Vision is the river, and we who have been changed are the flood.
-Daniel Quinn, The Story of B
Episode 9- The Flowing River of Vision! Points of Crystal, Each Transfixed.
The faerie road was unreal.
Before, it rushed past in a glittering wave
of warped space, blurred in the way that motion causes sunlit leaves to
shadow. Each time they rode it, it moved faster, tunneling around them
with the effect of stretching. But now the distortion was at a climax,
and it was flecks of matter they saw only, not tangible matter. It was
energy now, of streaming stars and nebulae, dusty beauty and shining starlight.
Components of a cosmos.
Mizuno Ami saw these things from her vantage
point on Lagu's back, body pressed close to the smooth scales as wind flattened
her, tugging at hair and clothing. Over her shoulder, she could still see
the forms to her sides and behind her. This formation had been chosen by
the creatures themselves, a pattern that they fell neatly into. Lagu stretched
her gossamer wings, and Eolh fell to the left, Jara to the right, and Ken
in the back of the formation. A perfect diamond, a synchronous flight.
Hurry. The dragons whispered. Hurry,
hurry, hurry....
Such silence.
Hurry, hurry the time is at hand. Hurry,
oh, hurry....
Then the faerie road ended, as they must,
and in the distance of their sight they saw a reddened peak, glowing in
the darkness of a moonlight night. To the Fire Mountain, to the volcano,
to the temple of Infinite Gods, to the sleeping place of the dragon of
Fire. War raged where there was fire, and black clouds churned into the
air, obscuring and cloaking the realm below.
Wingbeats thudded in Ami's ears. Wingbeats
and heartbeats, too fast, too strained. This was the time. Would they be
right? Their abilities and hopes and...and....
Light of lavender lit up the sky, a pillar
of brightness that caught on the colors of the smoke, illuminating it,
making its swirls visible. It faded, then burst again, testament to the
power of the one who wielded it. The temple soared into view as Lagu dipped
on a wing, circling them, the others wheeling along behind, four spiraling
dragons, weaving between each other.
Eolh hears it. It is words of death.
"What words?"
But Ami did not need to ask what words they
were. As the ground rushed forward under them, she could see a solitary
figure midst the stones, familiar and welcomed, though usually the bearer
of dark tidings. Behind her, she knew that Minako had also seen it, and
the word, "Pluto!" was shouted. For a moment, the soldier of time paused,
glancing upward to see the four Inner Senshi spiraling down to meet her.
Her expression usually stoic, it did register a certain amount of surprise
to see this, and she seemed to understand that where she stood was where
they intended to land.
Sailor Pluto turned, and another blast of
orb shaped light caught a tangle of the creatures mid-step, scattering
those it did not kill. She pushed her way up the narrow path, watching
figures appearing on the walkways above the giant gate that allowed entrance
to the temple.
Pluto's arrival had been timely, so to speak,
her attacks clearing away the bodies of the creatures that swarmed there.
And so Lagu made her landing, tucking claws up under her body neatly as
she landed, depositing Ami on the ground. Wind stirred away the grass and
loose soil as Eolh backwinged, Jara then stepping onto the ground, heavy
claws resting lightly on top of the pillar of the east. She tucked back
her massive wings, curling her tail aside so that Ken may also land, snaking
his head low so that his passenger may slide off onto the ground.
Those that still dared to fight did not manage
to come close enough, as Eolh turned and brought back the complexity of
wings, sweeping them forward and sending any of the armed things tumbling
backward. As Minako entered the ring of stones, Jara flung her head back
and trumpeted, the vibrations echoing though the empty valley, alerting
all to the presence of the dragons, four elemental dragons, points of crystal
adorning the space between their eyes.
There was running, from the ground and from
the walkways, men and women who stopped to hear this scream of anguish
and triumph, a mournful melody out of the throat of the dragon of the Earth.
Four pairs of eyes met from where they stood
with uncertainty. Blue, violet, green.
The death is here. Here it must end.
There was a tearing sound from beyond the
walls, and the sounds of battle reached up into the night. It does not
end. Battle continues, regardless of the happenings in other places. The
screams that answered Jara were not draconic, but human, and pained. The
tide of creatures seethed around them, and no amount of magic from Pluto's
staff could hold them off infinitely.
Ami turned her head and stepped back, standing
before the pillar of the North. Lagu arched her neck, placing herself upon
the pillar, eyes whirling as she arched over it, lowering her eyes to the
ground as Ken mirrored her from his place across the circle. In unison,
fire and water spread their wings, and the veins that traced so delicately
though the translucent wing membrane seemed to catch the droplets of light
that still hung in the air, evidence of the light of the stars. No longer
did Ami or Rei stand before the stones, but living traceries of light and
water, fire and vision.
Softly, two more sets of feet stepped forward,
Minako, one, Makoto, two. Wings spread out above them, a dome of shimmering
layers. Droplets of light, strands of starlight, moonlight, beads on a
celestial string. Young women, powerful within, silhouetted by the energy
of the world that burned.
From within this circle of stone and flesh,
four jeweled crystals could be seen to glow, the sharp cuts of their prisms
emitting beams of light and beauty. Within the human heart are many emotions,
refractions of will and reflections of thought. Here they gathered, focused
though a liquid lens. And they danced.
No words need be shouted, when magic grows
from the heart. No commands needed to be said aloud, only etched onto the
fabric of the mind. Such as they were now, silently and quietly. Crystals
within blossomed, like petals on a flower, the attainment of a power they
had not needed to tap before. Never before on their own, never before the
last defense. And who knew what power may be concerted when people may
join together, not to create death, but life?
