A SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO
Chapter 8: "Shadow Puppets on the Wall"
By Bill K.
"What's going on?" Makoto asked, concentrating on keeping the
scout craft hovering and level.
"Vesta's talking to Hotaru," Minako said, studying the visual
sensor monitor. "Hotaru seems pretty upset. Wish we had audio on
this thing."
"Any sign of Mistress 9?"
"Not that I can see. I'm not getting any environmental
dist. . . wait a minute! Electromagnetic wave energy just shot up!"
"What would cause that?" Makoto asked.
"Do I look like Ami?" Minako groused, then turned back to the
monitor. "DAMN!"
"WHAT?!"
"Something happened! Vesta's flat on her back! Now Hotaru's
changing into Sailor Saturn! Still no sign of any threat!"
"Maybe we better get down there?" Makoto suggested anxiously.
Minako agonized over the choice between protecting her student
and risking over-protecting her. The tension in the craft mounted as
Makoto waited for a consensus.
"Yeah! Go!" Minako barked at last. Makoto instantly nosed the
craft down. "Man, now I know what Artemis went through."
The craft landed in a field about a hundred yards away. It
barely touched down before Sailor Venus had the hatch opened and was
out. She saw Vesta on the ground, still struggling to regain control
of her body. She saw Saturn, the glaive at her side as she stared in
surprise at the scout craft. And behind her stood Mistress 9 in all
her malevolent audacity.
"Saturn, behind you!" shrieked Venus.
Perplexed, Sailor Saturn turned and looked - - and promptly
fell back in shock and fright. The malicious maiden's eyes flared
with glee, drinking in Saturn's fear. She said nothing, content to
reach for Saturn, as if to claim her.
"Lovely Angel Projection!" Venus roared.
The precision energy burst exploded from the senshi and shot
harmlessly over Saturn's left shoulder. It tore through Mistress 9,
obliterating two limbs from the tree behind her. But the energy
passed harmlessly through Mistress 9. Unfazed, she laughed
noiselessly at Venus, then returned her attention to Saturn.
"NO!" howled Saturn. "I WON'T GO BACK! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE
ME AGAIN!"
Undaunted, Mistress 9 continued to reach for Saturn, even as
the senshi gave ground. Overwhelmed by her fear, Saturn swung her
glaive at Mistress 9, the blade cleaving the woman about chest high.
Again, there was no effect and the specter kept coming. Saturn swung
her glaive again and again, uselessly.
"Man!" gasped Sailor Jupiter, joining Venus outside the scout
ship. "It is her! Jupiter Electromagnetic Pulse!"
A dark pulse of energy lanced out from Jupiter and shot across
the distance between her and her target in seconds. The black energy
leaped to Mistress 9 and the evil apparition seized up. Mistress 9
began writhing as the energy crackled around her, her form shimmering
and becoming transparent.
"AAAAAGH!" shrieked Saturn. Clutching her head, she crumpled
to her knees.
"Saturn!" wailed a familiar voice. Venus and Jupiter turned to
the sound and spotted Sailor Moon running up, with Juno hot on her
heels.
Experience taught both senshi to keep their opponent in sight.
As such, Venus and Jupiter saw Mistress 9 regroup and move once more
on Saturn. Jupiter moved to project another pulse, but Venus grabbed
her arm.
"Another pulse might be more than Saturn can take," Venus
warned her.
"I have to do something!" Jupiter hissed. "So far it's the
only thing that's stopped her!"
"Maybe it's the electricity," Venus suggested. "Try another
attack."
Jupiter stared in doubt for just a beat, then dropped her hand
to her side. "Jupiter! Oak Evolution!"
Powerful electrical bursts began to explode around Mistress 9.
The horror recoiled from them, the electricity clearly an anathema to
her. With Mistress 9 temporarily held at bay, Sailor Moon skidded up
to Saturn.
"Sailor Moon," groaned Saturn as the girl clutched her
protectively. "Get away! I don't want you to get hurt by her!"
"Don't worry about me," Sailor Moon said. "She's not getting
either of us!"
