Chapter 182
It was the night before final exams at Juuban High School and four figures were leaping across the rooftops. They reached their destination and stopped looking down on a small barn shaped building sitting in a crowded residential district.
"So that's the place..." Sailor Neptune said.
"Doesn't do justice to the evil that's inside it," Sailor Uranus said.
"I think that was the idea," Sailor Saturn said stoically. "Conceal one's true intent."
"I suggest we don't delay any longer," Sailor Pluto said.
The other three nodded.
"There's entrances at the front and back of the building, Saturn and I will get the front. Uranus and Neptune the back," Pluto said.
"Let's end this," Uranus said and leapt off the rooftop and dropped to the ground. Neptune followed. Pluto and Saturn went the other way. They each approached the doors.
"On three.." Pluto said into her communicator.
"One..."
Uranus built up her energy on the other side of the barn.
Saturn did the same beside Pluto.
"Two..." Pluto said.
The two finished building.
"Three," Pluto said.
Saturn's Mist Wave and Uranus's World Shaking blasted the doors in. The four leapt in ready for a fight. They stopped when they realized the room was empty.
"He was here.." Uranus said looking around at various pieces of equipment sitting around.
"Looks like he's been gone for a while.." Neptune said.
"What possible reason could he have had for relocating?" Pluto asked.
"Maybe...he was just being careful.." Uranus said.. "After all..if he had not been his operation would have ended here..."
"Good point..still..I wonder how he moved it.." Pluto said.
"Perhaps the sewer..." Uranus said.
"But how did he get it there?" Neptune asked.
Saturn swung her scythe and punched it through the floor. The other three looked at her in surprise. There was now a small hole. She looked down into it.
"Hmm...no ground..." she said. "Only metal flooring..and below.."
She picked up a small piece of scrap metal from nearby and dropped it down the hole.
There was a small splash.
"Your answer..." she said.
"I'm sure we could have figured it out other ways...still your way was efficient," Pluto said.
"So he moves the floor to drop it down," Uranus said. "Where does he take it?"
"That's what we have to find out.." Pluto said.
"We should have hit him before he completed it," Neptune said.
"No...it was important that we didn't," Pluto said. "But now..we have to find it fast. Unfortunately Uranus and Neptune you have a test tomorrow."
"That's unimportant compared to this..." Uranus said.
"No it isn't.." Pluto said. "You two can't rely on me to fix everything for you. You have to earn your grades."
"But you need us to help you search.." Neptune said.
"We'll manage," Pluto said. "You two go home and rest."
"The safety of this planet should not be put behind a stupid test," Uranus said somewhat angrily.
"Uranus..please...you can resume the search after you finish the test," Pluto said.
"I don't feel right about this," Uranus said.
"I agree," Neptune said.
"Listen, being a Sailor Scout is a delicate balancing act between fighting evil and having an everyday life, you have to hope someday that you won't need to fight evil and you'll need to have the ability to handle living without any assistance. I can't make everything work out magically. You need to be self sufficient," Pluto said.
"We are self sufficient," Uranus said.
"Incredibly self sufficient," Neptune said.
"More so then anyone on this planet," the two said in unison.
"Go home," Pluto said bluntly.
"She is right..." Saturn said.
"You wouldn't know," Uranus said and leapt off. Neptune followed.
"They are right...I wouldn't," Saturn said solemnly.
"But that's okay Saturn..you've got adjusting to do," Pluto said.
"Never mind that, we have a mission," Saturn said.
Pluto looked at her with concern and then nodded.
That morning a group of drained and thoroughly depressed students staggered in through the doors of Juuban High School ready to began their first day of exams.
"Why do they even need to know if we learned anything or not?" Serena muttered.
"I think they care too much that's their problem.." Lita said.
"Yeah..why do they have to be so committed to their jobs?" Mina muttered.
"It's less a matter of commitment, more like a need to somehow prove their doing their jobs." Raye said.
"So why aren't they taking the exams ey?" Mike asked.
"Hey..yeah..." the others said in realization.
"So do you think you're ready?" Greg asked Amy as the two trailed behind their friends.
"I hope so," Amy said. "I've been going over everything."
"You did your best..what else is there that you can do?"
"I used to believe that was true Greg. But if your best isn't good enough?"
"When has that ever been true for you?" Greg asked.
"Greg you're much too kind you know.." Amy said with a small grin.
"I try," Greg said.
"I just wish I shared your confidence."
"Don't worry about it."
"Do I have a choice?" Amy asked. "After all stress has physical effects that I might not be able to suppress even if I tried to. I mean there are several chemicals in the brain released that...
"And you don't know biology?" Greg asked with a grin.
Amy stopped.
"We'll see won't we?" She said with a smile.
The group all filed in for their first exam in Miss Haruna's class. Miss Haruna looked as drained as they all were.
