Twister
Serena wiped the sweat from her brow. They had been fighting for a long time and it wasn't getting any easier. The fight against Twister had started out bad, but had gotten progressively worse when she unleashed horrible creatures that attacked from all sides. Sailor Mars and Mars Knight fought back to back, creating a circular space between them and their enemies. Unsurprisingly, Sailor Venus and Venus Knight were doing the same. Tuxedo Mask was hurling roses at a frenzied pace, while Serena had found her tiara most effective. Even when Sailor Mercury and her team joined the fight it still was very difficult. She suddenly gasped as she noticed Sailor Jupiter was missing, and turned to Mercury Knight, who was a little to her left.
"Where is Sailor Jupiter?" She called worriedly.
"She's hurt- he's taking care of her." Greg answered, gesturing towards the other side of the lot where a tall figure hovered over a long form spread on the ground.
Serena looked a little closer and noticed the tall figure was a man dressed in green. She gasped in surprise! It was Jupiter Knight! She was suddenly thrown from her observations as a horrible demon came at her.
"MOON TIARA MAGIC!!!" she screamed, spinning the golden disk towards the figure. It screamed in agony as it was split in half. The monster's remains fell to the ground in two smoking pieces and Serena grimaced in disgust.
'This is going to be a long night...' she thought sadly. She turned and began to fight again.
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Raye and Chad had taken on a very large group of creatures and were battling back to back in an effective fighting strategy, killing rows of demons with each attack. However, there was a problem... They were exhausted. It was getting harder and harder to summon energy, and although Chad was doing extremely well for his first time, he still lacked the necessary stamina. However, Raye often found herself admiring his fighting skills. He suddenly turned to her.
"Sailor Mars! We have to separate! This was working before, but now it's just trapping us inside. We need to bust through this line and join with the others. Let's hit them with everything we have!" He called above the sounds of the battle.
Sailor Mars nodded and powered up, using one of her older attacks.
"MARS FIRE IGNITE!" She screamed, letting loose a fireball that destroyed several monsters in front of her. She grinned with satisfaction.
"MARS FIRE CIRCLET SPIN!" He called, waving his arms in a circular motion, creating two rings of fire that he held tightly in his hands.
He flung them forward, and the rings flew towards the demons with a speed and style much like Sailor Moon's tiara. They suddenly careened into a row of creatures, passing through them in a criss-cross pattern, one above the other. The rings of fire cut through the flesh of the monsters easily and a whole group of them fell to the floor in a heap of limbs and bodies. Sailor Mars grimaced, feeling a wave of nausea sweep over her.
"Thank God I didn't eat." She muttered.
Chad didn't pay any attention to her. Instead, he grabbed her hand and yanked her towards the opening his attack had made. The closest team to them was Sailor Venus and Venus Knight. They ran towards their allies- who were having troubles of their own. They too had become surrounded. Chad looked at Raye and she nodded. He smiled bravely, Planet Mars to the rescue!
"MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!" Sailor Mars called, unleashing her fire rings.
"MARS FIRE-SWORD SLASH!" Mars Knight screamed, running towards the group.
His broadsword suddenly burst into flame as he raced through the crowd of creatures, dismembering anything in his path. Raye's attack hit seconds later and destroyed the second row, giving Sailor Venus and Venus Knight an opening.
Mina quickly caught on and gave Raye a look of extreme gratitude. She quickly grabbed Anthony's hand and forced him towards the opening. They joined Sailor Mars and Mars Knight and turned to see that their attackers had merged. However, to their relief, they were considerably smaller in numbers. Chad grinned and turned back to his friends.
"What do you say we get rid of these things?"
"Right!" Anthony shouted, catching his enthusiasm. Raye and Mina rolled their eyes.
"Raye, please don't let Chad make Anthony like every other teenage guy." Mina whispered giggling. Raye laughed.
"What can I do? He's got the macho sickness! I don't think it's even curable!" She whispered back.
Their moment of laughter was suddenly broken when the small group of demons attacked.
"Let's finish them!" Anthony screamed, and powered up, unleashing an amazing attack.
