SailorStar9: Sighs Yes folks, I agree that was one short chapter. Hopefully two chapters on one day makes up for it. Read and review.
Disclaimers: I own nothing. Well, except the pairing I think.
Chapter 9: Battle for Crystal Tokyo
"Fire Soul!"
Esmeraude used her fan to stop Sailor Mars' attack, then sent an attack barreling at her. Sailor Mars narrowly dodged and tried a kick at her head. Esmeraude dodged but didn't see Sailor Jupiter charging at her from behind until it was too late.
"Lightning Tackle!" Sailor Jupiter grinned as Esmeraude was sent flying over Sailor Mars' head. "Gotcha."
"Moon Tiara Action!"
"Crescent Beam!"
Esmeraude screamed as she was hit. She slowly stood up and glared at the Senshi, "Okay, so you want to play rough. Let's see how you handle this." She aimed her hand to one side and a portal opened. a dozen Drones appeared.
"Oops." Sailor Mars muttered.
"So it's all up to skill now." Sailor Venus noted.
"Let's do it." Sailor Mars said.
"Brawl!" Sailor Jupiter shouted and dashed into the crowd of Drones. She managed to kick a few of them but was soon flung back to where the others were by an energy blast. "Oww.. They're no pushovers."
Esmeraude chuckled, "Of course they aren't. These are some of our best Drones."
"A pity we'll trash them." Venus snapped.
"Just try." Esmeraude teased with a grin.
"Where am I?" Sailor Mercury muttered looking around as she woke up. She was in a large room, the walls, floor and ceiling were made of some sort of black crystal.
"This is my Crystal Tokyo base." Demando said from behind her.
"You! What have you done to Chibi-Usa?" Sailor Mercury asked furiously.
"I haven't done anything to her." Demando noted. "You need not worry about her, I have all I wanted now." He added as his eyes glowed red.
"You'll be my Queen. Your powers will belong to me." Demando said and walked closer to her. "As it was meant to be."
"What do you mean?" Sailor Mercury asked. Suddenly she felt weird. Her eyes glazed over and she stood there in a trance.
Demando chuckled, "Didn't the Princess tell you? In order for there to be a Crystal Tokyo, the earth must freeze over until the 30th century. When the people awaken, there will be no more wars between the humans. They will all unite, under one Kingdom, Crystal Tokyo. Crystal Tokyo can only happen if the earth is frozen over. And the Senshi of Mercury is destined to do that, no one else. For five years before she freezes the earth, she will exhibit strange powers, starting when she is eighteen. When she is 23, her powers will be at their maximum potential, and she will freeze the earth, bringing forth Crystal Tokyo. And I want to rule. In order for me to do that, you will be my consort."
Sailor Mercury stood still as Demando walked towards her, but then she whispered, " Syuusuke... help me..." and her eyes went back to normal.
"What?" Demando stammered. "Impossible!"
Sailor Mercury looked at him, "I only love Syuusuke, and you can't change that. Even if you try to control my mind, but I'll never love you."
"We shall see." Demando said and his eyes glowed red again.
Sailor Mercury's eyes glazed over and he moved to kiss her. As he was about to do it, however, Sailor Mercury whispered, " Syuusuke..." again, and tears formed in her eyes.
Demando moved away and frowned, "I don't get it. Why can't I make you mine?"
"It is her mind you can control, but not her heart." Mercury Kaman said standing on the window sill.
"You!" Demando shouted and sent an energy blast barreling at Mercury Kaman, who leapt out of the way.
Mercury Kaman produced his sword, "Let her go, or else."
Demando grinned, "Just try."
He opened his palm, muttered a chant quickly, and a strong wind took over the room, as a light circled Sailor Mercury, going from her to his palm. He was smiling. So much power, it was unbelievable. Not even Serenity had this much power.
Finally, he stopped, and she collapsed to the floor, her transformation gone, back to Ami. She struggled to get up, feeling dizzy now and Demando laughed, "I've done it! I win!"
Suddenly, he began to cough and shiver.
"What..." he paused to cough, "is this?"
He coughed, and sank to his knees.
I've never felt this way before!"
Ami pushed herself up, helped by Mercury Kaman and looked at the writhing Demando. "It's a lot to handle, isn't it?" she said, watching him with no pity from where she stood.
