A Window in Time
The Guardsman Chronicles, Chapter One
by Rick Federle
"Wow oh wow, major sugar rush." Serena babbled
enthusiastically as she plopped down, nearly spilling the contents of
her arms all over the table and it's occupants.
The others at the table were in various states of quasi-bored
relaxed positions. They had not yet gone shopping, so there were
no shopping bags for Serena to trip over, which would have
guaranteed she'd spill it.
"Is it really necessary for you to eat all that?" Raye glared
across the table at Serena as she looked over.
"Oh, come on, Raye." Serena said around a mouthful of
double fudge chocolate ice cream. "I'm busy. I've got to eat."
"Yeah, but you eat enough for all five of us." Raye
criticized.
"Oh, come on, Raye." Mina interrupted from where she
was sitting next to Serena. "You're just jealous because Serena
never seems to gain a pound whereas you look at food and you gain
weight."
Raye shot to her feet. "I do not."
"Oh, sit down, Raye. Mina was just teasing you." Lita put
in from Raye's right, leaning back in her chair. She waited until
Raye sat back down before continuing with a twinkle in her right
eye. "Even if you are gaining a few pounds."
"Ooh." Raye growled, covering her annoyance with a drink
of soda. "I give up."
"You keep saying that and you keep doing it anyway."
Amy reminded her from Serena's left.
"I can if I want to." Raye huffed jokingly.
"Hunk alert, three o'clock." Lita interrupted and four heads
turned to look where Lita had indicated. A well muscled and
tanned man about twenty walked through the tables.
"He's not bad." Serena commented. "But he's not Darien."
"Somehow I expected you to say that." Amy remarked, her
eyes casually measuring the man.
"Hey, Mina, what do you think? Major hunk, huh?" Lita
asked.
"He's ok, I guess." Mina remarked absently, returning her
attention to her drink on the table in front of her.
Four sets of eyes snapped around and locked onto her.
"Our boy crazy Mina not interested?" Amy observed.
"Yeah," Lita added. "Are you ok, girlfriend?"
"I'm just not interested." Mina fastened her eyes on her
drink. "What?" She asked looking up and around the table at
them. "If I don't drool over every guy I see you think something's
wrong?"
"More or less, yes." Serena mumbled around a hot fudge
sundae.
"Thanks a lot." Mina commented, dropping her eyes back
to her drink.
The only sound at the table for a few minutes was the
various munching and slurping sounds given off by Serena as she
ate, the others contented themselves with polishing off their drinks.
Serena looked up at them, wiping her ice cream-covered mouth
with a napkin. "Finished." She informed them. "Let's go
shopping." The five gathered up the various empty containers and
deposited them in a nearby garbage receptacle.
"All right, where are we going first?" Serena asked from
the middle of the group as the five left the foot court. Mina and
Lita trailed a step or so behind the other three as they walked. Lita
would occasionally elbow her blond friend gently and discretely
pointed out guys to her. Mina would glance at them and just shrug.
"Well, I need to go to the bookstore." Amy told them.
"More books? Amy don't you ever do anything but study?"
Serena asked in that half whiny tone she adopted several years
earlier.
"Of course I do more than study." Amy reminded her.
"You, on the other hand, won't graduate next year if you don't start
studying more."
"But you're such a great tutor, Amy." Serena told her. "If I
study more, I won't be able to see you as much."
Amy shook her blue haired head in dismay. "If you don't
graduate, what will Darien think?"
Serena's eyes took on that special twinkle they got
whenever Darien's name came up. "He'll love me anyway."
Raye rolled her eyes but said nothing. "Well, I want to get
a new dress."
"Oh, right Raye." Serena agreed as Raye changed the
subject. "I could use one, too."
"Say, didn't you get one last week?" Mina asked.
"Yes, Mina." Serena admitted. "But that was last week. I
got to stay in fashion."
The others rolled their eyes at that comment, for they knew
Serena could wear burlap and Darien wouldn't care. "We need to
have Mina checked out." Lita suggested. "She hasn't shown the
slightest interest in one of the hunky guys here."
"There's nothing wrong with me." Mina snapped, drawing
to a halt. The others stopped and turned to her in surprise. "Just
because I'm not interested today, you want to have me examined."
The others sweat dropped their surprise. "Uh, no Mina."
Serena put in lamely. "Lita was just kidding, weren't you Lita."
Serena gave several small and rather fake sounding chuckles.
"Humph." Mina disagreed, crossing her arms, closing her
eyes, and turning her head away from them, angling it up slightly.
