Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Moon: the Enemy Next Door ❯ Chapter 21

Chapter 21

 

While all these events were going on, Rei had arrived at the shrine, and she then settled into her studies before tending to her chores. Once she was done with her studies, she changed into her shrine maiden outfit and went to see how things were going with Grandpa Hino. She went to the kitchen, because it was his turn to cook that day, and she was certain she could find him in there. However, when she went in, the kitchen was quiet, and eerily so. She started to search all around, and then her heart began to race that something bad may have happened. She then went to his room, and then became enraged when she found a balloon animal—shaped like a rabbit—sitting on his bed. It was at that moment that her communicator went off.

 

Meanwhile, as Tom was heading home with Makoto, they heard the sounds of sirens and gunshots coming from the post. They ran up a distance, and it was then they saw about 20 youma of various shapes and sizes smashing through the fence of the base. The marines and shore police there were trying to drop them, and only wounding them, but not enough to stop their advance. They were now doing a fighting withdrawal, and he said, “Three times in one day: can it get crazier?”

Just as he said that, his communicator went off, and it was Usagi on the other side. “Shingo and Bunny have been kidnapped!”

“Grandpa has been kidnapped!” responded Rei in return.

“Great!” said Tom Sarcastically, “Now let's add a youma attack to the base, and you have total pandemonium!”

Setsuna then chimed in and said, “Let's tend to the base first!”

Venus then added, “We are going to need you, Usagi. If they are the missing kids like we suspect, they are going to need to be changed back and healed from any bullet wounds.”

“Bullet wounds!” exclaimed Usagi, “Why would I have to do that?”

“Think about it,” said Rei, “This is a military base. Do you think they are going to have a pillow fight?”

“Tom and I will start to aid them,” said Makoto, “Get here as fast as you can!”

As they closed their communicators, Setsuna put some thought to something else for the moment. Chibiusa had expressed her concern about the relationship that was growing between Makoto and Tom, because, one day, she would be his commanding officer, and even in their world, there would be rules on fraternization.

 

Now, as the scouts, Ceres and Jupiter appeared on the scene. They made sure to get behind the marines and sailors so that they would not get caught in the crossfire. The men then let out a cheer when they saw who it was, and the two went into action. Meteor Shower, Tsunami Attack, and Shockwave were all going forth and managing to stop the advance of the youma. Ceres then shouted, “Shoot to wound, not to kill!”

“Why not?” the men, to who Ceres then said, “They are the missing kids from that music studio. They have been changed by some sick science, and we have to subdue them.”

“We won't last long that way,” said one of the sailors.

“Don't worry,” said Ceres, “Help is on the way.”

As he was saying that, a couple of cars pulled up with the scouts in them, along with Tuxedo Mask. “DEEP SUBMERGE!” was heard shouted, followed by the ball of energy and water that accompanied it and it took all the youma off their feet. They screamed in agony as the water added to the effect of the Shockwave attack. The rest of the scouts moved in, and spread out. The marines and sailors began to stand down, because they knew they were in for a great show. “BUBBLE SPRAY,” was let loose, and now the youma were disoriented. The scouts then were all using their various attacks and began to herd them into a central area. They were weakening, but they were not enough to finish off the battle. Ceres then heard behind him, “Get the CS grenades ready!” and he knew what that meant. He then shouted to the scouts, “Get behind the men, NOW!”

They then rushed behind them as three men with grenade launchers shot in military grade tear gas, believing that, though they may be monsters, they still were flesh and bone, and that they had to have some weakness in that regard. The creatures all screamed in further agony as they all began to choke, tear up badly, and run at the nose. It was then that Pluto shouted, “Sailor Moon, NOW!”

She pulled out her scepter and cried, “MOON HEALING ESCALATION!”

They all looked at her shocked, wondering what she was doing, but before they could protest, Sailor Moon called out, “DEEP UMBRA CLEANSING,” and the youma started to change back. Even the gas cleared away. Once that had happened they all went up, and the military men were surprised to see that even the gunshot wounds that some had taken were gone. Soon, the local officials were there to help the teens out, identify them, and then to get them home.

