Chapter 176
Maverick walked down the corridor in crystal Tokyo and stopped at the room.
Why am I hesitating..I'm going to talk to myself after all..he thought trying to understand his nervousness.
He knocked.
"Who is it?" came his future self's voice.
"Maverick."
"Hmm...enter..if you must..."
Maverick pushed the door opened. Neo-Maverick stood there staring out his window.
"Well.." Neo-Maverick said. "This is a fine mess. One wonders why the Kisenian Flower even bothered sneaking up at all. She didn't even have to. We couldn't have stopped her," he paused. "Somehow knowing she wasted the effort doesn't make me any happier though. Are you here for a reason?"
"The others are wondering when you're going to take command again," Maverick said.
"Oh.." Neo-Maverick said. "Well good for them..I don't think I should take command. Nehelenia is still out there and the Kisenian Flower has the city practically under a siege."
"Nehelenia isn't really the issue is she?" Maverick asked. "After all..you have other plans of action set up to deal with her don't you?"
"Hmm...true enough," Neo-Maverick said. "Though I should have expected you to figure it out. The flower hides amongst her creations...oh she's figured out what went wrong the first time..hasn't she..not giving us any help."
"No.she is being quite cautious."
"And there's little I can do isn't there? Oh..I could go out there..exhaust myself destroying a few hundred thousand of them and then what..then nothing...I failed this time."
"Failed? Failure is judged by the end result in my book..and yours..we haven't lost."
"Ah yes..that little formula you developed...if the team wins, it's a victory...."
"You developed it too."
"I modified it, after we started losing..oh yes...did they bother to tell you just why we weren't around when the whole dark moon kingdom war went on?" Neo-Maverick said angrily.
"Yes..but it wasn't a failure..the Sailor Scouts won."
"Oh..you might see it that way.." Neo-Maverick said. "But whose Sailor Scouts..not ours..theirs...we can't rely on saviors arriving from another time you know! How can one plan a defense! And what good is it? We went up there..we blew up their spaceships..sure we did..but then when it counted...we didn't accomplish anything.."
"And if the battle fleet had survived..what then?"
"It's hard to say," Neo-Maverick said.
"Oh.."
"And now look...we're in the same situation..all the intelligence information..all the planning..isn't worth anything..it won't change what we have to do...just go out there and blast everyone of her plants to pieces...yes..and then we'll do that..and it'll take almost everything we have..and what's left..even with our plans..won't be enough to stop Nehelenia."
"If we find the flower..."
"If we find it..it will be guarded by the flowers anyway...it's going to be a mess."
"So when presented with a hopeless situation you chose to complain about it and accept defeat before it's even tried..." Maverick said.
"Don't patronize me! I have more experience then you do..I did it your way Maverick..I laid my life on the line..and back then it worked.. But now...it may not...I won't waste myself for a losing cause."
"So what are you getting at."
"There has to be another way! There has to be...and I can't find it."
"Oh.."
"There has to be a way to make it work..I'm the know it all..right..so why can't I find it?"
"Sometimes..it's simply a matter of fighting it out."
"Not this time..I just don't know how..."
"We have to attack her now before she gets any stronger," Sailor Uranus said.
"It seems our only option," Sailor Neptune said.
"I do not know if that is the best course of action," Sailor Saturn said. "If we wait, the Guardian Scouts may be available for the battle. Their force may overwhelm whatever force she has gained."
"If you give her any more time she'll attack the energy barrier," Uranus said.
"That is a risk," Sailor Saturn said.
"We're not supposed to be guessing," Neptune said.
"That's true..just what is Neo-Maverick doing anyway?" Uranus said.
"He is...indisposed," Sailor Saturn said.
"You must understand why we need to strike now," Uranus said turning to the Sailor Scouts.
"Well..uh..to be perfectly honest.." Sailor Moon began.
"We don't know," Mercury cut in.
"Don't you have any experience with planning?" Uranus snapped. "You should."
"Well..we usually don't work this way," Sailor Moon said.
"You should," Uranus said.
"We're supposed to be cooperating here.." Venus said.
"We can't afford to wait," Uranus said.
"Any damage to the energy wall could give Nehelenia the opening she needs," Neptune said.
"We have the forces to push the flower back," Uranus said.
"And what if we are all weakened, and Queen Nehelenia attacks without the Guardian Scouts able to back us up," Sailor Saturn said.
"It's a risk we know that!" Uranus said. "I will take it if none of you will."
