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Puppet Master
Chapter 7 -- Serne's Genus
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"Where's the princess?"
"I've already told you, she left! And stop calling her the princess! Her name's Serena!"
"Where'd she go!"
"Listen, if we knew that, we wouldn't be here!"
"Amara, Ray calm down!"
Ray stood glaring at the tall blonde warrior before her, doing her best to keep her temper from taking over her. Amara scrowled and clenched her fist with anger and frustration.
Between them, Lita and Amy were doing their best to prevent a fight while Mina, Trista and Michelle watched in annoyed silence.
"You guys, we won't find Serena like this. We should have gone after her as soon as her mother called."
"Yea, but you didn't. Now look where we are. A new threat is about to make itself known and the princess, the one in the most danger, is lost! I knew we shouldn't have left, that you couldn't protect her-"
"What do you mean, huh? You barely even know Serena. She's strong enough to take care of herself and you dare complain about our skills when you can't even take care of Hotaru!" Amara bristled at the comment. "And even if Serena was hurt, why would you care? All you do is come and go, not even caring how much it hurts Serena to see her friends abandon her like some burden."
"Don't you tell me I don't care about my princess." Amara's voice lowered to a threatening growl. Her narrowed eyes watched the fiery priestess in near hatred. "Don't you dare tell me that I don't know how she feels, that I don't hurt when she hurts. I bleed with her, every wound she hides, I carry with pride. Do you know the dozens of pains she suffers every day?" Amara questioned.
Ray opened her mouth to speak but Amara kept talking.
"I know her better then even you who claim to be her best friends. I know how she feels when we are forced to leave her with cruel people like you but we both know there's nothing to be done about it. Do you think I enjoy leaving my princess?" Her breath came in ragged intakes, fist going white with fury.
Her voice changed to outright assessment. "And I know, Princess of Mars, about all the times you've sent her to tears. You believe her to be so strong but even the brightest star in the sky has a breaking point and you've forced Serena to hers dozens of times. Do you think her laughter is pure laughter or do you know the pain she's hidden beneath her goofy manner? All the times you've teased her innocent soul, I've been bearing the pain she felt. I know how torn her heart is, how you seem to take pleasure from ripping it asunder. I feel every hurt she has taken from countless enemies, hurts I wish I could remove from her memory, and the hurts you give her without a second thought are almost more then I can stand. Even now, she bleeds for you. For all of you, she would bleed until her royal blood ran dry and then she'd try to bleed some more. If she were to risk her life for you, as she has done so often, it wouldn't even be an issue to her."
"I will never understand how she can give so much with nothing in return nor will I understand why she would torture herself by coming here to see you when Serena could have so much better."
Everyone stared at Amara in shock as the warrior slowly stood, swaying with blind fury, and made her way to the car outside.
She turned once at the door, eyes seeking Ray's and uttered, "Though I will never understand why she allows you to tease and distress her, I promise you that should you do so while I'm around to protect her, priestess, you will feel my wraith until you rue the day you King and Queen sent you to the Kingdom." Amara shook her head. "I bleed for her, priestess. Were she to die today, I would give my life so that she may breathe without giving a second thought to the matter. Can you say the same?"
Trista finally spoke as the door slammed shut behind Amara. "We have no time for this," she murmured to Michelle then turned to join the tall warrior known as Sailor Uranus.
Michelle turned to see the pale faces of the Inners. "Rini is with us at the moment. Hotaru is nearby, of that we are sure. She will be found and afterward be kept safe with us as she has been for the past few years." Her eyes emphasized that point to Ray who hung her head in shame. "Don't worry about them. We'll also take care of Serena. You don't need to worry about anything. As for Darien…we will find the princess but the prince does not want us to be here."
"Once we find her, we'll tell her of this new enemy and perhaps she'll tell you. Amara will never say a word about it to you and both Trista and I will respect her silence."
Michelle turned to follow her companions but was stopped but a shaky hand.
"Michelle, wait." Ray's pale and drawn face was scrunched in pain. "D-did Amara mean what she said…"
Michelle scrowled. "Amara meant every word. We live our lives thanks to and for the princess. We would die for her without a second thought. Her pain is our own; the suffering she goes through is the suffering we take up. Where she walks we follow. She is our hope, love and life and we do everything in our power to allow her the life she deserves. Were anything to happen to her…" Michelle closed her eyes. "I don't know what we'd do. But if the princess is hurt, you'll be the ones we punish."
