Everyone was over at the hospital. After Hotaru's sudden transformation and taking her Silver Crystal, Usagi and the others had to retreat to get Chibiusa some help. However, when the doctor looked at the girl, he had terrible news.
"I'm sorry, but... her heart is no longer beating," the doctor spoke solemnly. "She's gone."
Usagi and the others were shocked, unable to speak as the doctor and nurse silently left the room.
The ordango blonde couldn't help but start to cry. "No... It's not true," Usagi denied tearfully. "She can't be..."
Then, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna appeared in the doorway.
"Her soul got taken," said Haruka quietly. "That's most likely why the doctor couldn't do anything."
"You mean Hotaru, or rather Sailor Saturn killed her when she took her Silver Crystal?" asked Usagi.
"That wasn't Sailor Saturn," spoke Setsuna. "If it were, then the three talismans would have activated, and so far, they haven't."
"And as for Chibiusa, there is a way to save her," said Haruka. "But..."
Usagi immediately stood up. "How? What can we do? How can we save her?" she demanded, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Please tell us!"
"We must kill Hotaru," replied Haruka. "That girl, or rather that being we saw, isn't Hotaru anymore. She's become a vessel for the Death Busters, while Chibiusa's soul and her Legendary Silver Crystal are in her hands. We must get them back to save her, which means destroying our enemy. And while Sailor Saturn may not be awake yet, the Earth is finished if we don't act now. So the three of us are going not only for Chibiusa, but to also save all of humankind."
Usagi and the others didn't know what to say, remaining silent. The three Outer Guardians then silently left the room without another word. Usagi knew that Haruka was right about the situation, but she still couldn't help but feel conflicted, not wanting anyone else to get hurt. She gently held her future daughter's hand only to notice that her skin had grown cold and clammy, which made her all the more worried that she was gone.
Mamoru then spoke up. "Her heart's stopped, and her blood isn't circulating," he said grimly. "Even if we were able to get back her soul, we won't be able to revive her, not if we leave her here in a place like this."
Usagi looked up at him. "What do you mean, Mamo?" she asked.
"Her body is dying, and we're running out of time," said Mamoru. "If we don't get Chibiusa's soul back soon, she could be gone forever. However, I may have an idea to keep Chibiusa alive until we get her soul back in her."
Usagi and the other girls looked up in surprise.
Meanwhile, Harusuke was standing outside the hospital, feeling and looking very miserable. As he stood there, replaying what had happened in his mind, who knows how many times, he couldn't help but blame himself for what had happened to Chibiusa. If only he were faster. If only he could have gotten there sooner. Those were the thoughts that were racing through his mind as he stood there. Not only that, but he was still wondering what happened to Hotaru after she changed.
Just then, Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna came walking out of the hospital, which caught his attention.
"Hey. Is Chibiusa okay?" asked Harusuke.
The three stood there in silence. Then, Michiru spoke up.
"For the time being, Chibiusa's in a comatose state because of Hotaru... or rather that Death Buster taking her soul away from her," she explained. "We believe she'll return to normal if we return her soul to her. However..."
"Don't tell me. To save Chibiusa, you intend to kill Hotaru, isn't that right?" cut in Harusuke.
Michiru was surprised how accurate Harusuke had guessed but answered with a nod.
Haruka then stepped forward. "If you know, then there's nothing else for us to discuss," she said curtly. "No matter how much you oppose what we're going to do, we won't rest until we complete our mission."
Harusuke didn't answer.
The three girls started walking away when Harusuke spoke up in a low and trembling voice.
"Tell me. Have you girls become that heartless?"
Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna stopped.
"If you had any sense of empathy, then you'd understand Hotaru's situation right now," Harusuke continued. "I get that she's Sailor Saturn, and she was responsible for destroying the Silver Millenium all those years ago, but that was in the past. Despite the circumstances, she's a human being just like you and me, and she's one of us, and she's been suffering all this time, so why can't we find a way to save her along with Chibiusa?"
Haruka then looked towards Harusuke in a glare. "You know the reason why Harusuke! As long Hotaru is alive, she will awaken as Sailor Saturn and wipe out all humanity! Now that she's been turned into a Death Buster and possesses the Legendary Silver Crystal, we need to eliminate her before she does anything else!" she snapped firmly. "Are you honestly willing to risk all of humanity for one single person?! Is that girl's life more valuable to you than the Earth?! That kind of foolish naivety is why Chibiusa ended up in this state in the first place!"
Those words alone felt like a stab to the stomach as Harusuke bit his lip, the guilt in his heart intensifying.
"Haruka! Back off!" chided Michiru. "That's going too far!"
"That will never happen!" Harusuke objected, interrupting her. "While it's true that I'm naive, and you're right about one thing, Hotaru is a valuable friend, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to save her, but I'm not about to sacrifice the world to save her! Setsuna said it still exists in the future, so it also stands to reason that everyone will be living their lives in peace, including Hotaru! That may sound impossible to you three, but in case you forgot, we're all guardians! If I learned one thing, we make the impossible happen, even in this situation! So call me whatever you want, but I believe there's a way to save this world and save Hotaru without anyone else dying, and that goes the same for my sister! As long as I draw breath in my lungs, I promise you that we will pull through alive!"
The three guardians stared at Harusuke. Then, Haruka turned on her heel and walked away, and the others followed suit. As soon as they were out of sight, Specter then appeared.
"That was a pretty good speech, young prince," they said. "But somehow, I can't help but sense a bit of doubt in your voice."
While not bothering to look at the mysterious shadow, Harusuke sighed. "Well, I guess it's probably because I still can't help but feel guilty," he said while sitting down. "I couldn't do anything, and I can't help but agree with what Haruka said. So maybe saving Hotaru is impossible."
"I have to disagree," said Specter. "You said yourself, young prince. Every time you, your sister, and the other guardians have faced impossible odds, you overcame them and saved countless lives. I know that you and the others have the power to save this world along with Hotaru."
"But how am I supposed to do that, Specter?" asked Harusuke. "I know I talk a big game, but to be honest, I have no idea how to save Hotaru. If anything, I was hoping that I could try and convince them since we're friends. But - I guess they aren't."
"I wouldn't be worried," said Specter. "I know the Outer Guardians may seem cold, but they have good intentions and are going about it the wrong way. Besides, something like this isn't enough to erase the bonds you share so easily. After all, bonds are not only unbreakable, but they have the power to perform miracles. Creating power, plucking courage, and most importantly, sharing and reaching each other's wishes reside in our hearts. That's what it truly means to be united and connected."
Harusuke looked across to Specter as the shadow tipped their hat, showing an eye that gave a comforting twinkle.
"And for another, you have the power to do things with those connections that normal people can't do," went on Specter. "While you haven't figured what that power is, I'm sure that you'll find out soon enough."
Harusuke felt puzzled, trying to make sense of what Specter just said, but before he could ask what they meant, they mysteriously disappeared once again, leaving him alone.
Then, Usagi and her group came rushing out of the entrance, and upon seeing them, Harusuke saw that Mamoru was carrying Chibiusa's lifeless body in his arms.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Harusuke asked. "Why are all of you-"
"There's no time to explain, Harusuke," said Usagi. "We're going to Mamoru's apartment, so stay quiet and follow us. We don't want to get caught."
Harusuke didn't understand, but he complied and followed as the group dashed to Mamoru's place as fast as they could.
It wasn't long before the teens made it to the complex. While laying Chibiusa down on his bed, Mamoru began explaining his idea.
"I'm going to link my life energy with Chibiusa's," he said. "That way, instead of machines, I'll be her life support, and my body can keep hers alive."