"Please..." Sailor Moon said. "Don't...we don't want to lose you.."
"What?" Uranus asked.
"I can understand why you feel the way that you do.." Sailor Moon said. "I know you want to redeem yourselves and you want to protect this city...but...if you go off and get hurt or killed...it may do more damage...we're willing to listen..but...you have to be a little patient."
Uranus sighed.
"Very well," she said. "But I'm asking just what other options do we have. The flower could attack at any moment."
"And when it does our decisions been made for us," Mercury said.
"An accurate statement," Saturn said.
"Hello Darrien..are you feeling better?" Rini asked.
"Yeah..especially seeing that you two are safe and sound," Darrien said.
"Oh..well..here I am.." Rini said. "For whatever good it is."
"What's wrong?" Darrien asked.
"Oh..don't worry about it.." Rini said.
"Rini..is there something you want to talk to me about? You know I'll listen."
"Darrien..it's no use upsetting you..we all have enough problems don't we?"
"Rini...what ever happened to that innocent little girl I used to know?"
"She doesn't exist anymore," Rini said.
"Oh...is that so?" Darrien asked hardly believing it.
"Yes..she disappeared along time ago....it's just me now."
"But who are you then?"
"A young girl who's very sad and lonely...who wishes that things were more like they were in the past...we had fun then..up here...it's so different ..so..dark..and all the fighting...it's not fun up here."
"There has to be some fun."
"There used to be..not any more."
"Why?"
"You weren't here..Crystal Tokyo was supposed to be a peaceful beautiful place..but it isn't..it's been attacked..and everyone I know has changed...it's just not..the way it used to be..my mother's all nervous..my father's missing..."
"Uh.yeah..well..I'm sure they'll be okay."
"Do you know what it's like to grow up like this..the constant fear, the warfare all around you..and when it's not warfare it's politics...I mean look at me..am I supposed to talk like this? I'm a twelve year old..I'm supposed to be playing with dolls and showing off poorly drawn pictures I drew."
"I don't know what to say Rini..I hope it will get better," Darrien said.
"It won't.." Rini said. "You should rest..."
She turned and walked out. Darrien didn't call to her..he didn't know what he could do.
Poor girl. He thought.
"Oh yes.we'll just develop some plan..." Neo-Maverick muttered. "Some ingenious device..and out we'll go get beaten up and then the Sailor Scouts will clean up...do you know that's always how it is...here we are....sure...sometimes we've helped them out here and there..done them some favors..but while sometimes they needed our help..we always need there's...oh yes..they're the main characters in our little drama of life..."
This is not good news..I never rambled like this...at least not out loud. Maverick thought pacing back and forth. Even if he..I..have a point.
"I'm quite content to do it that way," Maverick said.
"Oh sure..but doesn't it get to you after a while?"
"Not really no."
"Liar...I know you..I am you..."
"Well..maybe a little...but I do what I can."
"Yes you do.." Neo-Maverick said. "Lost your powers fighting that flower..what'd you do..got a tank and charged in...what a spectacle..this evil flower being and you fighting it with a tank and then from there just a katana..."
"THAT'S IT!" Maverick said.
"What?" Neo-Maverick said. "I never shout things."
"Then I've changed history.." Maverick said. "That's how we get the flower to come out."
"How?"
"We get her angry.." Maverick said. "And how would we do that."
"I see...if she sees you..or me...coming out to fight her..she'll be surprised and she may even attack. but you realize which everyone of us does it will get badly hurt at least."
"That's always the cost," Maverick said.
"Hmm..I guess it is," Neo-Maverick said.
"We can't let her attack the wall!" Uranus shouted.
"And it'd be easier if we could just take out the head flower," Mars replied.
"We don't know where it is," Uranus said.
"We'll find it," Mars said.
"Good luck," Uranus said.
"I thought we were going to cooperate," Sailor Moon said.
"What's the use," Uranus said.
"If we don't cooperate we won't succeed," Mercury said.
"And if we just wait a day or so we'll get the Guardians back," Jupiter said.
"They won't wait a day," Uranus said.
"We don't know that," Mars said.
"We don't not know it either," Uranus said and sighed. "Listen..I'm more experienced then you are...you should trust my judgement."
"I disagree," Saturn said.
"What?" Uranus said.
"It's like Sailor Moon said...your quest for retribution is overwhelming your experience...neither plan presented seems to be plausible..there must be another option," Sailor Saturn said. The door slid open and the two Mavericks walked in.