Aquamarine hair spun as Michelle walked out the door.
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"Man, come one. Why are we even here?" Duo drawled, voicing the other pilots' thoughts. "All we're doing is sitting here and hoping Heero doesn't do anything stupid while the only connection we have to anything is in that temple arguing with a bunch of-"
"Women." Wufei finished with a snort. "Weak women."
"Ok, those may not have been my exact words, but...yea. We're waiting while-"
"Have any of you noticed that Trista doesn't seem to have really expected us, or that her two friends-three, if you count the one that ran away awhile ago- mistrust us," Quatra broke in softly. He was staring ahead at nothing, eyes looking past everything at the distant stars. When no one answered. Quatra looked back. "Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting Duo."
Duo smiled. "No problem."
"Where did Trowa go?" Wufei questioned suddenly.
Duo and Quatra shrugged helplessly. "Probably to find out what's taking so long."
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Amara stepped outside, her fury dying down to a boiling worry. Those…brats had left the princess unguarded. Unguarded and emotionally tormented. Serena had given off an altogether uneasy feeling all day, one so strong that even Hotaru had felt it, untrained as she was.
A moment later, Trista also emerged but she appeared as reserved and untouched as always. Apparently, their little argument and consequently the words Amara released without thought caused the Guardian of Time no moment of unease. Amara envied that kind of quiet dignity, but then again, Amara knew she couldn't bear to live a life devoid of any emotion. The Guardian lived forever, in a world apart from those any she might called friends. Those precious few close enough to gain her trust would live their lives and age while she remained timeless, untouched by the world and for the most part, it lay untouched by her.
Amara hung her head. "I let my temper get the better of me. I should not have revealed the link we have with our princess during a time like this."
"Your anger and distress caused your reason to flee," Trista replied quietly.
"My anger and distress should never have gotten so out of control that logic deserts me. Such action doesn't fit a guard of the Moon Princess," Amara argued venomously.
Trista shrugged. "Anyone can forget their judgment during a time of unease and anger."
"I can't afford to act live any!" Amara muttered with resignation. "Should I continue acting as such, I will endanger the lives of those I am assigned to protect."
Michelle walked out with an air of calm self-restraint but both Trista and Amara could feel the anger radiating from their friend. "I do not think they'll let us stay. At least not willingly."
Trista nodded. "I didn't think they'd do anything less."
Amara curled her hand into a fist. "They want to punish us in anyway they can for showing them the truth."
"Truth is in the eye of those who witness such a thing. In the circus, a slight of the hand trick will be seen as a truth until exposed as otherwise. Those who have seen the same trick will beware any who claim to do the same, going as far as to mistrusting others who would speak truth," a voice extruded from the dark of night.
"What! Who's there?" Amara demanded.
From the shadows, Trowa walked out with his hands held before him. "I apologize if you didn't wish for me to intrude on your conversation. I am also sincerely sorry that you believe me and my friends enemies though we have come to help.
"Then why did you spy on us?" Michelle asked with true sincerity. Amara glanced at her but Michelle only shook her head for an explanation.
Trowa shrugged. "It would have done you no harm if I knew what was going on. Though I must admit, half of your conversation made no sense to me and will make even less sense to my companions. If you were to explain it to us?"
Amara shook her head. "It doesn't concern you." Michelle gave her friend a glare. "Only if you exchange information with us."
"That seems fair," Trowa remarked. He glanced at the door. "I think that your friends are coming out to see what is going on. It would be best if we were to leave. I don't think you'd be able to fully explain my presence here."
Trista nodded thoughtfully and the four left quickly.
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"Are they still there?"
Mina shook her head. "No, but there was a guy with them. They were talking and left before I could tell what's going on."
"Hey," Artemis interrupted, "did any of you see when Luna left?"
"Great," Lita replied. "There goes another member of the team. First Serena, now Luna. Anyone want to volunteer to disappear without a word next?"
"Sarcasm will not help," Amy's clear voice cut in. "Most of the words exchanged in that fight were said from anger but I was able to pick up some new information. Did any of you know that Serena shared some sort of link with the Outers?"
