"Susan!" the voice said sharply through the sudden haze that was fogging
her mind and blurring her senses. "Don't you dare pass out on me now, dammit,
wake up! C'mon, I said wake *UP!*"
"I'm awake," Susan muttered as she lifted her head up from her arms. The
throbbing in her back was slowly fading as the powerful painkillers started to
have an effect, numbing both her agitated nerves and her brain.
Mercury snorted as she emptied the pan into the sink and set it back down
at the base of Susan's spine. "Convince me," she retorted as she refilled the
needleless syringe with more of the light-blue antiseptic. "Open your eyes and
keep them open. Otherwise I'm going to have to turn off the morphine drip so
I know you're not going to slip into a coma or worse. Now hold still."
Susan just sighed before wincing in pain as the antiseptic was carefully
squirted around the edges of her broken wings. "Must you do that?" she gasped.
"I told you, it will heal on its own in a matter of hours."
"Do you WANT an infection?" Mercury shot back as she continued cleansing
the jagged wounds. "Look, I know you're special and all that, or at least you
like to think you are, and I know how fast you heal cuts, so I'm not going to
try to suture anything shut for you. However, you're still dripping blood on
my clean white floor, so until you decide to stop doing that I'm going to keep
sterilizing everything so I don't wind up with some superstrain of bacteria or
something trying to take up residence in a spot of dried demon blood and eating
a hole in the mop as I try to get rid of it. Now HOLD STILL!"
Susan just sighed again as the redhead prattled on about how she already
had her hands full dealing with her newborn and trying to reassure both Saturn
and Mars that being pregnant really wasn't anything to lose sleep over. "My
point exactly," the bleeding succubus said when she finally was able to get a
word in edgewise. "Your time is quite valuable and thus shouldn't be wasted on
doing something that will completely take care of itself in seventy-two hours."
"Oh, so now I'm wasting my time trying to take care of you and your broken
wings?" Mercury said archly. "You're the dingbat who got them broken in the
first place, and by doing something stupid at that! You're how old again, two
hundred something?"
"Something like that," Susan muttered, already seeing what was about to
come down the proverbial pipe.
"Well, if you don't settle down and wise up, you won't live to see three
hundred," Mercury growled as she rinsed more of the wounds with the antiseptic.
"Jupiter's daughter is only four, but even she knows that you stop and look at
what's on the other side of a warp gate before you jump through it."
"It's a touch difficult to do something like that with time-travel," Susan
protested quietly, gasping as another sharp bolt of pain shot through her back
from the solution making contact with exposed nerve endings.
"I suggest you learn how to make it easier," Mercury retorted. "You of
all people should know to look before you leap. Tell me again what got you?"
"It's called a van," Susan tried to explain as calmly as she could. "In
the latter part of the twentieth century, Earth's technology succeeds in making
an internal-combustion engine economical enough to allow mass-production for
usage in personal transport vehicles. One design is for a multi-passenger
transport, and apparently I had the misfortune of emerging from the temporal
flow right in its path."
Mercury snorted in remote amusement. "So basically you got yourself run
over by a large rover," she observed dryly.
"Something like that," Susan conceded with a sigh, knowing that it would
probably be a very long time until she heard the end of it.
"So how'd those future humans react, anyway?" Mercury inquired casually.
"It's not every day you have to stop and pull a winged demon off of the front
of your rover because you somehow managed to run over her careless butt...."
"I slipped back into to the timestream as soon as I was able to do so,"
Susan sighed. "I don't think they had any true idea of what they hit, and even
if they did, it happened so far into the future as to be irrelevant. The time
period and location in question had a reputation for wide-spread popular usage
of certain hallucinogens by specific groups, so it's possible that the incident
will be passed off as 'tripping out on a bad shroom.'"
Mercury smirked. "Unless you left a dent that has to be explained...."
"Unlikely," Susan countered. "This was before they started building the
frames from aluminum and the bumpers from plastic."
"Mmm hmm," Mercury said absently. "Tell you what, I'll be nice and skip
the lecture this time, seeing how a dog that was as smart as a rock in a box
could learn from this one just by watching from the sidelines."
"I appreciate your kindness," Susan said demurely.
"I'm sure you do," the redhead said in a voice as dry as a barren desert.
"Hopefully this will teach you more than a few lessons about life, Susan."
Susan chuckled quietly to herself. "And what other lessons are to be
gleaned from this, aside from watching where you walk?" she inquired.
"That people care about you, for one," Mercury said in an edged tone.
That drew a hard blink from Susan. "I was not aware that there was ever
any doubt about the matter," she pointed out.
"You're not aware of a lot of things," Mercury grumbled as she refilled
the syringe yet again. "Look, we all know you're a decent person at heart,
even if you act odd at times. And I'm not talking about seducing the guards,
either," she added. "That one is easy to understand. Hell, I've been tempted
to have a few pelvic muscle kinks worked out by one of the cute ones every now
and then myself, but that was years ago and not anywhere close to the point.
No, don't do that!" she yelped as Susan's wings started to flex.
A strangled cry leapt out of her lips as a fracture was forced back into
alignment with a sharp snap. "Aaaaahhhh! That.... ow.... that really wasn't
intentional," Susan whimpered, her red eyes wide and starting to tear up.
Mercury just sighed in resignation and picked up her hand-held medical
computer. "So much for that," she groused as she studied the new readings.
"Huh. Well, damn, that actually set the bone pretty straight. Good, means I
won't have to try to split the bastard. Oh, what the hell.... You might as
well go ahead and fix the other three while you're busy ignoring my advice to
hold still so you wouldn't exacerbate the wounds."
"Thank you, Doctor," Susan sighed as she took a deep breath and steeled
herself. The muscles in her back spasmed again, resulting in another three
sharp snaps of broken bones being reset and a truly agonizing wave of pain.
"Damn," Mercury said as her eyebrows arched up. "Worked like a charm.
I wish I could reset broken bones that easily. I'd pat you on the back, Lady
Pluto, but that would probably be a bad idea right now. Wait, don't exhale!
Hold it! Hold it.... hold it..... now."
Susan gasped quietly as her breath left her lungs in a mad exodus, only to
nearly choke on the sheer volume of air that rushed to fill the vacancy in her
chest. "W.... Why was I supposed to do that?" she wheezed as she tried to
breathe evenly.
Mercury paused for a moment before she shrugged. "No reason, really, I
was just being a bitch on impulse. Smile, Susan, it won't hurt that pretty
face of yours, honest. You're still bleeding on my floor, you know. If you
don't stop that in the next five minutes, I'm going to start a transfusion so
you don't end up bleeding out on me."
The succubus blinked hard and cast a dubious look over her shoulder. "I
think the constant stream of antiseptic is interfering with my body's attempt
at clotting," she suggested.
"Who's the doctor here?" Mercury demanded as she crossed her arms. "The
way I see it, as long as you're in my office and bleeding on my floor, you're
my patient and you do what I tell you to. Which includes sitting still and
listening to me try to get you to open your eyes about a few things."
Susan just sighed yet again and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her
knees and putting her head in her hands. "Very well, Doctor, I assure you that
you now have my complete and totally undivided attention," she said wearily.
"Good," the redhead said primly as she eyed the dark red blood that was
continuing to ooze out of the various lacerations in Susan's leathery wings.
"I know you're only half-human and that you have a demon's psyche to try to
cope with, but being half-human doesn't mean you only have half of a human's
needs as well. We all know you're lonely, Lady Pluto, but you won't let anyone
try to get close to you. And whenever you do, it's always just for sex."
"Doctor, please...." Susan sighed.
"Sit and rotate, I'm not finished yet," Mercury growled, drawing a very
startled blink from the succubus. "You need to quit acting like we're not good
enough for you or something. Yes, you're from an advanced race, or at least in
some aspects, but you're still one of us. You're a Sailor Scout like me, and
that means we're on the same team. We have to be there for one another in our
times of need, even if we don't particularly feel like it or otherwise care."
The redhead sighed quietly and closed her hand-held computer. "You think
I don't know you can mend on your own? Give me some credit, I probably know
just as much about how your body operates as you do, and that includes most of
your demonic side as well. The reason I'm in here with you is because one, I'm
worried as hell since, demon or no, broken bones aren't something you casually
brush off, and two.... you're one of us. So what if you're able to take care
of yourself all by your lonesome? I can do that too, but I still take comfort
and solace, and even happiness, in knowing that everyone else has my back if I
can't do it and need to scream for backup. You'd be surprised how well such
feelings help you make it though a really tough day. If you let them," she
added in a quiet tone as an after-thought.
Susan said nothing as Mercury carefully pulled the IV drip out of her arm
and began to pack everything away. "Doctor...." she said very quietly as the
bottle of antiseptic was capped and filed away.
"You'll be fine," Mercury replied. "The bleeding just stopped, and I can
already see signs of both muscle and bone recovery. I would strongly suggest
you try to keep your wings as perfectly still as possible over the next few
days, but I'm a physician and not a veterinarian who knows how wings work, so
just take that one for what it's worth. Now get the hell out of my ward."
Susan blinked hard and sighed once more. "With all due respect, Doctor,
your bedside manner could use a little work," she grumbled as she stood up.
Mercury paused in the doorway. "If my mannerisms are all that bad, Lady
Pluto, then why am I not suffering from a lack of friends like you are? Yes,
I'm a little gruff with my patients, especially when it involves blatant and
unpardonable stupidity, but I still know how to connect with people. Perhaps
you should try to do the same," she said before she vanished from sight.
Susan was quiet for a long time as she looked around the empty medical
ward. Perhaps she's right, she thought before she blinked. Wait, why am I
here? How did I get here? This isn't right....
And with a deep grunt that she more felt than heard, she slipped out of
the realm of subconscious dreams and fully woke up. It took a few seconds to
reorient herself to her surroundings, suddenly remembering that she was still
sitting in the chair on Earth instead of in the Moon Kingdom of the past.
"What is it?" Myst asked quietly, startling her.
Susan blinked and looked over at the table. "Just a memory in the form
of another dream," she murmured. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed that
Myst was curled up in a nearly perfect sphere with only her ears, whiskers, and
tail protruding to give any indication that she was a cat instead of a fuzzy
gray plush ball. "Were you sleeping?"
"I think so," Myst said after a moment. "I'm not sure."
"How can you not be sure?" Susan inquired as she carefully leaned back.
The bones in her wings hadn't fully mended yet and she was still in a moderate
amount of pain, but it was a definite improvement compared to how she had felt
before she started her nap. She made a face as her wings twitched reflexively,
flooding her nerves with more raw pain. That the sensation was caused more by
severe muscle stiffness than torn ligaments and twisted muscles was of scant
comfort to her as she struggled to keep herself from making any noise.
"I didn't dream, if that's what you mean," the Shinma replied quietly.
"But neither was I aware of any passage of time. I thought we were just
talking a few minutes ago, then you fell asleep and my mind began to wander."
She made a soft noise to herself, knowing that there were days in which a
dreamless sleep was far preferable to being held at the mercy of whatever it
was that one's subconscious felt like putting the mind through. "Time is like
that," she said demurely. "It can slip past you without you knowing it, but it
can also drag you along and make seconds seem like hours. Perhaps I was more
tired than I thought," she added as she studied the wall clock. "I believe
that sunrise is a little less than an hour from now. Goodness, you must've
been tired too...."
Myst gave her an apologetic look as she continued yawning. "I'm sorry,"
she rasped once she was finished, flicking her tail. "That was unexpected."
Susan shrugged absently, only mildly regretting the movement as it sent a
dull wave of pain through her sorely abused muscles. "It helps to flush out
the lungs and add a small increase of fresh oxygen to the bloodstream. You do
have a bloodstream in that form, correct?" she inquired with idle curiosity.
"I should," the kitten replied, making a sour face as she suddenly yawned
again. "I'm not sure how well I copied this form from your memories, but I
apparently did it well enough to not stand out from the other Lunar cats."
Susan nodded and slowly stood up, ignoring the towel as it fell away from
her chest to expose her state of undress. "I take it you've been able to get
along with Luna and Artemis?"
Myst wrinkled her nose. "They're sometimes as hard to understand as you
and the humans are," she grumbled. "But I haven't run into any problems with
them. I don't understand why they enjoy spending so much time sleeping in that
bird nest with Ra'vel, however. It doesn't make sense to me."
A small smile touched Susan's lips. "It's a cat thing," she murmured as
she took a deep breath and carefully worked the kinks out of the rest of her
muscles, trying not to flex her wings any more than necessary. She knew it
would probably be another day or two before she could safely assume her human
form and absorb her wings, but she wasn't overly bothered by the limitation.
"If you say so," the Shinma muttered.
"It doesn't matter as long as you're reasonably comfortable with your
environment," Susan said lightly. She sighed as she finished stretching and
started to repack the medical kit lying on the table from yesterday. "And you
would be surprised at how much.... happiness such comfort can bring," she said
in a very quiet voice, suddenly reminded of the memory-dream.
Myst blinked at the change in her expression. "Are you okay, Susan?"
"I will be," the succubus replied quietly as she finished her task. "How
I feel right now is of little importance when compared to the magnitude of our
situation. Come, I need to get dressed so as not to offend the others and then
start breakfast. They're going to need all the energy they can get."
"All we need to do is find Serena, right?" Myst ventured as she hopped
down from the table and followed Susan down the residential hallway.
"In theory," Susan sighed. "But what has ever been as truly simple as it
appears to be at first glance? Finding the Princess is only half the problem
they face. The other half, of course, is seeing if they can keep both her and
themselves alive long enough to return here...."
* * * *
The night-watch supervisor looked up as Dragoon Commander K'tal stormed
into the Operations center. "Fair morning, Commander," she said in a gentle
tone, surprised to see him at this hour. "You're up awful early today...."
"This is insane," he fumed as he strode across the room to the master
console and keyed his ciphers into it. "What the hell was she thinking? If
this doesn't start a war, nothing will...."
"Sir...?" the crew chief said, blinking in confusion.
"Hold that thought, Chief," he growled as the computer validated him and
granted him full access. He immediately brought his entire fist down hard on
a button and turned his attention to the communication system.
"Attention, this is Dragoon Commander K'tal," he said into the speaker as
every single display in the Headquarters Complex took on a flashing yellow
border. "I am declaring a system-wide level-2 alert status for all sections.
I repeat, this is a level-2 alert declaration. I want a full department head
meeting in the conference room in fifteen minutes. Master Chief D'Nina report
to Operations immediately. Commander K'tal out."
"Sir," his night-watch supervisor protested. "I haven't received any sort
of threat information on any circuit or system. What's going on here?"
"I said hold that thought, Chief," the Dragoon growled. "Communications,
verify the presence of a single triple-band carrier wave modulating between the
X and Z matrix feeds. Don't bother trying to pinpoint the source, just tell me
if you can spot it."
"One moment, sir," the junior-grade communications lieutenant replied.
"D'Nina to Operations," the speaker crackled. "I'm on my way."
"Lieutenant?" K'tal prompted with quiet urgency.
"Confirmed, sir. It's actually a composition of three different carrier
waves along a single guide path, but it's definitely a frequency-hopper and an
energetic one at that. I can't hold any of the signals for more than a split-
second before it jumps to another frequency band. The signal strength isn't
all that powerful, but good luck trying to get a position fix on it."
K'tal replied with a word that none of the night-watch crew could remember
hearing used since a cadet had gotten a sensitive part of his anatomy caught
while shutting the heavy access hatch on a console several months ago. "Oh,
by the NegaForce, what was she THINKING?" he sighed up at the ceiling. "How
many signals are there?"
"Just one being modulated across the bands, sir," the officer reported.
"Great, just p'takh'enn great," K'tal muttered. "We're in for it now."
"Sir, are you okay?" the crew chief ventured.
The door hissed open to admit a very bleary-eyed Master Chief D'Nina into
the room. "Status?" she inquired as she tried to make her way over to her
console without bumping into anything or anyone.
"K'vesen," K'tal said bluntly.
"I'm listening, Commander," the senior chief replied archly.
"Ael'ien just woke me up to inform me that she just received a verified
report that Sailor Moon has been taken hostage and is currently being held at
the Imperial Castle," he said as evenly as possible. "I just checked for the
presence of their communicators and found one of their signals. As I'm led to
believe they're carried with them at all times, I have every reason to presume
that there's a lone Sailor Scout somewhere in the Negaverse right now. And if
it really is Sailor Moon, she won't be by herself for much longer. Now do you
see why I think we're all about to be in very serious trouble?"
"Ay'cha navidshi," D'Nina breathed. "Are you serious?"
K'tal just sighed and rubbed his temples. "No, Chief, I just went to the
trouble of declaring a level-2 alarm so I could rouse you out of bed."
"Now is not the time, Commander."
"Tell me about it, Chief."
The night-watch chief cleared her throat nervously. "Sir, I'm not sure
I understand what the problem is. I thought being able to capture Sailor Moon
was a good thing, considering what she did to Queen Beryl."
