Chapter Seven
Love and War! The Sun Sets in the Land of Dreams
*Introducing Sailorelysion created by Laurel Wilson. All of her dialogue written by Laurel.
The wind whipped through Rei's hair as she stood alone on a grassy hill. Around her lay fields of grass as far as she could see, with no trace of the touch of mankind. Rei closed her eyes, stretching her senses for a hint at what she was supposed to do here. Her quest thus far had not been extremely difficult. She had found her way through a thick forest, battling hunger and fatigue, and had swum across a vast lake. She had been tested vigorously on her physical strength, something she was forced to admit was not her strongest feature.
A crow's call shattered the still air and Rei lifted her head to stare into the blue, cloudless sky. A smile spread across her face as the two birds landed, one on her shoulder and the other at her feet. Phobos and Deimos, familiar faces from her life, the two crows whom she fed at her grandfather's shrine. Deimos at her feet looked up at her, cawed once, and headed back into the sky. Phobos followed, circling Rei's head once.
"I guess we go this way," Rei muttered. "I hope I'm not expected to run across this field."
Phobos cawed as if in laughter at her remark and Rei followed her friends down the hillside and through the long grass.
******
Ami sat with Akumu and Eitai, sipping tea. Tansei had gone back to his apartment for a while to check up on things, although it had taken Akumu quite some time to persuade him that Kami would be all right until he returned. Ami had promised to stay in the apartment in case Suisei or Hodur returned for Kami's Star Seed, and Tansei had left.
Eitai was silent, as usual, but her blue eyes held a sad look. She worried about Kiki and where she had gone. The strange senshi from Parallel Earth was not acting like herself lately, which bothered Eitai even more. Kiki alone in this time, in this dimension, was not something to be taken lightly.
Akumu glanced up at Eitai and frowned. "Still thinking about Kiki?"
Eitai smiled in embarrassment and put her teacup down. "I should not wear my emotion so obviously on my face."
"We were in that mirror for a long time together," Akumu said. "I think I know you better now."
"What's wrong with Kiki?" Ami asked.
"I don't know," Eitai sighed. "Something is troubling her, something that happened when we were gone."
Ami nodded. "She started acting strange right after Michiru and Usagi ran off. Before that, she was spending a lot of time with Usagi."
Eitai nodded. "Kiki is easily confused between our dimensions. She sees Usagi but thinks that it is Odin. I doubt whether she knows the difference."
"Usagi and Odin can't be that similar," Ami said. "Look at Kiki and Haruka."
"Yes, but yourself and Sailor Frigga are also alike," Eitai objected. "It seems that doubles are either opposites or identical. Very strange."
Ami nodded. "When this is over, I think I might like to visit Parallel Earth. It would be interesting to see the copy of our world."
Eitai smiled but said nothing. Akumu poured her some more tea and refilled her own cup and Ami's. As Ami accepted her tea, she looked at Akumu.
"You are so much like a grown-up Hotaru," Ami remarked. "Are you sure you're not from Parallel Earth as well?"
Akumu blushed. "No, I and my sister are not from any place, really."
"Hotaru has a double on Parallel Earth," Eitai added. "The senshi of youth, Sailor Idun."
"So how did you become a senshi?" Ami asked curiously.
Akumu bit her lip. "I – I don't know how much of the future I should tell you. I ran into Chibiusa one day and we became friends. I didn't know I was a senshi until I transformed. It was very scary."
Ami nodded. "How old were you?"
"Eleven or so," Akumu shrugged. "I didn't have any mortal parents, so I'm not sure exactly when I was born or how old I really am. My sister tells me I'm as old as the cosmos, but I don't remember much of anything before I lived in Crystal Tokyo."
"You would, if you had chosen to return with me," a weak voice said.
All heads turned to see Kami wearing her pajamas standing in the doorway. Kami smiled and made her way to the sofa, sitting next to Ami and across from Eitai and Akumu.
"How are you feeling?" Eitai asked.
"Horrible," Kami replied. "The poison is still there, eating away at me."
"Do you need help?" Akumu asked, half rising from her seat before Kami waved her down.
"No. I need rest and time. I can work the poison out of my system, but not if I keep fighting," Kami said.
"What are you suggesting?" Eitai asked.
"A small vacation," Kami said with a slight smile. "To rest and regenerate in Elysium."
******
Minako ran. The beast was hot on her heels and she could almost feel its breath on her back. She dared not look, but knew what was chasing her. It was an enormous boar, with tusks longer than her body and small red eyes. She could hear it grunt as it ran after her. Minako raised her eyes and saw two large doors looming in front of her. One was slightly open and Minako picked up speed, trying to get to the doors before the boar got her. As she drew closer, the door began to slowly close. With a yell and a sudden burst of speed, Minako slid through the closing gap between the door and the wall as the door slammed shut.
Panting from the exertion, Minako waited for the sound of the boar slamming against the wood, but no sound came. Blinking, she wearily made her way to the doors and tried to open them. They wouldn't budge.
"Great," Minako muttered. "I bet that was my test and I failed it by hiding in here. I wonder where I am, anyway."
Minako stood with her back to the door. Directly ahead was a solid stonewall that stretched up as high as she could see. To her right and left were very dark passages. Minako took a few steps to the left and the corridor lit up, faintly illuminating her path. She did the same to the right passage, and it lit up as well.
"I guess I just pick a direction and hope for the best," Minako said.
She headed off down the right corridor, the mysterious light casting the darkness aside as she moved. Once she glanced behind her, but saw nothing there but blackness. Happy to no longer be chased by the boar, Minako continued on her way.
******
Suisei was angry, and the surviving citizens of Asgard bore the brunt of her fury. Standing on the hill where the Hall of the Immortal Senshi stood, Suisei rained down her anger on the buildings and people of Asgard. The few pathetic remains of the once happy and populace city cowered in fear and ran from the balls of flame and lightning that pounded them. Dark shadows howled with delight as people hid in the alleys where they lived, but Suisei didn't care. All she cared about was that Hodur was displeased with her, and that could be dangerous.
