CHAPTER 16
It was three days after Raye and Serena had their last major fight. When they finally settled down Raye had been humbled. Serena, however kept trying to justify herself but nobody would listen to her. So she shut up in a sulky huff while Raye bowed her head and said, "I'm very sorry everybody. Luna. Artemis. I'll get started right away doing what you told me to consult the fire about in the first place."
"Apology accepted Raye." Luna smiled and Artemis did too.
"Let us know as soon as you find out anything."
So Raye set to work kneeling before the Sacred Flame praying earnestly for information about the evil forces that were kidnapping people all over again. The fire gently crackled and pulsated and Raye remembered how she had deprived herself of sleep back a long time ago. She had promised her friends she would not push herself that far this time. Therefore she only devoted the afternoons to her chanting and had a good night's sleep and relaxed in the morning. "O Sacred Fire. I beg you please reveal something to me this time," she implored each afternoon and on the third day the fire burst forth with a horrifying vision making Raye startled. She gasped in fright then called Mina on their communicators. "Mina. Is Artemis there?"
"Yes he is Raye."
Artemis walked over to the communicator. "Here I am Raye. What's the scoop?"
"The fire showed me a very creepy picture of something that wasn't human. It's hard to describe, but I seemed to behold at least two monstrous figures. Like demonic entities made visible and tangible. They were terrifying."
Mina was horrified and Artemis said, "It sounds like we're up against something more dangerous then ever before."
"I have a suggestion Artemis. If I make a pretense of inviting Mina and my other friends to spend the weekend with me at the summer house Grandfather and I own up in the nearby mountains, we can train together and prepare to fight the way we should."
"Excellent idea Raye. Mina go and tell your parents about this while Raye calls the others, and Raye. You be sure to prepare some of your charms. Just in case any of the families try to deny permission."
Mina and Raye agreed and the plan was swiftly arranged.
The girls all bought their train tickets and soon they were all seated in their personally booked private carriage. This was so that Luna and Artemis could safely talk to them with no risks involved. Luna was seated inside Serena's backpack and Artemis inside Mina's for further precautions. They quickly ducked their heads down and the girls put the covers over in place when the conductor knocked on the door to check their tickets and again when a member of the canteen staff delivered their lunch.
Serena was plowing into hers. "Oh boy," she said with her mouth full. "The food is the best part of train travel."
Her friends were all very grateful they did have their own compartment as they watched her gorging. It would have been embarassing in public.
The cats emerged from the backpacks and Luna said, "We're a little hungry too Serena."
"Yeah Mina," agreed Artemis. "Let us have some food."
Serena and Mina said, "Okay," and gave them a couple pieces of fish each.
"Thank you both."
"We really needed that."
Raye then decided to ask Serena something. "So how did Rini take it when you told her we all decided that she, being only a very young kid and inexperienced as a Scout, should stay at home with your family while we went off to train ourselves for the time being?"
"Oh just fine." Serena answered proudly. "You see she knows we all mean the very best for her and she respects me as her future mother, so she listens to what I say."
In truth Rini had not been very happy. She had moaned and pouted when Serena had given this message. "I want to go! What do you mean I'm inexperienced? That's the whole point of your training me! How will I ever get experience?"
"You'll do as I say, you bad-tempered little spore. It's not just me. It's the others too remember."
"You'll all selfish. I just can't believe you're the same people I love so dearly in the future." Rini had been very sulky and had half a mind to try sneaking onto the train without a ticket, but then thought better of it. She didn't relish risking any trouble with the authorities and she no longer had any of the special magic Sailor Pluto had given her the first time she was sent to the past. It wasn't worth it.
But then while she was brooding alone in her room she heard a beeping sound like a mobile phone message coming from the small scepter she kept hidden in her backpack. Quickly she answered it before anybody in the house became aware and softly spoke, "Hello."
A very familiar voice said to her, "Hello Small Lady." Rini had to listen very carefully since the volume was down to the barest minimum.
"Hello Sailor Pluto."
"I know what has just happened. I'm keeping a watch through the Door of Time. You're not pleased are you?"
"No I'm not. I want to be involved with the Sailor Scouts. It's not fair."
"I understand Small Lady. But listen to me. I've been in touch with Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus. While the others are away, they've agreed to let you help them comb the city for signs of Sailor Saturn as Sailor Mini-Moon. They will train you as much as they can at the same time. Does that sound good?"
Rini had to stifle a scream of delight. "Excellent. Thank you very much."
