Yeah it's ANOTHER Silver Millennium fic. Everyone writes one. But I feel fairly confident about it and do hope that you enjoy it. There are many questions about this time period that I wanted to shed light on. Maybe it isn't the truth, but it is a theory.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon.
Warnings: Dark, angst, politics, and betrayal. (This story jumps the ages a lot at first so you have to pay close attention or you won't know how much time has passed.)
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Our Kingdom Disdain
(Part the First)
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"I had forgotten that you are only a common boy. How should you understand reasons of State? You must learn, child, that what would be wrong for you or any of the common people is not wrong in a great Queen such as I. The weight of the world is on our shoulders. We must be freed from all rules. Ours is a high and lonely destiny."
-Jadis, Last Queen of Charn, The Chronicles of Narnia
"Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum."
("To so many evils religion has persuaded men.")
-Lucretius
"You, too, were brought to this planet from far across the galaxy. Are not our origins the same?"
-Nehalennia, Act 41
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"Forgive me. Please!"
"You've lost the way. You've lost Selene forever! You have destroyed our goddess! You are banished."
"Banished? Mother! I beg you to listen!"
"How dare you call me mother? You've killed her!"
"Selene wanted it this way!"
"Blasphemy!"
"She hated living!"
"Lies! You disgusting child of evil! You are banished away from our realm forever. May you make your godless kingdom on a world far from ours!"
"Mother…" The heir to the Cauldron of Life, She Who Creates Stars, a young Queen by the name of Serenity was reduced to a sobbing young woman. "Forgive me…"
She had committed a great sin to her people. In truth she was acting on another's wishes but no one would listen to her. The months of trying to tell anyone who would listen, always on the verge of giving up until one day a man listened to her.
And slowly one man became two; two became four, and so on. They started their own separate faction from what was known as The True Kingdom. Finally the day came when she had been given instructions commanding her to do this one task. She cried while listening for she knew that after this day there would be no turning back.
A man, the first man ever to believe her, picked her up off the ground. She was still sobbing as she heard her mother curse her.
It was right!
I did only as I was asked…surely…one day they'll see…
There is no hope of that now.
Crowds, the supporters of the Heir to the Cauldron followed her to the large transport ships. It would take three to take all the supporters and followers.
"This is a new age." Serenity spoke to the crowds, ignoring her falling tears. She was a good queen. She was! She'd take the people away. "We shall build a new kingdom. Selene's spirit will lead us!"
The cheers echoed as they all loaded up onto the ships. They took off, Serenity taking one last look at her home. The Zero Star of Sagittarius was magnificent. And now, she would no longer be able to get back. Ever.
The months that followed were nothing but traveling mindlessly through space. Some began to falter. Where was the Queen leading them? To their deaths? Some wanted to go back; surely they could be welcomed back by Queen Selenity, back to the brightness and wonder of the Zero Star.
Others began to see Queen Serenity as the embodiment of Selene, maybe even Selene reborn? Whispers about the goddess being reincarnated flooded through the ship. Soon people were spending their time kneeling at Selene's shrine and praying that her chosen one lead them to a utopia.
It was months later though that finally things were coming to a close. Would they ever find a new home? Did Selene wish them to wander forever through space? Her only true supporters?
"Serenity…" A young man watched the pale woman look out the window, a sad but regal look gracing her features. He loved her. She was more then his Queen or his goddess. She was perfection. Her long silvery hair, tumbling down her shoulders, her glowing skin that seemed almost gray in the dark, and those eyes, a silvery blue. She turned her head towards him slightly. "Serenity, where are we going?"
"Does it matter? Selene stopped speaking to me as soon as the task was done." Serenity fought back tears and anger. "She leaves as soon as she gets what she wants."
"How do you know? Perhaps she cannot speak to you." The man walked closer to her.
"If she can't…how cruel she is…" Serenity stared out the window. She gasped. "That's it."
"What?" He looked over her shoulder; they were in a solar system, passing by a beautiful blue and green planet. "It's spectacular."
"No, that is not our home. That is our home." Serenity gestured towards a silvery orb that they were approaching quickly. "It looks like…"
"Zero Star?" He supplied.
"Selene wanted us to be happy. She didn't realize how badly things would get until now. We are going to build a new kingdom. Right there." Serenity felt herself smile for the first time in months.
Mother…I have gone as far as I can. My kingdom will be here.
Is this where you want me to go Selene?
I will build the greatest of kingdoms there and we will prove that they were the ones too blind to see truth!
Mother…why couldn't you believe me?
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"Oh I hate training with them!" Minako stamped her foot angrily. At eight years old she was already the leader of the Sailor Senshi and royal princess to the planet Venus. Unfortunately, some of the Sailor Senshi made it abundantly clear that they thought training together was a bad idea.
At first the blonde had tried to make friends with the princesses of Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto but her patience was damn near running out on her. Michiru, the princess of Neptune always gave her that look that clearly said, "You may be leader but we'll do what we want." How was she supposed to work with that sort of attitude? Minako had greatly admired the twelve year old water senshi. Michiru was so talented; she could play many instruments as if she was born doing so though her favorite seemed to be an odd stringed instrument that had been invented on Neptune called a violin. Minako couldn't make sense of the thing though. Michiru was also beautiful, always had been, and always would be. She had long wavy aquamarine hair that fell to her shoulder blades and deep ocean like eyes. She always looked like the picture of the perfect princess, no matter how hard they trained; Michiru didn't seem able to break a sweat. Always picture perfect. Minako wanted to tear out all the strands of shining aqua hair and would have been thoroughly satisfied when Michiru cried. Michiru never cried. She got angry, but always in a way that made the other feel small and insignificant. She hated that too!
Worse, if possible, was Michiru's constant companion, Sailor Uranus. The two were always together and if they decided they wanted to do something, they didn't ask Minako; they just went right on ahead and did it. Haruka, the senshi of wind, was always arrogant and seem to think that orders were suggestions. She was rather blunt about everything and had a way of telling the others exactly what she thought about them. Minako had looked up to Haruka too, Haruka who was so strong. Haruka, who could run like the wind. Haruka, who could train harder then anyone, then go race horses with men, the men for crying outloud, run off to Uranus whenever she felt like it and not when she had been given leave to go, and still find time to out fence Venus and make her feel like a novice again. Minako looked down at her fencing foil as she thought again of how easily Haruka had beaten her. And Haruka hadn't trained in months! It wasn't fair!
Then there was Setsuna, the royal princess of Pluto. She was the Time Guardian and was obviously allowed to disappear for any amount of time, but she was so infuriatingly calm that Minako wanted to scream. No matter what Minako did or tried to do, Setsuna would just look at her as if she were a small child and needed to be humored. She was with Haruka and Michiru whenever she was there and not training. Today, Setsuna fought against Rei, in hand to hand combat. Setsuna got her down in three kicks. "You'll learn to do better." Was all the Time Guardian had told Rei who was looking put out. With that icy quality to her voice, Minako wasn't sure if this was an insult or some form of encouragement. Trust Setsuna to confuse them. Setsuna so wise, so calm and so damn knowing of every little thing that it drove Minako right up the wall. Just once she'd like to see them mess up or make some mistake so that they would at least seem human. She'd love to see Setsuna trip over her feet and being embarrassed in front of a bunch of people, wouldn't that serve her right? After embarrassing each senshi numerous times, Minako knew she wasn't alone.
And yet they were supposed to be fellow warriors, fellow soldiers. It was hard to think of a comrade and then think about how you despised them. There the three of them were, far apart from the Inner Senshi who were trying to calm the senshi of Venus down.