And to demonstrate, Mamoru held Chibiusa's hand with his, their hands starting to glow. As they did, Chibiusa's complexion grew a bit less pale.
"But Mamoru, won't that put your body at risk?" Luna asked worriedly. "It could put a huge strain on your body."
"I'll be fine, Luna," reassured Mamoru. "In the meantime, could you guys give Usako and me a moment alone, please?"
The girls, the two cats, and Harusuke answered with a nod, and they all left the room, leaving Mamoru alone with Usagi. As Usagi held Chibiusa's hand, she still couldn't help but think about her priorities regarding who needed saving. Chibiusa's, Hotaru, or the people of Earth. It was practically impossible to pick only one.
Then, she felt a pulse go through Chibiusa's hand as it grew slightly warmer, which comforted her a little. "I can feel your heart beating through Chibiusa, Mamo," she said quietly. "It's almost as if she's still alive and with us."
But that only lasted for so long as her eyes began to fill with tears.
"Mamo, what should I do?" Usagi sobbed. "How can I... How can I just..."
Mamoru then leaned towards the girl, caressing her cheek gently in comfort. "Usa, I know there are many things you want to save right now," he said. "But Chibiusa's soul and her Legendary Silver Crystal, focus on getting them back first. That's all you can do right now. Don't lose hope."
Usagi stared at Mamoru until she finally answered him with a nod. The two then leaned in close and shared a tender kiss. However, when they did, the two of them saw a vision. They saw a lone figure standing on top of a pillar of rock, wearing clothing that billowed about in the wind. Those split seconds caused the two to separate in surprise, wondering what it was that they saw.
"That vision," thought Mamoru. "Was that the Messiah or the God of Destruction?"
After a while, Usagi left the complex and saw her way out to find the others waiting for her, much to Usagi's surprise.
"You ready to go, Usagi?" asked Minako. "Let's go get Chibiusa's soul and crystal back."
"That's right. We have no choice but to move forward," said Ami.
"And once we get them back, we'll do everything we can to save Hotaru, too," added Harusuke. "No matter what."
Usagi plucked up courage with a determined nod. "Yes. Let's go. To Mugenzu!"
Meanwhile, back at the Tomoe residence, the woman looked at herself, testing her hands by clenching and unclenching them.
"What a small and inconvenient vessel," she complained. "It feels so uncomfortable."
Then, Tomoe and Kaolinite entered. Upon seeing her, Tomoe became elated as he and Kaolinite kneeled before the woman.
"Oh! Mistress 9! We have been awaiting for arrival for quite a while, but now you're finally here," the mad scientist spoke graciously. "It's been a while since I've implanted your egg inside of my daughter, Hotaru, but I was a bit worried you would never awaken due to its isolation."
Kaolinite wasn't as pleased, but she kept it to herself.
Then, the woman identified as Mistress 9 heard a voice inside her head.
"So that's what happened. It all makes sense now."
The voice alone startled Mistress 9 a little, making her wonder where it came from, but she pretended not to notice, believing it to be nothing. She then turned her attention to Kaolinite.
"Kaolinite, thank you for all your loyal services. You've been working hard," she said. "However, since I'm Master Pharoh 90's partner from our old world, I will be the one to take over his care. On the other hand, you have other things to handle. You must carry out the mission the master has given you, which was to eliminate the anomalies. Failure is not an option."
"Of course. I understand," acknowledged Kaolinite. "I promise to fulfill my mission without fail."
She then left.
A bit later, Mistress 9 went to the spatial room where Pharoh 90 was resting. As she walked towards his statue, several strange vines with black roses grew around it, eventually encompassing it entirely.
The statue then sprang to life as it glowed, two lights appearing above it.
"Mistress 9, I've been eagerly awaiting you," Pharoh 90 spoke. "What news have you brought for me?"
Mistress 9 then took out Chibiusa's brooch, opening it, and revealing the Silver Crystal inside, which immediately started glowing brightly.
"Master Pharoh 90, I have something for you," Mistress 9 said. "Please take it."
The statue's eyes glowed with interest, and from it, a dark purple vapor began to seep out, taking the shape of a pair of hands.
"What is this power?" Pharoh 90 spoke in amazement. "I've never seen such a Hoste before."
"Well, this is not a Hoste per se, master," said Mistress 9. "It is the light of someone protected by a guardian planet. It is a source of great power, the Legendary Silver Crystal."
As the crystal continued to shine, Mistress 9 couldn't help but stare into it, her curiously growing the more she did.
"What a strange, mysterious light," she thought to herself. "Almost as if something resides within it. A sacred glow that's strong yet also soothing."
Then, Mistress 9 heard the voice again.
"Of course it is! A pure soul protects that crystal, the beautiful soul of a girl!"
Mistress 9 looked behind her. "Who said that?!" she demanded.
But there was no one behind her.
"I must be hearing things," Misteress 9 said to herself as she once again dismissed the voice to be nothing.
In the principal's office in Mugen Academy, Kaolinite set up an altar in the middle of a magic circle inside her office, getting ready to perform a spell. But, as she did, she couldn't help but feel beside herself with anger and jealousy because of Mistress 9.
"Damn that Mistress 9. Why did she have to awaken now of all times?!" she thought huffily. "Well, if she thinks I'm going to back down that easily, she's got another thing coming!"
Soon enough, the circle was ready. Kaolinite then stood in its middle in front of a table while holding two candles each hand and began the chant.
"Hear me, O loyal minions, my Witches 5," she commanded as she put the candles of the candles together. "I command you to rise from the dead and curse the anomalies!"
As a few drops of melted wax dripped down onto the table, they suddenly sprang to life, congealing into a giant blob that morphed into five different shapes, the shapes resembling the fallen Witches 5. Kaolinite then smirked while chuckling with triumph as she snapped her fingers summoning six cards, each one having a picture of Sailor Moon and the other guardians.
"Bind them with your spells for eternity!" Kaolinite went on. "An eternal, unbreakable curse!"
Outside of the Academy, Sailor Moon and her band of Guardians had transformed and were ready to start their rescue operation. But when they got there, they saw a startling sight. The entire building looked wrapped with large and thorny green vines from the bottom to the roof.
"When the heck did Mugen Academy get like this?" Sailor Venus wondered.
"I don't know, but I'm sensing a large number of evil spirits," said Sailor Mars. "And that building is full of them!"
Sailor Mercury then put on her visor and scanned the building. "There's also abnormal power swirling this place like a dome," she said. "Or rather in the shape of the letter Omega."
"Omega? That's a weird letter to form," said Solaris.
"Never mind that! Let's go!" said Sailor Jupiter. "We've got to get inside!"
The group of Guardians then charged straight towards the building. But as they did, Sailor Moon had the feeling that they weren't alone and looked back. Sure enough, she saw a group of three people standing on top of a building not far from Mugenzu. Those three were Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Just seeing the three standing there staring at the scene of destruction made Sailor Moon feel sad for three, knowing why they were here, and things now stood between them as far as their relationship.
"Uranus. Neptune. Pluto. Will our hearts ever unite and be one?" the guardian of the Moon wondered.
Sailor Moon then turned on her heel and joined her friends.
While Sailor Moon and her party stormed the building, the Outer Guardians watched them go from where they stood.
"I'm sorry, Sailor Moon," Sailor Uranus silently apologized. "But we're going into that school to kill Hotaru. There's no other way."
But inside, she couldn't help but second guess herself, wondering if she was doing the right thing. And to add to that, Harusuke's earlier speech still rung in her head, but she shook the cobwebs of confusion from her head, and while leading the way, the three Outer Guardians leaped off of the building to begin their operation as well.
