Double Jeopardy
Chapter 12: Flying the Unfriendly Skies
As the dust settled, eight angry Sekkou stood silently, glaring at the now trembling Dark Sailor Moon. After several tense moments, Dark Sailor Saturn grabbed Serena by the throat with one hand and lifted her off the ground as the rest of them stood around the two in a circle waiting for an explanation. Dark Mars spoke up first saying, "You were supposed to kill them, not disintegrate them! We needed their bodies intact, you idiot!" In agreement, Dark Jupiter put her other hand around Serena's throat to strengthen her grip.
As Lita started to slowly cut off Serena's air, she wheezed out, "I thought it wasn't strong enough of an attack to do that much to them!" As she grabbed Lita's hands, trying to force the stronger woman to let her go she gasped out, "I wanted this plan to work just as much as all of you di-!" Lita had apparently heard enough and squeezed harder so that Serena was no longer able to speak. Serena started to try to fly to get away, but Lita was strong enough to keep her iron grip on her throat and hold her relatively in place. Panic crossed the blond's face as she started to flail her arms and legs around for a moment as terror gripped her heart.
Serena would have been even more fearful if she knew that Lita was tempted to break her neck right then and there. A small smile spread over her lips as Lita thought to herself, 'No my friend, you deserve to die like a coward.' Watching as bruises started to form around her iron grip on Serena's neck, she finished her thoughts, 'Nice and slow.'
This time Dark Sailor Mercury didn't come to her aid. Her soft yet angry voice cutting into the air like a knife saying, "Your incompetence has damned us all to an eternal life of servitude to our enemies, and not for the first time. I think we should rid ourselves of you once and for all." As if in agreement, the others moved closer, almost as if wanting to get a better look at their princess's demise. They looked for all the world like angry vultures waiting for an animal to die so they could each take turns ripping it apart. This wasn't too far off from what many of them were thinking.
Meanwhile down in basement level one the Guardians were dusting themselves off and helping each other to their feet. Sailor Mars looked up at the dim light and hot sparks pouring in from the huge hole in the ceiling and said, "It isn't going to take them long to figure out what happened to us. Can everyone stand?" She got a chorus of yeses in response.
After a few more moments of looking each other over and making sure their entire group was accounted for and uninjured, Sailor Mercury suddenly motioned for everyone to be quiet. As she listened to the sound of arguing coming from above them she blinked then said quietly, "I think they believe us to be deceased."
Looking confused Sailor Neptune said, "And they sound angry about it. I don't get it. Didn't they want us dead?"
"We can talk about that later," Sailor Uranus said quietly, not wanting the Sekkou to hear her. She continued, "We already have a lot more questions than answers from this encounter. Now would be a good time to fall back. There is a passageway that leads back to the subway system on this floor."
"No."
Everyone turned to regard Sailor Moon. She had a surprisingly thoughtful look on her face as she said, "I think we should still try to talk with them. I can't believe they just want us dead for no reason. We should try to capture one of them and give it a try." She looked at Mercury and said, "I know they outnumber us, but you can't tell me we won't have surprise on our side."
Mars looked at Mercury and said, "Well, I like it. Okay! So, how do we do that?
Dark Sailor Venus leered at Serena as she watched her twitching in terror. She started laughing out loud when the great and powerful Dark Sailor Moon's face actually started to turn blue.
With Dark Moon out of the way, she would be the official leader instead of just a de-facto one. Ever since they had all become Sekkou, she secretly resented that. Of course, she would probably be challenged by Dark Saturn for leadership but she was confident she would have most of the others' support should it come to that. A good fight between themselves would root out the weak, and since a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, this translated into a good thing for the Sekkou, under her command of course. Once the reorganization was complete, those who remained could then come up with a new way of breaking free of Queen Beryl's power over them.
Suddenly, a violent blast of water slammed into her and the other Sekkou, smashing them into a wall. Once the attack dissipated, they found themselves jumbled up in a pile. They all started to get to their feet and look around.
