WHEN HEROES COLLIDE
Part Seven-The Final Showdown
"No way! Are you guys kidding?" Kento exclaimed out of shock. The five Ronin Warriors, the five Sailor Scouts, Rini, Luna, and Artemis were all sitting in the living room, discussing what had happened the previous night to Rowen and Sailor Moon.
"I wish we were, but we're not kidding, Kento," Serena reluctantly revealed.
"Topaz claimed that he and Amethyst now have the power necessary to take over Crystal Tokyo," Rowen added.
"But how is that even possible?" Ryo asked.
"Yeah, we did destroy all those creatures from the Celestial Stones," Rae pointed out.
"Apparently, it wasn't the creatures they needed, but the Celestial Stones themselves," Rowen explained. "Those monsters were just an added bonus in their favor."
"So, these Celestial Stones were just simply batteries that needed charging up," Luna theorized.
"Perhaps they can be summoned again," Rowen muttered thoughtfully.
"What are you talking about, Rowen?" Cye asked curiously.
"Well, since the Celestial Stones are still intact, and that's where the creatures originally came from, then maybe Topaz and Amethyst can bring them back!" Rowen announced. "That doesn't sound good," Mina reluctantly admitted. "Our entire future could be at risk."
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Lita proclaimed as she held up her clenched fist.
"You sure you're up to it, Lita?" Sage asked curiously.
"Don't worry about me, Sage. My ankle is completely healed," Lita assured him. "I can get around just fine on my own."
"Can you back that up, Lita?" Kento asked sarcastically.
"What? You want a demonstration, Kento?" Lita asked loudly as she stood up from the couch. "Come on! Get up and I'll show you!"
"Don't do it, Kento. You'll regret it," Mina warned Kento as he got up from the floor.
"Yeah, right, Mina. What is she gonna do?" Kento retorted. To Kento's surprise, Lita quickly spun around and tripped him with a low kick, causing him to fall flat on his back.
"I tried to warn you, Kento, but you wouldn't listen," Mina remarked as Lita helped Kento to his feet.
"Looks like Lita's ankle is completely healed to me!" Sage admitted, trying to muffle his snickering.
"Enough joking around, guys! We have to find a way to stop Amethyst and Topaz before they destroy this Crystal Tokyo!" Ryo interrupted.
"You're right, Ryo. But first, we have to find them," Rae agreed.
"They must have a temporary base around here somewhere. We must locate it as quickly as possible," Amy suggested.
"Yeah, but we have no idea where to start looking, Amy," Serena pointed out.
"I think I have an idea," Rowen muttered out loud.
"What are you talking about, Rowen?" Sage asked curiously.
"When Serena and I were searching for the Celestial Stone of Air last night, I saw something unusual up in space," Rowen revealed. "At first, I thought it was a misshapen asteroid, but now that I think about it, I believe that what I saw was actually a floating castle."
"A floating castle? You sure you weren't seeing things, Rowen?" Kento asked suspiciously.
"No, he wasn't seeing things, Kento! I saw it, too!" Serena announced.
"You did?" Rowen asked curiously as he looked at Serena.
"Yeah, I did, Rowen. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it before, but I thought I was seeing things," Serena confessed.
"That would actually make sense," Amy muttered thoughtfully. "In our past battles against the other members of the Dark Moon family, they have arrived to our time using massive spaceships composed entirely of black crystals that looked similar to castles."
"Ryo, didn't you say before that when you went to Mt. Fuji, you nearly got blasted by purple lightning?" Rae asked curiously.
"Yeah, I was," Ryo replied.
"That confirms it. This purple lightning you speak of doesn't sound natural at all. It could have been some sort of an aerial attack that was meant for you, Ryo," Amy suggested. "Amethyst and Topaz must have assumed that you somehow discovered the location of the Celestial Stone of Fire, although we all know that you had no prior knowledge about it until you met up with Rae."
"That would make sense," Ryo admitted. "That purple lightning was definitely trying to strike me down. Last time I checked, lightning didn't have a mind of its own!"
"So, now that we know where they are, we just need to figure out a way to get up there and stop them before they leave for Crystal Tokyo," Sage revealed. "Any ideas?"
The group of ten heroes sat in complete silence for a few minutes, along with Rini, Luna, and Artemis, pondering over how to get on the spaceship.
"I have an idea," Amy announced.
"What is it, Amy?" Cye asked curiously.
"We can use Sailor Planet Power to teleport all ten of us onto that spaceship," Amy explained.
"Are you sure this is such a good idea, Amy?" Artemis asked.
"Artemis is right," Luna pointed out. "The five of you have never attempted to teleport anyone other than yourselves when you used Sailor Planet Power before. Who knows what will happen if you try to teleport five extra passengers?"
"We know, Luna, but we don't have a lot of choices," Rae explained. "This might be our only chance at stopping Amethyst and Topaz once and for all."
"Sounds like a plan, guys. You can definitely count me in!" Lita announced.
"Same here," Mina added.
"Hey, don't forget about me!" Serena exclaimed.
"I don't know about this. If using this Sailor Planet Power of yours is going to be dangerous, we shouldn't risk it," Ryo muttered out loud.
"Well, unless you have another idea, Ryo, that's our only option," Rae pointed out.
"We could use the power of the Ronin armors to go up into space, just like what we did last night, Serena," Rowen suggested.
"That could work..." Serena muttered thoughtfully. "But then again, once we get to the spaceship, how do we get inside?"
"I guess I haven't given that part much thought," Rowen reluctantly admitted.
"Do you happen to know the location of the spaceship you saw last night?" Amy asked curiously.
"Not exactly," Rowen confessed. "Even if we did know, Amethyst and Topaz had plenty of time to relocate."
"That's why we have to use Sailor Planet Power, guys," Rae explained. "We'll be able to teleport right inside of the spaceship, no matter where it is, and it'd be much quicker than all of us traveling around space in those orbs, having no idea where to look."
"Let's go for it, Ryo!" Kento shouted.
"Yeah, let's do it," Ryo agreed.
"I'm coming, too!" The five Ronin Warriors and five Sailor Scouts turned around and stared at Rini, stunned that she would even suggest that.
"No way, Rini! You're staying here where it's safe!" Serena argued.
"But, Serena, I can help!" Rini protested.
"Sorry, Rini, but you can't come with us," Serena told Rini sternly.
"I don't know about you guys, but in a way, Rini kinda reminds me of Yuli," Ryo whispered just loud enough for Sage, Cye, Kento, and Rowen to hear.
"Rini, listen to us. We all promised Sailor Pluto that we wouldn't let anything happen to you," Lita announced.
"You know as well as we do that the Dark Moon family has tried to capture you before, Rini, and bringing you with us on their own spaceship would give Amethyst and Topaz the opportunity to succeed where their brothers and sister have failed," Amy added.
"You understand why you can't come with us, right, Rini?" Mina asked curiously.
The little pink-haired girl stood there for a few moments without even saying a word. "Yeah, I guess," Rini reluctantly agreed.
"Don't worry, Rini. We'll stay here with you and Mia," Luna announced as Artemis nodded his head in approval.
"And White Blaze will stay here to protect all of you, just in case Amethyst and Topaz try something while we're gone," Ryo added as he got up, opened the front door, and let out a sharp whistle. "White Blaze!" The white tiger let out a small roar as he entered the house.
"I feel safer already!" Rini admitted with a slight giggle as White Blaze sat down next to her.
"We should get going now. We don't have any time to waste," Ryo announced.
"Right," Rae agreed as the ten heroes all stood up and headed for the front door...
"This should work. No one will see us out here," Ryo revealed. The ten heroes were standing in a clearing deep in the forest behind Mia's house. The Ronin Warriors were all in their sub-armor, whereas the girls haven't transformed into their Sailor Scout uniforms yet.
"This is an excellent location you have selected, Ryo," Amy admitted as she looked around at the surrounding trees. "In such a vaguely populated area, no one will witness what we're about to do."
"That's good. It'd be kinda hard to explain to anyone that you girls are from the future," Sage remarked.
"Come on, girls! Let's do it!" Serena announced.
"Right!" Rae, Amy, Lita, and Mina agreed simultaneously as they took out their transformation wands.
"Moon Crystal Power!" Serena shouted as she held up her locket.
"Mars Star Power!"
"Mercury Star Power!"
"Jupiter Star Power!"
"Venus Star Power!"
"Scout Power!" Rae, Amy, Lita, and Mina shouted simultaneously.
The Ronin Warriors stood back and watched as the five Sailor Scouts went through their transformations. "So, how is this Sailor Planet Power supposed to work?" Kento asked curiously as the five girls finished transforming.
"Well, by concentrating on the exact location and focusing all of our powers, we will be able to teleport onto the spaceship and stop Amethyst and Topaz before they can return to Crystal Tokyo," Sailor Mercury explained.
"All right. What do you need us to do?" Sage asked.
"Just stand together, and we'll take care of the rest," Sailor Jupiter announced.
"Okay," Ryo replied as he, Sage, Cye, Kento, and Rowen grouped together as close as they could. After the Ronin Warriors banded together, the five Sailor Scouts circled around the Ronin Warriors.
"You ready, Scouts?" Sailor Moon asked as she looked around at her four friends.
"Any time, Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars shouted.
"Just give the word!" Sailor Venus added.
"All right! Let's do this!" Sailor Moon announced as she, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus quickly joined hands.
"Mercury Star Power!" Sailor Mercury shouted.
"Mars Star Power!" Sailor Mars shouted.
"Jupiter Star Power!" Sailor Jupiter shouted.
"Venus Star Power!" Sailor Venus shouted.
"Moon Crystal Power!" Sailor Moon shouted.
"SAILOR PLANET POWER!" the five Sailor Scouts shouted simultaneously.
"Look at that! They're all glowing!" Rowen exclaimed loudly.
Ryo, Sage, Cye, and Kento looked up and gasped out of surprise when they saw that the Sailor Scouts were indeed radiating a glow of colorful light from their bodies. Suddenly, the Ronin Warriors found themselves and the Sailor Scouts encased in a column of white light. As soon as the column of white light appeared, it disappeared just as quickly, taking the ten heroes along with it...
"This is strange. I'm picking up a very powerful energy reading from Earth, Amethyst," Topaz reported to his sister. "Whatever it is, it's definitely not from this time."
"I'll bet that meddlesome Sailor Moon and her pesky Sailor Scout friends are up to something," Amethyst muttered thoughtfully. "Like us, they're from a future time and place as well."
"That is possible, Amethyst. According to my readings, the energy came from outside the city of Toyama in Japan, where the Ronin Warriors are located," Topaz revealed.
"Can you find out what's causing this strange energy reading, Topaz?" Amethyst asked.
"Of course, Amethyst. Just give me a moment," Topaz replied as he closed his eyes and focused his energy on the crystal ball in front of him. A few moments later, an image of the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors appeared in the crystal ball. The five Sailor Scouts were standing around the Ronin Warriors in a circle, with their hands joined together.
"SAILOR PLANET POWER!" the Sailor Scouts shouted simultaneously.
"They're using Sailor Planet Power. I remember hearing about this. It allows the Scouts to either create a powerful shield to protect themselves or to teleport anyplace they choose," Amethyst admitted.
"If that's true, Amethyst, then they all must be on their way up here," Topaz realized. "This could be our chance to rid ourselves of the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors once and for all!"
"Was Small Lady with them, Topaz?" Amethyst asked as she watched the ten heroes disappear in a bright column of white light.
"No, she wasn't. The Scouts probably left Small Lady in the care of the Ronin Warriors' ally, the one they call Mia," Topaz replied.
"Then I suggest you go down there and get her, Topaz!" Amethyst muttered sternly. "With Small Lady in our possession, along with the Jewel of Life, our conquest of Crystal Tokyo is inevitable."
"But what about the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors, Amethyst?" Topaz asked curiously. "As we speak, they are on their way up here. They could arrive on our ship any minute now."
"I know that, Topaz!" Amethyst muttered angrily through clenched teeth. "Don't worry about them. I'll take care of our uninvited guests until you come back with Small Lady. Now go down there and get her, Topaz."
"Right away, Amethyst. Consider it done," Topaz replied as he got up and left the dark room...
"Rini, are you okay?" Mia asked curiously. "You barely touched your food."
"I guess I'm not very hungry, Mia," Rini replied solemnly as she pushed away the plate with a partially eaten sandwich on it. Mia and Rini were sitting at the kitchen table, with Rini's Luna Ball hovering next to her. Luna and Artemis were sitting on the floor next to Rini.
"What's wrong, Rini?" Artemis asked.
"I'm worried about Serena...and the other girls," Rini muttered out loud.
Upon hearing this, Luna jumped up on top of a chair and onto the table. "There's no need to worry, Rini. The Sailor Scouts will defeat Amethyst and Topaz," Luna proclaimed.
"And don't forget, Rini, the Ronin Warriors are with your friends," Mia added. "Together, they'll put an end to this evil."
"Yeah, you're right," Rini whispered as she got out of her chair. "I'm going to go outside and play for a while."
"Okay, Rini. Be careful," Mia instructed as Rini left the house through the kitchen door, followed by her floating Luna Ball. "Luna, why would those Dark Moon people be after such an innocent little girl?" Mia asked.
"That innocent little girl plays a very important role in thirtieth century Crystal Tokyo, Mia," Luna explained.
"What kind of role?" Mia asked curiously.
"I'm afraid we can't tell you that, Mia. Revealing too much of what will happen in the future might drastically alter it," Artemis replied.
"I understand, Artemis," Mia admitted. Suddenly, Mia and the two guardian cats heard Rini scream from outside.
"Rini!" Luna and Artemis shouted as they ran for the kitchen door, followed by Mia. When Mia opened the door, she and the two cats gasped loudly out of shock. Rini was lying on her back, looking up at a man with bright red- orange hair, who Mia recognized.
"That's the same man that attacked me!" Mia realized.
"How very astute of you," Topaz retorted.
"Somebody help me!" Rini shouted as Topaz reached for her.
"We're coming, Rini!" Artemis shouted as he and Luna ran towards Topaz.
"Oh, no! A pair of cats! They're probably going to scratch my eyes out!" Topaz gasped mockingly with a sarcastic laugh.
