Ok, so what is this? I thought this was already posted! Well, it seems that the wonderful staff at fanfiction.net wants everything to be in the same nice area. So that's why I have this little baby. It's over 100kb, so it's not exactly light reading. Be prepared for some really weird ideas, and not at all what you would normally find in a fanfic ^^ My empire is dying. Even as I walk, wherever I go, I feel its life force being drained away for the simple reason, that I was being drained also. I was dying, and there was nothing to do except wait for the inevitable. Which is of course, my death, and the death of this planet, which so long ago lost its glow that had kept it alive for the thousands of years before my birth, and the birth of their death. For I am but the last in the line of great Queens, but alas, I am no Queen. My title does nothing to help my misgivings. I was born without a uterus. I was born without a soul mate. I was born without a heart. And so I am the last. And so it is with a heavy heart that I watch as the Earth falls into its pit of darkness, I feel with an emotion so strange that it is almost pleasing at some points to know that I will be alive and ruling at the end of this pitiful reign that had died out so long ago. The reign of the Silver Millenniums. -------------------- Corruption By: Koneko Genre: Angst/Romance/uh... action? divinepheonix@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Applies. Short AN: Pwease E-mail me, this is the second fic I've posted on the web, I would absolutely love feedback, it would make this story be posted so much faster! -------------------- According to the Millennials, I am a renegade, a rebel, a traitor, a deserter, take your pick. But according to the renegades, we are not the traitors, she is. I looked up with disgust at the image of the Queen on the Holovision, a device so old that its antiquity is looked upon with displeasure. I watched as the reporter showed her as she was hauled into the hospital for the tenth time in the past four months, I snarled angrily. Her fabulous kingdom was dying, and all she gave a damn about was the fact that she was vanishing and she had to stay alive. Nobility has always been greedy history proves it. Well, I may be wrong, there was one period in time, so long ago that the idea of it has turned into nothing but myth. The beginning of the Silver Millennium, the beginning of the new life here on earth and in the rest of the galaxy after the great freeze, but I digress, no one ever thinks of that time anymore. It is too old to even list in textbooks. The great Senshi are no longer, their own guardians long before my time saying that the greed of their human souls outweighed their duty to protect all the living beings underneath the rule of the Millenniums. They became bitter, even without their powers, the Senshi were dangerous, this great time of peace began to crumble. I had always wondered what had happened to the amulets they used to transform-but then again, that they could ever transform had just become another Myth. The hierarchy of our system appalled me, It was, once more, nobility before peasants, wealth before happiness, the past coming around to haunt us once more. I sighed, and looked out the window of my small box someone dared to call living quarters, this was what human life had fallen to, any life for that matter. Living in a confined space not fit for a dog and being hoarded into jobs like ants without a life, no life was important except for the Queens, it had been pounded into our heads since we were small. But I was different, cast aside from the populous of Earth and the Sol System, I looked at my mirror in revulsion. I fingered my hair angrily, I was born different, born unethical, according to the doctors that were present at my birth. I had been programmed genetically, like all others of my time. We were to be machines after all. I had been born to look like all others, black hair brown eyes, tan skin, growing to be between five and six feet, and weighing no more that 200lbs and no less than 130. I looked at my blond hair, my blue eyes, my 4'11" frame, my pale face and sighed. No, I would always be different. I don't know why my body had rejected the programming, I used to resent not looking like everyone else, being like everyone else. I was a social outcast, never loved, never held, never kissed, but then I noticed finally, that everyone was a social outcast. It was unacceptable now to love someone, or hold someone, or kiss someone. Children were no longer allowed to have parents, all belonged to the nobility of the Millennials. The Queen was born like us, she-unlike the rest of her bloodline-was born without a soul mate, she was born a whole soul, never to know love, or understand it. Therefore all she knew was hate, and so did her people. And it appeared she didn't care. I turned up the volume of my holovision and zoned out for most of the report. 'As a new turn of events, the Queen has declared that she is now searching for humans who has any DNA of her bloodline. After an interview today it has been confirmed that the only way to heal her injuries would be to find a person that can heal her using powers confined to only that person. Investigations have started, and we will soon have word on who is being sent to the palace for observation. In other news...' I awoke from my reverie from a loud banging noise coming from my door. An eyebrow twitched, visitors? Who would want to visit me? I was different, I didn't look right, act right, or do anything that society enjoyed. Who would be knocking on anybodies door at this hour of the night anyway? "Serena Daniels!" came a voice from the doorway, " I have been ordered by the office of the Millennials to escort you to the crystal palace for interrogation, if you do not comply peacefully we will be forced to use any means necessary." I felt all blood run from my face, what did they want with me? I looked around and quickly packed a backpack of everything I could fit, opened my window, and jumped out into the street below... ------------------- Ya, I know, not very good. I kinda wrote most of that at a very late hour so... that might be why it sounds kinda kookie. Oh, and if your confused ::evil grin:: e-mail me, I'm not gonna put any info about this story in the AN's as I intend to give all necessary information in the chapters. Plus, if you get really confused than you'll have no choice but to e-mail me and my inbox won't be lonely anymore! Besides, I don't think it's THAT hard to understand, right? ::cheesy grin:: Koneko "Did you capture her?" "No." "And why not?" "She jumped out the window." "Out of a five story room? That's suicide! Where's the body?" "We did not find the body." Brown eyes flashed angrily, "Find her." ------------------------ Corruption - Chapter One by Koneko Genre: Angst/Romance/uh... action? divinepheonix@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Applies. ------------------------ I pulled my long hair into a tight ponytail and sighed, when would they ever stop chasing? It had been so long-to long it seemed-that I had been running. It seemed now that the entire world would be after me, wherever I turn there's someone who recognizes my face and suddenly I have dozens of Millennials on my tail. I do know, that my legs are a lot stronger than they were six months ago. I huffed in a breath and put a long hard punch into the bag of sand in front of me, there was no way I was going to be taken to that wretched palace without a fight. I still didn't know why they wanted me, I was just a normal person right? But I knew I was wrong, I wasn't like anyone else, I didn't enjoy being told what I could or could not do, and being given no reason for why that was so other than the fact that I was not nobility royally pissed me off. I punched the bag harder. I felt like cattle, always herded into one area or another. A drop of sweat fell off my forehead. I felt insignificant, like there was no reason for my life, or anyone's life besides the queen's. I did a sweeping kick into the sand. There was no more free will, no more happiness. Hook, kick, punch, jab. No more life. Hook, kick, punch, jab. No more love. I punched the bag with all the anger and resentment I had held up inside of me for the past 16 years of my life, my eyes widened as I saw silver light extend from my knuckles and beat into the particles of fabric and sand. With a scream I felt energy leave my soul and my body hit against the wall with a resounding smack. I looked around dazed. Oh, crap. I saw the building I had just been standing in with amazement, the entire floor was demolished, sand blew around from gusts of wind, windows were broken, and the wall I crashed into was no longer there. It was fifty feet below me, on the ground. I felt the wind blow my hair around the small alley space I was in and I sighed. This was one crazy dream. "Ms. Daniels!" yelled a voice from below me, "Ms. Daniels, please come down from there, I would like to speak with you!" I watched the roads carefully, the area around me had become deathly quiet. I raised an eyebrow in question. "Please Ms. Daniels, I will not hurt you, I just wish to... strike an agreement?" I laughed out loud, "An agreement, and what sort of agreement will this be?" "What you just did, I will teach you how to use that power!" "Oh really?" I snorted, "And when I wake up, what will you teach me then?" "You are not asleep Ms. Daniels, please, come down here!" "What's the hurry?" "They're coming, look behind you!" I turned around slowly, fully expecting to see some sort of strange googily eyed monster and then awake with fear from this strange dream. What I saw caught me by surprise. There were Millennials racing full speed at me, thousands of them. My eyes widened with fear and I flew down to the woman below me as fast as the wind would carry me. I felt my heart rate speed up as I fell, feeling the eyes of every person in those cars watching me as I flew. When I reached the ground I pulled breath after breath into my lungs, fearing for my life. "Follow me, Ms. Daniels!" she yelled, jumping into a black warp hole she had created. I gulped and looked back up at the Millennials, quickly following me, I turned my head to the warp hole that was shrinking ever so slowly. A thousand to one? Easy. I jumped into the warp hole my heart pounding as fast as hummingbird's wings... ...I opened my eyes wearily, my body feeling stiff and unused, as if I had been asleep for days. Pushing myself up off the floor I had landed on, I looked at my surroundings. Where the hell was I? I felt like I was in the middle of a maze, there were hallways extending in circles all around me, crystal hallways. "Ms. Daniels," came a voice to the left, "If you would please follow me." "W-wait," I said, my legs not cooperating with the phrase 'standing up', "Who are you, and, what do you want with me?" "Follow me, Ms. Daniels." She said firmly. "Why are my legs so stiff?" "You've been unconscious for a couple of weeks." I didn't know what to reply to that. I pursued her, my legs tingling from the short walk I had already done. We lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. I felt my stomach twist and turn, and my mind twinge in, remembrance? But what is to remember, I have never walked these corridors before. I turned my head back and forth, feeling my hair drape across my shoulders and my back. "So, where am I?" I asked, trying to break the silence. "You are in the crystal palace." The woman replied. I stopped immediately. "W-what? I thought that, you were going to help me!" I yelled, backing away from the strange woman. "I am. We are in an area that even the Queen herself does not know about." I peered around, still unsure of my own safety, "Look," I said slowly, "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me who you are and what you want with me." The woman turned, "Fine, stay there. You'll get lost trying to find your way out, and what will you do for food? Like it or not, for survivals sake you have no choice but to follow me." I felt my jaw harden as she continued walking. I followed coldly, wanting nothing to do with this woman but realizing every so slowly that my life was in her hands. "So..." I began casually, "Where are we going?" "We're meeting the others." "O-others?" "Oh yes, they've grown quite impatient. They don't know any more than you do, and I refuse to tell anyone anything until the whole group is assembled." "Group?" she didn't answer, just continued walking. I felt silence draw onto us again. I sighed; this woman needed people skills. Then again, everyone in the world needed people skills so I suppose that the first person I actually had to deal with more than business wouldn't be any different. I ran my hand over the walls, feeling the cool crystal calm me down. How old was the wall I just touched? As far back as anyone can remember, the Crystal Palace had been here. Since... well, since practically after the mythical freeze. I pulled my hand back, was the freeze really mythical? Who was this woman anyway? I recalled back to our meeting yester-a few weeks before. She had seen me blow up the building, and stand in air, fifty feet up, seemingly unfazed by it all. And that portal she had created... I was in the old city of Denver when the Millennials had first arrived practically on my doorstep, and now I was in Tokyo. I looked at her closely, wondering at her strange appearance. She did not look to be programmed like everyone else of this time. Her hair was a strange mixture of brown and white, almost like a cats fur. Her eyes, I noted, were a deep green. She was very tall, easily towering over my small frame, and yet, she looked so frail and strong at the same time. I grew very confused. Before in my life I had never met anybody who did not follow the programming such as I, people looked the same, and acted almost completely in the same way. I had come across a lot of people in my day, but none who looked so, so... different. Like me. I looked at her stride, my teacher in Grammar once said that you could tell a lot from a person by their walk. She stood in pointed heels-far away from the fashions of today-walking almost clumsily, but still managing to look graceful, as if she was not used to human legs. Her appearance, it seemed to me, was almost, cat like. I sighed, this woman, a cat? I must be going insane. "Welcome," she said finally, opening a door to a vast room. Five heads popped up and looked directly into my eyes, "Who're you?" one asked. "Er..." I scratched my head and laughed, "I'm uh, Serena. Serena Daniels." One with black hair snorted, "Finally, I've been getting a little annoyed over not being able to go anywhere." I raised an eyebrow, "How long have you been here?" "About Five months." She replied. I sat down, dumbfounded, "So long?" "Oh its not that bad," she began, flipping her black hair behind her shoulder, "I've had the other girls to keep me company. Besides, at least I got away from those Millennials." She scrunched her nose. "Now Tarqeq, I believe you owe us an explanation as to why we are here." The oldest woman in the room said, her aqua hair spilling over her shoulders. My captor sighed and replied with an, "I suppose." "I assume you've all heard the Myth of the Golden time just after the Great freeze?" we nodded, "Well, that wasn't a Myth. My Great, Great Grandparents lived during that time, in the 30th century, as the guardians of the First Serenity and her court, they're names were Luna and Artimes. "Back then the Senshi were still around-no, they're not Mythical either. As a matter of fact, the Senshi that lived in that time were the first Senshi since the real Silver Millennium, when the Millennium was on the Moon. But that's another story for another time. They held infinite power, infinite trust, and infinite love for their people, the people of Earth and the Sol System. Back then the Millennials were considered protectors, not tyrants, and were