"All right, I'm sorry." Lita blurted out after a moment. "I
wasn't serious." Mina opened one eye to look at her. "I take it
back." Lita continued.
"Fine." Mina accepted the apology, turning her head and
opening her eyes to look at Lita. "Just don't bring it up again."
"Geash." Lita remarked. "What's up with you today,
girlfriend? You're most definitely not yourself."
"Yeah." Raye echoed. "You've been like this since we
fought Galaxia."
"It's none of your business." Mina growled, glaring at her.
"So stay out of it."
Raye held up her hands in surrender, taking a surprised step
backward. "All right. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't
press you."
"Don't." Mina warned.
"So, uh, how about that clothing store over there." Serena
suggested, pointing across the walkway.
"Fine by me." Amy said. "I need a new outfit for fall,
anyway."
"Greg coming in town, huh?" Serena looked sideways at
her.
The blue haired girl blushed. "What makes you think that?"
"That's the only time you go shopping for clothes." Serena
told her.
"Yeah." Lita agreed. "He just happens to show up a few
days after you buy a new outfit."
"It's just a coincidence." Amy said hastily.
"Sure it is." Raye agreed too casually. "That's why we
always see you talking to him."
"Yeah, in your new dress." Serena added.
Amy lowered her head, the blush fading from her cheeks.
"All right, Serena." She looked back up. "You can help me pick
something out."
"Yes!" Serena declared triumphantly and the five hurried
over to the clothing store to get rid of any unwanted attention they
had suddenly attracted.
"I wonder what he'd think of this?" Mina asked herself
quietly, turning slightly to her right so she could see the side of the
gown in the full length mirror at the back of the changing booth. It
was a white silk gown with elbow length silk gloves. She'd found a
pair of brightly polished white low heeled shoes that matched and a
long stringed pearl necklace to complement to outfit.
"What was that?" Lita asked, poking her head in for a look.
"Nothing, Lita." Mina said, her eyes still locked on the
mirror. "I was just talking to myself."
Lita's eyes bulged slightly as she saw the dress Mina had on.
"Who's the guy?"
"What?" Mina looked up and over sharply.
"With a dress like that you have to have someone in mind."
Mina sighed wearily, turning her eyes back to the mirror. "I
wish so. One can always dream, I suppose."
"Yeah, I suppose." Lita agreed, her puzzlement showing in
her eyes. "Amy's almost finished, so whenever you're ready . . . "
"I'll be out in a few minutes." Mina agreed and watched as
Lita's head disappeared from between the curtains. She listened to
her friend's footsteps as she walked back down the aisle. "Oh,
William, what would you think?" Mina raised a gloved hand and
used the back of the glove to brush away the tear that had begun to
roll down her cheek. "No." She shook her head. "I'm not going to
cry. Not here. Not now." She gazed back at the image of herself
in the mirror. "No matter how much it hurts or how much I miss
him." She whispered.
With a heavy sigh, she began changing back into the casual
dress she'd worn to the mall. She wanted the gown and she'd get it,
even if it did cost a small fortune by the standards of her friends.
She had the money, more than they ever realized. She'd just have
to use some of the money she'd gotten from owning the rights to
Sailor V. And no matter what her agent or broker said, she didn't
really care. It was her money and she'd do with it what she wanted
to.
She carried the outfit to the register, finding the rest of her
friends there finishing up with Amy's new purchase. "You're going
to get that?" Serena asked as the clerk held it up so she could get
the price.
"Yes. I've got some money saved." Mina told them.
"That must be some guy." Raye commented.
"You have no idea." Mina thought. "You have no idea."
They'd gone back to the garage to lock the outfits in the
trunk of Amy's car. The others had insisted that Mina shouldn't be
carrying around that kind of outfit and she'd absently agreed with
them.
Serena eyed the food court as they got back inside. "Oh, no
you don't." Raye took one of her elbows to steer her away as she
began to veer off.
"Not a chance." Lita took the other. "You just ate."
"I was just . . . " Serena began.
"You were just about to make a pig out of yourself again."
Raye said.
"I was not." Serena protested. "I was just looking."
"Sure you were Serena." Amy agreed blandly. "Then why
were you drooling?"
Serena slapped the palm of her right hand over her dry chin.
"Amy!"
"Gotcha." Amy said, smiling slightly and pointing at her.
"Good one, Amy." Mina said with a giggle.
"She can smile after all." Lita said.
"Of course I can." Mina agreed. "It's just more fun to be
grumpy and pouty." She thumbed toward Serena. "You know, like
Serena."
"Thanks a lot." Serena pouted.
