Chapter Six
Uranus and a now-awake Mercury de-transformed while Rei watched. Usagi went to comfort Rei, but she shook Usagi off coldly. Rei began stalking in the direction of her cottage. "Rei?" Usagi asked, unsure of the fire senshi. Rei paused and waited for Usagi to continue. "Rei, I know it's hard, but you made the right." Usagi's voice trailed off as Rei turned around. "You know? You KNOW? You don't know anything!" Rei screamed, defiantly facing Haru, Ami, and Usagi. She turned around again, her backs to all of us, folding her arms across her chest and coldly whispering. "What do you know of choices, of responsibilities? You're nothing, any of you. Just doing what you're told, living the good and easy life. You don't know the feeling of an incredible burden hanging over your shoulders, and then someone comes along who loves you in spite of the burden, doesn't care about the burden. Then, then you have to tell him, 'No, I'm sorry. I love you, but my duties are more important than my desires." By now, Rei was sobbing uncontrollably. Usagi moved to console with her, but Rei put up her hand, instantly creating a psychic barrier that no one could break through.
Then she turned, and looked at me. "Don't worry, Setsuna," she 'pathed. "I never told him who I really am. And you were right; the Weave did instruct me. Even in my hardest decisions, I'm told what to choose. If its any consolation at all, you-out of all of them-could come closest to knowing what it feels like. To answer to something beyond anyone else's comprehension and be responsible to that. For you it's Time. For me it's the Weave. Our lives are not our own." I shrugged, and after a second, nodded. The others cast curious looks my way, wondering what Rei had 'pathed to me. Then Rei left, walking back to the cottage, barrier still up.
When she reached her home, Mina began to rant and rave again. "I don't care, Rei. You're under arrest." Mina approached Rei to grab her. We tried to warn her about the barrier, but she didn't listen to us. Mina walked right into the shield of psychic energy and got zapped, flying to the other side of the room. By the time she picked herself up, Mina was bright red-both from anger and pain-and furious with Rei. I honestly though that Rei would lose hold of her powers, purposely or not, and kill Mina. Amazingly, Rei was in complete control the whole time, an astounding demonstration. Without a word, Rei 'ported to the moon, taking me with her, and leaving the rest to find their own way back.
Rei and I gained an immediate audience with the queen when we arrived. We told her everything that had happened, including Mina's threats and actions. The queen, a very wise and perceptive woman, listened to the story and saw, instead of a traitor, an emotionally and physically drained senshi. "Rei," she said gently, "we'll talk about this later. Why don't you go and lay down for a while." "Thank you," Rei answered, unemotional and detached. "I think I'd like that." Rei left and took the queen's advice. Apparently she did like it-she didn't wake up for eight days.
@}------
"Eight days?" Ami interrupted. "With no food or water?" "That's right," Setsuna answered. "You have to remember that Rei is different from the rest of us. She gets her life, her sustenance from the Weave." "Why?" Usagi whispered. "Why didn't she let me help her?" "Let me ask you a question, Usagi," Setsuna said. "Do you understand her?" Usagi shook her head, then cried as Setsuna asked her, "How could you have helped?" Ami went over to Usagi and calmed her down. "Did you have to do that?" Ami asked Setsuna bitterly. "Yes. Otherwise she would berate herself for the rest of her life. Anyway, none of us, no one in the universe, could have helped her. No one."
Usagi took what little comfort Setsuna offered in that statement and quieted down so that the story could continue.
Chapter Seven
As I said, it was eight days before anyone saw Rei's open eyes. Once she awoke, she would just sit in bed, ignoring anyone who walked in her room. We tried to get her up, moving, but she refused to cooperate. Mako went in to see her with new menu creations, but even that didn't catch Rei's interest. The second day after she awoke, the tenth day after her fateful decision, Mina snuck in to see Rei. "I know we're not exactly on good terms, Rei," she started, sitting in a chair next to Rei's bed, "but we need your help." Mina took a deep breath, then continued. "No one wanted to tell you, but.well, the enemy has broken through our second checkpoint, on Capella. There's just one checkpoint left between them and the palace. Queen Serenity wants to send us to get the Seven Shadows, but.well, we don't want to leave without all of us going. That would break tradition. The senshi always go and fight together." Mina watched, amazed, as Rei sat up, now looking almost normal except for a glint in her eyes that Mina couldn't understand. "When are we leaving?" Rei asked in that cold, unemotional and detached voice that scared the living daylights out of her leader. "In an hour," Mina answered.
