Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon" is property of Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, and Kodansha USA. I do not own any characters, save for the OC characters. Hopefully you'll find this story enjoyable, and have a good day.
Images of A Machine Empire!
Friday soon rolled around, everybody within the Inner Senshi have been cautious after Usagi gave them the news that Alpha and his other numerous machine monsters had the ability to discover them in their civilian identities. Rei, who sustained some serious injuries from the first encounter, had finally made a full blown recovery, much to the other's relief.
Around the corner is a local restaurant, and from the looks of things, packed to the brim with people. Sitting in one of the table's is Usagi, still dressed in her school uniform, and helping herself to what seems to be shrimp. Across from her is a handsome young man with short black hair and blue eyes. He is currently wearing a green shirt, and a pair of long white pants and brown shoes.
"Sheesh, Usagi, I think you should ease up on the shrimp, you won't have enough room in your stomach for the main course." Said the young man.
"Mamo chan, you underestimate me." Said Usagi, chomping on another thing of shrimp.
"Heh, well in the very least save me some." Said Mamo chan, formal name being Mamoru.
"Help yourself." Said Usagi with a smile.
Mamoru grabs a shrimp and proceeds to eat it. "Heh, no wonder why you're wolfing this down so quickly, this is some good shrimp."
"It is." Said Usagi.
"So, how are you, how did your first week at the new school treat you?" Asked Mamoru.
"I think I'm getting the hang of it. The teachers are a little rough around the edges, but they're all overall nice." Said Usagi.
A waitress proceeds to come up, and hands them both plates of what looks to be tilapia adorned in some sort of sauce, covered with mushrooms, onions, and some other sort of green vegetable.
"I hope the two of you enjoy." Said the waitress.
"Thank you." Said Mamoru. Mamoru then proceeds to pick up and his fork and knife, and proceeds to cut off a small part of the fish. He takes a bite and moves his eyes around a little bit before nodding his head and cutting off another piece.
"How does it taste?" Asked Usagi.
"Not bad." Said Mamoru.
Usagi then proceeds to cut off a piece of her fish, and takes a bite.
"So, how are the other's doing?" Asked Mamoru.
"Oh, well, Rei is back on her feet." Said Usagi.
"Oh, that's great." Said Mamoru. "It'll be a lot easier to take care of that little junk problem with her around. She's bound to want some payback."
"Yeah, but Mamoru, I'm having doubts about this junk problem." Said Usagi.
"What is there to have doubts about?" Asked Mamoru.
"This junk pile is part of an even larger one, if we dispose of this one, the larger pile is going to be left over, and..." Said Usagi.
"And?" Asked Mamoru.
"I don't know if we'll be able to handle that problem when it comes down to it. There has to be thousands, millions, maybe billions of those things." Said Usagi. "Most of which are designed to counteract people like us."
Mamoru puts his hand on Usagi's shoulder.
"Never doubt yourself, Usako." Said Mamoru. "We've dealt with more threatening menaces before, this one will be no different. Just believe in yourself, and you will all be able to conquer all obstacles."
"You're right." Said Usagi. "Thanks Mamo chan."
Mamoru leans in and kisses Usagi, Usagi returning the kiss.
The two proceed to smile at each other, and continue to eat their dinner.
Meanwhile, back at the Shinto Shrine, Rei, now fully healed is seen leaning and praying to a large fire. Rei takes a stick, with two strands of paper attached to them and proceeds to wave them around.
"Spirit of the flames, heed my call." Said Rei. "Gift me with visions of the future. A new enemy is upon us. If we are to combat them, we must know what exactly we're dealing with."
She then proceeds to throw some strange powder into the flames, and they proceed to grow more intense for a moment. Rei then proceeds to take a meditative stance, and brings her hands together.
In her mind is bleak and utter blackness. A light then proceeds to shine, and images of what appears to be a different planet appear. The planet is very much like Earth, save for some architectural and botanical differences. People are seen walking the streets, some talking to one another. Others are heard laughing. The sky then proceeds to turn pitch black, and everyone proceeds to look up.
In the sky, we see a large, floating fortress accompanied by several ships. The fortress proceeds to open some sort of hatch, and green energy is seen being gathered inside. Soon the entire hatch is green, and then proceeds to fire down a large beam towards the city. Needless to say, that particular part of the city is then completely vaporized, along with any people within the proximity. The sounds of their screaming is heard for but a brief second before being eternally silenced.
Another image pops before her, this time the people are seen wearing what looks to be military uniforms. They then proceed to fire their weapons, resembling rifles that are firing lasers towards the oncoming machine soldiers. The machine soldiers proceed to fire back, killing the resistance with little to no trouble.
"This...this is horrible." Thought Rei to herself.
Another image flashes up, the machine soldiers are now seen imprisoning innocents, men, women, and children in liquid metal casings. The people are then placed on to an assembly line, which proceed to head towards large generator like contraptions. Inside can be heard the sounds of screaming, mechanical whirring, and welding. On the other side of the generator pop out more machine soldiers.
"They're...they're turning those poor people into machines! Those monsters!" Thought Rei angrilly.