Suisei craved Hodur's power, hungered after it like an animal. She didn't care about Ragnarok or about the senshi that Hodur desperately collected. All she wanted was power. She knew to get her heart's desire, she would have to return to Hodur's good graces. An easy enough task. All she had to do was return to Earth, corner the weakened Lucis, and steal her Star Seed again. It was the key, Hodur had said, the last element needed to start Ragnarok. And it was hers for the taking.
Laughing, Suisei let loose another barrage on Asgard, this time rejoicing her good fortune. She would seize Lucis' Star Seed and then, true to her nature, the goddess of Betrayal would seize Hodur's power.
******
Kami met Tansei alone in the park, near the lake where they had first met and where she had nearly lost him forever. He held her close, a tear sliding down his cheek after she explained to him that she must leave.
"But Hodur," Tansei began.
"He will try to gain more senshi while I'm gone," Kami agreed. "This cannot be helped. Sailor Mercury will have to use Hermes' powers to keep him at bay until the other senshi return from their quests."
"How long will you be gone?" Tansei asked.
"As long as I need to be," Kami replied.
She looked up into his green eyes and felt her heart melt at the sadness she saw there. Tansei bit his lower lip and forced a smile.
"You need the rest," he said, convincing himself more than her.
"You can't keep being my nursemaid forever," Kami replied.
Tansei looked hurt. "I thought you enjoyed it."
Kami laughed at him and hugged him tight. "I would enjoy spending time with you more if I wasn't not sick in bed. I don't know how I would have survived without you with me."
"That's easy," Tansei said bitterly. "You wouldn't have been hurt in the first place."
Kami held Tansei at arms length and stared at him. "Don't blame yourself," she said sharply. "Nothing Hodur has done could ever be your fault."
Tansei smiled. "I know, but you leaving hurts all the same."
"I'll be back," Kami replied. "Before you know it, we'll be here again."
Tansei didn't answer. Instead, he tipped her head back slightly and kissed her. Kami closed her eyes, relishing the moment and the feel of his lips on hers. A tear crept from the corner of her eye. She knew what they had could never be. He didn't know what she truly was, or what would happen once this was over.
"Good bye," Kami said.
Tansei said nothing as Kami's mortal disguise melted away. In a shimmer of golden light, Lucis spread her wings and vanished into the setting sun. Tansei leaned against the rails of the lake and watched until he could no longer distinguish her light from that of the sun.
******
The place where Lucis landed was a place more beautiful than anyone could possibly imagine. The temperature in the air was always perfect, the flowers that grew in abundance were always in bloom, and the leaves on the many trees were always green. This place was the accumulation of all the dreams ever dreamt on Earth, and the place where the joyous souls rested at the end of their lives. This was Elysium.
Lucis folded her wings behind her and picked up the hem of her yellow dress. Slowly, she walked down the stone steps, past a fountain of sparking water, and into the courtyard of what appeared to be a giant Greek temple. A series of steps lead up to the doors of the temple, framed on all sides by richly decorated columns. Roses grew wild on either side of the dirt pathway and they seemed to turn towards Lucis as she walked toward the doors. Nearing the steps to the temple, two figures appeared and began to descend the stairs towards her. One was a young man with a golden horn and white hair. He was dressed in a white priest's robe and had sparkling blue eyes. The other looked so much like her brother that they could have been twins, though they were not. This was Junryou, the younger sister of Elios and Priestess of Elysium, dressed in her priestess uniform. Her white hair had been pulled up into two ponytails worn low on the head. Junryou was also the determined protector of Elysium, Sailorelysion.
"Lucis!" the man exclaimed.
"Hello, Elios," Lucis replied, embracing the young man warmly. "How are you?"
"Fine," Elios replied. He looked at her closely. "I wish I could say the same for you. What happened?"
Lucis smiled. "I'll explain everything later. Let's just say that I've come for a visit, to regain my strength."
"I noticed your fading light," Elios said seriously.
"Is that Junryou?" Lucis asked, looking past Elios to the young woman standing behind him.
Junryou seemed to be trying to fade behind Elios, as if she didn't want to speak to Lucis. When she was addressed, she put on a polite smile and stepped slightly forward.
"Hello Lucis. Yes, it is I. You may call me Jun if you prefer. Welcome home." Her face was turned toward the weakened senshi, but Jun's golden eyes averted Lucis' gaze.
Lucis frowned, trying to figure out what was on the young priestess' mind.
"You look well, Jun," Lucis said cheerfully. "It's been quite some time since I've seen you."
Nodding, the priestess thanked her. "I don't leave this place very often, as you know." Another polite, put-on smile.
Elios had never fully understood his sister's distance from Lucis, though he had an idea what it was all about. He tried to break the ice. "Jun spends so much time tending her gardens of jasmine and honeysuckle that sometimes I wonder if I'll ever see her again."
That produced a shy, genuine smile from Jun, who began studying her feet.
"Why don't we go into the temple? Would you like to lie down?"
Jun suddenly asked, "How is life on the surface?" in a much more interested tone.
"Troublesome," Lucis replied wearily. "How much do you know about the troubles with Hodur?"
"Not much," Elios admitted. "We are usually so busy here we hardly have time to check on the Upper World."
"Then this may take awhile..."
"Come. Let's go inside, then you can relax and tell us the news."
******
"Where did they go?" Rei said out loud, not concerned if people thought she was crazy since there was no one around.
She scanned the horizon for her guardians, but there was no sign of them. A sharp caw sounded off to her left and she headed in pursuit of the sound. A short distance from the headland where she had stood, the ground gradually dipped and the lush green grass turned into a hard-packed dirt field accented by pitiful blades of grass trying to poke through the sun-baked cracks. Phobos and Deimos were there, as were several other unfamiliar crows. They cavorted around a tall, strong-looking man who stood proudly in the center of the ancient battlefield, holding his heavy helmet in one hand and a keen sword in the other. Rei took a step forward.