Reaching both hands out, she turned into her Princess self and a lily-shaped crystal of ice was transfered from Demando back to her.
A bright ultramarine light then exploded from the crystal, the two males forced to shield their eyes.
When the light died down, Demando stared in horror when he saw that it was not Ami who was standing; Neo-Queen Mercury had replaced her.
"Mercury Cosmo Power!" the newly-revealed Queen raised her crystal between her cupped hands. The jewel flashed another bright light and the two Mercuries teleported before Demando could do anything.
"The others are still fighting Rubeus and Esmeraude." Mercury Kaman noted, once they were on safe ground.
"They may need our help. Let's go!" Ami said and took off running towards the Crystal Palace, her henshin pen in her hand. Mercury Kaman followed suit.
"I'll destroy you!" Rubeus shouted and charged at Mars Kaman.
"Heh." Mars Kaman grinned and waited until Rubeus was close to him, then summoned his power, "Fire Shield!"
Tuxedo Kaman whipped out his cane and hit Rubeus form behind just as he slammed on the shield, making him crash on it again.
"Eeehh..." Rubeus muttered and stood up. "I'll kill you first, then!" He leapt at Tuxedo Kaman feet-first.
"You look tired." Tuxedo Kaman noted reaching for his sword. He swung his swords up and sliced Rubeus' feet while ducking, and Rubeus went crashing to the ground behind him. "You should take a nap."
Rubeus was slammed into one of the palace's walls and fell to the ground unconscious. "Now let's get that witch." Mars Kaman muttered. Tuxedo Kaman nodded.
"Burning Soul!"
"Lightning Tackle!"
"Crescent Storm!"
"Moon Princess Halation!"
The attacks blasted the few drones that were left into pieces. The Senshi all turned and saw Esmeraude chuckling.
"What's she chuckling at?" Sailor Jupiter muttered.
"Hehehe... You all are tired from all that fighting, and that's just going to make things easier for me." Esmeraude explained.
"Don't bet on it!"
Esmeraude turned around just in time to see both Mars and Tuxedo Kamans jumping towards her. Mars Kaman sliced her left arm, while Tuxedo Kaman sliced her right leg with his sword.
"Touche!" Mars Kaman joked.
"Now, let's get her!" Sailor Jupiter shouted. The Senshi all charged at Esmeraude.
"Burning Soul!"
"Crescent Storm!"
"Fire Shield!"
The two attacks hit Esmeraude, causing her to crash into the thick fiery shield. She fell to one knee and winced.
"Last chance to get out of here, Esmeraude." Sailor Mars warned.
"She's not defeated yet." Wiseman's deep hissing voice said.
"Who's that?" Sailor Mars asked looking around.
"That's none of your business." Wiseman's voice snapped. "Esmeraude, your power is not enough to defeat the Senshi. So I'll give you some of my own power."
Esmeraude's body started cracking with dark energy, and she screamed in pain. As the energy melted into her body, she started laughing evily. Her eyes were glowing red, and her bruises had been healed. Her hair had turned a darker shade of grey, and her skin was also darker. "YES! Now I'll get you all, Senshi!" She shouted.
"Do not fail me, Esmeraude." Wiseman's voice warned.
Esmeraude glared at the Senshi, "Okay, who wants to be the first to die?"
"DIE!" she shouted, unleashing a wave of energy that blasted all the Senshi away.
"That hurts..." Sailor Venus muttered.
"Have any plans?" Sailor Mars asked Sailor Venus.
The blonde Senshi shrugged, "Don't ask me, ask Mercury."
"Are we late?" Sailor Mercury asked as the two Mercuries came dashing towards them.
"Nah, we were just starting." Sailor Jupiter said.
"Heh. This will be fun." Esmeraude mused then her body cracked with energy again.
"What's she doing?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Esmeraude's power just blasted up the roof." Mercury Kaman reported.
"So this will be a hard battle." Sailor Mercury noted.
"What else is new?" Sailor Mars asked with a shrug.
"Where's Rubeus?" Sailor Venus asked noticed the redhead was nowhere around.
"We'll take care of him later." Sailor Moon noted. "I usually don't like the direct approach, but I'll make an exception." She charged at Esmeraude while summoning her power. The rest of the Senshi team followed suit.
