Sailor Moon and all related characters are the property of Takeuchi Naoko, Toei Animation and DIC.
The Zodiac Wars
by Ryan Bodle
Chapter Two- Ares
Rating: PG
The Fortitude, Bridge, Standard Earth Orbit...
"Lord Curien, Pisces has been destroyed," an ensign reported watching his designated screens.
"Destroyed?" Curien asked in a calm voice, sitting in a large chair, centre of the bridge to his ship.
"Yes sir, life signs didn't even fail for a second, Pisces just vanished," The ensign replied.
"Ensign, scan media files around the Earth for any super humans as it were, targeted around Pisces last known position. Then send the data on Pisces mission to my quarters."
"Yes sir," the ensign replied returning to his console.
*************************
Cherry Hill Temple, Tokyo...
Mina, Serena and Artemis made it all the to Cherry Hill with a hasted walk. Making straight for Raye's bedroom, they found the others waiting for them
"You're very late today Serena, even if you had detention again," Luna complained.
"What happen? You fall into one of your comas and your teacher have trouble waking you up?" Raye teased.
"Actually Raye, while you were sitting here reading, I was battle evil forces from the Negaverse," Serena defended.
"Serena's right, she and Mina had to fight another nega creature on the way here," Artemis jumped.
"Are you sure Artemis?" Luna asked, hopping to all four feet.
"Positive."
"Maybe a fire reading would help," Raye suggested.
"It may do," Luna replied. "Quickly girls, the finder we find out what we face the better." The group hurried behind Raye as always dressed in her robes when in the Temple or nearby.
Assuming positions behind the priestess, who knelt directly in front of the Sacred Fire, the girls watched in awe as always. The fire seemed to respond to Raye's presence. It seemed empty yet you couldn't see through it. Powerful, yet contained. Raye tossed a handful of powder into the fire, it hissed and raged for a split second. Followed by a prayer which nobody could hear, she finally spoke bolder.
"Sacred Fire, help us in this time of need, a new enemy of good shows itself, show this force to us."
The fire flickered and swayed as a gust of wind intruded, a picture finally became clear as Raye closed her eyes. Space, a ship of some sort. Arrow head almost and very large, precision cut, the wing span was unbelievable. A name flashed. FORTITUDE. The image disappeared. Raye opened her eyes.
"They're in space," she said turning. "I didn't sense a motive, they're just here, on a large ship."
"So are they a threat to us?" Lita asked. She stood up, one hand on her waist. She flicked back her pony tail which had the added colour of blonde, not too long ago, she had streaks put in her hair, and the fore part of her hair was now combed to the sides, making the best of the colour contrast. She now stood just short of six feet.
"Well their powers are similar to the negaverses capabilities, but I'd say their more dangerous to the Earth," Amy deduced. Any changes in her appearance were forced upon her by Serena. The first was the use of contacts although Amy reasoned it sensible as wearing glasses would impair her ability to fight as a Scout. Secondly, her pony tail, which Serena recommended when Amy purely forget about keeping it short. Serena said she liked it more than her original style and so it stayed.
"Why do you say that?" Mina asked.
"Well, all of our enemies focused their attacks on Tokyo where we live, and some time with good reason to their cause, however this new enemy could strike anywhere on Earth because they have no reason to be here, which means our respond time to attacks will severely crippled," the brains replied.
"So how do we fight? Surely there's a way to find out where they attack and when real quick," Lita asked.
"Media live reports are our best chance, but they take time to get on site," Amy replied.
"What about emergency services?" Luna asked.
"There's no possible way, to tell any emergency call from an attack from these people and still I can't do it legally."
"To hell with legal Amy," Lita muttered.
*************************
The Fortitude...
"Powerful indeed," Curien assessed looking at the data of his warrior's destruction. "I wonder if our new toy will work against them," he pondered. He left his seat and quarters behind him. His destination, the Science Lab, briskly he entered to the clean and well lighted room.
