Saturnalius and Mercury hadn't run this fast since the time they ran from the library during Pifite's second attack. Mercury was certain they'd break a heel, particularly when they came to an abrupt stop at the border of the park.
"I am the Silver Eclipse," the new senshi proclaimed. "Sailor Silver Star!"
Saturnalius and Mercury both stared, wide-eyed and shocked. Neither was certain that they'd heard the stranger correctly.
"Another Eclipse?!" Mercury gasped. Glancing at Saturnalius, she quickly realized the other didn't actually know who this stranger was. Even with the Eclipse regaining their memories, Saturnalius was still the one with the most information. Her memories were clearest. But if she didn't know, who was this senshi?
Mercury's exclamation had brought attention to the both of them. Space Gas frowned, severely irritated. The two master strategists had appeared on the scene. Intel told them that Mercury and Saturnalius were the most dangerous due to their intelligence and battle prowess. Engaging them was surely a death wish. Trouble was, no one knew of their identities. Rumor had it that Saturnalius was rarely seen outside the castle walls without the queen yet here she was. It was possible to draw her out.
Saturnalius gaze briefly met Black Hole's. The two remained silent, neither saying a word until Space Gas finally spoke up. "So yeah. Pencil in a quick exit, kay?"
Still glaring at Saturnalius, Black Hole flicked her wrist, forming a swirling vortex behind them. She and Space Gas leapt backwards into the hole and the two senshi disappeared from sight.
"There really are two," Mercury murmured, mostly to herself.
Saturnalius glanced over to the mysterious Eclipse only to find she'd disappeared as well. "She's gone too." Just who was that girl, claiming the Eclipse name?
"You did see her too, right?" Mercury stared.
"Indeed," Saturnalius nodded. "I think we all need to talk."
...
Rei set tea down on the table in the room within the Shrine where the senshi once often met. Haruka and Michiru were a strange sight at the table. They'd never been the type to sit down and chat about the current events, often preferring to separate themselves from the inner lunar senshi. They had all been absent for the battle against the Shadow Galaxy, so at the advent of the new Silver Millennium, they drew closer to the royal court, becoming active members within their ranks. They were curious about their Eclipse mirrors, surprisingly reaching out to meet them and befriend them.
Hotaru had joined them, leaning up against Sasami as she munched on some sugar cookies. After the encounter at the park, she'd arrived at the Shrine along with the group of girls from the park. They were all a bit shook up, particularly Chika who was on the verge of tears. Hotaru left the group as they went to watch TV in the other room so she could become part of the senshi conversation. She wasn't entirely keen on leaving Chibiusa with that wild Akemi, but she knew they would all be safe in the end. The shrine was a sanctuary, a protected place, after all.
"Am I hearing this right that there's another Eclipse?" Rei nestled down at the end of the table, tucking her feet properly under her. She straightened out a fold of the hakama, careful to not let it get bent out of shape.
"Mm," Michiru nodded, taking the offered teacup and cradling it in her hands. "She called herself 'the Silver Eclipse'."
"Perhaps she's an impostor," Haruka suggested, leaning forward on the table with her elbow. Like Rei and Michiru, Haruka sat in a formal position, tucking her feet underneath her in a proper seiza position.
"I wouldn't quite say that yet," Sasami countered.
"How so?" Ami quickly questioned. "I thought there were only 9 Eclipse senshi originally." Currently there were only 6, as three were casualties in Doxite's ventures. The three had returned to life thanks to Sailor Moon's healing light, but they never regained their galactic crystals. They continued to live as ordinary people.
"There were," Sasami nodded. "8 planetary mirrors and one lunar mirror. But I'm not so sure she's lying quite yet."
Ami offered Sasami a hard stare. "What aren't you telling us?"
Sasami was notorious for not always telling everything at once. She could easily clam up and not speak for days, preferring to adhere to duties than conversations. "Something within me tells me she's telling the truth." She paused. She couldn't quite explain it herself. She looked down for a moment as if trying to remember something.
"I remember a rumor from the original Silver Millennium," she added suddenly. "I cannot tell you when the rumor surfaced as we'd lost track of time millennia ago, but it was highly unusual."
"I never took you as the rumor-monger type," Rei commented into her teacup. "Unless that was Satsu's thing?"
Sasami shook her head. "She wasn't any more fond of them than I. This was all Yuatsu's - Neptunusia's - doing. She had a fondness for gossip. Hard to tell, but Aki is fond of it too."
