Chapter 370
In one of Tokyo's many houses.
"It's getting darker," Sailor Neptune said carefully glancing out a window.
"Maybe they'll have a harder time searching for us," Sailor Pluto said wincing.
"You rest Pluto, you took quite a hit."
"I'll be fine," Sailor Pluto said. "Given time."
"Don't stress yourself, they won't find us here," Sailor Neptune said.
"You don't know that..you should go, try and find the others."
"And leave you here, not likely?" Sailor Neptune said.
"What ever happened to doing the practical thing?"
"I guess I've learned to see things differently," Sailor Neptune said. "Besides it's better to leave the finding to the people who can actually do it. This is a large city. You're injured, you need someone to wait on you."
"I'll be fine," Sailor Pluto said. "This is not he first time I've been hurt you know."
"Yes, well I'm not going to leave you alone to feel the pain."
"You're too stubborn, you know that."
"Now now, who's being stubborn?" Sailor Neptune said.
Pluto smiled.
"I'm allowed to be stubborn," she said.
"Sure you are," Neptune said with a grin. "But I'm not going anywhere. Try to sleep."
Pluto sighed.
Guardian Uranus crept across a darkened street. A little truck skidded by seconds later.
They must have finally gotten a foothold and are now patrolling the streets. He thought and flattened himself against a building as another truck roared by.
"Nice night," he muttered, and glanced around a corner, before leaping across another street.
I want a place to hide, but it's gotta be useful. He thought.
He glanced at his right shoulder, cut open and still slowly bleeding.
"And there's this," he muttered and slid along an alley.
This might do. He said staring at an apartment complex. He walked inside and headed up the steps.
"They'd have trouble finding me here," he said and wandered down a hall.
Wonder just where everyone else is. Hope Raye isn't too worried about me. A fighter streaked by a window. He ducked.
"This I could do without," he said to himself and tried doors, finally pushing one open.
"Ah..there we go," he said and headed inside. He looked around in surprise. The room was filled with boxes everywhere he looked, they were stacked several boxes high at a time, and every box was filled with oranges.
"This is...scary," he said and backed out.
"Let's try somewhere else," he said and headed down that way.
"We've taken up patrols all over the city, the scouts won't be able to emerge without us seeing them," Saritin said.
"Excellent," Sero said. "The 2nd army was returned in one piece?"
"Yes sir."
"How is the interrogation of that sailor scout going?"
"Well sir, she does not seem to be lying, but none of the information she is providing is the least bit useful," Saritin said.
"Oh?"
"Yes, you see apparently the scouts have no definitive leader or strategy. Sailor Moon is more a leader of moral support, but she has no idea how they would fight us."
"Maybe she is covering it up," Sero said.
"She is quite insistent, I do believe what she's saying."
"But the scouts have shown obvious strategic ideas in the past."
"Yes, sir, but it is never clear and definitive. Venus says that is because they do not have a definite person to make up the plans."
"Why would she give it up?"
"I assume she figures that it will be no help to us."
"Is it?"
"Well, yes, in that we know the scouts will not have a plan, but they may develop one later."
"Ah, I see," Sero said.
"So, it is imperative we keep on them and don't give them time to figure out a plan."
"Yes, that would seem wise. How is our new warriors coming?" Sero asked.
"They should be ready very soon."
"Excellent, we can use them to hunt down the scouts," Sero said.
"Yes sir," Saritin said.
And in another part of the room.
"Will the scouts come to rescue you?" the alien asked.
"Look I'm getting tired," Venus said. "Can't I sleep a little first."
"You are not in a position to dictate terms."
"Yeah, well....I'm tired anyway."
"Just tell me if the scouts will come to rescue you?"
"Most likely, but you won't see it coming till it's too late."
"I doubt that."
"But I'm sure I'm not their top priority, and I wouldn't expect to be."
"Is that a fact? So your friendship isn't worth that much?"
"This is war for survival," Venus said.
"Hmm..so it is."
"What a mess.." the sewer daimon muttered wandering down a passageway. "Holes, water splashing everywhere, getting tossed every direction. I sure hope the scouts are doing all right, I would hate for them to get hurt. Looks like the aliens have given up for a while.. Well this sewer will never be the same again..kinda was getting used to it, but as soon as this is all over they'll have to fix it up again."
He sighed, hearing a moan.
"What.." he said and hurried along the passageway.
"Oh jeez..hey..you okay there?"