As these flowers bloomed, a light crept though
the world. It was distant at first, faint as though the dawn that rose
in the east. It grew strong around where they stood, flowing outward like
the tide. From where Sailor Pluto stood, Timestaff in hand, she paused,
closing her eyes and feeling the pressure of the light against her eyelids,
soaking in the pure power of it. A ray of hope, thoughout a world. She
could feel it.
Upon the ramparts of the temple of the Fire
Mountain, women gathered, dark robed and silent. They were young, and they
were also old. Some worried, others welcoming the light that washed over
them as it did the woman below.
"Can't you feel it?"
"I can...."
"What is this light?"
"Beautiful...."
A little girl with blonde hair stood among
them, where she had managed to find herself, slipping out of the care of
the other young girls. She held her little goldfinch familiar in her hands,
and felt a warmth in her heart. It was like a newborn star, hot in her
chest. She placed fingers to her heart, and felt the pulse of the star
there. It was something that she had long felt, but as though trapped away,
locked where she could not touch it. This was a key, releasing that energy.
So Lillia opened her eyes, and felt warm salt tears in them. Not from sadness,
not from fear, but from hope.
And that light of hope mingled with the light
of the world.
"Undine, can you feel it?"
"It's so warm...."
A streak of dirt and blood crossed the face
of a silver eyed witch, and a bruise on the cheek of the man with her.
The fighting had stopped, eddying then abating as power of beauty stretched
out over the land around them. Stilled enemies froze in the blaze, eyes
wide in shock, or perhaps disbelief. But they watched the light, as though
searching for a thing within it. Still, two silver eyed sorcerers waited.
In contrast to the shadows of their faces, the light illuminated them,
bodies and eyes alight. She looked upward from where she knelt, pushing
herself upward. "Turn the tide."
"The tide?"
"All that has been done...is try to slow the
river. It cannot be stopped. What happens when the whole world choses a
different path?"
The answer, of course, is that nothing could
stop it.
Into the glassy brightness, the heat that
burned so brightly within this silver eyed sorceress broke, merging with
the light. Beside her, this same power boiled up within her companion.
A star was born, birthed from the power of their minds.
What is the power of the world, when all people
wish it to be lit?
"Look," Rory whispered, tapping Lenora on the
arm as she noticed a thing. It was a little girl, her eyes closed and head
tilted back, a star resting on her forehead, emitting a brilliance unseen
by mortal eyes. Lenora tore her vision away from the sight of the dragons
below, and saw Lillia, a smile on her tiny face, hands opened as though
offering a thing in peace.
"Lillia...."
Within Lenora, she felt a warmth begin to
fill her, looking then from Lillia to the other worried women around her.
Again she looked to the wing shrouded circle of stones. "All of us. All
of us together," she whispered so softly that her words could not be heard.
She placed her hands on the bare stone wall, and closed her eyes. There
was a source to her magic, a place that she could feel within her heart.
All that had happened, the pain around her. And still, a little girl offered
her power. So selfish. They had all been so selfish.
"Power to the dragons....power to the world...."
And so she prayed, and the light that filled
her was not only her own. Behind her, heads bowed, her councilors, her
sisters. They followed her, young though she was. So strong, together,
they could become.
Within the temple, within the walls, within
the valley, saw the men and women around them bow their heads, and felt
the crackle of energy around them. The magic that permeated the air they
breathed, flowing though their blood, that was below their feet in the
stones of the earth, and in the forging of the rocks that beat within the
heart of the mountain. Those with magic, those without. A flood of power.
From the ring of stones, four bodies felt
a strength they had experienced never before. Within them and without them,
they felt the merging of magic, and the light that made them luminous.
It was not a magic of their own only, of something so uniquely special
about each specifically. But the ability of focus though themselves the
magic of the world. Each body that arched up behind them, wings and tails
and with a jewel on their forehead....they grew smaller, transparent as
more people bowed their heads, joining the symmetry of power they had begun.
If though the brightness, a person had looked, they would see instead different
forms where the creatures had once stood, stepping downward, and wrapping
white wings around the gowned forms of four young women.
The infinite power of the world.
Where demons stood silently, watching the pinwheel
of light, they shed the shells they had worn, empty now. It was as though,
through the union of magic, old and new, and the hope of the people of
the world, they were freed. Twisting free of these ugly bodies, new butterfly
wings emerged, and transparently unfurled, only to fade away again into
the light that bloomed in the darkness.
Can you see how beautiful the world is?
Even though the ugliness around you?
So delicate, this light of hope.
It is the nature of things, to end. For things
to die, for their energy to be released, and to flow into the energy of
other things. The first rule of thermodynamics is that all energy is constant.
It cannot be newly created or destroyed. It can only move from one thing
into another. Laws of nature cannot be changed, regardless of the seemingly
unnatural ability for men and women to harness magic. Rather, perhaps,
some energy is only summoned more clearly through some than through others.
Use of a conduit or a catalyst only makes the transfer of this energy more
transportable.
And so, as all energy must, the blooming power
of light entered a situation of entropy, degrading, and flowing into other
things. As this brilliance channeled itself away, each figure within the
monolith found herself weakening. And as this happened, the light of their
magic faded away into the dawn, leaving the figures on the ground, eyes
closed, breathing steadily as their bodies attempted to compensate for
the drain of their power.
The newcomer, Sailor Pluto, broke the silent
spell that lay upon the land before the temple. She was the first to realize
that this working was complete, and was the first to move. She stepped
within the circle, looking down at the still faces, strands of hair falling
over closed eyes. After a moment, turning, she knelt down beside the still
form of Rei, brushing the hair back and setting the Timestaff beside her
as she held her hand over her mouth, feeling the steady, faint stream of
breath. She placed two fingers on the artery in her neck, and felt a steady
pulse, just below the surface.