"Halt!" the man boomed, "I am Ares, Lord of War. Do not step nearer, for your task is far from over."
Are you kidding?! Rei wanted to say, but she knew this was a serious matter and that she really shouldn't insult a god with her temper. Her eyes narrowed, then she relaxed.
"What is the last part of my quest?"
"To get past your fears and to me, your final opponent."
******
"Oh no! It's already 6:30!"
Mamoru rushed around his apartment dodging his piles of books and work. He hastily pulled on his jacket and ran out of his apartment. When he was about halfway to the Crowns Café, the bushes alongside the path made a tell tale rustle. Mamoru stopped and peered intently into the darkness.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" he demanded.
Nothing but silence greeted him. He waited briefly before continuing on his way. He turned before he could notice the shadow rise out of the foliage and slink along the path, hidden in the darkness of night.
******
"Aww, man!" Minako fumed, "I've been wandering around in circles for hours!"
She threw up her hands as she spotted the entrance to the maze yet again. She sat hard on the floor nearby and moodily crossed her arms across her chest.
"They sure nailed my weak spot, this logic stuff is driving me crazy! I'm even talking to myself! I wonder what the others are doing. Maybe they stuck Rei back in kindergarten and she has to learn how to share! Oh, hahaha!"
Minako clutched her sides and doubled over in laughter. While still in this position she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. That's when she saw it. On the wall opposite the door there was a small crack. As her eyes cleared, Minako saw a thin bit of light shinning through. She stood up, and brushing herself off, she walked up to the fissure. The blonde blew on the dust and grit that covered the old wall and coughed as it entered her lungs.
"That was real smart Minak-" she interrupted herself as she stared closely at what she at first thought was a splinter of rock.
It looked like a ribbon. She rubbed the grime off of it that had blended it with the maze wall. It was a thin strand of scarlet yarn. She tugged at it, causing the wall to crack in the direction of the left hand path. Minako tugged some more until, finally it was free of the wall and she could see that it wound its camouflaged self deep into the heart of the maze.
"Guess I found my one-way ticket."
******
"And so I sent them on their quests, to gain the help of their guardian gods. So far only Immortal Sailor Mercury has returned, but I have faith that the others will succeed as well."
"But you are still very weak," Elios mused, " and you seek a place to rest and regain your strength. But..."
"But that leaves Earth with one less senshi to protect it," Lucis finished for him, "Yes, I know. Loki is still missing and there is no knowing if and when she will turn up for battle. Aion is powerful, as is Nyx, but I fear even with Mercury's new power, it will not be enough to keep Hodur from securing more star seeds. I want to stay and help, but I am become weaker and weaker each time I fight, and that would only buy us a short time."
"Someone is needed to take your place while you rest, then," Elios said with a nod.
Jun had been listening to Lucis' story silently, with her hands resting on her knees, a cup of tea on the table before her. The tea made in Elysium contained healing medicine, so Elios insisted they all drink some, including the weakened senshi. A worried expression on her face, Jun lifted her head.
"This Hodur his activities threaten Elysium just as much as they threaten the peace of the surface world, don't they?"
Elios nodded, feeling a bit surprised that his sister had finally chosen to join in the conversation. She had been so quiet up to that moment. "We can assume so. What would be a prized target after the surface was taken over?"
"The realm of dreams," Jun replied. Her voice became more uneasy. "Our dreams are what keep us going. Without dreams, people would be mindless slaves to whoever dared to control them, without free will without motivation to live. This is my home." Her fingers worked angrily in her lap, gripping the edge of her skirt tightly. "No one is going to enslave my people. Not here, and not on the surface."
"Then you are volunteering?"
As if she suddenly realized what she was saying, Jun blinked with wide eyes, and let out a long sigh. "If the surface world needs another soldier, then I will go. I am this world's soldier, Sailorelysion."
For the first time in the conversation, she looked Lucis in the eye. "What do you need me to do?"
******
Mamoru walked casually down the street, his dark sunglasses hiding his eyes. All around him, people walked past, laughing and talking among themselves. Without turning his head, Mamoru moved his eyes to look behind him to see if whoever was following him was still there. The faintest flicker of movement confirmed his suspicions.
About a block from Crowns Café where he was meeting with Motoki, Mamoru ducked down an alleyway. He took off at a run and noticed that his pursuer also began to pick up the pace, although their footsteps were much lighter. Finally, Mamoru whirled around to confront his would-be attacker, his hand in his pocket for his rose. Ahead of him, a shadowy figure emerged and stopped so that its features were still hidden. Mamoru squinted in the shadow.
"Come out and face me," Mamoru challenged, sick of the game the shadow was playing.
The figure hesitated for a moment and Mamoru prepared himself to fight. No attack came as the shadow suddenly leapt into the air and vanished on the rooftops. Still wary of his follower, Mamoru left the alley and continued to Crowns.
On the rooftop, Sailor Loki watched him go.
******
Rei faced the God of War with steeled nerves. She had bested him in everything he had thrown at her so far, and she was confident that she could triumph over his final challenge. As if reading her thoughts, Ares smiled smugly and held up his sword. One of his crows glanced at him and nodded its black head.
"Prepare yourself," Ares warned. "Pallor!"
One of the dark crows launched itself into the air and flew at Rei. Instinctively, she ducked and covered her face. When no attack came, Rei cautiously lifted her head and found that the scenery had changed considerably.
She was at home, at the Shrine in Crossroads. It was nighttime and she was in her bed, staring up at the familiar ceiling and listening to the familiar sounds of night. But her instincts told her something was wrong.
