Don't stray
Don't ever go away
I should me much too smart for this
You know it gets the better of me
Some times when you and I collide
Or fall into an ocean of you
You pull me out to the sand
Let me drown
Let me down
I'll say its all because of you
"Sway"
Bio Runga
Intergalactic Planetary – Chapter 4 A Lesson in History
By: Serenity Star
Serena had stood watching the apartment for half an hour and all she had been able to see was the one single occupant was having a bad dream. She had been trashing around in her bed, until all the sheets were tangled around her. For reasons unexplainable she had felt a strong urge to go and comfort her. She had taken but one step towards the apartment, when the sleeping subject woke up. Uncanny eyes locked straight with her and Serena felt as if she had just been seen for who she was. The revelation was so shocking that Serena could take it no longer up on the roof, in the cold of the night. She had to go home, no matter what Luna had to say about this, she was not going to stay any longer! With one leap she was on another roof and a leap closer to being home in her own bed.
Tommy sat back in the harsh airline seat once more. For a minute there he had felt a sudden jolt of... of what... he could not tell, but the closest thing he could come up with was shock. He wasn't even asleep and it scared him to hell that his nightmares were now impinging on his conscious hours. He took a look around his surroundings. It was the usual airplane scene. Dull gray and blue seat covers. The usual drop down tables attached to the hand rest. The fake smiles on the airplane personnel, even the food was tasteless. The constant drone of the airplane engines he had already gotten accustomed to, the frost outside his window had taken away the opportunity to look outside from him. If he remembered correctly he should be somewhere over the North Pole right about now. Bored he thought about what laid ahead of him in Japan. He had the oddest feeling as he was talking to this Tessa person that he had met her before, maybe at some party or other social gathering. But then how did that explain how he could already imagine what she looked like? This meeting, if not informational, would most certainly be interesting. His company for the customs already cleared up the sword he was bringing over, and as this thought he began going once more over the mystery of that particular sword.
"Serena, why are you back so soon?" Luna asked as soon as Sailor Moon stepped through her window.
"Lunaaaa, it was cold out there, besides it was giving me the creeps being out there all alone at night. What would have happened if some bad guy had shown up?"
"Serena, you are Sailor Moon, champion of justice. It's not as if you would have been defenseless!"
Serena pouted a bit. There was no way she was going to tell Luna the reason why she really left. Luna would probably just get madder if she found out it was her conscience that was bothering her. "I am NOT going back!" There that ought to hold of the fur ball till morning. Serena satisfied went straight to sleep, not even bothering to change into her nightclothes.
"You know you could be a bit grateful that I care enough to make you work harder." Luna bit back but the girl was already asleep.
With a sigh of resignation Luna joined her young charge to visit Helios's Kingdom. (Helios's kingdom is where Pegasus lives... the Golden Kingdom from Sailor Moon Super).
Tessa woke up, her night had been restless. Sweet memories of her happy times in the Silver Millennium crossed over with the sadness of it's death. At least she knew the princess was alive and well, but she still couldn't figure out why she would be dressed up as a scout... and speaking of scouts, where were her guardians?
Pluto.
Pluto had the answers and its about time she gave some to her. Tessa concentrated for a moment and a shinning light filled her room. Lighting it up as if the sun had risen within. She held her hand out in front of her, a hand that was instantly swallowed up by the light. She felt the smooth shaft of her henshin stick and grabbed it.
Thelia Guardian Power!
White light poured from the stick to engulf the tiny form of Tessa Kindata. The edges of the beams turned purple and started to form energy ribbons, twisting, turning, and spinning around their mistress. When the light died down the Thelian Guardian stood with her staff held high above her head. Legs spread and the hand without the staff held behind her back. She was dressed in the traditional scout uniform, a dark purple skirt with black trimmings and glitters shinning like millions of stars. Her black boots were knee high with purple trimmings and one large star in the front. Her choker was a silver in the shape of a star. Her long white hair that normally hung down to her back was even longer, now reaching to mid-thigh. The staff that she held was silver with a large purple orb embedded on the top. It was pulsing of soft purple light, throwing the entire room in a purplish glow.
