CHAPTER 17
Things were getting more and more intense as Germatoid put the professor's children through their relentless training. There was a miniature gymnasium set up and they were all forced to endure five hours straight exercising each day. Chagama had even been persuaded to wear strong, sturdy footwear for these sessions. She was sensible enough to realize how vulnerable her feet and toes would be to serious injury uncovered. Germatoid barked orders through the professor's vocal chords and they grunted, puffed and sweated over all the weights and cardio equipment. "Hop to it you wimps. This is serious war. If you can't prove yourselves hardened warrior women you'll die just like your mother and some of your sisters have done."
They believed this was their daddy urging them on for their own good, but Souchi Tomoe was no longer himself. His humanity was completely dormant with Germatoid operating his body. He constantly gave deranged fits of laughter as he spoke to the unsuspecting girls. "BYAHAHAHA! I think it's your turn to go out on action Hurdler." He said this to a pink-skinned lady running on one of the treadmills. She had violet hair tied up in a red ribbon, running shoes, arm coverlets and a bikini bottom with black and white patterns like a zebra's stripes and her most extravagant piece of her outfit was her bikini top. It resembled a giant version of her own bright white running shoes. A single huge shoe had a hole in its sole. Her arms and upper torso slipped through it sticking out at the top and the thick laces held it securely in place when they were tied. She seemed to be naturally gifted to the training, though it was tough and strict. She panted as she swung her arms and legs. "I'll make you proud of me Daddy. I'm fit as a fiddle."
"Hey. That's my line." Octave said this while she was vigorously attacking a punching bag nearby and everybody in hearing distance laughed, including Hurdler herself.
Just then Doorknobdar made everybody, even Germatoid, groan as she suddenly fell over backwards. "Daddy." she gasped. "I can't cope with this exercise program. It's wearing me out."
"Daddy" was exasperated and chewed her out. "You are a disgraceful wimp. Your mother would be so ashamed of you Doorknobdar."
She began to cry. "Please Daddy. I've tried honest. But it's too much for me."
"GET OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW!"
Doorknobdar was terrified and hastily scrambled to her feet running away. Many of the girls thought if their father was so angry with Doorknobdar then she must indeed deserve it. But a small handful like Chagama, felt it was a little harsh. They knew they didn't dare say anything to him though. He looked really furious. Chagama, Toden and Haikyun all silently made up their minds to find Doorknobdar later and speak comfortingly to her.
When the session was over Germatoid brought Hurdler and also Osoji to see the Witches 5. "I have selected these two to accompany Auntie Eudial on the next attack. Osoji has been proving herself very adept in her ninja fighting strategems, thanks to all the assistance Auntie Mimette gave her." Mimette wasn't really a ninja herself, but she had bought Osoji a few helpful books and watched her study and practice giving her encouragement.
Osoji smiled and said, "I'm very grateful Auntie Mimette. I wish you could see me in action today, but Auntie Eudial will testify to how spectacular I fight. I'll make you proud of me."
"You're very welcome Osoji. Ah. Good luck."
Mimette's mind was in a turmoil as Eudial took Hurdler and Osoji away with her. She suddenly realized one thing. She found she cared deeply about Osoji. She did not simply desire to watch her fight. She wanted to help her fight. She did not necessarily feel deeply for Hurdler, but she was honestly attached to Osoji. "I really am proud that I was such a driving force to her spirit and I think I honestly like her. What if something happens to her? I know our demonic masters have stressed that if they die it is of no consequence. But I want her to survive at least."
"Come on Mimette," said Tellu breaking her train of thought. "We must go and get ready to receive any new victims to take their hearts."
"Huh. Oh yeah. I'll be right behind you." But Mimette quickly cast a spell as Tellu, Cyprine and Byruit made their way for the secret hideaway. "The others won't realize I'm not with them. I've made up my mind. I'm magically sending myself to whereever they go. I'll be invisible and if Osoji gets in real trouble, I will save her. Even if Mistress 9 suspects something she won't know I'm there. And Eudial won't know either. They may be confused, but Osoji will come back to me and neither of them will ever find out why. I'll be safe." So she turned invisible and teleported away.
