Chapter 315.
"Uh...Hotaru..I..what's this about?" Maverick stammered.
"You understand me better than anyone," Saturn said. "I am not an adequate half for you yet though. But I must know..will she get to you before I can?"
"Uh...well.." Maverick said. "I don't know..listen..though.."
"Yes.."
"Here's what I know...which is never that much."
"I see..go on."
"I like Ayeka Mizuno. But..I also like you. And while I guess you would both be valued friends, I really don't know about the next level. After all...Ayeka and I haven't even had a conversation outside of battle. Right?"
"Yes," Saturn said. "Whereas we used to talk."
"Uh huh," Maverick said. "So..that's about it."
"So you're not going to ask her to the prom?"
"I couldn't ask her even if I wanted her more than anything..I'm an introvert."
"I see..so you're not going."
"No..besides..someone has to keep an eye on the city," Maverick said.
"So true," Saturn said. "Well then I will help you do just that."
"Perhaps..that's best.." Maverick said. "To be honest...romance..doesn't even cross my mind..I prefer a kind word at this stage."
"Thank you," Saturn said. "I can tell that you are not trying to bend the truth merely to prevent hurting me. You truly believe what you say."
"Yeah," Maverick said. "I really do."
"How touching?" came a voice. The two whirled. Gala stood at the other end of the roof.
"A rarity, to find you both so distracted," she said. "Well..regardless...I'm not here to fight..merely to deliver a message for you Maverick."
Maverick's eyes narrowed.
"The night of the prom we shall meet in combat. This city shall be out battlefield, and we will settle things," Gala said. "The rest of my minions will have the night off..so..you don't need to worry about them."
"He won't, I will," Sailor Saturn said.
"Whatever you like," Gala said. "Regardless of your preference though, I will meet you. Understand?"
Maverick nodded.
"You seem to think this will be a fight to the finish..." Sailor Saturn said.
"It just might be," Gala said. "Of this half of me at least. But then again, you may also die in the attempt."
"I guess so," Maverick said.
"Maverick there is something you should know, something about her," Sailor Saturn said. "Before you choose to fight her."
"You mean that she's Ayeka Mizuno," Maverick growled.
Gala's eyes widened.
"Friday night," She said and leapt away.
"You knew?" Saturn said.
"Yes," Maverick said.
"Then why did you.."
"Saturn...I will let you know..later...all right.." Maverick said.
"Yes.." Saturn said and walked to another side of the building.
This disturbs him. I can see that. I wonder what his
motivations are. But if he knew....what a strange soul he is.
The song ended.
The crowd stared at the stage. Some began to cheer others began to boo. And then a riot broke out.
"I knew it," Serena said. The scouts dashed for the stage and leapt onto it. The band and everyone else hurried through the backstage area.
"Nice of you all to join us," Rick said.
"This is the last time I go to a concert of any kind," Setsuna said.
"I'm beginning to get wary of them myself," Haruka said.
"Fortunately we brought enough limos," Mike said.
The scouts all hurried out the door to waiting vehicles. They were soon being whisked away.
Sirens filled the air.
"Saturn.." Maverick said.
"Is there trouble?"
"Not the kind we'd expect..still..are you up to stopping a riot?"
"It will be some practice," Saturn said.
The two hurried off the building and into the concert hall.
"Jeez...stupid riots," Chief Ozaki muttered as he sat in a patrol car racing towards the scene. "Why do we have riots? We're not supposed to have riots in Japan."
"Don't know sir," one of his officers said.
"Well find out.."
"Yes sir."
"Mercury Force of Solitude!"
"Saturn Mist Wave!"
Hordes of the crowd collapsed unconscious as the police stood by and let the two go to work.
Chief Ozaki hurried in minutes later. The room was filled with unconscious people.
"Well..what happened?"
"The scouts took care of the riot sir," one of the officers said.
"Oh..they did?" Ozaki said. "Wasn't much of a riot then was it."
"Guess not sir," the officer said.
"I'm going home.."he muttered and headed for the door.
"But what'll we do with all these people sir?" the officer asked.
"Take em downtown."
"But there's five thousand of them?"
"I don't know, ask the deputy chief," Ozaki muttered and walked out.
Later that night, the scouts were pretty much all crowded into their usual restaurant. Setsuna had since found her own way home, and Hotaru and Patterson were otherwise engaged, but the rest sat around still recovering from the night.
"I don't know about all this," Lita said. "I think we scared them too much."
