Author's Note: i don't own Sailor Moon, only the plot! Thanks to everyone who has reveiwed you rock! You make my day, and I hope you all know that. I hope you enjoy this next chapter of "A Woman's Will"! I know I enjoy it.
Prisoners of War
She was dressed in her ceremonial outfit. It was tradition for the leader of her planets warriors to give her warriors a speech and then to lead them in battle. It wasn't a very comfortable outfit, it was heavy and hot-but she supposed she could suffer just a little bit for the sake of her people.
Her tall, athletic body was covered in stretchable, tough leather that would act as her armour in battle. There was room on the back of her suit for her energy sword, and a small, but very deadly, dagger strapped in the inside of her battle boot. Lastly there was a heavy cloak, given to her by her new master as a gift. It was supposed to ward off spells and most physical damage. Useful, Cillian grudgingly accepted, but it would prove to be a nuisance in battle.
She pulled out a well loved picture of her young daughter and let her lips touch the paper lovingly, "You will have a safe home to live in, I promise on my life. I will not fail." she promised her daughter and placed the picture by her heart, to be used as Cillian's good luck charm.
"My Lady, your warriors are ready." the monotone voice of Dirks Cowell rose up from the silence and broke Cillian from her quiet reflection of her daughter.
"Very well. You'd best join the ranks, slave. You'll be fighting beside me this day." she told him firmly and left her chambers to go to the holding bay of her space ship.
She only brought with her eleven of her most trusted and skilled warriors. With Dirks added into her group, that made a total of Lucky number thirteen. A powerful number that had never failed her in the past, and it wouldn't fail her now.
Her warriors all stood at attention and formed a semi circle around her. Six girls, six guys, all battle hardened and prepared to die for her. Prepared to die for their families in order to secure and new home for their children. She stood tall and proud and put a brilliant smile on her face. She was their leader, their mascot.
"Well guys, this is it. This is the battle we've been waiting for. Keep in mind while we're down there that this isn't just a war. Its a new beginning for us, but more importantly our families and children. We are securing a new home, making it safe for the rest of our people." she let out one long slow breath and breathed back in, calming herself and her soul. "Well be going after Earth's own warriors. A group of both men and women who's soul purpose is to protect this planet and its people. If we take them down, we own the planet. Don't kill them, we will only subdue them and bring them back here to the holding deck. The Master has plans for them." She gave them a bright smile and stood tall and proud, "All right, its time for action. Lets go."
All thirteen warriors were transported down to Earth in a dull, pale light. They were transported on the top of a huge apartment building roof. A full, bright moon illuminated the dark night sky and gave the warriors plenty of light to see. 'So, this is where Earth's defender's lay, nestled safely within their soft, comfortable beds.' Cillian thought to herself as she walked purposely to the roof door. The door knob turned easily in her firm grip, and she pulled the door open with a simple tug.
"The Moon Goddess must be with us this night, milady. We have nothing to fear." Daken, Cillian's youngest male warrior whispered in his excitement.
"She may be with us, but that is no reason for any of us to let down our guard. In this place lives thirteen of Earths most powerful warriors. It would be a mistake to underestimate them. They will fight to protect their planet and people." Cillian instructed firmly, "Come, we'd best finish this quickly. We take the weakest ones out first." she commanded and led her group of warriors inside the building.
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It wasn't anything significant, Michiru thought to herself as she sat nervously on the balcony of the apartment Darien had so generously supplied. There was no strange aura, no energy in which she could read by. Yet she found herself noticing the emptiness the moment it entered the apartment complex. Perhaps that was it! She felt a void in a space that was always filled with the energy of her friends. Something or someone was hiding the energy.
"Haruka!" Michiru shouted and made a fast dash to Setsuna's room, "Setsuna, wake up, we've got company!" she spoke quickly and moved to her daughter's room, "Hotaru-"
"Hai, Michiru-mama, I am up." Hotaru spoke, no trace of sleep in her youthful voice.
"Good girl. Meet me in the living room, ASAP!" Michiru whirled around and slammed into her lover. Haruka wrapped her arms protectively around Michiru's body and with a quick back step, managed to keep them both on their feet. "Haruka, there's trouble!"
Haruka nodded and pressed a gentle, calming kiss to her lovers' brow. "Be calm, my love. I will hold our enemy at bay until you can gather the scouts. Get to the princess. We must protect her at all costs."