"Your majesty." Queen Serenity broke from her conversation and turned around, amazed to see Rei standing behind her. "Are you all right, Rei?" the queen asked. "Yes, thank you. I'm feeling more of myself again. May we talk?" The queen looked at Rei, then dismissed everyone else from the room. "Okay, everyone's gone. What do you want to talk about?" "Mina came and told me what's been happening. They shouldn't go," Rei said seriously. "To get the Shadows? Why not?" the queen asked. "The Shadows are magical, and one is stronger than the four generals were combined. The senshi, apart from myself, are not magical in nature, only in power. If you send them, they too will be captured," Rei explained. "What do you propose we do?" Queen Serenity asked, while thinking about the truth of Rei's statements. "Send me." The queen's jaw dropped in astonishment as Rei clarified her statement. "Send the Heiress."
Fifteen minutes later, Queen Serenity emerged from her chamber with Rei in tow. "I've summoned the senshi to meet in the Control Room. Can you teleport?" "Yes, I can," Rei replied. "Good," the queen said. "'Port us both. It will save time."
"So, I have decided to send Rei. Alone," the queen concluded. The room burst into conversation. Rei, standing next to the queen in front of everyone, surveyed the senshi. From the back of the room, Mina stood and began walking to meet Rei. The closer Mina got, the quieter the room became. When she had reached the front, Mina looked at Rei, and spoke. "Good luck. We'll be rooting for you." Rei closed her eyes, and 'ported to Capella's surface.
Chapter Eight
Rei opened her eyes to see the cold and gray atmosphere around her. She knew she must succeed; that she was the last hope. Her eyes focused on seven figures that were coming her way. The Seven Shadows approached her, each wearing a different color. The leader, in red, bowed towards Rei, and spoke. "Sailor Mars, Rei, this is an honor. But we expected to see your friends as well." "They won't be joining us," Rei answered coldly. "I see. Tell me, why are you alone? You know what happened to your generals. It didn't take too much to overpower them." "I am not a general," Rei answered simply. "You think you're better?" "Yes." With this pronouncement, Rei turned off the camera that had been sending images and sounds to us. She had left us blind and clueless. All we could do was wait.
About fifteen minutes later, the air in front of us started to shimmer. Everyone tensed, until we saw Rei's form condense and materialize. Everyone was shocked, except for the queen and I. We knew Rei's power, even if we didn't understand it. The rest of you gasped, for there was not a single bruise on her. Rei approached the queen and bowed, holding out seven rainbow gems in her palm. "You majesty," she said tiredly, "this is all that remains of the Seven Shadows." Rei straightened up, and looked into the queen's eyes. Serenity nodded. "We thank you for your service, Rei. Now you must rest." Rei agreed, and 'ported to her bedroom, taking me with her. From what I understand, as soon as Rei and I left, the control room broke out into an uproar. Everyone wanted to know how she had done it alone; how she forced the Shadows into the crystals; what Serenity would do with them. The queen was calling for silence, though no one could hear. It took Mina's loud "BE QUIET!" to settle things down enough for the queen to talk. "Thank you, commander," she told Mina, who nodded in reply. "Rei will not be disturbed by uninvited guests while she rests. Only those whom she calls for may see her. We all know that she is tired after her ordeal. She has been very brave, and performed a great service to all of us. Furthermore, no one will ask her how she managed to perform this service. If Rei wishes to tell, that is her choice, but no one shall ask. Understood?" Everyone nodded, feeling a little ashamed of their earlier behavior. "Many of you are curious to know what I shall do with these gems. I am not sure yet, but I will tell you once I know. Keep in mind that the Shadows are not the only forces that Beryl has. She still has the generals, as well as legions, to command. Rest, build strength, and prepare for the worst. You are dismissed." The queen waited until everyone except Haruka had left. "Haru," she said. "Yes, your majesty?" "Did you feel anything, from Rei, when she was out there?" "No, I didn't, majesty." "Isn't that unusual?" "Yes." Serenity nodded, dismissing Haru. She looked around the now-empty room. "Thank you, Heiress. You protected us while protecting yourself." She left.
