Hawk's Eye quickly navigated the massive aircraft into position. Meanwhile, Holly was wearing a hole in the floor while pacing back and forth. Naturally, she was concerned regarding her younger sister. Although Alexis wasn't a baby anymore, the blonde still agonized whenever she couldn't be sure her 'delicate sea blossom' was safe and sound.
Christen and Vesta were getting incredibly dizzy from watching Holly. "Holly, you're tense, but you ought to trust Alexis! She can take care of herself," Christen remarked. She sought to prevent her tomboy comrade from making them more dizzy. Or worse, stop her from succeeding in making a hole in the aircraft's floor.
"I know that! Regardless, I inherently agonize, Christen! If it's not Alexis I worry about, it's the rest of my friends! I can't help but get in a flap over those I care about." Holly responded heatedly.
"Don't get agitated, Holly. I'm setting up communications right now. You can check on Alexis momentarily. Why don't we pick out our weapons while we wait for the system to set up?" Star took on communications and walked over to the enormous pile of weapons given to them.
"I want the Energy gun!" Christen lunged forward, but it was snatched out before her!
"I don't think giving you a heavy, destructive, complicated weapon is wise. So, I'll hold onto it." Hawk's Eye smirked. Mars's dark-eyed daughter just glared hatefully at him.
"A bazooka then." Christen turned to her next choice, but Uranus's daughter picked that one up, too.
"Hey!" Christen hissed, now getting really pissed.
"Sorry, Christen, but bazookas are more my thing." This green-eyed girl reasoned.
Christen went through every weapon she wanted but was denied. She eventually ended up with a long sword. Dissatisfied, the dark girl threw it on the ground and stormed off. Having to ignore her for now, Star picked up a shotgun, and Vesta fancied a Laser Stinger! Thirty minutes later, Holly checked on Christen. The pitch black-haired girl had sealed herself inside her room!
"Christen, grow up and come out of there, now!" Holly banged loudly on the door.
"You have to knock first and ask politely." Despite Christen's earlier sour mood, she sounded smug now. Christen loathed it when people barged into her room while doing rituals, so having her own room with a lock was a blessing! Uranus's clever daughter employed a credit card to jimmy Christen's door open!
"I hate you." Christen spat.
"Just confirming you aren't attempting to set the ship ablaze." Holly teased, but the daughter of war didn't look sunny at all.
"I should be."
"Are you really being THIS childish over a weapon?!"
"I'm a LONG-range fighter. A blade isn't for me!" Christen complained in a whiny voice.
"You could throw the sword, point end, at the enemy?" Holly suggested
"Don't even joke like that," Christen grumbled, narrowing her dark brown eyes.
"I wasn't joking."
Good! Because it wasn't funny!"
"Christen, you do seriously need to grow up. If you haven't noticed, we're in a war right now! Insubordinate maggots get offed early." Holly threatened and exited the room.
Eventually, Christen accepted the sword as it was not like she had to use it if she did not need it. Later, Star allowed everyone to take a turn if they wanted to talk to one person the most when the communication system was up and running strong. Hawk's Eye talked to Fish Eye, Vesta talked to Pallas, Holly talked to Alexis, Christen talked to Rei, and Star talked to Thera, even though she missed her dad too. This made the air group feel much less high-strung than before. It was a couple of days of routine before Lucius launched his next magical onslaught. This time, he sent a handful of fighters.
These fighters, men and women, are decked in black, hovering in the air. They had eye shields, bloody, sharp, feral teeth, elongated nails, and black, feathery wings! Holly noticed three candlelights in the tower. Demi was a couple of seconds late, probably as stunned as the group was at the sight of these individuals. Around the airship was a deck like that on an ocean vessel, where the group prepared to attack.
"What are they?!" Hawk's Eye freaked out.
"If I had my textbooks, I could be sure! However, I know they aren't vampires. Still, be prepared for whatever they might pull." Christen studied the creatures as best she could.
Hawk's Eye, now Sailor Ventus, and Vesta did not have a hard time blowing fire, throwing daggers, and shooting down a few of these things! Sadly, two turned into mist and re-formed a few inches away from their prey! One pounced on Hawk's Eye, and the other used mesmerism on Vesta, though he seemed irked she was not a mature woman. Hawk's Eye screamed for help.
