Hello everybody! I have your update! It's great how many people are enjoying this story. Over 10,000 hits! I'm considering to put in a little side-chapter just for a bit of fun, but i'm not sure it'd be a good idea. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed/fave'd/alerted/just read without doing any of the above. Your interest is absolutely inspiring. and thanks to Strata-light for the last review, it was awesome and very helpful. a lot of you helped me with this one with some of your comments and so i dedicate this not to just a few people, but to all of you.
STAGE ON! Eb x
Amara entered the kitchen to find Michelle standing at the window. The aquanette turned to face her, sadness and concern lingering in the ocean depths of her eyes.
"Where is Trista?" Amara asked.
"At her post, by the Chronos Gateway." Michelle answered her. She cast blue eyes to the window again and looked at her love, eyes pleading. "Amara, I'm worried about Hotaru."
Cocking an eyebrow, the blonde moved over to her and put an arm around her. "Why is that?"
"She has been acting strangely." she leaned in to the blonde's embrace. "Quieter than usual. She spends all her time in the garden and she won't look at Trista. She meets my eyes, but she says nothing, and the expression in them is strange."
"Strange how?"
"Between curious and accusing."
Both eyebrows rose now; a strange combination indeed. "Why would she look at you like that?" Amara hadn't seen Hotaru for a few days now; she had been racing on a tour.
"I don't know, it worries me." the blue eyes looked at her again. "Talk to her, please?"
Amara nodded, kissed Michelle's forehead and made her way into the spacious garden.
The Outers' Mansion, as the Inner Senshi called it, had in fact got more room than the four women who inhabited it could fill. It could comfortably house the entire Sol Senshi team, should the others so wish to join them. The Outers had given them the offer, but the younger ones refused, preferring instead to share a house of their own. It had been Trista who had bought the mansion, and Amara and Michelle often thought that the Time Senshi had intended for them all to live together.
Having the Inners with them would certainly make the days lively. Amara could just imagine Minako running down stairs, laughing manically as Rei chased her, angry over some comment the self-proclaimed Goddess of Love had made in passing.
The garden was in full bloom now, a riot of soft colours and beautiful blossoms, delicate scents. She found Hotaru tending to some lilies. The teenage girl showed no sign of knowing that Amara was even there, but Amara knew differently.
"Hey princess." the blonde settled down beside her.
No reply.
"How have you been?"
"Ok."
It was one syllable, but it sent relief coursing through Amara; for a minute there she hadn't thought Hotaru would acknowledge her at all.
"Michelle says you've been spending a lot of time out here lately." she frowned when the younger girl shrugged. "Something is wrong. I know it is."
"I spent some time in the café where Serena works the last week." Hotaru tidied up a lily. "The Starlights were there too."
Amara schooled her features carefully. "So?"
"Darien showed up."
"Good, he should be spending more time with kitten instead of ignoring her like he has been." she noticed Hotaru's shoulders stiffen visibly and looked at her in surprise. "What's wrong princess?"
"He acted like a jerk."
To say that Amara was shocked by these words was an understatement. "Hotaru . . . he has a lot on his mind."
"Don't defend him."
What had gotten into her? Amara gave the dark-haired girl a long look. "Alright, I'll bite. What's troubling you kid?"
Hotaru turned to look at her and Amara nearly started; the expression in her eyes was a mixture of curiosity and accusation, just like Michelle had said.
"Do you really hate the Starlights?"
What an odd question. "Wel-"
"Really?"
Biting her lip, Amara thought about her answer. "I suppose I don't hate them as such, it's a strong word after all. I hated myself during the battle with Galaxia, and I may have hated them . . . one of them for a time but . . ."
Hotaru nodded. "So you don't trust them then?"
Again, Amara bit her lip. Did she? "I don't think it's that either, after all they protected our Princess with their lives, just as we had all done, when we could not." a fact for which she was eternally grateful to them for even if she chose not to admit it.
"Then what?"
The wind whispered while the two sat in silence, Hotaru waiting and Amara thinking.
