�Part 8:� Evil's Weakness, Purity's Strength
���� Suddenly the ten
true senshi appeared encircled around Arachne and Animalia.�
Arachne's jaw dropped nearly to the ground and she stuttered, "How
...how is it possible!� They are dead...see their bodies lie over
there."� She pointed to the lifeless senshi on the ground.
����
Animalia clasped her hands before her back and turned toward the very much
alive Sailor Mercury.� "Would you mind?"
����
Mercury pushed a button on her computer and the dead senshi and their
starseeds shimmered out of existence.� Arachne stared in disbelief
until Animalia explained.� "Come now Arachne, did you really
think I was going to let an impotent pretender like you kill them?�
Those were holograms, nothing more than a trick." Animalia winked at
Sailor Pluto, "It's amazing the things they leave lying around in
Crystal Tokyo."� The smile faded and Animalia's face
hardened.� "Now then will we be destroying you and your friends
over there or just you?"
���� Arachne turned
toward her companions with pleading eyes.� The shortest figure simply
replied, "Galaxia does not tolerate failure Arachne.� Never
underestimate your enemy."� Then the four figures disappeared
into a black haze.
���� The scantily clad woman
stared in disbelief with her eyes full of fear.� I can't face them
all alone.� Maybe one or two, but not all of them.� I know if I
take out the leader Sailor Moon they will be caught off balance.� Yes
that's it and if I get her starseed Galaxia will surely come to my
aid.� She faced the senshi with a new resolve.� "All right
then let's go Animalia.� Arachne Web Entangle!"
����
Her webs flew towards the senshi, but Jupiter used her Oak Evolution
attack to slice through their sticky threads.� Some did manage to
pass through the attack, instead they knocked Venus down to the
ground.� Sailor Moon ran to her friend's side as Uranus used her
Space Sword to cut the soldier loose as the other senshi kept Arachne at
bay.
���� Arachne's eyes darted from foe to foe as
she watched how the senshi protected the princess as well as the
princesses reactions.� Finally she saw their weakness--the princess
always runs to her fallen comrades and she has a strong attachment to the
only man among them.� That is her weakness and now I must exploit
it.
���� Arachne launched a boomerang from her
back to clear a path to Tuxedo Kamen.� The senshi were so busy
protecting the princess they did not notice Arachne's movements toward the
man.� She quickly pulled her swords from her back and knocked him
down.� She placed the tips of the swords on his throat.� "I
know you are the real thing now Sailor Moon.� If you want him to live
you will surrender your starseed."
���� You
never learn do you Arachne?"� Animalia spoke from behind the
villainess.� She stood tall with the Jade Eye floating between her
hands in front of her chest.� Animalia continued with strength and
mystery in her voice.� "Sailor Moon save the prince.� I
will deal with this creature.� Animal Fury!"
����
Her eyes began to glow with a jade-colored light as she raised the Eye
over her head.� It began to pulsate with its own bright light.�
A golden wolf, eagle, and whale appeared over the eye and were suddenly
sucked into the blinding Eye.� A beam of golden energy flew out from
the Eye towards Arachne.
��� Arachne realized what
Animalia was going to do and brought her blades forward into an X to
shield herself from the attack. The golden energy washed over her shield
and destroyed a patch of grass and a tree that stood behind her.
����
My attack was not strong enough, Animalia thought.� She
implored anyone who would listen with both her mind and her
thoughts.� "Please, animals of the Earth, Faunalina, and the
Universe lend me your strength.� Help me defeat this woman who would
claim she is an animal and sully the reputation of the arachnids."
����
The animal guides who had hid in the brush now emerged with a green glow
in their eyes.� The birds in the trees also flew from their perches
with the same glow.� Animalia's form was encircled by jade beams of
light.� She rose nearly a foot of the ground as her body was
completely encased in an aura of jade light.� The Jade Eye burned
even more brightly until no one could look upon its blinding brilliance.�
Another golden beam burst out of the Eye towards Arachne as before, but
this time a jade beam spiraled around the golden.� The beam
incinerated Arachne leaving only a pile of dust and her two swords.
����
The glow around Animalia's body slowly dimmed into nothingness and her
body tumbled to the ground.� Pluto rushed to her side, "Animalia
are you all right?"
���� The other senshi
joined Pluto at Animalia's side.� Sailor Moon shook her body in an
attempt to wake her, but still her eyes stayed closed.� As tears came
to their eyes, a large hand delicately pushed the stray jade hairs off of
Animalia's face.� The group turned to see the newcomer.� He wore
a long gray cape that covered his entire body, save his head.� He had
long white hair with jade-colored highlights.� His eyes were also a
dark jade color.
���� He never returned their gaze
he simply looked upon the fallen warrior and placed his hand along her
cheek.� For a few seconds he seemed to contemplate something and then
he spoke with a familiar voice, "She is not..." he struggled
with the word," dead...yet.� Sailor Pluto, Guardian of the Gates
of Time, can you open the portal to Faunalina?"
����
"First you must identify yourself," Pluto replied.
����
He looked to her with pleading in his eyes and strength in his voice,
"I am guide and friend Faunus.� I have taken this human form to
save my her life."� He stopped and changed to a gentler tone,
"Please you must believe me.� If she does not return to the
Island immediately she will die."
���� Sailor
Moon framed his eyes with her delicate hands.� She looked deep into
the stranger's eyes.� Her frown deepened,� "Please hurry
and do as he asks Pluto.� This is Faunus who stands before us."
����
"Of course Princess,"� she stood and walked a few steps
from the group.� She tapped her staff on the ground three times and
closed her eyes.� The Garnet Orb began to glow and the wind began to
stir.� A reddish vortex opened in front of her.� When it grew
tall enough to permit a human's passage, she placed a hand on Faunus'
shoulder, "Go now."
���� Faunus gently
slid his hands under Animalia's body and raised her from the ground.�
The Jade eye flew into the vortex.� Sailor Moon stood in his
path.� "She will be alright, won't she?"
����
"If Faunalina cannot save her no one can," he answered in a
whisper.� He walked around the girl and stood at the vortex when
sailor Moon� spoke in a regal tone, "you have done well Sailor
Animalia, Solitary Soldier and Guardian of Animals."
����
As
Faunus disappeared into the vortex, Sailor Moon's mind was filled with
Kouken's gentle voice, "Long live the Princess, long live Neo Queen
Serenity."��
���� Sailor Moon's face
brightened, perhaps she is the strongest of us all.