Pretty Soldiers, Sailor Zodiac
Episode Nine: Blood of Black; Reed Strikes Back
~~*~~
Reed paced. She was furious. Her heels clicked against the marble floor and her hair swished around her.
"How can I have been defeated by that little runt of a scorpion?" she hissed, flexing fingers and clenching her jaw. She almost screamed in frustration. Her crimson eyes flashed and she turned around. Her skirt hugged her legs close. "I have to show the Mistress that I can be trusted. I have to capture the scorpion."
*Reed!* came the Mistress' voice screaming through the room. Reed flinched and disappeared in a flash of crimson. Reappearing, this time with her arm crossed over her chest and half bowing, she stood before the Mistress' throne.
"You summoned me, milady?" Reed asked.
The Mistress fumed. "Pisces Knight was returned to the light. Scorpio herself came to the black realm and cleansed his mind! How did this happen, Reed?!"
Reed's stomach sank. "I do not know, lady. Only the Leo senshi and knight have ever been able to find a way into our sanctum."
The Mistress fumed. "Also, Sailor Leo was rescued. I'm very disappointed Reed. Terribly so."
Reed tensed. "I am sorry, my lady." she tried.
The Mistress cut her off. "You have one last chance, Reed. Don't come back until you have Sailor Scorpio."
Reed bowed deeper and disappeared.
~~*~~
Celeste sat in the soft grass, eyes half closed, and body relaxed. Not far away Kirai and Elijah were engrossed in a game of frisbee, and Aria had found a warm spot in the sun to sleep. It was a warm afternoon and the four were enjoying the sun. Celeste sighed slightly.
Outwardly she looked like she was enjoying herself, laughing and smiling, but inwardly she was still worried for Luke. He hadn't contacted her since the day they'd gone into the black realm. That was two days ago.
It felt like a year at least, she decided.
She fell backwards to look up at the pure blue sky. Everything was so peaceful. Kirai's laughter floated on the wind over to her and she had to smile a bit. At least her friends were having fun, she allotted.
"Celeste?"
She started and glanced behind her, seeing a young blonde girl there. Something was faintly familiar about her, until Celeste realized that it was the girl who'd healed Sailor Moon all those nights ago. She started. It was the girl that had been with Luke.
"Oh!" she shifted to stand, but the girl held up her hand and took a quick seat.
"Hi.. I just... wanted to thank you." she hesitated. Celeste nodded, not sure about what. "If you hadn't helped him, my big brother would never have been able to save me."
It took a moment for her to decode that statement. "Wait, Luke's your brother, right? You were what he was trying to find in that tower!" she exclaimed. Feiran nodded.
"Yes. Thank you so much." she said. "My name's Feiran, by the way." she added shyly.
"So Luke's..." she began.
"Right here." he cut in. Celeste glanced up at him, relief written on every feature. He glanced at Feiran. "Are you done here?" he asked. Feiran looked shy a moment. She glanced at Celeste.
"You two are welcome to stay and hang out for awhile." Celeste quickly chimed in. Feiran smiled.
"Oh can we, big brother?" Feiran looked at Luke. Luke sighed.
"I guess." he chose a tree and leaned against it, enjoying the cool shade. Celeste chuckled a little. She glanced at Feiran.
"I'd guess you know that I'm Sailor Scorpio, then?" she asked. Feiran nodded.
"I'm a senshi, too." she added in a half excited tone. "I'm the lion senshi." she laughed.
Celeste looked at her and thought that a bit ironic. The girl reminded her more of a kitten than a lion. "So you're Sailor Leo then." she thought a moment. "You should meet Kirai and Elijah." she stated, turning to call them over from their game. Laughing, they joined the small group, Aria at their heels freshly awoken from her nap.
"Feiran, meet Kirai Jones, Sailor Gemini, and Elijah Oaks, Pisces Knight. Guys, this is Luke and Feiran Arthur, Leo Knight and Sailor Leo." she introduced. A moment of quiet contemplation of each other and then Kirai and Feiran were planning shopping trips. Or well, Kirai was, and Feiran seemed happy to come along. Celeste laughed a bit.
