Chapter 225
Amy was lying in bed that night, wincing slightly.
"You all right?" Greg asked bringing her some tea.
"I must have pulled seventy muscles when I tried to carry Mike," Amy said. "I can only hope they heal quickly."
"Well I'm here to help, whatever you need."
"Thank's Greg," Amy said. "If Urawa looks for me, tell him I can't talk."
"And if he asks why?"
"Make up a good reason."
"How about I tell him that your tutoring relationship with Mike turned passionate," Greg said and grinned.
"Don't you dare," Amy said.
"I wouldn't," Greg said.
"Jeez...I usually don't get this hurt, you know that?"
"There's nothing wrong with getting hurt," Greg said. "Except the getting hurt part. I mean it's nothing to feel guilty about."
"Yeah I guess," Mercury said. "Still, I'm supposed to be intellectual, I should have been able to stall those two goddesses with something more then brute force."
"You were rushed. I don't do too well in those situations either," Greg said.
"But I should."
"Well you didn't. It's all right," Greg said.
"I pulled some muscles, Mike almost got killed..again," Amy said.
"It happens," Greg said.
"You're taking this awfully casually."
"I guess after my own injury I realized that it's part of the job."
"But Greg, just how long can we keep this up before one of us gets hurt really badly?" Mercury said. "I mean permanently."
"According to Setsuna, everything short of death will heal in time due to our metabolism," Greg said. "And even death can be reversed."
"Still...that doesn't let me fear it any less, my death or anyone else's."
"Well we know it's no biggie. Rick and Raye seemed okay."
"Yeah..still.." Amy said. "It just bothers me. Besides, pain is still pain. We could use as little of it as possible don't you think."
"True," Greg said.
"And we're really getting beaten up out there."
"The goddesses have a way of doing it."
"And we're doing all we can to stop them."
"Yes that's right," Greg said.
"When are they going to stop?"
"Don't know, hopefully soon."
"I wish I had a solution to this problem."
"You can't solve every problem," Greg said.
"That's right, I can't solve any of them that actually count," Amy said.
"What brought this on?"
"Nothing," Amy said. "I just got thinking. It's okay."
Greg sighed.
"Amy, I'm your brother, you can tell me if something's wrong. Especially now. I want to help you as much as possible."
"Greg I have three hundred IQ, and it doesn't do a bit of good for anyone."
"I wouldn't say that."
"My IQ doesn't help us win battles any quicker, it doesn't help us figure out the goddesses' plans before hand. It doesn't help at all. It can get me a good grade at school, but only after I put in a large amount of work too. But when can I solve any real world problems? I couldn't figure out a way to get you to the prom that night. Or the way to get you to move to the city. I couldn't keep my parents from being sent to prison. I couldn't save my house from being taken from me. All this brain power and it hasn't helped me one bit. All it's done is show me how foolish the whole idea it is."
"Amy..that's not true," Greg said. "You do a lot of good."
"Maybe I do, but this brain doesn't help. I could get by on half the IQ I have now. But instead I'm supposed to be a super genius, one who hasn't made a single contribution justified by being at that level."
"You're still young," Greg said.
"Somehow that just doesn't convince me of anything," Amy said. "Greg I know you're trying to help, but I don't think you can change my mind."
"You've it hard the past few years, what can you expect," Greg said.
"But I haven't been able to make it any easier. Shouldn't I have been able to outsmart someone to help myself?"
"You shouldn't see it that way," Greg said.
Amy sighed.
"But I do anyway," she said.
"I suggest you put it out of your mind and focus on the good things that have happened," Greg said.
"The good things, yes," Amy said.
"There are a lot of them. Don't worry about your IQ, eventually it will allow you to do what most people only dream of doing."
"In what?"
"I don't know yet, but I'm sure you'll find out soon enough," Greg said.
Amy sighed.
"I guess we'll see" she said.
"Try to get some rest, call me if you need anything else," Greg said.
Amy nodded solemnly and Greg headed out.
What brought this on? Greg thought. I probably should talk to everyone else about this.
"Greg!" Amy called from her room.
"Yeah.." Greg said sticking his head in.
"Don't tell anyone about this."
"But Amy..."
"Greg..I mean it.."
"All right Amy," Greg said and sighed.
"Thank you," she said.
"Yeah..." Greg said.
This complicates things. He thought.
And at Tokyo General Hospital.
"Ehh...so what's the call doc?" Mike muttered.
"Well you've managed to sprain both ankles," the doctor said. "As well as some bruising in other areas."
