*Hi again everyone. I'm glad you are enjoying this so far. This part is rather long, so you can't say I didn't warn you. lol Oh, I would like to thank my online pal Misagi for giving me the idea as to what to use for the "illusionist" that fights against Venus. After that, I came up with the rest. ^_^ Well, as always, I do not own these characters or places associated with the show, manga, game, etc and if you guys are curious about the status of my fics, just check out my bio on my main fic page.*

Part 15: The Illusionists!

Everyone gasped as they saw Michiru and Haruka transform. After the transformation, both Neptune and Urauns had longer bows on the back of their skirts, a choker with a star on it, and everything else that the outers had with their Super Sailor Suits.

"I am the soldier of the sky, and I carry the protection of the planet of the wind!" She posed. "I am Sailor Uranus!"

"I am the soldier of the deep waters, and I carry the protection of the planet of the sea!" She stood back to back with Uranus. "I am Sailor Neptune!"

"We have new powers," Neptune said in amazement.

"Who would've guessed," Uranus said, astonishment in her voice.

"Powers or no powers, we will kill you," Rairai said with a crack of her whip.

They didn't feel threatened and weren't going to let the Rai Siblings defeat them. They now had confidence in themselves and their abilities.

"Looks like we'll have to teach these Electrical Kids a lesson," Uranus smirked.

"Of course," Neptune giggled.

The two then got into stances, ready to fight...
****
"Destroy them," Inazumi muttered to herself.

"If they beat them, it's my turn," Koori argued.

"We should calm down now," Sekai said. "Just because they have fancy new Sailor clothes doesn't make them any stronger."

"She has a point," Inazumi agreed.

"Well, do you think they can stand fighting five to three," Koori mocked.

"What are you talking about!!" Inazumi demanded.

"Take a look down there," Koori pointed on the screen he had up.

On the screen were three Sailor Soldiers snooping around.

"Why are there so many of those damn Sailor Soldiers," Sekai said in an annoyed tone.

"Leave those three to me," Koori said. "I think my illusional tricks'll be perfect for this situation."

"Illusional," Inazumi scoffed in a questioning manner. "Is that even a real word?"

"Who cares!" Koori retorted. "I have some work to do. I have to figure out what their weaknessess are like Sekai figured out with that Naru girl."

He then flew off to deal with the three Sailor Soldiers he saw wandering around. Koori had gone to his hidden chambers, which was high above where the girls were, and this place was also quite secluded. He was inspecting each girl, trying to find out what they adored the most or felt the most guilty about.

"I think I've found their weaknesses," Koori chuckled. "This fog will have to get thicker and I'll have to seperate them."

The boy then summoned some minions of his own...
****
"I feel there is dark energy nearby," Mars stated.

"How close are we," Venus asked.

"We're very close," Mars pointed out.

"I wonder what we're going to find," Venus pondered.

"We'll know when we get there," Mercury said. "Let us continue."

"Right," the other two nodded.

They continued on until the came to a strange area; a foggy one.

"What's with all of this fog," Venus asked while looking around.

"Definitely a bad sign," Mars frowned. "Nothing but dark, negative energy is here."

"Hmm," Mercury said putting on her visor. "I can't see a thing through this and this fog is real. It's not an illusion."

"I sense there is another presence here," Mars said, trying to concentrate. "A positive force...quite a few, actually."

"Do you think that maybe Naru and Jen are here," Venus asked, hopeful tone in her voice. "Maybe they're the positive forces that you are feeling or maybe it's Sailor Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, or Tuxedo Kamen-sama."

"It's a possibility," Mercury said.

"I am positive that they're here," Mars said. "This energy I am sensing is phenomenal, but I don't sense any evil within it."

"I'm starting to feel a little lightheaded," Mercury groaned in slight pain while holding her head.

"Same here," Venus said.

"Definitely a bad sign," Mars said, feeling slightly whoozy. "This fog is strange."
****
Back to Koori who's watching them...

"Hehehe," the boy laughed. "The fog is tapping into their minds so that I can find their weaknesses and soft spots!! I see that it's working very well so far."
****
Back to the three girls...

"Wait, I think I see something up ahead," Venus announced, pointing ahead of her.

"I wonder if it is one of the positive forces Mars sensed," Mercury wondered.

The other two saw what Venus meant and whom she was pointing to. Ahead of them was a girl dressed in a Shibakouen Junior High uniform with short, dark hair. She looked as if she were lost; as if she were looking for someone.

"Hikaru-chan!" Venus gasped.

She then noticed that the fog was getting thicker and thicker around her and the others.

"What's going on," the blonde-haired girl wondered...
****
From his hidden place...

"The one named Sorano Hikaru is the weakness of the blonde-haired soldier," Koori smirked. "She feels as if she owes her just like Sailor Moon with her friend."

The boy laughed a bit.

"This ought to be interesting," the boy smiled.
****
"Why is Hikaru here and what's with all of this blasted fog!!" Venus wondered to herself.

She then turned around and saw that both Mercury and Mars were nowhere to be found.

"Ami-chan, Rei-chan...where are you?" the girl asked in a whisper.

