May 2002
Disclaimer: These character's aren't mine, but the story is..
Chapter 23
Darien looked up from his textbook as the buzzer on his wall sounded.
He slipped his finger into his spot and carried the book over to the
intercom. "Hello?"
"Darien, it is Selenity. May I come up?"
A smile broke across his face at the sound of her voice, and he
pressed the button that would grant her access to the building, "Of course,
Princess."
"Thank you, see you in a few minutes."
The intercom switched off and he turned away, going back into his
apartment and looking around. He was a neat person by habit and his living
room was immaculate, save for the books piled on his coffee table and the
plate and mug on one corner. Marking his page with a bookmark, he set it on
top of the others and collected his dishes. He was placing them in the
dishwasher as the sound of Luna meowing drifted to him. He smiled, kicking
the door closed and quickly went to his bedroom. He opened the door to find
the tiny black cat seated inside, looking up at him. She pushed herself to
her hind feet and meowed plaintively.
"Aww, baby girl wants some loving?" he asked with a soft chuckle,
scooping her into his arms. He carried her out into his apartment as he
scratched her behind the ears, making her purr. She licked his hand as there
was a knock on his door and meowed as he moved to open it. She squirmed in
his hand as he undid the lock with the other and opened the door.
Selenity stepped inside. She wore a pair of plain black jeans and a
white halter top with a black jacket. Her smile was all for him and he
returned it, keeping a secure grasp on Luna as she allowed him to close the
door.
Luna meowed plaintively as she was ignored, pawing at Darien's hand
as she fought to get to the young woman. Selenity reached out and gently
plucked the cat from Darien's grasp, hugging them both as Luna curled around
her neck. Darien held her tightly, dropping a gentle kiss on the tip of her
nose. "Hello, Princess."
"I didn't interrupt you, did I?"
He shook his head, "No. How did the press conference go this
morning?"
"You haven't heard?"
"Heard what?"
She grimaced, "Martin played dirty. He insinuated to the press that
we'd had some kind of sexual relations without actually coming out and
saying it. I can almost guarantee it will be on the news tonight."
He slid an arm around her waist and escorted her into his living room
where she sat gratefully on the couch next to him, Luna purring contentedly.
"I wish you'd let me come."
She sighed, "It would have been worse. I wish you'd been there as
well. Darien," her voice was serious, her eyes searching his, "I have
something to tell you."
He looked at her; searching her face as her tone told him something
was extremely serious. "Go on."
She took a deep breath, "I'm going to expose Martin as the monster he
is. I'm sick of turning aside questions about the relationship he and I
had. He's unconcerned about my reputation; I refuse to be concerned about
his."
Darien gently cupped her face in his hands, searching her eyes, "Are
you willing to sink to his level, Princess? You're better than that. Don't
actively search for ways to discredit him, just answer honestly when you get
asked. He is trying to find ways to tear us apart, don't you see that?"
She covered his hands with her own, shaking under his intense gaze,
"I know," she whispered. "He's getting to me, Darien. I'm losing sight of
what's important. Help me."
He gently removed a napping Luna from around her neck, placing her on
the couch, and enfolded Selenity in his arms, tucking her head under his
chin as she curled into him like a lost child. "I'm here, Selenity. I'm
not going anywhere."
"Even if you're not Royalty?"
"Especially if I'm not Royalty. If I am..." he sighed, "I'll deal
with that if it happens."
She slid her arms tightly around his waist and sighed, "I feel so
lost. I shouldn't want revenge; I shouldn't want to make him feel the pain
I have. Why do I feel this need for vengeance?"
He stroked her shoulder length hair as he thought of a way to answer
her. After a few moments of intense silence he said, "You're human, Selene.
Wanting to make someone hurt as much as they've hurt you is natural. Fight
it. You're better than he'll ever be; you've got a hidden strength to you
that's incredible. Your spirit is so beautifully pure, so achingly sweet;
it would make me weep if I could. I love you, Princess."