"Haruka-papa, you can't hold them all off by yourself," Hotaru spoke from her doorway, already transformed into her Sailor Scout uniform, "I will fight by your side. Setsuna-mama will protect Michiu-mama."
Haruka grinned and transformed, "You are right, as per usual squirt. Come on then, we've got no time to lose!"
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Serena woke quickly, sensing trouble. She quietly slipped from Darien's bed and silently crept into the living room. Something was off, the aura inside the apartment was way off, and Serena felt fear for her friends. Calmly, she searched out each of her scouts 'chi'. Two were missing. Rae and Amy. Gone, completely hidden from her. Four were transformed into scouts.
She could hear shouts from below and she was finally kicked into action. She grabbed her spare pair jeans from the guest bedroom and quickly pulled them on. A tight, but comfortable fit. Since Darien had ripped her blouse beyond repair, not even three hours hence, she was forced to wear one of his oversized dress shirts. Of course all of them had to be at least four sizes too large for her. She rolled the sleeves up to her elbows and left the apartment with a quick shout to Darien. She left her hair down, allowing the long, golden tresses to fall to the back of her calves, as she did not have any more time to waste on trying to make herself look pretty.
She ran into Michiru and Setsuna as she headed down the hallway to the stairs. She could tell from Michiru's wild-eyed look that something was wrong. Michiru grabbed onto her arm and gently tugged.
"Please, Serena, we need to get you out of here." She pleaded.
Serena shook her head, "No, I need to stay and fight. Two of my friends are missing and I refuse to leave without them." Serena spoke, her voice and stance stubbornly determined. "Go, wake Darien. Tell him to gather his generals. War has been waged."
Serena continued on her path, following the sounds of fight. When she reached the battle below, Serena was suprised to see Haruka and Hotaru, standing back to back, weapons out and at the ready. Haruka held onto her Space Sword, and Hotaru was welding her deadly Silence Glave. Both were using their weapons with deadly precision.
Thirteen men and women had them surrounded in the small hallway, and Serena could tell that there was no way her scouts could hold them off forever. She caught sight of one of the warriors and gasped. No, it couldn't be! Serena thought as she jumped forward to draw the attention to her.
"Dirks! What the hell is going on?" Serena shouted angrily and froze in place when all sets of eyes turned to her. She kept her eyes locked with Dirks. They were dull and almost lifeless. It was obvious that he was under the command of her enemy.
"Serena, no, get away! Run!" Haruka growled as she ducked under the meaty fist of one of the male warriors.
Serena shook her head stubbornly, although she backed up when three of the warriors, plus the leader of the warriors that had led the attack turned their attention onto her. It was the woman from earlier! The one who brought the monsters to Earth, the one who was watching us fight. Serena made the connection instantly and she fell back into a fighting stance.
"I don't know who you are, but I think you had better give me back my missing friends and then leave. I don't want to hurt you, but I will." Serena spoke firmly, tossing her hair behind her back with quiet authority.
Cillian held a hand up for her warrior and then quickly closed it into a fist. Serena watch, horrified as Haruka and Hotaru were both grabbed by warriors and then teleported away with a dull flash of light. "No, think you had better surrender now and give me control of your planet." Cillian spoke softly.
"Never, I will never give you control. This is my home. If you want it, you'll have to kill me first." Serena declared. "I will fight for love, and justice. For friends and family. I will fight to keep my home safe from evil people like you." she transformed into into her Scout form and allowed them a small smirk, "I am Sailor Moon. And I will punish you!"
Cillian was suprised the jump in the young warriors energy level. It very nearly quadrupled her own. She refused to show suprise, however, and instead fell back into a defensive position. "You don't have the same experience as me, young warrior. You may have all this power, but you don't know how to use it. How to control it. How to control yourself. Only that comes with time and experience, that I have. That my warriors have. You don't stand a chance." she told her.
"Then perhaps with me by her side, she can even the odds a little bit." Darien's voice growled behind the warriors, his Generals and the rest of the scouts behind his back. He teleported with ease and reappeared by Serena's side. "I have had both time and experience on my side." Darien gallantly transformed into Tuxedo Mask and gave Cillian a low, mocking bow.
Cillian laughed softly, "I don't know about time and experience. Maybe in your past life, but not in this one. I've been fighting and training my whole life. There is nothing I can't take down, there is no one that I can't defeat." she growled. "And you are mistaken if you believe that I have come here to kill you all. No, my master has other plans."
