Chapter 251
"Is everyone doing all right?" Greg asked the assembled group of students in Juuban's auditorium. "I realize uh..that this war going on cannot be fun to be involved in, but we're doing what we can."
"If you're the all powerful scouts, why can't you just blast them?" Urawa asked.
"Shut up Urawa!" the rest of the room shouted.
"You're all fools to follow them so blindly," Urawa said. "Where has it gotten us, stuck in a hotel, now stuck in a middle of a war. They've never had any trouble fighting off evil before."
"Urawa.you're embarrasing yourself," came Amy's voice from the front.
Urawa turned.
"You should talk," Urawa said.
Amy frowned.
"We're doing our best. We're just like you, high school students and yet we have to protect everyone. That's never easy. We'll find a way out of this," Amy said.
"That's right," Serena said vaulting up onto the stage. "Hi everyone!" she said.
The group all grinned at her appearance.
"Sure it doesn't look good, but trust me I've been there before," Serena said. "But remember when those flowers attacked, and it looked terrible? Well..we took care of them didn't we? All of us..right?"
The group cheered.
"So..we're going to do it again," Serena said.
"Uh..Serena.." one of guys said rising.
"What is it?" Serena asked.
"We want to fight too," he said.
The group all agreed.
"Uh..you do?" Serena asked.
"So what do you think they'll do next?" Sailor Uranus asked.
"Another frontal assault won't work, they know that," Sailor Neptune said.
"And they don't have time to lay a siege," Sailor Pluto said.
"Maybe they'll try anyway," Sailor Uranus said.
"Perhaps a night attack is what they have in mind," Sailor Uranus said.
"I guess we should just wait and see what they plan," Sailor Neptune said.
"I'd prefer to be prepared in case they tried something different and dangerous," Sailor Pluto said.
"I'm sure the city's defenders are basing their strategy on the tactics they've seen before," Sailor Neptune said.
"They'll get desperate," Sailor Uranus said. "That's when we have to be ready to make this final."
"You actually think we can defeat them?" Sailor Pluto asked.
"I like to think that an opportunity may present itself," Sailor Uranus said.
"I don't know Uranus, beating that entire army would take some major work," Neptune said.
"We've done more miracuous things," Sailor Uranus said.
And at the Lucoratorium camp.
"So Janus, is it?" Lord Rekar asked. "You asked to see us. Now what is your message."
"Lord Rekar, are you aware at what a danger your putting both of our sides in, by continuing this siege?" Janus asked.
"The only danger I see is you surrendering your city to me."
"Wrong," Janus said. "The Zaiesk.."
"Have not even moved out yet," Rekar said.
"So..maybe they aren't attacking now, but are you forgetting the nonagression pact we had in the case of Zaiesk agressiveness. You can't hope to beat them alone?"
"With your wizards and your resources, we might succeed..besides it is time to end this stupid war once and for all," Rekar said.
"You idiot we'll agree to armistace terms, we'll give you the stupid zone, isn't that good enough for you."
"It might have been once," Rekar said. "But not anymore. Not after thirty years."
"I can't believe your arrogance, you will lose it for both of us," Janus said and strode out.
"Lord Rekar, he raises some good points," Tresia said.
"No he doesn't, we are strong enough to deal with the Zaiesk, I have them under close surveilance," Rekar said. "We will be ready for them when they move. I still have some surprises for them."
"If you say so, but history will not hold me responsible for what happens," Tresia said.
"I don't like the way you're putting that Tresia, it almost sounds treasonous," Rekar said.
"I am loyal to my country. Are you?"
"Tresia..you are seconds away from losing your command," Rekar said.
Tresia grimaced and strode out.
"The fool," he said to himself.
And miles away.
"Where are we going Tijiro?" Sakuro asked.
"Where the scouts went the capital of Martoria," Tijiro said.
"But that's surrounded by troops" Sakuro said.
"We'll get in."
"Sure we will. I trust you implicitly here," Sakuro muttered.
"What's your problem Sakuro, I'm trying to help you out?"
"My problem is your an idiot," Sakuro said.
Tijiro sighed.
"So anyway.." Mike began, surrounded by a table full of soldiers. "There was this other time, we're up in the badlands.."
"What are you talking about?" Steve muttered.
"You know the north provinces," Mike said.
Steve sighed.
"Is he still going at it?" Rick asked walking in.
"Every day, the same thing, come in tell some stories then leave," Steve muttered.
"We really have to cut him off," Rick said.
"Janus..I'm curious," Greg said. "You've explained a lot of things, and we've learned a lot from some of the people we've encountered, but the scouts have a lot of unanswered questions."
"I figured you would once you had some time to settle down," Janus said. "You're wondering how this all works out, why it works out and such."
