Author's Note: I struggled for a couple of weeks with this story… hope you like it.
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Chapter 5: Well Met
Serena gazed at the star locket from Darien, and wiped tears from her eyes. He was under Queen Beryl's spell and there was nothing she could do about it. She was the Moon Princess and there was nothing she could do to change that.
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(A/N: This scene takes place before he meets the Earth Rangers)
Andros gazed at a picture of a young woman on the screen. She was simply beautiful in everyway. Long hair styled in pigtails topped with buns. Blue crystalline eyes. A long pure white gown. She was holding a staff, and had the wings of an angel. It was a replica of a painting that one of his ancestors on KO-35 had painted when his people had visited the planet Earth and its Moon over a century ago.
It was rumored that the painter had fallen in love with the Moon Princess, and that the painting was his tribute to her. This ancestor had entrusted this painting to his family, and begged them on his deathbed (in writing) to return the painting to the Princess of Moon of the painting- at least that is what had been translated from the ancient languages. Andros studied the painting once more, then shut off the screen.
"Deka, set a course for Earth."
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Sailor Moon wiped the tears from her eyes as Tuxedo Mask left her and the scouts once more with the warning that he was their enemy now. She felt Sailor Jupiter place a reassuring arm over her shoulder and she leaned into the taller girl's body, seeking comfort. After a hug, she stood up straight and walked out of the park.
"Poor Serena," sighed Lita, as she transformed back.
"I know," Mina said, "I wish there was something we could do about this whole situation." They walked out of the park and each went their separate ways. It was sunset and they each had to be home before their parents realized they were not in their rooms studying.
(AN: I know Lita's parents are gone in the Manga, but I choose to follow the dubbed anime and make her have parents, so sorry).
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Serena rolled over in her bed and gazed at the picture of Andrew and Darien. She blew her nose in the already soggy tissue in her hand. She replaced the picture in the album of photos of all her friends, closed the album and replaced it under her bed. She tossed her tissue in the waste basket and left her room at the knock at her door. She opened the door to find her mother on the other side. Ikuko took one look at her tearstained face and pulled her into a hug.
"Honey, what's wrong?" she asked, "Is it a boy?"
Serena sniffled, and nodded her head against her mother's torso.
"Oh, Serena," Ikuko hugged her hard, and told her "boys will come, boys will go, but I'll always be your mother."
"Oh mom," despite learning that her real mother was the long dead moon queen, her feelings had never changed for her Earth mother. After all, Ikuko was still her mother in every way that counted. It was confusing sometimes, to have the memories of her childhood here on Earth- even the distant one of meeting Darien when they were both children and having the memories from the Silver Millenium run through her mind at the oddest moments.
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Andros looked up from his coffee when five girls entered the arcade. He looked over at all five, paying special to the two blondes, immediately latching his eyes on girl with pigtails.
He heard them all laugh and the blonde boy behind the counter waved a milkshake glass in the air at them, silently asking them if they wanted the usual. They all nodded and soon a frothy milkshake sat in front of each girl.
As the girl with pigtails gobbled her milkshake down, Andros heard the black haired girl say, "Serena, you're such a pig." Andros stood up and walked closer, prepared to defend the woman who looked identical to Princess that his ancestor had painted.
"You know that's not fair Rei," Serena replied, "I burn a ton a calories in our battles. I've lost almost ten pounds in the past few months since becoming a scout."
"That's right," said Ami, who had been taking care of all their medical stats since becoming Sailor Scouts, "I notice your hands haven't been burned as much since we gained the crystal, Serena."
"Shush!" Lita finally said, having noticed Andros loitering nearby. She gave him a glare, and whispered fiercely to the girls so that Andros would not hear, "No scout business."
They nodded back even as Luna ran inside with Artemis by her side. She gave a frantic meow to the five girls who immediately stood up and ran out the door. Andros, alerted to the fact that something was wrong, followed on their heels.
"Luna," he heard Serena say, "Where's the youma?"
"The park, where else?" Luna said, looking up at her charge. "Transform now, girls." once they reached a stand of trees.
"Right," and each took out a device.
"Moon Prism Power!" Deep pink ribbons shot out of the broach and embraced Serena, forming a pure white fuku, with a blue skirt, a dark pink bow across her chest. A golden tiara appeared on her forehead, and deep pink round gems popped into her buns. Her feet were encased in deep pink boots, and her cerulean eyes gleamed with a brief confidence.
