1 Reflections of the Past…Countdown
After about two hours, the entire gang had made it to Aaron's house. Sabin was about to break into tears, but Aaron put his hand up showing that this wasn't the time to get emotional over slight things. "After this is all over…we'll reminisce over what has gone on. For now…let's keep everything on the level." Sabin nodded and returned to his serious look. "Now," Aaron said taking a deep breath, "I want you all to know that Magitack is back." A blank look covered the room, and Aaron laughed, "I should've seen that one coming. You all don't remember him most likely."
"Care to fill us in a little more? Perhaps we'll remember him a little clearer," Makoto said.
Aaron blew air and put his hand on his forehead pushing his curly, uncut hair up just a little. "Let's see…do you remember the first time you actually saw MetaSigma on the Moon?"
"Wait…" Usagi said showing that something might have popped up in her mind, "Oh…never mind…that's a pop tart I had earlier."
Everyone face-faulted and Aaron moaned. "Can't she take her mind off food for 5 damn minutes?!" Aaron thought.
"The first time? You know…I have a vague memory of that event," Rei said looking like she was straining her brain for the memory.
"Wait…Magitack? That big electrical machine that attacked the throne room?" Minako said slowly like the memory was reforming in her mind.
"Yes!! That's Magitack! He laid waste to you while you were protecting the Princess. You could say not the finest day for the Inner Court."
"Aaron…" Usagi smirked at him.
"Yesterday I found out from Queen Serenity that Magitack is responsible for what's going on right now. He's hired a mercenary named Duran…"
Usagi suddenly turned very pale in the face at the sound of the name. Ami chimed at Aaron, "Aaron! Have you no tact? Usagi-chan dreads-!"
"Ami-chan…it's Ok," Usagi forced a smile from her discolored lips, "I'm sure my brother wouldn't do that without good reason."
"How my mother could bear such a wuss…" Aaron simply rolled his eyes.
"What did you just say?!" Makoto said raising a fist.
"Take that back Aaron! That was uncalled for!" Minako said.
"Usagi might be somewhat of a coward at times, but that gives you no right to say that!" Rei yelled at him.
"Uncky Aaron! How could you say such a rude thing?!" Chibi-Usa chimed upset.
Aaron shook his head, "I'm sorry…I've been blasting everyone and everything lately…I nearly blew my top at work earlier. Something…is messing with my mind. I don't really know what…but, I'm sorry for my vicious and untrue remark."
Usagi nodded and replied, "Whatever it is that's going on, we'll face it…together."
Aaron shook his head once more, "That's where you're wrong. I'm not going to let you get involved anymore. I'm taking charge of this situation as per orders from our mother."
"But Aaron!" Sabin intervened before the phone interrupted his reply.
Aaron picked up the cordless and said in standard greeting, "Hello?"
A somewhat distorted, but legible voice answered, "Aaron I presume?"
Aaron felt a cold feeling coming from the other end of the phone, but played dumb figuring he could get more out of this caller than expected, "This is Aaron, may I ask who is calling?"
"Don't play so dumb with me Aaron. You think I'm going to reveal more than needs to be expected?" The other end stopped for a few seconds before continuing, "This is Duran. At this moment, I'm at Schala's house fitting her with the latest in life force draining technology."
"I'm warning you Duran, you get her involved in this and you're going to see why I can send you further down than hell. I'll put you so high up on my shit list that you'll be crossed off ten times. Each one how many times I killed you before you hit the ground."
Duran laughed on the other end retorting with a testy voice, "It doesn't matter if you put me on your shit list, hit list, hell, if it was a line for damn concert tickets. WHATEVER!!! Listen well child, the war is going on, and the final battle is going to be decided soon. So you better get ready! Have a nice day!" *Click*
Aaron set the phone back onto the charger and looked over at the stoned figure of Usagi huddling against Mamoru once more. "Hell, some soldier you turned out to be."
"Uncky Aaron!!" Chibi-Usa said more angered than his last tactless comment.
"No…Chibi-Usa…he's right…I've failed as a Sailor Scout,"
Usagi said showing tears in her eyes.
"I never said anything about you failing in your duties as a soldier. In fact…you've done better than anything I can say to date," Aaron said in his relaxed, but cold sounding tone.
Usagi looked up at him with red, and glittery eyes, "Aaron…"
"If you had failed in your duties…then neither me nor you would be here talking to one another. Neither would Chibi-Usa have ever been born. The world would be in darkness by the hand of Queen Beryl." Aaron made a slight snicker and said under his breath, "The boot…" (AN: Inside joke while watching the ending of the first season. :-)
"Aaron…" Windstrom said over the laptop, "I am detecting a great rise in energy output from one of the portals. It is matching energy output of all but one of the portals."
Aaron lowered his head in a defeated position, "He went through with it. Schala's in danger because of me…" His hand curled up into a fist and he rammed it into a wall screaming out the profanity, "SON OF A BITCH!!!"
A couple of hours later…
Aaron pushed a few more buttons on Windstrom's control panel. It had been at least a good 2 weeks since he had actually been in the comfy leather control chair. "You're back at max efficiency…" he finished touching up a few things.
"All controls normal. Running reboot sequence…"
Aaron opened the gate to return to his own house and sighed. Even he couldn't have predicted this turn of events…and now…one of his best friends was in great danger. He looked at his hands and simply thought, "What has become of me…everything that I try to correct…only ends in failure."
"Hey…you coming out of there? Or did you just leave this open for show?" Usagi appeared from the gate.
Aaron gave a headstrong smile and replied, "Just making last checks on everything."
"All systems have returned to normal…" Windstrom said finishing the reboot sequence. "It appears we had a transmission while I was updating. Going to replay mode. The screen went into static for a few seconds before a familiar face blipped onscreen.
"Duran…" Usagi felt a bit queasy.
"Hello Aaron…considering this is the first time we've met face to face…let me introduce myself. I am Noikia Duran…famed mercenary. I decided that until I get the 13th person, I'd hang onto this little piece of human waste…just to have some fun." Duran moved out of the way to reveal Schala tied up, and hanging by a rope. Her body was alive, but she was unconscious at the time. "Such a sweet little girl…it would be awful if…some unforeseen thing were to happen to her."