The girl stopped to think things over for a moment. She was confused and all of the fog wasn't helping. The girl that resembled her old friend, Hikaru, then saw her and ran up to her.

"Minako-chan," the girl called. "I have missed you so much!"

"Hikaru-chan," Venus asked. "Wh-what is going on, why are you here?"

"I don't know," Hikaru said. "I was brought here by these strange beings. They kept saying something about needing energy."

The girl then hugged on Minako, her eyes flooded with tears.

"I'm scared, Minako," the girl cried. "I don't know what's going to happen to me."

"Shh, don't worry," Minako assured her. "We'll get out of here."

Minako wasn't really thinking straight and how unrealistic the situation of Hikaru just showing up really was. She was just glad to see Hikaru.

"Arigatou, V-chan," Hikaru whispered in gratitude as she hugged her good friend tighter.

"V-chan?" Venus questioned in thought, coming to a surprising realization. "Wait a minute, Hikaru never knew of my true identity when I was Sailor V and she definitely wouldn't know of me as Sailor Venus!"

Venus pushed the girl away from her roughly.

"What's wrong, Minako-chan," Hikaru asked with a look of confusion.

"You are not Hikaru-chan!" Venus said.

"What do you mean," Hikaru asked innocently. "You are my best friend. I even know of your first crush, Higashi-senpai, and how he's the reason you started wearing a bow in your hair, and how you destroyed him and how to this day, you still regret it, even though you knew he was an enemy and I even know of when you won that trip to Hawaii and ended up going to Greece instead. Only your true friend would know something like that..."

"Who are you!!" Venus demanded once again. "The real Hikaru never knew of my true identity and she definitely wouldn't know now since I am no longer the temporary Moon Princess since we found the real one which allowed me to become Sailor Venus!! As for that trip, she didn't know that I ended up going to Greece by mistake! She really thought I went to Hawaii since I told her I had won that trip to Hawaii!!"

Hikaru's eyes welled up with tears again, as they started to stream down her already tear-stained face. She looked as if she had just been deceived by a good friend..

"Stop it," Venus said. "Stop trying to get me to feel sorry for you! You are not Hikaru and I know how I can prove it!"

The girl took out her old Crescent Moon Compact, which she used as Sailor V, and pointed it at the Hikaru imposter. The mirror allows her to see the true form of her enemy and when she first received the compact and used it on herself, it allowed her to see her true form; as Sailor V, along with the crescent moon on her forehead.

The compact showed her whom she was dealing with. It wasn't Hikaru, just as she had thought. Instead, it was some kind of an ice-colored demon. The girl was a silverish blue, the color of cold ice. She was humanoid, mostly and she stood as tall as Minako. The demon had long, dark grey hair and her eyes were the color of a deep and disturbing ocean. How this demon seemed to know everything about her, including her past, was beyond her.

"You're not Hikaru-chan!!" Venus said closing the compact. "The real Hikaru wouldn't know of the things that you just mentioned! She never knew that I was Sailor V! Sure, everyone used to refer to me as V-chan when I used to be Sailor V, but Hikaru would not call me V-chan if I am now Sailor Venus and she would not call me 'Minako-chan' if I am parading around as a Sailor Soldier! She doesn't know of my true identity because I never told her or showed her!"

The girl chuckled, her voice deepening a bit.

"You are so right," the girl menacingly laughed.

The Hikaru imposter then transformed into the strange being that Minako had seen through her compact, only now the girl had large wings, shimmering like glass. Her hands ended in claws that looked as if it could cut through stone. She had on an ice blue jumper and an unusual, wicked smile upon her face which made her look somewhat pretty to Venus, which made her wonder, how can something so beautiful, be so evil.

"Who are you," Venus asked, ready to fight.

"I'm your friend, Hikaru," the demon laughed cruelly.

Venus got mad and charged after the demon, but got knocked back.

"I'm getting sick of this game," the girl screamed, trying to kick the demon.

The demon girl knocked Venus back, which caused her to fall to the ground.

"Who are you," Venus demanded once again. "How dare you try to fool me by imitating Hikaru!!"

"Aww, quit whining," the creature said as she threw out an attack towards Venus, who barely dodged it.

The demon inched closer and closer towards Venus slowly, by sliding across the floor, each step leaving a trail of ice behind.

"Are you ready to give up, Sailor Venus," the demon laughed.

Venus shook her head.

"I am Aisu-gaaru!" the demon said. "I have been summoned to destroy you Sailor Soldiers as well as your leader, Princess Serenity!! If it weren't for her intefering, our Queen's sister would still be here!"

"Your queen's sister?"

"Yes, and you're intefering!" the demon exclaimed. "Ice Storm!!"

A lot of ice started to shoot down from the sky right at Venus. Every ice pellet that shot down at the ground, froze it and caused that part of the floor to disentigrate.

"That could've been you," the demon snarled. "My 'Ice Storm' attack can eat through anything! It'll tear your flesh apart in just mere seconds!!"

The two started to fight, Venus avoiding kick after kick, hit after hit, just like Aisu-gaaru had. The demon then caught Minako offguard and attacked her by slashing her arm with her with her icy claws. Venus held her injured, freezing arm and yelped out in pain.

