Saruka wasn't out side the castle doors before she begun to fight. All
around her the battle was vicious and brutal. The air stunk with the stench
of blood, rotting skin, and death. In every direction a soldier was being
stabbed or tortured, or powerful magic was ripping through the air at some
poor soul.
Saruka tried hard to concentrate on her own battles, but it was hard. The deafening screams pierced through her ears, and ripped at her heart. It was torture. Saruka had never thought being a scout would mean seeing and feeling such pain, and hurt.
Saruka fought in a desperate attempt to help. After one demon was defeated, 10 more took its place, but Saruka forced herself not to give up. She could do it, she had to. For the Moon Kingdom. Saruka ran from one battle scene to the next, helping however she could. She didn't want to hurt anyone and she couldn't bring herself to use her Detsuno Destroyer yet. She was afraid, completely and utterly afraid.
Saruka stopped dead in her tracks when she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. Saruka turned quickly to get a better look. It was like the world around her had stopped when the image came into clear view. Saruka fell to her knees unknowingly in a blank state to reason what she was seeing. It was her parents; both sprawled on the ground in a gory image. Their mangled bodies were already rotting and lying in a pool of their own blood. What really got to Saruka was that their fingers were still locked within each other's, uniting their eternal love.
Saruka shook on her knees lost in a trance looking at them. She loved them so much, and it killed her to see their remains. She would never again hold them, never again feel their warmth, their love, ever. Saruka cried as she hugged herself, clutching the DragonLily gem on her necklace. All around her the battle was still raging on, but it all seemed forever silent to her.
Saruka's eyes widened when an enemy unknowingly stepped on her father's body. Saruka looked up to see he was fighting a soldier, and neither seemed to care or worry about the dead. Saruka's eyes glistened with tears as she brought herself to her feet. With out a second thought Saruka was charging at the demon and in with a mix of her hate, anger and sadness Saruka had the soldier's sword in her hand and was swinging it at the demon with great force. She didn't stand still long enough to watch the demon's head fall to the ground, but was already searching for someone else.
Saruka didn't care if she fought friend or foe. Some one was going to die and it wasn't going to be her. Saruka dodged attacks and threw her own right back at the enemy. She took out half a dozen in a single blow, then ran out to the middle of a battle to help there. She hadn't seen any of the other scouts yet, but at the same time didn't care. She was lost in her rage, her first feel of power, pure power.
From the middle of the battle Saruka threw a Detsuno Destroyer out in every direction around her. Black light surrounded her as the force took out everyone in a 20-meter radius. Saruka repeated the attack twice more until every being from as far as she could see was gone.
The air had picked up a deadly silence. Saruka ignored a loud ringing in her ears as she searched for something or someone else to fight, to kill. No one came. Saruka finally let go of the sword she had killed her first man with, then collapsed to her knees. She shook uncontrollably at what she had just done. She had killed, not just killed, but wanted to kill. For this she would pay, she would suffer.
A mighty laugh came from above her. Saruka stubbornly kept her eyes to the ground, and paid for it with a knee in the stomach. When Saruka had stopped sliding on the ground she angrily looked up, then was taken aback in fear. Above her a strange man in a cloud of gray smoke held Aydel. Her eyes were blank and soulless, and had lost the light of her heart. Saruka looked at the man who had kicked her. It was Goxard.
"You!" Saruka growled. She made a move at him, but was thrown back by and invisible force. Saruka yelled out in pain as she hit the ground, but got right back up again and ran forward. The same force hit her. Saruka hit the ground again in pain, and decided to stay there rather than do the same stupid thing.
"Now you're learning." Goxard laughed.
Saruka made a point by not looking at him, and instead looking up at the man with Aydel. "Who are you?" She yelled, "Leave Aydel alone! Please!"
The man put a finger under Aydel's chin and scratched it playfully. "Aw, so the amazing Saruka has feelings."
Saruka didn't understand what he meant by that. "What do you want?" She yelled out, betraying her fear.
"Heh, heh. You ask what I want? Oh yes! I know, you don't remember. Traveling from world to world must really wipe your memory…"
"Look, I don't know who you think I am, but…"
"I know exactly who you are! And don't you dare interrupt me again, or this on will get it!" He pointed to Aydel, holding her by her hair now. Aydel didn't try to get away, or even seem to notice. She just hung there, emotionless.
