Chp. 15 Face to Face and Hand in Hand

Desert, nursing her throbbing head, was sulking in the alley she'd been hiding in. Last time she'd easily been able to pin that little brat, what made Hophter so invinceable this time? Then she remembered the girl. BONATHA, THE ROYAL BRAT! She should've known that Hophter was looking for her! But then she'd hoped... It didn't matter now. He was mingling with the enemy. He had made himself a target, or a way to the target, she thought, the wheels in her head turning. If she's the one with the crest, like she's supposed to be, then she'll try to use it against me, unless I have a very influencial hostage! She then began tracking Hophter down. What better way to catch a nat than with her honey?

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Hophter and Darien had been talking for some time. They both knew the other's whole story. Hopter even revealed what he knew about Desert.

Then, Hophter remembered the whole reason that he'd come to Earth. He brought out the Crest and asked Darien if he knew anything about what it meant. Darien wasn't sure, but he knew what Hophter was thinking and he told him he'd help in any way possible, but couldn't guarentee that it would work. Transforming has to be meant to be.

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Bonatha had been speaking with the girls for sometime before there was a knock at the door. Mina went to get it and came back with 6 other girls. They were Michelle, Haruka, Trisha, Hotura, Elaine, and Carmen.

"I thought you'd take a little while, Carmen. You never where one to rush things," Bonatha commented. Carmen smiled sweetly and sat down near her. They started chatting like they'd known each other forever.

"This is the most she's talked since I don't know when," Elaine said. "She doesn't talk to anyone but the princess, anymore. Not since she was 5 had she ever said anything that didn't in someway pertain to you, Princess."

Carmen was about to reply when suddenly there was another knock on the door. This time, Lita got up to see to it. They were all quite to hear what was said. "I was looking for someone, I'm Hakura. Do you know where we can find..."

Bonatha didn't need to hear anymore to know who it was. She ran to the door behind Lita and told her it was Okay. She and Hakura hugged for a minute. Neither one had had any idea what had happened to the other after the invasion and they were both glad the other had come out alright. The other girls all had to hug or bow to the princess. That made her embarassed because she no longer thought of herself as royalty.

"We have a message, Princess," Hakura hurried. "Desert is planning to take both our heads in return for half your Kingdom and possible Queen Ship! I'll show you," with that, she pulled out a small computer like what Amy used when she was Sailor Mercury. She pressed a button on the glasses and they made a projecter image on the wall. She had recorded the images she'd gotten off the satellite above Virbula. It was the meeting in the thrown room. Bonatha almost cried at what she saw. All her father's precious invaluables were nowhere to be seen. He had said that gold and riches were only valuable to the petty. All his wonders that had made his hours happy, all the memories, where gone. What they were discussing made her even angrier. Revenge, murder, and darkness were the main topics. Then she noticed something out the window of the thrown room.

"Hakura, rewind and pause that image by two frames. There! Now zoom in on the window. Oh my... Do you see what I see?!"

Judging on the gasps that went up around the room, she figured they did. Looking into the thrown room, right at the camera, like he knew they would see the film, was Galaxo's smirking face! Then the whole room and outside went dark.

A black mist incircled them all. Suddenly they were on an astoroid in the astoroid belt past Mars! The mist mostly cleared, except for what was spiraling around Bonatha. The mist got thicker and thicker and started to take over Bonatha's face when the Sailors decided this was urgent enough to transform for. The Planatary Sailors were about to encourage the others to transform, too, when the mist left Bonatha and came to stand up like a pillar on a small hill close by. Then Bonatha saw that what was transforming wasn't Galaxo, but one of his demented minions. It was the most powerful and dangerous of them.

Xiloph, the Living Mirror. Bonatha had heard that Galaxo's only whim in keeping him alive was that he was a weak-willed, strong-forced loyal dog and he would kill himself before letting his master down.

Janus knew very well that the Sailors wouldn't stand a chance. They didn't know it yet, but Xiloph was called a mirror for a reason. He could rebound any energy attack thrown at him, with twice the force.

Immediately. the Planetary Scouts began attacking him, only to be rained on by the exact attack they dished out. "Bonatha, "Janus called, "use your crest! Become the Sailor Celestial!"

Bonatha lifted the crest to her heart and shouted, "Celestial Power Make-up!" Suddenly, she was covered in a strange energy that was increasing her original energy tenfold. when she opened her eyes she was pumped and dressed in a purple and fusia Sailor suite and standing in an attacking position. She then closed her eyes and chanted:

Give us power against evil's clutches,

Grant us the power of the crystals,

Life Force Sailor Knights come hence,

To protect the weak and give defence,

To not forget the lessons taught us,

DELIVERANCE FOR ALL
GALAXIES!

When she finished, crystals hovered around their chosen Sailors' heads. They reached out and took hold of them and each one called out their transformation.

"Aqua Crystal Life Force!"

"Stone Crystal Life Force!"

"Blaze Crystal Life Force!"

"Breeze Crystal Life Force!"

"Ice Crystal Life Force!"

"Prisma Crystal Life Force!"

"Spark Crystal Life Force!"

"Flower Crystal Life Force!"

Each of them got done with their transformation. They each had on slightly different Sailor suites, to match their element. They all had swords at their sides with the same color stone as in their Life Force tiara as the sword's pomel stone.

Then, the Ice Knight, Neptune, and the Water Knight got an idea. "Bubble Blast!" Elaine called.

Just as Xiloph reflected the attack, Ice and Neptune called, "Frosty Reflection!""Marine Reflection!" Caught off guard, Xiloph was hit hard, with 8 times the original attack's power. He was now almost out. Then, things went from bad to worse. Desert chose the perfect time to show up uninvited.

"Hiya, Xil, ole' buddy! Thought you was long dead. Just so happens, we're after the same Royal Brat!" They both thought this was extremely funny. A little too funny. Bonatha decided it was time to try an attack for herself.

She let loose with, "Silent Star Shower!" Then a star shower seemingly came after them like a million huge bees after a thieving bear.

Desert wasn't totally unprepared, because after a few minutes she broke free, panting and heaving.

"What a dirty trick for such a lovely young lady," she taunted, still panting, "but you won't be done with me so easily!"

Then, seeing her chance, Sailor Jupitor came up from behind her and, hands in a fist, whacked Desert unconsious.

While everyone had forgotten about Xiloph, he made his move. He was behind her, moving in to gag and drag her away when a red rose and a silver saber slashed his back and hit the ground in a planted position. Everyone turned to face the Tuxedo Mask and another masked man. His mask was a full white mask and he wore a hood. He looked like a tin soldier.

"Use the Star Wand, Sailor Celestial," the Hooded Soldier called. Bonatha did as she was told, sensing that this Soldier was her "Tuxedo Mask." Then, as quickly as they appeared, they vanished. Xiloph's last words, before he killed himself, seeing there was no way around failure, was, "I will NOT be the last!"

"Greaat," said Annay, "now, how do we get home? We can't exactly fly, or can we?"