"Lord Curien," he was addressed by a half elderly man in a white uniform. "The molecule shield is complete and has been tested." He handed him a small sphere, it was dark black, yet it reflected light.
"Good work, I wish to use it straight away," he took it with him and exited without any other words, heading straight for the constellation chamber. He stepped up to the podium and used his summoning powers. "Aries, I require your services, come forth."
The constellation of Aries burst out and a droid replaced it. "You called my master?"
"Indeed I did, Pisces has been destroyed, you shall continue the mission from its last co-ordinates, use this if run into the Sailor Scouts," Curien ordered.
"Sailor Scouts?"
"You'll know when they come." Curien left Aries to his work.
*************************
Crossroads Highs School, two days after first encounter...
This day was never going to end, but at least it was lunch time. Lita didn't feel too hungry. 'Never mind, Serena will help me out there,' she thought to herself. Trudging outside where she usually met her friends, she sat down weary. Amy already there took the time to finish her paragraph and looked up.
"Something wrong Lita?"
"No, just tired, guess I should of got to sleep earlier last night, I felt so active I couldn't close my eyes," Lita untied her pack eyeing her lunch. "Feeling hungry, I'm not right now."
"No thanks, try asking Serena, no doubt she'll help you out," Amy joked smiling.
"Most likely," Lita smiled back weakly. Sure enough, a starved Serena came bouncing over to the two sitting on the wooden bench in the shade of a tree.
"Hey guys, how are you both? I'm fine before you ask," she beamed.
"I'm fine Serena," Amy replied, turning back to her book.
"I guess I'm feeling a little better, it's hard to feel down when you're like that Serena," Lita replied cheering up and yawning. "So want to share my lunch?"
"That's a rhetorical question right?" Serena asked, quite willingly joking on herself. Lita laughed and presented her lunch to Serena. Those huge blue eyes widened at the sight.
"Just dive in Serena," Lita offered, the pack was almost snatched from her, as Serena pulled out trinkets to fill herself with.
"Oh I'm sorry Lita," Serena managed between swallows. "Here, it's yours after all." Lita declined.
"I feel full enough," she commented. "just forget it was even mine." She drifted her eyes all the way across the school grounds, watching the every day events in the playground. She especially noted the bullying going on. Her eyes narrowed.
"You know, those guys have done nothing but shove around that new kid all week, they don't let up like they usually do," she said to the others watching the new kid scrabble for books and glasses, splayed all over the floor, whilst a chorus of elder boys stood and laughed, as well as kick the books away.
"Are you going to say something?" Amy asked drawn from her exercise again.
"I think somebody should," Lita growled, "think they're so tough, they weren't that bad, when they tried pushing me." She finally got up, and strolled over to the incident, trying to keep controlled.
*************************
"Come on Jamie, get your glasses back," they all laughed hysterically, whilst a cowering figure scuttled among the circle they had.
"Just give me my stuff back," the kid growled. Not a typical nerdy voice as you might consider, plain to say the least, no character to it.
"Why don't you do as he says?" Lita asked from outside their little circle, grimacing. "You're not the big shots around here, get of here, or I'll throw out!" she threatened. They stood their ground.
"What do you care about this little weed?"
"What makes you think anybody deserves this you little shit, get of here!" Her sudden raised voice meant to them she was angry.
"Gees ok, we'll back off," they cowered away leaving her with the victim to stand up. "you ok?" she asked.
"Besides having my manhood somewhat damaged, I'm fine," he joked.
"You stay here long enough, you might find out you haven't lost it really," she said back. "What's your name?"
"Jamie, yours?"
"Lita," Jamie's ears pricked a little.
"Nice to meet you," He arranged his hair, which was now a scruff, but with hand grooming became more acceptable. A light brown which was tied back, ordinary blue eyes, the only thing individual about him was his skin colour.
"Your not from around here, are you?"
"England actually."