What made Pluto's eyebrows lift, though, was
what was set in the senshi of Fire's hair. A small, elegant crown, of black
obsidian, the edges cut fine so that they were clear. Intricate design
puzzled its way upward, the center strongly resembling a circle, an arrow
jutting from its side.
Pluto turned, hearing steps behind her, watching
the wide gates of the temple draw open, and people tentatively emerge from
them. A louder sound made her turn over her shoulder, watching a battered
young man collapse beside the fallen Makoto.
Balan performed similar checks on Makoto, brushing
any loose hairs from her face, and any invisible dirt. He had known, for
a long time, that she was a princess. But to see her gowned in the pale
green, and a crown of curling oak leaves on her brow, truly showed her
lineage. Still sleeping, her lips slightly parted. "Best not to wake you,
huh, Lady Lightning?" He pulled her head up into his lap, so that she would
not have to let it sit on the cold ground.
"Balan?" He saw a light shadow move over him,
and recognized the voice.
"She's all right, Princess."
Rory's voice was soft. "I'm glad." Then the
shadow moved, and made a startled motion as she saw Minako lying on the
ground across from Makoto. "Minako!" And the Northern
Princess gathered up her skirts and settled in beside the Princess of Venus.
Lenora knelt down beside Ami, tilting up her
head so that her neck lengthened, eyes fluttering a moment, then staying
still. The High Priestess did what she could to make her comfortable for
the moment, settling her head on her knees as the Mercury Princess dreamed.
A light blue gown pooled around her. Lenora found herself wondering at
the magic that nestled in her hair. A crown, of crystalline ice, with the
intricacy of a snowflake. And yet it was unmelting.
"Is she all right?" A figure stood above her,
and the Priestess looked up, squinting into the sunlight behind the woman
addressing her. After a moment, the woman knelt, and Lenora looked directly
into the eyes of a witch for the first time. "She's a friend of ours, you
know."
The words were almost a test, and Lenora knew
it. Will you accept her, as a friend of your enemy? To which Lenora replied,
"Yes. Don't worry. We'll see that she's taken care of."
That seemed enough to satisfy the woman, and
her companion, still standing, nodded his head once in understanding. Then,
still kneeling beside her, the woman said, "I'm Caitlyn. This is Undine."
"Lenora, High Priestess of Emania."
"We know."
"Um, excuse me," Rory called across the distance
between them, since the stranger had just picked up Rei, and was carefully
balancing an elegant staff weapon across her arms while she did so. "Who
are you?"
Her garnet eyes met Rory's and the Princess
of the North felt a chill. "A friend of theirs. Sailor Pluto. It is not
good, for them to rest here. They should have beds readied. They will need
to sleep for some time."
Rory could say nothing, but turned to see
Lenora move Ami to Caitlyn's arms, standing. "Yes," she agreed, then turned
to one of the many women who followed her out the gates. They stared owlishly
at the spectacle before them, as did the soldiers, both guard and witch,
who began to congregate around the standing stones. These waited expectantly,
side by side, some standing on toes to see more clearly. "Go ready the
room they had before. See to it that they each have a bed, this time."
It took the woman a moment to realize it was she being spoken to, then
leapt into action, pointing fingers at the idling and gawking priestesses
around her. Commands went up, and several went back inside, the word of
the battle's end ringing though the air.
"Lord Balan," Lenora said as she watched the
wounded man doing his best to pick up Makoto. "There is no need for you
to hurt yourself further...." she died away as he managed to stand, turning,
face set against her.
"I'm fine. Have someone show me where to go."
She acquiesced, and flipped a hand, the familiar
little figure of Lillia darting out though the crowd ahead of an older
girl who began to step forward. "I'll show you!" Lillia announced, Chirper
chirping happily in circles around her head as Balan moved forward.
"Madam," Rory heard beside her in a low voice,
"Allow me to carry your companion. Your medical skills may be more useful
with the injured, than with the sleeping." Rory turned to see Xanntippe
just beside her, and she offered Minako over to him, watching her curl
up as her head lolled.
"You really do tend to pop up unexpected,
don't you, Xann?" Rory frowned a moment, then commented, "You know, I get
the weirdest feeling I've met you before."
He shrugged and smiled, standing.
Then, more seriously, she asked, "Are there
many? Hurt?"
"It was a difficult battle, my Lady," he informed
her, then turned to follow Balan. He passed by Pluto, who was standing
just beside Lenora, and watching as Caitlyn picked up Ami, then letting
Undine carry her as they silently exchanged a glance. Caitlyn had more
words to say. But first, she quirked an eyebrow, oddly looking at Pluto,
who turned under the scrutiny.
"Nice hair," Caitlyn commented, tapping the
bun in her own.
Pluto mirrored the odd look, tilting her head
to the side. "Arigatou."
Caitlyn shrugged, turning aside slightly as
Rory stood beside her, watching Undine and Pluto leave with Ami and Rei.
The three young women looked between themselves, Princess, Priestess, and
witch. Rory frowned, looking at Caitlyn's profile as she sent a final glance
up where the senshi disappeared into. "I am Lady Princess Aurora of Northerland,"
Rory introduced herself.
"Caitlyn," the witch replied, frowning at
her. Caitlyn then added, "You should know, though, that you aren't a Lady
Princess."
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry to be the one to inform you, but
there was a battle south of Aerial a few days ago."