Yet another image pops up, this time the events are taking place on a different planet. Machine soldiers are now seen being blown to pieces by a lone Senshi with long red hair, and and a slightly different uniform from the Senshi on Earth. The only main difference is that this Senshi, along with wearing a tiara, is also wearing a necklace with a large red jewel attached to it.
The Senshi is seen panting and sweating like crazy. She stops breathing, and then proceeds to jump over a blast of black energy. She turns around, and see's Alpha, along with two other unique looking machine soldiers, covered in silouette.
"You realize you cannot win, Sailor Malvos." Said Alpha. "We are superior not only in number, but in power as well."
"As long as there is a breath in my body, I won't stop fighting." Said the Senshi in defiance.
All three of the machine soldiers eyes proceed to glow red. "So be it." Said Alpha. Alpha then proceeds to aim his blaster, which begins to charge up black energy. "SHADOW BLITZ!"
Alpha proceeds to fire his attack off, Sailor Malvos jumping over it again. A red laser pointer is seen aiming towards her, and the third machine soldier fires a rocket towards her. The rocket hits her and explodes, sending the brave Senshi flying in the other direction.
The Senshi, Sailor Malvos crashes into the ground, and does so hard. She screams as her body scrapes on the ground. She slowly tries to get back up.
"SHADOW VOLT!" Screamed the second machine soldier, his voice way deeper than Alpha's. He raises his right hand up, and it turns into a cannon. He aims and fires a bolt of electricity towards her. Sailor Malvos screams as the bolt of electricity engulfs her.
The three machine soldiers proceed to walk towards her, Sailor Malvo, despite the immense pain, still tries to get up. Alpha proceeds to kick her in the side, the first silouetted machine soldier kicking her in the face. The lone Senshi is now on her back, and all three machine soldiers point their weapons towards her.
"Target designated as Sailor Malvos..." Said Alpha. All three machines then proceed to fire their weapons at the same time. Sailor Malvos screams out for a brief moment before being silenced forever. "Terminated."
"No..." Thought Rei to herself again.
Another image takes it's place. This time we see a 3rd machine soldier in silouette. All that we see is that he has three menacing red eyes, that resemble that of Master Iro.
"Do not fear, for we shall remove fear. You will become like us, you will be more than us. We are the Machine Empire." Said the machine. "This broadcast is for your kind, Machine Empire units are now operating on all landmasses on this planet. But you need not fear, for we shall remove fear from you. The Machine Empire will remove sex, and class, and color, and creed. You will become identical. You will become like us."
One final image appears before the miko. This image is that of a young man's face with glowing red eyes shrouded in wires appears before her. Accompanying this image is the sound of many beeps, whirs, and clicks. "Lo lo lo look at you Senshi." Said the face. " A pa pa pa..pathetic creature of meat and bone, panting and sweating as you fight off my forces...How how how could you ever hope to defeat a perfect, immortal, machiiiiiiiiiiii..." Before the young man can finish his sentence, he is cut off by a chaotic mix between beeping and static.
Rei then proceeds to open her eyes, her eyes filled with shock.
"Is that what we're really up against?" Thought Rei. "If that's so, I have to tell the others as soon as possible."
Rei then rises up from the ground and runs out the chamber as the flame dies down.
Meanwhile, in some other part of the city, we see Alpha and Chieko walking down an alley. Alpha's communicator proceeds to go off, and Alpha proceeds to answer. An image of Iro's tube flashes before them.
"Alpha, I see now that you have been repaired." Said Iro.
"I have, Master Iro. It is all thanks to this bioform that I am once again near full operating proficiency." Said Alpha. "It is a shame that Neo Zartanian is not an element on this planet, I had to resort to using the weaker steel armor."
"Nevertheless, weaker armor is better than no armor at all." Said Iro.
"Of course Master Iro. Now with this bioform and several other bioforms with knowledge in mechanical engineering and applied physics which will soon be in my grasp, the building of a T.T.D. shall be commenced soon enough."
"Excellent. With the links created with our T.T.D.'s and the T.T.D. over on Earth, our forces shall be able to gather upon the planet Earth at a much more rapid rate. I wish you luck in your mission Alpha. You'll need it." Said Iro.
"Thank you, Master Iro. Alpha out." Said Alpha. He cuts the communication. Suddenly, several series of beeps are then heard.
Alpha proceeds to look around, until he get's the sudden urge to move. He grabs Chieko and jumps out of the way. A blast of orange energy proceeds to land where Alpha and Chieko were, and is then engulfed in an explosion.
"So, I take it that the bug I've sent out failed to dispatch you. Typical." Said Alpha.
From the sky drop down three completely new Senshi. The first Senshi we see is Haruka, dressed in a white uniform with a dark blue colored fuku. On her chest is a yellow ribbon attached to a dark heart like attachment. She has a pink necklace with a yellow star attached to it.
The second Senshi is Michiru, also in a sailor uniform with a teal heart with a dark blue ribbon attached to it. She too is wearing a necklace with a star attached to it.
The final Senshi is Setsuna, wearing a sailor uniform, just like the rest. Her fuku is also dark in color, and she is wearing a dark red ribbon attached to a red orb like attachment. She too is wearing a necklace, this one lacking a star however.
