Chapter 18: Fixed Signs
"Fuyumi, if you do anything like that again, I may have to strip you of your role as a Zodiac guardian. It is your job to HELP the Zodiac Senshi, and I do not want to hear any more complaints about you biting them. I understand that you are very passionate about astrology, but that's not an excuse to bite Jasmine just because she doesn't believe that the Earth is the center of the universe. Even I don't hate science, I may not have been good at it in school, but I don't hate other people for liking it." Fuyumi looked up at the stern Queen pleadingly, and then began to whimper in a very dog-like way before speaking.
"I thought you would understand me! People like us who know that magic and emotions are the most important need to band together and stop those evil, cold-hearted scientists and their hatred of the sacred astrology!"
"I understand you were upset at Jasmine, but you still shouldn't bite her, or anyone else. If you keep doing things like that, you're just going to make the Zodiac Senshi avoid you and be scared of you. Is that really what you want?" Serenity asked the blue dog, giving her a hug.
"I just want them all to believe in astrology just as much as I do," Fuyumi sobbed, "Even the other dogs are deserting me, and I just want to free the Zodiac Senshi from the curse Bertha put on them that made them hate astrology so much and warped their true personalities!" Serenity just hugged the dog and petted her, unsure what to say. She didn't really agree with Fuyumi; she was a believer in the power of love, not astrology. She wasn't so sure why this dog was so obsessed over astrology, was she like that in the Silver Millennium too, if she had lived in that time? Or had the Zodiac Senshi been different in their past lives, and was Fuyumi upset that their personalities had changed upon reincarnation? As for the issue of the geocentric universe, while Serenity had never been one to study astronomy, she did believe that the scientists were telling the truth about the planets circling the sun, and about the stars being extremely far away instead of in a globe around the Earth. But above all, she hoped that the other dogs wouldn't be so violent.
Meanwhile, Akiko, Chinatsu and Miharu decided to continue talking to the Zodiac Senshi on the issue of their signs and whether or not their personalities matched. They decided to have their discussion with Aquarius, Scorpio, Taurus and Leo next, also known as the "Fixed Signs." The dogs were actually quite lucky, because when they went looking, they found that Kristina, Heather, Stormy and Melissa were watching a movie together. Heather looked scared when she saw the dogs come in.
"You're not going to bite us, are you? I'm sorry I'm not what you expected Sailor Aquarius to be like," she whimpered, while Stormy turned the movie off, assuming the dogs were here to talk to them.
"Fuyumi was wrong to bite Jasmine. The rest of us don't necessarily agree with her on everything. I, at least, trust the scientists when they say that the Earth isn't the center of the universe," Akiko reassured her, "Scientists may not believe in the power of astrology, but that doesn't mean they're evil or always wrong."
"The power of astrology? Do you know how that power works, then? Does the Sun fly into the different constellations? How long does it take for the Sun to travel around the galaxy, anyway? Maybe it circles through the constellations that way," Kristina wondered, "But then sometimes people say that a planet, like Mars, is in a different sign than the Sun is, does that mean the planets are flying away from the solar system?"
"I don't know," Akiko admitted, "I don't think the planets ever fly out of this solar system."
"Maybe we get our powers from Sailor Venus and the others instead of from the constellations. Because when I became Sailor Taurus, Minako gave me the pendant. And I heard that in the Silver Millennium, the Zodiac Senshi were the servants of the Senshi named after the planets. So maybe the actual stars and constellations have nothing to do with our powers," Kristina suggested.
"That's what I remember hearing too," Heather agreed, "That's what Mrs. Hino said when I saw her give Bunny the Sailor Aries powers."
"And what about you, Sailor Leo? What's your opinion?" Miharu yapped at Stormy.
"What did we act like in the Silver Millennium? Did we act more like the astronomy books say we're supposed to?" Stormy asked quietly, responding to the Beagle puppy.
"Yes, you did. It seems like you and the others changed when you were reincarnated, because I remember you being a lot more fiery and commanding in that time," Chinatsu answered.
"I've been thinking about something, and maybe we should stop trying to make the Zodiac Senshi act like how they did in the Silver Millennium," Akiko stated, causing Chinatsu and Miharu to stare at her in shock.
"Finally! At least one of you silly dogs stopped that silly game! If you don't even know how astrology works, and if we didn't even get our powers from the constellations, then what's the point of telling us to act a certain way? Neo-Queen Serenity and her friends don't even agree with you," Kristina blurted out.