She shook in his grasp, her hands grasping the back of his shirt as
she fought to try and get rid of the emotions she felt. She bit her lip, "I
can't fight them. They're all I'm feeling, all I want, beyond you. I hate
him, Darien. I've never hated anyone before in my life."
He hugged her tightly, wanting to be able to make her pain stop.
"Pity him, Selene. He'll never know love like you and I. He knows nothing
beyond conquest and lust. What you and I share is something magical.
Something that will last long after you and I are gone. Our love is pure,
untainted by greed and selfishness. Don't sully that by hating the very man
that has brought it about. Pity him, Princess, pity him for never knowing
the caress of a woman who loves him."
She buried her face into his shirt and clung to him, shaking
violently as he held her tightly. For a long time they simply held each
other, Selenity drawing strength from his convictions. She finally drew
back, taking a deep breath as she fought to keep everything straight in her
mind. "I think I'll go for a walk," she told him, half smiling, "I need to
think some things through."
"Would you like me to come with you?"
She shook her head as she rose to her feet, "I think I need to be
alone to work this through. I'm sorry I brought you into it."
Darien stood and grasped her hands in his, "Never. I'll never be
sorry you brought me into this, and you shouldn't be either. I love you,
Selenity. You, not your station or your influence, but the young woman
who's determined to do the right thing."
Tears filled her eyes for the first time and she blinked them back.
"Thank you." she whispered before turned and leaving his apartment.
Darien let her go, knowing and respecting her wishes. His brow was
furrowed with worry though. She'd be alright, he assured himself silently,
she was strong.
With a sigh, he picked up his abandoned text book and attempted to go
back to studying.
Selenity walked away from Darien's apartment, her thoughts inward,
simply putting one foot in front of the other as she went. She paid no
attention to her surroundings.
Why do I feel this way? Why should it matter what the press thinks
of me and my life? Why does it matter what Martin says about me? She
sighed, tucking her hands into the pockets of her coat, I don't like this.
He's playing dirty and all I want to do is fight the same way. Darien is
right, I'm better than that. I'm a better person that Martin will ever be,
so why do I still want to hurt him? Is it because he's stolen so much from
me? Because he's a selfish man who can't see beyond his own wants, and I
happen to be one of them? Why oh why did he have to pull that stunt today?
Why couldn't he leave well enough alone and just accept the fact I don't
want to be with him? Why-
A sound brought her head up in reflex, cutting off her train of
thought. She gasped, one hand flying to her throat. Before her stood
something she'd never seen before. It was human shaped, standing on two
legs, but had the head of a cat, the wings of a falcon and the body of a
bear. She swallowed hard, seeing it looking at her, licking its chops.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to intrude," she told it calmly, trying
desperately to calm her racing heart. Thankfully her voice betrayed none of
her fear. "I will be going now."
"Going?" it mewed, the sound between a bear's growl and a cat's meow.
"You will not be going anywhere."
Selenity swallowed hard, "What do you want? Money? I can give you
money," she reached for her back pocket.
It laughed at her, "Money for what, human?" it stepped towards her,
backing her up.
Selenity took no note of her surroundings until her back was pressed
against cool marble. She was on one of the streets flanking the main
gardens of the city. "I-I don't know," she stammered, sliding along the
wall away from it.
It stopped, fanning its wings, and looked at her carefully, "I smell
power on you, human. Lots of power. I want it for my young."
"Power? I... I am royalty and have political power."
It stepped towards her, cutting off her escape, "Your soul, human,
has much power."
She cringed as it herded her into a corner and stood above her. It
had to have been ten feet tall! "Please, don't hurt me."
"Back off Cashrawk!" called a voice from behind the creature, "She is
not for you!"
Selenity couldn't see beyond the creature as it turned, it's wings
half spread as if for taking flight. "This is none of your concern, woman."
