Hello all! Glad to be back and working up these last chapters. I know it's been so long! But I started teaching this semester and am working with 9th, 10th, and 11th graders at an Arts School. It's hectic but I love every minute of it. Plus I'm finishing up a last few thigns for my degree and graduation. Not to mention getting things ready for my future plans. If I could sit around and write these chapters for pay, I certainly would!
I hope you guys like this though cause we're nearing the end. I won't go past thirty chapters cause I think that's just too much! You'll notice this time I went back to some Greek mythology just for fun and because I love that history. There is a lot of descriptive writing in this chapter since we are no longer in present Tokyo and will be coming across new people. Also since we're dealing with generals and the kings, I will have King in front of the future one and later shortened it to initials like KZ, KN, KM, and KJ. Before I get started, I wanted to say a few things to a few people!
Through Darkness: When I first read your review- I wanted to block you from reading my story. But I thank you all the same for your comments and praise. Just to have you addicted is quite enough. And you're right I am dialogue heavy, it's in my nature as a playwright but I hope this chapter and the last installment of FB2R will change your mind a little.
Flamingrose: YOUR UPDATE HAS ARRIVED!
TabbyKit: Don't assume this story will end as others have. Forgiveness is a great thing but forgetting is never easy.
SkylerKnight: I guess you'll have to wait and see won't you? But you won't be disappointed I promise!
Yasaboo: You have no idea what is in store for Darien! It won't be him exactly, cause he's still learning and discovering himself but since we are in the future….wait I'm giving stuff away! You'll like it!
To my other reviewers and readers: Thanks for reading and keep on reviewing. Good, Bad or Indifferent, I take it all as apart of the process. Hopefully you guys will read my play when it gets published too! Now on with the story!
"Poppa! Poppa! Did you see? Did you see her? She's real Poppa, she's real," Melinda scampered. "And she's just as pretty as you said."
"Poppa?" Jadeite laughed out.
"King….? No…wait- King of Venus?" Venus stammered.
"Crystal Venus to be accurate Sailor. The future has brought about many things along with replenishing the inner planets," he answered.
"But…this isn't possible. Not Venus, but you and her…"
Venus was trying desperately to catch her breath and focus her thoughts. She saw the child before her with cerulean blue eyes and platinum hair with blonde highlights. A child full of life and utterly oblivious to the cruelties of the world. Micah's voice saying 'A platinum haired demon' is all that kept running through her mind. A platinum haired demon that had her face and the twinkle from her brother's eyes. She felt her heart skip a beat and she immediately clutched at it as her planetary symbol glowed on her forehead.
"Calm yourself Venus," Malachite said. "Nothing is ever set in stone."
"Hey, you look like my Poppa. You're kinda stiff though," Melinda interjected.
"If there were only a better word," Zoicite whispered.
Concealing his smirk King Malachite looked down at his daughter and said, "Melinda I need for you to go to the transport room and head to Mercury."
"But I don't wanna. I wanna stay with you," she answered.
"Melinda."
"Please don't make me go."
"This is not up for discussion."
"I won't go."
"Melinda Ishtar."
"NO! NO! NO!"
"This is not negotiable-"
"Sailor Venus, tell him I can stay. Please? Please!" she begged looking to Venus with tears in her eyes.
Feeling her heart almost breaking she tried to control her emotions. Looking into Melinda's eyes she couldn't help but to see her brother looking back at her. "Melinda, I want to tell you what you want to hear. I do. But I have to not only think of your safety but our people."
"Our people?"
"I'm a product of Venus just like you. I promised to protect her always. I failed long ago, but I won't again. Not ever. But I can't do my duty, my job if you're running around too. What would Venus be without its Ishtar?"
"But I can protect myself too! I have powers."
"What powers?"
"I don't want to hurt any of you."
"How could you hurt us?"
"Like all Venetian Royals, her powers deal with the heart. Since she is the first Venetian Earthling she has a different component," King Malachite explained.
"Which is?"
"She can control the emotions of the heart."
"That doesn't see too harmless. It's a powerful gift that could be beneficial to many battles as she gets older," Mercury advised.
"But being able to stop or speed it up is."
"Vector physical quantity…changing the rate or direction…she could save lives," Mask announced.
"And she has. We must hurry there isn't much time. Melinda, go."
Rushing into Venus' arms she clutched at her waist. Lifting her face up she said, "Thank you Sailor Venus. You really are my hero," and ran off.
"Where is Lily?" King Malachite asked Micah.
"She just went to Mercury too. She must have sensed the others there," Persephone answered looking up from her computer.
"Good. I want you two to follow them-"
"We didn't come all this way to be thrown aside like children," Micah interrupted.
"But that is exactly what you are- children. You are the future of this alliance- our future. I cannot risk even one of you being in this battle."
"We accepted our fate long ago. As did our parents- this is our destiny. We may not have chosen it but it is still ours none the less," Persephone explained.
"We're staying," Micah finalized.
"Let's not waste any more time. Where do we go?" Jupiter prompted.
As they walked around the palace Venus looked at each structural piece. She could see how her future self used her own century upbringing to stylize it as well as the Silver Millennium history. Numerous works including some by Rembrandt and van Dyck that she admired hung along the gallery walls. As the passed what she recognized to be the Guard Room she noticed white marble statues of Aphrodite and Eros, in Greek costume set in a tribune lined with tapestries. She remembered that the formal room was used only for ceremonial and official entertaining, but was open to the public every summer. If she knew her future self, she would have named each room combined with a corresponding theme. Some of the rooms like in the past were probably named and decorated for particular visitors; as a result many of the rooms in the wings have a distinctly planetary atmosphere. She noticed a red and blue Chinese Luncheon Room made up from parts of the Brighton banqueting and music rooms, but with a chimney piece, in design more Indian than Chinese. The Yellow Drawing Room that was in the same proximity to the Control Room as it had been in her mother's palace had 18th century wall paper, and the chimney piece in this room is a European vision of what the Chinese equivalent would look like, complete with nodding mandarins in niches and fearsome winged dragons.
