Chapter 123.
The two Guardian Scouts all jumped out of the way.
"You know..this maybe would be a good time..." Uranus began.
"For what?"Pluto said.
"Well..to become an actual fighting force," Uranus said.
"Now there's a plan," Pluto said.
"Hey! Oksua!" Neptune shouted. "Let's rumble some more."
"Here's the plan," Uranus said as he and Pluto landed.
"Let Neptune distract him. Then you go out and brawl with him whenever necessary. I'll try to get inside and use a phone," Uranus said.
"And what is she's not there," Pluto said.
"Do not fear Guardian Scouts," came a voice.
"Wha..." Pluto said.
"That's Queen Serenity," Uranus said.
"You know have the power to heal too.." Queen Serenity said.
"All right! I can now pursue my dream of being a Minister now!" Neptune said. Oksua lunged at him, he stumbled out of the way.
"So what do we do?" Uranus asked.
"Simply aim your power stick at him and shout Uranus healing power..," Serenity said.
"Oh..so..like..Uranus Healing Power or something," Uranus said.
"Exactly, I have to go," Serenity said.
"Hah! Let's do it," Pluto said. The two pulled out their power sticks and were immediately hit by Neptune who was thrown into them by Oksua. He slammed down his sledgehammer and blasted the three down the street.
"Looks like team rocket's blasting off again," Neptune muttered.
"What?" Pluto muttered as they hit the ground.
"So Michiru, you think we'll be fighting more enemies?" Raye asked.
"I don't know if my intuition is more accurate then you're sacred fires, but I don't think it's so easy for the forces of evil to give up," Michiru said.
"You know that's what I've always wondered about...why now?" Mina asked.
"Why now?" Michiru asked.
"I think I know what's Mina saying. All these enemies decide to attack the planet now," Lita said. "Why not a hundred years ago?"
"I don't know, but none of us know if they did or not. Maybe they did. Maybe someone else fought them off," Michiru said. "As for now...you're right about the Earth, and especially Tokyo seeming to be a desired destination, but remember..Earth was at the height of it's power during the silver millennium, the capital was Tokyo then."
"Besides, Earth doesn't have a capital city, maybe the enemy figures they should attack Tokyo because it's the closest thing we've got," Lita said.
"Or, it could be because they know we're here," Michiru said. "The enemy may want to get rid of the major resistance before trying a full scale take over."
"They might also figure our defenses are weakened, because we've fought so many battles," Mina said.
"And there could be other reasons," Michiru said. "Actually it's kind of nice of them to attack us here..that way we don't have to travel very far," she said with a small grin.
"I have to disagree, my temple gets trashed far too often," Raye said.
"And our school," Mina said. "Which I don't mind as long as I'm not in it."
"So Michiru..how many battles have you fought in?" Lita asked.
"Hundreds, like you...only things were different back then, it was just me and Haruka," Michiru said.
"You seem to have done fine," Mina said.
"Yes, it seems that way," Michiru said solemnly. "There were costs. I guess there still are."
"Something you want to talk about?" Raye asked.
"Not yet," Michiru said. "But I may someday. It's important to consider when you're dealing with strangers that they may not have the same mind set that you do. And that life doesn't treat people the same way. It may not be easy to deal with people radically different then you, but at times it's necessary. There's always room for compromise. Maybe if each of us had been more willing to compromise when we first met, we wouldn't have this lingering distrust between us."
"Does Haruka believe the same things you do?" Mina asked.
"No, but we get along well enough in spite of that. She's borne more of a burden then I have," Michiru said. "Don't fault her for that."
"Well you seem friendly enough, but what about her. Does she want us to get along?" Lita asked.
"Yes, Haruka does. She may not show it, but I know," Michiru said. "She tries to keep up her strong exterior, because it's what kept her and me for that matter alive. But she'd open up a little if she learned to trust you. I see a side of her that you don't, and she's not that bad really. Give her time."
"We might as well.." Lita said.
"You will learn very quickly Michiru that, our skills at attracting friends are an all or nothing proposition," Mina said.
"Yeah, when we're committed, well..we either manage to get a good friend, or we end up with a very annoyed enemy.." Raye said.
"I guess that's good to hear," Michiru said. "It was my hope from the start that we could get to know..each other...you seem to be very interesting."
Minutes later the three were leaving.
"See you at school tomorrow," Michiru said as the three walked off.
"Do we trust her?" Lita asked.
"Of course we do," Mina said.
"Yes I watched her..I think she really means it," Raye said.
