Name of the Storyline: Hotline Tokyo
Name of the Creator: Jasper
Forum: Tokyo City
Relaxed or Advanced: Advanced

Plot Summary
Home Phone, Tokyo's newest telecommunications company, has made a name for itself with aggressive advertising and competitive rates on internet and phone services. Not satisfied with simply rocking the boat in the telecom industry, Home Phone has just launched a new dating service called "Hotline Tokyo."

Coincidentally, a week after the first series of ads have run their course, brainwashed citizens wearing animal-themed masks are beginning to cause trouble in the city with seemingly random acts of violence. When questioned by the police, these perpetrators (or victims) all share a common link - each of them received strange, cryptic messages in their answering machines/voicemail, urging them to act on their darkest desires.

At the heart of this mayhem is an individual who calls himself Schwarzpferd, the first of the masked men and women to appear. What are his ulterior motives? Does he pull the strings, or is he merely the puppet of another?


Details on any necessary information:

• Takes place between the SuperS and Stars arcs, with Usagi's age being approximately 15-16.
  
• Home Phone is being used as a false front to further the villains' agenda.
  
• The masked vandals (except Schwarzpferd) initially pose no threat to the Senshi, but they revel in provoking panic and unrest from the city's populace. As the story escalates, the vandals will start exhibiting powers granted to them by their mysterious master.
  
• The hooligans all wear an animal or insect themed mask - cats, dogs, bears, even mythological creatures (e.g. unicorns) are fair game. True to his name, Schwarzpferd wears a mask representing a black horse.
  
• Characters with extrasensory perception may receive further insight, through dreams or visions, as to what is driving Schwarzpferd to upset the public peace.
  
• Later in the story, it is revealed that Schwarzpferd and Jasper Franklin share the same body.
  

Cast:
Sailor Moon (temporary), Sailor Mercury, Sailor Chibi Moon -- Aurae
Tuxedo Mask -- Princess Luna
Sailor Venus -- JupiterThunderCrash
Sailor Mars -- Prince Triton

Schwarzpferd // Jasper Franklin -- Jasper
Graffias -- VBabe (adopted by Jasper)
Sailor Makemake -- Sailor CJ
Sailor Splash -- Dark Sportsnutd


Restrictions:
(Canon) All Inner/Outer senshi and guardians permitted.
(Otaku) Limited space for otaku senshi and villains, 4 slots in total. Villains can either be willing or unwilling participants in Schwarzpferd's schemes.


Thread Roleplaying Resources
OOC Thread: Here
Character Requests: Here

It is possible...

..won't last very long...

...an acceptable risk.


June 5
11:18 AM

An obnoxious sound echoed through the nondescript apartment of a twenty-something young man, tearing him away from the comfortable embrace of slumber. He stirred awake, tossing and turning within his bed towards the electronic device that summoned him from the world of dreams. Once the alcohol-induced haze of the previous night had cleared from his thoughts, it became apparent to him that the noise was his phone's alarm. He had set it the night before so that he would not miss an important call. He had recently come of age to purchase and consume such volatile spirits, yet only recently had he found a reason to exercise this particular right.

Cursing inwardly at his overindulgence, the brown-haired youth lunged out of bed to seize the device and cease the bombastic trance music that served as his wake-up call. A small blinking light at the top corner of the phone had caught his attention, informing him of a message that arrived while he was sleeping.

You have 1 new message:

Disregarding his state of dress, the young man walked to the front of his apartment, as if drawn there by the mysterious caller whom he had narrowly missed. He cracked the door open, looking down the hallways for a sign of life. Nothing. His eyes absently swept down to the floor as he prepared to close the door-

There! A brown parcel, wrapped in thick paper and secured with sturdy twine. He seized the object and hurriedly shut the door behind him, tearing open the package to inspect its contents. There was a horse's head staring back at him..

He paused, then let out a sigh of relief. It was not an actual animal's head; it was far too light and there was no sign of viscera. Instead, the object was a rubber mask designed to resemble a black horse. Alongside its empty visage was a handwritten note and a clear plastic bottle, filled to the brim with a stark blue liquid. Due to the extensive warnings etched on the bottle, he didn't have to unseal the bottle to know its contents. It was flammable, and that was enough assurance for him.

The young man raised the letter to the light, its intricate symbols giving form and purpose to his thoughts. Though no different from the writing that the citizens of Tokyo utilized on a daily basis, its intentions could not be any further removed from the spirit of their community.

Cookie Recipe:

---

June 5
3:35 PM

Following the chimes of the ending bell, the students of Juuban Municipal Junior High packed their bags and prepared to leave. Their morning began with a downpour of rain characteristic with the onset of the summer season, transforming a cool morning into a moist quagmire. The storm broke before noon, and the expansive puddles of standing water underneath the hot June sun were soon transformed into steaming plumes of barely tangible vapor.

Despite this inclement weather, the spirits of the young scholars remained undaunted. Rampant heat and humidity aside, the atmosphere within the school was relaxed, festive, and rife with anticipation. In as little as five to six weeks, they would be on their way to a well deserved break from their classes!

---

An older gentleman dressed in a clean gray business suit strode amongst the mass exodus of students. His composure was calm and dignified, and his neck-length black hair groomed with a careful eye. He was undaunted by the surge of pedestrians, instead welcoming them to the flowing waves of human traffic on the sidewalk. To the eyes that dared gaze upon him, a regal smile was present to acknowledge their curiosity.

