Chapter 4: Of Vampires and Love.
Rei opened the door to let Serena and the others in. "What took you so long?" She asked irritated.
Serena stuck her tongue out. Luna was perched on a stand tale swishing, as she shot Serena a look.
Amy walked straight up to Luna. "Sorry we're late. We walked Ana partway home."
Luna nodded. "That's all right. I'm not sure I want to finish the story."
"Why?" Serena questioned.
"Because, from here on in it gets darker." Artemis explained for her.
"After the dark was defeated, Light and Storm were made into Inter- Dimensional scouts."
"You've lost me, Luna." Serena said.
Luna sighed. "You know, we are not the only world out there, right?"
The scouts all nodded, eyes wide.
"Just as we are not the only world out there, we are not the only dimension out there. There are thousands, millions of dimensions, each one different. Sometimes they are only subtly different. Sometimes so unbelievable that it would scare you. Anyway, Light and Storm were put in charge of that. If something out of the ordinary happened in one dimension, Light and Storm would go to fix it, sometimes taking Loki along."
"Other dimensions?" Serena asked. "Cool! Maybe I'm a model there."
"Get real Serena." Rei said, rolling her eyes.
"Your so mean, Rei." Serena sniveled.
"All right. Listen. This is the beginning of the end. When Light turned 14, and you were all thirteen, the King started to look for a husband for her. Each one was okay and would have been a good king, but Light would have nothing to do with them. She told her father that she would never marry, except for love."
The girls all sighed dreamy.
Artemis interrupted. "I remember that. The King and her had a huge fight. And she ran away."
"Again?" Rei asked. "Wow, she sure didn't like it there."
Artemis explained. "It was more because she liked to travel than anything else, because she always came back. She used to say that the whole point of going away was coming back." At this point Artemis smiled sadly.
"You always did fancy her, Artemis." Luna sniffed, disgusted. At this point Mina stared at him.
"Well, now I know where you used to sneak off too." Mina told him, giggling. Artemis blushed.
Amy turned to Luna. "So, she went to her Mother's again, Luna?"
Everyone paid attention. "Very good, Amy. Yes, she went to Lillith's again. Now, before we go on, I should tell you something about Lillith. Lillith was a shape shifter; she could change her form at will to anything she wanted. Be it a ladybug or a tree, or even a werewolf. Now, Light inherited that power from her mother."
"Wow! She could become anything she wanted? I can do that." Serena said, taking out her moon pen.
"Stop it Serena. Put that back." Luna snapped, glaring at her.
"Besides, what would you be, a hippo?" Rei asked.
Serena glared at her as the others laughed. "I wouldn't want to look like you Rei." She told her, sticking up her nose.
"Why you!!!!" Rei cried, looking ready to kill.
"Enough!!!!!" Luna shouted. "I have to finish the story."
Serena and Rei sat on opposite sides of the room and gave each other dirty looks.
"Because she could change her form at will, Light made her appearance different, and only told her mother whom she was. Lillith was a countess on a world filled with vampires. And because she was a shape shifter, Lillith had changed her own species to that of a vampire."
"Vampires?" Amy asked, eyes wide. "But there is no such thing."
"Blood suckers?" Lita questioned, holding her fingers like fangs.
"You guys know." Mina said, giggling. "Children of the Night." Mina said, putting on a Transylvania accent.
Luna silenced them with a look. "Vampires are as real as you. If I may continue?" She questioned. Luna nodded, as the girls look abashed. "Very well. Light went with Storm and Loki, who were her constant companions. On her mother's planet, named Rose Red, Light met someone. A vampire prince her mother introduced her to. Light fell in love with him, and he supposedly fell in love with her. On Rose Red they got married. When they went home the Sun was in Chaos over her marriage to a creature of the darkness, and the fact that she had a son."
"She had a son? At fourteen?" Serena asked.
