Disclaimer: Not mine, no money, no point in suing…
A/N: Uh…hi. I'll try and answer all your reviews later. Sorry?
Re-Upload. Again. First time, I caught a mistake in here. Queen of the Moon's eyes are supposed to be blue. Sorry! Second time, realized a random piece of a draft for another chapter appeared at the bottom. Oops!
Heaving a deep sigh, Hotaru tucked her legs up under her skirt and tipped to the right until her shoulder fell against Chibiusa's.
"I can't believe we're still sitting here."
The Princess of Crystal Tokyo jerked her slowly bobbing head up and rubbed scarlet eyes that had begun to glaze over. Her hand fell back down to land on top of the head of blue hair resting on her knees. Pallas groaned and draped her arm over her own face.
"I can't believe this hasn't moved forward at all," Pallas muttered around her elbow. "How long have we been sitting on the entrance stairs to the Moon Palace?"
"Months," Juno said in a slightly strained voice.
Hotaru turned her head to look at her, and her eyebrows shot straight up. "You are so incredibly lucky we are not visible to the ancient Kings and Queens of the Silver Millennium."
"Why do you say—oh!" Chibiusa sat up completely. "Wow. Juno, should you be doing that?"
"They can't see me," responded the tall girl with her hands on the ground, her feet in their tall boots in the air, her short green Senshi skirt up around her ribs, and her green underwear showing. Juno took several steps forward on her hands, her green tails of hair trailing along behind her, then let her feet fall backwards onto the ground so that her back arched. In a truly impressive display of abdominal strength, she pulled herself upright and shook her hair back into place. Then she took a running start, threw both hands over her head, and launched herself into a cartwheel that turned into a series of flips that would have been more appropriate to an Olympic gym than the front of the Moon Palace.
"Juno," Ceres called after her in an annoyed voice, "could you please pretend to pay attention to the very reason we traveled back in time?"
In response, her sister spun on her toe, raised her arms once again, and began flipping back their way.
Ceres turned her eyes back to the scene being played out before the great double doors, merely muttering, "Vesta. Please."
The red head uncoiled the whip she had drawn forth some time ago from what Hotaru could only guess to be a subspace pocket, drew it back over her shoulder, then snapped it forward with a practiced flick of her wrist. Braided leather wrapped around Juno's waist as she came to the end of her tumbling routine, and before she had time to do more than glance at it in surprise, Vesta hauled back with all her strength, dragging Juno back to the other five girls.
"Oof!" Juno grunted as she slammed into the column Hotaru, Chibiusa, and Ceres were using for their backrest. Hotaru gave her a sympathetic grimace, but neither Ceres nor Vesta looked in the least apologetic.
"Was that really necessary?" Chibiusa asked around a yawn. "It seems a little over the top."
"So were the acrobatics," Ceres shot back testily. "And as for over the top, Juno, don't exaggerate. We have not been here for months. We've only been here a couple of hours."
"It feels like months," Pallas said, her arm still over her face. "These are the great and powerful ancestors of the Silver Millennium?"
"Hai, well, this is how history happens, my dears," Ceres said, gesturing towards the arguing Kings and Queens. "The stories just tend to gloss over the boring bits."
Juno snorted as she struggled to untwine the whip from her waist. "Then everyone else should be thrilled they get to miss the bickering and just get our report of what isn't happening. Vesta, get this damn thing off me!"
"You're only making it worse," Vesta responded, crossing her arms and grinning. "Try turning the other way. Besides, what do we have to report? Pluto and Mars did the whole male my-planet's-bigger-than-your-planet bit, Venus came on to Mars like a tra—"
"Hey!" her sisters, Chibiusa, and Hotaru shouted together.
"—like a good-time girl," Vesta corrected herself, rolling her eyes, "Neptune's kind of a snob, nobody seems to know what Saturn's deal is, and the Queen of the White Moon doesn't play well with others."
"Well, yeah, but that was when there were just the six of them," Hotaru said. She closed her eyes and rested her head against Chibiusa's. "Then Mercury and Uranus showed up, and things got really noisy."
She heard a collective sigh come from the other girls, and felt Chibiusa's shoulder shift as her Princess nodded.
