All standard disclaimers that I have already used so far with any of the various stories that I now have on fanfiction dot net will apply. For your information, all of the characters that you may not actually recognize well enough in this story are original characters of mine, unless otherwise stated, in fact. So please don't steal my original characters from this story or any others, for that matter.
Now without any further ado, let's get on with this story again, if that's all right with you here, readers. And I really hope that if you've read this series up to this point here, you've enjoyed what you've read of its story series so far. And this part of the story is actually going to be the third chapter of this second story here, in fact, readers. That's so that all of you people on who've followed the story and its related story series well enough, and often enough, will be able to eventually read the whole related series of stories here, of course. Please do read, review, and enjoy, if at all possible, quite naturally enough, for all the obvious reasons, readers!
Meeting the Menace
A The Chrysanthemum Chronicles Series Story
Somewhere On Ozotov IV
Ozotov IV, Ozotovian Solar System, Cassini Galaxy
September 10, 986
Meanwhile, several other people were currently trying to figure out where they were now in God's very own Universe. And they were doing that as Darien was getting ready to try to find and/or rescue as many of the people who were currently missing from the Moon City local area as he possibly could, at least, if not others as well. Or as he was taking a short nap for a while in his Crystal Palace chambers. Especially since all of them now knew that they were all no longer in the Moon's Moon City local area. And they were all people that'd been on the Crystal Palace's grounds there, except for four of them. Which would eventually become sufficiently evident to them all, after they realized where they were, most likely.
All but four of those people had disappeared recently from the Moon City local area, with the most recent of them being Queen Serenity, of course. Also with her in that place at the current time were the Princesses Serena, Lita, Mina, Raye, Destiny, Bethany, and Amy. Not to mention four other Moon Kingdom Princesses, as well. And both of Serenity's cats, who were, of course, Luna and Artemis. One of the Princesses who was now with Queen Serenity and the cats was blind, and one was deaf. The one that was blind was Princess Destiny. While the one that was deaf was Princess Bethany. The four yet-unnamed Moon Kingdom Princesses were Saturnian, Uranusian, Neptunian, and Plutonian Princesses, respectively, in fact. But the Princesses from those four planets that were with Queen Serenity, the other seven Princesses, and the cats weren't actually the main Princesses from them. They were only the secondary ones from each of them.
That was because Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto's main Princesses were currently on a mission for Queen Serenity to another Milky Way Galaxy solar system. They'd left those planets under the protection of their secondary Princesses. For they'd not be able to protect them at all while they were away on that mission for her, obviously enough. And ever since they'd left on that mission, their planets' secondary Princesses had protected them all to the best of their respective abilities. But now, because of the fact that they'd also disappeared from their areas under similar conditions as all their companions now with them somewhere else in God's Universe had done, their planets' next-highest-ranking Princesses would have to take over the protection detail for each of them. This, of course, was for all the obvious reasons.
Eventually Amy was somehow able to find out that they were no longer in the Milky Way Galaxy. And also find out that they were all in another galaxy called the Cassini Galaxy. They were now apparently on a planet called Ozotov IV. A planet which was actually about the size of Earth, more or less, in the Ozotovian solar system of that very same galaxy, as a matter of fact. Specifically on a medium-sized continental landmass of it called Marzotek, from what she could then gather after they'd looked around the area where they now were. Which was a river valley between a large forest and a mountain range.
They'd all been brought to the area quite suddenly, without any advanced warning at all, within the last few weeks, at most, and no less than mere hours before. They'd appeared on Marzotek near a small village some time before, but no later than just hours before. And this village was quite spread out, with nobody else likely within a Terran statute mile or two of where they'd each been brought to in Marzotek, when they'd each been brought there. In between depositings of themselves there, they all tried to find out where they now were exactly in God's very own Universe. This they all did as quickly as they could possibly do so, of course.
Marzotek wasn't the largest landmass on Ozotov IV. But it was the third-largest on it. It was about 240,000 square miles in size, by Terran standards of statute miles. Most of the landmasses on Ozotov IV were about 100,000 square miles in size. But at least a few were at least somewhere near about 250,000 square miles in size. With the largest one on the planet being about 300,000 square miles in size, in any case. At the current time, Queen Serenity and all her current companions were somewhere in the middle of the Marzotekan continental landmass. Where exactly in it, they didn't yet know. For they didn't yet have a map of the entire landmass, much less the whole world, for the obvious reasons.
