CHAPTER 26
"A negaverse army? I never thought we'd have to deal with one of those again," Luna said.
"I wonder where they got them," Serena said.
"Probably from that corporation Jaedite is running."
"Oh, yeah, that would make sense. So what are we supposed to do about it?"
"I don't know. This changes things. You'll have to be careful. You may find yourself facing a whole horde of them at some point."
"Yeah, I'll keep an eye out for them," Serena said.
"Tempkin! You have failed miserably!" Jaedite shouted.
"I'm sorry sir," Tempkin said.
"How is it that the Sailor Scouts were not hit with the first attack?"
"Sir, they had ducked when I appeared."
"You should have remained hidden."
"Sir there was no way I could hit everyone unless I took an exposed position!"
"Did you not attack quickly, Tempkin?" Argosante asked.
"Yes sir, the Sailor Scouts couldn't have ducked when they realized I was there and managed to avoid being hit," Tempkin said.
"So they must have known in advance," Argosante said.
"Who would tell them!" Jaedite shouted.
"We don't know sir," Argosante and Tempkin said.
"Are you telling me we have a leak in our midst?" Jaedite said.
"Possibly," Argosante said. "But considering the precautions we took to keep our negaverse warriors under control, who could have possibly figured it out?"
"Tempkin! Investigate this immediately!" Jaedite shouted.
"Yes sir," Tempkin said and hurried out of the office.
"The army has proven to be a mixed success," Argosante said.
"I need total success," Jaedite replied.
"Yes sir, and I hope to give it to you. Unfortunately the humans and their defense forces arrived in time to engage our army and keep them busy. If they had not arrived when they did, the Sailor Scouts would have been ours."
"I'd like to think so," Jaedite said. "How goes our other operation?"
"Ah....it was completed without a hitch. You now have the three warriors you were looking for," Argosante said.
"Good," Jaedite said.
"If I may ask sir. There are five sailor scouts, but only three warriors. Why make only three?"
"I don't have that much energy Argosante. I would have liked to make five, but you forget I have you and the army. That means I have five ways to attack."
"Ah..I see."
"And in fact I already have a mission. I'm eager to test our new warriors out."
"What is the plan?" Argosante said.
"You Argosante will attack Sailor Moon. I want to make sure someone competent is handling things. You can try to destroy her, but your attack's main goal is to keep her away from the others."
"Of course. And what if Tuxedo Mask shows up?" Argosante asked.
"Retreat, I don't want to risk losing your skills." Jaedite said.
"And what will be occurring while I am fighting?"
"I am going to send our three warriors to take on Sailor Mars, Jupiter, and Venus wherever they are. Since that is what they were trained to do of course?"
"And what of Sailor Mercury?"
"One of my spies has noticed that Sailor Mercury always attends a computer class on this day. I will send the army to surround the place. When Mercury emerges to help her friends, we'll ambush her."
"It sounds like we can destroy at least four of the Sailor Scouts in one fell swoop."
"That is what I'm hoping. With them gone, our forces can crush Sailor Moon. Speed is essential we must finish the scouts off quickly so we can finish them before the humans find out."
"Of course, I will make the preparations," Argosante said.
Later that day.
"There is the target," Tempkin said pointing at the small office building that housed Amy's computer classroom. He was currently sticking his head out of a manhole. There wasn't sufficient cover on the ground for them to lay a trap, so they had to come up from below.
"Are the troops in position?" he asked down a subordinate.
"Yes sir. We have completely surrounded the building," a subordinate said.
"Good," Tempkin said and pulled out a cellular phone. The use of the phones were a good way to save the negaenergy it would take to communicate otherwise.
He dialed a few numbers.
"Argosante, we're in position."
"Excellent, the warriors are in position as well. We can now proceed,"
Argosante replied.
"Amy, there's a message for you in the office," Her computer school teacher said walking up to her work station.
