Chapter Thirty: A Developed Taste
Phobos and Deimos had been behaving mysteriously since Rei had gone missing.
Sitting on Hikawa Shrine's steps, Rei's grandfather watched the crows circle each other in the sky, cawing like they did at all hours of the day. They never stayed near the temple much, but they left more often now that Rei had vanished. Searching for her?
Rei's grandfather had no idea where Rei had disappeared to. It wasn't like her to be away this long without telling him where she was going. Rei was a mysterious young woman, preferring to stay at the shrine and read the flames to going out, unless she went with her core group of friends. Before Rei had met them, she went to school and returned to the shrine, taking her duties as a maiden so seriously that her grandfather encouraged her to leave and talk with her friends at school. But Rei said she didn't have or need any friends, and she hated men, so dating was out of the question.
Her grandfather had looked for Rei, asking if anyone had seen her. No one had.
She'd left without taking anything. How was it possible for someone to up and go without leaving clues?
Should Rei's grandfather involve her father? He was a powerful politician who could pull some strings in the police department to make sure the authorities prioritized finding Rei. Her disappearance would become a media spectacle, something that her father preferred to avoid. Anyhow, Rei's father didn't much bother with Rei, treated her more like a duty, a nuisance than a daughter. He'd believe Rei's disappearance more damaging to his own reputation than to Rei herself.
Rei's grandfather entered the house beside the shrine, where a phone hung on the wall, to call her father, regardless of her father's feelings. They had to find his missing daughter.
Phobos and Deimos cawed in unison.
He prayed that they would.
Michiru loved museums, filled with art created by famous dead artists and unknown artists who wouldn't become famous until they died, depicting their interpretations of the world in sculptures and paintings. Rock Bottom's museum would be a sight to see, so much so that even the museum-hating Haruka ("They're too slow, Michiru") would be interested.
The road to the museum had been arduous. They'd made it, but without Rei.
Hanging in the crane in the middle of the museum, Patrick had explained that a guy who called himself Tiger's Eye, even though he wasn't an eye at all, had kept Rei behind, putting her to sleep. Maybe to play with Rei, draw doodles on her face while she slept. The starfish muttered something about feeling Rei and then fell asleep. Even stranger, he and the crane faded.
Michiru, Minako, and Barnacle Boy looked around, called Patrick's name. Several minutes later, Rei and Patrick appeared near the Guardians and Barnacle Boy. Rei, who allegedly despised being touched, embraced Patrick.
"Rei-chan!" Minako hugged Rei, the Guardian of Flames not protesting. Michiru smiled. Rei was finally understanding what was truly important. "You're back. Thank goodness."
"Thanks to Patrick. I couldn't have gotten through Tiger's Eye's trap without him." She gently released herself from Minako. "Speaking of Tiger's Eye, I killed him while he was manipulating my dreams."
Good to hear that the Dead Moon Circus' hallucinations could be turned against them.
Plankton's head snapped up, unconscious no more. "Dead?" Plankton backed away.
Michiru stepped behind Plankton, blocking his path to the exit. "You didn't align yourself with very good people."
He gulped. "Well, that, that might not be the case. They could've been nice. You just didn't give them the chance to prove that they were."
"We've been playing this game much longer than you," Minako said. "We know what we're talking about."
"You'll be safe with us," Michiru said. "We have no reason to hurt you." Yet. Many people were surprised to discover Michiru's ruthless side, the side she'd shown when Sailor Saturn threatened to destroy the world, wanting to kill the preteen. Sometimes, sacrifices had to be made. To save the world, Michiru would sacrifice herself in a heartbeat.
Plankton crossed his arms. "I can get through Rock Bottom without you. Besides, I trust VesVes." He nodded twice, as if the more times he nodded, the more his statement would become true. "Unless you need me."
He would be more of a hindrance than an asset, but better to keep him with them than to let him return to VesVes; the beast tamer might kill him without a thought.
"There must be a reason why they're keeping you alive." Minako crouched to his level. "What do you know that we don't?"
Plankton rattled his fist in her face. "I may be afraid of you, but I know that I have an advantage, and I will use that advantage to my advantage by not giving you an advantage by telling you what I know, which is nothing, and not telling VesVes nothing."
"Can you repeat that, please, my overlord?" Patrick said.