"Yes. Remember Serena that just because she looked fourteen doesn't mean she was. Back then people did not age like people today. She was fourteen, and she had been gone for 4 human years. They named the boy Umbreon. Now, here's where it gets gruesome. Her brother was older and he inherited the throne. Flame would become King, and Light only a minor monarch, with hardly any power. Her duty, like yours, would be to protect the ruling monarch. But that didn't seem to matter to Light. Light and her small family lived in peace for a year, when she turned fifteen a plot began. Days after her birthday, the King was found murdered in his sitting room. Light's fingerprints and essence were all over the room, making her guilty. Her fingerprints were found even in the blood. The Prince witnessed the whole thing, and was lucky to get out alive." Luna stopped, tears flooding her eyes.
"What happened? Why did she kill him? To get the throne?"
"That was the thing. She had no reason. The King and her had fought over it before, because she did not want the throne. But, even as she had no reason, she had no alibi. She would not tell them where she had been that night. The trial was set up and, luckily, Queen Serenity was at the trial. Prince Flame, now king, was all for executing Light, but Serenity would not have it. She had been a friend with Light's stepmother. It was for that reason that Light was not executed. Instead, Light, Loki, and Storm were sealed in crystals and put into deep space."
"Just like in my dream." Rei supplied. Luna nodded.
"But what happened to her son? And her husband?" Amy asked.
"They disappeared. And were not seen again." Artemis explained.
"Shortly after that, the Prince was murdered. We did not know who did it. When that happened there was a war over who would get the throne, and much fighting. To protect everyone from it Serenity sealed the kingdom away, and sent all the people to different planets. And so, the Sun Kingdom died." Luna jumped down from her perch
Something was still troubling Lita. "How come we didn't meet her?"
"We did meet her." Rei whispered, staring off in to space.
"At my 6th birthday party, right Luna?" Serena asked.
Luna nodded. "She was seven, and you were all six, or appeared to be. Moon Kingdom time is very confusing." She admitted.
"I remember. It was so fun. We had a water fight in the lake, and at the end we were soaked, dripping wet, and shivering. And we went swimming in our clothes. Light dried us off." Mina said, eyes distant.
"At the end though, there was something bad." Rei whispered.
The girls thought hard. "I can't remember it, though." Mina said finally.
"Neither can I." Lita offered in consolation.
"Maybe it was so horrible that we blocked it out." Amy suggested. "Luna, how come we haven't remembered her until now?"
"After Flame was killed, Serenity erased all existence of the Sun kingdom from everyone's minds. As if it never was." Luna explained.
"How sad." Mina whispered.
Serena shifted uneasily. "I, uh, wanted to tell you guys something." She said guiltily.
"What is it, Serena?" Lita asked, smiling at her friend, which made Serena feel guiltier.
"I..met Sailor Sun the other day."
The girls shot up from their seats and stared at her.
"You..what?" Rei asked, choking with surprise.
Serena explained as best she could.
"You said the knight called himself the Emerald Knight?" Luna questioned.
Serena nodded. "And she called the bad guy Crow."
Luna shook her head. "Crow was...is a shadow demon, who uses crows and shadows to fight. He was one of Erebus's generals."
"So there are others?" Amy asked, getting out her computer.
"Yes. There were five. I do not know how many there are now." Luna explained.
"The five were what? Crow, Bat, Snake, and Hyena. And Panther. " Artemis said, turning to her.
"Yes. But he turned good." Luna said, her voice unsure.
"Who was Panther? And why did he turn good?" Serena asked.
"Do you guys remember Light's husband? The vampire prince?" Artemis scoffed.
"No way!" Lita asked, her mouth hanging open.
"So she married her enemy's general?" Rei asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, and he was the most powerful general of them all." Luna told them.
"Why did he decide to be good?" Serena asked, curious.
Artemis smiled sadly. "Apparently he met Light when Lillith introduced them and fell in love with her."
"Wow." Serena whispered. "He turned good for her?" It sounded so romantic, and the girls were hanging on the cat's every word.
"No, he originally tried to kidnap her." He told them in a matter of fact voice.
The girls fell over and Artemis smiled contritely.
"So what happened when he kidnapped her?" Rei asked engrossed.
