L O V E H E X A G O N S
By Moonlight Eternal Edited by dragonborncrystal
Hello everyone and welcome to another exciting episode of Love Hexagons (and there was much rejoicing). This is where the action really begins. And about the end of the entire Love Hexagons: I promise there's a twist that at least some of you won't guess! Teehee...but that's a couple chapters away! So you'll just have to endure! I hope it's not that painful, audience members...
Disclaimer: "The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water signifying by Divine Providence that I,
Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king."
Unfortunately, some "watery tart" threw neither sword,
nor rights of Sailor Moon at me today (ah, but maybe tomorrow...). But due to some beautiful sight of those greater than I, my rights as a fanfiction writer have not been repressed and I shall hereby say that the idea for "Love Hexagons" is mine, but I cannot credit any originality to most of its characters. After all, it takes a Goddess to have created such a work as Sailor Moon. I bow to thee, Takeuchi-hime!
The End "exerted from Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail"
Chapter 7 In Which Cracked Ribs Cause Problems And Everyone ALMOST Enters the Fortress
"Now, remind me again WHY we're going back to Earth when we were just there a little over half a year ago? I don't remember anything too stellar that was worth going to see a second time."
"Truthfully, I did see a couple of things that were of some interest, but-"
"Shut up, Taiki, I'm trying to make a point here," Yaten interrupted bitterly.
"Your point doesn't really matter anyway. We're going," Seiya said, walking in the middle of his two sailor comrades. "Not too long ago, she helped us. You should at least show the same courtesy. And don't try to deny that you respect Serena, Yaten, it's not worth it. By now, the entire galaxy does. Besides, she thinks Chaos might have a chance of being set free as one creature again on Earth."
"Which brings me back to the point of Earth not being the most exciting planet out there! So what if Chaos blows it up, it's galaxies away!" Yaten exclaimed, annoyed.
"Is it me, or do you have something you need to do here?" Seiya asked skeptically. Although Yaten did tend to be a little self absorbed, she owed Serena so much and usually spoke highly of her (if the topic ever came up), or at least highly of her when you translated sarcasm to what everyone knew she really meant...Seiya looked over towards the olive eyes, which had been glaring at him up until then, to see them suddenly turn to glare at the walls at the end of the corridor instead.
"I don't know what you're talking about-"
"Ah, that's it. Let's guess which poor, innocent soul is about to be preyed upon now by Yaten," Taiki added in without glancing up from her apparently interesting book.
"Quit making me sound like that boy-crazy Sailor Venus! I am entitled to finding the right man for me in any way I please," Yaten yelled back to Taiki.
Having taken on her regular form, Yaten wasted no time in finding a boyfriend the moment Kinmoko had been rebuilt.
"Yes, you are entitled to that, but ONLY when our sailor duties aren't interfered with!" Seiya shouted, his temper rising. After his return from Earth, Seiya had chosen to remain in the male form rather than female. Both Taiki and Yaten, however, chose to reform back to their original selves. They had all chosen to keep the names they'd taken on when they were on Earth. Because this was a reborn Kinmoko, they felt they ought to be reborn in a way, which they were. Going to Earth, and meeting the special sailors that guarded that system was perhaps the most eye-opening mission they'd ever had. Leaving behind their Earth names and identities fully would have been like disregarding every lesson they'd learned on their encounter with Sailor Moon and her guardians. And that was not an option to any of the returned quartet, Sailor Star Fighter, Sailor Star Healer, Sailor Star Maker, or Princess Kakyuu.
"And besides, you know just as well as I the power Chaos has as a whole. If it in fact did re-emerge it would not just prey on Earth, it would take control of Desdemona-"
"Who's Desdemona?"
"On Earth years before, an ancient civilization grew in what is now Europe. The civilization originated in Greece, hence they were called the Greeks. Just as many other humans worship what they think to be a greater power, the Greeks had their own version of why the world worked the way it did. They worshiped multiple deities; this is known as polytheism. The entire belief in these Gods and the stories revolving around them which originated in Greece are now studied under the broad subject of Greek Mythology. Desdemona-"
"Taiki, enough with the lecture. You might find Earth literature fascinating, but I certainly don't," Yaten said, quite irked.
