Here it is, Chapter 7, and there's not much happening,
or is there? I guess you'll just have to read and
find out, won't you?

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Labyrinth Square

Chapter 7

By Phoenix Cubed

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Little rabbit found a hole,
She burrowed deep down in it.
Had she known the hole was a heart
Would she have been so warm?

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His only warning was an odd twinge within his subconscious before a
great howl filled his ears and pain swept through his side. A strong
force collided with his body aside and sent Darien crashing against a
stony vined wall.

"Darien!" Serena came awake in an instant. She sprang to her feet with
surprising agility, ready for anything but the hand that reached from
behind and grabbed her arm, using it to throw her across the opposite side
of the room from Darien.

"Serena!" Darien lay stunned for a moment before gathering his strength
and leaping to his feet. Fierce blue eyes immediately fell upon the
creature that had backed his charge into a corner.

"Raker," the monster hissed as it reached forward with spindly arms to
haul a still dazed Serena to her unsteady feet. "No escape for you this
time, princess."

"Let go of me you over-grown weed garden!"

Serena pulled back on the monster, trying to unbalance him, but at the
same time she rammed her elbow into his side. The move almost worked,
except that Serena's elbow came into contact with something hard as
the creature blocked the shot with a thorny limb. Pulling back
momentarily, the creature massaged the vine-covered pouch the struggling
girl had hit that was hanging from the left joint of his forelimb.
Turning back to Serena, he struck out with lightning swift movements,
trapping her arm behind her back and pushing up, threatening to break
it. Serena cried out from the new pain being added to the old.

"Raker," he snarled at her, "Not wise to resist, highness."

From seemingly nowhere, a rose shot forth and buried itself in the
clawed hand of the nega-creature. It screamed and dropped its blonde
victim, whirling on the new attacker. Darien crouched some feet away
in a defensive stance, a rose poised delicately in his grip.

"Hey pal, why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

The creature hissed and began to lurch towards the rosy retaliator.
"Foolish human, you will pay for your interference."

"Yeah? Tell me something I haven't heard today."

"Raker!" The creature struck, hurling itself at Darien. The two would-
be titans collided and began to roll as they struck at each, other until
the Labyrinth walls halted their forward progression.

"Darien!" Serena gasped as she watched the tussle, her mind in a state
of deep confusion. By her feet lay a rose, crushed by the monster in his
throes of anger. Darien had thrown a rose to save her. But how could
that be? Tuxedo Mask was the only one that--

A sudden realization began to dawn within Serena's mind. No. It
wasn't possible.

The foray continued as Serena watched, unable to do a thing. The
monster slammed Darien into the wall once more, pinning him by the
throat several feet from the ground. Darien's hands locked on to the
nega-creature's wrists, keeping them from a complete chokehold. He
was in trouble, and all Serena could do was watch. Without her brooch,
there could be no Sailor Moon. Without Sailor Moon, there was no way
Serena could overpower Darien's nemesis. Frustration and fear was
building up fast within her. She had to do something! She had to,
they had to, to--

An explosion came to her left, flame and lightning shot from the doorway
they had shut not an hour ago. Smoke and debris cluttered the air as four
shapes emerged and hands began to gently grip Serena's arms and pull
her to safety.

"Serena! Serena, are you all right?" Voices came to her ears, but she
didn't recognize them. Only one thing pored through her mind.

"Darien! He's Tux-Tux--help Darien!"

Confused, the scouts looked at each other, but nodded and sprang to
obey the orders.

"Right!"

"Hop to it, Scouts!"

Immediately, Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter leapt into the foray, kicking
and punching with all their might. Enraged, Raker roared and swept out
long ropes of vines to throw his attackers off. The monster distracted,
Darien was able to slump to the floor where he stayed, unmoving.

Mercury and Venus were behind with Serena. As Venus looked Serena over,
Sailor Mercury analyzed their opposition. Her eyes widened as she recog-
nized in a moment the solution to many of their problems.

"Mina, look! Look at the creature's left forelimb, it's the brooch!"

Stopping her inspection, Sailor Venus looked up and shouted with triumph.
"Serena, do you see it? Come on, Mercury, lets go get the girl her
brooch back!"

Serena stood precariously, "no more running. I'm coming Darien!"

The look of determination in her eyes was enough to silence any of
Serena's comrade's objections. With quick nods, they spread out and
prepared a silent strategy. Venus motioned for Mercury in a quick circle
while she and Serena edged towards the still violent fight. The water
scout understood quickly and began to gather her energy once more.

"Mercury Bubbles...Blast!"

The thick fog encompassed the room and the ensuing fight. The Scouts
paid it no heed, but the Raker monster became disoriented.

"Venus Love Chain, Encircle!"

The golden energy chain shot from the foggy depths and lassoed the
monster. It screamed and became to lash out violently, throwing off
Jupiter from around its neck where she tumbled out of sight in the
thick fog.

