"Stop right there!"
Kerokko would have ignored that voice if the person to whom it belonged hadn't jumped right in front of her, pointing a scary-looking scythe in her direction.
"Shit! I didn't think there'd be another Sailor Senshi here!" Kerokko cursed herself.
Sailor Saturn was standing right in front of her, the blade of her weapon threatening to slice her up.
"Who are you, and what is your goal!?" Saturn demanded, before her eyes spotted the crystal in Kerokko's hand. "Hey, what's this… is that a Sailor Crystal…? Answer me right this instant!"
Kerokko grew tense but still managed to grin at her.
"As if I'll tell you, you damn brat!" Kerokko spat back.
"Who's Star Seed is that!? It better not be what I think it is, or else…!" Saturn threatened.
"Or else what? You'll cut me down with your big scary stick? You're not scaring me, kiddo!"
(She was actually pretty scared.)
"Something like that," Saturn replied, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Kerokko winced, worried. Maybe provoking her wasn't so much of a good idea after all.
"Give that Sailor Crystal back!" Saturn ordered as she stepped towards her, ready to strike.
Kerokko quickly reacted by jumping over Saturn. She was quite the jumper, and could easily hop above someone twice her size, so going above someone of Saturn's height was child's play.
"You…! Get back here!"
Kerokko obviously didn't listen, making a run for it but her luck hit a dead end as her path was once again blocked- and by two Sailor Senshi this time!
"Stop right there!" Nyanko said.
"Ugh, I heard that already…" Kerokko muttered.
Nyanko and Mouse stood in front of her. Mouse appeared rather shocked to see her.
"Wait, are you… Kerokko!?" Mouse exclaimed.
"You know this frog girl!?" Nyanko reacted.
"Huh, so you do remember me…" Kerokko was surprised.
"What do you mean, Nyanko-san? You know her too!" Mouse said. "We were part of the same team… urgh…!"
Mouse suddenly seized her head as if she was taken by a sudden headache.
"I can remember her, but…! My memory of that time feels so hazy… like a dream," Mouse explained. "It's blurry, but I'm pretty sure the Kerokko I knew looked… a bit different. Maybe older… and definitely taller…"
"Hey, are you implying that I'm short!?" Kerokko took offense. "You're in no position to call someone else short, you shortie!"
"I am not short!" Mouse briskly protested. "My height is even above average, where I'm from!"
"Even if you are short, I think your height makes you cuter!" Nyanko declared.
"Now is not the time!"
"Nyanko onee-chan is into little girls now? Wasn't expecting that," Kerokko teased. "What about me then? Am I your type?"
"Hey! Don't go around and phrase it that way! You're going to make me look suspicious!"
"Never mind that Nyanko, why don't you remember this girl?" Mouse insisted.
"It's… complicated. And not the right time to discuss this."
Kerokko scoffed.
"I would love to catch up with my two old partners, but I'm on a mission now," the frog girl said.
"Not so fast!"
Saturn caught up to her, appearing right behind her. Kerokko froze, realizing that she was now surrounded by enemy senshi.
"Tsk! You again!?" Kerokko let out.
"Give that Sailor Crystal back! You know what happens to a Sailor Senshi if she loses hers," Saturn began. "Are you really okay with that?!"
"Pff- I don't care! Leave me alone already, you annoying brat!"
"Wait, Sailor Crystal!?" Nyanko exclaimed. "Did you steal a Sailor Crystal!?"
Kerokko knew it would be hard to escape this situation- she had to find a way to distract them.
"Here, you can have it back!"
Kerokko suddenly threw the Sailor Crystal. Instinctively, all three other senshi rushed towards it. Nyanko was the fastest and caught it mid-air.
After they secured the star seed, all three turned toward where Kerokko used to be, but it was too late.
She had disappeared.
Venus' body was starting to fade away.
She was now lying on the ground, her body slowly disappearing.
"Sailor Venus!" Uranus called out.
But it was in vain. Venus was in between life and death, unable to answer her. The illusory Pewter Foxes chuckled at her desperation.
"It's too late for her. Just sit back and watch your precious comrade die!" The Fox's copies said in unison.
"Dammit, your wretched fiend!"
"Uranus, calm down. These are just illusions. The real one must be hidden among them," Neptune said.
"Then I just need to destroy them all. World-"
"Are you really going to try that again? Don't you care about this innocent woman?" the Foxes taunted.
