Karen tried to think of something to say, she didn't actually think she was right about this. She glanced back at Amara, knowing this wasn't a joke. She shook her head and glared at Michelle again, her mind doing a flashback of a few days ago. 'I swear... If I find out you did this to her or if you ever harm her...' Karen wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do to Michelle, she was very angry at the time. And stressed from all the attacks and the beatings she had taken.
Karen quickly pulled out her wand, trying not to hold it out in the open. "Uranus...!"
"I wouldn't do that..." Michelle spoke, not even making the slightest move to stop Karen.
Karen grew silent, wondering if transforming here would be a good idea. The Witches were somewhere behind and Michelle was in front of her. Not to mention she and the other four were in harm's reach. "Don't tell me you're using the coward's method of fighting Michelle... How about a one on one, but you've gotta promise to fight fair."
"You aren't enough to entertain me..." Michelle observed the room, her gaze falling on Peruru. "Him.."
"What about him?"
"He's going to help you fight of course."
"What?!" Karen almost jumped at Michelle, halting her action when Michelle put a hand up.
"I thought this was going to be a fair fight. That means no cheap shots Karen."
"What do you call letting the fairy fight?!"
"You obviously need some help and I don't see anyone else capable of helping." Michelle gave a slight wave to the Witches and they let Peruru run pass them to join Karen.
Karen got to her feet and held on tightly to her wand as she looked at Peruru. "I don't want you to fight.."
"You might die if you do this alone." Peruru argued.
"It's better than watching you get hurt..!" Karen revealed, glancing at the floor now. "Don't you see what she's doing...? She's going to use you against me..."
"I won't let that happen!"
"Doesn't matter, she'll find a way. I know she will."
"Well, I won't stand here and watch you die..!"
"I can't stop you, can I Peruru?"
"No.
"Just be careful.."
"I will."
"Are we ready?" Michelle questioned, seemingly bored from watching Karen and Peruru's scene.
Karen nodded. "Ready."
Michelle held out Rebecca's wand suddenly. "Neptune Planet Power!"
"Uranus Planet Power!"
Trista watched silently, occasionally glancing at Amara, who was now lost in her own little world. Karen examined her Sailor outfit, remembering how much she hated the thing. Michelle seemed rather happy to be Sailor Neptune though. Karen waited for someone to start the fight, not wanting to be that person.
"Some advice, don't hold back." Sailor Neptune warned.
"Don't worry, I won't."
"Deep Submerge!"
The attack headed straight for Karen and she easily dodged it. "Is that the best you can do?" She readied her own attack and showed a confident smile. "World Shaking!"
Michelle jumped to the side and gave Karen a mocking grimace. "I hope you didn't believe that would actually work."
Peruru stepped forward, his flute appeared in hand. He played a few notes, summoning some BonBon Babies. Neptune held a hand out ahead of her, a beam of black light escaping her palm and hitting Peruru. The same moment he crashed onto the floor, the BonBon Babies disappeared. Karen let out a small gasp, running over to him.
"So predictable." Neptune whispered, the magic mirror now in her right hand.
Karen halted suddenly, facing Neptune once again. "... Go ahead, attack me."
"What a foolish command..."
"Do it!"
"Fine... Submarine Reflection!" When her assault had subsided, Karen was gone.
"Space Sword Blaster!" Neptune was knocked onto the floor face first and Karen landed near the throne. "Just answer me this. How could you do this to Amara? I may hate to admit it but... she loves you."
"This has nothing to do with Amara." Neptune replied, getting back onto her feet.
"Of course it does! You sent some soulless clone after her!" Karen hand formed a fist. "And what about Rebecca...? You kidnapped your own sister!"
"She's not my sister..."
"What?" Karen just stared, not sure what else to say.
"I never had a sister and neither did Amara. The Keeper of Time knows that as well as I do, don't you Trista?" She looked over to Trista, not getting a response. "Oh, that's right. I messed with everyone's memories."
Karen fell onto her knees, unable to fight anymore. "... Then what are we?"
"I thought you were smarter than this Karen."
Karen's head shot up and she gazed at Neptune in deep shock. "You were going to murder your own daughter?!"