Plankton's eye brightened. "Ooh, overlord. Overlord Plankton. Plankton the Overlord. Even better than master."
"Hey," Minako barked. "Just because you're small and pitiful doesn't mean I'm going to have mercy on you." She ground out, "What. Do. You. Know," poking her face toward Plankton with each syllable, knocking him onto the floor. Gaping, Barnacle Boy watched, muttered that it was the weirdest night he was having.
"N-nothing." Plankton scrambled backward on all-fours. "I offered to show them around Bikini Bottom to give them a fighting chance against you all. I don't know what kind of beef you have with one another, but it's none of my business, and I don't want to get involved unless that beef will benefit me. And when I do determine that it'll benefit me, then I'll get involved and manipulate you so much, you won't know what's happening." He chuckled, rubbing his hands. "And then I, Sheldon J. Plankton, will command two armies and wield all the power."
"Whatever beef you guys are having," Patrick said, "can I have some, too?"
Minako jabbed a finger into Plankton's torso.
"Whoof!" Plankton grunted.
"Stay on track. What do you know?"
"ThatonlyIcancommandtherobots," Plankton jumbled out, his words almost incoherent in his fear. He may lack common sense, but he didn't lack survival instincts. Confronted by humans with superpowers, he folded.
"What? And slower this time."
"I-I'm the only one who can command the robots. Once the Duplicatotron is switched to 'Obey,' the robots will obey only I, Plankton."
"And the Dead Moon Circus was going to use the robots against us," Michiru said.
Plankton nodded.
Minako straightened. "Smart deal."
Rei watched Michiru carefully, studying her. Rei idolized Michiru when there was no reason to, when Rei did amazing things by herself.
Rei tried not to embarrass herself around Michiru and mimic her role model by remaining quiet, stoic, "elegant." Rei didn't need to copy Michiru's every move. Perhaps Michiru could learn from Rei.
"They didn't tell you anything about what they're searching for?" Michiru said.
Plankton glanced sideways.
The side of Michiru's mouth lifted. "Playing both sides could help you."
"Yes. Yes, that makes sense." He cleared his throat. "They're looking for the Golden Crystal."
Michiru raised an eyebrow at Minako and Rei, both of whom shrugged.
"I don't know what it is, either. They never told me."
"You never asked?"
Plankton's expression blanked. "No…" He drew the word out.
Rei scoffed. "Genius."
Not indicating that he heard Rei, Plankton tapped his fingers. "So, you think I'm safer with you, eh? Well, I, Plankton, the diabolical strategist, agree. A strategic alliance that VesVes and the others will never predict. The enemy of my enemy is my friend of the friend."
A wind blew through the museum.
"That doesn't make any sense," Rei said.
Michiru faced forward. Paintings hung on almost every corner of the wall, and statues populated the floor. She'd love to examine the paintings, what the sea creatures considered art. Was their version of art much different than humans'?
Ever since Michiru had arrived, she felt at home. Like she could command these sea creatures if she wanted. She still glowed from the ocean's power, likely hadn't unlocked all the power yet. She could stay and lord over the ocean for the rest of her days, but her mission was to protect Sailor Moon, not sea creatures.
Regardless, Michiru wasn't sure what to make of her time in Bikini Bottom. Even though the younger Guardians had told her and the Outer Guardians about Bikini Bottom's mannerisms, having them explained and living them out were completely different, with the bus turning straight down a cliff, a foreign language in which people laced English with blowing raspberries, talking dirt, and quirky but deadly robots.
Despite her powers, the fish didn't favor her. She'd love to give her fellow Guardians another leg up over these robots.
Now it was time to figure out how to move forward, find VesVes before she wrecked more havoc upon Rock Bottom.
"Excuse me." Barnacle Boy's black eyes reddened. "I don't know what you're doing here, but I have a deep distrust of any humans who come down here."
Minako blinked. "Even though you're human yourself?"
"Especially because I'm human myself, not to mention your outfits."
"I'm starting to think we should change our uniform. For some reason, no one trusts girls in sailor suits."
"I'll vaporize you in one fell swoop with my Sulfur Vision." His voice boomed with the announcement of his attack, like the Guardians' voices did when they announced their attacks. Michiru readied herself. Even though Barnacle Boy was elderly, his power could rival the Dead Moon Circus'. Michiru did not want to hurt an old man, no matter how powerful he was.
