A/N: Ahem, first off I'd like to ask Alex if they expect me to e-mail them back using an invalid e-mail address. It didn't work when I tried replying, said your e-mail was invalid. Would there be another way to contact you? AIM perhaps, or even a message board? I'm not picky, but e-mail isn't working!
Anyways, I have a request I'd like to make. If someone, anyone would view my website and make suggestions it would be most helpful!!! This is my first time doing a web page and I am therefore ignorant of a few things. Suggestions? Comments? Flames?! (Yeeeeeeeees I am getting desperate)
Sorry guys, but I'm studying for my SATs and I couldn't help but use a few vocabulary words in this, it was just too tempting!!!
"I'm not putting it on!!!" Harry yelled through the door of his room.
"In that case you're not getting out of this room!!!" Kioko returned.
Hotaru looked up from her book and wondered which one of the two would give in first. Most likely, it would be Harry.
"Do you at least have the pants on?" Kioko called.
"Yeah, why—GAH!!! Get out of here!!!" Harry exclaimed when Kioko busted into the room.
"Not until you put it on!!!" Kioko shot back.
"You're making me nervous, get out!"
"Pift, what's there to be nervous about? It's not like you're extremely shrimpy, now put on the shirt."
"Noooooo!!!"
Hotaru closed her book and went on up the stairs, wondering if she could get some peace and quiet topside. Well, the living room was currently empty, so she sat down and continued to read Ivanhoe. No good, by the time she was done with that page it seemed Dudley had invited his friends over and they wanted to watch T.V.
"I hear Japan's racer is favored to win—Hello!" exclaimed the one she knew as Josh. The next moment she found the gang member at her side. "What's a classy lady like you doing in Big D's home?" He asked grinning.
"I'm reading." Hotaru answered.
"Come on guys, the race is going to start without us!" Exclaimed Dudley.
"Tell us why the girl's in your house first." Said someone else while Dudley turned on the T.V.
Hotaru checked her watch, "Oh dear, I nearly forgot! They're having the World Cup Race today aren't they?"
"You into sports?" Asked Josh.
"No, but my papa is racing for Japan." Hotaru answered.
"Hey Hota-chan, and factitious aborigines, let me introduce you and your complacent selves to The-Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die." Kioko said, shoving Harry into the room.
"What did you just call us?"
"Hey it's Potter!"
"Hey it's the girl who wants to kill us!"
"Hey the race is starting!!!"
"Hey it's Haruka!" Kioko said, stopping the deluge.
"You, know him?" Asked Dudley.
"Yes I know him. He, just happens to be Hotaru's foster father!" Kioko said smirking. Everyone looked at Hotaru, who sank in her seat. "There's just one problem," She said.
"What?"
"Haruka Teiou is female!" Kioko exclaimed laughing.
"Wha—" Everyone turned back to the T.V. where the reporter was interviewing Haruka.
"I'd like to give a shout out to my baby, Hotaru! Who had better be watching if she knows what's good for her." Haruka told them.
"It's true?!"
"Haruka Teiou is your fa-er-mother?!"
"Can I have your autograph?"
Hotaru put her hands up in defense, they were all closing in on her, and these were people who had been mean to Harry too, so they weren't the best lot.
"Move it! You're crowding her!" Kioko ordered, shoving some of the larger guys out of the way. "Sit!!!" She ordered. Everyone plopped down on the ground where they were standing. "Thank you." Kioko said looking proud of herself as she sat down on the couch.
"Adamant today, aren't we?" Hotaru asked.
"Yes, very." Kioko answered, proud of herself.
"Okay, stop saying words we don't understand!" ordered Danny.
"Sorry, but I find your presence extremely abrasive. Please vacate the premises or you will find yourself being held in abeyance." She said.
"Gah, stop!!!"
"Now, now, no need to have an acerbity. You're merely disturbing my sense of aesthetics." Kioko said. Her face was straight, but while the race was starting it was obvious to Hotaru and Harry that she was having a blast.