"Amara was telling the truth? I thought she was exaggerating."
"Well, yes and no," Amy answered Mina. "When she first mentioned it, I also thought it was nothing but an overstatement but then I remembered how Serena never seemed to worry about them, like she knew they were still alive or something. From my readings, there's some sort of secret psychic link between them, stronger then one would believe but somehow it was kept hidden from any previous readings of mine."
"So she really does suffer with Serena," Ray whispered listlessly.
"However," Amy continued, "when she said she actually bleed when Serena did, it was probably just an exaggeration. You can't physically bleed from a psychic link-"
Ray's eyes hardened.
"-But you will experience the same as the other person, just without the physical markings."
Ray closed her eyes. "I was so wrong," she whispered.
"What do you mean, Ray?" Lita asked.
"I use to think that I was being so mean to Serena to get her to grow up. Then, when we found out that she was our princess, I blamed it on the fact that she needed to become stronger to be a good queen and that my cruelties was just helping her get stronger. But now, I realize that I was being mean just because I didn't want to accept Serena and how innocent she was. I mean, how can someone be that nice to everyone? I use to think she was keeping up some sort of act to make fun of the way the rest of us can't be that clean."
"Ray, we all felt that way," Mina whispered softly. Lita nodded her head solemnly and Amy closed her eyes with remorse.
Ray shook her head violently. "But I was the only one who took it out on her!"
Lita leaned her head into her arms. "Ray, you may have done it but we only encouraged you. If we wanted, we would have stopped you or pointed out how much it hurt Serena but all we did was laugh and enjoy it. If anything, we all share the blame."
Mina grabbed Artemis to her chest and slowly began to rock on her heels, staring out as the moon began to rise.
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Rini was laughing as Duo whispered another joke into her ear. Her outrageous pink hair was messed up, halfway undone as evidence of her slumber. As Amara, Michelle, Trista and Trowa walked towards the car, Duo leaned in to whisper one last joke and tickle the girl again.
She was exploding with laughter, enough to make Amara and Michelle glance at her in concern, as the doors were opened to let everyone back in. "Are you ok, Small Lady?" Trista asked hesitantly.
Rini only laughed harder. Duo looked at the older women apologetically. "Sorry, but with her hair being so pink, I had to make her face the same color. You know," he glanced at the suddenly indignant child, "so that everything evens out."
"Duo!" Rini screeched before falling back into helpless fits of laughter.
Trista allowed herself a small smile before settling back into the car. Amara shrugged and walked back to her dark purple motorcycle parked just ahead of their car. Michelle smiled as well and took up her ordained position as driver.
"Where to?" she asked Trista.
"The apartment."
"Apartments?" Duo whined. "You guts live in an apartment? Man."
Michelle gave him a tight smile. "Don't be so quick to judge. You'll be surprised as to how large a single apartment can be."
"Besides," Wufei added, "you're judgment over their 'bike' wasn't as accurate as a Pilot's should be."
Duo scrowled while the other pilots smirked or laughed.
Trista and Michelle looked at each other and shrugged. Must be an inside joke.
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"So, how have you been?"
"Hn."
"Really, that's interesting," Philip remarked sarcastically. He glanced sideways at his stoic companion. "Aren't you even going to thank me for paying your bill?"
"Thanks."
"Right." Philip sighed. "Look, can't you just relax for once? I'm not going to use any information you give me against you."
Heero's face hardened.
Great, Philip. Go off and warn him about some danger he probably hasn't even thought about that won't even happen. Clearing his throat, Philip asked cautiously "So who was that girl you were with?"
Nothing.
"Ok, fine Heero! I'm just trying to be your friend! It's not like you have too many now do you. Jeez!" Philip threw his hands into the air and began to stalk off. They entered an empty meadow, the grass sloshing beneath his feet with the freshly fallen rain. The rain had dried itself out about a half-hour ago but the dark clouds still hid most stars from the sky. The moon glimpsed out behind some clouds, giving the area an eerie feeling.
"What did you want?"
