SHADOW OVER CRYSTAL TOKYO,
Chapter 5: "Have You Seen This Girl?"
By Bill K.
Usa and the Amazoness Senshi walked down the hall of the
palace, the senshi matching the determined strides of their princess.
The few people who passed them thought nothing of it, not realizing
they were headed in the opposite direction of their school room.
"I wish you'd tell the King and Queen," fretted Cere-Cere.
"No way," Usa proclaimed. "They wouldn't understand. And I'm
not going to risk Hotaru getting punished if I can avoid it."
"You know, I wish you'd get off them," grumbled Ves-Ves.
"They're not as bad as you always make them out to be. The Queen's
always played fair with me."
Usa scowled. "All the same, I'm not taking the chance."
"OK, so how do we go look for her without your dad's
surveillance opticals spotting us?" Jun-Jun asked. Usa stopped dead
in place, her brow furrowed.
"Palla-Palla could distract them with her puppets and you could
sneak out," Palla-Palla suggested.
"Oh yeah, that'll work," Ves-Ves said, rolling her eyes.
"Those optical units are everywhere," Cere-Cere said.
"Sometimes I want to shower with my clothes on. If only matter
teleportation worked."
"Hey!" Usa shouted, then immediately hunched down
conspiratorially. "Cere-Cere, you're brilliant!"
"She is?" asked Ves-Ves.
"SHUT UP!" snapped Cere-Cere. "I am?"
"Come on back to my room! I know Daddy doesn't have the
residence quarters watched!" Perplexed as always by their princess,
the Amazons followed.
* * * *
Endymion leaned over the bed and pressed his lips to his wife's
mouth. He felt her stir beneath him, slowly at first, but with
increasing animation. When she realized where she was and who was
kissing her, she returned the kiss eagerly until the lips gently
pulled away.
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," Endymion whispered.
"Why?" Serenity groaned, burrowing back into her pillow.
"We go through this nearly every morning."
"Well you still haven't given me a good reason."
"How about get up before I spank you," Endymion teased.
"You wouldn't dare spank me," Serenity said, wrinkling her nose
at him. "I'm Queen," and she clutched her pillow tighter.
At a silent signal from Luna, sitting on the mattress behind
her, Endymion pulled back. Gently, Luna placed her paw on Serenity's
bottom.
"OW!" Serenity screeched, jumping up out of bed as Luna
extended her claws. "Luna! I could have you executed for that, you
know!"
"You don't frighten me, Your Majesty," Luna smirked. "Just
remember, I knew you when."
"Come on, get up," Endymion prodded. "Breakfast is ready.
It's your favorite."
"Pancakes and honey?" Serenity asked.
"With fresh strawberries."
"Oooooh," smiled Serenity. Then she sighed in frustration.
"All right, I'll get up."
Serenity glided into the room moments later and sat down across
the table from her husband. She took up her utensils and began
eating. Diana was in the room as well.
"I understand Hotaru had some trouble last night," Diana said
in her husky adult voice. The full grown cat was perched up on a
shelf overlooking the table.
"Yes, the poor girl," Serenity sighed. "She was very
distraught over something she dreamt last night. Don't let this get
around, but she thinks she saw Mistress 9 in her room."
"Mistress 9? The woman you and the Princess fought in the
twentieth century!" gasped Diana.
"So you think it was some psychological illusion?" Endymion
asked.
"Well, I wasn't sure last night, but I'm sure of it now. I
mean, what else could it be? I saw Mistress 9 die with my own eyes.
And what's more, I felt her die. I wasn't sure then what I was
feeling, but I know now it was her death. She's gone."
"But a fragment of Pharaoh 90 was able to live on in you," Luna
told her. (a reference to "The Last Moments of Pharaoh 90")
"Ugh. Don't remind me," scowled Serenity. She mulled the idea
over. "No, I don't think it's the same thing. Unless Ami or Rei can
give me proof to the contrary, I'm convinced Mistress 9 is dead."
"Well Rei was certainly working late enough," Luna commented.
"She was practically keeping cat's hours. And I noticed Ami rose
quite early." Luna shifted position on the shelf. "How is the
Princess taking this?"
"Very worried," Endymion answered. "She stayed up all night
with Hotaru."
"Oh, that's so like her!" sighed Diana.
