DISCLAIMER: I do not in any way own these characters. I merely adore them and their creator with all my heart. Thank you Naoko Takeuchi! :)
"Ebon Revolution"
Chapter One
"The New World"
Location: Formerly Honshu/Fukushima
The room was pitch black except for a pale stream of moonlight that delicately danced in through the window. Even the shadows that lurked in their usual corners appeared darker than usual inside the small apartment. The night was young and the air carried with it a sense of foreboding danger. Not that it really mattered to Rei as she gingerly slipped off her bed.
Bare feet connected with a cold hard wood floor, as the young woman moved over to a chair in a far off corner of the room, unseen in the darkness. Shrugging off the small crisp nightshirt she wore, Rei began to dress her slender form in the clothing that lay crumbled there on the floor. She had meant to lay it out neatly upon the chair, but in her haste and tiredness from only mere hours before, the floor seemed to have been just as well a place as any.
Tight black leather pants slid easily over well-toned and muscular legs, followed by a thickly banded belt. Small pockets and grooves waited eagerly for the weapons that would soon be fit within them. With quick grace and ease, Rei donned the similarly black tank top that hugged her body just as its matching pants did. Around her long slender neck she quickly clasped a dark choker, a thin strip of leather, where affixed to the front hung a pendant of shining silver.
With a small grunt of disapproval Rei allowed her body to rest upon the chair, and as she did so followed the difficult maneuvering of getting black knee high boots fitted and laced up over her legs and pants. Amidst the darkness you could barely make out the woman as she hastily bent over finishing up the last of the thick laces.
In one fluid movement, Rei's head flew back sending her deep purple colored locks flying wildly about her. Finally the task of getting dressed was behind her, now she was ready, now she could leave. Pausing briefly to make sure she had everything she needed Rei bent over, grabbed her leather trench coat and was out the door.
The hallway of Rei's apartment was completely silent until the soft sound of her boots shattered it. Hurrying down the flight of stairs leading to the way out, Rei jumped down the last few and exited the building. Outside a cool breeze swept over her, the sky a deep shade of azure with only a few traces of stars sparkling here and there. There was an eerie calm to the night, and as Rei's deep violet eyes scanned the surrounding areas, not a soul was seen. Even though always prepared one could never be too careful, and Rei's senses were on full alert.
Walking in long fast strides Rei hurried down the streets of Neo-Tokyo, making sure to keep checking over her shoulder as she went. Not before too long she reached her destination, a local bar/diner that was generally a safe haven to those with the rebellion. As Rei pushed open the thick wooden door, the entrance to the Delyerain, she searched through the dim that was always present. A mixture of smoke from the fireplace, an occasional pipe or two, and the cooking from the kitchen.
Within seconds Rei rested her determined eyes on a middle-aged man sitting in the corner near the rear exit of the building. The two locked eyes briefly, a look of compassion and endearment passing between them both, before Rei started to make her way over to him.
The Delyerain was unusually packed for a night such as it was, and as she gingerly made her way through the crowd, Rei took note of those present. The bar was graced by the presence of the usual drunks and rogue traders who decided to take refuge for the night. Sitting together packed around the few tables were the many comrades who still fought for the Old World. Everyone had the same exhausted worn look across their face, yet spirits were still high.
"The world of old was a great and glorious place child, one of such beauty and freedom not even imaginable now within times as these." Rei could barely make out the thick voice that spoke out to her right. Yet as she directed her full attention towards the fireplace there, her eyes rested upon the face and form of an elderly woman who sat stiff and rigid within her chair. The old woman's face was momentarily peaceful as she spoke to the audience before her, three young children no older than ten.
"Tell us of those times Nanni! Tell us of the protectors, yes, the one's who held balance and kept the dark ones away! Please!" One of the children screamed eagerly, his voice squeaking ever so slightly. The old woman merely stared at the young boy, as memories of days gone by washed over her.
"The protectors...ah yes. Those select few, the chosen warriors of that time." Nanni murmured to herself lost in the past.