"Your princess is as good as dead," the demon laughed. "Without her guardians and protectors to keep her safe, she'll die anyway!"

Aisu-gaaru started to form a jeweled, icy looking sphere in her hand. It looked pretty powerful.

"No," Venus begged, wincing from the pain of her bloody arm, "don't!"

The demon just laughed at her, preparing to attack...
****
Koori's hiding place...

"I see that Sailor Venus has her hands full," the boy chuckled. "She's as good as destroyed!"

The boy changed the screen to look at something else.

"I wonder how the other two are doing and how they are dealing with their enemies."

The boy brought up a screen that had Mars wandering around confusedly.

"Time to see how she does," Koori smirked. "The one named Kumada Yuuichirou is her weakness! She is afraid to tell him how she truly feels and it kills her everyday to keep such a secret.

"It was tough trying to find a weakness for her. Her other weakness is her mother and how she misses her terribly and she has a lot of anger and annoyance towards her father because of his always being away due to his job in politics. I have chosen the perfect candidate wisely and I know exactly which will work her sympathies the most!"

The boy laughed as he started to watch the battle commence between Mars and the illusional "minion" he chose for her...
****
"Ami-chan, Minako-chan," Rei called. "Where are you!"

The girl walked around, trying to find her friends.

"There is nothing but dark energy here," Mars muttered. "I should really keep my guard up."

She walked for a while longer, squinting through the thick fog. She then saw someone a little ways ahead of her. It looked like a woman dressed in a traditional kimono, with her long, dark hair blowing majestically in the wind.

"Why would Ami or Minako dress up," Rei thought to herself. "No, it couldn't be them. Ami has short hair and Minako has long blonde hair."

The person she saw turned around. Rei gasped at the sight. There stood a young woman with long dark hair, similar to Rei's, wearing a kimono. She had big, beautiful dark eyes, like Rei as well.

"M-mother," Rei stammered in surprise.

"Rei," the woman cried as she ran towards her.

The woman sat down on the ground and hugged Rei tightly, who also sat down.

"Okaasan, could it really be you?"

"Of course it is me, dear," the woman said.

Rei's eyes started to well up with tears and she hugged the woman back.

"Mother," Rei cried.

"Rei, you don't know how long I have been searching for you," the woman cried, hugging Rei even tighter. It was like a happy family reunion.

"Mother, I have missed you so much," Rei said between sobs.

"I know," the woman smiled gently, rubbing a hand through Rei's long dark hair. "I've missed you too and I promise that I will never leave you again."
****
At Koori's hiding spot...

"Success!! Sailor Mars is as good as caught," Koori laughed. "I knew using her mother would work on her sympathies. She would've probably acted like her usual self it if were that Yuuichirou boy or her father. She has a real soft spot for her mother."
****
The woman stopped hugging Rei and stood up. She then waved her arm and all of the fog dissappeared.

"What happened?"

"I just cleared things up a bit," her mother smiled.

The girl looked around in awe at the scenery. She saw a temple, Sakura trees, and a bunch of other traditional Japanese things associated with a temple. There were also birds chirping and gentle winds blowing. Rei then saw a couple of familiar looking crows.

"Phobos, Deimos," she exclaimed, putting out her arm, "what are you doing here?"

"They've been with me waiting for you," her mother explained.

"I am so glad that we are all together," Rei smiled happily.

"Why don't we sit down to a meal," her mother suggested.

"No thank you," Rei said. "I just like spending this time with you."

Rei was so lost in this dream that she didn't want to leave it. She was with her mother again. Something that she had secretly wanted for years. She never let it show that it bothered her, but deep down inside, it really did.

"I know, why don't we practice on your archery," her mother smiled. "I am sure you've been practicing at that private school of yours."

"Yes," Rei nodded. "I enjoy archery very much.and I am pretty good at it now. I'm a really good shot."

The woman pointed to a foggy area. When the fog cleared, a couple of targets, along with two bow-filled quivers, and a bow sat there.

"Wow," Rei said, picking up one of the bows and a quiver filled with arrows. Her mother did the same.

"You can go first if you would like," her mother offered.

"No, you can," Rei insisted.

"Well, okay," the woman smiled.

She put up the bow, loaded it with an arrow and pulled her arm back. She then let go, but she didn't get a bullseye. She was no where near it.

"I've never been all that good," her mother blushed in slight embarrassment.

"Don't worry," Rei assured her. "I'll show you how you can make a bullseye every time!"

Rei loaded her bow and looked as if she were using her psychic abilities. She then shot the arrow, landing a bullseye. One after another.

"Wow, that was very good," the woman complimented and clapped.

"Arigatou," Rei said nervously. She didn't mean to show the woman up or embarass her. She felt as if by her making perfect shots, she was disrespecting her mother in some way.

"My, all of your training as a Sailor Soldier has paid off," the woman smiled.

"Yes, it has," Rei said. "One of my main attacks is 'Flame Sniper,' and I use a bow and arrow every time."