If she had truly kept to her mother's structural design, running the length of the piano nobile of the east wing would be a great gallery, modestly known as the Principal Corridor, running the length of the eastern side of the quadrangle. It has mirrored doors, and mirrored cross walls reflecting porcelain pagodas and other oriental furniture from Brighton, London. She was happy to know that the time spent in London was reflected in her future tastes. Magellan Castle was in perfect form and she knew her ancestors would have been proud.
Looking at King Malachite she could see the regality he once possessed. His hair was longer and if she wasn't mistaken his eyes seemed brighter although weighed down with bags. His attire had changed to reflect his Venetian marriage but his Earth roots were evident still. Glancing down his frame she saw he still wore the bracelet he was given two centuries ago plus a wedding band adorned his left ring finger. She knew without even asking that the inside of the band was inscribed with 'Love before Duty'.
"Are you finished analyzing me?" he asked not taking his eyes off his course. "You are welcome to ask what you wish."
"I thought knowing too much of the future would cause ramifications," Venus replied haughty.
"Not the question you want to ask."
"Why?"
"He loves you more than you realize. As do you."
"I never said that I loved him. Who are you to tell me how he fe…People change, times change, things aren't that simple."
"A Venetian doubting her heart? A word of advice Sailor Venus- warrior you may be, solider you are, but none of that makes any difference if you are powerless. Denying your emotions, your heart- love- is the quickest route to death for a Venetian."
"Don't speak to me as if I don't-"
"I speak as I see fit. Perhaps you should look inside yourself before placing judgment," he finished picking up his pace.
"You alright?" Nephrite asked Malachite.
"Of course," he replied curtly.
"Just checking 'Poppa'."
Grunting in response he came up behind Moon and asked," What do you take on him?"
"You mean King Malachite? Your future self who's married to my cousin?" she teased but seeing the look on his face she turned serious. "Is it that hard to believe what they say?"
"You believe that you and Darien share a child?"
"I believe that the future is forever changing. She is of existence now and will live out her life as should be, but the path I take may not produce the same result. I am not planning to kill her off or deny her existence; she is a child of Earth- of Darien. The way I see it she will always have a chance as long as he carries a breath."
"And Melinda?"
"That I'm afraid is a decision you must make alone. Where are we?"
"Central Command Center. Amina had it constructed as soon as the planet breathed life. It connects to every other planet via web and camera," King Malachite answered.
Venus saw that the primary equipment in control room was housed in multi-function cabinets. It looked like any average security control center: 9-1-1 response equipment, public address equipment, various alarms coming in, activity displayed on several surveillance monitors, roaming guards calling in on the radio, intercom feeds and several phones. It would be a minor miracle if it could operate with just one or two staff members.
"Where am- is Queen Amina?" Venus asked.
"On Earth with the rest of your future selves. I'll assume you were told of the situation?"
"Nothing in great detail, but enough," Moon answered.
"Mercury managed to capture images of what occurred from the horizons before it hit Earth and sent it to each planet."
"Why is everyone gathering there?" Mercury asked.
"Mercury and Venus are the only ones with communications still up. My evil counterpart gained access to the planet when he followed Melinda and Tori."
"Who is this Tori?" Mask asked.
"She is another child of this alliance."
"Whose child?" Zoicite asked.
"That's not the issue," Micah interjected. "Is the system able to replay the attack?"
Pressing a button, the thirteen people watched the screen go from snow to a visible image of a black fog upon the horizon.
"Does she ever change her style? I swear, demons closings in, brainwashing people, sick twisted servants…that's so two centuries ago," Jupiter mumbled.
"Jupiter!" Nephrite hissed.
Rest of the group couldn't have agreed more with what she had said- it was right. Metallia and her army of minions came just as they had before with more ferocity and malice. Moon couldn't understand why they weren't prepared for this if it were the same people. They should have been able to counter their attacks and anticipate what was going to happen.
They all watched as the vast darkness took over Earth and virtually trying to swallow it whole before traveling to the other planets. As they glanced from battlefield to battlefield five faces were prominent- the Negaverse Generals and their Queen. She still looked the same as before with her long red wavy hair and wearing her purple dress that rippled around her feet like pools of blood. She held a staff with a globe made out of dark crystals placed in the center. Her face appeared paler than before and she was radiating more negative energy. The generals couldn't help but think back to a time when Beryl was a sweet girl leaving on Earth. Manipulative and cunning she was but still sweet and always wanting what she couldn't have while working for the healers on Earth before she disappeared without a word, later to have been rumored to living on the Sun Planet in desolate lands.
The generals weren't looking much different either other than their snarling expressions. They immediately noticed that Clone Zoicite was female again and walking closely to Clone Malachite with her hand on his shoulder. Out of the corner of her eye, Mercury could see Zoicite grimace and Malachite's expression becoming stone. Clone Jadeite no longer held Jadeite's stormy grey blue eyes, but instead a black emptiness that reverberated death even from a replay. Standing behind them was Diamond, a man next to him with similar features to Darien but dark blue hair, Emerald and Garnet. They were relieved Wiseman and Metallia hadn't decided to clone the Four Sisters or they would have had more trouble on their hands. Wiseman unfortunately was nowhere in sight but that only meant danger was still on the horizon especially since they had no idea what he looked like.
