \nokay,\" she whispered, \"You can tell me. It's okay\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko put her head on Minako's shoulder, and held carefully returned the embrace.  \n\"No I can't\" she responded, shaking her head slightly, and sobbing softly as the first  \nfew raindrops of the coming rainstorm fell from the dark clouds above them.  \n  \n\"Then just let it all out,\" Minako said softly, taking a deep breath, and taking in the light  \nscent shampoo off Yuriko's dark hair, \"I'm not going anywhere, Yuri-chan\"  \n  \n\"I know\" she whispered back, and held onto Minako more tightly as the rain picked up.  \n  \nMinako sighed almost contentedly, as their fellow pedestrians ran for cover. \"You know,\"  \nshe commented wistfully, and staring up at the dark clouds with a smile, \"I always loved  \nthe rain. The way it feels upon my skin, the way it seems to wash away so many of my  \ntroubles and worries The cleansing feeling it always provides\"  \n  \n\"I hate it\" Yuriko confided, cuddling as close to Minako as she could, as though  \nMinako could shield her from the rain.  \n  \n\"Why?\" she inquire, turning her head slightly to look at Yuriko as best she could, \"It's  \nlike a water fall almost. It's like, one of those rare naturally occurring showers!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"In the shower, I'm in control\" responded Yuriko.  \n  \n\"But We all have to relinquish control for just a little while sometimes,\" replied  \nMinako, as she half noticed that they were completely alone on the street.  \n  \n\"Not me\" Yuriko said tensely, \"I'm afraid that if I loose control That I'll hurt  \nsomeone Probably someone I care about\"  \n  \nMinako reluctantly pulled away just a little, so that she could look into Yuriko's eyes.  \n\"Yuri-chan\" she began, feeling herself shaking nervously as the cold rain fell upon the  \nplaces where the warmth of her friends body had been.  \n  \n\"Shh\" Yuriko replied, placing her index finger upon Minako's lips, \"I want you to  \nknow something. I want you to know that I would never hurt you, Minako-chan But  \nI I\"  \n  \nMinako shivered nervously as she placed the slightest cautious kisses upon Yuriko's  \nfinger, causing the girl to pause. Her eyes widened for a moment, and Minako felt her  \nface go pale as the tension level between them drastically increased.  \n  \nThey stood staring at each other for several silent moments, barely noticing the sound of  \nthe rain all around them, but then Yuriko leaned forward, once again, towards Minako.  \nShe stopped just short of Minako's lips as she moved her had away to hold her once  \nagain, neither of them noticing no caring the way their clothes now clung damply to  \nthem.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako gulped down her nervousness as she felt the warmth of Yuriko's breath upon her  \nlips and saw the true depth of colour in Yuriko's searching eyes, as they both pressed  \nagainst each other. Both feeling too afraid to make the next move.  \n  \n\"Yuri-chan, I\" began Minako, but Yuriko immediately silenced her by tilting her head  \nslightly, and pressing her soft lips against Minako's.  \n  \nMinako sighed contentedly, feeling the majority of her pent-up nervousness released by  \nthe simple act and pulled Yuriko a little closer. She closed eyes closed completely as they  \nboth settled into it, and soon regained their other senses.  \n  \nMinako couldn^t help blush a little as she noticed the way her nipples had hardened  \nunderneath her thoroughly soaked tunic, as the rubbed against Yuriko's. But the feeling of  \nembarrassment was quickly washed away as she felt Yuriko sliding her hand up her back  \nand through her long damp hair. The girl then ran her finger's through it before coaxing  \nMinako to tilt her head to one side.  \n  \nMinako found herself unable to move as Yuriko's lips touched her own, and an odd  \ntingling feeling seemed to fill her whole body, yet Minako hadn't the will to care. She  \nwas enjoying the moment far too much, and passed off the sensation as part of her  \nnervousness.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; But then, as she felt her knees weaken, Yuriko pulled away ever so slightly, and ran the  \nback of her hand down Minako's cheek. Minako tried to speak, as she noticed the sadness  \nin her friend's eyes, but no words came forth. \"Minako-chan\" whispered Yuriko ever  \nso sadly, \"I I'm so very sorry\"  \n  \nMinako barely managed to find the strength to reach out towards Yuriko as she backed  \naway, but lacked the speed necessary to catch her before she turned, and ran off down the  \nstreet crying, and disappeared around a corner. Leaving Minako alone, standing half  \nparalyzed in the rain  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nAs Minako walked home alone through the pouring rain, her thoughts were only of  \nYuriko. She ran the memory of kissing her through mind a thousand times, each time  \nwishing that Yuriko hadn't run off so suddenly.  \n  \n'If only she had stayed,' thought Minako sadly, 'I could have told her just I care for her'  \n  \nBut her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden sounds of screaming, and breaking glass.  \nMinako looked up and jumped backwards in time to avoid being nailed by a high velocity  \nlamp, as it came bursting through a third story window of an apartment complex. The  \nlamp crashed onto the sidewalk before her and Minako could hear the distinct sounds of  \nscreaming from inside the shattered bay window.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; So, after quickly glancing around to check for witnesses, Minako dashed into an alley,  \nand pulled out her Senshi Transformation Rod. She took a deep breath and held it aloft as  \nmore crashing and banging was heard, followed by a microwave being tossed out the  \nwindow after the lamp.  \n  \n\"Oh, hold on a second already!\" called Minako, \"I'm on my was already! Venus! Star!  \nPower..!!!\"  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nSeconds later, Sailor Venus ran back around the corner, crouched down low, and leapt  \nupwards with her augmented strength towards the window. Once she was in full view of  \nthe apartment, Venus covered her face with her arms, and leaned forward, causing herself  \nto land inside the room.  \n  \nUpon landing, she glanced around and noticed just what was causing the problem. It was  \na rather odd looking Youma, about five feet tall, but hovering a foot or so off the floor.  \nIts uniformly jet black body seemed almost be a ragged two dimensional bed sheet except  \nfor its head, which resembled a featherless vulture, and its hands, that ended in long  \ncurved claws.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Off to one side, two small children were cowering and crying as the Youma turned its  \nattention from them to the Senshi. It opened its beak and roared in a ragged, screeching  \nvoice that resembled a high pitched whine with a hint of laryngitis.  \n  \n\"Can it, Youma!\" taunted Sailor Venus, \"And I might go easy on you!\"  \n  \n\"Fresh meat!\" it shrieked back hungrily.  \n  \n\"Ha!\" laughed Minako, striking a dramatic pose, \"I'm so much more than just that! The  \ndefender of friendship! The Senshi of Love! I AM Sailor Venus!!!\"  \n  \n\"Hungry!\" was the Youma's only response, as it's tattered looking lower body began  \nextending portions of itself towards the floor. Once there, they began to writhe around,  \nbefore slithering towards her like several long black snakes.  \n  \n\"Is that the best you can do?!\" laughed Venus, as the shadowy serpents reared up and  \nfilled out, becoming three dimensional, and opening toothy maws to hiss and snap at her  \nthreateningly.  \n  \n\"Hungry?\" inquired Sailor Venus sarcastically, \"Then eat this! Crescent! Beam!!!\"  \n  \nEnergy crackled around the Senshi, and coalesced around the end of her pointed finger,  \nbut then immediately fizzled out. \"What the-?!\" she exclaimed, feeling suddenly dizzy,  \nand brought a hand to her forehead before collapsing on the floor.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; It was then that the serpentine tendrils caught up with her, as two quickly bound her  \nankles, and two others raced towards her wrists. \"I Don't get it\" she muttered, as she  \nfelt her energy reserves plummeting, \"This isn't supposed to happen! Hey! Back off,  \nbuddy!\"  \n  \nSailor Venus gave her head a shake and grabbed at the two tentacles as they went for her  \nwrists. She caught them just under the jaw and cringed as they snapped at her  \nineffectually. Then, as the two on her ankles began trying to gnaw unsuccessfully through  \nher mystic armor, Venus angled the two sets of snapping toothy mouths towards them.  \n  \nThe Youma shrieked loudly as it bit down upon its own tentacles, and sent another pair  \nwrapping around Sailor Venus' wrists before she could react, and forced her arms apart.  \nShe gritted her teeth as she tried to continue force feeding the Youma, but her efforts only  \nseemed to spurn it on, as she began feeling the cold skin creeping through the armor that  \nheld the Youma's tentacles half an inch away from actual skin contact.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I Can't keep this up forever!\" she grumbled through gritted teeth as she was pulled in  \nfour different directions at once, \"I guess this just calls for desperate measures!\"  \n  \nWith that, Sailor Venus bent forward, sitting up, and bit down hard on the nearest  \ntentacle. Once again the Youma shrieked in pain, and immediately sent more  \nreinforcements. One wrapping around her throat, to pull her back down, and several  \nothers to back up the ones binding her arms and legs.  \n  \nIt then began pulling the desperately struggling Senshi across the floor towards itself,  \nwith only her armor protecting her form really bad rug burn. Once she was within arm's  \nreach, the tentacles that bound her legs squeezed tighter, almost penetrating the pseudo  \nforce field that protected her legs.  \n  \n\"I won^t make this easy for you!\" Sailor Venus shouted defiantly, as her lower body was  \npulled off the floor until she was resting only on her shoulders.  \n  \nShe gritted her teeth as multiple new tentacles slithered about body, desperately trying to  \nfind a weak point, but having no luck. Several even tried tearing away at her skirt, but it  \nmight as well have been made of wrought iron for all the luck they had, as one boldly  \nventured underneath of it and tried to get a grip on her under garments with even less  \nsuccess. Venus could just imagine the frustration it was going through, only vaguely  \ncausing her to be aware of the way it gnawed at the frictionless surface that the armor  \nprovided.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Having problems?\" laughed Sailor Venus, unable to suppress her amusement at the  \nYouma's utter failure to take advantage of her. Infact, it soon found her squirming arms  \nand legs almost too slippery to maintain a proper grip on, and had to continually shift and  \nshuffle around its tentacles to maintain its hold.  \n  \n\"Well, that's just too bad!\" she taunted as it tried to unsuccessfully wrap tentacles around  \nher breasts, but failed miserably at it, as they simple slid off the armor the armor,  \n\"Because all your tickling me! And I HATE being tickled!!!\"  \n  \nWith that, Sailor Venus somehow found the strength to stagger to a standing position.  \nShe then forced her arms forward, grabbing as many squirming black tentacles as she  \ncould into a large bundle by the time her hands met. The Youma's eyes went wide with  \ndisbelief at the feat the Senshi had just performed, and howled in frustration.  \n  \n\"Nothing personal!\" Sailor Venus commented, as she shifted her weight, and began  \nturning both of them in a slow arc, \"But I already have someone that I'm interested in  \nAnd she's the only one that I want touching ME!!!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; She then began picking up speed, as Sailor Venus began to spin both herself and the  \nfrustrated Youma in faster and faster circles. The Youma made a few dizzied sounds of  \nprotest as the room blurred around it, as it spun around, it's free tentacles flailing, and  \nknocking over various household items in an attempt to anchor itself.  \n  \nFinally, it began to almost cry, as the only sound that it heard was the sound of Sailor  \nVenus laughing maniacally at its expense until she shouted as loudly as he could,  \n\"Crescent! Beam!!!\"  \n  \nThey Youma let out one last shrieking cry of terror as bright golden light pierced its  \ntentacles, and followed them up to its body, where the solar radiation began filling it with  \nunimaginable pain. Its eyes literally burned out of its sockets as all the hydrogen in its  \nbody was converted into helium in a small, well-contained nuclear fusion reaction. It  \nwasn't conscious by the time thousands of small black bits flew in all directions, heralded  \nby a glowing brilliant radiance  \n  \nSailor Venus sighed heavily as the tentacles that had once held her disintegrated into  \ndust. She then looked over at the two small children who were still cowering in the  \ncorner. \"I guess I'll have to call 911 or something\" she muttered quietly, \"But I have  \nNO idea what to report happened here exactly\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; She picked up the phone and dialed the number before simply putting the receiver down  \non the end table. \"Don^t worry,\" she reassured the two motionless, frightened children,  \n\"they'll send somebody along just to make sure. Just stay put, the police will be here soon  \nenough\"  \n  \n\"Are Are you Sailor Moon?\" inquired the boy nervously.  \n  \nVenus ground her teeth while she composed herself, before turning back towards the two.  \n\"No,\" she said with a forced smile, \"I AM Sailor Venus! And don^t either of you forget  \nit!\"  \n  \n\"Oh! I see!\" exclaimed the little girl, \"I knew you couldn't be HER! Because you're much  \ntoo cool! You don't need some guy to come in and save you at the last moment! You're a  \nreal heroine, Sailor Venus!\"  \n  \nThe Senshi sighed contentedly, and smiled happily. \"Well, in that case,\" she replied,  \npicking a note pad and pen up off the floor, \"Here's a little souvenir!\"  \n  \nShe quickly wrote \"Sailor Venus\" on two sheets of paper and handed them to the two  \nchildren, before happily bounding out the window, and back into the cold pouring rain  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \\*\\*\\*  \n  \nAfter changing back, Minako immediately called a meeting. About fifteen minutes later,  \nthe group was assembled at Rei's. It was then that Minako explained to the others most of  \nwhat happened on her way home.  \n  \n\"So, you say that your powers just fizzled out for a short time?\" inquired Luna as Ami  \nscanned Minako for anomalies.  \n  \nMinako nodded and sipped her tea. \"I'm reading a 7.41% drop in your life force energy,\"  \ncommented Ami with a serious look, \"Are you certain that you weren't drained just  \nbefore you tired using your Crescent Beam, Minako-chan? Or even before hand, perhaps?  \nYou weren't 'With' anyone were you?\"  \n  \n\"What?!\" demanded Minako, missing Ami's joking tone completely, and turning slightly  \nred, \"Are you crazy?! But ya Maybe it did drain me a little But It may have been  \nable to generate some kind of dampening field as well.\"  \n  \n\"That's quite conceivable,\" responded Ami, \"But I don't think that Youma DID get  \nyou\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Minako suspiciously.  \n  \n\"Yes\" explained Ami carefully, \"You see, from what I've discerned from its residual  \naura signature, and the dust that didn't wash away in the rain. This Youma could only  \nfeed from frightened victims. But, really that's only a hypothesis But, you don^t show  \nany signs of showing fear. Not in the last forty eight hour, anyway.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"It could be that it required an adrenaline rush as well,\" volunteered Luna, \"But,  \nunfortunately, we're no more closer to solving this-\"  \n  \n\"Hm, that's strange\" commented Ami, just before she put the computer away.  \n  \n\"What?\" inquired Minako, feeling suddenly paranoid.  \n  \n\"You've experienced heightened endorphin levels in the last four hours,\" explained Ami,  \nblushing a little, \"Gee, I was only kidding about you doing 'things'\"  \n  \n\"Hey!