loved by the people. "My Grandmother said that The Neo Queen Serenity was a beautiful person, inside and out. She had long silver hair, held up in the traditional style. She was loved by the people, as was her daughter, Queen Usagi. When they died, the people feared the Empire would turn into the chaos that the world was before the Great Freeze, all was left in the hands of Usagi's daughter, Divinity. "Divinity was wed to Hermes, a man from the bowels of Mercury, as smart as he was quick. It has been said that the beginning of the tyranny was Divinity's wedding to Hermes. Divinity was a happy woman, as was her court, but they were ignorant to the greed of Hermes. Hermes was a mortal, a man with the same human needs as anyone, but he was spoiled. Their children were blinded by an illusion of love from him, and thus started the chain. "Originally, I was the guardian of the Granddaughter of Divinity, Iris. But soon, she came to hate me. I had principals, I was taught to love others more than myself by my own parents, who were taught by the first Serenity. She however, had only been taught greed, and the happiness of wealth. Her court was corrupt, using their Senshi powers for their own gain. I knew that, had they kept them, it would have been the end of all that was good in the galaxy. So I took it away." She shut her eyes painfully and motioned her arm to a doorway to the left, "The most powerful items in the galaxy rest in that room. Hidden under the innards of the Crystal Palace. No one besides you six and I know about that place. I hope it will stay that way until happiness comes to human kind again. "Since that day I have lived in exile, the Millennials knew me as someone who you see now, but that is not who I am. For in truth, I am a cat. Meow." She joked sadly, trying to lighten the mood. "Without me to show them the difference between right and wrong, they began to force themselves onto the people of Earth. Genetic programming made its way in, and the Millennials began to encode in the data that they were all there was, nothing else. That was 500 years ago. Don't look so surprised. In that room, there lies the source of my ability to stay young, what was known, so long ago, as the ginzoushou. I took it away from Iris, she had to much mortal blood in her, she could not use it. Slowly, the life span of the people of this Kingdom resorted back to its originality, normally no more than 100 years of age. That is the true story of the Silver Millenniums, you will not learn that in any Terran textbook." The room drew into a long silence, each of us digesting the information we had all just received. I looked around at the five before me, seeing a uniformed question in all of our eyes. I spoke up silently, afraid to break the serenity of this room. "But, what do you want with us, as well as the Millennials?" Tarqeq sighed, looking away for a few minutes before turning her head back to us, "Do you really want to know right now?" We looked at each other, and nodded. "The Millennials reasoning for this is... far less righteous, I would hope, than my own. They want you for the power that rests inside of you. You see, the Serenity of this age, the Queen of today, is dying. For reasons that even I do not know of. She has proclaimed that any person with a DNA strand of her long forgotten ancestors will be taken and tested to see if they can heal her. Her injuries are vast, and all that can heal her is a person who can use the ginzoushou, for she cannot. She feels that, if a person who can use it is found, then they can call on it, heal her, and then she could use the ginzoushou once more, for whatever purposes she believes in. This, cannot come about. "Throughout the entire Sol System they found few humans who could handle the power, or had the power inside of them. They found nine. I could only save six. The other three are inside the palace now, probably being tortured, tested, and turned into some sort of experiment all to save one horrible person for what to everyone is, the inevitable." "So," said one of the women in the room, "What are we to you?" "In the 20th century nine beings were reincarnated by the power of the ginzoushou of the original Silver Millennium. These nine beings held the most power in the entire Universe, their souls shining brightly with love for all. These nine were the people who started the Newer Silver Millennium of the 30th century. There were... many battles, all fought by Ten soldiers who protected the human race. "When they died, in the 31st Century, it was prophesized that they would come again during a time of great peril, that, their souls, forever untarnished, would hail the beginning of peace once more. This time, in the 85th Century, is a time of great peril. And 15 years ago the last of the Soldiers were born once more. The greatest of them to rise again, it is said, sixteen years after her birth. Please, follow me." She stood up and beckoned us into the room that she said, held the most power in the galaxy. We stood up transfixed, afraid, and walked slowly in. "I know that it will be hard to believe but, I really don't know what else to do. The nine the Millennials found... are the Nine that were said to hail the coming of the new Millennium, the Golden Millennium. Their powers would far exceed their previous reincarnations, needing no transformation into the great Senshi to use them. You six, are six of the original Senshi. And you Serena," I looked up, "Were the first Serenity." I gazed at her in confusion, then wonderment, then realization, then finally, I felt my eyes roll towards the back of my head and I fainted dead away... ..."My weapon is a Frisbee?" I asked sarcastically. "No, not a Frisbee," Tarqeq replied, "A discus. It heats up as it moves, but as it stands your still not ready to handle that much power so you get to practice with this." "A Frisbee." "A Frisbee." "Great. Watch out Millennials, here comes the Frisbee bearer!" Tarqeq sighed resignedly, "Look, just practice, please? When you can hit that target," she pointed to a strange box in the distance, "Maybe then you can use a discus. I have to warn you, this is a lot lighter than the discus you'll be practicing with, so try to throw as hard as you can, but still make the box." I felt like a baby. I lifted up the Frisbee and watched it swerve up into the air then come barreling back at me. I grabbed at it wearily and pulled in a fresh batch of air. My time quickly became: throw, run away from the suddenly possessed Frisbee, get annoyed, try to catch Frisbee, get air. After about 50 minutes of this annoying act, I received a very odd sort of inspiration, "Moon Frisbee!" I yelled, doing a bunch of fancy twists and kicks that seemed... familiar? Was that possible? I watched with amazement as the annoying thing flew quickly through the masses of trees, cardboard buildings, and other miscellaneous objects Tarqeq had put up for training and landed softly in the weird box far away. I walked carefully to the box and looked in slowly, moving my hand in to grab at the wretched toy I threw it again. And watched it whimper and fall five feet in front of me. I walked over, thoroughly frustrated, picked it up, yelled "Moon Frisbee!" and watched with complete confusion as it flew gracefully into the box. "Tarqeq!" I screamed in the solitary room. "Yes?" she inquired, popping up out of nowhere. "I'm confused." She moaned and moved to walk over where I stood, "Look Ms. Daniels-" "And don't call me that, it makes me feel old." She looked at me strangely, then shrugged and picked up the Frisbee, "Ok, you hold it like this and then... what're you doing?" "I know how to do it. But look." I threw the Frisbee annoyed, and watched it fly ten feet up then come barreling down once more. Tarqeq shook her head, "Ms. Daniels, you're-" "Serena." "Serena, you're doing it all wrong!" "Oh really," I raised an eyebrow, "Then look at this, Moon Frisbee!" and I watched with satisfaction as it flew right to the box and landed with a 'plop' inside. "Holy Shi-" the cat-woman looked up, her face red, "Uh, Ms. Anderson, would you please uh, get in here right now?!" "What is it, Tarqeq?" "Scan that Frisbee." The icy woman looked at our mentor strangely, shrugged, pulled out a compact, and got to work. "Uh, it's just a Frisbee." She said finally. "You're sure?" "Quite." She shook her head, brown curls falling around her face, "Alright, fine. Ms. Er, Serena, could you please do that Moon Frisbee thing again?" "Sure." I said softly, picking up the Frisbee once more. "Ms. Anderson, if you would please scan it while it flies?" Ms. Anderson nodded. Yelling "Moon Frisbee!" I watched as the thing flew towards the target. "Holy Shit." The blue haired woman said, astonished. "That's exactly what she said." I told her, pointing towards Tarqeq. "So what you're saying is that when I yell Moon Frisbee some weird nerve is triggered in my mind, sends this crazy flash to the Frisbee, and turns it into some super-discus?" I asked, slurping loudly on some water. Ms. Anderson-whom I had discovered to be called Amy-exchanged glances with the other people in the room, "Pretty Much." "Weird." Amy nodded, "I agree. Now, Tarqeq and I have decided that we are going to-change your training to suit our... findings. If you would please come with me." I sighed and followed her out the door, feeling a strange sinking feeling in my stomach the entire time. I looked around, still feeling as if I was very much in a dream world, I didn't think I could ever believe what Tarqeq said was true. I was not-am not-a Serenity. The Serenity's that my Generation had seen were spoiled, greedy, concerned only with outward appearances. They had turned human kind into some sort of support group, to feed their enormous egos. I had been bitter ever since I was born, for being different, never accepted. I had lived in poverty all my life, my maternal guardians shunned me, threw me out when I was new. I couldn't go to school, I blamed it all on the Serenity's. It was after all, their fault that people treated me this way. If they had never created Genetic Programming, then it wouldn't matter that I was so different, because everyone would be. I felt so... utterly defeated. Being a Serenity would be, pure torture, as if, if I really am, the fates decided to play a cruel game of irony against me. Who would ever want to be one of such people they wholeheartedly dispised? --------------------- I'm working on the next chapter, hopefully you guys'll see it next week, all for a little bit of Mamo-chan, no? (Or rather, a lot of Mamo-chan, but that's besides the point.) Remember people, I love e-mail, you love e-mail, If you e-mail me, judging by the state of my inbox I'll e-mail you back in a sec! Ok? Ok! Koneko "Why are you finding this so difficult?" "My lady, it has been confirmed," rushed in a man, "Tarqeq was seen when the woman, ah, Ms. Serena Daniels, was taken." Deep brown eyes narrowed, "Tarqeq, she is the reason for all this! We would not be in this position were it not for her! I can't believe she is still even alive!" "Your orders, Majesty?" the two men said, bowing. "If you find the missing girls, drug them, and take them here. If you find Tarqeq, kill her." The men bowed and one exited, "Majesty?" "What do you want?" she snapped angrily. "We have found a... man, that has DNA that matches your own." "A man?" she laughed haughtily, "No man can handle the power needed to heal me." "You have two different strands of powerful DNA. The women that have been found all have one type-one that matches with the Silver power. This man found, his matches the golden power." She felt pure happiness and rage rake through my body at the same time, gliding up, she looked out her window into the vastness of her kingdom and said smoothly, "Get him, do whatever it takes. I don't care, I want that man." The man bowed, his silver hair flowing over his neck carefully, "And Kunzite?" "Yes Madam?" he said softly. "Find those missing ladies, and Tarqeq, or I'll have your head." Kunzite nodded, "Oh, and don't start staring at those girls pictures for too long. You're loyalty lies in me, and only me." A strange emotion flickered through his eyes, the man bowed, and left the woman to herself. She looked up at the moon, "I will get the power yet. All of it." --------------------- Corruption - Chapter Two by Koneko Genre: Angst/Romance/uh... action? divinepheonix@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Applies. ------------------------ I opened my eyes wearily, my vision blurring in and out. I looked around at my surroundings in confusion. The Crystal Palace? How had I gotten here? "He's awake?" I heard, a shrill voice. "Yes Madam, he just woke up." "How is that possible? He was supposed to be asleep for another week with all that we gave him!" "I do not know, Majesty." "Well find out, or I'll give you so much drugs you'll be asleep until you rot." I felt my jaw set tightly, who was such a woman, to treat her followers in such a way? I gripped at the covers I was lying in and drooped my eyes. How much sedation had they put into me? I felt... worn, as if I had to learn how to use my body again, I sensed a hatred burn inside of me, a fire that had been growing for far to long. This woman, which my friends and Maternal Guardians had put so much faith in seemed like a Royal Bitch to me, her words, her promises, all for show. By her voice, coming from her and not the viewing tendencies, I sensed greed, control, and an eminent need for power. I was so much unlike everyone, sent to a therapist at a young age-I almost laughed out loud, that therapist was nothing more than a paid child abuser. I tasted blood and stopped my train of thought immediately; there wasn't a need to dwell on such memories. My black bangs fell in front of my eyes, and I put them back quickly, feeling a twinge of apprehension in my stomach. Time to greet the monster. In she came, her long black hair trailing past her feet and in the traditional style of the Serenity's, she stood, her body looking every bit programmed as all the other people in this wretched world, but the difference was the look in her eyes. She didn't look like a slave, a person who had lost so much hope that they had given up everything to serve a person they would never meet, she looked like a Master, one with so much power that they were blind to anything other than gaining more. I set my jaw squarely and met her eyes. "Hello Darien, you're doctor, Zoisite, tells me that you're quite different indeed. Care to explain?" My eyes blazed, "No." She huffed, I could tell she was not used to being said no to, "Come with me." "I'm sorry, I can't do that at the moment." Her fingers traced around my chest and I felt an icy hatred, much worse than original begin to flame inside of me, "And why not?" "I hate to disappoint her majesty," I drawled sarcastically, "But I really am quite nude." Her eyes darkened and I felt her body respond to my statement and press against my own, "Oh, I really don't mind..." she said, her lips inching towards mine. I grabbed her head and whispered darkly in her ear, "Try it and I'll break your neck." Her eyes opened wide with fear and then narrowed quickly in anger, "Jadeite!" she bellowed, "Get this man clothed and bring him to the higher level. You will regret saying that to me, civilian." And she left the room, practically running. A man popped out of nowhere-I assumed him to be Jadeite-murmured a quick "Get these on," looked around at my surroundings enviously, and snarled at me to follow him. What kind of people ruled these Millenniums? I felt a man bump into me harshly and I tightened my fists in an effort to not pummel the man who had so rudely interrupted my walking. "That was Daemon, you'd do best to stay out of his way." Jadeite said warningly, the first seemingly human phrase I heard from him in the few moments since we had met. "Why?" "He's in love with her majesty." "And?" "She doesn't love him." "So what the hell does that have