Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse

by Grey-X

Soon after Usagi learns that Naru is a mutant, anti-mutant hysteria hits Japan hard, thanks in part to a mysterious new enemy with mutant abilities known only as Eclipse. As her country begins to tear itself apart, Usagi will have a bit of help when some of the X-Men travel from the United States looking for new recruits, and she'll learn what it really means to be a superhero.

37. The Sailor Senshi vs Magneto!

Sailor Moon X: Lunar Eclipse

a Sailor Moon/X-Men crossover

Chapter 37: The Sailor Senshi vs. Magneto!

10-30-2018

by Grey-X

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the creation and property of Naoko Takeuchi and Toei Animation. X-Men is the creation and property of Stan Lee, Marvel Comics and Disney.

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Magneto said nothing. He simply stared back at the Sailor Senshi for several moments after they uttered their trademark bravado. Thanks to his helmet, Sailor Mercury couldn't see into his eyes. She could only guess what was going through the Master of Magnetism's head.

On top of that, being this close to him made her visor screwier than ever. Her tech had some shielding against electromagnetic surges, but it wasn't designed with someone like Magneto in mind. The team always counted on her finding their enemy's weakness, but this time, that could be impossible.

However, her visor picked up a spike of electromagnetic energy, just as Magneto inclined his head upward a little. Otherwise, it seemed Magneto was taking no action, but Mercury knew better. All the information they had on him, all his battles with the X-Men they studied... He was a cunning, ruthless tactician with a mind perhaps rivaling hers, skilled at hitting his enemies from multiple angles.

"Heads up, team!" Mercury cried. "Magneto's bringing his power to bear... Be ready for anything!"

"Behind us, the floor's plating!" Jupiter shouted. "Jupiter Oak Evolution!"

"Jupiter and I have got this!" Mars added. "Burning Mandala!"

Mercury risked a quick glance over her shoulder. Magneto's first move was just what she had predicted. He hoped to blindside them with a flurry of metal objects from behind. Luckily, Mars and Jupiter's attacks took care of the junk hurled at them. Pipes, metal plating and other objects were blasted away, buying the other Sailor Senshi time to strike.

"This one's courtesy of Iceman, Magneto!" Mercury cried. "Shabon Spray Freezing!" Her blast of frigid mist engulfed Magneto. Mercury hoped she had acted fast enough, before Magneto had a chance to erect that force bubble. Even if he hadn't, the X-Men's files said extreme cold could amplify his power even more. Fortunately, the others were poised to strike before Magneto could.

"Crescent Beam Shower!" Venus roared.

"Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" Sailor Moon shouted.

They unleashed their attacks into that cloud of mist, but not before Magneto levitated himself above it. A few of Venus's shots angled upward, and one struck Magneto, disorienting him for a moment. Tuxedo Kamen used that opening, leaping up towards him.

"Now, Magneto, you'll pay for tormenting a mutant maiden so!" Tuxedo Kamen snarled, grappling him in midair. Given how his cane was mostly wood, Magneto couldn't affect it. Tuxedo Kamen drove it into his gut, then smacked Magneto upside the head with it. Unfortunately, that helmet proved quite resilient. Magneto rolled with the blow, and his costume was some sort of compound body armor.

Worse, even when someone got up close and personal, Magneto proved far from helpless. Possessing some training in close-quarters fighting, he wormed out of Tuxedo Kamen's hold, then held fast to him in midair.

Then, in an eyeblink, small bits of metal plating flew to Magneto, wrapping around his free hand. "Brave, honorable... It's easy to see why Sailor Moon is so fond of you," said Magneto, right before driving a scrap-covered fist into Tuxedo Kamen's face. "A shame, though, how such overconfidence is unbecoming of a would-be king."

Another blow to the face, this time accompanied by an electromagnetic surge. Tuxedo Kamen writhed, blood pouring down his face. As Magneto was about to strike again, Sailor Moon screamed, "Moon Tiara Action!"

Magneto dropped Tuxedo Kamen as he turned to the blazing disc curving around to strike him. As Jupiter jumped to catch Tuxedo Kamen, Magneto erected his barrier just in time. The tiara drove forward, reflecting Sailor Moon's determination. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but to Mercury, Magneto's body language suddenly betrayed worry.

Regardless, they had another opening. They had to strike before Magneto could hurl more junk at them. "Mars, Venus, come on! Let's lend Sailor Moon a hand!" Mercury shouted. Hopefully Jupiter would take a hint and not attack. Under most circumstances, her attacks would hardly affect Magneto. Or strengthen him if he saw Jupiter coming, soaking up the energy. Like Tuxedo Kamen, Jupiter would have to wait patiently for the right time to strike.

"You got it, Mercury! Crescent Beam!" Venus shouted, aiming to punch her laser blast right through that magnetic bubble.

"Fire Soul!" Mars bellowed. In an instant, that bubble was nearly smothered in roaring flames.

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" Mercury cried, sending out piledriving tendrils of icy water from her harp.

"Mamoru, how bad are you hurt?" Jupiter asked over the din of the other Senshi's attacks.

Tuxedo Kamen wiped away blood dribbling down his nose and mouth. "I'll survive," he grumbled. "Pride hurt worse than my body, and all that..."

While Jupiter saw to Tuxedo Kamen, the four of them kept up the pressure, their attacks slamming his shields, not giving Magneto a moment's breath. He seemed unable to strike back, getting hammered from all sides.

It was a hopeful sign, but still, it worried Mercury. This was the man who could not only beat back the X-Men, but just about all their superhero allies back West. Surely it couldn't be this easy.

"Come on, all of us pouring it on has to break through his shields! It has to!" Venus insisted.

Mercury wasn't so sure, and her fears soon proved prescient. Her visor picked up another EM spike, making Mercury gasp. "Everyone, don't be fooled! Magneto's getting ready to strike back!" she cried out.