\" came Minako's exasperated reply, \"I'd remember something like THAT!\"  \n  \n\"You wouldn't necessarily have to go too far,\" explained Ami, \"Unless I miss my guess,  \nthe victims of the Youma we're after might not need to be quite so 'Brutalized' as  \nMirimoto-san was Maybe its like Jack the Ripper. He only went way out of his way  \nwith his killings when he had a lot of time on his hands. Maybe you were the victim of a  \nlight snack at an Inopportune time?\"  \n  \n\"And just what are you implying?!\" demanded Minako, her face becoming horribly  \nflushed.  \n  \n\"Or!\" laughed Usagi, \"Minako-chan really DOES have some new secret boyfriend she's  \nhiding from us! And she was so involved that she didn't even notice-!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Would you just shut up, already!\" yelled Artemis, glaring coldly at Usagi, \"Can't you see  \nthat Minako-chan's been through a rather traumatic experience?! She could have killed!  \nOr worse!\"  \n  \nThe group stared at the cat, shocked by his out burst. A second later Usagi began to cry.  \n\"I think we should go\" Minako said quietly, as she got to her feet.  \n  \n\"I I'm sorry, Usagi-chan\" apologized Artemis as he watched Minako step outside.  \n  \n\"Well! I guess this meeting's just fallen to pieces!\" grumbled Makoto, collecting her  \nthings.  \n  \n\"Look\" continued Artemis, \"There's some things that I have to discuss with Minako-  \nchan. There's more going on in her life right now than hunting some Youma with a  \nhyperactive libido. Also I may have a lead\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" the group, minus the teary eyed Usagi, inquired as one.  \n  \nThe cat shook his head sullenly. \"No Not now, I I'm sorry\" he replied.  \n  \n\"Look, if you have something more for us to go on-\" implored Rei.  \n  \n\"No,\" Artemis continued, closing his eyes tightly, \"Not now I have reason to think that  \nit might be someone close to Minako-chan. But I need to break the news to her first  \nOkay?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"How does lunchtime tomorrow sound?\" inquired Rei.  \n  \nThe cat nodded. \"For now, fine,\" he responded, \"But right just now, I have a friend to talk  \nto\"  \n  \nThe cat then ran out and dashed after Minako, who had a very unfair head start. \"Oh,  \nman!\" muttered Artemis, \"I REALLY hate the rain..!\"  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nMinako leaned against a lamppost several blocks away when Artemis finally caught up  \nwith her. Her arms were folded across her chest, hugging herself against the cold as she  \nforlornly stared at the ground.  \n  \n\"Hey,\" said the cat, shivering as the rain made him look more like a drowned rat.  \n  \nMinako looked up and Artemis could tell that she'd been crying. \"Oh, dear\" he replied  \nmostly to himself, \"Minako-chan What's wrong?\"  \n  \nShe just shook her head, and continued staring at her feet. \"Forget it!\" Minako yelled  \nover the sound of the pouring rain, shutting he eyes tightly to hold back the tears.  \n  \n\"But, you can talk to me\" implored Artemis, sitting down at her feet, \"That's part of my  \njob, right?\"  \n  \nMinako sighed, covering her eyes with her hand. \"I'm not stupid, you know,\" she  \nmuttered, \"I know what Ami found. I know when I was energy drained I felt it But I  \ntold myself it was something else\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Maybe it was\" Artemis responded, looking away, uncertain of how to continue.  \n  \n\"But that's not all\" Minako continued grimly, \"It happened when I kissed Yuri-chan!  \nArtemis-kun, so you know what it's like to always fall in love with the wrong people?!  \nEvery fragging time?!\"  \n  \n\"Minako-chan!\" Artemis interrupted, trying to sound sympathetic, \"It might NOT be her!  \nMaybe the Youma was just passing by and discreetly stole some of your energy to tie it  \nover 'till dinner! We don^t really know yet...! But as a precaution, Rei-chan and Luna-  \nchan are stopping by your school to scan Yuri-chan And who knows, maybe Ami-  \nchan's computer was way off the mark.\"  \n  \n\"Machines don^t die\" sneered Minako, trying unsuccessfully to hold back her feelings.  \n  \n\"'Lie',\" corrected Artemis quietly.  \n  \n\"What! Ever!\" Minako exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.  \n  \n\"Look,\" continued the cat, \"Maybe Yuri IS something else. But so what? She  \ndidn^t exactly strike me as 'evil'. And I AM a fairly good judge of character! And besides,  \nthere ARE a lot of other 'things' out there besides just Youma. I mean, hey, you know two  \ntalkin' cats for cryin' out loud!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako smiled a little. \"Maybe she half sobbed, half laughed, \"Maybe she's another  \nSailor Senshi I do seem to recall there being some possibility of a tenth planet out past  \nPluto\"  \n  \nArtemis looked thoughtful for a moment. \"Um No,\" he said nervously, looking around  \nin an exaggerated paranoid manner, \"As I recall, that's something else\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Minako, finally meeting the cat's gaze.  \n  \n\"Um It's nothing! Really!\" he replied in his least believable tone of voice, \"And  \nbesides, it's one of those things that'll come back to you once more of your past life  \nmemories come back..!\"  \n  \nMinako stared down at the cat, trying to hold back a smile, but soon gave in, and began  \nlaughing. \"You're lying through your pointy little teeth!\" she chuckled, bending over to  \npick up the wet cat, \"You have absolutely NO idea what^s actually out there, do you?  \nYou're just trying to make me laugh!\"  \n  \n\"Ask me no questions I sell you no flies!\" replied Artemis with the utmost of sarcasm,  \n\"And, um, thanks\"  \n  \n\"For what?\" she asked, hugging the cat close to her chest.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"For making it easier to tell you that the person you're in love with is a suspect\"  \nArtemis answered sheepishly.  \n  \n\"I suppose so\" Minako replied with a shrug.  \n  \n\"Ya, well We can do a little investigating of our own before the other's show up  \ntomorrow,\" the cat suggested, \"But I guess that our best bet is to catch her before your  \nfirst class. But it would be easier if we could just visit her at home.\"  \n  \n\"She headed west today,\" replied Minako, \"But I can^t give you much more to go on than  \nthat.\"  \n  \n\"Well, I guess that's something,\" Artemis said thoughtfully, \"Maybe Ami-chan can do  \nsome cross-referencing and find out who's moved into any vacant apartments in all the  \ndistricts west of your school Hm, she'd probably need more to go on, though.\"  \n  \n\"Are you kidding!?\" laughed Minako, \"This is Ami we're talking about here!\"  \n  \n\"Ya!\" agreed Artemis with a wide grin, \"You're probably right, but, anyways We^d  \nbest be at school early tomorrow, that way we improve our chances of catching Yuri-  \nchan before class How's an hour sound to you?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako nodded. \"No problem,\" she answered, \"So long as you don^t mind me being the  \nwalking dead first thing\"  \n  \n\"Well,\" replied Artemis with a wry grin, \"I guess you'll just be 'Sailor Walking Dead' if  \nany Youma show up!\"  \n  \n\"Don^t push it, kitty!\" Minako said with a scowl.  \n  \n\"Just kidding!\" laughed Artemis, \"Now, if you don^t mind, what do ya say we head  \nhome, okay? Pneumonia isn^t on my shopping list today!\"  \n  \n\"Sure,\" responded Minako, \"I guess my energy levels are low enough without catching  \nthe flu\"  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nThe next day, Minako and Artemis arrived at school and our and a half early, and as  \npromised, Minako was only half awake as the two sat upon a bench near the front gates  \nwaiting for Yuriko to arrive.  \n  \n\"So, what^s the plan, Artemis-kun?\" Minako inquired with a yawn.  \n  \nThe cat glanced around as various other early risers milled about. \"Um, I think we have a  \nfairly good vantage point right here,\" the cat replied, \"We can probably stay put for now.\"  \n  \n\"Sounds like a clam\" muttered Minako, her eyes half closing warily before she leaped  \nto her feet, and scaring Artemis to death. \"Yuriko-chan\" she whispered under her  \nbreath.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"What-?! Where-?!\" the cat exclaimed trying to look in all directions at once.  \n  \n\"Over there,\" Minako answered as Yuriko walked slowly towards them, her eyes  \ndowncast.  \n  \n\"Yuri-chan!\" Minako called as the girl got closer.  \n  \n\"Oh! Minako-san, greetings and salutations\" she replied sadly, stopping a few feet  \naway, and barely meeting Minako's gaze, \"I I'm so sorry about yesterday\"  \n  \n\"It^s okay,\" assured Minako, stepping over to Yuriko, and putting hands on her shoulders,  \n\"I'm glad it happened. It just makes it easier to tell you, Yuri-chan That I'm falling in  \nlove with you\"  \n  \nAs their eyes met, Minako could see tears starting to form in Yuriko's eyes, and spill  \ndown her cheeks. \"Minako-san, I\" she whispered, choosing her words carefully, \"I've  \nloved you since I first saw you in the newspaper in Osaka. And As much as I had truly  \ndreamed that you'd feel the same towards me I I just don't want to wind up hurting  \nyou\"  \n  \n\"Oh!\" replied Minako, feeling a little unnerved, \"You fell in love with me due to the  \npictures I did when I was modeling for those Sailor V publicity shots? Wow I guess I  \nshouldn't have been quite so self-conscious about my appearance!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Um, no\" continued Yuriko, shaking her head slowly, \"That's not what I meant\" She  \nreached into her carrying case and pulled out a scrapbook. Yuriko flipped through several  \npages as Minako reluctantly let go of her shoulders.  \n  \n\"This is what I meant,\" Yuriko replied, \"NOT publicity shots, Minako-san. I meant, the  \nreal thing\"  \n  \nMinako's eyes widened for a moment as she saw a newspaper article cut out, and pasted  \nto one page in the book. The picture was of the 'real' Sailor Venus, firing off a Crescent  \nBeam, with an old headline mentioning something about her stopping a bank robbery.  \nMinako thought quickly, knowing that her Sailor Senshi armor also altered her  \nappearance in such a way as to give her a level of anonymity. But, feeling worried that  \nperhaps her vanity had finally gotten her in trouble, and that Minako's 'impersonating'  \nSailor V had finally blown her cover.  \n  \n\"Minako-san, it's all right\" came Yuriko's nervous tone, \"I know about you. It^s a  \ntalent I have But I've never told anyone! I promise, I'm the only one who knows. And  \nwell When I found out that you went to school here, I couldn^t help but ask My  \nMother to transfer me here. We were going to move to Tokyo anyway But now I'm  \nafraid that I've endanger you I'm afraid of hurting you Minako-chan\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Yuri-chan\" Minako replied, as she took the girl's face in her hands and tilted her head  \nup, \"How How do you think you could hurt me..? What don^t I know..?\"  \n  \nYuriko took hold of both of Minako's hands and lowered them. \"Seeing through your  \ndisguise is something that I've always been able to do. Along with my other talent\"  \nYuriko explained sadly.  \n  \n\"Other talent?\" inquired Minako, her pulse racing as they spoke.  \n  \nYuriko nodded and continued. \"Yes, I call it 'Hiding in Plain Sight',\" she explained,  \n\"That's why I can disappear so easily. People just subconsciously ignore or forget me for  \na little while Just like we did the other day.\"  \n  \n\"Oh!\" laughed Minako, feeling relieved, \"So that's all! You're and Esper!\"  \n  \nYuriko glanced back up at Minako and put her arms around her friend. \"Please,\" she  \nimplored, \"Just hold me for a little while, my dearest Minako-chan We're shielded  \nfrom view by my talent, and after you here what I have to tell you You'll hate me  \nforever\"  \n  \nMinako embraced Yuriko, and the girl squeezed her tight. \"What is it, my love?\" Minako  \ninquired softly, as she savored the sensation of Yuriko's warm soft body pressed against  \nher own and the feeling of freedom of expression afforded by the girl's psi power.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I I\" stammered Yuriko, as she began to cry on Minako's shoulder.  \n  \n\"It's okay\" she soothed, \"You don^t have to tell me all of your secrets right away  \nEventhough you seem to know most of mine\"  \n  \n\"Only some\" admitted Yuriko guiltily, \"And one that I have no right to know\"  \n  \n\"Shhh It^s okay, Yuri-chan,\" Minako whispered, \"It was bound to happen sooner or  \nlater that someone was going to see through my disguise when I'm out stomping Youma-  \n\"  \n  \n\"That's not it\" interrupted Yuriko, shaking her head sadly, \"Minako-chan, have you  \never tasted honey..?\"  \n  \n\"Yes,\" she answered questioningly.  \n  \n\"Well, when I kissed you-\" began Yuriko.  \n  \n\"How very poetic\" replied Minako, hugging her friend appreciatively, and blushing  \nprofusely.  \n  \n\"No, you misunderstand,\" Yuriko continued, \"it was more than just your kiss\"  \n  \nMinako waited for the girl to finish, but Yuriko only shook her head. \"Maybe later,\"  \noffered Minako reassuringly, \"We have our whole lives. But, I should tell you. I have  \nsome friends stopping by here for lunch today, and-\"  \n  \n\"F-Friends?\" stammered Yuriko, looking imploringly into Minako's eyes, \"Um, can we  \nmeet them right here, by any chance?\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako nodded and gave her a questioning look. \"Sure But why?\" she inquired.  \n  \nYuriko turned away and shrugged. \"I I'd just feel better about meeting new people in  \nan as public place as possible That's all,\" she answered nervously.  \n  \n\"I understand,\" replied Minako with a smile, ands leaned forward to kiss Yuriko.  \n  \nShe turned back and tilted her head slightly before meeting Minako's lips with unveiled  \nenthusiasm. The two stood silently for several moments, simply holding one another, and  \nenjoying the comfort provided the touch of each other's soft lips. But then, Minako felt a  \nwarm drop of moisture touch her mouth.  \n  \nShe opened her eyes, and saw that Yuriko was beginning to cry. \"I I'm sorry, Minako-  \nchan,\" Yuriko said sadly as she pulled away, causing Minako' heart to sink, \"But I don^t  \nwant to hurt you\" Yuriko then broke away completely, and tore off into the crowd of  \npassing students, once again, disappearing.  \n  \n\"OH!\" there you are!\" exclaimed Artemis, after running over to Minako as she stood  \nstaring off into space, the feeling of euphoria still leaving her a little dazed, \"Where did  \nyou two go? It's like you just vanished!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Paradise\" muttered Minako softly, and licked her lips, stilling feeling Yuriko's touch  \nupon them, as well as her tears, \"I never thought that it would be such a sad place\"  \n  \n\"Yuriko-chan,\" chuckled Artemis rhetorically before noticing the look in Minako's eyes.  \n\"Hey, what's wrong, kid?\"  \n  \n\"Um They're not salty\" Minako said wonderingly.  \n  \n\"What aren't?\" the cat inquired.  \n  \n\"Yuri-chan's tears\" Minako answered, and a chill ran down Artemis' spine  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nMinako spent the morning feeling terribly alone, as for some reason, Yuriko failed to  \nattend any of their mutual classes. So, when lunchtime finally came around, Minako  \nimmediately rushed outside to where Artemis was waiting for her.  \n  \nThe cat looked up at her with a grim smile and motioned towards the street. \"They'll be  \nhere soon,\" he said quietly, \"But, are you gonna be okay? You look pale.\"  \n  \nMinako shrugged. \"Maybe,\" she responded, sitting down on the bench, \"But I have NO  \nidea where Yuriko is. She wasn't in school this morning.\"  \n  \nArtemis looked thoughtful for a moment. \"Well, there goes that plan I guess\" he  \nmuttered.