"Of course not, I'm not that mad. I just needed some way to lure you here."
"... Karen..." Rebecca spoke softly, beginning to awaken.
Karen moved over to Rebecca and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay, I'm here... I won't let them hurt you."
Rebecca noticed Karen was transformed. "What's going on...?"
"Nothing I can't handle."
"Karen..."
"Everything's alright, don't worry about it so much."
"... Where are we?"
"I'm not sure."
"I can answer that." Neptune spoke up.
"Don't look at her Rebecca, don't listen to her... Just ignore her."
"What are you talking about Karen?" Rebecca pulled away from Karen's embrace and turned to Neptune. "Michi...? Wait...you stole my wand..?!"
"Rebecca, we need to leave... now." Karen got to her feet, reaching out to grab Rebecca's hand.
"Karen, please tell me what's going on..."
Karen sighed and shook her head. "Michelle is..."
"Go on, tell her." Neptune urged.
"... Listen, I'm here now, so there's no reason for you to be keeping the others. Why don't you just let them go?" Karen glared at Neptune.
"No."
"Fine... how about we make a deal? One last battle.. you and your flunkies against the Sailor Scouts, past and present. If we win, you have to leave us alone. And if you win... you can do whatever you want to me, but you can't hurt the others.."
"No!" Rebecca got up and grabbed Karen by the shoulders. "What are you doing?!"
"Interesting... I accept." Michelle approached the two, holding out Rebecca's wand.
Karen stayed transformed as Rebecca took her wand back. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"Tomorrow..." That's all she said.
"Can't wait... So, how do we get out of here?"
"Just close your eyes."
Karen didn't like the idea, but followed the order. When she reopened her eyes, she was in her room. "How'd she do that?" She pushed the thought away and dashed out of her room. Heading down the hallway, she almost collided into Rebecca's door, which opened while she was passing by.
"Karen.. did that really happen?" Rebecca stepped out of her room.
"I know it wasn't a dream."
Rebecca gave Karen one of her serious looks. "I still want to know what's going on..."
"I'm not even sure... Trista has to know something.." She headed for the stairs and Rebecca followed.
-.-
"Our enemy is Michelle? Seriously?" Alex questioned, gaining a nod from Karen and Rebecca. "I never would have guessed..."
"None of us did... Trista went and checked out the time gates after we got back." Karen quietly explained. "She says this is our present... Michelle somehow screwed up time without really messing it up... Not sure how that's possible though. I just can't believe she did all this to get rid of me.."
"What about our fathers..?"
".. Michelle messed with their memories too, they don't remember us..."
"You know, you never told us the reason she is trying to 'take care of you', Karen." Alex remarked. "If you know what I mean..."
"That's just it, I don't know. She never mentioned it and I can't think of any reason why she'd want to. At least, not any reasonable ones."
"That's just great..."
"We're really going to fight her, aren't we?" Rini inquired.
"We really don't have any other options... I have a suggestion to make fighting Michelle a little easier..." The room's attention shifted onto Karen and she calmly spoke. "... The Sailor Planet Attack.."
"We can't use that! It's too strong!" Tori got out of her seat.
"I don't care..! If she's as powerful as I think she is, then it won't kill her. We'll beat her though.."
"What about us?"
"I've already thought this out. Besides, I never said you guys were going to use it..."
-.-
"Amara...?" Karen poked her head in the room and silently entered.
Amara was laying on her bed, staring at the wall. She didn't respond or even look at Karen for a split second.
"I know you're really hurt after finding out about Michelle, but... we really need your help.." Karen sat on the edge on the bed.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you..."
Karen glanced over to Amara, wondering if she was hearing things again. ".. It wasn't something I wanted to be right about..."
"I just can't figure out why she's doing this..."
"Wait... I'm your daughter.."
Amara finally got up and gave Karen a confused look. "Uh.. yeah... We kinda figured that out a while ago."
"No.. I'm your daughter." Karen repeated. "Don't you get it?"
"You know... I don't think that's the reason Michelle..."
"Why else would she be trying to get rid of me? I'm the reason you two didn't stay together... She might have changed the present, but she probably hasn't altered that fact."