Luke, however, was not as friendly. He eyed Celeste, who felt much smaller under his gaze.
But to cut into this happy meeting was a loud scream, followed by at least a dozen others. The whole group jumped and soon hands were flying to compacts and amulets.
"Leo Guardian Disguise!"
"Pisces Guardian Disguise!"
"Lion Eternal Power!"
"Twin Eternal Power!"
"Scorpion Eternal Power!"
~~*~~
Reed smiled at the pure chaos that her demons were creating. It was wonderful, she decided with a morbid laugh.
"Stop this right now, Reed!"
Reed smiled and turned to face her opponents. She startled to realize that Sailor Leo and Leo Knight had joined the others, but snarled.
"Welcome, Sailor Scorpio. I'm so glad to see you."
Scorpio glared and motioned to her companions to fan out. At least half a dozen demons roamed the park, attacking poor victims. Scorpio, however, stayed to face Reed.
"Why do you keep coming back, Reed? You aren't even a challenge." Scorpio spat. She clenched her fist.
Reed laughed. "Beginners luck, dear scorpion. I assure you that you won't find it so easy this time." She fired a blast of crimson at Scorpio, who ducked and rolled to the side.
"Scorpion Black Magic!" she yelled, firing a black of her energy in response. Reed laughed and fired two more blasts.
~~*~~
Pisces Knight, who was careful not to get far from Sailor Gemini, faced off against a demon who'd cornered some kids. "Hey! Ugly! Over here!" he yelled. The demon turned to face him. "Yeah, you. What do you think you're doing, threatening kids?" he snapped.
The demon snarled. It was grotesque. Long pointed horns and a snarling mouth. It was a dark olive green, a shade that Pisces Knight had never really liked. The demon roared and spit flew towards him, but he ducked. It was a good thing too, because it turned out that the spit was acid. His eyes grew wide at that realization.
"I'll just have to be careful then." he told himself. "Pisces Thunder Strike!" he yelled and a blast of lightening surrounded him, before assaulting the demon. It fell, turning to ash as it did. Pisces Knight shuddered, but turned towards the poor kids that the demon had been threatening.
"Hey, is everyone alright?"
~~*~~
Sailor Gemini gagged at the sheer smell of the one whom she'd decided to face off against. It stank of burnt flesh.
"Hey, stench!" she yelled, trying not to gag as exhaled thick black smoke in her direction. "Pweh. Dude, ever heard of Tic-Tacs? You need a few packs." she gasped, coughing on the smoke. The demon seemed to like this and spit two balls of fire at her. She jumped back a second before they hit her.
"That was not nice!" she yelled before snarling. "Gemini Double Team Attack!"
She rushed forward and her dual forms quickly disposed of the fire-demon.
She almost regretted because it smelled worse once it was dead.
~~*~~
The demon that Sailor Leo found was not a pretty one, she decided. It was a female, and that's about as far as she would describe it. It had wild snakes for it's hair, and it's clothing was nearly non-existent.
"Have you ever heard of clothes?" she asked in a disgusted voice. The she-demon chuckled in a seductive way and Sailor Leo shuddered. "Sorry, I'm not like that." she quickly added once a faint blush touched her cheeks.
The she-demon produced a pair of long curved blades from her legs and Sailor Leo bit her lip. "Uh-oh." she mumbled. Jumping back and ducking the swings she had to wonder what she was going to do. The she-demon was a great fighter, and her swings were getting closer.
Finally it hit her. She pulled back a step and held her hand out. In a second a long staff appeared there, seemingly made of golden light. She blocked the next swing effortless, seeming to glow with the same light herself.
"Leo Celestial Dawn!" she called, staff becoming blinding as she brought the staff down to bear upon the she-demon. The demon faded and died. Sailor Leo, feeling quite pleased with herself, tucked the staff away and smiled smugly.
~~*~~
Leo Knight glowered at the demon across from him. Sword in hand he rolled to the side as it struck where he'd stood a moment before. Standing and facing off again, the demon repeated it's unlikely pursuit.
"Alright, you know what...." Leo Knight muttered, jumping into the air and flipping over the demon, he spun and slashed across it's back. The demon cried out in pain and Leo Knight jumped back a step.