"I knew you'd be delighted. I'm 99% sure that we will find Sailor Saturn somewhere here if we look hard enough. There are very strong signals emitting from her inherent power even if she is not aware of who she is. If she isn't found soon eventually I will even come to help myself. But for now you do your very best to help."
"I promise. And thank you once more."
So Serena was pleasantly surprised when Rini stopped arguing, but she just assumed it was because Rini was recognizing her inherent parental authority.
Earlier in the meantime Eudial had been sent off by Germatoid with Mistress 9 once again. This time Mikuji and a creature named Baulla were selected to go with her. Mistress 9 had strictly emphasized that if they were killed they were expendable and instructed the other witches to be ready again to deal with the people sent to them while the Sailor Scouts were pre-occupied. Eudial told them they had a long way to drive to find the enemy. "But don't worry. I can magically replenish our gas tanks when they're running low. We can go travel non-stop."
"Hooray for clever Auntie Eudial."
"Mikuji and I admire you very much."
But as they drove off Tellu was starting to have perplexing feelings well up inside her. She remembered how she had been the one to take care of Mikuji when she was only a newly created pod. She had personally fused her with a tree at the Cherry Hill Temple. She had seen her grow into the girl she was now. And Baulla had been born from the professor's oven using a beautiful yellow flower. Her dress resembled a huge cluster of the petals, her orange hair grew naturally in the shape of petals and she could sprout thorns on her arms and retract them at will. Tellu was uneasy and found herself growing distressed. "I-I know our mission is important and these creatures don't really matter except as weapons against our enemies. But still it doesn't seem rightly necessary for these two to have to die. One of them's a magnificent tree and the other is such a pretty flower."
Then she made up her mind clenching her fists. "Maybe I'm being a little soft but I've always loved plants of all kinds. Trees and flowers are so lovely. It's settled. I'll bewitch the others so they won't know I'm absent and teleport myself invisibly to where Mistress 9 is sending Eudial. My magic powers will track them no matter how far they are. If I just casually intervene to make sure they both survive Eudial and Mistress 9 will just have to bring them back. I'm sure they won't suspect any interference."
So she cast her spells and was off.
Back to the girls, the train pulled into the railway station on schedule and Raye led them to the bus depot. The cats were safely snuggled up in Serena and Mina's backpacks during the entire journey to the countryside where they departed. "Okay. We're nearly there," said Raye. "We have a fifteen minute walk along this track here and then there's some staircase built into the side of the mountain up to the house."
"I'm sure we can manage that." Serena was puffed up with confidence.
Lita said, "You lead us and we will follow right behind you Raye."
They set off in a line and the fifteen minute walk along the track was nice and easy. However as soon as they reached the stairs carved into the mountain it became tougher. Raye took the lead. "Watch your step girls and hold onto the side railing." It was good advice. The path was steep though the steps made it somewhat easier to climb. Raye was used to climbing these stairs having visited this place for summer holidays regularly since she was only five years old when her parents were still alive. Lita was also rather fit and healthy since she loved doing jogging and weight-lifting. Amy and Mina were slightly puffed after a little while but silly Serena was as usual, over-exaggerating how hard it was. She was clinging to the left side rail with both hands and hugging it like she would fall on her face otherwise. Her tongue was sticking out like a panting dog and her friends were getting annoyed with her noisy gasps, groans and other pathetic noises.
"Serena, it is not that bad," puffed Amy. She was holding the right side rail and so was Mina. Artemis stuck his head out of her backpack and sighed. "You're acting like a weakling."
"Oh Raye. Why can't there be an elevator inside this mountain?"
Raye felt like yelling, but she controlled her temper. "It cost my family half a million bucks to pay professional architects to construct these stairs. If they hadn't then we'd all be hiking up a rugged mountainside. And for another thing it's not a very high mountain. Only 75 feet. So why don't you just GROW UP ALREADY!" She did shout the last three words but kept her cool. Serena only lowred herself onto her knees, then lay down on the stairs upon her face gasping and wheezing like a faulty vacuum- cleaner. Her friends just turned to face the front and walked on with no comment. Artemis nimbly jumped out of Mina's backpack to join Luna who had scrambled out of Serena's while she lay prostrate in a crumpled heap.
Luna looked at Serena unsympathetically saying, "You're such a baby." Then she and Artemis went bounding up themselves. Serena was crying tears of hurt disbelief and started to struggle crawling slowly up the staircase inch by inch.
