Chapter 16
As
CT Sailor Jupiter and Audiana Trinta spoke, Lita knew that they were
trying to convince the generals to let go. She could also tell by the
expressions on the generals' faces that they were being successful.
"Greg, Mina, Raye, get ready to catch them," Lita
ordered. "They're going to let go and they're not going to be
able to stand up. Amy, can you get four gurneys in here? I may not be
a doctor, but I know that they're going to have to lie down and rest
after the energy loss they've gone through."
Amy nodded and quickly left the room. Meanwhile, Greg, Mina and Raye had each taken a place behind a general. Lita stood behind Malachite, Mina behind Neflyte, Raye behind Jedaite and Greg behind Zoicite. Perfect timing, too. The four of them had just gotten in place behind the generals as the generals lifted their hands and let go of Audiana's shoulders. The generals seemed to fall back against the three Sailor Scouts and Greg in slow motion. Mina bit her lip as she struggled to hold Neflyte up.
Seeing that her friend and fellow Scout need help, Lita moved one step over and, making sure that she had one hand securely holding Malachite up, moved her other hand to help Mina hold Neflyte up.
Mina gave Lita a grateful look but Lita just shrugged it off.
Amy arrived several minutes later, four gurneys being wheeled into the room by four male nurses.
Lita motioned to one of the male nurses to take Neflyte from Mina. While he and one of the other nurses were lifting Neflyte onto a gurney, Lita made sure that she had a secure grip around Malachite's waist and carefully lifted him up and placed him onto a gurney. When Lita was finished with that she looked to Zoicite and Jedaite. The two other male nurses were lifting Jedaite up onto a gurney and Greg was trying to lift Zoicite.
Seeing that Greg was having trouble, Lita hurried over to him. "Need help?" she asked.
Greg looked to her gratefully and nodded. Lita motioned to Greg to pick Zoicite up by the arms. He did so and Lita picked her up by the legs and together, they lifted Zoicite up onto the gurney. Amy, meanwhile, was by Malachite's side, checking his pulse. Lita, Greg, Raye, and Mina looked to her, hope in their eyes.
Unable to meet their eyes, Amy looked to the ground and sighed. "We have to hurry," she said. "He has a pulse, but it's very weak."
Lita nodded and turning to the nurses, ordered, "Get these guys to the palace hospital NOW!"
The nurses didn't
even bother to nod in reply. Instead they just wheeled the four
generals out of the queen's bedroom as fast as possible, towards the
palace hospital.
"Do you think they'll make it, Ames?"
Mina asked, hopefully once the nurses had left the room.
Amy didn't even bother to reply.
Raye sighed and looked to the wall, a sad look in her eyes.
Greg just looked to
the floor and shook his head.
"I'm guessing your answer is
no," Lita said.
Amy, her eyes still
glued to the floor, nodded. "Malachite's pulse was just too
weak," she told them. "Neflyte's pulse is probably even
weaker than his because he was the first one to give his energy to
the Healers, therefore, he gave the most. Zoicite's and Jedaite's
pulses are probably the same as Malachite's. Maybe a beat stronger,
but I doubt that they are going to..." Amy let the sentence
trail, not wanting to finish it and knowing that her friends would
understand what she meant.
"Why would they do this?"
Mina whispered.
"Give their lives to save their queen?"
Greg asked.
"Yes," Mina replied, "But not only
that. Why would they give their lives to save Queen Serena? They
fought hard when Nemesis came to fight against Neo-Queen Serenity,
but they didn't put themselves in life-risking positions. Here, they
knew what they were getting themselves into. Why would they do
it?"
"They told us why," Raye said quietly.
"Malachite told Audiana that Reenie had saved their lives and
they were going to do the same for her."
"When did
Reenie ever save their lives?" Greg asked.
Lita smiled, remembering the time that Malachite had been talking about. "I remember," the tall Sailor Scout said. "It was back when Crystal Tokyo was just Tokyo. Reenie and the others had been sent back into the past for training to become Sailor Scouts."
