Ian sat on the steps at the front of the all-too familiar apartment building. Dawn still had at least fifteen minutes before she'd be late, but he was nonetheless pissed off. He'd been sitting there since 11; Ian had foregone his morning classes in search of Lita, finally resigning himself to waiting it out in a shadier spot. He stood up and began to pace slowly in the shadow of the building, a thousand and one questions spinning through his head. The images he'd seen the night before were still strong in his memory, but he needed to fill in the gaps, and for that he needed Lita.
Patience had never been Ian's strong suit, and the waiting was killing him. He wiped the perspiration from his face and considered removing his jacket, but decided against it. It'd still be hot either way. A bit of movement at the corner of the building caught his eye, and he froze where he stood. Damn. It was the girl from his Calc class, not Dawn. He relaxed slightly and resumed his pacing as she got closer, her arms wrapped around a rather large textbook.
"Hello, Ian," she chirped, forcing a smile onto her face. She knew that Pluto had warned all of them against talking to him until the meeting had started, but she didn't have much of a choice now. If she'd turned and left, he would've suspected something was wrong. For all she knew, he might've transformed then and there to track her down. As much as Amy hated to admit it to herself, all of the girls were a few years out of practice, and Ian frightened her more than this new enemy the others had told her about. She hadn't witnessed either one firsthand, but Ian's appearance was evidence enough that it would take more than just one of them to prevent any damage from being done.
"'Ello." He responded without looking at her, his mouth barely moving as he spoke. "Do you know when Dawn will be here?"
"No, I don't," she replied, a bit hesitantly. "Sorry."
"What about Lita then? You know her, right? Do you know where she might be?" He turned his head to look down at her. "I have to talk to her."
"No. I know she'll be here, though. She's bringing most of the food." Amy gave a tiny nervous smile, panic taking over most of her normally rational thought process. From the questions Ian was asking, she wondered just how much he knew about Lita and the unusual circumstances that connected them. Alone and out of practice, Amy was more than a little worried about waiting in the same vicinity as Ian. The sheen of sweat on his face and massive circles under his eyes didn't lend themselves to improve his appearance, and the way he kept pacing and muttering to himself only made her edgier. "She's a really good cook," she offered as a way to fill in the uncomfortable silence. "I'm sure there'll be plenty there." Ian only grunted a reply; since she couldn't give him the answers he wanted, he obviously didn't want to be bothered with her. "You missed the calc lab session today. I took notes if you'd like to copy them."
Ian looked back at her, his eyes narrowed. "I know the stuff. I shouldn't have a problem missing a class. Thank you anyway." The pleasantries sounded hardly pleasant, as if he was just going through the motions because it was expected. Amy sighed and leaned against the wall, out of the glare of the near-noonday sun.
"Wonderful day, isn't it?" she tried again, and this time Ian simply ignored her. Resigning herself to the fact that he wasn't going to bother her, she opened her textbook and began reading. If she had to sit here and wait, she didn't see anything wrong with getting some work done in the process.
What a day already. The thing with Ian had started well enough, but had taken a downward spiral soon thereafter. His insistence to know Lita's whereabouts combined with Serena's comments fueled her worries. Granted, it could have all been an amazing coincidence, but she didn't find that too likely. The way he'd demanded answers in and out of class, something must have happened. Whatever it was, she wasn't too sure.
Rather than wait around for the girls, Dawn had spent her time on campus looking for one of them. Just her luck, they'd all attended classes that morning and were nowhere to be found. She made a mental note to ask if any of them had cell phones and to get those numbers as soon as possible. Then, it was off to the stores to pick up a few things for lunch and afterwards. She knew Lita was responsible for bringing food, but she wasn't sure about drinks. She snagged a few two-liter bottles of soda just in case there wasn't enough at the apartment. As an afterthought, she grabbed a six pack of Smirnoff Ice to restock her supply… and if Ian's not a complete ass, I might consider sharing. With a bright smile and a low-cut shirt as persuasion, Dawn got out with all of the desired beverages and started on her way home. Someday, the cleavage was a blessing in an incomplete disguise. The mile walk took her a good twenty minutes, with the two bags of groceries and the book bag slung over one shoulder. As she crossed the street, Dawn saw two figures at the steps leading up to the building. One dressed in black paced ominously back and forth while the other sat demurely with her head bent over a book. Dawn shifted the bags in her arms, fishing for her keys as she neared the two. She finally recognized Amy, but the other person wasn't anywhere to be found. Suddenly, both bags were lifted from her arms.
