Meaning of Life Terry Dale Terry Dale 5 159 2001-09-21T16:26:00Z 2001-10-21T20:46:00Z 10 2921 16650 none 138 33 20447 9.3821 Normal 75 0 0

Meaning of Life

Part 4

I Feel Your Pain

"Good luck, sailors," Neo Queen Serenity told the next generation of the scouts, "just travel east and soon you will reach their home."

Sailor Strata Moon nodded.  As she left, she saw Masked Phoenix stand on the wall out of the corner of her eye.  She kept her eyes forward and tried not to look back.

It wasn't long until many eight-foot-tall golems made from stone ambushed the scouts.  They were very strong creatures and when they hit the scouts with their stone arms, it sent a force powerful enough like a battering ram.

"Oh my goodness!" Sailor Torrent Mercury gasped, "Where did they come from?"

"All right, some action!" Sailor Hardrock Venus exclaimed, "Venus Rock Chain!" a rock-linked chain swung around one and she pulled it to the ground.

"Mars Rapid Fire!" Sailor Wildfire Mars pulled her arms out to the side with her fingers pointed and then forward as millions of fireballs blasted the golems, sounding like a machine gun.

Sailor Strata Moon did not need to use her special attacks because of her long experience as a sailor. She fought them by hand. She knew she had to save her attacks for much bigger baddies.

Sailor Torrent Mercury watched the sailors fight and shook her head.  "I can't do this," she mumbled. 

"But Sailor Torrent Mercury," Sailor Wildfire Mars said, "they're not people!  You don't have to worry about hurting them!"

"Yeah," Sailor Hardrock Venus added, jumping up to kick a golem in the face, "they're just giant clay models that can walk!  When we're done, we can mold them to statues that look like us!" She picked up a boulder and threw it at them.  "Yeah!  Strike!"

"You'll have to defend yourself some time soon, Sailor Torrent Mercury," Sailor Halo Jupiter told her.  "Hey, watch out!  Jupiter Thunder Ring!" A ring of lightning decapitated a golem that was about to attack Sailor Torrent Mercury.

"That was close," Sailor Torrent Mercury breathed.  "They're just, models, huh?" she said, forcing a smile, "well, okay.  Mercury Exploding Bubbles!" A giant bubble formed and exploded, sending out many bubbles all around creating a fog and as it touched some golems, they exploded. "Oops, I didn't know they were going to explode."

"Look, there is more coming!"  Sailor Halo Jupiter cried out.

"Oh no," Sailor Strata Moon muttered under her breath.  The other scouts were in trouble and needed their help but this band of golems was taking up their time.  What if Zircon was already in trouble?  If either he or Princess Purity is captured, it could mean the end of them.  "We'll have to work harder!  The others are counting on us!"  She had no choice but to bring out her moon baton and she twirled it around, "Now wait until they come closer.  Ready…Aim…Attack!"

"Mars Rapid Fire!"

"Jupiter Thunder Ring!"

"Mercury Exploding Bubbles!"

"Venus Rock Chain!"

"Moon Beam Wave Attack!"

Their combined attack went right through the middle.  "Now run for it!"

"Aren't we going to finish them?" Sailor Wildfire Mars demanded.

"The others are counting on us," Sailor Strata Moon said, "We don't have time for this!"

"She's right," Sailor Torrent Mercury agreed, "they can't even run very fast.  We'll be ahead of them if we hurry."

"They can still follow us," Sailor Wildfire Mars said, "I'm not leaving from this spot until these golems turn into putty!"

"This won't take too long," Sailor Hardrock Venus bragged.

Their chance to run ended and they had to continue to fight the hundreds of golems and they were wearing themselves out.  Sailor Strata Moon was so angry that she could not concentrate.  She just wanted everything to end, right here, right now. 

***********************************************************

Priscilla sniffed, "forgive me, Zircon."  The door opened.

"Priscilla, I cannot allow this to go on any further," Kale said.

"What are you getting at?" she demanded.