"Okay forget it!" they grumbled.
"I am sensing animosity. Do I demur yon gourmands?" She asked Hotaru.
"Okay you can stop now, Kioko, the race is underway." Hotaru answered. Kioko just snickered.
"We don't need a vocabulary lesson, it's summer!" Harry agreed.
"Come now, if it weren't for that Advanced Writing class we all took you wouldn't have had an idea on what I said either." The two just rolled their eyes.
*********
Haruka won the race, of course she won! But Hotaru was rather reluctant to say she was glad about it because Dudley's gang were all badgering her about getting them hookups. Finally Kioko made a few death threats and they backed off, probably because she showed them that she had bought the sword. Eventually the three were able to sneak back into the basement and lock the door behind them, they didn't forget to close the window either. Though the three could still hear the protests of the gang at the door.
"GO AWAY!!!" Kioko shouted. "IF I GET A HEADACK FROM YOUR RACKET I'LL MAKE SURE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU HAS ONE 10 TIMES WORSE!!!"
Harry sighed and ran his hands through his hair in an unconscious effort to comb it, "Can we go to the park or something?" He asked, looking a bit tired. Hotaru didn't blame him, they seemed to be cursed with Dudley's gang for a while
"I have a better idea, let's go say hi to Silver, and pick up a few…trinkets along the way." Kioko suggested as Calypso appeared on her shoulder.
"Who's Silver?" Harry asked.
"He's the owner of a shop in Hogsmede called Saturn's Eye…wait a minute…" Kioko said. "Now that I think about it that name is rather suspicious…" she said considering. "You think Silver could be from Saturn?"
"Possibly…" Hotaru said, "But let's not accuse him of it when we get there." She added taking Kioko's arm. Kioko then grabbed Harry and the next moment they found themselves in the jewelry section of Saturn's Eye.
Silver's head poked out from an empty cubby hole, "Hello, Clarice." He said with a creepy, hushed voice.
"Hey Hannibal, how's it going?" Kioko returned with a normal voice. Even Hotaru had to snicker at that one.
"What? Did I miss something?" Harry asked.
"It's a book by Stephan King." Kioko said waving it away.
"Mr. Potter," Silver said, somehow appearing right beside Harry.
"Ah!" Harry jumped back and spun to meet him. "Oh, for a moment there I thought you were—"
"Professor Snape?" He asked grinning.
"Okay, is it just me or is this guy a little bit off the top?" Harry whispered to Hotaru.
"Don't worry, he's doing it on purpose." Hotaru answered giggling.
"Oh I feel so much better."
"Hey Silver, anything new?" Kioko asked, looking around.
"Many things, in fact. You haven been here for over a month after all." Silver replied. "I have a collection of alabaster stones if you'd like to look at them."
"Heck yeah!" Kioko exclaimed following him.
Hotaru looked at some of the crystals in Silver's display case. "I'm not sure about you Hotaru, but there's something about this place, I dunno, something in it seems so…familiar." Harry said.
"Hm? How so?" Hotaru asked straitening up.
"Well, like this necklace," He answered, pointing to a crystal that had several shoots of quarts all around the center cluster causing the effect of a snowflake. "It reminds me of something. And those daggers made out of that clear material tented in different colors. Just the whole design of the items in here. I can't seem to figure out where I've seen them all." He said, a bit of a frustrated and confused look on his face.
"Well, now that you mention it…" Hotaru trailed off, they did seem familiar! Why hadn't she seen it before? Perhaps, maybe…Saturn's Eye did have a connection to Saturn! That would explain Silver's connection to Setsuna and Galaxia, it would make sense! Hotaru hastened around the corner, she had to find out. 'Mr. Silver?!' she exclaimed using the silent language. Kioko jumped, but Silver bolted, as if he had just been hit with something she threw. "So it's true, you are from Saturn! You heard me call your name!" Hotaru exclaimed breathlessly.