The arrival of the Queen of the White Moon on the scene had frozen the ancient Kings and Queens of Pluto, Mars, Venus, Neptune, and Saturn, and held them in a strange tableau for several agonizing moments, watched by the invisible Hotaru, Chibiusa, Ceres, Juno, Vesta, and Pallas.
Venus stood close to Pluto, the muscular arm not needed for a thick silver staff encircling her waist. While her right hand rested on his chest, her left hand was poised in the air above little Saturn's head, where it had ended as she jerked free of Saturn's grasp. Mars' gauntleted hand still lay against her hair and the back of her neck, just as he had gripped her warningly moments ago. His other hand held his bow of flames close to his body. He had twisted slightly as though to shield Neptune from the figure in the doorway. Neptune peered over his leather clad shoulder, her mirror pressed against her thigh while her free fingers gripped the back of Mars' coat. Saturn stood inches from Venus and Pluto, her hands little white stars against her twilight purple skirts, her face empty with lips firmly closed.
The Queen of the White Moon gazed back at them with her head held high and her face forbidding, without any of the wonderful warmth of her daughter or granddaughter.
Then Mars stepped away from Venus, but closer to the Moon, his coat held tightly for a moment more by Neptune. Frowning, she let him go and took a deep, uncertain breath. Mars held out his free hand beseechingly.
"My White Queen," he began softly, "my dear, dear friend—"
"Do not, Mars," the Moon cut across him quickly. "I have told you before that I do not trust Mercury's plan. I will not allow it—"
"You will not allow it?" Venus interrupted her in turn, her voice as soft but dangerous as a silk scarf wrapped tightly around an unwilling throat. "You allow nothing. That Crystal does not give you the right to rule this solar system!"
"It doesn't?" six shocked Senshi from the future chorused.
The Moon drew herself up to her full height, her blue eyes searing into Venus's golden stare. "I have been entrusted with the safety of the greatest power in this system, as well as this!" she snapped, pointing sharply to the flickering Crystal within the gold starburst-shaped charm. "I will not allow these Crystals to be used in some foolish gamble!"
"This is not a gamble!" Venus shouted, making ancients and Senshi alike jump. Only The Queen of the Moon remained unmoved. "This is Mercury's greatest invention, an invention made with only the love of his family in his mind! How dare you speak to us like this? We are not your subjects. We hold the power of planets within our grasps! You have only this…this Moon, this barren little rock!"
The Queen of the Moon flinched, her face turning slightly away as though from the force of a slap. Blue eyes darkened with pain. Immediately, Venus took several steps until she could reach out and grasp the other Queen's hands.
"Blessed Sol, Serenity, I did not mean to say…" Venus shook her head, a tear trembling on her lashes. "That isn't what I meant. I only meant—"
"I know what you meant," the Moon whispered, and though her hands remained in Venus's, her voice was cold and sharp. "But remember this. This barren little Moon is the only place that could be entrusted with either of these Crystals. Think hard on that, Venus, as you make your clever plans."
"Stop!" Mars ordered both women. "Just stop this fighting! It is not a question of who holds those Crystals, Serenity, it is a question of our safety. Yes, our plan would be much, much more likely to succeed with the power of both those Crystals. I won't pretend that is not a factor. But we can do this without you, and there is nothing you could do to stop us."
The smooth, icy mask began to crack under his challenge. The Queen of the Moon's chin trembled ever so slightly as she looked up into Mars' face, but her lips curved up into a soft, sad little smile.
"What if I beg you?"
"Oh, Serenity," Neptune whispered, shaking her head as she moved quickly past Mars. "Serenity, don't, please, don't look like that, little one."
Her long, tanned fingers barely touched one silken lock of silver hair when a wall of wind hit them all, snatching it away.
"Oh, what the—?" Vesta cried unhappily as she struggled to keep her red skirt down. "Who ordered the hurricane?"
"Curses and damnation!" Mars shouted over her. Through the black hair blowing in her eyes, Hotaru could see him staggering as the wind caught his heavy coat and twisted it around his legs.