"A message?" Amy asked and headed for the office. I wonder who it could be from. When she reached the office she was handed a note rolled up and tied with a string.
One of these? There must be trouble. She thought.
She opened the letter. Her eyes widened as she read the words.
Scouts about to be attacked. The negaverse army is waiting in the sewers to ambush you. Watch out.
What do I do? I have to warn the others, and I have to find someway to get out of here. She thought.
Amy hurried to the girl's room and pulled out her communicators.
"Come in everybody," She said.
"What is it Amy?" Serena asked. "Ahh.!" She shouted and her face disappeared.
"Serena!" Amy shouted. There was no answer.
"Raye, Mina, Lita! Are you there?" Amy asked. No response.
It's already started. She thought. I've got to hurry she thought and pressed another button on her communicator. A few seconds later the face of Patterson appeared.
"Patterson, call the army. I need their help," Amy said.
"Uh...right," Patterson said nervously.
Minutes earlier.
Mina had flipped forward off of the balance beam and landed perfectly.
"Still got it," She said and began to stretch.
She didn't usually practice her gymnastics after school, but today she felt the need to do something she really liked to take her mind off school and he negaverse. Now it was just her and the skills she had learned through the years. She heard a scream from the locker room. Mina pivoted on her bare feet towards the locker room door to see one of her fellow gymnasts came racing out.
"What is it?" Mina said.
"A...a..I don't know!" The gymnast screeched and hurried out the door. The locker room door slammed open and a human from dressed in black from head to foot, with a gold trim along it's pants. It wore a mask and a hood over it's head. In it's right hand it carried a sword of golden energy mixed with black.
"Hmm...what do I care for manners. I do not fear a girls locker room," The figure in a decidedly male voice, said. "Ah...so there you are Sailor Venus." He said.
"Who are you?" Mina said, not hiding her fear very well.
"I am the Gold Warrior. Servant of evil," he said.
"Just what we need, another servant of evil," Mina muttered.
"Do not mock me!" Gold Warrior said and his sword flickered and then shot a blast over her head.
"Now, it is time to fight," Gold Warrior said.
"Joy," Mina said. If I'm going to fight I'm going to have to transform. How
am I going to do that..with my power stick in my gym bag in my locker? Mina
thought. After all, leotards didn't have pockets. She realized this as Gold
Warrior ran towards her.
Lita threw the cookbook against the wall in disgust.
"This doesn't look right," She said angrily looking at the plate of food she had made.
"What did I do wrong?" she asked. There was a knock at her door.
"I wonder who that is?" she asked. "If it's a salesman, I'll knock his block off."
She looked through the peephole to see the distorted view of a figure dressed in back with green trimmed pants and a dark hood.
"Uh oh," Lita said and backed up just as a green and black energy sword smashed through the door. Door itself was soon kicked open and in strode a figure very similar looking to Mina's foe.
"Knock, knock, who's there...death!" the warrior said. "Prepare to meet your fate at the hands of Green Warrior, Sailor Jupiter!"
"Green Warrior? What a pathetic name," Lita said.
"Hah, my name is the least of your troubles as you will soon feel my wrath,"
Green Warrior said and swung his sword.
Raye sat in front of the fire calmly, waiting for a sign to tell her what was going to happen.
"Sacred fire. What can you tell me about the future?" Raye asked.
Instantly thoughts of danger appeared in her mind. Her eyes widened and she whirled around. The door slid open revealing a darkly dressed figure with red trim.
"Who are you?" Raye shouted.
"Red Warrior, but let's spare the pleasantries Sailor Mars!" he shouted and swung a red and black energy sword at her. She barely avoided it and turned to face him.
"Hah, this is an easy assignment," Red Warrior said.
Serena had been walking down the street searching for something to do with herself. Amy was at computer class, Mina was at gymnastics, she hadn't seen Raye or Lita, so she was just left to wander. Then the call had come. The thing about the communicators the scouts had was that they didn't beep, it wasn't necessary, as a scout could just sense that the message was coming through. It made keeping their identities secret easier. At this point in her walk Serena sensed her communicator was on and she pulled it out.