"I see," her mother smiled. "Well, I am very glad that you are doing so well in your school and I am glad to see that you are doing excellent work as a Sailor Soldier."

Right at that moment, Rei got a strange feeling. She finally took in what this woman was saying.

"My mother wouldn't know about my going to T-A Girls School or that I'm a Sailor Soldier!" Rei realized in thought. She then looked down and saw that she was still in her Sailor Fuku. "I am still in my Sailor suit, so how does she know I am her daughter, Rei? What is going on? This can't be real!!"

"Rei-chan," her mother called. "What is the matter?"

"You are not my real mother," Rei said with slight regret, backing away from the woman.

"Whatever do you mean," the woman asked in a gentle tone. "Of course I am your mother and I love you very much, Rei. After all of my years of not being around, I am now."

"I can't believe I fell for your trick," Rei said angrily. "I know you aren't my mother! You may have her body and her face, but you definitely do not have her soul!"

"You spoiled brat," the woman snarled as she ripped off the kimono. "Don't you know that you should respect your elders!"

The woman's true form showed and everything that was around them, disappeared; including the imaginary Deimos and Phobos. The woman looked similar to the beast Venus was fighting up against, only her hair was a dark shade of red and this demon looked older than the one Venus was fighting against.

"I knew it," Rei muttered.

The girl then got mad at herself.

"How could I let myself be deceived like that! How could I believe that this was my real mother? I could see someone like Usagi or one of the others falling for a trick like that, but not me! Am I losing my touch? Was my wanting to see my mother again stronger than my sensing something was wrong?"

"Aww, look at the poor girl," the lady laughed with her arms crossed.

"Who are you," Rei demanded.

"I am Aisu-kaasan!" the demon snarled. "And I think it's time that you learned a thing or two about respecting your elders!!"

The lady used her claws and slashed at Rei, who dodged the attack. The woman grew angered and tried to get her again. She ended up knocking Rei to the ground. The girl was very tired and she just couldn't get her aim right to use her "Flame Sniper" or any other attack since the demon was so agile.

While Rei was lying there, the demon attacked and shouted, "Ice Claw!" Her claws turned icy and sharp and tried to stab Mars with them. Luckily, Rei rolled out of the way, dodging the attack altogether, causing the demon to pound a giant hole into the ground instead.

"I am not going to let you harm me," Rei said.

"Whatever," Aisu-kaasan snarled in slight annoyance. "Ice Barrier!"

The attack hit Rei, trapping her inside of a barrier, draining her of her energy. Mars screamed from the pain she was feeling.

"This is the way you discipline children," the lady laughed as she enjoyed the sight of Sailor Mars trapped in her ice barrier.

"Shimatta," Rei muttered.

"Believe me," the demon mockingly responded in sarcasm, "this will hurt me more than it hurts you."

The demon laughed.

"After I destroy you, we will destroy your princess too!"

"No!" Mars shouted.

"Yes," the demon said draining more of Rei's energy with the Ice Barrier, which caused Rei to scream even more in pain.

The lady then looked as if she were going to use an ultimate attack on Rei...
****
Back at Koori's hiding place...

"This is great," Koori cheered, jumping up and down, ecstatic over what she was seeing. "She's about to be finished off as well!!"

The boy did a little dance and laughed. He then stopped.

"Oh yeah, I should go back and check on that other girl. She wasn't doing all that hot either! That Sailor Mercury girl! Her weakness was...herself. She's having a hard time coming to terms with herself. She feels that she will never acheive the same goals as her mother."

The boy yawned.

"That was way to boring so I decided to use her other weakness. The one named Urawa Ryo. She's upset that she put study before pleasure so often and how she missed out on hanging out with this boy and talking with him more. Sure he moved away, but she never once made the attempt to keep in touch with him when he tried very hard to, which is why she has so much guilt."

The boy laughed.

"Time to take a look..."

The boy brought up a screen that had Ami going against the illusional minion he made up for her...
****
Before Koori started to view her...

"Venus, Mars," Ami asked, looking around, trying to see through the thick fog.

The girl couldn't figure out how she had gotten seperated from the two, but continued on anyway. She then heard a voice...

"If I carry the two and divide by the circumference of pi...no, that won't work. I'll never be able to solve this problem," the figure, who resembled a dark-haired boy, muttered.

"Who is that," Ami wondered.

She then walked over, to help out this person. She couldn't turn down a Math problem.

"Excuse me, but I couldn't help but overhear that you're having trouble with a math problem."

The boy stood up and faced Ami, who gasped.

"R-Ryo-kun!!"

"Ami-san," the boy said, standing up. "Have you come to save me?"

"Save you?" the girl asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I was kidnapped," Ryo told Ami. "I was brought here by this strange being. They said something about wanting my energy since I used to carry around one of the Rainbow Crystals and that I should have a lot of energy left over from it."

"But why would they wait until now to go after you? That was so long ago."

"I have no idea, but I do know that it isn't safe to be here right now," the dark, brown haired boy warned. "You should really get out of here and rejoin the other girls, Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars."

"There are more of us now," Ami told him. "There is Sailor Venus, who used to be Sailor V, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Saturn, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune, and Sailor Pluto along with Sailor Chibi Moon."

