For both parties the next week went by extremely slow. At the Crystal
Palace the scouts were helping to fortify the grounds and find survivors in
the wreckage of the city. The memory of Pearl in the throne room rocked
them to the core along with cryptic truth told by the Queen. Darien tried
to hide his feelings on the matter but the girls could see it was tearing
him up inside seeing he was still very much in love with her. Without the
crystal in the Queen's hands protection of the palace and family became
even more of a priority. The younger scouts helped their older counter
parts with the barrier and did as much as they could to help but they knew
it was barely enough.
Mina was sitting in one of the small family gardens deep in thought when little Usagi came up and pulled herself up onto the bench next to her. With her small little hands she tried to mimic Mina's position of cradling her head in her hands but every time she tried her blonde hair would fall in her face and she would have to start over. Mina didn't fail to notice this and a smile crept to her lips. Usagi was so deep into her task Mina almost laughed when she finally got it and looked to Mina to see if she got it right and then gave up when she saw Mina was no longer doing it. "Hi Usa, does your mom know you are out here?" Usagi shook her head and took out a small red lollipop and started to suck on it happily. Mina envied her child innocence, she had no idea the magnitude of wrong going on around her. Patting the girl on the head she got up and saw those clear blue eyes following her around the garden. "You want to play Usa? I know some really cool games."
"Can Selene play too?"
"Of course. Why don't you go and get her and then we will play in the garden for a little bit." Usagi put away her candy and soon she was running to the palace pigtails flying behind her yelling at the top of her lungs for her sister.
It had taken a good four days but finally Pearl was back to her normal self. By Petz's strict orders she was not to leave bed and she happily gave in to the treatments from everyone. Diamond had taken another room temporarily until she was fully well but he visited her often and that was one of the few bright points in her day. After that fight with Emerald she had to take energy directly from the black crystal to heal herself completely. The two silver crystals were trying double hard to purge her but she was finally able to control them and she felt twice as strong. Diamond forbade her to ever use moon energy again and seeing the look of worry on his face made her promise everything. Emerald kept to herself and didn't bother the rest of the clan. She was still broading over her failure to beat Pearl and had convinced herself Diamond had been bewitched by the girl.
Wiseman sat in his private quarters laughing to himself as he beheld his finest creation. He knew that Sapphire questioned his motives but the little attack by Emerald had temporarily shifted Diamond and Pearl's attention on Emerald. The pieces were all in place it would soon be time for him to divide and conquer. As if on cue Wiseman felt Emerald enter the room and he quickly hid his surprise. Emerald may have physically healed but emotionally she was just as angry and teetering on the edge of insanity. Wiseman chuckled to himself, it was time to begin. "Emerald it is time for you to finally take your place as Queen and I have just the thing you need."
Sapphire had left Diamond and Pearl to their conversation and was searching the palace for Petz, he hadn't seen her in a few days and he missed her. First he checked her rooms and then the meeting areas but she was no where in site. Even her sisters didn't know where she was and Birdie hinted at the fact that Wiseman might have needed her. Sapphire walked briskly to Wiseman's room to over hear Emerald's annoying laughter ringing through the halls. Curiosity got the better of him and he hid in the shadows to watch the scene. Emerald had a crown of black crystal on her head and she was decked out in a black gown. She looked much the part of a Queen. Sapphire watched her swear an oath of vengeance against Pearl before the black energy started to surround her and cloud her form. Sapphire could hear her screams and Wiseman's laughter as she started to change and soon she was a huge black dragon with a large black crystal on her forehead. Wiseman's voice rattled orders and soon the thing that was Emerald disappeared and started its walk to the crystal palace. "Finally, power will be mine!" Sapphire looked on in horror as Wiseman congratulated himself and then warped himself out of the room. Pearl was right all along!
Sapphire ran as fast as he could to his brother and was out of breath when the door was opened by a smiling Pearl. Upon seeing his state Pearl pulled him in the room and made him sit on the bed. "What happened?"
"Emerald.Dragon.Crystal palace.." Sapphire gasped for air.
"Brother say that again in a complete sentence."
"Emerald has been changed into a huge dragon and on her way to the crystal palace to destroy Neo-Queen Serenity and then Pearl!"
"Oh no. Diamond we have to do something. She hates my guts she will not hesitate to kill me."