"Where's Lita?" Ian had taken the groceries she'd carried with both arms with one hand and stood above her, frowning. Amy had sat up and was now looking over at the pair anxiously, wondering how much longer Ian could wait before something unexpectedly unpleasant took place.
"She'll be here in about fifteen minutes with the others, I imagine," Dawn answered, fishing her keys out of her pocket "Help me carry this stuff upstairs, and we can wait up there." She looked up at Ian, who stood in her path, unaccustomed to being ordered around by anyone, let alone someone smaller and female. "It's air-conditioned up there, for what it's worth." He nodded in submissive agreement and followed her to the elevator as Amy tucked her book under her arm and followed suit.
"Just leave it on the counter," Dawn called, dumping her bookbag near her desk and turning on her computer monitor. Seconds later, the speakers blared as Godsmack filled the apartment and Ian glanced up with a look of genuine surprise. "What?" Dawn asked with a shrug. "My place, my rules, my music." Barefoot, she slipped into the kitchen as Amy took a spot on the couch, a book still in hand. Ian was inches away from the door when the familiar clink of glass bottles brought him into the tiny kitchenette. Dawn knelt on the floor, stocking the fridge with her recent purchase as she sang along to the music in a soft lilting soprano that seemed a bit out of place.
"Fake ID?" He smirked as she almost dropped one of the bottles.
"Nah, a 36DD tends to accomplish the same things," she remarked, recovering quickly. "If ya stick around long enough, I might feel generous."
"With the bottles or in that position?" he deadpanned.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" she answered in the same wry tone as she looked up. Her eyes were back to their warm chocolate color and had a look of… well, something that Ian didn't want to get into. He had to concentrate on finding Lita and getting some answers to his questions. "You gonna take off that jacket?" she called.
Ian shook his head slightly. No need in getting comfortable; he didn't plan on staying too long once Lita got there.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty minutes later, everyone but Lita had arrived and was sitting in the living room. For a room full of usually giggly university girls, it was far too quiet. Raye, Amy, and Mina shared the couch, while Serena sat on the floor with a pillow in her lap. Ian leaned against the wall in full view of the door, ignoring the television program they'd turned on. Dawn and Rini stood outside on the balcony with Luna, watching for Lita and discussing how to handle the situation.
"He was asking about her this morning?" Luna's expression grew even more concerned as Dawn relayed the events from the physics lecture and what had happened in front of the building when she'd returned home. "And we told her not to say anything to him," she grumbled.
"I don't think she did any of it intentionally," Rini offered, looking over the balcony. "She was kinda withdrawn this morning when we met her for breakfast. She's probably got a lot on her mind now."
"You think?" Dawn couldn't see how these girls managed to live near-normal lives with this Sailor thing hanging over their heads. It was such a distraction, but nothing compared to what Lita had learned the night before. "She might just be a little…" Her voice trailed off as she saw Ian move towards the door inside. Shit. Quickly, she opened the glass door and rushed inside, only to be met by Ian once again, carry a few bags as Lita followed behind, somewhat stunned.
"You're finally here," Dawn spoke with a smile, quick to step between Lita and the walking black wall that carried her groceries. "Thanks so much for making lunch, Mina's raved about your cooking for forever –"
"I need to talk to you." Ian's voice rumbled from the kitchenette, cutting off Dawn's attempt to lighten the mood and silencing the whispers from the girls on the couch. "Privately," he added.
"After lunch." Dawn stepped towards him, much to the horror of the others in the room. "You can just hang on and wait a little longer."
"Dawn, really –" Lita stammered, looking back and forth between her and Ian, whose right hand had balled into a fist as his eyes narrowed. "That's okay, I'm sure we can –"
"Now." It was growled through clenched teeth and directed at the only person in the room who didn't seem to be threatened by him. Cocky bitch. "Move."
Dawn's jaw clenched and she stepped a bit closer, having to lift her chin to look him in the eye. "My place, my rules, and I have the cops on speed-dial," she hissed in English through her teeth. "You might have everybody else shaking, but I am not afraid of you." The last statement was a boldface lie, but it was spoken emphatically; besides, she was about ready for a fight. The concept of losing just hadn't occurred to her yet.
"I think lunch can wait." Luna leapt onto the counter so she could speak to both of them a little more easily. "It's Ian, isn't it?"
"What the FUCK?" Ian nearly fell over the counter in surprise. Instead, he ended up on his ass on the linoleum floor of the kitchen. "Did the cat just talk or I am I flipping out?" he demanded with more than a hint of fear in his voice. Despite the air conditioning, a fresh sheen of sweat broke out across his forehead.
