The room was dark, stretching off into the distance to disappear
into deeper shadow. It was filled with figures, some of them human
looking, some not human at all, and all of them waiting for...
something. From out of the darkness she came, a silvery gown flowing
around her, her almost white hair flowing down her back.
"Queen Serenity," Mamoru bowed, the black haired young man
garbed in ebony armor, edged in shining silver, a blood red cape flowing
over his shoulders.
Serenity gracefully accepted his help, settling into a throne
composed of some mysterious black stone. She looked out over her people,
then firmly said, "Bring forth Zoisite."
He came out of the crowd in a moment, long brown hair sweeping
back. Zoisite was so beautiful he could have been mistaken for a woman,
even dressed in the off gray costume of a Youma warrior. "My Queen," he
bowed, "it's good to have you back."
"Zoisite," the Queen's voice was cold as ice as she asked, "tell
me why I shouldn't kill you where you stand, worm?"
"My Queen," Zoisite took a fearful step backwards.
"Your slaying of the Tsukino family," Serenity continued on
frostily, "was the worst thing you could have done. My daughter not only
hates me, but she how vowed the destruction of all our kind in
vengeance."
"I... I...." Zoisite stuttered out fearfully, reluctantly
meeting those piercing blue eyes. He straightened up, summoning his
nerve and said, "I most humbly apologize for my error." A deep breath,
"No excuses, ma'am."
Serenity weighed him in her glance silently before Mamoru spoke
up. "The lesser Youma are mindless beasts, their Generals little
better," he said thoughtfully, "without their Queen's guidance. And they
did succeed in gathering enough energy to revive you."
"True," Serenity acknowledged thoughtfully. "Leave my sight,
Zoisite," she commanded, "and be glad you have your life."
"Thank you," Zoisite bowed and backed up, disappearing into the
crowd quickly and silently, clearly relieved to be escaping with his
life.
Serenity looked up at where Mamoru stood beside her throne,
"These senshi are dangerous, they have even managed to slay a few of our
kind."
"I would not have thought it possible for a human to kill an
Oni," Mamoru agreed grimly. "It seems we'll have to send out our best
against them."
"Not quite yet," Serenity shook her head, "there are still
players in this game that remain unrevealed." Her eyes glittered
dangerously, "What of the traitoress Setsuna?"
"Our best seers quest for her," Mamoru admitted reluctantly,
"but they have had little luck. She seems to be able to turn their sight
aside, somehow."
"It seems that Setsuna is as adept with the mysteries as she
ever was," Serenity said in a dangerous tone. She shook her head, "I
want her found, and I want her alive."
"Alive?" Mamoru echoed in surprise.
The Queen's eyes glittered with fury, and possibly unshed tears,
"I would see her pay for what she did to me, lingeringly."
"Of course my liege," Mamoru bowed deeply before turning to
disappear into the shadows, "I will see to it personally."
The Queen rose from her throne, sweeping the room with her gaze.
"More of our kind sleep in the darkness," Serenity said, "continue to
gather precious life force from the humans, that we may raise our armies
and sweep across this world."
To the cheers and eager cries of the lesser Oni and their Youma
warriors Serenity left the great hall, retreating to her private
chambers. "Summon the five to my quarters," she commanded her personal
guard before going inside. She swept past the living quarters to her
bedroom, raising her glance to take in the portrait that hung on the
wall.
Serenity stood on one side, a smile on her face, and beside her
stood Setsuna, an arm circled around the smaller woman's waist. She
gazed down at Serenity warmly, their stance telling of a deep and
unspoken intimacy. It had been painted months before she had become
pregnant, long before Setsuna betrayed her so coldly.
"Damn you," Serenity murmured, fury lacing her beautiful voice.
She moved to tear the portrait right off the wall but restrained
herself, just barely. Instead she grabbed the painting and flipped it
over, turning the image to the wall.
"My Queen," the guards out in the hall called out, "they are
here."
"Send them in," Serenity ordered, walking back into the
livingroom. The five warriors stood there, females nearly identical
except for their coloring. Called by some the Doom sisters they were
possibly the best warriors of the Youma, a match for almost any Oni.
Manticore raised her gaze to her Queen, red hair falling over
rose skin. "You called us?" the leader said simply.
"Indeed," the Queen walked over to pour herself a drink, thick
green fluid pooling in the glass. "I have a task for you," she said.
The blue haired second in command smiled coldly, confident in
their ability. "Name it," Chimera said to her simply.
"The five of prophecy have been gathered against us," Serenity
said simply, "and my daughter leads them against us."
Hydra tilted her head to the side, her light green skin
reminding one of the forests of ancient times. "If she comes into her
full power," she mused, "it could be bad."
"Then we'd better make sure that she doesn't," the earthy brown
haired woman noted.
"No, Gryphon," Serenity said to her firmly, "she may be an
enemy, but she is still of my blood." She paused, "And a full on attack
might awaken that fearsome potential."
Basilisk nodded grimly, acknowledging the point. "Then what
would you have us do, milady?" she asked.
"A most difficult task," Serenity said to them grimly. "I want
you to watch the next few battles, study these senshi as closely as you
can. Adopt human guise, learn their weaknesses. And when the time is
right," she smiled coldly, "slay all but the Princess."
"It will be done," Manticore said firmly.
With that the five simply seemed to disappear, racing from the
room faster than even an Oni's eyes could see. In the silence Serenity
finished off her drink smoothly, feeling a certain pain down in the
depths of her soul.
"You will be mine," Serenity finally murmured, thinking of her
blonde daughter, the blue eyes flashing in anger when they had met only
days before.
"No, she won't," the quiet voice said.
Serenity spun around, her eyes widening as she saw who stood
there. "Setsuna," she lunged without thinking, falling right through the
image before sliding to a stop.
"Usagi is out of your reach," Setsuna said to her softly. Her
glossy mane of black hair fell around her body, the expression oddly sad
as she gazed at Serenity.
"You traitorous lying...." Serenity hissed.
"I never lied," Setsuna's eyes flashed, "not when we were
together."
Serenity hesitated, looking at the woman in surprise. "If that
is so," she finally said softly, "how could you have done what you did?"
"It is my task," Setsuna said simply, "and my burden." Her form
gradually shifted to transparent, then it simply disappeared.
To be continued...
Author's Notes: The Doom sisters are of course the Doom and Gloom girls
from the end of the first season of Sailor Moon. They were never named
in the dub so I'm using the names of creatures from Greek mythology:
Manticore, Basilisk, Chimera, Gryphon and Hydra.
Back to Senshi: the Gathering of Five Index - Back to Sailor Moon Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction