SailorStar9: Sorry for the wait, my bro's been on extended medical leave these few days and I haven't managed to get on the internet. Anyway, this is Chapter 24 of this fic, so please be a dear and review.
Disclaimers: I do not own the animes. But I do own the pairing, I hope.
Chapter 24: For Friendship! Ami and Beruche Clash
Time passes...
"Check." Ami beamed, winning the practice game against Usagi.
"I've lost." the Moon Rabbit whined.
"Brilliant." Makoto cheered.
"Man, and I did my research too." Usagi complained. "But I guess you're good at chess as well as schoolwork."
"Chess is the perfect game of the intellect." Thomas voiced. "It cultivates a calm mentality and accurate judgment."
"Calm and accurate." Chibi-Usa mocked. "Words that you'll never be associated with, no matter what you do."
"You're so not cute." Usagi pouted.
"But you're amazing, Ami." Chibi-Usa gushed.
"She sure is." the blond doctor chuckled. "And if I remember correctly, we tied in our last game."
"Rematch?" Ami grinned, knowing what he was thinking.
"You read my mind." Thomas returned her grin and took his place on the other side of the chessboard.
"Come to think of it," Makoto noted. "You're the Junior Chess Champion of Japan, aren't you, Ami?"
"That was just luck." Ami flushed.
"Stop being so modest, Nymph." Thomas teased.
"All right!" Usagi cheered. "Let's all learn chess from Ami and aim to be future champions."
"I'll think I'll pass." Makoto remarked. "Being calm and stuff like that isn't really my thing."
"I can totally understand." Usagi nodded. "You're even worse than me at those things."
"You don't have to say it like that..." Makoto muttered.
"That's the pot calling the kettle black." Luna sighed.
"Hey Usagi." Chibi-Usa posted her challenge. "You wanna play with me?"
"Bring it on and don't hold back." Usagi agreed. "I'll show you just how harsh competition can be."
"I have a feeling she's going to regret saying that." Thomas muttered, the two geniuses getting up and letting the two 'Rabbits' take their places.
"Check!" Chibi-Usa beamed, finishing the game.
"Wait!" Usagi protested. "Wait a minute!"
"No!" Chibi-Usa objected. "The world of competition is harsh."
"Oh brother." Luna sighed.
"I knew it." Thomas shook his head.
"Chibi-Usa, you're very good." Ami noted.
"I think I'm going to head home soon." Makoto excused herself.
"I have something to do too." Ami looked at her watch.
"Do you have cram school, Ami?" Usagi asked.
"Nah, we're going to the Chess Tower." Thomas supplied.
"Chess Tower?" Usagi blinked.
In the UFO...
"Pitiful." Calaveras snorted as the remaining Three Ayakashi Sisters saw the happy Cooan-turned human sell her cosmetics. "She's a disgrace to the Ayakashi Sisters."
"But why?" Beruche was confused. "Why would Cooan want to be a normal human?"
"I wouldn't know what goes through the mind of a traitor." Calaveras shrugged.
"She is no longer our younger sister." Petz added. "And she doesn't mean anything to us now."
"Our clan has no use of traitors." Rubeus remarked.
"Foolish Cooan." Beruche commented.
"Well," Rubeus started, after cracking the viewing mirror. "We'll think of how to deal with the traitor later. This is the newly discovered Crystal Point."
"Rubeus-sama, leave this to me." Beruche requested, after the image of the Chess Tower showed up.
"Beruche is eager for success." Petz noted after the younger Ayakashi Sister took off.
"There is nothing wrong with that." Calaveras pointed out. "If all goes well, we'll just join in and share the credit."
"That's true." Petz agreed.
"I will trust you to take care of the rest." Rubeus remarked.
"Yes sir!" the two elder sisters chorused.
The glory will be all mine and mine alone. Rubeus smirked. In the end, you guys are nothing but expendable pawns to protect the king, me. Just keep up the hard work until I have no further use for you.
