46: "Take Back Tokyo! Part One: Battle Angels"
The earth trembled as the avatar of storms and thunder crashed through downtown Tokyo, trampling star-soldiers under its massive feet, skewering with its long tusks, or lashing with its powerful trunk. None could withstand the crackling energy it gave off, or its terrible trumpeting, and whatever escaped its wrath had Sailor Jupiter to contend with, and there was no mercy or restraint in her attacks. Straddling Airavata, she hurled bolts of lightning, calling down columns of searing electricity, bidding the trees to uproot and fight. Despite all this destruction, she was yet one person, and the true battle had only just begun. Jupiter was heading for her hotel; she had volunteered to restore communications and needed some of her belongings to help with that end.
Like most places of business or residence in Tokyo, this one was surrounded by the forces of the gods. Jupiter had but to appear, and their numbers were made worthless. A great storm surged in her wake; the decorative trees flanking the hotel moved and fought to her will. Airavata remained to guard his mistress's back while she ran into the hotel, slamming her fist into the first helmet she saw. The blow was so great that the protective armor shattered, and the unfortunate soldier was sent sprawling.
"If there's anyone left in here, you're free! The battle to take back our city starts now! You who would oppose and oppress us, tremble under the wrath of Jupiter!" A number of the soldiers ran to intercept her; she summoned her new-found strength and sent tendrils of lightning slithering across the floor, ensnaring her foes. Not wanting to get bogged down with meaningless battles, Jupiter hurried to the elevator, activating it with a sparky touch. It took her to the sixth floor, where she and her family had been registered all this time, but the hallways were filled with patrols.
"I take it you're not here for the room service," she smirked. As the enemy ran to her, she pointed up to the light fixtures, causing them to burst. White-hot ropes jumped out of the sockets, searing everything in her path; those who escaped ran, but were bowled over by a spinning disc of razor-sharp leaves. Jupiter smiled at her handiwork as she walked over the dissolving bodies.
"My mistake, gentlemen. It seems you got served after all." Her hotel room was locked, but a few jolts in the right places opened it up just fine. Sailor Jupiter breathed out a sigh of relief when she found what she was looking for; then, she opened the window and climbed out.
"Airavata!" The enormous creature heard its master's call and came running, heedlessly trampling armored thugs. Jupiter leaped out of the window and landed softly on her avatar's back. "Okay, partner, to Tokyo Tower, and step on it!"
Jupiter cringed as she heard a sickening crunch.
"Not literally." Airavata gave an airy groan, lifting its leg so Jupiter could see the crushed remains of three star-soldiers. She chuckled softly and caressed it. "It's okay, buddy, you did good. Now: hi-ho Silver! Away!" The trip to Tokyo Tower was brief and punctuated by far less opposition. Apparently the mobs that had once held Tokyo so tightly in their grasp weren't so strict now that a thunder-powered elephant was mowing their numbers down. Jupiter wasn't yet interested in hunting them down; she tried to stay focused even though revenge was surging through her veins. In the distance, she could see Tokyo Tower rise above the cityscape, flanked by a large number of winged creatures and ground troops. There were no other Senshi in the area to back her up, but that was fine: she had wanted to let loose on her own.
Airavata sounded an ear-splitting bray as she arrived, skewering three ground troops who had stupidly charged her. He got her to the base of the tower and even offered a little boost; Jupiter would have to get the rest of the way up on her own. Her avatar was kept busy on the ground, fending off the troops; meanwhile the winged creatures converged on her, throwing spears and darts.
"Now I know how King Kong must have felt," she muttered. The elevator was beyond repair, and the tower was too well-defended for her to climb on her own. She got an idea as one of the winged creatures flew close, its talons spreading out to grasp her. She jumped off the tower and grabbed onto its feet, flipping her legs back to smash it on the beak. While it was stunned, she climbed onto its back, clinging on tight with her legs while her arms throttled the neck. "Okay, buddy, you're gonna get me to the top of that tower, or else I'm gonna have fried chicken for dinner! You get me?" The creature howled unintelligibly; it took a few tepid shocks to the head for it to cooperate. Jupiter flew about seven or eight stories before she was attacked by other wingers; she shot a few of them down as they swooped over her, but was quickly overwhelmed. However, she nimbly grasped out to one just as her ride faltered, but it swerved out of control and came hurtling to the ground. Taking its wings by force, she steered it to the tower and leaped off, just in time to see it splatter. A hailstorm of spears followed her; she replied with tendrils of lightning.
