Rob was awakened to the noise of his alarm ringing. Great, I overslept. He thought as he got out of his bed.
The room he was in was simply furnished with wood, of a mahogany color. Much of the room was still dark, because of the lack of light. The light was incredibly dim, causing few people to be able to see in it.
Rob quickly put on his signature clothing, and quickly left.
The room changed to metal, showing a small corridor. After walking down this hallway, Rob emerged outside.
He looked around, making sure nobody was nearby, and exited the ship, as it cloaked itself as a large rock. He smiled, and set off, enjoying the gentle forest scenery.
* * *
"So, he promised he would return? Do you know when?" Lita asked Raye, as the latter looked at the former, slight frustration in her eyes.
"No, I don't know. All he said was that he would return," she growled, trying to keep her mind off the time.
Both girls were in casual clothes, Raye in another red top, a little flashier than her previous one, Lita in a casual green shirt. Both girls wore jeans, a little shorter, as it was such nice warm weather.
Serena sat across from them, jumping like crazy, in a small gown. "Come on! Why won't he get here! I'm hungry!" she grumbled impatiently.
Ami was wearing a turquoise top with matching shorts. "Indeed. I wonder where he has gone off to." she muttered.
Raye turned to the girls. "Just remember, he's mine!" she said with a threatening tone to her voice.
Mina shrugged. "We'll see about that," she replied. She was wearing a yellow tank top, Artemis curled up in her lap.
"Still, I wonder what's keeping him..." Lita wondered. "I'd really like to have some time with him myself," she blushed.
This, of course, sparked an argument between the girls, and, not five minutes later, they were all exchanging blows, arguing who was going to have the first round with Rob. They were so intent on their fighting that they didn't notice the man they were fighting over silently approach them, until he finally spoke,
"Is there something wrong here?" his face had no trace of joy in it. He seemed serious, stern now.
The girls quit their fighting, a bundled mass of estrogen and fury. Rob sighed as he gently extracted Raye first from the pile. "Perhaps you can explain what is going on." he commented, looking her straight in the eyes.
Those eyes... they were hard, like diamonds. Nothing could withstand their piercing gaze. Yet, Raye noted, there was a slight sadness to them, almost borderline kindness. She felt at ease, like she could trust those eyes, though they also made her a little fearful. They spoke of great power, but also of great restraint.
"Yeah, well, we were in kind of a fight over who would get to be with you first today," she explained, noting the strange color flashing in his eyes now.
"Well, if that's the case, how about I spend a day of the week with each of you, huh?" he said, formulating a quick list.
"Mondays, I'll spend my time primarily with Serena.
"Tuesdays, I'll be with Ami...
"Wednesdays, I'll keep as a day to myself.
"Thursdays, I'll spend the day with Lita.
"Fridays, I'll be with, erm, what's your name?" he asked the other blonde headed girl.
"Mina... Rob, right?" Mina asked, blushing slightly at the attention.
Rob nodded, "Right. And, Saturdays, I'll spend with Raye here. After all, she seems the most sane of the group. Besides, she was the first I actually spent time with," he quickly added, noting their rather annoyed faces.
"That's not fair! Today is Saturday!" Serena objected, annoyed.
Rob gave her a stony glance. His face seemed to have a noble air about it. It was frustratingly familiar to Raye. She just couldn't put her finger on it. I've seen his face somewhere before... she thought, as Rob turned to her, noticing her stare.
He looked down, and said, "Oh, sorry. I didn't realize that I was wearing my shirt backwards." He reddened to the same shade as his shirt, and quickly ducked off to the side, to fix the problem.
Raye turned to the others, who were now glaring at her. "What? It was HIS decision." she defended.
* * *
Rob silently moved into a nearby restroom, and began to turn his shirt around. He looked down at his left hand. The dark matter had vanished. But he still had his KI on!
Letting out a quick gasp, Rob hastily removed the watch-like device and stored it in his pocket. Don't want the girls seeing that, either. He thought as he buckled everything back together, washing his hands before he left.
* * *
"Ok, now that I have that problem fixed, shall we get ready?" Rob asked, as he emerged from the room.
"First, we have a simple question to ask you, Rob. We recently found this slip of paper, and we're trying to decipher its meaning. I know you, what with your status, probably have quite a few connections around the world. Do you think you could translate it for us?" Mina asked, showing the small slip.
Rob frowned. "Well, languages aren't really my area of expertise, but I will try," he replied, taking the slip from Mina, watching her blush slightly as their hands brushed. He maintained his stony composure as he looked at the paper.
His frown deepened, as his face paled. "This... Where did you find this?" he asked, sounding hostile.
"Er, well..." Mina began, as she was cut off by Ami.
"We found it in a book, and thought it might be something of interest." she explained, hoping the facade would satisfy the boy.
Rob nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer. "Tell you what, I'll meet you girls here this evening, and I'll have it translated for you, alright?" he said, as he pocketed the slip, and walked off.
As soon as he vanished, Mina slapped Raye across the back. "Why didn't you ask him for a phone number? It IS your day, remember?"
Raye shrugged, rubbing the slapped area, "I guess cat got my tongue, so to speak."