As the cats jumped on Topaz, Mia called out, "White Blaze! Come quick!"
"How pathetic!" Topaz retorted as he knocked both Luna and Artemis off of him with his arm.
"Luna! Artemis! No!" Rini cried out as she watched the two cats hit the ground while clutching her Luna Ball tightly in her arms.
"Now, for you, Small Lady!" Topaz announced as he reached for Rini once again. Before he could grab Rini, Topaz was startled to hear a loud roar coming from behind him. He started to turn around, but was knocked to the ground as a large white tiger jumped on his back.
"Yay, White Blaze!" Rini cheered happily as she stood up.
"Come on, Rini! We better leave now!" Mia shouted as she grabbed Rini's hand and started to run back towards the kitchen door.
"Wait, Mia! We gotta get Luna and Artemis first!" Rini shouted as she broke free from Mia's hold and ran back to where the injured cats were still lying.
"Rini, go now! Leave us!" Luna muttered out loud as she slowly lifted her head.
"No, Luna! I can't leave you two here!" Rini protested.
"You have to, Rini! If Topaz gets you, all hope for the future will be lost!" Artemis barely got out. Before Rini could say anything, a roar from White Blaze caused her to look up. Topaz had managed to turn around on his back, but Ryo's white tiger still had him pinned to the ground.
"Get off of me, you stupid beast!" Topaz shouted as the black crescent moon on his forehead started to glow with an eerie light. Suddenly, a beam of black energy shot out from the black crescent moon on Topaz's forehead and struck White Blaze hard in the stomach, knocking the huge white tiger out cold.
"White Blaze!" Rini cried out.
"You should know by now, Small Lady: Nothing can protect you from the Dark Moon family!" Topaz boasted as he reached for Rini once again. Rini let out a high-pitched scream when Topaz grabbed her arm. Instantly, a golden crescent moon appeared on Rini's forehead and released a bright flash of yellow light.
"Ahh! My eyes!" Topaz shouted as he shielded his eyes with his arm, letting go of Rini in the process.
"How did you...How did you do that, Rini?" Mia asked out of shock.
"I'll explain later, Mia. We gotta go now!" Rini announced as she turned around. Mia gasped when she saw Topaz creeping up from behind the little girl.
"Rini, look out!" Mia shouted. Rini started to turn her head, but it was too late. The pink pigtailed girl fell to the ground from Topaz's blow.
"No, Rini!" Mia shouted as she helplessly watched Topaz scoop up the unconscious girl in his arms.
"Small Lady is coming back to Crystal Tokyo with us, and there's nothing you or your friends can do about it!" Topaz boasted with a sinister laugh.
Suddenly, Topaz heard a low roar from behind him. He turned around and saw White Blaze getting up. "You won't be able to save her, beast, so you might as well give up!" Topaz muttered out loud.
"Please hurry, White Blaze!" Mia pleaded as White Blaze leapt towards Topaz. Before the white tiger could reach him, Topaz teleported away, taking Rini along with him.
"Oh, no!" Mia gasped. She heard some slight moans and looked down at Luna and Artemis, who were struggling to stand up. "Luna! Artemis! Topaz took Rini! I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Mia. Don't blame yourself," Artemis whispered.
"Don't worry, Mia. The Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors will find Rini and save her from Amethyst and Topaz," Luna reassured Mia...
In the meantime, while Topaz was heading down to Earth to capture Rini, the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors had just arrived on board of the spaceship, engulfed in a bright white light.
"Whoa! What a trip!" Kento confessed as the white light faded away.
"That Sailor Planet Power was incredible!" Cye admitted.
"And it did its job. Look over there," Rowen announced, pointing at a large window next to them. "We're on board of the Dark Moon ship, just as the Sailor Scouts promised us."
"Oh, no! Guys, we got a problem!" Ryo revealed. Rowen, Sage, Cye, and Kento turned around and gasped loudly at the sight around them. All five Sailor Scouts had collapsed in a circle around them.
"I guess Luna was right. Using their powers to teleport the five of us with them had drained all of them of their energy," Rowen theorized as he, Ryo, Sage, Cye, and Kento knelt down next to the five girls.
"Sailor Moon, can you hear me?" Rowen asked as he gently lifted Sailor Moon's head.
"Come on, Sailor Mars! Wake up!" Ryo pleaded as he held Sailor Mars up in a sitting position.
"Get up, Sailor Jupiter! Don't tell me you suffered through a sprained ankle for this?" Sage asked a bit sarcastically.
"Come on, Sailor Venus! You're stronger than this!" Kento shouted.
"Sailor Mercury, please wake up," Cye whispered.
Suddenly, Rowen was a bit startled to hear a small moan coming from Sailor Moon. "Sailor Moon? Are you all right?" Rowen asked as Sailor Moon slowly opened her eyes.
"Yeah, I think so," Sailor Moon mumbled weakly as she held her head, while Rowen got her up in a sitting position. "What about the other Scouts?"
"They're just fine, Sailor Moon. They passed out, too, but they're starting to come around," Ryo explained as the four Sailor Scouts slowly came to.
"Did anyone get the license off the truck that hit us?" Sailor Jupiter muttered out loud. Sage chuckled a bit as he helped Sailor Jupiter stand up.
"I can't believe it! We made it, Scouts!" Sailor Mercury admitted proudly as she pointed at the window showing the planet Earth below them.
"We sure did. But what do we do now?" Sailor Mars asked.
"We find Amethyst and Topaz before they leave for Crystal Tokyo," Ryo replied.
"Yeah, and we'll send them both back into the slimy hole they crawled out of!" Kento boasted.
"I'd like to see you try, Kento of Hardrock!" a familiar voice retorted.
"It's Amethyst!" Sailor Venus gasped.
"Yeah, but where is she?" Cye asked as he looked around.
"There she is!" Ryo announced as he pointed at Amethyst standing right in front of him and Sailor Mars.
"Then why do I see her over here?" Sailor Jupiter asked as she pointed at a second Amethyst standing in front of her and Sage.
"There's five of them!" Rowen realized when he noticed three other images of Amethyst: one in front of him and Sailor Moon, a second image by Cye and Sailor Mercury, and a third image by Kento and Sailor Venus.
"It's just a hologram. All five of them are holograms," Sailor Mercury realized.
"Then where's the real Amethyst, Sailor Mercury?" Cye asked.
"That's something you'll never find out!" Amethyst announced, her voice echoing from all five holograms. "You're all fools for coming up here. You cannot stop us now!"
"Listen up, Amethyst! We've been up against worst odds than you!" Sage shouted.
"Yeah! You and your brother are going down for good!" Kento added boastfully.
"Pretty confident, aren't you?" Amethyst asked sarcastically. "It seems that you were confident enough to leave Small Lady back on Earth unprotected."
"No way! You have Rini?" Sailor Moon asked a bit worriedly.
"Did you seriously think that a mortal girl and a pet tiger could stop us from taking her?" Amethyst remarked sinisterly with a quick laugh.
"Don't worry, Sailor Moon. We'll get Rini back from those Dark Moon creeps," Rowen assured Sailor Moon.
The five holograms of Amethyst all chuckled evilly. "I'm afraid you'll never get the chance!"