K'tal and D'Nina shared a look. "In a purely objective and very narrow
scope, yes," K'tal said very slowly. "However, you have to keep in mind three
very important facts. First, while she is their leader, Sailor Moon is not the
only Sailor Scout. Second, you can count on the others coming over here to get
her back in very short order. Third, and this is the part that greatly bothers
me, you can bet your paycheck that they will be in an evil mood when they do
so. And after their last pair of visits to our part of the planet, maybe now
you can understand why I am concerned for the health and well-being of everyone
in the immediate region."
"I think I understand, sir," the chief replied, her complexion turning
dangerously pale.
"So now what?" D'Nina inquired warily.
K'tal sighed. "One thing at a time, Chief. Right now, you and I have a
department head meeting to attend in a few minutes. Don't take this the wrong
way or anything, but you might want to bring a diaper with you, as what I have
to say in there is probably going to shock the navidshi out of everyone."
It took D'Nina several seconds to figure out how exactly she should reply
to that one. "The voice of experience, Commander?" she ventured in a guarded
but respectful tone.
K'tal just snorted dryly. "Let's just say I almost had to change my own
underwear on the spot when I heard it," he replied quietly. "Communications!
I want a constant monitoring of that frequency-hopping signal. I don't care if
you can get a lock on it or not, but start broadcasting a Raid Warning if more
such signals suddenly crop up out of nowhere. Kick it up to a level-1 alert if
you hear of anyone coming under attack by anything for any reason, but until I
say otherwise, we're staying at level-2 for the present."
"Copy that, sir," the Communications officer replied nervously.
"Come on, D'Nina, let's get this over with," K'tal grumbled as he headed
towards the door. "I'll be in the conference room," he called out over his
shoulder. "If navidshi hits the fan before I get back, worry about taking all
appropriate defensive action first before worrying about calling me to tell me
about it. Carry on," he added as he left the room.
"And you said nothing ever happens at night," the ensign at the Tactical
console muttered to the Communications officer.
"Stow it, kids," the night-watch chief sighed. "Just mind your panels,
watch that communications array, and if you need to use the bathroom, now is
probably a very good time to do so."
"Copy that one, chief...." the ensign muttered quietly.
* * * *
"She did WHAT?" the Chief Engineer blurted out.
K'tal just sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I can't say for
certain that it was Rune, but the bottom line is that someone just captured
Sailor Moon and had her brought to the Imperial Castle."
"Downside?" Quartermaster V'Lan inquired in a neutral tone.
"You have GOT to be kidding me," another senior officer sighed. "Q, this
is the leader of the Sailor Scouts we're talking about. Assuming she doesn't
gut the castle on her own from the inside, you know the others are going to be
coming to get her. It'll be like last year all over again."
"Perhaps, perhaps not," V'Lan replied. "We know they coming. They not
sneak into Complex again."
"No, they just might decide to flatten it instead while on their way to
dissect the Imperial Castle," the other officer countered. "This is far from
a trivial matter, Chief."
"It gets better," K'tal said quietly, drawing a collection of extremely
uneasy and wary looks. "What I am about to tell you is, for the moment, to be
kept within this room. I spoke with General Al'vexi about this yesterday, and
I have no reason to doubt this new information. We all know that Sailor Moon
is the princess of the Moon Kingdom. What we didn't realize about her is that
she's half-denizen."
The noise in the room came to a complete halt so quickly that the silence
almost echoed. "She's what?" Lieutenant Asrial growled very quietly, her fur
puffed up at a right angle to the skin beneath.
"Sailor Moon is half-human and half-denizen," K'tal said calmly. "Again,
this information came to me directly from General Al'vexi, and while I can't
discuss how it came into her hands, I have every reason to believe that it is
the factual truth."
D'Nina just rubbed her sinuses, suddenly feeling her age. "Now I see why
you warned us to use the bathroom first," she observed.
"Actually, chief, that was just the warning shot," K'tal said in a flat
tone. "The true surprise is who her father is purported to be. I will not lie
to you.... I find this one highly unlikely at best and demanding of a genetic
test to determine the truth, but I likewise cannot dismiss this claim out of
hand simply because of its audacity."
There was a flat growl from Asrial. "Let's hear it," she said in a wary
tone, her tail lashing back and forth like a whip.
K'tal sighed and braced both hands on the table. "Her mother was Queen
Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. Her father was Captain Raijen."
There was a dead silence before one of the officers burst into a fit of
laughter. "That's a good one, sir," she laughed. "May I point out to you that
the Captain died a good thousand years before we even discovered we could open
a dimensional portal to Earth."
K'tal nodded and leaned across the table. "That is true, Lieutenant. I
should like to point out two things, however. First, Commander T'Cer had his
life-crystal in her possession when she went along with the first contact team
to the Moon Kingdom. And second, their Imperium Silver Crystal is just as
powerful as the NegaForce is, and is likely capable of awakening his spirit if
it so chose to do so."
He nodded in seriousness as the laughter abruptly died away, the humorous
expression slowly becoming replaced with a sobering look. "As I said, this is
simply too extraordinary a claim to accept at face value, but at the same time
I can't just brush it off as nonsense. A simple genetic test can determine if
this is true or not, and you can bet your life that I am going to do everything
in my power to see that this test is done."
"What if true?" V'Lan spoke up, clicking his beak quietly. "Sailor Moon
would be Captain's daughter."
"Now you see why this one has me all tied up in a knot?" K'tal said very
quietly. "I want to hear what each and every one of you thinks about this.
Just for the sake of argument, let's assume that it's all true, that Sailor
Moon's father is Captain Raijen."
"So what?" Asrial said with a flat growl. "She is still our enemy, after
what she did to Commander Shar-Tei and Queen Beryl."
D'Nina shook her head slowly. "She did nothing to Shar-Tei," she pointed
out. "That was a duel between Shar-Tei and Tolaris. And as for Queen Beryl,
you have to admit that the fact that the Sailor Scouts finally led a direct
assault on her shouldn't be a surprise in the least."
"So what do you think, D'Nina?" K'tal asked quietly.
D'Nina blinked and gave him a guarded look. "I think, Commander, the one
who most urgently needs to answer that question is you. What do you make of
this revelation?" she asked slowly.
K'tal looked around the room, meeting the eyes of everyone in turn before
sighing and reaching under the table. Several eyebrows arched up in surprise
and concern as he withdrew the old but still fully functional firearm from its
hidden housing, briefly checking it before laying it down in the center of the
conference table.
"I hate it when he gets all theatrical like this," the Chief Engineer
muttered beneath his breath, drawing a sour chirp of agreement from V'Lan.
"At ease, Chief," K'tal said calmly. "This is for when I tell you about
how I intend to commit treason and order the rest of you to assist me. In the
event that you don't see things my way, you're obligated to denounce me as a
traitor and have me executed on the spot. The shell should still work."
The room got deathly quiet once again as nervous glances were discreetly
exchanged. Everyone shifted their attention to the chief engineer as he leaned
forward and carefully picked up the weapon. He quickly looked it over with a
critical eye before partially disassembling it, pulling out the single shell
and studying the condition of the firing mechanism. He reassembled the weapon
and cocked the hammer back before pulling on the trigger. The sharp click of
the falling hammer echoed quite clearly in the room, indicating that it still
worked. Satisfed, he reloaded the shell into the firing chamber, cocked the
hammer back once again, and very carefully laid it back down on the table.
"Let's hear what you have to say, Commander," he said, his voice betraying
no hint of emotion whatsoever.
K'tal nodded in understanding and took a deep breath, ready to give what
just might be the last speech of his life. "I've been in contact with Tolaris
since Shar-Tei lost her duel with him. I know some of you view that act as
treason in of itself, and if it is, so be it. He has been with the Sailor
Scouts since his exile from the Negaverse, so he more than anyone else would
truly know about them, about what drives them, and what they will do.
"Late last night I received a rather unexpected and urgent communique from
Aerlin of Mar'ken, whom I'm sure most of you have heard of. He informed me
that he was conversing with Colonel Azi'mar of the Training Division earlier
when they had a surprise visit from Sailor V, of all people.
"I am not privy to what was said, mind you, but the end result was that
Sailor V warned them that the Sailor Scouts would try to get Sailor Moon back
in the morning. To try to prevent unnecessary death and destruction, she had
asked if they could do anything to help make things easier on everyone. She
also mentioned that she and the others didn't want a fight and were willing to
simply turn around and walk away if they could get Sailor Moon back, alive and
unharmed.
"Tolaris and the others will be appearing in the village at sunrise in an
attempt at solving things peacefully. It is my intention to be at the village
as well. I had already planned on visiting the village today to talk to Aerlin
about a few personal issues, but that was before the news of Sailor Moon's
capture became public and we all went into crisis-mode.
"Sailor Moon is half-human and half-denizen. That makes her special in
the history of both our worlds, the very first of her kind. That she is also
a royal princess and the daughter of a man I personally admire and respect, or
at least that I believe she is, makes her all the more special to me. And the
fact that returning her to her world can help prevent a catastrophe in our own
world is not something I can easily dismiss.
"It is my intention, as the Dragoon Commander, to assist Commander Tolaris
and the Sailor Scouts in getting Sailor Moon back and returning her to Earth.
That would constitute high treason according to the law. However, I believe
that allowing a disaster to take place that could otherwise be avoided by a
simple act is the true treason, and that is not something I could easily live
with. However, I can't ask any of you to betray your world as well, nor can I
ask you to do anything you yourself can't live with, but know this.... I will
try to help Tolaris and the Sailor Scouts."
The silence after his speech seemed to stretch on for an eternity, no-one
else daring to move or even breathe loudly. Then in what appeared to have been
incredibly slow motion, the chief engineer leaned forward and picked up the old
projectile weapon. He very carefully pointed it up at the ceiling as he put
his thumb on the hammer and eased it out of the ready position.
"Theatrical p'tai," the chief muttered as he set the firearm back down on
the table. The rest of the group looked at one another before seeming to sigh
with relief in unison, quickly followed by a series of abashed looks.
"Let me get this right," Asrial growled very quietly, causing everyone to
blink hard with renewed tension. "Sailor Moon invades our world, twice, kills
our Queen and our Commander, and now we're supposed to help her?"
K'tal and the engineer traded looks before K'tal made a subtle gesture
with his head. The engineer raised an eyebrow before he reached out to the
firearm once more, putting his hand over it and sliding it across the table to
end up falling into the surprised Felinoid's lap.
"Rrrrrrrr?" Asrial growled warily.
"How many times has our world invaded theirs?" K'tal said very quietly.
"How many Dragoons were involved in the invasion of the Moon Kingdom? How many
of us have gone to Earth to observe them, or to help set up traps for them?
What makes the balance even, and when does it tilt to the other side? What is
it going to take to end this between our worlds? The way I see it, we can try
to put an end to this now. I don't want to fight them, Lieutenant. That may
sound insane, as the odds are at least ten million to four if you don't count
their immediate allies, but I still don't want to fight against them. I don't
see any good coming from fighting them, but I see a lot of good coming from
trying to help them. If you don't see it that way.... well, the laws are quite
clear and will be on your side if you feel you have to do something about it.
You might even get a medal from Rune. It's up to you, Lieutenant, this will
probably be the ideal moment to take care of it before it can start."
The jet-black Felinoid studied the weapon in her hands before she looked
around the room, her tail slowly lashing back and forth. "Little Q," she said
quietly. "Would you call him a traitor for this?"
V'Lan sighed and slowly shook his head. "Issue of Sailor Moon's father
not relevant now," he replied. "Greater harm than good if allow this madness
to persist. True threat is not Sailor Scouts, but within."
"Concurrence," another officer spoke up very quietly. "Things have been
extremely quiet on Earth since Rune decided to leave them alone. Just between
you and me, I'd rather keep it that way."
Asrial's ears flicked back in surprise. "Why?" she inquired in a guarded
tone. "You of all people lost so much to them...."
"Yes, both my husband and our child died in the line of duty when those
Sailor Scouts attacked the Imperial Castle," she replied distantly, not looking
at anyone. "He knew the dangers when he signed up for the service, and I knew
it when I took him as my life-mate. We made sure to explain it to our daughter
when she expressed a desire to serve. How many of us have lost loved ones in
conflicts and wars? All part of the risks of being a soldier. I don't hold
anything against them on a professional level.... they did what they had to do,
just as we did what we had to do. Which is why I will still do what I have to
do as a subject of the crown and a Dragoon until I die myself."
K'tal idly scratched his chin. "Speaking of which, you're in the window
for re-enlistment, aren't you? Think we can talk about this later?"
Everyone just blinked hard before exchanging glances and shaking their
heads. "K'tal...." D'Nina started to say before sighing. "Nevermind."
"Bah," Asrial spat as she set the weapon on the table, flicking her ears
back in disdain. "We're probably all going to get court-martialed on charges
of conspiracy for this."
"That's a very likely scenario," K'tal pointed out. "And unless you shoot
me in the head, you'll be going along with this conspiracy to try to save our
world from an unnecessary war. I made an oath to serve and defend our way of
life, and if it ends up costing me my life.... well, as the chief just pointed
out a few moments ago, I knew the risks when I signed up. At least in this
case I'll know my death has some meaning."
"Spare us the bad acting, Commander," the Chief Engineer grumbled. "Just
keep us all as informed as possible so we can in turn keep our sections on the
line. Now tell me again why we're at a level-2 alert status?"
K'tal's breath left his lungs in a soft whoosh of relief. "Just in case
I'm wrong, Chief. Yes, by all rights I shouldn't be heading out to a trading
village in the middle of a no-navidshi alert and preparations for a hostile
invasion, but you know why I'm going and what I hope to accomplish. Master
Chief D'Nina will be given full authority while I'm gone, so if a new crater
appears in the west you won't have to wait for the computer to decide if I'm
truly gone before it opens itself up to her."
"I'm coming with you," D'Nina spoke up, causing K'tal to blink hard.
"Uhh, Chief, I kind of need you here...." K'tal tried to say.
"For what?" D'Nina scoffed. "Phase Authority can't be transferred like
that, and even if it could I'd still need a secondary authority."
"The Chief Engineer...."
"Will be busy in Engineering and can't leave his section to try to help
oversee Operations," the Master Chief interrupted.
"And if we're both gone, who'll be in Operations, then?" K'tal countered.
"What, you don't trust your staff to handle things on their own? We're
in a level-2 alert status at his very moment, and the entire senior staff is
away from their collective posts," D'Nina said flatly. "And before we left
Operations, you told them to act as necessary first and to tell you about it
later. Why can't that be a valid instruction for another hour or two?"
"The risks, Master Chief...."
"Do I need to shoot you just to shut you up? I'm coming with you, K'tal,
whether you like it or not," D'Nina said as she crossed her arms. She cast a
sidelong glance at the Chief Engineer, who was leaning back in his chair with
his arms neatly folded behind his head.
"Don't mind me, Chief, I'm just enjoying the entertainment," he drawled in
his native Outreaches accent, drawing a barely repressed snicker from one of
the other officers. "Now then, if you two are finished, I've got work to deal
with down in the basement. Let me know how it goes, okay?"
K'tal just looked up at the ceiling with resignation. "Just do us all a
favor and keep the reactors warmed up. All three of them," he added. "Just
call it a hunch, chief, nothing more."
"Copy that," the engineer replied as he stood up. "Assuming that the two
of you are going to be running off and I have to stay put in Engineering, who
exactly is supposed to be watching Operations? Regulations require that I have
to be kept informed of that, you see...."
K'tal and D'Nina looked at one another before giving an extremely brief
glance at Asrial. They both seemed to shake their heads in unison before they
turned to cast an appraising look at the lone avian in the room.
"Sir?" the Dragoon Quartermaster said very warily.
"Little Q, old friend," K'tal said slowly, "When was that last time you
stood post in Operations...?"
* * * *
Susan looked over her shoulder as Leda made her way into the kitchen,
raising an eyebrow as she saw the distinctly bleary look in the brunette's
slightly-bloodshot eyes. "Good morning," she said quietly, carefully drawing
her wings tighter against her body to make as much room as possible.
Leda grunted softly in response as she yanked the refrigerator door open.
She promptly stuck her head inside and started digging through the collection
of bottles and pitchers on the top shelf, trying to clear a path to the back
wall. She finally found what she was looking for and took a step back, holding
a nearly empty plastic bottle containing a dark blue liquid.
Susan blinked as the cap wasn't so much twisted off as ripped away before
Leda tilted her head back and essentially poured the contents down her throat.
"Dare I inquire what that was, or even if you should be drinking it?" she asked
once the brunette had emptied the bottle and pitched it into the trash.
She was answered with a disturbingly loud belch, followed by a deep sigh
of satisfaction and relief. "A denizen blend of vegetable juice," Leda replied
in a scratchy voice. "Doesn't taste all that good, but it has one hell of a
kick to it. Not alcoholic, but it feels like it once it gets into your guts
and the burning sensation starts up. A raw way to wake yourself up, but damned
if it doesn't work wonders. Better than caffeine," she added with a yawn. "So
what kind of mess are you making in my kitchen?"