"It's not too late," he replied, "Zircon may be safe."

"I've failed," she said.

"No you haven't," he sat down on the edge of her bed and she looked down. "How were we supposed to know something like this would happen?"

"I should have been awake, standing watch or something."  Pricilla said, "it's all my fault, I--"

"What do you think you'd accomplish by blaming yourself?" Kale questioned, "I understand you feel like you failed but you haven't."

"But there's no way for me to find him," she said.

"Your mother is working on that right now," Kale told her, "there's no time or space Jade could hide."

"Well, say we do find out where Jade is hiding him," Priscilla muttered, sitting up, "How can I get there to protect him?  I can't transform!  I'm useless!"

"Don't ever let me hear you say that!" Kale scolded.

Priscilla gulped, "Daddy?"

"I'm sorry," he said, calming down.  "I just don't like that word.  You are not useless, understand?  You were very useful when you stopped time before Jade attacked Zircon and you protected him, didn't you?"

She nodded, "but I can't transform now. How am I supposed to fight?  I'm not a sailor scout any more!"

"Sure you are," he told her, "you think that silly little outfit makes you a soldier?  No, it comes from inside.  You can still fight to save him without your sailor powers.  All you need is your courage and your faith."

She sighed, smiling, "really?"

"Of course," he said, "there was a time that I felt very depressed also.  After learning the truth of what Tulpa wanted from me, I was just a tool, a pawn in his little game, I was crushed. He only wanted me to become the warrior of corruption so I could wear the armor and do his bidding. That all changed when I met your mother.  I am not that man anymore. You can't give up, Priscilla."  He pulled his daughter close, "Deep inside, you know that's not what you want to do." His wings expounded from his back and wrapped around her.  He held her for a while as she sobbed silently and eventually got herself under control. He kissed her head and walked away.  "You'll know what to do."

"Daddy's right," she said with a sigh, her hand falling to her side.  She felt something cold and small under palm, "what's this?" she asked and she picked up a crystal orb with the kanji symbol of obedience and the symbol of Pluto inside.  "No way," she mumbled, "this is…OH MY GOSH!" she jumped up, unable to control her laughing. 

The sub armor on her body appeared in a rich red with the section on the chest lighter in color.  She ran out to find the others.  "Hey, girls!"

"Pricilla!" Ivy cried, "I thought you wouldn't come out there for days!  Finally, the fox has come out of her hole!"

"Hey, I heard you crying in your room earlier so don't even start!" Chloe snapped.

"Liar!"  she yelled and Gwen giggled as they continued to have a spat.

"Quit fighting, you two and look what I found!" Priscilla held out the orb, "and look what it did!"  She gestured to her sub armor.

"Fascinating!" Chloe mumbled.

"Where did you get that?"  Gwen demanded, her eyes expanding in surprise.

"It was in my room!" she replied with a grin, "you know what this means?  Huh? Do you?!  It means we can still save Zircon!"

"What's all the commotion about?" Kayura demanded, walking down the passage way, "Priscilla, are you all right?"

"Am I all right?" she echoed, "Am I all right? Of course I am!  I'm wonderful!"

"Well, where's ours?" Ivy questioned with a frown, "I want one too!" her frown turned to a small smile, "there's no way that I'm going to let you go there without me!"

They started laughing and three new orbs fell in their hands.

"Look!" Gwen cried as a bright blue sub armor with a lighter chest piece appeared.  "This is amazing!"

"Amazing, everyone, come look!" Kayura shouted. 

"What's going on?" Diamond demanded, "oh my…"

"Wait, are those--," Dais began.

"Daddy, I think you've been casting too many illusions," Gwen said, "These are our armors!" she held out her orb, "since when did your orb have the symbol of Uranus inside of it?"

"This is great," Chloe said, "this is exactly what we can use now."

"Well, why are we all standing around for?" Priscilla demanded, "let's go find Zircon!"