Their amusement was cut off as a voice shook the air.
"Give up your energy for the Negaverse, foolish humans." A group
of Negawarriors had materialized in the middle of the walkway.
"Negawarriors, here?" Raye asked in astonishment as she
and Lita let go of Serena's arms. People began to duck for cover,
trying to work their way outside, as energy tendrils lashed out from
the Negawarriors and began to draw energy off of them.
Serena reached up and touched her locket. "Let's transform
and kick their butt."
"No." Mina stopped her. "Over there." She thumbed a
maintenance doorway.
The five girls hurried over and Lita tested the handle.
"Unlocked." She remarked and they ducked inside.
"Nobody." Mina said after they had closed the door and
glanced around.
"Moon Eternal Make Up!"
"Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!"
The five Sailor Scouts burst thru the doorway with Sailor
Moon in the lead. They skidded to a halt for a face off with the
Negawarriors. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but it
stops right now." Sailor Moon declared. "For love and justice, I
am Sailor Moon. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you."
A tall woman in a general's uniform turned to them. She
had a light complexion with short red hair and a sharply angled
face. Her nose was sharply triangular and black irised eyes looked
disdainfully at them. "Go away, Sailor Scouts. This is none of
your concern." She told them.
"And you are you to be telling us anything." Sailor Moon
asked.
"I am Azmaria, general of the Negaverse." The woman told
them. "Your interference is neither wanted nor appreciated."
"Well, that's just too bad, because we're going to send you
back where you came from." Sailor Moon told her. "In pieces."
"Just try it." Azmaria offered as the various Negawarriors
released their latest set of victims and began to turn toward the
Scouts.
"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
Five of the Negawarriors flew over backwards as energy
tore into them. Azmaria's lips pursed as she watched the energy
tear into some of her Negawarriors.
"Did we make it in time?" Neptune asked as the four
materialized.
"I think so." Pluto remarked, and they watched as five of
the Negawarriors flew backwards, shattered like so many clay pots.
"Well, you've improved some since the last time." The red-haired Negageneral said. "In that case, I'm going to have to leave
you a little playmate."
"What makes you think you get to leave?" Pluto asked,
drawing attention to the fact that they were there. "Dead Scream."
She commanded, leveling the Time Staff at the Negageneral.
"World Shaking!"
"Deep Submerge!"
Several more Negawarriors died as they interposed
themselves between the Scouts and their general. "So sorry I can't
stay and play today. Gotta go." Azmaria snapped her fingers and
she and her Negawarriors disappeared, to be replaced a heartbeat
later by a Negamonster.
It was humanoid, about ten feet tall, with thick blue scales.
It had small burning red eyes which glared out at them. Large,
sharp claws tipped the ends of massive hands. Bone jutted out
from the ends of its elbows and spikes appeared from its wrists as
it saw them. It had a muzzle like mouth filled with sharp canine
teeth, stained a dark black. Three more identical Negamonsters
appeared behind the first.
"Eew." Sailor Moon commented. "This could be messy."
"No kidding." Venus agreed. "Uh, oh. Here they come."
They were remarkable fast for their size, they seemed to
flow across the terrain as they rushed the Scouts.
"Dead Scream."
"World Shaking!"
"Deep Submerge!"
"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
The attacks by the Outer tore two of them to shreds while
the Inners destroyed the third. Sailor Venus shoved Sailor Moon
out of the path of the last as it closed. Venus closed her eyes as she
fell, expecting to feel the claws tear her apart any second. She
gasped slightly in pain as the Negamonster slammed into her.
"Rainbow Beam Shatter!" A spray of beams of rainbow
light, each a different color, leaped from the balcony overhead and
tore thru the Negamonster's scales. It went flying away from Sailor
Venus and crashed to the ground before dissolving away like the
others.
The Scouts turned with a gasp to see where the unexpected
attack had come from. Out of the shadows stepped a white and
brown armored figure. His face was grim looking and it was
topped by short brownish black hair parted from left to right, with a
slight wave in it. He had piercing brown eyes over a fairly non-descript nose and mouth. His skin was fair complexioned and
tanned, like one who spent much time outside. His arms looked
muscled but not overly so. A yellow crescent moon was displayed
prominently on the left breast of the armor as well as on the boots.
He also had a straight bladed sword strapped to his side. He leaped
off of the balcony and landed gracefully near Sailor Moon, facing
toward her. Up close he was about as tall as Sailor Jupiter.
"A Guardsman?" Pluto blurted out in surprise. "Here?"
"Who?" Neptune asked.