"Mars Power!" Heat emanated from the stick and fire shot out, embracing Rei, warming her from the inside out, encircling her torso and her legs, forming a red skirted fuku, with a purple bow on her chest. Red heels encased her feet, and fire flashed her eyes, the violet depths holding the confidence of the people they were meant to save.
"Mercury Power!" Blue streams of water shot out of the pen, surrounding the young wise woman, transforming her school uniform into a blue skirted fuku. The blue stone in the blue bow across her chest gleamed as if freshly shined, and soon Sailor Mercury stood in knee high blue boots.
"Jupiter Power!" Pale green lightening spit out of her transformation pens, and surrounded Lita in a sphere sectioned off into six. The lightening sparked around her, finally forming a green skirted fuku, with a pink bow across her chest with an emerald green gem. Ankle boots appeared on her feet and a golden tiara on her forehead.
"Venus Power!" A streamer of orange stars enwrapped her body, spiraling down, allowing Mina to become the sailor scout of love. Her orange skirted fuku flared, then settled as a dark blue bow with an orange stone formed across her chest. The last pieces were of her transformation were a pair of gloves, orange high heeled shoes, and the golden tiara that trademarks for all the scouts.
The five girls posed, then Sailor Venus and Sailor Mars sent out their attacks to distract the monster, while Sailor Mercury scanned for weaknesses.
"Who are you?" The jungle gym shaped monster hissed, "Nevermind, it doesn't matter,"The creature's arms slid out of slides while the joints squeaked. Metal screeched as the slide arms slid out to try to grasp the scouts. Andros saw one dangerously close to Sailor Moon and leapt towards her , holding her slight body as they both went down. He managed to be underneath her as they fell and he heard her mutter, "You're not Tuxedo Mask."
He oomphed softly as he hit his elbow, then rolled over as the monster tried to hit him and the young woman in his arms. He took the brunt of the hit on the back, biting back a pained yell.
"Umm… I need you to get off of me," Sailor Moon murmured.
"Right," Andros stood up, then helped her up, his hands lingering on her waist as she wobbled on the broken heel of one her boots. She steadied long enough to withdraw her wand and started her attack.
She focused the wand and drew the energy molecules into the twinkling wand, "Moon Healing … Escalation!" The crystal shot out energy cutting into the monster. The monster shrieked as the healing waves covered it, transforming back to the park's cleaning man. He fainted, falling on the ground.
"Whew!" Sailor Moon exclaimed. She peeled back her long gloves from her arms. They were red and quickly fading, and they stung a little. She replaced them and turned to the guy who had knocked her down.
He had leaned his back against a tree and now struggled to keep upright. Whatever the creature had hit him with was energy draining, and he felt his eyes droop in exhaustion. He became aware of Sailor Moon standing in front on him. Forcing his eyes open, he gave her a grin, and said, "That was a great job."
"Are you all right?" he heard he ask.
"Fine," he said. He missed the looks exchanged between the scouts but felt the tallest one slide a shoulder under his arm.
"Come on, we'd better get him to Mercury's place," Sailor Mars said. That was the last thing he heard as he faded into unconsciousness, and so he did not see Sailor Jupiter pick him up into her arms. Nor did he see them walk to Sailor Mercury's apartment. They sent her in to check for her mother, and when they were sure the coast was clear they walked into the apartment. Sailor Jupiter set her burden on the couch as they transformed back to civilian form. Ami stood over their patient and scanned him with the Mercury computer. She frowned.
"Well, the readings are just saying that he's unconscious. There is something else about him though. We'll wait until he wakes up so I can ask him though," Ami snapped the Mercury computer shut just as the young man on the couch was stirring, "Perfect timing."
Andros groaned as he woke, and blinking, he saw the five girls surrounding him. He sat up, wincing as he did so- his back still stung from the blow he'd received. He felt a warm hand, and looked up at the blonde girl identical to the painting from his ancestor.
"I supposed I should I introduce myself," Andros said, "My name is Andros. I am from a distant planet known as KO-35. I am the Red Space Ranger," he took a deep breath, then said, "I came looking for you, Serena. I have a painting that one of my ancestors painted during the Silver Millennium. It's of the Moon Princess."
Rei, and Lita gaped, then looked at their newly discovered Princess. Serena breathed, and said, "I'd like to see it."
"Wait. How did you know you would find Serena here?" Lita demanded.
"I researched the fall of the Moon Kingdom. I knew from my ancestor's diaries that after Beryl's armies attack, Queen Serenity felt the only way to save her kingdom was to put the Imperial Silver Crystal to use."