"Come in everybody," Amy was saying.
"What is it Amy?" Serena replied before she noticed Argosante running right at her, his sword menacingly at the ready.
"Ah!" She shouted and ducked Argosante's first blow, simultaneously running forward and by the knight. She raced down the street, Argosante followed. Serena clutched the communicator in her hand, but didn't have time to use it.
"Come on Sailor Moon! Stand and fight!" Argosante said.
"Not on your life!" Serena shouted. How does he know I am.
"Why hasn't Sailor Mercury come out? The battle is already underway. You'd think she'd care about her friends," Tempkin said still peering out of the sewer about ten minutes after his original reconnaissance.
"I don't know sir," a subordinate said.
"Ahem..." came a guttural voice from behind them followed by the sound of a large group of people clearing their throats. Tempkin whirled around to see a large force of Self Defense Force and Police personnel standing behind them.
"Uh oh," Tempkin said.
And the battle began. The humans rushed against the negaverse troops and ambushed the ambushers. Mercury emerged from the school, hearing the sound of battle beneath a nearby manhole cover.
"Need a lift?" Mr. Patterson said standing next to a military jeep.
"Thank you," Mercury said and hopped inside. The jeep then sped through the mass of troops.
"Where to?" Patterson asked.
"I'm not sure," Mercury realized.
Mina backflipped, narrowly avoiding Gold Warrior's swipe with his sword.
"Hah, nothing I can't handle," Gold Warrior said and charged again. Mina did a cartwheel to the side and kept doing it. Gold Warrior turned and raced towards where he expected her to come out of the move. He struck with his sword, but Mina reversed and went back the other way sweeping around the gym floor and coming out in front of the locker room. She dashed inside and turned her combination lock hurriedly. Gold Warrior ran in the door and brought his sword to bear. Mina stood back, he swung downward. She flipped off of a bench in the room and landed a few feet away. He swung at her. She ran forward along the bench and jumped over him. He whirled around and swung at her. She pulled an open locker door even farther open and blocked the blow. Then she kicked with her bare right foot and hit Gold Warrior in the chest. He stepped back a moment. Mina went for the third number. Gold warrior swung, Mina ducked and the sword hit the lock, as well as most of the door, and blew it apart. Mina gathered her strength and pushed into her foe, who was so surprised by his abrupt attack he couldn't plant his feet and he crashed to the ground Mina grabbed her gym bag out of her locker and raced out the door, pulling out her power stick as she went.
"Venus star power!" She shouted.
Lita ducked the sword attack of Green Warrior easily and came up under him. She pushed forward with both of her hands and smashed into his chest. Green Warrior was pushed backwards and out into her yard, he stood back up and hurried to the door. Lita slammed the door right into him, knocking him right back into the yard. She then ran out the door, digging her heel into his chest as she did so. He stood up angrily and followed her. She ran across her lawn and leapt over a hedge. He did the same, only he caught his foot on the hedge and fell forward landing on his face.
"Dang it!" he shouted. Lita rounded a corner and went out of sight.
"This is harder than I expected," Green Warrior muttered and ran down the
sidewalk after her.
Red Warrior's second attack had come before Raye expected it, and the only move she could think of to dodge it was to drop to the floor. Red Warrior quickly brought his sword around and prepared to swing down with it. She kicked both of his shins and rolled out of the way. The sword slammed into the floor of the room. Raye stood up and ran out the door. Red Warrior took some time to extricate his sword, but soon followed.
"What's happening?" Chad and her grandfather said emerging from their rooms.
"Run!" Raye shouted.
Red Warrior burst out the door.
"What the..." Chad said.
"Shut up," Red Warrior said and blasted both Chad and Raye's grandfather with his sword. They crumpled to the ground. He looked around. Raye had disappeared.
