Chapter Four: Mind Tricks and Friendly Fire                  




"What are we doing? They're in there fighting those monsters and what are we doing? Hanging around out front!"

Kage was a bit annoyed as he paced out in front of the theater, wanting to go in and fight with the Sailor senshi. Kurai and Suteki just watched Kage as he paced, but Yamito was his usual calm self, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, "The Priests would kill us as soon as we stepped in there."

"Says who? I dunno about you, but I can still kick their gray, cloned....."

Before Kage could finish off his rant, Kurai looked to Yamito and spoke in a stronger voice, hoping to cut Kage off, "He does have a point, Yamito. We don't know that they'll even be a match for the Sailor senshi. We can at least go and make sure they are doing well."

They all looked to Yamito and he opened his eyes slowly, looking right back at them. Sighing lightly, he leaned off of the building and gave them all a weary look, "We'll go help them, but I want all three of you to be careful."


The fight inside was not going well for the Sailor senshi, and it showed on each of their beaten faces. They had been weakened a lot by the Priests' attacks and were currently trying to regroup. "These guys are horrible!" Super Sailor Moon said while trying to catch her breath. Super Sailor Jupiter closed one eyes and rubbed a bruise on her cheek, talking through clenched teeth.

"We've thrown everything we have at them, and they barely look weakened."

The four figures were standing by each other, letting the senshi regroup so they can make sport of them. "What say we have a little fun with these girls before we destroy them?" The other three nod slowly and that figure stepped forward, waving a hand in the direction of the senshi, "So, Sailor Jupiter, I can see how much you dislike Sailor Venus."

"What are you talking about?"

The figure waved his hand a bit more and a strange aura covered his body, sending a mist of energy out that floated to Super Sailor Jupiter and Super Sailor Venus. Super Sailor Venus stumbled a bit as an odd feeling swept over her. Soon she bumped into Super Sailor Jupiter and growled at her, angry for some reason. Super Sailor Jupiter didn't seem anymore happy about it and clenched her teeth, looking at her with flashing eyes, "What's your problem? You're always running into me, you klutz. I ought to knock your block off!"

"Oh yeah? Go ahead and try, you pushy tomboy!" Super Sailor Venus yelled back and stood read to take some action towards her, much to the dismay of the others. They all watched them in shock as it came to becoming a fight between the two.

"Jupiter! Venus! What are you doing? Stop fighting!" Super Sailor Moon yelled at them, but they don't even respond, just kept yelling at each other. Picking up on the source of it, Super Sailor Moon looked at the figure and yelled out at him, "Stop it! Whatever you're doing to them, stop it!"

"Well, Senso, you've made an impression." Another figure looked to the figure affecting the two senshi and mused, then stepped forward and started to glow with a similar aura, "My, Sailor Mars, you and Sailor Mercury don't look well at all. Do you feel ill?"

Super Sailor Mars suddenly dropped to her knees and clutched her stomach, her stomach feeling like it was turning inside out, "What are you doing to me?"

Super Sailor Mercury also fell weakly and put her glove over her mouth a bit, "I feel so weak. My stomach is...."

"Well, Shibo? Kiga? Are you going to join in the fun?"

"Yes, Byoki, I think I wi...." One of the figures started to say, but suddenly stopped and disappeared from view.

Super Sailor Pluto suddenly dropped down to help from the catwalk above the stage but, as she was falling, Shibo appeared behind her and knocked her into the ground hard. Super Sailor Uranus watched her in anger and ran over to help her, "Pluto!"

"More friends? How wonderful." Shibo quipped and looked at Super Sailor Pluto struggle to her feet. Before Super Sailor Uranus could get to her, the last of the figures appeared in her way and caught her by surprise. Placing a hand right into her stomach, a flash of light sent her sprawling back to Super Sailor Neptune and into a ticket booth, "Your new friend has thrown her life away."