A sharp crow's caw sounded from just outside her window, and Rei sat up in surprise. She suddenly smelled the scent of burning wood and looked around her bed. Everywhere her room was in flames. The orange fire licked at her walls and ate away the floor, trapping her on her bed. A deep feeling of terror crept through her and she curled herself into a ball on her bed, closing her eyes tightly. The fire kept advancing. Rei looked up and thought she saw a man watching her from beyond the flames. He had a stern expression on his face, and seeing it somehow made her feel more confident. Her terror did not vanish, but it was controlled. With a cry of anger and encouragement, Rei leapt from her bed, through the flames, and out her bedroom door.
As she ran, she heard a voice call, "Phobos, Deimos!"
The scene had changed. Rei stood on a battle field as Sailor Mars, holding a massive red sword in her hand. Around her the ground was littered with dead bodies. She raised her head and saw her friends in their senshi forms, hanging from crude stone crosses. They were alive and as she approached, they raised their heads.
"Rei-chan," Sailor Jupiter said. "Please, help us."
Standing in front of the three on crosses was Sailor Moon. Her eyes were dead and she held a black sword in her hand. The blonde senshi raised the sword over Sailor Jupiter and sliced her in half.
Rei's eyes widened in surprise and alarm, and a feeling of dread settled in her stomach. The girl before her was Sailor Moon, yet was not. One by one, she was destroying her friends.
"Rei! You have to stop her!" Sailor Mercury pleaded.
Rei averted her gaze as the black sword came down again. Sailor Moon moved to stand before the last of the inner senshi. Rei raised her head to look into the eyes of her last friend.
"Kill her, Rei," Sailor Venus urged.
"I can't," Rei whispered. "I can't kill Usagi. Forgive me."
For a final time, the black sword came down. They were all gone, and she had done nothing to stop it. Sailor Moon turned again to face Rei and suddenly froze. Somewhere around them, a voice hissed the word "Metis."
A black crow flew from the sky and landed on Sailor Moon's shoulder. It looked into Rei's eyes and cawed. Rei shook her head and let her sword tip fall to the ground.
"I – I can't!" Rei stammered. "You can't ask me to kill my best friend."
The crow cawed again, this time more urgently.
"I know I risk my life," Rei replied. "I have seen this fate before, gazing into the Great Fire. I have seen that I would cause the deaths of all my friends, and it filled me with fear. But there is nothing I can do!"
The crow cocked its head at her and flew away into the dark sky. Sailor Moon began to advance again, her sword held high. Tears filling her eyes, Rei raised her sword as well. Before Sailor Moon could strike, Rei plunged her red sword through her best friend's midsection. Sailor Moon blinked and the spirit that had possessed her vanished. With clear eyes, she stared up at her friend.
"Rei-chan," Sailor Moon whispered as she slid off the sword.
Dropping the weapon, Rei fell to her knees and sobbed.
******
Suisei sat in her mortal disguise in Crowns café, sipping an iced tea. She smiled to herself, barely able to contain her excitement, but timing was everything. She needed to be sure that the remaining senshi would witness their final destruction when she ripped Lucis' Star Seed from her body and vanished. She pictured the looks on their faces and nearly laughed aloud. The plan was too perfect. Once she had the Star Seed of Light, Hodur would be no match for her and the worlds of Earth and Parallel Earth would be hers to control.
The door to the café opened and a young man with black hair came in. He was wearing sunglasses and kept glancing over his shoulder. Suisei watched him with interest, thinking she had seen him before. The man removed his glasses and the feeling past. With a shrug, Suisei returned to her drink, and the man sat down at the table behind her. Another young man with blond hair wearing an apron walked past Suisei and sat down with the black haired man. Suisei tried to ignore them.
"What's wrong, Mamoru?" Motoki asked.
"Nothing," Mamoru replied. "Just a strange feeling that I'm being watched."
Suisei nearly choked on her iced tea.
"Don't be silly," Motoki laughed. "Who would be following you?"
Mamoru said nothing and Suisei slid further into her chair. This man obviously was aware of her plan and knew she was spying on the senshi. Perhaps her timing would have to be sped up after all.
"You're right," Mamoru forced a laugh to calm his friend. "I'm sorry, Motoki, but I have to get going. I'll talk to you later."
The man called Mamoru stood and left the café. Suisei breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was being paranoid and the man hadn't been talking about her at all. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry. Suisei rose from her seat and left the café, making sure she headed in the opposite direction the black haired man had gone.
******
Minako whistled to herself as she followed the thread. She was starting to feel better about her quest, relieved that it ended up being so simple. She had outrun the boar with minimal problems and now was making good time through the maze.
"I'll be home in time for dinner," Minako thought aloud. "Artemis will be happy to see me again."
Minako hurried around a corner and came to a fork in the path. The thread split in two as well and changed colours. The right thread turned blue, the left thread turned orange. On the wall in front of her were two stone faces with closed eyes. Minako slid to a halt in front of them and dropped the thread.
"That's what I get for being too confident," she sighed.
The two stone faces opened their eyes and Minako jumped back in surprise. The faces stared at her in shock.
"What are you doing here?" they both asked at once.
"You can talk!" Minako exclaimed. "Terrific! Do you know how I get to the centre of this crazy place?"
The stone faces looked at each other. The one on the right had a slightly larger nose than the one on the left. The left face looked at Minako.
"One of us does," it said. "One face always speaks the truth. The other face always lies."
Minako blinked in confusion. "So no matter what I ask, one will be truthful, the other will lie."
"And you can only ask your question to one of us," the left face finished. "He's the one who lies, by the way."
"Am not, Alphie," the right face objected. "I tell the truth."
"Har har har, Ralph," the left face laughed. "What a liar you are."
Minako chewed her bottom lip in thought, wondering what her friends would do in this kind of situation. Ami would figure out the puzzle in no time, and Rei would just trust her intuition to lead her the right way. Minako wished they were here.
"Are you giving up?" the left face asked.
"Of course not!" Minako fumed. "I'm thinking!"