Walter William Burton was a man of simple tastes. Where other businessmen in his position would revel in more materialistic pursuits, he was satisfied with investing his effort into two goals: administering his company with pinpoint precision, and fueling his demanding business efforts by sampling every known form of food and drink that he could find within the greater Tokyo area. Business management, particularly within the telecommunications industry, was never an easy task; it was a rare day that he left the office without feeling hungry. This week was no different; he had just completed negotiations to extend advertising agreements with local television networks.

Today, Mr. Burton was in the mood to indulge a sweet tooth prior to an evening meal. Following a suggestion from his secretary, he approached the Fruits Parlor Crown with confidence and purpose in his movements.

A young girl with long, blonde hair and bright blue eyes laughed cheerfully as she waved good-bye to her friends.  Holding her black schoolbag above her head, she sprinted through the pouring rain towards her favorite after-school hangout:  The Crown Arcade.

Panting and dripping wet, the girl entered through the sliding glass arcade doors, not losing her enthusiastic smile.  She was supposed to meet her close friend and accomplice, Tenoh Haruka, in just a few minutes.  Exuberant, the girl plopped down on a bar stool and ordered her favorite beverage.  Her smile couldn't be wiped from her face - the excitement coursing through her body was too much to handle.  

The end of school was fast approaching, and the teen had already received news that she had passed her final year of junior high, and would be moving on to high school.  Not only that, but she was especially excited to be spending the afternoon with her close friend.  There hadn't been an enemy threat in months, so the two had hardly seen each other.  But they had finally gotten around to discussing a date for the two to just spend time together and enjoy each other's company.  

The blonde giggled and waited patiently while she played the Sailor V game and sipped her chocolate milkshake.

"You know, if you're not careful your going to spill milkshake all over your game," Haruka commented, arms folded against her chest, leaning up against the counter casually as she watched her Princess flail at being surprised. It never got old for Haruka to sneak up on the younger girl and do what she could to get these type of reactions from her.

"So shall we get a booth or did you just want to stay at the counter so you can chat with Motoki-san too?" she asked, reaching out to push a stray lock of hair behind the younger girls ears. She took a brief moment to allow her eyes to scan the people around her, taking note of any of the exits, to make sure that there weren't a threat. Once a soldier, always a soldier they say, even in times of peace. No matter where they were, it was her duty to protect her Princess and future Queen.

Outside, the rain continued but it hardly dampened the spirits of even the youngest of the city's citizens. Juuban Municipal Primary School had been dismissed at the same time as the Junior High and it's students were just as excited for the end of the school year as their seniors. Wither either a raincoat or and umbrella in hand, most of the children had left the school in a hurry, but one student was shuffling rather  than running.

Chibiusa Tsukino had forgotten her umbrella. If Usagi were escorting her home they way she normally did she might have an umbrella they could share. But instead, Usagi was meeting one of her friends after school today. On the other hand, she hadn't seen Usagi grab her own umbrella... this kind of absentmindedness was normal for Usagi, but not Chibiusa. She was distracted.

It had been a week now since she had last seen Helios. He had left before Chibiusa had had a chance to tell him how she felt. She hadn't told anyone... Normally, this was the sort of thing a girl would share with her mother, but Usagi might just laugh or do something else to embarrass her...There was also Mamoru. He was much more reliable than Usagi, but lately he had been especially busy with his own studies.

"Chibiusa!"

The sound of her own name caused her to stop and look back. It was Momoko Momohara, one of her classmates. She was also a good friend, maybe she could confide in her...

"Yo!" a second voice called out before suddenly emerging from behind Momoko. 

Kyuusuke Sarashina was another friend, though he wasn't exactly the kind who she could talk to about love. He was an even more likely candidate to laugh.

"Chibiusa, didn't you bring your umbrella?" Momoko asked once the two had caught up.

She simply shook her head.

"Here, you can share mine then," Momoko offered, allowing Chibiusa to stand beneath her umbrella with her while Kyuusuke had his own.

"we're going to the Crown Arcade to check out the new Sailor V game!" Kyuusuke told her with a grin.

"You should come with us, Chibiusa. I've heard the cafe above the arcade has a really good milkshake. You and I can split one while Kyuusuke is playing his silly game."

Chibiusa's face brightened. This might work out for her after all. She could talk to Momoko alone while Kyuusuke was distracted with a video game.

"Okay, let's go!"

3:53 PM

Holding his own umbrella upright, Walter Burton continued his trek towards the Crown Arcade. While he was not one to care much for rain, the local forecasts had described them as scattered showers.  Soon they would disperse or travel elsewhere, leaving the near future looking bright and sunny.

Once arriving at the arcade, he slipped his umbrella into a plastic cover and wasted little time in placing an order for a milkshake. A few stray eyes had fallen upon Mr. Burton as he entered; was it unusual for an older gentleman to be paying a visit to a place that was popular with youngsters, or did his foreign ethnicity cause concern? He shrugged off the notion with a smile, thanking his waitress as she brought him a chocolate shake.

Taking up a comfortable seat to overlook the Crown's occupants and a nearby television set, Mr. Burton raised his right arm to look over his wristwatch. He had recognized the TV network that was on display; not only were they one of his advertising affiliates, but Mr. Burton had also been invited to discuss one of his recent life experiences as a guest on a popular talk show.

