The inner and outer senshi starred at each other through a field of unbreakable silence. They had gathered in the apartment which was shared by the outer senshi during the school year, so that Hotaru, Michiru and Haruka could have easer access to their various schools. Setsuna had called the meeting, but she had yet to show up. Such was the way of the Guardian of Time.
Hotaru shifted restlessly in her seat, and cleared her throat. "Is anybody actually aware of why this meeting was called?"
"Nope." Dolefully sighed Bunny.
"What does she know?" Luna pondered.
Tension hung like fog from a port, heavy and uneasy.
"I have it!" exclaimed the celestial white feline.
"Huh? What?" questioned Ami.
"Oh..." Artemis backed out from under the couch. "Nothing important. Diana lost her bell the last time she was here, and I've just found it." He blushed, the colour somehow tinting his silky white fur pink.
Just then, the front door opened, and Setsuna walked in, looking her normal gloomy self.
Haruka raised an eyebrow. "So what kept you this time?"
"I had certain.... Problems I had to deal with before I could come. I'm sorry to keep you waiting."
Haruka snorted. "You would think that the Guardian of Time could be on time, wouldn't you."
To every ones surprise, the normally indifferent Setsuna gave Haruka a deep scowl. "I'm sorry. But I had to deal with a particular deity who doesn't get along well with me."
Haruka, taken back from a moment, bowed her head in apology. "S-sumimasen" she said silently.
The scowl disappeared and Setsuna sat down next to Makoto. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have snapped. I've just been under a lot of stress lately. A new problem has arisen, and I believe it's going to take all we have- and more- to fix it."
"What's the problem? A new enemy?" Minako asked, excited, and sitting on the edge of her seat.
Setsuna frowned. "I don't' know. Let me tell you what has happened. You see, it was just after Small Lady and Diana went back to the future the last time. I was trying to contact King Endymion, but I couldn't."
Hotaru frowned. "What do you mean, 'couldn't'?"
"I couldn't communicate with King Endymion. It's as if I no longer can travel?" spoke Setsuna.
"Maybe you just miss Small Lady." chimed Makoto. "I know what that's like." She said, thinking of her parents. "Rose tea? I'll make it!" She offered, trying to shake aside her sudden emotion.
"Yes!" Cried Bunny.
"Possibly. Maybe I do miss Small Lady." Setsuna's frown deepened. "But that doesn't change the fact that when I sensed a bit of a... Disturbance... in the time flow, when I tried to exit the Time Plain, into Neo Crystal Tokyo, I couldn't." Her eyes darkened. "It's like... The future's... Not there..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Days passed, lengthening with the start of spring. Flowers bloomed, tossing feelings of rebirth into the air.
"Ahh, beautiful!" Exclaimed Makoto from her terrace.
"Did you know that at this time..." Began Ami.
"Oh, come on Ami, not today!" moaned Rei, standing in the light of her Shinto Fire Curse. "It's to beautiful out to be worrying about studying."
"Anyway," italicized Ami, "only certain plants..."
"Woah, not today, Ami!" Yelled Bunny.
"I've been thinking about what Setsuna was talking about." Minako spoke. "Aren't you guys worried about what she was saying? And Michiru mentioned the other day that Setsuna's gone again. I mean, without Sailor Pluto, we can't just occasionally check up on the 30th century." She looked up with a face full of woe.
"And what about Chibi Usa? What if she's in Danger?" Cried Bunny. She fall to her knees because of 'lack' of love. "Well," she said standing up, "at least she won't be hanging on Mamo-chan..." At this point she fell again, crying out for Chibi Usa.
"Oh, shut it, ditz!" demanded Rei. Then, her expression softened. "I'm sorry." she said with her head hanging, as she regretted her snap. "But we're all on Pins and Needles here, and crying's not going to fix anything!"
When the inner senshi meeting had concluded, Bunny and Minako started to the arcade.
"I think we should find out what's going on with Setsuna's problem." said Ami as Makoto closed and locked her door.
"Uh-huh. And if someone's doing this to her, they'll pay!" Makoto growled, clenching her fist.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"It's been quiet." Michiru commented to her lover, as the evening sun set, turning the sky a brilliant violet colour. "Setsuna hasn't been home since that meeting. The others don't seamed very concerned, but..."
"I know. Knowing Setsuna, she could be anywhere, anytime, doing anything. But she seamed so worried at the meeting. This can't be good." The imposter bishonen hugged Michiru from behind resting her head on Michiru's shoulder.
Then, with out warning, both were struck with a felling of impending evil. Across Tokyo, a tea cup shattered, spilling it's content, as Mamoru was hit with the exact same feeling. Rei dropped the broom she had been sweeping the temple floor with.
"So..." Michiru sighed, once she and Haruka had recovered.
"They've arrived!" Mamoru hissed, as he plunged his burning hand from the spilled tea water under the faucet, while at the same time invoking his healing talents.
"A new....enemy..." Rei whispered into the still air.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Pluto Planet Power, MAKE UP!"
As the transformation ended, as the day of the original meeting came to a close, Sailor Pluto walked into a field.
"This isn't it," she thought to herself. "What am I looking for?" Her head began to pound, a sudden head ache springing up.
"Just..." said a voice.
"Who's there?" Commanded Sailor Pluto, her free hand holding her throbbing temples.
"Just...me." Replied the voice.
"What do you mean, 'me'?" Questioned the scout.
"You know with in you, Guardian of Time. You know."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Bunny, get up!" Yelled Luna.
"I'm getting up!" Screamed Bunny in reply.
"You've said that about 90 times!"
"And you believed me?" Questioned Bunny. She climbed out of the bed trying not to wake Mamoru. "I love you Mamo-chan." said Bunny, passionately, but gently, kissing his forehead.
"Bunny! The Market will be closed by the time you're ready!"
"Coming!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Where are you taking me?" Hotaru eagerly questioned Michiru and Haruka, as they walked through the open air of the Saturday market place.
Haruka winked. "Now. If we told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"
"Patience." Michiru said simply, smiling.