Uranus suddenly stopped and glanced at the seemingly unconscious Shigekane on the floor.
"Her again!?" Uranus exclaimed.
"She really keeps getting into the crossfire, huh," Neptune noted.
"If that's how it is, I'll just cut down all of you!"
Uranus summoned the Space Sword and rushed towards one of the copies.
"Starting with you!"
The Foxes kept grinning at her as the blade sliced down one of them. It cut through the air and the copy simply vanished.
"Wrong one, moron!"
Out of the blue, Uranus suddenly got punched by one of the Foxes, right in the face.
"Ugh…!"
"Uranus!"
Uranus rubbed her swollen cheek, glaring at the Fox who punched her.
"You little…!"
Uranus launched as fast as the wind towards her energy, slashing her with her sword. But once again, she was nothing more than an illusion.
She was then suddenly kicked in the stomach, bending over in pain.
"Ack…!"
"You think you're fast? Try going faster than the speed of light!" Fox taunted. "Galactica Mirage!"
Indeed, it was as if Fox was switching places with her copies at light speed. Each time Uranus tried to cut one of the Foxes it ended up being an illusion, only for the real Fox to hit her when she least expected it.
"Uranus, stop! You're just falling into her trap!" Neptune warned.
But her partner couldn't hear her, too overwhelmed by the repeated assault. Uranus didn't even have time anymore to attack and dropped her sword, which vanished as it touched the ground. She was constantly getting hit from every angle at incredible speed.
"That speed, those illusions… I get it. She must be controlling light itself. She uses reflections to create these illusions by bending the light…!" Neptune concluded. "But she's not the only one here who can control reflections!"
Neptune suddenly summoned her magic mirror.
"Submarine Reflection!"
Neptune aimed at the wall where the door had disappeared, then at the multiple Pewter Foxes. Light reflected on the mirror and broke through the illusions, revealing the door that was once hidden. One by one Fox's copy disappeared, leaving only the real one.
"Now, Uranus!"
Despite her weakened state from all the blows she had received, Uranus managed to get back on her feet and punched the Animamate in the stomach.
"Argh…!"
Pewter Fox slightly curled on herself as she put some distance between herself and Uranus. The latter noticed that Venus' body had almost fully disappeared.
"Neptune, go after that frog girl! I can take care of her."
"As if I'll let you get away!" Fox shouted as she pointed her bracelets at Neptune. "I'll take your Sailor Crystal too!"
But before she could make her threat a reality, Uranus swung her fist at her, forcing her to recoil. Neptune quickly opened the door and left the room.
"Where did that Frog senshi go…?", Neptune wondered, searching quickly.
"Neptune!"
She turned back and saw Saturn, followed by Nyanko and Mouse, running towards her from the other side of the corridor. Saturn was holding a yellow Sailor Crystal.
"That's… Venus' Crystal!" Neptune exclaimed.
"It is!? Is she alright?" Saturn asked.
"Not if we don't give her crystal back. Quick!"
Saturn handed the crystal to Neptune and all four of them rushed back into the room. Uranus was barely managing to dodge the barrage of beams of light Fox kept shooting at her from her bracelets.
"Wait, is that…?" Mouse began in disbelief. "But I thought she was…"
Fox suddenly stopped her repetitive assault when she noticed who had come in; a sinister grin appeared on her face.
"Well well, if it isn't Nyanko and Mouse. I see the tadpole has failed me… if only she was still here, the whole gang would be reunited," she sneered.
"Mouse… you also know her?" Nyanko asked.
Mouse nodded. "It's as she said. Me, you, her and Kerokko used to be a team. But how-"
"I see you haven't forgotten me, you rat," Fox taunted.
"I remember you being a massive bitch," Mouse said back.
"You little-"
"It's over, Pewter Fox. Give up! Your ally fled, and you're critically outnumbered," Nyanko warned.
Fox glared at them and then sighed. A telephone booth suddenly materialized behind her.
"Tch- this isn't over, you bunch of nuisances!"
As she said that, the door opened and she rushed inside the booth, which quickly disappeared.
"She got away again!" Uranus exclaimed.
"And not only her. That frog girl also managed to escape," Saturn said.
"Hey, that girl is gonna vanish soon!" Nyanko pointed out.
Neptune quickly rushed to Venus' side. She put her Sailor Crystal near what was left of her body and gently pushed it back inside. Venus' body suddenly shone in a bright light that temporarily blinded them. Once the light was gone, Venus's body was back to normal.
