Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars: Chaos Theory
Act 8: Tomoe Hotaru
By: Sora Kazeno
If you're looking for Mamoru this act you have to have until the next one. He will have some scenes then. Big changes are occurring in this act and a really important moment for Usagi. How much longer until Sailor Galaxia joins the group? When will the Starlight's Princess finally appear?
Hotaru was enjoying the cool breeze in the air as she pushed a few strands of hair to the side. Haruka and Michiru were keeping an eye on her and knew she couldn't travel too far. She wondered why they seemed to watch her every move lately. For the most part she wasn't allowed to be out their sight.
A whimper from a dog under a tree caught her attention. She walked over to the puppy and sat down next to the animal. "Are you okay?" She asked the puppy who could only whimper in response. When she looked at the dog more closely she realized the dog was injured. Hotaru reached out her hand and it hovered over the dog's leg. A soft glow began to emanate from her hand. The dog stopped whimpering in a few moments. After the glow disappeared the dog got up and licked Hotaru's hand before it ran off.
Hotaru didn't move for a moment as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. Did she just heal a dog? But how was that possible? She continued to stare at the tree and she tried to make sense of what just happened.
"Are you alright?" A tall emerald haired woman asked her.
"Setsuna-san!" Hotaru exclaimed as she was happy to see her. Haruka and Michiru stood next her.
"I heard it was time for ice cream," Michiru said with a smile.
Hotaru smiled in response and as she stood up. She began to take a few steps forward when two women appeared in front of her.
"Hotaru get behind us," Haruka directed her. Haruka pulled out a purple wand with a navy blue sphere out of nowhere.
Hotaru knew to not say or ask anything based on the tone of voice Haruka had just used.
"Who are you?" Setsuna asked as she looked at the two women she didn't recognize. But their bracelets were giveaways for why they were here and what they were after.
"I am Sailor Phi," said a woman in a long black dress. She had large slits in the sides of her dress going up to her waist and a pair of black heels. For the first time in battle she had her staff in her right hand. The stomach area of the dress was cut out and also looked like two separate pieces. She had light blonde hair tied in a bun on top of her head minus a few sections on each side of her head that fell to her hips.
Sailor Chi looked at them and realized this was her time to meet them face to face. "I am Sailor Chi, leader of the animates until our master returns," she said with a smile. She wore a red jumpsuit with red heels. Her hair style was similar to Sailor Chi but she had only hair hanging down on the right side of her face. Both of their hair styles resembled the top knot Galaxia had worn. "You know what we are after. Let's not make this any more difficult that it has to be. I am much stronger than the others."
"I guess we'll have to see just how strong you are," Haruka said as she raised her crystal wand. "Uranus Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Neptune Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"Pluto Crystal Power, Make Up!"
"The sky planet is my guardian deity, solider of the wind, Sailor Uranus!"
"The deep sea planet is my guardian deity, solider of embrace, Sailor Neptune!"
"The planet of time and space is my guardian deity, solider of revolution, Sailor Pluto!"
"We are the three sailor soldiers from the outer solar system. Here..."
"We are!"
Sailor Chi snickered at them. "Is that supposed to be intimidating?" She laughed for a few seconds and the abruptly stopped. She turned to Sailor Phi. "You know what to do."
"I will get Hotaru out of here," Sailor Pluto said to Sailor Uranus. Sailor Uranus nodded her head in response. "This way Hotaru," Sailor Pluto said as she grabbed the young girl by the hand and began to lead her away. Sailor Pluto did travel too far before Sailor Phi appeared in front of her.
"Going somewhere? But the fun is just starting!" Sailor Phi said as she pointed her staff at Sailor Pluto and Hotaru.
"Pluto!" Sailor Uranus exclaimed when she realized she was trapped.
"You should watch yourself. I will be your opponent," Sailor Chi said. With blinding speed Sailor Chi began attacking Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune.
"Uranus!" Sailor Neptune said as she jumped in front of Sailor Uranus who had her back facing Sailor Chi. Sailor Neptune knew she didn't have much time and put everything she could into an attack. "Deep Submerge!"