"The Sailor Senshi!" Another young child said, barely able to keep the excitement from her voice. Rei's eyes narrowed briefly, her whole body going rigid, as she stopped her onward movement through the Delyerain. She stood not even five feet from the fireplace and those who her attention was now fully attuned to.
As if on command the old woman snapped out of her reverie, she blinked once, her hazel eyes burning with an inner fire she would never be able to quench. She gazed at the child who had last spoken, then over towards Rei.
"The Sailor Senshi are something not spoken about much these times. They are a thing of the past, some say a myth or fable created to keep those filled with hope. But I know that is not what they were...are..." Nanni's voice trailed off as she continued to hold Rei's gaze. She seemed to stare right down into Rei's soul, searching for something, knowing that something was there.
Rei's eyes flared briefly for a moment, their usual deep violet color burning brightly, as old emotions washed over her soul. Her fingers twitched ever so slightly the only sign of movement that she could make. Then with great force, she tore her eyes away from the old woman, turning her body back in the direction she needed to go.
The middle-aged man still sat at the back, awaiting her presence. He stared at her confused by the sudden change in her stature, the look of angst written across her beautiful face. Yet as she neared him, tears that glistened ever so softly at the edges her eyes faded away, leaving behind no trace of the torment within her.
"Gren. It has been a while since I saw you last. I was beginning to worry." Rei spoke slowly, still trying to shrug off the thoughts from before. Her face lightened, as she finally allowed herself to slump down heavily within a chair. It felt good to take a load off, especially now that she played more of an important role within the rebellion.
Gren simply watched the young woman before him, his brow furrowing slightly, as his pale blue eyes searched for some hidden meaning behind her current state. She had struggled so hard to get where she was now, having to prove her worth and strength within the fighting realm. Yet now after accomplishing all of that she seemed stretched thin, worn way past her youthful years.
"Rei, my dear, it seems as though my worst fear has come to reality." Gren's words were soft, and filled with understanding. "You are never going to be able to move on with your life, unless you let go of your past."
Rei looked into Gren's eyes trying to grasp the concept of that which he proposed. The man had been her mentor for nearly five years now, and without him she would be lost. It was his teachings, his guidance that helped her to stay grounded and strong. Yet in all those years she had never been able to listen to him when it came to the issue now at hand. The past.
Casting her violet eyes down to her hands, which fiddled uneasily within her lap, Rei took one deep breath. "I have let go of the past. That world does not exist anymore, I understand that." The somber tone within the young woman's voice was enough to let Gren know that although she may believe in her own words, her heart broke to hear them.
"Enough with all this silly talk. I need information, and I know that you have the answers I seek to the questions that I hold." Rei's head snapped up, her deeply purple colored hair settling perfectly around her face. Her expression now told that of determination and strength, she meant business.
"Rei, you know you can't do anything by yourself...at the most you would get yourself killed, and then where would you be?" Gren could tell that her sudden change in attitude meant she had already made up her mind and that she wouldn't listen now, but he still had to try. She was the daughter he never had, and it was because of his love for her that he would always look out for her.
Rei simply stared, her expression very nonchalant. Gren turned away frowning, he hated it when she got into one of her moods.
"Hmm..."
"Hmm?" Even though she didn't comment much, Rei always wanted to know what the old man was thinking, especially now since his noise seemed to be not a reaction to her but to something behind her.
"Not to change the subject or anything but it just so happens that a certain someone is watching you again." Gren spoke as though he wasn't bothered by what he said, just perplexed more than anything as to why.
Rei slowly looked over her shoulder and found herself staring into a pair of what had to be the most riveting amber eyes she had ever seen. Rei sighed slightly.
"You mean Trystan? Gren I've told you. He isn't looking at me, why would he be? He just...oh I don't know, but trust me. Him? This?" Rei was pointing at her face as she continued to speak. " I don't think so." She was frustrated at Gren's attempt to deter her from the discussion she had proposed, it was so like him to pull something like that when he became worried about her.
Gren just continued to watch the man they were referring to, and Rei glanced over her shoulder once more to do the same.
"I wonder what his story is...why he's always here...and why it is that he always seems to be watching you." Gren mumbled, though only to himself, still confused as ever.
