Chapter 149

The Leader paced back and forth.

"So...far..things have not gone as planned. The amount of energy we manage to get is barely enough to send out another attack in search of energy.." he said.

"Just one big circle ey?" one of his soldiers said.

"Yes essentially. Now we tried excessive coldness..but the Sailor Scouts proved quite immune to that..so let's try another tactic. Right now a foot of snow is falling. When it finishes there will be a large amount of it on the ground naturally. If we heat this snow at a large rate..we can cause the city to be flooded."

"Won't it just drain."

"Not all of it..." the leader said. "And considering how much snow is still on the ground..it should be quite disruptive."

"And what will this accomplish?"

"The flooding will once again keep people at their homes and make them easy targets..that's for starters."

"And the Sailor Scouts will just track down the source of the heat..they have ways of doing it.."

"They won't have the opportunity."

"And how is that to be accomplished?"

"You'll see..but first we need the flood."

"I don't know about you guys..but the more I think about it the more I'm thinking the outer scouts are holding out on us," Raye said.

"That seems to be the way they're doing things," Lita said.

"Yeah..they didn't even call for help when they were in trouble..it turns out all they needed was Saturn..but.." Mina said.

"It seems their old habits are so ingrained in them that they can't open up.." Darrien said. "Of course maybe it's better that the different groups of Sailor Scouts work independently. Their methods are different."

"I agree..the outers, especially Haruka and Michiru seem to be willing to do anything..and that means anything to protect this planet..we're more open minded," Raye said.

"That's right..they wouldn't hesitate the sacrifice any one of you to protect the planet if they thought it was necessary," Darrien said.

"And they're the ones raising Hotaru.." Serena. The others turned to her.

"Well..I know..that Setsuna does most of the work..but they still live in the same place.." Serena said. "I mean she's been through enough..and all they're going to do is confirm what she thinks about the world."

"What brought this on?" Darrien asked.

"Well I just got to thinking about it.." Serena said. "I mean..shouldn't we be worried about her?"

The others nodded.

"I rarely say this, because it's hardly ever true..but you're right about that Serena," Raye said.

"Don't hide an insult in a compliment Raye..I'm on to you," Serena said.

"Uh..I just meant.." Raye said.

"You know you girls should go by and see her sometime.." Darrien said. "Setsuna would probably allow you to talk to her."

"She should..." Lita said.

"Still..we should work independently of the outer scouts," Raye said. "They're still trouble..I don't care if they're nice people or not. When it comes to Sailor Scout business..it's different."

"That doesn't mean we shouldn't keep an eye on them though," Amy said.

"You mean spy Amy?" Serena asked.

"Spy is such an ugly word..." Amy said.

"I think we get the idea," Darrien said.

"Great we decide we actually need to spy on someone and our resident expert is off in another dimension," Raye muttered.

"Then again..we do know a lot about the fine arts of centrifuge ourselves," Mina said.

"That's subterfuge.." Lita said.

"I know.." Mina said.

"What do you mean?" Lita said.

Mina pointed up at the sky. Lita looked up. Mina dashed away.

Lita growled slightly.

"And of course now I have to ask another question.." Raye said. "Just where are the guys?"

"Probably blowing something else up.." Lita said.

And puff of smoke flew out of Steve's garage.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Mike asked seconds before being tossed out of the garage and landing on the garage.

"Actually..the design itself was relatively sound except for the positioning...." Greg said before also being tossed.

There was a pause. Then a cough.

Rick went flying out of the garage.

"Jeez...I was just coughing.." he said.

"It was a sarcastic cough," Steve said.

"It was not," Rick said.

"You better not push him..you wouldn't believe how many of the elementary school kids would sarcastically cough at him in his early years," Mike said.

"This is why I usually avoid this place.." Greg said.

"So why'd you come this time?" Rick asked.

"I believe..I'll be asking myself that for days to come," Greg said.

"Good man..heh heh," Mike said.

"What happened here?" came a voice. They all looked up to see Artemas standing on the roof.

"Hey Artemas...how's it going man?" Mike asked.

Artemas jumped down onto the hood of the family car.

"Cold.." he muttered. "Anyway..could I talk to you guys? Perhaps inside?"

He glanced at Steve who's hair was disheveled, and he still had soot marks on his face.

"Steve..you really should stop building things.." he said.

"Ehh..you're just a talking cat..what do you know?" Steve muttered.

