FA: Stars : Chapter 8
Serena began pacing the floor of the temple as she watched her friends gather, Luna, Artemis and Apollo take their own perches to fit around them comfortably. Mina, Lita, Amy and Raye each watched on as Lunic started to chase Reenie around giggling discussing between them about the child they learnt was Travis'. Raye was studying both the girls as they interacted with each other.
"Are we in the right place?" A friendly voice cut in pulling attention from every figure in the room.
Serena looked up and found Taiki facing her, a smile formed on her face and she nodded noticing Seiya and Yaten behind him. She had decided after their dinner the night before and dream walking with Helios that it was time the identities of the Starlight's was revealed to the other scouts.
"Get on with it meatball head," Raye snickered with a smirk at her friend.
"Reenie, Lunic," Travis called the two girls who had were on the other side of the temple. "Come here please." Lunic saw her father and raced back to him with Reenie hot on her heels. She picked up the toy box that was beside her young father and held onto it tightly.
"Thank you for coming," Serena answered looking at the new comers, she noticed Amara and Michelle simply greeted them like they'd already met. "For those who aren't aware, Seiya, Yaten and Taiki are the Sailor Starlight's."
"We know about the royal court and Princess Serenity," Seiya stated.
"How do you know that name?" Lita asked from her spot, the girls beside her in just as much shock.
"We've travelled a long way to get here," Seiya started, "Our planet Kinmoku was destroyed by Sailor Galaxia; we've been to many planets."
"We visited the kingdoms in the Silver Millennium numerous times with our Princess," Taiki said softly, "She and Queen Serenity were on good terms."
"I understand at one point there was even talk of her marrying the Prince of the Sun to take the kingdom," Yaten watched on as Travis looked at them like they were crazy.
"Why would they do that from outside that universe?" Travis asked.
"It was just wishful thinking between two Queens to bring the two galaxies closer," Luna cut in, "Princess Kakyuu was considered a hot commodity in the galaxy."
"She visited the kingdom and often stayed with Serenity and Tranquility until she was ten years of age and required to begin for formal training," Artemis added.
"When Tranquility turned sixteen things got complicated and Kakyuu stopped visiting," Apollo said from his perch looking at his prince and the girl on his lap.
"Complicated?" Travis asked out of curiosity, anytime new information about his past was found he wanted to know it all but his tone showed he wasn't impressed with the idea.
"We weren't as happy with the idea either," Seiya told them, "Kakyuu wasn't interested in the idea of the marriage."
"Kakyuu, is she why you've come to earth?" Mina asked, "Where is she?"
"We can't find her, when Galaxia attacked our planet we fled to find her, but Galaxia destroyed our planet and we had no choice but to find our Princess." Seiya had a frown on his face, "but every planet we reached so did Galaxia, leaving a wake of destruction in her path."
"Why is Galaxia destroying the planets?" Serena asked, "What is she after?"
"Every living thing has a star seed, but it's the star seeds of the Sailor Scouts that glow the brightest and have the strongest power," Taiki finished.
"They've already got Darien's," Serena whispered.
"What about those bracelet things that Darien had on his wrists?" Raye asked, knowing that they'd only briefly informed the others about his involvement with the attack earlier; the other two we dealt with had them as well.
"When a star seed has been taken, it's those bands that allow Galaxia to control you," Seiya said seriously, "You must not let her take your star seed."
Lunic watched on intently as she listened to the three infront of her, the box in her hands began to shake slightly. "Shh," she whispered to the box. "It's not time yet."
"If you know all this why didn't you just tell us in the beginning?" Amy asked, "We could have developed a plan."
"We didn't know whether you were you," Yaten explained, "As far as we knew everything to do with the Silver Millennium was destroyed and Galaxia banished."
"NO!" Lunic shouted interrupting the discussions going on around her, her tiny arms wrapping tightly around the box.
"What's wrong?" Travis asked the child in his arms as she flailed holding her toy box close to her chest. He reached for the box and the child thrust it away from him losing her grasp on the box sending it flying into the middle of the room, the latch on the front popped up as the lid opened.
