Part Seven : The Strength in Numbers! Aquaria Fights Alone
Deep within the shadows of the Dark Realm, in a large, dark room, Kyuuteki sat on his throne. He had sat there for hours without the slightest movement indicating that he was even awake. Schemes and plots chased through his mind as he tried to think about how he was going to handle the issue of the senshi using their strength in numbers.
It was Kaboku who interrupted his thoughts, and he appeared before the giant man to announce the results of the previous battle against the senshi. As he finished, he awaited Kyuuteki's reply. When it didn't come, Kaboku asked, "What should we do now, Master Kyuuteki?"
Kyuuteki looked down at the young man, and smiled; an idea glowed in his mind. "I have a plan that cannot fail," Kyuuteki's deep voice echoed quietly. Kaboku waited to hear his plan of action. "Follow the senshi until one of them is alone," Kyuuteki began, "then attack without the interference of the others."
Kaboku raised his eyebrows. "Is that all?" he asked quizzically, expecting to hear more.
Kyuuteki only smiled mischievously at Koboku's astonishment. "Do as I say; this is a plan that cannot fail," he replied.
Koboku said nothing, not bothering to question the large man's reasoning for this simple plan. "Who will be the first target?" he asked after a moment of silence.
Kyuuteki stared at him for a moment, contemplating this very question. "It will be the hardest to separate- Sailor Aquaria," he mused after a while.
Kaboku's heart dropped at hearing the very name, and he stared up at Kyuuteki timidly. "She poses no real threat," he tried quickly to rationalize with him. "I mean, she can't-"
Kyuuteki stopped him in mid-sentence with the raise of his hand, "If we can get to Sailor Aquaria then we most surely can get to her partner, Sailor Phoenix. She has Hades."
Kaboku thought about this and asked, "Then why don't we attack Sailor Phoenix?"
Kyuuteki's eyes darted in Kaboku's direction and then he looked up. "Sailor Phoenix will never let her guard down, you know that. Sailor Aquaria, however, has been known to let her guard down at the worst of times. If I am correct, she has an art class, which Sailor Phoenix will have nothing to do with; then she will be alone. Take a yajuu with you if you must, but make sure that Aquaria is alone; it is too much of a risk to take on all of the senshi by yourself."
Kaboku still wanted Kyuuteki to change his mind, however. "One of the other senshi perhaps? They are much easier targets," he suggested. Kyuuteki's eyes flared to a deep red, and he rose from his seat. He walked down the few steps, and he towered over Kaboku, who had taken a step back.
"It is not about the easier target! Do as I command, or you will not live to see daylight again," Kyuuteki growled.
"I was only suggesting..." Kaboku began, trying to save himself. Kyuuteki gave one swing of his arm in Kaboku's direction, and the smaller man went plummeting to the ground.
"Do I make myself clear?" Kyuuteki bellowed.
Kaboku closed his eyes in shame, "Yes, Master."
"I swear! That teacher is out to get me!" Kaichuu cried out at Shakaku. "That one science teacher, what's-his-name; he's always picking on me!"
"And?" Shakaku said with a raise of an eyebrow, "Stop being so melodramatic."
Kaichuu blinked, and she stared at her friend, "Melodramatic?" she repeated, "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I being melodramatic, as opposed to being dramatic?" Kaichuu said sarcastically. "Why use words like that when you've got the short, easy words like 'lazy', 'crazy', and 'stupid'?"
"Because it's fun to see the expression on your face when I use them," answered Shakaku with an evil grin.
"Funny, very funny. No, really, I'm laughing on the inside," said Kaichuu.
Shakaku tilted her head in Kaichuu's direction; "Well, only sane people would understand that anyway."
"What are you trying to say? I am SANE," Kaichuu replied.
"Puras mentiras," Shakaku said, rolling her eyes. Kaichuu made a weird face, and she raised an eyebrow.
"I hate Spanish! You know I hate it when you speak Spanish, and I don't understand it. Sure, I understand a little bit, but you-"
"If you don't shut up, it won't be just you're teacher that's out to get you," said Shakaku evilly.
Kaichuu frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" But before Shakaku could answer, a loud wail rang out in the midday air. The edges of Kaichuu's lips twitched, and her facial expression showed that she was scared. "Oh, no."
"She forgot her lunch again," said Shakaku, not sounding at all the least bit surprised.
"Quick, walk away, walk away, walk away," Kaichuu warned as they turned around and began to walk in the opposite direction. "Where's Makoto when you need her?"
From behind, Usagi came running towards them. Kaichuu knew that it was too late to get away and save her lunch, so she acted out a slow motion attempt of running away. She tripped in mid-leap, and she grasped Shakaku for support, who came tumbling down with her.
"Umm, get off me, Kaichuu!" Shakaku cried out angrily. Usagi approached them just then, and she smiled down at the two. Kaichuu grabbed her lunch bag protectively, and she gave it to Shakaku.
"It's... too late... for me. This... is the end," said Kaichuu, pretending to be dying a slow and agonizing death; she coughed loudly. "Guard it... with your life," she said, and then she closed her eyes and dropped to the ground.