Raye nodded. "Reenie had run away from Kirstein after Kirstein told her that she couldn't see Rodney. Reenie was still running when she heard an unfamiliar voice and stopped. The voice had said something about needing to find the Scouts and about wanting to prove to us that they were different from before. Reenie heard one of them call Neflyte by his name, and she remembered that name from a story Serena had told her. So, she transformed and fought against them but when they didn't fight back she was confused. Sailor Moon had told her that they were evil. After talking with them for a bit, Reenie decided that they weren't evil after all and contacted us. Serena talked to her a bit, then told them to meet us at Neflyte's old house. We met them, all ready to fight and kill them once and for all, but Reenie stayed her ground, even after her best friend tried to change her mind. They Neflyte and the others knew that we would have killed them had we the chance, and that Reenie saved their lives. I don't think they've ever felt as though they've repaid her for that."
Mina nodded. "That
would explain why they gave so much of their energy to the
Healers."
"Definitely," Greg agreed.
Silence hung over the room as they watched their daughters try to lend their powers to the Healers to save their queen.
Kirstein Hino sat in a chair in the palace hospital area, crying. She had left Rodney's room about twenty minutes ago, tears welling in her eyes. And about fifteen minutes ago she had sat down in this chair, unable to hold back how she felt any longer. She had sat in this chair crying for fifteen minutes. Crying for the death of Neo-Queen Serenity. Crying for the death of King Endymion. For the death of King Terence. For the death of Jordan and for the near death of her mother.
Half an hour passed
with Kirstein still sitting in the chair, crying, when she saw four
nurses rush past her, each pushing a gurney with someone lying on the
gurney. In the blur that passed by her, Kirstein recognized the blue
uniform of the Palace Generals on one of the people lying on the
gurneys.
Wondering what was going on, she stood up and stopped
one of the nurses walking after the group. "Who are those
people?" Kirstein asked the nurse.
"They are four
generals, Ms. Hino," the nurse replied. "Nothing that you
need to worry about. Especially with Her Majesty's condition."
Kirstein shook her
head. "I saw the uniforms," the raven-haired CT Sailor
Scout informed the nurse, looking directly into the nurse's eyes so
that the nurse would understand she meant every word she spoke. "I
know they're generals and as far as I'm concerned, anyone in this
palace who is injured is someone the Sailor Scouts have to worry
about. Especially when it's people we fight with. I was not asking
what their status is, I was asking who they are."
"Neflyte,
Malachite, Zoicite, and Jedaite," the nurse replied not even
needing to look at the sheet in her hands or consult with anyone
else.
Kirstein frowned.
What were they doing in the palace hospital? She asked the nurse so.
"What are they doing here?"
"That I don't know,"
the nurse replied, truthfully. "All I know is that Dr. Anderson
buzzed for the four gurneys for the four generals. We responded as
quickly as we could."
Kirstein sighed. "So, Amy would know what is wrong with them?" Kirstein asked, worried for the four generals.
The nurse nodded.
"Yes, Ms. Hino. Because she called for the gurneys, Dr. Anderson
would know what is the matter with them."
"Thank you,
um," - Kirstein looked down at the nurse's nametag - "Laurel."
The nurse nodded and walked away from Kirstein.
As quickly as she could, Kirstein left the palace hospital and headed towards the one place she knew Megan's mother would be in a run. She ran with all her might towards Queen Serena's room.
Pluto led the way as the group walked down the hall towards the area where Queen Serena's room would be. They were quickly approaching the hall, guards moving out of their way seeing Sailor Pluto in the front of the group and recognizing Serena and the others Scouts from their many past visits to the palace of Crystal Tokyo.
The large group was just turning the hall when they suddenly heard footsteps approaching them at a run. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune turned around to see who it was and smiled, recognizing Raye's daughter.
Seeing Sailors Uranus and Neptune turn to face her Kirstein Hino stopped running.
"Kirstein?" Sailor Uranus asked, making sure that she had gotten the name of Raye's daughter correct. She wasn't sure because she had only ever seen the younger Sailors in their Sailor Scout uniforms.
Kirstein Hino nodded. "Yes."
