Sailor Moon Chronicles Part 2
Zero Saga
By Razor Knight
Episode 25 - Here we go again...
"Hey girls!" Usagi said as she dashed into the classroom. Ami, Mako and Naru waved at her.
"Usagi, why did you come here running? We've still got 15 minutes until the class starts." Ami said.
"Well, old habits." Usagi said with a grin.
"Guess who's been transfered to our school?" Mako asked.
Someone stepped just behind Usagi, and cleared her throat noisily, making Usagi jump. "Yes, I still have my edge..." Hotaru said and walked towards her seat.
"Hotaru here?" Usagi asked in disbelief.
Naru nodded "She's scary..."
"Oh, calm down, Naru, I'm sure we can be friends with her." Usagi said waving dismissively at her.
"I don't like friends. Enemies are more reliable." Hotaru said somehow appearing behind Usagi and making her jump again. She then returned to her seat.
"My, my... Look who's in this classroom..." Alice said as she entered the classroom and noticed Hotaru. Hotaru shrugged and looked away. "Hey Hotaru, lighten up!" she said walking towards her.
"I prefer darkness, thank you." Hotaru said without looking at her.
"Suits you." Alice said and walked towards the others.
"She's weird..." Naru said.
Alice shrugged "Don't worry, I'm sure it's just an act she keeps up to scare everyone off..."
"It's not an act." Hotaru said standing behind Usagi, and making her jump once again. She then got back to her seat, a small smile on her lips.
"You actually enjoy doing that, don't you?" Usagi asked, slightly upset.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Tokyo...
"Is the prototype ready for the test?"
"It is, sir"
"All right. Tonight we'll test our prototype Z S-1. Maybe we can kill a pair of Senshi with it."
"Understood, sir."
"Hotaru, do you want to introduce yourself to the rest of our class?" Haruna asked.
"Why not? Let's see... I am the daughter of a mad scientist, I wear black all day and try to have the least contact with other human beings."
"Hmmm... That doesn't seem right..."
"It is for me." Hotaru said.
"You know, you won't make any friends with that attitude of yours." Haruna noted.
"Maybe I don't want to." Hotaru said. The whole class chuckled. "Laughing at me won't do any of you any good." she said glaring around. The whole class backed away. "That's better." Hotaru said resuming her cold expression.
"She's weird..." Haruna muttered.
"You think?" the whole class replied at once.
"How do you do that?" Hotaru asked.
"Do what?" the whole class asked.
"That!"
"What?" the whole class said in unison.
"Oh, stop it!" Haruna muttered.
"Stop what?" the whole class said.
"And I'm the weird one..." Hotaru muttered.
"Yes you are!" the whole class shouted at her.
"Strike two..." Hotaru said glaring at everyone. They all backed off again.
Haruna sighed "Well, let's start the class before this gets any weirder..."
"Is that even possible?" Everyone, even Hotaru, asked at her.
"Go figures..." Haruna muttered.
During lunch, the girls were all gathered around a table. Hotaru, however, was sitting alone on a table in the edge of the room.
"She looks scary..." Minako noted.
"She looks like she needs a friend." Usagi said.
"I do not." Hotaru said appearing behind Rei and making her jump. A moment later she was back at her table.
"How does she do that?" Rei muttered.
"I dunno... Maybe she's Umino's relative." Minako said.
"No, she's not." Umino said dropping on the table from above. He was promptly tossed off the table by Mako. "Ow... I gotta find a less painful entrance."
"Why don't you just walk towards us like a normal guy?" Rei asked.
"I'm not a normal guy." Umino said with a grin.
"He's got a point..." Minako said.
"Yeah, he's a freak." Mako added. Umino sweatdropped.
"Girls, you seem to know a lot about her." Umino said.
"Well, that's our secret." The six girls said.
"Oh, come on..." Umino said.
"How much are you willing to pay?" Mako asked slyly.
"Pay? No way, I'm making a service to this city with my gossip organization...."
"Organization?" Alice asked.
"Don't encourage him..." Rei muttered.
"Well, sure, I have the best staff of gossiphers I could find in this school. We're all dedicated to search for truth and justice!" he said striking a pose.
"Great, now he thinks he's Sailor Moon." Mako muttered. The girls all laughed.
"Anyways... Come on, at least one question?"
Usagi shrugged "Alright."
"Well, it's true that she's a psycho?"
"Am not... But I like everyone to think that." Hotaru said seemingly coming out of thin air behind Umino.
"Ahh! Don't do that!" Umino screeched. Hotaru laughed.
"She's laughing! Run for your lives!" Rei exclaimed.
"I resent that." Hotaru said resuming her cold expression.
Later that day, Usagi walked out of the elevator at Mamoru and Alice's appartment complex. She heard a loud thud on Mamoru's appartment. She rushed towards it, and opened the door. Inside, Alice was checking at Mamoru who was sprawled on the ground.
"What happened?" Usagi asked worriedly as Mamoru stood up.
"Well, he asked me for a karate lesson..." Alice said.
"And she kinda beat the stuffing out of me." Mamoru finished.
"Oh, come on... It was just a kick!" Alice exclaimed.
Usagi's eyes widened "You mean like the one you used to crack a boulder?"
"Uhhh... Yes..." Alice said with a sheepish grin.
Usagi grinned at Mamoru "I don't know what's up with you... Every girl you meet ends up beating the stufing out of you... Me, Beryl, Ami, Rei, Zoicite..."