to do with me?" I yelled, my temper on the brink of exploding. Jadeite cocked an eyebrow, "You don't know?" "I've been asleep for who knows how long, how the hell am I supposed to know what's going on here?" "The queen... has taken, quite an interest in you." He said slowly. "Oh?" "The men whom, her Majesty finds attractive... tend to end up in her bed." "Really, so I'm assuming that's where she wants me?" I replied. "You're very blunt, Mr. Shields." "Habit." The icy hatred in my body burned brighter. "Who were your Maternal Guardians?" asked a man in front of me, his face hidden by the shadows cast inside of the room. "What does it matter?" "It matters plenty, boy!" I felt the whip crack down on my back once more and I gritted my teeth in pain. "They're not the real people who conceived me." That stumped him, I watched his stout form as he pondered my answer, oblivious to my escape plans running through my head, I pulled my hands against the invisible force field they were in. "So, then... Who are your real conceivers?" I shot my head up, hatred and hurt blazing in my heart, "I don't know." "You don't lie to me, boy!" I watched with satisfaction as the small plump guard feel to the ground in a heap of smelling skin, "That wasn't a lie." I backed out of the room, my heart racing at the speed of hummingbirds, I could feel panic grip my chest, what if I didn't get out of here? I ran through the hallway, pausing every so often to look and make sure I was not being followed or anyone could see me. This entire escape just seemed... to easy. I felt my stomach become queasy, lurching to the left, I stopped at an unfamiliar door. And listened. "Have they found out anything yet?" came a feminine voice through the walls. "No, my Queen, he refuses to cooperate." "Oh really? Interesting," I heard a shuffling in the room, "I want that man, I want to know everything about him. My recovery depends on him." I smiled sadistically, a weakness. And in came the brigades, "Stop, in the name of the Queen!" "Oh, shut up." I said easily, turning around. And ran straight into the Queen and her pampered pet, Daemon. "Oh shit." I said colorfully. Daemon turned his mouth upwards in what I supposed was some sort of an attempt at a smile, "Most definitely." And everything went black. I woke up and noticed the throbbing pain in my skull first, and then the absence of clothes once more. Obviously I hadn't gotten out of this hellhole yet. Damn. I turned my head around gingerly, wanting this strange feeling to go away. I had never gotten a headache in my life. I had never actually been sick in my life, but then again, no one was anymore. A glance in a mirror to the left of me confirmed my suspicions. That jackass Daemon had given me a black eye and had knocked me unconscious. I growled in the pit of my throat. Why did it seem that everyone here had it out for me? The queen obviously wanted me for some kind of whore, that Jadeite man had seemed apparently rude, I gingerly touched my back, whoever was in charge wanted a lot of information from me, and, running a hand over my black eye, Daemon was a man to be reconciled with. I sighed. My door opened slightly and I saw a bit of white hair peek through, I raised an eyebrow, who was this? Another arch enemy? But in this person came, a male-I think-and a very tall and strong looking one at that. Whoever he was, he looked vaguely uncomfortable and I wondered if he had sneaked in here. "Hi," he said in an odd voice for a male, I shrugged it off, "I'm Haruka. I've come to... talk to you about some things." I looked at him strangely, "Really? Tell me, could you had me those pants?" Shrugging the man handed them to me and blushed when he saw me get up and put them on. As if that wasn't weird in itself he turned around. Normally guys weren't afraid of showing off their bodies because they all pretty much looked alike. But then again, it seemed that he wasn't really programmed. "You decent?" he asked. "I'd like to think so. So what did you have to disturb my wonderfully throbbing headache for?" "I have a, uh, mate, and she has been trying to contact me in order to tell everyone who is stuck in this piece of shit that they're trying to get us out, but it might take awhile." "What?" "Look, I don't know if you like it here or not, but I certainly don't, and I'm taking one hell of a risk talking to you. So if you don't like it then I believe you can go blow shit out of your nostrils." "That was graphic." "Thank you. Now, my mate has informed me that they have six of the people safe with them. The other four are here. That's you, me, Makoto, and a girl named Hotaru. You'll probably meet them later, although I'm really not sure what the queen wants with you, the Millennials said she only wanted females." He shrugged. "So what're we supposed to do till they come and whisk us away?" "Act normal." I rolled my eyes, "Wonderful." "Try to comply with what the Queen says." I looked him in the eyes coldly, "Not a chance." "You'll endanger our entire mission and-" I interrupted him quickly and efficiently. "Listen, there is no way in hell I'll comply with anything the Queen says. She's a bitch of a queen and you know it. And I'm not ending up in her bed, I hope you haven't been there." The man laughed, "Christ, I forgot how much I looked like a male sometimes." "What?" "I'm a woman." She tightened her shirt and I felt my cheeks go red, she laughed, "I'll leave you alone now. And just for your benefit, we're expected in the servants kitchen in about an hour. You can figure out where it is by yourself." She smirked once more and left. The only male on this 'mission', how wonderfully sexist. "We'll need a blood sample," Hell no, "A tissue sample," try again, jackass, "A bile sample," not if I can help it, "And a reproductive sample." "Well," I drawled, "You certainly need a lot of samples. Tell me, what exactly ARE these procedures?" "We are going to be injecting a certain type of drug into your system to take the samples while you are temporarily subconscious, you will wake up once your done and nothing will be wrong with your body at all." I looked at the others warily, "And what exactly is this drug called and how much will be administered." "A very long time ago it was called cocaine, and we will be putting about four tablespoons of its powder into your system." "And what if I refuse?" "Refuse?" he asked slowly, obviously not expecting this response. "You know, say no, drop dead, not going to happen, no way." "But... the Queen, she has ordered--" "It's not going to happen, now if you will excuse me, I'm going to my room." I walked brusquely through the corridors, not even realizing that I didn't know where my room was, let alone everything else, as I had been escorted to the servants quarters and not really paid attention. Needless to say, I quickly got lost. I wouldn't consider myself lost, however, (AN: Enter, Male Ego) I knew exactly where I was. I was in the Crystal Palace, and I was going to my quarters. I really wasn't lost. I took a right and looked around, I've never been here before. I felt my heart press against my chest as I continued to walk, a sign that my body was getting antsy for reasons that I could not figure out. There was no one in the hallways-a sure indication that I was far from civilization as far as I was concerned, the Crystal Palace extended for miles all around, it might even go underground. I stopped my musings the instant I fell back onto the ground. Looking at the person I had just ran into I felt my breath grow ragged as I looked onto her small form. Her. She was different, like the handful of other people I had met in my stay here which I could count on my fingers. Her hair was long and golden, spun in a way that is shone in even the darkness of these corridors. I looked into sparkling aqua eyes and I felt myself begin to fall away. I had never met anyone more beautiful. True, almost all of the females on Terra and the surrounding planets looked mostly the same-a change of height, weight, and face shape for variance-but this slip of a girl (she was a slip, I doubt if she would come to my chin) happened to have the most beautiful body I had ever seen. After a brief delay in which we were inspecting each other, she immediately began to apologize. "I really am sorry! I didn't mean to bump into you, I was just training and suddenly I ended up here, and you were here, and we collided, and oh, I'm so sorry!" I watched her with an amused eye as she continued to ramble on and on about how she was so terribly sorry for endangering my life-I really don't know how that one got in there-and how it would never ever happen again and that it really wasn't her fault but an anonymous person whose name, I deducted, to be Ami. But I really wasn't listening to her, as rude as it was. I was just looking into her gorgeous blue orbs and watching how when her expression changed how her eyes would squint up or widen or fall or lower, and it just got to me. I watched her cheeks which wore a lovely blush that refused to leave (which made her all the more attractive, in my opinion) her delectable peach face, and finally my graze strayed down to her lips. They were still moving, slower now, and I could see her tongue tip against the top of her mouth and flit towards her teeth as she talked, I felt her gaze on my as I just stared at those cherry filled treats... I was jolted back to reality when her hand fell in front of my face in an effort to help me up, taking it politely I felt a shiver run through my hide from the small contact. She looked at me waiting for a reply-raking through my mind for a suitable answer I let my mouth do its own work. A completely idiotic thing to do on my part. "So do you make it a habit to run into a passively moving person?" I almost slapped myself up the head. Her mouth dropped incredulously, "Excuse me?" I had dug myself in this deep, who the hell was I to stop my ego from working? "Well, you slammed into me with a weight of a sledge train, I was wondering what the heck you had against me." "Did you not here one word of my apology?" "I didn't hear much of an explanation." "Well that was because you weren't paying attention!" "Hey, don't go and blame me for your rambling, twinkie." Whatever the hell possessed me to call her that be damned for life. "Twinkie? Twinkie! What the hell is your problem asshole, Criminy, I apologized for Serene's sake?!" "Shut up, Twinkie." "My names not twinkie," she shot her chin in the air, "It's Serenity." I promptly choked on the air I was currently inhaling. The girl just turned around, and shot over her shoulder, "Serves you right!" I mustered up every last drop of anger I had at her and ran at her retreating body, feeling an extreme sense of... purpose to capture her and trap her in my arms. Which was precisely what I was *not* going to do. I really hate arguing with myself. It was a pretty good thing that this woman knew how to run quickly, or I would have ran into her. I didn't know where we were going, and apparently neither did she for she just took turn after turn and soon we were going in circles. I sped up drastically and grabbed hold of her waist, pulling her to me and taking in around five minutes of deep breaths. She stood stiff at first, then slowly relaxed and grasped at my shirt with her own tiny fists to catch her breath. "Now," I said finally, "What's this about your name being Serenity?" She blushed becomingly, "Well, actually, it's Serena, but Tarqeq says that-" "Serena!" came a voice from a hole that had suddenly formed to the left of us, "Get away from him, he could be a servant of the Queens!" I turned my head to the area where the voice was coming from and saw a flaming black haired girl begin to stomp after the girl in my arms. She quickly hid behind my back. "He's harmless, Rei," I felt another blow to my ego, harmless? Me? "Besides, I could have beat him up if I wanted too." She squeaked. "Sure," the alleged Rei replied, rolling her eyes, "Like you would want to destroy a body like that. Now come on, Tarqeq's going to blow a gasket if we don't get you back safe, Ami's been trying to calm her down by telling her that there was only you-and not two people like she originally said." She shot me a look. "Alright," Serena said resignedly, "But I really didn't mean to get here! Ami was just making me do something that I didn't quite understand!" "Fine," Rei told her, shaking her head in a sympathetic look, "Just come on." She shot me a warning glance, "You had better stay where you are." I nodded my head, thinking all the while, Like Hell. Serena looked at me apologetically and then stepped through the hole after her friend. I shrugged, what could I loose? She was pretty-hell, beautiful, but that was besides the point-I'd probably have a chance at getting out of this hell hole, which meant in essence getting away from that damned Queen and her Daemon. But, where would I go, I'd be taking one hell of a risk by following her into that hole-which was shrinking ever so slowly. I looked back to where I came, what does it matter? I probably would never be able to find my way back into the actual used rooms of the Crystal Palace anyway. Gathering a bunch of energy, I ran and jumped into the hole in the wall... ...and fell backwards again when my head hit with the wall of the palace. I cursed and touched the place where I ran into it and sighed. Figures, the only girl I ever find interesting was probably just a figment of my imagination. I promptly began trying to find the way out. "What do you mean you lost him, you imbecile? Jesus, the man has one of the most recognized faces in the Sol System now, and you lost him inside of my own home, he still is in the palace, right?" The doctor looked around nervously, "Yes, your majesty." "Good," the Queen sighed melodramatically and walked towards her window, "You know, with all your incompetence it's a wonder why I keep you around. And you know, you really are using up perfectly good oxygen." She flicked her wrist and the man's eyes rolled in back of his head and he rapidly fell to the ground. She let a twist of a smile graze her face before calling for a servant to come and remove him from her quarters. "Daemon," she began wickedly, "Come here, her majesty needs... entertaining." I gritted my teeth against the pain of the whip on my already sore back from my beating a couple weeks before. I really didn't understand the need for this barbaric ritual of torturing to try and force obedience, you'd think that the people in power would realized it just made the civilians all the more aggressive. Or at least me. My thoughts drifted back to the young woman I ran into in the hall. She certainly was a looker, too bad she probably didn't even exist, and if she did, too bad her friend had to show up. I remembered the feeling of her in my arms quite well, her warm body pressed against mine and soft silky hair tickling my arms. An experience I would definitely like to feel again. I looked around at the small room that in older times probably held laughter, but was now a room for complete incompetence. The whip cracked against my back once more and I felt my vision begin to blur, black spots crowded around my eyes and I struggled to keep consciousness. I knew then that if I were to loose myself who knows what they would do to me. Probably reprogram me to try and make me more obedient to her majesty, the ever-gracious Queen. I stiffened in response to that thought, to take away my identity would be, completely wrong. If only things could be like the myths that were created so long ago. A beautiful and kind ruler with silvery blond hair, the first Serenity with her husband-what was his name? Endydillon?