"There's only one way to stop this," Saturn said. She gripped
her glaive and brought the blade toward her.
"Saturn, stop!" Sailor Moon hissed. Her hand clamped onto the
glaive and held it down. "I won't let you take that route! I
won't!"
"But Usa . . ." Saturn said tearfully. "You don't know what
it's like!"
"Yes I do!" snapped Sailor Moon. "You're not taking this way
out! I won't let you!"
Juno knelt down and helped Vesta sit up. "How are you doing?"
"I'm," Vesta gasped out weakly, "I'm getting there."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. It's like my brain short-circuited. I couldn't
make my body work."
Suddenly Vesta flinched, alerting Juno. She looked up and saw
Mistress 9 lurching through the dissipating electrical bursts.
"Aqua Initiation! Pour Down Rain!" roared Juno. Instantly
monsoon rains inundated the area.
"Did you teach her that?" Jupiter asked Venus. Venus merely
cocked her eyebrow and smirked with proud pleasure.
Seeing the monsoon was hampering Mistress 9 but not stopping
her, Jupiter launched another Oak Evolution attack. The electrical
bursts, conducted by the monsoon's water, exploded around Mistress 9,
clearly hurting her. Instantly Saturn clutched her head again.
"Saturn?" gasped Sailor Moon.
"It hurts, Sailor Moon!" cried Saturn. "It hurts!"
"Maybe I can do something," Sailor Moon said and she summoned
the Crescent Wand. "Maybe I can free you from her for good."
Amid the battle, Ceres and Pallas ran up. Ceres placed herself
near Vesta and Saturn, ready to help both.
Pallas, though, just stood there, staring at the crackling
electrical field as if hypnotized by it. The monsoon began to die
away.
"Juno?" Ceres asked.
"I'm out of juice," Juno panted. "That attack takes a lot out
of me."
"Maybe I can grab her with the tree's limbs."
"What are you guys attacking?" Pallas asked.
Everyone turned to her, dumb-founded.
"Don't you see her?" Ceres demanded.
"Who?" Pallas asked innocently. Ceres pointed insistently.
"The bad lady? She's just a picture." Then Pallas smiled sweetly.
"Pallas will show you." She pointed at Mistress 9, still writhing in
the grip of the electricity. "Beautiful Incantation!"
Mistress 9 suddenly froze in place, motionless. Then she faded
from view like a bad dream. Pallas turned back to the others,
smiling proudly.
Everyone stared at her. No one could comprehend exactly what
had just happened. Even Venus and Jupiter, who had cut the distance
between them and the younger senshi, were stunned.
"How did you do that?" Sailor Moon finally asked, her soggy
pink hair wafting in front of her on the soft breeze.
Pallas shrugged. "It was just a picture. Miss Saturn was
making it with her mind. Pallas does it sometimes." The girl beamed
happily. "Pallas makes up wonderful stories with a beautiful
princess and a handsome prince who rides to her rescue and they fall
in love and . . ."
Pallas stopped when she noticed everyone was looking at Saturn
with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. For her part, Saturn
seemed unable to move her brain past this single indigestible
thought. Pallas grimaced uncomfortably.
"Did Pallas do something wrong?" she asked.
"She wasn't," Saturn squeaked uncomprehendingly, "real? But I
thought - - then what attacked Vesta? What attacked the others?
What's going on?" Desperately she turned to Sailor Moon and clutched
the pink sailor kerchief around her neck. "Usa, I didn't do this on
purpose! I don't know what's happening! Please believe me!"
"I do, Hotaru," Sailor Moon smiled reassuringly, even as tears
welled in her eyes. She closed her hand over Saturn's. "Come on.
Let's go back to the palace."
"What happening to me, Usa?" Saturn asked vacantly, in shock.
"If it's not Mistress 9, what is it?"
"We'll ask Aunt Ami," Sailor Moon reassured her. "She'll know
what to do."
"Yeah," added Sailor Juno encouragingly. "Sensei Ami-sama
knows just about everything there is to know."