"Why didn't you know about this? Why weren't you prepared?" Moon demanded.
"We thought-"
"You thought? You thought that this could never happen again? That she could never take from us what she did the last time."
"We still should have had a plan- some form of action to have taken place when this happened. It couldn't have been unexpected," Venus added.
"How could this have happened? They're destroying everything," Mercury whispered.
Taking a deep breath the king answered, "This was only the first attack. We had managed to get the majority of the cities inside the palaces before they hit ground. Lives were still lost- influential lives, but all that can be changed."
"How?" Jadeite asked.
"We can't change what has already been done," his younger self replied.
"Where are the negaverse generals?" Zoicite asked.
"We haven't been able to keep track on them. Amy- Amelia- was trying to set up a detection program within each palace but her and Zoi were called away to Tokyo," King Malachite explained.
"Maybe I can help with that," Mercury and Persephone said. Giving her future daughter a motherly smirk she lead her to the opposite side of the control room and worked on their computers.
"I can never thank you enough for what you're doing."
"We haven't done anything yet, Boss," Jadeite replied. "What's that noise?"
"The Amber Alert," Moon and Venus replied rushing to the monitors. Stopping when they realized they were holding the other's hand.
"What's happening? Why isn't anything showing on the screen?" Moon asked detaching her hand.
Pulling up the monitor screen King Malachite saw his wife's face appear. "They must have activated the palace camera systems to keep everyone updated," Zoicite replied.
On the screen Amina was battling with her husband's evil clone. She had a look of determination and power radiating from her as she moved strategically around her opponent. "Protect Serenity!"
"She's fine. Just kill that bastard," Litaniya yelled across the field.
"She can't kill me. For all she knows I'm the man she married trying to get her to listen to reason," he said.
"You're not my husband," Amina countered.
Dropping his sword he said, "Are you sure? I can't fight you anymore Mina. I can't prove to you who I am through a battle. I'm him, Mina. It's me."
"Mina, kill him!" Litaniya screamed.
"Don't listen to her. Look at me, you know me better than anyone. You know I'm right. What does your heart say?"
"Mal?" she questioned stepping forward.
"MINA NO!" Litaniya shouted fighting her way towards them.
"No, he's right. I know Mal better than anyone."
"Right. Right. Come here, we need to get in the palace," he replied taking her hand.
"And he knows me," she continued. "He knows my weakness."
"Always on your guard, I see. You're a Venetian- your heart."
"Wrong," she said blinding him with her crescent beams. "As a Venetian, logic is my weakness."
"Thank Goddess," King Malachite breathed.
'He really does love her- me,' Venus thought as she saw his death grip on the desk loosen and his breathing returned to normal. She remembered that feeling of worry and dread. She remembered waiting to hear of his and the others' return. The prayers she sent to every goddess and deity worshipped and the feeling of utter revolution and despair when they went unanswered. She could only imagine what he was feeling watching her and wanting to help her. 'Matt must have felt that same way. Did he feel relief too when I escaped a deadly blow from his clone?' Realizing that she had said 'clone', she breathed deeply. She knew she couldn't fight the truth for much longer. She knew it not to be him that night. She felt it but the anger festered at him for not being strong enough. For causing her pain she wanted him to suffer. Childish she knew and illogical to the others, but the way of a Venetian is always complex: A complexity that had led her to hurting her friends and alienating Serenity. Knowing they must be thinking she mad, on top of being power and duty filled she could only shake her head in confusion.
Opening herself up she could see the connections and strings between all of them growing stronger each minute. She wasn't even surprised to see the orange yellow string connecting her to Malachite. Plucking it once, she watched as his eyes blinked rapidly even though his face expression remained the same. She knew though that he had felt it, which pushed her to say what need to be said. "How do we get to Crystal Palace?"
…
"This isn't how we planned for this to happen," Serenity said to the group before her.
"Excuse my frankness your Majesty, but it doesn't appear that you planned at all," Nephrite said.
"Looks like you've ten decided you had destroyed all the evil in the world, moved forward to the thirtieth century," Venus started.
"And set up camp with an obliviousness to the rest of the world," Moon finished.
After KM had shown them Queen Amina's battle they had rushed to the transport room and targeted straight to Earth- Crystal Tokyo. When they arrived in Crystal Palace they thought they had been transported through time again to the Silver Millennium because everything looked so reminiscent to that time. They were immediately herded into another part of the palace where they came face to face with the royals of the Crystal Millennium.
Moon was beginning to notice that she and Venus were picking up on each other the more they stayed in proximity. It was refreshing and comforting to have that connection back. She was even beginning to wonder how she was going to leave Tokyo once they returned to their time. But she knew that Tokyo was no longer where her life ended. That this Tokyo-this future- was far from being her own.
