By Yohann DeSabrais
a.k.a. Technuma Saturn
Prologue...
With a fine crystal glass of expensive red wine in hand, the former
first knightmare of the spheres was pondering upon the events which
had unfolded into the world that he had claimed as his protectorate.
He had hoped that letting go of his title would earn the earth some
well deserved peace, but this was obviously not going to happen
anytime soon.
In his rather spartan appartment decorated entirely in gloomy black
furniture, he wondered how the recent events were going to affect
those he had come to care about. Mizuno Akane and her daughter Ami,
Rei, Usako... Rei had already been struck down by his former master
and teacher Black Baron, and the others would certainly follow in
the next few days.
The phone rang.
"Hello?" he answered, turning his glass in circles in his other
hand, watching the crimson liquid swirl around and leaving a red
glint on the fine crystal.
"Hey, it`s Akane downstairs, can you buzz me in?"
"Sure thing." he replied, hanging up and pushing the building`s
front door lock release to let in the woman who had come to steal
his heart. He smiled at the thought, not so long ago he never even
knew he still had one. Then again, he did spend the better part of
the millenium learning to harness the power of darkness, and being
married for over a hundred years to a demon lord ruling a blasted
wasteland did very little to lighten his mood.
Still, he was faced with the same problem. What to do if Black Baron
persisted? No matter what he could do, Black Baron would tear him to
pieces because of his unequaled mastery of the arts of darkness. And
regardless how much Ronmar had been touched by light lately, his
former master would have no difficulty reaching through and pulling
him apart, the same as he would do to his precious Akane if she even
tried to interfere, as he knew she surely would. Akane would die to
protect her daughter unless Ronmar was there to protect her, and he
could hardly do that if he was already dead. The greater knightmare
could find himself yet another soulless body later on as he`d done
many times in the past already, but this time he didn`t know if he
could even find the strength to go on resurrecting himself if it
were in a world without HER, or those three young girls he had come
to consider as his daughters of sorts.
A quick, perky knock came at the door, Akane`s signature knock. It
lifted his heart to hear it, although he felt sad to know that
within the next few days life as he had come to know would be
shattered to pieces, gone for good.
"Hello, Mitchell!" she said, hugging and kissing him as he opened
the door for her.
"Hello, Akane." he replied with little emotion.
"You seem gloomy today, honey... more so than usual." she observed.
"I`m just worried for the girls. That`s all."
"Maybe you need to get your mind off their trouble for a while...
until that Black Baron strikes again, at least. Maybe you could
do something to keep you busy. Robin told me that your host body
was a great doctor, so maybe you could use your host memory to
become a doctor as well? That would certainly keep your mind
occupied until you got a chance to help the girls out!" she
suggested.
"That wouldn`t go, I`m afraid. Among knightmares, it`s considered
taboo to use host memories and skills, in any circumstances. It
would be bad form for me to use Technuma`s skills." explained Ronmar.
"That`s why I had to give the title of first knightmare to Behemoth,
because although Thanatora had hunter skills before she took over
her newest body, she still benefited from its superior hunting
skills in tracking down her offering for the Challenging. It was a
borderline case, not close enough to openly shame her into pulling
out of the competition, but too close to allow her to take over the
reigns of knightmare society."
"Oh, I`m sorry, I didn`t mean to embarass you..." she appologized.
"It`s not your fault, I never told you about this before. And don`t
worry about me, I`m used to being so gloomy all the time. That`s
what knightmares stand for." he told her, taking a second crystal
glass from a cabinet and filling it for his girlfriend.
"Perhaps so.. but you do have moments when you shine as bright as a
sun." added Akane, taking the glass and placing her other arm
around his waist.
"All thanks to you, my love." he concluded, emptying his glass in
a single sip.
* * *
CYCLES OF LIFE: EPISODE 46
AND THE BAND PLAYED ON
The horn of Naru`s car reminded Usako very brutally that she went to
bed just a little too late the night before, and that this chat she
had with Seiya was something she shouldn`t repeat on any given night
where the messiah, the senshi`s guide and teacher, required her to
get up at sunrise the next morning.
"Yeah, yeah, I`m coming, I`m coming..." she mumbled between two
sips of extra strong coffee.
"You look tired, honey." commented Usagi. "So that long talk with
Seiya ended really late, huh?" she added.
"Yes, it did. I`d like to thank you for taking Chibi Chibi home
when you left, by the way." replied the scarlet lady.
"No sweat. Have fun with Naru today, you should get increased power
and a better armor, judging from what Ami got herself." said Usagi.
"Wait a minute- why aren`t YOU coming along?" protested Usako.
"Because Naru says my path is a different one... one I must find
myself."
Usako mumbled under her breath about how lucky her mother should
count herself not to be getting bossed around like this, leaving
the Tsukino house to join Naru and her sister senshi whom she`d
already picked up.
"Chibi Chibi!" came the voice of the cutest little girl Usagi had
ever seen, the mysterious Chibi Chibi.
"Hello, sweetheart. Usako-mama is gone for now, so I`ll be taking
care of you today... how would you like to go see Ami, Shingo and
Laurella?"
"Chibi Chibi!!!" she replied with her usual enthusiasm.
"I knew you`d like it! Now how about some breakfast?" offered
Usagi.
"Yeah! Food!" went the little girl.
"A girl who values food as much as I do... no wonder I love you!"
said Usagi, kissing her on the cheek as she lifted her up on a
chair.
* * *
"Hop in!" said Robin as she squeezed herself from the front seat of
Naru`s car to the back seat where Makoto already was.
"Here, let me get those out of the way." said Makoto as she picked
up her metal crutches and freed the seat for her friend.
"You won`t need those where we`re going today." observed Naru.
"Somebody didn`t have enough sleep last night!" laughed Robin,
noticing Usako`s absent look in her eyes.
"Somebody looks in a very good mood, too! Care to give us details,
Robin?" asked Makoto.
"I can`t explain it... I`ve just been like this all morning, despite
burning my toasts at breakfast, bruising my leg when I slipped in
the shower and ripping up a skirt I wanted to wear today! This good
mood just won`t go away... and I`m LOVING it!" she explained, a
large stupid smile on her face as Naru pulled back into the street
and drove them away.
"Tell me, Robin, how much do you think about... a certain idol
singer you met last night?" asked Makoto, a mischievous grin on
her lips.
"I can`t seem to get him out of my mind, actually." she answered,
sighing softly when she heard her friend mention Yaten.
"And what do you like about him?" asked Naru.
"Everything. His long silver hair, his emerald green eyes, his
shining smile, the way he has of making every word he says sound
like a small spring cascading off a mountainside..." she went on,
smiling even more as she stared outside the car window, seeing
Yaten`s image wherever she looked.
"You know what?" said Makoto.
"Me thinks..." started Naru.
"...that our friend Robin..." continued Usako.
"...IS IN LOOOOOOVE!!!" concluded the three of them, making Robin
blush a deep shade of red.
"Isn`t that sweet, our little Robin is all grown up!" said Naru,
giggling.
"NO! I`m not in love! I`m, well... err... I`m attracted to him,
but... it`s just that..." she mumbled, unable to complete her
thoughts.
"You have no idea what love is, do you?" asked Makoto, putting her
arm around Robin`s shoulder.
"Not really..." she admitted in a low voice. "I know that it`s a
powerful emotion, one that has been driving the lives of all my
friends, especially Usagi. I know my dad was deeply attached to
Technulis Mercury, and once he told me he loved her... but I
don`t really know what it is myself."
"Love is the certitude that you want to spend every moment of
your life with someone very special to you." said Naru, thinking
about her dear Umino.