"Can I go now?"
"Soon, we just need to get you bandaged and then you can be transferred home."
"Aw..good," Mike said.
"Uh..Mike..I'm concerned though..just how did you receive these injuries?"
"Running from the police..no I'm just joking. It was in that evil attack, I was just walking down the street, chaos breaks loose, the next thing I know I'm lying on the ground like this."
"Okay.." the doctor said. "Some nurses will fix you up."
Soon afterward a couple of figures wandered in.
"Michael Leslie?" Captain Ozaki asked.
"You found out about my own personal crack house did you?" Mike said with a grin.
"I'm Colonel Nagumo, SDF, this is Captain Ozaki, police," Nagumo said.
"Rock on," Mike said snapping his fingers.
"Mister Leslie, we understand you were involved in the attack today?" Nagumo asked.
"Word travels fast," Mike said.
"We were wondering if you could describe to us what happened?" Ozaki said.
"Sure..." Mike said.
Five minutes later.
"What are you talking about?" Nagumo and Ozaki asked.
"Now..now.I know it seems outlandish, but I assure you this whatever it was attacking innocent people with radishes, I got capped in the head with one, it hurt," Mike said.
"I think you're not taking us seriously," Nagumo said.
"You know we have good reason to believe that you're the one they call Guardian Neptune," Ozaki said.
"Not anymore.." Mike said. Nagumo and Ozaki were hit with a bolt of energy. They stiffened glanced at each other and then turned to him.
"Thank you for your assistance," Ozaki said and the two headed out.
"Good timing," Mike said.
"I try," Nephlite said and emerged from the next room.
"I'm honored that you'd take the time," Mike said.
"Well..I try to get out," Nephlite said.
"Yeah..guess I'm giving everyone a lot of work covering up the fact that I get injured every few days and then recover inexplicably," Mike said.
"You should see our staff meetings, those two always show up with evidence that they've found out who the scouts are. You should be more careful."
"We try," Mike said.
"Yeah I know, it can be tough," Nephlite said. "Anyway..see ya," he said and headed out.
The nurses came in and started to dress the wound.
And in Serena's room.
"I race across the city in time to accomplish absolutely nothing," Serena said.
"Well you didn't know what would happen," Luna said.
"Heck of a job our watch system was doing, the people on watch got attacked," Serena said.
"Still, at least we didn't have one scout in human form being hunted down," Luna said. "There's something to be said for that."
"What am I doing anyway? I should be out there finding interesting people with problems that I can solve through force of sheer personality," Serena said.
"What?"
"You know, like I use to do. I'm going out."
"Don't make yourself a target Serena."
"I won't don't worry," Serena said. "I'll find Darrien, he'll come along."
That still worries me. Luna thought. She should be happy she isn't the one
getting into all the trouble anymore.
And at the A.P.T. house.
"How's Amy?" Artemas asked.
"Well she's got a lot of muscle pulls, but she should feel better eventually," Greg said. "As if that were the only problem."
"What?"
"Nothing..nothing.." Greg said. "I'm not allowed to say."
"Then write it down on a piece of paper and I'll read it."
"I don't know if that means I'm off the hook ethnically."
"I'll take responsibility."
"Everyone says that when taking responsibility doesn't matter."
Artemas grinned.
"I just want to help," he said.
Greg shrugged.
"All right," he said and scribbled it down on paper. Artemas looked at it.
"Oh.." the cat said. "Hmm..that's a tough one. I guess right now you just have to support her, we all have to. Maybe if she feels her friends are with her she won't worry about it."
"I guess it's hard not to though," Greg said. "I mean when you think about it. I've gotten frustrated from time to time myself."
"Then talk to her about it that way. Let her know you're not just making empty statements."
"Yeah, that might be the way to do it," Greg said. "Thanks Artemas."
"Patterson just how did you know the goddesses were planning something?" General Nagumo asked.
"Well sir the negaverse generals and I were talking about it and we figured there was a good chance of the attacks continuing, and furthermore given that we knew the scouts were prepared to, we merely hid troops around the city just in case," General Patterson said.
"Yes, a good idea, let's keep it up. Anything we can do to help. And the doctor's new weapon worked well."
"That it did. But we've only got a few of them."
"We'll keep it for emergencies from now on. But we needed to test the thing. Patterson..just where's your former nephew anyway?"
"Oh..well you know he has a major association with the scouts. With all this going on, he's been doing some secret planning."
"Oh? I don't know if it's justified hiding him from all view."
