Chapter V
Legend of Soul Stones
Kiaoh and Tenoh Mansion
Taiyou sat on the sofa along with the other girls. She had her elbows on her knees and was bent over hoping Michiru would be okay. She couldn't control her new found powers and was even more scared of ever awakening them again. Haruka was in the room with Ami, while Hotaru was sitting next to her. Usagi and the others were scattered around the living room. It had only been twenty minutes since they all had gotten to the mansion but it felt like an eternity to Taiyou. The clock ticking growing louder then finally the small squeak of the door fills the air. All the girls look up, all but Taiyou, and Hotaru runs to Haruka.
"She'll be fine." Ami tells them. They all let out their breathe that they had been holding. Haruka leads Hotaru into the room, not saying anything to Taiyou. When she hears the door close once more she gets up off the sofa, Trista is the first to speak.
"What happen isn't your fault. You need not blame yourself."
Taiyou didn't respond only left the room.
Usagi felt sorry for this stranger they now know as the Moonlight Knight. She didn't want another battle between soldiers like it was with Galaxia and her soldiers.
"Is she one of us?" Makoto spoke up next.
"That has yet to be decided." Trista answered.
"Did you find anything out about these Soul Stones?" Rei who had asked the flames over and over asked.
"Not yet, they seem to be a secret. Even Neo Queen Serenity couldn't tell me anything, she refused to."
They all looked at Usagi, "What?"
"Michiru mama going to okay?" Hotaru asked.
"She just needs some rest, she will be fine." Haruka told her. Haruka could only think about what had happen after learning Michiru would be fine. It would only be a couple of days before her love was up moving around again. This new evil had taken them by surprise and none of them were doing to good against it. She needed to speak to Taiyou but didn't want to leave Michiru's side. Hotaru simply laid down next to Michiru on the bed and eventually fell asleep. It was then Ami had returned to the room.
"Has she woken yet?" she asked softly.
"No, not yet. Like you said, she probably wouldn't till morning." Haruka answered. Ami nodded, but check Michiru anyway.
"Taiyou?" Haruka asked.
"She left some time ago. No ones seen her, everyone left after Trista told them there was nothing they could do."
Haruka nodded in understanding. "Haruka, what happen with Taiyou?"
She looked up at the blue haired young woman, "She's the Knight, she is evil." Was all she said. Ami knew better then to question the wind soldier any further. The four outer scouts had taken on their soldier's persona of being distant and loners.
"If she wakes up before I return, call me. I need to find Taiyou." She told Ami. Ami nodded and watched as the Haruka left.
Taiyou was sitting on the rocks about five miles from the house. She didn't want to return the mansion. Her bike was parked up on the highway as she listened to the waves crash against the rocks. While in the America's she heard of the Sailor Soldiers being saviors of the world or rather Japan but never thought Haruka would be one of them. And now she an enemy of them simply because she became something she did not ask for. First she looses her mother and now she lost her sister. She was going to head back to the States before just her being here made things worse. Her sword in front of her, it had appeared when she sat down on the rocks and laid itself down in front of her. She simply stared at it for the longest time, then stared at the moon. It was full again tonight, she felt a sense of peace coming from it. She knew Haruka would hate her even though what happen to Michiru wasn't her fault. She nearly killed her sister and the young girl Hotaru. For hours she just sat there, until she finally had enough of looking at the sword she stood up taking it in her hands and tossing it into the ocean.
"I don't want you. I don't want to be this." She said aloud. She turned and head back up the beach to her motorcycle. She was going to head to her new home, the United States of America. As she was about to pull her helmet on Haruka came driving up on her motorcycle. She watched as her sister pulled to a stop beside her. "We need to talk." She said killing the engine. She took her helmet off and simply waited for a reply from the younger Tenoh.
"I won't get involved. The sword's in the ocean, I denounced my powers." Taiyou told her.
Haruka smiled a weary smile, "I'm afraid it isn't that easy. If it was I wouldn't be the soldier I am now."
"I'm not going after it."
"You won't have to, it'll come to you. I'm not angry Taiyou." Haruka being the first to speak up about what they both been hesitant to say. "You weren't prepared for this, your not bad."
"I nearly killed you. How can you say I'm not evil." Taiyou asked her. Haruka climbed off her bike and stood directly in front of her. She gently grabbed Taiyou's arms, "Because you fought it when you saw it was me. If you were evil, I don't think you would've done that."
"Either way I'm done. I'm head back to the States first thing tomorrow. I can't stay here I'm sorry."
"Even if I ask you to stay?"