"Minako, they can't help that they're older and more experienced." Ami reasoned quietly. Ami, always level headed and logical. Ami was the senshi of ice; Minako hoped Michiru saw that as a thorn in her side. Ami was the smartest of them all except for Setsuna. Hopefully another thorn for the Outers. It seemed as though they always fell short of the Outer Senshi. Makoto, the royal princess of Jupiter was physically very strong but not as strong as Haruka. Minako was beautiful but not as beautiful as Michiru. Rei, the royal princess of Mars was psychic and had premonitions but Setsuna knew the future and could look into it whenever she felt like it. Ami was smart but not as smart as Setsuna and not as fast at learning nor as perfect while learning as Michiru. Minako was determined to prove herself. Today if possible!
"It was just a match." Rei shrugged. Minako knew Rei was only pretending not to care, the senshi of fire kept glaring at Setsuna whenever she thought no one was looking at her. "We haven't tried out our magical powers against them, maybe we should. We've learned a lot while they've been gone."
"But they probably found something out too." Makoto sighed. "I just want to go back to the kitchens."
"You know you'll be in big trouble if word gets to the Queen that you've been messing around in the kitchens like a cook." Minako wanted her senshi to be the best. The ones who never made mistakes.
"They," Rei left no doubt who she was talking about, "break the rules all the time. How often do they get punished? Never."
"I know!" Minako stomped her foot again. "Michiru just gives the Queen that look and pretends to be sorry! Setsuna's never gotten yelled at in her life! And Haruka grins and makes a joke and they're right back on the Queen's good side!"
"Are you four done arguing yet?" Haruka called out. "I thought we were training."
"We are." Minako looked sharply at the Inner Senshi who quickly got into line. "I thought we'd practice our magical attacks."
Michiru's lips curved into a perfect smile. "Excellent idea."
"For once." Haruka snorted quietly, probably not meant for the senshi of love to hear but she did anyway. Minako glared at the royal princess of Uranus for a moment.
"How far along have you all come?" Setsuna asked, even though it was evident from the slightly amused look in her eyes that she probably knew.
"Much further." Minako could have smirked. Boy, would those three be in for a surprise. "Rei, would you care to show these three what we've been working on?"
Rei nodded eagerly, all too ready to make up for the match against Setsuna. She stepped forward. Holding her hands together, her index fingers extended, she concentrated hard. First a small spark and then a stream of fire about ten feet long shot out and quickly died as she let it go out.
"You have improved." Setsuna nodded her head. "Soon you may even catch up to us."
"What?" Makoto obviously could no longer take it. She had been forced away from the kitchen, again, to endure hours of training, not that she minded, and so far all she had learned that day was that the Outer Senshi outclassed them. Again. "You guys could barely do that the last time you were here."
"Ah, well, I discovered something." Michiru stepped forward. "Allow me to demonstrate." She raised her eyebrows at Minako, waiting for permission in an almost mocking manner. Minako clenched her teeth, forced a straight face, and nodded her head. Michiru frowned at the other senshi. "You'll have to move."
"We're twenty feet away." Ami looked confused. Minako decided she was going to have to have a talk with the blue haired senshi about how not to show weaknesses. Especially to the enemy and in this case, the Outer Senshi was the enemy.
Haruka and Setsuna backed away from the senshi of water. Michiru concentrated for a minute and then brought her hands above her head. Suddenly it seemed as though they were surrounded by ocean, it was rising up around Michiru.
"Deep Submerge!" Michiru yelled and she fired a large ball of water. It flew across the room and hit the wall. It exploded and the wall where it had hit now sported a large hole. A piece of wall had hit Ami in the head, which had caused her to fall over and she was now bleeding.
Clapping echoed in the large domed training room and the senshi turned to see the Queen Serenity watching them.
"Neptune, that was excellent, I'm glad to see you've progressed so far." Queen Serenity IX complimented Michiru. The Queen frowned and looked down as a small girl tugged on her skirt. "Serenity, not now."
"Mama, you said I'd meet the others today. You said I could begin training." The young Princess Serenity, only four years old, insisted. The Sailor Senshi had all begun at the age of four.
"In a moment! Patience, Serenity, is another virtue of the goddess Selene." Queen Serenity preached. "No doubt you've been learning about that in your studies but now you'll actually have to use the lesson. Am I understood?"
"Yes mama." Princess Serenity hung her head.
"Now where was I?" Queen Serenity walked forward and patted Michiru on the head. "Your training has gone far. Michiru, Haruka, and Setsuna, you are all going to be great senshi one day."
Minako knew one day she'd grind her teeth down to nothing, but it wouldn't be her fault. The Queen was completely ignoring her! She was the leader!
"Let this be a lesson to you all, to not just train when you are assigned to but beyond that." Queen Serenity placed a hand on Haruka's shoulder. "You quite deserve that hit to the head Ami, now go get it cleaned up. You four will have to train until dinner time."
"That's being a bit hard on them." Haruka shot them a look of sympathy. Minako glared defiance. She didn't need Haruka's pity!
"Really? Is it?" Queen Serenity gripped Haruka's shoulder forcefully. "You're questioning the queen?"
Setsuna had an odd look on her face as if this moment needed to be weighed and measured. Michiru was giving Queen Serenity a look that suggested she better not harm her best friend, and Haruka's face was set in a stone like expression.
"We cannot help it if we pass them up. We've had four more years of experience then them." Michiru had reverted to her cool composure. "Haruka was merely saying that you might be putting too much pressure on them."
"They'll catch up with us in due time. Ami's hurt." Haruka pointed out. Minako knew those two probably didn't care one way or another if they were hurt. And they made her look like a fool in front of Queen Serenity.
A moment later, Haruka was holding the side of her face; Queen Serenity's hand was still in the air from smacking her.
"Do not make excuses! You will be the future guard of my daughter and if you are not able to fulfill that duty at a moment's notice then you are not worthy or your position." Queen Serenity's voice filled the large room. "You forget your place Uranus; I am of the divine blood. I am descended from Selene herself!"
Minako was hiding her smile by letting her hair fall forward. Oh did it hurt to be humiliated in front of people Haruka? Maybe from now on they would take orders instead of treating her like a child.
"I-" Haruka cut herself off as she saw Setsuna shake her head behind Queen Serenity's head. "I apologize, please forgive me." The fire that had been flashing in the Queen's eyes stopped.
"I will forgive you but certainly not these children for not learning quickly. You three may go. You four stay here." Queen Serenity was about to sweep out of the room when Serenity tugged on her skirt.
"What is it Serenity?" Queen Serenity snapped.
"Please…mama…" Serenity looked close to tears now.
"You may meet the Outer Senshi. Now what have you learned in your lessons about them?" Queen Serenity waited impatiently.
"That there are four but no one ever sees the fourth one." Serenity answered as best she could. She hated lessons and at her age she could barely pay attention.
"Is that tutor a Terran? Can't he teach properly?" Queen Serenity's mouth twisted into a frown. It was a well known fact that Queen Serenity hated the Terrans, hated their blue and green world, and hated the fact that her kingdom revolved around it.
What her hate stemmed from, no one really knew. Everyone knew not to mention Terra at all. Especially in any way that might seem kind. A few nobles made a mistake by suggesting that Terra should join the Silver Millennium. None of them had escaped with their head on their shoulders.
"He's a Mercurian." Ami spoke up as she wiped blood off her forehead with the back of her senshi glove. Minako tried not to sigh. What a time for her to develop a backbone! Ami had always avoided confrontation but maybe the blow to the head had knocked something loose. Of course if it had, it hadn't been for the better because everyone knew that you walked on eggshells around Queen Serenity. Then again, Haruka had just tried to pull something. Maybe the confidence that the wind senshi radiated how somehow gotten to the Mercurian princess.
"Well you certainly can't tell!" Queen Serenity snapped. "They may have a reputation for being wise but today has certainly proved otherwise."
