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Disclaimer: All characters except for a few in this series belong to their respective…um, companies? You know what I mean.
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Puppet Master Chapter Five
Changes
"…And so we, the guardians, have been assigned to protect the Princess and Prince as well as guard the universe they live in. It is the task we have carried out all our lives and will continue doing so until eternity lies down for rest."
Sailor Pluto closed her eyes in the blissful silence that had enveloped the room, silence that threatened to choke and suffocate but had a strange relaxing feel to it as well. 'Now there are no more secrets,' she thought with a mix of release and terror. 'What they do with the knowledge of our kingdom cannot be known until the moment…'
Slowly, the four pilots seemed to come alive and each took their time to either grimace in disbelief or to glance at each other as if making sure the others heard the amazing and staggering story of what was named the 'Moon Kingdom.'
It was Duo who first broke the silence as he cleared his throat noisily, the battle between his senses and knowledge evident on his face. 'Who can believe this…fable? Nothing is like that here…' But she'd said she'd come from another dimension. 'Is it so hard to believe? Of course it is! And this whole 'mystical kingdom' story is beyond belief. Who'd believe her?' and yet something inside told him that already, the past year or so of peace had been difficult enough with nothing to do and that any distraction with the possibility of fighting again would be accepted to him almost immediately. 'Is this what you were feeling Heero?'
Wufei snorted in outright incredulity. Smirking at the green haired woman sitting across the oak dining table, the young Chinese said in a terse voice, "What exactly do you expect to gain with telling us this knowledge, woman? We know very well that such knowledge doesn't come without a price. What do you expect us to do about your precious Moon Kingdom?"
"I don't know what to expect as well Miss Setsu-I mean Sailor Pluto," Quatra added with an empathetic shake of his head. "I mean, it is rather difficult to believe this story of yours. For all we know, it could be just a trap on your half to capture us. I mean," he gestured to their surroundings, a beautifully decorated dining room in the pilots' mansion, deep in a forest of Asia, "this is rather convincing but we pilots have been through enough experiences to be more then extremely skeptical of anything we find. Especially if it just given to us, like how you just entered and told us of your origins without any mention of what it will do for you. To be, that is extremely suspicious."
"You guys out to chill out," Duo said with a shrug. "I mean, is it really so difficult to believe?"
Wufei jumped from his chair. "Are you truly so naïve Maxwell that you would believe the word of a fighter? A trained warrior who's tale includes unicorns and fairies? Do you really feel safe enough to trust her? She's a woman!" The last part he spat out like a curse and refused to seat, glaring at his braided partner.
Duo shook his head in reply. "Think about it guys. She obviously has some special powers that aren't from around here. And if you'd take a minute, her 'fantasy' isn't really all that different from what we call real life. Hell, some of the stuff she says happened in her world are suspiciously close to stuff that happened on ours."
"Yet another fact that she lies! This weakling must have thought to trick us by making up a story with events that have happened in our history! Do not be so weak that you would allow her to cloud your mind and agree to follow her into whatever hell she came from!"
"Wufei," Quatra said sharply."
The Chinese boy only scrowled and continued standing as if to prove his point.
Trowa's soft voice carried over to them "Wufei, would you rather go and discover her a liar or wait while she may yet be telling the truth?" His face turned up to her. "I will go with you but you must first tell me what to expect."
Pluto's eyes remained half closed as though reliving some nightmarish reality and her whisper was barely audible. "I cannot tell you what to expect. The exchange between these two dimensions has destroyed my ability to see and guide the future and had deteriorated my memory of the past. The last I clearly remember of the first few months when Heero Yuy," the name earned her a wince," was perhaps the night of his arrival and still all I can see is the heavy rainfall. But, if I can take you there, it will be well enough time for you to take care of the problem before…"
"Before what?" Quatra was chilled to see the effect the boy known as Heero had on people.
Pluto's eyes opened wide, exposing garnet eyes trembling with fear and unshed tears. "Before he gains his powers. It will take him exactly two weeks for his body to adjust to the change and fully utilize the powers he has been…granted."
