Chapter Twenty-One
Daisy's feet had begun to hurt a while ago so Cosmic Jupiter was carrying her for the time being. They had to take the rough way, going completely around the Palace. The three older Senshi were used to such hardships, due to the altered future they had come from.
Daisy rested for a few minutes and then said,
"You can put me down now."
Daisy's older self smiled, "Okay Daisy."
Chibi Jupiter gained her balance, on her boots and walked out ahead. They were going around the Palace and now were nearing the servants' quarters. But they passed by the council room on the way. The howl of screams was present.
Daisy crept to the window and peered in. Her heart hit her throat.
The Senshi were dodging Hiroshima's attacks but this woman had all the Senshi's attacks, plus the Chibi Senshi's attacks. She saw that Hotaru and Mina were already hurt. Hotaru had the most trouble because as the weakest of the Senshi she was practically vulnerable without her henshin.
Haruka was standing in front of Hotaru, defending her daughter with her own body. But the blood was already spreading over her chest and she had been weakened severally from the attacks she had taken for her daughter. Hotaru was unconscious, most likely from loss of blood, and Mirchiru was trying to help her.
Amy was trying to get to the injured but Hiroshima seemed to know about her skills and was using any attack she had to keep Amy separated from the others. Amy was not the strongest of the Senshi, both physically and power wise, either. Every attack sent her dodging and at rare intervals sent her sprawling across the ground.
Daisy found her mother easily. Lita was standing before the King and Queen, her own body working as a shield. Her deep green eyes were alive with anger. Hiroshima launched an attack, it looked like Ariel's Ice Glacier. Lita spread her arms wide, to take the full force.
Daisy screamed. Her mother went flying backwards, flying across the tile floor. Blood poured down her chest, coating her yellow t-shirt. She climbed to her feet painfully and again took her protective position. The queen was trying to help but Lita and the King kept her protected. She was their queen, their life. She had to be protected, at all costs.
Daisy was about to force her way in when a pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her back. A hand clamped over her mouth. The girl turned and saw that it was Elysian Jupiter that had snatched her. She hissed,
"Shh! Not yet."
Chibi Jupiter turned, "But my Mom's gonna die!"
"No, she's not. We're gonna get in. But if we go one at a time through the window, we'll be beaten. We need to arrive all at once."
"Sorry," Cosmic Jupiter added, "but I doubt that any door or window will allow four Senshi in at once-say, where's Crystal Jupiter?"
Swiftly, Elysian Jupiter looked around for her daughter. But Crystal Jupiter had vanished.
"What a time for her to do a disappearing act." Daisy grumbled, but Elysian Juptier shook her head,
"no, she hasn't vanished. I know my daughter."
Cosmic Jupiter nodded, "Hai, I know my granddaughter. Lily has a plan of some sort."
No sooner had she said this than they heard tires screech behind them. Turning, the three saw Lily, still transformed, in the driver's seat of Lita's green station wagon. She rolled down the window and said,
"Come on!"
The three Senshi climbed in, Elysian in the front seat and Cosmic and Chibi Jupiter in the back. Lily turned the wheel. Cosmic Jupiter caught her arm,
"Lily? You aren't-"
"Yes, I am Grandma," she answered, as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. Cosmic Jupiter laughed as Daisy asked,
"How did ya get the keys to Mom's car?"
"One of my good friends is Sydney. She knows how to hot wire."
"Lily Kino, you cannot be serious about this!" Elysian Jupiter protested. Lily called,
"Daisy, look in the backseat. Do ya see a toolbox back there?"
Daisy nodded and handed it up front, "Yeah, Mom has it in case she has car trouble…why?"
Lily grinned sheepishly, "I inherited the Kino attitude. Tell Great-Grandma I'll pay her back."
That announced, she threw the bow through the windshield. She leaned forward and removed the stray slabs of glass. Sitting back down, she focused her attention ahead. Daisy giggled, as she caught onto her future granddaughter's idea.
"Well, Mom did tell me that her motto as a Senshi was always: 'Nothing like the direct approach.'"
Elysian Jupiter was not amused. She turned to her mother but Cosmic Jupiter merely said,
"Sorry, I hafta stick with Lily on this one. Violet, even though you're younger in my time, you're still the one of the Kino clan that didn't inherit our outgoing adventurous attitude. Lily did. And I hafta say that I think it is called for here."
Elysian Jupiter protested, "But Mom! This crazy! Lily! Are you insane? First off, this isn't your car. Secondly-"
"Secondly, Mom," Lily interrupted as she shifted the car to 'drive'. She shifted the wheel so that car was pointed directly at the window. Cosmic and Chibi Jupiter ducked forward so that they were low enough not to be hurt. Chibi Jupiter couldn't help it but she was liking this. She was all for the 'direct' approach. Lily gave her mother a glance and then said as she readied her attack phrase,
"We have no time for subtle."
That said, Lily narrowed her eyes and slammed the accelerator to the ground.