"He's a member of the Imperial Moon Guard, or so he looks
like." Pluto explained as she and the other Outers began walking
over to join the others.
The Guardsman walked over to where Sailor Venus lay on
the ground. With gentle hands, he picked her up off the ground,
cradling her in his arms. He brushed a stray strand of her hair back
into place. "Just stunned, I think." He said after a moment of
silence as he looked up at them.
Sailor Venus let out a groan, drawing everyone's attention
to her. "You're going to be okay." The Guardsman told her.
Venus' eyes flew open in surprise and she reached up and
touched his cheek. "Is it really you?" She asked and the other
Scouts exchanged looks of confusion.
"Yes, it's really me."
To everyone else's astonishment, Venus wrapped her arms
around his neck and pulled his head down to kiss him. "I missed
you so much." She whispered, tears gathering in her eyes.
"I missed you, too." He murmured to her.
"No, don't put me down, not just yet." She pleaded as he
began to set her back on her feet. She buried her face in his chest
as he cradled her back up against him.
"Uh, hello, people." Sailor Moon interrupted. "Someone
tell me what's going on here?"
"That's what I would like to know." Pluto echoed.
"Yeah, who are you, anyway?" The look Jupiter gave him
was very hostile.
"I'm William of the Imperial Moon Guard." The Guardsman
said.
"Not good enough pal, try again." Mars snarled, glaring at
him. "You can start by explaining why you're so precious to our
Sailor Venus."
"It's okay. You can tell them." Venus muttered without
lifting her head.
"Yes, Highness." He agreed rather reluctantly sounding.
"Do you plan on explaining today?" Jupiter growled.
"He's the man I love." Venus lifted her head.
"You've known him for what, two minutes?" Mars declared
angrily. "How can you know that?"
"Because I loved him on the Moon." Venus leaned her head
back against his chest.
"Wait a minute." Sailor Moon waved her hands in front of
herself. "You loved him on the Moon?"
"Yes." Venus stated. "And I would have married him,
too."
"Serenity wouldn't have allowed it. Put her down at once,
Guardsman." Artemis commanded as he and Luna joined them,
glaring at the Guardsman.
The Guardsman obediently lowered Venus to her feet, and
took on a chastised look. Venus glanced at him then turned to
Artemis. "And why not?"
"If he's a Guardsman, then he's not of noble blood. You
couldn't have done it." Artemis stopped in front of her.
Venus shook her head slightly. "We're not on the Moon
anymore, so it doesn't matter."
" 'It doesn't matter'." Artemis glared up at her. "It most
certainly does. You're my charge and you'll do what I tell you."
"No." Venus declared, raising her voice. "I still love him
and you can't change that."
"How do you even know it's the same person?" Luna
asked, trying to cool things down some.
"I know here." Venus touched the spot over her heart.
"I knew this would happen." The Guardsman muttered to
himself and turned to leave.
"Don't go anywhere just yet." Saturn warned, hovering the
tip of the Silence Glaive in front of his face and he froze. "Now
turn back around." The Guardsman complied quietly.
"Oh, great." Jupiter rested her fists on her hips. "Now
you're not thinking at all, Venus."
"Thanks a lot, Jupiter." Venus raised a fist. "I finally find
the man I love and you act like he's from the Negaverse or
something."
"For all we know he could be." Mercury interrupted,
drawing all eyes to her. "How else could he have been alive so
long?"
"They had me in a 'temporal cell'." The Guardsman stated.
"A temporal cell?" Mercury asked.
"That's the term they used, yes, Highness."
"How big was it?" Pluto asked.
"Big enough for me to lie down in, but not much more."
"You can sort it out later." Artemis told them. "You." He
looked at Venus. "Home."
"Not a chance." Venus crossed her arms stubbornly.
"NOW!"
"NO!" The others drew back in shock at Venus' angry
declaration. "I've been looking for him since the day you turned up
on my doorstep and I'm not going to loose him again, NO
MATTER WHAT YOU SAY!"
"Venus. It's okay." The Guardsman touched her elbow to
reassure her.
"It's not OKAY!" Venus yelled, mainly at Artemis. She
turned and threw her arms around the Guardsman and pressed her
face into his chest. He placed his hands carefully on the small of
her back. "I'm not going to leave you." She sobbed. "Not again."
"Shh." He said soothingly as he began to stroke her hair.
"Everything will work out." He promised. "Now, could someone
tell me what this strange place is and what happened?"