*************************************************************

Sailor Strata Moon's head whipped back as she grunted.  She was taking quit a beating.  "Ghuh!  Mmph! Agh!"  Blood dripped from her cut lip and her broken nose.  Her shoulder was bruised and she felt like she was going to be sick.  She tried to fight back but she began to feel weak and she didn't feel like fighting back either.  Sailor Strata Moon only pretended like she wanted to fight.

"Sailor Strata Moon doesn't look so good," Sailor Hardrock Venus noted, "hey, don't think you're going to make mince meat out of me!" she badmouthed a golem as she backed up, "You'll be nothing but dust when I'm through with you!"

This isn't going to work, Sailor Strata Moon thought to herself, I'm done for.  Let my life end now. I'll never learn the meaning of life… With that thought remaining in her mind, she didn't notice the golem smack her hard in the stomach, sending her fly back. 

"Sailor Strata Moon!" Sailor Halo Jupiter shouted, "No!"

Sailor Strata Moon looked at her hand and noticed the kanji was all scratched out, exposing a bleeding hand. 'Some life I have,' she thought.

**************************************************************

"Ouch," Princess Purity winced as she was dining with Yuli, Vincent and her parents.

"What is it my, love, did you hurt yourself?" Yuli asked.

"Yes, but I don't know how," she wiped the blood away with her napkin but there was no wound, "that's funny. Ugh," she leaned forward and placed her hand over her nose.  Blood fell down from her nostrils.

Vincent and Yuli came to her side, "are you tired? Would you like to lie down?" Vincent asked.

Neo Queen Serenity stood up with a concerned look, "what's the matter?"

"I, I don't know," Princess Purity mumbled, holding her nose.  "I feel like I'm in a battle but I'm not fighting anyone.  Oh," she held her hand to her shoulder that felt bruised. 

Vincent touched it gently.  "How did you bruise yourself?"

Far away, Sailor Strata Moon held her head back and screamed with intense pain. 

Princess Purity threw her own head back, screaming too.  "The pain, it hurts!"

"Look at me, Rini, look at me," Yuli held her face, "look at my eyes.  What hurts, tell us what we can do for you."

"Go get Ami," she winced, "hurry." Yuli ran off to get her. Then she grabbed her brother's arm, "Vincent, I--" her voice choked as blood fell down her chin.

"What, what is it?" he asked, "Calm down."

"I think, I think Rowena's in danger," she said, "she's in battle right now."

"You certain?" he inquired, his voice shaking.

"She's in battle, Vincent," she winced, "and I…augh…can feel her pain!"

"Rowena's in danger?" Neo Queen Serenity demanded, she turned around to the stairs.  "Rowen!  Rowen!  Get down here!  Hurry!"  She heard hurried footsteps down the stairs and eventually saw Rowen coming down them.  "Oh, Rowen!"

"What's wrong, Serena?" he asked.

"Rowen, I--" she grabbed ran up the stairs and grabbed his hand, "I think Rowena is in trouble!"

"She'll be all right," Rowen said optimistically. 

"Just take a look at Rini," she said, "and you will see."  She pulled him down the stairs and pointed to Rini.

Yuli returned with Ami.  "Everything's going to be okay, Rini!"

"What hurts, Princess?" Ami asked, taking out some bandages.

"Everything," she replied with a wince.

"See," Neo Queen Serenity mumbled, "Rini feels like she's being attacked but she's right here with us.   It's like she can fell Rowena's pain.  Some where, Rowena is out there and she looks just as bad as Rini, if not worse."

Rowen shook his head.  A disturbing image of Sailor Strata Moon appeared in his mind, screaming with pain.

"Rini, can you tell us where Rowena is?" Rowen asked.

"I don't know where she is," she replied.  "But I don't think she's far.  Vincent, Vincent," she mumbled, "You have to find her!" she clutched his wrist, her fingernails digging into his skin.  "I think Rowena's pain is even worse."

"I can't just leave you," Vincent said.

"Hey, buddy," Yuli said, "Rini will be okay.  We'll take care of her.  Your place is with Rowena.  Go on, man, she needs you."