"Wow," the boy exclaimed. "That is a lot. At least you have more allies to help you fight against evil."

The girl nodded.

"So," the boy asked shyly, "how have you been?"

"I have been okay," Ami said uneasily. She always felt guilty that she didn't keep in touch with Ryo after he moved away.

*Note: Ryo is "Greg's" original name. He's the one that had that thing for Ami in the first season. He was one of the Rainbow Crystal Carriers that could predict the future somewhat, if I'm remembering right. Also, after this ep originally aired, for the next ep, the intro was changed and it included both Makoto as Jupiter and Minako as Venus, unlike here. The 1st season dub opening is nothing but a spoiler since neither Makoto nor Minako are in it originally.*

"That's good," the boy responded.

"So," Ami said trying to get off the subject, standing beside him, "what were you working on?"

"Those demons were trying to make me solve this equation for them," Ryo explained. "I have no idea why, but that's what they told me to do if I valued my life. I have no way of finding my way out of this foggy place. I have tried for hours, but I haven't had any success."

"That's awful," Ami said with a lot of concern.

"I don't know what they plan on doing to me," Ryo sighed as he sat down on the ground. He then looked up at Ami, a sad, worried look in his eyes. "What if they try to turn me against you again!?!"

"Don't talk like that," Ami said, kneeling beside him. "We will get out of here and I'll make sure that, that doesn't happen!"

"I hope so. I just want you to remain safe and out of danger."

Ami blushed a bit and nodded. She had forgotten how nice and polite Ryo was.

"Okay," Ryo agreed, giving Ami a hug.

The girl accepted the hug and hugged Ryo back.

"What is this strange feeling I have," Ami asked herself. "I don't think I have ever felt this way before."

Her Mercury Crystal started to glow a bit, but the glow died down. After the hug, Ami put on her visor to look through the fog. Just as before, it didn't help too much.

"I can not seem to find my way out of here," Ami said as she typed in some commands on her miniature computer, removing her visor.

"No, it's hopeless," Ryo said in an angered tone.

"Out of all of the Rainbow Crystal Carriers, I wonder if you were the strongest to have ever possessed one," Ami said, still typing in calculations on her computer.

"Who cares," Ryo said. "We have got to get out of here!"

The tone in Ryo's voice was a bit harsh to Ami and it wasn't the way she had remembered him at all. His patience also seemed a bit thin compared to how he is normally. For some odd reason, Ami decided to ask Ryo a question. It was totally irrelevant to the situation they were in, but for some odd reason, she was curious. Did Ryo really care about her? Did he have other girls in his life now? Did he still carry it around with him?

"Um, Ryo-kun," Ami started.

"What is it," Ryo asked in a somewhat annoyed tone.

The girl was about to reconsider asking the question, but decided to ask him anyway.

"Do you still have that photo?" the girl asked slowly.

"Photo, what photo," Ryo asked if he could possibly care less.

"The one that you always carry around...the one of...me." Ami finished.

"Why would I waste my time carrying a photo of you around," the boy snapped.

The insult hit Ami hard. She wasn't expecting him to say something so harsh or mean towards her and she started to shed a few tears.

"Besides," the boy started, "I don't even know what you're talking about."

"This isn't the Ryo I remember," Ami said to herself. "This can't be him! He would never act like this; rude and impolite!"

The girl then got quiet and thought of something else.

"Could he be possessed like he was before," shel wondered in thought.

"Well," the boy demanded, "when are we going to get out of here. Did you figure this stuff out yet?"

"Um, maybe," Ami said cautiously.

"Maybe?" the boy said in an angered tone. "I do not want a 'maybe' out of you!! I want a definitely!"

"Who are you," Ami asked the boy.

"Who am I?" the boy scoffed. "I am your friend, now I want to get out of here away from all of this fog!"

"I don't believe you," Ami said. "The real Ryo-kun would never act rude or demanding! The real Ryo-kun would remember the photo I was referring to! The real Ryo was caring towards everyone and you haven't acted like you were concerned about me since I started trying to figure out a way out of here. The real Ryo-kun wasn't self centered like you are acting now!"

The boy started to chuckle lightly.

"Ahh, so the one known as Sailor Mercury is a lot smarter than she looks."

He grabbed her arm and held it tight.

"Let go," Ami said, trying to get out of his tight grasp.

"Now why would I want to go and do a stupid thing like that," he scoffed in a sarcastic tone.

Ami, with her free hand, pushed her ear ring and looked through her visor. She really didn't think that this was Ryo, especially with the way he was acting now. She was considering two possibilities. One, this wasn't Ryo and it was all a ruse just to capture her, or either it really was Ryo and the enemy was using him against her like before, but Ami was betting everything that it was her first guess.

Even when Ryo was possessed before, he tried his hardest to regain control of his mind so that he wouldn't hurt her. This particular Ryo wasn't.

When Ami looked through her visor, she gasped. Her guess was right. What she saw was an icy like demon with spiky, dark grey hair. It looked a lot like the demons that Venus and Mars were encountering, only this demon was a guy. He wore a pair of white pants and an ice-blue shirt. He too had a wicked smile like the other two demons and he was ready for a fight.