"Loki and Stormy found him and kicked his butt right?" Lita assumed eagerly.
Artemis smiled. "Yes, Loki and Storm found them, but by that time Light had fallen in love with him. Damian didn't want her to go back to the Sun kingdom, so he attempted to kill Loki and Storm. He thought that they were guards come to take her prisoner and drag her back to the Sun kingdom."
"So what happened?" Amy asked, putting her head in her hands.
"Eventually it was resolved and Light made an effort to persuade him to come with her. But he would only go with her if she married him, and if they traveled for a while. Sort of like a honeymoon. So she agreed." Artemis shrugged his feline shoulders.
"And then they had Umbreon, huh?" Serena said, finishing for him.
"Yes, and still then he didn't want to go to the Sun kingdom. He tried to convince her to take Umbreon and leave Loki and Storm to go with him."
"Only she wouldn't." Amy guessed.
Artemis grinned. "No."
"Why didn't Damian just ask Loki and Storm along though?" Mina probed.
"He hadn't gotten along with Loki and Storm since the day they came to rescue her. He didn't like them and they vice versa." Luna explained.
Artemis grumbled. "He was jealous, more like it. Damian had a jealous streak 4 miles wide. Not to mention how possessive he was. Damian's possessiveness was worse than Loki's brotherly suspicion and mistrust and Storm's protectiveness."
"How do you know all this Artemis? The Queen told me, but you were not there." Luna asked inquisitively.
Artemis smiled eagerly. "She told me. I knew everything." He stopped, and then continued. ".until before the trial. She wouldn't talk to me then."
Luna stretched. "How did we get off the subject so quickly? We were talking about the generals. Serena, if you saw Crow, then Erebus is back. He is the most cowardly of all Erebus's minions, and would not act without him."
"Tell us about the generals." Amy ordered.
"Very well." Luna settled down comfortably.
To Whom It May Concern Sunny: So, how did you like the explanations? Let me know if I didn't make anything clear enough. The next chapter will explain more about the generals, and Serena will have and interesting dream. Regards, Sailor Sun.
Rei opened the door to let Serena and the others in. "What took you so long?" She asked irritated.
Serena stuck her tongue out. Luna was perched on a stand tale swishing, as she shot Serena a look.
Amy walked straight up to Luna. "Sorry we're late. We walked Ana partway home."
Luna nodded. "That's all right. I'm not sure I want to finish the story."
"Why?" Serena questioned.
"Because, from here on in it gets darker." Artemis explained for her.
"After the dark was defeated, Light and Storm were made into Inter- Dimensional scouts."
"You've lost me, Luna." Serena said.
Luna sighed. "You know, we are not the only world out there, right?"
The scouts all nodded, eyes wide.
"Just as we are not the only world out there, we are not the only dimension out there. There are thousands, millions of dimensions, each one different. Sometimes they are only subtly different. Sometimes so unbelievable that it would scare you. Anyway, Light and Storm were put in charge of that. If something out of the ordinary happened in one dimension, Light and Storm would go to fix it, sometimes taking Loki along."
"Other dimensions?" Serena asked. "Cool! Maybe I'm a model there."
"Get real Serena." Rei said, rolling her eyes.
"Your so mean, Rei." Serena sniveled.
"All right. Listen. This is the beginning of the end. When Light turned 14, and you were all thirteen, the King started to look for a husband for her. Each one was okay and would have been a good king, but Light would have nothing to do with them. She told her father that she would never marry, except for love."
The girls all sighed dreamy.
Artemis interrupted. "I remember that. The King and her had a huge fight. And she ran away."
"Again?" Rei asked. "Wow, she sure didn't like it there."
Artemis explained. "It was more because she liked to travel than anything else, because she always came back. She used to say that the whole point of going away was coming back." At this point Artemis smiled sadly.
"You always did fancy her, Artemis." Luna sniffed, disgusted. At this point Mina stared at him.
"Well, now I know where you used to sneak off too." Mina told him, giggling. Artemis blushed.
Amy turned to Luna. "So, she went to her Mother's again, Luna?"