Finally, with a long-suffering sigh, Amara rubbed her forehead wearily. "I guess it's my job, much as it sucks. Some people just don't get along and I'm afraid that the Starlights and I do not get along." she looked at her young charge seriously. "Why? Do you feel differently?"
Hotaru returned to her lilies. "I wasn't awake during the Silver Millennium because nobody trusted me not to destroy the universe, so I don't have quite the sense of duty that you, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Pluto have."
Amara sensed during the girl's pause that this was Saturn speaking, not Hotaru, or maybe it was both? And the younger girl's emphasis didn't go unnoticed.
"All I know is what I was told upon awakening, and being allowed to stay awake."
Amara cringed; she didn't like being reminded that the only reason this girl was still alive was Sailor Moon's, Serenity's, Serena's compassion and insight.
"But between everything I've been told, and everything I've heard and seen, I think we've misjudged some things."
Amara looked at her in surprise. "What makes you say that?"
"You and Neptune want what's best for me, but you've left me free to make my own decisions, to chart my own destiny around being a Senshi, which is the only thing I can't control." she looked up, dark purple eyes old and calm. "Why is our Princess to be treated any differently?"
The blonde blinked. "She is to be our ruler, she must be guided."
"But surely she can make her own decisions."
Amara did not miss that it was said as fact not question. "Hotaru, she is to rule a kingdom, she must be guided-"
"You already said that."
The blond racer frowned. "You're being incredibly blunt."
"Why is her destiny set in stone? Surely ours should be too, as her protectors? Why can't she be free, like us?"
Amara had no answer to that one. "But that's the way it has to be."
Hotaru stabbed angrily at the ground with a trowel.
"Then destiny sucks."
Rei sat in front of the sacred fire in the temple, focusing. Behind her, lined up along the wall, were the rest of the Inners, Serena, the cats in human form and the two Starlights present. The latter two looked like they were trying to hide their awe.
She returned her focus to the flames and took a deep breath. "Flames of Truth, I ask that you show me that which is hidden from our eyes. Show us, show us the reality stripped of fantasy. Show us the truth."
In answer to her voice the flame roared ever higher.
Taiki and Yaten let out a gasp. Lita chuckled. "I forgot you'd never seen her do this before. This is how we find out about our enemies and our friends." she winked at the shocked stares her words received and put a finger to her lips.
"I've yet to get her to let me spy on boys with this thing." Mina stage-whispered on Makoto's left, the opposite side to the other two. Rei's annoyed shush mirrored Yaten's feelings at that statement.
"Here we go." Artemis muttered, watching the priestess warily; she had begun to glow scarlet. He turned to the two newcomers and stifled a grin. "You might get a bit caught up in her vision, but don't worry, you won't come to harm."
Rei, meanwhile, was now fully absorbed by the fire, unknowing of anything that was happening around her besides the flames. She could see!
A trio of young women, her lovely Princess Serenity, a girl who could only be Kakyuu, and a third that she did not know but felt a familiar pull towards regardless. Their mothers stood behind and above them, heads and shoulders the only parts of their bodies she could see. Three shadows sent to destroy three powerful kingdoms. Lives torn apart and asunder. All three shadows defeated since; Metallia, Chaos, the Doom Phantom. The third shade defeated thrice.
She frowned; to her knowledge they had only faced the Doom Phantom once in this lifetime, and Serena had banished him for good. Or had she? Rei got the feeling that his third defeat had been recent.
Bits and pieces of Serena's dream flashed through her mind.
Dancing with Darien, then with a Seiya who wasn't the one they knew and yet somehow he was their Seiya! Four Senshi standing in the shadows; three came into the light and though Rei did not know them she recognised them, but the fourth remained in darkness. And Rei knew that it was she who was the traitor, if only she could see the shadowed Senshi's face then she would know . . .
A flash of a staff and an orb, long dark hair, but the vision fled before she could pursue it.
The others watched their friend with a measure of concern, the worry sharpening when Rei let out a small growl of frustration. Sweat had begun to bead on the miko's brow but it wasn't from heat but from effort.