Tessa stared at herself in the mirror. She hadn't completely believed in her dreams but this put all those doubts to rest. She realized that it meant that all her dreams were also true, the death of her princess and queen, and the destruction of her beloved kingdom. "Pluto, I need to talk to you." Tessa concentrated on the energy of her orb, sending a telepathic message to her friend. She didn't have to wait long, as soon as she had finished her message, the mysterious sensei of time stepped into the room through a pink portal of clouds.
"Thelia, it has been a long time." Pluto greeted. Making no move towards her friend. This was a business meeting.
"How... what is it that I must do? I still don't remember all of my past. I know I should know more people but I don't remember. I am so confused."
"Time will reveal all the answer. For now you must know that you job is to find and protect the princess. She has a destiny to fulfill."
"Still... what is it that I have to protect her from... what do I need to do?"
"Your job is hard. You cannot revel you true identity to the princess, she must discover herself on her own, or else she will be filled with doubts. You may not revel her true self to anyone, directly. Only to Luna and make sure she understands that she is not to tell the princess of her true identity."
Tessa plopped down on to her sofa. "If I can't talk to the princess how am I supposed to guide them?"
"Hints." Pluto waved her staff in an arc and conjured up a computer system. Even to Tessa's limited experiences with this kind of technology she knew an impressive system when she saw one. "There are files there, that are the answers. Find her guardians, see to her safety and when the time is right you will know how to save her." For the first time this visit Pluto smiled. "Time runs out even for me, I cannot stay her longer. Both of us have our duties." With that Pluto opened the time doors once more and disappeared.
"Humph, that was about as helpful as a flat tire." Tessa muttered to herself as she powered down. The ribbons fading away fast to revel her still in her nightdress. She still had to find out the identity of the princess, find her guardians, and all the while make sure she is safe from all harm. Now that was a tall order. Wondering what sort of help she would find on the computer she booted it up. There was a file for each scout of the Sol system and then some. There were also files on the Prince of Earth, the Princess and herself. And one named 'History'.
Well lets start form the beginning. Tessa thought to herself clicking on the 'History' file. The speakers flared to life as music filled her apartment. Music the kind of which the world had not heard of since the time of the Silver Millennium. As the music died, the voice began…
"It was a time long ago, a time of endless joy, beauty and peace. The entire Universe was at peace and the one who was responsible for this ethereal peace of the Moon Kingdom herself was well named, Serenity. At the young age of twenty two Serenity the first came to power. A gentle queen who loved all and was loved by all. Her joy filled the void of space, bringing entire systems together. The Sol system, her home, became the center of her reign. The rulers of the Sol planets acquiesced their rule to her, they were followed by others. Soon, this young Queen of the Moon Kingdom became the Cosmic Queen Serenity. For all the joy that she had, she lacked in only one thing. Someone to share her life with.
In the years that followed this yearning grew but she would not settle for anyone but for the one who she would love.
The Cosmic Queen Serenity loved the joy of life and to celebrate it threw parties and ball of such elegance they are still sung of today. At this one party she met the young Prince of Sol, Apollo. They fell in love, a love that if asked by the oracles, would be described as destiny.
Yet as great as their love for each other was, they still lacked a child. Each of the rulers of the Sol planets had already given birth and were rejoicing in the pure happiness of youth. Till the day that it was announced that a child was to be born to the Queen and King of the Universe. This child who was foretold of to be the vessel of great power. Not only would she command the power of the silver and golden crystals but she would also be the wielder of the staff of Shazan.
The staff of Shazan had been believed by all to be a myth. For according to the stories it had the very power of the universe. The power to create worlds, solar systems, even galaxies. This child of innocence would need protection and the children of the Sol rulers were given that job. As their parents protected the Cosmic Queen, they shall protect her child.
At the birth of the child an oracle came. Bearing this one message. "She born of purity, she born of love, she born to the duty to rid us of the demon Kariya." And after this message the oracle disappeared, never to be seen again.
The child grew up to love, her court the princesses of the Sol planets. Unknowing of her destiny, unknowing of the power she possessed. For you see, it was forbidden to mention such ill tidings to the young princess least she got corrupted. Little did these people realize that this was a being of purity, incapable of corruption, and for their lack of faith they paid.