"Love is being ready to make the greatest sacrifice for the one
you hold dear." said Makoto, a tear rolling off her cheek as she
remembered Ghangoroth.
"Love is even more powerful than all the dark splinters, silver
crystals and sacred weapons in the universe put together." replied
Usako, smiling too as she thought of someone that only twenty-four
hours earlier she couldn`t stand at all. Seiya had made quite an
impression on her, as she learned for herself that this jerk
persona she believed him to be was only a facade to cover up for
the shyness he just couldn`t control. He turned out to be a really
sweet, caring guy who, for all his manly sports prowess, was no
less sensitive.
Usako did her best to hide her own stupid smile that was crying out
to be unleashed, as she had totally and hopelessly fallen in love
as well. But there was no way she would let the others find out
before she mustered the strength to tell Seiya her feelings for
him. And that could take a while.
"But how do I handle that?" wondered Robin, resting her head
against Makoto`s shoulder. "How do I manage to go on my daily
business without that love for Yaten pestering me and preventing
me from concentrating? From invading my every waking thought?"
"You can`t, I`m afraid." answered Naru, sighing as she once again
thought of her boyfriend.
"That`s what makes love be love. It`s beyond your control, and it
rides you like a jockey rides a horse." sighed Usako.
"But when you and your guy share that loving feeling... there`s
nothing like it in the universe, dear friend." concluded Makoto,
putting her second arm around Robin`s shoulder.
"Do you think Yaten loves me too?" asked Robin to her friends.
"Did he kiss you?" wondered Usako.
"Yeah... we kissed a lot last night." Robin replied, smiling as she
remembered her date. Her friends went "Ooooh" all at once, hinting
to Robin that she indeed had found herself an official boyfriend.
* * *
Yaten, on the other hand, was less than reassured at how his evening
had turned out. What started out as a simple date to figure whether
this Robin Redwing was princess Kakyuu or not had somehow become an
all-out lip wrestling match where there were no losers. No matter
how he tried to justify his actions in his head, he inevitably got
back to regreting what he did.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid... how could I let my head be turned by
this pretty girl? This vibrant, energetic, charming girl..." he
thought, his daydream focusing once again on the sparkling green
eyes of Robin.
"Yo Yaten! Care to come down from Kinmoku for a few moments?" went
Seiya, calling Yaten`s attention back to reality. He could tell
that the silver haired boy was somewhere else entirely from the
way he was dragging his spoon in his bowl of chocolate cereal
rather than scarfing it down in no time flat.
"...huh? What`d you say?" replied Yaten, barely hearing his brother.
"Seiya was asking you if this Robin you told us about had any chance
of being the princess." told him Taiki in a very factual manner.
"I`m... not sure yet. She has the caring side of her, and her
innocence to the ways of this world is quite remarkable. I need to
spend more time with her to be sure." he said.
At this moment, Seiya slapped him behind the head.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!?" protested Yaten.
"You`ve fallen in love with her, it`s written all over your face!"
accused him Seiya, anger flaring in his eyes. "After that
self-righteous speech you made me about falling for an earth woman,
you go and do the very same thing!"
"So I fell for her, I admit it. My heart is not as cold as I`d have
you guys believe, you know." he added, tears forming in his eyes. "I
have a gaping hole in my heart I didn`t even know I had, and she
filled it right up."
Taiki`s face brightened up. He understood just what his brother
meant.
"I`m happy for you, Yaten. I always knew you had a lot of love to
give, I was hoping that you would find someone to express your
feelings to one day." he said. His smile told even more than just
these words.
"Did you meet someone too, Taiki?" asked him Seiya.
"Let`s just say that I have someone to look up to even in those
dreadful moments of darkness." concluded the tall brainy member
of the Three Lights, finishing his bowl of oatmeal as he thought
of the pretty senshi of ice, Sailor Mercury.
* * *
"That was kind of your mom to let us use your place like this."
commented Laurella as she sat down at the kitchen table. Usagi and
Mamoru joined her there, alongside Ami who was busy scanning some
pictures of the senshi to convert them to data format.
"Say, Ami, didn`t you say Umino would be here?" wondered Shingo as
he brought a tray of muffins on the kitchen table of the luxurious
apartment where the Mizuno family lived. Usagi dove right in and
stuffed her face with the delicious blueberry treats to no one`s
surprise. Mamoru smiled when he saw his fiancee indulge in her
voracious appetite.
"He is with us right now." Ami replied. She spun her laptop around
and everyone saw his glasses zoomed in and filling up the screen.
"Don`t stand so close to the screen, Umino." suggested Laurella.
"Sorry gang, I`m not used to this communication system yet." he
apologized.
"Where are you?" asked Shingo.
"On my way to see some friends. They have a knack for finding
impossible things and other such knick-knacks." he explained as his
face shrunk onscreen to a more manageable size.
"This is the reason why I`ve been scanning these old pictures of
ourselves in uniform. His friends sell the parts I need, but
they`re very expensive..." said Ami.
"...unless you have something they REALLY want!" completed Umino.
"These guys have devoted a large part of their abode to the creation
of a sailor senshi shrine. They worship the ground you girls walk
on, as I used to do."
"You certainly did, nerd boy. That was annoying as hell." snarled
Usagi, remembering how Umino had a fixation on Sailor Moon a few
years back- as well as a huge crush on her. "Thank god he`s fallen
for Naru..." she thought.
"I have to say every guy had a crush on either one of the senshi at
some point..." commented Shingo, putting his hand over Laurella`s
but feeling no emotions from her still. He felt crushed inside-
she was so alive and vibrant before her encounter with the deadly
Black Baron, but now she was just a hollow shell, a mere shadow of
the person she used to be. And every day she seemed to be just a
little more lifeless.
"Umino will be getting me the parts I need to prepare for our
operation... now, Usagi, would you explain us the details?" said
Ami, getting the strategic part of their meeting under way.
* * *
Sitting alone at his coffee shop table, Umino peeked through his
stock of beautiful sailor senshi shots in order to decide which ones
he`d present to his friends in order to deal some of the computer
parts they got for him. Negociating with these hacker-scavengers
was nothing less of a chess match, and revealing your hand too fast
was the fastest way to get the short end of the stick. Fortunately,
Umino had been dealing with these guys for over four years, and
they were good friends of his. That helped a lot in getting good
deals.
"That`s a fabulous picture of Sailor Moon you have there." came a
soothing voice behind him. Umino turned around to see Kou Taiki was
at the next table, having a cup of coffee over his calculus book.
"Thank you, I`m a collector." he said politely, recognizing the
famous singer. "He really is nice, Ami was right about him." he
thought.
As he went through his images one at a time, one of them caught
Taiki`s attention: a picture of Sailor Mercury in her full soul
power armor, holding her silver-laced sapphire bow Deadshot.
"WHERE did you get THAT?!?" he uttered, his eyes almost popping
out of their sockets.
"I got it through a friend... this is one of my favorites." replied
Umino.
"If you`d like to trade it... I have something great for you."
offered Taiki, producing a small powerbook from the backpack under
his chair and turning it on. Pulling an image file from his drive,
he opened a picture of the three Starlights.
"I`ll trade you that Sailor Mercury pic in exchange for this one.
They`re the Sailor Starlights, few people even know they exist."
said Taiki.
Umino felt his heart beat at full speed as he recognized Maker,
Healer and Fighter from the description the senshi had given him.
He immediately agreed to the trade, knowing the girls would
absolutely love to see this image of their mysterious new allies.