Vincent looked doubtful, "but Rowena…she's…"

"Hey, she needs you." Yuli stressed.  "No matter how much she's not willing to admit it."

"Okay," he kissed his sister's forehead and got up to leave.  Rowen and Darien stopped him before going.

"Careful, son," Darien said, nodding to Rini, "if Rini can feel Rowena's pain, then she can certainly feel yours."

"Just find her," Rowen said.  "Rowena's strong but…just find Rowena."

"How?" Vincent asked.

"Listen to me," Darien said, "No matter how far you may be, love will always bring you to thee."

"What does that supposed to mean?!" Vincent demanded.  "Did you learn this in college?"

Darien raised his eyebrow in surprise.  "Your love for Rowena will bring yourself to her."

"Oh, okay, thanks," Vincent said and ran off.

Rowen and Darien watched him leave.  Darien wrapped patted his shoulder, "don't' worry, he'll find her."

"Something doesn't' feel right," Rowen said.  "I know Rowena's strong but suddenly I fear for her safety."

"Vincent will find her, Rowen," Darien said firmly.  "He's got to, for not just your daughter's sake," he turned to look at Rini, who was being carried off to the infirmary in Yuli's arms, with Ami next to him, "but mine too."

"Everything will be all right, Rini," Yuli whispered as he placed her down on a comfortable sterile bed.  "Just hold on."

As Rini and Yuli spoke, Ami reached for some painkillers.

"Rini, I didn't want to tell Vincent this," she said, "I knew it would frighten him."

"What?" he asked.

"I was feeling something more than just Rowena's pain," Rini replied, "but how she felt inside.  Her thoughts, her emotions."

"What was Rowena feeling?" Yuli asked in concern.

"Rowena felt helpless," she replied, "and--it was like--she didn't care if she lived or died."

Yuli gasped, "you'd better not tell Rowen that too."

"Promise me you won't tell my brother?" Rini asked.  "It would upset him."

"I promise.  Ami will you--"

Ami gave Rini the shot of painkillers.

"I won't say anything to Rowen," Ami said, knowing what he was about to say.  "I think Rowena should tell them both how she felt herself."

***********************************************************

"No, Sailor Strata Moon!" Sailor Halo Jupiter cried out, "Get away from her, you monsters!  Jupiter Thunder Ring!" she hit the group of golems that were about to finish her off.

"Let me see what I can do," Sailor Torrent Mercy said, remembering everything her mother taught her about first aid.

Sailor Hardrock Venus and Sailor Wildfire Mars tried to hold them off the best they could while Sailor Torrent Mercury and Sailor Halo Jupiter tried to help Sailor Strata Moon.

"She looks bad," Sailor Torrent Mercury mumbled as she formed a bubble and dropped it on Sailor Strata Moon's wounds. "I think she'll be okay," Sailor Torrent Mercury said, "but we have to get back home."

"I can try to heal her," Sailor Halo Jupiter said, "It will take away a lot of my energy but I it will be worth it."

"No, save your strength," Sailor Strata Moon winced and reached her hand to her brooch, "Sailor Halo Jupiter, I want you to give this to my father."

"Hey, don't you start talking that way, we need you!" Sailor Halo Jupiter snapped.  But Sailor Strata Moon did not listen and placed the brooch in her hand.  As soon as she did, her uniform disappeared and so did the other scouts'.

"Sailor Strata Moon, you fool!" Wildfire Mars shouted, now Robyn, "why did you do that for?"

"How was she supposed to know that would happen?" Phyllis shouted.

"Yes, It feels so good be out of that uniform!" Rochelle said, she looked down at her red ribbon, "hey, this thing is lucky!" She picked it up and kissed it, "mwaaaa!"  She wrapped it around her knee again.

"Make sure my father gets it," Rowena mumbled.

"You're going to be just fine now, Rowena," Joy whispered, "Just hold on."