"That's Luna," Rini called from the safety of the other side of the room. "You knew her once and we'd like her to try something with you… if that's all right," she added after a moment.
"Fuck, no," he shot back, still on the floor. "No talking cat's gonna do anything to me."
Lita brushed past Dawn gently and stood next to Ian, looking down at him. "Just give it a chance," she coaxed. "It's not going to hurt you."
"If anything, it'll answer your questions better than any of us can," Amy offered in her ever logical tone.
"W-w-what the fuck is going on here?" he asked Lita. Before she could answer, the cat leapt from the counter to the floor and sat next to him.
"I'd like to try a mind meld," Luna said crisply. "It should awaken your memories as Luciender, prince of Jupiter. It's the simplest method to fully answer all of your questions."
Ian looked up at Lita, who offered him a small smile. The rest of the girls stared in shock, with the exception of Dawn who leaned against the sink with a smug grin on her face. That did it… no self-righteous Yank bitch was gonna win this one. Getting to his feet, he ignored her and directed his attention to the cat, who had leapt back onto the counter. "All right then, cat. Let's go."
"Sit over there," Luna directed, nodding at the sofa. Lita followed Ian and sat beside him, as the rest of the girls took seats on the carpet. Dawn remained standing, arms folded across her chest as she regarded Ian with the same smug grin. At this point, she could afford to gloat a bit.
"Ready?" The cat stood on the coffee table, the yellow crescent clearly visible on its forehead.
"Gimme what you got, cat." Nothing to lose.
Luna bowed her head, the crescent becoming brighter as the symbol of Jupiter shone under a shock of bright blue hair on Ian's forehead. With a flash of silver, the same symbol appeared on Lita's forehead as well. Ian's dark eyes closed as a gold beam connected Luna's crescent to the bright symbol on his forehead, a flood of images rushing at him all at once.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A young woman with jet black hair and green eyes smiled down, the arms of a tall distinguished gentleman wrapped around her shoulders as he grinned with fatherly pride… his parents, and yet not his parents, they had loved him and sheltered him once long ago… the calm image shot ahead to the same woman watching him in a courtyard as he trained alongside his father, the two year old child expertly mimicking the parry and thrust the older man performed, with the woman's silvery laughter echoing off of the stone walls… ten years later, a young man hard at work under the supervision of the finest blacksmith, the sword in his hand glinting in the afternoon sun as it cleaved a brick neatly in two… and then, the lake again, three years later.
He held a newborn girl in his arms, the soft pink blanket a stark contrast to the hunter green finery of the sword masters of Jupiter's kingdom. The young prince cradled the child in his arms, the dawn of a new day welcoming the new princess into the universe. Luciender swore he would be his sister's champion, vowing to protect her at all costs. With a tender kiss to her forehead, he smiled lovingly as the child's eyes gazed up at him in wonder and trust… and just as suddenly, the calm peace of the scene was broken.
A loud and heated argument with a young woman in the middle of an enormous study, maps and military schematics scattered throughout the room… he called her Serenity, and demanded to know why she wouldn't aide the legions engaged in battle on Earth, why she refused to honor the alliance that the he had sworn to keep… preoccupied with her own daughter, she seemed unsure of the strength of the Moon's armies and refused to commit her forces to what she saw as a suicide mission… despite the young man's earnest pleas and insistence for the need to honor the treaties, she rejected his proposal of military support, saying that the armies of the Moon Kingdom could not support such a desperate and futile cause…
And then, the battle… alone in their efforts, the legions under the command of Jupiter's royal family were crushed in a fierce and bloody ambush, captured by the mages and warriors committed to the overthrow of the Earth kingdom… the armored soldiers carrying his father and mother to the crude platform in the center of the clearing… the black-robed arch mage who held Luciender's own sword aloft above the heads of the people in the crowd… the stifled cries of his mother as she saw her husband fall limply to the ground… and his own cry at the sight of his parents offered up in sacrifice to a nameless deity as the enemy legions cheered in triumph.
As suddenly as the cheering had begun, it was silenced as a monster grew in their midst. True to the legendary curse upon the House of Jupiter, Luciender had assumed the shape of a winged man-beast and turned upon his captors. Soldiers and mages became corpses in the berserker frenzy that ensued, as the DarkWing blood coursed through Luciender's veins. The sorcerer on the wooden platform stared in horror as a scaly claw tore through fabric and flesh, as the other arm swung the blade that swiftly beheaded him. Luciender lifted his mother gently and drew his wings around himself, weeping.
