THE NIGHTMARE REALM,
Chapter 2: "A Cry For Help"
By Bill K.
"Ves-Ves, are you trying to get pitched out of Crystal Tokyo on your ear?" Cere-Cere howled as she entered the central living room. The room was linked to each of the four bedrooms and was shared by the four Asteroid Senshi.
The only response was a pillow fired from Ves-Ves's room that hit Cere-Cere squarely in the face.
"Nice aim," Jun-Jun commented, leaning against the door.
"OH! THERE AREN'T WORDS TO DESCRIBE JUST HOW MUCH I HATE YOU!" bellowed Cere-Cere.
"She's got a point, though," Jun-Jun continued.
"Don't," came a voice from the darkened room. "Sensei Aino-sama already gave me the lecture. I know I lost my cool, but sometimes I just can't help it. The Princess can be such a brat sometimes."
"LOOK WHO'S TALKING!" fumed Cere-Cere. Another pillow flew out and struck her in the face.
"You're going to run out of pillows pretty soon," Jun-Jun cautioned.
"Then I'll throw something else," Ves-Ves replied from the dark. "Something HEAVIER!"
"PTTTTTTTTTTTT!" responded Cere-Cere.
"OK, Usa can be a brat," shrugged Jun-Jun. "We're all brats at one time or another - - except for Hotaru. She's about the nicest person I've ever met. But even princesses are allowed to be brats, you know. Makes them human."
"It's just," Ves-Ves struggled, "it makes me mad sometimes. Like the way she treats The King and Queen. She's got great parents and she treats them so rotten sometimes. If she thinks they're bad parents, she should have grown up with mine! I'd trade places with her in a minute!"
"I think we all would," Jun-Jun said. "But you can't let it eat at you, Ves. You can't let it drive you to do stuff like today. Remember what Sensei Kino-sama always tells us about our actions following us around. If you want people to know you've reformed, you've got to act like you've reformed. That means you've got to take twice as much stuff as before and not strike back."
"I know," Ves-Ves huffed. "I'm sorry I let you guys down."
"We're not the ones you should apologize to," Jun-Jun told her.
"Although we'll take it," Cere-Cere added.
"Man," groaned Ves-Ves. "Can't I just perform Seppuku instead?"
"Everybody, everybody!" squealed Palla-Palla as she raced into the room. "Palla-Palla learned a new trick!"
"Oh, yeah?" Ves-Ves said, coming out of her room. "What kind of trick?"
"Sensei taught Palla-Palla! It's so fantastic!"
"So what is it?" Ves-Ves asked.
"That was it!"
"What was it?" Ves-Ves scowled.
"Palla-Palla sent her thoughts into your brain," Palla-Palla squealed. Everyone stared.
"Is she making this up?" Ves-Ves asked.
"Apparently not," Jun-Jun replied. "All we heard was 'Palla-Palla learned a new trick'."
"And then you started giving answers when there weren't any questions," Cere-Cere added. "I figured you finally lost it."
"Can you do that with anyone?" Jun-Jun asked.
"Not yet," Palla-Palla replied contritely. "Sensei says Palla-Palla can only do it with the people she's closest to. He said that the more work she does, the more people she can do it with."
"S-So right now only I can hear you?" Ves-Ves asked, her eyes misting and a timid smile forming on her face. Palla-Palla nodded vigorously. "Thanks."
Palla-Palla beamed happily.
"And I can think back to you?" Ves-Ves asked. Palla-Palla nodded again. Ves-Ves grinned. Suddenly Palla-Palla began laughing.
"Ves-Ves, you better not be talking about me!" snapped Cere-Cere.
* * * *
Serenity sat on the balcony overlooking her prized garden. Though the sun was in the process of setting, casting the entire garden in a lovely scarlet light, Serenity paid it no heed. Her thoughts were on her husband who sat ten feet from her. He was in deep concentration, communicating mentally with someone in Elysian through the power of the Golden Crystal that he possessed. Serenity could have joined into the communication, but she held back. It seemed to her that to do such a thing would be an intrusion.
So she waited patiently for him to finish, despite the sensations of anxiety she was receiving from him.
"What's with Dad?" she heard Usa ask. Reflexively Serenity reached out and caught her daughter's hand in hers.
"Your father is communicating with Elysian," Serenity told her and felt the hand in hers tense.