"Okay, Tokyo," she whispered, staring out at the city, "you're gonna have to help me a bit. I need you to keep these ugly freaks off my back while I..." Jupiter gnashed her teeth and dove aside as one of the feathered beasts cut too close, shredding her uniform with its talons. She threw a lightning discus and missed; more convened on her spot, smelling blood. The wound would heal in time but not quickly enough for her comfort.
"Now!" she screamed, raising her arm. The trees of Tokyo shivered, shedding hundreds of thousands of leaves. The wind picked them up and blew them up, where they covered the sky, shredding and buffeting the winged monsters. This gave Jupiter the opportunity she needed, so she slipped inside and found a staircase. It wound up and up forever; even she wouldn't be able to scale it all in one go. But she didn't need to; the doors and windows of Tokyo Tower flew open, admitting the leaves she had summoned earlier. Jupiter dove into the center of the staircase and was lifted up by the force; she summoned thunder and lightning, propelling herself further, until she reached the top.
Predictably, it was guarded. The pillar of leaves she had used followed her, pushing her enemies off the side. Jupiter noticed that her diversion had reached its end, and the skies would soon belong to her enemies, so she raced to the antenna and focused her power on it.
I sure hope this works, she prayed. Of course it'll work, her psyche assured her. The Sailors have gotten by with crazier stunts! This should be a piece of cake! Still having her doubts, Sailor Jupiter nonetheless lit up the antenna, slithering crackling serpents of white-hot energy dancing and twirling from her fingertips to the heavens and back again. The blessedly familiar drone of radio static went off in her own miniature antenna, and she heaved a sigh of relief as Tokyo went back on the air.
So without further ado, she connected herself to the broadcast.
"Hey, Tokyo, guess what? You're back."
She felt a shiver of pride run down her spine.
"Who am I, you ask? I'm Sailor Jupiter. That's right, Japan: the Sailor Senshi are real, and they're here to kick some ass! But this isn't just the Senshi's city to protect: it's everyone's, and we're gonna need your help to do it! I'll keep you posted on our operations, but for right now, this city needs a battle anthem! And I can't think of anything better than this!"
Leaving that suspenseful moment hanging, she reached into the bag she brought from her hotel, taking out her iPod. Using a USB cable, she hooked it up to the antenna's main circuit breaker, turned her device on, and clicked over to a folder labeled "Makoto's METAL Mix", a compilation of her all-time favorites from America, Europe, and around the world. There was only one song worthy of ushering in this revolution.
She turned it on, and sweet glorious beauty shot across the country. "That's right, Tokyo! There will be no refuge for our enemies! Now come heed the call of...THE BATTLE ANGELS!"
An army of vengeance invading from the sky
Hot wings of iron pierce into the night
Placing a barrier of electricity around the circuits, Sailor Jupiter ran to the edge of the tower and leaped off. A glittering golden bird of prey swooped in, catching her on its back.
"Glad you could drop in!"
"That line's too cheesy, Mina, even for you!" Sailor Venus smiled and swooped Quetzalcoatl through the winged hordes, shooting them erratically. Quetzalcoatl devoured many, or cut them with its wings, or crushed them with its talons, a wild and beautiful prince amidst beggars. Venus whooped and hurled to the ground, low enough for Jupiter to jump off safely. Airavata was waiting and so were swarms of star-soldiers.
"You ready for this, partner?"
"You know it, girl!"