"This will be over quickly. You won't last long." Vesta's captor hissed and bit into her, fooling her mind into thinking she liked it.
"Vesta!" Ventus tried to reach her with tears in his eyes as he could tell she was trying to fight the control but could not do anything to protect herself.
"FLAME BOW AND ARROW!" Neo-Super Sailor Mars killed the man feeding off Vesta!
Snapping out of her daze, Vesta heard Ventus shouting at his female captor.
"Get off me! Get off!" Ventus kept his arms up to defend himself, though the opponent was clawing away at them!
"Bug off, lady!" Vesta hit the enemy with her whip, causing it to fly off.
Suddenly, one opened its mouth, and another used its visor, shooting energy beams at Nova and Uranus! Nova used clay duplicates to take hits for her and Uranus. Nova had to play it smart as she had a limited material supply.
"That's new!" Uranus yelled, referring to the way the beams had been fired.
"These monsters are only vulnerable when preparing to eat or feeding," Mars informed, observing what she could.
"We can't sacrifice one of us!" Nova yelled indignantly.
"I don't think we have to; they are already hungry." Uranus figured. In the blink of an eye, these strange-attired people surrounded them! "Ventus, Vesta, stand back-to-back! Christen, Star, let's make a three-person back-to-back circle!" Holly commanded.
Positioned this way, these odd-looking beings couldn't sneak attack them from behind or control one of them as they were so close to their comrades. Still, that did not stop them from melting into the shadows and trying to strike them that way!
"I have a better idea!" Mars broke from the team and thought hiding and attacking like the demonic-like soldiers had been doing could work in their favor more.
However, the dark-eyed lass forgot one thing: Vampire-like powers included enhanced senses! They will see, hear, and even smell blood and feel movements before anyone can stop them! As a couple of warriors made to pursue the oil black-haired girl, Star focused and fired a sparkling, bright, light blue beam, hitting the pursuers and freezing them solid!
Too ashamed to admit how foolish her idea was, Mars's daughter shuffled back to her teammates with her head hung low.
"DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!" Uranus grabbed Mars's shoulders and shook her.
Having whiplash from how quickly Uranus had snatched her, Mars bobbed her head in a 'yes' motion.
"Wait. Vesta, Nova, can you render those creatures wings immobile?" Ventus asked, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
"I'm pretty sure we could pull that off," Star replied.
"No doubt!" Vesta cheered in agreement.
"Uranus, Mars, your combo attack should finish them off." Ventus got a mischievous grin from Uranus and Mars.
"What about you?" Vesta questioned.
"I'll pick off anyone trying to get back to Lucius." Ventus winked.
Soon, ice beams and daggers were thrown in all directions! As Ventus climbed atop the ship for a better view, Uranus and Mars hit the deck to avoid them. Animalistic screeching and screams indicated Nova and Vesta were doing their job well.
"Charged Solar Wind Phoenix Strike!" These things could not withstand fire and lighting combined, and they withered away.
Ventus rejoined them after he made 'crispy critters,' as the term goes, out of a handful of stragglers. As the airship made a rough landing, thankfully with no damage, the group de-transformed and gazed up at the crack-of-dawn skies, free once again! Surprisingly, Neo-Queen Serenity contacted them on their communicators, sounding panicked! "Holly, is everyone alright?!"
"We're fine, my queen. What's wrong?!" Holly did not know why the monarch sounded so alarmed, as the group had just started celebrating their small victory.
"Oh, I saw those people on the Command Center's monitors! I was worried you might not be able to handle them. Yet I am relieved to see and hear you all are safe and sound." Neo-Queen Serenity's voice calmed.
"Can we sleep now?" Christen moaned, feeling weary.
"Yes, firebird, you can come back and rest." Neo-Queen Serenity chuckled, using Christen's nickname.
Christen grumbled. Part of her irritation was that she had not given her OK on that nickname. Plus, she hated recovering every time she used a combo attack. It did not take long, but Christen is not one to waste time lazing about when she could be fighting. When they returned, Hawk's Eye and Vesta considered they could use the rest, too. Underground forces were informed to be ready!