Orion Saga
Part 2
Celestial Battle
Chapter 3: Summoning Vengeance
The sky gives way to dawn and Zentora is just making it to her building. Haruka, who had decided to see her home, rides up in the elevator with her. Within minutes, the two of them are standing outside of her family's apartment. "Thank-you for the ride Haruka-san."
Nodding, she looks at the younger woman. "You're welcome. I hope everything works out for you."
The purple head is lowered. "I have a feeling that it's going to." She casts her eyes up at her friend. "You and Michiru-san have been a big help."
The tall racer smiles at her. "Go get
some sleep."
~*~*~*~*~
Zentora takes her guardians out of her bag and places them both on the chair in front of the window. Opening the blinds, she smiles to herself at the sight of the sun coming up over the sleeping city. She closes them and pulls the curtain, letting herself fall onto the bed. The face of her clock is all that she sees before she goes to sleep.
~*~*~*~*~
"Uuuggghhhh...." Zentora rolls over when she feels the fur in her nose. "Please...just let me sleep."
'Zentora, wake up. '
The tired eyes open to see Pup. "Pup? You're awake."
'Yes. I think it's time you woke up as well.'
She turns to look at the clock. She has barely slept for an hour. Groaning, she turns over on her stomach. "You and Sirius go ahead. I'm sorry, but I'm very tired. I didn't get much sleep last night."
Sirius looks at her. "Are you alright?"
"I am now."
~*~*~*~*~
"Zentora! What's happened to your room?"
Zentora looks up to see her mother standing in the door. Jalise continues. "It was clean yesterday. What did you do?"
The languid brown eyes are cast on the scene around her. Before, sleep crowded her mind too much to notice. 'Andromeda must have done this while she was looking for the orbs.' She looks beneath her to see that she is lying on singed and torn pillows. Staying on them, she hopes that her mother won't notice. "Can I clean it later? I'm kind of tired."
Jalise's eyes are on her daughter as she folds her arms over her chest. "I'd like for you to clean it now."
Trying to plead her case, the soft voice is earnest. "I'm sorry, but-"
"You should have thought of that before you decided to do this. It looks like a tornado went through here. Come on. Get up. You can do whatever you want once it's clean."
Zentora groans, but does as she is told. She watches her mother as she leaves the room.
The dog's hazel eyes are on his mistress as she begins to pick things up. 'You didn't do this.'
"No. I didn't."
'Then what happened?'
The young woman looks at her guardians, unsure of whether to tell them of the previous nights' events. "Queen Andromeda. She was here last night."
Sirius's bright green eyes widen with shock. "Oh, no."
Pup places a paw on Zentora's hand. 'Were you hurt at all?'
She shakes her head. "No, but-"
The smoke colored cat watches her charge, her tail twitching intently. "But what?"
"It all seemed so familiar. the battle, the orbs, I'd seen it all before."
The two of them look at her as she continues, occasionally glancing at one another. "There was no light coming from the sky last night. She'd done something to the block out the moon...the stars. It was so quiet. No one was awake but me. I heard her as she went through each room searching. I was trapped in my parent's room because I was trying to wake them up. I could wake you up either. It was all I could do just to stay awake and get the orbs before she found me."
Sirius looks at her with concern. "I'm glad you're safe."
'What happened after that?'
I went to Haruka-san's house. She was awake too. She managed to wake Michiru-san and they called the other planets."
Pup nods. 'I know what that was.'
Zentora looks at him expectantly waiting for him to go on. 'Andromeda's spell takes away the light and all the humans are cast into an indefinite sleep. It doesn't affect senshi the way it does everyone else. You're better able to fight it than most.' He looks at her. 'I'm sorry we couldn't be there to help you. Thankfully it looks as if it well.'
"I used the orbs. She won't be back."
~*~*~*~*~
Well rested, Zentora wakes up and looks around the room. Pup and Sirius had helped her to clean up so that she could get some well deserved sleep.
"How do you feel?"
Sirius walks into the room. "Much better, thanks."
"It was the least we could do. I'm sorry that we weren't there for you." She leaps onto the bed next to Zentora.
~*~*~*~*~
The soldier enters the library of the enormous castle to see his leader.