@}--------
"So no one knows what happened on that asteroid, do they?" Ami asked Setsuna. "No one knows." Setsuna looked at the others, waiting for them to complete their thoughts. Haru looked up quickly, as did Ami. Usagi was last, armed with questions. "You never looked in your time key?" "I've tried, but Rei's somehow managed to block that time out." "Rei is magical in nature, while the rest of us aren't?" "Correct." "How is that possible?" "Rei is the daughter of the Weave. She has Weave magic running through her just as we have blood. She isn't really human like the rest of us. She's a pure magical being who has chosen to appear to us like one of us." "How did the Shadow know her name?" "Usagi, we have to remember that the generals had been caught. Jedite knew who Rei was, then Beryl did. She passed down the info to her soldiers." "Rei took you with her, after she gave the gems to my mother. What happened?" "She told me that she had transformed into the Heiress. She told me that she had hidden that event from everyone and everything, including my time key. She told me it was magnificent to let the magic in her change her to her real appearance. She said that letting the magic go was wonderful, wielding the power she had been born with was natural and easy. She told me she didn't want to bottle it up again, to wait for the next chance to be her true self. She told me she was going to rest, and asked me to leave. I did." Usagi nodded, taking all of the information in. She then waved her hand for me to continue, a gesture remarkably similar to one her mother used to make. I obeyed, as is my custom.
Chapter 9
A day later, we saw Rei's face emerge from her bedroom. She still looked tired, but every pore seemed to radiate a certain power and grace. It was amazing, seeing Rei like that, but once she knew she was different, it was gone. It seemed as if she was always busy: always going somewhere, always doing something. Most of you avoided her, especially Mina. No one had the heart to tell her that Jedite had just captured Mars for Beryl. When a few of us finally did track her down, I think she took the news rather well.
"Um, Rei? Can we talk to you for a second?" "Sure, guys. What's up?" "Well, you might want to sit down." "Sit down? Why? Haru, Ami, Setsuna-what's going on?" "It's Beryl. She, um, she sent Jedite to capture a planet." That was as far as Haru got. Rei's eyes filled with tears, as she looked at the ground. "Yes, I know. Beryl's got Mars now." Rei looked up into the faces of her friends. "Thanks for letting me know." With that, Rei walked off, leaving us standing in the hallway in amazement. The normally temperamental senshi knew her planet was captive to an evil enemy queen. She knew her love had captured it. Yet, she didn't make a fuss, she didn't bawl-she left. Quietly.
@}-------
"Then what happened?" Usagi inquired. "We later found out that she spent many hours behind closed doors, speaking with the queen. I wasn't privy to the Rei's conversations with Serenity, so I don't know what they talked about. Strategy, captivity, the crystal, the Heiress, the Guardian. The next thing we knew, Beryl was laying a siege down against Earth."
@}-------
"Sailor Mars, please report to the Control Room. Mars to the Control Room." Rei looked around her darkened room. The blinds were down, every crack filled with a towel, sheet or something. She put the glowing staff in front of her under an invisibility charm, and waited for the room to clear of the magic just performed. She opened her bathroom, washed her face, transformed, and 'ported out.
