A/N: Yes I am still alive. I would have finished sooner, but S*it got serious on my my end so I was quite busy. But enough about that, on to the story...
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{ Chapter 3: Citadel Descending... }
Mars slammed her first into the snowy surface in frustration, as she and the rest of the Senshi were both shocked and angered by Moon's sudden abduction.
Clearly Beryl was not done with them and had used the attack by the last DD girl to distract them. Only for another one of her minions to kidnap Sailor Moon during the confusion.
"Damn it!" the fiery Senshi spat out, "They got her!"
"Who got her?" Waters asked, as he ran up to the Senshi. "That Beryl woman you were talking about?"
"Yea!" Jupiter replied, "She took Moon right out from under us!"
"We have to get her back." Venus added, though she was at a complete loss as to what to do. By now, Matson had joined them after checking on his men after the attack. One man was missing and believed to be dead, while several more had been wounded. But after Water's told him had had happened to Moon, his expression became even grimmer.
"So this Queen Beryl has taken your friend.?"
"Yes!" Mars shot back. "But... I know she is still alive, I can feel it! We need to get her back"
"And we will." Matson replied firmly, which caught the rest of the girls by surprise after Ami translated.
"What do you mean, 'we'" Jupiter asked curiously.
"I mean me 'we' as in my men and I will help."
"But what about your orders?" Mercury asked the older man.
"As for as I see it, we technically are still following our orders. it just that now we have a potential rescue mission thrown into the mix." Matson replied firmly. "Like it or not, we are going to help."
Normally, Mars and the others would protest such actions. Clearly Matson and his men truly did not grasp just how powerful or Dangerous Queen Beryl could be. But something within the Senshi told the girls that Matson and his team could be trusted and that their presence would be a welcomed addition to their ultimate goal.
"Very well then... we accept your offer of assistance." Mars declared, as the other girls nodded in agreement. "But first things first, we need to get to Beryl's base."
"Then let's get moving. I got a bone to pick with the Beryl woman for killing one of my men." Matson declared, as the group ran back to their Humvees and began to move once again. The rumbles of the turbo diesel engines sounding more meaningful that usual, as the Humvees crossed the frozen landscape with a surprising speed and agility the girls did not think was not possible for a vehicle that size.
Eventually the convoy arrived at the evil queen's layer. which looked like a small but wife volcano cone that vented dark clouds. No sooner had the convoy come to a stop, Matson's men began to take up position around the target. Taking cover where ever they could and setting up firing positions around the icy structure.
By this point, Matson had selected his own team who would be heading into the Beryl's base along with the Sailor Senshi and they were ready for a fight.
Each man was armed with a heavily modified CAR-15 assault rifles, as well as a 9mm pistol. A few of them also carried the Swedish designed AT-4 anti-tank rifles. Which could be confused for rocket launchers at first glance and should be more than enough to deal with what ever they might encounter. Or at least, that was the belief. Two of the men also carried M249 light machine guns, while all of them were armed with grenades. . Needless to say, the Senshi were taken aback by this blatant show of arms, but understood that it just might be needed.
Using her visor and mini computer, Mercury was able to find a weak point in the icy structure and with the aid of some thermite charges, they were able to breach the exterior.
"You know, you don't have to do this." Mars said , as she and the Senshi got ready to enter Beryl's layer with Matson's team.
"I have my orders." the older man replied. "You said you can 'sense' where your friend is?"
"Yes..."
Matson just shrugged. "Then let's roll."
And with that, the two teams made their way into the breach. None of them knowing just what could be waiting for them, but for the two teams, it was a risk they were willing to take...
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Further and further the two teams ventured into Beryl's base, the Senshi on their guard as Matson and his men took the lead. What ever reservations the girls had about these Americans, had now been thrown out the window, as they soon grew to trust Matson and his men. Though they still wondered as to why they had such weaponry already on hand.
With Mars' guidance, the groups continued to advance cautiously in the near darkness. The only source of illumination coming from the dimly lit flash lights the Americans carried. Sailor Mars could sense that Moon was still alive and that she was close, but she could also sense the evil that surrounded both her friend, and themselves. This was the last remnant of the dark Kingdom after all, this was the base where for months Queen Beryl had sent her minions to steal the energy of many and ever tried to kill them. Mars could feel the dark energy which surrounded them, more powerful than anything she had felt past but she was able to push through.
But now it was all going to end and Mars swore that if that witch Beryl did anything to Usagi...
"Hold..." Matson said quietly, and gave the hand gesture to do so.."Sounds like someone is talking"
The Senshi took a moment to listen to the faint voice, a voice that was coming from deep within the caverns. A voice that belonged to...
"It's moon!" Venus said quietly, yet excitedly. "She's alive! but who is she talking to?"