The chin rests on the pale hand as the man gazes silently out of the window into the starry expanse of space.
Swallowing his fear, the soldier kneels. "Master Perseus."
The steely gray eyes pierce the man's very being as his king looks upon him. "What."
"Your Highness...Queen Andromeda was destroyed." Lowering his head respectfully, the gruff man waits for a response.
A hand is raked through the blue-black hair and the eyes close. The stoic voice answers. "How?"
"The senshi of earth."
"That's not possible. They had no idea of the orbs of Nova."
"No, sir."
"Then how did this happen?"
Measuring his words carefully, the soldier speaks. "They weren't alone. Orion-"
Before he can finish, he is cut off. "Orion?" King Perseus thinks for a moment. "She hasn't been seen for sometime. Are you certain?"
"Yes."
The voice is soft as he thinks aloud. "Puzzling. You may go now." He waves an indifferent hand in the soldier's direction. When the door closes, he turns to look at it, a tear forming in the corner of his cold eyes. "Orion..." Angrily, he wipes it away and goes to stand in front of the ornate fire place, resting his head on its cool surface.
~*~*~*~*~
The Johnson's are sitting down to a late lunch. Martin looks at his children. "So, how have you been enjoying your summer vacation?"
They all nod and before anyone has a chance to answer, Nyumi turns to Zentora. "Can we go play with Chibi-Usa today?"
Martin looks at his youngest child. "Chibi-Usa? He turns to Zentora. "You aren't playing with strange animals are you?"
"No. Chibi-Usa is the name of the girl that Nyumi plays with. She's the cousin of another friend." Zentora thinks of Usagi when she says this. Until last night, she had never cared to think of the older woman as a friend. But she was willing to risk her own life to help her.
She nods and looks at Nyumi. "Maybe a little later."
The bright eyes of the child light up even more. "Okay."
Louise stands up. "I'll be back. I'm goign to check the mail."
Martin looks at him. "What's the hurry?"
"I'm expecting my grades."
The door closes and their father turns to his eldest girl. "Yes...what do you plan to do for college, Zentora?"
She looks at her parents. "I...I don't really know."
"Have you applied anywhere?" Jalise asks reassuringly.
The fuchsia head bobs up and down as she nods. She is thinking of the box under the bed with her pencils. "Yes, I have. I've even gotten a full scholarship if I want to use it."
Jalise beams. "That's wonderful! What college is it for?"
The quiet voice is lowered. "The Tokyo College of Art."
Martin looks down his glasses at her. "I thought you were talking about a real school. What do you plan to do when you get out?"
Concerned for her feelings, Jalise looks at her daughter and then at Nyumi who looks at her big sister sadly. "Martin. Maybe this isn't the best time to have this conversation." She tilts her head toward their youngest daughter.
Martin looks at the expression on Nyumi's face. "We'll discuss this later then."
~*~*~*~*~
The eyes gazing at King Perseus are a fiery tan. "You summoned me?"
Perseus nods and keeps his hands folded in front of his mouth. "Have a seat."
The man sits at the table across from the widowed king. "It's Orion."
"Orion? She hasn't been seen since her family went to visit the planets."
"No. Not until now. She's back."
He shakes his head in disbelief and his earring shakes with it. "I can't believe it."
"That's why I called you, Scorpius"
"What's happened?"
He looks at the man in front of him, his cold eyes struggling to hide the pain he is feeling. "She killed my wife."
"Queen Andromeda's dead?"
"Yes. She had been to earth searching for the orbs. But Orion beat her to them."
"I'm sorry to hear it." He looks at King Perseus, his sincerity evident.
"I want you and the Pleiades on this. I don't care how you do it, but I want Orion dead. Without her around, then maybe we'll have a better chance."
~*~*~*~*~
The young girls are laughing together in the park. Pup is running with them as his feline counterpart sits with their mistress. Luna watches Zentora carefully as she slowly swings back and forth. When she had woken, Usagi told her of the night before. The quiet girl in front of her had not only the energy to destroy the Queen Andromeda, but had also been able to revive Sailor Moon after using the crystal.
"So, how are you, Zentora-chan?"
