PYTHIA
Queen Serenity crouched on the floor of the Shield room next to Sailor Uranus, who clutched the body of Sailor Neptune tightly to her chest. The strange weapon of Abyss had killed the aquamarine senshi, stealing her life essence and leaving the empty shell of her body behind. Sailor Uranus wept openly, cradling her partner and lover tenderly in her arms. To one side, Sailor Moon, Sailor Saturn, Umino, Luna, and Artemis stood and watched, each consumed in grief. They had returned to find Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune on the floor, the momentary joy of their freedom gone with the realization of its cost.
King Endymion and the Asteroid senshi returned to the Shield room and Diana struggled free of Endymion's gentle hold to return to her parents. Sailor Uranus lowered her head, burying it in Neptune's hair. Endymion tapped his wife on the shoulder and held out the Silver Crystal. Serenity took it and nodded to her husband.
"Let me try," Serenity said, gently moving Uranus aside.
She held the Crystal over Neptune. "Moon Crystal Healing!"
The shimmering white light of the Crystal fell over Neptune and Uranus. The group paused a moment, waiting.
"Nothing," Uranus said, shaking her head.
Sailor Moon gasped and pointed to Uranus's arm. The claw marks and poison of the demon had disappeared, healed by the Crystal's gentle light. Sailor Uranus looked down at her arm, but her sorrowful expression did not change.
"If I may, your Majesty," Umino interrupted.
Serenity nodded to him.
"The device Abyss used was similar in design to the Shield. If the body of Lady Neptune can be kept, we should be able to return her life essence to her."
"Like when I was dying and Papa used his energy to save me," Sailor Moon said.
Uranus nodded, holding Neptune's cold hand. "Anything to bring her back to me."
Serenity passed her Crystal over their bodies again, and a thin golden chain formed, linking Uranus's clasped hand to Neptune's. The chain emanated a faint light and Uranus closed her eyes.
"I can feel it," she said. "Thank you."
"Your life essences are now one," Umino said. "Lady Uranus will have to conserve as much of her energy as possible to keep both of them alive."
Queen Serenity nodded and looked up at the crystal that still contained her friends. "If only I could do something for them."
As if in answer to her prayer, the crystal that imprisoned the senshi cracked and vanished. The four inner senshi stumbled free and fell to their knees. The other people in the room blinked in shock.
Sailor Jupiter lifted her head and smiled weakly. "Hi everyone, did we miss anything?"
********
Queen Serenity and Princess Usagi walked down the halls of the Crystal palace. They had just finished checking in on the inner senshi who were resting in their rooms. The four women had been in stasis for so long, it seemed to be taking a while for them to readjust to being alive again. Ami assured the worried queen that they would be fine in a few days.
Haruka and Michiru had been placed in their rooms as well, and both girls lay on their large bed. Haruka slept peacefully, heeding Umino's advice and conserving her strength. Hotaru was with them, sitting beside their bed in a silent vigil.
King Endymion and the Asteroid Senshi had freed the trapped citizens of Crystal Tokyo from the training arena where Abyss had kept them. Now, the four senshi and the remaining palace guards were purging the city of the leftover demons who had not already fled into the mountains. While Ami rested, Umino had taken over preparations to repair the two destroyed Crystal Points as well as the rest of the city. After a long, hard battle, it seemed as if life were getting back to normal.
Usagi finished telling her mother of their time in the northern mountains. Serenity listened, carefully hiding her worry behind a gentle smile. As her daughter talked, Serenity wondered how she had grown up so fast and what happened to the baby she had held in her arms.
"Mama?" Usagi said. "Are you okay?"
Serenity brought her attention back to the present. "Yes, dear. I was just thinking about when you were a baby."
Usagi blushed. "Mama," she said in embarrassment.
Serenity laughed. "I'm sorry, darling. I'm just so proud of you."
Usagi smiled and curtseyed. "Thank you, Majesty."
Serenity inclined her head. "Your welcome, Small Lady. Shall we go see what Abyss left in the kitchens? It's been a while since any of us had a descent meal."
