Silver Millennium Life Bonds
Rocky Oberlin
Chapter 9
Disclaimer: To cover myself from any legal actions I am not claiming the Ronin Warriors or the Sailor Scouts. I hope that the rumor I heard was just a prank that was spread from April 1.
Windy was checking her sword for nicks when Lady Kayura approached her with a frown on her face. Windy sheathed her sword with satisfaction that it wasn't damaged in the practice and turned to the new Ancient. The troubled look on the younger woman's face didn't bode well for the Windwalker.
"Windy, can you go anywhere?"
Windy nodded. "Yes, why?"
"Could you go into the Netherworld?"
Windy nodded again.
"I can't get in. Yesterday the gates were open and any one of the Seasonals and I could return if need be, but today the gates are shut and locked. None of us can get in."
"I'll give it a look, but I think that we have trouble starting to make its move," said the ghost.
"What kind of trouble?" asked Ryo as he walked up.
"The kind that doesn't know when to give up and wait for Judgment," answered Windy.
"Is that why I've been seeing something black in the heart of the fire lately?"
"You've been sensing it too?" asked Lady Kayura. Ryo nodded.
"This is not good. How long have you been seeing it?"
"Since you brought Lita here."
Windy looked grim. "Bring the others back to the house, including Mia and White Blaze. If you have to, tell that walking rug that _I_ said so. I think that when I go look into the Netherworld, I might be finding a couple of familiar faces."
Lady Kayura and Ryo took off to find their friends and Windy roped the Lifebonded pair and their current watchers Sailor Uranus and Dais. The four were climbing the stairs when something flashed by Serena's cheek and drew a line of blood. Haruka was on the ground and Windy had a knife out and looking in the distance while Dais hustled Rowen and Serena into the house. When Ryo's and Lady Kayura's groups approached the house Haruka hustled them in with no answers to their questions. When everyone was inside, Windy motioned for Haruka to come up. She was on the last step when she looked at something oddly familiar, but different embedded into the post of the porch.
It was a black rose.
An iridescent black rose.
Haruka swore.
Windy looked over at the blonde woman and saw what she was swearing at. Mia's house almost was painted blue.
Both women went in with the calling card and found the Moon Court in the kitchen. Windy threw the rose in the middle of the table and a few more oaths were added to the list Haruka and Windy started.
"That was evil Prince Endymion's rose," said Lita quietly.
"There's more to it," added Hotaru. "There is more power then when we last fought together."
"Chaos is back." Windy looked grim.
Six Sailors shot their heads up and Serena paled. She couldn't do it. She couldn't fight Chaos again, not after last time.
"You aren't alone this time," whispered Rowen.
"This time we're going to help you," said Sage.
"But I lost everyone the last time. It will happen this time too," wailed Serena in her arms.
"No, princess, it won't," said Anubis. "We will be helping you and I don't think that the Lady Windwalker will be letting anything like this harm the Earth.
"Got that right," muttered Windy darkly.
"So we know who our enemy is," said Kento. "When do we fight?"
"When we know all our enemies," said Cye. "I heard Lady Kayura say that she couldn't get into the Netherworld. Someone has to be there to have closed the gates."
"Why do I have this cold feeling now?" joked Ryo.
"Because I think that an enemy of yours is also being helped by Chaos," said Michiru.
The nine armor bearers paled. "Who?" croaked Cale.
The teal haired Sailor shook her head. "I don't know. I only saw a shadow of three in my mirror. It didn't tell me anything else."
Windy looked at the armor bearers. "Where is Yulie?"
"With his parents," said Ryo automatically.
"Good. Sam, I'm afraid that I may have to dump you with him. Mia I know can take care of herself." Windy paused to glare at the snickering warriors from both dimensions. "But so far you haven't showed anything that may help. One day you may, but again, you may not. It depends on what is planned for you. Give it time. But when I tell you to run, you better. I don't want to explain to the Almighty why you were killed under my care."
Sam nodded then looked mischievous. "Gets grumpy?"
Windy looked at the small boy. "Let's just say that I would be in a world of hurt. He doesn't like it when we have loose ends that are to be left loose due to a mistake on our part."
"But if you tell him to run, how will he find this Yulie?" asked Serena.
"Someone will show him," smiled Windy. "I dare say that he, she, or they will protect the family until it's safe to return."
"Now that is taken care of, when will you be going to the Netherworld?" asked Lady Kayura.
