Chapter Four
Lita
looked up as the door to her chambers was knocked on.
"Come
in."
Daisy
laid her head in Lita's lap and closed her eyes. Lita smiled and massaged her
temples as she had when she'd been emotionally shattered. It seemed to help.
But
when Lita saw who it was, her eyes narrowed.
"Setsuna."
The
Keeper of Time nodded. "I can understand your anger, Lita."
"Then
why don't you speak up?!"
Setsuna
answered calmly, "Because it wasn't supposed to happen."
Lita's
anger faded. "What? I thought…"
"That's
just it, Lita. The Time Lines show nothing of this. I could never have
anticipated this."
Lita
sighed, "I suppose we'll hold a meeting tonight."
"Not
tonight. Uranus and Neptune have to go to Hope's concert."
Daisy
sat up. "I told Hope I'd go!"
Lita
shook her head. "No young lady. You need to rest. Hope will understand."
Setsuna
smiled. "Mirchiru and Haruka are recording it, Daisy. I'll ask them to make a
copy for you, okay?"
Daisy
sighed but knew that was the best she would get. Reluctantly she nodded,
"Thanks Aunt Setsuna."
The
Keeper of Time smiled. "Now, I need to get back to Maggie."
Lita
nodded. "You do that. You hardly ever get to have time with her."
Setsuna
smiled and nodded. Turning, she left the Jupiter Quarters.
Daisy
looked at her mother, "Mom, why can't I go? It's a big thing for Hope."
Lita
smiled at her tolerantly, "Because you need to rest. Having your senshi crystal
removed hurts and I can tell you're hiding the pain."
Daisy
sighed.
Lita
smiled, "How about if I make you a batch of my special cookies?"
Daisy
beamed. "Yes!"
Lita
smiled and got up to make some snacks for her daughter.
*
* *
"Why
can't I wear tuxedo like Haruka-papa?"
Mirchiru
sighed and combed out Faith's blue hair. "Because I said so."
Faith
scowled. She hated wearing dresses. Hope didn't mind but Faith despised it.
"How
come I gotta dress up?"
"Because
it's a formal concert."
Faith
groaned but let Mirchiru put a yellow bow in her hair. She wasn't wearing her
princess dress but was wearing a dress that was far too girlish for her. It was
yellow with puffy sleeves and a sash around her waist. She wanted to rip it off
and burn it. But of course she couldn't do that.
"Ready?"
a voice called. Faith turned and saw Hope come in with Haruka. Haruka had on a
white tuxedo and Hope had on a dress identical to Faith's except it was a light
blue color and her bow was blue. She carried her violin in one hand. Faith
sighed but got up. Mirchiru smiled.
"Don't
be so glum, Faith. You look very nice."
Faith
growled. "I don't wanna look nice."
Mirchiru
sighed. With Faith she could never win. Haruka chuckled.
"Well
one night won't kill you."
Faith
followed her sister out after their parents.
"I
wouldn't bet on that."
*
* *
Lady
Phobia got to her feet.
"Isolo!"
The
black gargoyle ran to her lady's feet and bowed.
"Rise,"
the woman spat. "The twins of the Chibi Scouts will be at a concert. I'll
provide a way for their parents to be occupied. You will interfere and do your
work. Your illusions will be wonderful for twins. Twins I have seen fear being
alone without their sibling. These two are no different."
Isolo
nodded.
"How
do I get in?"
"Come
here Isolo."
The
gargoyle drew closer and its master placed her hand on her face. The wings of
the creature shriveled and vanished into her back. Her claws became slender
fingernails. Her blood red eyes dulled to light amber and her eyes became
smaller. The black of her skin peeled off and the flesh beneath it became peach
colored. The peeled black swung down over her chest and halfway down her
thighs. A black dress emerged and the remaining black went to her head and
hardened into silky curls.
"Go
now Isolo. Once the intermission is called, I'll act. Then you do your work."
"Of
course my lady."
That
said, Isolo ran out of the chamber. Lady Phobia leapt down from her chair and
twisted her long curls around her body. There was a flash of light and then,
there stood a whole different character entirely.
"I
sincerely doubt that Haruka and Mirchiru would turn down their Hotaru-chan."
That
said, a form left that was a dead ringer for the Scout of Saturn.
*
* *
"Finally,"
Faith muttered as the intermission was announced.
"Haruka-papa,
Mirchiru-mama? Hope's piece is over. Can we go home now?"
Mirchiru
smiled. "It's got another hour, Faith. And it is very rude to leave in middle
of a concert."
"Faith!"
a new voice called. Hope ran down the stairs and to her family. Mirchiru hugged
her. "You did wonderful sweetie."
"I
agree," Haruka added.
Faith
smiled, "I guess. You did good Hope. Music just ain't my thing,"
"Isn't,"
Mirchiru gently corrected her. Faith rolled her eyes.
"Whatever."
Before
anyone said anything else, Hope ran forward, shrieking, "Aunt Hotaru! You
came!"
Hotaru
hugged her tightly and then said, "Hi Hope. You did wonderful."