"VENUS LOVE-WHIP CRACK!" He screamed as he pulled a golden whip from his side. The whip surrounded the group of creatures, lashing them together. It suddenly filled with light and engulfed the demons in pure energy.
Anthony smiled as the creatures slumped forward in his hold as their energy drained. He turned towards Mina and took her hand.
"Let's finish them together, my love." He said kindly. Mina's body shuddered happily under his gaze as she stepped up to his side. She began to power up with him.
"VENUS PLANETARY BEAM..." They began...
A bright light began to glow around them. Sailor Venus felt her hair begin to lift from her body and fly above her as the power increased. The light suddenly became one solid beam that flowed around them in vertically ascending loops. Sailor Venus and Venus Knight opened their eyes a moment later and focused them on their enemies.
"SHINE!!!" They finished, unleashing the blinding beam into the herd of monsters that squealed at the sight of the pure energy. The energy suddenly hit them with an explosion, dissipating the evil that had been there before.
Sailor Mars and Mars Knight gazed at them in amazement, and then turned to each other. 'It's about time we create our own attack,' Raye thought. They shifted their eyes back to the battle and found no other demons were standing. Sailor Mercury's head was split at the side and blood was flowing from her temple. She was leaning against Mercury Knight, who was far less wounded. Sailor Uranus was helping Sailor Neptune to her feet, both covered with scrapes and bruises, but otherwise in fine shape. Sailor Mars wondered where Sailor Jupiter was, and felt a pang of worry for her. Sailor Moon was helping Tuxedo Mask to his feet, who looked battle worn himself, and was nursing his swollen ankle.
She looked over at Mina and Anthony- both covered with only minor injuries, but still able to fight. Then there was Chad, who was almost untouched like herself- but still pretty fatigued. 'God,' she thought, 'there's only a few of us who are still able to fight anymore. I wonder how our enemy is?'
Raye whirled around to see the strange woman standing there, fresh and lively, not a scratch on her lithe little body. She smiled wickedly and rose into the air, suspending herself above all of the scouts, who could only gaze up at her and wait. Raye suddenly spoke up.
"Who are you anyway? What do you want from our planet? Energy? WHAT?" Raye demanded.
Twister laughed. "My name is Twister. I am not from the Negaverse originally, but it is my home now. And about your planet... At first my kind simply wanted to take over your planet, my masters still do, but I wish for a different outcome." Twister stated wickedly, her eyes suddenly flashed and she lost control. "I wish I could destroy your planet! Just as your kind destroyed mine!" She screamed down at them, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears.
TEARS? Mina gasped softly and turned towards the girls. Sailor Moon stared at Twister in open-mouthed wonder.
"You guys, did you hear what she said?" Sailor Venus asked, incredulous. Sailor Moon nodded.
"She claims we destroyed her planet, but that's impossible. Her kind attacked us first, our planets were all peaceful." Sailor Moon said, staring straight at Twister.
"That's a lie!" Twister screamed. "All of you kind are born liars! Queen Malice rescued me from the ruins of my planet. She gave me a family and eternal life! She gave me the power and home your mother took away. Because of Queen Serenity I am now a slave to Queen Malice." Twister screamed bitterly, tears running down her face.
"That's not true!" Raye suddenly called out. "Queen Serenity would never attack another planet. Your planet must have been attacked by Queen Beryl, leader of the Negaverse, the very cause you fight for now!"
"All lies!" Twister screamed back. "The sister of Queen Malice was cruel, but she couldn't have caused the awful things that happened on my planet. Your family destroyed mine, and for that your planet will pay, no matter how beautiful it is!" She suddenly began to power up, swirling around, gathering dark energy about her.
"NO!" Sailor Moon screamed. "Stop! You don't have to fight us! Queen Beryl did do that to your planet! I know she did! Because she did it to mine..." Sailor Moon finished. Twister stopped for a moment to look at her, her silver-gray eyes suddenly uncertain. "I do know what it's like to lose a planet," Sailor Moon said through tears.
"I know how it feels to lose your loved ones, to lose everything that ever mattered to you. Queen Beryl took away my only true love, my wonderful friends, my home, and my own mother." She looked up at Twister, who stared at her with shocked eyes. "Don't you see? We are the same. You know loss, just as I do, and I can help you. I can take away the hurt you have felt, and you can finally have a real home... here, on Earth."