"Yes," Serenity smiled warmly. "Knowing Usa has such a giving,
caring nature more than makes up for the fact that she'd such a
little brat."
"Well?" Luna said disdainfully. "Whose fault is that? You
raised her."
"Oh, let me write that down," Serenity said, fishing for an LCD
pad and a stylus. "I want to remember to say that the next time I
hear you complaining about Diana."
Luna only returned a withering glare while Diana smothered her
giggles.
* * * *
When they reached Usa's room, Usa immediately transformed into
Sailor Moon and asked them to transform as well.
"OK, what's up?" Sailor Vesta asked.
"Well," Sailor Moon began, "in the old days, Mama and the old
senshi were able to teleport."
"Really?" Sailor Ceres asked. "You think we can?"
"Worth a shot," Sailor Moon shrugged.
"Why doesn't that inspire me with confidence?" Sailor Juno
asked.
"'cause you worry too much," snorted Vesta. "What do we do?"
"Well, let's see. If I remember it right . . ."
"If you remember it right?! We're talking matter teleportation
here!" Juno gasped.
"I know what I'm doing!" Sailor Moon growled. "We have to join
hands in a circle, then think of a location and concentrate on going
there."
"OK, but let's try just a short jump, huh?" Juno advised. "How
about the fountain in Promenade Square?"
"Works for me," Sailor Moon nodded. The five senshi joined
hands, bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Sailor Moon called
out "Sailor Teleport!" The jewels on their tiaras began to glow.
But nothing happened.
"Pallas!" yelled Juno, looking up and seeing the senshi's eyes
wandering around the room.
"What?" whined Pallas.
"Concentrate on the fountain!"
"But Pallas doesn't want to go there," the senshi pouted.
"Pallas," Sailor Moon said gravely, "this is important. We
have to find Hotaru."
"All right," the girl said in a small voice.
Once more the five senshi joined hands and concentrated. Once
more "Sailor Teleport" rang out through the room. Once more the
jewels on their tiaras began to glow. The air molecules in the room
began to whip around them. Their hair blew up to the ceiling. A
thin cover of dust pulled up into the whirlwind. When it died away,
they were gone.
"Oh, yeah," scowled Ceres, sitting hip deep in the water of the
fountain on Promenade Square. "This is a GREAT way to travel."
"OK, our aim is off!" Sailor Moon howled, her hair and costume
drenched. "It was our first time!"
"That - was - GEAR!" exclaimed Vesta. The fact that she was on
all fours in water didn't dampen her enthusiasm. Echoing her joy,
Pallas began splashing the water and cackling happily.
"Um," Juno ventured, flinging water from her and noticing the
curious stares of people on the promenade, "maybe we better get
going?"
"Right!" Sailor Moon said. She started to climb out of the
fountain, but slipped and fell on her face, amid the laughter of her
senshi. "Yeah, yeah, ha-ha-ha. Come on!"
"Which way?" Juno asked pointedly. Sailor Moon drew a blank
expression. "Didn't think that far ahead, did you?" Sailor Moon
glared. "Fortunately I snagged this before we left," and she pulled
a scarf out from under her fuku.
"That's the scarf Hotaru gave me!" Sailor Moon gasped.
"Good, then I was right," Juno smirked. "Vesta, think you can
track the scent on this?"
"Maybe not in this form," nodded Vesta. "Fauna assimilation -
bloodhound!" Nothing on Vesta changed except her expression - - she
seemed more aware of the scents and sounds around her. Taking the
scarf from Juno, she began sniffing it. "The only scent I get off of
this is the Princess - - and you. Wait! There is a third one here!
It's got to be Hotaru!"
Vesta turned her head and began sniffing the air curiously.
Finally her head locked into a direction and she sniffed a few more
times.
"This way, gang!" and Vesta took off running for the west, the
others in hot pursuit.
* * * *
Makoto turned over in bed and glanced at the chronometer. It
said 9:45 a.m.
"Man!" Makoto gasped, flinging her lanky body out of the bed.
"Must have forgot to set the alarm!" Working quickly, she fluffed
the pillow and straightened the sheets, still in her nightgown.
There was a robotic feature on her bunk that would make the bed for
her, but Makoto preferred to do it herself.
Racing into the bathroom, tripping and stumbling as she went,
Makoto jumped into the shower. Ten minutes later, she emerged - -
making sure she wiped down the shower before dressing to prevent
water spots on the glass or tile.
