Chapter Fifty Three. Rally and Bonding
Minako noticed the beep on the monitor going off and watched as Flash answered the call.
The screen was on, revealing Jedda.
"Long time no see, Jedda." Makoto couldn't help but to quip.
"Likewise," Jedda replied, "but this isn't a social call. There has been rumors of Zorelda returning."
Minako pursed her lips and then glanced over at Rei. "Looks like you weren't joking after all."
Rei nodded quietly. "Now it's a matter of whether or not the Four Heavenly Kings make an appearance for my vision to be accurate as always."
"Where's Rick?" Flash asked, taking a step forward.
"He's at the control room fixing the Nethernet to help us out in this threat." Jedda answered.
Minako looked at Flash and could tell that he was proud of his son, still using his brains to use despite the conflict with his powers and having to stay in the Netherworld for the time being.
"Hadea is also wanting two of you to come here to the Netherworld." Jedda said, pulling her out of her thoughts as she glanced back at the screen. "She's asking for Minako and my father to come here."
Minako glanced over at the Phantom, who didn't appear to be happy with this news. She figured that he wanted to see his daughter again but there seemed to be some mistrust between him and the Phantom.
"Why is she wanting us in particular to come?" the Phantom asked.
"She will tell you when you get there." Jedda answered. "I promise that Mother means well."
"We'll be there." Minako nodded as she glanced at the Phantom, who reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"What about the rest of us?" April asked.
"I think you guys should stand by until Zorelda does decide to attack." Minako suggested.
"Take my father with you and head outside." Jedda told Minako. "We can sense your physical spot once you do."
Minako looked at the others before she stated. "I think we will be here for just a day at most. Everything will be fine."
She left Monitor with the Phantom, teleporting with him outside of the mansion. She took a deep breath and looked around her surroundings.
"Are you sure about this?" the Phantom asked.
"Yeah." Minako answered. "Hadea has helped us. I don't think she's in cohorts with Zorelda. There's just no way."
"That is not what I meant." the Phantom replied.
"Then what did you mean?"
There was a pause of silence as the Phantom seemed to be hesitant about the whole situation.
Suddenly, a very dank feeling flowed through her frame and then a strange flash swept over her.
-Sailor-Moon-Defenders-
The flash was gone. So was the outside view of the mansion. The Phantom was still with her and they were in the Netherworld. She observed the marble floor and the golden walls in the area. She stared at the throne room in awe.
Jedda was sitting on a lovely throne, possibly the same one Hadea used to sit in back when she was Queen of the Netherworld. Now, she was Empress and Jedda was the queen.
"Hello Father, Minako." Jedda gave a genuine smile to the pair.
Suddenly, Hadea arrived at the scene wearing her golden attire.
"What is it that you want with us, Hadea?" the Phantom asked.
Minako flinched as it became clear to her that he still didn't trust her after her being reformed and everything.
"I promise you, Phantom," Hadea assured him as she glanced at Jedda, "there is nothing you need to worry about. Our daughter is just fine."
"Our daughter?" the Phantom couldn't help but to question.
"Jedda is as mine as she is yours." Hadea calmly answered. "The Three of us belong together."
"Then why leave me behind all this time?" the Phantom asked.
"That is something I want to discuss with you in private." Hadea answered before looking at Minako, who was caught by surprise with the Phantom's questioning. "Now for you, Minako."
"Yes." Minako nodded as proceeded to kneel before the Empress and the Queen.
"While I talk with the Phantom," Hadea told her, "you can talk with Jedda."
"Yes, of course." Minako nodded.
"You may rise now."
Slowly, Minako rose up and walk to where Jedda was standing.
"After I finish talking with the Phantom, I will need to talk with you about the current situation." Hadea said before leaving the throne room with the Phantom.
"I understand." Minako nodded. She hoped the Phantom would eventually trust Hadea. After all, she was not like Ming or any of those other threats they're currently dealing with and she was nothing like Zorelda and on top of all that, Hadea happened to love him.
-Sailor-Moon-Defenders-
"Now what?" Ami asked. "Do we go and join them?"
"Not exactly." Rei answered.
"They're wanting us to stand by for whenever Zorelda decides to show herself at the Netherworld." Mandrake added.
"Then why did she only want the Phantom and Minako?" Makoto asked.
"I guess Hadea or Jedda wanted to speak to them personally about something." Usagi answered.
"Or both." LJ quipped. "Given how Hadea is interested in the Phantom. Not sure about Minako though."
"Mina did seem interested in Hadea though." Artemis spoke up. "Maybe Hadea caught on to that and wanted to speak to her about it."
"That is possible." Luna nodded in agreement.
"I guess all we can do for now is wait for the signal for us to aid the Netherworld against Zorelda." Flash stated.
Rei nodded in agreement. She knew that Zorelda was near as seen in her recent visions but it was only a matter of the Four Heavenly Kings, who were also in her visions. It was only a matter of time before they would see them as well.
She glanced to ask Ami something but she realized that her friend was not in the room. Rei assumed that she had went somewhere but wasn't exactly sure where.
-Sailor-Moon-Defenders-
Zorelda entered her private domain, holding something in her bag. She wasn't too far away from where the Netherworld was. She was going to deal with Hadea and obtaining the Necklace of Oros after she completed her buisness here.
She sighed as she placed the bag down on the table before getting the items out.
There were four different stones that were on the table: an apple green crystal which appeared to be a jadeite crystal, a dark green crystal which appeared to be a nephrite crystal, a yellow tanzanite crystal and finally, a pale pink crystal which appeared to be a kunzite crystal.
"These crystals hold the key to reviving four familiar faces to the Sailor Guardians." Zorelda stated with a smile as she was making final preparations for this spell. "It's a good thing that I can still use magic, even in this old weak state I am currently in. Now, I believe it is time to begin."
She took a couple of steps back as energy began to surround the crystals.
"From the depths of the abyss I call to thee," Zorelda proceeded with her chant, "You who were destroyed, I call to thee! Return to the mortal realm to cause chaos! Return to this realm Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite and Kunzite!"
Four huge blasts of white energy emerged from the fading crystals.
Moments later, the energy cleared and four men appeared in front of the table. The first young man appeared to be the youngest with short, curly blonde hair, the second man had thick, wavy, maroon hair, the third man had wavy auburn hair held back in a ponytail and the final man had long white hair.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." Zorelda greeted the four men. "I am Zorelda, the one responsible for bringing you back to the land of the living."
"I guess you know about us." the third man stated.
"That is correct. You are the Four Heavenly Kings." Zorelda glanced at each of the Four Heavenly Kings, starting with the one with short blonde hair. "You are Jadeite."
She then looked over at the maroon haired man. "Nephrite."
She then glanced over at the auburn haired man. "Zoisite."
Finally, she glanced over at the white haired man. "And you are Kunzite and you are the Four Heavenly Kings!"
Author's Note: The bit with Minako going to the Netherworld with the Phantom and her being at the Netherworld was slightly based on the scene from my story Sailor Moon Defenders: Alternate Scenarios, which was co-written by James5. The next few chapters are bound to be interesting to say the least, so stay tuned!