~*~Ch 6~*~
Vegeta walked out of the black portal to a desolated place on Earth. He inspected every inch of the place digesting all the information that he could gather. The place was a dump, cars flipped, burned buildings, the trees where half rotten, but the spookiest thing was that there was not a soul in the vicinity. Neither human nor animal could be seen for miles, giving the city a ghostly feeling. Vegeta wondered how a person like Serena was able to live in that kind of environment, but then he shrugged telling himself that it wasn't any of his business.
He then looked at the deserted town. He remembered planets just like this one. Many worlds looked like this when he and Nappa went to subdue them for Freeza's troops. Surrender or die, if the natives retaliated they simply destroyed them like nothing. Well, this place looked just like those so many years ago. Brushing those thoughts from his head, Vegeta walked away following the others lead. The senshi seemed to know their way arround the city. Passing a rather large structure made largely of metal Vegeta stopped noticing that it had several of what it looked like radio antennas.
Watching as Vegeta stopped Serena followed his gaze to see what he was looking at. "That used to be Tokyo Tower, it was a magnificent tower before the black mist appeared and destroyed everything." Usagi said regretfully.
Vegeta perked up his ears. "Black mist?" Vegeta narrowed his eyes. He had heard of the Black Mist's powers. But how? If Garlic did not exist anymore and Garlic jr. was trapped inside the dead zone? There was no way that he could have escaped from the eternal prison. Gohan and Piccolo had told everybody how Kami had set free all of those that Garlic jr. had hypnotized by using the Holy water to revert everybody to their normal selves, and how they sent him back to the dead zone. It was impossible for him to have escaped again to this dimension.
Serena watched as Vegeta spaced out again. *Well, its nice not being me going to Lalaland for a change.* She moved to stand next to him. "Vegeta what's wrong?" She asked concerned that he had been out of it for a full five minutes.
Vegeta snapped out of his train of thought. Walking away from Serena, he acted like nothing had happened. Shrugging she hurried going back to the group. Haruka, Michiru, Hotaru, Setsuna and Vegeta waited for her to give them orders. Well, at least the Outer where, Vegeta just stood there waiting to see what his next move was going to be.
Serena bend down to draw on the dirt. Making a map of their surroundings she marked several places with an 'X'. "This is a rough map of their castle. We can come in here, here, and here. We'll split in three groups, that way we can cover more ground." She said while standing up and dusting her hands on her pants.
"You seem to know your way around." Vegeta noticed.
"Setsuna and I have been inside already. That's when they defeated us and we had to retreat." She said looking down, and then she looked back up and took a more serious voice. "Haruka and Michiru, you will take the back door. Setsuna and I will take the side entrance, and Vegeta and Hotaru will take the tower." Serena finished separating the groups.
Vegeta took a good look at Hotaru. The small girl looked no more than 16. Small and pale the girl seemed fragile. She didn't look like much of a warrior to him. Not knowing why Serena had paired him with such a weakling he grunted and glared at Serena. Serena raised an eyebrow and glared back at him. "She's more powerful than she looks Vegeta, trust me." She said in a tone that left no space for an argument.
Vegeta only shrugged. "Whatever, but if she gets in my way, I'm not slowing down for her." He snapped.
Shaking her head Serena looked at her senshi. "Good luck. If everything goes according to plan, we'll meet each other on the throne room. Until then." With that all of them split going their separated ways.
~~$@~~$@
Michiru and Haruka entered the dark archway of the castle. Carefully watching their steps as they reached the back door trying not to make any sound that would alert their unwanted guests of their presence.
"This is just too easy." Haruka whispered suspiciously, eyes everywhere.
"Yes, no guards, no traps, it's like they want us to go in." Michiru said uneasily. Pushing the door lightly, they were surprised when it gave in easily arousing more suspicion in them. "Add to the list 'no lock on the doors'." She said peering inside.
"Well, I think that's our invitation in, shall we?" Haruka stepped inside with Michiru guarding the rear.