Her warning came just in time. More metal plating ripped from the walls and floors, along with chunks of the asteroid itself, flew at them from behind.

Sailor Moon had to divert her tiara to slice apart plating flung over at Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen. The floor itself seemed to erupt under Venus and Mars's feet, and only some shots from Mercury's harp saved them from getting clobbered by chunks of rock flung at them.

The pressure was off Magneto. Seeking to regain the momentum, Tuxedo Kamen and Jupiter both leapt up at him, only to be blasted back down by bursts of electromagnetic force. The other Sailor Senshi had to deflect the remainder of Magneto's junk with their attacks, but Mercury stole quick glances up at him. He looked a little winded, perhaps not expecting their combined attacks to tax his defenses so much, for all the good it did them.

"Perhaps it was foolish to let you Sailor Senshi face me as a team, out of respect," Magneto remarked. He loosed more metal plating and rock chunks to fling at them. "However, it was equally foolish to challenge me here, where I can use my powers to their fullest. And Erina, though I imagine you're quite interested in seeing how this plays out, I must insist you wait this out elsewhere."

After ducking aside to avoid another asteroid chunk, Mercury caught a glimpse of some scraps of metal pinning Erina Kizachi to Magneto's throne. Then the throne slid back into the wall behind it, which opened up and then closed, removing Kizachi from the line of fire.

If Magneto still considered Kizachi an asset and didn't want her harmed, this was bad news. All their previous tussles with Magneto were simply him taking their measure. Now, Mercury realized, he was about to let loose.

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Umino tried to put on a brave front, but numbing fear was finally creeping up on him. Oh, like many other boys, how often he dreamed of taking up arms and being a hero, just like in manga. Now he had done just that, and all he wanted was to get off this rock with.

But he knew he couldn't. Not until they purged Asteroid M's computers. Even if the other Sailor Senshi succeeded in beating Magneto down, his followers could make off with that data and rebuild those Sentinels.

'Careful what you wish for'. Truer words were never spoken, Umino grumbled inwardly, happy to let Sailor Uranus and Naru take point. I was happy before, being the man behind the woman. Hopefully after this, it can be that way again.

It had taken some time, but Umino finally opened those blasts doors. Given such security measures, they had to be near the asteroid's computer core. Sailor Neptune strode beside him, a picturesque image of stoic beauty, while Sailor Chibi-Moon and Lockheed covered the rear. This also suited Umino just fine, not being in a particularly vulnerable spot. He hated himself for such seeming cowardice, but couldn't help it.

"Umino, the fighting may soon start again," said Neptune suddenly. "Given your limited experience with guns, it may be best to take cover when it breaks out, rather than join in."

Umino stared up at Neptune, face flushing. "That's... probably a good idea," he admitted. "Still, I'd feel like a coward. We got the X-Men and the rest of the Sailor Senshi fighting elsewhere, and this job is just as important, so..."

"Hold for a moment," said Uranus suddenly, raising a fist. The entire group stopped running.

"What is it, Uranus?" Naru asked. "Sensing something in this stale, recycled air?"

"Oh, the winds definitely carry something now," said Uranus. "It's like the wind is... charged with a power, tainted in darkness."

"Don't look at me," Naru grumbled defensively.

"No one was accusing you of anything, Naru," said Neptune. "At any rate, I think we can guess what it is Uranus now senses."

Umino gulped. "You mean... Magneto's at it? Unleashing his power?" Years of hearing such terrifying stories of the Master of Magnetism made it hard not to shudder. Having a mutant girlfriend didn't shield you from such deeply ingrained fear.

"Then someone has to go help whoever's reached him," said Naru. "Magneto's no pushover in a fight, we both know that."

"Still, as you and Umino pointed out, it's equally important to take out the computer core," said Neptune. "And with any luck, so many forces are being diverted now that Magneto has come under attack, security around it will be light."

"In all likelihood, the princess is among those now tackling Magneto head-on," said Uranus. "I can feel it in my heart, how much trouble she's in. But we must put our trust in Sailor Moon, that she can hold out until help arrives. You do trust her again, don't you?"

Umino could see Naru bristle at the not-so-subtle accusation. Thankfully, she mostly let it slide. She glared up at Uranus, but nodded, and the six of them resumed their trek.

"Besides, Naru," Neptune added, "I'm sure actual X-Men have to make tough decisions, knowing when NOT to go after Magneto and the like."

"Like you and Uranus can talk," Chibi-Moon jeered. Neptune just groaned.

"The point is, just because you've got that uniform on now, it doesn't mean you've got to pulp the face of every one of their enemies. Priorities," said Uranus. "I'm sure Xavier himself would tell you there's more to being an X-Man than that."

"Naru, an X-Man after all..." Chibi-Moon said in a sing-song voice. "Y'know, I can't believe I didn't notice this until now. There's girls in that outfit, yet the group is called the X-MEN!?"

Naru bristled again. Did that uniform get to her head already? "Well, that is kind of weird. But there's been other groups with gender-neutral names," Naru pointed out. "Cable led X-Force, Kitty was part of Excalibur... And it's not like the Sailor Senshi are free of sexism. The whole thing about only women being able to be Senshi, because they have to protect those they love?"

Umino had to admit Naru had a good point, but wasn't going to add anything. Not with Uranus and Neptune right there. Though hearing that did bolster Umino's resolve a little. He held his rifle a little more firmly. He couldn't do much, especially against some of the more powerful mutants still lurking about, but he would have Naru's back, no matter what.

There was another blast door ahead, which looked even tougher than the last one. Umino got to work rigging the wires. Luckily, it proved a simpler task this time. The moment the huge doors slid open, Uranus, Neptune and Naru rushed inside, Lockheed swooping in after them. The sound of utter chaos swiftly followed in their wake.