Sailor Moon and her group came bursting through the main entrance while avoiding the vines, but they were greeted by a pair of familiar voices when they entered the building.
"We've been expecting you."
The Guardians all looked up, and they were shocked to see Cyrpine and her twin Ptilol standing on the upper level, alive and well. However, they had no time to react as both of their eyes started to glow in an ominous red.
"We welcome you to the Infinite Labyrinth," Cyprine and Ptilol said together. "We hope you enjoy your stay."
Then, everything went dark as a powerful gust of wind blew through the area and swept away all six of the Guardians as they disappeared into a strange and dark void.
When Sailor Mars regained her senses, she found herself in a traditional Japanese room. But that wasn't the first thing she saw. In front of her was someone she never expected to see again after Solaris defeated her. Sitting in seiza style while sipping away at a cup of tea was a familiar girl with red hair in her Mugen Academy clothes.
"Your manners are the worst I've ever seen," admonished the girl scornfully. "As Mugen Academy's prefect of etiquette, I, Yuko Arimura, shall have to teach you through discipline."
But Sailor Mars knew this girl by another name. "Eudial!" she gasped.
Yui suddenly shot to her feet, dashing forward at Sailor Mars while letting out a scream of hate. As she did, she exploded into flames for a split second, and when they dispelled, she had changed into her witch attire, revealing herself to be Eudial. Before Sailor Mars could react, Eudial gave her a swift kick to her cheek, knocking her flat on her back. The Guardian of Fire, seeing stars, tried to get back up, only to be met with the end of Eudial's wand as she pointed it dangerously at her throat. At first, she thought she planned to finish her off, but Eudial smiled at her.
"I don't think that you want to keep battling anymore," said Eudial. "You lack a fighting spirit."
"Wh-What do you mean?" demanded Sailor Mars.
Eudial lay on top of Sailor Mars, pinning her to the ground and gently holding her wrist while her face was inches from hers.
"I can tell just by looking at you," the woman spoke in a compelling voice. "What if I told you that you don't have to fight anymore? You won't ever have to fight for Sailor Moon or your fellow guardians ever again. Don't you think that learning etiquette, martial arts, and fortune-telling would be better suited for you?"
Sailor Mars could only stare at Eudial in surprise as the temptation of her words began to sway her resolve. But then, she heard a voice that came from inside her head.
"You're nothing like your father, and there's no way I can see you playing the spoiled rich kid act. You can be a bit stuck up at times and can sometimes get angry for no reason, but if there's anything that suits you, it's laughing with us, crying with us, and sharing everything with us. That's the Rei everyone has come to love, including me. That's who you are. You're Rei Hino of the Guardians, a girl that has a right to choose whoever and whenever you want to love, and no one can force you or take that away."
That voice came from a flashback of herself and Harusuke hiding from Rei's former suitor at the cafe. That alone was enough for Sailor Mars to regain her senses as she exploded with a red and gold aura, forcing Eudial off of her.
"Let's get something straight, Eudial! You don't have the right to tell me what's better suited for me or not!" Sailor Mars spoke while pointing. "I alone can make that choice, and I choose to fight because I do have a fighting spirit! And I'm going to use it to take you down!"
In an explosion of red aura, Sailor Mars changed, turning into the fusion made of herself and Solaris.
Eudial was surprised, but that surprise only lasted for a short bit as an evil smile crossed her cheeks.
"It would seem that you need someone to discipline you," she said. "And I think it's time you know who's in charge!"
The fusion made a sign with her fingers conjuring a ball of flames getting ready to unleash it, but then Eudial waved her wand, and several ribbons shot from all sides and wrapped around the fusion's body. One wrapped around her legs forcing her to take a seiza position, another one wrapped around her wrists while forcing them down to her lap, and a third wrapped around her mouth, gagging her. At the same time, Eudial's attire changed into a white gi and held several fortune-telling sticks between her fingers.
"A proper lady should remain silent while sitting in seiza position," Eudial smirked. "And that's just one of the lessons I intend to teach you. Before you know it, you'll be the picture of etiquette, master of martial arts, and truly understand fortune-telling!" Her smile grew darker. "After all, you can't defy your destiny and are meant to marry your husband!"
At that moment, a man appeared before the fusion, and she gasped while her eyes went wide with horror. That man was none other than Katsuki, the man who tried to force her to marry him. As he smiled wickedly, the red fusion girl could only let out a few muffled cries while her eyes went wide with terror, while Eudial closed in like a trapped mouse with a cat.
Sailor Mercury was running through the halls of the building, completely lost as well as confused, as she desperately tried to find her way back to the others.
"I'm completely lost now!" the guardian of water thought to herself. "Where did everyone go?"
Then, in a split second, everything around Sailor Mercury changed. She now found herself standing in a room with metal and various circuitry making the walls and the floor, which no human had ever seen before. Then she caught sight of something that made her gasp. In front of her was a giant pillar of tech with lightbulbs and wires sticking out of it. Upon seeing this, Sailor Mercury's eyes widened in amazement and wonder.
"I think I've seen this in a book once!" she thought. "It's the world's most advanced supercomputer with an artificial life program that can evolve by itself!"
At that moment, someone stepped out from the corner of Sailor Mercury's eye-catching her attention. When she saw who it was, she immediately was on guard, for that person was another resurrected Witches 5 member who was wearing her Mugen Academy uniform.
"Hello there," greeted the girl. "I bid you welcome."
"Viluy!" Sailor Mercury gasped.
"Oh, no, I'm Yui Bido, prefect of Mugen Academy's science class, " the girl spoke with a grin. "I'm so glad that I'll finally be able to show you the true purpose of our academy."
A black star appeared on her forehead, and her outfit changed into her attire as Viluy of the Witches 5. Then, Viluy unleashed her Mosiac Buster encasing Sailor Mercury in a bubble of her nanobots like before, making the guardian scream in pain as the nanobots ate away at her skin.
"Answer me this. How many days have you've gotten forced to waste your precious time battling and using your abilities to help your fellow guardians?" asked Viluy. "If you ask me, I think you've been squandering your abilities. And also, I think you want to study more, don't you?"
Those words made something inside Sailor Mercury agree with her, and before she knew it, she was falling under her temptations too.
"Yes. It's true. I do need to study more," Sailor Mercury thought to herself. "Otherwise, I won't be able to get into medical school."
The pain from the Mosiac Buster began to ebb away from Sailor Mercury's body as her eyelids grew heavy. But before she fell asleep, she heard a familiar voice.
"Well, that's quite a shame then because if I had a doctor that was as kind, sweet, and cute as you, Ami, I wouldn't have to worry about my shots when I go in to get them."
Those words belonged to Harusuke, which came from his memory, and Mamoru talking to Ami about her dreams and goals. She also remembered what she told Viluy back in the previous battle.
"Sure, logic is important... and a great thing to have, but you shouldn't... forsake your emotion to be great with it! And for another - it's wrong to be using science for evil - it's supposed to be help people and make them happy...!"
Sailor Mercury's eyes snapped open and summoned her will, her body glowing in blue and gold light. Viluy's Mosiac Buster bubble exploded, and emerging from it was the fusion of Sailor Mercury and Solaris.
"Viluy, you're right about studying being important to me, but that doesn't mean it's what defines me for who I am!" the fusion spoke in Mercury's voice. "And when it comes to helping my friends, my abilities are never squandered; allow me to show you!"
The fusion generated a giant bubble in her hands and aimed straight for her.
"SOLARIS MERCURY BUBBLE METEOR BOMB!"
