Welcome to my Fourth Chapter! Please Please Please send me some
feedback... negative or positive I love e-mail! And thank you to all of
you who have responded! I loved getting your letters! Sorry for taking
so long in making this chapter... I have been busy! I went to Brazil
during winter break so I didn't have time to write during my break and
now I'm back in school and as busy as ever! I know there was a slight
cliffhanger at the end of Chapter Three and everything but it was only
a VERY small cliffhanger so don't hate me for taking so long! Anyway
enjoy this chapter now that it's finally done! ^^
All the usual disclaimers apply: All characters in Sailor Moon
are owned by the wonderful Naoko Takeuchi so don't sue me, I have no
money anyway I'm a poor college student! Meirou Hizashi, Sailor Sole,
Helia, Violet Dusk Guardian, Murasaki Ankoku and Chokusha are MY
characters and are MY ideas and, well, they are MINE (actually it
might be the other way around because they are the ones who tell me
to write about them and write NOW! ^_^). So please don't steal them...
they are not yours! Well I guess it's on with the story!!!

A side note: Sole is to be pronounced as So-Lee

A Bright and Shining Future

CHAPTER 4
Parted and Reunited
By: Sailor Berkeley

As soon as the girls had sat down inside of Rei's room Hizashi
was bombarded with questions. "Who was that man?" "What was he talking
about?" "Was that Ankoku-sama?" "Did you have a lover in the Silver
Millenium?" "Why is he angry at you?" Hizashi held up her hand and
waited patiently until all the questions died down.
"I will answer you, but" she said as Usagi was about to say
something, "let me do it all in my own time. If you have any questions
at the end you may ask them but I want to speak uninterrupted so that
I don't have to repeat myself or skip important parts. Is that alright
with all of you?"
The five girls nodded slowly and Hizashi leaned against a
pillow and got comfortable. This was going to take a while.
"The ten years that I spent away from the Moon Kingdom weren't
easy. But they weren't necessarily hard. I had my brothers, Helia,
Chokusha, my people and, most importantly, Anko-chan. The two of us
grew up together. We did everything together and were never apart.
While I was being trained as Queen of the Sun he was being trained as
King of Dusk. Now," she said and held up her hand as all the girls were
going to ask her questions, "let me explain what exactly that means:
"Earthlings are very interesting creatures as I'm sure you all
know from gaining your memories from the Moon Kingdom. Although they
are partially like Venetians, Martians, Mercurians, Jovians, Moonlites,
and Apollions (AN: I wasn't sure about what to call people from the
Moon and Sun but bear with me here!) they are not completely like the
other peoples of the planets. They are much more emotional. In fact
most of the planets were... how should I put this... boring I guess
compared to Earth. It was as if Earthlings had no need to be serious.
This is why the other planets kept away from Earth as much as possible.
"This you have learned from your history lessons I gather?" She
waited and was satisfied when all five girls nodded. "Good. Well when
our great-grandparents were alive there came a huge revolution.
Earthlings, humans, learned how to teleport. This great invention
brought them to the Moon much to the surprise of all Planetary peoples.
The Silver Moon Kingdom was up and running then, but as of yet the
Earthlings were not included in the Great Planetary Alliance that had
been formed since there was no need to have them there. I guess we
should be grateful that at the time both the Earth and the Moon had
really wise rulers because the two planets were able to establish many
different rules and treaties and soon they were well on their way to
learning all that they could about each other. This you all know. But
this is where your history lessons probably stopped. This is the secret
that only a few of the members of the Great Planetary Alliance are
privy to. I guess they are afraid of what it means. I'm not sure why no
one else knows of this... but at that time... when the Earthlings
came... something horrible yet wonderful came with them as well:
Emotion. Emotion made its way into the other planets." She looked
around at the five intelligent, young eyes staring at her and sighed.
"Our ancestors were wise, intelligent, caring, wonderful beings
who did not know how to feel. These awe-inspiring people who the entire
galaxy envied did not hold a single emotion in their hearts. This gave
them an advantage as well as a huge disadvantage. I guess you can call
Emotion a curse. A curse that one needs, hungers for and loves... and
yet, at the same time, despises and wishes it gone forever. Because
with Emotion one has a weakness. It brings hatred, misery, hurt.
