Disclaimer: Trust me, you would know if I owned anyone but the Guardians and Yami. Those are my only property.
Chapter One
She sat upon her throne, staring down at the woman whose power all but smothered five destroyed cities, all connecting.
"I sentence you to permanent exile," she announced, still watching the woman who knelt before her, flanked by two members of the Palace Guard. "I only show this much leniency toward you because of the service you have offered my court and me since my mother's reign. However, if you ever return to this Solar System, unless bound by physical or magical means, the magic that engraved your oaths into your wrists shall kill you."
The woman at her feet nodded her head once, accepting her punishment even as fresh tears ran down her cheeks.
The two guards hauled her to her feet, intending to escort her to the outside world, but she broke away from them and began to glow a deep violet nearly black. After a few moments of frozen silence, all present heard the fabric of space rip. It was not like ripping a piece of cloth, but a greatly intensified nails-on-chalkboard sound.
The prisoner looked up, seeing the rip just above her head, shaped like a cat's claw marks. Through it she could see the land upon which she had chosen to spend the rest of her life.
Jumping upward, the warrior vanished through the portal and it rolled up behind her as everyone returned to life and rushed forward.
"Good luck rebuilding those cities, Serenity," a voice spoke in the Queen's ear. "One of your most trusted warriors turned traitor? And one of the most powerful ones, at that? No one will want to go near those five wrecks for fear of being destroyed themselves." Cruel laughter echoed throughout the hall, but only the Queen seemed able to hear it.
Queen Serenity of Earth and the Moon Kingdom jerked awake, heart pounding harder than it had in any battle she'd taken part in but the one against Chaos.
"Kuso…" she whispered to herself, sitting up and taking comfort in the sight of her husband lying peacefully next to her in bed. "Why won't that dream go away?"
It was the same thing nearly every night for the past year: she would fall asleep, and the next thing she knew, the odango-haired Queen was back in her Throne Room as she exiled one of her closest friends.
The worst thing was that damn voice at the end. It had not happened during the actual event, but Serenity couldn't help but feel that it was the voice of someone she knew very well.
"Saturn's going to kill me when she gets back," the woman realized. Sailor Saturn and her sister had become, once again, extremely close to each other over the years since they met as Hotaru and Hikari. Currently, the Senshi of Destruction was out on a scouting mission and due to return in a few weeks and had been gone for nearly two years. The changes involving her twin that had taken place in her absence were not going to be appreciated.
"How much of the castle are we going to have to rebuild?" she muttered to herself, wondering at the extent of her Senshi's rage when the events were discovered.
"What's the matter?" a deep voice asked sleepily next to her ear.
"Just a nightmare," Serenity sighed, leaning into her husband's embrace. "I love you more than anything, Endymion. You know that, right?"
"I love you too," the King murmured into her ear, giving her a kiss. "Now we've got to get up early, so let's go back to sleep, okay?"
With a worried sigh, Serenity gave in and was soon asleep.
Her King was not.
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"Are you sure you need me for this?" a dark-haired woman joked as she helped two brawny young men lift a log and slide it into place on its sling to be carried to the top of the half-built mansion.
"Keeps you occupied, doesn't it?" one of them replied.
"I've enough to hold my mind," the woman sighed, rolling her shoulders back to loosen the muscles.
A wailing cry split the air. "There she is now. I'll see you later, Thomas," she called over her shoulder as she headed back into the finished portion of the building where her three-month-old daughter was.
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"What do you mean, Titan isn't here?" a dangerous voice demanded softly. The mere volume of the woman's voice spoke for itself more than shouting or physical harm might have. Though from the look in the Senshi's eyes and her grip on the deadliest weapon ever in existence, physical harm was not too far away.
"I—I mean—Queen, your sister hasn't been here in over a year! I don't know where she went! But she's not here right now!" the near-hysterical servant cried. The Senshi of Death and Healing had come out of her sister's rooms, seen him, and proceeded to question him about where the Princess of Dosei might be.
"Titan wouldn't leave for so long—let alone leave Crystal Tokyo—without telling me at least that she wouldn't be here when I got back. Are you sure you have not the slightest idea where my sister may be?" Saturn had gotten her temper under control and now spoke politely, if a bit tersely.
"I have none," the servant babbled quickly and frantically. "The High Queen is in her wing if you wish to ask her. I believe she is awaiting your return, my Queen."
With a sigh, Saturn nodded. The servant made as though to scurry away, and she grabbed his arm. He paled greatly.
"My apologies for keeping you from your work and for frightening you, good sir," she said softly. "I meant you no harm. I am merely protective and worry for my sister. It is unlike her to leave for long without giving me notice."
The man nodded in a frenzy and, once released, quickly scurried out of sight.
Muttering curses and threats under her breath, the Senshi of Destruction headed to give her report to her Queen… and ask some questions of her own.
Heaven help Serenity if the answers weren't satisfactory.
If they weren't, then once again, her leader would learn what it meant to anger a Warrior of Destruction.
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AN: So? What'dya think? I know, I know… I really should be working on "Guardians" and "Guardians' Return," but my brain's shot from working on those right now—also on my homework—, and since chapters aren't done, I randomly came up with this. But you must be warned: though this has a plot and point, life has gotten me in a stranglehold since the beginning of last month and updates will be very sporadic. Please bear with me and tell me what you think. Feel free to nag me to update—on any of my stories.
QUESTIONS:
What's your opinion? Confused on anything?
Who in the world is Kousagi? She's mentioned in a lot of fanfics, but I don't know who she is.
How can I find information on her?