Frantic Revenge
By Lillith Nightdemon
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sailor Moon (boo-hoo), but I do own this plot and these characters. Please don't take them without my permission!
A/N: things in . are thoughts. Things in "." are the actual spoken words. Thx! ^^
Chapter one
It was a beautiful day, Usagi thought as she gazed out the window and onto the snow-covered landscape of her hometown. February 14th, St. Valentine's Day. The most romantic day of the year, and she was going out with Darien for a quiet lunch and a walk in the park today! Fortunately, Sarena had been able to wake up before ten (yes, even though it was a Saturday), and was now just putting on finishing touches, i.e. make-up and earrings. She was wearing a pink shirt with the words 'I love you' embossed on it in red, and a pair of tan cords that laced up at the bottoms. Pulling her hands away from her ears she admired the small pink hearts that dangled whenever she swung her head, grabbed her purse, and sped out the door after kissing her mother goodbye.
It was gorgeous out, and as the girl walked the streets she saw, with a smile, that many young couples were out today. Even little children, probably only just Chibi-Usa's age, walked hand-in-hand. Yes, love was in the air. Even Luna was out somewhere (presumably with Artemis; Sarena smiled fondly), her purple-black cat who'd been with her since she'd become who she was today.
So pleasant, she reflected, I'm glad we managed to defeat Nehelenia. The protector of love and peace is right! What a relief to just be able to get on with life! She referred to the trouble with her alter-ego, Sailor Moon and the Moon Princess. She stopped in front of Darien's apartment building, and smiled to herself. Today would be a day to remember, that was for sure . . .
It was later on at the Temple where Rei felt the disturbance. Like a bitter wind with the sounds of violence floating on with it. She shivered, but it had nothing to do with the chill. After a moment of watching the bare branches of the great tree on the lawn sway almost nervously in the wind, she went back to her shoveling. Nearby she could hear both Chad and her grandfather grumbling about snow, although in her grandpa's case it was about how all the pretty girls suddenly were bundled up against the cold.
Suddenly, Chad's angry mumbles went silent, and for a single moment he seemed to be composing himself. Then, he rounded the corner, repeating the lovely phrase he'd composed himself in his mind:
Rei, I bought these roses for you. They reminded me of you, fiery and gorgeous, with an air of mystery and romance surrounding them, and I was wondering if you'd care to join me for lunch in the park?
He composed himself once more, cleared his throat nervously, and turned the corner.
" Chad?" Rei asked, a tinge of red staining her cheeks at the sight of the bouquet of expensive roses he'd tried to hide behind his back. He held them out to her, blushing so much he turned the shade of the roses.
" For you. Lunch?" was all he managed to say.
Inside his head, the poet that was Chad's mind wept and moaned in frustration, throwing a tantrum and several objects strewn about. One of those hit the right nerve ending, and Chad's mouth opened to say: "I think you're beautiful . . . like them."
Rei smiled a wide smile, accepting the roses, "Of course I'll go with you for lunch! Let me go put something nicer on and we'll go, all right?"
Chad's heart pounded. He managed to nod.
Rei smiled triumphantly and happily as she entered her room, pulling out a vase and putting the gorgeous roses in it with some water. Another man conquered by Mars, the red Sailor scout of Fire!
Ami put down her glasses and stared out the window. Something pulled her towards the park. She looked out for a silent moment, taking in the snow- white beauty of the winter landscape before her, and made her decision. Something pulled her towards the park.
She got out her coat and put her book in the big pockets, being careful not to rip or bend any pages. The blue peacoat had fine pockets, big enough for books, and that's why she liked it. She frowned a bit when she saw her bare legs under her knee-length blue skirt, but then shrugged it off. Something pulled her towards the park. She wasn't about to give in, but she wasn't about to stay home. Something intrigued her about today. Today and the park.
The park.
The park.
The park.
The words echoed in her mind as she set out, buttoning up the coat over her tight blue shirt and fitted business shirt which she left undone. A chill breeze made her shiver, but along with that came violence and terror and the thought of death.