Something your enemies can tear at you with. Something that can make
you so miserable you can't think. But without it there is no way to
experience the greater things in life. No friendship, happiness or love
was ever experienced by these awesome beings living on that white globe
of light.
"Can you understand what that felt like to them? How much they
wanted to FEEL? To know that when that special person touched you that
it was love? That it wasn't just a soft touch?" Hizashi sighed quietly.
"I think I know what it would feel like. They wanted to learn to feel.
For this to be accomplished, something drastic had to be done.
Something different and completely unexpected. Something the Great
Planetary Alliance would probably be afraid of. Which is why it's a
secret, I guess." She stopped a second and chewed her bottom lip, not
sure whether she should tell such young girls this. It was something
she had to learn because she would someday be Queen of the Sun but they
did not need to know it... or to be burdened by this troublesome piece
of knowledge. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a hand on
hers. She looked into her sister's bright blue eyes. There was trust
there. And wisdom. Curiosity. They deserved to know. Everyone deserved
to know. She gave a small smile and cleared her throat. "There used to
be a time of day on the Earth, a day that has not happened in a
millenia, when the full Moon, the Sun and Dusk all happened at the same
time. I know it's hard to believe. I'm sure you know that Dusk comes
because the Sun sets, but trust me. When you see it happen you'll never
doubt it again. It's one of the most awesome sights I have ever seen.
The purple of Dusk around the sky while the hot Sun burns your skin and
the soft Moon sends its light drifting down. It's beautiful... On one
of those days our ancestors did something that they were not proud of
but that they felt needed to be done. Something that allows us all to
be here today. That saved your lives. That shaped us all.
"That fateful day the Queen of the Moon brought with her a
silver pellet dug out of the Moon cravers, the Sun Queen brought a
piece of lava from the inner core of the Sun, and the Earth Queen
carried with her a gold nugget dug out of the warm Earth. They then
called for Dusk to come forth. Dusk is the fourth power on Earth.
Earthlings believed that at Dusk one's emotions were transparent and
neither the Moon nor the Sun had total control of the sky; they shared
that awesome power. So they called upon Dusk and begged it to share its
power as Holder of Emotions. What happened next was something that they
expected but had never thought would be so powerful nor so awesome. Out
of the Dusk came an entity. Shaped as a man, yet so full of Emotion
that whatever he, or it, felt the entire universe surely would. He
stepped onto Earth and looked down upon the three women bowing to him
and holding out their hands and their Gifts to him. When he spoke his
curiosity filled everyone who had gathered around the Queens. 'And why
should I do such a thing? I have been the Holder of Emotions for
millenias. No one has shared my power and I've been happy like this.
Sharing it will give me what?' The Moon Queen stepped forward and
stared at him levelly. 'We will give you what you have never had. We
will give you a family. A son. The first boy born from a Planetary
Alliance we will give to you.' The entity frowned and knew that they
had all guessed at his loneliness. 'And you will just give up such a
precious Gift? Being the Holder of Emotions prevents me from causing
pain without feeling it myself. I do not want a child who will be given
with pain. Silver-haired Moonlite, what do you know of feeling? You
have none. You cannot understand what I am saying.' The Earth Queen
then stood up. 'But I can. I am human. I feel. And when you share your
Emotions the rest of the universe will feel as well. So the Moonlites
will know what you mean. What we propose will cause no pain. You will
be given a child to train but the child, if you choose, will still be
reared by his original parents and will never suffer. He will be loved.
And through him you will be able to have a family. He will have
children. You will have grandchildren. You will never be alone again.'