"Leo Burning Vibrations!" he snapped, calling spiral rings of golden light that surrounded, bound, and then vanquished the demon. With nary a change in his face, he turned to seek out another opponent.
~~*~~
'Reed's gotten more powerful...' Scorpio thought as she fought an outcry. Blood trickled from a wound on her head into her face. She swiped at it angrily and stood ready again. 'I don't know if I can beat her by myself...' she thought desperately as she narrowly avoided a sharp bit of black lightening.
"Give up, little scorpion, there is no hope for you." Reed laughed, hitting the ground behind Scorpio and causing it to explode, throwing the scorpion senshi forward.
Scorpio hit the ground hard, becoming dazed. Reed took advantage of that and struck her exposed back. The senshi couldn't hold her scream that time.
Reed laughed maniacally and stood over her opponent. "Ah, poor little senshi..." she hissed, kicking Scorpio hard in the ribs. Scorpio flinched but could barely move beyond that.
"Oh my God! Scorpio!"
Through blurry eyes Scorpio could barely make out Sailor Gemini and Sailor Leo approaching. One of them, Leo she decided, knocked Reed back and the two took up positions in front of her.
"Gemini Double Team Attack!"
"Leo Celestial Dawn!"
Their attacks combined flawlessly, Gemini's two figures now imbued with a golden light that burned when she struck Reed. Leo was left freed to kneel next to Scorpio.
"Are you alright? Come on, Celeste, stay with me." she urged. She glanced back at where Gemini faced off against Reed, and then back at Scorpio. "Gemini! We have to get her out of here!" Leo urged.
"We'll cover you!" Scorpio could barely recognize Leo Knight's voice as he and Pisces Knight, both brisling with anger and energy, cut off Reed's only path to try and stop the senshi.
Sailor Leo looked at Gemini. "I can't carry her by myself." she said. Gemini nodded and lifted Celeste's right side, draping her arm over her shoulder. Leo took her other side and the two fled the battlesight.
"To my house. It's just around the block-"
Scorpio didn't hear anything else as she blacked out.
Episode Nine: Blood of Black; Reed Strikes Back
~~*~~
Reed paced. She was furious. Her heels clicked against the marble floor and her hair swished around her.
"How can I have been defeated by that little runt of a scorpion?" she hissed, flexing fingers and clenching her jaw. She almost screamed in frustration. Her crimson eyes flashed and she turned around. Her skirt hugged her legs close. "I have to show the Mistress that I can be trusted. I have to capture the scorpion."
*Reed!* came the Mistress' voice screaming through the room. Reed flinched and disappeared in a flash of crimson. Reappearing, this time with her arm crossed over her chest and half bowing, she stood before the Mistress' throne.
"You summoned me, milady?" Reed asked.
The Mistress fumed. "Pisces Knight was returned to the light. Scorpio herself came to the black realm and cleansed his mind! How did this happen, Reed?!"
Reed's stomach sank. "I do not know, lady. Only the Leo senshi and knight have ever been able to find a way into our sanctum."
The Mistress fumed. "Also, Sailor Leo was rescued. I'm very disappointed Reed. Terribly so."
Reed tensed. "I am sorry, my lady." she tried.
The Mistress cut her off. "You have one last chance, Reed. Don't come back until you have Sailor Scorpio."
Reed bowed deeper and disappeared.
~~*~~
Celeste sat in the soft grass, eyes half closed, and body relaxed. Not far away Kirai and Elijah were engrossed in a game of frisbee, and Aria had found a warm spot in the sun to sleep. It was a warm afternoon and the four were enjoying the sun. Celeste sighed slightly.
Outwardly she looked like she was enjoying herself, laughing and smiling, but inwardly she was still worried for Luke. He hadn't contacted her since the day they'd gone into the black realm. That was two days ago.
It felt like a year at least, she decided.
She fell backwards to look up at the pure blue sky. Everything was so peaceful. Kirai's laughter floated on the wind over to her and she had to smile a bit. At least her friends were having fun, she allotted.
"Celeste?"