"In the evening. It will be easier for me to hide in the shadows then. Oh, don't give me that look, Cale. I am perfectly able to hide anywhere I need and sneak into anyplace."
"And I suppose you are a lock-pick?" asked Rowen.
Windy looked over at him with wide eyes. "Why, yes. I can do that too. Helps when you lock your keys in the house." A couple of chuckles greeted that statement. Tension was brought down for a little while.
Lady Kayura was mad. She was going to show the Windwalker to the gates, but Windy had forbidden her to enter the gates to the Netherworld. Windy was going to open the gates, but only three were going to enter. She didn't understand why Windy had chose those two, but the three older Sailors didn't take the decision very well. In fact Haruka and Lita were actually working together to persuade Windy to not take Hotaru with her and Cale. Windy gave them a look.
How does she do that? wondered Lady Kayura. She almost looks like White Blaze with those looks, but even he bows before her.
"That's because he realizes what needs to be done. Even Princess Serenity knows. Thank you for your help Lady Kayura, we will continue from here," said Windy.
"Reading my mind?" asked Lady Kayura.
"No. Your thoughts were very clear and loud."
"So, when do we cross?" asked Cale.
"When I have the gates cracked open," responded Windy. "Hotaru, could you please make sure that no one comes in behind us?"
The young Sailor nodded her head and watched their backs as Windy turned her focus on the locked gates to the Netherworld. NO one knew what to expect, but having Windy placing a hand on the door and letting a faint glow start up to the top of the door wasn't what Lady Kayura expected. But as unorthodox as it seemed, what Windy had done did the trick. One of the doors creaked open and Windy called the young Sailor to her side.
"I will go first. Cale and you are to be my messengers if something happens." Windy touched the armor of Winter and the Silence Glaive of the Sailor of Death and Rebirth. Once more a slight glow was emitted from the woman and a slight smile graced the short woman's lips. "If I can't get out then you will. You have to tell the others what we will see."
Cale wanted to argue. Sailor Saturn looked grim. Windy sighed and figured that it was part of her training as a guard in the Outer Planets. The Outers will have to unlearn what the Queen had given them. May be with the nine armor bearers will help them realize that not all sacrifices have to be made. One didn't have to be sacrificed to stop everything evil. A smile flickered on Windy's lips. After all, she thought, the ultimate sacrifice has already been made.
All had a weapon close at hand as the three entered the hostile Nether Realm. The landscape was gray and dreary. Windy wrinkled her nose as the familiar looks of a gray winter only with more water and less snow. Anyone who lived here probably would die of depression, she thought.
"Nice place," said Sailor Saturn. "Reminds me of home."
"It was nicer," defended Cale. "Lady Kayura had the Realm looking pleasant and the sun actually shined. I want to know who ruined everything that we worked for."
"I think that we are going to find out," said Windy. She pointed ahead to the palace in the distance. So far she didn't see any hostile parties coming out to greet them, but she didn't want to take chances. "Let's get going. I don't want to announce that we're here."
The group of three moved quickly and in the dark shadows. Windy had given them dark cloaks to cover the reflective clothing and to hide her own obvious reaction to the evil. Soldiers passed by them while they waited in dark crevasses and allies. Windy snuck her companions further and further into the city and the palace. When they had entered the palace of Tulpa, Cale took over guiding them. He led them to the throne room to see if the new rulers had taken that room over like they did the rest of the Realm. Windy put a hand on her two companions and lead them through a wall to a dark corner. Sailor Saturn quietly raised a wall between them and the rest of the room and Windy promptly hid the evidence of them being in the room. They sat back and waited for their adversaries to appear. They didn't have to wait very long.
"You may have given away who is attacking them, Prince," said a nasal voice. Cale jerked at his recognition of the voice.
"They only know of the rose, not anything else. For all they know it is just Tuxedo Mask getting revenge for the loss of his memory and permanent future," said an angry second voice.
"But the witch in white is not stupid and very crafty. Look how she was able to hide the Princes of Mars and the Sun as well as your half brother. She did it twice and you couldn't stop her."
"The Witch Queen of the Moon hid those three when she used the Silver Crystal. I would have known if she hadn't changed our memories to keep me with my prize. Now that Chaos has returned all my memories, I will get my prize and the death of the Moon Court."
