(Chapter Eight)

"WHAT?" demanded Sailor Mars as she came to a full stop and noticed the two gaping (and drooling) male occupants of the room… and Hitomi who was watching the aforesaid males with a grin on her face. She brought Van back to earth first, waving a hand over his eyes, "Nothing… let's go…" he said rather dazed, his sword held loosely at his side. Hitomi sighed, shaking her head and Rei grinned at her. She grabbed Van's arm and began dragging him out the door, and Hitomi tackled the blonde guy. Between the two of them, (and Hitomi's directions) they made their way to where both guymellefs were. "Whoa… that's the Escaflowne? It's beautiful!" Mars gaped at the silver-metal of the gleaming guymellef in front of her. "Come on, Van, get on that thing, and you two Alan!" said Hitomi ushering the two of them towards their guymellefs. She rolled her eyes at Sailor Mars. "Don't worry… you'll get used to it."

"Let's hope that's soon." she answered before making for Escaflowne, kicking the metal of its heel and hoping that Van could hear her (who was in pain from kicking a mountain of steel). When she was finally situated in his guymellef's hand, Hitomi looked jealous. She couldn't do anything this time… Alan grinned down at her for a moment before the faceplate slid down and he (carrying in his hand Hitomi, who looked like a miniature nymph) and Van (carrying a pint-sized senshi in comparison to the hulking mass of metal) went into battle.

"Dammit, they've got their stealth cloaks on!" he growled as he turned this way and that trying to find them. Remember the pendant… swinging… try and sense your target… Hitomi's words came back to him and he tried to concentrate. "IN FRONT OF YOU!" yelled Rei as his sword came up, blocking a stream of liquid metal. Wait… hold on. "You can see them?!"

"Of course I can see them! I'm not blind… you… know…" she slowed her words, "You mean, you can't see them?" He shook his head, and then, realizing she couldn't see his face, yelled, "No. Not if I don't concentrate."

"Then just listen to me!" she yelled back, "Hold on tight!" she advised, bringing her gloved fingers together and yelling, "FIRE… SOUL!" Van watched in amazement, as a stream of fire that rivaled those that the enemy guymellefs shot, was launched straight at what seemed to be empty air. The air wavered for a moment before taking on the shape of the guymellef. He saw to his disbelief the drag-energist powering it turn to ashes and the entire machine was immobilized, and crumpled to the ground. The front of the ruined guymellef fell open, and the young boy with rumpled blond hair fell to the ground on his knees, before weakly getting up and staring at the red-swathed girl.

She turned her attention away, he was no longer a threat. Throwing an ofuda, she yelled, "MARS FIREBIRD… STRIKE!" (K: Don't know the Japanese one.) A phoenix exploded from the paper, igniting it and flew through several enemy guymellefs, and the drag-energists powering the enemy guymellefs burst into flame, turning into ashes in a few seconds, and the huge machines crumpled to the ground. No guymellef can withstand the amount of fire that Rei held at her fingertips. Soon the enemy retreated. They had won… for now.

Meanwhile, Merelu, back in the Zaibach fortress was sitting in her small cell, her tail twitching in nervousness. What was going to happen to her? Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime of waiting, she heard voices. "She's in there, Miss." The guard said respectfully and she heard the door open and her claws unsheathe as she readied herself. What she saw shocked her. Silhouetted in the light of the doorway, stood a woman. But this woman had the same ears as her, and a tail swished from behind her. "So you're the one," she said in a soft voice walking towards her. The light faded from behind her, letting her see the woman's features. She was older than herself, but she was… the same as her! "You're… you're…" she was able to make out.

"Like you? Yes, little one… come along now." She said, her face breaking into a smile, and her silver hair shining in the last rays of the setting sun from the window in her cell. She got up slowly, still suspicious but followed the cat-woman leading her, past the smirking guard and through the hallways.

"Who… who are you?" she managed to say, through her dry, cracked lips. "My name is Naria. You?"

"Merelu."

"Pretty name." She finally found them stopping in a large room. The tree monster that had attacked her was there and she cowered away from it. But it didn't look a bit sinister it looked rather frightened. But in front of her, she saw a boy standing there, dressed in red armor. She bit her lip as she stared at him through wide eyes. "She's the one?" he asked contemptuously, looking her over. "Yes, Lord Dilandau." replied Naria respectfully as she kept a firm grasp on Merelu's shoulder. "What is she good for, Gandor?" he addressed the tree monster.

"I thought she would be good for questioning. She knows much of the princeling and his friends."

