Here is Chapter two. I felt at some points this was still just setting up the story. It is. I swear though the action is coming, and we get to meet more of the Senshi in this one. But will Helios finally return in this fanfiction? Read and find out?
NOTE: I interchangeably used the Japanese and English terms and to my liking. So Sailor Fans, please don't take offense or freak out. In general, aside from the King, Queen, the cats, Helios/Pegasus and Rini, all of the Scouts' names are in Japanese, and I prefer Senshi over Sailor scouts, but I still may use scout.
Also, in terms of the bits and pieces not of my creation, I also interchangeably used what the anime, manga, and the Live Action Drama have either hinted or provided in their versions. Whether you prefer one version over the other is up to you. I just want to acknowledge that I've used bits and pieces from all because in the Sailor Moon world, they all have strands of truth.
~Dreams under the Crescent Moon
Twi~moonlit forest
Hotaru dropped by Friday afternoon for a visit. Rini was ecstatic. They ran around the palace for a bit before deciding to make and frost cupcakes in the kitchens. Not the typical activity for two warrior princesses but they were still teenagers, not to mention budding girls who needed their sweets.
"How is your school?" Rini finally asked as she stirred the pink frosting.
"You mean that brainanic-alternative prison house for the tragically nerdy?" Hotaru laughed.
"At least you're getting the royal treatment. I thought I'd be smarter than my mother." Rini sighed.
"You're smart enough." Hotaru assured her, adding sprinkles to Rini's bowl. "Besides you're not missing much. In fact I seem to be missing out. You and Helios huh?"
Rini blushed. "I actually started packing this morning before I ran to school. I was almost late for the first time."
"Funny!" Hotaru smirked. "I wish I could have met him. He sounds wonderful."
Rini and Helios met shortly after Super Sailor Moon had rescued Hotaru/Sailor Saturn from Master Pharoh 90, unfortunately Hotaru had regressed into an infant. She was being raised by Michiru and Haruka, Sailor Neptune and Uranus.
"I wish you did too. Course, maybe you would have fallen for him." Rini joked.
"No way." Hotaru shook her head. "Obviously I prefer the dark, brooding types." The two laughed as the timer went off in the oven.
"Though, why do you need to pack?" she asked, pulling the pan out. She had turned pink as she stared back at Rini.
"Elysion is far. I'm going be there the whole weekend so I need my tooth brush and clothes..."
"Wow!" Hotaru gasped. "Does he know?"
"I'm sure he does." Rini blushed. "I'm going to have to use the Key of Space-Time and my dream mirror to get there and `."
"That's heavy-duty."Hotaru commented. "But I'm so happy for you! About time if you ask me."
"Every Princess needs her Prince right?" Rini smiled.
"But girlfriends are first. Which is why you are going to give me all the juicy details when you get back!" Hotaru flicked a bit of icing at Rini. She squealed and flicked back. They chased each other for a bit before finishing off their cooled cupcakes.
After chowing down on their sweets, they played a couple of games of crystal chess and gossiped about school and what some of the other Senshis were up to. Hotaru even hinted that Haruka and Michiru were planning a commitment ceremony in the next month or so.
The King offered to take Hotaru home. When it was time Rini gave her dear friend a long hug. Then she returned to packing. Diana soon joined her in her cat form. She had grown into a sleek grey-violet cat, and wore a lavender bell collar.
"Hey Rini. Are you all set?"
"I hope so." Rini said. She had her suit case on her bed and leaped on it as Diana climbed on. Diana used her teeth to help close the zipper.
"Thanks a lot." Rini said as she lifted her legs so the young cat could go around.
"Wish I could come." Diana sighed and climbed onto Rini's lap.
"If you promise to stay a cat throughout." Rini murmured and scratched her behind the ears.
"I could. I need the Queen's power to turn human you know." She purred and laid on her back so Rini could tickle her tummy.
"I'm actually really nervous." Rini confessed. "So having you there would help."
That night was almost painful for Rini. She kept moving and squirming in her bed. So much that Diana had to sleep in her basket underneath. She wasn't upset, she could feel Rini's heart thumping fast. Every time Rini closed her eyes, she saw Helios' golden ones, gazing at her intensely. His sweet grin and soft pale hair glinting in the sunlight. His deep voice, calling to her:
"My maiden."
For the first time in years her mother had to come into her room to wake her. She got perhaps five hours of sleep. She groaned at the dark circles in the mirror as she brushed and then bathe in the hot baths. She was surprised by the Senshi who came that morning to help her get ready. They would also be the ones escorting her to Elysion. Her parents had to stay and see to the kingdom.
Makoto was a wedding planner, florist on earth. She even had her own satellite cooking and baking program on the Digital-sync network. For the kingdom she rules over the energy cores that fuel the planet with natural and renewable sources. Some by her own making.