"And Mama can do just about anything," Sailor Moon continued.
"They'll help you."
The young girls crowded protectively around Saturn and helped
her to the scout ship. Before heading for it themselves, Venus
turned surreptitiously to Jupiter.
"What 'others' do you suppose she's talking about?" Venus
asked.
Jupiter just looked on at the girls sympathetically.
* * * *
The aero-pad at the palace was a crowded place. In addition to
the landing techs, King Endymion and Queen Serenity waited along with
Ami and Rei. As the ship's hatch opened, Serenity had to be gently
restrained by Endymion from rushing the craft. When Usa and Hotaru
emerged, the Princess supporting the vacant girl, Serenity pulled
free and rushed up. She knelt before Hotaru and clutched the girl by
the arms.
"Hotaru, are you all right?" she gasped out.
"I don't know," Hotaru responded in a trembling voice. "I'm
sorry for this, Your Majesty. I was just trying to protect everyone.
I thought . . . well, I don't know what I thought now."
"I appreciate you thinking of us, Hotaru," Serenity smiled
sadly. "But you have to remember that senshi work together to solve
problems. Going off on your own doesn't help anything."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hotaru said, head bowed.
Serenity guided the girl's chin up, then gently kissed her
forehead. "You go with Ami now. She's got a few questions to ask
you." Hotaru nodded and allowed Ami to guide her out of the room.
Serenity rose and turned to her daughter.
"You know, the same advice could serve you, too," Serenity said
with a reproachful tone.
"Mom," sighed Usa, "before you say anything else, Hotaru was in
trouble. I'm a senshi and I'm supposed to help people in trouble and
I don't always have time to beg you and Daddy for permission first,
OK?"
"Usa, you don't need my permission to help people," Serenity
said with practiced patience. "And if you'd told me where you were
going, you wouldn't have had to sneak out." Usa's cheeks flushed
slightly. "I was going to say you and your senshi did a good job.
Now if I may make a request of the great and all-knowing Sailor Moon,
I'd like you and your senshi to stay close by in case Hotaru needs
you."
Usa nodded contritely, then nodded for the Amazons to follow
her. As they left, Usa could be heard muttering, "I swear nobody
throws guilt like her."
Serenity stared after them, scowling. Her longtime friends
gathered around her.
"That girl's going to be the death of me," Serenity muttered.
"C'mon, Hon," Makoto said. "You know she loves you. Otherwise
she wouldn't feel so guilty about displeasing you."
"Yeah, it's like the old saying," Minako chirped. "Only the
ones you love get hurt."
Rei's eyes narrowed. "Serenity, are you sure there isn't a way
to banish Minako?" In response, Minako pulled down her eyelid and
patted her bottom. "Oh, that's mature!"
"I know I am, but what are you?" Minako smirked.
* * * *
Waiting outside of the palace office Ami conducted business in,
oversaw the realm's health needs in and, on rare occasions, also saw
patients in, Sailor Moon and her senshi sat and waited. They each
had concern for Hotaru's welfare. However, being young, it didn't
prevent them from demonstrating their boredom after a while. Pallas
was the first, fidgeting in her chair like it was red hot.
"Would you sit still!" snapped Vesta.
"Sorry," Pallas squeaked, her lower lip growing.
"She's been in there an awful long time," Ceres said.
"Well, who knows what's wrong with her," Sailor Moon answered.
"It may not be something you can cure with a hypo-spray. But if
anyone can help Hotaru, it's Ami-san. She knows everything."
"You're telling me," nodded Juno. "How does somebody get to be
that smart anyway?"
"Study all the time, I guess," shrugged Sailor Moon, twisting
her pink hair on her finger. "When I was in the twentieth century, I
remember Ami-san was always reading something. Back then, she'd
rather read than go out on dates."
"I guess that means I'll never be as smart as her," Ceres
mused. "I just can't see giving up dating to read."
"I can't see you reading," needled Vesta.
"Vesta," snorted Ceres, arms folded over her chest, "I'm
begging you - - curl up and die!"
