The Odango and The Baka – Chapter 21
Lady Catherine
PG-13ish
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. Darn.
AN: I am an evil, evil person. I am very sorry to everyone who reads my story that I have been so horrible at updating it. One of the main reasons is that I haven't taken a quarter off of school since I started college after my freshman year of high school (I'm a senior in college now, six years later). I'm hoping to write at least one more chapter over Christmas break and next quarter is looking to be really easy so I hope that I will be able to really get this story done. I know that you guys who still read my story are probably looking for a conclusion. I also plan to go back and edit the first chapters because I cringe when I read them now.
THANK YOU FOR STILL READING MY STORY. I hope I don't disappoint.
"Moon here, what's up?" Usagi looked at the screen of her communicator to see an agitated Luna.
"You and Mamoru need to get here quickly! There is a major attack underway outside the Juuban mall. Several youma are present and they are intent on sucking the life out of everyone there," panted Luna, who paused to take a breath. "One of the generals is floating above the mall overseeing the youma. I have already contacted the other scouts and they are on their way. Hurry!" With that last exclamation the communicator went blank even as Usagi was transforming.
"Moon Prism Power," yelled the small blonde warrior. Finishing in her customary pose, she looked for Mamoru. He stood in his midnight black cape and tuxedo, a rose at the ready. "Good. Let's go." With that last remark they sprang from his apartment balcony and began hopping from building to building in the direction of the mall.
Meanwhile…
"We're here Luna. Can you tell us anything about these youmas?" Amy waited for the feline to answer.
"There are four of them but my sensors were unable to get a read on anything useful. I'm afraid that you will have to use your computer to find any weak points. I am going to concentrate on the general and try to find his weak point."
"No problem Luna. I have to go; we've just found the first one!" With that the communicators went blank and the battle began.
The first youma that they encountered looked like a bad cross between a lobster and Raggedy Anne. Tall and lithe, its red stringy hair fell in tangled clumps past arms that ended in giant claws very reminiscent of the sea creature.
"I've got this one," shouted Mars as she got into fighting position. "You guys go find the other youmas and keep them occupied until Sailor Moon gets here." Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus all nodded and continued running towards the screams emanating from the other side of the mall.
When they turned the corner they were greeted by the sight of three more youmas standing in the middle of dozens of prone shoppers, all of which had obviously had their energy drained.
"Mercury, what is your computer telling you about their weak points?" Jupiter looked around angrily as she spoke, mad they had not arrived in time to prevent so many injuries.
"The weak point for the youma that looks like a rotten banana is in its left pinkie toe."
"Its left pinkie toe?"
"Yes, Venus, its left pinkie toe." Mercury gave the Sailor of Love The Look.
"Okely-dokely. I'll take care of that one then. You two deal with the last two." With that, Sailor Venus moved towards the yellow youma, ready to attack.
"How about the one that looks like a dolphin gone wrong? Tell me where to hit it and its dead." Jupiter growled the last part as she waited for Mercury to finish her analysis.
"Aim for its right ear-lobe, Jupiter." Sailor Mercury looked anxiously at the seething Sailor Scout. "Remember that you can hurt it but only Moon can completely destroy it."
"I know Mercury. I promise not to do anything stupid." With a last wink at her blue-haired friend, Sailor Jupiter leapt away to confront the youma.
"I guess that leaves the green one to me." Sailor Mercury typed vigorously into her computer, searching for the weak point of the typically hideous youma. "Aha! Gotcha! I need to aim for the left funny bone." With that last exclamation she leapt into battle.
When Sailor Moon, accompanied by Tuxedo Mask, arrived at the scene of the battle she found a site of true carnage. Bodies drained of energy were strewn across the parking lot and sidewalk of the mall. She could see her scouts fighting desperately with the many youma that had attacked. Looking up she saw one of the generals hovering and surveying the havoc that had been wrought by his youmas.
"Tuxedo Mask, I know that I should go after Kunzite while I have the opportunity but I can't leave the other scouts fighting pointless battles. We both know that only I can destroy the youma." Sailor Moon was already on her way towards Sailor Mars, leaving Tuxedo Mask to help the others until she could get to them.
"Sailor Moon," exclaimed Mars, "It's about time you got here!"
"We came as fast as we could. Where is this one's weak point?"
"Mercury didn't have a chance to tell me." Mars grimaced as she said, "I have tried every attack I know and nothing has seemed to affect it. I think that there may be something different about these youma this time."
Sailor Moon looked pensive as she tensed for the fight about to ensue. "I think that I my tiara should work no matter where I hit it but you need to go and help the others. I won't be able to attack again instantly and we need to keep the youmas busy so they don't hurt anyone else." Sailor Mars nodded and left her friend to her attack.
"MOON TIARA MAGIC!" Sailor Moon wasted no time on her customary speech and launched her attack at the youma. She waited breathlessly for it to hit and was rewarded by the youma shattering into a shower of rainbow sparks. She sighed in relief and began running around the corner of the mall to the next youma.
"Venus, how are you holding up?" Sailor Moon came to a halt next to her fellow blonde scout.