She then hurled the bubble straight at Viluy, and a tremendous explosion shook and shocked the area. But when the smoke cleared, Viluy had mysteriously disappeared. Then, a geyser of nanobots exploded from the ground, followed by the sound of Viluy laughing. The nanobots then swarmed together, morphing into the shape of a face, Viluy's face.
"I'll admit that was impressive, but your fusion power won't be enough to save you this time!" the face of nanobots cackled.
Then, the supercomputer in front of the fusion began to beep rapidly, and from it, several beams shot out. The fusion rapidly dodged one beam after the other, trying not to get hit, but a few of them managed to nick the fusion's skin. Then, more nanobots swarmed around surrounding the fusion, and they all began firing lasers as well, forcing the fusion to go on the defensive.
Viluy shrieked with laughter. "Let's see how your so-called empathy gets you out of this one, you weak-minded fool!"
More trouble came. One of the lasers hit the fusion square on the back. When it did, the fusion felt the memory of herself with Harusuke seemed to fade away from her mind, which in turn caused her to forget. Another hit her leg, and the memory of her spending time with her friends at study hall faded too. A third laser then hit her arm, and another precious memory got forgotten—the memory of her first meeting with the Tsukino siblings.
"What's going on?!" the fusion spoke while holding her head. "Every time I get hit by the lasers, I start losing my memories!"
Viluy then cackled. "What's wrong? Losing your mind a bit?" she mocked. "Every time my lasers strike you, you start losing your precious memories. So I figured I'd do you a favor and get rid of all that pointless information! You should be grateful! By the time you realize it, you won't remember a thing except to study!"
Multiple lasers shot out, all aimed straight at the fusion, while the fusion stood there in shock and horror, unable to dodge from such an assault.
In another part of the school, running down the hall, Sailor Venus was searching for her fellow guardians as well.
"Where did everyone go?" wondered Sailor Venus as she ran. "Where could they be?"
Suddenly, she heard a loud screeching noise. It was so loud that she had to hold her ears, trying to block it out as she fell to her knees.
"My head is splitting!" cried Sailor Venus. "It's so loud!"
Then, she heard a voice.
"Hello, everyone! I'm Mimi Hanyuu, and I would like to introduce a special guest to our stage tonight! So, say hello to Sailor Venus!"
Sailor Venus then looked up to see she now stood on a stage in front of an auditorium filled to the brim with people. All of which were chanting her name while waving yellow-colored lights.
"Venus! Venus! Venus! Venus! Venus!"
A microphone mysteriously appeared in the guardian's hands, and while feeling overwhelmed by this sudden turn of events, Sailor Venus was about to start singing, but then, she hesitated. Then, Mimete appeared on the stage.
"What's wrong? Why won't you sing, Sailor Venus?" Mimete asked. "I thought that it was your dream to become a teen idol?"
At that moment, Sailor Venus's eyes became vacant, now under the spell too.
"That's right. Being a teen idol is what I've always dreamed of being," Sailor Venus thought. "I'd better quit being a Guardian right away. It's so stupid."
She took her microphone and was just about to sing when a memory resurfaced in her mind. When she and Harusuke went to the cultural center back, she competed in that contest. Then, she remembered how much she wanted to become a teen idol, what Harusuke taught her, and what she said after learning her lesson.
"Oh, don't worry. I haven't given up on my dream of being an idol, but I'll achieve that dream my way while not losing who I am. After all, that's the true secret to being an idol. Besides, I'm not ready to give up my current life just yet. So for now, I'll stick to being Minako Aino, but someday, it'll be Minako, the Pretty Guardian Teen Idol."
That memory made the light return to Sailor Venus's eyes, and she threw the microphone away. At the same time, she began to radiate with gold and yellow light.
"Sorry, Mimi Hanyuu, or should I say Mimete, but you won't fool me! While it is my dream to be a teen idol, I'm not about to give up who I am to achieve it! I am Sailor Venus, and that's never going to change!"
The light grew brighter, forcing Mimete to shield her eyes, and when it faded, Mimete looked up. She was shocked to see that Sailor Venus had now transformed into the fusion of herself and Solaris.
"Now, if it's a show you want, then I'll give you a show you'll never forget!" Sailor Venus spoke through the fusion.
The fusion then shot forward, ready to fight Mimete, but then, several strings of thread came shoot from out of nowhere and wrapped around the fusion's legs, arms, and torso. The fusion struggled, trying to break free, but the strings held her tightly.
"Sorry, but I won't let you have your way!" Mimete cackled with a sneer. "You're going to be a teen idol whether you like it or not!"
The witch then waved her wand, and strings holding the fusion forced her to move around the stage like she was dancing and even forced her to start singing. The audience cheered, and Mimete laughed as her little puppet danced, while all the fusion desperately tried to resist but to no avail.
Mimete then turned to her audience. "Now then, everyone knows who you are, Sailor Venus, despite your appearance, but our audience is quite interested in your new form," she spoke with a mischievous grin. "Perhaps maybe you'd be willing to give us a 'private performance' so that we can get to know you a bit more? What do you say?"
The fusion tried to object, but her mouth started moving independently.
"I'm okay with it. I won't tell my parents just in case they freak out. After all, getting to know the audience is the best part of acting."
The fusion's face then paled, remembering that those words were the same as when Sailor Venus auditioned before.
Sailor Jupiter found herself standing in a greenhouse surrounded by plants, confused and wondering where she was. Then, a girl with green hair in buns with single strands walked up to her, wearing Mugen clothes and holding a white rose.
"Hello. Welcome to the Mugen Botanical Garden," she greeted.
Sailor Jupiter gasped, knowing who she was. "I know you! You're Tellu!"
The guardian took a stance, ready to fight, but much to her surprise, Tellu calmly walked over to her taking her hand, and led her to a flowerbed. There were many roses, each having a unique color or scent.
"Let's not fight today," Tellu spoke in a friendly demeanor. "Instead, why don't we stop and admire the roses?"
Sailor Jupiter couldn't help but feel amazed as she did so. "There's so many of them!" she murmured happily. "There's La France roses, the breed of hybrid tea! There's even some Soleil d'Or and even Kosai roses! Such wonderful masterpieces!"
But as Sailor Jupiter admired and smelled the roses, she too began to lose her will to fight, her eyes becoming distant and empty while growing sleepy. Tellu, now in her Witch 5 attire, smirked with triumph, believing that she had succeeded in catching her prey.
"That's it. Just lose yourself to the flowers and dream," Tellu spoke soothingly. "You will be free from all your suffering and strife, and most of all, you won't be lonely anymore."
"I don't care about fighting anymore," she thought. "All I want to do is stay right here forever. it's always been my dream to stay in a place like this with someone that I love."
At that moment, a memory bubbled up in her mind. She saw herself as Makoto talking with Harusuke back when they trained in the mountains.
"When you all consoled me, it made me feel so warm and happy. The fact that I had so many wonderful people who love and care about me willing to help, even at my lowest point. It made me realize that you can't always do things by yourself, and there's no shame in asking for help when you need it. And as long as I had you guys, I could do anything and be the strongest Guardian I can be. So, I'll respect your privacy if you want to keep some things to yourself. That's okay. But just know that you've got friends that are here for you, ready to help whenever you need them, especially me. So, just say the word."
Upon remembering Harusuke's words, Sailor Jupiter quickly woke up and jumped to her feet, startling Tellu.
"Tellu! You're wrong when you say I'm lonely! I'm never alone!" Sailor Jupiter spoke with courage. "Thanks to my friends, I've learned what it means to have them, and it's thanks to them I'm still here! Even though there will be hardship and pain, I would rather suffer through it all if it means I can be with my friends!"
