Categories > Anime/Manga > Sailor Moon > Sailor Moon: the Enemy Next Door
Chapter 19
Back in Tokyo, Lin-Lin was watching the news, and she did not like what she was seeing. Somehow, the plan went very badly. There was now no outside factor that she could use for an excuse to try and sell her future army to the Japanese government. There would be no invasion of Japan in that fashion and Sark would have a hard time selling himself to the Australian government. It was not so much that neither would take the monsters if offered, it was that aconventional military, combined with the Sailor Scouts, could easily put a stop to them. Sark was also greatly angered. He just lost two more of his lieutenants, and worse, the youma would now look like a puny thing to the rest of the world. He had two lieutenants left, and as he was contemplating that, acall came through to him from Lin-Lin. "What do you want!" snapped Sark!
"I want two more men that can do far better than that!" shouted Lin-Lin.
"I cannot let you have them!" he said.
"Don't dictate terms to me!"
"Why should I listen to you?"
"You asked ME for help!"
"Then why does it seem like you're trying to destroy me?"
Lin-Lin stopped, and he did not quite know how to answer. She said, "Give me time: once I convert these deluded kids, all will be well."
"Wrong!" said Sark, "From now on, it's MY way...do what you like, but don't you dare cross me!"
"Fine, see if I care!" she snapped back, and disconnected from him. Now she was determined to build her army, and then go after Sark specifically. However, if it achieved the same means, then so be it. She had to know who those kids were and destroy them. Meanwhile, Sark wanted to know who they were himself, and fetched his last two lieutenants for his next task. Immediately, into the room entered twins-a brother and a sister-both wearing jester outfits. Yo, (the brother,) and Nama, (the sister,) came in, giggling and tumbling, thinking the recent events were all just a lark. Sark said, "I have always said that you two were the last resort, and it looks like we've reached that point."
"Why do you bother?" Yo said, laughing.
"She's just making a fool out of you," said Nama, also laughing.
"Look, never mind that," said Sark, "Just go to Tokyo, and you two have one specific mission. Find out the secret identities of the Sailor Scouts, and then destroy them."
They both looked at him and said at the same time, "How do we do that?"
"Cause as much destruction and chaos as you can, and that should flush them out," answered Sark.
"Oh, that's easy!" they both said simultaneously, and laughing as they did. They then said, "We're on our way," and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Sark knew that he was about to dump chaos on the city, but if it got him what he wanted, then fine. Perhaps he could get Lin-Lin to send out her army, and that might accelerate the task. Yes, he was going to get his way one way or another. He already had his speeches prepared for the Australian government, and even perfected mimicking the accent of the people there. He was going to succeed. He even had several Armani suits now, so he was going to shock the world. The youma, combined with his powers, would make him unstoppable.
Back in Commodore Ravalli's office, tired, dirty, (and in once case, very bloody,) stood the Scouts. Ravalli then said, "Kids, you did not make me regret one of my decisions before I sent you out. You have far exceeded my expectations, and from what Peters and Sanchez tell me, you kids went over and beyond what was required."
"We...served, sir," said Ceres, to which the Commodore then said, "I understand you 'served' to quite an extent."
"It was our duty, sir," responded Ceres.
The Commodore smiled, and said, "After these reports go through, you may have more than our thanks. Go and get some rest kids, you did well."
They all saluted, he returned it, and they went home.
As they went their ways, Tom and Makoto stopped outside his house. Tom then said, "I am sure glad that we won't have to go to school tomorrow. I am exhausted!"
"As am I," said Makoto, "However, what was that all about, tonight?"
"I could not let her die-our future depends on her."
"It almost cost you!"
"The safety of everyone depends on our preparedness to make sacrifices. Had it been a grenade, I would have jumped on it. Truth is, I really didn't think about it. All I did was see that she was in trouble, and instincts took over-fight of flight."
She began to think, and realized just how dependable of a boy with whom she had fallen in love. She said, "I think that's why I love you!"
"Is it love?" asked Tom, "Or is this just a teenage thing?"
She looked at him with a vulnerable look on her face, and then moved in to kiss him tenderly. She then said, "I don't care what 'it' is we are in; let's just hold onto whatever 'it' may be for as long as we can!"