Twister gazed at her, wanting to believe, wanting to let go, and wanting a real home... She suddenly jerked out of it.
"Nice try, but I know you can't help me. No one can help me now. Queen Malice told me you were the ones to blame for my pain. I've trusted her so far, and I'm not about to stop now!" She screamed, resuming her power-up.
Black light began to grow around her, emitting dark energy waves- both were painful and evil. The gravely injured scouts screamed as the dark waves touched their wounded bodies. Even the scouts that were well enough to fight cringed at the power.
"Enough!" Chad suddenly bellowed. He grabbed Raye's hand. "Everyone, try to hit her with everything you have! It could be our last chance to defeat her!"
The teams nodded and heeded his command. Uranus and Neptune tried first.
"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!!!"
"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!!!"
Their attacks flew towards Twister, but to their dismay they were quickly absorbed. They screamed as she suddenly raised her hand, unleashing their own powers back at them. They were hit with their own attacks, now laced with her dark energy, and fell to the ground. They skidded across it, feeling their skin peel away on their elbows and knees, until finally coming to a halt, unconscious.
"Oh please stop... Please, no more fighting..." Sailor Moon whispered. Amy and Greg went next.
"MERCURY PLANET BLIZZARD FREEZE!" They screamed.
Twister only laughed, absorbing their attack, and unleashing it back at them. They screamed as they were blasted to the ground, and mercifully blacked out. Mina and Anthony also tried, but had a worse effect. Anthony was thrown into the trunk of a tree, cracking it right down the center, while Mina was blasted into the back windshield of a parked car on the other side of the lot. His head was bleeding pretty badly and Mina's body was slumped on the back of the car, covered with cuts from the glass. Both were alive, but barely.
Sailor Mars looked at Mars Knight fearfully. She didn't want to end up in a car windshield like Mina, or slumped against a cracked tree trunk like Anthony.
"Chad," she whispered, "are you sure you want to try this?"
"Yes, Sailor Mars. I have a feeling we can fight her, our fire should connect with her air powers quite nicely actually..." He said, smiling grimly.
"What makes you so sure?" Raye asked; a trifle irritated by his convinced look.
"I just know." He said simply. He took hold of her hand. "Now come on!"
Raye nodded and looked up at Twister, who gazed down at them. "Oh look, it's the little fire children. Are you ready to be rammed into the dust like your friends?" Twister asked smugly.
"We're not going to lose- you're not as strong as you think. Your own powers will be your undoing." Chad called back at her. Twister's eyes turned to fire!
"You disrespectful wretch! I'll show you what happens to people who defy me! I'll hit you with everything I've got!" Twister screamed angrily, then she threw out all the energy she had been collecting, straight towards Raye and Chad!
"Now Sailor Mars!" Chad screamed over the rushing wind.
Raye nodded through the terrifyingly darkening world. She tightened her grip on Chad's hand, and began the words that simply came natural to her...
"MARS PLANETARY FIRE..." They began, feeling the energy swirl around them.
Their bodies were suddenly engulfed with a fire that flowed around them, but was somehow transparent enough for Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask to see the figures inside. Sailor Mars and Mars Knights eyes glowed a fire-red, though Sailor Mars still had a touch of purple all her own. They raised their eyes to a surprised Twister, who gaped at them with wonder. They rose their outer hands in her direction, their fire still building a barrier against her dark energy. With a sudden burst of hot flames, they finished their attack...
"BURN!!!" They screamed together, letting loose an amazing tidal wave of flames. Twister gasped and tried to increase her energy as she felt the blazing inferno sweeping towards her. She screamed as it kept coming, breaking through her energy barriers.
"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!!" She screamed as the energy blasted through her, scorching her body terribly, but not turning it to dust. Twister blacked out and slowly fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Raye stared at her, realizing what she had done. She suddenly felt very weak, and sank to the ground. Chad gaped at her in alarm and caught her before she fell, lifting her body into his arms. She gazed up at him and smiled.
"We did it." She whispered.
"Yes we did Raye. I'll always fight by your side, no matter what... because I love you." His voice suddenly cracked. "Raye, you mean so much to me."
