Chapter 7: A Frozen Future
When Yui went to answer the phone, she was given a surprising request.
"Can I talk to Mikazuki? I want to know about the Deep Freeze. Artemis said she might know since she's from the future," Juliette said.
"Mikazuki no speak English. But she tell me and I tell you!" Yui replied, a little confused as to what the "Deep Freeze" was.
"What am I supposed to tell you about? I thought you already knew about being a Senshi," Mikazuki said, coming into the room since she heard her name.
"Juliette wants to know what the 'Deep Freeze' is. She thinks you would know since you're from the future," Yui explained in Japanese, still holding the phone.
"It happened before I was born, but Mama and Papa told me about it. They said everything got all cold, and then they fell asleep for a very long time, because it was the 30th century when they woke up. They don't know why everything got cold, though," Mikazuki said.
"Deep Freeze is like sleeping in ice for very long time," Yui told Juliette, switching back to English.
"So she doesn't know who did it?" Juliette pouted.
"No, but..." Yui remembered something she had heard about the Senshi. There was a fight, and Sailor Pluto had stopped time so that Uranus and Neptune could get to safety or something like that. "Maybe Sailor Pluto freeze ALL time!"
"Sailor Pluto?! You think she's going to cause the Deep Freeze just so that Usagi can save everyone and become Queen or something?" Juliette exclaimed, and then she grinned wickedly. "How delightfully evil of her." Yui dropped the phone in shock, Sailor Pluto wouldn't really do that, would she? Freeze the world in time and then make it look like Usagi saved everyone? Was she really plotting events out like that, treating the world like a toy?!
"I no want her to freeze me. Maybe Sailor Senshi are no good," Yui sighed as she hung up, fearing that her idols were actually evil. The cats had said that the Senshi were brainwashed by someone, but what about Pluto? Was there something wrong with her already?
"What's wrong, Yui? Why do you think the Senshi are evil? I don't think they're really bad, I think someone tricked them or something. They wouldn't normally just go to another country and start attacking people," Mikazuki said, trying to reassure the chubby Senshi.
"Because what if Sailor Pluto is going to cause the Deep Freeze just so Usagi can save everyone and become the Queen? That sounds scary, like she's toying with us," Yui whimpered.
"If Sailor Pluto does that, I think she wouldn't just do it to mess with us. She would have a good reason, like to rescue the world from some disaster. Don't lose faith, Yui, even though you need to fight them now, the Senshi can still be healed," Mikazuki said gently.
"How are we supposed to do that, though? Is there a Gemstone Senshi who has healing powers? I don't think it's someone in my family, I can fly as Sailor Garnet, and I think my sisters' powers have to do with rainbow energy and metal," Yui pointed out, though she wished that she could do the healing herself.
"I don't think there is, at least, not now. But maybe one of you will have a power-up one of these days that allows you to heal the Senshi? Sailor Moon didn't have all her powers from the beginning, at first she could only throw her tiara," Mikazuki reassured her.
"Maybe it would help if we all got together. I know that Tiffany, Juliette and Annabelle have sisters who are Senshi too, but I don't think I've really met them. Maybe a new power would come if we joined up," Yui thought aloud.
"That sounds like a great idea! I'll go tell your sisters about it too!" Mikazuki exclaimed, and she scampered off to find Kiyone and Hoshi. Yui smiled, she liked the idea of having a big Senshi gathering. Maybe they could all be friends, just like she always thought the Senshi named after the planets were. A few minutes later, Mikazuki appeared with both of Yui's sisters.
"The little kitten says you had an idea? This oughta be interesting, what's it going to be this time? Do you want us to dress up like the Senshi we're fighting or something and do that cosplay thing?" Hoshi smirked.
"No, it doesn't have to do with dressing up. I thought it would be a good idea for all the Gemstone Senshi to meet up. We could go to the Sailor Moon Fan Club room, all of us, and maybe if we're together, we can find a way to heal the Senshi of their evil. Maybe if we're together, a special new power will appear!" Yui exclaimed, getting excited about meeting the sisters of her Sailor Moon fan friends. She had heard that Juliette's oldest sister, Victoria, didn't really approve of the group, but surely she would join now that she was a Senshi too!
"That is a very good idea," Kiyone agreed, ignoring the fact that Hoshi was clearly rolling her eyes and making a big show of being bored, "From what you told us about the Sailor Senshi, it sounds like they always had very good teamwork with each other, so it would be a good idea for us to emulate that. And if we are supposed to be a team of Gemstone Senshi, all 12 of us, it doesn't make sense for us to not meet as a group and discuss things at times."
"Are you two being serious?! That sounds completely sappy and stupid! This isn't a magical girl story! Teamwork is not some magical potion that solves all problems," Hoshi snapped.
"No, you're right too. It's not a magic potion. But it does have its benefits, especially since I don't think I have ever been to one of Yui's Fan Club meetings," Kiyone said calmly.
"But I thought you'd like it! There would be lots of new people to meet. If you're afraid it would be boring, Hoshi, it wouldn't be that way at all!" Yui added.
"Fine," Hoshi shrugged, "New people to mess with are always fun."
"Dead Scream," said a voice, and before any of the girls could react, a pinkish energy ball flew at Hoshi, knocking her down. Sailor Pluto stepped into the room calmly, holding her Garnet Rod.
"We have some questions for you. But for our safety, we must transform too. Pearl Prism Power, Make Up!" called Kiyone, turning into the pink-suited Sailor Pearl. Yui didn't transform, she just looked at Sailor Pluto tearfully.
"Is it true? Are you going to freeze the world in time just so you can let Sailor Moon rescue everyone and look like the hero?" she pleaded. Sailor Pluto, who had raised her Garnet Rod to attack, stopped, surprised by what she was hearing. She then smirked.
"You know, that's a really good idea," she said, "However, since you Gemstone Senshi know about the plan now, I must destroy you. Otherwise, you would ruin everything when you woke up."
"Yui! Did you just give the enemies ideas?! The world being frozen...that sounds really boring and depressing! Aquamarine Prism Power, Make Up!" shouted Hoshi, jumping to her feet.
"I'm sorry! I thought we were supposed to ask her questions," Yui whimpered, "Please don't freeze us on purpose, Sailor Pluto. You're not supposed to abuse your powers like that. And doesn't stopping time kill you or something? Don't you get punished for that?"
"Dead Scream," Sailor Pluto said again, this time hitting Yui with her energy ball attack.
"Aquamarine Rainbow Swirls!"
"Pearl Metallic Spikes!" Sailor Pluto was blasted into the wall by the combination of the metal shards and the rainbow energy. She then disappeared, teleporting back to where the other Sailor Senshi were. Sailor Pluto pondered the idea Yui had given her. Would she be able to give Princess Twinkle and Sailor Moon the throne of the Earth if she froze the Earth in time? Sailor Moon and Princess Twinkle could unfreeze things, combining their powers, and then claim to be the saviors. But would that work? And was the Deep Freeze a freezing of time, or something involving ice? Sailor Pluto was sure it was ice, a freezing-over of the world that put everyone in a cryogenic sleep until the 30th century. But was it something that the Senshi would do, or were even able to do?
"What's wrong, Pluto? Did those mean Gemstone Senshi beat you up?" said Princess Twinkle, looking up at the timeless Senshi with her big, puppyish eyes.
"Yes, but that's not what's bothering me," Sailor Pluto admitted, "I would rather tell the other Senshi, though." Princess Twinkle sighed as she watched Sailor Pluto leave.
"Oh well, I guess I'll try Saturn. She IS supposed to be the Senshi of Death, maybe she can kill those Gemstone girls," she shrugged.