Baltor scowled. Ever since Darcy had run off, deserting her sisters in the quest to find some fairy, for some reason he had been unable to track her. Therefore he'd had to settle on observing Icy and Stormy's efforts to get him more power. They really were pathetic, he decided. But still, they would have their uses in due time…
Suddenly the whole area seemed to shake as he had felt the magic trail of a familiar dark source.
"An ancestress awakened?" He had wondered. "So soon?" He knew of their plan, it didn't mean he had to like it, but with all his preparations underway he would be ready when the time was right.
Quick as a flash he had turned back to the crystal ball he had stolen from Cloud Tower and willed it to show him what had caused this disturbance. His pale eyes widened slightly as he saw the clearing be enveloped in a barrier of dark magic, but not before he had caught sight of the tiny figures of the missing witch and the keeper of the magic he so desperately desired.
000
"Serena? What in the world?" Raye quickly made her way over to her best friend.
"We need to get her inside, I'll explain there." Serena said seriously.
The look Raye gave her was one that had a million questions, however the shrine maiden could see that the goth girl needed urgent medical care.
"… Ok but just who is she?" She took Darcy's right arm, lifting some of the weight off Serena.
"Remember that lame wad wizard I told you about? Well she was working for him until about a few minutes ago," Serena explained.
"Wait, so this Baltor guy did this to her?" Raye asked as she helped support Darcy over to the porch. She knew that the unconscious girl was way too beat up to be an undercover spy for the other side, even Serena would have been able to see through that kind of façade.
Serena rolled her eyes. "Ugh no but with everyone's mad obsession over the bad things he's done, he may as well have! It's like he's the new dinkleberg!"
"Man these guys are lucky they never met queen Beryl!" Raye remarked at this as they finally made it into the main building.
In a matter of minutes the pair had managed to assemble a futon in one of the spare rooms of which to place their patient. As they sat beside the girl's sleeping form Raye turned to Serena with an expression that meant business.
"So now are you gonna tell me exactly what's going on?"
"Of course!" Serena wasted no time in telling Raye everything that had happened in the forest from the confrontation to the crux of the battle with the unknown evil entity.
"Whoa whoa whoa you actually took on what could be a chaos incarnate all by yourself?" The raven-haired girl stared at her in disbelief.
"What else could I do?" The blonde protested shrilly. "Besides I don't think it was that strong to call it that…"
"If you can beat it without help, obviously not." Raye remarked. "But I wonder if it's connected to this Baltor in some way, I mean if she was working for him, maybe that's why he hired her!"
Serena tilted her head to one side as she looked at Darcy. "In case my energy first aid didn't work, d'you think you could exorcise her? You know so that evil definitely can't come back?"
"I don't think that's necessary," Raye clasped her hands together like she often did while meditating. "I can't sense anything evil lurking in her soul, but it seems her powers came from a source similar to the one that attacked her! It'll be a while before she fully recharges! And as impossible as it sounds, you seem to have done a pretty good job of it already!"
"Hey, give me a little credit at least!" Serena couldn't help but scowl. "It's hard enough trying to learn more about my moon power when I have to keep it a secret when I'm over there! You should have been at the headmistress's office this morning, you know that thing where grown-ups don't want you to feel bad about something but end up talking down to you? You know I don't handle stuff like that well!"
"At least it went better than your last careers interview!" Raye retorted.
flashback
Serena is sitting in the office while a careers person talks to her. She can't help staring at the large bowl of sweets located on the desk.
Career man: So Serena you're failing everything except home economics and art. I'm afraid this means that if you don't make an effort with your grades you'll end up doing something menial at a… (His phone rings) excuse me, may I?
Serena nods mutely. He turns his back to her and takes the call. Eventually he turns back.
Career man: Now where were w-
Serena has consumed all the sweets in the bowl and her mouth is now coated with sticky chocolate.
Serena (looks spaced out): You took too looong! Now yo caaandy's gooone! Tha's wha happened! Bugow!
She drops the sweets wrappers on the floor and exits the room.
End flashback
"Ughh…" Both girls were snapped out of their musings as Darcy's eyelids slowly fluttered open.
"Wh-where am I?" She groaned, trying to move her head. The image of two girls bending over her with concerned expressions swam into focus.
"Aah!" She sat upright with a start, her golden eyes wide with fear.
"Ssh." She was somehow instantly calmed by Serena's soft hand on her arm. Raye looked at her approvingly.
"You can channel energy like that already? Nice!"
"It's alright Darcy, you're safe here." Serena soothed. "Do you remember who I am?"
"Yes, you're Sailor Moon." Darcy was quick to answer, to prove she hadn't lost her memory.