"Is something wrong?" Usa asked anxiously.
"That's what he's trying to find out," the queen whispered.
Then Endymion's face relaxed and his eyes opened. Serenity inched forward on her chair.
"Endymion?" she inquired.
"I was talking to Helios," Endymion said, breathless from his mental exertion.
"Is he all right?" Usa demanded.
"Yes. But they seem to be having some problems in Elysian. I suggested I come and help him investigate and he agreed."
"I'm coming with you!" Usa declared.
"Oh, are you?" her father asked.
"Daddy, you have to let me go with you! If Helios needs help, I have to be there! Daddy, please!"
"Endymion," Serenity interceded. "Perhaps it would be a good experience for her."
The king grimaced. Endymion had enough trouble resisting the soulful, pleading eyes of his wife. He had almost as much trouble resisting his daughter, who seemed to have instinctively learned the same trick. When they double-teamed him, he knew he couldn't win.
"All right," Endymion said, then quickly added, "but you're taking the Asteroid Senshi, too!"
"We'll be ready in an hour! Thank you, Daddy!" Usa squealed. She quickly pecked him on the cheek and raced back into the palace. Endymion shook his head.
"Don't feel bad," Serenity smiled. "I used to wrap my father around my little finger, too. Is it as bad as I sensed?"
"Helios is concerned," Endymion replied, the brevity of his statement enough to convey the gravity of the situation. Helios didn't become concerned easily.
"Then I'll get ready to travel," Serenity said. Endymion caught her hand.
"You're not going."
"But Endymion . . .!"
"Someone needs to stay and take care of Crystal Tokyo. With my connection to the Golden Crystal and its connection to Elysian, I'm the logical one to go." Serenity's eyes grew moist. "And THAT'S not going to work."
Serenity pouted.
"Don't," he warned. "You know I'm right."
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," the queen huffed.
Endymion pecked his wife on the cheek and went to prepare for the trip to Elysian. Serenity followed him in with her gaze and tried not to worry.
* * * *
The Asteroid Senshi hurried down the hall toward the central classroom. The sudden summons from Makoto out of the blue had them all uneasy.
"Wonder what's up?" Sailor Vesta wondered aloud.
"Maybe they're finally kicking you out of here," needled Sailor Ceres.
"Maybe so," Vesta mumbled. Ceres experienced a pang of guilt.
"Why would they be kicking Vesta out?" Pallas asked, her eyes moist and fearful.
"'Cause I did something real dumb," Vesta told her. She wouldn't look at Pallas.
"So? Pallas is dumb all of the time! Juno? They can't send Vesta away, can they? Pallas would miss her very, very much!"
"Relax, Pallas. I don't think this is about Vesta," Juno told her.
"Pallas hopes not. Pallas doesn't want Vesta to ever leave."
"I'm not going anywhere, Stupid," Vesta said, her arm on Pallas' shoulder. "Somebody's got to look out for you."
The four found Sailor Saturn waiting at the door.
"Do you know what's going on?" Ceres asked Saturn.
"No. I just got a call from Hino-san telling me to come here," Saturn reported.
The girls all hesitated at the door, reluctant to approach it.
"Well," Vesta sighed, pushing past the others toward the door, "let's all find out together."
In the classroom, the four original senshi were waiting. The gravity of their expressions instantly sobered the five girls.
"Thank you all for arriving so quickly," Ami said, staring down her glasses at them. "To be concise, King Endymion has been in contact with Elysian. There's some sort of unknown trouble. He and the Princess are traveling there to investigate."
"That means you're all going, too," Minako added, then looked squarely at Vesta. "That is, IF you all can act like you deserve to be senshi. Teamwork and concentration on the mission is essential. If that's going to be a problem, let us know now."
Vesta squared her shoulders and started to speak, but Juno spoke first.
"That won't be a problem, Sensei Aino-sama," she said firmly. "We know our jobs and we won't let you or the Princess down."
Minako stared, challenging them to be more convincing.
"Please, Miss Minako Ma'am!" Pallas cried. "Vesta is very sorry for whatever she did and she'll be a really, really good girl! Honest! Don't send her away, please!"
The original senshi were all surprised by the girl's outburst. Seeing her distress, Makoto came over and knelt next to Pallas.