Super Sailor Pluto opened her eyes to find herself seeing a demolished Tokyo, with no sign of life or movement anywhere in the rubble. The bodies of all of the Sailor senshi were lying about lifelessly, and her Garnet orb staff fell from her hand into the dirt, "What happened? They are all gone. Everything is gone." Falling to her knees, she stared blankly at the rubble and put a gloved hand over her lips in remorse, "What have I let happen to them, Jikan?"

"Leave her alone!" Super Sailor Neptune yelled at Shibo and got ready to attack herself to free Pluto.

"Don't think we have forgot about you." Kiga said and released a mist towards Super Sailor Neptune and Super Sailor Uranus. As the mist surrounded them, Super Sailor Uranus grabbed at her throat and coughed, speaking in a dry voice.

"I can't breath. I need something to drink."

"Why am I so hungry? I feel so weak." Super Sailor Neptune said and held her stomach tightly, falling to her knees as well.

"Leave them alone!" Super Sailor Moon yelled looked at all of her friends in pain. Super Sailor Moon winced a bit as she prepared to attack, when suddenly a loud yell broke her concentration.

She looked over to find Kage running at Senso with a grin on his face, "Did you miss me?" Jumping into the air, he threw a forceful kick into Senso's head, but was shocked when his foot just stopped at his cheek and almost made him fall when he landed. Senso suddenly reached out and grabbed Kage by the throat, lifting him up into the air.

"I remember that hurting a lot more. Are you losing your touch, Kage?"

Before Kage could answer, Senso hurled him through the air and into the seats with a crash, laughing as he saw his body disappear into the rubble. Super Sailor Moon watched all this, then looked over to see Suteki run at Shibo wielding a plank of wood. He swung the plank and broke it over Shibo's back, but only made the hooded figure look at him slowly, "You sissy, what was that?" A surge of energy sent Suteki flying against a wall with a hard thud, then down to the floor with a disoriented look on his face.

"Well, it looks like the former Shadow senshi have decided to join our little party after all."

Kiga laughed loudly as he watched, then suddenly Yamito ran up to him and tried to tackle him. Kiga turned and caught his hands in his, stopping him and grinning as Yamito tried to push him backwards, "Well, the leader of the Shadow senshi. Come to usher in your funeral, Yamito?"

"Come to plan yours, Kiga." Yamito growled and clenched his teeth as he tried to get an edge. With a laugh, Kiga threw Yamito right into Kurai as he was trying to attack Byoki. Both of them piled up a bit and were obviously no match for the Priests either.

Watching all of this, Super Sailor Moon wished they hadn't come in, and rushed over to help Kage out of the rubble, "Oh no! Kage?" Kage's tall form rose from the seats and he cursed, rubbing his hand along his neck.

"Oh, I remember that not hurting as much before." She was glad to see he was okay, and he looked at her with a blink. "Hey, you guys are in Super form?" She was surprised at his question, and nodded slowly, wondering if he had hit his head a bit hard, "But you're in perfect control."

"Control? What do you mean?"

"Uhm, nevermind." He said slowly and looked out at the situation. Muttering a quiet curse, he clenched his fists at his sides and furrowed his brow in confusion, "How is it the Priests have their powers, but we don't?" She blinked at him briefly, and he tapped his foot a few times in thought, "Let's think here. They shifted, found they didn't have their powers, but could drain.......that's it! Hey, Kurai would be proud of me!"

"What?"

He looked to her with a proud grin and rose a brow while he explained, "They drained someone's energy! It must have awakened their powers, like a jump start."

"Eh, okay? So, how do we jump start yours?"

"I can only think of one way. Blast me."

Her face twisted into a nervous laugh and noticed he was totally serious, "Uhm, blast you?"

He blinked at her a bit and waved his hands towards him, nodding his head quickly, "Come on, you hafta. If it works, we may be able save your friends."

"It could kill you!"

"If we don't try, they will kill us both. Besides, I'm tough, I can take it." He quipped and patted his chest a bit, winking once at her and then regaining his pose with his arms out to the sides, "Blast me."