"Mama, please." Serenity tugged once more
"Serenity hold still!" Queen Serenity snapped in her an annoyed loud voice that made Serenity almost break into tears. "Now, these are the Outer Senshi, Sailor Pluto, the Time Guardian," Setsuna stepped forward and bowed on one knee. "Sailor Uranus, the Wind Senshi," Haruka joined Setsuna. "And Sailor Neptune, the Water Senshi."
"Hello." Serenity smiled shyly at the three.
"We pledge our allegiance to you, our princess." Haruka spoke for all three. Minako couldn't believe it. They weren't even there the day Serenity was born! She had sworn her allegiance over the princess' cradle! And of course they got the special treatment.
"Come Serenity, you can begin training tomorrow." Queen Serenity was already back to the cold faced queen that she was.
"Yes mama." The small princess bowed her head and followed her mother. The Outer Senshi rose. Queen Serenity was about to leave the training room when Princess Serenity stopped to look out a window.
There framed perfectly in the window was the planet Terra, blue and green swirled with white.
"Look mama! Look at Terra." Serenity had forgotten that her mother hated Terra. She was about to get a terrible reminder.
"We are of the immortal race of the goddess Selene herself." Queen Serenity told the four year old princess. "The Earth is beneath us."
"It's so pretty though." Princess Serenity breathed before Queen Serenity turned and gave her a sharp slap across the face, the force of which causing the princess to fall over on the ground.
"What is their unblessed kingdom to our divine land? The gods themselves created this planet for us to rule!" Queen Serenity's eyes flashed. "You godless child, go back to your maid! Let me never hear those filthy words of praise to the ones that we were born to rule over!"
The Outer Senshi's faces were completely impassive, each one not stirring. Minako noticed that Haruka was clenching a fist behind her back; it shook slightly as Serenity got up and weeping went out of the room. Queen Serenity turned back as though she had never stopped in the first place in her walk out the door. The Outer Senshi left shortly, Minako glaring at their backs. They had pretended to be concerned but had they offered to help them clean up the training room? They weren't even the ones who caused the explosion!
One day, one day I'll have justice against you three…
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Queen Demeter X was a very beautiful woman. She had become Queen of Earth at the age of thirteen when she was married into the royal family. The previous rulers died only days after that, leaving the throne to them. The advisors had done the best they could, and so had the heirs.
Earth celebrated Queen Demeter as one of the greatest queens who had ever lived. The King Endymion X had died five years ago and she had ruled quite peacefully. The only thing that could be said was that she couldn't quell the rumors that spread like wildfire that yet another battle with the Moon was going to happen.
"Your majesty, the Priestesses of Gaia are here to see you." An attendant told her and a moment later, the doors to the main hall, where the throne sat and Demeter normally received such audiences. Two lines of women proceeded down the halls. At the end were two identical white-haired women, their faces lined with old age, standing directly in front of a third person, blocking them from view.
They went right down the center of the two lines grandly. Most of the priestesses were very old. To be a Priestess of Gaia, one had to train for many years to cultivate their abilities. These two, Rhea and Ceres, were the oldest and as far back as Demeter could remember, even when her name was not Demeter, those two had been working at the Shrine of Gaia, which was closely connected to the castle's grounds. Demeter stood in respect for them.
"Priestesses, as always, you are welcomed into my hall." Demeter bowed slightly.
"We are grateful for your welcome." Rhea smiled up at her. "We have come to present the new High Priestess of Gaia." Demeter knew the old one had passed away but had no idea who the next successor would be. She would guess that it was either Rhea or Demeter, all things considering.
But this was not the case. The two stepped apart and the hidden third person was revealed. Demeter gasped, it was a little girl! No more then ten and she was bowing gracefully for the queen. The girl was wearing the traditional garments, the black dress with a white skirt that looked as though it had been cut in half diagonally. The skirt came down to her knees and she was wearing sandals on her feet. On her forehead was a fine chain of silver that held a jewel on her forehead and was fastened somewhere in her long dark wavy hair.
"My Queen," The girl looked up, there was fire in her dark eyes, a fire that said she wanted to prove herself. "I vow to serve the throne with what I can. I am a humble servant of your majesty."
"Such a small child…" Demeter found herself murmuring out loud. Then addressing the girl. "What is your name?"
"High Priestess of Gaia, Messenger of Elysian, and Protector of the Holy Shrine," The girl bowed carefully, one arm crossing her chest. "I am Beryl."
"Mother?" The whole ceremony stopped for a moment as a somewhat awkward eight-year-old boy opened the side door to the dais and poked his head through. The Prince Endymion was thought to take after his parents with his midnight blue eyes and ebony hair. They said he would grow up to be quite handsome. A heartbreaker. He blinked at the Priestesses. "Oh, um…"
"It's alright Endymion." Demeter smiled indulgently. Everyone knew that Endymion was the apple of her eye. "Please, wait for me in the courtyard."
"Of course mother." Endymion quickly ducked back out. Demeter turned back towards the Priestesses and Beryl. But Beryl wasn't looking at her. She was looking at the door that Endymion had just left out of. Her eyes had brightened and her cheeks were lightly blushed. Demeter smiled to herself.
"It is strange that one so young should be High Priestess." Demeter was careful about the way she said it, lest she made Beryl feel small. She knew what it was like to be talked down to.
"Beryl has great power within her. She will be the most remembered High Priestess of all." Ceres declared. "This I was told in a vision."
"I place no objection." Demeter bowed her head slightly once more. "I must be attending to my son now, if that is alright Beryl."
"Of course your majesty, we have nothing else to tell." Beryl had gotten back her composure and Demeter left the room gracefully. She walked exactly three steps and then knocked twice on the wall. The door slid open on its own.
Only Demeter, the now dead King Endymion, the Prince, and the Shittenou knew of the three entrances to this courtyard. It was a very special one, dedicated to the training of the royal family and their guard.
The Shittenou were the four kings under the Royal family and were always the guard for the Prince. It was a title that held a lot of weight on Earth. They were greatly respected for being not only great leaders, but formidable warriors. Demeter smiled to herself at the 'formidable warriors' who hadn't noticed her arrival.
The youngest (even though they were all twelve) was Jadeite. He was king of the south, well; he would be at any rate, when his father died. Jadeite had icy blue eyes and blonde hair. At twelve, he had hit a growth spurt and had a hard time keeping his lanky arms and legs in order so he fell all over himself most of the time. He was somewhat charming and mischievous at this age as well. Jadeite looked like a boy who had just stolen a cake and talked his way out of punishment. He was great with weapons (including being a fell archer) although his magic skill was undeniable and used it quite often. Right then, he was shooting arrows at Nephrite who was dodging them.
Nephrite was the king of west. He had dark brown eyes and dark brown hair that fell to his shoulders. He refused to tie it back, mostly because he did everything Kunzite did and Kunzite rarely ever tied his back. He was rather tall for his age but was much better coordinated then Jadeite. He looked less likely to get into trouble then Jadeite, even though he had joined in any pranks that were pulled. He was a good fencer but was not quite as talented as Jadeite with magic.
Next to them was Zoicite, the king of the east who was easily one of the more talented of the four. He was reading a book and with his free hand, sending apples into the air, practically making them dance through the air while Endymion tried to pin them each one to the ground or to a wall. Zoicite had very feminine features with big green eyes, long dark lashes, and long wavy blonde hair that he tied back in a loose sort of ponytail. Zoicite was very studious and seemed more interested in books then anything else. At weaponry, the only thing he was good at was fencing, usually out-doing Nephrite but mainly he used magic. He could teleport and re-appear at will, anywhere he wanted to, much to some of the castle staff's dismay. He was also rather mischievous but was better at hiding it then Jadeite.
Kunzite was practicing with his broadsword on an upright wooden log that was put there expressly for that purpose. He was the king of the north and the leader of the Shittenou. One could just tell from the way he interacted with the others. He had long silver hair and silver eyes. He didn't keep his hair back, as already stated, though no one was sure why. Kunzite was great with most weapons and had the most powerful magical ability. He was very responsible and the most serious of the boys.
