'Then game's over!' A Sailor Guardian's determination

The twilight sun seemed determined not to give up, despite everything being lost. While the afternoon light refused to fade, the dark night was slowly and relentlessly advancing, ready to conquer the sky. This gave way to a scene when black merged with orange, while the latter lost ground. Every second, the night became a powerful adversary, impossible to beat. The day declined over a devastated Shibuya, in complete ruin.

 ‘A perfect allegory, don’t you think, Guardian?’ standing suspended over the city skies, Black Mask gazed at the other person present in the scene, a high school student with messy mid-length brown hair. 

The girl was severely injured, lying on a piece of broken asphalt from the famous crossing. She propped herself up on the shattered road and stood up with a superhuman effort. Besides, she resembled the waning sun of the afternoon, futilely fighting against its defeat. Her face was covered by a red mask, and she wore a battered sailor uniform. The mask complemented her cape, skirt, and the ribbon on her chest. All of them were the same red hue.

The young heroine grimaced in pain, closed her eyes, and placed her left hand on her ribs. It was hard for her to stay on her feet. Her breathing was heavy, and each breath made her chest burn. Unveiling her right eye, she gazed up at the sky, concentrating on the shape of the black mask that was observing her. Black Mask descended until he was almost touching the ground with his feet. With his gaze fixed on his adversary, he drew a Machiavellian smile on his face.

‘You were the ideal one,’ he raised his voice. ‘The fortitude will to stand until the end, that courage you show, even when you know you have chosen death, is admirable.’ He raised his right hand, and an intense flame of pitch-black colour appeared, like a will-o'-the-wisp, dancing on his palm. ‘You feel it, don’t you? The infinite power of the flame of chaos, I can only regret that you rejected his designs, you would still be close to me. However, no going back is possible now. Die, experiencing the same suffering as your pathetic friends, Sailor Ruby!’ Black flames burst from his hand; consuming the space between him and the girl, foreshadowing their doom. Ruby stood frozen, her face filled with helplessness. Yet, deep inside, she refused to accept this fate. In a surprising turn, a magical circle appeared in the air, a mysterious, pale green glow.

‘Wind barrier!’ Two figures dashed between Sailor Ruby and her opponent. A fierce gust of wind erupted, fiercely battling the dark flames with tenacity.

‘Impossible!’ The other guardians emerged in front of Black Mask, their focused gazes locked on him. The girl in the green sailor set, and the girl in the purple sailor dress, gasped, keeping safe Ruby behind them. They stood with unwavering determination, guarding her with unwavering resolve. A knowing smile adorned their lips. Ruby was stunned. ‘I witnessed your demise. Chaos consumed you all!' the man descended into madness. ‘Does it matter? I’ll destroy each one of you. This place will be your grave, guardians!’

‘Try if you’re brave enough.’ With an intimidating bearing, Sailor Pearl challenged her adversary; she was the tallest and strongest among them. The colour of her skirt, ribbon, cape, and mask was a pale pink. With black hair shorter than her companion Ruby’s. Her ochre eyes conveyed a gaze of suppressed rage, akin to a volcano on the brink of a violent eruption. Clenched her fist, Pearl raised it towards Black Mask, poised to unleash her fury. ‘But this time, it will be different.’

‘Before You were lucky, I bet you can’t repeat it,’ with a mocking tone, Sailor Diamond addressed him. She had shimmering silver hair, porcelain-like delicate skin. Her entire ensemble was white. Her icy gaze, with eyes shining like sapphires, pierced through the enemy. Diamond squinted her eyes and let out a laugh. ‘You think you’re cool, but I’ll cooler you.’ She tried a pun, ‘not sorry if you end up frozen.’

‘We’ll crush you, Black Mask!’ Sailor Topaz raised her voice with overflowing energy. Like Ruby, her hair was chestnut brown, reaching mid-length. Her sun-kissed complexion set her apart from the rest. With an athletic physique, she lacked the intimidating presence of Pearl. Topaz struggled to hide her distinctive accent. Her outfit was of a yellow colour. ‘Let the second round begin!’

‘We stand as the guardians of peace and love.’ The most delicate of the seven, speaks. Sailor Sapphire was a girl with long brown hair with orange highlights. Her soft voice and gentle touch comforting those around her. A pair of exquisite and conspicuous feminine features emerged from her chest, endowing her with a unique allure among the group. ‘Together, we are invincible.’

‘We won’t give up.’ Sailor Amethyst fixed her gaze with vibrant green eyes on her enemy. Her sensual and velvety voice resonated with maturity and elegance, surpassing the other seven. Her unruly hair was a silky black curtain that framed the line of her bra and gracefully danced to the rhythm of the gentle breeze. With a slender and well-balanced figure, Amethyst possessed a sculpted body that exuded both elegance and sensuality. The purple of her mask, cape, ribbon, and skirt reflected her graceful allure. ‘We’ll rise and beat you.’

‘As a team, we believe in our strength.’ Sailor Emerald was the last speaker. Her lush blonde hair, tied in a ponytail, and her purple eyes gave her an angelic touch. Her slender figure resembled Sailor Amethyst’s, minus the pronounced curves. ‘Right, team leader?’ Emerald winked at Sailor Ruby. Ruby’s expression shifted, leaving behind her pain, feeling the warmth of her friends. With renewed confidence and a hopeful gleam in her hazel eyes, Ruby turned to face their formidable enemy. The main heroine raised her fist before a last battle cry.

‘Let’s end this!’

‘Yes!’ the others responded. The screen faded to black, a small loading screen appeared, and the real boss fight began. Ayumu held his PlayStation Vita, keeping his attention on the game.

‘No more scripted events. Let the battle begin.’ The boy was gently pressing the directional pad, navigating through Ruby’s special attacks. ‘Fire Cross EX!’ The description of the attack appeared at the bottom; the two fire guardians team up and launch a powerful attack using fire. They create a swirling inferno that burns enemies and weakens their defence. After pressing X, an animation unfolded featuring Pearl and Ruby. Fiery flames surrounded them, forming a vortex that engulfed their adversary. The explosive whirlwind inflicted significant damage. A high number appeared on the screen, displaying the Boss’s remaining healthy. 

‘With 2,305 HP less and defence diminished, Amethyst’s Wind Scythe should finish the job,’ the boy thought. The young man scrolled through Sailor Amethyst’s abilities on the D-pad until he settled on the Wind Scythe EX. The skill’s brief description appeared on the screen; Amethyst’s special move is a powerful gust of wind that always delivers critical hits. ‘Here we go.’ His jacket pocket vibrated, catching him off guard, and he quickly pulled out his phone. He was so nervous that his smartphone almost slipped out of his hands.