Pensive eyes look at Usagi. "I'm fine."
"That's good. I want to thank you. he others told me that you're the one who restored my strength after the crystal-"
Shaking her head, Zentora cuts her off. "I wanted to thank you for helping me. I-Why did you do it?"
Surprised eyes are her response. "We're all senshi."
"But why would you risk your life using the crystal to help me? You know what I'm like as Orion."
Usagi nods. "Yes, I do. I know that you are a dedicated scout who would do whatever she could to keep the wrong hands away from something that she was entrusted to guard. And I know that you care more about the orb holders than anyone else ever could."
"I-" Zentora looks at her and shakes her head gratefully when she realizes what Usagi means. "Thank-you...very much."
"You're welcome." Usagi smiles at her.
~*~*~*~*~
The caped figure walks up to the massive house and smoothes the ponytail at the base of the neck. The strong hand reaches up to the brass knocker and pushes it against the door three times.
A young woman appears from within the door. "Yes?"
He looks at the young nymph. "It's Scorpius requested a visitation with Atlas."
Opaque aqua eyes gaze at him. "Atlas has been expecting you. This way."
He follows the lithe form of the dryad as she steps out of the door and walks to the back of the massive home. When he walks out onto the balcony, he looks down to see her. The wood nymph turns to him. "Shall I announce you?"
He shakes his head. "No need." He walks away from her going down the stairs. As he approaches, the white head turns to him, the ice like eyes taking him in.
"Scorpius."
"Hello, Atlas." He looks at her as she sits in a lounge chair under a tree.
"Would you care for some star fruit?" She snaps her fingers and a nymph appears from within the tree bearing a tray of fruit.
"No, Atlas. This isn't a social call."
"Of course not." She takes a piece of fruit for herself. "What is it then?"
"I need your help and the Pleiades."
She raises an eyebrow at him, suddenly intrigued. "In that case, what can I do for you?"
"It's Orion. She's been sighted."
She looks at him coldly. "Don't joke about such things."
He looks at her, tan eyes, challenging blue.
"This isn't a joke is it?"
"No."
"When was she seen?"
Sitting on the lounge chair across from her, Scorpius keeps his feet on the ground. "She's been on earth for sometime. A soldier just brought word to King Perseus of his wife's death. "Orion was responsible."
Atlas looks ahead as she chews slowly. "How did this happen?"
"No one knows, but she did use the orbs."
"I thought she disappeared when the castle on the Moon Kingdom was destroyed."
He shakes his head. "All I know is that we need a plan of attack before anything else can happen."
"I will summon the Pleiades then."
~*~*~*~*~
The two of them meet again later that night. Walking deep into the woods of the star, they reach a clearing. Scorpius turns his eyes on the woman. Her long white hair is braided down her back with a ribbon as dark as the sky above them. Little flecks of glitter make it twinkle like the stars. He watches her lithe form as she reaches her hands up to the stars. "I, Atlas, summon you the Pleiades. "
The man looks up at the sky as a mere seven of the millions of small dots begin to glow. The woman continues to speak, calling each Pleiade out by name. "Maia, Tygeta, Celano, Electra, Alcyone, Steropes, and Merope. Come forth."
The seven stars suddenly begin to grow brighter and then fade. Scorpius turns to look at Atlas, who is wearing a satisfied grin. "Are you sure they heard you?"
"Oh, they heard."
"Mistress. We are here as you requested."
The two of them turn to see the young woman approaching them from the trees. She drops to one knee, her golden hair falling around her face. She looks at them, her dark eyes flashing.
"I have a mission for you, Maia."
The other Pleiades walk out to stand behind Maia as she kneels before their leader. Simultaneously, they all kneel.
Atlas turns to look at Scorpius. "Here they are. The Pleiades."
He nods with satisfaction as he looks upon the seven women. Before him is one of the most renowned group of warriors the galaxy has ever known. If they couldn't take Orion down, there was no chance of it.
Maia is the first to stands. She walks over to Atlas with her hands folded in front of her. "What is it you want of us?"
"I want you to take care of something for me."
"You have only but to request it."
"I want the Star Empire and the death of Sailor Orion."
