Shattered Ice: Super Sailor Mercury
Chapter 40
Akane Karasuma, aka Sailor Lead Crow, cried out in surprise as the beautiful redhead felt a startling pulse of pure power. "What...?" the woman dressed in a stylish pantsuit gasped, grabbing at her head even as she swayed, for a moment badly disoriented.
"Miss, what...?" one of the young men back stage reached out to steady her, likely keeping her from falling right over.
From the corridor a alarmed voice yelled, "Miss Aya's collapsed!"
Akane swiftly shrugged the man's grip off and hurried to her comrade, her eyes narrowed intently. Running up the hall she saw Reiko Aya sprawled out on the ground, blood seeping from a wound on her head, staining her beautiful light blue hair.
"What happened?" Akane demanded harshly as she scanned the scene, looking around for any hidden attackers.
"She just swayed and went over," one of the guards said, the heavily muscled man one of Galaxia's creatures in disguise.
Akane dropped to her knees beside the other woman, checking her pulse as she looked her over. 'Thank goodness we have hard heads,' she thought, feeling a steady pulse, 'it looks like she was just knocked out.'
"Did you feel that, mistress?" the big guard murmured, having crouched down beside her.
"I did," Akane agreed bleakly, "a burst of power, nearby." She looked down at the unconscious Reiko, torn between investigating the mystery and watching over her friend.
Then the decision was taken out of her hands as one of the gofers ran up, carrying a black phone. "Call for you, ma'am," he said, passing it to her.
"Hello?" Akane asked, even though she knew who it was.
"It's me," Galaxia said coldly. "I felt a power awakening, somewhere near you. You must find it for me, now."
"Sailor Aluminum Siren has been injured, I...," Akane started.
"I said now, Lead Crow," Galaxia's voice took on a dangerous tone, "I hope I do not need to remind you of the cost of disobedience?"
"You do not, my lady," Akane said through clenched teeth. "I will find the power and bring it to you," she promised.
"Do so," Galaxia said then hung up.
Akane rose, her expression determined. "Get her to the first aide station," she ordered as she strode off, "I need to find out what's happening."
Outside in the seats around the concert stage there were cries of shock and confusion as two women blazed with supernatural power. Ami Mizuno shimmered with a white-silver light, the broach she wore containing the Imperium Crystal blazing like a sun. Beside her the woman Nicole Mizuno had introduced as Kakyuu also blazed with power, a bright red-gold that danced like sunlight or a cheerful summer fire.
"You are...?" Kakyuu murmured, her eyes wide with surprise and joy.
"Power down, both of you!" Setsuna barked, the black-green haired woman grabbing both their arms forcefully.
Ami seemed to realize the looks they were drawing and focused her will on the Crystal, calming it somehow. The power flaring and dancing around her faded even as she asked, "Who are you? What have you pulled my mother into?"
Nicole Mizuno gave her daughter a very motherly scolding glance, "She didn't pull me into anything, young lady." She hesitated as she added, "Though I admit I wasn't expecting this..."
"Chibi!" the very alarmed little girl tugged on Setsuna's arm, looking worried.
"I don't like the feel of this," Usagi agreed, the pink haired girl looking around them as the crowd fled from the formerly glowing girls.
"This is not good," Hotaru Tomoe agreed flatly, the black haired girl frowning.
Just then a redheaded woman ran out onto the stage, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the small group who remained. "One of you," she muttered under her breath, "it has to be one of you!"
"What...?" Ami started.
"Sailor Lead Crow!" a voice boomed from the back of the concert hall, "It's been a long time."
Ami whipped around to see Sailor Iron Mouse standing defiantly on the back of several chairs, the spotlights shining from behind her and making a even more dramatic scene. Her mostly white outfit now sported a skirt like Sailor Mercury, and her eyes shone with determination.
"Iron Mouse," the redhead growled, "you dare show yourself! Traitor!"
"I'm not a traitor," Iron mouse shook her head, "I was merely freed from Galaxia's control." Her voice took on a pleading tone, "You too can..."
"Never!" the woman yelled even as she transformed. In seconds the stylish clothes were gone, revealing a sketchy looking tight garment in red, along with a frightening looking bullwhip.
Sailor Iron Mouse leaped over a whip strike, dropping down beside Ami and the others. "Get out of here," she hissed, "I'll distract her."
Ami nodded, "We'll be back as quick as we can." "Let's go," she ordered as she, her mother, Setsuna, Kakyuu, Hotaru. Usagiand Chibi Chibi swiftly made a break for the exit.
Sailor Iron Mouse bounded aside from another attack even as she gestured and cried out, "Mouse CRUNCH!"
Lead Crow cried out in shock and surprise as a burst of energy blasted her back, staggering her. "That isn't possible," she hissed, "you should be powerless without Galaxia's aide!"
"I have discovered my own power," Sailor Iron Mouse said boldly as she used her superior speed to bound away from another attack.