Rei continued to stare at the man called Trystan, as he seemed to do exactly as Gren had said. It seemed as though he was searching for something deep within her. A sense of peace started to fill her entire being, and for a second Rei let her guard down and became lost. His eyes were so intense, so focused. She had never seen eyes like that before.
A moment later Trystan averted his eyes, choosing to stare into the mug of ale that sat resting on the bar before him. Rei returned her attention back to Gren, who had a rather amused expression across his face. "I don't get you." She said flatly, getting up from the table. "Look, you know where to find me if you want to tell me what you know. Otherwise, I have to get going. The night is young and there is a presence upon the air that whispers of danger."
Gren knew enough about Rei to realize that no matter what he said now she would leave. Instead he kicked back and tried to appear relaxed and unaffected by her words. He reached up and ran his steady hands through his tangled brown hair, grimacing as he caught hold of a knot. He really needed to do something about that.
"Do whatcha gotta do Ms. Rei, this is after all your role in this life." His blue eyes pierced straight through to Rei soul, they told her to be safe as always. "I will indeed see you again before I leave this part of town." He finished with a small nod of his head.
Rei smiled ever so slightly, comforted by Gren's ability to understand her decisions even if he didn't condone them. Then she was heading towards the exit, the Delyerain even more crowded now than before. As she passed by the bar Rei could not help but glance over to where Trystan sat, only he was no longer there. A frown crossed over her face as more questions flooded her mind.
'No matter, not my problem.' Rei thought to herself as she pushed her way through the crowd and out the door. The moment she stepped foot outside she was hit by a great gust of wind, the weather had taken to change. Whereas before the night was eerily calm, now a storm approached. The sky was clouded over, and lightning streaked through in the distance...Lightning.
Rei stopped in memory as she watched the glory of the element light up the blackened sky. "It's not her, Rei-chan. It's not any of them anymore." The words she murmured to herself brought little comfort as she once again let herself hope.
'The days of the Sailor Senshi are just a myth.' Rei thought bitterly, though her entire being ached to be back in that time when their powers...her powers...reigned and brought justice to the world that now trembled and fought to live on.
"Ebon Revolution"
Chapter One
"The New World"
Location: Formerly Honshu/Fukushima
The room was pitch black except for a pale stream of moonlight that delicately danced in through the window. Even the shadows that lurked in their usual corners appeared darker than usual inside the small apartment. The night was young and the air carried with it a sense of foreboding danger. Not that it really mattered to Rei as she gingerly slipped off her bed.
Bare feet connected with a cold hard wood floor, as the young woman moved over to a chair in a far off corner of the room, unseen in the darkness. Shrugging off the small crisp nightshirt she wore, Rei began to dress her slender form in the clothing that lay crumbled there on the floor. She had meant to lay it out neatly upon the chair, but in her haste and tiredness from only mere hours before, the floor seemed to have been just as well a place as any.
Tight black leather pants slid easily over well-toned and muscular legs, followed by a thickly banded belt. Small pockets and grooves waited eagerly for the weapons that would soon be fit within them. With quick grace and ease, Rei donned the similarly black tank top that hugged her body just as its matching pants did. Around her long slender neck she quickly clasped a dark choker, a thin strip of leather, where affixed to the front hung a pendant of shining silver.
With a small grunt of disapproval Rei allowed her body to rest upon the chair, and as she did so followed the difficult maneuvering of getting black knee high boots fitted and laced up over her legs and pants. Amidst the darkness you could barely make out the woman as she hastily bent over finishing up the last of the thick laces.
In one fluid movement, Rei's head flew back sending her deep purple colored locks flying wildly about her. Finally the task of getting dressed was behind her, now she was ready, now she could leave. Pausing briefly to make sure she had everything she needed Rei bent over, grabbed her leather trench coat and was out the door.
The hallway of Rei's apartment was completely silent until the soft sound of her boots shattered it. Hurrying down the flight of stairs leading to the way out, Rei jumped down the last few and exited the building. Outside a cool breeze swept over her, the sky a deep shade of azure with only a few traces of stars sparkling here and there. There was an eerie calm to the night, and as Rei's deep violet eyes scanned the surrounding areas, not a soul was seen. Even though always prepared one could never be too careful, and Rei's senses were on full alert.