Another voice, this time from above them, spoke, "When it comes to
this woman, it is our concern. We protect our Princess. Back off."
The bear creature lunged at Selenity and knocked her to the ground,
standing over her.
Selenity screamed as she was hit, feeling the blood trickling down
her back from where its sharp claws had rendered tender flesh. She curled
into a ball as the pain traveled through her body.
"Selenity!" screamed a familiar voice.
Her head came up, and she saw four young women standing in front of
the beast, dressed in white body suits and different color skirts. They
looked like Sailor fuku's. She blinked. Sailor Fuku's? These then were
the protectors of the city she'd heard so much about.
The young woman dressed in red slammed her palms together and started
chanting something, making symbols with her hands. As she watched a white
piece of paper, an enchantment against evil spirits, sprang from her hands
and landed on the head of the beast. It roared, rearing back and leaving
her exposed.
A tall brunette, wearing a green skirt, lunged into her and sent them
both sprawling out the other side. Clear from the monster, she heard the
same voice, Mina's voice, call for something called a "Love me Chain". A
brilliant yellow chain made of hearts entangled the enraged monster, sending
it to the ground. With a flex of its wings, it snapped the chain and pushed
itself back to its feet, "You cannot beat me, with parlour tricks, Sailor
Venus."
The brunette leapt away with Selenity as the battle continued below.
Placing the princess on top of the high wall surrounding the garden, she
offered a smile for reassurance before diving back towards the fight where
her fellow sailors were throwing a bunch of different energy attacks at the
creature.
Selenity watched, wide-eyed, as the four young women worked as a team
to strike and retreat, never giving the creature a moment's rest. Coming
out of her daze, and feeling the wounds in her back starting to close, she
looked around for some way to help. Large stones littered the top of the
wall and she picked a few up, dropping it on the head of the beast almost
directly below her.
The creature Cashrawk, bellowed with surprise and anger as it swept
one of the soldiers, one in an orange skirt, off her feet.
"Sailor Venus!" cried the other women, the one dressed in the red
skirt intercepting the tail lash that was beginning to come down on the
prone sailor.
Venus rolled to her feet, "Thanks Mars."
Selenity looked closely at Venus. She looked and sounded like Mina!
Imagining the young woman in her volleyball outfit, she bit back a gasp.
It was Mina! It had to be. Slowly she drew lines in her mind as she
watched them fight, hearing their respective planet names as they went.
Venus was Mina, of that she was sure. Mercury could be no other than Amy.
Who else had blue hair in Tokyo? Not to mention the brains to come up with
some of the tactics they were throwing at Cashrawk.
Jupiter almost looked like Lita and the Mars had a temperament that
matched the fiery Raye. She watched with awe as her friends finally
succeeded in driving the thing away, Jupiter coming to land next to her again
so it wouldn't get any ideas about a second capture. She took the woman's
offered hand and was helped down to the ground where Mercury quickly checked
her back.
"Thank you, you guys," Selenity told them smiling. She looked
directly at Venus, "I never realized your talents went into something other
than volley ball, Mina."
The four of them inhaled sharply. Venus looked at Selenity
critically and then shrugged, "You caught me. You're not supposed to be
able to tell who we are."
Selenity shrugged, wincing, "It was your voice that gave it away.
How could I not recognize my best friend?"
The other three laughed as Venus enfolded her in a hug, careful of
her back, "As it should be."
Selenity pulled away and looked around at the other three. "Lita,
Amy and Raye, right?"
They flushed, exchanging guilty glances as Venus laughed, "I wish I
had a camera. Come on, Selene, we'd best get you home safe."
"With you guys dressed like that?"
They looked around and, seeing no one about, quickly allowed their
transformations to dissolve away. Her friends at her side, they left the
dark street and headed into the gardens to cut back towards her place. "So
how long have you guys been... you know."
"Well, I was the first," Mina told her with a sigh, "Just after you
left actually. From there came Amy, Lita and Raye. I hope Cashrawk didn't
scare you too bad."