"Even then." Taiyou told her. Haruka didn't say a word as Taiyou got on her bike and left her standing there. Trista appeared beside her, "This is going to have to be a lesson she will have to learn on her own."
"Even if she is the only one who may know what the Soul Stones are?"
"I'm afraid so."
The Shopping Center
The moon was still high above the heavens as the middle aged man kept to the shadows of the buildings. The center was deserted but for him and fellow person. "The Knight has killed the assassin. He has failed to retrieve any of the stones."
"I will not fail you." Her voice calm and creepy. "The assassin was a fool, I am not."
"I will not tolerate failure. I'm not like the others, you will run out of chances."
She bowed, before watching her new master leave. "I shall not fail." She said aloud then she too vanished.
The Airport
Taiyou waited patiently in line to get her ticket back to the states. She could leave all this behind. She glanced around as people had their luggage packed and carry-on in hand. She had nothing but her jacket and wallet. She thought about what Haruka had said, she wasn't mad at her for what happen. But she couldn't just simply walk away from it either. Well it was morning and nothing has happen since she stepped down. The man in front her moved to the side after he got his ticket, she stepped up. The lady behind the counter asked how she could help her.
"One ticket to the Americas." Taiyou stated.
"I have two flights leaving, one to New York and another to California."
"New York."
The lady hit some buttons on her keyboard then looked up at her, "I'm sorry we have no openings on the flight."
"Then California."
The lady repeated what she did a minute ago, then looked confused as she repeated the commands again. "We seem to be full on that flight also." She tried again, "That's odd, the older gentleman just booked a flight on the California flight and it still had seats open for another twenty people."
Taiyou listened to her, as she tried again on the computer. Taiyou sighed, "It isn't that simple."
The lady looked up, "I'm sorry sir?"
"Nothing, thank you." She turned around and went to leave. Screams and yells filled the airport terminal, Taiyou ran to the source. It was a woman dressed in all green, she remind Taiyou of Poison Ivy from Batman. She had a couple of people by the throats holding them there with a green lasso looking whip. She was just laughing as her hostages were trying to catch their breaths.
Taiyou hid behind a pillar, she didn't want this. She peaked around when she saw a young woman's soul form into a stone. It was a blue stone, the stone of water. The woman's body fell to the floor like a rag doll. "I have the first stone." The woman in green said.
Taiyou knew those stones couldn't fall into the wrong hands, she stepped out from behind the pillar, the terminal vacant now. "I'll take that thank you." Taiyou told her. She didn't know how she was going to fight this woman, she didn't even have her sword.
The woman looked at her and laughed as she shoved the stone into her suit. She pulled the whip out once more and cracked it towards Taiyou's direction. Taiyou jumped and rolled out of the way, she looked back at the woman. "Damn it, how in the hell am I suppose to do this." She said quietly.
"You a quick one aren't you."
Just then a light purple planet impacted the green woman in the side. She flew a few feet before crash landing.
"You must use the sword!" Pluto yelled. Taiyou looked that direction and standing beside Pluto was Uranus. She didn't want Haruka to get hurt.
"I can't! I won't!" she yelled back just as she had to dodge an attack from the woman. Uranus went to help but Pluto held her back. "She must learn not to fear it."
The woman looked at the soldiers, "It appears they will no longer be helping you."
Just as another crack of the whip came flying towards Taiyou. She dodge it once more, only this time making a run toward her. She had enough of this woman, she threw a punch that was easily blocked and tossed backwards. She landed on her back, pain shot thru her, she gritted her teeth.
"I'm losing." She closed her eyes and thought about the sword.
The woman's arm turned into a green blade, she went to strike as the sword once more appeared to protect her. It's flash of light caused the woman to back up. Taiyou once more reached for the sword. In a bright flash of light the evil side of the Knight had emerged.
"Your it!" She yelled, as a fist landed in her gut. The stone falling and rolling to Knights feet.
"What is your name?" The knight asks her.
She hugs her stomach, "Vera."
The Knight bends down, "You serve me now."
"I do not." She stood and vanished.
At that moment the Knight once again grabs her head as her power begins to fade. She falls to her knees, Uranus rushes forward grabbing her. Holding her, "I'm sorry." Taiyou tells her.
"You did nothing wrong." Uranus answers. "Come on before someone sees us."
That evening
Trista had gathered all the soldiers at the temple where Rei lives. They all waited for Trista to finish talking to Taiyou, she was the only one who knew what the stones were. And Taiyou had one of them. When they were done Trista lead them both to the front of the small group. Michiru by this time had joined them and was making a full recovery.
"I know what questions you have but before I answer them, you all need to know the legend of the soul stones." She waited for them to ask something, when they all remain quiet she continued.
