Chapter Thirteen: Operation Beach Sweep
Thanks to Hotaru, the Outer Guardians could transform.
Haruka smirked, settling deeper into her car's leather seat. She pressed harder on the gas and revved her F512's engine, speeding down the stretch of highway, cars screeching to get out of her way.
"You're going too fast again."
"Oops. Sorry, hon." Haruka slowed the car. Michiru sat in the passenger's seat, her turquoise hair that flowed like the sea cascading over her slender neck that screamed to be kissed…
Michiru smiled softly. "Are you getting distracted, too?"
"Never around you." Haruka tightened her grip on the wheel. Nothing got past Michiru. But Michiru kept Haruka in check. Sometimes. Most of the time, Michiru was irresistible.
Haruka was driving nowhere in particular while Setsuna and Hotaru played together at home (in their case, especially since Hotaru's sudden maturing and awakening that gave the rest of the Outer Guardians their powers back, "playing" likely meant reading encyclopedias). Haruka and Michiru watched the sky burn crimson, relaxing after spending the day researching more about whoever their new enemies could be.
Haruka was always on the lookout for their enemies. Even while relaxing.
Wherever the enemies were, the Outer Guardians would find, beat, and force them to reveal what they had done to the rest of the Sailor Team.
Haruka had a pretty solid idea of who their enemies were. During commercial breaks on television, advertisements for a group calling themselves the Dead Moon Circus were broadcasted nearly nonstop.
Anyone with the word "Dead" in their name couldn't be good guys.
Since the rest of the Sailor Team disappeared hours earlier, the Dead Moon Circus doubled down in their efforts to upset Japan. During their performances, the circus hypnotized crowds of people yet no bad publicity surrounded their show, encouraging droves of people to continue to see their acts. Innocent people were being violated because the Dead Moon Circus was searching for something that, in all likelihood, only the Guardians possessed.
The Outer Guardians had to attend the Dead Moon Circus' performances and stop the circus before they could accomplish their goal. Who knew what would happen if the Dead Moon Circus succeeded?
"We'll defeat them." Just like Michiru to easily read Haruka.
With Michiru and her teammates, Haruka could do anything. "Yeah. We will."
Like every place in Bikini Bottom, Goo Lagoon was something.
Minako loved the beach. What she didn't love was the "goo" that Sandy had spoken of. She did not want to touch it, much less swim in it.
Was all the water underwater goo?
Minako shuddered. Makoto and Sandy gave her looks. Minako laughed their looks away.
After a taxi ride into the area, the three ran into Goo Lagoon, their deep sea suit-covered feet crunching on the sand. A narrow path led to the beach. A clam (Bikini Bottom's version of pigeons?) at one end of the path bit at a French fry. Another clam landed beside the first, and the first squawked at the second. While the first was squawking, the second chomped and swallowed the fry. The first screeched, the second flying into the distance. The first pursued. If someone had stolen her meal, Minako would go after the thief, too.
Minako was glad that she, Makoto, and Sandy had gotten acquainted with each other in the treedome, which would make it easier to fight together. Sandy had told Minako and Makoto about how big the United States was, the pecan pies, the sprawling green pastures. But she didn't speak much about herself; the Guardians were more interesting to the squirrel.
Sandy had leaned against her treedome's wall, a Fodder outside, not seeing the polyurethane, cackling, raising its electric wand, and wheeling toward Sandy, only to crash into the wall and destroy itself. "Now, what's this I hear of y'all havin' powers?"
"Well," Makoto said, drawing out the word, "we didn't have powers at first."
"You mean, you were struck by lightnin' or something?"
"Nothing like that." She eyed the ceiling. "I guess when you think about it, we always had powers. We just hadn't discovered them yet. Our powers were lying dormant in us all our lives. Many lives."
Sandy's eyebrows shot up. "Many lives?"
Minako patted Makoto's shoulder. "I don't think we need to go that deeply into it, Mako-chan."
"Yeah, probably not." Makoto shook her head. "Way too confusing."
"Of course I'm confused because y'all haven't explained anything to me."