Yaten watched her, feeling the frustration and anger as the ravenette tried to see past the block on her sight. He brushed his mind along the outside of her consciousness lightly, not wanting to distract but wanting to help, and then he suddenly opened his eyes to find himself floating in fire opposite the priestess.
She looked the same and yet different, the eyes were darker and stormier, the hair less black and more violet-indigo, and the clothes she wore . . . he couldn't tell if they were her priestess robes that she had been wearing or something else altogether, for they flashed between the two. He only knew she wore something red.
"Here, let me help a little." Her clothes became a short belted tunic, pale red with a cape attached at the front by an oval gold clasp studded with a large oval ruby and golden sandals adorned her feet. Golden wrist-bands glinted on her forearms.
Suddenly, with an overwhelming sense of awe, he knew who this was. "L-Lady Mars." the words slipped past his lips before he could think of them.
She smiled. "Who else?" the smile grew sober. "You have never done this before, have you?" when he shook his head she sighed. "I'm surprised you got through the barriers, but then, they were erected against particular forces and you probably don't fall into that category. I didn't realise your empathy was so strong."
Yaten could feel the power emanating from the young woman before him, and when she turned to face him next he could see the resolve in her eyes like a tangible thing.
"I am Princess Raechal of Mars, Priestess and Princess of Martian Flame, Lady Mars of Serenity's court, a Crown Princess of the Silver Alliance, Guardian and Protecter of High Princess Serenity, the second-in-command of her personal guard. I am Sailor Mars, the Senshi of Flame and Passion, and Rei Hino, your friend and comrade." she smiled. "It is my pleasure and my honour to meet you in this sacred space." She bowed to him from the waist.
He inclined his head, still shocked, in acknowledgement of the formal introduction. "Where am I?"
"I am not sure." was the untroubled response. "Some might call this Hell, but I know no true name for this place. It is where my mind goes when I seek visions and truth about a matter. My sight brings me here almost daily. Your empathy has brought here today for the first time." she frowned for a moment. "The only thing I know is that this is the Elemental Flame."
"Why am I here?"
She looked at him. "I don't know. But there is probably a reason. The fire drew you in, which means you are here for a purpose. Perhaps to help me uncover the truth."
Now she gestured to her right, and he looked and saw the frozen scene of the three Senshi standing in the light and the one remaining in shadows.
"This is one of the visions I have received, but I cannot go any further into it. Something is blocking me."
Yaten's gaze found the smaller of the three unknown Senshi, a blonde with brown-tipped bangs and deep brown eyes clad in pale green and orange, holding a flaring whip in her hand. "Sailor Celestia."
Rei's eyes looked at the Senshi too and then her lips relaxed into a smile. "It is her, isn't it. I had thought it was but couldn't be sure."
"Can we speak to her?"
Now the violet eyes looked troubled. "I don't know."
"Why don't we try?" Yaten held out his hand and Rei, Lady Mars, took it with a flash of humour, then both closed their eyes and concentrated on the girl they sought.
Lumina had just walked back into the living room of their apartment when she saw Feryal collapsed on the floor with her eyes tightly shut.
"Goddess, no!" she ran to her and lifted her friend's head onto her knee. "No, not now. Come on Feryal wake up!" she shook her gently but only succeeded in eliciting a small moan from the blonde in question.
"We're supposed to make our report in a few minutes, you can't do this again! I command you to return to the waking world Feryal!"
Nothing.
"Let us not be hasty, child." the voice was delicate, and a pale, delicate hand laid itself gently and reassuringly upon Lumina's shoulder. "Someone has called to her, and as a Daughter of Flame she responds. It is her duty. Let us wait and see what news she will bring."
The shock of the woman's presence broke through the haze of panic that had settled around Lumina. She nodded at the older woman and they sat together to wait it out.
"Did it work?"
Rei looked at him. "I'm not sure."
"You say that a lot here." he laughed.
She frowned, irritated. "I deal with impressions, not facts."
"Well, what's your impression now?"