Philip turned and glared at Heero. "Nothing, ok. Maybe I just wanted to make sure you were all right and maybe I was just wondering if you'd care to tell me more of this world you came from. But since you obviously know some secret I'm in on without knowing it and since you obviously know I'm some sort of threat to you and your…your whatever, I'll just leave you here to figure out what else I'm trying to kill you with!"
Heero glared at Philip and swiftly walked past him. "If that was all you wanted, you wouldn't have been stalking me for the past few hours."
Philip's mouth hung open. "Wh-How did you know?"
Heero stopped to glare at him. "If you knew of my upbringing, that question wouldn't have to be asked."
"But that's exactly what I'm talking about," Philip injected. "I'm like you're only ally here and you're blocking me out! You expect me to know things about you that you've probably never told anyone. I mean-"
Heero's dark eyes suddenly blocked out Philip's view of everything. A single move and Philip was knocked backward dozens of feet. Landing on his back, Philip lied there a moment, dazed and breathless, before leaping up with a roar.
His eyes dashed across the empty meadow, looking for the location of his offender. It was empty of all life. Where'd he go-?
"When I was a child," a dangerous voice whispered into his ears, "I could do this without making a sound." A hand was suddenly wrapped around Philip's throat, blocking off his air.
Philip's hands flung out in an attempt to free himself from Heero's death grip.
"I was only five at the time," Heero continued on the same deathly tone, "but not even a grown man could free himself." Philip's hands were suddenly gripped by Heero's other hand and held in a tight hold behind his back.
"One slight push," Heero teased, "and your arm will be broken in a dozen places." A finger was pressed against Philip's neck. "Any more pressure, and your spine will be shattered."
Philip's eyes became glazed over as his air supply ran out. His struggling slowed down until Philip was a limp as a rag. Over a thousand years of living to be killed with ease by only a kid. It was madness. Consciousness dripped away and black spots appeared.
At the last possible moment, Philip was released.
He fell to the ground, gasping from breath. For a dozen minutes, all he could do was breath. His watered eyes stung and his muscles creaked in protest.
"W-why?" he asked weakly.
Heero glared at him. "Next time you wish to know more about me, remember that I don't give out knowledge for free."
Philip moaned once more before blacking out.
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Darien watched as the moon began to set in the sky, sun already hiding the soft moonlight with its harsh, glaring light. Another day and still no word from Serena. He had been slightly concerned, more relived then anything, when Serena hadn't made her daily phone call filled with the latest gossip and useless information. But now three days had gone by and his concern had transformed into fear. His phone calls had gone unanswered and even the Scouts had no idea where the golden haired one had gone.
Darien frowned. The Outers were behind this. He knew it
Outside, something shined and as he turned to see what it was, some instinct forced him to the floor. His head hit the ground just as an arrow whizzed by. Glass shattered and spilled across the floor like crystal water.
An arrow? Not an energy blast or psychic attack but a physical, weak and easily avoided attack. Darien took out his transforming rose but stopped when he saw that no one was there. The pieces of glass from his shattered window lay twinkling on the floor and seemed to wink at him in some silent joke but the arrow was still there.
Darien tenderly lifted the arrow from the floor and checked it over, trying to make sense of the matter.
A piece of rice paper was fastened upon the arrow's point, tied to the metal with a feathery piece of lace. A familiar aroma filled the room as Darien tore off the paper and began to read.
Before a word could register, he was swept away in a vision.
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He stood before a great palace made of white ivory and marble. Laughter and ballroom music drifted from behind the towering pillars and flowers bloomed all around. The night sky was sprinkled with dotting stars and the moon could be seen, a glowing guardian from up high.
Prince Darien sighed at the sight of it. The moon, yet another goal beyond his reach. And on that moon lived the mystical Lunarians. The princess of these people was the only one who captured his attention though.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in his chest, the twelve-year old Prince of the Earth walked swiftly into the palace. Entering through huge, white doors decorated with roses, both white and red, he ignored the inviting ballroom opening up before him and marched up the left stairway. There was yet another ball being thrown in his father's honor, though it was only an act staged to gain him support and to show off his guards. The best in the world, or so they had to be to prevent another House from overthrowing their own rule.
At the stairs end, the Prince wasted no time in hurrying to his own room. To be caught now would ruin everything. To give in and confront the person he knew to be following him would only waste weeks of plans and cause the King's wraith to fall upon his shoulders.