Makoto and Minako had decided that there was no harm in letting the sea creatures know about their true identities. They told Sandy that they had thought they were ordinary teenagers until their powers as Guardians awakened. That Sailor Moon was part of a place called the Moon Kingdom and the other members of the Sailor Team were her protectors. How Luna, Artemis, and Diana were from the Moon Kingdom.
"That's why I thought you, SpongeBob, and Patrick were from the Moon Kingdom at first," Minako said. "Luna, Artemis, and their daughter, Diana, could talk, and they were from the moon."
"I don't have a lick o' moon blood in me," Sandy said. "Nor does anyone else down here, as far as I know."
Minako and Makoto explained that they had past lives and were reincarnated, that they had sworn to protect Usagi, also known as Sailor Moon and Princess Serenity.
Lastly, they described their fights against enemies ranging from the Dark Kingdom, to the Black Moon Clan, to the Death Busters and, now, the Dead Moon Circus.
Sandy whistled. "Y'all have all types o' folks comin' after you. And for what?"
"Different things." Minako had gazed out the window, wondering if whoever had caused the robot problem, who she now knew was Plankton, wanted the same things as their enemies, like the Silver Crystal, to take over the Moon Kingdom. Did creatures on Earth, including the species underwater, chase the same things? Were humans and sea creatures different only in looks and not in nature? Was how they got what they desired determine whether they were good or evil?
Ooh, Minako was thinking deeply now. Artemis would be proud.
"Some of our enemies wanted to take over the Moon Kingdom, like the Black Moon Clan," Minako continued. "Others—the Dark Kingdom—wanted revenge against the Moon Kingdom. Queen Beryl against Usagi—some love triangle thing going on between Queen Beryl, Usagi-chan—erm, Princess Serenity, and Prince Endymion. Now the Dead Moon Circus…" She narrowed her eyes. "I don't know what they want."
"Y'all seem to bring trouble wherever y'all go."
"I hope that's not the case down here," Makoto said.
"Naw." Sandy waved her hand dismissively. "I betcha the robot thing woulda happened regardless of whether y'all had come or not. We're extremely lucky to have y'all here to help us."
Makoto inclined her head. "So, even though we haven't been here very long, you trust us."
"Like a cowboy trusts his horse."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that."
Gave Minako the warm fuzzies to think that not only a squirrel, but also sea creatures trusted her and her friends quickly. Would ease their whirlwind of a time in Bikini Bottom.
"Goo Lagoon is Bikini Bottom's version of a beach," Sandy said as she, Minako, and Makoto ran farther into Goo Lagoon. "Everyone vacations there. If things were peaceful, we could relax."
With the Dead Moon Circus arriving, Minako had become stressed out, trying to figure out why they had come and how to stop them. Now, in Bikini Bottom, Minako was trying to figure out how to defeat the robots and return to Japan before the Dead Moon Circus wrecked more havoc.
Minako would give up her Super Famicom forever for one day to unwind, to lay on Bikini Bottom's beaches. She could tell her friends, Hikaru and Amano, that she had gone to an underwater beach. But first they'd ask how she got underwater. And then she'd have to explain that she came to Bikini Bottom through a vortex. And then she'd have to explain that talking animals lived underwater. And then Minako would end up in a mental institution.
As the three ran closer to the ocean—or lake, in Bikini Bottom's case—the air became cooler. Minako doubted that Goo Lagoon had an ocean, but this world had proven that anything was possible, including an ocean in an ocean.
The sea breeze slipped through a sliver between her suit's sleeve and glove. Felt wonderful. Reminded her of home, spending rare time at Japan's beaches with her friends. If only she could lounge on a beach all day, every day. But her life wasn't meant to be typical and leisurely. She'd been chosen, and she was doing her best to fulfill hers and her friends' destinies. She was the leader of the Guardians. Making others realize and reach their potential was her responsibility.
She'd matured much since her Sailor V days. A few days ago, Artemis had told her that he was proud, and not with those metaphors he liked to use. Just came out and said, "I'm proud of you, Minako. You've grown so much since you started as Sailor V."