Susan just shook her head to herself and returned her attention to the
stove burners. "Left-rear pot is for oatmeal, right-rear is hot water for the
syrup and various drinks, eggs are in left-front skillet, right-front is for
the pancakes, the bacon, sausage patties, and hashed browns are still roasting
in the oven, and the toaster should be finished at any moment now."
Leda blinked hard as the toaster promptly dinged and ejected four slices
of perfectly toasted bread. "Damn, you cooking for an army this morning?" she
said as she stacked the toast on a nearby plate and reloaded the machine with
another four slices of bread.
"You will all need as much energy as you can get," Susan pointed out as
she stirred the oatmeal with one hand while carefully remixing the pancake
batter again with the other. "And I figured that a wide variety of choices
would ensure that everyone would find enough of what they like."
Leda edged her way around to be able to peer over Susan's shoulder without
coming too close to her obviously damaged wings. Even though none of the bones
were visible or seemed to be broken anymore, the massive holes blown through
nearly two-thirds of her wing surface clearly indicated that she still had a
long way to go before she was fully healed.
"You want any help with this, or do you have it under control?" Leda asked
as she eyed the bowl of pancake batter. She picked it up and took a careful
sniff before setting it down and opening up a cabinet door. She searched for
the small bottle of vanilla extract and found it half-hidden behind the box of
baking powder. "Needs a little more," she explained as she unscrewed the top
and put a few drops of the extract into the batter.
Susan gave her a measured look for a moment before shrugging in dismissal.
She knew how to cook, of course, but was also fully aware that the recipe she
had used was half a millennium old and occasionally needed a little extra. The
saving grace usually came from the syrup, as the super-sweet taste tended to
mask whatever incidental flavorings the pancakes ended up with. "So what made
you decide to learn how to cook like this?" she inquired as she stirred the
scrambled eggs.
"Truthfully?" Leda said, hesitating slightly before looking for a spoon
to taste-test the oatmeal. "Neither of my parents could really cook worth a
damn, and all the restaurants and take-out trips were getting old, so I just
decided one day to see what I could do about it. Had a few talks with some
friends, traded notes and recipes, then sat down to give it a shot. I was
surprised when my parents started carrying on how the stuff I cooked was super-
delicious and all that.
"I just passed it off as them praising their daughter like all parents do,
but when I was asked to cook dinner for some guests and got the exact same
reaction from everyone.... well, it just kinda hit home. I like being able to
make people happy like that, or at least satisfied with good cooking. It sort
of grows on you after a few years, I guess. Umm, no offense, Susan, but this
oatmeal is just begging for flavor," she added in an apologetic tone.
Susan did her best not to let her disgruntled disappointment show. "If
you have any suggestions for improvement, you are of course quite welcome to
make them," she said in a somewhat restrained and diplomatic tone, absently
smoothing out a wrinkle in her open-backed gown.
"Sure," Leda said as she retrieved a pair of jars from the spice rack.
"Hard to go wrong with a dash of cinnamon, at least in oatmeal, and a dash of
orange peel to add a touch of zest," she explained as she unscrewed the lids
and added a small amount of each spice to the mass of oatmeal. "Speaking of
cinnamon.... what'd you use when you scrambled those eggs?"
"I wasn't aware that one added anything to scrambled eggs," Susan pointed
out, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly. "Aside from some ketchup, but
that is a choice made only once it's finished and is on the breakfast plate."
Leda shot her an odd look. "You're seven hundred years old and no-one
ever told you about adding a splash of milk when you scramble the yolks? It
smoothes it out a bit and helps make it easier to stir in a dash of cinnamon or
anything else for extra flavor."
"When you are focused on running a kingdom, some of the subtle nuances of
the culinary arts tend to escape your attention," Susan observed in a tone as
dry as some deserts. "I will attempt to remember that for future usage."
Leda chuckled quietly. "Hey, I'm not trying to bust on your cooking," she
replied. "As far as I'm concerned, you're doing a hell of a lot better than I
can, seeing how you're watching four.... five.... six? Six things all at the
same time. I couldn't keep track of that many without burning something. Oh,
and how's the meat doing?"
Susan sighed very quietly and took a step back, reaching down to open the
oven door in the process. The smell of bacon and sausage promptly wafted up,
making both women slightly hungry in simple anticipation. The smell of roasted
potatoes drifted up a moment later, prompting a satisfied hum from Leda.
"Oh, yeah, I think they're done," she cooed as she looked around for the
oven mitts. "Hey, where'd you hide the.... WATCH IT!" she yelped as Susan
reached in and grabbed the baking sheet with her bare hands.
"Here," Susan said calmly as she pulled the sheet out and set it down on
a heating pad. She closed the oven door and switched off the heat before she
caught the look on Leda's face. "Yes?" she inquired idly.
"How the hell did you do that without burning yourself?" Leda demanded,
her green eyes dangerously wide. "That thing had to be at least four hundred
degrees!"
"Three hundred seventy-five," Susan corrected absently.
"Still!" Leda protested, glancing at Susan's unharmed hands. She looked
over at the baking sheet and held her hand a few inches above it, blinking hard
as she could feel the wave of heat rising up from it.
Susan shrugged in dismissal as she switched off the burner beneath the
skillet loaded with scrambled eggs. "I may only be part demon, but I still
possess a demon's resistance to heat and fire. I can hold that cooking sheet
in my bare hands for a number of seconds before I start to feel anything, but
it would eventually burn me if I held it long enough. Brief exposures to such
things as normal fires and moderate sources of heat are only inconsequential at
worst, but I am just as vulnerable to sources of extremely high heat such as
plasma and volcanic lava as anyone else would be."
"Damn," Leda said quietly, blinking in surprise. "That must be nice. I
gave up years ago trying to keep track of how many times I burnt myself while
working over a stove or with an oven."
"It has its advantages," Susan allowed as she spooned the scrambled eggs
into a waiting bowl and lowered the heat on the oatmeal burner.
Leda glanced over her shoulder as she heard a noise behind her, raising
an eyebrow as a decidedly rumpled Alex poked her head into the doorway.
"Oh, man, something smells good in here," she purred.
"What happened to you?" Leda inquired, studying the imprint lines on the
blonde's face. "You sleep face-down on a corduroy pillow or something?"
"Hmm?" Alex grunted as she brought her hand up to her face, wrinkling her
nose as she felt the subtle imprints. "Bah, just a rough night of sleeping."
"You need to wash up," Leda observed as she started to help Susan scrape
the hashed browns off the cooking sheet and onto a separate plate.
Alex just rolled her eyes. "Thanks, hon. You look like you need to make
out with a sponge yourself, or at least run a comb through that bird's nest
you have tied to your head."
"Out," Leda grumbled over her shoulder. "I'll call you when we're done."
Maze chuckled quietly to himself at the look on Alex's face as she made
her way back to the table and sat down with a heavy thump. "I told you that
bothering Leda was a bad idea," he said languidly. "I thought you knew by now
not to harass her this early in the morning?"
Alex just shot him an unamused look. "I wasn't harassing her, I was just
trying to see what smelled so damn good. I'm really hungry for some reason."
She heard someone come up behind her and felt a pair of hands lightly squeeze
her shoulders. "That was fast, love," she said as she absently reached back
to caress her visitor. Her aim was a little low, however, and her hand ended
up brushing across a rather sensitive spot, eliciting a soft hum of pleasure.
Maze raised an eyebrow. "You know, you need to be more careful when you
do something like that," he said in an odd tone. "At least when in public."
"Huh?" Alex said in confusion, her voice taking on a faint edge. "What,
I can't show her a little affection now and then?"
"Nope," Maze sighed as he took a deep sip of his morning mug of ma'cha.
"What the hell?" Alex demanded crossly. "What's your problem?"
The Dragoon just shook his head. "I know love is blind, Alex, but you
still need to look over your shoulder every now and then," he said, making a
gesture with his mug.
Alex gave him a suspicious look before twisting her head to look. Her
eyes promptly doubled in diameter as she saw a face hovering three inches away
from her that was certainly not Michelle's.
"I love you too, snoogums," Mina said in a honeyed tone, squeezing Alex's
shoulders again before leaning forward to kiss the tip of her nose. She then
giggled and took a quick step back to avoid most of the explosive reaction she
had just triggered.
"GODDAMMIT, MINA!!"
Maze chuckled very quietly to himself as he felt the table vibrate from
the sheer force of her voice. "That wasn't very nice of you, ne'ana," he said
casually as Mina quickly crossed to the other side of the table and sat down
next to him.
"Morning, dear," Mina purred quietly as she leaned over to give him a
decidedly deep kiss.
There was a heavy sigh as Leda poked her head out from the kitchen. "So
what'd she do now?" she called out, raising an eyebrow at the scarlet color on
Alex's fuming face.
"Nuffin, sunshine," Mina called out as she leaned back from Maze. "Just
worry about breakfast, okay? We'll handle the Viking."
Maze just shook his head again as Leda rolled her eyes and disappeared
back into the kitchen. "I guess it's a little late to warn you, Alex," he said
as the blonde continued to fume to herself. "Mina's been in a disturbingly
playful mood since she woke up, and it's starting to scare me now."
Mina pouted and shot him a hurt look. "You didn't mind when I woke you
up," she pointed out.
Maze chuckled as he reached out to run his fingertips through Mina's mane
of long blonde hair. "Of course not," he purred quietly. "However, you almost
put me back to sleep doing that. You really should save those kinds of moments
for lazy weekend mornings when we can truly savor them."
"Fine, see if I do you again like that...." Mina sulked, drawing a pale
green blush from the denizen and a startled look from Alex.
"Nevermind, I ain't gonna ask," Alex sighed after she stopped to think
about it. She felt a gentle caress on the back of her neck and tensed, but
quickly relaxed when she felt a pair of lips brushing against her skin and was
able to identify the hands wrapping around her waist. "Ah, so there you are,"
she purred quietly, reaching up to run her fingertips through the soft mass of
aquamarine hair.
"Morning," Michelle quietly murmured in her ear. "I could hear you from
the bathroom. What'd Mina do to upset you?"
Alex snorted quietly. "Try to take your place," she muttered as Michelle
took an empty chair next to her. "Watch out, she's really a screwball today."
Maze promptly reached out to clamp his hand over Mina's mouth. "Don't,"
he said casually. "Save it for another day, beloved, we've got a lot to do
after breakfast and antagonizing your teammates won't help us any. Oh, don't
do that," he moaned quietly as a mischievous look entered Mina's blue eyes.
Alex and Michelle exchanged wary glances before Alex sighed quietly. "I
take it today is one of those days already?" she grumbled.
Maze removed his hand from Mina's mouth and looked at his palm. He gave
the blonde a weary look before glancing around the table for a napkin. He
sighed as he realized there weren't any readily available and he settled for
wiping his hand across his pants. "Something like that, yes," he replied with
a slightly sour expression.
Everyone looked up as Leda and Susan began carrying out the plates and
silverware, setting up places at the table before laying out several large
heating pads. "So what's for breakfast?" Maze inquired as he casually swiped
the nearest napkin and cleaned off his hand, actively ignoring the impish look
on Mina's face.
"A little of everything," Susan said lightly.
"More like a lot of everything," Leda added. "Hope you kids are hungry."
"Bring it on, babe," Alex promptly replied.
"Almost ready," Leda promised as she cast a quick glance down the empty
residential hallway. "So where's everyone else? Wait, nevermind," she said
as she caught a glimpse of people starting to emerge from various bedrooms.
She turned around to head back into the kitchen when she paused and looked over
her shoulder at the still-smiling Mina. "You're up awful early," she said in
a slightly guarded tone.
Mina gave her a charming smile. "It's one of those mornings where being
up early puts a smile on your face," she said in a cheerful tone. "Or at least
it lets you put a smile on someone else's face."
Leda blinked hard as Maze promptly choked on his ma'cha, the green blush
on his cheeks turning visibly darker. "Yeah, whatever," she said, not wanting
to even bother trying to figure out what hidden double-meaning was in Mina's
words this time. "Anyway, like I said, we're almost done, so just sit tight
and don't drool. Morning, Darian," she added as she brushed past him on her
way back to the kitchen.
"Morning," Darian said quietly as he sat down.
Alex blinked and gave him a concerned look. "Hey, you okay?"
"Rough night," Darian replied, not looking up at anyone.
"Oh, cheer up," Mina said, giving him a warm smile. "We'll get her back
for you, just you wait and see. Good morning, lovebirds!" she gushed as Ami
and Tolaris entered the living room and headed towards the table.
"Morning," Ami replied in a guarded tone as she glanced at Alex. "You're
up unusually early today, Mina. How are you feeling?"
Mina just grinned at her. "Ready to take on the world."
Ami blinked at the enthusiasm in the blonde's tone and just sighed to
herself. "Let me guess," she muttered, "Susan woke you up earlier when she
dropped the skillet or whatever it was, and instead of going back to bed you
decided to turn on your hot-chocolate machine and drink the entire pot all by
yourself?"
"I did not!" Mina replied indignantly. "I saved a cup for Maze."
"Oh, lord," Alex groaned, drawing a whimper of agreement from Michelle.
"You overdosed on sugar, didn't you?"
Mina made a face at her. "I can handle my hot chocolate quite well, thank
you very much," she said archly.
"The prosecution rests," Maze muttered into his nearly empty mug, drawing
amused looks from the rest of the group and a raspberry from Mina.
"Chow time!" Leda announced as she and Susan started carrying the loaded
plates and trays over to the table. "We can probably make more of whatever it
is that you want, but I'll be surprised if that will be necessary...."
"Goodness," Ami blinked as she saw how much was being laid out.
"Hot damn," Alex said, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the stack of
pancakes. "Sue made pancakes again! Gimme...."
"Whoa, easy," Leda protested as she was nearly shoved aside. "I take it
that they're your favorite or something? Hang on a sec, Ami," she added as she
saw her reaching for the bowl of oatmeal. "I didn't put a lot of cinnamon in
that, so let me go get you the jar if you think it needs more."
"Thank you," Ami replied as she started scooping.
"Not a real favorite so much as a rare treat," Alex replied as she put a
moderate stack of pancakes on her plate. "Oh, wow, they really smell good this
time. Get a whiff of this, hon," she said to Michelle as she passed her one of
the fluffy pancakes.
"Oh!" Michelle breathed as she inhaled. "Yes, they do smell wonderful.
Susan, did you change the recipe?"
The corner of Susan's mouth twitched in mild annoyance as her wing muscles
decided to spasm on their own, almost brushing against Maze by accident. "I
didn't change it so much as add a new ingredient," she said calmly.
Tolaris gave Ami's bowl of oatmeal an odd look as she began to sprinkle a
light layer of sugar over it. "What's that smell?" he asked very quietly.
Ami blinked and leaned over her bowl, sniffing carefully. "Ohh! Leda,
what did you mix in with this? It smells wonderful...."
Leda smiled as she set the container of cinnamon down on the table next to
Ami's elbow. "Just a hint of cinnamon and orange peel," she said casually.
"Susan made most of this, however, so you'll have to direct compliments and
complaints to her. Darian, you should try the sausage."
"I will," Darian said quietly as he accepted a scoop of hashed browns and
a dollop of oatmeal from Tolaris.
<Something smells good,> a quiet voice echoed in their minds as Whisper
came into the room, her hair still slightly damp from an early-morning shower.
She paused and cast a glance over her shoulder down the hallway before she
resumed her walk towards the table.
Maze edged the chair next to him back a few inches and started to pour
some ma'cha into a mug for her. "Problem, Captain?" he inquired casually.
Whisper shook her head as she sat down. "Thank you. No problem, just a
brief mental prod for Ra'vel. She's moving slower than usual today for some
reason, that's all."
"Speaking of slow," Leda said as she sat down at an empty spot. "What's
taking Rei so long? I thought she'd be out here by now...."
"Rei is out on the deck," Susan said as she took the empty seat next to
Darian. "I'm not sure what she's doing, but I can sense a moderate amount of
spiritual energy being focused by her."
Leda blinked in surprise before she stood up with a sigh. "Well, shoot,
someone should tell her that breakfast is ready."
<Already done,> Whisper's telepathic voice echoed in everyone's head as
she tasted some of the scrambled eggs.
"Oh," the brunette said quietly as she sat back down, giving the sliding
glass door a measured look. "Is she...? Nevermind," she sighed as the door
promptly slid open to admit the priestess into the room.
"Morning, Rei," Ami said as she approached the table. She paused as she
saw the look on her face and felt a sudden chill creep into her blood. "Rei?"
she ventured in a guarded tone, causing the rest of the group to pause and
exchange suddenly uneasy glances.
"There were three demons," Rei said in without preamble in a disturbingly
calm and quiet tone, her bottomless black eyes fixating on Michelle. "I was
able to feel the spiritual imprints left by each. I can account for Susan and
the other succubus, and I know Alex didn't leave such a trail, but that still
leaves one more set of imprints unaccounted for."