"There's only one way to find out." Mercury replied, before she crept up to Matson and said in English just who the voice belonged to. "We need to get to her quickly, but we need a plan of attack. I think Beryl just might be with her."
"So what do you suggest?" the older man asked...
§ § §
Beryl glared down at Sailor Moon, as she held on to the now unconscious Mamoru/Prince Endymion. Despite being able to capture the reincarnated Moon Princess, she was still unable to break the young woman.
All the mind tricks, the hallucinations and illusions had failed to hurt Sailor Moon in the way she has hoped. If anything, her methods had managed to steel Sailor Moon's resolve to never surrender. In fact, Sailor Moon has been able to break her control over the Earth Prince and he had, but in doing, so Beryl had tried to strike her down. But before she could, Mamoru and thrown himself in the line of fire. A action which just might have cost him his life.
"You foolish child..." the Demonic queen all but growled, as she approached Sailor Moon. "You are all alone now, you don't have your friends and no longer have your prince. Just who is going to save you now...?"
"We will!" a chorus of voices suddenly declared defiantly, voices which Moon recognized instantly. Suddenly bolts of lightening combined with a flaming arrow shot out from the surrounding darkness and towards Beryl herself. The evil queen only had moments to react, as she summoned a barrier to protect herself from the would be attack. So focused she was on defending herself, Beryl didn't even notice a group of heavily armed men run towards a still stunned Sailor Moon and helped her to her feet.
"Sailor Moon, are you alright?" Waters asked, as he and his group took up defensive positions around her.
"Yes, I am fine..But we need to get out of here!" she replied, as she tried to lift the still unconscious Tuxedo.
"Who is that?"
"A... ally" Moon replied, "We need to get him out of here too!"
Waters knew better than to ask anymore questions at this point, considering what the task force had encounter. Taking Tuxedo Mask from moon and throwing him over his shoulder, Waters and team began to make their way back to the rest of his team.
While this was going on, Matson and his contingent had now joined in on the assault on Queen Beryl. As they tried to keep the evil queen occupied, as Waters and his group recovered Sailor Moon. But Beryl was not content with just letting the Senshi or their new allies defeat her so easily. Especially when her master was so close to being revived.
With a angry roar, Beryl launched a volley of dark energy that forced both the Senshi and Matson's team to take cover.
"We need to take that bitch out!" Matson declared, just as another bolt of energy shot by his position.
"But how?!" Venus asked, as she too had taken cover near by. "Our attacks can't get through her barrier!"
"We need something bigger, something that that can hit her alot harder!" The man stated,
"But what?" Mercury asked, as she too was close by. It was at that point the three of then noticed what looked like a massive chandelier hanging right over Queen Beryl, who by this point had gone completely mad with anger. A chandelier that was about the size of a city bus...
"That will work..." Matson and the Senshi said in unison, before Matson ordered his men to take aim at the large crystal fixture.
"FIRE SOUL!!"
"SUPREME THUNDER!"
"CRESCENT BEAM!"
The combined attacks, coupled with the heavy gun fire coming from Matson's men, found it's target and caused the large chandelier to separate from the ceiling and fall towards the enraged queen. Unfortunately for Beryl, she was too far gone to even notice the large crystal object falling towards her. The Chandelier fell on Beryl with a loud crash, sending thousands of pieces everywhere and leaving Beryl completely covered in it's remains.
But no sooner had Beryl seemingly met her demise, the entire chamber began to rumble and fall apart. the Shadowy figures that once made up the Dark Court, had seemingly vanished along with Beryl, as chucks of crystal began to crash down.
Suddenly, Mars grabbed her head as if she were I pain and collapsed to her knees. "No..." She gasped out... "Metalia... she's... coming"
"What?" Venus asked, as she and the others helped Mars back to her feet and helped her towards the exit.
"We need to get out of here now!" Matson called out, as the two teams began to make their way out of the crumbling base. But while everyone was just about to make a run for it, Moon stepped forward with a odd expression on her face. It was one none of the other Senshi had ever seen before from their friend... and it scared them.
"No..." Moon suddenly spoke up. "Metalia needs to be stopped. It ends today."
"Usa..." Mars gasped out and in concern, as she had never seen Moon like this before. But before she could say anything else, Sailor Moon looked at her with a small smile and said...
"I can not have you risking your lives for me anymore. Go, this is my fight... and I will fight for all of us..."
Mars, along with the other Senshi, wanted to protest her decision to stay and fight alone. But something deep down inside of them told them that nothing was gonna change their friend's mind. Mars, with tears in her eyes, gave her friend a hug and said... "You dumpling head... you better come back to us, or I will kill you!"
"What about her?" Matson asked, as he saw Sailor Moon walk back into the crumbling interior. "Where is she going?"