"Damn!" cursed Makoto, glancing at the chronometer and seeing
she wasn't gaining any time. "I'm not going to have time to make
breakfast. That means I have to eat in the dining hall. Ugh!"
Even though she was running late, Makoto couldn't help stopping
to pick up some scraps of cloth that had missed the waste recycler
and were on the floor. Noticing the stray threads that lingered, she
wanted to get a broom and sweep, but forced herself away. As she
slipped into her form-hugging white and green body suit, the woman
noticed her computer screen telling her she had a message waiting.
"Computer," she said, "play waiting message."
"To Makoto Kino," the computer replied, "Head training advisor
of the Sailor Senshi. Students Cere-Cere, Jun-Jun, Palla-Palla and
Ves-Ves absent from this day's classes. All attempts to contact
subjects listed failed. Automatic advisory dispatched at 0930 hours
by virtual educational computer 6938. End of message."
Makoto sighed. "Now what?"
Slipping on her boots, Makoto walked out the door and headed
straight for the adjoining quarters the Amazoness Senshi resided in.
She pressed the chime on the door.
"These quarters are currently unoccupied," the computer told
her. "Would you like to leave a message?"
Scowling, Makoto turned and moved to a computer terminal
station in the hall.
"This is Makoto Kino, initiating a security one protocol
bypass," she told the computer.
"Stand by for fingerprint and retinal scan," the computer
replied. Makoto pressed her thumb on a designated spot on the
screen. A laser struck her eye. "Identity confirmed. Initiating
bypass."
"Direct link with palace surveillance system," Makoto
requested. "Display current location of Jun-Jun, Palla-Palla,
Cere-Cere and Ves-Ves."
"One moment please. No current record of listed individuals in
any permitted surveillance area."
"Last recorded sighting."
"One moment please." After a moment, video of the four amazons
and Usa headed for her quarters began to play. Makoto grinned.
"Should have thought of that," chuckled Makoto. "Looks like
Usa's got something cooking again." She headed for Usa's suite.
"It's nice to see she's finally beginning to warm up to them. Still,
that's no excuse for making them miss school."
Makoto pressed on the chime to Usa's quarters.
"These quarters are currently unoccupied. Would you like to
leave a message?"
"What?" Makoto gasped. "But that can't be!"
Endymion noticed the message flash on the computer. "Computer,
play incoming message."
"To King Endymion and Queen Serenity," the computer replied,
"listed as parents of Princess Usagi Chiba and guardians of Hotaru
Tomoe. Students Princess Usagi Chiba and Hotaru Tomoe absent from
this day's classes. All attempts to contact subjects listed failed.
Automatic advisory dispatched at 0930 hours by virtual educational
computer 6938. End of message."
"Now what is she up to?" groaned Serenity.
"Perhaps she just overslept," suggested Luna. "After all, she
does resemble her mother in quite a few ways."
"Don't you have someplace you have to be?" Serenity glared.
"Not at the moment," Luna smirked.
"Maybe she's still staying with Hotaru," Endymion suggested.
"Computer, open communication link with Hotaru Tomoe's quarters."
"Unable to establish link," the computer replied. "Hotaru
Tomoe's quarters currently unoccupied."
"Hmm," Endymion scowled. "Computer . . ." he began, but was
interrupted by the door chime. "Enter."
"Serenity, Endymion, I'm glad I caught you!" Makoto said
hurriedly. "Usa and the Amazons went into Usa's quarters, but
there's no record of them coming out - - and now the computer says
they're not there!"
Instantly Serenity was out of her seat. She flew past Makoto
and down the hall, Luna and Diana at her heels. Makoto looked to
Endymion.
"Go with her," he advised. "I'll search from here." Makoto
nodded and ran off.
Serenity reached the door to Usa's suite and pressed the
override stud on the door. The stud, geared to open only for
Serenity or Endymion or in case of an override code from one of the
four inner senshi of old, read Serenity's fingerprint and the door
slid open.
Inside Serenity, Diana and Luna found Usa's furnishings strewn
haphazardly around the room.
"Princess!" gasped Diana.
"Oh my," Serenity gasped. "What could have happened here?"
"Look at the circular pattern, Your Majesty," Luna observed.
"It suggests some kind of transport energy field."
