Chapter 4: Sailor Moon No More?
The woman in the black, Anima laughed loudly as she thought about Sailor Moon's lifeless body.
"Was she your so called 'fearless' leader?" Anima asked. She laughed louder than the first time.
"Sailor Moon can be strong when she needs to be!" Jupiter was obviously annoyed by this remark.
"Oh, yeah. Well, it doesn't look like she's being strong and I'd say she needs to be if she still wants her life."
"Who asked you anyway?" asked Mars getting angry. Anima gave them an evil smile.
"Finish them off you over grown bunny rabbit. If you can." Anima Ordered as she turned around to back into the spaceship.
"Oh, I can, my Princess," said the huge rabbit as he slowly inched his way toward the black spaceship and bowed before his leader.
"You know. Now that I think about it I don't think you can do it all on your own, Bunnicula. I think you need the help of a true soldier." Anima stood up straight. "Roarin! Come now!" she ordered.
Just then a huge lion jumped out form the ship and next to Anima. It stood up. It had big claws and vampire-like teeth that shined in the bright sun. "May I help you, your Highness?" the lion asked, bowing before her.
"Help, Bunnicula with these timid humans," she answered simply as if it was nothing at all. She took a step forward to walk back into the space ship.
"Of course, Princess Anima," Roarin said, he bowed once more.
"I can do this on my own! Please just give me another chance," Bunnicula said. Anima turned around to look at Bunnicula. Just then she noticed Tuxedo Mask. She waved him over. Tuxedo Mask's neck straightened. He looked around and then back at Anima.
"Me?" he asked, almost whispering. He pointed to himself. She nodded and smiled.
So he is the prince. He looks much taller in person, she thought.
"She wants you, Tuxedo Mask," Venus said. He looked at her and then at Anima.
"Come here masked man," she waved him over again. "Or do you prefer Tuxedo Mask better?" She smiled devilishly.
The group was stunned. How had the woman known he was Tuxedo Mask? She had probably heard Mina say it, but Mina had whispered it. She hadn't said it loud enough for the woman to hear her. And they were at least twenty to thirty feet away and plus Anima was at least thirty feet into the air. But Tuxedo Mask shook the thought out of his mind. He turned to look at Serena then sighed and faced Anima once more.
"I don't think so," Tuxedo Mask said lightly and walked to Sailor Moon.
"Fine be that way,"Anima sighed and then shrugged. " If you want it to be the hard way. Bunnicula, Roarin, back in now!" Both the rabbit and the lion ran back into the black spaceship. Then Anima threw a black energy ball at all of the scouts including Tuxedo Mask, Luna, and Artemis, before she had gone inside. They all screamed as they were thrown back.
They slowly stood up as they saw a white light around Luna and Artemis. They floated into the sky about seven feet up.
"Luna!" Sailor Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter shouted.
"Artemis!" Sailor Venus yelled. Anima laughed loudly as Luna and Artemis floated toward the black spaceship.
"Remember everything we taught you, Scouts!" Luna shouted after them.
"Don't forget our lessons. You'll need them!" Artemis exclaimed.
Luna and Artemis floated right into the spaceship. And the woman in black who called herself Anima walked away as the door closed behind her. She laughed loudly. There was a white bright blinding light as the ship flew up. Everyone covered their eyes. And in seconds the spaceship was gone. Anima's laugh could still be heard. And then the last they heard was her voice.
"We'll meet again."
Neither scout nor Tuxedo Mask knew if Anima had actually said it or just heard it in their minds, but that wasn't important. They all got up except for Venus. She had managed to keep Sailor Moon in her arms, but had not managed to keep her away from Anima's blat.
Everyone ran to Sailor Moon's lifeless body. Standing over her tears formed in everyone's eyes as Mercury knelt down next to her. With her pointer and middle figure she felt around Sailor Moon's neck for a pulse. "She's alive but . . . ," Mercury began, but she couldn't finish. Tears rolled down her face.
"Tell us, Mercury!" Venus demanded. She looked down at Sailor Moon in her arms. "Will she be okay?"
Tears rolled down her face.
"....but she . . .w-wont be for long."
Mercury showed her sadness. Tears filled her eyes as her heart sank. Serena was the first friend she made when she was new here. It was to early for her to die. She was so young. How could she possibly live without her. What would it be like? Not having Serena around? She couldn't stand the thought of losing her. Not now! Not ever!
Venus couldn't help it. She tried not to cry but she gave in. For the first time in what seemed ages . . . she felt helpless. Totally and utterly helpless. She was there. Right there and she couldn't help. Not one bit. How could she call herself part of the team now? Maybe if she had actually helped her, actually got her out of the way or blocked the blast with her own body, the orb wouldn't have hit her and she'd be better. Sure her energy would've been lost, but not this much energy and at least she'd be able to regain it. Now she couldn't regain it and it was her fault. It was all her fault!
