Revised Version
Act 11 "Chibi Usa kidnapped?! Argent meets her end!"
At the Hikawa Shrine, Ami, Rei, Minako, Makoto and Usagi sat in silence. Usagi had just finished telling her friends about the events in Hokkaido, including the search for Chibi Usa and Helios, Rame's vengeful attack, and most importantly: the reappearance of the Black Crystal.
"Are you sure it was the Black Crystal, Usagi-chan? Maybe it was a piece of dead wood or something." Makoto asked anxiously.
The blonde shook her head, causing Ami to heave a heavy sigh. "But it doesn't necessarily mean Wise Man is back. It's possible that someone else found it and is now in possession of the crystal." Even as Ami tried to cheer the hopes of her friends, her voice revealed the fact that she did not have great faith in her own theory.
Minako clasped her hands together tightly. "Whatever it is, we have to face it. The Black Crystal can only mean one thing: trouble. But at least its reappearance explains the energy source backing our present enemy."
"Yeah, but how are we going to defeat it? It took two Silver Crystals to defeat the Death Phantom and we don't have two Silver Crystals available any more…" Makoto let the sentence hang since everyone knew what she meant.
No one said anything for a long while, but Rei was showing her apprehension as she chewed her lower lip. The vision of a grown Chibi Usa dressed in black and magenta with an up-turned crescent moon on her forehead has been hanging in the miko's conscious for a long time, and now with the Black Crystal reappearing she could no longer keep her vision a secret.
"…I have something to tell you guys…"
Everyone's eyes snapped to Rei as she nervously fiddled with the edge of her sleeve.
"I had a vision the day Chibi Usa-chan arrived…I saw Black Lady and four other figures standing before her. At first I thought, and hoped, that it was nothing except a bad dream or a flash of memory, but I got more and more worried, especially after Chibi Usa-chan lost her senshi powers."
"Why didn't you tell us earlier Rei-chan, it's not like you to hide things from us!" Makoto demanded.
"I know! But with how Chibi Usa-chan's feeling and what she's going through right now…" the miko looked up as she held the gaze of her closest friends "how do you think she will react if we tell her the thing that harmed her family and nearly destroyed her home might've been resurrected?"
The room fell silent as they all remembered the vicious battle and skirmishes against their beloved little girl, manipulated and misguided by the hooded figure called Wise Man, also known as the Death Phantom.
Ami drew a long breath. "These new information gives us clues regarding the source of the force field I discovered a few months ago, but it doesn't bring us one step closer to who the mastermind is. All we know for sure is that the Black Crystal is involved and Rei-chan's vision strongly suggests that recent events are related to Wise Man. However, without conclusive evidence there's nothing we can do at the moment."
"No, I think there is something we can do Ami." Luna's unexpected raised voice silenced the room like a lightning strike. "We have to keep Chibi Usa-chan safe, and even though I'm not happy about the idea, at least the enemy won't be able to sneak up on her."
"What do you plan to do Luna?" Artemis asked, his white ears twitched.
Luna looked at the room full of people, all of whom she knew and loved like a family. The slim black cat paused before she explained. "I think we should keep watch on Chibi Usa-chan. We can ask Hotaru-chan to help keep an eye on her at school, and at home Usagi and I will shadow her. This way if Wise Man tries to approach her we'll be there to protect her."
Usagi cast a skeptical look at her mentor but remained silent. She knew Luna's surveillance plan was for Chibi Usa's own good but how will Chibi Usa react to all this if she found out? The pink-haired girl could be fiercely private and clandestine when it came to her true feelings. It was almost contradicting how open and friendly she could be but shut everyone out when she felt lost and despondent.
After the meeting ended and everyone went home, Usagi dialed Haruka's house number as she sat on her bed, her face in a frown. The phone ringed for several long seconds before Hotaru's slightly groggy voice answered, evidently waken by the telephone while she was taking a recuperating nap from the plane ride.
"Hello?"
"Hotaru-chan, it's me, Usagi. Sorry to wake you up"
"Oh hi Usagi-san! Wait just a moment; I'll go get Haruka-papa-"
"Actually I need to talk to you…uh, it's about Chibi Usa"
"Chibi Usa-chan…is something wrong?" The black-violet haired girl's head cleared immediately upon hearing her friend's name.
"No, but…" Usagi paused, trying to think of a way to explain the situation without alarming the concerned girl at the other end. "Do you think you can do something for me?"
"Yes?" Hotaru's voice was reluctant, not liking the troubled tug she felt in Usagi's unusually dejected tone.
Usagi sighed and prepared herself as she explained, "While in Hokkaido I found something that could spell big trouble for all of us, especially for Chibi Usa. There was an enemy called Wise Man whom we fought before we met you, and he was the one who turned Chibi Usa into Black Lady. Now we have reason to believe that he may be back."
Hotaru's eyes flew open, but she kept her hands firm around the phone. "But I heard from Haruka-papa and Michiru-mama that he was defeated, wasn't he?"
"Yes, he was. But I found a shard of the Black Crystal, the source of Wise Man's power, when we defeated Rame. We have a really strong hunch about this. What's more…" the blonde felt like her throat was tightening so much she couldn't speak, but she knew only the truth could protect Chibi Usa now. "Rei-chan had a vision on the day of Chibi Usa's arrival; she saw Black Lady. We're afraid that if Wise Man is really back then he'll try to take over Chibi Usa again when we're not watching, and we mustn't let that happen!"
Hotaru paused so only her breath could be heard from across the line. "You wise for me to watch her then," she finally stated.
"Yes…and please, don't mention anything about the Black Crystal, Wise Man, or Black Lady to Chibi Usa. It'll only be harder on her if she found out," Usagi urged.
"I understand Usagi-san, don't worry, I suppose you are right; this is for the best. I will tell my family about the plan." Hotaru's tone was firm, making her sound more like Sailor Saturn than the sweet young woman she looked to be.
With a few more words Usagi hang up, leaving Hotaru standing in front of the telephone in her living room. The slender young woman uttered nothing as her violet eyes fluttered. Never in her time as a senshi had a villain come back after defeat, safe for Nehellenia who was freed by Sailor Galaxia.
If the Death Phantom can return then will others be able to as well?
The trapped and helpless feeling of being Mistress 9's vessel sent a shiver down Hotaru's spine. There's no reason why Chibi Usa should have to go through a similar ordeal again, just as Hotaru had absolutely no desire to relive her time as Mistress 9. Thinking this, Hotaru shuffled her feet, turned, and ran with great urgency to find her adopted parents.
There was a hollow silence in the dressing room of the Metallum Girl's. Eisen was dozing off, perched on her ottoman like a cat while Argent was checking herself out in the mirror, drawing a pale blue eye shadow over her right eye. Oro however, was not in a relaxed mood. She was pacing back and forth across the room, her brows glued together in a deep frown.
"Oro will you stop that! I can't concentrate with your heels clicking away like that!" Argent snapped as she stared irritably at the reflection of her golden blond companion in the mirror.
Oro's hand touched her chin. "It's too sudden…" the woman mumbled to herself.