Suddenly, a trap door opened up underneath Rowen and Sailor Moon. The two heroes screamed as they plummeted down a long dark tunnel, with the trap door closing up behind them.
"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars shouted.
"Rowen!" Ryo shouted.
"Don't worry so much about your friends. You'll soon be meeting their fate!" Amethyst announced. Instantly, four more trap doors opened up underneath the remaining Ronin Warriors and Sailor Scouts. Ryo and Sailor Mars were the first to fall down the pitch-black tunnel, followed by Cye and Sailor Mercury, Sage and Sailor Jupiter, and Kento and Sailor Venus.
Unknown to the Ronin Warriors and Sailor Scouts, Amethyst was watching all of the events unfold in the control room on the large monitor. "Those fools have no idea what's in store for them, but they shall soon see," Amethyst muttered to herself with a sinister chuckle. At that very moment, Topaz teleported into the control room, carrying an unconscious Rini.
"Amethyst, I'm back, and I have brought Small Lady with me," Topaz announced.
Amethyst turned around and a small smirk formed on her face when she saw the little pink-pigtailed girl in her brother's arms. "Excellent job, Topaz. Put her in there," Amethyst instructed, pointing at a large metal cage in the back of the room.
"At once, Amethyst," Topaz agreed as he turned around and approached the cage. After placing Rini inside and locking the door, Topaz rejoined his sister, who had just pressed a button on the control panel. The main screen instantly divided into five smaller screens.
"So, how goes our little infestation problem?" Topaz asked.
"The little pests are about to be separated," Amethyst retorted with a sinister laugh...
"AHH!" Sailor Moon screamed loudly as she continued falling down the seemingly never-ending tunnel. The tunnel was so dark that she couldn't even see Rowen anymore. All of a sudden, Sailor Moon dropped in a small room.
"Oh..." Sailor Moon groaned out of pain as she rubbed the side of her thigh, which got bruised from the fall. "Oh, no! There's no way out!" Sailor Moon whimpered nervously as she looked around at the four stone gray walls surrounding her. She looked up at the hole that she fell from in the ceiling.
"It's too high to reach. Rowen, are you up there?" Sailor Moon shouted, her voice echoing off the walls of the room.
Sailor Moon stayed completely quiet, hoping to hear a response from someone. A few seconds later, she heard a faint yell coming from the tunnel, which was getting closer by the second. Suddenly, a figure in sub- armor fell from the opening in the ceiling and hit the floor, nearly landing on top of Sailor Moon.
"Hey, are you okay?" Sailor Moon asked curiously as she approached the figure. She gasped slightly when she recognized the Ronin Warrior. "Ryo? How did you end up here?"
"I wish I knew, Sailor Moon," Ryo muttered out loud as he slowly stood up. "Where are the others?"
"I don't know, Ryo," Sailor Moon reluctantly admitted. "I haven't seen anyone else since Rowen and I fell through that trap door, besides you, that is."
"Those Dark Moon guys are up to something, Sailor Moon," Ryo revealed. "They separated us for a reason."
"Yeah, but what?" Sailor Moon asked.
"I'm sure we'll soon find out, Sailor Moon. But, for now, let's try to find a way out of here," Ryo suggested as he approached one of the walls and started to rap his knuckles against it.
"What are you doing?" Sailor Moon asked curiously.
"Checking for a secret passage. How about you try checking that wall?" Ryo suggested, pointing at the wall to his left.
"All right, Ryo," Sailor Moon agreed as she approached the wall and started to rap her fist against it...
"Just a little higher, Cye," Sailor Jupiter instructed. She was stuck in a room much like the one that Ryo and Sailor Moon were trapped in with Cye. Sailor Jupiter was standing on top of Cye's shoulders, trying to reach for the opening in the ceiling that they fell out of.
"You got it, Sailor Jupiter," Cye muttered through clenched teeth as he grabbed Sailor Jupiter by her feet and slowly lifted her higher towards the dark hole in the ceiling.
"Almost there..." Sailor Jupiter muttered out loud through clenched teeth as she stretched her arm out as far as she could in an attempt to reach the edge of the tunnel.
As Cye stepped forward, he didn't notice the small puddle in front of him. "Ahh!" Cye shouted as he slipped in the puddle and fell backwards. Realizing that Cye was falling, Sailor Jupiter made a desperate leap towards the opening, but missed by an inch.
"I got you, Sailor Jupiter!" Cye shouted as he quickly got up to catch Sailor Jupiter. Unfortunately for him, Cye ended up on his back again with Sailor Jupiter landing right on top of him.
"Sorry about that, Cye," Sailor Jupiter apologized as she got off of Cye. "Thanks for breaking my fall, though."
"No problem," Cye groaned a bit as he stood up with help from Sailor Jupiter.
"You feel like trying again, Cye?" Sailor Jupiter asked. "I almost made it that time."
"Sure, Sailor Jupiter. We got nothing else to lose," Cye replied...
"Look at them, Topaz! They're like rats trapped in a maze!" Amethyst snickered sinisterly as she and Topaz watched the five screens, each one containing a Ronin Warrior and Sailor Scout.
One screen showed Ryo and Sailor Moon tapping against the walls, trying to find a way out. Another screen revealed Cye lifting Sailor Jupiter up towards the opening in the ceiling. In the third screen, Sage was against the wall, using his hands to lift Sailor Venus to the tunnel opening. In the fourth screen, Kento was repeatedly punching and kicking one of the walls, while Sailor Mars stood by and watched in disbelief. In the last screen, Rowen and Sailor Mercury were carefully examining the walls for any concealed doors. Amethyst and Topaz were so concentrated on the surveillance monitors, they didn't notice that Rini was now wide awake.
Oh, no! My friends are in trouble! Rini thought to herself. She gasped slightly when she saw Topaz starting to turn his head around. Rini quickly laid back down in the cage and closed her eyes, pretending to be unconscious. Topaz looked over at the cage and found Rini still lying on the floor unconscious. Satisfied that she was still out cold, Topaz returned his attention back to the surveillance monitors. Rini decided to keep one eye slightly open, so she could still see what was going on.
"So, what now, Amethyst? Do we put them out of their misery now, or let them suffer a little more?" Topaz asked sinisterly.
"I think it's time to let in the exterminators!" Amethyst announced as she snapped her fingers.
Instantly, the door behind Amethyst and Topaz slid open and five small balls of different colored light floated into the room. The two remaining members of the Dark Moon family turned around as the balls of light transformed into five figures. Rini almost gasped out loud, but quickly covered her mouth.
"It's those creatures from the Celestial Stones! But the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors destroyed them!"
"Is it time, Lady Amethyst and Lord Topaz?" Flarea asked curiously as the other four exchanged small smirks.
"Indeed, it is, Flarea. You know what to do," Amethyst replied.
"Of course," Flarea admitted as she and the others nodded in agreement.
"Good. Now go!" Amethyst commanded. The five creatures nodded their heads before they once again transformed into balls of light and disappeared from the room without a trace.
