Disclaimer: I do not own anyone from "CardCaptor Sakura". They are all owned by the ladies of CLAMP who are much more talented than I. (smile) I also do not own anyone from "Sailor Moon". They are all owned by Takeuchi Naoko whose vision will live eternally. (smile) (Much to Elflina's dismay...) All other characters are my own. Feel free to steal them.

I do not hold chapters ransom for reviews, but I sure appreciate compliments, constructive criticism, and grammatical corrections. So if you feel like it, please press that little review button, and let me know what you think.

Six reviewers once more. Thank you all so much! Greetings to aserene, yaoifanboy, Mangaka-chan, Sakura Blossom-Cilla-85, Taeniaea, and animegurl709. Haha, you don't have to worry about if I'll update, only when since the whole thing is written. (smile)

In speaking a bit more with Mangaka-chan, I have decided to change Vesta's combination from Change and Shadow to Create and Shadow. This seems to make more sense to us. I don't have time to take care of it tonight, but I will soon. And Magaka-chan? Enemies certainly have henchmen, but they always seem to have "friends" who want revenge after they have been defeated. That's what I meant by that statement. Hmm... Maybe I should change it to five things? (grin) But four was already clunky enough!

I know you all are dying to know what happened with Necro and Lady, but a couple of our other bad guys insist that they have been quiet for a little too long. So... Please be patient just a li-i-ittle longer. (smile)

Natsumi Natsuko to Koujaku Jaku Sunshine Hour… (smile) Gotta love it!- Raya

Moonlit Sakura

Chapter 35 –Shocks and Surprises

"Greetings, children! Do you know what time it is?" a strange, high pitched voice called from the television set in the corner of the room. An indecipherable cheer followed. "That's right! It's time for the Natsuko Mouse and Jaku Sparrow SUNSHINE HOUR!"

King Wisp stared blankly at the screen as the hyper little fans cheered again, bouncing and hopping around wearing bird hats and mouse ears. His mind was far away from the program.

"Greetings, sir," the thin, black haired woman said softly as she carried a tray of food into the room where the golden haired child was being kept. "Do you feel any better?" Her floor length hair shifted around her grey dress like a cloak as she turned to close the door.

"Mmm…" he responded, studying her curiously. "Yeah, though I'm still a bit sore. Who're you?"

"I? I am just a servant of the Empress. My name is Maat," she replied with a bow. Her hair flowed forward to cover her sharp features, and then receded as she rose back up. "My mistress will be quite pleased to hear that you are feeling better."

"The Empress?" the boy asked in shock. "She's here?" The woman nodded serenely. "Where are we?" he asked in sudden excitement. "Can we get out? Is there a plan?"

Maat looked at him curiously. "A plan? To leave? Not that I'm aware of. The last I heard, my mistress was not planning to go anywhere. I think she is still trying to decide what to do after…" She broke off suddenly, shivering a little.

"After what?" he asked curiously. "After her defeat? What happened?"

"Something like that," she replied a little briskly. "And I cannot say. We do not talk of it."

King Wisp frowned at her. "Tell me," he said imperiously. "I command it."

Maat merely raised an eyebrow. "I cannot say. It is too… painful to think about, much less talk about. And the only commands I obey are those of my mistress."

The boy's frown deepened and then vanished. "Oh well. I suppose," he said as if brushing off the topic. "So, are we prisoners somewhere? Why was my door locked?" he asked with voice full of curiosity once more.

"No… We're not prisoners… exactly… Your door was locked for your safety. It wouldn't be wise for you to go roaming around unsupervised," she replied as she turned to set the tray on the table near the bed he was perched upon. Behind her, King Wisp frowned again suspiciously, then smoothed his expression into one of gratitude and began to glow softly.

"My safety…" he said softly as she turned back around. "I see. Thank you," he added as he looked straight into her black eyes. "I'm so glad someone is concerned for me."

"Of… of course, sir," the servant responded as she stared at him.

"It's not everyday that someone worries about me," he added, increasing his glow slightly. "Even though I'm a child, they think I can take care of myself." Maat did not respond. She just continued to stare at the glowing child.

"It's so unfair, don't you think?" he asked still speaking softly. "I mean, I'm just a kid. But they treat me like I'm an adult. 'Go here,' they say. 'Do that.' Never mind that it's dangerous. So unfair." His eyes gleamed with satisfaction when the woman just nodded mutely and continued to stare at him.

"I wish I could just go home," he said enticingly, keeping all trace of triumph out of his voice. "I would be safe there. Would… would you help me?" He rose from the bed he had been sitting on and moved slowly to stand in front of her.

Maat blinked. "No, sir. I'm afraid you will have to stay in here for now, at least until the Empress decides what to do with you."

As the boy stared at her in shock and sank back onto the bed, she smiled slightly and bowed. "You're pretty good, sir. You have excellent control over your abilities. If your power continues to grow, you will be a very formidable opponent in a few years."

"But… but… Why?" he sputtered unable to believe that he had failed. Again.

