" They're not responding, " Mayoko told Luriel, " I don't understand. "
" They probably shut off their communicators so that we couldn't bother them during their little date, " Keridwen muttered overhearing the statement.
" No, " Luriel said shaking her head slowly, " something isn't right, " her lavender eyes became dazed and unfocused as she entered a trance-like state. A few minutes passed and everyone waited. Luriel reached out with her mind, searching for her friends. It was no use, she couldn't determine their location. The only plausible explanations were that they were unconscious or dead, and either way it wasn't promising. Luriel blinked then looked at the others, " I can't find them. "
" What are we going to do? " Mayoko asked.
Even Keridwen looked concerned as she thought about the things she had said earlier. She never imagined that the two girls had actually run into trouble. How could anyone on this planet have overpowered them? It wasn't possible, unless they weren't from this planet. The sudden realization made her stomach turn.
Usagi and the Earth Senshi joined the group. " You haven't found them, have you? " Usagi said quietly when she saw their expressions.
" No, and I don't know how to find them, " admitted Mayoko.
" Perhaps I could be of some assistance. "
The Senshi all turned to see who had spoken. The man had a gray uniform and long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. He stood suspended several feet above the ground with his arms crossed over his chest and a sadistic smile on his lips.
" Who are you? " Keridwen demanded taking a step forward.
" I wouldn't be so hasty, Senshi. "
" Zoisite, stop this madness immediately, " shouted Nephlyte as he and Jedite came into view.
" The traitors! How nice of you to save me the trouble of hunting you down. Well, since everyone is here, let's begin. As I'm sure you have guessed by now, we have your little friends. It was really quite easy to capture them, " he laughed, " dinner and a few sweet words. They never saw it coming. " " Moon.... Prism..."
" Wait right there, princess, " Zoisite said, the smile never left his face, " General Kunzite is keeping the girls company. If anything happens to me, he will kill them. But if you think it's worth sacrificing their lives, well then, go right ahead. "
The three Celestial Senshi turned to see how the leader of Earth's guardians would react. Usagi fell still, took a deep breath, and glared at the General, " I would never sacrifice a life. "
" Just as I thought, " he smirked, " emotions make you weak, and that is why the Dark Kingdom shall prevail. I will take all of you to Queen Beryl. She will drain you of your energy to help our cause, then kill you. "
Nephlyte and Jedite cringed. They had seen Beryl's wrath more than once, and they would be getting off easy if she only killed them.
There was a brilliant flash of light and the entire group found themselves standing in a cave-like chamber. The walls and floor were black stone and covered with some sort of slick coating that glistened in the flickering torchlight. The air was hot and heavy making it difficult to breath, and the young girls gathered close together as they heard shouts echoing from somewhere not far away.
" Sorry the place is such a mess, " Zoisite mused sarcastically.
" You have to listen to us, Zoisite, " Jedite pleaded, " this is all wrong. Beryl had us brainwashed over a thousand years ago. We were Prince Endymion's royal guards, and it was supposed to be our job to help defend the Earth. Let the Senshi go, and they can help revive your memory. "
" You lie! " snapped a voice from the shadows. A tall man with long silvery- white hair and cold eyes came forward, " It's these intolerable brats that have tricked you into believing that you're something you're not." He walked slowly through the room studying the girls. He was curious how these...children had managed to defeat Nephlyte and Jedite, but he supposed it was due to their number.
Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and he turned to Zoisite, " Where is the other one? "
" What other one? "
" The girl with the violet hair. She's the one I saw this afternoon at the temple. Where is she? " he bellowed.
" I didn't see her there, " Zoisite grabbed Keridwen by the throat, " Where is the girl Kunzite saw? "
" I don't know what he's talking about. "
" You lie! " Kunzite growled walking up and grabbing a handful of her short black and silver hair. He pulled her head back until she had no choice but to meet his gaze, " Where is she? "
She remained silent and stared at him defiantly.
" Kill her. "
" No! " Luriel shouted.
Kunzite released Keridwen and turned curiously to the other girl, " I will have Zoisite kill her immediately if you do not give me a straight answer. Now where is the other Senshi? "
" Luriel, don't, " Keridwen choked out as Zoisite's grip tightened around her throat.
" We honestly don't know where she is. She has a way of taking off on her own, and it's hard to say when she'll return. "
Kunzite stepped forward and grabbed the front of her shirt, " You best not be lying to me, girl, or I will see that every one of your friends is tortured mercilessly before your eyes. "
Luriel could not keep the tears from flowing down her cheeks, " It is the truth. We were raised together, and she has always been a loner. "
" Are there any others? "
" No. "
" Zoisite, return to the temple and wait for her. I will take our guests to Queen Beryl. Even one Senshi running around freely is too much for my taste. "
Zoisite dropped Keridwen to the floor and vanished.