Serena shrieked as it snapped at the remaining Scout. "Mars, watch
out!"

But it was too late. Sharp teeth enclosed about Sailor Mars's arm and
shook it as hard as it could manage, forcing the fiery warrior from her
position on the creature's shoulder. But as she fell to the hard ground,
her pain hazed eyes focused on the pouch dangling from the Raker's limb.
Forcing her free arm out, her gloved hand closed around the prize before
she finally let herself fall and felt the muscles stretch and tear within
the jagged mouth of the nega-creature. Unable to hold onto the pouch, Mars
watched the brooch fall from its green confines and roll away from her until
it came to a gentle stop at the feet of its mistress.

"Ray," Serena whispered and fell to her knees. Unbidden, her fingers
closed about a warm metallic object. Without thinking, Serena clutched
the brooch to her chest. "No more of this. It's got to stop."

"Moon Prism Power!"

A fantastic burst of prismatic light dissipated every shred of darkness
from the small battlefield. As she floated merely inches off the floor,
Serena felt the whole world fall away until it was only her and the
mysterious power of light that she had become so familiar with. The energy
from the brooch pushed her away from reality and into a place where nothing
could touch her. Ribbons and feathers exploded all around her, surrounding
and encasing her body, keeping her safe like nothing else could. A warm
rush of power flowed through her as the last of her outfit came to settle.
The energy became hard and rigid as it formed the jewels on her odangos.
As the light began to fade away, she threw out her spirit and let everyone
around her feel the great power of the moon. *This* was who she was, and
*this* was what she would do about it.

"All right scuz-weed, I've had about enough of you. You've caused me
nothing but headaches, and I haven't been in a garden in days!" The
newly transformed Sailor Moon pointed a white-gloved finger at the
Raker. "I am Sailor Moon! And in the name of the Moon, you're gonna
get sprayed."

Raker shook his body hard and threw off Venus's love chain. He looked
at the new Scout and gave a dry hiss. "The prize and the bride have
become one, my task is easier now."

"We'll see about that, pal! Why don't you try this on for size first!"

Sailor Moon's hand rose to her forehead and pinched her Tiara. The
crowning piece blazed a brilliant gold for a moment before falling into
her palm as a disc, pulsing with potential. The first warrior of the moon
looked at the doomed creature with a dangerous light dancing in her eyes.
The fighting would stop *now*.

"Moon Tiara, Magic!"

The energy disc flew from Sailor Moon's hand and whistled through the air.
Aimed true, it hit its mark in the center of the Raker's evil green mass.

"Raker!" Howling in pain, the creature threw its hands in the air for one
last shriek as the tiara neatly divided it in half. There was an explosion
of dust, and then all was still.

"Dusted," Sailor Moon stated with a trace of smugness. Then she remembered
the previous events to her actions and gasped. "Jupiter! Mars!" All Serena
wanted to do was collapse, but there were other things to take care of. Rushing
to her friends' side, she kneeled down beside Ray, who had managed to push
herself against a wall.

"Hey, Meatball head," Mars smiled weakly, "I see you got your brooch
back. Maybe you can stop whining now."

"Oh, Mars." Tears began to well in Sailor Moon's eyes as she hugged her
friend, careful not to touch the arm that had been hurt. "Are you all
right?"

Sailor Mars snorted, "what kind of question is that? Of course I'm all
right! A little scratch isn't gonna stop me, or Jupiter, for that matter.
How you doing over there, Jupiter?"

Sailor Jupiter had stayed where she was after she had been thrown to
the ground. But for her princess and her friends, she managed to lift her
head and give a danger-be-damned grin, "doin' fine, Mars. Where's the
next one?"

"Oh, you guys are the greatest," Serena sniffed and hugged Mars once
more.

"Nevermind us, go check on Darien!" Mars retorted, trying to bat her
emotional friend away.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Sailor Moon stood and looked over to where she
had last seen her rescuer. He was still there, but then, he wasn't.
Darien's green jacket and casual attire had been replaced by a neatly
pressed Tuxedo and long flowing cape, complete with top hat. His usual
stoic and aloof attitude, however, was missing, replaced by an expression
of acute pain and shock.

Sailor Moon approached him hesitantly, unsure how to act. But as the
masked man began to stand, and nearly fell, instinct happily came to the
rescue. She rushed to his side and supported him, keeping him from coming
in contact with the cold floor once more. For a brief moment he leaned on
the petite blonde, unable to stand on his own. Then Tuxedo Mask straightened
and moved away. Seconds of awkward silence passed, and no one knew quite what
to say. Sailor Moon stared at the floor a bit, still shocked and confused
about the sudden turn of events, but finally she lifted her head and smiled
up at her masked man.

"So I'm your favorite Scout, huh?"

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C&C!