All of us senshi were in the Control Room, and watched as Sailor Mars appeared. She walked over, and stood next to Sailor Venus. "As most of you know," Queen Serenity began, "the Nega-forces have recently captured Mercury and Venus. Their forces, as of this moment, are attacking Earth. Despite the preparedness of the Terran forces, Prince Endymion and I both agree that Earth will be unable to hold out much longer. In this event, Beryl will have captured every planet save Pluto. It is the opinion of Sailors Venus and Uranus that Beryl will set up a major command post on Earth, in order to capture, and destroy, the Moon." With this, Serenity took a deep breath, and continued. "All civilians are at this present moment evacuating the Moon. I've spoken with the ruling powers in the Asteroid Belt, and they are willing to house our people until this crisis is over. I have decided to send Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn with my people. No," she said, raising a hand to quiet down the protests, "it has already been determined. I need people that I trust to assure that all of the civilians make it safely to the Asteroid Belt." An aide of Serenity's 'ported in at that moment, and handed her a message before 'porting back out. "I've just been informed," the queen said haltingly after reading the note, "that Earth has capitulated. They've just proclaimed Beryl queen, in accordance to her wishes." Endymion closed his eyes in pain, realizing that his parents had to have died in order to allow Beryl her wish. Usagi placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort the man who had now lost almost everything.
Chapter Ten
Very soon after that, the last ship of civilians was preparing to leave. Hotaru and Michiru had accompanied the previous vessels, and this was to be Haruka's ride out to the Belt. A moment before she had to board, she spoke with Rei and I. "What will happen, Rei? Will we know?" Haru asked. I wondered how Rei could diplomatically answer this without giving away the foreknowledge I knew she possessed. After looking to me for help, which I did not give, she uncomfortably cleared her throat. "Everything will turn out all right, Haru. And yes, you will know what happens." Haru looked into Rei's eyes, and found assurance, what she was looking for. She nodded, and left. Everything was so quiet. The queen, the prince and princess, and us five senshi were the only ones left on the moon. We were alone, waiting for the inevitable.
It didn't take very long for Beryl to launch an armada against us. Queen Serenity got word from our depleted intelligence forces on earth as soon as Beryl had left. According to our spies, Beryl had been preceded by several ships. Because I had not left the queen's side since the other outer senshi left, I found out when she did. The queen told the others at the nightly planning session. I watched for a reaction from Rei, and had my feelings confirmed-Rei displayed no shock, only dull sorrow. Rei knew, before the rest of us. You know, in the hours between Beryl's launch and her arrival, it seemed that Rei knew everything. Things she wasn't supposed to know.like battle plans. Beryl's battle plans.
"Are you sure, Rei?" Mina asked for the ten-thousandth time that day. "Absolutely," Rei said patiently. Taking a deep breath, she repeated her convictions for the ten-thousandth time that day. She's going to land here," Rei said, pointing to a spot on a map, "and come in this way to the courtyard," motioning to a new area. "So, based on this theory, we should concentrate our soldiers here, here and here, block off this avenue of escape, and confront Beryl, and her generals, in the courtyard. It may be risky, but if Rei is this sure, and Beryl is planning to do this, there's no way we can lose." Mina looked around for approval, and got it. She nodded to Rei, who began issuing orders to the normal standing army.
Rei was right. Beryl landed where she had guessed. The Nega-forces marched off their ships, in perfect formation. They marched straight into an ambush. The Moon's armies, perfectly placed, fired their weapons at the invaders. The Negaverse's armies fired their weapons at the defenders. With laser-lights bouncing off of everything and everyone, smoke polluting the air, and the confusion that any battle has, pure pandemonium and chaos ran rampant. By the time anyone could tell, the Moon was victorious. Us five senshi, back in the courtyard, watched through the window on my time key. Practically all of the normal Nega-force army was dead. Beryl had no army, but she had four generals to guard her.
We saw, with our eyes, as she approached the courtyard. I turned off my time key, and hid my talisman. Preparing to leave, I sent Rei a message. "Heiress, protect the future." Rei nodded, and I left.
I was now with the queen, the princess, and the prince in the locked control room. "Your majesties," I began, "it is not safe for you to stay. This-" I was cut off by the queen, who flatly refused my request. I conceded, which is the only thing one can do when refused by the ruler. Endymion set up a tele-screen, and we watched the confrontation begin in relative safety.