A voice from above them said, "It's bad enough that you're trying to kill us, but you threaten innocent people in the process! While shopping, too! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" The Sekkou looked up to see Sailor Moon standing on the second floor observation area glaring down at them alive and well, determined to keep the upper hand. As they watched the other Sailor Guardians stepped into view.
Dark Moon, still greedily breathing in oxygen after not being able to do so for several minutes before managed to gasp out, "You're still giving speeches?"
Before the Sekkou could reorient themselves, Sailor Uranus sent a ball of energy flying toward them, throwing all of the Sekkou into the air in every direction. But, instead of incapacitating or otherwise harming them, it seemed to only make them angrier, and instead of falling to the ground they stopped in mid air and hovered level with the Sailor giving their opponents the opportunity to even think, all of the Sekkou sent a barge of attacks at them as they flew forward, trying to close the distance. The fact they were outsmarted so easily seemed to enrage them, and made them eager to redeem themselves if only in the eyes of their enemies. They also seemed to instantaneously forget their anger at Serena, having new targets to vent their rage on.
As the fight renewed itself and the Sailor Guardians scattered while starting to return fire, Sailor Jupiter was the only one of them unlucky enough to take a direct hit from the onslaught since she was the biggest target. She discovered that Dark Mercury's attack called Water Poisoning Surprise lived up to its name in more ways than one. The initial impact had been painful enough, but the sudden wave of nausea and dizziness she felt overtake her senses was unbearable. It brought the mighty Guardian of Thunder crashing to her knees. To make things even worse for Jupiter, she suddenly felt the toast she had eaten earlier that morning rush up her throat, now mixed with sour stomach acid. Falling forward and barely able to hold herself up, she was unable to muster up enough energy to keep her dignity as she threw up violently. Feeling her strength leave her, she let herself fall onto her side groaning loudly.
"Jupiter!" Sailor Mercury screamed, momentarily letting her emotions override her intelligence as she started to run across the walkway to her girlfriend, seemingly oblivious to the crossfire. Moments before she reached Sailor Jupiter, she felt a sharp pain in her head as Dark Jupiter landed in front of her, sending one of her fists crashing against the side of Sailor Mercury's skull. Dark Jupiter watched for a moment while the smaller woman fell to the ground, clutching her head. Sailor Mercury opened her mouth to yell out in pain, but no sound came out of her lips as she rolled on the floor trying to regain her senses.
Satisfied with knowing she was incapacitated, Dark Jupiter turned to Sailor Jupiter and said, insanely cheerful compared to how angry she had been only moments before, "Lets go on a trip!"
Then she lifted Sailor Jupiter off the ground, causing the downed Guardian to groan softly, and flew as fast as she could out the ruined entrance. Seeing their companion fleeing the battle at high speed with her prize, the others suddenly stopped attacking and followed her out.
Sailor Mercury got to her feet unsteadily, leaning on the railing for support as she watched the last of the Sekkou clear the remains of the entrance doors. As the others gathered around her to figure out what to do, she felt her hands shaking while she gripped the railing, feeling her temper rise. Her plan had been to have Sailor Neptune and Uranus attack, since she figured their combined powers would be enough to disorient the Sekkou long enough to give them the advantage, but she didn't know they could recover that quickly.
Her plan ... "Didn't work." She finished out loud, feeling disgusted with herself. As a result, her girlfriend was now facing a death sentence for seemingly no reason. Slamming her fist on the railing, she finally gave in to her frustration. "Damn it! It's my fault. How could I have been so stupid?"
Sailor Mars put a hand on her shoulder gently and said, "Don't be so hard on yourself. We'll get her back . . . somehow." Rei felt Ami's hand move up and grab hers tightly. For a moment Rei thought Ami was going to smack it away, but then she felt her friend's hand start to relax.
Sailor Mercury took in a breath for a moment, trying to calm her nerves. It wasn't like her to let her emotions get the better of her. If she was going to help Makoto, she needed to calm down.
