~Chapter Seven-Evil Reigns No More~
"That's the last of it." Raye put down the cardboard box full of food. Lita put the cooler down as well, and Amy put down the bag of utensils.
"Do they suspect anything?" Mina inquired.
"No." Serena shook her head. "I told Crysta that if they really wanted to learn so much, we were going to have a week-long study group. That should buy us some time."
"They bought it?" Raye snickered.
"Let's just say Crysta was suspicious at first, but I told her if they didn't cooperated, I'd never teach them again."
The other four women blinked in shock, then Raye smiled faintly.
"I told you they respected you, Serena."
* * * * *
A few hours had gone by, but to Serena, it felt like days. She wasn't sure she could pull this off.
"Turn to Chapter Sixteen in your books, Children." Serena said and shuddered inwardly. It didn't seem too long ago now when Miss Haruna was telling her class to do that very same thing.
"Mother, we are aware of your knowledge." Crysta closed her book; the others did the same, in unison. "You are aware of the other towns. So you must be, in some basic sense, aware of who…what…we are."
"Yes." Serena nodded.
"So the question becomes: should you be allowed to live?"
Serena stayed quiet, merely staring at her daughter as she continued. "We must survive no matter what the cost. We are the only ones left now. We must leave here, spread out, disperse." Here, Crysta paused, as if to let her mother absorb it all. Then, she added, "You will arrange a method of getting us away from here."
"What if I refuse?" Serena asked quietly.
"You are a prisoner of your values, and you won't be able to deceive us. You know that, don't you?" Another moment passed, and Crysta added, "We're all the same, you know. Creatures of the Life Force. To survive, we're been set at one another." Serena swallowed.
"That's a cruel sport."
"Life is cruelty."
"I believe differently." Serena shook her head. "Friendship is the key to survival. And love. And compassion." Crysta eyed her mother.
"Why do you think your own survival depends on emotion from us?" She inquired. "Should we pity you? Empathize with your plight?"
"You should feel!" Serena pounded her fist suddenly on her daughter's desk. "You should feel something! Without feelings, you're nothing! You're just second-rate copies of a higher organism! That's right," Serena faced Crysta, "we're your superiors in our capacity to love. Without compassion, you're a doomed species!"
"Emotion is irrelevant; it is not our nature." Crysta remarked.
Serena again swallowed and shook her head, then looked to Laura. Lita's daughter squirmed uneasily in her chair.
"I'm not so sure about that, Crysta."
"Soon we will have reached a stage where we can form new colonies." Crysta cocked her head to one side and smiled sweetly. "Mother…"
"Yes…yes…yes, I know that, Crysta…"
"Make your arrangements. We must leave tonight."
And the Children went back to reading their textbooks.
* * * * *
Laura stared quietly at the aquariums, sighing as she trembled.
"You're thinking of the one who left us." Crysta's calm voice made Laura turn.
"He was to be my partner." She agreed sadly.
"Yes," Crysta admitted, "it's true. Without a mate, you are of lesser importance to us." An angry look shadowed her face. "And your development of emotions is disturbing."
"Laura bit her lip. Crysta had that Look in her eyes again. The same one she had when she hurt her father. It scared Laura; she never knew if or when Crysta would turn on her…
Crysta blinked; almost instantly, her look of anger became a somewhat empathetic gaze. "We can't leave you behind, Laura. It's time we resolve this."
* * * * *
Ken knelt silently behind the shrubs, waiting for the right moment to shoot. Lita had called him the night before, terrified for her daughter and what the Children might do to Serena and the town. Ken would do anything in his power to help Lita, his best friend. Which was why he looked once again through the target of the gun, waiting for a clean shot at Crysta, their leader.
By instinct, Ken tensed up and whirled around. What he saw made his blood run cold.
Adam, Erin, and Dominique stood side by side in front of him, their faces expressionless. Within seconds, their eyes started to glow bright red.
Ken couldn't stop himself from bringing the gun to his throat. Part of him was there when the Children's eyes glowed white, and Ken shook his head. But it was too late.
His finger hesitated over the trigger, then, despite Ken's efforts, he pulled it.
* * * * *
Serena heard a noise from outside that sounded like yelling. She glanced up at the Children for a moment-they hadn't seemed to notice-then went to the nearest window.
Tokyo was nearly deserted, except for a few cars leaving the city. Then, Serena saw them, coming toward the Tokyo Tower.
