Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Annika lay in her cell, trembling. Her clothing had been torn off, leaving her mostly nude and prone to the cold winds. Her henshin wand was gone, taken from her but not destroyed, if it had been she would have fallen unconscious or died. But she was frightened. She had cried for a long time until Lady phobia had come to her, her eyes burning.

Annika remembered that clearly…

"Shut up!"

Annika sunk to the ground, petrified.

"My Mama'll…come," she stammered.

"You mean, Sailor Mars, little crybaby? No she won't, it's impossible to trace us."

Annika burst into tears, "I want Mama!"

Lady Phobia knelt down. "I'm from the future, small brat. I would have made the world to shape as my own but you Cosmic Scouts topped me. But only because you had the leadership of Cosmic Venus. Without Cosmic Venus you'll perish. You're bait. I have to have you alive…however, if you don't shut up, I'll tear out your vocal chords."

Annika shut her mouth but fear was circulating through her blood….

Annika shuddered as she remembered. With a choked voice she whispered,

"Please, someone, anyone, save me."

* * *

Magellan Castle, Venus

Gloria let her grandmother pour another teapot full of hot water into the pail in which her feet rested. Her feet were the ones hurt the most. Her other clothes had been warmed while on her body and soon she was dry.

"Princess?"

Gloria looked up. May walked in, Gloria's orange 'Heartbreak' chain in her hands. Before anyone could say anything else, it shimmered and suddenly shot forward and wrapped around Gloria's waist.

Gloria stared at it. It was a shimmery orange color but had glints of gold throughout it. The pattern was different from her mother's. Her mother's was pure gold and was a pattern of golden heart whose ends stuck into the top of the next heart. Gloria's was different. Her pattern was a heart and then a star. She stared a moment and then looked up.

"What's with this?" she demanded of her grandmother. "Mom has her love me chain always around her waist when she's transformed."

Alina smiled. "Your guardian deity, this planet, the planet of love has deemed you ready."

"Ready for what?"

"Your mother is leader of the inner scouts. You will one day be leader of the inner cosmic scouts. Before then, you will be leader of the Inner Chibi scouts."

"Rini's our leader," she argued.

Alina nodded. "The Princess of the Moon is always the overall leader. But the inner and outer scouts are different. Although the outers also shield the princess, their ideal job is to protect our solar system from outside invaders. The inner scouts main goal is to protect the princess and royal family. As the Inner Scouts, your mother and Princess Raye, princess Lita and Princess Amy are to shield the royal family, King Endymion, Neo-Queen Serenity, and Neo-Princess Serenity."

Gloria nodded. Queen Alina went on.

"The outers, Princess Setsuna, Princess Hotaru, Princess Mirchiru, and Princess Haruka are to shield our solar system from any invading enemies. The job is passed hereditarily. Rini is Neo-Princess Serenity by blood. Annika is Neo-Princess Scarlet by blood. Daisy is Neo-Princess Lexi by blood. Ariel is Neo-Princess Krystal by blood. Your formal title is Neo-Princess Ali." She paused and took a breath. "Maggie is Neo-Princess Sophia by blood. Madelyn is Neo-Princess Reneta by blood. Faith is Neo-Princess Kelsi and Hope is Neo-Princess Nerissa."

Gloria wrinkled her nose, "Ewww, Kelsi? Faith'll hate that."

Alina smiled. "As I was saying, you are all given your status by your blood."

"But Faith and Hope are adopted!"

Alina nodded. "I am guessing they are the twins born between the younger Princess of Neptune and the Prince of Uranus. As such they are given their status as princesses."

Alina continued, "So you are given the status of leader. That chain is the proof of your leadership. When Venus deemed you ready, it would anoint you leader officially as it has just done. You are no longer the to-be-leader. Sailor Chibi Venus you are now the leader of the Inner Chibi Scouts."

Gloria beamed, "Wicked Cool!"

She paused, "But what about the Outer Chibi Scouts?"

Alina nodded, "They have their own leader." She smiled. "Tell me little one, who is leader of the Outer Scouts?"

"Uranus."

Alina nodded. "And so when her planet deems it time, Faith will be anointed leader."

"Will she get a sign like me?"

The queen nodded. "But not a chain. The leaders of the outer scouts get their right ear pierced. Only their right. With a single golden loop."

"Is Rini our overall leader 'officially' then?"

The queen shook her head. "No, when Rini upgrades, to the same form her mother had during the battle with Galaxia you told me you heard about."

"So when she becomes Eternal Cosmic Moon."

Alina nodded. She smiled at her grandchild.

"So now your powers are ready to find your friend. You have made it clear that this is your duty?"

Gloria nodded. Alina sighed.

"Very well, tomorrow, we'll travel to Mars to find out where they've taken Neo-Princess Scarlet."

* * *

Crystal Tokyo

Asai walked through his quarters, seeking his wife. The place felt cold, empty and lifeless without Gloria's music slicing through the walls like knives. It had annoyed Asai and Mina to no end but now they missed it. Venus Knight finally checked his daughter's room. There he found Mina, sitting on the bed, Gloria's stuffed cat Artemis in her arms.

"Mina."

Mina looked up at her husband, her eyes were red. She looked like she'd been crying.

"Oh Asai, where is she?"

The brown haired man sat by his wife and she collapsed into his open arms. She cried, saying, "where is she? Where is she? Gloria, darling come back to me."

* * *

As distraught as Mina was, Raye was a thousand times worse. Since Annika's disappearance, she had lost her appetite, was on drugs to sleep, and searched for Annika all day. She had to be forced to bed by Chad. And there were times like now when she tried to reach her daughter, via her sacred fire.

"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, sai, zen!"

Her fire blazed high but she received no other answer. She collapsed, tears in her eyes. Two strong hands fell on her shoulders. Raye looked over her shoulder and Chad knelt by her. Raye hugged him tightly.

"Where is she? Chad, I want my baby back, I want her in my arms."

Chad nodded and hugged his wife tightly. "I know Raye, me too. We'll find her."

Raye nodded. "I know but she's so timid and shy. She's probably terrified. She's only a little girl."

Chad just tightened his grip. Raye buried her face into his shoulders, shedding tears that should have run out days ago. Chad tried to comfort her. She was a wreck.

"Rini said she's trying something with the Silver Crystal."

Raye nodded and said a silent prayer,

"Please, Rini find my daughter. Let her come back to me. I want her back in my arms."

Aloud, she whispered,

"Please."

* * *

Rini concentrated; she tried to focus on Annika or Gloria. The Silver Crystal in her hands shimmered and grew bright.

The crescent moon appeared on the Princess' forehead.

She saw a faint image. She saw Annika with a black haired woman. The woman tugged Annika out by her hair, ripped a few out by the roots. She held out a knife and made a slashing motion across her throat. Annika screamed and the girl yanked Annika up and tossed her headfirst into the wall. She slashed Annika across her legs and then laughed hideously…

"NO!"

Rini let out a cry of protest, which brought her parents running. As they entered, they saw Rini collapse, her crescent moon illuminated and the silver crystal blazing.