They all sighed in relief.
Then suddenly, Uranus stood in front of Mouse. The huge height difference made her look even more intimidating for the ex-Animamate.
"You know those two, don't you?" Uranus said.
"I-I do… we used to be comrades. B-but I have nothing to do with them anymore, if that's what you think-"
"We'll talk about this later," Neptune interrupted, holding the unconscious Venus. "Can someone check on Shigekane-san?"
With all that happened, they'd almost forgotten about her.
Uranus sighed. "Really, that woman… how unlucky can she be!"
"They seem to be going after us this time, they don't just target random civilians anymore," Rei concluded. "First me, then Minako-chan…"
After they made sure Minako and Shigekane were safe, the Sailor Senshi had reunited in their usual hideout beneath the arcade.
"It was a close one for me," Minako said.
Uranus looked at Mouse.
"So, what do you know about these two Animamates?" Uranus inquired.
"Well-"
"Wait, Mouse," Nyanko suddenly interrupted.
She stared at the four outer senshi.
"Isn't it unfair that you know our identity but we don't know yours? We don't have to tell you anything if you can't even trust us!"
"This isn't an equal relationship," Uranus shrugged. "As far as I'm concerned, you're still not off the hook."
"Then you can't expect us to trust you either!" Nyanko said back.
"You…!"
"I guess she's right," Neptune intervened.
"Neptune…!?"
"I still have my own reluctance in trusting these two, but I think it's only fair to show our identity in these circumstances."
Uranus seemed hesitant at first, but eventually sighed.
"I guess it's only fair," Uranus finally agreed.
"I don't see any issue here," Pluto concurred.
Saturn nodded. Almost in perfect unison, the outer senshi undid their transformation.
Nyanko and Mouse stared at them in disbelief.
"No way… you!?" Nyanko exclaimed.
"Tenou-san and Kaiou-san were Uranus and Neptune all along!?" Mouse said. "Now that's a scoop! I was not expecting that…!"
Michiru gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry for deceiving you for so long."
"We just weren't sure if we could trust you," Haruka added.
"Well, color me surprised. I would have never suspected you two," Nyanko said. She then turned towards the other two outers. "Uh… I'm sorry, who are you again?"
"I believe this is the first time we've met in this form. I am Meiou Setsuna."
"And I'm Tomoe Hotaru."
"Ugh, another child…" Nyanko muttered, pinching the bridge of her own nose.
"...eh?"
"N-never mind!"
"Well, now that we've revealed our identities, care to tell us what you know about our enemy?" Haruka insisted.
Nyanko ran a hand in her hair, seeming thoughtful for a moment.
"I'd like to know too… I'm still not over learning that I lost some of my memories. To think I knew these two and simply forgot…" Nyanko replied.
"You still haven't told me how you could have forgotten," Mouse said. "Pewter Fox, Kerokko, you, and myself used to be a team. You remember me, right? So why not those two…"
Nyanko scratched her head.
"I can't tell for sure, but… it seemed I died twice- that time on Earth, it wasn't the first time Galaxia disposed of me," Nyanko began. "And it seems I forgot everything from the moment I became an Animamate up to the first time I died."
Mouse's eyes grew wider. "Huh!? That's the first time I've heard about this!"
"Yeah… I kind or forgot I died before until these two reminded me. And even now, I can't fully remember how it went down… hence why I was looking for Crow-san."
"... Do you actually like getting punched?" Minako suddenly asked.
"N-no…! It's not like that!" Nyanko immediately denied. "But, in this fragment of memory of my death, I remember… that Crow-san was there. And she wasn't wearing the Galactica Bracelets."
"Huh!? So… did it happen before Crow-san joined Shadow Galactica?" Mouse wondered. "But how would she be involved in your death…?"
"That's why I need to find her and ask her, even if she might try to punch me again… frankly, it's not like I don't deserve it…"
"Nyanko-san…" Usagi said softly.
"I don't want to interrupt your conversation, but how is this related to those two other Animamates?" Haruka suddenly said.
"Well, I may have forgotten these two, but when I remembered my death… I wasn't alone. There was someone else there, besides Crow-san and Galaxia. And I think it might have been this frog girl, Kerokko…!"
"Huh. Well, I guess that makes sense; you two became a team on your own after the original group split up," Mouse revealed.
"We did!?"