Sailor Jupiter looked at him.
"Oh wonderful.." She said and faded into unconsciousness.
The sewer daimon lifted her up carefully and headed down the tunnel.
"Wow..they've got the whole city under watch now," Guardian Uranus said peeking out a window. "I wonder though, why didn't they just do that in the first place?"
Maybe because they didn't want to leave small groups open to our attack, but do they believe we're actually gone? Heck they're looking for us aren't they? Then again, with those fighters zooming overhead and all the troops maybe they think they're in control. Or maybe I've missed something.
Several more ships buzzed by. He pulled away from the window.
"This is not how I wanted to spend my free time," he said to himself. "And I wouldn't mind my arm healing faster either."
He sighed.
"Well, guess I can't help it," Guardian Uranus said. He sighed and sat down against a wall.
"What am I supposed to do at times like this anyway?" he asked himself. "Hmm..I'm going to find out what's going on in that orange room, that's what I'm going to do."
He headed back out the door.
"Won't be long now," Saritin said and smiled at her creations. She pressed a few buttons on a nearby computer and strode out.
"She really is enjoying herself too much," Sailor Earth said observing from a distance.
"That makes her dangerous I think," Guardian Jupiter said.
"I think I have some idea what's going on now.." Guardian Jupiter said. "Let's see what we can do."
He dropped to the ground. Sailor Earth followed.
"You watch the door," he said.
Sailor Earth nodded.
Jupiter crept to a panel and stared at it.
"Hmm...some sort of keypad," he said and pressed a button. The doors swung open to all the chambers.
"Not the right one," he said and pressed it again. He then pressed another button. The machinery began to make noise, various beeps sounded from various computer panels.
"Do you know what you are doing?" Sailor Earth asked.
"I am the first to admit I don't," Guardian Jupiter said. "However, there is only so much one can learn."
He continued to fiddle with the control panel.
"I think I'm getting somewhere, some of these instruments are changing color."
"Just don't blow anything up," Sailor Earth said.
"Are you all right?" the sewer daimon asked.
"I don't think so," Sailor Jupiter said. "My whole body aches."
"Yes, it seems that you are hurt quite badly," the sewer daimon said. "You might have been thrown against the wall of the tunnel."
"Ow..yeah..maybe.." Jupiter said. "Where are the others?"
"I don't know.." the daimon said. "But I presume they survived."
"How do you know? I got hurt pretty bad."
"Yes, but you are all strong, I wouldn't worry," the daimon said. "I wanted to move you to somewhere more comfortable, but I'm not sure I wouldn't be doing some harm."
"I don't know," Jupiter said. "I feel awful."
"But you will recover?"
"Yes, my scout healing power will help me, but...it'll take some time."
"I can't even move my right arm."
"Yes, it looks very bruised."
"What happened?"
"I think the explosion ripped open the water lines, you were all blasted back down the various tunnels."
"Oh..well that kind of thing would happen to us," Jupiter said. "We're just not lucky some times."
"Luck really isn't the problem. Anyway, it is good news that you survived though."
"Yeah, well you're not in the pain I'm in."
"Don't speak that way," the sewer daimon said.
"Just trying to keep some sense of humor."
"Ah..well..that's not the way to do it."
"Oh it isn't?" Jupiter asked. "Well what would you suggest?"
"I don't know, just you rest."
"Yeah, good idea...but I can ask you something?"
"Yes?"
"Don't you get lonely down here?"
"Sure, but I'm the sewer daimon, I have the rats to keep me company, and when they aren't mutated they're great fun."
"But..that's not a life is it?"
"It's all I have, I mean, I'd never be accepted up there, and you know I'm kind of used to it now. It's better than chasing down pure hearts, I'll tell you that."
"Oh..I guess you have a point. But don't you have anything in your life you want?"
"Well maybe a nice female daimon, a couple of kids, a house in the country," The daimon said and then began to laugh.
Jupiter laughed too.
"Ow..even that hurts," She said.
"Don't worry, I'll protect you."
"I have no doubt of that," She said.
"Yes, well..I guess being good is the way to go then. Never been much of a fan for evil, though that was Doctor Tomoe's fault, not creating me right."
"I'd hardly call it a mistake."
"Yes, it's not, and I'm enjoying myself. But you rest if you can, I'll stay here with you."
"Thank you," Sailor Jupiter said. "How annoying, we're here fighting a war, and the thing that hurt us the most was a wave of sewer water."