---

3:57 PM

Within the Azabu-Juban Tokyo Metro station, a tall individual wearing a black horse mask departed the men's bathroom. He carefully maneuvered a mop and its accompanying bucket along the floor, taking care to steer clear of busy citizens who were too focused on catching their next train.

Fortunately for him, the young man wasn't alone in his endeavors. A capable hacker had broken into the station's security network as part of his plans, supplying him vital feedback on the subway's occupants through a transceiver sewn into his boilersuit. Between two pairs of eyes (one of which had co-opted the video feed from the cameras), it wasn't hard for the masked "janitor" to spot a black-suited businessman who held a briefcase in his left hand.

Eight other men were scattered about the Metro station, keeping an eye out for suspicious characters. Two provided physical security to the man in black, while the remainder were scattered around the exits to watch for the arrival of suspicious characters. The mark was trying to pass himself off as a busy individual with nothing more exciting than a newspaper and four kilograms' worth of reports.

Had the poor courier brought only those two men with him to cover his flanks, he might have been able to slip away without being discovered. However, the extra muscle and their thinly veiled nervousness instead served to betray the presence and importance of their client. They would not be able to respond until it was already too late.

One minute after the masked youth had exited the bathroom, the yellow mop bucket descended upon the courier and his retinue. Their cries of surprise and indignation were cut short when Schwarzpferd descended upon them mere seconds later.

Usagi jumped when she heard Haruka's voice from behind her.  She bad been so into the game that she hadn't even heard the arcade doors slide open.  She pouted when the pixellated figure of Sailor V was hit by an attack from the monster and fell over, causing a giant 'GAME OVER' to appear on the screen.  

"Awh, you made me die!  That was my best performance yet!" the blonde teen whined, playfully slapping her older friend on the shoulder.  She pretended to
storm over the a booth and plop down into the seat angrily,
crossing her arms and glaring at Haruka.  It took only a matter of seconds to realize she had left her milkshake by the arcade game she was just playing.  

Turning an innocent look on her friend, Usagi batted her eyelashes and reached for her sweet concoction, signifying that she desired for its presence in her hand.  She smiled sweetly at Haruka,
hoping she would get the hint.  

Usagi's smile faded when a low roll of thunder was heard in the distance.  "Oh my gosh, Chibiusa!" Usagi shrieked, clamping her hands over her face.

Outside, the thunder made all three children cringe. Thunder was a fear that Chibiusa hadn't quite gotten over yet, but at least she wasn't alone here. It would be dangerous for her and her two friends to stay outside if the weather became severe. They might have to forget about the arcade and go straight home in that case, but luckily this had been the first sign of any instability all day.

"That... didn't sound like it was that close..." Kyuusuke said, though his attempt and looking manly couldn't hide the reluctance in his voice. He had been just as startled as the two girls.

"Besides, the Crown Arcade isn't that much further and we should be inside anyway if it's going to storm. We can call our parents from there if we have to."

Both Chibiusa and Momoko nodded in agreement. Suddenly going to the arcade didn't sound as fun anymore, but Kyuusuke did have a point. The Crown Arcade was still much closer than any one of their homes now. There was also no telling when Chibiusa might have another chance like this to talk to somebody about Helios.

The three children continued to make their way down the street until a second crack of thunder rumbled through the air. This time, much louder and closer than the first. The loud sound caused all three of them to leap up before running the final two blocks to the Crown Arcade and rushing inside.

"See?... I told you...we could still...make it," Kyuusuke said in between breaths after the sprint.

"Hey, Chibiusa, isn't that your cousin Usagi over there?" Momoko pointed out.

"Usagi?" Chibiusa repeated, following her friend's gaze. Her brown furrowed into a scowl when she saw her. So this was where Usagi had gone to meet her friend...

Haruka grinned as she grabbed Usagi’s drink, or what remained of it rather, and brought it over to her friend.

“I didn’t make you die, you did that all on your own buns head,” Haruka teased gently, poking the girl in the side before handing the requested drink over. The older senshi turned her attention to the window when it began to storm. Odd, I don’t remember seeing rain the forecast, she thought to herself.

“What about Chibiusa now? I’m sure she’s fine by herself at home, not everyone is scared of thunder like you are,” Haruka said, trying to calm her friend.

Usagi blanched when the arcade doors slid open, revealing her future daughter and two of her friends.  The two girls made eye contact, and Usagi sank down in her seat.  "She's going to kill me," Usagi groaned, wishing she could melt into the floor.  She would definitely be getting an earful.  

"I'm going to need another chocolate shake," she told a passing employee.  If she was going to earn Chibiusa's forgiveness, she had better start immediately.  Usagi bit her lip and smiled half-heartedly at Haruka.  "I...kind of forgot to pick her up from school..." Usagi said sheepishly.  She could feel Chibiusa's ruby-colored eyes burning deep into her soul, and it only made Usagi feel worse.  Chibiusa was the only child who literally terrified her.

Haruka groaned and brought her right hand to her face to pinch the bridge of her nose. “You forgot to pick her up from school,” she said incredulously. “How did you forget? No, never mind, don’t answer that question, I think I already know.” Sometimes Haruka had a hard time believing that her friend was supposed to grow up and become their future Queen. Then again, she had to remind herself that the girl was still young and had plenty of time to grow up.

“You really should make it up to her. I would suggest food and drink since she’s your daughter and likes the same things you do,” Haruka suggested.

Chibiusa gave a light tug on the dress of the waitress who had taken Usagi's order for an additional milkshake as she passed by. "Make that two more, please..." she corrected before letting the waitress go.