"Well, I don't know what this Greek thing has to do with anything, but Desdemona is the ruler of some Shadow World within a dimension of Earth...Serena tried to explain it to me, but I lost her somewhere in Elysian. Anyway, the point is, the enemy's plan is to give control of Chaos to this woman, and no matter how much you'll fight it Yaten, and even maybe you Taiki, I know that the two of you realize the severity of this." Taiki nodded subtly, only enough for Seiya to detect her consent, while Yaten threw her arms up in the air and stomped forward towards the end of the corridor, where the transporter was located.
"Oh, FINE!" Seiya heard her call over her shoulder. He couldn't help but smile a little at his fellow star lights.
excitement at returning to the blue planet, which although they didn't visibly show, they were exhibiting their own way. He too looked forward to his own return...he'd get to see her again.
Meanwhile...
"But WHY do THEY have to come?!"
"Darien, sheesh, you whine just like your daughter."
"That's offensive, Serena! I'm not THAT bad!"
"Oh, THAT stung, oh faithful daughter of mine."
"Quit moping and help me clear the room," Serena said, beginning to heave her coffee table closer towards the wall, while Amara and Lita pushed the couch to the side of the room.
"Honestly," Serena said, glancing at Darien as he walked to the other side of the table, "you'd think you were jealous or something."
"Me? Jealous?! Of THAT guy?"
"What guy?" Rini asked from her reinstated spot on the moved couch. She'd been forced to move when the strongest scouts had been unable to lift the couch with her on it.
"Kou Seiya. We all call him Seiya," Serena supplied, straining as the heavy table was freed from the ground.
"Some people call him 'Seiya,'" Darien growled. Serena sent him a glare which seemed to shut him up for at least a moment.
"You see, he fell in love with Serena here-" Mina began to inform Rini.
"Why that is, no one will ever know..."
"Your sarcasm never ceases to amaze me, Raye," Serena said, having heard the comment and knowing it was at her expense.
"Quit interrupting, Raye, I have the child enraptured in this epic tale of a one-sided romance!" Mina yelled, causing even the scout of fire to cower.
"At least it had BETTER be one sided..." Darien had gotten his voice back.
"I am SO close to throwing this at you!" Serena warned, waving her coffeetable book at Darien.
"Right." Mina took this as a time to continue. "Well, you know the Sailor Starlights?" Rini nodded. "Well, Seiya happens to be Sailor Star Fighter."
"WHAT?! Serena, you're even attracting GIRLS now!"
"Thank you, Rini. I'm sure you'd use this as a weapon against me, but there's a certain twist to the story that Mina has to tell. I might also add that NONE OF IT IS TRUE!"
"What do you mean, Serena? It is 100 genuine truth!"
"Seiya does NOT love me!" 'Well, not to the extent you're putting it...'
Rini noticed the eye rolling that initiated at Serena's comment. However, from the expression Serena herself was making,
she could read that Serena was, in fact, aware that Seiya held whatever feelings for her the others said he did. And in this case it was love.
"While Serena is dwelling in her place of denial, may I continue?" Mina asked, as the others eyed Serena and shook their heads in pity.
"Yes, well, as I was saying, Seiya was madly in love with Serena. At first, I think it was just a crush, but around the time he found out she was Sailor Moon, it seemed to change..." Rini, the whole while, was watching Serena, and at this comment her head jiggled ever so slightly from left to right. So what was it? Earlier or later...earlier. Reading Serena was difficult, Rini concluded. She might as well just inquire the story of Seiya from her later. She was sure, after glancing at Darien as well, that he'd figure some way to hear it all as well. He was watching Serena like a hawk. Yep, jealous in the biggest way...was Seiya really such a threat though?
'Seiya...Seiya...they couldn't mean him...no, they MUST!'
"Oh, I KNOW him!" Rini shouted out, interrupting Mina mid-
sentence.
"Huh?" the scouts turned.
"I've met him a couple of times before, he's COOL!"
"You...have met Seiya?" Lita gave a questioning glance towards Serena and Darien.
"Don't look at me, if it was up to me, I wouldn't let that guy near-"
"Oh, Darien, stop it." Serena said, obviously a bit irked at the whole conversation.
"What?" he asked, offended at her tone.
"Just, drop it."
"But-" Darien stopped mid-sentence as
Serena whacked his ribs with the book. "OW!"
"Wow, Serena, getting a bit touchy, are we?" asked Mina, an odd gleam in her eye.
