“Looks like all the civilians have bugged out,” assessed Burnout.
“Then we’ll focus on finding whoever did this,” decided Fairchild.
“Hold it right there, Negatrash!” called a voice.
Gen13 all looked up to see the source of the voice. They
immediately saw the Sailor Scouts, balanced on the railing of the mall’s
next level, looking down on them.
“What the hell?” said Rainmaker.
“We are the Sailor Scouts! The champions of justice!” the girls
declared in unison.
“In the name of the Moon…”
“In the name of Mercury…”
“In the name of Mars…”
“In the name of Jupiter…”
“In the name of Venus…”
“We’ll punish you!!” they chorused.
“Killer outfits,” commented Freefall.
“Is this a joke?” asked Burnout.
“I don’t think so,” replied Fairchild.
“Did they just say they wanted to punish us? Kinky!” exclaimed
Grunge.
That comment did not sit well with Sailor Jupiter. “Pervert!” she
cried. A small rod then rose from the front of her tiara toward the sky.
“I call upon the power of almighty Jupiter!” bellowed the Scout.
“JUPITER THUNDER…CRASH!!” From nowhere a bolt of lighting came, struck
Jupiter’s tiara, and by her command, lanced out as she finished her
words.
The energy bolt flew toward Grunge. He was able to dodge but was
thrown into the air by the ensuing explosion.
“I guess that answers the question of this being a joke,” grumbled
Burnout as his flames encircled his body.
While he did that the Scouts jumped from the railing and landed in
front of Gen13. The players were now in place. The battle had just
begun.
As she touched down, Sailor Mercury went into action. She
concentrated and a sphere of aqua-blue energy formed between her hands.
“MERCURY BUBBLES…BLAST!!” As the shimmering sphere left her hands, it
fragmented into hundreds of tiny bubbles. The bubbles burst almost
immediately and released a thick soup of fog which covered the
immediate area.
“I bet you think you’re hot stuff!” jeered Mars as she moved in on
Burnout, who had taken flight. “Let’s see if you’re hot enough to handle
this! MARS FIRE…IGNITE!!”
The Gen-Active instinctively covered his face to protect himself.
But Mars’ fire, instead of hurting her opponent, seemed to bond with his
flame. “Sorry,” grinned Burnout as he lowered his hands. “But fighting
fire with fire doesn’t work on me. Let’s see if the same is true for
you!” The blonde man then launched a fireblast at Mars who barely
managed to get out the way.
Venus saw this and moved in to help, but she only managed a few
steps before she was struck by a bolt of energy. The former Sailor V was
knocked to the ground with a scream.
But her opponent's triumph was short-lived. Moments later, she
fought her way past the pain and began to get to her feet.
I'd stay down if I were you" warned Sarah. "Unless you want another
dose of shock therapy.” To emphasize her point, the Apache girl held her
hands about a foot apart and let some sparks crackle between them.
“Not bad,” complimented Venus as she went into a roll and quickly
came to her feet. “Let’s see how you like my brand! VENUS CRESCENT
BEAM…SMASH!!”
The laser-like pulse flew from Venus’s finger straight at
Rainmaker. The Gen-Active tried to shift out of the line of fire but was
to slow. The beam hit Sarah dead in the chest and sent her flying.
“Oh yeah, this girl has style!” grinned Venus as she blew on her
finger as if it was a smoking gun.
Off on the sidelines Mercury tapped her earring, thereby activating
her VR Visor. She quickly began to analyze the data from the Visor and
her Lunar Computer, trying to find some weakness in Gen13. How odd, she
mused. They’re giving off powerful energy readings, but they’re not like
the ones that Negamonsters have. They’re more like the ones the Scou--
“Hey, smurfhead! Put down the Gameboy and let’s rumble!”
interrupted someone.
Mercury looked up to see Grunge, his body now seemingly made of
steel, charging at her. She leapt into the air just as Grunge’s fist
impacted on the spot where her head had been a second before.
“Nimble little minx,” muttered the Gen-Active as he whirled to watch
Mercury land.
Grunge let loose a flying kick, but the Scout just leaped into the
air again. The metal-skinned man was forced to take a second to regain
his balance after he landed. That was just the chance Mercury needed.
She planted her boot squarely on the top of Grunge’s head as she touched
down, stunning him. “It takes more than that to beat Sailor Mercury,
tinman!” declared the blue-haired girl as she leapt away.
“I am SO gonna kick your ass!” blasted Grunge.
Nearby, Sailor Jupiter was delivering a series of fierce Karate
blows to Fairchild, which the other girl was just managing to block.
But then the redhead moved just a fraction too slow and Jupiter was able
to nail her with a powerful blow to the chin. Lita smiled as Gen13’s
leader stumbled backwards.
Her joy was not to last. Fairchild stopped and took a moment to rub
her jaw. “Not bad. I actually felt that. But it’ll take a lot more than
that to hurt me,” said the Amazon.