"Hey, wait for us!" Chibi-Moon protested, running in after them. Umino smirked uneasily. Chibi-Moon had said 'us'. This Senshi actually considered him part of their fighting force. Granted, this was basically the Sailor Senshi's kid sidekick, but still...

Umino followed her inside, rifle at the ready. As fate would have it, they weren't really needed. This part of the asteroid was essentially one big vertical, cylindrical chamber, with several rings of platforms circling around it. As Neptune and Uranus leaped up to a higher level after cleaning house on the one they stepped out onto, Lockheed took it upon himself to fly up and belch flames at those occupying the higher levels.

At first, Umino couldn't see Naru. Then, he caught a flash of billowing, black flame. She caught someone off-guard, whipping a tendril to knock him out cold, then teleported away as suddenly as she had appeared.

She darted around the mammoth chamber this way, taking out the people working in this area before they realized she was there. Uranus and Neptune drawing everyone's attention certainly helped too. Whatever mutant powers they had, they had no chance to use them. In less than two minutes, the six of them were the only ones left standing. Or, in Lockheed's case, flying.

"Hmph, Outer Senshi always hogging the fun for themselves," Chibi-Moon groaned.

Umino certainly didn't mind the field being cleared like this. These people might not have even been Acolytes, just mutants who took these jobs to escape persecution on Earth. Umino wouldn't have wanted to hurt them.

"At least it looks like we found what we're looking for." Chibi-Moon pointed up, toward the center of the chamber. Indeed, on a platform suspended in the middle, there looked to be a host of computer consoles, and the structures directly underneath could certainly be massive data storage banks. "Even I could smash up those computers, but I'll hazard a guess it wouldn't be that easy."

Umino shook his head. "Even if this is the place, there's a good chance there's backup data somewhere. I'll need to get up there and start fiddling around with Magneto's computers."

"Then we'd better get you started, Umino." Naru peeked out from over the platform with the consoles, then sent out a tendril.

It gently wrapped around Umino and Chibi-Moon, hoisting them up. Once Naru set them down, Uranus and Neptune jumped down to their level. "And I'd advise being quick about it, Umino," said Uranus. "With the Inner Senshi and X-Men drawing attention elsewhere, we have breathing room, but best not to dawdle."

Umino was about to snap at the insinuation he'd waste their time, but let it slide. After all, these people were the ones with superpowers, yet put their faith in him right then. So what if only girls could be Sailor Senshi? At the moment, they needed him.

Cracking his knuckles as he walked over to the biggest console, Umino said, "OK then, time to make Magneto's little birdie sing..."

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Sailor Jupiter shrieked as Magneto let out another wave of electromagnetic energy. Given her own mastery over the thunder, she could sense the totality of his power better than the others. This latest onslaught eclipsed all the others by far. It was so intense, it made the floor beneath them crumble.

The other Sailor Senshi shrieked as well, but didn't let up. As the floor broke apart, they jumped from falling piece to falling piece, doing whatever they could to whittle down Magneto's shields. Shine Aqua Illusion, Venus Love-and-Beauty Shock and Mars Flame Sniper all smashed into Magneto's barrier, but it held. From what Jupiter could see as she was falling, Magneto was starting to look a little winded. But with her antenna out, she could sense how much fight Magneto had left in him, and he had plenty.

What's it going to take to wear him down!? Jupiter wondered, frustration bubbling up as her feet touched a falling chunk from the floor above. She sprang off it, then fell several meters, rolling to a stop along the floor below. Worse, because of how electricity and magnetism are related, Mercury said I can't wail in him whenever I want.

Sailor Moon's stifled crying snapped Jupiter out of it. Looking ahead, she saw Sailor Moon slowly rising, hunched over and clutching her butt. "Ow ow ow ow ow, still can't quite stick the landing..."

"Get up, Sailor Moon! He'll be on top of us any second!" Jupiter chided, running over to her. "Seriously, the original X-Men were hardly any older than us, and not as powerful back then. How the HELL did they trounce this guy!?"

"They outlasted and outfoxed him," said Sailor Moon, taking an offered hand for help up. "C'mon, Mercury told you what you gotta do. When you see your shot, take it!"

Sailor Moon's eyes widened, and Jupiter glanced over her shoulder. Magneto was levitating himself down, electricity crackling over that magnetic bubble. Jupiter spared a quick glance around their new surroundings. It was darker and rockier than the dome above, and even a bit more spacious. There was a huge window at one end, letting in some light from the stars and the moon. At the other end, another glass barrier, beyond which Jupiter could glimpse an expanse of towering machinery, power arcing all over those, too.

Though they had more room to move about here, with all the debris that had rained down, Magneto had more ammunition with which to box them in. Sailor Moon charged, heedless of that, hoping to press on now that Magneto showed some signs of fatigue. "Moon Gorgeous Meditation!" she roared, aiming her kaleidoscope.

As expected, Magneto's shields still held, but Jupiter caught a glimpse of him gritting his teeth. Sailor Moon's attacks could hammer his shields hard. Unfortunately, she couldn't keep him from using his magnetic powers in other ways. Chunks of rock, pipes and mangled metal plating were all flung Sailor Moon's way.

Sailor Moon shrieked, but Jupiter was on top of it. "Not so fast, Magneto! Supreme Thunder!" she cried. A continuous bolt of lightning fired from her antenna, blasting away all that junk. As she twisted around to knock away yet more, Jupiter saw Tuxedo Kamen leap to smash apart a rock chunk heading Sailor Moon's way with his cane, then he tossed a rose to shatter another. Tuxedo Kamen and I might not be much use against you directly, Magneto, but we can keep you from hurting anyone else!

Before Magneto could send another wave of magnetized junk their way, a thick, icy fog spread across the chamber. Soon, Jupiter could hardly see Magneto, but still sensed his presence with her antenna.

"That won't work, Sailor Mercury!" Magneto called out. "I don't need to see you to get a fix on your positions. Your power is too great for me not to sense along lines of electromagnetic force."