"I know," Rory told her, thinking of the time
spent on the river. They had passed though a portion of water that ran
pink with blood, swirling around the hull of the boat. On the shore, wounded
men of different flags and allegiance lay on the riverbank, fires set as
they tended to wounds. "We passed though it-" Then she stopped, thinking
of the first words. "What do you mean, not a Lady Princess? Was Father
taken? If there's a ransom-"
Both Lenora and Rory were expectantly looking
into her face, waiting for an answer. "The North won the battle, your Highness,
but at a high cost." The words were bitter, and it took several moments
for Rory to grasp the honorific that had been used. Your Highness.
"He's dead?" The words squeaked a little at
the end, but she thought she did an impressive job of controlling her voice.
"So say the reports."
"Oh," Rory managed, looking down and feeling
Lenora's eyes on her, sympathetic. She twisted a fold of fabric on her
skirt, knuckles white. "Well. Then I suppose I
should...make an example. I will...go help with the injured soldiers....
They'll need a healer." She set herself on that idea, and looked up, lips
in a fine line as she began to push her way though the onlookers, randomly
grabbing priestesses as she went, issuing orders, pushing the thoughts
in her head to the side.
"My people are have injured, as well," Caitlyn
said aloud after a moment, watching the crowd begin to dissipate as duties
were being issued from recovering priestesses. Healthy women diffused into
the wounded men, calling for the younger girls to run, hurry, get
bandages and hot water and clean cloths and medicines. Hurry, before the
filth and festering set in. "We could use some healers as well."
Another small test, and Lenora still understood
the ramifications of it. "My women will care for your fighters," she offered.
"They are welcome here, so long as they wish to remain."
Caitlyn folded her arms, and looked over at
the slightly shorter woman, who was drawing up the violet lined hood to
protect her from the dawn's early chills. "There are going to be many who
do not like the idea."
"I know. But all who were here...they will
understand."
The sorceress looked down at her feet, arms
folded. "I'll spread the word among mine."
"We changed the world, Caitlyn," Lenora said
as she began to turn away. "It will keep changing."
"Only as long as we want it to," came the
reply, and then she was another figure in the crowd, and Lenora was once again the High Priestess of Emania, and moving among the others, bringing
her temple under control again.
Minako woke sleepily, eyes opening blearily
to see a low portion of ceiling over her head. "There's a big chunk of
rock over my head. Again. Okay." With a groan, she touched a faintly sore
head, and sat up, turning to the side to see herself in the polished bronze
mirror she had woken to...what? a month? a decade ago? Her reflection was
coppery, and she saw then that her appearance was slightly altered. Still
Aino Minako, certainly, but in a dress of bright yellow, her red bow just
hidden behind a golden metal crown, smooth and polished, a topaz set into
the center of her circle and cross Venus symbol. She touched it, not really
sure if it was real.
"A crown for the Princess of Venus," a familiar
low voice said from the darkness in the room's corner. Minako turned away
from her reflection, straightening to see Setsuna move a bit more into
the light. Always elegant, her clothing now was slightly more casual, but
with the sleekness customary to the time senshi's wardrobe. Black boots,
long jeans, a wide belt with a silver buckle. A black shirt, the sleeves
just past her elbows, and a thin choker, much like what she wore as Pluto.
Her lips were faintly curved upward with amusement, garnet eyes smiling
at Minako's surprise. "It suits you, Minako-chan."
"Setsuna-san!" Minako's face lit up. "That
was you I saw when we landed! We were worried that you wouldn't be able
to find us."
Setsuna's brows lifted, and she stepped out of the darkness,
setting herself on the room's empty chair, crossing her legs. Around them
lay the other three Inner Senshi, sleeping peacefully as they recovered
spent energy. Cots had been carried in, and now all four had rested on
a bed of some sort, not propped up on pillows and chairs. "I'm sorry to
see you had so little faith in me."
"Oh, it wasn't like that!" Minako protested,
then realized Setsuna was actually teasing her. She grinned, then her face
became worried. "Is everything okay? Usagi-chan?" She rubbed her eyes,
and speaking though a yawn, "Mamoru-san, Haruka-san and Michiru-san? Hotaru-chan?"
"Everyone is fine. I take it you've had quite
a time here."
"Yeah. It's been pretty crazy. Perfect timing,
Pluto."
Setsuna lifted an eyebrow at the pun, then
laughed lightly, shaking her head. Minako began looking around the room,
passing by the still faces of her friends. They slept, and they were in
front of her. Setsuna was there, and the enemy was gone. There was nothing
to worry about, not this soon after saving the world, at least. But it
was the absence of Jara that was worrying her. She expected the golden
dragon to be in miniature, the way Ken and Lagu had been after finding
them. Curled up by her head, maybe, sleeping away beside her. She barely
knew Jara, and the connection between them left a strange hole.
"Setsuna-san, where is Jara?"
"Jara?"
"And Lagu. Ken and Eolh. Where are they? They
should be here."
"The dragons, I take it."
"Hai!" Minako was now moving around the room,
peering around the sleeping forms of her friends. She expected to see at
least one of the dragonets there. Perhaps the others had just gone out
to feed...Ken, maybe, wanting meat, or Lagu some fish. If they had to go
fishing, then they would have to go down to the valley below, or find a
creek. One would have stayed. They wouldn't just leave, would they? After
a moment, she felt a sinking disappointment, and asked, "They're gone,
aren't they, Setsuna-san?"
Quietly, she sighed, lowering her eyes, then
looking at a lit lamp. Oil burned from within it sweetly, scented in olives.
"I watched them fade away, as you invoked their powers. A woman named Rory
and a priestess named Lenora gave me some information as to what has occurred.
Your powers as senshi linked to theirs. It washed away the dead things,
ended the battle I arrived in. I watched..." she hesitated as she remembered
the names Minako had used a moment before, "Jara, Lagu, Ken and Eolh. They
looked like angels, Minako-chan, for a moment. Crystal angels, with white
wings. Then they faded away too, with the darkness."