Endymion was also great with the broadsword and several other weapons but had very little talent for magic. Except for one very odd ability. He could make roses appear out of thin air. They weren't just regular roses but could embed themselves in stone and could be used as weapons. Endymion was throwing them at the dancing apples and taking them out one by one with careful aim. Endymion was very warm-hearted and sometimes a little day-dreamy. He also hated the limitations put on him and was always trying to catch up with the Shittenou, even though they were four years older then him.
Zoicite saw Demeter as he glanced up and the apples stopped in mid air, dropping out of the sky and raining onto the ground. One had hit Endymion in the head which caused him to look angrily at Zoicite who was getting up and pointing at Demeter. The others noticed them and the Queen and quickly the four of them were in a line next to Endymion. They all bowed, except Jadeite who tried but ended up falling over.
"Are you alright?" Demeter asked him.
"Quite alright your majesty." Jadeite grinned at her.
"He'd have to be with how many times a day he falls." Zoicite quipped and the others laughed, hitting Jadeite on the back so he knew they weren't really laughing at him.
"What did you want to see me about Endymion?" Demeter asked her son.
"Mother, we…we heard about the growing hostilities towards the Moon and if a war breaks out again, we would like to fight in it." Endymion declared.
"What?" Demeter frowned at him. It wasn't often she did this. "You'll do no such thing. It is one thing if I go fight in a war, I am Queen. But if I die, you must be kept alive to be able to inherit the throne. What kind of chaos would the people fall into without a leader? Besides, we are not at war yet."
"I'm in this castle day and night, and if there's a battle, I can't even leave for that?" Endymion looked a bit outraged.
"Boredom is no excuse to forget your responsibilities!" Demeter and Endymion now how the same defiant expression on their faces, making it only more obvious that they were related. "At your age, battle is no place for you."
But did that stop you? A child fighting in a war? So long ago…
No child should have to.
Indeed, no one would have had to; if that damned Serenity and all her line were anything close to human.
"If I may," Zoicite stepped forward. "I think Endymion just wants to do his duty as a leader by making sure the Earth is lead to victory. Besides the fact that you can hardly blame him for wanting a chance to do something without adults standing over him telling him what to do."
"Once again, there is no such battle yet. And you four," Demeter looked at the Shittenou. "Should know better! You are supposed to protect Endymion, not encourage reckless behavior like this."
"We apologize." Kunzite quickly jumped in before any of the other three could say anything. From the way their mouths quickly shut, it was obvious they were going to protest. "You are right." Demeter stared hard at all five of them for a few moments.
"Good, then I've made my point and there will be no further discussion about it." Demeter gathered herself up as best as possible. "You may go back to training now."
The five boys watched her go, unsure of what to say to the others.
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She had to be very quiet, other wise, one of them would hear her and it would only take one to alert the others. She loved them all but she wanted to leave, she wanted to get away and see other things, like the princess her computer told her about. Her computer told her everything, mostly because the others only talked about pleasant and trivial things, trying to keep her spirits up she supposed. This was kind of funny when she thought about it.
Tomoe Hotaru punched in the command to ready the transport. So far, so good. They hadn't caught her yet.
"Hotaru, what are you doing?" Hotaru flinched and turned. She was eight years old and staring at three other children. Two girls and one boy. There was only one main difference between Hotaru and the children, the hundreds of children that dwelled on Saturn.
Hotaru was alive.
The many ghosts of Saturn had never really bothered Hotaru at all. Sometimes, when she strained her memory as hard as she could, she could remember other people, alive, just like her. But they had all gone away. Where had they gone?
"I'm going to see the Princess." Hotaru told the others. "I want to see people, other people."
"No, don't!" One of the girls pleaded with her.
"Please don't leave us here!" The boy joined in. "You're our princess, please stay with us."
"I can't." Hotaru felt torn. The transport was ready, the door open to it. All she had to do was go through it.
"Please!" The other girl fell to her knees. "Please if you go…if you go…he might come."
"Who?" Hotaru cocked her head to one side. "He? Is there someone else on this planet?"
"N-no!" The other two clamped their hands over the girl's mouth. "Don't listen to her." Hotaru could see the silenced girl's eyes widened in terror. What was going on?
"What's going on?" Hotaru asked the three.
"Nothing, please, princess, stay with us." The boy begged her. "Stay with us here."
"Well…I suppose…" Hotaru sighed deeply. How could they not understand her need to be around people? Living, breathing people? It would make things easier if the dead children ever wanted to talk about the time when they were alive. Every time she asked them, they immediately either changed the subject or shut up.
She hit the button to shut down the transport. So much for that. Maybe some other day. But if she ever did meet another soul, she would ask them many questions but two stood out in her mind.
Why am I here?
Where did I come from?
--------------------------
"The Queen will be the death of us all." Haruka moved a chess piece on the board that she and Setsuna were using. Michiru watched quietly.
"The Princess is our true ruler." Setsuna nodded, so serious and wise at the age of twelve.
"Queen Serenity's rule shall last a long time before the princess inherits the throne. Do you plan on avoiding her for that long?" Michiru asked demurely.
"No, no I don't. I'll say this one time and one time only." Setsuna moved one of her knights. "The Queen will live a long time because that is the way her body is. However, if natural happenings harmed the Queen, she wouldn't be able to do anything."
"Are you suggesting…" Haruka's eyes widened as she saw the true meaning behind the senshi of revolution's words.
"Setsuna!" Michiru exclaimed before lowering her voice. "It's treason to talk of those things."
"Not if we talk about them in a place where no one will go, so no one will overhear us." Setsuna murmured.
"Where would that be? Visitors and trade go on between every planet except for—" Haruka cut herself off as she realized what Setsuna was hinting at.
"Saturn. How ironic that the death of a queen will be planned there." A corner of Michiru's mouth twitched upwards.
"Then we can carefully plan our strategy to make the Queen fall. Then…" Setsuna slowly moved her Queen.
"Then?" Haruka raised her eyebrows. Setsuna smiled as she took her hand off her chess piece and looked up at the grey eyed girl in front of her.
"Checkmate." Setsuna stated.
---------------------------
Phobos and Deimos called to Rei who was sitting there in a chair, looking out over the gardens. All the royal princesses had rooms that were wonderfully rich and decorated especially for them. Rei's room, which was bedecked with fiery red curtains and matching colors for the bed coverings, besides imagery that would be highly appropriate for a young and proud royal princess of Mars. On one wall was the burning fire bird, the phoenix, which was the royal emblem of the planet of war. Rei did like her room but it made her wistful.
She longed for her home planet. Truthfully it was not too far away and sometimes she could see why Michiru and Haruka were always running off to go to their home planets. But it felt like she should be at the Moon Kingdom.
After waking up after another nightmare that sent her into a frenzied, sweating fit until she woke up with a scream, Rei sat on her favorite chair on the balcony, looking at the gardens and occasionally at the Earth. What a strange planet.
"Princess." Phobos and Deimos came flying onto the balcony, landing on the railing before turning into a twin pair of dark-haired girls, each clutching a feather. "Did you have another nightmare?"
"Yes." Rei answered truthfully because she knew it was no use trying to lie to these two. They were her personal guardians who had been looking after her since birth. "I cannot remember everything I dreamed of. There was a girl, betrayed but I don't know how. And the walls falling, fire everywhere…"
"What do you think it means?" Phobos asked.
"The kingdom will fall…" Rei didn't even realize what she was saying. The words had tumbled out. She clamped a hand over her mouth as if trying to hold the words back.
She felt a wave of nausea sweep over her and she fell forward onto the ground in front of her. The cold hard marble floors. And she had a terrible sense of familiarity. She didn't understand it.