"That is what war is all about."
"Yeah, I guess this just becomes part of the sailor scout legend."
"Ah..and what a legend it will be," the daimon said. "I wonder if they'll give me a paragraph."
"I'll make sure you have at least a page."
"Oh that's far too much," the daimon said. "I don't want to be vain."
"Listen to us, arguing over what the history books are going to look like. We don't even know which side will be writing them."
"I'm sure we will be," the daimon said. "Like a whole army and a massive ship full of aliens is going to stop the scouts."
"Well..it just might."
"Naw..it's just a matter of time. Always is."
"Guess so..ouch..stupid wall.."
"This guy, whoever he is, is insane," Guardian Uranus said looking around. "Oranges on the wall...oranges in bowls..."
He looked in the refrigerator.
"Apples..in the refrigerator..not exactly a good sign.." he said. "And how about the bedroom?"
"Ah...oranges again...no..wait.."
He crept closer in the darkness and illuminated the fruit with his sword.
"Oranges painted red.." he said baffled. "Mike has got to meet this guy."
He heard an explosion.
"Might be some action," he said and hurried to a window. A cloud of smoke was rising from several blocks away.
"The night shall be my ally," he said hurrying to the building balcony. He
leapt off and onto a rooftop and was soon hurrying across the city.
A truck was lying in smoldering ruins. Guardian Earth and Guardian Moon blasted an alien patrol and then leapt into an alley, more troops came racing down the street. Fighters began to hover around the area.
"Just a little closer," Guardian Moon said. "There..."
Earth unleashed his attack. It blew through the troops and totaled several of the fighters.
Guardian Moon leapt into the air and landed on a rooftop, he dived at an alien fighter below and blasted it's canopy open with a sword.
"Thanks for being so humanoid," he said blasting the pilot. He stared at the controls.
"Analyze these," he said into his watch. It shot out with a magical wire and connected to the computer.
"Moon! What are you doing?" Earth shouted.
"Just keep them busy!" Moon shouted down.
"Ehh....heck of a raid this is turning out to be," Guardian Earth said and waited as more enemies hurried over.
"Let's try this again," he said and blasted a whole barrage of them again.
The fighters began to swarm.
"Moon! We really don't have time for this!" Guardian Earth said.
"Trust me," Guardian Moon said.
"Uranus Flame of Desire!"
The attacks blew apart several fighters and sent them flying for higher cover.
"They can't get close now," Uranus said dropping to the ground.
"Thanks for the help," Guardian Earth said.
"What exactly are we doing here?" Uranus asked.
"Just keeping them restless," Guardian Earth said. "Though Moon has other ideas."
A rain of energy fell towards them.
"Time to go!" Guardian Earth shouted. The two leapt away as energy shots rippled along the ground.
"Analysis complete," The computer said.
"Excellent," Guardian Moon said. "Now let's go for a ride."
The alien fighter banked away.
"Just what is he doing?" Guardian Uranus said.
"He does this kind of stuff a lot actually," Guardian Earth said.
"And I thought you were the crazy one."
"No, I'm looser, he's crazier."
"Ah..I'll keep that in mind."
More fighters streaked in towards them.
"This is getting to be a losing battle,"Guardian Uranus said.
"Didn't expect anything less," Guardian Earth said. "Follow me!"
The two hurried down a side street. The fighters swarmed.
"What is going on?" Sero asked.
"Guardian Earth and Moon, aided by Guardian Uranus attacked a patrol in sector 16-C, we responded with several divisions, and now have our fighter wing in pursuit," an officer reported.
"How many fighters?"
"Several hundred sir, but when attacking two definite targets its hard to keep our fighters from getting in each others way."
"I am well aware of that! Dispatch more planes, they should not be able to get away!"
"Yes sir."
"Did I hear an explosion?" Sailor Pluto asked waking up.
"Sure did," Sailor Neptune said. "They're fighting somewhere."
"Hmm..I hope the scouts are doing well."
"They manage," Neptune said.
"I wish I could help, but not yet I guess."
"Sometimes we have to rest."
"Yes, I know," Sailor Pluto said. "I can at least wish them good luck."
Sailor Neptune nodded.
Back on board the alien ship.
"There..I think this will.." Guardian Jupiter began typing in several more commands.
"Do what?" Sailor Earth asked.
"Well..it can't help," Guardian Jupiter said.
"Well put," Sailor Earth said. "We should go before we are seen."
"An obvious observation."
