Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Eternal
Book 7: Chapter 19 'Siege'
e-mail [kisaki@tds.net]
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"It's sooo cute!" Minako admired Chibi-Usa's new uniform from Hikawa Academy, or rather; the elementary section is now called Hayashi. She grinned as Chibi-Usa bounced up and down to test its leeway. The floor to the Tsukino home thumped to her hopping.
"Yeah, I like it." Haruka agreed absentmindedly.
"I wanna show it off!" Chibi-Usa cheered.
"No, not today." Usagi shook her head.
"But why…?" She complained loudly.
Makoto raised a finger. "Because we're going to save Mars today."
"Oh. Never mind."
"So, how do we do this anyway?" Ami asked her comrades.
* * *
Shingo grimaced again when her heard the noise from below. [She doing it AGAIN?! Usagi…!] He growled. "I've had enough."
Two seconds later, the door to Shingo's room was yanked open and the boy marched to the edge of stairs and stopped when he heard many voices. [Huh? I thought only Minako and Ami were coming over…]
"But why…?" He heard Chibi-Usa whine.
"Because we're going to save Mars today." Makoto explained.
"Oh. Never mind."
"So, how do we do this anyway?" Ami wondered.
"We'll go in as student touring the school." Setsuna suggested after a moment of silence.
"And split up – we can cover more ground that way." Minako added.
"Good idea." Mamoru agreed. "And since I'm not enrolled in Hikawa, I'll volunteer to guard the entrances."
"Luna and I will accompany you, Mamoru-san." Artemis glanced at Luna, who nodded.
"Chibi-Usa and I will search the Hayashi Elementary." Hotaru volunteered. When Kouhi put her hand on Hotaru's shoulder, she looked up questioningly.
"I will go with you." Kouhi glanced to the others. "Just in case."
"Good." Satisfied, Haruka folded her arms. "Michiru and I will take the Taiga High."
"I will go to Yama Collage." Setsuna stood up.
"I'll go with you. There is no logic in going alone – you'll only get yourself killed without anything accomplished." Ami walked over to her older friend.
[Save Mars…? Killed…?!] Shingo wondered in panic. [What have they gotten themselves into this time?!]
"That just leaves Usagi, Makoto, and Minako." Mamoru counted.
"And two sections to go." Ami added.
"Huh?"
"The Katana Activity Center and Hono Jr. High."
"Oh. That's a problem." Makoto agreed with a couple nods.
"We'll handle it." Minako offered, although she didn't want to.
"Then lets morph." Michiru suggested. "We'll get there much faster if we can go rooftop to rooftop and we can't jump that high in this form."
"Right." The others readied their pens and brooches and Michiru held out her own brooch in front of her.
"MERCURY ETERNAL…"
"JUPITER ETERNAL…"
"VENUS ETERNAL…"
"NEPTUNE ETERNAL…"
"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER…"
"PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER…"
"SATURN CRYSTAL POWER…"
"GALAXIA SOLAR POWER…"
"PINK MOON CRYSTAL POWER…"
"SILVER MOON MIRACLE POWER…"
"MAKE UP!!!"
Where ordinary people had once stood, the power within the planets – the power of elements – had wrapped around each and transformed them into the sailor-suited soldiers of justice – Sailor Senshi.
Shingo froze. [Odango-Atama… Sailor Moon… and the others… they…]
"Okay. Lets go." Sailor Moon said.
As the Senshi headed for the door, Shingo panicked again. "Wait! WAIT!!!" He stumbled down the stairs and skidded to a halt in front of them.
"Hey! How long have you been standing there?!" Uranus demanded.
"Long enough!" Shingo gathered his courage. "I want to help!"
"WHAT?!" Sailor Moon's skin paled as she shrieked.
"I've covered for you guys long enough! I want to help!" He insisted.
"What do you mean 'covered for us'?" Chibi-Moon asked quietly.
"I've know who you guys are since Chibi-Usa came." He explained quickly. "I wasn't affected by your Luna-P Ball, Chibi-Usa." Shingo spoke directly to Chibi-Moon.
"You weren't?!" She gasped.
"Nope – but that's not the point. I'll go with you and help search. With Sailor Moon or Venus or Jupiter."
"Thank you…" Sailor Moon smiled warmly. "But I don't want you hurt, Shingo."
"I won't fight – I know I can't – but I can help search!" He pleaded. "Odango Atama! Please! I can help!"