"Now, the real fun begins!" Amethyst remarked sinisterly. She and her brother snickered evilly as they watched the surveillance monitors in anticipation...TO BE CONTINUED
Part Seven-The Final Showdown
"No way! Are you guys kidding?" Kento exclaimed out of shock. The five Ronin Warriors, the five Sailor Scouts, Rini, Luna, and Artemis were all sitting in the living room, discussing what had happened the previous night to Rowen and Sailor Moon.
"I wish we were, but we're not kidding, Kento," Serena reluctantly revealed.
"Topaz claimed that he and Amethyst now have the power necessary to take over Crystal Tokyo," Rowen added.
"But how is that even possible?" Ryo asked.
"Yeah, we did destroy all those creatures from the Celestial Stones," Rae pointed out.
"Apparently, it wasn't the creatures they needed, but the Celestial Stones themselves," Rowen explained. "Those monsters were just an added bonus in their favor."
"So, these Celestial Stones were just simply batteries that needed charging up," Luna theorized.
"Perhaps they can be summoned again," Rowen muttered thoughtfully.
"What are you talking about, Rowen?" Cye asked curiously.
"Well, since the Celestial Stones are still intact, and that's where the creatures originally came from, then maybe Topaz and Amethyst can bring them back!" Rowen announced. "That doesn't sound good," Mina reluctantly admitted. "Our entire future could be at risk."
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Lita proclaimed as she held up her clenched fist.
"You sure you're up to it, Lita?" Sage asked curiously.
"Don't worry about me, Sage. My ankle is completely healed," Lita assured him. "I can get around just fine on my own."
"Can you back that up, Lita?" Kento asked sarcastically.
"What? You want a demonstration, Kento?" Lita asked loudly as she stood up from the couch. "Come on! Get up and I'll show you!"
"Don't do it, Kento. You'll regret it," Mina warned Kento as he got up from the floor.
"Yeah, right, Mina. What is she gonna do?" Kento retorted. To Kento's surprise, Lita quickly spun around and tripped him with a low kick, causing him to fall flat on his back.
"I tried to warn you, Kento, but you wouldn't listen," Mina remarked as Lita helped Kento to his feet.
"Looks like Lita's ankle is completely healed to me!" Sage admitted, trying to muffle his snickering.
"Enough joking around, guys! We have to find a way to stop Amethyst and Topaz before they destroy this Crystal Tokyo!" Ryo interrupted.
"You're right, Ryo. But first, we have to find them," Rae agreed.
"They must have a temporary base around here somewhere. We must locate it as quickly as possible," Amy suggested.
"Yeah, but we have no idea where to start looking, Amy," Serena pointed out.
"I think I have an idea," Rowen muttered out loud.
"What are you talking about, Rowen?" Sage asked curiously.
"When Serena and I were searching for the Celestial Stone of Air last night, I saw something unusual up in space," Rowen revealed. "At first, I thought it was a misshapen asteroid, but now that I think about it, I believe that what I saw was actually a floating castle."
"A floating castle? You sure you weren't seeing things, Rowen?" Kento asked suspiciously.
"No, he wasn't seeing things, Kento! I saw it, too!" Serena announced.
"You did?" Rowen asked curiously as he looked at Serena.
"Yeah, I did, Rowen. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it before, but I thought I was seeing things," Serena confessed.
"That would actually make sense," Amy muttered thoughtfully. "In our past battles against the other members of the Dark Moon family, they have arrived to our time using massive spaceships composed entirely of black crystals that looked similar to castles."
"Ryo, didn't you say before that when you went to Mt. Fuji, you nearly got blasted by purple lightning?" Rae asked curiously.
"Yeah, I was," Ryo replied.
"That confirms it. This purple lightning you speak of doesn't sound natural at all. It could have been some sort of an aerial attack that was meant for you, Ryo," Amy suggested. "Amethyst and Topaz must have assumed that you somehow discovered the location of the Celestial Stone of Fire, although we all know that you had no prior knowledge about it until you met up with Rae."
"That would make sense," Ryo admitted. "That purple lightning was definitely trying to strike me down. Last time I checked, lightning didn't have a mind of its own!"
"So, now that we know where they are, we just need to figure out a way to get up there and stop them before they leave for Crystal Tokyo," Sage revealed. "Any ideas?"
The group of ten heroes sat in complete silence for a few minutes, along with Rini, Luna, and Artemis, pondering over how to get on the spaceship.
"I have an idea," Amy announced.
"What is it, Amy?" Cye asked curiously.
"We can use Sailor Planet Power to teleport all ten of us onto that spaceship," Amy explained.
"Are you sure this is such a good idea, Amy?" Artemis asked.
"Artemis is right," Luna pointed out. "The five of you have never attempted to teleport anyone other than yourselves when you used Sailor Planet Power before. Who knows what will happen if you try to teleport five extra passengers?"
"We know, Luna, but we don't have a lot of choices," Rae explained. "This might be our only chance at stopping Amethyst and Topaz once and for all."
"Sounds like a plan, guys. You can definitely count me in!" Lita announced.
"Same here," Mina added.
"Hey, don't forget about me!" Serena exclaimed.
"I don't know about this. If using this Sailor Planet Power of yours is going to be dangerous, we shouldn't risk it," Ryo muttered out loud.
"Well, unless you have another idea, Ryo, that's our only option," Rae pointed out.
"We could use the power of the Ronin armors to go up into space, just like what we did last night, Serena," Rowen suggested.
"That could work..." Serena muttered thoughtfully. "But then again, once we get to the spaceship, how do we get inside?"
"I guess I haven't given that part much thought," Rowen reluctantly admitted.
"Do you happen to know the location of the spaceship you saw last night?" Amy asked curiously.
"Not exactly," Rowen confessed. "Even if we did know, Amethyst and Topaz had plenty of time to relocate."
"That's why we have to use Sailor Planet Power, guys," Rae explained. "We'll be able to teleport right inside of the spaceship, no matter where it is, and it'd be much quicker than all of us traveling around space in those orbs, having no idea where to look."
"Let's go for it, Ryo!" Kento shouted.
"Yeah, let's do it," Ryo agreed.
"I'm coming, too!" The five Ronin Warriors and five Sailor Scouts turned around and stared at Rini, stunned that she would even suggest that.
"No way, Rini! You're staying here where it's safe!" Serena argued.
"But, Serena, I can help!" Rini protested.
"Sorry, Rini, but you can't come with us," Serena told Rini sternly.
"I don't know about you guys, but in a way, Rini kinda reminds me of Yuli," Ryo whispered just loud enough for Sage, Cye, Kento, and Rowen to hear.
"Rini, listen to us. We all promised Sailor Pluto that we wouldn't let anything happen to you," Lita announced.
"You know as well as we do that the Dark Moon family has tried to capture you before, Rini, and bringing you with us on their own spaceship would give Amethyst and Topaz the opportunity to succeed where their brothers and sister have failed," Amy added.
"You understand why you can't come with us, right, Rini?" Mina asked curiously.
The little pink-haired girl stood there for a few moments without even saying a word. "Yeah, I guess," Rini reluctantly agreed.
"Don't worry, Rini. We'll stay here with you and Mia," Luna announced as Artemis nodded his head in approval.
"And White Blaze will stay here to protect all of you, just in case Amethyst and Topaz try something while we're gone," Ryo added as he got up, opened the front door, and let out a sharp whistle. "White Blaze!" The white tiger let out a small roar as he entered the house.