Serena soon asked Amy, "Amy, do you think we'll ever get back to the Moon again?" She did this after Amy had somehow found out that they were all now in the Universe's Cassini Galaxy. Specifically on a world named Ozotov IV in the Ozotovian solar system of that particular Galaxy, and on a continental landmass named Marzotek on that world, as a matter of fact.
"If we find out how we got here, maybe we can, Serena. But I suspect that we're going to be here for a while, from what I can gather about our current situation here on Ozotov IV, Serena."
"What if we can't, Amy?"
"Then we'd better hope that those who actually still remain in our Moon Kingdom are able to protect it from any people that ever seek to destroy it, Serena. I, for one, though, hope that we can actually get back to our Moon Kingdom, for the obvious reasons, Serena."
Then all the Princesses and Queen Serenity talked at great length with each other, and with the cats, as much as they wanted or needed to talk with them. At least at the current time. Finally, Queen Serenity said, "Girls and cats, it seems that we're going to have to see if anyone else is anywhere near here, of course. I want three of you girls to transform into your respective Scout states as quickly as you can. The three of you who I want to transform are Princesses Susan, Michelle, and Alexis. All the rest of you, I want you to stay out of your Scout states, at least for the time being, if at all possible. Even you, Princess Hannah."
Princess Susan was Pluto's secondary Princess. Princess Michelle was Neptune's secondary Princess. Princess Alexis was Uranus's secondary Princess. And Princess Hannah was Saturn's secondary Princess. All of them then agreed to do what Serenity told them to do. As did all of the other girls with them, the cats, and Serenity. Serenity then had Susan, Michelle, and Alexis all duck behind the largest nearby rocks or bushes that they could find quickly enough. And then she had them all transform themselves into each of their respective Scout states.
After she did so, and after they did as she'd told them to do, Junior Sailors Pluto Beta, Neptune Beta, and Uranus Beta soon came out from behind those rocks or bushes which they'd hidden behind as they'd transformed. They came out in the exact same order as they'd gone to do as Serenity had just told them to do. Then Serenity had the three of them watch the rest of the Princesses and both cats. And to do so at least while she too hid herself while she also transformed into one of her own Scout states, for all the obvious reasons.
She soon came out from that hiding place in which she'd just rather secretly transformed herself into her second-power Scout state. And she came out of it then as Sentinel Serenity. Then she told all her companions to follow her. For she'd just found a footpath that'd hopefully lead them to the nearest village or town, just after she'd transformed into her Scout state as Sentinel Serenity. So they did so. But not until they left a marker to let them know where they'd all actually appeared on Marzotek somewhere nearby, for all the obvious reasons.
After about an hour or so of walking, they soon came upon the southern outskirts of a village named "Stramesville," in fact. And Stramesville wasn't very large, from what they could currently tell at first, as they came to it on that path. They went down the path as quietly and as quickly as they could. But not too quickly, in fact. For they all really didn't want to suddenly come upon anything that might hurt any or all of them here, if they could possibly avoid it.
After about another ten or so minutes of walking, they then found themselves outside what was obviously the largest house in the village. And Sentinel Serenity soon called out to its resident or residents from about forty feet away from it. She then called out, "Hello, is anyone there?"
She soon heard movement inside the aforementioned house. Someone inside it then came to a window on her side of it. And they then called out something that sounded a lot like, if not entirely like, "Who's there?"
"A party of travelers far from home. Can you spare some room in your house tonight, by any chance at all?" called out Sentinel Serenity.
"How many are in your party?" asked the person inside the house at the window. Or at least that was what their question sounded like to Sentinel Serenity, at the current time.
"Myself, and thirteen others, two of which are cats."
"Very well. You may stay the night, at least. But I'll expect you gone before this time tomorrow, unless I change my mind by then." At least that was what the person's reply currently sounded like to Sentinel Serenity.