"Mina," Serena turned an icy stare towards her best friend, sending chills up everyone who saw its spine, "same to you."
"What's got you-"
CRASH!!
The Starlights made their marvelous entrance by suddenly appearing, transformed, in a pile next to the coffee table 2 feet in the air. After a graceful fall, then an even more graceful recovery, the three stood bent over, panting deeply for a few stunned moments.
"Um...great to see you three." Serena said, recovering from their entrance as well.
"Serena-pant-when did you-pant-move?" Sailor Star Fighter got out finally, glancing up at her.
"Huh?"
"We-pant-just narrowly escaped-pant-being murdered-pant-by your father!!"
"How did you run into him?"
"You forgot to mention -pant- that you -pant- had moved," Sailor Star Maker simply informed her.
"And as soon-pant-as I have my breath back-pant-I'm going to kill you, Moon Princess or not!" Sailor Star Healer gave Serena a glare that would frighten the dead.
Amara sent one of her own back. "Just try it," she warned.
"Wait a second...I was sure I told you Seiya. I moved in here a few months ago; didn't you wonder why I had a new phone number?"
"One, you're the only one who uses the telephone, I just use communicators, and two, it seems that it DID slip your mind to mention that you'd moved out. Because no sooner did we transport into the family room, as you directed, and detransformed, than we were tackled by some crazed loon of a father calling us burglars. We said we were looking for Serena, and suddenly he was hitting us with frozen hot pockets calling us rapists. We barely made it upstairs into your room before losing consciousness!" Darien couldn't help but snigger at this as the three Starlights detransformed then glared a little more. It felt good to know he wasn't the only one Ken Tsukino despised.
"So, now that we've escaped that near-death experience-"
"Unfortunately," Darien voiced. Serena held up another book threateningly and he backed off.
"-would anyone mind explaining in further detail why we've been forcibly brought here?" Seiya quickly elbowed Yaten in the gut.
"You're...girls?" Mina asked, stunned. Yaten placed a hand on her hip petulantly.
"We told you before, being male was only a temporary form."
"Then why...?" Mina's gaze was directed in Seiya's direction.
"Oh, she...he's just weird," Yaten said, as if Seiya were a lost case.
"I happen to LIKE being a guy, thank you!"
"WHOA! You weren't ALWAYS one?" Lily asked, confused, and glancing at Serena at the same time. Seiya looked down at the child questionably.
"Who's-"
"Don't ask," Serena said quickly. She could already tell this entire get together was going to be more of a chore than she'd thought.
"But-"
"Do you guys want to know why we asked you to make a multi-universal transportation or not?" suddenly, the three Starlights held an attentive gaze on the princess of the moon.
"We're all ears," Seiya supplied after a shocked moment.
"Here's the summary of my plan: to draw Azura and Desdemona's eyes away from my attempts to both get within the fortress and find Alex, I need to have a distraction. That's where all of you come in."
"Wait a second, do NOT tell me Seiya dragged us all this way so we could be a DIVERSION?!" Yaten looked in disbelief towards her leader. "Did you?!"
"Have I mentioned you look exceptionally nice today Yaten?" Seiya wondered.
"AGH!! We are not peons in some chess game here! We're the knights! Can we PLEASE be given a better use than distraction?"
"In a word, no." Serena answered coldly. "We don't really have multiple shots at this. There's a minimal amount of time before they realize why we're doing this entire battle in the past."
"So what if you do it in the past or future? You have the sailor of time on your side, don't you?" Taiki asked.
"There are other reasons..." Serena said, glancing over at Lily sadly.
"Are we missing something here?" asked Seiya.
"Actually, you're all missing a lot of things, things that you shouldn't really know until the time comes. Therefore, the interrogation ends here," the garnet-eyed woman of Pluto stepped forward in her cold manner.
After a moment of silence, Serena asked what her fellow scouts had all been wondering as well. "So, are we all ready to head to Elysian?"
"Where?" asked Seiya.
"Or can you guys not tell us where we're GOING either?" Yaten put in sardonically. Which was as much of a yes as anyone would get out of her.
"Elysian is a sub-dominion of Earth; it's sort of a parallel universe within the Earth itself. There are only three people able to transport willingly through the rip to get to Elysian from Earth and vice versa, though. They happen to be Darien, Helios, and Sailor Pluto. Of course, anyone holding a time key is also able to as well."