She started and glanced behind her, seeing a young blonde girl there. Something was faintly familiar about her, until Celeste realized that it was the girl who'd healed Sailor Moon all those nights ago. She started. It was the girl that had been with Luke.
"Oh!" she shifted to stand, but the girl held up her hand and took a quick seat.
"Hi.. I just... wanted to thank you." she hesitated. Celeste nodded, not sure about what. "If you hadn't helped him, my big brother would never have been able to save me."
It took a moment for her to decode that statement. "Wait, Luke's your brother, right? You were what he was trying to find in that tower!" she exclaimed. Feiran nodded.
"Yes. Thank you so much." she said. "My name's Feiran, by the way." she added shyly.
"So Luke's..." she began.
"Right here." he cut in. Celeste glanced up at him, relief written on every feature. He glanced at Feiran. "Are you done here?" he asked. Feiran looked shy a moment. She glanced at Celeste.
"You two are welcome to stay and hang out for awhile." Celeste quickly chimed in. Feiran smiled.
"Oh can we, big brother?" Feiran looked at Luke. Luke sighed.
"I guess." he chose a tree and leaned against it, enjoying the cool shade. Celeste chuckled a little. She glanced at Feiran.
"I'd guess you know that I'm Sailor Scorpio, then?" she asked. Feiran nodded.
"I'm a senshi, too." she added in a half excited tone. "I'm the lion senshi." she laughed.
Celeste looked at her and thought that a bit ironic. The girl reminded her more of a kitten than a lion. "So you're Sailor Leo then." she thought a moment. "You should meet Kirai and Elijah." she stated, turning to call them over from their game. Laughing, they joined the small group, Aria at their heels freshly awoken from her nap.
"Feiran, meet Kirai Jones, Sailor Gemini, and Elijah Oaks, Pisces Knight. Guys, this is Luke and Feiran Arthur, Leo Knight and Sailor Leo." she introduced. A moment of quiet contemplation of each other and then Kirai and Feiran were planning shopping trips. Or well, Kirai was, and Feiran seemed happy to come along. Celeste laughed a bit.
Luke, however, was not as friendly. He eyed Celeste, who felt much smaller under his gaze.
But to cut into this happy meeting was a loud scream, followed by at least a dozen others. The whole group jumped and soon hands were flying to compacts and amulets.
"Leo Guardian Disguise!"
"Pisces Guardian Disguise!"
"Lion Eternal Power!"
"Twin Eternal Power!"
"Scorpion Eternal Power!"
~~*~~
Reed smiled at the pure chaos that her demons were creating. It was wonderful, she decided with a morbid laugh.
"Stop this right now, Reed!"
Reed smiled and turned to face her opponents. She startled to realize that Sailor Leo and Leo Knight had joined the others, but snarled.
"Welcome, Sailor Scorpio. I'm so glad to see you."
Scorpio glared and motioned to her companions to fan out. At least half a dozen demons roamed the park, attacking poor victims. Scorpio, however, stayed to face Reed.
"Why do you keep coming back, Reed? You aren't even a challenge." Scorpio spat. She clenched her fist.
Reed laughed. "Beginners luck, dear scorpion. I assure you that you won't find it so easy this time." She fired a blast of crimson at Scorpio, who ducked and rolled to the side.
"Scorpion Black Magic!" she yelled, firing a black of her energy in response. Reed laughed and fired two more blasts.
~~*~~
Pisces Knight, who was careful not to get far from Sailor Gemini, faced off against a demon who'd cornered some kids. "Hey! Ugly! Over here!" he yelled. The demon turned to face him. "Yeah, you. What do you think you're doing, threatening kids?" he snapped.
The demon snarled. It was grotesque. Long pointed horns and a snarling mouth. It was a dark olive green, a shade that Pisces Knight had never really liked. The demon roared and spit flew towards him, but he ducked. It was a good thing too, because it turned out that the spit was acid. His eyes grew wide at that realization.
"I'll just have to be careful then." he told himself. "Pisces Thunder Strike!" he yelled and a blast of lightening surrounded him, before assaulting the demon. It fell, turning to ash as it did. Pisces Knight shuddered, but turned towards the poor kids that the demon had been threatening.
