Chapter 10: Sailor Moon vs. Ensign Mercury Hiya, it's me, Chibi-Mamoru Darien Chiba!! I'm back at it again. I just want to remind you that Naoko Takeuchi created the world of Sailor Moon and its inhabitants while Hermione Mizuno, Cara Aino, the Adaptation Sceptre, and the judges Shelly Desiree LaPhoenix and Sandra Gregory Naturalier are of my creation. Enjoy yourself!!!! **************************************************************** *******Crystal Tokyo UltraDome: July 10, 2996, 10 am******* "Will Reenie Chiba and Hermione Mizuno please report to the center of the arena?" Shelly announced. "I guess that's my cue," I told my parents as I walk towards the center. On the eastern side of the arena, Hermione's parents Amy Mizuno and Greg Ryo had told Hermione to report as called. Hermione and I arrive at the center a few seconds later. I hand over my brooch to Shelly and Hermione reluctantly hands Shelly her transformation ring. Shelly then places the items at our feet. "All right, girls; face me!!" Shelly belted out from the north. Hermione and I do as we are told. "Bow." We bow to Shelly and she returns our bow. "Now face me!!" Sandra declared from the south. "Bow." I do as I'm told, but Hermione hesitates a few seconds before doing as she is told. Sandra then bows back and says, "Face your parents!! Bow." I bow to my parents and Hermione bows to hers. "Face each other!!" Shelly barked. "Bow." Hermione and I bow to each other. "Out of the inner rectangle." Hermione and I walk to our respective ends of the inner rectangle, the western end for me and the eastern end for Hermione. "Yohi?" Shelly asks Sandra. Sandra sets his watch for one hour and nods after he and Shelly back away from us. Not wanting to be caught by surprise like I did with Cara last battle, I perk up my ears for Shelly's signal to begin fighting. After setting her watch, Shelly cries out, "HAJIME!!!" I charge towards my brooch and Hermione races toward her transformation ring. I grab my brooch first and beat her to the punch. "Moon prism power!!!!" I cried out. Hermione quickly puts her transformation ring on. "Hey, no fair!!! You cheated, Sailor Moon!!!" Hermione protested when I come out of my transformation poised for combat. "Mercury quasar power, blast off!!!!" I relax and patiently wait for Hermione to finish her transformation to Ensign Mercury. Once her transformation is finished, I launch a front kick at Ensign Mercury . . . only to hit air!!! Where did she go?!?! I hear a shrill, "Hiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeya!!!!!" before suddenly finding myself eating the arena floor. Ensign Mercury!!!! I scramble to my feet, but Ensign Mercury kicks me hard in the right side. I answer with a sweep. With Ensign Mercury delayed temporarily, I scramble to my feet and do several quick backflips to lure her back to the eastern side of the arena. I then leap high in the air and summon the Adapation Sceptre to battle. No more being nice!!! "Venus battle mode!!!" I cried out as I land and then hold the Adaptation Sceptre above my head. Ensign Mercury stops DEAD in her tracks when my costume changes to incorporate some features unique to that of Sailor Venus. This buys me all the time I need. I point the Sceptre at Ensign Mercury and scream, "Venus Crescent Beam, smash!!!!" The laser gets her right in the chest. "Ow!!!" Ensign Mercury shrieked. Good!!! About time someone put that bully in her place!! "Mercury Ice Storm . . ., blast!!!!" Uh oh. "Venus Cresent Beam, smash!!!!" I yelled as I close my eyes and mentally brace myself for the Mercury Ice Storm to hit me. I hear a shriek. I'm okay. I'm okay!!!! I open my eyes and check myself over. Everything's still here, but more importantly, Ensign Mercury is lying on the floor in pain. Shelly stalks over and slowly counts down from 10. "Point: Sailor Moon!!!!" Shelly declared. The crowd cheers wildly with my parents cheering loudest of all. Sandra helps Ensign Mercury to her feet and makes certain she is fit to continue fighting. "Pssst!!! Reenie!" Cara called from the eastern entrance. I walk over to see what Cara wants. "Cara! What are you doing here?" I asked excitedly. "Hold on a minute." I raise the Adaptation Sceptre above my head and cry out, "Shut down!!!" I return to using my regular powers and I retire the Sceptre from battle. "I saw that creep Hermione knock you around like a rag doll, Reenie," Cara said. "I also saw how she did that sneak attack at the beginning. I hope you're okay. Use the Venus Meteor Shower right when you start out this time and watch your back when Hermione cries out the phrase `Mercury Refraction Shield, distract.' If you can find a way to get that sceptre of yours to shoot out the Venus Love Chain and that lightning at the same time, Reenie, you just *might* rob