Uranus and a now-awake Mercury de-transformed while Rei watched. Usagi went to comfort Rei, but she shook Usagi off coldly. Rei began stalking in the direction of her cottage. "Rei?" Usagi asked, unsure of the fire senshi. Rei paused and waited for Usagi to continue. "Rei, I know it's hard, but you made the right." Usagi's voice trailed off as Rei turned around. "You know? You KNOW? You don't know anything!" Rei screamed, defiantly facing Haru, Ami, and Usagi. She turned around again, her backs to all of us, folding her arms across her chest and coldly whispering. "What do you know of choices, of responsibilities? You're nothing, any of you. Just doing what you're told, living the good and easy life. You don't know the feeling of an incredible burden hanging over your shoulders, and then someone comes along who loves you in spite of the burden, doesn't care about the burden. Then, then you have to tell him, 'No, I'm sorry. I love you, but my duties are more important than my desires." By now, Rei was sobbing uncontrollably. Usagi moved to console with her, but Rei put up her hand, instantly creating a psychic barrier that no one could break through.
Then she turned, and looked at me. "Don't worry, Setsuna," she 'pathed. "I never told him who I really am. And you were right; the Weave did instruct me. Even in my hardest decisions, I'm told what to choose. If its any consolation at all, you-out of all of them-could come closest to knowing what it feels like. To answer to something beyond anyone else's comprehension and be responsible to that. For you it's Time. For me it's the Weave. Our lives are not our own." I shrugged, and after a second, nodded. The others cast curious looks my way, wondering what Rei had 'pathed to me. Then Rei left, walking back to the cottage, barrier still up.
When she reached her home, Mina began to rant and rave again. "I don't care, Rei. You're under arrest." Mina approached Rei to grab her. We tried to warn her about the barrier, but she didn't listen to us. Mina walked right into the shield of psychic energy and got zapped, flying to the other side of the room. By the time she picked herself up, Mina was bright red-both from anger and pain-and furious with Rei. I honestly though that Rei would lose hold of her powers, purposely or not, and kill Mina. Amazingly, Rei was in complete control the whole time, an astounding demonstration. Without a word, Rei 'ported to the moon, taking me with her, and leaving the rest to find their own way back.
Rei and I gained an immediate audience with the queen when we arrived. We told her everything that had happened, including Mina's threats and actions. The queen, a very wise and perceptive woman, listened to the story and saw, instead of a traitor, an emotionally and physically drained senshi. "Rei," she said gently, "we'll talk about this later. Why don't you go and lay down for a while." "Thank you," Rei answered, unemotional and detached. "I think I'd like that." Rei left and took the queen's advice. Apparently she did like it-she didn't wake up for eight days.
@}------
"Eight days?" Ami interrupted. "With no food or water?" "That's right," Setsuna answered. "You have to remember that Rei is different from the rest of us. She gets her life, her sustenance from the Weave." "Why?" Usagi whispered. "Why didn't she let me help her?" "Let me ask you a question, Usagi," Setsuna said. "Do you understand her?" Usagi shook her head, then cried as Setsuna asked her, "How could you have helped?" Ami went over to Usagi and calmed her down. "Did you have to do that?" Ami asked Setsuna bitterly. "Yes. Otherwise she would berate herself for the rest of her life. Anyway, none of us, no one in the universe, could have helped her. No one."
Usagi took what little comfort Setsuna offered in that statement and quieted down so that the story could continue.
Chapter Seven
As I said, it was eight days before anyone saw Rei's open eyes. Once she awoke, she would just sit in bed, ignoring anyone who walked in her room. We tried to get her up, moving, but she refused to cooperate. Mako went in to see her with new menu creations, but even that didn't catch Rei's interest. The second day after she awoke, the tenth day after her fateful decision, Mina snuck in to see Rei. "I know we're not exactly on good terms, Rei," she started, sitting in a chair next to Rei's bed, "but we need your help." Mina took a deep breath, then continued. "No one wanted to tell you, but.well, the enemy has broken through our second checkpoint, on Capella. There's just one checkpoint left between them and the palace. Queen Serenity wants to send us to get the Seven Shadows, but.well, we don't want to leave without all of us going. That would break tradition. The senshi always go and fight together." Mina watched, amazed, as Rei sat up, now looking almost normal except for a glint in her eyes that Mina couldn't understand. "When are we leaving?" Rei asked in that cold, unemotional and detached voice that scared the living daylights out of her leader. "In an hour," Mina answered.