She looked to the others and then back at him, looking very nervous about this, "Okay, but not a lot of power." He just nodded and turned his head a bit to the side, waiting for her to give him her best shot. She pointed her Kaleid Moon Scope at him and swallowed hard, "I'm so sorry about this." She blasted him right in the chest and he flew back into the seats. Blinking at what she had done, she ran up and helped him back up to his feet. He just heaved heavily and rubbed his chest, blinking his eyes slowly.

"Damn, that hurt!"

"Did it work?"

He looked at her and stood up straight, raising his hand above his head, "I'll try it. Jupiter Shadow Power, illuminate!" To his dismay, nothing happened again and he dropped his arm back to his side, "Gees, figures that it wouldn't work."

"Now what are we going to do?"

"Uhhhh," Kage thought for a moment and snapped his finger, "How about using more power?"

"More power? The last blast almost killed you!"

"It'll work, just use more power." He nodded to himself and let out a long breath, but she didn't look half as convinced as he was, "Look, it's my body, so one more to go, no fries."

"Ohhhh, I hope you know what you're doing, Kage." She began to use her Kaleid Scope once more and this time it glowed brighter, harboring more energy for the blast. A powerful shock from it hurled him through a wall this time, disappearing out of sight from Super Sailor Moon.

"Uhm, Kage?"

The Priests watched the whole thing and Senso turned his head slowly to her, "I'm not even going to ask what you two were doing. I must thank you for disposing of him, but I will have to kill you for taking the liberty of killing him. I wanted to do that." Super Sailor Moon turned to him with a blink and Senso held out his palm, another ball of energy forming in it.

He was about ready to throw it when a voice was heard coming outside of the room, "Jupiter Extreme Lightning!" A huge blast came ripping through the wall and hit Senso, sending him crashing off stage. Super Sailor Moon looked to the hole and a figure emerged from the dust, brushing the dust off his shoulders. A black cape trailed behind him and a mask covered his face, but the spiky hair was what clued her in.

"Kage?"

Looking to her, he winked with a smile and flashed a quick piece sign, "Yes, it's me! Shadow Jupiter! Er, or something like that. I was never good at introductions."

Super Sailor Moon blinked a bit and couldn't believe they had been telling the truth all along. Super Sailor Jupiter and Super Sailor Venus, having been released from the beam when Shadow Jupiter blasted Senso, ran over to Sailor Moon and blinked at Shadow Jupiter as well, "What's going on? Who is this?"

"This is Shadow Jupiter."

Shadow Jupiter looked to them both, laughed loudly and waved a hand through the air, "No autographs, please! Whoops, gotta run ladies." As the three sweatdropped at him, he ran very quickly over to Kurai and knelt down next to him. Kurai opened his eyes slowly and looked at him, laughing a bit quietly at who it was he was seeing.

"Well aren't you a sight."

"You're gonna hate me, Kurai. Sorry about this." Shadow Jupiter smiled and put his hand into Kurai's stomach. Kurai only blinked once, when a surge of energy rocked his body and made him yell out a bit. Looking up at Shadow Jupiter with anger flaring in his eyes, he grabbed his cape and yanked him down to him.

"What are you doing? Have you gone insane?"

Shadow Jupiter went wide-eyed as he screamed at him and laughed nervously, "Whoa, easy there, Kurie. I had to do it so you could use your powers. Sheesh, don't blow a head gasket."

Kurai let go of his cape and rose to his feet, looking at him with flashing eyes still, "Yes, I bet that was the only reason. Mercury Shadow Power, illuminate!" An energy surrounded Kurai and ran the length of his body, changing him into Shadow Mercury. Byoki was busy enjoying himself with Sailor Mars and Mercury when a shadow landed behind him.

"What the....?"

He began but a strong wind started to blow his hood and he feared what would happen next, "Mercury Typhoon Cast!" A surge of strong wind blew Pestilence away from the senshi and let them free of his power. Super Sailor Mars and Super Sailor Mercury shook off the illusion and Shadow Mercury looked at them both as the rose.

"Who are you?"

"Shadow Mercury, at your service."


Shadow Jupiter walked over to Suteki and Yamito and titled his head a bit, wondering why they were still on the ground. Yamito looked to him slowly and miffed a bit, "Well, look who it is. Mind letting us in on the secret?"

