My Interludes always have no dialogue in them. You have been warned.
Callisto Star : Someone who wanted to scare little children is who would draw elves that way. But then again, look at the elven creatures of that time, elves a lot of the times were depicted as creatures that scared children.
2lazy2signin
darkness
koldy
In the universe, there are many different sources of power, and Sailor Cosmos while holding one of the universes most powerful forms that of elemental planet power, Cosmos knew that even her power was not the strongest. There were even powers that she could not grasp and work to assist her, for even she was not all-powerful and there were limits to even the powers that one being could hold. She was content with that knowledge, becoming overly powerful was not something she wanted, because absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The current galaxy Cosmos had entered contained one of the same powers she was familiar with but would never be able to use. The magick that hummed on this planet was elemental, but the casters who used it were normal civilians and not magical people. The world was strange to her, that governments would allow their people to gain some very powerful magick spells when they could turn on their brethren. She could feel it in the air, it was damp, cave like, under toning a dangerous situation that would soon rise, the darkness that surrounded the planet, was faint but the hum was almost deafening to those who knew what to listen for.
Gaia was extremely similar to Earth, yet here monsters seemed to roam freely on each continent killed by those who dared to take up the challenge. Monsters that on Earth were the nightmares that children created in their dreams when Helios slept, stories that were created while sitting around a campfire, watching an old fashion horror movie, they were the monsters that lived under children's beds and closets.
Cosmos had spent many days combing through the libraries around the world trying to learn as much as she could about the history of Gaia. She had to smile at the thought of studying from books, it had been many years since her childhood when the only book she would ever think of picking up was a manga. But there had been some information that even the planet could not tell her when her feet had settled down on the green grass of the park for the first time in many years. It had been somewhat easy to blend into the community with a simple glance at the people walking past her she had adopted their comfortable style of dress. The people she met accepted her accent, which still had the strong twang of nobility from her years of reign as the pretty Neo-Queen Serenity of Crystal Tokyo.
----
She had not been looking for romance, just a break from the infernal darkness that threatened to cave in on her if she took one wrong step. But romance always had a way of finding her and Cosmos, having taken the name Astari, had run into a tall ebony haired man with clear emerald coloured eyes that shone with a pride so strong it should have been his downfall. Yet his pride seemed to keep him afloat, he never did anything half heartedly everything was take all or lose all and never settle for anything less.
His name had been Sebastian Almasy; he was a wealthy man, yet a man of honor and long dead chivalry, the heir to his father's company well known in creating advanced technology Esthar was known for, the company that would later on create the cyborg army units that terrorized Galbadian soldier and were used by Adel. He had pursued her company for many months; she could almost give him stalker status yet he never went so far as to scare her, silken lilies were left on her desk at work, Sebastian had almost completely humbled himself to her before she even agreed to allowed herself to grace him with her company. Sebastian had showered her with honesty and trust, and asked for none in return as long as she would grace him with a sweet smile or a soft kiss, Astari knew she could have never taken him any other way. Astari had already told him, almost on their first date, that she was not a woman to be showered with materialistic things, chocolates only every once in a while and flowers were fine as long as they were never roses. She never explained farther and she knew Sebastian never needed her to explain her dislike for the flower every soul pinned as the flower of love and romance.
Sebastian had risen to the challenge of giving her the gifts that came as close to those she did not want but never crossed the invisible boundary lines she had set up. He made her laugh, made her cold icy heart feel, her dark eyes once again could see colour, Cosmos had been Queen of Earth by marriage, Queen of the Moon by birthright, and she was the Queen of the Stars by divine right. Nonetheless, Sebastian always made her feel as though she was the Queen of his world, as foolish a thought it was, his attention never wavered from her, he never pushed her limits and always knew the right things to say to lift her darkened spirits. When several months had past Sebastian had requested her hand in marriage, in the same park they had first met amongst the golden leaves of fall, Astari could say nothing more than a breathless yes.
Over the years Sebastian and Astari had traveled, from city to city, country-to-country, they were looking without truly looking, hunting for the unknown prey. Astari was comforted with Sebastian's presence and required nothing more than waking up beside him each and every day, living for the moment, living for what that day would bring. It was in Esthar, Sebastian's home country, some seven years later, that they had finally called their search officially over, together they worked to make their new house a home. The crystal city that was home to the dark power was now covering the world of Gaia in a velvety blanket, smothering all possible light that tried to break through its veil. Everyday Sebastian went to work as an envoy to the Sorceress Adel, not wanting to take his father's position as CEO. Astari only shook her head at her husband's work, yet there was nothing that she could do for telling him of the dangers Adel would bring forth in the coming year could in danger her and her unborn child.
Sebastian always told her that he would break from his work when their child was born, she believed him, she knew in her heart that he would, but Adel wanted power and the desire for world power waited for no man. Astari was left behind nearly ready to give birth to their child when Sebastian joined the resistance army to try and bring the raging Sorceress down. Knowing that Adel would bring forth terror and destruction creating the havoc and unrest, she needed to gain world dominance, while most of Esthar's soldiers fought against the Galbadian Army some hoped to bring the Sorceress down. Astari wished nothing more than to flee from Esthar, yet with the possibility of being shot down by an Estharian soldier or cyborg and losing her child kept her within city limits.