"Okay, but none of my attacks seem to really be damaging it."
"That was what Mars said about hers, but I managed to dust it with my tiara." Sailor Moon looked at her tiring friend with worry. "You should go join the others. I have enough energy left to take care of this one." Sailor Moon had already removed her tiara and was allowing the energy to amass within it. As Venus ran to join the other scouts and Tuxedo Mask in fighting the other two youma, Sailor Moon released her tiara. "MOON TIARA MAGIC!" Again she was rewarded by the destruction of her target.
By this time she was beginning to feel fatigued but knew that she could not let the others know the extent of her exhaustion. She paused for only a moment to gather her energy before continuing on to the third youma. This time both Jupiter and Mars were attacking it, but there was still no obvious effect on the youma.
"Have you had any luck at all," asked Sailor Moon? She panted only slightly as she came to stand by her friends.
"Not really. As far as I can tell nothing that either of us has done has been able to do a thing to it." Jupiter looked extremely frustrated that she had been unsuccessful in her attacks.
"Stand back. I think that I have enough energy to dust this one too." She tiredly reached for her tiara again and waited for it to recharge. Usually she was able to use her tiara several times in a battle, especially if she happened to miss the youma a few times, but these youma were different. More and more of her energy was being sapped each time she recharged her tiara, making it more and more difficult. Finally it was ready and she was able to let loose and bellow yet again, "MOON TIARA MAGIC!" She waited again, expecting her tiara to destroy the youma. That however was not to be and she watched in horror as it bounced off of the monster straight back at her.
Leaping out of its way, she looked on in horror as it proceeded to threaten her friends. Luckily, it ricocheted off the side of the mall and back at her and this time she was able to catch it. Unfortunately, the effort used to catch and drain the tiara of its charge sapped the last of her strength and rendered her unconscious.
"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask shouted as he ran towards the fallen sailor scout. The others, though only feet from her, lagged behind in shock at what had happened. Never had Sailor Moon's tiara failed to dust a youma and never had she passed out from its use.
The girls finally awoke from their shock and rushed to the side of their fallen leader, whose head was resting on the lap of Tuxedo Mask.
"Mercury, do a scan and find out what happened," ordered a frantic Sailor Mars.
"I'm already on it. Jupiter, you and Venus need to keep the youmas occupied while I try and revive Moon." Mercury didn't even spare a glance to ensure compliance; she was so focused on her computer.
The energy readings that she was registering were phenomenal. Sailor Moon was almost completely drained of her energy, in a manner that was highly reminiscent of the way that the Dark Kingdom drained its victims. Mercury was horrified at the implication.
"Jupiter, Venus! Stop attacking! NOW!" Her frantic screams go their attention and they left the site of their battle to see what had frightened their resident genius.
"We have a serious problem guys," whispered Mercury to the other scouts and Tuxedo Mask. "There is something different about these youma."
"What?" They all chorused.
"Every time we attack them they are simply absorbing the energy that we are throwing at them. This was a set-up." Mercury looked around at her fellow scouts and saw the looks of horror that mirrored her own. "Every time Sailor Moon used her tiara the youma absorbed its energy and then self-destructed, making it look like she had destroyed it. After doing this twice she really didn't have anymore energy to give so the tiara was barely charged so it just bounced off. The youma would gain more energy by continuing to battle us than by pretending to be destroyed by Sailor Moon." Mercury dropped her head in shame. "This is all my fault. I should have been able to sense that something was not right about these youma. I should have warned her better." Mercury looked as if she was about to cry so Venus put her arms around the blue-haired girl.
"It is not your fault; and besides, now is SO not the time to be worrying about blame. We still have to figure out how to destroy these youma." Venus looked highly determined and her attitude began to affect the others. "First of all we need to figure out how to wake up Sailor Moon. Regardless of strange youma, she is still the only one who can destroy them."
"You're right Venus," declared Mars. "We need to problem solve here people!" As the scouts began to discuss different possible ways of reviving their leader and defeating the youma that were strangely just standing and waiting for them to resume the battle, they failed to notice the faint glow coming off of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask.
The beeping of Mercury's computer alerted them to the fact that something was happening to their leader and her boyfriend. Tuxedo Mask appeared to be in a trance and was holding Sailor Moon tightly.
"What's going on, Mercury," asked Jupiter?
"It's that same energy again. I can't yet figure out what it is doing but the levels seem to be increasing and synchronizing." Sailor Mercury typed frenetically at her computer, trying in vain to get a clearer picture of this energy that was binding her friends.
At that moment, Kunzite, who had been seemingly content hovering over the scene, not being involved, began descending to the battlefield (aka the parking lot). Fixated on him, the sailor scouts missed the flash of energy around Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask and the momentary change to the Princess of the Moon and her Prince of Earth.
Well that was one of the longest chapters that I have ever written. I hope that it wasn't too bad and that you guys enjoyed reading it. Please review to let me know what I am doing right or what I need to improve on. One of the reasons that I took so long to update was because I only got a few reviews last time and I felt discouraged that no one was reading my work. So remember to please let me know what you think!
Lady Catherine