With the rise of Kariya came the rise of the alternate universe, the Negaverse. Kariya who sent his child Metallia to destroy the one thing capable of his destruction before she came to power, the young Princess Serenity. But Kariya was death even to the evil beings of the Negaverse. For the first time in all of history the two Universes joined together to seal the being Kariya. With the Power of the Silver Crystal and Metallia, Kariya was trapped in the Negaverse. Both sides knew that a being of such evil could not simply be trapped it had to be destroyed, but neither side had the power. Only the Princess Serenity did, and she had yet to realize it.
With Kariya trapped, the two sides once more went head to head against each other, in the end, through a surprise attack by the forces led by Kariya's daughter the final battle came.
Thus ended the Silver Millennium. The forces of the Negaverse attacked with the power of Metallia, destroying the peace of the Universe. They killed the Cosmic Queen and her husband Apollo, they even went so far as to killing the Princess Serenity.
On her death bed by the power of the Moon the Cosmic Queen used all the power at her disposal, and the Silver Crystal to banish the Negaverse and send the souls of her lost kingdom to the future."
As the voice finished telling the tale of the Moon Kingdom, Tessa sat dumbfounded. She remembered there had been many stories surrounding the power of the Princess, but she had never realized the true power of the innocent Princess. The Silver Crystal was but an expression of the innate power of the Royal Moon family, but to wield the power of Shazan... that was a completely different story. How do you protect a Princess who can create galaxies at her command? But the larger question was, how do you train the Princess to use her Power without harming anyone?
Sailor Moon
The Princess has taken on this form to learn her powers! That explains why she never became Sailor Moon during the Silver Millennium, everyone thought she shouldn't have to learn, they loved her too much to teach her the harsher side of life. And that is why now she must learn and discover herself on her own.
Tessa stared out the window where just the night before she had seen her Princess. Now she had to find her in this giant mass of people. How would she ever recognize the Princess in her human form, she only remembered how the Princess looked on the Moon and the way she looked last night. Would she be able to see her Princess if she saw her on the streets, or would she just pass her by? Would she be able to help her or would she have to sit on the side lines and pray? Her job was hard, and the road ahead wasn't getting any easier.
Luna
Her mind screamed the name of the advisor cat. Hadn't Pluto hinted at using Luna to help the Princess? Did that mean that she could revel herself to Luna? That was the only choice she had. The advisor had to be close the princess. She may not know who the Princess is, but her guiding instincts would unknowing lead the cat to her mistress. Hadn't she seen the Lunarian cat just yesterday?
Tessa was knocked out of her thoughts by the harsh ringing of the phone. Slowly she picked it up, not really wanting to talk to whoever had to nerve to call her while she was thinking.
"Hello? Miss Kindata?"
Tessa cursed silently for having forgotten her meeting with this Tommy person.
"Mr. Lanes I am terribly sorry. I was caught up by business. I am sorry I am running so late."
On the other end of the line, Tommy laughed gently. Why? Because he loved her voice. He had just landed and had called to inform Ms. Kindata (At least he hoped she was a Ms.) that he was running late. "It's really Ok, actually I had called to let you know that I myself am running late. Should we postpone our meeting an hour maybe?"
"Of course. I shall meet you at the Starlight Café at one, it's right across from the Crown Arcade in downtown Juban."
"I shall see you there then." Tommy smiled in anticipation. He didn't know why he should be so happy to meet a stranger who he had never seen and had only talked to on the phone a handful of times.
"Serena, Wake up! You are going to be late to the Scout meeting!" Luna tried to get the sleeping girl up but it was no use. Sometimes it seemed to her as if when Serena slept she died. "Serena you had better get up or else you are going to earn some well placed scratches on you!" Luna yelled out this time, drawing out her claws. By the Moon it was her job to train this... this space case to be responsible and by the Moon she will succeed, no matter what it took.
This time her threat didn't go unheard and Serena jumped out of bed before her angry cat could go anywhere near her face.
"OK, OK I heard you. I'm up already." Serena said groggily walking towards the bathroom. "What time is it anyway?"
"Eight o'clock."