"The soul stones are each a piece of the key that is needed to bring back the Soul Dragon. A very powerful demon that can resurrect any evil that has died here on earth. The guardians of the Earth long before Prince Endymion's turn. The Dragon was made to bring peace to the planets but one was something had gone wrong. The guardians never spoke how or what had gone wrong but they each gave a piece of their souls into a special stone and sealed the Dragon away in darkness. To ensure the dragon would never rise again they broke the stone into five pieces. Each on carrying the remains of the master's soul and one of the four elements. Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. Supposedly when all five pieces are brought together they will awaked and bring back the dragon who will in turn bring about the evil that had died here." Taiyou finished. She sat down on the steps, holding out the first of five stones. The water could be seen threw it swirling around in a never ending circle.
"You said five pieces, where is the fifth?" Ami asked.
Taiyou looked up, "I don't know, the only thing I do know is a little saying that the fifth Guardian had said."
"Which is?" Haruka asked.
"The fifth stone is the Heart of All." Taiyou answered.
"That's it?" Usagi asked. "Heart of All? What's that suppose to mean?"
"I wish I knew." Taiyou answered once more.
"I wish Mamoru was here." Usagi wined.
Taiyou stood up and walked over the stairs. Haruka followed, "You okay?"
"You think mom knew about all this. The legend, the Knight, even your soldiers?"
Haruka stood by her sister, "I'm not sure."
"Hear, I'm the last person who should have this." Taiyou handed over the water stone. "Think the Guardian's soul is alive in that thing."
"Reminds me of the Holy Grail we were looking for."
"The what?" Taiyou asked, confused.
"Another time little wolf."
That made Taiyou smile, she missed being called that. They spent the rest of the talking with the others trying to work out a plan or at least something for them to go on with their new enemy.
Shopping Center
"You fail me, Vera."
"Forgive master, at least we know who the Knight is, and where the stone is." She told her master.
"The Dragon shall rise again, bring me the other stones and don't loose them."
"Of course master."
Next morning
Taiyou sat outside the mansion, she couldn't leave and Haruka had demanded she stay with them. Although it was nice she just wanted to go home and forget all this. Her necklace still hung around her neck now she doesn't even take it off. She was just about to get up and go in when Jiro came walking up the beach. She stood up and walked down to meet him.
"Father would like a word with you." He told her.
"Tell him I said no."
"He insists." Jiro stepped aside and extended a hand. She walked in front of him as he came up beside her. He lead her to a limo and she climbed inside first followed by Jiro. Sitting on the far side of the limo was her father.
"I'm surprised you came this far, Kiyoshi." Taiyou told him.
"I'm not so insensitive, as to not at least come this far for my daughter."
"I'm taking my place as head of house."
"Miyoko was killed for trying to leave me. The house needs a replacement and we both know Hiroko can't hold the job."
Taiyou went to get out, Jiro grabbed her arm. "I'm offering a chance for you to change everything daughter. With you and Jiro head of house, you can start over. Even allow Haruka back into the family." She looked at her father, it was the first time since coming back he even made mention of Haruka.
"Choose to take your place and I will step down."
"Why do you want me back so much? I'm not a fool Kiyoshi." Taiyou told him.
"Because you are my daughter, I've never turned my back on you. It was your sister I banished not you."
"It was my sister you nearly killed, simply for being different."
"I'm not here to discuss Haruka." He said calmly.
She was getting angry. "I'm not coming back."
"Father steps down as head, you take Keiko's place. I will have no choice but to let you do what you wish. As it has always been in the House of Japan." Jiro spoke up.
"You think after all these years you remained hidden behind your façade of Christine Kershaw on your own. Who do you think managed to keep your real name secret when it was this close to coming out." He told her bringing his finger and thumb together. She knew the time he was talking about, the suspect started playing a little game with her and nearly out her if he hadn't been shot.
"You owe me your life as well as your career. The police would have disowned you, and thrown you in prison. Its time to make good." He told her, as he nodded to Jiro to release her.
She grabbed the limo handle and opened the door, "Think about it, either you join me or Haruka dies. All it will take is a single phone call. You know what I can do, daughter. Don't make the same mistake Miyoko did." He added, he watched her get out of the limo.
She stood off to the side and watched as he drove off. "If I don't take my place she dies. If I do, he will still kill her so I won't stray." She said aloud. "I never should have come back. Forgive me mother." She added while holding the hair loom. She took her time walking back to the mansion, she knew Haruka would be wondering where she was. But that was a conversation she would try to avoid as much as possible so she walked slowly back.