Hermione of the ability to use the Mercury Refraction Shield if you are successful." "I think I can pull this off," I said to Cara after some deep thought. "It'll take a lot of the Sceptre's energy, though." "You can also take your chances just using the lightning," Cara suggested to me. "But it's not as accurate and you may have to do it several times before you do enough to render the Mercury Refraction Shield useless, though. I don't know; I'm sure you'll find a way. Good luck." I return to the center of the arena and Ensign Mercury arrives. "Your good luck cannot last forever, Sailor Moon!!!" Ensign Mercury growled. "We'll see about that, Ensign Mercury!!!" I snarled. "Come on, girls!!!" Sandra interceded between us. "This *is* NOT a grudge match!!" I despise Ensign Mercury and I vow in front of God that she is going to go down in flames or my name isn't Serena Usagi Chiba!!!!! "All right, girls, I want a *nice* CLEAN fight," Shelly declared as she puts the emphasis on the word `clean.' "If this gets personal, I won't hesitate to stop the fight and dismiss you both. Is that understood?" "Osu," I replied. Gritting my teeth, I add, "Right, Ensign Mercury?" "Understood," Ensign Mercury told Shelly. "Good!!" Shelly said. "HAJIME!!!!" Ensign Mercury and I circle each other studying the other to decide how to best attack. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!!!!" I screamed as I follow up the attack with a front jump kick. This catches Ensign Mercury by surprise. "Nice, but now try this for size!!!" Ensign Mercury remarked to me as I try to summon the Adapation Sceptre to battle. "Mercury Ice Storm . . ., freeze!!!" This situation calls for some special language: oh, shit!!! The good news is that I'm able to get out of the way by leaping over the attack. But the bad news is that I land flat on my face and hurt my ankle. "Your luck just ran out, Sailor Moon!!" Ensign Mercury laughs. "Mercury Ice Storm . . ., FREEZE!!!!" I then find myself encased in a thick skin-tight sheet of ice up to the base of my neck. "I had hoped that you would be more of a challenge to defeat, but it turns out that all you're good for is a laugh. Face some cold reality, Reenie. I *will* NEVER join your court!!! I come, go, and do as I please without answering to anyone. Even if you do defeat me, your victory means nothing!!! How are you going to enforce your orders? It may be easy enough to run to Mommy and Daddy for help now, but they won't be around forever. You know, the way I see things, *I* should form a court of my own and force you onto it. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!" I break into a smile when I notice Endymion, Serenity, Greg, and Amy standing behind Ensign Mercury looking down at her. Sandra and Shelly join the party. "Ensign Mercury, can I have one last request?" I asked. "Sure, what?" Ensign Mercury answered me. "Look behind you," I said. Ensign Mercury laughs at me and declares that what I'm pulling is the oldest trick in the book and that she will not fall for it. But she decides to be a good sport and do as I ask. "Your Majesties, Greg, Amy, I . . . didn't hear you walk up behind me," Ensign Mercury said nervously. "Their Majesties, your mother, and I heard you running off at the mouth, young lady," Greg told Ensign Mercury coldly. "Loud and clear. Reenie is *NOT* an enemy. This is SUPPOSED to be competitive exhibition in which you show Reenie what you can do and vice versa, NOT an all-out grudge match!!!!! You will never be the leader, so get that thought out of your head." "Get this through your thick skull, Hermione Mizuno!!!" Amy yelled at Ensign Mercury, mother's angry blue eyes meeting daughter's dark gray eyes. "As long as you possess the watery and icy powers of Sailor Mercury, you *will* take orders from Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion. When the time comes to go back to Mercury and revitalize the planet, you *will* ALSO take orders from your father and me in addition to those of Their Majesties. Am I making myself clear??" "Osu," Ensign Mercury told Amy as she turns to walk away and powers down. Sailor Mars arrives on the scene and makes short work of my icy prison using her fiery powers. Powering down helps ease the pain to where I'm able to walk on my injured ankle without pain if I take it slowly and gently. Hermione is going to pay for this!!! "Mommy, I'm scared of Hermione," I told Serenity. "I don't want to fight her." Serenity and Endymion look at each other. Then they look at Greg and Amy who are at a loss for what to say to me. After telling Serenity and Endymion that she wants to talk to me in private, Sailor Mars scoops me up and heads to a private area of the UltraDome. "Now, Reenie, what scares you about Hermione?" Raye asked compassionately. "She