"No!" Lunic shouted pulling herself free from Travis' arms and running to the box on the floor. Everyone covered their eyes a until the light emitted from the box faded, Seiya was the first to speak when he opened his eyes and saw Lunic standing tall, no longer the child she was a few moments instead her height matched Reenie's and her eyes were a deeper blue.
"Princess?" Seiya asked in shock.
"Seiya!" The woman infront of him said joyfully, her smile was enough to set him at ease. She looked just like the last time he had seen her, she wore her traditional royal dress and her red hair was in the same hairstyle. Nothing about her had changed in all the time they'd seen each other last. The starlight's dropped to one knee and bowed respectfully to their princess.
"Princess Kakyuu," Luna whispered in shock.
"It's Kakyuu now my friends," Kakyuu greeted politely. "Why are you crying little one?" She reached her hand out to cup the face of the child infront of her.
"I failed," Lunic cried, "Puu said I had to protect you until it was time and I failed. I'm sorry, I didn't know any better."
"You didn't fail my sweet girl," Kakyuu answered, tilting the child's chin so her gaze met hers, "You were perfect and you should be proud, you helped me get to my protectors."
Travis got up from his seat and reached the area where his future daughter stood, he took her in as if meeting her again for the first time. "Daddy," she whispered looking up to him with a small smile. His heart raced as he realised without a doubt, who this girl's mother was. "I'm sorry, I tried." She kicked the ground the same way Crystal did every time she was frustrated with herself and he couldn't contain it anymore, as he picked up the child up forgetting she was now her rightful height and just kissed her cheeks.
"Never be sorry for something you didn't do wrong," Travis answered happily before putting her back down. Still frowning she took her spot next to Reenie who elbowed her quickly and was obviously glad to have her cousin back to her normal self.
"Rise my friends, you know that is not necessary," Kakyuu smiled as they rose and her gaze moved to the others around the room. "I need to thank you all, you have all been so brave in fighting a war that wasn't yours to finish."
"It's not your fault this Galaxia came here," Lita said, "You couldn't have stopped it."
"I'm afraid there are so many lives that would not be lost if it wasn't for me running away," Kakyuu said sadly, "My scouts have searched near and far to find me, when all along I had been sent to the planet earth for safety."
"Who sent you?" Serena asked, "Why did you run?"
"It's been so long, at the time I was betrothed to Tranquility," Kakyuu started as her gaze fell onto Travis who had taken his seat between Mina and Serena who had their mouths open in shock. "It was a mutual distaste," she assured them with a smile, "I believe the prince of the sun had fallen in love with the daughter of a lunarian soldier who was working as an assistant to Princess Serenity."
Travis, not having his full memories wasn't sure what to make of this revelation. "Princess Lunic has been a wonderful guardian in the short time I've been with her," she faced the starlight's, "I heard your song so many times, but it just wasn't the right time for me to come to you."
"Why now?" Seiya asked, "What is so right about now?"
"I sense Galaxia is starting to lose track of what she set out to do, we need to work together to come up with a plan to heal her."
"You can't be serious?" Amy raised her voice, "this thing has taken lives across the universe and you want to give her a second chance?"
"Sometimes things are never what they seem; given the right circumstances even the purest heart can do awful things."
His eyes snapped open as the reality of his whereabouts set into him. Galaxia sat infront of him on the throne as he shook his head, it felt different this time.
"You called?" Endymion asked bowing his head in faux respect, Aluminium Siren phased beside him. He rolled his eyes at the pale blue haired woman beside him, his head starting to make sense of things rationally.
"Where is Lead Crow?" Galaxia asked.
"She's trying to get another star seed," Aluminium Siren explained.
Sailor Galaxia stood up from her throne and took a few steps towards Endymion watching him carefully, she held her hand infront of Aluminium Siren and in silence the woman put a jewellery box in her hand. "I have something that use to belong to you Endymion, something you might remember." She opened the lid to show the golden crystal and frowned. "Although it doesn't seem to have the same brightness it held during the Silver Millennium when it was stolen from me by Queen Serenity."
Endymion looked on at the crystal, his heart telling him that there was something wrong with this crystal.
