Pure Evil
Haruka slammed her fist on the table. "We've got to do something! We're the Sailor Senshi! It's our job to fight evil." She looked around angrily at the other Senshi in the room.
"I know." said Ami, quietly. "But this new enemy is too well prepared. There really is nothing we can do."
"Oh?" said Haruka. "So you plan to just sit back and let the Enemy take over the world? Forgive me if I disagree." She paced up and down the room. Michiru looked on worriedly.
The sky outside was a clear blue, and the sun shone brightly, illuminating the grounds of the Cherry Hill temple as if it were a corner of paradise. Most people would no doubt be out enjoying the lovely day, not wanting to waste it, but six ashen-faced pretty sailor-suited warriors of love and justice stayed grimly indoors. Hotaru sat next to Setsuna by the window, and Rei, Ami, and Michiru at the low table in the middle of the room. For a minute they sat in silence, each caught up in their thoughts.
Setsuna raised her head, and clasped her hands together to stop them from shaking. "I-I never foresaw this. There wasn't supposed to be another Enemy before the rise of Crystal Tokyo. This was meant to be a time of peace…I'm so sorry I could not prevent this from occurring."
"It's alright, Setsuna-mama. We'll be okay." said Hotaru, not sounding at all convinced herself. She glanced out of the window, perhaps longing to go out in the sunshine. But this was a council of war.
"Hotaru's right." said Rei, with passion in her voice. "We beat Metallia, we beat the Dark Moon, we beat the Death Busters, and then Galaxia, and we'll beat these new guys too!"
Ami laughed hollowly. "How can we, when they have Usagi? If only we could have saved her…maybe she could have done something."
"Don't be so negative." snapped Haruka.
"Shhhh… Let's all calm down." said Michiru. She looked oddly ruffled, with her hair untidy and dark shadows under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept for days. "There's a pattern in this. First Minako fell to the enemy, and then Usagi. Then Chibi-Usa and Makoto. They're wearing us down…slowly."
'They'll never get me." promised Haruka.
"Or me!" said Rei. "They've taken four of us already - I won't forgive them."
"I admit that I have my doubts about the odds of our success," said Ami, "but I am firm in my resolve as well. We must -" she swallowed " - either win or die trying."
"Yes. I agree." said Setsuna, regaining more of her usual dignified posture.
"There is no alternative," said Hotaru, solemnly. Then she bit her lip. "No…no, Michiru-mama, Setsuna-mama, Haruka-papa, Rei, Ami…I can't fight them any longer. Please forgive me!"
"Hotaru!" Michiru cried out. "No! Don't give in!"
"I tried…really, I did." Hotaru whispered. After a pause, she fled the room.
Haruka, Setsuna and Michiru listened as the sound of their foster-daughter's footsteps along the corridor faded.
"I don't know what to say…" Rei muttered.
Setsuna sighed. "Ever since Small Lady was turned to the dark path of this enemy, I knew that Hotaru would follow her eventually."
Haruka said nothing, but stood up again and moved over to look out of the window. Whatever could the remaining Senshi do against an Enemy so powerful and cunning?
Outside, the birds sang in the trees, and leaves rustled in a slight breeze. It hardly looked sinister.
Usagi and the rest of the Senshi sat on the steps of the shrine, marvelling at the sight before them. Wide, goofy grins were plastered over their faces, and they certainly looked happy, if a bit vacant, when Hotaru, hating every step she took, ran haltingly over to the group.
"Look…" said Minako dreamily. She pointed at the three figures before them on the steps. The three creatures shifted from side to side, and called out to Hotaru in their strange, hypnotic voices.
"Clef! Clefairy!"
"Pikachu! Pika!"
"Jiggly! Jigglypuff! Puff!"
"Awwwwww! Aren't they just so KAWAII!" squealed Usagi.
Before Hotaru's mind subsided in to saccharine pink candyfloss, she thought she saw a red, malevolent glint in the eyes of the yellow mouse-thing that she now found herself to be hugging…