A/N: Hi everyone! *waves* It's me again, updating a month after chapter seven
was uploaded. I'm so happy to see reviews, especially since this story
is about to go over 100 reviews. Thank you to everyone who reviewed.
I know this story is definitely not the best out there and personally I don't
really think it's all that good, but like any writer, I like compliments
to feed my oversized ego. So again, thank you!
Besides thanking everyone, I'd also like to address some stuff. First of all, like I said last chapter, there might be shounen ai/shoujo ai in this story. Stuff like romance will start coming up once the banquet is over so I just wanted to get this cleared up. Second, I appreciate all the reviews I've been getting lately, but just like any other writer, not only do I wish for compliments, I also would like some criticism so that I can improve my writing. I would greatly appreciate it if the reviews commented on the plot, or even my writing style. I'm curious as to what the readers *think* will happen next, and I would love to hear your theories regarding this story.
Love Through Centuries
Chapter 8: Finalized Identities
~*~*~*~*~
"Yukina-san, ne? It's nice to meet you".
Palus firmly shook her hand up and down, but her hand had gone limp. Almost frowning, she saw that her red eyes had gone completely expressionless again.
Instinctively, she looked up. And was started to find that everyone around the table was staring at her. Well, her and Yukina, to be precise. And well, they weren't really staring. More like eyeing menacingly.
Palus pointedly ignored those looks and gently placed Yukina's hand back in her lap. Then she turned back to her food and picked up her fork. Before she could even lift a finger though, she felt Serenity nudge her side. She turned and stared questioningly at her princess.
"Yukina-san seems to be a very important person to them", she whispered quietly, making it seem as though she wasn't talking at all. She perfected the technique during a few of her mother's 'peace talks' (as she had dubbed it). She respected her mother and Puu, but anybody would get tired after listening to it more then five times in two days.
Palus shrugged, but did not offer any more to be said. She didn't like everyone staring. So Yukina had introduced herself. What was the problem? Everyone (or more precisely, the Makai Lords and Koenma along with his blue-haired company) was acting as if she hardly ever spoke of her own consent. She heard the whispers and the curious questions, but ignored them.
She didn't need this right now.
However, she was curious herself. About Yukina mostly. Why Hiei would bring along such a being to a place like this was strange enough. The Sovereign Summit was known to be a dangerous place. No matter how capable the guards were, they could not protect everyone in the area. So why would one of the Makai Lords bring along someone like Yukina, whom seemed to be unable to protect herself at all, leaving herself completely defenceless?
She went back to picking at her food while pondering this. Hiei was not known for his kindness. He was not known for taking care of those younger and weaker then him. But perhaps Yukina was a special case? But how special was this particular girl? She seemed as if she had absolutely no sense of her surroundings, as if she was trapped within herself.
The guards flooded in to clear the food and start the main course. But by now, Palus wasn't very hungry anymore.
She turned to glance at the solitary Yukina, the calm and collected Serenity, the excited but elegant Celis, and the fierce but silently determined Hotaru.
She sighed. This was proving to be the longest night of her life.
~*~*~*~*~
Hotaru could understand Palus' uncomfortable state. She had had a lifetime of being stared at and gossiped about, it was not a pleasant experience and so she turned to Botan, a smile already on her face. But she stopped, as quickly as she had planned to distract the ferrygirl.
Botan was an absolute mess. Between what had transpired three seconds ago and till this moment, she had managed to cry so much that her eyes were red and puffy, strands were sticking out of her immaculate ponytail, and her dress seemed almost rundown. But she was grinning. Smiling so heart-warmingly that anyone who saw her couldn't resist smiling back.
Because such a look of happiness was rare in these parts of the three worlds.
Hotaru laid a gentle hand on her new friend's shoulder, and Botan turned to her and, seemingly unmindful of the harm, start babbling happily. "Did you see, did you see? Yukina-chan talked! She spoke, even if it's just her name, she spoke! I haven't her speak for so long; I can hardly remember her voice, but today she spoke! Ever since – "
"Botan!"
A simple worded warning from Koenma on the other side of Hotaru and she clamped up, head drooping as she closed her eyes meekly. Immediately, Koenma looked apologetic. He glanced at Hotaru and she nodded, smiling. She understood the importance of secrets, even those kept from her. But that didn't mean she had to enjoy it.
She turned to glance at everyone. By now, the shock of someone simply stating her own name seemed to have worn off. Hotaru glanced around confusedly, but sighed when she saw that no one would bother explaining it to her.