"You're not going to cook, are you?" Usagi asked cautiously.
Serenity opened her mouth to chastise her daughter, then laughed again. "No, I think we deserve something edible."
Usagi laughed as well. "I love you, Mama."
"I love you too, Chibiusa."
********
Luna walked past the open door of the Shield room. In the few days since the senshi were freed, no one had felt the need to enter the room again, and so it remained a mess. Luna made a mental note to ask someone to clean it when the palace was re-staffed. Since Abyss's departure, most of the remaining citizens of Crystal Tokyo had been assigned to working and cleaning details in the city, leaving the palace itself seriously understaffed. Suppressing a shudder as she thought of the days spent in the small cage, Luna continued down the hallway.
"Crystal Tokyo, please respond," a voice said.
Luna paused and peeked into the small chamber next to the Shield room. The voice was coming from the small console used to monitor calls coming into or out of the city. The room was dark, but a white light emanated from one of the computer screens. Luna stepped into the room and leapt onto the table.
"This is Crystal Tokyo," Luna answered.
A face materialized on the screen. It was of a woman with red eyes and red hair that hung from beneath her crown-like hat in long, looping pigtails. She had orange flowers in her hair and an orange flower mark on her forehead. She smiled at Luna.
"Greetings, Luna," she said. "This is Princess Kakyuu."
Luna dipped her head in greeting. "How are you, Highness?"
Kakyuu smiled. "Faring better than you, I think. We heard here on Kinmokusei of your trouble with the Black Moon clan, but were unable to send reinforcements to help you."
"We managed to get rid of the woman who was plaguing us," Luna replied. "If you like, I can find Queen Serenity and . . ."
"No need," Kakyuu interrupted. "We are many light years from Earth and I have already sent some supplies your way. It should reach you in a few weeks."
Luna bowed her head. "Many thanks, Highness."
"My call," Kakyuu continued, "is of a different nature. As you are aware, we have granted the former senshi Galaxia asylum on a planet in our solar system."
Luna nodded, not speaking but listening intently.
"The woman known as Abyss was seen heading toward that planet, riding a huge dragon," Kakyuu concluded. "I have alerted the guardian of the planet, but thought you might like to know as well."
"Was anyone with her?" Luna inquired.
Kakyuu frowned in thought. "Now that you mention it, I remember hearing something about a girl traveling with Abyss. I assumed she was Abyss's servant."
Luna shook her head. "A hostage. Thank you very much, Princess Kakyuu. Queen Serenity and the senshi will be anxious to hear of this news."
Kakyuu dipped her head and the screen went black. Once again in darkness, Luna sat for a moment in thought. Akumu was alive and with Abyss, heading for the planet where the most powerful senshi in the universe lived in quiet exile. Luna leapt from the desk and darted from the room, hoping to find Serenity and the others together.
********
Queen Serenity and King Endymion sat in the small lounge where the Planetary ladies usually met. Princess Usagi and Hotaru stood to one side with Artemis and Diana, while the inner senshi sat together on the large couch. The four women were still weak from their ordeal inside the crystal, but insisted on joining the meeting. The Asteroid senshi were still patrolling the city, leaving Haruka and Michiru as the only two not present.
Luna stood in front of the assembled nobles and repeated the conversation she had had with Princess Kakyuu. The black cat saw a flicker of hope pass over Usagi's face as the princess heard that Akumu still lived, but at the same moment, Queen Serenity's face became clouded when she learned where Abyss was headed.
"What is the name of that planet?" Serenity asked.
"Pythia," Ami replied. "I believe it is the fifth or sixth planet away from the sun."
"And it can still support life?" Endymion asked.
"Their sun is much bigger than ours," Ami said, her voice sounding very tired. "The first two planets are too hot for life, the third planet is made of gas, and the fourth planet is Kinmokusei."
"We have to go save Akumu," Usagi cried.
"The planet's guardian has already been alerted," Luna told her. "There is nothing more we can do."