Sailors Mercury, Mars, and Venus.
"No!" Screamed Serena. She beat on the window, desperately wanting to break it. Without any other option, Serena ran back to the classroom and grabbed her chair. The Children whipped their white heads up in unison, observing her actions. But Serena was too preoccupied with trying to reach her friends to care. She dashed back to the window, pulled the chair up behind her, and brought it forward to crash into the hard glass. Serena dropped the chair immediately and waved her arms. "Mercury, Mars, Venus, please stop!" She pleaded. "They'll kill you!"
Sailor Mercury looked up and saw her friend; a sudden tear came to her eye.
"I'm sorry, Serena. This is the only way." Mercury shouted up.
Serena could only allow her eyes to water and tears stream down her face. It would be impossible to stop them; they wanted more than anything to kill the monsters who "ruled" Tokyo.
"Mother." Crysta's voice made Serena turn. All the Children but Laura stood in front of her. The Children's eyes began to glow. This must be it; they're going to kill me here and now, thought Serena.
She felt her will slip away…
But only so much. Serena found, when the Children's eyes ceased to glow, she still had the ability to control her thoughts. Only, she couldn't move her body freely.
Serena was made to face the window once again; she could see just below the Tower. The Scouts, minus Jupiter, were stationed there, and slowly, the Children came out to stand them down.
"Please, no." Serena whispered. She could do nothing to stop them-any of them. Not anymore.
"Mercury Bubbles…BLAST!" Sailor Mercury called out. The area surrounding Tokyo Tower was engulfed in mist. Mars was prepared for her attack, assuming the bubbles, as always, would impair the Children's vision. She should have known better…
"Mars Firebird…"
Out of the fog of bubbles, eyes glowed. Red, burning eyes.
"Mars, what's wrong? Attack them!" Venus ordered. Sailor Mars blinked, then turned to Mercury. She gasped as Mars completed the attack; Mercury's scream echoed as the fog cleared.
Sailor Venus gave a cry of pain as if she had been attacked, and rushed forward to Mercury's limp form. The Children's eyes continued their glow; Venus could feel the heavy strain on her mind. She faced Sailor Mars, who shook her head, as if to come out of a trance.
"Venus Meteor…SHOWER!"
"My, God, NO!" Serena screeched wildly. Mars was hit with the attack and collapsed, lifelessly, beside Sailor Mercury.
For a moment, Venus, too, seemed to come out of it. She faced the Children; rage filled her own blue eyes. Serena, for the life of her, wanted Venus to run. For all she was worth, she wanted to yell for her friend to get as far away as she could from the Children. But Serena couldn't. It wouldn't do any good.
"Venus Love and Beauty …SHOCK!" Sailor Venus, with all her power, hurled her attack at the Children, only a few yards away. Serena held her breath. She hoped against hope that this attack would make it; the evil would be destroyed.
"Almost there…" Tears came once again to Serena's eyes.
Seconds before the attack found its target, the Children's eyes glowed. Sailor Venus drew in her breath sharply.
The Children sent her Love Shock flying toward her. It was magnified tenfold.
* * * * *
Serena was sobbing when the Children returned to the schoolroom. The instant they were out of the elevator, she turned on them.
"You did it on purpose!"
"Why, mother," Crysta said as she smiled, "whatever do you mean?"
"You little bitch!" Serena itched to sprawl her daughter on the ground, but she knew better.
"Go, mother. We leave tonight, remember."
Crysta and the others went slowly over to their seats, then continued reading their books. Laura met Serena's eyes, and the girl visibly shook.
This had to be settled. Now.
"I'll make your arrangements." Serena agreed before she got into the elevator.
* * * * *
"Crysta?" Laura asked nervously. She barely noticed Adam, quietly standing beside his partner; she was too scared.
"Be at ease, Laura. I have something to show you."
Laura frowned. What was there to see? What was so important that Crysta waited until her mother was gone to let her know?
As in her worst nightmares, Crysta's eyes glowed green, but Laura was soon relieved to find that it wasn't her Crysta was focusing on.
Laura followed Crysta's gaze to a wall in between two aquariums. A picture appeared on the wall, similar to that of a filmstrip.
A white, serene, luminous castle stood boldly in the vision. Then, quickly, the scene changed and Laura gasped.
