Chapter 197
A day had passed since Serena had returned to Tokyo and she found herself standing outside Raye's temple, staring at the clouds.
The others should be back soon, I hope they've found Mike and Mina by now.
Those two are sure elusive. She thought to herself. I don't like seeing my
friends like this, even though things have calmed down, there was this tension,
that's not good, we need to hang with each other. Because we've got other
problems, and we need to take them on as a group. And where is Darrien? I don't
want to think about him, but how can't I? We're destined to be toghether..I
truly believe that, and he decides that he doesn't want to be around me..I can't
believe it..I won't believe it..there must be something else. But I can't find
it out now..there's other things happening.. Things that are more important and
dangerous. How did I ever get myself into this mess? Fighting evil and dating a
real cute guy who decides to leave me every once and a while. Jeez...what a
life? But it's a good one too..if I wasn't a Sailor Scout, I wouldn't have met
all my friends, I love the Sailor Scouts, and the guys..well..they're
interesting.
Mina found herself sitting in the place that Mike had shown her, it was a beautiful tree filled setting, and although she felt awkward, she had to come and sit there.
I don't blame Mike for being so angry, but why is it so hard for me to accept..what am I trying to accept, the guilt? Or something else..the anger possibly. I didn't know Mike would react that way..maybe that's it. Or maybe it's not. I don't know. But I know one thing. There's only a few people who can help me figure this all out. And I've been avoiding them when I should be talking to them. I have to go.
She then then stood up and hurried off.
Mike meanwhile was standing on the roof of the World's largest fertilizer conglomerate's headquarters building and starring at the city.
I didn't want to make Mina feel as bad as I know she feels. She made a mistake. One that hurt me..true..but not irrepairable. Date her? Never again, but I could see us being friends. I'm sure I owe her a second chance, after all, she probably gave me several. Still..what's nagging at me..maybe that I'm giving in too quickly..or maybe that I overeacted. No idea...Still...no use standing up here. There's stuff to do.
He said and turned away.
"You didn't find them?" Serena asked.
"No," The girls replied.
"Mike had managed to elude us," Steve and Rick said. They had checked the fertilizer building just not while Mike was there.
"I know Amy's computer can't find them in human form, but maybe Patterson could," Lita said.
"No..his computer system can't do it either," Amy said. "As far as I know."
"Oh..too bad," Lita said.
"So..this is it huh?" Serena asked looking at the group of six scouts assembled.
"Guess so," Raye said.
"Well..I guess we should figure out what to do next," Serena said.
The group nodded.
"Where'd Luna and Artemas go anyway?" Rick asked. "Aren't they supposed to be in on this."
"Yeah..you're right, I wonder where they went" Serena said.
"Still no sign of him huh?" Artemas asked.
"No," Luna said.
The two cats were standing on a perch staring at Darrien's apartment building.
"What is going on with him Luna?" Artemas asked.
"Don't know," Luna said. "But I wish I knew, I don't want Serena distracted, she seems to be trying her best to put him out of her mind, but I don't know how long she can hold out."
"We'd better get going though, the scouts are probably trying to figure out what to do," Artemas said.
"Like we have any idea," Luna said.
A day later.
"The doctors have no idea how I'm making such a quick recovery, they call it a miracle," Greg said.
"I hope that's all they call it," Patterson said leaning against the wall. "I can't stay long, but I felt obligated to come by..it was my instructions that got you into this."
"Patterson, don't worry, this is a risky business..and you had no way of knowing."
"That's wrong. I have plenty of ways of knowing, and I...just didn't expect it..I left us vulnerable..."
"No..no..it's okay."
"Greg..I don't make tactical errors."
"Patterson, I know nothing I can say is going to take the burden off of you, but I do appreciate what you've done here, and before, and I don't want you to lose yourself over this."
"I'll be fine."
"Good..still..the doctors are almost suspicious of what happened do you think any of them.."
"Hard to say," Patterson said.
There was a flash of light down the hallway.
Patterson's eyes widened.
"Maverick Power," he said and waited. The door swung open.
Maverick tensed. Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn walked in the door.
"Wow...a party.." Greg muttered.
"Maverick..why are you transformed?"
"Because I saw a flash of light," Maverick said.
"Oh..that..it was just me..convincing the medical staff here that there's nothing unusual about Greg's case," Pluto said.
"Devious, but effective," Maverick said. "I have to go," he said and reverted back.
"What is your next move?" Pluto asked.