"I wouldn't underestimate the powers of the Moon Court. The Princes hold the powers of mystical armors and the Prince of Mars has the armor of Inferno. From what you have told me of the Outer Sailors, they are not without large amounts of power themselves. Between the power of the Princess and her Court and the mystical armors, we will have a long struggle ahead of us."
"Have no worry of our enemies power," came a whispery voice. "I will take care of them. I have touched one of their number and I will use her to get to the others."
"Who is it?" asked the dark Prince.
"The one who left your dimension after the others."
"Didn't you have trouble trying to get her?" asked the nasal voice.
"The living dead one fought me," growled the whispery voice. "She follows the One who destroyed my Chaos. He stands behind her and she will be difficult to defeat."
"May be instead of us defeating her, we should let the ones she watches defeat her. Dissension in the ranks works wonders," smirked the dark Prince. "May be you can do something in that light Badamon?"
"I can see what my arts can do, Prince, but you must remember to have patience with me. Master Tulpa didn't and he lost against the Ronins."
Windy turned to her two companions and whispered, "I think that we heard enough. We should probably leave while the going is good."
Cale and Sailor Saturn nodded grimly and followed the ghost back through the walls. "Do you think that we should sneak out or just run out?" asked Cale.
"Let's try sneaking, but if we're seen, forget fighting, just run. Only fight to get away, this information is too important for us to get captured," said Windy.
Back through the halls Cale lead them, but by an off chance a group of soldiers cam around the corner just as they were.
"Silence Wall!"
While Sailor Saturn held the soldiers at bay Windy called a fierce wind and blew dust taken from a pouch on her belt. The soldiers fell where they stood and the wall was taken down. Cale lead the other two through the halls and the maze. Windy looked back to see more soldiers following them. "We have to go a little faster."
Cale glanced back and grabbed Sailor Saturn. "Pardon me, but we have to move."
Windy put more speed in her stride and came abreast of Cale. They saw the gate up ahead and windy prepared to open the gate once again. The door opened a crack and Cale and Windy sped through. Windy turned on a dime and slammed the door shut. She stood at the door making sure that no one could open it after them, while Cale let Saturn down and they ran for the house. Both wondered if they would find relieved friends or hostile comrades.
Took me long enough didn't it? I'll try to get the next one out sooner. Have a happy Mother's Day and good luck to all students on their finals.
Rocky Oberlin
Chapter 9
Disclaimer: To cover myself from any legal actions I am not claiming the Ronin Warriors or the Sailor Scouts. I hope that the rumor I heard was just a prank that was spread from April 1.
Windy was checking her sword for nicks when Lady Kayura approached her with a frown on her face. Windy sheathed her sword with satisfaction that it wasn't damaged in the practice and turned to the new Ancient. The troubled look on the younger woman's face didn't bode well for the Windwalker.
"Windy, can you go anywhere?"
Windy nodded. "Yes, why?"
"Could you go into the Netherworld?"
Windy nodded again.
"I can't get in. Yesterday the gates were open and any one of the Seasonals and I could return if need be, but today the gates are shut and locked. None of us can get in."
"I'll give it a look, but I think that we have trouble starting to make its move," said the ghost.
"What kind of trouble?" asked Ryo as he walked up.
"The kind that doesn't know when to give up and wait for Judgment," answered Windy.
"Is that why I've been seeing something black in the heart of the fire lately?"
"You've been sensing it too?" asked Lady Kayura. Ryo nodded.
"This is not good. How long have you been seeing it?"
"Since you brought Lita here."
Windy looked grim. "Bring the others back to the house, including Mia and White Blaze. If you have to, tell that walking rug that _I_ said so. I think that when I go look into the Netherworld, I might be finding a couple of familiar faces."
Lady Kayura and Ryo took off to find their friends and Windy roped the Lifebonded pair and their current watchers Sailor Uranus and Dais. The four were climbing the stairs when something flashed by Serena's cheek and drew a line of blood. Haruka was on the ground and Windy had a knife out and looking in the distance while Dais hustled Rowen and Serena into the house. When Ryo's and Lady Kayura's groups approached the house Haruka hustled them in with no answers to their questions. When everyone was inside, Windy motioned for Haruka to come up. She was on the last step when she looked at something oddly familiar, but different embedded into the post of the porch.
It was a black rose.
An iridescent black rose.
Haruka swore.
Windy looked over at the blonde woman and saw what she was swearing at. Mia's house almost was painted blue.