Selenity shuddered, "You've fought it before?"
Raye nodded, "Yeah, it's not fun. For some reason we can't kill it.
I suppose our leader, whenever she's found will have that power, but none
of us, even combined, can kill it."
Selenity sighed, "So I can be expecting another visit from this
thing, then?"
"Maybe." Amy placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed,
"We'll keep an eye on you, just in case. No more nightly walks though. If
you have to go anywhere have Darien or Charles drive you. It's safer that
way."
"Ugh, curtail my activities even more. Joy. So who's this leader
you're talking about and how come she's not around now?"
The four exchanged glances before Lita finally spoke, "We're not
sure. Mina's our leader for now, she's good at it too. We're not sure why
she's never been found," she shrugged, "we're alright on our own, she'd just
be more fire power."
"Selenity, you have to promise you can't tell anyone about us," Mina
told her, stepping in front of her and speaking urgently. "If our enemies
find out we'd be in real trouble. Can we count on you to keep our secret?"
Selenity nodded, "I promise I'll never tell. Who would believe me
anyway?"
Mina chuckled, "Good point. Come on, let's get you home. Some of us
have to patrol elsewhere tonight."
The girls turned to more pleasant subjects as they walked Selenity
home. Selenity was quiet as their chatter washed over her, her mind back in
her dilemma from before. What would she do about Martin? Her friends
couldn't help. Now that she knew who they were, she had a feeling they
couldn't do much even if they wanted to. She sighed; it explained a lot,
all of their strange disappearances, their sudden get up and go's when they
were out with her. These four young women were the only thing standing
between Tokyo, and most likely the world, and complete destruction. It was
a comforting, and yet not a very comforting, thought.
They were before her house in no time and Selenity found she was
loath to go back in yet. "I really don't want to go back in. I don't
suppose you ladies want to come with me while I walk?"
Mina sighed. The reporters that seemed to have flocked around the
house for the last few weeks were nowhere to be seen. Apparently the King
had exerted some influence of his. "Selene, we can't watch you and keep our
eyes out for things that are amiss. I'm sorry, but it's safer for you
inside."
"That thing said I had a strong soul, Mina, I don't think it's going
to quit, even if I'm-"
"It said what?" Amy cut her off, her eyes wide.
Selenity shrugged, "It told me it wanted my soul, my strength, for
its young, whatever that means."
"Guys, that thing is looking for the Princess too. We called
Selenity our Princess."
The four of them turned to look at Raye, Selenity not understanding,
"But I am the Princess."
"Not ours, Selene," Amy said softly, "We're searching for the
Princess of the Moon who was reborn here on earth. From the sound of it
your line is from Earth and can be traced back to the main lineage. The
very first royal families."
"I admit my line goes a long way back, but couldn't this Princess
you're searching for have been born into a Royal family?"
Amy shook her head, "No. At least, I don't think so. If she were
born to your family, then the Prince from that line would have been born..."
she paused, her forehead scrunching up in confusing before whipping out her
pocket computer.
Lita rolled her eyes, "She's number crunching again. She'll be at it
for hours now. Amy mentioned you heal fast, like we do, Selene, I don't
suppose you've got any other talents you've forgotten to mention?"
She shook her head, "No. Look, I'm just going to hit the sack; I'll
talk to you guys later. Be careful, alright?"
Selenity hugged each of them, receiving an absent-minded one from an
absorbed Amy, before punching the code into her gate. Without a backwards
glance she headed inside, too many thoughts whirling around in her head for
her to make any sense of anything. She'd deal with them tomorrow.
Author's Note: Comments, Questions, Suggestions, flames... all go to
Jademax@hotmail.com
Unless of course you'd like to write a review!
A Huge Thanks to my Beta Reader Atlantis!!! Girl you rock!
Thanks for reading!