Both Kyuusuke and Momoko snickered. Normally Chibiusa would have liked to sold Usagi in a more direct fashion, but she didn't want to make a scene in front of her two friends. Paying for both her and Momoko's drinks would be punishment enough for Usagi to make up for forgetting to pick her up. For now at least...

Kyuusuke made his way over the the nearest available Sailor V-themed machine he could find. Apparently just in time, too, as every other was occupied at that time. The new game was certainly doing its job of attracting player and would serve well enough to distract the boy just as Chibiusa had hoped.

At the same time, Chibiusa and Momoko made their way up to the second floor of the arcade where the caffe was. A moment after the two girls had sat down the waitress returned and placed a chocolate milkshake in front of each of them. Momoko began to drink right away but Chibiusa hesitated.

"Momoko, have you ever... been in love before?" she began.

3:59 PM

"Coming right up!" The waitress smiled sweetly in response to the modified order, either out of blissful ignorance or discretion towards the sensitive family matter.
 
As Momoko and Chibiusa took their seats upstairs, Walter casually spooned out the second half of his milkshake from a metallic malt cup into his glass. From his viewpoint, the two young girls seemed to be discussing.. well, personal things. Who was he to get involved, after all? Even the youngest of human beings were capable of forming and expressing very deep emotions. Maturity, as it would seem, was not something to measure only in a physical quantity.

Such vibrant youth, Walter mused to himself. Once Momoko and Chibiusa received their milkshakes, Walter called their waitress over to order a second.  He could get used to the delightful taste of such beverages, assuming he didn't spoil his appetite through careless dietary habits.

As Walter's eyes wandered about the second floor of the Crown, they widened in delight upon seeing the television. This was it! The talk show recording that he attended was now being broadcast.

Tokyo Horizon wrote:

Sora Hamasaki tilted his microphone toward a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a gray business suit.

"Inspector Mori, what is your opinion on the kidnapping case that made headlines last week?"

Masahiro Mori sat with his arms folded, answering the question with a cool and impersonal tone. "Kidnappers are after the promise of large ransoms, often paid by the families of the victims. They like to choose their targets based on appearances of wealth and vulnerability."

Hamasaki tilted his microphone back, just long enough for another brief question. It was tough to get any specific answers from Mori, who was a frequent guest on his show. Still, getting it out there was important.

"Do you believe there is any correlation to the Pigman attacks? Eyewitnesses have stated that the kidnapper wore a similar mask."

Mori cracked a small smile in response to the inquiry, perhaps the most emotion he had shown that morning. "I am not at liberty to divulge sensitive details regarding an ongoing investigation. However, due to the motivations in both cases, we have no reason to suspect any meaningful correlation."

At this point, both Hamasaki and Inspector Mori shared a glance before looking back to the audience. "I must apologize to the audience; while there are details that I can share regarding the case, Hamasaki and I believe it is more appropriate to allow an opportunity for the story to be told on a personal level."

The host stood up from his seat with a wide smile, microphone held firmly in hand. From the viewers' perspective, the camera crews began their outward zoom.

"Our next guest on the show will be with Mr. Walter Burton, who survived this harrowing ordeal! We'll be right back after a short commercial break."

Warnings on the Wind (Haruka):

Usagi groaned and slammed her head on the table.  "My money..." she whined, thinking about the cost of the milkshakes Chibiusa had no-doubt ordered.  That little brat couldn't let one teeny weeny mistake go?  Of course not.

Usagi's whines were interrupted when the TV hanging from the ceiling began to play that afternoon's broadcast.  She picked her head up and blinked at the small screen, listening to the Tokyo Horizon host ask two men questions about the mysterious happenings around Tokyo.  Her attention diverted, Usagi said, "Oh, I've heard about those.  Have you?"  She looked over at Haruka when the show went to a commercial.  "It's kind of strange, honestly.  How does a criminal get away with so many offenses?  Sounds like our police force needs some sprucing up."

Haruka could hear Usagi talk to her, but her attention was more focused on the news on the television. Suddenly, she heard something on the wind, her body freezing slightly as the wind brought something to hear.

All available units there is a disturbance at Metro N-04/E-22, I repeat, all available units, there is a disturbance at Metro N-04/E-22. The voice belonged to a female dispatcher who was very calm and detached and she could hear sirens in the wind, which meant they were further away than the arcade. Haruka had a feeling that if the Winds were bringing this to her, it had something to do with what was on the news just moments ago.

“Princess, we need to go, now, duty calls,” she whispered into the younger girl’s, crowding into the younger girls space and bending over slightly so no one would overhear them.

"Love?" Momoko repeated, completely caught off guard by the sudden question.

"Yeah, you know.... like with someone in our class or something?" Chibiusa encouraged in a dodging manner.

Momoko didn't seem to have taken the bait, however. She merely stared back at her friend while she tried to figure out the reason for such a serious question out of the blue. After a moment of analyzing, Momoko blinked with a slight gasp and lifted her head slightly when she thought she had come across the answer.

"Oh! You mean your cousin and that blonde guy she was here with, right?"

Now Chibiusa had been the one caught off guard while in mid sip. She gulped loudly in a rough swallow then began to cough. 

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," Momoko continued with a shrug. "He looked like a nice enough guy, but didn't you once tell me that Usagi was dating a College student?"