Hours later, stumbling through the darkness towards the main city of the Earth kingdom… as the last commanding officer of the Sol Alliance, it was Luciender's duty to find the remaining legions of the alliance and retake the kingdom. The streets of the main city were in ruin, bodies strewn on the cobblestone grisly proof of the bloodbath that had ensued in the Moon Kingdom's absence. A child's scream pierced the cold silence, and Luciender's instinct led him to a makeshift camp outside the gates. The white robes of the priestesses were stained crimson, as were the bodies of the guards that surrounded the tents and wagons. Luciender recognized the face of the head priestess of Babylon, caught in a silent scream as she lay motionless on the ground. The scream came again, from a large chest beneath an overturned supply wagon. One swing of the sword shattered the lock on the chest, and Luciender opened it to see the red screaming face of an infant only days old, an ornate amulet tucked into its blanket. At the sight of another person, the baby's cries quieted as the young man stared, somewhat bewildered. Sheathing the sword, he lifted the tiny girl and cradled her in his arms as he resumed his more terrifying winged form. Asleep, the child made no notice of the beast that held it as it took flight.
Serenity, again… trembling as the creature charged into the atrium where the rest of the ruling families of the Sol system sat while their children played. Ignoring their reactions, it thrust the still-sleeping infant into the hands of a woman with long green hair. Just as suddenly, it picked up the two year old princess of Jupiter, who cried loudly at the sight of it. Realizing what he'd done, Luciender resumed his human form to try and calm his terrified sister.
"Shhhh, it's okay," he soothed, holding back his own tears. "It's me, it's all right. I'll take care of you." He kissed her on the forehead as her sobs subsided into a gentle yet somewhat desperate hug. Arms wrapped tightly around her, Luciender turned to leave.
"Where are you taking her?" Serenity demanded, moving quickly to block his path.
"Home. Back to Jupiter's kingdom to assume my father's throne and plot the death of the Moon Kingdom and all you hold dear." Gone was the tender and loving demeanor, as Luciender placed his baby sister on the floor behind him. She stood at his side, clinging to his bloodied trouser leg with a strangely calm expression on her tiny face. "Our parents died on that planet due to your cowardice," he accused. "I'm not about to leave my sister to suffer the same fate under your so-called protection."
"The princess stays here," Serenity replied firmly. "You do not have the capacity or the maturity to care for a child. You're little more than a child yourself, Luciender."
Dark eyes narrowed, he pulled the still bloodied sword from its scabbard and raised it above his head. "So be it, Serenity. Jupiter Lightning Dragon Strike!" From the tip of the sword poured forth a gigantic dragon, a shower of sparks raining down around the heirs of Jupiter. The dragon came to rest in front of Serenity, its massive wings shielding Lita and Luciender from the rest of the royal leaders who now stood behind the young Queen. With a slight nod from the vengeful Prince, the dragon leapt forward, the single bolt passing through Serenity and nearly killing her. He lowered the sword, regarding each of the other leaders in turn. "Now allow me and my sister to return to our home." His dark eyes filled with tears as he picked up Lita, her arms firmly clasped about his neck.
"You must leave the princess here," the woman holding the child from the Earth Kingdom replied. "It is not time for her to return."
"I'd rather die here and now. I will not return without her," he shouted, his voice overcome with grief. Luciender attempted the transformation, but the earlier attacks had drained any remaining strength from him. There was nothing left but the cold steel floor of the dungeon.
The images came faster, angrier… the Imperial courts pronouncing banishment, passing the throne of Jupiter to the House of the Moon Kingdom, and forbidding him to ever see his sister again… his sister's screams as they took her out of the room… arriving on the Styxian colonies and transforming into his DarkWing form, resolving to remain as such until he could be reunited with his beautiful and now lost sister who would be brought up to forget he ever existed.
The explosions on Earth and a mighty blackness racing towards the moon… he set off for the dimming sphere, ignoring the warnings that had been placed upon him years ago. His sister's safety and well-being were paramount. The palace grounds in ruin, he came through the glass ceiling, alighting near the crumpled and almost lifeless body of Serenity. With a clawed hand, he lifted her to demand a single question.
"Where's my sister?" No response issued from her dry lips, so he repeated the question, roaring. A silvery voice greeted his thoughts, Serenity finding the strength to communicate with him on a more intimate level.
"I sent her on to Earth's future."
"Send me to protect her."
