My name is Juli.  I am an agent of Shadaloo.  An agent sent on a mission.  A mission to terminate one who was once one of us.  I recieved the mission because I was one of the best.  But I wasn't exactly the best.  The very one I was hunting now had a higher efficiency rating than me, a higher proficiency rating than me, and a group of skilled mercenaries to back her up.  I really don't have much of a chance.  But I will follow my orders because I would do anything for my Lord Bison.  If I succeed, I will get the greatest honour that a Shadaloo Agent like me could ever hope to achieve.  I would be forever by my lord's side as his personal bodyguard.  It would be the epitome of my life.  Even that, however, doesn't stop the immense feeling of fear I have right now.

Lord Bison.... if I were to die here, left to forever lie here, would you shed a tear for me?

I... I don't want to die.

As she scaled the cliff, the young brunette glanced over to the large flowing waterfall in the distance, right before she grabbed onto the final rock and pulled herself up.  The top of the cliff near the waterfall was a large open beautiful field with several large rock formations and the river running through it.  It was Springtime, after all.  Juli wasn't very interested in the scenery at the moment, though.  She had a mission to do.  A mission which would probably be her last.

She lay down on a bed of flowers and sighed.  The climb had exhausted her and she wasn't ready yet.  She wasn't ready to die.

"Damn you, Fokken... damn you, Bess..."  A few tears came to her eyes.  "You were supposed to back me up against Avelle.  But Fokken, you've abandoned me to die the moment you fell in love with her.  Thanks a lot.  Bess is gone now.  There is only Juli to finish the job, and Juli won't be enough.  How am I supposed to defeat Avelle with my paltry sixty-eight percent efficiency rating while she has an incredible ninety percent?  But I got this far... and I can't turn back now."

She stood up and slowly walked to the river that led to the waterfall.  As she reached the many large rock formations, the sound of running water became louder.  However, she completely forgot the existance of that sound as she heard Avelle's voice call out to her.

"Juli, darling, you know I don't like it when you beat up one of my poor poor fellow hunters.  Especially when it's my favorite one.  It makes me sad."

"Well, if it makes you so sad, are you going to do anything about it?"  She saw Avelle's silhouette near one of the rocks.  "I'm here.  You can kill me now if you wish."

"Dear, why should I kill you when I can save you?  You do still have a chance."  The silhouette explained.  "Come on, forget about Lord Bison.  He cares for Cammy and only Cammy.  He thought too much of Cammy when he should have been thinking about me.  And he'll do the same to you."

"Stop it!"  Juli yelled back.

"Follow his orders like the little doll you are, then."  The red-haired ex-agent shrugged.  "You are nothing but a puppet to him, anyway, as long as you don't have your own self-conscious."

"Lord Bison is our master!"  Juli entered her fighting stance.  "How dare you do this!  I will follow out his orders now or I'll die trying."

Avelle sighed as she drew her gun.  "Very well, darling.  I guess it had to come to this."

And with that, she pointed her gun at the attacking agent as Juli executed a fast forward sniping arrow kick aimed directly for her head.

My partner finally came back from her recon mission.  I was overjoyed to see Juli again.  It's been a long time after all and we can only be separate for so long before we start to miss each other.  But when she came back, something changed about her.  She was extremely depressed, even more so than usual, and nothing I could do would cheer her up.  Could Desire have been right when she said that my partner was afflicted with soul mate withdrawal from being separated from me for so long?  But that's scary!  Very scary!  Who does Desire think she is, anyway, suspecting that Juli and I are... ick.  I still couldn't let Juli stay like this, though, so I tried to cheer her up by taking her to a really fun place that Agent Serina recommended.  Yea, Agent Serina's the microphone girl that everyone hates because she's annoying, but she's always really happy so I was hoping that her idea would cheer Juli up, too.  I can only hope that this works.
 

Juli glanced around the dark room with the really flashy lights, pinball machines, loud noises, and large screens.   "Crown Arcade?!?   HUH?"