Donovan was running in the middle of a grand foyer, a smile on his face. Neo-Queen Serenity followed him slowly, her own face clouded with sadness.
"Mother? What's wrong?" Donovan inquired, running back to the queen and taking her hand in his own.
"They're dead…" Serenity answered, her eyes offering only a far-away look. "The Scouts. They were killed in the past…"
"No…" Donovan blinked, tears coming to his eyes, as the news sank in. "Mother, how did they die? What happened to them?"
For a second or so, the queen just stared at the boy. A look of confusion rested upon her face, then one of utter hate that seemed to terrify Donovan. When Neo-Queen Serenity saw the sudden fear and bewilderment in her son's face, she wept openly and fell into Donovan's arms.
The vision ended abruptly. Laura found herself wiping away a tear and swallowing over the tight lump in her throat.
"Do you see?" Crysta queried softly. "Do you see what Setsuna's done? To you, Laura? Setsuna didn't want Donovan, so she let my mother from the future raise him!"
"He…he seems happy there…" Laura lied.
"He could have been with us! He could have been one of us, Laura. You would have had a partner! Don't you see?"
Laura sobbed and turned away. Before Crysta could say more, the girl fled and flung herself into the elevator.
"Should we bring her back?" Adam asked.
"No. She's only going outside." Crysta told him. "When she's no longer emotional," Crysta narrowed her eyes at the word, "she'll come back. If not, we shall retrieve her."
* * * * *
After knocking three times, Serena took a chance and turned the knob. The door to Lita's apartment opened easily; she had to be home.
"Lita? Are you here? Please answer me!"
"I'm here." Lita's voice was barely audible. Serena went into the bedroom and saw her friend, crying on her bed.
"They finally did it." Serena announced solemnly.
"Did what?"
"The Children killed Mercury, Mars, and Venus."
"Oh." Lita merely blinked. She knew Serena had just told her that her best friends were dead. Gone, forever. But Lita had shed so many tears ever since her pregnancy and Ken's death that she could no longer deal with bad news.
"This has to end. Tonight."
"What is there to do?" Lita asked. "If we try to fight back, we'll only get killed. And then what?"
"I know how to stop them." Serena replied. Lita gave her an unbelieving look, and Serena continued. "I thought of Darien. Of the night I gave him my Locket. And the Children couldn't see past it."
Serena grinned suddenly, as if a new energy was sweeping through her. "I can do that again. I can build a wall…" Serena nodded to herself as if she had it all worked out.
"What are you going to do?" Lita inquired, suddenly interested. Serena headed toward the door and sighed.
"The only thing we can do." She explained. Lita gazed at her, puzzled and alarmed from ignorance of what Serena had planned.
Serena looked around the room quickly; she soon spotted the key to the apartment on a table beside the bed. In one, careful stride, she grabbed it and headed back out the bedroom door.
"What are you…Serena?" Lita demanded quietly.
Serena reached the front door just as Lita reached her bedroom door. She opened it, placed the key in the lock, and turned it. Before Lita could protest, Serena said,
"I'm sorry." And left, closing the door behind her. Lita stood there only a moment before rushing to the door and trying desperately to open it. She was left to pound on it furiously.
"No! Not Laura! She's not one of them!"
* * * * *
Serena knew there were explosives at the old Crossroads Junior High building; she could get them easily. Half the building had been leveled years ago, due to not enough children attending to keep it open. Contractors planned on turning the remaining land into a supermarket or something of the like, but once the Children began roaming the streets, the project was called off. Fortunately for me, Serena thought, they forgot their equipment.
Laughing bitterly, she remembered how often she used to wish the Children would find them an, unaware of what explosives were, blow themselves up.
Instantly, Serena stopped her wishful thinking and entered the building. It was hard, climbing over rubble and machinery, but finally, Serena found them. Ten, red sticks of dynamite. Oh, how she would have complained to the City if these had been left where normal children could find them. But the red sticks were an absolute blessing in this situation.
Serena shoved the dynamite into her coat and left as soon as she had come.
* * * * *
Lita continued to pound ruthlessly on the door, wanting more than anything to break it down. When it finally seemed impossible, she sank to her knees, bawling. Serena was going to kill her little girl, along with Crysta and the others.
Her gaze shifted to the window. The fire escape! Lita wiped her tears away and went to the window. Faster than she'd moved since she was a Scout, Lita pushed it open and climbed onto the fire escape. She prayed it wasn't too late to save Laura.
