The Crystal Senshi

Savagekitty

Dedicated to those who are true senshi of the heart and spirit.

Chapter Three

The Truth is a Scary Monster

Everyone was quiet after Rei had spoken. Bonnie, still looking angry, scratched the back of her as she looked around the room. Lauren sniffed, hiccupping, wiping her eyes with a tissue that came from a box Minako was holding. Erin finally uncovered her face, her eyes red, but her cheeks dry. Caty leaned back, breathing slowly. She didn't understand.

"I don't understand."

Usagi nodded, "I know you don't. It's… it's one of those confusing things so bad that your mind can not focus on the truth. But what you saw was truth. You each lived the last days of the Silver Millennium." She smiled vaguely, "We," she motioned to Mamoru, Makoto, and the others, "found out about it when we were very young. I was 14 years old. It was a shock. More then a shock actually. I didn't even get the whole truth until Mamoru and I found each other."

Caty leaned forward, "So the manga is right?"

Makoto shook her head, "There are…half truths to the manga and anime. The Silver Millennium in the manga was pretty much spot on. Of course the author of those is from that time. She was a famous story teller and painter then. She remember quite a bit because she frequented the courts. What surprised us, once we really got used to being who we are, is how close to our real lives she came. Luna and Artemis chuckled over the fact they had been made into cats. When we were first found, as Sailor Senshi, that's when truth and story separated. We haven't defeated the Dark Kingdom. I wish everything was so black and white like it was in the manga. Maybe then we can have normal lives."

Minako patted her friend on the shoulder, looking at the new girls, "We have been fighting the Dark Kingdom for five years now. We have gained no ground, but they seemed to have gotten stronger since this whole 'War on Terror' crap started with your government. They are probably feeding off the fear and feelings of people all over the world. We managed to locate their portal, where they cross from their dimension to ours. We tried to close the hole, but it's too strong."

Bonnie settled her hands into her lap, "So you tried taking an assload of C2 up to wherever this hole is, and blowing it closed?"

Ami shook her head, "It isn't like some cave or a hole in the ground, it's a rift in space… Kinda like the hole in the ozone layer."

Bonnie bit her lip, "Oh… physics type stuff. I get it."

Lauren looked at the girls, "Where do we come in?"

Minako smiled, "We just need help. We're burning out. A few weeks ago… I… I couldn't transform into Sailor Venus. It freaked me out. I can now, but I was so stressed…"

Caty nodded, "It's ok, Minako, we understand."

Rei looked a little urked, "How can you? You haven't been through what we have. You haven't seen innocent people die because their energy is drained away and they cant live. You haven't seen your friends bleeding on the ground with a monster from your worst nightmares standing over them!"

Ami stood, speaking in loud and angry Japanese to Rei. Caty was shocked she could actually understand it, and from the looks on her friends faces, so could they. Artemis must have implanted that bit of information in their heads to make it easier on them. Rei backed down, having been scolded by the small and bookish girl, sitting with an angry pout. Ami bowed to Lauren and the others, "I'm sorry, Rei-chan is just… over excited to have help."

"She didn't want help, you mean." This came from Erin, "Look." She looked specifically at Rei, "You may not want us here, I don't even want to be here after what I just saw. I KNOW what you have gone through, Artemis made God damn sure of that. But if you're going to throw a hissy fit every time we don't 'know' something, you're gonna have a lot of them. You've been Senshi for 5 years PLUS what you were on the Moon. If you guys didn't need help so badly we wouldn't be here. YOU need US. So piss off, Rei."

The room was very still. Rei was speechless. She just stood and left, slamming the door behind her. Makoto let a grin slide over her face, "I like her."

Erin sat down, still looking pissed. Caty actually started laughing, "Wow, Erin. I've seen you angry online, but real life is way better."

"Online?" Mamoru looked puzzled.

Caty looked at them, "I had never met Erin face to face before. We met on the internet. Bonnie, Lauren and I went to school together."

Usagi looked surprised, "She gathered them, even when they weren't in the same area…"

Luna looked pleased. Caty had no idea what they were talking about, she only shrugged, "Can someone tell me why I woke up here? What did you say, Bonnie? Something hit me on the highway? Last thing I remember is Mamoru getting out of the car and that huge clown thing."

Mamoru looked a little sheepish, Usagi looking angrily at him, "You left them alone, before they could defend themselves?"

Caty blinked, "I'm sorry?"

Luna say down on the floor in front of Artemis, "You all know you're senshi now. But on the highway, when the youma appeared, you could have been hurt. We couldn't afford you to be hurt before you came here and learned what you are. But Caty took care of that." She turned and looked at Caty specifically, "On the highway, you became who you are destined to be. Sailor Emerald. You defeated the youma."