The two faces were silent while Minako pondered her puzzle with fierce determination. She would see this through. She would not fail her friends. Suddenly, she blinked and smiled. Confidently, she faced the stone faces again and looked directly at the right one.
"Okay. Answer yes or no. Would he tell me that the blue path leads to the centre?"
The right face bit its lip in thought "Uh, yes."
"Then the orange path leads to the centre and the blue path is wrong!" Minako declared.
"But he could be lying," the left face pointed out.
"But then you wouldn't be, so if you said he said yes, the answer is no," Minako explained.
"But then I could be lying," the right face said.
"Then he'd be lying and the answer would still be no," Minako crossed her hand over her chest in triumph. "I follow the orange thread."
Without waiting another moment, Minako picked up her thread and continued on her way. The two faces watched her go.
"Is that right?" the right face asked.
"I don't know," the left face confessed. "I've never understood it."
******
Eitai and Akumu sat at a coffee shop, watching the people pass by through the large window. Akumu was still upset at her sisters departure and said little as she sipped her coffee. Eitai, who was accustomed to silence, also felt no need to speak and tried to relax. Ami had gone home, but had given Eitai a small communicator which would alert her instantly should Suisei or Hodur show up.
Akumu raised her eyes and glanced out the window. Suddenly, she sat up.
"Is that Mamoru?" she asked.
Eitai followed the young girl's line of sight and caught a glimpse of Mamoru as he disappeared among the crowd. She turned her head to answer Akumu when another familiar figure caught her eye.
"Kiki," she gasped, rising from her seat. "Stay here, Akumu."
Before the blue haired girl could object, Eitai was gone.
******
Kiki moved stealthily, her eyes never leaving Mamoru's retreating back. He had almost caught her twice, but not again. She would be as silent and as close as his own shadow. As Mamoru stepped into a crowd, a tall figure appeared in front of Kiki. She looked up in surprise and gasped.
"Come with me, Kiki," Eitai ordered sternly.
Without waiting for her response, Eitai grabbed Kiki's arm and dragged her to the coffee shop where Akumu waited.
"Where have you been?" Eitai demanded, keeping her voice low.
Kiki slouched dejectedly in the booth, trapped between the window and Akumu. The blond mischievous senshi pouted and crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to speak. Eitai patiently waited.
"You made me lose him," Kiki finally said.
"Who?" Akumu asked. "Mamoru?"
Kiki laughed. "Baldur. He is here and I will protect him this time."
Eitai sighed. "Baldur is gone, Kiki. You are following Mamoru, his double."
Kiki shook her head stubbornly. "I failed him once and I won't let you keep me from his side. He will need me again, and I will be there this time."
She roughly pushed her way past Akumu and rose from the booth. Eitai reached over and calmly grabbed her wrist, halting her in her tracks.
"You are my charge," Eitai reminded her.
Kiki threw off the elder senshi's grip and left the coffee shop. Eitai watched her go and shook her head sadly. Akumu sat back down and looked at her friend.
"What will she do?" Akumu asked.
"There is a great struggle going on inside her," Eitai said softly. "She is overcome with remorse for her past deeds."
"Will she be okay?" Akumu asked worriedly.
Eitai smiled. "I hope so, Akumu-chan. She is a powerful senshi and a good friend."
The flow of the crowd outside the coffee shop changed suddenly as a rush of people sped past the window. Eitai rose to her feet, trying to see over the onslaught of people. Akumu stood as well, her henshin pen already in her hand. An explosion confirmed their suspicions.
"Come on," Eitai said, although both were already nearly out the door.
******
"Here senshi, senshi, senshi," Suisei called as if she was calling a cat. "Come out, come out, wherever you are."
As if in emphasis, she pointed to a parked car. An eruption beneath it caused it to fly into the air, spin a few times, and crash back to the earth. Around her, people fled in terror, but Suisei paid them no mind. She walked casually down the main street of downtown Crossroads, randomly blowing things up.
"I'm starting to lose my patience!" she exclaimed angrily.
Eitai and Akumu hid themselves from view as the angry goddess walked past them. They looked at each other once and nodded.
"Darkness of Night, Transform!" Akumu cried, holding up her henshin pen.
"Aion Power, To Me!" Eitai called, holding up her hand.
As Akumu disappeared in a cloud of darkness and reemerged as Sailor Nyx, a ball of purple energy came flying out of the sky and exploded on Eitai's open hand. When the dust from the explosion cleared, she was Sailor Aion.
Suisei started to get bored smashing things and began to turn her attention to people. She seized a luckless individual and tossed him into the air like a rag doll. As the man fell screaming to the earth, a flash of gray streaked across the street and caught him. Suisei followed it with her eyes and smiled. Standing on the other side of the street was the man, Sailor Nyx, and Sailor Aion.
"There you are, my pets," Suisei said happily. "But where is Lucis? Don't tell me she called in sick today."
Nyx glared at the goddess but said nothing. Aion pointed Pluto's staff at her enemy threateningly.
"We can handle you on our own," she said. "Eternity Sweep!"
The purple scythes arced through the air, but Suisei avoided them easily. She turned to see Nyx floating a foot off the ground, her eyes pure white.
"Nightmare Revelation!" Nyx said.
Suisei forced a laugh as thousands of white shadows began to creep towards her. She bit her lower lip in fear and formed a black sphere of energy in her hand. She shot it at Nyx, and it struck her full in the chest, knocking her down and causing her attack to be interrupted.
"I had hoped to see Lucis' Star Seed again," Suisei said, "but her sister's will suit me just fine."
Suisei tossed a black energy-rope at Aion, and it wrapped itself around her legs, knocking her to the ground. Suisei advanced on the injured Nyx, laughing to herself.
From behind Suisei came the words, "Sacred Elysion Carousel!" A shower of blazing golden crystals struck her in the back, feeling like a hundred sharp knives nicking her flesh. With a scream of pain, Suisei fell to the ground in shock.