Everyone seemed to pick up from where they had left off. Celis tentatively began to speak with Botan who sat beside her and responded politely while trying to fervently wipe the tears from her cheeks. Hotaru left them be, perhaps they could become good friends; Botan seemed like a nice person and she wouldn't mind getting to know her better. It may seem like she was taking advantage, but she knew that Botan knew more then she let on. She had to get Botan to trust her before the blue haired ferrygirl would tell her anything worth evaluating. Right now she was pretty much receiving mixed signals from everyone.
"Not carrying the weapon you had this afternoon?"
She turned, and saw that Yusuke, the demon with the wild black hair and human characteristics (well, human considering his fellow Makai Lords had a white tail and the other was a foot shorter then herself) was grinning darkly towards her, sitting in a casual manner on his chair.
Hotaru smiled and shook her head demurely. "No, I'm afraid that my 'weapon' will not fit over nor under the table. It is safer to have it in my room".
He laughed crudely. "Well, what is it then? For someone to be able to wield that thing; you must be pretty damn good with it". He was complimenting her because he wanted to see how she would take it. And also because he knew that she would realize his purposes, and fight back with equal power. And there was always the technical reason; he wanted to see how she really did wield the 'thing'.
"I've had practice", Hotaru responded with a small shrug of her shoulders. "It's not difficult".
"So what kind of weapon is it?" a soft voice drifted from beside Yusuke. They both turned to him.
It was Youko Kurama, who was watching Hotaru with a guarded expression. She stiffened, but she observed him curiously. He was still the same, and up close, he was even more admirable then before. Long silver hair, the same bright golden hazel eyes. But there was something different. Something much different. As strange as it seemed, now that she had had a chance to see how he had conversed with Palus (he had smiled), she had to admit that perhaps he had mellowed out a bit during the years. It had been so long; she was unsure of the time differences between Makai and Ningenkai but she knew several centuries had passed. Yes, perhaps Youko Kurama had changed.
That still didn't mean she had to be more then courteous to him then she was now.
"It is what I call a 'glaive'", she said quietly, looking him straight in the eyes.
Suddenly, Youko Kurama almost seemed to pale despite his already pale skin and Yusuke glared at her fiercely. They both directed their eyes at her and she met their gazes without fear, levelling her violet eyes with theirs.
"Is there a problem with that?" she asked, keeping her tone soft and neutral. She sensed danger. 'What did I say anyway? I only said it was called a glaive; it isn't as if mine's the only one in existence in Ningenkai. It's an ancient Japanese weapon'.
Yusuke suddenly let out harsh laughter, cutting through the air. Youko Kurama merely looked away, eyes trained onto something behind her.
"Hotaru, a glaive in this part of Makai is considered to be an ancient relic, more of a godlike object then a weapon. If it is used as a weapon, it is said that it will bring mass destruction upon all three worlds. It is said to have the power to destroy worlds, entire galaxies even. It is a very feared legend and a bit of a superstition throughout Makai", Koenma piped up helpfully, who sat between Yusuke and Hotaru and couldn't help but provide a bit of information for Hotaru, who obviously had no idea what her words had caused.
She glanced at him curiously. "Why? It is merely a blade centered upon a staff. It is nothing to be afraid of".
"How long have you worked for Reikai again? Your ferrygirls are very misinformed, Koenma", Yusuke said snidely.
"She's new, Yusuke-san", Koenma replied coldly. He turned back to her. "It isn't just one glaive that is seen as a relic; it is all glaives. Glaives are not considered to be a weapon here. Many see it as a curse, something that they view to be a representation of death".
"I thought it was a scythe that was a representation of death".
"It is different here".
Hotaru tilted her head to the side to glance at Yusuke beside Koenma, ignoring the way he was smirking smugly towards her. "And why didn't Yusuke-san recognize the weapon if it is such a 'curse'?"
"I know glaives; I've seen their proper structure. Your weapon is different. It glints like steel and has a double curved blade on either side".
Hotaru decided never to bring her glaive along with her unless it was for emergencies. She could, after all, always summon it to her if she needed it.
"The only person to have ever wielded a glaive was Sailor Saturn and she is the Goddess of Makai, the living representation of death, Bringer of Silence, and the Messiah of Darkness. The immortal creator and Mother of Reikai and first Queen of Makai. Demons do not worship, but they believe she watches over them", Koenma added, glancing furtively at her.
She smiled sheepishly, feeling not at all flattered but rather filled with dread instead. "I've been meaning to ask you about that. The Goddess everyone refers to – so she is Queen Saturn – from my past?"
He nodded.
The demons of the Sovereign Summit believed in a dead person. Queen Saturn of the Silver Millenium was dead. They thought she was a goddess? The power of death did not give you immortality, but merely a prolonged life. She fought the urge to shiver.
She was sad that the people of the Sovereign Summit believed in a false hope. They did not have a religion as humans did, but they had a supernatural being that they believed to be of a hope. And she didn't exist anymore.