Ami had become a doctor and now a surgeon on earth. She was an architect for Crystal Tokyo, and worked alongside the King in leading the technological advancements and commodities and weapons. She controlled the winters that pelted the earth seasonally. She was also the Queen's first advisor and attorney which often meant overseeing both large and smaller tasks.
Minako had become an internationally acclaimed singer and songwriter. She was around the least of the four because of her hectic schedule. Fortunately her position in the kingdom included sending out positive energies to the planet, and she did it with her music. She also led the kingdom's staff, through correspondence of course.
Rei's psychic powers fully matured the year of the Queen's coronation. She is in constant tuned with both the earth and the Moon. Her tasks include alerting the Senshi of any impending danger. She was second adviser to the Queen and ruled over the summer seasons.
Today however they all had taken on the simple tasks of help Rini bathe and dress. Do her hair and makeup, and send her bags to the realm ahead of her.
The Senshi were fond of Helios. He had been a big help to them in the past. They were also excited for Rini.
"I'm pleased you scored over ninety on your midterms." Ami said in the third seat from her at breakfast.
"With the right motivation I'm sure." Minako smirked. Rini blushed and shook her head. "Dad didn't tell me about this weekend until two days ago."
"That's great Rini. Only Minako would have used a guy as an excuse to score high on tests." Matoko replied. Minako tossed a mashmellow at her. Rini smiled at her plate of chocolate chip waffles. It was wonderful to be treated to Makoto's cooking again.
Soon the time came for RIni to say goodbye to her parents. With Diana, peeking out of the small back pack, she greeted her mother first. It was only for the weekend but she saw her mother with tears in her eyes.
"Cry baby bunny." Rei whispered softly, tentative of her respect for the Queen.
The King made Rini promise to be safe and modest in manners. Rini blushed beet red at the thought of being anything but proper!
The five of them travelled to the courtyard where they would depart for Elysion. Rini used her key and sent her luggage off. It seemed strange but she knew that Setsuna would see that they'd arrive. She then took out her pendant and raised it up.
"Crisis Moon Dream Action Make up!" she cried and soon transformed into Super Sailor Chibi Moon. The other four scouts followed her, raising their power sticks.
"Mercury Star Power Make up!"
"Mars Star Power Make up!"
"Jupiter Star Power Make up!"
"Venus Star Power Make up!"
When the five of them had transformed, they held hands, and called on the powers of their planets to transport them to the lonely realm of Elysion.
"Scout power!" They cried as they closed their eyes and allowed themselves to be enveloped into the light.
One moment they were standing and the next they were flying. Not through space, but just along the horizon. So far only her father and Setsuna have ever been to Elysion. It was a secret place, hidden on Earth. The domain her father was destined to rule over a millennia ago, before he and her mother met and fell in love.
Soon they found Setsuna, the great Sailor Pluto. Proud guardian of the underworld and time. Ruler of the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The only scout to truly perish but live in infinite and unending time.
"Small Lady," she greeted Chibi Moon. "And comrades, headed to Elysion."
"Yea." The scouts stopped flying and hovered with Pluto, The sun was setting behind them and the night sky was hued with pink and purple.
Chibi Moon stared at her, overjoyed to see her guardian, but still plagued with guilt. She was the one who caused her death when she had foolishly accepted the dark moon powers as a child to become Wicked Lady. The great scout had accomplished a lot during her time on earth and more so as a Senshi. She is the third most powerful of the Senshi. Her long black hair bellowed behind and she held her key staff relaxed, pointing to her left.
"The way is clear for you. You should be able to make it there and back safely." She told them.
"What news from the cosmos?" Mercury asked?
"Quiet, but not calm." Pluto admitted. She raised her staff high, looking to her right. "Lately the Sun's glow has been red. Hotaru hasn't sensed it yet, but Michiru sees a storm. Not raging but it will be fierce. I predict it can happen between the phases of the second crescent moon and the dark moon."
"Within two weeks." Mercury said. "But no reason to be alarmed now?"
"We can't fight a threat that we haven't seen yet." Setsuna told her. "For now just be cautious and continued to aid the Queen. But do let her know about my and Michiru's findings."
"Of course," Mars replied. "I'll perform a cast myself and seen if I can find it."
"Please." Pluto nodded. "Well, I won't keep you. I can see Small Lady is anxious to get there."
Chibi Moon smiled, and flew close to give Pluto a hug. "Thanks. I'm sorry we couldn't talk more."
Pluto laid her hands on Chibi Moon's head. "I'll visit the kingdom soon enough." She told her. "Hmm. I'm dreading the day I won't be able to call you Small Lady anymore."
"You can always call me that." Chibi Moon smiled.
Shortly the five Senshi continued to fly. The sky was dark with clumps of tiny, sparkled stars. To Chibi Moon they looked like swirls and rows of bouquets of crystals flowers.