The Guardians body began to radiate with green and gold while sparking with lightning, and with a mighty shout, a green lightning bolt struck her, creating a massive explosion. When the smoke cleared, the fusion that comprised Solaris and Sailor Jupiter now stood, fists clenched and her body crackling of lighting.
"Now, Tellu, I think it's about time I take you out!" the fusion spoke in Jupiter's voice. "Prepare yourself!"
The fusion shot forward and swung a fist, nailing a mighty blow right smack on her head, the impact creating a powerful explosion of lightning. But then, as she looked up in front of her, the fusion was surprised to see that Tellu remained unfazed by the blow. Not only that, but she had also transformed into her Daimon form, and she was not happy.
"You've got some nerve attacking me," Tellu growled. "You could have slept peacefully without any more suffering, but now it seems that I have to kill you!"
Tellu then swung, decking the fusion square in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her and sending her flying across the greenhouse, kicking up flower petals as she tumbled. Then, the Daimon slammed her palm into the ground, and the roses in the flower bed began to mutate, turning into monstrous creatures with thorny tendrils. As the fusion stood up while catching her breath, the flower monsters shot their tendrils at her, wrapping them around her body binding her. The fusion struggled and sent out a shockwave to try and destroy them, but that had little to no effect as they continued to hold her. Tellu then walked up and snapped her fingers, and immediately a giant rose sprang up from the ground.
The rose was an ominous black, looked like it was wilting, and even had alarming purple fumes coming from it. The flowers then started pulling the fusion towards the flower, much to the girl's horror as she tried to resist.
"It's no use. Not even your lighting can ever hope to save you!" Tellu snarled with a smirk. "Now then, how about I help put you to sleep? Permanently!"
Sailor Moon stood in a black and empty void. It was very dark and quiet without a single soul around.
"Where is everyone?" the guardian of the Moon wondered worriedly. "And where am I?"
At that moment, Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus appeared before her. The four of them all looked battered, beaten, and were glaring straight at Sailor Moon. As they walked towards her, each of them began to melt away while turning into a white and gooey substance, much to the Moon guardian's surprise.
"Look what you've done to us, Sailor Moon," accused Sailor Venus as she melted. "Because of you, we're all exhausted and falling apart."
"Yeah! We're sick and tired of fighting!" said Sailor Jupiter crossly. "And we've had enough of you!"
In seconds, the four of them were all piles of white goop, which immediately disappeared into the floor. Feeling frightened and confused about what was happening, Sailor Moon stepped back, but she was so scared that she tripped on her own feet and fell flat on her bum. Then, Chibiusa appeared, but she wore a sadistic smile unlike her usual self, and her eyes shone with hate. Sailor Moon was surprised, but she could even speak; Chibiusa had wrapped her tiny little hands around her neck and started choking her.
"Ch-Chibiusa, stop!" Sailor Moon gasped. "I... can't breathe!"
"It's all your fault, Sailor Moon!" Chibiusa spitefully spoke. "Everything is your fault!"
Chibiusa squeezed tighter until Sailor Moon was at the point of passing out. Then she let go, practically throwing her to the ground. As Sailor Moon coughed, trying to get the air back to her lungs, Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto appeared next.
"Need a hand, Chibiusa?" asked Sailor Uranus. "Let us help you."
"We've always found Sailor Moon to be pretty annoying ourselves," agreed Sailor Pluto.
Sailor Moon was surprised to hear such things come out of their mouths and felt frightened. But as she hurried back, Solaris and Mamoru appeared behind her blocking her path.
"We'll get rid of them," Mamoru spoke with evil intent. "Chibiusa and Hotaru!"
"And that goes for you, Sailor Moon!" Solaris spoke while cracking his knuckles. "We'll kill you too!"
Sailor Moon was now terrified, but before she could succumb, she quickly realized that this was all an illusion and got a grip on herself. She shot to her feet, jumping over the heads of the group that tried to kill, and when she landed on her feet, summoned forth her Spiral Heart Moon Rod unleashed her signature move.
"MOON SPIRAL HEART ATTACK!"
Sailor Moon dispelled the illusions in a powerful blast of hearts and found herself back in the hallway. The ordango blonde was relieved, but she knew it wasn't over yet.
"I got to hurry," she said to herself. "The others might be in trouble."
And she dashed away, praying that her fellow guardians were safe.
Solaris found himself standing in a dark void, looking around to try and see where he was.
"Where the heck is everybody?" he wondered aloud. "One minute we were storming Mugen Academy, the next I find myself here."
At that moment, there was the sound of giggling that seemed to come from all around him. Then, he felt something wrap around his arm, making him jump, and when he looked, he was surprised to see that Sailor Venus was now hugging his arm while giving him an alluring look. Then, the other guardians appeared, giggling with shining eyes as if they were fairies. Next, Sailor Mercury hugged Solars's other arm, Sailor Jupiter hugged him from behind, and Sailor Mars wrapped her arms around his neck. All of this made the guardian of the Sun go red in the face.
"G-Girls?! Wh-What the heck are all of you doing?!" exclaimed Solaris.
"Isn't it obvious? We're expressing our love for you, Solaris," Sailor Jupiter spoke sweetly.
"Yeah. Personally, instead of fighting, I would prefer to spend my time with you," said Sailor Mars.
"Me too," agreed Sailor Mercury.
"B-But what about Hotaru and Chibiusa?" Solaris stammered, his face growing redder by the second. "We can't just-!"
"Who cares about them? You're the only one we care about," said Sailor Mars. "And there's no one else that matters. Not Chibiusa, not Hotaru, and not even Usagi."
"Yeah. I'm tired of fighting for that girl," said Sailor Jupiter. "She's so annoying, always getting in the way and being overprotective of you."
"As far as we're concerned, we've had enough with her," said Sailor Mercury. "All we want is to stay here with you forever."
"And that's what you want too, right, Solaris?" Sailor Venus spoke with upturned eyes. "You've wanted to have someone to love you, right? Well, now you've got us. So stay here. Stay here and love us forever."
Solaris was silent, not saying a word. Then, he gently pried off all the Guardians from him, took a few steps forward, and summoned forth his sword, quickly turning around and facing the Guardians.
"S-Solaris! What are you doing?!" gasped Sailor Mars.
"Sorry. I'll give you points for your offer. It's something that any teenage boy would dream of," said Solaris. "But unfortunately for you guys, I'm not so easily swayed. Anyone who doesn't care about my sister or my friends doesn't deserve to be my lover!"
He gripped his sword while drawing a circle of light and took a stance.
"Now disappear! SOLARIS CELESTIAL BLADE SLASH!"
And in a mighty swing of his sword, which glowed in white light, the four illusions of the Guardians disappeared, and Solaris found himself back in the halls of Mugen Academy.
"Whew. That was a bit scary," Solaris sighed while wiping his brow. "In any case, if I got trapped under something like that, the others are likely in the same situation. So I better hurry and find them. They might need help."
Solaris then dashed off in search of his comrades. He ran down the hall, searching by looking from left to right. Soon enough, he saw a doorway with light coming through it and quickly rushed in. He found himself back in the main lobby where he and the others first saw Cyrpine and Ptilol; only he stood on the second level. Then, as he looked down to the bottom, he saw a sight that made him gasp.
At the bottom of the lobby was a wax pillar with Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus trapped inside it. Solaris quickly jumped off the balcony, landed on the floor, and rushed to the pillar.
"Girls! You've got to wake up!" Solaris yelled out. "Can you hear me?! Wake up!"
None of the girls responded. Then, Sailor Moon came rushing over.
"Solaris!" Sailor Moon gasped in relief. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Sis," replied Solaris. "Glad to see you made it out, but it looks like the others weren't so lucky. I tried waking them up, but none of them are responding."