"Ah", she whispered, a small sound of acknowledgement.
"Distraction often leads to a painful death" A loud voice broke through her musing, and she looked up. "At least, if you are caught off-guard by an opponent more powerful then yourself". He grinned widely, and she was unsure if he was threatening her or playing around.
'A Makai Lord, 'playing around'? Highly unlikely'.
She managed to look wary enough, and Yusuke laughed again, amused at her almost childish reactions. This girl was far too easy to read.
"You're right, but perhaps lack of thinking led to the loss of your true self. It was a pity to see and a rather pathetic sight. One I do not wish to see ever again," Youko Kurama said, eyes suddenly glazing over as if deep in a memory only he could see.
Yusuke grinned cruelly. "A demon is not meant to be kind, Kurama. Do you not ever feel the thirst for blood? To see your hands covered with crimson; to hear the bones cracking and the limps ripping? To see eyes wide open in fear and screams high enough to be unheard?" He turned to Hotaru again, who stared at him with slightly widened eyes and who was slowly edging away on her chair. "What is the harm of submitting to demonic instinct once in awhile? It is, as always, a pleasure".
"Keep your 'demonic instinct' within your own fortress!" Koenma said.
Yusuke suddenly turned to him, glaring underneath long bangs. "Have you been under the impression that Reikai has even the least bit of power over Makai?"
The King of Reikai frowned.
"The urge to kill is strong, but the urge to protect is stronger", Youko Kurama said and turned away, ending all conversations directed at him.
Yusuke snorted, folding his arms in front of his chest and slumped down in his seat. "Coward".
Hotaru looked away. 'Strange', she thought, 'they conversed as if they knew each other well'. Then she turned to Youko Kurama and smiled gingerly, although she knew he could not see. 'What he said was most certainly true. That is undeniable. But until I understand what he is and what he has become, I cannot determine the full impact he will have on my life'.
"Superstition leads to many demons' downfall because it has blinded their judgement. It will be best if you did not mention that word again", Koenma said to her quietly, silently warning her of the danger.
Hotaru shook her head. "If we avoid what has to be said and revealed, then in the end there will be nothing but lies".
"True, but if lies will prevent the sorrow or fear of knowing the truth, won't that be the better choice?" Celis asked.
The firefly smiled, violet eyes softening at the young girl's question. "A person will live because of their strength. In order to build their strength into an unbreakable structure, they must face pain. They must face the uncontrollable emotions and survive, and until then, would they be true warriors. Suffering leads to fear, and fear leads to pain, but pain will eventually lead to strong will as long as they are lead down the right path".
Celis looked thoughtful and nodded with acknowledgement to her, before turning back to Botan and continuing their conversation.
Gazing carefully around the table to make sure everyone was preoccupied (with exception to Hiei, who was merely glaring at Palus was something like anger in his red eyes), she leaned towards Koenma. "It wouldn't be wise to speak with them one-on-one, would it?"
"No, I'm afraid not. They're strangely unpredictable".
"I do not fear them, Koenma-san", she reminded him.
He nodded. He knew. "It is not about fearing who they are or what their actions might be. When I said they controlled Makai, they do not truly rule this world. They are only three of the most powerful rulers of Makai, which is why they were dubbed as the 'Lords' of Makai. In reality, it is the seven territorial rulers that cause the most trouble because of their petty arguments. Yes, there are borders to each ruler's territory/kingdom, but it is really a matter of claiming what they think is rightfully theirs as one of the rulers of Makai.
It is the Elders who make all the decisions regarding the rulers and Lords as a whole. They are the ones who determine who is right or wrong, and they are the ones who set the new rules to accommodate those decisions. It is incorrect to presume that the three Lords are the highest standing power".
"Of course. Those with the greatest strength amongst them rule Makai. It is very different from my home. Very different", Hotaru noted absentmindedly.
Koenma nodded. "And everyone here are well aware of that fact. Which is why they are so determined to stay out of their way".
She grinned wryly. "Good. Soon they will learn to stay out of mine".
The lights dimmed. Soft music drifted into the banquet hall and guards once again poured in to remove the plates and silverware off the table. Hotaru watched as everyone began to visibly relax, especially the company of the rulers. They were mostly composed of younger demons, and seemed unable to grasp the true importance of such a meeting. It was just so that they would not attend the more important of the meetings that would be held throughout the month that they would stay within the Sovereign Summit's walls.
Everyone was required to leave their seats unoccupied for the guards to clear the tables away and they did so with efficiency, finishing up just as several other guards began weaving their magic around the room, giving it a very strange but mystifying atmosphere. Not wholesomely bad, but rather fearsome all the same.