Saruka slowly tried to get to her feet, but was put down again. She realized what was keeping her down. A dome had been placed around her. Saruka put her hands on the dome, feeling the solid walls around her. She was trapped. Goxard laughed in amusement watching her scramble to get out.
"My lord, do you want me to dispose of her?" Goxard asked to the man in the black cloud.
The man studied Saruka's wide, frightened eyes and smiled, "No, I want her alive when we destroy this planet. We will torture her later."
"No you won't!" A strong voice came from the middle of the field. A shadow figure ran forward to the light. Saruka smiled with unimaginable joy when she realized it was Sailor Moon.
"Sailor Moon!" She called out, pushing against the dome walls. Sailor Moon stopped just before Saruka and looked down at her sailor suit.
Sailor Moon smiled and said, "Congratulations, kid." Then turned to Goxard and the man. Sailor Moon's face didn't change when she saw Aydel, she just stayed determined and ready.
The man's face screwed up into anger when he saw Sailor Moon's face. He yelled out to Goxard, "Kill her!" and the cloud began to move forward toward Saruka's dome.
Goxard smiled wickedly. "My pleasure." He moved forward towards Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon stayed strong in her spot, waiting. Saruka squealed in fear as the man's cloud hovered over her and a black light beamed down towards her.
"Now!!!" Sailor Moon called, jumping to the side. In each of the four directions a sailor scout appeared. Saruka called out in pain as the black light began to swallow her up.
"Mars Eternal Power!" A red light swirled in Mars' hands.
"Jupiter Eternal Power!" A green light swirled in Jupiter's hands.
"Mercury Eternal Power!" A blue light swirled in Mercury's hands.
"Venus Eternal Power!" An orange light swirled in Venus' hands.
Each scout yelled out and as they did a beam of their own light from their soul hurdled through the air towards Saruka's dome. The lights attached themselves to the dome walls and crawled over and up the sides, blocking the black light.
"What?" Saruka heard the man yell. Goxard watched with wide eyes as the black light began to fade. "Goxard!" the man yelled, then a strong beam of black light shot out to Goxard and wrapped around him before sucking him into the cloud.
Sailor Moon's eyes stayed well determined. They met Saruka's before looking back up at the man in the cloud and yelling, "Moon Imperial Power!" A pink light swirled in Sailor Moons hands then bolted upwards towards the cloud of black.
"Scout Rhapsody Power!" They all yelled together. Saruka watched in amazement as the lights began to glow so strong and so bright they blinded her. Saruka felt the scout's power around her and within her. She yearned to be back with her sister, to see her mother and father alive one last time, to live. Her dome turned a dark shade of purple from the mix of the colours, and that was the last thing Saruka saw…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Saruka groaned as she opened her eyes. She couldn't remember what had just happened, she just remembered the light. The purple light. Saruka pushed herself up to her knees, and then to her feet. She wearily looked around at her surroundings. Everyone was gone. All that was left was the broken and destroyed Moon Kingdom.
Saruka looked up to the sky. Above her were thousands of tiny bubbles heading towards the Earth. Saruka stretched from her sleep, then looked down at the ground. She frowned when she saw she was wearing no boots. Not only was she not wearing boots, she wasn't wearing anything! Saruka gasped and looked around for clothes, covering herself up. There was nothing in sight for her to put on.
Saruka suddenly realize that she was missing her necklace, the one Duchess Melody gave her from her mother.
"Little princess," A voice echoed around her. Saruka spun around, looking for the person with the voice. A light was coming from a far end of the castle by a large pile of ruins. Saruka squinted to see what it was, but decided to run there instead. She ran as fast as she could, cutting her bare feet on rocks and ruins. She slowed down as she got closer, reminding herself it could be a trap. Saruka continued to try to keep herself hidden the best she could.
Saruka turned a corner and looked down at the source of the light. There was the Cresent Moon Wand, clasped gently in Queen Serenity's fist. "Queen Serenity?" Saruka asked, unsure.
Queen Serenity gasped for air so she could talk. It was obvious her power was dying. "Little Princess…" she whispered, "You are alive. Thank Hogosha Shigo."
"Queen Sereinty… you're dying." Saruka weakly said, holding back tears. She bent close to Queen Serenity, not bothering to cover her naked self.
"Yes… but with good cause. I have sent the sailors and everyone else to Earth 1000 years from now. There they will live new lives, as new people. I want you to go after them and bring them back here."
"What?" Saruka asked, "That doesn't make sense."