"Crown Arcade is the bestest!"  Serina, the fluffy pink-haired agent currently wearing a sailor scout fuku and outfit exclaimed.  "Maybe if we're really really lucky, we can even see the sailor senshi!!!  This is their favorite hangout, after all.  Sailor Moon is the bestest show on earth!"

Juni and Juli gave each other somewhat worried glances.

"Okay,"  Juni shrugged.  "So maybe it is a bit... whatever, but I guess there's a first time for everything.  Wanna go try out one of the arcade machines?  That one over there... Road Basher Beta 3 Uber Fast Hyper Bashing looks like fun."

"I'm not sure about this..."  Juli frowned.  She glanced around the arcade and sighed, until she noticed and recognized a certain young individual in the far background whom was wearing a dusty red jacket, and had grey hair... albeit with several odd blackspots and feathers stuck in it and all over his clothes, too.  She turned to her partner.  "Ah... we could stay a while then, I guess.  Why don't we split up?  It'll help us get away from Sailor Serina here.  You can run off and go try out one of the arcades."

Juni glanced around and frowned.  "But... Juli, it's been a while.  Why can't we enjoy a two player game or something?"

She paused to think about what she said.  Visions of Desire ranting about soul mates and Juni and Juli being true loves made Juni shudder.

Her partner took notice.  "Are you okay?"

"Yea..."  Juni mutterred.  "Here, we'll both take a look around, then we can split up and enjoy ourselves?  Serina's Crown Arcade powercards have a good amount of credit on them left, so I'm sure we won't be running out of quarters anytime soon."

Serina was already enjoying herself by playing a shooter game called "Death Killer Latin Speaking Pikachus O' Doom" when Juli and Juni walked up to her to borrow some powercards from her.  She quickly handed them over, too distracted by the game to care that the two sister agents were leeching off her credits.

Juni happily looked around for an arcade machine to check out and drag her partner to when she saw a group of people sitting at the ticket counter.  "Oh!!  Juli, those are some old friends of mine!  I need to introduce you to them."

Juli noticed them too.  She hesitated.  "Them?  Um... I don't think that's such a good idea... hey!"

But Juni had already dragged her over to them.  "Terrace!  Jettaron!  Rob!  How are you guys?  What are you doing here?"

Terrace, whom wore a red jacket similar to that other individual Juli recognized earlier, grinned.  "Oh, hey, Juni!  We were wondering if you'd show up.  We heard rumours of vampire activity here and you know us.  Avelle's hunters never turn down an opportunity to do some vampire slaying and rake in the bounty!"

"Really?  Wow, what a coincidence!"  Juni exclaimed.  "Is Avelle here, now?"

Terrace sighed.  "She hasn't come, yet.  She'll be here eventually.  I know she will."

"She's late."  His even more depressed Indiana-Jones looking companion, Jettaron, muttered.  "I should probably go get Borrah.  Doesn't seem to be much going around here."

The large strong-looking man next to him, Rob, nodded.  "I could go for another arm-wrestling rematch with him.  Or maybe just try taking out the arm-wrestling arcade cabinet and see who gets the farthest."

"What did you ever do with Fokken?"  Juni asked.

"Fokken?  Sheesh, you know him.  Always getting into mischief or such."  Terrace shrugged.  "We tarred and feathered him, heh.  He's right over there."

Juni glanced back at the corner that Juli had been watching moments earlier.  The young but grey-haired man, Fokken, was still sulking over there.  He spit out another feather as Juni turned back to the hunters.  "Oh.  Well, hey, I want you to meet someone.  This is my partner in Shadaloo, Juli."

Terrace smiled as Juni stepped out of the way to reveal her partner.  "Oh, hey, Juli.  Nice to meetchya....."

His eyes grew wide.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!"  With a scream, Terrace frantically kicked about sending Jettaron flying off his chair.  "Bess!  BESS!!!!!!!!!!"

Rob and Jettaron quickly grabbed the panicking man.  Jettaron slapped him.  "Stop it, Terrace!  Bess is gone!  Avelle killed her!"