"Sense THIS, Lehnsherr!" Mars spat from somewhere. "Fire Soul Bird!"

Some of the fog faded as the huge, flaming, bird of prey swooped in to claw and peck at Magneto's shields, all while Sailor Moon refused to let up. Magneto had seemed flustered before, but he was getting quite aggravated now, as if realizing he bit off more than he could chew. Jupiter smirked as she worked on deflecting what junk Magneto could still hurl around, and smiled broadly when Venus Love-and-Beauty Shock smacked into those shields again, taxing them even further.

But just as Jupiter let herself hope they'd overpower the Master of Magnetism, he cruelly spat on those hopes. No longer content to let magnetized junk do his dirty work, Magneto swooped down.

He hadn't been bluffing about being able to single them out. Jupiter had lost sight of Mercury in her fog, but Magneto picked her out easily, blasting her out from cover with a burst of electromagnetic force. Mercury screamed as she skipped along the floor, then Magneto turned and darted for another Sailor Senshi.

Mars, also obscured by the fog, had to backflip away to avoid having that shield slam into her. Seeing his opening, a huge pipe slammed into Mars from behind, and the fiery bird tailing him vanished.

Now that he was a moving target, Sailor Moon lowered her kaleidoscope, her free hand going for her tiara. "Moon Tiara Action!" she cried, throwing it Magneto's way. Magneto wrenched a huge mechanical fixture free from the wall to deflect it, then used the sliced-up pieces to knock Venus out from behind cover while blasting Sailor Moon back with an electromagnetic discharge. More electromagnetic blasts also kept Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen at bay.

"Such magnificent teamwork, much like the X-Men themselves," said Magneto as he gestured. Metal bands snaked out from nowhere, ensnaring Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon wailed and struggled as Magneto levitated her up to him. "From what Erina Kizachi revealed to me after observing you for over a year, I expected no less. But my old friend must have clued you in, as to how I'm quite unlike any of your old enemies."

"We've eaten monsters aiming to devour the world for breakfast!" Sailor Moon snarled, still writhing in Magneto's bindings. "We don't give up, Magneto! We'll beat you, too!"

"Must you lump me with Queen Beryl and the rest?" Magneto protested, actually sounding a little hurt. "I have no desire to destroy this world, or conquer it for the sake of conquering it. You must understand that by now. We're actually a lot alike, Tsukino. You're destined to reign over Earth as a queen, seeking to create a paradise, are you not? Can you fault me for wanting the same, for the safety of my kind?"

Jupiter could only watch, feeling more useless than ever. That telltale flicker told Jupiter that Magneto's shields were still up. He wasn't getting TOO overconfident, now that he had pretty much swatted down all the Sailor Senshi. Still, his attention was elsewhere.

Jupiter had intended to wait for Mercury to say when the time was right. But Sailor Moon was in trouble, and none of the others were in any shape to act. Muttering a silent prayer, hoping Magneto wouldn't immediately sense her power building, Jupiter shouted, "Supreme Thunder Dragon!"

Magneto turned just as Jupiter's dragon clamped its jaws over that bubble shield. He flung Sailor Moon away, slamming her up against a far wall. Several metal support beams followed, effectively entombing Sailor Moon as they embedded themselves in the rocky wall.

At first, Jupiter feared her gambit wouldn't pay off. If Magneto could do that, he could handle this attack. Yet through the blinding glare, Jupiter could see Magneto grimace. It just might be working, Jupiter thought. Sailor Mercury said a sudden onslaught of electrical energy when he wasn't expecting it would throw things out of whack for Magneto. And maybe, just maybe...

Magneto howled in frustration and agony, just as the dragon vanished. But as he dropped to the ground, Jupiter could see his shields fall apart. They had their opening!

And Tuxedo Kamen was ready to seize it. "The gentle, noble Sailor Moon is NOTHING like you, Magneto!" Tuxedo Kamen bellowed as he flung a rose, spinning, at Magneto. It struck his helmet, and Magneto howled again. Jupiter could see a crack running down the helmet's side. Tuxedo Kamen hurled more roses. The stems of some sank into his armor, though they couldn't penetrate too deeply, while two more hit Magneto's helmet, and it shattered to pieces.

"YES!" Jupiter cried. "Once Professor X is done with Exodus, he can get in here and shut his mind down!" Of course, the helmet was only part of Magneto's defense against telepathy, if Jupiter remembered right. His strong will did the rest, a will supposedly as strong as any of theirs.

"Why wait for him!?" Venus scoffed. "We've got him on the ropes now! Venus Love-and-Beauty Shock!"

"Mars Flame Sniper!" Mars cried, joining in.

Their attacks struck in unison, blasting Magneto across the chamber, screaming. But just before they hit, Jupiter felt a tingle through her antenna. Magneto had used his powers a split-second before taking those hits. Did his defenses go back up?

"Don't celebrate yet, you two," Jupiter warned. "There's a reason this guy always gives the X-Men the fight of their lives."

When she reached him, Jupiter was dismayed to see her hunch was quite correct. Magneto was picking himself off the wall. Part of Magneto's armor along his chest was blasted away, and he sported some burns over his face and chest. He was hunched over, winded, but far from beaten. He was fully alert, and spotted her coming his way.

With no time to fire off an attack that just might rejuvenate him, Jupiter kept charging, opting to land a punch in his gut instead. She followed up with a spinning kick to his face.

Magneto went down, and Jupiter reached down to grab part of that ruined armor, pulling him back up. She gazed angrily at Magneto's burned, bloodied face. "No more electromagnetism from either of us. Only fists," spat Jupiter, and threw another punch.

But just before her fist connected, something wrapped around Jupiter's wrist. "Oh no! NO!" Jupiter cried, turning to see some cable had sprung up to restrain her. More followed, wrapping themselves around her like serpents, then pinned her against the wall her friends' attacks had slammed him against. Damnit, I was so close to ending this!