"WHAT?!" Serena asked, waking up instantly. "It's a Saturday and you woke me up at eight?" Then came the whining. "That's not fair, I was up late yesterday, and before that was a school day. Why can't I have rest?"
Luna tried her best to cover her ears. "Stop whining, you have a scout meeting to go to and then you have Scout work to do."
Minutes later Serena was racing towards the Hikawa Shrine, followed closely by her guardian. Taking the last turn she ran head long in another body.
"Hey Meatball Head, ever heard of balance?" A mocking voice asked.
Lying on the ground, Serena seethed, turning red with anger. Until a plan hatched in her mind. "Simple, because I am always thinking about you." And she smiled the smile she knew could bring down even the hardest heart.
As she had expected, Darien was caught by surprise. She would have given anything to have a camera at that moment. The look of shock so evident that a doctor could have been fooled into believing hard hearted Darien was having a heart attack.
"Huh?" Darien's mouth just hung open. Of all the replies he had expected from her, this was the last one. No not even last, it wasn't even on the list.
"I said I do it on purpose... you know that way, I can see you." Serena said innocently, while she was laughing her head off inside. But are you her conscience asked? "I like your eyes, they are beautiful, like the skies on a stormy night. And your hair, its like the silky night skies." She stopped here to chew on her lips as if embarrassed. "I am sorry..." And cue the tears.
Luna was just as shocked. She had almost asked out loud what Serena meant by all that, for she knew exactly how her charge felt about that certain young man. She turned her head to look at how Darien was reacting and was surprised all over again by the look on his face. Was that happiness in his eyes? What the heck was going on here?
Darien looked at the young girl sobbing quietly in front of him. He had no clue what he should do. He had two left hands when it came to comforting crying girls and after what Serena said, he was even more confounded. He made to go take her in his arms when she gave another sob and ran away from him. Her cat followed Serena, right after giving him a look of... was that sympathy?
Leaving an extremely baffled Darien staring at their backs. Right as she took the next turn Serena gave a 'whoop' of joy. "Ha! That should show him. Now lets see how he reacts." Serena smiled. It had been an act of impulse. She didn't even know she was saying it till it left her mouth. But something had stirred in her, something she wasn't so sure she liked. Leaving that episode behind was easy for her, she just kicked it out of her mind right along with any thoughts of work.
But apparently Luna had different ideas. "Serena, may I ask what the heck that was all about?"
Serena smiled down to her cat, sometimes all that intelligence was just not enough. "Simple Luna, I thought of the best way to get back at Darien." And with that she ran all the way to school.
Tessa walked as fast as she could. If she was to meet this client of hers then she had to get to the café in fifteen minutes. As she turned the corner she ran head first into another pedestrian. *Damm but this isn't my day!* She looked up and saw the most intense blue eyes looking straight into her own.
"Serena ..." He began. But stopped when he realized she wasn't the 'Serena' he was looking for. "I am sorry. I thought it was someone else."
"Oh? So you have a habit of running into people?"
"Up till now there was only one." He smiled in return to her light humor. His eyes vacant as he must have imagined this 'Serena' where as all the while Tessa was wondering who could have captivated the heart of such a gorgeous person.
"I am sorry. I must be keeping you from your appointment. It was nice running into you." And with that the stranger in his odd green jacket and stormy blue eyes turned around and walked away into the throng of people around them.
Luna saw as Serena walked into the temple late. She didn't need her feline hearing to know what Rei would say.
"Serena. You are late!" Rei yelled out as soon as two golden balls came into view.
"But Rei... it was so not my fault this time. You see that creep I run into each day..."
"No more excuses Serena. Why can't you just grow up and take on some of the responsibility too?."
"Waaaaaaaaaaaa." Was the reply of the super heroine Sailor moon. Luna turned her head away in disgust. She didn't know what else she could do. The princess was still missing and they hadn't even found all her guardians. The way Sailor moon was acting, she could easily imagine her princess disgusted enough to not even present herself. But by Selene this the fate of the world rested in her hands and she took it as lightly as if it was nothing more than rotten eggs.
As Luna turned to look up to the skies her eyes fell on a distinctly familiar face. "Tessa." She all but hissed out. Knowing there was no way she would be able to get the scouts to follow the lady, she took up the job herself.