-Oh I don't know, the tale is so old. She gave birth to the child Usagi, who married, Hermes? No that was her child, uh, Divine? Who married Hermes. Trying to recall the Myth kept myself occupied for the remainder of the beating, my mind off the pain, it was almost bearable. Almost. I managed to stay awake, which was a victory in itself, but upon stumbling into my room, I quickly fainted. I awoke to scrambling around in my chambers, tensing immediately I listened, trying not to move other than slow careful breathing. Which, if you've ever been in such a situation, is very hard to do. I heard-two, no three female voices. One, whom I recognized to be Haruka, the manly woman. The other two seemed, familiar, at best, but I couldn't place who they were. "Do you think he's awake yet?" bellowed one. "He should be, I healed him as best I could, but the Queens punishment was stubborn." Squeaked a silent one. That jolted me up, I watched their surprised faces and smiled sarcastically, "Oh, you three. I was afraid it was someone important." "Hey!" yelled a brunette, "She just saved your life!" I raised an eyebrow and replied skeptically to the young child, "Really, well, thank you." "Enough of this," Haruka began impatiently, "Look Darien, I understand that meeting-uh Serena-was kind of a jolt, but you really shouldn't have talked to her! You've messed up our entire equilibrium!" "What?" Haruka rolled her eyes and sat down, "Look, I don't know if she told you, but her real name is Serenity. No one is really supposed to know that. When she met you she had just been in a couple weeks of training for her alias, Sailormoon." "Hold on, Sailormoon? I thought the Senshi were dead." "They are, but there are new ones now. However, that's not the point. The point is, she was not supposed to come into contact with you." "And why not?" I questioned. "Look, a really long time ago, according to my mate, you and Serena were really, kinda chummy. As a matter of fact, you two were married." "Wait a sec, if I was married to the first Serenity, would that make me the King of Earth?" "Men, always power hungry," she said haughtily but continued, "Yes, you were the King of Earth. Were. Now stop interrupting me, there is a reason why I'm risking the lives of my comrades here to tell you to keep your pretty little hide away from Serena." "Really? And why would that be, if I was married to her, then what harm could it do?" "When she saw you it began to trigger a lot of reactions, memories she really was not ready for. Her mind has gone into overdrive trying to sort out all of this new information you sent her by just seeing her, and Jesus, why the hell did you have to grab onto her?" "Look," I said annoyingly, "I didn't mean to, she was making me mad." "So, the only reason for this mission is to stop the Serenity of this time. And because of you our light of hope in the dark tunnel ahead is in a coma." "A-a, coma?" I stammered. "No, she's just sleeping for a really long time. Yes a coma you bastard. And its your fault! What are we going to do now? Just sit around and wait for her to wake up while the Queen pokes needles and tries experiments on us? So, I warn you, stay away from her. For yours, and for her own good." And she walked away, the little one in tow. The brunette turned around and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry Darien, Haruka can be a little sarcastic when she's stressed out. She's just worried about Serena. Don't worry, ok? I'm sure she'll be fine and you and her will be back to making out, just like the good old times." "Good old times?" She sighed and shut the door, "Listen, no one really knows this. But I have my memories, from the 20th and 30th century." "And?" "Well, that would give me an advantage over practically every other person in this planet, plus it tells me who you really are that Tarqeq would rather not have you know just yet." "Who might this be?" "The protector of Sailormoon, Tuxedo Mask." "What kind of dorky name is that?" "Fine cape-boy, just listen. I don't think its bad of you to go see Serena. Let me tell you a bit about this guy. Oh, he was a looker. But totally cliché, please, don't go all mushy on us with corny speeches at any point after you transform. You could throw roses-" "Roses? Oh, how masculine." "Shut up and listen, it was incredibly romantic. But, you also had this thing. Before you knew that you were Tuxedo Mask you really couldn't know when Serena was endangered, so, whenever she transforms you got this-headache thing-and would know where she was and exactly how to get there. Now I've got an insider working to help her transform. I'm just telling you so you'll be prepared." "Really, and when is this going to happen?" "About now." I felt excruciating pain run through every pore in my body and I collapsed onto the floor in a heap of clothes and blankets. Pushing my hand against my head I screamed, "Make it stop!!!!" ------------------- AN's: I'd like to thank Anne Liu, Kimmy, and Horvath for e-mailing me about the prologue and Chapter One, I really appreciated it. Just telling you guys out there, if you e-mail me questions about "Corruption," you'll probably get them answered. Plus, for everyone who e-mails me I give out a secret for the next chapter. I know, bribing is bad, but who cares? I want everyone to e-mail me! Three mails may have gotten me working on Thursday night at midnight to finish this chapter but... I don't know what I'll do for Chapter four if I don't get some inspiration from you guys! Heart felt plea, please give me e-mail! Even a sentance saying: "Hi, Your story Corruption was pretty good." or maybe even, "Hey, I think Corruption sucked, try and put a little more conversation in." Koneko divinepheonix@hotmail.com "What the hell do you want to wake me up so early in the damn morning?" The Queen said, her brown eyes flashing angrily in the dark night. "I'm sorry, but we just got a flash of two very strong powers on the computer that have emanated from inside the crystal palace." "What?" she replied, breathless. "Majesty, two of the Senshi are... transforming." A sadistic grin grew on her face, "Find them, capture them, and bring them to me, now." "Majesty?" She turned around, her face expressionless. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you doing this?" She flicked her wrist and watched with satisfaction as the mans body fell to the floor, "I do mind." --------------------- Corruption - Chapter Three by Koneko Genre: Angst/Romance/uh... action? divinepheonix@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Applies. ------------------------ "So do you make it a habit to run into a passively moving person?" I felt my mouth drop to nearly the floor and spoke in an incredulous tone, "Excuse me? " "Well, you slammed into me with a weight of a sledge train, I was wondering what the heck you had against me." He replied arrogantly. "Did you not here one word of my apology?" "I didn't hear much of an explanation." "Well that was because you weren't paying attention!" "Hey, don't go and blame me for your rambling, twinkie." My temper flared to life in an instant. The bastard! Comparing me to... what is a twinkie anyway? Oh well, no matter, probably something evil and sadistic and having to do with my hair. Something like Odango Attama or something. Odango Attama? What language is that in? "Twinkie? Twinkie! What the hell is your problem asshole, Criminy, I apologized for Serene's sake?!" I told him quickly. "Shut up, Twinkie." "My names not twinkie," I shot my chin in the air, "It's Serenity." That should teach him, I felt a smile curve my lips as I imagined his reaction to that little piece of information. It was all that I could do to keep from falling on the floor in pits of laughter. Reminds me of when he found out that I was Sailormoon. Wait, I've never even met him before, right? Well, I've got to keep up this sparing match, "Serves you right!" I ran in every direction I could as fast as I can, trying to get away from him. I don't know why, I just felt some sort of impending doom if I let him catch me. As if my entire life would change should his hand fall to my waist. I really don't think that such a thing could happen, could it? Most certainly not, I confirmed to myself as I turned another corner, whoever heard of ones live changing by one touch? Then again, whoever heard of a man with such rippling muscles? I shook my head to rid it of such thoughts. Jesus, this person-have I caught his name yet-was putting way to many silly ideas into my head. I have enough to worry about, I don't need some hottie coming into my life and making me get a little crush on him. I must not have been paying attention, really, because, how could he have caught up with me otherwise. Where am I anyway? And why the hell are his arms around me? "Now," he said finally, "What's this about your name being Serenity?" I felt my cheeks turn a hot red, that really was rude of me, scaring like that, "Well, actually, it's Serena, but Tarqeq says that-" "Serena!" came a voice from a hole that had suddenly formed to the left of us, "Get away from him, he could be a servant of the Queens!" I moved my head at the sound of Rei's voice and cowered behind the man as I watched steam billow out of her ears and the walls melt around her in her wake. She really could be quite intimidating sometimes. "He's harmless, Rei," I squeaked, trying to mold myself into his body to keep from the flaming monster, "Besides, I could have beat him up if I wanted too." "Sure," the black haired woman replied, rolling her eyes, "Like you would want to destroy a body like that. Now come on, Tarqeq's going to blow a gasket if we don't get you back safe, Ami's been trying to calm her down by telling her that there was only you-and not two people like she originally said." She shot the man a look. "Alright," I told her with a sigh, "But I really didn't mean to get here! Ami was just making me do something that I didn't quite understand!" "Fine," Rei told me, shaking her head in a sympathetic look, "Just come on. You had better stay where you are." I looked at the man apologetically and remembered I never really had caught his name. I followed my 'friend' into the hole she had appeared out of slowly, wondering how I had gone from annoyed to forlorn in an amount of moments. Men, they always get the worst out of woman. But this one, he seemed different. God, there's something about his eyes that just makes me want to hold him in my arms forever. He is so very beautiful, if only I knew his name... I felt the wind circle around my as Rei tried to pummel through the recesses of the warp, it whispered in my ear and I closed my eyes as a faraway voice whispered Mamo-chan into my ear. "Mamo-chan..." I yearned, holding my hand close to my heart. Is that it name? Can it really be? It has to be, it sounds so much like him, my protector. Oh, if only that could be his name. Why am I wanting it to be so? Why is it so important that his name be, Mamoru? Could it have something to do with my past lives... Serenity. As far as Tarqeq has told me, the first Serenity was married to a man called Endymion. His name is not Mamoru. I felt an overwhelming sense of confusion rake through my body as my heart pulled for the two men. I fell to my knees, feeling nothing around me, and nothing holding me. Just confusion. What the hell is going on? Where am I anyway? I should be back in the station with Tarqeq, training. Why am I in the black void? Has something happened to me? Has the Queen found us? The great hand of loneliness grasped onto my heart and I struggled to form breaths. My body was sluggish, hardly moving, all around me there was only darkness. Darkness, closing in on me, my head was pounding, my feet tingling, my hands tried to grasp at nothingness and my eyes saw nothingness. I heard yelling in my ears, thousands of dying voices, crying children, crying mothers, beaten fathers, soulless babies with soulless eyes, and a dying earth wanting to save its children. I clutched my hands to my head, willing the voices, the pain, to just go away. I must be going insane. I saw the pain on everyone's heart, haunting visions of complete purgatory. I saw the power in the eyes of the beauty who rules. I saw the greed in the heart of her conceivers. I saw the beginning of a great empire, to fall when the wrong mate got mixed in the bunch. And those eyes. I saw those damned blue eyes, mixed with loving care and annoyance. Staring at me and whispering, "Usako," into my ears and filling me with extreme regret. Those same eyes that stared into me so long ago, and yet what only seemed like a few seconds before I came into this hellhole. I reached out to touch him, yearning to feel his warm hands pressed into my own. I pulled out nothing but air and I let out a long piercing scream... ...I jolted up out of whatever it was I was lying on, first realizing that I was no longer in that black abyss, and secondly realizing that there were two warm hands on my shoulders, and finally realizing that I must not be the only person in wherever I was. My eyes first came in contact with a pair of masked ones. Sweet and worried sea blue eyes gazed into my own, searching for some sort of recognition. I was paralyzed from his gaze, feeling my heart beating at a rapid pace and his hands making comforting motions against my shoulders. He placed me back onto the crystal bed I was lying on and kissed my forehead slowly before backing away to show me the other presence. "Minako..? Oh, wait, Mina? Is that you?" Her response was a smile-or at least half of one-and a nod. "How did I get here? Oh god, I can barely think..." Mina walked towards me, her blond hair swishing behind her, she returned my stare softly, "You've been in a coma. Tarqeq didn't know how to get you out, but Lita and I thought you transforming would be the only way. The others were against it all the way." "Lita?" "Uh... Marot, Makoto?" "Oh. Lita, right. So... I'm Sailormoon right now?" I asked slowly, still not knowing who this Lita person was, but having Makoto sounding familiar just made me totally jumpy. "Yes." "And where am I?" "Your in the main temple of Worship for Selene. I don't think Tarqeq would ever suspect you being in here. And the way to get here is a secret guarded by the only people who know it. The Senshi." "So how did you know how to get here?" "I have my memories. Darien followed your soul link to find his way here. I don't think he's recovered his memories yet." "Darien?" She motioned to the figure standing in the corner, the man who I had seen when I had first awoken. Him and his hauntingly beautiful eyes. I nodded, "How did I get into a coma?" "You met Darien yesterday. He called you twinkie. But that really wasn't the first time you've met him, the first time you saw him was on the moon, over Nine Thousand years ago, then once more on Earth, in Tokyo, when you were first becoming Sailormoon, in the 20th Century. And then once more, yesterday, in you're accidental meeting. That was why you went comatose, your brain received to many... memories from seeing him. It happened to fast, your brain needed time to sort out." "Then why wake me up? I don't think it was done yet." She turned to me, her sky blue eyes looking sad and forlorn, "We need your help." "What?" "Tarqeq doesn't know what she's doing. Her intentions are good, but we can't wait as long as she wants to to save everyone. We need them, now, before the Queens corruption can corrupt the rest of us. And, I can't do it by myself." "Why not?" She looked away miserably, "I can't transform." "Oh. So what are we doing?" "We're going to get Haruka, Lita, and Hotaru from the Millennials clutches." "When?" "Tonight." "Why so soon?" Darien answered this one, his silky voice weaving its way through my body and into my heart, "The Queen is trying to find weaknesses in the people she has, she's trying to find out where the rest of you are. Besides, I think that they could find us with the energy output we used to transform, so they could be pounding at the door any second. She may start reprogramming the other three." My mouth formed an "O" and I pulled in a quick breath, I've never met any of these people before-Have I?