Everyone paid attention. "Very good, Amy. Yes, she went to Lillith's again. Now, before we go on, I should tell you something about Lillith. Lillith was a shape shifter; she could change her form at will to anything she wanted. Be it a ladybug or a tree, or even a werewolf. Now, Light inherited that power from her mother."
"Wow! She could become anything she wanted? I can do that." Serena said, taking out her moon pen.
"Stop it Serena. Put that back." Luna snapped, glaring at her.
"Besides, what would you be, a hippo?" Rei asked.
Serena glared at her as the others laughed. "I wouldn't want to look like you Rei." She told her, sticking up her nose.
"Why you!!!!" Rei cried, looking ready to kill.
"Enough!!!!!" Luna shouted. "I have to finish the story."
Serena and Rei sat on opposite sides of the room and gave each other dirty looks.
"Because she could change her form at will, Light made her appearance different, and only told her mother whom she was. Lillith was a countess on a world filled with vampires. And because she was a shape shifter, Lillith had changed her own species to that of a vampire."
"Vampires?" Amy asked, eyes wide. "But there is no such thing."
"Blood suckers?" Lita questioned, holding her fingers like fangs.
"You guys know." Mina said, giggling. "Children of the Night." Mina said, putting on a Transylvania accent.
Luna silenced them with a look. "Vampires are as real as you. If I may continue?" She questioned. Luna nodded, as the girls look abashed. "Very well. Light went with Storm and Loki, who were her constant companions. On her mother's planet, named Rose Red, Light met someone. A vampire prince her mother introduced her to. Light fell in love with him, and he supposedly fell in love with her. On Rose Red they got married. When they went home the Sun was in Chaos over her marriage to a creature of the darkness, and the fact that she had a son."
"She had a son? At fourteen?" Serena asked.
"Yes. Remember Serena that just because she looked fourteen doesn't mean she was. Back then people did not age like people today. She was fourteen, and she had been gone for 4 human years. They named the boy Umbreon. Now, here's where it gets gruesome. Her brother was older and he inherited the throne. Flame would become King, and Light only a minor monarch, with hardly any power. Her duty, like yours, would be to protect the ruling monarch. But that didn't seem to matter to Light. Light and her small family lived in peace for a year, when she turned fifteen a plot began. Days after her birthday, the King was found murdered in his sitting room. Light's fingerprints and essence were all over the room, making her guilty. Her fingerprints were found even in the blood. The Prince witnessed the whole thing, and was lucky to get out alive." Luna stopped, tears flooding her eyes.
"What happened? Why did she kill him? To get the throne?"
"That was the thing. She had no reason. The King and her had fought over it before, because she did not want the throne. But, even as she had no reason, she had no alibi. She would not tell them where she had been that night. The trial was set up and, luckily, Queen Serenity was at the trial. Prince Flame, now king, was all for executing Light, but Serenity would not have it. She had been a friend with Light's stepmother. It was for that reason that Light was not executed. Instead, Light, Loki, and Storm were sealed in crystals and put into deep space."
"Just like in my dream." Rei supplied. Luna nodded.
"But what happened to her son? And her husband?" Amy asked.
"They disappeared. And were not seen again." Artemis explained.
"Shortly after that, the Prince was murdered. We did not know who did it. When that happened there was a war over who would get the throne, and much fighting. To protect everyone from it Serenity sealed the kingdom away, and sent all the people to different planets. And so, the Sun Kingdom died." Luna jumped down from her perch
Something was still troubling Lita. "How come we didn't meet her?"
"We did meet her." Rei whispered, staring off in to space.
"At my 6th birthday party, right Luna?" Serena asked.
Luna nodded. "She was seven, and you were all six, or appeared to be. Moon Kingdom time is very confusing." She admitted.
"I remember. It was so fun. We had a water fight in the lake, and at the end we were soaked, dripping wet, and shivering. And we went swimming in our clothes. Light dried us off." Mina said, eyes distant.
"At the end though, there was something bad." Rei whispered.
The girls thought hard. "I can't remember it, though." Mina said finally.