"Oh," Minako managed, looking down. She smoothed
the silky skirt with her fingers, feeling the softness of the fabric. She
didn't want to cry, but she missed the presence of Jara already. So little
time to have known her. "Then what, Setsuna-san? Do we just go home? Should
I just wake everyone up, let you henshin, and go home?"
Setsuna's face softened slightly, watching
Minako turn and sit down on the edge of her bed, idly turning the folds
of her skirt in her fingers. "You want to see that your new friends here
are okay, do you not?"
Her head lifted, and she looked startled.
"Really? You'd let us stay a couple more days?"
"How long have you been here, Minako-chan?
The changes you have incurred in their path are complete. A few more days
will matter little. If nothing else, it will solidify it."
Minako had hardly expected this kind of generosity
of Pluto, usually so insistent on keeping the timestream free of change.
Then, perhaps, their being here was part of history after all. Also, this
was not Pluto's world, was it? Did she care for Emania, as well? Guardian
of Time and Space. How far, exactly, does the duty of such a person extend?
"I'm glad," Minako decided aloud. "I'd like
to make sure everyone is..." she trailed off in a yawn, then smiled, shaking
her head. "I guess I still am a bit worn out."
"Then rest, Princess Venus," Setsuna told
her, sweeping to her feet, standing and moving to the door, pausing to
listen when Minako asked a last question.
"These are the gowns that we wear, ne, Pluto?
Like Usagi-chan when she was Serenity?"
"Hai, Venus. And the crowns of the queens
of the Inner Planets."
Minako blinked at that, and touched the gold
on her brow with her fingers, feeling the smooth curve of it around her
head, and the light weight. Like her tiara, it fit her comfortably, made
perfectly for her. "Arigatou, Setsuna-san," Minako smiled, watching her
open the door and bow as she left, the starlight from without lighting
the outside. "I'll see you in the..." she lay down, head on the feathery
pillow. "...morning...." she sighed, and still uncovered by a blanket,
drifted back off to sleep.
Evening dropped again, and Ami watched the
clouds in the distance. Thoughout the day, the grey towers of cloudy fortresses
had loomed overhead, sending down a shower of rain in the day's middle.
But wind had pushed any full deluge south and east, the storm front carried
away from the small festival that had formed below. Now the sky was clear,
if slightly chill, and the forms of the moons still hung overhead. Air
and Fire hid their faces fully, Earth, so slow, had yet to turn fully away
from the night they had returned to the Fire Mountain. Water, though, the
swiftest of the four moons, was again a crescent, near to half full. Ami
tugged the indigo cloak around her, feeling the cold metal of the knotwork
brooch below her chin as she burrowed more deeply into the warmth it offered.
She stood alone on an empty rampart. Fire
Mountain temple felt separate from the world, a pinnacle on a volcano,
unreachable. More so, now, somehow. The first place to step upon a new
path, others still unsure whether or not to follow. Seven sunrises she
had watched, now the seventh sunset. This evening, though, was different
than the previous ones, since today had been a special day. Ami had
always wanted to be a doctor. The medicines and information she knew from
biology, chemistry, and simply talking to her mother had been useful, helping
where she could. She'd been careful to keep an over-enthusiastic Minako
from helping a little too much with the nursing, but after a little while,
the reality of battle injury set in. It was not the same as watching a
movie, however realistically portrayed. No impact seen though a screen
can replicate the feeling of a man die in front of you, not from cancer
or AIDS or any physical disease, but from a battle. It's a hopeless feeling.
Ami wondered if the expression on her face had been the same as that of
Sailor Moon, when they died against the DD Girls, or when she and the others
had leapt in front of Galaxia's golden bracelets.
She closed her eyes, felt the cold air, moisture
still hanging in it from the afternoon showers. How hard she had tried
to focus her power, send the rain away. She could feel the sweet scent
of rain in her, and hoped that maybe she had helped keep the day relatively
free of destruction. Too much relief in today.
Cheery music drifted up to her on the breeze,
and she looked below, seeing the bright lights within the temple grounds.
A small band was playing a fast, wordless tune from one corner. To her
amusement, she watched a small, recognizable speck known as Minako hop
up in front of them, and could see her motioning to the band to follow
her. Familiar strains of music drifted up.
Sadness is in this Sailor Smile.
Arising from a miracle, Sailor Wing.
Someone or Something is holding the glittering
star.
I will not lose! Towards tomorrow, with
a Sailor Yell
Without doubt! I will catch you! The Sailor
Star
Let this pledge be delivered til the ends
of the galaxy.
Ami hummed along under her breath, knowing
the words from somewhere. It seemed appropriate, and she watched the fast
beat pick up with the people below, sending them dancing in spirals. Today
Rory-hime became Queen Aurora, crowned by Lenora this morning, at sunrise.
Queen of the North, rising to her position as her father had died in battle.
Rory-hime had been saddened by his death, but as it was known, she was
not particularly close to him. Her mourning was official mourning, not
private. And her crowning ceremony had been lovely, if simple.
Clustered among priestess and silver eyed
sorceress, the point was made: There would be no more Cleansings. Caitlyn,
Undine and the others had remained there, though as many healed, they left.
Only a handful, including Caitlyn and Undine, remained though this morning,
and now wove in a complex, dizzyingly fast tossing dance to Minako's song.
She watched a quartet of people, recognizing Makoto and Balan, Caitlyn
and Undine. Hands enclasped, walk, break apart, clap, turn and the women
find themselves in the air, then down again, to exchange partners and repeat
the process.