The wind came rushing in from the planes of the Moon, and it carried a cold so sharp it seemed to have been snatched directly from the darkness of space. Hotaru stumbled sideways, buffeted by the wind, until she collided with Chibiusa. She quickly wrapped her arms around Chibiusa to keep them close and warm. Pallas threw herself into their huddle, ducking her head underneath Hotaru's chin. Something warm and firm hit them from the other side. Hotaru looked over her shoulder to see Juno had planted herself behind them to give them the support of her strong form. Ceres had already pushed herself under one of Juno's arm, and leaned against Chibiusa's back. Vesta slipped under the other arm and clung to Hotaru's waist.
"This had better be another arrival!" Juno shouted, her shivering shaking the entire group. "Since when do they have blizzards on the Moon?"
"Blizzards without snow!" Pallas squeaked. "Oh, this is not fun!"
"This is wind!" Hotaru cried in return. "It has to be Uranus!"
"But why is it so cold?" Chibiusa shrieked directly in Hotaru's ear.
Venus, clutching at the very little modesty provided by the two pieces of thin silk and gold cord across her chest, bowed her head against the wind, but she laughed as well. She did not seem to mind her hair flung into her face, or how high her skirt was inching on her thighs. Neptune and the Moon did not appear nearly so amused as they clutched their more substantial gowns to their forms.
"Damn him!" Neptune shouted, freeing one hand from her skirt to try and untangle the hair catching in the twists of her crown. "This is ridiculous!"
"It is a little over the top," Pluto agreed mildly. His armor stood the test of the wind and cold very well. Only his hair swirled and snapped around him. He did not fight with it, merely shutting his eyes and waiting patiently.
Hotaru wrapped one arm around Pallas' head so she could free a hand to seize some of her hair and drag it out of her eyes. She managed to look beyond Pluto to her own ancestor. Ancient Saturn stood very still, her over dress having been ripped open by the wind and billowing around her like an angry storm cloud. The wind threw her hair into her face as enthusiastically as with all her companions, but she merely tipped her head back and reached out one hand. Something spun out of the tempest and fell onto a little fingertip. She brought it close to her face, studied it silently, and smiled.
"What is that?" Hotaru wondered aloud.
"What is what?" all four of the sisters shouted back.
"That thing that Saturn is…uh, never mind," Hotaru groaned as cold droplets of water started to land on her nose and face.
Juno growled with annoyance into Hotaru's hair. "And it just keeps getting better."
"If you two are both quite done announcing your presence," Mars suddenly shouted into the air, "will you hurry up?"
With a great roar, the wind drew back into the courtyard at the base of the stairs, twisting and tightening into a miniature tornado. With it went the rain, little drops falling from nothing to form a wet circle on the ground. Able to move once again, the six young women shuffled their huddle over to the very edge of the stairs and looked down in fascination as the rain stopped. For a moment there was only a shining ring of water when something pale and glittering appeared in the center, and began to grow.
"What is that, some kind of…vine?" Vesta murmured uncertainly.
Hotaru saw Ceres shaking her head from the corner of her eye. "Iie, that isn't any kind of plant. But it does look like one…"
The delicate little tendrils moved out in a perfect circle, and the ground beneath them shimmered like glass.
"It's frost," Hotaru gasped. "Ice! Water and frost and ice!"
A final line of frost ran around the outside, closing the circle. Then the ice cracked as the whirlwind began to sink down towards the ground. Hotaru's eyes flickered back and forth in a desperate attempt to watch both ancients emerge.
It was hardest to look away from the whirlwind, and she waited with the same eagerness as she had watched Neptune emerge. First came pale blond hair, the same color as Haruka's but cut differently, falling messily to brush Uranus' shoulders and tumble in his deep blue eyes. Dark eyebrows made a stark contrast on surprisingly pale skin. His slightly narrowed eyes swept over the other Kings and Queens, and his firm, stubborn mouth quirked up on one side. The angles of his face were sharp, but with a long nose and strong jaw there was nothing delicate about this man. A powerful neck and massive shoulders came next, followed by a chest more like a lion's than a man's. Silver armor covered his torso, made of one thick plate. A giant eagle had been worked into the metal in gold, with its wings outstretched across Uranus' chest and its claws clutching a deep blue crystal. Over top the armor he wore a coat of heavy dark blue fabric embroidered with more golden eagles swooping through clouds. The whirlwind sank lower, down over his powerful abdomen and hips, until the hands hanging at his sides were revealed. Large hands emerged from the wide cuffs of his coat, and one of those was tightly gripping the silver hilt of a sword. The curved blade shone brightly against the deep hue of his coat, which fell all the way to his ankles. White pants covered his legs, loose enough to hide the armor Hotaru felt sure he wore underneath. As proof, two heavy metal boots emerged from under the white pants.
