Chapter Sixteen: The Deficient
Minako would not be bested by robots. If she, the Guardian's leader, let the robots win, then she would look weak. Unable to protect others. Not a good example for her fellow Guardians.
She had defeated more fearsome enemies than robots. Queen Beryl, whom she had fought when her powers were not as developed, made the robots look like child's play. But the robots compensated for their lack of power with teamwork.
Beating the robots would let Minako save Makoto, Sandy, and the fish quickly.
Makoto was unconscious, leaving only Minako to fight. Fighting alone while outnumbered was part of a Guardian's job description, though.
Minako tightened her grip on her sword so that her knuckles whitened. Then, she relaxed her grip. Had to stay calm or else she could make a fatal error.
Robots surrounded her, keeping her from seeing Makoto, Sandy, and the fish. Most of the robots surrounding her were fish-bots; if she hurt them, the fish floating in the vats would also be hurt.
Unfortunately, Minako would have to hurt the fish. She morphed her sword into a chain, kicking robots and fish-bots away from her. Couldn't hear the real fish crying in pain, but they had to feel her light kicks.
She wrapped her chain around the robots and clanked the robots together, immobilizing and forcing them into seated positions, revealing her friends.
The robots carried Makoto toward a dark opening in the back of the lab.
Sandy was gone.
The two fish who had been against the wall were gone.
No.
Minako could at least save Makoto. No way in hell would she let everyone she was supposed to protect be turned into robots.
She released the robots—had to because she had only one chain—their heads spinning. Some of their gears might have had been jostled from their bumping into one another, dazing them. At the most, she had a few seconds to save Makoto. Then, she'd go after Sandy and the other two fish. Finally, she'd save the fish in the vats.
Minako jumped over the robots she had chained, morphing her chain into a sword. Thankfully, Plankton's robots carried Makoto, so she could attack any way necessary. She swung her sword, but it bounced off a puff of green smoke. A Chomp-Bot stood before Minako's sword. Its stinking breath had stopped her sword?
She drew back her sword and then jumped over the Chomp-Bot, flipping in midair. Hovering above Makoto, she wrapped her chain around the Guardian and then tugged Makoto up. A G-Love flew, its hands grabbing at Makoto, Minako drawing Makoto nearer to herself. These robots were not touching her friends again.
Makoto's eyes fluttered. Coming to?
Thanks to her height, her friend was heavy. Maybe Minako should start to lift weights.
Minako couldn't do anything while holding Makoto. Had to put her down.
Minako looked around, her hair smacking Makoto, who moaned with each hit. Didn't want to put Makoto down and leave her vulnerable.
She grinded her teeth. Needed backup. Needed her friends. She couldn't do it all.
Minako tried to kick the G-Love, but it grabbed her leg and slammed her onto the ground, knocking out her breath. The G-Love hovered over her, rubbing its hands, while another G-Love massaged the first's back. Must be an awesome massage with six hands.
Minako shook her head of the thought. Getting easily distracted was another reason why she wasn't as great of a leader as she could be.
Makoto lay on top of Minako, snoring. How the hell was she sleeping?
The G-Love drew back the palms of its hands.
Makoto's leg thrust out, smashing through both G-Loves. Minako grinned.
Makoto opened her eyes, winked. "You didn't really think I was asleep, did you?"
Minako's cheeks tinted red. "I did, actually. For a little bit."
"I'd never let you down, Mina-chan. Not like you let me down, apparently. I just woke up when we fell."
So the robots had inadvertently woken Makoto. Plankton hadn't installed common sense on them. Then again, Plankton lacked common sense. Couldn't install what you didn't have yourself.
Makoto and Minako stood, put their backs to each other, the robots surrounding them once more.
"Mako-chan, we have to go toward the back." Minako cupped her hands, opening them like a blossoming flower. "Rolling Heart Vibration!" A golden heart whirled into the robots, smashing them into pieces.
"Sandy and the others are back there? Supreme Thunder!" Lightning struck from above, breaking sounds reverberating. Minako shut her eyes to keep the flash from blinding her.