She shivered some more.
Maybe the park would explain.
Minako and Makoto were busy ogling the guys passing by at the mall, sipping milkshakes and drooling. Minako's cat-friend, Artemis, was curled up in her courier's bag, sleeping beside a piece of shredded string he'd been tearing apart only moments ago from pure boredom. Sailor scouts as well, they were Venus and Jupiter, but right now they were acting like typical girls.
" Oooh! Whatta fox he is!" Minako giggled as a teenage boy winked at her from the counter. Makoto smiled prettily to the boy's friend, her brown hair hanging from her usual ponytail in soft waves. Minako's own startlingly gold hair was pulled into a loose ponytail herself, unlike her usual style of just in a red bow. She wore a white button-up shirt and blue jeans with a gold scarf tied around her waist. Makoto wore a short denim dirty-wash skirt and a mottled green peasant blouse.
" I think I'd prefer his friend!" she murmured to her Sailor Scout friend, and then her green eyes widened as the two of them began to approach them. The boy in question had longish black hair, reaching down to his shoulders, with twinkling brown eyes and lightly tanned skin. His friend had blue- black hair, shorter and spikier with yellow tips and eyes a warm brown like his friend's.
" Hey ladies," the first boy greeted suavely, "My, my, did it hurt?"
" Did what hurt?" Minako asked, puzzled. She glanced at Makoto. Maybe these guys weren't what they were looking for . . . Sanity was a good characteristic to have in a man . . . Well, okay, it helped.
" Your fall from Heaven. You're angels, right? You're as beautiful as they are!" He gave them a charming smile, "I'm Iben, and this is my friend Ri."
The girls giggled. Never had they been hit on by such a fabulous charmer!
" I'm Minako, and this is Makoto," the blonde said with a coy look on her face.
" It's a pleasure to meet you, Minako," Iben said, bending down to kiss her hand. Minako went red and giggled even more behind a demure hand.
" Would you like to come have lunch with us in the park?" Ri asked, speaking up for the first time. He never took his eyes off Makoto. His husky voice echoed in her mind.
" Of-of course we would! Let's go!" the girls said in unison and grabbed their purses, dragging the poor guys out of the restaurant and out to the park.
Meanwhile, like the others, Setsuna, Sailor Pluto was walking down the road towards the park. It was a gorgeous day, and even though she had no lover she didn't want to spoil it. She vaguely wondered why she'd been drawn to the park. Could it be a sign? Would they possibly see a new Scout? She let go of the dream-like thoughts that pierced the pink clouds in her mind and just wandered along, marveling at all the couples and the colours. Her nice skater shoes stamped down on the film of snow over the sidewalk. For once she hadn't put on a dress or a pantsuit. She had on tight boot-cut jeans with a warm chenille sweater in her favourite colour: dark red. Over that she wore a light coat. Her dark eyes looked up at the sky.
Something flitted over the sun.
Screams flew in on the breeze, tearing her away from her happy reverie. She snapped back to being herself, and began running for the park. Something's going to happen, and it isn't going to be pretty! she thought grimly as she pounded on over the snow.
Michiru and Haruka were in the park already, while all this was going on, walking arm-in-arm along the snow-covered paths. The bright noon-time sun shone down on them, and they stopped to sit on a bench that looked out over the snow-laden branches of the forest surrounding them. Michiru, who happened to be Sailor Neptune, lifted her face to the sun, closing her beautiful sea-blue eyes.
" Something's going to happen, love," she told Haruka, a frown briefly appearing on her face. Haruka's own blue eyes gazed at her, her brow furrowing for a moment. The golden-haired woman was Sailor Uranus.
" What?"
" Can't you feel it? Something bad . It's coming," the woman replied, opening her eyes and gazing intently at the sky above them. Haruka followed her gaze, and saw a brief flicker that suggested something ricocheting across the sky. Screams and violence were on the breeze that suddenly picked up. Haruka's eyes widened in shock.
" What . . .? We did know about this! What is it, Michiru?"