Juno and Sailor Moon covered their smiles with their hands.
"It's two p.m.," Pallas announced urgently.
"So?" Vesta asked. "What, is 'Barney' on?"
"No, 'Barney' is on at five. It's time for Pallas' special
class. Can Pallas go, Princess? Pallas doesn't want to make Sensei
mad at her."
"We can handle it here, can't we?" appealed Juno. "She really
should go."
"Yeah, sure," Sailor Moon said, smiling timidly. "Thank you
for your help."
"That's OK, Princess," grinned Pallas happily. "Pallas is glad
she could help. Miss Hotaru Ma'am is very nice." Pallas scurried
out the door.
"Just don't get her mad at you," Vesta mused. "She's got a
wicked mind attack."
"Yeah, what was that like?" Ceres asked. Vesta unconsciously
rubbed her forehead.
"It was like," Vesta searched her memories, "somebody shot a
laser beam through my skull. All of a sudden I couldn't do anything.
All my strength was gone. I couldn't move. I couldn't talk. I
couldn't get anything to work right. It was as helpless as I've ever
been." Vesta shuddered involuntarily. "Man, I never want to go
through that again. I'd rather be dead than helpless like that."
"You know," Sailor Moon thought out loud, "that sounds like
what was happening to Hotaru. Remember, when Mama was fighting the
little girl back in the twentieth century?"
"Yeah, now that you mention it," Juno nodded. "Do you suppose
it's connected?"
"I don't know." Sailor Moon glanced at the door to Ami's inner
office. Inside Ami and Hotaru were trying to solve the problem - -
if it could be solved. Was it Mistress 9? Was it something else
- - something worse? Sailor Moon continued to stare at the door.
She wanted for all the world to just go in, wave the Crescent Moon
Wand over Hotaru and save her again, just like she had mere days
(and centuries) ago.
She just didn't know if it would help. Still she remained
there. If it took her waiting until the next millennium came and
went, she would. Though she was the Princess Usagi, first she was
Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon didn't desert her friends.
Concluded in chapter 9
Chapter 8: "Shadow Puppets on the Wall"
By Bill K.
"What's going on?" Makoto asked, concentrating on keeping the
scout craft hovering and level.
"Vesta's talking to Hotaru," Minako said, studying the visual
sensor monitor. "Hotaru seems pretty upset. Wish we had audio on
this thing."
"Any sign of Mistress 9?"
"Not that I can see. I'm not getting any environmental
dist. . . wait a minute! Electromagnetic wave energy just shot up!"
"What would cause that?" Makoto asked.
"Do I look like Ami?" Minako groused, then turned back to the
monitor. "DAMN!"
"WHAT?!"
"Something happened! Vesta's flat on her back! Now Hotaru's
changing into Sailor Saturn! Still no sign of any threat!"
"Maybe we better get down there?" Makoto suggested anxiously.
Minako agonized over the choice between protecting her student
and risking over-protecting her. The tension in the craft mounted as
Makoto waited for a consensus.
"Yeah! Go!" Minako barked at last. Makoto instantly nosed the
craft down. "Man, now I know what Artemis went through."
The craft landed in a field about a hundred yards away. It
barely touched down before Sailor Venus had the hatch opened and was
out. She saw Vesta on the ground, still struggling to regain control
of her body. She saw Saturn, the glaive at her side as she stared in
surprise at the scout craft. And behind her stood Mistress 9 in all
her malevolent audacity.
"Saturn, behind you!" shrieked Venus.
Perplexed, Sailor Saturn turned and looked - - and promptly
fell back in shock and fright. The malicious maiden's eyes flared
with glee, drinking in Saturn's fear. She said nothing, content to
reach for Saturn, as if to claim her.
"Lovely Angel Projection!" Venus roared.
The precision energy burst exploded from the senshi and shot
harmlessly over Saturn's left shoulder. It tore through Mistress 9,
obliterating two limbs from the tree behind her. But the energy
passed harmlessly through Mistress 9. Unfazed, she laughed
noiselessly at Venus, then returned her attention to Saturn.