Artemis stretched from where he had slept. The white feline groaned. "Who ever came up with that figure of speech," he muttered as he rolled back over.
* * *
"Have you found out what else was in that sealed room?" Rob asked on his phone, as he walked down the streets of Tokyo, towards a dark alleyway.
"Nothing major, but we did find several inconsistencies in the records," a voice replied, "we're trying to fill in the gaps with what little information we currently have. Whatever it was, it was obvious that the D'ni did not want to remember what happened."
"Indeed. I wonder about something... Suppose this Book is part of a cover-up, an attempt to keep a dangerous artifact hidden away? Suppose that they had created a deadly experiment in the Art, and did not want to have this same incident happen again?" Rob replied.
"That is possible, considering that the laws regarding Descriptive Books became far stricter shortly after these inconsistent records started appearing."
"There is just one thing that I'm wondering about. This Sailor Moon that protects Tokyo, I wonder..."
"What about her, Rob?"
"Well, Dr. Watson, I have heard rumors that she was once part of a long-gone kingdom of the Moon. I wonder if that kingdom, and the Book are somehow related..."
"I'm not too sure, Rob. Remember, you can't trust a rumor. But, if you would like, you can bring them here, to the Cavern, to help us investigate. So, how goes your mission?" The last question was added as an abrupt change of subject
"Not too well, I'm afraid. The Sailor Scouts are still getting in the way of the machine."
"That's not good. Have you tried steering them away?"
"Multiple times. Unfortunately, they won't take no for an answer."
"Rob, you know they cannot get involved. The Dark Machine is too dangerous!"
"Tell me about it. I've been fighting it for centuries. I'll try discouraging them again. Until next time, Shorah."
"Just be careful. You're one of the best translators we have. Not to mention our most prestigious supporter."
Rob ended the call, finally in the safety of the shadows of the alleyway. A figure shimmered into the air, stepping from the shadows. A woman, black hair streaming behind her, wearing strange clothing, approached Rob.
"D'raekmus... You know you cannot fight the Dark One on your own. You need these girls' help." she said, sounding sage-like.
Rob held his head in his hands, bowed in a look of frustration. "I cannot involve such innocent people, Yeesha. You know what would happen. I cannot condemn these girls to die a most painful death in the hands of the most dangerous monster to ever exist." he replied.
Yeesha sighed, sounding rather put-off. "That's true, but how many more Ages must suffer, because one is unwilling to take risks?" she asked, sounding somewhat angrier. "You know the price, yet you are unwilling to change your stance! What kind of D'ni are you?" she demanded, now furious.
Suddenly, her voice changed, marked with kindness and a gentle tone surrounding it. "D'raekmus, you cannot bear this burden alone. I have tried to hold lesser tasks, and in each, I have had to look towards the help of strangers. You cannot bear this alone.
Rob sighed, beaten. "I suppose you're right, Yeesha... I have been letting my own reluctance to involve others blind me. I should involve them more now. But something still bothers me about them..."
Yeesha raised an eyebrow. "And that would be..."
"Well, they're young girls, with their own lives ahead of them. What am I? An old, immortal D'ni, living way out of his lifetime. I should be the only one dying."
Yeesha shook her head sadly. "D'raek, you still have learned nothing. The true meaning of sacrifice, the need to have innocent blood shed for the greater good. Don't you understand? If these girls don't die fighting the Dark One, they will be destroyed when the machine absorbs all darkness and obliterates the Great Tree."
Rob turned around, obviously stricken. "Your words speak true, Yeesha. The next time I fight the Dark One, I will allow them to fight with me. Perhaps it is for the better... They have powers that could help us."
Yeesha nodded, then said, "And?"
Rob looked puzzled, then said, hesitantly, "Well, this world is also theirs, so they have a stake in the matter."
Yeesha smiled. "Good, you have done well, D'raekmus, or do you go by Rob now? You seem to want to hide your heritage, after all. It's nothing to be ashamed of, being a D'ni."
Rob, snickered slightly. "I know, teacher, but I have my own reasons. Besides, D'raekmus seems a little to exotic for an American aristocrat.
Yeesha nodded, fading back into the shadows. "Do not forget who you truly are... D'raekmus." her voice echoed, before finally fading into nothing.
Rob sighed, as he looked once more at the ragged manuscript, looking intently at the words. Now, to fulfill my promise..
* * *
When Rob returned to the temple, he found all the girls waiting there, as well as a strange man. He stood roughly the same height, perhaps a little shorter, had black hair, and the look of a warrior. Still, even Rob could sense a slight air of nobility concealed within this boy, though he wore simple brown pants and a black tee.
Judging by the way that Serena was hanging onto him, Rob guessed this must be the Darien that she mentioned the other day. He didn't blame her judgment. Darien was, from his neutral, unbiased view, a handsome guy. Serena didn't make a bad choice.
Rob walked up and extended his hand. "Darien, I presume?" he asked, showing courtesy towards the newcomer.
Darien nodded, and shook Rob's hand. "That's right. So, you're Rob Beltone." he did a quick scan of the boy, before replying, "You really don't seem like a great American millionaire."