"I feel safer already!" Rini admitted with a slight giggle as White Blaze sat down next to her.
"We should get going now. We don't have any time to waste," Ryo announced.
"Right," Rae agreed as the ten heroes all stood up and headed for the front door...
"This should work. No one will see us out here," Ryo revealed. The ten heroes were standing in a clearing deep in the forest behind Mia's house. The Ronin Warriors were all in their sub-armor, whereas the girls haven't transformed into their Sailor Scout uniforms yet.
"This is an excellent location you have selected, Ryo," Amy admitted as she looked around at the surrounding trees. "In such a vaguely populated area, no one will witness what we're about to do."
"That's good. It'd be kinda hard to explain to anyone that you girls are from the future," Sage remarked.
"Come on, girls! Let's do it!" Serena announced.
"Right!" Rae, Amy, Lita, and Mina agreed simultaneously as they took out their transformation wands.
"Moon Crystal Power!" Serena shouted as she held up her locket.
"Mars Star Power!"
"Mercury Star Power!"
"Jupiter Star Power!"
"Venus Star Power!"
"Scout Power!" Rae, Amy, Lita, and Mina shouted simultaneously.
The Ronin Warriors stood back and watched as the five Sailor Scouts went through their transformations. "So, how is this Sailor Planet Power supposed to work?" Kento asked curiously as the five girls finished transforming.
"Well, by concentrating on the exact location and focusing all of our powers, we will be able to teleport onto the spaceship and stop Amethyst and Topaz before they can return to Crystal Tokyo," Sailor Mercury explained.
"All right. What do you need us to do?" Sage asked.
"Just stand together, and we'll take care of the rest," Sailor Jupiter announced.
"Okay," Ryo replied as he, Sage, Cye, Kento, and Rowen grouped together as close as they could. After the Ronin Warriors banded together, the five Sailor Scouts circled around the Ronin Warriors.
"You ready, Scouts?" Sailor Moon asked as she looked around at her four friends.
"Any time, Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars shouted.
"Just give the word!" Sailor Venus added.
"All right! Let's do this!" Sailor Moon announced as she, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus quickly joined hands.
"Mercury Star Power!" Sailor Mercury shouted.
"Mars Star Power!" Sailor Mars shouted.
"Jupiter Star Power!" Sailor Jupiter shouted.
"Venus Star Power!" Sailor Venus shouted.
"Moon Crystal Power!" Sailor Moon shouted.
"SAILOR PLANET POWER!" the five Sailor Scouts shouted simultaneously.
"Look at that! They're all glowing!" Rowen exclaimed loudly.
Ryo, Sage, Cye, and Kento looked up and gasped out of surprise when they saw that the Sailor Scouts were indeed radiating a glow of colorful light from their bodies. Suddenly, the Ronin Warriors found themselves and the Sailor Scouts encased in a column of white light. As soon as the column of white light appeared, it disappeared just as quickly, taking the ten heroes along with it...
"This is strange. I'm picking up a very powerful energy reading from Earth, Amethyst," Topaz reported to his sister. "Whatever it is, it's definitely not from this time."
"I'll bet that meddlesome Sailor Moon and her pesky Sailor Scout friends are up to something," Amethyst muttered thoughtfully. "Like us, they're from a future time and place as well."
"That is possible, Amethyst. According to my readings, the energy came from outside the city of Toyama in Japan, where the Ronin Warriors are located," Topaz revealed.
"Can you find out what's causing this strange energy reading, Topaz?" Amethyst asked.
"Of course, Amethyst. Just give me a moment," Topaz replied as he closed his eyes and focused his energy on the crystal ball in front of him. A few moments later, an image of the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors appeared in the crystal ball. The five Sailor Scouts were standing around the Ronin Warriors in a circle, with their hands joined together.
"SAILOR PLANET POWER!" the Sailor Scouts shouted simultaneously.
"They're using Sailor Planet Power. I remember hearing about this. It allows the Scouts to either create a powerful shield to protect themselves or to teleport anyplace they choose," Amethyst admitted.
"If that's true, Amethyst, then they all must be on their way up here," Topaz realized. "This could be our chance to rid ourselves of the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors once and for all!"
"Was Small Lady with them, Topaz?" Amethyst asked as she watched the ten heroes disappear in a bright column of white light.
"No, she wasn't. The Scouts probably left Small Lady in the care of the Ronin Warriors' ally, the one they call Mia," Topaz replied.
"Then I suggest you go down there and get her, Topaz!" Amethyst muttered sternly. "With Small Lady in our possession, along with the Jewel of Life, our conquest of Crystal Tokyo is inevitable."
"But what about the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors, Amethyst?" Topaz asked curiously. "As we speak, they are on their way up here. They could arrive on our ship any minute now."
"I know that, Topaz!" Amethyst muttered angrily through clenched teeth. "Don't worry about them. I'll take care of our uninvited guests until you come back with Small Lady. Now go down there and get her, Topaz."
"Right away, Amethyst. Consider it done," Topaz replied as he got up and left the dark room...
"Rini, are you okay?" Mia asked curiously. "You barely touched your food."
"I guess I'm not very hungry, Mia," Rini replied solemnly as she pushed away the plate with a partially eaten sandwich on it. Mia and Rini were sitting at the kitchen table, with Rini's Luna Ball hovering next to her. Luna and Artemis were sitting on the floor next to Rini.
"What's wrong, Rini?" Artemis asked.
"I'm worried about Serena...and the other girls," Rini muttered out loud.
Upon hearing this, Luna jumped up on top of a chair and onto the table. "There's no need to worry, Rini. The Sailor Scouts will defeat Amethyst and Topaz," Luna proclaimed.
"And don't forget, Rini, the Ronin Warriors are with your friends," Mia added. "Together, they'll put an end to this evil."
"Yeah, you're right," Rini whispered as she got out of her chair. "I'm going to go outside and play for a while."
"Okay, Rini. Be careful," Mia instructed as Rini left the house through the kitchen door, followed by her floating Luna Ball. "Luna, why would those Dark Moon people be after such an innocent little girl?" Mia asked.
"That innocent little girl plays a very important role in thirtieth century Crystal Tokyo, Mia," Luna explained.
"What kind of role?" Mia asked curiously.
"I'm afraid we can't tell you that, Mia. Revealing too much of what will happen in the future might drastically alter it," Artemis replied.
"I understand, Artemis," Mia admitted. Suddenly, Mia and the two guardian cats heard Rini scream from outside.
"Rini!" Luna and Artemis shouted as they ran for the kitchen door, followed by Mia. When Mia opened the door, she and the two cats gasped loudly out of shock. Rini was lying on her back, looking up at a man with bright red- orange hair, who Mia recognized.
"That's the same man that attacked me!" Mia realized.
"How very astute of you," Topaz retorted.
"Somebody help me!" Rini shouted as Topaz reached for her.
"We're coming, Rini!" Artemis shouted as he and Luna ran towards Topaz.
"Oh, no! A pair of cats! They're probably going to scratch my eyes out!" Topaz gasped mockingly with a sarcastic laugh.
