Chapter 313
Aluminum Siren glided through the air dropping energy balls at the two scouts fighting her.
"Venus..Love Chain Encircle!" Venus shouted sending her attack flying upward. Siren swerved to avoid it and was hit with a golden energy blast. She fell backward.
"You idiot Siren!" Lead Crow shouted.
"HAH!" Guardian Neptune shouted rushing forward, sword at the ready. Aluminum Siren landed and bounced off the ground raining energy bolts down on Neptune. He dived for cover only to get hit several times in the process anyway.
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!"
Aluminum Siren avoided it again and swooped down towards Neptune.
"You want some!" Neptune shouted and drew his sword. He let out a battle cry and ran to meet her only to be knocked down with energy powered attack as Siren slammed into him and glided back into the air.
Venus sighed and then grinned.
"Come on Siren..come get me!" she shouted.
"Maybe I just will!" Siren shouted and swung towards her.
"Venus love chain encircle!" Venus shouted. Siren avoided it and rained a furious energy attack down on the golden clad scout. Venus back flipped away from the attacks with a tumbling pass.
"Venus...Meteor Shower!"
"Wha..." most of the group said.
"Where do those attacks come from?" Guardian Pluto wondered.
"It's hard to explain," Maverick said.
The sky was filled with plummeting bolts of energy Aluminum Siren couldn't avoid them and was knocked to the ground.
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
The attack flew out and plowed Aluminum Siren back to the ground.
"You win again," Gala muttered.
"Victory!" Venus shouted.
"Ehh..good for you," Guardian Neptune muttered staggering up.
<>"Now we enter the final stage. These future battles will determine who wins the tournament. and of course my unfinished business with Maverick. Choose now who you want to put forward." "Everyone huddle," Sailor Moon said.
"Way to go there Neptune?" Guardian Uranus said giving them a thumbs up.
"We won..didn't we.." Neptune muttered.
"Okay.so we need to plan this out. Just what are we going to do about each of them..."
"One last thing!" Gala shouted. "The last battle will be against my more powerful half."
"Thanks for letting us know," Sailor Moon muttered. "I guess Tuxedo Mask and I will take care of her."
The group nodded.
"Okay..Maverick's got her too.." Sailor Moon said. "Now what about the rest of you?"
"We should probably use some better planning this time," Sailor Mercury said. "To find better matches for each warrior."
"A very good idea is pairing us weakling Guardian Scouts with some people who can actually fight," Guardian Uranus muttered.
"I'm no weakling," Guardian Mars said. "I'm ready for battle."
"Regardless, I think that's a good idea," Sailor Mars said. "So we've got seven of them and a bunch of scouts. Now how should we set this up."
Gala watched the scene impatiently.
Just how long is this going to take? she wondered
"That is not a stupid plan!" came a shout from one
of the group members and then arguing ensued. Gala sighed.
Later.
"Okay..here's what we have," Sailor Moon said. The rest of the group started grumbling.
"Uh..yeah..well..me and my love Tuxedo Mask are going to take you on, the other half of you at the very end. And trust me you'll lose," she said.
"We'll see," Gala said. "And who else will you send to fight...Argosante?"
"Sailor Saturn again. She was quite good at it you know."
"I see," Gala said. "Coardite?"
"Sailor Neptune and Guardian Saturn."
"Metalite?"
"Sailor Uranus and Guardian Uranus."
"Materic?"
"Guardian Pluto and Guardian Neptune."
"Iron Mouse?"
"Sailor Jupiter and Guardian Mars."
"Lead Crow?"
"Sailor Mars and Guardian Venus"
"Aluminum Siren?"
"Sailor Mercury and Guardian Jupiter"
"Very well," Gala said. "Then we will have these battles, to decide just who is going to control this planet's future."
She turned and walked away. The evil forces headed off.
"I'm tired, let's go eat something," Sailor Moon
said.
Ayeka Mizuno grinned starring at Patterson standing on the other side of the courtyard.
"Today we will have a decision, I guarantee it," She said.
"Ooo..." the crowd said.
"I was thinking the same thing," Patterson said readying his own sword.
Ayeka took up an attack position and aimed her sword.
"She's up to something," Haruka said.
"Of course, why use the attack everyone knows is coming?" Michiru asked.
"You have to wonder though, maybe hiding the true attack in the guise of the false one, might be just a ruse to use the true attack," Lita said.
