They say once you've moved on, you can't go back. I suppose that's true. I went very far and now I'll never go back. Not to anything, because there's nothing left of my home. Nothing left of my past. But that is where my story starts, my past.
"Akane! My precious Akane! No! Don't take her! Don't take my baby!" They say a child never forgets their mother's voice, but I would give anything to forget the first time she ever screamed and begged it when they took me away. I was seven, seven and confused. They dragged me to the beautiful palace where our Queen, Sailor Coronis, lived. I was scared and began to cry when she appeared; she was so magnificent, I thought she was going to lock me away forever. But what she did, I think she came to regret on that night, many years later. She sent me to train with some of the finest warriors.
"Hush, child, I'm not going to hurt you. It's time you begin your destiny. Come, you will be strong, I can feel it. Unmatched by any." Sailor Coronis said softly to me, I ceased my crying and looked into her dark eyes, so trusting. She smiled and took my hand. We arrived to a room of the castle where five other girls were waiting.
"Ladies, this is Akane. She will be starting her training with you tomorrow." She then introduced them to me. "This Europa, Callisto, Io, Phobos and Deimos." She gestured to each of the girls, but I stared only at the floor. There I was standing with the daughters of the five greatest Lords of Coronis and I, mere peasant girl, was about to train with them. I felt very nervous.
"Your Majesty, is… is this a joke?" I whispered to Sailor Coronis, who looked bemused. Phobos and Deimos studied me as I looked determinedly into the Senshi's eyes.
"Why, of course not! My dear, the stars have picked you." She said smiling. Yes, the stars had picked me for far better things then she would ever understand. The next part of my life was boring and wearisome. For ten years, the six of us trained to become the warriors of Coronis. Callisto, Europa and Io seemed to like me, but I always felt coldly towards Phobos and Deimos. They didn't trust me, but when our ceremony came, I could finally show them I could be relied on. That day was approaching, it was so close. I spent hours training after class to improve myself. I wanted this; I wanted to become a Sailor Senshi.
Finally, the day came, the Ceremony of Senshi, I'll remember it forever, because that's when my destiny changed. I was nervous as I arose from bed that morning, I was happier than I had ever been. I smiled at Io as she combed her black hair and at Europa as she dressed in her finest. Callisto was still in bed.
"Can you believe it? Today is the day! The day we become Sailor Senshi! I can hardly breathe!" I said excitedly, Phobos even gave me a grudging smile. Deimos sighed dreamily.
"And two of us will be picked to be guardians of the Princess Mars." Europa squealed. She badly wanted to go. She loved the idea of serving the beautiful princess. She danced around the room excitedly as we all laughed. "Callisto! Wake up! Callisto-chan!" She hit the girl on the head, she stirred annoyed.
"Alright! Alright!" She groaned. Soon, we were all ready and anxious as we walked down the steps leading to the Grand Hall, I remember wondering if my parents were going to be there. I gasped as we entered the Hall. They were here, or at least my father was. I found out later that my mother had died shortly after they took me away, she died of grief. Everyone in Coronis was there for our important day. I smiled at my sister who was crying, it was the first time we have seen each other since the day I was taken from our home. We stood before Sailor Coronis and Princess Mars, both women looked beautiful. Princess Mars was slim and mysterious looking with her long black hair and violet eyes. She studied each of us, carefully; Europa was shaking with nervousness.
"As you all know, these six ladies have trained for years. Now their time has come to defend their home planet and this Galaxy from the darkness that approaches us." Sailor Coronis said to the room. "But first, Princess Mars will pick two soldiers to go with her to her home planet and help protect there." I could see Europa shaking now, sweat running down the back of her neck. Please pick her, I thought as Princess Mars opened her mouth to speak.
"I have read over your reports from your training and I made my decision. The soldiers who will be joining me are," she paused for a dramatic effect. Idiot! Just hurry and say Europa before she dies from anxiety! "Phobos-san and Deimos-san." She said calmly as the crowd erupted, Phobos and Deimos looked up. Europa… Poor Europa… She was smiling through her tears.