"Zoicite was a guy!" Mamoru snapped.
"Not in the dub..." Usagi said.
"What?"
"Uhh... Forget it... Anyhow, we were going on a date today, remember?"
"How could I forget?" Mamoru said with a grin. "Ready?"
"If you can walk by yourself..." Usagi said. Alice chuckled.
Rei sat in front of the sacred fire. She was feeling some bad vibes, but she didn't know why. She could make a guess, however. "Sacred fire, show me the face of the new menace." She whispered as she concentrated. She only got two images. One of a strange-looking robot, and another one of a masked man wielding a katana. "So that's the new enemy..." Rei muttered.
At her house, Hotaru was studying. Trying to, actually. Something was bothering her, something she couldn't quite place. She walked downstairs and opened the door.
"Where are you going?" Kaori asked her from the couch she was sitting at.
"I'll go for a walk. I want to clear my mind." Hotaru said and walked out the door.
*Hmmm.. That's weird... Maybe I should follow her.* Kaori thought.
Hotaru popped her head in "And don't follow me." her head popped out the door again.
"Figures." Kaori muttered.
Usagi and Mamoru were walking through a quite crowded park, they stopped for a while to look at a pond.
"It's so romantic... The way the moon reflects on the calm water..." Usagi said. As it usually tends to happen in this kind of series, a creature popped out of the lake and started attacking people.
"Well, that's just great." Usagi muttered.
"We should find a place to transform." Mamoru noted.
Usagi sighed "Alright, let's do it."
Both dashed behind some bushes. Usagi frowned "Wonder if it'll work directly... Let's see... Moon Twilight Makeup!"
Usagi transformed into Twilight Moon, as Mamoru took out a rose and turned into Tuxedo Kamen.
"Wow, it worked!" Moon said looking at her suit.
They both dashed out and faced the creature. It was humanoid, but his eyes were red and his hair was metal-like. "Stop it right there!" Moon shouted and struck a pose.
"Primary objective located," the creature said in a robot-like voice as it looked up and down at Moon. "Starting elimination procedures."
"Elimination? I don't think so. Moon Sword!" Moon summoned her sword.
"Fire Soul," the create said in a monotone, and a stream of fire shot at Sailor Moon.
"What the?" Moon said as she leapt aside barely missing the fire "That's Mars' attack!"
"Crescent Beam Shower."
Moon and Tuxedo dove out of the way. "What is that thing?" Moon asked.
"Hey robbie, why don't you fight someone your own size?" a figure said from the shadows.
"Unidentified hostile creature," the robot said in a monotone looking at the figure.
"Alright, let me introduce myself to you, robbie. I am Zero," the figure said walking out of the shadows, "And I'm here to take care of evil creatures like you." He then stroke a pose.
Moon looked at the guy and frowned. He was wearing a form-fitting black body armor, with a black helmet that covered all his face except for the mouth and chin. He was holding a katana on his right hand, pointing it at the creature.
"Creature identified. Possible threat to the mission. Initiate elimination procedures," the creature said and leapt at Zero fist-first.
Zero swiftly leapt back and looked at Moon, "Well, are you just going to stand there gawking or are you going to beat that thing?"
Moon shrugged, "Alright. Moon Sword Slice!"
The creature leapt off the way of the attack, then faced Moon, "Elimination of primary target has higher priority level," it said as it glared at Moon.
"Uh oh..." Moon muttered.
"YAAAAAH!" Zero shouted as he leapt at the robot from behind, and dug his sword into it's back.
"Structural damage detected," the robot said and turned around, "Thunder Punch." The electricity-filled punch sent Zero crashing on a tree. He sank to the ground.
"That was... Stupid..." Zero muttered as he tried to stand up.
"Zero is a treath to the mission. Elimination of the treath required to complete the mission," the robot said as it walked towards Zero and rose it's fist, fire gathering around it.
"Death Ripple!" the death energy wave sent the robot flying away.
It stood up, sparks of energy coming out of a crack on it's left arm. "Voice identified as Sailor Saturn."
"That's right, junkhead," Saturn said, then walked towards the others. "I was on the neighborhood and decided to come and help," she said to Moon in her usual monotone. "Who is that trashcan?"
"I don't know," Moon said.
"Energy level critical... System overloaded...." the creature said. "Mission failed. Return to base for repairs," it added, then vanised.
"And seems like we won't know either," Tuxedo said.
"Hey, where's Zero?" Moon said looking around.
"I don't know... He seemed pretty injured," Tuxedo noted.
"Well, my job here's done. Good night," Saturn said and dashed out of the scene.
"Weird girl, isn't her?" Tuxedo said.
"That's an understatement," Moon said with a nod.
"Sir, the test was a failure. The Z S-1 wasn't able to eliminate Sailor Moon."
"It doesn't matter. It proved to be quite efficient. Repair it, and see if you can add the other Senshi's powers to it."
"I'll try my best, sir."
"I know you will, Dr. Kai."
The next day, during lunch, the girls were gathered around the table. For some reason, Hotaru was also there.
"... So that guy shows up, he used a sword and got a hit at the robot... He almost got himself beaten by the robot... Then Saturn showed up and scared the robot off," Usagi said.
"That's what I'm good at," Hotaru said in her monotone.