"Not this time," Shakaku said, shoving the lunch bag back into her hands.
"Kaichuu?" said Usagi. Kaichuu lifted one eyelid, "I forgot my lunch... again."
"I know," said Kaichuu, getting to her feet. "And Makoto's not around either. Please, do it quickly." She gave Usagi her lunch painfully, and then she sat back on the ground next to Shakaku and watched as Usagi walked away happily.
"Salad is good for your health anyways," Shakaku said. Kaichuu sighed sadly, and she began to pick at Shakaku's lunch.
"I lost my concern for health ages ago. It's junk food and good old artificial crap that keeps me alive, I tell you," said Kaichuu downheartedly.
A couple passed by them, and they had dreamy looks in their eyes every time they glanced at one another. Kaichuu sighed, even more depressed than before, forgetting all about her lunch. She watched as the couple walked off, and she envied them. "I've given up on guys, Shakaku," she told her friend abruptly. Shakaku raised her eyebrows.
"Why is that, Kaichuu?"
"Because I just don't seem to be good enough for them," she said. "It doesn't matter. I'm not going to waste my time anymore drooling over guys I can't have."
"Mmmm," said Shakaku, disbelievingly. She knew that was a false statement, especially coming from Kaichuu. How could she ever give up on guys? Shakaku went along with it anyways. "I guess that means you'll be more concerned about the enemy then?"
"Since when have I not been concerned about the enemy?" said Kaichuu, sounding offended. Shakaku shrugged, rolling her eyes. "What about you, what's up with you and guys?" Kaichuu asked.
"Boys. I've given up on them, and that's been set since the last time I even had eyes for a guy. He was stupid, they all are. Maybe not for you, but I have no interest in them."
When the bell rang, Kaichuu left for her science class, and Shakaku left for her Spanish class. Mr. Tanoshii, Kaichuu's science teacher, was in the middle of a discussion about a fight that had just occurred during lunch when Kaichuu caught his attention.
"So did you see who started the fight?" Mr. Tanoshii asked. Kaichuu looked up, her eyes brightening.
"As a matter of fact, I did," said Kaichuu with a mischievous smile growing upon her face.
"Well?"
"The lunch lady said they ran out of chick-a-dees, so I took a swing," she replied with a smile. Her classmates began to snicker as the teacher frowned at Kaichuu. Kaichuu shrugged. "Alright then, don't believe me, but I'm telling you, that lunch lady is never going to run out of chick-a-dees again."
The second bell rang, signaling the start of class. Kaichuu took her seat at the back of the classroom.
"That was some good stuff, Kaichuu," Usagi said as she walked home with Shakaku and Kaichuu.
"I bet it was," Kaichuu grumbled.
"Salad is better for you anyway. All of that 'artificial crap' is going to get to you one of these days, and you are going to beg me to save you," Shakaku warned Kaichuu.
"Hey! I live on the artificial crap, thank you very much," Kaichuu retorted. Usagi remained silent while the two girls bickered, and she laughed to herself, not noticing that the two girls had stopped fighting.
"Something you'd like to share with us?" Shakaku asked Usagi.
"Nope, no artificial crap here," Usagi said with another laugh. Kaichuu made a sour face, and she turned the other way.
"I have an art class to go to anyway," Kaichuu concluded. They kept walking together a few more steps, and then Kaichuu made a turn at deserted street towards her art class.
"I don't know how she can stand an art class," Shakaku said with a look of disgust on her face.
"It's not that bad. Chibiusa takes one," Usagi said.
Kaboku watched the three girls separate, and he grinned. Kyuuteki had been right, Kaichuu was defenseless now that she was away from her partner; this was going to be easy. "Aquaria is the one we want," Kaboku told the yajuu, who growled in response.
Kaichuu continued to walk down the street, drawing closer to her art class. In the air hung a strong, damp smell, and she knew what it was. She turned around quickly in time to see Kaboku and a yajuu jump down from a nearby building.
"Always a pleasure to see you, Aquaria. Especially when you're so... alone," Kaboku said.
Kaichuu's eyes widened in comprehension of what he said. He followed us, Kaichuu said to herself. "Aquaria Constellation Po-" Kaichuu began as she raised her hand up in the air, her transformation bracelet in view. Just as she started the third word, Kaboku sent a blast at the bracelet, cutting it from her hand, and it left Kaichuu's hand stinging painfully. Kaichuu let out a small moan, and she grabbed her hand.
"My yajuu was getting a little bored, so I decided to take it for a walk," Kaboku said, the creature hissed at the mention of itself. "I thought maybe you'd make a good playmate for it," Kaboku said to Kaichuu; to the yajuu he said, "Have fun."
The yajuu raced toward Kaichuu, who tried to dodge it, and she too began to run. When the creature started to gain on her, Kaichuu let out a piercing scream, and the yajuu stopped; Kaboku kept himself from covering his ears.
Kaichuu came to a stop, and she turned to face the two, "I always knew my vocal cords would come in handy some day," she smiled. "Are you too chicken to get me yourself, Kaboku?"
