ALL THAT GLITTERS
Chapter 8: "The Search"
A Neo-Sailor Moon fanfic
By Bill K.
"Pallas isn't breathing!" Juno cried out, freezing the blood of everyone who heard her.
"What?" Saturn gasped.
"It must be the shock of separation from the plant," Ceres wheezed out. She wanted to do more, but she was on the verge of exhaustion now.
Juno bent in, trying to figure out how best to help her sister. Suddenly she was elbowed out of the way. Splattered onto her bottom, Juno looked up and found Vesta leaning over Pallas.
"Pallas!" Vesta cried. "Come on, Stupid, stop fooling around! Wake up! Breathe!"
"She needs CPR," Ceres wheezed again.
"I DON'T KNOW CPR!" Vesta raged. "I didn't pay attention when Sensei Mizuno-sama told us how to do it!" She shook Pallas impotently. "Why didn't I listen?"
"Stand back," Juno scowled, pushing Vesta away. "I listened."
As the others watched, Juno bent in and began breathing for Pallas, trying to get the girl's lungs to kick-start into operation. It was hard work made harder by the thin atmosphere of the planet. Juno kept up until she began to feel light-headed, then leaned back to get herself back under control.
"Why'd you stop?" cried Vesta.
"'cause I'm about to faint!" Juno snapped.
"She's turning blue!" Vesta wailed. They all saw Sailor Pallas's complexion take on a pale look and her lips seemed blue.
At once Sailor Saturn shoved in between them. Kneeling down next to Pallas, she placed her hands on the girl's chest. Saturn's eyes rolled back into her head and the ends of her shoulder length black hair seemed to rise up with a static charge. Seconds after Saturn touched her, Pallas arched up like she was jolted by electricity, then slumped back. The girl began coughing and gasping for air. Saturn slumped away with Juno hovering over her.
"Pallas?" Vesta whispered, delicately cradling the blue-haired senshi. "You're going to be OK. Just-just breathe. Take a big fat lungful."
"Saturn?" Juno asked, concerned. Saturn tried to respond several times, but it was more effort than she could muster.
"Where's Mommy?" Sailor Pallas whimpered, tears trickling down her cheeks.
"She's not there," Vesta told her. "That plant tricked you."
"Pallas wants her Mommy!" Pallas sobbed. Vesta could only hug her until the sobbing died away.
The cold vastness of space gave way to a different vastness, this a kaleidoscope of colors passing around his protective aura. Endymion had shifted from outer space to inter-dimensional space and the shift in energy environments brought about the colorful display. However, the graphic brilliance was lost on the tall, wiry man in the pastel grey tuxedo and cape. Everything was lost upon him except for one single thing: finding his daughter.
Through the magic of the Golden Crystal, Endymion shielded himself from the harsh environs of inter-dimensional space. Through the magic of the Golden Crystal he propelled himself along a path tinted in pink. Through the psychic link that he had with his child, he could perceive her trail even as it grew more and more faint and dissipated with the passage of time. He was grateful for it all, for it gave him a means to find her. He had to find her.
"Usa, where are you?" he wondered silently for the five hundredth time.
His gray figure passed along the dimensional warp with as much speed as he dared. Too much and he might pass by a sudden turn his daughter made, losing the trail. Too little, though, and he risked not being in time to save her should she need him. That was his greatest fear in life - - being too late and seeing this abrasive, petulant light of his life taken from him as he once lost someone else so very important to him so long ago.
"Why?" he mused to himself as he tracked her. "Why do you have to be so reckless? I've seen so much of life. I've seen all the hazards, all the pitfalls. I've experienced so many wounds, wounds I'd spare you from if only you'd let me. Why won't you let me protect you?"
So far he was on course for Elysian. Nothing indicated any deviation from that course. Endymion flew on, trying to keep his mind focused on the task at hand. But, against his will, memories would drift up and cloud his vision. He would see images of her: barely hours old, wrapped in a blanket and secure in her mother's arms as Serenity cooed at her and he wondered if he would be able to do right by her; of her at two, staring up at him with those wide, wondrous red eyes, looking at him like he was her knight in shining armor; of her at six, in her room alone and lonely and the pang of guilt he felt because he'd had to choose between her and the welfare of a world and inflicted this upon her for the greater good; of her at eleven, in her Sailor Chibi-Moon fuku, and the light that danced in her eyes when he'd told her he was letting her visit the twentieth century for "training".
"I'm sorry I was cross with you, Usa," he thought for the five hundredth time. "It was for your own good. It was to protect you and everyone else. But I should have found another way. I shouldn't have hurt you - - again." His jaw clenched, betraying the surging emotions beneath the surface. "Why do I always manage to hurt the women I love?"
"Endymion," he heard in his mind and knew it was his wife. "Please don't obsess on your failings. Remember how much you love her. Let that love guide you to her."
"I'm sorry, Serenity," he thought back.
"I forgave you a long time ago," she thought back. "You're the one who won't forgive."