Little lights seemed to suddenly glow in existence in the air, reminiscent to fireflies. It was beautiful and yet frightfully familiar at the same time. Hotaru was pleasantly surprised, and bit back tears, for the Sailor Senshi had done the same thing for her, for her numerous birthdays held in Crystal Tokyo. Each senshi was given a little surprise from Her Majesty on their birthdays and Hotaru's had been the lights that had reminded her so much of her first birthday party when she was physically six, when her human father had strung lights all around their backyard and had sat with her while gazing at them for hours without a word.
The lights rose towards the ceiling where they mingled. Then the candles from the chandeliers blew out and soon only the lights illuminated the area.
'There is not much that I am afraid of, but perhaps tonight, I can at least lay my worries to rest', she thought almost happily, tilting her head to glance at her friend, who was twirling around on the spot giggling softly at the lights and the music. Palus was jumping from place to place excitedly, squealing like the child she seemed and pointing at the lights with wild fervour. Celis was beside her sister, trying to calm her down but instead looked more relaxed and less tense then she had been when she had first arrived.
A huge spotlight was suddenly trained upon the top of the staircase once again, and everyone had their attention on the young girl who stood there. Morrayne glanced at them with once sweeping look and smiled slightly in amusement. "There isn't much to say for me, but as it is tradition for me to begin every event within the Sovereign Summit, let the night officially begin".
Everyone clapped politely, before they all began drifting apart from their table arrangements. Some of the younger demons bunched together around the corners of the room, the elder ones slid past each other with cautious expressions.
Hotaru decided to watch what the others would do first, before deciding her own choice of action. Koenma and Botan almost immediately took off, the three Makai Lords followed suite, and all who were left behind were herself, Serenity, Palus, and Celis.
"Hotaru-chan, what do you plan on doing now?" Serenity piped up, giving a sideways glance to her best friend.
She shrugged helplessly. "I feel kind of inadequate in this type of situation. You're the pre-Monarch, so you'd probably be able to adapt to all this much quicker then I can. Dealing with an enemy is more my type of thing".
Her pink haired friend laughed. "True, but together, we were always quite the team. Come on, Hotaru-chan, why don't we walk around together and get to know the rulers that we are soon destined to face?"
"As always, you provide the best solutions", Hotaru responded, a small but lasting smile on her face. "But for the night, what will become of your senshi?"
Serenity shrugged. "Palus seemed to have taken a liking for the young woman named Yukina, I presume, and Celis knows well enough how to take care of herself. After all, they were trained to take care of me, and you know how hard that job is".
She laughed. "I can imagine".
"Ne, Chibi-Usa, would you mind if we wandered around by ourselves for awhile?" Celis suddenly spoke up from beside them, eyes alight with uncertainty.
The person in question smiled warmly and shook her head. "Nah, you go ahead and have fun. Be sure to make it back to our room by midnight or so. If you or Palus-chan have any problems, be sure to get out of there as soon as possible. Watch out for your little sister, okay?"
Celis nodded and with a nod to Hotaru (who nodded back), she turned and swept away as elegantly as one like her could. Hotaru was slightly surprised to find similarities between Celis and Ami-chan, who both were calm at times and wise and intelligent beyond their years. They both possessed the same grace when they moved around, and Hotaru was actually quite pleased to see that.
"Your senshi will grow up to be amazing", Hotaru whispered.
Serenity blinked, then nodded, looking over at her senshi fondly. "Yup, they're special alright".
There was a momentary pause of silence, as if to honour the senshi of the different timelines that had existed, all the senshi that had been killed and manipulated during the episode with Chaos; the young women who would give their lives for their princesses. At the moment, Hotaru felt that she was a part of something so much bigger then she could possibly imagine, and that although she ruled over Death, it really wasn't any different then from ruling over fire or water. She was one of the Sailor Senshi, and she would uphold that title as proudly as she could.
She turned to offer her best friend a playful grin, which Serenity returned. Then she brushed strands of black hair behind her hair and took a step forward, as if she had truly accepted the fact that she was no longer in the world of which Crystal Tokyo and Sailor Saturn belonged in. She was in the Makai, where simply ferrygirl Tomoe Hotaru existed. Sailor Saturn would not return for some time.
"As Morrayne-san said earlier, let the night officially begin". And with linked arms, they walked straight into the crowd.
~*~*~*~*~
TBC
A/N: I figure that the title of this chapter will cause some confusion. Basically, this chapter not only shows how Hotaru will sort of interact with the Makai Lords (though Hiei wasn't part of the 'conversation' ^^;;), but also in the last part where Hotaru decides who she is and what she will become in order to fit in, that is what the title is trying to portray. Hotaru makes a final decision as to what her identity will be, and she has decided to become ferrygirl Tomoe Hotaru. Of course, she will become Sailor Saturn further on in the story, but that won't come up till much later.