Jade_Max
Disclaimer: These character's aren't mine, but the story is..
Chapter 23
Darien looked up from his textbook as the buzzer on his wall sounded.
He slipped his finger into his spot and carried the book over to the
intercom. "Hello?"
"Darien, it is Selenity. May I come up?"
A smile broke across his face at the sound of her voice, and he
pressed the button that would grant her access to the building, "Of course,
Princess."
"Thank you, see you in a few minutes."
The intercom switched off and he turned away, going back into his
apartment and looking around. He was a neat person by habit and his living
room was immaculate, save for the books piled on his coffee table and the
plate and mug on one corner. Marking his page with a bookmark, he set it on
top of the others and collected his dishes. He was placing them in the
dishwasher as the sound of Luna meowing drifted to him. He smiled, kicking
the door closed and quickly went to his bedroom. He opened the door to find
the tiny black cat seated inside, looking up at him. She pushed herself to
her hind feet and meowed plaintively.
"Aww, baby girl wants some loving?" he asked with a soft chuckle,
scooping her into his arms. He carried her out into his apartment as he
scratched her behind the ears, making her purr. She licked his hand as there
was a knock on his door and meowed as he moved to open it. She squirmed in
his hand as he undid the lock with the other and opened the door.
Selenity stepped inside. She wore a pair of plain black jeans and a
white halter top with a black jacket. Her smile was all for him and he
returned it, keeping a secure grasp on Luna as she allowed him to close the
door.
Luna meowed plaintively as she was ignored, pawing at Darien's hand
as she fought to get to the young woman. Selenity reached out and gently
plucked the cat from Darien's grasp, hugging them both as Luna curled around
her neck. Darien held her tightly, dropping a gentle kiss on the tip of her
nose. "Hello, Princess."
"I didn't interrupt you, did I?"
He shook his head, "No. How did the press conference go this
morning?"
"You haven't heard?"
"Heard what?"
She grimaced, "Martin played dirty. He insinuated to the press that
we'd had some kind of sexual relations without actually coming out and
saying it. I can almost guarantee it will be on the news tonight."
He slid an arm around her waist and escorted her into his living room
where she sat gratefully on the couch next to him, Luna purring contentedly.
"I wish you'd let me come."
She sighed, "It would have been worse. I wish you'd been there as
well. Darien," her voice was serious, her eyes searching his, "I have
something to tell you."
He looked at her; searching her face as her tone told him something
was extremely serious. "Go on."
She took a deep breath, "I'm going to expose Martin as the monster he
is. I'm sick of turning aside questions about the relationship he and I
had. He's unconcerned about my reputation; I refuse to be concerned about
his."
Darien gently cupped her face in his hands, searching her eyes, "Are
you willing to sink to his level, Princess? You're better than that. Don't
actively search for ways to discredit him, just answer honestly when you get
asked. He is trying to find ways to tear us apart, don't you see that?"
She covered his hands with her own, shaking under his intense gaze,
"I know," she whispered. "He's getting to me, Darien. I'm losing sight of
what's important. Help me."
He gently removed a napping Luna from around her neck, placing her on
the couch, and enfolded Selenity in his arms, tucking her head under his
chin as she curled into him like a lost child. "I'm here, Selenity. I'm
not going anywhere."
"Even if you're not Royalty?"
"Especially if I'm not Royalty. If I am..." he sighed, "I'll deal
with that if it happens."
She slid her arms tightly around his waist and sighed, "I feel so
lost. I shouldn't want revenge; I shouldn't want to make him feel the pain
I have. Why do I feel this need for vengeance?"
He stroked her shoulder length hair as he thought of a way to answer
her. After a few moments of intense silence he said, "You're human, Selene.
Wanting to make someone hurt as much as they've hurt you is natural. Fight
it. You're better than he'll ever be; you've got a hidden strength to you
that's incredible. Your spirit is so beautifully pure, so achingly sweet;
it would make me weep if I could. I love you, Princess."