Slaughtering the lost souls, the fruit of evil's womb
Their heathen ways have sealed their doom
Airavata stormed down the streets, recklessly plowing through the crowds. Venus swept across the skies, gliding like a silken ribbon, shearing countless winged creatures. Spying one of the bodiless faces that had been patrolling the streets, Venus zeroed in on it, Quetzalcoatl stretching its claws out. The abomination let out an unearthly howl but was no match for getting skewered. Quetzalcoatl nipped at the face, shredding off pieces of flesh and stone, smashing what it could not rip apart, throwing away the rest. It ascended as a crowd of them hovered through the air to stop it; Venus called out a much larger beam than she was accustomed to shooting and unleashed it, turning many of the machinations to dust. The ones she missed were summarily torn down by her partner; its loud shrieking shattered the faces.
Echoing across the distant skies
The shout is heard, battle angels cry
A great number of star-soldiers stood between the Senshi and the police station. Mars and Moon, mounted on their steeds, stared down the charge, glowering like barbarian goddesses. They galloped off together, Mars producing an immense flaming spear. As Sleipnir stormed through the crowded streets, she impaled as many of the soldiers as could fit, then threw the spear away, making another one. She threw it just as a cavalcade had surrounded Sailor Moon, perforating half the crowd with her fiery throw. The Cerynitian stag took out many more, catching them on his antlers and tearing them apart. Only one managed to avoid all this, and Sailor Moon knocked him to the ground with a bone-crunching haymaker.
Noticing that Tokyo's skyscrapers were clogged with enemies rappelling from above, she stirred Cerynitia to gallop faster, making her way to the structures. It climbed up and streaked across the sides, butting the loathsome creatures off, while Sailor Moon's scepter flashed, dismantling many more. The stag leaped off just as an immense arm swept across the building; they touched down and found themselves staring up at a hideous giant. It looked more like a humanoid insect, though, with eight glowing red eyes, cruel mandibles, and a carapace over its back and head. The giant had uprooted a telephone pole and was using it to smash anything that came within range.
Sailor Moon's eyes narrowed in anger.
You'll all fall on your knees, and hail to our dawn
Crawl on your knees, the slaughter is on
"Hya!" And then she charged straight towards the towering engine of destruction. The giant lifted its weapon; Cerynitia leaped aside, jumped onto the giant's arm, and rammed into its head. The giant swatted the stag away, but Sailor Moon leaped off, flying through the air screeching her battle-cry. She slammed her scepter against the giant's head and activated its devastating powers point-blank range, blowing away half the monster's body. As the giant stumbled backwards, she flipped off, landing next to her steed. Suddenly, a hailstorm of hot arrows whizzed past her, causing her to shriek. She looked around and saw two more of the giant beetle-creatures perforated with projectiles. Turning back, she watched as Sailor Mars smiled joyfully, flashing a "peace" sign.
"That's two so far, princess!"
"Only two, you mean!"
"Not counting all the ones Sleipnir and I tore through on the way here."
"That was just cannon fodder, Rei." Smirking, she remounted the stag. "And besides," she grinned, "I'll get ten times that many in the meantime. Hya!" Sailor Moon galloped off like a bolt, leaving Mars to laugh.
"We'll just see about that, dumpling. Ha!" Mars quickly caught up to her friend, and together they each took one side of the street, mowing down opposition, shooting them out of the sky, blasting apart giants and floating faces and all sorts of bizarre creatures. Shortly after their retreat, the gods had summoned their allies, and they poured into the city almost as fast as they were removed from it. Sailors Uranus and Neptune were fighting giant flying monstrosities overhead: one squid-like beast, the other a seven-headed leopard. Uranus and Bedawang were fighting well, but from time to time she caught herself staring at her lover. Long Wang had its coils around the flying squid, its razor maw ripping off tentacles by the dozen. Neptune was holding her mirror aloft, bedazzling and blinding the beast. Even though the fight was slightly in her favor, something just seemed...off.
Sailor Neptune...a Chinese water-dragon...and a squid-monster...
Uranus discreetly cleaned her nose. Bedawang suddenly shuddered, lifting her mind out of the gutter. The leopard had tackled it and pinned it to the ground, and all of its seven heads were snapping and biting. Uranus scaled up the body of her avatar and swung with her saber, cutting one head off and another in half. An enormous claw fell her way, but Bedawang kicked hard, freezing the monster in its place. With a great gust of wind, it flew out and pushed the monstrosity away—then crushed it to the ground until there was nothing left but pulp. As the dust settled, Uranus looked up and watched as her lover's serpent snapped the squid's body to pieces, taking the head into its maw.
