Battle for Power Book 1: "Testing Ground"
By: Jay'a
Prologue and Chapter 1
PROLOGUE
It was just another day at the Crystal Palace: Queen Serenity sat musing over some administrative matters, King Endymion stood by a window observing his city, the cats, Luna, Artemis, and Diana, sunned themselves on the palace steps, the Royal Guardians, the Sailor Scouts, casually patrolled various sections of the palace grounds, and fifteen year old Princess Rini sat in her room talking to her friend Randy via her private video screen. There had been peace on Earth for ten years. The Negemoon Family Invasion was remembered vividly by almost no one except the Royal Family and Scouts. Though by contrast, the related last battle with the Doom Phantom was really only remembered by the Princess as it had only been ten years earlier for her, rather than the millennium it was for the Scouts and her parents.
Yes, there was peace. However, that peace was not meant to last.
An immeasurable distance from this peaceful scene, an entity watched. This being, who called himself Quetan, if only for the sake of convenience, resided in an area known as the Negeverse. This nearly omnipotent creature was not a native to the region; he stayed there because the place amused him. It was one of the few places left in the vast omniverse that still did amuse him.
As he watched the scene on Earth, he recalled hearing passing references to negeverse generals having fought the people of Earth. He also recalled some of the more dismal failures. Beryl was a joke, he thought. She had little or no leadership skills and wasn't paying very close attention to her job. She and her generals suddenly became an inept bunch of fools, losing to, essentially, and equally inept bunch of fourteen year olds. What makes it worse, is that this was same bunch of fourteen year olds that they'd beaten a millennium earlier on the moon.
Quetan shook his head. "Beryl did the whole thing bass-backwards," he started ranting out loud. "She should have sent her strongest general when there was only one Scout, not her dumbest general. Then she sent her emotionally vulnerable general and her vengeful general. Finally she sent Malachite, but by then the Scouts had some experience to fall back on." Quetan stopped. If he continued on like this, he'd be listing the ineptitudes that that bunch for days.
The Doom Phantom had come much closer, though, he remembered. If he'd had a greater understanding of the structure of time, he might have succeeded.
He focused again on Earth. "How can a people so predisposed to peace continually defeat a people so predisposed to war, especially when the war-mongers have seemingly every advantage over the peace-lovers?" The question so intrigued him that he decided that the best way to answer it would e to get a first hand look at them. "Well," he said, smiling to himself, "I hear Tokyo is nice this time of year."
CHAPTER 1
"… and they completely did not believe me," Rini was saying to Randy. "You know, sometimes, I think that they don't think I can take care of myself. My mother knows I can, though most of the time she doesn't show it. My father believes it a bit less, and the Scouts hardly at all. They're all thinking about ten years ago…" She trailed off.
"We're not gonna start talking about that again, are we?" Randy asked.
Rini sighed. "No. It's just that it can get really annoying sometimes."
Randy smiled and shook his head. "You can hardly blame them. You are the Princess after all, and -"
Suddenly the connection was cut off and the screen went black. Rini frowned and was about to hit redial when a huge tremor shook the whole palace. Uh oh, she thought. Trouble.
Back in the sitting room, Queen Serenity had joined Endymion at the window, and the cats had run in from outside. The sky had become thick with rolling black clouds and some sort of energy being had started to attack the city. "Luna!" the Queen cried. "Do you know what's going on?"
The dark gray cat sat on a nearby table. "I'm sorry Queen Serenity, but I don't. However," she added gravely, "in all likelihood, it's the Negeverse once again. But the Scouts are probably headed to the tower to protect the palace."
The Queen nodded. Then she looked up with a sudden fear in her eyes. "Where's Rini?" se cried as she started to get up to look for her daughter.
"Calm down. I'm right here." Everyone turned as Rini entered the room. "What's going on?" she asked as Diana jumped into her arms and sat on her shoulder.
"We think it could be the Negeverse again," he father answered.
"Oh, them again?" Rini rolled her eyes. "Don't they know when to quit?"
"Apparently not," commented Diana as she batted at one of Rini's pink meatballs.
Just then an energy dome erected itself around the palace. The Sailor Scouts were in the tower focusing their power. The Royal Family watched from the window.
*****
Quetan casually wrought destruction on a section of the city. Shouldn't be long now, he thought. He glanced up and saw an energy dome come to life around the palace. Hmm. Were they, perhaps, more interested in protecting themselves? That would be most distressing. That would mean that he'd have to do this the easier, though less entertaining way. Well, he'd give them a few more minutes.
*****
Queen Serenity paced in the sitting room. This isn't right, she thought to herself. The Scouts should be out there protecting the city. The energy dome was all well and good ten years ago after I'd been attacked, but now it's just plain silly! "This is driving me crazy!" she said aloud. She turned and ran from the room.
Endymion ran after her and called to her, "Serenity!" Where did she think she was going? Rini and the cats followed.
As Serenity continued to run she thought, Those girls need guidance, a leader. And I know just where to find one! She ran into the room where the Silver Crystal was kept, and crossed quickly to the cushioned pedestal where it sat. The others entered the room. Serenity took out the little pink locket that Luna had given her so long ago. She was about to put the Crystal in the locket, but she hesitated. What am I doing? she thought. Am I really prepared to do this? It's been so long.
Endymion was by her side. "Serenity," he said. "Serena," he said, calling her by her old Earth name, "don't do this. You've been away too long. Let the Scouts do their job."
She turned away from him. He was right, of course. She looked at the Crystal in her hands and thought again of her beloved city being attacked. No. She could not, would not, allow this to happen to her city. And those people, all of those people. She put the Crystal in the locket and turned back to face him. She smiled at him and said, "Darien," calling him by his old Earth name, "I love you." Then she took a few steps back, held up the locket, and yelled, "MOON, CRYSTAL, POWER!" Endymion could only watch as his wife turned once again into the warrior Sailor Moon. She took stock of herself and said, "Good. Now we can get some real work done." She turned to leave.
"Sailor Moon, I don't think this is a good idea," Endymion said.
Luna broke in. "I agree Sailor Moon. You are simply not prepared for this." Artemis nodded in agreement.
"I don't care. I refuse to watch while my city gets razed and the Scouts just sit up there in that tower!" Sailor Moon argued.
"Serenity, they're protecting you!" Endymion said. "Just like last time."
"But I don't need it this time." She sighed. "Are you really that worried about me?"
"Yes, of course I am."
"Good, then you change too. Besides, someone has to throw roses for me." She winked at him.
A brief smile touched his lips. "What about Rini?"
Sailor Moon said, "She can take care of herself," just as Rini said, "I can take care of myself."
Endymion looked at the women. He could see that they were fairly adamant about this. Luna looked ready to give up. He looked away a moment and then looked back. Reluctantly, he transformed himself into Tuxedo Mask.
Sailor Moon grinned. "Good. Now let's go see about those Scouts." She pointed her finger at Rini. "And you," she warned, "stay out of trouble."
"Yes ma'am," came the reply.
Sailor Moon looked back at Tuxedo Mask. "Let's go." The two of them ran off to the tower followed by the three cats.
Rini turned to leave as well when something on the floor behind the pedestal caught her attention. It struck her as odd since the entire palace was immaculate, well, except for her room. She walked over to look and was completely surprised to find a power stick, much like the other Scouts had. She knelt and picked it up. This stick was a rich teal color and had the symbol of "- Earth?" she said. "No, that can't be right. That would mean that it's meant for me."