"Chad..." Raye murmured.
"Yeah Raye?" Chad asked, ready to do whatever she wished.
"Will you just stop babbling and kiss me?" Raye asked, grinning a little.
Chad looked shocked for a moment, but then nodded silently, and leaned forward. Raye reached up and took his head in her hands, and brought it to her lips. His eyes widened in surprise, but quickly closed as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss as the emotions that filled his heart increased. Her lips found his again and again, kissing him with a passion she had never felt before. He was there, her knight, the one she was supposed to love someday. She felt emotions she had never felt with any man before... Chad's kiss had triggered it- she knew that for sure. 'I can love him,' she realized. 'I can love him if I let myself, oh please don't let me blow it!'
Chad stared at her when they separated. The connection they had just shared was something he had only dreamed of. He never wanted to be apart from her ever again. He suddenly heard sobbing behind him. He turned from Raye to see Serena crouched over the woman's body. He let go of Raye and got closer to get a better look.
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Serena screamed as Twister was enveloped with Raye and Chad's attack. She couldn't die! Serena wouldn't let her- not when she had gone through so much pain. She ran towards Twister's fallen body and collapsed next to her as she reached it. Tuxedo Mask hobbled after her, but nearly fell as his wounded ankle threatened to give.
"Twister! Twister, please! Can you hear me? Oh please be all right!" She cried, feeling tears pour down her cheeks.
She brushed Twister's singed hair back from her brow. She searched Twisters face for life and found none. She lowered her face into her hands and cried, wanting to bring her back, no matter how many terrible things she had done. She suddenly gasped as a voiced spoke out from beneath her.
"Go away Sailor Moon, or stay and destroy me. I cannot face Queen Malice and Kitara now that I've failed them. Kill me, for I have no home to return to, and nothing is more awful than not having a place to go." Twister croaked bitterly, her tears creating clean tracks on her dirtied cheeks. She gasped as Sailor Moon suddenly embraced her, pulling her close. It was a kind of touch she hadn't experienced in many years.
"What are you doing?" Twister whispered, but not wanting her to let go. She had never felt this safe before.
"I'm hugging you silly. I'm just so glad you are alive!" Sailor Moon answered her, gently pulling back from the shocked Twister. "Twister, please don't hate me or my people, and especially not my mother. I can heal you and make all the pain disappear forever if you let me. If I'm allowed to heal you, you will finally know the truth of your past because the power of my crystal erases all lies. Twister... Don't you want the pain to go away?" Sailor Moon asked, staring straight into her eyes.
Twister stared straight back, looking for holes in her truth through her eyes, trying to find the lies in her stories. Her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears as she found no lies, no holes, and no tricks in those eyes. She wanted to believe, and she had nothing to lose. She nodded, and looked back at Sailor Moon.
"Please help me Sailor Moon, I don't want to be without a home or family anymore." She said sobbing. Sailor Moon smiled and took Twister in her arms again.
"You won't be alone, Twister. I know four sisters who will understand your situation very well. I'm sure Catsy, Birdie, Prisma, and Avery would be happy to take you in." Sailor Moon said, delighted.
"And I'll get to see you, right?" Twister asked.
"Of course you'll get to see me. And by the way, you can call me Serena, as long as you can keep my identity a secret." Serena said laughing.
Twister smiled tentatively back, and allowed Serena to help her up. Sailor Mars and Mars Knight also looked at her with smiles, genuine smiles. She smiled shyly back at them.
"Well," Sailor Moon began. "Are you ready?"
"Yes." Twister answered simply, bracing herself for the transformation.
She gazed at Sailor Moon as her brooch suddenly opened, revealing a shining crystal. Serena suddenly held it above her and shouted words that were strangely comforting.
"MOON CRYSTAL HEALING... ACTIVATION!"
Twister felt herself being invaded by a powerful force, pure and beautiful, that flowed through her like water. She felt all of her pain washing away in the bright glow of the crystal, and felt tears fall, fresh and new, as the masks of her past were lifted away from her eyes. She opened her eyes again, ready to greet a new and happier life where she could start anew.