"Yes, but what is this Elysian's POINT? And WHO is Helios?"
"Serena, I think you're just-" Lita began, but Serena ignored her.
"Well, it's point is really to protect Earth from the inside. Elysian is where the golden crystal is controlled from and-"
"Wait, isn't the golden crystal Princey's?"
"That's Darien to you, eunuch." Darien growled out.
"I beg your pardon?!" Seiya burst out. The scouts all had visible jaw drops, except the outers who had more self control over facial emotions but still felt a jolt inside. Even Serena stared at her fiancИ in shock. Darien wasn't usually so forceful with words.
"Beg all you want."
"Darien!" Serena said, appalled at his behavior. Did she really need to chastise him like a 3-year-old?
"Don't push me too far...Darien," Seiya spit out the word as if it were slimy, "I really need to rest up if I'm to protect both you and Serena."
"What are you talking about?! I don't need you to protect either-"
"Well, I'd call it a bit arrogant to go into a battle with 4 broken ribs and not-"
"THEY'RE JUST CRACKED!!" Darien turned back to Serena and yelled, "YOU TOLD HIM TOO?!" He threw his arms up in exasperation when he saw Serena giving Seiya the kill sign.
"Now, Darien, sweetie, calm down now. I DO have an explanation..."
"It had better be good..." Darien said testily, crossing his arms over his injured chest.
"Well, with you being wounded and all, the scouts and I decided that the Starlights could help not only with the diversion but also help when I go in alone; you know, be used as bodyguards."
"Now we're BODYGUADS?!"
"Why not me-"
"Because you're hurt!"
Darien turned around and glared at the inner and outer senshi, especially Amara. "YOU were behind this, weren't you?" he said, pointing a trembling finger.
Amara shrugged. "Hey, I had to get my payback SOMEHOW..."
"It's not like I actually LEFT!" Darien exploded.
"Which, I might add, was a good piece of judgement on your part or else there might not even BE a you around to protect. Maybe the remnants of an arm or leg...but not much else."
"Thank you, Amara, for your loyalties."
"I'm only required to be loyal to my one and only princess and future queen."
"Oh, so your future king gets all the insults?!"
Amara looked over at Michelle. "Does he really expect me to answer that?" she asked.
"Darien," Serena gripped her fiancИ's arm and squeezed it. "Please, just trust me on this. I know what I'm doing..." She stood on tip-toe momentarily and planted a kiss on his cheek, much to the pleasure of everyone in the room, except for the Starlights, two of which could care less and one who fumed over it. "Now, please, everyone just TRY to get along for a fraction of a second while Pluto prepares the gateway."
"OH! So I don't even get to do that much?!" Darien cried.
"...No," Serena said sheepishly.
"Youwon't let me protect you, or use magic, or fight...What is the POINT of me even COMING?!"
Seiya examined his fingernails. "Beats me."
Darien decided his point in going was to lure Seiya into a trap that he would not be able to escape.
So what if the Starlights came back one short?
"We STILL don't know what Elysian is, though," Yaten added in.
"It's just like another point of power of Earth. The High Priest Helios is the main guardian, who holds the power over the golden crystal. You'll see it for yourself when we get there," Serena answered while Pluto murmured under her breath an incantation.
"You mean, I'll get to see Helios?!" Rini blushed at the thought. Serena smiled down at her obviously romantic daughter, while Darien looked at her skeptically.
"Rini, what have you and-"
"It's ready," Pluto said, as a swirling mixture of white and purple appeared before the sailors. After everyone transformed, they entered the vortex one by one.
What the Starlights had expected was nothing short of an understatement compared to the true impacting Elysian that met their senses. Each one had their own idea of paradise, but the parallel universe to Earth fulfilled any desire for a perfect world anyone had.
Walking towards the group hurriedly was Helios, looking as close to perfect as usual, though seeming a little shocked by the arrival of unfamiliar senshi. "I expected your return but..."
"Helios, these are the Sailor Starlights. They're from a different galaxy, but I asked them to help us against Azura. They'll be quite helpful."
"Of course...any help is greatly appreciated." Helios then bowed low to all of the sailors, especially to the Starlights. "I welcome you to Elysian...Maiden?"