"Really? I know a friend who lived there, her name's-,"
"Mina, I heard, not had that pleasure as of yet," he smiled.
"Listen, why don't you come eat with us?"
"Don't suppose it can be anymore damaging," he joked again. "My little way of hiding insecurity, don't mind my wise cracks." Lita walked him over to her friends.
"Guys this is Jamie, the new kid." A couple of smiles, nods and "hi" came Jamie's way, he curtly replied. He then looked at Amy still reading.
"One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them. One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them," Amy turned up at him.
"You've read the book," she returned. He nodded.
"I trust you've read 'The Hobbit,'" he asked. Amy returned with a negative shake. Jamie quickly glanced at how much she read. "Stop reading that."
"Why?"
"Read 'The Hobbit' first, it's a prelude to 'The Lord of the Rings,' and explains how ring came to Bilbo," he replied. "The book might be spoilt for you." Amy closed her book.
"I see, I'll do that."
"Of course, The Simirillion came before that, but it doesn't anything to do with the story but rather Middle-Earth, so you can leave it."
"I heard this was voted book of the century, but how do you know so much about these books?"
"Well, JRR Tolkein came from England, he created Middle-Earth tales as night time stories for his kids, finally he released a series of books, anyway I'm certain people are lost am I right?"
"Uh yeah," Serena raised a hand, lowering her head.
"Don't feel bad, there's more books about from that man about the same place than I can remember, so what's your forte Serena?"
"Well, I uh, I can-," Serena stuttered.
"Have an unexplained ability to pull through for people when they really need you?" Jamie answered for her. "Don't seem you, there has to be something else. Sports?"
"She can barely stay standing for ten minutes," Lita pushed.
"Can it Lita, I don't need that!" Serena protested. Jamie's alarm on his watch went off.
"Oh damn, gotta rush somewhere before class, catch you all later," Jamie trekked off out of sight quickly. Serena's communicator bleeped, watching both ways, she answered. It was Raye.
"Serena, there's been monster sights where you said you fought that creature two days ago, I'm on my way there now, sneak out and help me trash this thing."
"Will do, guys we've got work to do," Serena ordered.
"Class starts soon."
"Good we can miss it," Serena replied and watched for a blind exit. It seemed there was no escape, "how do we get out of here?" Bells rang, kids filed out of the school uncontrollably. Screams waved through the air.
"What's going on?" May asked watching with great confusion.
"Look!" Lita pointed to the science labs emitting oceanic amounts of thick smoke. "That's a distraction if I ever saw one, let's book it!" With everybody running and turning to see flames, the three girls could have left shouting their exit and still be invisible.
"JUPITER STAR POWER!" An enveloping green light casing the once Lita Kino as Sailor Jupiter.
"MERCURY STAR POWER!" A shimmering blue glow made Amy Mizuno Sailor Mercury.
"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" The holy blessing turned Serena Tsukino in to the legendary Sailor Moon.
*************************
All three ploughed through the streets to the co-ordination of action. Sure enough the Ares droid was there, repeating Pisces actions.
"Hold it right there!" Sailor Moon declared levelling a finder at him, "I'll not lat this continue, come on girls!" With that, three daring super figures leapt high with their super human prowess
Ares awaited the attack with eagerness. It snarled yet seemed more like a smirk. Sailor Jupiter allowed a barrage of electricity before landing.
"JUPITER thunder cloud...Zap!" Holding the destructive force in her hands she flung it towards the creature with great force. Ares stood firm as it collided with thin air right before him.
"How'd he do that?" Sailor Moon asked gasping.
"That shoulda creamed him!" Jupiter exclaimed. Mercury summoned her visor and scanned the foe.
"I can't get a reading on it, there's some sort of shield which is preventing my scans as well as our attacks," she explained.
"So how do we fight it?" Jupiter asked, broadening her stance and raising her fists.
"The only thing I can suggest is to wear it down until it breaks, I can't get a reading on anything about it," Mercury replied.