Sentinel Serenity soon saw a drawbridge come down from the front of the house. A man apparently about fifty or so Terran years of age then came out of the house, to show them all into it. He went straight to where she'd called out to him. And then he withdrew a crystal from a pocket of a bag hanging on his waist. He then presented it to her. And he then held out his right hand. This was because he hoped that she'd give him something for letting her and all her current companions stay the night, at the very least, at his place. When she realized this well enough here, she soon said, "Amy, I need something of ours to give him, so that we can all stay the night, at the very least, at his place."
Amy then dug in her things. And she soon took out a small carving that she'd made some time before of a horse. This horse was of a Terran variety, most frequently. But horses of that variety had also been found on at least a few of the Moon Kingdom's inhabited worlds as well, at various times. Especially on the Moon, for the obvious reasons. It was a horse mainly of the Terran Arabian variety, with a few exceptions. And she'd essentially painted it a chestnut brown except on his nose. For that was where she'd given the horse a white blaze running from between his eyes to just above his nostrils. And on his legs' stockings just above all four hooves, where she'd painted him with mostly cream-colored or white stockings that ran to about six inches above each hoof. This particular horse was about two hands high at the shoulder. Which was about one-eighth or one-ninth the size that he'd most likely be if he was actually life-size, instead of being the size that he now was. And his head was currently angled up from his shoulders at about a forty-degree angle. Under him, on a platform, Amy had put a plaque with his name on it, which was "Prince Toroskovi," after she'd carved him in a medium-sized block of red cedar wood. A red cedar block that she'd earlier received from Darien on one of his previous visits to the Moon after her own arrival on the Moon, as a matter of fact. She'd carved him out of that block of wood. And she tried to make him look as much as possible like one of the horses that she'd often ride whenever she was in residence at Moon City's Crystal Palace on the Moon. For she really liked the real Prince Toroskovi a great deal. Especially whenever she got to ride him for a long enough time.
After she dug it out, she looked at it for a few moments, before she then decided that she should give that to their host. But before she did so, she took out a small sketch pad and a few pencils. And she sketched her recent carving of Prince Toroskovi at least a bit. She did that so she'd always remember this carving of hers that she'd done before she'd unexpectedly left the Moon again, of course. Once she felt that she'd done so well enough, she then put away her sketch pad and pencils again. And she then handed her recent carving to their host, after looking at it for just a few more moments, before she could change her mind again.
Then the man looked at the carving for a few moments, before he smiled. And he nodded in approval of Amy's gift to him. He then showed Sentinel Serenity how she and her companions should all hold the crystal he'd just handed her in front of them while they were with him, at the very least. Then after he did so, they soon began completely understanding whatever he said to them. And he did the same when they spoke to him. This was the case, in fact, because the crystal he'd handed to Sentinel Serenity was a translation crystal of some sort.
Sentinel Serenity then asked him, "Where are we all now?"
"You're all in Stramesville, travelers. From where do you come?"
"A place many years' travel from this place, we believe. Our home's far from here. And we know not entirely how we got here. We don't yet know how far we're from our home. But we suspect that it'll take us many years to return there, if we're ever able to do so."
"Are you from this planet, even?"
Sentinel Serenity asked, "Why do you ask that?"
"You're all not very much like the people I've seen before here on Ozotov IV. You're obviously not from this planet, people."
"I see. How else do you know we're not from this planet, if we're not?" Sentinel Serenity asked this, of course.
"You're not speaking my main language without the crystal that I gave you just now. Nor any other language or dialect of anyone I've ever met before here on this world, as a matter of fact. So all of you must not be from this world."
"No, we're not. We're from a very long distance away. And we don't know how far away from here we all came. We each came here one at a time all of a sudden. And now we're all here on your world," said Sentinel Serenity, no more than a few moments later.
"I see. Well, I did say that you could stay the night at my place, I suppose. But before I bring you into it, may I ask you who you are?"
Sentinel Serenity thought about it for a moment, at least. And then she said, "If you agree to try not to let anyone know we're here that you don't have to let know about us, then I suppose I could introduce all of us to you."
"Agreed." So Sentinel Serenity soon introduced herself and all of her current companions to their host, of course. And then he soon brought them into his residence, before anyone else could see them near it. He did that here so they'd all be as safe from unexpected harm as possible, at least for the time being, of course.