Nothing fancy, really. Ami was still in the
robes of an acolyte priestess, Setsuna oddly comfortable in the full robes.
Ami smiled, thinking they suited her and her mysterious nature. A little
too comfortable, really. Maybe she had worn such things before. Who knew,
with Setsuna?
An unending journey to search for you has begun.
On a map yellowed with age, a stenciled picture of an angel
Points a finger to a Dark Colosseum that awaits our arrival.
Still, she breathed in the rain scented air,
and tried to think. When she had woke from the enchanted sleep, she had
felt refreshed, instantly looking around for Lagu. But to her dismay, the
dragon was gone. So it was with the others. But she did not feel that Lagu
was gone. Just absent, if that made any sense.
"Are you still out there, Lagu? Can you still
hear me?"
She looked up at the visible curve of the
pale blue moon, and could see the narrow head of the water dragon upon
the cratered satellite. Within an instant, her eyes widened as the familiar
voice in her mind answered, Of course.
"Lagu!"
You are silly. Do you think I would just
leave?
The words were full of merriment, lighter
than Ami had heard Lagu speak before. "But where are you? Why aren't you
here?" A brief look around her confirmed that she was still quite alone
on the tower, and no small dragon sat beside her.
I am always here. You have not lost me.
Do not be afraid.
"I'm not."
That is good.
Ami smiled, watching the dancing below. Rei
was easy to spot, a smooth dress the color of mulled wine standing out
clearly against the white cloth of the table behind her. She was speaking
to one of the guards, who had just run up with a drink for her. Smiling
coyly, she was flirting easily, and seemed to be enjoying herself. Ami
shook her head, looking around for the last senshi there. Setsuna was standing
in the shadows, as was her usual, watching the festivities. She stood beside
Lenora, and they appeared to be discussing something quietly. Lenora laughed
lightly after a moment, and made a gesture out across the dance floor.
No matter how difficult it is,
I will continue to find you.
"Lagu, what will happen now? What of this world?"
She waited a moment, watching again the four dancers, two of who's eyes
glowed faintly. "And the silver eyed? What are they?"
All things must change. Even magic.
"Lagu?"
Old things go, and new things come. Stronger
than before. Is it not so with you?
Shabon Spray. Shine Aqua Illusion. Mercury Aqua Rhapsody. Each
stronger than the last. Each the same with the others. Power of their planets,
of the stars, of the crystals. Always building on the past. A kind of evolution.
That is right. All things grow. That is
life. Continuous growth upon older growth. I fear for a world that does
not flow. Look below. See the little one?
Ami looked, and saw the blonde head of Lillia,
tentatively dancing with a young boy off towards the back. They were bumbling
along, trying to keep up. Neither was very experienced, and the fact they
both had bird familiars flying around their heads, chirruping delightedly,
was not making it any easier. Ami laughed at them, knowing how embarrassed
they must feel.
"Yes, I see her."
She is the strongest element of the old
ways.
Ami's eyes widened at the announcement, but
she remained silent to hear Lagu continue.
In her heart, magic has attained a peak. She is also the last
to reach such a height. New power courses though the land, and brings change
with it. An advancement. A new way.
"The Silver Eyed."
Yes.
She made a small sound, a hum, as though in
thought or consideration. Ami watched movement just below her, and saw
a sweep of long hair move into the doorway leading to the steps. Casting
her eyes around, she saw that Lenora now stood alone, and reasoned that
her visitor would be Setsuna.
"Will I be able to hear you always, Lagu?"
Listen within. I am always with you, Ami-chan.
Then Ami heard soft steps behind her, and
turned to see Setsuna emerge though the opening on the floor, the top of
the stairs. "Konbanwa, Setsuna-san," Ami greeted, bowing politely to the
woman. Setsuna returned this with a nod, stepping fully onto the tower's
height.
"I thought it best I let you know, that when
Minako-chan is done with her song, we had best leave. The coronation ceremony
is complete, and the festival will stretch long into the night."
"Hai," Ami agreed quietly, tilting her head
to the side. "Ah, Setsuna-san, you look like a real priestess."
Setsuna chuckled lightly. "The mists may carry a person to Avalon,
Elysion and back, Ami-chan." Then the amusement died away, and a chill
breeze warned Ami not to question the strange words, even though Setsuna
had laughed. Her face had grown still, and though it was still friendly,
it was cautious.
"You had best go down, Ami-chan."
"I was just about to," Ami agreed, going to
step down. When Setsuna made no motion to follow her, she queried, "Setsuna-san?"
"I'll be but a moment. A last respect to a
unfamiliar land."
Ami blinked, then smiled. "Of course. I'll
gather the others."
"I'll be right there."
Don't grieve, the Sailor Eyes!
This is about you, the Sailor Wind!
This song knows the path of the star.
I will not lose! Towards tomorrow, with a Sailor Yell
Without doubt! We will find you! The Sailor Star
Flying upon angel's wings.
For a moment, Setsuna listened to Ami's soft
footfalls run down the steps, then watched the blue haired head wind her
way into the crowd. Stars shown above, brilliant in the rain washed sky.
"Your ways are heavy handed."
"Are they?"
Setsuna looked back beside her, and saw a
figure she had expected for several days now. A black dress, a chime on
an anklet. Bronze skin and pure white hair, oversized eyes that let too
little white around them. Fragrance of spice could be scented, and the
newcomer tilted her head to the side, unchilled by the coolness in the
air. "And you are?"
"Meioh Setsuna. Called Sailor Pluto, to you."
"Ah. Daeva."
Setsuna's lips drew thin, and she frowned
at the woman sitting casually backwards on the wall, leg tucked up under
her as she let the other hang. Daeva looked over her shoulder at the people
below. "Still. This was the only way."