"You are now done here. Go to your new home." Sailor Coronis said smiling. They looked at Europa before leaving with Princess Mars. She was trying so hard not to look displeased; she smiled when Sailor Coronis turned to us. "Now, as many of you know, I will choose from those remaining." Wait, choose? Doesn't she take all of us? "Io, Europa and Callisto, please step forward." They did, glancing at me before doing so. "You three are my guardians. Congratulations." They left with two of the guards to await further instructions. I felt sick, as I stood before the Queen, alone.
"Akane-san, thank you for your immense amount of determination you showed throughout your training. You may now live as a warrior among the people. Helping them with the crimes in the city." She said kindly.
"What about becoming a Senshi? I-I worked so hard for this!" I said, my voice shaking with an unnoticed anger. She reached a hand out to me, but I moved away.
"Please, Akane, you do not have enough power." She explained. Power. That word echoed through my head. Power. Power. Power, I need more and then I'll come back, I promised myself as I walked away from the palace with my family who were beaming with pleasure. I was shaking with anger. The stars! My destiny! She had lied to me! Filled with bitterness, I collapsed on my bed and fell into a deep sleep.
It felt like my whole life had changed. One moment I was heading to an honor one dreams of and then I fell as low as this! Things were getting worse, the sky was darkening. The world was the dangerous place. And my poor Europa. I will never forget the day I was told of Europa's death. It was two months after our ceremony; she was so depressed that she jumped from the tower window. The moment I found out I rushed to palace, not caring about anything. I transformed into a bird and flew as fast as my wings could carry me. When I got to the Palace, I saw a horrible sight. There laid Europa's body, broken and bent awkwardly. Her skull was cracked and the blood formed a puddle beneath her. I resumed my human form, staring transfixed at the body of my friend. How I describe what I felt? It was a mixture of anger, sadness and … excitement? I felt a wonderful thrill as I stared at the corpse. The cold eerie aura of death that surrounded it, the ghastly eyes wide and lifeless, it excited me. Disgusted by my amusement, I looked away to see Io and Callisto staring blankly at the body, letting silent tears slip down their pale faces. Sailor Coronis merely sighed and looked away. That was it! No remorse! Nothing! This woman didn't care; it was just years of training wasted. Europa meant nothing to her. Io and Callisto both left after many silent sobs, but I was emotionless like Sailor Coronis. She looked at me.
"It has begun." She said softly. I merely nodded, not fully understanding what she meant, but I would soon, very soon. The night sky became dark and empty, stars weren't shining brightly anymore, it was like they had all burnt out. Something was wrong, I could sense it, but what was it? I decided I would patrol the streets that night. I wandered for many hours, nothing had come. I shook off the eerie feeling and walked home. As I got closer I smelt smoke, it was strong. I heard screaming and I ran.
"Papa!" I screamed as I saw my home was engulfed in flames. My family was trapped, the roof had fallen in. No one could get inside, or out. "Don't worry! Papa! Akemi! Can you hear me? It will be-" But I never was able to finish reassuring them, for it was hopeless and they knew it, I couldn't bring myself to lie. Where were Io, Callisto and Sailor Coronis? Why was no one doing anything? Screams of pain filled the air as the fire roared. What was causing this? The people who had left their homes were now running back to their families. They could not help. I stood helplessly as my family begged and cried, the flames burning them alive. I began to cry. I could do nothing. I had no power.
"Help!" I screamed as loudly as I could, no one came. "Help!" I repeated to the empty night. "Help! Someone, please! Help!" Still no one came. "Cowards!" I cried in anger. I broke down, sobbing on the cold stone road. "Papa…" I whispered. There was no more screaming. The fire had died down. They were gone. In one night, they were gone. I stood, trembling and burning with anger. I picked up a rock and threw it through a window of the house across from my own. Then I threw another at the window above it. Then another, and another. The stones relieved my anger weakly. My neighbor stepped out, yelling at me. Telling me as a civilian that he was not supposed to stop crime, I as a warrior, was. I began to laugh.
"Me? I was to stop a roaring fire? On my own?" I asked angrily. "You selfish bastard!" I screamed suddenly at him. I lunged towards him with a rock in my hand and with all of my remaining strength; I struck him again and again. I continued, until the hot, red blood seeped from the wounds. Drenched in his blood, I stood over his body laughing insanely. I heard the flutter of wings and turned to face Sailor Io and Sailor Callisto, both of them gasped at the sight of me.