"NO!" howled Saturn. "I WON'T GO BACK! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE
ME AGAIN!"
Undaunted, Mistress 9 continued to reach for Saturn, even as
the senshi gave ground. Overwhelmed by her fear, Saturn swung her
glaive at Mistress 9, the blade cleaving the woman about chest high.
Again, there was no effect and the specter kept coming. Saturn swung
her glaive again and again, uselessly.
"Man!" gasped Sailor Jupiter, joining Venus outside the scout
ship. "It is her! Jupiter Electromagnetic Pulse!"
A dark pulse of energy lanced out from Jupiter and shot across
the distance between her and her target in seconds. The black energy
leaped to Mistress 9 and the evil apparition seized up. Mistress 9
began writhing as the energy crackled around her, her form shimmering
and becoming transparent.
"AAAAAGH!" shrieked Saturn. Clutching her head, she crumpled
to her knees.
"Saturn!" wailed a familiar voice. Venus and Jupiter turned to
the sound and spotted Sailor Moon running up, with Juno hot on her
heels.
Experience taught both senshi to keep their opponent in sight.
As such, Venus and Jupiter saw Mistress 9 regroup and move once more
on Saturn. Jupiter moved to project another pulse, but Venus grabbed
her arm.
"Another pulse might be more than Saturn can take," Venus
warned her.
"I have to do something!" Jupiter hissed. "So far it's the
only thing that's stopped her!"
"Maybe it's the electricity," Venus suggested. "Try another
attack."
Jupiter stared in doubt for just a beat, then dropped her hand
to her side. "Jupiter! Oak Evolution!"
Powerful electrical bursts began to explode around Mistress 9.
The horror recoiled from them, the electricity clearly an anathema to
her. With Mistress 9 temporarily held at bay, Sailor Moon skidded up
to Saturn.
"Sailor Moon," groaned Saturn as the girl clutched her
protectively. "Get away! I don't want you to get hurt by her!"
"Don't worry about me," Sailor Moon said. "She's not getting
either of us!"
"There's only one way to stop this," Saturn said. She gripped
her glaive and brought the blade toward her.
"Saturn, stop!" Sailor Moon hissed. Her hand clamped onto the
glaive and held it down. "I won't let you take that route! I
won't!"
"But Usa . . ." Saturn said tearfully. "You don't know what
it's like!"
"Yes I do!" snapped Sailor Moon. "You're not taking this way
out! I won't let you!"
Juno knelt down and helped Vesta sit up. "How are you doing?"
"I'm," Vesta gasped out weakly, "I'm getting there."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. It's like my brain short-circuited. I couldn't
make my body work."
Suddenly Vesta flinched, alerting Juno. She looked up and saw
Mistress 9 lurching through the dissipating electrical bursts.
"Aqua Initiation! Pour Down Rain!" roared Juno. Instantly
monsoon rains inundated the area.
"Did you teach her that?" Jupiter asked Venus. Venus merely
cocked her eyebrow and smirked with proud pleasure.
Seeing the monsoon was hampering Mistress 9 but not stopping
her, Jupiter launched another Oak Evolution attack. The electrical
bursts, conducted by the monsoon's water, exploded around Mistress 9,
clearly hurting her. Instantly Saturn clutched her head again.
"Saturn?" gasped Sailor Moon.
"It hurts, Sailor Moon!" cried Saturn. "It hurts!"
"Maybe I can do something," Sailor Moon said and she summoned
the Crescent Wand. "Maybe I can free you from her for good."
Amid the battle, Ceres and Pallas ran up. Ceres placed herself
near Vesta and Saturn, ready to help both.
Pallas, though, just stood there, staring at the crackling
electrical field as if hypnotized by it. The monsoon began to die
away.
"Juno?" Ceres asked.
"I'm out of juice," Juno panted. "That attack takes a lot out
of me."
"Maybe I can grab her with the tree's limbs."
"What are you guys attacking?" Pallas asked.
Everyone turned to her, dumb-founded.
"Don't you see her?" Ceres demanded.