As she switched on her visor, she said, "We have to do something now if they were serious about what they want to do." She set her visor so that she could see through the structure of the building. White outlines formed a complex wire mesh to represent buildings, cars and people as she searched for the Sekkou across the horizon. The others watched as she slowly moved in a circle. They didn't know it, but that seemingly simple circular movement brought pain to her heart when it somehow stirred memories of Makoto's lesson on tai chi from the night before. Focusing on the task at hand, as she finished moving a full 360 degrees twice to make sure. Then she said trying to keep panic out of her voice, "I ... don't see them."
Several of the Guardians started to talk quietly to each other, clearly sounding distressed. They started to raise questions. Questions Ami didn't even want to think about. "Could they have gone wherever it is they came from and brought Sailor Jupiter with them? Could they somehow avoid detection on Sailor Mercury's visor? Could she already be dead?" Most of them were trying to speak quietly, but they were too close for Sailor Mercury not to ignore their comments.
Starting to feel frustrated again, she closed her eyes tightly then tilted her head up for a moment and gazed at the ceiling, hoping for divine inspiration. Sighing, she moved her head to look back at the others, but stopped and looked back up as something just at the edge of her peripheral vision on her visor's display caught her attention. The others saw Sailor Mercury's head start darting around quickly as she staggered back for a moment, placing her hand on her earring as she made rapid adjustments to her visor.
Sailor Uranus moved close to Mercury and grabbed the smaller woman's shoulders, trying to steady her since to the rest of them she looked like she was about to pass out. None of them could blame her, really, since they knew how much Makoto meant to her. True their relationship had just started, but they had possessed feelings for each other for a long time and been close friends even longer. It seemed cruel for them to be separated so soon. Haruka said, trying to reassure Ami, "Hey, easy, kitten. We'll figure it out. Just sit down for a moment."
This time Sailor Mercury jerked away as she spun around, watching the area above Sailor Uranus. Her voice sounded hopeful and worried at the same time as she said, "No, you do not understand! I found them! They are flying circles around the building. I did not see them before because I was looking too low since I assumed they were flying away from here. They still have Sailor Jup - Oh no!"
Sailor Mercury suddenly looked mortified as her eyes started to dart down, then relieved as she started to look up again. She did this several times then said out loud, "They're tossing her around. My god, they're playing a sick, twisted game of ... of catch with her."
Sailor Moon said quietly, "How are we going to get to her if we can't fly?"
Sailor Mercury had been thinking the same thing. She switched a setting on her visor, tracing the Sekkou and Sailor Jupiter as they all flew through the air. As a pattern emerged, she made an adjustment so she could see the building's structure. A plan came to her, but there was no way she could ask any of the others to go through with it. "Stay here!", she yelled as she ran for the nearest elevator.
Sailor Mars called behind her sounding worried, "Ami, wait! Where are you going? What are you doing? Come back!" In exasperation and frustration at Sailor Mercury for bolting off without an explanation, she yelled out angrily, "Damn it, Ami! Get back here!" Having enough of a head start, Sailor Mercury beat them to the elevator. As the others ran after her, they could only watch as the doors closed in front of her, blocking her determined expression.
Sailor Neptune looked at Sailor Uranus for a moment as the remaining Sailor Guardians looked back at the elevator doors and said, "Did you know she could run that fast?".
Sailor Uranus walked up to the elevator and slammed her fist into it. "What the hell is she thinking?"
Most of them had worried expressions on there faces except Sailor Moon, who looked confused. "I don't get it. This is Sailor Mercury we're talking about. What are you all worried about?" she asked quietly.
Sailor Mars said, still staring at the elevator doors angrily, "Okay. Picture yourself in the same situation, only, instead of Sailor Jupiter, Tuxedo Mask is the one they have. What would you be willing to do to get him back if you truly thought he was about to die?" As the others watched Sailor Moon waiting for it to click, Sailor Mars mimed looking at a wrist watch as if keeping track of time to see if Usagi would break some kind of record.