Helios asked, surprised to see an Eternal Sailor Mini Moon among the adult sailors. He met her beautiful gaze and was startled to see the growth she'd undertaken in what seemed such a short while.
"You look as though you haven't seen me in forever, Helios," the pink scout murmured quietly.
"It feels like forever..." he said, slowly catching her hand in his and pulling her closer. "You've grown so much..."
"WAIT A MINUTE HERE!!" Tuxedo Mask yelled, interrupting the romantic moment and causing angry glares from Sailor Moon and Venus, both who had been drinking in the sight of the young lovers thirstily. "You mean to tell me that the two of you..." Tuxedo Mask seemed to be unable to comprehend the notion that just appeared in his head.
"Yes, Tuxedo Mask?" the younger scout of the moon wondered.
"You two have been..."
"Darien, it's-"
"HELIOS!!" the enraged father turned to who he thought to be his faithful priest. "You're supposed to be a PRIEST!!"
"Highness, it's-"
"Now, Darien," Sailor Moon placed her gloved hand on her lover's arm, "I'm SURE King Endymion is aware of this arrangement, right Mini Moon?" the hinting in Sailor Moon's voice was unmistakable by anyone's standards, and her future husband glanced down at her in surprise. How could she take the fact that their eldest daughter was dating his priest so easily?
"Uh...yeah!" Mini Moon answered after a moment's hesitation. She'd explain to her father later...
"...He doesn't know?!" Tuxedo Mask was not taking the bait. "When we get to the future, young lady, your father, Helios, and I are having a LOOOOOONG chat," he growled.
Helios gulped. "Endy, it's nt like that."
Tuxedo Mask turned the glare to him. "Why do I NOT believe you?!"
"Um..."
"AND there is WAY too big an age gap!"
"What's he so strung up about?" Sailor Star Maker asked Sailor Mercury quietly, however loud enough for the other sailors not within the above conversation to hear.
"Oh, you know, paternal protectiveness. It's always different until it's your own. Still, I wish he could just see how much those two love one another..." even Sailor Mercury's romantic side obviously shone through at the sight of young love.
"Wait a second...PATERNAL?!" Sailor Star Fighter cried, the words the other scout had said finally clicking. "Darien has a CHILD?! And you-" she looked instinctively towards the moon princess.
The noise had drawn the other senshi and the priest's attention towards the larger group "Well, she's mine too..." Sailor Moon said.
"WHAT?! Aren't you...but isn't she...and he...am I MISSING something here?!"
"Didn't I tell you?"
"No, that little tidbit of information seemed to escape your mind for a while, though how I do not KNOW."
"Oh...you see, Rini is mine and Darien's daughter, yes, but she's from the future. About 1,000 years in the future, to be exact. When I was 14, just about 3 months after I beat Queen Beryl-"
"Who's that?"
"Skip that, Moon, they don't know any of that stuff."
"Fine. Basically, only a few weeks after Darien and I got together, we were on a date and Rini dropped in on us. Literally. When we later traveled to the future, we found out that we would get married and have a child: Rini. Since that time, she's traversed time more than once to fight with us. Because in the future I, as Queen, have lost the ability to transform, my daughter took up the role of Sailor Moon for me."
"You know, Mr. Seiya, it's kind of strange that you don't recognize me...you're my godfather in the future. But then again, I guess in the future you know but here you don't."
"Now I do."
"Not on your life, bucko. There is NO WAY in H-"
"Darien, would you PLEASE calm DOWN!! There is NOTHING to hyperventilate over...I think your wounds gave you a fever you or something; you are certainly overreacting enough for that to be so. Maybe you should-"
"Don't you DARE say go home, Serena!"
"So...Helios, I guess you're different here too.
I'm not forcing myself on you, am I?" The secondary scout of the moon wondered, suddenly realizing that she might have just done so.
"I, my self now and that of the future, am different only in age, not in heart, Rini..."
"CAN WE JUST WAIT ON THIS UNTIL I'M MENTALLY ABLE TO HANDLE THIS??"
"Whoa, Darien's really worked up..."
"Tell me something I didn't already know," the scout of the moon rolled her eyes towards the scout of Jupiter.
"I'm wearing pink underwear today!"
"Venus, I was being sarcastic, and that was an over-share!"
"Sorry, I'm just trying to loosen up the tension. You do realize that we're going in with absolutely no clue what we're doing here? We don't even know how to get to the Shadow World on our own!"