In front of the Chess Tower...
"This shape looks really familiar." Usagi noted.
"It's shaped like a cake." Makoto remarked.
"It's not a cake." Ami chuckled.
"It's a rook." Thomas shook his head.
"Rook?" Makoto blinked.
"Mako, it's a chess piece that's shaped like a castle." Usagi supplied.
"The owner of this building is a huge fan of chess." Ami added.
"I see." Makoto nodded.
"Next Sunday, they are having the opening ceremony for this Chess Tower," Ami remarked. "And they're holding a worldwide chess tournament."
"I get it." Makoto realized. "You're entering that tournament aren't you, Ami?"
"Then, you'll win for sure." Usagi beamed.
"I just like playing chess." Ami flushed. "The result isn't an issue."
"The result is the issue." Beruche corrected. "A competition that you don't intend to win is a waste of time, don't you think? After all, the point of a competition is to win."
"Who are you?" Usagi blinked. "Even if you lose, if you did your best, then who cares?"
"That is the sour grapes rationalization of a loser." Beruche tsked. "Of course, I suppose your nice, friendly games of chess are nothing more than child's play."
"Look here." Usagi retorted.
"Pardon me." Beruche brushed past. "I'll play your little game with you some time later, okay?"
"What is her problem?" Makoto wondered.
"Meanie." Usagi agreed.
In the Chess Tower...
"It's you, Ami." the owner remarked after the girl signed up for the tournament. "I haven't seen you in a while.
"Yes,." Ami bowed respectfully. "It has become a wonderful building."
"Thank you." the aged chess frantic chuckled. "By the way, you're entering the tournament too, aren't you?"
"Yes." Ami smiled.
"What do you say?" the chess frantic suggested. "Since it's been a while..." he looked over the the chessboard.
"Sure." Ami beamed.
"I often play with your grandfather like this too." the aged man reminisced.
"Yes." Ami nodded.
"Ami, has something happened?" the aged man asked.
"What?" Ami blinked.
"Before, it seemed as though you played to forget your loneliness." the aged frantic pointed out. "But not anymore. You seem somehow more..."
"I made some wonderful friends." Ami blushed.
"I see." the old chess fan noted. "I'm glad to hear that. Good friends are a treasure worth more than anything in the world."
"Yes, I think so too." Ami agreed.
"And it seems one of them became more than just a friend." the aged man teased the young couple.
Ami blushed, before moving her bishop, "Check."
"Ami." the aged man started. "Just between the two of us, would you mind letting me rethink that move?"
"You haven't changed at all." Ami chuckled.
"That smile is quite nice." the aged man smiled.
"I agree." Thomas grinned.
"The reception desk closed at six, right?" Ami reminded.
"Yes, the only ones left on this floor should be the three of us." the aged man replied.
"Would you mind if I look around the place a little?" Ami requested.
"Not at all." the old man replied.
"Thank you very much." Ami stood up and exited.
"You mind telling me what that's all about?" Thomas asked, the two taking off.
"I saw Beruche." Ami replied. "Get the girls."
"Right." Thomas nodded and took off the other direction.
"So, this is the center of the Crystal Point." Beruche opened the hall's door. "Dark Water!"
"Stop it!" Ami called.
It's that nice, friendly girl. Beruche noted.
"Little girl, you're very brave." she voiced. "But the world is not so easy that you'll be able to stop me alone. Besides, I hate goody-two-shoes like you. I'll send you to hell!"
Ami jumped to dodge the powered-up water ball.
"It'll be better for you not to get up." Beruche warned. "Because, see..."
Ami rolled to dodge the water ball.
"I'm sorry." Beruche mocked. "Don't worry, I'll end your pain with the next blow."
"Millennium Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!" Ami called out her transformation.
"My, what a surprise." Beruche noted, "So, you're Sailor Mercury. Now, I'll have a nice souvenir to take back to Rubeus-sama."
"Aqua Mirage!" Mercury purified the Dark Power with her attack.