After several more moments of watching the glowing numbers above the elevator count up, realization suddenly dawned on her. "Oh no! She wouldn't!" Sailor Moon pushed Sailor Mars and Sailor Uranus out of the way after running to the doors. She beat on the steel sheets as hard as she could yelling, "No Mercury! Don't do it! We can come up with another way!"
Sailor Pluto, who had been silent until now ran for the stairs yelling for the others to follow.
Meanwhile, Sailor Mercury stood in the elevator staring at the doors. The inside of the new elevator doors where polished to a mirror reflection and she could see her own face staring back at her. The only sound was a soft hum from the motors and lights.
Alone, Sailor Mercury felt no reason to hide her emotions.
She felt a moment of fear when she saw her image staring back at her, But after a short time she felt only anger. She could almost hear the logical part of her mind say through the reflection, 'Have you even thought this out? So you are going to do what? Just jump out a window? Are you crazy?'
Mercury said out loud, listening to her own voice echo inside the enclosed space, as she recounted her admittedly insane plan, "Precisely. I can time it so I can land right on top of the one holding Makoto. If I am lucky, my added mass will force them to have to lower to the ground."
'And if you're wrong? Luck has not exactly been on your side today. So I ask you again, since you avoided answering the question. Are you stupid? Or just insane?'
Sailor Mercury looked back at her reflection and said, as a small smile formed on her lips, "No, I'm in love." That seemed to quiet any doubts in her mind as the elevator slowly carried her to her destination.
As the doors opened onto the 45th floor, Ami walked out of the elevator, dressed in her casual clothing she had put on that morning. She felt suddenly out of place as she walked up to the reception desk of the Ritz-Carlton, but if she was going to get to a higher floor without raising too much of a ruckus, this part of her mission would have to be accomplished by Ami Mizuno, not Sailor Mercury, since she was the one with a credit card and valid I.D.
When she approached the reception desk a rather snobby-looking middle aged man said, "Excuse me madam, are you lost?" He looked at Ami just barely hiding his amusement. To him, with the large bruise on the side of her head, scruffy hair, and small cuts from the ordeal she had just been through on the highway and downstairs, made Ami look a lot less like the type of person who would want a room here. Surely she was meeting up with a friend or had made a wrong turn.
Apparently, word of the incident down stairs hadn't reached here yet or the hotel staff didn't want to panic anyone who didn't know about it. Ami looked at the man politely and said as she adjusted her glasses when they slid down her nose just a bit, "No. I would like a room for one night. Anything that's available will be fine."
The receptionist typed on his computer for a few moments, searching for a room, still smiling in amusement as the keys clicked seemingly loudly in the quiet room. His smile widened a bit more at something on the screen. Suddenly forcing himself to look professional he looked up at Ami and said straight faced, "I'm afraid all we have is a corner junior suit on floor 51, Madam. It has a separate living room, king sized bed and bedroom, panoramic views of the -"
"It'll be fine," Ami said interrupting the man, and trying not to seem hurried. She pulled out her credit card and I.D, then asked politely, "How much?" Any amount was worth it if it got Makoto back to her.
"That will be 180,000 Yen for one night."
Ami kept her composure, but was unable to keep her face from turning a striking shade of white as she calmly handed the man her credit card without a word. As she waited for the card to clear she hoped Minako would understand why she wouldn't be able to pay her share of the rent for this month.
"There you are, madam. Just take the -"
He was cut off again as Ami quickly grabbed the room key and receipt then ran for the nearest elevator that would allow her to get to the 51st floor. As the elevator doors closed behind her, she could see the man still glaring at the strangest patron to, thus far, grace his precious hotel.
When the doors opened again, Sailor Mercury once again emerged running full speed down the hall, her visor activated and her head twisting left and right watching the visor's images of the Sekkou flying around outside the building, thankfully still holding Sailor Jupiter. A small timer was quickly counting down in the right corner of her view. Her destination was the ceiling to floor window at the far end of the hallway. She reached it and looked out, seeing the city spread out for miles, then took another deep breath.