"You okay Miss H?" Mike asked.
"Don't ask..." Miss Haruna hissed. "I have an announcement though."
"Because my latest date went sour last night and I have nothing but contempt for the male side of the human species I am going to automatically take ten points off every boy's test!" Haruna said.
"You can't do that!" Melvin squeaked.
"Melvin..how wrong you are.." Haruna said and tossed a dictionary at him. He caught it but was propelled out of his chair by the weight of it.
"Now are we clear on that.." Haruna said.
"Is she serious?" Steve muttered.
"I don't know, but I think she's drunk.." Rick said.
"Or stoned.." Mike added.
"I am nothing of the sort!" Haruna shouted in to his ear.
Mike immediately began to try and reason how she had reached their desks undetected from the front of the room in such a short period of time.
"You men are such barbarians...I'm not that old!" Haruna screeched and began crying on Rick's shoulder.
"Oh..uh..I guess...yeah..uh.." Rick said. "Help.."
"Please Miss H..you can't blame every guy for what a few narrowminded guys might think..I mean...after all Mike here..was just saying why he couldn't understand why the right guy hasn't come along for you..to be perfectly honest I think he was hoping you were still available," Steve said.
"WHAT?" Mike and Haruna shrieked. Haruna continued crying.
"THAT DIDN'T WORK!" Mike said and clobbered Steve.
"Woah..that was a hit.." Steve muttered picking himself off the floor.
"Uh..I'm sure..the uh...right guy will come along..I mean..hey...Rome wasn't built in a day.." Rick said.
"Though interestingly enough it was burnt to the ground in a night..." Mike said.
"What does that mean?" Haruna screeched grabbing him.
"Why are all the teachers here unstable?" Greg muttered.
"No idea.." Amy said.
"Calm down Miss H...we know what you're going through," Lita said.
"Uh..yeah..I mean...here we are beautiful girls...almost goddesses in beauty," Mina said.
"Don't push it Mina, but yeah...we are quite desirable," Raye said.
"And yet these three have to settle for Rick, Steve, and Mike..hardly seems fair does it?" Serena added.
"WHAT?" The three guys in question said.
"I appreciate you trying to help me girls, but it's hopeless..let's get this started," Haruna said and moved to the front of the room. It was at that moment that Haruka and Michiru walked in.
"Haruka and Michiru were have you two been?" Haruna asked.
"Urgent business elsewhere." Haruka said.
"Couldn't be avoided," Michiru said.
"I see.." Haruna said. "You will of course have a note explaining all this."
The two produced them.
"I see.." Haruna said reading them. "It's not like I care," she said and ripped the letters up. Haruka and Michiru were slightly surprised.
"Just take the test," the teacher said.
"That's odd," Michiru whispered.
"I wonder what we missed.." Haruka whispered back.
Haruna distributed the test and then slumped in her chair.
"Class...begin..." she muttered.
Fifty seven minutes later, underground in the sewer system a strange object's
mechanical legs splashed as a pair of mechanical legs moved through the water.
It slowly moved along scaring some nearby sewer rats and making it's way to
where a manhole cover let in small bits of light through it's small holes. The
object stopped and raised a mechanical arm. It stepped back and lined the arm
up. An energy blast flew out from the arm and hit the area around the manhole.
It kept shooting until a large area had been carved out of it. The sewer ceiling
and the ground above fell into the sewer and splashed into the water. The robot
leapt upward and onto the ground revealing itself to the light. It was about
seven feet tall and made of various alloys. It had a large head with glowing red
eyes. It's right arm was a laser weapon of some kind. It's left appendage was a
large claw. It stood there and caused traffic on the nearby street to come to a
screeching halt as everyone stopped to see just what it was that was standing
there. The robot disregarded them and stepped forward stomping along the ground
and moving in the direction of the one and only Juuban High School which was
just down the street.
"Guess it's time for the bio exam huh..." Amy said emerging from Miss Haruna's room and headed to her next test.
"Yeah.." Greg said.
"Well..you're right I have done my best...it's out of my hands..I just have to go in there and do what I always do."
"That's right."
"Why am I so nervous?" Amy asked.
"It's understandable," Greg said.
"But I don't get this nervous before an exam ever.." Amy said.
"It's nothing to be ashamed of..."
"I'm not ashamed I'm worried."
"Because you're nervous?"
"Uh..yeah.." Amy said.
"Can't blame you for that.." Greg said and they headed into the next room.
Serena meanwhile was staggering into History followed by Raye and Mina.
"So...why is Tokyo not called Edo again?" She was asking.
"It was called Edo Serena," Raye said.
"But why isn't it now?" Serena said.
"There's no time to explain it," Mina said.
"But isn't that important?" Serena asked.
"Yes," the two girls replied.
"It's not my fault, I'm hungry, that distracts me," Serena said.