Walking in long fast strides Rei hurried down the streets of Neo-Tokyo, making sure to keep checking over her shoulder as she went. Not before too long she reached her destination, a local bar/diner that was generally a safe haven to those with the rebellion. As Rei pushed open the thick wooden door, the entrance to the Delyerain, she searched through the dim that was always present. A mixture of smoke from the fireplace, an occasional pipe or two, and the cooking from the kitchen.
Within seconds Rei rested her determined eyes on a middle-aged man sitting in the corner near the rear exit of the building. The two locked eyes briefly, a look of compassion and endearment passing between them both, before Rei started to make her way over to him.
The Delyerain was unusually packed for a night such as it was, and as she gingerly made her way through the crowd, Rei took note of those present. The bar was graced by the presence of the usual drunks and rogue traders who decided to take refuge for the night. Sitting together packed around the few tables were the many comrades who still fought for the Old World. Everyone had the same exhausted worn look across their face, yet spirits were still high.
"The world of old was a great and glorious place child, one of such beauty and freedom not even imaginable now within times as these." Rei could barely make out the thick voice that spoke out to her right. Yet as she directed her full attention towards the fireplace there, her eyes rested upon the face and form of an elderly woman who sat stiff and rigid within her chair. The old woman's face was momentarily peaceful as she spoke to the audience before her, three young children no older than ten.
"Tell us of those times Nanni! Tell us of the protectors, yes, the one's who held balance and kept the dark ones away! Please!" One of the children screamed eagerly, his voice squeaking ever so slightly. The old woman merely stared at the young boy, as memories of days gone by washed over her.
"The protectors...ah yes. Those select few, the chosen warriors of that time." Nanni murmured to herself lost in the past.
"The Sailor Senshi!" Another young child said, barely able to keep the excitement from her voice. Rei's eyes narrowed briefly, her whole body going rigid, as she stopped her onward movement through the Delyerain. She stood not even five feet from the fireplace and those who her attention was now fully attuned to.
As if on command the old woman snapped out of her reverie, she blinked once, her hazel eyes burning with an inner fire she would never be able to quench. She gazed at the child who had last spoken, then over towards Rei.
"The Sailor Senshi are something not spoken about much these times. They are a thing of the past, some say a myth or fable created to keep those filled with hope. But I know that is not what they were...are..." Nanni's voice trailed off as she continued to hold Rei's gaze. She seemed to stare right down into Rei's soul, searching for something, knowing that something was there.
Rei's eyes flared briefly for a moment, their usual deep violet color burning brightly, as old emotions washed over her soul. Her fingers twitched ever so slightly the only sign of movement that she could make. Then with great force, she tore her eyes away from the old woman, turning her body back in the direction she needed to go.
The middle-aged man still sat at the back, awaiting her presence. He stared at her confused by the sudden change in her stature, the look of angst written across her beautiful face. Yet as she neared him, tears that glistened ever so softly at the edges her eyes faded away, leaving behind no trace of the torment within her.
"Gren. It has been a while since I saw you last. I was beginning to worry." Rei spoke slowly, still trying to shrug off the thoughts from before. Her face lightened, as she finally allowed herself to slump down heavily within a chair. It felt good to take a load off, especially now that she played more of an important role within the rebellion.
Gren simply watched the young woman before him, his brow furrowing slightly, as his pale blue eyes searched for some hidden meaning behind her current state. She had struggled so hard to get where she was now, having to prove her worth and strength within the fighting realm. Yet now after accomplishing all of that she seemed stretched thin, worn way past her youthful years.
"Rei, my dear, it seems as though my worst fear has come to reality." Gren's words were soft, and filled with understanding. "You are never going to be able to move on with your life, unless you let go of your past."
Rei looked into Gren's eyes trying to grasp the concept of that which he proposed. The man had been her mentor for nearly five years now, and without him she would be lost. It was his teachings, his guidance that helped her to stay grounded and strong. Yet in all those years she had never been able to listen to him when it came to the issue now at hand. The past.