tried to kill me, Raye," I sobbed. "Amy did not train Hermione to kill you, Reenie," Raye told me. "Your future court members are not trained to try and kill you." "(sniff) (sniff) They aren't?" I wanted to confirm. "No, they aren't," Raye confirmed. "The sole instruction your future court members have is to give you a good fight within the confines of the rules your father drew up and mailed to the other Sailor Scouts and me. That's what they're trained to do. I believe what happened is that Hermione was doing just as trained but got a bit carried away." "A bit carried away?" I asked Raye skeptically, raising an eyebrow. "I'd say she switched tracks entirely back there." "Hermione will get hers in the end," Raye assured me. "I was hoping that you defeating her will teach her the lesson Amy and Greg have done a poor job teaching her. Hermione thinks that she can just go through life treating everyone just any old way she pleases. Someone should have taken Hermione around the corner and knocked some sense into her when she was in her terrible twos. But that's all in the past now. So do you think that you can take Hermione on, Reenie?" "I think so, Raye," I said shakily. "No, Reenie!! Say it like you REALLY mean it," Raye admonished me. "Either you defeat Hermione or you don't. Now can you defeat Hermione?" "Yes, I can!!!" I declared. "I *can* and I *will* defeat Hermione!!!" "I'd say that Hermione is in it now," Raye said as she takes me by the hand and leads me to the western entrance of the arena. "Reenie, it's very important to put your mind to whatever you're doing because if you do, you'll accomplish more faster and better. Under certain circumstances, a firm decision like the one you made is all that determines whether or not you succeed in accomplishing difficult tasks like defeating Hermione and winning this tournament." "Point: Ensign Mercury!!!" Shelly declared. The crowd begins to boo loudly. "But because of Ensign Mercury's unsportsmanlike conduct, Sailor Moon is allowed to have one partner." I hug Raye happily and tell her to find Cara. "Did you hear, Cara?" I asked Cara happily once Raye brings her before the western portcullis. "Yeah, I heard, Reenie," Cara cried as she hugs me. "Let's go out there and teach Hermione a lesson!!!" Cara and I clasp hands and march into the arena. "Good luck, girls," Raye called after Cara and me. "Remember, you either defeat Hermione or you don't. There is NO room for guessing or doubt!!!" Once at the center of the arena, I get out my brooch and Cara calls for her transformation ring and puts it on her finger. "Ready, Reenie?" Cara asked. "I'm ready," I told Cara with as much resolve as I could. "Remember what Raye said: either we defeat Hermione or we don't," Cara reminded me. "When the fighting starts, you get your sceptre out while I tangle with Hermione. Then when she leasts expects it, I'll ensnare her in my chain and you zap her with your lightning. Hopefully this will disable the Mercury Refraction Shield before Hermione gets a chance to use it." Hermione puts her transformation ring on. "Yohi?" Sandra asked Shelly. Shelly nods. "HAJIME!!!" Shelly barked. "Mercury quasar power, blast off!!!!" Hermione cried, beginning her transformation to Ensign Mercury. "Venus quasar power, blast off!!!!" Cara shouted, commencing her conversion to Ensign Venus. "Moon prism power!!!!" I cried out. By the time I finish my transformation, Ensigns Venus and Mercury were already locked in hand-to-hand combat with neither gaining an advantage over the other. I waste no time in summoning the Adaptation Sceptre to battle, but I can't get a clear shot at Ensign Mercury. I move in close to see if I can be of any help. "Mercury Ice Storm, blast!!!!" Ensign Mercury cried out, sending Ensign Venus flying through the air. Now's my chance!!! But before I could, Ensign Mercury shouts out the very words Cara had warned me about, "Mercury Refraction Shield, distract!!!!" What ensues will have the most eagle-eyed doubting their vision. Ensign Venus and I waste no time in getting back to back when we find ourselves surrounded by seven Ensign Mercury clones!!! Ensign Venus and I try our luck attacking the clones, but when we do, we receive our own attacks with seven times the force we originally launched them with. A boot-covered foot suddenly catches me in the chest and knocks the Adaptation Sceptre from my hand. "My sceptre!!!" I cried. "I lost the Adaptation Sceptre!!!" "Oh, no!!!" Ensign Venus groaned. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!" Ensign Mercury laughed. "So that's what this thing is called. It will be fun to take it apart to see how it works after I defeat you guys." "Now we'll . . .," I whined. "Urasai (Shut up), Reenie!!!!" Ensign Venus snapped at me. "What makes you so certain that you can defeat us, Ensign Mercury? You know that you would be defeated in a one-on-one shoot out with any Sailor Scout except your mother and you also know that my Venus Crescent Beam will overpower your attacks if it were to meet them." "What are you doing?" I asked Ensign Venus. "Trust me, okay?" Ensign Venus told me. "I have a plan." "What makes me so certain I can defeat you?" Ensign Mercury laughed complacently. "Look at how easily my Mercury Refraction Shield has stopped you." "Gotcha!!!" Ensign Venus cried as she whips around beside me. "Venus Meteor Shower!!!!" "AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Ensign Mercury screamed. The clones all vanish except for one. "How . . . how did you defeat my Mercury Refraction Shield!?!?! It's supposed to be unbeatable!!!!" "You forgot that sound carries better in water, Hermione," Ensign Venus told Ensign Mercury as she delivers a front kick which doubles Ensign Mercury over and sends her down for the count. Sandra walks over and counts down slowly from 10. "Point: Sailor Moon and Ensign Venus!!!!" Sandra declared. The crowd cheers wildly. "Come to center stage and take a bow; you both deserve it for a job well done." Hand in hand, Cara and I detransform from being Ensign Venus and Sailor Moon and skip to the center happily. We bow several times. During the intermission, Cara takes me aside and tells me that our principal priority during the next fight should be to disable the Mercury Refraction Shield. "It was only by sheer luck that I was able to get us out of the Shield by tracking Hermione's voice and launching my attack in that direction, Reenie," Cara argued. "Hermione is not stupid. She learns from her mistakes." "So what do we do?" I asked Cara. "I'll have to hypnotize Hermione and make her believe that the Mercury Refraction Shield will not work," Cara replied. "But to do so, we'll first have to wear her resistance down using hand-to-hand combat and by using my Venus Crescent Beam and your Pink Sugar Heart Attack. Then we combine my Venus Love Chain and your lightning. One good treatment should be enough. After we disable the Shield, we'll be home free." "I hope this works, Cara," I said nervously. "That makes two of us, Reenie," Cara agreed as she rotates her transformation ring into position, "but there's only one way to find out for certain. Venus quasar power, blast off!!!!" "Moon prism power!!!!" I shouted. Now having transformed to Sailor Moon and Cara into Ensign Venus, we return to the center of the arena. Ensign Mercury arrives soon after, her dark gray eyes screaming vengeance. "This time, there will be NO escape from the Mercury Refraction Shield!!!" Ensign Mercury growled. "We won't have to escape from your Shield because you'll NEVER get a chance to use it!!!" Ensign Venus affirmed. "After we neutralize it, you'll soon follow!!!" I pledged to Ensign Mercury. "All right, all right, girls," Sandra interrupted us as he steps in between us. "Save it for the upcoming duel. You ready, Shelly?" "I can tell I'm not going to be bored this time around," Shelly chuckled at Sandra as they assume their positions to either side of us. "HAJIME!!!" "Venus Meteor Shower!!!!" Ensign Venus shouted. I leap over Ensign Mercury and slap her with a side kick right when Ensign Venus's Venus Meteor Shower connects. I feel kind of sorry for Ensign Mercury right now . . . NOT!!!!!! "Nice hero sandwich, partner," I complimented Ensign Venus. "You weren't so bad yourself," Ensign Venus replied back at me. "Too bad, the meat doesn't agree with us, though." "Mercury Bubbles, blast!!!!" Ensign Mercury cried out, covering the arena in a dense fog. "Venus Love Chain, encircle!!!!" Ensign Venus cried as she throws her chain into the fog. "Come on, chain; snare her!!! Get your sceptre ready!!" I summon the Adaptation Sceptre to battle as Ensign Venus gives her chain a sharp tug. "I got her!!!" Ensign Venus yells happily when she hears a grunt. "Now, Sailor Moon!!" "Sceptre, electrocute!!!!" I cried as I touch the bulb of the Adaptation Sceptre to the Chain. Lightning runs along the Chain from the Sceptre and shocks Ensign Mercury who screams out in pain. The fog also vanishes. "It's over, Ensign Mercury!!!" Ensign Venus declared as she retracts her Chain. "You lost!!!" "You might as well surrender and join my court," I told Ensign Mercury. "You don't have a leg to stand on!!!" "I . . . I can't believe that I lost," Ensign Mercury whispered, shedding a tear. I retire the Adaptation Sceptre from battle and hug Ensign Mercury. "Shhhh shhh," I comforted Ensign Mercury. "I'm not angry with you anymore. You gave me a very good fight, especially with the Mercury Refraction Shield. You almost had me there!!" Ensign Mercury smiles at me and I summon the Adaption