Ayeka readied herself and flew forward. Patterson did the same. The two sped by each other and landed. They turned. Ayeka swung her sword around again into the same position saying nothing, but grinning. The two sides sped at each other again and swung. Their was a crack. They both landed again and turned to face each other. Patterson shook his arm slightly trying to relieve the tension he felt in it.
Ayeka spun her sword into a ninja-like position holding it in front of her.
"Ninja style?" Mike asked. "What's she hope to accomplish with that?"
"There are some fighting attacks that use that style for control," Rick said.
Patterson's eyes narrowed as he looked on at the scene. Ayeka advanced slowly, cautiously. Patterson stood his ground.
She shot forward again. Patterson dodged to one side as she made her cut and swung his sword around, She avoided it and threw a kick. Patterson dodged it and swung his sword around, the two met and continued to hit at each other's bokken rapidly. The two strained. Ayeka's grin disappeared as she hacked and swung. The two slid apart as they often did.
Ayeka didn't grin. She just starred, sweat beaded on her forehead.
"All right," she said. "Now we settle this once and for all," she said. "I have used the best elements of many skills of fighting. Now I will unveil the greatest attack in my arsenal!"
She held her sword out in front of her holding the end of it with her other hand. She took up a stance. Patterson readied himself. Her eyes narrowed.
"What kind of attack is that?" Rick wondered.
"It looks dangerous," Raye said.
Ayeka shot forward faster than anyone expected. The next second passed by almost in slow motion. There was a crack everyone looked in shock, the two combatants were frozen in the air. Patterson's sword had hit Ayeka's and had pushed it up, but he held it there.
Everyone looked on.
"That's his best move," Haruka said well aware he had used it on her once. "He didn't follow through on it though."
"He could of though," Michiru said.
Ayeka starred at the position of both blades and let go of her sword. Patterson stood backwards.
"You could have hit me with that technique. You were too fast.." She said. "I..lost.."
Patterson wasn't sure what he could say.
"Don't worry..I'm not mad or anything...I asked for this fight..I wanted to see how good you were. I guess I found out," she said stepping back.
She looked at him.
"I guess..there's little more to say then that.." she said. "But..well so much for impressing you. I thought I could beat you, now that would be impressive. A win over you..but..I guess it can't happen."
"But..I am impressed.." Patterson said. "For what it's worth..uh.."
"You are?" Ayeka asked.
"Uh..your fighting skill is uh..better then I've ever seen with the exception of the..masters..themselves.." Patterson said.
"Oh.." Ayeka said. "I guess."
"I was matched at practically every turn with you counters..if I had been only slightly slower I would have lost..there's nothing to be ashamed about."
"I guess not," Ayeka said.
"Uh.." Patterson tried to get past his nervousness. "I..enjoyed the fight..."
"You...enjoyed it?"
"Not.the victory..but..the fight..it was...fun."
Ayeka grinned.
"Yeah...I guess it was..so I actually found something you had fun doing then?"
"I guess you could say that," Patterson said.
"Then I guess it was okay..then.." Ayeka said. "Well..no use keeping this up."
"Yes, I guess so," Patterson said.
The two turned, of course remembering the fact that the entire school was watching them. They both blushed.
Later.
"So Sailor Saturn..I think you think that your victory will be an easy one," Argosante said.
"Why should I suspect otherwise?" Sailor Saturn said.
"Ah..but you are in for it!" Argosante said swinging his axe. Sailor Saturn carefully jumped out of the way of it. Argosante charged again. Sailor Saturn adeptly avoided his second swing and swung her silence glaive. Argosante blocked it.
"HAHHAHHA! I can do it to you this time!" he shouted.
"Whatever," Sailor Saturn said and slid backwards spinning her scythe and firing off bolts of energy. Argosante dodged it and attacked again. Saturn avoided it.
"Argosante is putting up more of a fight this time," Sailor Uranus observed.
"He underestimated her the first time," Sailor Neptune said.
"So how's she doing?" Sailor Pluto asked walking up.
"Oh hello Pluto," Sailor Neptune said. "They let you out finally."
"Yes, I have to go back for some discussions and such, and I can't teach until the program's over, but I think I can control myself," Pluto said.
"Good to see you back Pluto," Sailor Moon said. "I was worried about you."
"Thank you Sailor Moon," Pluto said.
"Saturn Mist Wave!"
"No!" Argosante said and dodged it swinging his axe around yet again.
"You are annoying," Sailor Saturn said and swung her scythe very quickly, it clipped Argosante's arm causing him to shout and yell.
"You'll pay for that!" He shouted and swung his axe. Saturn jumped over it and onto the axe handle she hit him with the blunt end of the glaive and fired before jumping off.