~~
"Shit!!! Another goddamned corridor!!!" Haruka hissed for the thirteenth time after turning and founding another hallway looking pretty much the same as the last one. "I think we're going in circles!" She said exasperated.
"Yes we are." Michiru said calmly bending to pick up a blue peace of ribbon. "I threw this last time to see if we where, and here it is." She said showing the fabric at Haruka. "But if there is a way in there has to be a way out. Here, help me." Michiru said while touching the walls looking for a crack.
Feeling a slight draft of air Haruka leaned on the wall giving it a slight push. "Found it!" She called Michiru. The heavy stone moved easily under the weight revealing a stairway going up. Smiling Haruka sidestepped letting Michiru thru. "Going up?" She walked behind her, the secret pass way closing by itself after they had gone thru.
The stairway ended behind a large tapestry that hung from the ceiling. Moving it away the two stepped to a large ill lit room that looked like an old armory. Swords and shields hung from wall to wall adorning them with their dim deadly glint. All of them seemed to glow with dark energy that made them look like they where alive, waiting for somebody to pick them up and use them in a bloody slaughter. Haruka and Michiru shivered unconsciously just looking at the damned weapons.
"We should get out of here." Michiru whispered to Haruka, taking her by the arm. Moving to the door they froze in place when they head a maniatical laughter coming from inside the den.
"Leaving so soon? But you just got here." A form stepped from behind an armor revealing Sailor Venus. "C'mon, the party is just starting right Mars?"
"That's right Venus. Why don't you stay and enjoy the party, tell you what, we'll make you the guests of honor." Mars came from behind them, crossing her arms over her chest she glared at them. Michiru and Haruka where now surrounded from both sides. Venus was blocking the pass way, and Mars was blocking the main entrance giving them no way of escape.
"Sorry, but we can't stay, you see, we have more important matters to attend to." Haruka said coldly.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Wrong answer." Venus said walking to them. Michiru noticed Venus's and Mars' red eyes that glowed like the swords on the wall.
"Don't be foolish Venus and Mars, you have been infected by the mist. You are not being yourselves right now." Michiru tried to calm the two senshis who looked ready to jump them.
"Why you couldn't be more wrong Neptune." Mars started to form her attack. "We haven't been more ourselves than in this precise moment. Mars Burning Mandala!!!" Mars let her attack fly towards Neptune and Uranus.
Jumping quickly out of the way Uranus motioned Venus with her head, Neptune nodded and faced Mars. Both senshi dashed to confront the other two knowing that they where lost causes now. They weren't their loved friends anymore; and now they were standing between their goal. They knew that they had to defeat them to go to the throne room.
"It's better if you just let us pass Venus, you know that we are much stronger than you." Uranus tried to inflict the less damage as possible to her former comrades.
"Oh please Uranus, don't flatter yourself too much." Mars snapped.
"No Mars, I think that they are scared of us, that's why they don't want to fight against us." Venus said mockingly throwing her Love Me chain to Uranus trapping her. Sending an electric shock that made Uranus drop to the floor Venus walked to her. "See? We are better than you." Venus smirked and kicked Uranus while she was down.
"Uranus, NO!!!" Neptune ran to her, already calling her powers. "Neptune Deep Submerge!!!" The blast sent Venus and Mars slamming to the wall on the opposite side of the room, falling out cold on the floor.
"Are you ok Uranus?" Neptune helped her to her feet.
"Yeah, she just got me by surprise. Don't worry about me." Uranus stood up only stumbling once before she stood confidently on her own feet. Turning to see the two unconscious senshi they encountered just empty air.
"Crap, they're gone!!!" Uranus clenched her fist.
"But I bet that we are going to see them again." Neptune told her seriously. Sighing she moved to the door. "It is time for us to continue Uranus. We have an appointment remember." She said walking to the unobstructed door. Uranus looked again her surroundings, shrugging she walked thru the door, not knowing that more traps they would encounter on their way to the throne room.
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