Rob shrugged, and retorted, "Well, I'm a frequent traveler, and rarely have the time for fancy activities, such as dinner parties or social events."
Darien was just about to ask where he traveled, when Raye suddenly interjected, "Hey, Rob. Have you translated that sheet yet?"
Rob looked towards the girl, and nodded. "Indeed, but I have a fair bit of history to tell you, first, so I hope you're comfortable.
Everyone sat on the grass, as Rob pulled out an old, dusty book. "I have been cross-referencing the phrase all day, and I have ascertained that the language is none other than D'ni." he explained.
"D'ni? I have never heard of such a language. Is it new?" Ami asked, mildly curious as to this civilization that never appeared in any history. She had read quite a few, after all.
Rob shook his head, his stony gaze becoming even harder. "No, in fact, the D'ni are old, spanning back ten thousand years."
Serena and Luna exchanged glances. This made the D'ni older than even the Silver Alliance. "So, why are they not mentioned today?" the blonde asked.
Rob looked with a slight frown. "First of all, the D'ni kept to themselves, living within a Cavern hidden deep below the Earth's surface. Here, they remained, secluded from the evils of the world.
Ami started slightly. That's why there was no mention of this language, nor of its civilization. They never had contact with the people of Earth, nor of the Silver Alliance. It made perfect sense! "So, how did they survive? I mean, you can't just live in a cave," she asked, trying to imagine monstrous beings, blind and living off of rocks.
Rob smiled, and explained, "No, you can't. However, they possessed a power far greater than anything the world has ever seen. They could create bridges to other worlds, alternate realities called Ages, through the special writing of books." He opened the book in his lap, showing a small, crude drawing of a person standing, looking into a book, then the next page showed the person standing on an island, an arrow going from the book to the person on the island.
"This power, which they called the Art, allowed them to exist without contact of the surface. Instead of exploring their own world, they would create a book linking to an Age with the resources necessary. Of course, they could also use that power to create a way to return to their home Age," he added, as he turned the page.
"There were two main types of books: Descriptive Books and Linking Books. Descriptive Books would describe an Age, right down to the detail. Island size, soil composition, water hardness, you name it. When used, these Books would be the first to establish a connection to an Age. These were the more sacred and protected of the Books, as when a Descriptive Book is destroyed, so is the delicate link to that world."
"Linking Books, on the other hand, were far less valuable. They simply described a place within an Age, and linked that person straight there. However, not only were they lighter, the D'ni were also able to construct numerous Linking Books for one Descriptive Book."
His face darkened slightly. "However, there were limitations. For example, a Linking Book had to be written at the place it was describing, otherwise it would not work. Descriptive Books could link you to one Age only, with one Book per Age Even if two Books were written the exact same way, they would each Link to different Ages."
Mina pondered this new information, then asked, "What happened to them?" She was curious. Perhaps she would one day ask a D'ni to write a small Age for her, where she could relax, away from her meatball-brained leader.
Rob's face lowered slightly. Obviously, what he was about to tell was not good. "They died. Their own hatred and efficiency destroyed them almost three hundred years ago. For ten thousand years D'ni stood. In ten days, it died, along with all its secrets," he brooded.
Raye looked over in shock. What kind of evil could these people concoct that could wipe out themselves so quickly?
However, Rob's face quickly changed. "But there is still hope. Even as we speak, the Cavern is aglow with torches. Explorers are entering. Some wish to learn more, some come for the scenery of the city, while others follow the teachings of Yeesha," his voice had lowered at the mention of Yeesha, like he had a great respect for the person.
"She guides explorers through the Cavern, helping them realize why the D'ni fell. And, it seems, that she has left an invitation for you," he finished.
Ami looked at Rob. "You mean that..." she began, as he finished her sentence.
"Some D'ni are still alive? Of course! Yeesha is one of the few left in this Age." Rob replied, waving the small slip of paper.
"She has also instructed that I, as a member of the D'ni Restoration Council, escort you to D'ni. There, she will guide you to the Council's leader, Dr. Watson. He will be able to explain more fully why she has chosen you," he finished.
Darien shifted slightly, "That's nice and all that, but where is this Cavern?"
Rob smiled, and replied, "In New Mexico, in the U.S.A."
Serena looked up, "I presume that this Yeesha has paid for our trip out there?"
Rob shrugged, "In a way. Now, before I can give anymore details, You girls should return home, and get ready. The trip will be long. If your parents ask where you're going, give them these," he handed each person a small envelope, bearing a strange seal on the back. It was a strange marking, some type of arch. It was a tall trapezoid, with a cut down the middle.
"While you carry those, you are on official DRC business. You will be compensated for your time, of course," he explained, as he began to depart. "I will meet you here at six-thirty, next Saturday evening," he called as he left.
Serena looked down at the strange letter. Something about all this felt familiar. But she didn't think on it for long. Her main problem was going to be convincing her parents to let her go. Certainly, they would not approve.
Raye looked on after Rob left. Something was familiar about him, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Was it girlish fanaticism? Or was it something deeper... connected to her past life?
She sighed as she turned around, walking into the deeper section of the temple. How am I going to keep Grandpa under control while I'm gone?