"Well that's what I felt, but I wanted to know what you thought," Lita said.
"I can't think she'd be malicious about things," Mina said.
"And even if she is, we're supposed to give her the benefit of the doubt, because we're nice people right?" Raye asked.
"Uh huh," the other two said.
"Maybe if we were friends with them, they'd begin to feel more comfortable when dealing with people," Raye said.
"They look like they need some friends. They've relied on each other for so long, but it must have taken something out of them to be fighting for so long," Lita said.
"You think we'll be like that in ten years?" Mina asked.
"Amoral and jerks?" Raye asked.
"Yep," Mina said.
"Probably, if this keeps up," Lita said.
"Who knows," Raye said. "I'd like to think we wouldn't."
"Besides we have fun right?" Lita said.
"The evil doesn't interfere that much in our lives," Mina said.
"Except for when it does," Lita said.
"Right," the other two said.
"What?" they said seconds later. Lita just shrugged.
"Oksua is proving to be quite a formidable opponent," Neptune muttered as the three dived out of the way of his flying sledgehammer.
"You know..this is giving me an idea," Uranus said.
"Do tell," Pluto said.
"Well..first of all...he can't attack us with the sledgehammer all at the same time if we're not in the same place," Uranus said. The sledgehammer flew at them again.
"Maybe..if we got around him.." Uranus continued.
"Maybe.." Pluto said and then grabbed the sledgehammer out of the air and was flung back.
"Or we could grab his only weapon," Pluto said wincing.
"Ehh..give that back!" Oksua said.
"No," Pluto said. "Let's see what this does!"
He slammed the sledgehammer on the ground. It exploded throwing him back several feet.
"I don't think he knew how to use it," Neptune said.
Oksua growled and raced towards them.
"Gwah!" Uranus shouted and jumped into the air and flipped forward. Neptune swung his sword right into Oksua who merely charged through it and punched Neptune.
"Hey! Not so hard," Neptune muttered as the punches kept coming.
"Uranus Healing Power!" Uranus shouted. The attack hit Oksua in the back and the Principal Creature fell to the ground and turned back into human form. Neptune fell to the ground. Uranus bounced up to him.
"That hurt," Neptune muttered lying on his face.
"I'm not feeling too good myself," Uranus said.
"Are you three all right?" Miss Haruna asked running up.
"Can we get out of detention early?" Neptune muttered.
Sirens wailed as various emergency vehicles began pulling up.
"Took you long enough," Uranus said.
"Well we had to wait for the battle to get over with didn't we?" A police officer said.
"Are you serious?" Uranus asked in surprise.
"Geez..what happened here?" Captain Ozaki asked hopping out of a car with Colonel Nagumo.
"Come on Neptune..let's get out of here," Uranus said and picked his friend up.
"I'll be fine.." Neptune said and started walking.
"Hey...wait for me," Pluto said stumbling out of some brush.
"Jeez..they really got beaten up," Captain Ozaki said.
"There really the second string team of the whole outfit," Haruna said.
Elsewhere.
"Chad I'm home," Raye said sliding open her door. A table came flying at her. She adeptly ducked it. Standing there was a creature that somewhat resembled Chad, but it wasn't obvious.
"Who are you?" Raye snapped.
"Woah...babe..what's your problem?" the creature said. "I'm Chad, can't you see!" the creature said and threw a vase at her.
"He could be.." Raye said and ducked out of the way and pulled out her power stick.
"Mars Planet Power!" she shouted and transformed.
Chad stepped out of the room.
"See..I've got big hands now," he said. "Jam!"
"Mars Fire Ignite!" Mars shouted and launched her attack. Chad stuck his pinky finger, now bigger than a thumb into the air and the fire went right into it.
"Oh not another one of these sort of things," Mars muttered.
"No..check this out," Chad said. He held up his pinky, and the fire went shooting out of it. Mars dived away in surprise as it smashed into the ground.
Well the communicators don't work. So I'll have to beat him alone. Mars thought.
"That was rude of me why don't you come out and we'll fight fair," Chad said.
"Don't like the sound of that," Mars said and stepped back out into the open.
"Hey! More fire!" Chad shooting it out of his thumb.
"Stop that!" Mars said and leapt forward with a kick. Chad stood there. She hit him, and then felt no give. She winced as she fell back.
"Like a rock," Chad said and picked her up before throwing her back into her room. She slid into her bed and winced.
"Now..my Karate skill," Chad said and went into a crane kick stance.
"Aw..geez..." Mars muttered.