"... Right... However, that thing was using _our_ attacks!" Usagi said.
"Huh? Are you sure?" Ami asked.
"Yeah... When it used the Fire Soul it was the same energy Mars uses... It's weird..."
"How could someone create a robot like that?" Ami pondered.
"And how many of those robots have the new enemy created?" Alice added.
"I don't know... I just know that it uses our powers, and it's quite strong, fast and skilled. It's only drawback seems to be that it can't focus on several targets at once," Usagi noted.
"Hmmm... Then we can beat it," Mako said.
Ami nodded, "If we work as a team, we can take it down easily."
Hotaru shook her head, "Who needs a team? I can take it down on my own," she said, then walked away.
"What's her problem?" Rei asked.
"Easy, she's a psycho," Minako muttered.
"Want me to show you just how right you are?" Hotaru said appearing behind Minako.
"EEEK! Stop doing that!" Minako screeched. Everyone laughed. Hotaru just shrugged and walked away.
A figure was looking down at the city from the top of a tall building. "I must be more careful next time. I must be as skilled as those Senshi if I want to beat this menace. It is my duty to stop that cyborg," the figure said. "Do not fear, citizens of Tokyo, Zero is watching over the city..." he said as he walked back into the building...
Episode 26 - Enter Terry
Early morning. A white limousine stopped in front of Juuban Junior High. The girls that were waiting for the school day to start, all looked at it, as well as the guys. The door opened and a guy walked out of it. He had short blond hair, black eyes and a look of overconfidence and selfishness. He walked towards the school building, as most of the girls stared at him.
"Who is that guy?" Usagi asked Mako, looking at the guy with slight interest.
"That's Terry Zephyr, he's the newest transfer student. His father is a multi-millionaire from the States, he's just moved to Tokyo... And guess which class will he be in?"
"Our class?" Usagi asked. Mako nodded. "No way! Why all the transfer students go to our class?"
"Maybe a coincidence..." Ami said walking by. "Or maybe he's with the enemy."
"Now wait a minute... I wasn't the enemy, or was I?" Alice said walking by.
"Then maybe he's an ally." Ami said.
"Your theory is bull, Ami." Mako said.
"Yeah, there's no way all the transfer students are either evil or allies." Usagi noted.
Ami shrugged "Well, let's see... This last year we got only transfered students: Natsumi and Seijouru Ginga, who were Aili and Ann, Mako, Alice, Hotaru and myself, all were Senshi..."
"Alright, Ami, then it was a _huge_ coincidence." Alice said grinning.
As they entered the classroom, the girls watched the scene before them in awe. Most of the girls were gathered around Terry, who didn't seem interested in any of them.
"Girls, please, I appreciate the attention, but I need to breath." Terry said with a grin. The girls promptly backed away from him, but kept staring at him.
"Know what, he reminds me of..." Mako started, then looked at the others. "Uhhh... Forget it," she said with a sigh.
"What do we have here... A silent one." Terry said standing right next to Hotaru.
"Get lost." Hotaru said without looking at him, in her usual monotone.
"Oh, come on... I like the silent ones..." Terry said.
"Last warning..." Hotaru said, her tone threatening.
"Uhh... Okay..." Terry said backing away. He then spotted Mako and walked her way. "Hmmm... What's your name, sweetie?"
"My name is Makoto Kino and I'm no sweetie." Mako said glaring at him.
"Geez... Are all the girls here that weird?" Terry asked to noone in particular.
"We're not weird, we just don't like vain and selfish idiots." Hotaru said appearing behind Terry, who leapt almost two feet up in the air. Hotaru went back to her seat, chuckling.
"How the heck does she do that?" Terry asked Mako.
"That's for me to know and for you to guess." Hotaru said popping from behind him.
Terry started, then blinked as he watched Hotaru seating back on her seat. "Weird girl..." He said outloud. "Nice curves, though..." He said almost in a whisper.
"I heard that." Hotaru shouted. Terry sweatdropped.
Meanwhile, at Juuban Elementary...
Usagi Tsukino, known by most of her friends as ChibiUsa, sat on a classroom about to doze off. The teacher went on and on talking about math, a subject that ChibiUsa didn't find interesting at all. She looked through the window, and saw a green-haired woman in a formal suit looking at her from outside. *Setsuna? What's she doing here?* she pondered. She sent a telepathic message at the woman *What are you doing here? Are you here to take me home?*
*Not yet, Princess...* ChibiUsa heard Setsuna's voice on her mind, *You still have a lot of training to do here. I'm here to remind you about your promise.*
*Hey, don't worry. I'm not about to tell any of them about their futures. I know what the consequences are, Puu.*
*Good* Setsuna said and walked away. "I wonder..." Setsuna said as she returned to her post in the Time Gate, her Sailor Pluto uniform fading in as she appeared. "No, Neo-Queen Serenity said she would make sure Princess Usagi understand the risks of causing a time paradox... I trust the Queen." she said to noone in particular.
Terry walked to the table the girls were having lunch at. "Well, well... We meet again." Terry said looking at Mako, Ami, Alice and Usagi. He then looked at the others. "Hmmm... Who are those beauties?"
Rei grinned "My name's Rei Hino."
"She's taken." Mako said. Rei shrugged.
Minako stared at Terry. "Uhhh... Hi... I'm Minako Aino, but my friends call me Mina."
"Mina... What a beautiful name." Terry said. But not as beautiful as your face, Terry said in english.