"That," Sailor Moon motioned towards the High Priest, "is where HE comes in. He showed you guys the way the first time, right?"
"Yeah, but he said something about-"
"Wait, first time?" Sailor Star Maker raised an eyebrow.
"We already told you guys, there are some things you don't need to know about. Anyway, we need Helios because although we do NOT know where the Shadow World is, being as it is not in the same place twice, Helios happens to be informed of its local at the moment. That's why HE will be escorting us there."
"Can't he just tell us?" Darien eyed the priest warily.
"Maybe if you actually spent some time down here," Helios said. "You know nothing about Elysian-even if I did just tell you where to go, you'd only get lost. Oh how I'm going to LOVE seeing you rule."
"I remember more than you think CRIS!"
Helios paled. "How in the name of Ceres do you remember THAT?!"
"Cris?" Rini asked.
"Crystal," Helios blushed and tapped his horn. "Malachite used to call me that."
"How did you know Malachite?" Helios blushed some more.
"Your father and I grew up together during the Silver Millenium," he muttered an answer to Rini.
Rini stared. "Obviously," Darien drawled, "Helios forgot to mention he's only about 2 months younger than me."
"Only in the Silver Millenium..." Helios growled.
Darien raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. You're what a whole 2 YEARS younger than me now. That's still older than her future mother."
"Darien, one more comment like that I'm sending you home!" Serena'd decided they'd had enough chit-chat time. There was much grumbling from a certain tuxedo-wearing former prince of Earth at that point in time, for technically, incoherent mumbles are not comments, just...incoherent mumbles.
"Wait, how do you know all of this about Elysian and the Shadow World, Princess?" a curious Neptune wondered.
"Yes, it is extremely rare for you to be giving us any form of information that we didn't already know or find out from Luna, Serena."
"Raye, it's a wonder Chad is in love with you, because I somehow cannot get past the sarcasm to see the good side of you. Or perhaps that's the extent of it..."
"Why are you addressing me as Raye? It's MARS!"
"Why are you addressing me as Serena? It's Sailor Moon to you." A war of the tongues ensued, and lasted a total of 5 minutes before Venus whacked the two on the head and they remembered their true task.
After half an hour of roaming through the Elysian forests, Sailor Star Fighter and Tuxedo Mask were about to murder one another on the spot without even speaking a word to each other, Helios and Rini were seperated by four scouts, and Healer was grumbling about sore feet. Sailor Moon happened to trip on a stray rock. Both Tuxedo Mask and Star Fighter dove to save her, ended up hitting one another mid leap, and landed face first in a sand dune.
"Well," Tuxedo Mask began, spitting out sand," I believe we found the beginning of the Shadow World." Star Fighter nodded numbly to agree. The others just tried to keep a straight face as they acknowledged this fact. And the fact that there was a war between Seiya and Darien, one that the person they happened to be fighting the entire war for was almost completely clueless about it.
"Well, here it is. I wish I could help you all and travel beyond this point, but any beneficial powers I might be able to aid you with are lost after I cross this border here. However, I shall wait for you to return and do what I can then."
"Thank you, Helios." Everyone said.
Even Darien mumbled a "thanks" after Serena jabbed him in the ribs.
Then the real journey began. They all trekked onward, glancing back only once or twice to watch the receding trees grow smaller on the horizon, and on the opposite the barren wasteland, which had only the mighty fortress to stand taller than 10 feet amidst the seas of sand.
After passing the strategically placed diversion castle, they reached Desdemona's TRUE lair.
"Ah, yes, here's where the fun begins..." Sailor Uranus couldn't help but add, rubbing her hands together expectantly.
"I really can't see how you look forward to battles, Uranus..." Sailor Moon added dryly.
"What, with the entire thrilling experience, with the feeling of adrenaline coursing through your veins, pumping each muscle to twitch uncontrollably until it's been used? Who couldn't? And WHY are you staring at me?" The group turned there glances quickly to one another, then they all began to admire the fortress's inexplicable beauty. After a moment of the scout of the skies belligerently questioning each scout on why they wouldn't eye her straightly and were easing away, Sailor Moon decided it was time to bring up other matters.
"Okay, does everyone know the plan so far?"
