Act III - Volcanic Inferno

"Look." A gloved hand pushed away a clump of thorns. "Look at this."
The Outer Senshi had been tracking Princess Serenity all afternoon. Sailor Uranus had safely landed their small spaceship in a grassy meadow, despite the heavy thunderstorm that had been roiling while they circled Earth. The Zephyr 1000 had had to avoid strange black rock structures....which were everywhere, as they found. "Can you hear the wind sigh?" Sailor Uranus frowned, touching the black crystal stones. It prickled with energy. "Something isn't right here."
All along the trail they had found nothing but the scuffled footprints of a lost battle, in a clearing they discovered the Princess's remaining luncheon. Broken wooden bowls, chopsticks, and decomposing food lay everywhere. The Ocean Senshi had even picked up scraps of the girls' kirtles. "It must have been a horrible conflict," she murmured quietly.
But finally their clues had led to solid evidence. "I can't believe that those assassins didn't find this!" Bending over, Sailor Pluto fingered the torn slippers with care, pine green hair trailing to the ground. Sailor Uranus looked on solemnly, observing the softness of the leather, mud smears, thorns embedded in the stitched soles. Sailor Neptune's ocean blue eyes opened wide. Gulping nervously, she pointed beyond the slippers. "Um, I think the ninja had found them..."
Decomposed almost completely, the skeletal form of the long dead ninjana grinned in macabre delight at the horrified Senshi. Water ran in rivulets from the melting ice the body was still encased within. "Ugh," Uranus spat in disgust. "What a stench. At least we've got a clue."
"And a very important and vital one at that." The Time Senshi stood and brushed off her ebony sheened fuku. "These aren't just anyone's footwear...this pair of slippers was crafted from unicorn skin. It is an incredible protection spell, its magic bound in every molecule of its fiber. No wonder...only a Lunarian princess could afford these. They are surely Serenity's slippers."
"Well then." Carefully stepping over the ninja's corpse, Sailor Neptune turned around. "We'd better get going. Her trail is much easier to find; for now that we know she was barefoot, and heading somewhat towards the stream..."
"We can surmise where that Moon brat has gone off to." Uranus grinned. "Lead the way."
The Guardian of the Time Gates carefully tucked the unicorn slippers away in her travel pack.

It was night in the manor. Thick blackness laid its starry spell over Caer Myrrdin, shrouding its world in midnight smoke. Nobility sprawled on the black marble steps, almost comatose, resting in the positions of their past revelry. Wine seeped slowly across the floor, not a drip was heard. All was silent; all were asleep.
But for one.
The High Lady Beryl allowed a smile to grace her rouged lips. All her Master's carefully laid plans were showing promise, unraveling as they should. She closed her amber eyes, hissing softly in a strange alien tongue. A faint tapping was heard, gradually increasing in volume and speed until it almost vibrated. The shadows in the furthest corner of the room began to amass into solidity. An unseen wind gently blew detail and luster into the quickly forming sphere; creating a curiously shaped oracle. It was completely black, the ebony staff a dull black, without sheen. Within the ball pulsed a dark misted form, wreathing tendrils giving the appearance of limbs and head. It became the vague shadow of a woman.
Beryl knelt down from her throne, her forehead touching the floor. "Anything my Master wishes shall be done. Your faithful servant awaits your command."
The voice was hoarse, cracking with age and yet insidious with power. "You have done well insofar, Beryl. I have something for you to accomplish. You are well aware of the Black Diamond, correct?"
The High Lady nodded, eyes fixated to the floor.
"Good! You should know that their... rather arrogant leader is currently working on this essential part of my plan. He may have lost a few units of his ninja, but that is nothing to fret over. He has informed me of the legions at his disposal, other than the ones already situated in Venus. Soon, he will have the Moon Princess, and when that day comes you know what to do, Beryl..."
A cruel grin contorted her lips. "Kill him and take Usagi and the Imperium Silver Crystal for you, Empress Metallica."
The being chuckled. "And you will have your heart's desire: the Crown Prince Endymion. Without that meddling Moon Princess in the way of our desires...anything is possible. Even total mastery of the entire, vast Moon Kingdom." She gloated, black power hissing in an aura of malevolence.
The huddled form beneath the goddess quivered with delight.
"And one more thing." The figure moved a vaporeous arm to its smoky lips. "I have encountered a potential ally, a strong co-ruler."
Beryl lifted her head a fraction up from the floor; if she felt any twinge of jealousy she hid it well. Black power sizzled and snapped as the oracle glowed ebony darkness; revealing a rather mysterious figure. Swathed in black, a tall skeletally thin woman was barely visible beneath her cowled cloak. Her night black hair pooled around the floor, writhing like the endless coils of a serpent.
"This is Mistress 9, an emissary for her master, Pharaoh 90 of the Tau Ceti system. She has a separate mission than you and I, though no less diabolical I am pleased to say."
Metallica's voice roughened, turning rockhard. "You will accord her the proper respect she deserves, as she could kill you in less time than you take to blink."
The black goddess of evil imprisoned in the oracle cackled. Slowly reaching up, Mistress 9 uncovered her face. Beryl involuntarily shuddered, moving away from the being's powerful flashing eyes fastened in a death gaze upon her own. Dark indigo lips smiled thinly. "My spies are already inside Mars, and as for Saturn...the odds are on our side. I will be there shortly. Now, with all due respect, I have another plan."