Minako had suppressed a grin and instead snickered. "Getting soft, Artemis?"
"Don't get me wrong. You have a long way to go, but you've come so far in such a short amount of time, I'm impressed." He mumbled, "I didn't think someone like you could grow this much, honestly."
Minako squeezed Artemis' tail, making the cat yelp.
"This is how you repay me for a compliment?"
"Yup. Especially when my admirers give me a compliment and an insult in the same breath."
Artemis' compliments were few and far between. The Moon Cat thought that being strict would help her grow into the best Guardian she could be. Her friends' lives depended on her the most. She had been a Guardian the longest and had to be a role model to them, especially to the in-training Sailor Chibi-Moon. Despite her ripe age of 902, Chibi-Usa had a lot to learn, proving that people never stopped learning, no matter how old they became.
Minako had thought that learning, which was awful in school, would stop in the classroom. But the biggest lesson she had learned was that most learning took place outside a classroom and, often, the best lessons were learned outside a box full of students and a teacher proclaiming that she knew everything.
In a way, Minako liked being a Guardian because Guardianship allowed her to meet people she would never meet otherwise; gave her mental and physical powers; and gave her Artemis, one of her best friends and confidantes. She was mentally tougher now than she'd ever been. When she had first become Sailor V, the realization that a crush was the enemy had almost shattered her, but one experience with one man in her centuries-old lifetime didn't seem like a big deal anymore.
The path opened into the beach area. Looked like a beach above ground. Amazing how many areas in Bikini Bottom resembled places above ground.
Beach umbrellas were propped open throughout the beach, but no one lounged in the chairs under them. They were too distracted by the robots wheeling and dealing around, threatening the fish with their electric wands, their heads of ham on a stick, their remote-controlled lightning.
Remote-controlled lightning… Lightning at will?
Makoto must be getting a kick out of the remote-controlled lightning, but she wore a rare blank expression.
Glasses donned one robot's head. Because a robot would need glasses.
The robot, a Monsoon, zipped in the air. Their first encounter with a flying robot, not counting the G-Love, which had hovered only a few feet above the ground. Not only did it fly, but it also used a long-range attack—its remote-controlled lightning. An umbrella was propped onto the robot's head, like a hat. Did robots melt when exposed to too much sun? Could be a weakness worth looking into.
A fish stood nearby, doing nothing. Near the flying robot.
This was not going to end well.
A buzzing sound emanated from the Monsoon, like it had come up with an idea, and it pointed to the air. It pushed the button on its remote control. A black cloud appeared, beat down on the fish. Lightning struck the civilian, charring it into a fish stick. The fish stick fell on the sand, steaming. The smell of fried fish filled Minako's nostrils. Her stomach growled. One part of her wanted to eat that fish, but that wouldn't be right.
Especially not in front of the giant lobster who had watched the fish get turned into food.
The robot hovered between the lobster and Minako, Makoto, and Sandy. The lobster was twice Minako's size. She did not want to make that lobster angry.
Sandy threw her lasso, the rope whipping around the Monsoon's umbrella. She threw her arm downward, smashing the Monsoon into the sand, breaking it.
"That was easier to defeat than I thought," Makoto said. "You would think that it using lightning would make it a bit harder."
Minako raised an eyebrow. "Are you complaining that a bad guy wasn't hard enough to defeat?"
Makoto raised her hands. "No. I'm just saying, us lightning users are supposed to be much tougher. That robot gives heroes like me a bad name."
The lobster clapped. "Hey, good job, Sandy. I knew you had it in you."
"Who is he?" Minako said. The lobster was so big, she wished that the lobster was human. She'd date him, with his big self, his deep voice that dripped with masculinity.
Was she infatuated with a lobster?
Couldn't be. She was infatuated with the fantasy of a human man who was as masculine as this lobster.
Or maybe she did like the lobster.
Minako did not know she had this part inside of herself.
One of the many faces of Minako, one that she would hide deep down inside herself. Artemis would not be pleased.