"Your majesty." Queen Serenity broke from her conversation and turned around, amazed to see Rei standing behind her. "Are you all right, Rei?" the queen asked. "Yes, thank you. I'm feeling more of myself again. May we talk?" The queen looked at Rei, then dismissed everyone else from the room. "Okay, everyone's gone. What do you want to talk about?" "Mina came and told me what's been happening. They shouldn't go," Rei said seriously. "To get the Shadows? Why not?" the queen asked. "The Shadows are magical, and one is stronger than the four generals were combined. The senshi, apart from myself, are not magical in nature, only in power. If you send them, they too will be captured," Rei explained. "What do you propose we do?" Queen Serenity asked, while thinking about the truth of Rei's statements. "Send me." The queen's jaw dropped in astonishment as Rei clarified her statement. "Send the Heiress."
Fifteen minutes later, Queen Serenity emerged from her chamber with Rei in tow. "I've summoned the senshi to meet in the Control Room. Can you teleport?" "Yes, I can," Rei replied. "Good," the queen said. "'Port us both. It will save time."
"So, I have decided to send Rei. Alone," the queen concluded. The room burst into conversation. Rei, standing next to the queen in front of everyone, surveyed the senshi. From the back of the room, Mina stood and began walking to meet Rei. The closer Mina got, the quieter the room became. When she had reached the front, Mina looked at Rei, and spoke. "Good luck. We'll be rooting for you." Rei closed her eyes, and 'ported to Capella's surface.
Chapter Eight
Rei opened her eyes to see the cold and gray atmosphere around her. She knew she must succeed; that she was the last hope. Her eyes focused on seven figures that were coming her way. The Seven Shadows approached her, each wearing a different color. The leader, in red, bowed towards Rei, and spoke. "Sailor Mars, Rei, this is an honor. But we expected to see your friends as well." "They won't be joining us," Rei answered coldly. "I see. Tell me, why are you alone? You know what happened to your generals. It didn't take too much to overpower them." "I am not a general," Rei answered simply. "You think you're better?" "Yes." With this pronouncement, Rei turned off the camera that had been sending images and sounds to us. She had left us blind and clueless. All we could do was wait.
About fifteen minutes later, the air in front of us started to shimmer. Everyone tensed, until we saw Rei's form condense and materialize. Everyone was shocked, except for the queen and I. We knew Rei's power, even if we didn't understand it. The rest of you gasped, for there was not a single bruise on her. Rei approached the queen and bowed, holding out seven rainbow gems in her palm. "You majesty," she said tiredly, "this is all that remains of the Seven Shadows." Rei straightened up, and looked into the queen's eyes. Serenity nodded. "We thank you for your service, Rei. Now you must rest." Rei agreed, and 'ported to her bedroom, taking me with her. From what I understand, as soon as Rei and I left, the control room broke out into an uproar. Everyone wanted to know how she had done it alone; how she forced the Shadows into the crystals; what Serenity would do with them. The queen was calling for silence, though no one could hear. It took Mina's loud "BE QUIET!" to settle things down enough for the queen to talk. "Thank you, commander," she told Mina, who nodded in reply. "Rei will not be disturbed by uninvited guests while she rests. Only those whom she calls for may see her. We all know that she is tired after her ordeal. She has been very brave, and performed a great service to all of us. Furthermore, no one will ask her how she managed to perform this service. If Rei wishes to tell, that is her choice, but no one shall ask. Understood?" Everyone nodded, feeling a little ashamed of their earlier behavior. "Many of you are curious to know what I shall do with these gems. I am not sure yet, but I will tell you once I know. Keep in mind that the Shadows are not the only forces that Beryl has. She still has the generals, as well as legions, to command. Rest, build strength, and prepare for the worst. You are dismissed." The queen waited until everyone except Haruka had left. "Haru," she said. "Yes, your majesty?" "Did you feel anything, from Rei, when she was out there?" "No, I didn't, majesty." "Isn't that unusual?" "Yes." Serenity nodded, dismissing Haru. She looked around the now-empty room. "Thank you, Heiress. You protected us while protecting yourself." She left.