"How dare you interfere with my work?" Beruche pouted.
"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" Jupiter's lightning ball scratched the Ayakashi Sister.
"That hurt!" Beruche complained. "You're terrible! Four against one is playing dirty. I'm against violence."
"Look who's talking?" Jupiter snapped. "You want me to fire off another one at you?"
"I'm mad now." Beruche replied. ""You will pay for this, I assure you."
"Oh no." Mercury gasped as Beruche vanished.
"Did something happen?" Dragon Solaris asked.
"She knows who I am." Mercury replied.
"What?" both Moon and Jupiter gaped.
"I transformed right in front of Beruche." Mercury confessed. "I'm sorry."
"It can't be helped." Dragon Solaris soothed. "If Beruche is after the Chess Tower, she's sure to show up again."
"Don't worry about it." Moon assured. "We'll take care of it somehow."
In the UFO...
"It left a scratch." Beruche pouted. "Just as I thought. It really ticked me off that they scratched my perfect skin."
"Are you hurt?" Petz taunted.
"No way, it's true." Calaveras popped in.
"Sisters." Beruche replied. "This thing is..."
"How awful." Petz peered.
"It's bleeding." Calaveras added.
"Don't tell me you failed." Petz mocked.
"Of course not." Beruche protested.
"I'd hope not." Calaveras remarked. "If you failed after volunteering for the mission, you couldn't just come crawling back here like nothing happened."
"I would be so humiliated that I would die." Petz added.
"Please sisters." Beruche pouted. "Of course. I won't be needing your help."
"I'm relieved to hear that." Petz noted.
"A ninny like Cooan is more than enough." Calaveras added.
Outside the Chess Tower...
Ami... Beruche mused. No, Super Sailor Mercury, let us compete at chess, the game you're so proud of. I can't wait.
In the Chess Tower...
"I'd like to enter the worldwide chess tournament." Beruche proceeded to sign up.
"All right, what is your name?" the receptionist asked.
"Let's see, what should I do?" Beruche wondered.
"What?" the receptionist blinked.
"I haven't decided yet." Beruche released her power.
"That way, please." the hypnotized receptionist gestured.
"Thank you." Beruche waltzed into the hall.
In the observation hall...
"My heart's pounding!" Usagi gaped.
"Yeah!" Rei agreed.
"She won another one." Makoto noted after Ami won her match.
"Won't it be great if Ami wins?" Cooan mused.
"Yeah." Minako agreed.
"And so, let's cheer her on." Usagi beamed.
"Usagi!" Rei cut the blond 'Rabbit's cheer off.
"You girls..." the Chess Tower's owner looked at the group.
"I'm sorry for being so rowdy." Thomas apologized.
"No, no." the owner corrected. "That is, are you girls Ami's friends?"
"Yes." the girls chorused.
"I see." the owner nodded. "So, you girls are the wonderful friends she mentioned."
"Who are you, mister?" Usagi blinked.
"Just the eccentric old man who built this Chess Tower." the aged owner replied.
"Then, you're the owner?" Usagi beamed.
"Right." the aged man nodded.
"Excuse me, but do you think Ami has a chance of winning?" Minako asked.
"Her rival is the problem." the aged owner replied. "See?" he added after Beruche won another match. "She won another one. This girl is good."
It's Beruche. Cooan recognized her sister. What is she doing participating in this tournament?
"All right!" Makoto beamed after Ami won another match. "Ami sure is good."
"She'll win this round with no problems again." Usagi agreed.
"That girl won another one too." Yuichiro supplied.
"She really is good." Thomas admitted. "It's the final round." he added, after Ami eliminated the last competitor. "Her opponent is that girl, just as expected."
In the competition hall...
"Let's have a fun game of chess." Ami offered a handshake.
Her hand is so cold! She blinked when a sudden chill went down her hand after Beruche took it.
I will beat you soundly and fill this place with Dark Power. Beruche promised. I can't wait.