The streets were filled with noise. Most notably, was that of the vendors.
"Get your Good-Luck-Charms, Good-Luck-Charms here!"
Okinomiaki! Made special for each order!"
"Roses! Daises! Lilies! Beautiful, fragrant flowers!"
"Hey, you, Miss," one vendor cried out to Michiru, "Do you feel ugly when facing others? I recommend you use this charm for beauty. Just 2,000(Y)!" the man winked. "And I'm sure your boy-friend there wouldn't object, ne?" he said, referring to Haruka, who was wearing one of her more masculine outfits.
Hotaru and Michiru struggled to contain their laughter at the mistaken gender, while Haruka snapped at the vender "Buzz off!"
Just then, the cheerful shouts of the venders, and the noises of the busy shoppers calling out to those they recognized, turned into screams of terror. People in front of them started running toward them, shouting and screaming all the time.
Haruka reached out and grabbed a man who was fleeing by his collar. "What's happened?" she demanded.
"A-a-a-a Monster! In the marketplace!"
"Haruka's grip on the man's collar tightened, but she still managed to let the man go.
"So." Michiru's smile had been replaced by a frown. "They've finally shown themselves."
As an unseen signal passed between the three, they dashed into a deserted alleyway in complete silence. Then, all at the same time, they cried out,
"Neptune Planet Power..."
"Uranus Planet Power..."
"Saturn Planet Power..."
"MAKE UP!"
As soon as the beautiful transformations had completed themselves, three fourths of the outer senshi dashed out to meet the threat.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Oh, wow, Makoto! Look! Ice cream!" Bunny grabbed the taller girl's arm. "I would kill for a triple scoop cone right now!"
Makoto raised an eyebrow. "I thought we were here looking for a plant for your science class homework."
Bunny blushed. "Well, yeah. But it's ice cream!"
Makoto groaned, and was about to say something when a huge beast like creature landed on the ground directly in front of them. It looked something like a demon-wolf man, with glittering, sharp teeth, blood red eyes, and matted fur, darker than the darkest night. It stood erect, but hunched over, so that its clawed paw-hands almost touched the ground.
"Yoma!" Bunny shouted, as the market place erupted into screams of panic and terror.
The beast snarled, and turned towards Bunny. Then, to her surprise, it spoke.
"Ahh... Such pure energy.... I must have it!" Its voice was low, and thick from its throat.
"Nani?!" Bunny screamed, and turned to run, but the Yoma jumped over her head, and landed in front of her, grinning evilly. Bunny gasped, and reflexively took a step backwards. Unfortunately, in her usual klutz like manner, she tripped, and fell on her butt.
The Yoma laughed, a horrible grating sound. Then it opened its huge jaws, and leaned towards Bunny's head.
"Hey! Why don't you leave her alone, you big, ugly throw-rug!" Makoto delivered a series of powerful kicks and punches to the Yoma's back.
The Yoma reacted as if all it had felt was a slight breeze on it's back. It turned, and snarled at Makoto. "How dare you even try to come between me and such a beautiful, pure energy." Then, to her surprise, the Yoma smiled. "But... You, too, have beautiful energy. I must have it!" The Yoma lunged for her.
"World... SHAKING!"
The ground quaked violently as the single ringed planet plasma like blast crashed into the Yoma. It, at first, cried out in pain, as it's own power was distorted.
The monster flew back, just to leap to its feet and deliver a tackle to Sailor Uranus, dislocating her shoulder.
"What goes around, comes around, brat!" scolded the wolf-like creature.
Suddenly, a bright beam of light covered the block.
"Jupiter Planet Power, MAKE UP!" cried the new voice as the Yoma covered its blood-colored eyes with awesome paws to shield it from the light.
"How dare you attack innocent people trying to enjoy a beautiful spring day in the market. Markets are for shopping, and meeting people and friends. They are not for the likes of you, and on behalf of the Sailor Scout of Protection, and the Planet of Jupiter, I, Sailor Jupiter shall punish you! "
"Quite poetic, Sailor Jupiter." The Yoma said, rather sarcastically.
"Sparkling wide... PRESSURE!" Yelled the vigilant sailor scout. The attack landed with great force, slamming the Yoma into a nearby building, causing a bit of property damage.
"Arraaaaaaaaaaggaaaauaaa!!" shrieked the Yoma, until it was no more.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What was that?!" Yelled Sailor Jupiter. After the battle, the scouts had gathered in an abandoned stock-house.
"I don't know..." Replied Sailor Moon. She sat upon a crate with an expression of wonder.
"What was it after?" Sailor Saturn asked, carefully holding her scythe in her right hand.
Sailor Moon looked over at Sailor Jupiter. "'Pure Energy', wasn't that it?"
"Mmm." Jupiter nodded her head. "It had an incredible amount of endurance. It was amazing."
"Pure Energy, ne?" Mercury looked at the ceiling, in deep thought. "Did it say what it wanted if for, by any chance?"
Uranus shook her head no. "Unless it said something before we got there." she shrugged. "I agree with Sailor Jupiter. That was a strong Yoma. It acted as if my World Shaking didn't even damage it. And it has one hell of a tackle." She commented, as she rubbed her arm, which was now back in place and healing, thanks to Sailor Saturn.
Tuxedo Mask frowned, and folded his arms. "What does Sailor Pluto have to say about this? Does it have anything to do with that problem with the future, ah, not being there?"
"I think so." Started Sailor Mercury The expression upon her face was that of want; want of answers.
"But we don't know that," interjected Sailor Neptune, "And what we don't know, can hurt us."
"I think Sailor Pluto is the only one who knows or can find the answers." Sailor Venus crossed her left leg as she spoke.
"But we don't know where she is." Sailor Moon spoke again.
"Then it's settled. We find Sailor Pluto. Any way we can." Sailor Mars said firmly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Shiunto, Kali-oshi, reveal to me the location of Sailor Pluto." Prayed Rei as she shook the toki-unoi. The fire blazed for hours as the priestess waited for the answer.
