"Colin on me and I'll be there"
"Now class I hope you've study. For we have a big math test this Friday. This will count for one fourth of your grade. So I hope you've been practicing your times tables. The test will cover multiplication and division. So remember to study hard for it, okay. Now I want each of you to divide into groups of two. I want you to quiz your partner over what we've been studying. You have twenty minutes beginning now!" Ms. Kakyo said as she pressed a button on her golden wristwatch.
Chibiusa looked over her paper of practice questions. She then took a look at her partner. Her partner that day was a handsome boy with longish wavy blond hair and big brown eyes. His name was Colin Furuhata; he was the son of her mother's first crush, that handsome gentleman from the arcade she had visited so much in her youth. He was a nice young lad. Smart like his mother but fun and charming as his father.
"So, Chibiusa, you ready?" he asked as he took the mauve chair across from her. She smiled at him and nodded. She handed him his own sheet of paper and he looked at it nervously.
"You okay, Colin? It's only a practice sheet."
"I'm fine, Chibiusa. It's just that mathematics is my worst subject. Last test I got a D on. And that was just adding and subtracting! And after this test we are gonna start fractions! I don't want to make my mom upset again," he explained sadly to her.
"Oh, Colin, I didn't know. I promise to help you anyway I can. So let's start with the basic. Okay what 3 times 7?"
"Umm… let me think…is it eighteen?"
The princess shook her head sadly. She handed him an indigo calculator that was being used to check answers. "Then answer is 21, Colin. We are only going up to 12, but I hope you can do even harder problems like 15 times 15 equals 225. Now let's try something a little easier like seven times seven shall we?"
The rest of the period went well. Everyone was studying really hard for this test. Still Colin if truth be told was in need of help. So Chibiusa propose he stop by the Crystal Palace and join them for a study group later that night. He gratefully accepted the offer and said he be there around seven thirty. With a pleased smile she stuffed her schoolbook into her pink backpack and skipped home. It was a gorgeous sun-drenched day without any clouds. The birds were singing and everything was just perfect. They said farewell to their school mates and followed Sailor Venus home.
"So how was your day today? Did you learn anything new today?" the blonde asked curiously to the girls as they stopped at an ice cream parlor. Sailor Venus ordered a rocky road for herself which she enthusiastically devoured.
"Well, we learned about the human body today in science. Like how many bones are in the body and about what makes up a cell structure. We also read another chapter in Black Beauty. So it was an interesting day today, Mom," Melanie replied to her mother as she licked her vanilla cone.
"That sounds like a great lesson learned. What did you play in gym class today?"
"Well, Sailor Venus, we played capture the flag today. I'm the one that found the boys puce flag and they failed to find the girls cherry flag." Almira recounted smugly as she drank her raspberry smoothie.
"Yes, we had a lot of fun today. We're having a study group later tonight. We have this big math test coming this Friday. So a bunch of classmates are coming over after dinner to study. So I hope that okay, Sailor Venus," Linda informed her as she threw away her trash.
"I don't mind at all, Linda. I'm delighted you're taking your studies seriously. I hope you take your training just as seriously as well. Remember after homework you are to train an hour in the simulator. Sailor Mercury just finished working the knick out of it. So I hope you are ready for a very full afternoon and evening. I'll tell your mother to make up a lot of chocolate milk and cookies for you guys okay?"
"That sounds most delicious, Sailor Venus. I can't wait for them! Yum!" Hiroka exclaimed gleefully as she licked her lips. She loved food a lot. She was the best when it came to Home Ec. She had made today snack of blueberry muffins and fruit punch herself. It had been a tasty treat indeed.
While things were going good for the young girls of Crystal Tokyo things weren't going so well on Dark Storm. Delilah and her mother were in a foul frame of mind.
At the moment Queen Devi was holding the Black Heart in her hand. She seemed to be examining it. Delilah, on the other hand was practicing her hand-to-hand combat on a practice dummy. She had given it a pink wig and was beating the daylights out of it.
"Hmm… this isn't very good. Not very good at all," muttered Queen Devi as she ran her long dainty fingers over the smooth surface of the black orb. Delilah wiped the sweat from her brow and cartwheel over to her mom.
"What the matter, Mom? If you need to vent my dummy is the perfect way to let go of your anger."