Serena and her friends were preparing to move on to higher education. It was their final year of Junior High. Serena, Amy and Lita would be saying goodbye to their teachers including Patricia Haruna and Helen Humphreys while Raye and Mina would leave their own respective junior schools. Next year the five of them would converge on the one and only Senior High School in their city. It's name was Shirakaba High School and today prospective new students were permitted to visit it and walk around the facility in groups of their closest friends to see everything it contained.
"This school is so amazingly huge," said Mina with wonderment.
Lita said, "It certainly is."
"We'll be able to participate in many sports as well including volleyball," added Raye.
"Volleyball?" Mina gasped and Raye could see her attention had been captured.
"That's right Mina." She winked. "You and your friends, including Jamie, will have the opportunity to play under the guidance of the most experienced players among the older students."
Mina smiled at this thought, but then Raye dropped a bombshell upon Serena.
"Too bad you won't be here with the rest of us."
The others gasped as Serena reacted. "WHAT?" Then she turned to Raye in defiance. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
"Chill out," said Raye.
"Hey I'm sure they'll enroll you Serena," assured Amy calmly.
"Oh thank you. There Raye. Amy has faith in me."
"That's right. All you need to do is pass the entrance examination and you're in." Amy smiled but Raye laughed.
"My point exactly. You must pass to get in."
Serena was white as a sheet. "Y-you mean there'll be an ex-ex-examination? Before I've even attended one class here?" Her legs turned to jelly and she fell over backwards.
Her friends picked her up and Raye said, "I am sorry Serena, but if you want to join us next year, you need to take our study sessions seriously."
"That's right. Attend them regularly," said Mina.
"And actually study at them instead of sleeping," said Lita.
"If you put your mind to it, you will pass," assured Amy sweetly and Serena sheepishly said, "V-very well."
Meanwhile Eudial was parking the car just outside the school grounds. "This is it Osoji and Hurdler. Those girls are inside this massive area behind this wire fence."
They emerged from the car and Hurdler agilely jumped the fence in one bound. "We'll find them Auntie Eudial."
Osoji even made the jump too using her skilled ninja techniques. Mimette had teleported invisibly on the inside of the fence and she was filled with a sense of pride to see Osoji twisting through the air and landing on her feet in a ready for battle position. Eudial disappeared from where she was standing and reappeared inside herself.
Mimette quietly followed Osoji as Osoji followed Hurdler loudly shouting, "Come and fight you Sailor girls!"
Mistress 9 said, "Capture as many of the first bystanders you encounter as possible while they are keeping the Sailors occupied. Have nothing at all to do with their fight. Your task is to gather victims whatever happens."
"Certainly Mistress 9."
Students who were going to enroll for entrance next year had the biggest shock of their lives seeing Hurdler and Osoji striding along challenging the Sailor Scouts. They ran in all directions panicking and those unfortunate enough to run in Eudial's direction were ensnared by her in magic bubbles and transported to the witches hideout.. The two creations were so intent upon finding the Scouts they did not even take in anything that was happening.
Anyway as soon as Serena and her friends realized what was going on they ducked out of sight to transform and confronted their opponents. Osoji sprang right in producing her nun-chukka sticks. Sailor Moon just barely dodged as Osoji swung at her. The heavy club grazed the top of her hair buns, however Osoji thrust her leg out delivering a ninja kick to the shins. Sailor Moon fell flat on her face. Sailor Jupiter lunged forward to counter-attack with her martial arts knowledge. Suddenly to her surprise her body half spun around in a jerky motion and she fell to her knees with her back to Osoji. Sailor Mars tried to summon her old powerful firebird attack. To her consternation when her magic flames formed the beast instead of attacking it began to rise up into the air shrieking and pulsating before exploding into smoke. "What's going on?" she yelled.