"What are you," Ami winced in pain. The demon's grasp hadn't let up any and the grasp was becoming tighter.

"You really want to know," the boy asked with a laugh. "Then I'll show you!"

The boy let go of Ami's arm and he transformed right in front of her to the ice like demon Ami had seen through her visor.

"I am Aisu-boi," he snarled with a toothy grin, his dark, callous eyes fixed on Ami, "and I am here to destroy you and your princess!"

"How did you know everything about Ryo-kun," Ami demanded, as she held her arm.

"It was quite easy," the demon laughed. "All my master did was do a bit of brain tapping."

The girl thought back and remembered how she felt before getting seperated from Mars and Venus.

"The fog," Ami gasped. "That's how you did it! The fog was reading our minds the entire time! That is why we felt so awkward and dizzy when we were wandering through it! That is how you know of my true identity!"

"You're smart," the demon boy snarled. "But you weren't smart enough! After I'm done with you, we destroy your princess!"

"Sailor Moon! No, do not harm her!"

"Since you asked so nicely, I won't," the boy mockingly promised. "Ice Heart Attack!"

The attack, thrown at Mercury, was nothing but frozen hearts. Ami dodged, and dodged, but she finally gave in and was hit by it. The iced heart attatched itself to Ami's chest and froze over. Right now, her entire body was frozen over and she couldn't move a muscle. She looked as if she had just been dug up by a scientist in the arctic.

"I guess I'll have to finish you off now," the boy laughed, shining his nails. "I really ought to hurry up and do away with you. I have an appointment to get to. I do have to keep up with my incredibly handsome good looks, you know."

Ami just stood there, frozen, not able to move a muscle. Her energy was starting to wear down and her body temperature was dropping dramatically.

"If I don't get out of here, I will surely die and I won't be able to help protect Sailor Moon..."
****
Back to Venus...

Venus's arm was bleeding terribly and she didn't land one hit on the demon with her normal punches and kicks.

"Ice Diamond Cutter!"

The ice sphere turned into ice like blades and was headed right towards the injured Minako. She stood her ground, ready to fight, or die trying. She refused to allow herself to lose in vain or without her dignity.

Right as the ice like blades were inching closer and closer to her, she closed her eyes and whispered to herself, that she believed in her princess and that she will succeed. After she said that, the crystal in her brooch started to glow. A majestic, yellow light surrounded her and she started to feel herself regaining strength and her arm was healing itself.

"My...Venus...Crystal," the girl said. "Did I reactivate its powers? Is this a power I never knew it had? It's healing me and is giving me strength!"

"Nani!!" Aisu-gaaru screeched out. "What is this!! You dodged my attack!"

The light dispersed and Minako stood there, reenergized and ready to fight.

"I am Sailor Venus...the guardian of love!!" Venus said looking the icy demon right in the eyes. "I believe in our princess and I believe in myself. I was given the honor of being appointed her protector and I plan on living up to that responsibility! In the name of the Moon, Venus, and for the entire human race and inhabitants of this planet, I will punish you!!"

The girl laughed at Venus. The two then got into a physical fight. Venus was pretty agile and was in very good shape since she was such an athelete anyway. Punch after punch, kick after kick, just like before, only this time they were evenly matched. Aisu-gaaru got annoyed with Venus and decided to use her main attack again. She powered up, just like she had before.

"I won't let you kill me," Venus said, concentrating. "C'mon, Minako, concentrate to use one of your most powerful attacks!"

"I intend on killing you," the demon girl threatened with a cackle. "Ice...Diamond...Cutter!!"

The attack was headed straight for Minako.

"Oh yeah, I'd like to see you try it! Crescent Beam!!"

The powerful attack blocked off the demon's attack.

"How!" the demon said in an angered tone. "This is unforgiveable!"

The girl charged after Venus and swung her sharp claws at her. Venus dodged it and used another attack of hers...

"Venus Love Me Chain!"

She used the chain to tie the demon girl in place.

"What is this," the girl grunted as she tried to struggle her way out.

The demon tried to get out of the chain, but she just couldn't. Venus then looked as if she were concentrating and her Venus Crystal in her heart-shaped brooch glowed.

"I have to destroy this beast," Venus said. "As a protector of this planet and of this Solar System, it is my duty to!!"

The girl felt her strength rising, and the attack coming to her.

"Crescent...Beam...Shower!!"

The more powerful Crescent Shower attack she had had while as Sailor V, hit the demon.

"Noooo!!" the demon cried as she felt her body ripping and her icy flesh tearing.

"Yatta!" Venus cheered as she shot a fist up into the air.

She was glad that it was finally over. After she had destroyed the beast, the fog around her started to lift a bit and she saw two familiar figures and ran over to them...
****
Back to Mars, same time as Venus was being attacked and all chances of living seemed pretty grim...

The pretty much immobilized Rei was watching on in fear as Aisu-kaasan was loading up a bow and an arrow.

"I'm very good at this sport," the demon laughed.