She shook in his grasp, her hands grasping the back of his shirt as
she fought to try and get rid of the emotions she felt. She bit her lip, "I
can't fight them. They're all I'm feeling, all I want, beyond you. I hate
him, Darien. I've never hated anyone before in my life."
He hugged her tightly, wanting to be able to make her pain stop.
"Pity him, Selene. He'll never know love like you and I. He knows nothing
beyond conquest and lust. What you and I share is something magical.
Something that will last long after you and I are gone. Our love is pure,
untainted by greed and selfishness. Don't sully that by hating the very man
that has brought it about. Pity him, Princess, pity him for never knowing
the caress of a woman who loves him."
She buried her face into his shirt and clung to him, shaking
violently as he held her tightly. For a long time they simply held each
other, Selenity drawing strength from his convictions. She finally drew
back, taking a deep breath as she fought to keep everything straight in her
mind. "I think I'll go for a walk," she told him, half smiling, "I need to
think some things through."
"Would you like me to come with you?"
She shook her head as she rose to her feet, "I think I need to be
alone to work this through. I'm sorry I brought you into it."
Darien stood and grasped her hands in his, "Never. I'll never be
sorry you brought me into this, and you shouldn't be either. I love you,
Selenity. You, not your station or your influence, but the young woman
who's determined to do the right thing."
Tears filled her eyes for the first time and she blinked them back.
"Thank you." she whispered before turned and leaving his apartment.
Darien let her go, knowing and respecting her wishes. His brow was
furrowed with worry though. She'd be alright, he assured himself silently,
she was strong.
With a sigh, he picked up his abandoned text book and attempted to go
back to studying.
Selenity walked away from Darien's apartment, her thoughts inward,
simply putting one foot in front of the other as she went. She paid no
attention to her surroundings.
Why do I feel this way? Why should it matter what the press thinks
of me and my life? Why does it matter what Martin says about me? She
sighed, tucking her hands into the pockets of her coat, I don't like this.
He's playing dirty and all I want to do is fight the same way. Darien is
right, I'm better than that. I'm a better person that Martin will ever be,
so why do I still want to hurt him? Is it because he's stolen so much from
me? Because he's a selfish man who can't see beyond his own wants, and I
happen to be one of them? Why oh why did he have to pull that stunt today?
Why couldn't he leave well enough alone and just accept the fact I don't
want to be with him? Why-
A sound brought her head up in reflex, cutting off her train of
thought. She gasped, one hand flying to her throat. Before her stood
something she'd never seen before. It was human shaped, standing on two
legs, but had the head of a cat, the wings of a falcon and the body of a
bear. She swallowed hard, seeing it looking at her, licking its chops.
"I am sorry, I did not mean to intrude," she told it calmly, trying
desperately to calm her racing heart. Thankfully her voice betrayed none of
her fear. "I will be going now."
"Going?" it mewed, the sound between a bear's growl and a cat's meow.
"You will not be going anywhere."
Selenity swallowed hard, "What do you want? Money? I can give you
money," she reached for her back pocket.
It laughed at her, "Money for what, human?" it stepped towards her,
backing her up.
Selenity took no note of her surroundings until her back was pressed
against cool marble. She was on one of the streets flanking the main
gardens of the city. "I-I don't know," she stammered, sliding along the
wall away from it.
It stopped, fanning its wings, and looked at her carefully, "I smell
power on you, human. Lots of power. I want it for my young."
"Power? I... I am royalty and have political power."
It stepped towards her, cutting off her escape, "Your soul, human,
has much power."
She cringed as it herded her into a corner and stood above her. It
had to have been ten feet tall! "Please, don't hurt me."
"Back off Cashrawk!" called a voice from behind the creature, "She is
not for you!"
Selenity couldn't see beyond the creature as it turned, it's wings
half spread as if for taking flight. "This is none of your concern, woman."
