Rise of the Sacred Moon
Rise of the Sacred Moon
by Ratha

Part Three: Reunion in the Palace

Tora smiled at the shocked looks on the girls' faces. "That's what I call good acting. Being able to say something like that so believably that your audience actually believes you."

Nathan grinned and put an arm around Tora's shoulders. "That was the best acting I've ever seen, Ms. Tsukino! It actually sent chills up my spine."

The four girls sagged in relief. They didn't know. The girls' secret was safe. For now. But Tora's next words disabused them of that idea.

"She wasn't acting, Nathan. No actor could show that kind of emotion with such intensity." Tora looked at Bunny with a faint smile. "But we won't tell anyone who the Sailor senshi are."

"Can we trust you?" Ami asked, being the only one who'd kept her head.

"I trusted you with MY secret, girls."

"Your secret?" Bunny repeated. "What secret?"

"This." Tora handed the blonde girl a locket with a silver moon engraved on the front. "We've got to go now. Tell the other girls an emergency came up that we had to take care of, okay?"

"Uh-sure. Bye, Tora, guys." The four girls watched the five adults walk away, then they turned to the locket.

Carefully, Bunny opened the locket and all four girls peered inside. Inside was a picture of a smiling family of three. The girls immediately recognized two of them as Queen Serenity and Princess Serenity. The third was an unfamiliar man with long, silvery-gray hair and warm yellow eyes that danced with laughter. He wore the elaborate uniform of the Moon Kingdom, reserved especially for the-

"The Moon King!" Lita exclaimed softly. "Bunny, your father, King Lupus!"

"WHAAAAT?!" Bunny gaped at the picture in shock. "My-then why didn't we remember him before this?"

"Like I said before," Luna interrupted. "We need to speak with Queen Serenity. She'll tell you who Incubus is and explain why King Lupus wasn't remembered. Now let's go!"

"Now?" Ami asked in surprise. "But we can't leave school in the middle of the day."

"If Tora is right, then you won't have to worry about getting into trouble because you all will be destroyed!" Luna snapped angrily. "Incubus was the one that gave Beryl her power! And he is on his way to Earth! Now move it!"

***
Tora fidgeted nervously as her four friends lounged around watching television. She knew the girls had figured out who all was in the picture locket. But it wouldn't be enough. They'll go to the moon to speak with the queen, but she won't be there. She'll be hiding from the Traitor. So someone else had to tell the senshi about Incubus. But first she had to restore the other "protectors of the protectors." She looked at the four men through narrowed eyes, then stood up and walked to a cabinet, opening a hidden drawer. She lifted out a small wooden box and set it on the counter. The box was rectangular with elaborately carved designs and the ancient emerald and sapphire symbol of Earth. She lifted the lid carefully and smiled faintly at its contents. Laying inside on black velvet, were four large gems: pale pink kunzite, pale green jadeite, vivid blue zoisite, and dark green nephrite. The souls of the four Generals, nearly destroyed by Beryl, but saved by Tora. There was no way she was going to let those four be destroyed.

"Guys? Could you come here a sec? I've got something for you."

"Whazzat?" Jace asked, being the first one to reach her. He peered over her shoulder as the other three came over. "Cool! Fancy rocks."

Tora smiled and turned around, holding the box out to them. "Take the one that seems most familiar to yourself."

"Why?" Kenneth asked with a confused frown.

"Just do it."

The four men looked at each other questioningly, shrugged, and reached out simultaneously. The moment they touched them, the gems flashed with a blindingly bright white light. Tora heard their startled cries, then an ominous silence as the light faded.

The four men were staring silently at their suddenly empty hands, an odd, distant look in their eyes. Tora waited patiently, a faint smile of anticipation on her face.

Then the platinum-haired man looked up, his silvery-blue eyes locking on her violet ones. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice slightly deeper and rougher.

Her smile widened. "Welcome back, old friends," she replied. "Kunzite, Zoisite, Jadeite, Nephrite. Come. We must warn the senshi of Incubus' coming attack."

Kunzite calmly folded his arms, waiting silently.

She chuckled softly. "Still the suspicious snob, eh, Silver?"

All four Generals looked startled.

"Red Tyger?" Zoisite whispered.

Tora grinned and held her hands out to the sides. "The one and only, Cerulean. Now let's go! We don't have much time!"

***
Bunny, Ami, Lita, Mina, and Luna walked through the silent moonscape toward the silent palace in the distance.

"I don't understand why the teleport didn't take us directly to the palace," Luna said with a frown. "Something is wrong."

"Maybe Incubus is already here," Lita suggested nervously. "Or was already here..."

All of them froze as a familiar melody floated faintly from the direction of the palace. Bunny sucked in a startled breath. It was the song her locket played! Not thinking, she ran to the palace.