Even though she had already heard that part of the story Raye couldn't help shooting a snide look at her blonde friend for revealing her secret identity so easily. The girl in question chose to pay no attention to this and gave a friendly smile.
"Sure, that's my name as a Sailor Scout! But when I'm like this you can just call me Serena! And this is my friend Raye!" She gestured to the Martian princess who gave a small bow in greeting.
"I'm Darcy." The witch told her. "You're friends with Sa-Serena?"
"Well it depends on how you define it…" Raye pretended to ponder as Serena stuck her tongue out childishly. "But seriously," She hastily continued at the look on Darcy's face. "She is a true friend!"
"Aww thanks Raye chan!" Serena put her arms around her.
Ignoring the affectionate action Raye turned to Darcy with a serious expression.
"Serena told me all about you, and that you have powers, but they come from dark magic, right?"
"Yeah," To be honest Darcy still felt out of it, as if she didn't have the energy to do anything.
"I'm afraid whatever possessed you drained a lot of your power, so they'll probably be very weak right now."
Darcy looked at her hands emotionlessly. "So I've lost my powers?"
"Not quite. You still have them, they just … need to be awakened again!" Serena said reassuringly.
"That's one way to put it." Raye raised an eyebrow at the turn of phrase. "But if you get lots of rest and rid yourself of all the negative vibes you'll get your full strength back in no time!"
"But wait, my power comes from darkness!" Darcy was confused. "I need negative energy for my magic to work! Positive energy doesn't mix well with me!"
"There is a difference." Raye told her. "There is such thing as people with dark magic who are not evil and put it to good use. We even know people like that. Think of it as fighting fire with fire!"
"Fire," Darcy groaned lying back on her pillow. "After all that wretched fairy Bloom put me through I never want to see another one of those again!"
At this Serena and Raye exchanged devilish grins. "Oh just wait 'til you see what a REAL mistress of fire can do!" Serena remarked knowingly.
000
During the showdown of darkness, Icy and Stormy had run into trouble with the other pixies in the rest of the forest. Icy had tried freezing half the wooded area but those little pests were just too quick for her. Stormy had tried capturing them in a twister but it turned out their tiny wings were sturdier than they looked. What was more, the little insects actually had some serious magic in them! And so here they were after a surprisingly long time, and they had not made any progress on finding the pixie village. They had come across the vast black field of energy before coming across the pixies, but found that they had been unable to get in and it seemed that anything inside would be unable to get out.
Their first assumption had been that Darcy had summoned it to catch the fairy she'd been looking for. Then Icy had pointed out that there was no way in hell that Darcy knew stuff that advanced. Then they had thought Baltor was conducting tests on some new tricks he had learned. When they had reached the area there was no trace of their sister or the Sailor Scout, they couldn't even sense a magic trail. However they had neither the time or the strength to dwell on such matters as
"Give it up witches!" Digit taunted. "It's time you showed some respect for little creatures like us!"
"Ugh you wish tiny tot!" Icy reached out to swipe her but the pixie of nanotechnology was too quick and the whitenette ended up falling flat on her front in the mud.
"Smooth move!" Stormy snapped sarcastically while the pixies and pixie pets burst out laughing at her sister's plight. "That'd be a great image for Baltor to see!" She snorted vindictively in her mind. "Plus now Darcy's done a runner he'll know she's unreliable! I'd have to be his main witch then!"
"Grrr Stormy if you get off your ass and smite these sugar puffs, I may or may not reconsider my plan of taking you out too!" Icy said in a dangerously low voice trying to keep her tone even but failing miserably.
"What is your crystal ball telling you about the witches Amore?" Tune whispered to the pixie of love, who was staring into her bright blue ball.
"Both have a strange energy around them!" Amore explained softly.
"Is it a love energy?"
The pink pixie frowned. "It's hard to tell! But maybe we can still use it against them!" She turned to the two Trix. "I see a powerful man in your lives witches!"
"Oh really? REALLY? We're doing this now?!" Icy was getting more and more agitated. "Just who gives you the right to go there? Who the fuck said that you could have any knowledge of my innermost thoughts and feelings?!" She drew herself up to her full height, a glint of insanity appearing in her sky blue eyes. "But guess what? You're wrong! I don't know anything about what you just pulled out of your ass and I sure as hell don't feel anything for…"
"Stop right now!"
The command made them swiftly turn around to see Baltor standing there with the Agador box under one arm.
"This witch-on-witch contest is over, I need you for other battles! Battles more important than this!" He stressed.
As he approached the two young witches they hung their heads in exhausted humiliation. While there were a few protests from Digit, the pixies and the animals took this opportunity to sneak away through the foliage.