"Powers? You mean the stuff you were telling us, about Heero going on a rampage and shit is true?" Duo's blue eyes shone with disbelief. "That's taking it too far lady."
"Finally you see the truth beyond her sayings!" Wufei exalted in triumph while sneering at Pluto.
"What…powers exactly are you talking about Miss Pluto?" Quatra asked, trying to hide his own uncertainty. 'Is she speaking truly? I can't tell anymore. This is too much to take in. Surely she cannot be telling the truth. Heero's not like that.' The image of Heero's eyes came back to him. 'Is he?'
"He has awesome powers over nearly everything. His strength is incredible." She looked down at the splintering wooden stick in her hands. "I once had a staff made of the most powerful metal found in our universe. He broke it in his bare hands like a toothpick the first time we fought. I was forced to take up this imitation to make up for the loss but his strength alone had destroyed many cities. He only used his real power when he wanted to be amused or was following orders."
Wufei grunted. "And who is the one supplying these orders?" he asked sarcastically.
Green hair shook in defeat. "We never had time to find out. Never had an opportunity to even take the chance of finding out. Sailor Uranus learned of Heero's steadfastness the night she tried to follow him to his lair. One minute he was before her and the next, she was nearly killed in a simple movement. He was called away by some voice or she would have died that night."
"Just great." Wufei's shoulders slumped.
"Miss Pluto, why was Heero the one who was taken? I believe that the five of us together would have been far more effective then just a single warrior. And Heero's loyalties are not easily given nor swayed. I cannot understand why he should be the only one transferred to another dimension," Quatra's polite but to the point voice asked.
"Yea. I mean, the Great Destroyer would be better then Heero. And while we at it, where's his Gundam, you know?"
"No clue. I was told that he had a great machine of destruction but it was never shown."
"Told?" Trowa's commanding voice asked. "Who could have told you?"
Pluto smiled ruefully. "If we were alone, only us Scouts, we never would have known of this dimension, Heero's true origins or of your existence. Luckily, one from their side was persuaded to enlighten us."
*****
A single petal fell.
All that was or ever would be important to her lay in the folds of that silently falling petal. The only thought in her mind was that it was falling and she had no urge to catch it.
Light blue eyes blinked at the thought. Who am I? She was surrounded by a pulsing blackness, long blonde hair coiling around her like a great silken blanket. Beneath the thin veil of blonde strands she lay naked but was either unaware or uncaring of that fact. Her pale, soft skin radiated against the darkness like a beacon. The darkness pulsed against it and she sat up to watch the falling of the petal, the dying of the rose.
Still, she felt no desire to do anything but watch in a casual calm as her world withered away. The petal fell softly to her ears.
Princess Serena.
She turned to the familiar and chiding voice and saw only an enlarged image of that single petal, still falling through the black void. Some part of her began to want to catch it but the rest wanted to watch it fall, rebelliously wishing that it would fall faster.
Faces began to appear on that single petal, sending her into a whirl of memories. A tall dark haired man walked along with a kind smile and easy laugh. He looks a few years older then me, she thought as she absently ran her fingers through her silk hair. Beside him walked a young girl, years younger then herself, but she seemed to catch the eye of the man and hold it to her. A surge of envy and bitterness ran through her own body, catching her with surprise. Why am I jealous?
The little girl laughed as well, bright pink hair done up in two ribbon-like knots at the top of her head swinging in the wind. The two were walking hand in hand, watching each other with more then a casual interest. The envious feelings disappeared with the faces and soon it was nothing but a red petal still falling.
She scrowled at it. "If you're going to fall, don't just hang there," she snapped but it ignored her and still fell. A closer look would have revealed the tint of black along the red petal's edge but she took no notice of it. The blankness took over and it crumbled in mid-flight into a dusty nothingness, fading into the emptiness of black.
Princess Serena. This time the voice took on a warning tone but still no one appeared to make themselves known and so she ignored the caution.
Turning again in escape, the rose dropped another of its petals and now there stood four figures in her view.
