Chapter Five Two's A Charm Makoto jerked her head up. "What in the-?" she said as she turned. Two screams echoed down the hallway. ---------- Deep within the Earth a tremor shook the church. Inside the building, Priest Helios rushed towards a room. He pushed the double doors opened and took in a sudden gasp. In the middle of the room, a small crystal bell floated above the stand it normally sat upon. It was the same bell Chibi-usa used to call him when the Senshi were in trouble. He had kept it since they last met. Now the bell began to spin, slowly at first then it turned faster and faster and faster until it was a blur. Breathing deep, the priest walked to it. "What's happening on the surface?" he thought when he reached it. Suddenly the bell flared up with a pink light. Helios had to shield his eyes with his hands. He peeked between the cracks of his fingers and saw an image. It was of Chibi-usa. She was lying in a bed, unconscious...no, his instincts told him she was in something like a coma. A dark energy surrounded her. He noticed it came from a treated wound on her chest and flowed around her prone body. The image evaporated, as did the light around the bell. The bell fell to the floor. As it hit that floor, it cracked. Helios bent down to carefully pick up the bell. He studied it in his hand. The bell suddenly began to turn from transparent pink to black before his eyes. "No," he whispered. "No. No! It can't be! It can't be happening!" Fear consumed him, as he finished, "Not the Dark Legend Anything but that!" ---------- "Ami-chan! Rei-chan!" Makoto shouted as she reached the hallway that lead to Ami's room. The door was ajar. Ami and Rei were sprawled out on the floor, Ami half way out the door, both unconscious. "Ami-chan!! Rei-chan!!" Makoto shouted with fear. ---------- Pegasus soared through the air, invisible to the people of Outer Crystal Tokyo below him. "I must hurry!" he thought urgently. ---------- Ami and Rei were still unconscious. Makoto stood beside their beds, a worried looked on her face. A few beds down, was the same boy who had tried to capture Chibi-usa. He had been unconscious since talking with Rei and the others. Makoto shot a short glance at him. Then she turned her full attention to him. He seemed to be outlined with a dark energy. "What?" she thought as she stepped towards him. As she got closer she noticed his skin now had a slight tint of dark green and as she stared at him, the color grew darker. Suddenly she realized what was happening to him. She took a step back, her eyes wide. She took another step before turning and running out the door, and to the throne room. Meanwhile, the boy's eyes slowly opened, revealing them to be large and bright yellow. He sat up as his skin turned rough and was now completely dark green, transforming him back into the creature he had been. Rei and Ami suddenly sat up also, their eyes hollow and white. ---------- "Usagi-chan!!" Makoto shouted as she burst through the doors to the throne room. To her surprise, she saw the Queen and King both there....with Priest Helios beside them. "Helios??" Makoto questioned. She shook her head. "Never mind. Usagi-chan! You remember the boy that tried to kidnap Small Lady? I think he's going to try again!" The Queen stood up, surprised, and said, "What are you talking about, Mako-chan?" Makoto replied, " He's changing back into the creature he was before Adonis turned him back to human!" "'Adonis'?" Helios repeated, his blue eyes wide. "Did you just say 'Adonis'?" Before she could answer, a black wave struck her from behind, taking out the doors and knocking her several yards away to the floor. "Who the heck?!" Makoto yelled as she sat up, leaning on her elbows behind her for support. Standing in the doorway was the same creature; his outstretched hand flickered with black light before returning to normal. An evil voice snickered from behind him, "Now, now, boy. Don't kill her so soon." Followed by a second voice, equally evil, saying, "Besides, it much more fun playing with them." The smoke from the blast parted to show Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury, wicked smiles on their faces. "No," Makoto whispered. "Not them." Mercury grinned wider at Makoto's remark. She raised her hand, saying, "It's you own fault for not killing us when you had the chance, human." Black water surrounded her hand and formed a ball. Mars put her hands together. Black fire began to form at the point of her fingers. They were aimed at Makoto. "Die!" they both said as their attacks flew to Makoto. "Mako-chan!!" Serenity screamed at they neared her. The attacks came within a foot of her, before being repelled by the pink-green aura shield. Mars said something under her breath as Makoto stood. Makoto's hand went to her right shoulder. The aura glowed brighter as the crystal materialized from her shoulder and into her hand. "Jupiter Thunder Crystal! Activate!!" she yelled the phrase, anger boiling inside her from what they did to Ami and Rei, "MAKE!! UP!!!" Green and pink light surround her form. It disappeared, revealing Crystal Jupiter standing with her sword in hand. She jumped into the air above the three intruders, yelling as she came down, "Leave my friends alone!!" ---------- Minako turned to Setsuna. "I think it's time we tell them," she said to the older woman. Setsuna's eyes