The entity glanced once more at the Moonlite and was about to say
something when he saw the Sun Queen. 'What about you?' He asked. 'You
have not said a word about this, yet you are here.' When she looked up
he was amazed at her bright yellow eyes that contrasted so fiercely
with her red hair. 'I am here because I want to feel what you do.' The
Holder of Emotions slit his eyes. 'What about the pain? The misery that
I bring? Do you want those too?' She stared into his eyes. 'I have
thought about that. I certainly don't want them. But what else is left
in this life? I am about to have a son.' She put her hand on her
growing belly protectively. 'And I want him to be loved. I want him to
experience that. And yes, I want to experience that too. I want to know
why I should feel anything for him. I want to know that my King will
feel something for him as well. I want to know whether my King loves me
or if he just needs me to be around because I am Queen. I want...' She
stopped when the entity interrupted her suddenly. 'You already have
that.' The two Queens looked at her, eyes wide open. 'You feel. That is
why you want to protect your child. Why you love your King. Why you are
so sad that he doesn't love you because he doesn't know how. You have
just learned how to hide these emotions. I don't know how you learned
but you are doing a really good job of it. Those yellow eyes. They're
what show your emotion.' The people gathered around sat stunned when
they saw a tear slip down the Queen's lovely face. 'Yes, I know I am
strange. I wasn't born this way. I just started feeling one day... when
I was eight. The day my eyes turned yellow.' She looked into the
entity's star-sprinkled eyes boldly. 'They used to be blue. As you can
see they are not anymore. My parents hid this from others since they
did not understand it. Since then I have always been known to have
yellow eyes. I married the man I loved. He did not love me.' She
lowered her head and felt another tear slip down her face. To
everyone's surprise the Holder reached out a star-sprinkled violet hand
and held her face up so she could look in his deep eyes. 'You feel
because I made you feel. I saw you one day from my stars, a young child
running out into the hot fireflower fields who was laughing! I had
never before seen a Planetary Child laugh. I felt something I had never
felt before.' He lightly chuckled, 'I didn't think that was possible.
I felt a determined grace and caring radiating from you that was not
shown by any of the other Planetary Peoples. So I gave you feeling. You
are a remarkable person. Your decendants will be remarkable people.' He
let go of her chin and stepped back. 'I have spoken with Lord Cronos
and he has allowed me to ask two questions about the future. Both of
which he has answered.' He spoke louder so everyone around could hear.
'If I accept this offer everyone in the Universe will be able to feel,
Earthling or not. And out of this offer a son will be born. A
Half-Earthling who will become a wonderful leader and who will be
crowned King of Dusk. However,' At this everyone listened more intently
than ever. A Prophecy was being told and they all needed to listen,
'one more thing I need to ask. At around the same time a girl will be
born. One who will be crowned Queen of the Sun. A descendant of the son
this woman carries in her womb right now. They are destined to fall in
love. What I propose is not an arranged marriage. No. There are plenty
of those around that only cause misery; and I don't like misery. What I
want is that you all adhere by this simple law that I lay before you:
From now on all nobly born can only marry for love. If you agree to
this I will put emotion into these three rocks you have brought. These
will be three crystals that will hold all the power of your respective
planets and they will have amazing powers. The Empyrium Golden Crystal
will have healing properties, the Empyrium Ruby Crystal will have
physical power over others, the Empyrium Silver Crystal will have the
power of unity, and this,' he then produced a rock that looked just
like the rest of his body did. It was made of Dusk. 'The Empyrium
Amethyst Crystal will have the power of Emotion. When the four are
brought together and are used for the good of this Universe they are
completely unstopable. However, the respective owners of these Crystals
can only have full control of them when they are in love and completely
trust their partners. There will be no exception. Do you agree with
these terms?' The three Queens all looked up and nodded once. 'Good.
Now hold onto your Crystals tightly and concentrate your powers
completely on them.'
"That day the entire Universe felt an intense white light flash
from the Earth and then a wave of Emotion hit them all. And that is how
the Planetary Peoples learned to feel."