In fact, Sailor Iron Mouse was rather astonished to discover that she had these powers at all! So far she had merely responded in instinct to what had happened, discovering these new talents as she needed them. 'It almost seems like I'm stronger than when I served Galaxia!' she thought, astonished.
A energy bolt crackled far too close for comfort, and Iron Crow grinned. 'I'm starting to get your measure, traitor,' she thought grimly, 'it won't be long now!'
Sailor Iron Mouse leaped over another bolt, but this time the whip slapped her across the arm, staggering her. She spun through the air and hit a chair, collapsing stunned to the dirty floor.
"STAR SERIOUS LASER!" the cry rang out, a energy bolt blasting Lead Crow from behind.
"Damn you," Lead Crow whipped around, seeing three new opponents waiting for her.
Sailors Star Fighter, Healer and Maker stood defiantly in their mostly black costumes, the three young women ready to act. "Surrender," Fighter demanded, her black hair flowing down her back, "we have you surrounded!"
"I wouldn't say surrounded," Maker murmured, her brown hair framing a serious face.
"Hush," Healer said, the white haired girl smirking.
Lead Crow growled incoherently, then saw that there were still some people lingering out in the seats of the concert hall. "Star Seeds, Rise!" firing energy bolts at the unsuspecting humans. The crystals rose up from them then faded, the humans transforming into brutish Phages. "Get them!" she ordered, waving at the Starlights and Iron Mouse.
"Raarh!" the vampire-like phage growled, eerie glitter trailing her as she attacked Iron Mouse.
"Eeew!" Iron mouse clubbed it with a chair, "Get away!"
Four more Phages rushed the Starlights, the women having to defend themselves rather than attack Lead Crow. "Star Sensitive Inferno!" Healer yelled, blasting one away while Fighter calmly slugged her opponent, staggering it.
"Star Gentle Uterus!" Maker cried, launching off balls of light to strike at multiple attackers.
"Show off," Fighter grumbled at she kicked a Phage in the face. "You really need to rename that attack," she added as she punched out her now weakened foe.
"It's not my fault Uterus means something else in the Human languages," Maker shrugged as she headbutted a enemy who got too close.
"Damn it," Lead Crow muttered as she looked around, trying to spot the women she had felt the burst of power from. 'If I don't find them, Galaxia is going to be angry,' she thought worriedly.
"From out of the darkness we come, twin lights of beauty and love!" one voice declared.
Lead Crow whirled around to see two Sailor Senshi emerge from backstage. "Sailor's Uranus and Neptune are here!" Uranus finished boldly.
"Oh, could this get any worse?" Lead Crow grumbled bitterly, throwing energy bolts to create a few more Phages. At this point she was seriously considering retreat, but what about Aluminum Siren backstage? Was it safe to move her?
"Give it up, Lead Crow," Sailor Iron Mouse declared, "you can't win!" Having beaten down the glitter vamp she rushed to help the Starlights, the group putting down their Phages too.
Lead Crow growled as Uranus, Neptune, the Starlights and Iron Mouse surrounded her on the stage, the women glaring at her dangerously. The last bystanders had fled, meaning no more Phages could be created, and getting the Starseeds from these Sailors would require more power than she had... what was she going to do?
"Lead Crow?" a weak voice drew the attention of the various heroes, seeing the visibly pale woman leaning against the wall.
Seizing the slight distraction Lead Crow ran to where Aluminum Siren stood, swiftly taking her into her arms. "We will meet again," she vowed as she ran off.
"After her!" Sailor Uranus barked.
"Wait," Star Fighter yelled, glaring around her. "We came here because we felt a familiar power, we must search for it."
"I think that would be us," a familiar voice said as six women hurried through a side door, looking around in annoyance.
"Princess Kakyuu?" Star Maker breathed out as the three Starlights raced over to her.
"I take it we missed the fight?" Sailor Mercury complained, Sailor Pluto and Moon beside her, Saturn holding her weapon like she intended to chop through the walls.
"Chibi," the strange little girl who accompanied Kakyuu offered consolingly.
They watched the joyous reunion between Kakyuu and the black clad women as Uranus asked, "So, what kept you?"
"You know how hard it is to find a out of the way place to transform?" Mercury complained wryly. She shook her head, "We had to duck behind the portable bathrooms."
"I was fairly certain you could handle things," Pluto noted in her cool way.
"So what now?" Saturn asked, Hotaru looking annoyed she had missed the fight.
"I think we need to find somewhere quiet to talk," Nicole Mizuno noted, looking at Kakyuu with a faintly hurt look, "I think we all need some answers."
Kakyuu looked back from the hugs and babble she was getting from the Starlights, her own eyes tender as she met Nicole's gaze. "I am sorry, Nicole, I never meant to put you in danger," she confessed.
To be continued...
Notes: My god, I gave Iron Mouse a BIG DAMN HEROES moment. IRON MOUSE. Damn.