She saw one of the Sekkou fly by a floor or two beneath her, apparently too engrossed in her sick twisted game of catch to notice her. Then she made her second big mistake of the day. She looked down ... down ... and down some more. She still had a few more seconds before she was going to do what she came here for, which in retrospect was a good thing because she was starting to realize just how insane this plan really was.
She wasn't afraid of heights, or even the fall, really. As she felt her knees start to shake, she said out loud, "It is the sudden stop at the end if I am wrong on my timing that bothers me." For a moment she thought she heard the logical part of her mind say sarcastically, 'Ya sure this is what you wanna do?'
Suddenly she saw the timer start to flash. T -10 seconds. -9, -8, -7 … Sailor Mercury backed up several feet then ran at the window at full speed!
She felt herself try to stop an instant after the absolute last second to wait for the Sekkou to make another pass. As she saw the timer say T +1 second, she swore loudly in the hallway as she realized it was too late.
Her momentum wouldn't allow her even to slow down at this point.
As she felt the glass shatter around her, she couldn't help but think how bad her luck was going when she felt gravity grip her and start pulling her toward the ground. She was a full second behind her calculations! All she could do now was scream and hope that whatever divine spirit was listening would answer her prayers.
The effects of Dark Sailor Mercury's water poisoning surprise attack were only temporary, so Sailor Jupiter felt herself start to come back to reality somewhere above the 35th floor. She could feel the wind ripping at her body and hair, and the strange feeling of her feet flying back in the air with nothing to touch. She opened her eyes and saw her current predicament and started to scream out in sheer terror!
Realizing her passenger was awake, Dark Sailor Jupiter said teasingly, "What's the matter? Don't like heights? Remember, it's not the fall, it's the sudden stop!" Then, looking around as she swung around the side of the building at nearly a 90 degree angle, she saw another one of her teammates.
"Hey Amara!" Dark Jupiter said, laughing, "Catch!" Then she threw the Guardian as hard as she could, watching as her twin's limbs flailed about in panic and her irritating scream grew distant as gravity took hold of Sailor Jupiter, causing her to plummet toward the ground before reaching Dark Sailor Uranus.
Sailor Jupiter couldn't even think straight as perhaps her greatest fear played out in front of her. This experience would be enough to scare anyone, but it was even worse for someone terrified of flying. She was falling through the air so fast that the wind blowing against her face actually hurt. She felt both weightless and heavy at the same time.
She felt terrified!
She felt helpless and vulnerable!
She felt like she was going to be sick again!
Dark Sailor Uranus dove down and grabbed Sailor Jupiter by the arm roughly, soaring back into the air then without a word, she swung her in a circle a few times before letting go, watching and listening with mild satisfaction as Makoto once again screamed. Dark Sailor Mercury caught her this time, but wasn't quite able to hold them both in the air.
They slowly started to descend as Dark Mercury laughing hysterically, listened to Sailor Jupiter beg for mercy. "No, please! Stop this! I don't care if you kill me, just put me down!"
Instead, laughing even louder as she did so, Dark Mercury simply let her go and watched as Dark Mars and Venus, who had been flying at a lower level flew up to meet Sailor Jupiter, grabbed both her arms jerking her back into the air once again to a higher level. They flew circles around the building several times as fast as they could while holding her then let go, watching as she fell like a rock through the air until Dark Sailor Saturn and Dark Pluto caught her.
Dark Saturn and Pluto flew several feet higher than the building with Sailor Jupiter, spinning around in a barrel roll as they ascended doing their best to make the terrified Guardian either sick or pass out. Then, after making several loops above the building, they let Sailor Jupiter go and watched as she fell back toward the earth passing the roof of the building then several floors, until Dark Jupiter once again caught her.
Her screams seemed to delight the Sekkou to no end. The only one not participating in the game of catch was Dark Sailor Moon. She stood on the roof near the helicopter pad, waiting for the others to stop playing with Sailor Jupiter and join her to bring this sick twisted game to its violent and bloody end.