His room was one of the largest in the palace- only to be expected of the destined heir of the Earth.
If something didn't happen first.
Prince Darien pushed that though away. It would only open a way for doubt, and ultimately, defeat.
A single, enormous bed draped with fine white linens and soft, inviting velvet blue blankets. Mirrors covered the walls instead of paintings of his ancestors' triumphs (and defeats, Darien thought cynically), something highly unusual for a Prince. Furniture stood around the room, placed for his convenience.
White, hardwood floor protected by golden carpets and blood red rugs gave the room an unnaturally clean feel. Lighted chandeliers showed the room with bright light and warmth and the familiar aroma of freshly cut roses filled the room with a touch of spring.
Prince Darien ignored all the fine beauties and, opening the huge glass doors, walked out into the hanging balcony designed to his own specifications. Roses and other blooming buds hanged or were placed upon the balcony where other foliage grew of their own whim.
Darien leaned against the balcony, staring up at the sky in full wonder. The moon had always been his dream. The rumors of the beautiful and peaceful Moon Kingdom reached his ears and set his heart the goal of living there one day.
Then, as though they knew of his wish and wanted nothing more then to torture him with the unobtainable desire, both the Queen and the Princess of the Moon Kingdom had visited his palace only a week ago. The princess had hardly said a word the entire visit, staying beside her mother and behind her personal guards with her beautiful blue eyes wife with innocence. She's seemed amazed with the plant life and animals, going as far as to try and touch one of the royal birds before she'd seen Darien watching her with curious eyes.
The amazing part about it was that the bird, one of the fiercest hawks that skimmed the skies, had allowed her to reach for her and would have probably allowed her to touch it without raising a sound had she not seen him and removed her hand.
Such things were not usual of a princess, though Darien was hardly one to speak.
But the night before the Royal Family had left, the princess had received permission and took the opportunity to wander freely through the flower gardens with none except her trailing black cat.
Giggling with excitement, the princess had run down the isles, stopping occasionally to smell a bloom with an expression of complete bliss before taking off again. Her white dress wavered behind her, shimmering in the night like a heavenly beacon and her long golden hair trailed after.
Darien himself had gone into the garden in hopes of ridding himself of the sense of loneliness that had fallen upon his young shoulders and had nearly run into the small, excited princess.
To his surprise, she was giggling like mad and even walked with him after being helped up.
They'd walked and run through the gardens the entire nights, their laughter echoing through the flowery walls and had ended up on a hill as the dawn arose.
"Darien," her soft, slightly childish voice had whispered. "Do you think you could come to the moon and visit me sometime?"
He grinned at her, bubbling with contained excitement. "Only if you want."
Serena leaned over and hugged him so that Darien barely heard her reply, "I do," before the princess's guards, a group of girls no older then the princess herself, rushed towards them with yells of concern, laughter and slight anger. The four girls quickly surrounded the Princess and, with a nod of acknowledgment to the Royal Highness of the Earth, swept her away to be taken to the moon immediately.
The cat had lingered a moment, an amused expression on face, before following.
A week had already passed so why was he still dwelling on that moment? Prince Darien shook himself awake and stepped back into his room, closing the glass doors firmly behind him. Releasing velvet curtains, Darien drew them to cover the door and hide him from the moon.
"Darien, if you want the moon that badly, you shouldn't wait around for it to be handed to you."
The prince turned in surprise but relaxed as Serne, his sister if such a thing was to be believed, stepped out of the doorway and into his room.
Darien shrugged in reply and made to leave the room.
Serne stepped into his way.
Beginning to anger - and fear, his sister rarely confronted anyone and those meetings usually ended in the party going missing -Darien stepped back and glared at his sister. "Move it, I've got a ceremony to attend."
Serene laughed a horrid laugh. "Oh, please forgive, your highness," she rasped but stepped from his way.
Darien gave her a single last glare and moved by her. Her sharp black nails suddenly dug into his skin. "Don't," her dead voice whispered into his ear, "dare underestimate me, dear brother." Her nails dug deeper and a hand clamped over his mouth to prevent outcry. "You'll find me a far harder opponent then any would have you think."
As quickly as the attack came, he was released.