They kissed again, and for a good long while. When they parted, he said, "I hate to go."
"We may have to go," she said, "And yet, I shall always be here!" placing afinger on his heart. With that, they parted, and Tom watched her as she walked away as long as he could, and then he floated back inside. Once there, his folks had gone to sleep waiting for him, so he left them a note, and went up to bed. Once there, he thought he would have trouble sleeping, because his mind was spinning with thoughts of Makoto. However, his body knew better and put him out.
As Mamoru took Usagi and Bunny home, Mamoru could not help but look at her every chance he could. She noticed that, and said, "I don't mind you doing that, but, what did I do to earn that?"
He smiled and said, "You were fantastic tonight!"
"How was I any different than any other time you've seen me in action," queried Usagi.
"That's true," said Mamoru, "You've always thrown yourself into things like that."
Bunny began to think about it, and she realized that, though she had been incompetent in times past, giving her life for others was an instinctive thing for her. She was forced to admit that, had not that attitude been there, she never would have flung herself off that place that sat miles above the ground to save her the way she did. Bunny was plummeting to her death. Usagi somehow caught her, and then used the Silver Crystal to stop their fall. These things usually happened when she was very focused on the matter, but it had become something more frequent as of late. Ever since she began to gain confidence in herself, her absent minded spells had become reduced quite a bit. It seemed that, because she began to like herself, the true princess in her was coming to the fore. She was really beginning to take charge, and her actions that night was beyond what they had ever seen her do. "So, what are you saying," said Usagi.
"I'm watching a caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly!" he said, and Usagi leaned over and hugged him, as Bunny came over the back seat to hug her. The family that was to be had already become.
All the next day, bad act after bad act were being transformed into youma. Lin-Lin was accelerating things, knowing that this may be the only way to get things done. Once changed, she put them in a special holding cell deep underground, and letting them get crazed a bit before releasing them on the people. Lin-Lin laughed to herself as she thought, "Since you sing so badly, this was the least I could do to save you from your failed and miserable lives!"
However, the three "stars" were arriving, and they quickly set up the studio for that purpose. As they entered, Yo and Nama came on the scene, and saw the shorter girl. They knew that that was Sailor V from the pictures that Sark had shown them. They did not know who the other two were, but they had to guess that they had something to do with the whole thing. They figured that, if they attacked the other two somehow, the scouts may expose themselves. As they worked inside, a street vendor peddling his foods and wares was making his way by. They danced out, and he thought he was about to make a sale. He said to them, "So, how goes the street performing today. Make any profit?"
The twins looked at each other, began to laugh, and they said, "Not yet, but with you, we'll break the bank."
He screamed as they carried him off to an alley!
Inside, the trio was trying different things, getting a feel for what their first release should be, and then the producer brought them in to show them the mixing process. What he was mainly doing was having them involved on that side of things so they could hear how a song could turn out, and how they may think it could be tweaked. He was well learned on how George Martin did that for the Beatles, and it was part of the reason why they were such a monster success. After this was done, they were done for that day, and the kids, still tired, were ready to go home and get some more rest before classes the next day. They knew they would have their normal homework, as well as the work they would have to do to make up for the lost day, so they wanted rest. The sun had not quite gone down yet when the came out, Usagi and Mamoru were there to pick them up. They just wanted to make it easy for them so they could indeed get this rest. It was then when they saw what looked like an abandoned vendor's cart, and that caught their suspicions. However when they approached, up from behind hopped what looked like an eight foot tall muscular clown. "HI KIDS!" he shouted,"STEP RIGHT UP AND GET YOUR GOODIES!"
He then opened a can of what looked like crackers, but what hopped out were the spring snakes. However, they suddenly turned to anaconda, and one enwrapped Bunny and one did on Makoto...and they began to squeeze HARD! "We have to change, here and now-we don't have time!" said Tom, and he pulled out his transformation wand and transformed, as did Venus. A Crescent Beam melted one serpent, as the head of the other came off with a good saber strike. Bunny was already transforming as Usagi and Makoto both caught their breath and gasped out a change. However, both of them revived once the change happened, and they were ready. However, the vendor youma said, "Aw, what's the matter? Can't you take a little joke? Maybe you would like balloon animals!"