 

Commodore Ravalli was there soon enough, and once again, was giving all kinds of thanks to the kids, but Tuxedo Mask then said, “Thank you, sir, but we do have another pressing matter: one of our ranks has been kidnapped with two others, and we have to try to rescue them.”

“Any aid we can render?” said Ravalli.

“Once we know where they are,” answered Mask.

Venus then stepped up and said, “I think I have a guess. I don't think that the ones that kidnapped them work for Princess Lin-Lin.”

“Who's that?” asked Sailor Moon.

“A ghost of the past that should have stayed dead,” said Venus, “She mentioned something about a Sark in Australia.”

Pluto looked up and said, “Baron Sark: how did he survive?”

Everyone looked at her with some confusion, and Pluto then said, “He was in the fight during Beryl's War in the Old Moon Kingdom. He must have lived the final attack somehow. Tell me, what happened right before the attack at the high school this afternoon?”

Rei then said, “I sensed a certain evil before it happened, and it had to do with two street clowns that were performing and selling things.”

“That was Yo and Nama,” said Pluto, “They were two lieutenants of Sark's, and they must have been sent to find out who everyone is. They must have found out, and kidnapped those close to us to try and get us to stand down.”

“Then we have to get to Australia,” said Mercury.

“We have a problem here,” said Jupiter, “We may have to make two squads.”

Sailor Moon wanted to go to Australia, but Pluto then said, “They need you here because of those kids. We want to rescue them if we can.”

“Don't worry,” said Mask, as he kissed her on her head, “I'll go. Who's coming with me?”

“I'll go,” said Ceres, and then Pluto said, “The outer scouts will go as well.”

“This has become U.S. interest as well,” said Ravalli, “I can give you a lance of marines to help you. I can also get you into Australia.”

“Where are we going to start?” asked Haruka.

“Our communicators can also act as a tracking device,” said Pluto, to which Ami took out her handheld computer and hooked her communicator to it. She then inquired the location of all the scouts. All but one was in Japan, but one of them was indeed in Australia, and not too far from Sydney. “Then let's get it done,” said Ceres, “Someone is going to have to cover for me in school.”

“Leave that to me,” said Ravalli, “The post is going to have to be locked down anyway, and so I can just say that you could not leave, and they will understand.”

“Let's rock and roll!” said Ceres.

 

The outer scouts and Ceres were soon loaded onto a military transport plane and heading off to Australia. As they sat in the plane, they were focusing on the mission at hand, but Pluto came up and sat besides Ceres, and she said, “Tom, (using his real name for this,) we have to talk.”

Ceres looked at her oddly, and said, “Is there a problem?”

“Not at present,” she said, “but there could be one in the future…well, not in the immediate future.”

“I'm not sure I like this.”

“I only say this because I am not aware of this happening in the future, though it is fuzzy. The future is always shifting, and it is never certain what it holds. The general framework will be there, but the smallest details are always up for grabs.”

Ceres was becoming both annoyed and afraid. He then said, “Just get to the point,” with a hint of frustration in his voice. Pluto sighed, and said, “It's about your relationship with Makoto.”

He looked over at her with a now serious and annoyed look. “What's the problem?” he said as if it were a warning.

“First of all, I have foreseen nothing in the future that shows the two of you together.”

“Wouldn't that fall under the category of `smallest details'?”

She sighed and said, “Yes, it would. Yet, Tom, there are other reasons. You grew up around the military; I am certain you know military protocol, especially between officers and enlisted personnel.”

“You're speaking of the fraternization rules, right?”

She nodded, knowing that he knew where the conversation was going. Instead of being annoyed, he was now sad. Pluto tried to be reassuring, and she said, “Look, Tom, I know that it doesn't seem to matter, but one day it will in a great way. I don't want to see the two of you hurt.”

“How do you know it has to be this way?”