"I don't know, I haven't made it yet," Patterson said.
"I think the scouts should all meet first," Pluto said. "We have to talk."
"So now you're going to tell us all about it, took you long enough," Patterson said.
"What have you found out?" Pluto asked.
"Enough."
"That's good."
"Yes...I'll bet it is, having Neptune and Uranus follow me as humans was a nice touch, but please...did you really think I wouldn't know they were there," Patterson said.
Pluto's eyes widened briefly.
"You are not supposed to speak," came Saturn's voice.. "You are the silent power...you're greatest skill is your mind why do you insist on your speaking now?"
"Because I still have emotions even if I hide them, so do you,"Patterson said hardly believing he had said it. Saturn's eyes narrowed.
"Answer accepted, but time is not our ally in these matters," she said.
"She's right," Pluto said.
"I know," Patterson said and headed out.
"Interesting isn't he?" Greg remarked.
The other two scouts found themselves nodding.
"I think best way for us to handle this is to find the other scouts," Amy said.
"And let them one up us..no let's solve this one on our own," Serena said.
"And how exactly are we going to do that?" Raye asked.
"No idea," Serena said.
The door slid open. Mina walked in.
"Mina?" the others asked with surprise.
"Here I am," Mina said. "Uh..I..know you guys have a lot of things to say to me..but don't we have bigger problems."
The group nodded.
"Do not worry. I will solve all of your problems," Came another voice. Everyone looked to see Mike standing in the doorway.
"Mike..where ya been?" Steve asked.
"In the pits of...well..in the pits..." Mike said.
"Well..now we're getting somewhere,." Serena said.
"Still..where does that lead us?" Lita asked.
They all felt their communicators going off.
"Yeah?" they all said looking at them.
Sailor Pluto appeared.
"Scouts I need to speak with you, meet me on top of the high school in fifteen minutes," she said.
"It's about time," they all replied.
The scouts arrived at the roof of Juuban High School and found Pluto and the other outer scouts standing there.
"Would you like to explain just what is happening here?" Mars asked.
"That is why I called us toghether," Pluto said. "Please bear with me, this story is complex."
The scouts all nodded.
"A couple of weeks ago, I sensed a strange prescence, but I couldn't pinpoint it. However, because I keep track of everyone and everything that has had contact with the negaverse I learned that Doctor Richter of the SDF was experimenting with a new design of robot. He intended it to be the SDF's defense against future alien attacks," Pluto said.
"Just how could he build something like that?" Lita asked.
"He had help," Pluto said. "Apparently this strange force gave him a crystal capable of generating the power and energy to protect against negaverse attacks, and our own."
"And you didn't find this unusual?" Mars asked.
"Yeah..I thought you four would do anything to protect this planet, and you just watch him build the thing?" Guardian Uranus asked.
"It was for that exact reason that I let them build it. If it had been completed, the robot could have been a valuable ally, it might even allow some of you a much needed break, since I know that has already been an issue," Pluto said.
Some of the scouts grimaced.
"So I believed it was necessary to let him complete it, however, my plan was to take control of the robot before it became operational and find out just what he had programmed into it, I hoped to find out the force's motive behind it," Pluto said. "But he finished it too quickly. I miscalculated."
"Then look what it did, it attacked us," Sailor Moon said.
"Wonderful work there Pluto.." Guardian Neptune said.
Pluto grimaced slightly. She wasn't used to making mistakes.
"And so is Doctor Richter in the power of this new force?" Mercury asked.
"Yes," Pluto said. "I'm sure of it, but by then it was out of his hands. He built it, but then was returned to his original state with no memories of the event. But the robot had been built. While the crystal was active, the robot was relatively impervious to our attacks, but not completely, if we had massed most of the Sailor Scouts, and hit it we could have destroyed it, however, it was possible for a smaller group just to run out the crystal so it would have to recharge. This is why I was prepared to go ahead with letting it be built. I figured that if worst came to worst, we could come toghether and destroy it. Unfortunately, it attacked before I could bring all of us toghether, and it managed to get away. After that we followed it, but it's specifications were different then I expected, and it managed to keep eluding us. Meanwhile...those other attacks were occuring in the city."
"What were they all about?" Mercury asked.
"Pure distraction," Sailor Uranus said. "It was designed to keep the other scouts busy we think...because the evil force, after being given one robot, was able to create more."
"It seemed it needed Richter's know how to build the robot, but once done it could replicate it," Pluto said.
