Venus' Flame

Ten: Battle

Sailor Mars ran to the middle of the school field when she felt an ominous presence nearby. She looked behind herself and gave the area a quick scan before leaping into the air to find the rest of her team mates. She knew they had to be somewhere around the school buildings, especially considering that the enemy in question was attacking students from the local school.

She flew through the air and stopped near a small window. She scrutinised what was happening inside. Sailor Chibi Moon was trying to vault over a monster in a feeble attempt to shield a non-transformed Hotaru and her other friend, Momoko Momohara. Without thinking of the consequences, she burst through the window and cracked the glass in the process. She curled both her hands into fists.

"Chibi Moon! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She screamed out through gritted teeth. "You're just going to put them in more danger if you keep acting in such a irrational manner!"

"Sailor Mars, I was just trying to shield them from the—" Chibi Moon began to testify.

"Where's your Sailor Quartet? Don't they fight with you?" Mars interrupted.

"I didn't want to burden them, so I didn't call for their help..." The small pink haired guardian muttered solemnly.

"Oh, come on!" Sailor Mars glared at the younger female. "Look, they're your Guardian goddesses! Their lives exist in order to protect yours!"

"I know, I just didn't want them to feel like they had to come and save me, you know?" Chibi Moon sighed, realising how pointless it was to argue with the Guardian of Fire. "Fine! I'll call on them!"

Mars shrugged and said, "Good" before grabbing an ofuda from under her glove. "Right, you little atavistic monster! Who do you think you are, hopelessly attacking innocent little kids! Honestly, your actions are just despicable!" She then counted down numbers in an incantation of prayer. "Evil Spirits, Be Exorcised!" The ofuda was then set on fire and sent hurtling towards the enemy, temporarily stunning it.

Hotaru was watching it all unfold with a slightly disturbed expression crossing her features. "It's my job to protect both you and Momoko, Chibiusa-chan!" she shouted. She held her hand up in the air. Without a moment of hesitation, she screamed out, "Saturn Crystal Power! Make Up!"

The Guardian of War realised that the two girls could handle that monster themselves with the power that they had, but silently watched on. Chibi Moon cried out for her Guardian Deities to appear before her, which they quickly obeyed to. Seeing no need for further assistance from herself, Sailor Mars rushed off to another room to find her comrades.

She went in the direction of the school's infirmary to notice Mercury trying to guide herself through the hallway. The Guardian of War smiled at her fellow comrade and they fought the monster in the hallway together. Sailor Mars had not realised this until now, but her and the Guardian of Knowledge made for a good team.

Mercury called for her Mercury Harp to appear before her and began to play a water-summoning melody on it. "Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!" she shouted out, causing water to flow through the strings of the instrument and hurtle towards their opponent. "Now, Sailor Mars!"

The Guardian of Passion nodded in response and called for her Mars Arrow to grant her audience and appear for her. She grabbed a bow to perform her attack. "Mars Flame Sniper!" She hollered, sending her arrow straight for the monster.

Both girls had the powers of one of their attacks combine with the other's and smiled. Mars put her hands together and glared yonder towards the monster and Mercury manifested her goggles to create the opportunity for another attack to be laid on the enemy without it being expected.

Sailors Uranus and Neptune made a prompt entrance to assist the two with their battle, even though the Guardians of the Inner Planets seldom looked like they actually required solid assistance. Neptune grabbed her violin and began to play it. Due to the pair having great battle unity, Uranus held her right hand out, cupped, in the air. A beautiful melody was playing from the violin.

"Submarine Violon Tide!" Michiru shouted out, the noise from the violin creating a large ocean tide. The tide flowed over the enemy and it fell back into the wall.

Without having to be addressed by the Guardian of the Deep Seas, Sailor Uranus nodded and nearly immediately knew what it was that was needed of her. "Space Turbulence!" she yelled out in a gruff tone. A ridiculous amount of universal power welled up, and she freed it with an underarm throw.

Both older teenagers stared at the pair of Inner Guardians expectantly. Nodding, Sailor Mercury called out, "Shine Snow Illusion!" Snowflakes came from the female's hands and created a smokescreen.

Mars ran and made a daring leap at the monster before the fog cleared. "Burning Mandala!" She yelled, geometric flames coming from her hands and heading straight into the enemy. Uranus' attack made it fall flat on the ground. "Mercury?" The Guardian of Fire wondered aloud.

Nodding, the Guardian of Knowledge felt a bed of water coursing through her veins. She let her arms and hands dive downwards to symbolise a wave of seawater. "Mercury Mirage Wave!" was what the Guardian shouted out, performing the final blow on the enemy.

The moth separated from its vessel, leaving behind the disembodied body of an art teacher.

"Mercury, Mars! Go further into the labyrinth and find Venus and Jupiter! We'll go check up on Chibi Moon!" Uranus ordered.

...

"Venus Wink Chain Sword!" Venus snapped, controlling the power of her ball chain and allowing it to create the light illusion of a sword. The chain stabbed into the monster three times in a row before retreating back to the female.

"Jupiter Kick!" Sailor Jupiter hollered, rushing for the monster and kicking it in the back, being flung back from the very power of her own move.

"Come on! We've got this!" Sailor Venus shouted.

"I think we need—"

"Mercury! Mars! Where are Moon and the others?" Venus wondered aloud as she noticed the two Guardians.