"That next time Lady Mars should use a little subtlety in her summons." the new voice was just as irritated as Rei. "I am going to have one helluva headache when I wake up again, not to mention explaining myself to my fellow Senshi. And you," angry brown eyes now turned to Yaten's shocked form, "should know better than to come to this place. You are not of the Flame."
Feryal was clad in the tunic and trousers she had worn when her master had first sent her to Earth to deal with the situation growing there, but the whip was curled up against her hip. She didn't look angry per say, but she definitely did not look pleased.
"Sailor Celestia-" Rei began
"So you know my identity."
"You are the Senshi of Discovery, yes?" Yaten's confidence was only in voice at that moment, but his bold words gave the annoyed woman pause.
"Discovery and the Solar Winds, yes I am." she shifted and looked from one to the other. "What of it?"
"Perhaps you can help us discover something. Something which ails the Princess of this system." his eyes bored into Feryal's, willing her to answer yes.
"You want to know which among your number is traitor and why." when both Rei's and Yaten's mouths flopped open she laughed, and the darkness in her eyes lifted in less than a second. "Discovery, remember?"
"You seem to know everything." Rei said, not sure how she felt about it.
Feryal gave a grim smile. "It is my job." she sighed and looked around her. "I have not been here in too long a time. My duty often calls me from what I love."
Tucking away that remark for later analysis, Rei approached her. "Please, if you know something, help us. It breaks Serena's heart to know that one of her Senshi is betraying her."
Feryal looked at her, and the expression in her eyes was sad, almost regretful. "I cannot help you in that. I am not allowed to directly interfere in that matter, however much I wish I could."
"But you can help us with something." Yaten pressed, detecting the purpose of her chosen words. "With protecting Serena?"
Feryal smiled softly. "My orders are to help protect the Moon Princess and the Fireball Princess, though I would probably do it anyway. I am fond of them both from . . . another time."
"Another time?" Rei echoed, shocked. Her voice rose in pitch. "You knew Serena then?"
Inclining her head, Feryal acknowledged the fact as truth.
"How?"
"I was a Senshi, and Princess of my own kingdom as were you, Lady Mars. Our beloved Serena was Princess Serenity still." she stretched. "I last saw her, and you, a year before our kingdoms all fell. My master came bearing tidings for Selenity, but the Lunarian Queen didn't listen. A mistake that she has doubtless regretted since, but it's in the past, where it belongs."
"Why are you telling us this now?"
Feryal looked at Yaten, her face a beautiful mask. "You would find out soon enough. Besides, i'm not telling you everything." she winked. "It would make it too easy."
"Serena dreamt of Queen Selenity." Rei told her.
The response was a thoughtful nod. "Her current predicament doesn't prevent her from communicating with her daughter."
"You know about that?"
"I do."
"I have seen the images my princess saw. The doors-"
"Are her options, Lady Mars. Through one door lies all she has ever known, through another a future she can imagine and dreams of, though at present she wouldn't admit to it. The third," an almost invisible shudder ran through the Senshi, "Let's just say I hope it never comes to be."
Another thought to be tucked away for later. "And the two men?"
Feryal looked at Rei gravely. "What of them?" her tone was almost . . . wary.
"We know one is Prince Endymion of Terra," Rei began, falling easily back into the old lingo of her past, "But the other confuses us."
"And why should it? Did you think you were the only ones to be reincarnated? That is a selfish thought indeed."
Rei scowled.
"I think what she's trying to say," Yaten interrupted smoothly before a fight could begin, "Is that my brothers and I have no knowledge of our lives before serving Kakyuu. We know only that we weren't with her. The young man in Serena's dream was Seiya, wasn't it?"
Another almost-blank expression. "Your memories will return in time." she sighed and turned her head aside a little, her expression becoming sad. "They must return soon. The future right now is something that nobody wants to see."
A faint whisper made itself known and Feryal cocked her head to one side, listening. "I must go, I'm being called back." she turned to leave.
"Wait!" Rei caught her wrist and Feryal turned back, looking a little surprised by the gesture. "At least help us with Serena."
