Serena
The battle was over and there were many bruised and cuts. However, every senshi was exhilarated, their new astral powers were addictive, amazing. With these powers no youkai would be able to tire them out. The power was infinite.
The girls had already unhenshined and were dispersing to attend to their daily duties. But as they exited the park, they noticed a dark skinned woman blocked the gate to the streets. The black hair whipped around her face as it was graced by a nonexistent wind.
The dark skinned woman barely muttered a word when the youkai standing at either side of her lunged forward. The senshi transformed back into their scout uniforms. It wasn't long before the astral warriors put down their monstrous foes when Jupiter was slammed into a tree. The tremendous force of the attack elicited a cracking sound from her neck and her eyes didn't reopen.
In her place stood the mysterious black haired beauty. And in a flash she disappeared. Next Neptune was run through with the woman's steel long sword. Uranus flew to her companion's side. Her weakness was see and the woman crushed the soldier's back by stepping harshly on her. One by one the warriors fell to the ground till the only ones standing were Sailor Cosmos and the woman.
"My name s Ataxia. I came here to warn you of our next meeting. When I see you all next I will come with the intention of finishing this petty feud. And from the performance you have just shown me, I can correctly assume it will not take long."
Cosmos's eyes flared with anger as she glared at Ataxia. The air between the two warriors seemed electrified as if they were repelling and drawing in each other. Cosmos was dressed in white, her rainbow stripes glistening. Ataxia was adorned in a long plain black dress with a gold Egyptian like necklace gracing her neck. They were complete opposites; two sides of the same coin. And just like that Ataxia brok eye contact and walked away.
As soon as the dreadful woman departed, Serena sunk to the ground and let her tears of fear roll down her cheeks. Then she calmly healed her comrades who then proceeded to go their separate ways.
Seiya burst through the park gate. "Are you okay?!"
"I am alright." Serena sunk into Seiya and he gathered her into his arms.
"What happened? I thought your new powers would protect you all?" Seiya was hugging her tightly.
"We met the leader of the youkai." Serena motioned for Seiya to stand. But she quickly because dizzy and fell slowly back to the ground.
"Careful!" Seiya caught her. "Why didn't your powers help you?"
"Because we need everyone, all the planets, connected." Serena looked away from Seiya.
"You mean Hotaru right? Saturn? She hasn't gone through her awakening yet."
Serena started to cower, "Yes her too, but we also need to connect Mars."
"No."
"Seiya…"
"No Serena. Do you remember what she das done to us? To you? You should just replace her! Anyone would be better than her!" Seiya gripped tightened in anger.
"Don't say that, Seiya. I can't replace her. I would need her Mars Planetary Stone and she won't give it me. To take it forcibly would be to kill her and you know I can't."
"I won't let her hurt you again! I won't!" Serena turned to Seiya, kissed him, and whispered against his lips, "Don't worry, love." Seiya hugged her tight, "I love you."
"As I you." Serena choose not to mention that Mars was not all she need of the team to access their true powers. She need Earth, she need Darien.
Hotaru
The steel gates were just as strong as they were years before. But this time Hotaru knew what would await her in this garden. Because she had grown, simply sliding though the bars was no longer an option. She extended her staff and whispered, "Silent Lock." The rusted chains crashed loudly to the ground causing Hotaru to flinch. She quickly henshined and walked into the garden.
She knew what she needed, the single pick orchard behind the dead bodies. This trip could be easy as long as she doesn't touch a flower or speak aloud the flowers will remain dormant. The garden's graveyard extended farther outward. It explained why the palace was so desolate. Everyone was dead and the citizens were too scared to approach the castle. Slowly and silently Hotaru made her way to the bodies and stopped at it explained her mother's. She became overwhelmed with the urge to touch her mother.
Saturn extended her fingers and stopped just short of an orchid whose petal ruffled in the wind. The solider quickly retracted her hand. It was clear Sailor Saturn wouldn't be able to walk through. She set her teeth and went down on her ands and knees. A problem arose immediately. While in this form she had nowhere to hold her staff but without it she will be powerless.
She put the center of the metal staff behind her teeth but the weight was paralyzing. Saturn understood she had to hurry before she dropped the staff. But she was not nearly as fast on all fours as when she was just walking. The flower was in arms reach and she lunged in desperation and came up short. Frantic Hotaru attempted to rebalance the staff with her tongue but the side with the heavy talismans crashed to the ground.
