Orion Saga
Part 1
Quest for the Orbs
Chapter 15: Zentora's Sick
General Thorn is waiting patiently in his quarters. He hated living away from the star that they were occupying while they were in this galaxy, but Queen Andromeda had told him to stay until he had completed his task. Though he had succeeded in finding out who was helping Orion, he wanted to redeem himself by finding the soldier's human form as well as the orbs.
This is when the rustling of leaves catches his attention. He hears the plant youma calling to him. "Come in."
The figure stands before him, legs the color of bark, with hair of leaves. Except for the arms and legs, anyone would have mistaken it for an actual tree. The emerald around it neck is glowing brightly from the energy being given off of it. The energy that had come from General Thorn.
"Master." It kneels.
"Did you find out who Orion is?"
"Yes, master. A girl. Her human name is Zentora."
"Zentora?" He shrugs at the name. "Well, where does she live?"
"I do not know. I came first to tell you. She was with the young man. He was talking to her. He said that he already knew who she was. He also was looking for her."
Thorn nods at this new information. "I see. I want you to keep a close eye on her. Most importantly, find out where she is keeping the orbs. And then make sure that one of you is at the boy's house at all times. No doubt she'll be going back and forth."
"Yes, master."
¨
Zentora walks home, feeling confused and dizzy. Her head was suddenly hurting and she wanted to lie down. She couldn't believe what Samaru had just told her. It made no sense. The part about Star Chaser…that she could handle. But he was trying to tell her that the two of them were engaged? "Impossible."
¨
She walks into her room and collapses onto the bed. Sirius looks at her as she closes her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Headache."
"Oh. That bad?"
"Yeah."
The cat walks over to her and leaps onto the bed from the floor. She nuzzles up to Zentora and the girl is a little surprised but appreciative. Sirius usually stayed on the chair or the desk. The only time she actually sat with Zentora was when the two of them were talking with Pup. But now she is nestled next to her head, rubbing it gently with her own. The soothing sound of her purring lulls Zentora to sleep.
¨
"What's wrong with her?"
Sirius looks at her canine counterpart. "She said she had a headache."
"Oh." He looks at the sleeping form of his mistress on the bed, still lying in her street clothes. It would be time for dinner soon and she'd been asleep for a few hours. "We should probably wake her up."
Sirius looks concerned. "Maybe we should let her sleep. When she came in, she went straight to bed. I think it's bad."
Pup nods. "Let her sleep then. I'll stay outside the door in case her parents try to wake her up."
Sirius nods and lowers her head onto Zentora's.
¨
Jalise walks over to Zentora's room. Dinner is ready, but her daughter is nowhere to be seen. When she gets to her bedroom, she finds the door cracked with Pup sitting outside. "What are you doing out here? Hmm?" She smiles as he paws her dress. When she goes into the room, she sees her daughter asleep on the bed with the cat lying next to her. At the sound of the door creaking, its head is lifted and the green eyes peer at Jalise as if the cat is trying to tell her something.
She walks over to the bed and notices that Zentora is asleep. The cat had been resting her head on Zentora's as though trying to keep her comfortable. "Why would they be acting like this?" She looks at her and shakes her gently. Sirius mews softly.
"It's okay, Sirius. I'm just checking on her." Jalise smiles at the cat. She then places a hand on her child's forehead. It isn't hot, but there had to be some reason that she was asleep this time of day. She decides to let her daughter sleep.
¨
When the translucent brown eyes open, the first thing that they do is close again. Reopening, they see the smoky gray fur. Sirius had slept next to her all night? Slowly, she lifts her head and it feels heavy. She tries to sit up.
The green eyes snap open when she hears the girl is getting up. She watches Zentora carefully as she makes her way to the door. "Are you alright?"
She nods, lying to her guardian. "Yeah."
"Maybe you should stay home today."
Zentora leans against the door. She had a strange dream the night before, but couldn't remember what it was about. She knew though, that it was something important. She rubs her hand over her face and looks at Sirius. She should stay home. She feels terrible, but she doesn't want to. She keeps having this strange feeling that something is off. Like there was a youma nearby. If there was, she wanted to be ready for it.
¨
Jalise looks at Zentora as she walks to the refrigerator to pour herself a glass of water. She looks as though she is about to collapse. "Sweety, are you alright?"
Zentora nods and walks over to the table, head pounding. She leans on it and sighs. She closes her eyes and opens them to see her mother standing next to her. "Come on. Let's get you back to bed."
"Mom, I-" She closes her eyes.
"Zentora?" Jalise looks at her daughter as she leans on the table. "Are you alright? Zentora. Answer me."
She keeps her eyes closed, head throbbing, trying to concentrate on standing up. But she can't. She feels herself beginning to fall.
Jalise's hands reach out to catch Zentora's limp form.
¨
Having caught Martin before he left for work, She stands with the door open as her husband carries Zentora into the room. He lies her on the bed gently, with her guardians watching her still form. Pup glances at Sirius who walks over to her charge with worry lining her small face. She purrs at the girl as Martin and Jalise look on.
"I'll stay here with her. Maybe she needs a doctor."
Martin nods. "Okay. Call me if anything else happens."
¨
Zentora opens her eyes to find herself in a pair of pajamas and lying in bed. She groans a little.
"You're awake."
Zentora looks up to see her mother standing over her. "Mom? I'm at home? What time is it?"
"Twelve-thirty."
She looks at her covers. "What happened?"
"You passed out. So I called the school and said you wouldn't be in."
Zentora nods to herself. Her head is still hurting, but not as bad as before. At least it isn't throbbing so much. "Where are Sirius and Pup?"
"They're eating. We came in and she was lying with you. It was kind of sweet. Pup was outside the door like a little guard or something."