"We've got a plan," Neo-Maverick said.
"Took you long enough," Mars snapped.
"Mars..calm down.." Mercury said.
"Well what is it this time Maverick?" Uranus asked.
"Don't test me Uranus.." Neo-Maverick said. "I have little time for it."
"Nice place you've got here.." Jupiter muttered.
"What is the plan you've developed," Sailor Saturn asked.
"I can't wait..." Uranus said.
"Ahem let me explain it," Neo-Maverick said.
"Hey, hey..." Rick said wandering into Steve's room.
"Rick? You shouldn't be up.." Steve said.
"Ehh..well..it hurts. But I got bored. Raye isn't around," Rick said.
"Yeah..Lita isn't either...you okay?"
"It's not my legs that hurt, but jeez...it's like I got hit by a car several times.."
"That's no fun...the burn marks are beginning to heal.. " Steve said.
"I gotta hand it to you..that was one smart maneuver..."
"Didn't feel like it," Steve muttered.
"You won didn't you?"
"We both did."
"Yep..that we did...sorta feels good doesn't it?" Rick said walking carefully to the window.
"Any good I'm feeling is just masked by the pain."
"That I can understand," Rick said. "But when you think about it..there we were...we finally went out there...and did what we had to...we didn't need the girls to bail us out..."
"Yeah..guess that is great.." Steve said. "Wish I shared your enthusiasm about it."
"It's hardly enthusiasm."
"Compared to me it is," Steve said. "I just want to get better."
"I can understand it," Rick said.
"Me too," came a voice. They both turned to see Mike sitting on the window sill.
"Hi ya.." he said.
"What are you doing out there?" The two snapped more in shock then anger.
"Oh..well..I just sort of climbed over.." Mike said. "And now it hurts."
"You idiot," Steve said.
"Well..what can you do huh?" Mike asked. "I mean..I'd rather be climbing along a ledge then in pain and not doing anything."
"Can't argue with that logic can you?" Steve muttered.
"I could, but why subject myself to that," Rick said.
"Hey..now we know how Maverick feels after one of those battles of his," Mike said.
The three all managed to grin.
"Yep..he rarely comes out of them without numerous injuries," Rick said.
"Wonder what he's up to anyway.." Steve said.
"Well he's here..we know that,"Mike said.
"Yep...but I wonder how he's handling himself without us around," Steve said.
"Probably pretty well.." Rick said.
"Yeah..once a loner always a loner," Mike said.
"Hmm..something's up I can tell," Rick said.
"Yeah..I thought so..probably why I'm this antsy," Mike said.
"Hmm...I don't feel anything," Steve said.
"That's because you're not precisely attuned to the world Steve.." Mike said. "You don't go with the flow."
"Mike..don't bother explaining it..you know how bad you are at it," Steve said.
"No one has ever proven me wrong," Mike said.
"Define proven?" Rick said in surprise.
"Mike why do you always try and make us think you're some guy who knows all this stuff..when you really have no idea?" Steve asked.
"You've asked me that question before you know?" Mike said.
"You never answered it," Rick said.
"Sure I did," Mike said.
"When?" Steve asked.
"That time you know..when we were kayaking," Mike said. "Oh wait..you guys weren't there."
The other two scowled at him.
"And I wasn't there either...hmm..well at least we've got that straight.." Mike said. "See..we're making progress."
"Mike..I'm in no condition to listen to this...and furthermore..I'm in no condition to kick your sorry behind either..which is what I do when I listen to you..so...just leave," Steve said.
"What if I toned it down?" Mike asked.
"Is that possible," Rick said.
"Sure..." Mike said. "Done."
"What's done?" Rick asked.
"The toning it down..couldn't you tell?" Mike asked.
"No..." the other two said.
"Well give it a chance," Mike said.
"That is an interesting plan you've developed," Aeka said as her image was shown on the view screen. Behind her a bunch of humans were working on the bridge of the starship.
"We hope it will work," Sailor Moon said. "We're hoping you can keep an eye out for Nehelenia."
"Will do.." Aeka said. "You sure you don't want our help with the flowers?"
"Uh..we didn't say that," Mars said. "We may need it..but right now..just keeping an eye out for the queen is enough."
"Okay...you got it," Aeka said. "This is certainly exciting...do things like this always happen on Earth."
"No.." Jupiter said.
"But it sure seems like it," Venus said.
"Oh..I guess it isn't that exciting when you're in the midst of it though," Aeka said.