"I can't," the voice replied weakly. "There's no time left…"
"Send me," he repeated, his grip tightening. "Or so help me, Serenity…" The Queen raised a hand to the creature, her fingers glowing softly as she prepared to release him to the time beyond… and Luciender fell away to blackness, never to see the kingdom of the Moon again.
Patience had never been Ian's strong suit, and the waiting was killing him. He wiped the perspiration from his face and considered removing his jacket, but decided against it. It'd still be hot either way. A bit of movement at the corner of the building caught his eye, and he froze where he stood. Damn. It was the girl from his Calc class, not Dawn. He relaxed slightly and resumed his pacing as she got closer, her arms wrapped around a rather large textbook.
"Hello, Ian," she chirped, forcing a smile onto her face. She knew that Pluto had warned all of them against talking to him until the meeting had started, but she didn't have much of a choice now. If she'd turned and left, he would've suspected something was wrong. For all she knew, he might've transformed then and there to track her down. As much as Amy hated to admit it to herself, all of the girls were a few years out of practice, and Ian frightened her more than this new enemy the others had told her about. She hadn't witnessed either one firsthand, but Ian's appearance was evidence enough that it would take more than just one of them to prevent any damage from being done.
"'Ello." He responded without looking at her, his mouth barely moving as he spoke. "Do you know when Dawn will be here?"
"No, I don't," she replied, a bit hesitantly. "Sorry."
"What about Lita then? You know her, right? Do you know where she might be?" He turned his head to look down at her. "I have to talk to her."
"No. I know she'll be here, though. She's bringing most of the food." Amy gave a tiny nervous smile, panic taking over most of her normally rational thought process. From the questions Ian was asking, she wondered just how much he knew about Lita and the unusual circumstances that connected them. Alone and out of practice, Amy was more than a little worried about waiting in the same vicinity as Ian. The sheen of sweat on his face and massive circles under his eyes didn't lend themselves to improve his appearance, and the way he kept pacing and muttering to himself only made her edgier. "She's a really good cook," she offered as a way to fill in the uncomfortable silence. "I'm sure there'll be plenty there." Ian only grunted a reply; since she couldn't give him the answers he wanted, he obviously didn't want to be bothered with her. "You missed the calc lab session today. I took notes if you'd like to copy them."
Ian looked back at her, his eyes narrowed. "I know the stuff. I shouldn't have a problem missing a class. Thank you anyway." The pleasantries sounded hardly pleasant, as if he was just going through the motions because it was expected. Amy sighed and leaned against the wall, out of the glare of the near-noonday sun.
"Wonderful day, isn't it?" she tried again, and this time Ian simply ignored her. Resigning herself to the fact that he wasn't going to bother her, she opened her textbook and began reading. If she had to sit here and wait, she didn't see anything wrong with getting some work done in the process.
What a day already. The thing with Ian had started well enough, but had taken a downward spiral soon thereafter. His insistence to know Lita's whereabouts combined with Serena's comments fueled her worries. Granted, it could have all been an amazing coincidence, but she didn't find that too likely. The way he'd demanded answers in and out of class, something must have happened. Whatever it was, she wasn't too sure.
Rather than wait around for the girls, Dawn had spent her time on campus looking for one of them. Just her luck, they'd all attended classes that morning and were nowhere to be found. She made a mental note to ask if any of them had cell phones and to get those numbers as soon as possible. Then, it was off to the stores to pick up a few things for lunch and afterwards. She knew Lita was responsible for bringing food, but she wasn't sure about drinks. She snagged a few two-liter bottles of soda just in case there wasn't enough at the apartment. As an afterthought, she grabbed a six pack of Smirnoff Ice to restock her supply… and if Ian's not a complete ass, I might consider sharing. With a bright smile and a low-cut shirt as persuasion, Dawn got out with all of the desired beverages and started on her way home. Someday, the cleavage was a blessing in an incomplete disguise. The mile walk took her a good twenty minutes, with the two bags of groceries and the book bag slung over one shoulder. As she crossed the street, Dawn saw two figures at the steps leading up to the building. One dressed in black paced ominously back and forth while the other sat demurely with her head bent over a book. Dawn shifted the bags in her arms, fishing for her keys as she neared the two. She finally recognized Amy, but the other person wasn't anywhere to be found. Suddenly, both bags were lifted from her arms.
"Where's Lita?" Ian had taken the groceries she'd carried with both arms with one hand and stood above her, frowning. Amy had sat up and was now looking over at the pair anxiously, wondering how much longer Ian could wait before something unexpectedly unpleasant took place.