"I possibly will have to vent in a little while. From our three targets we have only manage to accumulate a handful of love energy. I thought young ladies would be more plentiful. After all girls are more in tune with their emotions. The past three targets did give us a lot of energy. But we couldn't harvest the whole thing because of that spoiled brat Sailor Chibi Moon and her rascal friends."
"Yes, its inconceivable how that brat has manage to thwart us at every attempt! I like nothing more then to choke her to death. We have got to figure out how to beat her and soon. Still why a bunch of little girls are able to defeat us is equally inconceivable! They've not even reached puberty yet! There must be something we can do!"
"We have to find someone who is rich in love energy. We need tons of energy from these pathetic saps. If we don't get a ton of it we will never be able to get enough to awaken Enzi!"
"So what are we going to do? We still don't have a clue who's the Light of Love is! The source of all love in the world! The human incarnation of love itself! If we are to take them down we'll need a lot of energy!"
"I wish I knew how those brats keep finding us! Maybe if we lead a decoy target then we have a chance. We can still use a new monster. Yes that just might work!"
"You really believe we can do that, Mom? I'm powerful, but I can't be in two places at once!"
"I think you've underestimated my powers, dear daughter. Yes, it's true that you can't be in two places at once. No-one can be in two places at once. Still we just need a decoy to keep those pesky brats busy while we harvest the love energy we so desperately require. So I propose we use another monster and we send a fake you with it. We can use any poor pathetic soul to use for this trap. It really doesn't matter who we use for this trap. And maybe we can kill two birds with one stone. If they are busy with the decoy we can get a new citizen for our world. And as an added bonus we might be able to drain two souls of love energy."
"Mom, you have one genius mind, a bit twisted I will admit, but it's all the same a genius. So how are you going to make two of me?"
"I've many powers. All we need is to create an illusion of you. A shadow if you will. That and a monster will be more then enough to keep those brats occupied. Let's go tell Father of the plan."
Delilah being a bit of a showoff did a fancy routine of gymnastic acrobatics and smugly smiled as she did a flip into the sanctuary chamber. Her mother frowned at her. "Delilah?"
"Yes, Mom?" she asked as she smoothed out her teal hair.
"Did I or did I not teach you how to be humble?" she swiftly reprimanded her bewilder daughter. Delilah looked shocked by her mother statement but bowed her head obediently. Her mother flipped an ebony pigtail over her shoulder and continued on with a stern look on her attractive features. "It's imperative that we don't get too arrogant. We've already been far too prideful as it is. And look what it's gotten us! Beaten by mere children! Oh how we've been laughed at by the gods of irony!"
"You've got a good point, Daughter. We've been far too complacent. We must make a strike and acquire what we are after! So tell me do you have a plan in mind?" inquired Enzi to his family impatiently. It was becoming obvious that he was losing his patience. He had wait two millenniums already! How much longer was he going to have to wait to be liberated for a second time?
"Please, Father. I know these last few weeks have been most unsatisfying. But believe me I've a plan. This one should work in our favor. We are going to send those pesky Senshi on a wild goose chase. We send a shadow and a monster to attack the poor and helpless inhabitants of this eyesore of a city. While the Senshi are occupied with that, Delilah can successfully drain someone of their love energy and get us a new member of our family."
"I must admit this plan sounds extraordinarily feasible. Although, my darling, how do you plan to make a double to attack the people?"
"I shall bring Delilah's shadow to life. It will be as authentic as she is. This copy will cause an adequate amount of pandemonium along with mayhem to keep that brainless brood busy while we get the real target. All it will take is a bit of black magic and the power of you, my Father and my God."
"You know, Devi, that I'm exceedingly frail. I cannot achieve the once great phenomenon's that I use too do whilst I was free. I've extremely limited degree of power. It takes more or less all I've got to maintain this citadel concealment from those who threaten us. I don't know if I can spare any power to even attempt this endeavor," Enzi answer weakly with a cough.
"Are you alright, Grandfather? You don't sound too well."
"I'm fine, Delilah. Weak but fine, as you can see for yourself, I speak the truth that my power is limited."
"There must be something we can do. We have waited for two millenniums! This time we must drain the target of all love energy! Please, Grandfather! We only need a teardrop of power to do the duplication spell. Please can you shed one tear for us?"