No, it was because of the anthropomorphism. Not because of that naughty part of Minako that needed to stay stuffed in a corner.
"His name is Larry," Sandy said. "He flexes way too much."
"I believe it," Makoto said, mouth parted.
Larry waved at the three, seemingly unafraid of the humans. But if Minako was Larry's size, she wouldn't be afraid of two scrawny humans, either.
The three ran to Larry, who was even taller up close.
"I was on my way to my home, in the downtown area." Larry gazed at the sky wistfully. "I was thinking about the T.V. reception."
Sandy crossed her arms. "All these robots runnin' rampant, and all you can think of is what's on T.V.?"
Man, the tube was frying people's brains. If zombies rampaged around the world, people would be glued to their T.V. sets. The zombies could eat people's brains, but people wouldn't care as long as they could watch T.V.
"It's not really that. I'm getting sick of these robots, and I'd love to get away from them. Plus, I want to check on my home. But anyhow, the big problem is…" Larry cocked his head, looking straight at Minako. "Do I look a little red to you?"
Was the lobster flirting with Minako? Whatever was in the lobster's mind, Minako wasn't having it. Besides, her brief infatuation with the lobster was one of the stranger thoughts that, hopefully, she would never have again.
Makoto looked at Minako. "Aren't lobsters supposed to be red, or am I going crazy?"
"No, you're not," Minako managed to peel her eyes off Larry, Larry not peeling his eyes off her.
"You know, if you ever need some protection, I'm here," Larry said.
Minako turned up her nose. "I won't need protection anytime soon." Her earlier thoughts were gone. She was attracted to humans, not muscular lobsters that stood on two legs. Because that would be strange. And Minako was strange, but not that strange.
"The humans are right," Sandy said. "Even down here, lobsters are always red."
Larry grit his teeth. "Darn it. Those robots…"
"What did they do?"
Larry pointed to an island, a mountain of boxes stacked on top. Atop the boxes stood a Ham-mer robot. "See that robot? He and a bunch of other robots stole everyone's sunscreen, causing everyone here to be tanner than they'd like—or worse, sunburnt. We all need some protection from the sun's rays."
Minako tried to wipe sweat from her brow but knocked her hand on her helmet instead. Despite their being underwater, where the ocean should've kept them from feeling much of the sun, she sweat all over, courtesy of the sun. Sunscreen would be deeply appreciated.
"I itch and peel like crazy when I get sunburnt," Larry said. "Is it the same for you humans?"
Minako blinked. Really? "It is."
"Mm, that's too bad. I can shield you with my large body from the sun's rays. As long as you don't mind my sweating, glistening muscles." He stepped closer to Minako.
Minako stepped back. "I do mind. And we haven't even told each other our names."
He scratched his head with his pincers. Didn't that hurt? "Good point."
Makoto introduced herself and then Minako stiffly did the same. No more naughty ideas for the lustful lobster. Despite her earlier feelings, it was strange for a human to be attracted to a lobster, and vice versa. Although, since Bikini Bottom's fish looked like humans, Larry's attraction made sense.
As Larry introduced himself, he flexed his biceps, looking at Minako. Minako got the message. She stepped back once more. Larry didn't get the message. He flexed once more.
Minako looked at the robot on the island. The robot poured sunscreen all over itself, bathing itself in white. She decided not to think too hard about what it was doing.
Makoto faced the robot. "So we have to get over to that island and get the sunscreen back and get the rest of the sunscreen from the rest of the robots." Her mouth twitched, like she was trying not to smile. "If the robots haven't used all the sunscreen on themselves."
"I'd love to help," Larry said, "but, heh, the babes need my protection." Another square look at Minako. She looked squarely back, not giving him leeway to think that he could put more moves on her.
What was it about her? Was it because her body language had reflected her brief attraction to the lobster? Makoto was much more his type—tall, muscular, athletic like him. Maybe Larry liked his ladies petite and waiflike.