"I'd like to use these pieces for the final game." she revealed her crafted chess pieces.
"They're beautiful." Ami admitted.
"They aren't just beautiful." Beruche corrected.
"What?" Ami gaped.
In the observation hall...
Beruche... Cooan prayed.
"She's good." Thomas noted after Beruche claimed another one of Ami's pieces.
"Ami's pieces..." Makoto gasped.
In the competition hall...
"Come on, what's the matter?" Beruche prodded. "It's your turn."
I know. Ami realized she had a way to winning and claimed Beruche's castle.
In the observation hall...
"Their positions are reversed now." Usagi beamed.
In the competition hall...
"Check." Ami declared.
In the observation hall...
"She did it." Rei smiled.
"She sure had me worried there." Thomas admitted.
In the competition hall...
"Not yet." Beruche growled. "The match isn't settled yet. The real competition has only just began, Super Sailor Mercury. Playtime is over."
"Quiet!" she frozen the camera.
In the observation hall...
"Goodness, are they having technical difficulties?" the Tower owner wondered.
"Wait." Thomas voiced. "We'll go check on it."
"Stay right there." Minako told Cooan and the group took off.
Elsewhere...
"Moon Crystal Power!"
"Millennium Mars Crystal Power!"
"Jupiter Star Power!"
"Venus Star Power!"
"Make Up!" the four girls chorused.
"Mars Dragon Power!"
"Solaris Dragon Power!"
"Armor Up!" the two Dragons transformed.
In the competition hall...
"Hold it right there!" Moon declared. "You're a million and fifty thousand years ahead of yourself if you think you can challenge Ami in a game of chess. For a girl who doesn't know her place, in the name of the moon, I will punish you."
"I give her a five." Dragon Mars noted.
"Agreed." Dragon Solaris concurred. "It's better than her usual speeches anyway."
"You little dummies." Beruche mocked.
"Sailor Moon, everyone!" Mercury gasped as Beruche trapped the group in a bubble.
"As they say, 'Those born stupid, die stupid." Beruche chuckled. "Sailor Mercury, I challenge you to a match. If you don't play the game you're so proud of..."
"Oh my god!" Moon whined. "It's cold!"
"It's not good!" Jupiter tried to burst the bubble with her kicks.
"What's going on?" Venus asked as the bubble started freezing them, feet-first.
"See?" Beruche threatened. "Feel like playing now?"
"All right." Mercury growled.
"Okay, good girl." Beruche smirked. "Since you're being good, I'm also going to give myself an advantage."
"That's terrible." Mercury hissed, taking her seat as Beruche moved her remaining pieces forward.
"If you don't hurry up and escape, I'll put you in check." Beruche grinned.
"It's no use." she tsked as Mercury moved her piece. "I forgot to tell you." she added, claiming the pawn. "When you play with my special pieces and lose a piece, your body becomes frozen."
"Mercury!" Jupiter gasped.
"Hand in there!" Venus encouraged.
"You can't lose!" Moon begged.
"Believe in your strength!" Mars added.
"If you forfeit, I will let you and you alone live." Beruche proposed.
"Let's continue." Mercury snapped.
"I think you might be quite a dummy yourself." Beruche chuckled, claiming another of Mercury's pawns.
"Mercury, that's enough!" Moon begged.
"Run, Mercury!" Jupiter urged.
"All right, since it's come to this..." Dragon Mars growled. "Fire Spikes!"
"Yuichiro, you idiot!" Mars retorted, the fire b all bouncing around the bubble.
"I'm sorry!" Dragon Mars stammered.
"Check." Beruche beamed. "Just stop being proud and pretending that you're okay. Are you going to give up your life for these strangers? That would be stupid."
"You're wrong." Mercury hissed as frostbite started to set in. "They're not strangers, they're my friends."
"Friends?" Beruche echoed.
"Even if it costs me my life, they're my precious friends, and I have to protect them." Mercury added.
"Stop trying to buy time." Beruche smirked.