Bonnie's eyes opened wide as Erin and Lauren looked at her. Erin snapped her fingers, "She transformed. I watched the anime and read the manga too. But I thought you…we… we needed to have those little stick things to become Sailors."

Luna pointed to the pendants that was given to them, "Those are what you use to transform. You work a little differently then the planetary senshi, since you are Guardian Senshi. On the highway, the need for Caty to protect her friends pulled Sailor Emerald out of her. Usually when you come out of your alter egos, any wound you sustained is healed. But Caty was forced into it, that's why her appearance changed too. Don't worry, once you transform, and come back, you'll feel better."

Caty held up the little star and looked at it intently, "How?"

Artemis stood, coming over to Caty as the others scooted back. They knew what was coming. Minako pulled Bonnie and Lauren back and Ami motioned for Erin to sit by her. Artemis pulled Caty to her feet and stood her in the middle of the room, "This will feel a little tingly, but you'll get used to it." He took the pendant from Caty and placed it around her neck so it lay on the front of her shirt just above her breasts. "Concentrate on what you remember of the Silver Millennium. Who you used to be, when you have a clear picture, say Crystal Crisis Make-up."

Erin snorted. Ami pushed on her arm gently, "It sounds silly, but it activates the spells on the pendant. Our key words work the same."

Artemis stood back from Caty as she stood in the middle of the room feeling silly. She wasn't sure if this was really for her. These small and fit looking girls could do it, but she was a six foot chubby woman that never had any real exercise. She took a breath and closed her eyes, calling up on what she had seen in her flashback. She saw the unfamiliar woman with long crimson hair with the sword. She always wanted to know how to sword fight. She whispered, "Crystal Crisis Make-up." she didn't want to feel silly if she yelled it and it didn't work. But she didn't really have to worry about that because as soon as she spoke the words, she opened her eyes and a rush of power flowed through her, making her chest flutter. She looked out of what looked like green glass around her, so dark, she could barely make out her friends and the others. She closed her eyes again and the fluttering in her chest stopped. She didn't move, until someone touched her shoulder. She jumped, looking around. She didn't feel any different. She blinked, "I feel silly."

Erin, Bonnie and Lauren were all shocked. Their eyes wide and their mouths slightly open. If they hadn't just seen it, they wouldn't have believed it. Makoto and Minako had brought out a full length mirror from another room and stood it in front of Caty. Caty saw the reflection, but couldn't understand what she was seeing. A tall, thin woman with long crimson hair, straight bangs hanging across her forehead, covering a gold tiara. She took a step closer, touching the mirror. She looked down at her hands, covered in black silk feeling gloves that had black kind of rubbery patches on the palms. The skirt wasn't as short as she thought, it came to just above her knees, it was layered slightly. She ran her hands down the front of her stomach, flat and tight. She looked at her face in the mirror, a face she didn't know. Her eyes so green, it was startling. She blinked a few times. She looked at the boots, they had a heel but not like high heels. She looked at the bottom, they looked like the bottom of the shoes she wore for work, many little squares for non-slip gripping. She wasn't Caty anymore. She was Emerald. She looked at Bonnie, Lauren, and Erin, "Oh my God."

Usagi giggled, "You look very different!"

Emerald turned to her, "That is an understatement. This is kinda freaky, how do I change back?"

Artemis smiled, "Think of who you are now."

Emerald nodded, closing her eyes. She heard someone gasp and she opened her eyes. She stood in the mirror, her old self, no bruises, no maroon hair or stark green eyes. Her dark brown hair to her chin was back, her glasses, her purple t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. The heaviness around her middle returned. She sighed with relief, "I'm me."

Bonnie jumped up at the same time Erin did. They looked at each other, giggling nervously. They each closed their eyes, muttering something under their breaths and Caty was blinded by the lights that came from them. She blinked her vision clear, looking at the two strangers standing before her. They looked at each other then raced to the mirror. Bonnie was wearing a dark blue, her hair tied back, it was a darker brown then her hair was, almost auburn. Erin's hair hadn't really changed, but it actually shortened. She and Bonnie, like Caty, were a little heavy, but they toned up as soon as the light had taken them. Bonnie… Sapphire… Sapphire fisted her gloved hands and flexed her arms, "Oh God… I actually know I can bench-press 200 pounds like this, probably more…" Erin… Amethyst… Amethyst laughed as she stood on one foot and leaned forward, "Perfect balance."