@}--------
"So no one knows what happened on that asteroid, do they?" Ami asked Setsuna. "No one knows." Setsuna looked at the others, waiting for them to complete their thoughts. Haru looked up quickly, as did Ami. Usagi was last, armed with questions. "You never looked in your time key?" "I've tried, but Rei's somehow managed to block that time out." "Rei is magical in nature, while the rest of us aren't?" "Correct." "How is that possible?" "Rei is the daughter of the Weave. She has Weave magic running through her just as we have blood. She isn't really human like the rest of us. She's a pure magical being who has chosen to appear to us like one of us." "How did the Shadow know her name?" "Usagi, we have to remember that the generals had been caught. Jedite knew who Rei was, then Beryl did. She passed down the info to her soldiers." "Rei took you with her, after she gave the gems to my mother. What happened?" "She told me that she had transformed into the Heiress. She told me that she had hidden that event from everyone and everything, including my time key. She told me it was magnificent to let the magic in her change her to her real appearance. She said that letting the magic go was wonderful, wielding the power she had been born with was natural and easy. She told me she didn't want to bottle it up again, to wait for the next chance to be her true self. She told me she was going to rest, and asked me to leave. I did." Usagi nodded, taking all of the information in. She then waved her hand for me to continue, a gesture remarkably similar to one her mother used to make. I obeyed, as is my custom.
Chapter 9
A day later, we saw Rei's face emerge from her bedroom. She still looked tired, but every pore seemed to radiate a certain power and grace. It was amazing, seeing Rei like that, but once she knew she was different, it was gone. It seemed as if she was always busy: always going somewhere, always doing something. Most of you avoided her, especially Mina. No one had the heart to tell her that Jedite had just captured Mars for Beryl. When a few of us finally did track her down, I think she took the news rather well.
"Um, Rei? Can we talk to you for a second?" "Sure, guys. What's up?" "Well, you might want to sit down." "Sit down? Why? Haru, Ami, Setsuna-what's going on?" "It's Beryl. She, um, she sent Jedite to capture a planet." That was as far as Haru got. Rei's eyes filled with tears, as she looked at the ground. "Yes, I know. Beryl's got Mars now." Rei looked up into the faces of her friends. "Thanks for letting me know." With that, Rei walked off, leaving us standing in the hallway in amazement. The normally temperamental senshi knew her planet was captive to an evil enemy queen. She knew her love had captured it. Yet, she didn't make a fuss, she didn't bawl-she left. Quietly.
@}-------
"Then what happened?" Usagi inquired. "We later found out that she spent many hours behind closed doors, speaking with the queen. I wasn't privy to the Rei's conversations with Serenity, so I don't know what they talked about. Strategy, captivity, the crystal, the Heiress, the Guardian. The next thing we knew, Beryl was laying a siege down against Earth."
@}-------
"Sailor Mars, please report to the Control Room. Mars to the Control Room." Rei looked around her darkened room. The blinds were down, every crack filled with a towel, sheet or something. She put the glowing staff in front of her under an invisibility charm, and waited for the room to clear of the magic just performed. She opened her bathroom, washed her face, transformed, and 'ported out.