"Called, is hardly the word, more like shrieked." Silver rubbed his head. "Next time you want to find out something, try a less painful way, Messiah."
"Ah ha!" Kioko said pointing at him, "I knew there was something about you!"
"Is that a bad thing?" Silver asked.
"No…not really. It's just the 'you know something we don't' sort of thing that drives me up the wall. Okay, Silver, if that's you're real name." Kioko leered.
"What? Do you want a metal? There are plenty of reborn Saturnarians on earth, I am only one of them." He told them.
"What? Wait, wait, wait, what's going on?" Harry demanded.
"Silver's a Saturnarian, which would explain why the designs of the things in this shop seem so familiar to us." Hotaru replied.
"I'm not sure I see a connection."
"Sheesh Harry, okay, Silver is using designs from Saturn, probably to target other Saturnarians, and the reason these items are familiar is because we, as in the three of us and others, are also reborn Saturnarians." Kioko said.
"Observant as always, Kioko. So now that you've finally figured all this out, what are you going to do?" Silver asked, though it sounded more like a teacher asking his student something pertaining to a lesson.
"Ask questions of course!" Kioko responded.
"Very good, I'll be only a minute." He said, strolling over to the window. Silver changed the sign to say closed on the outside and then came back. "This way then." He said, pulling back a curtain that Hotaru thought was just a wall decoration, but it had a door behind it that he opened and went through. The three followed one by one and found themselves in a very lush and cozy looking living room, with couches, a fireplace, paintings on the walls, a coffee table, almost everything. "Please sit down."
The three took their seats on the couch while he sat on the chair. "First off, what do you know about the whole Voldemort thing? What's his problem?" Kioko asked.
"His problem?" Silver questioned. "Elaborate."
"Why is he really trying to take over earth? I mean, come on. If I wanted to take over the world it wouldn't be because I wanted Saturn to rule it! No one is that loyal." Kioko responded.
"Hm, I suppose Miss Tomoe didn't really tell you everything did she?" Silver asked. Hotaru sank into her seat as both Harry and Kioko gave her accusing looks.
"It didn't seem that important…" she said, well, at least it wouldn't have mattered in the long run.
"Hotaru." Kioko said leering at her.
"Why wouldn't you tell us though?" Harry asked.
Hotaru sighed and bit her lip. "Now, now, it's pretty understandable why she wouldn't want to elaborate herself. And I doubt Riddle told you everything." Silver said.
"Riddle?" Kioko asked.
"Voldemort's last name." Harry responded.
"Actually, on Saturn, it was his first name." Silver told them.
"You knew him?" Kioko asked.
The side of Silver's lip twitched a bit, as if Kioko's question had been ironic. "Yes I did."
"Okay, now answer me this. How come you have your memories and yet we don't? I mean, if Hotaru's the princess of Saturn, shouldn't she have been the first to regain her memories?" Kioko asked.
"Not so, in fact it's the opposite, since she was the one they wanted to seal the most." Silver answered, though a bit bitterly.
"What? What are you talking about?" Harry demanded.
"I don't remember everything, none of us do, save for Riddle I think. Little things sometimes spark our memory, such as the contents of my shop and the whispers you may hear in Rings." Silver added.
"Wait, you mean Rings is…?" Kioko trailed off.
"Nearly everyone in Rings is a Saturnarian, whether they know it or not. I heard you went to Rings, Messiah. Nearly gave the waiter serving you a nervous breakdown." Silver said with good humor.
"Then the whispering I kept hearing, that was—"
"Had you concentrated hard enough you'd have been able to hear every single solitary word muttered in the Silent language, Messiah." Silver answered.
"Okay, so the mystery of Rings is solved, now what about 'Riddle's reason for wanting to rule the earth?" Kioko pushed.