"Except provide backup," Makoto disagreed. "Maybe Pythia's guardian will need help."
"Pythia is renowned for its peaceful existence," Ami added. "I believe that is why Princess Kakyuu allowed Galaxia to live there."
"What would Abyss want with Galaxia?" Rei asked.
"The technology to capture Star Seeds?" Minako said with a shudder. She, like all the other senshi, had gone through the painful death of having her Star Seed ripped from her body.
"I think we should send a force to help Pythia's guardian," Usagi declared. "If Abyss is using Akumu, the guardian may accidentally kill Akumu in the process."
Endymion nodded and Serenity sighed.
"How will we get there?" Hotaru asked.
"Sailor Teleport," Rei replied. "It's the only way."
Serenity shook her head. "No way. You four are the only ones who can use the Teleport and I'm not sending you away again."
"We have to, Usagi-chan," Makoto said. "Chibiusa is right. We need to stop Abyss once and for all. This is not Pythia's fight; it's ours."
"We'll be fine," Rei added. "We'll leave in a day or so after we're all rested."
Serenity squirmed in her seat. "But you need five to teleport."
"I'll go with them," Chibiusa declared. "It was my idea."
"No way," this time it was Endymion who protested. "I think you've had enough adventure for a while."
"But Papa" Chibiusa whined.
"I think she has to come," Ami interrupted.
All eyes swung to the blue haired senshi of ice. Ami blushed slightly from the sudden attention, but continued.
"We need the Princess's energy to find our way back here. Without her, we may be lost in space."
Usagi smiled at Ami and turned back to her parents. Her red eyes were large and pleading. Endymion and Serenity exchanged a look.
"We'll watch out for her," Minako promised.
"Like we always had to watch out for you, Usagi-chan," Rei added.
Serenity sighed. "Very well. The five of you will travel to Pythia in two days."
Princess Usagi cheered and hugged Hotaru, who did not look as pleased as her friend.
********
Abyss circled the continent twice on her dragon. The planet was not very large, being composed mostly of water, and had only three small island land masses. The water around the continents was dotted with smaller islands and Abyss was sure that Galaxia lived on one.
The dragon swooped down again, skimming over vast farmlands. The planet was largely isolated and well protected by Kinmokusei, and so lacked the large cities Kakyuu's planet held. Pythia, known for its peaceful lifestyle, was populated mostly by farmers and monks. Abyss smiled to herself. What a perfect location for the woman who had nearly conquered the galaxy.
Abyss looked over her shoulder to the girl seated behind her. During their long flight, Abyss had drugged her hostage to make her easier to control. She knew the powers of Night were still unchecked and hated to think what would happen to her if Akumu suddenly disappeared and was replaced by the Fury. Now the blue haired prisoner was docile and emotionless, the drug causing her to follow Abyss's orders blindly. The purple haired woman's smile grew broader. Perhaps she had not lost yet after all.
"There," Abyss told her dragon, pointing to a small clearing in the center of a large forest.
Dutifully, the dragon began its descent. The forest was perfect; close enough to the farms to find food, close enough to the islands to find Galaxia. As Abyss and Akumu dismounted and sent the dragon away, Abyss inhaled the fresh air of the planet Pythia and began her plan.
********
Sailor Moon joined hands with Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars, and winked to Hotaru. Sailor Venus and Jupiter completed the circle as they stood in the courtyard of the palace in preparation for their journey. A crowd of citizens had gathered to watch the legendary Teleport and the Asteroid senshi did their best to keep the spectators at bay.
"Good luck," Queen Serenity told her friends.
"Five of us against one of them," Jupiter said. "I like those odds."
"Don't get cocky," Mars warned.
The five senshi closed their eyes in concentration. An eerie calm filled the courtyard and the mumbling crowd grew silent. The hair and uniforms of the five senshi began to float as if a calm wind had suddenly risen from their feet.
"Sailor Teleport!" Luna called.