Chibiusa lowered her chin into her palms with a long sigh. It looked like Momoko wouldn't be of much help after all... Chibiusa's eyes began to drift across the room until she noticed a dark haired man wearing business attire. Not the usual clientele for an arcade, but he seemed to be very excited about something. She followed his gaze over to the television mounted on the wall. 

She had almost been expecting a sporting even of some kind, but the man seemed to be excited over a newscast of some kind. Unfortunately, the broadcast had gone to a commercial before she had heard any of the story. She continued  to watch until the program had returned while Momoko joined her after noticing Chibiusa's attention had been adverted.

Usagi's attention switched to Haruka when the tone in her voice changed to one of seriousness. She had seen that look in her friend's eyes multiple times before, and she knew that something was definitely wrong.

"Right," she said, tossing her money on the table and standing up. Nodding confidently to Haruka, she walked out of the arcade, checking to make sure Chibiusa was no where to be seen. She definitely did not want the young child to be put into danger, even though she was a senshi.

"Where to?" she asked Haruka.

"One of the Metro lines, I know which one. Come, we'll take my bike," she paused for a moment. "Perhaps it would be best if you let Chibiusa know where you are going instead of just taking off again. I'll meet you out front."

With that, Haruka walked outside to where she had parked her bike earlier this afternoon. It was a good thing she had brought it; it would be much easier to navigate the traffic at this time of day with it than her sports car. She swung her leg over her bike straddling it as she grabbed the handlebars to steady herself. Putting on her helmet, she waited as patiently as she could for her Princess to come outside.

She couldn’t help but wonder what type of threat they were facing this time. No youma they had faced before had attacked a metro line before. She couldn’t help but think something funny was up with this situation but she had no idea what.

Usagi nodded and turned around, biting her lip. She didn't want her stubborn daughter to insist on fighting, but she did deserve to know. Hopefully, Momoko would be a reason for Chibiusa to stay.

With a sigh, she hurried to the second floor, easily spotting her future pink-haired child. She took a deep breath, ready for an argument, and approached Chibiusa.

"Chibiusa, Haruka and I have to go take care of urgent business," Usagi said, putting extra special emphasis on the word 'urgent'. She winked, just to make sure Chibiusa got the message. "You stay here, and I'll come get you when we're finished. You can walk home if you want, but I'm sure Mamoru can come get you if you want him to. Stay safe, alright?"

She hoped that Chibiusa would comply. There was no time for an argument, especially since Haruka was waiting outside. But if Chibiusa wantwd to accompany them, there was practically nothing Usagi could do about it. Chibiusa was a senshi, too.

4:02 PM

Masahiro Mori wasted no time in driving directly towards the Azabu-Juban Metro station. Not long ago, he had received a report of an attack in the subway. His immediate fears were eased when he prodded the caller for additional details, learning that no deadly weapons had been employed at the station. However, something equally important had come to Mori's attention - the attacker was wearing some kind of animal mask.

Could it have been the Pigman?

As he arrived, Mori immediately began to approach the subway entrance with a purposeful stride. Some of them gave Mori no more acknowledgment than a brief nod, while one of the new recruits actually had moved up to block his path. It was an understandable mistake; the inspector was still dressed in his gray suit from the talk show recording that morning, and the youth had yet to become familiar with the detective's reputation. Flashing his badge was enough to gain the newbie's cooperation.

"Can you tell me what happened here?"

The inspector listened closely to the officer's explanation, his face shifting into a light frown. Multiple counts of assault had transpired in pursuit of a robbery, and the only positive thing he could draw from the event was that the suspect had not used a firearm. Judging from the injuries of the victims, he did not need one.

One thing was certain; it looked like Inspector Mori had picked the wrong week to quit smoking.

---

The automated parking garage wasn't as noisy as Graffias expected it to be. The middle-aged scientist sat in the middle of a white van, resting a laptop on his knees and typing onto the keyboard. It was a clever idea to hide a person within a vehicle here; Schwarzpferd had imagined that the space-saving layouts of the parking garages would limit access to the cars.

They had begun their plot by interring the van within the structure. Schwarzpferd himself took to the streets, leaving Graffias to conduct his remote espionage in relative peace and quiet. Other than his equipment, the only things he had to keep him company was a handful of cooled beverages and the steady background churning of the robotic machinery.

Graffias was rather bored with the subway's security, having found an opening to exploit several days before the attack. Though it was a smart move to keep the computer hardware isolated from external devices, that same logic had not been practiced with all of the subway's periphereals. He had attacked the system through its electric eyes, rendering them useless to further delay police response. All that was left to do was scrub away the digital footprints of his hacking, a task that would be handled by a special gift that he uploaded to the subway systems. It was similar to the the sort of gift the ancient Greeks gave to the city of Troy.

Picking up his phone, Graffias thumbed in a text message to his partner in crime.

Messaging >>> Mr. S:

Graffias smirked at the last incoming message, setting his phone down beside a mask resembling a rottweiler's head.

---

At the Crown, the television overlooking Chibiusa and Walter Burton cycled through a couple of irrelevant commercials. The last of the batch was distinct from the others; it carried a more somber message, but one that Walter hoped would be meaningful to its intended audience.

Hotline Tokyo wrote:

A small fishing vessel floats in the sea. It is a moonless night, dark and difficult to see anything other than the ship and the water line against the vessel's hull.

"Are you having difficulty in your personal life? Do you feel like you're drifting aimlessly with no clear direction?"

The camera performs a closeup on the captain of the ship, a middle-aged individual with a heartbroken and longing expression. He's been out to sea for a while, but wishes to return home and is having difficulty finding his path.