"Our kingdom was too weak to defeat this enemy. I have sent them there to train, to learn. They did good here, and stopped Lord Alzamont for now, but he'll return and go after the Earth. I sent them there along with fictional enemies that they will have to defeat. Each enemy will grow stronger so they must grow stronger to defeat it. Lord Alzamont will get there exactly 22 years after they arrive there, and that will be when you come. I need you to help me… to fulfill prophecy you must!"
"What's the prophecy?" Saruka asked. She began to feel unsure of herself with such an important mission, such a big responsibility.
Queen Serenity smiled and took in a desperate breath, " 'On the night of just, a terror shall arrive. The second born of the evening star must be protected, or all is lost on that night of just. To return the past to its rightful state, send little princess to the wiser and stronger, and she shall prevail, and return to the past'."
Saruka stayed silent as she thought. It sounded so real, and so much like her. She was 'little princess'. Her father started that nickname for her as far back as she can remember. The evening star was Venus, and she was the second born, Mina being the first. Saruka sat back on her heel as she took it all in.
"Little princess," Queen Serenity begged, "this kingdom needs you. Help me right what I have wronged by trusting that Lord Alzamont. Help me return us to the life we all deserve to live."
Saruka nodded and asked, "What do I have to do?"
Queen Serenity breathed heavily as she cried and forced herself to live long enough to answer, "Go to the Outer Planets of this Solar System. Visit and train with each princess of each planet. They know you're coming. Pluto should be your last stop, and that is where you will speed a head to the future and join the scouts there. Spend no more than Earth 2 years on each planet."
Saruka nodded, "I understand. Queen Sereinty, why am I…?"
Queen Serenity smiled, "By being naked shows your pure self, your soul for what it is, and cleanses you internally." Queen Serenity lifted a weak hand and placed it at Saruka's feet. In a swirl of white light a kitten appeared. Around its neck was a transformation pen at Saruka's feet. "Here, you will need this to become Sailor NightStar."
Saruka gasped, "Am I a…?"
"No," Queen Serenity said truthfully. "This does not mean you are not an true scout. I am sorry, but it is only a requirement for the mission at hand. Please forgive me, and good luck little princess. Protect our… future by returning to… the past…"
Queen Serenity's body went limp, and her sad, open eyes endlessly looked at the ground. Saruka touched Queen Serenity's hand sadly, tears now running down her cold face. She placed her face in her hands and wept for the lost, for her sister, for the scouts…
Saruka tried hard to concentrate on her own battles, but it was hard. The deafening screams pierced through her ears, and ripped at her heart. It was torture. Saruka had never thought being a scout would mean seeing and feeling such pain, and hurt.
Saruka fought in a desperate attempt to help. After one demon was defeated, 10 more took its place, but Saruka forced herself not to give up. She could do it, she had to. For the Moon Kingdom. Saruka ran from one battle scene to the next, helping however she could. She didn't want to hurt anyone and she couldn't bring herself to use her Detsuno Destroyer yet. She was afraid, completely and utterly afraid.
Saruka stopped dead in her tracks when she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. Saruka turned quickly to get a better look. It was like the world around her had stopped when the image came into clear view. Saruka fell to her knees unknowingly in a blank state to reason what she was seeing. It was her parents; both sprawled on the ground in a gory image. Their mangled bodies were already rotting and lying in a pool of their own blood. What really got to Saruka was that their fingers were still locked within each other's, uniting their eternal love.
Saruka shook on her knees lost in a trance looking at them. She loved them so much, and it killed her to see their remains. She would never again hold them, never again feel their warmth, their love, ever. Saruka cried as she hugged herself, clutching the DragonLily gem on her necklace. All around her the battle was still raging on, but it all seemed forever silent to her.
Saruka's eyes widened when an enemy unknowingly stepped on her father's body. Saruka looked up to see he was fighting a soldier, and neither seemed to care or worry about the dead. Saruka's eyes glistened with tears as she brought herself to her feet. With out a second thought Saruka was charging at the demon and in with a mix of her hate, anger and sadness Saruka had the soldier's sword in her hand and was swinging it at the demon with great force. She didn't stand still long enough to watch the demon's head fall to the ground, but was already searching for someone else.
Saruka didn't care if she fought friend or foe. Some one was going to die and it wasn't going to be her. Saruka dodged attacks and threw her own right back at the enemy. She took out half a dozen in a single blow, then ran out to the middle of a battle to help there. She hadn't seen any of the other scouts yet, but at the same time didn't care. She was lost in her rage, her first feel of power, pure power.