"You`ve got a deal, Taiki! I`m Umino, nice to meet you."
"Same here, friend. I hope we can do more exchanges in the future,
perhaps?"
"I`d like that very much." agreed Umino.
* * *
Slowly awakening from her healing slumber, Michiru reached out
blindly over to the other side of the bed where she found nothing
but a warm spot among the wrinkled sheets. Opening her eyes, she saw
Haruka already up and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, doing
push-ups in front of Hotaru`s playpen.
"`ruka! `ruka!" went the cute little girl as she looked upon her
tomboyish "father" exercising as she always did every morning. She
tried to say her name, but wasn`t quite up to the challenge just
yet.
"You`ve got your mommy`s eyes, you know that?" observed Haruka,
smiling to the reborn silent messiah who smiled right back at her.
"What time is it?" asked Michiru, yawning as she stretched her arms
and back.
"Nine thirty."
"Already? Why didn`t you wake me up?"
"You looked so peaceful while you slept." answered the blonde woman,
interrupting her daily routine to admire the beauty of her lover.
Even with her aquamarine hair tangled up from a night`s sleep and
no makeup on, she was a beauty to behold.
"I was having beautiful dreams." she said, smiling.
"At least that makes one of us..." thought Haruka, her face
stiffened by the raw emotions tearing her up.
"What`s the matter, darling? You`ve been training like crazy ever
since we lost our powers to that blighted one. You seem almost
obsessed by that..." observed Michiru.
"Why shouldn`t I be? That monster Black Baron made us destroy a
CHILD!!! I have to be ready to kill him the instant our powers
return." protested Haruka, clenching her fists.
"That was NOT a child, and you know it! It was an evil creature
whose human disguise LOOKED like a child, but its heart was corrupt
to the core... we did what we HAD to, annihilated a vile being
whose very existance desecrated all other forms of life. Had we
not killed it, it would have killed US, and countless others
afterwards no doubt." explained Michiru.
"A lot of comfort that gives me..." snarled Haruka who slammed her
fist into a nearby lamp in a sudden outburst of rage. Hotaru started
to cry as she heard the lamp smash into pieces on the bedroom wall.
Giving a shameful look to Haruka, Michiru went to the playpen and
picked up Hotaru whom she sang to softly. The frightened child
calmed down gradually, but Haruka didn`t wait for her smile to
return. She stormed out of the room, feeling angry both at herself
and her enemy for allowing his devious deceit to turn her into what
she had become. Right now, she hated herself and didn`t want the
two ladies of her life to see her like this.
* * *
"Are we there yet?" asked Robin who was bored out of her mind.
"You`ve asked the same question six times already." observed Usako.
"Yeah, but I`m really, really BORED now!!! Where are we going
anyway?!?" added Robin.
"Almost there, girls. We`re going to my mom`s ski lodge." explained
Naru.
"WOO HOO! SKI LODGE!!!" yelled out in joy Usako, Makoto and Robin.
"Don`t make any plans to go skiing just yet. Remember we`re all here
for a reason, and that`s to allow you all to gain further insight
into your souls, and gain more power in the process." objected
Naru. The cheering spontaneously stopped.
"Killjoy." mumbled Robin under her breath.
"This is the ideal place for you three to learn to recharge your
ultimate attacks by doing the soul searching necessary to this
rather... difficult process." said Naru.
"And a good thing too. Facing the triplet youma and Gingitsune
was a bad time to find out that I couldn`t pull off my Seraphim
Wings of Wrath more than once." replied Robin.
"But I haven`t used mine yet!" protested Usako.
"No matter. You need to learn this anyway, so you`ll be ready to
recharge it as soon as you depleted your soul energy by using it for
the first time. Aaaah, here we are!"
Naru`s car pulled into the driveway of a beautiful ski lodge located
at a short distance from a popular ski resort. It was hidden from
view of the main road leading there, but taking the private access
road revealed to the girls just how much money Naru`s mother was
making by selling expensive jewelry at Osa-P.
"That is such a beautiful place!" said Makoto, blown away by the
sheer beauty of the wooden house built in swiss construction style.
"I absolutely love it!" agreed Usako.
"Let`s go inside!" urged Robin. Naru handed over the keys to Robin
who quickly ran to the front door, followed in hot pursuit by Usako.
Makoto walked as fast as her legs and crutches allowed her to, but
she felt Naru`s hand on her shoulder stopping her. She looked back
and saw that her friend had changed herself to her messiah fuku, a
modified version of the senshi uniform that had a long flowing white
gown and a delicately crafted silver breastplate. Her gloved hand
felt soft to the touch, her healing powers radiating from within
even as she wasn`t using them right then.
"This is where I take my own soul quest, I suppose?" guessed Makoto.
The messiah nodded in approval. "All right then... JUPITER SOUL
POWER TRANSFORM!"
A flash of golden light bathed Makoto, temporarily returning her full
motor skills as she turned into the senshi of lightning, Sailor
Jupiter. Her crutches were gone, she now stood and walked on her own
again. With these repeated transformations combined with Naru`s
healing spine massages, Makoto had no doubt she would have no
further need of her metal supports by the time the cherry trees
blossomed anew.
"Come with me." whispered Naru to Makoto. She led her up a steep
slope towards the top of the mountain.
* * *
"Room service!" came a voice through the door. Fenris had woken up
the instant he heard the soft rattle of the hotel attendant knocking
on the door, his ears pointed up and his eyes wide open. He was
still holding Crystallite against his furry body, her curled form
sleeping in undisturbed peace. Moving swiftly, he slid on some
clothes and went to answer the door to pick up the breakfast order
that he`d placed with the kitchen the night before.
"I hope those eggs are well done..." thought the manwolf, knowing
just how much his mistress hated liquid yellows in her plate. He
opened the door and saw a young hotel employee pushing a tray
carrying their meal.
"Here`s your breakfeast, sir, delivered just as you wanted." said
the young man with a smile. He was amazed at the large hulking man
standing in front of him, as the magical ring given to him by
Crystallite clouded normal human beings` minds to have them see the
huge beast as a tall human male with almost unnaturaly dark skin.
The hotel employee had met black men many times in his service to
the establishment, but never one with skin so dark that it was
actually jet black.
"Thank you." replied Fenris, letting his protective bodyguard
reflexes down. This young boy was no threat to Crystallite- and
certainly no match to him.
"Is that breakfast I smell?" asked the still sleepy redhead beauty
as she awoke, barely hiding her bare body under the thin bedsheets.
The young man had trouble suppressing a smile as he got a look at
her slim young forms, and gave a small elbow jab to Fenris along
with a quick wink.
"So you like them young, huh? Bet she`s a wild one in bed!" he
whispered to the manwolf.
Bearing his fangs as he let out a very loud beastial growl, the
manwolf`s eyes glowed blood red with rage, his magical ring failing
to hide his wolfish features for a fraction of a second. Fear
grabbing hold of him, the young man ran for his life, not really
knowing exactly what happened if only that this muscular guy would
rip him apart for daring to insult his lover.
"His courage sure went to hell in a handbasket." observed
Crystallite as she painfully moved over the bed to reach the
breakfast tray where her plate of eggs and toast was awaiting her.
"So did his tip." added Fenris, closing the door and joining
Crystallite on the side of the bed to chow down on his plate of
ham, sausage and bacon. He noticed how much more refreshed his
mistress looked after their evening and night out.
"You certainly seem better this morning." he said, looking at her
eyes who regained their glint of determination. "Your hand his
healing nicely, too."
"Spending time away from the Poldzer Triangle was something I
needed to do. I`m all better to continue our journey to rebuild
the black crystal!" said Crystallite with a big smile.