Aaron's face was red and enraged. Fire burned in his eyes, and it was as if something inside him had snapped. The transmission continued playing, but Aaron said with a deep dark sounding voice that was rarely heard from him, "Where the hell did he transmit that from Windstrom…"
"Searching…" Usagi wanted to ask Aaron something, but she had a feeling that saying anything would make him turn on her at any second.
Against her best thoughts she squeaked out in fear, "What are you going to do?"
Aaron turned around quickly which frightened Usagi, and he replied, "I'm going to find this mercenary, put on my armour, AND KICK HIS ASS!!!"
"I've located the source of the transmission…it appears to be coming from the arena," Windstrom replied without emotion.
Aaron stepping into the open gate and returned to his house. Usagi followed suit a few seconds later before the gate closed behind her. "Sabin…I'm going out for a while…take care of things here for me," Aaron said walking past his friend throwing orders around.
"Don't you even thing about going alone Aaron!" Usagi said in a quick streak of courage.
Aaron stopped in his tracks and said over his shoulder, "This is no longer a matter of stopping this guy. When he took Schala hostage, he made it personal…"
"We're out to stop this guy too!" Minako said.
"Let us help you out! We're your friends! Friends help each other out," Ami said in her respective tone.
Aaron closed his eyes and drew a fist again, "No…I'm not to let you all get involved. This is between Duran and me."
"Hey Shane!" a voiced called out from the basement, "Can I play some Brood War action?"
"Go ahead man…disk is in my room," Aaron replied in a much more caring tone than his previous one.
A young kid perhaps 13 or 14 came barreling up the stairs and passed by giving a nod with his head, "Hey Sabin," he said recognizing him instantly.
"Hey little man, still kicking some zergling ass?" Sabin nodded back at him.
"You damn right."
"Right on."
The kid disappeared back down the stairs and Chibi-Usa asked, "Who…was that?"
Aaron spied the slight blush in her face and said, "Just my little brother."
Her face was still of that similar to when you meet someone you think is really cute. You just stare for a few seconds without being aware of anything else. "Wow…he's handsome," she thought.
Aaron headed into his room and grabbed his bike helmet and gloves for his motorcycle. When he got to the door he said like it was another order, "Well…are you guys coming or not?"
The sound of relief from his friends was massive, and they all headed out the door. "Just one question…how are we going to fit everyone onto this small bike?" Mamoru asked with a slight laugh.
Aaron turned the communicator on and said, "Windstrom, bring out the other cycles."
"Getting backup cycles online, and preparing them from use."
A few minutes later two gates opened and out came two more motorcycles. Each had a side seat so everyone could fit, and Aaron gave Sabin and Mamoru the keys. "I can fit both Chibi-Usa and Usagi on mine. Just make sure you keep up with me…and be careful."
Sabin and Mamoru nodded and put on the equipment for the cycles. Rei and Makoto loaded up onto the bike Sabin was piloting and Ami and Minako hitched it up onto Mamoru's bike. After everyone was wearing the safety equipment, Aaron pushed the startup buttons on his bike and pushed the visor down over his eyes. He popped a wheelie and burned rubber out of the driveway like a devil. Usagi screamed afraid at his dangerous driving and yelled to him, "Why did you change your mind?!"
In a regular voice Aaron replied, "There are microphone in the helmets Usagi…you don't have to yell!" Usagi blushed embarrassed by her loud blunder and Aaron laughed replying, "After thinking about it, I have a feeling that Duran wants me to pay him a visit, and I'm sure it's not going to be a cakewalk getting to him. So I could use some help you could say."
Chibi-Usa smiled and said, "Thank you for trusting us Uncky Aaron!"
Aaron's face blushed a little and he kicked the bike up another gear followed by the other cycles a short distance back.
15 minutes later…
Aaron stopped within sight of the arena, but was still a good half-mile away from it. "Why did we stop so far from where we were going?" Chibi-Usa asked.
"He has some security running the perimeter…check it out." He handed a pair of binoculars to Chibi-Usa.
"They don't look so tough…why can't we just punch through?"
"Better to have the advantage of surprise than have shots coming at us."
"He's got a good point Chibi-Usa-chan," Usagi agreed.
The other two groups arrived and Aaron motioned for them to check out the security. "He seems to be taking no chances…I think there's more that meets the eye here," Mamoru said.
"It could just be a trick to make us think something important is inside," Sabin replied.
"At any rate. We can't take any chances. Now here's the plan…"
Down at the arena's security perimeter…
"Sector 2 clear. Proceeding to Sector 3," the guard reported.
"Keep on the look out, he'll be here. I can feel him in my bones," the other end replied.
"Roger."
The guard contained a set of 3 incase additional firepower was going to be needed. The second in command of that guard squinted his eyes and said, "Sir…check that out." He pointed his finger to a dot many yards away.
The head in command pulled out his binoculars and got a close range look. "Hmmm…Sir…it appears you were right. He's headed this way."
"Excellent…now make sure you bring him to me alive. I need him for something REALLY special!" the other end of the communication device said with a hiss.
"Understood." The guard pushed a button on his wrist and said, "Attention all guards, report to the front of the arena, we have the target sighted. The superior wants him alive so set weapons to the recommended setting."
Within seconds the front side was swarming with guard troops. The commander checked his binoculars once more until the target was within close visual range. "All weapons ready sir," the second in command stated.
"Get ready men. We only get one chance at this."
The rider of the bike suddenly turned to the side revealing a second person whom instantly fired a massive wave of bubbles. The bubbles turned into a massive, thick fog make visibility near zero. "Sir! We have lost visual contact!"
"Use the thermal visors. They still have to give off heat signatures!"
A few seconds past until the second replied, "Visors online, target sighted once more."
"Fire!"
Blasts were fired into the thick fog narrowly missing the targets. Suddenly a massive blast of fire erupted from the ground making the entire area lit in flame. "Thermal Visors are useless in this heat Sir!"
"The enemy is clever. We'll just have to be cleverer!"
"Sparkling, Wide Pressure!!" A ball of electrical energy moved in a line parallel to guards destroying their weapons.
The fog cleared up and revealed that the guards had been surrounded. "What now sir?!" the second in command asked.
"We have no choice…guards! Commence Operation Grantith! The guards each pushed a button on their wrists and their bodies shattered to pieces.
"Talk about a piece of cake!" Zerto said making a soft grunt.
"Come on! We have to hurry!" Sailor Moon said running toward the entrance to the arena.