"Right. We have to hurry."
Makoto and Minako rushed toward the back, where the two fish and Sandy had likely been taken. Monsoons, Chomp-Bots, Fodders, Ham-mers blocked their way. A quick Supreme Thunder broke the robots, save the Monsoon.
Makoto scowled. "You again." Must have a history between them.
"Venus Love-Me Chain!" Minako coiled her chain around the Monsoon, its glasses and remote control falling to the ground. Minako squeezed the Monsoon, snapping it in half.
Minako morphed her chain back into a sword, slicing through robots, using Rolling Heart Vibration to smash through the flying ones. More and more blocked in their way, but Minako would not be bested by robots.
Transformed her sword into a chain. Minako wrapped her chain around a Fodder and a Ham-mer and squeezed, smashing the robots. Makoto kept breaking the robots using Supreme Thunder, Minako trying to shut her eyes each time. By the time the day was over, Minako would be blind. But if she lost her sight to save her friends and innocent people, who were involved because of a selfish plankton's ambition to steal a food formula, then she'd go blind a hundred times over.
Minako and Makoto kept charging forward, the opening where the two fish and Sandy had been taken coming closer and closer but not quickly enough.
It was never too late for the robots to start killing anyone.
Minako released a cry, transforming her chain into a sword, swung her sword through robots, morphed her sword back into a chain, crushed the robots. Makoto kicked each robot as she moved forward. A way to conserve energy and move faster. If she couldn't do anything else, Minako could kick, was the princess of it. Hell, she'd invented the superpowered kick. Usagi had copied it, and now Makoto was copying it, making a more powerful, badass version of it, but copying it nonetheless.
Copying Makoto's copy of her attack, Minako jumped, piercing each robot with her foot, using the momentum to propel herself forward. She cast Rolling Heart Vibration, ending robots, energy be damned.
Makoto used Sparkling Wide Pressure to smash a swath of robots. More robots took their place. It seemed like a neverending supply of robots was coming from somewhere; a D1000 must be duplicating the robots. Another obstacle keeping Minako from saving Sandy and the others.
By now…
She wouldn't lose hope until she found them. Had to be optimistic and give others hope, no matter how grim the situation.
Damn it, she was not going to let these robots turn her friends into one of their own.
Minako would not be bested by robots. She would destroy every. Single. One.
"Look for the source." Minako whipped her chain through a slew of robots, smacking them into walls. "It's probably a machine making more robots in a secret area."
"Got it, Mina-chan. I think it's time to fly."
"I agree." As long as they dodged the robots and tartar sauce, flying would help Makoto and Minako move faster and find those duplicating machines.
The Guardians took to the air, Makoto near the ceiling, Minako near the robots, tartar sauce flying past, its heat singeing Minako's ears. Looking for the D1000, Minako made a beeline for the back of the lab, where Sandy and the fish had been taken.
She would not be too late.
Minako swerved past a dark cloud that crackled with lightning. The Monsoon's lightning accidentally struck a Fodder instead of the fast-flying Minako, the Fodder jumping and flailing, releasing a monotone cry.
She glanced over her shoulder. Makoto was still searching.
Fodders, Ham-mers, Tar-tar Sauces, Monsoons blocked her way. With three strokes of her sword, Minako halved the robots. They would not best her.
She flew into the opening.
Only to crumple against a wall.
Her concentration ruined, her energy flow stopped, and she plummeted to the ground, into the waiting arms of robots. She forced open her eyes, would not let a wall knock her unconscious.
The wall was made of thick steel—hadn't made a sound when Minako crashed against it. She kicked robots away, her mind working to find a way to either break through the wall or find another route to reach Sandy and the two fish.
Now she needed to find Makoto. Sailor Jupiter might have the power to break through the steel.
No, Minako knew. Had to stay optimistic, no matter how bad the situation was becoming.
The whirring noise that had permeated throughout their time in the lab grew louder. The robots shoved Minako around. She kicked them, gathered her energy, flew toward the noise in the main area of the lab. Three more tubes snaked from the ceiling, and three more vats had been placed on the ground, beside the other vats.