The Guardsman Chronicles, Chapter One
by Rick Federle
"Wow oh wow, major sugar rush." Serena babbled
enthusiastically as she plopped down, nearly spilling the contents of
her arms all over the table and it's occupants.
The others at the table were in various states of quasi-bored
relaxed positions. They had not yet gone shopping, so there were
no shopping bags for Serena to trip over, which would have
guaranteed she'd spill it.
"Is it really necessary for you to eat all that?" Raye glared
across the table at Serena as she looked over.
"Oh, come on, Raye." Serena said around a mouthful of
double fudge chocolate ice cream. "I'm busy. I've got to eat."
"Yeah, but you eat enough for all five of us." Raye
criticized.
"Oh, come on, Raye." Mina interrupted from where she
was sitting next to Serena. "You're just jealous because Serena
never seems to gain a pound whereas you look at food and you gain
weight."
Raye shot to her feet. "I do not."
"Oh, sit down, Raye. Mina was just teasing you." Lita put
in from Raye's right, leaning back in her chair. She waited until
Raye sat back down before continuing with a twinkle in her right
eye. "Even if you are gaining a few pounds."
"Ooh." Raye growled, covering her annoyance with a drink
of soda. "I give up."
"You keep saying that and you keep doing it anyway."
Amy reminded her from Serena's left.
"I can if I want to." Raye huffed jokingly.
"Hunk alert, three o'clock." Lita interrupted and four heads
turned to look where Lita had indicated. A well muscled and
tanned man about twenty walked through the tables.
"He's not bad." Serena commented. "But he's not Darien."
"Somehow I expected you to say that." Amy remarked, her
eyes casually measuring the man.
"Hey, Mina, what do you think? Major hunk, huh?" Lita
asked.
"He's ok, I guess." Mina remarked absently, returning her
attention to her drink on the table in front of her.
Four sets of eyes snapped around and locked onto her.
"Our boy crazy Mina not interested?" Amy observed.
"Yeah," Lita added. "Are you ok, girlfriend?"
"I'm just not interested." Mina fastened her eyes on her
drink. "What?" She asked looking up and around the table at
them. "If I don't drool over every guy I see you think something's
wrong?"
"More or less, yes." Serena mumbled around a hot fudge
sundae.
"Thanks a lot." Mina commented, dropping her eyes back
to her drink.
The only sound at the table for a few minutes was the
various munching and slurping sounds given off by Serena as she
ate, the others contented themselves with polishing off their drinks.
Serena looked up at them, wiping her ice cream-covered mouth
with a napkin. "Finished." She informed them. "Let's go
shopping." The five gathered up the various empty containers and
deposited them in a nearby garbage receptacle.
"All right, where are we going first?" Serena asked from
the middle of the group as the five left the foot court. Mina and
Lita trailed a step or so behind the other three as they walked. Lita
would occasionally elbow her blond friend gently and discretely
pointed out guys to her. Mina would glance at them and just shrug.
"Well, I need to go to the bookstore." Amy told them.
"More books? Amy don't you ever do anything but study?"
Serena asked in that half whiny tone she adopted several years
earlier.
"Of course I do more than study." Amy reminded her.
"You, on the other hand, won't graduate next year if you don't start
studying more."
"But you're such a great tutor, Amy." Serena told her. "If I
study more, I won't be able to see you as much."
Amy shook her blue haired head in dismay. "If you don't
graduate, what will Darien think?"
Serena's eyes took on that special twinkle they got
whenever Darien's name came up. "He'll love me anyway."
Raye rolled her eyes but said nothing. "Well, I want to get
a new dress."
"Oh, right Raye." Serena agreed as Raye changed the
subject. "I could use one, too."
"Say, didn't you get one last week?" Mina asked.
"Yes, Mina." Serena admitted. "But that was last week. I
got to stay in fashion."
The others rolled their eyes at that comment, for they knew
Serena could wear burlap and Darien wouldn't care. "We need to
have Mina checked out." Lita suggested. "She hasn't shown the
slightest interest in one of the hunky guys here."
"There's nothing wrong with me." Mina snapped, drawing
to a halt. The others stopped and turned to her in surprise. "Just
because I'm not interested today, you want to have me examined."
The others sweat dropped their surprise. "Uh, no Mina."
Serena put in lamely. "Lita was just kidding, weren't you Lita."
Serena gave several small and rather fake sounding chuckles.
"Humph." Mina disagreed, crossing her arms, closing her
eyes, and turning her head away from them, angling it up slightly.
"All right, I'm sorry." Lita blurted out after a moment. "I
wasn't serious." Mina opened one eye to look at her. "I take it
back." Lita continued.