"But Bess... BESS IS DEAD!!!"  Terrace cried out until Rob punched him, knocking him unconscious.

Juni stared wide-eyed at Terrace, then glanced at her partner.  "Um..."

"We're acquaintances."  Juli nonchalantly replied.  "I think I should get going now.  I have someone else I need to talk to, anyway."

She left as Terrace regained consciousness.  The hunter shook his head.  "Whew, thanks, guys.  But I could have sworn that she was... ah, maybe I was just seeing things."

"You worry too much."  Jettaron commented, then sighed again.  "Dammit, when will Avelle get back?"

Terrace had already regained his composure as he grinned.  "Hey, we have Juni here, don't we?"

Juni smiled weakly, almost blushing a little, but Jettaron wasn't impressed.  "She's not Avelle.  She doesn't come close."

"I think she's pretty good at this hunter stuff already."  Rob remarked.  "But yea, once Avelle gets back, we're really going to kick some vampire ass again."

Juni was rather depressed.

"Aw, Juni, don't worry about it!"  Terrace quickly got to work at cheering her up.  "You're obviously a fast learner, and like Rob said, you're pretty good at this hunter stuff already.  You'll be the next Avelle in no time, if you aren't, already."

Juni slowly smiled.  "Thanks, Terrace.  I think I'll go ask around then and figure out what this rumoured vampire activity here you've heard mentions of really is about, then."

"Good day, Fokken."

The still somewhat tarred and feathered man glanced upwards at the brunette that approached him.  "Well now, it's the destroyer of springtime.  Dreams, even.  You don't look like you've been having a good day."

"The same goes for you."  Juli snapped.  "You don't look like you've been getting along with your fellow Avellians lately."

"Those fools..."  Fokken muttered.  "You've heard the rumours of Avelle still being alive?"

"....... I doubt those are just rumours."  Juli sighed.  "I failed to terminate Agent Avelle.  And I've heard that there are many reports of people who've seen her recently and that she's once again doing hunter jobs and chasing down vampires and other various demons.  I know she's still alive, and I bet you do too.  I know that THEY know."

Juli glanced back at where Juni was talking to her hunter friends that she must have met while she was out on her little springtime holiday.  Juni, however, was already gone.  Off to play some arcades or so, probably.

"Those fools are following an imposter."  Fokken grimaced, before looking at Juli again and calming down.  "So, will Bess be joining me to end this little scharade?"

"Bess... is gone."  Juli replied.  "I... I found out something.  What Avelle said to me..."

"Oh?  Did Avelle tell you?"  Fokken raised an eyebrow.  "About.... dolls and puppets?"

"So she knew..."  Juli looked downwards.  "She hinted about it to me, but only recently did I discover the truth."

"So you know then."  Fokken closed his eyes.  "About how lobsters were once babies but were metamorphisized into lobsters due to vampiric intervention."

"Yes.  I..."  Juli paused, then glared at Fokken.  "Say what?  Ack!  Nevermind!  It's something like that, I guess."

"It's too bad, what happened to Avelle.  Tragic, even."  Fokken yanked another tarred feather out of his jacket.  "Now that you know, will you be breaking off and enjoying Springtime, just as she did?"

"No."  Juli bluntly stated.  "I don't have anyone to hate but myself.  Why do you psychics keep suggesting that I betray Lord Bison?  Do you ALL have to have an agenda against him?"

"I don't have an agenda against the leader of Shadaloo at all."  Fokken calmly stated.  "I work for Shadaloo now, even.  Avelle made me promise to after her death."

"You lie!"  Juli had to hold back to keep herself from punching Fokken.  "Avelle's still alive!  And I know you're just trying to protect her because you fell in love with her!  Shadaloo sent you to keep tabs on her, not to stab her terminators in the back like you did to Bess!"

"I didn't backstab Bess."  Fokken stated.  "She sorta killed herself.  You've already admitted that."

"....."