As soon as Micah saw his father, he shook his hand and grinned at his mother. She smiled at him and took his other hand whispering thanks before reprimanding him for leaving not only the safety of the palace but for journeying to another time period. Looking at her future self Mars couldn't help but wonder what trials she must have overcome to get to that position in life. Her hair was still the same length but Queen Raechel styled half atop her head in a bun. She recognized the gown she wore being similar to what her mother used to wear centuries ago. Tracing her eyes down her frame she noticed a necklace around her neck. When she peered closer she noticed it was two pillars with a phoenix in the center. Casting a glance at Jadeite she knew he had noticed it too for they both registered it as the symbol of their union -their bond. Jadeite was looking at his future self King Jadeite (KJ) and couldn't believe the stiff shirt he had become. He resembled more of Malachite than himself to be honest but he realized it was due to the seriousness of the situation present. Being who he was, he knew that having Persephone, Lily and Micah in the 20th century for so long caused damage to the universal cycle and having the ten of them in the future was slowly ripping holes through spiritual pockets. The cosmic realms were definitely not happy about these actions and consequences were to be dire. He was curious if being the same soul if they could feel each other's emotions. Focusing his energy he sent it out to his future self and sensed as it wrapped itself around himself and Raechel. He felt the energy they possessed and was delving deeper when he was thrown back into his own body and across the room.
When he opened his eyes he saw Moon, Mars and Mask standing around him looking concerned.
Before he could ask what had happened, KJ stepped forward and helped him up while saying, "You should know better than to examine a spiritual nexus. Raechel doesn't appreciate outside forces, even if they are the past self of her husband."
Persephone who had seen her parents immediately rushed into her mother's arms burying her face in her blue hair. Standing behind her was her father with his hands on his wife's shoulders as he told her how proud he was. The Amy of the future looked quite different from the Amy of the past. Her hair was no longer a short-cropped cut, but trailed to her shoulders in dark blue tresses. She held a wisdom behind her eyes that gave the impression she was more than two centuries old and yet her smile was still full of the youth she possessed as a teenager. Zoicite couldn't help but admire the woman before him because he knew one day he would be looking upon her with as much admiration as his own future self was doing.
Jupiter starred at her future self and couldn't help but smile. Even as royalty she still had the evidence of being a chef on her person. She had also let her hair grow another inch or two but had taken it out of the ponytail she sported as a teenager and let it hang from her back in a single braid. Streaks of green had edged into her hair as gray would for a Terran woman. She still wore the rose earrings Nephrite had given her two centuries before and she couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat. Casting her eyes to King Nephrite (KN) she noticed that he had not changed his hair in the past decades. It was still a rich auburn that cascaded down to his shoulders in waves. It was being held back in a ponytail at the moment. His build had managed to become stronger and defined. His expression was one of seriousness and yet it was masked much like Malachite used to.
Moon and Mask looked to their future selves and couldn't help but think that this is what they should have been had not Beryl destroyed everything. If they had simply been stronger and more persistent than perhaps things would have turned out differently. Moon couldn't get over how she looked so much more like her mother. Her sun-touched blonde tresses were no longer present other than what appeared to be highlights. She now had a full head of silver head that hung from her buns but her blue eyes still sparkled. She remembered Luna telling her than her hair was blonde on Earth because of the sunrays but as soon as she returned to her home it would revert back to its natural color. Looking at Endymion she saw that he was dressed as he was now as Tuxedo Mask except there was no top hat and his suit had a lavender tint to it. Neither was sure why it was tinted with lavender, but chose not to question such matters.
Venus couldn't help but stare at her future self. Queen Amina of Venus. She was everything her mother hoped and knew she would be one day. Everything that was Venus was embodied in her. If she didn't know better she would have thought she had been starring at her mother in her younger years. Their was a locket that hung around her neck that she knew without even asking that it held a picture of her, Malachite and Melinda. The family she always wanted. The family that was now being threatened because of her future self's negligence.
"You have every right to be angry," Amina said. "But taking that anger out on us won't solve the current situation. If they gain access to Crystal Palace then everything we have worked to build will be destroyed. They will overpower the galaxies and no matter how Pluto may try to stop them they will get to the gates and change life as we know it."
"Do you want that to happen?" Raechel questioned.
"I don't understand, you had Mal's clone cornered. You had the chance to finish him after he had been blinded and yet you didn't. Why?" Venus questioned.
"My sword- our sword- is laced with the power of Venus. It's unbreakable steel but they found a way to block its power. If I had even tried it would have been futile."
"So how do we stop them?" Mars asked. "Obviously the crystal isn't enough or Serenity would have already done it."
"And the maximum level of both crystal combined could be enough but there's no question that it will be detrimental to Princess and Neo-Queen Serenity," Mercury explained.
"We can't risk Serenity's life," Litaniya said.
"If we can save this galaxy I'll risk it."/ "My life is not as important as the billions out there," Serenity and Moon said simultaneously.
"You're not putting your life at risk."/ "It's just as important to us in here and you're family," Endymion and Mask replied simultaneously.
"It's not up for discussion," Endymion finished. "We can find another way."
"What if we combined all twenty of our powers?" Jupiter offered.
"Twenty two," Micah added.
"We let you two travel along with us for this long, but I will not have you fighting in this battle," Raechel said. "I forbid it."
"Mom…"
"Don't 'Mom' me Micah Alandros. You're too young."
"I'm almost 18! You and Dad were fighting against them younger than that. I'm not going to let them take away what I love. I won't let them hurt us anymore."
"Micah…"
"Mom, listen, you can't protect me forever."
"I can damn well try! Jade, help me here."
"Honey…" KJ started grabbing for her hand.
"No! He's our son and I won't lose him. I won't."
"Rae he's right though. He's of age and you can't stop him from fighting for his people. Those are his friends out there dying for him and for you- how can you expect him to stand by idly?" KZ asked.
"You plan on standing by and letting Persephone risk her life? Fighting for her people?"
"Rae listen to me,' Amelia said pulling her aside. "We talked about this remember? When we found out about them and had to make a decision on how we were going to raise them- remember?"