The ground around them began to shake, and the pieces of machinery began to hop off the pavement. Slowly, they started to reform into something much bigger, and a whole hell of a lot worse. "Uhh…holy shit?" Sailor Jupiter said.
There were now 4 giant mechanical creatures each nearly 15 ft in size. "Take cover!" Sailor Chibi Moon said dodging a gigantic blast that left a small crater in the ground.
Inside the arena…
Meta had slipped by during the confusion in the fog and now stood ready with beam saber in hand. A wall panel opened on his left side and fired an energy blast at him. Meta absorbed the blast and redirected it back at the energy cannon stronger than was fired at him. It blew the cannon up and left a burning hole in the wall where the cannon had been. Meta gave a slight smile and said, "Been a while since I did that." Cautiously he moved on every ready for trouble. "Thus far I'm unimpressed by his defense," Meta thought, "I could more or less walk my way through here." Meta quickly dove for cover as a missile tore by him. He aimed his plasma cannon at the launcher and fired a deadly shot. It blew the launcher up with a sickening explosion. "His defense may be a bit behind," Meta finished, "but he's still got a lot of it, and I'm sure he's hiding something VERY important."
Outside…
"Damn! I can't get a shot off with them constantly spraying the area with fire!" Zerto said.
"What are we going to do?!" Sailor Mars yelled.
"Zerto! I'll draw their fire for a second. Try and get a few shots off!" Tuxedo Kamen said.
"Are you crazy!!? You wouldn't last 5 seconds in that fire!" Zerto yelled back.
"Trust me!"
"Be careful Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailor Moon said wishing him luck.
Tuxedo Kamen mad a dash away from the cover area and threw whatever he could, be it a rose, rock, or high-powered missiles. (AN: I'm sorry I had to put something crazy there.) The guards turned their attention to Tuxedo Kamen and fired at his direction. One of the shots hit him in the left leg, and another in the right shoulder. His costume was badly torn, and he barely made it to cover before another shot whizzed by his head. "Die bastards die!" Zerto yelled firing a blast. The blast simply bounced off the machine's armour hide. "Oh…shit!!" The firing line returned toward Zerto and he ducked again. "Their bodies are made out of some alloy that I can't penetrate!"
"What the hell are we going to do then?!" Sailor Moon screamed.
"The bikes! I might be able to get a greater shot fired if I hook my cannon up to the battery of the bike!"
"Won't that drain the battery completely?!" Jupiter said, "and what would Meta say when his bike is out of juice?!"
"I think he'll understand! Besides! I don't need to use the entire battery! I just need enough to get shot through the alloy!"
A bunch of blasts exploded over their heads and they hit the ground for cover. "It's better than sitting here doing nothing!" Mars said.
"Ok…Mercury…give us a veil of cover and head with me over to the bike we left after the initial assault! Everyone else scatter to give us a little cover. They'll change to thermal scanners faster than before so get as far away from here as you can!"
Everyone nodded and Zerto nodded to Mercury, "Go!!"
"Shabon, Spray!!" a cover of fog and bubbles surrounded the area once more and everyone took off. The machines changed to their heat visors and quickly fired many shots at the scattering groups "What about the one that's going after us?!" Mercury asked dodging blasts from the lone machine chasing them.
"Freeze it!"
"Are you sure it'll work?!"
"Just try!"
Mercury put her arms to her chest and focused a small wave of water around her body. She spun around a bit and yelled, "Shine Aqua, Illusion!!" The wave froze the mechanical creature and Zerto gave Mercury the thumbs up as they rushed for the bike.
Inside the arena…
Meta hid around a corner as a scanner drone passed by him. "Security has tightened up a bunch. He must know I'm in here. So much for the element of surprise. I'll just have to take him out head on." Meta checked around the corner slightly making sure nothing else would get the drop on him. He moved quickly, considering the scanner drone would be back at any moment, and then he would be in hot water. He looked above and noticed a pair of metal pipes big enough for him to walk on. They were at least 50 feet in the air, but of course Meta would accept the challenge in front of him. He dashed and jumped against the wall. The second his feet hit the wall he kicked the accelerators in his boots and bounced up toward the pipes. His hands grabbed the piping and he pulled himself up the rest of the way. He looked down and noticed the scanned drone had just passed him. "Talk about a close call." Meta looked across from his position and noticed a tram way nearly 300 feet across from him. He knew it was better to be on the tramway than the piping, but he knew he couldn't make 300 feet without giving off a heat sig that would be picked up. Cautiously, and quietly, he moved along the piping until it came to its end. "Damn…dead end, Meta thought. He turned his head and noticed the tramway was merely 30 ft from his position. "Now THIS I can do!" He made a slight running jump and made a quick mid-air acceleration that propelled him the rest of the way to the tram. "There we go. One path closed, another opened." Below him stood a pair of doors guarded by two guards (remember 3 in a guard). "Damn," Meta thought, "I'm sure that's where that bastard is hiding. Don't want to cause a ruckus and alert the place to my position." Meta looked at the piping and gave a slight smile. He charged up his weapon to just enough to break the pipe a good distance away. "If I break the pipe, and release the gas, the guards will have to switch to heat sensors. I'll throw a fake heat sig and send them on a random goose chase!" He fired the shot a good distance away from him and shattered the pipe releasing the gas as planned.
"Sensors are becoming inoperable in this fog, switching to thermals. Heat signature detected! Guards! Capture the intruder! It HAS to be Meta!" The 2 guards gave chase to the goose sig and Meta simply snickered as he lowered himself down the wall to the front of the door. Carefully he touched it making sure not to set off an alarm or some other trap.
"It's clean," he thought opening it carefully.
Outside…
"Everything hooked up?" Zerto asked as he took aim at the frozen machine about 100 yards away.
"Almost!" Mercury said making a few final adjustments.
The frozen machine started to turn a heated red color and suddenly the ice encasing it shattered. "Mercury?!!"
"Just a few more seconds!"
"I don't have a few more seconds!"
The machine started making its approach not even needing to fire a shot. It was so sure that it would score a direct hit it didn't even worry. It was nearly 15 yards away when it started to charge up its pulse lasers. "Mercury!!!"