"Who?" Pallas asked innocently. Ceres pointed insistently.
"The bad lady? She's just a picture." Then Pallas smiled sweetly.
"Pallas will show you." She pointed at Mistress 9, still writhing in
the grip of the electricity. "Beautiful Incantation!"
Mistress 9 suddenly froze in place, motionless. Then she faded
from view like a bad dream. Pallas turned back to the others,
smiling proudly.
Everyone stared at her. No one could comprehend exactly what
had just happened. Even Venus and Jupiter, who had cut the distance
between them and the younger senshi, were stunned.
"How did you do that?" Sailor Moon finally asked, her soggy
pink hair wafting in front of her on the soft breeze.
Pallas shrugged. "It was just a picture. Miss Saturn was
making it with her mind. Pallas does it sometimes." The girl beamed
happily. "Pallas makes up wonderful stories with a beautiful
princess and a handsome prince who rides to her rescue and they fall
in love and . . ."
Pallas stopped when she noticed everyone was looking at Saturn
with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. For her part, Saturn
seemed unable to move her brain past this single indigestible
thought. Pallas grimaced uncomfortably.
"Did Pallas do something wrong?" she asked.
"She wasn't," Saturn squeaked uncomprehendingly, "real? But I
thought - - then what attacked Vesta? What attacked the others?
What's going on?" Desperately she turned to Sailor Moon and clutched
the pink sailor kerchief around her neck. "Usa, I didn't do this on
purpose! I don't know what's happening! Please believe me!"
"I do, Hotaru," Sailor Moon smiled reassuringly, even as tears
welled in her eyes. She closed her hand over Saturn's. "Come on.
Let's go back to the palace."
"What happening to me, Usa?" Saturn asked vacantly, in shock.
"If it's not Mistress 9, what is it?"
"We'll ask Aunt Ami," Sailor Moon reassured her. "She'll know
what to do."
"Yeah," added Sailor Juno encouragingly. "Sensei Ami-sama
knows just about everything there is to know."
"And Mama can do just about anything," Sailor Moon continued.
"They'll help you."
The young girls crowded protectively around Saturn and helped
her to the scout ship. Before heading for it themselves, Venus
turned surreptitiously to Jupiter.
"What 'others' do you suppose she's talking about?" Venus
asked.
Jupiter just looked on at the girls sympathetically.
* * * *
The aero-pad at the palace was a crowded place. In addition to
the landing techs, King Endymion and Queen Serenity waited along with
Ami and Rei. As the ship's hatch opened, Serenity had to be gently
restrained by Endymion from rushing the craft. When Usa and Hotaru
emerged, the Princess supporting the vacant girl, Serenity pulled
free and rushed up. She knelt before Hotaru and clutched the girl by
the arms.
"Hotaru, are you all right?" she gasped out.
"I don't know," Hotaru responded in a trembling voice. "I'm
sorry for this, Your Majesty. I was just trying to protect everyone.
I thought . . . well, I don't know what I thought now."
"I appreciate you thinking of us, Hotaru," Serenity smiled
sadly. "But you have to remember that senshi work together to solve
problems. Going off on your own doesn't help anything."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hotaru said, head bowed.
Serenity guided the girl's chin up, then gently kissed her
forehead. "You go with Ami now. She's got a few questions to ask
you." Hotaru nodded and allowed Ami to guide her out of the room.
Serenity rose and turned to her daughter.
"You know, the same advice could serve you, too," Serenity said
with a reproachful tone.
"Mom," sighed Usa, "before you say anything else, Hotaru was in
trouble. I'm a senshi and I'm supposed to help people in trouble and
I don't always have time to beg you and Daddy for permission first,
OK?"
"Usa, you don't need my permission to help people," Serenity
said with practiced patience. "And if you'd told me where you were
going, you wouldn't have had to sneak out." Usa's cheeks flushed
slightly. "I was going to say you and your senshi did a good job.
Now if I may make a request of the great and all-knowing Sailor Moon,
I'd like you and your senshi to stay close by in case Hotaru needs
you."