"Give us a call at (0) 3-9876-5421 and we'll do our part to help you connect with that special person."

The captain considers this suggestion, then relents and reaches for his phone. He dials the number and begins to speak with the other end of the line, showing a gradual improvement in his demeanor.

"Throughout this June and July, our hardworking public service employees may use our dating services free for 30 days."

In the background, the lamp of a lighthouse flares to life and offers the lost ship a clear path to a bristling cityscape - tall, bright, pristine. A safe and warm place, as opposed to the cold and dark waters that the captain is returning from.

"Hotline Tokyo. Stay connected to those you love most."

Walter smiled to himself as the advertisement ran its course. His brand new promotion was aimed at fostering interpersonal relationships or reinforcing existing ones. The answer seemed rather simple to him - offer aggressively priced phone service to customers who wanted to maintain close contact with their families and friends, and to venture into the exciting world of matchmaking on the behalf of those who needed assistance in finding that special person.

Where Walter was concerned, profit margins were not a problem as long as Home Phone could attract and retain new customers who were unsatisfied with existing services. If their needs were met first, then surely they would help him.

A phone service that promised to help loved ones reconnect or simply stay in touch? The offer sounded tempting, but in Chibiusa's case it was too good to be true. After all, the one she wanted to be reunited with could exactly be reached by such a simple method...

but on the other hand, she was beginning to run out of options and a service like this would at least be a way to talk to someone who would at least listen. The commercial had that it was free...

Chibiusa went over the phone number three more times in her mind to commit it to memory before it disappeared from the screen. Usagi arrived just as the commercial rolled back over to the preempted newscast. Chibiusa had been so involved in the commercial that she couldn't even think of an argument if she wanted to, but she had at least understood the meaning behind Usagi's message.

"Alright..." she said in a slightly dejected tone. It wasn't as though she didn't want to go along with Usagi and Haruka, but she could just abandon Kyuusuke and Momoko after agreeing to spend some time with them.

"Urgent business?" Momoko repeated in a concerned tone with a blink.

Chibiusa shook her head and put on a smile to reassure her friend. "Don't worry, I'm sure it's not anything too serious. If it was really anything that bad Usagi would take me with her... I hope..." 

Momoko raised her eyebrow at Chibiusa's last mumble, but the pink haired girl quickly smiled again.

"Come on, let's go see how Kyuusuke's game is going. I'm sure he's almost blown all of his allowance by now." 

She grabbed Momoko's hand and began to pull her towards the stairs leading back down into the arcade, repeating the phone number to Hotline Tokyo once more in her mind along the way.

Luna wasn't sure that this lull in enemy activity would last long. She knew that something would come. It always did, and much to her sorrow something did happen. As a small black cat Luna was easily able to slip in and out of places but the ability to become human was something that had it's uses too. 

The small black cat focused on herself, willing her body to become human. In a flash to purple light where there was once a cat, in the alley by the metro station was now a beautiful woman with long black hair clad in a yellow gown. Luna always loved the feeling of being human it was a new look on things but today she didn't have time to enjoy it. Luna produced the Disguise pen, the very one that had allowed her to become a Sailor Senshi when she was needed most, when she and Artemis were looking for the girls. Today Luna would not be donning her Sailor Luna guise, no today she was only here to find information. What she had heard from her headquarters (Still in the arcade) bothered her. 

"Disguise Pen, Make me look like a Cop!" She called out throwing the pen over her head, and in a shower of glitter and light human Luna was dressed like one of Tokyo's finest. "Now to get that intel." She said making her way into the metro line.

No less than four police vehicles and two ambulances awaited Officer Luna as she approached the subway station. The cars sat silently behind the police personnel in charge of detouring traffic away from the station, flashing their red lights in warning to approaching motorists.

Something terrible happened here, but what exactly had transpired? Just further inside the station, Luna could see nine individuals, all male and dressed in business suits, being attended by a team of paramedics. Eight of the salarymen were conscious and responding to the queries of the emergency workers, while the ninth was being lifted onto a gurney for further treatment at the nearest hospital.

The only comfort that the disguised Moon Kingdom confidant could draw from her initial observations was that none of them had been attacked on a spiritual level. Unlike certain victims of the enemies that the Sailor Senshi fought against in the past, these men had all sustained injuries that the medics had determined to be purely physical in nature.

Inspector Mori leaned against a nearby pillar as he mulled over the details of what had occurred. As he looked over a pack of cigarettes with some hesitation, another police officer was filling out a form on what precious little evidence the authorities had on the nature of this attack. The most significant item that was recovered by the Metropolitan Police was an overturned mop bucket, its location being marked with a chalk outline and a small arrow indicative of a direction.

On noticing Luna's presence, the inspector moved forward to greet her with a short bow before he gestured to the salarymen. "These guys aren't helping much. They were attacked by some clown in a mask, yet they claim to know nothing about his motives. Can you try getting a statement from them while I get some fresh air?"

Kaede Morgan, Sailor Makemake

"Come on, Chibi Moon! COME ON!"

Meanwhile, at the arcade, a middle school student in a T*A Academy uniform furiously pressed buttons on a crane machine. She pressed her face up against the glass as she watched an adorable plush doll of Sailor Chibi Moon dangle from the claws. It eventually fell and she let out a moan.

"Chibi Moon is the last one I need," she said as she began to tear up. "If only I had more change. I've got to have more change!"