The smell of jasmine filled the air as Sailorelysion entered the fray. Her navy, sea green, and lavender fuku resembled the priest uniform that her brother wore, with sheer lavender sleeves, except that it had a navy skirt and bow in the front. Pointing the Unicorn Stave at Suisei, Sailorelysion prepared to use the weapon she had assembled from the pole and head of what was left of her favorite carousel unicorn horse again if need be.
"Lucis did call in sick today," she said, revealing that she had been watching the battle. "I'm temping for her. Hello, my name is Sailorelysion." Such sarcasm rarely came from her, and usually only when she was very angry.
"Sailorelysion?" Aion repeated from where she lay on the ground.
The senshi of Eternity closed her eyes, calling to mind the memories of the senshi of the galaxy. She was surprised to find no mention of the white haired girl standing before her.
"Another toy for me to play with," Suisei snarled as she struggled to her feet. "One can never have too many playthings."
"How about playing with this?" Immortal Sailor Mercury's voice rang out.
Suisei turned and her face fell. This was not going as she had planned at all. Sailor Mercury stood a few feet away, brandishing Hermes' caduceus. She crossed her arms over her chest, holding the wand in one hand. She paused for a split second to gather her energy, her eyes closed and her head down. Before Suisei had time to react, Mercury's eyes snapped open and stared into her enemy's.
"Mercury," she said, raising her wand and waving it in a side sweeping motion across her body. A rip opened in the air and licks of blue flame tickled its edges.
"Time for me to make my exit," Suisei called, stepping backwards as a dark portal opened a few paces away.
Sailor Mercury ignored her. "Frozen Hellfire!"
The icy flames exploded from the rip and shot towards Suisei with intense speed. The goddess yelped in surprise and vanished through the portal before the attack could reach her. Mercury lowered her wand and rushed over to where Sailor Aion lay on the ground. As Suisei's dark energy-rope disintegrated, Mercury helped Aion to her feet.
"Who is she?" Mercury asked quietly as she watched Sailorelysion rush over to the injured Sailor Nyx.
"She calls herself Sailorelysion," Aion replied just as quietly. "She is a senshi unknown to me."
Nyx graciously accepted the hand that was held out to her as Elysion pulled her to her feet. A familiar scent swept over her, teasing her senses with memories out of reach. Sailor Nyx blinked her brown eyes in confusion and stared at the girl who had just saved them all.
"Are you alright? You look so young; it always troubles me when the young ones get hurt," Sailorelysion lamented with concerned eyes. "The evil one got away." She looked at the others, while comfortingly rubbing Nyx's hand. "That's not good. Is it possible to go after her?" So focused on the battle, Elysion did not realize that introductions and explanations would have been a better place to start.
Quite unlike her usual self, Mercury stepped forward and demanded an explanation.
"How do you know Lucis?" she asked suspiciously.
Blinking slowly, Elysion realized that her presence there was confusing to the others. Oh my, no wonder! Very few senshi had ever even seen her, so infrequent were her travels from Elysium.
"Lucis is from my homeland. I am Sailorelysion, the soldier and protector of Elysium."
Was it safe to reveal her true identity, when an enemy had been in the area only moments before? Not here, not now. But clues could be sufficient
"The color of my hair and the shine of this golden horn on my head may be familiar to you. Lucis asked me to come here, to help you, in her absence."
******
The next instant, Rei again found herself on the familiar battlefield. Dirt caked in her nose from where she had fallen prostrate on the ground in her grief. She looked up as Ares' voice whispered out over the plain, "Eris". The god was now standing in front of her and he beckoned the girl to her feet. She rose with great difficulty, as her heart was still heavy from the last ordeal. She looked at him, closely. Something was wrong, she stepped back and he laughed.
"Yes, my protégéé, before the student becomes the master, you must fight me. Choose your weapon!"
Rei looked around her; there was nothing to be used as a weapon on the desolate battlefield, unless you counted the prickly grass. She knew that her weapon had to be something inside of her and she had a feeling her psychic powers wouldn't work.
"I choose myself," she stated calmly although she felt anything but.
"Very well, we will test our inner strength's against each other. Although I doubt very much a person such as your self has much strength of will," he responded smirking.
The two circled each other, and Rei found herself beginning to waiver even though her blood boiled at the comment. His whispers wound themselves through her ears and she shook her head to chase them away. It did little good.
"I am ashamed I received you for my apprentice. You are a failure. With me as your guardian, you should have been the one to be the princess. How could you let that simpering Moon girl take away your rule and your love?! Mamoru was yours and you just gave him up!"
The priestess bit her lip. She had almost lost the interest in the fight, so wrapped up were her thoughts in what her guardian was saying. He thought she was a failure! She, Hino Rei! Priestess, scholar, senshi...had she really failed?
"Oh, I almost forgot, Sailor Moon's guardian told me to tell you she passed her test and that she has seen you are a burden to the senshi and are being let go. Too bad, if you had gone on being a senshi, that might have given your father something to be proud of..."
With that Rei snapped. All the doubts in her mind were swept away by his last words. Her rage boiled over and she flew at the god. The two toppled to the ground and the adrenaline pumping through the girl filled her with strength far greater than she knew she had.
"How dare you say that about Usagi?! She would never dismiss me, we are a team and we fight as a team! As for my father, I don't give a flying you-know-what about what he thinks of me!"
Now she was pounding on the form of the god pinned beneath her with her fists, tears streaking angrily from her eyes, "If anyone should be ashamed, it should be me for having such a father!"
Tears were now flowing freely from Rei's eyes and she didn't notice the form of the god disappear to be replaced by a crow until she was lying on the ground. She pushed herself up and glared through her dusty tears at the crow that was now staring at her somewhat abashedly. Strong arms encircled her and she was lifted into the air, cradled in Ares' huge arms like a baby.
" You have gone too far, my son," he said glaring at the crow as it flew back to his fellows, frightened and very much embarrassed.
