Chapter 6
Fight or Flight
"Don't go." Amara said to Serena. "You know it's a trap. They'll just take you again and this time we won't be able to get you back so quickly."
"She's right." Kunzite added. "It's what I would do."
"Real comforting!" Mina snapped at him.
"I can't just let her destroy the city." Serena said worriedly. "I have to go." She pushed past everyone and walked to the temple doors. She reached into the bodice of her dress and withdrew her transformation brooch that she now wore as a necklace. The shiny metal felt warm yet foreign in her hands. It had been so many years, would it still work as it once had?
"Sailor Moon was never meant to work alone." Amy said, causing Serena to pause mid-step.
She turned to face her friends. Amy, Raye, Mina, Lita, Trista, Amara, Michelle and Darien all stood together each with their own look of determination.
"We're coming with you." Darien said firmly.
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The Juban area was in complete chaos. Thousands of people were out, running through the streets, fleeing for their lives. The scouts passed crying men, women and children. Almost everyone seemed injured.
Serena fought the lump that was building in her throat as she followed her friends. How many times had she rushed into battle without thinking? Fear was something she rarely felt…but here it was seeping through her like poison. A sense of dread overcame her as they neared the blast zone. She hoped they would all make it out of this fight safely.
"There she is!" Mina called, pointing to a pink clad figure that was perched on top of a nearby building that was crumbling beneath her feet. She wielded a long silver staff with a glowing orb of pink and black light. Everything that she pointed her staff at was obliterated almost instantly. However her hands alone were proving just as dangerous as she sent balls of dark energy at the people running from the destruction.
"Michelle, Amara and I will go in from the back." Trista said. "We'll surround her."
"Be very careful." Amy advised. "My computer is showing an immense amount of power radiating from her."
"Any weaknesses?" Darien asked.
Amy shook her head. "We won't know that until we attack."
"Transform!" Amara called as yet another building crumbled beside them.
"Mercury Crystal Power —"
"Venus Crystal Power—"
"Mars Crystal Power—"
"Jupiter Crystal Power—"
"Uranus Crystal Power—"
"Neptune Crystal Power—"
"Pluto Crystal Power—"
"MAKE UP!"
Serena watched in awe as her friends transformed before her. She had forgotten how amazing each scout appeared as their regular clothes faded into their uniforms. They were breathtaking.
Darien touched her shoulder. "Just like riding a bike." He assured her.
Serena nodded and took out her transformation brooch. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Make Up!"
"Serena?" Lita whispered.
There Serena stood, her brooch still in her hand, dressed in the ridiculous dress she had woken up in. Nothing had happened.
Serena shook her head. She could feel the scouts' eyes boring into her as she rubbed her transformation brooch once more. "Silver Moon Crystal Power Make Up!" She tried again.
Again, nothing happened. Serena felt her stomach drop to the floor. "I… I can't transform."
Amy took out her computer and slipped on her visor. "There is an odd aura coming off of your body… I will have to run some tests."
"We don't have time!" Serena screamed.
"Then you'll sit this one out." Amara said simply.
"She demanded Sailor Moon!" Serena shouted. "Look at what she is doing to the city! It is my job to stop her!" She felt tears filling her eyes. She had come back to Tokyo to fight, not to watch her friends throw themselves into a fight that wasn't about them.
"Don't worry." Lita smiled. "We'll take care of her."
Darien tipped his hat at Serena. "Just like riding a bike." He repeated as the scouts rushed off. "Stay here." He assured her, pushing her back behind a mostly intact building. "No matter what happens don't come out. You aren't protected if you aren't transformed. Remember they want you, not us. Let us do our job."
Solemnly, Serena nodded. Her heart was racing. It took everything in her not to run past him to join her friends.
"I'll be close." Darien hesitated but then gave her a curt nod and rushed off to join the rest of the scouts.
Serena watched helplessly as her friends spread out. Their training had paid off. They were fast. They were quiet. They were more disciplined. Serena hoped it would be enough.
"I feel your presence Sailor Moon!" The woman cried. "Don't hide… it won't help you. Prince Nikko made sure of that." She laughed as she seemingly danced across the tops of the buildings until she came to one right above Serena."Ahhh… there you are princess. You'll need to come with me." She didn't appear to be surprised that Serena hadn't transformed.