From the middle of the battle Saruka threw a Detsuno Destroyer out in every direction around her. Black light surrounded her as the force took out everyone in a 20-meter radius. Saruka repeated the attack twice more until every being from as far as she could see was gone.
The air had picked up a deadly silence. Saruka ignored a loud ringing in her ears as she searched for something or someone else to fight, to kill. No one came. Saruka finally let go of the sword she had killed her first man with, then collapsed to her knees. She shook uncontrollably at what she had just done. She had killed, not just killed, but wanted to kill. For this she would pay, she would suffer.
A mighty laugh came from above her. Saruka stubbornly kept her eyes to the ground, and paid for it with a knee in the stomach. When Saruka had stopped sliding on the ground she angrily looked up, then was taken aback in fear. Above her a strange man in a cloud of gray smoke held Aydel. Her eyes were blank and soulless, and had lost the light of her heart. Saruka looked at the man who had kicked her. It was Goxard.
"You!" Saruka growled. She made a move at him, but was thrown back by and invisible force. Saruka yelled out in pain as she hit the ground, but got right back up again and ran forward. The same force hit her. Saruka hit the ground again in pain, and decided to stay there rather than do the same stupid thing.
"Now you're learning." Goxard laughed.
Saruka made a point by not looking at him, and instead looking up at the man with Aydel. "Who are you?" She yelled, "Leave Aydel alone! Please!"
The man put a finger under Aydel's chin and scratched it playfully. "Aw, so the amazing Saruka has feelings."
Saruka didn't understand what he meant by that. "What do you want?" She yelled out, betraying her fear.
"Heh, heh. You ask what I want? Oh yes! I know, you don't remember. Traveling from world to world must really wipe your memory…"
"Look, I don't know who you think I am, but…"
"I know exactly who you are! And don't you dare interrupt me again, or this on will get it!" He pointed to Aydel, holding her by her hair now. Aydel didn't try to get away, or even seem to notice. She just hung there, emotionless.
Saruka slowly tried to get to her feet, but was put down again. She realized what was keeping her down. A dome had been placed around her. Saruka put her hands on the dome, feeling the solid walls around her. She was trapped. Goxard laughed in amusement watching her scramble to get out.
"My lord, do you want me to dispose of her?" Goxard asked to the man in the black cloud.
The man studied Saruka's wide, frightened eyes and smiled, "No, I want her alive when we destroy this planet. We will torture her later."
"No you won't!" A strong voice came from the middle of the field. A shadow figure ran forward to the light. Saruka smiled with unimaginable joy when she realized it was Sailor Moon.
"Sailor Moon!" She called out, pushing against the dome walls. Sailor Moon stopped just before Saruka and looked down at her sailor suit.
Sailor Moon smiled and said, "Congratulations, kid." Then turned to Goxard and the man. Sailor Moon's face didn't change when she saw Aydel, she just stayed determined and ready.
The man's face screwed up into anger when he saw Sailor Moon's face. He yelled out to Goxard, "Kill her!" and the cloud began to move forward toward Saruka's dome.
Goxard smiled wickedly. "My pleasure." He moved forward towards Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon stayed strong in her spot, waiting. Saruka squealed in fear as the man's cloud hovered over her and a black light beamed down towards her.
"Now!!!" Sailor Moon called, jumping to the side. In each of the four directions a sailor scout appeared. Saruka called out in pain as the black light began to swallow her up.
"Mars Eternal Power!" A red light swirled in Mars' hands.
"Jupiter Eternal Power!" A green light swirled in Jupiter's hands.
"Mercury Eternal Power!" A blue light swirled in Mercury's hands.
"Venus Eternal Power!" An orange light swirled in Venus' hands.
Each scout yelled out and as they did a beam of their own light from their soul hurdled through the air towards Saruka's dome. The lights attached themselves to the dome walls and crawled over and up the sides, blocking the black light.
"What?" Saruka heard the man yell. Goxard watched with wide eyes as the black light began to fade. "Goxard!" the man yelled, then a strong beam of black light shot out to Goxard and wrapped around him before sucking him into the cloud.
Sailor Moon's eyes stayed well determined. They met Saruka's before looking back up at the man in the cloud and yelling, "Moon Imperial Power!" A pink light swirled in Sailor Moons hands then bolted upwards towards the cloud of black.