"Nobody's going to be sent away, Honey," Makoto told her, her arm securely around the frightened girl. She turned to Minako. "Right, Blondie?"
Minako took a second, but recovered her jaunty personality.
"Nah," she grinned. "She's not going to be sent away. That'd be going way too easy on her."
"You believe us, don't you?" Makoto asked Pallas. Pallas sniffed and nodded. "All right then. Let's see you smile." Pallas responded with a grin so wide that it forced her to squint.
"OK, any other questions or concerns?" Rei prompted. "Then be on the heli-pad by top of the hour ready to travel or you get left behind."
The five girls nodded and scampered off. As they left, Saturn nudged Juno.
"What did Vesta do now?" Saturn asked.
"Later," Juno said.
* * * *
Dust swirled in a circular pattern atop the open-air courtyard of the Temple Of Dreaming. It was like unto a whirlwind, rising up fifteen feet in the air before reaching its apex. Then the swirling wind died away, revealing the travelers within.
Helios, Guardian of Beautiful Dreams, was there to greet the travelers. His silvery white hair blew like the mane of a charging horse, though his face was as ever placid. His slim yet powerful body held itself back though he wished to run to the whirlwind. For at the last moment he sensed the presence of an unexpected guest.
Flanking him was his mother, Candide, on his right, and on his left a slim beauty with aqua hair, dressed in the low-cut gown of a temple maiden.
"King Endymion," Helios bowed to the tall man at the center of the courtyard. Endymion, in his pastel gray tuxedo and cape, bowed in return. "You grace us with your presence in our time of peril."
Only then did he allow himself to turn to the pink-haired girl to Endymion's right.
"Maiden," he exclaimed, the tremor in his voice betraying the emotion he felt.
"Helios!" Sailor Moon cried out.
She broke from the group, ran up to him and fell into his waiting arms. The couple embraced passionately, molding their bodies to one another in order to assuage their sudden burst of desire. It was a few seconds before Usa sensed the eyes boring holes in her back. Turning, she found her father staring. He said nothing, betrayed no expression of disapproval, but it was evident in his rigid body language that he was valiantly holding himself back from reclaiming HIS daughter from the grasp of this youthful interloper. Sailor Moon rolled her eyes and reluctantly relinquished Helios.
"Aww!" sighed Ceres. "They're just SO cute together."
"King Endymion," Candide said, offering her hand and drawing everyone's attention away from the awkward situation. "I'm so glad to see you again." Endymion took it and kissed the back of the hand. "Charming as ever. Please convey my respects to your lovely wife."
Just then, Ceres noticed the temple maiden. She stared at the maiden, first in confusion, then in stunned recognition. Barely able to contain herself, she nudged Juno and whispered something to her. Juno looked and her surprise confirmed her sister's suspicions. They both passed their discovery on to Vesta. Drawn by the activity, Sailor Pallas and Sailor Saturn each looked on her own.
"Lookee!" squealed Pallas, pointing to the maiden amid startled looks from the adults. "It's Miss Fisheye Sir!"
"You know her?" Saturn asked.
Sailor Moon and King Endymion looked harder at the embarrassed temple maiden. The king reacted in surprise, while all the color drained from Sailor Moon's face. The Asteroid Senshi scampered over, surrounding Fisheye.
"What are you doing here, Fish?" Vesta asked bluntly.
"Yeah, we thought Queen Neherenia got you along with the others!" gasped Juno.
"Helios," whispered Sailor Moon, leaning close to her love's ear. "Do you know about . . .?"
"Yes, My Little Maiden," Helios smiled placidly. "I am familiar with every aspect of Fisheye's previous life."
"I realize this may be a shock," Fisheye ventured, humble and meek. He turned to the Asteroid Senshi. "I almost died at the hand of Queen Neherenia, just as you all thought. It was only through the kindness and mercy of Lord Helios that I, and Hawk's Eye and Tiger's Eye were able to survive. He," and Fisheye stumbled, overtaken with emotion, "gave us our dream, girls! And he brought us here to this magical paradise - - oh girls, it's such a blessing! I know I didn't do anything to deserve being blessed like this, but I'm so grateful!"
"Yeah, we can tell," Juno smiled.
"Kind of 'been there, done that'," Ceres nodded. "I like the new look. Beats those old rags you used to wear."