A cylinder of blue light encompassed the five senshi and the concrete at their feet buckled and broke. The senshi rose into the air before being transformed into five streaks of light. The beams disappeared into the sky in a flash and the broken concrete slammed back into the ground. The show over, the crowd began to disperse, but Queen Serenity and King Endymion remained, looking up at the sky.
"Come home safely," Serenity whispered.
********
Hours later, the five beams of light reformed their carriers on a distant planet. The senshi let go of each others hands and looked around their new environment. Sailor Mercury tapped her earring, causing her visor to materialize over her eyes. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Venus kept Sailor Moon between them as their eyes scanned the horizon. Sailor Mars closed her eyes in concentration, stretching her senses for an evil presence.
"Guys," Sailor Moon said finally. "We're on a farm."
The five senshi straightened. They were standing on a well worn path surrounded by tall crops. In the distance was a forest and directly behind them the ground sloped gently uphill and quickly faded into mountains.
"Now what?" Sailor Venus asked.
"I guess we search for the guardian of this planet," Sailor Mars said.
She picked a direction and started walking. Suddenly, from out of the vegetation came dozens of figures. They had the heads and scaly skin of snakes but their lower bodies were of men and women. They stuck out their tongues at the newcomers and hissed.
"Uh oh," Sailor Moon commented.
For an instant, they were at a stalemate. Then one of the serpent men hissed sharply and lunged at Sailor Jupiter. The senshi reacted with a swift kick to the being's nose and it fell back, hissing angrily. It went downhill from there.
Three serpents launched themselves at Sailor Mars. She threw them off with almost as much grace as Jupiter, pushing one to the ground. Five more were tackling Jupiter and the remaining ten or so had surrounded Venus, Moon, and Mercury.
"Shabon Spray!" Sailor Mercury called.
The serpent men became lost in fog. Sailor Mercury motioned for the other senshi to follow her and they ran away from the fight. As the fog cleared, the serpent men caught sight of them escaping and pursued them.
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!" Sailor Venus cried.
Her heart shaped attack struck several of the creatures, knocking them out of view into the crops that surrounded them.
"Mars Flame Sniper!" Sailor Mars called.
Her flame arrow missed its mark, but struck the plants, igniting them. The snake people quickly forgot about their enemies and began to try and put out the flames. The senshi used this opportunity to escape.
All of a sudden, an arrow embedded itself in the path at their feet. The five senshi skidded to a halt and looked around for the archer.
"Freeze!" a voice said.
A figure materialize out of the crops. She was tall, with long red hair streaked with gold and had green eyes. She wore a senshi uniform with a black collar and bows, white skirt and choker, and a gray bodice. She did not have a tiara like the other senshi. Instead, her gray gem seemed to grow from her forehead. She held a bow in one hand and had a quiver of arrows on her back.
As she stepped out into the open, she nocked another arrow to her bow and aimed it at the senshi.
"Who are you and why are you destroying our crops?" she demanded to know.
"We're sailor senshi from Crystal Tokyo, on the planet Earth," Sailor Venus explained. "We're here to stop - "
"I know why you're here," the mystery senshi said. "I want to know why you were destroying our crops."
"We were attacked," Sailor Jupiter said angrily.
Three snake men appeared beside the archer and hissed to her. She listened, never taking her eyes off the five senshi before her, and nodded to him.
"Come with me," she said, turning on her heel.
"Who are you?" Sailor Mars asked.
The senshi looked back over her shoulder. "I am the guardian of the planet Pythia, Sailor Apollo."
********
Akumu stood mutely to one side as Abyss opened the portal to the demon planet. Long ago, the purple haired woman of the Black Moon clan had discovered the way to the demon's world and since then, they had agreed to serve her. Abyss stepped aside as several dozen small demons came through. Akumu blinked slowly as she watched. She knew something was not right, but her brain could not fathom what it was. Her mind felt thick and heavy, and it took all of her concentration just to remain awake.
Abyss was giving her small demon army orders, pointing into the forest. The demons listened intently and dispersed into the trees and out of view. Abyss turned to the tent she had erected and picked up her crystal gun. The purple haired woman made a few slight modifications to it, removing the glass cylinder on one end and replacing it with a black sphere. Part of Akumu wondered what was happening, but the rest of her really didn't care.
