(Chapter Eight)
"What?" demanded Sailor Mars at the two young men whose jaws had dropped to the floor in amazement. Van snapped out of it first. "Nothing, let's go!" Alan blinked and grinned foolishly. "Yes, of course, we must hurry." "That's the Escaflowne? It's beautiful!" gasped Mars as soon as she saw it. Van grinned and climbed in. "Just wait a second, I'll carry you onto the battlefield." the front of the guymellef closed and the robot stood up. It lowered its hand and Mars leaped onto it.
Alan in his guymellef met them carrying Hitomi and they went out onto the battlefield. Even over the sounds of the battle, Van could hear Rei gasp in horror. "I can't see them! They've gone in invisible mode!" he cried. Mars jumped on his hand causing him to glance at her. "Can you feel their presence? I can. Just- Ohmygod, in front of you!" as sure as her words. A stream of metal suddenly appeared out of thin air and shot right towards him. But with the timely warning from Mars, he blocked the attack and sent the stream of metal stabbing at another enemy guyemellef.
"Mars... Celestial... Fire... Surround!" yelled Mars and sent a profusion of fire straight towards the enemy guymellef. It re-appeared and the drag-energist powering it turned to ashes. The guymellef crumpled to the ground. The front of the ruined guymellef fell open and the young boy in it fell to the ground unconscious. Mars felt a pang of sorrow. She immediately shook it away. She threw a ofuda and yelled, "Mars... Firebird... Strike!" a phoenix exploded from the paper and the energists that powered the enemy guymellefs burst into ashes and they all crumpled. No guymellef can withstand the same amount of fire that Rei held at her fingertips. Soon the enemy retreated. They had won... for now.
Meanwhile, Merle had wriggled free of the cell that she had been held in. She ran towards the door but suddenly stopped. Where would she go? She hated Van and Hitomi and Alan and especially Rei. 'It would serve them right if I joined Zaibach!' She slipped the door open. She was unaware that the cell had a security system and she was suddenly shocked by a hundred bolts of electricity. She fell to the ground screaming as her body crackled with light.
"What! She escaped! You idiots!" yelled Dilandau. "Don't worry, the system probably got her." said the cringing guards. "The system changes the human into an animal, in her case, she would turn into a human!" he yelled and stalked off in the direction of the dungeons.
He turned and yelled at them even more. "I'll handle this by myself. Get lost!" which they gladly did. He continued and found the cell of the girl. He pressed the buttons that turned off the system and opened the door. There as he had suspected was the body of a young girl... but he had never suspected exactly how beautiful she would be. She had glossy brown hair and her face was as smooth as a porcelain doll's. Her eyes fluttered and opened. He knew at once that she had been a cat because her eyes were a brilliant emerald green and were slightly more almond-shaped like a cat's.
She looked up at him and spoke in a silver voice. "Where am I?" He was still standing stock-still. 'Hell, she's beautiful! She obviously lost her memory, but if I tell her, she'll try to escape and I'll have to kill her!' he thought quickly. "You are at headquarters, uh, Jasmine." he said quickly making up a name. "Headquarters?" she asked cocking her head questioningly. "Yes, you're my girlfriend, remember? You were missing and I found you just now. Where did you get those clothes? A powerful warrior like you should be dressed in proper attire."
She looked down at herself and found that she was wearing a ragged dress and a nail file on her neck. "I don't know. I can't remember anything." He took hold of her hand and started to lead her towards the room where the female warriors had their rooms. Yes, yes I know to all you people who actually watch the show! She followed him and he led her through the twisting hallway. He brought her to a room which he knew was vacated and said. "This is your room, Jasmine." The plate on the door was instantly engraved Jasmine Merle. He walked over to the intricately engraved doors at the side and threw them open.