Finally, the flame burned out.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Setsuna! Setsuna!" cried Mamoru relentlessly. "Setsuna, where are you?!" Mamoru walked aimlessly through Tokyo searching for Sailor Pluto.
"SHE'S NOT COMING BACK TO YOU!" cried a Hell-like voice.
"NO!" screamed Mamoru, as he woke, naked, in the bed.
"What?" asked Bunny, also naked, from the other side of the bed.
"Pluto's gone." he said.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
'Setsuna Meioh' Ami typed. She looked over at the clock. '3:00 A.M.' it flashed.
"Where are you?" asked Ami, into the silence.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Michiru, I can't find her." started Haruka, from inside her helicopter.
"If anyone can find her, it's us. We must keep trying." Replied Michiru.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Have you seen this woman?" questioned Makoto, as she grabbed a passing man by his lapels, and raised him off the ground.
"No, no miss. I've never seen her in my life!" squawked the man.
Makoto gently put the man down. "Thanks anyway." she said, and walked off.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Mirror, show me Sailor Pluto." Michiru gently commanded her talisman. The mirror's surface swam with colours, and briefly started to clear, showing what looked like a flicker of Pluto's deep, brown eyes, before the entire surface turned a deep black, and faded away to the silvery reflective surface that was normally present.
Michiru frowned, and tried again, using her human name. "Mirror, show me Setsuna Meioh." This time, the mirror stayed blank.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Where is she?" thought Hotaru as she lifted her head from her book. "Why would she do this? What does she have to cover?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"But why, Artemis?" pondered Minako. "She doesn't have a reason for leaving."
"Obviously, she does." replied the cat.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"We need you back Setsuna. I need you back." thought Bunny as she and Mamoru returned to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Daughter of Chronos, the Great God of the Heavens. Sailor Pluto, to you is the weight of history, today and that yet to come. Look to the past to find your answer." Stated the voice.
Sailor Pluto unlocked her gaze from the stars. "How can I find an answer without a question?" she said to her father's realm.
"Your true friend is the unknown, Goddess."
"Don't call me 'Goddess'. I hate it." unemotionally pleaded the soldier, her head throbbing.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Michiru tossed her hair as she set her chin on the flat of her violin. Picking up her bow, she said, "Haruka, still we find no evidence of Setsuna's whereabouts. We have only few options left."
Haruka sat up from the kotasu table, stretching her legs. "Just take your mind off of the matter." she informed. "We'll find a way to get Setsuna back."
"What if she doesn't want to come back?" Michiru said, as she began to play.
Haruka shook her head. "Of course she wants to come back. She has her reason of her solitariness."
Just then, their phone started ringing. Not feeling up to facing their public, both women let it ring, until the answering machine picked it up. ~CLICK~"Hi, this is the Tenoh-Kaioh residence. Leave a message after the beep"~BEEP~ "Haruka, Michiru. It's Setsuna. I know it's against the outer senshi's decreed to fight along side with the inner, but a battle is about to begin. Gather everyone. I have important news."~CLICK~
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Pure Energy." spoke a deep and velvet rich voice. "The only way to control everything is with the Pure Energy." A glimmer sparkled off the broad, bare, and male shoulders. "We, as Shadow Plain Legends, are destined to rule the universe. All is intended for our will." Preached the melting voice.
An uproar started in the 'audience' as the speech paused.
"But," interrupted the voice, "The Sailor Scouts are all still and well. Millions of them exist, even on our own planet. We must infiltrate the Sailor Scouts, just as we did in the Silver Millennium, when we had the Negaverse to do our bidding." The man paused, inhaling through his rather pointed nose. "Fools. Queen Beryl and her stolen generals were fools. We knew how to overthrow. Secret, silent infiltration." the crowed roared again. The man held up his hand. "We had already possessed one of the most powerful scouts of the time. She fed us her Pure Energy, and we replaced it with tainted energy. It was because of her we survived that awful Silver Imperium Crystal spell that was intended to lock us away. It was because of her that the fools of the Negaverse ever got as far as they did in their loud, boastful attacks.
"Our attack starts now. We shall draw their attention away, with such decoy attacks, while searching for our tainted senshi. Once we find her, our master plan will commence!"
The crowed howled and shrieked in anticipation.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mamoru looked up at the tall apartment building in which Haruka and Michiru shared the top floor suite of. He had hardly believed his ears when Michiru had called him, telling him that Setsuna was back, and calling a meeting. Had they all been merely over hasty in their thoughts that she had been stolen from them? If so, then what had his dream meant? His dreams were hardly ever wrong.
His thoughts were interrupted as Bunny tugged on his arm, urgently. "Mamo-Chan? Are you just going to stand there all day? We have to go up!"
Mamoru smiled, and allowed Bunny to pull him to the elevator, the other scouts following close behind.
When the elevator stopped on the top floor, they all silently filed out into the small lobby area, and removed their shoes, each lost in his or her own thoughts. Then they entered the living room, Michiru having already opened the door for them.
To everyone's surprise, it was not Setsuna waiting for them, but Sailor Pluto. Haruka looked slightly nervous about her staff, which was coming rather close to scratching the mirrored ceiling panels.
There was an uneasy silence, as the outer senshi stared at Sailor Pluto. Finally, Haruka broke it. "Well? Are you going to talk to us now that they're here?"
Pluto sighed and nodded. "Yes. I've been taking the time to put my thoughts in order. We should all sit down. This might take a while to explain."
The inner senshi shot uneasy glances at each other, and found themselves seated in the living room of Haruka and Michiru again, for the second time in one month. At this point, Hotaru came in, carrying a tray of tea. She smiled a rare smile, and set the tea down on the coffee table. "Pluto told me this might take a while, so I thought we should have some calming tea."
"Thank you, Hotaru." Rei graciously accepted the tea, as did Ami, Makoto, Mamoru and Michiru. Bunny, Minako, and Haruka left theirs for later. Luna curled up in Bunny's lap, and Artemis in Minako's.