Sceptre. "What are you going to do to me, Sailor Moon?" Ensign Mercury asked me. "I'm going to adapt your powers to myself, Ensign Mercury," I said. "You won't feel a thing." I smile reassuringly and then touch the business end of the Adapation Sceptre to Ensign Mercury's heart. "Adaptive Assimilation!!!" I encounter a lot of resistance as I download Ensign Mercury's powers into the Sceptre, so it's taking a long time. I could feel a lot of bitterness in Ensign Mercury that concerns her parents. She had been yelled at, threatened, and beaten by her frustrated parents. In anger, Amy once told Hermione that she often wished that she had aborted her. Greg had seen Amy upset whenever she had dealt with Hermione and the guilt associated with that made Hermione cold and bitter whenever she had to deal with adult authority. By the time I had finished, I'm crying. "Reenie, what's the matter?" Cara asked, detransforming from being Ensign Venus. "Reenie came upon some bad memories of mine when she was adapting my powers to herself, Cara," Hermione explained as she shakes me to snap me out of my trance. "Reenie!!! Snap out of it!!!! Everybody's staring at you!!!" I slowly come to and Shelly escorts Hermione and me to the center of the arena while Sandra silences the crowd. "All right, girls; face me!!" Shelly belts out from the north. Hermione and I do as we are told. "Bow." We bow to Shelly and she returns our bow. "Now face me!!" Sandra declared from the south. "Bow." Again, Hermione and I do as we are told. Sandra then bows back and says, "Face your parents!! Bow." I bow to my parents and Hermione bows to hers. "Face each other!!" Shelly barked at Hermione and me. "Bow." Hermione and I bow to each other. "Good job, ladies. You are both dismissed." Cara, Hermione, and I exit via the western entrance. "I wonder where our parents are," Cara remarked. "I'm not too particularly happy to see mine, Cara," Hermione said. "Reenie, I'm not sure when you have to tangle with the Outers' kids, but I know that Cecelia is one *really* TOUGH customer. Her dad has been training Irvette, Claribel, and her to launch their main attacks multiple times at their enemies. I did some research on Sailor Uranus and what I found is devastating!! Her main attack, the World Shaking, is second in power only to Eternal Sailor Moon's Moon Gorgeous Meditation. Eternal Sailor Moon's Rainbow Moon Heartache matches the World Shaking in power, but it always hits its target." "That's much later, Hermione," Cara said. "Reenie still has to best Ariadne and Clotilda first and neither is an easy opponent. "How true," Hermione agreed with Cara. "Reenie, Ariadne's attacks as Ensign Mars will easily overpower your powers and Cara's and mine, so trying to outdo her is out of the question. Your best bet is to be sneaky and use my Mercury Ice Storm to wear her down quickly. Also, watch out for the Mars Deceptive Mirage." "Ariadne can also put thoughts directly into your head, Reenie," Cara said. "Don't forget about that." "What about Clotilda?" I asked Hermione and Cara who look at each other as if arguing who would answer my question. "Well, Reenie . . .," Cara began, at a loss for words, "when you beat Ariadne, she is supposed to tell you about Clotilda." "But I haven't yet, Cara," I said, a tad bit annoyed. "Tell me about Clotilda!!!" "I have four words for you in regards to Clotilda," Cara told me. "Don't use my Chain. Whatever you do, Reenie, do NOT use the Venus Love Chain!!" "When you defeat Clotilda, we'll learn more about what the Outers are up to and when their kids will take their turn against you, Reenie," Hermione said. "Why is that, Hermione?" I asked. "Even though Sailor Jupiter should be with the Outers because her guardian planet is outside of the asteriod belt between Mars and Jupiter, she is an Inner by alliance," Hermione explained to me. "Clotilda has used this fact to her advantage and now acts as liaison between us and the Outers' kids. It's because of her that I could tell you the information that I just did about Griffith training Cecelia, Irvette, and Claribel the way he is. If we wish to learn more, you'll have to defeat Clotilda and ask her what she knows, Reenie. Whoa ho, I just sounded like Sailor Pluto for a sec there!!! But like Cara said, that's much later. Let's go get some lunch; I'm starved!!!" THE END Awww, that's so cute!!! I like the way I ended this chapter. I bet you weren't expecting Hermione to turn over a new leaf after her defeat. So what do you think so far? What about the Mercury Refraction Shield? Is it too easy an attack to counter or do you think it's too nasty? Why? Email address: CMDChiba@hotmail.com Please put the title of this fanfic in the subject line of your letter. Doing so will enable me to get back to you much faster.