"I`m glad to hear that... because there is still a big step to
take to complete it." replied Fenris.
"I know. But I also know it`s my destiny to do this... mother
would be so proud of me!"
* * *
"So where do you think the messiah led Jupiter to?" wondered Usako
as she used her fire control powers to light the fireplace.
"Beats me. Probably some kind of mystic place for her to meditate or
something. Hey, we have some hot chocolate instant mix here!"
replied Robin from the kitchen.
"Great, bring it over! This fireplace has a hook and boiling pot
on it. We can warm some water and cook something too."
"Beautiful... let`s eat something while we can before Naru returns
here and leads us out to sit in a cold river or something."
commented Robin. "I know she means well, but I`m a bit sensitive
to cold." she added, bringing over some hot chocolate mix, water
and some of the food that Naru had thoughtfully packed in her car
trunk.
"Being raised in a temperature controled space station will do
that to you I guess." said Usako.
"No kidding. For all the efforts dad did when he created me, he
still forgot a few details... can`t blame him for that, though,
overall he did an amazing job in such a short time."
"He certainly did. It`s no surprise Yaten couldn`t resist you." said
Usako, grinning.
"You`ll never let that one go, will you?" replied Robin. Usako shook
her head. "Then how about I ask you a few questions regarding... his
brother Seiya?!?"
Usako gulped when she heard that name on Robin`s lips. Maybe Robin
was a little more perceptive than she first thought.
"What about Seiya?" she asked, trying to bluff her way out of this
discussion.
"You spent a long time with him last night, from what Michiru told
me... and you seemed to be enjoying his presence a LOT!"
"That means nothing." objected Usako.
"You were giving him what Michiru called the 'girlish laugh' when he
made jokes, even at the really bad ones."
"That still doesn`t mean a thing. He`s a great storyteller."
"You were feeding each other from your plates and holding hands the
whole time." told her Robin, flicking her silver hair strand to add
weight to the argument. Usako was hard pressed to counter that one.
She just blushed and looked back into the fire, tears forming in her
eyes.
"Oooh, I didn`t mean to make you cry, Usako... I think it`s wonderful
that my friend knows just how good I feel!" said Robin, sitting on
the couch in front the fireplace and hugging Usako.
"He just makes feel so alive, you know?" said Usako, a faint smile
returning to her lips as she rubbed off her tears.
"Like nothing can hurt you, I know... he makes you feel like you`re
floating on a cloud." said Robin, sighing as she remembered the
kisses of the silver haired idol singer.
"We`re just two fools in love, aren`t we?" asked Usako. Robin
nodded to agree.
* * *
"Right here." said the messiah as she and Sailor Jupiter reached the
top of the mountain where they found a small plateau overlooking the
entire region. The view was absolutely breathtaking.
"This is... beautiful!" said Jupiter, looking all around to the other
forest covered mountains and to the distant Tokyo which she was
could vaguely make out.
"And this is where you must find yourself, and in doing so the power
you will need in battles to come." explained the messiah.
"Against Black Baron, you mean?"
"Among others, yes. There are many enemies who will come and go in
our lives, but that`s neither here nor there. Today, you must find
yourself."
"Okay... what do I do?" asked Jupiter.
"You`ll know what to do. I have to go back to the lodge to guide
Usako and Robin now... this trial of soul is one you must take
alone." said Naru, taking the snowy path back down.
"Great... just great... what exactly am I supposed to..." Jupiter
started to ask herself, but a noise stopped her right there. The
low rumbling of dark storm clouds above her head. Right there and
now she knew what she had to do.
"Great and mighty Mjolnir, I summon you!" she called out, raising
her right hand in the air. In a blast of lightning, a jade warhammer
formed itself in her hand. "Powers of the storm, your child beckons
you! Bring me the power I need and the wisdom I seek!!!"
Immediately, the deafening sound of crashing thunder echoed in the
mountain area, and Naru knew that her friend was well on her way to
attaining her goal.
"Great god of thunder and lightning, lend me your strength!!!" yelled
Jupiter as she brandished her sacred weapon to the sky. In response,
a bolt of lightning came crashing down, hitting the warhammer and
surrounding the senshi of lightning in its power. Then another one.
Then another.
Within mere seconds, a thunder wall was surrounding her totally
without actually touching her. Something was missing, though.
Jupiter had summoned the power of lightning countless times before,
and this sensation was nothing new to her. What was she doing
wrong?
"MORE!!!" she screamed, begging the skies to release its full
strength upon her.
Just as she was about to receive an even more intense blast from the
black clouds overhead, she had her attention captured by a small
chirping sound- a tiny hatchling bird was right under her, trembling
as it cowered against her foot! If the lightning blast she had just
asked for hit her as she was planning to, it would be killed for
certain... but she could never recreate the current storm conditions
for her soul search either. She could save the hatchling bird OR
ascend further into her power, but not both.
She had to choose, and choose she did. As the thunder fell for one
last magnificient strike, she rose her warhammer and diverted the
electrical charge so that it dissipated harmlessly in the air all
around her, as well as grounding the energy she had already charged
so far. The storm clouds disipated as well, letting the soft glow
of the winter sun brush her skin once again. Jupiter felt a little
sad inside for letting the promise of added power slip by her, but
she had saved an innnocent life from a horrid death by electrocution,
and it had certainly been worth it.
Bending down, she picked up the trembling birdling in her gloved
hands and kissed it softly.
"There`s no need to be afraid, darling. I won`t hurt you..." she
whispered.
"I know, my beautiful child." came a thundering voice inside her
head. Jupiter was taken aback- somehow, she just knew that the bird
itself had just told her that through telepathy. "Your greatest
strength is not your muscles, Kino Makoto, and neither is your
lightning summoning abilitiy. It is your heart, and your
willingness to sacrifice of yourself for the sake of others."
The tiny bird spread its little wings, a great gale coming out of
nowhere as it did. As it took flight and flew in circles around her,
it grew in size to become larger and more magnificient than the
mightiest eagle, static charges filling up Makoto`s body as a hint
to the unimaginable electrical powers of what Makoto then recognized
as the legendary Thunderbird, whose great strength rivaled that of
the mythical Phoenix itself.
"Your love is more powerful than my talons, and will take you
further than my wings could. Now receive your true reward, my child-
your kind and generous heart has earned it." told her the telepathic
voice of the mighty bird. From his open beak came a strong bolt of
lightning which hit Jupiter squarely in the chest, though it did not
hurt her in any way, rather infused her with renewed power and an
even stronger desire to triumph over evil.
She felt her body get lighter, and her feet lost contact with the
ground as power flowed from the Thunderbird`s beak into her body,
flooding her with the power that was rightfully hers. Closing her
eyes, she revelled in this marvelous sensation- she had triumphed,
and intuitively knew that her ultimate attack was once again hers
to use, and that in the future she could recharge it on her own just
like Mercury could.
When she reopened her eyes, her feet were once again touching the
ground. Her fuku had been improved upon by the addition of shoulder
pads and a full breastplate, the extension of her leg protection
over her tighs where her "senshi of lightning" kanji were now
engraved proudly. Even her warhammer had been modified, the carvings
on the sacred weapon had been enhanced with pure gold in a very
artistic manner.
"These are my gifts to you, child of lightning, may you find them
useful on your long path." concluded the magnificient Thunderbird
before vanishing in a blast of thunder with a loud and shrill
eaglelike scream.
"Thank you, thundrous one... I will use these gifts in your honor."
she whispered, looking to the place where it had disappeared.