Inside hung about the same colored armor that Dilandau himself was wearing with of course a few alterations. The form-fitting bodysuit was covered with black armor and on a table with a mirror with designs around the frame. There in front of it were her hairpieces. She turned to Dilandau and spoke. "Please turn around while I change." he dutifully turned his back and heard the rustling of her changing. "Okay." he turned around and saw her with her back towards him. "Help me out?" she asked. He smiled at her and helped her with the bindings at the back of it. She walked towards the mirror and put on the hairpieces exactly the way the female Zaibach samurai wore it. They were steel pieces that flipped her hair a little and the rest of it hung down just past her shoulder blades.
The machine had been a wondrous invention and Dilandau made a mental note to tell the magician who had made it what a good job he'd done. Jasmine had become exactly what he had told her she was. She had turned into a perfect female samurai and knew exactly what she had to do. "You coming?" she asked innocently. Although she was a magnificent warrior, she was still the young girl he had found crumpled on the dungeon floor. He smiled and followed her out the door. He had finally found someone he loved.
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"Usagi? Usagi? Usagi, please wake up!" she could hear Gohan's voice echoing somewhere but it was very far away. "Please Usagi, you've got to wake up!" now Trunks' voice mingled with Gohan's. She shuddered and covered her ears trying to block the sounds that came continuously closer. Why should she go back? Back to the place where you're heart could be shattered? back to the place where you could feel the pain? "Usagi!"
She sighed and understood. She had to go back, and she made her choice. She stepped into a wall of pain. "Augh." she groaned as she sat up dizzily. As soon as she looked up, she saw Gohan's worried face. Trunks' was right beside his. She blinked hard and focused. "I-I'm sorry." she had unknowingly brought ChiChi back as well. She shook her head and said. "Your mother was possessed with the spirit of Queen Beryl. Now the queen's found her own body and she's stronger than me now!" she started to sob and she threw herself forward. Trunks caught her and held her tight. "I can't fight her, how can I save my friends? I don't have my crystal and it's still too early to wish it back with the Dragon Balls isn't it?" she asked her voice muffled.
"We'll train you." spoke up Gohan firmly. Her head snapped up. "Ohmygod! I totally forgot what Pluto told me! She said I had to raise my "power level" do you now what that is?" she asked wide-eyed. Trunks told her, "It's how much fighting power is in your body. If you want to raise it, you'll have to train very hard." she tugged his shirt bringing his face closer. "Will you really help?" she turned to Gohan, her still-wet eyes glowed with a slight shimmer of hope. He gave her a hug. "Of course! You helped save my mom and anyway, you're kinda one of the gang now. First, we'll have to ask my dad what to do." she nodded vigorously. They turned on the communicator and Goku's face appeared on it. They explained everything to him. "Hmm, you need to train at King Kai's planet. You two should go as well, you need the training." his face zipped off the screen. "Okay, um, how do we get there?" she asked the two guys. "Er, we don't actually know." they admitted.
A bright light suddenly flashed in front of Usagi's face and there was Queen Serenity herself. Usagi squealed and hugged her mother. "I've missed you so much Mom!" Gohan asked, "Is she your mother from the past?" Queen Serenity smiled and said. "No, I'm her real mother, from the Moon Kingdom. And about King Kai, I'll take you to King Yemma to ask permission. But all of you have to change your forms to impress him. Yes, I know you're Super Saiyans." she added staring at the guys.
"Um, do you mean I should turn into Sailor Moon?" asked Usagi. "No, into your princess form." Usagi gasped. "Whoa, this is serious." she held up her locket and shouted, "Moon... Princess... Transform!" her Sailor outfit covered her for a moment before it swirled into the dress that she had worn the day, Beryl had attacked the Moon Kingdom. "Um, one thing. What's a Super Saiyan?" the two guys laughed at that. "Just, wait for two seconds." their eyes slitted as they concentrated and with a yell, their hair shot of and became gold and their eyes green. "WICKED! INSTANT HAIR DYE!" squealed Princess Usagi.
Queen Serenity smiled and snapped her fingers. They instantly appeared in King Yemma's office. When Queen Serenity finally persuaded King Yemma, the two guys went back to normal and Usagi became Sailor Moon. They all ran out onto snake Way and Queen Serenity disappeared. After a while, Sailor Moon stopped for breath. She was way out of shape and was not as strong as the other two. "Whoever made the decree that said I have to wear high heels should be fired." she groaned and sat down. She pulled off her boots and they disappeared. In their place hot-looking running shoes appeared on her feet that surprisingly looked good with her mini-skirt.