Darien spun around, hand to his belt where his sword lay. "And don't you underestimate me sister," he snarled, surprising her as his sword was withdrew in a single smooth motion and pinned her against the nearest mirror with it. "The young don't live to be old without learning a few tricks to survive by and mine are the best."
"Well done, brother mine," Serne taunted, edging away from the sword's edge. "I guess you aren't as weak as the Kingdom pronounced you."
Darien glared but didn't fall for the taunt.
Serena's eyes widened in appreciation and she whispered, "I do believe I have underestimated you Darien."
"I know you have," was his tense reply.
Serne raised her hands in defeat and smiled, the first true smile he'd ever seen her show.
Lowering his sword but keeping it out in case, Darien nodded for her to speak.
"Brother mine, I have a plan I believe you'll enjoy."
"A plan? Why would you do such a thing sister? You are among the most rash people I know as well as being hasty and unprepared for every situation that arises. You never plan for anything unless it is to stir anger into the hearts of our people."
Serne laughed and placed a hand to her forehead. "Brother, I admit to those things except the planning. I do plan and my plans are carried out with success."
Intrigued, Darien motioned with a gloved hand. "Go on."
"But even you, with your high position, must admit to at least yourself that we currently are no better then slaves!"
"Slaves! How do you figure that?"
"Brother, even you must see, especially you, see how the Moon Kingdom watches over us, constantly telling us what to so, where to go, how to act and think and already have Father under their thumb. They've already tried to seduce you with their ways with that phony 'diplomatic' mission that went on last week. Please tell me that you haven't fallen for their fake smiles and oily tongues?"
Darien's thoughts drifted to the princess and her twinkling giggles. "Of course not. But why are you telling me these things? Young as I am, even I can recognize rebellious thoughts and actions and I also know the punishment for those actions is death. Why risk yourself with including a young and inexperienced brother?"
"I tell you because I love you. And because I intend to separate the Moon Kingdom from the Earth once and for all. The Earth will rule on her own, with her own and only by her own. The Moon Kingdom can't control us forever and if we force our hand now, they'd never expect it."
"By separate, you mean…"
"We rebel of course. The first action would be to killing-I mean, arresting all of the officials from the Kingdom and sending them a notice of our separation. After that, we'd wait for their actions and then do as they force is to.
Darien gave her a dubious look and shook his head, black locks flying free with the motion. "Sister, that cannot be. You have forgotten that the Moon Kingdom is Earth's protector-"
"Earth has no need of it!"
"-and is immensely strong-"
"I grow stronger then even the Queen!"
"-and with that power," Darien continued sharply, though his eyes filled with tears, they let no one go unnoticed." At the unseen signal, dozens of guards appeared from nowhere with the symbol of the Moon Kingdom on their outfits. His face fell as he saw the rage on Serne's face. "I'm sorry, sister. But the Kingdom will not let a would-be traitor go on living among their midst. And I would not have gone through with any plan you would have come up with-"
"You traitorous bastard!" Serne screamed in rage. "I'll get my revenge on you, prince-brother! You and the entire Kingdom will feel my wraith!"
The guards dragged her from the room and Darien slumped against the wall. His brimming eyes looked up into a dark corner of the room. "Will she be all right Father?" he whispered solemnly.
The Earth King strode for his hiding place and placed a reassuring hand upon his son's shoulder. "Yes, Darien. Do not worry. The Kingdom will never do anything without kindness."
Prince Darien's shoulders racked with silent sobs.
The King continued staring at the doorway where his only daughter had stood moments before and revealed the plans he and the Kingdom had long feared. It was true that her power grew mightier then any would have believed and had she set out on the road she's chosen, disaster would have struck for none would be prepared to face her alone.
"My son, I know that the place I had you play was hard for you to do and that you would not have done such a thing without me ordering you to but you must realize that your sister had to be caught and put away before the innocent were harmed."
The Prince nodded and wiped away his tears. "Yes Father."
"Good now tell no one of this and forget as soon as you can. No good will come from disobeying this order."
"Yes Father," Darien whispered but the King had already left his weeping son alone.
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"Serne?" Darien whispered, finding himself lying back in his own room. His glazed eyes traveled around the room in confusion. "Was…was that a memory?"
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R/R
-Black Rebel