Pluto nodded, but also left her tea, keeping a firm grip on her staff. "I want all of you to think back to the memories granted to you by the guardian cats. Of the Silver Millennium. Of your last moments before Queen Serenity used the magnificent power of the Silver Imperium Crystal to save our lives. Do you remember?"
Slowly, and somewhat soberly, all around nodded.
"But there are gaps. Things that are fuzzy, or things that you can't seam to remember, no matter how hard you try, correct?" Again the nods. "Good. I'm about to fill in some of those gaps. Some, mind you, not all." Pluto stood, and held her staff out at arms length, horizontally. "Close your eyes, and think back to the time of peace, the Silver Millennium. Now." As she said these words, and those about her obeyed, the orb at the end of her rod began to glow and heavy smoke poured around it, filling the room. Then, the memories came.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Space.... Sword....BLASTER!" Sailor Uranus attacked at her foe, on the alien planet Saturn. Her own planet, Uranus, had already been taken, so she was here, defending the planet who's own scout was far, far away.
A dark laugh sprung from her opponent, who she couldn't see, due to the fact that she- and it was a she, judging by the voice- was buried somewhere within a dark, spreading area, into which her attacks, and everything else it touched, disappeared, harmlessly.
Uranus gritted her teeth, and tried again. "Space... Sword... BLASTER!" Again, no damage. Again, her opponent laughed. Uranus spat. "Why don't you show yourself, coward!" She screamed into the darkness.
"Hmm... Is a 'fair fight' what you want...?" A form suddenly appeared in the darkness, but Uranus could hardly see it, due to the fact that she was dressed in an all-light-absorbing black. "Well... I'm sorry, but I don't do 'fair'. But if it's hand to hand you fancy, it's hand to hand you shall receive!"
The fight started before Uranus knew it. She was hit in the face and stomach, and her legs were kicked out from underneath her. Uranus looked up in pain, blood running freely from her nose. These punches were not regular punches. There had been an incredible power behind them.
"Shadows! Come to my aid! Razor... Darkness... ATTACK!" Uranus rolled out of the way just in time to avoid being hit by her opponents attack, which ripped up the ground, and disintegrated it.
"World.... Shaking!" Now that she could almost see her attacker, Uranus decided to try and knock her off her feet with her attack. But in the light of the attack, she saw her opponent's face, and a little bell went off in her head.
The female fatal easily avoided Uranus's attack. "Is that the best you can do?" she laughed.
Suddenly, it hit her. She knew this girl. "It's you!"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Oh, Artemis," gasped Princess Minako, laughing, "don't be silly."
"No, Minako- I really do feel like a danger is coming tonight." pleaded the cat.
Love sat at an Indian-style table, speaking with her most loved friend. The two were in a building that, while part of the palace, was not actually touching the main hall, where the ball was being held. "Artemis, you worry too much." She said. "Where's Princess Serenity?"
A flash of something hit Artemis's eye. He turned his head to look, but it wasn't there.
"I love you Artemis." Minako said, out of nowhere.
"And I love you too, Minako." Easily replied the cat.
Suddenly, the ground shook, and many voices raised in shouts and screams. It was coming from the ballroom in the palace. Minako jumped to her feet in alarm.
Artemis!" She shouted, whirling around to look for danger.
Suddenly, a scream rang out as a Sailor Scout in a red and white fuku with very long,
bight red hair went flying across the corridor. She was rendered unconscious, and she didn't look like she was in very good shape. In fact, she looked close to death. A large crimson and ocher dragon stepped out behind the wall. It carried a woman upon it's back.
The woman was of average height, but her hair and flowing dress made her look taller. The mentioned hair, which was a deep blue gray, was done up in two smooth cones on ether side of her head, adding to the triangular look of her head, as her face was very pointed. Her eyes were yellow, and had pupils like a cat's. They shone with evil.
"Ahh, Sailor Venus," Spoke the nurturing voice of the woman, "how nice of you to come to die." her voice was low, and slightly gravely.
"Leave this place!" yelled Minako. "I give you to the count of three. One... Two... Three!
"Dragon Tide!" Yelled the dragon woman. Her attacked missed Minako by quite a distance, thanks to some fancy footwork by the princess
"Venus Star Power, Make UP!" Minako cried. "With the blessings of Venus, the planet of Romance, the Sailor Scout of Love, Sailor Venus is here!"
"Lovely words..." said the woman, thoughtfully. "But that's all they are. Words." lashing her voice.
"Minako.... Mi…na...ko" cried the weak voice of Artemis. Sailor Venus, whirled around, realizing the Artemis had been hit by the woman's attack, ran to Artemis.
"Artemis! Oh Artemis, please... Don't leave me! I love you Artemis! Don't leave me!" Sailor Venus spoke through her tears. Suddenly, faintly at first, then brighter, her tiara shone with an ocher light. "Artemis," She said, "go to the Queen."
Artemis knew what she was doing. She was transferring her life energy to Artemis, so that he would live. "Don't do it, Minako!" he pleaded.
Sailor Venus fell to the floor, dying. "I love you..." she whispered.
"I love you too." Artemis said, as he ran off to the Queen.
"Pity," The dragon woman spoke to her serpent.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Sailor Mercury. Scout of Wisdom. Princess, of the Planet of Mercury." A tall, beautiful, aquamarine skinned woman grinned evilly at her target. "All these fancy titles won't do you much good now, will they?" She laughed.
Mercury, who had been at a celebration ball on the Moon when the Negaverse had attacked, was now lying fatally wounded, and separated from her friends, and all those who could help her.
Mercury felt tears come to her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. Struggling to her feet, her beautiful, formally white fuku dripped red. "Sh-shine....Aqua...Illusion..." she cried out weakly, trying to hold in her lives' blood, and failing at her attack. She crumpled back to the floor.
The woman laughed. "Poor, poor Mercury. We're so alike, you know? It's a shame I had to kill you. We're both controllers of the element of water. We're both used by our 'superiors' for our brains. It really is a shame."
Mercury looked up at the horrible woman, who's deep, blue hair was shimmering in the light of the Moon's Royal Library, which was now in shambles from her fight. "Who are you? Why are you doing this?"