"What's the problem, babe?" Alex said in a guarded tone as she set her
silverware aside, aware of the look in Rei's eyes and the increase in nervous
tension it was starting to cause in Michelle.
"Michelle was the only other person out there," Rei replied, her intense
gaze never leaving Michelle's face. "The only explanation I can think of is
that Michelle is a demon herself."
"What?" Alex spluttered in shock. Beside her, Michelle started to whimper
and edge away from the priestess to hide behind Alex's shoulder. "Are you on
drugs or something?" the blonde growled. "That's a load of horsecrap! Mich
isn't a demon, you fool, Sue's the only one!"
"Rei?" Susan said in a careful tone. "Michelle is just as human as you
are. I don't know what you felt outside, but she is certainly not a demon."
Rei barely blinked as she reached into her robe, slowly pulling out one of
her spiritual wards. "Then testing it should be easy and painless. All she
has to do is hold this."
Both Ami and Susan blinked as the paper ward suddenly became as rigid as
steel, giving off a chilling aura that they could feel even from a distance.
"Rei...." Ami said in a warning tone as she edged back. "What are you doing?
Stop that...."
"I'm getting to the bottom of this," Rei said calmly as she started to
advance towards Michelle.
Alex blinked as Michelle whimpered loudly and started to pull away from
her. "Hey, whoa, easy," she said, trying to reassure her. "Mich, just calm
down, it's only a piece of paper."
"No...." Michelle whimpered. "I can feel it...."
"Can you, now?" Rei said, still using a dangerously soft tone. "This is
merely a defensive ward, it shouldn't affect you unless you are tainted with
evil. Ami and Susan can feel it, of course, but no-one else seems to be able
to except for you. Now why is that?"
"Stop it...." Michelle cried out, flinching violently as Rei continued to
move closer to her with the ward.
"Hey, back off!" Alex snarled as she shot to her feet, interposing herself
between Rei and her lover. "I don't know what the hell you're doing, but you
had better turn that damned thing off right now!"
"Alex," Susan said quietly as she stood up, her eyes narrowing. "Rei has
a point, she shouldn't be feeling that ward if everything was fine. Now that
the matter has been brought to our attention, Rei, you may turn your ward off
now. You are correct in your assertion that I can feel it, and I assure you
that it is a most uncomfortable sensation."
The priestess shot her a noncommittal look for several seconds before she
turned her attention to Ami. Her expression remained utterly impassive as she
studied Ami's state of nervousness at the situation before she looked back over
at Michelle.
"Please stop it," Michelle whimpered, visibly shivering. "I don't know
what's going on, and I don't remember anything from last night. Please...."
"Rei," Tolaris spoke up calmly, drawing a look from the priestess. "You
don't need to use that ward anymore. You have my word that we're not going to
go anywhere until we solve this one."
Rei looked back at Michelle before she made a gesture with her hand. The
ward's ink suddenly burst into dark green flames that quickly spread to the
rest of the parchment. She casually tossed the burning paper aside, watching
as the ward was reduced to mere ashes before it could land on the floor.
"What the hell is going on this time?" Leda said quietly, her green eyes
narrowed with suspicion and uncertainty.
"Hey, can you pass me some toast?" Mina spoke up as she casually scooped
some oatmeal into a bowl. She paused in mid-motion as the rest of the group
gave her odd looks of disbelief. "What? I'm hungry...." she protested.
"Maze, honey, can you do me a favor?" Alex sighed. "Just reach up and
make sure she doesn't have that bow tied too tight around her head," she said,
gesturing to the ever-present bow tied up in Mina's blonde hair.
"Rei?" Susan asked carefully as she walked over to Michelle. "As I said,
Michelle is entirely human, so your accusation is a non-starter. I am rather
sensitive to spiritual energies myself, but most likely not to the same degree
that you are. Please tell me exactly what you felt out on the deck."
"Three sources of evil," Rei replied in a slightly edged tone, her gaze
still sharply focused on Michelle. "Two were very alike, one stronger than the
other, and I could trace them both to the point where the railing is broken.
The third is not nearly as strong and seemed to remain centered in one place,
right around the spot where Michelle fell unconscious."
"Easy, babe," Alex said in a soothing tone, trying to get Michelle to calm
down enough to quit the soft but constant whimpering noises she was making.
"Can you feel it now?" Susan asked in a gentle tone.
"I'm not sure what I feel right now," Rei replied, casting a sidelong look
at the succubus. "I had a hard time sensing everything outside because of your
presence. I can barely differentiate Ami's presence from yours at the moment,
and she's only a few feet away from me."
"Susan?" Tolaris called out as he rose to his feet, visibly concentrating
on something. "Can you see auras?"
"Of course I can," Susan replied before she looked over at Michelle. Her
wings suddenly seemed to spasm uncontrollably for a moment before she managed
to calm herself down. "I.... see what you mean, Commander," she said in an
eerily calm tone.
"Sue, don't get all mysterious on us like that," Alex growled, resisting
the urge to whip out her saber. "Start talking."
"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Michelle whimpered quietly.
"I'm not sure," Susan replied gently. "Your aura seems to have taken on
a darker color than usual, which usually is an indication that something could
very well be wrong."
"Wait...." Darian said slowly, drawing a collection of surprised looks.
"I remember Myst saying something the other day about how she said Michelle's
aura felt different. Something about how it was layered instead of blended
like mine and.... and Serena's aura," he said after a momentary hesitation.
Everyone blinked hard as Susan spat out a word in an unknown language.
The sheer harshness of the eldritch tone made her voice rasp as if her vocal
chords were coated with coarse sand, causing half the group to wince.
"Damn, Sue, what the hell was that?" Alex asked with a sour look.
"Michelle, hold still," Susan sighed as she extended her wings out, the
gaping holes between the bones becoming even more prominent. Small sparks of
energy began to collect along her wings, following the paths created by her
blood vessels and being drawn down to the small of her back.
"Susan...?" Michelle whimpered with nervous uncertainty as she tightly
held onto Alex's arm, her eyes darting frantically around the room.
"Just take it easy, love," Alex said gently as she rubbed Michelle's arm
in comfort. "Everything will be fine...."
"No, go away!" Michelle yelled as she suddenly seemed to explode into a
panic. She lurched away from Alex and turned to run down the hall, her eyes
taking on a faint red coloring.
There was a quick blur of motion as Rei darted past Alex, knocking the
blonde down as she tried to grab Michelle's arm. Michelle suddenly twisted
around and lashed out, grabbing the front of Rei's robe and almost literally
tossing her halfway across the room with a vicious snarl.
"Grab her!" Susan cried out as she started to draw energy out of the air
as rapidly as she could, hampered in the collection process by the damage to
her wings. "She's being possessed!"
Michelle was turning around to run again when the air shimmered for an
instant as Whisper teleported directly behind her. The telepath reached out
and pinned Michelle's arms to her sides, gasping at the effort it took as
Michelle began to struggle violently against her.
"Leave me alone, let me go!" Michelle sobbed, her aquamarine eyes glowing
with crimson light that seemed to burn from within.
"Stay back," Susan rasped as both Mina and Ami started to charge forward.
"Let me handle this...."
"Exorcism?" Mina panted, her stiletto in hand and giving the struggling
Michelle a deeply worried look.
"No," Susan replied quietly as the energy that she was collecting started
to visibly flow through the rest of her body, illuminating her blood vessels.
"I don't know what has a hold on her, but merely driving it out will only allow
it to take up residence somewhere else. I will draw it out of her and into
myself first, then try to deal with it from there."
"Rei, are you alright?" Tolaris whispered urgently as he tried to rouse
the stunned priestess lying on the floor. He was rewarded with a quiet moan
as she curled up into a ball, trying to protect herself from some spiritual
threat that she could still feel.
"Wait!" Alex gasped as she finally managed to get to her feet. "Sue, what
the hell is going on? What are you doing?"
"LET ME GO!" Michelle screamed as she continued to fight, trying to jam
her elbow into Whisper's ribcage. She suddenly tensed and screamed again as
the telepath hit her with a psi-spike in an effort to reduce her resistance,
the burst of searing pain seeming to lance through her entire nervous system
in a single, massive spasm.
"Stop it, you're hurting her!" Alex yelled as she reached up, drawing her
saber out of the dimensional sheath and charging the telepath. She had only
taken a few steps before she slammed into the energy shield Maze erected in
front of her.
The effect was like hitting a rubber wall, the enraged Viking essentially
bouncing back as the hemispherical barrier briefly bent into an oval shape.
The shield returned to a normal shape as she hit the ground, gasping hard as
the wind was knocked out of her. She somehow managed to retain her grip on her
Soul Saber, but was otherwise too stunned to do anything with it.
"Hold her still!" Susan commanded as she darted forward to Michelle, her
hands coming up to hold the possessed woman's head perfectly still. She then
leaned forward and kissed her deeply, allowing her to send her demonic powers
into Michelle's soul as she sought to separate the innocent from the corrupt.
Their auras suddenly flashed into view, a dark green surrounding Susan while a
vibrant aquamarine sharply edged in black formed around Michelle.
"What the hell is she doing?" Leda demanded, reflexively dropping into a
defensive martial arts posture.
Mina cast a quick glance over at her, her mouth set in a thin line. "You
don't want to know," she said in a low-pitched tone, casting a momentary glance
at Ami before returning her attention to what Susan was doing.
Everyone blinked as Susan suddenly inhaled sharply, her wings suddenly
sweeping backwards as she succeeded in tearing the dark core out of Michelle's
soul. The faint glow of sparks along her veins suddenly turned as black as
night as she drew the possession out of Michelle's body and slowly began to
devour it.
Michelle's body twitched like a puppet having its strings cut as Susan's
demonic kiss sifted through her entire soul, filtering out the impurities and
restoring her aura to its natural aquamarine color. It was a disturbingly
sensual process to watch as Susan's lips moved in a slow rhythm, drawing an
instinctive response from Michelle. They continued for several long seconds
before Susan finally released her hold and took a step back, her eyes glowing
like beacons and her tongue coming out to lick the faint golden residue on her
lips in an almost erotic fashion.
The red glow in Michelle's eyes vanished as if a switch had simply been
turned off, her aura pulsing briefly before fading from view. She made a deep
moaning sound that raised the hair on everyone's arms as she slumped to the
ground, her eyes rolling up into her head as she passed out.
"Susan!" Ami called out, horrified at the scene she was witnessing.
The succubus brought her hands up and slowly clenched them into fists, the
black sparks flowing along her veins seeming to move faster with each passing
second. "I have it under control," she rasped. "I don't know how it was able
to possess a protected soul like hers, but I have removed it from her. She
should regain consciousness in a few moments."
"Sue...." Alex moaned as the worst of the daze faded, allowing her enough
strength to lift her head from the floor to look around. "What happened?"
"Need any help, demon?" Mina said in a wary tone, still tightly holding
her stiletto in one hand. "I've got some holy water and a few wafers of the
Host in my room if you need them...."
Susan shook her head and replied in the same eldritch language she had
used earlier, making her voice sound dangerously raw. "It is under control,"
she added in her native human language. "This shouldn't last much longer."
Maze grunted quietly as he moved to stand behind Mina, laying a gentle
hand on her shoulder. "Susan, is the immediate crisis over?" he asked as he
glanced over at Whisper trying to gently rouse Michelle.
Susan tilted her head at a slight angle. "Yes, I believe it is," she
replied, her voice seeming to grow stronger. She closed her eyes and inhaled
deeply, causing her wings to twitch and shiver. The black points of light
slowly began to disappear one by one, the individual motes seeming to pop like
bubbles before being absorbed into her veins. Her aura slowly began to fade
from view, the color pulsing slightly in time with her heartbeat.
"That's relieving to hear," Maze said in a wary tone. "Can you explain
to us what exactly went on, then?"
"Rei?" Tolaris said quietly again, gently shaking her shoulder.
"I'm fine," the priestess sighed as she very slowly uncurled herself, her
eyes still tightly closed. "She hit me with some sort of negative energy when
she threw me. I think I just need a moment to recover, that's all...."
Susan turned around, her eyes still glowing brightly with power. "Rei, I
strongly suggest you try to purge yourself of any lingering negative energy,"
she said, still slowly absorbing the black motes of energy. "She was possessed
by an umbra, and while they aren't usually as dangerous as other sources of
demonic possession, they can still cause significant spiritual harm if you're
not prepared for them."
"An umbrella, what?" Alex inquired as she rose to her feet, still quite
disoriented by her forceful encounter with Maze's energy shield.
"Eww," Mina shivered. "Umbras are nasty critters."
Leda gave the blonde an odd look. "More lore from your grandmother?"
"Yeah," Mina sighed, still shivering lightly. "I've heard a few things
about them, and you really don't want to run into one in a dark alley. Not
that you want to run into any sort of demonic evil period, but you still get
the idea."
There was a soft moan from the floor as Michelle regained consciousness.
Alex immediately crossed the room to kneel down at her side, still holding her
saber in one hand and keeping a very wary eye on Whisper.
"Easy, love, just stay still for a bit," she said soothingly as she used
her free hand to gently squeeze Michelle's hand.
"W.... What happened?" Michelle murmured softly as she struggled to open
her eyes. It took several seconds of effort before her eyelids finally parted
enough to let her focus on her surroundings.
Susan suddenly drew her wings in against her body as tightly as she could
before she flexed them outwards to their full length. The remaining motes of
black energy surrounding her were suddenly cast away like a fine layer of dust
being blown off an old book, quickly fading into nothingness. "You had been
possessed by an evil force," the succubus explained calmly, shaking her wings
gently for several seconds before folding them back against her body.
"You alright?" Tolaris asked gently as Rei gingerly stood up.
"I'm fine," the priestess replied in a subdued tone. She made sure she
had full control over her balance and muscle coordination before she reached
into her robe and pulled out another spiritual ward. She held it tightly as
she muttered a quick prayer, causing the black ink to take on a golden hue.
Ami blinked as a sudden chill swept past her, causing her to turn around
to locate the source of the disturbance. "Rei, what are you doing?" she asked
in a concerned tone. She suddenly flinched as the ward gave off a pulse of
golden light, sweeping across the length of the room in an instant and causing
her skin to tingle somewhat unpleasantly. "Hey!" she protested as a severe
headache promptly took up residence in the front of her skull.
"Sorry, just clearing the air," Rei apologized quietly as she readjusted
her hold on the now-useless ward, holding just the bottom corner by the tips
of her fingernails. The parchment seemed to smoke slightly before it erupted
into green flames with a soft whoosh. She was about to toss it into the air
to finish burning when her hand was suddenly enveloped in a small whirlwind,
tearing the ward from her grasp and extinguishing the odd green fire.
"There has to be a better way of disposing of those," Tolaris observed as
he directed the summoned dust-devil towards the fireplace to dump the ashes.
Rei just shook her head. "I'm not doing it. They always seem to combust
with green flame whenever they counteract evil energies and influences, and I
don't know why. I wish it would stop, however, as I've already burnt myself a
few times because of it."
"It might be the ink you've been using," Susan suggested gently, trying to
ignore the headache that was besieging her as well. "Once this is all over,
perhaps we can sit down and go over the exact process you've been using, as I
must confess to being deeply curious as to how you've managed to craft such
potent spiritual wards."
Mina just shook her head as she headed back towards the table. "It's all
in the wrist," she muttered. "Does it matter right now? Just peel Michelle
off the floor and give her a cold compress if she has a headache. Umbras are
nasty bastards, but if Susan just ate it, then that should be that. And since
we're talking about eating things, I'm getting really, really hungry, so can we
get back to breakfast and reheat the pancake syrup? It's gotten cold now."
"I'm fine," Michelle muttered as Alex and Whisper gently pulled her to
her feet. "Mina's right, I do have a headache, though...."
Whisper just sighed. "That was my fault, I gave you a psi-spike when you
were struggling around like that. How's your memory?"
Michelle blinked at the question. "My memory? It's fine.... I think,"
she added hesitantly as she paused for a moment. "Wait...."
"Careful, hon," Alex warned her. "If you stop to think, you might forget
to start again. That's happened to me a few times, too, so be careful. Girl,
you had better be opening your mouth to yawn," she added over her shoulder,
giving Leda a dangerous glare.
Leda blinked and gave her an unamused look. "Or what, you'll try to start
a fight or something? Cork the attitude for once, not everyone jumps at every
single opportunity to make a comment about someone."
"Captain?" Tolaris prompted gently as he and Ami resumed their seats at
the table. "Is everything okay?"
Whisper sighed quietly as she looked at Michelle. "I'm not sure," she
replied. "Michelle, would you be willing to let me try to examine your mind
for a moment to see if there is anything I can do about your memory?"
"Whoa, wait," Alex said as she stepped between Michelle and the telepath.
"First you try to blow her brains out, then you want her to hold still so you
can dig around in her mind?" She paused and blinked as she felt Michelle's
arms sliding around her waist, gently hugging her.