Mars didn't know what to do. All she could think about were the good times spent around Serena and the bad. She was always there for her . . . for everyone. Tears rolled down her face as she thought about how badly she had treated her. She never meant to make Serena so upset before and now she regretted it and she couldn't help but feel like part of this was her fault. She hadn't protected Serena. It was her job to as Sailor Mars and she couldn't even do that! What kind of person was she?! Yes, that was the question she wanted to know. What kind of person would leave a helpless friend unprotected? What kind of person would make fun of her friend? What kind of person would do the things she did to Serena someone who had called her a friend? Who? She would, that's who.
Jupiter tried to be strong. For herself. For her team. But for the first time in her life she felt weak. Weak. Felt like she couldn't be strong no matter how hard she tried. She just couldn't. How could something like this happen? How could she let something like this happen? Jupiter desperately tried holding her tears back. Nothing could be worse then this. Serena's life was coming to an end. Was it really? Could it be possible? Just how? Just how could all of this be true?! How? She failed to hold her tears back and cried, cried uncontrollably.
Tuxedo Mask couldn't help but think that this was his doing. He wanted to stay strong. He didn't want to show the others that he too had weaknesses. But like the scouts he gave into the tears. The love of his life was slowly dying before him and he had no way of reviving her. No way of giving her life. He kept beating himself up for it too. If he hadn't broken up with her at least he could say she was dying peacefully, but she wasn't. The truth was that she was dying with a heavy heart and a broken one at that. The love of her own life had taken her heart and ripped it to shreds. How was he going to forgive himself for his selfish act. But it was the dream! The damn dream he had. He didn't have much of a choice. He wanted to save Serena. That was the most important thing. Protecting her. But he succeeded. Not in protecting her, but in breaking her heart. That had not been the goal. In a way it was, but not exactly intentional.
This made him want revenge more than ever. Revenge for the one he loved who now was dying before him. But he too wanted to punish himself. For what he did. He had only made things worse for Serena and of course it hadn't made him feel any better, but it made him angry.
I'll get that monster! If it's the last thing I do! Darien thought, making a fist. He was full of rage but his tears did not stop.
The woman in the black, Anima laughed loudly as she thought about Sailor Moon's lifeless body.
"Was she your so called 'fearless' leader?" Anima asked. She laughed louder than the first time.
"Sailor Moon can be strong when she needs to be!" Jupiter was obviously annoyed by this remark.
"Oh, yeah. Well, it doesn't look like she's being strong and I'd say she needs to be if she still wants her life."
"Who asked you anyway?" asked Mars getting angry. Anima gave them an evil smile.
"Finish them off you over grown bunny rabbit. If you can." Anima Ordered as she turned around to back into the spaceship.
"Oh, I can, my Princess," said the huge rabbit as he slowly inched his way toward the black spaceship and bowed before his leader.
"You know. Now that I think about it I don't think you can do it all on your own, Bunnicula. I think you need the help of a true soldier." Anima stood up straight. "Roarin! Come now!" she ordered.
Just then a huge lion jumped out form the ship and next to Anima. It stood up. It had big claws and vampire-like teeth that shined in the bright sun. "May I help you, your Highness?" the lion asked, bowing before her.
"Help, Bunnicula with these timid humans," she answered simply as if it was nothing at all. She took a step forward to walk back into the space ship.
"Of course, Princess Anima," Roarin said, he bowed once more.
"I can do this on my own! Please just give me another chance," Bunnicula said. Anima turned around to look at Bunnicula. Just then she noticed Tuxedo Mask. She waved him over. Tuxedo Mask's neck straightened. He looked around and then back at Anima.
"Me?" he asked, almost whispering. He pointed to himself. She nodded and smiled.
So he is the prince. He looks much taller in person, she thought.
"She wants you, Tuxedo Mask," Venus said. He looked at her and then at Anima.
"Come here masked man," she waved him over again. "Or do you prefer Tuxedo Mask better?" She smiled devilishly.
The group was stunned. How had the woman known he was Tuxedo Mask? She had probably heard Mina say it, but Mina had whispered it. She hadn't said it loud enough for the woman to hear her. And they were at least twenty to thirty feet away and plus Anima was at least thirty feet into the air. But Tuxedo Mask shook the thought out of his mind. He turned to look at Serena then sighed and faced Anima once more.
"I don't think so," Tuxedo Mask said lightly and walked to Sailor Moon.