"Sorry, 'bout that she said as she ran after them. When are we gonna get there huh?" she asked them as she drew up alongside. Trunks winked at her and said. "It's right in front of you." she stopped and lost her balance right at the end of Snake Way. They both grabbed her and steadied her. "Well, let's go!" she yelled and jumped off the end towards the planet.
When they reached it, Trunks and Gohan staggered a little unaccustomed to the gravity by Sailor Moon fell flat on her face right in front of a fat, short figure. "I'll be right with you." she muttered as she pushed herself into a standing position but slightly shaking. The short, blue figure was actually King Kai and he was amazed that the girl in front of him could actually stand up with the force of gravity against her.
She looked at him and said, "You must be King Kai. We've come to ask if we can train with you. I would shake your hand but there's way too much gravity. Can somebody please turn it off?" King Kai laughed and Trunks and Gohan caught Sailor Moon before she fell flat on her face again. He turned to the two guys and said. "First you'll have to make me laugh. Call it an initiation. The girl already passed. Now it's your turn." Usagi knew Trunks could but Gohan could think for a year and still have no idea.
Trunks went first and whispered something in his ear. King Kai began snorting in laughter. He then turned to Gohan. "I'll make you laugh again for him." offered Usagi. King Kai nodded. "Well, everybody back home always calls me Odango-Atama because of my hair." she tried. He snorted with laughter and said. "Okay, you passed again. Now you're first task is to catch Bubbles." Usagi cocked her head. "But bubbles pop when you touch them!" she wailed. "No, not that kind of bubbles. You have to catch this monkey named Bubbles." Usagi opened her mouth. "Uh-oh." Trunks and Gohan could easily catch it but what about her? She could barely stand up straight! "This is going to be a loooong training session."
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"What?" demanded Sailor Mars at the two young men whose jaws had dropped to the floor in amazement. Van snapped out of it first. "Nothing, let's go!" Alan blinked and grinned foolishly. "Yes, of course, we must hurry." "That's the Escaflowne? It's beautiful!" gasped Mars as soon as she saw it. Van grinned and climbed in. "Just wait a second, I'll carry you onto the battlefield." the front of the guymellef closed and the robot stood up. It lowered its hand and Mars leaped onto it.
Alan in his guymellef met them carrying Hitomi and they went out onto the battlefield. Even over the sounds of the battle, Van could hear Rei gasp in horror. "I can't see them! They've gone in invisible mode!" he cried. Mars jumped on his hand causing him to glance at her. "Can you feel their presence? I can. Just- Ohmygod, in front of you!" as sure as her words. A stream of metal suddenly appeared out of thin air and shot right towards him. But with the timely warning from Mars, he blocked the attack and sent the stream of metal stabbing at another enemy guyemellef.
"Mars... Celestial... Fire... Surround!" yelled Mars and sent a profusion of fire straight towards the enemy guymellef. It re-appeared and the drag-energist powering it turned to ashes. The guymellef crumpled to the ground. The front of the ruined guymellef fell open and the young boy in it fell to the ground unconscious. Mars felt a pang of sorrow. She immediately shook it away. She threw a ofuda and yelled, "Mars... Firebird... Strike!" a phoenix exploded from the paper and the energists that powered the enemy guymellefs burst into ashes and they all crumpled. No guymellef can withstand the same amount of fire that Rei held at her fingertips. Soon the enemy retreated. They had won... for now.
Meanwhile, Merle had wriggled free of the cell that she had been held in. She ran towards the door but suddenly stopped. Where would she go? She hated Van and Hitomi and Alan and especially Rei. 'It would serve them right if I joined Zaibach!' She slipped the door open. She was unaware that the cell had a security system and she was suddenly shocked by a hundred bolts of electricity. She fell to the ground screaming as her body crackled with light.