"Hey, is everyone alright?"
~~*~~
Sailor Gemini gagged at the sheer smell of the one whom she'd decided to face off against. It stank of burnt flesh.
"Hey, stench!" she yelled, trying not to gag as exhaled thick black smoke in her direction. "Pweh. Dude, ever heard of Tic-Tacs? You need a few packs." she gasped, coughing on the smoke. The demon seemed to like this and spit two balls of fire at her. She jumped back a second before they hit her.
"That was not nice!" she yelled before snarling. "Gemini Double Team Attack!"
She rushed forward and her dual forms quickly disposed of the fire-demon.
She almost regretted because it smelled worse once it was dead.
~~*~~
The demon that Sailor Leo found was not a pretty one, she decided. It was a female, and that's about as far as she would describe it. It had wild snakes for it's hair, and it's clothing was nearly non-existent.
"Have you ever heard of clothes?" she asked in a disgusted voice. The she-demon chuckled in a seductive way and Sailor Leo shuddered. "Sorry, I'm not like that." she quickly added once a faint blush touched her cheeks.
The she-demon produced a pair of long curved blades from her legs and Sailor Leo bit her lip. "Uh-oh." she mumbled. Jumping back and ducking the swings she had to wonder what she was going to do. The she-demon was a great fighter, and her swings were getting closer.
Finally it hit her. She pulled back a step and held her hand out. In a second a long staff appeared there, seemingly made of golden light. She blocked the next swing effortless, seeming to glow with the same light herself.
"Leo Celestial Dawn!" she called, staff becoming blinding as she brought the staff down to bear upon the she-demon. The demon faded and died. Sailor Leo, feeling quite pleased with herself, tucked the staff away and smiled smugly.
~~*~~
Leo Knight glowered at the demon across from him. Sword in hand he rolled to the side as it struck where he'd stood a moment before. Standing and facing off again, the demon repeated it's unlikely pursuit.
"Alright, you know what...." Leo Knight muttered, jumping into the air and flipping over the demon, he spun and slashed across it's back. The demon cried out in pain and Leo Knight jumped back a step.
"Leo Burning Vibrations!" he snapped, calling spiral rings of golden light that surrounded, bound, and then vanquished the demon. With nary a change in his face, he turned to seek out another opponent.
~~*~~
'Reed's gotten more powerful...' Scorpio thought as she fought an outcry. Blood trickled from a wound on her head into her face. She swiped at it angrily and stood ready again. 'I don't know if I can beat her by myself...' she thought desperately as she narrowly avoided a sharp bit of black lightening.
"Give up, little scorpion, there is no hope for you." Reed laughed, hitting the ground behind Scorpio and causing it to explode, throwing the scorpion senshi forward.
Scorpio hit the ground hard, becoming dazed. Reed took advantage of that and struck her exposed back. The senshi couldn't hold her scream that time.
Reed laughed maniacally and stood over her opponent. "Ah, poor little senshi..." she hissed, kicking Scorpio hard in the ribs. Scorpio flinched but could barely move beyond that.
"Oh my God! Scorpio!"
Through blurry eyes Scorpio could barely make out Sailor Gemini and Sailor Leo approaching. One of them, Leo she decided, knocked Reed back and the two took up positions in front of her.
"Gemini Double Team Attack!"
"Leo Celestial Dawn!"
Their attacks combined flawlessly, Gemini's two figures now imbued with a golden light that burned when she struck Reed. Leo was left freed to kneel next to Scorpio.
"Are you alright? Come on, Celeste, stay with me." she urged. She glanced back at where Gemini faced off against Reed, and then back at Scorpio. "Gemini! We have to get her out of here!" Leo urged.
"We'll cover you!" Scorpio could barely recognize Leo Knight's voice as he and Pisces Knight, both brisling with anger and energy, cut off Reed's only path to try and stop the senshi.
Sailor Leo looked at Gemini. "I can't carry her by myself." she said. Gemini nodded and lifted Celeste's right side, draping her arm over her shoulder. Leo took her other side and the two fled the battlesight.
"To my house. It's just around the block-"
Scorpio didn't hear anything else as she blacked out.