Why, thank you. Minako replied in flawless english and blushed slightly.
"Oh, you know some english?" Terry asked with a grin.
"Yes... I studied at England for a few months." Minako said.
"I see... Well, nice to meet you, Mina." He then looked at Usagi. "I tried to figure this out all the day... What's with the hairdo?"
Usagi shrugged "Well, my boyfriend likes it."
"Oh, you have a boyfriend." Terry said slightly dissapointed.
"Yes... He's at the university, and he could break all of your bones for trying to pick up on me."
Terry decided to try the next one. Alice was already glaring at him as he stared at her. "My, my... If looks could kill..." Terry said with a grin.
"I'm Usagi's boyfriend's sister, and I could beat the hell out of him any day, so put those eyes of yours back on their sockets and get lost."
"Wow... What a combative bunch..." Terry muttered. He then looked at Ami, who was intently reading a book, 'Advanced Karate and Self-Defense Manual.' Terry wisely decided not to pick on her.
Hey Terry, I won't bite. Minako said with a grin. Terry grinned back. Most of the girls, except for Alice and Ami, didn't understand what she had said.
I see... Terry replied. Well, in that case... How about you and me go our for dinner tonight?"
I'd love to. Minako said and smiled.
Terry walked away. Usagi blinked confusedly a couple of times then said "What was all that about?"
Alice grinned "Seems like Terry's chase is over..."
"Or maybe not..." Mako said as he pointed at a nearby table. Terry was trying to pick up on a girl.
Minako walked towards the table, and started shouting words in english at him. Terry said a few words, and Minako blushed. Terry and Minako walked towards a table at the edge of the room and started chatting animously.
"That Terry is weird..." Mako noted.
"So he's a perfect couple for Minako." Hotaru said popping from behind Mako.
"Hey!" Mako shouted.
"What?" Hotaru asked feigning innocence.
"STOP DOING THAT!" Mako shouted a little louder than she needed to.
"Uhh... Okay..." Hotaru said, and returned to her table.
"See?" Mako said to the others. "All you need is to show them who's the boss."
"You aren't." Hotaru said popping from behind Mako and making her leap into the table. She then walked to her table, chuckling.
Suddenly, the whole cafeteria oooed. The girls looked back and saw Terry and Minako kissing.
"Well, I guess Minako finally fell..." Alice said.
"I don't know... Does Terry knows what he's getting into?" Ami asked looking up from her book. The others laughed.
"The Z S-1 is ready to go, sir." Dr. Kai said through a communicator.
"Very well... Send it to cause trouble anywhere in Juuban. It seems the Senshi have a knack for showing up everytime a monster attacks that district."
"Understood, sir. Any other orders?"
"Try and get samples of the other Senshi's powers. That's the only way we can make sure the cyborg will be unbeatable."
"Yes, sir."
Late afternoon in Juuban. Minako and Terry are walking around the streets, talking to each other.
"So you went to England... For how long?"
"Several months. I missed home, so I decided to come back to Japan."
"I know what you mean... I miss home too, but being with someone special helps."
Terry and Minako looked at each other. They leaned in for a kiss, but suddenly the creature that had attacked Sailor Moon the night before leapt off a rooftop and looked at them. "You've got ten seconds to surrender."
"Mina, run!" Terry shouted. Minako nodded and run away. "Well, she'll be fine... But I'd better worry about myself..." Terry muttered.
The robot aimed it's arm at Terry, and electricity crackled around it. "Supreme Thunder."
Terry closed his eyes, and waited for the hit. It never came. Instead, he heard a shout of "Love-Me Chain!" and a weird noise. He opened his eyes and saw Sailor Venus fighting the cyborg. *Looks like she's got that thing under control... Whoever she is. Wonder where's Mina?* Terry thought as he run out of the scene.
"Venus Twilight Flash!"
"Moon Sword Slash."
Both attacks crashed, but the cyborgs' attack kept going and hit Venus hard. She stood up, only to be raised from the ground by the creature, who clutched her throat hard, trying to choke her.
"Elimination of target in process," the cyborg said.
"Let her go, you freak!" a voice said from behind the cyborg. It turned around and glared at Zero, who was stading in a pose with his sword pointed at it.
"Get lost or die," the creature said.
"Funny, I was about to say the same thing." Zero said, then charged at the cyborg sword-first.
"Shine Aqua Illusion," the cyborg said in a monotone. Zero was blasted away by the attack, but the distraction was enough for Venus to kick the cyborg's face, making it drop her.
She took a moment to recover her breath and massage her sore throat. The cyborg shrugged and leaned towards her to catch her again. Venus rolled sideways on the ground then shouted "Venus Twilight Flash!" and blasted the cyborg away.
"Systems damaged... Weapons system non-functional... Returning to base," the creature said before vanishing.
"Oh well, that was great..." Venus muttered. She glanced around, but as usually happens with the mysterious allies, Zero was nowhere to be seen. "Well, I've gotta look for Terry." Venus said and dashed out of the scene.
Minako found Terry leaning on a tree, "Hey there, Mina."
Minako frowned "Where have you been all of this time? I've been searching for you for fifteen minutes!"
Terry shrugged "Well, I knew you would be looking for me, so I decided to stay here until you found me."
Minako grinned "Seems like it worked. What happened with that robot?"