"What do you mean 'too sudden'?" Eisen chimed in, evidently alert despite her sleepy posture.
Oro sighed before she said slowly, "Rame was acting strangely long before her confrontation with the Earth's senshi. But what I don't get is…" the memories of a few hours past drifted back into Oro's mind as she and the other remaining Metallum Girls are assembled before Bellona.
"Rame has been annihilated." Bellona stated shortly, drawing a gasp from all three of the women. The masked ruler continued, ignoring the low exclamation. She waved her hand and a replay of what had happened on that icy field in Hokkaido appeared in the room.
The three watched as Rame's huge monster thrashing at the senshi. Then Uranus jumped on Rame and pinned the green haired woman with her sword and tricking the mutant plant into killing its own mistress. "As you can see, Rame was foolish to have attacked the senshi head on instead of completing her mission. But now that she's gone I expect you three to take up her share of duties and continue collecting energy. With just a little more, our goals will be reached so you had better not fail me!"
Oro's mind returned to the present as she finished her sentence, "…how is it that Rame can create such a large Fury? I mean, each of our Black Crystal shards are essentially the same size so that means we are pretty much equal in our capabilities. But I'm sure the energy, even though it's from the Black Crystal, can't create something that big and that powerful; there has to be something else powering it but what? And just what is this 'goal' Bellona-sama keeps harping about? She always going on about it but none of us knows just what she's trying to get at."
Argent finished her eye shadow with one last masterful stroke before she turned and said smartly, "You worry too much, Oro. Rame was always a snob and whatever Bellona-sama has in mind, I'm sure she knows what she's doing and we'll get a fair share of the deal in the end, as she promised. After all, it was she who busted us out of that crummy intergalactic prison and gave us our powers."
Oro fell silent. Before Bellona she had been serving time in a cubed plastic cell for committing fraud, forgery, counterfeiting, smuggling, and sorts of white collar crimes. The list goes on and on, but as a professional criminal Oro experienced great success before her arrest. She was able to extract considerable amounts of money by playing with people's trust and her skills very rarely failed. But after one of her victims called the police, she was arrested, prosecuted, and locked up in a prison, a horror for a woman who had gotten used to a life of freedom. When Bellona arrived, storming the prison with her awesome strength and offered the formerly incarcerated blonde a position as her subordinate with strange but incredible powers to boot, Oro jumped at the chance. In the beginning everything looked easy. Use her powers, zap a few people, and receive a reward for her service, even thought no one knew what that reward was they felt it had to be something like the powers already given to them. Now Oro wasn't so sure whatever it was that she had gotten herself into was worth it. With no guarantee on the reward, or even a word regarding its identity, Oro was beginning to suspect Bellona was trying to pull a veil over their heads and not pay up in the end. More importantly, the current events have grown very troubling. The death of Rame and her unexplained power surge made the naturally cautious Oro alarmed and worried.
As Oro pondered, Eisen did not miss the chance to take a stab at her eternal adversary. "Snob? Look who's talking! Too bad Rame's dead, because if you two were to compete for snob-queen I'm willing to bet my Black Crystal shard on you!"
Argent's hand twitched as she glared threateningly at Eisen's reflection. Her hand tightened so much around the eye liner pencil she's holding that it cracked audibly. Slamming her cracked pencil down on the table, Argent whispered dangerously, "What did you say?"
"Did I say something wrong?" Eisen smirked sarcastically
Before Oro knew it Argent and Eisen were at each other's throats again, bickering and shouting. The gold garbed woman sighed as her train of thought was broken by the commotion.
"For the last time, will you two stop it!" Oro screamed at the top of her lungs, feeling not the first time like the mother of two young, immature children breaking up a pity quibble.
Finally Argent pulled away, her silvery hair positively brisling like that of an angry porcupine. "Oh, I've had enough!" She abruptly walked away and selected a target, then waited impatiently for the image of her victim to appear.
"I'd rather be working than be in the same room with this lunatic!" Argent declared resolutely. Eisen grinned triumphantly and was about to congratulate herself on her victory when Argent's high-pitched squeal exploded like a train whistle.
"Not again…" Eisen whined as she pushed her way to Argent's side. Argent's eyes were the shapes of huge pink hearts, pumping like mad as her face turned bright red. Oro looked too, and saw in the mirror of a fair young man with soft white hair and amber eyes in a black school uniform.
"He's gorgeous!!" Argent said dreamily, swooning like an adolescent girl.
Eisen stuck out her tongue and gave a gagging look "Uhg, what's with the girly lookin' hair?" Before she knew it, Argent's fist landed on her head, creating a large bump.
"What the hell was that for?!"
"How dare of you to say that! Can't you see how perfect he is, what a handsome little angel he is!" Argent sighed and blushed, her hands cupping her cheeks. "Oh, I feel like I'm in heaven already!"
Eisen pouted under her breath, tenderly rubbing her tender cranium. "Yeah, but isn't he a little…" glancing at the picture and looking back at Argent, Eisen shuddered "…young?"
Argent didn't hear Eisen. Instead, she skipped happily to her closet, humming merrily as she went. When the opposite door opened, Rame was dressed in the school uniform of Juban Junior High, her long silvery hair tied in a cute pigtail.
"Inconspicuous and cute as a button; the perfect disguise for this mission! But something's missing…"
Argent studied herself in the mirror when she smiled and produced a pair of round glasses in her hands. Putting the glasses on, she gingerly stepped into her closet "Adieu for now!" she waved cheerfully at her fellows "Oh I can't wait to meet you my Angel! See you soon!" With that she blew a kiss towards the picture in the mirror and closed the closet door.
"Go to the print store after school?" Chibi Usa echoed what Hotaru had just said.
Her friend nodded., "I'm going to drop off the pictures we took in Hokkaido today and I wanted to enlarge some of the pictures. Do you want to come with me?"
Chibi Usa nodded but glanced at Helios, who was deaf and blind to everything else around him except for his work as the late afternoon study-hall period progressed.
"I…" Chibi Usa's voice dropped as she found she didn't know what to say. Since the trip from Hokkaido it seemed Helios had been purposely avoiding her, so much so that the days would be very lonesome had it not been for Momo and Chibi Usa's other friends. Now whenever they talk (and he spoke only when it was necessary) Helios would never meet her eyes as if he's afraid to see something in them, and he rarely smiled, like his heart was weighted down by something exceedingly oppressive. People have been passing rumors around as they tried to explain his sudden solemn mood. Most of those wild speculations were conceived by the Hikaru Fan Club in their scramble for answers. Some believed the Prince Charming of Juban Junior High was rejected by an unknown love interest, or that he might be transferring away soon, or even worse, he might have been diagnosed with an incurable disease! Although Chibi Usa knew none of those rumors were true, not even she could fathom what was driving her and her one time best-friend apart.
Turning her eyes away from the boy, Chibi Usa noticed on the classroom calendar that Christmas Eve was less than a week away. Only a few more hours before the beginning of the two week holiday vacation, and only a few more days before her deadline when she would finally confess her feelings, Chibi Usa thought to herself. With the moment of truth approaching fast, the hesitant princess of Crystal Tokyo nodded.