Serena wiped the sweat from her brow. They had been fighting for a long time and it wasn't getting any easier. The fight against Twister had started out bad, but had gotten progressively worse when she unleashed horrible creatures that attacked from all sides. Sailor Mars and Mars Knight fought back to back, creating a circular space between them and their enemies. Unsurprisingly, Sailor Venus and Venus Knight were doing the same. Tuxedo Mask was hurling roses at a frenzied pace, while Serena had found her tiara most effective. Even when Sailor Mercury and her team joined the fight it still was very difficult. She suddenly gasped as she noticed Sailor Jupiter was missing, and turned to Mercury Knight, who was a little to her left.
"Where is Sailor Jupiter?" She called worriedly.
"She's hurt- he's taking care of her." Greg answered, gesturing towards the other side of the lot where a tall figure hovered over a long form spread on the ground.
Serena looked a little closer and noticed the tall figure was a man dressed in green. She gasped in surprise! It was Jupiter Knight! She was suddenly thrown from her observations as a horrible demon came at her.
"MOON TIARA MAGIC!!!" she screamed, spinning the golden disk towards the figure. It screamed in agony as it was split in half. The monster's remains fell to the ground in two smoking pieces and Serena grimaced in disgust.
'This is going to be a long night...' she thought sadly. She turned and began to fight again.
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Raye and Chad had taken on a very large group of creatures and were battling back to back in an effective fighting strategy, killing rows of demons with each attack. However, there was a problem... They were exhausted. It was getting harder and harder to summon energy, and although Chad was doing extremely well for his first time, he still lacked the necessary stamina. However, Raye often found herself admiring his fighting skills. He suddenly turned to her.
"Sailor Mars! We have to separate! This was working before, but now it's just trapping us inside. We need to bust through this line and join with the others. Let's hit them with everything we have!" He called above the sounds of the battle.
Sailor Mars nodded and powered up, using one of her older attacks.
"MARS FIRE IGNITE!" She screamed, letting loose a fireball that destroyed several monsters in front of her. She grinned with satisfaction.
"MARS FIRE CIRCLET SPIN!" He called, waving his arms in a circular motion, creating two rings of fire that he held tightly in his hands.
He flung them forward, and the rings flew towards the demons with a speed and style much like Sailor Moon's tiara. They suddenly careened into a row of creatures, passing through them in a criss-cross pattern, one above the other. The rings of fire cut through the flesh of the monsters easily and a whole group of them fell to the floor in a heap of limbs and bodies. Sailor Mars grimaced, feeling a wave of nausea sweep over her.
"Thank God I didn't eat." She muttered.
Chad didn't pay any attention to her. Instead, he grabbed her hand and yanked her towards the opening his attack had made. The closest team to them was Sailor Venus and Venus Knight. They ran towards their allies- who were having troubles of their own. They too had become surrounded. Chad looked at Raye and she nodded. He smiled bravely, Planet Mars to the rescue!
"MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!" Sailor Mars called, unleashing her fire rings.
"MARS FIRE-SWORD SLASH!" Mars Knight screamed, running towards the group.
His broadsword suddenly burst into flame as he raced through the crowd of creatures, dismembering anything in his path. Raye's attack hit seconds later and destroyed the second row, giving Sailor Venus and Venus Knight an opening.
Mina quickly caught on and gave Raye a look of extreme gratitude. She quickly grabbed Anthony's hand and forced him towards the opening. They joined Sailor Mars and Mars Knight and turned to see that their attackers had merged. However, to their relief, they were considerably smaller in numbers. Chad grinned and turned back to his friends.
"What do you say we get rid of these things?"
"Right!" Anthony shouted, catching his enthusiasm. Raye and Mina rolled their eyes.
"Raye, please don't let Chad make Anthony like every other teenage guy." Mina whispered giggling. Raye laughed.
"What can I do? He's got the macho sickness! I don't think it's even curable!" She whispered back.
Their moment of laughter was suddenly broken when the small group of demons attacked.
"Let's finish them!" Anthony screamed, and powered up, unleashing an amazing attack.
"VENUS LOVE-WHIP CRACK!" He screamed as he pulled a golden whip from his side. The whip surrounded the group of creatures, lashing them together. It suddenly filled with light and engulfed the demons in pure energy.