Sailor Jupiter was crying by this point. She couldn't ever remember being this scared! Part of her wanted to push away from her double to get away from her and this sick twisted torture, but part of her was too afraid of the fall and the thought of soaring through the air, or rather, falling, to do that.
So instead she just curled up into a ball as best she could while being held, begging for them to have mercy on her and put her down on solid ground again. It was beyond cruel to to her.
Dark Jupiter laughed as if it were all just a game and Sailor Jupiter was just being as unreasonable as a child afraid of a mild thunderstorm.
She said teasingly, " Aw, what's the matter you little crybaby? Not having any fun?"
After she finished speaking, she heard the sound of breaking glass and someone screaming either in anger, terror or both. She looked around trying to find the source of the sound then looked up just in time to see Sailor Mercury slam into her, and then felt shards of glass slash into her as well. She let go of Sailor Jupiter yelling in frustration and surprise but Sailor Mercury, still screaming wrapped one arm around Dark Jupiter's waist and held onto Sailor Jupiter's arm as the Guardian held onto Dark Jupiter's legs for dear life.
Just as she had planned her added mass was simply too much for Dark Sailor Jupiter to carry along with both of them and all three slowly started to descend. By now, the other Sekkou had figured out what was going on and were diving down to catch up with them.
Instead of waiting for them to catch up, Dark Jupiter still unable to get Makoto or Ami to let go, dove down quicker then twisted them all in the air as she started to spin, altering their course so that they slammed through another window landing back inside the tower on the 38th floor.
Lita, Ami, and Makoto discovered the hard way that this area of the building was office space. In the case of this floor mostly a giant cube farm, as they smashed through several cubicles when the three separated after Dark Jupiter smacked into the ground. Several of the office's staff started running to exits in confusion and fear. One of the more intelligent and less panicked associates pulled the fire alarm to alert all the employees in the area to evacuate.
Sailor Mercury groaned a bit as she pushed a cubicle wall off of her and stood up. As the last of the terrified staff ran for the exits and stairs, she became worried when she couldn't see anyone because the cubicle walls that still stood near her blocked her view. She reached up and pulled herself up so she could see over and at first she saw nothing but the maze-like pattern all the cubicles made.
Suddenly she saw a face dart up from behind another cubicle several stalls away from her. "Makoto?", she asked sounding relived. "Are you all right?"
The other smiled then the moment she noticed the titanium tiara instead of a gold one, Dark Sailor Jupiter yelled out, "Electric Shock Thera - ack!" The cubicle wall behind Lita smashed into her as Makoto jumped up into view in the cubicle behind Dark Jupiter, and beat the wall into Mercury's would-be attacker.
Clearly enraged, and still not thinking clearly from the adrenaline and now fear turned liquid anger, Sailor Jupiter yelled out, as her small antenna rose from its hiding space on her tiara, "Super Supreme Thunder!" Electricity smashed into Dark Jupiter, but because Sailor Jupiter was so close, she was also partially electrocuted and the resulting blast threw her to the far end of the office, away from both Dark Jupiter and Sailor Mercury.
The short distraction gave Ami enough time to open her communicator. As soon as Sailor Mars responded, Ami said, glancing at the elevator which had the floor number painted near it, "Get to the 38th floor as fast as you can!"
Without waiting for an answer she turned off the device just in time for a nearby window to smash inward as Dark Saturn came through it, glaring angrily at Sailor Mercury as she gracefully landed on the floor.
Sailor Mars could climb stairs without any effort since she had plenty of practice at home every day she walked up the ones leading to the shrine. Running as fast as she could up the stairs, she announced to the others, "They're on the 38th floor! Where are we?"
Sailor Saturn took the moment to stop on the next landing she came to so she could take a breath as she looked at the plaque on the door. "29th." Then she wheezed out, "Can we please use an elevator?"
Sprinting past her with almost no effort, Sailor Uranus answered, "By the time one got down or up to us, there wouldn't be enough time. Besides, the exercise will do you good!"
As the others ran past her, Sailor Moon stopped and stood with Sailor Saturn, breathing loudly. "They can't expect us to keep up for 10 more floors!"