A few minutes later.

"You see Mina..has become increasingly troublesome.." Artemas said. "Now that she's on this idol singing kick it's been harder just to hang around..and any advice I can give her she knows..and Luna's much better with the advice anyway..so..I was wondering if I could be your cat companion.."

"Really? Cool.." Mike said.

"I sort of wondered why we didn't get our own talking cat..." Rick said.

"Oh..well..back in the silver millennium things were a little differently arranged...but..here I am.." Artemas said.

"I think it would be a good idea," Greg said.

"Mina's gotten that out of control huh?" Mike asked.

"Well you know how she can be.." Artemas said. "And she's reached a new level. Besides I'm thinking my male perspectives may have more of an impact on guys..like you.."

"It must have been hard ey Artemas..surrounded by women...." Mike said and winked.

"Mike..they're not even from the same species!" Artemas snapped.

"Still..." Mike said and winked.

"Mike..." Artemas said. "I can see why you and Mina are such perfect matches for each other.."

"You think so?" Mike asked.

"Yes...now..do any of you have any questions?" Artemas asked.

"Artemas..how is it we've lost our touch?" Rick asked.

"What do you mean?" Artemas asked.

"Well I've seen the history of the silver millennium....we used to be very important people..who were the first..uh..second line of defense for the kingdom..now..we're all to varying degrees second rate.." Rick said.

"Well..you guys are just going through what the girls did..they were given powers, and they took a while to really getting into the flow of battle," Artemas said.

"But they weren't defending the kingdom like we were.." Steve said. "We should have better instincts about these things."

"It's different circumstances now..back then you guys trained more..after all you didn't have school to go to.." Artemas said. "Now..it's understandable that you've lost your touch...but if you tried it..I think you could do better..not by doing a lot more..but just a little. In the beginning the girls did some planning themselves."

"Yeah..but Patterson's the brains of the outfit.." Mike said. "Greg here's a smart guy..but he's no tactician.."

"At least not yet.." Rick said.

"Well then I'll become the brains of the outfit.." Artemas said. "I'll take over. You guys seem to do much better when led."

The four nodded.

"But right now we'll hold off..I mean..it is pretty ugly out there.." Artemas said.

The four nodded at the snow coming down.

"Still we'll figure something out.." Artemas said. "Say..is this what you guys do all day..blow things up?"

"Steve blows them up.." Mike said.

"We just stick around to laugh at him when it happens," Rick said.

"I try to add constructive criticism.." Greg added.

"Ehh.." Steve said.

"We also have our band..but that hasn't done much lately," Rick said.

"Because we haven't practiced that's why.." Mike said.

"Hey..why don't we have a spontaneous practice.." Steve said.

The three nodded.

"Well I'd better go anyway..homework.." Greg said and headed out. Artemas followed him.

"Greg...you don't like being leader do you?" Artemas asked.

"I'm not exactly a confident person.." Greg said.

"I know..but from what I hear you do have the best abilities of the scouts."

"I have better aim that's all."

"Yes....that's true..but that's okay..at least you can fight for yourself."

"Well..I sort of need help..my other fighting abilities aren't so good. I'm not very good at dodging the attacks without hurting myself in the process."

"That can change," Artemas said.

"Yes I guess it can.." Greg said. "But you know how it is...it's not easy doing what we do."

"No....it isn't and right now the pressure's off, whoever it is that's working for the negaverse, he doesn't seem to have that much of a force put together."

"Yeah, I know..still..I think that all the Guardian Scouts would prefer to do better than they have. It's been a while since we first showed up."

"Well Greg..considering how awkward Sailor Moon still is..I don't think you should worry about the Sailor Scouts getting too annoyed."

"Still it would be nice if the enemies we faced showed as much fear when we showed up as they did whenever someone else did."

"You want them to fear you?"

"Well then we'd know we were good fighters."

"It makes sense."

The snowfall ended and slowly the temperature rose. People begin peeling off their winter jackets at the temperature rose quite quickly.

"Now this is odd.." Raye said.

"It can't get this hot this quickly..it feels like we're in the sun..but..it's cloudy.." Lita said.

"Amy?" Serena asked.

"This doesn't make any sense," Amy said. "Unless..the negaverse can raise the temperature as easily as they can lower it."

"But why would they do that?" Mina asked.

"Ehh..." Serena said pulling a shoe out of a puddle.