Besides thanking everyone, I'd also like to address some stuff. First of all, like I said last chapter, there might be shounen ai/shoujo ai in this story. Stuff like romance will start coming up once the banquet is over so I just wanted to get this cleared up. Second, I appreciate all the reviews I've been getting lately, but just like any other writer, not only do I wish for compliments, I also would like some criticism so that I can improve my writing. I would greatly appreciate it if the reviews commented on the plot, or even my writing style. I'm curious as to what the readers *think* will happen next, and I would love to hear your theories regarding this story.
Love Through Centuries
Chapter 8: Finalized Identities
~*~*~*~*~
"Yukina-san, ne? It's nice to meet you".
Palus firmly shook her hand up and down, but her hand had gone limp. Almost frowning, she saw that her red eyes had gone completely expressionless again.
Instinctively, she looked up. And was started to find that everyone around the table was staring at her. Well, her and Yukina, to be precise. And well, they weren't really staring. More like eyeing menacingly.
Palus pointedly ignored those looks and gently placed Yukina's hand back in her lap. Then she turned back to her food and picked up her fork. Before she could even lift a finger though, she felt Serenity nudge her side. She turned and stared questioningly at her princess.
"Yukina-san seems to be a very important person to them", she whispered quietly, making it seem as though she wasn't talking at all. She perfected the technique during a few of her mother's 'peace talks' (as she had dubbed it). She respected her mother and Puu, but anybody would get tired after listening to it more then five times in two days.
Palus shrugged, but did not offer any more to be said. She didn't like everyone staring. So Yukina had introduced herself. What was the problem? Everyone (or more precisely, the Makai Lords and Koenma along with his blue-haired company) was acting as if she hardly ever spoke of her own consent. She heard the whispers and the curious questions, but ignored them.
She didn't need this right now.
However, she was curious herself. About Yukina mostly. Why Hiei would bring along such a being to a place like this was strange enough. The Sovereign Summit was known to be a dangerous place. No matter how capable the guards were, they could not protect everyone in the area. So why would one of the Makai Lords bring along someone like Yukina, whom seemed to be unable to protect herself at all, leaving herself completely defenceless?
She went back to picking at her food while pondering this. Hiei was not known for his kindness. He was not known for taking care of those younger and weaker then him. But perhaps Yukina was a special case? But how special was this particular girl? She seemed as if she had absolutely no sense of her surroundings, as if she was trapped within herself.
The guards flooded in to clear the food and start the main course. But by now, Palus wasn't very hungry anymore.
She turned to glance at the solitary Yukina, the calm and collected Serenity, the excited but elegant Celis, and the fierce but silently determined Hotaru.
She sighed. This was proving to be the longest night of her life.
~*~*~*~*~
Hotaru could understand Palus' uncomfortable state. She had had a lifetime of being stared at and gossiped about, it was not a pleasant experience and so she turned to Botan, a smile already on her face. But she stopped, as quickly as she had planned to distract the ferrygirl.
Botan was an absolute mess. Between what had transpired three seconds ago and till this moment, she had managed to cry so much that her eyes were red and puffy, strands were sticking out of her immaculate ponytail, and her dress seemed almost rundown. But she was grinning. Smiling so heart-warmingly that anyone who saw her couldn't resist smiling back.
Because such a look of happiness was rare in these parts of the three worlds.
Hotaru laid a gentle hand on her new friend's shoulder, and Botan turned to her and, seemingly unmindful of the harm, start babbling happily. "Did you see, did you see? Yukina-chan talked! She spoke, even if it's just her name, she spoke! I haven't her speak for so long; I can hardly remember her voice, but today she spoke! Ever since – "
"Botan!"
A simple worded warning from Koenma on the other side of Hotaru and she clamped up, head drooping as she closed her eyes meekly. Immediately, Koenma looked apologetic. He glanced at Hotaru and she nodded, smiling. She understood the importance of secrets, even those kept from her. But that didn't mean she had to enjoy it.
She turned to glance at everyone. By now, the shock of someone simply stating her own name seemed to have worn off. Hotaru glanced around confusedly, but sighed when she saw that no one would bother explaining it to her.
Everyone seemed to pick up from where they had left off. Celis tentatively began to speak with Botan who sat beside her and responded politely while trying to fervently wipe the tears from her cheeks. Hotaru left them be, perhaps they could become good friends; Botan seemed like a nice person and she wouldn't mind getting to know her better. It may seem like she was taking advantage, but she knew that Botan knew more then she let on. She had to get Botan to trust her before the blue haired ferrygirl would tell her anything worth evaluating. Right now she was pretty much receiving mixed signals from everyone.