Meanwhile Sailor Venus had directed her attention to Hurdler. "VENUS LOVE CHAIN ENCIRCLE!"
Nothing went wrong with her attack, but Hurdler eluded the golden whip leaping up in the air just like a marathon runner jumping a hurdle bar. Hurdler had countered by producing a long white rope out of her small backpack and had deftly lassoed Sailor Venus and Sailor Mercury at the same time that Osoji was fighting the other three. While Sailor Jupiter was down she hit her on the head knocking her senseless. Sailor Moon was crawling away whimpering and Sailor Mars desperately tried to use a charm. "MARS FIREBALLS CHARGE." The charm would not let itself be thrown by her. It wrapped around her hand and she vainly tried to tear it away.
In the nearby bushes three figures were watching. Amara, Michelle and little Rini. Amara said, "The time has come for us to intervene. Are you ready Small Lady?"
Rini eagerly answered, "Yes Amara. I strictly told Darien not to come next time Serena was in trouble. I told him the Outers wanted to use it as part of my training."
"Okay, let's quickly transform," said Michelle. She and Amara had transformation sticks in their hands and Rini was clutching her pink sugar heart scepter.
"URANUS STAR POWER!"
"NEPTUNE STAR POWER!"
"MINI MOON CRYSTAL ACTIVATION!"
Rini's scepter did not have the actual future Imperium Crystal inside it, but it had been charged with its power and it transformed her into Sailor Mini-Moon. She, Uranus and Neptune all burst out of the bushes to help the others. Eudial had settled down to watch the rest of the fight after securing a few victims and hadn't noticed anything before. But Mistress 9 had sensed magic at work against the Sailor Scouts and she was feeling very suspicious of Eudial. Could she really be so brazen after receiving stern warning?
Sailor Mini-Moon and Sailor Neptune both bounded towards Hurdler while Sailor Uranus sent an attack at Osoji. "URANUS WORLD SHAKING!"
Even Mimette was looking the other way and had no time to do anything as she turned around in shock to behold Uranus' power zoom at Osoji, pick her up and throw her away from the unconscious body of Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Moon gasped as Osoji flew over her as she was still trying to crawl like a worm on the ground and landed on her left side only a few feet from her outstretched arm. Osoji rolled on her back, clutching her arm and moaning to Mimette's dismay.
As for Hurdler, Sailor Mini-Moon aimed her attack right at her backside. "PINK SUGAR HEART ATTACK!"
The pink hearts bombarded Hurdler's rear end bouncing off relentlessly and she screamed in pain dropping the rope that bound Venus and Mercury. At the same time Neptune adeptly untied the lasso freeing them completely.
Sailor Mars had pulled the charm off her hand by now and launched an attack at Hurdler. "MARS CELESTIAL FIRE SURROUND!"
Hurdler began to sprint away outrunning the rings of fire, but Sailor Uranus was suddenly by her side. "You can't outrun me," she said as she seized Hurdler from behind wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "It is our destiny to overcome you."
"Let me go," cried Hurdler just as Sailor Mini-Moon ran up and delivered a blast of her pink sugar hearts right inside Hurdler's stomach at the naval just under the giant shoe. The pain and the rapid blows took Hurdler's breath away and she bowed her head gasping and groaning. If Uranus hadn't been gripping her she would have collapsed to the ground.
"Well done Small Lady. Now let Neptune take her turn."
"Thank you and I will," Mini-Moon grinned as she stepped aside.
Sailor Neptune wound up her attack. "NEPTUNE DEEP SUBMERGE!"
As the deep wave of water surged towards terrified Hurdler, Eudial coldly smiled, Mimette wasn't even looking as she only had concern for Osoji and all the Sailor Scouts gasped to see Sailor Uranus firmly holding Hurdler. It would wash over her too. "Uranus! Run!" Sailor Moon cried in agitation.
But at the last second Uranus leaped up and away and Hurdler was struck. She managed to stay on her feet, though she was choking and gasping for breath.