"Yes, well, they are growing agitated around here, let's go," Sailor Earth said.
"Done," Guardian Jupiter said and the two headed off.
"How are you sure you accomplished anything?" Sailor Earth asked.
"I..just am," Guardian Jupiter said. "I must have."
"You certainly spent some time with it," Sailor Earth said. "Now what do we do?"
"Watch and wait, and try not to get caught," Guardian Jupiter said. "Though it's true, there just aren't that many aliens around to catch us," Sailor Earth said.
"Maybe they're all fighting on the planet."
"Maybe, still you would think this ship would need personnel."
"I don't know," Jupiter said.
"Yes, that is a question we don't have to the time nor means to answer."
They headed down the corridor to hide.
"Into the sewer we go again ey?" Guardian Earth asked.
"Will they follow us?" Guardian Uranus said blasting apart another fighter.
"Probably, but this is our secret weapon," Guardian Earth said. "This tunnel is special," Earth said dropping into the water.
"I'm really getting sick of this place," Uranus said.
"And now.." Guardian Earth said and turned a valve. Water shot down the tunnel.
"Isn't this what got us into this mess!" Uranus shouted.
"Hey, turn everything into an advantage, that's my motto!"
The two were carried by the wave down the tunnel.
"So how'd you know about this?" Uranus asked.
"We noticed it on the way in, we've learned a lot about sewers in the past few days."
"I never wanted to know this much."
"And here comes the waterfall.."
"Waterfall?"
The two went shooting out of the tunnel and landed in a pool.
"You knew this was coming too?" Uranus asked.
"Naturally," Earth said.
"So now what?"
"We find some place to hide until Moon executes his plan."
"Which is?"
"He didn't tell me."
"Oh, well that's good, my awe for you two has quickly disappeared."
"We used to have more power, that helped."
"You're as incompetent as we are."
"Actually no, we just are in a slump."
"Whatever," Uranus said.
"Oh you don't believe me...I'm not surprised."
Uranus sighed.
Guardian Moon sat at the controls of the space fighter. The alien spacecraft loomed in front of him.
Some alien noises were coming through the radio. He hoped they weren't trouble, but couldn't tell. Better pick up speed. He thought. Sure I don't have a plan, but I figure that we've got good reason to get up there, and I don't have time to pick up Earth and Uranus. So I'll do what I can up there now before the enemy gets onto us. How do I get back down? I'll just steal another one of these.
The fighter rocketed towards the ship and passed through it's shields.
"That was convenient," he said and banked it towards what looked like a landing bay. More squawking came into his receiver. Aliens were waving wildly at him as he approached them.
"Sorry.." he said and skidded into the ship. He jumped out of the craft as it
smashed into the landing bay, crashed into several other ships, and exploded. He
drew his sword, blasted some aliens and raced through an open door.
"Intruder alert!" an officer shouted.
"What?" Sero shouted.
"Yes sir, entry bay seven!"
"Saritin, take our troops handle it!"
Saritin nodded and raced down the corridor.
These humans are too stupid for their own good. She thought.
Alarms sounded throughout the ship.
"They must be onto us," Guardian Jupiter said.
"If they were why give that away?" Sailor Earth asked.
"Well..maybe that's just their way."
"Stop," Sailor Earth said and pulled him back around a corner. Footsteps followed. Guardian Moon leapt down the corridor turned and sent an attack flying back down the corridor.
"Moon!" Earth shouted. Guardian Moon whirled.
"What? You're up here..too?" he said. "We gotta go," he said and ran past them. The other two followed.
"How did you.." Moon began.
"Do we really have time to figure that out?" Jupiter asked. "Just what is your plan here?"
"Do as much damage as possible," Moon said and began blasting everything he
could.
The lights flickered of and on. Venus noticed her alien captor glancing about nervously.
"Trouble?" Sailor Venus asked.
"Hmm.." her captor said and headed to the door. He opened it and looked out at the hallway. Warning lights were flashing and alarms were going on and off.
"Must be something.." he said and turned.
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" Venus shouted blasting him out into the hallway with her now free hands.
"What..did you think that because I was blonde I was stupid," she said holding up the small wire she had used to jimmy the lock with. "I've been kidnaped far too many times not to take precautions. She freed her legs and climbed off the table slipping the wire back into her glove.
"Jeez...now what?" she asked herself. She walked out into the hall. Several energy blasts flew at her.
She whirled. Saritin leapt at her.
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