"So, we're going to fight her..."
"Yup.."
"Kat.. could you do me a favor?"
Karen quickly pulled out her wand, trying not to hold it out in the open. "Uranus...!"
"I wouldn't do that..." Michelle spoke, not even making the slightest move to stop Karen.
Karen grew silent, wondering if transforming here would be a good idea. The Witches were somewhere behind and Michelle was in front of her. Not to mention she and the other four were in harm's reach. "Don't tell me you're using the coward's method of fighting Michelle... How about a one on one, but you've gotta promise to fight fair."
"You aren't enough to entertain me..." Michelle observed the room, her gaze falling on Peruru. "Him.."
"What about him?"
"He's going to help you fight of course."
"What?!" Karen almost jumped at Michelle, halting her action when Michelle put a hand up.
"I thought this was going to be a fair fight. That means no cheap shots Karen."
"What do you call letting the fairy fight?!"
"You obviously need some help and I don't see anyone else capable of helping." Michelle gave a slight wave to the Witches and they let Peruru run pass them to join Karen.
Karen got to her feet and held on tightly to her wand as she looked at Peruru. "I don't want you to fight.."
"You might die if you do this alone." Peruru argued.
"It's better than watching you get hurt..!" Karen revealed, glancing at the floor now. "Don't you see what she's doing...? She's going to use you against me..."
"I won't let that happen!"
"Doesn't matter, she'll find a way. I know she will."
"Well, I won't stand here and watch you die..!"
"I can't stop you, can I Peruru?"
"No.
"Just be careful.."
"I will."
"Are we ready?" Michelle questioned, seemingly bored from watching Karen and Peruru's scene.
Karen nodded. "Ready."
Michelle held out Rebecca's wand suddenly. "Neptune Planet Power!"
"Uranus Planet Power!"
Trista watched silently, occasionally glancing at Amara, who was now lost in her own little world. Karen examined her Sailor outfit, remembering how much she hated the thing. Michelle seemed rather happy to be Sailor Neptune though. Karen waited for someone to start the fight, not wanting to be that person.
"Some advice, don't hold back." Sailor Neptune warned.
"Don't worry, I won't."
"Deep Submerge!"
The attack headed straight for Karen and she easily dodged it. "Is that the best you can do?" She readied her own attack and showed a confident smile. "World Shaking!"
Michelle jumped to the side and gave Karen a mocking grimace. "I hope you didn't believe that would actually work."
Peruru stepped forward, his flute appeared in hand. He played a few notes, summoning some BonBon Babies. Neptune held a hand out ahead of her, a beam of black light escaping her palm and hitting Peruru. The same moment he crashed onto the floor, the BonBon Babies disappeared. Karen let out a small gasp, running over to him.
"So predictable." Neptune whispered, the magic mirror now in her right hand.
Karen halted suddenly, facing Neptune once again. "... Go ahead, attack me."
"What a foolish command..."
"Do it!"
"Fine... Submarine Reflection!" When her assault had subsided, Karen was gone.
"Space Sword Blaster!" Neptune was knocked onto the floor face first and Karen landed near the throne. "Just answer me this. How could you do this to Amara? I may hate to admit it but... she loves you."
"This has nothing to do with Amara." Neptune replied, getting back onto her feet.
"Of course it does! You sent some soulless clone after her!" Karen hand formed a fist. "And what about Rebecca...? You kidnapped your own sister!"
"She's not my sister..."
"What?" Karen just stared, not sure what else to say.
"I never had a sister and neither did Amara. The Keeper of Time knows that as well as I do, don't you Trista?" She looked over to Trista, not getting a response. "Oh, that's right. I messed with everyone's memories."
Karen fell onto her knees, unable to fight anymore. "... Then what are we?"
"I thought you were smarter than this Karen."
Karen's head shot up and she gazed at Neptune in deep shock. "You were going to murder your own daughter?!"
"Of course not, I'm not that mad. I just needed some way to lure you here."
"... Karen..." Rebecca spoke softly, beginning to awaken.
Karen moved over to Rebecca and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay, I'm here... I won't let them hurt you."