"Sure. Heh, this may actually be a bit fun."

Shadow Jupiter grinned a bit as he joked, then stood in between them and a hand at each. A green glow appeared over them and Suteki sat up quickly, looking at him wildly, "What are you going to do, Kage?" Shadow Jupiter just winked and blasted the two as they sat on the ground, sending a cloud of dust up that shrouded them all.

Kiga noticed what was going on and began to speak when he felt something touching his shoulder. He turned to find Shadow Mars looking at him with a devious look in his eyes, "Boo." With a single punch, Kiga was sent flying through the air and crashing into the wall, a little bit of justice in Super Sailor Moon's opinion. Shadow Mars then looked over to see Shadow Venus holding Shibo above his head, then throwing him over next to Kiga, a huge grin on his face the entire time. The Priests soon found themselves regrouping in the middle of the stage and facing the Super Sailor senshi and the awakened Shadow senshi.

Standing in a small group on the tattered stage, the Priests didn't look as confident anymore. In a huff, Kiga snapped his fingers and four people appeared around the senshi now. Looking like normal people, their skin was grayer and they had wild looks in their eyes, "Well, it looks like the odds just got unfair, so we will even them."

Super Sailor Moon looked at one of the people, a man dressed in a business suit and holding a briefcase, and winced a bit, "Are these the clones you talked about?"

Shadow Mercury looked to her and nodded, then back to the Priests with a narrowed look in his eyes, "Yes, they have already cloned some people from your dimension. Keep on your toes, the Priests won't be caught off guard so easily again."

The four clones suddenly charged the senshi right as the Priests each let an attack loose in the middle of them. The chaos scattered the senshi apart from another and the clones dove after them to finish the job. Shadow Mars was trying to see through the dust when a clone landed on him and pinned him to the ground. Putting its hand right on his chest, the clone grinned and let an electrical shock run through his body. Shadow Mars yelled out in pain and it only lead the clone to grin even more. Suddenly, a figure came running through the dust and rammed into the clone, knocking it off him and into the dust once more. Shadow Mars looked up to see Super Sailor Moon rubbing her shoulder and wincing, but smiling weakly down at him. Rising to his feet, he looked down at her in shock, and just a little bit impressed by her courage. She just smiled up at him distantly and a silent moment passed between the two leaders, encompassed in covert dust.

br> Super Sailor Jupiter was trying to hit a clone with her fists and Super Sailor Pluto was trying to clip it with her staff, but so far the creature had dodged them both, but just barely. Finally, Super Sailor Pluto jabbed the butt of her staff in its stomach and Super Sailor Jupiter finished it off by kicking it to the ground. Punching her hand lightly, she stood next to Super Sailor Pluto and smiled triumphantly, "Had enough?" The clone grinned at them wickedly as Shibo appeared behind them and raised his hands up to attack. Suddenly, Shadow Venus and Shadow Mercury fly in from the side and kick him out of the way. Super Sailor Jupiter whipped around and looked at the two floating a little bit above her, "You guys can fly?"

"Can't you?" Shadow Venus blinked and tilted his head a bit, shocked at the idea of not being able to fly. Suddenly Shibo appeared again and punched both Shadow senshi to the ground, then flew down after them in a rage. The two Sailor senshi turned to go help them when the clone leaped up from the ground and pounced them once more.

Shadow Mercury and Shadow Venus were both trying to attack Shibo but were getting the worst of the blows. Shibo landed a hit on Shadow Venus and sent him flying over where Super Sailor Neptune, Super Sailor Uranus, Super Sailor Venus and Super Sailor Mercury were trying to defeat Senso, Byoki and a clone.

Super Sailor Venus saw him fall and ran to help him up. As she held his arm to sturdy him, he looked to her with a weak smile and let out a slow breath, "We aren't doing to well."

"Can't you guys transform into Super senshi like we can?"

Her question made him stop smiling and he nodded slowly, "Yes, but...."

"Don't you think you should?"