"But I thought it would help them be more powerful! Or get some special boost or addition to their powers!" Chinatsu exclaimed, but then she sighed. "It does seem to be a futile task, and the other Sailor Senshi and the Sailor Starlights don't care what kind of personalities the Zodiac Senshi have either."
"Yeah, it's only you silly dogs who believe in that kind of stuff," Kristina said, "Why should we worry about that when we have an enemy to fight?"
"That's the kind of attitude I like to hear. I like opponents who will put up a good fight," said a voice from the doorway that Kristina recognized as belonging to Ayumi Mizuno.
"Then I will! Taurus Zodiac Power, Make Up!" Kristina shouted.
"Aquarius Zodiac Power, Make Up!" called Heather.
"Scorpio Zodiac Power, Make Up!" added Melissa, not really wanting to hurt Ayumi but also wanting to be able to defend herself.
"Leo Zodiac Power, Make Up!" finished Stormy, who seemed surprised at Kristina and Ayumi's eagerness to fight.
"I'll go tell Ami about this. She should try getting Ayumi back to our side again," Chinatsu said, and she ran for the door.
"Why would I want to give up this kind of power?! You stay right here and watch me battle these wimpy Zodiacs!" Ayumi ordered, and she flung purple slime all over Chinatsu's furry little body, sticking her to the floor.
"I'll teach you what a dog can do! Taurus Animal Transformation!" yelled Sailor Taurus. In a poof of turquoise light, she turned into a small fluffy Pomeranian dog.
"Why did you turn into such a wimpy little breed? I'll just stick you to the floor with the other dog!" Ayumi bragged, and she flung some more of the purple slime at Taurus-dog. Taurus dodged out of the way and charged at Ayumi, running through her legs and then delivering sharp nips to her ankles.
"Maybe if we knock her out or tie her up, we can bring her to the Queen to be healed! Aquarius Fruit Blaster!" Sailor Aquarius suggested. A giant apple appeared in her hands over her head, and she flung it at Ayumi, who was too distracted by Sailor Taurus to dodge it. Ayumi crashed to the ground, but she jumped back up with a roar, and she shoved the giant apple back at the Senshi, who had to dodge out of the way as it rolled across the floor and crashed into the wall.
"I won't let you tie me up! I like being able to have powers and fight!" Ayumi retorted, addressing Sailor Aquarius specifically.
"But if you come back, maybe Ami or one of the others will let you be a real Sailor Senshi. Since Chibi-Usa used to be Sailor Chibi Moon, maybe you are Sailor Chibi Mercury and you don't know it yet?" Sailor Scorpio pointed out.
"No way am I listening to you! Bertha told me you evil Zodiac Senshi stole those powers! Like you, Scorpio, you stole Sailor Pluto's old powers!" Ayumi accused. Instead of throwing slime again, this time she charged at Sailor Scorpio, who squeaked in fear as Ayumi pushed her down.
"But I'm not Sailor Pluto!" Scorpio shrieked.
"She was Sailor Pluto's servant in the Silver Millennium. Just like I used to serve Sailor Venus!" Taurus yapped, running up and biting Ayumi's feet. Ayumi kicked back and knocked Taurus-puppy aside. Sailor Aquarius raised her arms to attack again, but then she hesitated, fearing that she might accidentally hurt Scorpio instead. Ayumi got up off of Scorpio, who was whimpering "I didn't steal Pluto's powers, I didn't steal Pluto's powers" and looked at the four Senshi with disgust.
"You're not giving me the kind of battle I wanted. Maybe you need this little dog for motivation," Ayumi smirked, and she picked up Chinatsu, who was still covered with the poisonous slime.
"You give that dog back!" Taurus-puppy yelped. She attempted to bite Ayumi's ankles again, but Ayumi kicked her away again.
"Aquarius Fruit Blaster!" Sailor Aquarius shouted, throwing a giant orange at Ayumi, who jumped aside, still holding Chinatsu. Akimi and Miharu rushed at Ayumi, who shifted Chinatsu to one hand, leaving the other free so she could slime the other two dogs, sticking their furry paws to the floor. She lunged at the dogs, grabbing the two who were stuck, and teleported away.
"Nooo!! I wasn't able to show her the power of a little dog! And she stole the dogs too!" Taurus howled, and then she growled at Scorpio and Leo, "You two didn't fight enough! The dogs stopped being annoying and now they're captured!"