Annika came to, in the same park where she'd been taken. Sitting up, swift coldness struck her bare body. She wrapped what little clothing she had left around her body. Standing, trembling, she headed off for the palace, her heart throbbing.
"Mama, Mama."
She trotted along the streets of Crystal Tokyo, her bare feet being scrapped and torn by the rough gravel and rocks. Blood seeped through her tender flesh. She knew Gloria was in trouble but she had to get the senshi first.
When the Crystal Palace came into view she broke into a sprint that should not have been possible by someone in as much pain as she was. But her heart was pounding, throbbing. She tore past the guards, screaming,
"MAMA!"
* * *
Raye was broken out of her trance by a feeling. Leaping up, she tore downstairs, past astounded guards and servants, asking, frantically,
"Annika?"
* * *
Hope jerked her head up from her art. She grabbed her ears tightly and fell to her knees.
"Hope?"
Faith dropped her bat and raced to her twin's side. Hope was tightening her grip on her ears and was beginning to whimper in pain. Faith tried once again to calm her sibling down but to no avail.
"Mirchiru-mama! Haruka-papa!"
Haruka and Mirchiru exchanged glances when they heard Faith's frantic yell but then raced up the stairs towards the twins' room, taking the stairs two at a time.
"Faith what- Hope!"
Mirchiru tore into the room and was immediately by Hope's side. Haruka grabbed Faith and held her as they went to the senshi of Neptune. Hope was crying now.
"Hope, sweetie, what's wrong?"
"What?"
Haruka swallowed hard, hadn't Hope heard them?
"Hope?" the senshi of Uranus grabbed the girl's face in her hands,
"Hope? Can you hear me?"
"The ocean's too loud! It's roaring in my ears! I can't hear you!"
Faith looked up. She heard a whispering. Then it gradually grew louder and louder. She walked to their window and opened it; let the fresh wind blow over her face.
The whispering elevated to a deadly scream. Soon Faith collapsed to her knees, clutching her head like her sister.
"Haruka!"
Faith felt someone grab her by her head, gently.
"Faith!"
"The wind…it's screeching in my ears!"
Then just as suddenly it ceased for both twins. They looked up, shaking visibly. Before Haruka or Mirchiru could say a thing, their communicators beeped.
It was Amy.
"Hurry! I just got a visual on my computer. Get to the main hall. Annika's coming home!"
* * *
Raye stood by the door. Just when she was prepared to race outside the door opened.
Annika stood there. Her clothing was torn, she was bruised and bleeding but she was alive.
"Mama…"
she stood stunned. No one said anything for a minute. Then the tears sprung from Annika's eyes and she leapt up into her mother's arms.
"MAMA!"
"Baby!"
Raye squeezed Annika as tight as she dared, tears streaming from her eyes. She kissed Annika's face over and over while Annika tightened her grip and swung her legs so they were wrapped around her mother's waist.
"Mama!"
"oh Baby!" she looked at Annika, "Baby, who did this to you?"
"Lady Phobia," she said through tears. Inhaling her mother's scent, she suddenly remembered why she was here instead of still with Lady Phobia.
"Mama! I wasn't the senshi of loyalty! I was bait!"
Raye's eyes sprung wide, "Bait?"
Annika nodded and looked at Hope and Daisy particularly. "Gloria is."
Daisy exploded, "Gloria? Her?!"
"Daisy Julia Kino!" Lita snapped.
Annika's violet eyes narrowed in a rare expression of fury.
"And right now, Sailor Chibi Jupiter, Gloria's fighting Lady Phobia alone!"
Mina fell to the ground in a dead faint. Amy barely caught her.
Rini spoke immediately,
"We have to help her. Where is she?"
Annika wordlessly pointed out the window.
The moon had taken on a faint golden hum.
* * *
Lady phobia laughed. Gloria dodged a blast of power.
"I doubt you'll be getting any help, Senshi of Loyalty. Your friends will be more than occupied."
Gloria saw her summon up a handful of marble like spheres and then they vanished.
"Venus Crescent Split Shower!"
The battle resumed.
* * *
"But Mom-"
"No buts, Small lady," Neo-Queen Serenity insisted, "You need the senshi."
Rini sighed. "I'll never become a true leader if you don't let me."
The queen smiled, "Darling…when you're a true leader, you'll power up to your final level. The moon will decide when you're ready."
Rini nodded.
Suddenly, a sphere of pink air appeared.
"Nani?" Hotaru gasped.
Ten youma emerged.
"Moon princess Healing Kiss."
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
A mixture of Chibi and original attacks flew. The youma dodged and attacked.
"Neptune Tida-"
A youma sent a blast of power at Hope knocking her down. Another encircled the adults, keeping them at bay. But Mirchiru still cried out,
"Chibi Neptune!"
Chibi Uranus growled,
"Uranus Earth Divide!"
Her tiara shattered, her mark appeared and she slammed her space sword into the ground. The floor split and several youma fell deep into the pit to be crushed when the two pieces slammed back together.
Rini was stunned for a moment. Then all the senshi turned back to the battle.
"Mercury Icy Glacier!"
"Mars Firestorm!"
"Destructive Ray!"
None of the attacks worked. The adults couldn't get through to help. Rini finally planted herself in front of the younger senshi, prepared to take the blows for them.
"Rini!"
The girl ignored her mother's cries.
* * *
Gloria put her hands over her heart,
"Take some of my power Rini. I don't how I know, but I know you need it."
* * *
"To get to them, you gotta go through me!"
As Rini spoke these words, a yellow beam of light flew through the roof, striking her directly on her broach. A similar light flew from each small senshi, without their will by the look of surprise on their faces.
"Rini!"
Ariel let out a yelp along with all the others as the powers combined and a bright rainbow flash filled the room. The youma fled the older senshi, in fear. The senshi tore to their children. When the light faded, everyone gasped.
"Rini…" Endymion began.
"No," the Queen said in pure shock, "Eternal Cosmic Moon."