* * * * *
Just before she entered the Tokyo Tower, Serena pulled out the ten sticks of dynamite. She did her best to connect their wicks with small alarm clock she'd set for midnight. Thank God she'd had Amy to help her with Science through the last years of high school!
With all her will, Serena cleared her mind. She'd have to; this couldn't be done twice.
* * * * *
At first, Serena came in silently, as if nothing had happened little more than a half-hour ago. And then…
"More death."
"Survival." Crysta argued.
Serena, rather than waste time going at it with her daughter yet again, sat at her desk chair. "Tell us what arrangements you have made for us."
"Oh, yeah. The arrangements." Serena tried half-heartedly to sound like she'd really forgotten. "Stupid me-on the way here, I must have dropped my keys outside. I wonder if someone could get my keys…from outside…"
She pretended to think about who should go. "Laura?"
Laura stood and began to walk past the desks and toward the elevator.
"No." Crysta rose instantly from her seat. She walked slowly toward her mother, studying her. "I am unable to see what you are thinking."
"I'm just wondering who's going to get my keys. Laura-"
"No!"
All the Children now rose from their seats, advancing on their teacher. "You're successfully blocking your thoughts." The Children lined up, Crysta in the center.
With all her power, Serena thought about the image of Darien, Reenie, and herself in the park. It was enough to build a wall around her mind.
"You're thinking…of a brick wall." Crysta announced.
* * * * *
Lita's ascent in the elevator of Tokyo Tower seemed like an eternity. What was Serena planning to do? How could she possibly get rid of the Children? And, would she kill Laura, too?
The doors finally opened, and Lita eased her way out.
She saw the Children gathered around Serena; her friend looked like she was concentrating, but her face was contorted. My God, she thought, they've got Serena!
Lita shifted her gaze and caught sight of Laura. Her daughter was in the back of the group, visibly trembling.
Lita tiptoed over, closer, closer…she was almost in reach of Laura.
"Why do you keep looking at the clock?" Demanded Crysta from the front.
Just as she touched Laura's jacket, the Children whirled to face Lita. The woman froze. Serena slumped and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Laura, come on." Lita told her daughter. "We're going."
"Mother, no." Laura shook her head.
As Laura looked up at her mother, Lita raised her hands. It was too late.
The Children's eyes glowed green. Lita felt her body paralyze.
"Take your place!" Crysta commanded. Laura reluctantly complied and joined the group. They turned back on Serena before she could blink. The blond cried out as the pressure doubled; their eyes became red.
Lita could move again, and she edged closer to Laura for the second time.
Serena desperately clung to the image and the memory of the picture in her mind. Crysta and the others increased their efforts; their faces glowing white.
Lita reached Laura again and this time grabbed her. She ran with her daughter, headed for the elevator.
The Children whipped around and faced her once again. Lita stiffened and faced them, as well, swallowing. Red, glowing eyes prepared to punish…
"Stop it!" Yelled Laura, charging at Crysta, full speed. "Leave her alone!"
With all her strength, Laura pushed Crysta-who landed on her elbows on the floor, shocked.
"Go! Take her! Go! Now!" Serena ordered. Lita wasted no time. She grabbed Laura's shoulders and they ran to the elevator.
Crysta stood and without hesitation, the Children turned on Serena.
The pressure was worse than anything she'd ever experienced before. Her temples throbbed; her whole body ached.
The clock now read 11:56.
Serena closed her own eyes, trying to focus, but it was in vain. The image was getting harder to keep a hold on in her mind's eye.
The white glow of Crysta's eyes extended to her nose.
11:58.
Serena bit her tongue to keep from screaming.
Slowly, as Crysta's face whole face was engulfed in white light, the "bricks" fell away. Critical mass had been reached. Serena could no longer block her thoughts.
Below, Lita and Laura stepped off the elevator and ran from the Tokyo Tower.
The wall began to crumble rapidly; the Children could see just what was in Serena's jacket pocket. And it was set for midnight.
The Children turned their heads in unison and looked at the clock.
As they did so, the second hand passed the twelve…
Day came to the city as Tokyo Tower exploded. Fire leapt toward the sky; debris flew everywhere. Lita pulled her daughter behind a car on the street, and they waited out the storm.
And for the first time, Laura showed fear. She crumpled in her mother's arms, sobbing.