"Good work, Beruche." Calaveras replied as she and Petz entered the scene.
"All three of us will work together to finish them off." Petz added.
"Honestly, you two have some nerve." Beruche pouted.
"But the three of us make up the Three Ayakashi Sisters." Calaveras reminded.
"That's right." Petz agreed. "We should all be nice and share the glory."
"Check." Beruche claimed another piece.
"You again." she smiled at the tuxedo-clad hero, who had intervened with his rose.
"Check!" Tuxedo Kaman's rose shattered the black castle, freeing Mercury from her ice prison.
"Ouch!" Moon winced, landing on her backside, the bubble popping as well.
"If you do not understand what it feels like to be a pawn, you have no right to handle a queen." Tuxedo Kaman announced. "Goodbye."
"That was totally random." Dragon Solaris remarked as the tuxedo-clad hero vanished.
"Sisters!" Beruche turned to her elder sisters for aid.
"This is your tactical mistake, Beruche." Petz replied.
"That's right." Calaveras agreed. "As befits a member of our clan, you will pay for your failure with your life."
"We expect you to do the right thing." the two sisters remarked and vanished.
"See?" Beruche chuckled. "In the end, that's what you get, even from sisters related by blood. Moreover, no one would ever protect a complete stranger at the risk of their own life. What's the matter? You look so somber. Come on, laugh. Even I think it's laughable that I held up hope until the very end that I could rely on my sisters."
"It's so laughable..." she hissed. "Laugh, damn it!"
"Dark Water, Full Power!" she released her powered-up attack. "I'll take all of you with me! Ultimately, people are alone both when they're born and when they die. Love is... love is... useless!"
"Stop it, Beruche-onee-sama!" Cooan begged.
"Cooan, so even you've come to laugh at me too." Beruche hissed, almost frozen.
"Onee-sama..." Cooan walked towards her sister. "Onee-sama, you are not alone."
"A traitor like you could never understand what I'm feeling." Beruche snapped.
"No, onee-sama..." Cooan corrected. "I can understand how forlorn you are at heart."
"Shut up!" Beruche hollered.
"Cooan!" the Senshi gasped, running to the youngest Ayakashi's aid after she was slammed by an ice block.
"Onee-sama, please live." Cooan begged. "Humans have... humans have the capacity for incredibly deep love. Onee-sama!
"Cooan..." Beruche stopped her attack. "Will I also be able to see that love?
"Onee-sama!" Cooan hugged her sister.
"Cooan, are you crying?" Beruche asked. "Did that hurt?"
"No," Cooan shook her head. "I'm just so happy."
"Cooan, I'm so sorry." Beruche apologized.
"Onee-sama, I love you." Cooan muttered.
"Mercury Freezing Redemption!"
"Refresh!" Beruche declared as the healing light washed over her, purifying her of the Dark Moon's taint.
"Isn't this wonderful?" Moon beamed.
"Yes." Cooan teared. "Thank you."
"You hung in there well." Mars added.
The next day...
"Onee-sama, can you please take back that move?" Cooan requested, the two sisters bending over a chessboard.
"No way." Beruche replied. "We may be sisters, but there are no time-outs."
"That's not fair!" Cooan whined when Beruche's extra piece fell out of her sleeve. "You were using an extra piece!?"
"Now, now." Beruche sweatdropped. "Don't be such a stickler for the rules."
"That's not fair!" Cooan pouted.
"Ah, sibling love, a wonderful sound." Thomas grinned at the two sisters.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review. In the next chapter, now it's just Calaveras and Petz to finish off the Sailor Warriors. Calaveras attempts to fight off the Sailor senshi but is easily defeated, and her two sisters convert her. Petz does not listen to Calaveras about turning good, and with her rod, attempts to kill them all. Sailor Moon and the others use the 'Sailor Planet Attack', and break the rod. Rubeus throws Calaveras and Petz out, and Petz still wants them dead. After listening to reason, she joins her other sisters in the good world.