Feryal's smile was slow and genuine, soft. "I told you, I am to protect the Moon Princess Serenity. That includes her heart, soul and mind, not just her body." she winked. "You can count on me, Rei Hino, Yaten Kou." with that she faded into smoke.
Yaten and Rei looked at each other, about to give up and return to the living world as well, when another female voice whispered through the flames.
~Here, let me help you, a little.~
A bright flash of silver light. Images began to flow through and around them both.
The Moon Kingdom fell to the final attack of the Dark Kingdom. Queen Selenity used the last of her strength to cast her spell of protection. Her daughter and her friends would be catapulted into time to await new lives. She had not the strength to focus her intention further; she could only pray that it would work and that they would be together, happy, well and safe.
Flash.
The Tankei System was engulfed by flames that were black as night but burned bright as the sun. Queen Keahi, protected from the worst of the attack by Starsaviour, Stardefender and Starcreator, gathered her daughter, Princess Kakyuu, into her arms. She had felt the demise of one of her alliance sisters. Starsaviour stood to one side, preparing to leave to check on her master, Sailor Etherea of the Siriun System. Starcreator cried; Stardefender lay dying. At her queen's signal 'Saviour gathered her comrades to her and vanished with them. Keahi raised her staff high over her head, her crystal sitting at the top, and summoned all her strength to protect and restore her people and her kingdom. Before the spell could be completed three starseeds appeared before her and she nodded, knowing the purpose for which they had been sent. She took them and the souls within them with her into the future.
Flash.
The Siriun System was in ruins, the cries of her people surrounded her and haunted her, but Assyria wept for one that she could not hear nor see. Her daughter was missing, most assuredly dead, and her two comrades and friends searched for her in the aftermath that had followed the Doom Phantom's attack. She had managed to seal away the dark creature, but at a cost. Her world was reduced to a wasteland, and if her people did not flee soon then they would perish with her. The Siriun Crystal floated before her and she nodded, knowing what to do. She had felt Selenity's demise, but could shed no tears. 'Saviour arrived with her comrades and she nodded in acceptance, her course plotted. She would seal everyone within the crystal of the planet until a time when Sirius and the system was healed enough for them to return and survive. 'Defender and 'Creator she would place in crystal stasis with all of the Guardian team but Pluto, who would remain at her post. They would awaken in a thousand years and begin again. But Assyria knew that she would not survive to see her daughter again.
Flash.
Galaxia stood tall and proud, refusing to cry as she watched the three starseeds most precious to her fly away to safety. She knew they would be protected from the sudden darkness that was engulfing the entire universe. Now she had to withstand the evils that had found their way back into the Galaxy Cauldron, the birthplace of all stars and magic, the true home of all Senshi. She was the strongest senshi in existence; she would be able to withstand their attentions. For a while, at least. She would be able to hold them off until others became strong enough to overcome them completely. Princess Galaxia, sovereign and senshi of the Galaxy Cauldron, stood resolute. She would not fail in her mission.
Flash.
Serenity faced off against Metallia and Beryl for the first time in the new lifetime. She defeated the dark witches, but her energy was depleted beyond recovery. She wished for everyone to be reborn without their memories, so that they could lead peaceful lives.
Flash.
Neo Queen Serenity stood before the Doom Phantom, facing off against this dark force for the first time. She had appeared briefly, summoned by Sailor Moon's courage and determination, and briefly inhabited her body in order to help her past self overcome this evil being. Her daughter joined her with a Silver Crystal of her own. The twin Crystals flashed. The Doom Phantom was gone.
Flash.
Kakyuu, overcome with grief for her kingdom and her people, fled her home to seek refuge on Earth. The Solar System was her last resort. Her mother had told her never to lead any evil there if she could help it, but she had no choice. She prayed that the legendary White Moon Senshi could defeat this wicked being, for she could not do it alone. She knew her senshi would follow, as circumstances demanded, and so she fled.
Flash.