"Amy…Amy I can't," Raechel said tears welling in her eyes. It was first time in a century that Jadeite had seen true emotion coming from his past lover. Even if it was her future self it was still honest and sincere and he couldn't help but think it to be beautiful. He looked over to Mars and saw her with a concerned expression but trying to hold her emotions at bay. He could feel the queries rambling over her and knew that she was wondering what she would do in that position.
"There's another way," Serenity said. "None of us want the children involved. We don't want another Silver Millennium on our hands."
"What way?" King Nephrite asked.
"Serenity, no," Amina cautioned.
"What other choice do we have?"
"There's always a choice!"
"And this is it."
"I'm not agreeing to do this. I'm not going to put their lives at risk!"
"Their lives are our lives."
"Do you hear yourself Sere? Do you? What you're saying is-"
"Please stop fighting!" Moon shouted.
"This isn't going to solve anything," Venus added. "Serenity is obviously adamant about making this choice, as her guardians and allies we owe her the respect to hear her out. What other way?"
"Thank you Venus," Serenity said. "It involves invoking the gods."
"Invoking?" Mercury questioned
"The gods?" Mask pushed.
"Isn't that like some witchcraft stuff?" Jadeite asked.
"As not only guardians but princesses of the planets you have the power to make things happen. Your planets speak to and through you in different ways. If you can channel that and channel the powers of your ancestors than it may give us a fighting chance," Amelia explained.
"Our ancestors?" Mars asked.
"Your parentage from your former life," Litaniya said. "You know that when they were resurrected it was as Gods and Goddesses of Mount Olympus. Their lives and histories changed as your own did, but they remained similar at their core."
"We know this is much to ask and a dangerous task to handle, but-" Raechel started.
"It's our only chance," Amina finished. "It's your future's only chance."
"Can we have a moment to think about this?" Moon asked.
"There isn't much time, but yes," Sernity said leading the others to the hall.
Once alone, the ten warriors looked at each other not knowing what to say.
"I don't get this at all. I thought our destiny was- is- to protect Serenity and the Alliance she reigns over. How can we be…them?" Jupiter asked.
"Any ideas Luna?" Moon prodded.
"No solider is destined to be a warrior forever. Men in the armies even reached a point where they no longer served and returned to their families. As Sailor Soldiers you are only required to serve until the time comes for you to ascend to the throne."
"But we were never meant to ascend. I mean Serena is but the four of us had siblings," Jupiter interjected.
"Amy and I didn't have siblings," Mars replied.
"You did, I didn't," Mercury commented. "Raechel had an older sister named Enyo. She was so much like Aries it was frightening. She was horrific on the battlefield and Aries had no shame in letting her be so. And then you were born and your mother raised you as she saw fit- in the temples and the way of serenity. No pun intended."
"She died a few years later. He didn't even care enough to show his face at the temple. He just went off with Enyo onto the training grounds."
"That's when you and her started to drift apart. You hadn't been on Mars soil longer than 6 years and you were already pulling away from everything that it stood for," Luna explained. "That was when Serenity made the decision to bring you four to the Moon. Before we knew it you had come to think of the Moon as your home and Enyo was never found after she went off on one of her excursions."
"Eros, Athena, and Enyo were always meant to rule…now it's our turn," Jupiter said.
"That is now your destiny. Not to remain by Serenity's side forever protecting her, but to remain by her side fighting with her- fighting for a greater future than any of us dreamed of," Luna explained.
"And our destiny has led us here. We have to follow it through."
"You girls can't be serious. You can't be thinking of doing this," Jadeite said. "It's too dangerous. You have no idea what you may be getting yourself into."
"Don't you mean your precious Serenity doesn't know what she's getting into?" Mars sniped.
"I'll let Endymion worry about Serenity. I have another princess to give me wrinkles," he said winking at her.
"Well, that shut her up," Jupiter said. "So what's the verdict- are we doing this?"
Glancing at each other once more and allowing Mercury and Zoicite to access the situation logically and strategically, they came to an agreement and Moon sent Luna to fetch the royals. When they returned, they told them of their decision and the women began to tell the Sailors of what they would have to do and prepare for. They inform them that they would have to invoke their parents but at the same time not their parents. It was obvious that there was confusion until Mercury reminded them that their parents were reborn as Gods and Goddesses. There was true power in that reincarnation- the power that they needed to invoke.
"Shouldn't we go to our own planets to find them?" Jupiter asked.
"No. You call to him and he will come," Litaniya explained.
"Could I call for Athena?" she questioned.
"Can we do that? Invoke our siblings too?" Venus intervened.
"No, Venus, that much would kill you. It is either one or the other that will share your body," Amina answered.
"Is there anything that I don't remember about my past?" Mars inquired. "I mean did I have cousins?"
Walking up to Mars, Raechal took her gloved hands and said, "Hate him if you must. He may have been a cruel man, but everything he did was in our best interest- as he thought. You cannot fault him for doing what any father would do- protect his child. He loves you- then and now. You protect Serena just as fiercely- causing harm at times unintentionally but with what you think to be good reason. When you take him in, embrace the warrior he is, the strength and the power he possesses. No one is like Ares, for he is the God of War."
"What do we have to do?"
"Clasp hands in a circle facing outward. Focus your energy on their essences- what they used to be and what history has shown them to be. Whether it is negative or positive is of no consequence. Let leave all anger towards other beings that has recently passed. Nothing must stand in the way of your journey. And repeat this phrase after me," Amelia explained. "I am one and I am reaching for you. Together we're two. I'll be you're strength, together we'll find one more. If one can do anything then two can change the world. If one can make a difference then together we'll be so much more."