One was a raven haired priestess, broom in hand as she swept the floor of a shrine or temple. She winced at the image and could imagine the scathing remarks the girl's quiet lips unleashed. Memories shifted to the surface but her attention was turned to another whose hair was as blue as the sky.
This one sat typing at a small computer, devoting herself to a life without the passion or liveliness she wanted in her own. This time, the image did not bring pain but a solitude and sorrow without meaning.
Her eyes turned away to see instead one who looked angry and frustrated as she ran through a forest, tears thought hidden leaking through the corners of her eyes. She would have felt compassion for this one but her compassion was forced away in disgust by the anger in the girl. Anger and bitterness, scathing her with just its feel.
She quickly left the image in search of another and found it with a sigh of relief. It was another like her. Blonde hair and sparkling eyes, this one with a ribbon done in her hair seemed as carefree and happy as she was herself. But there was a darkness clawing at her. The darkness forced its way through her life and she began to cry and whisper a name foreign to her. What was the matter? But instantly the girl's tears were washed away and she showed nothing of her agony. But it tore through her and she knew that she could not help this one because it was not allowed of her.
Tears glistened in her eyes but she blinked them clear when the petal fell before her. A part of her screamed to reach out, to grab it before it fell too far but still, she did not. What reason did she have to do so? The ones she saw either had no need for her or did not want her help. Tears brushed aside, she turned and closed her eyes a moment before opening them to see yet another petal, much larger then the others. On it stood four more but somehow she knew that they needed her. That they would accept her.
She did not blink as the images came to her, one of a tall blonde but unlike herself and the other, this one had cut her hair to an almost boyish style. But she felt such sorrow from this one that she felt her heart would burst. Next to the one stood another with aquamarine colored hair and a natural grace though sorrow also clouded her face. They stood together and watched as a darkness tore over some city far away. The first stepped forward in anger but was held back by the other. The two watched and wept and she knew their pain as her own. But knew not what to do for she too wept at the sight of the majestic kingdom being destroyed by an evil too great to be stopped.
They faded and were replaced by that of a single warrior, standing alone by ivory gates, and a long metallic staff in hand with locks of dark green hair flowing to her waist. She also watched and wept at that sight as well as thousands of others, taking the blame of their death upon herself though she knew it to be no fault of her own. But the knowledge eased nothing and she found herself against unable to help as she turned her eyes to the last one.
But this one was younger then the others, holding herself with wounded heart and mind. Images flashed through both minds of the same battle and both knew their helplessness as full. Her straight black hair shimmered as she turned to weep and moan at the loss as though she knew too much and could do too little. Nothing could help to ease any of their pain and this time she could not hold back the painful torrent of tears as even the last faded.
Princess Serena.
This time, she found herself on a bare white platform, stretching farther then the eye could reach. Her bare skin was covered in a beautiful white gown that trailed behind her in an elegant show of pearls and diamonds sown into the hems. On her head was an arrangement of diamonds, cascading down her forehead and threaded into her hair that had been done up into two buns. Lace and trimming graced her dressed and she looked every part of the Princess the voice called her.
She took no notice of the change as a flooding of memories took over. Her previously empty mind recovered all the memories that had been hidden or forgotten and it hit her like a stream of ice cold water.
"Where…am I?" she gasped, shivering slightly. Serena looked around and suddenly a single petal appeared, on it a blur of everyone she knew. And it was falling.
"NO!" Serena screamed and raced towards it, arms outstretched in an attempt to catch it but every time she nearly grabbed the silky soft edges, they slipped through her fingers leaving behind their faint and lingering touch.
No? Why did you not reach for it before?
"Queen Serenity?" Serena turned slowly and all her memories from the Moon Kingdom returned as the always did when facing the beatific spirit of the Moon Queen. She curtsied and rose to see the Queen-her mother-dressed as always: silvery hair drooping down slender shoulders and over a dress similar to the one Serena wore. The two wore the same hairstyle and looked so much alike it was impossible not to see the resemblance.
A magnificent smile lit up the Queen's royal face but her eyes watched the falling petal. You should have reached for that life, and would have caught it, if you truly wanted it.