"Princess!" Deimos and Phobos were immediately at her side and helping her up. They always seemed to know just what to do.
It was a curious fact that none of the other senshi had personal guardians. True, Minako had Artemis but he really belonged to the moon. Luna was Serenity's personal guardian as well as her tutor. (Though Artemis helped in this respect.) Four years ago, when Serenity was merely four years old, Queen Serenity had declared that Serenity was to only be taught by Lunarians. Thus, Luna and Artemis had taken over all of their training. Whenever the Outer Senshi showed up, Luna and Artemis seemed to humor them as they had always vastly improved since last time.
Why couldn't they all train together? Why did it always feel like a competition?
"Rei! Are you awake?" Princess Serenity came running in, the sweet innocent face made Rei feel a little stronger. "Oh no! Did something happen?!"
"No, I'm fine." Rei smiled weakly. Serenity came to join her on the balcony. Rei watch Serenity's gaze go straight towards the Earth, hanging like some fabulous jewel in the sky. "What is it Serenity?" The eight-year-old seemed not to have heard her at first.
"I know its wrong…but sometimes…I wish I could go to the Earth, even for just a moment." Serenity spoke longingly as though the Earth were some dream she was fond of. "How can anyone hate such a beautiful place?"
"You better not get caught talking like that in front of the Queen." Rei said warningly.
"I know." Serenity turned towards her, her face lighting up in a smile. "Don't tell anyone what I said, okay Rei?"
"Okay." Rei felt as though she were echoing words she had said long ago. Something about this felt familiar. Glancing back at Serenity's secret longing, Rei once more saw the image of the crumbling and burning Moon Palace.
Somehow…the Earth is linked to our fate…
------------------------
It had been four years before they went to Saturn. The three Outer Senshi were now sixteen years of age. They had kept silent and watched the Inner Senshi grow into rather formidable opponents in combat.
"It is important that they are able to protect the princess." Setsuna had said most mysteriously.
It seemed as though Setsuna already had formed a plan. Haruka and Michiru knew they were only going to discuss this on Saturn and had never pressed for information. Not that they thought Setsuna would reveal anything before she meant to.
The landing was a little rough and the three senshi climbed out to look at a gray and violet sky. Saturn was a barren wasteland compared to what the three were used to. (The closest to Saturn for lack of life was Pluto where people had to live in huge underground cities.) There were what appeared to be dead trees everywhere. In reality, these were the only vegetation that grew there. There were cliffs in the distance.
"And beyond those, the sea of Saturn." Setsuna spoke dramatically. Then she turned towards the two. "Welcome to Saturn."
"Is…is she sleeping?" Haruka asked tentatively, glancing around the bleak world.
"Her true self sleeps. The Princess of Saturn stays awake and knows very little about her true destiny." Setsuna answered.
There was childish laughter and footsteps near them. No one was in sight and both Haruka and Michiru could swear they heard whispering.
Setsuna answered their unspoken questions.
"The children of Saturn, all ghosts." Setsuna made it sound as though they were just a part of the landscape, like the sharp black and grey rocks that made up the ground.
"Why are there ghosts here?" Michiru inquired.
"In history you may have heard that because of Queen Serenity III, a great disaster caused the death of many people on Saturn." Haruka and Michiru nodded at this, they remembered this brief moment during a lesson where it had been mentioned. They had inquired as to what that was but the teacher had hesitated and refused to tell them.
Setsuna took a deep breath and went on.
"No one has ever lived on Saturn besides the Princess of Saturn and the caretakers I left with her when she was a baby." Setsuna gestured towards the landscape as though it were a piece of evidence. "The story is this: far away, in a different galaxy altogether, a planet sent out a transport with hundreds of children. They were to go colonize another planet. They were sent with a full crew, medical staff, all the things one needs for an expedition. Even a senshi from beyond our galaxy."
"There are senshi beyond our galaxy?" Michiru interrupted.
"Yes, many." Setsuna nodded. "Queen Serenity III was terrified of invaders and ordered that any seen coming passed Pluto shot down. And so…when the transport was seen…"
"I want them dead!" Queen Serenity III yelled at them, her silver-blue eyes raging with an unnatural fire. "Shoot them now!"
"The spaceship was hit several times and then it fell, crashing into the sea of Saturn." Setsuna finished. "There were no survivors."
"That's horrible…" Michiru felt a hand entwine in her own and looked at Haruka in thanks. "All those children…"
"That's exactly why we've come together." Setsuna looked at the other three importantly. "We must kill the Queen."
"Yes, the Queen has become obsessed with getting jabs in wherever she can with Earth." Haruka nodded her head. "Not to mention how paranoid she's getting. The new laws she keeps passing."
"But if we're caught…" Michiru trailed off.
"We won't be." Setsuna leaned on her staff a little. "Here's what we shall do. We tell her Most Royal Majesty that we think we've spotted something just beyond Pluto that could be a threat. No one will think about it. Then while we are out there, I will open the Time Gates and we shall go to the darkest corner of the universe and take an old evil. It is weak now. The Queen would have no trouble with it. But put it somewhere were it can grow and it will flourish."
"Where would we put it? There's a Sailor Senshi for each planet." Michiru frowned as she thought about it. "Unless you mean…"
"Earth." Haruka finished the sentence. "You're going to keep it on Earth."
"Yes, Earth will be the resting place of this evil until it grows strong enough to kill the Queen." Setsuna nodded. "I'll talk to Helios so that he will close off Elysion to avoid any sort of taint pervading it." Michiru had something weighing down on her mind that she had to tell Setsuna about before this went any further.
"In my mirror…" Michiru began and both Haruka and Setsuna turned towards her. "I saw visions, I saw the kingdom falling. There was nothing left and both the Queen and our Princess was dead."
"I two have seen these." Setsuna admitted, sounding as though there was a heavy weight on her. "It is the future that will come about if the Queen is allowed to rule."
"I thought that fate was on a set path." Haruka blinked her grey eyes.
"No, nothing ever is." Setsuna smiled sardonically. "It would be so much easier if it was. I don't know every moment of the future." She watched the two who trusted her with their lives.
I want to remember this moment, when there is nothing but trust between us.
"Excuse me!" A little ghost boy ran up to them making Haruka jump in surprise and Michiru giggled into her gloved hand. "Are you here to see the Princess?"
"Actually…" Setsuna began but the little boy interrupted.
"She's on her way you know!" The little boy nodded his head eagerly. "We told her there were people here…people who were alive. Just like our Princess."
"Is…is it okay to see her?" Haruka asked.
"Of course it is okay." Setsuna shook her head. "She's not dangerous, her power has not been awakened and it won't be until she's needed. Now she's just a normal little girl, albeit with some supernatural abilities."
"How did she get here?" Michiru frowned, looking at the desolate land. "You said no one lived here."
"She was born on Pluto." Setsuna answered easily. "I remember the day I found her. I knew that she needed to form an attachment to her own planet so I brought her here with caretakers, but the way that these ghosts speak, it's like she's the only alive person they've seen since they died."
At that moment, what was almost a procession of ghostly children came up to the three and behind them all, bring up the rear, was a live person. A little girl who Michiru couldn't really guess the age of.
She had dark hair that went to her shoulders and large lavender eyes. All in all, Michiru thought she looked harmless. Haruka couldn't believe this girl was supposed to be the senshi of destruction, and Setsuna immediately recognized her and bowed her head slightly.
"Hello." The girl looked at them. "I'm Hotaru, the senshi of Saturn. Are you senshi as well?"
"Yes we are." Setsuna stepped forward. "I am Sailor Pluto, but you may call me Setsuna. I'm the Guardian of Time."
"You're really tall." Hotaru marveled. Then she looked over at Haruka. "You're really, really tall." Michiru smiled fondly at the little girl.