"She'll be here in about fifteen minutes with the others, I imagine," Dawn answered, fishing her keys out of her pocket "Help me carry this stuff upstairs, and we can wait up there." She looked up at Ian, who stood in her path, unaccustomed to being ordered around by anyone, let alone someone smaller and female. "It's air-conditioned up there, for what it's worth." He nodded in submissive agreement and followed her to the elevator as Amy tucked her book under her arm and followed suit.
"Just leave it on the counter," Dawn called, dumping her bookbag near her desk and turning on her computer monitor. Seconds later, the speakers blared as Godsmack filled the apartment and Ian glanced up with a look of genuine surprise. "What?" Dawn asked with a shrug. "My place, my rules, my music." Barefoot, she slipped into the kitchen as Amy took a spot on the couch, a book still in hand. Ian was inches away from the door when the familiar clink of glass bottles brought him into the tiny kitchenette. Dawn knelt on the floor, stocking the fridge with her recent purchase as she sang along to the music in a soft lilting soprano that seemed a bit out of place.
"Fake ID?" He smirked as she almost dropped one of the bottles.
"Nah, a 36DD tends to accomplish the same things," she remarked, recovering quickly. "If ya stick around long enough, I might feel generous."
"With the bottles or in that position?" he deadpanned.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" she answered in the same wry tone as she looked up. Her eyes were back to their warm chocolate color and had a look of… well, something that Ian didn't want to get into. He had to concentrate on finding Lita and getting some answers to his questions. "You gonna take off that jacket?" she called.
Ian shook his head slightly. No need in getting comfortable; he didn't plan on staying too long once Lita got there.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty minutes later, everyone but Lita had arrived and was sitting in the living room. For a room full of usually giggly university girls, it was far too quiet. Raye, Amy, and Mina shared the couch, while Serena sat on the floor with a pillow in her lap. Ian leaned against the wall in full view of the door, ignoring the television program they'd turned on. Dawn and Rini stood outside on the balcony with Luna, watching for Lita and discussing how to handle the situation.
"He was asking about her this morning?" Luna's expression grew even more concerned as Dawn relayed the events from the physics lecture and what had happened in front of the building when she'd returned home. "And we told her not to say anything to him," she grumbled.
"I don't think she did any of it intentionally," Rini offered, looking over the balcony. "She was kinda withdrawn this morning when we met her for breakfast. She's probably got a lot on her mind now."
"You think?" Dawn couldn't see how these girls managed to live near-normal lives with this Sailor thing hanging over their heads. It was such a distraction, but nothing compared to what Lita had learned the night before. "She might just be a little…" Her voice trailed off as she saw Ian move towards the door inside. Shit. Quickly, she opened the glass door and rushed inside, only to be met by Ian once again, carry a few bags as Lita followed behind, somewhat stunned.
"You're finally here," Dawn spoke with a smile, quick to step between Lita and the walking black wall that carried her groceries. "Thanks so much for making lunch, Mina's raved about your cooking for forever –"
"I need to talk to you." Ian's voice rumbled from the kitchenette, cutting off Dawn's attempt to lighten the mood and silencing the whispers from the girls on the couch. "Privately," he added.
"After lunch." Dawn stepped towards him, much to the horror of the others in the room. "You can just hang on and wait a little longer."
"Dawn, really –" Lita stammered, looking back and forth between her and Ian, whose right hand had balled into a fist as his eyes narrowed. "That's okay, I'm sure we can –"
"Now." It was growled through clenched teeth and directed at the only person in the room who didn't seem to be threatened by him. Cocky bitch. "Move."
Dawn's jaw clenched and she stepped a bit closer, having to lift her chin to look him in the eye. "My place, my rules, and I have the cops on speed-dial," she hissed in English through her teeth. "You might have everybody else shaking, but I am not afraid of you." The last statement was a boldface lie, but it was spoken emphatically; besides, she was about ready for a fight. The concept of losing just hadn't occurred to her yet.
"I think lunch can wait." Luna leapt onto the counter so she could speak to both of them a little more easily. "It's Ian, isn't it?"
"What the FUCK?" Ian nearly fell over the counter in surprise. Instead, he ended up on his ass on the linoleum floor of the kitchen. "Did the cat just talk or I am I flipping out?" he demanded with more than a hint of fear in his voice. Despite the air conditioning, a fresh sheen of sweat broke out across his forehead.
"That's Luna," Rini called from the safety of the other side of the room. "You knew her once and we'd like her to try something with you… if that's all right," she added after a moment.