"Come here," Abyss ordered.
Dutifully, Akumu obeyed. Abyss held up the gun and pointed it to Akumu's chest. The girl blinked dumbly but didn't move.
"I accessed some of the files in the palace at Crystal Tokyo," Abyss said. "I read something there about the Witches Five and their desire to capture pure heart crystals. I realized that what I needed to fulfill my goal was one with a pure heart, but I had no idea how to find such a person."
She sighted the gun at Akumu. "Fortunately, the technology was easy to duplicate. For your sake, you better hope I did it right."
The gun fired. Akumu cried out as a beam of black energy exploded in her chest. Her eyes opened widely as something grasped her heart and pulled. With a final breath, Akumu fell to the ground, her unseeing eyes staring into the surrounding forest.
********
The red headed Sailor Apollo brought the five intruding senshi along a steep path leading up the mountain side. Several of the snake people followed them, surrounding the senshi and keeping them on the path. The five senshi tried to speak to the mysterious Sailor Apollo several times, but she always ignored them. The group lapsed into silence.
After several minutes, the path began to descend, and a large valley opened up before them. The valley floor had a wide river running through it with several small fishing boats gliding up and down its deep blue surface. The land surrounding the river was full of vegetation; fruit orchards, animal farms, cereal crops, and every other kind of food imaginable. In the center of the valley, rising up over all the other small buildings, was an enormous temple.
"What's that?" Sailor Mars asked without thinking.
"The great Pythian temple," Sailor Apollo replied, much to the surprise of the senshi.
"What's in it?" Sailor Moon wondered.
Apollo turned to face them, her green eyes flashing angrily. "More secrets than you could ever dream of, child."
Sailor Moon opened her mouth to defend herself, but Sailor Mercury shook her head sharply. Insulted, Sailor Moon was quiet and the group continued their journey into the valley.
********
It was sunset when they finally reached the massive doors of the Pythian temple. The five senshi were all hungry and tired, but Apollo showed no signs of either. The doors opened for her and the newcomers saw more of the serpent men, dressed in brown monk's robes. They bowed to Apollo as she lead the group inside, and the doors closed silently behind them.
"Take them to the dungeon," Apollo ordered. "They will stand trial at day break for their crimes."
"What?" Sailor Jupiter exclaimed.
"How dare you!" Sailor Mars added.
"Is this how you treat guests?" Sailor Venus asked.
Apollo whirled around. The serpent monks seemed to melt into the shadows, leaving the six senshi alone. The five newcomers stared defiantly at their hostess.
"I treat guests with the utmost respect," Apollo answered. "You five, however, are not welcomed visitors. You are intruders from another planet, meddling in things that do not concern you. You arrived unannounced, attacked the farmers who were minding their own business, and set our crops ablaze! On this planet, that is the work of criminals. You will all stand trial."
Before the senshi could protest again, the serpent monks surrounded them and began ushering them down some stairs. Sailor Mercury looked over her shoulder and the last thing she saw was Sailor Apollo watching them go.
********
Akumu woke when the sky was dark and full of unfamiliar stars. Two moons lit up the sky brightly and the former thief could hear her captor behind her. Her mind felt unusually clear, and Akumu suspected that the effects of the drug had worn off. She lay unmoving, listening to Abyss.
"What do you mean, you can't find it?" Abyss was saying.
"We searched the closest islands," the demon replied. "We snuck into villages at night, but found nothing. The Sword is not here."
Sword? Akumu thought.
Abyss sighed. "I have given you a week and this is the best you can do?"
A week! Akumu nearly gasped. How long have I slept?
"There is one place we cannot get to," the demon said hopefully. "A temple in a mountain valley."
"Why can't you go there?" Abyss demanded.
"The guardian of this planet resides there," the demon answered. "Her power is too great, and she is well protected."