They soon left Serena far behind and arrived at the top. "Come on. I'll introduce you to our trusted caretakers," said Raye. An elderly couple were employed by Raye and her grandfather to look after their summer mountain home for them. Mr. Gregory Benson spent long hours every day tending to the grounds and gardens while his wife Hilda served as cook and housecleaner. Every fortnight Raye and Grandfather arranged for $200 wages to be deposited into the Bensons personal bank account and with that plus their own income they were allowed to live in the house and maintain it as their own. Of course word had been to them that Raye was bringing some friends of hers to stay for a visit and Mrs. Benson had dinner in the oven for them.
"These are my friends, Lita, Amy and Mina. Mina's brought her cat too."
"Nice to meet you all," said Mr. Benson.
Mrs. Benson bent down and affectionately stroked Luna and Artemis. "What lovely animals. Which of you owns the other cat?"
Amy blushed and the others made nervous faces. "She belongs to our other friend Serena."
"Where's she?"
Lita said, "I'm afraid she is finding it hard to climb all the way up here. She was collapsed with fatigue the last we saw of her."
"Goodness. Do you suppose she's all right?" Mrs. Benson was very concerned.
"I'll go and make sure," said Mr. Benson.
"Be quick dear. The food will be ready in only five more minutes."
"How can you go down and bring her up in such a short time?" asked Mina.
Raye smiled. "You should all come and see this. Mr. Benson may be getting on in years, but he's remarkably fit."
They followed him outside leaving Mrs. Benson to mind the oven. Even Luna and Artemis went to see what would happen. Mr. Benson put on his gardening gloves to protect his hands from friction, then he swung his legs over one of the railing banisters and before they knew it he was sliding downwards out of sight.
"He'll catch up to that Meatball-Head in no time," laughed Raye. "As soon as he sees her, he will brake himself quickly using his thighs and hands in case she's on his side of the staircase."
Her friends were all wide-eyed and open-mouthed and Luna said, "But how will he get her up so fast?"
"Just you wait and see." Raye sniggered.
In barely two minutes they all heard noises. It sounded like Serena shouting "Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh! Please. Not so fast." and then to their amazement Mr. Benson came into view. He was running up the staircase swiftly and confidently with Serena leading her by the hand, ignoring her desperate pleading. Serena was looking straight down at her feet gasping in fright concentrating hard to not stumble. She was genuinely all worn out when Mr. Benson finally gave a huge leap over the final step pulling her along with him. She yelped and went down on her knees when she landed. He, however was not out of breath at all and still on his feet steady. He still firmly grasped her hand and actually dragged her up. "You see I told you you could make it if you set your heart to it. You just needed me to keep you moving."
The others were all awed and impressed and Raye thanked him, but Serena did nothing except groan piteously and when he released her, she fell flat on your face.
Raye smirked and said, "Join us for dinner as soon as you get your breath back Serena. We'll save some for you."
Serena wanted to go in with them immediately, but it was twelve minutes before she found the strength. Her friends did keep their promise and left a plate for her, which she eagerly wolfed down naturally.
Later they all helped to clear the table and left the Bensons to wash and dry all the dishes while they sat down in private on cushions to talk with Luna and Artemis. "Like I said this is not a very high mountain, but on the other hand it is very wide," explained Raye. "Outside at the back entrance of the house there is a huge open area with trees, vegetation and paths throughout them. I can gently charm Mr. and Mrs. Benson so they won't notice a thing when we transform and practice our attacks and accumulate magical defence powers."
"That sounds perfect Raye," said Luna. "From what we heard about your vision you girls will need to be very strong indeed."
Amy was studying her computer. "I'm trying to see if I can pick up any supernatural energy emitting from these alleged demons."
Serena began to shudder. "D-d-demons? I'm g-getting scared th-th-thinking about them."
Lita said, "I'm not going to let demons destroy or take over the world."
Mina agreed, "After all we've been through let's not allow demons to defeat us."
Serena was trembling as if she was cold. " I don't know if I can face it this time. The rest of you m-m-may have to d-d-do it without m-m-m-me."
Raye was feeling very disgusted. "First we had to send Mr. Benson to get you all the way up here and now this. Serena you are so wimpy and spineless. I'm amazed you will actually become Neo-Queen Serenity in the future."
Serena's fear quickly turned into resentment and before Raye knew it Serena had taken the cushion she was sitting on and thrown it at her. It struck her in the face.
Raye was furious and picked up Serena's cushion and her own. "Why you. Take that and that!"
One cushion hit Serena in the face. However to Raye's shock she found her aim the second time had run wild and hit Mina instead.
"Hey. Your silly quarrel has nothing to do with me. Take this and take this too."