"Well, I don't remember everything, but I do know the basic details. Saturn was having a problem, a problem that was killing a lot of people. I don't know what it was, but the Silver Alliance refused to help us with this tragedy. Eventually over half Saturn's population had been killed, including the one said to be our only defense against this problem. Then they decided to help us, but not by getting rid of the problem, instead they isolated Saturn, Queen Selenity used the power of the Imperial Silver Crystal to seal us all away. They thought of us as a threat because of this, and took extra care to seal away the princess. But, I suppose we are different from the regular human you find on earth or any of the other planets. It could have been the fact that our element, Silence, is so abstract it acts in odd ways. Some of us stayed sealed, but you'll find that there are many reincarnates of Saturn, and very few reincarnates of the other planets." Silver said.
"Okayyyyy, who's Queen Serenity again?" Asked Harry.
Silver sighed, "This could take a while." He said rocking back and forth in his chair.
********
It took a good long time, but Hotaru figured the two had the basic gist of what the Silver Alliance was like and the origins of the Sailor Senshi. At least Harry knew the difference between Queen Selenity and the future Queen Serenity. But then it was Hotaru's turn.
"That's not…everything." They stared at her.
"What do you mean?" Silver asked.
Hotaru took a deep breath, "He said…he said that the Silver Millenium was actually started by Saturn, and was going to be ruled by Saturn, but the Queen died soon after the war stopped and Queen Selenity took her place as ruler of the Silver Alliance because Saturn's queen was too young to rule and the King couldn't rule Saturn and the rest of the Alliance." Hotaru explained.
"Oh, that." Silver frowned, "Yes, Saturn got very angry at the Moon Kingdome. But it had been the late queen's wish that they stay in alliance." He shook his head, "Our King could have handled the position just fine until you would be able to take over. He's a strong, levelheaded man. Selenity took advantage of Saturn's weakness and took over. Riddle most likely feels a strong dislike for this. But I'll have to admit, we all feel that Saturn had a right to rule."
"But," Hotaru protested.
"Sheesh! Now I see where Voldemort's coming from." Kioko said.
"Kioko!!! How can you say that!?" Hotaru exclaimed.
"No really Hotaru! It sounds to me like this Selenity was just a bit power hungry. I'm gonna have to agree with them, Saturn had the right of rule." Kioko responded. "What about you Harry?" She asked.
Harry looked at Kioko, and then Hotaru regretfully, "Sorry Hotaru, but for some reason I can't help but agree as well."
Hotaru stood up, "I don't believe this! What if Selenity was just trying to help!?" she demanded, surprising everyone in the room. Probably because she was being more outspoken than normal.
"If she was just trying to help, then don't you think she would have helped Saturn in its time of need?" Kioko asked.
Hotaru opened her mouth to respond, but something clicked. "The past!" She gasped suddenly.
"Hu-wha?"
"That's what Setsuna was talking about. These mysteries, the things we don't know. They all lie in the past! What if—what if this tragedy was somehow connected to Mistress 9? What if—what if she started killing people through me, and that was the real reason why Selenity sealed me away with extra care?" Hotaru asked.
"Mistress 9? Who is Mistress 9?" Silver asked, a bit confused.
"That would explain why she knows so much more than we do." Hotaru went on, reluctant to stop in case they loose a lead.
"You're right, though that still doesn't explain where she came from or how she came to be." Kioko considered. "But yeah, I could see how she'd able to deplete a mass population."
"But who is Mistress 9?" Silver demanded.
"Mistress 9 is a demon/incarnate/whatever that's been possessing Hotaru for practically all her life." Kioko explained swiftly. "Though she's just now been resurfacing, the last time the senshi though they had killed her. She was able to take full control once, but right now Hotaru's strong enough she can completely ignore her."
That, wasn't really true. Hotaru knew better than to believe it was because she was strong. She didn't want to upset anyone by saying it, but she knew better, Mistress 9 was just biding her time…
"Oh really? Well, this certainly is news." Silver said as he swept up. "It would explain a few things."