Terry shrugged again "I don't know... One of the Senshi came and started fighting it, so I wisely decided to run away."
"That's a brave guy." Minako said and chuckled.
"I might not be brave, but at least I'm alive. I'm sure that Senshi could handle the cyborg on her own."
"I guess so..." Minako said. *Wonder who that Zero guy is? If it wasn't by him distracting the robot, I would have died there...* she thought.
"Well, so what do you want to do next?" Terry asked.
"Have you been at Crown?" Minako asked.
"Nope." Terry said.
"It's got a lot of arcades." Minako said. "Let's go."
"I wonder if they'll take a 1000 dollars bill..." Terry said with a grin.
"What???" Minako said, her eyes as big as plates.
"Just kidding... I left all the 1000 bucks bills back at home..."
"Uhh... Right..."
"Alright, let's go." Terry said. And the two of them walked down the street towards Crown.
Episode 27 - What friends are for.
It was the beginning of yet another school day at Juuban. Terry entered the classroom, and was crowded by most of the girls. He shook his head and sighed. "Girls, I have a girlfriend already."
"We know that, but we can always hope for you to break up with her," one of the girls said.
"Besides she's not even from this school!" another girl added.
"Yeah!" the girls all shouted.
Terry sighed again, "Sorry girls, but that's the way it is." He then walked to his seat, just besides Alice. "Hi Alice."
"Hi. So you and Minako are serious about it?"
Terry grinned "I am serious... Mina doesn't seem to take anything seriously..."
Alice shrugged "It's just a cover, don't let it fool you."
"But the real Minako is even weirder." Hotaru said popping from behind them.
Terry shrugged "Whatever you say... I can handle weird."
Hotaru frowned "He didn't even flinch... I must be loosing my style..."
Terry grinned "As I just said... I can handle weird..."
Hotaru glared at him, then laughed. Most of the class looked at her in awe, until she glared at all of them and resumed her normal scowl, then she sat down on her seat.
Alice grinned "You've been witness to a very rare event... Hotaru Tomou laughing."
"I resent that." Hotaru said popping from behind them, and making Alice fall from her seat in surprise. "Ha! I did it again!" Hotaru exclaimed, then returned to her seat. Terry chuckled.
"What are you chuckling at?" Alice asked as she picked herself off the ground.
"They said this was a normal school..." Terry said with a grin.
Just then, Usagi came dashing into the classroom, tripped over a ruler that was lying on the ground, and landed on the ground in a heap.
"Yes, it's normal... For Japan." Alice said and chuckled.
During lunch, the girls were gathered around a table. Terry was also there, sitting besides Minako. Hotaru, however, was sitting in a table at the edge of the room.
"This is strange, you know... In my country they wouldn't let so many people sit around a single table..." Terry noted.
"It's not a single table, we actually have two tables put together so all of us have enough space..." Ami said looking up from her 'Advanced Chemistry' book.
"Yes, well, you know what I mean... And besides how is it that you all got together?" Terry asked.
"Well, I'm sure it has to do with destiny." Usagi said.
"Uhh... Sure, destiny..." Terry said with a frown.
"Don't you believe in destiny?" Mako asked.
"I don't know... Never thought about it." Terry said with a shrug.
"She looks so lonely..." Usagi said.
"Who?" Terry asked.
"Hotaru." Usagi said looking at the black-haired girl sitting alone.
"So she does. Maybe she likes to be alone."
"Or maybe she doesn't know how to make friends." Usagi said.
Mako shrugged "For what I've seen so far I'd say she's doing her best to be left alone."
"Know what, she won't get rid of me that easily." Usagi said and rose from her seat, then walked towards Hotaru's table.
"What's with Usagi?" Rei muttered.
"I don't know..." Ami said not looking up from her book, "But if someone can make Hotaru get out of her shell, that's Usagi." The girls all nodded.
Mako looked at Minako and Terry, who were staring at each other smiling, and said "So, when's the wedding?"
Minako turned to her and said "Well, at least I have a boyfriend."
"Ouch," Mako said with a grin, "Point taken."
Hotaru didn't even bother to look up as Usagi walked towards her table. Usagi stood there, looking at Hotaru, until she said "Alright, what do you want?"
"Can I seat there?" Usagi asked.
"Go ahead if you want to." Hotaru said.
Usagi nodded and sat down, then looked at Hotaru "Why are you hiding from us?" she asked.
"I'm not hiding." Hotaru said, looking at her with her cold black eyes.
"Then why is it that you keep vanishing after a battle ends? You could stick around us and have fun..."
"I'm not interested in what you call fun." Hotaru said.
"Now, that's not true, and you know it."
"What I know is that if you weren't who you are, Sailor Moon," Hotaru said in a very low voice, then rose her voice a little, "I would have scared you away before you even reached this table."
"Just what's your problem?" Usagi asked, slightly irritated.
"Well, my mother died when I was a little girl. My father is a mad scientist that passes his days on his laboratory... My only friend is not even human..." At this point, Hotaru sighed.
Usagi smiled at her, "Hotaru, you don't have to be alone, you know? You can trust in me..."
"I'd rather not." Hotaru said coldly.
"I want to be your friend."
Hotaru just stared at her. Usagi stared back. Hotaru frowned "I don't."
Usagi sighed "Okay, I got it. But I won't give up that easily, Hotaru..." She then stood up and walked towards the table where the other girls were.