He then brought them very soon afterward to one of the largest rooms in his house. And then he said to all of them, "This is where you all will sleep tonight. Feel free to look around it as much as you see fit. When I have my supper, I'll come back here to let you know, so that you can eat with me, if you all wish to do so."
Then he left his visitors alone for a while, so that they could all get used to the room as much as they possibly could all get used to it. After he'd been away from them for at least ten or so minutes, Bethany soon signed to Sentinel Serenity, "Mom, do you think that we can trust him, while we're here in his house?"
"I think so, Bethany. But we'll just have to see, because we're evidently not on the Moon anymore, of course. And we don't know how things often work here on this world. For we've not been here before. At least, I don't think any of us have ever been on this world before."
Then all the Princesses who weren't now in their own Scout states soon began setting up their sleeping areas in the room that he'd provided for their use. This they did as the ones that were in their Scout states with Sentinel Serenity stood guard near the doors and windows anywhere in the room, of course. And when they all worked together more than they didn't, they got more done. At least in terms of setting up sleeping areas for everyone who was now present here. Including themselves, of course. If not also in terms of anything else they did in them as well, as they did so.
Then, after they'd all taken care of all the business that they'd all needed to do in the room, they soon found other things to do while they all waited for their host to come back to it. Just as he said he'd do when it was about time for him to have his supper.
Destiny occupied herself with listening to Serena read some scrolls to her. She did that while Amy took out another block of wood and began carving it. While Amy did that, Raye found one of her scrolls, and she began writing down a new melody that'd come into her head since shortly after her recent disappearance from the Moon City local area's Crystal Palace back on the Moon. While Raye did that, Bethany took out one of her still-available paintbrushes from a set of painting supplies, a set that was now missing at least one of its members, for the obvious reasons. And she found one of the scrolls that she'd brought with her when she'd been unexpectedly whisked away from Moon City much like every single one of her companions had been. Except for, of course, Princesses Susan, Alexis, Michelle, and Hannah. She then unrolled it out enough for her to be able to begin painting on it. And she soon began painting on it with at least a bit of her current painting supplies.
After Mina had found a pair of slippers that she could wear for a while, she also spent some time reading a scroll to herself silently. And when she eventually got sufficiently bored with doing just that, she soon found herself dozing off at least a little bit. While she did that, Hannah often spent a while talking quietly to Lita for a while. While Lita mainly occupied herself with reading scrolls she'd also had on her person when she'd suddenly vanished from the Moon City area of the Moon, or she often petted or played with Luna and Artemis elsewhere in the room, when Luna and Artemis weren't currently napping for a little while in it.
While everyone else did all those things, then, Sentinel Serenity and Pluto Beta, Uranus Beta, and Neptune Beta generally stood guard over all of their current companions, of course. And they often talked quietly about the situation with each other, of course. Especially Sentinel Serenity and Pluto Beta. For Junior Sailor Pluto Beta was the oldest of all the Junior Sailor Scouts now with Sentinel Serenity and all of their current companions. That was because Princess Susan was at least a few months older, if not at least a year older, than Princess Alexis actually was.
All the Princesses now with Sentinel Serenity were secretly Junior Sailor Scouts. But only three of them were currently in their respective Scout states of being as Junior Sailor Scouts. Those three Princesses being, of course, Princesses Susan, Alexis, and Michelle, who were currently in their Scout states as either Pluto Beta, Uranus Beta, or Neptune Beta, as the case might currently be for each of them.
When Moon Princess Serena was in her own Scout state, she was Junior Sailor Moon. When Princess Amy was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Mercury. When Princess Raye was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Mars. When Princess Lita was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Jupiter. When Princess Mina was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Venus. When Princess Destiny was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Corona, and she was normally able to see with eyes that she'd not generally be able to see with whenever she wasn't. When Princess Bethany was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Eclipse, and she was normally able to hear with ears that she'd not generally be able to hear with when she wasn't. When Queen Serenity was in her first-power Scout state of being, she was Royal Sailor Serenity. When Queen Serenity was in her second-power Scout state of being, she was usually called by people either "Queen of the Sailor Scouts" or "Sentinel Serenity," if they wished to call her either of those things. When she was actually in her second-power Scout state, both names were appropriate for use by other people. Though most people generally called her Sentinel Serenity more than they'd call her Queen of the Sailor Scouts. Especially if they were quite familiar to and with her in the Moon Kingdom. When Princess Susan was in her own Scout state, she was Junior Sailor Pluto Beta. When Princess Alexis was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Uranus Beta. When Princess Michelle was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Neptune Beta. And when Princess Hannah was in hers, she was Junior Sailor Saturn Beta.