-but I know that without them, we're probably lost. I nodded my consent. "What's the plan?" I inquired. "It's pretty simple. Mina goes in first because she knows how to open a warp hole, She'll clear the hallway, and then after five minutes we'll go in and grab the girls. You're job is to defend us against the queen and her mercenaries." "How will I do that?" Darien flinched but replied anyway, "You'll have to use the ginzoushou." "What's wrong with that?" "It hasn't been used in centuries, we don't know what kind of power has built up in it since then. It could be like a bomb waiting to explode. We can only hope that you'll be able to harness its abilities as Sailormoon." I nodded stiffly, the full meaning to this mission just beginning to dawn on me. "Alright," I said finally, "I want a little more detail then that, and then lets get going." I waited impatiently in the prayer room as Mina jumped through the warp hole she had created just a few minutes before. I looked over at my partner-in-crime, the man in black waiting in as much anticipation as I to my left. Apprehension burned in my core. Silence dragged throughout the room, tension crackling the air with lightning as it went, blue staring into blue. I shook my head relentlessly. This man-no matter how much he reminded me of whatever Mamo-chan character my mind was trying to create for me-was not anyone that should be making these kinds of stirrings in my stomach. Especially not now. Mina had told me that I needed all of my concentration to do whatever it was she had wanted me too. She said that the first time I had used the ginzoushou, I wasn't trained for it. She told me that if I followed my emotions, the ginzoushou would work. It seemed easy enough. At first, but then, damn that man, that Darien had to get caught up in the mess. Him and his perfect blue eyes. He was everything I had wanted in a man since I was younger, graceful, beautiful, strong, he *seemed* kind, but there was something about him that pulled to much of want into me. And that scared the hell out of me. "The hallways clear, c'mon you two, we have our work cut out for us." Mina said, jolting me out of my reverie. I nodded, my mind blanking out for a minute or two before realizing that I had to get moving. I followed Darien into the hallway. As soon as my foot landed onto the coldness of the Crystal Palace's floor I sighed against the wall and felt my stomach knot more. Something was very wrong. I bent down low and swept into the rights and lefts that Tuxedo Mask had taken, the antsy feeling growing stronger. My fingers tingled, and the ginzoushou on my neck was as hot as a coal. I looked around, the area was silent. Not a person to be seen. This was, of course, to be expected because, for one, Venus had said that she had cleared the hallways, and second, it was around the time everyone should be asleep. But still, the persistent nagging in my gut continued throughout all of my efforts to quiet it. I really didn't know what it was, but something just felt amiss. Where was the distant sound of snoring? The click of my heels against the floor? My labored breathing? I shrugged the thoughts away and followed. Scolding myself for thinking pessimistically. I had always believed that if you thought good things, then things would turn out for the best. There was no reason for that to stop now. With these sort of thoughts we would never get anywhere. I pulled in a deep breath and resumed worrying. "Mina!" came a hissed voice in the corner. I turned my head, feeling the ginzoushou pulse brightly. She turned, her fighting stance ready for anything, but then her shoulders dropped in relief as she saw a brunette come out of hiding. "Lita." Darien nodded, continuing on. "C'mon," I said silently, "We still have to more people to save." We walked on, taking a right turn here and a left turn there. There were to many forks in the "road" to count. It's a wonder this place ever got built. The ceiling rose high above me, promising a glorious view in the windows above. Where one could see the blue skies, green grass, children laughing, people talking... What was I talking about? That wasn't what this world looked like-nor any other world for that matter-and how would I know what it was like up there? I've never been there before, had I? And that thought brought me to a former dilemma. Tarqeq had said that I was the first Serenity, which would explain how I knew what things looked like... but, being a Serenity? It was a thought that did not goad well with my stomach. And the first Serenity, no less, the woman who started this half hazard idea and practically created the tyranny in which the people lived in today. I sighed and continued doting. It really wasn't her fault, she probably didn't want anything like this to happen. She was already dead by the time Divinity was wed to Hermes, how could she have known the way this would have played out? But what if she did? What if she wanted only her line to experience power? What if she was that greedy? If I really was, er, am, a Serenity, would I become like that too? "What the hell do you three think you're doing here?" came a colorful set of words to grit me out of my feelings once more. I removed my head from the floor I was looking at and looked up. And up. And up once more, to finally get o glimpse of Amber eyes hidden behind silky white locks. I sighed. Are we saving this person from the Queen, or are we saving the Queen from him. "Haruka." Darien said gruffly. "Sorry," I apologized, "He has a thing for one word sentences tonight." Haruka didn't budge. Her eyes carried over my form and whispered seriously, "I thought you were in a coma." I was about to speak when Mina interjected, "She was, but we need you guys, so Lita and I speeded up the process a bit by getting her to transform, and got her out of the coma and those memories for awhile." "So what do you think you can do coming in here and messing up the perfectly planned schedule Tarqeq had just to suit what you need?" "Shut up, Haruka. We're already here so you might as well come with us and stop arguing. Now where's Hotaru?" The white haired woman opened her mouth, then closed it, and grimaced, "With the Queen." "What?!" was my shocked word. "Her majesty," she drawled, "Found out that the little one could heal after she fixed Cape-boys black eye when Daemon punched him out. She wants a Uterus and she wants a child. And she thinks that maybe Hotaru can heal her." "Shit." Was another one of the one syllable words coming out of Darien's mouth tonight. "Agreed. She's on the next floor. Lets go." And we were moving along again. But we were stopped when we ran into a bunch of Millennials turning the corner we were about to go into. The myriad of soldiers closed in on us, there were to many! I knew that we couldn't get out of this without getting everyone captured. I had to do something. The ginzoushou on my neck pulsated without me noticing. Gods, they were trying to get the team, to save the world! This sounds to much like a fairy tale, but hell if it was. If only I could do something, anything! Damn Tarqeq, she had never taught me how to use a warp, and Minako was to into defending herself to try and create one. When a bright light flashed and blinded everyone but me to the ground and sent Minako and the others back to Tarqeq, I knew I had done something. Something big. And it had a lot to do with the chunk of gem hanging on my neck. I really didn't know how I had done it, but I knew that whatever the heck I had done it was powerful. And I didn't want anyone-not even me-controlling that power. I sent a short wish to it, wishing that it could find something safe to reside in, until I would call on its power again. And it flew away. I fell to the floor, my energy draining away from my body. My eyes were partially opened, and I watched the action around me in a discarded way. My body felt-heavy, suppressed. And very, very tired. I pulled at the remains of my strength fighting, trying as hard as I could to stay awake, to keep out of the clutches of her Majesty's minions; my vision blurred and I felt a small tinge of a headache to come. I hope the others got back ok. But knowing me, they didn't. I probably messed up this entire thing. I've never used that stupid stone before; it wasn't my fault! I knew though, as I felt my body being lifted not on its own, that it was my fault. Things were always my fault. It was my fault I messed up Ami's directions and got sent straight into Darien. It was my fault that I had to goad him into grabbing me. And inevitably, it was my fault that I had to fall into a coma, and to get me out, Mina had to make me transform. And it was my fault I messed up, and the others will probably never be safe, and I'm stuck-wherever I am. I began to feel my body pull more into the recesses of itself, to try and keep together what I still have, and pull back in what I had lost. Black clouds faded my vision, my entire body felt numb. If I was asleep, I couldn't tell. I couldn't feel anything. Which was a strange thing to feel. I felt a sharp pain on my cheek which alerted me that no, I was not asleep, and yes, I could feel things. Things like a slap. "Wake up," came a hate-filled voice, "You know, you've caused more trouble in the past two years then in the past to millenniums. I should kill you. But your just to important for that. Open your eyes." My body shifted upward, pulled by a strength that should not be, nails bit through my clothes and onto my skin. Peach pores bled. She took a hold of my chin and grabbed at it till I could feel it at the brink of breaking and repeated, "Open your eyes." I did, and saw nothing but darkness. However, it seemed to satisfy her. "Now," she said evilly, "Where's the ginzoushou." "I don't know." "Yes you do! I saw you using it, either you tell me where it is, right now, or I'll kill your entire group of friends." ---------------- AN: ::dodges the flying tomatoes, roses, mamo-chan cookies (curtesy of Kawaii-chan) thrown at the author:: Hey! It's not THAT bad of a cliffhanger, is it? And I'm so sorry! I really meant to get Chapter Four out with this one... but I was REALLY tired last night. Besides, this twist in the plotline was a good one, I'd like to think. Everyone, thank my muses, all the people who e-mailed me and inspired me to write more! First, my brand new best bud, Kawaiiluv! (Also known as Kawaii-chan, but that's besides the point) The Rose Society, Meredith Bronwen Mallory-sama (go read her stories! They're awesome!), Blue Angel, Lunar Bard, and last (but not least!) Hannah! I got lots of inspiration from those six people, and the other four that e-mailed me last week! Become a Mythical Muse! E-mail Koneko and give inspiration! Anyway, Be prepared for some surprises next week! Will the Queen find out where Serena's friends are? Will Darien get his memories? Will Koneko actually figure out what his past is? Will we find an answer to the eternal question: "Which is better, Milk Chocolate, or White Chocolate?"? Will Koneko ever get a life, or maybe more e-mails? Stay tuned for the exciting continuance of: ::trumpets blare and that weird male voice that they use in movies says:: "Corruption!!!:: A woman clenched her fists menacingly, cursing at her bad luck, "Fool, get in here!" "Yes Majesty?" said a woman immediately, her blond hair curling over her back as she stood. "Update me." "The Senshi grow tense. Tuxedo Mask is dropping his guard over worry for Sailormoon. They all are." "Good," she purred, her recent anger fading, "And Fool?" "Yes?" "Take out that disgusting red bow in your hair." Her face contorted in an unseen act of sadness and defiance, but returned to its look of servitude without disrupting the mood of the tyrant before her, "Yes, My Queen." ------------------------ Corruption - Chapter Four by Koneko Genre: Angst/Romance/uh... action? divinepheonix@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Applies. ------------------------ "Goddammit what the hell were you three idiots thinking?" Haruka screamed, her anger backed up fully by Raye. I looked back, and forth. And back, and forth, my soul wrenching in the fact that yes, they were right, yes, Serena is gone, and yes, it was all my freaking fault. Ever since we had been sent back by Serena, all six of them had been lecturing, Lita, Mina and I about how stupid it was to go and try to save the others. I knew it, and the others knew it, and we all knew that they just needed something to vent out their frustration on. Makes me wonder what the hell I'm going to vent my frustration on. I don't know any of these people. Their all strangers to me, and supposedly, I used to be a freaking King, that they were sworn to protect, and with all this you'd think that I was supposed to serve them, instead of the other way around. It didn't matter much either way, Serena was gone, and I guess that it was my fault. I should have fought more! I should have been more relentless, more careful. I had known something was wrong as soon as I walked through that portal that Mina had made. My eyes flitted over the crowd. The three of us "traitors" were all deep in thought. I hadn't said a word, I didn't want to say a word. I was afraid what my voice would display to them. It would show them that yes, I was afraid. Afraid I'd never get her back. I suppose it was the first time I saw her. I don't know what happened, but something inside of me just clicked. My mind, my heart, went into overdrive. When I ran into her, I couldn't feel my fingers, and my insides tingled like they were asleep. I didn't even know who the hell she was, or how much she would change my life, but God, I'd give anything to have that feeling again. Of her in my arms, clinging to my body as if, as if if she were to let go she'd be letting go of her life. I want to feel that again. Maybe I'm selfish. Part of the reason-I admit-for loving that feeling was that I'd never felt it before. I had felt her need, her need for me. I don't know how I did it, but I did. And that first time, that first time she transformed, I touched her, the real her. Her inside, god, and she's so beautiful. I felt tears prick my eyes and I blinked rapidly before any could fall. Hearing the silence in the room, I realized that the others were waiting for somebody on our side to say something. I got up and looked at them all coldly, "Stop lecturing us," I told them, "Christ, we should be working on getting her back instead of biting each others head of, we need to get both of them, or have you forgot Hotaru? Look at yourselves, listen to yourselves, stop drowning in sorrow so that we can get them here. With us." The others looked around-more or less-embarrassed. "Darien is right." Tarqeq said slowly. "Yes," Amy squeaked out, "I'll try and find out where she is." And she flipped out a computer. "Raye, Fire room, now." Michiru ordered. "C'mon you three. We have our work cut out for us. Lets begin thinking up some escape plans." "Where?" "Holy Freaking Shit." Lita stated nicely. "I have picked up eight life forces on the moon." Amy replied calmly. "The moon?" the brunette continued incredulously. "The moon." "But that planet has been barren for centuries!" "And it still is. I suppose that the Queen just figured that the ginzoushou is mightier near its source of power. The only problem is, is that I don't know where the ginzoushou is, and neither does the Queen." "They lost the damn ginzoushou?!" Tarqeq exclaimed. Amy told cold insulted eyes towards the cat-woman, "That's what I said." "Wonderful," Lita began pessimistically, "We don't have the ginzoushou, or the only woman that can use it. Our bringer of silence is up there with her, and five of the best fighters in this galaxy! We might as well give up." I felt the truth of Lita's statement hit me immediately. How were we going to get to the moon anyway? And the Senshi? They still couldn't transform, how could we actually get the two of them out anyway? It was impossible. "Wait," Mina said a little to excitedly, "I have a plan." "Transformation objects?" "Check." "Invisible