The woman raised an eyebrow. "My name's Tsunami." she smirked. "I'm supposedly doing this for Queen Beryl, and the Negaverse, but I'll let you in on a little secret, seeing as how you're about to die." Tsunami leaned over, and crouched over Mercury's prone form, which was quickly fading. "I'm not doing this for the Negaverse. They're all fools. I'm doing this for my real Master, and our world, The Shadow Plain." Tsunami smiled, cocky. "I'm number ten, out of twenty of the true Shadow Plain Legends. Once Queen Beryl, and her Negaverse army have completed their usefulness, my Master shall rid this world of them, just as we're doing to yuh-" Tsunami stopped short, eyes wide. Her hands went to her chest, where she found a shard of thick glass sticking out of her breast. Mercury scowled, vile and loathing at Tsunami.
"Love and Good will triumph. That's a promise... I make to you..." she said softly, but with force, her own hand now bleeding from where she had picked up the glass, and clutched it, as she stabbed Tsunami.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hmm, they're so beautiful," Makoto thought to herself, as she gazed upon a large garden which belonged in the decanted entrance to the place of the Moon Kingdom. A fragrant air hung with humidity as she perched herself onto a low staircase. She smiled to herself. She would rather deal with flowers than royalty any day.
The air shifted. Suddenly, a large pain was felt in Makoto's back as she was slammed into a crystal wall of the place.
Placing her left foot out before she hit, Makoto sprung into a spinning flip, landing facing the stairs. Where she been before, stood a man she hadn't seen before.
The man was BIG. Very big. Makoto, who was the princess of Jupiter, which was known for having rather tall inhabitants, only came up to the man's elbow. Maybe. And if he hadn't have just attacked her, she would have liked what she saw. He had spiky brown hair, and thick eyebrows. His skin was darker than her own, as if he had lain in the sun for a very long time, and he had a very young looking face, if not slightly blank.
"I'm Bruno." called the man, bowing. He was wearing a gi, but his body was so huge, and busting with muscles, that the sleeves had been ripped off, and the pants were shredded, ending around his knees. "Now, you die." He leaped from the stairs, directly in front of Makoto, shaking the ground, yet landing lightly.
"Sorry, I don't do things that way." She replied. "Yah!" She cried, delivering a series of dragon kicks to the man's upper torso. The attack took them back to the stairs, the Princess of Jupiter attacking, Bruno dodging.
Releasing her attack, Makoto back flipped up the stairs. "Jupiter Star Power, Make UP! With the blessings of Jupiter, the planet of power, the Sailor Scout of Protection, Sailor Jupiter will punish you!"
Bruno quickly ran up the stairs, in full charge at Jupiter. "Ha!" he lifted his shoulders slightly as he rammed into her torso.
Sailor Jupiter returned with a flying kick to Bruno. She grabbed his huge right arm, and threw him over her back. Next, she raised her leg over her head, and dropped it onto his sternum. Bruno roared with pain.
"Leave this place, and don't come back!" Sailor Jupiter commanded.
"This is my duty, and I must!" He said from the ground. He grabbed Sailor Jupiter's standing leg and pulled her to the floor. Cross-chopping her sternum and paralyzing her body.
It was then that Sailor Jupiter realized how horribly she had misjudged her opponent.
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The Princess of Neptune looked curiously into her mirror. "Show me this evil that plagues the Silver Millennium." She commanded it.
Her talisman swam with colours, light pastel at first, next deepening into their zero forms, then back into pastel. "Hurry, time's running out." Michiru commanded yet again.
"Time has already run out." Said a young girls voice. Michiru set her talisman down, knowing this girl was part of that evil.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" asked the Princess. She turned around to see a young girl clad in ivory and iron.
Michiru first laid eyes on the large scythe the girl carried. A long, undecorated iron pole held a curved scythe. The scythe itself was decorated as the yin-yang symbol she had seen somewhere before. The scythe was carried by the right arm, which boasted iron gloves and bracelets. The left arm was of the same, except the placement of the jewelry. The breastplate was a curved piece of iron. A point of it touched the girls navel, but revealed a bare midriff. The girls skirt was made of fabricated ivory, which was covered by fierce strips of metal that pointed at the end. They hung at her hips. Beginning at the mid shin, the girl's boots of iron were decorated with a simple line of ivory which circled the top.
Michiru looked up to the girls face, and was startled. A mask covered her face; it was the mask that scared her. It was a curved metal piece just like the breastplate. It was cold, lifeless and even unhuman. Michiru hated that mask.
"Who am I?" Oozed the speech from behind the awful mask. "I am your killer."
"You will not kill me." Reassured Michiru.
"Shut up!" Screamed the girl as she swung her scythe so it landed on Michiru's shoulders, but did not cut her. "I will, I will I will!"
"You will do nothing." blankly stated Michiru, brushing the scythe away as if it were a small insect.
"I'll prove that I can!" now Michiru could see tears drip from under the mask. "We'll battle."
"Only love and truth will win," said Michiru, "but I will accept you silly little challenge."
Michiru quickly transformed and turned right into the girl's face, but still shot a glance at her talisman, which remained swimming with colours.
"Go." said Sailor Neptune, in a kind of 'I'm waiting' tone.
"Fine." The girl said as if she were the younger sister whose brother had just apologized. She had now calmed down and quit crying. She took a great leap, ending with a flip about six feet away. "Grim Reaper's Surprise Scythe!" She screamed. The attack was a straight forward leap into the air with extended scythe, which Sailor Neptune knew was intended to hit her neck.
Sailor Neptune ducked, grabbed her talisman and screamed, "Aqua Marine Reflection!" A shadow figure, in the silhouette of the girl jumped out of the mirror, and copied the girls attack, only this one hit.
The girl shook of the attack, and, in a rage, commanded "Iron Armor Incasing!"
"Mirror, what's this girls name?" asked Sailor Neptune.
'Etuki' it flashed.
"Etuki," sweetly called Sailor Neptune, "you're failing."
"I... am...not!" screamed Etuki. She stood straight up, with poise. "Piercing Blades!" she called.