To be continued...
a.k.a. Technuma Saturn
Prologue...
With a fine crystal glass of expensive red wine in hand, the former
first knightmare of the spheres was pondering upon the events which
had unfolded into the world that he had claimed as his protectorate.
He had hoped that letting go of his title would earn the earth some
well deserved peace, but this was obviously not going to happen
anytime soon.
In his rather spartan appartment decorated entirely in gloomy black
furniture, he wondered how the recent events were going to affect
those he had come to care about. Mizuno Akane and her daughter Ami,
Rei, Usako... Rei had already been struck down by his former master
and teacher Black Baron, and the others would certainly follow in
the next few days.
The phone rang.
"Hello?" he answered, turning his glass in circles in his other
hand, watching the crimson liquid swirl around and leaving a red
glint on the fine crystal.
"Hey, it`s Akane downstairs, can you buzz me in?"
"Sure thing." he replied, hanging up and pushing the building`s
front door lock release to let in the woman who had come to steal
his heart. He smiled at the thought, not so long ago he never even
knew he still had one. Then again, he did spend the better part of
the millenium learning to harness the power of darkness, and being
married for over a hundred years to a demon lord ruling a blasted
wasteland did very little to lighten his mood.
Still, he was faced with the same problem. What to do if Black Baron
persisted? No matter what he could do, Black Baron would tear him to
pieces because of his unequaled mastery of the arts of darkness. And
regardless how much Ronmar had been touched by light lately, his
former master would have no difficulty reaching through and pulling
him apart, the same as he would do to his precious Akane if she even
tried to interfere, as he knew she surely would. Akane would die to
protect her daughter unless Ronmar was there to protect her, and he
could hardly do that if he was already dead. The greater knightmare
could find himself yet another soulless body later on as he`d done
many times in the past already, but this time he didn`t know if he
could even find the strength to go on resurrecting himself if it
were in a world without HER, or those three young girls he had come
to consider as his daughters of sorts.
A quick, perky knock came at the door, Akane`s signature knock. It
lifted his heart to hear it, although he felt sad to know that
within the next few days life as he had come to know would be
shattered to pieces, gone for good.
"Hello, Mitchell!" she said, hugging and kissing him as he opened
the door for her.
"Hello, Akane." he replied with little emotion.
"You seem gloomy today, honey... more so than usual." she observed.
"I`m just worried for the girls. That`s all."
"Maybe you need to get your mind off their trouble for a while...
until that Black Baron strikes again, at least. Maybe you could
do something to keep you busy. Robin told me that your host body
was a great doctor, so maybe you could use your host memory to
become a doctor as well? That would certainly keep your mind
occupied until you got a chance to help the girls out!" she
suggested.
"That wouldn`t go, I`m afraid. Among knightmares, it`s considered
taboo to use host memories and skills, in any circumstances. It
would be bad form for me to use Technuma`s skills." explained Ronmar.
"That`s why I had to give the title of first knightmare to Behemoth,
because although Thanatora had hunter skills before she took over
her newest body, she still benefited from its superior hunting
skills in tracking down her offering for the Challenging. It was a
borderline case, not close enough to openly shame her into pulling
out of the competition, but too close to allow her to take over the
reigns of knightmare society."
"Oh, I`m sorry, I didn`t mean to embarass you..." she appologized.
"It`s not your fault, I never told you about this before. And don`t
worry about me, I`m used to being so gloomy all the time. That`s
what knightmares stand for." he told her, taking a second crystal
glass from a cabinet and filling it for his girlfriend.
"Perhaps so.. but you do have moments when you shine as bright as a
sun." added Akane, taking the glass and placing her other arm
around his waist.
"All thanks to you, my love." he concluded, emptying his glass in
a single sip.
* * *
CYCLES OF LIFE: EPISODE 46
AND THE BAND PLAYED ON
The horn of Naru`s car reminded Usako very brutally that she went to
bed just a little too late the night before, and that this chat she
had with Seiya was something she shouldn`t repeat on any given night
where the messiah, the senshi`s guide and teacher, required her to
get up at sunrise the next morning.
"Yeah, yeah, I`m coming, I`m coming..." she mumbled between two
sips of extra strong coffee.
"You look tired, honey." commented Usagi. "So that long talk with
Seiya ended really late, huh?" she added.
"Yes, it did. I`d like to thank you for taking Chibi Chibi home
when you left, by the way." replied the scarlet lady.
"No sweat. Have fun with Naru today, you should get increased power
and a better armor, judging from what Ami got herself." said Usagi.
"Wait a minute- why aren`t YOU coming along?" protested Usako.
"Because Naru says my path is a different one... one I must find
myself."
Usako mumbled under her breath about how lucky her mother should
count herself not to be getting bossed around like this, leaving
the Tsukino house to join Naru and her sister senshi whom she`d
already picked up.
"Chibi Chibi!" came the voice of the cutest little girl Usagi had
ever seen, the mysterious Chibi Chibi.
"Hello, sweetheart. Usako-mama is gone for now, so I`ll be taking
care of you today... how would you like to go see Ami, Shingo and
Laurella?"
"Chibi Chibi!!!" she replied with her usual enthusiasm.
"I knew you`d like it! Now how about some breakfast?" offered
Usagi.
"Yeah! Food!" went the little girl.
"A girl who values food as much as I do... no wonder I love you!"
said Usagi, kissing her on the cheek as she lifted her up on a
chair.
* * *
"Hop in!" said Robin as she squeezed herself from the front seat of
Naru`s car to the back seat where Makoto already was.
"Here, let me get those out of the way." said Makoto as she picked
up her metal crutches and freed the seat for her friend.
"You won`t need those where we`re going today." observed Naru.
"Somebody didn`t have enough sleep last night!" laughed Robin,
noticing Usako`s absent look in her eyes.
"Somebody looks in a very good mood, too! Care to give us details,
Robin?" asked Makoto.
"I can`t explain it... I`ve just been like this all morning, despite
burning my toasts at breakfast, bruising my leg when I slipped in
the shower and ripping up a skirt I wanted to wear today! This good
mood just won`t go away... and I`m LOVING it!" she explained, a
large stupid smile on her face as Naru pulled back into the street
and drove them away.
"Tell me, Robin, how much do you think about... a certain idol
singer you met last night?" asked Makoto, a mischievous grin on
her lips.
"I can`t seem to get him out of my mind, actually." she answered,
sighing softly when she heard her friend mention Yaten.
"And what do you like about him?" asked Naru.
"Everything. His long silver hair, his emerald green eyes, his
shining smile, the way he has of making every word he says sound
like a small spring cascading off a mountainside..." she went on,
smiling even more as she stared outside the car window, seeing
Yaten`s image wherever she looked.
"You know what?" said Makoto.
"Me thinks..." started Naru.
"...that our friend Robin..." continued Usako.
"...IS IN LOOOOOOVE!!!" concluded the three of them, making Robin
blush a deep shade of red.
"Isn`t that sweet, our little Robin is all grown up!" said Naru,
giggling.
"NO! I`m not in love! I`m, well... err... I`m attracted to him,
but... it`s just that..." she mumbled, unable to complete her
thoughts.
"You have no idea what love is, do you?" asked Makoto, putting her
arm around Robin`s shoulder.
"Not really..." she admitted in a low voice. "I know that it`s a
powerful emotion, one that has been driving the lives of all my
friends, especially Usagi. I know my dad was deeply attached to
Technulis Mercury, and once he told me he loved her... but I
don`t really know what it is myself."
"Love is the certitude that you want to spend every moment of
your life with someone very special to you." said Naru, thinking
about her dear Umino.