"Come with us," the sandy-haired Scout said.
Kirstein frowned. "I'm on my way to see Queen Serena," she told the two Outer Sailor Scouts. "Let me through."
Sailor Uranus smiled. "We don't have to bother to let you through, Kirstein. We're heading that way ourselves. Along with Sailor Pluto and your mother's past self."
"Why has
Sailor Pluto brought them here?" Kirstein asked.
"To
witness your queen's crowning," Sailor Neptune informed
Kirstein.
Kirstein looked at the two Sailors, relief flooding her face. "That means that Reenie is going to be okay, then?" the raven-haired girl said.
Sailor Uranus
nodded.
"Yes," Neptune replied. "Queen Serena
will be okay."
"Pluto wouldn't have brought Neo-Queen
Serenity and the others here if Queen Serena was going to die,"
Uranus informed the younger Mars.
"Neo-Queen Serenity is
here?" Kirstein asked, looking at them surprised.
"Her
past self is," Neptune replied. "Along with your mother's
past self and the other Elder Scouts' past selves."
"Why
did she bring them here?" Kirstein asked.
"The reason
as to why Sailor Pluto brought them here will take too long to
explain at the moment," Uranus replied. "You were on the
way to go see Queen Serena and so were we." With that, the two
Sailor Scouts turned on their heels and walked after the group, which
had continued on their way to Queen Serena's room.
Kirstein Hino followed them.
"He's almost down," Audiana told the others, her voice tired. "Something's missing. Sailors, try your attacks again."
Sailor Jupiter
nodded. "Stronger attacks this time, guys," she ordered
her fellow Scouts. The other Sailor Scouts nodded and quickly,
one-by-one, launched their attacks.
"CT Jupiter Lightening
Bolts!"
"CT Mercury Water Waves!"
"CT
Venus Joint Hearts!"
"CT Sun Heart Burn!"
"CT
S Heart Attack!"
The attacks flowed from the Sailor's hands
and into the constant stream of silver light that was being launched
at the evil being.
Audiana watched as the new attacks joined the silver light and it struck the enemy, yet it still didn't fall. Something was missing, but what? She had no clue but she did know that the missing element was what was making the difference between the enemy falling down and it staying up. To her left, she could feel Hotaru getting tired. Audiana knew that the young Sailor had not been prepared for such a long, strenuous healing battle. Especially since it was one of her first times actually healing somebody with the Healers.
The leader of the Healers bit her lip and silently begged for whatever was missing to show up soon. She was beginning to get exhausted and knew that the other Healers must be feeling the same, as well. If not, even more exhausted than she. After all, she was the most experienced and most powerful of all the Healers. That was why she was the leader of the five. She narrowed her eyes and concentrated even more at blasting aiming the silver light at the evil being.
Serena and the others arrived at Queen Serena's room a few minutes after Uranus and Neptune had stayed behind. She looked at the group of Elder Sailor Scouts and Jordan standing in the center of Reenie's room. Then she noticed the six CT Sailor Scouts gathered around Reenie's bed, each glowing their planet's color. After noticing the glowing Sailors, it didn't take her long to notice the five silver glowing strangers in front of the CT Sailors surrounding Reenie's bedside. Each stranger was dressed in white, although differently dressed and each one of the strangers had a different hairstyle and color. Serena also noticed a stranger dressed in a Sailor uniform beside one of the glowing individuals surrounding Reenie's bedside. She turned her head and looked to Sailor Pluto for answers as to who these strangers were.
Pluto felt Serena's stare and turned to look at her future queen. "Serena, the five glowing strangers are the Healers that Uranus, Neptune and I told you about," Pluto explained. "The stranger in the Sailor uniform is Sailor Saturn. She's working with the Healers to help save Queen Serena."
Hearing Sailor Pluto speak and mention a name that the Elder Sailors had not heard in a long time, the four Scouts and Greg turned to look at the Sailor Scout of Time and Space.