"Come on..attack me.." Chad said.
"Not from the front..." Mars said.
"Ehh..you're no fun," Chad said and held up his pinky while still holding on the crane kick stance. "Now..attack me or I torch the room."
Mars sighed and ran forward.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" she shouted at the last second. Chad was shocked when the fire flew at him. He dived out of the way.
"Tricky!" he said. Mars backflipped and aimed.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" she shouted. Chad launched his own pinky attack to meet. It the two flames hit and converged and blew apart.
"That won't work," Chad said.
"I can see that," Mars said.
Mina meanwhile was arriving at her house. She walked in the door.
"Dinner's in five minutes," her mother said.
"I hear ya," Mina said and ran up to her room. She pushed the door open and walked inside only to be grabbed forcibly. A hand was put over her mouth.
"Hello, Mina...it's me Lara...I've come to see you.." came a familar voice. Mina looked around. What she was looking at was most likely Lara Leslie, but it was also a creature with bright yellow skin and menacing fangs.
Mina's eyes wideneded in fear.
Mars and Chad stood there facing each other.
"Say...Chad..." Mars asked.
"Yeah?" Chad asked.
"Maybe we could..you know..fight somewhere else."
"Why?"
"Well this is my house you know.."
"Oh...hmm...that's a good question..see..I'm sorta evil right now..so I guess my first answer would be no...but..I'm kinda in a who cares mood at the moment..so...sure...catch me if you can!" he said and dashed down the steps of the temple. Mars stood at the top and then watched him reach the bottom. She leapt off the top, hit about the middle step and jumped to the bottom. Chad charged at her right off the bat.
"Sorry..evil again!" he said. Mars was hit and pushed back down the street. Her left leg skidded along the sidewalk. She winced. Chad fired a flame at her. She pushed off on her hands and out of the way of the blast.
"Lucky," Chad said and fired again. Mars avoided the attack again.
"You can't keep this up forever..and yet I can.." Chad said.
Mina struggled as Lara Leslie tightened her grip.
"Yeah..go ahead and try to pull away.." Lara said. "You know I could have ransacked the city, instead I came to see you, you should feel privliged."
Mina bit her.
"Nope, doesn't hurt.." Lara said.
Mina sighed, but then her eyes widened as Artemas leapt through the door and landed on Lara's face. Lara let go in surprise. Mina rolled forward and out the door. Artemas leapt off and followed.
"Mom! Dad! You better get out of here!" Mina shouted.
"Why?" her mother said.
"Just believe me!" Mina shouted. "Ahh!" she shouted as Lara Leslie leapt at her. She pulled open the door and rushed out. Artemas followed.
"Where can I hide? She muttered.
"Good question," Artemas said. Lara Leslie quickened her pace racing after them. A rope like substance flew at Mina. She swerved to avoid it.
"I'll get you!" Lara shouted.
"Yeah...well come up with a better cliche first!" Mina shouted and rounded a
corner, Artemas followed.
Mars meanwhile dived to avoid another fire shot. Chad grinned. She propelled herself off of her right leg and up.
"Won't work," Chad said. Mars reached out at the last second and grabbed Chad's head, she swung around it and behind him, pushing herself off as she did so. She flew ten feet down the street and landed on her right leg.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" she shouted and spun around as the attack flew out. Chad sent out his own fire to meet it.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" Mars shouted again. The second attack broke through and hit Chad dead on. He stumbled back.
"Mars Fireball Surround!" she shouted quickly. The attack cut through the air and surrounded Chad with a ring of fire.
"Now what do I do?" Raye asked.
"Maybe I can be of assistance," Queen Serenity said.
Mina gasped for air as even more ropes flew at her.
"She's determined," Mina said.
"I know," Artemas said. "Ach," he said as a rope tangled him up.
"Artemas!" Mina said and stopped. A rope flew at her. She flipped over it and bounced up. She flipped right at Lara Leslie who had no idea it was coming. The force knocked her to the ground. Mina bounced off of her and ran back the other way. Artemas untangled himself and dashed into some bushes.
"She'll pay for this one," Lara said in annoyance and hurried after Mina.
"Chad you okay?" Raye asked a newly healed Chad.
"Me? I'm the man," Chad said.
"That I doubt," Raye said.
"Well..did I hurt you bad?"
"I skinned my leg."
"Sorry."
"It's not your fault. But..come on..you've got to clean up the temple."
"You just said it wasn't my fault."
"Yes...I did," Raye said.