"Well, considering you only told us to this point, we knew it this far but any further from here we are officially lost. Therefore, I would say that is a no," Sailor Venus informed.
"Thank you, V, but a simple 'no' would have done there...so, our main goal is to get into the castle, find Azura, turn her back to the good side, and-"
"That sounds like something on Star Wars."
"What's Star Wars?" Sailor Star Fighter wondered.
"It's an American...never mind." Sailor Jupiter motioned towards Sailor Moon to signal for her to continue on.
"AND stop Desdemona from coming in ANY contact with Chaos, therefore discharging Chaos to some other time and place. Maybe we could give it to Pluto as a pet to keep her company in the Time and Space Portal."
"That would be another no, Highness, though I appreciate the gesture," the green-haired senshi replied hastily.
"The plan is to have me go into the castle, find Alex, and get to Azura. You all will make a diversion, then meet me in the chambers. Now-"
There was a great clash of sound that followed this remark. From what Sailor Moon could comprehend from the pandemonium was a mixture of disapproval.
"What do you mean-"
"Serena, I object!"
"You can't just-"
"WHAT?!"
"Have you gone TOTALLY crazy?!"
"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! I GET the message..." Sailor Moon shouted over the chorus. "But, as much as I get it, I don't think there is much I can do about it. After all, what do you suggest we change?"
"Oh, that's an easy one, Moon!" Venus began, as if this was no problem for her grand intellectual abilities.
"Oh no..." Mars groaned.
"Here comes another," Jupiter added. All inner senshi sighed out of exhaustion.
"What? I am totally discredited for having any good ideas?!"
"Yes," came the quick reply to Venus's query.
"Just hear me out on this one, okay? Fine, why don't we have one or two senshi accompany Moon inside the castle. That way, she's protected, solving Tuxedo Mask's alleged theory as to why she can't go alone, she's got safety in numbers, and a whole lot more reasons I'm sure you all can figure out. Anyway, I think it's a fine idea, no matter how you all butcher it." There was an abundance of jaw drops in the group.
Venus had had a GOOD idea.
"Tuxedo Mask..." Mars' voice trembled. "Is the Earth still turning? Because V had a...a..."
"HEY! I occasionally have good ideas!" All the scouts sweatdropped. "I DO!"
"Name some," Uranus smiled.
"Um...oh! Remember with Nehelenia how I-"
"Almost got us all killed?" Jupiter inquired.
"Yes, I still remember that."
"Oh, that's right...well, how about when um..."
"Is any of this relevant?" Fighter wondered.
"Well, it seems I'll have no choice on this matter, so FINE. But before you all begin shouting out who should accompany me into the castle, let's just prevent one more argument here and let me decide. I promise to choose whom I deem worthy. Any questions?"
There were many grumbles heard amongst the crowd, including very loud ones from the Starlights regarding that they were only summoned as diversions, but no questions were made loud enough for the scout of the moon's ears to hear. "Good."
"Oh, wait-" Venus began.
"AS I WAS ABOUT TO SAY-" ignoring Venus, Sailor Moon continued. "I'd like to have-"
"Me," Tuxedo Mask said happily.
"No." The former prince of Earth gave his future wife an astonished look.
"WHAT?"
"No," Sailor Moon answered simply. The other scouts all glanced at one another worriedly. This was not going to go over well...
"And WHY not?!"
"Not only are you wounded, but you also don't seem to do well when I am venturing around with other men. And besides, the scouts will need an experienced leader, along with Mini Moon."
"Why would that be?" the scout of love asked petulantly. She would not be pleased if she was being stripped of her rank.
"Because you are coming with me," Sailor Moon replied. Once again, an explosion of sound met this short statement.
"WHAT are you TALKING ABOUT?!"
"Sailor Moon, have you been hit over the head by youma too many times this month?!"
"Are you FEELING alright?"
"Look out, Venus is gonna whip some Azura BUTT!"
"Why not ME?!"
"I wanted to see the interior design!"
"Would everyone PLEASE be QUIET?!" The slight wisp of a sandy wind met the silent group as a seething Sailor Moon glared down her complaining scout team.
"Uh...I think we might be able to manage," Sailor Masquerade managed meekly.
"Thanks. So, Venus, shall we? The rest of you are to distract the castle by causing a-"
"Wait, Sailor Moon. We need Venus; her love chain could come in handy tying up enemies," Sailor Mini Moon said quickly after pondering a moment.