“Tom, please, don't get upset. You know how things work. There will be problems in command, morale problems, and the factions it would cause…”

“…and we have to put mission first, right? I know what you're trying to say. I've heard it all before. Look, I am not going to let that be a problem.”

“It's the future; it is inevitable in one form or another…”

“NOTHING'S SET IN STONE!” said Ceres, now very angered, and he then said, “No one controls MY destiny—NO ONE! If there is a future for me, I'm going to be the one to make it! All you have done is caused me to start looking for a way to prove you wrong! I guarantee you, if you try to tell Mako-chan this, and she would fry you where you stood!”

He then lowered his head and looked out of the bottom of his brow at her and said lowly and grumbling, “Get…out…of…my…face!”

Pluto was now afraid she may have caused something worse than what she intended to stop, and she now tried to apologize. Yet, when she tried to speak, Ceres put up a hand in her face and said through his teeth, “Vanish!”

She went back to her seat saddened, not that she had been treated like that, but because she now may have made a worse problem, and then put him in a worse frame of mind for the mission at hand. She hoped that she could deter something from happening, and now may have caused something else.

 

The plane landed, and when the exited, they were met by eight of Australia's best commando. They all had what could best be described as pimped out M-4 carbines, all with grenade launchers. Considering the report of what they may be facing, they wanted all the firepower that a small force might need. The officer in charge came up and saluted, saying, “G'day: Captain Mark Lee at your service.”

The scouts all returned the salute, and Pluto said, “Lieutenant Commander Sailor Pluto, and I'm pleased to meet you. We're all fully or somewhat fluent in English, so don't worry about Japanese…unless we give you funny looks!”

“Fair dinkum!” exclaimed Lee, but he then began to look at their outfits. “Y'know, mates, I don't think those outfits are what we'd call combat effective. I heard stories, but…”

“Dude, as you guys say, `no worries, mate,'” said Ceres, “In this situation, it will not matter.”

“How `bout the kiddiwink here?” asked Lee, but Saturn gave him a look with a grin. She then stepped aside and started to spin around her halberd around in a type of Kata, showing that she was quite efficient with the weapon and in fighting. Pluto then said, “I assure you, Captain Lee, she can handle herself, and she is probably the most powerful member of the team.

“Right,” said Lee, “Well, let's get to the hanger, and look at the map you sent us.”

 

As they looked at the coordinates that their communicators were giving, and they still matched the original readings. They only hoped that it meant that they were still alive, and not that the communicator had been found and then tossed aside. As they went over it, the Aussies then realized where they may be heading, and they could not believe it. “By jingoes!” one of them said, “It's at the Sidney Cricket Grounds!”

Lee did not have a good look on his face, and he said, “Mates, wonky situation: there's a game of footy there right now. It could put people in danger.”

“Come on, I don't think they would be that obvious to hide in there!” said Uranus, but Saturn said, “I sense them there, but not on the surface.”

“There's no cave down there,” said one of the soldiers, but Pluto said, “How they got there is how we must. Are your men ready?”

“They're gun for it!” said Lee, and Pluto then said, “Then everyone group together, and be ready, because we might be fighting right away!”

“Awesome, dudes!” said Ceres, “Let's rock and roll.”

However, Pluto could not help but notice that Ceres said that in a way that would not have reflected his carefree Californian attitude. She worried if he was about to go overboard.

 

Transporting them would be no problem for Pluto. All she would need to do was access the time travel portal, but just drop them in the caves underneath the stadium at about the moment they left. While this was going on, Shingo, Chibiusa, and Grandpa Hino were all tied up, but they were not gagged. The reason being was that Sark knew that, no matter how much they screamed, they would not be heard. “Ah, yes, and now all we must do is await the scouts,” said Sark, “And they shall be in for a great surprise.”

He walked over to a device about the size of a football and said, “This shall be the key to everything. Once they are defeated, I can use this to transform the entire crowd above us into youma. I can use this as an initial invasion force against Japan. It's not necessarily Japan I want per se, but it will dredge up that awful Lin-Lin who betrayed me, and dredge up her youma army. Once I have then subdued, I can transform the whole nation of Japan, and then Australia, and then conquer the world.”