"Akane-kun! How-How could you?" Io said quietly. I stared at the remains of my house and my family. All ashes.
"Easily. Because he stood and watched my family die." I said coldly. Io and Callisto grabbed me by the arms tightly and dragged my weary body to the palace. I was silent when they threw me into a cell; I had my back to my so-called friends. To the Sailor Senshi. Once they were gone, I laughed. I laughed at my neighbor's death. At the life I had lost. At the 'servants of justice' who let it happen. At the blood I was covered in and how I loved it. I laughed at my insanity. I fell to the floor when I could no longer breathe. I lay on the cold dirty floor of the cell, not caring for my fate. I heard someone enter the dungeon. I didn't move. The lanterns flickered and then it was dark. The cell door opened. Still, I didn't move. I didn't want to. Then there was a voice, it belonged to a woman, but it wasn't one I knew.
"Are you alive?" It asked. I opened my eyes to see a woman in a dark cloak standing over me. I grunted as an answer. "Good." She said blankly. Her voice was powerful and commanding. "Stand." I did, slowly, as she dropped her hood, revealing a beautiful, serious face with cold, blank, amber eyes. We stared at one another, not speaking. Finally she said, "You laughed at death, child?"
"Who are you? What do you want? Did Sailor Coronis send you?" I said and she smiled to my surprise.
"I will answer your questions, and after you will answer mine. No, Sailor Coronis did not send me. I want to help you. I am Sailor Galaxia, the Golden Queen of the Galaxies." She said calmly. Sailor Senshi? I had never heard of her before. When we were training, all those years ago, we were taught all the names of the Senshi, this one was never mentioned but with such an important title she must have been. I must have forgotten.
"Why do you want to help me?" I asked. She continued to smile at me as if I was a small child.
"Because what they did was wrong. They did not come to help you; they left your family to perish, did they not?" She said kindly, but coldly, if someone can do such a thing. I nodded. "I fight the corrupted and I plan to rule fairly. I need your help, because the others are corrupt. You will help me succeed." I stared at her.
"Me? But I'm only a… a commoner. How can I help a Sailor Senshi like you? I have no power." I growled bitterly.
"But I can give you power," at this I looked up, "yes, I can give you extraordinary power. If you do as I ask. Do I have your word?" Sailor Galaxia asked, I stared at her. I had to think over this carefully, it could be a trap. If it was a trap though… But then again, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. She held out her hand, I grasped it and kissed it formally.
"Yes, Galaxia-sama, you have my word as a warrior, as a civilian of Coronis." I said kneeling, with her hand at my lips. "I will do as you command."
"Good." She said as I stood. "Now, Akane," I was shocked that she knew my name, she smiled. "I have been following you and watching you. I have chosen you. Now answer me, you laugh at death?" I smiled wickedly and nodded. "How sadistic." She murmured thoughtfully. "For your first command, Akane, kill Sailor Coronis." I gasped; I saw the burning determination in the Senshi's eyes and looked down as she continued. "Bring her Star Seed to me and I will give you power. I will make you a Sailor Senshi." A Sailor Senshi… my dream… at last. I smiled and bowed.
"Yes, Galaxia-sama." She could trust me, my loyalty would not waver. I would kill a thousand times for her. I would do anything for this power. She stepped back, laughing, and slowly vanished. Her laughter echoed off the walls. She had left the cell door open for me. I ran to find Sailor Coronis' room, which was in the north tower. I knew my way around the palace and I knew where the guards would be. But I did not know how I was going to kill her or what a Star Seed was. I shook off my nervousness and crept up the stairs, no guards. I walked down the long corridor silently. Her room was at the end of the hall, with two guards sleeping by the door. How was I going to enter without them seeing me? I smiled as an idea dawned on me. I transformed into a crow and flew out a window. Circling the tower I found her room, the window was open. I flew in silently, and I resumed my natural form. I looked around the room and there she was, sleeping soundlessly on her bed under the window. I spotted a whip, which had been once mine, on the stool next to her dagger; I carefully took them from their sanctuary and strapped them to my belt. Being cautious, I locked her door so the guards couldn't enter if she screamed. I turned to face the sleeping figure and placed a hand tightly over her mouth, waking her. She stared me fearfully. I glared at her through the darkness.