"That's the last of it." Raye put down the cardboard box full of food. Lita put the cooler down as well, and Amy put down the bag of utensils.
"Do they suspect anything?" Mina inquired.
"No." Serena shook her head. "I told Crysta that if they really wanted to learn so much, we were going to have a week-long study group. That should buy us some time."
"They bought it?" Raye snickered.
"Let's just say Crysta was suspicious at first, but I told her if they didn't cooperated, I'd never teach them again."
The other four women blinked in shock, then Raye smiled faintly.
"I told you they respected you, Serena."
* * * * *
A few hours had gone by, but to Serena, it felt like days. She wasn't sure she could pull this off.
"Turn to Chapter Sixteen in your books, Children." Serena said and shuddered inwardly. It didn't seem too long ago now when Miss Haruna was telling her class to do that very same thing.
"Mother, we are aware of your knowledge." Crysta closed her book; the others did the same, in unison. "You are aware of the other towns. So you must be, in some basic sense, aware of who…what…we are."
"Yes." Serena nodded.
"So the question becomes: should you be allowed to live?"
Serena stayed quiet, merely staring at her daughter as she continued. "We must survive no matter what the cost. We are the only ones left now. We must leave here, spread out, disperse." Here, Crysta paused, as if to let her mother absorb it all. Then, she added, "You will arrange a method of getting us away from here."
"What if I refuse?" Serena asked quietly.
"You are a prisoner of your values, and you won't be able to deceive us. You know that, don't you?" Another moment passed, and Crysta added, "We're all the same, you know. Creatures of the Life Force. To survive, we're been set at one another." Serena swallowed.
"That's a cruel sport."
"Life is cruelty."
"I believe differently." Serena shook her head. "Friendship is the key to survival. And love. And compassion." Crysta eyed her mother.
"Why do you think your own survival depends on emotion from us?" She inquired. "Should we pity you? Empathize with your plight?"
"You should feel!" Serena pounded her fist suddenly on her daughter's desk. "You should feel something! Without feelings, you're nothing! You're just second-rate copies of a higher organism! That's right," Serena faced Crysta, "we're your superiors in our capacity to love. Without compassion, you're a doomed species!"
"Emotion is irrelevant; it is not our nature." Crysta remarked.
Serena again swallowed and shook her head, then looked to Laura. Lita's daughter squirmed uneasily in her chair.
"I'm not so sure about that, Crysta."
"Soon we will have reached a stage where we can form new colonies." Crysta cocked her head to one side and smiled sweetly. "Mother…"
"Yes…yes…yes, I know that, Crysta…"
"Make your arrangements. We must leave tonight."
And the Children went back to reading their textbooks.
* * * * *
Laura stared quietly at the aquariums, sighing as she trembled.
"You're thinking of the one who left us." Crysta's calm voice made Laura turn.
"He was to be my partner." She agreed sadly.
"Yes," Crysta admitted, "it's true. Without a mate, you are of lesser importance to us." An angry look shadowed her face. "And your development of emotions is disturbing."
"Laura bit her lip. Crysta had that Look in her eyes again. The same one she had when she hurt her father. It scared Laura; she never knew if or when Crysta would turn on her…
Crysta blinked; almost instantly, her look of anger became a somewhat empathetic gaze. "We can't leave you behind, Laura. It's time we resolve this."
* * * * *
Ken knelt silently behind the shrubs, waiting for the right moment to shoot. Lita had called him the night before, terrified for her daughter and what the Children might do to Serena and the town. Ken would do anything in his power to help Lita, his best friend. Which was why he looked once again through the target of the gun, waiting for a clean shot at Crysta, their leader.
By instinct, Ken tensed up and whirled around. What he saw made his blood run cold.
Adam, Erin, and Dominique stood side by side in front of him, their faces expressionless. Within seconds, their eyes started to glow bright red.
Ken couldn't stop himself from bringing the gun to his throat. Part of him was there when the Children's eyes glowed white, and Ken shook his head. But it was too late.
His finger hesitated over the trigger, then, despite Ken's efforts, he pulled it.
* * * * *
Serena heard a noise from outside that sounded like yelling. She glanced up at the Children for a moment-they hadn't seemed to notice-then went to the nearest window.
Tokyo was nearly deserted, except for a few cars leaving the city. Then, Serena saw them, coming toward the Tokyo Tower.