Kakyuu had fallen. Her own senshi had fallen. Serenity and the Starlight Senshi were all that was left. Ignoring her pain Serenity battled on to free Galaxia from the control of Chaos. She succeeded, and as reward for her bravery and courage her senshi were reborn. Galaxia, knowing more than she would ever let on about the people standing before her, left for the Galaxy Cauldron, returning the stolen starseeds as she went, content that things would run their own course.
Flash.
Two Senshi awakening from their crystal slumber within a hidden realm, seeking Earth to find their lost master. Working with the senshi of the Sol system even as they disappeared one by one. Almost losing the Moon Princess to the same dark force. Reawakening the Celestial Princesses from their slumber within mortal coils.
Flash.
Serenity facing off against Lady Obsidia and the Doom Phantom. Reaching into Obsidia's mind to discover that she was not the true enemy, only a pawn that was being used. Brainwashed and afraid like Rini was against the same foe. Freeing Thuraya from her dark and tormented prison. Battling together to destroy the darkness once and for all. Then agreeing to have her memories wiped to protect the weakened princess of the Siriun System.
Flash.
Darkness coming unless they changed the future's course.
~You must change the future. You must save us all. This is the task I am giving to you. Protect Serenity and Kakyuu, aid my senshi in their mission and they will help you in yours. No one will survive if the current path continues unchecked.~
Rei and Yaten were catapulted from the visions in the flames and back into their bodies and the real world. Both found themselves gasping for breath, throats burning and eyes stinging, lying on the floor with everybody gathered around them wide-eyed and scared.
"Yaten!" Taiki's voice was loudest, though Mina's hysterical sobs pierced through them both like arrows. "Yaten, Rei! Wake up please, you've got to wake up!"
"Ugh." was the undignified response from the two prone members of the group. Haltingly they both sat up, being aided by the others. Amy brought them both glasses of water and they downed the sweet, refreshing liquid in one gulp.
"What happened?" Lita's green eyes were wide, wary. Scared. "Rei glowed red, that's normal. The fire roared. That's normal too. But then she collapsed and Yaten you . . ."
"He joined me in the visions." Rei gasped out.
"But what happened?" Amy asked, confused. Mina was cuddling Yaten to her and mumbling; the silver-haired starlight didn't seem to care as he rested his head in the crook of her neck. "You've never reacted like that before, and the fire nearly raged out of control."
"How long were we out?" Rei countered, not willing to answer just yet.
If Amy thought anything of her dodge she didn't comment. "A couple of minutes, no more."
Rei nodded; it had felt longer than that, much longer. But then again the experience always felt longer than it was.
"What did you see, Rei?" Amy prompted her, when Rei looked away she moved her face back to look at her. "Rei, tell me what you saw."
Taiki put a hand on her arm to stop her questioning them she shook it off, glaring at him. "If she doesn't tell us now she won't remember later. That's the way it always is. She either writes it down or tells one of us. Trust us to know what to do right now." she told him sternly.
"We have to . . . change the future." Yaten coughed. "We have to . . . we have to . . ."
"Sshh, it's ok baby it's ok." Mina cooed at him softly. "You don't have to speak."
Yaten struggled to sit all the way up anyway. Serena lay a hand on his shoulder to help steady him and shook her head when Mina made to protest, her eyes firm.
"We have to change it. We have to. She told us we have to. Nothing can survive if we don't." he babbled.
Taiki looked at Lita, who shrugged slightly. "Rei sometimes got like this when we first started asking her to scry the fire for enemies and information. I think it's just because it's his first time."
"But he's hysterical." Taiki said incredulously. "They both are. Are you telling me we aren't taking them to a hospital or-"
"You forget, Taiki, that neither of them is really human." Serena said quietly. He looked to her pleadingly but she gave a soft, firm smile and shook her head. "Yaten is an alien from another world, a female in a male disguise. Your blood is not human, and the odd balance of hormones would confuse them. Rei is Martian, not Terran. They'll take one look at their blood and retain them for research or something. There is nothing we can do except wait."
Taiki looked as though he would protest, but the words died on his lips and he hung his head. He knew she was right, and it pained him to be so helpless. He usually knew what to do, but this time he was utterly lost.