"I'm Sailor Neptune but my real name is Michiru." Michiru extended an elegant hands towards the little girl.
"You're very pretty." Hotaru breathed out loud.
"And I'm Sailor Uranus but you can call me Haruka, okay kiddo?" Haruka winked at the little girl.
"Do you know why I'm here?" Hotaru asked the three. "I live on this planet all alone, well, except for the others but they're all…well you know…"
"You're here because you belong on your planet. Didn't your caretakers tell you all this?" Setsuna questioned.
"No." Hotaru shook her head. "What caretakers?"
"The ones who take care of you when you were a baby…" Setsuna wasn't sure she liked this at all. One of the ghost children stepped forward.
"Are you talking about those other people?" She asked reproachfully. "The grownups that used to live with the Princess?"
"Yes, why? What happened to them?" Setsuna questioned.
"They all died." The girl answered with a somber expression. "They all died by killing themselves. Said we were driving them crazy."
"There were others and you never told me?" Hotaru asked the ghosts. "Wait, does this have anything to do with him?"
"You aren't supposed to talk about that!" One of the children protested. "It's forbidden!"
"Who are they talking about?" Haruka inquired.
"I have no idea." Hotaru sighed sadly. "They won't tell me and I don't really know all that much myself. I don't know why they're all here or what else. Sometimes I don't care at all and other times it bothers me a lot. I just want to feel something…"
"I must say that it is my fault for not checking in on you but I was always so busy and I just assumed everything was okay." Setsuna hung her head sadly.
"Oh! I don't blame you!" Hotaru immediately felt bad for making the older girl sad. "No, I mean, you are the Guardian of Time. It's just…I'd like to visit other places. I'd like to see the Princess and the Queen as well!" The trio looked at each other and Setsuna started speaking for all three of them.
"Hotaru, you look old enough to hear the truth." Setsuna saw the girl straighten up and stand a little taller. Exactly the reaction she had been expecting. "The truth is that the Outer Senshi must protect the kingdom. And the one who is destroying the kingdom is Queen Serenity."
"Queen Serenity is a bad queen?" Hotaru cocked her head to one side, wide-eyed.
"Yes, she's turned into an insane tyrant." Haruka put into the conversation. "We fear for the Princess' life. As you know, first we are sworn to the Princess."
"So we've come up with a plan to kill the Queen." Michiru put it as simply as possible. "We were hoping we could count on your support." She glanced at the others and in both eyes she saw the same thing.
Flatter her and she will be won over.
She is only a child.
"Of course!" Hotaru put a hand to her chest. "I'll help you three, we are fellow Outer Senshi, are we not?"
"Thank you Hotaru." Setsuna smiled a small triumphant smile. "In a few days, I have to go to Elysion and I would like you to come with me. Would you like that?"
Hotaru, so excited about getting to leave Saturn, even if for a short time, that she didn't think about what the women were saying. Nor did she understand the secret looks they kept sending one another. Hotaru decided that the Outer Senshi were all very noble and would never suspect them of lies or manipulation. It was just impossible.
--------------------------
True to her word, Setsuna did come for her. After repeatedly telling the children that she would be back, Hotaru left to visit Elysion with Setsuna.
Setsuna took off one of the keys on her belt and opened a door in mid air. They went through and Hotaru saw they were in a hall full of doors. Mist flowed through the hall, making it impossible for Hotaru to see past her knees. She followed Setsuna who seemed to know exactly where they were going. She stopped at a door, inserted yet another key and unlocked it. Hotaru stepped through the misty distant hall into brilliant sunshine.
She had to blink several times; she wasn't used to the brightness. It was a strange and beautiful world. The green grass was buzzing with life and flowers of all kinds and colors dotted the green. There were woods at the end of the fields. She took a few steps forward and breathed deeply. The air tasted sweet. It was so nice and peaceful that Hotaru was sure if she laid down and fell asleep, she'd sleep forever.
Deciding Elysion was the most wonderful place she could ever imagine, Hotaru turned to tell Setsuna but noticed that Setsuna was standing on the very edge of this world.
"What's wrong Setsuna?" Hotaru asked with worry, knowing that no one would voluntarily not enter Elysion.
"I cannot go any further." Setsuna murmured darkly. Then she cleared her throat and in a louder, kinder voice she spoke again. "Hotaru, walk to the woods and keep going. Eventually you will come to the center of Elysion, the temple where the priest Helios dwells. Tell him the Guardian of Time must speak to him."
"Alright.' Hotaru nodded her head. Then she walked further into Elysion.
She got to the woods in no time which were cooler then the open fields and filled with well-worn pathways. She heard laughter and singing and was reminded of Saturn.
Around one bend she found herself at a large pool full of clear deep water and a place where a stream fell into a small waterfall into the pool. Sitting on rocks at the far end were beautiful women, the most beautiful women she had ever seen. (Later when she thought about it, she decided that Michiru was prettier.) They had pale blonde hair and cornflower blue eyes. They were all dressed in white flowing garments. As soon as they saw her, they called to her.
"Ho, little firefly." They called out together. "Come play with us." Hotaru opened her mouth to agree but remembered Setsuna. She had a task to complete.
"I can't." Hotaru declined reluctantly. "I'm looking for Helios."
"We can take you to him!" They spoke eagerly. The four of them dived gracefully into the water and came back up. "We are the Maenads."
"I'm Hotaru, senshi of Saturn." Hotaru introduced herself as the Maenads greeted her.
"It'll be faster if we run!" One Maenad suggested and the rest nodded.
"And more fun!" Another added in. And so they ran and ran. Hotaru was not used to running and had grown short of breathe when the Maenads noticed and broke into a wild, upbeat song.
"A princess fell head over heels,
Stumbling, bumbling, head over heels,
A princess fell head over heels in love!
But he was a servant you see,
Sturdy, wordy, servant you see,
But he was a servant you see so it can never be!
The King said no, the princess yes,
Boldly, coldly, the princess yes,
The King said no, the princess yes, so he lopped off their heads!"
Hotaru frowned as she ran. "I'm not sure I like that song." She confessed.
"Neither does the princess." One Maenad admitted with a shrug.
"Wha—" Hotaru was cut off as she hadn't noticed the Maenad in front of her had stopped. She hit the Maenad and fall over. Two Maenads quickly picked her up and put her on her feet again.
"Helios!" The Maenads called. "Helios! We have a visitor! A stray firefly from Saturn!"
"Do we now? Not too many fireflies on Saturn, so I wondered how she came here." A male voice asked and Hotaru looked up to see at the top of the steps was a boy who could be no older then thirteen at most.
He had silver hair and strange orange eyes behind long dark lashes. He was wearing white robes with green trim and a dark blue sash. The strangest thing about him was the golden horn in the middle of his forehead.
"I am Helios, priest of Elysion." Helios bowed with a small flourish.
"My name's Hotaru, I'm the senshi of Saturn." She curtsied for him. "Please, the Guardian of Time wants to speak to you, it's very important." When she mentioned the Guardian of Time, she was sure she saw a shadow pass over Helios' twinkling eyes.
"Then we shall go to her but ah, I see you have no flowers in your hair." Helios looked at her hard. He held out his hands and in an instant a garland of red roses and pretty little white flowers appeared. He put the garland on her head. Hotaru tentatively reached up and touched it.
"Thank you." She smiled and then Helios offered his hand, which she immediately took.
And they were off, not running, but walking and skipping. The Maenads were running all around them, scaling trees to get fruits for Hotaru. (She ended up needing a large basket which one Maenad carried for her.
"There she is." Hotaru pointed as they emerged from the woods.
"Will you play with the Maenads while I speak with her?" Helios asked in a serious tone.
"Okay." Hotaru wanted to know what Helios and Setsuna were going to talk about but she was ushered away by the Maenads who wanted to play a game of Blindman's Bluff, a game Hotaru thought would be a lot of fun to play with the children because they could turn invisible.