"Fuck, no," he shot back, still on the floor. "No talking cat's gonna do anything to me."
Lita brushed past Dawn gently and stood next to Ian, looking down at him. "Just give it a chance," she coaxed. "It's not going to hurt you."
"If anything, it'll answer your questions better than any of us can," Amy offered in her ever logical tone.
"W-w-what the fuck is going on here?" he asked Lita. Before she could answer, the cat leapt from the counter to the floor and sat next to him.
"I'd like to try a mind meld," Luna said crisply. "It should awaken your memories as Luciender, prince of Jupiter. It's the simplest method to fully answer all of your questions."
Ian looked up at Lita, who offered him a small smile. The rest of the girls stared in shock, with the exception of Dawn who leaned against the sink with a smug grin on her face. That did it… no self-righteous Yank bitch was gonna win this one. Getting to his feet, he ignored her and directed his attention to the cat, who had leapt back onto the counter. "All right then, cat. Let's go."
"Sit over there," Luna directed, nodding at the sofa. Lita followed Ian and sat beside him, as the rest of the girls took seats on the carpet. Dawn remained standing, arms folded across her chest as she regarded Ian with the same smug grin. At this point, she could afford to gloat a bit.
"Ready?" The cat stood on the coffee table, the yellow crescent clearly visible on its forehead.
"Gimme what you got, cat." Nothing to lose.
Luna bowed her head, the crescent becoming brighter as the symbol of Jupiter shone under a shock of bright blue hair on Ian's forehead. With a flash of silver, the same symbol appeared on Lita's forehead as well. Ian's dark eyes closed as a gold beam connected Luna's crescent to the bright symbol on his forehead, a flood of images rushing at him all at once.
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A young woman with jet black hair and green eyes smiled down, the arms of a tall distinguished gentleman wrapped around her shoulders as he grinned with fatherly pride… his parents, and yet not his parents, they had loved him and sheltered him once long ago… the calm image shot ahead to the same woman watching him in a courtyard as he trained alongside his father, the two year old child expertly mimicking the parry and thrust the older man performed, with the woman's silvery laughter echoing off of the stone walls… ten years later, a young man hard at work under the supervision of the finest blacksmith, the sword in his hand glinting in the afternoon sun as it cleaved a brick neatly in two… and then, the lake again, three years later.
He held a newborn girl in his arms, the soft pink blanket a stark contrast to the hunter green finery of the sword masters of Jupiter's kingdom. The young prince cradled the child in his arms, the dawn of a new day welcoming the new princess into the universe. Luciender swore he would be his sister's champion, vowing to protect her at all costs. With a tender kiss to her forehead, he smiled lovingly as the child's eyes gazed up at him in wonder and trust… and just as suddenly, the calm peace of the scene was broken.
A loud and heated argument with a young woman in the middle of an enormous study, maps and military schematics scattered throughout the room… he called her Serenity, and demanded to know why she wouldn't aide the legions engaged in battle on Earth, why she refused to honor the alliance that the he had sworn to keep… preoccupied with her own daughter, she seemed unsure of the strength of the Moon's armies and refused to commit her forces to what she saw as a suicide mission… despite the young man's earnest pleas and insistence for the need to honor the treaties, she rejected his proposal of military support, saying that the armies of the Moon Kingdom could not support such a desperate and futile cause…
And then, the battle… alone in their efforts, the legions under the command of Jupiter's royal family were crushed in a fierce and bloody ambush, captured by the mages and warriors committed to the overthrow of the Earth kingdom… the armored soldiers carrying his father and mother to the crude platform in the center of the clearing… the black-robed arch mage who held Luciender's own sword aloft above the heads of the people in the crowd… the stifled cries of his mother as she saw her husband fall limply to the ground… and his own cry at the sight of his parents offered up in sacrifice to a nameless deity as the enemy legions cheered in triumph.
As suddenly as the cheering had begun, it was silenced as a monster grew in their midst. True to the legendary curse upon the House of Jupiter, Luciender had assumed the shape of a winged man-beast and turned upon his captors. Soldiers and mages became corpses in the berserker frenzy that ensued, as the DarkWing blood coursed through Luciender's veins. The sorcerer on the wooden platform stared in horror as a scaly claw tore through fabric and flesh, as the other arm swung the blade that swiftly beheaded him. Luciender lifted his mother gently and drew his wings around himself, weeping.