"Yes, I'll come with you..."
That day after school, the students filed out of the school gate and onto the street, all were happy about the prospect of spending two weeks away from school and stress. Chibi Usa and Hotaru were among them, but were walking in awkward silence side by side. Behind them was Helios who walked several paces behind them.
Shutting Chibi Usa out had been difficult for Helios. Not only was the day much less interesting and cheerful without her at his side, it was also difficult because it reminded Helios why he was doing this in the first place. In order to keep her safe, Helios repeatedly told himself, he had to keep his distance. At first he thought the act would be temporary, that once he made sure his suspicions were false then all this would be over. But when he saw the look on Usagi's face as they left Hokkaido, Helios knew something was very wrong. The sudden wave of agitation and insecurity amongst the Sailor Senshi right now was beginning to trouble him, but he decided not to ask what had happened, fearing it might reveal his own uncertainty.
Helios sighed as that last word echoed in his mind.
Uncertainty
The word gnawed at him incessantly. Should he be doing this because of a hunch, because of fear? Was this act even worth it? Helios steadied his pace as he followed the pink-haired girl and her short-haired friend down the street. Helios didn't know how to answer, or rather, he didn't want to answer these questions posed against himself. If he was wrong then he would have put both himself and Chibi Usa through unnecessary misery. If he was right…then he could only hope that what he was doing would at least keep Chibi Usa safe.
"There he is! Excuse me Hikaru-kun!" An unfamiliar female voice brought Helios out of his trance. Looking back, he saw two girls, one carrying a tape recorder and the other had a camera in her hand, running towards him, both of them dressed in the same school uniform as Chibi Usa and Hotaru.
"We're from the school news paper and we would like to do an editorial on you, Hikaru-kun. Despite having been at Juban Junior High for only a few months you have become one of the most popular students in school history! However, stories have been going around regarding your shift in attitude and many amongst the student body are concerned about your suddenly wariness. Are any of the rumors about you true? And what are your thoughts regarding these rumors?" The girl with the tape recorder asked in a blazingly rapid voice.
Reluctantly, Helios politely answered, "I'm sorry but I'm in a hurry today," he said and watched out of the corner of his eye as Chibi Usa and Hotaru turned a corner.
"Well, at least let us take your picture! Both Sakura-chan and I are big fans of you and I'm sure it won't take but a second!" The girl begged as her camera-wielding friend supported with a hopeful "Please!"
Worried if he tarried any longer he might loose track of Chibi Usa, Helios quickly replied, "I'm really sorry, but I have to go, excuse me." With that Helios anxiously pushed past the two girls and jogged after Chibi Usa and Hotaru. The two amateur reporters however, were left standing dejected in their place. A pair of silver-blue eyes watched as the girls slumped away empty handed, grumbling to themselves. Argent smirked and begins walking in the direction Helios was running towards, her once empty hands now clutched a camera.
"If you can't get something the first time then try, try, and try again," she said to herself.
A light snow was falling as people passed by the shops in downtown Juban, coming in and out of stores as they did their Christmas shopping. The print store was nestled in the first floor of a large six story building and was part regular photo service, part photo studio. Chibi Usa stood beside Hotaru as the latter handed the store clerk the film and filed out her order form.
Outside the shop's large display window was Helios, gazing patiently into the store as he kept his visual on Chibi Usa. Chibi Usa, who was unaware that the dream guardian was watching her, left her friend's side, turning her attention to an engaged couple taking their wedding picture.
The photographer was fine-tuning his camera while a technician was helping the bride adjust her dress so that it looked neat and perfect in the picture. The young bride-to-be however, did not seem to mind all the attention. Instead, she was relaxed and talking quietly with her fiancé, her face happy and radiate, evident despite the layer of makeup.
Chibi Usa's eyes softened as she watched the couple. The bride looked marvelous in her gown, one made from a delicate cream colored fabric. The skirt of the dress was long and flowing with a patterned edge as it wrapped around the bride's legs. A string of pearls circle just below her bust and three purposely ruffled sleeve cups piled over each other cover each of her shoulders. A plain but exquisite bow tied the dress together, giving the woman an angelic appearance as they rested behind her back. Chibi Usa's expression lightened as she looked at the dress and imagined herself in it, attending one of the gorgeous balls her mother held in the palace on special occasions. How she would love to dance in that dress, with its silky wings behind her and fly with her love into the starry night sky. There, the only sound would be that of a slow waltz, flowing like the silver Milky Way and the silent melody of lovers in her ears.
A small smile crept upon Chibi Usa's lips as she thought this. Helios saw the smile and he too saw the future husband and wife. Just then he noticed that the bride's gown resembles Chibi Usa's gown, the same gown she wore when they had flown together years ago. Remembering their flight through the skies of Elysian when he was still a resident within her dreams, Helios beamed. How dazzlingly she would look with a pair of pure white wings, he thought to himself, her pink hair combed by invisible fingers of the zephyr and her eyes shinning like a pair of rubies in the navy sky.
Suddenly the dream disappeared and for the second time in a day Helios was jerked back to reality by an unfamiliar voice. Turning, Helios saw a tall, bespectacled young woman with a silver pigtail and a sailor suit. She also had a camera in her hands but curiously she did not carry a school bag like the other students.
"Hi! I'm Yukiko!" Argent smiled brightly, "and I'm with our school's newspaper!"
Helios only nodded hesitantly, surprised and alarmed by this girl who seemed to have popped out from the wall to stand beside him.
Argent grinned shyly this time and fiddled with her camera's strap as she eyed Helios coyly over the top of her glasses. "My friends said you were busy and you didn't have time for a picture. I was on my way home but what a surprise it was when I saw you standing here! Since you don't seem to be in a hurry right now, could you just let me take a quick picture of you? The editor won't be very happy if all of us come back empty handed." Argent asked earnestly while Helios kept glancing back into the store, praying that Chibi Usa wouldn't turn around and see him.
But apparently his prayers went unheard for just as Argent finished speaking Chibi Usa turned her attention to the window. Without thinking, Helios quickly stepped into a nearby alley, grabbing Argent and hauling her out of Chibi Usa's view with him. Agonizing seconds passed as Helios waited for a pink haired teenager to come charging out of the store, demanding to know what he was doing there. Trying to sink away from view as much as possible, Helios pressed himself against the wall and tried to calm him nerves by closing his eyes, unconsciously tightening his grip on Argent's waist. Argent, pressed against Helios' side with his arms around her, was blushing furiously.
Finally, Helios opened his eyes and turned his head to look down the street. With the wall blocking part of his view, Helios watched as Chibi Usa and Hotaru left the photo store. Letting out a tremendous sigh, Helios wiped his hand down his face to take a relieved breath of air. Letting the episode pass behind him, Helios glanced to make sure Chibi Usa was still within sight and was about to resume his vigil when Argent took a hold of his hand.
"Wait, you can't go yet!"
In great urgency, Helios pulled his hand away as gently as he could manage and whispered, "I have to go. I'm sorry Yukiko-san, but the picture will have to wait. I have urgent business to attend to."