Sailors Mercury, Mars, and Venus.
"No!" Screamed Serena. She beat on the window, desperately wanting to break it. Without any other option, Serena ran back to the classroom and grabbed her chair. The Children whipped their white heads up in unison, observing her actions. But Serena was too preoccupied with trying to reach her friends to care. She dashed back to the window, pulled the chair up behind her, and brought it forward to crash into the hard glass. Serena dropped the chair immediately and waved her arms. "Mercury, Mars, Venus, please stop!" She pleaded. "They'll kill you!"
Sailor Mercury looked up and saw her friend; a sudden tear came to her eye.
"I'm sorry, Serena. This is the only way." Mercury shouted up.
Serena could only allow her eyes to water and tears stream down her face. It would be impossible to stop them; they wanted more than anything to kill the monsters who "ruled" Tokyo.
"Mother." Crysta's voice made Serena turn. All the Children but Laura stood in front of her. The Children's eyes began to glow. This must be it; they're going to kill me here and now, thought Serena.
She felt her will slip away…
But only so much. Serena found, when the Children's eyes ceased to glow, she still had the ability to control her thoughts. Only, she couldn't move her body freely.
Serena was made to face the window once again; she could see just below the Tower. The Scouts, minus Jupiter, were stationed there, and slowly, the Children came out to stand them down.
"Please, no." Serena whispered. She could do nothing to stop them-any of them. Not anymore.
"Mercury Bubbles…BLAST!" Sailor Mercury called out. The area surrounding Tokyo Tower was engulfed in mist. Mars was prepared for her attack, assuming the bubbles, as always, would impair the Children's vision. She should have known better…
"Mars Firebird…"
Out of the fog of bubbles, eyes glowed. Red, burning eyes.
"Mars, what's wrong? Attack them!" Venus ordered. Sailor Mars blinked, then turned to Mercury. She gasped as Mars completed the attack; Mercury's scream echoed as the fog cleared.
Sailor Venus gave a cry of pain as if she had been attacked, and rushed forward to Mercury's limp form. The Children's eyes continued their glow; Venus could feel the heavy strain on her mind. She faced Sailor Mars, who shook her head, as if to come out of a trance.
"Venus Meteor…SHOWER!"
"My, God, NO!" Serena screeched wildly. Mars was hit with the attack and collapsed, lifelessly, beside Sailor Mercury.
For a moment, Venus, too, seemed to come out of it. She faced the Children; rage filled her own blue eyes. Serena, for the life of her, wanted Venus to run. For all she was worth, she wanted to yell for her friend to get as far away as she could from the Children. But Serena couldn't. It wouldn't do any good.
"Venus Love and Beauty …SHOCK!" Sailor Venus, with all her power, hurled her attack at the Children, only a few yards away. Serena held her breath. She hoped against hope that this attack would make it; the evil would be destroyed.
"Almost there…" Tears came once again to Serena's eyes.
Seconds before the attack found its target, the Children's eyes glowed. Sailor Venus drew in her breath sharply.
The Children sent her Love Shock flying toward her. It was magnified tenfold.
* * * * *
Serena was sobbing when the Children returned to the schoolroom. The instant they were out of the elevator, she turned on them.
"You did it on purpose!"
"Why, mother," Crysta said as she smiled, "whatever do you mean?"
"You little bitch!" Serena itched to sprawl her daughter on the ground, but she knew better.
"Go, mother. We leave tonight, remember."
Crysta and the others went slowly over to their seats, then continued reading their books. Laura met Serena's eyes, and the girl visibly shook.
This had to be settled. Now.
"I'll make your arrangements." Serena agreed before she got into the elevator.
* * * * *
"Crysta?" Laura asked nervously. She barely noticed Adam, quietly standing beside his partner; she was too scared.
"Be at ease, Laura. I have something to show you."
Laura frowned. What was there to see? What was so important that Crysta waited until her mother was gone to let her know?
As in her worst nightmares, Crysta's eyes glowed green, but Laura was soon relieved to find that it wasn't her Crysta was focusing on.
Laura followed Crysta's gaze to a wall in between two aquariums. A picture appeared on the wall, similar to that of a filmstrip.
A white, serene, luminous castle stood boldly in the vision. Then, quickly, the scene changed and Laura gasped.