"I call to thee Goddess of Purity," Moon whispered.
"Goddess of Love come forth," Venus said.
"God of War, reveal yourself to my eyes," Mars added.
"Goddess of Wisdom share yourself with me," Jupiter murmured
"Messenger of the Gods guide yourself to me," Mercury ended.
"For I am one," They said together as their sailor uniforms dissipated leaving them glowing in their planetary colors.
The men before them were completely awestruck at the beauty presented. Memories of past caresses, past touches, past kisses, past nights held in private came back with a wave of emotions. The love that had held strong for centuries only seemed to ring truer in their hearts as they looked upon them. They were circled together but each of their distinct colors and elements were apparent.
As Mars' fuku melted away she was left in a glowing red light that was pulsing with a fire. The flames were slowly licking away at her skin as it began to consume her from head to toe and yet Raye did not seem a bit fazed by it.
Jupiter's eyes seemed to spark to life as she felt her fuku leave her body. The same spark that appeared behind her eyes traced down her body giving off crackles and shocking the generals before her. Her eyes bore straight into Nephrite as she took in each deep breath and felt the power rumbling in the distance.
A single tear escaped Mercury's eyes as her fuku disappeared. Zoicite knew it to be one of fear but also that she wouldn't let that simple fact stop what she had to do. As it hit Amy's toe, it burst forth in crystals of ice that covered her body in a throbbing blue radiance.
The light that illuminated the room the group stood in slowly dimmed as beams began to rush towards Venus. Mina let a soft sigh escape her lips as her powers burst to life before them. Malachite had to almost turn his eyes away due to the how bright she was becoming. As radiant as the sun.
Serena appeared to have lifted off the ground and was floating as she vibrated a pure white light. No elements surrounded her; she was simply this intense energy in the center of everything. Her hair billowed around her in a cloaking fashion as it began to unravel from her two buns.
"And I am reaching for you," Serena said.
"Together we're two," all five said together.
"I'll be you're strength," Lita added.
"Together we'll find one more."
"If one can do anything," Amy said.
"Then two can change the world."
"If one can make a difference," Raye sighed.
"Then together we'll be so much more!" they finished as a bright light flashed before them blinding the royals and Tuxedo Mask and the generals. When it faded the five women were nowhere to be seen.
"Where'd they go?" Jadeite questioned.
"I don't know," Amelia answered.
"You don't know? You don't know! What the hell is this? You just tell them to do you're bidding without any regards for their safety?" he stormed approaching her.
"Watch who you're talking to!" King Zoicite replied stepping in front of his wife.
"Jadeite," his older self began.
"Don't even start with me. My best friend has just been sent off to who knows where and you want me to calm down? And you just sent my soul mate, my future wife to boot to invoke her father who she hates more than life itself."
"She will be fine Jason, I promise you," Raechel said stepping in. "I know how much you love her but you can't protect her from this. She has to face this on her own or she will forever be trapped. A new life is awaiting you two, one that you couldn't even imagine. Have faith that she will return- believe in the warrior she is and trust that she knows what she is doing."
"Honestly, ask yourself. Why would we disregard their safety when they are in control of our futures?" Litaniya added.
"So what do we do now just wait?" he asked.
"No. We take the battle to them," Endymion said. "Generals, past and present, Darien if you'll follow me."
"You're not just going to leave us here," Serenity said.
"Yes we are. You need to stay here to make sure the girls are okay. You know the dangers those powers possess and they must keep a clear level head about themselves," he explained.
"I'm not letting you go off to fight without me Jason Specter," Raechel chided
"I'll be damned if I let you have all the fun Nephrite Nathaniel Pathfinder," Lita rebuked.
"Lita," King Nephrite began.
"Don't Lita me. I haven't spent all this time with you to have you leave me in the dust while you go off being the king in shining armor!"
"You think I want to leave?"
"Sure seems like it."
"Cooks…"
"You can't throw me aside."
"I'm not throwing you aside! I…"
"I what? Your days of being Earth's savior aren't the highlights. You don't' have to do this alone with them."
"This isn't about that."
"Then what is it? Why are you against us going?"
"Because I can't lose you again! I can't lose you again."
"Nephi…"
"No, you don't understand what it was like having to watch you die by his hand. Watch as your life slipped away with each breath you took. I felt as your heart stopped- I felt it and it killed me inside. I'm not going to let that happen again."
"This isn't like before. We're stronger and-"
"And 3 rather than 2 this time are with child. I won't risk it."
"What are you talking about?"
"Cooks, don't insult me. I've been memorizing your curves for years. I know the signs your body shows."
"The past always repeats itself," Jadeite murmured.
"Which one of you three are the other two?" Malachite asked. "Or can that not be told?"
"Well you've already burst my bubble so what's two others," Litaniya replied.
"It's me," Serenity said. "You're not sensing a third, it's just me and Lita."
"There's three small spirits lingering," Jadeite said. "Twins?"
"Twins."
"Twins?" Mask questioned. "Three children?"
"You always wanted a big family right?" she replied.
"Four. Four spirits," Jadeite mumbled. "Two confused to one due to proximity."
"What are you talking about?" Raechel asked. "Goddess, I forgot how crazy you drive me."
"You loved it," King Jadeite replied. "But he's right. One of you ladies is pregnant and keeping mum. So I know my wife is out of the question. That leaves our two A's."