She began to dig through her change purse to try and conjure up the change she needed to get the plush doll.

Luna looked up at the inspector as he spoke to her. For a moment the Mau didn't know what to say, but some how she recovered. "Yes Inspector." She said and walked off pulling a notepad and pen from her pocket. The men were of little help like the inspector said but she did gather that a man wearing a mask had attacked them, with (and this was the part that she had the hardest with) a mop and bucket. The Man they were taking away for treatment at a near by hospital wasn't able to speak to Luna, she could only get information from the EMT and what he had to say wasn't any more help that what the other victims had to say. 

Luna didn't waste time. She then removed a small digital camera from her pocket and started snapping pictures of the scene. She wanted them to study later maybe she would find a clue in them. She was pushing it staying so long, she knew that but she wanted to talk to other witnesses, maybe one of them saw which way the masked horse man ran off.

Looking relieved that his act of delegation paid off, Inspector Mori wasted little time in returning to his car at the station entrance. Within the trunk was a neatly folded orange vest; in the event that policemen would need to reroute traffic, the vest would brightly identify the wearer to incoming drivers.

This is precisely what Mori needed - a bit of menial work described loosely as his 'smoke break.' While he ultimately wanted to kick the habit for the sake of his immediate family, there were moments in his line of duties where he needed to acknowledge his human weaknesses. As Mori balanced the cotton filter of his readied cigarette between his lips, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a polished chrome lighter.

Within the tiny metal box lay a small, steadily burning flame. It joined its old tobacco-filled friend in a familiar embrace, transforming the ordinary inspector Mori into the grumpy detective Kumori. He had invariably earned the name from his smoking patterns; if left unchecked, he would soon be surrounded by white plumes that gave him the appearance of a mountain surrounded by morning fog. Upon donning his vest, the detective took to the streets to steer the approaching motorists away from the subway station.



Meanwhile, as Officer Luna began to take pictures and further question the victims, the paramedic team finished securing the ninth man to his gurney and wheeled him past the disguised officer.

"He.. she, or whatever it was, wore a black horse mask. They came out of nowhere, attacked us, and then left as soon as they appeared."

"The subway authorities couldn't do anything! They were locked in their own rooms until he was gone."

OOC:

---

Tokyo Horizon wrote:

Facing the camera, Sora Hamasaki gestured with open arms towards the home viewers. "Welcome back to Tokyo Horizon! Earlier, we spoke with Inspector Mori regarding the details of a kidnapping that has left many of our viewers with concerns regarding their safety. Today, we have a special guest - the CEO of Home Phone, Mr. Walter Burton!"

Walter Burton walked out to greet the audience and the host with a gracious bow before taking a seat. "Thank you, Hamasaki. It's a pleasure to be here."

Not one to lose his momentum, Hamasaki raised his microphone to offer a clear reception of his conversation with the businessman. "First of all, what can you tell us about the kidnapping? Do you have any theories on what led you to be a target?"

Walter nodded in agreement, shifting his seat to address both host and audience within his field of vision. "I believe my status as an expatriate is a significant factor. My ethnicity sets me apart from the citizens of Tokyo, and I also have reason to believe that my abductors were well informed as to my profession."

Hamasaki considered his next question, deciding to pry for further details. "Mr. Burton, what else can you tell us about this life-changing event?"

In spite of the questions, Walter was taking them all with stride. It was unlikely he would have agreed to be on the show otherwise. "I remember seeing a masked man shortly before I was subdued with a chloroform rag. His mask was like that of a dog.. a rottweiler, I believe. I later awoke to voices that were discussing terms of ransom, but I was blindfolded and gagged. Unfortunately, I can't provide much more detail on what happened."

Hamasaki nodded solemnly, allowing the smile in his voice to gradually return. "I understand that you've not let this discourage you. Instead, you seem to be channeling your experiences into your work - would this have anything to do with Home Phone's new promotions?"

Walter's expression was that of barely contained, enthusiastic agreement. "Yes, very much so! I owe my livelihood and my thanks to our police force. They were able to rescue me before I came to harm. They sacrifice much of themselves to safeguard this wonderful city, and so I wanted to tear down any financial barriers that would interfere with their personal lives.."

Back within the Crown Arcade, Walter's phone suddenly jolted within his pocket with a whirring hum - a relatively silent alarm indicating that he had other obligations to observe. Payment for his beverage had already been rendered, leaving Walter free to pursue his other appointments.

On his way outside, Walter paused to regard the middle school student near the crane machine with a brief expression of amusement. If he hadn't limited himself to carrying only credit and debit cards, perhaps he would have obliged the young girl's need for more change.

He shrugged and continued to walk out of the arcade, his footsteps carrying him close to the street; perhaps he could call a taxi and ensure a timely arrival. After all, the proper etiquette for timeliness was to arrive at least a few minutes early. A white van pulled up next to Walter, who assumed the vehicle was a taxi. He was soon proven wrong when the door swung outward into his face.

*THUNK*

Walter stumbled and fell back, surprised by the sudden opening of the van's passenger side door. Anger seethed and boiled within Mr. Burton's veins, but it was quickly replaced with a clammy foreboding once he laid eyes on the individual who was exiting the vehicle. Standing before him was a man in a blue boilersuit, holding a briefcase in one hand and a megaphone in the other.

A masked man.

It was a cold comfort that this person's disguise, a black horse, was different from the canine countenance that had just been described on national television.