"Not carrying the weapon you had this afternoon?"
She turned, and saw that Yusuke, the demon with the wild black hair and human characteristics (well, human considering his fellow Makai Lords had a white tail and the other was a foot shorter then herself) was grinning darkly towards her, sitting in a casual manner on his chair.
Hotaru smiled and shook her head demurely. "No, I'm afraid that my 'weapon' will not fit over nor under the table. It is safer to have it in my room".
He laughed crudely. "Well, what is it then? For someone to be able to wield that thing; you must be pretty damn good with it". He was complimenting her because he wanted to see how she would take it. And also because he knew that she would realize his purposes, and fight back with equal power. And there was always the technical reason; he wanted to see how she really did wield the 'thing'.
"I've had practice", Hotaru responded with a small shrug of her shoulders. "It's not difficult".
"So what kind of weapon is it?" a soft voice drifted from beside Yusuke. They both turned to him.
It was Youko Kurama, who was watching Hotaru with a guarded expression. She stiffened, but she observed him curiously. He was still the same, and up close, he was even more admirable then before. Long silver hair, the same bright golden hazel eyes. But there was something different. Something much different. As strange as it seemed, now that she had had a chance to see how he had conversed with Palus (he had smiled), she had to admit that perhaps he had mellowed out a bit during the years. It had been so long; she was unsure of the time differences between Makai and Ningenkai but she knew several centuries had passed. Yes, perhaps Youko Kurama had changed.
That still didn't mean she had to be more then courteous to him then she was now.
"It is what I call a 'glaive'", she said quietly, looking him straight in the eyes.
Suddenly, Youko Kurama almost seemed to pale despite his already pale skin and Yusuke glared at her fiercely. They both directed their eyes at her and she met their gazes without fear, levelling her violet eyes with theirs.
"Is there a problem with that?" she asked, keeping her tone soft and neutral. She sensed danger. 'What did I say anyway? I only said it was called a glaive; it isn't as if mine's the only one in existence in Ningenkai. It's an ancient Japanese weapon'.
Yusuke suddenly let out harsh laughter, cutting through the air. Youko Kurama merely looked away, eyes trained onto something behind her.
"Hotaru, a glaive in this part of Makai is considered to be an ancient relic, more of a godlike object then a weapon. If it is used as a weapon, it is said that it will bring mass destruction upon all three worlds. It is said to have the power to destroy worlds, entire galaxies even. It is a very feared legend and a bit of a superstition throughout Makai", Koenma piped up helpfully, who sat between Yusuke and Hotaru and couldn't help but provide a bit of information for Hotaru, who obviously had no idea what her words had caused.
She glanced at him curiously. "Why? It is merely a blade centered upon a staff. It is nothing to be afraid of".
"How long have you worked for Reikai again? Your ferrygirls are very misinformed, Koenma", Yusuke said snidely.
"She's new, Yusuke-san", Koenma replied coldly. He turned back to her. "It isn't just one glaive that is seen as a relic; it is all glaives. Glaives are not considered to be a weapon here. Many see it as a curse, something that they view to be a representation of death".
"I thought it was a scythe that was a representation of death".
"It is different here".
Hotaru tilted her head to the side to glance at Yusuke beside Koenma, ignoring the way he was smirking smugly towards her. "And why didn't Yusuke-san recognize the weapon if it is such a 'curse'?"
"I know glaives; I've seen their proper structure. Your weapon is different. It glints like steel and has a double curved blade on either side".
Hotaru decided never to bring her glaive along with her unless it was for emergencies. She could, after all, always summon it to her if she needed it.
"The only person to have ever wielded a glaive was Sailor Saturn and she is the Goddess of Makai, the living representation of death, Bringer of Silence, and the Messiah of Darkness. The immortal creator and Mother of Reikai and first Queen of Makai. Demons do not worship, but they believe she watches over them", Koenma added, glancing furtively at her.
She smiled sheepishly, feeling not at all flattered but rather filled with dread instead. "I've been meaning to ask you about that. The Goddess everyone refers to – so she is Queen Saturn – from my past?"
He nodded.
The demons of the Sovereign Summit believed in a dead person. Queen Saturn of the Silver Millenium was dead. They thought she was a goddess? The power of death did not give you immortality, but merely a prolonged life. She fought the urge to shiver.
She was sad that the people of the Sovereign Summit believed in a false hope. They did not have a religion as humans did, but they had a supernatural being that they believed to be of a hope. And she didn't exist anymore.
"Ah", she whispered, a small sound of acknowledgement.