Usagi sat down, a scowl on her face. "Guess it didn't work, did it?" Alice asked.
"No, it didn't. But I won't give up." Usagi said.
"If you say so...." Alice said with a grin.
Usagi looked at Terry. "What's up with him?" she asked. Terry was reading the book Ami had been reading, but he grabbed it upside-down.
"Hmmm... I understand as much reading it this way as if I grabbed it the normal way." Terry said with a grin. Ami grinned. "Here." Terry said giving the book back to Ami. "No wonder you're the best student in this country."
"Well, I'm not that good..."
"Sure you are." Terry said. "I have my sources..." he said. "Ami Mizuno, top student in Japan, her father is a painter and her mother a doctor." He then turned to Usagi. "Usagi Tsukino, you live with your mother, father, younger brother and a cat in a house near the school." He then looked at Rei. "Rei Hino, you live in a temple with your grandfather and your boyfriend Yuuichirou Kumada."
"Well, this guy sure does his homeworks..." Mako muttered.
"I do. Makoto Kino, alias Mako, excellent cook, got out of your last school when your boyfriend dumped you, you live alone in a house that's property of your uncle, General Katsu Sawari, who is the head of the Japanese Anti-Alien Forces."
"Amazing." Alice said.
"Alice Stark... You were out of the country several times in the past... You are Mamoru Chiba's sister, though when your parents died they didn't find you in the place of the accident... You were adopted by a man who's last name was Mac Avity, but he vanished a few weeks ago."
"Where do you get all that information from?" Ami asked rising an eyebrow.
"That's my secret." Terry said with a grin.
"And what other secret do you have?" Minako asked in english.
"That's for me to know and for you to find out..." Terry replied with a grin.
"Hey, stop that?" Usagi said.
"What?" Terry said, then switched to japanese "I mean, what?"
"Well, that english stuff, I don't understand a thing about it."
"Here." Ami said producing a small book. It's cover read 'English for beginners'.
Usagi sighed "Don't tell me you were carrying that book around with you?"
Ami grinned "Yes, together with these ones." Ami said producing two other books.
"'Advanced English' and 'Complete guide to English.'" Usagi said "Don't tell me you've read all this!"
"I did." Ami said in flawless english.
"Cool." Terry said.
"And what other language do you speak?" Ami asked in french.
"What?" Terry asked. Ami grinned.
After school, Usagi was following Hotaru, who was utterly ignoring her.
"Hey, Hotaru, wait up."
"Usagi, I really don't know why you think I need friends. I am your ally, that should be enough for you."
"It is not." Usagi said.
"Suits you." Hotaru said and started walking away.
"Hey, wait!"
From behind a tree, ChibiUsa watched the scene. "Wow. I didn't know Hotaru was such a weird girl in the past..." she whispered.
"By the way, tell your 'cousin' to stop spying up on us." Hotaru said to Usagi.
Usagi looked around, then spotted one of ChibiUsa's pink ponytails popping out from behind a tree. "ChibiUsa?"
"Yeah, it's me." ChibiUsa said coming out from behind the tree.
"What're you doing here?" Usagi asked.
"I was just curious about Hotaru."
Hotaru said nothing and kept walking. The other two girls followed her, and soon they had reached the Tomou residence.
"So?" Hotaru asked turning back to the two odango-haired girls.
"So what?"
"So when are you going to leave me alone?"
"Whenever you accept me as a friend." Usagi said.
Hotaru was about to snap back, but just then a loud explosion came from inside a nearby jewelry. The Z S-1 leapt out of it.
"Duty calls." Hotaru said with a shrug.
"Guess so." Usagi said and then looked around to make sure no one was looking at them. "Moon Twilight Makeup!"
"Saturn Twilight Makeup!"
"Future Moon Twilight Makeup!"
The three Senshi faced the cyborg. "Stop it right there!" Moon shouted.
"Surrender now, Sailor Moon, you have no escape."
"The same goes to you, artoo." ChibiMoon snapped.
"Flaming Spear."
The three Senshi leapt out of the way. "Moon Sword Slash!"
The cyborg leapt out of the way. "Sparkling Wide Pressure." The three Senshi were blasted away by the attack. The cyborg grabbed Saturn by her throat and tried to choke her.
"Oh no, you won't!" a voice said. Something hissed by the cyborg and sliced it's side. Zero stopped and faced the creature as it dropped Saturn to the ground.
"The being known as Zero must be eliminated as well," the cyborg said. "Moon Sword Slash."
Zero backflipped to dodge the attack, but it still hit him, sending him crashing on a wall and knocking him off.
The creature then turned back to Saturn, who was massaging her throat and glaring at him. Her staff lay a few meters away from her.
"Elimination of Saturn in progress. Moon Sword Slash."
"No!" Sailor Moon shouted and leapt in front of Saturn, shielding her and getting hit by the attack.
"Target missed. Twilight Flash."
ChibiMoon leapt in front of Saturn as well, and was also hit, falling over Moon. Saturn looked at them and her eyes widened. "Why did you risk yourselves?" she asked.
"We care about you, Hotaru. We don't want you getting hurt." Moon said weakly as she clutched her chest where she had been hit..
ChibiMoon nodded "That's what friends are for."
Saturn looked at them, then at the cyborg, then she grabbed her glaive. "You hurt my friends, I'll have to hurt you now."
"Flaming Spear."