"I wonder if they're under an illusion?" said Sailor Moon. "If that's the case, then waking them up won't be as simple as that."
Just then, the two guardians heard the sound of laughter that came from behind them. The two guardians turned around and saw a startling sight.
Standing before them were Eudial, Mimete, Viluy, Tellu, and even Cyprine and Ptilol.
"No way! It's the Witches 5!" gasped Sailor Moon. "How are they alive?!"
"I don't know, but I think it's safe to say that we're in trouble!" said Solaris grimly as he wielded his sword. "Get ready to fight, Sailor Moon!"
As Sailor Moon and Solaris braced themselves, all six of Witches 5 shot towards them, with Eudial leading the charge.
Back outside, the Outer Guardians had trouble of their own. Due to the vines covering the building, they couldn't get inside. They tried blasting and cutting their way through, but the vines were quick to regenerate and were quick to attack them too.
"Damn it! What the hell are these things?!" complained Sailor Uranus as she sliced through five more vines. "Every time we cut through a few, they keep coming back and attacking us!"
Sailor Pluto couldn't figure it out either. Not only that, but she couldn't help but feel worried, not just how grim the situation was, but also for Sailor Moon's group.
"Sailor Moon! Please be safe!" she silently prayed.
Then, Sailor Neptune's Deep Aqua Mirror began to glow, catching her attention. The mirror then showed a picture of Sailor Moon and Solaris fighting against the Witches 5. Sailor Moon and Solaris tried their best to fight off the Witches 5, but all they could do was dodge as the Witches 5 relentlessly attacked them.
"Uranus! Pluto!" Sailor Neptune cried as she showed them the mirror. "Look at this!"
The two Guardians came over and were deeply shocked.
"Oh, no!" gasped Sailor Pluto. "What in the world is going on?"
"And why should it matter to you three?" asked a voice. "If you ask me, what's happening to Sailor Moon's group is none of your business."
The Outer Guardians looked around. Then, Specter fell from the sky, landing between the vines and the Outer Guardians.
Upon seeing him, Sailor Uranus glared. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded. "And what do you mean it's none of our business?!"
"Well, you said it yourselves, didn't you?" said Spector innocently. "To quote what you said before: "We have our mission and duty to save this world, and we're going to carry them out." So it stands to reason that you have no reason to worry about Sailor Moon and her group. After all, they're not your friends, isn't that right?"
Sailor Uranus glared deepened, but it quickly changed into a frown of regret knowing that those were what she and the others said before. Sailor Neptune and Pluto couldn't answer either, feeling equally guilty.
The Witches 5 attacked Sailor Moon and Solaris mercilessly, each unleashing their respective Buster attacks at the two while Sailor Moon and Solaris jumped to evade them. Solaris tried attacking using his blade, but the Witches wouldn't give him a chance.
"Damn it! I'm getting annoyed with this!" Solaris growled. He then looked at his prism, knowing what he had to do. "I was planning on conserving my strength for the later battles, but it looks like I'm out of options!" He jumped again to avoid another attack as he raised his fist with his prism up high. "SOLARIS JUPITER POWER! RANK UP!"
Solaris changed into his Jupiter form in a green flash of light, and while he was in the air, he crossed his arms, unleashing an attack.
"SUPREME THUNDER!"
A powerful lightning bolt shot forth, ripping and scorching the ground and forcing the Witches 5 to dodge. But as the thunderbolt continued along the floor, Sailor Moon saw that it was heading straight toward the other guardians.
"Solaris! Watch out!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Your attack is heading for the others!"
Hearing her warning, Solaris canceled the attack, the lightning disappearing just in front of the girls. Then, Cyprine and Ptilol unleashed blasts from their wands right at Solaris while he was unguarded, the attacks connected with a kaboom. When the smoke cleared, Solaris had quickly changed into his Mars Mode; however, he still showed damage.
"D-Damn it! It's just like what happened back when Cyprine was controlling everyone!" Solaris thought. "I can withstand some of the attacks, but there's only so much I can take!" He glanced over at the other guardians. "Not to mention, if I'm not careful, I could end up hitting the others!"
Then, Ptilol suddenly materialized in front of him, catching him by surprise, and unleashed a powerful blast of ribbons at him. As he cried out in pain, Solaris plummeted downwards until he hit the ground with a mighty slam.
"Solaris! No!" Sailor Moon cried.
But before she could try to reach him, Eudial attacked with a Fire Buster cutting her off and forcing her to dodge. Tellu waved her wand and made flowers appear all around her, attempting to catch the guardian by surprise with their scent. Luckily, Sailor Moon quickly held her breath while covering her mouth. Mimete came in flying, firing a Charm Buster, and Cyprine and Ptitlol unleashed their Ribbon Busters. Sailor Moon jumped and dashed, avoiding them all, but she forgot about one more Death Buster. Viluy released a Mosiac Buster from Sailor Moon's blind spot and scored a direct hit, trapping her inside a bubble of nanobots.
Sailor Moon wailed in agony as the nanobots attacked her while all the Witches 5 cackled in triumph.
Solaris saw this while managing to get up and was quick to charge back into the fray.
"Sailor Moon! Hang on!" he yelled as he quickly changed into his Moon Mode while his mouth guard covered his face. "SOLARIS CELESTIAL BLADE SLASH!"
He shot forward towards Viluy while brandishing his sword, making it glow white, hoping to take her out to set Sailor Moon free, but Viluy snapped her fingers, and the bubble of nanobots containing Sailor Moon moved in front of his path. Immediately, Solaris hesitated, completely surprised, but that opening allowed Tellu to summon forth an array of vines, each striking Solaris with its thorns. As Solaris was stunned by the blows, one of the vines wrapped around his waist, lifted him, and threw him up in the air right towards Mimete, Cyrprine, and Eudial. All three fired their Buster attacks at him, each hitting their mark with a mighty explosion. Eudial was ready and waiting for him holding her wand like a bat as Solaris began to fall.
"Consider this payback for killing me!" Eudial crowed as she swung her wand with all her might nailing Solaris in the stomach.
Her swing sent Solaris flying toward Viluy, who also lay in wait. Then, with a wave of her hand, she unleashed her Mosiac Buster, and in seconds, Solaris was trapped in a bubble of nanobots too.
Both Solaris and Sailor Moon screamed in pain as their prisons assaulted their bodies while the Witches 5 all watched, laughing in triumph.
Sailor Neptune had been watching everything through her mirror and was horrified. "Sailor Moon and Solaris are in trouble!" she cried.
"Get out of our way, Spector!" ordered Sailor Uranus. "We'll force our way through if we have to!"
"And I told you I refuse," replied Spector firmly. "You three still have a mission to fulfill, and I only want to set you on the right track. Unless you were lying about your cruel words from before and are truthfully wanting to help them."
The Outer Guardians glares faltered.
"Well, either way, I can't allow you to interfere, at least not yet," went on Spector. "I'll let you pass in a little bit. Until then, Sailor Moon and the others can handle themselves."
"No, they can't! They need help!" Sailor Uranus snapped crossly. "If you won't let us through, then I'll-!"
"You'll what? Do whatever it takes for the sake of your mission?" asked Spector. "You know, you girls confuse me. Here you are supposed to be heroes protecting the world, yet the three of you act like villains despite your true intentions. Besides, if you interfere now, then you'll miss the show."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Sailor Pluto.
Spector then tipped their hat, their eye gleaming. "The true power of the Guardians, power that you've been overlooking since the day you've met them."