"Yes, Father, a solitary bead of moisture ought to be sufficient enough to execute this magic charm," Queen Devi held a black chalice of blood, fire, and a lock of her daughter's hair. All that was needed was the teardrop. Enzi manage to shed the needed tear. The crystal chalice began to smoke and bubble. After mixing it with the twilight unique aura the potion was ready.
"I can't guarantee the flavor I'm afraid. I'll have some wine ready to wash it down with. Now drink quickly as the moon rise into the sky. Hurry, daughter!" ordered the sinister sovereign to her offspring who gulped it down in one swallow. She almost immediately began to gag and grabbed the emerald bottle and chugged down the whole bottle.
"YUCK! That was the nastiest tasting thing I've ever put into my mouth! Yuck! What was the point of drinking that? Are you trying to poison me?" as she coughed and gagged.
"It will be a moment before the spell works. Here drink some wine it will help I promise," Queen Devi said as she offered another glass of wine. Her daughter quickly inhaled the wine and coughed one final time. She then began to shutter and shake. A ripping sound was heard and she collapses to the marble floor as her shadow broke free from its bonds.
Delilah moaned for a few moments then her mother helped her up. "You okay?"
She wiped her magenta lips clean and nodded. She tossed back her teal mane and gazed at her shadow. It was little by little becoming a duplicate of her. A few moments later it became an exact copy of her right down to the last lock of teal hair. Delilah circled her shadow and smiled gleefully. "I'm such a babe! A real hottie! I never realized how beautiful I am."
"Yes, you are beautiful, daughter. But let's not get distracted by looks at the moment. We may have granted life to your shadow. Now you have to transfer your skills into it."
"But can't it think for itself? It's a part of me, is it not? So shouldn't it already have the skills to take down Bubble Gum Brain?"
"It's your shadow, darling. It's only a copy of you. It doesn't possess any self-awareness. To make it truly alive we must endow a tiny fragment of your soul into it. Just a teardrop and that will make it as alive as it can be. This won't hurt a bit," Queen Devi said softly as she held up the Malice Blade.
It began to glow and Delilah was raised high in the air. A dark hand oozed its way out of the Black Heart and reached down Delilah's throat and emerged with a glowing teardrop size light. The shadow with its still blank expression was then lifted up high in the air and the hand went down its throat and came back up. The expression on its face then turned into a sinister smirk, her golden eyes burning with malicious passion. Delilah arose from the dusty stone floor and dusted off her sailor uniform. "Well did it work?"
As if to answer the question the shadow chuckled callously and chucked a stiletto at Delilah's head. She barely missed being injured by the deadly blade. "Hey watch it sister! I hate to see my pretty face scared by you or anyone for that matter!"
"So sorry, sister, I was just having a little fun. Now let's get that Bubble Gum Brain!" the shadow laughed insanely as she began to juggle knifes. She seemed most eager to begin her hunt. There was a bloodlust look in her amber eyes. Delilah thought her shadow seemed to have a tad more savage side then herself.
"Okay, daughter and darling shadow here's what we are gonna do. Shadow you are to go and cause as much mayhem as you can. I'll give you a few arrows and a replica of Delilah's trident. Keep those fucking Senshi occupied as long as possible. Delilah? Let's find out who your target shall be." Queen Devi turned towards the Malice Flame and began to chant. The flame began to flare up and all four eyes started intensely at the jade firestorm. At last a silhouette came into focus. It was a boy, handsome young lad about nine years old. There was a mummer from the flame as it whispered the boy's name to the group. Devi smiled and a set of arrows flung out of the fire. Both girls grabbed their own set of lead arrows and smirked.
"Delilah! I want you to track this boy down. According to the flame his name is Colin. I want you to find him and bring him back here! Shadow? You know what to do! Keep those brats busy. Here take this ember. It contains a powerful monster. I'm going to go prepare a guest room. Make sure there is someone to occupy it."
"It shall be done, Mother. Come on, Shadow! The hunt's afoot!" The sisters each smirked evilly and dashed outside. Both did a back flip onto a storm cloud and went their separate ways.
Right now the girls were busy studying for their math test. Colin was trying hard but he just couldn't get the hang of it. Even with Chibiusa's help he was still having a hard time remembering his times tables. Chibiusa took a sip of chocolate milk and began to quiz him again.
