Chapter Seven

    At the same time Glinda was leading Darian to the place she imprisoned Serena, the remaining Scouts were meeting with the Sailor Guardians.  The four guardians and the four scouts were sitting in the old, rundown castle that served as the Sailor Guardians' base of operations.  They were assembled in an old ballroom, which smelled old and moldy.
    "I'm sorry the place isn't clean.  This is the only private place we can operate in."  Melissa said, motioning to the dusty ballroom.
    "It's quite alright.  Well, let me start by introducing myself.  I'm Amy, also known as Sailor Mercury," Amy began.  The other girls followed suit.
    "Our leader, Serena, who is Sailor Moon, and her boyfriend, Darian, who is also Tuxedo Mask, aren't here yet." Mina said.  Raye sighed in exasperation.
    "They were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago.  Where ARE they?" Raye snapped.  "They'll be here soon...maybe Darian had to stay at work late." Amy responded.
    "Well, let's get down to business.  Let me introduce everybody, first.  Then we will discuss the secret society.  I'm Melissa Stranton--otherwise known as Sailor Callisto.  The black girl is Nayana Zaribou--she's Sailor Iapetus.  The blonde with the yellow shirt is Tara Mercialli--Sailor Earth, and the blonde with the glasses is Charlotte Tabeau--Sailor Europa."  Melissa said.  The other girls stared at them.
    "You all speak like Americans."  Lita observed.  Nayana sighed.
    "You're right.  Technically speaking, we have no real powers like you do.  We can't magically transform.  We do have sailor suits, albeit expensive ones." Nayana explained.  Amy's eyes widened.
    "What are you saying?!  That you're not real scouts?" she cried, obviously shocked.
    "We all have martial arts skills, though.  It's just that we wanted to be sailor scouts so badly..."  Tara trailed off, twirling a lock of her hair.
    Luna and Artemis popped their heads out of Raye's large purse.  They had been sleeping, and the discussion had woken them  up.  Luna jumped out of the bag.
    "The outer scouts aren't here.  We need help, but you don't have powers."  Luna started, looking at the four girls.  She tilted her furry head to the right.  "Do any of you have any fighting skills?"  she asked.  The four guardians nodded.  Luna walked up to them.  "We shall see if you four can fight or not.  Then I will find a way to give you powers like the others," Luna continued.
    "This is a test of faith, girls--you're going to have your work cut out for you."  Artemis warned them.  The Guardians nodded, then went into another room to change into their homemade costumes.  Fifteen minutes later they emerged, dressed and ready for battle.  Nayana adjusted her bow and looked up.
    "We need to get to work.  First off, about this La Face thing--" Nayana was interrupted by Amy's communicator, which was going off.  Instantly, Serena's voice came through it's tiny speakers.
    "Scouts...Horse Lady or Glinda or whatever has imprisoned Darian and me!  Help us quick!" Serena whined.  The scouts and guardians looked at eachother.  It was time to transform.  The scouts shouted their transformation phrases and became the pretty soldiers of justice.
    "Okay, Serena, tell me where you are."  Sailor Mercury said.
    "I'm at Darian's work--his employer is HORSE LADY!!  Get here quickly!" Serena cried over the communicator.  Sailor Mars's eyes lit up.
    "I know where that is--follow me!"  Sailor Mars ran out of the old castle, with her comerades close behind.