"Almost…there…"
The machine was right on top of Zerto and his weapon was aimed right for the thing's head. "I'm firing whether you're ready or not! Zerto Plasma…PULSATOR!!!" The shot was much more focused and intensified by the excessive energy of the battery, and it demoleculorized the head in an instant. "Oh yeah! How do you like that hot love up your-!"
"Zerto!" Mercury stopped him, "We still have to help everyone else! You can celebrate later!"
Zerto sighed and nodded, "How much juice did that take up?"
"Battery power is at 59 percent. That took about 25 percent of the battery."
"Damn…he must use these vehicles in emergencies only. No way it would waste that much battery power."
"What do we do? You only have enough power for 2 more shots!"
"I'll take out two of them. We can assault the last one as a team. I think we'd fare better that way."
Mercury nodded, "I understand."
Zerto hopped onto the seat of the cycle and said, "Get on…we have to get back to the others fast!" Mercury hopped on and Zerto sped off.
"Burning…Mandala!" the rings of fire simply dissipated off the armour of the monsters. Mars ducked as another mass wave of fire swept over their position. "What the hell are we going to do? We're pinned down again!"
"What about Mercury and Zerto?! Did they make it?" Chibi-Moon asked as Sailor Moon tried to reach them on Mercury's communicator.
"Nothing…they…must not…"
"Usagi-chan!" the communicator fizzed in as a photo of Mercury appeared.
"Mercury-chan! You're alive!" Sailor Moon said with sudden surprise and glee.
"We've got enough power for 2 more shots, but that's all. We'll have to take one out as a team!"
Sailor Moon nodded, "We can do it!" She poked her head above the cover and watched as Zerto fragged two of the remaining three machine mammons. The last machine laid a direct hit on the cycle and it exploded injuring Mercury and Zerto badly. "Mercury-chan! Zerto-kun!!"
Zerto shook his head slowly and said in a weakened voice, "Don't worry…about us…aim for…the head…" Zerto's head hit the ground like a piece of meat thrown on the counter.
Sailor Moon couldn't speak at all. She was in awe at the words Zerto had told her. Not to worry about her friends? How could she not? They were there for her. They had sacrificed themselves to save her. She closed her teary eyes and pulled out her tier. "No…I won't abandon you…I won't abandon anyone…not even my own brother! Everyone! Aim for its head!"
"Jupiter! Oak Evolution!!"
"Venus! Love and Beauty Shock!!"
"Mars! Flame Sniper!!"
"Moon, Gorgeous, Meditation!!"
"Silver Moon, Crystal Power Kiss!!" The five energies combined into one bright light and exploded tearing the head off of the machine. It fizzed and crackled where its head had been and it began to fall forward toward the fallen bodies of Mercury and Zerto. "Mercury-chan!" Sailor Moon screamed as the machine created a dust cloud pummeling the ground. Everyone covered their eyes from the blow back dust created and Sailor Moon squinted to find her friends. "Mercury-chan! Zerto!!"
She frantically searched as best she could and rubbed her eyes from the dust. After the dust had settled she looked and found that Mercury and Zerto were not under the mammoth hide of the machine. Her glistening eyes widened and looked up to see Tuxedo Kamen holding both of their bodies and he still in mid-jump (I mean the guy has a hang time that even Michael Jordan would envy!) After a few more seconds, Tux landed and fell to one knee still in pain. Sailor Moon rushed over to make sure he boyfriend and friends were ok. "Everyone Ok?" Tux asked trying not to show the pain in his voice.
"Sabin…come on…wake up…" Mars held him in her arms.
Zerto moaned and said, "Aaron's going to kill me for losing a bike…" after commenting he made a slight laugh and threw his face into a look of pain holding his chest.
"Mercury-chan…" Sailor Moon said shaking her friend a little.
Mercury moaned a little and slowly moved her eyes…"Usagi…-chan…are you OK?"
Sailor Moon nodded her head and cried, "I'm so glad you're Ok…"
Mercury gave a smile and said, "Sailor Moon…don't cry…everything is going to be fine…we'll help Aaron get rid of this enemy."
Zerto and Mercury got back to their feet and regrouped with the rest of the Scouts as they made their way towards the arena.
Inside…
"How did you-?!"
"Get past the security?" Meta said with a slight laugh, "like this…" he finished his sentence blasting the lone guard with a shot. "Never mix me with evil…it's a highly explosive compound!" Meta continued down the hallway and stopped in front of another door. He put his hand near it and thought. "Hmm…no trap…but…it's made of Tricilite…wonder why he would make a door so strong…if he plans on letting me in more or less…" Meta's hands retracted and his modified plasma cannons charged up. "Oh well…time to waste this door!" As his cannons reached max charge, the doors slid open and Meta prepared for an assault. When the doors had fully opened he waited a few extra seconds and slowly moved through the opening.
"Oh come on MetaSigma…just get in here already," a familiar voice chimed.
"Duran…WHERE ARE YOU COWARD?!!" Meta yelled not yet able to see his foe.
Duran stepped into view and grinned, "I'm right here pitiful creature."
Meta growled and yelled to him, "Where's Schala!!"
Duran made a subtle laugh and replied, "That annoying girl? Well…why don't you look up above?"
Meta looked above and saw Schala hanging by her hands unconscious many feet above. "Schala!" Meta screamed. He returned his gaze to Duran and said rising in anger, "Let her go Duran! She has nothing to do with me! Let her go…and I might let you live…"
Duran laughed and said, "She has a LOT more to do with this than you realize! She contains the secret to the final person to harness portal energy from!"
Meta lowered his eyes and replied, "You'll never use her for that…I'm not going to allow you too!"
Duran laughed, "It's already too late once I utilize the last person…I will use Magitack's armour to spread terror!"
Meta laughed, "Boy…you really are dumb…Magitack is the only one who can use it in the first place…and he's stuck inside that tin can sealed inside the portal!" Duran made a short snicker…and then a louder laugh…then a monstrous evil bellow that made Meta yell, "What the hell is so funny?!"
Duran bellowed out, "You haven't put the pieces together? Son of Queen Serenity!?"
Meta's irises grew dilated and said in a surprised, nearly shocked voice, "No…you can't be…"
"That's right little Moon Child…I'm back, and this time no one will stop me!"
Meta closed his eyes till they shed tears and he grit his teeth before saying, "You…can't be…you were sucked in! You can't me…Magitack!!!" Duran laughed again and filled the arena with it's evil sound.