Lauren stood, looking nervous. She closed her eyes and muttered to herself and the red flash of light filled the room. Sailor Ruby stood, sheepishly in front of the mirror. She gasped, her hand going to her hair. It stood on end in short spikes that were tipped in red. Her body had filled out and it looked more muscled then her old self. She looked at her arms then back at the mirror, "Oh my Goooooooood. " They each flipped back to their selves and looked at Usagi and the others. They sat down, shaking a little. Luna gave them cups of tea. Lauren was shaking so hard, Ami had to take it from her to keep her from dropping it. Caty looked at the Japanese girls, "I'm sorry… We… we didn't believe you… this…Oh God…"

"It's alright, Caty-chan." Makoto sat by her, hugging her around the shoulders, "It will take a while, but you'll get used to it. Once you meet the enemy, it will be like it always was."

Caty looked a little frightened at that, but if this was their destiny, who was she to change it?

The four girls shared an apartment across from where Usagi and Mamoru lived. Their belongings had been shipped here and their rooms already neatly arranged for them. Caty thanked God she had her own room, just like each girl did, so she could break down in peace. So far from home and this shock put on her. She wrapped herself in an afghan her mother had made her and she cried a little. She figured a good cry would make her feel better. Makoto and Minako promised to come back in the morning and show them around the neighborhood, maybe get in a little shopping. Artemis had explained to them money wasn't a big deal, since he and Luna ran a very successful antiques business. It was able to support them all comfortably. Mamoru had his own job too. But that was for a hobby, to help him keep a grip on reality. Caty looked at the pictures arranged on her desk of her family, Bonnie and Lauren, there was also a picture of the new group, her new friends. Somehow, there was also a picture of Caty, Erin, Bonnie, and Lauren at the airport. They were all smiling happily, looking into a camera Caty didn't remember being there.

Bonnie knocked softly on her door, letting herself in. Caty wiped her eyes and put her glasses back on, "Yah?"

Bonnie sat down on the edge of her bed, which was Western style, making all the girls happy. Bonnie passed her a box of tissues, "You're ugly when you cry."

Caty laughed, taking a tissue and wiped her eyes, "I can be ugly if I want to be, Bonbon."

Bonnie hugged her around the shoulders, "It's a shocker isn't it? I mean, Sailor Sco- Senshi." She had to change her word quickly, forgetting herself.

Caty nodded, blowing her nose. She tossed the tissue into the waste basket, "In my wildest dreams, yah. But Christ, I didn't think they were REAL, Bonnie." She rubbed her forehead, her headache coming back.

"Well, it seemed to be…is… jeez. I'm still reeling from what I saw. Do you know how I died? I was standing outside that Prayer Room the Queen kept with Lauren… I mean Ruby, and we fell from a couple attacks from that Nephrite guy. We made sure the Queen was safe but… oh man…" She rubbed her face.

Caty wasn't sure she wanted to share that she had been having an affair with the enemy, so she didn't say anything except, "Zoicite stabbed me in the back."

"So what's for dinner?" Bonnie said, trying to break the tension. Caty laughed, "Lets see what they left us in the kitchen."

The next morning, Minako and Makoto picked up Caty and Erin. Bonnie and Lauren wanted to sight see with Usagi, Luna and Ami. Caty wanted to shop to stock up their kitchen with real food. All they had was ramen and prune juice for some reason. The two girls that came for them, were very fashionable. Caty was surprised. Makoto tended to lean more boyishly in her clothing, with jeans that were boot cut, chuck taylors in dark green and pink, and a white dress shirt, unbuttoned and tied together over a pink tank top. Minako wore a mini skirt, white, and a pale yellow spaghetti strap tank top. She wore tennis sneakers and a white headband. Caty felt a little frumpy with jeans and a black t-shirt that read: FREAK in large red letters. Erin wore a hippy skirt that flowed around her legs and a peasant top, all in white. They walked down the crowded streets, Caty amazed she could read every sign. She knew where she needed to go, but Makoto and Minako showed her the best deals, Makoto especially, since she was a cook too. Caty and her would become fast friends, baking together, Caty with her American style food, and Makoto with her Japanese cuisine.

Two hours later saw them walking into the park, eating ice cream, Minako making Caty and Erin try the Mango Squid Sorbet. Caty tasted it. It must have been just a name because she didn't taste anything but mango and maybe strawberry. They set their parcels down, leaning on a bridge over a small stream. Makoto tossed a coin in for luck and then slurped some of her chocolate coconut ice-cream cone. Minako looked across the stream where it connected with the lake, her face dropped, "Can't even have a nice day of shopping."