"What! She escaped! You idiots!" yelled Dilandau. "Don't worry, the system probably got her." said the cringing guards. "The system changes the human into an animal, in her case, she would turn into a human!" he yelled and stalked off in the direction of the dungeons.
He turned and yelled at them even more. "I'll handle this by myself. Get lost!" which they gladly did. He continued and found the cell of the girl. He pressed the buttons that turned off the system and opened the door. There as he had suspected was the body of a young girl... but he had never suspected exactly how beautiful she would be. She had glossy brown hair and her face was as smooth as a porcelain doll's. Her eyes fluttered and opened. He knew at once that she had been a cat because her eyes were a brilliant emerald green and were slightly more almond-shaped like a cat's.
She looked up at him and spoke in a silver voice. "Where am I?" He was still standing stock-still. 'Hell, she's beautiful! She obviously lost her memory, but if I tell her, she'll try to escape and I'll have to kill her!' he thought quickly. "You are at headquarters, uh, Jasmine." he said quickly making up a name. "Headquarters?" she asked cocking her head questioningly. "Yes, you're my girlfriend, remember? You were missing and I found you just now. Where did you get those clothes? A powerful warrior like you should be dressed in proper attire."
She looked down at herself and found that she was wearing a ragged dress and a nail file on her neck. "I don't know. I can't remember anything." He took hold of her hand and started to lead her towards the room where the female warriors had their rooms. Yes, yes I know to all you people who actually watch the show! She followed him and he led her through the twisting hallway. He brought her to a room which he knew was vacated and said. "This is your room, Jasmine." The plate on the door was instantly engraved Jasmine Merle. He walked over to the intricately engraved doors at the side and threw them open.
Inside hung about the same colored armor that Dilandau himself was wearing with of course a few alterations. The form-fitting bodysuit was covered with black armor and on a table with a mirror with designs around the frame. There in front of it were her hairpieces. She turned to Dilandau and spoke. "Please turn around while I change." he dutifully turned his back and heard the rustling of her changing. "Okay." he turned around and saw her with her back towards him. "Help me out?" she asked. He smiled at her and helped her with the bindings at the back of it. She walked towards the mirror and put on the hairpieces exactly the way the female Zaibach samurai wore it. They were steel pieces that flipped her hair a little and the rest of it hung down just past her shoulder blades.
The machine had been a wondrous invention and Dilandau made a mental note to tell the magician who had made it what a good job he'd done. Jasmine had become exactly what he had told her she was. She had turned into a perfect female samurai and knew exactly what she had to do. "You coming?" she asked innocently. Although she was a magnificent warrior, she was still the young girl he had found crumpled on the dungeon floor. He smiled and followed her out the door. He had finally found someone he loved.
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"Usagi? Usagi? Usagi, please wake up!" she could hear Gohan's voice echoing somewhere but it was very far away. "Please Usagi, you've got to wake up!" now Trunks' voice mingled with Gohan's. She shuddered and covered her ears trying to block the sounds that came continuously closer. Why should she go back? Back to the place where you're heart could be shattered? back to the place where you could feel the pain? "Usagi!"
She sighed and understood. She had to go back, and she made her choice. She stepped into a wall of pain. "Augh." she groaned as she sat up dizzily. As soon as she looked up, she saw Gohan's worried face. Trunks' was right beside his. She blinked hard and focused. "I-I'm sorry." she had unknowingly brought ChiChi back as well. She shook her head and said. "Your mother was possessed with the spirit of Queen Beryl. Now the queen's found her own body and she's stronger than me now!" she started to sob and she threw herself forward. Trunks caught her and held her tight. "I can't fight her, how can I save my friends? I don't have my crystal and it's still too early to wish it back with the Dragon Balls isn't it?" she asked her voice muffled.