"Well…" she glanced at Tuxedo Mask, who put a hand on her shoulder. She sighed. "I suppose you'll follow us weather I give you permission or not… so you have to PROMISE to stay by me – no wandering and to stay far away when a fight starts."
"Oh, all right." He reluctantly agreed.
"Then Sailor Moon, Shingo – you two go to the Jr. High. Venus, Jupiter – the Activity Center." Tuxedo Mask ordered.
* * *
"So the battle begins…" Irori whispered as she stared at the Hikawa School from the Tokyo Tower.
"Yes, it's time." Kei leaned forward onto one of the poles. "Hana and Houshu are at the circus. We're to meet them there."
"Then we should get going." Iro stood up straight and turned around.
"Iro…" Kei paused slightly. "Do you know what would happen if… all four Elite Senshi were to be together at the same time?"
"No, what?" She turned around, interested.
"It means the evil in the legend… it would be awakened. They have never been used all at once… Saturn and Pluto together – yes, and just recently, Galaxia also – but not all four. It can't happen… it would foresee too much death and destruction for anyone to survive! Even the Eternal Star Seeds of the Senshi themselves!"
* * *
"Let's morph, Houshu, Iro and Kei should be here soon." Hana said impatiently.
"I guess…" Houshu agreed and took out her gold bracelet. The front was exactly like the other three – a stone imbedded on the top – Houshu's was sky blue while Hana's was pink. She snapped it on as she called her power. Hana followed.
Just then Irori and Kei arrived. "Let's go." They put on their bracelets – Irori's being green and Kei's being red.
"PALLAS ASTEROID POWER…"
"CERES ASTEROID POWER…"
"JUNO ASTEROID POWER…"
"VESTA ASTEROID POWER…"
"MAKE UP!!!"
* * *
Sailor Mars glanced at the Viewing Mirror once more. "This is insane." She growled with annoyance as she watched her friends walk into the Hikawa Academy. Only Mamoru, Luna, and Artemis had stayed outside the school in order to watch for trouble. Since it was after school hours, they needn't worry about any students coming to learn. But Mars didn't care that school was out, she was concerned for the other Senshi. They didn't realize that they were walking right into a trap. Her instinct told her so. Sage had once again disappeared to consult with Morpheus about letting her be used as bait to lure out this mysterious Sailor Luna she was so interested in.
"What makes this Senshi so different?" The fire soldier asked her companion.
Kaylyn just sighed. "It is because of her status," She explained. "That she is not a soldier that protects the Queen, her daughter, or her kingdom, means she is something different. Something not supposed to be used or called upon."
"Like Sailor Saturn." Mars suggested. But when Kaylyn shook her head again, she was confused to say the least. "Who then? Pluto? Galaxia?"
"I believe her job is not to worry about a single person or a single solar system, but the entire universe and the timeline itself."
"Then her being here means…" She put her hands on the glass and knelt. "We have to stop her! Before she hurts anyone! She'll destroy this entire planet to get what she wants!"
Instead of Kaylyn agreeing with the soldier of war, she protested against her words. "You can't…! Please don't kill her! You don't understand!"
"But… why?"
"I… I can't tell you now – but trust me – you mustn't do that. She plays an important factor in the battles to come! To destroy her would destroy your only chance to win this war."
* * *
A giant object leaped from roof to roof. "Please! Haven, we need to hurry!" A childlike voice sounded out of the person riding the black mass. Another jump brought Kisaki and the large white wolf, which she rode into the sun. "We have to get there before Chibi-Usa gets hurt! I have a really bad feeling!"
"And your senses are acute, mistress." The wolf agreed as it bounced onto another platform.
"That's what worries me." She grumbled.
"It seems we aren't the only one interested in beating the Sailor Senshi to the school." The wolf noted as he glanced to his right.
Kisaki turned her head right to see four sailor-suited figures a distance away - the same as last weekend, she realized. Further back she saw the outline of Sailor Luna. "No kidding."
"Then we'd best stop them."
"Good idea." She agreed. A quick twist turned her backwards on the Haven's back. Kisaki gather energy into her hands and quickly tossed it away from her. "Hurry!" She ordered her friend.
As the wolf leaped to another building, the sphere exploded into a shield.
The first figure jumped right into it. "Ow!" She rubbed her head then waved a fist at the child. "You little twerp!"
"Vesta!" Yelled her team.
"Are you okay?" Asked a girl in green.
"Yeah, I'm alright, Juno." Vesta assured as she stood up.
"Who does she think she is?!" The soldier in pink huffed.