About three hopped out, and grew to gigantic proportions. Everyone tried their main attacks, but they had no effect. They just bounced right off. After this, they spent some frantic moments evading the attacks, and these things were smashing things as they went. They may have been balloon animals, but because they were rubber, and greatly enlarged, then the weight greatly multiplied with the amount of all that rubber. Then Chibi Moon called out"LUNAR CANDY ATTACK" and explosions were going off all over the place, puncturing one of them. Everyone was blown off their feet and to the walls as the air was rushing out. Because of the proportionality of the hole, it didn't go everywhere as it emptied, but took off like a rocket into orbit. After the initial stun had worn off, everyone achieve their feet, and went for puncturing attacks. However, this was done from behind cover, and the animals took off again.
While all this was happening, vendor youma was trying to get away somewhere to cause more mischief. However, before it could get far, a rose punctured a tire on the cart, and he said, "Your games end here, clown!"
"So you think, monkey boy," said the youma, and he pulled out what looked like a boffer toy, but when he swung at-and missed-Tuxedo Mask, it smashed into the ground, busting up the pavement. Mask was up over the top with a flying kick to the chops, sending the thing sprawling. However, it was back on its feet quickly, and had its club ready. That's when a voice was heard uttering, "Turning innocent toys into weapons of death? That is inexcusable. You shall be stopped. I, the pretty soldier in the sailor suit, guardian of love and justice-Sailor Moon-in the name of the moon, I shall punish you!"
The thing growled and turned towards Moon, but a Meteor Shower attack came from behind, and Ceres said, "The same goes for me!"
"And for me!" said Venus, shouting "VENUS LOVE-ME CHAIN'" and wrapping the torso and arms of the beast. She snapped it and flipped it to the ground. As it stood, Jupiter shouted, "SHOCKWAVE," and it stood stunned. Jupiter then said, "Sailor Moon-NOW!"
She pointed the Crescent Scepter and said, "DEEP UMBRA CLEANSING!"
The beast glowed, cried out, and then shrunk to the size of a normal man. It was the vendor that owned the cart, and he was woozy with pain. The scouts then came over and began to render aid. He then saw the punctured tire on his cart, and wondered what he was going to do, because it would kill his sales, and he needed the money. However, Tuxedo Mask quickly went and bought him anew inner tube and put it on for him so that man might salvage what was left of the day. Everyone was happy for having stopped this problem, but that also begged the question: why did this happen when they had just taken down a couple of the heavy hitters? Obviously, the source of their problems was not in Japan, because they have already seen their willingness to do battle from other areas. Whatever caused that may be there, but there had to be another location from where their foe operated. That had to be found out. Therefore, whatever caused that had to be captured and interrogated. They could then find out where all this was coming from, and go from there. They chewed on this as they went home. They wanted to put a cap on this thing because, if they could cause enough problems for the U.S. Military to recruit them for use, it had to be put to a stop before it caused a war.
The battle, however, was not unobserved. First of all Yo and Nama were ecstatic to know who some of the scouts were, at least by sight, and where they liked to hang out. They took note of this, and then they would seek the opportunity to find out just who they were by name. Once they had that, they could look them up, find other scouts, friends, family, and whatever they needed to know to destroy them, and end them as a threat to Sark's plan of global domination and the reshaping of the human race the way that Sark thought it should be. Second, Lin-Lin sat on her throne in her office observing the whole thing. She sat there and smiled, seeing that she knew at least two of the people there-namely, Makoto and Tom. The dumpling headed girl was astranger, as was the man and the pink haired girl, but some interrogation of the other two would reveal that in time. Yet, she could not take them prisoner just yet, because she had to complete the illusion of an actual record company. Therefore, she would have to bide her time, create more youma, and let them release their first record before she tried to capture them and then find out who all their colleagues were. If she found out sooner, that would be a bonus. The bottom line was, she had some tools now, and for her, it was only a matter of time before victory. She rolled back the tape to just after Minako transformed, and she said, "Ah, my dear little Sailor V; soon, my revenge shall be complete, and all the mischief that you have caused the Dark Agency will be repaid to the 25th power! All of you are dead to me until I make you so, and then you shall matter no more. The world shall be mine!"
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