studied the empty space off to the side. "They are awakening at a fast pace, especially since Mako-chan's activated her Crystal Power. Zeus, Hermes, Aires, and Aphrodite are trying to get the crystals even if we haven't activated them yet. I know I'm in no danger and neither are you and the other Outer Senshi, Sestuna-san, because we already have gotten them unknown to the others, but they might be killed when their crystals are trying to be taken." Setsuna paused before saying, "No. The Queen might not wish for it--" She was interrupted by Minako slamming her hand down on the table beside her and yelling, "I don't care if Usagi-chan wants us to or not! My friends are in danger and so is her family! No one is safe any more, Sestuna!" The Senshi of Time stared at Minako as she continued her outburst. "In time this whole city will be in ruins! I saw it too! Don't try to hide it! We have to act fast, and that includes telling the others what's happening! I also know that you didn't tell the Queen everything that she needs to know! And if you won't tell her--," Minako narrowed her eyes, "--I will!" ---------- Mars dodged Jupiter's sword as it swung towards her. Jupiter wasn't planning on killing them, just immobilizing them long enough to get them out of her friends. From nowhere, a black shock wave struck Jupiter in the side, sending her to the ground on her knees. Her sword clattered onto the floor several yards away from her, too far to reach. "Mako-chan!" Serentity yelled from behind a force field the attackers had set up, sealing her, Edymion, and Helios from the fight. Jupiter groaned as she began to stand up. The blow had knocked the wind out of her. She stood on her knees and hands, trying to gather up air. Mercury walked to Jupiter. She looked down at her; her white eyes glowed with wickedness. Without warning, Mercury's foot connected with Jupiter's side. Mercury laughed as Jupiter fell to the floor again. Jupiter glared at Mercury as she pushed herself up with one arm, the other clutching her throbbing side. she thought. she looked at her weapon, which was now further away, <--and I can't use it! I need power! I need more power!> She gathered up her strength and slowly stood up. Suddenly her tiara flared with light. "What?!" Mercury and Mars yelled in surprise. A feeling ran down Jupiter's body. It was warm and almost made her want to laugh despite her situation. She focused her green eyes on the two doppelgangers and the creature in front of her. "Enough of this foolish mess," she said in a voice that was eerily calm and sounded like two voices speaking at the same time, "it's time I finished this." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and closed her eyes. The wings on her back spread out wide and slightly flapped. She raised her arms above her head, still crossed. The pink and green light covered her. She yelled a new phrase as she began to spin, "Ganymede Angel--," she opened her eyes and threw her arms out in front of her apart, "--Thunder Attack!!" Feathers from the wings at her back flew out and turned into pink and green lightening bolts and sped towards the two imposters. With no time to react, the blow struck the two and the room was filled with white light. When the light died down, Mercury and Mars fell to the floor unconscious and demorphed. Hermes and Aires stood in their place, looks of disgust on their faces. Jupiter heard Serenity gasp. It was her first time to see the two. Hermes snorted, "You never know when to give up, do you?" Jupiter grinned with determination as she answered, her voice back to normal, "Get used to it. I won't stop until you either leave us alone or you're dead." Aires just shrugged, "Your fault if you kill the wrong person." Jupiter shot a glance at her two friends on the floor. she thought, Serenity bit her bottom lip as Aires and Hermes rushed at Jupiter. In their hands, twin daggers appeared for each. Hermes threw her arm out towards Jupiter's neck as Aires tired for her stomach. Jupiter dodged the two blows easily. Serenity hung her head. she thought. She pounded her fists against the shield. ---------- Minako rushed at top speed towards the throne room. Suddenly she stopped. " Ami-chan and Rei-chan are unconscious," she thought. She closed her eyes. "They need help getting the crystals..." ---------- By sheer luck, Hermes was able to stab Jupiter. While Aires distracted the Senshi, Hermes drove the knife into her shoulder. Jupiter bit her lip to keep from yelling in pain. "Mako-chan!!" Serenity gasped as Jupiter fell to the ground. Jupiter cursed as she sat up. She took hold of the hilt on the dagger to take it out of her. Hermes shook her finger at her and said, "Ah ah ah! I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Aires chuckled at her comrades words, "Last lesson for a dead girl." Ignoring the wrenching pain, Jupiter ripped the dagger out of her shoulder. She threw it to the floor. Hermes rolled her eyes and sighed, "You asked for it," before she grinned evilly. Before Jupiter could even think about wandering what she meant, the room seemed to spin. She couldn't focus her eyes straight. She fell down on one knee. Her shoulder flared with fresh pain. Her other hand pressed against the wound, blood seeped through her fingers. She slowly raised her head enough to looked at her attackers. "W-what...?" she tried