The girls heard what he had missed; the odd mixture of Serena with another they had once known.
He felt her hand on his shoulder and looked into ageless crystal blue eyes. "Do not worry. I will let neither come to harm."
Standing and walking away, she sat between the two and gestured for them both to be given to her. Mina and Taiki gently positioned Yaten on her left as though he would break any minute, Rei was handed to her without a word from Amy and Lita.
Serena took a deep breath and focused. A small flash of warm white light and it was not Serena who sat between them, but a faeren creature with long silvery hair in a white linen gown. Taiki gaped; the power radiating from her was palpable and stole his breath. He could see why Darien and Seiya were both so drawn to her. Seiya had been right; she had a brilliant shine that could light up the darkest corners. This was the girl who had defeated Chaos and rescued Galaxia. This was the woman that would save their Seiya from his darkness.
"Rei, Yaten," Serenity spoke with a soft voice that commanded obedience in the gentlest of ways. Her moon mark glimmered. "Tell me what it is you saw."
Both Rei's and Yaten's eyes went dull, and they became very still and quiet. Taiki started when the pulse pushed gently past him and out into the night, but Lita held his arm reassuringly.
"She used to do this during the Silver Millennium sometimes, if she got Rei after a fire reading before her mother. She calms them down, almost hypnotises them with her power, takes away the pain, so that they can tell her everything without fear." Lita told him quietly.
Nodding, the tallest of them settled, trusting the Moon Princess to keep them safe.
"I saw the Trinity Alliance as it was." Rei intoned quietly. "I saw the forces that ripped them asunder. I saw extracts of you dream, Princess, and was told the meanings of some of the symbols you saw."
"Who told you?" Serenity asked, keeping her voice controlled to just the right pitch and volume.
"We summoned Sailor Celestia." Yaten said. "She cannot help us uncover the traitor in our midst, it is forbidden for her to interfere with that thread. But she can help in other ways. She told us of the doors."
Serenity stilled so suddenly she thought her own heart had stopped. "The doors?"
"One to a future we have been told, another to a possible alternative that is just as just as sweet, the third is the course on which we lie now." Rei said.
"We must alter it. Either of the gold or silver doors can be picked, but the black door must never be opened. All is lost if we cannot change the course of time and destiny."
Serenity looked at Yaten almost warily, then looked at Taiki. He saw the question in her eyes and answered simply.
"I have never known him to have any association with fire other than his temper. I don't know how he could have managed this." he shrugged, feeling as useless as he ever had.
"The black door was opened by force once before, destroying four powerful kingdoms and many more, but the darkness was beaten back and sealed, until those who could defeat them were stronger. We were shown a year that we cannot remember, for we consented to have it removed from our minds. The memories are deep within, held by power to protect and conserve." Rei told them.
"We must change this destiny, or perish with all else." Yaten finished.
"Who told you? Celestia?"
"Another we could not see. She whispered in the fire and drew the images to us. She showed us the way and helped us to leave before we drowned."
Serenity nodded. The others stood or knelt nearby, not wanting to disturb this delicate scene but unsure of what to do. Their eyes were wide as they watched.
"Thank you, my friends, you have told me all I wish to know. You may rest now." the moon mark shone again and the dullness faded from the eyes of the two either side of Serenity, but no sooner did they awaken they fell asleep. Amy and Lita took Rei again, Taiki and Mina took Yaten, and Serenity stood and stretched a little.
"It's little wonder you get so much trouble here, with that sort of power." Taiki said, unsure of how he meant it.
She offered him a smile. "Darkness cannot live without light, but most darkness cannot withstand light's power, and so it covets what it seeks to destroy." she turned to look at the two fainted members of the group. "Mars and Yaten need rest. Could you carry them into the shrine and watch over them?"
"Of course, Princess," Lita replied, kneeling to bow briefly; an old habit that sometimes resurfaced. "But what about you? You need rest too."
Serenity looked at her for a long moment. "I need to speak with my mother." with that said she left the fire room.