"Amassing an army? Killing those that need
not have died? How is that the only way?"
"It is my way to fight. Is it not true, that
the past must die to give birth to the future?" Daeva looked at Setsuna
carefully. "You have seen the destruction of worlds. I can see it in your
eyes. That is how history is. One thing dying to give rise to another.
The transfer of one life into another. One kingdom must fall so that another
may rise?"
Her last words were a carefully placed question,
and they had the desired effect. Setsuna thought of the Silver Millennium
of her world. How the Glaive had fallen, and how the future now promised
an even brighter Millennium. That had been the Silence of the past. So
carefully was the new future she had pushed for in her long life. Ensuring
that it would be bright.
At last, with great difficulty, I have found this tunnel.
At the bottom of a fresco your trail is shown.
Someone hanging on a star is gesturing me to come by chanting a spell.
This is the miraculous fate of two people,
Even if you cross into the past or the future, I will still
find you.
Silence does not necessarily mean apocalypse.
"Tell me you do this with no regrets, then,
Daeva. Tell me you do not regret any of the losses." She spoke bitterly,
hoping she would find a mark. And she did.
"Yes," the faerie admitted slowly, and her
voice was heavy with rememberance. "Sacrifices must always be made."
"I have fought a long time. As have you."
Setsuna looked down at the swirling figures below. Ami had reached Rei
first, and was speaking briefly with her. With a little laugh, she bid
goodbye to the man she had been speaking to, and winked at him, waving
as she went to wait for Makoto to finish her dance. Setsuna closed her
eyes, stepping back a bit from the edge. "And sometimes, I have seen that
there are indeed other ways. Are there no heroes here?"
Daeva shrugged, looking down below as well,
eyes picking out various figures within the crowd. "Yes. But disjointed.
Most had not even met."
Those eyes roamed. To a corner, a thief with
three men around her, outrageously daring them to outdrink her. To a corner
of the dance floor, where a young woman danced with a young guard, slightly
clumsily, him trying to compensate by keeping them out of everyone else's
way. A dark man who watched the dancing from under one of the arches surrounding
the stone plaza, quietly sipping a goblet of wine. To two twirling silver
eyed, the woman laughing rarely as he caught her from the toss into the
air. And upon a small dais, the new Queen of the North stood, smiling politely
as High Priestess of Fire Mountain joined her, hands folded within the
sleeves of her robes.
Arising from a miracle, Sailor Wing.
Someone or something is holding the star of fate.
I will not lose! Towards tomorrow, with a Sailor Yell.
Without Doubt! I will catch you! The Sailor Star.
Let this pledge be delivered til the ends of the galaxy.
"And now a future has been chosen. I will ensure
it. That is why I did what I must."
Setsuna regarded the woman with her. "They'll
always wonder about you."
"Ah, but that's part of the fun!" Daeva laughed,
making a small gesture that created sparkles around her fingertips. Setsuna
lifted her eyebrows, unsure what to make of the woman with her. "But really.
There are always people to fight. They just have to realize it." Daeva
hopped off the wall, standing and stepping into the tower's center, standing
beside the stairs. "Imagine a world full of...now, what was it that your
friends called themselves? Ah yes. Sailor Senshi. Now wouldn't that be
interesting?" Daeva made a small motion with her hand, and the moonlight
intensified around her briefly, leaving a cheshire smile in the air. "Nice
to meet you, Sailor Pluto."
And then she was gone, and into the silence,
the last strains of song could still be heard.
This is about you, the Sailor Wind!
Don't grieve, the Sailor Eyes!
This song knows the path of the star.
I will not lose! Towards tomorrow, with a Sailor Yell
Without doubt! We will find you! The Sailor Star
Flying upon angel's wings.
Setsuna saw that below, the dance had ended,
and that the four Inner Senshi had gathered. After such a long journey,
it was time to go home.
Approaching the back of the makeshift dance
floor, Ami and Rei stood in wait for Makoto, who was finding her way though
the crowd, Balan in tow, and Caitlyn and Undine just behind. It was strange,
watching them come forward, Balan still scruffy with scrapes and bruises
from the earlier battle, the two 'witches' out of trail gear and cleaned
up, Caitlyn even in a fluid blue dress.
"Ah, Ami-chan! Rei-chan!" Makoto greeted,
"Aren't you dancing too?"
Rei shrugged, folding
her arms, "Yeah, well, you and Ami-chan are the only ones who can really
dance at all anyway, remember?" She flicked some hair over her shoulder,
referencing to their one attempt at becoming 'princesses' so long ago.
"Well, we're sitting this one out," Caitlyn
commented with a sigh, taking a quick look over her shoulder as the crowd
of waiting people began to eddy around, waiting for a new song to begin.
"It's been quite an evening."
"Don't look so dissapointed. You know you're
happy with the situation," Undine cajoled, elbowing her. She rolled her
eyes, frowning with a shrug.
"We'll see how things work."
"Pessimist."
"Optimist."
The two were standing face to face, eyes locked,
Undine grinning, Caitlyn glowering, arms folded at the teasing. Then they
paused, turning since they suddenly felt eyes on them. Rei and Makoto had
devilish, slightly Minako-when-plotting-something-romantic looks on their
faces. Ami was pink, and shaking her head as they got ready to begin interrogations.
But then another song started, and Balan decided to let the two silver
eyed have some peace. He'd been around the four senshi long enough to know
where this was headed, and didn't think, for such a usually calm person,
that Caitlyn would like being prodded. "Ah, Lightning, come on. One
more dance before we take a break?"