Alpha is seen scanning them over. "Ah, so three more Senshi have appeared. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto respectively, I see."
"You were right, Pluto. It really is a machine." Said Haruka, known as Sailor Uranus in this form.
"Tell us who you are, and why you're here." Said Setsuna, or Sailor Pluto.
"I am Machine Empire Reziloid General Model Alpha." Said Alpha. "I have come from the far reaches of the universe, and am now currently carrying out my mission."
"Your mission? What on Earth could that be." Said Michiru, taking the title of Sailor Neptune.
"There is no need to explain, we've overheard more than enough. I'm warning you, scrap heap, you had better get off this planet, because your little invasion plan isn't going to work." Said Sailor Uranus.
"What makes you feel so certain?" Asked Alpha. "I've already acquired one of the few biological components needed to carry out the task. I'll soon acquire the other biological factors needed to help build what needs to be built."
"We'll stop you before that happens." Said Sailor Pluto. "We the Outer Senshi will see to it that you are destroyed before you can carry out your plan."
"Outer Senshi?" Asked Alpha. "I see, so the Senshi in this planet are on two different factions. If my data is correct, than I have been battling the Inner Senshi."
"That is correct." Said Sailor Neptune.
"Well, they've hadn't had any luck destroying me, although I will admit they did come close." Said Alpha. "What makes you think you'll have better luck?"
A staff then proceeds to appear before Sailor Pluto, which she then proceeds to grab. She lifts the staff up, and then proceeds to spin around, the staff gathering up magical energy.
Alpha's scanners then proceed to go off like crazy. "What?"
"DEAD SCREAM!" Yelled Sailor Pluto. She then proceeds to fire it towards Alpha, who then immediately jumps out of the way of the attack. The Dead Scream then proceeds to collide with a building wall, and explodes.
BEEP!
"How is that possible, that attack she just threw was a lot stronger than any of the other Senshi's attacks!" Said Alpha.
"The purpose of the Outer Senshi is to see to it that outer threats do not make it inside the solar system. Somehow you managed to circumvent us sensing you, but given the reports we've heard, we figured out that something had to have gotten passed us." Said Sailor Neptune.
"It seems the three of you aren't very efficient at your job." Said Alpha. "If what the other Senshi have told is correct, then Shadow Galactica also managed to usurp your defenses."
"That was then, this is now." Said Sailor Uranus. "And right now, we're going to reduce you to a mere junk heap!"
"Highly doubtful." Said Alpha. "You may be more powerful than your Inner Senshi counterparts, but given what design I am, you should prove to be no trouble."
"Oh, and how's that?" Asked Sailor Uranus. "We couldn't help but overhear that you had weaker armor than what you're used too, what could you possibly have up your sleeve."
"I didn't just recieve a repair job when Miss Namira repaired me. She also made some improvements." Said Alpha. "Allow me to demonstrate."
Suddenly, Alpha's chest then proceeds to open up, and a small gray orb is seen glowing inside. The orb then proceeds to turn black in color, and fires a beam rapidly towards the Senshi.
"What the!?" Asked Sailor Uranus.
"AHHHHH!" Screamed the Outer Senshi. All of them proceed to get on their knees, and begin panting.
"What, how could he have weakened us this much already?" Asked Sailor Pluto.
"I'm not sure." Said Sailor Neptune.
"Curious?" Asked Alpha, closing the chest plate. "While I was being repaired, I did some research on some of the folklore this miserable planet had to offer. One thing I've seen is that apparently those who use magic are vulnerable to the element, iron. I figured that if I were to replace my Neo Zartanian core with one of iron, it would be charged with the same energy the Neo Zartanian core would. The combined energy of my power and the iron core would in turn be used as a weakness towards your class of warrior. This was based on assumption mind you, but it seems to be working. Now then..."
Alpha then proceeds to open his chest again, and fires another beam. The Outer Senshi barely manage to dodge, and slowly get back on their feet.
"Arrogant fool, you think you have us figured out?" Asked Sailor Uranus. "Don't underestimate us!"
"You may have some form of advantage over us, but in the end, this fight will end in our favor." Said Sailor Neptune.
"Fight us and you will lose, we will fight to our last breath if we have to!" Said Sailor Pluto.
"I guess I could take the time to test out my new upgrades. Beware Senshi, for death is now certain. I, Alpha will terminate you!" Said Alpha.
The Outer Senshi take a defensive stance, and Alpha proceeds to aim his blaster towards them.
"Let's go!" Said all three of the Outer Senshi.
Comments: The Outer Senshi have finally taken action! But will they be able to accomplish what the Inner Senshi could not? Could they potentially destroy Alpha before he carries out his plan to bring the rest of the Machine Empire to earth? Looks like we'll have to find out next chapter. For those who may be confused about Alpha's advantage, iron in folklore is said to be extremely effective against magic using creatures and warriors, so he's essentially using an iron core to charge his attacks. Think Metallo from Superman using his Kryptonite Core. Thank you guys so much for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave your comments and reviews, as I love to hear feedback from you guys. As always, I will see you next chapter.