Hizashi got up and stood next to the window. She breathed in
deeply and felt the Sun's rays warm her face. The girls were startled
when they heard her speak. "The first Planetary Alliance came between
my father, King Aites, grandson of the Queen Helia who had been the
first non-Earthling to feel, and my mother, Queen Serenity,
granddaughter of the Queen Luna who had pledged to give away the
first-born son in a Planetary Alliance. However, they did not have any
children until their third year of marriage. Some would say that it was
destiny." She shivered and crossed her arms. Her voice grew softer and
the girls had to strain to hear her words. "The next Planetary Alliance
was never to be. Queen Gaia of the Earth and King Borealis of the
Aurora were to be married. The King of the Aurora was in charge of the
ever-changing colors of the Northen sky here on Earth and was from a
far away star. The two fell in love immediately, or this is what I
heard. In fact the Aurora was considered to hold some of the Emotions
Dusk held." She sighed. "There was an accident. No one knows exactly
what happened but only two weeks before the marriage ceremony King
Borealis' pegasus, Violette, came to Earth riderless. She was really
upset over something and everyone feared for His Majesty's life. Search
parties were sent out. My father himself led one of them. Queen Gaia
was beside herself. It wasn't long before they found his body. All the
science and magic of the day was not enough to give a simple answer. No
one knew how he had died. They had no answers for the grieving Queen.
Three months later Queen Gaia's skilled physicians determined that the
Queen was four months pregnant and would give birth to a baby boy.
Since love was the way of life for our courts, as you well know, this
information brought happiness to the people of Earth as well as to the
Queen. Soon after her childhood friend, an Earthling Prince named
Antaeus, came to comfort her and asked her to marry him. He had loved
her for years and she knew it. She told him of the child and he said he
would care for him as he would for his own child. Queen Gaia told Queen
Serenity, her close friend, that she would never forget Borealis but
that she also knew he would want her to be happy and provide a father
for his son. The two were married and five months later Ankoku was
born. As promised to the Holder of Emotions, Ankoku was placed under
his care and tutelage to learn to become King of Dusk and to control
Emotions as the Holder himself did. I was born two years after Ankoku.
I only learned of the Prophecy one year before the destruction of the
Moon Kingdom. I had been kept from it because I was a part of it. They
had thought it safe to tell me, however, when news of our love
travelled all over the Galaxy." She gave a small smile. "Ironic isn't
it? Once I had accepted the Prophecy and the fact that I loved Ankoku I
had it all taken away from me. Ironic indeed."
She felt young arms go around her waist and looked to see Ami
hugging her with tears in her eyes. "Do not worry so Hizashi-san. I'm
sure it will be alright." Hizashi looked deep in her eyes and saw some
of what she had seen in Pluto-hime earlier that day so she smiled and
nodded. The other girls gathered around the window.
"So who is Python?" Makoto asked slowly.
"Python was a boy I met when I went out with Chokusha one day.
He claimed to be Venetian and I believed him because of his white hair.
It reminded me of Kunzite so I figured he could not be lying. I was so
wrong. Python and I became friends. He would take me exploring and we
had fun. This was during the time that Ankoku was out with the Holder
of Emotions learning to control his powers so I was quite lonely. He
became a friend but we were never close. When Ankoku came back Python
was so jealous he stormed out of the palace when I tried to introduce
them to each other." She shook her head. "It was a mistake of mine. He
tried to do horrid things so I would take notice of him even though I
told him we could always be friends. He did not listen. I pitied him
and attempted to talk to him. However, when he threatened Chokusha's
life I was so angry that I promised never to converse with him again. I
gave up and he hated me for it. Whenever something went wrong in the
palace we knew it was him but there was no way to prove it... that is
until the time he came into my bedroom and attempted to kill me. He
should never have dared!" Her eyes were blazing yellow as she
remembered that night. "I gave him a beating he has not forgotten. I
was about to kill him when by extreme luck he was able to escape. I
never went after him because I knew he wouldn't dare step on the Sun
ever again. I should have killed him when I had the chance." She
shrugged her shoulders as if it was in the past but the girls all
looked worried nonetheless. It was never good to have an enemy. It was
even worse to have a jealous enemy.
"When did you see Dusk?" Rei interrupted all their thoughts.
"Gomen?" Hizashi asked, confused.
"Well you said you had seen the Sun, Moon and Dusk all at once.
Then you said it hadn't happened in a millenia. How did you see it?"
The girls were surprised when they saw Hizashi blush slightly.
