A Sailor Moon Fanfiction: The Pledge of the Sun.

Chapter 63

As they listened to the cries of help from Usagi and Harusuke, the rest of the guardians, as well as Luna and Artemis, desperately tried to think of something to get inside of the vine-ridden apartment building so they could save them.

"If the Makai Tree keeps growing like this, it'll eventually end up draining the Earth of all its energy!" cried Luna.

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Sailor Venus cried as she aimed with her finger. "We have to stop it before that happens! VENUS CRESCENT-"

Sailor Venus was just about to fire her signature attack when Sailor Mars suddenly sensed something. A presence of some kind.

"Hold a second!" the red Guardian cried. "Don't attack those vines!"

"What is it?" asked Sailor Venus.

"Just now, I sensed something," said Sailor Mars as she walked up to the vines, placing a hand on the surface of one. "I could be wrong, but... the Makai Tree might be an intelligent being."

Everyone was surprised to hear this. Then, the roots that blocked their path began to move out of the way, revealing the darker halls inside of the building. Now they were able to get inside.

"It looks like it's letting us in," said Sailor Mars quietly. "But we'd better be careful. We don't know what's waiting for us in there."

"Yeah. Let's get going," agreed Sailor Jupiter.

The four guardians, along with their cat companions, then went inside. They hopped over roots, rubble, and large cracks while being aware of their surroundings. Then Sailor Mars felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end, warning her of impending danger. At that moment, a strange pod came out of nowhere from the darkness and spat a stream of hot acid towards Sailor Mars. Reacting quickly, Sailor Mars jumped out of the way in time for the acid to melt the floor where she once stood. To make things worse, more of the Makai Tree's roots blocked their path in the front and from behind, trapping them like rats.

"It's a trap!" cried Sailor Venus. "It's blocked us off again!"

"I should have guessed!" cursed Sailor Jupiter. "It lured us in here so that it could trap us!"

"I guess this tree is intelligent!" Sailor Mars said.

More strange pods came out from the roots and began to fire spray after spray of acid at them. They all jumped and leaped to dodge, but it was only a matter of time before someone got hit. Then, a spray of acid managed to nick Luna on her left shoulder, causing the black cat to yowl in pain.

"MERCURY BUBBLE SPRAY FREEZING!"

Thinking quickly, Sailor Mercury aimed and unleashed a flurry of her freezing bubbling, turning all of the pods as well as the sprays of acid into solid ice. As soon as the pods were no longer a threat, everyone went to Luna to check her injury.

"Luna, are you alright?!" asked Sailor Venus as she cradled her in her arms. "Please say something!"

"Yeah, I'm alright," winced Luna. "It only grazed me, is all."

"You sure, Luna?" asked Artemis.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," reassured Luna. "Besides, this isn't the time to be worrying about me. We have to hurry and get to the center of the Makai Tree."

But their troubles were only beginning. Right then, more roots of the Makai Tree shot forth and threatened to pierce them, but Sailor Mars quickly took action.

"MARS FIRE SOUL!"

Sailor Mars unleashed a powerful ball of fire that burned right through the wall, creating a way out. Everyone rushed out from the hole to make their escape as the roots followed after them in hot pursuit. They soon came to an elevator and scrambled inside it, hoping to use it to escape. But as Sailor Mercury pressed the button, nothing happened. She pushed the button again and again, but the doors wouldn't close as the roots grew ever closer.