Many sharp iron objects flew at Sailor Neptune, each one ripping her fuku.
"Is that all you've got, little girl, little brat, little failure?" Sailor Neptune harshly said to Etuki. Oh, that mask, she hated that mask.
"Reaper's Choice of Death!"
Sailor Neptune knew this was the girls ultimate attack. Quickly responding, she dropped her talisman. "Deep Submerge!"
Sailor Neptune's attack flew at Etuki, lessening her accuracy. As a result, Etuki's attack hit Sailor Neptune's mirror, shattering the glass.
"Ahh!" cried Sailor Neptune, as the power drained with her talisman.
"I win!" Etuki cried.
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"Mars Snake Fire!" Sailor Mars screamed, throwing the flaming creature at her rival. It spun itself in a large spiral, opened its mouth and.... disappeared harmlessly.
You are in MY spiritual world now, Sailor Mars. Only what I want happens. Spoke the voice in Sailor Mars's head, which she knew came from a spiritual woman who called herself Elisha. And in my world, you die!
Sailor Mars felt a pulling sensation as her soul separated, and her body died.
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"We're forbidden to be together. Beryl is tormenting my universe." Princess Serenity said through large, teary eyes. "And some believe that you and your planet are to blame..."
"But you know that I'm not." There was a long pause. "Don't you?" Asked Prince Endimion.
"Of course I do!" She said forcibly. "It's just that we have duties to perform." The Princess looked at her hands which were cupped by Endimion's. "We'll fight, together." She said, firming her position.
They both knew they were to attend a ball; a ball celebrating the Princess's first transformation into the senshi, Sailor Moon, but they knew the evil, which wasn't Beryl, was coming, and fast. Serenity had decided to force the others around her to see things in the true light, by not attending her own ball, but so far, it would appear as if they had not been missed. That in itself, was troublesome to the Princess.
"We most go to my mother." The Princess said.
"Senshi lovers!" Called a man's voice. "Step down, and give us your universe."
Endimion grabbed his lover and pulled her behind him. "Show yourself!" He commanded.
"That's not important now." replied the voice." The only thing you need know is that you will surrender your kingdom, or die."
"That won't happen, I won't let it!" said the Princess, stepping out from behind her partner. "Only truth and love will prevail."
At that moment, a golden beam of light flew into Endimion's back, causing him to fall face forward to the ground.
"Endimion!" Serenity cried, coming to her knees. The Princess checked for a pulse, but with out answer.
Now knowing her lover was dead, Serenity ran to her mother, hastily.
"Mother! Mother!" She screamed, as she ran into her mother's chambers. Along the way, she passed many- too many to count- small battles between horrible creatures, and members of the Silver Mellennium. "Mother, En-"
She stopped short when she saw what her mother was doing. "Mother, no, you'll kill yourse-"
The Queen turned to face her daughter, interrupting her. "My dear Serenity, I already know. It will be alright. Now go, go to the future and defeat the evil that plagues the Silver Millennium. My dear Serenity, I love you."
"Mama, please, no! You'll kill your-"
It was too late. The Queen had saved the Silver Millennium, but.... Such a cost.
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"Saturn." Sailor Saturn, who was sitting on a rock, on a deserted planet in the out most regions of the Universe looked up in surprise. She had thought she was alone, but she most obviously was not.
Spinning around, Scythe in hand, she found herself facing a Sailor Scout she had never seen before in her short life. The woman was tall, and had deep, distant brown eyes. Her skin was dark. Not as dark as some that she had seen, but definitely dark. From her ears dangled two, reddish brown earrings, that were shaped a bit like arrow points. Her hair, which reached past her waist, was a shade of such dark green it was almost black, and some of it was pulled up in a bun in the back of her head. Her Fuku was Black. There was a little bit of the same reddish brown colour of her earrings here and there, but for the most part, black was the dominate colour. Around her waist, there was a chain, which held many small keys.
Saturn took in all this in a second. But the thing that drew her attention was what was in the mystery Sailor's hands. It was a long staff. Almost like her own, the way it was fashioned, only, whereas hers was a giant Scythe, used for the harvesting of life, the mystery sailor's staff reminded her of a key... a giant key, just like the ones on her belt. Saturn blinked. She had only known a few Scouts that carried a staff to rival her own, and this was not one that she remembered.
"Saturn... We need to talk. About many things. And I'm afraid we don't have much...." the scout smiled "...time..."
Saturn raised her scythe into the ready position. "I'm sorry for being rude, but who exactly are you. I've never before seen a scout quite like you."
The tall woman nodded. "Understandable. My name is Sailor Pluto, and I am the Sailor Scout of Time."
Saturn sucked in a sudden breath, her lungs suddenly emptying them selves. "Did you say... Sailor... Pluto?" she asked shakily
The woman- Sailor Pluto- nodded.
"But it's forbidden to even know you exist! How can you be here if you have to-" Pluto held up a hand to halt Saturn's sudden rush of questions.
"I'm here because this world had taken a turn for the worse that I cannot fix. That is the job of another. It surprised me, because I do not divulge in what lies ahead, even though I could know, if I wanted. All of the future is subject to change, anyway. Besides that, it isn't my job to plan the events, just to make sure that time passes correctly." she sighed. "I should have had this conversation with you long, long ago, Saturn. But I was waiting until you would be old enough to understand. Now it seams that I have, ironically, run out of time.
"Saturn, the Silver Millennium is doomed. The Negaverse has attacked, under the rule of the formal noble of Earth, Beryl. She has gained the power of the Negaverse, and the support of the Shadow Plain."
"Shadow Plain?" Saturn interrupted.
"No time. Just listen. As we speak, Scouts, Knights, and persons all over the galaxy are dying, because of this attack. Soon, they will all be dead."
"Akana...?" Saturn asked weakly about her brother, the one person who still loved her, despite her position of the Scout of Death. Akana, who was the first royal Saturn Knight. Pluto nodded slowly.