"We'll train you." spoke up Gohan firmly. Her head snapped up. "Ohmygod! I totally forgot what Pluto told me! She said I had to raise my "power level" do you now what that is?" she asked wide-eyed. Trunks told her, "It's how much fighting power is in your body. If you want to raise it, you'll have to train very hard." she tugged his shirt bringing his face closer. "Will you really help?" she turned to Gohan, her still-wet eyes glowed with a slight shimmer of hope. He gave her a hug. "Of course! You helped save my mom and anyway, you're kinda one of the gang now. First, we'll have to ask my dad what to do." she nodded vigorously. They turned on the communicator and Goku's face appeared on it. They explained everything to him. "Hmm, you need to train at King Kai's planet. You two should go as well, you need the training." his face zipped off the screen. "Okay, um, how do we get there?" she asked the two guys. "Er, we don't actually know." they admitted.
A bright light suddenly flashed in front of Usagi's face and there was Queen Serenity herself. Usagi squealed and hugged her mother. "I've missed you so much Mom!" Gohan asked, "Is she your mother from the past?" Queen Serenity smiled and said. "No, I'm her real mother, from the Moon Kingdom. And about King Kai, I'll take you to King Yemma to ask permission. But all of you have to change your forms to impress him. Yes, I know you're Super Saiyans." she added staring at the guys.
"Um, do you mean I should turn into Sailor Moon?" asked Usagi. "No, into your princess form." Usagi gasped. "Whoa, this is serious." she held up her locket and shouted, "Moon... Princess... Transform!" her Sailor outfit covered her for a moment before it swirled into the dress that she had worn the day, Beryl had attacked the Moon Kingdom. "Um, one thing. What's a Super Saiyan?" the two guys laughed at that. "Just, wait for two seconds." their eyes slitted as they concentrated and with a yell, their hair shot of and became gold and their eyes green. "WICKED! INSTANT HAIR DYE!" squealed Princess Usagi.
Queen Serenity smiled and snapped her fingers. They instantly appeared in King Yemma's office. When Queen Serenity finally persuaded King Yemma, the two guys went back to normal and Usagi became Sailor Moon. They all ran out onto snake Way and Queen Serenity disappeared. After a while, Sailor Moon stopped for breath. She was way out of shape and was not as strong as the other two. "Whoever made the decree that said I have to wear high heels should be fired." she groaned and sat down. She pulled off her boots and they disappeared. In their place hot-looking running shoes appeared on her feet that surprisingly looked good with her mini-skirt.
"Sorry, 'bout that she said as she ran after them. When are we gonna get there huh?" she asked them as she drew up alongside. Trunks winked at her and said. "It's right in front of you." she stopped and lost her balance right at the end of Snake Way. They both grabbed her and steadied her. "Well, let's go!" she yelled and jumped off the end towards the planet.
When they reached it, Trunks and Gohan staggered a little unaccustomed to the gravity by Sailor Moon fell flat on her face right in front of a fat, short figure. "I'll be right with you." she muttered as she pushed herself into a standing position but slightly shaking. The short, blue figure was actually King Kai and he was amazed that the girl in front of him could actually stand up with the force of gravity against her.
She looked at him and said, "You must be King Kai. We've come to ask if we can train with you. I would shake your hand but there's way too much gravity. Can somebody please turn it off?" King Kai laughed and Trunks and Gohan caught Sailor Moon before she fell flat on her face again. He turned to the two guys and said. "First you'll have to make me laugh. Call it an initiation. The girl already passed. Now it's your turn." Usagi knew Trunks could but Gohan could think for a year and still have no idea.
Trunks went first and whispered something in his ear. King Kai began snorting in laughter. He then turned to Gohan. "I'll make you laugh again for him." offered Usagi. King Kai nodded. "Well, everybody back home always calls me Odango-Atama because of my hair." she tried. He snorted with laughter and said. "Okay, you passed again. Now you're first task is to catch Bubbles." Usagi cocked her head. "But bubbles pop when you touch them!" she wailed. "No, not that kind of bubbles. You have to catch this monkey named Bubbles." Usagi opened her mouth. "Uh-oh." Trunks and Gohan could easily catch it but what about her? She could barely stand up straight! "This is going to be a loooong training session."
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