Sailor Moon “U” Episode 3
Zeal opened up over a wide field with no signs of life anywhere nearby with the exception of the normal field dwellers. It made her heel a little better that no one was around to watch her run away from a fight after her two encounters with the Sailor Senshi.
She looked around her some more. It certainly wasn’t smart to stay in the open if the Sailor Senshi happened to show up, which she was pretty certain they would. The only place Zeal saw that was of any help was a forest on one of the far sides of the field. It would be pretty obvious where she had gone, but at least it was better than being out in the open. She headed for the forest to start her new base of operations on taking over this universe. First thing on the agenda: Get a new minion from her universe to help her out with the Sailor Senshi. Zeal laughed as she held out her hand and her rod appeared.
Later that day………
The Sailor Senshi appeared over the same open field. There were a few creatures scattering themselves as far away from the landing point as possible. The only things that went through their mind was, “Oh no, not again!”
They looked around. Mercury got out her little Mercury computer and began plunking on it. the other studied the surroundings.
“THIS is where we ended up? What happened to Tokyo?” Moon asked.
“Well, all universes are a little different. Maybe Tokyo was never built in this one,” said Luna.
“It’s a possibility. But why wouldn’t they?” asked Jupiter.
“Universes might have different problems than we do. Maybe there’s something wrong with this universe that we don’t see,” Mars put in.
“I know why Tokyo isn’t built,” said Mercury, who was reading the data that showed up on her computer after all the plunking.
“Why?” the all asked.
“It would be kind of hard to build any city if there were no people on the planet to do it,” explained Mercury.
Everyone looked stunned and didn’t say anything for a few seconds, as if to let it all sink in.
“What? No people?” restated Moon.
“First everyone is robots, then there isn’t even that?” said Venus, just a little bit aggravated over her recent universe encounter, although she could have sworn she heard her name before they left.
“Well, like Luna said. Every universe is different,” said Artemis.
They all looked around.
“It’s hard to imagine that this world has no people living in it,” Venus sighed.
“Actually, it’s not hard to imagine because you’re looking at it,” Artemis laughed. Venus turned around and gave him that “you better shut up or I’ll pound you into the ground” look.
“I suggest we find out where Zeal is now so we can get this over with and go home. This place gives me the creeps,” Moon whined. The other girls just groaned at the comment.
“It would be nice to just get this over with but it might take longer than you think,” Mars replied, trying to control her urge to hurt Moon.
“Yah. We have to find a way to out-strength her,” said Jupiter.
“Or out-smart her……” trailed off Mercury.
“Yes Queen Zeal.”
“Reliquena, take care of then Sailor Senshi. And make it fast. I want to start taking over universes as soon as possible. All this running is making me feel weak.”
“Yes Queen Zeal,” said Reliquena as she disappeared.
Zeal turned around and scowled. This is going to take me the rest of my life. I need a way to destroy the Sailor Senshi now! At least Reliquena will give me a little more time to think this out.
The Sailor Senshi were standing around waiting while Mercury plunked away at her computer in order to find Zeal. They all pretty much agreed she was probably hiding in the forest on the far side of the field, but they had also agreed that it would be smarter to wait until they new exactly where she was before approaching her. That, and they were all pretty tired from not eating or having any rest in a while.
Mercury was still plunking when a cold wind blew. She shivered and looked down at the other Sailor Senshi.
“I think I’ve located her,” she said loud enough to get over the wind., “She’s close to the very center of the forest.”
“Let’s go get her then!” shouted Jupiter, who was just glad they got to something other than sitting around.
“Unfortunately, this is as close as you’ll ever get to Zeal, Sailor Senshi!” sneered an unknown voice.
The Sailor Senshi looked around for where the vice was coming from.
“I’m right here Sailor Senshi!” the voice laughed again. The cold wind turned even colder and two large eyes were briefly visible.
The Sailor Senshi gasped.
“The wind?” asked Artemis
“You’re the wind?” added Luna.
The cold wind blew again and a hand was formed. It reached down with the intention of grabbing as many Sailor Senshi as possible, but they all jumped out of the way before any of them were caught.
“You’re fast for humans,” the voice said again.
“Who are you?” demanded Mars.
“Me? I’m Reliquena, servant to Queen Zeal. Ruler of all the universes in existence.”
“Well, this is one universe you WON’T have!” shouted Venus. She turned around to face the wind. “Venus Love-Me, Chain!” The yellow hearts wrapped into the nothingness that is wind and yanked it together. A human like form emerged.
“Not so tough now are ya!” laughed Venus.
The human form opened her hand and a large blast of freezing wind shot out and engulfed Venus. Venus looked confused before she became a frozen statue.
“The wind was still tangled in the yellow hearts. While it struggled, the other Sailor Senshi went to check the damage done to Venus.
“She’s alive, but frozen. Once we take care of Reli-whatever, she should return to normal,” Luna said.