"This ought to cure me of my love for calamari," she muttered.
The battle is raging, attack formation set
Hot blood flows through the streets, their pact is kept
Suddenly the streets of Tokyo became overrun with enormous bulls. Sailor Mercury watched as one of the gods summoned them, identifying him as Nanna. She and Llyn Llyw had been circling around the city, directing the masses of people. The citizens of Tokyo understood the dangers but charged in heedless of them, their thirst for revenge and justice too great to suppress. Their numbers had actually proven to be an advantage, since even the armies of gods could not withstand a mob of countless thousands. Now they were finally facing something they could not match, but Mercury already had a plan.
To rape and kill the martyr, who dwells within this shrine
They did not heed the warning signs
Veering around a skyscraper back onto the main streets, Mercury dove down with the force of a waterfall, Llyn Llyw spewing a powerful frost from his mouth. She blasted the streets with a strong gush, and soon all the roads were frozen over. Unable to get any traction, the bulls slipped out of control—and since they were unable to run anywhere, they made perfect targets. Mercury called out to the ice, raising enormous glaciers which tore the steer to shreds. A few managed to find their bearings and slink away, but they didn't get far. The ground rose up from below them, lifting them high into the air and then folding onto itself. Mercury realized they had been running on Pluto's avatar all that time; they realized it a few seconds too late. Ouroboros had ensnared them in its grasp and utterly destroyed any chance for escape.
Descending from the clouds they hunt you still
Battle angels kill your forces of will
Sailor Pluto was on the surface along with Sailor Saturn, fighting back to back against the main horde. The people of Tokyo were great for piecemeal destruction but now the fight required precision; the Staff of Time and Glaive of Silence ripped through their numbers with lethal speed, both ladies an indistinguishable blur, moving and jerking and striking and shattering and slicing. The people cheered them on; Saturn's Phoenix flew over the battle, annihilating everything that came under its dread shadow. It plucked up Saturn just as she was tackled by seven soldiers, pulling her and her enemies high into the air. She shook them off, causing them to plummet to their doom; the Phoenix took its master over to one of the bulls, where she leaped off, rammed her glaive into the back of its neck, shot up into the air, and landed with all the grace of a gymnast.
The bull toppled over, crashing to the ground, disintegrating.
"You are so awesome," Shingo Tsukino grinned. Saturn stood up, humbly wiping the hair from her face.
"Thank you. Can I get a kiss for good luck?" He kissed her eyebrow; she stole his lips.
You'll all fall on your knees, and hail to the our dawn
Crawl on your knees, the slaughter is on
Finally they reached police headquarters. Ninhursaga, the proclaimed mother goddess, was there, along with a legion of troops. There were five of the giants as well, four bulls, some flying creatures, the floating faces, and several other godly allies the Senshi had not yet encountered. Sailor Moon rode to the front, unflinching against the awe-inspiring creature. Without saying a word she leveled her scepter at the goddess, and all the Senshi and the people of Tokyo charged, letting out a battle-cry heard throughout the entire country.
The people crashed against their oppressors like a tsunami, bowling them over in a massive pandemonium. They were unarmed and outnumbered, but were ignited by righteous fury and a shared suffering. Mars cut a swath around the soldiers and faced off against two of the bulls, shaping her flames into a long staff. Both creatures thundered after her, carving up great chunks of the road with their hooves, but Mars fearlessly stirred Sleipnir faster, shooting up a wall of fire in her wake. The bulls lowered their horns, but Mars leaped over them, raising her flaming pole and searing both monsters in half. Sleipnir skidded to a halt as she passed them, and Mars extinguished the fire, just as the monsters collapsed.
"Booyah," she whispered.