"Trust me sir, it is, these goddesses find out a lot of information, they even know who I am. We're just covering all the bases."
"How'd he get to know them anyway? The scouts?"
"I don't even know, he just does."
"Hmm..yes..well..let's hope there's no more attacks for a while."
"I don't think the goddesses are interested in letting up."
"I hope they do anyway."
"Uh..sir that brings up something, based on a tip Sailor Mercury gave me, I had the police do some checking. There's something strange going on," Patterson said.
"Where?"
"Some of the rundown areas of the city. Some of the clinics down there are reporting people with increased fatigue."
"Fatigue. So?" Nagumo asked.
"So..sir.. I have reason to believe the enemy might be using energy from people in small amounts to power themselves."
"Just enough that we don't notice ey? Sounds workable. But don't the scouts usually stumble onto these operations."
"Destiny is a strange thing," Patterson said. "I thought I'd follow up on it."
"Fine, take who you need."
"Thank you sir."
"Patterson..one last thing, I keep having this strange sense that I'm missing some key information, that some pieces of all this puzzle just isn't fitting. You ever feel that."
"Sure it's only natural," Patterson said.
"Yeah..but you know this whole scout thing, you'd think with our resources we'd have found out who they are by now," Nagumo said.
"Well..they're good at what they do I guess."
"Yeah I guess so," Nagumo said.
"What a mess?" Guardian Uranus muttered looking at a trashed city block just down the street from the roof they were standing on.
"Yeah..that's what happens when you fight battles around here," Sailor Mars said.
"Guess so. It really is too bad that Mercury and Neptune got beat up."
"Well Mercury will be fine by tomorrow, she's just got some pulled muscles," Mars said.
"And Neptune escaped with some sprained ankles, and some bruises. Still he's really taken a licking lately," Uranus said.
"Yeah..I must admit that my opinion of his combat skills had changed because of all this. Actually not his skill, just his courage."
"No..he's gotten better. Not much better, but a little better. If he had any skill he'd be downright dangerous," Uranus said.
The two laughed.
"You guys aren't doing that bad anymore," Mars said.
"It can't last," Uranus said.
"What do you mean."
"Us being that good at fighting for that long."
"Well you've improved, there's nothing wrong with that."
"There is if you're us. We're supposed to fail."
"Oh..don't be so hard on yourself. You're a good fighter. You guys just haven't been motivated."
"I know, but now we're motivated, we're tough, and then we got beat, haven't you ever flinched?"
"Flinched?" Mars asked.
"Sure, been afraid to fight," Uranus aid.
"There's always fear, but I guess it's never stopped me except that one time," Mars said.
"Well...right now..I worry.."
"You?"
"Yeah..unlike everyone else, I don't get a second chance. I die, and it's over."
"You won't die, not with me around."
"I almost did again up north."
"But you didn't. Being a scout means walking that line everyday, and it also means not crossing it."
"Well I'm the only scout that crossed it."
"Not true. We were all killed when the negaverse attacked the moon kingdom."
"Yeah, but that doesn't matter, I'm the only scout now to die."
"That's also not true. Sailor Uranus and Neptune lost their pure hearts," Mas said.
"That was different too, Queen Serenity was able to revive them in a different way then you did it for me. I died in battle. No one else has," Uranus said.
"But that's the only way you should die," Mars said.
"Not at this age."
"That's true. I can understand you being scared, but it's just something you have to accept."
"Yeah I know. I'm here aren't I?"
Mars nodded.
"We shouldn't talk about such disturbing things."
"You're right."
And at a store in central Tokyo.
"So..uh..is selling donuts your dream?" Serena asked.
"Not really," a middle aged man said. "I mean I try my best to make them taste good, but it's just a job."
"Still you try your best."
"Yes."
"You got any problems you need help with."
"Not really, no.."
"Because they call me the miracle worker."
"They do? Why?" the man asked.
"I'm one of those good Samaritans," Serena said.
"Oh..that donate's money to charity, and works in soup kitchens and stuff?"
"I think I've done that on occasion, but I'm more of an emotional healer," Serena said.
"Hmm..no sorry..I've got some inner peace going right now."
"That's okay, you do make good donuts," she said.
"Thanks."
Serena headed out.
This is getting me nowhere. And where's Darrien?
"Who was my first kiss? Hmm.." Sailor Mars said leaning against the roof's edge. "That's a good one. I have to think of what counts."
"You mean I wasn't first?" Uranus asked.
"No..of course not, don't be silly," Mars said with a grin. "Like I was yours."