"Tell me then, cat, who is this new girl from the Mystic Moon that my spies have heard of?" Merelu, and even Naria stiffened at being called a cat in such a disagreeable manner, and she stuck out her bottom lip stubbornly. "I don't know." He glared down at her, having little patience. "Tell me now, or you're going to die slowly and painfully…" his eyes brightened at the thought of it. Merelu shook with suppressed fear, but she remained silent. Naria looked worriedly down at her before looking back at Dilandau. "Lord Dilandau, perhaps if we were to question her better…" Dilandau looked disgusted, "You are a fool, Gandor. She refuses to speak." Gandor looked ready to rip her limb form limb if only to keep Dilandau from doing the same to himself. "Sir, she might respond to torture…" he suggested nervously.

"Perfect… Naria?"

"I… I?" she asked, startled. "Yes. You. Make her speak." Naria looked down at the little cat-girl who's big blue eyes were beginning to look hopeless, but no less determined. She bent down towards her, and she said softly, "Tell us something little girl, something about that girl, something that isn't even of great importance and he will stay his hand."

"She's… she's from the Mystic Moon… she's like Hitomi." She said finally looking at Dilandau, hoping he would accept this. "Is this all she knows?" he roared glaring at Gandor. "She lies, Lord. That girl changed into some other person. She controlled fire as if it was nothing. She is nothing like the other one."

Merelu paled. "I didn't know that! He… he must've knocked me out before she changed… I don't know that! I don't know anything else!"

Dilandau waved her away, annoyed with her. "Get her out of my sight, Naria. And you Gandor, stay and I'll show you just how much it will hurt to bring such a foolish cat to me!"

Not needing to be told twice, Naria and Merelu disappeared. "You're going to stay with me and Aeria." She decided as soon as they were out of hearing. "Lord Folken will surely allow it, if you will not run away." Her eyes narrowed. "And if you should, you would be killed."

"Lord Van will save me!" Naria laughed oddly, "The boy king? He will die by his own brother's hand… he is the one who will need saving in the future." She turned away from the shocked look on Merelu's face and headed towards their quarters, and towards her sister, who might help her explain things as well to the newest addition to their family.

~*~*~*~

"Usagi? Usagi? Usagi, come on, please, wake up!" she could hear Gohan's voice echoing somewhere but it was so far away. "Come on, Usagi, you've got to wake up now!" Trunks' voice mingled with Gohan's, but it was no closer than the other boy's was. She shuddered, and covered her ears in her astral plane, trying to block the sounds of voices that were already coming continually closer. Why should she go back? Back to where there was always pain, endless battles, endless fights… "USAKO!" And… eternal love. She'd forgotten, he'd owed her an explanation. Making her choice, she lifted her hands towards the light, and stepped into a wall of pain. "OW…" she moaned as she sat up dizzily. Vertigo took hold of her, even in a sitting position, and she almost fell over backwards before someone caught her. As soon as the room stopped spinning enough, she recognized Gohan's face, then Trunks… Luna… then the last was her own Mamo-chan's… She blinked hard, and tried to focus. "I'm… I'm sorry." She managed before the person behind her, folded her in his arms. "Mamo-chan?" she asked, looking up at the face of her beloved… wait a minute. She blinked and looked closer. "Mamo-chan… what's wrong?" she asked as she stared at his haggard and pale face, there was concern there, it was plain to see, but…

"It's nothing, listen Usa—"

"Tell me! Now!" she yelled, pulling herself forward so that she almost fell on top of Luna before Trunks grabbed her and steadied her. "I'm… I'm dying little bunny. That's why I didn't want you to be around me when—"

"No! That's impossible, that can't happen… MAMO-CHAN!" she was crying now, and shrieking at the same time, and had thrown herself against his chest and into his arms. "No, no, no. That won't happen, we'll, we'll take you to a doctor, and, and, then you can take medicine and be better again, and then everything will be all right!" she was panicking now, as if he were already dying before her eyes.

"Listen, Usako… there is no cure…" he said as softly as possible. "THERE HAS TO BE A CURE! JUST HAS TO BE A CURE! We were supposed to get married and rule Crystal Tokyo! YOU CAN'T DIE!"

"But I am. And I can't stop that." he said quietly, and everything began falling into place. Luna finally understood and wept as she recalled all that had happened in those two's past. He'd wanted her safe all along, if not physically, emotionally. "Oh, Usagi-chan…" she whispered as Trunks stroked her fur, trying to soothe her as he watched in amazement at the scene unfolding in front of him.

"For now, Usako… let's just… get your crystal and… think about this when we get back, okay?" he finally asked her. "I'm sorry about… what happened back home too." Usagi nodded, her face crumpled and around her blue eyes was a new rim of red. "Right… when we get back…"

She frowned. "What do we do now? Beryl's back, she's out to kill me, and I still don't have my crystal… she's even got Pluto's staff! I'm not powerful enough, and even my moon wand isn't enough to stop Beryl… besides, she can't be healed! She's completely evil!" Mamoru shook his head, "I don't believe she was always evil… but I know she can't be healed by only your wand… even with you crystal. And neither of us is strong enough."