The two energies hit head on but Sailor Chi was more powerful and broke Sailor Neptune's blast in half.
The remaining energy that broke apart her attack knocked herself and Sailor Uranus to their feet. "Such power," Sailor Neptune said as she struggled to stand up again.
"She is almost as powerful as Galaxia," Sailor Uranus said as she looked over at Sailor Neptune. "We have a chance this time," she said with a smile.
Sailor Phi used her staff to blast Sailor Pluto with dark energy. Sailor Pluto was able to dodge part of the attack as she protected the little girl. However her staff was knocked away from her which made it difficult to attack.
"You were better off staying down," Sailor Chi said as she looked at Sailor Uranus and Neptune who were now on their feet. She attacked them again. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune were able to dodge the first attack but where in the exact space of where the next attack was. This one connected with them. It knocked them to the ground hard.
Sailor Chi raised her bracelets and fired golden energy out of them toward Hotaru. Sailor Pluto tried to block the energy from reaching Hotaru but she wasn't fast enough.
Hotaru screamed as the energy hit her. A tangerine flower appeared on her chest and a purple starseed appeared.
Sailor Chi took a step forward as the starseed seemed to change slightly. Sailor Chi became hopeful for the first time in the past two weeks.
The purple starseed let out a small sparkle of black energy and then returned to its original state. It was just a normal starseed. Sailor Chi frowned, "this starseed did have some of Chaos' energy but such a small fraction. The one that we need will have far more energy." Sailor Chi looked at the starseed in her hand. "This starseed is dangerous though. Saturn possesses great power which could hamper our plans."
"Return Hotaru's starseed," demanded Sailor Uranus as she took a few steps in Sailor Chi's direction. Sailor Neptune also took a few steps forward. Sailor Pluto had picked up her staff and was making her way to the other senshi.
"Return it? I think not," Sailor Chi said firmly as she put the starseed between her hands. She summoned some dark energy and began to crush Hotaru's starseed.
Hotaru's body was quickly vanishing. She moaned in pain as her starseed was slowly being destroyed.
Sailor Chi was hit from a wave of golden energy from behind. She lost the starseed in the process and the starseed was picked up a golden blur. The golden blur landed next to Hotaru. Sailor Galaxia returned Hotaru's starseed. Hotaru's body began to return to normal and her eyes began to flutter open. She gasped when she saw Sailor Galaxia leaned over her.
Hotaru summoned her crystal wand while the symbol of Saturn glowed on her forehead. She quickly got to her feet. "Saturn Crystal Power, Make Up!" Sailor Saturn stood before Sailor Galaxia with her glaive pointed at her. "What are you doing here?"
"I am here to help you," Sailor Galaxia said as she took a few steps back from Sailor Saturn. Sailor Galaxia turned her focus on the two animates before her. She focused on her attention on Sailor Chi. "Why are you doing this?" She asked her.
"I am completing the work you began with Chaos. Imagine my surprise when I found out you returned countless starseeds and abandoned Chaos' will. You left me in charge of another galaxy and you left us." Sailor Chi said as she glared at her former leader.
"It was never my will. Chaos took control of me. It is time you took control of yourself again as well," Sailor Galaxia said as she raised her right hand. The bracelets on Sailor Chi's wrists began to glow. The bracelets seemed to flicker for a moment but remained securely on her wrists.
Sailor Chi laughed at Galaxia's efforts to collect her bracelets. "You're forgetting these bracelets are granted by Chaos! Yet you are still wearing yours," Sailor Chi said as she turned her head to the side while she stared at Sailor Galaxia's wrists.
"These bracelet were never supposed to represent anything but a part of my sailor fuku," Sailor Galaxia said as she glanced at the bracelet on her right wrist.
"It is only a matter of time before Chaos regains control of everything. Our master is growing in power and soon no one will be able to stop him. It is only a matter of time before Chaos is awakened," Sailor Phi said as she appeared next to Sailor Chi.
Sailor Chi turned to her companion, "it is time we take our leave." The two sailor animates vanished from sight which left Sailor Galaxia alone with the outer sailor senshi.
Sailor Galaxia faced the outer senshi and asked them, "where is Sailor Moon? I must speak with her immediately."