Both women went in with the calling card and found the Moon Court in the kitchen. Windy threw the rose in the middle of the table and a few more oaths were added to the list Haruka and Windy started.
"That was evil Prince Endymion's rose," said Lita quietly.
"There's more to it," added Hotaru. "There is more power then when we last fought together."
"Chaos is back." Windy looked grim.
Six Sailors shot their heads up and Serena paled. She couldn't do it. She couldn't fight Chaos again, not after last time.
"You aren't alone this time," whispered Rowen.
"This time we're going to help you," said Sage.
"But I lost everyone the last time. It will happen this time too," wailed Serena in her arms.
"No, princess, it won't," said Anubis. "We will be helping you and I don't think that the Lady Windwalker will be letting anything like this harm the Earth.
"Got that right," muttered Windy darkly.
"So we know who our enemy is," said Kento. "When do we fight?"
"When we know all our enemies," said Cye. "I heard Lady Kayura say that she couldn't get into the Netherworld. Someone has to be there to have closed the gates."
"Why do I have this cold feeling now?" joked Ryo.
"Because I think that an enemy of yours is also being helped by Chaos," said Michiru.
The nine armor bearers paled. "Who?" croaked Cale.
The teal haired Sailor shook her head. "I don't know. I only saw a shadow of three in my mirror. It didn't tell me anything else."
Windy looked at the armor bearers. "Where is Yulie?"
"With his parents," said Ryo automatically.
"Good. Sam, I'm afraid that I may have to dump you with him. Mia I know can take care of herself." Windy paused to glare at the snickering warriors from both dimensions. "But so far you haven't showed anything that may help. One day you may, but again, you may not. It depends on what is planned for you. Give it time. But when I tell you to run, you better. I don't want to explain to the Almighty why you were killed under my care."
Sam nodded then looked mischievous. "Gets grumpy?"
Windy looked at the small boy. "Let's just say that I would be in a world of hurt. He doesn't like it when we have loose ends that are to be left loose due to a mistake on our part."
"But if you tell him to run, how will he find this Yulie?" asked Serena.
"Someone will show him," smiled Windy. "I dare say that he, she, or they will protect the family until it's safe to return."
"Now that is taken care of, when will you be going to the Netherworld?" asked Lady Kayura.
"In the evening. It will be easier for me to hide in the shadows then. Oh, don't give me that look, Cale. I am perfectly able to hide anywhere I need and sneak into anyplace."
"And I suppose you are a lock-pick?" asked Rowen.
Windy looked over at him with wide eyes. "Why, yes. I can do that too. Helps when you lock your keys in the house." A couple of chuckles greeted that statement. Tension was brought down for a little while.
Lady Kayura was mad. She was going to show the Windwalker to the gates, but Windy had forbidden her to enter the gates to the Netherworld. Windy was going to open the gates, but only three were going to enter. She didn't understand why Windy had chose those two, but the three older Sailors didn't take the decision very well. In fact Haruka and Lita were actually working together to persuade Windy to not take Hotaru with her and Cale. Windy gave them a look.
How does she do that? wondered Lady Kayura. She almost looks like White Blaze with those looks, but even he bows before her.
"That's because he realizes what needs to be done. Even Princess Serenity knows. Thank you for your help Lady Kayura, we will continue from here," said Windy.
"Reading my mind?" asked Lady Kayura.
"No. Your thoughts were very clear and loud."
"So, when do we cross?" asked Cale.
"When I have the gates cracked open," responded Windy. "Hotaru, could you please make sure that no one comes in behind us?"
The young Sailor nodded her head and watched their backs as Windy turned her focus on the locked gates to the Netherworld. NO one knew what to expect, but having Windy placing a hand on the door and letting a faint glow start up to the top of the door wasn't what Lady Kayura expected. But as unorthodox as it seemed, what Windy had done did the trick. One of the doors creaked open and Windy called the young Sailor to her side.
"I will go first. Cale and you are to be my messengers if something happens." Windy touched the armor of Winter and the Silence Glaive of the Sailor of Death and Rebirth. Once more a slight glow was emitted from the woman and a slight smile graced the short woman's lips. "If I can't get out then you will. You have to tell the others what we will see."
Cale wanted to argue. Sailor Saturn looked grim. Windy sighed and figured that it was part of her training as a guard in the Outer Planets. The Outers will have to unlearn what the Queen had given them. May be with the nine armor bearers will help them realize that not all sacrifices have to be made. One didn't have to be sacrificed to stop everything evil. A smile flickered on Windy's lips. After all, she thought, the ultimate sacrifice has already been made.