"You still wish to serve M. Bison?  If it's what you want, then."  Fokken continued.  "Though, that blonde girl over there...  Pardon my noticing, but you seem to know her."

"Juni?"  Juli glanced back at where her partner had gotten into a match with Serina in Road Basher.  "She's my partner.  I guess you could say she's a sister to me.  Both symbolically and physically, since our 'father' was one and the same."

"AND WE HAVE A NEW FIRST PLACE SCORE IN CHOCOBO RACING!"  An announcement screeched across the arcade.  "Tune in tomorrow when the birds start racing again!"

Juli coughed.

"Hmm... I see."  Fokken stared at Juni, a hint of anger in his face.  "You know what she's been doing, right?"

"Running off with Avelle's group doing various hunter jobs?  Of course I know."  Juli answered.  "I'm a bit worried about that, myself, since she might get in trouble like Avelle did, but I'll be terminating Avelle and finishing the job before it becomes too much of a problem."

"Is that so?"  Fokken shook his head.  "You might have trouble terminating Avelle this time.  The new Avelle... I'm not even sure if you'll be able to bring yourself to do it."

"Quit saying there's a new Avelle!"  Juli slapped Fokken rather hard, this time.

Fokken didn't show any signs of annoyance at being slapped.  He simply retaliated with a statement.  "I was there when she died."

Juli preparred to punch Fokken hard, then decided that it wasn't worth her time.  "Forget it.  I was hoping that I could find out more from you, since I remember something about how you were a member of a certain psychic society that apparently has a lot to do with dolls and puppets.  But appears that just like that damn Rose, all you seem to enjoy doing is playing games with me."

"We are in an arcade."  Fokken called out to Juli as she left.  "People play games here all the time."

"WARK!"  A chocobo bird cried out from a nearby arcade cabinet.

"KO!  Can anyone stop this fighting machine?!?"

"Eeep!"  Serina stared at the screen in surprise.  "Wow, you're really good at this.  It's too bad that they don't have a minesweeper arcade machine here, though.  Otherwise this would truly be paradise."

"They don't have minesweeper?!?"  Juni glanced around and frowned.  "Sheesh.  And they've been successful for this long?  That's just wierd."

"I know."  Serina sighed.  "Those poor sailor senshi.  No minesweeper and now I believe that some of them got metamorphisized by vampiric intervention, too."

Juni stared at her.  "Huh?  Vampires?"

"Oh, it's just a rumour I heard."  Serina remarked.  "But we haven't had any new episodes of Sailor Moon for so long.  It's depressing.  I miss my Sailor Moon episodes."

"Have you spotted any of the Sailor Senshi here?"  This was Juni's chance to prove to Jettaron that she was also a great vampire hunter like Avelle.  "Maybe we can ask them what's going on."

Serina and Juni glanced around the arcade, until they noticed a pinball machine where two girls who were also wearing Sailor Scout uniforms like Serina's were playing.  One was blonde with a hairstyle similar to Sailor Moon of the Sailor Moon show, and the other looked similar to Sailor Venus from the same cartoon.  For some wierd reason, it looked like they could really use a tan.

Juni squinted her eyes.  "Gee, with a little make-up, these two could be a shoe-in for the senshi..."

"Yea."  Serina agreed.  "But... they're too pale, I guess.  Sigh... poor poor sailor senshi."

"Don't worry about it!"  Juni smiled.  "Avelle will be able to get to the bottom of this!"

Serina blinked.  "OOoooo, you know Avelle?  I've been hearing so many stories about how she's still alive and such but Janet kept saying she was dead and not to worry but then again Janet's pretty mean to me sometimes so she might have been playing a joke and if I could see Avelle again that'd be just spiffy, oh yes it would."

"Okay!"  Juni glanced back at where Terrace was, and saw that Avelle had finally arrived.  "She's right here!  I'll show you her."

She walked over to the counter again.  Jettaron had already left to go get Borrah, but Terrace was there to greet her again.  "Oh, hey Juni!  Is this another friend of yours?"