"It's exciting," Mars said. "But I think I speak for all of us when I say there are others ways we'd prefer to be excited by."
"I can understand that...good luck," Aeka said.
"Thank you," Sailor Moon said.
Aeka's image disappeared off the screen.
"Guess it's time," Sailor Moon said.
The others nodded and moved towards the door.
Sailor Uranus and Neptune lagged behind.
"You look troubled," Neptune said.
"So do you," Uranus said.
"Yes, but you moreso."
"Yes..I guess I am...I just don't know what it is," Uranus said.
"Maybe what the others said...you came to believe they were right."
"No...they weren't right..." Uranus said.
"Hmm..well that's what I thought," Neptune said.
"You agreed with them.."
"They did have a point."
"Not a very large one."
"Points rarely are very large..but they still have major importance."
"Don't quote geometry to me."
"I was just using it to prove a point..ahem..an idea..listen..let's not worry about this right now..and go out there and win this battle," Neptune said.
"Hmm..win it? Do we ever win it?" Uranus asked.
"Oh don't start that again," Neptune muttered.
"What?" Uranus said.
"Just face it were stuck," Neptune said.
"Guess so," Uranus said.
"Hmm..our army is still here..but they look frightened," Neo-Maverick said.
"Of course fighting mutant flowers is a lot different from fighting other humans," D.V. Patterson said standing beside him. Neo-Maverick turned and glanced at him.
"Hmm..that has double meaning doesn't it?
Patterson nodded.
"I think it's time.." Neo-Maverick said.
"Guess so," Patterson said and drew his katana, which he had brought with him. The Sailor Scouts waited hidden behind some buildings. Patterson descended down to the front of the lines.
"So...you're back," he said to the flowers.
The flowers all paused and stared at him. His eyes widened slightly before returning to their natural narrowed state.
"Do any of you remember me? No probably not...the first batch of you were all destroyed..." Patterson said. Everyone waited. The flowers stood there silent.
"So where's the head flower?" he asked holding up his sword still with her dried green blood on it. There was a rustling in front of him. He waited as the flowers seemed to move apart as if making way. A pair of green arms flew at him from the side. He flipped backward and turned the face the Kisenian Flower as she leapt out of the crowd.
"I thought as much," Patterson said.
"You still live..even now.." the flower hissed.
"One could say the same to you," Patterson said.
The flower shouted and charged at him.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!"
"Jupiter Thunder Crash!"
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!"
"Mars Fire Ignite!"
"Uranus World Shaking!"
"Neptune Deep Submerge!"
The attacks all flew through the air. The bubbles formed a mist. The other attacks slammed into the Kisenian flower. She fell back.
"Quick! Exploit her weakness!" Uranus shouted and she and Neptune leapt forward firing their weapons. The flower looked around for some sign of the attack and was hit again.
Seconds later. Two more attacks jabbed her in the side, Sailor Saturn and Neo-Maverick had attacked. The flower let out a shriek of pain. The mist began to clear. The scouts all readied themselves for another attack. The flower began to glow.
"She's dying," Sailor Moon said hopefully.
"We got her," Venus said.
Neo-Maverick, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune all watched it carefully as it sank to the ground and then vaporized.
"So much for her!" Jupiter shouted in triumph.
The mist fully cleared and the group all let out a gasp. Even though the Kisenian Flower was dead. There standing all around them were still the millions of flowers that made up her army.
"Wait a minute..shouldn't they have died to?" Sailor Moon shrieked as the scouts all took up defensive positions.
"Maverick you're supposed to know that this was going to happen!" Mars shouted as Neo-Maverick said.
"Quiet..we have no time for this.." Neo-Maverick said trying to concentrate.
"What should we do?" Sailor Saturn asked.
"We have to fight them.." Sailor Uranus said.
"What choice do we have," Sailor Neptune said.
"If there is one..I can't discern it," Neo-Maverick said.
"Maverick?" The inners all asked the recently changed 20th century version.
"Uh...I don't see any other option," he said.
"We're doomed that's just great," Venus said.
The flowers advanced.
CHAPTER 161 CHAPTER 162 CHAPTER 163 CHAPTER 164
CHAPTER 165 CHAPTER 166 CHAPTER 167 CHAPTER 168
CHAPTER 169 CHAPTER 170 CHAPTER 171 CHAPTER 172
CHAPTER 173 CHAPTER 174 CHAPTER 175 CHAPTER 176
CHAPTER 177 CHAPTER 178 CHAPTER 179 CHAPTER 180