" I don't know. I really don't," came the reply, "but I do know that we have to be ready for anything. Come on, let's finish this walk. We should make it to the pavilion in time to watch these mysterious newcomers."
They set off down the beaten path, faster than they had arrived. An impish face watched them go, anger and bitterness contorting her pale face.
" Oh, you won't miss them, Sailor Scouts! You won't miss them at all . . . "
Darien and Usagi were at a table enjoying steaming mugs of hot cocoa when a rumble shook the ground beneath them. Standing and letting his chair fall to the ground, Darien shot like an arrow towards Usagi as flickers of . . . something darted around the pavilion.
" Darien! What's going on?" Usagi cried as she pressed even further into his chest. Darien's dark eyes darted as he tried to get a glimpse of whatever was causing this disturbance, but he no longer trusted his eyes when the figure of a Sailor Scout was illuminated on a tree branch. How could that be? Hadn't they discovered all the Sailor Scouts?
Feeling an urgent need to get out of the park, he began to run, grabbing Usagi and pounding down the snow-covered walk. He didn't realize he was being followed until more of the flickering beings appeared all around him.
He stopped, his eyes darting this way and that trying to see their assailants. Then, suddenly, he realized something else, something far more important than what was happening. The ground still rumbled, but faintly as he saw all the Scouts had been chased into a circle with him on the inside. There were no other people here. Usagi trembled in his arms, "Darien? What's happening? Darien!"
" I don't know, Usagi! Just . . . Just stay with me!"
" Sailor Scouts!" Setsuna cried, from her post just outside the shrinking circle as their flickering attackers closed in, "TRANSFORM!"
There were nine blasts of coloured light as the girls all obeyed, and suddenly there stood the nine Defenders of the galaxy.
There was a strange laugh that seemed to come from all around them. Sailor Uranus, her corn-silk blonde hair waving in a sudden breeze full of terror and uncertainty, got ready to attack. Neptune put her gloved hand on Uranus' shoulder.
" Wait, dearest. There is more to this than meets the eye, I think," she said softly as the flickers gradually grew less and less until there were two shapes on the pavement before them.
" We know who you are."
" You can't avoid us this time."
The voices echoed with strange harmonics, sounding like although they were in this dimension they were also in many, many others all at the same time.
A flag rippled in the wind.
Two figured in the purest white and the deepest black stood before them, identical in almost every way.
" I am Sailor Ketu," one announced. Her platinum-blonde hair waved in the wind. The silver tiara on her forehead disappeared and a sign appeared, glowing with some unseen colour, where the stone (a cat's-eye?) had been. The bone-white mask on her pale face was a half-mask with semi-circle eyes. Her clothes were ripped and tattered, a cape of black-upon-white fanning out behind her. The skirt was white, the bandanna was white; all was white except the second pair of sleeves that emerged from under the first pair. She wore black pointe shoes with ribbons crisscrossing all the way up to her knees. The silver flagstaff she held in the hand with a white glove (the other was gloved in black) bore her sign and another's, presumably the one of her companion.
" And I am Sailor Rahu," the other one intoned. Her outfit was exactly the same as the other one's: all black and white without any other colour. Her hair was short in the front, and then long in the back, reaching down to the small of her back. It was the same pearly white as the other's. This girl had no bangs, and as they watched the silver tiara on her forehead disappeared to reveal another sign, exactly like the Ketu's only upside- down. The half-mask she wore had the same semi-circle eyes, only unlike Ketu's whose eye-holes were upturned, these were down turned. It gave the impression that Rahu was sad and had been for most of her life. Like Ketu, she had an object, only this one was a wand with nine gemstones set in the rounded part that was the head. It seemed to be iron, and had no ornaments like all the Wands Sailor Moon had held.
" Who-who are you?" Sailor Venus asked, her blue eyes sparking with intrigue but wariness.
" The Twins," they replied in unison.
By now, Artemis had woke up and jumped out of the bag discarded in Minako's transformation. His eyes went wide at the sight of the two.
" No!" he cried.