Jupiter could only watch helplessly as Magneto began his counterattack. Tuxedo Kamen was closing in, more roses at the ready, but Magneto blindsided him with more junk. Metal beams pinned him against the wall, not too far from Jupiter.

Blasts of electromagnetic force lashed out at Mars, Venus and Mercury, keeping them at bay. Even when one of them could get off an attack, they couldn't penetrate Magneto's newly-erected shields.

One by one, Magneto managed to snatch them up with metal beams that subsequently pinned them to a wall, all of them a good distance away from Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen. Still, they could hear cries of pain as Magneto conducted electromagnetic surges through the objects pinning them, rendering them unconscious.

"Damnit Magneto!" Jupiter spat. "How are you still going after all this time!? What DOES it take to put a creep like you down!?"

Magneto slowly turned to her and Tuxedo Kamen. There was anger in his eyes. Unsurprising, considering how Mars made a point of mentioning the bitterness and grief the man refused to let go of. Yet there was sadness and regret in those eyes as well. And given how old Magneto was supposed to be... To live with such anger that long? A bit of pity mixed with Jupiter's loathing for him.

"I'll confess, Sailor Jupiter. You Sailor Senshi had the collective power to do it." As Jupiter stared back in anger and shock, Magneto went on. "I've just been at this much longer than you, your past lives notwithstanding. And while you're much like my old friend, wanting to believe the best in people, I've seen them at their worst. You're the dreamers, I'm the realist. I guess that gave me an edge too, and..."

Magneto's eyes widened suddenly. He turned to gaze at something at the far end of the chamber. Jupiter followed his gaze, seeing where he had trapped Sailor Moon. A fierce light was peeping out through gaps in her metal prison. Jupiter looked over to Tuxedo Kamen, both hopeful and dreading that this meant what she thought it did. That horrified look on his face told Jupiter everything.

The metal bindings were blasted apart, and the whole chamber was flooded with light for a moment, along with a furious cry from Sailor Moon. When it died down some, Jupiter saw that it wasn't just Sailor Moon anymore. Rather, it was Princess Serenity, clutching the Ginzuishou in one hand as she fixed Magneto with a steely gaze.

"Uh-oh," Jupiter muttered. "Now I TRULY feel sorry for you, Magneto..."

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Umino could feel Sailor Uranus's impatient glare on his back as he typed away. It certainly wasn't helping his concentration any. Just like Erina Kizachi, Magneto had his own programming language made especially for his computers. Though it wasn't the most novel code Umino had ever seen, it had subtleties all its own that would take time to suss out. But as Uranus kept reminding him, time wasn't exactly on their side.

"Haven't you got this thing figured out yet!?" Uranus spat. "The sooner we're done here, the sooner we can give the Inner Senshi some backup."

"Cut Umino a break," said Naru dangerously. "The security for Magneto's systems is no joke, I'll bet. He's been building computers longer than any of us have been alive."

"Well, there's the whole thing with Sailor Senshi being reincarnated, don't forget," said Neptune airily, hoping to diffuse the tension. Apparently, there was still some lingering bad blood. Umino could only imagine Uranus and Naru glaring at each other, as he was absorbed in his work.

He was finally making headway, getting past the firewalls. Supposedly, Sailor Mercury could do this in a fraction of the time with her computer, but since she was tackling Magneto head-on, it was up to him.

"I... think I'm getting somewhere," said Umino nervously, hoping to placate Uranus. "Yeah, I'm past some of the security, but one wrong move could lock me out for good."

"Then do your best to think how Magneto would think," Neptune suggested. "Like Naru said, he designed this code and operating system. Thinking like your enemy is the key."

Umino wiped some beads of sweat from his brow. Try to get inside the head of a genocidal maniac that wanted to see people like him wiped out? Sure, no problem.

As Umino kept at it, he swore he felt the whole chamber tremble for a moment. He thought nothing of it, but then he sensed worse vibes from Uranus than usual.

Finally tearing his eyes from the screen, he looked to the Outer Senshi. Both of them looked more anxious than ever. "What's with you two?" he demanded. "We're on a giant rock floating in space. I'm sure it gets bumpy once in a while."

"It wasn't just anything that caused that tremor," said Chibi-Moon. "I can sense it too... Sailor Moon is using the Ginzuishou."

Naru's eyes widened. "Wait a minute... Doesn't that leech away her life energy if she uses it too much, for too long!?"

Uranus nodded. "Which means their battle against Magneto has taken a desperate turn. And we MUST get over there, now!"

"I'm getting closer, don't worry!" Umino snapped, turning back to the screen. Indeed, he was so tantalizingly close to his goal. But there was still some security to slip past, and one wrong move... OK, we do it Neptune's way, think like Magneto. Just what would one of the most powerful mutants ever fear, then?

Umino thought back to everything Usagi and the X-Men ever told him about the guy. A Holocaust survivor, utterly convinced that mutants would suffer the same fate if he didn't act. Tight defenses, isolating himself, much like he did on this asteroid. Yet the Sailor Senshi still slipped through thanks to their Sailor Teleport...

That's it. Forget breaking into the databanks with brute force, Umino realized. Just whip up a virus and slip it in, let it purge these memory banks of ANYTHING that has to do with Sentinels! But I'll need a little more time for that...

"Ladies, I've got to try something else," said Umino. "It'll take a little longer, but it's got a better shot at actually working."

He was already deep into coding his virus well before he finished that last sentence. Uranus's glare drilled into his backside anew, but Umino ignored her completely. The virus was coming along nicely, and he was close to making an opening to slip it in.

The minutes ticked by, and Umino could sense how restless Naru, Lockheed and the Sailor Senshi were getting. He shared their restlessness, but he was almost done.