"I don't know, but we need to get around this barrier, Ceres."
"Right. We can't waist time arguing." Agreed the last - the one in sky blue.
"Okay, Pallas, what do suggest we do?" Asked Juno impatiently.
"Umm…Attack it?" Pallas suggested weakly.
"I'll try it." Vesta nodded in agreement.
"Okay, then let's go for it." Juno growled.
"PALLAS GLOBE CANNON!!!"
"CERES BLOSSOM WHIRLWIND!!!"
"VESTA BEAST TAMER!!!"
"JUNO MYRIAD VINE WHIP!!!"
* * *
Minako and Makoto peered down the next hallway only to be disappointed again. Nothing. "Aw, man!" Makoto complained. "At this rate, we'll be here all night!"
"This is SO boring." Minako moaned also but something that caught her eye stopped her from saying anything more. When she looked more closely, there was nothing there but a full-sized mirror in the corner of the open janitor's closet.
"Come on, Mina." Makoto interrupted her train of thought.
"Yeah…" she follow Makoto back to the main hallway but paused to glance back at the mirror once more before she left. [Strange…]
"You coming?" Makoto asked, slightly worried.
"Yep!" Minako said cheerfully and ran after her friend.
A slight glow surrounded the mirror and the glass rippled and a hand pushed through it. The hand quickly emerged and an arm developed out of it followed by the body of a woman. She watched as Minako and Makoto continued to walk down the hallway, not realizing the danger that lay behind them.
* * *
"I don't like this." Michiru glanced around suspiciously.
"I know. It's too quiet." Haruka agreed as she pulled open another doorway. "There should be janitors or teachers still around."
"Then where are they?" Michiru closed the door to the science lab and walked over to her partner.
"That's what worries me." Haruka turned away from Michiru and continued down the hallway. But Michiru didn't follow.
"Haruka…" The worry in Michiru's voice made her stop and look back.
"What's wrong?"
"Someone's here." Michiru glanced around in every direction, trying to find the source of her uneasiness.
"You're very perceptive for a human."
"Michiru!" Haruka warned as she tried to contain her panic for her partner's safety.
Michiru pivoted to the owner of the mysterious voice. "And you are?"
"Me?" The woman asked innocently. "I am on of the nine Reflectors. Calliope, to be more precise. I am under Lord Morpheus' command."
"Humph!" Haruka responded.
"I have orders to take any intruders to his Excellency. That includes you children." Calliope explained politely.
"Over my dead body." Haruka snorted loudly.
"I can arrange that." She responded coolly and raised her hand to attack.
Haruka followed Michiru's example and got into a fighting stance. "Let's go."
"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER…"
"NEPTUNE ETERNAL…"
"MAKE UP!!!"
* * *
Beep, beep. Beep beep beep. Ami rapidly tapped the keys on her miniature computer. But no evidence of abnormal activity seemed to show on the screen. Ami gave an exasperated sighed. "Nothing here, either."
"Hmm… Let's try the next lab." Setsuna suggested and walked toward the door.
BE-BEEP! "What the…?" The negative energy in the room started to rise rapidly. "Setsuna…"
Setsuna grabbed the door handle and pulled but the door wouldn't budge. "We've trapped." She told her comrade.
"The negative energy in the room is increasing at a very fast rate! This is bad… if it gets too much higher, we'll get killed for sure!"
"We have been caught." Setsuna said plaintively. "And you're right – we must get out of here – and fast."
"There isn't a window… we'll have to break the door down."
"Hmm… then we are left with no choice but to morph and destroy it." She grabbed her pen and held it out. Ami pulled off her brooch and activated it.
"PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER…"
"MERCURY ETERNAL…"
"MAKE UP!!!"
Pluto spiraled her Garnet Staff and blasted the door. "CHRONOS TYPHOON!!!"
"MERCURY LIQUID AVALANCHE!!!"
The door flew off its hinges and across the hallway. The smoke slowly cleared to reveal a person waiting for them. "I thought for sure you were normal humans. Oh well, this works out even better in the long run."
"You one of Morpheus' crew aren't you?!" Mercury demanded.
"Yes." The woman smiled. "I am Euterpe – one of the Reflectors and a servant of Lord Morpheus. I'm to execute you."
* * *
"You think we're doing the right thing, going after Mars?" Artemis wondered out loud.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Luna snapped.
"I mean… this doesn't seem safe. You gotta think about it – even though Mars is a teammate, she wouldn't want us to risk our necks trying to help her. She'd rather it be one than all of us. Do you think that we'll win this?"