Another voice, this time from above them, spoke, "When it comes to
this woman, it is our concern. We protect our Princess. Back off."
The bear creature lunged at Selenity and knocked her to the ground,
standing over her.
Selenity screamed as she was hit, feeling the blood trickling down
her back from where its sharp claws had rendered tender flesh. She curled
into a ball as the pain traveled through her body.
"Selenity!" screamed a familiar voice.
Her head came up, and she saw four young women standing in front of
the beast, dressed in white body suits and different color skirts. They
looked like Sailor fuku's. She blinked. Sailor Fuku's? These then were
the protectors of the city she'd heard so much about.
The young woman dressed in red slammed her palms together and started
chanting something, making symbols with her hands. As she watched a white
piece of paper, an enchantment against evil spirits, sprang from her hands
and landed on the head of the beast. It roared, rearing back and leaving
her exposed.
A tall brunette, wearing a green skirt, lunged into her and sent them
both sprawling out the other side. Clear from the monster, she heard the
same voice, Mina's voice, call for something called a "Love me Chain". A
brilliant yellow chain made of hearts entangled the enraged monster, sending
it to the ground. With a flex of its wings, it snapped the chain and pushed
itself back to its feet, "You cannot beat me, with parlour tricks, Sailor
Venus."
The brunette leapt away with Selenity as the battle continued below.
Placing the princess on top of the high wall surrounding the garden, she
offered a smile for reassurance before diving back towards the fight where
her fellow sailors were throwing a bunch of different energy attacks at the
creature.
Selenity watched, wide-eyed, as the four young women worked as a team
to strike and retreat, never giving the creature a moment's rest. Coming
out of her daze, and feeling the wounds in her back starting to close, she
looked around for some way to help. Large stones littered the top of the
wall and she picked a few up, dropping it on the head of the beast almost
directly below her.
The creature Cashrawk, bellowed with surprise and anger as it swept
one of the soldiers, one in an orange skirt, off her feet.
"Sailor Venus!" cried the other women, the one dressed in the red
skirt intercepting the tail lash that was beginning to come down on the
prone sailor.
Venus rolled to her feet, "Thanks Mars."
Selenity looked closely at Venus. She looked and sounded like Mina!
Imagining the young woman in her volleyball outfit, she bit back a gasp.
It was Mina! It had to be. Slowly she drew lines in her mind as she
watched them fight, hearing their respective planet names as they went.
Venus was Mina, of that she was sure. Mercury could be no other than Amy.
Who else had blue hair in Tokyo? Not to mention the brains to come up with
some of the tactics they were throwing at Cashrawk.
Jupiter almost looked like Lita and the Mars had a temperament that
matched the fiery Raye. She watched with awe as her friends finally
succeeded in driving the thing away, Jupiter coming to land next to her again
so it wouldn't get any ideas about a second capture. She took the woman's
offered hand and was helped down to the ground where Mercury quickly checked
her back.
"Thank you, you guys," Selenity told them smiling. She looked
directly at Venus, "I never realized your talents went into something other
than volley ball, Mina."
The four of them inhaled sharply. Venus looked at Selenity
critically and then shrugged, "You caught me. You're not supposed to be
able to tell who we are."
Selenity shrugged, wincing, "It was your voice that gave it away.
How could I not recognize my best friend?"
The other three laughed as Venus enfolded her in a hug, careful of
her back, "As it should be."
Selenity pulled away and looked around at the other three. "Lita,
Amy and Raye, right?"
They flushed, exchanging guilty glances as Venus laughed, "I wish I
had a camera. Come on, Selene, we'd best get you home safe."
"With you guys dressed like that?"
They looked around and, seeing no one about, quickly allowed their
transformations to dissolve away. Her friends at her side, they left the
dark street and headed into the gardens to cut back towards her place. "So
how long have you guys been... you know."