"Eh..I don't care," Rick said. "The song was a good one."
"One of the rare times we agree," Seiya said.
"So when and how did you get this idea?" Serena asked.
"Came to us this morning," Rick said. "Why not only bring Michiru in to add her classical magic."
"I wouldn't call it magic," Michiru said.
"We would," everyone else replied.
"See we thought," Rick said. "That although it weird and go against the entire point of the band in the first place, if we brought the Three Lights in it would be so shocking that we'd make history or something."
"I couldn't pass up the opportunity to give us more publicity," Seiya said.
"I was curious to how the music would intertwine," Taiki said.
"I just felt like messing with people," Yaten said. Everyone looked at him.
"I've been dating Mina. What do you expect?" he said.
Everyone nodded.
"But what will do this to everyone's perception of both bands? I mean..you're supposed to be rivals," Amy said.
"Ehh..why bother, we're leaving the job soon," Rick said.
"Besides..guys..really," Mike said. "The combination we put together tonight..wasn't it great?"
"It was," Taiki said. "Your music does serve a purpose."
"Thanks for the support," Rick, Mike, and Steve said with a grin.
"So what's next for you guys?" Haruka asked.
"Don't know we can top that," Rick said.
"I can find a way," Mike said.
"Me too," Mina said.
"Uh oh..the entire city could burn if you two are on the project," Raye said.
"How do you like that though," Mike said. "This is quite a night, not only do we play the must unique song ever made, but then we start a riot!"
The group laughed.
"Seriously though, I hope no one got hurt," Amy said.
"I think we broke up our fan base into two factions tonight," Steve observed.
"Yeah," Rick said. "Now they can fight amongst themselves..still Seiya..what do you say..that at least on music..we call a truce...we can use other excuses to hate each other."
"Excellent idea," Seiya said.
"What an odd night," Darrien said.
"Yeah," Serena said. "Well..that's how it goes
sometimes."
Elsewhere.
"I don't know if I'm very proficient at making tea," Patterson said nervously setting down a cup on a table. Hotaru took it and sipped it.
"It is not, undrinkable," she said. "I did not want to push you..but..I felt..that perhaps..there was a need for my presence."
"I don't know," Patterson said. "I guess I appreciate it."
"I know..it must be hard not to be able to state your true feelings for fear someone who doesn't deserve them may hear," Hotaru said.
Patterson just sighed.
"Are you prepared to fight her?" Hotaru asked. "Gala I mean."
"Yes. Fully."
"All right then," Hotaru said.
There was a knock at the door. Patterson opened it after his customary scans and such.
"Ah..I see.." Setsuna said walking in. "I rarely get a sixth sense about things..like Hotaru does, but I could sense something is wrong."
"Your sixth sense is right," Patterson said.
"Gala will fight him at the prom night," Hotaru said.
"I see," Setsuna said.
"And Ayeka Mizuno is Gala."
"She is?" Setsuna asked. "Oh dear...I see."
"It won't be a problem," Patterson said.
"Why not?" Setsuna said.
"Because Gala is not Ayeka Mizuno," Patterson said.
"But.." Setsuna began.
"Ayeka Mizuno is a real person. She has a family. But I suspect Gala took her over for her own devices. I have no idea whether there's any part of the real Ayeka Mizuno behind all that has happened. Still..Gala is not human. She is evil. And I will fight her. If I can save Ayeka in the process, I will, but I cannot be held back," Patterson said. "Gala is more skilled then Ayeka is I think."
"But Patterson, this will be hard for you," Setsuna said.
"Speaking is hard for me," Patterson said. "Expressing feeling, living with the fact I have no parents is hard. Fighting wars day in and day out is hard. Everything is hard. I don't care."
"Then you're mind is made up," Setsuna said. "But Hotaru..why are you here?"
"Because I am going to stand with him even though I will not fight," Hotaru said. "I believe it is called friendship."
"Yes I guess it is," Setsuna said.
"Do you want some tea Setsuna?" Patterson asked.
"It is not harmful," Hotaru said.
Patterson grinned and then started laughing.
"You can laugh right now?" Setsuna asked. "How.?"
"Because I'm insane," Patterson said stoically.
"Uh..guess I'll have some tea then," Setsuna said.
Patterson nodded.
Interesting how these two are acting. Setsuna thought.
<--->Two nights later at the prom.
"Look at that dress Mina..wow.." Serena said.
"Do you like it. Yaten helped me pick it out," Mina said.