Her eyes snapped back up to his face as he moved, inclining his head with a sardonic little smirk. "Good evening, my friends."
"Oh, sweet inferno of the Cosmos," Neptune moaned unhappily behind them, "he's in a mood."
"Whoa," Juno whispered, "Haruka-sama's ancestor is hot!"
"Ami-chan has nothing to be ashamed of," Chibiusa added in a startled voice.
Standing within the circle of broken ice, the King of Mercury appeared almost surprised to see the group at the top of the stairs gazing back at him. Hotaru studied him curiously, surprised at how very different and yet similar he and Ami were. His blue hair was much longer than his descendant's would be. It fell in a tumble of waves past his shoulders and down to his waist. Blue eyes shone keenly from behind the small spectacles perched on his long, thin nose. Those eyes were wide, almost childlike, but wise at the same time. A soft mouth smiled automatically, as though that was the shape it was most accustomed to. From his left ear hung a long earring of silver links and sapphires cut like drops of water. A pendant hung from a heavy chain around his neck, a soft blue stone orb in two strands of silver twisted together. Mercury was the first of the men to wear no armor. A simple, slim silver belt cinched a pleated tunic of dark blue velvet around his waist. Pants in a pale sky color fell loosely to a pair of heavy cerulean leather boots. He pulled absently at his earring with his left hand while his right held a small, shimmering disk of either glass or ice.
Mercury raised one hand in greeting, and called, "Hello, everyone."
Sweeping past the others, Venus moved to the very edge of the top stair and smiled a smile that made Hotaru's heart almost stop. The way her lips curved, the soft warmth in her eyes, the gentle flush of her cheeks…it was completely different from the smile she had given Mars, and Hotaru heard Kunzite's voice from what seemed eons ago, "The truest womanly beauty is found in the eyes of a woman who knows she is loved as she should be, adored as she merits, worshipped as she deserves."
If that were true, the Queen of Venus was the most beautiful woman perhaps in the cosmos…and that beauty was all for one of those two kings.
"Uh, whoa," Juno whispered. "Anybody else feel like Minako's been keeping something from us about what she thinks of Haruka-sama?"
"That's not actually Minako," Hotaru reminded her automatically, "and that isn't really Haruka-papa."
"But they look so much like them!" Chibiusa muttered in astonished tones. "I mean, he's got the same eyes and the same smile, and the only thing different about her is the gold eyes."
Vesta bobbed her head back and forth, adding an unconvinced little sound. "Meh. I don't think Kunz-kun has anything to worry about."
"This is the ancient past," Hotaru added, "it has no bearing on—What did you call Kunzite?"
With the wind and the rain gone, they no longer needed the collective huddle. Hotaru stepped out from under Juno's arm, turning to give Vesta an astonished look and receiving four in return. Pallas kept her eyes fixed with deep interest on the kings advancing up the stairs.
"Kunz-kun," Chibiusa replied for them all. "You know, like Neph-kun, Jade-kun, and Zoi-chan."
"How come Zoisite is a –chan?" Hotaru asked even as she knew the whole conversation was entirely pointless.
Ceres, Vesta, Juno, and Chibiusa frowned at one another, than gave identical shrugs. "He's Zoi-chan."
"Anyway," Ceres took over, "Hotaru's right, this has no effect on either Minako or Haruka, and that's not where we should be focusing."
Throughout the debate Hotaru had noticed vaguely Pallas's blue eyes growing steadily larger and rounder. The tiniest acrobat drew the full attention of the others when she asked softly, "Do you think it might have an effect on Mina-chan and Ami-chan?"