Zentora nods. The two of them were really looking out for her. She would have to thank them for it. But right now, she is tired.
¨
The two guardians wake up to find their mistress gone. The headache that had caused her so much pain was gone when she woke up, so her mother let her go to school.
¨
Zentora is walking home from school with the feeling that she is being followed. She turns more than once thinking that she will see something but no one is there. When she gets to the apartment, she glances around once more before going in.
"Hi. How are you feeling?"
"Better, mom. Thanks." She makes her way to her room where Pup and Sirius are waiting. She looks at each of them unsure of what to say. "Guys, I want to thank you. For yesterday. I don't know what I would have done…"
"You were sick. It was the least we could do."
Pup nods at Sirius's words. "Zentora. We are your guardians. It is our job to do what we can to help. You were sick. You needed us then. We'll always be here when you need us."
Sirius nods.
Zentora looks at them. She is suddenly glad that they were there for her.
¨
That weekend Zentora is on her way to Samaru's house again. She felt really badly about what had happened and wanted to see if was alright.
¨
"Zentora. Hey."
"Hi, Samaru. I wanted to see how you were doing."
Nodding, he lets her inside. "I'm fine."
She looks at him. He smiles when she notices her staring. "Really. I'm fine." He picks up his coat from a nearby chair. "I was on my way to the park. Do you want to come?"
Zentora looks at him and nods. "Okay."
¨
They are walking the trail of the small garden. As they walk, Zentora can't help but to look over her shoulder every now and again. Samaru notices. "Is there anything wrong?"
"No." She glances at the flowers half expecting to transform into a youma.
"Your not sensing anything are you?"
She looks at him. "How did you know that I could-"
He looks at her with a serious expression. "I told you-"
"Please don't."
"At least let me tell you a little about us. About yourself."
"I already about myself. I know what you're trying to do. I'm not-"
"Please."
She is about to tell him no when she sees the painful look in his eyes. "Okay."
¨
The two leaning on a bridge looking at the garden. Samaru looks at the small creek underneath them. "My true name is Diya. Its meaning is Brightest Light. Your true name is Oriana. It's a variation of the earliest rulers of Orion. It translates to heavenly one. But enough of the small things. We were very much in love. As I told you before, we were to be wed. I am the Prince of the North Star Kingdom. You are the Princess of Orion and future Empress of the Star Empire. All of the stars in the universe are under your rule. You have no idea of how important you are."
Zentora looks at him as begins to talk. As he continues, she turns to look at the flowers, taking it in slowly.
"We spent a lot of time together. I even traveled with you and your parents on many occasions to come to this galaxy. In fact, the only one I think you may have been as close to as me was the Princess of Uranus. Whenever we came, you would visit her planet."
Zentora looks at the water. "Princess of Uranus?"
"She is also a Sailor Soldier. Only, I don't think that I'm sure of her human form yet. But the two of you were very close friends.
"Me friends with Uranus?" Zentora can't believe it. After what the soldier had done to her, she couldn't picture them as being friends.
"You actually favored her and her lover Neptune over Princess Serenity who is the pillar of the planets, just as you are the pillar of the stars. I still can't figure it out myself. But the three of you were inseparable in spite of distances." He sighs a little, obviously thinking of the past before going on.
¨
When he finishes, Zentora is confused, dizzy. She can't believe any of what he had just said. It was all so…weird. Her a princess? Maybe she is Sailor Orion, but she doesn't remember any of it. "I'm sorry."
Samaru looks at her, taking her hands in his. "Please…try to remember."
She looks at him and turns away. "Remember what? All of these things you keep spouting at me?"
"They aren't just things, Zentora. This is your life."
She looks at him and he sees that same thing flicker in her eyes. "My life…my life. I don't remember my life! Nyumi, Louise, my mom and dad. They're my life. They've been my life since I can remember." She looks at him, her face a mixture of emotions.
"Zentora…it isn't real."
She looks at him. "What do you mean it isn't-" She suddenly places a hand to her head and grasps the rail on the bridge.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I just got a little dizzy."
Samaru nods at her with concern. "Maybe I should help you home."
"I said I was alright." She pulls her arm away from him and stands away from the bridge.
Zentora can feel her knees buckling beneath her. Samaru is at her side as she sits on the stone walkway. "Let me help you."
She allows him to take her arms and pull her up, but lets go when she is on her feet. She begins to feel dizzy again, but before she falls, she feels him pulling her close.
¨
The youma watch, each one of them in a different position, as the human form of Orion leans against Samaru's chest. Each one of them wonders what is wrong with the star senshi, and eagerly await to tell their master that she is weak.
¨
Zentora leans her head on Samaru as he holds her steady. She eventually closes her eyes.
¨
"Ughh…" Zentora looks around herself. She notices that she is no longer at the park, but in Samaru's apartment and on the couch.
"Are you alright?" She sees Matsume sitting on a chair next to her.
"Yes…I think so." She looks up to see Ogechi approaching her with a glass of water.
Looking at the two of them, she remembers Samaru having said that they were her most trusted soldiers. The two of them are at her side, with nothing but concern on their faces. She tries to block out what he had told her.
"Here. Drink this."
She thanks Ogechi as she takes the glass and sips slowly. "How are you?"
She turns to look above her and sees Samaru coming in from the balcony.
"I-I'm fine. My head just started hurting."
"It must've hurt pretty badly. You passed out."
Zentora looks at the glass as she holds it in her hands. "I should be going now."
Samaru helps her off of the couch. "I'll take you."
"No…I'm alright."
"Forgive me, but I don't believe you. The last time you said that to me, you collapsed. I'll take you."
Zentora nods, knowing that she shouldn't argue with him.