"Love is being ready to make the greatest sacrifice for the one
you hold dear." said Makoto, a tear rolling off her cheek as she
remembered Ghangoroth.
"Love is even more powerful than all the dark splinters, silver
crystals and sacred weapons in the universe put together." replied
Usako, smiling too as she thought of someone that only twenty-four
hours earlier she couldn`t stand at all. Seiya had made quite an
impression on her, as she learned for herself that this jerk
persona she believed him to be was only a facade to cover up for
the shyness he just couldn`t control. He turned out to be a really
sweet, caring guy who, for all his manly sports prowess, was no
less sensitive.
Usako did her best to hide her own stupid smile that was crying out
to be unleashed, as she had totally and hopelessly fallen in love
as well. But there was no way she would let the others find out
before she mustered the strength to tell Seiya her feelings for
him. And that could take a while.
"But how do I handle that?" wondered Robin, resting her head
against Makoto`s shoulder. "How do I manage to go on my daily
business without that love for Yaten pestering me and preventing
me from concentrating? From invading my every waking thought?"
"You can`t, I`m afraid." answered Naru, sighing as she once again
thought of her boyfriend.
"That`s what makes love be love. It`s beyond your control, and it
rides you like a jockey rides a horse." sighed Usako.
"But when you and your guy share that loving feeling... there`s
nothing like it in the universe, dear friend." concluded Makoto,
putting her second arm around Robin`s shoulder.
"Do you think Yaten loves me too?" asked Robin to her friends.
"Did he kiss you?" wondered Usako.
"Yeah... we kissed a lot last night." Robin replied, smiling as she
remembered her date. Her friends went "Ooooh" all at once, hinting
to Robin that she indeed had found herself an official boyfriend.
* * *
Yaten, on the other hand, was less than reassured at how his evening
had turned out. What started out as a simple date to figure whether
this Robin Redwing was princess Kakyuu or not had somehow become an
all-out lip wrestling match where there were no losers. No matter
how he tried to justify his actions in his head, he inevitably got
back to regreting what he did.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid... how could I let my head be turned by
this pretty girl? This vibrant, energetic, charming girl..." he
thought, his daydream focusing once again on the sparkling green
eyes of Robin.
"Yo Yaten! Care to come down from Kinmoku for a few moments?" went
Seiya, calling Yaten`s attention back to reality. He could tell
that the silver haired boy was somewhere else entirely from the
way he was dragging his spoon in his bowl of chocolate cereal
rather than scarfing it down in no time flat.
"...huh? What`d you say?" replied Yaten, barely hearing his brother.
"Seiya was asking you if this Robin you told us about had any chance
of being the princess." told him Taiki in a very factual manner.
"I`m... not sure yet. She has the caring side of her, and her
innocence to the ways of this world is quite remarkable. I need to
spend more time with her to be sure." he said.
At this moment, Seiya slapped him behind the head.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!?" protested Yaten.
"You`ve fallen in love with her, it`s written all over your face!"
accused him Seiya, anger flaring in his eyes. "After that
self-righteous speech you made me about falling for an earth woman,
you go and do the very same thing!"
"So I fell for her, I admit it. My heart is not as cold as I`d have
you guys believe, you know." he added, tears forming in his eyes. "I
have a gaping hole in my heart I didn`t even know I had, and she
filled it right up."
Taiki`s face brightened up. He understood just what his brother
meant.
"I`m happy for you, Yaten. I always knew you had a lot of love to
give, I was hoping that you would find someone to express your
feelings to one day." he said. His smile told even more than just
these words.
"Did you meet someone too, Taiki?" asked him Seiya.
"Let`s just say that I have someone to look up to even in those
dreadful moments of darkness." concluded the tall brainy member
of the Three Lights, finishing his bowl of oatmeal as he thought
of the pretty senshi of ice, Sailor Mercury.
* * *
"That was kind of your mom to let us use your place like this."
commented Laurella as she sat down at the kitchen table. Usagi and
Mamoru joined her there, alongside Ami who was busy scanning some
pictures of the senshi to convert them to data format.
"Say, Ami, didn`t you say Umino would be here?" wondered Shingo as
he brought a tray of muffins on the kitchen table of the luxurious
apartment where the Mizuno family lived. Usagi dove right in and
stuffed her face with the delicious blueberry treats to no one`s
surprise. Mamoru smiled when he saw his fiancee indulge in her
voracious appetite.
"He is with us right now." Ami replied. She spun her laptop around
and everyone saw his glasses zoomed in and filling up the screen.
"Don`t stand so close to the screen, Umino." suggested Laurella.
"Sorry gang, I`m not used to this communication system yet." he
apologized.
"Where are you?" asked Shingo.
"On my way to see some friends. They have a knack for finding
impossible things and other such knick-knacks." he explained as his
face shrunk onscreen to a more manageable size.
"This is the reason why I`ve been scanning these old pictures of
ourselves in uniform. His friends sell the parts I need, but
they`re very expensive..." said Ami.
"...unless you have something they REALLY want!" completed Umino.
"These guys have devoted a large part of their abode to the creation
of a sailor senshi shrine. They worship the ground you girls walk
on, as I used to do."
"You certainly did, nerd boy. That was annoying as hell." snarled
Usagi, remembering how Umino had a fixation on Sailor Moon a few
years back- as well as a huge crush on her. "Thank god he`s fallen
for Naru..." she thought.
"I have to say every guy had a crush on either one of the senshi at
some point..." commented Shingo, putting his hand over Laurella`s
but feeling no emotions from her still. He felt crushed inside-
she was so alive and vibrant before her encounter with the deadly
Black Baron, but now she was just a hollow shell, a mere shadow of
the person she used to be. And every day she seemed to be just a
little more lifeless.
"Umino will be getting me the parts I need to prepare for our
operation... now, Usagi, would you explain us the details?" said
Ami, getting the strategic part of their meeting under way.
* * *
Sitting alone at his coffee shop table, Umino peeked through his
stock of beautiful sailor senshi shots in order to decide which ones
he`d present to his friends in order to deal some of the computer
parts they got for him. Negociating with these hacker-scavengers
was nothing less of a chess match, and revealing your hand too fast
was the fastest way to get the short end of the stick. Fortunately,
Umino had been dealing with these guys for over four years, and
they were good friends of his. That helped a lot in getting good
deals.
"That`s a fabulous picture of Sailor Moon you have there." came a
soothing voice behind him. Umino turned around to see Kou Taiki was
at the next table, having a cup of coffee over his calculus book.
"Thank you, I`m a collector." he said politely, recognizing the
famous singer. "He really is nice, Ami was right about him." he
thought.
As he went through his images one at a time, one of them caught
Taiki`s attention: a picture of Sailor Mercury in her full soul
power armor, holding her silver-laced sapphire bow Deadshot.
"WHERE did you get THAT?!?" he uttered, his eyes almost popping
out of their sockets.
"I got it through a friend... this is one of my favorites." replied
Umino.
"If you`d like to trade it... I have something great for you."
offered Taiki, producing a small powerbook from the backpack under
his chair and turning it on. Pulling an image file from his drive,
he opened a picture of the three Starlights.
"I`ll trade you that Sailor Mercury pic in exchange for this one.
They`re the Sailor Starlights, few people even know they exist."
said Taiki.
Umino felt his heart beat at full speed as he recognized Maker,
Healer and Fighter from the description the senshi had given him.
He immediately agreed to the trade, knowing the girls would
absolutely love to see this image of their mysterious new allies.
"You`ve got a deal, Taiki! I`m Umino, nice to meet you."