Sailor Moon looked at Helios with confusion.
"I was in need of a temple maiden," Helios explained. "A replacement for dear departed Evionne. Fisheye was a, well, unique candidate, but one I feel confident will be a choice beneficial to all. Much in the way your senshi can benefit more than just yourself."
Fisheye approached Sailor Moon and bowed.
"Please believe that I mean you no harm, Princess," Fisheye told her. "I did terrible things to you and wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me. But Lord Helios and your mother before him opened my eyes and showed me just how wrong I was and just how much my desperation to be human and to dream beautiful dreams hurt everyone else. Lord Helios has seen fit to give me a chance to do penance and to help more people than I hurt before. I swear to you that I won't let him or you down."
Buoyed by Fisheye's words, Sailor Moon returned a hopeful smile.
"Besides, I'd just die if I let down someone as cute as Helios," Fisheye murmured to Sailor Moon with a shy smile. "Why he's almost as hot as your dad."
The smile froze on Sailor Moon's face as the color drained from it.
"Um, we all wish you success," Endymion interjected. "Now, what exactly is the threat Elysian is facing?"
As Endymion turned to Helios and Candide, Sailor Moon inched back to the comfort and security of Saturn's presence. Her friend looked at her strangely.
"Sailor Moon?" Saturn whispered. "What's wrong?"
"Fisheye thinks Helios and my dad are hot," Sailor Moon said softly, then made a face. "Eyewwww."
"Well, a lot of girls think Helios and the king are hot," Saturn offered. "They're both very handsome."
"Saturn - - Fisheye is a guy."
Suddenly the color drained from Saturn's face.
Without warning, the sparkling blue of Elysian's day darkened. The overhead sun was blotted out, plunging the paradise of dreams into an eerie dusk. A canopy of violet hung over the temple grounds. Murmurs of anxiety could be heard from the population and tension filled the air.
"What's going on?" gasped Sailor Moon. She and Saturn pivoted so they were back to back. Saturn's glaive was at the ready, while Sailor Moon produced the Crescent Wand.
And out of the blue the air was pierced with a high-pitched shriek of sheer terror. Everyone turned to the sound and found Sailor Pallas cowering on the ground.
"Pallas, what is it?" Vesta demanded, kneeling next to her fallen sister.
"Scary!" wailed Pallas. "Pallas is afraid!"
"It's just dark!" Vesta told her. "There's nothing to be afraid of!"
"No, scary thoughts! Pallas can hear them! She can't shut them out!"
"What kind of thoughts, Pallas?" Juno asked.
"Bad thoughts! Scary and evil swirling all around! They go everywhere but don't go anywhere! They want to choke Pallas! They want to pull her down into the darkness!"
"Who's thinking them?" Ceres asked.
"Pallas doesn't know!" The senshi buried her head under her arms. "Pallas wants to go home!"
Endymion turned on Helios and Candide.
"Is this the threat?" he asked.
"There can be no doubt," Candide replied gravely, "though it has never manifested to this degree before. I am sorry for your companion. I fear she may be but the latest victim of this scourge."
The violet and indigo of the skies seemed to swirl around them. It became a dizzying maelstrom above them and seemed to close in around them, looming over them all. Sailor Moon noticed the worried looks on the Asteroid Senshi as they searched the heavens for something, perhaps some confirmation of an unspoken fear. Then she noticed Fisheye. Fisheye, too, cast worried looks to the sky as if he knew what was surrounding them but prayed to the gods that he was wrong. And where was Ravonna, the other temple maiden, in all of this? Of them all, she would be most likely to know what threatened them.
"Sailor Moon, look!" cried Saturn.
Up in the sky the colors had merged into black and pulsed with unholy life. The sky seemed to writhe like a pit of snakes, identifiable by the thin, shifting slits of blue that peeked through. An image began to shimmer above them, taking shape.
"Damn it, who are you!" bellowed Vesta in impotent rage.
The image became clearer. Pale white skin, blood red lips, violet eyes that reflected your fear like arcade mirrors - - it was a sight Sailor Moon hoped never to see again. And if she loathed the very sight of her, how were Fisheye and the senshi reacting?
"Sailor Moon, it's," Saturn whispered, giving voice to their fears as the image took final shape, "Queen Neherenia."