"She's right..." Sailor Mars said.
"Yes, you guys have a point. Okay, then I guess I ought to bring-"
"Now WAIT A SECOND. The rest of you might be okay with this, but I CERTAINLY am NOT. More than one person should go with you, Serena. I want to come."
"Darien, NO." Sailor Moon said firmly.
"But-"
"Hey, you're pushing it, Tuxy. You're lucky we even let you come." Sailor Star Fighter stepped forward to lend his support to the moon princess. Standing courteously next to Sailor Moon, he placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Although the sailor didn't seem to notice (or mind, whichever it was), her fiancИ did to both. Tuxedo Mask growled under his breath, giving the Starlight a withering look with the utmost malice in his eyes.
"Well, you're lucky we even told you about this battle in the first place!"
"Lucky, who says we're lucky?" Sailor Star Healer protested from the back, still managing to look displeased.
"Can you guys not spend 5 minutes together without fighting?" There was an all around negative response as every other Sailor or Knight present replied, "NO!"
"Fine then. Star Fighter, you come with me."
"WHAT?!" It surprised Sailor Moon how many times that simple word could be used at her expense.
"Well, if he and Darien are just going to fight, that puts us at a disadvantage and endangers our mission. Since you all refuse to let me go alone, and had such a problem with Venus accompanying me, Star Fighter will be my second party member instead. That solves both problems. And considering the Starlights were the only ones besides me to have lived to see Chaos released, Star Fighter ought to help until the rest of you get to the rendezvous point. And also, before you start saying I'm depriving the Starlights of their leader, they're already so independent that theycan survive without Star Fighter and stillget along. If you need any other reasoning, Seiya and I also have things to catch up on as well."
"But Serena, a BATTLE is NOT exactly the time to become reacquainted."
"His majesty here has a point," Sailor Uranus added mockingly while still voicing her opinion.
"But other than that," Sailor Neptune began before Darien could gloat, "Moon's reasoning is all valid."
"Have to hand it to you, you make very commendable sense this time," Mercury congratulated.
"Will NO ONE take my side?" Tuxedo Mask asked pitifully.
"We take your side, Cape Boy; our idea of a good fight is not one that begins with our leader taken away from us! Why can't we come too? I HATE BEING THE DIVERSION!!" Sailor Star Healer was livid, and Sailor Star Maker seemed to have nothing additional to say, remaining neutral to her credit. She seemed to just nod her head in agreement.
"Please, guys, can't you just cooperate for once?" Sailor Moon pleaded, looking directly at Tuxedo Mask. "If we stay here much longer, we're going to be discovered anyway and this whole plan will have been for nothing. And even if it isn't anyone's favorite, it's still better than being captured and having nothing to work with." There was a moment of silence as most everyone nodded their assent.
"Fine, we'll go along with this. So, we make the distraction. It should last about 10 minutes, then we find you, right?"
"That ought to do, I suppose. Is everyone ready? We'll go in the back way, and you guys can go in the front after breaking through all the defenses and we'll meet somewhere in the middle, once I have Alex. Good luck!" Grabbing Star Fighter's wrist, Sailor Moon ran from the group before any other complaints could be made. She hoped everyone would accept things the way they were. Before they were out of earshot, she heard Darien's voice call out loudly to Star Fighter,
"You'd better protect her!"
In response, Fighter stopped and turned Eternal Sailor Moon around forcefully. With a wicked smile, he said, "Oh, don't worry, I will!" As they continued, the distinctive sounds of Darien being tackled by Sailor Jupiter to keep him from launching an attack were audible in the background.
'I hope they don't kill one another...' Sailor Moon worried as she heard Saturn begin her attack on the fortress...and hoped it wasn't aimed at one of the Starlights.
- -
NEXT CHAPTER
Chapter 8 In Which There's a Hint of Fighting and We Learn More of the Long Since Past
Thank you everyone for reading so far.
This story is soon to reach its climax,
and from there on it'll just spiral downward to THE END, which I will welcome after all the trouble this story has caused me. I hope to see some reviews, as well as hear a bit from readers! You can email me at:
or send me a message via ASMR to Moonlight Eternal
Hope to see you next chapter!
Moonlight Eternal
"You can not set up a monarchy over some farsicle aquatic ceremony!"