It was like a siren, the sound of all the orchids waking. Hotaru rushed and grabbed the pink flower. You're back! You came to join us. Let us touch you. Let us hold us. Let us kill you!
Hotaru started yanking on the orchid. Bu tit wouldn't release. She was out of breath and out of time. Several steams shot through her and she refused to look at whatever wounds she had. The pain was excruciating. More stems stabbed into her until one finally punctured her throat. Hotaru coughed and she saw a drop of blood fall onto the pink orchid. Suddenly Hotaru's grip on the flower lightened, she tugged one final time and watched as the roots flew in a bundled heap on the surface on the ground.
Seiya
Serena's head laid on his bare chest and the rest of her body laid naked under the sheets like a gift already unwrapped. Her eyes fluttered open, weighed down by her thick blonde lashes.
"Are you tired?" Her honey coated voice resounded softly through the room.
"Shouldn't that be my line?"
Serena giggled, "Always answering my questions with a question of your own." Her tone became serious, "I'm too scared for the next battle to sleep. We've never transformed everyone before. And I need to bring back Rei and Darien…"
Seiya was immediately confused, "What about Darien." He could hear the edge in his own voice. He suddenly sat up.
Serena followed suit "Earth is also necessary to use our powers."Seiya remained silent. He feared even opening his mouth would cause him to lose control. "O didn't want to tell you . And there is no way for me to assign a new Earth warrior."
"Kill him!" Seiya's blood boiled. "Don't you understand? You are my everything and you have lost too much and we need to fin Natsume. Wouldn't establishing that bond be better than finding Rei and Darien?" Their voices were rising increasingly.
"I don't kill Seiya! I heal people. But that takes a certain level of desire to be healed to do so. And the powers the bond would give us will be nothing without having all the scouts."
"They want to kill you Serena. They want to rip you to shreds and leave you alone without anyone to be with you. They won't join us." Serena stopped speaking. She was crying from frustration unsure of what to do. "You're just too nice. Some people should not be forgiven."
"Great goodness! You guys are the loudest people ever and do you know how loud Chihuahua youkai are!?" Suzuki stood bare chested still in his Yaten disguise.
"I'm… We're sorry Suzuki." Serena attempted to smile but it came out weak.
"If you are concerned about building a bond this you need to hang out with Natsume. He likes to wander around the mall around noon."
Hotaru
Hotaru shut her eyes ignoring the pain. All this time she thought silence would protect everyone. How could she be father from the truth. Sailor Saturn let the power from the flower flow through her body. With what energy was left Hotaru screamed at the top of her lungs, "Roaring Silence!"
The flowers receded from Hotaru's body leaving gaping holes through out. The impact of the attack melted the flowers on contact. But the sludge they produced oozed everywhere on the ground covering the garden and it started to seep through the gate. There was a rumbling sound and the ground was shaking. Hotaru looked but at the hole where she had pull out the pink orchid. There was a tiny onyx crack. And the crack ran everywhere spitting the hardened sludge. More cracks formed and Hotaru in a hurry ran to a single chuck of solid earth.
The planet lit up in black/ purple sheen. It brightened till it was just an orb of white light. And in less than a minute a huge shard of the cracked surface shot off the planets interior slamming and molding into hundreds of nearby asteroids. The cracked surface and asteroids formed a smooth ring encircling the planet Saturn.
Rei
Rei walked towards the audience room to meet Ataxia. She paid no mind to the hundreds, thousands of female youkai staring at her angrily. With a single flip of her hair , Rei opened the doors and marched into the room. She made is less than halfway to the throne before Ataxia booming voice rang out, " You must bow to me before you approach me."
"Why?" Rei never hesitated to continue walking before she made eye contact with the woman and the disturbing glee in her eyes and disturbing smile stopping Sailor Mars in her tracks. "You would de best to bow down to me before I rip that pretty head off your body." Rei stood still staring at Ataxia. She had recomposed herself. She didn't fear this monstrosity. Ataxia was the same as therest of the youkai just more powerful.
"Why do you disobey me?" The smile widened.
"You are not y master. You do not own me. And you never will."
"I suppose so. I would probably kill you first. But I will give you yet another chance. You obey me and bow to me or I can kill the black haired man staying in this very palace."
"Rei's chest tightened, "Darien…"
Ataxia's smile spread ear to ear. Her eyes squinted as she excitedly nodded her head, "I can snap him like a twig."