Usa nodded contritely, then nodded for the Amazons to follow
her. As they left, Usa could be heard muttering, "I swear nobody
throws guilt like her."
Serenity stared after them, scowling. Her longtime friends
gathered around her.
"That girl's going to be the death of me," Serenity muttered.
"C'mon, Hon," Makoto said. "You know she loves you. Otherwise
she wouldn't feel so guilty about displeasing you."
"Yeah, it's like the old saying," Minako chirped. "Only the
ones you love get hurt."
Rei's eyes narrowed. "Serenity, are you sure there isn't a way
to banish Minako?" In response, Minako pulled down her eyelid and
patted her bottom. "Oh, that's mature!"
"I know I am, but what are you?" Minako smirked.
* * * *
Waiting outside of the palace office Ami conducted business in,
oversaw the realm's health needs in and, on rare occasions, also saw
patients in, Sailor Moon and her senshi sat and waited. They each
had concern for Hotaru's welfare. However, being young, it didn't
prevent them from demonstrating their boredom after a while. Pallas
was the first, fidgeting in her chair like it was red hot.
"Would you sit still!" snapped Vesta.
"Sorry," Pallas squeaked, her lower lip growing.
"She's been in there an awful long time," Ceres said.
"Well, who knows what's wrong with her," Sailor Moon answered.
"It may not be something you can cure with a hypo-spray. But if
anyone can help Hotaru, it's Ami-san. She knows everything."
"You're telling me," nodded Juno. "How does somebody get to be
that smart anyway?"
"Study all the time, I guess," shrugged Sailor Moon, twisting
her pink hair on her finger. "When I was in the twentieth century, I
remember Ami-san was always reading something. Back then, she'd
rather read than go out on dates."
"I guess that means I'll never be as smart as her," Ceres
mused. "I just can't see giving up dating to read."
"I can't see you reading," needled Vesta.
"Vesta," snorted Ceres, arms folded over her chest, "I'm
begging you - - curl up and die!"
Juno and Sailor Moon covered their smiles with their hands.
"It's two p.m.," Pallas announced urgently.
"So?" Vesta asked. "What, is 'Barney' on?"
"No, 'Barney' is on at five. It's time for Pallas' special
class. Can Pallas go, Princess? Pallas doesn't want to make Sensei
mad at her."
"We can handle it here, can't we?" appealed Juno. "She really
should go."
"Yeah, sure," Sailor Moon said, smiling timidly. "Thank you
for your help."
"That's OK, Princess," grinned Pallas happily. "Pallas is glad
she could help. Miss Hotaru Ma'am is very nice." Pallas scurried
out the door.
"Just don't get her mad at you," Vesta mused. "She's got a
wicked mind attack."
"Yeah, what was that like?" Ceres asked. Vesta unconsciously
rubbed her forehead.
"It was like," Vesta searched her memories, "somebody shot a
laser beam through my skull. All of a sudden I couldn't do anything.
All my strength was gone. I couldn't move. I couldn't talk. I
couldn't get anything to work right. It was as helpless as I've ever
been." Vesta shuddered involuntarily. "Man, I never want to go
through that again. I'd rather be dead than helpless like that."
"You know," Sailor Moon thought out loud, "that sounds like
what was happening to Hotaru. Remember, when Mama was fighting the
little girl back in the twentieth century?"
"Yeah, now that you mention it," Juno nodded. "Do you suppose
it's connected?"
"I don't know." Sailor Moon glanced at the door to Ami's inner
office. Inside Ami and Hotaru were trying to solve the problem - -
if it could be solved. Was it Mistress 9? Was it something else
- - something worse? Sailor Moon continued to stare at the door.
She wanted for all the world to just go in, wave the Crescent Moon
Wand over Hotaru and save her again, just like she had mere days
(and centuries) ago.
She just didn't know if it would help. Still she remained
there. If it took her waiting until the next millennium came and
went, she would. Though she was the Princess Usagi, first she was
Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon didn't desert her friends.
Concluded in chapter 9