"I thought it was the stress of the war and the Persephone being gone. The nerves, the mood swings, the power trips…" King Zoicite realized. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was going to, but then Persephone disappeared and we had to secure the palaces…" Amelia started. "I wasn't keeping it a secret from you, Zoi, I just-"
"I know, I know. I'm not upset. But Neph's right. You can't go out in your condition."
"I was out earlier and saved Endymion's life. Yours included!"
"And I'm not ungrateful, but I wasn't aware then. Now that I am I'm not putting your life or my child's at risk. Are you?"
"Don't put me in that position. Don't you dare question my love for my kids."
"Our kids. And I'm not questioning your love, I just want you to recognize the danger your presenting."
"We'll stay and wait."
"You better be careful Mal, you hear me? Keep your guard up," Amina said gripping his lapels.
"I'm coming back this time. I promise," he replied holding her hands.
"Bet your ass you will," she said hearing a cheer sounding from outside. "No…they must have gotten through!" she said running to the palace entrance and gasping in shock.
"Amina, what is it?" Litaniya questioned rushing to her with the others. "Oh. Is that…"
"The Gods," Serenity said watching their younger selves walking through the crowd that they had just cleared after they destroyed the youmas and cleansed the infected people in their wake.
"Serena?" Mask asked taking off his top hat and mask. The woman leading them had an ethereal glow to her but he still knew it to be his Serena. Her hair was now as silver as the Moon flowing down her back in waves. She wore a white gown that trailed to the ground and yet no dirt followed after. She was driving a chariot that was lead by two long-maned horses with wings. On her forehead her birthright glowed as brightly as the torch she carried.
The four generals were in just as much if not more shock with their past lovers. As they walked through the crowd it continued to part and cheer for them. The people of the Millennium knew what they had before them and could not have been more pleased. They're queens and kings had kept their promises and had brought the wrath of the gods upon those who dared to defy what the Millennium stood for. Sighs of relief and shouts for justice rang in the crowds.
In the forefront of the group was Raye wearing a piece of armor with her Mars insignia blazing in the center. She had a black tunic under the breastplates that came to stop mid-thigh and were met with red tights trailing down into black knee high boots. Her hair was no longer the straight sleek that she was known for but rather crimped out with intense red orange streaks. As they peered closer they saw her carrying a triton that she used to keep those who wished her and her sisters harm out of the way. A fire was slowly brewing at the top tips of the triton and seemed to only become brighter as she moved closer towards the palace.
Next to her stood Amy wearing a tunic that stopped at her hip on the right side but slanted down at an angle to end at her left knee in variant colors of blue. Her feet were adorned with sandals that had gold winged edges. Her blue hair had taken on an unearthly glow as she moved closer to the group. In her hand like Raye she also carried a staff- her caduceus. It was gold like her winged shoes but had an icy glow to it and the symbol of Mercury at the center. It became apparent to Zoicite exactly the uses of her staff.
On the other side of Raye was Lita whose hair was still in her high ponytail. She appeared the least changed of any of them but Nephrite through his studies remembered that allow plain looking Athena was, she had to ability to cloak herself and change her appearance at will. She was dressed out in a simple white tunic dress that reached the ground with gold clasps on her shoulders in the form of the Jupiter symbol intertwined with a lightening bolt.
When they each had approached the palace astonished and proud faces met them. They had conquered their fears and taken in the ultimate powers. They truly were the future of the galaxies- stronger than any generation could have dreamed to be true. When Malachite noticed they were one woman short he began to demand where Mina was.
Not responding to his questions in words they pointed towards the far side of the battle as a wave of sea foam came from nowhere carrying it towards the palace. When it stopped they saw a seashell in the forefront. When it opened a woman emerged with long golden hair and the symbol of Venus on her forehead. Malachite felt almost in a trance as he watched her approach the group. Her hair came down in tresses past her knees and shined as if it were spun gold covering her nude figure. When she stepped from the seashell waves of water wrapped itself around her torso and hips down to her legs. Rather than vanishing they molded to her flesh and became a piece of cloth covering her personal regions in the color of a soft orange. She stood before her sister goddesses and the others in all her Venetian glory.
"Will she ever not be a show off?" Amy asked.
"Come now Amy, you have your caduceus and didn't mind showing that off did you?" she countered.
"I didn't show off my body to the entire Alliance, did I Mina? What type of example does that set?"
"Mina, Mina, Mina. Example, responsibility, duty, obligations…You know being in charge is never fun. Having to deny your true self is exhausting. Having to deny love," she said wrapping her hands around Malachite's neck and kissing him with a ferverish passion.
The entire company couldn't do anything but gape at what they saw. They were were rather flabbergasted by the presentation they were getting from the two leaders and no one had the sense to clear their throat.
Malachite for all he was worth had been trying to hold his emotions had bay but ended up succumbing to them. He wrapped his arms around her waist and marveled how she still fit to him like a second skin. Like she was made for him. 'Because I was. I am,' he heard in his head causing him to pull back abruptly. Starring into her eyes that had taken on a shade to match his own he contemplated what had happened. He knew he had heard her voice and yet her lips had been previously occupied. He wondered if her godly power boost had added something to their bond. When he received no reply but simply a wink and a suggestive caress he nodded in agreement. He was worried though that this Mina before was not his true Mina. She was definitely a child of Aphrodite if not Aphrodite herself but the duty and responsibility that attracted her to him seemed non-existent. Which could only mean dangerous to them in the end. He was brought out of his thoughts with Raye snickering a remark. "Goddess of Love my triton. Goddess of Lust is more appropriate."
"Lust is simply the sexual appetite of love. And I fuly believe that we all should give into our lustful appetitites," she replied pulling away from Malachite. "But I understand that there are more precendent matters to attend to."