As the cats jumped on Topaz, Mia called out, "White Blaze! Come quick!"
"How pathetic!" Topaz retorted as he knocked both Luna and Artemis off of him with his arm.
"Luna! Artemis! No!" Rini cried out as she watched the two cats hit the ground while clutching her Luna Ball tightly in her arms.
"Now, for you, Small Lady!" Topaz announced as he reached for Rini once again. Before he could grab Rini, Topaz was startled to hear a loud roar coming from behind him. He started to turn around, but was knocked to the ground as a large white tiger jumped on his back.
"Yay, White Blaze!" Rini cheered happily as she stood up.
"Come on, Rini! We better leave now!" Mia shouted as she grabbed Rini's hand and started to run back towards the kitchen door.
"Wait, Mia! We gotta get Luna and Artemis first!" Rini shouted as she broke free from Mia's hold and ran back to where the injured cats were still lying.
"Rini, go now! Leave us!" Luna muttered out loud as she slowly lifted her head.
"No, Luna! I can't leave you two here!" Rini protested.
"You have to, Rini! If Topaz gets you, all hope for the future will be lost!" Artemis barely got out. Before Rini could say anything, a roar from White Blaze caused her to look up. Topaz had managed to turn around on his back, but Ryo's white tiger still had him pinned to the ground.
"Get off of me, you stupid beast!" Topaz shouted as the black crescent moon on his forehead started to glow with an eerie light. Suddenly, a beam of black energy shot out from the black crescent moon on Topaz's forehead and struck White Blaze hard in the stomach, knocking the huge white tiger out cold.
"White Blaze!" Rini cried out.
"You should know by now, Small Lady: Nothing can protect you from the Dark Moon family!" Topaz boasted as he reached for Rini once again. Rini let out a high-pitched scream when Topaz grabbed her arm. Instantly, a golden crescent moon appeared on Rini's forehead and released a bright flash of yellow light.
"Ahh! My eyes!" Topaz shouted as he shielded his eyes with his arm, letting go of Rini in the process.
"How did you...How did you do that, Rini?" Mia asked out of shock.
"I'll explain later, Mia. We gotta go now!" Rini announced as she turned around. Mia gasped when she saw Topaz creeping up from behind the little girl.
"Rini, look out!" Mia shouted. Rini started to turn her head, but it was too late. The pink pigtailed girl fell to the ground from Topaz's blow.
"No, Rini!" Mia shouted as she helplessly watched Topaz scoop up the unconscious girl in his arms.
"Small Lady is coming back to Crystal Tokyo with us, and there's nothing you or your friends can do about it!" Topaz boasted with a sinister laugh.
Suddenly, Topaz heard a low roar from behind him. He turned around and saw White Blaze getting up. "You won't be able to save her, beast, so you might as well give up!" Topaz muttered out loud.
"Please hurry, White Blaze!" Mia pleaded as White Blaze leapt towards Topaz. Before the white tiger could reach him, Topaz teleported away, taking Rini along with him.
"Oh, no!" Mia gasped. She heard some slight moans and looked down at Luna and Artemis, who were struggling to stand up. "Luna! Artemis! Topaz took Rini! I'm so sorry."
"It's okay, Mia. Don't blame yourself," Artemis whispered.
"Don't worry, Mia. The Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors will find Rini and save her from Amethyst and Topaz," Luna reassured Mia...
In the meantime, while Topaz was heading down to Earth to capture Rini, the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors had just arrived on board of the spaceship, engulfed in a bright white light.
"Whoa! What a trip!" Kento confessed as the white light faded away.
"That Sailor Planet Power was incredible!" Cye admitted.
"And it did its job. Look over there," Rowen announced, pointing at a large window next to them. "We're on board of the Dark Moon ship, just as the Sailor Scouts promised us."
"Oh, no! Guys, we got a problem!" Ryo revealed. Rowen, Sage, Cye, and Kento turned around and gasped loudly at the sight around them. All five Sailor Scouts had collapsed in a circle around them.
"I guess Luna was right. Using their powers to teleport the five of us with them had drained all of them of their energy," Rowen theorized as he, Ryo, Sage, Cye, and Kento knelt down next to the five girls.
"Sailor Moon, can you hear me?" Rowen asked as he gently lifted Sailor Moon's head.
"Come on, Sailor Mars! Wake up!" Ryo pleaded as he held Sailor Mars up in a sitting position.
"Get up, Sailor Jupiter! Don't tell me you suffered through a sprained ankle for this?" Sage asked a bit sarcastically.
"Come on, Sailor Venus! You're stronger than this!" Kento shouted.
"Sailor Mercury, please wake up," Cye whispered.
Suddenly, Rowen was a bit startled to hear a small moan coming from Sailor Moon. "Sailor Moon? Are you all right?" Rowen asked as Sailor Moon slowly opened her eyes.
"Yeah, I think so," Sailor Moon mumbled weakly as she held her head, while Rowen got her up in a sitting position. "What about the other Scouts?"
"They're just fine, Sailor Moon. They passed out, too, but they're starting to come around," Ryo explained as the four Sailor Scouts slowly came to.
"Did anyone get the license off the truck that hit us?" Sailor Jupiter muttered out loud. Sage chuckled a bit as he helped Sailor Jupiter stand up.
"I can't believe it! We made it, Scouts!" Sailor Mercury admitted proudly as she pointed at the window showing the planet Earth below them.
"We sure did. But what do we do now?" Sailor Mars asked.
"We find Amethyst and Topaz before they leave for Crystal Tokyo," Ryo replied.
"Yeah, and we'll send them both back into the slimy hole they crawled out of!" Kento boasted.
"I'd like to see you try, Kento of Hardrock!" a familiar voice retorted.
"It's Amethyst!" Sailor Venus gasped.
"Yeah, but where is she?" Cye asked as he looked around.
"There she is!" Ryo announced as he pointed at Amethyst standing right in front of him and Sailor Mars.
"Then why do I see her over here?" Sailor Jupiter asked as she pointed at a second Amethyst standing in front of her and Sage.
"There's five of them!" Rowen realized when he noticed three other images of Amethyst: one in front of him and Sailor Moon, a second image by Cye and Sailor Mercury, and a third image by Kento and Sailor Venus.
"It's just a hologram. All five of them are holograms," Sailor Mercury realized.
"Then where's the real Amethyst, Sailor Mercury?" Cye asked.
"That's something you'll never find out!" Amethyst announced, her voice echoing from all five holograms. "You're all fools for coming up here. You cannot stop us now!"
"Listen up, Amethyst! We've been up against worst odds than you!" Sage shouted.
"Yeah! You and your brother are going down for good!" Kento added boastfully.
"Pretty confident, aren't you?" Amethyst asked sarcastically. "It seems that you were confident enough to leave Small Lady back on Earth unprotected."
"No way! You have Rini?" Sailor Moon asked a bit worriedly.
"Did you seriously think that a mortal girl and a pet tiger could stop us from taking her?" Amethyst remarked sinisterly with a quick laugh.
"Don't worry, Sailor Moon. We'll get Rini back from those Dark Moon creeps," Rowen assured Sailor Moon.
The five holograms of Amethyst all chuckled evilly. "I'm afraid you'll never get the chance!"