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako looked over at him with tears in her eyes. \"Then I guess that's it then,\" she  \ncommented sadly, \"She's guilty by reason of omission. The others will assume that she  \nran when they were on to her Now they'll hunt her down and end it\"  \n  \n\"Minako-chan\" Artemis said guiltily, \"That's not what's going to happen I'm sure  \nshe'll turn up. And then we can go from there. We'll just wait for her\"  \n  \n\"And what it Yuri-chan IS the Youma?!\" demanded Minako, \"What then..?\"  \n  \n\"We'll deal with that possibility, when, and if it comes to that\" Artemis answered,  \nhating the way this was hurting Minako, \"But don^t worry. I'm sure it's just a coincidence.  \nI mean, any evidence that there is against her is purely circumstantial. I'm sure that  \nneither of you has anything to worry about\"  \n  \nMinako just shook her head, thinking over Yuriko's words earlier that day. Wondering  \nwhat she had so desperately wanted to tell her, but just couldn't. \"I just wish that Yuriko  \nwas here to defend herself,\" Minako muttered, \"So that we could prove her innocent.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Artemis turned away, and noticed the approaching figures of Rei, Ami. In Ami's arms  \nwas nestled Luna, and the three all wore grim expressions upon their faces. They noticed  \nMinako and Artemis almost immediately, and walked up beside them.  \n  \n\"Um, I think that we should tell you this right off, Minako-chan,\" replied Luna.  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Minako, without looking up from her contemplation of the ground at her  \nfeet.  \n  \n\"Well, it's just that we found a very old news paper article from Osaka,\" explained Ami,  \npulling a photocopied newspaper article, and handed to Minako, \"We thought that it was  \nonly fair that we told you\"  \n  \nMinako looked up, and took the piece of paper without a word. She stared blankly at it  \nfor several long seconds, before her eyes went wide, and began tearing up. The headline  \nread, \"Family of Honor's Student Slain. Daughter Presumed Kidnapped\". There was a  \npicture associated with it of Yuriko. Minako shuddered slightly, but continued reading. It  \nwent on to say that Yuriko's parents were slain in their beds, and that all that was found  \nof Yuriko were some torn bed clothes and signs of a struggle  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako dropped the paper and stared blankly forward in silence. \"I'm sorry, Minako-  \nchan,\" Ami said quietly, and put her hand on Minako's shoulder for emotional support,  \n\"If It you need to talk\"  \n  \n\"It's not your fault,\" whispered Minako, feeling cold all over.  \n  \n\"So what now?\" Artemis asked Luna quietly.  \n  \nThe cat shrugged. \"I guess we should find out where she lives,\" replied Luna, \"It's still  \npossible that there's more to this Some Youma do keep humans as slaves for extended  \nperiods. Sometimes using them like livestock, feeding from them when hunting is too  \ndangerous to be worth the bother. Yuriko-san may still just be an innocent victim in all of  \nthis\"  \n  \nMinako shuddered at Luna's words. The thought of some vile Youma using her as a food  \nsupply filling her with contempt. But still, there was the possibly that Yuriko had been  \nEmbraced by it instead. She could have been lying about being an Esper, her abilities  \ncould very well have been Youma powers. But Minako tried not to think about that.  \n  \n\"I I think I need to be alone, guys\" she commented, feeling a little sick, \"If you think  \nthat it's for the best Go check out the school's records for her address. \"But, promise  \nme this. If she IS a Youma I don^t want to be there when you guys End this\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"We understand\" replied Luna.  \n  \n\"I'm sorry, Minako-chan,\" Ami said again, as her friend turned and walked away.  \n  \n\"I know\" Minako said forlornly as she left them all standing by the gates  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nMinako found the tree she would always meet Artemis by, and leaned against it. She let  \nout a long sigh, and looked up into the ginkgo's leaves. \"You can come out now,\" she said  \nevenly to the empty air.  \n  \n\"How How did you know..?\" came Yuriko's startled voice from behind her.  \n  \n\"Lucky guess,\" responded Minako, turning to see Yuriko leaning against the opposite  \nside of the tree, her arms folded across her chest.  \n  \n\"Minako-chan, I-I'm so sorry that I couldn't tell you-\" began Yuriko.  \n  \n\"But I guess I'm just getting used to you hiding things from me,\" interrupted Minako,  \n\"So What's the whole story? Just tell me. At this point I can take anything\"  \n  \nYuriko took a deep breath before pushing herself away form the ginkgo tree and moved  \nto face Minako. \"A long while ago SHE came looking for a daughter Someone to  \ncarry on Her legacy. It was because of my being an Esper that She chose me,\" Yuriko  \nexplained, her deep green eyes seeming distant as she spoke, \"But, I wasn't quite what  \nshe'd bargained for I'm NOT like Her. I refuse to be Anyway, a reasonably short  \ntime ago, I heard about Sailor V. I became quite a fan of hers So I tried to find out  \neverything I could about her And eventually, I found myself quite in love with you,  \nMinako-chan. Then, when I found out that you lived in Tokyo, I begged and pleaded with  \nHer to relocate us to Tokyo. I made up all kinds of excuses And made Made a few  \nscarifies But we moved here. And now, I've finally met you in person, I think I know  \nwhat I really want But first I just want you to know, that I never told Her anything  \nabout you, my love You're safe from Her But I'm not. And that's why That's why I  \nwant you to end this Soon\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako met her gaze and took Yuriko's hand. \"I promise,\" she said, \"That I'll take care of  \nthis creature that's been using you. And then no one will hurt you. Not ever again, my  \ndearest Yuriko\"  \n  \nYuriko shook her head. \"No, Minako-chan\" she replied sadly, \"There's more to this  \nthan you think\"  \n  \nMinako's heart sank as the painful realization sunk in completely. \"Then You are  \nA A\" she stammered, unable to get the words out.  \n  \n\"Minako\" sobbed Yuriko, taking Minako in her arms and crying onto her shoulder,  \n\"Please If you truly love me, don^t say it Please just don't say those awful words\"  \n  \nMinako closed her eyes tightly, fighting back the tears, she clenching her fists as she felt  \nher anger build. She felt angry with herself for not accepting the truth sooner, she felt  \nmad at the universe for never allowing her a \"normal\" relationship, and she was  \nconsumed with hatred for the inhuman, twisted creature that had ruined Yuriko's life  \nforever  \n  \n\"So What happens now..?\" she asked, through gritted teeth, and put her arms carefully  \naround her friend, no longer caring about the consequences of close contact with Yuriko.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; I Want you to end this\" Yuriko whispered almost inaudibly in Minako's ear, \"I can^t  \nkeep going on like this Being something less than human Sustaining myself by  \ndrinking Her corrupted energy\"  \n  \n\"So She did Embrace you then..?\" commented Minako, suddenly experiencing a  \nterrible calm.  \n  \n\"Yes\" admitted Yuriko, sobbing and letting forth a new gush of tears, \"and that's  \nwhy Why I was so afraid to spend too much time with you Just in case I Hurt  \nyou But please, Minako-chan, believe me when I say that I never hurt anyone. I could  \nnever Infact, the strange thing is, is that I require a victim who's mostly willing. That's  \none reason why I've had to stay with Her. So that I could have someone to feed from and  \nnot have to worry But now Now I just want it all to end. And I Really do want  \nyou to know, that I DO love you, Minako Honestly, I do And that's why I want it  \nto be you. I want you To kill me\"  \n  \nMinako's entire body tensed up, and she held Yuriko tighter, as she felt the knot in her  \nstomach twist. \"No\" she said softly, and with determination, \"Yuri-chan, I can't do  \nthat But I do believe you. Eventhough I know that my friends probably wouldn't.  \nEventhough I know that they'd probably just kill you after they take out your 'Mother'  \nBut I Just love you too much to hurt you\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"But after they kill her Which, I've made almost certain will happen eventually, I'll  \nstarve to death\" replied Yuriko, nuzzling Minako's neck beneath her thick hair.  \n  \n\"No,\" Minako replied resolutely, \"I won^t let that happen. You You can feed from  \nme\"  \n  \n\"Minako-chan I couldn't I can't!\" Yuriko responded, trying to push away.  \n  \n\"You can just take a little. Whenever you need it,\" responded Minako, refusing to let  \nYuriko go.  \n  \n\"But I kinda inherited one of Her quirks\" Yuriko said carefully, \"The way I have to  \nfeed I\"  \n  \n\"I know,\" Minako replied, blushing slightly, \"You require intimate contact\"  \n  \n\"Yes, yes I do,\" admitted Yuriko, \"But at times, only a kiss is required. But, for a more  \nprecise and accurate feeding, more intense contact is required. Something about  \nendorphins, I think And some other stuff. But, if I were to just continue taking energy  \nthrough a kiss, I might accidentally take too much Also, the person I feed from must  \nconsent wholeheartedly to the physical contact or all I get is a head ache\"  \n  \n\"So, that's why that first time we kissed\" pondered Minako.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Yes\" interrupted Yuriko guiltily, \"I-I'm so sorry, but I was so hungry She barely  \ngives me enough to sustain myself\"  \n  \n\"Shhh It's okay,\" reassured Minako, rubbing Yuriko's back comfortingly, \"I love you,  \nYuriko-chan, and I'll take care of you from now on. I don^t care what it takes You can  \nfeed form me. So long as you're careful, there shouldn^t be any problems, right?\"  \n  \n\"Minako-chan, I I can^t ask you to do that\" responded Yuriko, shaking her head,  \n\"What if If you saw me In my Other form...?\"  \n  \n\"It's okay,\" assured Minako, suddenly feeling a little nervous at the prospect of just what  \nshe was suggesting, \"Anything if it means that we can be together, and that that thing that  \ndid this to you pays for what she did\"  \n  \nYuriko shuddered. \"You have no idea But I guess in some ways, I was using Her\"  \nshe replied with much dread, \"And I thank you for your sediments. Most times I can't  \nbear to recall the thing's she makes me do in order to let me feed She's so sick And  \ncruel\"  \n  \nMinako held Yuriko for several moments as the girl cried. She sobbed occasionally,  \ntrying to speak, but Minako quieted her and just Yuriko cry as they held each other.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Don^t worry,\" Minako said as comfortingly as she could, \"The other Sailor Senshi will  \ntake care Her shortly. And then you'll be free. I promise, I won^t let my friends hurt you.  \nEven if we have to run away together\"  \n  \n\"Thank you, Minako-chan But There's just one thing\" Yuriko finally managed, as  \nshe looked into her friend's eyes searchingly, as Minako wiped away her tears, \"I I  \nhaven^t fed since we kissed each other in the rain\"  \n  \nMinako smiled and kissed her softly upon the lips. \"Then I guess there's no time like  \nthe present,\" she replied nervously, \"I think that we can get away with only a half day at  \nschool. And besides, I've been meaning to take you home for lunch!\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled weakly. \"You are a beautiful person, Aino-sama. And far too generous\"  \nshe replied wistfully, \"You^re just far too good to me And you're far more than I  \ndeserve\"  \n  \nMinako smiled and kissed Yuriko again, this time on her ear before hugging her again.  \n\"Hey,\" she said with a bit of a laugh, \"I'm the Senshi of Love And I love you. I guess I  \njust want to make things better for you, my dear I just want you to be happy, that's  \nall\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko shook her head. \"No\" she replied, \"I don^t want you to do this only for me It  \nhas to be for you as well It wouldn't be right otherwise\"  \n  \nMinako smiled. \"There's a saying that says that at it's most basic level, love is a selfish  \nact,\" she commented, \"We do things to make the person we love happy. Because when  \nthey're happy, they love us more. Thus, we get our needed emotional support, and they do  \nthings to make us happy, to make us love them more It's a terribly vicious cycle, but I  \nwouldn't have it any other way\"  \n  \n\"Thank you,\" Yuriko sighed contentedly, as she buried her face in Minako's hair to cut  \nherself off completely from the outside world, \"For the first time in so long, I feel safe  \nThank you, Minako-chan\"  \n  \n\"You're welcome, my love\" Minako replied  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nBefore too long, Minako and Yuriko were standing outside the front door of Minako's  \nparent's apartment. Minako spent several nervous seconds fumbling for her keys, but  \neventually she managed to open the door. She then quickly stepped in to disarm the  \nalarm, and ushered Yuriko inside.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Come in! Come in!\" she stammered nervously, as she shook with nervous excitement,  \nand was unable to stop grinning like an idiot, \"My parents won^t be back 'till late. So we  \nshouldn't have to worry too much.\"  \n  \n\"You sound more like you're attempting to reassure yourself than me,\" observed Yuriko  \nin a subdued tone as she glanced around, and removed her shoes, \"But, you're right. We  \nhave all the time in the world\"  \n  \nMinako turned to her and took her friend's hand. \"I know,\" she said, with a smile, \"But  \nI I've never done anything like this before.\"  \n  \nYuriko looked sad for a moment and replied, \"In a way Neither have I. For I've never  \nbeen with anyone that I've genuinely cared for\"  \n  \n\"Oh,\" whispered Minako, putting her arms around Yuriko, \"I'm so sorry\"  \n  \n\"It's okay,\" Yuriko responded, \"There's nothing you could have done to change that fact.  \nBut if you're willing to stay with me, Minako-chan, I know that I can put it all behind  \nme\"  \n  \nMinako nodded, and stretched out her arm to lock the door. \"Um Are you thirsty?\" she  \ninquired, trying to lighten the mood, \"Assuming that is, that you can\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko chuckled softly and kissed her on the cheek. \"Yes,\" she responded, \"I certainly  \ncan, and I am.\"  \n  \n\"Well then,\" replied Minako conversationally, \"I guess then that there's a whole lot more  \nabout you that I still have to learn.\"  \n  \n  \n\"Don^t you mean, 'about my kind'?\" inquired Yuriko somewhat cynically.  \n  \n\"I-! That's not what I said\" Minako responded tensely.  \n  \n\"But it's what you were thinking Wasn't it?\" continued Yuriko, \"And, I'll understand if  \nyou want to end this charade right now\"  \n  \n\"NO!\" exclaimed Minako, desperately holding onto Yuriko, as tears formed in her eyes,  \n\"Yuri-chan, I love you And I don^t care what you are It changes nothing.\"  \n  \n\"Thank you,\" she replied in a quiet whisper, \"I just needed to hear it from you. And yes,  \nthere is a lot you don^t know yet Perhaps this shall be a learning experience for the  \nboth of us. You can learn about my kind and I can learn what it's like to make love  \nto someone I care for\"  \n  \n\"No,\" Minako said, chuckling under her breath, \"Not make love 'to'. Make love 'with'\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled and rested her head against Minako's shoulder for a moment, before  \npulling away, and holding both her hands. \"Thanks,\" she said with a contented smile, and  \nslowly leading Minako farther in to the apartment, \"But right now, I am rather  \ndehydrated.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"No problem,\" Minako replied and turned them both around to lead Yuriko to the  \nkitchen.  \n  \nOnce there, she took out two glasses, and poured each a glass of orange juice. \"I used to  \npractically live on this,\" Yuriko commented as she gratefully accepted the drink, \"But  \nlately I've only had access to water But I still do need it, so that I don^t dehydrate\"  \n  \n\"But you still enjoy the taste right?\" inquired Minako hopefully.  \n  \nYuriko nodded in reply, and looked thoughtfully down at the cold liquid.  \n  \n\"Then it's a sign of your humanity shining through,\" replied Minako, taking a sip of her  \njuice.  \n  \n\"I suppose so,\" Yuriko replied thoughtfully smiling, \"It's good to know that some one  \nbelieves in me\"  \n  \n\"And that someone loves you,\" said Minako, walking over to Yuriko and taking a deep  \nsip of her orange juice, before pressing her lips against the girl's.  \n  \nYuriko's eyes widened in surprise, but she slowly parted her lips slightly as Minako  \nkissed her anyway. Minako found herself starting to giggle a little, as Yuriko was caught  \noff guard by what she had done. Yuriko almost gasped, as she tasted cold, sweet orange  \njuice upon her tongue, causing some of it to dribble from between their joined lips as  \nMinako tried not to laugh. Yuriko then sighed, and tilted her head to one side, as to allow  \nMinako to kiss her properly, and almost gasped a second time, as a trickle of liquid made  \nit's way down her neck and underneath her tunic.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; The two both carefully tried not to spill anymore as they opened their lips a little wider,  \nswallowing slowly as their tongue cautiously met, and tentatively entwined. They both  \nsighed contented, and held each other for several long moments as they drank up the last  \nof their shared orange juice. Minako then pulled back slightly and carefully licked the  \nsweet stickiness from Yuriko's lips.  \n  \nYuriko smiled mischievously as Minako tilted her head to kiss her again. \"You missed a  \nspot,\" she giggled, and glanced downward.  \n  \nMinako paused, and took a second to put take both their glasses and place them the  \ncounter, as she noticed the almost invisible line of liquid that had previously made it's  \nway from Yuriko's lip, down over her chin and neck, to disappear down the inside of her  \ntunic.  \n  \nMinako gulped, shaking a little nervously, as she became intensely aware of the small  \ncurves in the fabric of Yuriko's top. \"I see\" she said, trying to focus her thoughts as  \nYuriko's breathing quickened, causing her chest to move slightly up and down in an  \nappealing manner.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"It^s still quite cold!\" Yuriko gasped suddenly, grasping Minako's arms for support, and  \nbrought Minako back to reality.  \n  \nShe glanced up and met Yuriko's intense gaze. \"Well then,\" she said in most sultry voice,  \n\"I guess I'll just have to warm you up, now won^t I..?\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled, and bit her lower lip as she watched Minako slid her hands up under her  \ntunic, before slowly pushing it upwards, her hands running over Yuriko's stomach. As  \nMinako's hands moved slowly higher, she could feel goosebumps rising along Yuriko's  \nsoft skin.  \n  \n\"Nervous?\" she asked, her own voice a being a little shaky.  \n  \nYuriko nodded. \"A little,\" she replied, nodding slightly.  \n  \n\"Good!\" teased Minako, and leaned forward to kiss her.  \n  \nIn response Yuriko leaned forward to meet her lips, but Minako only aloud for the  \nslightest touch before pulling away with mischievous smile. Yuriko gave her a hungry  \nlook, and leaned forward again, but Minako only giggled and moved to one side, before  \nkissing Yuriko playfully on the neck.  \n  \n\"It's not nice to tease\" Yuriko said in a serious tone, grasping both of Minako's  \nshoulders firmly, as her eyes glowed slightly for the briefest of moments.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I-!\" began Minako, feeling startled by the reaction, but was suddenly interrupted by  \nYuriko's lips pressed firmly against her own.  \n  \nShe resisted for only a moment, before catching her breath, and sighing contentedly, as  \nYuriko's tongue passed between their lips and to find Minako's. Yuriko them turned  \nMinako around and pushed her up against the wall, surprising her a little, but sending  \nchills down her spine none the less.  \n  \nNot to be out done, Minako continued her work on Yuriko's tunic, pushing it upwards as  \nher hands carefully explored her lover's body, until she could feel the fabric of Yuriko's  \nbra beneath her fingertips. There was then a tense pause, as they parted their lips long  \nenough for Yuriko's top to be completely removed. She had to struggle a little to extricate  \nherself from her sleeves, much to Minako's bemusement, but soon the garment was  \ntossed onto the kitchen floor.  \n  \n\"Wow\" whispered Minako under her breath, her hands on Yuriko's hips as she assessed  \nthe girl's proportions with an impressed look.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I take it you approve,\" Yuriko inquired, tilting her head to one side and smiling  \ninvitingly, before reaching up and taking Minako's face in her hands and slowly pulling  \nher friend towards her.  \n  \n\"Very much so\" admitted Minako, blushing profusely as her lips met Yuriko's.  \n  \nAs they kissed, she could feel Yuriko's hands slide back, over her ears and through her  \nlong silky hair. Minako smiled, and moved down a little, feeling just a little less nervous  \nwith each kiss she placed upon Yuriko's pale neck on her path downwards.  \n  \nMeanwhile, Yuriko's hands took twin handfuls of Minako's abundant hair as she arched  \nher back in response to Minako's kisses. She sighed softly as Minako reached her  \ncollarbone, and pulled gently at Minako's hair, urging her ever downwards.  \n  \nMinako chuckled to herself as she was pulled down and soon tasted the rouge dribble of  \norange juice that had left a sticky sweet trail down Yuriko's chest. She paused just long  \nenough to bend her knees slightly, and felt the hair on the back of her neck rise in  \nreflection of her nervousness, as Minako found herself within striking distance of  \nYuriko's breasts. She glanced down at the simple white bra the girl wore and kissed her  \njust above them before glancing up at Yuriko.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"It'sIt^s okay\" whispered Yuriko, her eyes closed tightly, with a look of desperate  \nexpectation upon her face, her fingers still urging Minako forward.  \n  \nMinako took a deep breath, causing Yuriko's body to shiver slightly as Minako's warm  \nbreath ran across her exposed skin, before finding the courage to continue.  \nExperimentally, Minako gave Yuriko's left breast a soft kiss over her bra, and glanced up  \nto gage her reaction.  \n  \nYuriko's body seemed to tense up a little, pushing Minako's head back towards her.  \n\"Don^t be scared\" urged Yuriko, reaching around to undo the front facing clasp that  \nheld the garment closed.  \n  \nMinako nodded slightly, and ran her lips over the hard little bump she found, before  \ngiving it a gentle nibble with her teeth. As she pulled back, though, Minako gasped once  \nagain, as Yuriko's bra fell away, revealing her torso completely.  \n  \n\"You're beautiful,\" Minako replied adoringly, and leaned up to kiss Yuriko playfully on  \nthe chin, before dropping back down and wetting her lips.  \n  \n\"Thank you\" Yuriko responded, feeling somehow unworthy of the comment, which  \nwas far from an exaggeration.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako then went back up her task, carefully running her tongue down the trail of orange  \njuice that had stopped pretty much between Yuriko's breasts, before giving her a kiss  \nbetween them, causing Yuriko to giggle slightly,  \n  \n\"That tickles\" she commented, as Minako's tongue then moved slowly and tentatively  \nup and over the gentle curve of Yuriko's right breast.  \n  \nMinako had to fight back a sudden shyness, though, as her tongue touched Yuriko's  \nnipple, causing the girl to gasp suddenly. Minako gulped down her nervousness and  \ncontinued, finding no reason to stop. As she ran her tongue in a slow tight circle around  \nthe girl's hardened nipple, Minako ran her hands up higher, over Yuriko's flat stomach  \nand ran her fingers over the soft firmness of Yuriko's smallish breasts.  \n  \nMinako was so involved, almost fascinated by the way Yuriko's body responded to her  \nslightest touch, that she barely noticed the way Yuriko was now tugging at the bottom of  \nher tunic, bringing the garment up to just under Minako's arms.  \n  \nMinako gave a slight sigh of contentment as Yuriko's hands copied her movements,  \ncupping the firm round orbs of Minako's bosom as she squeezed Yuriko's small, pink  \nnipples between her fingers, and gave one of them a careful nibble.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I thought- I thought you said you'd never done this before Minako-chan\" teased  \nYuriko, her knees suddenly feeling weak.  \n  \nMinako blushed a little and smiled. \"I'm just doing what I like having done\" she  \nadmitted, straightening up to face Yuriko before allowing her tunic to be removed.  \n  \n\"That makes good sense,\" commented Yuriko thoughtfully, admiring her friend's half  \nnaked form, \"But, I was wondering Can we move this to your room?\"  \n  \n\"Of course,\" assured Minako, brushing her fingers across Yuriko's cheek before the girl  \nkissed her fingers affectionately.  \n  \nMinako sighed contentedly, and put her arms around Yuriko. \"Okay, she replied with a  \nsmirk, \"Let's go before I forget where it is!\"  \n  \nYuriko giggled a little and shook her head in amusement. \"It must be nice to have your  \nown room,\" she commented as Minako lead her down the hall by the hand.  \n  \n\"I take it take that you currently live in less than pleasant accommodations\" Minako  \ninquired solemnly.  \n  \n\"Indeed,\" her friend replied simply, with sadness in her voice and a distance in her eyes.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I'm sorry, Yuri-chan...\" Minako replied, taking Yuriko in her arms, \"I didn^t mean to  \ndredge that up again\"  \n  \n\"It's okay,\" whispered Yuriko, resting her head on Minako's shoulder as they stopped just  \ninside Minako's bedroom, thankful for the small comfort she found in the simple act, \"It's  \nmy fault. But, I was hoping in some way That just being with you would make me  \nforget it all\"  \n  \n\"Some times we just need to forget our lot in life, replied Minako, running her fingers up  \nand down Yuriko's spine, applying a little pressure with her fingertips to relieve some of  \nher friend's tension.  \n  \n\"But I can't forget it all,\" Yuriko said with determination, \"I can^t just deny what I am  \nAnd maybe I shouldn't.\"  \n  \n\"So long as you don^t deny what you were,\" added Minako, \"And what you still are.\"  \n  \n\"Well, my other form isn^t exactly esthetically pleasing, my dear,\" commented Yuriko  \nsadly, \"And it is a concern of mine that if you ever see it... You'll be afraid of me... And  \nyou won^t love me any more\"  \n  \nMinako shook her head. \"No, Yuri-chan,\" she whispered in reply, her lips close to  \nYuriko's ear, \"You're beautiful, in any form. A few cosmetic changes aren^t going to  \nchange my feelings towards you. So long as when When I'm old and gray You'll still  \nbe willing to love me\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Absotively,\" Yuriko answered, and moved her head to face Minako with moisture in her  \neyes, \"I shall always love you. For what right do I have to judge you When I'm the  \nonly monster here...\"  \n  \n\"No\" assured Minako, wiping away Yuriko's tears away with the backs of her fingers,  \n\"Just because your tears are saltless, and you need to make with me in order just to  \nsurvive Doesn^t mean that you're not a caring, kind, compassionate, beautiful girl. And  \nas I said, I love you. No matter what.\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled and kissed Minako lightly upon the lips. \"Thank you again,\" she said,  \n\"Especially for putting up with me.\"  \n  \nMinako shook her head slowly. \"Hey,\" she said with a grin, \"It's all part of the job.\"  \n  \n\"Being the Senshi Of Love?\" inquired Yuriko, cheering up somewhat.  \n  \n\"You bet!\" laughed Minako, spinning both of them around 180 degrees before letting go  \nof Yuriko and sitting down on the bed, \"I guess one of the privileges, though, is the  \nability to fall in love fairly easily. Especially with someone like you Eventhough it's so  \nnew So different So wonderful!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; She let herself fall backwards onto the bed, and smiled as Yuriko moved to lean over  \nMinako, supporting herself on her hands. \"And there are certain advantages to my  \ncondition as well,\" admitted Yuriko, blushing a little.  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Minako, arranging Yuriko's long braids so that they hung down on either  \nside of her pretty face, as opposed to trailing off behind her as they normally did.  \n  \nYuriko watched her movements for a moment, and then smiled mischievously as she  \nslowly leaned forward. Minako gasped as she took the front facing clasp of Minako's bra  \nin her teeth and pulled up slightly. Yuriko then closed her mouth around the clasp for a  \nmoment, as Minako could see a look of concentration on her face before the bra popped  \nopen.  \n  \n\"Wow!\" exclaimed Minako in amazement, as Yuriko seemed to take another moment to  \nmake some kind of adjustment to the inside of her mouth with her tongue, \"That's some  \ntrick! How'd you do it?\"  \n  \n\"Nimble tongue\" commented Yuriko, glancing around nervously before meeting  \nMinako's gaze long enough for her pretty emerald green eyes to glow slightly with an  \neerie luminescence for a brief second, and tried desperately not to laugh.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Should I be afraid?\" asked Minako teasingly as Yuriko stood up and began undoing the  \nbuttons on the side of her skirt.  \n  \nYuriko glanced up and smiled. \"Depends\" she purred, \"Are you afraid of trying  \nsomething knew?\" She took no small amount of pleasure in the look she got from Minako  \nas the remainder of her uniform fell about her ankles.  \n  \nMinako dropped her head back upon her bed, and covered her face with her hands to hide  \nher embarrassment at her suddenly strong feeling of arousal. All the while, she could hear  \nYuriko sit down on the floor upon her knees and soon felt Yuriko's hands upon her  \nankles, sliding her socks off before moving slowly up her athletic calves to her knees.  \n  \n\"Oh!\" gasped Minako in surprise at the unfamiliar touch of Yuriko's soft nimble fingers  \npressing against her skin lightly as her skirt was slowly pushed up, causing Minako's  \npulse to race as she realized what Yuriko had in mind, \"I-! Um!\"  \n  \nYuriko stopped immediately, dropping her hands as she knelt before Minako, and letting  \nthe girl's skirt fall mostly back into place. \"I'm sorry, Minako-chan,\" came Yuriko's  \nconcerned apology, \"If If I've done something to offend you\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"No! No, not at all,\" assured Minako, sitting up, \"That's not it at all I It's just all so  \nnew to me, and I've never had anyone do THAT to me before. That's all. I got a little  \nnervous for a second is all.\"  \n  \n\"Oh, I see\" pondered Yuriko thoughtfully, with an odd look crossing her face, \"Then I  \nam honored to be the first person that you allow to help you to experience this one simple  \njoy that you've denied yourself all this time, Minako-san\"  \n  \nMinako chuckled softly, kissing Yuriko on the forehead teasingly before falling back  \ndown again. \"You're NOT in school right now, Agasha-sama!\" she laughed, taking  \nYuriko's hand, and giving it a squeeze, \"You needn't be so formal.\"  \n  \nYuriko looked away for a moment, staring out the window. \"I know,\" she said, trying to  \nexplain, \"But it's like I said the other day in the rain I don^t like loosing control. And  \nthe way I speak is part of way that I maintain control. Even my hairstyle is an element of  \nmy self-control, and my victory over my dark side And my less than human  \nurges\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Oh, I see,\" commented Minako, struggling back up to a sitting position yet again, \"I'm  \nsorry. I didn^t know But surely there are times when you just let go Like maybe  \nwhen you You know\"  \n  \nYuriko shook her head slightly. \"No,\" she answered quite simply, \"I've never allowed  \nmyself to experience THAT sensation I'm concerned as to what will happen if I ever  \ndo\"  \n  \n\"Fireworks, my love\" replied Minako, raising Yuriko's hand to her mouth and each of  \nthe girl's delicate finger tips in turn, \"And I am honored to be the first person that you  \nallow to help you to experience this one simple joy that you've denied yourself all this  \ntime, Yuriko-chan\"  \n  \n\"Hey,\" replied Yuriko with a smile, \"You didn^t mess up saying that.