Umino was so engrossed in his task, he didn't notice the new arrivals until Neptune screamed. Glancing over his shoulder, Umino saw Unuscione engulf Neptune in that psionic exoskeleton. Uranus rushed in, sword reared back, then landed a hit with Space Sword Blaster.

Unuscione's exoskeleton absorbed the hit, but the sheer ferocity stunned her, knocking her back. Uranus kept going, shoulder-charging Unuscione through her exoskeleton. All three of them toppled over the railing. Before they disappeared from view, Uranus's glare aimed at Umino said it all: DO NOT STOP.

Gulping, Umino turned back to the screen, determined to get that virus in. Still, his determination waned a little upon hearing Naru's cry of pain. Umino looked away to see Frenzy was out for his blood again, aiming to power through Naru to reach him.

"That's it, flatscan. Lord Magneto's orders are pretty much rescinded now that you've put your filthy paws on his stuff!" Frenzy sneered. She knocked aside Naru and charged. All Umino could do was scream, fear rooting his feet to the floor.

"Not so fast, Dreadlocks!" Naru snarled, wrapping her oily tendrils around Frenzy. She yanked Frenzy back toward her, but Frenzy elbowed her hard in the neck. Thanks to Frenzy's mometum, both wound up smashing through the guard rails, also tumbling down to the lower levels.

Umino stared at where they had gone over for a moment, worried sick for Naru. But she was tough enough for a slugfest with Frenzy. He turned back to the computer. The virus was more or less ready. All that was left was to find a back door in and let it do its job.

Of course, with only Chibi-Moon and Lockheed to watch his back, he was getting even more anxious. Then he heard a gunshot of some sort, and something thudding onto the platform, followed by a cry of "NO!" from Chibi-Moon.

Umino turned to see Chibi-Moon jump in front of him, taking a shot for him. She crumpled and rolled along the floor, electricity arcing over her body.

"Wait, what kind of weapon... Oh great," Umino muttered. Looking up, he saw Fabian Cortez there, leering at him. He brandished a weird shotgun like his, which was too far away to grab.

Umino gulped again. If a shot from that could knock Naru or a Sailor Senshi out cold, he didn't want to think about what it could do to him.

Still, a few more keystrokes, and the virus was in. He would NOT let any more of those Sentinels be built. Heedless of what Cortez would do, he turned back and began punching in the final commands.

"As Frenzy so eloquently stated... Hands off our lord's stuff, flatscan!" He must have thought wasting a shot on a lowly human wasn't worth it, as Cortez charged forward and threw him away from the console. But it was too late. His virus was in, and Umino doubted Cortez had the know-how to do anything in time.

He crawled over to Chibi-Moon, who was still conscious, though groggy. "Chibi-Moon, c'mon, get up! You can take this Cortez guy! Get up!"

"Can she now, flatscan?" Cortez sneered. "Hmmm, it appears you've slipped something rather nasty into the computer core, but primary systems seem unaffected, and... Oh, what's this?"

Chibi-Moon was slowly getting back on her feet, but Cortez paid her no mind. He was far more engrossed in whatever he just brought up on the screen. "Umino, what's he doing? Did you get it done?"

"Yeah, so no more Sentinels," Umino whispered. "Something else has his attention, though."

"We should be flattered, Sailor Chibi-Moon. Our lord has forced your 'mother' to activate this Ginzuishou of hers," said Cortez, not sounding particularly worried. Chibi-Moon glowered at him, reaching for her Crystal Carillon. Cortez aimed his shotgun with one hand, not even bothering to look at them. "It is said that that stone possesses unlimited power, does it not? Then Lord Magneto may be in quite the predicament. That is, if I don't find something to divert Tsukino's attention..."

Cortez punched something into the console, and Umino felt the whole asteroid lurch. Way more forcefully than when Usagi had brought out her biggest gun.

"What did you just do!?" Chibi-Moon demanded.

Cortez smirked at them. "Let's just say that if Sailor Moon doesn't divert some of that power to keep Asteroid M's orbit from decaying, she may have to scratch off Paris as a possible honeymoon spot with her would-be king."

It took a moment for Umino to process all that. He knew the Acolytes were maniacs, but this, this couldn't be happening!

"Y-Y-You set this thing to drop on FRANCE!?" Umino cried, horrified and sick to his stomach. "You'll wipe out plenty of your own kind if that happens!"

"It's a good thing, then, that Sailor Moon is so big-hearted, she'll opt to keep Asteroid M in orbit rather than obliterate Lord Magneto," Cortez said smugly. "Why, thanks to my quick-thinking, I'm sure he'll reward me with..."

"Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" Chibi-Moon cried, beating Cortez to the draw. He was forced to roll aside to avoid the flurry of hearts. When he brought up his shotgun, Chibi-Moon leaped at him.

Umino used that opening to rush back to the console, only to find Cortez had locked him out. He slammed his fists on the keys in frustration, then began typing away anyway. He HAD to find some way to restore Asteroid M's orbit himself! Otherwise, like Cortez said, Sailor Moon would do it herself, even if it meant losing to Magneto.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Even with Cable, Luna and Artemis all lending their assistance, it was still too difficult to maintain a telepathic connection with the other X-Men. Indeed, it took a great deal of effort for Xavier to bring his powers to bear on Exodus himself. At best, all he could do was shield the other X-Men from Exodus's own mental powers.

Xavier could only hope the Sailor Senshi were having better luck with Magneto. Exodus knew he was the only thing keeping the X-Men from rushing to their side. No doubt that extra motivation spurred the Acolytes' leader to fight harder than ever.

More of Exodus's concussive blasts impacted Cable's telekinetic shields. Hampered though his abilities were, Xavier could sense Cable's fatigue. Then Xavier felt a jolt that had nothing to do with Exodus's assault. Some instinct told Xavier that something was very wrong.