Serena looked again at the petal, still drifting. "I do want that life," she answered with a slight quiver in her voice. "But I could not remember why I wanted it until my memory returned. Why could I not remember?"
You did not wish to.
Serena glanced at her mother. "Since when do my wishes mean a thing?" she questioned angrily. "My destiny has been shaped by everyone except myself. I was never allowed to do what I wished on the Moon Kingdom and now…"
Now, your wishes are hardly given any thought, Serenity finished for her thoughtfully. The Queen turned her daughter so the two looked eye to eye. Are you truly unhappy, my daughter?
Serena's eyes were cast downward. Her voice was trembling like the wind when she answered "I do not know. I do not know what to think anymore. My life…it is not my own. It has been designed for centuries and I cannot help but think that Small Lady was sent to me so that I would have no choice but follow Darien forever."
Serenity shook her head sadly. When I sent you to the future, I had not given a thought to the possibility that you would be unhappy. Please forgive me, I have failed to protect you again.
Serena clasped her mother's hands. "No! If anything, it my own fault! You are not expected to protect me throughout my life! I should accept my fate with dignity. Mother, do not place any blame on yourself."
But you cannot live a life without love. You were not born to do so and your spirit would break if you were forced to. Serenity's eyes were pinched with sorrow. But I do not know how to help you my daughter. Does your guardian know how you feel?
"Luna?" Serena scoffed. "No, and you know her. She would lecture me until I felt my heart would break from shame."
Daughter, you are not bound to this life. You may choose to leave at anytime.
Serena closed her eyes tightly. "Yes, I know. But my friends need me mother. I cannot forget them after all they have done for me. And I know they will need me soon. Mother, I have to go back."
Serenity nodded sadly and grabbed her daughter's hand, hold it close before vanishing.
Serena nearly jumped from her bed. A fear gripped her heart until she realized she was in her room. "Whew." She glanced at the clock and yawned. "Only 3:00. That means," she muttered with a sleepy smile as she lay back down, "Lots more time for sleep."
In the morning, her meeting with her mother was nearly forgotten but bits of dream blurred memories came to her as she got ready for school. Only when she was brushing her hair did she clearly remember one thing. She had glanced at the picture of her and Darien and had forgotten everything as that bit of information presented itself as clear as daylight.
"I don't love him."
The brush dropped from her hands to the floor with a dull thud.
*****
"An informant. Not bad." Duo yawned and half glanced at his watch before remembering where he was. He laughed half-heartily. "I never thought I'd get tired in a dream!"
Trowa ignored the sleepy pilot and stared straight into the eyes of the mysteriously enchanting green haired warrior. "What was this informant's name?"
"Her name was Serne."
*****
"Baka! Where were you!" Ray screamed at the listless Serena while walking towards the temple after school. She was still fuming about Serena's absence the afternoon before and took no notice of her friend's silence. "You always manage to forget about everything important to you! Can't you keep your mind on the important stuff for a single day? Or is that too hard for you? Gosh Serena, I have no clue how you'll act when your Queen. In fact, I don't want to know!"
Behind them, Mina, Amy and Lita walked guiltily as Ray let lose another insult and noticed Serena's silence but took it as her remorse over missing the meeting. Not that they'd really done anything. Serena had improved on school work so tutoring classes for her had stopped and no new enemies had appeared so the Scouts weren't needed. The only reason they kept meeting at the temple was to hang out but Serena had missed those as well.
"Ray, you should chill out. I mean, it's not like she missed anything-" Mina's attempt to cool down the priestess failed as Ray cut her off with an intense rage burning in her eyes.
"What! It doesn't matter if she missed anything or not! This is for her own good!"
"Her own good? Yelling at her is for her own good?"
Ray turned on Lita. "How else is she going to grow up and be a good queen? It's not like she'll suddenly just change over night. Come on you guys, all I'm doing is trying to help her out!"
"Well," Mina replied in a snobbish attitude, "why don't you ask Serena if she needs your help? I don't think anyone would want the help of a vicious tongued snake!"