\"  \n  \nMinako grinned as Yuriko turned to meet her gaze. \"It thumbs and grows!\" she laughed.  \n  \n\"You did that on purpose!\" Yuriko chuckled.  \n  \n\"Ask me no questions, I sell you no flies!\" Minako exclaimed, bursting out laughing and  \nburying her face in her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment at being so silly.  \n  \nYuriko shook her head, finding it strange that her smile refused to fade. \"I I guess  \nyou're keeping your promise, Minako-chan,\" she replied, with an odd feeling of  \ncontentment.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Of course,\" Minako replied, placing Yuriko's hand upon her knee once more, \"Now I  \nseem to recall that you were in the middle of showing myself something new, my love?\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled broadly. \"Of course\" Yuriko responded, moving back down, and  \nrepeating her previous actions of placing her pale hands against Minako's ankles and  \nslowly moving them upwards. All the while maintaining eye contact, and savoring the  \nsoft feel of Minako's skin beneath her fingers.  \n  \nMinako gulped as a chill ran down her spine once Yuriko had reached her previous  \nstopping point at her knees. This time, though, Minako moved them wider apart, as her  \nskirt was brought up and Yuriko gave each of her knees an affectionate kiss as her hands  \nran along Minako's outer thighs.  \n  \nMinako leaned back as far as she could, biting her lower lip and arching her back, and  \nbarely noticing her own soft sighs as Yuriko kissed her way up, over Minako's inner  \nthighs in an alternating pattern of soft kisses. In response, Minako ran her hands along the  \ntwin braids that Yuriko's was tied in and took hold of the ends, tugging at them and  \nurging Yuriko towards more intimate areas, as her legs hung off the end of the bed.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko giggled a little, tasting the needful urgency of Minako's desire with other senses  \nthat she only dimly understood, as the girl unfastened her skirt and shuffled it down past  \nher knees. Yuriko took advantage of this, and after a few seconds of patiently waiting for  \nMinako to extricate herself from the garment, she shuffled forward on her knees. Their  \nnaked skin then touched for the first time, sending excited chills through both girls, as  \nYuriko descended upon Minako, and placed a firm kiss against her labia through her  \npanties.  \n  \nMinako gasped in response, somehow partially unraveling Yuriko's braids as she pulled  \nat their ties, allowing the girl's hair to fall partially free, as she moved her legs a little  \nfarther apart. Yuriko paused for a moment as she tugged playfully at Minako's panties,  \nbut decided to let it go, and began sliding the tip of her tongue carefully over the soft,  \nsensitive skin that she was slowly exposing.  \n  \n\"I think you're going to drive me completely over the edge just with pure expectation!\"  \nmurmured Minako, her breathing becoming more labored, as Minako tried to keep herself  \nfrom squirming too much.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"It's much more fun that way,\" commented Yuriko slyly, watching the expression on  \nMinako's face change with near fascination as she pulled the girl's undergarments over  \nher knees and down off her athletic legs.  \n  \nMinako smiled, panting slightly to catch her breath before Yuriko could start up where  \nshe left off, and used a pillow to prop her head up so that she could watch. \"Of course,  \nthat just means that I'll have to do the same to you later\" she commented lustily.  \n  \n\"I certainly hope so\" Yuriko replied, innocently looking down at Minako, as she began  \nto weave her tongue over Minako's naked skin once again.  \n  \nMinako drew in a deep breath, digging her nails into Yuriko's shoulders as the girl's  \ntongue finally found its way to her hardened clit. Yuriko couldn^t help giggle as Minako  \nheld her breath as her clit was touched by a female tongue for the first time.  \n  \nMinako let out a long sigh as the tension she felt was finally released with the gentle  \ntouch of Yuriko's soft tongue. Watching with great interest, as her mind swam in ecstasy,  \nMinako took twin fistfuls of her bed's blanket when she noticed and felt the way Yuriko  \nwove her tongue teasingly around and around her clit, avoiding it by mere millimeters,  \nafter licking it but once.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Oh! I think you're teasing me way to much!\" Minako replied, moaning softly under her  \nbreath as Yuriko's tongue sent little sparks of pleasure through her synapses.  \n  \n\"I know!\" responded Yuriko with a wide grin before covering the entire area with her  \nmouth and sucking hard against it, whist she licked maddeningly at Minako's clit. She ran  \nthe tip of her tongue around it as close to the bottom as possible, before making swift  \ntight circles upon the top of it while pushing down hard with her tongue.  \n  \nMinako pushed her head hard against the pillow, her eyes shut tightly, as the semi-  \nfamiliar sensation spread through her. Minako cried out joyously as she felt her insides  \nconvulse and the building finally let go as her emotionally charged release took hold of  \nthe girl.  \n  \nShe squeezed her eyes tightly closed, as her whole body spasmed. Her breathing  \nbecoming gasping shrieks through gritted teeth, as Yuriko watched Minako's  \nperformance appreciatively, her teeth carefully giving Minako's hyper-sensitive clit a  \nlittle nibble before giving it a soft kiss, and moving up to hold Minako in her arms as the  \ngirl came down.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Thank you\" Minako whispered as her almost musical sighs and gasps faded away to  \nslow deep breaths, and opened her eyes as she brushed Yuriko's now loose hair away  \nfrom her deep green eyes.  \n  \n\"I'm not quite finished yet,\" Yuriko said softly, before reaching back with her right hand,  \nand running two fingers through the moistness that she found between Minako's legs.  \n  \n\"Oh-! I-!\" exclaimed Minako, her eyes going wide.  \n  \n\"Shhh\" soothed Yuriko, kissing her gently up the lips to silence her for a moment,  \n\"Just relax Don^t be afraid to just let go\"  \n  \n\"But I just di-!\" exclaimed Minako, feeling one of Yuriko's slender fingers begin to  \nslowly slide its way up inside her to the second knuckle. Minako somehow found the  \nstrength to put her arms around Yuriko and bit lightly into her shoulder as she caught her  \nbreath.  \n  \nYuriko continued, though, kissing Minako's neck as her finger wove its way around  \ninside of Minako, slowly pushing farther in every few moments. Minako gasped and  \nleaned forward to kiss Yuriko full upon the lips, savoring the sensation of the slow,  \ncareful penetration of Yuriko's finger.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; It explored around inside of her for several moments, as Minako's inner walls clamped  \ntightly around it while it made seemingly impossible movements, bringing Minako closer  \nto cumming yet again. But, as the pressure built inside of her, Yuriko began pulling it  \nback out, causing Minako to break off their kiss and give her a mildly hurt look before  \nshe saw the girl smile and bring her wetted finger up to eye level.  \n  \nMinako gave her a somewhat suspicious look as Yuriko smiled a little shyly before  \nleaning on her left arm for support, and touching her finger to Minako's lips, spreading  \nthe wetness across them. Minako's eyes widened in surprise as she blushed profusely.  \n  \n\"Don^t be afraid,\" whispered Yuriko encouragingly, before drawing her finger back,  \nputting into her mouth before sucking at it, and sighing contentedly.  \n  \nMinako gave a sideways glance and smiled shyly as she carefully licked her lips. \"Oh!\"  \nshe whispered under her breath in surprise, \"I I never knew\"  \n  \n\"That you had such pleasant body chemistry?\" inquired Yuriko with a smile, \"Well, you  \ndo. And from my point of view it's amplified We do have rather improved senses after  \nall\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako nodded and met Yuriko's gaze, before going back to almost absentmindedly  \nuntangling the girl's hair. Combing her fingers through it affectionately, as Yuriko lay  \nbeside her, their legs still in a bit of an tangle.  \n  \n\"I could tell that you did by just sitting next to you in class,\" she admitted, sliding to one  \nside of Minako and tracing a line down Minako's neck with her index finger, chuckling  \nslightly as Minako caught her breath when Yuriko's finger continued lightly downwards,  \npassing between her breasts.  \n  \nYuriko glanced at Minako's face and found her intently watching as she placed hand  \nupon Minako's sternum. Yuriko sent her fingers over the soft skin of Minako's  \nendowment, slowly revealing the girl's breasts, one at a time, by moving the cups of her  \nbra away. At last leaving Minako naked before Yuriko after a few long tense moments.  \n  \n\"I sincerely hope that you never grow wary of my affection, my love,\" whispered Yuriko,  \nrunning just her finger tips lazily across Minako's breasts, and watching the way her  \nsmall pink nipples hardened to Yuriko's touch.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Never\" promised Minako with a bit of concern in her voice, but no lack of sincerity,  \n\"You've captured my heart, and shown me a joy that I'd never contemplated I can't  \nimagine how anyone could ever let you go\"  \n  \n\"Thank you, Minako-chan,\" Yuriko said quietly, leaning down so that she could kiss  \nMinako, while sliding the straps of the girl's bra off her shoulders, one at a time.  \n  \n\"No problem,\" Minako said with a smile, holding the back of Yuriko's head, and urging  \nher forward once again.  \n  \nYuriko complied quite willingly, and moved down to kiss Minako, but instead, moved  \nher head slightly, and kissed her neck. \"Are you teasing me?\" Minako asked slyly, as  \nYuriko shuffled down just a little.  \n  \n\"You'll see\" promised Yuriko with a smile, \"Just relax\"  \n  \nMinako took a deep breath, and nodded, tensing slightly in anticipation as Yuriko's hand  \nwas suddenly placed upon her knee. Yuriko barely noticed the way that Minako held her  \nbreath, though, as she carefully placed her lips around Minako's right nipple and began  \nsuckling gently.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako moaned softly, and Yuriko increased the suction, using a small portion of her  \nYouma abilities to maintain the effect, as her tongue traced a slow circular pattern around  \nthe captive nipple. All the while, Yuriko's hand slid up from Minako's knee, and gave the  \ngirl's firm thigh muscles a gentle squeeze as it moved upward.  \n  \nMinako exhaled loudly, as the sensations sent tingling chills down her spine and gripped  \nYuriko's shoulder for support as the girl moved on top of her. \"Move up a little,\" urged  \nYuriko, ending her affectionate assault upon Minako's small breast for a moment, as she  \nawkwardly tried to rearrange their positioning.  \n  \nMinako just nodded and shuffled higher on her bed, until her head touched her pillow,  \nand Yuriko moved so that she was now sitting on her calves at the end of Minako's bed.  \nThe girl's legs bent at the knees, and resting upon Yuriko's calves as they were spread  \napart.  \n  \n\"Sorry for the delay\" Yuriko commented, this time putting both hands upon Minako's  \nknees, and moving them both forward over her friend's firm, athletic thighs, \"I'm just not  \nthinking that far ahead, I guess\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"You're just nervous, 'tis all,\" assured Minako, stretching out on the bed invitingly \"But  \nthen again, so am I\"  \n  \n\"Then I'll just have to relax you a little,\" replied Yuriko, almost thoughtfully, as her  \nfingertips suddenly touched lightly against Minako's labia, causing the girl to cry out  \nsuddenly.  \n  \n\"Oh, dear-!\" she gasped, causing Yuriko to chuckle a little as Minako's body quivered  \nbeneath her, \"Please, keep going...\"  \n  \nYuriko nodded, and carefully ran just her index fingers up and down either side of the  \nopening before moving slightly to press one of them gently against it. Minako gritted her  \nteeth and nodded slightly, reaching down to hold onto Yuriko's lower arms as her friend's  \nfinger made slow careful circles as it pushed slowly forward.  \n  \nYuriko felt a little guilty, as she could taste Minako's life energy through every  \nportion of her body that touched Minako's even slightly. But it was peculiar Youma  \nsenses in her fingertip that screamed out in hunger as Minako's body squeezed tightly  \naround the digit while it attempted to penetrate deeper.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Don^t stop-!\" gasped Minako through gritted teeth as her body shuddered a little before  \nletting out a single prolonged exasperated shriek as she flooded her lover's probing  \nfinger.  \n  \nYuriko gasped loudly, as she couldn't help but steal a single drop of Minako's Life Force  \nat the point of ecstasy. She savored the taste of her lover's emotions with senses that no  \nmortal possessed, as she continued her sensual onslaught, weaving her finger deeper  \ninside Minako, and quietly noting the effect that her friend's active life style had had on  \nher anatomy.  \n  \n\"Oh! How ever did you manage that?!\" Minako moaned, opening her eyes, as Yuriko  \nleaned forward and smile down at her, \"You barely did anything\"  \n  \n\"To Be honest I kinda used an ability or two\" admitted Yuriko, her long black hair  \nspilling down over Minako's body, inadvertently caressing it gently, \"I also couldn^t help  \ntaking just a little I'm sorry.\"  \n  \n\"No, no, my love,\" soothed Minako, reaching up to hold the side of Yuriko's face, for a  \nmoment forgetting the finger that was still wriggling slowly inside of her, \"It's alright.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I Just don^t want to take advantage of you That's all,\" replied Yuriko, a little  \nguiltily, tilting her head slightly, and kissing the palm of Minako's hand.  \n  \n\"Then maybe I'll just have to take a little more control of the situation, them,\" chuckled  \nMinako, reaching back down, and holding Yuriko's wrist with both hands, \"Now, why  \ndon^t you show me just what else you can do\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled lovingly and nodded.  \n  \n\"Oh,\" Minako added shyly, \"And I should tell you Sometimes I use 'two'\"  \n  \n\"Two?\" inquired Yuriko, a little confused.  \n  \nMinako hid her face with her hand as she blushed. \"Think about it\" she chuckled,  \nfeeling horribly embarrassed.  \n  \n\"Oh!\" exclaimed Yuriko, suddenly catching on, feeling Minako's embarrassment through  \ntheir skin contact, and sympathizing, \"I see\"  \n  \nMinako sighed, and tried to relax again, as she went back to paying attention to the  \nsensation of Yuriko's finger inside of her. She also noticed that it seemed to be moving in  \nan almost impossible manner as Yuriko went about her task.  \n  \n\"I said you could use two, you know!\" chuckled Minako, pulling Yuriko's hand by the  \nwrist towards her.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I have a better idea,\" Yuriko commented, somewhat mysteriously, her eyes shimmering  \nslightly for a moment, before making a slight adjustment to her finger.  \n  \nMinako's eyes widened as she felt Yuriko's finger slowly expand inside of her as it  \ncontinued to move expertly in and out. \"How-?\" she gasped as her inner walls clung  \nalmost hungrily to the digit, and an odd feeling of pleasant \"fullness\" gripped Minako's  \nattention.  \n  \n\"Do you Have any other surprises for me?\" Minako inquired as her mind began to  \ndrown in a coalescing haze of ecstasy for the third time.  \n  \n\"Um Yes, yes indeed,\" Yuriko replied, somewhat nervously.  \n  \n\"Then show me!\" pleaded Minako, almost yelling as her passion increased, and she  \narched her back, in expectation of one final release.  \n  \nYuriko gulped down her inhibitions about using too many of her powers, and gave in to  \nher own body's desires, as well as Minako's. With great care, Yuriko made some minor  \nadjustments to her tongue, and moved once again. She soon was lying on her stomach,  \npropped up on one arm, half on the bed with her face mere inches from where her finger  \nwas doing its work. Yuriko then leaned in the short distance, and encircled Minako's clit  \nwith her mouth once more. This accomplished, Yuriko pressed the now modified end of  \nher tongue against the hardened protuberance.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; By this time Minako's vocabulary had be reduced to a long string of mostly incoherent  \ngasps, intersplaced by long moans, and the occasional sigh. But as the strange, although  \nmost overpoweringly pleasant sensation of Yuriko's tongue somehow suckling at her clit  \ncaught her off guard, Minako emitted a sound that was impossible for human vocal cords  \nto pull off. At the same time her eyes went as wide as they could go, as Minako grabbed  \ntwin fistfuls of Yuriko's hair and pulled her lover as close as possible, whist her body  \nquivered and shook.  \n  \nYuriko closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, lapping up the smallest portion of  \nMinako's Life Energy, and basking in the delicious emotions that were practically  \nemanating from her. The sounds escaping from Minako's mouth were the harmony to the  \nmusic of her emotional output, as her energy levels increased dramatically at the point of  \nsensual spasm.  \n  \nYuriko made a frightened, as she had to quickly fight the urge to shift completely when  \nthrough special pores in her finger she lapped up the clear sticky juices that Minako's  \nbody was suddenly expelling. Yuriko closed her eyes tightly, as the excess Energy filled  \nher, and she \"tasted\" the pure sweetness of Minako's Life Force in a larger volume than  \never before. The sudden, almost sensual rush of Energy swamped Yuriko's senses, and  \nshe barely noticed the pain as she bit her own tongue against her own sudden release. All  \nthe while a faint bioluminescence glowed from underneath her tightly closed eyelids, as  \nthe walls of Yuriko's iron clad self control were battered. She desperately wanted to stop,  \nas she moaned quietly, trying desperately not to cry out. But Yuriko's body refused to let  \nher, not even for a moment to regain her composure, causing the poor Youma to come  \ndangerously close to changing completely, and draining her dearest love completely  \ndry  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Finally, though, Minako's series of exasperated gasps, shouts and cries of ecstasy died  \ndown as her body gave out, finally attaining the level of release she sought. With great  \nrelief, Yuriko drew back, still fighting against her partially satiated hunger, and began to  \nremove her elongated, and expanded finger.  \n  \nMinako cried out inadvertently, almost like a wounded animal as the wonderful sensation  \nof Yuriko inside of her faded and her inner walls contracted. Yuriko, who^s breathing  \nwas more of a quiet panting, carefully replaced her finger with her still altered tongue,  \nunable to resist just a little more of Minako's Life Energy.  \n  \nMinako gasped half happily, and half exhaustedly, before grabbing Yuriko's still altered  \nfinger, and drawing it up into her mouth. She then moaned contentedly as she held  \nYuriko by the wrist and greedily suckled her own wetness from Yuriko's finger.  \n  \nMeanwhile, Yuriko watched Minako with great interest, as she found it nearly impossible  \nto stop the eerie emerald glow of her eyes, or revert her overly phallic looking finger  \nback to normal. Instead, she gave in to her desires just a little, altering her tongue a bit  \nmore as it probed deeper and deeper inside of Minako, and subtly undulated as it  \nexpanded in width and length to fill Minako once more.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; All the while, Minako slurped a bit as she almost absently sucked on Yuriko's finger as  \nthe Youma began to let her own secretions ooze slowly from her pores. Minako's eyes  \nopened in surprise, as she tasted a fluid similar to her own, suddenly filling her mouth.  \n  \nMinako gazed down at Yuriko as the girl's mouth was pressed firmly against her. \"How-  \n?!\" gasped Minako, pulling the phallic finger from her mouth for a moment.  \n  \nYuriko only shrugged, her glowing eyes showing a hint of mischievousness, as she tried  \nto look as innocent as possible. \"Oh, never mind!\" sighed Minako, feeling Yuriko's  \ntongue probe her in impossibly wonderful ways, as Yuriko's finger glistened with a new  \nbatch of tasty secretions, \"I think I could get used to this!\"  \n  \nYuriko sighed contentedly, as Minako began suckling her finger again, the wonderfully  \nwarm sensation of Minako's body against her altered finger and tongue soothing her  \nhunger for Life Energy slightly, as a feeling of contentment filled her.  \n  \nAfter several minutes, though, as Minako seemed to be on the verge of unconsciousness,  \nand her body began refusing to generate any more excess energy, or lubricant, Yuriko  \nreluctantly retracted her tongue. Hiding it from view until it was fully in her mouth as not  \nto scare Minako.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Wow\" sighed Minako, almost unable to move, as Yuriko withdrew her hand  \ncompletely, and Minako took many long deep breaths as she tried her best to stretch out,  \nher body glistening with sweat, her long blond hair fanning out beneath her.  \n  \nYuriko sighed contently as she took in Minako's beauty at that moment, and almost didn^t  \nhear her whisper quietly. \"Please\" she asked, \"Hold me\"  \n  \nYuriko nodded, and smiled lovingly as her eyes went back to normal, before sliding up  \non to the bed completely, and taking Minako into her arms. \"Better?\" she inquired, as  \nMinako moved to kiss her.  \n  \n\"Yes, muchly,\" she responded, once their lips had parted, \"That was Indescribable...\"  \n  \nYuriko blushed, as the two rolled onto their sides. \"You're welcome, Minako-chan,\" she  \nreplied, with a guilty sadness in her voice.  \n  \n\"What's wrong..?\" inquired Minako, savoring the cool touch of Yuriko's skin against her  \noverheated body.  \n  \nYuriko shrugged, and held Minako a little closer. \"I guess I just feel guilty whenever I  \nuse my powers\" she admitted, \"That and I almost lost control that time I'm sorry, but  \nI just couldn^t help it.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Shh It's okay,\" soothed Minako, \"It's okay, I wanted to use your powers. I wanted to  \nknow what you could do. It was really great, and besides I 'd rather have you feed from  \nsomeone who loves, you As opposed to someone who's just using you\"  \n  \n\"Thank you,\" Yuriko replied, looking into Minako's pale blue eyes.  \n  \n\"Besides,\" continued Minako, trying to change the subject, \"A human's Energy levels go  \nways up during certain activities So really, you could probably siphon off quite a bit  \nwithout too many ill effects.\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled. \"I suppose so,\" she conceded, \"And yes, I am happy to have someone  \nBesides Her She 'tastes' akin to Um, sour milk, I believe. So really, loosing you  \nwould be the end of me.\"  \n  \n\"Not a chance of that happening!\" assured Minako, brushing Yuriko's hair from her eyes,  \n\"And soon, we'll take care of that cold hearted monster that stole your life from you.\"  \n  \nYuriko nodded. \"Thank you, again, Minako-chan,\" Yuriko whispered, holding Minako  \ncloser.  \n  \n\"Oh, and before I forget,\" continued Minako, pulling away from Yuriko a few inches, \"I  \nshould return the favor\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Oh?\" inquired Yuriko with a trace of suspicion.  \n  \n\"Yes\" whispered Minako, leaning back in to kiss her passionately upon the lips, and  \nrunning her fingers down Yuriko's back.  \n  \nThe girl sighed contentedly in response, going somewhat limp in Minako's arms, and  \nallowing her herself to be pushed gently onto her back. Minako broke off their kiss in  \norder to catch her breath, as Yuriko could sense her nervousness.  \n  \n\"Just do what you feel,\" replied Yuriko encouragingly, \"Just follow your instincts\"  \n  \nMinako nodded with a shy smile, and gave Yuriko the slightest of kisses upon the lips  \nbefore slowly kissing down her neck. All the while, Minako's hands moved  \nexperimentally across Yuriko's body, enjoying the softness of her skin, and envying the  \nway the girl didn^t seem to sweat. Infact, there was a slight coolness to her skin that made  \nMinako not notice the fact that she herself was quite over heated.  \n  \nBut her thoughts became less esoteric as her lips kissed between Yuriko's breasts causing  \nYuriko to quietly take a handful of Minako's hair and coax her towards one of the girl's  \nhardened pink nipples.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako complied willingly, and began making the same slow circles with her tongue that  \nYuriko had used on her. The tip of her tongue barely touching Yuriko's skin, as she  \nspiraled her way towards the center, until finally taking Yuriko's nipple in her teeth and  \nnibbling gently.  \n  \nYuriko sighed a little and arched her back, pulling Minako closer and causing her to  \ninadvertently bite a lot harder than she intended to. \"Ohh!\" gasped Yuriko, her voice  \nattaining a higher pitch for a moment, as Minako desperately tried to pull her head back.  \n  \n\"I-I'm sorry!\" she stammered, looking guiltily into Yuriko's partly closed eyes.  \n  \n\"No It's okay,\" Yuriko said with a slight smile, \"My pain threshold is substantially  \nhigher then you'd think!\"  \n  \n\"Oh, I see\" commented Minako slyly, \"I guess I'll just have to keep that in mind!\"  \n  \n\"Promises, promises\" chuckled Yuriko almost under her breath, as Minako moved her  \nhead back down, and put her lips back upon Yuriko's breast, and suckling as hard as she  \ncould, as she brought up her hand, and cupped the opposite breast.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako then glanced up as she took the opposite nibble between two of her fingers as  \napplied pressure to Yuriko's breast with the others. She caught another glimpse of the  \nslight glow in Yuriko's eyes, and Minako was certain that the girl's incisors grew slightly  \nas she cried out when Minako squeezed one nipple between two finger, while nibbling,  \nsuckling upon, and running her tongue over the other.  \n  \n\"Don^t you ever come up for air?\" giggled Yuriko as the sensations that Minako's touch  \nwas invoking caused her human side to react in ways she had never truly experienced.  \n  \n\"Be thankful I'm not Ami-chan,\" replied Minako, stopping long enough to shuffle down  \nenough to give Yuriko's stomach a kiss, before taking a breast in each hand, and running  \nher tongue slowly downwards, \"She swims a lot. Probably can hold her breath for hour!\"  \n  \nYuriko half laughed, half gasped as both her breasts her gently, but firm squeezed by  \nMinako's hands, her fingers applying pressure in alternating patterns. \"I-! I think I'm  \nsatisfied with you, my love\" replied Yuriko, biting her lower lip, as Minako's tongue  \ntouched her clit.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I'm glad,\" Minako replied sincerely, and gave the general area of Yuriko's hardened little  \nclit a deep kiss, before continuing to assault it with her tongue.  \n  \nYuriko, though, barely heard Minako's words, it was all that she could do to drown out  \nmost of the sensations that were filling her. There was no way that she was going to allow  \nherself a complete loss of control, even though her body was screaming out for release.  \nBut Yuriko knew that if she attain orgasm, she probably wouldn't have the strength not to  \nchange form completely.  \n  \nThankfully, though, just as Yuriko's quick breathing and quiet sighs and moans began to  \nincrease in pitch, Minako moved down again, her tongue tracing lines up and down  \nYuriko's labia.  \n  \n\"That was so close\" Yuriko gasped as Minako's tongue slid inside of her at the same  \ntime she squeezed, and gave a little twist to Yuriko's nipples.  \n  \nMinako did her best to give a muffled response, but was far too involved in her sudden  \nsurprise at the peculiar flavor that filled taste buds. It was superficially similar to her own  \nflavor, which she had thought was fairly pleasant, but Yuriko's body chemistry had  \nconspired to make the girl simple indescribably delicious, even better than the peculiar  \nsecretions she had produced when Minako had suckled the girl's finger. Minako guessed  \nthat this was yet an other of Yuriko's Youma powers, but was far from concerned.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Instead, Minako let out a long sigh of pleasure, as she settled in and began sucking and  \nlicking up as muck of Yuriko's ecstatical secretions as possible All the while, Yuriko was  \nholding her hands, pushing Minako's finger closer together, and causing her nipples to be  \nsqueezed all the harder.  \n  \nSoon, though, Yuriko's sense of self-control began to waver all the more. She desperately  \nwanted Minako to stop, but she couldn't stop the Youma aspect of herself from  \ncontinually enhancing the semi-sweet juices that Minako's was greedily lapping up.  \nEverytime Yuriko opened her mouth to tell Minako to stop, all that came forth was  \nanother cry of ecstasy, or another prolonged moan, or shriek of delight. This, the pleasure  \nMinako was receiving at pleasing her love, caused Minako to go on and on.  \n  \nWithout fully realizing everything that she was doing, Minako pulled back her right hand,  \nand slid her index and middle fingers into the sopping wetness between Yuriko's labia,  \nplacing her thumb against Yuriko's clit as she came up for air.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako then stared down, almost hypnotized by the sight of her fingers sliding in and out  \nof Yuriko as her thumb rubbed against the girl's clit at the same time. Once she had  \ncaught her breath, Minako leaned back down and shared Yuriko's clit with her thumb, as  \nYuriko's whole body began to spasm.  \n  \nMinako smiled somewhat in satisfaction as she felt Yuriko tighten around her probing  \nfingers, and Yuriko tried to hold back the inevitable. \"Mi-! Nako-!\" she cried, her voice  \npleading as she grabbed Minako's hand and yanked it awkwardly away from between her  \nlegs, \"S-Stop!\"  \n  \nIt took a moment for Minako to comprehend what had just happened, as she stared a little  \nnumbly at her dripping fingers. She was then hit by a sudden sense of guilt, and Minako  \nmet Yuriko's gaze.  \n  \n\"I-I'm so sorry!\" she stammered, noticing the look of almost pained concentration on  \nYuriko's face, \"Did I hurt you?!\"  \n  \nYuriko shook her head, as she panted for a moment, trying to catch her breath, and  \nreestablish control of her body. \"No,\" she finally replied after a few tense seconds, \"It's  \njust that Just that I don^t want to scare you\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"How..?\" began Minako.  \n  \n\"If I allow myself to loose control completely I'll change\" continued Yuriko, still  \nfeeling Minako's fingers inside of her as her frustrated body pleaded for more, \"And I  \ndon^t want you to be repulsed.\"  \n  \n\"But I won^t be\" assured Minako, taking Yuriko's hand and giving her knuckles a  \nreassuring kiss, I think you're beautiful inside and out. And a little metamorphosis isn^t  \ngonna change that, Yuri-chan.\"  \n  \nYuriko turned her head to one side, trying to hide the hunger in her eyes. \"I can't ask you  \nto continue,\" she replied sadly, \"It wouldn^t be right.\"  \n  \n\"Then don't,\" commented Minako, leaning down to give Yuriko's labia a long slow lick,  \nsending her tongue partially inside to acquire more of her lover's juices.  \n  \nYuriko's eyes went wide with not only with fear, but with awe at the sense of devotion  \nthat Minako was showing her, as well as Minako's courage to face the unknown. So  \nYuriko did her best to relax, as Minako placed her hands on her thighs, gently pushing  \nYuriko's legs apart a bit more.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Please forgive me, my love\" Yuriko whispered softly as the sensations began to  \noverwhelm her once more, and this time, she simply gave in.  \n  \nMinako barely noticed the change at first, closing her eyes tightly as her own body began  \nto spasm at the wonderful feeling of pleasuring someone she deeply loved. So, she did  \nnot notice the change in Yuriko's skin colour, as it began to take on a bluish tinge.  \nGrowing deeper and more pronounced as Yuriko reached orgasm. Minako barely noticed  \nthe way Yuriko's fingers extended as the wove their through her long silky hair. And the  \nextra light form the green bioluminescence of Yuriko's eyes went quite unnoticed for  \nsome time.  \n  \n\"Minako-!\" Yuriko cried out, pulling the girl as close against herself as she could, in  \norder to have Minako's probing tongue as deep inside of her as possible at the point of  \nfinal ecstasy.  \n  \nIn response, Minako sucked as hard as she could, trying desperately to drain Yuriko  \ncompletely as her tongue began to feel as though it were going to wear out. Then, much  \nto Minako's satisfaction, Yuriko arched her back, and cried out in a long, almost painful  \nsounding exclamation of ecstasy.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Minako pulled back her mouth, and furiously, and mercilessly then began licking the  \ngirl's clit as Yuriko convulsed beneath her, frantically flailing about and practically  \nscreaming loud enough to wake the dead for what seemed like forever  \n  \nFinally, though, Yuriko sank back down against the bed, panting as Minako stared a little  \nnervously at what she's been licking. The icy blue of Yuriko's skin seeming to almost  \nglow as the girl came down, and Minako slowly cast her gaze slowly upward.  \n  \nWhat she saw was nowhere near as horrific as most of the Youma Minako had faced in  \nher career as a Sailor Senshi. Infact, Minako could see the beauty in Yuriko's form, as the  \ngirl looked back up at her with tension in her green glowing eyes.  \n  \n\"It^s okay,\" assured Minako, unsure of what to make of the extra set of arms that Yuriko  \nhad sprouted.  \n  \n\"I feel very self conscious, though\" responded Yuriko, folding both sets of arms, her  \nfingers twitching nervously in such a way as to imply that they had no bones.  \n  \n\"Don^t be,\" Minako said soothing, sliding up Yuriko's body, and encouraging the girl to  \nhold her with all her arms.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I can't help it,\" responded Yuriko, complying with Minako's wishes, and thankful to  \nhave her in such close proximity, \"I feel such a monster at times\"  \n  \n\"You're not,\" Minako said firmly, and gave Yuriko a nervous kiss upon her darker blue  \nlips, \"You're the woman I love.\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled, and gave Minako a double hug. \"I hope that one day I deserve you Senshi  \nof Love,\" she mused, savoring every moment of Minako's touch, and feeling slightly less  \nself conscious.  \n  \n\"So,\" replied Minako, a little nervously, \"Are there any other surprises in store for me?\"  \n  \nYuriko shrugged. Only once though. \"I can make a couple of other minor alterations,\"  \nshe answered, carefully trying to talk around her fangs.  \n  \n\"Hmm, really\" mused Minako, rearranging herself so that she was straddling Yuriko,  \nand took hold of one of the girl's extra hands, \"I seem to recall you being able to elongate  \nyour fingers?\"  \n  \nYuriko nodded. \"Yes, amongst other things,\" answered Yuriko, suddenly feeling a little  \nsuspicious.  \n  \n\"And you had that trick of exuding fluid from your pours\" continued Minako.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Indeed,\" Yuriko responded, \"my fingers are tentacles in my 'Other' form. I can even  \nmake the secretions quite sticky I once used them to climb a wall\"  \n  \n\"Wow!\" laughed Minako, \"You have Swiss Army tentacles!\"  \n  \nYuriko smirked, and shook her head, a wide smile crossing her face. \"They also are  \nextremely sensitive to sensory input. I could take your temperature within 2 degrees. And  \nif need be, I absorb liquids through them Same as with my tongue But that makes it  \nhard to talk\"  \n  \nMinako smiled as she carefully examined Yuriko's fingers/tentacles. \"I'll be careful not to  \nget you too tongue tied in the future then!\" she laughed.  \n  \n\"That's just terrible!\" laughed Yuriko in response, running two of her hands up Minako's  \nthighs almost unconsciously.  \n  \n\"Careful!\" Minako warned with a grin, \"If you send those much higher, I might want to  \ntry something different!\"  \n  \nYuriko stopped, her skin suddenly feeling slightly cooler. \"I I'm not certain that I'm  \ncompletely comfortable with that idea\" she replied.  \n  \n\"Not even just a little?\" inquired Minako teasingly, as the possibilities for what they  \ncould do intrigued her greatly.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Well Maybe just a little\" answered Yuriko, thankful for Minako's complete lack of  \nrevulsion, and unusual curiosity.  \n  \n\"Good\" giggled Minako taking Yuriko's middle finger in her mouth and suck  \nling on it the same way as before.  \n  \nYuriko shivered a little at the sudden sensation. \"Those ARE more sensitive than they  \nlook, you know!\" she replied, as chills ran up her spine.  \n  \n\"Mm-Hm!\" responded Minako with a grin, as Yuriko secreted moisture into Minako's  \nmouth through her pours once again, \"Mmf!\"  \n  \nYuriko couldn^t help giggling as Minako's eyes rolled back and she took hold of Yuriko's  \nwrist for support at the sudden burst of flavor. \"Careful, my love,\" replied Yuriko, feeling  \na little more comfortable about giving into her body's desires, \"You may give me some  \npeculiar ideas!\"  \n  \nMinako giggled, and gave her the \"thumbs up\", before closing her eyes and arching her  \nback, causing her breasts to stand out invitingly. Yuriko sighed, and took advantage of  \nthe invitation, extending the fingers on either side of the middle one that Minako was  \nsucking on.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; They arched downwards, and grew to an impossible length, until they touched the tips of  \nMinako's nipples. Yuriko paused for a moment, watching Minako's expression with  \ninterest, before willing her fingertips to \"open\" and encompass Minako's hardened pink  \nnipples.  \n  \nMinako made an approving noise, and Yuriko moved on to the next step. The ends of her  \nfingers actually applying a sucking sensation, pulling and squeezing at Minako's sensitive  \nnipples like two small vacuum cleaners. Minako gritted her teeth and took Yuriko by the  \nwrist, urging her onwards.  \n  \nYuriko then moved her other free hand underneath Minako, sliding her middle finger  \ncarefully inside of Minako. Yuriko smiled as Minako groaned softly, and took the  \nresponse as permission to proceed. Yuriko's middle finger elongated, and widened,  \ncausing even more approving sounds from Minako as the tentacle/finger filled her, and  \nbegan rubbing gently against her inner walls, lubricated by her own moisture.  \n  \n\"I this okay for you?\" inquired Yuriko, panting softly as sensation bombarded both their  \nminds.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Y-Yes..!\" moaned Minako, falling back on top of her, and hugging herself against the  \ngirl, \"Just-! Don't stop..!\"  \n  \nYuriko nodded as best she could, and accepted Minako's passionate kiss before holding  \nher beloved with her two occupied arms, before making use of some unused fingers.  \n  \nShe sent the index finger, next to her middle one that was gently probing inside Minako,  \nup towards the girl's clit. Minako responded with a sudden gasp as the finger did to her  \nclit what two of Yuriko's other finders were doing to her nipples.  \n  \nYuriko sighed contentedly, as she tasted Minako in ways that no human could conceive  \nof, pausing only to readjust her arm that Minako was lying on. Minako, however, barely  \nnoticed as Yuriko drew her arm out from between them, her busy fingers growing all the  \nmore to accommodate their distance from their hand. Yuriko then moved her two free  \nhands, which were holding Minako, downwards, sending her fingers in an almost  \nserpentine pattern across her skin and down her back.  \n  \nMinako giggled slightly as Yuriko's touch send chills through her, before her fingers took  \na firm hold of her well formed bottom, and began gently moving her body in time with  \nthe probing thrusts of the finger that Yuriko had buried inside of her.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; The whole time, the aforementioned finger was altering itself slightly, expanding slightly  \nas Minako's body became more accommodating, as well as opening small pours through  \nwhich to draw in her juices.  \n  \nYuriko sighed into Minako's mouth as the flavor reached the appropriate sensors and had  \nto concentrate for a moment in order to redirect a small portion of it. Then, much to  \nMinako's infinite surprise, her own flavor filled her mouth, somehow secreted through  \nYuriko's tongue as they kissed.  \n  \n\"Mmf! Ah-!\" gasped Minako, pulling back and gasping for breath, \"I don^t think I can  \nkeep up with you!\"  \n  \nYuriko smiled, her long dark hair fanning out around her, her sharply pointed ears barely  \nconcealed by it. \"So long as you approve,\" she purred, leaning up to kiss Minako once  \nagain.  \n  \n\"Absotively!\" replied Minako, tilting her head slightly to avoid Yuriko's kiss for the  \nmoment, and gave the light frosty blue skin of the girl's neck a long series of kisses and  \ngentle nibbles.  \n  \n\"Pausolutely\" murmured Yuriko in response, tilting her head back, and for the first  \ntime, feeling her hunger sated.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Oh!\" Minako suddenly exclaimed into her ear, as Yuriko could feel her beloved's inner  \nwall contracting almost painfully against her tentacle/finger, \"Right there!\"  \n  \nYuriko picked up the pace of all her well-coordinated actions, finding the exact rate of  \nMinako heartbeat, and moving in synch with it. She also increased the amount of suction  \nshe was providing Minako's clit and nipples with until Minako was shaking and  \nconvulsing almost violently on top of her. The girl's screams of passion issuing forth  \nquite freely as any and all of Minako's inhibitions melted away.  \n  \nFor several eternal moments Yuriko held Minako firmly against her, kissing her neck  \ncomfortingly as Minako's cries filled her ears, and mind with a peculiar joy and comfort  \nthat Yuriko had never felt before.  \n  \n\"I love, Minako,\" she whispered into her ear, and sighed contentedly as Minako  \ndesperately tried to respond.  \n  \n\"I-! I-! Ah! Love-! You-! OH! Too-!\" Minako gasped as her brain was filled with white  \nlight as she peaked, not coming down for several long seconds  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko smiled and psychically \"lapped up\" the residual emotions and Life Energy that  \nwere spinning freely off into sup-space as Minako panted and sweated profusely. She  \ncould taste Minako's utter exhaustion, and knew that to ask her for more would only be  \ncruel, so, irregardless of her own almost inexhaustible constitution, Yuriko pulled back  \nall her finger/tentacles, and changed back to her human form.  \n  \n\"Tha Thank-you\" panted Minako sleepily, as she clung against Yuriko, thankful for  \nthe cool touch of her skin beneath her.  \n  \n\"For you, anything\" promised Yuriko, kissing her forehead, and relaxing completely.  \n  \n\"Do I Have time for a short nap?\" Minako inquired, almost falling asleep as it was.  \n  \n\"Yes, I believe so,\" replied Yuriko, glancing at the bed side clock, and idly wondering  \nhow they'd explain this to Minako's parents if they decided to come home early after  \nall, there were still some odd articles of clothing left in the kitchen  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nAt about 5:30pm, Minako was awakened to the sound of an annoying beeping. She  \nwarily opened her eyes, and smiled at Yuriko, who had been watching over her the entire  \ntime, and fumbled around until she found her Sailor Senshi Communicator. It took  \nMinako a moment to find the right button, but when she did, a cold chill passed through  \nher.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Minako-chan!\" came Ami's panicked voice, \"We tracked down the Youma-!  \nBu-! Oh no-! Minako-chan, help-!\"  \n  \nAmi's voice was cut off suddenly, as the connection was broken. \"Oh, dear\" replied  \nMinako, half rolling off the bed, and staggering to her feet, \"This bad! Very bad..!\"  \n  \n\"Minako-chan,\" Yuriko said, with a guilty tone, \"This is partially my fault. Please calm  \ndown, I can show you were your friends are. And don^t worry, she won't have done have  \ndone anything to them yet\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Minako, collecting her clothes in a panic.  \n  \n\"She's fed quite a bit lately, and won^t be hungry for a while just yet\" replied Yuriko.  \n  \n\"What did she do with bodies?\" inquired Minako in a serious tone.  \n  \n\"Oh dear...\" Yuriko whispered almost to herself, and jumped off the bed, \"We should  \nhurry..!\"  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nIt didn't take the two very long to get across town. Minako had transformed into Sailor  \nVenus, and Yuriko had partially shifted her lower torso to allow for greater running  \nspeed, and jumping distance, while her power concealed them both.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; After about fifteen minutes of near exhaustive travel, Minako and Yuriko stopped in front  \nof a tall imposing apartment building. It had no balconies, so coming in from the out side  \nwould be problematic. Also, the apartment that they needed was on the 45th floor, which  \nwas far too high for even a Sailor Senshi to jump.  \n  \nSo, the two simply ran in through the front door, and took the elevator, seeing as after the  \nday's activities, both their reserves of stamina needed at least some small reprieve. The  \ntrip up was short, and uneventful, the elevator didn't even have annoying music piped in.  \n  \nFinally, they stood at the entrance of Yuriko's apartment. Sailor Venus glanced at Yuriko,  \nand she nodded. \"Well, I guess that there's no sense knocking!\" she replied, \"So  \nCrescent! Beam!!!\"  \n  \nThe beam of blinding light fired forth, hitting the wall just beside the door. In a split  \nsecond, it was through the wall and a loud inhuman scream pierced the air before Venus  \nturned the beam to the let, cutting through the wall, then the door, back into the wall  \nagain, and presumably through another Youma, judging by the piercing shriek  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Now!\" the Senshi exclaimed, and Yuriko kicked down the remainder of the door.  \n  \nAs they rushed in, past the two bodies of slain Youma, the sounds of shouts and running  \nfeet issued from the other room. \"This is where it rough,\" observed Yuriko, shifting  \ncompletely, her extra arms ripping holes in the sides of her school uniform, as long  \ncurved claws grew from her fingertips.  \n  \n\"Just how I-! Er-! Um Never mind!\" stammered Sailor Venus, reading another attack.  \n  \nThen, three figures dressed in white kimonos burst through the door of the master  \nbedroom. They all seemed to men in twenties, but the plain white masks they wore,  \nwhich totally obscured their faces, distorted their features.  \n  \n\"Ah!\" middle one exclaimed with evil glee, \"We face another Senshi! And our traitorous  \nsister as well!\"  \n  \n\"You shall have no other siblings, brother,\" promised Yuriko in a harsh tone, her voice  \nloosing a small part of its human quality, \"Now, either surrender, or face oblivion.\"  \n  \n\"Um Ya! Like she said!\" laughed Sailor Venus, feeling a little upstaged.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"We gladly accommodate your foolishness, onee-chan!\" laughed the Youma, as the three  \nchanged, their kimonos ripping and tearing in several places as their new bodies took  \nshape, \"But it is you who shall face Oblivion..! After we have our fun...\"  \n  \nThe middle Youma became nothing more than a spherical mass of black oozing slime,  \nwith a single huge reptilian eye in the center of the mass and several dozen long black  \ntendrils that ended in sharp barbed hooks. It some how managed to levitate a few feet off  \nthe floor, and made hideous gurgling noises as it's slimy body constantly oozed as it  \nflailed it's tentacles menacingly.  \n  \nThe Youma to its right fell upon all fours and howled as it shifted, sending chills down  \nthe spines of all who heard it. The Youma's body then grew a long snout, pushing the  \nmask off its elongating face, and gaining more mass until resembled a huge albino,  \nhairless dire wolf, with a row of sharp spines down its back and glowing red eyes.  \n  \nThe final Youma's change was hardly noticeable at first. There was the distinct pattern of  \npeculiar movement underneath its pristine white kimono as its arms retracted and were  \nsoon replaced by four, green, pseudopods, the visible skin around the mask became  \ndeathly pale.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Ha!\" taunted Minako. \"I've had more horrific nightmares after eating bad boritos! \"  \n  \n\"We'll see how scared you are in just a few seconds, sailor girl!\" growled the center  \nYouma, \"Get her first, guys! And make sure it hurts!\"  \n  \nThe two Youma on either side of it laughed evilly as they attacked. The humanoid one,  \nsending out its four almost glowing pseudopods out towards Yuriko, as the bargest-like  \nYouma leaped at Sailor Venus, growling and snarling as green icor oozed from his jaws.  \n  \n\"I don^t think so, puppy!\" exclaimed Minako, kicking the Youma under the jaw as hard  \nas she could, and sending it flying head over tail before following it with her energy blast,  \n\"Crescent! Beam!!!\"  \n  \nThe beam of solar light hit the Youma in the chest and sent him flying across the room,  \nwhining mournfully the whole way, before hitting a wall, and coming crashing down on  \ntop of the TV set.  \n  \nMeanwhile, Yuriko growled slightly, as she crouched down, and leaped forward,  \nsomersaulting out of the way of the sticky pseudopods, before raking two sets of claws  \nacross the Youma's chest. It screamed in pain as the wound glowed the same green as its  \npseudopods, before smaller tendrils began reaching out from the wounds and entangling  \nYuriko.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Yuri-chan!\" exclaimed Venus, starting to run towards her, when the Youma she thought  \nthat she had downed bounded across the room, and tackled her the ground.  \n  \n\"Excellent!\" chuckled the more talkative Youma once again. Eventhough no mouth was  \nclearly visible, \"That was even easier than capturing those other Senshi! And I'm sure our  \nMistress will have no problems with us having a little fun before we turn these one in!\"  \n  \n\"In your dreams!\" replied Minako sarcastically, and swiftly drove her free hand up, and  \nunder the Youma who held her awkwardly down, grabbing it by the crotch, \"Crescent!  \nBeam!!!\"  \n  \nThe bargest-like Youma let out a single long painful yelping howl as the beam cut though  \nit from one end to the other, its body dissolving around the laser, until merciful death  \ntook hold.  \n  \nAt the same time, Yuriko used all her strength to force one of her right hands up, and  \ngrab her Youma by the porcelain mask it wore. She forced its head back, and bit deeply  \ninto its neck Her teeth all becoming sharp fangs, and her tongue growing a sharp spike its  \nend that she drove through the Youma's jugular, and out the back of its neck.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Instead of screaming or crying it, the Youma merely gurgled as it dissolved into a pile of  \ngreen slimy ooze, leaving Yuriko to spend several seconds spitting out the same goo.  \n  \n\"Ha! Is that the best you can zoo!\" laughed Sailor Venus, jumping to her feet, \"I've had  \ncolds that put up more of a fight!\"  \n  \n\"We'll see!\" the Youma grumbled, and faded out, presumably reappearing behind the  \nnow closed bedroom door.  \n  \n\"You okay?\" asked Sailor Venus.  \n  \n\"Yes,\" replied Yuriko, after putting her tongue back to normal, \"nothing has happened  \nthat I cannot heal.\"  \n  \n\"Okay. So, is there anything I need to know about what we're up against?\" Venus  \ninquired.  \n  \n\"Just don^t believe anything She says\" responded Yuriko, her eyes glowing brightly  \nwith determination, \"She is a cunning liar\"  \n  \n\"No problems, with that,\" Venus replied, and prepared to kick the door open, \"Just watch  \nmy back, Yuri-chan!\"  \n  \nYuriko nodded, and braced herself against what was to come as Sailor Venus kicked  \ndown the bedroom door  \n  \n\\*\\*\\*  \n  \nInside, they found that the actual walls of the room had been concealed behind rice-paper  \nwalls. There was a small shrine set up at the far end of the room, and a hint of incense  \nfilled the air.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; In the center of the room knelt a tall woman, wearing a very expensive and very old  \nlooking red and black kimono. Her long black hair was mostly tied up, but a single long  \nstrand hung down, and over her shoulder. The woman's strikingly beautiful face was  \npartially concealed by an ornately decorated half mask that hid the left side, and she  \nseemed somewhat unconcerned by the way her kimono hung part way open, partially  \nrevealing her chest. But the most striking thing about the woman was her eerie turquoise  \neyes, that glowed slightly as she sipped tea from a small cup, decorated with little black  \nscorpions.  \n  \n\"Ah! Yuriko-chan, at last you've returned!\" the woman said mockingly, \"Oh, and I see  \nthat you've brought your dear mother a little snack! You're such a good girl, Yuriko!\"  \n  \n\"Enough!\" shouted Sailor Venus, stepping forward, \"You're days of hurting Yuri-chan  \nare over, Youma!\"  \n  \nThe woman merely chuckled in a fake demure fashion. \"Ah! You must be Sailor Venus,\"  \nshe replied, \"Please, forgive my lack of hospitality I am Bayushi Kachiko.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Kachiko bowed mockingly and went back to sipping her tea. \"No doubt my favorite  \ndaughter has spread many lies about me, Venus-sama,\" she continued, \"But I am certain  \nthat we can come to some kind of an agreement.\"  \n  \n\"Not a chance, succubus!\" growled Sailor Venus, clenching her fists.  \n  \n\"Oh! You dishonor your hostess with such insults!\" the Youma chucked, \"However, I'm  \nnot the only Youma here who must feed upon sexual energy! But\" she sniffed the air  \nfor a moment, \"Ah! I see that you've already found that out!\"  \n  \n\"Curse you...\" growled Yuriko, hating Kachiko more than she thought possible.  \n  \n\"Now, now, little one,\" the woman taunted, \"Be careful, or I might start thinking that you  \ndon't love your mommy!\"  \n  \n\"YOU-! Were never my mother\" Yuriko's voice trailed off at the end as she tried to  \nreestablish control over her anger.  \n  \nKachiko laughed. \"I gave you what your parents never could,\" she replied, \"Eternal life!  \nYou want for nothing, my dear girl. I give you a place to live. I indulge your silly little  \ndesire to continue your schooling. I provide you with sustenance\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I no longer require the stale bread sour milk of your life force,\" Yuriko stated with an  \neven tone, her skin taking on a slight glow, \"I have found true love, and I no longer have  \nuse for your lies.\"  \n  \n\"Then, so be it!\" laughed Kachiko, as she got to her feet, \"If you love a human more than  \nyour mother Then you can die like a pitiful human!\"  \n  \nWith that Kachiko's body made some unpleasant snapping and crunching noises as she  \ntransformed. Her skin became covered in a hard black and red chitin as her delicate hands  \nbecame huge black pincers, and a long scorpion tail grew out from behind her. The  \nYouma then sprouted six long tentacles from her sides, which tore through her silk  \nkimono by virtue of the sharp blades on each of their ends. And finally, a pair of small  \nmandibles ripped out from either side of her face, as her eyes became two bulging black  \norbs.  \n  \n\"Ick\" commented Sailor Venus, not yet noticing the way that the rice-paper seemed to  \nmelt away, revealing the other Sailor Senshi, as well as Artemis and Luna, bound to the  \nwalls by some kind of purplish resin. They were unconscious, but seemed unharmed,  \n\"Now you, ARE ugly!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"We'll see, who's beauty is question, Senshi!\" growled Kachiko, thrusting her pincers  \nforward, opening them to reveal a mass of sticky, wet white tendrils. She then sent them  \nswiftly forward in hopes binding both Sailor Venus and Yuriko.  \n  \n\"No thanks!\" taunted Venus, as she leapt to the side, \"I've already had my dose of  \ntentacle for one day!\"  \n  \n\"Indeed!\" laughed Yuriko, as the mass of tentacles merely passed right through her,  \nbefore her image faded.  \n  \n\"What the-?!\" exclaimed Kachiko, glancing around the room in an annoyed fashion.  \n  \n\"When you Embraced me, Bayushi-sama, my Esper abilities increased dramatically,\"  \ncame the sound of Yuriko's disembodied voice, \"You are not the only one with the power  \nof illusion.\"  \n  \n\"True!\" growled Bayushi, turning her back to Sailor Venus, \"But your powers are more  \nconcern with hiding yourself like coward! Where as under My tutelage, it could be put to  \nmuch better uses!\"  \n  \nSailor Venus quietly raised he arms, and was about to invoke another Crescent Beam,  \nwhen before she knew it, several dozen long, black tentacles wrapped around her from  \nbehind. \"Hey! No fair!\" exclaimed the Senshi as soon found herself unable to move.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Ah! Thank you so very much, dear Aramoro-kun,\" exclaimed Kachiko with delight, as  \nshe turned to see the Youma that had escaped previously with it^s tentacles firmly  \nbinding Sailor Venus, \"Now then, the real fun can begin!\"  \n  \nKachiko raised her scorpion tail over her head, holding the barbed end close to Sailor  \nVenus' face. The Senshi's eyes widened with fright as a single drop of poison exuded  \nfrom the stinger, and splashed down against the floor.  \n  \nThe Youma laughed and glanced over her shoulder, addressing Yuriko. \"Dearest, Yuri-  \nchan,\" she called out, \"I do so hope that you don^t mind watching what we do to your  \nlittle Senshi friend My venom will only invoke paralysis, and once that's done, little  \nVenus will be ours to play with! Isn^t that right Aramoro-ku-! Agh!\"  \n  \nKachiko was cut off as foamy green bile filled her mouth and a shocked look crossed her  \nface. She looked down in time to see Yuriko's four sets of claws rip through her torso  \nfrom behind, before literally tearing her to pieces.  \n  \nSailor Venus gasped, as she saw Yuriko standing over Kachiko's fallen body, as the  \nYouma flailed on the ground, making awful gurgling noises as she began regenerating.  \n\"You will love long enough for me to tell you this,\" Yuriko replied, holding up a  \nporcelain mask in her bloodied hand, before dropping on what remained of the Youma's  \nchest, \"I am no longer your daughter. I am no longer your servant. And I am no longer  \nyour slave!\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; With that, Yuriko stomped down hard upon the mask with her foot, driving sharp shards  \nof porcelain deep into Kachiko's heart. The Youma reached up towards her Childer, her  \neyes pleading and full of tears, just before her entire body turned to dust.  \n  \n\"You killed her!\" gasped Aramoro in a shocked tone.  \n  \n\"Yes, indeed,\" Yuriko replied simply, watching the Youma's blood turn to dust as well,  \nleaving her hands, and uniform quite clean.  \n  \n\"You-! You've betrayed our Sire!\" he accused.  \n  \n\"The strong rule the weak amongst our kind, Aramoro-san,\" Yuriko commented as she  \nwalked towards the floating Youma, \"And I have proven myself stronger. Therefore,  \nwhat was once Kachiko-san's is now mine. Including you, and these pretty little things\"  \n  \nAs she spoke, Yuriko motioned to the bound Senshi who here firmly stuck to the walls,  \nas well giving Minako a reassuring glance when the Youma was distracted.  \n  \n\"Why should I trust you?\" Aramoro demanded, \"How do I know you won^t kill me as  \nwell! You killed two of your own brothers already!\"  \n  \n\"Only to prove my point,\" Yuriko replied, \"I gave them the option of surrender, and they  \npassed it up. It is the way of such things.\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"I see...\" commented Aramoro thoughtfully, \"But I think I need proof of your intent!\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\" inquired Yuriko, her face betraying no expression. Eventhough she more nervous  \nthan she had been before in her life.  \n  \n\"Ya!\" replied Aramoro, thrusting Sailor Venus roughly forward, \"Prove you're still one of  \nus with this one!\"  \n  \n\"Very well,\" responded Yuriko simply, and reached underneath of Venus' skirt.  \n  \nThe Senshi couldn't help but smirk a little as Yuriko winked at her. \"Oh! No! Please  \ndon^t!\" Sailor Venus shrieked, putting every ounce of her acting talent into performance,  \nand trying not to laugh at the look on Yuriko's face as her finger found the hard, almost  \nimpenetrable shield that blocked Sailor Venus' undergarments, and legs.  \n  \n\"Ooo! I don^t think she likes that!\" laughed Aramoro, truly enjoying himself as Venus  \npretended to squirm and try to escape Yuriko's touch.  \n  \n\"Good,\" replied Yuriko in a level tone, beginning to find the situation amusing as well, as  \nSailor Venus subtlety moved her hands to take hold of two of Aramoro's barbed tentacles,  \n\"It's much more fun when they squirm\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; \"Don't I know it!\" laughed Aramoro as Yuriko stepped back, extending her  \nfinger/tentacle as she went, trying to make sure that it still seemed as though she were  \nviolating Sailor Venus. The whole time, the Senshi begged her to stop, pleaded with her  \nto remove it, and claimed that it was hurting her. All the while, of course, desperately  \ntrying not to burst out laughing as the Youma that held her practically came, and she  \nherself felt somewhat frustrated at the fact that she was cut off form Yuriko's touch.  \n  \n\"Now!\" exclaimed Yuriko, quickly retracting her finger/tentacle as Aramoro was at his  \nmost distracted.  \n  \nMinako nodded and gripped the tentacles she held tightly. \"CRESCENT! BEAM!!!\"  \n  \nFrom Yuriko's perspective, there was a blinding flash of amber light, followed by the  \nsound of a small explosion. \"Minako!\" she cried, as the Senshi flew through the air  \ntowards her. Yuriko braced herself, and caught Sailor Venus in all four arms before being  \nthrown to the ground by the force of the impact.  \n  \n\"Oh, man\" muttered Venus, \"They just don^t make Youma like they used to\"  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko smiled and gave her a quick kiss. \"So long as you're alright,\" she replied with  \nconcern.  \n  \n\"Nothing I can't heal,\" the Senshi replied with a smirk, \"Now, as soon as I can stand  \nagain, we should really free my friends before the police show up or something\"  \n  \nYuriko nodded. \"Yes, you are probably correct,\" she answered almost sadly as she  \nchanged back to human form, \"But I do believe that they're fine for a few moments more  \nat least. I'm fairly certain that that armor of yours kept the others away from them\"  \n  \n\"I'm sure it was quite frustrating\" Sailor Venus said with a smirk, changing back to  \nMinako, \"Maybe I'll have to ask Ami-chan if there's any way to shut off the force  \nfield\"  \n  \n\"Sounds like fun,\" replied Yuriko a little shyly.  \n  \n\"Amost as much fun as when 'they squirm'?\" inquired Minako with a sly grin.  \n  \nYuriko's eyes went wide, as she blushed profusely.  \n  \n\"Just kidding!\" laughed Minako, \"But you know, I've been thinking\"  \n  \n\"Oh?\"  \n  \n\"Ya, when the others wake up, they don^t 'need' to know that you're a What you are\"  \nMinako said carefully.  \n  \n\n\u0026nbsp; Yuriko chuckled. \"I think I can shield myself form any kind of mystic scans if I have to,\"  \nshe replied happily, and gave Minako a hug, \"Don^t worry, this can be our secret, now  \nthat all the witnesses are dead.\"  \n  \n\"Quite,\" replied Minako, \"But I'm afraid my conscience with kill me if we don^t hurry up  \nand save the others\"  \n  \nYuriko nodded, and helped Minako to her feet before helping her to free the other Senshi  \nform the wall  \n  \nTHE END  \n  \n  \n\n"}