"Didn't you eat breakfast?" Raye asked.
"Sure....uh..but what does that have to do with it?" Serena asked.
"Serena..just take the test, you'll be fine," Mina said.
"Why will I be fine?" Serena asked. "It's me were talking about here."
"I just don't want you to drag me down with you," Mina said.
"Couldn't it happen the other way to?" Serena asked.
"Oh sure..and that's another good reason," Mina said.
"You're right it is," Serena said.
"Will you two just sit down?" Raye muttered.
Rick, Mike, and Steve came through the door soon afterward.
"Gentlemen..this is history and as such we must prepare with our sacred chant," Rick said as the three stood at their desks.
"Agreed," Steve said.
"For it will get us in good with the spirits above," Mike said.
"It's not to get us in good, it is to endear us in the hearts of the spirits above," Steve muttered.
"I just get to the point that's all," Mike said.
"What are you three talking about?" Raye muttered.
"Watch and learn," Rick said. The three guys clapped their hands together and bent their heads forward solemnly.
The girls watched warily expecting it to degrade into something else at any time.
"Hey..stop being unmystical.." Steve said and elbowed Mike.
"I was not..you were giving me bad vibes," Mike muttered and elbowed Steve.
"Stop being disrespectful," Rick said and elbowed Steve. "Uh..elbow Mike for me..too."
"Fine," Steve said and elbowed Mike.
"Same to you buddy," Mike said and elbowed Steve who elbowed Rick. All the while they were keeping their heads bowed.
The girls sighed.
"Class take your seats," The teacher said walking in. The tests were soon handed out.
Serena looked at the test.
"Fifteen questions about Edo alone! Come on!" She shouted. The entire class looked at her.
She just stuck her tongue out.
"Is there a problem Serena?" the teacher asked.
"Uh...you asked too many questions about something I don't know anything about sir.." Serena said.
"Oh...well sorry.." the teacher said. "But then again...isn't that the entire exam?"
The class all made some noise at that one.
"Sir...that is decidedly cold..." Serena said. "Though accurate..." she said
and sighed before working on the test.
Meanwhile the robot had almost completed it's trek and the high school now stood in front of it. It stopped and stared through it's red eyes. The sound of sirens began to fill the air as the SDF and police force began to respond to the reports of a large robot, but the robot didn't care in the least.
It let out a grunt.
"Now what?" it said to itself. "Oh..that is right I must draw out the target scouts and challenge them to combat. Then we shall prove my supremacy over them in this combat," It said. "I do not want to damage them inadvertently before battle begins or victory will not be whole. Must attract attention another way then damaging school. Will make noise perhaps?"
A barrage of multicolored light smashed into the ground in front of it. It looked down in surprise and then back up. Standing in front of the school was a figure dressed in a grey uniform with a blue cape swinging behind him.
The robot stood there silently not making a move.
Maverick's eyes narrowed.
The robot still stood there.
Maverick held his sword at the ready. The robot looked around before raising it's arm to fire. Maverick dived out of the way and moved forward sending a barrage at it. The shots hit the robot and then seemed to do nothing. Maverick flipped backward and still faced it.
"You can do nothing to me," the robot said. "I am immune to your attacks."
"And why is that?" Maverick snapped.
"I will not answer," the robot said and fired his laser again. Maverick easily avoided it and fired another barrage this time with two swords. They showed no effect on the robot.
"I am not even expending my maximum amount of energy," The robot said.
"Aren't you!" Maverick shouted and leapt forward he swung his swords and cut at the robot, the energy dissipated against the robot. The robot lunged at him with it's claw. Maverick slid around and tried to dig his swords into the back of the robot, but the robot turned denying and swung his laser at great speed. Maverick leapt out of the way before it fired, but found himself quickly coming under fire from the robot wherever he landed. Maverick kept moving but the laser fire increased.
"I am actually quite quick.." the robot said.
"Show off," Maverick said and flung a smoke pellet down before leaping forward and trying for a spin kick. The robot lunged at him with it's claw before he could finish. Maverick could not avoid it and he was flung over the robot and into some bushes.
"He of course can see through the smoke, maybe thermal sensors," Maverick said to himself and leapt out of the way of another laser barrage. The big question is where the immunity comes from. He thought.
"Pluto....Dead Scream!"
A dark attack flew across the air and slammed into the robot. It whirled but showed little affect to the attack. Sailor Pluto didn't waste time and leapt forward swinging her staff forward. She pushed it into the robot, but he swung around with it's laser arm and batted her away. She stood up quickly and leapt out of the way of a laser barrage.
"Saturn Mist Wave!"
Another attack swept down from the school's roof...and hit the robot. It turned to see Sailor Saturn standing facing it. It aimed its laser and fired. Saturn leapt off of the roof and landed facing him.
"Now you've got more than one opponent," Sailor Pluto said.