"Bunny! Wait!" The other three girls and Luna raced after her.

But when they reached the palace, Bunny was gone, as was the music.

"Bunny!"

"Serena!"

"Where is that girl?!"

"Bunny!"

The three girls and Luna walked through the empty palace, down silent hallways, looking for the blonde-haired girl. But there was no sign of her.

"Why don't we split up?" Mina suggested after a while. "We might have a better chance of finding her."

"Good idea, Mina," Luna replied with an exasperated sigh. "I swear, that girl is becoming more trouble than she's worth! I'll go this way, toward the Hall of Mars. Mina, take the Hall of Venus; Ami, the Hall of Mercury; and Lita, the Hall of Jupiter. Meet back here after your search."

"Right," the girls chorused and split up.

***
Mina's shoes tapped against the orange crystal floor of the Hall of Venus. She stared at the hangings on the walls depicting scenes from her home planet. She'd forgotten how beautiful this hall had been. She stopped in front of a painting hanging beside her old room. It showed her in an elegant ball gown of Venus' finest red silk, an elaborate diamond necklace shining at her throat. She smiled when she saw Artemis on her lap in the painting.

"Hmm...I wonder if that dress is still here," she murmured and headed for the door, reaching out to push it open. Then she jerked her hand back and gasped. The door was ajar! She took a step back, debating whether or not to check it out.

Then it occurred to her that it might be Bunny and entered the room. She looked around the dark room, then noticed the balcony doors open and the curtains swaying as if someone had just gone through them.

"Bunny?" she called, approaching the doorway.

No answer.

"Bunny? Are you there?"

Still no answer. Then a faint rustle, like a cape flapping in a faint breeze.

"Who's there?" she squeaked fearfully.

Still no answer.

Full of fearful curiosity, she cautiously walked to the doorway, pushing the curtain aside. She drew back with a startled gasp, her hand flying to her mouth and her eyes widening.

Silhouetted in the dim light was the figure of General Kunzite!

Hearing her behind him, Kunzite turned to face her with a faint smile. "Welcome home, Princess Venus," he said softly.

Mina fainted in shock.

***
Ami looked at the Mercurian hangings curiously. There seemed to be more than she remembered. She stopped when she came to a painting of herself from the Silver Millennium. She wore a stunning ice blue ball gown of the finest satin and adorned with pearls. There were elbow-length white gloves on her arms and a pearl-and-sapphire necklace around her neck. On her shoulder was one of the famed Mercurian songbirds that she'd received as a birthday gift from-

"A beautiful painting," said a soft voice from behind her and she spun around in shock.

The familiar ice-blue eyes glowed warmly at her as Zoisite smiled at her surprise. "But not half as beautiful as the real thing."

Ami gasped and took a step back. "Zachery-er-Zoisite-I-..." She trailed off in confusion and looked at the floor, fiddling with the hem of her skirt.

Zoisite chuckled softly. "Still at a loss for words, Princess? Why not try something simple."

When he fell silent, she looked up at him curiously. "Like what?"

He thought a minute, then shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. At least you haven't run away or attacked me, so I know I have a chance to ask your forgiveness." He dropped to one knee and took her hand, bowing his head. "Will you forgive me?" he asked softly.

Ami was too startled to respond.

***
Lita walked down the Hall of Jupiter, only glancing briefly at the hangings. She'd heard voices coming from the balcony at the end and was heading to check it out. She stopped once she was close enough to hear the voices clearly.

"Are you sure it'll work?" a male voice asked softly.

"Bluntly? No. I'm not sure," replied a female voice. "We haven't heard any yells for help yet, so it must be working so far."

"I pity you," a lighter male voice chuckled. "You have to face the Jupiter Princess!"

"But you have to face Mars," retorted the first male voice. "Like you did last time. I seem to remember you ran from her like a scared puppy with your tail between your legs!"

"Don't remind me," mumbled the second male voice.

"Knock it off, you two," the female voice scolded with amusement. "But you won't have to worry about the Jupiter Princess because..."

Abruptly the curtain was whipped aside, making Lita jump back in surprise and land on her butt on the floor.

Tora smiled down at her. "Because she's right here," she finished.

Lita's eyes widened as Nephrite and Jadeite appeared at Tora's side. "Oh my Go-..." She suddenly fainted.

***
Luna trotted down the Hall of Mars, following the familiar sound of giggles coming from the Mars Princess' old bedroom. "Bunny?" she called, looking around the open door.

Bunny looked up from the stack of Sailor V comic books she was reading, grinning broadly. "Hi, Luna! Look what Tora gave me!" She motioned Luna to jump onto the bed beside her. "You won't believe what Tora has planned for the other girls!" She burst out giggling again.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked with a frown as she sat on the floor.