"Yes, my love," he thought to her. Then he marshaled his concentration and pushed forward. "I'm coming, Usa. Please wait for me."
Sailor Saturn finally found enough strength to sit up. She was greeted with grateful smiles from the Asteroid Senshi. Vesta's smile was widest of them all.
"You OK?" Juno asked.
"I'm getting there," Saturn said shyly. "Using my healing power takes a lot out of me."
"Well you sure did the trick," Vesta responded in awe. "Pallas is all better now."
"Yes, Miss Saturn Ma'am, Pallas feels perfectly fine, thank you," Pallas beamed. "She's very grateful to you."
"It's OK," Saturn grinned, still uncomfortable with all the praise and attention. "I had to help out my lab partner from ESP class." Pallas giggled.
"Feel up to searching?" Juno asked. "We still have to find the Princess. And after seeing what these plants can do, I'm more worried than ever."
"I am, too," Saturn said and attempted to get to her feet. The attempt failed.
"Whoa, don't push yourself!" Vesta warned as Saturn collapsed back onto her bottom.
"But we have to find Usa," Saturn grimaced.
"You have to get your strength back first," Ceres told her. "Don't feel bad. I'm still pretty wiped myself. I doubt I could walk ten paces."
"Pallas can try to listen for the Princess again," Pallas offered.
Vesta gave her a confident nod. Puffing out her chest proudly, Sailor Pallas closed her eyes and 'listened' for the thoughts of Sailor Moon. It was easier to project her telepathy on this planet, because they were the only humans apparently on the surface of the world. At once she felt the voice of her mother calling to her. Though it was hard, Pallas told herself to ignore it. Vesta had warned her that it was a trick. That assertion was played out when Pallas realized that the voice of her mother was coming from several different directions as hungry plants tried to lure her to them. Pallas scowled. It made her so mad she wanted to stomp her foot and call them nasty names. But she had a mission. Her sisters and the Princess were depending on her and she wouldn't let them down.
"Anything?" Vesta asked.
"Pallas hears someone," Pallas mumbled, her eyes still closed, "but it's so faint. Pallas can't understand what they're thinking."
"Can you tell what direction it's coming from?" Juno prodded.
"Over there," Pallas said. She pointed blindly toward the southwest. "But she's not sure if it's the Princess."
"I can fly out that way," offered Vesta. "Do an aerial recon."
"OK," Juno nodded. "But be careful. Don't believe anything you see at first glance."
"Right, 'Mom'," Vesta scowled. "Fauna Assimilation . . .!"
"Choose something small," Saturn suggested. "There isn't a lot of air to support you."
"Yeah," Vesta nodded. "Good point. Fauna Assimilation - - !"
"But something with good eyesight!" Ceres added. "Don't become a bat or something!"
"As if! Fauna Assimilation . . .!"
"Wouldn't something with a large wingspan get more lift in thin air?" Juno posed.
"EVERYONE - - SHUT - - UP!" growled Vesta. "Fauna Assimilation - - Red-Tailed Hawk!"
The girl contracted into the form of the small hawk. Getting a boost up into the air on Juno's forearm, Vesta spread her wings and pushed up into the air. Though she had some initial trouble gaining altitude in the thin atmosphere, once she reached the air currents she was off with little trouble. The others watched her until she was out of sight.
"If you two want to go after her, go ahead," Ceres offered.
"You two are still pretty wiped out," Juno replied. "And we don't know what other dangers are on this planet. It might be dangerous to leave you two alone - - and it might be just as dangerous to venture into that thicket of killer stalks."
"But it's OK to send Vesta out on her own?" Saturn asked.
"Hey, when she gets an idea in her head, who can stop her?" muttered Ceres.
"Pallas can talk to her with her head still," Pallas told them. Then she thought, "Can you hear Pallas, Vesta?"
"Yeah, Stupid, you're coming in loud and clear," she heard Vesta think back. "Worried?"
"Well, Pallas doesn't want anything to happen to you."
"Don't worry about that. Somebody's got to take care of you."
"Do you see anything?" Pallas thought.
"Just acres of stalks. This place is covered with them. And there's something else on the ground scattered all over these fields."
"What is it?"
"Looks like - - bones."
The others noticed Sailor Pallas's very animated nervous swallow.
Queen Serenity stood framed by the doorway to Endymion's computer room. Flanking her were Makoto and Minako. Ami and Artemis kept busy on the computer sensor scans while Luna and Diana watched anxiously. Luna turned to Serenity and gave her a sympathetic look, mentor to pupil and mother to mother.
"Anything?" Serenity asked.
"We would have called if there was," scowled Artemis, then remembered himself. "Your Majesty." As he worked, Artemis could feel the disapproving eyes of Luna burning holes in the back of his head.
"Don't be short, Artemis," said Minako. Then she smirked. "Oh yeah, you can't help it."
"Watch it, or I'll tell everyone where you hide your peroxide," Artemis shot back.
"Endymion's more likely to find her than we are, Serenity," Ami reminded her as she scanned. "But we won't stop."