After about two hours, the entire gang had made it to Aaron's house. Sabin was about to break into tears, but Aaron put his hand up showing that this wasn't the time to get emotional over slight things. "After this is all over…we'll reminisce over what has gone on. For now…let's keep everything on the level." Sabin nodded and returned to his serious look. "Now," Aaron said taking a deep breath, "I want you all to know that Magitack is back." A blank look covered the room, and Aaron laughed, "I should've seen that one coming. You all don't remember him most likely."
"Care to fill us in a little more? Perhaps we'll remember him a little clearer," Makoto said.
Aaron blew air and put his hand on his forehead pushing his curly, uncut hair up just a little. "Let's see…do you remember the first time you actually saw MetaSigma on the Moon?"
"Wait…" Usagi said showing that something might have popped up in her mind, "Oh…never mind…that's a pop tart I had earlier."
Everyone face-faulted and Aaron moaned. "Can't she take her mind off food for 5 damn minutes?!" Aaron thought.
"The first time? You know…I have a vague memory of that event," Rei said looking like she was straining her brain for the memory.
"Wait…Magitack? That big electrical machine that attacked the throne room?" Minako said slowly like the memory was reforming in her mind.
"Yes!! That's Magitack! He laid waste to you while you were protecting the Princess. You could say not the finest day for the Inner Court."
"Aaron…" Usagi smirked at him.
"Yesterday I found out from Queen Serenity that Magitack is responsible for what's going on right now. He's hired a mercenary named Duran…"
Usagi suddenly turned very pale in the face at the sound of the name. Ami chimed at Aaron, "Aaron! Have you no tact? Usagi-chan dreads-!"
"Ami-chan…it's Ok," Usagi forced a smile from her discolored lips, "I'm sure my brother wouldn't do that without good reason."
"How my mother could bear such a wuss…" Aaron simply rolled his eyes.
"What did you just say?!" Makoto said raising a fist.
"Take that back Aaron! That was uncalled for!" Minako said.
"Usagi might be somewhat of a coward at times, but that gives you no right to say that!" Rei yelled at him.
"Uncky Aaron! How could you say such a rude thing?!" Chibi-Usa chimed upset.
Aaron shook his head, "I'm sorry…I've been blasting everyone and everything lately…I nearly blew my top at work earlier. Something…is messing with my mind. I don't really know what…but, I'm sorry for my vicious and untrue remark."
Usagi nodded and replied, "Whatever it is that's going on, we'll face it…together."
Aaron shook his head once more, "That's where you're wrong. I'm not going to let you get involved anymore. I'm taking charge of this situation as per orders from our mother."
"But Aaron!" Sabin intervened before the phone interrupted his reply.
Aaron picked up the cordless and said in standard greeting, "Hello?"
A somewhat distorted, but legible voice answered, "Aaron I presume?"
Aaron felt a cold feeling coming from the other end of the phone, but played dumb figuring he could get more out of this caller than expected, "This is Aaron, may I ask who is calling?"
"Don't play so dumb with me Aaron. You think I'm going to reveal more than needs to be expected?" The other end stopped for a few seconds before continuing, "This is Duran. At this moment, I'm at Schala's house fitting her with the latest in life force draining technology."
"I'm warning you Duran, you get her involved in this and you're going to see why I can send you further down than hell. I'll put you so high up on my shit list that you'll be crossed off ten times. Each one how many times I killed you before you hit the ground."
Duran laughed on the other end retorting with a testy voice, "It doesn't matter if you put me on your shit list, hit list, hell, if it was a line for damn concert tickets. WHATEVER!!! Listen well child, the war is going on, and the final battle is going to be decided soon. So you better get ready! Have a nice day!" *Click*
Aaron set the phone back onto the charger and looked over at the stoned figure of Usagi huddling against Mamoru once more. "Hell, some soldier you turned out to be."
"Uncky Aaron!!" Chibi-Usa said more angered than his last tactless comment.
"No…Chibi-Usa…he's right…I've failed as a Sailor Scout,"
Usagi said showing tears in her eyes.
"I never said anything about you failing in your duties as a soldier. In fact…you've done better than anything I can say to date," Aaron said in his relaxed, but cold sounding tone.
Usagi looked up at him with red, and glittery eyes, "Aaron…"
"If you had failed in your duties…then neither me nor you would be here talking to one another. Neither would Chibi-Usa have ever been born. The world would be in darkness by the hand of Queen Beryl." Aaron made a slight snicker and said under his breath, "The boot…" (AN: Inside joke while watching the ending of the first season. :-)
"Aaron…" Windstrom said over the laptop, "I am detecting a great rise in energy output from one of the portals. It is matching energy output of all but one of the portals."
Aaron lowered his head in a defeated position, "He went through with it. Schala's in danger because of me…" His hand curled up into a fist and he rammed it into a wall screaming out the profanity, "SON OF A BITCH!!!"
A couple of hours later…
Aaron pushed a few more buttons on Windstrom's control panel. It had been at least a good 2 weeks since he had actually been in the comfy leather control chair. "You're back at max efficiency…" he finished touching up a few things.
"All controls normal. Running reboot sequence…"
Aaron opened the gate to return to his own house and sighed. Even he couldn't have predicted this turn of events…and now…one of his best friends was in great danger. He looked at his hands and simply thought, "What has become of me…everything that I try to correct…only ends in failure."
"Hey…you coming out of there? Or did you just leave this open for show?" Usagi appeared from the gate.
Aaron gave a headstrong smile and replied, "Just making last checks on everything."
"All systems have returned to normal…" Windstrom said finishing the reboot sequence. "It appears we had a transmission while I was updating. Going to replay mode. The screen went into static for a few seconds before a familiar face blipped onscreen.
"Duran…" Usagi felt a bit queasy.
"Hello Aaron…considering this is the first time we've met face to face…let me introduce myself. I am Noikia Duran…famed mercenary. I decided that until I get the 13th person, I'd hang onto this little piece of human waste…just to have some fun." Duran moved out of the way to reveal Schala tied up, and hanging by a rope. Her body was alive, but she was unconscious at the time. "Such a sweet little girl…it would be awful if…some unforeseen thing were to happen to her."