"Why don't you let him hold it Galaxia?" Aluminium Siren suggested, "Maybe it needs to be recharged?"
Galaxia watched them both sceptically for a few seconds before picking up the crystal in her hands, the little light it had left faded into darkness. "Open your hands pathetic earth prince," she ordered; Endymion did as he was told. The crystal dropped into his hands, within seconds of entering the Prince's hands there was no change from the crystal, Galaxia glared at Aluminium Siren. "Are you even sure this is the golden crystal? I sense no power."
"I took it from the king myself," Aluminium Siren answered, Endymion listened as memories flashed across his memory of a blonde girl he felt an unbearable urge to protect, a small child with bright pink hair and deep red eyes looking back up at him made his heart melt. There were other girls he felt a sisterly relationship too and then there was the blonde man standing with the blonde girl he felt a strong bond with. His hands tightened around the crystal he held as he turned to leave. "Where are you going?"
"You two seem busy, I'm going to go get some star seeds," Endymion shouted before phasing away.
"What are you doing? Galaxia shouted, "Go after him, and bring him back here."
"Yes," Aluminium Siren answered bowing her slightly before she too phased to catch up with Endymion. She found him in one of the furthest ends of the plane Galaxia had as her base. Endymion's back froze as she stepped closer, each step he carefully analysed with his back turned to her, one last step and he thrust himself around at such speed she couldn't react and he had her pinned to the ground. His bracelets were no longer the golden colour they usually were; instead they were fading into silver.
"How did you get this?" Endymion demanded, a moment of clarity allowing him to voice his thoughts.
"I'm not who you think I am," Aluminium Siren assured, "I'm helping."
'Helping?" Endymion almost snickered, "I have all this crazy shit going on in my head that isn't making any sense, like I can't control my actions and then you show up with this." The girl he had pinned was silent as he used more force to stop her from moving. 'Kill her Endymion' a voice called to him, he froze.
"It's her isn't it?" Aluminium Siren asked, "Its Galaxia?"
"You can hear it too?"
"No, but I know what my destiny is," Aluminium Siren answered as her eyes got watery knowing this was the end. "Do what you have to do, but know that I've been trying to help your friends get you back to defeat her."
Endymion listened to her intently, friends, he wasn't even sure he knew who they were at the moment with all the cloudiness in his head. He got to his feet letting her go, part of him believing what she was telling him.
"Your possession is ending, you need to get your star seed before it's too late and you die," Aluminium Siren instructed, "The golden crystal, even void of light will provide you with additional life force to hopefully give you enough time to find it."
'Now Endymion, then return to me.' Galaxia's voice rang through his head again as well as a wave of energy.
"Good luck Prince Endymion, may Serenity watch over you," Aluminium Siren stood infront of him with her arms in the air, the bracelets on her wrists glowed bright before snapping off, the last thing anybody heard was her piercing screams as her body ceased to exist.
"And sometimes people are just plain evil," a voice cut in quickly as Sailor Lead Crow phased infront of them. Every single personperson was immediately on their guard and to their feet.
Seiya moved quickly to push Kakyuu behind him protectively with Yaten and Taiki forming a united front. Sailor Lead Crow laughed back at them, "Well I guess that answers that question doesn't it?"
"And what question is that?" Serena shouted from her spot next to her brother.
"What forms the pitiful Sailor Scouts of the Silver Millennium were using," Lead Crow spat in disgust, "you've been making her time here a lot harder than it should have been. But look at you Princess; I knew if we waited long enough you would show yourself."
"You obviously didn't realise what kind of energy spike your presence would cause did you?" Lead Crow continued, "Even your pathetic Starlight's can't protect you now." Waving her hands in the air, several figures slowly rose from the ground looking like walking Cherry Blossom Trees.
Raye raced forward, "your evil powers aren't welcome on this land."
"A little late for that don't you think firecracker?" Lead Crow was just agitated with the distraction now, "Don't let them get away Blossoms."
The seven green and purple figures stood idly infront of them before whipping their hair back and a shotgun appeared in the grasp of each.
"This looks like trouble," Reenie said from her spot as they found themselves cornered.
"Transform everyone," Serena commanded.