Rei fell to her knees with a thud. Then she touched her forehead to the ground. Her eyes glowed red. She would leave Ataxia as soon as possible. There was no doubt the woman was crazy and would kill Rei as soon as she got the chance.
"Stand." Rei obeyed and stared at ten new youkai that had entered the audience room. "These youkai will attack the astral scouts. Rei you will stay with me and kill her." The blank wall behind her glowed with life and showed a longhaired blonde, Serena. "Suzuki has betrayed us but he is not aware that all my youkai have video and audio receptors."
"Suzuki do you know if we can find Rei without drawing Ataxia's attention?" The sound of her name on Serena's tongue ricocheted in her head. Without minding Ataxia She walked to the wall her hands holding fire. With a screech of anger she hit the wall repetitively. When her powers ran out, she scratched the wall till her nails broke. "You can't have me Serena! You won't win!" Rei sunk to the ground. I'm going crazy she thought. I'm losing my mind.
Serena
"Suzuki were you the one who told Seiya about the battle?" Serena sat next her lover on the sofa.
"Yes, I am still able to know when my kind is sent out to attack. "
"How?" Seiya sat up.
"There are receptors with messages sent." Suzuki pointed to the back of his neck. Seiya go t up and walked behind Suzuki. Then he ripped out a metal device attached to his shoulder blade. Suzuki screamed blood murder. Serena rushed to the fallen youkai confused by Seiya's actions.
"You idiot!" Seiya held the device and pointed to two video and audio receptors. One was bloody from being ripped from within Suzuki's skin but the other was clean and clear..
"They were spying on us." Seiya dropped the machine, crushed it and tossed it off the balcony.
"you shouldn't do that Seiya. It could've hit someone."
"Did you know?" Seiya ignored Serena.
"Know what?" Suzuki crawled backwards spreading more blood.
"Were you spying for Ataxia!" Serena could see the amount of restraint Seiya was exhibiting.
"No, no. Never. I couldn't even see it! It was on my back." Suzuki started to shake.
"When will Ataxia attack?" Seiya's tone was dead.
"I don't…"
Serena stood forward, "If you don't tell us, we will have to deliver you straight back to Ataxia. We may even fight you. Who know how much pain you would suffer through."
"You would be the enemy."
"Tomorrow night. Here at your apartment when you are sleeping."
"In this apartment?" Seiya asked.
"Where we are standing right now at 8 pm."
"Where can we find Natsume?"
"I said the ma…."
"Where can I find our son!" Seiya looked shocked. He looked happy Serena called Natsume "our" son.
"The amusement park." Suzuki looked drained.
"you're not telling us everything." Seiya threatened.
"I know nothing else!" Seiya took a step forward.
"Darien is going to kill Natsume tomorrow." Suzuki started to cry. Serena looked away.
"That's not possible. He doesn't exist yet."
"He has a life. He will be absorbed by Ataxia. You can't win Sailor Cosmos."
Hotaru
The planet was beautiful. Even lovelier than what it was before. Tons of pink orchids graced the ground. Some familiar face of the people rooted to the garden walked around smiling. The people who lived outside the palace ran screaming to their loved one who had fallen victim to the purple orchids. Hotaru notice she was in a black gown with purple laces outlines. Her crown sat softly on her head. Swiveling around Hotaru looked for her parents, her mother. If everyone else was free her mother would be too right? Standing at the new palace steps stood her patents. They wouldn't be able to see Hotaru in the mess of the people. She need to catch their attention. Then she saw her mother's violet eyes stare in her direction.
"Mother!" The crowd became suddenly aware of the girl amongst them and parted immediately.
The Queen ran from the steps to her daughter. And they both fell to the ground hugging and crying. "My little Hotaru. You saved us didn't you? Oh Herald! Get over here!" Her father came along at first pacing himself trying to remain regal looking but at hearing his wife's commands he broke into a run and fell to the ground as well hugging his family while the kingdom cheered. "I will always love you, my little Hotaru."
Her father lifted his head up, "We will always love you."
The royal family stood proudly before their people. Heneritta, Hotaru's mother, spoke. "People, citizens, friends of Saturn. Please applaud our daughter Astral Princess Hotaru of Crystal Saturn." The roaring applause quadrupled as it rang out from the crowd enveloping the bright crystal planet.
The dark skinned woman at on the bed combing an unconscious Rei's hair with her fingers. "My lovely disobedient warrior. You are so cute to think my control over you was not absolute." A crooked grin appeared on her face as the woman stood up and walked out of the bedchamber.