"You two were defeated by pixies!" Baltor addressed them with disgust. "Not only is it pathetic, but it's also embarrassing to me!" He turned his head to look around at the leafy area surrounding them. "Now where is Darcy?"
"She… ran off." Icy replied slowly, as if she didn't want to admit it. "But we'll find her!" She was quick to add.
"I don't think that'll be necessary." Baltor waved her off dismissively. "From what it seems, Darcy won't be coming back."
"Huh?" Both witches were taken aback.
"Surely you must have felt this part of the forest enclosed in dark magic earlier?" The wizard enquired.
"That dark barrier," Icy and Stormy realized with a jolt. For the first time in ages they felt a sense of fear blow through them like a cold chill.
"Just before it was put up, I was able to glimpse two people inside, Darcy and that irritating vigilante Sailor Moon!"
"HER again?!" Icy exclaimed angrily. "Grr!" Electricity sparked through Stormy's hair and tightly clenched fists.
"So it would seem. But when it disappeared there was no trace of either of them." Baltor declared. "Oh well, one opponent down!" He shrugged.
"WHAT?!" Stormy shrieked and even Icy looked shocked.
"I'd had enough of that troublesome Sailor Moon, although I'd have enjoyed taking her down myself, if she and Darcy killed each other it means one less obstacle to my plans!"
"What about Darcy?!" Stormy demanded.
Baltor gave a small indifferent sigh. "I'll admit, her magic was useful for a few missions but my spell library should provide me with the mind control powers I need. Now let's go home, we've got a lot to do!"
Clapping his hands in a business like manner he strode ahead, intending for them to follow him. Icy did so almost right away, treading a little more heavily on the ground than she usually did, leaving frosty footprints in her wake. Stormy hung back a little before turning around and blasting a nearby tree, reducing it to a pile of ash, before she joined them.
000
"So where are we exactly?" Darcy looked around the unfamiliar room.
"This is Hikawa shrine, located in Tokyo Japan, my home town!" Serena announced proudly from the corner of the room as she assembled a few possessions she had left at the shrine, and which Raye had not so politely requested she take back with her.
"That's got to be good, no one knows my reputation on Earth," Darcy looked at the sheets in front of her with a dejected sigh. This didn't go unnoticed by the scarlet Sailor Scout, who was still next to her.
"What is it?" Raye asked gently.
"I-I don't know what to do with myself." Darcy tried her best to explain the dull aching sensation that was eating away at her insides. "I just feel so empty inside, like I'm no use to anyone…" A tear trickled down her cheek. "I'm not even sure of what I'm supposed to be anymore."
"You'll stay at the temple with me while you get better." Raye told her firmly. "But it'll be a few days before you can get up, let alone start to regain your powers! So like Serena said we'll just take one step at a time." She turned to Serena, who was loading a bag with some pony plushies. "So you got everything then Serena?"
"I'm good." Serena came back to join them having used a shrinking spell to fit the bag into her pocket.
"Please try not to leave your stuff lying around here in future." Raye sighed.
"Not even if they're presents from me to you?" Serena's eyes began to water.
"Alright fine." The onyx haired girl chose to admit defeat. "But I'd prefer it if they were tasteful, and didn't take up most of the room!" Her mind drifted back to the giant Godzilla statue Mina had bought from a convention.
Flashback
Serena, Ami, Raye and Lita are all staring at the enormous plastic figure of the famous Japanese kaiju. Mina leans against it with a huge grin.
Lita: That thing's gotta be life size! It's taller than me!
Raye (facepalm): I really don't want to ask how you managed to find it!
Mina: This con is the best! it has everything! Isn't it gorgeous?
The others sweatdrop as she gives it a big hug.
Ami: I don't mean to burst your bubble but just how are we going to get it home?
Mina: Sailor teleport.
They end up having to make their circle around it as they teleport home.
End flashback
"Yeah, that con was the best!" Serena grinned happily. "I finally got to meet one of my favorite actresses!"
Flashback
Serena arrives at the autograph signing stands in the huge centre. She walks up excitedly to a beautiful woman with short purple hair and brilliant green eyes. She is wearing an extremely short yellow shirt with matching shorts and has a large red jumper knotted around her torso.
Serena: Miss Valentine! I'm such a huge fan! Space Cowboys is one of my favorite animes! I cried at your back-story!
Faye Valentine (smiles): I know right? Especially episode 18!
Serena: Here, I drew this for you…
She shyly presents a picture of the character to the actress.
Faye Valentine: Thanks kid! It's lovely!
Convention staff: Would you like a photo?
Serena: Of course!
She gives her phone to the organizer and they both smile for the camera.