Saturn sat back down, very suddenly, and very hard. It was her job to protect the universe if something like this ever happened. Now she was being told that due to the way the universe had alienated her from them, she was going to fail her only purpose for being. A tear rolled down her cheek.
"Saturn, listen to me. It's important. I know you are shocked, but you must listen. This world is lost. It shall be a very, very long time until we meet again, and I need to tell you now. Are you listening?" Saturn took a shaky breath, and nodded. Pluto continued. "I am the Sailor Scout of Time. You are the Sailor Scout of Death-"
"And healing. Healing is always first." She interjected forcibly.
"and healing." Pluto finished. "I'm sorry to inform you that Death will always come before healing, no mater how hard you try to change it. It is simply the way of life. Now. There are several other Scouts that are like us. They represent the Scouts of Fate, Destiny, and Nature, and War. You and I represent Death and Time. All together, we are the Immortality Senshi."
Saturn blinked "But I thought I was a member of the Outer Senshi. And you, too, have always been categorized under my section!"
Pluto shook her head slowly. "Yes, it's true. We are both parts of the Outer Senshi. But, had you been aloud to live longer, you would have learned that a few Scouts belong to more than one Senshi. We are simply two of the few."
As Pluto's words sunk in, Saturn clenched her eyes shut, trying to absorb it all. "Immortality?" she questioned, picking up on that word, finally.
Pluto closed her eyes, and slowly nodded. "Yes. Listen closely Saturn. You and I are immortals. Not in the sense of true gods and goddess, because we have human weaknesses, and we can be killed quite easily, but, as the true gods, from where we derive our immortality from, have all long since died, we are all that remains. Nine Immortals. I have the blood of Chronos in my veins. He was my father, and I was the last of his children, but he told me that I was always his favorite. He was the last of the gods to die." Pluto's eyes looked pleadingly into Saturn's. "Please, don't tell me your family hasn't told you that you carry the blood of Thanatos?"
Saturn looked up at the tall woman. "I knew that. But it's always been kept a secret. People don't want to hear that you are related to Death." she said, bitterly.
"I'm sorry for the hardships your ancestry has cause you. But as soon as you awoken as your Planet's Scout, then that small bit of blood in your veins also awoken, and granted you... Immortality."
Saturn sniffed. "What about Akana? He's the Saturn Knight. Will he be immortal?"
Pluto shook her head, but not 'no'. "I'm sorry, Saturn, but I don't know the answer to that question."
Suddenly, a bright, white-silvery light filled the dark sky, illuminating everything, and causing the two scouts to cover their eyes from the light.
Pluto smiled, sadly. "Queen Serenity has used the Imperium Silver Crystal to save her people's lives. Please Saturn. Remember what I've told you!"
Saturn's eyes closed, as a large, silvery bubble incased her. She curled up into a fetal position, and felt herself drifting off; both into sleep, but also into the oblivion of the future. She heard a voice calling desperately to her...
"Remember, Saturn! Remember!"
"Hmmm.....Remember?...." Saturn yawned. "What's there to remember....? Nothing... Nothing that concerns me, certainly.... Hmmm.... Who's that voice belong to...." She rolled over in her bubble. "Sleep... that sounds good....Hmmm... Yes.... Sleep...."
"Remember!"
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Slowly, everyone opened their eyes. Everyone looked somber, confused, and a bit shocked.
"Woah..." Makoto gasped, breaking the silence.
"So..." Rei breathed, "So... That's how I died..."
Pluto nodded grimly. "Yes. I am truly sorry I had to show you that. I know they are... Unpleasant memories."
Hotaru sat silent, amazed by what she had just learned. "I... I'm... immortal?"
"Um, perhaps this a silly question, but did anyone else have dealings with an, er, agent of the Shadow Plain?" Ami asked, silently.
"I heard of it in my last moments." Hotaru volunteered. Pluto shot her a glance, but when she didn't say anything else, she returned her attention to the others in the room.
"Yes. You see, I believe that the Shadow Plain has returned." Pluto explained.
"But... How does that change the future so you can't get to it?" Mamoru questioned, as he held Bunny close.
Pluto frowned. "I think.... And this is only a hypotheses, mind you, but I think that they are trying to find the greatest evil, and wake it up again. If this evil awakens, I'm not sure we will be able to defeat it. It is incredibly powerful."
"What is this evil? A daemon, perhaps?" Michiru volunteered, trying to get over the shudders her memories have given her. She could still see that horrible mask.
Pluto shook her head 'no', slowly. "I'm afraid... I'm afraid it's a Sailor Scout." Their was a collective gasp from everyone else in the room, except Haruka, who simply raised an eyebrow.
"Care to explain on that further?" She asked, edgy.
"Of course. You see, the Shadow Plain is... was... a parallel universe to our own. Unfortunately, the core of their universe reversed it's polaric force, causing the stability of the positive...." She noted the confused looks she was getting, except from Ami, who seemed to be quite interested. "Er, well, to put it in understandable terms, first, all positive energy was turned negative, which turned their ruler, and their warriors, and all other inhabitants quite evil. Then, after the evil was quite irreversible, their world started to collapse upon itself. Implode, if you will. So, they did the most prudent thing they could, which was to transfer as many of their numbers as possible to the next universe over. That universe was ours. Do you understand so far?" Everyone nodded. "Right. They ended up on a planet towards the edge of the solar system. A Scout did draw manna from this planet, but she never actually lived on it."
"Is that the Evil Sailor Scout?" Rei questioned
Pluto waved her hand 'no'. "It would seem quite possible, but let me finish my explanation first. The ruler of the Shadow Plain was to his- or perhaps her, I don't really know."
"Master." Ami whispered, while staring at her hands. "The... Woman.... Tsunami.... She said 'Master'." She could still see the blood.