Anthony smiled as the creatures slumped forward in his hold as their energy drained. He turned towards Mina and took her hand.
"Let's finish them together, my love." He said kindly. Mina's body shuddered happily under his gaze as she stepped up to his side. She began to power up with him.
"VENUS PLANETARY BEAM..." They began...
A bright light began to glow around them. Sailor Venus felt her hair begin to lift from her body and fly above her as the power increased. The light suddenly became one solid beam that flowed around them in vertically ascending loops. Sailor Venus and Venus Knight opened their eyes a moment later and focused them on their enemies.
"SHINE!!!" They finished, unleashing the blinding beam into the herd of monsters that squealed at the sight of the pure energy. The energy suddenly hit them with an explosion, dissipating the evil that had been there before.
Sailor Mars and Mars Knight gazed at them in amazement, and then turned to each other. 'It's about time we create our own attack,' Raye thought. They shifted their eyes back to the battle and found no other demons were standing. Sailor Mercury's head was split at the side and blood was flowing from her temple. She was leaning against Mercury Knight, who was far less wounded. Sailor Uranus was helping Sailor Neptune to her feet, both covered with scrapes and bruises, but otherwise in fine shape. Sailor Mars wondered where Sailor Jupiter was, and felt a pang of worry for her. Sailor Moon was helping Tuxedo Mask to his feet, who looked battle worn himself, and was nursing his swollen ankle.
She looked over at Mina and Anthony- both covered with only minor injuries, but still able to fight. Then there was Chad, who was almost untouched like herself- but still pretty fatigued. 'God,' she thought, 'there's only a few of us who are still able to fight anymore. I wonder how our enemy is?'
Raye whirled around to see the strange woman standing there, fresh and lively, not a scratch on her lithe little body. She smiled wickedly and rose into the air, suspending herself above all of the scouts, who could only gaze up at her and wait. Raye suddenly spoke up.
"Who are you anyway? What do you want from our planet? Energy? WHAT?" Raye demanded.
Twister laughed. "My name is Twister. I am not from the Negaverse originally, but it is my home now. And about your planet... At first my kind simply wanted to take over your planet, my masters still do, but I wish for a different outcome." Twister stated wickedly, her eyes suddenly flashed and she lost control. "I wish I could destroy your planet! Just as your kind destroyed mine!" She screamed down at them, her eyes suddenly brimming with tears.
TEARS? Mina gasped softly and turned towards the girls. Sailor Moon stared at Twister in open-mouthed wonder.
"You guys, did you hear what she said?" Sailor Venus asked, incredulous. Sailor Moon nodded.
"She claims we destroyed her planet, but that's impossible. Her kind attacked us first, our planets were all peaceful." Sailor Moon said, staring straight at Twister.
"That's a lie!" Twister screamed. "All of you kind are born liars! Queen Malice rescued me from the ruins of my planet. She gave me a family and eternal life! She gave me the power and home your mother took away. Because of Queen Serenity I am now a slave to Queen Malice." Twister screamed bitterly, tears running down her face.
"That's not true!" Raye suddenly called out. "Queen Serenity would never attack another planet. Your planet must have been attacked by Queen Beryl, leader of the Negaverse, the very cause you fight for now!"
"All lies!" Twister screamed back. "The sister of Queen Malice was cruel, but she couldn't have caused the awful things that happened on my planet. Your family destroyed mine, and for that your planet will pay, no matter how beautiful it is!" She suddenly began to power up, swirling around, gathering dark energy about her.
"NO!" Sailor Moon screamed. "Stop! You don't have to fight us! Queen Beryl did do that to your planet! I know she did! Because she did it to mine..." Sailor Moon finished. Twister stopped for a moment to look at her, her silver-gray eyes suddenly uncertain. "I do know what it's like to lose a planet," Sailor Moon said through tears.
"I know how it feels to lose your loved ones, to lose everything that ever mattered to you. Queen Beryl took away my only true love, my wonderful friends, my home, and my own mother." She looked up at Twister, who stared at her with shocked eyes. "Don't you see? We are the same. You know loss, just as I do, and I can help you. I can take away the hurt you have felt, and you can finally have a real home... here, on Earth."