Aaron's face was red and enraged. Fire burned in his eyes, and it was as if something inside him had snapped. The transmission continued playing, but Aaron said with a deep dark sounding voice that was rarely heard from him, "Where the hell did he transmit that from Windstrom…"
"Searching…" Usagi wanted to ask Aaron something, but she had a feeling that saying anything would make him turn on her at any second.
Against her best thoughts she squeaked out in fear, "What are you going to do?"
Aaron turned around quickly which frightened Usagi, and he replied, "I'm going to find this mercenary, put on my armour, AND KICK HIS ASS!!!"
"I've located the source of the transmission…it appears to be coming from the arena," Windstrom replied without emotion.
Aaron stepping into the open gate and returned to his house. Usagi followed suit a few seconds later before the gate closed behind her. "Sabin…I'm going out for a while…take care of things here for me," Aaron said walking past his friend throwing orders around.
"Don't you even thing about going alone Aaron!" Usagi said in a quick streak of courage.
Aaron stopped in his tracks and said over his shoulder, "This is no longer a matter of stopping this guy. When he took Schala hostage, he made it personal…"
"We're out to stop this guy too!" Minako said.
"Let us help you out! We're your friends! Friends help each other out," Ami said in her respective tone.
Aaron closed his eyes and drew a fist again, "No…I'm not to let you all get involved. This is between Duran and me."
"Hey Shane!" a voiced called out from the basement, "Can I play some Brood War action?"
"Go ahead man…disk is in my room," Aaron replied in a much more caring tone than his previous one.
A young kid perhaps 13 or 14 came barreling up the stairs and passed by giving a nod with his head, "Hey Sabin," he said recognizing him instantly.
"Hey little man, still kicking some zergling ass?" Sabin nodded back at him.
"You damn right."
"Right on."
The kid disappeared back down the stairs and Chibi-Usa asked, "Who…was that?"
Aaron spied the slight blush in her face and said, "Just my little brother."
Her face was still of that similar to when you meet someone you think is really cute. You just stare for a few seconds without being aware of anything else. "Wow…he's handsome," she thought.
Aaron headed into his room and grabbed his bike helmet and gloves for his motorcycle. When he got to the door he said like it was another order, "Well…are you guys coming or not?"
The sound of relief from his friends was massive, and they all headed out the door. "Just one question…how are we going to fit everyone onto this small bike?" Mamoru asked with a slight laugh.
Aaron turned the communicator on and said, "Windstrom, bring out the other cycles."
"Getting backup cycles online, and preparing them from use."
A few minutes later two gates opened and out came two more motorcycles. Each had a side seat so everyone could fit, and Aaron gave Sabin and Mamoru the keys. "I can fit both Chibi-Usa and Usagi on mine. Just make sure you keep up with me…and be careful."
Sabin and Mamoru nodded and put on the equipment for the cycles. Rei and Makoto loaded up onto the bike Sabin was piloting and Ami and Minako hitched it up onto Mamoru's bike. After everyone was wearing the safety equipment, Aaron pushed the startup buttons on his bike and pushed the visor down over his eyes. He popped a wheelie and burned rubber out of the driveway like a devil. Usagi screamed afraid at his dangerous driving and yelled to him, "Why did you change your mind?!"
In a regular voice Aaron replied, "There are microphone in the helmets Usagi…you don't have to yell!" Usagi blushed embarrassed by her loud blunder and Aaron laughed replying, "After thinking about it, I have a feeling that Duran wants me to pay him a visit, and I'm sure it's not going to be a cakewalk getting to him. So I could use some help you could say."
Chibi-Usa smiled and said, "Thank you for trusting us Uncky Aaron!"
Aaron's face blushed a little and he kicked the bike up another gear followed by the other cycles a short distance back.
15 minutes later…
Aaron stopped within sight of the arena, but was still a good half-mile away from it. "Why did we stop so far from where we were going?" Chibi-Usa asked.
"He has some security running the perimeter…check it out." He handed a pair of binoculars to Chibi-Usa.
"They don't look so tough…why can't we just punch through?"
"Better to have the advantage of surprise than have shots coming at us."
"He's got a good point Chibi-Usa-chan," Usagi agreed.
The other two groups arrived and Aaron motioned for them to check out the security. "He seems to be taking no chances…I think there's more that meets the eye here," Mamoru said.
"It could just be a trick to make us think something important is inside," Sabin replied.
"At any rate. We can't take any chances. Now here's the plan…"
Down at the arena's security perimeter…
"Sector 2 clear. Proceeding to Sector 3," the guard reported.
"Keep on the look out, he'll be here. I can feel him in my bones," the other end replied.
"Roger."
The guard contained a set of 3 incase additional firepower was going to be needed. The second in command of that guard squinted his eyes and said, "Sir…check that out." He pointed his finger to a dot many yards away.
The head in command pulled out his binoculars and got a close range look. "Hmmm…Sir…it appears you were right. He's headed this way."
"Excellent…now make sure you bring him to me alive. I need him for something REALLY special!" the other end of the communication device said with a hiss.
"Understood." The guard pushed a button on his wrist and said, "Attention all guards, report to the front of the arena, we have the target sighted. The superior wants him alive so set weapons to the recommended setting."
Within seconds the front side was swarming with guard troops. The commander checked his binoculars once more until the target was within close visual range. "All weapons ready sir," the second in command stated.
"Get ready men. We only get one chance at this."
The rider of the bike suddenly turned to the side revealing a second person whom instantly fired a massive wave of bubbles. The bubbles turned into a massive, thick fog make visibility near zero. "Sir! We have lost visual contact!"
"Use the thermal visors. They still have to give off heat signatures!"
A few seconds past until the second replied, "Visors online, target sighted once more."
"Fire!"
Blasts were fired into the thick fog narrowly missing the targets. Suddenly a massive blast of fire erupted from the ground making the entire area lit in flame. "Thermal Visors are useless in this heat Sir!"
"The enemy is clever. We'll just have to be cleverer!"
"Sparkling, Wide Pressure!!" A ball of electrical energy moved in a line parallel to guards destroying their weapons.
The fog cleared up and revealed that the guards had been surrounded. "What now sir?!" the second in command asked.
"We have no choice…guards! Commence Operation Grantith! The guards each pushed a button on their wrists and their bodies shattered to pieces.
"Talk about a piece of cake!" Zerto said making a soft grunt.
"Come on! We have to hurry!" Sailor Moon said running toward the entrance to the arena.