Ray's ravens screamed warnings as their mistress suddenly went very quiet. "Fine," she said in even tones. "I guess you wouldn't want me to help you out in anything else. I'm obviously not up to your level of immaturity, Mina. And I'll never be. Why don't you go find yourself a new princess of Mars to help fight your battles? Don't ask me to save your butts because I quit."
The three other Scouts stood with their mouths gaping as the raven haired priestess turned and strode off without a glance back.
*****
"I bet you just trusted this Serne," Wufei sneered as he glared at the wall.
Pluto shook her head ruefully. "To tell you the truth, when she first came to us, we turned her away with disbelief. We could not believe such things as what she said. Possible the same feeling you are feeling at the moment?" she asked humorously.
"Hump." Wufei contented himself with listening but refused to contribute to the conversation.
"She first came to us, battered and bruised almost to the point of death. Our princess healed her but we turned her out after hearing what she had to say. To this day," Pluto added sadly, "I will regret the decision."
The room was silent for a moment until Quatra cleared his throat and motioned for Pluto to continue.
"She told us of this new and destructive power coming from another dimension. Not even a month after she was seen, Heero Yuy came and began destroying everything. We spent all our energy finding her and when we did, she could barely speak but lived long enough to tell us of this dimension and Heero's true origins."
"We decided that I would go to find someone or something from his own dimension to persuade Heero to return to it but," she gripped the wooden staff in her hands, "he broke the Key to the Gates of Time and we were unable to do anything about him. Until we found this staff hidden deep within the folds of the Earth."
"It took us many years until we had the opportunity to even try to reach you here. And when we did," she took a deep breath, "it did not come without its consequences. In the time it took me to escape to your realm, the Sailor Scouts Uranus and Neptune were captured and added to his collection of the other Scouts-Mars, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and the Princess. I am the only one left from my time and you are the only ones who could help us."
"Will you?"
The single request silenced the room for what seemed like hours.
With a single nod, Trowa agreed and while Wufei sneered, no one made any move to contradict him.
*****
"Come on Sydin. You may be able to go on forever without eating but I am a mere mortal-for the moment at least-who has to eat!" Phillip whined to his brother half-heartily. Sydin made no movement or reply. "Fine. By all means continue watching the kid. Jeez, have some compassion."
"Leave then. Don't drag your departure on, you'll wear out a person's patience faster then you already do. I still have much more to do for our Mistress before the setting sun reaches its destination and before I am allowed to take a break." Sydin gave the silent and nearly hidden form of Heero Yuy one last glance before turning away and removing his cloak.
The rain had stopped falling less then five minutes ago, a fact for which he was both immensely grateful and yet morose over. Rain was never enjoyable to him but presented him a perfect opportunity to carry out his portrayal of a man needing shelter from the rain, an act that would gain him entrance to the Scouts' temple and a way to execute his mission.
Without the rain, he'd have to come up with a new plan. He smiled. No matter. These Scouts were easily fooled as previous missions proved. Even the weak Negaverse had been able to fool them.
He paused a moment, face contorted in concentration as he used his powers to disguise himself. Before Phillip could blink, there stood a man looking to be about twenty in place of his brother. Wearing an off-white shirt beneath a dark velvety vest and matching pants and standing with royal precision, his appearance screamed good looks, great taste, and much cash. He didn't hurt that his hair was dark black with streaks of blue and that his face bragged a clear complexion. As he inspected himself, Sydin muttered darkly about the 'fashionable' clothes of this city before readjusting his vest.
"Going out to play 'spy' again?" Phillip sniggered.
Sydin gave his brother a final glare but it looked extremely handsome with his present appearance that Phillip snorted back laughter. Ears burning, Sydin folded the cloak across one arm and walked away, soft grass crunching in his wake.
Phillip sighed and walked towards the nearest restaurant or concessions stand as his stomach grumbled in protest. The recent rain left a scent of cleanliness and innocence that reached through the park, newly washed air sweetening the smell all the more.