Twister gazed at her, wanting to believe, wanting to let go, and wanting a real home... She suddenly jerked out of it.
"Nice try, but I know you can't help me. No one can help me now. Queen Malice told me you were the ones to blame for my pain. I've trusted her so far, and I'm not about to stop now!" She screamed, resuming her power-up.
Black light began to grow around her, emitting dark energy waves- both were painful and evil. The gravely injured scouts screamed as the dark waves touched their wounded bodies. Even the scouts that were well enough to fight cringed at the power.
"Enough!" Chad suddenly bellowed. He grabbed Raye's hand. "Everyone, try to hit her with everything you have! It could be our last chance to defeat her!"
The teams nodded and heeded his command. Uranus and Neptune tried first.
"URANUS WORLD SHAKING!!!"
"NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!!!"
Their attacks flew towards Twister, but to their dismay they were quickly absorbed. They screamed as she suddenly raised her hand, unleashing their own powers back at them. They were hit with their own attacks, now laced with her dark energy, and fell to the ground. They skidded across it, feeling their skin peel away on their elbows and knees, until finally coming to a halt, unconscious.
"Oh please stop... Please, no more fighting..." Sailor Moon whispered. Amy and Greg went next.
"MERCURY PLANET BLIZZARD FREEZE!" They screamed.
Twister only laughed, absorbing their attack, and unleashing it back at them. They screamed as they were blasted to the ground, and mercifully blacked out. Mina and Anthony also tried, but had a worse effect. Anthony was thrown into the trunk of a tree, cracking it right down the center, while Mina was blasted into the back windshield of a parked car on the other side of the lot. His head was bleeding pretty badly and Mina's body was slumped on the back of the car, covered with cuts from the glass. Both were alive, but barely.
Sailor Mars looked at Mars Knight fearfully. She didn't want to end up in a car windshield like Mina, or slumped against a cracked tree trunk like Anthony.
"Chad," she whispered, "are you sure you want to try this?"
"Yes, Sailor Mars. I have a feeling we can fight her, our fire should connect with her air powers quite nicely actually..." He said, smiling grimly.
"What makes you so sure?" Raye asked; a trifle irritated by his convinced look.
"I just know." He said simply. He took hold of her hand. "Now come on!"
Raye nodded and looked up at Twister, who gazed down at them. "Oh look, it's the little fire children. Are you ready to be rammed into the dust like your friends?" Twister asked smugly.
"We're not going to lose- you're not as strong as you think. Your own powers will be your undoing." Chad called back at her. Twister's eyes turned to fire!
"You disrespectful wretch! I'll show you what happens to people who defy me! I'll hit you with everything I've got!" Twister screamed angrily, then she threw out all the energy she had been collecting, straight towards Raye and Chad!
"Now Sailor Mars!" Chad screamed over the rushing wind.
Raye nodded through the terrifyingly darkening world. She tightened her grip on Chad's hand, and began the words that simply came natural to her...
"MARS PLANETARY FIRE..." They began, feeling the energy swirl around them.
Their bodies were suddenly engulfed with a fire that flowed around them, but was somehow transparent enough for Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask to see the figures inside. Sailor Mars and Mars Knights eyes glowed a fire-red, though Sailor Mars still had a touch of purple all her own. They raised their eyes to a surprised Twister, who gaped at them with wonder. They rose their outer hands in her direction, their fire still building a barrier against her dark energy. With a sudden burst of hot flames, they finished their attack...
"BURN!!!" They screamed together, letting loose an amazing tidal wave of flames. Twister gasped and tried to increase her energy as she felt the blazing inferno sweeping towards her. She screamed as it kept coming, breaking through her energy barriers.
"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!!" She screamed as the energy blasted through her, scorching her body terribly, but not turning it to dust. Twister blacked out and slowly fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.
Raye stared at her, realizing what she had done. She suddenly felt very weak, and sank to the ground. Chad gaped at her in alarm and caught her before she fell, lifting her body into his arms. She gazed up at him and smiled.
"We did it." She whispered.