Minako raised her hands. "Wait, before you melt us into ashes, at least let us explain our side of the story."
"What story?" Barnacle Boy's eyes deepened into crimson. "The only story I see is you destroying Bikini Bottom."
"But Patrick trusts us. He saved one of us."
"The starfish's gullible."
Rei turned to Patrick. "Patrick, get him to stop."
Patrick jumped up and down, clapping his hands. "Yay. I get to watch Sulfur Vision vaporize you guys. I've never seen it in real life."
"Patrick, please."
The starfish made no moves to help the Guardians. Two thin red beams snaked from each of Barnacle Boy's eyes, through his mask, not stretching farther than three inches. "Hold on. I just need to get a little closer." He stepped toward the Guardians. The Guardians stepped back. He stepped toward the Guardians. The Guardians stepped back. He stepped toward the Guardians. The Guardians stepped back.
Creases folded Barnacle Boy's forehead. "You'll run out of room to move sometime, you…" He stepped toward the Guardians. The Guardians took to the air.
"Are we really wasting time doing this?" Rei said.
Patrick stomped on the floor. "Aw, come on. Couldn't you let him vaporize you? For me?"
Michiru turned toward the other side of the museum. "All we have to do is get through this museum. It'd be ironic of any of the missing art pieces was in here, so I think we should keep going."
"I actually agree." A grin grew onto Minako's face. "And Rei always agrees with the almighty Michiru."
Scarlet blossomed on Rei's cheeks. "Not every time."
"Oh, yes, you do."
Minako, embarrassing Rei in front of her role model. How cruel.
Barnacle Boy crossed his arms. "All right. Prove to me that you're trustworthy by clearing out the robots from this museum."
Security lasers crisscrossed through the museum. On the floor stood glass encasing statues and other exhibits, round floating machines transmitting electricity atop. Buttons were lined throughout the museum.
"How'd the robots get past the security system?" Rei said.
"And past you?" Patrick gazed at Barnacle Boy with plate-shaped eyes. "You're the most powerful person in Bikini Bottom, as you showed with your devastating Sulfur Vision."
Barnacle Boy groaned. "I may work security here, but those darn robots had already made their way in here by the time my shift started. No one bothered to try destroying them but had the courtesy to leave me with this mess instead. They put the security system on and, of course, those robots are immune to our security measures." He balled his hands. "Why, if I were a few decades younger…"
Perhaps his powers had weakened due to old age. Hopefully, one of the side effects of being a Guardian was old age never weakening Sailor Neptune's powers. In his prime, Barnacle Boy must've been powerful. Now, he was shriveling up before Michiru's eyes.
Barnacle Boy sighed. "I don't have the stamina to move like I used to. My darn knees creak now."
The color drained from Minako. "Creak?" A shudder rocked her. "Oh, my goodness. That's awful." Could almost hear the prayers she was making, asking all the gods for her knees to never creak.
"You have to do a lot of running and jumping to press the buttons that deactivate the security system. If you manage to deactivate it, not only is there a Golden Spatula in it for you, but you'll also be able to destroy all the robots in this museum. If the robots take over the museum and destroy it, I'll lose this job, I won't be able to pay for Shady Shoals, robots'll destroy Shady Shoals and other rest homes, and I'll have to move back in with my son and his nagging wife and their four screaming kids."
The Guardians and Patrick exchanged looks.
"Yay, I'm looking at you all now," Patrick said. "I still don't understand why we look at each other sometimes, though."
From the floor, Plankton peered up at them. They should take him, too.
"Let's take care of the robots," Minako said. "Just to be clear, we aren't only doing this to prove we're trustworthy to another human. We're trying to find the robots' sources. There could be more of those duplicating machines in this museum."
"I thought that we'd be able to go straight through this museum, but that won't be the case." A part of Michiru was glad to have a chance to look at the…unique paintings of real-life squirrels chowing down on pecan pies, cheeks stuffed; SpongeBob wearing pants that were too high, riding up his backside and reaching his rosy cheeks; Squidward twisting his face into nightmarish expressions. Who were the artists responsible for these paintings?
"I'll carry my future overlord." Patrick swept up Plankton.