"It's alright, Alex," Michelle said quietly. "I want to know what just
happened, and more importantly why. Something feels like it's missing, and I
don't like that feeling."
"After breakfast," Alex said flatly, casting a mildly suspicious look at
Whisper. "Mina's right for once, breakfast is getting cold and I really hate
cold pancakes. Come on," she said as she gently pulled her along and headed
back towards the table.
Whisper raised an eyebrow and was about to say something when she heard a
noise behind her. She turned to look and raised the other eyebrow at the sight
of Ra'vel walking down the hallway with all three cats curled up in her arms.
"Idle curiosity, Lieutenant," she said slowly. "Have they been keeping you
company, or have you been keeping them company?"
The avian laughed softly and chirped a casually cheerful reply as she
carried the cats into the living room. She set them down on the coffee table
before heading over to the last unoccupied seat at the table, clicking her beak
in greeting to the group.
"So nice of you to join us," Tolaris said dryly.
"Hey!" Mina protested around a mouthful of oatmeal as Artemis came over
and promptly hopped up onto the table next to her. "Get away from me, I don't
want you shedding into my oatmeal. This is some delicious stuff, by the way,
don't know what you added but it's awful good.... WHAT?" she demanded as the
white cat leaned over to whisper very quietly in her ear.
Everyone exchanged glances as Mina sighed and closed her eyes, listening
to whatever it was Artemis had to say. "It's there for a reason, okay? I'm
not going to be the one carrying it or using it, so you can relax now. Here,
try the sausage and tell me how it tastes," she said as she picked up a sausage
link and jammed it in his mouth.
"Not even going to ask," Alex muttered as she picked up her fork, eyeing
the stack of pancakes with a faintly ravenous look in her blue eyes. She
glanced over at Michelle and blinked at the expression on her face. "Something
still bugging you, babe?"
Michelle sighed and looked down at her plate. "No, it's not that," she
said quietly, studying the mass of butter and syrup slowly oozing across her
own pair of pancakes. "I shouldn't be eating this. This is all going to go
straight to my hips and thighs," she muttered. She blinked and looked over to
her left as Leda made a show of leaning back and giving her legs an appraising
look. "Yes?" she asked in a careful tone.
"Michelle, I wouldn't worry about it," Leda said dryly. "Yeah, there are
probably enough calories on the table to make all of us shudder to think of the
next time we stand on a scale, but be realistic. We'll probably end up burning
it off inside of two hours once we enter the Negaverse. Speaking of which...."
"Eat," Tolaris said calmly. "The sun won't rise in the border region for
another two hours, so we have plenty of time to plan our approach. Eat and
rest up while we still have the time to do so. We can talk after breakfast.
Ami?" he added in a slightly tired tone.
Ami blinked and paused for a moment, holding the jar of cinnamon over her
oatmeal. "Hmm?"
"Not so much, please," he said gently. "I know you love cinnamon, but it
is not something I happen to care for."
"So don't eat it, then?" she suggested, arching up an eyebrow.
Tolaris shrugged and sipped his ma'cha. "I'm not kissing you if you're
going to leave an aftertaste again," he replied casually. He glanced out of
the corner of his eye as at least three people promptly choked on whatever it
was they were eating, drawing looks of mild reproachment from everyone else.
Ami gave him a poisonous look as she set the jar of cinnamon aside, her
cheeks flushing a deep crimson color. "We'll talk about this later," she said
in a slightly glacial tone.
Myst just sighed and looked over at Luna, idly watching the group from the
vantage point of the coffee table. "Are you SURE I'll get used to this?" she
said to the black cat, her tail lashing back and forth.
"I'm not sure I'm used to this," Luna muttered with a sigh.
* * * *
Serena groaned quietly as she slowly drifted up from the fog of sleep. A
voice started to register on her mind and she tried to roll over onto her side,
hoping it would go away. Oh, man, this is a rough morning, she thought with
another soft groan. My whole body aches....
"I said wake up," the voice persisted in a somewhat unkind tone.
Serena sighed and rolled back over onto her back. "Aww, Luna, leave me
alone," she protested quietly. "It's not a school day, so let me sleep...."
"Let me try the direct approach," the voice said flatly. "Get up or you
will find yourself taking a permanent nap. So what will it be, hmm?"
The harshness of the tone finally sunk into her mind, triggering an alarm
and shocking her into full consciousness. "What...?" she moaned as she opened
her eyes, only to find herself staring at the business end of a disturbingly
large pistol.
"Good morning, Moon Princess," General Rune said in a faintly edged tone
as she aimed the barrel of her sidearm at the blonde's forehead. "So nice of
you to finally wake up."
Serena's eyes promptly tripled in diameter as she realized what was going
on. "What?" she gasped as her heart started to lurch in her chest. "Y-Y-You!"
"Welcome back to the Negaverse, Sailor Moon," Rune replied. "It's been
quite awhile, hasn't it?"
"What? How...." Serena whispered in shock as her eyes darted around the
medical ward. She glanced down and realized that the brooch containing the
Imperium Silver Crystal was still pinned to her blouse. The fact that her
blouse was unbuttoned and a medical monitoring probe was taped to her chest
just below the edge of her bra were minor details at best, but the mere sight
of the Crystal was enough to focus her thoughts.
"Get away from me!" she cried as she brought her hand up. "Moon Crys...!"
she started to say, only to abruptly fall silent as Rune cocked the hammer on
her weapon. The device made a very ominous clicking sound, the barrel never
wavering from the center of her forehead.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Rune said in a casual tone. "I don't
know how fast you can summon your powers, little girl, but I doubt even an
instantaneous transformation would protect you from a bullet at this range.
And don't think I won't hesitate to pull the trigger and put you out of our
collective misery."
Serena blinked hard and slowly moved her hand away from the brooch, her
blood seeming to freeze solid with the realization of her situation. "What do
you want?" she whispered, her voice dangerously unstable. The medical monitor
next to her started chirping quietly to itself, warning anyone who cared that
her heart-rate was becoming dangerously unstable.
Rune gave her a deadly smirk. "Hand over the Imperium Silver Crystal,"
she commanded. "Once we're sure you won't be able to pull any tricks on us,
we'll take you to see the NegaForce and let it deal with you as necessary."
"What?" Serena blurted out, her hand reflexively coming up to grasp the
brooch again. She tensed as Rune's grip suddenly tightened on her weapon, the
unwavering barrel still pointed directly at her forehead. A soft white glow
began to seep out from beneath the Crystal's protective cover, bathing her hand
in a gentle warmth.
Rune blinked and scowled as the sign of the Moon began to glow a faint
golden color on Serena's forehead. "I'm warning you, child, I will have you
executed right here and now if you don't cooperate. Give me the Crystal."
"You can't touch it, can you?" Serena said softly, her voice taking on a
faintly musical aspect. "It has its own power beyond my own, the power to
protect itself. Even if you kill me, it will not allow the likes of you to lay
your filthy hands on it...."
Serena flinched and screamed as the gun went off, blasting a large crater
in the wall next to her. A chunk of plaster sliced across her cheek, leaving
a thin cut behind that started to ooze blood. She very slowly opened her eyes
and glanced up at Rune, her eyes reflexively starting to water from the pain.
"Last chance, Princess," Rune snarled as she reloaded the firearm with a
sharp jerk of the housing, loading another round into the chamber. "You can
either hand over the Crystal now, or we can have it removed from your corpse.
I prefer the latter, of course, but I promised a friend that I would give the
diplomatic approach a chance before I kill you. Now.... give me the Crystal."
Serena tightened her grip on the brooch, feeling the warmth increase as
the Crystal started to glow brighter. A sense of inner peace descended upon
her and she stared back into Rune's eyes. She knew that her life was probably
only moments away from ending, but she also knew that her death would release
the full power of the Imperium Silver Crystal in an uncontrolled outburst that
would likely obliterate the entire castle, if not the rest of the Negaverse.
"If you kill me," Serena found herself saying in her oddly musical voice,
"You shall only bring ruin to your world. I am more of a threat to you dead
than I am alive, for nothing would then stop my friends from destroying this
world to end the threat to Earth. You shall not have the Crystal."
"Suit yourself," Rune snarled as she centered the barrel on the blonde's
forehead and pulled the trigger, aiming for the glowing crescent mark.
The golden sigil seemed to flash into blinding brilliance in an instant,
a powerful shockwave rippling out as the bullet emerged from the barrel at a
sub-sonic velocity. The projectile met the wave of energy and was forced to
one side, altering the ballistic path just enough to avoid the solid bones of
her skull. The round impacted with the wall behind her instead, but only by a
fraction of an inch.
Serena screamed as the bullet grazed her temple, leaving a gash behind
that immediately started to drip blood. A faint spray of crimson was splashed
on the wall immediately behind her, surrounding the small crater left by the
bullet's passage.
Rune hissed sharply and blinked hard, trying to clear her retinas of the
purple after-images caused by the burst of blinding light. She waited until
she could focus again before trying to look over at the princess, her eyebrows
arching up in surprise at the realization that she had somehow missed at a
distance of six feet.
"Incredible," she said in an awed tone, watching in amazement as Serena
slowly reached up to touch the side of her head. "You're a lot harder to kill
that I had realized. No wonder Beryl had so many problems with you...."
The blonde yelped as her fingertips brushed across the raw and bleeding
wound. She pulled her hand away, glancing in dismay at the thick coating of
red blood on her fingers. She looked up at Rune with tears in her eyes, no
less surprised at the development than Rune.
Rune just shook her head. "No matter, I made a backup plan just on the
hunch that you would somehow surprise me. Let's see how well you can cope with
this one, girl," she said as she turned around and made a signal through the
transparent windows.
The doors promptly hissed open and a bound figure was roughly shoved into
the room. He stumbled and fell hard onto his face, but not before Serena was
able to get a good look at him.
"Darian!" she cried out, her eyes widening in horror. "What did you do
to him?" she demanded. "Leave him alone!"
Rune gave her a dark smile as she grabbed his shirt and hauled him to his
feet. "And what do we have here, hmm?" she said casually as she yanked him
over to a chair and shoved him into it.
He fell into the chair with a gasp, one side of his face badly bruised
from an earlier beating. He slowly looked up, his haunted eyes making contact
with Serena's before widening in surprise. "S.... Serena?" he whispered.
"Silence!" Rune commanded as she slammed the back of her fist across his
jaw, rocking him back.
"Stop it!" Serena screamed as she tried to bolt upright, only to discover
that her legs had been secured in place using several straps. Beside her, the
medical monitor chirped another warning as her blood pressure started to spike
as well, fully half of the readings outlined in flashing yellows and reds.
"Careful, little princess, you might hurt yourself," Rune said over her
shoulder as she grabbed a length of elastic cord off a table and securely tied
him to the chair. "Guess who we found last night? He apparently was foolish
enough to come into the Negaverse to look for you. Alone, too, oddly enough,
but I'm not going to waste any more time asking him why."
"What are you doing?" Serena sobbed quietly. "Please, let him go...."
Rune finished her task and turned around to face the blonde. She very
slowly reloaded another round into her weapon before extending her arm out,
pressing the muzzle against the side of his head just above the ear. "Here's
the deal, girl," she said very slowly. "You either hand over the Crystal, or
you can watch as I blow his brains out all over the wall. It's your choice,
of course, but I don't think your defensive power will be able to protect your
beloved Prince Darian from a point-blank shot."
"No...." Serena breathed, feeling her throat constrict. The glow between
her fingers suddenly flashed red, sending an agonizing wave of pain throughout
her entire body. She gasped as she leaned forward, clutching her abdomen and
setting off the rest of the medical warning alarms.
"It's your choice," Rune repeated, nudging him with her firearm. "Make a
decision and soon, because my patience is running thin. The Crystal or his
life."
She lifted her head up to glare at the denizen. "You're bluffing," she
gasped quietly. "You won't kill him, he's your Crown Prince. You need him."
Rune shrugged with indifference. "We can easily cut off his k'vesan and
extract the genetic material we need," she said off-handedly. "Granted it is
significantly easier if he is around to help, but it is not a requirement. I
am warning you, my patience with these games is at an end. Now then, do you
want to see for yourself that I'm not bluffing, or are you going to hand over
the Imperium Silver Crystal?"
Serena struggled to breathe as she stared at the scene before her. His
chin was pressed against his chest with his eyes closed. A small trickle of
dark red blood was oozing from the corner of his mouth where Rune had hit him,
the droplets falling down his chin to leave a dark stain on his pants.
The images and memories suddenly rushed through her mind.... the day they
first met a lifetime ago at the hospital, all the times she ran into him after
school, all the fighting they did, the realization of one another's identities
during the final confrontation with Zoicite, the first time he kissed her, the
times they spent together, lying next to one another in bed, the times she
tried to get close to him and was gently rebuffed, the argument the day before,
the realization of his affair with Queen Beryl....
The crimson glow beneath her fingertips grew stronger as her mouth set in
a thin and bitter line. She loved him, and yet.... A wave of pain suddenly
washed over her, tainting her vision red and causing a hollow roaring sound in
her ears that threatened to deafen her. "You're.... bluffing...." she panted
as she struggled to sit up straight.
Rune sighed and pulled the hammer back, the sharp click echoing loudly in
the small medical ward. "You willing to bet his life on it, girl? I will not
say this again. Give me the Crystal!"
Serena glanced over at his face as he looked up at her, his eyes filled
with sadness. "Serena," he whispered very quietly. "You know I love you."
She blinked hard as his words echoed in her mind, reminding her of how he
had said those words the last time they were alone in their bedroom.... right
before he rejected her yet again. Pain unlike anything she could remember ever
feeling before surged into her abdomen, shattering what little control she had
left over her emotions.
"Go to hell," Serena whispered, her eyes as cold as arctic ice.
Rune blinked at her tone before she sighed. "Him first," she said with a
shrug as she turned her head away and pulled the trigger.
The echo of the gun going off seemed to last for an eternity in Serena's
mind, her entire world coming to a complete and total halt as the far side of
his head erupted in a shower of blood, brains, and bone fragments. The far
wall was immediately bathed in an unholy pinkish-red mass that slowly began to
slide down towards the floor.
There could be no doubt that the wound was instantly fatal.
Darian was dead.
Her eternal love, who had crossed the boundaries of space and time to be
reunited with her after their unjust death in the Moon Kingdom a thousand years
ago, had just been slain.
He was dead.
She wouldn't feel his touch again, or hear his voice, or do any of the
countless things they had done before in the past, or any of the things she
had wanted to do with him in the future.
Her prince was dead.
She couldn't blink as the sight tried to register on her mind, unable to
accept the fact that his body was now completely lifeless. His head hung down
listlessly, a visible hole in one side of skull and the opposite half almost
entirely blasted off by the impact of the powerful bullet.
Serena was as still as a statue, her blue eyes wide and her mouth hanging
open. She was far beyond being in shock, as her conscious mind was now in a
deadly struggle against not just her senses but against reality itself. Her
lower lip began to tremble slightly as her cortex went into extreme overload,
the synapses in her brain firing thousands of times per second as it tried to
manage and cope with the sheer force of her will slipping into denial.
Rune slowly turned around to survey the damage, wrinkling her nose at the
mess on the wall. She glanced down at her arm and sighed quietly as she saw
how much of the blood and gore had splattered her arm. Head shots always were
disturbingly messy, she thought before she looked over at the princess.
She blinked as the medical monitor started chirping a warning, flashing
every single bio-reading in red. She carefully edged closer to take a closer
look, her eyebrows arching up as she realized that the printed trace of the
blonde's brain waves looked more like a seismograph during a magnitude 9.8
earthquake than a reading of a living brain.
Serena's brain continued to race almost literally at the speed of light,
processing and trying to sort out the uproar caused by billions of impulses
being sent across her nerves. Unable to accept not just what her senses were
trying to tell her but what her core of reason was saying as well, her sanity
didn't so much fall apart as explode into shards and fragments.
Her mind hadn't even begun to collapse in on itself yet before her aura
reacted to the new threat. Her will, the core of her very being and the force
that kept the power of the Imperium Silver Crystal in check, simply could not
accept the dissolution of her structured mind as a viable defensive measure.
Her aura turned inside-out, attempting to wrap her conscious mind in a sort of
protective cocoon and hold her sanity together.
Faced with a catastrophic conflict of control and the physical structure
of her brain overheating to fatal temperatures from the sheer volume of neural
impulses, unable to escape her senses and effectively prevented from rejecting
the world around her with the veil of insanity, her mind had only one option
left to protect itself. Tapping into the most fundamental of instincts for
self-preservation, her mind withdrew itself into as small a space as it could,
walled off all neural connections save for the one pathway that controlled her
autonomous functions, and physically shut down the rest of her brain.