"Right," Luna answered, landing on the coffee table in front of the group, Artemis, right behind her. Andros gaped for a moment (A/N: after all how many people do you know with a pair of talking cats?).
"You say your ancestor left diaries. Who was he?" Artemis asked,
"His name was Aristarchus," Andros responded, and was surprised when Artemis and Luna stared at him in surprise. "What?"
"Queen Serenity named one of the moon's craters Aristarchus. The crater was named for the man she hid on the moon from Queen Beryl. He was spy for Queen Serenity and he was an artist. He was the one who suggested the Crystal as a last resort to save the Galaxy."
"So this Aristarchus was the one who ultimately saved the people of the moon?" Rei asked, her eyes narrowed in thought.
"Yes. One night he just disappeared though, and we thought he was either taken by the Negaverse, or that he was a spy for them in the first place." Luna said, "But now he know he went home. Somehow," she looked at Andros, "Does his diaries say how he left the heavily guarded moon?"
"Yes. Sailor Pluto opened a path through space and allowed him to leave the Moon, before sealing all gateways. He never said why though."
"Sailor Pluto?" Ami exclaimed, "But we don't have a Sailor Pluto."
"We did though," Serena murmured, "Or at least we're supposed to."
"Serena, what do you know about this?" Lita said, seeing how tired their leader was,
"I've been remembering things about the Moon Kingdom. I've been dreaming about it. I remember Sailor Pluto. Vaguely. She was tall," Serena chuckled, "I'm sorry. That was vague. She's the daughter of Chronos who guarded the gate through space and time. She took over his post when war broke out throughout the galaxy. I think there are more scouts. I just can't remember them," Serena sighed, oblivious to the stares from her friends. She yawned, tired, and drained. She leaned her head against Lita, immediately falling asleep.
"Is she okay?" Andros asked, staring at the golden haired beauty.
"Yes," Ami pushed her hair behind her ears, "It's just lately, the wand drains her of some of her energy. She just needs some sleep."
"Yeah, good thing we planned a sleepover," Lita said, wrapping her arm around her shorter friend.
"So we'll see you tomorrow? Lunchtime?" Mina asked, escorting Andros to the door. He nodded as he stepped out, glancing over Mina's shoulder at Serena. (A/N: Ahh! Another conquest for Serena!)
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A man with pure white hair entered a dark and gloomy chamber where a once beautiful red-haired woman sat upon a throne topped with a basilik's skeleton. Her face was twisted with evil pleasure as a dark-haired young man bowed before her in submission his deep blue eyes bankrupt of emotion.
"My Queen," Malachite said, "a stranger has entered the Earth's orbit. He has power."
Beryl practically squirmed with pleasure, her strident voice echoing in the chamber, "Bring him to me." The crystal ball in front of her glowed as the voice of another woman boomed out of the glass-it was Astromena, the Space Rangers' enemy. She was ordering the Quantrons to go after the Rangers. Beryl flicked a glance at her general and Prince Darien and they immediately bowed before shimmering out of the dank chamber.
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Andros held the golden star locket for a minute, finally passing it to Serena, "Yes that is Aristarchus' work."
"So he was a great artist, then?" Serena asked, holding the musical star wistfully before sending it back to her subspace pocket.
"Yes, KO-35 used to have a museum with many of his masterpieces. When Astromena attacked, I was able to rescue only a few of his paintings, including the one of the Moon Princess and another of the landscape of the Moon."
Serena blinked for a moment, then said, "Well, when am I going to get to see them?"
"Soon," Andros grinned, then pressing a button on his communicator, he said, "Bring them in."
All five girls' eyes widened as four familiar people stepped into Lita's apartment. Serena squealed loudly and everyone covered their ears. She jumped up, hugging each of the four, saying, "T.J., Cassie, Ashley, Carlos! What are you doing here?"then she saw another guy lugging two square and gasped over how attractive he was.
Andros grinned, "This is Zhane, he's from KO-35, too, he's the Silver Ranger." Serena's eyed the attractive young man before her gaze dropped to the two things he was holding. He handed one to Andros, and started to unwrap the other. He set it on the couch, against its back. Serena eagerly approached it, gazing at her likeness, set on canvas with a combination of heavy and light strokes.
"Wow," Lita breathed next to her. The others stood in a half circle behind her.
Serena turned to Andros with tears brimming in her eyes, "I hoped that something existed to show that the Moon Kingdom once existed and this is it. Thank you."
Andros looked pleased, and opened his mouth just as his communicator beeped, and Alpha 5 said, "Danger Rangers!"