Venus and Quetzalcoatl hurled into the air, smashing into one of the flying monsters, wings and talons and beak tearing alongside searing beams of energy. One of its claws raked against the bird's body, ripping off feathers and flesh. Venus leaped into the air, firing a precision beam, cutting the monster's arm clean off. Still fluttering in midair, she summoned her energy and formed it into a small glittering golden heart, making sure to blow a kiss as she sent it flying. The winged monstrosity swatted the attack with its other arm, but only succeeded in puncturing its hand; meanwhile the attack twirled on, smacking the beast in the forehead. This stunned it just long enough for Quetzalcoatl to snap its beak over the monster's neck. Venus winked, firing with her finger, causing the mark left by her attack to ignite.
Mercury and Neptune had teamed up to freeze one of the giants, but rather than smashing it, Uranus had Bedawang stir up a great gust, forcing the giant into the sky. Pluto saw an opportunity and had the Ouroboros catch the giant in its coils. The ice-covered giant was pulled further and further back, creating enormous force, until Pluto gave the signal and the Ouroboros released the force, slinging the enormous ice-giant missile rocketing back, where it crashed into a bull and two other giants, shattering and smashing in a glorious explosion of crystals. Still not finished, Mercury took control of the ice-projectiles and turned them on the star-soldiers, piercing them with countless frozen daggers.
The Ouroboros and Long Wang caught the rest of the giants in their snares, and Bedawang fought off the bulls. Ninhursaga herself flew over the two serpents, shooting out a powerful energy wave with her hands. The wyrms writhed and snarled in torment; Bedawang pounded the ground in frustration. Saturn had been helping to fight off the soldiers, but stopped as she saw her adopted family in trouble. She summoned the Phoenix with a sharp whistle and held on tight as it flew her away. Once she got within range, the Phoenix released her, sending her soaring through the air, straight towards the goddess. Ninhursaga abruptly whirled around before Saturn could strike, hitting her with an invisible energy field. The blow was so strong that she stopped in mid-air and fell to the ground, where Shingo had to dive in order to save her.
"I will not be defeated so easily," Ninhursaga called. "My son enslaved your leaders and rendered your guardians powerless."
"You must be very proud," Saturn spat. She was thrown back harder as Ninhursaga roared.
"Impudent creature! Whatever craft thou hast employed to regain thy false station can be undone! Or from whom did you think my son inherited his authority?"
"Not exactly daddy's little angel, huh?" The sky crackled and the earth trembled as Ninhursaga blasted a path to Sailor Saturn. The Senshi of life and death choked and sputtered as she was lifted into the air by an invisible force, clutching at her throat. The other Senshi dropped everything they were doing to rush her, but the forces of the gods overwhelmed them. Ninhursaga's eyes burned as she bore into the young woman's soul.
"You shall be the first into darkness."
Sailor Saturn cringed, clawing at the unseen hands crushing her throat. In the midst of pain she pried open her eyes and smirked.
"That's what...I told...your son...before I..."
She screamed so horrifically that all of the world heard it, and threw Sailor Saturn with all of her might against the police building. The echoes of her screaming were so great that no one else could compete.
Long red boots coughed up dust as Sailor Moon stepped forth.
"Now," Ninhursaga growled, as Moon clenched onto her scepter, "where were we?"
Saolir Moon thrust herself at her pitiless foe, shining bright with vengeance, eyes brimming with tears, teeth bared, her braids fluttering and becoming undone as a fierce gale tore at her. Ninhursaga stood her ground, lifting up both arms to repel her. Sailor Moon bounced against the energy field but plowed on with obstinate resilience, hacking and bashing at the barrier with a berserk fury. Ninhursaga pushed her away only to see her rise again, striking with a blinding beam. Once everyone could see, they noticed there was no more barrier, and Ninhursaga had a deep cut on her shoulder. She wasn't bleeding, but it was obvious she had been hurt.
It was an entirely unprecedented event. But if Sailor Moon thought she had seen anger before...
It took her awhile to regain her bearings, stand up, catch her breath. Ninhursaga lifted her up once more, teeth gnashing as she bore her injury like a true queen of gods. Sailor Moon felt her throat collapse, her bones bending against her will, her organs crushing under the pressure. She was lucky to still have a pulse; soon the force would be too great even for her, and then it would end.
Could sure...use a well-aimed...rose right about nah...