To Walter, it was as if he was living the kidnapping nightmare all over again. He couldn't help himself to do anything but scream aloud.

Kaede Morgan, Sailor Makemake

Kaede's desperate search for change was interrupted by a scream from a man nearby. She watched in quiet wonder until she gasped. There was a dangerous situation going on! She had to do something about it! The cops might not be able to get there in time!

"I have to pee," she said plainly and took off toward the back in the bathrooms.

Then suddenly, a sailor suited warrior ran from the same location and out through the door. Clad in brown and green, she looked like any other typical sailor senshi, but it was evident she probably wasn't on the sol senshi's roster. Her brooch was plain and circular. She was not in a super or eternal form. She was on her own.

"Agent of Happiness and Life, the pretty sailor suited soldier Sailor Makemake! In the name of Makemake, I will punish you!"

Sailor Makemake posed in an awkward crane stance. Her leg wobbled as she lost balance.

"Only scary enemies wear masks! Well, sometimes sailor senshi do too, but you're definitely not one of those! It's time to be punished! Makemake Vine Twister!"

The new senshi punched forward. The motion seemed to summon a slew of vines that broke through the concrete under the masked man's feet. If the attack was successful, the vines would hold him in place.

The masked man sighed inwardly at Walter's panicked reactions, surveying the moderately populated city streets surrounding them. This would be a perfect place to host the vaunted 'bake sale' that his contacts demanded. Once it was complete, surely they would accept him into their fold. The horse-masked individual clicked on his megaphone and prepared to speak.

The device squealed in protest, causing Walter to briefly cover his ears. After the feedback had passed, the unidentified man spoke to Walter in a sterile, digital voice - perhaps modified by some other piece of equipment that was hidden away within the horse mask.

"Sorry about that, friend! I didn't see you there. You're not looking too well; perhaps you should go home and get some rest."

Then she came running in. A sailor soldier, claiming a name he had never heard of before. If he hadn't been wearing a mask, she would have known just how unimpressive her posture was to him. Being aware of this fact, the digital tone spoke again, adding what emphasis it could to its following query. "Makemake? You mean the dwarf planet that was recently found?"

A creeping sense of danger rose up in the back of his head while he spoke, but it was too late. Even as he asked the question, Sailor Makemake shouted her declaration to punish him and called forth her attack. Vines, seemingly out of nowhere, burst forth from the concrete and tightly wound themselves around his ankles and arms. They were strong enough to prevent him from lifting the megaphone to his mouth, a nuisance that would have to be addressed in one way or another.

What a pain, the masked fellow thought to himself. While he knew that he could free himself, it would constitute an escalation and scare the bystanders away from the scene. He wasn't looking for that outcome.. not yet, anyway.

"Listen, girl, I didn't come here to attack anyone. I have a message that needs to be shared, and I'd prefer to have my limbs free for my duties. Why don't you knock off this foolishness and leave me to my task?"

Kaede Morgan, Sailor Makemake

Sailor Makemake's face contorted when the masked man questioned the origin of her name.

"Yes, Sailor Mah-kay Mah-kay!" she shouted. "Not Make Make! It's a lot cooler than you think! Besides, Pluto's a dwarf planet too and no one's making a fuss about her!"

Her face flushed red when she realized that she had bound a man in vines before even figuring out if he was an enemy or not. She really had to start working on that. There were far too many people trapped in vines who she learned were just minding their own business.

"Oh, well. Sorry about that. I'd hate to infringe on someone's free speech."

She waved her hand slightly and the vines retreated back into the earth, though they didn't fix the concrete beneath them.

"There you go, Sir. Don't mind me. Heheh."

The sailor senshi stood idly by Walter. She smiled smugly in embarassment.

The horse-masked man merely nodded to Sailor Makemake, taking a couple of steps forward to place himself in the center of the sidewalk. Once he reached his target destination, the masked man set his briefcase inbetween his feet and clenched his heels and ankles against the object. Short of pushing him over with a running start, no one would be able to seize the briefcase while he remained standing.

Engaging the megaphone, the man called out to the busy pedestrians who were within eyesight. "Citizens of Tokyo! May I have your attention, please? I have something important to share with you." A few of the busy individuals stopped to look at the man with varying expressions. Some of the people were amused by the act, while others ignored him and continued on with their own business. A few even looked at him with scorn, surely thinking him a fool for attempting to address the public.

Shaking his head from side to side, the man once again activated his loudspeaker - purposefully triggering a small amount of feedback to further remind the would-be audience of his presence. "My name is Schwarzpferd, and I've been entrusted with delivering a message. There's no need to be shy; four amongst you will be paid for the pittance of time that I would ask."

To drive the point home, Schwarzpferd reached into the breast pocket of his boilersuit. Withdrawing a handful of 10,000 yen notes, he waved them over his head. Some of the bystanders caught notice of the crisp bills and began to approach him cautiously, wanting to learn more about the self-proclaimed courier. Or, perhaps, to get some of that cash he was offering.

"Ah, have I got your attention now? Come forward and let me tell you a story about the concept of money.."

---

Walter leaned closer to his selfless protector, willing himself to breathe after his initial panic attack. While Schwarzpferd carried on with his speech, he spoke in a lowered voice to get the sailor senshi's attention. He also took care to pronounce her name correctly; perhaps that would make her more favorable to his plight.

"Sailor Makemake, listen to me..! I was kidnapped a week ago by a man who wore a mask like his. It was that of a dog."