"Same here, friend. I hope we can do more exchanges in the future,
perhaps?"
"I`d like that very much." agreed Umino.
* * *
Slowly awakening from her healing slumber, Michiru reached out
blindly over to the other side of the bed where she found nothing
but a warm spot among the wrinkled sheets. Opening her eyes, she saw
Haruka already up and dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, doing
push-ups in front of Hotaru`s playpen.
"`ruka! `ruka!" went the cute little girl as she looked upon her
tomboyish "father" exercising as she always did every morning. She
tried to say her name, but wasn`t quite up to the challenge just
yet.
"You`ve got your mommy`s eyes, you know that?" observed Haruka,
smiling to the reborn silent messiah who smiled right back at her.
"What time is it?" asked Michiru, yawning as she stretched her arms
and back.
"Nine thirty."
"Already? Why didn`t you wake me up?"
"You looked so peaceful while you slept." answered the blonde woman,
interrupting her daily routine to admire the beauty of her lover.
Even with her aquamarine hair tangled up from a night`s sleep and
no makeup on, she was a beauty to behold.
"I was having beautiful dreams." she said, smiling.
"At least that makes one of us..." thought Haruka, her face
stiffened by the raw emotions tearing her up.
"What`s the matter, darling? You`ve been training like crazy ever
since we lost our powers to that blighted one. You seem almost
obsessed by that..." observed Michiru.
"Why shouldn`t I be? That monster Black Baron made us destroy a
CHILD!!! I have to be ready to kill him the instant our powers
return." protested Haruka, clenching her fists.
"That was NOT a child, and you know it! It was an evil creature
whose human disguise LOOKED like a child, but its heart was corrupt
to the core... we did what we HAD to, annihilated a vile being
whose very existance desecrated all other forms of life. Had we
not killed it, it would have killed US, and countless others
afterwards no doubt." explained Michiru.
"A lot of comfort that gives me..." snarled Haruka who slammed her
fist into a nearby lamp in a sudden outburst of rage. Hotaru started
to cry as she heard the lamp smash into pieces on the bedroom wall.
Giving a shameful look to Haruka, Michiru went to the playpen and
picked up Hotaru whom she sang to softly. The frightened child
calmed down gradually, but Haruka didn`t wait for her smile to
return. She stormed out of the room, feeling angry both at herself
and her enemy for allowing his devious deceit to turn her into what
she had become. Right now, she hated herself and didn`t want the
two ladies of her life to see her like this.
* * *
"Are we there yet?" asked Robin who was bored out of her mind.
"You`ve asked the same question six times already." observed Usako.
"Yeah, but I`m really, really BORED now!!! Where are we going
anyway?!?" added Robin.
"Almost there, girls. We`re going to my mom`s ski lodge." explained
Naru.
"WOO HOO! SKI LODGE!!!" yelled out in joy Usako, Makoto and Robin.
"Don`t make any plans to go skiing just yet. Remember we`re all here
for a reason, and that`s to allow you all to gain further insight
into your souls, and gain more power in the process." objected
Naru. The cheering spontaneously stopped.
"Killjoy." mumbled Robin under her breath.
"This is the ideal place for you three to learn to recharge your
ultimate attacks by doing the soul searching necessary to this
rather... difficult process." said Naru.
"And a good thing too. Facing the triplet youma and Gingitsune
was a bad time to find out that I couldn`t pull off my Seraphim
Wings of Wrath more than once." replied Robin.
"But I haven`t used mine yet!" protested Usako.
"No matter. You need to learn this anyway, so you`ll be ready to
recharge it as soon as you depleted your soul energy by using it for
the first time. Aaaah, here we are!"
Naru`s car pulled into the driveway of a beautiful ski lodge located
at a short distance from a popular ski resort. It was hidden from
view of the main road leading there, but taking the private access
road revealed to the girls just how much money Naru`s mother was
making by selling expensive jewelry at Osa-P.
"That is such a beautiful place!" said Makoto, blown away by the
sheer beauty of the wooden house built in swiss construction style.
"I absolutely love it!" agreed Usako.
"Let`s go inside!" urged Robin. Naru handed over the keys to Robin
who quickly ran to the front door, followed in hot pursuit by Usako.
Makoto walked as fast as her legs and crutches allowed her to, but
she felt Naru`s hand on her shoulder stopping her. She looked back
and saw that her friend had changed herself to her messiah fuku, a
modified version of the senshi uniform that had a long flowing white
gown and a delicately crafted silver breastplate. Her gloved hand
felt soft to the touch, her healing powers radiating from within
even as she wasn`t using them right then.
"This is where I take my own soul quest, I suppose?" guessed Makoto.
The messiah nodded in approval. "All right then... JUPITER SOUL
POWER TRANSFORM!"
A flash of golden light bathed Makoto, temporarily returning her full
motor skills as she turned into the senshi of lightning, Sailor
Jupiter. Her crutches were gone, she now stood and walked on her own
again. With these repeated transformations combined with Naru`s
healing spine massages, Makoto had no doubt she would have no
further need of her metal supports by the time the cherry trees
blossomed anew.
"Come with me." whispered Naru to Makoto. She led her up a steep
slope towards the top of the mountain.
* * *
"Room service!" came a voice through the door. Fenris had woken up
the instant he heard the soft rattle of the hotel attendant knocking
on the door, his ears pointed up and his eyes wide open. He was
still holding Crystallite against his furry body, her curled form
sleeping in undisturbed peace. Moving swiftly, he slid on some
clothes and went to answer the door to pick up the breakfast order
that he`d placed with the kitchen the night before.
"I hope those eggs are well done..." thought the manwolf, knowing
just how much his mistress hated liquid yellows in her plate. He
opened the door and saw a young hotel employee pushing a tray
carrying their meal.
"Here`s your breakfeast, sir, delivered just as you wanted." said
the young man with a smile. He was amazed at the large hulking man
standing in front of him, as the magical ring given to him by
Crystallite clouded normal human beings` minds to have them see the
huge beast as a tall human male with almost unnaturaly dark skin.
The hotel employee had met black men many times in his service to
the establishment, but never one with skin so dark that it was
actually jet black.
"Thank you." replied Fenris, letting his protective bodyguard
reflexes down. This young boy was no threat to Crystallite- and
certainly no match to him.
"Is that breakfast I smell?" asked the still sleepy redhead beauty
as she awoke, barely hiding her bare body under the thin bedsheets.
The young man had trouble suppressing a smile as he got a look at
her slim young forms, and gave a small elbow jab to Fenris along
with a quick wink.
"So you like them young, huh? Bet she`s a wild one in bed!" he
whispered to the manwolf.
Bearing his fangs as he let out a very loud beastial growl, the
manwolf`s eyes glowed blood red with rage, his magical ring failing
to hide his wolfish features for a fraction of a second. Fear
grabbing hold of him, the young man ran for his life, not really
knowing exactly what happened if only that this muscular guy would
rip him apart for daring to insult his lover.
"His courage sure went to hell in a handbasket." observed
Crystallite as she painfully moved over the bed to reach the
breakfast tray where her plate of eggs and toast was awaiting her.
"So did his tip." added Fenris, closing the door and joining
Crystallite on the side of the bed to chow down on his plate of
ham, sausage and bacon. He noticed how much more refreshed his
mistress looked after their evening and night out.
"You certainly seem better this morning." he said, looking at her
eyes who regained their glint of determination. "Your hand his
healing nicely, too."
"Spending time away from the Poldzer Triangle was something I
needed to do. I`m all better to continue our journey to rebuild
the black crystal!" said Crystallite with a big smile.