"Hotaru!"
Mirchiru called, surprised. "I thought you were staying home with Madelyn."
"I…something
urgent came up. I need to talk to you." She turned to hope and Faith. "There's
free food in the lodge."
The
twins turned to their, parents. Haruka nodded.
"Just
stay there and wait for us."
The
two nodded and ran off.
*
* *
Isolo
was waiting, acting as a saleswoman behind a counter. She spied her first
target, Hope.
"Little
girl?" she called. Hope turned, bewildered.
"Yes?"
"I
heard you playing there, you were amazing."
Hope
flushed deep red. "Thank you."
"In
fact, I actually have some coupons and things you might be able to sue. My
brother's in charge of a violin shop. Maybe I could ask him to give yours a
free tuning."
Hope
almost said yes but remembered what Mirchiru had told her,
"Thank
you but my Mirchiru-mama has to check the shop out first."
Isolo
came from behind the counter and sat on the ground by Hope.
"Now
that's reasonable. Your mother sounds as if she knows a great deal about music
herself."
Hope
smiled. "She does. She taught me how to play."
"And
you have natural talent."
Hope
smiled. "Thanks again."
Faith
stuck to the side. The wind blew in through the door. An odd feeling came over her. Before she knew it, the wind was
whispering in her ear. She actually heard words as the breeze blew her blue hair.
It whispered,
"Beware
of the black haired one."
That
was all Faith needed, she dashed into the ladies room and ducked into one of
the stalls. All the food was outside so that's where all the people had gone.
Hope and Faith were alone in the lobby. Faith drew her henshin pen.
"Uranus
Power! Make Up!"
As
the power flowed through her, she heard Hope scream.
*
* *
"Madelyn,
stay in the car, I'll be right back."
Madelyn
smiled at her mother. "Okay Mommy. You're just gonna talk to Aunt Mirchiru and
Haruka right?"
"That's
right, I'll be right back."
Hotaru
closed the door and decided to head in the side door. There was a crowd in the
front. It was an improvement from the twentieth century. The doors and walls
were soundproof now. Knowing her 'parents' they would still be in the main
hall.
Hotaru
almost headed in and then spied the last person she expected to see…. herself.
*
* *
"Hotaru?
You seem stressed tonight," Mirchiru noted. 'Hotaru' nodded.
"I
am, it's Madelyn."
"What
about her?"
"She
has never acted like this before. Yesterday I had to pry her to scout
practice…"
"HOLD
IT!"
The
three turned as the new voice rang out.
Hotaru
stepped into the light.
The
two other's mouths dropped while the other Hotaru growled.
"I
have proof, Haruka-papa, Mirchiru-mama." That said, she held out her henshin
wand.
The
fake one immediately morphed to Lady Phobia and sprung at Hotaru knocking her
wand from her. Her hands clamped over her throat.
"Hotaru!"
Then,
a new voice ran,
"Destruction
Ray!"
A
blast knocked the woman from Hotaru.
Sailor
Chibi Saturn ran in, her glaive raised.
"How
dare you attack my mother!"
Lady
Phobia merely smiled,
"You're
my next target, Sailor Chibi Saturn. After Hope and Faith!"
"What?!"
the two parents screamed. The woman laughed and vanished. Everyone tore to the
lobby.
*
* *
Isolo
tore Hope's shirt open and howled,
"Appear
Senshi Crystal!"
Faith
shielded her eyes at the light. A diamond shaped crystal appeared, a deep aqua
color.
"Hope!"
Faith screamed as she raced towards her foe.
Isolo
growled. "The Senshi of Harmony. You're not who I want."
"Then
try me!"
Isolo
turned just as Sailor Chibi Uranus leapt on her, pounding her with her fists.
She rolled on to of her, forced her away from her sister. The door swung open
and Haruka, Mirchiru, Hotaru, and Chibi Saturn came pouring in. Faith forced
Isolo on her back gave her a swift punch in the stomach and delivered an
'Earthquake Tremors' at point blank range.
The
force knocked her backward.
Isolo
ran and grabbed Faith despite the pain.
She
ripped the shirt open and howled, "Appear Senshi Crystal."
The
pain was agonizing. Faith saw her crystal appear, a diamond shaped golden
crystal.
"The
Senshi of Strength I see."
Then,
Isolo was flung forward. Haruka growled and punched her again.
Faith
forced herself up, grabbed her own crystal and using the last of her strength
made it to Hope. Mirchiru was already there. The others handled Isolo.
Isolo
tried to get away from Haruka but she was too fast.
Then,
finally, Isolo hit Haruka enough to make her stumble.
Taking
her chance, Isolo vanished.
Haruka
cursed, "Come back here, you damn coward!"
Hotaru
helped Haruka up.
"We
will defeat her, Haruka-papa," she assured her. "I sensed some danger and that's
why I came but now isn't the time! The twins!"
Haruka
nodded and ran over where the others had gathered.
Faith
managed a smile, "as soon as this pain stops, she is so history."
Mirchiru smiled, "You'll be fine."