"I just," Serenity began. "I don't mean to distract you."
"We understand, Your Majesty," Luna reassured her. "We will find her." Serenity nodded. "I assume Rei is at the shrine?"
"Yep," Makoto nodded. "Still trying to get her fire to talk. She's been at it a while, too, so it either doesn't know or it isn't talking."
"She better be careful," mused Minako. "She's liable to overdo it and fall face first in that fire." Everyone waited for the punch line. None came.
"Incoming communication for Dr. Ami Mizuno," the computer announced.
"Proceed," Ami said as she divided her attention.
"Your schedule for the afternoon . . ." the computer began to relay.
"Reschedule all patients to other doctors," Ami replied curtly. "Maintain rescheduling procedures until further notice." Ami grimaced. "Tell them it's an emergency. Tell them - - I'm sorry."
Makoto came over and placed a reassuring hand on Ami's shoulder. Ami grew a quiet smile and drew strength from the gesture. Everyone else continued to watch the sensor sweeps.
"Oh, how I wish I'd said something," Diana mumbled. "The Princess wouldn't have been in this mess if I'd acted to head her off."
"Diana," Luna began.
"I knew she was determined to do it! I know her too well! But I thought," Diana stopped and fought back tears, "I thought she might listen - - just this once. I should have said something to dissuade her, or else said something to the King and Queen."
Luna was next to her. She rubbed her head against Diana's shoulder.
"Yes, you should have," Luna replied softly. "But what's done is done, Diana. There's no point in dwelling on it. You'll just have to treat it as one of those harsh lessons life teaches us and hope for the best."
"Yes, Mum," Diana sniffed. Reluctantly she rubbed her head against Luna's chin. The gesture drew a warm smile from the black cat.
The door to the room hissed open. Everyone but Ami and Artemis turned to it. Michiru was waiting outside the door.
"Oh, there you are, Serenity," she said. Leaning on her cane, Michiru hobbled in. "Do you know where Hotaru is? I'm worried she may have gone out searching for Usa."
"Oh I hope not," Serenity grimaced, "but it wouldn't surprise me." She paused at a crystal control for the computer syster, trying to think of something, then scowled. "I'm sorry, I can't remember how the computer search program works."
"I'll get it," smirked Makoto. She stepped over to an auxiliary computer terminal and touched a crystal for access. "Location of Hotaru Tomoe in palace?"
"Unable to locate in the palace," the computer announced. Michiru seemed to deflate.
"And I bet I know who's with her," Makoto sighed. "Location of Jun-Jun, Cere-Cere, Ves-Ves or Palla-Palla in palace?"
"Unable to locate in the palace," the computer responded.
"Great," scowled Minako. "Now we've got six of them to find."
"How are you doing?" Juno inquired. She sat next to Sailor Saturn and could tell the girl was still not one-hundred percent.
"Better," Saturn said, embarrassed by the attention, "but I'm still a little weak. I'm sorry for holding everyone up."
"You didn't ask me," Ceres groused.
"I'll know you're fine when you get up," Juno replied. "I know how much you hate sitting in dirt."
"Smarty," Ceres scowled.
"How is Vesta coming along?" Juno asked Sailor Pallas.
"She hasn't found the Princess yet," Pallas replied. "Can we go now? Pallas wants to be with Vesta."
"Not until these two are fit to travel, Pallas," Juno told her.
"Oh, here," Ceres huffed. She pushed herself to her feet with a grunt. "I'm not an invalid. I can at least walk. Running may be a different story."
"That's OK," Pallas told her. "Vesta says you run like a girl anyway."
"Yeah, and Vesta knows what she can kiss," Ceres grumped. Pallas giggled.
Feeling self-conscious about being the only one still sitting, Saturn struggled to get to her feet. It was more difficult than she thought it would be, but still felt mortified when she felt Juno grasp her arm to steady her.
"Don't push yourself, Saturn," Juno told her.
"Sorry," whispered Saturn.
"Don't be sorry," Juno smiled. "After what you did for Pallas, you deserve a break."
"Yes, Miss Saturn-Ma'am, please don't feel like you're too weak and frail to help the rest of us." Pallas reddened and put her hand to her mouth. "Oopsie."
Saturn looked down, embarrassed even more. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Ceres smiling at her.
"Nobody's keeping score, Saturn," Ceres told her. "Don't think you're not contributing. Until we find the Princess, you're our ace right now." Then she turned to Sailor Pallas. "And YOU stop listening in on people's thoughts!"
"Pallas didn't do it on purpose!" Pallas howled.
"Right, like I believe that," smirked Ceres.
Pallas stuck out her tongue in response.
Then she stiffened in shock. Ceres spotted it immediately and signaled the others.
"Pallas, honey, what is it?" Juno asked her, kneeling down to the senshi's level.
"Vesta found something," Pallas whispered.
"Is it Sailor Moon?" Saturn asked fearfully.
"Pallas hopes not," Sailor Pallas replied in shock and horror. "Vesta says she found a skeleton!"
Continued in Chapter 9