All of us senshi were in the Control Room, and watched as Sailor Mars appeared. She walked over, and stood next to Sailor Venus. "As most of you know," Queen Serenity began, "the Nega-forces have recently captured Mercury and Venus. Their forces, as of this moment, are attacking Earth. Despite the preparedness of the Terran forces, Prince Endymion and I both agree that Earth will be unable to hold out much longer. In this event, Beryl will have captured every planet save Pluto. It is the opinion of Sailors Venus and Uranus that Beryl will set up a major command post on Earth, in order to capture, and destroy, the Moon." With this, Serenity took a deep breath, and continued. "All civilians are at this present moment evacuating the Moon. I've spoken with the ruling powers in the Asteroid Belt, and they are willing to house our people until this crisis is over. I have decided to send Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Saturn with my people. No," she said, raising a hand to quiet down the protests, "it has already been determined. I need people that I trust to assure that all of the civilians make it safely to the Asteroid Belt." An aide of Serenity's 'ported in at that moment, and handed her a message before 'porting back out. "I've just been informed," the queen said haltingly after reading the note, "that Earth has capitulated. They've just proclaimed Beryl queen, in accordance to her wishes." Endymion closed his eyes in pain, realizing that his parents had to have died in order to allow Beryl her wish. Usagi placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort the man who had now lost almost everything.
Chapter Ten
Very soon after that, the last ship of civilians was preparing to leave. Hotaru and Michiru had accompanied the previous vessels, and this was to be Haruka's ride out to the Belt. A moment before she had to board, she spoke with Rei and I. "What will happen, Rei? Will we know?" Haru asked. I wondered how Rei could diplomatically answer this without giving away the foreknowledge I knew she possessed. After looking to me for help, which I did not give, she uncomfortably cleared her throat. "Everything will turn out all right, Haru. And yes, you will know what happens." Haru looked into Rei's eyes, and found assurance, what she was looking for. She nodded, and left. Everything was so quiet. The queen, the prince and princess, and us five senshi were the only ones left on the moon. We were alone, waiting for the inevitable.
It didn't take very long for Beryl to launch an armada against us. Queen Serenity got word from our depleted intelligence forces on earth as soon as Beryl had left. According to our spies, Beryl had been preceded by several ships. Because I had not left the queen's side since the other outer senshi left, I found out when she did. The queen told the others at the nightly planning session. I watched for a reaction from Rei, and had my feelings confirmed-Rei displayed no shock, only dull sorrow. Rei knew, before the rest of us. You know, in the hours between Beryl's launch and her arrival, it seemed that Rei knew everything. Things she wasn't supposed to know.like battle plans. Beryl's battle plans.
"Are you sure, Rei?" Mina asked for the ten-thousandth time that day. "Absolutely," Rei said patiently. Taking a deep breath, she repeated her convictions for the ten-thousandth time that day. She's going to land here," Rei said, pointing to a spot on a map, "and come in this way to the courtyard," motioning to a new area. "So, based on this theory, we should concentrate our soldiers here, here and here, block off this avenue of escape, and confront Beryl, and her generals, in the courtyard. It may be risky, but if Rei is this sure, and Beryl is planning to do this, there's no way we can lose." Mina looked around for approval, and got it. She nodded to Rei, who began issuing orders to the normal standing army.
Rei was right. Beryl landed where she had guessed. The Nega-forces marched off their ships, in perfect formation. They marched straight into an ambush. The Moon's armies, perfectly placed, fired their weapons at the invaders. The Negaverse's armies fired their weapons at the defenders. With laser-lights bouncing off of everything and everyone, smoke polluting the air, and the confusion that any battle has, pure pandemonium and chaos ran rampant. By the time anyone could tell, the Moon was victorious. Us five senshi, back in the courtyard, watched through the window on my time key. Practically all of the normal Nega-force army was dead. Beryl had no army, but she had four generals to guard her.
We saw, with our eyes, as she approached the courtyard. I turned off my time key, and hid my talisman. Preparing to leave, I sent Rei a message. "Heiress, protect the future." Rei nodded, and I left.
I was now with the queen, the princess, and the prince in the locked control room. "Your majesties," I began, "it is not safe for you to stay. This-" I was cut off by the queen, who flatly refused my request. I conceded, which is the only thing one can do when refused by the ruler. Endymion set up a tele-screen, and we watched the confrontation begin in relative safety.