"Okay this is easy, Colin. Just try to do it. You've got the basic for the first four numbers. So tell me what is five times five?"
He bit the end of his pencil and thought for a moment. He at last answered "Is it twenty five?"
"Yes! Good job! You're really starting to get this!"
He chuckled and smiled a dashing smile at the young princess. "I guess after two hours of studying I'm finally getting this. Still I'm having trouble remembering it all."
"Well don't feel too down, Colin. Mathematics is the same in any language. It's easy once you comprehend the basics. I'm trying to divide twenty times four right now." Anita spoke up as her fingers quickly compute the answer on the calculator.
"Well, Anita you don't need to worry about grades. You got a pair of genius for parents. I mean your mother is the Soldier of Wisdom for crying out loud! And your dad has got psychic powers so he always knows if he's right. So you're so lucky! Unlike the rest of us!" complained Rachel bitterly as she drank greedily down some milk.
"Let's not start fighting, girls. After all we did plenty of that during training today. My butt still got bruises from it! So let's just take pleasure in my mom's snack and keep studying. After all, the test is the day after tomorrow!" Linda suggested to her friends. Everyone let out a sigh and nodded.
After a few moments though Almira muttered under her breath. "Actually I prefer training to studying. Studying is so dull and boring. At least with training we've got our hearts pumping and get a thrill out of it. Still we need to pass school. So yeah."
Just then the golden doors opened wide and Neo Queen Serenity came gliding in. Everyone looked up at the goddess like woman. She had to be the most beautiful woman alive and with the purest of hearts. Her smile lit up the room and she bowed.
"I'm so elated you've been studying very hard. Makes me wish I tried a bit harder when I was in school," she chuckled. Everyone joined her knowing what she meant. She may've been the Earth's savior; however she had been a poor student. Still no-one was perfect. After a few minutes of giggles she grew composed once more. With an affectionate smile she continued on. "It's almost nine-o-clock. Time for little princesses and young students to head off to bed for a good nights sleep. Colin? I'll have Sailor Uranus escort you home. Okay, girls I need you to take a shower and get ready for bed."
"All right, Mom. We'll get ready. Colin? Remember to study hard for the test. We'll have another study group tomorrow, okay? Just review chapters four and five before you go to sleep, okay?"
"I will, Small Lady. Thanks for all the help. I'll see you guys at school tomorrow. Bye!" Colin said as he followed Neo Queen Serenity out of Chibiusa's bedroom. Chibiusa smiled happily as he left. He was such a good friend and a nice young man.
The girls had just laid their heads on their soft pillows when a cry was heard. Looking out the crystal that made up the palace they saw a dark blood red light. They quickly got out of bed and ran to the nearest window. What they saw made them speechless. It was like a bomb had gone off. A massive crater was outside and the ground had been scorched. It looked like a war zone!
The sound of running and voices were heard outside their rooms. The girls ran outside their rooms when Luna and Artemus came running down the corridor. "Stay in your rooms, girls! Its way too treacherous outside! Stay in your room, please!" cried Luna as she blazed pass the girls' bedrooms.
"Luna! What's going on outside?" asked Chibiusa as the black cat ran by. The white cat was the one who answer her question. "It's an attack! Sailor Dark Heart and a monster are waging war outside the Crystal Palace! It's too perilous for you guys. Let the Sailor Senshi handle it!"
"But, Artemus! We are Sailor Senshi! We cannot back down from a fight! It's our sworn duty to uphold peace and justice for this world!" argued the pink hair little girl as the cats skidded out of sight. She made up her mind and grabbed her brooch and called out "MOON CRIRIS POWER MAKE-UP!"
She then made a mad dash outside. The other girls became hesitant. She skidded to a halt and turned to face her team. "Well are you just going to sit here? Or you gonna help defend our home?" she demanded to them.
"Small Lady, we've been order to stay out of the way. Its way to dangerous for small children like us to get in the way. Let our mothers handle it. They've far more experience then us," Tracy replied hesitantly to the young princess. Her dark red eyes gazed away from her leader but Chibi Moon wasn't ready to call it quits.