"Sailor Coronis, I'm going to get the power I need. I'm going to become a Sailor Senshi. I am destined for great things like you said." I remove my hand from her mouth and to her throat. I expected her to plea or to be angry, I was not expecting a smile. It was weak and sad.
"My time has come at last." She whispered. "I prayed she wouldn't find you, Akane. I prayed for the safety of my people. But now…" She broke off. "Now I am to die and my planet with me." She paused. "I am sorry for Europa and for you. If only I had known then what you were to become…"
"But you didn't. We cannot dwell on the past, I believe you said that." I tightened my grip, she gasped. Her breath was quick and short as I raised the dagger. "Goodbye, Sailor Coronis." I said plunging the silver blade into her chest. I let go of her throat and pushed the blade in deeper, but it didn't kill her. She cried for her guards but they could not get in. Now I realized she wouldn't be willing to die, she was frightened. She would want to live. She screamed for her Sailor Senshi as I lunged for her. The wound weakened her but she still moved fast. I pinned her to the ground and she struggled. I heard voices outside of the door, Io and Callisto had arrived. She tried to break free from my grasp.
"Coronis, Planet Power…" She began, but she screamed in pain as I stabbed her again. She managed to push me off, but I was on my feet fast. She made for the door, but I snapped the whip and it wrapped around her neck. She fell and struggled for air as I tightened it. Her face started to turn blue; I smiled coldly at her as I stabbed her in the chest one last time. Her wide eyes turned blank as something shining emerged from her body. Her body relaxed, she was dead. I stood up, with the shining crystal in my hands.
"A star seed?" I wondered aloud. A voice replied,
"Yes, that is a Sailor Crystal, a star seed of a Sailor Senshi." I turned to face Galaxia, who was staring down at the body lying stiff and cold on the floor. "Messy." She remarked calmly. "But you did it nonetheless." The crystal vanished from my hands and into hers. "As I promised." She raised her hand. I felt a pain strong enough to cause me to collapse to the ground. It felt as though I was burning alive, was she punishing me? I did what asked without fail… Slowly the pain stopped, I opened my eyes slowly. I felt different; I felt new, I felt stronger. "Rise." Galaxia commanded, I followed her order. It was difficult to stand at first, I felt as though I was being weighed down by something heavy on my back. I saw two golden bracelets clasped to my wrists and my outfit had changed from my peasant clothes to a reddish brown corset and long boots of the same colour. I gasped loudly when I discovered the heaviness on my back was from my new black, feathered wings.
"Oh, Galaxia-sama, thank you. I am honored." I said as I bowed to her.
"This is only the beginning of your service to me. You will keep you promise-" I cut her off, nervously.
"And if I don't? I'm sorry to be rude." I added quickly because she looked annoyed at being interrupted.
"You will suffer the consequences. As I was saying, you will no longer be called Akane, but Sailor Lead Crow. You have a new status now, and a new life. Forget your past and think only of your future." I nodded and she beckoned me to follow her. "Come, this planet is useless now." She said coldly, suddenly the door crashed open. I looked at Galaxia to see her expression, it was blank. There was no fear, it dawned on me then how power this woman was. To have so much power to not even feel fear. Io and Callisto froze at the sight of their dead leader. They looked angrily at us.
"If it was our fate, then we would let you kill us. But it is not! We are the Sailor Senshi of this planet, Coronis!" Io cried, stepping forward. They didn't recognize me; I smiled coldly as Galaxia laughed.
"Goodbye, my dear friends." I said as I cracked my whip, they fell back.
"Akane!" Callisto gasped as I laughed. I don't know how I knew what to say, but I attacked.
"Galatica Tornado!" It sent a strong energy blast at them; I heard Io and Callisto scream.
"I'll do the rest, join the others." Sailor Galaxia said as the two guardians stood slowly, I bowed and jumped from the tower, transforming into a bird as I fell through the air. Resuming my human form, I saw four girls fighting I ran to join them. I felt exhilarated as the blood of battle began to be shed. The sky was dark with thick clouds that released their anger through black lightning. My once home was being destroyed and I could not be any happier; at last I was living my destiny, the one I was promised so many years ago and the one that was cruelly taken away from me. Blood and death was everywhere; screams rang in my ears; such a glorious sound. My time has come, I thought as I entered the chaos.