"Saturn Soul Revolution!"
The attack hit the distracted enemy and flung him into the enemy side.
Gala sighed.
"Ehh..I'm not done.." Argosante said crawling back towards the battlefield.
"Whatever..." Gala said.
Sailor Saturn stood waiting.
"I will not hit you while you were down. Kindly get up so I may deal with you," Saturn said.
Argosante stood up.
"Heh heh heh..I've been waiting for this," he said and there was a flash of light.
"What's going on?" Sailor Moon said worriedly. Where Argosante was standing there was now four argosantes.
The original laughed.
"I kinda have this power to bring back my relations," he said laughing.
"Cheater!" Sailor Moon said.
"Well..Sailor Saturn is supposed to fight Argosante isn't she?" Gala said.
Sailor Saturn's eyes narrowed.
"We should give up this fight right now," Sailor Uranus said. "Before Saturn gets hurt."
"They are not truly alive," Sailor Saturn said. "The others are still dead. I can sense that."
"So what?" Argosante, the first, said. "We will get you."
They lunged at her. Sailor Saturn jumped out of the way.
"I'm afraid not. I am the Sailor of Death! I will not allow the dead enemies of the past to face me without being properly revived!" she shouted. She swung her silence glaive. The other three Argosantes disappeared.
"Wha.." Argosante said.
Sailor Saturn dropped to the ground.
"I fear that your plan has not worked," Sailor Saturn said and swung forward. Her scythe dug into Argosante, who was still in shock, she hit him several times before blasting him with the blunt end.
"Saturn Soul Revolution!"
Argosante was blasted back into his lines yet again. He staggered up.
"I can still.." he yelled before collapsing.
"He's done," Gala said. "You win.."
The scouts let out a cheer.
"Death is my domain, remember that," Sailor Saturn said and walked back to her lines.
"Hello Sailor Pluto," She said.
"Good job Saturn," Pluto said.
"Yes...supposedly."
"Let's celebrate another victory! Food time!" Sailor Moon said.
"We always have to eat after a battle huh?" Sailor Mars asked.
"Well..I do," Sailor Moon said. "Everyone is welcome to come along!"
The scouts all followed.
"Argosante, you're an idiot," Gala muttered as he was dragged off by some of the other minions.
The next day.
"Ahh..Haruka, another good run, you should qualify very highly in this weekend's race," the manager said.
"Well..I hope so," Haruka said.
"Hahhah, yes you should have a very good run," the shadow racer said.
"Thanks for the encouragement Arnie," Haruka said.
"Ehh...you're mean," the shadow racer said.
"Hey..Arnie my boy," Steve said appearing around a corner.
"Steve, you got me into this mess," the shadow racer said. "I shouldn't even talk to you."
"So free tickets to the race this weekend are out then?" Steve asked.
"It only costs three bucks to get in anyway," the shadow racer muttered.
"Yeah I know," Steve said. "So you going to try to finish within the top thirty this time?"
"There are only twenty seven racers..." the shadow racer said. "Why do you insist on mocking me?"
"Don't know..maybe it has something to do with the fact your called shadow racer," Steve said.
"All right, let's go right now," the shadow racer said.
"Okay.." Steve said. To Haruka's momentary surprise the two started a fist fight right there in the garage. The man started laughing.
"I guess I shouldn't expect anything less," Haruka said.
"You wouldn't be so tough without the helmet on," Steve muttered.
"Fine then," the shadow racer said and pulled it off. Steve clocked him in the jaw.
"Ehh..." the shadow racer said. "You'll pay for that!"
The two kept brawling.
"Well I'm surprised, I'd have thought you would hide out in your room and try to figure out how you were feeling," Amy said discovering Patterson in the living room sipping on a drink.
"I guess," Patterson said.
"So..you want to talk about it?"
"I don't know if there's anything to talk about."
"There should be."
"There's nothing to say. She had a fascination with fighting me. I beat her, that's all."
Amy grinned.
"You're in denial D.V," she said.
"What does it matter. I don't want a girlfriend."
"Yes, well maybe it doesn't have to be that way, but you and Ayeka should at least get to know each other."
"I'm no good at being social."
"That I know, but this might be worth it."
"I know," Patterson said. "But..I really can't. I've got other things to worry about."
"Would you prefer if me and the others arranged to get you together."
"Is that a threat?" Patterson asked.
"It could be I suppose," Amy said.
The door opened, Greg walked in followed by Michiru.
"Hello Greg, Michiru," Amy said.
The two nodded.