Cloaking device?" "Check" "Nobody fighting?" "What?" "Nevermind. Coordinates?" "Check." Came up Amy. "Voice and Hearing Chips?" "Installed." The blue soldier said once more. "Ok, then lets get going!" Mina said, finally happy. I shook my head slowly, wondering why the heck I ever let Mina go through with this plan. It was stupid, totally and utterly simple. There was nothing to it. And that made me restless. It was as easy as this, we were going to break into the Crystal Palace (again) and use the teleportation device to go to the moon, in an isolated area where Amy says that nobody ever goes too. Then we'll wait till everyone's asleep, walk in, hit everyone unconscious for good measure, and then grab the two sleeping comrades, and jet out of there once more. But it was a good plan, and with the technology of Amy on our side, what could go wrong? I knew deep inside that a lot could go wrong, a hell of a lot. I looked over towards our self appointed commander-in-chief of this little idiocy, Mina. She looked... different somehow. I don't know what it was. Her face hadn't changed, her clothes hadn't changed, her hair... Her bow was missing. That bow. I had never seen her without it, true, I had only known her for about a week, but she had never taken it off until now. I don't know what it was, probably some sort of sentimental value, but something told me that she would not take off that bow unless someone removed it for her in her death. It was even part of her Sailor Suit. How the heck did I know that? I looked towards Tarqeq, she had told me that I was the former King, well, the first king, actually, but how... how could that really be possible? I had been against this whole 'Millennials' thing since practically the day I was born. They were the reason that I had lost my parents-whoever they were. They were the reason that I was always insulted, and nobody cared. They tried to make me like the others, almost soulless. It had made me cold. A memory surfaced... "So he's sixteen today?" asked my female guardian. "Apparently so. Or that's what his psychiatrist has said." Her mate replied. "Damn psychiatrist, when is he going to do his job and make that kid obedient?" "Maybe," the man replied, "When he doesn't look so weird all the time. That boy..." I had walked into the room in anger, pulling out some food from the cupboards I sat at the table and ate coldly in silence. The two of them continued their conversation like I wasn't even alive. "Don't chew with your mouth open!" the female said coldly. I opened my mouth wider. All I remembered after that was blackness and waking up on the streets. They had thrown me out. I had no food, and my eyes would get me nowhere. It was then I entered the coldness. It was then I began the silent rebellion. I shook my head slightly as I tried to ease the pain out of my heart. So what if my guardians never loved me, never accepted me. None of them do, for anybody. "Come on, lets go, the coast is clear." "You're certain this time, Mina?" Haruka asked sarcastically. I barely noticed her eyes flash black before she let out a wry smile, "Ask Amy, she's the expert on that sort of thing." "Here it is." The blue haired gal popped in. Her eyes twinkling in an almost happy way, in another time maybe. "Alright Darien, do your stuff." Raye piped. "What?" "You're the only one who can teleport us using that machine. Only those of royal blood can turn it on and direct it." "I don't know how." I replied lamely. I couldn't tell them the truth. I could never tell them the truth. I knew how to turn it on, I knew how to direct it, and I don't want to guess how I know it. But, if I actually do use it, it would be admitting that I'm part of it, I'm part of what has turned this planet into ash. Into a dead star to probably never be alive again. It would be admitting that I started this whole thing. Michiru laid a hand on my shoulder in comfort, "Listen Darien, I understand your hesitation. But, if we can get Serena, if we can get her back, then you will be King. You'll be able to change things. Make this planet live again. But you can only do it with Serena, and she can only do it with you. However, the first step is admitting to yourself that no, you are not a monster. You are a King." She was right of course. This was the only way that we could get Serena back. Would it be the right thing? Could my planet bear another hundred thousand years of torture, watching its children go into the cycle? But the question is, would it? Could Serena and I really make things better? Well, I told myself firmly, there's only one way to find out isn't there? Touching my palms to the two controls in the center of the room I concentrated on two thoughts. One: Get to the moon. Two: For better, for worse. But hopefully better. "Ouch! Get off of me Raye!" screamed Lita. "I can't! Haruka's leg is jabbing into my eye!" "Sorry." The aforementioned 'blonde' said not too sorry sounding. "Yo, Cape-boy, I think one of your roses is sticking into my thigh." I looked down, "Nope, that's just Amy's elbow." "Amy!!!" Mina whined. It took a couple minutes, but we finally did detain ourselves from the compress of limbs. "Next time Cape-Boy, try landing us in different places." Haruka said sarcastically. "That would be pretty helpful." Michiru added. I immediately took the defensive, "I haven't used the stupid machine in over 50 thousand years, what, do you think I'd get it perfectly the first time?" I said grouchingly. The real reason was actually that I was thinking about what Usagi-Serena had told me a long time ago. Every time she teleported, she always ended up on her butt. Something I've witnessed before. And that reason jolted me into another thought. It's true, I am of the decent of the Millennials. I used that machine, and Christ, that thought just seemed to much like a memory instead of some crazed fantasy that my under-indulged mind came up with. That last part made me even more angry, the stupid Queen was the first woman to not be afraid of me. She was the first woman to make a sexually pass at me. I swore then and there that the only woman to make a successful pass would be Serena. I felt the edges of my mouths go up and down about a millimeter and I smiled contentedly. Yes, the two of us, we'd get married and have a cute little pink haired daughter, and name her Usagi Serenity, and she'd bug Serena to no ends... wait? The two of us, married? A daughter with pink hair? I snorted. Like that would ever happen. "Yo, Cape-boy, if you want to actually live out those fantasies, it might help to get the girl first." Rei whispered to me as we secured the perimeters of the area we landed in. My face must have showed my surprise, for she laughed in delight. "You were practically broadcasting your thoughts. What kind of psychic would I be if I couldn't pick them up? And what kind of person would I be if I didn't tease you about it?" And she walked away. Why this just kept getting weirder and weirder. "They're all asleep!" Amy announced suddenly and excitedly. Already? I felt my thumbs tingle as we spread the invisible cloaking device over ourselves while we entered into the long dead palace of the moon. Something felt totally wrong about this. But I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. We had to get Serena back, and there was no way we were going to do this otherwise. We need everybody in this hairbrain scheme. And everybody includes me. "Alright, Darien and Rei, go that way, Michiru and Haruka, go into the other hallway, Tarqeq and Amy, stand guard. If anything goes wrong, don't hesitate to Voice me. Makoto, you're coming with me." Mina ordered. Not one to argue in a situation like this, I went on my way with Rei. This seemed far to easy. I don't know if the others felt as restless as I did, but my gut was twisting like it was doing the olympics. What the heck are the Olympics? What does that matter anyway, we have to get Serena and Hotaru. Then run, and then form a new plan to win against this woman. The Queen. I heard my shoes click on the marble floor, the hallways were vast, we took left turn then right, going back and forth until finally, we heard something. "Serena?" I voiced carefully. I didn't hear the others scream until I was screaming and falling myself. "Good job fool." I heard before I could see, "This is just what I expected from you. All of them, held prisoner, with now way to get out," I could sense the arrogance and greed in her voice, "Now, lets wake them up." I looked up into the cold brown eyes of the Queen, and standing next to her, the soulless black of Mina's. Christ, she was working for her the entire time. "So, what happened to the bow?" I asked casually. "Shut up!" I felt my throat constrict, "I didn't like it, so I told Fool to take it out." "Fool?" I mouthed. "Yes fool. I call her that because she is a fool. She gave up her soul to try and save her pretty princess who is currently being tortured in the upstairs room," she laughed at my expression, "But didn't realize until it was too late that I had no intentions of giving back any of the two I had. She's a fool because of that." "What are you going to do to us?" Amy inquired druggily. "I can't do much of anything to you. But to your friend, Hotaru? And Serena? Let's just say she's going into the chemical room." My eyes widened, she's... she's going to what? "That's right Cape-boy, so you actually have a brain after all," her eyes narrowed with glee, "Next time you meet your pretty little princess, she'll be under my control. And only my control." -------------------- ::runs from the few people throwing potatoes and wasabi and tomatoes at the author for missing last weeks turn in:: I am soooo sorry, but I didn't get any flames so maybe you people weren't THAT dissapointed. But, I was doing something very very important! I've finally uploaded my page to the internet! It's a shrine to the one, the only, Usagi Tsukino, and let me tell you, it took me *forever*. But I digress, go visit it, and tell me what you think, pwease? http://www.geocities.com/fulltsuki You need a frames enabled browser, best viewed in 600x800 resolution. Anyway, stay tuned for next weeks part of "Corruption!" Oh, and everybody thank my brand new Beta reader, Kawaii-chan! I got a couple e-mails two weeks ago about how Chapter Three had some mess ups in it, so now Kawaii's my Editor/Beta Reader. She's also my best Muse! Koneko divinepheonix@hotmail.com http://www.geocities.com/fulltsuki "Are you really going to do it?" "Do what, fool?" "Are you going to change her?" she inquired softly. Her Majesty's eyes flashed in her normal angry manner, "That is not of your concern." Fool straightened her back and blinked all inquiries out of her mind, "I am sorry, my Queen." "Fool. Get Daemon, they are planning something, I can feel it." "Of course." ------------------------ Corruption - Chapter Five by Koneko Genre: Angst/Romance/uh... action? divinepheonix@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Applies. ------------------------ I watched as Mina paced the room she was guarding me in thoughtfully. Her black eyes seemed glazed, and in certain lights were almost a sky blue color... I could feel her warring within herself. I couldn't help but ask, "Why did you betray us, Min-Fool?" "What are you talking about? Who did I ever betray?" she asked, truly perplexed, the sneer in her voice gone. My eyes held back tears, was she trying to remember? COULD she remember? "Mina, listen, you have to come back to us! We need you! Please, Mina!" "No!" she shook her head strongly, her blonde strands of hair flying in all directions, her hands covered her eyes in an unknown protective gesture, "You... You're not to be trusted. You're not my friend, and you don't need me. I serve only the Queen." "Mina!" "No, no! Shut up! W-we're visiting the chemical room." "The what?" "You heard what I said, now get up!" Her yell resounded throughout the small chamber that I had been imprisoned in; I winced back from the mental slap, "Get up, now! Or your friends suffer the consequences!" "My friends? Where are they? Are they here?" "They're here, tried to save your worthless hide. I don't know what the Queen finds so amazing about you. You're just a little wench that doesn't know what to do with herself." But my mind and heart didn't hear it, all that I could think of was that all of us were in this one place, they were here, and alive. "Mamo-chan..." I whispered involuntarily. "How does the Ginzoushou work?" a man-whose name had escaped me-inquired, his long blonde hair billowing over his left shoulder. "I don't really know." "Wrong answer." He told me grimly. A shock went through my body that pierced into my heart and made all my cells feel like I should fall into a mound of ash at that exact moment. The pain that my physical part was undermining felt probably worse than childbirth-if we still had childbirth. I knew what they wanted me to say, and for that I was grateful to a point, but for the reasons that I couldn't tell them were far to vast for even me to comprehend at that particular moment. All I knew was that if the ginzoushou fell into the Millennials hands, then this world and all around it really would end. "You are being horribly uncooperative." He said, pulling a strand of hair nervously behind his ear and looking around, "I need to know, tell me." His pleading got to me and I looked up at this man who had caused me so much pain in a strange apologetic way, "I'm sorry, I really don't know." "Yes you do! You used it, I saw you, the Queen saw you, hell, even Daemon saw you! You know how to use it, now tell me!" I felt a callused hand grab onto my neck in desperation and a scalpel on the side of my temple as suddenly as his eyes were directly in front of mine. I choked breath after labored breath. His light blue eyes were wide with desperation, and I could feel his hands trying to stay steady. What was he so afraid of? "Zoisite!" It was the Queen. "If you don't let go of her right now then I'll kill you where you stand!" I felt his hands loosen immediately and I looked up into the cold eyes of the Queen. She stood in the middle of the room like a spider stalking its pray. Her long spindly brown hair done in the traditional Serenity style fell in a heap on the ground. She did not look her best, she looked as if she had been through the same physical pain as I. "Now listen," she said violently, pulling my face to hers with nails digging into my skin once more, "You will tell me what you know, how you got the ginzoushou to work, and how I can work it. And you will tell me where it is." "I don't know! Please believe me! I don't know how I got it to work, or how I did what I did! I don't know where it is! I really don't! Please, just don't hurt my friends!" My eyes had been closed the entire plea, I could hear choked gasps coming from somewhere, when they finally opened, I sucked in a huff of breath. The Queen had doubled over, and black blood was spurting out of her mouth. "Majesty!" wailed Zoisite, running over to his liege. He turned a dangerous face to me, his eyes glinting darkly as he gripped the Queen's hand in a death vice, "This is your fault! She was doing better, what have you done to her, what have you done?!" I backed away, his accusing eyes boring into me. My heart constricted, he loved his Queen so much-he'd probably die for her. But was it love, or fear? I couldn't tell at that exact moment. This woman who had ruled since her mother died had so many followers, so many ignorant people that depended on her. I knew then that there was no way that we could just kill her-If I could do that anyway. The Earth and the Sol System, the entire Galaxy, was all her. Everyone depended on her Majesty. They were programmed that way. The Serenity's are all, the Serenity's are all you'll ever need. Maybe...Maybe she just wanted to make sure that her people thrive, after her death. Maybe that's what this is all about. Sympathy and understanding roared through my body as I