"As long as Mars is in their hands, they will continue to use her." Mamoru disagreed. "Sooner or later this would have happened."
"I suppose…"
"Mother! Father!" A voice appeared out of nowhere.
"Who…?" wondered Mamoru.
"That sounds like…" Luna stepped forward. A gray cat with a crescent moon on its forehead leaped towards the three. "I apologize for speaking so loud," She continued. "But I came to aid you! When Small Lady and I overheard the King and Queen talking about trouble in this time, Small Lady stole a Time Key and left! I've done everything I can to help at Crystal Tokyo, but… I feared it is not enough! And I was right! After I programmed Luna-P to assist Small Lady, I gathered information about the crisis and told the Queen. Since she couldn't risk meeting her past self, she used the Luna-P to awaken the Amazon Senshi! But when our world continued to change, I left to help you! I know I was told to stay, but I wanted to help! I want to stay with Small Lady! Please forgive me! I only did what I thought was best…"
"Diana…?" Artemis asked in wonder. "You sent the Luna-P? And the Queen woke the Amazons? Time is changing?"
* * *
"This place is creepy!" Chibi-Usa shivered.
"It feels strange…" Hotaru agreed and looked into another classroom.
"But not evil." Chibi-Usa remarked.
"Huh?" Kouhi turned to look at the cotton-candy-haired girl. "What do you mean?"
"Do you feel it?" she asked, slightly confused. "The feeling… it's sad… like a kid who lost his pet – but deeper."
In the principal's officer, a figure watched the mirror that had produced the image of the three intruders. Morpheus leaned his arm against the side of it and continued to watch and listen to them.
"It… it's almost as if… I don't know…" she sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. She strolled over to the other side of the hallway. "Like… they aren't really EVIL – just confused. Like they were wandering the streets of Tokyo and found the wrong side of town. They… they determined, but not evil."
"Chibi-Usa…" Hotaru murmured. "We'll just see what the future holds…"
Kouhi walked into another room as she pondered her words.
A memory flashed through Morpheus' mind.
"Papa?" The little princess of Somnus raced over to Morpheus as he entered the castle. "Papa! It IS you! You came home early!"
"Hello, sweetie. And you are well?" He asked anxiously as he hugged her.
"Yes, Papa. And you?"
"Tired." He sighed. "Though, I'm afraid you'll never get a chance to see the Earth in person."
"What do you mean?" She looked sad but tried to hide it for her father's sake.
"The meeting went as I had planned. It seems they are stubborn beasts after all. The King refused." He shook his head. "I'm sorry."
"I don't believe that, Father." She looked into his eyes sincerely. "The King just doesn't believe that we want peace. I can tell. It's like they want to be our friends, but too many people have turn on them and they don't know who to trust anymore. Let's just give it some time. They… they're strange, but not evil."
"Sometimes, Kaylyn, you surprise me." He nodded. "We'll see how things go."
Morpheus considered his newly made plan. Then made his move. He concentrated and pushed his hand through the mirror. On the other side, it appeared behind Chibi-Usa. He reached out and grabbed her by the throat.
"AAHHHH!!!" Chibi-Usa tugged at the unknown assailant.
"Chibi-Usa!!!" Hotaru ran to aid her friend. "Kouhi!!! Quick! Help me!"
Kouhi skidded out of the room and ran past Hotaru just as she collapsed from exhaustion.
"Chibi-Usa!!!" Kouhi yelled. "Hold on! I'm coming!"
Hotaru growled and snatched her morphing pen. "SATURN CRYSTAL POWER… MAKE UP!!!"
"Good idea!" Kouhi held out her own and joined Sailor Saturn. "GALAXIA SOLAR POWER… MAKE UP!!!"
"Ugh! HELP!" She wailed again as the hand dragged her into the portal. Her hands reached outward toward Galaxia and Saturn as her body was tugged through. "SAILOR MOON! TUXEDO MASK!" She screamed one last time before the last of her disappeared. "HELP ME!!!"
"CHIBI-USA!" Saturn and Galaxia shrieked. "NO!"
* * *
"SAILOR MOON! TUXEDO MASK! HELP ME!!!" Usagi and Mamoru froze in terror as the heard Chibi-Usa's plea for help. But both knew it was already too late – Chibi-Usa was gone. And Morpheus had taken her.