Helios approached Setsuna with a grave expression.
"You cannot enter this land." Helios pronounced. "Because you are no longer a maiden. Your heart is full of hate and treacherous deeds."
"I did not ask for a lesson in morality, especially from someone who's never been put in any situation where morals would apply." Helios ground his teeth slightly at Setsuna's biting remark.
"I suppose murdering a Queen is considered moral?" Helios rained an eyebrow.
"Is it good to murder a bad ruler?" Setsuna spoke the question as though it were a riddle. "Is it right to take a tyrant off the throne?"
"From tyranny, tyranny is born." Helios replied easily.
"Serenity X is anything but a tyrant." Setsuna defended the princess. "A little silly and dreamy but at her age…" Her expression changed to suspicion. "How did you know what we are planning?"
"Hotaru asked if I also did not like the Queen." Helios explained. "It's not hard to put two and two together. Why are you here?"
"To ask you to seal off Elysion from the Earth." Setsuna's eyes flashed. "An evil will be on Earth and I want not taint to come to this realm."
"I cannot seal it off from Earth." Helios shook his head. "Not now. Not while I believe you will change your mind."
"There's little chance of that." Setsuna waved it away. "You have a responsibility to Elysion to protect it from all evil."
"And I will." Helios nodded. "If I were you, I would not doubt the power of the Priestess of Gaia, Beryl would be a formidable force against any evils."
"I'm not worried about her." Setsuna scoffed disdainfully. "I have warned you and now Hotaru and I shall go."
"You're using her." Helios' eyes narrowed.
"There's no one I'm not using. To make time stay on its proper fate, I have to." Setsuna said, her keys jangling as she moved.
"Let her stay here until she is needed." Helios pleaded. "Let her stay pure and innocent."
"She has a fate to fulfill that cannot be done here." Setsuna countered. Her face softened. "I wish I could spare her but if she has not truly lived, how can she truly die?"
"Indeed." Helios sighed wearily. For a moment he looked his true age, which was much older then thirteen. "Come Maenads, the firefly has to go!" There were protests and groans.
Hotaru with a large basket of fruits and flowers, still wearing her garland, came glowing up to Setsuna. A Maenad put a crown of lilies on Setsuna's head, surprising the Guardian of Time greatly.
Helios kneeled down in front of Hotaru. "For you I have a special gift." Helios put out a glowing ball of light towards Hotaru, who gently took it.
As soon as her fingers touched it, it flashed and Hotaru was holding what appeared to be a crystal snowflake.
"This is the Snowflake Broach." Helios told her, putting a hand over her own and placing botch on top of the broach. "Remember that you are a snowflake Hotaru; you fall to your fate like countless others but remember to dance your own dance to it." It disappeared but Helios only smiled. "It will return when you need it." Then he took one hand and kissed it.
"Will I be able to come back and visit?" Hotaru asked hopefully. Once again a shadow passed over Helios' eyes.
"One day…you will return." Helios closed his eyes for a moment and stood up. Hotaru took Setsuna's hand and together, the two senshi left the priest of Elysion who stared after them sadly.
Because all heroes return to Elysion…
To dream the Eternal Dream…
--------------------
When she got back, the ghosts were overjoyed to see her. They marveled at the flowers and fruits she had brought back. They took a long time passing them around and showing the different colors to each other.
As they went through the flowers, one of the little ghost girls breathed into a particular bloom deeply.
"Olive blossoms…" The girl murmured. "I remember olive blossoms…" Hotaru was just about to ask if they could really smell the flowers but the others interrupted.
"Sh!" The others tried to hush her.
"Quiet, he'll hear!" Another pleaded.
"What?" Hotaru tried to question. "What's wrong with talking about olive blossoms?"
"Because he'll here it." The children answered, full of fear. But what could cause fear in those that were already dead?
"Who?" Hotaru demanded. "Who's going to hear?" An eerie silence spread over the children.
"He's coming." One of the girls whispered. Mass panic rippled through the dead children.
"Everyone!" Hotaru yelled in her strongest voice. "Get behind me!"
She felt something on the wind, something strange. They all gathered behind her. She was scared but she knew that she was the one who had to do something.
I'm a Sailor Senshi and the princess of Saturn!
"Remember to dance your own dance to it."
Hotaru hoped her face looked brave because it was the opposite of what she felt. As the wind picked up, the trees began stirring, creaking like withered dead things moving for the first time in a long time. And the wind howled and the children cried out.
"Who's there?" Hotaru asked. "Who's there?"
A figure appeared. Wrapped in a cloak with a hood that made a shadow of their whole face. The figure strode towards her and Hotaru gulped.
"W-who are you?" Hotaru trembled. The figure didn't stop until they were standing over her. She saw the chartreuse eyes glowing under the hood. The person moved slightly and she glimpsed a face, the long elegant lines could have been a man or a woman's.
"Who are you?" The person asked. A man's voice. Maybe.
"I'm the Sailor Senshi of Saturn." Hotaru tried to make the name sound menacing but she was twelve years old and was small for her age. She wished she looked as strong as Haruka.
The person lifted an arm and a hand reached out towards her. The hand was transparent, meaning a ghost. She flinched as the hand started to touch her face and then her eyes went wide. This ghost was warm. When any of the other touched her, it was ice cold.
"I've forgotten beauty." The voice whispered. "You have a great power sleeping within you. When you are older, I'll come see you again."
Then the figure whirled around and walked off. Hotaru put a hand to the cheek the person had touched.
Who…was that?
Try as she might after that, the children would not tell.
-----------------------
"We found one." Michiru spoke into the communicator. Tomorrow was Serenity X's birthday. They had one hell of a present waiting.
"Good, I'm coming." Setsuna closed the communicator and went quickly to where Haruka and Michiru were. The darkest corners of space, what being would willing live there?
When she arrived, she was greeted by the sight of the two talking to a strange black puddle.
"Look, it's no good trying to bargain with us, it's Setsuna you'll want to talk to." Haruka told it.
"Ah…you have even more power!" The puddle seemed delighted with Setsuna's presence. "I will serve you. I can do whatever you wish yes."
"Nothing you could offer could tempt me." Setsuna told it. "But I do have a bargain to strike with you."
"Yes?" The unearthly voice asked.
"You will kill the Queen of the White Moon." Setsuna ordered it. "And in return, I will create a dimension for you to live in."
"What?" Haruka faltered. "Can you do that?"
"Yes, to an extent." Setsuna didn't seem too concerned with this detail. "Do you accept?" The puddle was silent for a few moments.
"Yes, I accept." The puddle sounded as though it were going senile.
"There is one condition to this." Setsuna spoke firmly. "You cannot harm the Princess of the White Moon. If you try, the bargain is off and you'll be banished back to this place." Her fierce voice left no room for argument.
"Of course, of course, kill the Queen, get a new home yes." The puddle agreed. "Easy as that."
"We'll be hiding you on a planet where you can grow strong enough to kill the Queen." Setsuna explained. "Lay low, is that understood?"
"No one will even know I was there!" The cackling puddle promised.
"What is your name?" Michiru suddenly asked. "If indeed you have one."
"Metallia." The puddle announced. "Once the great Empress Metallia."
"Empress of the mud puddles." Haruka muttered.
"Come; let's take it to its new home." Setsuna pulled a large bottle out of a subspace pocket and the puddle crept inside. Setsuna put the stopper on it and the three left through the doorway into the hall of Time.
Then they opened another doorway. Outside the door was a meteor, hurtling through space, towards the sun. Setsuna threw the bottle which smashes open and then closed the door.
Through yet another door they were suddenly at Charon, Pluto's castle and using the tracking equipment. Michiru and Haruka showed the meteor on screen, several other windows were up as well. Setsuna watched, leaning on her staff.