"You show up out of nowhere and expect us to tell you where our Princess is? Especially after we know the ones that have been attacking us are your minions?" Sailor Neptune questioned her as her eyes narrowed.
Sailor Galaxia was taken aback by her tone but to it was expect to an extent. The last time they met she took their starseeds and had them kill Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn before they turned against her. She ultimately took their lives. She realized it would not be possible to talk to Sailor Moon in their presence. "Then tell me where the Sailor Starlights are?
"The Sailor Starlights are not our concern. If you want to talk to them, you find them," Sailor Uranus said in menacing tone.
"Uranus. Neptune." Sailor Pluto said as she addressed her fellow senshi. "Perhaps we should hear out Sailor Galaxia. She did just return Hotaru's starseed."
"It was an act," Sailor Uranus said with an icy tone in her voice. "Lets go." She directed the other senshi. They left.
Sailor Galaxia was speechless at the reception she received. She expected some level of distrust due to her past actions but not to this extent. She reverted back to a civilian form to avoid attention to herself while she searched for the senshi from the Kinmoku star system. She looked around and realized she didn't know where to start. An idea struck her. She was glad Princess Kakyuu gave her a small box before she left and told her to use it if she ever needed to contact the Starlights. It was now or never. She opened the box. A red butterfly flew out of the box flapping its wings a few times as if it was looking at her. The butterfly began to fly away. Galaxia quickly began to follow the butterfly realizing it would lead her to the Starlights.
The Three Lights were taking advantage of a day off by resting at their apartment. Unfortunately their moments of peace were not to last. A twinkling sound made them look to their front door. A red butterfly flew through the door. A few seconds later there was a knock at the door.
Taiki was nearest to the door and quickly opened the door. He hoped it would be their princess. He was greatly disappointed when he learned it was really Galaxia.
"Princess Kakyuu sent me to help you and Sailor Moon. We need to talk," Galaxia said as greeted him at the door.
Taiki didn't verbally respond but moved to the side to let her in the apartment.
"Taiki?" Yaten said as he doubted his actions by allowing Galaxia in so easily.
"Our Princess told us she was on her way to help us. How can we not believe in our Princess?" Seiya said as he looked over at Yaten.
Yaten sulked for a moment but knew what Seiya had said was the truth.
"Things are progressing at a much faster pace that I originally anticipated and now that I know some of the animates are involved it is necessary to try to seal Chaos as soon as possible. Is it possible for you to talk to Sailor Moon and for her to be here? I need to speak to everyone that was alive during the final battle against Chaos last time." Galaxia asked with a hopeful tone in her voice. "The outer senshi were not very helpful even after I stopped Sailor Chi and returned Sailor Saturn's starseed."
"Sailor Saturn? There was another attack?" Yaten asked as his interested perked.
"Yes less than an hour ago," Galaxia said as she sat in a chair to the side of the Three Lights.
Seiya was on the telephone calling Usagi.
"Usagi you have another telephone call!" Ikkuko's voice called up the stairs.
Usagi slightly cringed inwardly. She recognized that tone. There was a boy on the other end of the telephone. "I'll be right back," Usagi said to Rei as she got up and left.
"I'm not going anywhere," said Rei as Usagi left the room.
"I'm worried about her Rei-chan. She seems so different. She has been less patient with everyone and she is constantly tired. But she keeps sleeping all the time. Usagi-chan only denies something is wrong and keeps becoming angry if anyone tries to ask her."
Usagi quickly went down the staircase wondering who was calling her. "Hello?" She said when she picked up the telephone.
Seiya's voice came over the telephone. "Galaxia is here. Saturn was attacked this morning. Galaxia wants to speak to you at our apartment. Get here as soon as you can."
"She's here?" Usagi mumbled in disbelief. "What is the address?" Usagi asked as she grabbed paper and a pen. She quickly scribbled down the address given to her. "I'm on my way." Usagi hung up the telephone and immediately grabbed her shoes and began putting them on. "I'm going out Mom!" Usagi called over her shoulder as she left the house.