Continued in Chapter 3
Chapter 2: "A Cry For Help"
By Bill K.
"Ves-Ves, are you trying to get pitched out of Crystal Tokyo on your ear?" Cere-Cere howled as she entered the central living room. The room was linked to each of the four bedrooms and was shared by the four Asteroid Senshi.
The only response was a pillow fired from Ves-Ves's room that hit Cere-Cere squarely in the face.
"Nice aim," Jun-Jun commented, leaning against the door.
"OH! THERE AREN'T WORDS TO DESCRIBE JUST HOW MUCH I HATE YOU!" bellowed Cere-Cere.
"She's got a point, though," Jun-Jun continued.
"Don't," came a voice from the darkened room. "Sensei Aino-sama already gave me the lecture. I know I lost my cool, but sometimes I just can't help it. The Princess can be such a brat sometimes."
"LOOK WHO'S TALKING!" fumed Cere-Cere. Another pillow flew out and struck her in the face.
"You're going to run out of pillows pretty soon," Jun-Jun cautioned.
"Then I'll throw something else," Ves-Ves replied from the dark. "Something HEAVIER!"
"PTTTTTTTTTTTT!" responded Cere-Cere.
"OK, Usa can be a brat," shrugged Jun-Jun. "We're all brats at one time or another - - except for Hotaru. She's about the nicest person I've ever met. But even princesses are allowed to be brats, you know. Makes them human."
"It's just," Ves-Ves struggled, "it makes me mad sometimes. Like the way she treats The King and Queen. She's got great parents and she treats them so rotten sometimes. If she thinks they're bad parents, she should have grown up with mine! I'd trade places with her in a minute!"
"I think we all would," Jun-Jun said. "But you can't let it eat at you, Ves. You can't let it drive you to do stuff like today. Remember what Sensei Kino-sama always tells us about our actions following us around. If you want people to know you've reformed, you've got to act like you've reformed. That means you've got to take twice as much stuff as before and not strike back."
"I know," Ves-Ves huffed. "I'm sorry I let you guys down."
"We're not the ones you should apologize to," Jun-Jun told her.
"Although we'll take it," Cere-Cere added.
"Man," groaned Ves-Ves. "Can't I just perform Seppuku instead?"
"Everybody, everybody!" squealed Palla-Palla as she raced into the room. "Palla-Palla learned a new trick!"
"Oh, yeah?" Ves-Ves said, coming out of her room. "What kind of trick?"
"Sensei taught Palla-Palla! It's so fantastic!"
"So what is it?" Ves-Ves asked.
"That was it!"
"What was it?" Ves-Ves scowled.
"Palla-Palla sent her thoughts into your brain," Palla-Palla squealed. Everyone stared.
"Is she making this up?" Ves-Ves asked.
"Apparently not," Jun-Jun replied. "All we heard was 'Palla-Palla learned a new trick'."
"And then you started giving answers when there weren't any questions," Cere-Cere added. "I figured you finally lost it."
"Can you do that with anyone?" Jun-Jun asked.
"Not yet," Palla-Palla replied contritely. "Sensei says Palla-Palla can only do it with the people she's closest to. He said that the more work she does, the more people she can do it with."
"S-So right now only I can hear you?" Ves-Ves asked, her eyes misting and a timid smile forming on her face. Palla-Palla nodded vigorously. "Thanks."
Palla-Palla beamed happily.
"And I can think back to you?" Ves-Ves asked. Palla-Palla nodded again. Ves-Ves grinned. Suddenly Palla-Palla began laughing.
"Ves-Ves, you better not be talking about me!" snapped Cere-Cere.
* * * *
Serenity sat on the balcony overlooking her prized garden. Though the sun was in the process of setting, casting the entire garden in a lovely scarlet light, Serenity paid it no heed. Her thoughts were on her husband who sat ten feet from her. He was in deep concentration, communicating mentally with someone in Elysian through the power of the Golden Crystal that he possessed. Serenity could have joined into the communication, but she held back. It seemed to her that to do such a thing would be an intrusion.
So she waited patiently for him to finish, despite the sensations of anxiety she was receiving from him.
"What's with Dad?" she heard Usa ask. Reflexively Serenity reached out and caught her daughter's hand in hers.
"Your father is communicating with Elysian," Serenity told her and felt the hand in hers tense.