"I`m glad to hear that... because there is still a big step to
take to complete it." replied Fenris.
"I know. But I also know it`s my destiny to do this... mother
would be so proud of me!"
* * *
"So where do you think the messiah led Jupiter to?" wondered Usako
as she used her fire control powers to light the fireplace.
"Beats me. Probably some kind of mystic place for her to meditate or
something. Hey, we have some hot chocolate instant mix here!"
replied Robin from the kitchen.
"Great, bring it over! This fireplace has a hook and boiling pot
on it. We can warm some water and cook something too."
"Beautiful... let`s eat something while we can before Naru returns
here and leads us out to sit in a cold river or something."
commented Robin. "I know she means well, but I`m a bit sensitive
to cold." she added, bringing over some hot chocolate mix, water
and some of the food that Naru had thoughtfully packed in her car
trunk.
"Being raised in a temperature controled space station will do
that to you I guess." said Usako.
"No kidding. For all the efforts dad did when he created me, he
still forgot a few details... can`t blame him for that, though,
overall he did an amazing job in such a short time."
"He certainly did. It`s no surprise Yaten couldn`t resist you." said
Usako, grinning.
"You`ll never let that one go, will you?" replied Robin. Usako shook
her head. "Then how about I ask you a few questions regarding... his
brother Seiya?!?"
Usako gulped when she heard that name on Robin`s lips. Maybe Robin
was a little more perceptive than she first thought.
"What about Seiya?" she asked, trying to bluff her way out of this
discussion.
"You spent a long time with him last night, from what Michiru told
me... and you seemed to be enjoying his presence a LOT!"
"That means nothing." objected Usako.
"You were giving him what Michiru called the 'girlish laugh' when he
made jokes, even at the really bad ones."
"That still doesn`t mean a thing. He`s a great storyteller."
"You were feeding each other from your plates and holding hands the
whole time." told her Robin, flicking her silver hair strand to add
weight to the argument. Usako was hard pressed to counter that one.
She just blushed and looked back into the fire, tears forming in her
eyes.
"Oooh, I didn`t mean to make you cry, Usako... I think it`s wonderful
that my friend knows just how good I feel!" said Robin, sitting on
the couch in front the fireplace and hugging Usako.
"He just makes feel so alive, you know?" said Usako, a faint smile
returning to her lips as she rubbed off her tears.
"Like nothing can hurt you, I know... he makes you feel like you`re
floating on a cloud." said Robin, sighing as she remembered the
kisses of the silver haired idol singer.
"We`re just two fools in love, aren`t we?" asked Usako. Robin
nodded to agree.
* * *
"Right here." said the messiah as she and Sailor Jupiter reached the
top of the mountain where they found a small plateau overlooking the
entire region. The view was absolutely breathtaking.
"This is... beautiful!" said Jupiter, looking all around to the other
forest covered mountains and to the distant Tokyo which she was
could vaguely make out.
"And this is where you must find yourself, and in doing so the power
you will need in battles to come." explained the messiah.
"Against Black Baron, you mean?"
"Among others, yes. There are many enemies who will come and go in
our lives, but that`s neither here nor there. Today, you must find
yourself."
"Okay... what do I do?" asked Jupiter.
"You`ll know what to do. I have to go back to the lodge to guide
Usako and Robin now... this trial of soul is one you must take
alone." said Naru, taking the snowy path back down.
"Great... just great... what exactly am I supposed to..." Jupiter
started to ask herself, but a noise stopped her right there. The
low rumbling of dark storm clouds above her head. Right there and
now she knew what she had to do.
"Great and mighty Mjolnir, I summon you!" she called out, raising
her right hand in the air. In a blast of lightning, a jade warhammer
formed itself in her hand. "Powers of the storm, your child beckons
you! Bring me the power I need and the wisdom I seek!!!"
Immediately, the deafening sound of crashing thunder echoed in the
mountain area, and Naru knew that her friend was well on her way to
attaining her goal.
"Great god of thunder and lightning, lend me your strength!!!" yelled
Jupiter as she brandished her sacred weapon to the sky. In response,
a bolt of lightning came crashing down, hitting the warhammer and
surrounding the senshi of lightning in its power. Then another one.
Then another.
Within mere seconds, a thunder wall was surrounding her totally
without actually touching her. Something was missing, though.
Jupiter had summoned the power of lightning countless times before,
and this sensation was nothing new to her. What was she doing
wrong?
"MORE!!!" she screamed, begging the skies to release its full
strength upon her.
Just as she was about to receive an even more intense blast from the
black clouds overhead, she had her attention captured by a small
chirping sound- a tiny hatchling bird was right under her, trembling
as it cowered against her foot! If the lightning blast she had just
asked for hit her as she was planning to, it would be killed for
certain... but she could never recreate the current storm conditions
for her soul search either. She could save the hatchling bird OR
ascend further into her power, but not both.
She had to choose, and choose she did. As the thunder fell for one
last magnificient strike, she rose her warhammer and diverted the
electrical charge so that it dissipated harmlessly in the air all
around her, as well as grounding the energy she had already charged
so far. The storm clouds disipated as well, letting the soft glow
of the winter sun brush her skin once again. Jupiter felt a little
sad inside for letting the promise of added power slip by her, but
she had saved an innnocent life from a horrid death by electrocution,
and it had certainly been worth it.
Bending down, she picked up the trembling birdling in her gloved
hands and kissed it softly.
"There`s no need to be afraid, darling. I won`t hurt you..." she
whispered.
"I know, my beautiful child." came a thundering voice inside her
head. Jupiter was taken aback- somehow, she just knew that the bird
itself had just told her that through telepathy. "Your greatest
strength is not your muscles, Kino Makoto, and neither is your
lightning summoning abilitiy. It is your heart, and your
willingness to sacrifice of yourself for the sake of others."
The tiny bird spread its little wings, a great gale coming out of
nowhere as it did. As it took flight and flew in circles around her,
it grew in size to become larger and more magnificient than the
mightiest eagle, static charges filling up Makoto`s body as a hint
to the unimaginable electrical powers of what Makoto then recognized
as the legendary Thunderbird, whose great strength rivaled that of
the mythical Phoenix itself.
"Your love is more powerful than my talons, and will take you
further than my wings could. Now receive your true reward, my child-
your kind and generous heart has earned it." told her the telepathic
voice of the mighty bird. From his open beak came a strong bolt of
lightning which hit Jupiter squarely in the chest, though it did not
hurt her in any way, rather infused her with renewed power and an
even stronger desire to triumph over evil.
She felt her body get lighter, and her feet lost contact with the
ground as power flowed from the Thunderbird`s beak into her body,
flooding her with the power that was rightfully hers. Closing her
eyes, she revelled in this marvelous sensation- she had triumphed,
and intuitively knew that her ultimate attack was once again hers
to use, and that in the future she could recharge it on her own just
like Mercury could.
When she reopened her eyes, her feet were once again touching the
ground. Her fuku had been improved upon by the addition of shoulder
pads and a full breastplate, the extension of her leg protection
over her tighs where her "senshi of lightning" kanji were now
engraved proudly. Even her warhammer had been modified, the carvings
on the sacred weapon had been enhanced with pure gold in a very
artistic manner.
"These are my gifts to you, child of lightning, may you find them
useful on your long path." concluded the magnificient Thunderbird
before vanishing in a blast of thunder with a loud and shrill
eaglelike scream.
"Thank you, thundrous one... I will use these gifts in your honor."
she whispered, looking to the place where it had disappeared.
To be continued...