Hell, Sandy the squirrel was more his type than Minako was. And Sandy was unlike Larry—although athletic, Sandy invented things but didn't show off her skills unless necessary. Sandy's treedome was impressive, and she had only told Minako and her friends about her inventions when she thought that they would help. While Sandy, Makoto, and Minako were in the treedome, Sandy had said that she was thinking of a way to survive underwater without deep sea dive suits.
"Even I'm gettin' tired of my suit," Sandy had said, "and I've been down here for a few years now. My suit's clunky and hard to move in. There's gotta be a better way."
Minako had been in her deep sea dive suit for only a few hours, and she was tired of hers. Fighting was difficult, moving was difficult, she had itches in places she didn't know she could itch, where she couldn't reach to scratch…
"Let me know if you need me to come to your rescue sometime," Larry said.
"Sure." Not even if Minako was attracted to lobsters.
"Before we go, what are those?" Makoto pointed to a tower standing on raised ground, other towers some feet away. Buttons extended from either side of the towers, and a reflector sat atop the towers, beaming the sun's rays over the beach, contributing to the heat.
Other fish panted, tongues hanging out their mouths like dogs. Sweat coursed down their heads, dripping onto the sand. Some were reddening.
"Those are reflectors," Larry said. "Us lifeguards usually turn them away from people so they aren't burned by the sun's rays. But some of the robots have turned them right onto the beach. As you go along, it'll be great if you push the buttons and turn the reflectors away from the people to protect them a little more until you can get all the sunscreen back." He pointed at his white-splotched nose. "Unfortunately, I'm the only lifeguard on duty since the rest of the lifeguards ran away when the robots came, so I really do have to protect everyone here. I can't go around Goo Lagoon and push the buttons. But with you all here to help, I can check on my house downtown."
"We could turn those reflectors so the sun reflects on that robot on the mountain," Sandy said. "Give them a taste of their own medicine."
Makoto punched the palm of her hand. "Sounds good. We'll be killing two birds with one stone—turning the sun's rays away from the beachgoers and destroying the robot."
"We'd better get going," Minako said. They'd been spending too much time talking to Larry, and Minako had spent one second too many being attracted to him.
Larry waved. "Good luck. Let me know if there's anything I can do."
Once he got over himself, Larry wasn't a bad guy. A little vain, but weren't all guys?
A reflector stood behind Larry, on the sand.
"Guess we should start with this one." Stepping under the reflector, Makoto reached up and pushed its button. The reflector turned onto another reflector, directing the sunrays onto another tower. "We must have to head over there and press that reflector's button."
Robots stood and hovered between themselves and the next tower. A Monsoon flew to the reflector on which Makoto had reflected the sun's rays. It slapped the tower, turning the reflector onto a fish, the sunrays frying the fish to a crisp. The smell of blackened fish filled Minako's nostrils. Her stomach rumbled and then flipped. How awkward it was to want to eat humanlike fish.
Would eating these fish be deemed cannibalism since they were basically humans?
One of the weirder thoughts Minako had had, even counting her fantasy about Larry.
"I've got this." An antenna extended from Makoto's tiara, and lightning crackled around it, slipping out the slivers between her helmet and her suit. The Monsoon's eyes brightened. Was lightning against lightning a great idea?
"Supreme Thunder!" Too late to reconsider. Once a Guardian announced her attack, that attack was coming out, no matter what. Lightning arced from the antenna on Makoto's tiara, through the slivers in her suit, toward the robot. The Monsoon pressed the button on its remote control, summoning a dark cloud. The lightning from Supreme Thunder pierced and swelled the cloud with electricity. Thunder rumbled, and the sky darkened.
Minako gulped. Oh, boy.
Lightning shot in all directions, electrocuting fish, some flopping into the water. The Monsoon laughed, water slopping onto the shore.
Minako balled her hands. The fish being shocked wasn't funny.
The lightning zapped the sun's reflected rays and intensified the rays momentarily. The rays melted the sand. The water melted the sand faster and created a hole. The sand loosened, sucking the fish toward the hole.
Together, Makoto and the Monsoon had created quicksand.
Makoto rushed toward the frenzy. Must feel responsible.
Lightning against lightning had not been a great idea.