She pulled her arm back and shot the unusually large arrow.

"Ice...Arrow!" she called.

As the arrow was inching closer and closer to Mars, the girl kept saying to herself that she believed in her princess and everyone's futures and how she couldn't let them down. She didn't know how, but she was planning on getting out of this situation. She tried her best to break free of the barrier but she couldn't. The barrier was sucking her energy dry.

"No," the girl murmured. "I won't go down like this! Sailor Moon, our princess, our future queen is depending on me and the others to help keep her safe and to help protect this planet!!"

The girl then shouted, "I won't be defeated!!!"

Right as the ice arrow was just about to hit her after she said that she wouldn't be defeated, the crystal in her brooch started to glow. A majestic, red light surrounded her and she started to feel herself regaining strength, which allowed her to break free of the icy barrier. Also, the attack that Aisu-kaasan had delivered to Rei, had missed her completely due to the light.

"What is this," the demon demanded angrily.

"My Mars Crystal," Rei said in surprise. "My energy is coming back to me. I never knew that my crystal was capable of performing such a task. I also never knew that it had this kind of power."

"I don't care how you got out of that!! I will succeed in destroying your precious princess as well as you for our queen!"

"I don't think so," Mars said. "I have been chosen as a protector of this earth and our galaxy to keep it safe from demons like you! I won't allow you to destroy what we have here and I definitely will not forgive you for imitating my mother!! Taking on her form to make me vulnerable for attack! How dare you mock my dead mother's spirit! In the name of Mars, I will punish you!"

"Whatever," the demon scoffed. "Ice Barrier!"

"Burning...Mandala!" Mars shouted, blocking the attack with her multiple fireballs.

The demon was mad and ran towards Mars, her claws extended, ready to strike her.

"I don't think so," Mars said, taking out a charm. "I will punish you for all that you have done and I will teach you to respect those that are deceased!"

The demon didn't pay any attention to Rei, and kept towards her, claws out, ready to stab Mars.

"I warned you," Mars said, concentrating to use her attack. "Akuryo Taisan!!"

Mars threw the ofuda charm at the demon, which stuck itself to the demon's forehead, leaving it immobile..

"I can't move," the demon screamed.

Mars then positioned herself to use a very powerful looking attack. She looked as if she were concentrating. A flame seemed to surround her, and her Mars Crystal started to glow.

"Fire...Soul...Bird!!"

The attack took the form of a phoenix, made of fire, which hit the demon, making it scream out in pain.

"That was for my mother," Rei said with her eyes closed. "Mocking the dead is a very serious offense in my eyes."

After the demon was destroyed, the fog started to lift a bit and she saw two familiar figures and ran over to them...
****
Same time as Rei and Minako, when Koori started to veiw Ami...

"I...have...to...get...out...of...here," Ami thought. "If I don't, I will surely die! If not from his attack, I definitely will due to my dropped body temperature."

The girl tried to move once again, but it didn't work. She was not able to move, but she was still able to think.

"What will I do," Ami thought to herself. "What will happen to Sailor Moon if I am not there to help protect her?"

The girl started to shiver.

"No, I cannot think that way!"

"Stop struggling," the beast snapped. "It won't do you any good. You are nothing but a live fossil now!"

The beast laughed as he charged at her, his claws extended, ready to slash the girl.

"DIE," he screamed.

"No," Ami said to herself. "I can not go out this way! I have to help keep this planet safe! I have to help keep Sailor Moon safe!"
****
"Good bye Sailor Mercury," Koori laughed. "It has been nice knowing you!"

Koori laughed at the scene as he saw his minion about to finish off Mercury.
****
"NO!!" Ami screamed as a blue light, coming from her brooch, surrounded her, breaking her free of the ice barrier and giving her her strength back.

Due to the light, the beast shielded his eyes. Koori just stared in amazement. He was shocked at what he was witnessing.

"My Mercury Crystal," Ami said in surprise. "It saved and rejuvinated me."

The beast grew angered and turned towards Ami.

"Okay, Sailor Girl, you are going to pay for that!"

"No," Mercury said in a firm tone. "I am Sailor Mercury and have been given the responsibility of protecting our Princess; our future Queen! I take my work seriously just as I do my studies! I can not forgive you or whomever it is you are working for since you are a threat to my Princess and to this planet! I also can not forgive you for using such a dirty trick to trap me! Using my own friend against me! I will not allow it! In the name of the planet Mercury, I will punish you!"

"Oh, I'm so scared," he retorted as if he were truly scared.

The beast then formed a small sphere in his hand.

"Ice Bomb!" he shouted as he threw it towards Mercury.

"Mercury...Aqua...Rhapsody!" she shouted as she majestically tossed out the attack using her harp.

The attack met in the middle, which ended up freezing over. Their battle continued pretty much like that. Both were pretty much matched evenly.

"I have to think of something," Mercury thought to herself. "I can not keep this up all day."

Every time Mercury did land an attack on him, he seemed to use some kind of an ice barrier around himself so that it wouldn't harm him.

"Is this little Sailor Girl getting tired," the boy laughed.