With that the boy walked back onto the street and once again began to follow Chibi Usa.
Argent stood there, her face still flushed as she thought to herself, Impossible! How could he?! What could be more precious to him than me?! A rush of indignity and anger welled up in her as she tore off her school girl-like glasses. "No one has ignored me like this before, no one!" she murmured to herself. Retreating into the alley, Argent dug through her thoughts. What was he so worried about that he would ignore me! Who or what dares to steal my prize from me!?
As Argent fumed, she remembered that Helios was glancing away at something both before and after he held her. Thinking closely now, Argent recalled a very peculiar pink-haired girl who had just left the store they were outside of. Argent's mind freeze framed that section of her memory as she growled. "So it's that girl!" Strangely, a smile curled up on Argent's lips. "Well, if he's so worried about her, let's just see how much Angel really cares about her. I can kill two birds with one stone; literately!" Swiftly, the woman with icy cerulean eyes turned and headed in the direction of Chibi Usa's home.
Completely unaware that she had just incurred the jealous wrath of Argent, Chibi Usa continued on her way with Hotaru. "The clerk told me the pictures will be ready by tomorrow, if they're not too busy that is." The usually taciturn Hotaru continued in a chatty manner. "Do you want to come with me tomorrow Chibi Usa-chan? Since tomorrow's Saturday and vacation has just started we can go and have a hot fudge sundae at the Crown parlor afterwards, then I can walk you home."
"No, it's okay. But I do feel like going out every once in a while, just to get some air"
"If you want to go somewhere, make sure to call me and I'll go with you. I don't want you to go by yourself." Hotaru urged, not realizing how strange her sentence sounded until after she had already said it aloud. At this point Chibi Usa stopped in her tracks.
"What is it Chibi Usa-chan?" Hotaru asked slowly.
"What did you just say Hotaru-chan?" Chibi Usa looked at her suspiciously, her red eyes narrowed and her eyebrows in a frown.
Hotaru suddenly realized her mistake and said quickly, "I'm just saying you shouldn't be alone that's all! Vacation would be boring that way, wouldn't it?"
The pink pigtail girl hesitated before she asked, "Hotaru-chan, are you… are you trying to follow me?"
Hotaru closed her mouth, not knowing what else to say. Chibi Usa saw the look in Hotaru's eyes and instantly knew her suspicion was true. "Oh God, I can't believe this! Hotaru-chan we're friends! We've known each other since I was still a little girl; I even trusted you enough to tell you my feelings for Helios when I've told no one else! But now you're trying to shadow me like I'm some sort of criminal! Why is that?! What have I done to deserve this?!" Chibi Usa asked hotly, feeling poisoned tears of betrayal swelling in her eyes.
"No, that's not how it is Chibi Usa-chan! You haven't done anything wrong! I'm just trying to keep you safe; I would never think of you that way!"
However Chibi Usa wasn't listening. Instead she picked up her feet and dashed down the street, quickly disappearing around an intersecting street. "Chibi Usa-chan!" Hotaru was about to follow her friend when a familiar voice interrupted her.
"Hotaru, what happened?"
Hotaru whirled around to see Helios jogging towards her. "Helios-kun, what are you doing here?"
Helios looked away from Hotaru as he half-lied, "I happen to be nearby when I heard the two of you shouting. What happened?" The boy repeated urgently.
Hotaru looked down and whispered, "I'll tell you on the way. We have to catch up with Chibi Usa-chan first!"
"You're right, come on!"
As Helios and Hotaru chased after Chibi Usa, the young girl was running blindly down streets, not really caring which way she was going.
Hotaru-chan how could you! Of all people, I thought I could trust you! After her burst through the streets of Juban, Chibi Usa stopped to rest against a wall, her body drained and tired from running and crying all at the same time. Not realizing how far she had ran in her outburst, Chibi Usa saw that she was in a bare and rundown residential area. The buildings here were gray and crumbling, with dirty narrow alleyways and unused clothes-lines between each balcony. Some buildings, like the one she was next to, were so dilapidated they were destined for demolition.
As Chibi Usa leaned against the building, the cement suddenly liquefied and pulled her into it like a puddle of quick sand.
"Ahh!-" Chibi Usa's cries ceased as the rippling wall swallowed her, then soothed out and retained its solid state like nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Helios and Hotaru stopped at a lonely street corner. Hotaru looked up and surveyed their surrounding. This was a part of Tokyo she had never been to before. Old, rundown apartments and units dominate the scenery, a far cry from the bustling downtown she was used to.
"Chibi Usa-chan!" Hotaru cupped her hands around her mouth and cried. Raising only a few surprised and curious glances from the local residents, Hotaru sighed as she heard no reply.
Hotaru looked over her shoulder and said, "What do we do now? There's no sign of her anywhere!"
Helios ran his hand through his hair, his eyes filled with worry and the edge of his face lined with sweat. "I don't know," he said dejectedly.
The young woman beside him thought for a moment before she said, "Let's split up, we can cover more ground that way."
Helios nodded. "We'll meet here an hour later, and if we don't find her then we'll have to think of something else…"
Hotaru sighed apprehensively. "Yeah…all right then, I'll see you later!"
The two teenagers split up as they each went down separate streets, checking every nock and cranny they could look into. The sun was beginning to set but there was still no sign of Chibi Usa. Helios looked at his watch and saw that it was five minutes to an hour since he parted ways with Hotaru. There was no way he was going to be able to retrace his footsteps in that amount of time. Better to call Hotaru on her cell phone and tell her he'll keep looking, he thought. Just then a flash of white flew toward his face. Helios jumped back and saw a Polaroid picture land on the ground before his feet. Looking up but seeing no one, Helios picked up the picture tentatively, but almost dropped it when he saw who was in the picture.
In a murky and undistinguishable place was Chibi Usa, her body lying on a floor covered with dusty white plastic tiles. The light in the photo was dim and it was hard to make out any injuries so Helios had no way of assessing her physical condition. But the thought that Chibi Usa might be injured, or worse, raised a sense of panic and anger inside him. Trying to keep calm, Helios decided to peruse the picture more closely to look for clues. As his amber eyes scanned across the Polaroid, Helios saw a hooked arrow sigh near the bottom left corner of the picture. He turned the picture over and saw a hand drawn map and a line of neat handwriting underneath it.
"Come to the location on the map, Angel," the message read, "and the girl will live. Sighed with love: an Admirer."
Finishing the message, Helios' hand was trembling as he clinched his teeth. He had no choice but to follow the directions. Taking a final look at the map, Helios sprinted down the street, hoping only that whoever did this hadn't harmed the princess.
Within ten minutes Helios reached the abandoned building on the map that looked as if it used to be a business building. The lock on the plank-covered doors had been broken by a neat and deliberate hand, with the broken chain gathered in a heap on the pavement. Helios pushed against the creaky doors and stepped into an eerie lobby with an empty receptionist desk and two closed elevator doors. As Helios walked farther into the lobby, a heavy metallic clunk came from behind the elevator doors, followed by a cushioned kling sound. Startled by the noise, Helios held his breath and watched as one of the elevator doors slid sluggishly open; a wordless invitation asking him to step inside.