Rune blinked as the blonde twitched once and seemed to relax, her breath
quietly leaving her lungs in a gentle sigh. The sigil on her forehead ceased
glowing and faded to a dark gray color, the life seeming to vanish from her
blue eyes as if a plug had been pulled. Her body succumbed to gravity, falling
backwards and landing hard on the pillow with a hollow thump. Her eyes stared
up at the ceiling, her gaze utterly empty and completely devoid of any sign of
life. The medical monitor on the cart suddenly began to emit a constant tone
as the EKG reading became flat, flashing a blue border around the screen.
"Huh," Rune said quietly to herself, realizing that the signals meant that
her guest had just gone into full and complete cardiac arrest. "I take it you
didn't like that one, did you? Oh, well, so much for diplomacy...."
She blinked and turned around as the doors hissed open to admit a visibly
upset Master Healer Maq'i. The ancient healer paused for a split-second to
take stock of the situation, her gold eyes doubling in diameter at the sight
of the blood-spattered wall. She cast a furious glare at Rune as she charged
over to the bed.
"MOVE!" she snarled as she quite literally knocked Rune over in her haste
to reach the blonde's side. She immediately slapped a button on the medical
console before leaning over the princess' body, placing both hands over the
motionless heart muscle. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, sending
her as much of her healing energy as she could muster into Serena's chest and
trying to coax the muscle into restarting on its own.
Rune blinked in surprise as she found herself ptanka-first on the floor,
a deep throbbing pain assaulting her backside and a cloud of sparks floating
in her vision. "How dare you...." she started to say as she rose to her feet,
making sure to activate the safety lock on her firearm.
"HOW DARE YOU!!" Maq'i snapped over her shoulder. "I will NOT have any of
this in my medical ward! *GUARDS!*"
Rune blinked again as the door suddenly hissed open, a pair of Red Wings
standing in the archway with their hands on their weapons and a very uncertain
look in their eyes. "Master Healer?" one of them ventured, a sickened look on
his face as he saw the corpse sitting in the chair.
"Remove General Rune from the medical ward immediately," Maq'i snarled as
she tried to increase the energy flow to the princess' stalled heart. "She is
not to be let back in until I say so. That is a direct order from the Chief
Medical Officer of this facility."
"You're out of line," Rune snapped, her body tensing up.
Maq'i blinked as Serena's heart finally responded to her healing energy,
resuming a sluggish but viable rhythm on its own. She quickly turned to the
medical monitor, examining the readings with intensity before casting a flat
glare over her shoulder. "Guards, I am the Chief Medical Officer and you have
been given a direct order based on emergency medical authority. Now get her
out of here before she can try to kill my patient again!"
The guards exchanged wary glances before they turned to Rune. "Ma'am, we
have to comply with her order," the senior one said in a detached tone. "You
need to leave this facility immediately."
Rune cast a furious glance at Maq'i's back before she snorted in disdain.
"We will see who is in charge around here," she muttered darkly as she headed
for the door. She paused in the archway and turned around, looking at the body
still tied to the chair. "You two, pick that up and take it to the next ward.
I will take care of the rest myself."
The guards exchanged glances again as Rune brushed past them, not overly
sure what to make of the situation. They both turned to look at Maq'i as she
sighed and made a gesture of idle dismissal.
"You had best do as she asks," the Healer said in a weary tone. "Do not
be concerned, there is more to this than it seems to be. Damn her," she spat
quietly as she studied the brain-wave trace. She frowned as she realized that
the needles hadn't twitched since her heart stopped and continued to draw a
perfectly flat line.
Both Red Wings blinked hard as she started to curse in a decidedly harsh
dialect of the denizen language that was of Felinoid origin. "Master Healer?"
the junior guard inquired carefully.
"Carry that out of here," she said with a gesture to the corpse. "The
instant you are done, contact General Al'vexi and ask her to come here as soon
as she possibly can. We have a problem here," she said in a worried tone.
"What should we tell her?" the senior guard asked as he gingerly stepped
around a puddle of pink ooze on the floor and prepared to lift the chair up by
the legs, motion for his partner to grab the other side.
Maq'i sighed and turned back to the monitor, casting a saddened look at
the blank stare on the princess' face. "Tell her that the Moon Princess has
been stabilized, but that her mind is beyond my help. She needs a telepathic
healer now, and that it might already be too late."
The guards nodded in understanding. "We'll get her for you," the senior
Red Wing promised as he and his partner lifted up the chair holding Darian's
body and began the very distasteful process of moving it over to another room.
* * * *
Rune watched in silence as the guards gingerly set the chair down and left
the ward in moderate haste. Sighing softly, she rose to her feet and crossed
the room to lock the door. She then went back over to the chair and began to
untie the elastic cord that kept him upright.
"You can wake up now," she said in a casual tone.
"I'm.... awake...." the corpse whispered, his lips barely moving.
Rune paused at the unusual tone. "Are you okay?" she inquired. She made
the mistake of glancing up at the side of his head, her stomach turning as she
could see straight through the path made by the bullet to see the paint on the
wall opposite her.
"...No," he replied faintly.
She just sighed and yanked on the knot, causing the cord to come loose.
He promptly slid out of the chair and onto the floor with a hollow thump, the
pinkish-red contents of his shattered skull splashing out with a sickening
semi-liquid slurp.
"Yeech," Rune gagged as she looked away. "Must you be so.... realistic?"
"Not.... pretending...." he whispered.
Rune blinked hard and whirled around to look. "What?"
"Explain.... later.... trying.... to.... change...."
Rune gave him a concerned look as she slowly sat down in her chair, trying
to figure out what he was saying. She blinked as she heard a faint sloshing
noise start up and the tips of his fingers suddenly began to melt into a dark
pink goo.
The melting effect seemed to spread with agonizing slowness, crawling up
his arms one inch at a time. It took several seconds before the effect could
spread to the rest of his body, melting and oozing together to form a single
puddle of protoplasm. It was a rather disgusting process to watch but Rune
continued to observe anyway, grateful for her decision to put off breakfast
until after her confrontation with Sailor Moon.
The puddle drew itself together and started to take on a rough humanoid
form. It took another few seconds before rough details could be discerned, an
elbow joint here, a kneecap there, a few muscle curves elsewhere.
It must have been a full minute by Rune's reckoning before real details
were visible, fingers and toes becoming identifiable, hair starting to take
shape on the head, and the swells of feminine breasts forming on the torso to
denote its gender. The pink goo suddenly shivered and solidified all at once,
forming a layer of skin and congealing into the nude figure of Agent M.
Rune's eyebrows arched up slightly at how well-toned the metamorph was in
her natural form. She figured that M could be as busty or as firm as she felt
like being on a given day, but it was not often that a woman of M's age could
keep herself in such a seemingly youthful condition.
"How do you feel?" Rune asked carefully.
M didn't move at first, her eyes still closed. Very slowly, she lifted
her arms up to touch the sides of her head, gently probing the solidity of her
skeletal structure. "Section nine of my contract, paragraph four," M said in
a very unsteady tone.
Rune blinked at the unexpected reference to her contract. "Which is...?"
she prompted. She had it on file, of course, but she would have to take it out
and look at it for the finer details of a given section.
"An exit clause," M moaned quietly, trying not to move as her brain seemed
to throb in time with her pulse. "As of now, I am terminating my employment
with you. It's been fun, general, but I think I've had enough of this. Ohhh,
this hurts...."
Rune snorted quietly. "I thought you said you could do this."
"I said I might be able to," M countered quietly. "As I pointed out last
night, it is extremely difficult to overcome an ingrained bias when it comes to
assuming a given form. Especially when it involves rewiring the neural paths
to the brain and spine. I thought I had shifted my cortex into a new physical
structure I formed in my abdomen, but apparently I didn't do a very good job in
setting up the neural paths. I went into shock back there, you know."
The general raised an eyebrow. "So how are you feeling now?"
"What do you think?" M sighed. "I have a killer headache. Literally.
Let's be honest here, how well do you think you'd be feeling if someone put a
gun to your head and blew out half of your processing neurons?"
Rune just grumbled quietly to herself. "Should I contact a Healer?" she
inquired in a slightly weary tone, casting a discreet glance at the clock.
"If you think it'll do any good," M muttered as she finally opened her
eyes and tried to focus on the ceiling. "I think I just need to lay down in a
dark corner of my quarters for a day or two, that's all."
The general snorted in contempt and stood up. "I will arrange for you to
receive a suitable bonus for your cooperation in this effort," she said calmly.
"I think you should take a few days off to reconsider your request to exercise
the exit clause option, but the decision is ultimately up to you. No matter
which you decide, you have my personal gratitude for your exemplary service,"
she added with genuine feeling as she turned to leave.
"Rune...." M said slowly as she struggled into a sitting position. She
blinked and glanced down at her naked body, grumbling very quietly to herself.
Her skin started to ripple for a moment before reforming into a standard but
nondescript jumpsuit.
"Yes?" Rune inquired mildly with a glance over her shoulder.
"What happened back there?" the metamorph asked with concern. "I wasn't
paying close attention as I was trying to keep myself alive, but I heard an
alarm going off. What was it?"
Rune sighed and leaned against the locked door. "Apparently she thought
I was bluffing, as she seemed shocked when I supposedly executed her lover.
She was so shocked, in fact, that she went into cardiac arrest on the spot."
"What?" M said, her head snapping up to give Rune a startled look. "You
have to be kidding me, she's simply too young to have a heart-attack!"
"Fine," Rune shrugged in dismissal as she palmed the lock open. "You can
talk to the Master Healer if you don't believe me."
"Rune, wait," M persisted. "I've studied these humans for years now. It
would take a massive amount of trauma to cause her heart to simply stop like
that, and I don't believe that head wound you gave her was sufficient. Humans
are psychologically unstable creatures, at least from our perspective given
their wide range of volatile emotions and short lifespans. It's possible that
the shock of seeing her prince executed in front of her could result in mental
damage of some kind."
"So what's the downside?" Rune replied with another dismissive shrug. "I
could care less if she lives through this or not. I only want the Imperium
Silver Crystal from her, that's it. And if we can't get to it while she is
still alive and able to defend it...."
M just rubbed her sinuses as Rune deliberately left the rest unsaid. "If
you think you can do it," she muttered quietly.
"That is no longer your concern, Agent M," Rune replied flatly. "You may
consider yourself on medical leave for the next seventy-two hours, after which
I expect to hear from you concerning your final decision to continue working
for me or not. Until then, I suggest you rest well. Headaches tend to linger
if you keep thinking too hard," she added lightly before she left the room.
M just laid back down on the floor and sighed quietly, still trying to
make sure that her reconstituted neural pathways were fully functional. This
is getting out of hand, she thought. Something isn't right with this, and I
think it's time I found out just what the t'zarn is going on around here....
Taking a deep breath, M began the somewhat slow and currently painful
process of dissolving her physical body into a gelatinous form. She waited
until she was quite sure that all of her cells were mobile enough before she
crawled over to the air vent and oozed inside, disappearing into the countless
miles of ducts that crisscrossed the Imperial Castle.
* * * *
"Are we finished yet?" Alex asked for the fourth time as she waited for
everyone else to complete various post-breakfast activities.
Leda stopped in mid-motion to give her a venomous glare. "You ask that
one more time and you're going to be wearing this thing," she growled as she
picked up the nearly empty pot of oatmeal and carried it to the kitchen sink.
"Patience, Alex," Susan admonished her quietly. "Some things should not
be rushed, and an event of this magnitude is one of them."
The blonde just sighed and crossed her arms. "Look, this is the Princess
we're talking about, okay? She's been their prisoner for how long now? They
could have done all sorts of unspeakable things to her already, and you know
as well as I do that, present company aside, the Negaverse would just love to
do precisely that!"
Maze just sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "She has a bit of a
point," he said quietly. "I don't know about the Negaverse as a whole, but I
can think of a few people sadistic enough to do that...."
"As you were, Lieutenant," Tolaris said flatly.
"It's the truth, Commander," Maze pointed out.
"Be that as it may, there's no use in dwelling on it now," Tolaris said.
"What we need to focus on now is going in there and getting her back without
doing any more harm than is necessary."
Leda quietly returned from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dish towel.
"So what's the game-plan again?" she asked warily.
"I'm waiting for Mina to return first," Tolaris said, giving Maze an odd
look. "She did say it would only take a moment, right?"
"Don't look at me," Maze shrugged. "I just thought she was going to get
something from her room...."
"I was," Mina said as she emerged from the residential hallway, slightly
winded from moving with haste. "Sorry it took so long, I think Artemis got
pissed and hid it under the bed."
There was a snort of contempt from the ball of white fur in Darian's lap.
"I did not," Artemis muttered, lashing his tail back and forth.
"Anyway," Mina said as she looked over at Michelle. "Hey, Michelle, you
have a moment?"
Michelle blinked in surprise and seemed to hesitate, hovering directly
behind Alex's shoulder. "Yes," she said, still clearly rattled from the
earlier incident.
Mina just gave her a reassuring smile as she moved over to her. "Relax,
you should like this one. I kinda figured you were the timid type and all, so
I picked up a special friend for you, just in case you needed an extra bit of
oomph if we get in a fight. Here," she said as she held up the small device.
"What the hell is that?" Alex asked, staring at the pronged box.
"A tazer?" Ami said, blinking in surprise.
"Bingo," Mina grinned. "See, this little beauty packs a serious punch.
All you need to do is press the button here to activate it and then jab these
prongs at your opponent. It'll give off a major jolt of electricity that'll
leave them stunned for a few seconds."
Michelle blinked and regarded the device carefully. "Umm...."
"Michelle?" Susan spoke up from the table. "Think of it as mimicking the
power of an electric eel."
"Ohhh, I get it!" Michelle said, her eyes widening in understanding. She
carefully took the tazer from Mina and looked it over. "So I just push this
button here, right?"
"Hold that thought, babe," Alex said as she hastily took a few steps back.
"I love you dearly, but I don't need to get jabbed in the butt by accident with
an electric eel-in-a-box."
Michelle giggled quietly as she pressed the button. She blinked hard and
nearly hit the ceiling as a powerful spark of electricity arced between the two
prongs. "Eeep!" she squealed, almost dropping the device.
"Easy, it's supposed to do that," Mina assured her. "If you know how an
electric eel stuns its prey, then I think you can imagine what it'd do to an
opponent trying to spank you stupid."
Leda just shook her head. "That explains a few things about Sailor V,"
she observed in a dry tone.
"Nah," Mina said with a wave of her hand. "That's just Maze being a very
naughty boy some nights."
There was a weary sigh as Maze's head dropped down to encounter the flat
surface of the table. He muttered something in his native dialect, drawing a
comforting pat on his shoulder from Ra'vel.
"Anyway," Mina continued as she held out a small fanny pack. "I'm not
sure if that'll fit in your Lunar Space pocket, but if it doesn't you can keep
it tucked in here. See, this goes around your waist and fastens in the front
like this," she said, demonstrating with a second pack.
"Huh," Alex said quietly as she came back over to study the pouch. "Hey,
what exactly is this stuff made from, anyway?"
"Nylon and velcro," Mina replied.
"I'll explain later," Susan said before Alex could ask.
"Hmm, this could be useful," Alex said as she fastened the pouch around
Michelle's waist. "Have to check this out later when this is over."
"Here," Mina said as she gave a third fanny pack to Ami. "Don't give me
a hard time about the contents, I have my reasons for having them as well as
having you carry them. You just need to learn to trust my instincts."
Ami blinked and gave her a very wary look before she unzipped the pouch
and peered inside. She remained frozen for several seconds before looking back
up at the blonde, her eyebrows arched clear up to her hairline.
"Yes, that is what you think," Mina sighed as she looked up towards the
ceiling. "Like I said, you just have to trust me on this one, okay?"
Ami looked back down at the pouch and sighed heavily before wordlessly
zipping it shut and strapping it around her waist. She glanced up and caught
the curious look on everyone's faces, slowly shaking her head in reply. "You
don't want to know," she said in a very quiet tone.
"Okay," Alex said slowly as she surveyed the room. "NOW are we ready?"
"We should be," Tolaris said slowly.
Susan gently cleared her throat. "If I may, Commander, I am expecting a
messenger to arrive in very short order with a response from Lord Hades."
Whisper tossed back the last mouthful of ma'cha and set her mug back down
on the table. "Well, at least we can go over the basic plan until he or she
gets here," she pointed out.
Tolaris nodded in understanding and looked around the room. "Okay, the
general plan consists of three parts. The first is to enter the Negaverse and
meet with Commander K'tal in the border village of Mar'ken. Hopefully he will
be able to help us determine Serena's location and the best venue for entry.
"The second part of the plan is the actual infiltration of the site where
she's being held at. This will of course be a complete unknown until we get
more information from K'tal, assuming he can help us. As we will then be doing
things 'by the seat of our pants' as you humans say, I can't even begin to
estimate the hazards and problems we may encounter.
"The third part is actually getting back out of the Negaverse with Serena
in hand. By this point, however, the entire military will probably have been
made aware of our presence and will most likely already be attempting to engage
us. Hopefully we will be able to open up a wormhole as soon as we find Serena,
but there are locations in which that won't be possible. Our goal will then be
to take her to a place where such wormholes can be opened and egress from there
as a group."