"He helped you pick it out?" Serena asked.
"Yeah I know it's a bit of a strange way to do things, but that's how it was," Mina said. "Right Yaten?"
"Uh..yeah," Yaten said.
"You have good sense Yaten," Darrien said. "Mina looks good enough to two time with."
"Don't joke!"Mina and Serena snapped.
Darrien grinned.
"Hey..would you like some punch?" Mike asked.
Rick punched him.
"Just beating you to it," Rick explained.
"Touche," Mike muttered lying on the ground.
"Are you all right?" Alina Kucera asked.
"Oh yeah," Mike said. "I'm good to go."
"You look like kinda cute down there," Alina said.
"Really?" Mike asked.
Rick sighed.
"You haven't complimented me on my dress yet," Raye said.
"Yeah, well I was getting to it," Rick said. "I've been contemplating everything else about you, there's a checklist."
"Oh.." Raye said. "What are you talking about?"
Rick grinned.
"Greg and Michiru..what a cute couple," Serena said. "If not very strange."
The two had just walked in.
"Wow..kinda strange huh.." Greg said.
"Sort of," Michiru said.
Amy and Taiki followed them in.
The group was soon standing together talking.
"Say..anyone seen Stevie boy?" Mike asked.
"No, is he coming?" Lita asked.
"He's supposed to, but he wouldn't tell us who his date was," Rick said.
"There he is..look who's he got with him," Mina said in surprise. Steve and Haruka had walked in together.
"What?" the entire group said.
"Haruka can be full of surprises," Michiru said with a grin.
"Hey..guys..look what I found huh," Steve said.
The group laughed.
"So how did this happen?" Michiru whispered.
"He has an interesting charm," Haruka whispered back.
Michiru grinned.
"I'm serious," Haruka said.
"I know, you two make a cute couple," Michiru said.
Elsewhere.
Maverick and Sailor Saturn stood on a rooftop. Gala dropped to the ground.
"I will fight you alone Maverick," she said.
"I will not interfere," Sailor Saturn said.
"Very well," Gala said. "But before we begin I must ask you when you found out who I was."
"It didn't take long," Maverick said. "I am very thorough."
"Then why did you fight me like you did? Why did you try to console me when I lost to you?"
"Because Ayeka Mizuno lost to me, not Gala. She's still human even if you're not."
"And the fact that Ayeka helped you did not convince you she was all right?"
"It baffled me, but I am cynical about those things, so I didn't let it stop me from believing the truth," Maverick said.
"Very well then," Gala said taking up a fighting stance. Sailor Saturn leapt to another roof. The two faced off yet again. Both of their eyes were narrowed. Their swords were drawn. They waited watching for movement. The two both shot together suddenly and met. Their energy swords smashed together and the landed on each side of the building. They turned.
"Nothing yet," Gala said with a slight grin.
The two lined up again each with their distinctive fighting stances. They rushed forward and hit again, landing opposite each other. They spun and lunged again, repeating the motion seven times in a row.
Sailor Saturn watched worriedly.
The two faced each other again gasping for air.
"I'll defeat you!" Gala said rushing forward swinging her sword. Maverick met her and the two swung at each other in a repeat performance of earlier battles. They fiercely did their best to beat the other in the melee. They both slid apart again. Gala fired bolts of energy from her sword. Maverick dodged them and fired his own barrage. Neither side hit their mark.
"Looks like this is going to be a knock down drag out," Gala said. "But you're going to have to hit me with that move of yours to stop me, I won't surrender this time.
The two charged at each other again.
Later that night the group was all dancing to a slow song, some with better accuracy then others.
"I..to be honest..never really learned how to dance this way," Steve said.
"I haven't really cared to," Haruka said.
"Maybe we should just skip it."
"Yeah..good idea," Haruka said.
"You know this slow song's okay.." Rick said. "But you know..I'm really tempted to uh..go up there and cause some trouble."
"You want to take over the stage again?" Raye asked.
"Well yeah..I mean, if you me, the guys, the Three Lights, Lita and Mina got together..well..we could do it huh?" Rick said.
"By pure force?" Raye asked.
"If necessary," Rick said.
"Let's go for it," Raye said with a grin.
"This is romantic isn't it Darrien?" Serena asked.
"Sure Serena," Darrien said. "It's also good that you've gotten better at dancing."
"Yes well I foresaw this eventuality," Serena said. "I tried at least."
She abruptly fell down.
"That happens from time to time though," She added.