Ikkuko didn't hear Usagi right away but knew Usagi had said something. After she didn't hear anything for a few minutes she walked over to the front room and realized that her daughter had left. Rei's shoes were still at the front door. She found this behavior to be very odd. She sighed and went back upstairs. She knocked on Usagi's door and Rei's voice answered. Ikkuko opened the door and looked at Rei. "Usagi just received a telephone call and then she left somewhere. I'm not sure where."
Rei gasped at Ikkuko's information. "Do you have any idea where she went?" Rei asked her as she rose to her feet, her anger being to boil.
"I'm not sure. It was from a young man," Ikkuko said as she tapped her index finger on her chin. "Maybe it was from Seiya-san!" Ikkuko said very excitedly. "I keep trying to get her to invite him to dinner! I want to have a famous celebrity over to eat my cooking!"
Rei smiled at Ikkuko's comments to be polite. "I'm going to see if I can catch up to Usagi," Rei said as headed downstairs to put her shoes on.
Usagi felt proud of herself that she made it to her destination with very few difficulties. She paused at the door to their apartment. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. It was at that moment she realized what she had done. She left her house without telling Rei who was still in her room. 'Rei-chan is going to be really mad'. Usagi said as she thought of Rei yelling at her.
The door opened and Yaten greeted her. "Took you long enough," he said as he moved to the side to let her in.
"I got a little lost…" Usagi said with a nervous laugh trying to defuse the awkwardness of the situation.
Seiya laughed at her remark, "something's never change."
"Sailor Moon," Galaxia said as she stood up to greet her. "I am happy to see you again but I wish it was under better circumstances."
Usagi nodded her head in response. "I'm glad to see you are doing well. I've been wondering how you've been! I also wanted to thank you for guiding all of the starseeds back to where they belong."
"It was the least I could do," Galaxia said with a warm smile. "Thank you for looking after my starseed, Chibi Chibi. We have much to discuss. Please be seated," Galaxia gestured with her hand. Usagi sat down as she was directed.
"During the final battle," Galaxia began "the light of hope is what helped release Chaos. There is no light of hope in this battle against Chaos."
"But we will be fine since you are the most powerful senshi," Taiki interrupted her.
Galaxia frowned at his remarks. "I wish that was true. When I was consumed by Chaos I believed that I was the most powerful senshi. But that is irrelevant right now. I believe Chaos is hidden within a starseed and it is using the starseed to slowly improve its strength."
Galaxia placed a cauldron on the table before them. "This is a cauldron of Chaos. Unfortunately it only has a fraction of Chaos' true power. I was able to retrieve another small piece this morning from Sailor Saturn's starseed. In order to trap Chaos once and for all we must return the rest of its power to this cauldron then we will finally be free from Chaos."
"If Chaos is so powerful why hasn't it attacked sooner?" Seiya asked as he looked at the cauldron before him.
"Chaos was severely injured in the last battle and needed time to recover," explained Galaxia as she sat down on a chair near the others.
"What worries me the most is that whoever Chaos in hiding behind may be more power than I," Galaxia said as she carefully looked at others. "Sailor Moon" Galaxia said as she turned to face her. "You were able to release Chaos with the help of the light of hope, in a sense a part of my power. I don't know if you will have someone to help this time. Observe everyone carefully since Chaos changes a person drastically."
"How so?" Usagi asked as she felt her heart race recalling the final battle against Chaos.
"Each person has a dark side to their soul. Chaos can cause a person to do things they would normally not do. A person restrains themselves from acting on some impulses. Chaos destroys that control. There are often things a person wishes to do but would never act in the manner. The animates are after everyone's starseeds in a hope to release Chaos. I was fairly certain Chaos was within Saturn's starseed… due to her past. It seemed like a place Chaos would gravitate to. But I was wrong. After talking with Princess Kakyuu and the Starlights it is very possible Chaos is residing in a starseed that belongs in this room."
No one said anything as Galaxia's message sank in.
Galaxia continued, "no one in this room has had their starseed checked. However, there were hundreds of other starseeds present when Chaos was released. Until we find Chaos we must watch each other closely since we know the animates will continue to attack. Princess Kakyuu and I are trying to find a way to find Chaos in the meantime but all of our efforts have been unsuccessful."