Months into the war she was gifted with a son, a wheat haired blonde with Sebastian's same shocking emerald eyes. Naming him Seifer had been the only request Sebastian had left her with before he left to join the resistance movement, she never understood why. Seifer even as a newborn had been a handful, never wanting to be far from his mother. Astari never cared that she had to carry her little boy everywhere, she was still surprised that she had given birth to a boy. As a Lunarian the heir was always a girl and Lunarian royalty only gave birth to girls, as was stated by the Goddess Selene when she gifted her heirs with the Imperial Crystal. Her little curious, emerald-eyed boy was the wonder of her world. Not having any contact with Sebastian since Adel had turned her sights to Galbadia and Dollet she was nearly cut off from the world, never wanting to watch the television and listen to the horrors Adel created the horrors she could see right outside her door. The unwritten law that had settled in among the citizens of Esthar was that leaving one's house after six o'clock was suicide as Adel's minions began to roam the streets always looking.
When Seifer was eighteen months old Astari had gotten a letter stating that her husband was missing in action, presumed dead, getting her hopes up would only lead to more heartache should he not be found. The pristine white letter had been unmarked aside from the golden Celtic drawn sun crest on the right top corner that would later become Esthar's new national emblem. It was a letter that aside from some simple name changes was identical for every mother, wife, or sister who had the honor of receiving it. Astari didn't know what she would now do with her life and with Seifer, the war was still raging though it appeared that the resistance factor was winning thanks to Laguna Loire, yet knowing that Sebastian was lost to her haunted her dreams for the first few nights. She had been widowed only once before in her life and that was when she first became Sailor Cosmos, but there had been no love lost, she had continued her hunt for Chaos and followed the dark entity over the universe wanting to take revenge for the lives that Chaos and its minions had slaughtered. She had spent nights after the letter had come into her possession in Seifer's blue and green bedroom gazing at her child, letting her mind pass over every second, every memory she had of Sebastian that Seifer would never have, of the world she had hoped to call home for many years to come, of Seifer's innocent curiosity.
Seifer's eyes, even at a young age, blazed with his father's pride and dare she to hope her courage to take the right path even if it was the one every other soul was against. She did not know, she could never see into his future, she could not even see into the future of Gaia, the mirrors were clouded over with a thick grey fog. Maybe it was better that way, the not knowing, as Cosmos, she had always been comforted with the fact that she knew, if not every outcome, at least a possible outcome was better than not knowing. With the time spent on Gaia, watching Seifer grow, the time she spent with Sebastian, knowing the future didn't really matter to her anymore, she was living for the day, living to see the next thing Seifer would do to cause havoc.
By Seifer's second birthday Astari could no longer stay in Esthar, knowing that even with the Sorceress gone, the country had disappeared from the world and fallen into silence. Her husband was dead and he was not going to be waltzing back into the foyer back into her and Seifer's life, she had to move on for Seifer's sake and living in Esthar was only going to resurface memories she didn't think she could live with. She had packed only the minimum, not needing anything more than some clothes and personal items she could not bare to part with, a photo album, some random articles of clothes that Sebastian always wore, a necklace of a cruciform sword. Seifer's baby blanket was packed; among all his other toys it was the only thing that Sebastian had picked out and Seifer would pitch a fit that rivaled the same fits she use to pull when she was younger if it was misplaced. The soft cream coloured fabric was frayed around the edges from getting haul everywhere should it be the kitchen or the playground, but it was loved though Astari was not certain about how much longer the blanket would last.
Leaving the crystal city had been one of the hardest things she had ever done, it was where her good memories rested, she loved Esthar's capital for the memories of a similar city that she had helped to create, a city where the people loved one another and hatred was something of the past, until the Dark Moon. She remembered the love that she never lost a love she had never gained back since she and the scouts had been reborn to the time when they were needed, the white haired prince and his younger brother the ones she wished to help, no matter that they were the ones that had tried to kill her.
----
Fate and Destiny even though they never had to carry the complete weight of the Cosmos, still took charge of caring for the lives of which they governed. Both never cared much for the silver soldier that was no longer in their grasps to control, so to get Cosmos's to do at they pleased they pulled at the strings of those she cared about the most. They had been unable to break her spirit when Sebastian's thread had been cut short but there was one other thread they could pull and pull it they did. Seifer's fate now rested on his mother's chosen action, she could leave and let him live or stay with the unknown destiny of when the black thread would appear on Seifer's soul. While she could fight Fate and Destiny on nearly every decision they dictated over her life she knew she would loose when the third sister appeared. Chance was the last of the three sisters, the only sister that aside from Harmony could harm her if not physically then mentally and spiritually. Cosmos had refused to leave wanting to stay with Seifer, give him a proper childhood, Chance had intervened and held the proverbial copper penny over Cosmos's head, demanding her to decide the fate of the world should she stay.