He was in such a hurry that the noticeable presence of four young women did not strike him as odd even when the impression given off by them was foreign though it reminded him of the Sailor Scouts. He knew he was to report the presence of the Outers as soon as he saw them and these four might be them.
He gave a moment's pause but the sight of a fast food restaurant pushed the thought from his mind with the help of another grumble from his stomach.
Had he stayed another moment, another oddity would have appeared in the sudden presence of four shaken yet intimidating young boys. And if he were there, Phillip would have been oddly reminded of Heero.
*****
Heero was uncomfortably aware of the power he held. The power that sprang from his arrival in this world. And that it was growing.
All his relatively short life, Heero had always held power. Power to hurt, power to kill, power to destroy. It had been taught to him from the moment he was born and he was taught to increase it throughout his life, taught to control the power that had become as ingrained to him as it is to a child to call for its mother when in pain. And that power was far greater then anything anyone would have guessed.
All the pilots had such power but their own paled in comparison to the power this particular pilot kept hidden away, choosing to keep it inside as a secret and consuming aide if the need ever arose. No one alive had ever witnessed the massive force Heero held. Anyone who invoked the rage that awakened that power died with his or her mistake. Heero's fury destroyed everything it touched, leaving no witnesses or survivors.
This new power was different. He clenched his fist, watching as his muscles tightened, trying to feel out this new energy. It felt like he could summon it into his hand like a grenade or shape it into whatever he wished. He closed his eyes and visualized the strings of power collecting within him. They were long strings of pulsing black nothingness, twining and twisting around each other and gave the impression of waiting. For what, he did not know. Left alone, it felt as though the power swirled with a madness that promised havoc and chaos and giving him vague oaths of future power, mastery and control.
This power felt like it could rip him apart from the inside out, putting him back together piece by piece before doing the same thing all over again. As he visualized it, sound crackled and Heero's eyes snapped open.
Instead of being in the forest as he expected, there stood a figure before him while everything else was shrouded in blackness.
Heero snarled. This man or woman had no right to intrude on him. At least, that was what it felt like.
"Hmm, you seem to be growing much too fast for your own good, as well as for my own plans." The definite female voice walked towards him but stopped just out of reach. Heero got the impression of the woman smiling and tensed. "But, I can still turn this to my own gain."
Heero blinked and was returned to the forest. Before he had time to begin to wonder, a horrible wracking pain distorted all other senses and the pilot was forced to his knees, trying to resist the urge to vomit. His visualization of the power, straining against unseen enslavement filled his vision but this time they broke through the invisible walls and he could feel them as they spiraled through his body, taking control of him and slowly undoing him.
It felt as though he were set afire. And in a sense, he was.
The new power of destruction the young pilot held raced through him, burning away any resistance and giving any undesirable emotions to the devouring flames they lit. Heero saw black as the invisible flames washed him clean of whatever defiance he might have had.
It burned away his emotions-at least, the emotions humans used to identify with. Love, kindness, sympathy, pity, hope, all washed away with the licking flames. This power, born of its own will, would not let such petty feelings get in its way.
Heero smiled. If it could be called that.
In the smile was the hunger that he was left with. The hunger for more. Without such feelings as love, only hate, loathing, and hunger survive. Hunger for power, a desire to spread hate and strife, a yearning to bring pain.
With an easy movement, Heero pushed some of the unruly brown hair from his eyes and glanced around his surroundings while half burned memories threw themselves at him in an attempt to reestablish the one who use to be.
They went away ignored as Heero glanced down the way his 'ally' Phillip had traveled to see his master. The smile widened, showing suddenly sharp teeth. A reckless attitude took over him and a sudden curiosity to discover exactly who this 'Mistress' was pressed him down the path.
This mistress must have much power. Power to take. And his instincts as a pilot would not allow him to casually forget about someone who had expressed a desire to meet him. Perhaps such a meeting would be enlightening to both parties involved.
Heero walked away with a calm yet dominant stride and the same hungry smirk on his face only added to the brutal image he presented. Had his former friends but seen him, they would have known true fear.