" Ahh, Artemis. Our old friend," Ketu cooed. The words seemed . wrong coming out of her mouth. The fondness that seemed to be what it was wasn't fondness. Sailor Moon sensed anger and bitterness all around them, directed at the white cat, "We didn't think you would still be alive after all this time. Cat's truly must have nine lives."
Rahu raised her wand, the gems gleaming menacingly in her hands. Sailor Mercury could see them now, identifying coral; yellow topaz; blue sapphire; ruby; pearl; emerald; and diamond. The two others were a mystery to her, so she used her small computer to analyze them.
A cat's-eye and . . . orange zircon? Were those the stones of the twins?
" Let's find out how many you've used already."
The Sailor Scouts realized what she was doing but only when she swung the wand upwards. There was no fancy stuff, no twirling, just straight upwards the wand went. The stones glowed with their own particular colour, and the iron stem sang with heartache and relentless pain.
" Rahu . . . Frantic Revenge," she sang out in her strangely-hollow voice, the harmonics making the very air around them vibrate.
There was a sudden gale, the wind tearing at them and bringing the sounds of death and viciousness and horror and cruelty.
Amidst the gems on the staff, the emerald glowed with particular brilliance. Mercury felt a part of herself being torn out of her and lunged frantically for the unseen bit of Ami that she hoped to snatch back.
Artemis was picked up by something invisible. His eyes went suddenly a bright white, whiter than even the snow.
" ARTEMIS!" Venus screamed, "Venus Love Chain . . . Encircle!"
The chain of bright orange hearts spiraled for Rahu, and wrapped around the wand. The diamond glowed once an indigo colour, and the chain was gone.
" No. You'll not interrupt this. We have waited for so long to do this; you will not stop our vengeance. You cannot stop our vengeance!" Ketu cried.
Uranus had had enough.
" Uranus World Shaking!" she yelled, and sent the ball of gold energy hurtling towards the twins.
" Neptune Deep Submerge!" Another ball, this time a bright teal colour, sped for Artemis, knocking him out of the grip of his invisible attacker and into the waiting arms of Venus.
" Mars Flame Sniper!" Mars cried, shooting her flaming arrow at Ketu. Ketu, in her mind, was the older of the two. Or was she the younger and just spoke more than Rahu?
Ketu stood dead still as the arrow and ball got closer and closer . . . and then cancelled them out with a flick from her flagstaff. The flag rippled ominously.
" Sailor Moon!" Darien called, transforming in the blink of the eye into Tuxedo Mask, "You can stop them!"
Sailor Moon nodded, bringing out her kaleidoscope.
" Moon . . . Gorgeous . . . Meditation!"
The attack flew for the two, and actually hit them, Ketu trying at the last moment to block it or cancel it out and being unable to. This gave others hope, but their hearts sank as the two regained their footing and focused on Sailor Moon, unscathed. The Sailor Scouts all moved closer around her.
" Why do you attack us, Sailor Moon? We were destined to be part of your group," Rahu said bitterly. Sailor Moon backed up a step in surprise. Venus set Artemis down gently on the grass out of harm's way and came calmly back.
" You are no part of us! You tried to kill Artemis! What did he ever do to you?" the Sailor Scout of Beauty demanded. Ketu's gaze swung to her.
" More than you could ever imagine, princess." The word 'princess' was spat out like something foul. Venus took a step back as well from the bitterness in her voice.
" What . . . What was done to you? Why aren't you part of the Scouts?" Sailor Moon asked gently, approaching them. Tuxedo Mask moved to keep her back, but she shook her head and he left her alone.
" Twins . . . Bad luck in your kingdom," Ketu began to explain, "And that's really all you have to know, because even though we killed Serenity we're out for blood: yours."
" KILLED SERENITY?" The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask demanded all at once.
" Pluto . . . Deadly Scream!" Pluto murmured, and the ball of deep, dark energy darted for Rahu. Rahu did nothing to stop it, but when it hit her . . . Pluto screamed. Screamed and screamed and screamed.
" 'Go away, Twins'," Rahu whispered, so softly only Sailor Moon could hear, "'Go away and die.'"