"Distraction often leads to a painful death" A loud voice broke through her musing, and she looked up. "At least, if you are caught off-guard by an opponent more powerful then yourself". He grinned widely, and she was unsure if he was threatening her or playing around.
'A Makai Lord, 'playing around'? Highly unlikely'.
She managed to look wary enough, and Yusuke laughed again, amused at her almost childish reactions. This girl was far too easy to read.
"You're right, but perhaps lack of thinking led to the loss of your true self. It was a pity to see and a rather pathetic sight. One I do not wish to see ever again," Youko Kurama said, eyes suddenly glazing over as if deep in a memory only he could see.
Yusuke grinned cruelly. "A demon is not meant to be kind, Kurama. Do you not ever feel the thirst for blood? To see your hands covered with crimson; to hear the bones cracking and the limps ripping? To see eyes wide open in fear and screams high enough to be unheard?" He turned to Hotaru again, who stared at him with slightly widened eyes and who was slowly edging away on her chair. "What is the harm of submitting to demonic instinct once in awhile? It is, as always, a pleasure".
"Keep your 'demonic instinct' within your own fortress!" Koenma said.
Yusuke suddenly turned to him, glaring underneath long bangs. "Have you been under the impression that Reikai has even the least bit of power over Makai?"
The King of Reikai frowned.
"The urge to kill is strong, but the urge to protect is stronger", Youko Kurama said and turned away, ending all conversations directed at him.
Yusuke snorted, folding his arms in front of his chest and slumped down in his seat. "Coward".
Hotaru looked away. 'Strange', she thought, 'they conversed as if they knew each other well'. Then she turned to Youko Kurama and smiled gingerly, although she knew he could not see. 'What he said was most certainly true. That is undeniable. But until I understand what he is and what he has become, I cannot determine the full impact he will have on my life'.
"Superstition leads to many demons' downfall because it has blinded their judgement. It will be best if you did not mention that word again", Koenma said to her quietly, silently warning her of the danger.
Hotaru shook her head. "If we avoid what has to be said and revealed, then in the end there will be nothing but lies".
"True, but if lies will prevent the sorrow or fear of knowing the truth, won't that be the better choice?" Celis asked.
The firefly smiled, violet eyes softening at the young girl's question. "A person will live because of their strength. In order to build their strength into an unbreakable structure, they must face pain. They must face the uncontrollable emotions and survive, and until then, would they be true warriors. Suffering leads to fear, and fear leads to pain, but pain will eventually lead to strong will as long as they are lead down the right path".
Celis looked thoughtful and nodded with acknowledgement to her, before turning back to Botan and continuing their conversation.
Gazing carefully around the table to make sure everyone was preoccupied (with exception to Hiei, who was merely glaring at Palus was something like anger in his red eyes), she leaned towards Koenma. "It wouldn't be wise to speak with them one-on-one, would it?"
"No, I'm afraid not. They're strangely unpredictable".
"I do not fear them, Koenma-san", she reminded him.
He nodded. He knew. "It is not about fearing who they are or what their actions might be. When I said they controlled Makai, they do not truly rule this world. They are only three of the most powerful rulers of Makai, which is why they were dubbed as the 'Lords' of Makai. In reality, it is the seven territorial rulers that cause the most trouble because of their petty arguments. Yes, there are borders to each ruler's territory/kingdom, but it is really a matter of claiming what they think is rightfully theirs as one of the rulers of Makai.
It is the Elders who make all the decisions regarding the rulers and Lords as a whole. They are the ones who determine who is right or wrong, and they are the ones who set the new rules to accommodate those decisions. It is incorrect to presume that the three Lords are the highest standing power".
"Of course. Those with the greatest strength amongst them rule Makai. It is very different from my home. Very different", Hotaru noted absentmindedly.
Koenma nodded. "And everyone here are well aware of that fact. Which is why they are so determined to stay out of their way".
She grinned wryly. "Good. Soon they will learn to stay out of mine".
The lights dimmed. Soft music drifted into the banquet hall and guards once again poured in to remove the plates and silverware off the table. Hotaru watched as everyone began to visibly relax, especially the company of the rulers. They were mostly composed of younger demons, and seemed unable to grasp the true importance of such a meeting. It was just so that they would not attend the more important of the meetings that would be held throughout the month that they would stay within the Sovereign Summit's walls.
Everyone was required to leave their seats unoccupied for the guards to clear the tables away and they did so with efficiency, finishing up just as several other guards began weaving their magic around the room, giving it a very strange but mystifying atmosphere. Not wholesomely bad, but rather fearsome all the same.