"Its fine." Mars replied, trying to wipe away her tears. "She knows what she is doing. We need to get out of here now!"
With no other choice, the task force members were forced to leave Moon behind and along with the Senshi and a still unconscious Tuxedo mask in tow, began to run towards the exit. Even as the base began to crumble around them. Dodging pieces of ice and crystal, as they ran through the darkness and back towards the surface.
After what felt like an eternity, the two teams made it back to the surface and could see the remaining members of Husky had begun to fall back as well. As it was clear to see that the Beryl's was starting to collapse in on itself.
Matson's men and the Senshi made it out just in time, as what was left of the Dark Kingdom's base collapsed in on itself.A small explosion all but confirming it's destruction. But out of the destruction, a large flower had suddenly appeared in its place and out of it, stood Queen Beryl. Though now possessed by Queen Metalia and standing many meters tall.
"Kami-sama..." Sailor Mercury gasped out in fear, as she and the other Senshi looked on in horror. As the being which was responsible for the destruction of the old Moon Kingdom, had seemingly been reborn and was now poised to consume the world in darkness once again. But just as it seemed as if all was lost, a beam of energy suddenly shot overhead and struck the Demonic woman in her chest. It didn't kill her, but it was enough to cause the reborn Queen Metalia to grunt in pain as she tried to block this new assailant.
"Uh... guys..." Venus suddenly spoke up. A hint of both fear and confusion could be heard in her voice. "You need to see this..."
Looking in her direction, the other Senshi wondered just what their other blond friend was talking about. But what they saw left them all speechless.
For now breaking through the thick cloud cover, was a massive "Aircraft" that was shaped almost like a flying wing. It was dark gray in color and had what looked like four massive engines mounted on top of its frame at the rear. But what really caught the attention of the Senshi was that despite it's massive size, it hardly made any sound. Even as it slowly descended from the clouds and approached their position.
"What the..." Jupiter gasped out, as the massive aircraft approached. "What is...?"
"There's another one!" Mercury suddenly announced, as she soon caught sight of another similar aircraft approaching from the opposite direction. It too was similar in appearance and just like the first one, it hardly made any sound as well.
"Uh... guys..." Jupiter suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with shock and disbelief as she spoke. As her forest green eyes soon caught sight of a third craft approaching them as well. Just what in Kami-Sama's name was going on?
But before anyone could react, a glint of light suddenly caught their attention. Though it did not come from any of the massive airships, but rather a ball of light that began to descend from the sky and right in front of the possessed Beryl. A ball of light that soon came to rest on a pillar of ice that suddenly appeared under it. A light that soon vanished to reveal...
"Usa..."Mars gasped out in awe, as she saw Sailor Moon... now dressed as Princess Serenity, appeared before Metalia. Who by this point, had also noticed the princess before her and lashed out with a energy based attack.. Yet Serenity held up her scepter and and sent out a beam of energy of her own. A beam of energy which defected the evil queen's attack. but it was not enough to defeat her.
But it was then something completely unexpected happened, as three more beams of Energy struck Queen Metalia. Beams which were coming from the three large aircraft which had suddenly appeared earlier.
The Citadel, Pegasus and Phoenix were also the product of the old Moon Kingdom discovery and it's fate. Built in secret, the large aircrafts were all powered by a advanced reactor which didn't used uranium, but a new element that was found in the moon many years ago. They were designed as both massive flying command ships/Battleships and now, they were being used in the way they were intended to be.
On board the Citadel, the command crew could only look on as the beam of energy shot out from their craft and strike their target. An odd humming sound filling their ears, as the Serenium Reactor easily powered the the aircraft's main weapon.
Needless to say, the rest of the sailor Senshi were completely stunned by what was happening. As the three flying wings were actually helping their friend fight Metalia, but it was not long before they realized that Sailor Moon/Usagi/Princess Serenity just might need more help.
As if by instinct, the four Senshi came together. Closing their eyes and holding their hands, they soon found themselves standing with their friend as she faced off against the demonic queen. Their planetary symbols glowing brightly on their foreheads, as the all grabbed hold of Serenity's scepter and concentrated their energy into defeating Metalia once and for all.
Meanwhile on the ground, Matson and his team could only look on in astonishment by what was happening. What had started off as nothing more than a recon mission, was now a literal fight between good and evil and Matson knew which side of the spectrum his men were on...
"Light that bitch up!" He roared, before opening up with his assault rifle. An action which was soon copied by the rest of Husky, as they all began to let loose with heavy gunfire. The 50 cals on the Humvees blazed away, as some of the men let loose with AT-4 and even grenades. They may not have been hitting Metalia as hard as the Senshi or the Flying Wings, but they still wanted to fight.