"Not only your future overlord," Plankton said, "but every puny creature on this plan—" The starfish stuffed him in his shorts' pocket, muffling his voice.
Rei rubbed her head. "Thank goodness. He's so loud to be so small."
"He probably has to be," Michiru said, "or no one'll notice him."
Minako flew toward the first button. Barnacle Boy reached toward her. "Wait, the security system—"
One of the floating machines lifted its stubby arm, aiming its electricity at Minako, frying her in the air, crisping her suit, her shoes, her bow, her hair. She flew backward, away from the machine before it could zap her again, hovered near a wall at the other end.
"Mars Snake Fire!" The flames slithered from Rei's hand, piercing and making the machine explode, the electricity stopping. The fire kept going and scorched one of the paintings. Minako coughed smoke, her hair sticking out in all directions.
"It, it can detect motion," Barnacle Boy finished.
"Thanks for letting me know." Minako coughed once more. "I love finding these things out after I get hurt."
"Are you okay?" Rei said.
"Listen, if I can survive Queen Beryl, Wiseman, Mistress 9, and hundreds of other bad guys, I can survive a little electricity."
Michiru's hair flowed upward, more energy channeling about her. "I can destroy these machines in one fell swoop." Paused. "Actually, I'd better hold off on my attacks. I'm afraid I'll accidentally destroy some parts of the museum."
Barnacle Boy glared. "Like your friend almost destroyed one of the paintings?"
Rei blushed deeper than she had before. "It was an accident." A meek response from the Guardian of War, the one who was supposed to be one of the most passionate among the Guardians.
Michiru squared her expression at Rei. Sailor Mars needed to be more confident in herself. Michiru wasn't sure if, since she was around, Rei was behaving like a doormat, but Michiru didn't want to embarrass Rei more by calling her out.
Almost.
"You've got to stand up for yourself, Rei," Michiru said. Rei's mouth parted, eyes wide like a puppy's, the puppy begging to be petted and told that everything was okay, that she was a special snowflake. "People will have no problem walking all over you if you don't." She scowled. "You younger Guardians can be so needy sometimes."
Minako darkened. "You older Guardians have no problem being bitches all the time."
Peeking out from Patrick's pocket, Plankton's eye bulged. "Shots fired. Take cover." Patrick covered his mouth, eyes growing as wide as boiled eggs.
Barnacle Boy stepped between the Guardians. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Go fight somewhere else where there isn't delicate merchandise. I don't care if you blow each other up, but you're not going to blow up the museum right along with yourselves."
"I don't regret what I said," Michiru said.
"Neither do I," Minako said.
They glowered at each other. Michiru usually didn't lose her temper. Perhaps she felt some sort of protective instinct toward Rei, wanted to teach her to stand up for herself.
Rei pursed her lips. "We'd better get going." Just like that, the earlier hurt from Michiru seemed to have faded. Tough love did work.
Rei stepped to the edge of the platform on which they stood, the one that led to the entrance. She jumped onto one of the exhibit cases, above which one of the machines turned, spinning electricity around the case. Jumping once more, she kicked the machine, breaking it.
Patrick pumped a fist into the air. "All right, Rei."
Without hesitating, Rei jumped to the next case, this one closer to the wall, where a button protruded. The machine above shot out electricity, but Rei flew above, the electricity zapping the case. The machine turned toward Rei, shooting electricity once more. Rei flitted sideways, dodging.
Rei charged toward the machine, determined to impress Michiru. Depending on how recklessly Rei behaved, could be either good or bad.
The machine jetted out electricity, electrocuting Rei. She writhed but controlled herself enough to reach toward her tiara. Ambition at its finest.
"Rei-chan!" Minako unhooked her Love Whip from her skirt, lassoed the machine and threw it into the ceiling, where it shattered, its remnants raining into the security system. The heat from its remains convinced the security system that intruders were roaming about, stealing valuable art. Nearly blinding red lights flashed throughout the museum.
The lights were reflected in Patrick's black eyes. "Ooh, pretty colors." He plopped onto the floor. "Let's stay and watch the fireworks."
Minako tugged Patrick's shoulder, trying to hoist him onto his feet but not being strong enough. "No, no, we have to move."
Michiru turned toward Barnacle Boy. "What happens if the security system is tripped?"