Sailor Neptune looked back into her mirror and focused on Sailors Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus. But then, she noticed something that made her gasp. The wax that held the four had begun to crack, each one steadily growing bigger by the second.
Back inside the center of their nightmares, the fusions struggled as they desperately tried to get free. It seemed hopeless for them, but then each one of them heard a voice inside their heads.
"Come on! Is that the best you got?!"
"You have to fight harder! You can't give up here!"
"Break free! Fight back!"
"Please! You have to!"
The Guardians inside their respective fusions looked up and were surprised to see a mirror image of their fusions while they were their standard forms.
"Come on! Get it together!" Sailor Jupiter's fusion scolded. "You think you've got time to sleep on the job while everyone else is fighting for their lives?!"
"That's right! You need to hurry!" urged Sailor Mercury's fusion. "You need to break free right now!"
"E-Easy for you to say!" Sailor Mars grunted.
"Even with the power we have, they're too strong!" winced Sailor Venus. "I don't know if we can win!"
"Don't you dare say that!" Sailor Venus's fusion spoke indignantly. "You know you have more power than you give yourselves credit for!"
"That's right!" Sailor Mars's fusion added. "While you barely managed to grasp our abilities when you first fused with Solaris to make us, you were all still very powerful! But now, you're letting your doubt and fears hold you back!"
"You must push away your doubts and pluck up courage if you ever hope to break free!" said Sailor Mercury. "If you don't, then you'll be endangering yourselves and the people you love around you!"
At that moment, the four sailors heard a female screaming in pain, followed by a male screaming. Upon hearing them, the four Sailor Guardians gasped, knowing who they were.
"That's Sailor Moon! And Solaris too!" cried Sailor Venus. "And they sound like she's in pain!"
"That's right!" said Sailor Venus's fusion. "Sailor Moon and Solaris are being overwhelmed by the Witches 5! If you don't hurry up and break free now, they'll die!"
"So come on! Use the power lying dormant within you!" said Sailor Jupiter's fusion. "Use the power shared by yourselves to break free and save Sailor Moon and Solaris! Unless you'd rather keep lying to yourselves and continue getting tortured like this!"
All four of the Guardians glared, a glimmer of willpower shining in each of their eyes.
"No way! I ain't beat yet!" Sailor Jupiter shouted as she clenched her fists while radiating with a green aura. "There's no way I'm gonna lose like this!"
"Me either!" Sailor Mars spoke in a snarl, her body glowing red. "I refuse to give up! Not when lives are on the line!"
"We can't afford to waste any more time like this!" Sailor Mercury yelled out, her body shrouded in bright blue. "If we do, then everything Sailor Moon and Solaris have done for us will be wasted!"
"Hold on, Sailor Moon! Hold on, Solaris! We're coming to save you!" Sailor Venus yelled out while she glowed yellow. "Just wait for us until we get out of here!"
All four of the Guardians began glowing brighter as power surged through their bodies, catching the witch in their respective nightmares by surprise as they broke free from their restraints. Then, while they radiated with strength, each one of them unleashed a familiar finishing move.
The Mars Fusion clenched her fist, making it ignite with flames and shroud her body. She then shot towards Eudial, and the fire took the shape of a phoenix that let out a majestic cry.
"SOLARIS MARS BLAZING PHOENIX!"
Eudial's and Katsuki's eyes went wide with terror as the phoenix made of flame came at her struck, swallowing them up in a powerful explosion. The two were incinerated and destroyed with dying wails of agony as the phoenix let out a victorious cry.
The Jupiter Fusion took a stance, her body radiating with aura and green lightning. Then, with a mighty yell, she released a shockwave of lightning throughout the greenhouse that shocked and torched all of Tellu's plants in seconds, including the giant rose. As she glared at the surprised and frightened witch, the lightning surrounding her took the shape of a dragon that roared as it set its sights on her. The Jupiter fusion then dashed forward while bringing up her leg as the dragon followed, overshadowing it.
"SOLARIS JUPITER RYUJIN HUNTER!"
The Jupiter fusion struck Tellu with a mighty kick, almost breaking her in half, and the dragon opened its jaws and clamped them shut around the witch as it exploded in a blinding flash of green lightning.
The Venus fusion summoned forth a light chain and gave it a whip, straightening it. Then, a unicorn appeared behind her, letting out a neigh. It then faded away, disappearing into the chain. The chain morphed into a sword as the Venus fusion took a stance setting her sights on Mimete. Mimete raised her wand, ready to attack, but the Venus fusion disappeared while shooting forward and suddenly reappeared in front of the witch.
"SOLARIS VENUS UNICORN SABER!"
In a few seconds, the Venus fusion attacked Mimete with a series of thrusts, followed by a few rapid slices, and to finish it, a powerful single swing, while appearing behind her. Mimete then exploded in bright light while screaming as she dissipated into the air.
The Mercury fusion held up her hands as water burst forth from the ground around her. The water thickened into a sphere and then turned into a large dolphin. As it chirped playfully, it swooped down towards the fusion and swam around her in a circle. It went faster and quicker until it turned into a giant water whirlpool while the fusion stood at the center. The maelstrom washed away any nanobots, making them short circuit and die, while Viluy stood in shock and disbelief.
"SOLARIS MERCURY DELPHINUS TORPEDO!"
The Mercury Fusion then jumped into the whirlpool while spinning, and the vortex turned into a spiraling drill as it struck Viluy, sending her flying and crashing into the supercomputer. The machine crackled and sparked as it short-circuited, shocking Viluy with its electricity and obliterating her in seconds.
The cracks of wax suddenly grew bigger all around the Inner Guardians, and in seconds, it exploded into pieces setting them free. The noise caused the Witches 5 to look in their direction, and they were surprised to see the four.
"Impossible!" gasped Eudial. "How did the four of you escape?!"
The four Sailor Guardians only stood there in silence, a little shaken up but ready to fight them as the staredown between them commenced.
The Outer Guardians had seen everything through Deep Aqua Mirror, and they were surprised.
"I don't believe it!" gasped Sailor Uranus. "They broke free!"
"You said that the three of you have special abilities that the others don't have and are vastly stronger. So, you kept the guardians at an arm's distance because you thought they would only be in the way," said Spector. "Not to mention that you believe that by taking this mission to kill Hotaru, you believe what you're doing is the right thing because you have the strength to do what the others don't, even though that's not exactly the greatest of plans."
They paused impressively.
"However, you couldn't be more wrong. Sailor Moon and her group may not be as strong, but they have some powers that even you three lack," Spector went on. "The power to grow stronger, the courage to stand up for what they believe in, and most of all, they have the belief that everyone will stay alive, including Hotaru. The very belief that you lack. That belief alone gives them their strength, and their loyalty to their friends that you call naive gives them the power to perform miracles."
Spector then turned on his heel and started to walk away.
"By the way, you're free to go help them if you want. I won't stop you anymore," they added. "But if you intend to, make sure that you're ready to not only accept what happens next but believe in Sailor Moon and her friends. After all, Sailor Moon and Solaris still believe in the three of you; why can't you believe in them? But then again, I'm just a shadow spouting nonsense."
Spector then jumped off the roof, disappearing, while Sailor Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto stood there in silence.
Until at last, Sailor Uranus spoke. "Neptune. Pluto. Let's charge in!" she said. "We're busting straight through these things!"
Sailor Neptune and Sailor Pluto looked to Uranus as she readied her sword.
"Once we get inside, what are we supposed to go?" asked Sailor Pluto.
Sailor Uranus then smiled. "I think it's obvious, isn't it?" she said. "After all, it is what we're supposed to do, right? Are you two with me?"
"Of course we are," said Sailor Neptune. "We do have a duty to fulfill."