Donovan was running in the middle of a grand foyer, a smile on his face. Neo-Queen Serenity followed him slowly, her own face clouded with sadness.
"Mother? What's wrong?" Donovan inquired, running back to the queen and taking her hand in his own.
"They're dead…" Serenity answered, her eyes offering only a far-away look. "The Scouts. They were killed in the past…"
"No…" Donovan blinked, tears coming to his eyes, as the news sank in. "Mother, how did they die? What happened to them?"
For a second or so, the queen just stared at the boy. A look of confusion rested upon her face, then one of utter hate that seemed to terrify Donovan. When Neo-Queen Serenity saw the sudden fear and bewilderment in her son's face, she wept openly and fell into Donovan's arms.
The vision ended abruptly. Laura found herself wiping away a tear and swallowing over the tight lump in her throat.
"Do you see?" Crysta queried softly. "Do you see what Setsuna's done? To you, Laura? Setsuna didn't want Donovan, so she let my mother from the future raise him!"
"He…he seems happy there…" Laura lied.
"He could have been with us! He could have been one of us, Laura. You would have had a partner! Don't you see?"
Laura sobbed and turned away. Before Crysta could say more, the girl fled and flung herself into the elevator.
"Should we bring her back?" Adam asked.
"No. She's only going outside." Crysta told him. "When she's no longer emotional," Crysta narrowed her eyes at the word, "she'll come back. If not, we shall retrieve her."
* * * * *
After knocking three times, Serena took a chance and turned the knob. The door to Lita's apartment opened easily; she had to be home.
"Lita? Are you here? Please answer me!"
"I'm here." Lita's voice was barely audible. Serena went into the bedroom and saw her friend, crying on her bed.
"They finally did it." Serena announced solemnly.
"Did what?"
"The Children killed Mercury, Mars, and Venus."
"Oh." Lita merely blinked. She knew Serena had just told her that her best friends were dead. Gone, forever. But Lita had shed so many tears ever since her pregnancy and Ken's death that she could no longer deal with bad news.
"This has to end. Tonight."
"What is there to do?" Lita asked. "If we try to fight back, we'll only get killed. And then what?"
"I know how to stop them." Serena replied. Lita gave her an unbelieving look, and Serena continued. "I thought of Darien. Of the night I gave him my Locket. And the Children couldn't see past it."
Serena grinned suddenly, as if a new energy was sweeping through her. "I can do that again. I can build a wall…" Serena nodded to herself as if she had it all worked out.
"What are you going to do?" Lita inquired, suddenly interested. Serena headed toward the door and sighed.
"The only thing we can do." She explained. Lita gazed at her, puzzled and alarmed from ignorance of what Serena had planned.
Serena looked around the room quickly; she soon spotted the key to the apartment on a table beside the bed. In one, careful stride, she grabbed it and headed back out the bedroom door.
"What are you…Serena?" Lita demanded quietly.
Serena reached the front door just as Lita reached her bedroom door. She opened it, placed the key in the lock, and turned it. Before Lita could protest, Serena said,
"I'm sorry." And left, closing the door behind her. Lita stood there only a moment before rushing to the door and trying desperately to open it. She was left to pound on it furiously.
"No! Not Laura! She's not one of them!"
* * * * *
Serena knew there were explosives at the old Crossroads Junior High building; she could get them easily. Half the building had been leveled years ago, due to not enough children attending to keep it open. Contractors planned on turning the remaining land into a supermarket or something of the like, but once the Children began roaming the streets, the project was called off. Fortunately for me, Serena thought, they forgot their equipment.
Laughing bitterly, she remembered how often she used to wish the Children would find them an, unaware of what explosives were, blow themselves up.
Instantly, Serena stopped her wishful thinking and entered the building. It was hard, climbing over rubble and machinery, but finally, Serena found them. Ten, red sticks of dynamite. Oh, how she would have complained to the City if these had been left where normal children could find them. But the red sticks were an absolute blessing in this situation.
Serena shoved the dynamite into her coat and left as soon as she had come.
* * * * *
Lita continued to pound ruthlessly on the door, wanting more than anything to break it down. When it finally seemed impossible, she sank to her knees, bawling. Serena was going to kill her little girl, along with Crysta and the others.
Her gaze shifted to the window. The fire escape! Lita wiped her tears away and went to the window. Faster than she'd moved since she was a Scout, Lita pushed it open and climbed onto the fire escape. She prayed it wasn't too late to save Laura.