"Well yeah.." Greg said. "I mean they say this world is filled with magic, but we hardly see it coming into play."
"Ahh..it comes into play constantly, it's just in what form that you say," Janus said. "You can tell all the scouts that wish to have their questions answered to come by the council chambers in an hour, I will try to explain it all, provided we're not attacked."
"All right, that sounds fair," Greg said. "I'll tell them."
"So..I just said to him, I said...not in my country," Mike said. "Then I roughed him up."
The crowd of soldiers all started laughing.
"What don't you believe me?" Mike asked.
"No," they all said.
"Maybe I should try another one then?" Mike asked.
The group roared.
"All right."
"I can't listen to any more of this," Steve said.
"Me too," Rick said.
"What a weird situation. If you had told me we'd be under siege on a different planet in a different dimension several weeks ago, I wouldn't have believed it."
"I wonder why?" Rick muttered.
"It's been fun though hasn't it?"
"Fun? How can you consider this fun?" Rick asked. "We're millions of miles from home and home isn't even in this dimension?"
"Well..yeah, but ya gotta look at the postives," Steve said. "We're going where no one had gone before exploring the galaxy, even if it isn't ours."
"That's not a good thing," Rick said. "I'd prefer to be back home doing what I do."
"What do you do?" Steve asked.
"You know.." Rick said.
Steve glanced at him.
"Anyway, I'm just glad to be out of that stupid forest," he said.
"Hey..you had it easy compared to me," Rick said.
"Oh..yeah..getting chased by a lovesick princess, how terrible," Steve said.
"It is when you've already got a girlfriend."
"A girlfriend that didn't happen to be around at the moment," Steve said.
"You're saying I should have cheated."
"No I was just suggesting you see what she had to offer," Steve said.
"Sick."
"I didn't mean it that way, I just meant to feel things out," Steve said.
"WHAT?" Rick asked.
"I'm not good with the analogies right now..you know..take her for a test drive. Uh..no.I just meant that you have a talk with her see what her interests are...you know..romance her. See if it would work."
"I didn't want to know if it would work," Rick said. "I have Raye."
"Yes..but..considering that you didn't know where Raye was at the time, she could have been lost for all you knew."
"Steve, part of love is holding out the hope that your true love and yourself will be brought back together even though you were seperated," Rick said.
"Oh..." Steve said. "But that's risky."
"So is cheating on your girlfriend," Rick said.
"It's not cheating if you think she's dead."
"I didn't think she was dead," Rick said.
"Why?"
Rick sighed.
"Why are you even bringing it up?" he asked.
"You almost married Lita."
"That's not the issue. Wait a minute..I get it, your mad at her because you think she cheated on you. You're not dating."
"No..I'm mad at you because you cheated with her on Raye...I think..." Steve said. "I don't know. Can I just punch you in the face and we'll be done with it?"
"As much as that prospect appeals to me..no," Rick said.
"Just one come on."
"No."
"It's about time someone explained this world to me," Amy said. "Lord Rekar gave me the basics, but it wasn't much of a help."
"Yeah..well Janus is going to do his best," Greg said.
"Hmm..that's good," Amy said. "Say...Greg..how are you doing? I mean after being blasted and all."
"Fine, I think I'm back to a hundred percent," Greg said.
"That's good, I didn't want you to get caught up in it, I thought you would stay behind the lines..I should never have gotten involved."
"It's okay, I did the same thing," Greg said.
"I know, but..we should have just left. Instead I get you hurt and this happens."
"You tried your best," Greg said.
"I destabilized a region," Amy said.
"See, now that's something to be proud of," Greg said with a grin.
"No it's not," Amy said. "You know that."
"Well..you might as well make the best of it," Greg said.
"Yeah I guess," Amy said. "Still..I feel so stupid."
"Why?"
"I just do, I can't explain it."
"You shouldn't feel stupid, any teenage girl who can destabilize a region has to be pretty smart."
Amy grinned.
"I don't think I want that to become attached to my reputation," Amy said.
"I'll do what I can to make sure it doesn't," Greg said.
"Thank you," Amy said and started laughing.
"Looks like they're going to try again," Sailor Uranus said.
"Guess so," Sailor Neptune muttered. "For some reason this war bores me."
"I wonder why that is," Uranus said.
"I don't know, I mean I don't participate in that many full scale wars, but this one..I don't know.." Neptune said.
"What are you two talking about?" Sailor Pluto asked.
The two grinned.
"It's hard to explain," Uranus said.
"Or else we'd try to," Neptune said.
The alarm bells went off throughout the city as the Lucoratorium army rushed forward.
"Where are the other scouts," Pluto muttered.
"Here we are!" Sailor Moon said as the sailors jumped up onto the ramparts.