"Those weren't my orders," Kaboku lied. Kaichuu spread out her arms and grinned.
"Come and get me, I'm right here. I'm one big ray of sunshine aren't I?" Kaichuu tempted the older man. Kaboku narrowed his eyes, and he was about to call of the yajuu and finish the job himself.
"Kaichuu," Shakaku said as she heard Kaichuu's all to well known scream.
She's in trouble," Usagi said.
Looks like we are going to have to come to terms," Shakaku said, Usagi stared at her. "I already know who you are, so now you will know who I am. Phoenix Constellation Power, Make up!" Shakaku yelled, raising her hand and exposing a silver bracelet that had a garnet in the center. Usagi watched in shock as Shakaku transformed, and then she slowly brought out her brooch.
"Moon Cosmic Power, Make up!"
Kaboku put his hand up to call back the yajuu, and he stood facing Kaichuu, ready to attack.
"If you think you're going to attack her without a fight from me first, then you must need some serious help," Sailor Phoenix said. Kaboku looked behind Kaichuu, and there stood Sailor Phoenix.
"People shouldn't be left alone, and no one should have to play on uneven grounds. I am Sailor Moon, righting wrongs and triumphing over evil!" Sailor Moon introduced herself.
"I should have known," Kaboku growled, "finish them!" Kaboku said to the yajuu. The creature hissed, and it charged for the two senshi.
"Twisting Flame Encounter!" Sailor Phoenix yelled, attacking the approaching yajuu with two large fireballs that encircled each other as they approached the yajuu. The creature stopped and screamed as the attack raced forward and attacked it head-on.
Kaichuu took this time to run forward and grab her bracelet that had been shot from her wrist. "Aquaria Constellation Power, Make up!"
The yajuu licked its lips, seeing that there was another senshi to destroy. "Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" Sailor Moon yelled as she sent her attack forward. The giant heart launched forward, and it destroyed the yajuu who tried to run away.
"You may have gotten lucky with the yajuu, but I am a different story," Kaboku said. He jumped forward at Sailor Moon, knocking her to the ground. He stood above her, and directed his hand in her direction, ready to fire a blast. Sailor Phoenix made a dash for Kaboku, and jumped, grabbing him by his shirt before he had a chance to fire. The two tumbled to the ground and quickly got up.
"You want to seal your fate as well?" Kaboku asked with an evil grin.
"You picked the wrong people to mess with," Sailor Phoenix said dangerously. Sailor Moon got up, and she stood next to Sailor Phoenix.
"You two don't need to fight like this," she pleaded.
Kaboku shoved Sailor Moon out of the way, and he confronted Sailor Phoenix. He raised his hand in her direction and sent a blast at her, which she narrowly missed by crouching to the ground, the blast hit the street.
"Nice try," Sailor Phoenix said, getting up. Kaboku became enraged, and he took a swing at her face, which he did not miss. Sailor Phoenix stepped back, and Sailor Aquaria ran to aid her partner.
"Why you..." Sailor Aquaria growled. She made her hand into a fist, and before Kaboku had time to react, she swung, and hit his left cheek. Kaboku gasped, stepped back, and put a hand to his burning cheek. He looked to see Sailor Aquaria glaring at him; her hand was still in a fist.
She actually hit me! Kaboku thought to himself. His eyes widened in astonishment that this young teenager could actually hit so hard. He could hear Sailor Phoenix snickering at the fact that Aquaria had hit Kaboku. Kaboku was at a loss for words, and all he could do was stare at Aquaria in shock.
"Yes, I can hit," Sailor Aquaria broke the silence.
"I can see that," Kaboku said. He's shocked expression changed suddenly. "You would make a good fighter once you are trained." He said.
"As if I'm going to fall for that. Although I do take that as a compliment," Sailor Aquaria said with a proud smile.
"Do you want some more? I mean the two of us are up for a good fight," Sailor Phoenix said with a smile to match Aquaria's. Kaboku contemplated this, but he decided to not take the risk. Two senshi, three with Sailor Moon, all powerful, against him; he didn't like those odds. Kaboku himself was very powerful, but he didn't want to take the chance.
As Kaboku disappeared, Sailor Phoenix turned to her partner. "That was some hit," she said to the silver-haired girl.
"I know," a smile forming at the edges of Aquaria's mouth. "He pissed me off, and you know how I get when I'm pissed off," Aquaria said.
"That's why I don't mess with you the way he did. I know the limit," Sailor Phoenix.
"Hehe," was all Sailor Aquaria had to say. They turned to see Sailor Moon getting up from the ground, and then she looked up at them.
"We knew it was you guys," she began, dusting off her uniform. "There was just something about you guys that made us think."
"Now that you know, I must duct tape you to the wall!" Sailor Aquaria declared with a grin on her face.
Sailor Moon's eyes widened, "No, please! No!" she pleaded.
"Your time has come," Sailor Aquaria said in a dangerous voice.
"Oh would you two just cut it out," Sailor Phoenix said as she rolled her eyes.
"Sorry," Sailor Moon and Sailor Aquaria said together, but they stuck their tongues out at each other.
Back to Part Six ~
On to Part Eight