"Is something wrong?" Usa asked anxiously.
"That's what he's trying to find out," the queen whispered.
Then Endymion's face relaxed and his eyes opened. Serenity inched forward on her chair.
"Endymion?" she inquired.
"I was talking to Helios," Endymion said, breathless from his mental exertion.
"Is he all right?" Usa demanded.
"Yes. But they seem to be having some problems in Elysian. I suggested I come and help him investigate and he agreed."
"I'm coming with you!" Usa declared.
"Oh, are you?" her father asked.
"Daddy, you have to let me go with you! If Helios needs help, I have to be there! Daddy, please!"
"Endymion," Serenity interceded. "Perhaps it would be a good experience for her."
The king grimaced. Endymion had enough trouble resisting the soulful, pleading eyes of his wife. He had almost as much trouble resisting his daughter, who seemed to have instinctively learned the same trick. When they double-teamed him, he knew he couldn't win.
"All right," Endymion said, then quickly added, "but you're taking the Asteroid Senshi, too!"
"We'll be ready in an hour! Thank you, Daddy!" Usa squealed. She quickly pecked him on the cheek and raced back into the palace. Endymion shook his head.
"Don't feel bad," Serenity smiled. "I used to wrap my father around my little finger, too. Is it as bad as I sensed?"
"Helios is concerned," Endymion replied, the brevity of his statement enough to convey the gravity of the situation. Helios didn't become concerned easily.
"Then I'll get ready to travel," Serenity said. Endymion caught her hand.
"You're not going."
"But Endymion . . .!"
"Someone needs to stay and take care of Crystal Tokyo. With my connection to the Golden Crystal and its connection to Elysian, I'm the logical one to go." Serenity's eyes grew moist. "And THAT'S not going to work."
Serenity pouted.
"Don't," he warned. "You know I'm right."
"Doesn't mean I have to like it," the queen huffed.
Endymion pecked his wife on the cheek and went to prepare for the trip to Elysian. Serenity followed him in with her gaze and tried not to worry.
* * * *
The Asteroid Senshi hurried down the hall toward the central classroom. The sudden summons from Makoto out of the blue had them all uneasy.
"Wonder what's up?" Sailor Vesta wondered aloud.
"Maybe they're finally kicking you out of here," needled Sailor Ceres.
"Maybe so," Vesta mumbled. Ceres experienced a pang of guilt.
"Why would they be kicking Vesta out?" Pallas asked, her eyes moist and fearful.
"'Cause I did something real dumb," Vesta told her. She wouldn't look at Pallas.
"So? Pallas is dumb all of the time! Juno? They can't send Vesta away, can they? Pallas would miss her very, very much!"
"Relax, Pallas. I don't think this is about Vesta," Juno told her.
"Pallas hopes not. Pallas doesn't want Vesta to ever leave."
"I'm not going anywhere, Stupid," Vesta said, her arm on Pallas' shoulder. "Somebody's got to look out for you."
The four found Sailor Saturn waiting at the door.
"Do you know what's going on?" Ceres asked Saturn.
"No. I just got a call from Hino-san telling me to come here," Saturn reported.
The girls all hesitated at the door, reluctant to approach it.
"Well," Vesta sighed, pushing past the others toward the door, "let's all find out together."
In the classroom, the four original senshi were waiting. The gravity of their expressions instantly sobered the five girls.
"Thank you all for arriving so quickly," Ami said, staring down her glasses at them. "To be concise, King Endymion has been in contact with Elysian. There's some sort of unknown trouble. He and the Princess are traveling there to investigate."
"That means you're all going, too," Minako added, then looked squarely at Vesta. "That is, IF you all can act like you deserve to be senshi. Teamwork and concentration on the mission is essential. If that's going to be a problem, let us know now."
Vesta squared her shoulders and started to speak, but Juno spoke first.
"That won't be a problem, Sensei Aino-sama," she said firmly. "We know our jobs and we won't let you or the Princess down."
Minako stared, challenging them to be more convincing.
"Please, Miss Minako Ma'am!" Pallas cried. "Vesta is very sorry for whatever she did and she'll be a really, really good girl! Honest! Don't send her away, please!"
The original senshi were all surprised by the girl's outburst. Seeing her distress, Makoto came over and knelt next to Pallas.