"Hi!  Are you really a member of Avelle's group?"  Serina beamed.  "Juni told me that the Avelle that I've been hearing so many stories about who's returned and been killing lots of mean vampires that have nothing better to do but metamorphisize poor babies was here."

"Of course she's here!"  Terrace grinned and motioned towards Avelle.  "She's right here, in fact."

Serina stared in surprise.  "Oh my gosh!  You're Avelle?!?"

Avelle closed her eyes and smiled.  "Darling Serina, you didn't know?  I thought you'd be able to recognize me."

The fluffy pink haired agent blinked.  "Well I... I was too surprised."

"Haha,"  Juni laughed.  "I guess that's understandable."

"It makes me sad.  That one wouldn't notice one as beautiful as myself instantaneously."  Avelle lightheartedly commented.  "So then, dear, you seem to need something done?"

"Oooo,"  Serina was impressed.  "But now you already know what's going on, huh?"

Terrace answered for her.  "Vampires, demons, rumoured dissappearances of girls...  It's what we came for.  But there doesn't seem to be much going on here right now."

"Aaaaaaa..."  Serina remarked, still flabbergasted by seeing Avelle again. "Well... um, there is an anime convention thing that'll be happening in New York some time.  I plan on going there myself, of course, but they might give news about what happened to the Sailor Senshi.  Poor Sailor Senshi.  And no more new Sailor Moon episodes!  It's so sad.  :(  "

"I'll be there, then, when it does happen."  Avelle replied.  "Just see if you can sneak into Janet's bank account files.  Donations are always a wonderful necescity."

"Oooooh, thank you so much!"  Serina happily piped.  "You're the bestest!  Janet won't like being charged again but the world will die without any new Sailor Moon episodes!  Poor world.  And... ooooo, what's that?"

Serina got distracted as they unveiled a new arcade cabinet, then ran to check it out.

Avelle and Juni stared then simultaneously shook their heads.  They didn't even notice an angry Fokken that had approached them.

Avelle groaned.  "Fokken, darling, what now?"

"....."  Fokken's eyes narrowed.  "You seem so happy now with this little scharade, oh wonderful Miss Avelle.  But your little Springtime will end.  Bess is coming for you..."

Avelle rolled her eyes.  "Whatever, dear.  You keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better."

Fokken simply frowned and walked off without a word.

"B... Bess?"  Terrace blinked.

"Who is Bess, anyway?"  Juni asked.

"She was... a genetic super soldier... no, a monster... sent to kill Avelle."  Terrace replied, stuttering all the way.

"Oh really... I remember her."  Avelle waved her hand.  "Don't worry about Bess, Terrace.  She's gone.  Now I have some supernatural investigating to do."

"Sure thing, Avelle."  Terrace snapped his fingers.  "Have fun.  I'll stay here and ask if anyone else has any more information."

Juni didn't watch Avelle leave as she noticed another man entering the arcade.  "Dr. Yamoto?  What's he doing here?"

"Bremare, what are you doing here?"

Juli had just stopped playing a game of Immortal Wombat when the good doctor walked up to her.  All the better.  The stupid game was boring, anyway.  Too much blood, gore, and wombats.

"They sent me to keep tabs on Juni so she doesn't pull off another stunt like she did recently, of course."  Bremare replied.  "I don't mind.  I actually would have went to look after her, anyway.  Janet wanted to come along too, but then she decided that she had something else to do."

"You're here to keep an eye on your doll, then, huh?"  Juli remarked.  "Why would you have come along even if you weren't ordered to?"

"I worry about her, of course."  Bremare replied as he glanced over at Juni, who was talking to a really eager Serina.

"I imagine you would."  The brunette looked back at the arcade machine as a wombat got decapitated.  "What she does directly affects you and your standing in the science department since she's under your surveillance for obvious reasons."

"Hmm... yes, perhaps."  Bremare put his hand to his chin.  "That might be it... but I do care for her.  I haven't felt this way about someone since Fer.... no, since you, even."