Hours later, stumbling through the darkness towards the main city of the Earth kingdom… as the last commanding officer of the Sol Alliance, it was Luciender's duty to find the remaining legions of the alliance and retake the kingdom. The streets of the main city were in ruin, bodies strewn on the cobblestone grisly proof of the bloodbath that had ensued in the Moon Kingdom's absence. A child's scream pierced the cold silence, and Luciender's instinct led him to a makeshift camp outside the gates. The white robes of the priestesses were stained crimson, as were the bodies of the guards that surrounded the tents and wagons. Luciender recognized the face of the head priestess of Babylon, caught in a silent scream as she lay motionless on the ground. The scream came again, from a large chest beneath an overturned supply wagon. One swing of the sword shattered the lock on the chest, and Luciender opened it to see the red screaming face of an infant only days old, an ornate amulet tucked into its blanket. At the sight of another person, the baby's cries quieted as the young man stared, somewhat bewildered. Sheathing the sword, he lifted the tiny girl and cradled her in his arms as he resumed his more terrifying winged form. Asleep, the child made no notice of the beast that held it as it took flight.
Serenity, again… trembling as the creature charged into the atrium where the rest of the ruling families of the Sol system sat while their children played. Ignoring their reactions, it thrust the still-sleeping infant into the hands of a woman with long green hair. Just as suddenly, it picked up the two year old princess of Jupiter, who cried loudly at the sight of it. Realizing what he'd done, Luciender resumed his human form to try and calm his terrified sister.
"Shhhh, it's okay," he soothed, holding back his own tears. "It's me, it's all right. I'll take care of you." He kissed her on the forehead as her sobs subsided into a gentle yet somewhat desperate hug. Arms wrapped tightly around her, Luciender turned to leave.
"Where are you taking her?" Serenity demanded, moving quickly to block his path.
"Home. Back to Jupiter's kingdom to assume my father's throne and plot the death of the Moon Kingdom and all you hold dear." Gone was the tender and loving demeanor, as Luciender placed his baby sister on the floor behind him. She stood at his side, clinging to his bloodied trouser leg with a strangely calm expression on her tiny face. "Our parents died on that planet due to your cowardice," he accused. "I'm not about to leave my sister to suffer the same fate under your so-called protection."
"The princess stays here," Serenity replied firmly. "You do not have the capacity or the maturity to care for a child. You're little more than a child yourself, Luciender."
Dark eyes narrowed, he pulled the still bloodied sword from its scabbard and raised it above his head. "So be it, Serenity. Jupiter Lightning Dragon Strike!" From the tip of the sword poured forth a gigantic dragon, a shower of sparks raining down around the heirs of Jupiter. The dragon came to rest in front of Serenity, its massive wings shielding Lita and Luciender from the rest of the royal leaders who now stood behind the young Queen. With a slight nod from the vengeful Prince, the dragon leapt forward, the single bolt passing through Serenity and nearly killing her. He lowered the sword, regarding each of the other leaders in turn. "Now allow me and my sister to return to our home." His dark eyes filled with tears as he picked up Lita, her arms firmly clasped about his neck.
"You must leave the princess here," the woman holding the child from the Earth Kingdom replied. "It is not time for her to return."
"I'd rather die here and now. I will not return without her," he shouted, his voice overcome with grief. Luciender attempted the transformation, but the earlier attacks had drained any remaining strength from him. There was nothing left but the cold steel floor of the dungeon.
The images came faster, angrier… the Imperial courts pronouncing banishment, passing the throne of Jupiter to the House of the Moon Kingdom, and forbidding him to ever see his sister again… his sister's screams as they took her out of the room… arriving on the Styxian colonies and transforming into his DarkWing form, resolving to remain as such until he could be reunited with his beautiful and now lost sister who would be brought up to forget he ever existed.
The explosions on Earth and a mighty blackness racing towards the moon… he set off for the dimming sphere, ignoring the warnings that had been placed upon him years ago. His sister's safety and well-being were paramount. The palace grounds in ruin, he came through the glass ceiling, alighting near the crumpled and almost lifeless body of Serenity. With a clawed hand, he lifted her to demand a single question.
"Where's my sister?" No response issued from her dry lips, so he repeated the question, roaring. A silvery voice greeted his thoughts, Serenity finding the strength to communicate with him on a more intimate level.
"I sent her on to Earth's future."
"Send me to protect her."
"I can't," the voice replied weakly. "There's no time left…"
"Send me," he repeated, his grip tightening. "Or so help me, Serenity…" The Queen raised a hand to the creature, her fingers glowing softly as she prepared to release him to the time beyond… and Luciender fell away to blackness, never to see the kingdom of the Moon again.