"This pain," he continued, looking down at the girl in his arms, "I am sorry, Rei, but I have no power to heal it; you must fix it on your own. Know that you are strong and very brave and that I am proud of you."
He set her down and Rei found herself in a shapeless gray void. She was about to ask where they were when Ares pulled a whip from his belt. He unrolled it and passed the handle to her.
"Now that my whip is yours," he boomed, "it is endowed with the power of fire!"
As he said this a small tongue of fire blossomed from the tip and warmth passed up the whip and into her arm.
"Now go with my blessing and help save our existence. We are all counting on you, my child."
Rei nodded as she faded out and clutched the whip to her chest, thinking of the father she never really had, and the god she had just met who had somehow filled that void.
******
There it was again. That same feeling was creeping over him again, the feeling of being watched. Mentally, Mamoru shrugged it off, knowing his pursuer was not attempting anything and was probably harmless. Walking down the main street of the city, he noticed some wreckage had been done after he had past earlier.
I hope nothing serious was up earlier, he thought as he ambled by the Crown Café waving to Motoki's sister, Unazuki.
A mysterious looking girl descended the stairs leaving the Café and turned down an alley, looking furtively over her shoulder. He was about to shout to the girl that that alley was a dead end when she walked right through the wall. Mamoru did a double take and stood in disbelief for a few seconds. He decided to investigate and crept cautiously into the alleyway, wondering what he would find in the darkness.
******
The thread had changed colors several times as Minako had moved through the different challenges she came up against. Turning yet another corner, the blonde came upon a tablet on the wall. Words were carved deeply into the stone and she brushed off the persistent dust to read them.
"The bridge beyond is fraught with doom,
Take care! Do not fall into the gloom!
The one who's pounding mochi on the moon
Will help you decipher this rune."
Minako glanced at the path in front of her and noticed large octagonal tiles with letters carved into them. She turned back to the poem and frowned. She gathered that she would have to spell out something to cross, but what?
"Okay, the first two lines are just to warn me of the danger, so the second two must be the actual clue..." she paused, unsure what the connection was. "The moon and mochi? What has that got to do with anything? The moon! Sailor Moon! Her last name means Moon!"
She gleefully turned to the tiles and spotting an "S" right near the edge stepped confidently onto it. Her bravado turned to dismay as the floor gave way beneath her foot and she grasped the ledge she had just left. Pulling herself up using her considerable arm strength, Minako dusted herself off.
"Silly me!" she smacked herself in the head, "This isn't the dub! We drive on the wrong side of the road here!"
She now stepped more cautiously on the closest "U" found it stable and continued to hop across the tiles. As she jumped, she sang the letters her feet landed on in a sing-song voice.
"U – S – A – G – I!"
Upon reaching the other side, the thread was a gleaming gold and thick, though light as a feather. She tugged on it and it held firm, very firm. Puzzled, Minako tugged on it again and this time it gave, the end hitting her on the nose and sending her sprawling to the ground.
"Hey!" she cried out indignantly and rounded the corner rubbing her nose.
She stopped right in her tracks. Before her was a humungous golden sphinx. It took up the whole of what was now a very large open space. The creature grinned wickedly at her and the blonde girl smiled in embarrassment and waved slightly at the monster, turning to leave.
"Uh, sorry," Minako apologized to the sphinx. "Must have taken a wrong turn. Don't worry, I'll let myself out."
"Wait, Minako!" a tinkling voice called from beyond the sphinx and she turned to see a beautiful woman sitting behind it.
To say she was merely beautiful was an understatement, Minako realized and she stared at the glowing woman open-mouthed. The figure seated on the gilded throne smiled kindly and stood with a rustling of her luxurious garments. She glided over to the awe-struck girl and smiled lovingly.
"Dear child," she chided, "One should not stare with their mouth wide open. And really, I'm not that beautiful," she whispered, leaning toward the silent Minako, "My secret is Love. The more I give, the more I get back, and the more beautiful I become. Now, I will return to my seat and the sphinx will deal with you."
At the look of horror on the girls face, Aphrodite laughed, "No, you will not be fighting the sphinx; she's not such a great fighter anyway, she is really a complete kitten. You just must solve a simple riddle or you will not pass."
Minako was relieved and at the same time worried. Another riddle? She really hoped this was the last one. The goddess settled herself back on her throne and waved her hand delicately at the formidable riddler.
Again the sphinx smiled mischievously at Minako and cleared her throat.
"You will not be solving the riddle I told before, because I'm sure you've heard it. I have now got a new one, and, I must say, it is a rather good one. I don't think you will be able to solve it, little human," she purred happily to herself.
Minako blinked. "What happens if I can't?"
"You don't want to know. Are you ready? Here goes:
What is weightless
You can see it with the naked eye
And if you put it in a barrel
It will make the barrel lighter?"
Minako stood silently for a moment, turning the clues over in her exhausted mind. Meanwhile the sphinx was jumping joyously around.
"She can't guess it! She can't guess it! I can finally be rid of this stupid job and go on vacation! No more will I be shifted from place to place to stump travelers when my riddles fail, because this one won't, and I will be free!"
As the creature pranced around the cavernous center of the maze, Minako braced herself against the wall to keep from falling due to its excessive jubilation. There was a crack on the wall, and her finger brushed over it as she held on. Minako turned to see what she had touched, and then, with the force of a lightning bolt, it hit her.
"It's a hole," she said quietly.
"What did you say?" the sphinx demanded, panic rising in her voice, "She couldn't have! No! Aphrodite, say it isn't true!"
The beast wailed piteously as someone who could be none other than Heracles appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the distraught animal in a bear hug. The two disappeared and Minako found herself alone with Aphrodite. Minako walked timidly towards the throne and was overwhelmed with surprise and joy when the lovely woman enveloped her in a hug. The labyrinth around them faded to a twilight void.
"Well done, my sweet Minako," she said softly, holding her now at arms length, "Logic never was our strong point, but you pulled through with grace worthy of the goddess of love."