"Yeah, but… my memory is very hazy. Kerokko… I could have sworn she looked different in my memory, yet this current Kerokko still looks similar…"
"Hmm… so, let me guess, once we split up, I worked with this Kerokko girl and… you worked with Pewter Fox?"
"... Not exactly. To be honest, I was surprised to see Fox again."
"Huh? Why's that?"
"Because I'm pretty sure she died."
This revelation caused a silence in the room for a moment.
"Eh? Dead? She can't be! I mean, she's one of the two attacking us, right?" Makoto reacted in disbelief.
"That's why I'm confused. Well, given Nyanko said she died once and was brought back to life, I guess that isn't impossible," Mouse said.
"What I wonder is, how did you not know I died? Weren't we a team before?" Nyanko asked.
"I told you, didn't I? We split up. I didn't see you for a while after you left with Kerokko. We met back once we were sent to Earth."
"Right. I had been resurrected by that time. Hence why I do remember you, unlike those two… but still, I wonder… if I split up with Kerokko and Fox died, where did you go?"
"More Animamates joined Shadow Galactica, and I worked with them," Mouse explained. "At first it was just me with Crow and Papillon, then later… Seiren joined."
"... Papillon?" Nyanko questioned.
"Oh, right, you probably never met her," Mouse replied. "She joined Shadow Galactica after Fox died- you had already left with Kerokko. She didn't come to Earth with us, though… I guess she died too? She kind of disappeared one day, and Galaxia didn't elaborate on why she was gone- now that I think about it, it makes sense to think she was simply disposed of."
Mouse then sighed.
"What a shame. I kind of liked Papillon. Being stuck on the same team as two monsters like Crow and Seiren was terrifying, but at least Papillon was nice to me… mostly because she kept mistaking me for a kid, and she had a soft spot for children."
"... Wait, you aren't a kid!?" Minako reacted.
"Excuse me!? I'm a grown woman! I'm of drinking age!" Mouse took offence.
"Eh!? S-sorry, it's just that you're so… small…"
"It only makes her cuter," Nyanko chimed in.
"Oh you, shut up!" Mouse let out. "I'll have you know that my height is perfectly normal on Chuu!"
"... So, if I get this right, this Pewter Fox died once and came back," Michiru concluded. "What about the other one, Mitis Kerokko?"
"Mitis…? Right, Kerokko… was it always her name?" Mouse mumbled.
"I think she might have died too, with me," Nyanko replied.
"So she was brought back to life as well," Setsuna said.
"Uh… I got a question," Usagi suddenly said. "So, if I remember correctly, all Animamates have a metal in their name, correct?"
"Well, yeah. It's the name of our Sailor Crystal," Mouse replied. "What about it?"
"It's just that, I know what iron, aluminum, lead, and tin are, but… what's pewter and mitis?" Usagi asked. "I never heard of those metals before."
Ami suddenly adjusted her glasses. "Pewter is a tin-alloy, historically alloyed with lead."
"Tin, huh…" Haruka glanced at Nyanko.
"W-woah, I have nothing to do with that chick! At least, I don't think so…?" Nyanko replied.
"What about mitis?" Makoto asked.
"It's not exactly a metal per se," Ami continued. "It's a process to make iron more malleable, usually by adding some aluminum to it."
"So… they are both alloy metal?" Minako concluded.
"Yes, they aren't natural metal," Ami confirmed.
"I wonder why… I guess these are also the name of their Sailor Crystal? Is it possible that these are artificial metals?" Hotaru wondered.
"I guess so? Still, Mitis Kerokko… I could have sworn her name was different," Mouse said. "But… I can't quite remember it…"
"Is this all you know about those two?" Haruka asked.
"Yeah… I don't know from which planets they're from. From what I can remember, Pewter Fox was quite the nasty person," Mouse replied. "As for Kerokko… I don't remember anything special. She was just a typical Animamate following Galaxia's orders. But Fox… she was particularly cruel. She didn't just obey orders, she went out of her way to hurt people for her own pleasure. She was a true sadist…"
"So she's bad news," Rei said. "Still, if they did die in the past, why are they suddenly back? Galaxia is no more, so why… what is Phantom Galactica?"
"I… don't know," Mouse said. "If Galaxia isn't there anymore, then it means the remnant of Shadow Galactica has a new leader, and these two were brought back by them."
"Could it be… Chaos!?" Usagi exclaimed.
"It's possible…" Michiru said.