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Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Eternal
Book 7: Chapter 19 'Siege'
e-mail [kisaki@tds.net]
Book 7: Chapter 19 'Siege'
e-mail [kisaki@tds.net]
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"It's sooo cute!" Minako admired Chibi-Usa's new uniform from Hikawa Academy, or rather; the elementary section is now called Hayashi. She grinned as Chibi-Usa bounced up and down to test its leeway. The floor to the Tsukino home thumped to her hopping.
"Yeah, I like it." Haruka agreed absentmindedly.
"I wanna show it off!" Chibi-Usa cheered.
"No, not today." Usagi shook her head.
"But why…?" She complained loudly.
Makoto raised a finger. "Because we're going to save Mars today."
"Oh. Never mind."
"So, how do we do this anyway?" Ami asked her comrades.
* * *
Shingo grimaced again when her heard the noise from below. [She doing it AGAIN?! Usagi…!] He growled. "I've had enough."
Two seconds later, the door to Shingo's room was yanked open and the boy marched to the edge of stairs and stopped when he heard many voices. [Huh? I thought only Minako and Ami were coming over…]
"But why…?" He heard Chibi-Usa whine.
"Because we're going to save Mars today." Makoto explained.
"Oh. Never mind."
"So, how do we do this anyway?" Ami wondered.
"We'll go in as student touring the school." Setsuna suggested after a moment of silence.
"And split up – we can cover more ground that way." Minako added.
"Good idea." Mamoru agreed. "And since I'm not enrolled in Hikawa, I'll volunteer to guard the entrances."
"Luna and I will accompany you, Mamoru-san." Artemis glanced at Luna, who nodded.
"Chibi-Usa and I will search the Hayashi Elementary." Hotaru volunteered. When Kouhi put her hand on Hotaru's shoulder, she looked up questioningly.
"I will go with you." Kouhi glanced to the others. "Just in case."
"Good." Satisfied, Haruka folded her arms. "Michiru and I will take the Taiga High."
"I will go to Yama Collage." Setsuna stood up.
"I'll go with you. There is no logic in going alone – you'll only get yourself killed without anything accomplished." Ami walked over to her older friend.
[Save Mars…? Killed…?!] Shingo wondered in panic. [What have they gotten themselves into this time?!]
"That just leaves Usagi, Makoto, and Minako." Mamoru counted.
"And two sections to go." Ami added.
"Huh?"
"The Katana Activity Center and Hono Jr. High."
"Oh. That's a problem." Makoto agreed with a couple nods.
"We'll handle it." Minako offered, although she didn't want to.
"Then lets morph." Michiru suggested. "We'll get there much faster if we can go rooftop to rooftop and we can't jump that high in this form."
"Right." The others readied their pens and brooches and Michiru held out her own brooch in front of her.
"MERCURY ETERNAL…"
"JUPITER ETERNAL…"
"VENUS ETERNAL…"
"NEPTUNE ETERNAL…"
"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER…"
"PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER…"
"SATURN CRYSTAL POWER…"
"GALAXIA SOLAR POWER…"
"PINK MOON CRYSTAL POWER…"
"SILVER MOON MIRACLE POWER…"
"MAKE UP!!!"
Where ordinary people had once stood, the power within the planets – the power of elements – had wrapped around each and transformed them into the sailor-suited soldiers of justice – Sailor Senshi.
Shingo froze. [Odango-Atama… Sailor Moon… and the others… they…]
"Okay. Lets go." Sailor Moon said.
As the Senshi headed for the door, Shingo panicked again. "Wait! WAIT!!!" He stumbled down the stairs and skidded to a halt in front of them.
"Hey! How long have you been standing there?!" Uranus demanded.
"Long enough!" Shingo gathered his courage. "I want to help!"
"WHAT?!" Sailor Moon's skin paled as she shrieked.
"I've covered for you guys long enough! I want to help!" He insisted.
"What do you mean 'covered for us'?" Chibi-Moon asked quietly.
"I've know who you guys are since Chibi-Usa came." He explained quickly. "I wasn't affected by your Luna-P Ball, Chibi-Usa." Shingo spoke directly to Chibi-Moon.
"You weren't?!" She gasped.
"Nope – but that's not the point. I'll go with you and help search. With Sailor Moon or Venus or Jupiter."
"Thank you…" Sailor Moon smiled warmly. "But I don't want you hurt, Shingo."
"I won't fight – I know I can't – but I can help search!" He pleaded. "Odango Atama! Please! I can help!"