That got Makoto to turn around, face lighting
up as Balan offered an arm to escort her back. They had barely begun to
wave goodbye when the orange clad form of Minako exploded out of the swirling
crowd, running, waving her arms excitedly. "Minna!" she was shrieking as
she skidded to a stop, leaping up and down as she grabbed Makoto's shoulders.
"That's the second time I was a hit with that song! Makenai! Ashita e seeraa
eeru, Zettai! Tsukamaeru! Seeraa staa, Kono chikai todoke
ginga made!" She released Makoto, who staggered back into Balan. Eyes full
of stars, Minako made a fist, shoving it into the air and spinning around
as she laughed wildly. "When I return to Tokyo, I will at last become a
famous idol! Men will worship me! I'll have millions of fans across the
world! I, Aino Minako, famous star!" There was more maniacal laughter,
until Minako realized everyone was staring at her. Then she blinked a couple
times, and grinned, a little embarrassed. "Gomen ne. Got a little carried
away, ne?"
"It's okay, Minako-chan," Rei shook her head,
a hand to her temple in despair at her friend's amazing enthusiasm.
"I'm glad you're ready, then," they heard
from behind, heads turning to watch Setsuna approach quietly. "We should
leave now. The festivities will begin to wind down soon, and only the more
wild people here will stay out though the night. You do not need to remain
for such things."
They looked a little disappointed, but moved
to come together, except for Makoto, who hesitated, arm still linked though
Balan's. Minako was the first to pick up on the pause, sneaking slyly closer
to the pair. "Ah, Mako-chan. Not going to get a nice, big juicy kiss goodbye
from your boyfriend?"
"Minako-chan!" Makoto shouted sharply, flushing
red.
That brought some light laughter from the
others around them, watching as Minako waited expectantly for the embarrassed
Makoto's answer. It was Balan, though, who answered for her, pulling her
back gently. "We already said our goodbyes, Minako. She has her Princess
to take care of," he said with acceptance, turning and looking at Makoto,
who sighed, noticing something behind him. She then continued,
"And you have yours."
Edging around the turning tides of people,
the violet hooded Lenora appeared, Aurora beside her. That morning had
been hectic, preparing the princess for the coronation. There wasn't really
enough time to make anything elaborate. So Aurora instead wore a simple
gown of pale, pale blue, a darker sash across her chest, bearing the emblem
of the white unicorn, standard of the North. Light blonde hair had been
washed and oiled, once again braided into the rope that fell down her back
to her feet. "You weren't planning on leaving without saying goodbye to
us, were you?" the new Queen asked with a smile as they approached. The
circle of people grew a bit wider, a range of heights, status, and power.
To look around them would be to see a thing of uncertain magic.
"Rory-hime!" Minako greeted with a smile,
then paused, shaking her head. "Iie. Queen Aurora. I'll have to watch that."
"Don't!" Rory protested, waving a hand and
shaking her head. "Rory. Please, just Rory."
"Hai," came the response. "It's going to be
weird when we get back home. We'll miss you," Minako turned from Rory to
Lenora, to Balan, Caitlyn and Undine. "All of you."
"I thank you, for helping to save our world,"
Lenora said quietly. "It will be remembered. What has been changed. The
stories...we will write them down. The legends will not be forgotten."
"But Lenora-san," Ami interrupted her, "then
it is history."
Lenora accepted the correction, and smiled,
stepping back a bit.
"Ami," Caitlyn asked, and the blue haired
girl turned to see the woman giving her a sad sort of smile. "Thanks."
"Hai."
"All right, is that everyone, then?" Rei cut
in, tapping Makoto, reminding her to release Balan's arm.
There was a laugh, and Rory said, "We'll miss
you too, Rei."
The senshi of Fire grinned, shrugged and said,
"Who wouldn't?"
More laughter.
"Setsuna-san?"
"It may be best, if you henshin first."
"Why?"
Setsuna sighed. "It is a long journey. Not
the same as usual. A more powerful form will make the trip easier, for
all of us."
Looks exchanged between the senshi. There
was no one to hide from here. All save Lenora and Undine had even seen
the transformation before, and both certainly knew about it by now. Nothing
to hide. Not in Emania.
"Henshin yo, minna!" Minako ordered, pulling
out her pen.
"Mercury Crystal Power!"
"Mars Crystal Power!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power!"
"Venus Crystal Power!"
And, after a moment, "Pluto Crystal Power!"
"Make-up!"
Light lit the sky, the distance between the
stars not seeming quite so infinite, or black. Ribbons of gold mingled
within the crackling arches of a globe of electricity, as rings of fire
wove a pattern though streams of water. Powers of the elements that made
up the universe. But as their display of magic ended, the night did not
sweep in on them again. Instead, they looked up to the sky, along with
those who stood beside them. Four sorceresses stood on the ledge of the
plaza's buildings, dark silhouettes against the eruptions of color around
them. One on each roof, they stood with a hand to the air, a slender wand
of wood in the uplifted fingers. Out of the end, glittering fireworks came
to display, lighting the air. Blue and purple spangles curtained to the
ground, and a gout of red tinged yellow fountained upward. The colors rippled,
shifting as one grew dominant and another faded, over the faces of the
people below, their eyes wide and mouths open to exclaim. One shot upward,
and exploded in a blossom of white, hanging heavily like a chandelier as
it slowly faded away.
"They must have thought that it was time to
begin," Lenora commented lightly, to no one in particular, and also to
everyone. Then they felt a reddish light wash over their shoulders, and
faces turned around to see the faint forms of five women, within a ball
of garnet. And as the booming sounds of explosions mingled with the amazed
sounds of the crowd, the Sailor Senshi faded away, onward, to a road of
light.