A flash of dread from Luna told Xavier he wasn't alone in that regard. "Professor X, we can't dither here any more!" cried the mooncat on his shoulder. "Usagi's now drawing from the Ginzuishou, but it also draws from her. The longer she uses it, the greater the chance she'll burn herself out!"

"I'm all too aware of that, Luna," said Xavier with a calm he didn't quite feel. "But there's nothing we can do until Exodus is dealt with."

And the Acolyte was still proving infuriatingly resilient, as always. He swooped closer, readying another volley of concussive blasts. Rogue and Iceman tried to flank him, but one blast incinerated the latter's ice slide, along with part of his leg. Iceman could regenerate that, if the rest of the X-Men could cover him. Rogue, meanwhile, powered through Exodus's onslaught, delivering a crushing blow right to his face. Yet Exodus could still deliver an incendiary blast that had Rogue screaming, and she tumbled to the chamber's floor.

"Paris baby, someone who's lived this long oughta know how NOT to treat a lady," came Gambit's voice all of a sudden. His charged cards detonated against Exodus, one after another, making him grunt in frustration.

Xavier quickly extended his powers to protect Gambit's mind, and soon touched the minds of other X-Men rushing to regroup. Gambit used his staff to pole vault up to Exodus, delivering a charged-up staff strike to his face. Not giving Exodus a moment's rest, Beast bounded up out of nowhere, drop kicking him.

Encouraged, Cable charged ahead, letting Exodus have it with both his heavy weapons and telekinetic blasts. Meanwhile, Xavier sensed another X-Man very close by. Xavier turned to see Shadowcat rising from the floor.

"Sorry we took our sweet time getting here," said Shadowcat. "The Sailor Senshi... Where are they?"

"The Inner Senshi went on ahead, to deal with Magneto. We've been keeping Exodus occupied. Or rather, Exodus is keeping us from rushing to their aid," said Xavier.

"They can hold out a little longer, Professor. They'll have to," said Shadowcat reassuringly. "In the meantime, I think the rest of our outfit is set to arrive..."

While Exodus tried to blast Gambit and Cable, another bounding attack from Beast knocked the Acolyte closer to the ground. That was when Colossus burst through a wall to leap up and land a haymaker on Exodus's face, finally knocking him to the floor. Exodus flung Colossus away with concussive force. Shadowcat had to phase Xavier and the cats for a moment, letting Colossus sail through them.

Still, Exodus was distracted long enough for Wolverine to leap from behind cover. He tackled Exodus back to the ground, then sank a set of claws into his heart.

"Storm, NOW!" Wolverine cried, holding up his other set of claws. A bolt of lightning struck them, and the power was conducted through Wolverine's adamantium skeleton, wreaking havoc on Exodus's body from the inside.

It was doubtful even this would put Exodus down for the count. Still, his mental defenses were weakened considerably. Feeling Luna and Artemis's dread again, Xavier glowered at Exodus, just picking himself up after blasting Wolverine away.

"Luna, Artemis, now's the time. Lend me everything you can," Xavier told the mooncats. Xavier let Luna and Artemis touch his mind again, and he brought all the telepathic force they could muster down onto Exodus. Stunned and weakened as he was, he finally managed to touch Exodus's mind. Exodus writhed and screamed, but Xavier could already feel him forcing the three of them out.

"Good kitties," said Shadowcat. "Help the professor hold Exodus just a little longer."

Before Xavier could ask what she was getting at, Shadowcat dashed forward. Just as Exodus stood back up, Shadowcat thrust her hand right into his head. Judging from the anguished look of horror on Exodus's face, she must have partially unphased her hand. But could even that stop Exodus?

"Cable, take both of us over to that window! It'll take Exodus even longer to pull himself together if he's floating in space," said Shadowcat.

It was a deliberately brutal stratagem for keeping Exodus out of their hair, but Xavier saw no other options. He nodded to Cable, and he telekinetically levitated the both of them over to the huge window at the chamber's far end, Shadowcat's hand still lodged in Exodus's head. Exodus was phased right through the window, and then Shadowcat let him go. Xavier watched with mixed feelings as Exodus floated off in space, a pained expression still etched on his face.

"THIS is the girl Makoto insists on maintaining a rivalry with?" Artemis asked, incredulous.

"Says the cat always picking fights with her dragon," Luna remarked slyly.

"If our past encounters with Exodus are any indication, Artemis, he may recover sooner than we're counting on," said Storm, touching down beside Xavier. "It's best we get to the Sailor Senshi and render any assistance we can."

"Some of us, anyway," Wolverine croaked. "Ugh, there's a good reason we don't do that stunt often, Ororo..."

Xavier looked his team over. Wolverine was having a hard time standing, and Rogue had just picked herself up, not in the best shape either. Iceman had finished reconstituting his leg, but still looked winded and drained. Just about all of the X-Men were showing signs of strain from fighting their way through Asteroid M.

Still, Xavier was confident they could turn the tide for the Sailor Senshi. He couldn't risk shutting down Magneto's mind again, but he refused to let them fight his old friend alone.

Luna echoed these thoughts. "Now that we won't have to worry about Exodus for a while, can we PLEASE go find Sailor Moon, and..."

The asteroid suddenly lurched violently, making some of the X-Men lose their footing. Luna tumbled off Xavier's shoulder with an annoyed growl.

"What's shakin', besides this asteroid?" Gambit asked. "Does this mean Sailor Moon just busted out her big gun?"

"She did that some time ago," said Artemis. "This must mean her fight with Magneto is still escalating. For Serenity's sake, Exodus was bad enough! Just what is Magneto made of!?"

"Bro, we could tell you stories..." Iceman grumbled.

"I don't think this is simply due to the Ginzuishou," said Cable. He was staring intently at the window, and at Earth beyond. Exodus was nowhere to be seen, but something else had caught Cable's attention. "Oh lovely. According to my bionic eye's scans, Asteroid M's orbit is deteriorating, and fast."