All had a weapon close at hand as the three entered the hostile Nether Realm. The landscape was gray and dreary. Windy wrinkled her nose as the familiar looks of a gray winter only with more water and less snow. Anyone who lived here probably would die of depression, she thought.
"Nice place," said Sailor Saturn. "Reminds me of home."
"It was nicer," defended Cale. "Lady Kayura had the Realm looking pleasant and the sun actually shined. I want to know who ruined everything that we worked for."
"I think that we are going to find out," said Windy. She pointed ahead to the palace in the distance. So far she didn't see any hostile parties coming out to greet them, but she didn't want to take chances. "Let's get going. I don't want to announce that we're here."
The group of three moved quickly and in the dark shadows. Windy had given them dark cloaks to cover the reflective clothing and to hide her own obvious reaction to the evil. Soldiers passed by them while they waited in dark crevasses and allies. Windy snuck her companions further and further into the city and the palace. When they had entered the palace of Tulpa, Cale took over guiding them. He led them to the throne room to see if the new rulers had taken that room over like they did the rest of the Realm. Windy put a hand on her two companions and lead them through a wall to a dark corner. Sailor Saturn quietly raised a wall between them and the rest of the room and Windy promptly hid the evidence of them being in the room. They sat back and waited for their adversaries to appear. They didn't have to wait very long.
"You may have given away who is attacking them, Prince," said a nasal voice. Cale jerked at his recognition of the voice.
"They only know of the rose, not anything else. For all they know it is just Tuxedo Mask getting revenge for the loss of his memory and permanent future," said an angry second voice.
"But the witch in white is not stupid and very crafty. Look how she was able to hide the Princes of Mars and the Sun as well as your half brother. She did it twice and you couldn't stop her."
"The Witch Queen of the Moon hid those three when she used the Silver Crystal. I would have known if she hadn't changed our memories to keep me with my prize. Now that Chaos has returned all my memories, I will get my prize and the death of the Moon Court."
"I wouldn't underestimate the powers of the Moon Court. The Princes hold the powers of mystical armors and the Prince of Mars has the armor of Inferno. From what you have told me of the Outer Sailors, they are not without large amounts of power themselves. Between the power of the Princess and her Court and the mystical armors, we will have a long struggle ahead of us."
"Have no worry of our enemies power," came a whispery voice. "I will take care of them. I have touched one of their number and I will use her to get to the others."
"Who is it?" asked the dark Prince.
"The one who left your dimension after the others."
"Didn't you have trouble trying to get her?" asked the nasal voice.
"The living dead one fought me," growled the whispery voice. "She follows the One who destroyed my Chaos. He stands behind her and she will be difficult to defeat."
"May be instead of us defeating her, we should let the ones she watches defeat her. Dissension in the ranks works wonders," smirked the dark Prince. "May be you can do something in that light Badamon?"
"I can see what my arts can do, Prince, but you must remember to have patience with me. Master Tulpa didn't and he lost against the Ronins."
Windy turned to her two companions and whispered, "I think that we heard enough. We should probably leave while the going is good."
Cale and Sailor Saturn nodded grimly and followed the ghost back through the walls. "Do you think that we should sneak out or just run out?" asked Cale.
"Let's try sneaking, but if we're seen, forget fighting, just run. Only fight to get away, this information is too important for us to get captured," said Windy.
Back through the halls Cale lead them, but by an off chance a group of soldiers cam around the corner just as they were.
"Silence Wall!"
While Sailor Saturn held the soldiers at bay Windy called a fierce wind and blew dust taken from a pouch on her belt. The soldiers fell where they stood and the wall was taken down. Cale lead the other two through the halls and the maze. Windy looked back to see more soldiers following them. "We have to go a little faster."
Cale glanced back and grabbed Sailor Saturn. "Pardon me, but we have to move."
Windy put more speed in her stride and came abreast of Cale. They saw the gate up ahead and windy prepared to open the gate once again. The door opened a crack and Cale and Windy sped through. Windy turned on a dime and slammed the door shut. She stood at the door making sure that no one could open it after them, while Cale let Saturn down and they ran for the house. Both wondered if they would find relieved friends or hostile comrades.
Took me long enough didn't it? I'll try to get the next one out sooner. Have a happy Mother's Day and good luck to all students on their finals.