"Well, I met the Holder of Emotions you see. He wanted to know if I was
everything Cronos had told him, or something like that. I went to his
palace deep in the stars. He has a beautiful home... he is such a
gentle person... if you can consider him a person that is. He is just
pure Emotion. He liked to call me Daughter." She smiled as if
remembering something. "One day he took me to Earth and called Ankoku
there as well. We met and I noticed that Ankoku was acting really
nervous. I asked him if he was alright and he said that he was. He told
me to watch the horizon. I did while keeping an eye on him. It was late
afternoon. One of those afternoons when the Sun and the Moon are out at
the same time. As I watched, Ankoku called upon Dusk. That was when I
saw all three entities at once. The Holder of Emotions sat there and
cried happy tears. When the Holder of Emotions cries, sparkling hotarus
fall from his eyes. I made my way through the many soft lights and took
Ankoku's hand in my own. He then told me that Dusk would only come to
him if he called it for his Love, and that it would never have come if
it wasn't for me..." Hizashi looked around the room as if seeing it
again. She hadn't meant to tell the girls that. She blinked hard.
Ankoku. How she missed him. "The last time I saw the Holder he told me
that I was all the Prophecy had told and more. The last time I spoke
with Ankoku..."
She sobbed aloud and allowed her telepathic ability to take
over and showed the five girls what had happened. She relived the dream
from the night before. And the girls found out that their loves were
still very much alive. It was a shock and surprise to them all and not
a single dry eye was seen in the room when Hizashi stopped her mind.
Hizashi stood up and left the shocked girls in Rei's room. She
knew they needed time to think it all over. When they had absorbed it
she would come back and tell them of Lord Hedenemos. They needed to
know everything.
She walked around the Temple and felt its serenity slowly wash
over her. Breathing deeply of the sakura blossoms, she sat down next to
the small lake on the Temple grounds and watched the Sun set behind the
Tokyo skyline. Dusk slowly came upon the city and Hizashi felt tears
slip down her cheeks as the whole world turned violet for a couple of
seconds. Then night took over and the stars twinkled down upon her
still figure. She sat there and thought over her life and how happy she
had been. She should be ecstatic that she had been allowed to live such
a wonderful life for so long. She should have been ecstatic; but she
wasn't.
She hugged her knees to her body and watched the blurry stars
through tear-filled eyes. "Doushite, Ankoku? Doushite?" She whispered
the words and then stood up, eyes wide open and tears streaming as the
wind picked up her hair and blew it across her face. She had felt him.
His presence. He had been in the garden and she had heard words...
'Iie,' she thought, 'it must be my ears playing tricks on me.
There is no possible way I could have heard what I thought I did.' She
shook her head free of the thought and sat down again. As she watched
the Moon rise she felt the four girls sit down around her but she did
not look at them. She couldn't. Not after what she had just told them.
"Hizashi-hime," Minako whispered and looked at the Princess she
had so admired during the Silver Millenium. Hizashi turned around to
tell her to stop using such a formal title but stopped when she saw
Minako's face. "Hizashi-hime we have come as the Inner Planetary
Princesses and as the Inner Planetary Senshi, destined to protect the
Moon Kingdom, to ask for permission to be able to protect you as well.
We understand you have your own Generals," Minako's eyes watered a bit
at the word but she smiled, "demo we think that we would be able to
help you defeat whatever enemy you may face. And, when you are crowned
Queen of the Sun, we pledge that you will be protected by all of us and
aided by us whenever needed."
Minako stood up and drew Hizashi up with her as the other
Senshi formed a circle around Hizashi. Minako looked at Hizashi and
then closed her eyes and concentrated. A blaze of orange blinded
Hizashi momentarily and when she was able to see once again, Minako was
not there anymore. Hizashi almost cried when she saw Dione-chan -
Venus-hime - standing in front of her. Her forehead blazed and the
symbol of Venus stood out on her forehead. One by one the other girls
changed and in their places stood Maia-chan (Mercury-hime), Hera-chan
(Mars-hime), and Rhea-chan (Jupiter-hime) with their respective symbols
blazing and their dresses flowing in the wind.
