Chapter Seven. Guardian of Christmas Present

"No more!" Krotan cried out in his sleep. "No more! No more!"

Krotan woke up and looked around the room. "What?! This is getting to be quite annoying! Those Guardian whatever they may be. They have the audacity to bring up such upsetting memories! Ah, why couldn't they just mind their business, stay in their castles and leave well enough alone!"

Suddenly, a light blue glow filled the room. Krotan scooted back against his bed. "Now what is going on?"

A bright white orb started shining, causing him to shield his eyes again. "Ugh! Just like last time!"

Seconds later, the brightness went away and Krotan looked to see a woman who looked very much like Sailor Uranus. She stared at him, holding her space sword.

"Well, if it isn't the rough Sailor Guardian, besides Sailor Jupiter of course." Krotan retorted before he proceeded to ask, "Just who might you be anyway? Guardian Uranus?"

"Yes. I am the guardian of Princess Uranus." the guardian answered. "You can also call me the Guardian of Christmas Present. I am the Christmas Guardian number two."

"Christmas present, huh?" Krotan snorted as he crossed his arms.

"That's right." Guardian Uranus nodded. "We are about to take a trip to the present day Christmas."

"You'll do no such thing!" Krotan protested at first. "Kidnapping a royal is a serious offense you know?!"

"Do not make me have to use force, Prince Krotan of Mongo!" Guardian Uranus pointed her sword at the prince which made him reconsider his objections. If he kept on objecting, she was going to make him come with her anyway. He sighed before stating, "Fine. Let's get this over with."

"Take hold of my robe, Prince Krotan," Guardian Uranus extended her sword, "and our journey will begin."

He sighed, not bothering to argue as he touched the space sword in the guardian's hand.

Both Guardian Uranus and Krotan were surrounded by a light blue glow. Krotan wondered what was about to happen.

-Defenders-Christmas-Carol-

Krotan looked in surprise to find himself at a garden area of Mongo. He saw beautiful green plants in many rows. It amazed him greatly.

"What kind of place is this?" Krotan asked. "It looks like a garden of some sorts."

"It is a place where your sister Princess Castra takes charge of the life saving plants known as the Ivona Plants." Guardian Uranus answered. "Those plants have potential to cure deadly diseases. Rare diseases. That's not all that you must see."

-Defenders-Christmas-Carol-

Castra looked down as she appeared to be bothered by the night before thanks to her brother. She had hoped her rescuing her would have him appreciate things and be a better person. She was clearly proved wrong in that case.

"Castra, we need to talk."

She turned around to see her older half sister Aura before her with both her husband Prince Barin and her own husband Prince Tevrok in tow.

"What's going on?" Castra asked in concern.

"We have been giving this some serious thought." Aura stated. "This was something that we have all been putting into consideration for quite awhile now."

"You know as well as we do that your brother has not improved himself." Tevrok added. "He continues to act very much like Ming the Merciless."

"I'm very sorry, Castra." Barin sighed before giving out his announcement. "We appear to have no other option here. We will be starting a revolution against the crowned Prince Krotan."

"On Christmas?" Castra glanced at her brother in law, sister and husband in surprise. "I mean, if you have to, then do what you have to do."

"I knew you would understand, sister." Aura replied.

"But can't you wait until Christmas is over?" Castra suggested. "We should have no fights or war during Christmas."

Castra looked at the three before pleading, "Please, have some charity."

Aura, Barin and Tevrok gave each other glances which gave out a pause of silence for a moment. Then they looked back at her.

"Well, well." Aura spoke up first.

"We will delay the revolution." Barin added. "For your sake and because it is the Christmas holiday."

"But not for his sake." Aura stated.

"However my dear," Tevrok gave his wife a gentle touch on her arms, "you know what has to happen. Tomorrow, we must act."

Castra sighed. She wished that it didn't have to come to this. She had hoped that it wouldn't have to come to this but realized that there was no other option. "I understand. Thank you."

Deep down, she still believed that there was still good in Krotan. Her brother was raised so much by Ming's influence, the others don't see the side of him that she had seen when they were young. Ming had turned him into something that he wasn't and he had been that way since he took control of the throne.