Empress Euraschia Queen Gaia of Earth walked at an incredibly fast pace, her tall stiletto heels clicking against the gold washed marble floor of Elysion Palace. Dark vivid blue eyes were creased in worry. Throwing open the mahogany doors to her son's room, she caught her breath, gasping from exertion. Prince Endymion Sir Darien looked up from his studies with curiosity. "Hello mother, what seems to be the problem?"
Gaia rearranged her long chocolate brown curls with elegant ease. "Princess Tsukino Usagi Lady Serenity of the Moon Kingdom has just been kidnapped."
His chair screeched as he stood up quickly. Darien's dark eyes flamed, his face livid. "Who did this?" he asked quietly, fingers still gripping the chair, turning white at the knuckles.
"We have reason to believe she is still on Earth. We must find her."
Hurriedly Endymion stripped off his normal tunic and strapped on onyx armor. Queen Gaia rushed to help him, the long folds of her navy blue silk overcoat overlapping her black satin chemise. "It is said that the Black Diamond, that radical terrorist group, attacked the Princesses at their picnic. They were located in the southeastern part of the Territh shire. Luckily, the Outer Senshi have found her distinctive unicorn skin slippers. They might help us track her further..."
"Outer... 'Senshi?'"
The ruler of Earth handed him his preferred sword. "Yes. The elite planet soldiers are newly awakened. We must find Usagi...or the delicate balance which maintains peace between Earth and the Moon Kingdom may most likely be shattered beyond repair." She sighed, running her fingers through her tresses.
"Do you have any idea what this kidnapping will do to Earth diplomatically? Our already shaky reputation in economic circles will plummet...plunging our world into famine and civil war. Luckily, the news has been kept quiet for the most part. No one knows, save the royals of all the planets and a few other select persons."
Raking his hands through his raven hair, Darien considered for a moment. "So, you want me to find Princess Serenity, am I correct?" Gaia smiled, the early morning light cast upon her tan skin made it glow.
"Look well, Endy. Be careful and discreet. Enemies are found in all places."
"I won't let you down." Bowing, he kissed his sword pommel; paying homage to his mother. Pulling on a black traveling cloak, he stalked out of the door. "Chamberlain! Ready my fastest horse!"

"And sway, dance with the rhythm. Rei, don't slouch. It makes you look like a moose."
Soft lava light filtered into the stark ascetic room, making shadows fall upon the bamboo tatami. Rei stuck her tongue out at her instructor, focusing upon the movements of her body. Like Ami and Bekka Li she wore elegantly draping kimono for the ancient Martial dance lessons. Their wooden fans twirled in a spiralled blur, carving pictures in the air. They all were sweating, both from the exercize and the regularly high temperature of Mars.
"Calm your mind, don't think about anything but dancing. Bekka Li, you are stumbling again. If you keep your eyes on your fan instead of your feet you won't move like a waltzing pregnant yak!" Their instructor, Lady Andreana Hemenia, observed them through half closed eyes. Wearing a simple wine-red kimono with golden phoenix embroidery on the hem, she was seated in the formal old style; legs tucked under modestly. Short black strands of hair fell across her pale skin, lit with warmer cinnamon highlights. Without warning, her wide azure blue eyes snapped open.
"Good job for today. Class is dismissed until tomorrow's practice. We'll be doing Su-Tsin forms."
Rebekka Li folded her fan, sparing an irritated glance at Andreana. "'Waltzing pregnant yak?'"
Panting, Rei felt tired yet exhilarated. She was finally home. It was such a relief to feel the reassuring warmth after her escapade on Mercury. Ami had had a hard time adjusting to the elevated temperature of Mars...she showed bad symptoms of overheating for an ice-loving Mercurian. She sweated droplets that felt unusually warm, and gasped as she walked over the broiling flames of Twin Phoenix Pass. Soon enough, she grew used to it and was able to go wherever she wanted without her cooling cloak.
Bekka Li seemed to have no troubles. "If you'd remember, I was raised on Jupiter." She laughed.
"It was only when I gave up my heritage to become a Mercurian that I gained blue tinged blood and a transferral of my former powers to ice. Weather on a unicorn ranch got quite warm, but not nearly as much as Mars!"