Barnacle Boy was halfway out the exit. "Terrible things." He disappeared through the exit. Leaving the Guardians to fend for themselves against these "terrible things."
Patrick poked his head through the exit. "Wait, Barnacle Boy. You're a hero. You're not s'posed to get scared."
Rei, who had stopped writhing, hovered in the air. "Looks like the robots'll be the least of our worries."
Above, a Monsoon's head spun in 360 degrees, arms and legs outstretched, a mechanical screaming noise that sounded like tin echoing.
"I'm with Barnacle Boy." Plankton wormed his way out of Patrick's pocket and jumped out, holding his nose. Michiru held her hand below, catching him.
"You're coming with us." She plucked him into Patrick's pocket.
He poked his head out. "But I'm an innocent bystander."
"None of this would've happened in the first place if it wasn't for you," Minako said.
The security system wouldn't have been activated in the first place if it wasn't for Minako, but it wasn't the time to anger anyone else.
"I've tripped security systems before down here, and it's never a pleasant experience." Of course she had. Minako pointed toward the exit at the opposite end. "Let's get out of here. We can come back for the robots once the security turns off."
The robots were swarming toward the exit, the Monsoons and Chucks shoving one another. Fodders, Sleepytimes (their sirens also going off, creating a cacophony of sirens that made Michiru want to plug her ears), and Bomb-Bots, Fodder-sized robots that resembled bombs, wheeled about, none of the flying robots trying to whisk the ground-bound ones to safety. Some of the ground-bound robots jumped toward the chandeliers that looked like tires, fewer reaching the top of the chandeliers while others smashed on the floor. Several Sleepytimes zapped the air, angry at having been awakened.
Rei bit her lip. "If even the robots are scared…
"They'll probably destroy themselves," Minako said. "We should focus on getting ourselves out of here before something more absurd than what we've already witnessed happens."
"But we should destroy the robots on our way out," Michiru said. "Not to argue with you, but to kill two birds with one stone."
Minako stared at Michiru for a beat and then nodded. "Makes sense." Thank goodness her pride hadn't gotten in the way.
"Yay, I get to be carried again," Patrick said.
"Who, who will have the honor of carrying Patrick?" Rei said.
"I can carry him with my own attack. Deep Submerge!" Waves rushed from Michiru's hands, propped Patrick up, Plankton hollering. The wave rolled toward the exit, Patrick cheering atop, Plankton's holler becoming louder.
The Monsoons and Chucks stopped their flight toward the exit, faced Patrick, the Monsoons raising their fingers to press the buttons on their remote controls, the Chucks lifting their water missiles.
The museum rumbled, like an earthquake was rolling beneath it. The floor opened, swallowing several robots who were standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. From the floor, two giant stone fins slammed on either side of the opening. Pushed up, revealing a stone head of a flounder.
The ceiling yawned open. An anchor quadruple the size of a normal one dropped onto the stone fish's head, knocking the fish to the floor. A chain hung from the ceiling, holding up and swinging the anchor back and forth, the anchor's trajectory covering the length of the museum. The Guardians flew backward, the anchor splitting through Michiru's wave, nearing Patrick and Plankton. Not comprehending the danger he was in, the starfish squealed in delight, waving his arms like a kid on a roller coaster.
Rei flew toward Patrick and, by extension, Plankton, who was stashed in Patrick's pocket. Just before the anchor could cleave Patrick in two, Rei tackled Patrick, lifting and carrying him. The anchor brushed her arm, enough to spin Rei onto the floor, but she held fast to Patrick. She and Patrick tumbled, stopping near the giant fish.
The fish locked its eyes on Rei and Patrick and reached, roaring. Michiru redirected her wave, engulfing its fins, making the fish recoil. Meanwhile, Minako lassoed Rei and Patrick, drawing them toward her, the anchor threatening to slam into them.
Rei stared at the anchor. Michiru could almost see the gears turning in Rei's head as she tried to figure out how to stop the anchor. Rei was no longer focused on trying to impress her mentor, but on saving her friends.
Rei had forgotten herself and lived for others. The best trait that anyone could have.
She hadn't gotten that trait from Michiru. Michiru hadn't shown Rei anything.
All Rei's attacks could do were heat and melt things. The anchor would keep swinging as it was heated, hurting Rei, Patrick, and Plankton more upon impact. As far as Michiru knew, Rei didn't have any attacks that could cut things.