"Well, I was the first," Mina told her with a sigh, "Just after you
left actually. From there came Amy, Lita and Raye. I hope Cashrawk didn't
scare you too bad."
Selenity shuddered, "You've fought it before?"
Raye nodded, "Yeah, it's not fun. For some reason we can't kill it.
I suppose our leader, whenever she's found will have that power, but none
of us, even combined, can kill it."
Selenity sighed, "So I can be expecting another visit from this
thing, then?"
"Maybe." Amy placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezed,
"We'll keep an eye on you, just in case. No more nightly walks though. If
you have to go anywhere have Darien or Charles drive you. It's safer that
way."
"Ugh, curtail my activities even more. Joy. So who's this leader
you're talking about and how come she's not around now?"
The four exchanged glances before Lita finally spoke, "We're not
sure. Mina's our leader for now, she's good at it too. We're not sure why
she's never been found," she shrugged, "we're alright on our own, she'd just
be more fire power."
"Selenity, you have to promise you can't tell anyone about us," Mina
told her, stepping in front of her and speaking urgently. "If our enemies
find out we'd be in real trouble. Can we count on you to keep our secret?"
Selenity nodded, "I promise I'll never tell. Who would believe me
anyway?"
Mina chuckled, "Good point. Come on, let's get you home. Some of us
have to patrol elsewhere tonight."
The girls turned to more pleasant subjects as they walked Selenity
home. Selenity was quiet as their chatter washed over her, her mind back in
her dilemma from before. What would she do about Martin? Her friends
couldn't help. Now that she knew who they were, she had a feeling they
couldn't do much even if they wanted to. She sighed; it explained a lot,
all of their strange disappearances, their sudden get up and go's when they
were out with her. These four young women were the only thing standing
between Tokyo, and most likely the world, and complete destruction. It was
a comforting, and yet not a very comforting, thought.
They were before her house in no time and Selenity found she was
loath to go back in yet. "I really don't want to go back in. I don't
suppose you ladies want to come with me while I walk?"
Mina sighed. The reporters that seemed to have flocked around the
house for the last few weeks were nowhere to be seen. Apparently the King
had exerted some influence of his. "Selene, we can't watch you and keep our
eyes out for things that are amiss. I'm sorry, but it's safer for you
inside."
"That thing said I had a strong soul, Mina, I don't think it's going
to quit, even if I'm-"
"It said what?" Amy cut her off, her eyes wide.
Selenity shrugged, "It told me it wanted my soul, my strength, for
its young, whatever that means."
"Guys, that thing is looking for the Princess too. We called
Selenity our Princess."
The four of them turned to look at Raye, Selenity not understanding,
"But I am the Princess."
"Not ours, Selene," Amy said softly, "We're searching for the
Princess of the Moon who was reborn here on earth. From the sound of it
your line is from Earth and can be traced back to the main lineage. The
very first royal families."
"I admit my line goes a long way back, but couldn't this Princess
you're searching for have been born into a Royal family?"
Amy shook her head, "No. At least, I don't think so. If she were
born to your family, then the Prince from that line would have been born..."
she paused, her forehead scrunching up in confusing before whipping out her
pocket computer.
Lita rolled her eyes, "She's number crunching again. She'll be at it
for hours now. Amy mentioned you heal fast, like we do, Selene, I don't
suppose you've got any other talents you've forgotten to mention?"
She shook her head, "No. Look, I'm just going to hit the sack; I'll
talk to you guys later. Be careful, alright?"
Selenity hugged each of them, receiving an absent-minded one from an
absorbed Amy, before punching the code into her gate. Without a backwards
glance she headed inside, too many thoughts whirling around in her head for
her to make any sense of anything. She'd deal with them tomorrow.
Author's Note: Comments, Questions, Suggestions, flames... all go to
Jademax@hotmail.com
Unless of course you'd like to write a review!
A Huge Thanks to my Beta Reader Atlantis!!! Girl you rock!
Thanks for reading!
Jade_Max