"No..you were about number eighty four," Uranus said.
Mars glanced at him.
"Eighty two," Uranus replied.
Mars sighed.
"Goddess," he said and pulled her out of the way of a ball of fire that hit the ground.
"Just great," Mars said and spun launching her attack at the goddess who had attacked. Uranus sword drawn stared down the other goddess who had arrived.
"Wow..a double header," He said.
The goddess grinned slightly and formed an energy sword of her own.
"It is time for combat," She said.
"Is it?" Uranus said. "Why don't we just talk?"
"Not interested," the goddess said and sped at him swinging her energy sword. Uranus moved to block it, but felt himself get cut. The goddess landed on the other side of the roof and stared at him.
"I'm the goddess of speed by the way," she said.
"Are you high right now?" Uranus asked.
"What?" the goddess shrieked and leapt at him. He moved to dodge, but was hit anyway.
Geez..she is fast. He muttered.
"Mars fire ignite!" Mars shouted and launched another attack. It slammed into the goddess' attack.
I don't like fire when I'm being attacked with it. She thought.
The two fire balls hit and dissipated.
"You are formidable," the goddess of fire said. "However, I will defeat you."
"Sure you will," Mars said. "I'll have you know I'm an expert on fire."
"I'm sure the hotel knows that now too."
"Don't bring that up!" Mars shouted leapt forward throwing some of her magical charms. The goddess of fire burned them with some well placed shots from her fingers.
"So much for that," the goddess said.
"I've got more," Mars said.
"No doubt!" the goddess said and unleashed a fire attack. Mars leapt over it
and unleashed her attack from the air. The goddess leapt to another rooftop to
avoid it. Mars landed on the same roof and the two were soon battling back and
forth.
"Yeah..yeah..so you're fast," Guardian Uranus said wincing.
The goddess sighed and raced forward hitting him again. Uranus opened fire. The goddess easily avoided the shots by being much faster then he was. She stopped, he fired again.
"You gotta rest sometime."
"So do you!" the goddess said and charged forward and cut him again. Uranus spun around.
"Uranus Fire Spikes Attack!" he shouted and launched his attack. The goddess avoided them again.
"You're wasting your time," she said.
"No, you're wasting yours, the more time you take, the better the chance my friends arrive," Uranus said hoping that would induce her to make a mistake.
The goddess attacked again and hit him.
That didn't work. He thought.
"Mars Celestial Fireball Surround!"
"No!" the goddess shouted.
The two attacks met and splattered fire all over the roof of a building.
"Looks like you're going to burn down another building," the goddess said. Mars' eyes narrowed.
A golden disc flew through the air and smashed into the goddess. She cried out in pain. Mars leapt over the flames and unleashed a martial arts combination of chops and kicks finishing with the spin kick knocking the goddess into the flames. She cried out. Mars leapt forward and kicked her to the ground flipping off of the goddess and throwing some charms onto her. The goddess couldn't move.
"Now..it's time to end this!" Mars shouted.
"Moon Spiral Hearts Attack!" came a shout. The goddess was hit and she cried out in pain.
"Mars Fire Soul!"
The attack slammed into the goddess. She screeched but began to stand up despite the pain and the charms.
"I'll end this myself!" she shouted.
"Uh oh," Mars said.
Sailor Moon landed beside her.
"Hey..what's she.."
"Jump!" Sailor Mars said and pulled Sailor Moon off the roof. A barrage of fire flew across the rooftop.
"Neptune Deep Submerge!" came a shout. Sailor Neptune's attack slammed into the roof and put out the fire as well as destroyed the goddess.
"Look out below!" came a shout as Guardian Uranus leapt off the roof of the building.
"Come back here!" the goddess of speed shouted and leapt after him.
Sailor Uranus leapt into the air swinging her sword and hit the goddess knocking her to the ground.
"Good timing," Sailor Moon said.
The goddess stood up.
"I'll be back," she said and raced off.
CHAPTER 201 CHAPTER 202 CHAPTER 203 CHAPTER 204 CHAPTER 205
CHAPTER 206 CHAPTER 207 CHAPTER 208 CHAPTER 209 CHAPTER 210
CHAPTER 211 CHAPTER 212 CHAPTER 213 CHAPTER 214 CHAPTER 215
CHAPTER 216 CHAPTER 217 CHAPTER 218 CHAPTER 219 CHAPTER 220
CHAPTER 221 CHAPTER 222 CHAPTER 223 CHAPTER 224 CHAPTER 225