***

    Meanwhile, Glinda (not Horse Lady) had locked Darian and Serena into an old shed behind her horse stables.  The couple were sitting underneath a shelf full of horse manure.
    "They're coming.  We'd better transform.  There's no use in sitting here." Serena said, looking at Darian with determined eyes.  He looked at her, surprised.
    "Wow.  Are you ready?" he asked.  "Oh, yes.  Definitely ready.  Moon Cosmic Power!"  she transformed into Sailor Moon, champion of justice.  Darian transformed into Tuxedo Mask.  They were definitely ready.
    The two walked out of the shed, brimming with confidence.  They walked across the horse stables and towards the sprawling mansion.
    Inside the mansion Glinda and Snuffy were watching some old romance movie involving a couple and their horse.  Glinda refused to do anything that wasn't associated with horses.
    Suddenly, there was a burst of light--Sailor Moon had given Glinda and her love slave a major burst of Moon Spiral Heart Attack.  Glinda and Snuffy were blown into a wall.  They picked themselves up, muttering in indignation.
    "Who are you?!  Get out!"  Glinda hollered.
    "I'll tell you who I am--I am Sailor Moon, champion of justice!  I shall right wrongs and triumph over ugly, evil broads like you!  So give it up, you horsey looking freak!"  Sailor Moon announced.  Glinda and Snuffy burst into laughter.
    "My my my--if it isn't the pesky Sailor Moon!  I'll take care of you!"  Glinda ran to her telephone and shouted directions into it.  Soon, the four Rangers were assembled outside Glinda's house.
    "You're not going anywhere.  If you do happen to defeat me, the Rangers will be waiting to destroy you."  Glinda informed our heroine.  Sailor Moon didn't flinch.
    "So we're going to fight?  Let's go."  she said, raising her rod.  Glinda leaped up, screaming like a banshee, and brought her fist down onto Sailor Moon's head.  Sailor Moon landed hard onto Glinda's love seat.  She whipped off her tiara and cried, "Moon Tiara Magic!" just as Glinda was advancing towards her.  Sailor Moon threw the tiara and Glinda dodged it.  The tiara landed into Snuffy's gut.  He fell to the floor, groaning loudly.  Glinda turned in horror.
    "NOOOOOOOO!  My beloved!  Noooo--this cannot be!"  Glinda rushed to his aid.  Unfortunately for the horsey Glinda, her love slave was dying.  He then disappeared in a puff of smoke--apparently, he wasn't human.
    "I built him with the greatest of care--simply because nobody would love me.  And you destroyed him."  Glinda stood up and turned to a horrified Sailor Moon.  Glinda then screamed some foul obscenities towards Sailor Moon, but these words must never be uttered or printed here, because they are most blasphemous.  "I built him because nobody had the heart to love someone as ugly as me--and you killed him!"  she continued to scream.  Glinda sank to her knees, wailing loudly.  Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask could only stare sadly.

***

    The four scouts and the four guardians--eight soldiers in all--appeared in front of Glinda's house.  Standing in front of them were the Rangers.  Both groups were ready to do battle.  Glinda's hearbroken voice came over the Red Ranger's communicator.
    "I want those bloody sailor girls utterly destroyed!  I want them destroyed NOW!  They killed my husband!  I want them dead!"  Glinda snarled.  The Red Ranger nodded and the four rangers advanced towards the scouts and guardians.
    "Mars Fire Ignite!"  Mars took the liberty of striking first.  The rangers dodged out of the way and the flames of Mars scorched the grass where they once stood.  Sailor Mars sighed angrily.
    "Okay--Sailor Callisto, Sailor Iapetus--grab the Yellow and Black rangers.  Earth and I will grab the other two--the Blue and Red rangers.  We'll subdue them.  Once they're weakened, Jupiter, Venus--attack the blue and red rangers.  Mercury, Mars--you two have the yellow and black rangers.  Once we've finished them off, we'll go inside the mansion and get Glinda.  Ready?"  Sailor Europa said.  The others, impressed, nodded.
    Sailors Callisto and Iapetus rushed up to the Yellow and Black rangers.  The two duos exchanged several blows, but the sailors miraculously overpowered them.  Sailors Mercury and Mars used their powers (Bubble blast and Fire ignite) to finish off the two rangers.  Sailor Mercury blurred their vision with Bubble Blast and Sailor Mars scorched the two.  They were badly burned.  The girls cheered.
    Meanwhile, Sailors Earth and Europa drop-kicked the Blue and Red rangers.  Sailors Jupiter and Venus used their strongest attacks.  The Red and Blue rangers were finished off. More cheering among the sailors.
    "Wow--that was easy!  So, what now?"  Sailor Venus exclaimed.
    "We go in and get Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon."  Sailor Mercury replied.  The scouts and guardians walked up to the door of Glinda's mansion, wondering if they could defeat Glinda as easily as the Rangers.