Eventually, their host knocked on their door to let them all know that it was about time for him to eat his supper. Sentinel Serenity soon answered him, and said, "Understood. We'll be out in a few minutes."
Then Sentinel Serenity and Junior Sailor Pluto Beta began waking up all the other Princesses who weren't currently in their Scout states and awake. And they did the same thing for Luna and Artemis if they weren't awake either in their current room. Eventually, everyone in the room was sufficiently awake and conscious, and moving about as the need arose for each of them, of course. Then Sentinel Serenity had them all count off, so that she was sure that everyone was ready to leave the room again. Even Destiny and Bethany, of course. Though Bethany had to do so by signing "Here" to Sentinel Serenity, for the obvious reasons.
Then they all soon left the room, so that they could join him at his table, and eat his food, if they wished to do so. They all soon arrived in his dining area. And they were all soon eating at his table, as they got to know him at least a bit better than they'd had a chance to do so before.
They soon learned his name was Yoshimo Toskukachi. And he often spent his time alone, but not all the time. He told them at least one story about himself and his life near the Teborsaku Forest just about five to ten Terran statute miles southwest of Stramesville's nearest outskirts. He soon told them about at least some time he'd spent in central Marzotek in the past. Most especially whenever he'd spent it in the Pazukawi Mountains across the Amazuru River from Stramesville. The Amazuru River was a river which eventually ran all the way to the Murzanicu Bay. He even told them what to expect about things in central Marzotek. And that there were six nations of various sizes and shapes on the Marzotekan landmass, including his own.
Besides his own, which was Muramiskayo, the other nations on the landmass of Marzotek were Gulmarata, Pilomuwaka, Toshopikawa, Yonishiki, and Kuzaruno. And he told them where they were, at least to the best of his knowledge. According to him, Pilomuwaka and Toshopikawa held the entire northern coast of the Marzotekan landmass. Toshopikawa, Yonishiki, and Kuzaruno apparently held the entire eastern coast of it, also according to him. Furthermore, Gulmarata, Muramiskayo, and Kuzaruno all apparently held its entire southern coast, from what he knew about that coast of Marzotek. And finally, also according to him, Gulmarata and Pilomuwaka actually held the entire western coast of the Marzotekan landmass.
He then recommended that they all should try not to go to Pilomuwaka or Gulmarata. For both of those nations were currently at war with each other. He also told them to try to do the same thing for both Yonishiki and Toshopikawa. For those two nations were also at war with each other. The only nations that he recommended they spend time in for at least as long as they were on Ozotov IV's Marzotekan landmass were Kuzaruno and his own nation. For they were currently the safest nations on that landmass, just because they'd ended a war with each other several decades before. While all the other nations on it had just started two different wars within the last five to ten Terran years. Unlike the two nations of Kuzaruno and Muramiskayo, who'd somehow maintained a state of peace with each other for at least the last fifty to sixty Terran years, mainly for reasons of mutual self-preservation of their nations.
His nation and Kuzaruno had nearly made themselves extinct in their last war with each other. And it took about six hundred years of war for them to finally make peace with each other. They only began to stop fighting when at least two of the other nations on the landmass threatened to steal some of the territory of both nations, and when their respective nations' populations both dropped below totals of no more than 80,000 people or somewhere thereabouts for either or both of them. And, of course, they both didn't want their respective peoples to become extinct, if they could possibly avoid it. So they ultimately decided to make peace with each other, before it was likely too late for them to do so at all. And ever since, their combined populations had risen to a total of at least 400,000 people, with the slight majority of them being in Muramiskayo.