"Saturn Death Ripple!"
Saturn's attack blasted the fire attack away and hit the robot dead on. It staggered back. "Systems running at 80%. Continue with elimination process."
"Never turn your back on me." Zero said from behind. He then slashed at the cyborg's back.
The Z S-1 turned around. "Fire Soul." The attack sent Zero flying away. The creature then turned back to Saturn, just in time to see her glaive swinging down on it. It staggered back again, this time a gap run across it's chest. "Structural damage detected. Returning to base," it said then vanished.
Saturn shrugged and turned back to her friends. Zero was nowhere to be seen, but Moon and ChibiMoon were still recovering from the hits they got. "Usagi... What you did..."
"What, are you going to tell me it was not needed, that you can take care of yourself?" Moon snapped as she stood up.
Saturn shook her head. "No. It was very noble... Thank you."
"Oh... Well, it was nothing, really..."
"I'm sorry for what I said before... Now I understand what you meant, Usagi." She reached out a hand.
"No problem, Hotaru."
"Thanks, my friend." Saturn said with a grin.
"Alright, I'm fine, I can take care of myself." ChibiMoon muttered standing up.
"You should respect your elders, kid." Saturn said.
"That's what everyone tells me." ChibiMoon said grinning back.
"Alright then. See you tomorrow!" Saturn said and turned back to normal as she entered her house and closed the door.
Moon and ChibiMoon turned back to normal, then started walking away. "But don't think I'll stop doing this." Hotaru said appearing just behind them, and making them both leap up high in the air in surprise.
"Go figures..." Usagi muttered then smiled at Hotaru.
Episode 28 - Dark intentions
Once again, the guys were having lunch gathered around a table. But now Hotaru was sitting along with the others.
"So, Hotaru, you finally decided to become a human being..." Alice said with a grin.
"You could say so..." Hotaru said. "But I'm working on a way to be both friendly and scary."
Terry shrugged "I still think you're scary."
"Thank you." Hotaru said with a grin. "And I still you're vain and selfish."
"Thank you." Terry replied with a smile.
"Hmmm... Wonder what's with all those reports about strange creatures attacking..." Usagi pondered feigning ignorance.
Terry shrugged "I don't know... Maybe those 'Sailor Senshi' everyone talk about found a few new enemies to play with?"
"Oh, shut up, Terry. You wouldn't be here if it weren't by Venus." Minako snapped.
Terry shrugged "Maybe." *She doesn't know how right she is...*
"And they saved the city from an enemy army a few weeks ago." Usagi noted.
"For what I know, the JAAF did most of the work." Terry said.
"And let me guess, your sources are from the JAAF?" Alice asked.
"Well, yes..." Terry said.
"So it's not the whole truth. Army guys always put themselves as the heroes."
"Hey girls!" Umino said popping from under the table. Everyone shrugged "Hey, what happened to the shouting?" he asked.
"You're old news, Umino-kun... Hotaru here is an expert scarying everyone off, and Terry is the new know-it-all-about-everyone..." Usagi noted.
"Oh, so he is... Are you interested in a job, I could pay you a lot..." Umino said to Terry.
Terry shrugged "My father is rotten rich, I don't need to work."
Umino shrugged "Alright, you're losing the chance..." he then walked away.
"I was wrong, Hotaru is not the weirdest thing around. That guy Umino is." Terry said.
"I knew my evil queendom would end someday..." Hotaru muttered sarcastically.
"Are the prototype's reparations complete?"
"It's ready for action, sir. Also I'm working on the Z S-2, which will have the other Senshi's powers..."
"Oh, so you've found samples of them?"
"Yes... When it fought Saturn, it got samples of hair of both Saturn and the one called ChibiMoon."
"Very well, Dr. Kai, keep on the good work."
"I'll do just that, sir." Dr. Kai said with a grin.
"Everything's going as planned..." Bronze said to her comrades. "The Senshi will soon fall and revenge will be ours."
"I would like to kill Sailor Moon by myself." One of her comrades said.
"And I want the little rabbit for myself." The other guy said with an evil grin.
"Patience, my friends. Soon we shall have our revenge." Bronze said grinning.
Later that day, on a gym in the Juuban district, Mako and Alice were sparring. Most of the crowd at the gym were looking at them.
"Here goes!" Mako shouted and charged at Alice, who sidestepped her, and kicked her on her back. Mako rolled on the ground and stood up, then charged again. Alice tried to sidestep her again, but Mako grabbed her by the waist and used the momentum to drop her to the ground and punch on the guts.
"Good one." Alice said. Mako nodded. "Ready?"
"You first." Mako said.
"Okay." Alice said, then leapt at Mako. Mako ducked and Alice went over her head. Mako then did a back kick, but Alice spun quickly and blocked it. Mako used her other feet to try a kick to her face, but Alice grabbed it too and Mako slammed on the ground. Alice grinned.
"Well, I guess it's enough of a training..." Mako said. "You hit hard..." she said wincing as she rubbed her back.
"You're not a softie either..." Alice said putting a hand on her stomach.
The two girls walked out of the gym, then heard some crying coming from a few blocks down the street. "Could it be our robot friend?" Alice asked.
"We'd better check it."
The two of them dashed towards the place the shouting came from, and saw the cyborg attacking people. "You know, this robby doesn't seem interested in hurting people..." Alice noted.