"She's reuniting them with their old boyfriends! Isn't that romantic?"

"Old boyfriends?" Luna repeated suspiciously.

"Yeah! You know, Jadeite, Kunzite, Zoisite, and Nephrite! The four Generals from the Silver Millennium, not from the Negaverse."

"And who is Tora, really?"

"She hasn't said, but she'll explain everything to all of us. I trust her. She reminds me of Setsuna, only more light-hearted." Bunny turned back to the comic book she'd been reading.

Luna frowned again, then leapt to her feet when she heard someone approaching, hissing a warning to Bunny. "Someone's coming!"

Bunny looked up and cocked her head, listening, then smiled. "That'll be Jace."

A moment later, the blonde ex-General entered the room, bowing respectfully to Bunny. "Princess Serenity, the Lady Tora is waiting with your friends in the conference room."

Bunny jumped off the bed, grinning broadly. "Well? How'd it go?" she demanded.

Jace grinned sheepishly and placed one hand behind his head. "Ken said Mina fainted when she found him waiting for her on her balcony and Lita fainted when she saw me and Nate. And Zack and Ami...well, no one's seen them for half an hour..."

Bunny's eyes widened and she burst out giggling. "I don't want to know doing what," she giggled.

"Bunny!" Luna scolded sharply.

Bunny giggled nervously. "Okay, that was uncalled for, I know. I know."

Jace shrugged. "Knowing Zack-no, I'm keeping my mouth shut. Come on, Princess Serenity-"

"Call me Bunny!"

"Okay. Come on, Princess Bunny."

"Jace!"

"Okay, okay! Come on, Bunny."

***
Bunny and Luna followed Jace past the library on the way to the conference room, then Bunny stopped on hearing low voices coming from inside the library. Grinning broadly, the blonde-haired girl peered around the door to see Ami and Zachary sitting by the fireplace, playing chess and talking. "Ah-HAH! I knew it! I knew I didn't want to know what you two brainiacs were doing!"

Neither looked up. "I see the bubble-head has arrived," Zachary said blandly.

"Hey!" Jace said indignantly. "Don't talk about the Moon Princess that way!"

Zachary snorted and looked up at him. "Who said I was talking about her, bubble-head?"

Bunny burst out laughing at Jace's expression.

"Very funny, Zack," Jace grumbled. "Come on. Tora's waiting for us in the conference room."

Zachary sighed and looked at the chessboard, then stood up and held out a hand toward Ami. "I guess we'll have to finish our game later, Lady Ami."

Ami's cheeks flushed slightly as she accepted his hand.

Jace snorted. "And you said I was a flirt!" he teased the other ex-General.

"Shut up," Zachary said aloofly, then grinned. "Let's go before Tora decides to kill BOTH of us!"

***
Tora's face was solemn as she looked out the large picture window at the lifeless moonscape, waiting for the rest of the group to arrive. She'd convinced Nathan to go get Rei and Artemis so she wouldn't have to repeat her story any more than necessary. She turned her head slightly at the sound of flapping wings and knew her other messenger had returned. She watched an enormous black lion with rainbow-colored wings swiftly approaching with a rider on its back. "Raion..." she whispered with a faint smile.

A moment later, the winged lion landed on the balcony and allowed his rider to dismount. Then he padded over to Tora and rubbed his huge head against her with a rumbling purr. "I brought Prince Endymion, Lady Tora," the lion rumbled softly as Darien Chiba walked up.

Tora nodded in greeting. "Hello, Endy," she said with a faint smile.

"Don't call me that, Tora," Darien grunted.

"Sorry. Raion, much as I love your lion form, I'd prefer if your were smaller right now, okay? Then you won't scare the girls."

The lion nodded and a silvery glow surrounded him, blotting out his form. Then the glowing feline shrunk dramatically to the size of a kitten. The glow faded, revealing a black and white kitten with black furry wings and ice-blue eyes, a silver crescent moon adorning his forehead. He flew up to Tora's shoulder and perched there, calmly licking a small, white paw.

Tora chuckled. "I still say Mysto looks like Tuxedo Mask," she said, looking at Darien slyly.

Darien snorted and walked into the conference room. Immediately the four ex-Generals were on their feet and bowing respectfully to him.

"Prince Endymion," Kenneth said softly. "We-"

"Forget about it," Darien interrupted with a dismissive wave as he sat beside Bunny at the enormous round table that was covered with maps. "We're all here, Tora. Now spill it. Why has Incubus returned?"

Tora sighed wearily and sat in the empty chair, Mysto letting out an indignant mew as he tried to keep his balance on her shoulder. "Don't get mad at me for what I'm about to tell you, but it is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth..."