"Well…" she glanced at Tuxedo Mask, who put a hand on her shoulder. She sighed. "I suppose you'll follow us weather I give you permission or not… so you have to PROMISE to stay by me – no wandering and to stay far away when a fight starts."
"Oh, all right." He reluctantly agreed.
"Then Sailor Moon, Shingo – you two go to the Jr. High. Venus, Jupiter – the Activity Center." Tuxedo Mask ordered.
* * *
"So the battle begins…" Irori whispered as she stared at the Hikawa School from the Tokyo Tower.
"Yes, it's time." Kei leaned forward onto one of the poles. "Hana and Houshu are at the circus. We're to meet them there."
"Then we should get going." Iro stood up straight and turned around.
"Iro…" Kei paused slightly. "Do you know what would happen if… all four Elite Senshi were to be together at the same time?"
"No, what?" She turned around, interested.
"It means the evil in the legend… it would be awakened. They have never been used all at once… Saturn and Pluto together – yes, and just recently, Galaxia also – but not all four. It can't happen… it would foresee too much death and destruction for anyone to survive! Even the Eternal Star Seeds of the Senshi themselves!"
* * *
"Let's morph, Houshu, Iro and Kei should be here soon." Hana said impatiently.
"I guess…" Houshu agreed and took out her gold bracelet. The front was exactly like the other three – a stone imbedded on the top – Houshu's was sky blue while Hana's was pink. She snapped it on as she called her power. Hana followed.
Just then Irori and Kei arrived. "Let's go." They put on their bracelets – Irori's being green and Kei's being red.
"PALLAS ASTEROID POWER…"
"CERES ASTEROID POWER…"
"JUNO ASTEROID POWER…"
"VESTA ASTEROID POWER…"
"MAKE UP!!!"
* * *
Sailor Mars glanced at the Viewing Mirror once more. "This is insane." She growled with annoyance as she watched her friends walk into the Hikawa Academy. Only Mamoru, Luna, and Artemis had stayed outside the school in order to watch for trouble. Since it was after school hours, they needn't worry about any students coming to learn. But Mars didn't care that school was out, she was concerned for the other Senshi. They didn't realize that they were walking right into a trap. Her instinct told her so. Sage had once again disappeared to consult with Morpheus about letting her be used as bait to lure out this mysterious Sailor Luna she was so interested in.
"What makes this Senshi so different?" The fire soldier asked her companion.
Kaylyn just sighed. "It is because of her status," She explained. "That she is not a soldier that protects the Queen, her daughter, or her kingdom, means she is something different. Something not supposed to be used or called upon."
"Like Sailor Saturn." Mars suggested. But when Kaylyn shook her head again, she was confused to say the least. "Who then? Pluto? Galaxia?"
"I believe her job is not to worry about a single person or a single solar system, but the entire universe and the timeline itself."
"Then her being here means…" She put her hands on the glass and knelt. "We have to stop her! Before she hurts anyone! She'll destroy this entire planet to get what she wants!"
Instead of Kaylyn agreeing with the soldier of war, she protested against her words. "You can't…! Please don't kill her! You don't understand!"
"But… why?"
"I… I can't tell you now – but trust me – you mustn't do that. She plays an important factor in the battles to come! To destroy her would destroy your only chance to win this war."
* * *
A giant object leaped from roof to roof. "Please! Haven, we need to hurry!" A childlike voice sounded out of the person riding the black mass. Another jump brought Kisaki and the large white wolf, which she rode into the sun. "We have to get there before Chibi-Usa gets hurt! I have a really bad feeling!"
"And your senses are acute, mistress." The wolf agreed as it bounced onto another platform.
"That's what worries me." She grumbled.
"It seems we aren't the only one interested in beating the Sailor Senshi to the school." The wolf noted as he glanced to his right.
Kisaki turned her head right to see four sailor-suited figures a distance away - the same as last weekend, she realized. Further back she saw the outline of Sailor Luna. "No kidding."
"Then we'd best stop them."
"Good idea." She agreed. A quick twist turned her backwards on the Haven's back. Kisaki gather energy into her hands and quickly tossed it away from her. "Hurry!" She ordered her friend.
As the wolf leaped to another building, the sphere exploded into a shield.
The first figure jumped right into it. "Ow!" She rubbed her head then waved a fist at the child. "You little twerp!"
"Vesta!" Yelled her team.
"Are you okay?" Asked a girl in green.
"Yeah, I'm alright, Juno." Vesta assured as she stood up.
"Who does she think she is?!" The soldier in pink huffed.