The other five turned slowly to follow her gaze, and their eyes became the same shape and size as hers.
"Okay," Ceres said in a slightly strained voice, "I don't think Ami and Minako ever need to know anything about…that."
Blue wrapped around gold like the sky cradling the sun gently in its arms. Both Venus's arms twined around Mercury's neck as their kiss deepened. His hands swept slowly up her back, trailing up the expanse of bare flesh from the small of her back all the way to her shoulders. One hand snuck up into her hair while the other crept back down. Venus arched into the caress, and Hotaru blinked several times to prove to herself she was not imagining things.
Venus had begun to glow with a soft golden light.
Taking the last step, Uranus merely glanced at them with a long suffering sigh. "This could take awhile. My fellow kings, you appear to be in excellent health. My queens, you look ravishing."
"I think we look a little closer to being ravished," Neptune snapped back. She tugged once more on the bodice of her gown in an attempt to return the graceful folds to their proper place. A lock of turquoise hair fell down in her eyes, but she merely puffed it away with an annoyed breath. "Thanks to you."
"Well, to make amends, please allow me to assist you."
Uranus raised a hand towards her bodice, and Neptune raised her mirror threateningly. "Don't touch me."
"Ah, well. My sweet White Queen, do you require assistance?"
"I do not," the Queen of the White Moon hissed. As she was at that moment detangling the left pigtail from the right bun, this could not be said to be entirely true, but the look she shot Uranus should have lit his hair on fire. He took her at her word and merely bowed and smirked more.
He turned to the last of the queens and offered Saturn a thoroughly lecherous smile. "How about you?"
"Oh, I'm scarred for life," Hotaru groaned, raising both hands to cover her eyes. "That is not me, and he is not Haruka-papa, but still…"
"You're going to want to keep your eyes covered," Vesta said over several scandalized gasps from the other girls. "He's just redoing the clasps on her overdress, but the way he's doing it is dirtier than if he were taking it off. Ow!"
"It doesn't help for her to hide her eyes," Ceres muttered fiercely, "if you tell her what she's trying to hide from."
"I didn't give details."
"I don't need details!" Hotaru cried. "No details, everyone, no details at all."
"Okay, well, she's redressed and he is…taking forever…no, he's done," Juno reported. "You're in the clear, Hotaru."
She spread her fingers and peeked uncertainly out, but Juno was indeed correct. Uranus merely stood behind Saturn, untangling her hair from her strange crown and watching Neptune and the Moon with a completely remorseless grin. Mars finally kicked his boots free of his heavy jacket, shot a glare at Uranus, and moved to assist with the untangling of silver pigtails. He had no help from Pluto, who was too busy struggling with his own curtain of hair and smirking at Venus and Mercury.
"We are here for a discussion about the future of our children," Mars growled at the entangled couple. "Can you two please FOCUS?"
"Mmm," Venus purred as her lips reluctantly parted from Mercury's, "but he is focused, my friends. The way he kisses…he puts every atom of his being into his kisses. And the way he makes love—"
"NO!"
The six young women from the future, the two other queens, and the two other kings all shouted out against the next bit of information Venus was about to unveil. Even Saturn put up a startled hand to ward off unwanted details. Though the Senshi's protests naturally went unheeded, Venus did cut her observation about Mercury's virility short, and simply contented herself with a wicked chuckle.
"Is there any chance you can keep her under some kind of control?" Mars demanded of Mercury, who looked startled.
"Why? What has she done?"
"She?" Mars snapped. "She is inviting me into her bed! Again!"
Mercury looked curiously at Venus, who gave him a glowing smile and a nod. Blue brows drew together as he turned back at Mars. "Did you accept the invitation?"
"No, of course not!"
"Why not?"
"Wh—why not?" Mars stuttered, his face dumbfounded. "I have no desire to sleep with her!"
Mercury shifted his spectacles further up his nose and regarded Mars with sheer fascination. "Really? No desire whatsoever?"
"That's what he says," Venus murmured very audibly against Mercury's ear, "but I think he is not entirely honest with himself, hm?"