"TREMBLE WITH TERRORRRRRR!" a woman's voice screamed and the scouts saw a hook like weapon attached to a chain swoosh to the sky, sending out hundreds of ribbons and they turned into chains.  They wrapped around the golems and turned them into ashes.

"ELEMENT OF SURPRIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSEEEEEE!" another voice was heard and the golems began attacking each other.

"It's the warlords," Rochelle said, "great, my dad's going to be so happy when he hears that his arch enemy tried to play a trick on me!"

"No, the warlords are good.  They met the outers." Phyllis said, "and those aren't their attacks."

"They sure sound like them," Rochelle said.

"Wait, they're not the warlords, they're girls!" Joy said. 

"RIVER OF POISONNNNNNN!" A poisonous river splashed into the golems and they began to sink in its acid.

"LOST IN SPAAAAAAAACCE!" A black hole opened up and sucked in the rest of the golems like a giant vacuum.

"Well," Chloe said, her hand on her hip, "it's a good thing we decided to make one stop before heading out to find Zircon!"

"You don't have to come see us now," Ivy said, "we decided to come get you instead!"

"They certainly look like the warlords," Joy mumbled.

"Well, they are our fathers!" Gwen said, "by the way, I'm the daughter of the warlord of Illusion and Sailor Uranus.  Call me Gwen, the War Lady of Surprise!"

"Sounds much better than 'Warlord of Illusion,' that's for sure!" Rochelle exclaimed

"The warlord of Cruelty and Sailor Saturn are my parents.  I'm Chloe, the War Lady of Destruction."

"That is not better than 'Warlord of Cruelty', I'm sorry," Robyn moaned.

"Hey, Sailor Saturn's the scout of destruction, you expected 'War Lady of Revolution?'" she demanded with a smile.

"That does sound better!"

"And I am the daughter of Sekhmet, the Warlord of Venom and Sailor Neptune.  You can call me, Ivy, the War Lady of Poisoned Water."

"Poisoned Water?" Joy mumbled.

"And I am the daughter of Kale, warlord of Corruption and Sailor Pluto," Pricilla folded her arms, "Pricilla, War Lady of Frozen Space."

"Warlords?" Rowena mumbled, squinting.

"No, they're the War Ladies," Phyllis corrected, "They are the daughters of the warlords.  They saved us from the golems."

"Oh my," Chloe said, "She looks awful.  Here, let me heal her." She walked down and placed her gauntleted hand over Rowena's wounds.  When Chloe removed her hand, Rowena was healed.  "She'll be all right soon."

"Do you feel okay?" Phyllis asked in concern

"I do now," Rowena moaned.

"Rowena!" Masked Phoenix shouted and ran to her where she lay, "oh, thank god, you're alive!"

"Masked Phoenix?  How--how did you find me?"

"No matter how far apart we may be," he said, bending down next to her, "love will always bring me to thee."

She looked at him with a mixture of disgust and surprise on her face, "what?"

"My love for you brought me to you," he said.

"Well, I can take care of myself," she muttered, getting to her feet.  However, she tripped over a rock and he caught her.  "You should be protecting Rini, not me."

"I am protecting her," Masked Phoenix said, "she was feeling your pain as you were in battle.  You two are connected.  We were afraid she would die if you would."

"She was feeling my pain?" she asked, "I didn't know we able to do that."  She smiled and pressed her finger to her lip.  "Now we know if one of us is trouble."

"What happened to, sailors?" Masked Phoenix asked.

"We were ambushed," Joy replied, "by golems.  No doubt they were sent by Jade."

"It's a good thing the War Ladies came in time or we would have lost them both," Phyllis said.  "They're the daughters of the warlords."

Masked Phoenix picked Rowena up and lifted her arm over his head, "thank you, War Ladies.  You should come with us."

"I'm sorry," Priscilla said, "but we have to find Zircon.  He was captured by Jade when he was asleep."

"Then we'll catch up with you as soon as we can," Joy said, "good luck."

"Yes, thank you," Pricilla said and looked to the others, "let's find Zircon."

They nodded, "yes, let's go."