"She must have gone into the forest," Red Warrior said noticing the dense
foliage near the temple.
Serena huffed and puffed as she ran through the intersection. Argosante moved to follow when a bus cut him off and soon the rest of oncoming traffic was in his way.
"No matter!" he shouted and jumped over it and landed on the opposite sidewalk. The only problem was that Serena was nowhere to be found.
"Where'd she go?" Argosante shouted in the midst of the crowd of people on the street. They all stopped to look at him.
"Humans be thankful I have not come for you today!" Argosante said and ran
down the street in the direction he thought Serena had gone.
"It is time for battle Sailor Venus!" Gold Warrior yelled emerging from the ladies' locker room a second time.
"Venus Love Chain Encircle!" Came a cry and a golden chain of energy slammed into Gold Warrior's right side. He whirled towards it's source. Sailor Venus stood there, her eyes narrowed.
"You were saying something about a battle. I'm ready," She said.
"Excellent!" Gold Warrior shouted and brought his sword around. He fired a quick blast. Venus leapt into the air. Gold Warrior did so as well and readied his sword. Venus flipped forward an swung her feet down. They smashed into Gold Warrior's head and he fell face forward towards the ground. He hit hard and was slow getting up. Venus landed with her back towards him. She turned to face him, he threw another sword blast at her. This one caught her in the chest and pushed her backwards into a pile of mats which crashed under her weight.
"Hah!" He shouted.
"Hah yourself!" Venus shouted and stood up. He charged, she flipped over him and turned.
"Venus Love Chain Encircle!" She shouted. The attack nailed Gold Warrior and threw him backwards into the wall. He staggered up and fired another sword blast. Venus leapt out of the way. Gold Warrior dashed to an exit.
"We shall meet again," he said and ran out.
Green Warrior hadn't expected Sailor Jupiter to attack him from where a retaining wall was supposed to be. What he hadn't counted on was the drainage pipe located in the side of a hill. He had rounded the corner quickly only to be struck from his left side and be pushed straight into the street. A van raced towards him. He dived out of the way and reached the opposite sidewalk. The street became clear, he fired his sword at Jupiter. Jupiter dodged it.
"Jupiter Thunderclap...." Jupiter began. Green Warrior attack with his sword again before she could finish. Jupiter rolled out of the way. A car raced down the street. Jupiter jumped onto it and then off again in an instant catching Green Warrior off guard. He swung his sword up to face her, but she hit at an angle that the sword had no effect and Green Warrior was plowed into the ground. Jupiter then began to punch her fallen enemy. Green Warrior used all his force to push her off of him.
"Jupiter thunderclap Crash!" She yelled quickly. The lightning smashed into a bolt from Green Warrior's sword, but hit the warrior in the chest, merely weakened. Green Warrior backed up, still kneeling. Jupiter also was on one knee.
"You face a choice Jupiter. Continue this fight now, and risk death, or let me withdraw and let us settle this some other time," Green Warrior said. Jupiter merely narrowed her eyes and waited. Green Warrior stood up. So did Jupiter. Then Green Warrior turned and ran away down the sidewalk. Jupiter let him go.
We'll settle this another time. She thought.
"Where is she?" Red Warrior said in frustration emerging from the forest he had just thoroughly searched and waking in front of the Cherry Hill temple again. He didn't see the figure standing on the roof above him.
"Mars Fireball Surround!" she shouted. Red Warrior turned in her direction but didn't look up. The fireballs hit him and he yelled in pain. She pressed her advantage and leapt off the top of her house and stuck out her foot. She connected and knocked Red Warrior backwards. He stumbled down the steps of the temple. Mars carefully approached the edge. To her shock Red Warrior appeared in the air in front of her and chopped down with his sword. She stepped back, he swung hard, she stepped back again, he swung again, and she dodged a third time sweeping under him and taking out his legs. He fell to the ground.
"Mars Fireball Surround!" She yelled again. Red Warrior rolled backwards and stood up avoiding the blast.