"Who are you?" Serena asked as she cautiously backed away. Behind the woman she could see the scouts closing in. She needed to keep her talking and distracted so they could get close enough to catch her off guard.
"My name is Rhea, I come from Charon but you already knew that didn't you? However, I'm sure you don't know that we knew each other once." She floated down to the ground, settling right in front of Serena.
Serena's eyebrows lifted in surprise.
"Oh yes." Rhea's pale features transformed into a chilling smile. "A long time ago… before the Earth intervened and your mother was still Queen. The moon and Charon were linked then. You doubt me, I see it in your face princess. Very well, ask your green haired friend, or maybe I shall do it for you." Rhea spun around to face the scouts that appeared behind her. She dodged a kick from Amara and rolled behind them. She pointed her staff at Raye and sent a blast that knocked out three of the scouts.
"STOP!" Serena screamed as she saw Amy, Raye and Michelle fall to the ground. They didn't move. Serena wasted no time. She pushed past Rhea and ran to her friends. All three girls were still but they were breathing.
"Come with me Princess and I will." Rhea stated as she sent another blast towards the scouts.
Darien deflected it with his cane but another came just as quickly and sent him flying towards a pile of rubble. He crumbled to the ground, weak but still conscious.
"WORLD SHAKING!" Amara shouted from behind Rhea.
Rhea spun just in time to get hit by Amara's attack. She screamed as the force of the blast sent her through the air, hitting a crumbling wall. She hardly missed a beat as she got back to her feet. Blood trickled down her right leg where a large tear was evident in her suit. Rhea's face twisted into a look of horror. "Look what you did you little—"
"Venus Love Me Chain!" Mina yelled as her chain whipped out, circling Rhea's legs and pulling her down to the hard concrete.
Rhea hollered as she landed on the ground. Her staff rolled out of her grip, bouncing off the edge of the sidewalk before finally settling next to a street drain.
"Alright Rhea, you want to play? Let's go for a ride!" Mina grinned as she jumped up to one of the remaining buildings, dragging Rhea behind her.
Rhea grimaced as she was dragged across building after building. She struggled against the chain but her arms weren't long enough and Mina was running too fast.
Meanwhile, Serena and Darien were trying to wake up Amy, Raye and Michelle.
"They got hit pretty hard." Darien commented as he ran his hands over Raye's head. He felt a large bump but there was no sign of severe damage. "They'll be okay, they've just been knocked out. Let's get them off the street." He gathered up Michelle in his arms.
"Darien, watch out!" Serena screamed as a ball of dark energy flew at them. She pushed Darien out of the way only to be hit full on by the blast. Serena screamed as she fell to the ground, shaking as the dark power rippled over her, sapping most of her energy.
"SERENA!" Darien screamed as he dropped Michelle and rushed over to Serena. Before he could get there another blast caught him in the back, sending him flying in the opposite direction.
Rhea cackled as she dropped from a nearby building looking positively rabid. Her suit was covered with tears and beneath each she was bleeding and scratched. However her hair had taken the worst of the damage as she had a bald patch right behind her left ear. She had managed to grab hold of a ledge to stop Mina from dragging her and had used her own chain to pull her right into a pulse of dark energy. However, Mina still had some fight in her as she had reached for Rhea's hair in retaliation. She had passed out with a chunk of Rhea's long auburn hair wedged between her gloved fingers.
Rhea cast a glance around her. She counted four sailor scouts and Darien down plus Serena. "Wait a minute—"
"SUPREME THUNDER!" Sailor Jupiter called, sending a flash of lightning racing towards a quickly tiring Rhea.
Rhea hollered and jumped as lightning covered her body, coursing through her nerves and setting them on fire. "Ow! Ow! Ow!"
"Sailor Moon!" Sailor Uranus called as she rushed to a weak Serena.
Serena waved her away as she struggled to sit up. Her body felt heavy from lack of energy and it was a struggle to merely stay conscious. "I'm fine Uranus… get the others… get them out of here. Sailor Jupiter can handle her."
Sailor Uranus nodded and slung Sailor Neptune and Mercury over her shoulder as if they were no heavier than sacks of flour. She then took off, heading for a safe distance while Tuxedo Mask came to.