He told them all that he felt that he could about all the nations on the Marzotekan landmass. But most especially about his own, quite naturally enough. He even told them that he was secretly a Prince from an area of Muramiskayo near its border with Gulmarata. But that he was currently hiding from a brother of his that'd recently usurped the throne of his nation from its rightful owner, who was his older brother Prince Murumu Toskukachi. And his brother Murumu had earlier been forced into exile far from the capital city of Tumakusku near his nation's border with Yonishiki. Both he and Murumu were essentially in exile, at the current time, according to him. And they were both currently hiding from the usurper, who'd declared himself the Emperor Tosunekaro of Muramiskayo, after forcing at least two of his siblings into exile elsewhere on the Marzotekan landmass, if not more than two.
Of course, his guests often asked him questions about Marzotek and the nations on it, for the obvious reasons. And after doing so, they soon conferred with each other temporarily without their use of the translation crystal that he'd lent them. They ultimately decided to try to help him, at least, out as much as they all possibly could. If not also his brother who was the rightful heir to the Muramiskayon throne, for that matter. At least while they were still on Ozotov IV's Marzotekan landmass. They all then did so, while also hoping that he'd be able to somehow help them all get back to the Moon Kingdom. But still not yet knowing at all if he'd ever be able to do that somehow here, of course.
Then they told him what they'd decided to do. And that naturally made him quite happy, of course. Though they didn't know how they'd ever be able to help him and his brother be able to get out of their unjustified periods of exile anywhere on the Marzotekan landmass, of course. That said, then, he soon let them leave his dining area for their room again.
Then they all went to the room that he'd provided for their use while they were staying with him in his house. And they were soon alone with each other again in it. After doing so, they all locked the door quite securely behind them. And then Sentinel Serenity and the rest of the Princesses that were in their respective Scout states as Junior Sailor Scouts soon transformed all the way out of them.
Then Serena and everyone else now with her and Amy soon wished Amy a happy birthday, if they hadn't already done so earlier that very day. For the current day was still Amy's tenth birthday, at least as it was reckoned in Terran calendar years. They'd most likely not had the chance to do so earlier. Or they'd forgotten that it was her birthday until just after they'd returned to their room in his house from his dining area there. That was if they'd not already done so, of course. And maybe even if they'd already done so, also for the obvious reasons. Whatever the actual case might possibly be for each of them, they still did wish her a happy tenth birthday. Just in case they'd not yet done so earlier that very day.
Of course, if they'd all not yet done so, they all then did so. And when they did, Amy was quite pleased to hear them all wish her happy birthday. And then, once that was undeniably taken care once and for all by all of Amy's current companions somewhere on Ozotov IV's Marzotekan landmass, everyone began giving Amy some birthday presents if they had any to give her at the current time.
Amy was pleased to receive several scrolls from at least six other Princesses now with her in Stramesville, Muramiskayo, quite obviously enough. But she didn't receive any from Hannah, Susan, Alexis, and Michelle. For they had no scrolls for her to get from them for her birthday. Instead, Hannah gave her a necklace, Susan a pair of earrings, Alexis a pair of boots, and Michelle a violin. While she received those things from Saturn, Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune's secondary Princesses, in that exact order, Queen Serenity gave her a mirror, Luna gave her a recently-knitted light blue sweater, and Artemis gave her a wide-brimmed hat.
Then Amy put all those gifts to her in her things. That done, she soon retired for the rest of the night in their current area of Ozotov IV. Not long afterward, but certainly within eight Terran hours, she was joined in the state of sleep by everyone else who was still with her in Yoshimo Toskukachi's house in Stramesville, Muramiskayo. And after everyone had fallen asleep there, none of them woke up before the first signs of daylight began showing themselves through the window of the room about eight to ten or so hours after Ozotov had set the night before.
I suppose that I'd better stop here now. For this will be where the next part of the story will take up from, in fact, readers. I hope that you have so far enjoyed the story, if you've gotten this far, and that you'll continue to read it, once I put more of it up here on fanfiction dot net. I don't know how long it will take me to get each story in this series up fully on fanfiction dot net. But it might take a while for each story in this series, just the same, readers. Until later, then, this is "The Universal Storyteller" signing off here. Happy reading, and God bless, and all that, of course, readers! Over and out!