Another trip was made to Esthar under the cover of the stars, Seifer staying in the care of the guardian Chance, money was locked away until Seifer could come to claim it, items of special meaning locked into a bank safe. She had thanked the aging salt and pepper haired man who had helped her accomplish her tasks, he promised that nothing would become of the money or the safe until the time came. She knew he would keep his word and with a small smile, she had left the chrome and glass bank and wondered the streets of Esthar before leaving to her home in Winhill.
Chance, who had agreed under Cosmos's threats, stayed to watch Seifer and had been there to greet Cosmos at the door to her small two bedroom house with a scold before the copper haired fairy vanished with in a wave of gold and orange dust. Cosmos's was not sure about what she should now do having previously shoved the penny back into Chance's grasp, not wanting to toss the devil coin into the air. She had cemented her fate there were no other options left she would have to leave, Astari Almasy would die so Seifer Almasy and the world she had come to love would stay on the given course set by Fate. She had been given five days, five days to decide what to do or the penny Chance had set on the knife blade would tip and whichever way it fell would decree out Chance's Oath.
Seifer was three when Cosmos brought him to the shores of Centra, she had kept a bright smile as she lifted her child onto the boat, as they neared the shores she could see other children run across the beach. Even though her heart was beginning to fill with dread, this would be the last time that she ever saw her child, the last time that she would ever be able to hold him, protect him. All that was being given up to the woman who she would turn custody over to, the woman who was standing on the boat dock waiting for the newest member of her orphanage. Seifer had been wide eyed in excitement at the prospect of riding in a boat and had questioned the boat captain with every inch of his life. Yet the old man only smiled and patiently answered each question to the best of his ability, having many children and grandchildren of his own he had a great deal of practice. When the boat was docked and its cargo unloaded, Seifer hadn't wanted to part from his mother's side, unsure of the others around him. With a great deal of persuasion he was off watching the other children play, his green eyes always seemed to follow the small chubby little blonde haired two-year-old who was running after the others trying to keep up. A familiar child like smirk graced his lips as he watched them from his perch on a small outcropping of rocks.
Papers were signed quickly, the boat master was told to wait at a dock on the other side of the island so Cosmos could leave without the detection of her son, without more unnecessary heartbreak. A large white envelope was handed to Edea with Seifer's name written on it in Cosmos's ornate script, the black haired woman nodded as she tucked the envelope in Seifer's file to be given to him on his eighteenth birthday. With another short conversation, one last glance in Seifer's direction, Cosmos and Edea were making their way down a different path one that wouldn't lead them past the children. Cosmos could hear the excited whispers of the other children, even with them on the other side of the island; their voices were strong with curiosity, all curious about the boy who had come with blonde woman whom he had called his mother, even at the tender age of two they knew the power of emotion that word held. She had stood on the boat looking back at the island, when the boat curved around to head back towards the Galbadian coast she could see the children trying to invite Seifer to play with them. She could no longer hear the whispers or hear Seifer's answer to the request but by the looks of it, he had turned the offer down, if the little blonde boy's reaction told her anything.
Turning to gaze at the boat captain, she smiled at the white haired man behind the wheel, his lavender eyes glowed as he looked back at his queen. Nothing he could do for his Queen would lessen her pain, but he could continue to stand beside her as he had done in the past and would do so for the remaining years to come. Cosmos turned away once the island was nothing more then a speck on the horizon, her wheat coloured hair changed back to the snowy white it had always been and her black turtleneck shirt and taupe coloured suede pants were replaced by the second skin of her sailor uniform. Helios began to hum to himself before the melody surrounded the two of them.
I wanted you to know I love the way you laugh
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
I keep your photograph; I know it serves me well
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
You've gone away, you don't feel me, anymore
The worst is over now and we can breathe again
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open
And I don't feel like I am strong enough
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome
And I don't feel right when you're gone away
You've gone away
You don't feel me here anymore
There was silence before Cosmos gazed up into the evening sky and watched as the moon cast a hazy glow onto the boat. The black water gently lapped at the sides was both enticing and deadly; Helios who had appeared beside his Queen's side gave her an encouraging smile before helping her stand. Weaving her way through the boat, Cosmos made it to the starboard side, leaning over the edge of the boat she smiled brightly before climbing onto the edge, turning back to Helios she smiled before jumping overboard and disappearing under the black waves. Helios only smiled before he too jumped overboard, leaving the small cruiser boat to float on the ocean's current until the winds decided they no longer wanted to play with her or someone found the abandoned boat and wondered what had become of her crew.
Song : Broken by Seether Featuring Amy Lee
I spend maybe two weeks on this chapter and most of the time was spent editing, because I'm a perfectionist and the 8.8 reader level bothered me, especially when most of my dialogue-less stories/papers are always 12.0. It's all 12.0 reader level now, so I'm happy with it.
Review, Thank you, and Goodnight :
SilverRose82