Tessa slowed down. There was something wrong, but what, she just couldn't figure out. It was as if she was being followed but she couldn't see who it was. True she was in the middle of a crowed street, but the impression of being stalked grated on her senses. She turned into an alley hoping to catch a glimpse of her tracker, she silently watched as people passed by, none of them emitted the sense of a predator, as she waited she felt the feeling growing and held her breath. Presently, a small shadow rounded the bend. Tessa's eyes automatically fell on the end of the shadow only to see the small little cat from the day before at the airport.
"Oh hello kitty." Tessa released her breath in relief. "Haven't seen you around in a while. Where have you been?" She laughed to herself. As if she would talk. Why there haven't been talking cats around since the venusian cats of the Silver Millennium, and now there were only two known ones on Earth, the one in front of her and another. "Would you like to join me for brunch?" Tessa asked the black cat as she gently picked her up. "You know you deserve a good name. With that odd shape of the moon on you, I think… I think Diana?" When the cat made a weird face, Tessa quickly proceeded, "well then how about Arthemis?" This time the cat actually hissed. "well then how about Luna?" Tessa smiled. From the moment she had seen the cat, she had recognized the moon guardian. But Luna had always been so catty about her name, even back during the Silver Millennium. And now it was payback time. Plus this way she got to talk to the cat and find out about the princess more.
As she waited for Tommy she ordered some milk for Luna and kept a good eye on her to make sure she didn't run off before she had a chance to talk. She sat in the sun waiting, as she drank her coffee. She remembered more and more of her past with each passing minute and right now what she was remembering wasn't something her heart wanted to hear about.
"So Luna what do you want to do." She took a sip and eyed the cat from the corner of her eyes. She was looking at Tessa as if she trusted her about as far as she could throw her with her little cat paws. "Why don't I tell you a story." Tessa put her coffee down.
"A long time ago there was a wonderful kingdom on the moon, called the Moon Kingdom. It was the head of the Silver Alliance, an alliance that brought the entire universe together." Luna gasped, but didn't move. She didn't like this one bit, and she wasn't even sure anymore what to do. How did Tessa know about the Moon Kingdom? This wasn't good, not good at all. "The Moon Kingdom was ruled by the Lunar Queen, Queen Serenity. She was a wonderful queen and all the people loved her, the universe was at peace." Tessa said as she remembered, loosing her self in her own memories, as her past came rushing back to her. She no longer remembered where she was as she continued on with her story.
"She was powerful, very powerful by herself, then to add to that she possessed the Imperial Silver Crystal. The most powerful weapon in the Universe. You see this crystal was special, not like the crystals you find on earth now, it had power. But not just anyone could use that power, at least not to its full extent, only the females from the line of Serenity could wield the power of the crystal. And there was one other who could wield the power aside from the Queen, her daughter. Princess Serenity, was an exact replica of her mother, it was even rumored that she would grow up to be stronger than her mother. The Kingdom lived in peace. No one had any reason to attack it, and even if a threat came they had protection. The Sailor Scouts. Who also happened to be the guardians of the princess…"
"Excuse me. Are you by any chance Tessa Kindata?" A voice asked from behind, snapping Tessa out from her thoughts. Tessa turned back, slightly annoyed at whomever disturbed her while she was having this meeting with Luna. "I am Tommy Lanes. I believed we talked earlier on the phone?"
Tommy looked at the lady skeptically. She was talking to a cat! Suddenly he wasn't so sure if she was the right person or not. And why the heck was his heart doing that weird drum beat? He asked himself annoyed.
"Oh… Mr. Lanes. I am sorry. My name is Tessa Kindata. I am looking forward to examining this sword of yours."
"How do you do Ms. Kindata?"
"Yes, please Tessa would be fine. You brought the sword?" It was more of a statement.
"Yes of course." As Tommy bent down to get the sword out of his duffle bag Tessa turned to the cat still silently waiting in her lap.
"Why don't you come by later, Luna. I think you know where I live." And she set Luna on the ground. Luna gave her one look of distrust and ran around the corner to the only place she could think of. Rei's shrine.