"Since... me?"  Juli blinked and turned around to look at Bremare, then turned away yet again.  "Hmph.  I don't see why you'd feel that way about her.  She's a freak.  A test-tube subject.  A clone, for crying out loud."

Bremare's reply wasn't very serious.  "Well, she's MY freak, MY test-tube subject, and MY clone, for crying out loud."

Juli glared at him.

"Whoa!  I was only joking.  Sorry about that."  Bremare backed up.  "I know that you care about her a lot, too.  But I didn't think you'd take so much offense..."

Juli closed her eyes.  "You don't know the half of it..."

"I'm not even sure if I know what 'it' is, right now..."  The young doctor remarked.  "At any rate, Juni could be a clone in a sea of fifty clones and she would be the only one special to me..."

His answer really caught Juli's attention.  She perked up and stared at him.  "I didn't know you felt that way about your dollie."

"Why do you keep referring to her like that, now?"  Bremare didn't notice it, though.  "You stopped doing that after you two were together for a while but now you've started again.  Is something wrong?"

Juli sighed.  "I'm sorry, Bremare.  I've just been a little agitated as of late.  I shouldn't be talking about Juni like that."

"She's more than just a clone, Juli."  Bremare stated.  "At least to me.  Don't you feel that way, too?"

"Yea..."  Juli smiled.  "But you said she'd be the only clone for you.  Or something like that, didn't you?"

"Heh, now we're just sounding silly."  Bremare commented.  "Let's stop referring to her as a clone, and just as Juni, okay?"

Juli slowly closed her eyes, continueing to smile.  "Okay, well, while we're here, I guess we could try playing some games together.  There's still a lot of credits on Serina's powercard, here."

"Try that one over there, perhaps?"

The girl laughed.  "It doesn't matter, Bremare.  Everything's fine with me now, either way."

As Bremare swiped the powercard, he obviously didn't realize the significance of what he just said.  Not that it mattered at all.  Juli was in need of some cheering up, and it looked like Juni's plan had worked after all, even if a bit indirectly.

"Here you go!"  Terrace handed the pretty random gal a teddy bear that he won at one of the arcade games.  "So, have you heard about anything say... supernatural going on, lately?"

The young teenager hugged him.  "Oh, about vampires and such?  All I know is that I'm afraid of them.  But you'll protect me, won't you?"

"Ha, no problem!"  Terrace snapped his fingers.  "We have the great Avelle on the job!  Those vampires won't know what hit them, right, oh wonderful Miss Avelle.....?"

Terrace looked around.  "Huh?  Where did she go?  Yeesh, she probably ran off again."

Juni walked over to him.  "Hey Terrace.  It's been lots of fun, but I guess there's nothing else here until we get more information later.  I think it's time for me to get going.  All my holiday hours are used up for the month, now."

"Ah!"  Terrace saluted.  "Sure thing, Juni!  I'll see you around then."

"Okay!  Later!"  Juni turned around and saw Juli and Bremare playing some sort of action game while laughing together.  She thought that her initial reaction would be to smile, but instead, she felt something else.

Juni blinked.

"Juni?  Is something wrong?"  Terrace asked.

"Eep!"  Juni was snapped out of her train of thought.  "Oh, sorry, was just looking at something.  I gotta get going."

"Well, okay."

She quickly dashed up to the cabinet where Bremare and Juli were.  "Juli!  We need to get going, now."

"We do?"  Juli turned around to look at her.  "Holiday hours used up, already?  Well, we can stay a bit longer since I still have a few.  If you get in trouble, just blame it on me.  I'm busy right now."

"Watch out, Juli.  That killer wombat's coming."  Bremare's statement quickly made Juli regain her focus on the screen.

Juni just simply continued to stare.

I.... I don't believe this.  I... I'm jealous of my very own partner, Juli....

Bremare and Juli didn't notice as Juli happily laughed and he smiled when yet another poor wombat met an unfortunate gruesome death.