Metalia, for her part, had seemed to be successfully shrugging off Serenity's attack. But she was not expecting the interference of a third party she did not even know existed. Just who were they and just how did they get such powerful weapons from?
"No...!" she cried out, "You... you can't defeat me! I destroyed the Moon Kingdom and I... I will destroy you!!"
But her taunts only fell on deaf ears, as the combined attacks began to take their toll. She didn't scream, she didn't cry nor did she plead for mercy, even as she began to fade away. Her last conscious though was that of a blinding white light that consumed her body while voice echoed...
"I just wanted to be loved..."
§ § § § § §
Eventually the light faded and the icy landscape was now silent, save for the humming of Citadel and the sister ships. There was no signs of Metalia or Queen Beryl anywhere in the surrounding landscape, as a lone Humvee sped across the frozen surface. No sooner had it come to a stop, Matson and his men exited the vehicle and ran towards a group inert bodies that were now laying in the snow.
Though she felt weak, Sailor Moon tried to pick herself up but soon found herself being helped up Matson's men. Who proceeded to wrap her in a thermal blanket and carry her back to their Humvees. As her vision became less and less blurry, she could see the rest of her Senshi being helped to their feet and being carried back to a hastily assembled tent. The very same one she was now sitting in.
"Guys..." Moon said softly, as she tried to get stand up. But was still too weak and quickly fell back on her seat. Fortunately for her, her friends were not as drained as she was and upon seeing Moon, they ran up and gave their beloved leader a group hug.
Moon could not help but to feel a overwhelming sense of happiness take over her. As despite everything which had happened, all of her friends were still alive and they were together again. Tears welled up in her eyes, as she held her Senshi and sobbed happily. But it was not long before before her thoughts soon went back towards Prince Endymion... Mamoru.
Her eyes soon caught sight of the reborn Prince of Earth being carried on a stretcher towards her. At first she thought the worst had indeed happened and that she might have been too late to help him. But as the task force members laid the stretcher near by, Mamoru turned his head to face her and smiled.
"I'm... sorry you had to rescue me* Mamoru joked, Before the girls joined him.
"What... happened?" Still groggy as the effects of the morphine began to take hold.
"You are safe now" Sailor Moon replies, wiping the tears away from her eyes. "Beryl and Metalia are gone."
Mamoru began to look around and soon realized that he was in a tent. A look confusion soon forming on his face, as he soon realized that the Senshi were not the only ones with him. "What is going on? Who are these people?"
"Honestly, we are not sure either." Jupiter remarked, "But I guess you can say they helped us."
"Alot" Venus added, as the other girls nodded in agreement.
"They did, but I don't think they are telling us the while truth." Mars spoke up, gaining everyone else's attention.
"What do you mean?"
"Think about it?" the Senshi of Fire began to explain. "They show up about the same time we arrive to fight Beryl, they were more than willing to help us with they heard just why we were here and then they had these massive... what ever they are, just appear and fight Metalia. It just seems a bit too... convienent."
"She has a point." Jupiter agreed. "Though after everything, I can't complain. I mean... what if they weren't there when those ..."
"But you are safe now, you all are." Moon reassured them. "But I would still like to know just who are they?"
"I... think I can help you with that." a familiar voice suddenly replied. When they looked, the girls saw Waters walking up to them will an odd expression on his face. "Our leadership would like to have a word with you."
"What?" Mercury asked curiously, "Your leadership?"
The man just nodded before he explained "Yea... they have been made aware of the situation and would like to meet with you face to face."
"Wait.. why should we meet with them?" Mars asked the man. "I know you helped us and all, but it does not mean that.."
"Okay." Moon agreed, much to the surprise of the other Senshi "Tell your leaders that I would be willing to meet with them."
"Usa, are you sure you want to do this?" Mars asked, concern dripping from her words as she spoke. But Moon just smiled and said, "No I am not, but I do trust them."
Once again, the other Senshi were taken aback by their leader/friend's decision. But at this point, they had learned to trust her instincts and decided to join her. They were not about to let their Usagi walk into the unknown alone after all.
With a nod, Sailor Moon was just about to leave when...
"Wait!" Mamoru suddenly spoke up, "I want to go too."
"Are you sure? You're hurt." Moon replied, still concerned for the well being of her love.
"I... will be fine, I will just take it easy." Mamoru replied, as he got up from his position on the cot. One of the medics was was about to protest, but Waters told him that it was okay and allowed the wounded man to join them.
With that, the Senshi and Mamoru left the tent and follower Waters to the meeting. Just as one of the large airships began to descend to land...
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A/N: Go big or go home, that all I got to say. Anyway, please let me know what you think. it really helps in the story writing process. So until next time, Nightstalker out and if I don't update for the rest of the month, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