to ask. Hermes answered, "The dagger I stabbed you with is just like the one Zeus used on Small Lady." "So...I-I've been p-poisoned?" Her grin widened, "Precisely." "Heh," Makoto smiled despite her position, she stood up, shaking a bit from the poison, "no matter. Come on!" she took a fighting stance, "Fight me!" Hermes and Aries looked at her in surprise. She was able to stand? Even with the effects of the poison already taking affect? And what's more, she wanted to fight? As they stood there, Jupiter thought to herself, "Gotta keep this up a little while longer." To her relief, a blast came from the two unconscious bodies on the ground. "What?!" Aires shouted as she turned around. Hermes did like wise. Rei was surrounded by a red and purple aura while Ami was covered by a blue and white one. They stood up and faced their doubles. Ami touched her left side. Rei held up her right hand. Jupiter smiled with gladness as the crystals appeared in their hands; Ami's was blue and white, Rei's was red and purple. They both raised their crystals and shouted their transformation phrase. "Mercury Ice Crystal Activate...!!" "Mars Fire Crystal Activate...!!" "MAKE!! UP!!!" The crystals flared with color as they were surrounded by them. When the light cleared, Crystal Mars and Mercury stood. Their fukus were like Jupiter's, with their own colors; Mars' wings were tinted with red and Mercury's was tinted blue; their hair, too, had changed: Mars was fiery red and Mercury's was light blue; another thing about them was that their eyes were the same color as their hair (the reason Jupiter's eyes hadn't changed was because her's were already green). Hermes and Aires groaned slightly. That made Jupiter smile a little more. ---------- Setsuna stood in the shadows of the throne room. She watched as Crystal Mars raised her hand once again. Fire swirled around her hand. The fire began to form into a bow as she said, "I call upon the power of Mars, lend my thy strength!" the fire hardened and became a red bow, in the middle of it (where she held it to aim) was her crystal, "Red Fire! Appear!" Mars aimed it at Aires as she finished, "Mars Bow," a fire- arrow materialized in the bow, she took hold of it and brought it back as she finished, "Strike!" The arrow shot across the room and struck the double, who was standing stock still in shock. The blow pushed her back several yards past Jupiter until she hit the wall. She crumpled to the floor, wounded and unconscious. Hermes turned to Mercury, who had raised her hand too. Mist surrounded her hand as she shouted, "I call upon the power of Mercury, lend me thy strength!" the mist began to turn into a sword, much like Jupiter's yet not as big, her crystal at it's hilt, "Blue Mist! Appear!" The sword appeared and she lunged at Hermes, shouting, "Mercury Sword," she swung down, "Strike!!" Blue light came from the sword as it cut through Hermes's skin. The force from the light of the sword caused her to fly back and land beside Aires, also knocking her uncurious. Sestuna shook her head sadly as she thought about what Minako said. The Keeper of Time said to herself, "Minako is right. They have to know what is going on." ---------- Mars's face broke into a smug smile as she slung her bow over her shoulder. "That felt good!" she exclaimed. Serenity sighed in relief. But relief didn't last long. "Jupiter! Look out!!" Edymion screamed. Too late. Jupiter was suddenly pelted by a black bolt, forcing her down back to the ground. Everyone turned in surprise. They had forgotten about someone. The yoma that had tried to kidnap Chibi-usa. The creature jumped over Mercury and Mars and landed over Jupiter. She glared at it as another wave of pain came from her injured shoulder. It reached out with its hand towards her. Just then, "Venus Angel Beauty Attack!!" A large orange heart flew from he torn doorway and busted into feathers sped at the yoma, causing him to fly back away from Jupiter. Standing in the doorway was Venus in Crystal Senshi form. Her wings were light orange, her hair a darker orange and her once blue eyes were now a cross between yellow and orange. "Venus!?!" Mercury and Mars gasped at the sight of her. They heard the yoma groan as he tried to stand. Another voice sounded. "Demon! Vanish!!" A beam of white light hit the yoma and once again turned him into a human. Adonis appeared beside Venus. With all three opponents unconscious, the shield that held the King, Queen, and Helios disappeared. The Queen rushed to her friends. "Venus? she said, confused as everyone else. "How?--When?--Why?--" Venus shook her head, "Not now. I'll tell you later." "Hey!" Edymion said looking across the room. "Where's Aries and Hermes?" The attackers were no where in sight. Jupiter groaned in pain as she said, "Looks...like...they...got...a...w--a--y..." That was all she got out before she collapsed to the floor. "Mako-chan!!" the Senshi and Queen shouted in horror. The wound on Jupiter shoulder was still pouring blood and had slowing begun to turn black. ---------- NEXT: Jupiter's in trouble! Will she die from the poison? Where did Hermes and Aires go? How did Venus activate her crystal? What did she mean in her talk with Setsuna? What is it they won't tell the others? Why did Helios ask about Adonis? What is the Dark Legend he spoke about? Next time: The Dark Legend Revealed! ----------