Serena's eyes widened as she felt the familiar pull of being transported. "It's a trap!" she exclaimed and glared into the eyes of the pale blue eyed woman. She watched at the woman's lips formed two little words with her mouth, and her eyes watched hers with a sort of detached pain.
I'm sorry.
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Serena woke up slowly, her head pounding in pain. She hadn't opened her eyes yet, but she had already realised a few things. She was trapped. Her team was trapped. She was chained, hands and feet, to a cold cement wall. She had been handled a little roughly, she decided as she tested out her arms and legs, noticing the dull, throbbing pain on her torso and back.
Slowly, very slowly she opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a circular chamber with all of the scouts, each one being chained to the wall like her, they didn't look any better than she felt. There was a single torch in the middle of the room that was their only light source.
"I see you're awake too." Haruka's soft voice whispered next to Serena.
Serena turned her head slowly and looked at Haruka. "What's going on, Ruka?" she asked.
"We've been taken prisoner. Like prisoners of war." she said simply and turned her gaze to Michiru who looked a little beaten up. "She fought like a wildcat." Haruka spoke proudly, her infamous smirk appearing at her lips.
Serena nodded and closed her eyes, resting her head up against the stone wall. She needed to think of a way out. She needed to get her friends out of here, to safety. She needed to find a way back to her family. She needed to protect Earth.
When all of the girls had finally woken up and we softly chatting to each other, Serena finally spoke again. "I'm sorry, guys. When you needed me most, I failed you." she whispered, a single tear dripping down her cheek.
"Serena it not you're fault!" Mina cried out.
"Yes it is. I should have been able to do something. But I didn't and I'm sorry. But I want you all to know that we will not lose this war. Not while I still have air in my lungs." she promised.
The door to the girls' chamber was suddenly swung open and Dirks stepped inside, accompanied by two of the most ugliest human-like creatures Serena had ever laid her eyes on.
"I've come for the future Princess of Earth. Now which one of you is it?" Dirks spoke, his voice monotone and slow.
"Why do you want her?" Amy asked bravely.
"The Master wishes for her to join him in his bedchamber. She is to be his new Mistress." Dirks replied promptly.
Serena paled and looked at an equally shocked Haruka. All of the girls stayed silent, not wanted to draw attention to themselves.
"If one of you does not come forward, I have orders to kill you off one by one. So tell me now." Dirks spoke in the same uncaring, monotone voice, even as she reached down into his boot and pulled out a deadly looking dagger.
Serena stepped forward and was about to confess when Mina stepped forward and announced her presence. "I am the future Princess of Earth." she said proudly, her eyes shining.
"I'm the Princess," Amy and Rae spoke at once and stood up straight.
Following their lead, each of the other girls, including Serena, stood up and announced that they were, infact, the future Princess of Earth. Dirks, looking confused, examined each girl closely before making his own conclusion. He went straight to Hotaru and pulled her easily off the chains and tossed her to the two henchmen behind him.
Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna suddenly came to life, pulling at their chains in their attempts to reach their adopted daughter, the young lady they had all raised together. They were swearing and cursing, nearly crazed in their attempts to get to their daughter.
Hotaru put up a fight for all of thirty seconds before her more mature side took over and she straightened up and pulled free of the henchmen's grasps. "I can walk fine by myself, thank you." she spoke, her voice snobby and completely loyal. "Don't worry for me, my friends. I will survive, as I have survived all these years. Young Hotaru will remember nothing, I promise."
Serena knew what Hortaru's older self was talking about. It was impossibly not to when she had lived and worked in a women's shelter. She heard about this stuff all the time. Knew how it could affect people. She would not let it happen to Hotaru.
She pulled at the chains with all the physical strength she had left in her body, ignoring the pain it caused her. Thoughts and images of Hotaru screaming for help, screaming in pain and shame flooded her mind, and Serena felt pure and honest rage for one of the first times in her life. She barely felt her wrists started to bleed as she forced the chains to pull away from the wall in her rage. When they were almost off, Serena let out a loud, angry yell of pain and rage, and ripped free of her chains.
She dropped to the ground for only a second before she ran to the door to retrieve the keys to the locks. She quickly undid Haruka, then passed her the keys and ran out the door to find Hotaru.
And to kill the man who would dare to touch her young friend.
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Well, here it is, chapter thirteen! A little longer than most of my chapters, which is cool. Tell me what you think! Love it or Hate it, review it and tell me why!