Serena willed herself to get on her hands and knees and crawled painfully towards him. She could feel her once white dress now in tatters. It snagged and ripped on debris as she moved but she didn't stop. She had to help Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Venus and Mars.
Somewhere behind her she heard Sailor Jupiter scream.
Serena turned her head to see Sailor Jupiter fall to the ground. The bottom of her skirt was singed and smoking just above a huge bloody gash on her thigh. "Sailor Jupiter!" Serena whispered as she felt the last of her strength leaving her.
She fell to the hard cement and looked up at the clear night sky. Her breathing was growing heavier and heavier with each passing second. She wondered then about Blake, where he was and what he was doing. Immediately she regretted not telling him about her past as a sailor scout and what she truly intended to do in Tokyo when she returned. Her lips curled into a smile as she remembered the sweet sound of his voice, the warmth of his chest and the caress of his lips on hers. Yet somehow, while she thought of Blake she also thought of Darien and all of those what ifs returned to her. Before she could reflect any longer she was brought back to reality as underneath her chin she felt something cool and sharp.
"Sailor Moon… I warned you to come alone." Rhea said in a deep voice. In her hand was a long, thin silver dagger. It pressed against Serena's neck, as if daring her to move.
"Now you'll have to watch them all die because you were too much of a coward to give yourself up." Rhea came into Serena's view. She hovered over her, straddling her from above. Her dark eyes were suddenly glowing, thrilled with the prospect of an inevitable victory.
"Who shall die first? Sailor Jupiter? Sailor Mars? Mercury? Venus? Wait… no…" Her head turned towards a stirring Tuxedo Mask. "Your precious prince… "
Serena's eyes widened in horror at Rhea's words, she opened her mouth to speak but no sound would come out, no scream, no whimper, not even a small gasp. She was completely powerless to do anything to save her friends.
Rhea left Serena and skipped over to Tuxedo Mask who was rolling onto his side, still recovering from Rhea's previous attack. She raised her dagger high into the air. The moonlight caught the glint of the blade, shinning for one brilliant moment before it cut down sharply.
Before the blade could tear into Darien's chest a loud explosion was heard followed by a flash of light. Serena's eyes were overwhelmed but not before she caught a glimpse of four tall men standing just a few feet from Rhea. As her gaze sharpened she saw Kunzite with Rhea's staff in his hands. The dark orb was glowing red from the blast but its aim had been true.
Rhea fell into a heap on the ground, just beside Tuxedo Mask. Her auburn hair, already in patches from Sailor Venus, was scorched and jagged. Her skin was a deep gray, covered in soot. A hole, the size of a fist, was clearly visible in her stomach. Her breathing was ragged and short as her lungs filled with blood.
Nephrite rushed to Serena and helped her to her feet while Zoisite took hold of Tuxedo Mask and pulled him from a dying Rhea. Behind them Jadeite was helping the rest of the scouts come to but Kunzite still held the staff, approaching Rhea cautiously. He placed the tip of it underneath her chin. "Any last words witch?"
Rhea's lips curved into a painful smile as blood trickled down the side of her mouth. "Won't ….. Prince….. Nik..Nikko …. b…b… be… pl…pleased."
Kunzite screamed and brought the staff plunging down but it was too late. Rhea's body had disappeared in a brilliant flash of light, leaving behind only remnants of her scorched hair.
Serena then collapsed against Nephrite, the last of her strength gone.
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"FABIAN!" A cold voice commanded.
Fabian approached his brother with a firm jaw.
"You lied to me … you said the Generals would not be a problem!" Prince Nikko stated, infuriated.
"I had no reason to believe they would be. Now it seems as if they have resigned themselves to protect the Sailor Scouts." Fabian responded.
Prince Nikko slammed his fist down on the polished oak table before him. "Rhea nearly died out there! She would have succeeded in killing those rats and bringing me the princess if it hadn't been for them!"
"Brother, if I may… this may be a grand opportunity for us." Fabian interjected.
"What?" Prince Nikko stood, knocking back his chair in the process.
"The scouts have shown us their one weakness: secrecy—" Fabian began.
"Continue." Nikko commanded.
"United with the generals, the scouts will be a problem. But if we tear them apart… and their lives apart… they will not fight."
"How will we accomplish that?"
Fabian's black eyes gleamed as he smiled. "We expose them to the world."