Mako nodded "I would guess it causes trouble just to call our attention."
"And like hell he did get it. Let's finish that thing off."
"Right. Jupiter Twilight Power!"
"Earth Twilight Power!"
Both transformed and faced the creature.
"Jupiter Thunder Punch!" Jupiter shouted leaping at the cyborg. It sidestepped her and tried to kick her on the back, but she spun around and grabbed his leg, then punched him with her electricity-filled punch.
"Moon Sword Slice," the cyborg said and sent it's attack at Jupiter. She leapt up to dodge it, then dropped over the cyborg feet-first. It went down to the ground.
"Earth Poison Whip!" Earth souted and whipped at the cyborg, trying to tear it's head off. It grabbed the whip and swung her around and into it's chest. Alice felt like she had hit a brick wall, and was knocked off. The cyborg grabbed her by the hair and gathered energy on it's free hand..
"Al! Stupid trashbin, take this!" Jupiter said and leapt at the cyborg fist-first. She connected, and the cyborg dropped Earth, but it grabbed Jupiter's fist, throwing her off balance, and squeezed it. Jupiter felt the bones in her hand crackling and yelled in pain.
"You are either too stubborn or too stupid," a voice said from above. Jupiter looked up as she tried to break free from the cyborg's hand, and saw Zero standing on a rooftop, his sword drawn and pointing at the enemy. "Either ways you'll never win." Zero said and leapt at the creature, slicing through it's chest. Zero rose his sword to slash it again, but the creature put Jupiter in between them. Zero hesitated for a moment.
"Sparkling Wide Pressure." The robot used it's free hand to shock Zero into a wall.
"Earth Meteor Missile!" A large boulder bounced on the cyborg's head, and exploded in a thousand stone shards. Jupiter covered her eyes, and then realized the cyborg had released her. She leapt backwards and clutched her injured hand.
"Wow, you really are a blockhead, ain't you?" Zero said as he stood up. "Let's see just how hard your head is." He leapt at the cyborg again, but it simply punched Zero on the guts with bone-crunching strenght. Zero staggered back.
"Jupiter Thunder Punch!" Jupiter hit the cyborg from behind, her fist caused it's metallic skin to cave in.
"Structural damage detected... Systems malfunctioning... Return to base." The cyborg said then vanished.
"Darn it, it escaped!" Jupiter shouted.
"But what's with that thing? What's it looking for?" Earth pondered.
"Well, it's pretty obvious, it wants to kill us."
"It's pretty lame at it, you know... I mean, it only attacks one of us at a time, and that makes it an easy battle."
Jupiter shrugged "If you say so... It didn't seem easy to me..." She then looked around "Hey, where's that Zero guy?"
Earth looked around "He's nowhere around, I can't sense him. Wonder who's that guy?"
Jupiter shrugged again "Whoever he is, he seems to be pretty unexperienced in battle..."
Earth nodded "Yes... But he knows how to use his sword."
Saturday's morning, most of the girls were meeting at Ami's house. Ami's mother had to work all day, so they could talk about Senshi business. Minako was on a date with Terry, and Alice was at the gym, training. Ami was typing rapidly on her Mercury computer.
"Well, I really can't figure out what this new enemy's up to." Rei said.
"Yeah... Those attacks all seemed like an excuse to draw us out to fight." Mako said.
Ami nodded "No one got hurt during the incidents..."
"Says you!" Most of the other girls snapped.
"Eehhh... I meant civilians..." Ami corrected herself.
"Hmmm... And what's strange is that it has our powers..." Usagi noted.
Hotaru shrugged "I can tell you how it could be... Have you heard about genetics?"
Ami nodded "Right... If they somehow could get a sample of our cells..."
Hotaru nodded "We're not flawless, we've got injured several times during our battles... Let's say someone went to the places we fought, got samples of our cells... From hair, blood... And then somehow managed to combine it into a single living being."
Mako blinked twice "You alone made up all that theory?"
Hotaru nodded "Being a mad scientist's daughter can help... I know exactly how mad scientists think." she said and grinned.
Alice shrugged "Well, it all looks good in theory, but I thought only _us_ could use those powers."
"Our cells are a part of our beings." Ami said.
"Right... So if that thing has our cells, that explains how it uses our magics."
"Another thing I noted," Hotaru said, "Is that the robot only uses the Inner Senshi's attacks."
"Then maybe the enemy hasn't got samples from the others yet." Ami said.
Alice shook her head "I guess they do now... The cyborg has already fought us all except for Mars and Mercury, and that means it could have got samples of hair or blood from any of us."
"Oh dear... If you are right, then things are going to get really rotten..." Usagi said.
"So, Mr. Z., the cyborg doesn't seem to be very effective against the Senshi."
"It was only the prototype, the second one will have all of the Senshi's powers. And also an improved AI. The Senshi will think the new one is like the other one, but they'll get a little surprise...." Z said.
"Fine... When you finish the Senshi, you can have the money." the other man said.
"Right... But I was thinking... Once we finish the Senshi off... We could use their bodies..." Z said with a grin.
"What do you have in mind?"
"Well, Mr. J... I'm well aware of your goals... You want to destroy the Senshi, but also to take over the world... Wouldn't it be ironic, to take over the world with an army of Senshi cyborgs?"
"How didn't I figure that before..." the other man said and chuckled, "You are brilliant, Z."
"I know." Z said grinning evily.