“Well, let’s do it!” Jupiter yelled. She turned around to Reliquena. “Jupiter! Oak, Evolution!” The leaves flew into the wind and made her more vulnerable.
“Here’s a little fire for you to suck on. Mars! Flame Sniper!” The arrow stuck into where the heart of the wind would have been.
“Shining Aqua, Illusion!” The water froze Reliquena like she was. All of her moving stopped.
“Moon! Use your scepter on her now!” shouted the Sailor team.
“Right! Starlight…..Honeymoon…..Therapy…..KISS!”
All Reliquena could think of the few moments before her death was that Zeal had sold her out big time.
The Sailor Senshi watched as Reliquena disintegrated and Venus turned back to normal.
“Say something Venus!” cried Artemis.
“Remind me never to jump in first, kay,” she mumbled.
There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke again.
“So when do we head after Zeal?” asked Moon, who was almost half asleep already.
“Well. Zeal probably already knows about Reli-whatevers’s death. I suggest we go now before she decides to leave to another universe,” said Luna, who was slapping Moon in the face with her tail to keep her awake.
“Right!”
Zeal knew that Reliquena was going to die. There was no way she could stand up to the Sailor Senshi if Zeal herself was evenly matched with them. Zeal hadn’t gotten a very good idea of a plan to destroy them though so the sacrifice was a waste. It didn’t matter though. Zeal had plenty more minions who would give themselves up to try to impress her. She laughed at the idea of having so many people bowing down to her and how nice it will be. The only people who were standing in her way from this dream was the five Sailor Senshi and their two guardian cats. That was all………..
The Sailor Senshi approached the border to the forest and looked inward. It was dark and damp and cold. The plants grew so close together that there was almost no way to see in, and possibly no way to get out.
“I’ll burn a way in,” said Mars, getting ready to use her Fire Soul.
“Wait Mars. This is a forest. You’ll burn it down,” Mercury stated.
“What do you suggest then?” Mars asked.
There was a long pause as everyone shrugged.
“Good,” said Mars turning back around to forest, “Fire, Soul!” The fire burned a hole through all the vines and plants and even some tree trunks in it’s path of destruction. Even after the main fire had burned out, the rest of it continued to burn up the forest.
“Mercury! Aqua Rhapsody!”
The water followed the path the fire had taken and put out any remaining flames still eating away plants. The Sailor Senshi headed in.
Zeal was fuming. She looked turned around slowly to face where the ball of fire had come from and singed her. Before she could turn completely, shoots of water nailed her from behind. Zeal scowled.
“That’s it Sailor Senshi,” she whispered.
She was just about to stomp out of the forest when the silhouettes of five girls and two cats took the place of the space where the fire and water had come from.
“I am Sailor Moon! Champion of justice! And on behalf of the Moon, I will punish you!”
“Well Sailor Senshi. You have succeeded in making yourself a nuisance, but I am not going to be taken in by you. You can’t kill me, so you might as well give up this silly pursuit of justice. Go home to your own universe.”
“NEVER!” they said in unison.
Zeal wasn’t particularly happy with the decision of the Sailor Senshi. They weren’t going to give up pursuit. I guess I’ll just have to out-smart these Sailor Senshi.
“Starlight…..Honeymoon…..Therapy…..-”
Zeal snorted and disappeared through her portal. Mercury plunked at her computer while Moon gawked over the fact that Zeal wouldn’t let her finish her attack.
“I’ve got the coordinates. Let’s go!” Mercury looked at the other Sailors. They all looked like the were going to fall asleep where they stood. She sighed. Luna walked up to her.
“I think we should give them a break. They haven’t slept in a while.”
Mercury smiled as she watched as one by one, the Sailors fell asleep on the grass.
“I supposed so. Why do you think Zeal’s running Luna?”
“Maybe she’s afraid?”
“Afraid of what?”
“Afraid of the fact she’s not as strong as she thought she was. It probably scares her that there are people who are willing to stand up to her and fight against her. I don’t think where she’s from she’s had a problem with that and she doesn’t know how to deal with it.”
“I suppose,” sighed Mercury, “it’s just-” she turned to Luna and noticed that she had fallen asleep on her lap. She thought for a minute and realized how much she was longing to fall asleep. She stared at her computer again before her eyelids closed down. Her last thoughts were Can that be right, her portal leads to………………
A loud explosion woke up all the Sailors. They looked around at the forest which was beginning to crash down upon them.
“What happened?” Moon cried over the fire.
“Mercury looked for her computer. She picked it up and read it again.
“I was right! Zeal didn’t leave this universe. She teleported herself outside the forest.”
“Mercury! Use your bubbles!” coughed Venus.
“Bubble, Spray!”
The bubbles shot outward and killed some of the fire. Zeal’s had teleported a little before Mercury’s attack so she didn’t know the Sailor Senshi were still alive. Mercury plunked at her computer and got the coordinates that her portal had left behind. While the forest was still burning behind them, the Sailors formed a circle and teleported, once again, after Zeal.