"Ereshkigal awaits in the dead lands, Moon-Sailor. Give her my regards."
"Your...son...too?"
"And your pale little friend."
"Bitch," she spat, feeling completely justified with the vulgarity. Ninhursaga laughed.
"Fret not, my golden-haired beauty. You will soon have more company than you can count. Of course, in the dead lands, even loved ones may pass each other and never know it! Just imagine, having forgotten every sweet memory you hold dear..." Sailor Moon was gesturing to her, trying to croak out her last words. Ninhursaga haughtily drew close. "Yes? What hast thou to say in thy final hour?"
Smiling, she whispered, "Made you monologue."
And then all the world flashed into fire as Ninhursaga was struck dead-center by a mortar blast.
Fall on your knees and hail to the our dawn
Crawl on your knees, the slaughter is on
Slaughter!
Sailor Moon fell, coughing and wheezing. "Why...do they alw...ways go f...for the...throat?" Jupiter and Airavata tore through the enemy barriers and plucked her up, carrying her away as Tokyo's police force moved in from the rear. Ninhursaga had performed brilliantly in keeping the Senshi away from their destination, but she had neglected the citizens of Tokyo—specifically, the handful of police officers drawn into the crowd. Hayashida couldn't stop grinning.
"Yeah! You like that? That's Tokyo justice there, sister!"
"Hell yeah!" Toha cheered. "You gotta mortar up your goddess ass! And there's lots more toys where that came from!"
"Calm down, I doubt that killed her anyway," Asagiri said. Hayashida snorted at him.
"You always gotta ruin the moment, don't you, Soji?"
"He's right," Harisvatta pointed. Despite getting hit by a blast that could rip a tank apart, Ninhursaga rose up as strong as ever, little more than scathed. She turned around just in time to see a legion of armed officers training their scopes on her. "Okay, Shibuya's finest, that woman's name just got changed to Will!" That was all the encouragement they needed; Ninhursaga was perforated in seconds. Even that did little more than aggravate her; she shielded herself with her arm, scowling under the relentless assault. Suddenly, the firing squad was silenced. All was still.
Ninhursaga peered out just in time to watch a lone figure limp out of the cavalcade, supporting herself on a long staff with a curved blade at the end. Her eyes glowed black with death.
"Mr. Asagiri," she called, "the charges."
"Huh? Oh, yes, of course. Here." He gave the Reborn a covered tin plate with a fuse. She lit it and slid it to Ninhursaga, who could only glance down in bewilderment.
"What foolish trickery is this?"
Sailor Saturn screamed bloody victorious murder right before it went off:
"Thermyte, motherf—"
The extraordinary heat spread over the goddess immediately, consuming her with a fire even Sailor Mars could not imagine. Another agonized scream issued, and did not silence until the fire had nothing left to burn. Sailor Saturn limped over to the charred remains, bloody and battered and reverberating with grim vengeance. The glaive's tip found its way to Ninhursaga's chest.
"This is our city," she intoned quietly. "You are not welcome. You do not belong."
"Then what are you?" hissed the blackened shell. Slowly, Saturn took her glaive away.
"I'm its guardian. I'm its daughter. I'm Hotaru Tomoe, and today, I'm not feeling particularly merciful." She hobbled away quietly, fainting only when Shingo took her up into his arms. Sailor Moon approached the blackened body, holding her scepter aloft.
"Now," she whispered, "where were we?"
It was over in a moment. She made sure to re-braid her hair. After all...
"Okay, people, let's not stand around here gawking. We still have a lot of city left to save!"
Author's notes:
Yes, thermyte really is that hot.
I've been looking forward to this moment for months, and honestly, I don't care if Makoto's idea makes no sense, or is physically impossible. It's pure awesome and I defy anyone to say it was anything less! The song is, of course, Battle Angels, by Sanctuary, and...you know what? Just buy "Refuge Denied". Yeah. Go on iTunes and buy it. The whole thing. Then play it while reading this chapter, and many others to come. If you're not weeping from sheer beauty overload, then the music's not loud enough!
Also? From now on, anything goes. The slaughter is on.