Suddenly, a trap door opened up underneath Rowen and Sailor Moon. The two heroes screamed as they plummeted down a long dark tunnel, with the trap door closing up behind them.
"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mars shouted.
"Rowen!" Ryo shouted.
"Don't worry so much about your friends. You'll soon be meeting their fate!" Amethyst announced. Instantly, four more trap doors opened up underneath the remaining Ronin Warriors and Sailor Scouts. Ryo and Sailor Mars were the first to fall down the pitch-black tunnel, followed by Cye and Sailor Mercury, Sage and Sailor Jupiter, and Kento and Sailor Venus.
Unknown to the Ronin Warriors and Sailor Scouts, Amethyst was watching all of the events unfold in the control room on the large monitor. "Those fools have no idea what's in store for them, but they shall soon see," Amethyst muttered to herself with a sinister chuckle. At that very moment, Topaz teleported into the control room, carrying an unconscious Rini.
"Amethyst, I'm back, and I have brought Small Lady with me," Topaz announced.
Amethyst turned around and a small smirk formed on her face when she saw the little pink-pigtailed girl in her brother's arms. "Excellent job, Topaz. Put her in there," Amethyst instructed, pointing at a large metal cage in the back of the room.
"At once, Amethyst," Topaz agreed as he turned around and approached the cage. After placing Rini inside and locking the door, Topaz rejoined his sister, who had just pressed a button on the control panel. The main screen instantly divided into five smaller screens.
"So, how goes our little infestation problem?" Topaz asked.
"The little pests are about to be separated," Amethyst retorted with a sinister laugh...
"AHH!" Sailor Moon screamed loudly as she continued falling down the seemingly never-ending tunnel. The tunnel was so dark that she couldn't even see Rowen anymore. All of a sudden, Sailor Moon dropped in a small room.
"Oh..." Sailor Moon groaned out of pain as she rubbed the side of her thigh, which got bruised from the fall. "Oh, no! There's no way out!" Sailor Moon whimpered nervously as she looked around at the four stone gray walls surrounding her. She looked up at the hole that she fell from in the ceiling.
"It's too high to reach. Rowen, are you up there?" Sailor Moon shouted, her voice echoing off the walls of the room.
Sailor Moon stayed completely quiet, hoping to hear a response from someone. A few seconds later, she heard a faint yell coming from the tunnel, which was getting closer by the second. Suddenly, a figure in sub- armor fell from the opening in the ceiling and hit the floor, nearly landing on top of Sailor Moon.
"Hey, are you okay?" Sailor Moon asked curiously as she approached the figure. She gasped slightly when she recognized the Ronin Warrior. "Ryo? How did you end up here?"
"I wish I knew, Sailor Moon," Ryo muttered out loud as he slowly stood up. "Where are the others?"
"I don't know, Ryo," Sailor Moon reluctantly admitted. "I haven't seen anyone else since Rowen and I fell through that trap door, besides you, that is."
"Those Dark Moon guys are up to something, Sailor Moon," Ryo revealed. "They separated us for a reason."
"Yeah, but what?" Sailor Moon asked.
"I'm sure we'll soon find out, Sailor Moon. But, for now, let's try to find a way out of here," Ryo suggested as he approached one of the walls and started to rap his knuckles against it.
"What are you doing?" Sailor Moon asked curiously.
"Checking for a secret passage. How about you try checking that wall?" Ryo suggested, pointing at the wall to his left.
"All right, Ryo," Sailor Moon agreed as she approached the wall and started to rap her fist against it...
"Just a little higher, Cye," Sailor Jupiter instructed. She was stuck in a room much like the one that Ryo and Sailor Moon were trapped in with Cye. Sailor Jupiter was standing on top of Cye's shoulders, trying to reach for the opening in the ceiling that they fell out of.
"You got it, Sailor Jupiter," Cye muttered through clenched teeth as he grabbed Sailor Jupiter by her feet and slowly lifted her higher towards the dark hole in the ceiling.
"Almost there..." Sailor Jupiter muttered out loud through clenched teeth as she stretched her arm out as far as she could in an attempt to reach the edge of the tunnel.
As Cye stepped forward, he didn't notice the small puddle in front of him. "Ahh!" Cye shouted as he slipped in the puddle and fell backwards. Realizing that Cye was falling, Sailor Jupiter made a desperate leap towards the opening, but missed by an inch.
"I got you, Sailor Jupiter!" Cye shouted as he quickly got up to catch Sailor Jupiter. Unfortunately for him, Cye ended up on his back again with Sailor Jupiter landing right on top of him.
"Sorry about that, Cye," Sailor Jupiter apologized as she got off of Cye. "Thanks for breaking my fall, though."
"No problem," Cye groaned a bit as he stood up with help from Sailor Jupiter.
"You feel like trying again, Cye?" Sailor Jupiter asked. "I almost made it that time."
"Sure, Sailor Jupiter. We got nothing else to lose," Cye replied...
"Look at them, Topaz! They're like rats trapped in a maze!" Amethyst snickered sinisterly as she and Topaz watched the five screens, each one containing a Ronin Warrior and Sailor Scout.
One screen showed Ryo and Sailor Moon tapping against the walls, trying to find a way out. Another screen revealed Cye lifting Sailor Jupiter up towards the opening in the ceiling. In the third screen, Sage was against the wall, using his hands to lift Sailor Venus to the tunnel opening. In the fourth screen, Kento was repeatedly punching and kicking one of the walls, while Sailor Mars stood by and watched in disbelief. In the last screen, Rowen and Sailor Mercury were carefully examining the walls for any concealed doors. Amethyst and Topaz were so concentrated on the surveillance monitors, they didn't notice that Rini was now wide awake.
Oh, no! My friends are in trouble! Rini thought to herself. She gasped slightly when she saw Topaz starting to turn his head around. Rini quickly laid back down in the cage and closed her eyes, pretending to be unconscious. Topaz looked over at the cage and found Rini still lying on the floor unconscious. Satisfied that she was still out cold, Topaz returned his attention back to the surveillance monitors. Rini decided to keep one eye slightly open, so she could still see what was going on.
"So, what now, Amethyst? Do we put them out of their misery now, or let them suffer a little more?" Topaz asked sinisterly.
"I think it's time to let in the exterminators!" Amethyst announced as she snapped her fingers.
Instantly, the door behind Amethyst and Topaz slid open and five small balls of different colored light floated into the room. The two remaining members of the Dark Moon family turned around as the balls of light transformed into five figures. Rini almost gasped out loud, but quickly covered her mouth.
"It's those creatures from the Celestial Stones! But the Sailor Scouts and Ronin Warriors destroyed them!"
"Is it time, Lady Amethyst and Lord Topaz?" Flarea asked curiously as the other four exchanged small smirks.
"Indeed, it is, Flarea. You know what to do," Amethyst replied.
"Of course," Flarea admitted as she and the others nodded in agreement.
"Good. Now go!" Amethyst commanded. The five creatures nodded their heads before they once again transformed into balls of light and disappeared from the room without a trace.
"Now, the real fun begins!" Amethyst remarked sinisterly. She and her brother snickered evilly as they watched the surveillance monitors in anticipation...TO BE CONTINUED