"Come out, come out wherever you are..."Lara said contiuing to use stupid cliches.
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" came a shout. A beam of light hit Lara in the back of the head and pushed her forward. She stumbled and whirled around, only to be hit with another crescent beam hit which knocked her even farther down the alley. Venus stood at the end of the alley with a grin on her face. She let her attack go out again knocking Lara even farther back. Lara fell to the ground.
"Venus Love Chain..." Venus began. Twenty ropes flew out of the alley and wrapped around her pulling her to the ground. Venus grunted as she fell and tried to struggle free.
"Well...so much for you," Lara said and stood up.
Two energy blasts flew down the alley and knocked Lara back down. Venus looked up to see Sailor Uranus and Sailor Pluto standing there, each was holding their holy grail weapon, Uranus held the sword, and Uranus the mirror. Uranus cut the ropes off of Venus and she stood up.
"Thanks.." Venus said. "But she's mine."
"As you wish," Sailor Uranus said and jumped up onto a roof.
"Good luck," Sailor Neptune said and followed.
"We'll just watch, and see how she does," Uranus said.
"Fine with me," Neptune said.
"Venus crescent beam Smash!" Venus shouted again Lara was blasted back down the alley.
"You know you really bug me Lara, I don't know how you got here, but I'm just going to have to wipe the floor with you!" Venus said.
"You may think that's easy," Lara said leaping up. "But I'm very smart Venus. So I can attack you with ropes,you can see that..coming... but.."
"But what?" Venus asked.
"Uranus.." Neptune said.
"Let her find out for herself," Uranus said.
Seconds later Venus was hit from behind by Lara Leslie.
"See! I can..." the first Lara said and disapeared.
"Make two of myself," the second Lara said and picked Venus up.
"Big deal!" Venus said and flipped around kicking off Lara and flying backwards down the alley. She flipped around and jumped upward. She grabbed a hold of a fire escape on the eighth floor of a building and pulled herself onto it. Lara fired ropes at her before beginning to climb.
"I wonder how she does that two person trick.." Neptune said.
"I think it may have to do with her shadow.." Uranus said.
"How?"
"Well in the evening Lara's shadow can meet up with the shadow of other things and she could move behind Venus. But right now Venus is above Lara, so she can't do that trick," Uranus said. "I could be wrong though."
"It makes some sense," Neptune said. "It doesn't look like she can hold the form for very long though."
"Or else she'd be doing it constantly," Uranus said.
Lara had almost reached Venus who stood up on the fire escape catching her breath.
"Hmm...no I don't like it here," Venus said and leapt off of the fire escape. Lara cursed and jumped off it after her. Venus turned.
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" she shouted and blasted Lara back into the fire escape. Lara landed in a heap.
"Venus...Love Chain...." Venus began...." Encircle!" she managed to finish. Her attack smashed into the fire escape and Lara and knocked the whole structure down to the ground.
"Well...that was extra destructive," Neptune said in surprise.
"Maybe necessary, but still destructive," Uranus said.
"Come on Lara..let's go another round," Venus said.
"Does Venus know this person?" Uranus asked.
"It seems like she has some sort of score to settle," Neptune said.
"You know I'm very, very angry right now..Lara.." Venus said. "Maybe..just angry enough to bring on a power that I haven't used in a long while....yes....do you know what that is..no of course not.."
Lara began to stir.
"VENUS METEOR SHOWER!" Venus shouted.
"Venus Meteor Shower?" Uranus and Neptune asked each other. From the air rained down several golden fire balls which exploded around Lara causing her to shriek. Venus started laughing.
"Yes I'm enjoying this.." she said.
"Isn't that enough Venus?" Uranus said.
"Uh...maybe..but what do I do now?" Venus asked.
"We'll handle it," Neptune said and pulled out her powerstick. "Neptune Healing Power!"
Lara was covered in white light and then she was returned to human form. Venus walked over and pulled Lara up. Uranus and Neptune landed nearby.
"Well Lara...guess what, you're going back to jail!" Venus said.
"You just try it you Sailor Jerk," Lara said and threw a punch. Venus side stepped it.
"Say..could one of you two call the cops before I have to use my powers on her," Venus said.
"I think we'd better, she's dangerous and insane even in human form," Uranus said.
"She and Patterson should really get toghether," Neptune said.
"Patterson! Did I hear that name! Where is he!" Lara shouted.
"They've met," Venus said.
"Oh...." Neptune said in surprise.
"Ehh..come on..come on...yeah..I got ya..aw..jeez.." Lita said as her character died on the arcade video screen.