"Fine I will go, I will try to reason with her."
"No you are still wounded. I can go with Sapphire. I promise to not use moon magic."
"Diamond she is right. She is strong enough as is. I request thought to stay here. I want to make sure she can't attack us."
"Fine, get to work. I will be in the throne room."
Mina was sitting in one of the small family gardens deep in thought when little Usagi came up and pulled herself up onto the bench next to her. With her small little hands she tried to mimic Mina's position of cradling her head in her hands but every time she tried her blonde hair would fall in her face and she would have to start over. Mina didn't fail to notice this and a smile crept to her lips. Usagi was so deep into her task Mina almost laughed when she finally got it and looked to Mina to see if she got it right and then gave up when she saw Mina was no longer doing it. "Hi Usa, does your mom know you are out here?" Usagi shook her head and took out a small red lollipop and started to suck on it happily. Mina envied her child innocence, she had no idea the magnitude of wrong going on around her. Patting the girl on the head she got up and saw those clear blue eyes following her around the garden. "You want to play Usa? I know some really cool games."
"Can Selene play too?"
"Of course. Why don't you go and get her and then we will play in the garden for a little bit." Usagi put away her candy and soon she was running to the palace pigtails flying behind her yelling at the top of her lungs for her sister.
It had taken a good four days but finally Pearl was back to her normal self. By Petz's strict orders she was not to leave bed and she happily gave in to the treatments from everyone. Diamond had taken another room temporarily until she was fully well but he visited her often and that was one of the few bright points in her day. After that fight with Emerald she had to take energy directly from the black crystal to heal herself completely. The two silver crystals were trying double hard to purge her but she was finally able to control them and she felt twice as strong. Diamond forbade her to ever use moon energy again and seeing the look of worry on his face made her promise everything. Emerald kept to herself and didn't bother the rest of the clan. She was still broading over her failure to beat Pearl and had convinced herself Diamond had been bewitched by the girl.
Wiseman sat in his private quarters laughing to himself as he beheld his finest creation. He knew that Sapphire questioned his motives but the little attack by Emerald had temporarily shifted Diamond and Pearl's attention on Emerald. The pieces were all in place it would soon be time for him to divide and conquer. As if on cue Wiseman felt Emerald enter the room and he quickly hid his surprise. Emerald may have physically healed but emotionally she was just as angry and teetering on the edge of insanity. Wiseman chuckled to himself, it was time to begin. "Emerald it is time for you to finally take your place as Queen and I have just the thing you need."
Sapphire had left Diamond and Pearl to their conversation and was searching the palace for Petz, he hadn't seen her in a few days and he missed her. First he checked her rooms and then the meeting areas but she was no where in site. Even her sisters didn't know where she was and Birdie hinted at the fact that Wiseman might have needed her. Sapphire walked briskly to Wiseman's room to over hear Emerald's annoying laughter ringing through the halls. Curiosity got the better of him and he hid in the shadows to watch the scene. Emerald had a crown of black crystal on her head and she was decked out in a black gown. She looked much the part of a Queen. Sapphire watched her swear an oath of vengeance against Pearl before the black energy started to surround her and cloud her form. Sapphire could hear her screams and Wiseman's laughter as she started to change and soon she was a huge black dragon with a large black crystal on her forehead. Wiseman's voice rattled orders and soon the thing that was Emerald disappeared and started its walk to the crystal palace. "Finally, power will be mine!" Sapphire looked on in horror as Wiseman congratulated himself and then warped himself out of the room. Pearl was right all along!
Sapphire ran as fast as he could to his brother and was out of breath when the door was opened by a smiling Pearl. Upon seeing his state Pearl pulled him in the room and made him sit on the bed. "What happened?"
"Emerald.Dragon.Crystal palace.." Sapphire gasped for air.
"Brother say that again in a complete sentence."
"Emerald has been changed into a huge dragon and on her way to the crystal palace to destroy Neo-Queen Serenity and then Pearl!"
"Oh no. Diamond we have to do something. She hates my guts she will not hesitate to kill me."
"Fine I will go, I will try to reason with her."
"No you are still wounded. I can go with Sapphire. I promise to not use moon magic."
"Diamond she is right. She is strong enough as is. I request thought to stay here. I want to make sure she can't attack us."
"Fine, get to work. I will be in the throne room."