Naturally an incredibly hot planet, Mars had more active volcanoes than any other, Earth following close behind. Right now they were in the Dragon Isles, where the molten Phobos-Deimos Palace was levitated above the roaring magma. Insofar, there had been no luck finding any mention of a fire senshi.
"Oh, there you are. Come here!"
Bekka, Ami and Andrea turned, the Mercurians mildly surprised to see the proud Rei on her knees. She was beckoning to a couple of plumy black ravens, who glanced at her with keen sharp eyes. "I'm back again from my trip, how are you two? Did you miss my visits? I wonder if anyone has fed you lately..."
Cawing harshly, they flapped up onto her shoulders. She smiled and giggled like a girl, stroking the tips of their beaks. "Ah, Phobos, is Deimos being too much of a bother? Should I have her feathers for my futon? Or perhaps she can be a messenger bird, I do need to have some letters delivered!"
Looking at Rei in a very un-ravenlike bemused way, Deimos snapped at some of her hair and tugged it in its beak. "Ouch, you silly seedscoffer! That hurt!"
"I never knew you kept pets here, Rei." Ami reached out to pat a gleaming black wing.
"Well, they're not really pets. They've been around for a long time...ever since I was a child, I've taken care of them. They were my best friends." Lady Hino Rei scratched their heads. "I named them Phobos and Deimos for the twin satellites which orbit this planet."
Applying lip balm, Andrea scolded, "Now, you're not telling the complete story, Rei."
Ami frowned. "What do you mean, Andreana?"
"I'm talking about what 'Phobos' and 'Deimos' mean. They're not exactly appropriate names for two gentle ravens. Unless milady Hino Rei thinks otherwise, of course." Mockingly bowing, she looked up with twinkling bright blue eyes.
"Oh shut up, Andie!" Rei smirked. "Well, for the record, Phobos means 'fear' and Deimos means 'panic'. Well..." she shrank uncomfortably from their looks of surprised disbelief. "They are the moons of Mars! And Mars is the planet of war, supposedly, though we haven't been involved in any conflict since the Great War years upon years ago."
Rebekka Li narrowed her eyes as she looked over the two ravens...then shook her head and shrugged. "Well, in any case, we'd better get going. It is almost time for dinner."
"Yeah." Tapping Rei on the head, Andrea took off at a running sprint. "Race you!"
The foursome laughed as they raced to the glowing palace, the twin ravens flapping and cawing in their wake.

"So, where is Jadeite, Rei?" Andreana sipped at her teriyaki broth innocently, her lips straining to hold in a teasing grin. Hunched over so no one would see her blush, Rei mumbled through a mouthful of rice. "Jed and the other earth generals are involved in keeping the peace on their planet. What's it to you?"
"Who is this 'Jed'? I'm intrigued...didn't know you had a lover, Rei." Bekka nudged Rei in her ribs, causing her to choke and turn an even deeper shade of crimson.
"I DON'T! Jadeite and I have been...um...going out since the Celebration of Unity held on the Moon. It's nothing too involved..."
"Yeah, we only kiss every so often," mimicked Bekka in a high voice. "Honestly, Rei, you're a rotten liar. There's nothing wrong with liking a guy. What does he look like?"
Rei looked thoughtful, chopsticks poised over some chili carima. "He...he's quite tall, like most Earthians. Has sandy blonde hair with sharp dark blue eyes. Also rather...er...well formed...heh heh..."
Everyone present snickered at Rei as she almost plopped her face into her food with embarassment. "Shut up, guys! It's none of your business!"
Andie leaned over, pure deviltry shining in her face. "You're our Princess. As you are a celebrity, every single tiny little detail of you life is known to the general public. Including your lovelife. Nothing is private, Rei...you of all people should know that!"
Rei smirked. "And so should you."
Andreana turned slightly pink. "Be quiet."
"Now what's this about?" Ami picked at her soba noodles, trying not to smile.
"Oh," Rei twirled her chopsticks in the air, her face a calm dreamlike mask. "Andrea just doesn't want people to know about her beau...I believe his name is Cryhs Fahim...is that right?"
Andrea lifted her nose loftily in the air, her cheeks by now burning. "I don't know what you're talking about. Now we'd better get off to bed, it is way past Earthset and both the moons are already up!"