Casting her violet eyes down to her hands, which fiddled uneasily within her lap, Rei took one deep breath. "I have let go of the past. That world does not exist anymore, I understand that." The somber tone within the young woman's voice was enough to let Gren know that although she may believe in her own words, her heart broke to hear them.
"Enough with all this silly talk. I need information, and I know that you have the answers I seek to the questions that I hold." Rei's head snapped up, her deeply purple colored hair settling perfectly around her face. Her expression now told that of determination and strength, she meant business.
"Rei, you know you can't do anything by yourself...at the most you would get yourself killed, and then where would you be?" Gren could tell that her sudden change in attitude meant she had already made up her mind and that she wouldn't listen now, but he still had to try. She was the daughter he never had, and it was because of his love for her that he would always look out for her.
Rei simply stared, her expression very nonchalant. Gren turned away frowning, he hated it when she got into one of her moods.
"Hmm..."
"Hmm?" Even though she didn't comment much, Rei always wanted to know what the old man was thinking, especially now since his noise seemed to be not a reaction to her but to something behind her.
"Not to change the subject or anything but it just so happens that a certain someone is watching you again." Gren spoke as though he wasn't bothered by what he said, just perplexed more than anything as to why.
Rei slowly looked over her shoulder and found herself staring into a pair of what had to be the most riveting amber eyes she had ever seen. Rei sighed slightly.
"You mean Trystan? Gren I've told you. He isn't looking at me, why would he be? He just...oh I don't know, but trust me. Him? This?" Rei was pointing at her face as she continued to speak. " I don't think so." She was frustrated at Gren's attempt to deter her from the discussion she had proposed, it was so like him to pull something like that when he became worried about her.
Gren just continued to watch the man they were referring to, and Rei glanced over her shoulder once more to do the same.
"I wonder what his story is...why he's always here...and why it is that he always seems to be watching you." Gren mumbled, though only to himself, still confused as ever.
Rei continued to stare at the man called Trystan, as he seemed to do exactly as Gren had said. It seemed as though he was searching for something deep within her. A sense of peace started to fill her entire being, and for a second Rei let her guard down and became lost. His eyes were so intense, so focused. She had never seen eyes like that before.
A moment later Trystan averted his eyes, choosing to stare into the mug of ale that sat resting on the bar before him. Rei returned her attention back to Gren, who had a rather amused expression across his face. "I don't get you." She said flatly, getting up from the table. "Look, you know where to find me if you want to tell me what you know. Otherwise, I have to get going. The night is young and there is a presence upon the air that whispers of danger."
Gren knew enough about Rei to realize that no matter what he said now she would leave. Instead he kicked back and tried to appear relaxed and unaffected by her words. He reached up and ran his steady hands through his tangled brown hair, grimacing as he caught hold of a knot. He really needed to do something about that.
"Do whatcha gotta do Ms. Rei, this is after all your role in this life." His blue eyes pierced straight through to Rei soul, they told her to be safe as always. "I will indeed see you again before I leave this part of town." He finished with a small nod of his head.
Rei smiled ever so slightly, comforted by Gren's ability to understand her decisions even if he didn't condone them. Then she was heading towards the exit, the Delyerain even more crowded now than before. As she passed by the bar Rei could not help but glance over to where Trystan sat, only he was no longer there. A frown crossed over her face as more questions flooded her mind.
'No matter, not my problem.' Rei thought to herself as she pushed her way through the crowd and out the door. The moment she stepped foot outside she was hit by a great gust of wind, the weather had taken to change. Whereas before the night was eerily calm, now a storm approached. The sky was clouded over, and lightning streaked through in the distance...Lightning.
Rei stopped in memory as she watched the glory of the element light up the blackened sky. "It's not her, Rei-chan. It's not any of them anymore." The words she murmured to herself brought little comfort as she once again let herself hope.
'The days of the Sailor Senshi are just a myth.' Rei thought bitterly, though her entire being ached to be back in that time when their powers...her powers...reigned and brought justice to the world that now trembled and fought to live on.