"I don't think I've ever noticed," Michiru chimed in, still cradling the cup of tea. Of all the Eclipse, Michiru had come to know Akiko the best. The two were strikingly similar in nearly every manner possible. They both had a fondness for water, arts, and traditional cooking. They both loved pretty dresses and makeup. One really was a mirror of the other.
"Aki is a horrible rumormonger," Sasami admitted, outing her twin sister. She glanced at Tsubaki, who continued to be incredibly quiet. Akiko and Tsubaki would gossip for hours, much to Sasami's annoyance. "One of Yuatsu's traits she carried on. The rumor Yuatsu had told Satsu was that there existed another set of guardians, more than just the nine of us. I never thought it possibly true until right now."
"Was there more to this rumor?" Ami asked, setting down the tablet for a moment. Normally, Ami would have nothing to do with rumors but this one was definitely interesting, and it quickly had grabbed her attention.
"Not that I know of," Sasami shook her head, "though given that it's Aki's past self, chances are, she might know something."
"Is Aki-nee coming to visit then?" Hotaru asked, looking up at Sasami.
"She is," Sasami replied. "I've already sent her a message about the subject." She had actually sent it before they sat down at the table. The idea of another Eclipse showing up had reminded her of the rumor. She hadn't talked to Akiko about it before today, but in the text reply, Akiko mentioned recalling the rumor as one that particularly stuck out in her memories of the past.
Practically on cue, a miko approached the paper door. "Forgive the interruption, Rei-sama, but there are two girls here to speak with you. They say it's about an eclipse."
They were clever in their words. It was enough to tell Rei exactly who had come to visit. "Send them in, Ren-san."
The paper door slid open, and Akiko and Makoto stepped in, both carrying some sweets on a plate. It was an attempt to lighten the mood. The two knew little of the attacks, though Akiko knew more mainly through conversations with Tsubaki. She attempted to pry more out of Sasami, though not successfully. She filled Makoto in before they'd left the cafe. The two came alone as Minako was off on a date.
Ami scooted over to give the two room at the table. They sat next to her, placing the treats on the table. The room was beginning to feel how it once was, lunar and eclipse sitting side by side, eating treats and drinking tea as they discussed the current situation. New faces sat at the table, and old ones had returned. Despite the circumstances, it was comforting to see everyone again.
"Sasami-kun tells us that you might know a rumor, Akiko-chan?" Rei offered the two fresh cups of tea.
"Ohoho, right down to business, Rei-shi~" Akiko mused. "Sami is correct. I do, though most of it is simply speculation. Yuatsu had heard multiple rumors of a second guardian senshi, a second Eclipse. They varied on team size and members, though one thing always seemed constant. Unlike us, who guarded the borders of the galaxy, they guarded the heart of the galaxy."
"Sagittarius A*," Sasami noted aloud. "There are currently no known senshi in that district."
"A void left for the Eclipse to fill," Haruka speculated. "Seems fitting, considering the loss of three Eclipse during your battle with the Shadow Galaxy."
"That Silver Star," Michiru added, "she seemed to know something of Space Gas and Black Hole. She called them rogues. We should find her and see if she'll talk to us."
Rei, Makoto, and Ami all looked up at Sasami while Akiko simply tittered into her teacup.
"Hey, you did get me to talk eventually," Sasami countered, frowning at the group.
"It took over a month," Rei countered in return.
"I didn't believe Lunar and Eclipse should ever meet," Sasami shrugged. "That was the law of the past. Intermingling was expressly forbidden. I'm willing to bet this Silver Star is operating under the same law we once did."
"Please come back! Shouldn't you be resting?" The voice came from further down the hall, followed by a flurry of robes and shuffling.
"I'm done resting, I'd say." She flung open the door to where the senshi used to meet. Her suspicions were right. Despite missing the senshi activity for the last week, the attack by someone named 53 Aquarii was enough to convince her that the senshi would return to this room and speak once again. They always did whenever trouble arose.
She looked a bit of a mess. The yukata she'd wrapped herself in wasn't even properly tied, falling off one shoulder. Her hair was down, unbraided and unbrushed. Her forehead was wrapped in bandages, though the bottom few green stitches peeked out from underneath. She held an ice pack to her forehead. "Good everyone's here. We need to talk, I'd say."
…
Author's notes
-nee / -姉 (pronounced naay or NAY-ay, not knee. I pronounce it like the second, but I've heard the first.) is an affectionate way to call someone an older sister (shortened from the full word, oneesan お姉さん). Given how close Michiru and Akiko have come, it only seems fitting that Hotaru would see her as an older sister figure. Akiko would no doubt eat it up.
Ren 蓮 means waterlily. I like the way it sounds.