watched her collapsed form shudder on the floor. She had to get better, she had too! Everything and everyone depended on her, not me. She's the one that needs to stay alive, for the sake of the entire Milky Way. Me... I could just fall into nothingness and no one would ever care. But-she needs to stay alive. A blinding silver light flew throughout the expansions of the palace we were staying in. It went over chairs and through stone, and into water and spread through atoms. It felt warm, and my cheeks tingled as if butterflies were grazing my face. It was a good feeling. After all the heartache, all the terror that I had lived through all my life, finally, I felt good inside. I wasn't exactly whole-I don't know if I ever will be, but I felt good. Just plain good. A hell of a lot better than most of the population, I know that. The feeling went away as quickly as it came, the room that I was standing in looked just as it had before, except for two things. First, Zoisite was-get this, kneeling-before me. And her majesty, her majesty had a blue crescent moon on her forehead, and she was standing tall-more sure of herself than she had ever been. Her mouth twisted into a sadistic smile, "I knew it. I feel better already. Why did you do that? You could have just watched me die, right there and then, but you actually healed me; something that the best medical expert could never do. You've just signed your own servitude warrant you know. You and your friends, you'll all I'll ever need to stay alive forever. And most importantly, rule forever. Zoisite!" His stature remained stoic, head bowed, facing towards me. "Zoisite! Come with me!" He didn't even flinch. "Fine, too bad." She flicked her wrist. I quenched my eyes shut and waited for his body to fall to the ground and turn into dust and fly away to never be seen again. I waited, and waited, and waited. Until I finally opened my eyes to see the Queen staring at Zoisite dumbfounded, her hand trembling, wrist jolting back and forth. He was still alive. "Zoisite?" I whispered hesitantly. "Yes, your highness?" I fell onto the chair I had been sitting on with that one. That one question blew me out of my reverie and reminded me that I still had some people to take care of that thought I was some sort of Serenity. Apparently now Zoisite, who before had so depended on her Majesties will, now thought so too. And she couldn't kill him either. Were there others? Did more than he receive even a sliver of that silver light and turn against their Queen, no longer susceptible to her wishes? Did I change him to worship me, and how? Tarqeq said that I could only use the ginzoushou when it was near or with me. So then where is it, in the moon? It was all too confusing. This entire thing was too confusing. First I became one of the Galaxies most wanted because of my DNA, I ran into a portal and was asleep for three weeks, I went in to training as Sailormoon and discovered that I was a Serenity! Then of course, I had to go and save everybody and ended up endangering them more anyway, I'm a failure in all aspects of the word. And those memories... Darien, Mamo-chan, Tuxedo Kamen, Endymion, four totally different men, but these feelings I have for all of them, they can't be just trivial! They all are so important to my heart, but how could they be? The flashbacks-all this things about Makoto and Minako and Michiru and Setsuna... it's all to much. I'm not cut out for this job at all! "Hm, your more powerful than I thought. That was pretty smart of you, you know, turning Zoisite over to your side. He was one of my best, and now he's yours." She shrugged carelessly, "But no loss, I now have all your friends." "Do you now?" I turned my head to the doorway and felt my eyes fill with tears as a huge smile spread its way across my face. They all stood in their finest, their Super Sailor forms as they gazed upon the eyes of the monarch that now ruled. They're alive, they're well, and they're here with me. I ran over to them all and grasped Mina in a tight hug, salty tears running down my cheeks in a downpour. "God Mina, you're back, you're with us again." She smiled, eyes watery, "I'm not a Fool anymore." "Oh lord, you people are making my gut queasy. Just shut up!" My body felt-frozen, was the best word for it during the next couple of seconds. I don't really know, I felt the blue ice of Hermes bend its way through my body and yet I could still move my joints, but not really on my own. My head turned its way towards the Queen and for a moment I saw what she really was inside of her. Corruption, pure and utter Corruption. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to block out the visions of her that roared through my senses. She was everywhere, her power pressed into me and pulled me apart at the same time. I don't really know how long I stood there, frozen, realizing what was really her. But I knew, I knew that I never could kill her. And I wouldn't allow the others either. I regained control over my body after realizing that the senshi were attacking her. Her concentration moved, she could no longer focus on holding me up. I went into panic mode, they're going to kill her! I ran the few feet directly into the line of fire, feeling the days past happenings turn my legs into practical stone, moving slowly and clumsily. When I arrived something totally unexpected struck me. A red rose. It didn't really hurt, just embedded itself into my flesh and kind of sat there, the cut oozing red blood down my leg to drip onto the floor. It really didn't hurt at all. For the first second or so. Reality came crashing into me then and I felt a pain worse than the physical, I felt betrayed and alone. It was his rose, his rose. This man who was supposed to love me, he hurt me! He attacked me with total carelessness. I grew angry then, drawing myself back together as I stared back at the dumbfounded "friends" before me, and I turned to smile loyally to the Queen in back of me. Their fault, all their fault. Because of people like them, the world isn't peaceful, isn't safe for the good people. Because of people like her-no, them, the Queen is good, they are bad. The Serenity's are all. The phrase seemed to echo through me as I stood there, glaring at everything and everyone around me. Zoisite who had seemed to disappear through this entire ordeal seemed completely at a loss, saddened even. The Senshi could only stare stupidly at the rose that was thriving in my hip. And he, he wasn't even looking at me. He didn't even care. My voice roared to life then and I let out a piercing scream, feeling all my confusion bubble onto me. He should care, he should! He loves me... or at least he did. But does that count for something now? Obviously he doesn't in this time, or he would not have struck me like this. I would not be pained to walk the pathways of earth knowing that it was he who did this to me, purposefully. But it couldn't have been purposefully, I know he would never want to do a thing like that. He did though! He attacked me with his rose! He didn't mean it! Then why did it hit you, if he didn't mean it, it would have disappeared as soon as it hit your body! You know that! I gripped my hands to my head and fell to the ground, hearing the repeat of the action behind me. I felt as if a large boulder was making its way around my heart and fisting it to its minimum, it was a pain worse than that of my leg. It felt... confused. Why am I confused! It's their fault I'm like this everything is their fault! But the Queen, she started it all! If it wasn't for her, none of this would have ever happened! No, she's the only one who can stop it all; stop the madness. The Earth, the entire Universe needs her! I stood up and pulled the rose quickly and sufficiently out of my leg, and felt my soul tear out of my body. Black eyes and soulless arms broke the rose in two as sapphire ones stared guiltily back. ---------------------- I know I know, another plot twist, and you also have had to wait what, two, three weeks for this one to come out? I'm really sorry, but that is the reason why I have two chapters instead of one. And I'm pretty sure that the Epilogue will come out next week. Uhm, If you got totally confused at that "Blue Ice of Hermes," thing, try to remember waaaaay back when (Chapter One? Two?) When Tarqeq was explaining the whole reasons for the corruption and this one dude Hermes (from Mercury) started it all 'cause he was mortal? That's what I meant. I got another e-mail, I'm really happy that you all like this story, I've worked pretty hard on it! BTW, I know, Cliffhangers suck, but I just find the right place to end the story and I can't help it! Lordy, this one was only four pages long because of that, but right now (at the end of the fifth chapter) the entire story on word is... 153kb so you judge whether or not the story is long enough (Oh, and it's about 30 pgs too). Everyone thank Kawaii-chan, One of the best Mythical Muses out there! She's also a really cool beta reader! Visit my site, Full Moon, a total Usagi Shrine ^^ http://www.geocities.com/fulltsuki Koneko divinepheonix@hotmail.com "Serena, come back to us." One set of black eyes stared into three identical blue ones, "What for, they don't care about us." "Yes they do, he does. He tried to stop that rose you know." "No he didn't." Sailormoon turned angrily back to the person she was talking to, "Yes he did, the Queen was the one who kept it going. That blue crescent moon gives her power over the Earth, Moon, AND Mercury! Because of all that power, poor cape boy is practically dead if she wishes. It was not his fault." The confused one got even more confused, "But, he threw the rose." "Yes he did, he was trying to hit the Queen." "But it hit me." "Because the Queen changed its course." "Why didn't he just cut off its source of energy?" "You don't get it do you?" said the ordinary looking one, her sailor-school outfit floating around her body, "Mamo-chan, he isn't like that. Your Darien is Mamo-chan, just as I am you. He loves you, even if he doesn't know it yet. And you love him. You won't betray him." "I won't?" "No," they all said firmly, "You won't." --------------------- Corruption - Chapter Six by Koneko Genre: Angst/Romance/uh... action? divinepheonix@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Applies. ------------------------ I looked at Serena with a sad and guilty face, my actions represented clearly by the way her once off-white outfit was now stained completely red. Her eyes were staring at me blankly, as if she had never met me before, and that she didn't really care what happened to me. My fault. I had tried so hard to stop that rose, but it had hit her, throughout everything I did. I must not be powerful enough. Maybe I'm not strong enough, maybe I'm not even Tuxedo Kamen, and that's why I couldn't stop it. Maybe-we don't belong together. But why would we? I don't love her, and even if I did it's obvious that she doesn't love me. Her clear distaste in how I act and how I treat her-through entire fault of my own-shows that she doesn't care for me except for the fact that I can help stop the violence that is plaguing this Earth by the strength of the Serenity's. The crescent moon on her majesty's forehead glowed brightly as Serena lifted up her hand carelessly and said one simple word to us all. "Die." It was said so easily, without emotion, that I barely heard it, barely understood its meaning. Haruka was the first to go. A bright light filled through the room, tinged with blackness as it speeded towards one of the oldest of the party. It only took a few seconds but that first one-felt like an eternity. It raced towards Uranus with the strength of a hundred knives and cut into her shoulder with so much energy it could only be a fatal blow. My heart constricted in guilt as I saw Michiru fall to her knees and cradle Haruka's head in her lap, only to fall into her later as her gut was hit by the same black tinged light. My fault. It went a bit more quickly after that, I watched each of the Senshi fall before me in a manner that could only be seen as random, my heart slowly closing away as I realized that I did this to her. I made her kill all these people-for they could be nothing but dead, and now, now she's going to kill me. I deserve it. I watched her lift up her hand to deliver the last blow and I sank to my knees feeling my transformation slip away as the last of my hope dwindled like a ember in a fire. I spoke a quiet "I'm sorry," before waiting for the pain to strike. And it did, but not in the way I expected. Not in the way I expected. It was a searing, throbbing pain. But nothing I hadn't experienced before. Like a headache that had been waiting too long to make your skull pound. Needles felt like they were stabbing into my heart as the pain hit and Lord, did it feel good. Good because I was remembering, remembering it all. And so was she. I could tell because her eyes had hints of blue hidden in the dead black orbs that remained ever so vibrant to her face. I could tell because her hit had directed itself to the Queen instead of I, who was now panting at the ground once more, completely at a loss. And it all came back, the happiness, the sorrows, the joy of a newborn baby, the loss of someone you love only to follow them into the abyss not soon afterwards. The pain of watching her die over and over again for you, and then the pleasure of realizing that this amazing person would be in your arms forever. "Usako..." I whispered huskily, feeling a deep aching in my throat as I stood up to watch her inside turmoil. I walked towards her, all other pretense forgotten, feeling none of the worry that I had over whether I would be a good king or not, or whether she loved me or not. All I felt was her. It only took a few steps to get to her, but it was so long in coming that it felt like centuries. I watched her clutch her head as she tried to perceive what was right, and what was wrong as I came upon her frail but powerful body. I love her. She knew it, and I knew it, and the Queen knew it. When I was close enough, I grabbed her chin and pulled her only semi-trembling body towards mine, bending down I finally touched my lips to hers after over 50 centuries of turmoil of our physical bodies not being able to touch like this. It was a wonderful feeling, better than anything that any other human being on Earth could give me, and I was completely and utterly glad for staying women-less as long as I did during this amazing life, amazing now that she was in it again. Our lips surged in a heated quest to discover what we forever do but couldn't because of the confining reaches of heaven. Bodies remained pressed together, hands intertwined. We were together once more. And damned, did I treasure every bit of that first moment. In the future, it would be awhile before I experienced this bit of paradise again. Her sweet lips, the rewarding strawberry-like taste of her mouth, and the adoring caresses of her hands. I would be ignorant of it, of course, but my body would ache for her again, wanting to hold her in my arms and know that because of her and I everything would be right again. When we finally parted I looked into her dazed but happy eyes and wondered blissfully why I wasn't dead now and in hell because of the sinly kiss-however amazing it was-that the two of us just experienced. But I thanked whoever the hell was up there for giving her back to me and letting me know that this jewel deserved to be treasured. "Darien?" she whispered, her blue eyes shiny with the beginnings of tears. I looked down happily, feeling the silkiness of her hair itch my cheek in what could only be percepted by me as an absolutely adorable manner. I smiled and whispered in reply, "Usako, you came back to me." She looked at me a bit-sadly, could it be?