Fairchild then barreled straight at her adversary and faked a right
that the Scout fell for. Before Jupiter could recover, she was hit with
a massive punch to the gut. The green-clad Scout was sent flying until
she crashed though a store window.
Oh man! Did someone get the license number of that truck? thought
Jupiter as she tried to recover. Jupiter looked to see that Fairchild
was closing in fast. Okay, let’s see if Ms. Legs can stand up to this!
“JUPITER THUNDER…CRASH!!”
The lightning flew from Jupiter straight at Fairchild. The redhead
only had a moment to blink in surprise before she was blasted.
Only feet away, the final battle was getting underway. “I am Sailor
Moon, the champion of justice! On behalf of the moon I will right wrongs
and triumph over evil! And that means you!” proclaimed Sailor Moon as
she pointed at Freefall.
“Oh please,” sneered the American girl. “What cheesy comic book did
you steal that speech from?”
“I’ll show you who’s cheesy!” promised the Sailor Scouts' leader as
she took off her tiara. “Chew on this, Negaslime! MOON TIARA…MAGIC!!”
Sailor Moon’s tiara turned into a discus of golden energy just before
she tossed it at Roxy.
But Freefall only raised her right hand which shimmered with blue
energy. The same glow encased the tiara, stopping it dead in the air.
“Your little moon frisbee isn’t much good against someone who can
control gravity,” she smiled.
“Hey, you give that back!” demanded the blonde Scout.
“You want it back?” grinned Freefall. “I’ll give it back, all right.
Xena style!”
With a quick burst of her power, Roxy sent the tiara flying back at
the Japanese heroine at blinding speed. Serena ducked and the
projectile missed her head by inches. “No fair using my own tiara
against me!” she called.
“Oh, kiss the floor, you big crybaby,” muttered Freefall as she
focused her power on the other girl.
Sailor Moon was instantly hit with gravity several times more powerful
than that of earth’s. In seconds she was slammed to the floor and
pinned. “How totally embarrassing,” muttered the Scouts' leader as she
tried, and failed, to move.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Yes!” cheered Malachite as he watched the battle though the
skylight. “My plan is working. Those wretched Scouts are doing better
than I expected, but it’s only a matter of time before they’re
overwhelmed. Then the Silver Imperium Crystal will be mine!”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“You can’t run forever!” yelled Grunge as he closed in on Sailor
Mercury.
He’s right, realized Amy as she slipped though the older male’s
grasp. I’m starting to get tired and he’s still going strong. It’s only
a matte--
Mercury’s thoughts were interrupted as Grunge caught her in a
tackle. He raised himself up and drew back his fist. “Sorry to do this,
girlie, but no one messes with the Grungeman!”
“You leave her alone, ugly!” ordered someone.
Grunge whipped around just in time to be struck by a beam of yellow
energy. The Gen13 member went flying and actually gouged a streak in the
floor as he landed.
“Are you okay?” asked Venus as she helped Mercury to her feet.
“I’m fine,” assured the blue-haired girl.
“Come on, we have to go help the others.”
“No,” insisted Mercury. “I need to stay here and analyze this man’s
energy readings. If he is from the Negaverse, he’s not like anyone we’ve
ever faced. Those readings could be critical if we’re to defeat these
people.”
Venus hesitated for a moment, cast a quick look at the unconscious
Grunge, nodded, and then took off for the battlefield.
"Now, Mr. ‘Grungeman’, let’s see what’s so special about your
energy signature," thought Amy as she activated her computer and went to
work.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Give up now!” called Burnout as he sent another volley toward
Sailor Mars. “We don’t want to hurt you if we don’t have to!”
“Like I’d belive anything one of Queen Beryl’s lackeys said!” spat
Mars as she avoided the attack.
“Who the hell is Queen Beryl?” muttered Bobby.
Nearby, Jupiter watched the exchange. Hotstuff up there doesn’t see
me. Now is my chance to even things up, she thought. “JUPITER
THUNDER…CRA--”
She was interrupted by someone tapping on her shoulder. Jupiter
whirled to see a fist rushing at her face. The punch sent the tall girl
reeling.
“You shredded my uniform,” said Fairchild as she approached the
dazed Scout. “I really hate it when people do that.”
“Then you’re really going to hate this!” called Jupiter as she
lashed out with a brutal kick.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Comfortable down there?” asked Roxy as she watched Sailor Moon
struggle on the floor.
Then, much to Freefall’s amazement, the Scout actually began to
stand. “There’s…no way…I’m..going to…let Ne..Negasleaze…like you hurt…my
friends!” stammered Sailor Moon as she slowly pulled herself to her
feet.
“No way! I’m hitting her with enough G’s to squish a rhino!” gasped
Freefall.
“Roxy, duck!” shouted someone.