"Right, try this! JUPITER Thunder...CRASH!" The antennae raising on her tiara, Jupiter summoned further more energy and forced it towards Ares only to have similar results to her previous attack.
"SHINE Aqua...ILLUSION!" Creating a torrent of water which formed into an icicle spear, Sailor Mercury's power fared no better. "It didn't even flinch or stagger back from impact, that is one hell of a shield," Mercury noted.
Ares took its turn now, leaping for the three heroes with a mountainous arm raised, a shadow holocaust was created as it blocked the Sun from Jupiter's eyes, standing firm as usual, Jupiter raised a fist to match the onslaught.
With great surprise, her fist connected. Ares was knocked back several feet as it missed the Amazon completely. The gargantuan made a crevice in the tarmac as it landed.
"You broke through! Alright Jupiter!" Sailor Moon exclaimed as the Moon Sceptre appeared in her hands. Ares stood as its head cleared. The Holy Destruction was aimed at him. "MOON Sceptre...Elimination!" There was a blinding ray streaming towards the creature, a second flash, the force of Sailor Moon bounced off harmlessly. Mouths dropped at the recent event.
"That shield is impenetrable inwards or outwards, when up nothing gets in or out," Sailor Mercury answered having scanned whilst Jupiter was handing out a punch to the monster. As soon as it's activated, the creature can't move outside without being harmed."
"So we have to wait for it to move?" Jupiter asked.
"From what I can tell, I don't think there's anyway we can hurt this thing," Mercury replied. Ares roared forward with an earthquake roar. "Shine Aqua Illusion!" Sailor Mercury tried once again as the ice javelin sliced air at the star droid. Ares stopped with amazing reactions, activating its shield.
"That thing's quick to the draw!" Jupiter said watching the attack dissipate.
"Jupiter break!" Sailor Moon shouted as Ares repeated his attempt on the last target, Jupiter rolled to one side evading a comet punch. A quick arm raised and the fore arm connected with a Jupitan torso.
"Unnh!" Jupiter breathed out as she was battered by the creature. A killer blow was lined up as Jupiter staggered back out of the pit made by her body in the brick wall. Time also stopped for her as she saw the muscle clad object descend at "Terminal Velocity." She closed her eyes and cringed. 'Not again,' she thought to herself. Her hearing stopped, everything stopped, almost. She could hear breathing, she could her heart peak to the rate of a mouse.
Nothing. What happened? Shouldn't she be dead? Her eyes opened, Ares held its arm with an anguished expression. But how? The fur was melted and burnt, Jupiter viewed the scene. Sailor Mars stood triumphant and looking pleased with her timing. Sound. The super sonic scream from Ares, the cheers of a relieved Sailor Moon at the rescue of Jupiter, some background noise, traffic which was being diverted due to their presence. And then another voice, one not recognized by any of the Sailors.
"Ares, return your test is done," it lingered in the air. Ares looked up to the skies from where the voice came, it nodded silently.
"Oh no you don't!" Jupiter exclaimed raising a knee to the nearby opponent, hitting straight in the abdomen. It folded in half, grabbing the area of pain emitting the emotion through its body. Jupiter brought both hands together, forcing both arms on its back, Ares grunted seeing as it hadn't caught its breath from the last blow. It fell to the floor, and the sounds caused vibrations almost.
"Now to take this thing out for good," Sailor Moon said levelling the Moon Sceptre once more, repeating her spell and energies, the stream collided with Ares and once again a monstrosity was vanquished.
*************************
The Fortitude...
"Ares' life signs have failed Lord Curien," a hand slammed on the commanding chair's arm rest. Curien did not seem happy. He raised a glass with his other hand and looked into the contents.
"Beryl, you made the mistake of under estimating these girls, I'll not do the same, I'll complete my intended mission, I will always take them into account," he changed his loud thoughts, "Ares, you suffered for your hesitation, your mistake, not mine."
TO BE CONTINUED