Some language in this chapter, some English some Japanese... heh heh. And any mention of druids is supposed to be droids. My computer likes to auto-change it, and I'm not sure if I found them all. Read on!
The first attacks by the Dark Moon surprised everyone, up to and including the senshis. It had been during some important social function or another that the rocking of the earth knocked everyone down. The looks on the attending senshis, Mercury, Mars and Venus, were priceless as they felt the damage being down to their planet. Endymion had fallen unconscious, and Usagi entertained the notion that perhaps more had changed from what remembered then what she'd already guessed. The King she remembered had been much preoccupied with his wife then his planet, and had not showed the strain this one did. Interesting, Usagi mused, as she was swept up with the other courtiers out of the hall, maybe he's finally going to take on his duties, and perhaps he will do them properly. It's something to think about.
The senshis had disappeared, most likely to go and stop the attacks, and without their commanding presence, all hell broke loose at the Palace. Usagi could only guess that the off-planet senshis had joined the four from the Palace. Nevertheless, the twits left here certainly weren't going to be able to stop any attacks on the Palace itself, even with the ruler gone.
"Shimatta!" Usagi swore under her breath, when she realized the damned Crystal was still in the Palace. "Those fools!" She earned a few odd looks from the people all around her, but she irritably pushed away from them, running off towards Endymion's quarters. She knew the way from here, and slammed open the door without bothering with unlocking the door. She did the same for the other door, and cried out angrily again when her suspicions were confirmed. "After all I did to get the to use it, they forget about it. Damnit!" Feeling that it wasn't likely any of the senshis were going to remember and come back for it, Usagi grabbed, ignoring the feeling of rightness that came from contact with the all-powerful Crystal.
She pulled on the power from the jewel in her hand, directing it towards the large surges of power coming from somewhere off to the East. She transported to a scene of chaos, complete with monsters, carnage, and evil cackling overlords watching the fight from afar. Only the four inner senshis were fighting, along with a transformed Endymion, and the monsters coming forth from portals spread all around the huge black stone seemed endless.
They're going to have to shut those down to stop the masses! Usagi thought, dismayed. Apparently Sailor Mercury agreed, for even as she fought off droids she was scanning the area, her eyes desparate. The bleu-haired senshi was obviously trying to get to the portals, and she was shouting something to the others, but even as she would clear tens of droids more would fill their places. Even now, the battle was looking helpless.
Wondering why the outers weren't helping, Usagi assessed her choices. She could go after the four females watching with great pleasure the wreckage the droids were creating, but she would be going against all she had sworn to herself. Or she could try and shut down the gates herself, again going against her self-promise. In the end, after watching too many near misses, she just decided to give the bloody Crystal to Mars, who had been chosen by the senshis to wield it. Usagi had been surprised, but Mars had shown an aptness with the power of the moon she hadn't expected.
Again, she pulled on the power of the crystal, saving her own energy for the transport away from there. She dropped right next to the fighting senshi. The black haired queen of Mars could do no more the blink in surprise before again fighting off the druids. Usagi nailed a few herself, before pressing the clear jewel into her former friend's hand in the lull that followed. She pulled herself away from the battle, fearing to look in Mars' eyes.
The red senshi didn't react well, she nearly dropped the crystal, but reminded herself that now was most definitely not the time to panic or lose her focus. Drawing on the power of the crystal, she blasted a large area clear around her, and advanced towards the Gates. The four females were panicking now, seeing the mass destruction she was causing, but after sending a very painful blast at the bleu one, they retreated, screaming in anger. Upon reaching the first of the three gates, Mars simply basted it with raw power, smirking in satisfaction as it collapsed, and disappeared. She quickly disposed of the other two, watching as the flow of droids stopped. The females shrieked in anger, but she couldn't hear what they were saying, and disappeared themselves.
Mars collapsed in the clear area near the gates. She couldn't do more then lift her hand and watch as her friends finish off the remaining druids. They looked as tired as she felt, but they came over to her, Jupiter holding a faint Mercury up.
"What happened?" Venus asked, long blonde hair streaked with dirt.
Mars laid down. She far more tired then any practices with the Crystal she had ever tried. "She came, in the middle of the battle, and brought me the Crystal. She came!" Mars exclaimed. Kami, even my voice sounds tired, she thought weakly.
"Who came?" the now-powered down Endymion asked, urgently. He seemed to already know who, though.
"Who else?" Mars retorted, also letting her senshi form go, failing the amount of power needed to sustain it. Endymion picked her up gently, readying to bring them back to the Palace. Of them all, he was still the only one who could transport more then themselves any great distance, even tired.
Arriving back at the Palace, he set her down on one of the couches in his sitting room, and then collapsed onto another.
"I don't need this now," he muttered, holding his face in his hands.
"Well, you knew she was still around, so don't go complaining to us. We tried to find her." Makoto settled into another couch, setting Ami down beside her. Oddly enough, the friendship between the brainiac and the Amazon had grown firmer after Usagi's disappearence.
"I know. But why did she come out?" Endymion mused. "I don't understand."
"Well, if we want to find out, we should start searching for her. She's run once, she may again," Ami said sensibly from the fold s of the large couch.
Venus pushed herself off her own comfortable perch. Since the rest of you look like your going to fall asleep at a moment's notice, I suppose it's up to me then." She powered down, and exited, winking at Endymion, who looked confused,
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Remember, this is A/U, so I can do all I
want with it. But it shouldn't change
too too much, so don't worry! I'm
thinking about adding in the Generals, but I'm not sure if that's a bit to far
stretched for the story. What do you think? I'm trying to stay away from romance in this
one, at least for now, because I'm not very good at writing it. And as it stands, Mamoru will probably
continue to be a jerk about it, even though he's had many years to brood about
his stupid mistakes. We shall see, now
won't we?
And yes I know, it's short. Too
bad. I do my best, but it doesn't quite
work as well, if it's longer. I have no
idea why.
Please R+R!