"It is my belief that the boundary between the otherworlds and Mars is very thin, oddly enough...which is probably why we have produced so many psychics and seers." Wrapping her light cotton shift more tightly around her knees, Rei rocked thoughtfully. "I just have no clue why we haven't had any data on the whereabouts of a Senshi...or even a Guardian for that matter. I spent three hours talking to a fortune teller in the back alleys of Bolero Lane. And all I got out of that was irritation and a headache..."
Andreana was already asleep, glasses still perched upon her nose, a letter from her 'friend' falling from her hands. "Oh yeah...where is Bekka?" Ami walked over, her blue cotton nightgown whipped around her slender frame.
Rei popped a caramel into her mouth. "She went to raid the larder for more treats."
"Alright!" Also taking a few sweets, Ami sat down near Rei and looked off thoughtfully into the open window. The stars were exceptionally bright that night. "I'm wondering, Rei...I know General Ryo is a Martian, correct?"
Rei stretched in a catlike way. "He was before he decided to become a Mercurian."
"Yes...well, why did he come to Mercury? Do you know anything about him?"
"As a matter of fact, I do." Shooting Ami a curious glance, Rei leaned over. "His mother was from Mars, but unlike most women of our world she didn't go into fire reading or martial arts. She took a spaceship to Mercury and became the first Martian in many centuries to study at the Ten Blessed Waters University. There, she met a Martian who was visiting as a salesman of archery equipment. They married and settled down...thus Ryo entered the...the world." Rei suddenly stopped rocking and hunched over. Not noticing, Ami rambled on.
"How neat...no wonder his hair is moreso black than dark blue...and those eyes..." The Princess of the water planet giggled softly. "His background explains his exceptional sixth sense. Y'know, I always wondered why he...Rei, are you all right?"
"Unh..." Almost sprawled on the floor, Rei's body quivered.
A look of alarm turned to concern on Ami's face. "What's the matter? Rei, talk to me!"
She tried to lift her friend up, but with a raspy groan the Martian princess sank to the ground. "Oh no! I should call a doctor! What is Dr. Cerusi's number..."
Without warning, Rei's head snapped up with the speed of a striking cobra. Her normally dark mellow eyes began to flicker softly with unearthly light, transfixing Ami with their gaze.
"Uh...Rei...stop it. You're scaring the daylights out of me..." Trying to back away, Ami found she was paralyzed by those eyes. Completely immobile, she watched with horror as her friends' body began to twitch and change.
Her raven hair rippled, growing longer at an eerily rapid pace; covering the floor with those night strands like some black mist of doom. Those strange eyes shimmered and sparked red, her young features contorted maliciously. On her forehead, a five pointed star began to take shape, glimmering with ebony light. Finally grasping control of herself, Ami scrambled clumsily away from this being, her breath catching in her throat as she tore her bag apart. Oh Selene... my henshin wand...where is it?!?
A flash of pain, sublimely cold yet unbearably hot, caressed her neck. Black strands of hair had wound themselves around Ami, restricting further movement. The being screamed with evil joy, laughing as she threw the Mercurian to the ground. Cooing in delight, she lifted Ami to eye leval, where Ami struggled in horror as the contours of Rei's face savored her pain.
The voice was soft, childlike, yet insinuated with power. Hmm. This princess, Rei, is not the one I'm looking for...what a pity. Yet I thought it would be much harder to take you, a Senshi, down to your knees.
She hissed quietly, laughing. I gave you soldiers too much credit, I suppose. It won't happen again. Now it appears that I must kill you...which will be my pleasure. Unless you have what I want.
Thwack! A bamboo fan struck the being's head with force. Andreana leapt upon her former princess with grim fury, using the sharp edged side of her fan to cut the hair binding Ami. The smothering net of hair fell away from Ami's throat.
The woman turned, eyes flashing. Her sharp teeth were set in a predator's grin. And what's this? A martyr? Or new prey?
"I'm your worst nightmare! Get out of my princess's body right now, demon!" Andrea screamed.

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(A/N) Don't you just love cliffhangers? :D

Ouch, stop throwing things at me.....