"Well protected?" Abyss repeated. "The Sword must be with the guardian. We will prepare for an attack immediately. Recall the rest of my army. We will march at sunrise."
Akumu heard the demon scamper off. She heard Abyss rise to her feet and come closer. Akumu squeezed her eyes shut, but could not help by cry out when Abyss delivered a sharp kick to her side.
"You're alive," Abyss said emotionlessly. "At least the weapon works."
Akumu didn't move. Abyss muttered something and the blue haired girl felt the familiar haziness of the drug fill her mind. Desperately, she struggled against its hold, but there was nothing she could do.
"Sleep," Abyss ordered.
Unable to fight it, Akumu obeyed.
********
After only a few hours rest in a dark, damp cell, five armed serpent monks and one unarmed one came to wake the senshi for their trial. Jupiter and Mercury had been put in one cell, with the other three in a separate cell across the hall. The monks, all dressed in brown robes except the unarmed one, guarded the only exit from the dungeon.
"Peace," the white robed monk said.
Mercury blinked. "You speak our language?"
"A little," the monk said. His accent had an underlying hissing sound but was intelligible.
"Let us out of here!" Jupiter demanded.
The monk held up his hands. They were scaly and had only four fingers each.
"Peace," the monk said again. "You must prepare for your trial. Please follow the guards."
The cells opened and the five senshi followed the armed guards back up the stairs. They entered the main hall where they had parted company with Apollo a few hours earlier, but were quickly brought into another room. The senshi gasped in surprise. The room contained three large, long, wooden tables laden with food. Most of the tables were already filled with brown robed serpent monks who were eating their morning meal.
"Please sit," the white monk said. "Eat."
The five senshi were brought to the end of a table. Sailor Moon noticed that the monks gave them a wide berth, cramming more than could comfortably fit onto other tables to avoid being near the criminals. She felt ashamed for their fear.
The meal consisted of fresh water, two slices of bread, and a thick vegetable soup. Half starved from the night in the dungeon, the senshi dug in, eating with gusto. Pleased, the white monk watched with a smile on his reptilian face.
"What is your name?" Sailor Venus asked after a while.
The white monk hissed a few syllables at her, then spread his hands helplessly. "I am sorry, but my name seems to be too complicated for human speech."
"What does Sailor Apollo call you?" Sailor Mercury asked.
The white monk's eyes widened. "The Priestess has never addressed me directly. Only those of the highest rank may speak with her."
Sailor Mars raised an eyebrow. "How nice of her."
"What should we call you, then?" Sailor Moon asked. "You seem very nice."
The white monk dipped his head in thanks. "You may call me what you wish."
Sailor Moon bit her lower lip in thought and looked over to Mercury for help. The blue senshi chewed her bread slowly as she thought.
"You gave us food for our health," Mercury said, "so how about we call you Tenki? It means good health in our language."
The white monk bowed. "It would be an honour to be so named."
A gong sounded from outside the room, and the brown robed monks began filing out. Tenki looked up sharply and hissed something in his own language. Two of the guards opened the doors and disappeared into the hall.
"I'm afraid time is up," Tenki said. "The sun is rising and the Priestess is waiting. The trial is about to commence."
********
Akumu rode behind Abyss on the back of a large, four footed demon-horse. Abyss had opened her portal several more times in the night and now, as the sun crested the eastern horizon, she lead her large demon army out of their forest hideout. A dozen of her smaller demons scouted ahead, killing any of the strange serpent men that got in their way. The army left a trail of destruction in its wake; trampled crops, burned farms, and dead bodies littered the path from the forest to the mountains.
Abyss turned around in her seat to look at Akumu. The blue haired girl stared back with heavy lidded eyes. The drug kept her brain inactive, which prevented her from feeling any emotion except contentment.
"Soon, my little prisoner," Abyss said, "you will serve your purpose. My day of destiny is at hand!"
Part of Akumu registered this as a threat, that maybe once Akumu had done what Abyss asked she would be killed. That part of her brain, however, was unable to convince the rest of her mind, so Akumu only smiled lazily at her captor. Abyss laughed as the army advanced into the peaceful valley.