"Scout Rhapsody Power!" They all yelled together. Saruka watched in amazement as the lights began to glow so strong and so bright they blinded her. Saruka felt the scout's power around her and within her. She yearned to be back with her sister, to see her mother and father alive one last time, to live. Her dome turned a dark shade of purple from the mix of the colours, and that was the last thing Saruka saw…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Saruka groaned as she opened her eyes. She couldn't remember what had just happened, she just remembered the light. The purple light. Saruka pushed herself up to her knees, and then to her feet. She wearily looked around at her surroundings. Everyone was gone. All that was left was the broken and destroyed Moon Kingdom.
Saruka looked up to the sky. Above her were thousands of tiny bubbles heading towards the Earth. Saruka stretched from her sleep, then looked down at the ground. She frowned when she saw she was wearing no boots. Not only was she not wearing boots, she wasn't wearing anything! Saruka gasped and looked around for clothes, covering herself up. There was nothing in sight for her to put on.
Saruka suddenly realize that she was missing her necklace, the one Duchess Melody gave her from her mother.
"Little princess," A voice echoed around her. Saruka spun around, looking for the person with the voice. A light was coming from a far end of the castle by a large pile of ruins. Saruka squinted to see what it was, but decided to run there instead. She ran as fast as she could, cutting her bare feet on rocks and ruins. She slowed down as she got closer, reminding herself it could be a trap. Saruka continued to try to keep herself hidden the best she could.
Saruka turned a corner and looked down at the source of the light. There was the Cresent Moon Wand, clasped gently in Queen Serenity's fist. "Queen Serenity?" Saruka asked, unsure.
Queen Serenity gasped for air so she could talk. It was obvious her power was dying. "Little Princess…" she whispered, "You are alive. Thank Hogosha Shigo."
"Queen Sereinty… you're dying." Saruka weakly said, holding back tears. She bent close to Queen Serenity, not bothering to cover her naked self.
"Yes… but with good cause. I have sent the sailors and everyone else to Earth 1000 years from now. There they will live new lives, as new people. I want you to go after them and bring them back here."
"What?" Saruka asked, "That doesn't make sense."
"Our kingdom was too weak to defeat this enemy. I have sent them there to train, to learn. They did good here, and stopped Lord Alzamont for now, but he'll return and go after the Earth. I sent them there along with fictional enemies that they will have to defeat. Each enemy will grow stronger so they must grow stronger to defeat it. Lord Alzamont will get there exactly 22 years after they arrive there, and that will be when you come. I need you to help me… to fulfill prophecy you must!"
"What's the prophecy?" Saruka asked. She began to feel unsure of herself with such an important mission, such a big responsibility.
Queen Serenity smiled and took in a desperate breath, " 'On the night of just, a terror shall arrive. The second born of the evening star must be protected, or all is lost on that night of just. To return the past to its rightful state, send little princess to the wiser and stronger, and she shall prevail, and return to the past'."
Saruka stayed silent as she thought. It sounded so real, and so much like her. She was 'little princess'. Her father started that nickname for her as far back as she can remember. The evening star was Venus, and she was the second born, Mina being the first. Saruka sat back on her heel as she took it all in.
"Little princess," Queen Serenity begged, "this kingdom needs you. Help me right what I have wronged by trusting that Lord Alzamont. Help me return us to the life we all deserve to live."
Saruka nodded and asked, "What do I have to do?"
Queen Serenity breathed heavily as she cried and forced herself to live long enough to answer, "Go to the Outer Planets of this Solar System. Visit and train with each princess of each planet. They know you're coming. Pluto should be your last stop, and that is where you will speed a head to the future and join the scouts there. Spend no more than Earth 2 years on each planet."
Saruka nodded, "I understand. Queen Sereinty, why am I…?"
Queen Serenity smiled, "By being naked shows your pure self, your soul for what it is, and cleanses you internally." Queen Serenity lifted a weak hand and placed it at Saruka's feet. In a swirl of white light a kitten appeared. Around its neck was a transformation pen at Saruka's feet. "Here, you will need this to become Sailor NightStar."
Saruka gasped, "Am I a…?"
"No," Queen Serenity said truthfully. "This does not mean you are not an true scout. I am sorry, but it is only a requirement for the mission at hand. Please forgive me, and good luck little princess. Protect our… future by returning to… the past…"
Queen Serenity's body went limp, and her sad, open eyes endlessly looked at the ground. Saruka touched Queen Serenity's hand sadly, tears now running down her cold face. She placed her face in her hands and wept for the lost, for her sister, for the scouts…