By now, the heart in the boy priest's chest was pumping like an engine under stress. Instincts warned him against the inevitable dangers facing an unarmed young man such as himself in this kind of situation. But his body, despite being afraid, urged him to go on, for only a few steps away was Chibi Usa.
Helios cautiously stepped onto the elevator and watched nervously as the doors closed before his eyes, leading him into an unknown situation. There was no light inside the moving box so Helios could not see which floor he was going to. Yet there was some sort of power that was lifting the elevator up the elevator shaft without employing electricity. The thought that someone could power a heavy elevator troubled Helios. Whoever was behind this must be a force to be reckoned with.
After several nerve-wreaking seconds, the elevator came to a jolting stop as the doors reopened. The smell of dust, mildew, and some sort of construction chemical slammed into Helios' face. Covering his nose and mouth against the dust, Helios quickly looked around. This new floor of the building was different from the first, for the evening light was flooding in through the large ceiling to wall windows. But dark spots where the light was blocked from plank-covered windows punctuated the expansive floor, making it look like a giant chess board. Helios walked forward despite his uneasiness and saw a bundle of pink and white lying in one of the lightless squares of the floor.
Chibi Usa-chan!
"Not so fast, Angel," a female voice said from somewhere in the room. Helios stopped dead in his tracks, his heart pounding like mad.
"Who are you?" he asked as calmly as he could make himself sound.
"Forgot about me already? And we've only just met this afternoon." Argent, still in her school girl disguise, walked out of a shadow and cast a disappointed look at the boy.
Seeing that it was the girl with glasses, Helios's breath halted for a moment. But surprise quickly turned into loathing as Helios watched Argent with furious golden eyes.
"What do you want?" Helios asked evenly, suppressing the urge to collect Chibi Usa and run by focusing on negotiations instead.
Argent smirked but the grin quickly melted into a hard, cold voice that reflected the side of her that had made her what she was today. "You care a lot about that girl don't you?" she said, ignoring Helios' question.
Helios paused. For all he knew this woman might be Nehellenia's new minion, sent to capture him and Chibi Usa. If he were to show any sentiment now, then things could go from bad to worse for both of them. Helios looked straight at Argent, keeping his facial expression neutral as he answered in a tone that was equally neutral.
"I don't know her; she's just a classmate of mine that's all."
Argent laughed at the reply as Helios waited for her reaction. "Just someone you know from school huh? If that's the case then why were you looking at her back at the store yet purposely avoided her? Why did you come here when I sent you the picture?"
"We happen to be walking the same way that's all. I confess, I am a popular person at school and I recognized her as an infatuated schoolmate who might annoy me to no end if she saw me. That's why I was waiting for her to leave the store before I passed by, because I didn't want to risk her seeing me through the window, and I did have something important to attend to. As for coming here, as important as my business was I can't exactly leave her in the hands of a crazy kidnapper without doing something to help, no matter how foolishly infatuated she might be." Helios answered with a hint of coldness, giving Argent a nonchalant look.
"Hmm, being a reluctant hero then. I like that. But I can't just let you two leave, what am I going to tell my boss if my prey just walked out like that?" A layer of ice formed around Argent as she spoke, quickly covering her from head to toe before suddenly shattering into pieces, revealing the villainess in her true form.
"What-!?" Helios' eyes widened as he watched Argent's transformation take place.
"Now that you've served society and done your work as a Good Samaritan, it's now my turn to do my job, and that's to pluck your wings, Angel!" Argent raised her hand toward Helios "Blanc Hail!"
A shower of ice spikes appeared in midair and flew at the surprised youth. Pushing the residual sense of surprise aside, Helios turned to his left to avoid being skewered. However his sleeve was caught by one of the icy stalactites. The sharp stake penetrated the nearest wall, pining Helios to it. Others followed but stopped just a few inches away from Helios' body, threatening to impale him should he attempt to force his escape.
Seeing her target secured, Argent grinned furiously. She looked around and picked up the still unconscious Chibi Usa with invisible hands. "Let's see, what should I do with you?" Argent said sadistically to the helpless girl.
"No, leave her alone!" Helios screamed helplessly.
Argent cocked an eye upon him. "I thought you said she meant nothing to you? Trying to lie to me are you?" Her smile disappeared and her eyes grew hard. "I don't like it when people lie to me!" Snapping her fingers, the dust that had made Helios cringe when he first exited the elevator began to clump together. Soon the dust particles were swirling in a tornado. A resounding roar from it made the glass windows shake and quiver. The tiny dusts were now becoming a choking brown cloud, circling around Argent's feet like a tamed beast.
Argent tilted her head towards Chibi Usa and within seconds the cloud of dust covered her. "That cloud contains chemicals that are deadly to the humans. Idiots really, putting poisons into the very air they breathe. But unfortunately there's not enough of the stuff in this crummy place to cause immediate damage, so I think I'll add a little juice to it to speed up the process." With her back to Helios, Argent's eyes glared evilly as her shred of the Black Crystal appeared on her finger tip. She tossed the crystal shard toward the cloud and it disappeared into the cloud. Helios watched with powerless and horrified eyes as the cloud blackened and thickened to resemble a mass of moving charcoal dust. Inside the cloud, Chibi Usa began to cough, lightly at first, but gradually her coughs became more and more violent, all the while as Argent grinned as minutes ticked by.
"A sad way to die, having your insides eaten away alive." Argent finally said. "Oh well, that's what she gets for stealing my prize." As she turned back to face Helios, wanting to deliver another sarcastic remark, Argent gasped at what she saw.
Helios' body, still trapped by the threatening icicles, was glowing in a halo of golden aura. While she had been gloating in her victory Argent had failed to notice the soft ripples of heated air forming around the boy. As she watched, Argent saw that the immense heat emanating from Helios' body was beginning to melt his icy prison bars.
"What are you doing?! What-what are you?!" Argent cried hoarsely, her frozen eyes aglow from reflected golden lights.
There was no reply from Helios. His head was lowered, allowing his white hair to cover his eyes with only the rippling air to sway them delicately from side to side. Slowly but steadily, the energy surrounding him grew stronger and stronger until finally the ice stalactites lost their potency and fell to the floor as harmless bits of ice toothpicks. Freed, Helios staggered forward. His legs were weak, but still able to support his weight as he approached his former captor. As unsteady as he might appear, it was his eyes that unsettled Argent the most. Although his eyes were unfocused, they were glowing like twin living hearths. Looking at him Argent felt as if his soul itself was pulling and driving him forward.
Panicking, Argent attempted to stop the advance of the boy with the burning eyes by pointed her finger at Chibi Usa. "Stop! Stop it at once or else I'll kill her right now!" she threatened vehemently. But Helios did not hear her voice. He only continued to walk toward Chibi Usa, past Argent as she stood frozen with disbelief. But the further he walked, the weaker his limbs grew. His energy waning, Helios finally felt the ground beneath him give way and the sensation of gravity acting on his fallen body as he collapsed to the ground.
