AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi there! I know this has taken a while to get out; I'm sooo sorry, I hope that no one's forgotten about this story!! This is a confusing chapter, so read it slowly and keep your eyes open for hints about what's coming up.

Thank you soo much for all the wonderful and supportive reviews; it really keeps me going. : ) All standard disclaimers apply, of course, and please don't steal my plot or my characters. If you want to write something involving the Elementals or Leander or whatever, drop me a line at clarabeara86@aol.com and I'll let you know what I think.

Oh, and it's important to remember in this story that in Roman Mythology Helios was the sun god. Apollo was the sun god in Greek Mythology . . . keep your eyes open for a trend! That's the only hint I'm giving you!

Read it, review it, and most importantly, enjoy it! (= my trademark phrase, no stealing it either! I saw it on someone else's story and almost flipped!)

Rise of the Elements: Chapter Two

"Sunlight in Elysion"

That night all the Scouts - Elementals and Inners - were crashing at my house. We piled into the basement, shoving our various pillows, blankets, and sleeping bags into corners and against walls. I paused and smiled at a picture of Celeste and I, taken before Leander had stolen her away from us. As I turned my head away from the picture, out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a flash of golden hair and deep gray eyes instead of the hazel-eyed brunette I had so well known. I shook my head to rid my mind of the image, and turned back to my guests.

As everyone settled down, Luna, Artemis, and Hermes padded into the room and sat in the center of the floor.

"Are your parents home, Avaris?" Artemis asked me quietly. I shook my head.

"They shouldn't be back until eleven o'clock or so, maybe later," I said. Artemis nodded.

"Good," Luna said in her highly polished voice. "There is a lot we need to talk about. Did you notice anyone unusual at the ball tonight?" I thought.

"What did you think about . . . . oh, what was her name . . . Selestinea Soluminary?" Rei asked. "I definitely picked up some weird sensations from her."

"Me too!" I exclaimed, pointing at Rei. "That was so bizarre."

"Negative sensations?" Artemis asked. Rei and I shook our heads simultaneously.

"Not quite negative . . . strange, alien, and yet . . ."

"Familiar," I finished.

"Exactly," Rei said, smiling and nodding. Luna shrugged.

"I'll go to Headquarters and pull up what information I can on her. What else did I want to mention . . . . Oh, do any of you find it at all interesting that every last senshi is leaving Tokyo at the same time?"

"Not every last senshi," Serena interrupted. "There's still Neptune, Uranus, Pluto, and maybe Saturn . . ."

"But can we really count on them, Serena?" Lita asked, frowning slightly. "I don't really know if I trust them."

"Well I do," Serena said, pouting stubbornly. "I think Tokyo will be in good hands. I can visit Setsuna tomorrow, if you like, and ask her to keep an eye out for us." Luna nodded.

"That would be wise, Serena. Now, about this Around the World program. Hermes, do you think it could be related to the vibes everyone has been sensing?" Hermes nodded and pulled his computer out of his sub-space pocket. The tiny machine hummed and whirred as he pulled something up quickly - the map he had downloaded from a GPS satellite.

"Look," he said, pointing with a single claw. "There are negative spots of energy all over the world -- the strongest being in Spain, England, Ireland, and California of the United States. The other spots are small, and I think dependent on the strength of the other ones. But isn't it interesting, that the Around the World program is visiting every major negative point?"

"And we have connections to every major negative point," Mamesa said suddenly. I frowned at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Look," She said, pointing at the map. "Halimeda is from Spain. Arianna and Avaris are from Ireland. Mina, aren't you from London?"

"What about America?" Ami asked. It was quiet for a while, and my eyes wandered across the room. My line of sight lighted on the photograph of Celeste and I.

"Celeste," I said suddenly.

"What about her?" Asked Rei.

"She was from America. California, to be exact. L.A. . ."

"That's right," Hermes said suddenly. "I had forgotten."

"That's so strange . . ." Halimeda breathed, blue-green eyes wide. "It seems as if they're targeting certain scouts . . . but why Celeste? I mean, wouldn't they know she's . . . . gone?"

"What I don't understand," Mina said speculatively, "Is why Celeste wasn't reborn. We were all reborn," she said, gesturing to the Inners. "And obviously, you were too, from the Silver Millenium, anyway. So why wasn't Celeste?"

"Well, how do you know if Celeste wasn't reborn?" Serena demanded.

"You mean . . ." Arianna whispered.

"What if . . ."

A sudden image of a white cloak fluttering in the moonlight flashed across my mind.

"Hermes," I asked quietly. "Do you still have the Sun Crystal?" Hermes nodded.

"I should. I put it a special barrier around it in my sub-space pocket so no one would be able to detect it . . ." He flipped, and there was a flash of light, but nothing appeared. He frowned deeply, and flipped again. Still, nothing.

"It's gone," he said grimly. "The Sun Crystal has been stolen."

* * *

In Crystal Tokyo, during the 30th century . . .

"Please, Apollo, your concern is understandable. We are working on it now, as we speak."

"Is there nothing more you can do?"

"Nothing comes to mind."

"Can't you . . . send someone back? Send a message, a messenger, anything?"

"Apollo! Calm yourself. We will not endanger anyone further than is nesecary."

"Endanger? Endanger! Our very existence is flickering like a candle light, and you worry about endangering anyone else? If we die, you know very well what the consequences will be. I want to go see Helios."

"Out of the question."

"Why?"

"Stop. You try my patience."

"I try your patience?"

"Enough! I will bring it up with Her, but I do not promise anything."

"Very well. It is the most I can ask for."

* * *

In Elysion . . .

A golden-white figure stepped through a crystal wall and walked slowly through a garden abundant with flowers of all kinds -- roses in particular, of every color. Crystal fountains sang in harmony with the chiming stars and beating hearts, a melody which soothed the soul and mind. The figure approached a gazebo made of shimmering ivory and fiery marble, smiling at the sight of its olympian beauty.

"Helios?" A musical voice asked quietly. Another figure, also clad in white and gold, shimmered into being. A handsome young boy, almost a man, smiled, and knelt, kissing the first figure's delicate hand.

"Hello," he said fondly, in a voice that sounded too old for his boyish appearance. "What brings you to my home?"

"Our home," she reminded him, tousling his hair. "I need . . . a place to stay, for a while. Not long."

"My doors are always open," he said. "What brings you here?"

"Queen Serenity," she said. "My duties. I must not forget my position, even in light of the recent . . . difficulties." Helios nodded understandingly.

"Do the others . . . know you've returned?" The first figure shook her head, causing cascading waves of golden hair to ripple about her shoulders.

"Queen Serenity forbade it," she said. "They are to find it for themselves, although I intend to give them hints." She laughed quietly. "I've been fairly obvious, till now."

"Have you found . . . ?" Helios' question trailed off into his hopeful gray eyes, staring up at the tall warrior pleadingly. She sighed and took his hand.

"Not yet, Helios, not yet. It will be soon, though, I promise." She sighed again and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "For now, I must sleep. Being in this form again is rather trying."

"Of course," He said, and led her to a quiet bedroom, open to the night air. She smiled and bade him good night, kissed him on the forehead, then lay down and closed her eyes, breathing lightly and quietly within a matter of seconds.

"Good night," Helios whispered, his eyes filled with an unreadable emotion. "Mother."

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