"But it still doesn't make sense that, if Selenity could have sealed Mistress 9 away, why did she do it at the last minute and not help them with the problem in the first place?" Harry asked.
"Isn't it obvious? Selenity wanted Saturn out of the way of course." Kioko reasoned.
"No, I won't believe that. There has to be another explanation!" Hotaru defended forcefully. Again, the others were momentarily taken back by the rise in her voice.
"Well…we don't know everything." Harry said after the pause.
Silver shook his head again, "Though Harry is right, I can't help but feel that the Silver Alliance was a bit against Saturn to begin with. They always shunned silence because it appeared as darkness to them." He said, sitting back down. Hotaru forced her nerves to calm and sat down as well. Though she normally compromised arguments, Hotaru could not see Selenity in the light that they did. There had to be a reason!
"Do you know of anyone else who might have more insight on this situation? Every little bit could help." Hotaru asked Silver.
Silver considered for a moment, "There is one person, though I doubt they have their memories back, that could possibly know almost everything that went on during the Silver Millenniums on Saturn." He said.
"Who?" Asked Kioko.
"She's about your age, probably goes to Hogwarts, but her name is Rune Spellstone. Do you know her?" Silver asked.
Kioko and Hotaru both stood there, shocked expressions on their faces, "Rune was—" Hotaru started.
"Saturnarian?" Kioko and Hotaru looked at each other.
"You know her?" Silver questioned, though a bit confused.
"Knew her. Rune died…over two years ago." Kioko said.
"Rune? As in, Head Girl Rune? How'd she die?!" Harry exclaimed. Hotaru gave him a warning look.
"Don't ask." She whispered. "Seriously, do, not, ask."
"Well, that went down the drain." Silver sighed. "I'm really sorry Kioko. By your reaction I could guess that she was a very good friend of yours."
"Who was she, on Saturn?" Kioko asked.
"One of the most informed people around, for very…interesting reasons." He said smirking just a bit.
"How? What do you mean by that?" Kioko questioned.
"Well, Riddle was a very…curious person. He always knew what was going on in one room as well as the next. You'd often see him walking down the hall after a meeting, meaning, of course, that he'd been listening in. And Rune, well, the two had a bit of an affinity. If you know what I mean."
"You mean Rune was…?" Silver nodded. "OH MY GOSH!!!" Kioko exclaimed.
"What? What? I don't—never mind." Harry said, finally getting the picture. For a while all three of them sat there, shocked again. "B-but Rune was Gryffindor! Voldemort is Slytherin!!!" Harry finally exclaimed.
"Yes, about that. I think there's something wrong with Riddle. And it isn't just because he had an animosity for Selenity's rule. He's changed, he wasn't like this on Saturn." Silver said, sighing.
"You mean he could have been Gryffindor?" Harry asked.
"Oh no, certainly not! He was a bit to sneaky for that, but he wasn't so…malicious before." He replied.
"Maybe…Chaos had something to do with that." Hotaru said.
"Hm? Chaos? Who is that?" Silver questioned.
"He's supposedly the most powerful darkness in the universe, or was anyways." Kioko explained.
"The senshi fought him a few decades ago, and apparently he was reborn around the time that Volde-er Riddle was." Hotaru explained. "It would make sense that he possessed Riddle."
"Interesting, how did you figure all this out?" Silver questioned. "Did Riddle tell you?"
"Yes, he said that Chaos was Saturnarian as well, and that he also wants to clam the world for Saturn." Hotaru answered.
"Which is highly unlikely. I think Chaos as an alternate agenda." Kioko said. "Such as, killing Sailor Moon."
Hotaru nodded, "But…" She sighed, and rubbed her head, "Riddle isn't completely lost."
"What do you mean?" Harry questioned.
"I mean, he was…he seemed to express human emotions. Anger, resentment, loyalty. He even spared Draco's life, though I know that was mostly because I wouldn't let him kill Draco. And he didn't…I mean, just the way he acted. It seemed as though there was still some of his original self in there." Hotaru answered.