"Fine." Mina accepted the apology, turning her head and
opening her eyes to look at Lita. "Just don't bring it up again."
"Geash." Lita remarked. "What's up with you today,
girlfriend? You're most definitely not yourself."
"Yeah." Raye echoed. "You've been like this since we
fought Galaxia."
"It's none of your business." Mina growled, glaring at her.
"So stay out of it."
Raye held up her hands in surrender, taking a surprised step
backward. "All right. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't
press you."
"Don't." Mina warned.
"So, uh, how about that clothing store over there." Serena
suggested, pointing across the walkway.
"Fine by me." Amy said. "I need a new outfit for fall,
anyway."
"Greg coming in town, huh?" Serena looked sideways at
her.
The blue haired girl blushed. "What makes you think that?"
"That's the only time you go shopping for clothes." Serena
told her.
"Yeah." Lita agreed. "He just happens to show up a few
days after you buy a new outfit."
"It's just a coincidence." Amy said hastily.
"Sure it is." Raye agreed too casually. "That's why we
always see you talking to him."
"Yeah, in your new dress." Serena added.
Amy lowered her head, the blush fading from her cheeks.
"All right, Serena." She looked back up. "You can help me pick
something out."
"Yes!" Serena declared triumphantly and the five hurried
over to the clothing store to get rid of any unwanted attention they
had suddenly attracted.
"I wonder what he'd think of this?" Mina asked herself
quietly, turning slightly to her right so she could see the side of the
gown in the full length mirror at the back of the changing booth. It
was a white silk gown with elbow length silk gloves. She'd found a
pair of brightly polished white low heeled shoes that matched and a
long stringed pearl necklace to complement to outfit.
"What was that?" Lita asked, poking her head in for a look.
"Nothing, Lita." Mina said, her eyes still locked on the
mirror. "I was just talking to myself."
Lita's eyes bulged slightly as she saw the dress Mina had on.
"Who's the guy?"
"What?" Mina looked up and over sharply.
"With a dress like that you have to have someone in mind."
Mina sighed wearily, turning her eyes back to the mirror. "I
wish so. One can always dream, I suppose."
"Yeah, I suppose." Lita agreed, her puzzlement showing in
her eyes. "Amy's almost finished, so whenever you're ready . . . "
"I'll be out in a few minutes." Mina agreed and watched as
Lita's head disappeared from between the curtains. She listened to
her friend's footsteps as she walked back down the aisle. "Oh,
William, what would you think?" Mina raised a gloved hand and
used the back of the glove to brush away the tear that had begun to
roll down her cheek. "No." She shook her head. "I'm not going to
cry. Not here. Not now." She gazed back at the image of herself
in the mirror. "No matter how much it hurts or how much I miss
him." She whispered.
With a heavy sigh, she began changing back into the casual
dress she'd worn to the mall. She wanted the gown and she'd get it,
even if it did cost a small fortune by the standards of her friends.
She had the money, more than they ever realized. She'd just have
to use some of the money she'd gotten from owning the rights to
Sailor V. And no matter what her agent or broker said, she didn't
really care. It was her money and she'd do with it what she wanted
to.
She carried the outfit to the register, finding the rest of her
friends there finishing up with Amy's new purchase. "You're going
to get that?" Serena asked as the clerk held it up so she could get
the price.
"Yes. I've got some money saved." Mina told them.
"That must be some guy." Raye commented.
"You have no idea." Mina thought. "You have no idea."
They'd gone back to the garage to lock the outfits in the
trunk of Amy's car. The others had insisted that Mina shouldn't be
carrying around that kind of outfit and she'd absently agreed with
them.
Serena eyed the food court as they got back inside. "Oh, no
you don't." Raye took one of her elbows to steer her away as she
began to veer off.
"Not a chance." Lita took the other. "You just ate."
"I was just . . . " Serena began.
"You were just about to make a pig out of yourself again."
Raye said.
"I was not." Serena protested. "I was just looking."
"Sure you were Serena." Amy agreed blandly. "Then why
were you drooling?"
Serena slapped the palm of her right hand over her dry chin.
"Amy!"
"Gotcha." Amy said, smiling slightly and pointing at her.
"Good one, Amy." Mina said with a giggle.
"She can smile after all." Lita said.
"Of course I can." Mina agreed. "It's just more fun to be
grumpy and pouty." She thumbed toward Serena. "You know, like
Serena."
"Thanks a lot." Serena pouted.
Their amusement was cut off as a voice shook the air.
