Chapter 25: Shifting Sand Land
"What's going on here? There's no desert in Japan, and why is there an Egyptian pyramid here?" Sakura Mizuno asked as she took in her new surroundings. She and Michiru Kaiou had appeared in a sandy, dry world after Sailor Nemesis had spirited them away from the palace.
"I doubt this is Egypt either. There's only one pyramid, and those strange box things that are clunking around on that stone pathway--I don't think those are ordinary Middle Eastern animals. I think they're monsters of some sort. That and there's no people here, although that doesn't make sense since someone had to have built the pyramid, not to mention the stone pathway and those four brick pillars," Michiru added.
"Well then, let's get to exploring this place! There must be someone here who built everything or at least some tribal primitives. They're probably living in the pyramid," Sakura declared.
"But it's dangerous to wander around in unfamiliar territory," Michiru warned.
"What kind of attitude is that? Don't be so scared like a man is," Sakura snapped, "As a woman and a Sailor Senshi at that, you should be more adventurous. I just suggested a plan, so let's go!" Michiru sighed, but she followed the younger girl anyway.
"At least transform. That way you can defend yourself if anyone or anything attacks you."
"Yeah, that'd be good. Milkshake Prism Power, Make Up!" After the lime green lights faded around the Mizuno girl's body, a waterspout shot up out of the pyramid. Out of the wet spray arose the figure of a long-haired girl; her features were difficult to make out since she was surrounded by a bright blue aura.
"Is that one of the Magic Knights?" wondered Michiru.
"I'll go over to her and find out. Deep Submerge!" Sailor Milkshake called, and she threw her own water attack upwards. It hit a strange red box, bursting it open, and a red hat with white wings fell out.
"That looks like it might make you fly. How did you know to do that?" asked Michiru, amazed.
"Well, duh, maybe because it looked like it was magic or something. It was in the sky, and so I thought it might allow us to fly. Either that or it could've been a box monster that I needed to destroy," Sailor Milkshake shrugged as she put the hat on, "Hang on to me, and we might be able to fly together." She jumped into the air and began to float. But when Michiru attempted to grab onto her legs, she was knocked down by a blast of water that came from afar.
"Die, evil Sailor Senshi!" roared a voice that Sailor Milkshake guessed was that of one of the Magic Knights.
"We're not the evil ones! You girls started this war, not us!" retorted the Senshi with the lime curls, "At least come out so I can see who's attacking me."
"Water Dragon!" was the response that the unseen Magic Knight gave; another blast of water flew at Michiru, knocking her back down again.
"How dishonorable of you not to show yourself. My martial arts teachers would not like having you as a student," Sailor Milkshake admonished.
"This isn't a class! This is a fight for Cephiro! Clef is never wrong; he says you'll destroy it!" The Magic Knight finally appeared as she leapt through the stone maze. From what Sailor Milkshake and Michiru remembered, since she had long, sky blue hair, she must be Umi Ryuuzaki. Certainly, Serena had told Michiru about her and the other Magic Knights. It was hard to believe that this was the same person that Serena had described so lovingly as being a feisty water warrior on the side of good.
"Why would we want to hurt Cephiro? I didn't even know what it was until Serena McDouglas came to live with us and showed me the anime show you're on," Michiru protested.
"It's obvious you're suspicious because of that! Especially you, the former Sailor Neptune. Taking care of one who must be a true, vile enemy. She must've been a wicked spy, watching our every move and then making an animated cartoon about our adventures so that she could get the people of her world to come ruin Cephiro's peace," Umi accused.
"Serena would never do such a thing! She didn't create the anime anyway, it was made by someone else. She's just someone who likes it," Michiru countered.
"Why should I listen to you?! Oh yes, I know what you're thinking. Pitting water against water probably isn't the best way of fighting. Don't think I am without other magic spells," Umi smirked as the jewel on her glove glowed blue.
"Deep Submerge!" shouted Sailor Milkshake quickly, knocking Umi back before she could even attack.
"Aquatic Expansion!" Umi called from her seat in the sand. Two beams of blue energy shot out of the jewel; Michiru and Sailor Milkshake were each hit by one. To their shock and horror, they began to expand into ball shapes. Interestingly enough, Sailor Milkshake's Senshi outfit magically accomodated her rotund transformation, although Michiru's clothing was less fortunate.
"What was THAT for?! I don't like fat people, so why would I want to be one?!" ranted Sailor Milkshake.
"Because I thought it would be a funny thing to do to you evil Sailor Senshi. I got the idea from some English book about a bunch of kids visiting a magical candy factory," Umi shrugged.
"I'll get you for turning me into what I despise!" Sailor Milkshake yelled as she rolled forwards. Umi was caught off-guard, and so she was bowled over. Sailor Milkshake came to a stop when she bumped into the base of a stone pavillion.
"Sapphire Hurricane!" Umi shouted, and Sailor Milkshake was blown up to the top of the pavillion where she had found the mysterious red box before. Umi rolled Michiru over near where the pavillion was, and used her now-bouncy body as a springboard so that she was up at the top too.
"What are you trying to do to us?" demanded Sailor Milkshake.
"Toy with you before I kill you. I always wanted to test out the effects of water inflation on people," Umi shrugged as she shoved Sailor Milkshake off of the pavillion. She bounced down, landing on Michiru, and Umi giggled at the boingy sound they made when they collided. Umi then took her chance to leap to the ground, using Michiru as a cushion again.
"Stop this now! Deep Submerge!" Amazingly, Sailor Milkshake was able to still use her attack, which she did one-handed, and Umi crashed backwards. Unfortunately for her, she accidentally hit herself in the face with her glove jewel, and cast the inflation spell on herself.
"EEEEEK!!! I can't do my fencing like this!" she shrieked as she, too, became a ball shape. As with Sailor Milkshake's Senshi outfit, Umi's Magic Knight armor morphed to fit her body.
"HYYYAAAAAAHH!!!" Sailor Milkshake rolled at Umi again. The two of them bounced off of each other; Sailor Milkshake flew backwards, crashing into Michiru. Michiru rolled the other way and ended up in quicksand, where she promptly sank to the bottom.
"HAHAHAHA!!! That was stupid! I can still cast spells, too, you know! Water Dragon!"
"Deep Submerge!" The two water attacks met in mid-air and Sailor Milkshake's was the stronger of the two. Neither one was hit, however, as a giant spiky yellow caterpillar-esque creature took the double water blast. It roared with anger and rounded on Sailor Milkshake, smacking her into the quicksand so that she met Michiru's fate.
"Thanks, giant creature! Now can you deflate me?" Umi asked it.
"Don't help her..." Sailor Milkshake's disembodied voice came out of nowhere, frightening Umi.
"What?! I thought I got rid of you?!"
"I'm still alive, moron. I'm just going back home. And so are you," Sailor Milkshake retorted from wherever she was.
"No way! That can't be! Rei's prophecy just can't be right!" screamed Umi. The caterpillar monster seemed to disagree, as it inched closer to her.
"Go away! Um, Water Dragon!"
"Come home with us, Umi..." Umi stopped, startled.
"Fuu? Hikaru? Is that you?" That was all Umi could say before the caterpillar monster knocked her into the quicksand and she disappeared in a flash of blue light.