"Yes we did Raye. I'll always fight by your side, no matter what... because I love you." His voice suddenly cracked. "Raye, you mean so much to me."
"Chad..." Raye murmured.
"Yeah Raye?" Chad asked, ready to do whatever she wished.
"Will you just stop babbling and kiss me?" Raye asked, grinning a little.
Chad looked shocked for a moment, but then nodded silently, and leaned forward. Raye reached up and took his head in her hands, and brought it to her lips. His eyes widened in surprise, but quickly closed as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss as the emotions that filled his heart increased. Her lips found his again and again, kissing him with a passion she had never felt before. He was there, her knight, the one she was supposed to love someday. She felt emotions she had never felt with any man before... Chad's kiss had triggered it- she knew that for sure. 'I can love him,' she realized. 'I can love him if I let myself, oh please don't let me blow it!'
Chad stared at her when they separated. The connection they had just shared was something he had only dreamed of. He never wanted to be apart from her ever again. He suddenly heard sobbing behind him. He turned from Raye to see Serena crouched over the woman's body. He let go of Raye and got closer to get a better look.
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Serena screamed as Twister was enveloped with Raye and Chad's attack. She couldn't die! Serena wouldn't let her- not when she had gone through so much pain. She ran towards Twister's fallen body and collapsed next to her as she reached it. Tuxedo Mask hobbled after her, but nearly fell as his wounded ankle threatened to give.
"Twister! Twister, please! Can you hear me? Oh please be all right!" She cried, feeling tears pour down her cheeks.
She brushed Twister's singed hair back from her brow. She searched Twisters face for life and found none. She lowered her face into her hands and cried, wanting to bring her back, no matter how many terrible things she had done. She suddenly gasped as a voiced spoke out from beneath her.
"Go away Sailor Moon, or stay and destroy me. I cannot face Queen Malice and Kitara now that I've failed them. Kill me, for I have no home to return to, and nothing is more awful than not having a place to go." Twister croaked bitterly, her tears creating clean tracks on her dirtied cheeks. She gasped as Sailor Moon suddenly embraced her, pulling her close. It was a kind of touch she hadn't experienced in many years.
"What are you doing?" Twister whispered, but not wanting her to let go. She had never felt this safe before.
"I'm hugging you silly. I'm just so glad you are alive!" Sailor Moon answered her, gently pulling back from the shocked Twister. "Twister, please don't hate me or my people, and especially not my mother. I can heal you and make all the pain disappear forever if you let me. If I'm allowed to heal you, you will finally know the truth of your past because the power of my crystal erases all lies. Twister... Don't you want the pain to go away?" Sailor Moon asked, staring straight into her eyes.
Twister stared straight back, looking for holes in her truth through her eyes, trying to find the lies in her stories. Her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears as she found no lies, no holes, and no tricks in those eyes. She wanted to believe, and she had nothing to lose. She nodded, and looked back at Sailor Moon.
"Please help me Sailor Moon, I don't want to be without a home or family anymore." She said sobbing. Sailor Moon smiled and took Twister in her arms again.
"You won't be alone, Twister. I know four sisters who will understand your situation very well. I'm sure Catsy, Birdie, Prisma, and Avery would be happy to take you in." Sailor Moon said, delighted.
"And I'll get to see you, right?" Twister asked.
"Of course you'll get to see me. And by the way, you can call me Serena, as long as you can keep my identity a secret." Serena said laughing.
Twister smiled tentatively back, and allowed Serena to help her up. Sailor Mars and Mars Knight also looked at her with smiles, genuine smiles. She smiled shyly back at them.
"Well," Sailor Moon began. "Are you ready?"
"Yes." Twister answered simply, bracing herself for the transformation.
She gazed at Sailor Moon as her brooch suddenly opened, revealing a shining crystal. Serena suddenly held it above her and shouted words that were strangely comforting.
"MOON CRYSTAL HEALING... ACTIVATION!"
Twister felt herself being invaded by a powerful force, pure and beautiful, that flowed through her like water. She felt all of her pain washing away in the bright glow of the crystal, and felt tears fall, fresh and new, as the masks of her past were lifted away from her eyes. She opened her eyes again, ready to greet a new and happier life where she could start anew.