***

    Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask stared at Glinda, wondering what the crazy lady was going to do next.  Glinda raised her communicator to her huge, puffy lips and spoke into it.
    "Rangers?  Are they dead yet?"  she asked in a nervous voice.  A reply came over the speaker.
    "Sorry Glinda, your rangers are out of commission--and you will be too!  Give it up, horse lady!" It was Sailor Mars, speaking over the remnants of the Yellow Ranger's communicator.  Glinda uttered a shriek.  She looked around, searching for an escape.  She turned to Sailor Moon with a defeated look on her face.
    "Go.  There is no reason for me to continue my work for the secret society.  I have failed--and lost three loved ones.  Just leave me to my misery."  She turned around, facing the wall, tears streaming down her pale cheeks.  Sailor Moon took Tuxedo Mask's hand.
    "I'm not absolutely sure you've repented..."  Sailor Moon replied.  Glinda raised her head.  "Two of those rangers were my children!  My own flesh and blood!  Now leave me alone!"  she snapped.  Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon exchanged looks, then they left.

***

    "Serena!!  How could you do something so stupid?!"  Raye cried.  Serena and Darian had told the others about their 'triumph' over Glinda.  Charlotte stared at them.
    "Serena, this woman is shrewd and crafty.  Her reaction to yesterday's events could have been an act."  Charlotte warned her.  Serena shook her head irritably.
    "I don't think so.  She truly looked sorry for what she'd done--she saw that the punishment for her actions was to lose her two children--who happened to be two of the four rangers.  I know repentance when I see it."  Serena said.  "If you say so--but we're going to keep an eye on her just in case."  Charlotte replied.
    The guardians and the scouts were in the old, abandoned castle, discussing their victory.  It was five o'clock in the afternoon.
    "Look, we'd all better go home.  It's getting late.  We can continue this discussion later.  In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled, Guardians."  Amy said.  The others agreed and went their separate ways.

***

    Glinda and Princess Candy Floss were in the secret society's medical lab.  Seven nurses were tending to the fallen Rangers.  One nurse, Nurse One, was talking with Glinda and Candy Floss.
    "It's not good.  Not good at all.  They all will have life-long scars, and will need to have their skin grafted over a couple of years.  Well, for the sixteen year old and the eighteen year old.  The other two won't need skin grafts because they're older and have grown to their full height.  But if any of them gain weight, they'll need skin grafts.  And this is if they live."  Nurse One said.  Glinda choked back a sob.
    "Sir--what am I going to do?  My children are dead, and so are yours."  she wailed.  The other half of the four rangers were Candy Floss's children.  Candy Floss was extremely angry.
    "Horse Lady--I told you to get rid of the Sailor Scouts.  And what happened?  They destroyed our Rangers instead.  And you call me gumless."  Candy Floss replied in a clipped voice.  Glinda frowned.
    "It's not my fault they're gone.  And don't you patronize me!  And my name is not Horse Lady!"  she said angrily.  Candy Floss was a wimp.  Usually he'd crumble if Glinda raised her voice to him.  But not tonight.  Tonight he had lost his children--and at Glinda's expense.
    "Don't raise your voice to me--I gave you specific instructions:  to destroy the Sailor Scouts.  Instead of succeeding at your top mission, you had four of our key members killed in battle.  Therefore I have every right to patronize you."  Candy Floss argued.  Glinda sighed.  Even though she disagreed with Candy Floss, she decided not to dwell on the issue further.  After all, she needed to figure out how to heal the rangers--or find replacements.


Serena:  Finally, we got to fight!  Those Guardians may be wannabes, but they sure can fight!
Luna:  Serena, calling them wannabes is not nice.  They did an excellent job today, even though they don't have actual powers.  And Europa's strategy was most excellent.
Serena:  Oh, go ahead Luna--make me feel inadequate.
Raye: *butts in*  Hey, they did more than you've ever done.  *snickers*
Serena:  Hey, that's not fair Raye--take that back!
Raye:  I was only joking!
Serena:  Yeah right.
*Serena and Raye bicker in the background*
Luna:  Glinda lost three loved ones today--or, rather, lost one and came close to losing the other two.  Remember this:  a death in the family is not your fault.  Loved ones die for lots of reasons--disease, accident, nature, or heaven forbid--murder.  But it is not your fault, and don't worry if you feel blue for a while--it's only natural.  The best thing to do is to talk to someone.  That helps tremendously.  Sailor--er, Luna Says!
Serena:  Hey, that's my line!

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