"Fine be that way,"Anima sighed and then shrugged. " If you want it to be the hard way. Bunnicula, Roarin, back in now!" Both the rabbit and the lion ran back into the black spaceship. Then Anima threw a black energy ball at all of the scouts including Tuxedo Mask, Luna, and Artemis, before she had gone inside. They all screamed as they were thrown back.
They slowly stood up as they saw a white light around Luna and Artemis. They floated into the sky about seven feet up.
"Luna!" Sailor Mercury, Mars, and Jupiter shouted.
"Artemis!" Sailor Venus yelled. Anima laughed loudly as Luna and Artemis floated toward the black spaceship.
"Remember everything we taught you, Scouts!" Luna shouted after them.
"Don't forget our lessons. You'll need them!" Artemis exclaimed.
Luna and Artemis floated right into the spaceship. And the woman in black who called herself Anima walked away as the door closed behind her. She laughed loudly. There was a white bright blinding light as the ship flew up. Everyone covered their eyes. And in seconds the spaceship was gone. Anima's laugh could still be heard. And then the last they heard was her voice.
"We'll meet again."
Neither scout nor Tuxedo Mask knew if Anima had actually said it or just heard it in their minds, but that wasn't important. They all got up except for Venus. She had managed to keep Sailor Moon in her arms, but had not managed to keep her away from Anima's blat.
Everyone ran to Sailor Moon's lifeless body. Standing over her tears formed in everyone's eyes as Mercury knelt down next to her. With her pointer and middle figure she felt around Sailor Moon's neck for a pulse. "She's alive but . . . ," Mercury began, but she couldn't finish. Tears rolled down her face.
"Tell us, Mercury!" Venus demanded. She looked down at Sailor Moon in her arms. "Will she be okay?"
Tears rolled down her face.
"....but she . . .w-wont be for long."
Mercury showed her sadness. Tears filled her eyes as her heart sank. Serena was the first friend she made when she was new here. It was to early for her to die. She was so young. How could she possibly live without her. What would it be like? Not having Serena around? She couldn't stand the thought of losing her. Not now! Not ever!
Venus couldn't help it. She tried not to cry but she gave in. For the first time in what seemed ages . . . she felt helpless. Totally and utterly helpless. She was there. Right there and she couldn't help. Not one bit. How could she call herself part of the team now? Maybe if she had actually helped her, actually got her out of the way or blocked the blast with her own body, the orb wouldn't have hit her and she'd be better. Sure her energy would've been lost, but not this much energy and at least she'd be able to regain it. Now she couldn't regain it and it was her fault. It was all her fault!
Mars didn't know what to do. All she could think about were the good times spent around Serena and the bad. She was always there for her . . . for everyone. Tears rolled down her face as she thought about how badly she had treated her. She never meant to make Serena so upset before and now she regretted it and she couldn't help but feel like part of this was her fault. She hadn't protected Serena. It was her job to as Sailor Mars and she couldn't even do that! What kind of person was she?! Yes, that was the question she wanted to know. What kind of person would leave a helpless friend unprotected? What kind of person would make fun of her friend? What kind of person would do the things she did to Serena someone who had called her a friend? Who? She would, that's who.
Jupiter tried to be strong. For herself. For her team. But for the first time in her life she felt weak. Weak. Felt like she couldn't be strong no matter how hard she tried. She just couldn't. How could something like this happen? How could she let something like this happen? Jupiter desperately tried holding her tears back. Nothing could be worse then this. Serena's life was coming to an end. Was it really? Could it be possible? Just how? Just how could all of this be true?! How? She failed to hold her tears back and cried, cried uncontrollably.
Tuxedo Mask couldn't help but think that this was his doing. He wanted to stay strong. He didn't want to show the others that he too had weaknesses. But like the scouts he gave into the tears. The love of his life was slowly dying before him and he had no way of reviving her. No way of giving her life. He kept beating himself up for it too. If he hadn't broken up with her at least he could say she was dying peacefully, but she wasn't. The truth was that she was dying with a heavy heart and a broken one at that. The love of her own life had taken her heart and ripped it to shreds. How was he going to forgive himself for his selfish act. But it was the dream! The damn dream he had. He didn't have much of a choice. He wanted to save Serena. That was the most important thing. Protecting her. But he succeeded. Not in protecting her, but in breaking her heart. That had not been the goal. In a way it was, but not exactly intentional.
This made him want revenge more than ever. Revenge for the one he loved who now was dying before him. But he too wanted to punish himself. For what he did. He had only made things worse for Serena and of course it hadn't made him feel any better, but it made him angry.
I'll get that monster! If it's the last thing I do! Darien thought, making a fist. He was full of rage but his tears did not stop.