“You're a maniac!” shouted Chibiusa, “You can't possibly think your silly scheme will work!”

“Oh, but I do,” said Sark as he stroked her face, “You see, the youma they will face will give them a lesson in Australian wildlife—dingoes, crocodiles, kangaroos, and even the koala! Even the last two can be vicious if you give them a reason. They will not get past that. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go greet your friends. I know they would not just let you three rot. Ta-ta!”

He left, and Chibiusa was angry, fighting against her restraints in vain while Shingo cried, not feeling so brave anymore. “Why!” he sobbed, “Why did they do this?”

Chibiusa knew that she would have to spill the beans over this, but they did not see the smile on Grandpa Hino's face as the ropes just dropped away from him. The two kids looked surprised at this, wondering how he had done it. He said, “Youth and skill is no match for old age and treachery!”

Shingo was flummoxed, and he said, “How did you do that?”

“When he and his two clowns tied me up,” he responded, “All I did was take a big breath and then flex the muscles in my wrist. It created enough slack for me to wriggle out. Now, let's get out of here!”

However, Chibiusa knew there was yet a little revealing that had to be done, and she said, “What you are about to see you can't tell anyone.”

They both looked at her oddly, and then their eyes nearly fell out of their heads as she transformed right in front of them. She then said, “What are you staring at? We got to help them when they come!”

“Too bad you won't see them!” said a sickening familiar voice. They wheeled around in time to see Yo and Nama ready to fight with about three youma. The two clowns started to laugh hysterically, and Grandpa Hino then said, “Take care of the monsters, I have the laughing idiots!”

 

Shingo took cover while Chibi Moon cart wheeled away in order to confront, and draw away, the youma. She let loose with her Lunar Heart Attack knowing it would not do much, but it would catch their interest. The creatures laughed, but they were not laughing when one exploded into energy particles after a charged tiara blasted through it. The other two started to charge in, but they were met by Lunar Candy Attack. The balls spread all over the creatures from head to toe and it sounded like machine gun fire. As the creatures were weakened and reeling in pain, one of them disappeared in a flash of light from another tiara attack. However the last one was now advancing on Chibi Moon, now quite angered. It raised a paw, and Chibi Moon readied herself to push back the attack, when a rock hit off its head. Shingo did not want to remain helpless and he hurled a rock at the creature. Obviously, it was ineffective, but it was enough to take away the attention of the youma from Chibi Moon. It started to advance on Shingo, and then exploded into sparkles as a tiara flew through and then back to her hand. She ran up and took his hand, and Shingo said, “Wait, if you're Chibi Moon, then…”

“Ask her when you see her, we don't have time!” said Chibi Moon, and they went to check on grandpa.

 

Meanwhile, the two clowns started to move in on Hino, who then said, “Please, don't hurt a poor old man! I don't want trouble.”

Yo and Nama looked at each other, and then began to laugh hysterically. That laughing was quickly silenced when Yo took a shot to the gut and Nama was on her back after a leg sweep. Hino danced out of the way, and then prepared for their repost. Now the clowns were no longer in a laughing mood as they lunged forward. However, they were flummoxed as grandpa was putting the hurt on them, and seemingly with little effort and contact. They were feeling pain in places they did not know one could feel pain! As they staggered back, begging for him to stop, they spun around right into Chibi Moon, who let off her candy attack again, and they both disappeared in a flash of energy. Grandpa Hino then said, “Come on, let's see if we can find our way out of it.

 

As they ran down a hall, it opened into a large pit area that looked like a throne room. In there was Sark, with the “football,” and over 100 youma ready to fight! The three hid, and they listened as Sark ranted on. “Come now, my faithful creatures!” he expounded, “Let us prepare for the scouts, and then prepare to take what is rightfully ours! Before long, this land and Japan will be ours, and then the world can be reshaped into what it should be! You are the key, and there shall be nothing to stop us! HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

The three then wondered if there was anything the scouts could really do.

 

 

 

5