"How are things Amy?" Michiru asked.
"Better then usual I'd guess," Amy said.
"That's good," Michiru said. "Patterson..you recovered yet?"
"From what?" Patterson said.
Michiru grinned.
"Come now. A girl comes onto you for the first time, that takes some thinking," she said and followed Greg up the stairs.
"She wasn't coming onto me. She was trying to beat me in a sword fight," Patterson said.
"D.V.. We polled the every girl in the school, the answer was practically unanimous. She was coming on to you," Amy said.
"Wonderful," Patterson muttered.
There was a knock at the door. Amy answered it.
"Hello Taiki," she said.
"I thought I'd stop by," Taiki said. "See what was happening?"
Patterson took the chance to escape into his room.
"Don't blame him," Taiki said.
"Yes...well...it's good you came by," Amy said.
"It is."
"Uh huh..I wanted to talk to you about some things."
"Well sure, I've got time."
"Good," Amy said.
"So where are we going?" Yaten asked as he and Mina sat on a commuter train moving through the city.
"You'll see," Mina said. "It's a surprise."
"Surprises can be good and they can be bad," Yaten said.
"That's true, of course," Mina said. "But with me, it always comes up rainbows."
"Do you even know what you're saying?"
"No..help me to kick the habit. You can do it."
Yaten grinned.
"Guess I'll have to try," he said. "I guess for the same reasons that you tried to help see the real me, I need to make sure that the ever present ditzy side of yourself doesn't creep in and hurt our relationship. Although it is kinda cute."
"Yes it's true, I do tend to flaunt my ditziness to attract men," Mina said. "Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't."
"I doubt you have any control," Yaten said.
"You're right, I don't,"Mina said. "But there's no reason for you to spread that around."
"Yes, I would assume so," Yaten said.
"Oh..this is why your so cute Yaten!" Mina hugging him.
"Why exactly?" Yaten asked.
"I don't know! That's it," Mina said dreamily.
Yaten grinned again.
Guess that's the same reason I like you so much. He thought.
And at a restaurant.
"So..Mike.." Alina Kucera said nervously.
"Yeah?" Mike asked.
"Even after your band is broken up..can I still..you know..hang around.."
"Sure, Alina, aren't we dating?" Mike asked.
"I guess..so I just worried that since I won't be working for you..that.."
"No..no it's great. Your one of the few girls who understands me. I would never let you go willingly, unless I had a very good reason. I mean..heck..I used to date Mina until she two timed on me, but we're still great friends, we even make out occasionally."
"You do?"
"But not anymore. I'm sure you can do just as well at that."
"Oh yes...I've got many talents," Alina said.
Mike started laughing.
"Excellent," Mike said. "It's all falling into place."
"Uh..okay," Alina said. "Say.Mike.."
"Yeah?"
"Why do you reverse your double cheeseburger like that?"
"Oh this.." Mike said staring down at his plate. Her had stacked a beef patty on top of a roll, a patty between that, and then a roll.
"It's good eating," Mike said and took a bite. Alina
started laughing.
Hotaru was standing on a roof again, like she had done many times before. She had gotten her father to build a platform for her to stand on. He was afraid of her sliding off and so he acquiesced.
She stared at the city around her thinking. She sensed movement behind her and turned. Setsuna had climbed up onto the roof.
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," She said.
"No," Hotaru replied. "I am pleased to see you."
"Positive emotions? I guess you are making some progress then."
"Yes, but I am also learning new negative emotions."
"Really?" Setsuna said. "Like what?"
"Jealousy," Hotaru said.
"Jealousy? Towards whom?"
"I don't really want to go into details."
"Well..Hotaru if there's anything I can do. I mean you obviously are experiencing new emotions."
"Yes..new ones. Have you ever loved someone Setsuna?" Hotaru asked.
This question caught Setsuna completely off guard.
"Uh..well....sure...I guess I've lived long enough that it has happened," Setsuna said.
"And how did you deal with it?" Hotaru asked.
"Well unfortunately my duties don't allow me to engage in relationships like that. Probably a reason I became a drunkard, so I guess I really didn't think about it that much."
"But you were tempted?"
"Tempted, but not very much...I had very good discipline, more so then than now."
"I see," Hotaru said. "Well..I guess that's understandable."
"Hotaru are you in love with someone, or do you at least think you are?"
"I do not know," Hotaru said. "I just know I feel something?"
"For who?"
"Sorry..I can't say."
"Well all right, but if you change your mind."
Hotaru nodded and sighed.
"Why is life so complex?"She wondered aloud.