"Ah, a glimmer of sanity. They know we're here. We need to attack now before it's too late," Raye stated twirling her sword in between hands.
"You need to focus and not let Ares take control," Lita replied as she created and difused balls of electical storms in her hand.
"You still have your Sailor Powers?" Zoicite asked.
"Why wouldn't we? Just because our bodies have entwined the spirits of gods does not mean our own active powers have become dormant. They remain active and have only grown in the span of time being in proximity to the gods," Amy explained.
"Nor has it managed to change our natural personalities," Serena giggled.
"How do you feel?" Endymion asked.
"Peaceful."
"Inventive."
"Prepared."
"Sturdy."
"Proficient."
"Now can we please get out there!" Raye exclaimed. "I'm ready to knock some heads. Do you see this triton? Ares never even had one and I can shot fire from it. Imagine the damage I could do."
"Imagine the amount of restraint you should have," Lita snapped. "Now use it."
"Don't let her bother you Lita. She's simply not had her latest kill, "Amy replied
"Which is why we should be out there! Lives need to be saved but more importantly they need to be slain," Raye cheered.
"Raye! What the hell is wrong with you?" Jason asked. He could feel this intense energy taking over her body bit by bit- an energy that put fear in his heart. An energy that he knew could be only one thing- Ares.
"Nothing I'm perfectly fine. I feel better than I have in days and more powerful than I have in months- years! I finally realize what I have been missing. I mean gods the intense feeling of control and power."
"An urgency to kill?"
"Well that's just a minor setback. It's not a bad thing if you think about it. I mean everyone has to die sometime. Who wouldn't want to be taken out by the Goddess of War?"
"Those same ones who wish not to die by Beryl's hands."
"Don't you ever compare me to her!" She screamed thrusting her triton in his face as it sparked to life.
"You can't even control your emotions how do you expect to control yourself out there?"
"I can handle myself just fine. I didn't need you back then and for damn sure don't need you now."
"Well our future says different."
"The future changes every day. For all we know we may die tonight. And what a great way to go. To fall before my subjects in battle having them know I died for them."
"That you died for yourself. The god of war is full of pride. He does nothing for others and everything for himself. Nothing is selfless."
"Will you two stop it? Calm down Raye-were going to need you with a level head out there. A focused level head. Get to work with Amy and start working on a battle strategy. Where's the best place to attack them without causing harm to innocents. This needs to be swift but hard. I don't want them to see, sense, smell, or hear us coming. Lita, find out what you can from the other side. Be careful though. If you give the slightest hint of knowledge then all will be lost. Mina...Mina! Put your feminine wiles to good use. Other good uses than my guard's body."
"Oh come now Serenity. You know once this is over, the girls and I will be your guardians once more, Mal here and the generals will return to be by Darien's side and you and Darien will live in utter wedded bliss," Mina commented.
"Don't be so sure. My plans still haven't changed cousin- even if my guards' has."
"So you remember who you are?" Darien asked stepping towards her.
"Oh course I do. Selene represents everything clam serene and peaceful in life. The moon is forever shining as it bestows its beauty upon all those who glance above."
"So did you or Selene say that?"
"We are one in the same as are the others. But we must remain clear minded so that we do not harm these people nor become what mythology says our ancestors did," she finished. When she noticed that the other four had yet to move she gave them a direct order as their future Queen.
The others watched as Lita disguised herself as a young soldier and disappeared in a flash of lightning. Amy stamped her caduceus on the ground and it whisked her away in a blue fog while Raye flipped her hair over her shoulder as her phoenix came forth to transport her.
"Damn it to Hades Serenity what do you expect me to do? Seduce my lover's clone?" Mina demanded.
"Your lover?" Zoicite, Serena and Darien choked.
"She's clearly out of control," KM whispered to Endymion.
"She can't handle this," he replied.
"I can handle this just fine!" Mina snapped in their direction.
"Her and Raye are loose cannons. You have to keep control. You're the peace of it all. You are their center. Without you they are lost," Serenity advised.
"Thanks. No pressure there," she mumbled before looking back to Mina to say, "Yes Mina I want you to do exactly that. He's still Malachite under it all. Simply an evil clone but as the Goddess of Love you can find what love he holds. And he will have it for he is
Malachite. Use that to your advantage."
"Whatever," she said as hearts enveloped her, vanishing from sight.
"Ugh. This time sucks," Jadiete grumbled and followed the others to another part of the palace.
Alright ladies and gents (are there any guys reading this story? I'd definitely like to know if so- those usernames aren't exactly gender specific). I am making the decision to not put out another chapter. WAIT! Hear me out before you delete me or start reviewing with flames and rotten tomatoes. One of my reviewers, made the comment that they could not stand the way I end things and leave with cliffhangers and then don't update for weeks to months at a time. When I thought on it, I couldn't help but agree because I hate when authors I read do it as well. I don't feel it's fair because if we look at this like a real story, then the entire piece should come out at once- just as any other novelist or playwright would do. This isn't a soap opera, which I think is what I may have been treating it- a bit melodramatic at times I've noticed but that is the theatrical side in me. So in conclusion, I won't be updating until I have the rest of the chapter finished. The next one out will be the final installment and such but it will take me some time since it'll probably end up being 30 to 60 pages as before and I have graduation approaching. Okay, now you can throw whatever you want- if you still want to! Hope no one has a problem with this and if you do let me know and we can communicate as ADULTS. Best of wishes to all! Peace, Love and Scooby Snacks.