The ground around them began to shake, and the pieces of machinery began to hop off the pavement. Slowly, they started to reform into something much bigger, and a whole hell of a lot worse. "Uhh…holy shit?" Sailor Jupiter said.
There were now 4 giant mechanical creatures each nearly 15 ft in size. "Take cover!" Sailor Chibi Moon said dodging a gigantic blast that left a small crater in the ground.
Inside the arena…
Meta had slipped by during the confusion in the fog and now stood ready with beam saber in hand. A wall panel opened on his left side and fired an energy blast at him. Meta absorbed the blast and redirected it back at the energy cannon stronger than was fired at him. It blew the cannon up and left a burning hole in the wall where the cannon had been. Meta gave a slight smile and said, "Been a while since I did that." Cautiously he moved on every ready for trouble. "Thus far I'm unimpressed by his defense," Meta thought, "I could more or less walk my way through here." Meta quickly dove for cover as a missile tore by him. He aimed his plasma cannon at the launcher and fired a deadly shot. It blew the launcher up with a sickening explosion. "His defense may be a bit behind," Meta finished, "but he's still got a lot of it, and I'm sure he's hiding something VERY important."
Outside…
"Damn! I can't get a shot off with them constantly spraying the area with fire!" Zerto said.
"What are we going to do?!" Sailor Mars yelled.
"Zerto! I'll draw their fire for a second. Try and get a few shots off!" Tuxedo Kamen said.
"Are you crazy!!? You wouldn't last 5 seconds in that fire!" Zerto yelled back.
"Trust me!"
"Be careful Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailor Moon said wishing him luck.
Tuxedo Kamen mad a dash away from the cover area and threw whatever he could, be it a rose, rock, or high-powered missiles. (AN: I'm sorry I had to put something crazy there.) The guards turned their attention to Tuxedo Kamen and fired at his direction. One of the shots hit him in the left leg, and another in the right shoulder. His costume was badly torn, and he barely made it to cover before another shot whizzed by his head. "Die bastards die!" Zerto yelled firing a blast. The blast simply bounced off the machine's armour hide. "Oh…shit!!" The firing line returned toward Zerto and he ducked again. "Their bodies are made out of some alloy that I can't penetrate!"
"What the hell are we going to do then?!" Sailor Moon screamed.
"The bikes! I might be able to get a greater shot fired if I hook my cannon up to the battery of the bike!"
"Won't that drain the battery completely?!" Jupiter said, "and what would Meta say when his bike is out of juice?!"
"I think he'll understand! Besides! I don't need to use the entire battery! I just need enough to get shot through the alloy!"
A bunch of blasts exploded over their heads and they hit the ground for cover. "It's better than sitting here doing nothing!" Mars said.
"Ok…Mercury…give us a veil of cover and head with me over to the bike we left after the initial assault! Everyone else scatter to give us a little cover. They'll change to thermal scanners faster than before so get as far away from here as you can!"
Everyone nodded and Zerto nodded to Mercury, "Go!!"
"Shabon, Spray!!" a cover of fog and bubbles surrounded the area once more and everyone took off. The machines changed to their heat visors and quickly fired many shots at the scattering groups "What about the one that's going after us?!" Mercury asked dodging blasts from the lone machine chasing them.
"Freeze it!"
"Are you sure it'll work?!"
"Just try!"
Mercury put her arms to her chest and focused a small wave of water around her body. She spun around a bit and yelled, "Shine Aqua, Illusion!!" The wave froze the mechanical creature and Zerto gave Mercury the thumbs up as they rushed for the bike.
Inside the arena…
Meta hid around a corner as a scanner drone passed by him. "Security has tightened up a bunch. He must know I'm in here. So much for the element of surprise. I'll just have to take him out head on." Meta checked around the corner slightly making sure nothing else would get the drop on him. He moved quickly, considering the scanner drone would be back at any moment, and then he would be in hot water. He looked above and noticed a pair of metal pipes big enough for him to walk on. They were at least 50 feet in the air, but of course Meta would accept the challenge in front of him. He dashed and jumped against the wall. The second his feet hit the wall he kicked the accelerators in his boots and bounced up toward the pipes. His hands grabbed the piping and he pulled himself up the rest of the way. He looked down and noticed the scanned drone had just passed him. "Talk about a close call." Meta looked across from his position and noticed a tram way nearly 300 feet across from him. He knew it was better to be on the tramway than the piping, but he knew he couldn't make 300 feet without giving off a heat sig that would be picked up. Cautiously, and quietly, he moved along the piping until it came to its end. "Damn…dead end, Meta thought. He turned his head and noticed the tramway was merely 30 ft from his position. "Now THIS I can do!" He made a slight running jump and made a quick mid-air acceleration that propelled him the rest of the way to the tram. "There we go. One path closed, another opened." Below him stood a pair of doors guarded by two guards (remember 3 in a guard). "Damn," Meta thought, "I'm sure that's where that bastard is hiding. Don't want to cause a ruckus and alert the place to my position." Meta looked at the piping and gave a slight smile. He charged up his weapon to just enough to break the pipe a good distance away. "If I break the pipe, and release the gas, the guards will have to switch to heat sensors. I'll throw a fake heat sig and send them on a random goose chase!" He fired the shot a good distance away from him and shattered the pipe releasing the gas as planned.
"Sensors are becoming inoperable in this fog, switching to thermals. Heat signature detected! Guards! Capture the intruder! It HAS to be Meta!" The 2 guards gave chase to the goose sig and Meta simply snickered as he lowered himself down the wall to the front of the door. Carefully he touched it making sure not to set off an alarm or some other trap.
"It's clean," he thought opening it carefully.
Outside…
"Everything hooked up?" Zerto asked as he took aim at the frozen machine about 100 yards away.
"Almost!" Mercury said making a few final adjustments.
The frozen machine started to turn a heated red color and suddenly the ice encasing it shattered. "Mercury?!!"
"Just a few more seconds!"
"I don't have a few more seconds!"
The machine started making its approach not even needing to fire a shot. It was so sure that it would score a direct hit it didn't even worry. It was nearly 15 yards away when it started to charge up its pulse lasers. "Mercury!!!"