By Lillith Nightdemon
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sailor Moon (boo-hoo), but I do own this plot and these characters. Please don't take them without my permission!
A/N: things in . are thoughts. Things in "." are the actual spoken words. Thx! ^^
Chapter one
It was a beautiful day, Usagi thought as she gazed out the window and onto the snow-covered landscape of her hometown. February 14th, St. Valentine's Day. The most romantic day of the year, and she was going out with Darien for a quiet lunch and a walk in the park today! Fortunately, Sarena had been able to wake up before ten (yes, even though it was a Saturday), and was now just putting on finishing touches, i.e. make-up and earrings. She was wearing a pink shirt with the words 'I love you' embossed on it in red, and a pair of tan cords that laced up at the bottoms. Pulling her hands away from her ears she admired the small pink hearts that dangled whenever she swung her head, grabbed her purse, and sped out the door after kissing her mother goodbye.
It was gorgeous out, and as the girl walked the streets she saw, with a smile, that many young couples were out today. Even little children, probably only just Chibi-Usa's age, walked hand-in-hand. Yes, love was in the air. Even Luna was out somewhere (presumably with Artemis; Sarena smiled fondly), her purple-black cat who'd been with her since she'd become who she was today.
So pleasant, she reflected, I'm glad we managed to defeat Nehelenia. The protector of love and peace is right! What a relief to just be able to get on with life! She referred to the trouble with her alter-ego, Sailor Moon and the Moon Princess. She stopped in front of Darien's apartment building, and smiled to herself. Today would be a day to remember, that was for sure . . .
It was later on at the Temple where Rei felt the disturbance. Like a bitter wind with the sounds of violence floating on with it. She shivered, but it had nothing to do with the chill. After a moment of watching the bare branches of the great tree on the lawn sway almost nervously in the wind, she went back to her shoveling. Nearby she could hear both Chad and her grandfather grumbling about snow, although in her grandpa's case it was about how all the pretty girls suddenly were bundled up against the cold.
Suddenly, Chad's angry mumbles went silent, and for a single moment he seemed to be composing himself. Then, he rounded the corner, repeating the lovely phrase he'd composed himself in his mind:
Rei, I bought these roses for you. They reminded me of you, fiery and gorgeous, with an air of mystery and romance surrounding them, and I was wondering if you'd care to join me for lunch in the park?
He composed himself once more, cleared his throat nervously, and turned the corner.
" Chad?" Rei asked, a tinge of red staining her cheeks at the sight of the bouquet of expensive roses he'd tried to hide behind his back. He held them out to her, blushing so much he turned the shade of the roses.
" For you. Lunch?" was all he managed to say.
Inside his head, the poet that was Chad's mind wept and moaned in frustration, throwing a tantrum and several objects strewn about. One of those hit the right nerve ending, and Chad's mouth opened to say: "I think you're beautiful . . . like them."
Rei smiled a wide smile, accepting the roses, "Of course I'll go with you for lunch! Let me go put something nicer on and we'll go, all right?"
Chad's heart pounded. He managed to nod.
Rei smiled triumphantly and happily as she entered her room, pulling out a vase and putting the gorgeous roses in it with some water. Another man conquered by Mars, the red Sailor scout of Fire!
Ami put down her glasses and stared out the window. Something pulled her towards the park. She looked out for a silent moment, taking in the snow- white beauty of the winter landscape before her, and made her decision. Something pulled her towards the park.
She got out her coat and put her book in the big pockets, being careful not to rip or bend any pages. The blue peacoat had fine pockets, big enough for books, and that's why she liked it. She frowned a bit when she saw her bare legs under her knee-length blue skirt, but then shrugged it off. Something pulled her towards the park. She wasn't about to give in, but she wasn't about to stay home. Something intrigued her about today. Today and the park.
The park.
The park.
The park.
The words echoed in her mind as she set out, buttoning up the coat over her tight blue shirt and fitted business shirt which she left undone. A chill breeze made her shiver, but along with that came violence and terror and the thought of death.
She shivered some more.