"Mmm, yes, your control is very good indeed, but you need to study a bit more," Maat responded as she turned and walked to the door. She looked back over her shoulder at the flabbergasted young king. "I am an Illusionist of the Tenth Order. I can see straight through most illusion spells, including those based on charisma. King Arashi, who rescued you, knew this. That is why he asked the Empress to let me attend you. Enjoy your meal, sir." Quietly, she closed the door behind her.

The children on the television began to sing a silly, happy song as the memory finished. 'Why?' he asked himself again. 'I failed. Twice. And now I'm a captive to my own people? This just doesn't make sense!''

Queen Fey strongly suppressed her nerves and irritation as she crept down the hallway. The spectacular view of some planetary rings she had seen a few minutes before had convinced her that she was no longer on Earth. 'But why are we here hiding like some little mouse?' she thought to herself as she tried yet another locked door. 'And how do I get out of this place so I can return to Earth?'

For a moment, the memory of drowning in a whirlpool of water on dry land while Super Sailor Neptune watched flooded her mind and made her clench her fists. The memory that followed, Super Sailor Mercury's fog blocking her from her chosen prey, made her hiss with fury. 'I'll get you,' she vowed silently as she crept up to the next door. 'I'll get you AND your precious Princess…'

The sound of footsteps on the marble floor made her freeze. Frantically, she tried the door beside her. When it opened, she quickly slipped into the room beyond. The sound of a group of little kids squealing almost drowned out the irritable muttering of the man who appeared around the corner. "Where could she have gone, the little…"

Queen Fey closed the door until it was open a bare crack, and watched the hallway. Behind her, King Wisp stared in surprise at the interruption. As he studied her stance, his eyes widened and began to shine with excitement. He grabbed up the remote and turned off the sweet, hyper program.

The sudden silence behind her made Queen Fey's heart sink with dread. Slowly, she turned around to survey the room. When she saw King Wisp walking towards her, she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side in confusion. "What… What are you doing here?" she asked softly.

"The same as you," he replied eagerly. "Trying to escape." She quirked a grey eyebrow at him, and then turned to look out the door once more. "Is it just the two of us? Or are there other prisoners here?" he asked as he stopped beside her.

She snorted softly. "Just the two of us, I guess, unless they brought Necro in, too, and I just haven't heard about it yet. The rest of them… I don't know what's wrong with them, but they seemed determined to keep us locked up in this castle." Slowly she opened the door and listened intently.

"Even the Empress?" the boy asked sounding a little shocked.

Queen Fey spun around and slapped her hand over his mouth. "Quiet!" she hissed. "Do you want us to get caught!" When he frantically shook his head, she lowered her hand.

"Yes, even the Empress," she said in a soft, bitterly bewildered voice. "I don't get it. First, she didn't want to come here, and now she doesn't want to leave. It's been five years, and yet she doesn't want to complete her mission or return home. And they all keep muttering something about protecting me from the light, as if I'm some photophobe or something." Her voice trailed off to a mutter as she cautiously leaned out the door and led the way into the hall. "Give me a break…"

After another two hours of creeping down stairways and avoiding the searchers, the two escapees finally managed to leave the castle. King Wisp stared wide-eyed at the giant planet in front of them.

"Ah… Saturn. We must be on one of the moons," Queen Fey said gleefully. "I can get us back from here."

"Wait! Stop!" a voice cried from the top of the stairs. They looked over their shoulders and saw a man racing frantically towards them. The golden embroidery on his brown suit glistened in the dim light.

"Muerte…" Queen Fey hissed.

Quickly, she grabbed King Fey's left shoulder with her right hand and began to gesture with her left. Just as the stout older man reached them, they disappeared.

"No! Don't take the boy..." he gasped as he stumbled to a halt reaching frantically after the vanished couple. He shook himself, and began to gesture.

"Stop," an alto voice said authoritatively. Startled, King Muerte spun around. As he spied the fragile-looking, dark haired woman clothed in a sparkling, medieval style, blood red gown, he bowed deeply. "Let them go," Empress Night commanded softly.

"But the Queen… The Crystal…" King Muerte said urgently.

The Empress shook her head. "There is nothing more we can do. We shall just have to hope that she will be merciful and spare the child from the Cleansing."

"She won't," King Arashi said as he appeared on the steps behind the Empress. "You know she won't. She will want to heal him, too, no matter how painful it will be."

"Or how much it will upset his mother," Queen Yeti added as she, too, joined them on the steps. "Queen Geist will not be happy…" The red-head bit her lower lip and clenched her fists on the bottom of her silver embroidered, midnight blue suit jacket. Slowly, she walked down a few steps, and turned to face her ruler.

"It was my fault," she confessed as she bowed very deeply and held it. "I… I wanted to spare King Necro the Cleansing, so I released Queen Fey to help him. I don't know how King Wisp got free, but… I take responsibility." She clenched her hands tightly as she awaited her punishment.

"I see…" Empress Night said softly. "So inconvenient… Siblings." The three members of the Court looked up at her in surprise, and found that she had a soft smile on her face. "Return to your quarters, Yeti, and stay there for three full days."

"Y-yes, Ma'am," the surprised Queen replied, grateful to have gotten off so easily.