Mars slammed on the palace's wall and winced. Esmeraude was too strong, she had stopped all of their attacks, and the counter-attack had been strong enough to knock them all away. She stood up grimacing at the pain and glared at Esmeraude. The rest of the Senshi also stood up despite the pain they all were feeling.
"So, you won't give up." Esmeraude said with a grin.
"Never." Sailor Moon snapped.
Sailor Mercury noticed Mercury Kaman was trying to inch closer to Esmeraude from behind. That could work. But we have to keep her distracted. She thought. "You're so mighty, but I don't think you could blast through my shield, you know."
Esmeraude chuckled, "Heh. That would be not worth the effort."
"Ice Shield!"
"Oh please..." Esmeraude muttered and sent an energy blast at the shield. The attack cracked the shield and went through, Sailor Mercury dropped to the ground barely dodging it. Esmeraude then turned around and punched Mercury Kaman who had been about to stab her from behind. "You really thought you could sneak up on me?" She asked then chuckled evily.
Mercury Kaman fell to the ground and winced. That girl had a hell of a jab. He stood up and shrugged
"Well, I see this plan didn't work. So I'll just have to switch to plan B."
"Plan B. And what is that about?" Esmeraude asked.
"Keeping you distracted long enough so the others will recover." Mercury Kaman explained and leapt at her. Esmeraude blasted him away and he rolled on the ground before grunting and falling unconscious.
"Moon Princess Halation!"
Esmeraude was taken off-guard by the attack. She fell to one knee, but rose and turned to Sailor Moon.
"Heh. So the princess wants to fight."
"You've hurt my friends, I cannot forgive you. I'll destroy you myself if I have to." Sailor Moon snapped.
"Heh." Esmeraude shrugged and sent an energy blast at Moon. Moon simply moved out of the way. "What?"
Sailor Mercury glanced at Sailor Moon then gasped, "Her power went up somehow."
"Is that possible?" Sailor Mars asked.
"Her anger may be rising her power." Mars Kaman noted.
"Well, that's good and all, but can she defeat Esmeraude?" Sailor Venus asked.
"Let's hope she can." Sailor Mercury said.
Esmeraude sent another blast of energy at Sailor Moon, but she literally stepped aside to dodge it. "Stop doing that!" Esmeraude shouted angrily.
"As you wish. Moon Princess... HALATION!" She shot her attack at Esmeraude, the attack was so fast that she couldn't dodge in time. Esmeraude slammed on a wall and fell to one knee. "Give up, Esmeraude."
"I... Won't... Lose!" Esmeraude shouted and charged at Sailor Moon, punching her straight in the gut, and knocking her to the ground. "Now you die!" Esmeraude shouted and charged up to blast Sailor Moon. Suddenly, a blur hissed by her side. She gasped and looked down at her chest, blood was flowing out of a deep wound. She looked to the side and her eyes widened.
"I can't let you hurt her." Tuxedo Kaman said as he stood there, his sword dripping blood. Esmeraude fell to the ground and didn't move.
"Is she...?" Sailor Moon asked as she stood up.
Sailor Mercury checked on Esmeraude and sighed, "Yes..." She then went to check on Mercury Kaman, "Hey, are you okay?"
Mercury Kaman woke up and rose from the ground, clutching his head, "I'll be fine... In a few years." He muttered.
Sailor Pluto appeared in front of the group, "Your battle is still not over. The rest of the Dark Moon family went back to the past. You will have to travel back to your time and protect Tokyo."
"Oh, that's just great." Sailor Mars muttered. She then rose an eyebrow, "Hey, where's Chibi-Usa?"
Sailor Mercury sighed, "I don't know. I saw a cloaked man vanish along with her. And then Demando showed up and captured me."
"Captured you? What for?" Sailor Moon asked.
"Cloaked man?" Tuxedo Kaman echoed.
"The Wiseman." Sailor Pluto said. "It's one of Demando's minions, a very dangerous one."
"Then we must find him and get Chibi-Usa back." Sailor Moon said.
"He'll surely be in the past along with the others." Sailor Pluto noted.
"Well, then we'll go back and fight them." Sailor Moon said.
SailorStar9: And another chapter goes down. Read and review.