"We are Sailor Senshi are we not? Have we not fought against this mad teenager? Have we not been training for this for weeks now? What are we gonna do if Sailor Dark Heart attacks our mothers with those weird arrows? What are we gonna do if she corrupts more of our people? I'm not just gonna stand by and do nothing! I'm going and you can come or not!" and without so much as another word Chibi Moon speed away from the bedroom chambers.
"She's a fool. She gonna get herself killed!" squawked Ares as he and War flutter onto Rachel's shoulder. War nodded his black head in agreement. He squawked once and said. "She's incredibly bold and extraordinarily passionate but this could mean her end."
"Then what are we waiting for, Sailors? Like Small Lady said it's our responsibility to save from harm Crystal Tokyo! Come on! Get your asses together and let's go!" cried Almira as she raised her transformation stick high and shouted "Uranus Crystal Power Make Up!"
Almost immediately all the Chibi Senshi were outside and what they saw was horrifying! Sailor Dark Heart was on her storm cloud and cackling. She held her trident high over her head and spun it madly. It was causing a dark storm to rain down hellfire. The adult Sailor Senshi were battling a hideous monster. The Chibi Senshi dashed quickly outside and attacked the monster with their own powers. The Sailor Senshi gasped and turned to face their daughters. "What are you children doing here?! You should be safe in the Crystal Palace! Why are you here?" demeaned Sailor Mars as she used Flame Sniper against the beast. It swatted the flaming arrow away and breathed flames back at her. She just barely managed to evade the attack. Her daughter ran to her side and helped her up.
"Are you okay, Mom?"
"I'll be fine, Rachel. Now what are you doing out here? Why aren't you inside where it is safe?"
"We are Sailor Senshi! You've been training us to protect Crystal Tokyo! So that is what we are doing! Beside we've fought against Sailor Dark Heart before! We can help you!"
"We can't argue at the moment, Sailor Mars! We must fight her and we could use all the help we can get. Chibi Senshi? Do what you can but if it gets too dangerous you head back to the Palace, okay?" Sailor Jupiter said as she and her daughter used Oak Evolution to attack the monster.
"You cannot stop me! No one can stop me! Soon oh soon you'll be defeated and then there will be nothing stopping us from fulfilling our mission! Dark Wave Assault!" Sailor Dark Heart cried out as she unleashed a massive attack on the Sailor Senshi.
While the Sailor Senshi waged war with their opponent the real Delilah was at the moment tracking down Colin. She had been following the tomboy of a Senshi as she escorted him home. At last she found him alone. She chuckled to herself. The stupid Senshi had taken the bait. They were so busy trying to defend the Palace that they hadn't realized that they were in no real danger. This boy would become the first new Unloved One. About time! She crept slowly to the boy's window. He was fast asleep. Perfect. She ready her arrow and got ready to drain the boy of his energy. The arrow flew straight threw the window and he cried out in pain!
Sailor Chibi Moon was busy trying to battle Sailor Dark Heart on the ground when the jewels in her hair began to pulsate. She gasped as she heard a familiar voice echo from the brilliant crimson and silver jewels. "Help me! Someone help me!"
"Colin?!" she exclaimed. At that moment Sailor Dark Heart attacked with Dark Heart Attack. Chibi Moon managed to flip over her and was shocked by what she saw. The light of the golden moon shown brightly in the dark night but while she could see her own shadow she notice that Sailor Dark Heart had no shadow of her own! So she couldn't possible be real! Smiling she reached up to her tiara and called out "Moon Tiara Action!" The glowing disk struck her right in the heart. She let lose a scream as she began to wither away as did the monster.
Chibi Moon yelled to everyone on the ground. "It's a trick. They weren't real! We must find the real Sailor Dark Heart and save Colin!" Her jewels began to vibrate again and she heard a soft whisper say "Help me, please."
Before Chibi Moon had a chance to go after Sailor Dark Heart she heard a faint familiar cackle. She gazed her ruby eyes out in the dark skies and could just make out the outline of Sailor Dark Heart leaving with Colin on her storm cloud.
"Colin!" she cried out. The other Sailor Senshi looked up helplessly as Sailor Dark Heart continued farther up into the heavens. "NO! I won't lose this battle! Come on! Storm Cloud, move it!" she order it. It didn't move. She shed a tear drop and fell onto the dark blackish red storm cloud. It suddenly changed to vivid pink and took off. Chibi Moon reached for her tiara a second time and flung it at Sailor Dark Heart. It grazed her face and a thin line of blood oozed out beneath her right eye and a strand of teal hair fell beside her.