"MOON ETERNAL MAKE UP!"
"CRESCENT MOON MAKE UP!"
"SUN STONE POWER"
"MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER"
"MARS CRYSTAL POWER!"
"JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER!"
"VENUS CRYSTAL POWER!"
"FIGHTER STAR POWER MAKE-UP!"
"MAKER STAR POWER MAKE-UP!"
"HEALER STAR POWER MAKE-UP!"
There was the biggest blinding light that emanated from the temple as the ten figures transformed, Lunic ran quickly to Kakyuu as she was left unguarded. The girl wanted to prove herself capable of doing what Pluto had asked of her.
"SOLAR FLARE!" Sailor Sol lunged forward with his sword to Lead Crow only to have her dodge his attack, he growled in frustration. The other scouts were left facing the figures that were attacking them, energy blasts shooting from the shotguns they held.
Sailor Lead Crow moved around the figures caught in a battle infront of her and saw the blonde child standing in defence position infront of Kakyuu. She appeared quickly only a few inches from her. "You think you're strong enough kid?"
"I'm stronger than you!" Lunic shouted back, "Especially now that I have my real form back."
Lead Crow grabbed her shoulder and tossed her to the ground like she was nothing. Getting up Lunic was angry; she didn't like being tossed around like this. She reached into her space pocket pulling out a golden locket; on the front was a sun with a crescent moon sitting at the bottom on the front. "SAUNA STONE MAKE UP!"
A blinding light radiated around her as she transformed, her boots knee high with matching Orange on the front. Her blonde hair was longer reaching past her shoulders in the same ponytail and braid she wore in general.
The girl raised her arm quickly pointing it at the series of figures attacking her friends. "SOLAR BEAM SMASH!"
An intense beam spread through each of the figures sending them to the ground in a burst of dust. Sailor Sol was the first to react as he raced over to her to scold her.
"You've been able to transform all this time and you didn't?" Sol demanded.
"It's not that simple," she explained, "my powers were cut off the moment Puu sent me hear in that form so I couldn't become Sailor Sauna even if I wanted too."
"Kakyuu?" Star Fighter called, "Where'd she go?" the urgency in his voice escalating.
"Oh no," Sailor Sauna whispered, she'd done the one thing she'd always been told not too in her training, she let herself be used as a distraction and lost what she was supposed to protect.
The familiar feeling hit him as he felt himself pulled into the dream world of the future King of Earth, at his side was none other than the pink haired girl who saved his life only months earlier.
"Daddy?" Reenie called gently as she stepped around the destruction with ease.
"Reenie?" Endymion voice called; slowly he came into her sight. Endymion moved forward taking her in his arms knowing that seeing her meant that things were still going to be okay on the outside. "Thank you again Helios."
Helios simply nodded before a serious expression pressed on his face. "Things are getting serious my Prince, can you report on anything on your end?"
"I killed Aluminium Siren," Endymion admitted feeling his daughter tense at his words. "She told me too, she's been working with Pluto."
"What?!" Reenie asked but Helios was not bothered by this information, this didn't go unnoticed by the pink haired girl. "You knew?" she turned to Helios.
"It was all part of rectifying the timeline," Helios explained, "Aluminium Siren had been breaking free from the powers for a long time."
"Why did you let her die if she was helping us?" Reenie demanded. Helios just looked at her with sympathy before continuing.
"Are you any closer to breaking free?" Helios asked.
"Before she went she mentioned that I was doing it, but I don't even know how, she did bring this though," reaching into the pocket of his armour he pulled out the faded golden crystal, it started to glow when he held it closer to Reenie. "Odd."
"Odd?" Helios asked.
"It hasn't reacted at all the entire time I had it," Endymion explained.
"It might be because this crystal technically isn't yours anymore," Helios explained, "This crystal is from the future." Helios watched for a moment as the crystal continued to glow more brightly, "Reenie, would you?"
The pink haired girl did as instructed and reached forward taking the crystal from her young fathers hands, every inch closer making it glow even brighter. His assumption was correct; it seemed the Golden Crystal had chosen its new carrier meaning the King in the future was gone.
"No!" Reenie cried, she threw the crystal back at her father. "I don't want it."