"Almost…there…"
The machine was right on top of Zerto and his weapon was aimed right for the thing's head. "I'm firing whether you're ready or not! Zerto Plasma…PULSATOR!!!" The shot was much more focused and intensified by the excessive energy of the battery, and it demoleculorized the head in an instant. "Oh yeah! How do you like that hot love up your-!"
"Zerto!" Mercury stopped him, "We still have to help everyone else! You can celebrate later!"
Zerto sighed and nodded, "How much juice did that take up?"
"Battery power is at 59 percent. That took about 25 percent of the battery."
"Damn…he must use these vehicles in emergencies only. No way it would waste that much battery power."
"What do we do? You only have enough power for 2 more shots!"
"I'll take out two of them. We can assault the last one as a team. I think we'd fare better that way."
Mercury nodded, "I understand."
Zerto hopped onto the seat of the cycle and said, "Get on…we have to get back to the others fast!" Mercury hopped on and Zerto sped off.
"Burning…Mandala!" the rings of fire simply dissipated off the armour of the monsters. Mars ducked as another mass wave of fire swept over their position. "What the hell are we going to do? We're pinned down again!"
"What about Mercury and Zerto?! Did they make it?" Chibi-Moon asked as Sailor Moon tried to reach them on Mercury's communicator.
"Nothing…they…must not…"
"Usagi-chan!" the communicator fizzed in as a photo of Mercury appeared.
"Mercury-chan! You're alive!" Sailor Moon said with sudden surprise and glee.
"We've got enough power for 2 more shots, but that's all. We'll have to take one out as a team!"
Sailor Moon nodded, "We can do it!" She poked her head above the cover and watched as Zerto fragged two of the remaining three machine mammons. The last machine laid a direct hit on the cycle and it exploded injuring Mercury and Zerto badly. "Mercury-chan! Zerto-kun!!"
Zerto shook his head slowly and said in a weakened voice, "Don't worry…about us…aim for…the head…" Zerto's head hit the ground like a piece of meat thrown on the counter.
Sailor Moon couldn't speak at all. She was in awe at the words Zerto had told her. Not to worry about her friends? How could she not? They were there for her. They had sacrificed themselves to save her. She closed her teary eyes and pulled out her tier. "No…I won't abandon you…I won't abandon anyone…not even my own brother! Everyone! Aim for its head!"
"Jupiter! Oak Evolution!!"
"Venus! Love and Beauty Shock!!"
"Mars! Flame Sniper!!"
"Moon, Gorgeous, Meditation!!"
"Silver Moon, Crystal Power Kiss!!" The five energies combined into one bright light and exploded tearing the head off of the machine. It fizzed and crackled where its head had been and it began to fall forward toward the fallen bodies of Mercury and Zerto. "Mercury-chan!" Sailor Moon screamed as the machine created a dust cloud pummeling the ground. Everyone covered their eyes from the blow back dust created and Sailor Moon squinted to find her friends. "Mercury-chan! Zerto!!"
She frantically searched as best she could and rubbed her eyes from the dust. After the dust had settled she looked and found that Mercury and Zerto were not under the mammoth hide of the machine. Her glistening eyes widened and looked up to see Tuxedo Kamen holding both of their bodies and he still in mid-jump (I mean the guy has a hang time that even Michael Jordan would envy!) After a few more seconds, Tux landed and fell to one knee still in pain. Sailor Moon rushed over to make sure he boyfriend and friends were ok. "Everyone Ok?" Tux asked trying not to show the pain in his voice.
"Sabin…come on…wake up…" Mars held him in her arms.
Zerto moaned and said, "Aaron's going to kill me for losing a bike…" after commenting he made a slight laugh and threw his face into a look of pain holding his chest.
"Mercury-chan…" Sailor Moon said shaking her friend a little.
Mercury moaned a little and slowly moved her eyes…"Usagi…-chan…are you OK?"
Sailor Moon nodded her head and cried, "I'm so glad you're Ok…"
Mercury gave a smile and said, "Sailor Moon…don't cry…everything is going to be fine…we'll help Aaron get rid of this enemy."
Zerto and Mercury got back to their feet and regrouped with the rest of the Scouts as they made their way towards the arena.
Inside…
"How did you-?!"
"Get past the security?" Meta said with a slight laugh, "like this…" he finished his sentence blasting the lone guard with a shot. "Never mix me with evil…it's a highly explosive compound!" Meta continued down the hallway and stopped in front of another door. He put his hand near it and thought. "Hmm…no trap…but…it's made of Tricilite…wonder why he would make a door so strong…if he plans on letting me in more or less…" Meta's hands retracted and his modified plasma cannons charged up. "Oh well…time to waste this door!" As his cannons reached max charge, the doors slid open and Meta prepared for an assault. When the doors had fully opened he waited a few extra seconds and slowly moved through the opening.
"Oh come on MetaSigma…just get in here already," a familiar voice chimed.
"Duran…WHERE ARE YOU COWARD?!!" Meta yelled not yet able to see his foe.
Duran stepped into view and grinned, "I'm right here pitiful creature."
Meta growled and yelled to him, "Where's Schala!!"
Duran made a subtle laugh and replied, "That annoying girl? Well…why don't you look up above?"
Meta looked above and saw Schala hanging by her hands unconscious many feet above. "Schala!" Meta screamed. He returned his gaze to Duran and said rising in anger, "Let her go Duran! She has nothing to do with me! Let her go…and I might let you live…"
Duran laughed and said, "She has a LOT more to do with this than you realize! She contains the secret to the final person to harness portal energy from!"
Meta lowered his eyes and replied, "You'll never use her for that…I'm not going to allow you too!"
Duran laughed, "It's already too late once I utilize the last person…I will use Magitack's armour to spread terror!"
Meta laughed, "Boy…you really are dumb…Magitack is the only one who can use it in the first place…and he's stuck inside that tin can sealed inside the portal!" Duran made a short snicker…and then a louder laugh…then a monstrous evil bellow that made Meta yell, "What the hell is so funny?!"
Duran bellowed out, "You haven't put the pieces together? Son of Queen Serenity!?"
Meta's irises grew dilated and said in a surprised, nearly shocked voice, "No…you can't be…"
"That's right little Moon Child…I'm back, and this time no one will stop me!"
Meta closed his eyes till they shed tears and he grit his teeth before saying, "You…can't be…you were sucked in! You can't me…Magitack!!!" Duran laughed again and filled the arena with it's evil sound.