Mina hit Raye but she also went astray with the second cushion and hit Lita. Raye and Lita lost control and began a cushion throwing fight with Mina and Serena ignoring Artemis and Luna as they tried to calm them down. Amy meanwhile, had been concentrating so hard on her data-computer that she wasn't aware of anything until a stray cushion hit her on the forehead. Her computer slipped from her fingers and hit the floor making its screen form cracks on the right hand side. She was so angry that she lost her own cool and the five girls were throwing cushions at each other and the cats groaned helplessly and sighed.
Meanwhile Eudial parked the car where Mistress 9 directed her. "Okay get out you two," she said to Mikuji and Baulla. "Follow me along this path. I can tell our enemies won't be too far away."
"Your tracking sense is impeccable Auntie Eudial," remarked Mikuji.
"Let's get going," screeched Baulla making Eudial wince. Whenever Baulla became overly excited she had a tendency to raise her voice to an ear-splitting high pitch. Eudial wished she could have ear plugs.
Composing herself she led the way and the two plant creatures walked along the path in single file. None of them were aware that Tellu had magically materialized invisibly at the end behind Baulla. She wanted her and Mikuji to live at all costs.
When they reached the foot of the mountain Mikuji asked, "Must we climb up all these stairs?"
Mistress 9 gave commands to Eudial and she said, "That won't be necessary. I shall teleport us to the top and there we shall be sure to find our enemies hiding in a house built up there."
"Hooray for clever Auntie Eudial!" Eudial gritted her teeth at Baulla's joyful outburst.
"I hope this loud mouth is killed as soon as possible," she thought as she concentrated upon her magic spell. She sent herself and the two creatures from where they stood to just outside the front of the house. Tellu also followed them ready to help the adorable plants in their fight.
Eudial told them to enter and she was behind them. Mistress 9 said, "While they fight to the death look around for any people to send back to our headquarters."
"Of course Mistress 9."
Hilda and Gregory came out of the nearby kitchen to see what the noise was as Mikuji and Baulla entered. She screamed and her husband threw his arms around her. "Get back inside and bolt the door." He spun her around facing the kitchen. "I'll fight to protect you."
The plant girls looked confused, but before they could say that they meant no harm to the innocent couple, Eudial shouted, "Never mind. I'll handle this. You both go and find the Sailor Scouts. I'll catch you up."
"Okay Auntie Eudial. Follow me Baulla."
Just as Gregory had gently but firmly pushed his wife into the kitchen and turned around they were gone and he faced Eudial. She raised her hand and sent him to the other witches who swiftly extracted his heart. Hilda had indeed turned the bolt, but what was that to witchcraft? To her horror the door flew open and she joined her husband with the rest of the new zombie collection.
"Good work Eudial. Now go and watch the fight, but do nothing to interfere."
"Certainly Mistress 9."
The five girls were alerted to the sound of heavy footsteps and doors opening. "Stop fighting and quickly transform," yelled Luna.
"This sounds suspicious," added Artemis.
The Sailor Scouts snapped to attention and cast their magic spells, so when Mikuji and Baulla found them, they beheld the Sailor Scouts. They all gasped at how very tall Baulla was and in the split second hesitation Baulla suddenly lunged forward seizing Sailor Venus by the collar. Lifting her up in the air she proceeded to choke her and Mikuji started punching and kicking out at the others. Sailor Mars was hit on the jaw and reeled backwards from shock while Sailor Moon shrieked in pain as her shin was struck by Mikuji's foot. Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter had time to react defensively though. Jupiter ran to rescue Venus while Mercury wound up her attack against Mikuji.
"MERCURY ICE STORM BLAST!"
Eudial was watching coldly from the doorway as the icy wall enveloped Mikuji and she screamed. But Tellu was in the room invisible off to the side and she was horrified. Even as this happened Sailor Jupiter was wrestling Sailor Venus free of Baulla's grasp and used her brute strength to tackle the giant flower to the ground. As Sailor Venus was gasping to catch her breath Jupiter shouted out to the others to attack quickly.
Mars prepared to make her move. "MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!"
Her magic fire rings flew at the helplessly frozen tree and Tellu concentrated as hard as she could. "Extinguish flames. Extinguish flames. Extinguish flames."
Before they could surround their target they fizzled out to the consternation of Mars. Eudial suspected nothing thinking Mars had failed her attack. Mistress 9 could sense magical presence behind it though. She was getting very suspicious of Eudial.