"Give up your energy for the Negaverse, foolish humans." A group
of Negawarriors had materialized in the middle of the walkway.
"Negawarriors, here?" Raye asked in astonishment as she
and Lita let go of Serena's arms. People began to duck for cover,
trying to work their way outside, as energy tendrils lashed out from
the Negawarriors and began to draw energy off of them.
Serena reached up and touched her locket. "Let's transform
and kick their butt."
"No." Mina stopped her. "Over there." She thumbed a
maintenance doorway.
The five girls hurried over and Lita tested the handle.
"Unlocked." She remarked and they ducked inside.
"Nobody." Mina said after they had closed the door and
glanced around.
"Moon Eternal Make Up!"
"Mercury Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Mars Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Jupiter Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Venus Crystal Power, Make Up!"
The five Sailor Scouts burst thru the doorway with Sailor
Moon in the lead. They skidded to a halt for a face off with the
Negawarriors. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but it
stops right now." Sailor Moon declared. "For love and justice, I
am Sailor Moon. In the name of the Moon, I will punish you."
A tall woman in a general's uniform turned to them. She
had a light complexion with short red hair and a sharply angled
face. Her nose was sharply triangular and black irised eyes looked
disdainfully at them. "Go away, Sailor Scouts. This is none of
your concern." She told them.
"And you are you to be telling us anything." Sailor Moon
asked.
"I am Azmaria, general of the Negaverse." The woman told
them. "Your interference is neither wanted nor appreciated."
"Well, that's just too bad, because we're going to send you
back where you came from." Sailor Moon told her. "In pieces."
"Just try it." Azmaria offered as the various Negawarriors
released their latest set of victims and began to turn toward the
Scouts.
"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
Five of the Negawarriors flew over backwards as energy
tore into them. Azmaria's lips pursed as she watched the energy
tear into some of her Negawarriors.
"Did we make it in time?" Neptune asked as the four
materialized.
"I think so." Pluto remarked, and they watched as five of
the Negawarriors flew backwards, shattered like so many clay pots.
"Well, you've improved some since the last time." The red-haired Negageneral said. "In that case, I'm going to have to leave
you a little playmate."
"What makes you think you get to leave?" Pluto asked,
drawing attention to the fact that they were there. "Dead Scream."
She commanded, leveling the Time Staff at the Negageneral.
"World Shaking!"
"Deep Submerge!"
Several more Negawarriors died as they interposed
themselves between the Scouts and their general. "So sorry I can't
stay and play today. Gotta go." Azmaria snapped her fingers and
she and her Negawarriors disappeared, to be replaced a heartbeat
later by a Negamonster.
It was humanoid, about ten feet tall, with thick blue scales.
It had small burning red eyes which glared out at them. Large,
sharp claws tipped the ends of massive hands. Bone jutted out
from the ends of its elbows and spikes appeared from its wrists as
it saw them. It had a muzzle like mouth filled with sharp canine
teeth, stained a dark black. Three more identical Negamonsters
appeared behind the first.
"Eew." Sailor Moon commented. "This could be messy."
"No kidding." Venus agreed. "Uh, oh. Here they come."
They were remarkable fast for their size, they seemed to
flow across the terrain as they rushed the Scouts.
"Dead Scream."
"World Shaking!"
"Deep Submerge!"
"Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
"Mars Flame Sniper!"
"Jupiter Oak Evolution!"
"Venus Love and Beauty Shock!"
The attacks by the Outer tore two of them to shreds while
the Inners destroyed the third. Sailor Venus shoved Sailor Moon
out of the path of the last as it closed. Venus closed her eyes as she
fell, expecting to feel the claws tear her apart any second. She
gasped slightly in pain as the Negamonster slammed into her.
"Rainbow Beam Shatter!" A spray of beams of rainbow
light, each a different color, leaped from the balcony overhead and
tore thru the Negamonster's scales. It went flying away from Sailor
Venus and crashed to the ground before dissolving away like the
others.
The Scouts turned with a gasp to see where the unexpected
attack had come from. Out of the shadows stepped a white and
brown armored figure. His face was grim looking and it was
topped by short brownish black hair parted from left to right, with a
slight wave in it. He had piercing brown eyes over a fairly non-descript nose and mouth. His skin was fair complexioned and
tanned, like one who spent much time outside. His arms looked
muscled but not overly so. A yellow crescent moon was displayed
prominently on the left breast of the armor as well as on the boots.
He also had a straight bladed sword strapped to his side. He leaped
off of the balcony and landed gracefully near Sailor Moon, facing
toward her. Up close he was about as tall as Sailor Jupiter.