Maverick and Gala leapt through the air. Both swung their swords, spinning as they did so. Both blocked the other, but they each kicked out, knocking the other to the ground. They quickly picked themselves up and fired their swords. Both attacks hit, but both opponents jumped at each other yet again and started swinging.
"We think a lot alike!" Gala shouted.
"I don't care!" Maverick shouted and swung back, they hacked and hacked at each other. Gala grinned and flipped backwards, firing as she did so. Maverick rolled out of the way and fired back.
The two got into a fire fight, firing at the other while dodging attacks in the process.
"Enough of this," Gala said drawing a second sword and firing. Maverick did the same.
"Come on," she said.
Maverick stood ready.
"I know for a fact you do not know the extent of my two sword abilities."
"You don't know mine either," Maverick said.
"True."
The two faced each other again. Each looking for an opening. Some small advantage they could gain. It was not obvious what tactic to use. Gala fired. Maverick shot forward avoiding the shots and spinning the swords forward firing and stabbing. Gala cartwheeled away. Both of them fired quickly blasting at each other.
Gala grinned.
"Enough of this! I'm going to cause some havoc!" she shouted and leapt away.
Maverick raced after her.
Back at the prom.
"Okay..okay.." Rick said. "We've seized the stage for one number. Now you all know us, we thought we'd sing a little song together."
The crowd cheered.
"And ironically here are the three lights to provide some back up," Rick said.
The men booed. The girls cheered. The song started anyway.
"It's called, I want someone to love," Rick said. The group of musicians started at it. Raye started singing the main lines. Mina and Lita chimed in when a chorus was necessary. The dance floor just sat at their tables and grooved with the music. The group played well in harmony despite having only two days to develop the song and was having fun.
Nearby, Maverick was racing after Gala.
"Tell you what I'm going to do," Gala said. "I'm going to crash that prom of theirs!"
"I won't let you do that," Maverick said firing.
Gala leapt onto the roof of the hall. Maverick leapt after her. The two flew at each other. Their energy swords crackled above the sky light. Each of them fired. They charged forward. Maverick angrily doing it in a last ditch effort to prevent disruption the two landed on the skylight and fell through it shattering glass over the floor. The group all looked at the two. Maverick fired at a rapid rate The two slid into each other and met again. Gala grinned and raced out the door. Maverick followed.
"Don't let her ruin this night for you all," he shouted and raced after her.
The group all watched in surprise.
"Well..you heard him!" Raye shouted. And the group tried to began to have some semblance of fun again.
Amy stared out the windows of the auditorium worriedly.
"You okay Amy?" Taiki asked.
"He's facing her alone isn't he?" Amy asked.
"And he'll win," Taiki said.
"Are you sure?" Amy asked.
Taiki met her eyes.
"I'm sure," he said.
Blocks away, massive energy blasts flew from the two opponents.
"YA!" Gala shouted swinging forward with one sword and stabbing with the other. Maverick Blocked both attacks and kicked her backwards, he opened fired. Gala rolled and fired back. Maverick jumped at her stabbing into the ground. Gala came up and stabbed, Maverick winced in pain and dug his sword into her. The two swung their other swords and met, but both slid apart, both in pain.
They both stared at each other.
"I tried to distract you, it failed. My true identity doesn't stop you. You have no weaknesses..." She said. "Very well."
She took up position, a stance Maverick remembers.
"Oh you know what I will do, but can you stop it?" she said. "I'm more powerful as Gala you know."
Maverick stared at her. She lined up against him. He readied himself. She shot forward. The two met again. Both of them went flying off the top of the roof, smashing into the alley bellow. A large wound appeared in Gala's chest, were Maverick had dug his sword. A similar wound was in Maverick's chest from when she connected partially with her move. Both of them lay motionless.
Sailor Saturn dropped down to the ground.
"Maverick.." She said with concern. Maverick's eyes opened slightly. He let out a grunt. Sailor Saturn looked at Gala. She was glowing, and then suddenly, her body phased away leaving that of Ayeka Mizuno lying in the street.
"She..left her.." Saturn said. "Thank goodness...Maverick.."
A car skidded up. Setsuna got out.
"What happened?"
"Call an ambulance Setsuna," Saturn said.
Setsuna nodded quickly and hurried off.
"You won," Saturn said.
"I hardly call it winning," Maverick said.
"You saved Ayeka though."
"I did?"
"Yes..."
"Wonderful," Maverick said and fell unconscious.