Chapter 4: In the Light of Day

A slight popping sound announced the teleportation. With a moan, Boreas collapsed in a bloody, crumpled heap in the center of the chamber, instead of standing in her master's presence. However, Aeolus merely studied his underling contemptuously as she struggled to her knees.

"Master, please forgive me," Boreas pleaded. "Please, my lord, be merciful."

"Merciful?" he scoffed, circling her like a vulture. "You have failed me repeatedly, Boreas. You have worn out your usefulness. Why should I show you mercy?"

More color faded from her already pale face. "I can still finish the task. I just need more time, Sire."

"You've had enough time, and I've had enough of your inefficiency." He stood in front of her, forcing Boreas to crane her neck to see him. "You should have stayed and let the Sailor Soldiers finish you off. They would have shown you at least that mercy."

With a snap of his fingers, Boreas disappeared, her howl protest still ringing in the air. In other circumstances, he would have toyed with her longer, savoring her pain and whimperings. Yet, he had wasted enough time on giving the North Wind chance after chance to complete her mission.

"Zephyr!"

Within moments, the West Wind appeared at his master's bidding, bowing.

"Needless I have to tell you that Boreas has failed for the last time in her service to me," Aeolus growled. "You know the price of failure, don't you, Zephyr?"

The other man nodded, sending his dark blue hair tumbling into his even darker eyes. "I will not fail you, Sire. I'll bring you the one we need."

"See that you do," Aeolus said tersely, his back already turned. "Or you will share the fate of Boreas."

Zephyr made the perfunctory bow before leaving the chamber. It was finally time to put his plans into action. And he would not fail.

"No, don't!"

Celeste's eyes snapped opened, still expecting to see the dream's disturbing images. With a shaky sigh, she rubbed her eyes and sunk deeper into the pillow. 'I'm so lucky,' she thought gloomily, as the dream repeated itself over and over again in her mind for the first time.

A Senshi dressed in black and gray had stood across from Sol in a huge cavern, her face hidden except for a smirk in the deep shadows. In her gloved hands, the stranger held a staff topped with a curve, gleaming glade. She held it tightly at the throat of the kneeling form in front of her.

There was something so familiar about the dark Sailor Soldier that Sol struggled to figure out who she truly was. However, the stranger continued to smirk and holding the razor sharp blade tighter against the kneeling form's throat. "Who are you!"

The smirk broadened. "All your sacrifices have come down to this. When it really mattered, you failed, like all the times you have failed before. How many lives have ended in death and destruction, Sailor Sol? How much blood stains your hands?"

Her grip tightened on the staff.

"No, don't!"

The blade tore through the victim's throat, sending a gush of warm blood at Sol. She was drenched in the warm, sticky liquid, staining her hands, her chest, and her legs. There was so much blood. So much blood.

"Celeste, are you all right?"

She jerked at the sound of Jonathan's voice. Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around him, grateful that he had momentarily banished the ghoulish images. She burrowed further into him as he closed his arms about her.

"What's wrong? Tell me."

"Just a bad dream," she murmured against his chest. "It was just a bad dream."

Jonathan kissed the top of her hair as he pulled the sheets up around them. "Don't worry. I'm here, Celeste. You're not alone. I'm here."

"I know."

He rubbed her back in comforting circles, gradually lulling her back to sleep. She was afraid that the dream would come again. But, with Jonathan as her talisman, she eventually drifted into a dreamless sleep.

A few hours later, with her sore arm, she reached toward Jonathan, or where Jonathan should have been. Yet, her hand only encountered air and rumpled sheets. She then noticed the hiss of the shower and sat up.

Sofia and Emily would be arriving in a few hours, Celeste realized, noting the time. She would need to tell Mara, Jonathan, and Selene about the visit soon. But for now, she would enjoy the few private moments she had left.

A few minutes later, Jonathan emerged from the bath, a towel wrapped modestly around his waist. "Good morning," he greeted cheerfully, leaning across the bed to kiss her. However, he shook his head with a smile when she reached to grab him.

He entered her closet and began to search for some of his clothes. She followed and chose her outfit as well. Within moments, they were both dressed and Celeste began the battle to tame her wild hair.

"Should I know about last night?" He gently brushed his fingers over the bruises on her arm as he held her gaze in the mirror.