The light around Helios faded like a dying candle fire as he fell only a few feet away from Chibi Usa, sprawled across the ground in a coma. Slowly Argent breathed a sigh of relief, her face covered with cold sweat. Clutching her shawl tightly in one hand, a delayed laugh sprouted from Argent's throat as she kept her eyes on the boy lying motionlessly on the floor.
"Did you think you can frighten me with that Angel…you can't possibly win-!"
Just as Argent was about to wallow in her victory, one of the window panel exploded into a million pieces as a flash of white and yellow rushed into the room.
"World Shaking!"
The unexpected intrusion and attack lifted Argent off her feet and hurled her across the room as if the earth itself had risen against her.
"Silence Wall!" Saturn's stern voice ringed as a protective dome formed around the stricken princess and the fallen priest.
Argent opened her eyes to see two senshi staring at her, one of them with a swift saber, the other with a heavy steel glaive. Covered in grime and scratches, Argent propped herself back up as she snarled.
"GET THEM!" she screamed at her Fury. The cloud quickly turned and attacked the two Outer senshi. Saturn once again raised her Silence Glaive and erected a barrier between Uranus, herself, and the dust cloud.
Argent, her hair in disarray, eyed the two senshi wildly. "I won't let anyone get the better of me, not him and not YOU!" Her voice rushed forward as a boom of negative energy surged though the room. The energy Argent unleashed transferred directly to the monster as grew even larger and more powerful. Saturn's arms were wavering as she struggled to support the increasing pressure exerted by the monster until it seemed like the barrier will be forced to give way.
"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"
A splash of water washed through the dust monster, taking large chunks of it out as icy blocks.
The Inner Senshi plus Sailor Neptune raced into the room through the fire escape, each of them throwing in their individual attack.
"Supreme Thunder!"
"Burning Mandala!"
"Venus, Love & Beauty Shock!"
"Deep Submerge!"
The combined energy of the senshi's attacks scattered the Fury into bits. Sailor Moon took the opportunity to rush to Chibi Usa and Helios' side. Kneeling first beside the fainted boy priest, Sailor Moon clasped his hand and touched his forehead, "Helios can you hear me?"
After a long second, a small moan escaped Helios' lips as he slowly came to. Gladdened by the sight, Sailor Moon moved onto Chibi Usa who was conscious, but suffering from violent coughs. "Hold still Chibi Usa, hold on!" Sailor Moon urged as she cradled Chibi Usa's head with one hand. Taking out her wand with the other hand, the senshi of the moon raised it high above her head.
"Moon Healing Escalation!"
The purifying white light emanating from the Silver Crystal washed over the suffering young woman and cleansed her of the poison and filth Argent has forced down her lungs, restoring them so that she may breathe again.
"Sailor Moon…wha-what's going on? What are you doing here?" asked a pair of confused red eyes.
Seeing her daughter come around, Sailor Moon sighed in relief but had no time to explain as the battle behind her intensified. The blonde senshi turned her head around just as Argent screamed incoherently, her mind too unfocused by rage to do much else.
"NO! IT'S NOT FAIR! ALWAYS INTERFERING! HE'S MINE, MY TRAGET, MINE!"
Mars backed away and stood protectively in front of Sailor Moon, Chibi Usa, and Helios. "I think she's lost it, and that cloud isn't getting any smaller!" she said.
The frozen, burnt, and water logged dust particles were regrouping and beginning to fill the whole floor. Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune who were closest to the cloud were beginning to cough as the tiny acrid particles traveled into their unprotected bodies.
"Everyone be careful!" Mercury warned as she ran her fingers across her computer's keyboard. "Something is powering this cloud, we have to figure out what that is if we want to stop it!"
"Get behind me!" Saturn cried as she erected another domed barrier to protect her fellow senshi. Sailor Moon looked at Mercury and asked urgently, "Can you find it Mercury?"
Mercury, remaining as calm and collected as she could, nodded. "Give me a little more time…" Everyone waited anxiously before a smile burst forth onto the blue-haired genius' lips. "I found it! It's coming from the center of the cloud!" she cried, a beeping sound corresponding to a graphic simulation that had being run on the small computer she held confirmed her statement.
"Got it!" Venus stepped forward and stretched her gloved arm forward.
"Crescent Beam!"
The bullet-like beam of light shot forward and disappeared in the black smog. A bright flash of light exploded from within the cloud, forcing the senshi to cover their eyes. When the light disappeared, the dark cloud began to dissipate like a morning fog. Finally lifting her head from her hysterics, Argent saw that she was defeated. But her maddened psyche was not about to give up. Her breath gruff and shaking, she snatched up the Black Crystal lying defeated on the ground and marched toward the group of senshi.
Seeing this, everyone tensed up, ready to fight. "I'm not going to let you-" she whispered dangerously. But before Argent has taken more than four steps she suddenly disappeared with not even a closed closet door to suggest her retreat.
Shocked, Neptune was the first to speak. "Where did she go?" she asked quietly.
Mercury, still busy on her computer, shook her head. "She's gone; there's no trace of negative energy anywhere."
"Well I'm just glad that that's over." Jupiter sighed in relief; the group nodded in agreement.
As everyone detransformed, Chibi Usa looked questioningly at Usagi without meeting her eyes. "How did you find me, Usagi?"
Usagi looked at Hotaru and explained in a hushed and disappointed voice, "Hotaru-chan called me and told me you had run off. She had called Haruka and Michiru first and said they were on their way to join her when she suddenly hung up." At this point Usagi's eyes asked Hotaru to continue the narrative. Hotaru nodded. "I was so worried about you and Helios-kun when he didn't show up at our predestinated time." Chibi Usa made no comment regarding this except to look even further away. "I called my parents then Usagi-san when I felt a strange energy tugging at me…"
"A strange energy? Was it the Dar-the enemy?" Rei asked.
Hotaru shook her head, sending her straight cut hair into a neat arc. "No, it wasn't. It's hard to describe, but it was really warm…almost like a torch or a fire, so I'm sure it wasn't the enemy. I followed it to an area near this building when Haruka-papa picked me up in her helicopter and we managed to locate you, but by then the energy was gone."
Everyone looked puzzled but Haruka's eyes were burning silent holes into Helios as she glared at him with untrusting eyes. Feeling the heat of the tall blonde senshi's gaze, Helios turned his face away. Clutching a hand into a fist, Helios sorted through his brain for memories from the battle. He remembered being trapped by Argent and seeing Chibi Usa engulfed by the toxic cloud. Then things started to go blank. The only thing he could remember before darkness descended was a growing smoldering feeling in his chest and the overwhelming, torturing thought that his Maiden was being killed before his eyes and there was nothing he could do. But when he woke up there was Sailor Moon with her cool and comforting hand, chasing away the empty darkness that had temporarily enveloped him.
Now with Chibi Usa safely beside the large ensemble of senshi Helios thought he could breath a sigh of relief. But his mental blackout and the unanswered question that had been raised frightened the young priest. What had he done during the blackout that had left him several feet away from the place of his imprisonment, and what had caused his mind to turn off in the first place?