"I don't know, but we need to get around this barrier, Ceres."
"Right. We can't waist time arguing." Agreed the last - the one in sky blue.
"Okay, Pallas, what do suggest we do?" Asked Juno impatiently.
"Umm…Attack it?" Pallas suggested weakly.
"I'll try it." Vesta nodded in agreement.
"Okay, then let's go for it." Juno growled.
"PALLAS GLOBE CANNON!!!"
"CERES BLOSSOM WHIRLWIND!!!"
"VESTA BEAST TAMER!!!"
"JUNO MYRIAD VINE WHIP!!!"
* * *
Minako and Makoto peered down the next hallway only to be disappointed again. Nothing. "Aw, man!" Makoto complained. "At this rate, we'll be here all night!"
"This is SO boring." Minako moaned also but something that caught her eye stopped her from saying anything more. When she looked more closely, there was nothing there but a full-sized mirror in the corner of the open janitor's closet.
"Come on, Mina." Makoto interrupted her train of thought.
"Yeah…" she follow Makoto back to the main hallway but paused to glance back at the mirror once more before she left. [Strange…]
"You coming?" Makoto asked, slightly worried.
"Yep!" Minako said cheerfully and ran after her friend.
A slight glow surrounded the mirror and the glass rippled and a hand pushed through it. The hand quickly emerged and an arm developed out of it followed by the body of a woman. She watched as Minako and Makoto continued to walk down the hallway, not realizing the danger that lay behind them.
* * *
"I don't like this." Michiru glanced around suspiciously.
"I know. It's too quiet." Haruka agreed as she pulled open another doorway. "There should be janitors or teachers still around."
"Then where are they?" Michiru closed the door to the science lab and walked over to her partner.
"That's what worries me." Haruka turned away from Michiru and continued down the hallway. But Michiru didn't follow.
"Haruka…" The worry in Michiru's voice made her stop and look back.
"What's wrong?"
"Someone's here." Michiru glanced around in every direction, trying to find the source of her uneasiness.
"You're very perceptive for a human."
"Michiru!" Haruka warned as she tried to contain her panic for her partner's safety.
Michiru pivoted to the owner of the mysterious voice. "And you are?"
"Me?" The woman asked innocently. "I am on of the nine Reflectors. Calliope, to be more precise. I am under Lord Morpheus' command."
"Humph!" Haruka responded.
"I have orders to take any intruders to his Excellency. That includes you children." Calliope explained politely.
"Over my dead body." Haruka snorted loudly.
"I can arrange that." She responded coolly and raised her hand to attack.
Haruka followed Michiru's example and got into a fighting stance. "Let's go."
"URANUS CRYSTAL POWER…"
"NEPTUNE ETERNAL…"
"MAKE UP!!!"
* * *
Beep, beep. Beep beep beep. Ami rapidly tapped the keys on her miniature computer. But no evidence of abnormal activity seemed to show on the screen. Ami gave an exasperated sighed. "Nothing here, either."
"Hmm… Let's try the next lab." Setsuna suggested and walked toward the door.
BE-BEEP! "What the…?" The negative energy in the room started to rise rapidly. "Setsuna…"
Setsuna grabbed the door handle and pulled but the door wouldn't budge. "We've trapped." She told her comrade.
"The negative energy in the room is increasing at a very fast rate! This is bad… if it gets too much higher, we'll get killed for sure!"
"We have been caught." Setsuna said plaintively. "And you're right – we must get out of here – and fast."
"There isn't a window… we'll have to break the door down."
"Hmm… then we are left with no choice but to morph and destroy it." She grabbed her pen and held it out. Ami pulled off her brooch and activated it.
"PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER…"
"MERCURY ETERNAL…"
"MAKE UP!!!"
Pluto spiraled her Garnet Staff and blasted the door. "CHRONOS TYPHOON!!!"
"MERCURY LIQUID AVALANCHE!!!"
The door flew off its hinges and across the hallway. The smoke slowly cleared to reveal a person waiting for them. "I thought for sure you were normal humans. Oh well, this works out even better in the long run."
"You one of Morpheus' crew aren't you?!" Mercury demanded.
"Yes." The woman smiled. "I am Euterpe – one of the Reflectors and a servant of Lord Morpheus. I'm to execute you."
* * *
"You think we're doing the right thing, going after Mars?" Artemis wondered out loud.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" Luna snapped.
"I mean… this doesn't seem safe. You gotta think about it – even though Mars is a teammate, she wouldn't want us to risk our necks trying to help her. She'd rather it be one than all of us. Do you think that we'll win this?"