-but smiled nonetheless and nodded. "I'm sorry," I continued softly, "I tried to stop the rose but--" Her finger grazed my lips that had been searing hers a few minutes before and she hushed my speaking abruptly, "I understand. I know. Don't worry about it." Her mouth lifted up in a smile that was slight and tinged with regret before she looked over to the others and her face contorted in horror. "No..." she breathed, her voice sounding raspy and reeking of complete regret. Running over to them quickly, tears flooded down her already flushed cheeks, she witnessed the horror that she had unleashed unto them during that past occurrence. "Did I-Did I do this?" she questioned, horrified. My answer was a dull nod. My attention, however, was diverted to a scratching sound to my left, in my mind I glimpsed the Queen picking herself up and attacking Usako. And it was happening in real life. I ran before I knew where my body was taking me. Emotions running on high, the tension in the moment gripping me like an iron fist, I ran and attempted. And my attempt worked. Again I felt pain, but this time it was worse than before, and it wasn't accompanied by beautiful memories. For I had intercepted the bolt that was aimed at my love, and now, now I would die without feeling her lips upon mine ever again, I would die without hearing her say "I love you." At that particular moment in time, I felt as if I should never have been born if this was to happen. But I knew, knew in my head that without us the world would have eventually died, and with it the rest of the Galaxy. So maybe we did some good. But without her, Gods, without Usako... "Darien!" she screamed, tears still falling as if a waterfall had erupted inside of her eyes. She ran to me, her feet stumbling, hands trembling, and dropped to the floor as she beheld what I had done to keep her living. What I would always do. "Gods, Usako, it hurts so much. I'm sorry, that I-I can't protect you anymore." "Darien..." she whimpered, grief drenching her every feature, her every movement. "And I'm sorry that... that we'll never be able to get married, and have a little pink haired twirp that no matter how much she hates to say it, she loves you." "Stop, please Darien." "But most of all, Serena, Usako, I'm sorry that I won't be there for you when you need me." When I closed my eyes consciousness left my body, but I did not die, why I know not. But the rest of the battle was just a hazy glimpse to me, nothing to be remembered more than a dream. I'd assume she won, and it most have been a horrible battle, for when I awoke once more, her eyes were drooping just a little bit, and bits of blood were touched in her hair, but her eyes were brightly glowing, like two beautiful twin Earths... ..."Darien?" came the first word. "Wake up! C'mon you stupid guy. Figures, the only guy in the group decides to take a nap when there's a victory that we have to celebrate!" "Shut up, Haruka." My eyes blinked open and six different coloured eyes bored down upon me, the first sight I saw. The person who had previously spoken, was now twhaping her love upside the head, and Serena... Serena was nowhere that I could see. But I heard her voice, her whispers to Raye as she totally missed the fact that I woke up. Well gee, I felt unloved, I mused to myself. I sauntered over to her secretive place and waited patiently as her conversation dwindled into the important part... "You killed her?" "I.. I didn't want to. The ginzoushou did it, I guess." "The ginzoushou?" Serena laughed ironically, "Yea. I guess that when I sent it away, it landed in her. The only place no one would look. When I called it out, she tried to grab at it, and it just killed her. The battle couldn't have lasted very long." "Then why all the blood?" Raye inquired. "I never said that the stone took her peacefully, it practically made her body explode." She snorted. "Eeew!" "Agreed." "If you wouldn't mind Raye, I'd like a word with the twinkie over here." I interrupted, pointing towards Serena. Raye, laughing, nodded and walked back towards the group. "I'm so glad you're alive." She whispered. "I'm just glad your ok, Usako." I replied, feeling her name roll gently off my tongue as I lifted her chin ready to kiss the daylights out of her. "No." she said firmly. That was a jolt, a blow to my ego, and a painful reminder that she still didn't know if she loved me or not, "What?" was the only word I could get out. "I'm sorry, Darien. But I can't do this with you, you don't love me." "What are you talking about, of course I love you." "No you don't! You don't understand." "Usako..." I growled. "That's it, that's just it! You don't love me! You love her, Usagi. But Usagi isn't me, Darien. Darien listen, I'm Serena, and you love Usagi. I can't be her, and still be me. Please understand. I need you to love me before I can do anything more with you." "But you ARE Usagi." I answered stubbornly. "No I'm not. And you're not Usagi's Mamo-chan either, and you know it. Different experiences, different lives, different ways to love." I sighed resignedly, sealing my fate, "Fine. I could never deny you anything. You and your stupid twinkie hair." "Hey! My hair does not resemble a twinkie! By the way, what is a twinkie?" I laughed joyously at her ignorance and youthfulness before sobering up a bit and questioning one last thing, "So... No more kisses?" "Nope." "Christ, your trying to ruin me aren't you?" "Yup." "You evil, malicious little..." "Twinkie?" she supplied. I grunted easily before wrapping her giggling body up into my embrace, "I only want one more..." Her facial expression softened as I unleashed the horrific power of the puppy-dog look, she conceded. Greedily-I admit I am Greedy when it comes to her, but who wouldn't be?-I bent my head down to taste her for what would probably be the last in a long time... ...Awhile later we finally parted and I decided that if I wanted any more of those kisses. I'd need to be in love with Serena, not Usagi. Although I couldn't really tell the difference. Things, however fast they were moving, just couldn't be any better. "So, what's your favorite food?" "Ice Cream!" she said happily. "Well that hasn't changed..." "It's a delectable treat with vitamins?" I laughed heartily, "Vitamins, where'd you get that idea, Twinkie?" "Don't call me that!" "Fine, twinkie. So, favorite vegetable?" "Carrots." "You've got to be joking!" "Nope! They're yummy, especially steamed ones." I shook my head, wondering if she was just saying that to get me confused, "Ok, ok, what about..." -------------------- Look! ::points amazedly at the end of the chapter:: Koneko actually didn't end in a cliffhanger! ::jaw drops:: Wanna know why? Because the next chapter is not going to be a chapter but... the Epilogue! Did you guys expect the Queen to have the ginzoushou in her? I really didn't know how to put that in, because it was in Mamo-chan's POV and he kind of almost died so... Anyway. Oh, and the really scary thing. Usagi likes... Carrots! ::shivers:: Uhm, lemme think, is there anything else? Visit my page and sign my guestbook maybe... Uhm, E-mail me heartily! I loooooove e-mail and e-mail loooooove's me! E-mail E-mail E-mail, Koneko wants some E-mail, E-mail E-mail E-mail, E-mail Me! Lastly, Go read Meredith B. Mallory's (Mere-chan's) new shorts, Valkyre (a definate must, it is soooooo good!), Stand on my Own, and A Good Nights Sleep. Three wonderful story's by an awesome author! You can find all of her stuff at moonchronicles.com. Also, I suggest Cadre Sister, e-mail her about it and yell at her to get the next part out ok? Ya. So, I've gone kookie. Must be the amazingness of me actually getting out two chapters. ^^ Koneko divinepheonix@hotmail.com http://www.geocities.com/fulltsuki She was glad it all happened. Fighting, even though she never thought it could accomplish anything, had brought her her love. Her heart, her soul-which had been so dreary before-was now full of life. He was happy, partially, that she had refused him at first. She was right, after hall. His love, she would always know what was best. The guardian of time smiled down on the picture she saw, pleased the Princess had made such a decision. It was too bad, however, that they would not see what prosperity their kind hearts would bring. ------------------------ Corruption - Epilogue by Koneko Genre: Angst/Romance/uh... action? divinepheonix@hotmail.com Standard Disclaimer Applies. ------------------------ Serena Daniels pulled a fourth of her long golden hair around another part of it. Gazing brilliantly into the mirror before her, she smiled widely and fell onto the bed. "So, should I start calling you meatball head now, twinkie?" Jolting out of her bed, Serena ran over to the man who had spoken and punched him lightly in the arm. "Shut up stud," she retorted daftly, "Or I may just have to give you no more kisses!" He groaned from her teasing, "Sere! Don't even try that again! You have no idea how hard that was for me." "Oh yes I do." And with a chuckle, their lips joined. That was how Tarqeq found them a few minutes later when she walked in. "Oh my god. You two just never get enough of each other, do you?" she said frustrated. And they were apart. Well, Serena had jumped away, blushing crimson, and Darien, well... Darien was just smiling stupidly. "Anyway, I came in to tell you two lovebirds that we have a problem." "What's that?" "There's no one to rule the people of the galaxy." The blonde paled, remembering just what it was she had been trying to avoid for the past two months. The end of the Corruption had been a happy time, but also, it had told her that she had a responsibility for so many people that she knew she couldn't take care of. "Oh yes," she murmured, "That." "It's obvious what has to be done." Tarqeq rambled on, "We need you to use your power to prove to everyone that the corruption has ended and peace has begun once again, then we need to..." But Serena had blocked it all out. She knew what Tarqeq expected of her, but she also knew that she couldn't do it. She had never taken care of anyone except herself, and she knew that if she began the Millennials again, it would surely mean the end. "I'm sorry Tarqeq, but, I can't do it." "What?" two sets of confused eyes turned towards her. "I don't have the wisdom that Usagi gained through all her battles, I have her memories, I have her soul, but I don't have the same pride for her people." "Yes you do! Or otherwise you would not have fought so hard to protect them!" Tarqeq argued, her voice raising so it filled the room. "You don't understand," she whispered helplessly, "I would just start the Corruption all over again. I'm Mortal, Tarqeq, not like Usagi. It has made me realize that mortals need to have their own chosen rulers, not just one. A monarchy is not what this galaxy needs. They need choices, Tarqeq." "But the ginzoushou, what will become of it?" "It will become a stone until myself, or someone of my blood returns to Earth." "You're leaving me?" Darien chocked out, walking over to stand by Serena. She smiled softly, blue eyes twinkling with tears, "You need to come with, Darien. As do all the others, we don't belong here." "Then where do we belong?" he whispered. "In the past." "So where are we going?" Venus said pleasantly as she walked with Serena down the Crystal Palaces main hallway. "I'm not telling." "Why not?" "Because," she replied in a nonchalant manner, "It's a secret." "Well duh. But I'd really wish you'd tell me." "Venus, you'll love it, everyone will love it. It will be like starting over." Serena told Mina gently, her mind mulling over the fact that it would be exactly like that. "How are we going to leave the Milky Way like this, Serena? They need a base, how will we give it to them without starting the Corruption again?" Serena stopped in the hallway and looked deftly out the window, "I don't know Mina. I really don't know." "Announcing her Royal Highness Serena Daniels, and her escort, Darien Sheilds!" The entire room stood up respectfully, here were the two that were responsible for googol amounts of people to live happily and peacefully again, of their own free will. Serena stepped up to the speaking platform feeling the eyes of every dignitary in the galaxy rest on her. People from this many different cultures would never stay peaceful for long, she knew, but that was what was interesting about having your own mind. "When I was 13 I, out of 10 billion people, was one of a handful of people who had a mind of their own. It was peaceful, sure, but no one was really happy, they really didn't even know what happiness and all feelings of felicity were like. I'm not saying I want war, but the way that the species in this galaxy stood, Saturn probably wouldn't have felt a cinch in her conscious if she destroyed you all. "A long time ago, before the reign of the Serenity's, people were happy. They had something to live for. A good job, a loving family, a curiosity that could spark imaginations, and now, you have it all back again. "I realized that as human beings we need conflicts-corruption maybe-in order to survive, a sad statement but a true reality. Most people would not find a story interesting that did not have a plot, as life isn't worth living without troubles. "With the help of the ginzoushou I have tracked down all the starseeds for the galaxy, everyone will have a protector, but the protectors do not rule, make your own. If these protectors-these Senshi-ever do become greedy once more, their powers will pass onto someone more suitable. "I don't expect peace, I don't want peace. Just-oh I don't know. Please just, understand, be civil towards each other. Be Honorable. Love." As she stepped down the room remained quiet, they watched their saviour look into the eyes of her lover one last time before her and her court disappeared into the silver light of the ginzoushou. Scribes wrote down the event, and wars did come, cease, and come again. But the people were always happy, and the people always loved. "I want her out! Dammit, she's painful! Out, out, out, out!" came the screams from the delivery room of the Moon Palace. Beaded sweat fell down a matriarch's skin, her hand breaking that of her husbands-who stood next to her gasping in pain. A normally composed person, the Queens outburst surprised-and perhaps even scared-her doctor, the King of Mercury. "Please calm down, Serenity," he tried soothingly, "I can almost see the head." "You've been 'almost seeing the head' for the past four hours! I want this damn stubborn baby out!" The crack of a broken finger seared through the room. The Queen snorted, "The broken finger does not even touch on my pain sweetheart, nice try." When the babe finally made her way through the womb, a strangled cry of happiness swelled in the throat of her majesty, the Queen of the moon. "Gods, she's so beautiful Daniel." Her husband nodded in agreement, clutching his hand painfully. Eyes sparkling merrily, she pulled in her breath and said finally, "Bring in Endymion, Terra. I'm sure he would like to be the first to meet his betrothed." -------------------- Yea!!!! ::runs and bounces for joy:: I finished it! I actually finished it! I'm so exciteded! And, next week I'll try to get out a brand new Silverish Millenium fic, But I'm not sure if it's going to be that or an Alternate Reality so... ya. Everyone thank my Beta Reader and fellow chocolate lover, Kawaii. E-mail me! Tell me what you think! I love feedback, and I always try to mail back the person who sent the note ^^ Sorry I'm not that peppy, cramps --. Koneko Corruption: Began: July 17, 2000 Ended: September 27, 2000 http://www.geocities.com/fulltsuki
Corruption -- The entire thing - -;;;;
By: Koneko3
This story is all about how messed up the world can get if it's entirely under monarchial power with the same family forever that never goes away. It takes place in the far far future, and there's a little romance, angst, and humor thrown in ^^
Rated: Fiction T - English - Words: 24,330 - Reviews: 4 - Published: Jan 30, 2001 - id: 196421
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Full 3/4 1/2 Expand Tighten
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