Leda shrugged. "That doesn't sound too bad," she observed.
There was a soft thump as Luna hopped up onto the table. "It may sound
simple, Leda, but I strongly doubt that will be the case," she cautioned. "You
have to keep in mind that your Sailor Scout powers might not be available to
you, as we don't know the condition of the Crystal yet. Or, for that matter,
what Serena's condition is."
"Tell us about this village," Rei spoke up for the first time since they
resumed eating breakfast awhile ago.
"It's a rather small village, to be honest," Whisper explained. "It is on
mostly flat terrain with the edge of the forest on the western boundary. It is
not uncommon to see one or two cargo transports in the field just north of the
village, but most trading is on a small-scale done in local kiosks. A small
military presence is possible, but it will be patrol-sized elements at worst.
No heavy armor or aircraft."
"That's a relief," Leda muttered. "Kinda hard to tornado-kick a tank and
have it do something other than scratch the paint and bruise your heel."
"No fighting unless absolutely necessary," Tolaris said sternly. "Our
first goal is information-gathering. I suggest not transforming right away
once we enter the Negaverse, the better to try to keep a low-profile. I think
we can get away with posing as a small clan on a day-trip to a trading post.
Ra'vel can pass as a guide, which is not uncommon in the slightest as we will
be within range of a few prominent avian clans."
"Ooo, ooo, question!" Mina said as she bounced on her toes for a moment.
"Do you think we could indulge in a little trading while we're there? I've
still got a few diamonds that Dyvach coughed up the other day, so I should be
able to find a local dealer who can make me a deal for some denizen currency,
right?"
Tolaris and Maze exchanged glances for a moment. "Well...." Maze said in
a thoughtful tone as he scratched his chin. "She can speak the language fairly
well, and she did manage to avoid raising too many eyebrows last night...."
The Dragoon commander sighed quietly to himself. "Mina? Keep in mind
that we're there for a purpose. If you can do so without causing a scene, I
don't have a problem with the idea. Keep in mind that you could put us all in
very serious trouble if you expose anyone by accident."
"Trust me," Mina grinned cheerfully.
"We're in trouble," Leda sighed, drawing a quiet grunt from Rei.
"Amen to that," Alex added with a shake of her head.
"Oh, poo, listen to you spoilsports...." Mina huffed.
Everyone suddenly tensed as the alarm klaxon went off. "Level 2 Danger:
Tachyon particle warning, jump-gate activated inside sensor perimeter," the
flat voice of the computer warned in a monotone.
"That would be a planar shift," Susan said demurely. "I believe that our
guest has just arrived. Would someone be so kind as to answer the door?"
The group exchanged glances before a soft chime echoed throughout the
cathedral. "What's that?" Alex inquired, looking up at the ceiling.
"Boss?" Maze asked, giving Tolaris an odd look.
Tolaris shrugged in response. "I think that's the doorbell, but to be
honest I don't ever recall hearing someone use it."
Everyone blinked as Darian gently moved Artemis and Myst out of his lap,
setting them on the couch cushion next to him before getting up and answering
the door. He stopped and blinked hard at what he saw before he took a step
back, making a gesture to their visitor.
"You!" Alex gasped, her eyes going wide as she recognized the woman.
"Good morning," Megan said casually as she entered the cathedral, giving
Darian an appraising and openly sultry look. "I like the architecture," she
mused as she looked around, her massive wings flexing slightly.
"Relax, Rei," Susan said calmly as the priestess hissed in shock at the
sight of Megan's demonic wings. "May I introduce my sister, Megan," she said
to the room.
Everyone blinked hard and turned to stare at her. "Your sister?" Alex
said slowly, her jaw falling open.
"Half-sister," Megan said archly, the tiny pair of wings on her head
fluttering briefly. She was wearing the same attire she had worn when Susan
first met her, consisting mostly of a wide purple ribbon around her waist that
came up to cross her breasts and a pair of black panties beneath a knee-length
black loin-cloth.
"You never told us you had a sister!" Alex protested forcefully.
"I didn't find out myself until two days ago," Susan replied in a calm
tone, giving the upset blonde a moderate look. "You were with me when I met
her for the first time in the present-day Moon Kingdom."
"Susan!" Megan said sharply, her ruby eyes widening in shock. "What in
the Burning Hells happened to your wings?"
Susan just sighed quietly and flexed her damaged wings. "I assure you
that you and I will have the opportunity to discuss it at length in the near
future," she replied. "We have more important matters to concern ourselves
with at the moment, however."
Megan gave her sister an odd look as she carefully folded her wings back.
They were easily twice the size of Susan's wings and could brush the floor by
accident if she wasn't careful enough. "I'm not sure what is going on, but I
know that the entire pantheon is in an uproar," she said, glancing around the
room. She paused and did a double-take as she saw Ra'vel. "Speaking of not
being sure about things...."
"This is Lieutenant Ra'vel of the Negaverse," Susan explained. "She and
the other denizens are here in our universe to assist us. This is Commander
Tolaris, Lieutenant Maze, and Captain Whisper."
"Morning," Maze said casually.
"Oh," Megan replied, slightly nonplussed. "So you're the invaders who
started this whole mess."
"That is not the case," Susan sighed as she looked up at the ceiling.
Everyone suddenly blinked as there was a flash of light as a young girl
warped into the room. "Hope I'm not late...." she panted, tugging a few minor
wrinkles out of her somewhat form-fitting leotard.
"Level 2 Danger," the computer suddenly reported as alarm klaxons went
off. "Tachyon particle warning, jump-gate activated inside sensor perimeter."
"Lisa," Megan sighed as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "How many
times have I told you never to teleport into a crowded room?"
"Whoops," the other succubus said, blushing furiously. "I'm sorry...."
"And this is my other sister, Lisa," Susan said dryly.
"Hi, everyone!" Lisa said cheerfully as she looked around the room.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Leda muttered quietly.
The purple-haired succubus blinked and looked over at her. "Oh, don't do
that," Lisa said, making a sour face. "Umm.... who are you, anyway?"
"My name's Leda," the brunette replied in a wary tone.
"Zeus' avatar," Susan added, causing the other two succubi to blink hard.
"Whoa...." Lisa said, her voice taking on a nervous edge. "Sorry, didn't
mean to be rude or anything...."
Alex just shook her head slowly. "Sue, you're going to give me a major
headache if you don't sit down and sort this out real quick."
Megan just raised an eyebrow. "Introductions would be nice."
"Good idea," Lisa said, nodding her head with enthusiasm. "Can you start
with that hunk over there?" she said, gesturing to a visibly wary Darian. "He
looks like he can be a lot of fun if he puts his mind to it...."
Susan didn't bother looking behind her to see who was gently rubbing her
upper back in comfort. "That is Prince Darian of Earth," she said in a gentle
tone. "He is not to be touched, is that clear?"
"Awwww," Lisa pouted, giving Darian a disappointed look.
Susan just shook her head and continued with the introductions. "This is
Ami Mizuno, avatar of Mercury.... Leda Kino, avatar of Jupiter.... Rei Hino,
avatar of Mars.... Mina Aino, avatar of Venus.... Alex Ten'ou, avatar of
Uranus.... and Michelle Kaiou, avatar of Neptune. Oh, and this is Luna, that
is Artemis, and the gray kitten is Myst," she added with a gesture to the cats.
"Ah, so there you are," Megan observed as she glanced at the Shinma. "I
was wondering what happened to you."
"What happened?" Lisa inquired, walking over to the couch to get a better
look at both Darian and the gray kitten.
"Careful," Megan warned her. "That's not a cat."
Lisa froze in mid-motion, her arms out-stretched to pick Myst up. "Ummm,
then what is she?" she inquired carefully, giving Darian a worried look.
"Does it matter who or what she is?" Darian replied in a faintly edged
tone, causing everyone else to blink in surprise.
Lisa regarded him very carefully before looking down at Myst. "Okay, so
what are you, then?" she inquired calmly, giving Darian a dismissive shrug.
"Shinma," Myst replied quietly, visibly wary of the succubus.
"Huh," Lisa said slowly, giving Artemis a measured look. "He's just an
ordinary cat, though, right?"
"Hardly," Artemis muttered sourly, causing Lisa to blink hard.
"Hey, how'd you learn how to talk?" she blurted out, her eyes wide.
Susan sighed quietly. "You may converse with them later, Lisa. We have
more important matters to deal with at the moment. Megan, do you have a reply
from Lord Hades, by chance?"
The pure-blooded succubus sighed quietly. "I think so, but I'm not privy
to what the answer itself is. He said you would know what this means," she
explained as she carefully untied a small black silk bag from the edge of her
loin-cloth and tossed it across the room.
Susan gently caught the bag before it could bounce off of her chest, her
eyebrows arched up to her hairline. "Interesting," she said to herself as she
untied the silk strings and peered inside.
"Well?" Mina prompted, tapping her foot impatiently with curiosity. "So
what is it?"
Susan merely turned the bag upside-down and held it over the table. She
then spoke a single word, her voice rasping in her throat as she forced her
vocal chords to pronounce the harsh syllables.
Everyone gathered around the table to watch as a series of small black
triangles started to pour out from the bag. The pieces began to organize into
a geometric shape, much like a three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. The process
took about a full minute to complete before the last piece popped out from the
bag and fell into place with a soft click, leaving behind a ten-sided box that
sparkled as if it were cut from polished onyx.
"Wow, that's pretty," Mina observed.
"Pretty spooky, you mean," Alex replied. "How'd they all fit into that
little bag, anyway?"
"Magic," Lisa chimed in with a small smile.
"Multi-dimensional physics," Susan countered. "It's hardly magic."
Darian just shook his head. "Any sufficiently advanced science, when seen
by the uninitiated, is indistinguishable from magic," he quoted softly. "I
forget who said that, but they have a very valid point."
Leda shrugged. "Well, both Rei's spiritual powers and the denizen Chaos
Factor can seem like magic if you're not paying attention, so why not?"
"So what's in the box?" Mina inquired, her eyes burning with curiosity.
Megan just shook her head slowly. "Does the name 'Pandora' mean anything
to you, little girl?" she said archly.
"This is not Pandora's Box," Susan countered as Mina's blue eyes promptly
doubled in diameter. "Granted the structure is similar, but I assure you that
relic is kept in quite secure hands. What this box holds is a gift of power,"
she said, her voice dropping to a soft tone as she lifted the lid up.
Nestled inside were ten exquisitely crafted rings, each one different than
the next. A large gemstone was prominently set in the center of each ring, a
faint glow visible deep within the heart of each gem. The rings themselves had
been made from a variety of rare and precious ores, a curious and unique blend
of silver, gold, platinum, adamantium, titanium, and cinnabar.
"Hey...." Lisa protested as she tried peering over Ami's shoulder. "What
exactly are those? I've never seen anything like them before. Your aura feels
odd, by the way," she said quietly to Ami.
Susan sighed. "Leave her alone, she's a denizen vampire."
Lisa blinked hard and looked at Ami, drawing a rather wary look in return.
"Huh," the succubus said slowly after a lengthy silence. "You don't look like
a noble vampire...."
Megan raised an eyebrow. "And this is supposed to be Hermes' avatar?" she
asked Susan, giving her a dubious look. "What happened?"
"Hey, why don't you two back off for a few?" Leda suggested in a dangerous
tone as Susan sighed heavily again. "I don't give a good goddamn if you are
her sisters, you don't just walk into our house and start giving us grief over
what we've been through. After all, I didn't see your butts there to give us
a hand while we were busy saving the world...."
"ENOUGH!" Susan said, closing her eyes and trying to slow her breathing.
Rei looked at the rest of the group for a few moments before she slowly
reached out to touch one of the rings. "What sort of power do they have?" she
asked softly as she felt a very strong tingle beneath her fingertips.
"Elemental," Susan said quietly. "Pure, raw elemental domain power. As
Lord Hades has sent this to us, I am of the impression that we are being given
temporary use of their power. Rei, the Ring of Fire is off to your right, the
one with the dark red ruby."
Rei looked up at her for a moment before moving her hand to pick up the
ring. The band appeared to have been forged from a mix of titanium and the
oddly-colored cinnabar, while the gemstone could easily have been a four-carat
ruby of the highest quality. The priestess studied the glow in the depths of
the gem before she carefully slipped it on the ring finger of her right hand.
Rei's expression suddenly went vacant for a moment before she blinked, the
sign of Mars briefly flaring into view on her forehead. She looked down at the
ring on her finger with amazement, her eyebrows arching up to her hairline.
"Well?" Mina prompted her with a gentle nudge.
"I see," Rei replied in a distant tone. "The cost associated with using
this power is.... not to be taken lightly, but still...."
Alex sighed and started to roll her neck around. "Okay, Chancellor," she
said in a bored tone. "Tell us what's going on this time."
Susan opened her mouth to reply but was pre-empted by Rei. "She's right,"
the priestess said quietly. "These rings contain raw power associated with our
elemental domains. I remember now how to unleash my Firestorm Rage, but it
requires a tremendous amount of energy and is not a trivial undertaking."
"Rei, are you alright?" Ami asked gently as she slipped her computer out
of her Lunar Space pocket and began to scan the priestess.
"No," Rei replied calmly, drawing a sharp look from Ami. "But at least I
understand a little bit more now."
"Okay," Leda said slowly as she looked into the container. "So do we each
get one or what?"
Susan reached inside and carefully gathered up several of the rings before
she turned to the rest of the group. "For the moment, yes. This is the Ring
of Lightning," she said, giving a gold ring inset with a large emerald to her.
Leda carefully put the ring on and froze in place, the sign of Jupiter
momentarily flaring on her forehead. "Oh, wow," she breathed a moment later.
"What kind of fruit did this juice come from? Damn...."
Mina raised an eyebrow. "You alright?"
The brunette glanced down at the ring before shaking her head. "Dunno.
Like Rei said, this is some powerful stuff. I really want to see what this
Lightning Barrage thing can do, but it feels like some awfully heavy artillery
to be calling down on a whim...."
Susan nodded as she held up a ring fashioned from a blend of silver and
platinum, inset with a brilliant orange garnet. "I would not recommend using
it unless you are in a dire situation. Mina, this is the Ring of Light," she
said, holding out the ring to her.
"Oooo, this is sooooo pretty," the blonde cooed as she accepted the ring
and slipped it on. She blinked hard as the sign of Venus abruptly flashed on
her forehead and she reached out to grab onto the nearest solid object.
"Hey, hey, hey, watch it," Alex protested, trying to keep her balance as
Mina's weight on her arm threatened to tip her over.
Mina let go and looked at her fingertip carefully. "Wow," she said in a
hushed tone, examining the way the light was reflecting off of the manicured
nail. "Divine Retribution indeed. This'll put a dent in someone's day...."
"Ami," Susan said next, holding out a silver and titanium ring inset with
a large dark-blue sapphire. "This is the Ring of Ice."
Ami looked at the ring carefully before accepting it, blinking as it felt
unusually heavy in her hand. She gently put the ring on, gasping as her blood
seemed to freeze solid in her veins. Knowledge imprinted itself on her mind,
unlocking hidden memories and awakening the secrets of the Arctic Blizzard in
her soul.
She blinked as she suddenly found herself engaging in a quick but fierce
battle with her vampiric nature, the inner darkness trying to surge into full
consciousness before becoming dormant once again. The clash of willpower only
lasted an instant, but the effort was enough to leave her feeling exhausted on
the inside and more than a little empty for some reason.
"Yeow!" Lisa yelped as she stumbled back, bumping hard into Tolaris and
almost sending them both tumbling to the floor.
"What now?" Megan snapped, narrowing her eyes.
"You couldn't feel that?" the purple-haired succubus sniffed as she stood
up straight, giving Ami a wide-eyed look. "I thought her soul was going to
explode for a moment!"
Ami looked down at the ring on her finger. It was a little gaudy in her
opinion, but she couldn't deny the tremendous feeling of power it contained.
"That.... probably wasn't too far off the mark," she said quietly, wondering
why her vampiric nature had reacted so strongly a moment ago.
"Great," Alex sighed as Susan turned to her, holding a pure silver ring
inset with a vibrant yellow topaz. "You're making me very leery of trying to
wear one of those things, you know," the blonde added.
"This is the Ring of Wind," Susan said gently as she gave the ring to the
edgy blonde. "The choice is yours whether to wear it or not."
Alex looked down at the ring with a neutral expression, visibly fighting
with uncertainty. She blinked hard as Michelle snuggled up behind her, both
arms sliding around her waist to grab both the ring and her hand at the same
time. She held her breath in edgy silence as Michelle kissed her neck softly,
holding the blonde's hand steady as she put the ring on.
The breath left Alex's lungs in a soft whoosh as the sign of Uranus began
to glow on her forehead, her blue eyes widening as the power coursed through
her body. "Oh, baby, maybe you're right...." she said in a husky tone.
Michelle giggled and turned her head around to give her a proper kiss,
gently squeezing the blonde's hand in her own. "It looks good on you," she
whispered in reply when they broke apart.