"This is only the beginning," he said and then leapt backwards down the numerous temple steps. Soon he was gone.
"Weird," she said as behind her, Chad and her grandfather began to show signs of movement.
Good, they're okay. She thought. That sword must have only stunned them.
"Where are you wimp!" Argosante shouted walking into the darkened alley. He didn't expect Sailor Moon to drop kick him the head following that remark, but that's just what she did flying out of the shadows and hitting her target perfectly. He fell backward. Sailor Moon bounced off of him and out into the street. Argosante stood up and followed, only Sailor Moon was running, she turned and did a high kick nailing him in the head again. He stepped back and Sailor Moon leapt at him, punching him in the face with great force. He staggered back again. Sailor Moon went for his chest. He swung down with his sword, Sailor Moon sidestepped right into his open hand. He hit her across the torso with his hand and she fell back. He readied his sword and swung downward. She kicked up with her right foot and hit his sword hand, knocking the sword out of his fist a second before it would have hit her. It flew by her head and stuck into the ground. Sailor Moon rolled backward using Venus aura and grabbed the sword out of the ground with Jupiter's aura. She then held it awkwardly but firmly and faced him.
"Now what are you going to do?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Hmmm," Argosante said and turned before racing back down the street.
"Oh, no you don't!" Sailor Moon said and waving the sword she charged after
him.
"My forces have failed," Jaedite said. "I have to recall them before all is lost."
He pulled out a phone.
"Tempkin!" he shouted.
"Sir!" Tempkin replied amidst the chaos of the battle he was fighting.
"Pull out?"
"How sir?"
"Use a blinder."
"But sir...the human forces are in the sewers too." Tempkin said.
"Then go above ground, get the army to follow you and then use the blinder," Jaedite said.
"Yes sir," Tempkin said. "I'll try."
"Argosante!" Jaedite shouted after dialing another number.
"Yes?" Argosante said nervously.
"Retreat. This mission is aborted."
"I've been trying to retreat for some time sir," Argosante said. Sailor Moon
was still at his heels swinging his own sword at him.
Tempkin and the rest of the negaverse forces raced out of the manholes as quickly as they could. They didn't expect more army troops to appear on the street and run at them, but that's just what happened. The rest of the human force emerged from the manholes and the brawl began anew. Tempkin hurriedly pulled out the blinder and threw it. The area was bathed with light and the negaverse troops, specially adapted to be able to see, all jumped back into the sewers.
Tempkin dropped to the ground first and instead of feeling the splash of murky water at his feet he felt a hard jolt.
"This is strange. " Tempkin said and looked at the ground to see that the water had been turned to ice. More troops dropped down and were just as surprised.
"What's going on down here?" Tempkin said.
"Mercury Ice Storm Blast!" Came a cry from ahead of them A cold wind swept through the tunnel and hit them all knocking them onto the icy surface.
"Enjoy the trip home," came Sailor Mercury's voice from down the hall.
"Get her!" Tempkin said and tried to stand up only to slip on the ice and
crash to the ground. More soldiers tried to stand up only to slip and fall.
"So were they there?" Mr. Patterson asked as he pulled Sailor Mercury out of a manhole.
"Yes, right where we expected them. I'm sure they'll be less inclined to take
the sewer route next time," Mercury said.
Argosante jumped into a pond and began to swim across it. Sailor Moon stopped at the edge. She watched the hilarious scene of the negaverse's best soldier swimming for his life across the lake and began laughing.
"Run you coward!" she shouted and continued to laugh.
A rose flew through the air and stuck into the ground.
"How dare the forces of evil disturb the peace of those with pure hearts," Tuxedo Mask said standing atop a light pole.
"You're a little late," Sailor Moon muttered.
"Oh...sorry," Tuxedo Mask said and landed on the ground next to her.
"It's all right, I took care of things," Sailor Moon said swinging the sword around.
"I guess you did," Tuxedo Mask said.