"Then, we shall fight it once again!" Haruka declared.
Nyanko rubbed her head.
"Ugh… ghosts from the past are coming back to continue what Shadow Galactica started," Nyanko said. "That must be the true nature of Phantom Galactica!"
Pewter Fox slammed Kerokko against the wall.
"You useless little brat! Can't you do anything right!? Just a little longer and that girl would be dead! But you ruined everything with your incompetence…!"
"Argh!"
Kerokko whimpered at the impact. Fox grabbed her by the collar.
"You pathetic excuse of a senshi…!"
"P-Papi… chan…. help…!" Kerokko weakly called.
"Huh!?"
"What do you think you're doing, Fox?"
Fox flinched when she heard that voice and immediately let go of Kerokko. An intense feeling of dread overtook her as she heard footsteps behind her.
"It… it's not what you think, Papillon-san…!"
"From what I saw, you're the one who failed, not Kerokko-chan," Papillon interrupted her. "Your mission was over as soon as you confirmed the Sailor Crystal wasn't the one you were looking for. As far as I'm concerned, you are the one who stayed longer than needed, and could have ruined the plan."
Papillon then turned towards Kerokko, her expression softening. "Kerokko-chan, sweetie," she began with a warm smile. "The grownups are talking. Please go wait outside."
Kerokko seemed hesitant for a moment. She shyly glanced at Fox, who glared back at her with resentment.
"S-sorry, Fox nee-san…"
Kerokko quickly left the room. Fox clenched her fist and gulped, already anticipating Papillon's anger.
"You shouldn't take out your anger on a child like that, Fox," Papillon reprimanded.
"But…! It wasn't my fault! I'm not the one that messed up, it was Kerokko-"
She didn't see Papillon's hand coming, slapping her right on the cheek. Strong enough to hurt and leave a red mark, but not enough to actually leave a bruise.
Fox froze for a second, trying to process what had happened. Papillon had hit her. She hurt her. This fact alone would be enough to send Fox into fury. Anyone else who would have dared to raise a hand on her wouldn't have that hand anymore.
And yet, she didn't express any anger towards Papillon. Instead, she cowered in fear, softly rubbing her swollen cheek.
"Consider yourself lucky that your face is so valuable to me, otherwise I would have been much less kind," Papillon said coldly, as a matter of fact. "Next time, I'll hit you somewhere not visible under your clothes."
Papillon's eyes, which were usually indigo, looked closer to red than blue, and her voice had a strange echo, like a second, more shrill voice, was speaking at the same time as her.
"Pa… Papillon-san…?"
"Are you nothing more than a beast, unable to think for yourself and instead letting a literal child do your dirty work? Is this the kind of animal you are, Fox?"
"N-no, that's not…! But Kerokko, she's still part of Phantom Galactica, she has a job to do and has to do it right-"
Papillon suddenly grabbed Fox by the collar, pulling her down to her height.
"And you, as the adult, should be able to properly supervise her and help her if she's in trouble, you are meant to act as her big sister. She is not the one who has to take that responsibility, it's you, as the leader of this duo and as my second in command. How can I trust a mere beast with such an important role? Pushing the blame of your own failure on a child is the lowest a scumbag can do. Is this what you want to be? A scumbag I can't even trust? Or is it too hard for you to take care of a single child…?"
"I… I… no, I'm not a beast, I'm not a scumbag you can't trust, I swear…! I'm sorry, please, Papillon-san…!"
Papillon's grip on her collar became tighter, forcing Fox to keep quiet.
"It's Papillon-sama for you, scum!" Papillon said with pure contempt. "I may have the benevolence of letting you talk to me as if we are equal in front of Kerokko, for her sake, and even others out of courtesy, but don't mistake it as being truly on my level. A lowly beast such as yourself will never truly be my equal. Do you understand?"
Fox gulped and looked down. She could feel her eyes becoming wet but she held back her tears.
"Y-yes, Papillon-sama…"
Papillon's demeanour instantly changed. Her gaze full of contempt, as if she was looking at trash, was gone, replaced with a warm expression and gentle smile. Her eyes and voice were also back to normal. She let go of Fox's collar and softly patted her head.
"Now, are you going to be a good mutt for your mistress, Fox?"
"Yes… Papillon-sama."
Papillon gently rubbed her fox ears. Her eyes might not be filled with contempt anymore, but they were filled with something far worse: pity. Like she was looking at a poor little pet.
"Good mutt."