"Then maybe we can save him, if that is the case. Events do change people, perhaps the sealing had more of an effect on him than us because he remembers the most." Silver said. "There are many possibilities, and most are because we just don't know very much."
"I'm tired of being ignorant." Hotaru sighed. "We don't know, that's what Setsuna said. It's not a simple matter of getting stronger or more powerful, it's a matter of gaining knowledge and making connections. Isn't it? Fighting is just a side."
"Words of wisdom, Young Messiah. You are right." Silver said. He then hosted himself up. "Well, I don't want to keep you for too long, it's already getting late, I suggest you go on."
"Yeah…If we talk any more we'd probably go in circles." Kioko agreed standing up herself. The others followed suite.
Hotaru summoned Pandora, who was immediately at her shoulder chirping her acknowledgement. Hotaru pet the phoenix's soft, dark feathers.
"Hey Pandora, are the rest of my pets back yet?" Kioko asked. Pandora nodded. "Oh good."
"Let's go." Harry said. The three joined hands and the next moment they were in the living room of their basement and what sounded like Petunia was banging on the door yelling something incoherent.
"What?!" Kioko demanded opening the door.
"Where have you been?!" Petunia demanded breathlessly. She looked a bit flustered.
"We were—"
"How dare you go out without asking us!!!" Vernon exclaimed.
"How dare you make it sound like we need your permission!!!" Kioko shot back, mocking his voice. "We're not doing anything to you! In fact I would have thought that you'd rather we weren't here to begin with." She said.
Vernon flushed angrily, "Someone came here earlier, wanting to see Miss Tomoe." He said slowly and forcefully calm.
"Who?" Kioko asked, interested.
"I don't know. But he was very…" Vernon looked to have a hard time describing how this person acted in one word.
"Did he have a light complexion, blond hair, and blue eyes? Did he strut about as if he was superior to you and start looking at everything and every one as though he disapproved? Did he have a wand in his hand and did he continue to wave it as though he were going to hex you at any given moment?" Kioko asked. "And if he did, did he refer to Harry as," Kioko gave a very aristocratic look of disgust and guised her voice to do the same, "Potter."
"Er, yes. Exactly." Petunia responded, the surprise of Kioko's precision overwhelmed her anger.
"Malfoy?!" Harry demanded with a hiss. "What was he doing here?!" He asked.
"Duh, he was here to see Hotaru of course!!!" Kioko answered. "You can't expect someone so pampered to settle for a long-distance relationship."
"You really don't like him do you?" Hotaru asked.
"Oh no, it's not that I don't like him! He's just so fun to bash!" Kioko responded grinning.
"Just one thing," Petunia started, "He's still here."
Kioko turned around, "Why hello, Draco! We were just talking about you!" She exclaimed. Hotaru couldn't help but giggle in recollection.
"Again, Night?" He sneered. He then turned to Harry, "Potter, how can you live in such poor conditions?" He questioned.
"It's easy when you've lived with it all your life, Malfoy." Harry sneered right back.
"Okay it's getting a little to crowded in this little hallway, and if you two break out into a fist fight I swear I'll end it with sharp objects. Now! Let's go into the basement so we have more room for you two to strangle each other." Kioko suggested.
"Or even better, let's all sit down and I will make some tea." Hotaru said, walking back into the basement.
Kioko followed, but it seemed the two boys wanted to go neck'n neck in the hallway. "CHILDREN!!!" Kioko exclaimed when she looked back and found the two trying to strangle each other. "Why don't we sit down and try to act with a maturity level that isn't below our shoe size? Hm?" She asked.
The two grumbled something and started down the stairs, fighting over who was in front all the way.
A/N: Again, will Alex please find some other way to contact me? Some of you don't read the A/Ns at the beginning, so if you're lost, READ IT!!! Thank you.