"He is either not entirely honest," Mercury agreed, "or there is something very wrong with him. She is the most desirable woman in our system, and possibly the cosmos, you know. There is no shame in desiring her."
"Pluto was very honest about his desires for her," Neptune added helpfully, her lips twitching as Mars began to turn a shade of red that very nearly matched his leather armor.
Uranus raised his hand quickly. "If she offered me a place in her bed, I'm afraid we would have to postpone this meeting for roughly, say, a week. There is something very wrong with Mars."
"And of course," Mars added with a slight sneer at Mercury, "you are always at her beck and call."
"Certainly," Mercury said simply.
"But I, Mercury, am a married man, and I love my wife!"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Mercury asked. "Does marriage mean you can no longer desire a woman on Mars? I am also married, I also love my wife, and I desire Venus very much."
Tiny red sparks were beginning to flare from Mars' bow as his hand tightened around it. "Mercury, she is your wife!"
"Would it make you feel more comfortable desiring my wife if I told you I desired Myrna?" Mercury offered kindly.
"You…you what?"
"Ladies," Pluto said quickly, "Uranus, perhaps we should all step inside and allow Mercury and Mars a little time alone."
Venus, still wrapped around Mercury, ignored him and looked up into her husband's face with mild surprise. "You do?"
"She's very beautiful, and very strong, and she is truly talented with her bow," Mercury said. "Yes, she is desirable. I would not, of course, sleep with her, but I find her very pleasing visually and personally. She also has a lovely voice."
"That's true," Venus agreed thoughtfully. "Yes, my love, I can understand you desiring her. Carry on."
"Thank you."
"Do not carry on desiring my wife!" Mars nearly roared. He turned sharply on Pluto and Uranus as flames erupted from his bow and began to lick at his armored arm. "Do either of you have any desire for my wife?"
Both men's eyes widened, and they shook their heads. Mars spun back around to confront Mercury again. Uranus and Pluto glanced at each other, grinned, and nodded at the same time.
"Mind bogglingly powerful," Ceres murmured under her breath, "ancient, bordering on all-knowing…and yet, always, thinking below the waist."
A flutter of turquoise silk caught everyone's eyes. Neptune slipped past Pluto and Saturn, threw Uranus a glare that he returned with a mocking grin, moved up beside Mars, turned to face him, folded her arms, and stared at the side of his head, hard. He glanced at her, then back at Mercury, opening his mouth for more recriminations. Neptune cleared her throat loudly. Mars shut his mouth with a snap and folded his arms across his chest even more tightly than Neptune and scowled straight ahead. She turned to hold out one imperious hand to Mercury. Startled to find himself the recipient of her displeasure, the other ancient's eyes widened. He quickly laid the shining disk in her hand. She inclined her head shortly in thanks, spun around on the heel of her sandal, and presented it to the Queen of the White Moon.
"What is this?" the Moon asked, her voice chilling once more. She untangled the last few folds of her white gown from her silver belt and drew herself up, and slightly away. A hush fell over the others, all watching her eyes studying the disk balanced on the tips of Neptune's fingers.
"This," Neptune said, "is the height of Mercury's genius. This is the safety of not just our system but all the systems. This is a galaxy without darkness. This is our children living without our fears."
The Queen of the Moon's lips twisted into something that held the shape of a smile, but could never be mistaken for one. "Your greatest fear cannot be trapped within any prison of Mercury's making, my friends."
Neptune held her eye without a quiver, but Hotaru saw Uranus, Mars, and Venus flick their eyes to the two crystals at her waist. Venus stiffened slightly, her mouth tightening with unhappiness. Mercury pulled her closer to run a soothing hand up and down her back.
"Look at it," Neptune whispered. "Trust us just a little, Serenity. Please. For your daughter, for my daughter, for all our children, just look at it!"
Slowly, almost against her will, the Moon stretched out one hand towards the disk. Her fingers came within less than a breath, then froze. Blue eyes glanced quickly, frightened, to the Queen of Saturn. Hotaru looked towards her ancestress as well. The twilight dark eyes, the same size, shape, and color as her own, held no emotion. The Moon turned back to Neptune.
She took the silver disk.
Just for a moment, in violet eyes, there was a flash of fear.