"They're coming from all sides, we'd better spread out," Mercury said.
The army rushed forward. The defenders unleashed attack. The scouts powers flew out from all sides of the city and smashed down lines, but still the enemy came.
"There's a breakthrough down at the north end," one of the soldiers said.
Guardian Saturn raced along the parapet to where ladders had already been placed and a group of soldiers were climbing up. He picked off several with his sword and then unleashed his full attack along the line.
"Let's really hit em hard," Jupiter said narrowing her eyes.
"How?" Venus said.
"You know..the major attacks," Jupiter said.
"Are you sure?" Venus said. "I mean we could really hurt them."
"Sailor Pluto what do you think?" Jupiter asked.
"Hmm...if you all concentrate on controlling the force of your attacks, you should be able to harness your power enough not to kill anyone," Sailor Pluto said.
"All right!" Venus and Jupiter said.
"JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!"
"VENUS LOVE AND BEAUTY SHOCK!"
Thousands of troops dropped as the energy smashed through them. The enemy soon retreated.
"This isn't really a challenge is it?" Sailor Moon said.
"Sometimes the easy things are what I worry about the most," Sailor Uranus said.
"Why?"
"Because nothing in life should be easy."
"Since when?" Sailor Moon asked.
"I thank you all for helping us to defeat the enemy yet again," Janus said. "It is our belief that at this rate we will be able to replenish our forces from city people and soon gain enough offensive strength to drive them away. However, there is still the matter of the Zaiesk, but we will deal with them as well. Now..I'm sure many of you have questions."
"Yeah...just what is going on?" Mina asked.
"Uh..good question.." Janus said a bit nervously. "Allow me to try to put all the pieces together. Our four civilizations have exsisted for centuries. The zone once was not a zone at all, part of it was held by all four of our armies. The mountain range was the only boundary. No one had the ability to enter the mountains. And that is why the great wizards would live and train up there, neutral to all outside influences. The central mountain is the source of the planet's power."
"Wait..she said it was gold," Serena said.
"Who?" Janus asked.
"The great wizardess that is there."
"Ah..that is probably because she did not want you to know the truth. It is her goal to protect it."
"But she seemed pretty chummy with the resistance," Serena said.
"Probably because the resistance protects her territory. You see the wizards would train as an order, learning the ways of magic and then descending to assist each county."
"What determined who got what wizard?" Michiru asked.
"It was a secretive process we are not told about either," Janus said. "Still it worked, wizards have always been loyal since when the order was established. Several different wizards would be in each country with varying levels of power. They would participate in grand battles between each other and involving regular troops. Only then death was death. Our wars were bloody and had no end, but we realized we could not continue to have so many of our people dying on each side. We formed a treaty under the wizards' supervision. We would use energy against each other. We would stun each other, and those people would be forced to sleep for several years, and from then on could not fight in any more wars."
"How'd you work that out?" Mike asked.
"It is all magical, anyone stunned in a war litterally can't fight again," Janus said. "I do not even understand it, but it has been this way for centuries. In addition the zone was established. The zone was a buffer between all four of our countries. The idea was that we couldn't fight there, or even enter there, because the ground would be neutral and sacred. Because it met all of our interests at the time we agreed. We would still fight wars, but they were wars of interest. However, thirty three years ago things changed. The wizards were annoyed at their reduced role, simply that of controlling the magical energy. Most of them went back to the sanctuary and stayed there. The few that are left control the magic you see in use. Lucoratorium's lone wizard left was dying, they needed more magical energy, so they decided the only way to get it was to take the zone."
"Isn't that stupid, weren't the wizards capable of stopping them?" Lita asked.
"The wizards did fight them, to the death. The Lucoratorium wizard died in the midst of it, and their army could use no energy weapons, but their sheer numbers overwhelmed the wizards. The great wizardess fought off the Lucoratorium army personally. The rest of the wizards then withdrew deeper inside thier sanctuary."
"So they were the villians, Lucoratorium," Amy said.
"No..not exactly," Janus said. "Without a wizard their power would be lowered, they would have to fight to the death again, they didn't want to. It was the wizard's arrogance that lead them not to want to go through with the peace treaty they themselves set up."
"But you were the ones still fighting wars," Raye said. "Maybe they got fed up with that."
"Maybe," Janus said. "But we could have worked it out, they refused."
"So where did Lucoratorium get more energy?" Haruka asked.
"Another wizard joined them. They paid him a great deal of money and gave him a beautiful wife. In these thirty years since then we have raised our own wizards," Janus said. "All four countires, use the magic they have gained, they have found ways to store it, and we have tapped the magical energy from earth itself."
"What energy from the earth itself?" Rick asked.
"Well..there are certain magical objects around, we have collected all of them to power our magic. But, you see when Lucoratorium violated the zone we couldn't allow them to seize the sanctuary, if they achieved all that magic power, well what would happen? We weren't sure. So the war started. Throughout the Zaiesk have tried to invade both of our countries, but we have always united to fight them off despite our rivalry. With the Zaiesk's internal troubles they have been a smaller force, but that could change. The fact is the balance of power is gone," Janus said.
"But what about the wizards, I only saw one," Serena said.
"The others probably live alone, seal themselves off from reality," Janus said.
"So you have energy reserves, how long can they hold out?" Setsuna asked.
"We are capable of using them to produce more in small amounts," Janus said. "And that's what all of our countries have been doing. We can prolong all of this indefinately."
"But what does Jasoriko do?" Lita asked.
"They do nothing. They look out for themselves and no one else. They have survived like that for years, they only defend, never attack," Janus said.
"But because you were in the right supposedly," Raye began. "Shouldn't the wizards have wanted to help you."
"They won't help anyone," Janus said. "They claim to never want to use their power again. They merely want to be left alone. We can carry on without them. But they want the zone to be their domain. That's why the resistance is there. We were willing to protect the zone against the Lucoratorium, but now you can see how things worked out."
"You know the truth is all that could have happened in the exact reverse of what you say, you could have been the agressors," Haruka said. "However, who started the war is not as important as who ended it at the this juncture."
"Especially if progress is made," Setsuna said.
"Maybe if all the countries stopped fighting things would work out," Serena said.
"That would be the best solution yes," Janus said. "However, every time we've tried something interfered, and when the wizards didn't go along with us, well...it seems the only way is to force peace on the Lucoratorium."
"Peace can't be forced," Raye said.
"Yes it can be," Haruka said. "It's unfortunate when it is necessary, but it can be done."
"Listen..just win this battle and then go from there," Serena said.
"Any idea on how we're supposed to win this battle then?" Mike asked.
The scouts looked at each other.
Minutes after the meeting.
"Mina...wait up.." Mike said.
"What?" Mina said.
"Hasn't been long enough that we can each talk to each other."
"Fine, here I am," Mina said.
"Are you going to accept my apology?" Mike asked.
"No, because you don't need to give one," Mina said.
"What?"
"You were fighting at the same level I was, I would have done the same to you if I had been given the chance, there's no reason for the two of us to stay feuding," Mina said.
"Actually I was beginning to like it," Mike said.
"You were?"
"No..but I've been known to kid around occasionally."
"I've noticed," Mina said. "Yeah..I don't care if the of us fight or not, but Raye and me.."
"But you two have been getting along," Mike said.
"Only because we've had to," Mina said.
"Yeah..right.."
"Listen..I'm still mad at her, that's final."
"Fine, fine..I believe you," Mike said. "Sure..whatever."
"What are you trying to say."
"Well..if you're going to stop feuding with her, which you've seemed to do, then at least talk to her. I think you should. Giving things up isn't the way to do it either. She hasn't treated you right."
"When have I ever felt advice from you is a good thing?" Mina asked.
"Usually I'm wrong, but not this time," Mike said.
Mina grinned.
"I'll talk to her," Mina said.
"What's going on out there.." Sailor Uranus said. Energy was flashing in the darkness.
"We'd better give the alarm," Sailor Neptune said.
Soon all the scouts and the army were up on the walls. The flashs and yells from out in the darkness could be seen and heard.
"What is happening?" Latric said.
"Perhaps I can tell you," came a voice. With several guards around him General Tresia walked up to them.
"Tresia..what are you doing here?" Mercury asked.
"I deserted..when I found this happening. Our army is being annihialated by the Zaiesk, they caught us by complete surprise. You've got to help the survivors."
"This could be a trap," Mercury said.
"Do what you have to to prepare against it, but you're going to need all the help you can get tommorow," Tresia said.
"Do as he says," Latric said. Several soldiers, spilled into the city, were disarmed, and put under guard. The night passed and dawn rose. All around the city were the Zaiesk amazons.
"He was right," Sailor Uranus said.
"And there's twice as many of them as there were of the Lsyancorum," Sailor Moon observed.
"We're in trouble aren't we?" Guardian Neptune asked.
CHAPTER 231 CHAPTER 232 CHAPTER 233 CHAPTER 234 CHAPTER 235
CHAPTER 236 CHAPTER 237 CHAPTER 238 CHAPTER 239 CHAPTER 240
CHAPTER 241 CHAPTER 242 CHAPTER 243 CHAPTER 244 CHAPTER 245
CHAPTER 246 CHAPTER 247 CHAPTER 248 CHAPTER 249 CHAPTER 250
CHAPTER 251 CHAPTER 252 CHAPTER 253 CHAPTER 254 CHAPTER 255