"Doesn't matter," The robot said. "You can't beat me."
"Don't be too sure," Pluto said.
"We never lose," Sailor Saturn said.
"I wish to fight all of you..where are the others?" The robot asked.
"They are too busy for a petty enemy like you," Pluto said.
Police cars and SDF vehicles skidded up.
"I see...you still believe I am not a formidable enemy!" the robot shouted and unleashed an incredibly quick laser blast blowing apart some police cars.
"See that speed!" the robot shouted.
"We're faster," Saturn said and spun her scythe quickly unleashing her own attack, it hit the robot but had no effect.
"What good is an attack that does no good!" The robot shouted and unleashed a quick laser barrage. The scouts leapt out of the way and more cars were blown apart.
Maverick meanwhile was crouched behind a tank.
"What is that thing?" General Patterson said.
"I don't know," Maverick said.
"You don't?" Patterson said with shock.
"Yeah? You don't?" a large number of soldiers said.
"I need a bazooka," Maverick muttered.
Pluto and Saturn meanwhile had gotten clear of the attacks and unleashed their own at him. The robot did not have the speed to dodge it, but it didn't need it. The attacks were of no use.
"Don't you see! I'm invincible."
Seventy two roses hit the robot from behind and embedded themselves in it's metal. It turned in surprise. Tuxedo Mask stood on top of a ruined tank.
"Very nice..but it changes nothing!" the robot said and fired again. Tuxedo Mask leapt off and the tank blew apart.
The SDF and the police opened fire with what they had and Maverick fired the bazooka. The attacks hit the robot but did no effect.
"The bazooka usually works," Maverick said with annoyance.
"We should just run it over," General Patterson said.
Meanwhile Pluto, Saturn, and Tuxedo Mask were crouching behind a wall.
"What is that thing?" Tuxedo Mask asked.
"It's a long story," Pluto said.
"How are we supposed to beat it?"
"Run out it's battery," Pluto said.
"What?"
"At the moment it is invincible to our attacks, but soon it will run out of power, and then it's over. We just need to keep it busy..." Pluto said.
"How long do we have to do this for?" Tuxedo Mask asked.
"I don't know exactly," Pluto said.
"Why not?" Tuxedo Mask asked.
"Nobody's perfect," Pluto said.
"I thought you were," Tuxedo Mask said.
Pluto smiled slightly.
"Come on..." she said and stood.
Meanwhile a tractor trailer went racing down the street and at the robot. It hit and to everyone's shock was stopped dead by the robot.
"How the....!" Chief Ozaki shouted. "That plan should've worked."
"What's the deal?" General Nagumo barked.
Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn took this opportunity to swing their weapons and attempt to trip up the robot. The robot stood firm and fired his lasers at them. Tuxedo Mask charged forward and threw more roses. The robot blasted them apart with his laser. Maverick leapt from behind and swung his two swords. The robot took the hits and began to turn it's torso around quickly firing laser blasts off in all directions. Everyone ran for it, except the scouts who regrouped.
"What exactly are we accomplishing here?" Maverick asked.
"Just keep attacking it," Pluto said.
"You'd think with the noise the other scouts would get involved," Tuxedo Mask said.
"It's better that they don't, finals and all," Sailor Pluto said.
Meanwhile inside the scouts were all thinking the same thing.
Of course there's this massive battle outside, but we've got finals and if the others scouts need us they'll call. Serena thought. Still this is very odd..here I am trying to figure out what the heck happened in 1890 and all this stuff keeps exploding..hey..maybe there was a war or something...I'll have to look into that.
An announcement came through the PA.
"Uh..this is Principal Oksua...uh..please do your best to uh...finish your exams...the authorities assure me they have everything under control..."
There was another explosion.
"Geez..that was close..uh..ahem...uh...carry on.." he said.
The entire school sighed and continued to try amidst they're disbelief that
they were still sitting in their seats taking tests.
The battle continued to rage, the entire army and police force along with the scouts keep bombarding the robot, but it stood there taking it all.
"I am invincible, I want the scouts. I wish to defeat them in combat!" it shouted.
"We're all you get!" Tuxedo Mask said.
The robot stopped at that moment and then looked around. The group all tensed. Seconds later it blasted a hole in the ground where it was standing and dropped into the sewer again.
"Maverick..you're camera.." Pluto siad. Maverick quickly followed it with his minicamera.
"It's running low on energy," Pluto said.
"So what do we do now?" Tuxedo Mask asked.
CHAPTER 181 CHAPTER 182 CHAPTER 183 CHAPTER 184
CHAPTER 185 CHAPTER 186 CHAPTER 187 CHAPTER 188
CHAPTER 189 CHAPTER 190 CHAPTER 191 CHAPTER 192
CHAPTER 193 CHAPTER 194 CHAPTER 195 CHAPTER 196