"Doesn't seem like a powerful force if it had to rely on a human to help it out," Venus said.
The scouts noddded.
"It is more powerful then I expected," Pluto said. "However, that fact does raise some interesting questions. I have yet to figure out just what Richter's exact use was."
"Regardless, the robot's string of attacks, was merely to keep you busy, while the enemy force continued to strenghten itself," Uranus said. "We continued to follow it, because it was the only clue we had. Meanwhile Maverick was trying to sort through the crimes looking for a nonexitstent pattern."
"Not true," Came a Maverick's voice as he leapt to the roof. "There was a pattern, a very clear one, however, it could only be seen when looked at from a different perspective. However, your story isn't over is it?"
"No," Pluto said. "There was more. So.we continued our efforts, realizing the majority of the scouts had other problems to deal with. The robot continued to elude us, but we were beginning to understand it's abilities more fully, but soon we learned it could teleport, and that made our task even harder, but we had to figure out what it was doing."
"What you didn't realize was that you were also being distracted.." Maverick said.
The four outers nodded. The others scouts all were surprised.
"We realized that just recently," Pluto said.
"But you were no better," Uranus said.
"On the contrary, I now know exactly where our enemy is," Maverick said.
The entire group started.
"How?" Sailor Uranus asked.
"Think about it...criminals are drained of energy...right?"
The group nodded.
"Soon afterward, the police and the SDF arrive, to investigate right?"
The group nodded.
"So...a police officer near the scene of the crime, wouldn't look odd would it?"
The group all looked at each other.
"That's right...the robot was only part of the plan, but the truth is that the people draining energy from criminals have been the police itself," Maverick said.
The group all were wide eyed.
"But..Maverick..why?" Jupiter asked.
"It's completely not their fault, they're under the influence of an evil force," Maverick said.
"Why send the robot out at all?" Sailor Uranus asked.
"To take the real attention away from the real culprits," Maverick said. "That's why when I actually found a small pattern, the enemy I found was a robot. The enemy's goal was to do that."
"But so who is this mastermind?" Mars asked.
"Chief Ozaki."
The group all let out various noises.
"That idiot," Sailor Uranus said.
"Well.he's under enemy control, but still..his expertise in police operations and such is influencing this, you see the pattern is all criminals Ozaki couldn't catch or didn't get sent away for long enough sentence, so I think the evil force is relying on Ozaki's knowledge to go after these things."
"But it's such an oversight," Pluto said. "This evil force has been careful enough to lead us in all directions, and yet it still relies on that obvious implication."
"Obvious? Did our enemy know that I would have access to the most sophisticated database on criminal activity ever assembled?" Maverick asked.
"Good point," Pluto said. "Still..we both know there's something evil behind this, but who?"
Maverick shrugged.
"Well let's go confront Ozaki," Sailor Moon said.
"That could be a bad idea," Mars said. "He has the entire police force with him right?"
"There's no way of telling," Maverick said.
"But what is this guy after?" Guardian Neptune asked.
All eyes turned to him.
"Well, isn't a good question?"
The group nodded.
"It would seem like he's building up for something," Uranus said.
"Jeez...have the scouts ever been this clueless?" Sailor Moon muttered.
"I beginning to agree with Sailor Moon, I think we have to go confront Ozaki and force his hand," Jupiter said.
"But Jupiter, you could have to face your own father," Mercury said with concern.
"So be it," Jupiter said, "It's not like I'd have to kill him.".
"Glad you're okay with this," the others said in unison.
"I'd prefer to know more about what we're dealing with," Pluto said. "But that's what we've been trying to find out for two weeks. I see little other choice then to just fight them out. Unless anyone disagrees."
The entire group looked around at each other.
"Maverick?" Pluto asked.
"There are few other options," Maverick said.
"But Pluto..don't you think this was bit reckless of you, even with the chance to give us allies," Mars said. "You must have known that an evil force was behind it."
"I knew a different force was behind it," Pluto said. " And you're right to wonder..but I felt that I'd be able to fix it, and since I knew the robot's limitations, or at least thought I did, I thought even if it was completed we could get toghether to stop it. It was also true, that we had to find someway to draw the force out. If I was able to get to the robot before it was completed, it would be helpful, and it might draw out our new force before it could be agressive, if that was it's goal. If we didn't get there in time, at least we'd get some idea of the force, but then it managed to throw us several curves, which we had little choice but to follow."