"Where?" Carlos demanded.
"Tokyo shopping district," The slightly disembodied said, "In Azabu."
"Let's Rocket!" Andros said, then pressed 3-3-5 and EJ on his morphed. The six Rangers stood in front the girls, who looked at each other, and took out their transformation pens, and in Serena's case, a gold and pink broach.
"Mercury Power!" the Mercury symbol lit up in blue on the stick and blue ribbons streamed out of the pen, embracing the scout of wisdom, giving her a blue skirt fuku with light blue bows across her chest and lower back. Elbow length white gloves formed on her arms, and on her feet a pair of blue boots appeared. Her tiara gleamed gold, and the blue stone at the center shimmered with power.
"Mars Power," the Mars symbol lit up in fiery red and fire jetted out of the stick, encircling the scout of fire, forming a red skirted fuku, and a purple bow with a red stone in the center formed on her chest while a red bow appeared on her lower back.. Red high heels formed on her feet, and white elbow length formed on her arms. Her gold tiara glimmered, and the red stone glowed with an inner fire.
"Jupiter Power!" The symbol of Jupiter glowed green and lightning bolts surged out, encased her in sphere. Forming a green skirted fuku, and a pink bow with a green stone formed on her chest, while another pink bow appeared on her lower back. On her feet, green half boots, The gold tiara across her forehead shined while the green stone sparked with lightning.
"Venus Power!" The ultimate feminine symbol for love lit up in orange, while a streamer of stars wrapped around her, spiraling downwards, and flaring the orange skirt on her fuku. Orange high heels appeared on her feet, white gloves on her hands, a blue bow across her chest, and yellow bow on her lower back. The orange stones in the center of her bow and tiara gleamed as the transformation finished.
"Moon Prism Power!," Pink and blue lights surrounded Serena as the broached settled in the middle of her chest. Deep pink ribbons shot out of the broach and embraced Serena, forming a blue skirt fuku, and a dark pink bow across her chest and another on her lower back. A golden tiara appeared on her forehead, and deep pink round gems popped into her buns. Her feet were encased in deep pink boots, and white gloves wrapped themselves around her hands.
As soon as they transformed, they followed the Rangers out of Lita's apartment, and ran into the business district. They saw the creature attacking shoppers and the Rangers fired their Astro blasters at the monster, The victims ran away, with the scouts guiding them out of the open buildings. After making sure the people had all escaped they shut all the doors they can find, locking the monster in with them.
"Combine attacks!" Sailor Mercury shouted to her friends. They nodded in agreement, and they prepared their attacks.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" Fire soared from Sailor Mars' fingertips.
"Supreme Thunder Crash!" Lightening surrounded her body, and emanated from her as it sparked out at the enemy.
"Mercury Bubble Splash!" Bubbly fog misted around them, and encased the monster in dense fog. It yelled in anger as it stumbled around in confusion.
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" A laser beam hit the monster dead on, immobilizing it as the fog cleared.
"Let's join our weapons!" T.J. shouted.
"Spiral Saber!" Andros shouted, brandishing a short lance, "Powered up and ready to rock!"
"Quadro Blaster!" Carlos said, holding the other four weapons joined together, the other rangers behind him, "Assembled and waiting for the call."
"Fire!" They shouted, the laser of the weapons hitting the monster.
"Moon Tiara," Sailor Moon took off her tiara, holding it as it warmed with power, "Magic!" she shouted, the disc flying through the air to the monster. The monster turned to a white powder, and blew away.
A dark figure in a top hat and cape turned away from the sight of the powder blowing away. He grinned. His princess was safe. Beryl didn't know it, but her brainwashing was wearing off. But he had to find out her ultimate plan. Until then, he and his Serena had to stay enemies. They'd be together one day. That's all that mattered.
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Serena hugged Andros, whispering, "Thanks for bringing the paintings. And the other Rangers." She hugged each of the others, even Zhane.
"Galaxy Gliders! Hang ten!" They jumped on the space gliders, and waved.
Serena waved back, "Don't be strangers." She hugged the wrapped canvases to her body, then walked home, as the Rangers traveled through space to the Megaship.
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Serena gazed at both paintings, looking at herself, then the moon landscape. It was where she and Prince used to stroll, holding hands, and sharing themselves. We'll be like that again one day, she said to herself, rewrapping the painting and taking them to the attic. And when we are, I'll hang these up to remind us both what we've been through.
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What do you think? Review, please, and be as brutal as you like.