The other girls looked where she pointed, seeing a woman standing on the lake. Her hair flowed around her as she held her hands towards a party of picnickers. It was large, it looked like a company picnic. People were dropping like flies. Minako and Makoto grabbed all the bags hiding them under some bushes. They turned to Caty and Erin, "Transform and lets get your feet wet." Caty thought this weird, coming from two girls younger then she was, but she let it go as she closed her eyes, "Crystal Crisis Make-up!" Erin, beside her, was doing the same thing.

They opened their eyes and Sailors Venus and Jupiter stood before them. They took the lead as they ran towards where the picnickers were. They skidded into the grass, standing in front of the already unconscious people. Emerald and Amethyst stood a little on the outside, behind them, battle stance ready. The woman on the lake walked towards them, singing her lovely song. The girls just stood there, unaffected. The singing youma, who resembled a siren, beautiful, with long pointed ears, bluish skin and a dress that seemed made of water, looked at them angrily and hit a high note. The people around the senshi convulsed. Emerald looked at them and then the youma. She grinned. Jupiter had seen how the youma was working and made them stuff chewing gum in their ears. It was gross, but it worked.

Jupiter and Venus darted across each other, Jupiter going into her Sparkling Wide Pressure attack, Venus using her Love- Me Chain. The youma shrieked and crumbled into dust in the water, unable to cope with the double attack. Jupiter moved her hand, removing the gum from her ears, talking to Venus, who also removed the gum. They looked puzzled as they spoke to one another. Emerald couldn't understand them, so she moved to removed the gum, but Jupiter stopped her, pointing up at the sky. Venus was holding her ears and was screaming. A swarm of large bees appeared from a hole in the sky. Venus's eyes rolled up in her head and so did Jupiter's. They fell to the ground. Emerald kneeled by Jupiter, removing her glove and feeling her forehead. She was cold. And so was Venus. Emerald looked up at the bees, standing. They seemed to hover. A man came from the trees to her right. She knew him. She knew him like she knew her own father. Zoicite. He looked exactly like he did in the flashback. He was playing a violin, fast and furiously. Emerald didn't remember him being such a music lover, but then again, she didn't know much about him. She attention went back to the bees as she put her glove back on. She turned to Amethyst, hand signaling to take out the bees while she took care of Zoicite. Amethyst nodded. They still had the hand signals in their brains from the old days. That was handy. Amethyst stood at the waters edge, her hands held high as she seemed to scream something Emerald dint understand, but the air shimmered, crackling with purple energy. They seemed to be darts of purple crystal, and Amethyst jerked her arms forward, the darts volleying into the bees, dropping them into the water. This gave emerald time to call upon her sword. The energy welling into her hands and formed the hilt. The blade drew forward, almost like a light saber in star Wars, thought the blade was more similar to an English long sword. She held the sword in one hand and called to her second power. Telekinesis. She raised a good amount of stone that had been piled by children to skip in the water. She threw them with her mind, like bullets from a gun. They smashed his violin. He stumbled back, shocked as the gum popped from her ears and life roared back into focus. The angry hum of the bees, the screams of Amethyst's 'Crystal Tear Shards', and the cursing from Zoicite as he settled his eyes on Emerald.

He didn't seem to remember her, but she remembered him. His face twisted in ugly anger, "You bitch, that was mine!"

"I know." She rushed at him quickly. He gasped, fainting to the side as she blurred past him. A long crystal sword appeared in his hands, at least she thought it was a sword. It was rather shapeless. He used to block her attacks, poorly, but it kept her from landing a death blow. She danced about him, cutting a sleeve, his hair, and finally drew a line of blood across his left cheek. He screamed in fury, "Who are you!"

Emerald smiled, "You don't remember me, but I remember you. And I wont tell you who I am until I see my sword pressed through to the back of your chest like you did to me." She spit at his feet and ran at him. His eyes widened as he fell back into a dark portal. It closed with a wet snap. She panted, now feeling the cold sweat of fear down her face and back. Her hair clung wetly to her forehead as she turned back to Amethyst who nursed a cut across her arm and forehead. Emerald went to her looking at them. The hole in the sky had closed when she broke Zoicite's violin. The little corpses of bees floated in the pond. They were about the size of small dogs. Emerald kneels by the water, reaching to catch one floating by so she could look at it, but as soon as she touched it, it turned to gray dust as the others did. She looked over at Amethyst, who was removing gum from her ears as she stood over Venus, "Are they ok?"

Emerald stood, going to stand over Jupiter, "Yah, they just had their energy zapped. We need to move them before the cops come." She faded back into Caty and pulled a cell phone from the pocket of her jeans. A handy trick, her clothing was in the same shape she left it in when she transformed. She dialed Mamoru's cell phone. He had given her the number last night,

"Mamoru, it's Caty. I need a pick up of green and yellow at the park. Yah. Thanks." She hung up, looking at Erin. She had faded back to herself and was kneeling by Venus, "How do we get them to change back?"