"But who, Luna?" Serenity asked. "Who has my baby?"
continued in part 6
Chapter 5: "Have You Seen This Girl?"
By Bill K.
Usa and the Amazoness Senshi walked down the hall of the
palace, the senshi matching the determined strides of their princess.
The few people who passed them thought nothing of it, not realizing
they were headed in the opposite direction of their school room.
"I wish you'd tell the King and Queen," fretted Cere-Cere.
"No way," Usa proclaimed. "They wouldn't understand. And I'm
not going to risk Hotaru getting punished if I can avoid it."
"You know, I wish you'd get off them," grumbled Ves-Ves.
"They're not as bad as you always make them out to be. The Queen's
always played fair with me."
Usa scowled. "All the same, I'm not taking the chance."
"OK, so how do we go look for her without your dad's
surveillance opticals spotting us?" Jun-Jun asked. Usa stopped dead
in place, her brow furrowed.
"Palla-Palla could distract them with her puppets and you could
sneak out," Palla-Palla suggested.
"Oh yeah, that'll work," Ves-Ves said, rolling her eyes.
"Those optical units are everywhere," Cere-Cere said.
"Sometimes I want to shower with my clothes on. If only matter
teleportation worked."
"Hey!" Usa shouted, then immediately hunched down
conspiratorially. "Cere-Cere, you're brilliant!"
"She is?" asked Ves-Ves.
"SHUT UP!" snapped Cere-Cere. "I am?"
"Come on back to my room! I know Daddy doesn't have the
residence quarters watched!" Perplexed as always by their princess,
the Amazons followed.
* * * *
Endymion leaned over the bed and pressed his lips to his wife's
mouth. He felt her stir beneath him, slowly at first, but with
increasing animation. When she realized where she was and who was
kissing her, she returned the kiss eagerly until the lips gently
pulled away.
"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," Endymion whispered.
"Why?" Serenity groaned, burrowing back into her pillow.
"We go through this nearly every morning."
"Well you still haven't given me a good reason."
"How about get up before I spank you," Endymion teased.
"You wouldn't dare spank me," Serenity said, wrinkling her nose
at him. "I'm Queen," and she clutched her pillow tighter.
At a silent signal from Luna, sitting on the mattress behind
her, Endymion pulled back. Gently, Luna placed her paw on Serenity's
bottom.
"OW!" Serenity screeched, jumping up out of bed as Luna
extended her claws. "Luna! I could have you executed for that, you
know!"
"You don't frighten me, Your Majesty," Luna smirked. "Just
remember, I knew you when."
"Come on, get up," Endymion prodded. "Breakfast is ready.
It's your favorite."
"Pancakes and honey?" Serenity asked.
"With fresh strawberries."
"Oooooh," smiled Serenity. Then she sighed in frustration.
"All right, I'll get up."
Serenity glided into the room moments later and sat down across
the table from her husband. She took up her utensils and began
eating. Diana was in the room as well.
"I understand Hotaru had some trouble last night," Diana said
in her husky adult voice. The full grown cat was perched up on a
shelf overlooking the table.
"Yes, the poor girl," Serenity sighed. "She was very
distraught over something she dreamt last night. Don't let this get
around, but she thinks she saw Mistress 9 in her room."
"Mistress 9? The woman you and the Princess fought in the
twentieth century!" gasped Diana.
"So you think it was some psychological illusion?" Endymion
asked.
"Well, I wasn't sure last night, but I'm sure of it now. I
mean, what else could it be? I saw Mistress 9 die with my own eyes.
And what's more, I felt her die. I wasn't sure then what I was
feeling, but I know now it was her death. She's gone."
"But a fragment of Pharaoh 90 was able to live on in you," Luna
told her. (a reference to "The Last Moments of Pharaoh 90")
"Ugh. Don't remind me," scowled Serenity. She mulled the idea
over. "No, I don't think it's the same thing. Unless Ami or Rei can
give me proof to the contrary, I'm convinced Mistress 9 is dead."
"Well Rei was certainly working late enough," Luna commented.
"She was practically keeping cat's hours. And I noticed Ami rose
quite early." Luna shifted position on the shelf. "How is the
Princess taking this?"
"Very worried," Endymion answered. "She stayed up all night
with Hotaru."
"Oh, that's so like her!" sighed Diana.
"Yes," Serenity smiled warmly. "Knowing Usa has such a giving,
caring nature more than makes up for the fact that she'd such a
little brat."