"Is Sailor Moon's battle with Magneto causing this?" Colossus asked.

Beast squinted at the window, the shook his head. Xavier could see it too, the telltale signs of the heat from reentry.

"The Ginzuishou's power eating away at Asteroid M's structural integrity cannot account for such a rapid rate of its orbit's deterioration," said Beast. "I surmise this was done deliberately."

"Who'd be nuts enough for that, even among the Acolytes?" Rogue spat.

Xavier sensed Luna's horror a second before she spoke. "One of them got wind of Sailor Moon using the Ginzuishou against Magneto! They must figure Sailor Moon can be goaded to divert some power to keep Asteroid M from smashing into Earth, to give Magneto a fighting chance!"

"And they're probably right," said Shadowcat. Xavier could only keep gazing out at Earth, now noticeably closer, fearing they might be too late to help Sailor Moon after all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sailor Moon poured more of her will, her very self into the Ginzuishou. She had Magneto on the ropes, that much was clear. But the Master of Magnetism was nothing if not stubborn, and insanely strong-willed. From what she remembered reading about Magneto, he had to be in peak physical condition to use his powers to their fullest. He had taken plenty of hits from the other Sailor Senshi, especially when Sailor Jupiter got up close and personal. Yet Magneto hung on, keeping those magnetic shields up as Sailor Moon poured it on, hammering his defenses mercilessly.

Her white dress rippled as she sent out wave after wave of pure force. Flecks of rock were blown off the ground and walls around Sailor Moon, she was projecting so much power. The entire chamber kept trembling in the wake of her fury. It would be a wonder if the entire asteroid wasn't quaking.

As for Magneto, it was all he could do to keep the Ginzuishou from blowing him away. He was forced into a squatting position, as if the Ginzuishou's power was closing in on him from all sides.

In desperation, Magneto flung more bits of machinery and rock Sailor Moon's way. She slashed at the air with one arm, contemptuously obliterating all his projectiles.

"No way, Magneto! Not this time!" Sailor Moon bellowed, then poured in on some more. "For too long, you've thought of just about everyone else as beneath you, just like the Nazis did! It's time you learned you can't get away with this!"

Her outburst was a bit of a bravado. Sailor Moon could feel the danger zone in the offing. That point where the Ginzuishou could very well sap her life force, as it had for Queen Serenity. Still, she felt it was necessary. The sooner she broke through Magneto's defenses and ended this, the better.

Of course, Sailor Moon wasn't exactly out to kill him. Xavier had tried that once after following Magneto into space, and that set off a domino effect leading to more ruin. Magneto had been right about one thing. He wasn't like Queen Beryl. Envy and lust for power weren't what motivated him, just a drive to protect his kind no matter what. Warped as his beliefs were, there was still some hope for him. She even sometimes heard lingering hope in Xavier's voice whenever he spoke of his old friend.

Still, this had to end. Magneto had to be taught a lesson. Made to see that the price of messing with her country and her friends was too high.

Magneto fell to one knee, and Sailor Moon thought she felt his shields begin to buckle under the strain. Encouraged, Sailor Moon was about to increase her output again. Before she could, the chamber rumbled violently once more. This time, it had nothing to do with her assault.

At first, Sailor Moon thought little of it. But then she saw Magneto turn his head. Despite herself, Sailor Moon followed his gaze. There was something very wrong with the view outside the asteroid. Earth was much closer now. She could clearly make out Europe! Well, through the orangey, fiery haze spread over the glass, that was.

Sailor Moon looked back to Magneto in shock. He looked just as surprised as she, but he wouldn't use his powers to keep Asteroid M from crashing into Earth. He would let her do it, sapping her strength.

Oh no, I'm so close to breaking through! Sailor Moon thought anxiously. Magneto might not be responsible for this desperation move, but someone had to be. No doubt one of the Brotherhood or the Acolytes. And only she had to power to fix it, but possibly at the expense of this one chance to teach Magneto a lesson he'd never forget.

She looked out to Earth again, which loomed even closer now. Who knew if there was a point of no return, where she couldn't do anything, even with the Ginzuishou? Hundreds of thousands dead? Looking back to Magneto, she caught his glare, as if daring her to choose.

Because he knew what her choice would be. Tears in her eyes, she continued to pound Magneto with whatever power she could spare as she began focusing on returning Asteroid M to its proper orbit.

White, gentle light replaced the fiery heat of reentry as the Ginzuishou's power slowly enveloped the asteroid. Its descent was slowed, and then halted. It wasn't that hard, she'd done this sort of thing with an asteroid before. The trick would be to still drill through Magneto's shields while getting Asteroid M a safe distance from Earth.

Sailor Moon grit her teeth, struggling to focus on both tasks at once. Getting Asteroid M back in orbit was proving more troublesome than she thought. She had used up too much energy before noticing it was falling, and that danger zone was getting closer.

Meanwhile, drawing hope from this unforeseen boon, Magneto was getting his confidence back, a second wind. He pushed back against Sailor Moon's onslaught with renewed vigor.

With her concentration and her power output split, Sailor Moon couldn't do much to put Magneto back in his place. Asteroid M was almost free of Earth's gravitational pull, but that danger zone was coming up fast. With none of her friends by her side to lend their strength, when she hit it, there would be no choice but to stop using the Ginzuishou, or die.

And finally, there was no more she could do. Asteroid M was out of danger from crashing to Earth, just as she felt her life force start to tick away. With tears and a sigh, Sailor Moon relented. She reverted back to her usual Sailor Senshi form, the Ginzuishou retreating back into her brooch. She sank to one knee, panting, hoping she had taken the fight out of Magneto as well.

Those hopes were dashed upon seeing Magneto still on one knee as well, staring back at her. Sailor Moon had pushed him to the brink, but he wasn't beaten. They were both exhausted and battered, and there was no telling which one of them would ultimately come out on top.