"You never can seem to get the hang of that one eh?" Andrew asked.
"It's not an easy game, but someone managed to get a high score of forty seven thousand points, and I won't rest until I've gotten to uh..seven thousand," Lita said.
"That's good, aim high Lita," Andrew said.
"You know me," Lita said.
Several police cars went rushing by.
"Wonder where they're going," Lita said.
"These attacks are happening all over the city..this could be the big one," Chief Ozaki said as he sat in his car as it raced down the street.
"The big one...big what Chief?" his driver said.
"You know..the big one."
"No..not in that context.."
"Well you know..I knew this was coming..ever since that time those buses were disappeared up by Cherry Hill...yeah..I knew something was happening. I asked them for more funding..they called me crazy..but now...hah hah!" Ozaki said.
"Sir...wouldn't the big one really be that flower attack?"
"Oh..well that was quite big...you've got a point, but this..."
"Chief this isn't as big."
"Hey..who's the Chief here?"
"Uh..you..at the moment," The driver said.
"At the moment...wiseguy..how is it no one ever gives me any respect around here?"
"Um..did you want some?" the driver asked.
"Did I want some? Shut up," Ozaki said.
"Isn't you father a cop?" Andrew asked.
"Sure," Lita said. "He could be out there right now."
"Do you worry about him?"
"I've sorta gotten used to it," Lita said. "Say how's Rita?"
"Oh..she's getting out of the hospital tommorow, she wouldn't have been in there that long only it was a little hard for the docs to find anything really wrong with her.so they were confused," Andrew said.
"Well that's what evil forces zapping you and taking out your pure heart can do to you," Lita said.
"Uh huh," Andrew said. "I'd gotta go man the register...I'll see you little later."
"Yep," Lita said.
Andrew started on his way, but halfway there he stumbled and fell and groaned. Lita turned.
"Andrew! You all right?" she asked.
"Ahh!" Andrew said and started to glow.
"Oh..this is just great," Lita said.
"Everyone get out of here!" she shouted. The teenagers hurried out, but some smaller kids lingered only to be pulled out by others. Lita grabbed saw two children huddling behind the desk in fear, as Andrew transformed into a large creature with what resembled angel wings as well as a green and grey negaverse uniform.
Lita sighed.
Kids always have to hide in the worst places..she muttered and leapt over a game console and slid along the floor towards the desk.
"Hmm..I am Andrew..bringer of gaming satisfaction. Please insert a quarter to begin your real life perilous experience. I said quarters only!"
"Stickler isn't he?" Lita muttered holding the two children hidden.
"Where'd everyone go. I want to play a game," Andrew said.
"Is he a monster?" One of the children squeaked.
"Uh kinda.." Lita said.
"I hate monsters!" the child shouted.
"Dang it," Lita said. Andrew whirled.
"Excellent..customers," Andrew said.
"Ah come on!" Lita said standing up. "You're an evil being right. Why do you have to use all these everyday references?"
"Hmm...because..I..can..." Andrew said. "That good enough for you?"
"No, try again."
"Ehh..." Andrew said and raised his arm which happened to have a laser cannon attached to it which opened fire. Lita ducked. As he fired and blew the area behind the desk apart. Lita picked up the two children with all her strength and dashed for the back door of the store. Andrew fired again, she rushed into the storeroom as it hit and pushed open the back door. Andrew followed. Lita raced into the back area, and then down an alley.
"What's going on?" a store owner said nearby.
"Please take care of these children," Lita said putting them down. "You'd better run."
"And what are we going to do?" the store owner said.
"Get help of course?"
"Oh..right." the storeowner said and lead the children the other way in the midst of all the panic.
An energy blast flew by her and cut off her ponytail.
"WHAT? He cut my hair...no one does that!" Lita said. "Of course..maybe..I should transform first," she muttered and dashed back inside the Crown arcade.
Andrew walked out of the alley. Anyone still there ran away as quickly as possible.
"Okay..uh..let's blow up a car!" Andrew shouted and fired blowing up the nearest car. "I wonder if I can fly with these wings.." he said to himself.
"You had better hope so!" Jupiter shouted jumping out from behind him.
CHAPTER 119 CHAPTER 120 CHAPTER 121 CHAPTER 122 CHAPTER 123
CHAPTER 124 CHAPTER 125 CHAPTER 126 CHAPTER 127 CHAPTER 128
CHAPTER 129 CHAPTER 130 CHAPTER 131 CHAPTER 132 CHAPTER 133