Minako knew where this was going.
Maybe she could intercept before Sandy and the two fish were dunked in the vats. The robots fell on top of her, crushing her, overwhelming her. Minako kicked and slashed and launched Rolling Heart Vibration, but the robots became more vigorous.
If only…
But she couldn't.
Failure.
She could be turned into a robot, too.
A crashing noise reverberated, turning the robots' and Minako's attention toward the noise. Makoto, fist outstretched, had punched through a D1000, chunks of the blue machine flying in all directions. Minako's heart lightened. Finally, a literal breakthrough.
Electricity crackled around Makoto's hands. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!" The electricity grew, and she hurled the ball of electricity through the robots. Makoto concentrated, the electricity moving about deliberately, destroying Plankton's robots and leaving behind the fish-bots.
"Rolling Heart Vibration!" Sailor Venus bowled hearts through the robots, controlling her attack so that the fish-bots weren't destroyed alongside Plankton's.
Once the robots were gone, they would save the fish.
A clanking noise echoed. For a moment, the cave shook, debris falling off the ceiling. Could Minako and Makoto save everyone if the cave began to collapse?
The robots tried to stop them, but Makoto's and Minako's attacks were too fast, too powerful, sweeping up the robots. Clouds of debris filled the area, making it difficult to see.
The Guardians eradicated all of Plankton's robots.
Makoto's and Minako's attacks subsided in a collision, the explosion rocking the cave, more debris falling, clanking on several fish-bots, the real fish wincing. At least the debris didn't hurt that badly.
Time to save the fish and Sandy.
Red lights flashed. A steel wall crashed from the ceiling to the ground, blocking the vats from view.
Damn, not now.
Makoto balled her hands. "I'll break through—"
Several other steel walls crashed from the ceiling to the ground. "This is an emergency," a female, monotone voice said from the ceiling. "This is an emergency—emergency system activated. Lab closing for protection."
Steel walls fell everywhere. If Makoto and Minako didn't move, they'd be crushed.
They had no choice but to run.
The fish-bots scurried away, running to parts of the walls, opening the walls like doors, and rushing inside, shutting the doors behind them. Before Makoto or Minako could dash through the openings, more steel walls crashed in front of them.
There was nothing left to do but leave.
Side by side, Minako and Makoto flew out the lab, through the goo, into the tunnel, through the opening where the hole had been created, out into the sunlight.
Minako and Makoto touched their boots to the ground. Minako barely noticed Makoto over the devastation she felt. She stared at the spot where the hole had been.
Failure.
The robots had bested her.
Minako hadn't been able to save Sandy or the fish. She was the leader. What sort of example was she setting for the other Guardians, especially Chibi-Usa?
She'd have to tell the rest of the Guardians, Mamoru, and SpongeBob and Patrick that she had failed.
Her nails dug into the palms of her hands.
Makoto laid a hand on Minako's shoulder and then gently unclenched her hands. Heat coursed down Minako's palms. She looked. Blood dropped onto the sand, bloomed. Maybe the other fish would think it was ketchup. If any fish was like Patrick, they'd lick it and get a rude surprise.
What a goofy thought for such a serious situation. Another reason why she wasn't a good leader—she tried to distract herself from serious situations. Sandy's capture, her failure to save the fish, none of it was okay.
"Please, Minako-chan," Makoto said, looking into Minako's eyes, "don't put this all on yourself. I will help you. So will Usagi and the others. And we have SpongeBob and Patrick."
Minako couldn't face them. How could she, after she'd failed?
"You didn't fail, Mina-chan. Because we'll get them back."
Minako smiled a little. Makoto knew her well and was dangerously perceptive. What would she do without Makoto?
Things weren't over. They were just beginning.
So Minako looked forward, toward the blazing sun that was so much like Japan's rising sun, the sun glistening on her face. They still had a chance.
She was not alone, but she felt like she alone was responsible.
She would save Sandy. She would save the fish. She would save Bikini Bottom.