Little lights seemed to suddenly glow in existence in the air, reminiscent to fireflies. It was beautiful and yet frightfully familiar at the same time. Hotaru was pleasantly surprised, and bit back tears, for the Sailor Senshi had done the same thing for her, for her numerous birthdays held in Crystal Tokyo. Each senshi was given a little surprise from Her Majesty on their birthdays and Hotaru's had been the lights that had reminded her so much of her first birthday party when she was physically six, when her human father had strung lights all around their backyard and had sat with her while gazing at them for hours without a word.
The lights rose towards the ceiling where they mingled. Then the candles from the chandeliers blew out and soon only the lights illuminated the area.
'There is not much that I am afraid of, but perhaps tonight, I can at least lay my worries to rest', she thought almost happily, tilting her head to glance at her friend, who was twirling around on the spot giggling softly at the lights and the music. Palus was jumping from place to place excitedly, squealing like the child she seemed and pointing at the lights with wild fervour. Celis was beside her sister, trying to calm her down but instead looked more relaxed and less tense then she had been when she had first arrived.
A huge spotlight was suddenly trained upon the top of the staircase once again, and everyone had their attention on the young girl who stood there. Morrayne glanced at them with once sweeping look and smiled slightly in amusement. "There isn't much to say for me, but as it is tradition for me to begin every event within the Sovereign Summit, let the night officially begin".
Everyone clapped politely, before they all began drifting apart from their table arrangements. Some of the younger demons bunched together around the corners of the room, the elder ones slid past each other with cautious expressions.
Hotaru decided to watch what the others would do first, before deciding her own choice of action. Koenma and Botan almost immediately took off, the three Makai Lords followed suite, and all who were left behind were herself, Serenity, Palus, and Celis.
"Hotaru-chan, what do you plan on doing now?" Serenity piped up, giving a sideways glance to her best friend.
She shrugged helplessly. "I feel kind of inadequate in this type of situation. You're the pre-Monarch, so you'd probably be able to adapt to all this much quicker then I can. Dealing with an enemy is more my type of thing".
Her pink haired friend laughed. "True, but together, we were always quite the team. Come on, Hotaru-chan, why don't we walk around together and get to know the rulers that we are soon destined to face?"
"As always, you provide the best solutions", Hotaru responded, a small but lasting smile on her face. "But for the night, what will become of your senshi?"
Serenity shrugged. "Palus seemed to have taken a liking for the young woman named Yukina, I presume, and Celis knows well enough how to take care of herself. After all, they were trained to take care of me, and you know how hard that job is".
She laughed. "I can imagine".
"Ne, Chibi-Usa, would you mind if we wandered around by ourselves for awhile?" Celis suddenly spoke up from beside them, eyes alight with uncertainty.
The person in question smiled warmly and shook her head. "Nah, you go ahead and have fun. Be sure to make it back to our room by midnight or so. If you or Palus-chan have any problems, be sure to get out of there as soon as possible. Watch out for your little sister, okay?"
Celis nodded and with a nod to Hotaru (who nodded back), she turned and swept away as elegantly as one like her could. Hotaru was slightly surprised to find similarities between Celis and Ami-chan, who both were calm at times and wise and intelligent beyond their years. They both possessed the same grace when they moved around, and Hotaru was actually quite pleased to see that.
"Your senshi will grow up to be amazing", Hotaru whispered.
Serenity blinked, then nodded, looking over at her senshi fondly. "Yup, they're special alright".
There was a momentary pause of silence, as if to honour the senshi of the different timelines that had existed, all the senshi that had been killed and manipulated during the episode with Chaos; the young women who would give their lives for their princesses. At the moment, Hotaru felt that she was a part of something so much bigger then she could possibly imagine, and that although she ruled over Death, it really wasn't any different then from ruling over fire or water. She was one of the Sailor Senshi, and she would uphold that title as proudly as she could.
She turned to offer her best friend a playful grin, which Serenity returned. Then she brushed strands of black hair behind her hair and took a step forward, as if she had truly accepted the fact that she was no longer in the world of which Crystal Tokyo and Sailor Saturn belonged in. She was in the Makai, where simply ferrygirl Tomoe Hotaru existed. Sailor Saturn would not return for some time.
"As Morrayne-san said earlier, let the night officially begin". And with linked arms, they walked straight into the crowd.
~*~*~*~*~
TBC
A/N: I figure that the title of this chapter will cause some confusion. Basically, this chapter not only shows how Hotaru will sort of interact with the Makai Lords (though Hiei wasn't part of the 'conversation' ^^;;), but also in the last part where Hotaru decides who she is and what she will become in order to fit in, that is what the title is trying to portray. Hotaru makes a final decision as to what her identity will be, and she has decided to become ferrygirl Tomoe Hotaru. Of course, she will become Sailor Saturn further on in the story, but that won't come up till much later.