Just as the meteor went by the sun, the sun let off a burst of flame.
"Did you see that?" Haruka asked. "It looked like the sun spat out that meteor."
"All the better." Michiru's hand went over Haruka's. Their eyes met for a moment and they saw each other's thoughts reflected there.
This is the ultimate act of betrayal.
We can never go back.
We can only do what we must for the Princess.
The meteor hit the Earth not too long afterward. The computer reported the meteor had made it, only a small portion remaining of the original meteor. Metallia had made it to Earth.
"Where did it land?" Setsuna questioned, already knowing the answer.
"The North Pole." Haruka read off the screen. "D point."
--------------------------
Serenity X decided that turning fourteen was the best thing that had ever happened to her. She got woken up to all the senshi coming into her room with breakfast and having a small party with all her closest friends.
"It's lessons as usual." Ami told them after awhile. They all groaned. Ami was so smart that Luna and Artemis let her do whatever she wanted during lessons. Serenity abhorred lessons.
Luna came in and told them to hurry up. Soon they were in a classroom together and Artemis and Luna began trying to teach but knew everyone was too excited about the ball that night to care. They told them to take lunch and not to come back.
When it came time to change, Serenity received a beautiful white gown; not exactly the same as her mother's but still a gown fit for only a princess.
When she went down for the ball, everyone bowed and curtsied at her entrance. Her mother, who always made it seem like she adored her daughter in public, embraced her and kissed her on both cheeks.
Serenity received many beautiful presents but none as good as the last.
"Your majesty." Setsuna bowed. "I've brought you a gift."
"What is it Setsuna?" serenity was rather curious. Setsuna was standing next to what appeared to be a large rectangle draped with a white sheet. Setsuna took hold of the sheet and pulled it off rather dramatically.
It was a wide flat screen.
"This screen will show you whatever you wish to see." Setsuna bowed once more. "It will only work for you. It will be your looking glass."
"Oh it's wonderful!" Serenity rushed forward and hugged Setsuna, startling the green-haired woman. Serenity knew exactly what she would do with it. Something she had always wanted to do.
But she had to wait. Wait until the dinner was served and the dancing was done. She had to wait until she got upstairs to her room where the screen had been hung on the inside on the inside of her roofed balcony, which overlooked her private gardens.
"Will you be needing anything else?" Her personal servant asked after Serenity had been tucked in for the evening.
"No, goodnight Kakyuu." Serenity felt her toes wiggling in excitement. Kakyuu bowed her head and then left. Serenity counted to ten and sprang from her bed.
She rushed out to the balcony and up to the screen.
"Show me Earth!" she exclaimed. "Show me Earth!"
The screen blurred in a whirl of colors and then focused. Serenity laid eyes on the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
Short black hair with ebony bangs in his eyes and midnight blue eyes twinkling with passion and humor. The strong lines of his face were perfectly formed.
Next to him was a girl, probably his same age with black hair and odd dark eyes, wearing a strange black and white outfit.
"What are you doing out here Endymion?" The girl asked. The boy, Endymion (Serenity mouthed the name and found it felt just right to say) smiled as he turned towards the girl.
"Just looking at the moon." Endymion turned back towards the moon and Serenity wondered if he was looking straight to where the palace was, maybe even looking straight up at her and not knowing it all. "It's beautiful tonight."
"Do you really think there will be a war?" The girl questioned.
"I hope not." Endymion was still looking up at the moon. "Although…I've always wondered…what they're like up there? Are they kind? Are they just as cruel as everyone makes them out to be?"
"Their Queen is." The girl answered. "I have seen visions of her in my ball."
"Can you really see them in your ball Beryl?" Endymion turned curiously towards her.
"Sometimes." The girl, Beryl, blushed. "They said that I would be the most remembered High Priestess of all time…but the way they treat me…it's like I'm a little kid and they're just waiting for me to mess up."
"I'm sure they have every confidence in you." Endymion looked intently at the dark-haired girl. "Just as I do, and mother."
"You…mean that?" Beryl's smile was so happy that Serenity found herself smiling as well.
"Of course I do." Endymion smiled back at her. "You're one of my friends and I always believe in every one of my friends. And you must understand that even for a prince, it's hard to make true friends." Serenity's jaw dropped. A prince! Although, it did fit the young man who seemed so valiant.
"Even the Prince of the Earth?" Beryl said in a joking manner. Serenity's eyes grew round. He was not just any prince, but the Prince of the Earth! If her mother knew what she was watching, who knew what she would do!
But he's so kind and handsome…
Are the Terrans so bad?
Serenity heard a rustling noise and immediately whirled around. What if someone came in?
"Turn off!" She said hurriedly, her heart thumping. Endymion's face was gone from it and she found that no one was around. She was really tired so she went back to bed and dreamed of blue-eyed princes.
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She was sitting on her favorite bench in the Royal Gardens. It was hidden behind several bushes and was a secret to all those who hadn't explored deep inside the Gardens. The wooden bench that was surrounded by flowers and trees.
Lifting up her long wavy black hair and draping it over the bag of the bench, tilting back her head to breathe in deeply. The fragrant scent warmed her. It wasn't too cold out but the yellow dress she had on wasn't the warmest. She glanced around and saw that nobody was around. It was nice to get away from everybody.
Her fingers brushed against the crescent moon that was on her forehead. It felt strange to the touch, like some alien part of her even though she had had it all her life. Knowing no one was around she sank down on the bench, not sitting upright properly like she usually did. She bent her legs and undid her shoes, resting her feet in the soil.
She could definitely sleep out here. All she would have to do is take on her cat form and curl up and go right to sleep. Not all Lunarians could turn into cats; maybe that's what made her and Artemis special. All Lunarians shared one common trait.
The special branding of a crescent moon on their foreheads at birth. No one knew when this tradition had begun but it seemed like it was there and always would be there.
"But what if we didn't have the brands? Is it really necessary to keep us separated from all others?" Luna wondered out loud. But that was sheer blasphemy. Selene would probably strike her dead just for uttering it out loud.
"Apparently." A male voice made Luna sit up straight immediately and look up to see a man with long silver-hair standing there. Artemis.
"I didn't know you were out here." Luna blushed and fumbled for her sandals. "Really, sneaking up on me like that…"
"What are you doing out here so late?" Artemis questioned. "Other then questioning laws?"
"Please don't tell anyone." Luna looked up at him. "I just thought…is it really necessary? But of course it is." Her necklace with a crescent moon that hung all the way to her waist shifted with her. "And it's forbidden to say otherwise…"
"Selene: Goddess of forbidding." Artemis sat down next to a wide-eyed Luna. He caught the expression on her face. "She seems to make an awful lot of decrees for a higher being that supposedly lives in some paradise."
"Artemis!" Luna looked affronted. "You can't say things like that! What if Selene curses you?!"
"Do you want me to beg for forgiveness?" Artemis raised his silver eyebrows. "It strikes me as odd that I would have to beg forgiveness for thoughts I'm sure many have had other then myself."
"Do you want Selene's wrath to fall upon you?" Luna spoke in hushed tones.
"Your concern is worth any sort of wrath that may fall upon me." Artemis' blue eyes looked intently into her own. Luna tried to look away. She didn't want Artemis to have the power over her that she couldn't admit he already did. "But no concern for yourself? And what would I do if you were cursed for speaking blasphemous words out loud?"
"I'm sure you could do a great deal without me." Luna looked at her hands. "What is a heretic worth?" Artemis put a hand on top of one of her own.
"I will not let any goddess hinder my thoughts or speech. If you were an outcast then I would follow you." Artemis reached out his other hand and tilted her chin upwards. "And so, let us be heretics together."
Maybe I will be punished…
Their lips pressed against each others for a single sweet moment in that garden.
But his kiss is worth any price…
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"Memento mori…"
("Remember that you will die…")