"No." He abruptly pulled from her hand and ran back over to Shadow Mercury, who was getting beaten badly at the moment.

Super Sailor Venus looked at him in disbelief and held her hand to her chest, "If they can power up, why don't they?" Suddenly a stray blast hit the wall next to her and she looked at the hole with a blink. Looking back to the fight, she huffed and began to stomp back over to them all, "Okay, whoever did that is in big trouble!"


Shadow Jupiter was trying to hold his own against Kiga, but was not doing to well at all. Stepping back from Kiga a moment, he held his hands out in a fighting stance and breathed a bit heavily, looking tired and worn at the moment. Kiga laughed a bit and shrugged his shoulders a bit, "What's wrong? Not so easy if you don't sneak up on us?" Kiga pulled a terrible weapon out from behind his back and tossed it from hand to hand. Shadow Jupiter eyed the axe for a moment and winced, reached behind him to his own weapon. In an instant, Kiga rushed forward and brought the axe down, which was stopped by Shadow Jupiter's impressive sword. Surprised at the speed he unsheathed the sword, Kiga winced and pushed against him, annoyed at how strongly he was pushing back, "You are nothing but a has-been, Kage. You four need to fade out of existence just like your world did." Turning his axe to the side, he tore the sword out of Shadow Jupiter's hand and headbutted him to the floor. Shadow Jupiter propped up on his elbows and growled at Kiga, who pointed his axe at him with a smile, "Looks like I win." He thrusted the axe forward to strike when a figure landed in front of him and hit him with a cane, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The figure waited as Shadow Jupiter stood up and looked at him through a thin mask on his face, "Looks like you need some help."

Shadow Jupiter looked at him with a blink and rubbed his arm a bit, "Who are you?"

"Tuxedo Kamen, here to help the Sailor senshi."

"Well, Tuxedo Kamen, thanks for helping me. Watch your step, these guys are strong." Shadow Jupiter had just barely retrieved his sword with an enraged Kiga charged them both now, roaring in anger.

"Whoever you are, you're going to pay!"


Senso and Byoki were at a stalemate with four Sailor senshi, and not looking too happy about it at all. Their clone was destroyed by Super Sailor Uranus and Super Sailor Neptune with ease, and now the two of them were being backed up slowly onto the stage. The last clone was turning to vapor on the floor with Super Sailor Jupiter and Super Sailor Pluto standing above it in victory. Shadow Venus and Shadow Mercury were driving Shibo against the wall and Kiga suddenly hit the floor in front of the, a product of Shadow Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen teaming up. Shibo suddenly appeared with the other two and Kiga rose to his feet, his face teeming with anger.

"Well, it looks like we are winning now." Super Sailor Moon cheered as she stood next to Shadow Mars. Shadow Mars didn't seem as confident as he stared at the Priests suspiciously. It wasn't until they started to glow and Kiga laughed deeply, did she stopped being so happy.

"Appearances can be deceiving."

Shadow Mercury was the first to get what was happening and he stepped forward, looking at Shadow Mars in a panic, "They're going to change!"

"What?" Tuxedo Kamen blinked and looked from Shadow Mercury to Shadow Mars, wondering just what was going on here. Shadow Venus rubbed his head sheepishly and lifted a finger into the air, pointing out a small detail they had not mentioned.

"Did we forget to mention they have a power up as well?"

Super Sailor Moon jumped back behind Shadow Mars and peeked out, looking really freaked out at the moment, "You mean they can become stronger?"

Annoyed at her actions, Super Sailor Mars shook her head at her and then glared at Shadow Mars with a huff, "Well, don't you guys have another form too?"

"Yes, but we won't use it."

"What do you mean you won't use it? Don't you think now would be a good time for it?" Shadow Mars just looked at her silently and she took that as a reason to really get mad at him. Before anything else could be said, a blinding light surged from the Priests as they finished their power up. All of the senshi, and Tuxedo Kamen, covered their eyes from the light and a great darkness overcame them all.


Next Chapter; Super Shadow Senshi; Alter Egos