"As long as Mars is in their hands, they will continue to use her." Mamoru disagreed. "Sooner or later this would have happened."
"I suppose…"
"Mother! Father!" A voice appeared out of nowhere.
"Who…?" wondered Mamoru.
"That sounds like…" Luna stepped forward. A gray cat with a crescent moon on its forehead leaped towards the three. "I apologize for speaking so loud," She continued. "But I came to aid you! When Small Lady and I overheard the King and Queen talking about trouble in this time, Small Lady stole a Time Key and left! I've done everything I can to help at Crystal Tokyo, but… I feared it is not enough! And I was right! After I programmed Luna-P to assist Small Lady, I gathered information about the crisis and told the Queen. Since she couldn't risk meeting her past self, she used the Luna-P to awaken the Amazon Senshi! But when our world continued to change, I left to help you! I know I was told to stay, but I wanted to help! I want to stay with Small Lady! Please forgive me! I only did what I thought was best…"
"Diana…?" Artemis asked in wonder. "You sent the Luna-P? And the Queen woke the Amazons? Time is changing?"
* * *
"This place is creepy!" Chibi-Usa shivered.
"It feels strange…" Hotaru agreed and looked into another classroom.
"But not evil." Chibi-Usa remarked.
"Huh?" Kouhi turned to look at the cotton-candy-haired girl. "What do you mean?"
"Do you feel it?" she asked, slightly confused. "The feeling… it's sad… like a kid who lost his pet – but deeper."
In the principal's officer, a figure watched the mirror that had produced the image of the three intruders. Morpheus leaned his arm against the side of it and continued to watch and listen to them.
"It… it's almost as if… I don't know…" she sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. She strolled over to the other side of the hallway. "Like… they aren't really EVIL – just confused. Like they were wandering the streets of Tokyo and found the wrong side of town. They… they determined, but not evil."
"Chibi-Usa…" Hotaru murmured. "We'll just see what the future holds…"
Kouhi walked into another room as she pondered her words.
A memory flashed through Morpheus' mind.
"Papa?" The little princess of Somnus raced over to Morpheus as he entered the castle. "Papa! It IS you! You came home early!"
"Hello, sweetie. And you are well?" He asked anxiously as he hugged her.
"Yes, Papa. And you?"
"Tired." He sighed. "Though, I'm afraid you'll never get a chance to see the Earth in person."
"What do you mean?" She looked sad but tried to hide it for her father's sake.
"The meeting went as I had planned. It seems they are stubborn beasts after all. The King refused." He shook his head. "I'm sorry."
"I don't believe that, Father." She looked into his eyes sincerely. "The King just doesn't believe that we want peace. I can tell. It's like they want to be our friends, but too many people have turn on them and they don't know who to trust anymore. Let's just give it some time. They… they're strange, but not evil."
"Sometimes, Kaylyn, you surprise me." He nodded. "We'll see how things go."
Morpheus considered his newly made plan. Then made his move. He concentrated and pushed his hand through the mirror. On the other side, it appeared behind Chibi-Usa. He reached out and grabbed her by the throat.
"AAHHHH!!!" Chibi-Usa tugged at the unknown assailant.
"Chibi-Usa!!!" Hotaru ran to aid her friend. "Kouhi!!! Quick! Help me!"
Kouhi skidded out of the room and ran past Hotaru just as she collapsed from exhaustion.
"Chibi-Usa!!!" Kouhi yelled. "Hold on! I'm coming!"
Hotaru growled and snatched her morphing pen. "SATURN CRYSTAL POWER… MAKE UP!!!"
"Good idea!" Kouhi held out her own and joined Sailor Saturn. "GALAXIA SOLAR POWER… MAKE UP!!!"
"Ugh! HELP!" She wailed again as the hand dragged her into the portal. Her hands reached outward toward Galaxia and Saturn as her body was tugged through. "SAILOR MOON! TUXEDO MASK!" She screamed one last time before the last of her disappeared. "HELP ME!!!"
"CHIBI-USA!" Saturn and Galaxia shrieked. "NO!"
* * *
"SAILOR MOON! TUXEDO MASK! HELP ME!!!" Usagi and Mamoru froze in terror as the heard Chibi-Usa's plea for help. But both knew it was already too late – Chibi-Usa was gone. And Morpheus had taken her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon: Eternal
Book 7: Chapter 19 'Siege'
e-mail [kisaki@tds.net]