Could it be…Helios thought uncertainly to himself, Could it be that I had unconsciously used the Golden Crystal? On the few occasions that he had used the crystal, he had been drained and exhausted from the experience and this time felt the same as before, for even now Helios could feel his body expressing its fatigue through his short breaths, though he tried to hide it as best as he could. But no, it couldn't have been the Golden Crystal, he didn't have the strength or ability to wield the sacred gem like Sailor Moon and Chibi Usa did and be able to release something so strong and far reaching that Hotaru felt it from blocks away. What was more, he had never blacked out on any of the few occasions he had asked for the crystal's power. It had to be something else that caused him to loose consciousness.
A deep sigh from Usagi brought Helios back into the unknown floor of the deserted building. As he watched the blonde woman in the center of the group, Helios saw that Chibi Usa's arms were wrapped around herself, as if from the cold or as a way to make herself smaller in the eyes of her future mother.
"You mustn't just run off like that, we were all worried to death about you Chibi Usa," Usagi said calm but unhappily. She glanced down at the ground before she continued, "That's why I want you to stay home for your holiday vacation. With this enemy running around it's not safe for you to be out there and I don't want any thing to happen to you."
Chibi Usa didn't reply. Instead she stood there shamefaced and motionless until the group began to leave. Following Usagi, Chibi Usa cast one last unreadable look at Hotaru and Helios before she turned away. Hotaru sighed as she watched her friend walk off. She looked at Helios and saw the sadness in his eyes, almost hidden by the reflected glare from the setting sun.
Suddenly Hotaru felt a rush of sympathy for Chibi Usa, for the love she hid in her heart, and for the boy she loved who was trapped in a world he did not belong to. So many more things have gone wrong than right for them. Chibi Usa now felt betrayed, Helios (who Hotaru knew cared deeply for Chibi Usa) was alienating himself from her.
Black Lady…the Black Crystal…Hotaru watched the blinding light of the sun and could almost imagine the ghastly silhouettes of those fearsome villains she was fortunately enough to have never met. But that might soon change. With what Usagi told her earlier, it seemed there would be a second coming of the Death Phantom and the Sailor Senshi must be prepared. But would Chibi Usa be prepared? Would she be able to bear the name of the demon and not break apart like a piece of fragile porcelain, or look at the hollow crimson eyes of her worst nightmare and not fall to her knees in paralyzing terror? Could I do it if I were to face Mistress 9 or the possessed Dr. Tomoe, Hotaru asked herself.
Probably not… the black haired girl told her self gloomily.
Hotaru did not know the details regarding Chibi Usa's transformation into Black Lady, only that it was the result of a child's lost, lonely, and misguided heart. She could only hope and pray that despite the emotional burdens Chibi Usa was walling up inside that she would eventually persevere.
"Let's go home Hotaru-chan," Michiru said in her gentle melodious voice.
Hotaru nodded and looked at Helios but saw that he was no longer there. Helios had turned and left while Hotaru was thinking. Wordlessly he had gone his own way without even saying goodbye. Hotaru could only shook her head as she left with her family.
Walking with a heavy heart, Helios felt like he was drowning in his own confused thoughts. Taking a deep breath of cold winter air, Helios' eyes watched the gilded snow beneath his feet, still fresh and lightly airbrushed with the sun's rays. However the light on the snow was laughing at him, its bright happiness mocking him of his failed attempt to protect someone he cared so deeply for. In the end it had been the Sailor Senshi, and it would always be the Sailor Senshi who would save the day, it told him; not he, an imprudent amateur who foolishly walked into a situation he could not handle and almost got himself and Chibi Usa killed. Raising his head to escape that overwhelming thought, Helios remembered the promise he had made with Chibi Usa. Shutting his eyes to block out the accusing light, Helios tried to find comfort in the rare but wonderful moments he and Chibi Usa shared together. But no matter how hard he tried to focus on Chibi Usa's wonderful smile, his heart could not smile back.
Nearly everything was a dull gray as Argent examined her new surroundings. Except for two drawn purple curtain that seemed to cover an immeasurable long wall which faded into the dark, there was nothing else in the room except for the same old dreary color.
"Where am I?" Argent looked bewilderedly around but found no clues as to what this place was. "And where are those accursed senshi?!" Argent fumed, clutching her manicured hands into tight fists.
Just then Argent noticed that her fists were holding nothing but air. She gasped and looked around her, thinking that she might have dropped her Black Crystal shard somewhere. As the long haired woman groped around hopelessly on the opaque floor, a low hum behind her caught her attention. The hum came from behind the curtains and Argent felt herself drawn to it like a sailor hearing the bewitching songs of the Sirens. Walking toward the curtains, Argent slowly lifted the purple drapery as she beheld an astonishing sight.
There, floating in front of her, was the Black Crystal; its once innumerable fragments reduced to only about three dozen or so pieces, one of which Argent identified to be her own. The crystal was larger than Argent had ever imagined it to be. Its long axis stretched from the tip of her head all the way to her hips. The purplish black glow it gave off from deep within its core was like the heart beat of a sleeping monster, ready to be awakened and swallow the first being it saw.
The overpowering pressure emanating from this crystalline mass forced Argent to involuntarily take a step back. The woman felt her breath caught for a moment before an uncontrolled laugh broke out from her throat.
"Ha! So this is the nearly completed Black Crystal!" Argent's eyes danced wildly as if under some spell. "Forget Bellona! If I take this crystal for myself I can crush the Sailor Senshi and – Oh, just imagine the things I can do with so much power!" Argent said greedily to herself, unaware of a new presence in the room with her.
"Yes, it is very enticing isn't it?"
Argent wheeled around, her ice-blue eyes violently turning to-and-foe, searching for the source of the unexpected voice.
"Who are you?" Argent asked in a panic, for the last thing she needed was more unexpected surprises.
Wise Man's cloaked figure appeared out of the gray-black world, two faint flickers of red viper-like eyes staring out from under the hood.
"Hello Argent. I am Wise Man, advisor to Bellona-sama"
"Wise Man?" Argent echoed "I've never heard of any advisor to Bellona-sama. How do I know you're not an intruder?"
A soft chuckled escaped from Wise Man's unseen mouth as he answered her. "Oh, but I am her advisor. And I know all about you, Argent, and your fellow Metallum Girls as well."
Argent felt a cold shiver as Wise Man floated towards her. "You like your fellows were criminals imprisoned in an intergalactic prison. You were a master at making men gave you what you want, whether it be money, power, or information.
"However, you were finally caught and convicted and sentenced to the prison. Then one day a space ship barged in and you met Bellona-sama, your savior. She offered you and three others to become her servants and of course all four of you agreed. You followed her, did her biddings and that is how you ended up here on Earth." Wise Man concluded his narrative as he stopped a few feet away from Argent.
"So?" Argent argued "A lot of people know that!"
"Yes, but do you know the history of your mistress, of how Bellona-sama came into possession of such a wonderful treasure as the Black Crystal?"
Argent made no reply except to haughtily stick her nose up and act like she didn't really care. Wise Man ignored her attitude and his hands began to swirl above his crystal ball.