"A Guardsman?" Pluto blurted out in surprise. "Here?"
"Who?" Neptune asked.
"He's a member of the Imperial Moon Guard, or so he looks
like." Pluto explained as she and the other Outers began walking
over to join the others.
The Guardsman walked over to where Sailor Venus lay on
the ground. With gentle hands, he picked her up off the ground,
cradling her in his arms. He brushed a stray strand of her hair back
into place. "Just stunned, I think." He said after a moment of
silence as he looked up at them.
Sailor Venus let out a groan, drawing everyone's attention
to her. "You're going to be okay." The Guardsman told her.
Venus' eyes flew open in surprise and she reached up and
touched his cheek. "Is it really you?" She asked and the other
Scouts exchanged looks of confusion.
"Yes, it's really me."
To everyone else's astonishment, Venus wrapped her arms
around his neck and pulled his head down to kiss him. "I missed
you so much." She whispered, tears gathering in her eyes.
"I missed you, too." He murmured to her.
"No, don't put me down, not just yet." She pleaded as he
began to set her back on her feet. She buried her face in his chest
as he cradled her back up against him.
"Uh, hello, people." Sailor Moon interrupted. "Someone
tell me what's going on here?"
"That's what I would like to know." Pluto echoed.
"Yeah, who are you, anyway?" The look Jupiter gave him
was very hostile.
"I'm William of the Imperial Moon Guard." The Guardsman
said.
"Not good enough pal, try again." Mars snarled, glaring at
him. "You can start by explaining why you're so precious to our
Sailor Venus."
"It's okay. You can tell them." Venus muttered without
lifting her head.
"Yes, Highness." He agreed rather reluctantly sounding.
"Do you plan on explaining today?" Jupiter growled.
"He's the man I love." Venus lifted her head.
"You've known him for what, two minutes?" Mars declared
angrily. "How can you know that?"
"Because I loved him on the Moon." Venus leaned her head
back against his chest.
"Wait a minute." Sailor Moon waved her hands in front of
herself. "You loved him on the Moon?"
"Yes." Venus stated. "And I would have married him,
too."
"Serenity wouldn't have allowed it. Put her down at once,
Guardsman." Artemis commanded as he and Luna joined them,
glaring at the Guardsman.
The Guardsman obediently lowered Venus to her feet, and
took on a chastised look. Venus glanced at him then turned to
Artemis. "And why not?"
"If he's a Guardsman, then he's not of noble blood. You
couldn't have done it." Artemis stopped in front of her.
Venus shook her head slightly. "We're not on the Moon
anymore, so it doesn't matter."
" 'It doesn't matter'." Artemis glared up at her. "It most
certainly does. You're my charge and you'll do what I tell you."
"No." Venus declared, raising her voice. "I still love him
and you can't change that."
"How do you even know it's the same person?" Luna
asked, trying to cool things down some.
"I know here." Venus touched the spot over her heart.
"I knew this would happen." The Guardsman muttered to
himself and turned to leave.
"Don't go anywhere just yet." Saturn warned, hovering the
tip of the Silence Glaive in front of his face and he froze. "Now
turn back around." The Guardsman complied quietly.
"Oh, great." Jupiter rested her fists on her hips. "Now
you're not thinking at all, Venus."
"Thanks a lot, Jupiter." Venus raised a fist. "I finally find
the man I love and you act like he's from the Negaverse or
something."
"For all we know he could be." Mercury interrupted,
drawing all eyes to her. "How else could he have been alive so
long?"
"They had me in a 'temporal cell'." The Guardsman stated.
"A temporal cell?" Mercury asked.
"That's the term they used, yes, Highness."
"How big was it?" Pluto asked.
"Big enough for me to lie down in, but not much more."
"You can sort it out later." Artemis told them. "You." He
looked at Venus. "Home."
"Not a chance." Venus crossed her arms stubbornly.
"NOW!"
"NO!" The others drew back in shock at Venus' angry
declaration. "I've been looking for him since the day you turned up
on my doorstep and I'm not going to loose him again, NO
MATTER WHAT YOU SAY!"
"Venus. It's okay." The Guardsman touched her elbow to
reassure her.
"It's not OKAY!" Venus yelled, mainly at Artemis. She
turned and threw her arms around the Guardsman and pressed her
face into his chest. He placed his hands carefully on the small of
her back. "I'm not going to leave you." She sobbed. "Not again."
"Shh." He said soothingly as he began to stroke her hair.
"Everything will work out." He promised. "Now, could someone
tell me what this strange place is and what happened?"