SailorStar9: Figured was about time I updated. This is Chapter 20. Read and review.

Disclaimers: I own nothing. Well, except the pairing I think.

Chapter 20: The 'Gale' Invasion, Part Two

Makoto walked into the classroom and saw all the girls were already there. She rose an eyebrow then smirked. "This ain't fun anymore... Even Usagi is always early..."

"You think it was funny that I always came to school late and got detention?" Usagi snapped.

"Well, we all did." Makoto admitted.

"Eeehhh..."

Hotaru walked into the classroom, looked at the group and then went to sit in her place.

"Gee, she's not very talkative, is she?" Ami muttered.

"It's all an act." Usagi commented.

"You sure? She looks like she loves to scare people." Makoto noted.

"Nah, I can see through that... She's lonely, she wants to make friends but doesn't know how to..."

"If that's what you can see, you should buy glasses." Hotaru noted in her usual monotone appearing from nowhere behind Usagi and making her jump from her seat.

"How do you do that?" Ami asked.

"Some things are better left unknown..." Hotaru commented, then walked back to her place and sat down.

After school and the Senshi meeting, the girls split up.

With their chores done, Yuichiro and Rei were given permission by Rei's grandfather to take the rest of the day off.

They were walking to the game arcade when suddenly there was a cry and people started running away from the direction they were going to. "Let me guess..." Yuichiro muttered.

"Don't guess, let's transform and kick their butts." Rei muttered.

"Yes ma'am." Yuichiro said as both walked into an alley to transform.

The two Mars Senshi walked out of the alley, only to find a group of strange creatures walking towards them.

"Oh dear... Tell me I'm not seeing what I think I'm seeing..." Mars muttered as the two Senshi reached the creatures.

"If you mean four giant and green Gales breaking stuff and scaring people off, well, that's what I see too." Mars Kaman commented with a shrug.

"Never mind." Mars muttered. She then shrugged, "Let's beat them."

"Just the two of us?" Mars Kaman asked.

"Are you scared?" Mars teased.

"Never mind that..." Mars Kaman muttered and summoned his sword.

"Hey look, we came here looking for Mars, and we got a 2 for 1 discount." one of the Gales noted.

Mars looked at the creatures and shrugged, "Less talk and more action." She clasped her hands together with her two index fingers pointing outwards. A fireball would form at the tips of her index fingers and she shouted, "Fire Soul!"

The first mantis literally walked out of the way of the attack, "Gee... If you were a bit slower a snail would beat you to a marathon."

Mars blinked. "He's fast."

"No duh." Mars Kaman muttered. "Just cover me."

"What are you going to do?" Mars asked worriedly.

"Get myself beaten up, most likely." Mars Kaman muttered.

"Oh, okay." Mars said with a shrug. Mars Kaman face-faulted.

"Anyhow..." Mars Kaman leapt towards the second mantis sword-first. The insect swiftly dodged the charge and kicked Mars Kaman on his back sending him into a fashion store.

"Why you..." Mars muttered. "Fire Soul Bird!"

The second mantis was caught off-guard by the attack and knocked through a wall and into a jewelry. Mantis No. Three had used that time to climb up a wall and get right behind Mars unnoticed. He leapt down fist first and grinned.

"Firebolt!" Mars Kaman came charging out of the fashion store and sent the second mantis crashing back. Mars looked back then turned and smiled at the male Fire Senshi. Mars Kaman nodded at her. "You take care of Insect No. Three, I'll get the rest."

"But..." Mars started.

"Don't worry."

"Okay..." Mars turned to face the mantis Mars Kaman had firebolted.

The said insect stood up wincing and frowned, "Surprise attacks won't work, so I'll try plain old brute force." He charged at Mars with a speed that made it impossible for the Senshi of Fire to dodge and connected sending her crashing away.

"Mars!" Mars Kaman growled. "That's it, you're dead. Fireball!"

The first two mantis both gasped as their comrade was vaporized by the attack. The second mantis glared at the Senshi and charged at him, but Mars Kaman was faster and swung his sword around stabbing it through the insect.

"NO!" the first mantis shouted in shock as its brother vaporized.

Mantis No. Four was looking on from atop of the building, not moving. Mars Kaman saw that and decided to focus in the first insect. The overgrown newt growled and then suddenly a yellow aura surrounded him. An instant later, his body had turned golden.

"Oh shit..." Mars Kaman muttered as Sonic charged at him.

Mars woke up and shook her head to recover her senses. She then saw the now golden mantis spinning around Mars Kaman. The insect stopped as suddenly as he had started his attack and leapt away. Mars Kaman fell to his knees, bruises from several punches and kicks could be seen on his body. " Yuu..."

"So you thought you were fast..." the golden mantis muttered and prepared a second attack. He never had the chance to use it.

"MARS TWILIGHT POWER!" Mars shouted. Her body was surrounded by fire and she emerged wearing a fuku like Twilight Jupiter and Mercury, only red. She didn't waste a second before summoning her new attack. A spear-shaped flame appeared on it. "Mars Flaming Spear!" She swung the spear forwards, sending it crashing through the golden mantis' chest.

Mars Kaman saw the last mantis moving to attack Mars. He tried to move but winced and fell face first on the ground. "Rei... Watch out!" He shouted looking at the insect helplessly.

Mars looked up and tried to back away from the mantis, but she couldn't even stand up, since had used up most of her energy in her last attack. She noticed a figure atop a roof and frowned . "Is that Saturn?"

"Saturn Death Beam!"

The fourth mantis didn't even have time to turn to the voice before the attack hit and vaporized him. The insect fell to the ground and exploded. The dark-clad Senshi just looked at Mars for a second then vanished.

Mars slowly stood up and walked to Mars Kaman's side. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Sort of." Mars Kaman muttered.

Several minutes later back at the Shrine...

"Four mantis?" Minako exclaimed.

The two Mars Senshi nodded.

"That doesn't make sense." Makoto pondered. "They usually send only one at a time."

"Either they're starting to use their brains or someone is coordinating them." Ami pointed out. "I'm betting more on the latter."

"Could be." Usagi agreed.

"Also there's Saturn's mystery..." Rei said. "She showed up, vaporized one mantis and then vanished."

"Maybe she can't fight for a long time span." Ami said.

"Why?" Makoto asked.

"Even with our actual level, both you and I can't stay in Twilight form for a long time. Rei turned Twilight and was able to only shot one attack before running out of power."

"And Saturn doesn't look like she has a lot of endurance... I've seen her from a close distance, she's kinda pale and thin... Still, she knows how to use that scythe of hers." Rei explained.

Ami nodded, "Exactly. Maybe her Twilight level drains her faster than us, so she can only fight for a while."

"Why don't she just uses her normal attacks instead?" Usagi asked.

"We can ask her next time we see her." Ami said.

SailorStar9: Well, Mercury, Jupiter and Mars have upgraded, the only ones left are Venus and Moon. Read and review.