Moving purely on battle instinct, the pink-haired girl fell to the
floor. Just as she did, a beam of yellow energy flew right though the
space she had just occupied. Before Roxy could figure out was going on,
a blast of electricity whizzed past her and she heard a scream.
“It’s okay now,” said Rainmaker as she ran up. “I got her.” Freefall
turned to see the unconscious form of Sailor Venus lying a few feet
behind her.
“Thanks for the save, Sarah,” said Roxy. “I had no idea she was
about to nail me.”
“Well, maybe if you spent more time training and less time shopping
yo--”
Freefall ignored her teammate and turned to check on the other
Scout. Sailor Moon had retrieved her tiara and was quietly trying to
slip away. “Hold right there!” called the youngest member of Gen13.
“MERCURY BUBBLES…BLAST!!”
Before the two Gen-Actives could react, the area, which was already
hazy, was covered with a veil of fog.
“Dammit!” cursed Sarah. “I can’t see my own hand in front of my
face!”
“I think they’re getting away!” said Freefall.
“Sailor Moon, help me,” called Mercury. “Venus has been hurt!”
Somehow, the Scouts’ leader found her way to where Mercury was
trying to pick up their fallen comrade. “Oh, Mercury, what are we
going to do? Venus looks pretty bad.”
“I think she’s just out cold,” assured the other girl as she and
Sailor Moon hefted Venus up onto their shoulders. “But we have to get
her out of here!”
Sailor Moon nodded and the Scouts began to head for their other
teammates.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This is getting us nowhere! thought Mars as she ducked another
volley of Burnout’s flame. I can't hurt this guy, and that other girl is
wearing Lita down. Neither of us can last much longer. If we want to win
this we’ll have to switch opponents.
“Jupiter, get out of the way!” called Raye as she leapt at
Fairchild. The green-clad Scout did so and Mars smiled. “I hope you like
your food spicy, Ms. Amazon! MARS FIRE…IGNITE!!”
The flame barreled right toward Fairchild. The redhead cartwheeled
out of the way, but was caught in part of the fire’s explosion.
Catching on to her friend’s idea, Jupiter launched a lighting bolt
at Burnout. Bobby managed to avoid it, but clipped a wall in his haste,
which sent him spiraling toward the ground. Luckily, his fall was broken
by an abandoned expresso cart.
Again the cry of “MERCURY BUBBLES…BLAST!!” filled the air. Mars and
Jupiter took advantage of the cover to find their friends.
“What happened to Venus?!” gasped Mars.
“Later! We have to get out of here right now!” declared Mercury.
“You want to run away?! But we can’t leave these Negacreeps on the
loose!” shouted a bruised Sailor Jupiter.
“I don’t like it either,” admitted Mercury. “But we’re in no shape
to stand up to them now. Just look at you. You can barely stand.”
“I’m fine!” snapped Jupiter.
“Mercury’s right,” said Sailor Moon. “Right now we need to help
Venus. But once she’s better, we’re going to kick these jerks’ butts
right back to the Negaverse!”
“I hate to say it, but the meatballhead is right,” sighed Mars. “Now
let’s get out of here before the fog clears.”
The others nodded. The Scouts then made their way toward the nearest
exit.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“They’re running away!” gasped Malachite. “I never planned for
that.”
The General’s mind then began to race. Perhaps I should make my play
for the crystal now. In their weakened condition the Scouts would offer
minimal res—No, even injured, and with reduced ranks, those cursed
little girls are still formidable. Plus, there’s no telling what the
superhumans would do if I were to reveal myself. Better to cut my losses
and try again.
“Queen Beryl isn’t going to like this one bit,” grumbled Malachite as
he disappeared.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Bobby, are you okay?” asked Fairchild as she helped her friend
free himself from the ruins of the expresso cart.
“It’ll take me a week to get the smell of cream and cinnamon out of
my uniform, but yeah, I’m okay,” said Burnout as he got to his feet.
“Hey, a little help here!” called a voice. “He’s a lot heavier than
he looks.”
Cat and Bobby turned to see Rainmaker and Freefall carrying Grunge
on their shoulders.
“What happened?!” demanded Burnout.
“I think the blonde in the orange dress nailed him,” reported
Sarah. “He’s unconscious, but I think he’s fine otherwise.”
“Guess that thick head of his finally came in handy,” said Roxy
without humor.
“We’ll worry about Grunge later,” asserted Fairchild as she picked
up a large piece of rubble. “Right now we have to get out of here. I’d
imagine our little scuffle has attracted the attention of the
authorities by now.” Cat then hurled the rubble at a skylight and
watched it shatter. “Roxy, do you have enough strength to carry Grunge
and me out of here?” the redhead asked.
“Probably not, but I’ll manage,” declared Freefall.
With that, blue energy flew from her hands and surrounded her, Grunge
and Fairchild. The trio took to the air, with Rainmaker and Burnout
following, and flew out the skylight.