Chapter 17

The Coming of Ruin

While Luna listened in numb silence, the High Queen explained everything she knew about Hotaru of Saturn and how this moment had come to be. Hotaru did not speak as Serenity told her story. She lay still in her adoptive mother's arms, violet eyes downcast, refusing to look at Luna. When Serenity began to speak of her planetary magic, Hotaru grimaced visably. Even if she could not remember Metallia, or that cold, cruel older version of herself, she could remember the pain—and that her beloved Queen Serenity was in terrible danger.

Why do my powers put her in danger? She wondered miserably. Isn't planetary magic meant to protect its High Queen?

From deep within that ravaged child's body, forged in the womb of a goddess, there came an answer, unheard by the one who asked the question.

Not your powers, daughter of a traitor, the cruel, older Hotaru sneered. Your powers will serve the dark gods.

Come off it, a new voice snapped. Do you truly believe your mistress can control me?

What is to stop her? You have not risen to fight me.

This is my vessel, Promise Child, said the new voice. Be gone from here.

From the Promise Child, there came a vicious laugh. You've gotten arrogant, Saturn. Don't you know who I am?

Of course I know, was the placid answer. You are the Promise Child. And I am Sailor Saturn. The mistress of this body. You must begone if you wish to survive.

The Promise Child snorted. Again, you feed me your empty, arrogant threats. Why should I fear you?

Because, said Sailor Saturn calmly, I am the soul this body was truly intended for. And I am the one who can wield the Silence Glaive.

And when the dormant Sailor Soldier spoke this fact, the Promise Child and her mistress felt the first awakenings of true fear. Somewhere in the cosmos, Germatoid smiled.

... "So you see," said Serenity to Luna, "I will not—cannot—destroy Hotaru. It is my duty to protect her."

"No, I suppose you could not disobey Selene," Luna agreed. "Although there are those who might say that you have already disobeyed her by saving this child in the first place."

"This child is one of her chosen," Serenity countered. "Selene was guiding me towards her will all along."

Luna sighed. "I know you would not lie to me about what Selene wills, Majesty. I just hope you are not mistaken."

"Selene herself came to the girl," Serenity insisted stubbornly.

Again, the cat sighed. "I will not argue. This child's secret is safe with me."

"Thank you, my friend."

Serenity had always held Luna in the highest respect. After her advisor had learned of Hotaru, that respect even grew. Luna not only kept the child a secret, she took it upon herself to lighten the burden raising the child placed upon the Queen. She helped wherever she could, taking over whenever Serenity found herself tiring.

With Luna's help, Serenity's ravaged health rapidly improved. Her nightmares, it seemed, were a thing of the past. No more did sleep bring on images of a frightening choice between Hotaru and the reigning princess. She slept soundly, awoke feeling new, and went about her duties with her old grace and gentle, placid smiles. Princess Serenity noted the change in the High Queen with great relief. At mealtimes, the golden-haired girl sat at table with her lady mother and guardians, watching with open delight every bite the silver woman took. Seeing the weight she had lost since Hotaru's birth returned to her, seeing her pale, sunken cheeks grow round and high with color brought peace to the Silver Palace.

Hotaru, too, seemed happier. She grew plumper, although she remained distinctly pale, still required to remain within the Crystal Tower. Still, there was no more talk of cold or warm voices causing her pain. No talk of voices at all, in fact. Serenity found this to be so encouraging that she began to speak of bringing Hotaru into the palace, to live there as a servant.

"You could not say who you were, but you would not have to hide any longer," she told the girl. "You could sleep in a real bed, and play with other children, and run about outside if it pleased you."

Luna cautioned against making hasty decisions, and because she trusted Luna and was grateful to her for keeping Hotaru's secrets, Serenity agreed to wait some time before she brought the girl from the Crystal Tower. But that did not stop her from planning, or Hotaru from dreaming about what life would be like once she was set free.

Metallia, meanwhile, had temporarily removed herself from the scene. With Sailor Saturn finally showing signs of life, it was entirely too dangerous for her to go on as planned. She would wait to see how the Promise Child fared against the Sailor Soldier.

At the moment, the two were locked in fierce combat. Almost equally matched, they struggled intangibly within Hotaru's mind, neither of them able to gain a clear advantage. Hotaru knew none of this. She could not feel her two selves warring.

Set me free! the Promise Child whined while Hotaru slept. You are not using this vessel! I have great power that can do great things! Why let this vessel go to waste?

It is better that the vessel is never used for anything great than she is turned to a pawn for the dark gods, Saturn responded lowly. Keep silent, creature. No more shall I hear from you.

Then, having meant what she said, Saturn turned her back upon the Promise Child, prepared to endure but not hear the inevitable protests and shrieks of rage. She was not prepared for the vengeance with which the Promise Child would respond. As the Promise Child assaulted Saturn with her power, following the example of her mistress against her sister Selene, the Sailor Soldier of the Silent Star found to her horror, that she was being forced back into the recesses of poor Hotaru's fragile mind. Worse yet, the Promise Child's influence was affecting the vessel. Hotaru awoke in pain, feeling herself being stretched and altered. She felt the aching in her loins and tender breasts, felt a savage pain gnawing at her belly like a lion's teeth. Something within her twisted violently, and there was warmth and wetness between her legs. Writhing in agony, Hotaru clenched her fists, ground her teeth, and squeezed back a flood of tears that threatened her, until at last her back arched and her lips parted...

And for the first time in months, Serenity was awakened by a piercing scream within her mind. As she bolted upright in her bed, feeling the blood rush from her head, an icy noose encircled her throat and tightened. Behind her eyes, she saw an image of the peaceful sanctuary she had been building for herself over the past weeks burning to the ground by the fires of truth. That peace had all been an illusion, she realized, shivering from head to foot. Whatever had hurt Hotaru before had only been lying in wait. It had returned now.

Flinging off the blankets, Serenity fled to the door of the small room in the North Wing that Luna and Artemis shared. Managing to quell her panic enough that she could slip in silently, she crept over to the large round cushion on which her advisors were curled up together, and gently prodded the furry black lump.

"Luna!" she whispered urgently. "Luna, wake up!"

Luna stirred and raised her head. "Majesty?" she mumbled sleepily. "What is it?"

"Trouble with the firefly," Serenity responded grimly.

Luna needed no more coaxing. She rose and leapt into the Queen's arms a moment before she teleported into the Crystal Tower.

They said nothing upon their arrival. Nor did Hotaru. She merely stared up at the pair through violet eyes glistening with unshed tears. Two pairs of eyes, one soft blue-violet, one fiery red-orange, stared back with a resigned sort of horror. Silently, they took in the girl, naked on her knees before them. Shivering, Hotaru drew her long, skinny limbs in tightly and hugged herself, but she could not conceal her budding breasts, the soft growth of hair between her legs, nor the streams of slimy virgin blood that coated her inner thighs.

Hotaru gently caressed her lower abdomen with one trembling hand. "It hurts," she whimpered and looked up at Serenity, the trust in her violet gaze lancing through the Queen like a sword.

It took a moment for her to find her voice. "It...it will pass. A woman's courses are often painful...but...it will pass."

Hotaru lowered her eyes. "My body is becoming a woman's body. But I am still a baby by my years, am I not?"

Swallowing a sob, Serenity nodded. "Oh, my dear little firefly," she whispered, "what is to become of you?"