Venus-hime then spoke, her voice ringing as the power of Venus
ran through her veins. "You have kept our Loves safe for us and for
that We Thank You."
Mercury-hime looked at Hizashi, her voice as cold as ice but as
smooth and soothing as water. "You have shown us our true past and for
that We Thank You."
Mars-hime looked up, her voice fiery and unforgiving but at the
same time warm and comforting. "You have told us of the Prophecy and
for that We Thank You."
Jupiter-hime's voice crackled and resounded as loud as thunder
but as clean and bountiful as the rain. "But above all, You have loved
and cared for Our Princess as we never could have and for that We Thank
You."
Venus held her hands out, palms up, towards Hizashi. "For all
of that we will loan you our strength when you need it and we will
fight for you as we have fought for Our Princess. However, Our Princess
will always come first. If she needs us we will go to her."
Hizashi nodded and waited for what she knew would happen. The
Moon Princess, her sister, showed up out of the darkness and held out
her Silver Empyrium Crystal.
"I allow my Inner Planetary Senshi to aid Sun-hime when she
needs it." As soon as she said that, four small rays came out of the
Silver Crystal in the shape of the Inner Planetary symbols and went
into Hizashi's forehead. The Moon symbol then came out and Princess
Serenity smiled softly. "I too Thank You, onee-san." She said as the
symbol went into Hizashi's forehead. Hizashi felt tears of happiness
flow down her cheeks but paid them no mind. This was one of the most
sacred rituals during the Silver Millenium and she knew what it meant.
It meant that the six of them would stand by each other no matter what.
That nothing would get in the way between them. Her sister had gone
through this during the Silver Millenium with her Senshi and Hizashi
had done it as well with her Generals. She ran into her sister's arms
and hugged her tightly as she reverted back into Usagi.
"Domo arigato minna! I am so happy!" The six girls hugged each
other silently and walked slowly back into the Temple. None of them
noticed the slight movement in the darkness or the red eyes that
slitted before they disappeared.

----------------------------------------

The sound of cracking glass echoed throughout the dark, cold
palace. Shitto spread her thin purple lips into a tight smile, prepared
to be completely corteous. Lord Hedenemos would be upset tonight and
most likely needed to be cheered up, and she would be the one to do it,
not that idiot Netami.
She opened the doors to the Main Hall and immediately went down
on her knees, her black cloak pooled around her. She didn't look up
until she felt Lord Hedenemos' presence acknowledge her. Her red eyes
looked up, her lips still spread in a thin smile. The black hair around
her face shimmered, as though it remembered something from long ago and
she was almost beautiful. The moment then passed and her hair fell and
emitted a silent and sad sigh as her skin turned a brighter purple
and the shimmer left her altogether.
"Shitto." The low voice rumbled as the palace walls vibrated
with its sound. His back was to her but his head turned so that she
could see his profile. "The Planetary Senshi. They need to be taken
care of. I trust you can do this."
"Hai, Hedenemos-sama." Shitto blushed slightly and bowed her
head, the red gem on her forehead flashed for a moment as she turned
around to leave. She stopped when a high-pitched voice spoke.
"Hedenemos-sama, let me go. Shitto is not ready for this. I..." Shitto
slit her eyes towards the newcomer. She had never expected this from
Yoku. She thought that Netami would, but not Yoku.
"Silence." Lord Hedenemos snapped at Yoku who cowered back into
her corner. "Go Shitto. And don't let me down." Shitto bowed her head
slightly and left the Main Hall. She would get them. For Her Lord. For
herself. She would get them.
Lord Hedenemos was seen to smile as another wine glass appeared
in his hand when Shitto left the room, jealousy deep in her heart.


Japanese words used in this chapter:

gomen - sorry
hotaru - fireflies
sakura - cherry blossoms
doushite - why
iie - no
demo - but
onee - big sister
domo arigato - thank you very much
minna - everyone
Senshi - Warrior (Scout in DIC version)

Well that's it for now! What do you think? Write to me and
tell me! My e-mail is cfmc@uclink4.berkeley.edu! All comments are
appreciated! Thanks!