Sailor Neptune shouted. "Go Sailor Moon."
She produced her scepter and wound up her attack. "MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"
Suddenly Osoji did something remarkable. Her arm had broken when she had landed on it, but out of the corner of her eye she had seen what was happening to Hurdler and she just knew that Sailor Moon was the strongest enemy and her attack would certainly kill her sister. Mimette felt a surge of unexpected pride when Osoji used her ninja moves to roll over and push herself upright with her good arms hand upon the ground. Despite the pain in her other arm she accomplished this move in an instantaneous flash and running to stand in front of Hurdler she shouted, "You retreat with Auntie Eudial! I'll take the blow for you Hurdler!"
Hurdler had tears in her eyes as she ran and threw her arms around Eudial to her consternation. But at least Osoji would be gone she thought.
Well that's what she thought. Instead though a big transparent wall appeared in between Osoji and Sailor Moon's power. It absorbed the blast to the dismay of Sailor Moon and all her friends.
Eudial quickly called out to Osoji to join her and Hurdler as Mistress 9 told her to retreat with them to the car. Osoji ran to them and they all teleported to the car outside the school fence. Eudial was getting worried. The tone that Mistress 9 had used was not comforting and it did nothing to help matters when Osoji spoke as Hurdler was helping her get in and do up her seatbelt. Osoji smiled despite her agony. "I noticed that before I was struck by surprise from behind the attacks of the enemy I was facing were being deflected. Then after I bravely took that killing blow for you again I was protected. Auntie Eudial, you are wonderful."
Hurdler gave her another hug and thanked her on behalf of Osoji and herself. "We've all heard from Baulla and Mikuji how you saved them and even though sadly Chouton was killed, Chagama and Neko agree with us that you must have tried your best to protect her. All of us are indebted to you our darling aunt."
Eudial was starting to wish the earth would open up and swallow her. As she drove away in the car she pleaded. "Mistress 9. It wasn't me. You know I was gathering heart victims while they were fighting at first."
"Don't whine at me Eudial. I saw how you interfered at the very end. I may not know how you did what you did earlier, but I know you must have done it. The next outing will be your last chance. If you persist in disobedience I shall be talking to Germatoid. Understood?"
"Y-y-yes Mistress 9."
Meanwhile Mimette had barely managed to stay invisible. Her strength taxed to the limit, she just barely had enough magic to return to their home base and take up her post with the other witches. "Mistress 9 and Eudial will probably be very angry with me," she thought to herself. "But they'll not ever find out what happened. Osoji may be hurt, but she'll live and get better. I'm so pleased."
She wasn't the only one leaving though. Uranus and Neptune were walking away. "You did very good Small Lady. Neptune and I will leave you with the Inners for awhile now."
"Okay thank you." Mini-Moon smiled and waved goodbye, however her friends were befuddled.
"Wait. Where are you going?" cried Sailor Moon.
Neptune answered over her shoulder. "You have your agendas and we have ours remember?"
Uranus added, "We do share responsibility for helping the Small Lady. We've done our part for today."
When they were gone Mars grumbled. "I think they're rather snobby."
"Maybe," conceded Venus, "but when they do fight with us on rare occasion, they're so awesome."
Sailor Moon suddenly broke into everybody's train of thought. "Hold on. Where's Tuxedo Mask this time?"
"I'll explain later," said Sailor Mini-Moon. Everybody was stunned, especially Sailor Moon.
"You'd better not tell me you had anything to do with him not coming you little fungus."
"Like I said, I'll explain things later."
Sailor Moon looked like she was going to turn hysterical and her friends kept their mouths shut. They knew that Sailor Moon would keep bugging Mini-Moon on and off until she told her what the truth was, unless she met Darien sometime. Sailor Mini-Moon resolutely steeled herself knowing the gasket Sailor Moon would blow when she did find out. "Better Darien bear the brunt of her main tantrum than me," she thought quietly to herself.