-Defenders-Christmas-Carol-

"What?! You've got to be kidding me!" Krotan exclaimed in disbelief. "They plan to start a revolution?!"

Guardian Uranus shook her head, "You had to know that this was going to happen sooner or later. The age of tyranny is coming to an end. People want an age of justice now. That's why you didn't succeed when you tried to rule Mongo and almost married the Earthling Jedda Walker."

Krotan sighed, thinking of that time he temporarily ruled Mongo. He almost married Jedda, the most bold and beautiful woman he had ever met and she would've been Queen of Mongo. However, she left and eventually Ming returned.

"Speaking of which," Guardian Uranus pulled the prince from his thoughts, "I got another place I need to show you."

-Defenders-Christmas-Carol-

The next thing Krotan knew, he was at Central City. He was a bit surprised to find that they were at a hospital of all things as well.

"We're at Central City." Krotan stated. "On Earth. What for? And at a hospital too."

"The Sailor Guardians and the Defenders of the Earth are dealing with a very grave situation." Guardian Uranus answered.

-Defenders-Christmas-Carol-

Sheila looked down as she felt sad for the situation before them as she stood next to Flash.

"This looks bad." Sheila stated.

"I know." Flash replied, holding his son's hand. "His hand is cold. I know that he doesn't have long. First I lose my wife, now I am about to lose my son. Why is that my family is being taken from me?!"

"You still have April." Makoto reminded him. "Not only that Rick is the father to Jedda's child."

"Jedda." Sheila stated quietly. She looked over as Jedda was sobbing into LJ's arms.

"Why won't he wake up?" Jedda sobbed. "Isn't pneumonia treatable?"

"This pneumonia isn't treatable it appears." Sheila spoke up.

"Why do you say that?" Minako asked. "There has to be a cure!"

"Rick mentioned to me that when he was captured along with you, Jedda, LJ, Ami, Rei and Hotaru," Sheila explained, "Krotan made him inhale some sort of dust that he called his back up plan."

"What?!" most of the room exclaimed in surprise.

"Why didn't Rick say anything to the rest of us?" April asked.

"He told me not to." Sheila answered. "Especially to his father because he knew how he can be when it comes to Ming or Krotan."

"What kind of dust is it?" Ami asked.

"It's Hydronic Powder." Sheila answered. "It is said to cause deadly diseases, including pneumonia."

"So what you're saying is..." Usagi asked. "Krotan...he...poisoned Rick?"

"I'm afraid so." Sheila shook her head in disbelief as she explained. "Krotan administered that powder to Rick as part of his back up plan to have him eliminated. I guess he didn't give Jedda the powder for the purpose of keeping her alive to have her to be his and Why he didn't administer the powder to the rest of the hostages is beyond my understanding. Most likely because he knows that Rick and Jedda are expecting a child and Krotan wants Jedda."

Stunned silence filled the room as everyone appeared to be shocked at what they just heard.

"Because of Krotan," Rei added in shock, "Rick will never get to see his child. Because of Krotan, this child will never get to meet his or her father. This is just awful."

Flash stood up, tears etched his pained face as he spoke in a cold tone that didn't really belong to him. "He is done for! If my son dies, then Krotan dies too!"

-Defenders-Christmas-Carol-

"Ack!" Krotan exclaimed in annoyance. "I am getting really bored with this corny drama!"

"Don't you have any feelings for the Defenders and the Sailor Guardians?" Guardian Uranus asked. "They might lose one of their own from something that you caused!"

"So what?" Krotan crossed his arms. "If Rick Gordon dies, then it's one less of those heroes that I have to deal with and there will be a chance that Jedda Walker will be mine."

"Not with the way things are sounding here, in case you haven't been paying attention." Guardian Uranus replied. "Sheila has caught on that you administered the powder that gave Rick that lethal pneumonia."

She took a deep breath before giving Krotan this warning, hoping that it would hit home. "The one you call Jedda Walker is bearing his child and definitely would not be wanting to be with you for what you did and not only that, knowing the man known as Flash Gordon, he means that threat that he gave out and he will stop at nothing to make sure that you never see the light of day again."