"That's why!" Amy said. "Come on we'd better transform and get to the bottom of this."

The snow continued to melt filling the streets with water and plugging the sewer lines which couldn't drain it away fast enough.

The Sailor Scouts soon stood on the roof of a building.

"Guardians..come in.." Jupiter said.

"Oh..uh..I'm here.." Greg said.

"What is it?" Rick asked.

"The city's being flooded slightly we think it has to do with the negaverse.." Jupiter said.

"So you guys better get down here and do your jobs.." Mars said into her own communicator.

"You uh.don't expect us to clean it up do you?" Mike asked.

"NO!" Mars said. "Come on.."

"We're on top of Reggie's Flowers," Jupiter said.

"Ah..my favorite florist..." Mike said.

"We're coming," Rick said.

Various emergency vehicles and maintenance trucks were soon racing into the streets to try and take care of the water problem if possible.

The police started cordoning off streets and trying to clear people out of any danger.

Soon the Sailor Scouts and Guardians were standing around Mercury's computer.

"The area of the temperature change centers around I can't find the source..but it seems to be radiating out from the north..so..we should got that way until the source gets in range."

"Jeez..it's even wet up here.." Sailor Moon muttered still standing in a puddle.

"Just why would they melt the snow anyway?" Saturn asked.

"I think we'd all like to know that.." Tuxedo Mask said gliding to the ground and splashing as he landed in the water.

"It's like this all over the city," he muttered.

"Wait a minute..." Mercury said looking at her computer. "Now the temperature's dropping quickly..everyone get to the edge!" she shouted. The groups all hurried to the edge of the roof which wasn't covered with water. Less then a minute later the roof was covered with a sheet of ice.

"That was quick.." Neptune said.

"Now I'm cold.." Sailor Moon said.

"Worry about that later.." Mars said.

"The street's ice too.." Venus said.

"Oh no..this was their plan.." Saturn said.

"What was.." everyone else said.

"The ice..it's everywhere...it's on the ground..it's on the roofs..there's no way to get to the negaverse where ever they are..we can't run or jump.." Saturn said.

Everyone looked at each other and realized that was true.

"We'll have to blast our way through.." Jupiter said.

"It'll take a while.." Pluto said.

"Then we don't have any time to lose.." Mars said.

"But by the time we get there..we'll be exhausted.." Neptune said.

"Some of us will just not use their powers..the others will clear the way for them.." Tuxedo Mask said.

The others nodded.

"It's cold..let's hurry this up..we don't even have time to put on warmer clothes.." Sailor Moon muttered. "I want to end this."

Meanwhile.

"Clever.." Sailor Pluto said standing on another roof's edge..the other Outer Sailors stood beside her.

"Too clever.." Sailor Neptune said.

"Let's do something," Sailor Uranus said. "We can blast the ice away."

"We have to be careful to make sure it just doesn't refreeze.." Sailor Pluto said.

"Ice..." Sailor Saturn said softly and then leapt off the building surprising the other three.

"Saturn!" Pluto yelled in surprise.

Saturn swung her staff and sent the blade end sticking into the ice, it stuck. She whirled around it and slid onto the ice pulling her staff free. She went sliding forward, then she jabbed her staff into the ice again and flipped upward flying twenty feet before repeating her first maneuver.

"Well..she's going to be all right.." Neptune said. "But we can't do that."

"We don't even know what we're facing.." Uranus said.

"But there are ways..." Pluto said. Fortunately Saturn gave us a place to start. She dropped to the ground and dug her staff into the hole Saturn left. She then turned and landed putting her heel into the hole to stop. She then carefully stepped to the side. She tossed her staff up to Uranus.

"You're turn," she said.

Uranus grimaced and jumped to the ground. She put the staff in the hole and then swung around, but missed and skittered off into a wall.

Neptune started laughing.

"This isn't funny!" Uranus said. "You try it she shouted throwing up the staff. Uranus caught it and then duplicated Pluto's maneuver.

"Ehh.." Uranus said carefully walking over.

"It's just a matter of practice..." Neptune said.

"When have you been practicing using a staff." Uranus snapped.

"Here and there," Neptune said.

"Never mind that..Saturn's left us a path to follow.." Pluto said taking back her staff, she turned her staff and sat on the ice.

"Neptune..please hold out you're mirror.." Pluto said.

Neptune did so.