Maybe the park would explain.
Minako and Makoto were busy ogling the guys passing by at the mall, sipping milkshakes and drooling. Minako's cat-friend, Artemis, was curled up in her courier's bag, sleeping beside a piece of shredded string he'd been tearing apart only moments ago from pure boredom. Sailor scouts as well, they were Venus and Jupiter, but right now they were acting like typical girls.
" Oooh! Whatta fox he is!" Minako giggled as a teenage boy winked at her from the counter. Makoto smiled prettily to the boy's friend, her brown hair hanging from her usual ponytail in soft waves. Minako's own startlingly gold hair was pulled into a loose ponytail herself, unlike her usual style of just in a red bow. She wore a white button-up shirt and blue jeans with a gold scarf tied around her waist. Makoto wore a short denim dirty-wash skirt and a mottled green peasant blouse.
" I think I'd prefer his friend!" she murmured to her Sailor Scout friend, and then her green eyes widened as the two of them began to approach them. The boy in question had longish black hair, reaching down to his shoulders, with twinkling brown eyes and lightly tanned skin. His friend had blue- black hair, shorter and spikier with yellow tips and eyes a warm brown like his friend's.
" Hey ladies," the first boy greeted suavely, "My, my, did it hurt?"
" Did what hurt?" Minako asked, puzzled. She glanced at Makoto. Maybe these guys weren't what they were looking for . . . Sanity was a good characteristic to have in a man . . . Well, okay, it helped.
" Your fall from Heaven. You're angels, right? You're as beautiful as they are!" He gave them a charming smile, "I'm Iben, and this is my friend Ri."
The girls giggled. Never had they been hit on by such a fabulous charmer!
" I'm Minako, and this is Makoto," the blonde said with a coy look on her face.
" It's a pleasure to meet you, Minako," Iben said, bending down to kiss her hand. Minako went red and giggled even more behind a demure hand.
" Would you like to come have lunch with us in the park?" Ri asked, speaking up for the first time. He never took his eyes off Makoto. His husky voice echoed in her mind.
" Of-of course we would! Let's go!" the girls said in unison and grabbed their purses, dragging the poor guys out of the restaurant and out to the park.
Meanwhile, like the others, Setsuna, Sailor Pluto was walking down the road towards the park. It was a gorgeous day, and even though she had no lover she didn't want to spoil it. She vaguely wondered why she'd been drawn to the park. Could it be a sign? Would they possibly see a new Scout? She let go of the dream-like thoughts that pierced the pink clouds in her mind and just wandered along, marveling at all the couples and the colours. Her nice skater shoes stamped down on the film of snow over the sidewalk. For once she hadn't put on a dress or a pantsuit. She had on tight boot-cut jeans with a warm chenille sweater in her favourite colour: dark red. Over that she wore a light coat. Her dark eyes looked up at the sky.
Something flitted over the sun.
Screams flew in on the breeze, tearing her away from her happy reverie. She snapped back to being herself, and began running for the park. Something's going to happen, and it isn't going to be pretty! she thought grimly as she pounded on over the snow.
Michiru and Haruka were in the park already, while all this was going on, walking arm-in-arm along the snow-covered paths. The bright noon-time sun shone down on them, and they stopped to sit on a bench that looked out over the snow-laden branches of the forest surrounding them. Michiru, who happened to be Sailor Neptune, lifted her face to the sun, closing her beautiful sea-blue eyes.
" Something's going to happen, love," she told Haruka, a frown briefly appearing on her face. Haruka's own blue eyes gazed at her, her brow furrowing for a moment. The golden-haired woman was Sailor Uranus.
" What?"
" Can't you feel it? Something bad . It's coming," the woman replied, opening her eyes and gazing intently at the sky above them. Haruka followed her gaze, and saw a brief flicker that suggested something ricocheting across the sky. Screams and violence were on the breeze that suddenly picked up. Haruka's eyes widened in shock.
" What . . .? We did know about this! What is it, Michiru?"