Elder Lita Kino was the first to notice Serena Tsukino beside Sailor Pluto and their (the Elder Scouts') past selves standing behind them. Seeing Serena, Elder Lita's eyes widened in shock and surprise. "Serena!" she exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
Sailor Pluto
smiled. "I brought her here," the Sailor Scout informed
them. "Along with the others."
"Not to sound
rude," Elder Amy began, "But why?"
Pluto looked to Amy. There was a little bit of confusion showing on Pluto's face. "Why did I bring them here?"
Elder Amy nodded in reply to Sailor Pluto's question.
"That's easy, Amy," Pluto spoke calmly. "Queen Serena will get better with the Healers's help and afterwards she will be in an incredible amount of emotional pain. Serena is the closest thing to a mother that I could get her without it being too painful to remind Reenie of her mother's death. Reenie will need the type of loving attention that only her parents can provide her. Unfortunately, neither of her parents are here. The others have been brought here to lend their support to Serena and to witness Reenie's crowning. I am sure that if you will close your eyes and look back into your past lives in the 21st century you will remember each one of you coming into the future to witness the princess's crowning."
Without even having to close her eyes to look back at the memory of the occasion, Elder Raye nodded. She remembered that day clearly as though it were yesterday. She remembered hearing the trumpets blaring, the cheering of the crowds as Reenie or Queen Serena, as she was supposed to be called, delivered her speech to the hundreds of thousands of people gathered around the palace and to the millions of people worldwide watching on their television screens. She remembered hearing the speech word for word from the wings where she and the other Sailors stood as their future selves stood near their newly crowned Queen.
After a minute or
so, Elder Mina nodded also. She could slightly remember the crowning
ceremony for Queen Serena that they had witnessed as their past
selves.
"I remember," Amy spoke up quietly.
Pluto opened her mouth to say something when she suddenly heard a very familiar voice behind them.
"How is she, Pluto?"
The Sailor Scout of
Space and Time smiled and turned to face the two Sailors.
"Better
then she was before the you of two left for the past, Neptune,"
the green-haired Sailor Scout replied truthfully.
"So she's
better?" Kirstein Hino asked, appearing behind Neptune and
Uranus.
Sailor Pluto nodded. "Yes, but you can still help her Kirstein."
Without even having
to be told how she could help Queen Serena, Kirstein pulled out her
transformation pen and yelled, "CT MARS POWER!"
Seconds
later, standing in Kirstein Hino's place was CT Sailor Mars. Everyone
parted and made a pathway for CT Mars to get to the other Sailor
Scouts and the Healers surrounding Queen Serena's bedside. CT Mars
placed her hand over CT Jupiter's and called out her strongest
attack.
"MARS SPIT FIRE!"
Quickly, CT Sailor Mars
began to glow the red of her planet. The glow grew so bright that the
others in the room had to shield their eyes from it. The attack that
she cried out flew from her hand into the silver light surrounding
the Healers and Hotaru. The Scouts (both Elder and past) cried out in
surprise as the floor shook from the force of CT Mars' attack.
Pluto smiled. She had had a feeling that Kirstein was a key force in helping Queen Serena to heal and what she had just done with her attack made Pluto's feelings even more certain.
"MARS
SPIT FIRE!"
The Healers, Hotaru, and the other CT Sailors
heard the attack before they actually knew what was going on. It was
a few seconds later when CT Jupiter felt a hand over hers and then
the force of CT Sailor Mars's attack nearly knocking her to the
ground.
Audiana Trinta's eyes widened as she felt Mars's attack join the silver light that was being launched at the enemy and dug her feet harder into the ground. Even she was almost knocked off her feet by the sheer force of the attack.
That had to be what we were missing! the leader of the Healers thought to herself.
On both sides of her, Audiana could feel the other Healers dig their feet into the ground as they struggled to stay standing. Their eyes still on the enemy in front of them, they watched in amazement as he suddenly disappeared into thin air!
Audiana
smiled and turned to look at the other Healers, Hotaru, and the CT
Sailor Scouts. The huge smile still on her face she said, "We
did it."
Then, exhausted, the Healers, Hotaru
and the CT Sailor Scouts collapsed.