Pluto fired her blast exploded against the mirror and sent her flying down the ice where she grabbed the hole Saturn had formed.

"Now it's your turn Uranus.." Pluto said.

"Fine.." Uranus said. "I'll do better this time.."

"Wait a second!" Sailor Moon said. "I have Ice Skates!"

"What?" the others said.

"That's right.." Tuxedo Mask said. "So do I for some strange magical reason."

"Oh yeah.." Jupiter said. "I remember that mess. Well you two better get going then."

"We don't know where to go," Sailor Moon said.

"That's okay.." Sailor Mercury said. "I've located the outer Sailor Scouts they're heading just beyond our range...Just keep heading North..we'll follow as quickly as we can."

The two nodded. Sailor Moon concentrated and skates formed out of her boots.

"You know..if I didn't know better I'd say our experiences aren't that realistic.." Neptune said.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask then skated away.

"How come she isn't falling down?" Uranus asked.

"It boggles the mind doesn't it?" Mars asked. "She can be standing on firm ground and fall down..but when ice skating she's very graceful."

"Hey..that gives me an idea," Sailor Jupiter said. "If I could find a sporting goods shop..I could follow them."

"That's right.." Pluto said. "You skate too. How come you don't do that anymore?"

"I really don't know.." Jupiter said.

"Well let's keep moving anyway," Mars said.

Meanwhile standing on a pier in the harbor..a figure stood waiting there.

Sailor Saturn approached the edge, her staff at the ready.

"Ah..so you finally made it," the enemy said. "One of you anyway."

Sailor Saturn twirled her staff and fired. The attack flew straight at him. He sidestepped it.

"It is not wise to have your back to the water," Saturn said.

"Isn't it?" he said and flickered his hands sending massive amounts of water flying at her with a gust of hurricane force wind.

Saturn was pushed back and skidded on the ice.

She slowly stood up, a wave crashed into her, now she had very little traction.

"HAH!" he shouted. "You won't win this one!"

"Pluto Dead Scream!"

Another attack flew down the pier and blew it apart.

He jumped into the air and froze a portion of the water below him that was still not quite frozen anyway, and he landed.

"Now you've just made it harder to get me.." He said. The other outers arrived and stood as steadily they could on the ice. Saturn managed to get to her feet, bruised.

"You shouldn't rush into things alone like this," Pluto said.

"Whenever possible that is true," Saturn said.

"He isn't collecting energy..do you notice that?" Uranus asked.

"But isn't that their entire point?" Neptune replied.

"So..he is not the only target.." Saturn said.

"But if we don't get rid of him..we'll still have other trouble to deal with ," Pluto said.

"Then let's take care of him..Uranus World Shaking!"

"Neptune Deep Submerge!"

"Pluto Dead Scream!"

"Saturn Mist Wave!"

The four attacks flew at the man who threw up a wave of ice water to stop them, but the attacks blasted through it and hit him anyway. He was knocked into the water. He floated there trying to stay up, but then disappeared.

The four just stood there.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask skated up.

"Aren't you going to do something?" Sailor Moon asked.

"It is unfortunate," Uranus said.

"But too risky.." Neptune said.

"That's wrong.." Sailor Moon said. "Where's Mercury when I need her..well anyway..Celestial Moon Power..give me my warm clothes back..it's going to be cold in there!"

"Sailor Moon you're not thinking.." Neptune said.

"Sorry.." Sailor Moon said.

"Hey buddy..you try anything..you'll be in a whole mess of trouble!" Sailor Moon said and dived into the water. She looked around and pulled off her tiara.

"Moon Tiara Magic." she said and held it. It glowed lighting up the water. She raced over to where the guy was dropping and held him up, she struggled to pull him up to the water, but then felt Tuxedo Mask beside her helping her to the surface. They swam back to the shore. And deposited him there.

"Pluto Healing Power," Pluto said and he reverted back to his old form.

"Courageous, but what if he had been faking?" Uranus said.

"He wasn't," Sailor Moon said.

"Sailor Scouts..are you there?" Neptune was saying into her communicator.

"What is it?" Mars asked.

"There's another one of those creature out there we think.." Neptune said. "This was just a decoy of sorts."

"Oh..we know.." Mars said.

"What?"

"Our secret.." Mars said.

"Well have you stopped him?" Neptune asked.

"Ah my clavicle!" Guardian Neptune shouted in the background.

"Almost.." Mars said. "Gotta go."