Rei took off her tiara. Could it slice through an anchor?
"Don't do it, Rei-chan," Minako said.
Rei threw her tiara anyhow. A glare gleamed off the tiara, blinding Michiru. Metal clunked onto the floor, glass shattering.
When Michiru opened her eyes, the anchor and, under it, the stone fish lay on the floor, the fish's eyes blank.
With only her tiara, Rei had defeated the stone fish. Impressive.
Rei hovered beside Minako, and Patrick stood on a tire-shaped chandelier. Safe.
Water missiles whistled past Michiru.
The robots remained. Not safe yet.
One missile exploded upon the stone fish. The fish's eyes rolled, revealing its pupils. It was still alive.
It lifted the anchor above its head and then bounced onto its feet, crushing several statues, aiming the anchor at the group. Michiru had drawn the wave to her. Hoisting Patrick by the arm, Rei whisked herself, Plankton, and Patrick to a platform to the side. Placed Patrick and Plankton onto the floor.
The fish charged toward Michiru and Minako, lifting the anchor. Either about to hurl the anchor or carve the group with it.
"Don't move." Rei flew to Michiru and Minako. A water missile burst inches from Patrick and Plankton, propelling them into the wall. Minako flew to Patrick and Plankton, to protect them. They'd changed places. So Rei's move didn't seem necessary.
Did Rei have an attack to counter the anchor? Could she even defeat the fish while her attacks were weakened?
Michiru hovered beside Rei. "We'll do it together."
Another water missile flew toward Michiru. She swerved, dodging the missile. A yelp came from behind. Michiru and Rei looked. Minako flew backward, propelled by the exploding missile. She slammed onto the wall, spread-eagled.
Minako began to slide down the wall. "Why do these things…keep happening to me?" She should've been paying attention.
Grinding, wobbling, the statue hurled the anchor.
With her weakened attacks, Rei would only get in the way.
Michiru whipped in front of Rei, her Deep Aqua Mirror materializing in her hand. "Submarine Reflection!" Water blasted out of the mirror, punching through the anchor and then the statue. Both the anchor and the statue crumbled, their remains crushing the floor, the statues and sculptures.
"Well, we didn't do much more damage." Recovered, Minako hovered in front of Patrick and Plankton. "I mean, we'd destroyed most of the museum already, with the crane and then tripping the system."
The wave smashed through the swath of robots, through the exit, tearing away the wall, revealing nearly absolute darkness outside.
Michiru reined the water back into her mirror. She'd destroyed part of one of the things she liked most—a museum. How ironic.
"You're all right," Michiru said to Rei. "Good."
"Y-yes." Another blush from Rei. "I'm all right." She glanced at the floor. Ashamed at not being able to help?
More neediness, but Michiru suppressed a sharp rebuke and said instead, "You did great, Rei."
Rei perked. "Thank you. I did my best."
"Our attacks are polar opposites, but maybe we can fight together one day."
"I thought that's what we were going to do, but you defeated the statue and the anchor so easily."
"Trust me, I couldn't have defeated them by myself, regardless of how powerful my attacks are down here. Your tiara weakened them."
Doubt flickered in her eyes. Now was not the time for a lecture.
Plankton peeked out of Patrick's pocket. "Are they gone?"
"They're gone," Minako said.
He wiped sweat from his brow, like he'd been the one fighting. "We still have one more place to go. The Trench of Advanced Darkness."
Patrick backed to the wall. "T-T-T-T-Trench… Darkness… Darkness means dark." His bottom lip quivered. "Don't make me go, guys. I don't wanna."
"Okay, Patrick," Minako said. "We'll leave you here to go back to Bikini Bottom, in the dark, all by yourself."
"Never mind."
"Even after all that, one more place to go." She let out a breath. "We can do this, guys."
By the way Patrick was gnawing his nails, he might not get through the Trench unscathed.
Rei tried to appear brave by squaring herself, but she couldn't look up. Wasn't as confident as she was trying to show herself to be.
The younger Guardians might be needy, but they were still part of the Sailor Team. Everyone needed encouragement and mentorship.
"Come on, Rei," Michiru said. "Let's fly together."
Rei brightened. Side by side, they flew. Ahead, darkness awaited them, but together, they lit the way.