He then threw out another attack, which hit Mercury right on, knocking her back. She didn't say down, though. She got right back up, ready to fight. She then tried her Aqua Rhapsody attack again, but once again, he blocked by using that ice barrier to protect him. Ami smiled when he did this. It was all a part of her plan.

She put on her scanner and checked him out for weak points or any points where she could penetrate the seal. It didn't take her long, but she found the point of penetration. A little ways below his chest. That was the only part of his body that wasn't protected by the shield.

"Mercury...Aqua...Rhapsody!"

She aimed it towards that one spot, while the beast was oblivious to what Ami had been planning. He just laughed at her, pretty much saying that she should just give up. When the attack hit the spot, the water filled the barrier and froze on the inside, leaving Aisu-boi immobile. He was frozen from the neck down.

"Hey, what is going on," he shouted!

"I noticed that your shield was pretty powerful and that it was made entirely of ice. The barrier protected you everywhere, accept one main spot; the spot right underneath your chest. The water from my attack froze instantly when it entered that point," Mercury explained.

"Who cares," the boy shouted. "All of your attacks are all water based! You will never be able to destroy me, even if I am partially frozen right now! I will find a way out of here and I will kill your Princess for my Queen! You shouldn't even care about what happens to her! Why believe in such a klutz like her!"

Mercury shook her head and grew angered.

"You will do no such thing!" the girl threatened. "She might not be perfect, but she is the best friend I have ever had! She has a wondeful and promising future ahead of her and I won't let you nor anybody else, destory that!"

Right at that moment, Mercury's crystal in her brooch started to glow. She looked as if she were concentrating, streams of water developing in her hands, which formed a beautiful looking, crystalized looking sphere.

"This is for my princess!"

She then threw out the powerful attack...

"Mercury...Aqua...Mirage!"

The underestimated attack, did the job as it hit Aisu-boi, destroying him. The fog around Mercury then started to fade away and she saw two familiar figures and ran over to them...
****
"No," Koori shouted in disbelief. "How dare she defeats my best minion!"

The boy heard a laugh come from behind him. He turned to see his sister, Sekai.

"What are you doing here," he asked in a cold tone.

"I am just here to check up on my baby brother," the girl smirked.

He hmmphed and crossed his arms.

"I see that those three girls got out of those illusionary worlds that you created for them."

"Only one did," Koori assured her.

"Oh no, I don't think so," Sekai said bringing up a screen. It showed Mercury reuniting with Venus and Mars.

"H-how," the boy stammered.

"Give it up, baby brother," the girl said, her arms crossed. "We have work to do. Since Inazumi is busy with those other Sailor brats, we have to keep a watch on the victims."

"Yeah, sure," the boy frowned, mad that his great scheme hadn't worked.

With that, the both took off in a flash to keep an eye on Naru and Jen...
****
"Mars, Venus," Mercury called.

"Venus, Mercury," Mars called.

"Mercury, Mars," Venus called.

All three ran up to each other.

"What happened to you two," Venus asked.

"I was attacked," Mars explained.

"So was I," Mercury added on.

"So was I," Venus said. "We should really be careful from now on. They found a way to attack me that I never thought possible."

The other two nodded in agreement.

"But how did they figure out what to use against us," Mars wondered.

"The fog," Mercury stated. "Before we were all seperated, we all felt strange. The fog was a way of tapping into our minds to find out what we would be most vulnerable against."

"Talk about fighting dirty," Venus muttered.

"Hey, I thought I heard something," Mars pointed out.

"I did too," Mercury said. "Maybe if we follow it, we will find the victims, or some of our allies."

They all agreed to Ami's idea and followed the sound. While they walked, each girl started to think of the battles they had just had.

"Hikaru-chan," Minako said to herself. "Why would Hikaru-chan make me vulnerable? Maybe it is because I miss her and feel that I owe her."

"Mother," Rei said to herself. "I was most vulnerable because I thought that demon was my mother! I am still dissappointed in myself. I let my guard down! Why would I do that"

"Ryo-kun," Ami said to herself. "I think I know why he was the one to make me vulnerable. After all of this time, I am still nothing but a study hog. He has tried time and time again to make contact with me and I always refused because I was worried about school work! Like Usagi says, you can't study all of the time. One should have fun too..."

"I know what I will do," Minako said to herself. "When all of this is over, I will go and visit Hikaru and hang out like we used to. One thing I learned from Usagi, is how important friendship truly is. What she did for Naru shows that. Even though she had Sailor business, she still put her best friend first. That is what I call a true friend! I will try to restablish that friendship with Hikaru! That is what my illusional battle was probably showing me."

"After all of these years, I never really coped with my mother's death. That is probably why I gave in to such a trick! My wanting her to be here with me is much stronger than my will to fight at that particular time," Rei said to herself. "When all of this is over, I am going to go home and and find a way to remember her. I am sure grandpa would not mind helping me. Just a little something to remember her by..."

"Hey, what is that up ahead," Mercury pointed out.

"It looks like some kind of a battle," Venus said.

Mars agreed.

The three then got a better look at the two fighting against which looked to be three teenagers.

"Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus," the three exclaimed.