"I agree with your judgement," Maverick said managing to get the courage to keep talking.
"You do?" the inners asked.
"Yes...warriors cannot always chose their own field of battle," Maverick said.
"But Maverick, if she had stopped the robot.." Mercury began.
"The new force might have tried a new, and different tactic...playing 'what if' just isn't useful at this point."
"Still..maybe Greg wouldn't have been as badly hurt," Mercury. "You're right though."
"Hmm..still...the amount of amorallness you guys show on regular occasions is a bit disturbing," Mars said.
"Yeah.." Sailor Moon said.
"You can't expect all our enemies to be nice enough to just show up and say fight me," Sailor Uranus said.
"Yes, we've got quite a reputation now. Enemies, if they're smart, will try to avoid us when ever possible," Sailor Neptune said.
"We must be increasingly vigilant," Sailor Saturn said.
"If we aren't who will be?" Sailor Pluto said.
"I guess you're right," Sailor Moon said. "Still..it's not the way I'd like us to be seen."
"We're not seen," Sailor Pluto said. "Only felt."
"Amen to that," Guardian Neptune said. The group all looked at him.
"What?" they all asked.
Neptune shrugged and grinned.
"He is gone," Saturn said.
"What you mean Neptune..we've known that for a while," Guardian Uranus said.
"That is true, however, I meant that another of your number is gone," Saturn said.
"Where'd Maverick go?" Sailor Uranus asked.
"Now there's sneaking around for you," Sailor Neptune said.
"We know," the inner Sailor Scouts answered.
"So..uh..Pluto..just what do we do now?" Sailor Moon asked.
"I guess we go find Chief Ozaki," Sailor Pluto said. "Though that's your decision, not mine."
"Uh..I say we go find Chief Ozaki," Sailor Moon said.
"Way to go leader," Mars muttered.
"I think we should just go," Sailor Moon said.
The group nodded.
Inside his office, Chief Ozaki leaned back in his chair with a ridiculous grin on his face.
"I didn't think it would be this easy.." he said to himself. "Yes...the conquest of this planet begins here, I will soon dispose of the only defense the Earth has and then...they'll be nothing but clear sailing."
He stood up and walked to the office door and swung it open. He turned to his secretary.
"Hold all calls and assemble the troops," he said.
The secretary grinned menacingly and picked up her phone.
Ozaki grinned and headed down the hallway.
"Let it begin," he said.
The scouts were meanwhile leaping towards Police Headquarters.
":If we can catch him before he begins whatever he plans, there may be a chance to end this without a large battle," Sailor Pluto said.
"Since when have we solved anything without a large scale battle?" Sailor Moon asked.
"First time for everything," Sailor Pluto said.
"Guess so," Sailor Moon said.
The group all came to a stop on a nearby rooftop, there however they found a surprise.
"Oh..no." Sailor Moon said as she saw the scene. Standing all around the HQ and inside it, as well as on top of it, was the majority of the city's police force. Also present were the robots staring down at them.
"This isn't good," Sailor Pluto said.
"It's getting worse," came Maverick's voice.
The group all whirled.
They heard large whiring and rumbling sounds all around them.
"What's that?" Venus asked in surprise.
"Sounds like tanks and airplanes," Pluto said.
"Maverick..don't tell me.." Sailor Pluto said.
"I see no need too," Maverick said.
"What..someone tell me," Sailor Moon said.
"The SDF Sailor Moon," Jupiter said. "They've got it too."
The scouts now looked around. The street was filled with soliders and police. The sky had planes and helicopters flying all around it.
"Greetings Sailor Scouts.." came a voice. Floating in the air nearby was Chief Ozaki.
The group all looked at him.
"How do you like my nice surprise," he said.
"Just who are you?" Sailor Mars shouted.
"Oh...well...they call me King Metallis, my wife was Queen Mettalica," he said.
"So?" Sailor Moon asked.
"I see..Sailor Moon, you never learned who the true leader of the negaverse expedition was...Queen Beryl was just our field commander, but the true Queen of the Negaverse was my wife Mettalica,"
"It's sad but true," Guardian Neptune said.
":I am the King of the Negaverse!" Metalis shouted morphing into a large monsterous man in a negaverse uniform. "You destroyed my wife and my armies...on numerous occasions, but this time, I have your armies arrayed against you, and unless you surrender now I will attack this city with it."
The scouts all winced.
"How..can we make that kind of decision?" Sailor Moon asked in shock.
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