As for Baulla, she was beginning to fight back. Taking Sailor Jupiter by surprise she displayed her gift for sprouting sharp thorns. "Yeow!" Jupiter quickly let go and made a tremendous backwards leap gazing in dismay at her hands. They had been painfully pierced while she had been pinning Baulla to the ground and were badly bleeding. As Baulla rose to her feet, arms outstretched ready to slash and tear, Sailor Venus attacked with her whip of golden heart chains. They struck fast and hard tearing Baulla's arms all the way off. She nearly took the roof off the building with her dreadful scream. Tellu had been quietly working her magic to free Mikuji from Sailor Mercury's ice imprisonment and only just succeeded when she reacted in horror to what had just happened. Desperately she tried a new spell and to Baulla's amazement as much as anyone else's, vines erupted out of her stumps. Several of them shot out in all directions quickly wrapping around the Sailor Scouts. Mikuji shouted to Eudial where she stood in disbelief. "Hey! You must be helping us Auntie Eudial. Thanks. Now I'll bash them all to a pulp while they're helpless."
Baulla looked at her too and squealed merrily. "You're the best Auntie we could have."
Eudial looked like she was turning pale as a ghost. She was too shocked to even say any thoughts to Mistress 9. But Mistress 9 was speaking to her angrily. "You were told not to intervene Eudial. The creatures are expendable. Now I will give you one last chance to obey me."
Before Mikuji could lay one blow upon the Scouts she pulled up short as Baulla screamed in agony. Next second she was screaming too. Baulla was beginning to turn into a wilted flower lady and Mikuji was doing the same thing, just like a tree that is on the verge of dying.
"What is happening?" Baulla wailed as the vines all dried up and were easily snapped apart as the Scouts broke free. Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury all grabbed the weakened Mikuji and thrust her down on her knees next to Baulla and Sailor Moon prepared to deliver the killing blow.
"MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"
Before Mikuji and Baulla were hit though they suddenly vanished completely. Mistress 9 sternly spoke to Eudial, "Depart to the bottom of the mountain." She was very nervous, but she teleported herself away.
To her further consternation she found Mikuji and Baulla standing there completely healed. Baulla even had her arms back. They hugged her and Mikuji kissed her right cheek and Baulla bent down to kiss her left cheek. They nuzzled up against her fondly.
"You saved our lives. I love you Auntie.'
"So do I." Baulla screeched right inside Eudial's ear making her wince a second.
"Er. D-don't mention it."
Mistress 9 said, "Since you are determined to save these miserable creatures Eudial, take them back with you. But if you persist in this sort of behaviour I shall be very angry. You've been warned."
Eudial could make no reply. She was confused and terrified. "Okay you two. C-come with me to the car." They followed her down the path away from the mountain.
Tellu watched them go thinking, "I'd better get back straight away. Eudial and Mistress 9 must both be wondering what's been going on. But they'll never know it was me. It took all my power to restore them to full physical condition." With that she teleported herself away.
As for the Scouts, they were a little apprehensive. "Did you destroy those monsters Sailor Moon?" asked Sailor Venus.
"I'm not sure. I thought they vanished before I actually hit them."
"Where are the Bensons?" cried Sailor Mars. Luna and Artemis came racing back in.
"Luna and I have been running throughout the house and the front garden. They seem to have disappeared."
"We saw no sign of our enemies either."
"Oh no! I bet they were abducted." Sailor Mars groaned and Serena suddenly started wailing.
"Why didn't Tuxedo Mask come to our aid anyway? I thought he had his powers back! Does he really still care?"
"Serena, look at the situation rationally," said Sailor Jupiter.
"Darien's powers do not include teleportation. He's always just transformed and come as fast as he can," explained Sailor Venus.
"That's right. He can leap and bound through the air amazingly, but we've never been so very far away from the city before," agreed Luna.
"This is probably a great distance, even for him." Artemis had just finished speaking when a familiar voice was heard calling out and puffing. "Sailor Moon! Are you all right?"
"We're in here Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon was relieved to hear him and as he entered the room she threw herself into his arms.
"I'm so sorry. I came as fast as I possibly could. I was afraid I may be too late."
Sailor Mars said, "Fortunately we were able to get on top of the situation. But two innocent people were still taken. We must all work together and plan for the next battle."
Sailor Venus said, "That was a cool attack that freed us when we were all entwined by those vines though. Which one of you used it?"
To the mutual amazement of all, none of them claimed to have such power. Even Artemis and Luna were surprised. They had each assumed the other had given a new secret upgrade to one of the girls. "It certainly wasn't anything to do with me," said Tuxedo Mask. "As you know I was leaping and bounding desperately trying to get here and I've only just arrived."
They all looked from one to another of themselves. They were baffled by this mystery.