"Well?" Luna said disdainfully. "Whose fault is that? You
raised her."
"Oh, let me write that down," Serenity said, fishing for an LCD
pad and a stylus. "I want to remember to say that the next time I
hear you complaining about Diana."
Luna only returned a withering glare while Diana smothered her
giggles.
* * * *
When they reached Usa's room, Usa immediately transformed into
Sailor Moon and asked them to transform as well.
"OK, what's up?" Sailor Vesta asked.
"Well," Sailor Moon began, "in the old days, Mama and the old
senshi were able to teleport."
"Really?" Sailor Ceres asked. "You think we can?"
"Worth a shot," Sailor Moon shrugged.
"Why doesn't that inspire me with confidence?" Sailor Juno
asked.
"'cause you worry too much," snorted Vesta. "What do we do?"
"Well, let's see. If I remember it right . . ."
"If you remember it right?! We're talking matter teleportation
here!" Juno gasped.
"I know what I'm doing!" Sailor Moon growled. "We have to join
hands in a circle, then think of a location and concentrate on going
there."
"OK, but let's try just a short jump, huh?" Juno advised. "How
about the fountain in Promenade Square?"
"Works for me," Sailor Moon nodded. The five senshi joined
hands, bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Sailor Moon called
out "Sailor Teleport!" The jewels on their tiaras began to glow.
But nothing happened.
"Pallas!" yelled Juno, looking up and seeing the senshi's eyes
wandering around the room.
"What?" whined Pallas.
"Concentrate on the fountain!"
"But Pallas doesn't want to go there," the senshi pouted.
"Pallas," Sailor Moon said gravely, "this is important. We
have to find Hotaru."
"All right," the girl said in a small voice.
Once more the five senshi joined hands and concentrated. Once
more "Sailor Teleport" rang out through the room. Once more the
jewels on their tiaras began to glow. The air molecules in the room
began to whip around them. Their hair blew up to the ceiling. A
thin cover of dust pulled up into the whirlwind. When it died away,
they were gone.
"Oh, yeah," scowled Ceres, sitting hip deep in the water of the
fountain on Promenade Square. "This is a GREAT way to travel."
"OK, our aim is off!" Sailor Moon howled, her hair and costume
drenched. "It was our first time!"
"That - was - GEAR!" exclaimed Vesta. The fact that she was on
all fours in water didn't dampen her enthusiasm. Echoing her joy,
Pallas began splashing the water and cackling happily.
"Um," Juno ventured, flinging water from her and noticing the
curious stares of people on the promenade, "maybe we better get
going?"
"Right!" Sailor Moon said. She started to climb out of the
fountain, but slipped and fell on her face, amid the laughter of her
senshi. "Yeah, yeah, ha-ha-ha. Come on!"
"Which way?" Juno asked pointedly. Sailor Moon drew a blank
expression. "Didn't think that far ahead, did you?" Sailor Moon
glared. "Fortunately I snagged this before we left," and she pulled
a scarf out from under her fuku.
"That's the scarf Hotaru gave me!" Sailor Moon gasped.
"Good, then I was right," Juno smirked. "Vesta, think you can
track the scent on this?"
"Maybe not in this form," nodded Vesta. "Fauna assimilation -
bloodhound!" Nothing on Vesta changed except her expression - - she
seemed more aware of the scents and sounds around her. Taking the
scarf from Juno, she began sniffing it. "The only scent I get off of
this is the Princess - - and you. Wait! There is a third one here!
It's got to be Hotaru!"
Vesta turned her head and began sniffing the air curiously.
Finally her head locked into a direction and she sniffed a few more
times.
"This way, gang!" and Vesta took off running for the west, the
others in hot pursuit.
* * * *
Makoto turned over in bed and glanced at the chronometer. It
said 9:45 a.m.
"Man!" Makoto gasped, flinging her lanky body out of the bed.
"Must have forgot to set the alarm!" Working quickly, she fluffed
the pillow and straightened the sheets, still in her nightgown.
There was a robotic feature on her bunk that would make the bed for
her, but Makoto preferred to do it herself.
Racing into the bathroom, tripping and stumbling as she went,
Makoto jumped into the shower. Ten minutes later, she emerged - -
making sure she wiped down the shower before dressing to prevent
water spots on the glass or tile.