A bow and quiver of arrows appeared on her back and she removed them, handing them to the bewildered Minako.
The goddess kissed the girl lightly on the cheek and smile, "Return now to your friends and help to fight the future."
As Minako shimmered out of view she smiled at the gorgeous woman and waved, "I'll be seeing you..."
******
"So that's how you know Lucis," Eitai mused.
The group had now detransformed and was walking down the sidewalk in the direction of the Crown Cafe.
Akumu laid a hand on the woman's arm, "There's Kiki again!"
They turned to see the tall blonde slinking around a corner into a dark alley.
"What is she doing now?" Ami asked as they neared where she had disappeared.
A shout rang from the depths of the alley way as a black portal shimmered into being and an angry-looking Suisei stepped out of it.
"Loki! Tuxedo Mask!" Eitai ran forward followed closely by the others.
"Power of the Beast!" Loki snarled, ignoring Eitai, and threw her wolf form at the blue-haired woman, smashing her into the wall.
The goddess snickered and shoved the snapping wolf off of her, "I can see the Star Seed of Light is not here so I will settle for the Golden Star Seed!"
Jun did not recognize Mamoru in this form; she had only ever seen him in the distant past, as Prince Endymion. She and her family served the royalty of the Golden Kingdom back then, the kingdom whose memory they now held exalted. For years Jun had heard the buzz about the Prince being reincarnated, but she wasn't sure she believed it until Suisei mentioned "the Golden Star Seed."
Suisei turned triumphantly towards Tuxedo Mask and shot a black energy rope at him. He held his cane at the read to fend off the attack, but the snake-like rope coiled itself around the cane and headed for his body. It bound itself around his chest and ankles and yelled in pain as Suisei began to reel in her prize.
The man in the tuxedo is Prince Endymion?! Jun thought with alarm. I cannot allow this attack!
"No! Baldur!" the wolf howled and changed back into Loki, now holding the feather cape, "Freyja Feather Cape!"
She disappeared, but Suisei did not seem to notice. She now had another star seed within her grasp. She knew Loki was aware that any damage done to her would affect the man bound to her as well.
"Darkness of Night, Transform!"
"Aion Power, to me!"
"Mercury Immortal Power, Make-up!"
"Sacred Elysion Power, Make-up!" The last to transform, Jun spiked a ball of Sacred Fire to the ground. It sparked up around her, licking at her clothing and body, creating the fabric of her fuku. Her face showed no pain from the fire; instead, her expression was ecstatic as she drew the Unicorn Stave from the sacred flames once again. Sailorelysion could see why Lucis had sent her here—there was so much evil activity, one almost had no time to remain detransformed!
Without waiting for anyone else's input, Elysion threw another ball of Sacred Fire between Tuxedo Mask and Suisei. The fire roared to life with flames that climbed to five feet. Her intention was to burn through the energy rope, if it could be done. "Release him!"
The flames licked at the rope. It appeared to catch fire, but then the flame was moving away from the rope and toward the group of senshi. It morphed into a ball of fire shaped like a person, crying out in pain. Loki pulled off her flaming cloak and stamped on it; the smoldering remains turned to dust. She managed to shot a withering look at Elysion before her eyes rolled into her head and she tumbled to the ground.
Suisei laughed haughtily, "Thanks for getting rid of my invisible pest, Sailor Whoever-you-are. The guardian of Earth is now mine!"
Sailor Aion caught the mischievous senshi as she collapsed from her injuries and the group all looked at Sailorelysion rather suspiciously. They started to back away from her and turned toward Suisei. The goddess was busy zapping Tuxedo Kamen with icy electrical bolts to subdue him; even bound he was too strong for the evil woman to control, and fought back angrily.
Sailorelysion looked about to say something when out of nowhere, Rei and Minako appeared between her and the other senshi. The two did a double take at Sailorelysion, but the problem of Tuxedo Kamen quickly drew their attention.
"Mamoru-san!" Rei gasped.
Quickly drawing out their pens with their new symbols, the two transformed, Rei in a swirl of fire and Minako in a flash of golden light.
"Mars Immortal Power, Make-up!"
"Venus Immortal Power, Make-up!"
The two brandished their weapons and charged up their attacks.
"Mars..." the senshi of fire cracked her whip and an arc of flames formed in the air. Venus grabbed an orange-ish light arrow from her quiver and knocked it into her bow.
"...Blood Fury!"
"Love Unfaithful Revenge!"
The two let their attacks fly at the same time, creating a burning arrow, speeding towards the unwary Suisei. She had turned to give a last smirk before retreating through her portal when she noticed the attack. She quickly turned toward the portal, attempting to escape with the unconscious Tuxedo Kamen, but not quick enough for the pursuing arrow. It hit her in the back as she shoved her prisoner through the portal and fell in after him, a scream dying in her throat as the gateway whispered shut and disappeared.
For a while the senshi stared dumbstruck at the now plain alley wall. Then, Minako and Rei turned towards the others and Rei started again at the unfamiliar senshi.
"What just happened?! And who are you?!"
"That's not important right now," Sailor Aion interrupted, still cradling Loki in her arms. "Suisei has the Golden Star Seed, one of the most powerful seeds in the galaxy."
"Baldur.." Loki moaned.
Aion held her tighter and looked up at Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus. Her expression was grave and deadly serious.
"It is good to have you rejoin the fight," Aion said. "I fear you will have arrived just in time."
"The Darkness grows deeper," Nyx added.
"Please no more riddles," Venus whined. "You have no idea how sick I am of them right now."
Aion rose to her feet, holding Loki in her arms. "Rest well senshi. Tomorrow will be another battle."
Aion turned and, followed by Sailor Nyx and Sailorelysion, left the other three guardians standing in the alley. Mercury, Mars, and Venus said nothing as they watched the four retreating senshi. They knew Aion was right. Tomorrow would be another battle, and no one knew if their luck would continue to hold.