"Bellona-sama was the greatest warrior of her home planet of Thrace has ever produced. Born into the noble family of a nation rapidly expanding its empire, educated at the best military academy, she was celebrated far and wide for her ferocity and skill in battle and was declared a national hero in her country." The orb showed a picture of Bellona, still a woman in her prime. Her blue hair and shinning gray cape dancing in the wind, her body covered in silver armor, branded with the same crest on her present throne. She raised a sword into the air and before her a sea of soldiers cried their allegiance as they beheld this goddess-like warrior.
"However, the peace she helped create did not satisfy her growing hunger for conquest and power. One day she went for a walk in the woods to relief her anger and frustration after having been dismissed from military service when she came across something very interesting." Now the orb switched to show Bellona kneeling before what looked like a crater that had ripped a hole in the forest floor. Bellona jumped into the crater to find numerous purple crystalline objects buried in the soil. Picking up one of the objects, Argent saw that it was in fact a fractured piece of the Black Crystal.
Suddenly out of the crystal pieces, a black fog poured forth and formed a crouched form. As the view on the orb drew closer, the figure was no other than Wise Man himself. Argent darted a quick glance at the cloaked figure. Wise Man caught the look and laughed, "Yes, that was me, for Bellona-sama's incensed and hateful aura had awakened me."
The Wise Man in the orb spoke grateful words to Bellona as the picture show continued. "My name is Wise Man," he said to her "Thank you for awakening me from my long slumber, My Lady. Please, if there is anything you wise I shall help you obtain it as a payment for bring me back to this world."
Bellona hesitated, but one could see it in her eyes as the gears began to turn. Her instincts told her to be wary of this strange figure, but she sensed great power emanating from the crystal. Tempted by the promise offered to her, the overwhelming desire for power made her speak her inner desire to Wise Man.
"I want to become powerful, and for others to acknowledge my strength," Bellona spread her arms. "I want to become greater than those fat pigs running the government who have thrown me away like trash!" Unleashing her oppressed desire, Bellona cried, "Peace to me is nothing but an excuse for the weak to survive! My strength lies in conquest, and I will make the world, and beyond, bow to me!"
"That can be done," Wise Man replied. The shards of the Black Crystal emerged one by one from their murky resting place and floated around Bellona. "With this Black Crystal you can become the most powerful woman in the universe. However, the crystal as you can see is in shambles and will need to be repaired with life energy. Once the crystal is complete however, it is invincible and is will be completely at your disposal."
At this Bellona grinned, feeling the dark energy tricking into her veins. "Oh don't worry about that, there's plenty of energy on this planet!" From there the images became those of bloodshed and chaos as the life energy of Thrace's residents was drained bit by bit until the planet itself become a piece of barren rock floating in space.
At this point the pictures disappeared and Wise Man said in an almost wistful tone, "However, the energy from Thrace alone was not enough. Several other planets followed, but the effort to collect energy to restore the Black Crystal has taken its toll on Bellona-sama's body. That was when I suggest we come to Earth, where energy is plentiful and Bellona-sama will have a chance to receive a new body." At this point Wise Man's voice became eager.
Argent however, was taking no comfort in any of this. "Why are you telling me this? What do I care about Bellona-sama's past?"
Again, Wise Man chuckled, except this time the laughter was like a hollow howl from the mouth of a cave. "Do you remember what you said just before you discovered me, Argent?"
Argent felt her heart turn to ice and her lips quivered to put excuses in her mouth. "I-I didn't mean any of it! I was only looking at it that's all-"
"Don't try to lie to me Argent!" Wise Man said in a booming voice that caused Argent to whimper and fall helplessly to the ground. "Do you think I am going to let you get with insubordination? No, you are gravely mistaken if you think so. I am telling you all this so that you might die a wiser person, that's all."
Her teeth chattering madly as an uncontrollable terror over took her. Argent whispered piteously "No, no please! I don't-I don't want to die! Please spare me! I'll be very fateful and I'll work extra hard, I promise! Wise Man, please!"
At this, an unseen grin seem to spread from Wise Man. "Don't worry; your death won't be wasted. All I need now is your life energy to patch up a few more pieces of the crystal. You should feel honored that your energy will be used to help complete the Black Crystal, that you'll forever be a part of its glory."
Argent began creeping back, trying to push herself away from Wise Man like a beaten dog crawling away from a club wielding hand. But however Argent tried, her fate was sealed. As Wise Man stretched out his hand, white wisps of energy began escaping from her body. Slowly as the streams of energy increased their flow, Argent's once beautiful body began to decay. Her skin furrowed and stretched like rough leather while the muscles beneath them shrank away like ice under a cruel sun.
"No…!" was all that Argent managed to utter before her body crumbled to a pile of pale ash and her shrill voice was silenced forever. His dreadful deed complete, Wise Man retracted his hand, allowing Argent's ball of energy to hover in hand.
"Ah yes, so close now…" Wise Man turned toward the unveiled crystal and the energy swiftly flew toward it like a beam of light into a black hole. As soon as the white ball of mist disappeared the fragments began to move. Each fitted accordingly into its crevice as the Black Crystal's base toned hymn grew louder.
A soft rustle alerted Wise Man of Bellona's presence.
"I hope you do not mind me getting ride of that traitor, Bellona-sama. I only thought it best to put her energy to some good use since she not only failed in her mission but tried to interfere with our plans for priest Helios as well, however clueless she was."
Bellona waved it aside, her mind more concerned about the Black Crystal in front of her. "Argent was a bug and I'd rather not waste energy just to squash her personally. Thus I am pleased you have dealt with her treachery in a fitting manner. Now tell me about the progress of the crystal. Is it ready yet? Tell me quickly!"
Without looking, the phantom said in a pleasant voice, "Indeed, it is very near completion, Bellona-sama. We only need to take back the shards given to Eisen and Oro, and then the Black Crystal will be at your command. Think about it, after so many years of hard work, your dream is at hand: to become the strongest in the universe! What's more, soon you will have a beautiful new body that befits your status as well! Everything is perfect!"
Bellona's reached for her pearly mask and removed it to reveal her half-aged features. She walked up to the Black Crystal and laid her palms on the smooth, glassy surface of the crystal. Taking a deep shuddering breath like an addict injecting a pleasurable dose of drug, Bellona opened her eyes with a renewed sense of strength and hunger. She whirled around, a gleefully triumphant grin on her face.
"Yes, the day of my victory approaches! Let none stand in the way of my conquest, for the great warrior Bellona of Thrace is upon them!"
A/N Yes, I know the dust monster was kind of weird, making this chapter sound like an infomercial about workplace hazards. The thing is I had a hard time thinking of a monster Argent could use, and since cameras and mirrors have been used before I ran out of options. Well, all I can say I guess is that at lease I didn't use name this act Attack of the Dust Bunnies!
Also, I think some people might be offended that I made Helios look like a stalker. Remember he's trying to protect Chibi Usa, not hurt her, so please don't associate him with your crazy-obsessed-boyfriend-type of character!