Caty shrugged, "Mamoru asked if they were still senshi, and then said he'd be right here."

Erin nodded, "I'll go get the bags, you wait for Mamoru." Caty kneeled by Jupiter, flipping a hand to Erin, saying, go go.

Makoto gripped the ends of the blanket, shivering. Mamoru had come in the nick of time, the police showing up just after they pulled out of the park. Minako dipped her feet into a hot bath, buried in a quilt on the couch next to Makoto. Erin set a try of hot tea before them, Caty and Mamoru sitting on the other couch in Mamoru's apartment. Erin sat at Mamoru's feet as Makoto picked up a mug of tea, sipping it through chattering teeth. Caty explained what had happened, Mamoru listening silently. Minako nodded, shivering, "Fl…fl…Flight of the…bu…bu…bu…Bumble Bee."

Mamoru raised an eyebrow, "Really?"

Caty looked confused, "Did I miss something?"

Mamoru sighed, "Zoicite uses music as his main weapon. His youma uses music, he usually plays violin if he actually shows his face."

"Well, he did today and I broke his violin." Caty said, looking angry, "That God damned asshole didn't even remember me. Whatever they do in that Dark Kingdom place, they must brainwash their soldiers. But he got a shock that two more senshi had shown up. Lets keep Bonnie and Lauren a secret if we can. The less the Dark Kingdom knows, the better."

Zoicite rubbed his hands together as he paced back and forth in front of the chair Kunzite sat in, reading. Cussing under his breath, he stopped, looking at his lover, "HOW! HOW can you just sit there, reading after what I JUST told you!"

Kunzite looked at the blonde, his dark eyes level, flat, and unconcerned, "They got a few new ponies to do some tricks. Nothing to worry about, Zoi."

The two men lived together in the Palace of Darkness. Their suite of rooms were dark, as was the rest of the castle. Dark stone, cold floors, stark colors. Kunzite didn't care for this place, but having lived here for a thousand years, he had grown used to it. He remembered a warmer time, on Earth, but that was all he remembered, and the battle on the moon, when he grew in power after pledging his life to the evil Queen. For all he knew, he had been with Zoicite even then, because they had killed the Commander of the Guardian Senshi on the Moon.

Zoicite screamed a high pitched girl frustration scream, kicking a chair across the floor and dramatically flinging himself across the large canopy bed. Kunzite sighed, standing, "We have to go report to the Queen." Zoicite rolled over, pouting, "I don't wanna."

"Too bad, muffin." Kunzite pulled his hands so Zoicite slid off the bed, standing. Kunzite smoothed the wrinkles from his uniform and clipped his cape around his shoulders, kissing his forehead. Zoicite smiled and sighed, "Ok."

They walked down the long cave like halls to the throne room. They entered the cavernous room, the only light coming from the far side where a large blood colored stalactite came down from the ceiling. It was almost clear, and a light pulsed from within. A woman, nude, was half incased within the stone. Her arms pinned above her head as she leaned forward, her hair flowing around her, covering her chest. Her waist and legs, pinned within the stone, hadn't moved for almost 900 years. Queen Beryl. The mighty ruler of the Dark Kingdom, was now a puppet for the evil entity that had come from the Sun. It had landed on the Earth, filling Man with hate, jealousy, and blood lust. It had captured the hearts of the Earth Prince's closest guards to allow it to spread to other planets.

Beryl rolled her head up, pointing her eyes at the two men who stepped within the circle of light. She didn't really look at them, for her eyes had stopped working many years ago. They were now cloudy orbs within her head. She was suspended about 20 feet above them, looking down. She blinked slowly,

"Why have you come before me?"

Zoicite stepped forward, "My Queen, two new senshi have appeared on Earth."

The queen blinked again, "New Senshi. The senshi were all destroyed. You lie."

Kunzite stepped forward, removing a glass orb from within his cape. He held it up to the Queen as a mini movie seemed to play within, "He does not lie, Highness."

The Queen watched the orb, her face blank. When it was finished, she opened her mouth, blood dripping from it onto the stone. She closed her mouth after a good puddle had formed. From the puddle, a figure rose, forming into a youma. The youma looked like a puppet without strings, naked of any gender, bald, no eyes. It was creepy. It looked at Kunzite, its head rolling to the side. It glowed and formed into an exact replica of Kunzite. It looked to Zoicite and it was Zoicite. Then it was the puppet again. The Queen opened her mouth again,

"Your spy. I want more information. Go."

End Chapter Three

The Truth is a Scary Monster