"Nobody's going to be sent away, Honey," Makoto told her, her arm securely around the frightened girl. She turned to Minako. "Right, Blondie?"
Minako took a second, but recovered her jaunty personality.
"Nah," she grinned. "She's not going to be sent away. That'd be going way too easy on her."
"You believe us, don't you?" Makoto asked Pallas. Pallas sniffed and nodded. "All right then. Let's see you smile." Pallas responded with a grin so wide that it forced her to squint.
"OK, any other questions or concerns?" Rei prompted. "Then be on the heli-pad by top of the hour ready to travel or you get left behind."
The five girls nodded and scampered off. As they left, Saturn nudged Juno.
"What did Vesta do now?" Saturn asked.
"Later," Juno said.
* * * *
Dust swirled in a circular pattern atop the open-air courtyard of the Temple Of Dreaming. It was like unto a whirlwind, rising up fifteen feet in the air before reaching its apex. Then the swirling wind died away, revealing the travelers within.
Helios, Guardian of Beautiful Dreams, was there to greet the travelers. His silvery white hair blew like the mane of a charging horse, though his face was as ever placid. His slim yet powerful body held itself back though he wished to run to the whirlwind. For at the last moment he sensed the presence of an unexpected guest.
Flanking him was his mother, Candide, on his right, and on his left a slim beauty with aqua hair, dressed in the low-cut gown of a temple maiden.
"King Endymion," Helios bowed to the tall man at the center of the courtyard. Endymion, in his pastel gray tuxedo and cape, bowed in return. "You grace us with your presence in our time of peril."
Only then did he allow himself to turn to the pink-haired girl to Endymion's right.
"Maiden," he exclaimed, the tremor in his voice betraying the emotion he felt.
"Helios!" Sailor Moon cried out.
She broke from the group, ran up to him and fell into his waiting arms. The couple embraced passionately, molding their bodies to one another in order to assuage their sudden burst of desire. It was a few seconds before Usa sensed the eyes boring holes in her back. Turning, she found her father staring. He said nothing, betrayed no expression of disapproval, but it was evident in his rigid body language that he was valiantly holding himself back from reclaiming HIS daughter from the grasp of this youthful interloper. Sailor Moon rolled her eyes and reluctantly relinquished Helios.
"Aww!" sighed Ceres. "They're just SO cute together."
"King Endymion," Candide said, offering her hand and drawing everyone's attention away from the awkward situation. "I'm so glad to see you again." Endymion took it and kissed the back of the hand. "Charming as ever. Please convey my respects to your lovely wife."
Just then, Ceres noticed the temple maiden. She stared at the maiden, first in confusion, then in stunned recognition. Barely able to contain herself, she nudged Juno and whispered something to her. Juno looked and her surprise confirmed her sister's suspicions. They both passed their discovery on to Vesta. Drawn by the activity, Sailor Pallas and Sailor Saturn each looked on her own.
"Lookee!" squealed Pallas, pointing to the maiden amid startled looks from the adults. "It's Miss Fisheye Sir!"
"You know her?" Saturn asked.
Sailor Moon and King Endymion looked harder at the embarrassed temple maiden. The king reacted in surprise, while all the color drained from Sailor Moon's face. The Asteroid Senshi scampered over, surrounding Fisheye.
"What are you doing here, Fish?" Vesta asked bluntly.
"Yeah, we thought Queen Neherenia got you along with the others!" gasped Juno.
"Helios," whispered Sailor Moon, leaning close to her love's ear. "Do you know about . . .?"
"Yes, My Little Maiden," Helios smiled placidly. "I am familiar with every aspect of Fisheye's previous life."
"I realize this may be a shock," Fisheye ventured, humble and meek. He turned to the Asteroid Senshi. "I almost died at the hand of Queen Neherenia, just as you all thought. It was only through the kindness and mercy of Lord Helios that I, and Hawk's Eye and Tiger's Eye were able to survive. He," and Fisheye stumbled, overtaken with emotion, "gave us our dream, girls! And he brought us here to this magical paradise - - oh girls, it's such a blessing! I know I didn't do anything to deserve being blessed like this, but I'm so grateful!"
"Yeah, we can tell," Juno smiled.
"Kind of 'been there, done that'," Ceres nodded. "I like the new look. Beats those old rags you used to wear."