" I don't know. I really don't," came the reply, "but I do know that we have to be ready for anything. Come on, let's finish this walk. We should make it to the pavilion in time to watch these mysterious newcomers."
They set off down the beaten path, faster than they had arrived. An impish face watched them go, anger and bitterness contorting her pale face.
" Oh, you won't miss them, Sailor Scouts! You won't miss them at all . . . "
Darien and Usagi were at a table enjoying steaming mugs of hot cocoa when a rumble shook the ground beneath them. Standing and letting his chair fall to the ground, Darien shot like an arrow towards Usagi as flickers of . . . something darted around the pavilion.
" Darien! What's going on?" Usagi cried as she pressed even further into his chest. Darien's dark eyes darted as he tried to get a glimpse of whatever was causing this disturbance, but he no longer trusted his eyes when the figure of a Sailor Scout was illuminated on a tree branch. How could that be? Hadn't they discovered all the Sailor Scouts?
Feeling an urgent need to get out of the park, he began to run, grabbing Usagi and pounding down the snow-covered walk. He didn't realize he was being followed until more of the flickering beings appeared all around him.
He stopped, his eyes darting this way and that trying to see their assailants. Then, suddenly, he realized something else, something far more important than what was happening. The ground still rumbled, but faintly as he saw all the Scouts had been chased into a circle with him on the inside. There were no other people here. Usagi trembled in his arms, "Darien? What's happening? Darien!"
" I don't know, Usagi! Just . . . Just stay with me!"
" Sailor Scouts!" Setsuna cried, from her post just outside the shrinking circle as their flickering attackers closed in, "TRANSFORM!"
There were nine blasts of coloured light as the girls all obeyed, and suddenly there stood the nine Defenders of the galaxy.
There was a strange laugh that seemed to come from all around them. Sailor Uranus, her corn-silk blonde hair waving in a sudden breeze full of terror and uncertainty, got ready to attack. Neptune put her gloved hand on Uranus' shoulder.
" Wait, dearest. There is more to this than meets the eye, I think," she said softly as the flickers gradually grew less and less until there were two shapes on the pavement before them.
" We know who you are."
" You can't avoid us this time."
The voices echoed with strange harmonics, sounding like although they were in this dimension they were also in many, many others all at the same time.
A flag rippled in the wind.
Two figured in the purest white and the deepest black stood before them, identical in almost every way.
" I am Sailor Ketu," one announced. Her platinum-blonde hair waved in the wind. The silver tiara on her forehead disappeared and a sign appeared, glowing with some unseen colour, where the stone (a cat's-eye?) had been. The bone-white mask on her pale face was a half-mask with semi-circle eyes. Her clothes were ripped and tattered, a cape of black-upon-white fanning out behind her. The skirt was white, the bandanna was white; all was white except the second pair of sleeves that emerged from under the first pair. She wore black pointe shoes with ribbons crisscrossing all the way up to her knees. The silver flagstaff she held in the hand with a white glove (the other was gloved in black) bore her sign and another's, presumably the one of her companion.
" And I am Sailor Rahu," the other one intoned. Her outfit was exactly the same as the other one's: all black and white without any other colour. Her hair was short in the front, and then long in the back, reaching down to the small of her back. It was the same pearly white as the other's. This girl had no bangs, and as they watched the silver tiara on her forehead disappeared to reveal another sign, exactly like the Ketu's only upside- down. The half-mask she wore had the same semi-circle eyes, only unlike Ketu's whose eye-holes were upturned, these were down turned. It gave the impression that Rahu was sad and had been for most of her life. Like Ketu, she had an object, only this one was a wand with nine gemstones set in the rounded part that was the head. It seemed to be iron, and had no ornaments like all the Wands Sailor Moon had held.
" Who-who are you?" Sailor Venus asked, her blue eyes sparking with intrigue but wariness.
" The Twins," they replied in unison.
By now, Artemis had woke up and jumped out of the bag discarded in Minako's transformation. His eyes went wide at the sight of the two.
" No!" he cried.