Mercury suddenly pulled out her head set and compact computer to scan the area. "We should be arriving," she said, typing on the mini keyboard. Chibi Moon looked back to see lights and number scroll across the blue shades she wore, serving as an addition screen.
"Yes." She sighed, content. "It's straight ahead girls. When I tell you, we'll be descending slowly. The rest of Senshi continued to fly but were very aware of their surrounds in case of a sudden land command from Mercury.
Chibi Moon's heart thumped almost painful. Suddenly she was very nervous. The thought of seeing Helios again made her dizzy, but what if he did not recognize her? What if it's been too long and he's grown up and moved on? Was she naive for holding on to her childhood love?
"Start driving girls!" Mercury called, the gardens are just below. Venus was the first to touch down on the gates of Elysion which was really a stone canopy. A bricked path began a few steps from the canopy and continued on, but from above on the stone road and the canopy could be seen at the centre of a thick fog. From what he father told her, Elysion was deeply hidden underneath a barrier of strong energy, manifested into fog, hiding the realm.
Chibi Moon and Jupiter were the last to land. Because the fog continued to surround them, Mercury walked a bit ahead and scanned the area with her computer. They were welcomed, descendants and comrades to the Earth King, but they still had to be sure they wouldn't get lost.
"We should just follow the stone path here." Mercury announced after a few moments.
"But it doesn't' look like it's going anywhere." Jupiter pointed out.
"Perhaps, but my scans show the path goes on for miles." Mercury closed her laptop and clicked her ear ring, making the glasses disappear. "I'm sure it'll reveal itself as we go."
"I'm sorry Helios hasn't come to greet you." Venus said to Chibi Moon, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"I bet he can't leave the Golden crystal right now," Chibi Moon concluded. "I'll see him soon either way."
"That's adorable!" Venus squealed, squeezing Chibi Moon. "You're putting on a front because you're dying of nervousness!"
"That's not even a word, Venus." Mars comment. Jupiter and Mercury simply giggled, while Chibi Moon turned crimson in Venus' tight hug.
The Senshi followed Mercury under the canopy and found themselves surrounded by a grand fields of flowers on either side of the path. The path continued through a forest.
"The old kingdom, the heart of Elysion is just beyond those woods." Mercury announced.
The ruins of the old kingdom. Chibi Moon thought. Her father had described them as tall, ragged edges of what was probably a grand castle of stone. The resting and hiding place of the Golden crystal, the one left in Helios' care, and the reason why the intelligent, enigmatic young man had lived in nothing but lonely servitude.
I hope this visit will change that, somehow. Chibi Moon wished as they walked into the forest. Her heart stopped during her first few steps. She remembered the tall trees and dark curved leaves. The soft ground the path melted into. She knew they would soon reach a large, sparkling lake, and just beyond, where she had never step foot in was the ruins.
"This was where we first met." Chibi Moon stopped and looked around.
"Chibi Moon?" Jupiter was the first to notice.
Chibi Moon continued to stare in front of her.
"I was six. Somehow, in my dreams, I ran, from Usagi's house, to these woods."
"Something's coming!" Mercury cried, noticing a digital star of light appear on her lenses. In front of the group a small golden light appeared. The Senshi tensed, just in case it was an enemy.
"Senshi."
The familiar voice made them relax and Chibi Moon's heart race. She stared at the growing light and slowly two large feathered wings appeared and unfolded revealing a beautiful, white unicorn. His mane was wavy and circled a stunning Golden horn. The Golden Crystal.
"Pegasus." Chibi Moon called. She walked forward, past the Scouts. Pegasus was soon surrounded by the golden light, and when it faded, in his place stood a tall young man. He had Pegasus bright eyes and fair hair. He had grown taller, stronger. His shoulders had become wide, his face matured, but his smile and voice were the same as Chibi Moon had always remembered.
"Helios." Chibi Moon said in almost a whispered. They stood only a few steps apart. She looked up as she did all those years ago. She had grown too but it made no difference. Her cheeks were burning. He raised his hand, smiling widely at her.
"My maiden."
Suddenly he closed the distance between them, kneeling in front of her, kissing her hand.
Chibi Moon forgot about her friends behind her. Or the surrounding woods. They were finally together again!
Eeeee! I'm glad he finally appeared. All gallant and noble as he was at the end of the fourth season. I don't know about you, but personally I really wished Helios and Rini made a re-appearance in anime. I don't know about the manga because I've just started reading that. But anyways, that's why I'm writing this, right? So that's chapter two done, and so are the fillers. We may have only half of the cast, not even a quarter of the active cast, but don't worry. The stage is set and in the next chapter, the real adventure begins. Sorry for sounding like a bit of a cheeseball. LoL! See you in Chapter 3!