Holding her sides for a moment, Sailor Saturn said, "Nine floors, but yeah, it might as well be 10." Taking one last breath, she said, "Well, we better get going!" Then she took off after the others.
Practically dragging herself up each stair, Sailor Moon begged, "Wait for me!"
A second later, Sailor Moon's blue eyes opened wide in surprise. Her friends had turned around and were coming back! Smiling happily, she squealed, "Thanks guys! I knew I could count on you! I- Whoa hey!" She yelped the last part out in shock as Sailor Urauns stopped just long enough to pick her up and throw her over her shoulder before running back down the stairs as fast as she could.
Then Sailor Moon saw why her friends were running so fast. As the first of the crowd of stampeding office staff made there way down the stairs Sailor Moon let out a panicked scream, which Sailor Saturn took as a sign she needed to run even faster.
Trista, still welding her Silent Glaive, strode down the row of cubicles toward Sailor Mercury purposefully and confidently. "Mighty brave rescue attempt, woman." She jumped into the air and flew toward her shrieking, "Now let's find out how brave you really are!"
Sailor Mercury wasn't quick enough to avoid the collision as Dark Saturn slammed into her, throwing her over the edge of yet another cubicle wall behind her. She landed in the middle of a path leading straight to an elevator. Her attacker touched down behind her, allowing her a clear shot at the doors to safety.
"Since you are so brave, I will make a deal with you. I will let you go without any attempt to stop you." Then smiling evilly she added, "Or you can stay here and die. Leave Sailor Jupiter to her fate. If you stay you will both perish. After all she would prefer herself to die instead of you." Gesturing toward the elevator she finished, "Go on, go. You're free. You don't have to die today."
Sailor Mercury gradually got to her feet, never letting her eyes leave Dark Sailor Saturn. The sounds of the ongoing fight between Sailor Jupiter and Dark Jupiter could be heard echoing through the large room. "No! Iwould rather die than let you hurt her!" Seeing no other options left to her, Sailor Mercury decided to face down Dark Sailor Saturn on her own. "If you want to harm her you will have to deal with me first!"
Giving Sailor Mercury an unfriendly smile, the tall woman said, "I was hoping you would say that."
Before she could even react once again, Dark Sailor Saturn blasted her with a powerful ball of energy, and watched as Sailor Mercury fell to the ground in agony. Then she strolled casually up to Sailor Mercury, who was already trying to get back onto her feet. Dark Saturn gave Sailor Mercury a rough kick, causing the smaller woman to spin, then land on her stomach. To hold her in place, Trista raised her right foot and jammed her heal into the center of Sailor Mercury's back. Sailor Mercury yelled out in pain as she tried to reach around with one hand to move the Sekkou's foot away.
Dark Jupiter had put Makoto in a headlock, then forced her against a wall next to a door pinning her there so she couldn't move. Suddenly, Sailor Jupiter heard Sailor Mercury yell out and looked over to see Dark Sailor Saturn raise her weapon, twirl it around for a moment. Then she stopped it so the blade was pointing down toward what she assumed was Sailor Mercury's back.
She wouldn't even see it coming!
Sailor Mercury had risked everything to save her, and now suddenly Ami was about to be . . . "No!" was all Sailor Jupiter could think to yell out in anguish in a feeble attempt to stop Trista from what she was about to do. Makoto strained her arms as if trying to reach out to Ami futilely. It quickly dawned on her that the only assistance she would be able to give would be to watch in horror.
Trista glanced at Makoto without moving her head, and said, "Patience, my friend. First her, then you." Letting her smile grow larger, she said quietly to Ami, almost as if it were supposed to be reassuring, "You chose your destiny, now die with the consequences!"
She raised the staff up over her head then swung it down quickly, intending to embed its sharp tip deep into Sailor Mercury's back, yelling out as she felt the feeling of victory surge through her.
Author's Note: 180,000 Japanese Yen is equal to 1,483.92 U.S. Dollars, or 1,101.32 Euros