The three Outer Guardians then charged at the vines once again, ready to force their way through as the vines shot straight towards them.
As the Inner Guardians squared off against the Witches 5, Sailor Moon and Solaris were still screaming in pain as they suffered inside the Mosiac Buster bubbles.
"Oh, no! They're trapped!" cried Sailor Mercury. "We've got to get them out of there!"
"Let them go right now!" ordered Sailor Mars.
"Fat chance!" scoffed Eudial. "You may have escaped from the Infinite Labyrinth, but you'll soon be joining these fools! But not before watching them die! Right, girls?"
The other Witches 5 laughed in agreement.
"Guess we'll have to fight them!" said Sailor Jupiter as she cracked her knuckles. "That's fine with me!"
"But we'll have to be quick!" said Sailor Mercury. "Sailor Moon and Solaris won't last much longer!"
"Then, let's take them down!" shouted Sailor Venus.
The Inner Guardians got ready to fight, but a familiar voice shouted out.
"NEPTUNE SUBMARINE REFLECTION!"
At that moment, a powerful blast of seawater came from out of nowhere and blasted Mimete, Cyrpine, and Ptilol into oblivion. Then, as Viluy, Eudial, Tellu, and the other Guardians looked up in surprise, another voice cried out.
"PLUTO CHRONOS TYPHOON!"
A violet whirled of energy shot out and blasted the remaining Witches 5 into dust. Upon their defeats, the Mosiac Buster bubbles holding Sailor Moon and Solaris popped, and the two fell to the ground, exhausted from pain but still alive. The Inner Guardians were surprised, recognizing the attacks. Then, Sailor Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto came rushing in.
"Sailor Moon! Solaris!" Sailor Uranus called out.
Sailor Moon and Solaris looked up, and when they saw the Outer Guardians, they were delighted to see them along with the other guardians. Sailor Moon immediately ran over to Sailor Uranus and tackled her in a hug, while Sailor Neptune helped Solaris to his feet.
"Are you guys okay?" asked Sailor Uranus.
"I knew you guys would come!" Sailor Moon spoke happily, her eyes filling with tears. "I knew you'd come and help us!"
"I can't believe you're all are here," spoke Sailor Venus.
"Did you... come here to save us?" wondered Sailor Jupiter.
Sailor Neptune smiled. "Yes, we did," she replied. "After all, we're all Guardians."
"Thank you so much," said Sailor Mercury. "We appreciate it."
Solaris couldn't help but smile too. "I knew that you would come, too. I've never stopped believing, and neither did Sailor Moon," he said gratefully. "Deep down in our souls, we all shared the same feeling despite it all."
Sailor Uranus held Sailor Moon tightly as she smiled warmly. "We could never abandon you guys," she thought to herself. "How could we when all this time, we always wanted to fight by your sides?"
At that moment, Sailor Moon's brooch began to shine brightly in a warm and white light. When it did, the Guardians stood together in a circle, each holding out their hands, putting them in the middle. Sailor Moon then smiled as she put her hand in too. A beautiful yet bright sphere of light shone from their hands as it hovered above them.
"We are the Guardians of the Solar System!" everyone shouted. "If we unite as one, we can create any power!"
"Moon Chalise! Appear before me now!" commanded Sailor Moon.
"And gather the sacred power of the holy guardians!" the others called out.
And like before, the Moon Chalise appeared in front of Sailor Moon, hovering before her while radiating in golden light. Its top opened up, sucking the light from the other guardians, and then closed. Sailor Moon then held it high and shouted out the phrase from before.
"MOON CRISIS, MAKE UP!"
Transformation Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon holds up the Holy Grail, and the lid opens, overflowing and spilling with golden light, enveloping her and forming a cocoon shape. The cocoon bursts open as rainbow butterflies made of energy flutter out from it as Sailor Moon emerges from them with new changes to her form as she elegant spins around from the feet up. Her boots were bright red, her skirt white with yellow and blue borders blending, and her bow at the back now billowed in length also a radiant cotton pink color with a yellow belt around her waist with a brooch similar to the one on her chest in the middle. The stripes on her collar were now yellow, her shoulder pads were more extended, translucent, and pink, her choker was yellow with a red heart in the middle, and her earrings no longer dangled, now fixed to her ears. The rainbow butterflies swarm past as Sailor Moon opens her eyes, a gold tiara appearing on her forehead, and a pair of wing-like barrettes appear on top of her hair. She then strikes her final pose as a pair of pink butterfly-like wings appear behind against a starry background.
"All right! Now that Sailor Moon's powered up, I'd say we go find the enemy and take them down!" said Solaris. "That's what I'd like to say, but unfortunately, I have no idea where they could be hiding."
"I do," said Sailor Neptune, as she held up her mirror. It showed a door with a sign with: "Principal's Office" on the side. "My mirror's detecting something upstairs!"
"Then, let's go!" said Super Sailor Moon.
The party of Guardians rushed up the stairs heading straight to the principal's office. Once they arrived, they burst through the door to find Kaolinite still at her altar, jumping out of startlement when she saw them.
"Well, what do you know?" said Solaris. "Kaolinite! I should have guessed you'd be here!"
Kaolinite scowled. "Impossible! You were all managed to undo my greatest spell?!"
"That's right!" said Super Sailor Moon. "And you're finished here, so give up now!"
But Kaolinite only grew angrier as the star of her wand began to glow in an ominous red. "You may have managed to break free, but this is the last time you'll interfere!" she snarled. "Prepare to die!"
As the light of her wand enveloped her body, she began to mutate, growing giant and bulky, turning into a monstrous creature. Her human features were now gone, and she had black skin, razor-sharp claws, and piercing red eyes. The only thing that remained of her former self was her red hair that billowed crazily upwards as she let out a roar.
"Oh, great. Just when I thought Kaolinite couldn't get any uglier," complained Solaris. "Now she's got a full Daimon form, too?"
Kaolinite roared as she pounced towards the Guardians, swinging a claw. The Guardians quickly scattered, making the monster hit nothing but the floor, causing it to rip apart from the impact. The Inner Guardians all landed behind the creature and unleashed their attacks at once.
"MERCURY AQUA MIRAGE!"
"MARS SNAKE FIRE!"
"JUPITER COCONUT CYCLONE!"
"VENUS WINK CHAIN SWORD!"
Each attack made Kaolinite roar in agony as she took them in stride, but she refused to go down as she retaliated with a powerful blast of energy from her mouth. The Outer Guardians quickly stepped in front of them and, using their talismans, erected a barrier to block the attack just in time. Solaris dashed towards Kaolinite while clenching his fist and using his signature move.
"SOLARIS ARROW OF SOL!"
He fired a golden energy arrow and blasted Kaolinite square in her eyes, making her roar in agony as she held them.
"Now! Finish her, Sailor Moon!" yelled out Solaris.
Super Sailor Moon held up her Spiral Heart Moon Rod, spun around, and struck a pose, her rod radiating with power. "We are going to save this world and won't let it suffer from the nightmares of destruction!" she proclaimed. "RAINBOW MOON HEARTACHE!"
She then unleashed a powerful blast in the shape of a spiraling ribbon of rainbow hearts. Kaolinite's body was reduced to ash in a brilliant explosion, leaving only the Taiyron Crystal behind.
Super Sailor Moon stood tall with pride as the other guardians stood tall behind her. "No matter that labyrinth or trap I'll fall into, I swear I will never lose hope!" she told herself. She looked back at the others. "Come on! Let's go find Hotaru!"
"Right!" the other guardians acknowledged.
The party then left the principal's office behind them and began their search Mistress 9, determined to save Hotaru and Chibiusa.