Chapter Six: A Spark! The Fight Begins

Author: StarlightMichi

====

Serenity would never get her three days of peace. The night after the Senshi had visited the dead planet, Davida attacked.

It was silent. An hour or two past midnight, a time when most people were snuggling down to sleep or already lost in dreams. Davida's forces—a small group of ten armed—shifted through space to hover over the Moon. There they laid in wait until all was silent and still. Their goal was to catch Serenity and her Soldiers completely off guard. By hitting at night, when Serenity was most likely to be asleep and unfeeling of their power, they hoped to slip in and catch them in their beds.

Davida smiled to herself. This would be a walk in the park, she thought as they landed silently in the garden. She sent half her group forwards towards the door, the other five stayed with her as personal guards. A shout from the door caught them all off guard, and a flood of light hit the garden.

Chaos ensued. Davida watched with wide eyes as her forces were pulled apart by vines, chained to their places by a golden whip and burned into oblivion. She caught a look at Queen Serenity, standing on the balcony with her arms raised. Light shone from her palms, making Davida shriek. She covered her eyes with her arm and shouted a hasty order of retreat. She teleported away, landing on her dead planet and breathing heavily. Her soldiers were gone—dead, she assumed. She took a moment to catch her breath, then hastily left to report what had happened, fear rising in her chest.

====

It had been late when Pluto had awoken them. With hurried orders to be quite and move with the shadows, Neptune and Uranus had followed her down to the first level, and to the door to the gardens. There, she filled them in.

"Serenity senses the presence of evil. It's hovering just outside of the Moon and she believes they will land. The four guardians of Princess Serenity are waiting at the other door. Queen Serenity does not want to alert the enemy to our numbers, and asks that we wait here and help only if needed."

Uranus growled, not liking that idea at all. Pluto and Neptune shushed her, and she complied only because it was Serenity's order that they not fight. A part of her wanted Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus to fail, just so she'd have a chance to get in on the fight.

A wash of light lit the garden up. All three soldiers squinted and blinked, tears in their eyes. Pluto pointed out Serenity, standing on the balcony and using the ginzuishou to light the garden.

"FLAME SNIPER!" Fire ripped through the soldiers from the dead planet, sending screams into the air. Neptune winced at their sound. She watched as Venus used her Love-Me Chain to ensnare several would-be escapees. A shriek filled the air, and all eyes went towards the warrior in red, encircled by soldiers. She vanished a moment later, leaving her guards behind. It was quick work to round them up.

Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto were called forth to help assess the damange. The light, and sound of battle had roused many residents of the Moon, and a small crowd formed inside the garden. Jupiter and Mars were put on crowd-control while Serenity spoke with Venus and Pluto.

Neptune, Uranus, and Mercury wandered through the group, counting. "I've got five caught," Neptune called, finished counting heads in her area.

Uranus winced. "Two dead over here. One caught in a tree." Neptune and Uranus glanced towards Jupiter for an explanation, but she was busy arguing with a captain from Earth.

"I've got two wounded, and one dead here." Mercury looked a bit ill as she returned to Serenity along with Uranus and Neptune. The queen didn't take the news any better. "I didn't mean to kill them," she stated, but Pluto shook her head. "They attacked us. They would have killed us." But Serenity looked distraught. Putting a hand on her shoulder, Pluto led her away, pausing only to mutter something to Uranus.

Uranus nodded, and filled in the rest. "There will be a council meeting later today—confidential. Meet in the Pearl Chamber."

There was nothing left to do but clean up the mess.

====

Serenity was distraught. She paced her chamber restlessly, wringing her hands in her dress. Pluto stood in a corner, though she was quite forgotten at the time. Serenity had more important things on her mind. There had been death during this fight. Death! On her soil!

"That won't happen again," she swore to herself, stopping to clench her hands into fists. Pluto frowned in worry. It was not like Serenity to be so anxious. She didn't know what to do, and so she stood in her place feeling helpless.

"I won't let another soul die on my Moon." Without another word, Serenity left the room, slipping behind marble doors that shut tightly behind her. Pluto was left alone in the room, a surprised look on her face.

====

Davida knelt on the floor, choking back her fears. The woman infront of her had her back to Davida, and was looking out of a long window. Strangly, this window did not look out on to the surface of the planet, but into some shadowy realm that Davida could not make out. She didn't try too hard, and she had the distinct impression the window was off limits.

"You lost all of them?" the trilling voice asked. A rustle of satin alerted Davida to the woman's movement. She turned to face the kneeling soldier. Davida nodded her head, unable to mutter the words.

"Do not be afraid," came soothing words. A hand reached out to touch Davida's cheek softly, and tears sprang to the kneeling woman's eyes. "I am not upset with you. I should have warned you." The woman's hand left her cheek, and Davida knew she had turned around once more.

"We were too hasty. The Moon Kingdom is strong and I was foolish to think they could be tricked so easily." There was a pause, and Davida chanced a glance up. Long locks of hair met her eyes, though their color was undistinguishable in the shadows of the room.

"I am sorry you lost your soldiers," and there was true sympathy in the woman's voice. "But it will be alright. We will make this wrong right in time."

Davida nodded her head, wiping the last of her tears away.

====

Word traveled fast around the castle, and by the time the sun rose, there wasn't a person on the Moon that didn't know of the attack. Panic was quickly stilled by Serenity calling a meeting of everyone in the Dining Hall. Rather than their planned meeting in the Pearl Chamber, Serenity surprised all—including the senshi—by holding it in public in the Hall.

"Please, do not panic. The situation has been handled, and I assure you that I have a plan." She launched into her theory. She had decided that, being very careful, she could use the ginzuishou and create a field of positive energy around the Moon. This was all very complicated, and most of the crowd had not a clue as to what she was saying. In the end, though, they were pacified and certain that there would be no more attacks.

Uranus stood with Neptune and Pluto at the entranceway. Her arms were crossed across her chest and she wore a scowl on her face. Neptune glanced towards her, and gently touched her arm with her fingertips. "What?" she asked when Uranus looked at her.

"I don't know if I like this plan," Uranus replied, whispering so that she could not be overheard. "Using the ginzuishou like that… what if they do attack and get past this… whatever it is. Serenity-sama's going to sap her energy away doing this, and it might be for nothing."

Neptune smiled softly, a small comfort. "If Serenity-sama thinks it will work, then I have faith in her. "We devastated them. I don't think they will try the same trick twice."

"No, they'll just think up a new one. I'm sorry," Uranus whispered an apology at Neptune's hurt look. She gave the sea-senshi a weak smile, but knew it hadn't come across as very positive.

"The celebration will still go on…" Serenity was saying, still talking to the crowd. The banquet that night would be huge, and it was her hope that they would continue on as normal. She would have the senshi alert, and felt that—with the ginzuishou—they would be safe.

The End of Chapter Six

====

N.A.: Hmm, I don't know if I like this chapter or not. I might expand it depending on the comments I receive. Anyways, if I don't expand it, the banquet will take place in the next chapter. Get ready for lovey-dovey fluff next chapter!