"So as long as one of the animates isn't able to go after our starseed, we're fine," Seiya said trying to sum up what he had just heard from Galaxia.
"Correct. Chaos can not awaken unless it is freed from the starseed it has possessed," Galaxia said as she looked around the room. "I would have liked to include the other senshi but did I not receive the warmest reception and this matter needed to be discussed immediately. Sailor Moon, please convey this to your senshi." Galaxia rose and took the cauldron with her. "I am going to take my leave now. I am going to see what else I can learn about Chaos. Princess Kakyuu will be joining us on Earth shortly."
None of the Three Lights said anything for a few minutes after she left.
"There is no way Chaos is trapped inside of any of us," Yaten said as he flicked some of his hair back. "She said it herself there are still hundreds of other starseeds."
"But the animates are on this planet," Taiki interjected.
"And then when they realize they are wrong they will go somewhere else," concluded Yaten. "If Chaos was hiding within someone I think we would have noticed by now."
"It's getting late," Usagi said as she stood up to leave.
"Let me walk you home so you don't get lost," Seiya said with a wink.
Usagi smiled. "Yeah. I really don't want to get lost again. That happens too much," Usagi said as she thought about how it took her an hour to get somewhere and the girls wouldn't stop teasing her.
The two walked quietly for a while each reflected on what they learned. Usagi snapped out of her daze and realized they were in front of a park. "Can we go to the park for a little bit?" Usagi asked in a timid voice. "I kind of left my house when Rei-chan was over and I'm really hoping she isn't still there when I get back or Luna even. I know she'll scold me too…" Usagi said as her voice traveled off. The two walked in the park.
Seiya began laughing. Usagi looked at him for a moment. "What is so funny?"
"You just ran out of your house and left Rei-chan there? She is going to be really mad!" Seiya said as he continued to laugh.
"But seriously…" Usagi said as her voice became quieter, "the girls keep judging me."
Seiya stopped laughing when he heard the sadness in her voice.
"What do you mean they keep judging you? That doesn't sound right," Seiya said as he found an empty bench to sit down on with Usagi.
"They keep saying I'm spending too much time with the Three Lights. But how can I spend time with them when it took them a while to remember me!" Usagi said as she looked down at her hands. "Haruka-san and the others don't want me to see the Lights either but there weren't there when we went against Chaos! You saved me countless times…" Usagi said as she continued to look at her hands. She then snapped her head up to look at Seiya. "I'm glad that you don't judge me like everyone else. You accept me for who I am."
"Odango…" Seiya said but he couldn't form the correct the words.
Usagi continued, "they have been judging me for years! Ever since I first became Sailor Moon. Rei-chan has always the worst! She teases me about everything!" Usagi said as her eyes began to fill with tears. "It's like I was never good enough! Back when we first became senshi we didn't know whom the Moon Princess was. I know they were all disappointed when they learned it was me!" Somewhere in the process of speaking she had placed her hands on top of Seiya's.
Seiya felt his heart racing in his chest at how close Usagi had gotten to him once they sat down on the bench. He wanted nothing more to reassure her in some form but he couldn't think of the words. His mind was blank. It was like he couldn't talk. So he continued to listen.
"People have always been telling me what I can and can't do because of how I am now or who I was in a former life. It's like they expect me to be perfect! But you don't…I can't handle it anymore…" Usagi said as her voice grew very quiet.
Seiya could never predict what was about to happen in a million years. He had always hoped something like this would happen but never did he believe it ever would in his wildest dreams. Usagi leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.
Okay who saw that coming? So it looks like after everything that has happened Usagi has finally developed feelings for Seiya. But what about Mamoru? Does this mean Usagi gave up on him because she kissed Seiya? Find out soon! Act 9: Chiba Mamoru
It looks like Galaxia has developed a list of possible candidates for the starseed the animates are after Mamoru but he wasn't on that list. Did she forget about it him… or is it him? This will be answered in the next act. Is Galaxia's appearance a good thing or a bad thing? Find out on April 9th!