"Damn!" cursed Makoto, glancing at the chronometer and seeing
she wasn't gaining any time. "I'm not going to have time to make
breakfast. That means I have to eat in the dining hall. Ugh!"
Even though she was running late, Makoto couldn't help stopping
to pick up some scraps of cloth that had missed the waste recycler
and were on the floor. Noticing the stray threads that lingered, she
wanted to get a broom and sweep, but forced herself away. As she
slipped into her form-hugging white and green body suit, the woman
noticed her computer screen telling her she had a message waiting.
"Computer," she said, "play waiting message."
"To Makoto Kino," the computer replied, "Head training advisor
of the Sailor Senshi. Students Cere-Cere, Jun-Jun, Palla-Palla and
Ves-Ves absent from this day's classes. All attempts to contact
subjects listed failed. Automatic advisory dispatched at 0930 hours
by virtual educational computer 6938. End of message."
Makoto sighed. "Now what?"
Slipping on her boots, Makoto walked out the door and headed
straight for the adjoining quarters the Amazoness Senshi resided in.
She pressed the chime on the door.
"These quarters are currently unoccupied," the computer told
her. "Would you like to leave a message?"
Scowling, Makoto turned and moved to a computer terminal
station in the hall.
"This is Makoto Kino, initiating a security one protocol
bypass," she told the computer.
"Stand by for fingerprint and retinal scan," the computer
replied. Makoto pressed her thumb on a designated spot on the
screen. A laser struck her eye. "Identity confirmed. Initiating
bypass."
"Direct link with palace surveillance system," Makoto
requested. "Display current location of Jun-Jun, Palla-Palla,
Cere-Cere and Ves-Ves."
"One moment please. No current record of listed individuals in
any permitted surveillance area."
"Last recorded sighting."
"One moment please." After a moment, video of the four amazons
and Usa headed for her quarters began to play. Makoto grinned.
"Should have thought of that," chuckled Makoto. "Looks like
Usa's got something cooking again." She headed for Usa's suite.
"It's nice to see she's finally beginning to warm up to them. Still,
that's no excuse for making them miss school."
Makoto pressed on the chime to Usa's quarters.
"These quarters are currently unoccupied. Would you like to
leave a message?"
"What?" Makoto gasped. "But that can't be!"
Endymion noticed the message flash on the computer. "Computer,
play incoming message."
"To King Endymion and Queen Serenity," the computer replied,
"listed as parents of Princess Usagi Chiba and guardians of Hotaru
Tomoe. Students Princess Usagi Chiba and Hotaru Tomoe absent from
this day's classes. All attempts to contact subjects listed failed.
Automatic advisory dispatched at 0930 hours by virtual educational
computer 6938. End of message."
"Now what is she up to?" groaned Serenity.
"Perhaps she just overslept," suggested Luna. "After all, she
does resemble her mother in quite a few ways."
"Don't you have someplace you have to be?" Serenity glared.
"Not at the moment," Luna smirked.
"Maybe she's still staying with Hotaru," Endymion suggested.
"Computer, open communication link with Hotaru Tomoe's quarters."
"Unable to establish link," the computer replied. "Hotaru
Tomoe's quarters currently unoccupied."
"Hmm," Endymion scowled. "Computer . . ." he began, but was
interrupted by the door chime. "Enter."
"Serenity, Endymion, I'm glad I caught you!" Makoto said
hurriedly. "Usa and the Amazons went into Usa's quarters, but
there's no record of them coming out - - and now the computer says
they're not there!"
Instantly Serenity was out of her seat. She flew past Makoto
and down the hall, Luna and Diana at her heels. Makoto looked to
Endymion.
"Go with her," he advised. "I'll search from here." Makoto
nodded and ran off.
Serenity reached the door to Usa's suite and pressed the
override stud on the door. The stud, geared to open only for
Serenity or Endymion or in case of an override code from one of the
four inner senshi of old, read Serenity's fingerprint and the door
slid open.
Inside Serenity, Diana and Luna found Usa's furnishings strewn
haphazardly around the room.
"Princess!" gasped Diana.
"Oh my," Serenity gasped. "What could have happened here?"
"Look at the circular pattern, Your Majesty," Luna observed.
"It suggests some kind of transport energy field."
"But who, Luna?" Serenity asked. "Who has my baby?"
continued in part 6