"Then we'll train the both of you." Spoke up Gohan (for the first time) and his voice was quite firm.

She sniffled before asking, "How?"

"Er, first, we'll have to ask my dad." She nodded vigorously. "Fine, then let's call him, and ask for a road map!" she blinked when the two saiyans stared at her. "A what?"

"A… road map? For roads?"

"Sorry, Usagi-chan, but this place is on a completely different planet."

"A different WHAT?!"

Goku's face appeared on the com-link, silencing her. "King Kai's." he confirmed after they'd told them everything, "It's the best place for all of you… including you and Trunks. You've been slacking off."

"DAD! We've got work! And school if you don't remember!" Gohan's father shrugged, "Good luck then." He zipped off leaving the screen blank.

"Okay… so, um, how do we get there?" she asked the two guys. "Er… we don't actually know." They admitted.

"YOU DON'T KNOW?!" she repeated, dumbly.

"It seems I shall have to step in once more then," sighed a rather kind and cheerful voice, from out of nowhere. A bright flash of light appeared, blinding all, and when Usagi looked up, there was the shining figure of her mother, as small as a pixie, floating in the air in front of her on miniature wings.

"Okaasan?" asked Usagi, amazed as she stared at the tiny fairy that was her mother. "I've missed you so much, Okaasan!"

Gohan looked confused, "You're telling me, she's your mom from the 21st century?"

"No, I'm her mother from a time that has never been recorded by any man alive." She smiled before addressing her daughter again, "To go to King Kai's, you must go to King Yemma's to ask permission. I shall go with you… but first, I suppose a change is in order." She added meaningfully.

"Wait a minute, you mean…"

"Yes, you two, please." The two boys shrugged as Usagi stared at them not understanding. "Huh?"

"You too, dear."

"All right… so, um, Sailor Moon?" Queen Serenity frowned, "I still do not like the idea of a princess prancing around in a skirt shorter than her hair. No, be my daughter as you once were. A princess."

Usagi sighed, "This is a long time away from when you were a kid, Okaasan." She stopped and shuddered, "I don't even want to think about how long ago that was!"

"Do as I say, Serenity-hime and do not ask questions or make comments." commanded her mother rather regally. Usagi sighed, she saw where Luna got her strict attitude from. "Damn this is serious…" she muttered before holding up her wand, and waiting. Nothing happened. "IT'S NOT WORKING!"

"Your crystal, darling, where is it?" Usagi stared at her for a moment before mumbling something. "What was that?"

"So you can't see everything and all."

"I was preoccupied with a… conversation with your father. What has happened?" asked Queen Serenity a slight blush appearing on her face. "Like you and Otousan ever talked much."

"You're getting off topic. Where's the ginzoushou?"

"It's… um… not here at the moment…"

"WHAT?!"

"It shattered! That's why I'm here! To get it back!" At this point, Queen Serenity growled something quite un-queen-like and glared. "Then GET IT BACK!" she yelled making all present cringe. She hadn't been a queen for nothing!

"But… Okaasan!"

"Don't you 'Okaasan' me! GET BACK THAT CRYSTAL!" it was amazing how loud that tiny little fairy could yell.

"You heard the woman! Go get that crystal!" suddenly yelled ChiChi from behind them, and who'd been long forgotten. "Mom? You're… not unconscious after seeing her?"

"What are you talking about? She's the b—" she paused confused, before continuing, "woman, who once ruled the moon." she blinked. "Now how would I know that…?" she wondered.

"You had the soul of a queen who'd been captured by me in you. It is natural that you retain some of her memories." Replied the tiny queen smiling, before turning to her daughter. "NOW MOVE IT!" she roared, before disappearing into a flare of golden sparkles.

All was silent for a moment, before…

"Man, that's one hell of a mom!" Trunks, always the silence-breaker. Usagi looked weary already. "Trunks, do me a favor and shut up. I do not enjoy getting chewed out by my mother."

"Well, we're off to find those orange rocks again, aren't we?" he asked Gohan cheerfully. The others weren't as perky. "Right… sure…"

~*~*~*~

End of Chapter. All right, all right, I haven't updated for a few days. I'm very busy. And here's your chapter. Happy? Oh and about Queen Serenity? I don't believe that she can be all 'eternally nice, forever calm, forever peaceful, and can never, for all the world become annoyed, upset, or any other human emotion of the sort'. I refuse to believe it. That's too angel-like. And the woman's not that innocent. REVIEW ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1