* * * * *
Just before she entered the Tokyo Tower, Serena pulled out the ten sticks of dynamite. She did her best to connect their wicks with small alarm clock she'd set for midnight. Thank God she'd had Amy to help her with Science through the last years of high school!
With all her will, Serena cleared her mind. She'd have to; this couldn't be done twice.
* * * * *
At first, Serena came in silently, as if nothing had happened little more than a half-hour ago. And then…
"More death."
"Survival." Crysta argued.
Serena, rather than waste time going at it with her daughter yet again, sat at her desk chair. "Tell us what arrangements you have made for us."
"Oh, yeah. The arrangements." Serena tried half-heartedly to sound like she'd really forgotten. "Stupid me-on the way here, I must have dropped my keys outside. I wonder if someone could get my keys…from outside…"
She pretended to think about who should go. "Laura?"
Laura stood and began to walk past the desks and toward the elevator.
"No." Crysta rose instantly from her seat. She walked slowly toward her mother, studying her. "I am unable to see what you are thinking."
"I'm just wondering who's going to get my keys. Laura-"
"No!"
All the Children now rose from their seats, advancing on their teacher. "You're successfully blocking your thoughts." The Children lined up, Crysta in the center.
With all her power, Serena thought about the image of Darien, Reenie, and herself in the park. It was enough to build a wall around her mind.
"You're thinking…of a brick wall." Crysta announced.
* * * * *
Lita's ascent in the elevator of Tokyo Tower seemed like an eternity. What was Serena planning to do? How could she possibly get rid of the Children? And, would she kill Laura, too?
The doors finally opened, and Lita eased her way out.
She saw the Children gathered around Serena; her friend looked like she was concentrating, but her face was contorted. My God, she thought, they've got Serena!
Lita shifted her gaze and caught sight of Laura. Her daughter was in the back of the group, visibly trembling.
Lita tiptoed over, closer, closer…she was almost in reach of Laura.
"Why do you keep looking at the clock?" Demanded Crysta from the front.
Just as she touched Laura's jacket, the Children whirled to face Lita. The woman froze. Serena slumped and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Laura, come on." Lita told her daughter. "We're going."
"Mother, no." Laura shook her head.
As Laura looked up at her mother, Lita raised her hands. It was too late.
The Children's eyes glowed green. Lita felt her body paralyze.
"Take your place!" Crysta commanded. Laura reluctantly complied and joined the group. They turned back on Serena before she could blink. The blond cried out as the pressure doubled; their eyes became red.
Lita could move again, and she edged closer to Laura for the second time.
Serena desperately clung to the image and the memory of the picture in her mind. Crysta and the others increased their efforts; their faces glowing white.
Lita reached Laura again and this time grabbed her. She ran with her daughter, headed for the elevator.
The Children whipped around and faced her once again. Lita stiffened and faced them, as well, swallowing. Red, glowing eyes prepared to punish…
"Stop it!" Yelled Laura, charging at Crysta, full speed. "Leave her alone!"
With all her strength, Laura pushed Crysta-who landed on her elbows on the floor, shocked.
"Go! Take her! Go! Now!" Serena ordered. Lita wasted no time. She grabbed Laura's shoulders and they ran to the elevator.
Crysta stood and without hesitation, the Children turned on Serena.
The pressure was worse than anything she'd ever experienced before. Her temples throbbed; her whole body ached.
The clock now read 11:56.
Serena closed her own eyes, trying to focus, but it was in vain. The image was getting harder to keep a hold on in her mind's eye.
The white glow of Crysta's eyes extended to her nose.
11:58.
Serena bit her tongue to keep from screaming.
Slowly, as Crysta's face whole face was engulfed in white light, the "bricks" fell away. Critical mass had been reached. Serena could no longer block her thoughts.
Below, Lita and Laura stepped off the elevator and ran from the Tokyo Tower.
The wall began to crumble rapidly; the Children could see just what was in Serena's jacket pocket. And it was set for midnight.
The Children turned their heads in unison and looked at the clock.
As they did so, the second hand passed the twelve…
Day came to the city as Tokyo Tower exploded. Fire leapt toward the sky; debris flew everywhere. Lita pulled her daughter behind a car on the street, and they waited out the storm.
And for the first time, Laura showed fear. She crumpled in her mother's arms, sobbing.