********
Tenki lead the senshi across the main hall to a large room on the far side. The room was enormous, with an altar in the center and a raised, cushioned seat against the back wall. The girl who must be Sailor Apollo sat on the cushions, no longer in her senshi uniform. She was cross legged, wearing priestess robes that were similar to the ones Rei had worn in her previous life. Her long, red hair flowed around her and the gray gem that should have remained part of her senshi uniform glistened on her forehead. Her eyes were closed and her hands clasped in prayer.
At the base of the raised throne, ten brown robed serpent monks lay prostrate on the ground facing Apollo. Something was burning on the altar, but all that remained was smoldering ashes so none of the senshi could determine what it had once been.
Tenki bowed deeply to Apollo, his forehead nearly touching the ground as the gong sounded again. The priestess raised her head and opened her green eyes. Tenki straightened from his bow and the ten monks retreated to either side of the seat.
"Bring the accused forward," the priestess demanded.
Tenki motioned for the senshi to walk around the altar and stand before the priestess. The white robed monk remained where he was as the senshi complied.
"You are accused of invading, murder, and destruction," the priestess said. "How do you plead?"
"Innocent," Sailor Mars said.
The ten monks murmured among themselves. The priestess silenced them with a stern look. Her green eyes turned back to Sailor Mars, and she motioned for the girl to continue.
"We arrived on this planet seeking the help of its guardian," Sailor Mars continued. "We were following an escaped criminal from the Crystal Kingdom of Earth. We were told she was hiding on this planet and so, we teleported ourselves here to apprehend her."
"You did not come to the temple right away," one of the monks hissed.
"You did not seek out the proper authorities," another added.
Sailor Mars shot them dirty looks. "When we arrived, we found ourselves surrounded by your serpent men."
The monks hissed angrily at the label. Sailor Mars ignored them.
"We did not realize that the inhabitant of this planet were not human, so they surprised us. We remained defensive until one attacked Sailor Jupiter. Then we had no choice but to defend ourselves."
"You claim that the farmers started the fight?" the priestess said, one eyebrow raised questioningly.
Sailor Mars nodded.
"And because you feel you were defending yourself, that justifies burning our crops?"
"An unfortunate accident," Mars said, bowing. "We offer payment for the crops lost."
The priestess nodded thoughtfully, considering the stories. The brown robed monks began hissing at her imploringly, and she looked down at them to listen. Sailor Mars returned to her friends and the five senshi awaited their fate.
"It is my decision," the priestess announced after several minutes of deliberation, "that the intruders be imprisoned for their crimes. Ignorance of the law is no excuse."
Sailor Jupiter began protesting loudly, and Sailor Moon hid behind Sailor Venus. The five prisoners were surrounded by six armed guards, who escorted them from the room and back to the dungeon.
********
Makoto, Minako, Rei, Ami, and Chibiusa each sat in a separate cell. Their transformation pens had been taken away from them and they had been forced to revert to their normal state. They were fed and given water, but they were still in prison.
"What are we going to do now?" Chibiusa asked.
"We'll get out of this," Minako said confidently.
"Maybe I can talk to her," Rei mused, "priestess to priestess."
"Maybe I can knock this rusty door down," Makoto snarled, slamming into the locked door with her shoulder.
One of the guards came over and hissed angrily at her, powering up his gun-like weapon. Makoto glared at him, but backed away from the metal bars.
"She's one of us," Chibiusa said sadly. "How can she throw us in prison like this? She's a senshi!"
"Not all senshi are as agreeable as we are," Ami remarked, thinking of Haruka, Michiru, and the troublesome Starlights.
The troubled group fell silent. Suddenly, the wall began to shake and some mortar fell to the ground in a dusty cloud. A large explosion sounded and the ground rolled again. A few of the guards raced up the stairs
"What's going on?" Chibiusa cried.
"If I didn't know better," Makoto replied, "I would guess that the temple is under attack."