Pluto looked sympathetically at Ami, but continued. "Thank you, Ami. The Ruler of the Shadow plain was to his universe what Queen Serenity was to ours, and what the Neo Queen Serenity will be. He was all powerful, and this was fine, during the time when their universe was good. But once it turned evil, everything went wrong. And when he transferred into our universe, he became insanely jealous of the Queen. So, after a bit of hunting by his top warriors, he found the Nobel from Earth, Beryl. By manipulating her feelings and her actions, he was able to put her in contact with the Negaforce. After that, he controlled her from behind, sending his warriors to work for her. He planned on taking over her empire, once Beryl had taken over the Silver Millennium. And as you all know, his plan almost worked. Thankfully, the Queen used the Imperium Silver Crystal, but at such a coast..." Pluto paused, remembering. After a moment, she continued. "Now. In the entire universe, there are several extremely powerful scouts. As you all know, Sailor Saturn is the most powerful." Hotaru blushed. "But. There are others who have power to rival, or even equal hers. It was one of these who became possessed by the evil energy. Her name was Sailor Sygnus."
"I knew it!" Haruka stood up and began pacing. "I knew it was her! But... Why...?" She looked angrily out the window. Michiru knew that Haruka was only angry at herself for not understanding something, so she let her lover to continue to pace.
Pluto sighed. "Yes. The Sailor Sygnus was a very important person to the well-being to the universe. She was the Sailor Scout of Black Holes. She is the only one in the universe who can control their power. She was the one who would close up a black hole if one opened to close to an inhabited planet. There were checks for her power, but they aren't important now. The thing is, the Shadow Plain knew that Sailor Saturn was too far away to be of any use to anyone-" a tear slid down Hotaru's cheek, "-so they went after the next best thing. She was perfect for their plan, too. They possessed her with evil energy, turning her into a puppet for their usage. Where ever she went... Whatever she touched.... disappeared. She was like a walking black hole herself. Very dangerous, especially because almost all the energy she was absorbing went straight to the Shadow Plain Master, for his usage."
"Let me guess." Ami said, clenched hands in her lap, staring at the floor. "The Shadow Plain master used that energy to shield himself from the power of the Imperium Silver Crystal, Enabling him to resurface now."
"Exactly. And I'm not sure, but I am guessing that their plan of action is going to be to find Sailor Sygnus, and awaken her. I don't know weather she will re-awaken as Sailor Sygnus, or as her counter part, the Anti-Sailor Nothingness."
"The Anti-Sailor Nothingness?" Mamoru questioned, still holding Bunny close.
"That's what she called herself after she was possessed by the dark energy." Haruka answered, before Pluto had a chance to.
Almost everyone looked, surprised, at Haruka. "How did you know that?" Minako asked.
Haruka clenched her fists, as she looked out a large, bay window at the sky, which was showing signs of a spring thunderstorm. "She... The Anti-Sailor.... She's the one who... Killed me, in the Silver Millennium." Michiru gasped. "I think that this Shadow Plain wanted to make sure that Sailor Saturn didn't suddenly ruin their plans, so they sent her to Saturn, to make sure that she wasn't there, and that... Everyone there was dead."
Hotaru gasped, and buried her face in her hands. Her family had almost all rejected her, like everyone else, after she became the Bringer of Silence, but, it was, after all, her family. Rei, who was sitting closest to her, put her arm around her shoulders, and comforted her.
"I... Uranus was already taken, so I was trying to help out on Saturn, but when she came.... I was completely useless. I failed the people of Saturn, the Queen, and the Silver Millennium." Haruka continued. Michiru stood, and attempted to comfort her.
Pluto sighed. "I truly am sorry I had to bring all these depressing memories into the light. But it couldn't be helped. I think that they are looking for the Anti-Sailor, but if we can find her first, then we can do something."
"What do you mean, 'do something'. If she turns into the Anti-Sailor, then Sailor Moon can just use her Moon Healing Activation, and purify her." Makoto pointed out.
Pluto sighed. "It's not that easy. I'm still researching how exactly they managed to posses her, but I know that a healing attack will not suffice. The Anti-Sailor is extremely dangerous. She absorbs all that is around her, first it's life energy, if it's alive, then its form. She is also unstable, both mentally, and physically. I really couldn't tell you more than that at this time."
A grim silence filled the room, as everyone thought about this new mission.
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A tall man strode through a dark hallway, lit by a periodical violet-flaming torch, a scowl on his somewhat handsome face. He was wearing a Ring Master's uniform, complete with knee high black lace up boots, gray knickers, which disappeared into the boots, a long, tailed red jacket with gold buttons, a white dress shirt and a blue-green scarf tucked in at the collar. His hair, which was a deep brown-red colour, was parted cleanly down the middle, and grew in close to his neck, and then suddenly splayed outwards, creating a bit of mane. In his ears, which were pointed, he wore a gold, dangling earring, that matched his buttons. His eyes were a dark green, and were flashing with anger. His bushy eyebrows were creasing his small forehead.
Abruptly, he entered a large chamber room. On the opposite side, sat a man, completely in shadows. Gathered along the sides of the oval chamber were literally hundreds of human-like, and not so-human like figures, all talking, and laughing. When he entered, there was an abrupt silence. He bowed deeply to the man in the shadows.
After what seamed a very long time, the Man sitting in the shadows spoke.
"Leon." His voice was deep, and rich, and reverberated off the walls of the now deathly silent room. "What have you to report to Me?"
Leon, the man in the Ring Masters uniform, balled his hands into fists. "My kagemusha was destroyed... By Sailor Scouts, my Master, my King."
At the mention of the words 'sailor scouts' the crowd began whispering to one another.
"Silence!" Yelled the shadowed man, his command echoing in the dark hall. "The Sailor Scouts have opposed us before," He took a long pause to let the information and mood set in, "We will put an end to that." He laughed. "Leon! Copi!" A seductive looking woman slid from the crowd to stand next to Leon. "You will assume human forms and infiltrate the Sailor Scouts, finding their secret identities. Then we will obliterate the Sailor Scouts!"
A general belief had been reached as all members began to chortle.
"But!" yelled the man, "We cannot do this alone! As we speak, our most fierce warrior, the Anti-Sailor, is being re-awakened to our power. She will destroy all Sailor Scouts so that we can fulfill our destiny.
Lowering his town to a saddened one, "All we want is a universe with out their evil."