Sailor Moon looked at Helios with confusion.
"I was in need of a temple maiden," Helios explained. "A replacement for dear departed Evionne. Fisheye was a, well, unique candidate, but one I feel confident will be a choice beneficial to all. Much in the way your senshi can benefit more than just yourself."
Fisheye approached Sailor Moon and bowed.
"Please believe that I mean you no harm, Princess," Fisheye told her. "I did terrible things to you and wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me. But Lord Helios and your mother before him opened my eyes and showed me just how wrong I was and just how much my desperation to be human and to dream beautiful dreams hurt everyone else. Lord Helios has seen fit to give me a chance to do penance and to help more people than I hurt before. I swear to you that I won't let him or you down."
Buoyed by Fisheye's words, Sailor Moon returned a hopeful smile.
"Besides, I'd just die if I let down someone as cute as Helios," Fisheye murmured to Sailor Moon with a shy smile. "Why he's almost as hot as your dad."
The smile froze on Sailor Moon's face as the color drained from it.
"Um, we all wish you success," Endymion interjected. "Now, what exactly is the threat Elysian is facing?"
As Endymion turned to Helios and Candide, Sailor Moon inched back to the comfort and security of Saturn's presence. Her friend looked at her strangely.
"Sailor Moon?" Saturn whispered. "What's wrong?"
"Fisheye thinks Helios and my dad are hot," Sailor Moon said softly, then made a face. "Eyewwww."
"Well, a lot of girls think Helios and the king are hot," Saturn offered. "They're both very handsome."
"Saturn - - Fisheye is a guy."
Suddenly the color drained from Saturn's face.
Without warning, the sparkling blue of Elysian's day darkened. The overhead sun was blotted out, plunging the paradise of dreams into an eerie dusk. A canopy of violet hung over the temple grounds. Murmurs of anxiety could be heard from the population and tension filled the air.
"What's going on?" gasped Sailor Moon. She and Saturn pivoted so they were back to back. Saturn's glaive was at the ready, while Sailor Moon produced the Crescent Wand.
And out of the blue the air was pierced with a high-pitched shriek of sheer terror. Everyone turned to the sound and found Sailor Pallas cowering on the ground.
"Pallas, what is it?" Vesta demanded, kneeling next to her fallen sister.
"Scary!" wailed Pallas. "Pallas is afraid!"
"It's just dark!" Vesta told her. "There's nothing to be afraid of!"
"No, scary thoughts! Pallas can hear them! She can't shut them out!"
"What kind of thoughts, Pallas?" Juno asked.
"Bad thoughts! Scary and evil swirling all around! They go everywhere but don't go anywhere! They want to choke Pallas! They want to pull her down into the darkness!"
"Who's thinking them?" Ceres asked.
"Pallas doesn't know!" The senshi buried her head under her arms. "Pallas wants to go home!"
Endymion turned on Helios and Candide.
"Is this the threat?" he asked.
"There can be no doubt," Candide replied gravely, "though it has never manifested to this degree before. I am sorry for your companion. I fear she may be but the latest victim of this scourge."
The violet and indigo of the skies seemed to swirl around them. It became a dizzying maelstrom above them and seemed to close in around them, looming over them all. Sailor Moon noticed the worried looks on the Asteroid Senshi as they searched the heavens for something, perhaps some confirmation of an unspoken fear. Then she noticed Fisheye. Fisheye, too, cast worried looks to the sky as if he knew what was surrounding them but prayed to the gods that he was wrong. And where was Ravonna, the other temple maiden, in all of this? Of them all, she would be most likely to know what threatened them.
"Sailor Moon, look!" cried Saturn.
Up in the sky the colors had merged into black and pulsed with unholy life. The sky seemed to writhe like a pit of snakes, identifiable by the thin, shifting slits of blue that peeked through. An image began to shimmer above them, taking shape.
"Damn it, who are you!" bellowed Vesta in impotent rage.
The image became clearer. Pale white skin, blood red lips, violet eyes that reflected your fear like arcade mirrors - - it was a sight Sailor Moon hoped never to see again. And if she loathed the very sight of her, how were Fisheye and the senshi reacting?
"Sailor Moon, it's," Saturn whispered, giving voice to their fears as the image took final shape, "Queen Neherenia."
Continued in Chapter 3