"Reenie, what's wrong?" Endymion asked as his daughters face scrunched up and tears fell fast from her crimson eyes.
"The crystals are only accepted into a new life force when the previous one is no longer with us," Helios explained with a frown, "It seems that King Endymion is no longer in the land of living in the future."
Endymion pulled his daughter into him, his arms wrapping tightly around her with more force than before as she cried, he pressed the crystal into her open palm. The bracelets on his wrist turned from silver to bronze as he felt her shake in his arms.
"We will fix it," Endymion told his daughter firmly, looking into her crimson eyes. "We need your help to do that though."
Reenie looked at the crystal Helios was holding in his hands, it slowly returned to the golden colour its name represented.
"How touching," Galaxia's voice interrupted stepping out of the shadows around them. "Little moon brat is being consoled by her father who is also about to suffer the same fate as his future self."
Endymion and Helios moved into position pushing Reenie behind them.
"I should have known you were too good to be true Endymion," Galaxia spat, "Beryl had her attachment to you, but I never had that problem, I just wanted your power."
"You'll never have it," Endymion spat back at her with just as much venom.
"I don't need it you see," Galaxia answered, "I've been shown the future, and this is the best way to make the star seeds come to me." A sword appeared in her open hand that she moved to her side. Endymion pulled his out and turned his head to Helios.
"Run Helios, I won't be able to fight her off, but you need to tell the others about the King's death, and in evidently mine," Reenie looked up at him in horror as she realised the scene in front of her was not going to end well. "I'm so sorry Reenie; I never wanted you to have to go through this."
"Daddy," Reenie's eyes had welled up more now and she tried to fight the tears at losing her young father. Endymion picked Reenie up threw her to Helios, "Go now!" He turned his attention back to Galaxia and raised his sword.
Reenie shot up from the bed she was in with cold sweat falling down her temple. Her young mothers arms were wrapped around her, she pushed her away as quickly as she could to regain her breath. Standing beside the bed was Travis and Lunic both with concerned looks on their faces.
"Stop it meatball head!" Reenie shouted looking past her cousin and uncle urgently "Where's Helios?"
"What happened Reenie?" Travis interjected.
"Helios took me to Darien," Reenie said quickly, "Galaxia- the golden crystal," she hunched over quickly feeling herself grow weaker and weaker. Her fist balled together in pain as she felt the contours of the golden crystal in her hands.
Serena's eyes went wide as she saw her daughter drop back to the bed, slowly fading infront of her.
"Small Lady, hold on!" She took a deep breath as she grabbed her daughters fading hand in hers.
"Mommy," Reenie whispered, "I'm sorry."
"What for honey?" Serena asked softly, keeping all emotion free of her face.
"I should have told you when Darien left."
"Told me what?"
"My memories were not right after the battle with Nehelenia," Reenie whimpered, "I should have known that things were going wrong with the timeline."
"Hush," Serena said quickly, Reenie's eyes went big at how much she sounded like her mother in the future at that point. "I promise you that you will come back from this, I will bring both you and Darien back to me. When you wake up you will be in the future with your parent's and Lunic."
"I love you Mommy," Reenie whispered again, "I believe in you and Uncle Tranq."
"You'll be back before you know it rabbit," Travis said gently from beside him.
"Between Aunt Sere and Dad they'll put everything back the way it's meant to be," Lunic piped up, her eyes were hard just like her fathers as she watched her cousin pull a quick smile before she faded the golden crystal fell onto the bed no longer glowing before shattering. "Will she come back?"
"I won't rest until she is back," Serena told her niece as she picked up the shards from the bed fighting the tears from falling. "I need you to be strong for me Lunic." The child nodded listening intently to the woman. "Travis, we need to get everyone together to discuss how we are going to take care of this. I'm going to get in touch with Helios."
"I'll arrange a scout meeting for tomorrow morning," Travis answered. "Amy is calculating some details tonight and she doesn't think she'll be able to have an answer until tomorrow evening."
"Okay," Serena answered, Travis watched in shock as she calmly got up leaving the room.
Soundtrack: Forever has changed - Carrie Underwood