" They probably shut off their communicators so that we couldn't bother them during their little date, " Keridwen muttered overhearing the statement.
" No, " Luriel said shaking her head slowly, " something isn't right, " her lavender eyes became dazed and unfocused as she entered a trance-like state. A few minutes passed and everyone waited. Luriel reached out with her mind, searching for her friends. It was no use, she couldn't determine their location. The only plausible explanations were that they were unconscious or dead, and either way it wasn't promising. Luriel blinked then looked at the others, " I can't find them. "
" What are we going to do? " Mayoko asked.
Even Keridwen looked concerned as she thought about the things she had said earlier. She never imagined that the two girls had actually run into trouble. How could anyone on this planet have overpowered them? It wasn't possible, unless they weren't from this planet. The sudden realization made her stomach turn.
Usagi and the Earth Senshi joined the group. " You haven't found them, have you? " Usagi said quietly when she saw their expressions.
" No, and I don't know how to find them, " admitted Mayoko.
" Perhaps I could be of some assistance. "
The Senshi all turned to see who had spoken. The man had a gray uniform and long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. He stood suspended several feet above the ground with his arms crossed over his chest and a sadistic smile on his lips.
" Who are you? " Keridwen demanded taking a step forward.
" I wouldn't be so hasty, Senshi. "
" Zoisite, stop this madness immediately, " shouted Nephlyte as he and Jedite came into view.
" The traitors! How nice of you to save me the trouble of hunting you down. Well, since everyone is here, let's begin. As I'm sure you have guessed by now, we have your little friends. It was really quite easy to capture them, " he laughed, " dinner and a few sweet words. They never saw it coming. " " Moon.... Prism..."
" Wait right there, princess, " Zoisite said, the smile never left his face, " General Kunzite is keeping the girls company. If anything happens to me, he will kill them. But if you think it's worth sacrificing their lives, well then, go right ahead. "
The three Celestial Senshi turned to see how the leader of Earth's guardians would react. Usagi fell still, took a deep breath, and glared at the General, " I would never sacrifice a life. "
" Just as I thought, " he smirked, " emotions make you weak, and that is why the Dark Kingdom shall prevail. I will take all of you to Queen Beryl. She will drain you of your energy to help our cause, then kill you. "
Nephlyte and Jedite cringed. They had seen Beryl's wrath more than once, and they would be getting off easy if she only killed them.
There was a brilliant flash of light and the entire group found themselves standing in a cave-like chamber. The walls and floor were black stone and covered with some sort of slick coating that glistened in the flickering torchlight. The air was hot and heavy making it difficult to breath, and the young girls gathered close together as they heard shouts echoing from somewhere not far away.
" Sorry the place is such a mess, " Zoisite mused sarcastically.
" You have to listen to us, Zoisite, " Jedite pleaded, " this is all wrong. Beryl had us brainwashed over a thousand years ago. We were Prince Endymion's royal guards, and it was supposed to be our job to help defend the Earth. Let the Senshi go, and they can help revive your memory. "
" You lie! " snapped a voice from the shadows. A tall man with long silvery- white hair and cold eyes came forward, " It's these intolerable brats that have tricked you into believing that you're something you're not." He walked slowly through the room studying the girls. He was curious how these...children had managed to defeat Nephlyte and Jedite, but he supposed it was due to their number.
Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and he turned to Zoisite, " Where is the other one? "
" What other one? "
" The girl with the violet hair. She's the one I saw this afternoon at the temple. Where is she? " he bellowed.
" I didn't see her there, " Zoisite grabbed Keridwen by the throat, " Where is the girl Kunzite saw? "
" I don't know what he's talking about. "
" You lie! " Kunzite growled walking up and grabbing a handful of her short black and silver hair. He pulled her head back until she had no choice but to meet his gaze, " Where is she? "
She remained silent and stared at him defiantly.
" Kill her. "
" No! " Luriel shouted.
Kunzite released Keridwen and turned curiously to the other girl, " I will have Zoisite kill her immediately if you do not give me a straight answer. Now where is the other Senshi? "
" Luriel, don't, " Keridwen choked out as Zoisite's grip tightened around her throat.
" We honestly don't know where she is. She has a way of taking off on her own, and it's hard to say when she'll return. "
Kunzite stepped forward and grabbed the front of her shirt, " You best not be lying to me, girl, or I will see that every one of your friends is tortured mercilessly before your eyes. "
Luriel could not keep the tears from flowing down her cheeks, " It is the truth. We were raised together, and she has always been a loner. "
" Are there any others? "
" No. "
" Zoisite, return to the temple and wait for her. I will take our guests to Queen Beryl. Even one Senshi running around freely is too much for my taste. "
Zoisite dropped Keridwen to the floor and vanished.