"Neither can I." Lita offered in consolation.
"Maybe it was so horrible that we blocked it out." Amy suggested. "Luna, how come we haven't remembered her until now?"
"After Flame was killed, Serenity erased all existence of the Sun kingdom from everyone's minds. As if it never was." Luna explained.
"How sad." Mina whispered.
Serena shifted uneasily. "I, uh, wanted to tell you guys something." She said guiltily.
"What is it, Serena?" Lita asked, smiling at her friend, which made Serena feel guiltier.
"I..met Sailor Sun the other day."
The girls shot up from their seats and stared at her.
"You..what?" Rei asked, choking with surprise.
Serena explained as best she could.
"You said the knight called himself the Emerald Knight?" Luna questioned.
Serena nodded. "And she called the bad guy Crow."
Luna shook her head. "Crow was...is a shadow demon, who uses crows and shadows to fight. He was one of Erebus's generals."
"So there are others?" Amy asked, getting out her computer.
"Yes. There were five. I do not know how many there are now." Luna explained.
"The five were what? Crow, Bat, Snake, and Hyena. And Panther. " Artemis said, turning to her.
"Yes. But he turned good." Luna said, her voice unsure.
"Who was Panther? And why did he turn good?" Serena asked.
"Do you guys remember Light's husband? The vampire prince?" Artemis scoffed.
"No way!" Lita asked, her mouth hanging open.
"So she married her enemy's general?" Rei asked thoughtfully.
"Yes, and he was the most powerful general of them all." Luna told them.
"Why did he decide to be good?" Serena asked, curious.
Artemis smiled sadly. "Apparently he met Light when Lillith introduced them and fell in love with her."
"Wow." Serena whispered. "He turned good for her?" It sounded so romantic, and the girls were hanging on the cat's every word.
"No, he originally tried to kidnap her." He told them in a matter of fact voice.
The girls fell over and Artemis smiled contritely.
"So what happened when he kidnapped her?" Rei asked engrossed.
"Loki and Stormy found him and kicked his butt right?" Lita assumed eagerly.
Artemis smiled. "Yes, Loki and Storm found them, but by that time Light had fallen in love with him. Damian didn't want her to go back to the Sun kingdom, so he attempted to kill Loki and Storm. He thought that they were guards come to take her prisoner and drag her back to the Sun kingdom."
"So what happened?" Amy asked, putting her head in her hands.
"Eventually it was resolved and Light made an effort to persuade him to come with her. But he would only go with her if she married him, and if they traveled for a while. Sort of like a honeymoon. So she agreed." Artemis shrugged his feline shoulders.
"And then they had Umbreon, huh?" Serena said, finishing for him.
"Yes, and still then he didn't want to go to the Sun kingdom. He tried to convince her to take Umbreon and leave Loki and Storm to go with him."
"Only she wouldn't." Amy guessed.
Artemis grinned. "No."
"Why didn't Damian just ask Loki and Storm along though?" Mina probed.
"He hadn't gotten along with Loki and Storm since the day they came to rescue her. He didn't like them and they vice versa." Luna explained.
Artemis grumbled. "He was jealous, more like it. Damian had a jealous streak 4 miles wide. Not to mention how possessive he was. Damian's possessiveness was worse than Loki's brotherly suspicion and mistrust and Storm's protectiveness."
"How do you know all this Artemis? The Queen told me, but you were not there." Luna asked inquisitively.
Artemis smiled eagerly. "She told me. I knew everything." He stopped, and then continued. ".until before the trial. She wouldn't talk to me then."
Luna stretched. "How did we get off the subject so quickly? We were talking about the generals. Serena, if you saw Crow, then Erebus is back. He is the most cowardly of all Erebus's minions, and would not act without him."
"Tell us about the generals." Amy ordered.
"Very well." Luna settled down comfortably.
To Whom It May Concern Sunny: So, how did you like the explanations? Let me know if I didn't make anything clear enough. The next chapter will explain more about the generals, and Serena will have and interesting dream. Regards, Sailor Sun.