Reluctantly, she nodded. "You, Mara, and Selene all should know."

"What happened?"

She tried to smile reassuringly. "Something good."

Yet, they both heard the words she left unsaid, 'I hope.'

Mara merely lifted her eyebrows as both Celeste and Jonathan exited her guardian's bedroom. However, she grew concerned as she noticed the couple's usual banter was missing. "Okay, what's going on?"

"Yes, what happened?" Selene echoed.

Celeste slowly lowered herself into one of the kitchen chairs. "Sofia and I battled Boreas last night. She was attacking a couple in the park. The guy was already unconscious by the time I got there."

"I thought you went out there looking for Boreas," Mara interrupted. "Is the guy okay?"

Celeste nodded. "He and his girlfriend are both fine. Actually, during the battle, the girlfriend transformed into a Senshi, Sailor Aurora. With her help, Sofia and I defeated Boreas. She's gone."

The kitchen was absolutely silent as the information sank in.

"That's a good thing, right?" Mara finally ventured, glancing at the faces around her.

"Yes, it is," Celeste replied with a absent nod.

Jonathan studied her. "Then, what's still bothering you, Celeste? Is it the dream you had?"

"I don't know."

"You're having dreams again?" Selene asked.

Celeste stared at the cat in surprise but nodding. "For weeks now. Ever since I met Mara."

The girl paled. "What does that mean?"

"It doesn't mean anything," Celeste soothed but her eyes remained focused on Selene. "I can't remember anything. I wake up, crying, 'No, don't!' Usually I have my arms. And except for flashes of red, I don't remember much of anything else."

The cat gave Celeste a look as if Selene knew that she wasn't telling the whole truth. Fortunately, the feline didn't voice the opinion. However, Celeste knew that they would be having a discussion very, very soon.

"But with Boreas gone, there attacks are over," Mara said, her tone hopeful.

Selene sadly shook her head. "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

"Why not?"

"We found another Senshi," Celeste replied. "If I learned anything from Usagi's experiences, it is that we have more enemies and the battles will be harder."

"So now what?" Jonathan asked.

"We do the best we can," Selene said.

Celeste nodded. "And we train harder."

Emily glanced at the faces around her, her blue eyes wide with the nearly overwhelming shock. "So, I'm a . . . you know . . . a sunshi?"

"A Senshi, a Sailor Soldier," Celeste corrected gently. "You're Sailor Aurora."

The blonde girl sat back in the girl. Surprisingly, she was giggling. "Aurora, warrior of the dawn." She continued laughing.

Celeste exchanged a worried look with both Selene and Jonathan as she walked over to the girl's chair. "Emily?"

The girl held up a hand. "I'm fine. Really, I'm fine. It's just so funny."

"What is?" Mara demanded.

"Being Sailor Aurora, warrior of the dawn," she replied, still fighting against the giggles. My middle name is Dawn. It's pretty funny, isn't it?"

"The names," Selene muttered darkly, jumping down from Mara's lap. "How could I have been so stupid!"

"What names?" Mara asked. "What's going on?"

Celeste nodded in understanding. "The names are important. The names of all the Senshi means something."

"Yes," Selene agreed. "I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner."

"So, what do the other names mean?" Jonathan wondered aloud. "I mean, I understand what Celeste means and why it's appropriate. What about the others?"

"Actually my whole name fits," Celeste stated. "I'm really Anastasia Celeste. 'Celestial resurrection' if you will."

"And Sofia?"

"Knowledge," Selene answered as Sofia nodded, "befitting Sailor Athene. The names of the others in Tokyo have meanings as well. Tsukino Usagi means 'rabbit of the moon.' Chiba Mamoru means 'protector of the earth.' They all have appropriate meanings."

"What about Mara?" Emily asked, her voice quiet but drawing everyone's attention as she stared at the other girl. "What does her name mean? What is her role in all of this?"

Celeste shook her head. "I don't know, Mara. I really don't know."

"Don't worry, Celeste," the dark-haired girl said, in a strange, quiet voice. "I know. Considering my symbol is a ring of black light, it fits. I'm Mara Lynn, the 'bitter pool.' That's what my name means."

"This goes deeper than we thought," Sofia murmured, speaking for the first time since her initial greetings.

"Way deeper," Emily agreed quietly.