" Ahh, Artemis. Our old friend," Ketu cooed. The words seemed . wrong coming out of her mouth. The fondness that seemed to be what it was wasn't fondness. Sailor Moon sensed anger and bitterness all around them, directed at the white cat, "We didn't think you would still be alive after all this time. Cat's truly must have nine lives."
Rahu raised her wand, the gems gleaming menacingly in her hands. Sailor Mercury could see them now, identifying coral; yellow topaz; blue sapphire; ruby; pearl; emerald; and diamond. The two others were a mystery to her, so she used her small computer to analyze them.
A cat's-eye and . . . orange zircon? Were those the stones of the twins?
" Let's find out how many you've used already."
The Sailor Scouts realized what she was doing but only when she swung the wand upwards. There was no fancy stuff, no twirling, just straight upwards the wand went. The stones glowed with their own particular colour, and the iron stem sang with heartache and relentless pain.
" Rahu . . . Frantic Revenge," she sang out in her strangely-hollow voice, the harmonics making the very air around them vibrate.
There was a sudden gale, the wind tearing at them and bringing the sounds of death and viciousness and horror and cruelty.
Amidst the gems on the staff, the emerald glowed with particular brilliance. Mercury felt a part of herself being torn out of her and lunged frantically for the unseen bit of Ami that she hoped to snatch back.
Artemis was picked up by something invisible. His eyes went suddenly a bright white, whiter than even the snow.
" ARTEMIS!" Venus screamed, "Venus Love Chain . . . Encircle!"
The chain of bright orange hearts spiraled for Rahu, and wrapped around the wand. The diamond glowed once an indigo colour, and the chain was gone.
" No. You'll not interrupt this. We have waited for so long to do this; you will not stop our vengeance. You cannot stop our vengeance!" Ketu cried.
Uranus had had enough.
" Uranus World Shaking!" she yelled, and sent the ball of gold energy hurtling towards the twins.
" Neptune Deep Submerge!" Another ball, this time a bright teal colour, sped for Artemis, knocking him out of the grip of his invisible attacker and into the waiting arms of Venus.
" Mars Flame Sniper!" Mars cried, shooting her flaming arrow at Ketu. Ketu, in her mind, was the older of the two. Or was she the younger and just spoke more than Rahu?
Ketu stood dead still as the arrow and ball got closer and closer . . . and then cancelled them out with a flick from her flagstaff. The flag rippled ominously.
" Sailor Moon!" Darien called, transforming in the blink of the eye into Tuxedo Mask, "You can stop them!"
Sailor Moon nodded, bringing out her kaleidoscope.
" Moon . . . Gorgeous . . . Meditation!"
The attack flew for the two, and actually hit them, Ketu trying at the last moment to block it or cancel it out and being unable to. This gave others hope, but their hearts sank as the two regained their footing and focused on Sailor Moon, unscathed. The Sailor Scouts all moved closer around her.
" Why do you attack us, Sailor Moon? We were destined to be part of your group," Rahu said bitterly. Sailor Moon backed up a step in surprise. Venus set Artemis down gently on the grass out of harm's way and came calmly back.
" You are no part of us! You tried to kill Artemis! What did he ever do to you?" the Sailor Scout of Beauty demanded. Ketu's gaze swung to her.
" More than you could ever imagine, princess." The word 'princess' was spat out like something foul. Venus took a step back as well from the bitterness in her voice.
" What . . . What was done to you? Why aren't you part of the Scouts?" Sailor Moon asked gently, approaching them. Tuxedo Mask moved to keep her back, but she shook her head and he left her alone.
" Twins . . . Bad luck in your kingdom," Ketu began to explain, "And that's really all you have to know, because even though we killed Serenity we're out for blood: yours."
" KILLED SERENITY?" The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask demanded all at once.
" Pluto . . . Deadly Scream!" Pluto murmured, and the ball of deep, dark energy darted for Rahu. Rahu did nothing to stop it, but when it hit her . . . Pluto screamed. Screamed and screamed and screamed.
" 'Go away, Twins'," Rahu whispered, so softly only Sailor Moon could hear, "'Go away and die.'"