Rebecca noticed Karen was transformed. "What's going on...?"
"Nothing I can't handle."
"Karen..."
"Everything's alright, don't worry about it so much."
"... Where are we?"
"I'm not sure."
"I can answer that." Neptune spoke up.
"Don't look at her Rebecca, don't listen to her... Just ignore her."
"What are you talking about Karen?" Rebecca pulled away from Karen's embrace and turned to Neptune. "Michi...? Wait...you stole my wand..?!"
"Rebecca, we need to leave... now." Karen got to her feet, reaching out to grab Rebecca's hand.
"Karen, please tell me what's going on..."
Karen sighed and shook her head. "Michelle is..."
"Go on, tell her." Neptune urged.
"... Listen, I'm here now, so there's no reason for you to be keeping the others. Why don't you just let them go?" Karen glared at Neptune.
"No."
"Fine... how about we make a deal? One last battle.. you and your flunkies against the Sailor Scouts, past and present. If we win, you have to leave us alone. And if you win... you can do whatever you want to me, but you can't hurt the others.."
"No!" Rebecca got up and grabbed Karen by the shoulders. "What are you doing?!"
"Interesting... I accept." Michelle approached the two, holding out Rebecca's wand.
Karen stayed transformed as Rebecca took her wand back. "How do I know you're not lying?"
"Tomorrow..." That's all she said.
"Can't wait... So, how do we get out of here?"
"Just close your eyes."
Karen didn't like the idea, but followed the order. When she reopened her eyes, she was in her room. "How'd she do that?" She pushed the thought away and dashed out of her room. Heading down the hallway, she almost collided into Rebecca's door, which opened while she was passing by.
"Karen.. did that really happen?" Rebecca stepped out of her room.
"I know it wasn't a dream."
Rebecca gave Karen one of her serious looks. "I still want to know what's going on..."
"I'm not even sure... Trista has to know something.." She headed for the stairs and Rebecca followed.
-.-
"Our enemy is Michelle? Seriously?" Alex questioned, gaining a nod from Karen and Rebecca. "I never would have guessed..."
"None of us did... Trista went and checked out the time gates after we got back." Karen quietly explained. "She says this is our present... Michelle somehow screwed up time without really messing it up... Not sure how that's possible though. I just can't believe she did all this to get rid of me.."
"What about our fathers..?"
".. Michelle messed with their memories too, they don't remember us..."
"You know, you never told us the reason she is trying to 'take care of you', Karen." Alex remarked. "If you know what I mean..."
"That's just it, I don't know. She never mentioned it and I can't think of any reason why she'd want to. At least, not any reasonable ones."
"That's just great..."
"We're really going to fight her, aren't we?" Rini inquired.
"We really don't have any other options... I have a suggestion to make fighting Michelle a little easier..." The room's attention shifted onto Karen and she calmly spoke. "... The Sailor Planet Attack.."
"We can't use that! It's too strong!" Tori got out of her seat.
"I don't care..! If she's as powerful as I think she is, then it won't kill her. We'll beat her though.."
"What about us?"
"I've already thought this out. Besides, I never said you guys were going to use it..."
-.-
"Amara...?" Karen poked her head in the room and silently entered.
Amara was laying on her bed, staring at the wall. She didn't respond or even look at Karen for a split second.
"I know you're really hurt after finding out about Michelle, but... we really need your help.." Karen sat on the edge on the bed.
"I'm sorry I didn't believe you..."
Karen glanced over to Amara, wondering if she was hearing things again. ".. It wasn't something I wanted to be right about..."
"I just can't figure out why she's doing this..."
"Wait... I'm your daughter.."
Amara finally got up and gave Karen a confused look. "Uh.. yeah... We kinda figured that out a while ago."
"No.. I'm your daughter." Karen repeated. "Don't you get it?"
"You know... I don't think that's the reason Michelle..."
"Why else would she be trying to get rid of me? I'm the reason you two didn't stay together... She might have changed the present, but she probably hasn't altered that fact."
"So, we're going to fight her..."
"Yup.."
"Kat.. could you do me a favor?"