End flashback
"Serena you need to get going if you don't wanna get busted!" Raye said sharply. Someone had to keep that girl on her toes.
"Wait, you're going back to magix?" Darcy asked Serena sadly.
Serena nodded. "Uh huh. But don't worry you're in safe hands here. And besides," She turned to Raye with a wink. "I might pop back for a visit to reinforce my comic supply!"
"You already have more than enough," Raye sweatdropped.
"But in all seriousness I need to get back soon or they'll realize I've been gone and make the security even tighter than it already is." Serena groaned at the prospect before looking at the two girls.
"Until next time!" She smiled cheerfully before activating her teleport. After she had gone Raye turned to Darcy with a smile.
"So, if you're gonna be staying here, you'll have to learn the ways of the temple! I should have some spare robes in the storeroom!"
000
Once Serena had materialized in her dorm room she had just about enough time to jump on the nearest comfy chair and pull out a manga before she heard footsteps outside the entrance.
"Hi we're back!" Tecna put her head round the door.
"Huh? Oh, hi!" Serena raised a hand from behind her comic.
"Hey there Serena! We didn't find Baltor but I can tell you about our adventures if you want!" Musa entered the room with Tecna.
"Sure! I love adventures!" After suppressing a huge yawn Serena got up with a friendly smile. Luna, having caught sight of her Princess, sprinted swiftly into the room.
"Oh hey Luna!" Serena crouched down to pick her up. "I'll fill you in when we're alone." She mouthed when the others greeted their pixies, keeping her face close to the feline's and making sure she didn't make a sound that the fairy of music was bound to pick up on. Luna nodded immediately to confirm she understood.
When they came out into the courtyard they found Bloom searching one of the flowerbeds.
"Have you seen Kiko? It's strange you guys he usually comes running up to welcome me home the second I come back from a mission!" The red haired fairy asked.
"Now why can't you be more like that Luna?" Serena whispered to the cat in her arms. "All I get is 'Serena! You shouldn't be watching TV you should be out hunting the negaverse!"" Luna raised an eyebrow.
"Some mission! We couldn't find any trace of Baltor!" Musa hmmphed.
"Neither did I! And I'd thought he'd have shown his face when that hag surfaced," Serena wondered quietly out of earshot. "Not that I'm complaining of course!"
"Hmm but whatever it was will surely come back!" Luna whispered seriously. "If this darkness is under Baltor's control, the fate of the world depends on you!"
Serena gave a small nod, but they both looked up when they heard the chatter of an excited crowd outside the main campus.
"Three cheers for the pixies! Hip hip hooray!" They came out to see that all the Alfea students were gathered around the courtyard.
"Hey you guys! Guess what, the pixies saw Baltor today!" Stella exclaimed who was standing there with the rest of the winx.
"Huh?" All but Serena gasped in surprise.
"It's true! And little Digit took down two witches!" Amaryl gave a thumbs up.
Craning her neck Serena swelled with pride to see Glim up there with the others.
"Thank you thank you everybody!" Digit was waving to the crowd from her position at the fountain. "But I didn't do it alone, I had the help of the other pixies and Kiko and the pixie pets as well! They all deserve credit too!"
"And so we give a citation of valor to our brave pixies and a special medal for Digit!" Faragonda announced before turning to the blue pixie. "You really came through big for us today!"
Spotting the familiar girl Glim flew over from the podium to Serena.
"But what they really don't know, is that you were especially brave!" Serena whispered to her with a wink. "After all you took on an ancestress! Whatever they are…"
The light pixie giggled as she sat in the palm of Serena's hand.
"Serena where were you when all of this was happening?" Bloom turned around to face her, the other five fairies looking at her with interest.
"What? Oh you know me, I was totally here the whole time! You know, read some manga, practiced magic, watched some My little pony," Serena waved it off with a laugh. "Yup! And if you don't believe me you can ask Glim!" She turned to the pixie in her palm, who nodded fiercely.
"What can I say? Someone had to hold the fort when they were gone!" The Moon princess winked.
"That's good." Bloom smiled in relief. "The protective barrier would have kept you safe if Baltor and the witches had shown up!"
"Yeah well," Serena said mysteriously. "Something tells me they won't be such a big problem than you think!"
000
Deep in the one of the winding tunnels of Baltor's cavern Stormy was angrily blasting huge chunks of rock with lightning.
Eventually when she grew tired she fell to her knees; her long nails digging deep into the dirt. Her frizzy hair falling in front of her, hiding the hot tears streaming down her face. A few splashed onto the soil next to her fingers.
"Sailor Moon," She bared her teeth as she snarled inwardly. "If she didn't die before, she'll be wishing she had because when I find her I will make her pay!"