She reached up with her gloved hand and stared at the blood. She then took on a murderesses stare at the pink hair youth. "YOU CUT MY BEAUTIFUL FACE YOU BITCH! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT! DARK HEART ATTACK!"
"You're the one going to pay, Sailor Dark Heart! Let my friend go!"
"Don't you get it by now, Bubble Gum Brain? Or are you really as retarded as you look? Do I have to spell it out for you? My mission is to locate and collect those full of love energy. Then I drain them dry and take the home. Soon very soon we shall have enough to have an army of Unloved Ones! This boy is going to be my new servant, so this time you're going to lose. Just accept that you can't win them all!"
"That's what you think! I'm tired of you running away. This time you and I are going to fight! So prepare to be punished in the name of the moon!" As she then leapt from her cloud and kicked Sailor Dark Heart hard in the chest. The malevolent assailant was knocked off balance as the wind was knocked out of her. She clung tightly on the dark storm cloud. She tried to get back up but she was slipping. Chibi Moon whipped out the Moon Love Strobe and jumped off the cloud with Colin in hand. As they fell rapidly to the ground below she shouted "Moon Love Light Purify!"
"LOVE LIGHT!"
By this time Delilah manage to clamber back onto her cloud. She pulled out another arrow and prepared to launch the projectile in the back of her nemesis. She'd rather gather her love energy then let her depart this life. However just as she was about to let loose the arrow she was attack simultaneously by both sets of Senshi. She watched in angry as a lavender suited man leapt up and caught both children and rest the safely on the ground.
"Dammit! You'll pay for this, Chibi Moon. I swear if it's the last thing I do I shall make you pay! Luckily I've drained him almost dry so now we have a boost of power. See you later! We will meet again!"
She launched one more arrow to the crater below and had it ripple malice flames everywhere. One and all screamed vociferously as the flames consumed them. Sailor Mercury and Neptune along with their daughters put out the flame but not before a small amount of love energy had ebbed out of all the flame had touched. With a wicked grin the derange princess made her way home.
Chibiusa detransformed and held the pale boy in her arms. He looked like he was dead. He was not breathing and looked just like she had when Mistress Nine had taken her pure heart crystal. She began to shed tears of anguish as she held the boy close to her heart. "Colin! Oh Colin! I'm so sorry! I wasn't fast enough to save you. Now you're dead! What am I going to do? What am I going to tell your parents?"
"You can tell them you rescue me," moaned a small voice. Everyone looked at the boy and gasped. Colin slowly opened his eyes and smiled. His color was little by little starting to come back as he slowly got up and looked at Chibiusa. She now was weeping tears of joy and hugged him tightly.
"Oh, Colin! I thought you were dead!"
"I almost was, Small Lady. That witch tried to make me one of her people. I felt like I was dying as my energy was ripped from my body. It was like I never feel love ever again. I felt like I was becoming heartless."
"Well we are just glad you are safe and sound, Colin. At least now we have some idea what Sailor Dark Heart is up too. But for now let's get back to bed. We still have to take that math test Friday." Chibiusa advised. After all that fighting everyone was exhausted.
Back on the Dark Storm Delilah had to inform her mother of the bad news.
"I'm sorry, Mother. But the plan almost succeeded. I don't know how this time Chibi Moon was able to find us. She and the rest of the Sailor Senshi were busy with my shadow. I really don't know how she found me and Colin. But the good news is I manage to drain him and many other people of their love energy. Not the whole thing, I'm afraid, but it's an adequate amount of to grant us a powerful boost."
"Well at least that is good to know. The plan did almost work. At least we know what the older Senshi are capable of. And we now know much more about our opponents. And they still know little about us. Yes I think this was a promising start. Like you said we still manage to gather a massive amount of love energy. That will please Father. C'mon let us enjoy some chocolate cake and go to bed. We'll think of something else in the morning."
The day of the math test arrived and to the surprise of everyone including Colin he managed to get a C+! So to celebrate everyone went to the ice cream parlor and had a huge sundae. Very soon they would be training ever harder and trying to figure out what Sailor Dark Heart plans were, but for the moment they just were happy being little kids.