Leda glanced over in time to catch the curious look on Lisa's face. The
succubus made a discreet gesture, pointing back and forth between Alex and
Michelle with a questioning look in her eyes. Leda replied with a helpless
shrug and a nod, drawing a look of satisfied understanding from Lisa.
"Michelle," Susan said as she held out a ring made from a blend of silver,
platinum, and titanium inset with an aquamarine. "The Ring of Water."
Michelle accepted the ring and looked at it for a moment, seeing how the
gemstone sparkled in the light. She carefully put it on her hand and became
perfectly still, her eyes widening as the sign of Neptune began to pulse on
her forehead for several seconds. She blinked and suddenly whimpered, giving
Susan a hurt look. "I.... I don't think I can use this," she breathed. "I'd
need to harness an ocean, and the sheer destruction it would cause...."
"Easy, love," Alex murmured quietly as she rubbed Michelle's back. "You
don't have to use it if you don't think it'll help."
"She's right," Leda said quietly as she studied her ring. "These things
are some pretty heavy guns to be using. You sure this is a good idea?"
Maze chuckled quietly, drawing an assortment of odd looks. "You have to
be kidding," he said with bemusement. "Keep in mind we're about to sneak into
the Negaverse, and if we're not real quiet about it we'll be going up against
at least a sixth of the entire military if not more."
"Ugh," Mina sighed. "Don't remind me."
"Susan?" Tolaris asked quietly. "Which one is that?"
Susan held up the last ring she was holding, composed entirely of dark
adamantium and inlaid with a dark green zircon. "This is the Ring of Shadow,"
she said quietly before slipping it onto her finger. She closed her eyes as
the sign of Pluto flared into existence on her head for a few moments. "While
I am unable to accompany you on your mission, I can still probably make use of
this power some other time."
"So what are these other three?" Mina inquired as she looked inside the
unusual geometric box.
"The Rings of Earth, Death, and Life," Susan explained. "The domain of
elemental Earth has never been granted to a Sailor Scout, so its powers are of
no use to any of us. The power of Death has always been the domain of the
House of Saturn, which is unfortunately lost to us now."
Alex snorted quietly. "You'd think that Death would be your particular
ball of wax, not just Shadow," she muttered.
Susan gave her a faintly amused look. "While I find Death to be rather
intriguing in of itself, my House is only concerned with the souls of the Dead
once they're dead. How they wind up as such is of no major importance to us."
"Thanks, Sue, that's a real comfort to know," Alex replied acidly.
"And the Ring of Life?" Rei asked quietly.
"The Royal House," Susan answered. "I'm surprised you had to ask."
"Good, take it with us," Leda spoke up. "We can give it to Serena once
we find her. Mina, you're closest."
"Already ahead of you," Mina replied as she reached in to pick up the
shiny platinum ring with a truly brilliant white diamond inset in the center.
"Here, Darian, you carry this," she said as she gently pitched it across the
room. "You can have the honor of putting it on her finger."
Darian said nothing as he reached up to catch the ring. He studied it for
a moment before he looked back up at Susan. "Maybe someone else should give
this to her," he said very quietly.
"Gee, your Highness, don't act too happy to have it," Alex grumbled. "Or
are you afraid of something happening?"
"Serena was just mad earlier," Leda said with a soft sigh. "Trust me,
she'll be glad to see you again."
There was a small blur of motion as Artemis crossed the room and hopped up
onto the table. "You girls might be reading too much into this," he said with
a flick of his tail. "After all, how would you react if the guy in your life
walked up to you and handed you a diamond ring like that?"
"Whoa...." Mina said, blinking hard. "He's got a point."
"Especially if it contains the gift of Life," Rei added softly.
Alex just rolled her eyes. "Oh, give me a break. Darian, just be a man
and give her the ring once we find her. We can worry about sorting out any
misunderstandings later once we're all back here in one piece."
"Ami?" Susan spoke up. "You look like you want to say something...."
"What?" Ami blinked. "Oh, umm.... I was just thinking that sometimes it
might be better to avoid any misunderstandings entirely. Keep in mind that's
probably what started this whole mess to begin with."
"Darian?" Michelle said quietly. "You do want to marry her one day and
start a family eventually.... right? Do you still love the Princess?"
The silence that followed her question seemed to hang in the air like a
lead weight. All eyes turned towards Darian as he visibly hesitated, still
staring down at the exquisite diamond ring he was holding in his hand.
"You've got to be kidding me," Leda said softly, her shoulders drooping
as the realization of the situation started to sink into her mind. "Darian,
what the hell happened between you two?"
"Have you ever had doubts before?" Darian said very quietly. "Not about
the other person in your life, but about yourself? About your worth, about how
much you can possibly bring into this?"
"Your Highness," Susan said slowly, "Now is not the time for this...."
"Hold this," Mina said as she removed the Ring of Light and handed it to
Maze. She then walked over to Darian, idly tugged out a wrinkle in his shirt,
flexed her wrist a few times, and then proceeded to slam her fist right into
the center of his stomach.
"Mina!" Ami cried out as Darian coughed and sank to his knees.
The blonde ignored her and reached out to grab Darian's collar with both
hands, yanking him up to eye-level. "Listen very closely," she said in a very
soft tone. "In five minutes, we are going to take a shot at kicking open the
gates of Hell itself in order to find and rescue Serena. If you're too busy
wallowing in self-pity and doubts, then you need to keep your butt right here
with the demon and the cats because you'll only get in our way. We're trying
to save her, and I'll be damned if I'm going to go to all the trouble of doing
so just to watch you cut her heart out because you don't care enough to return
the depth of her love for you. If you don't love her anymore, I suggest you
get the hell out of here while you're still in one piece and don't let any of
us ever see you again. Or are you finally going to wake up and start acting
like the man that she fell in love with and the rest of us have come to deeply
respect and even love for ourselves as a true friend?" she added gently.
The silence lasted for several seconds before Darian was able to reply to
her. "Are you trying to tell me something?" he said in a near-whisper.
Mina just sighed quietly. "Maybe I should have kicked you in the balls
instead," she grumbled. "C'mon, I know you're really not this dense.... You
coming with us or not?"
"Do I have time to think about this?" Darian hedged.
"Sure you do," Mina replied cheerfully as she glanced up at the clock on
the wall. "You have exactly three minutes and fifty-three seconds to decide
before either myself or Tolaris opens the wormhole to the Negaverse."
Alex sighed and squeezed Michelle's hand gently. "I think I would have
kicked him in the balls," she muttered quietly. "Is this for real?"
"Susan?" Rei said quietly. "Will any harm come to him if he wears that
ring he's holding?"
Susan blinked hard at the thought. "I don't believe so, but he certainly
wouldn't be able to make use of its powers...."
"Rei, what are you up to?" Ami asked in a wary tone.
The priestess ignored her and put a gentle hand on Mina's shoulder. "Let
him go, he knows what he needs to do," she said in a soft tone.
Mina stared back at her for several long seconds before she looked up at
the ceiling. "Rei, whatever are we going to do with you?" she said with a
theatrical sigh before releasing her hold on Darian's collar. "Here, he's all
yours. Try not to break him, okay?"
Myst sighed and looked over at Artemis. "These humans are so strange,"
she protested sourly.
"You're telling me," the white cat muttered, shaking his head.
"Hey, I'm half-human," Lisa pouted.
"And you're just as strange," Megan pointed out.
"I beg your pardon," Susan interjected dryly.
"Begging usually works better when you're on your knees," Mina observed.
"You know, much like Darian still is...."
Darian just gave her a disgruntled look as he slowly stood up, making a
face as a joint popped somewhere along the way. He looked over at Rei before
he looked down at the ring still tightly held in his hand, sighing quietly to
himself as he tucked it away in his pocket.
"Are we finished yet?" Alex said in a bored tone.
"Well, what's it going to be?" Mina said as Darian absently rubbed his
stomach. "And don't look at me like that, I didn't hit you that hard."
"I'm coming with you," Darian said quietly, giving Rei a sidelong glance.
"And yes, I know what I need to do."
Leda just sighed and rubbed her temples lightly. "Took you long enough,"
she groused. "Don't know what you've been thinking lately, but it was starting
to make me worry."
"Myst?" Susan said quietly. "Would you please go with Darian? I think
you can learn the most from him at this point."
Megan raised a delicate green eyebrow. "You're taking a Shinma along on
an assignment like this?" she asked archly, the wings at her temples starting
to flutter madly.
"I'm not, they are," Susan countered with a look of her own. "Myst has
proven to be a very reliable ally and has very much earned my trust."
"If you insist," Megan replied with a sigh. "Stop that," she added as
she gently patted her hair, causing the tiny wings to hold still. Mina and Rei
exchanged glances before the blonde shrugged helplessly.
"Don't look at me," Mina sighed. "I never heard of a succubus with two
sets of wings like that."
"What, this?" Megan inquired, gesturing to the tiny bat-like wings on her
head. The wings began fluttering again and the succubus sighed. "I think he
wants out anyway. Hang on," she said as she began fussing with her hair.
"Now what?" Alex muttered, warily watching Megan's movements.
Everyone blinked hard as she removed something from her hair and held it
up. Sitting upright on her finger was a small black bat, nervously fluttering
its wings before stretching them out and holding perfectly still.
"What the hell is that?" Leda asked, her eyebrows arched up in surprise.
"A hair ornament?" Whisper suggested.
"Exactly," Megan said, lightly running a fingertip along the bat's back.
The bat flapped its wings for a few seconds and seemed to fall backwards. It
held onto her finger with its feet, ending up in an upside-down position with
its wings folded up against its body. "This is Balregu."
"That's amusing," Maze grunted quietly.
"That's crazy," Mina countered.
"Does that mean you want to give it a try?" Leda smirked.
Susan smiled gently. "Actually, he'd probably find it easier to use your
barrette as a perch than Mina's bow," she said, gesturing to the ever-present
green barrette in Leda's ponytail.
"Maybe once we get back," Leda replied in a sarcastic tone.
"They're fun," Lisa spoke up. "They take a bit to train properly, and I
don't like them enough to wear them all the time like Megan does, but they have
their uses."
"Here," Megan said, holding out her finger to the brunette. "He's quite
tame and utterly harmless. Unless you're an insect," she added.
Alex sighed heavily and reached out to snag Tolaris' arm. "Be a dear and
just open up that swirly thing for us," she grumbled. "We'll come back to get
the goofballs later."
"Five minutes," Maze promised before Tolaris could open his mouth. "You
girls might want to use the bathroom first, as we have no idea how long this
will take or when we'll be able to find a toilet more civilized than a bush."
Maze just blinked as the room seemed to empty within thirty seconds of his
poignant reminder. "Huh," he said quietly as he looked around the room, seeing
only himself, Tolaris, Darian, the cats, and the three succubi left. "That
was rather disturbing. I've never seen Ra'vel move that quickly without food
being involved...."
Darian just laughed very softly to himself. "I remember seeing this one
happen before," he said. "Remember the last time we went in?"
"I do," Tolaris said with a nod and a faint smile.
"Men," Luna muttered quietly, flicking her tail back and forth as she eyed
the small bat still hanging from Megan's finger.
"If I may offer a word of advice, Luna?" Susan said demurely. "Trying to
talk to succubi about men is.... not wise in polite company."
"That's pushing the term," Maze chuckled, drawing a dour look from both
Tolaris and Darian.
"As you were, Lieutenant," Tolaris sighed.
Darian blinked as Myst hopped up onto the table next to him, looking at
him with her pale red eyes. "I take it you want to come with me?" he asked as
he absently started to scratch her behind her ears.
"It might be prudent," Susan advised, flexing her wings gently.
"Your wings!" Lisa gasped hard, her own wings twitching hard in shock.
"Later," Megan said curtly.
Darian looked over his shoulder at the demonic sisters. "You two don't
get along too well, do you?"
Megan shrugged absently. "Same father, different species of mothers," she
said simply, as if that explained everything.
"Think of it as a cultural and social bias in demonic society," Susan said
in a flat tone, giving Megan a decidedly unamused look. "They tend to view a
fruitful union between a human and a demon as being.... unworthy."
There was a soft grunt behind them as Leda came back into the room. "Bet
you'll have a lot to talk about while we're gone," she said with a soft grunt.
"I'm looking forward to it," Lisa babbled happily. "I've heard so much
about Susan, but never got the chance to meet her until yesterday. WHOA!" she
yelped as she saw Myst suddenly turn into an inky black ooze that started to
crawl up Darian's arm. "Hey, what's she doing?!"
"It's okay," Darian said quietly, watching with curiosity and a moderate
degree of trepidation as the decidedly warm and squishy mass spread across his
entire arm. It seemed to sink into the fabric of his sleeve like water in a
sponge before the wriggling quit and the color changed to match. "That felt
weird," he observed, experimentally flexing and twisting his arm.
"What did?" Mina inquired as she bounded back into the room.
"You don't want to know," Darian replied, causing the blonde to blink.
"Ooooooooookay...."
"Can you do me a favor?" Megan asked Leda, holding out her finger again.
"Can you let him outside for a few minutes? I think he has to fly around and
grab a quick bite to eat."
Leda blinked and regarded the bat very carefully before she held out her
own finger and lightly brushed it against the bat's feet. She watched as the
bat carefully let go of Megan's finger and grabbed onto her instead, still
hanging upside-down. "Huh," Leda said as she headed for the porch, keeping a
wary eye on the bat the entire time. "He's awfully light, you know...."
"Hey, where's she going?" Alex said as she strode back into the room in
time to catch Leda heading outside.
"I think she's walking the bat," Maze said lightly.
"Brave woman," Alex commented, giving Megan a sidelong glance.
"I pounced a bat once," Artemis said with a large yawn. "Caught it in a
tree taking a nap. They're feisty little bastards, though. He almost busted
my eardrum with his screeching, not to mention how many times I got slapped in
the face before he finally flew away."
"Bitch-slapped by a bat?" Alex chuckled. "Now that's a first...."
"That will be enough, Alex," Susan sighed quietly.
"Beats being bat-slapped by a bitch," the white cat muttered darkly.
"Excuse me!" Mina protested sharply.
"There's no excuse for you, babe," Alex smirked.
Luna just sighed and exchanged weary glances with Susan. "At least they
seem to be getting along just fine," the cat said in a gentle tone.
"So how'd you learn to talk?" Lisa said as she sat down on the couch and
picked up Artemis.
"How'd you learn how to talk?" Artemis shot back, causing the succubus to
blink with surprise. "I'm a Lunar cat, we can all talk like humans."
Darian glanced over his shoulder as Ami and Michelle emerged from the
hallway. He blinked hard as he realized that Michelle was visibly trembling
and that Ami was gently holding her wrist. "Is something wrong?"
"Mich!" Alex said, her eyes widening. "What's wrong?"
"I remember," Michelle blurted out as she darted across the room and into
Alex's arms. "I remember what happened.... Oh, god, Alex...." she whimpered.
"Hey, whoa, take it easy, love," Alex said as she rubbed her back gently.
Ami looked over her shoulder as Rei approached, a small frown tugging on
her lips as she saw the unreadable mask of guarded emotions on her face. "Rei,
is something wrong?" she asked quietly.
The priestess just shook her head. "We'll see," she replied, her voice
completely empty of any hint of emotion.
Susan stood up and walked over to Michelle. "What do you remember?" she
asked in a gentle tone, lightly laying a hand on her shoulder.
"It.... it happened twice," Michelle sniffed, wiping a stray tear away.
"The first time was when we were back in the Moon Kingdom. I heard a voice,
and I don't know why, but I went into the Palace and took Queen Serenity's
brooch, the one she used to use before she became Queen...."
"I see," Susan said in an eerily calm voice, her expression slipping into
a neutral mien that was disturbingly similar to Rei's. "And the second time
was last night, when you gave her the brooch?" she asked gently.
"Yes," Michelle whimpered quietly. "Susan, I'm so sorry...."
Susan shook her head. "Don't worry about it, Michelle. The brooch isn't
worth much, aside from mere sentimental value. I don't know why someone would
go to all the trouble of having it taken, but I will try to find out while you
and the others focus on rescuing the princess."
Ami blinked and glanced over at Rei, getting a neutral look in response.
An icy chill started to crawl down her spine as something told her that Susan
knew far more about the brooch's value than she was letting on.
The air shimmered briefly as Whisper teleported back into the room. She
looked around and blinked as she felt a sudden tension in the air, then frowned
as she saw Michelle tightly clutching Alex for emotional support. "Michelle,
are you okay?" she asked gently.
"She merely remembered what went on last night," Susan said calmly. "I'm
not entirely sure what to make of the situation, but I can say with certainty
that it has no impact or bearing on the importance of finding the Princess."
"I see," the telepath replied, raising an eyebrow at the way Susan framed
her reply. She glanced around the room and did a quick head-count. "So we're
just waiting for Ra'vel and Leda to finish up?"
"I'm here," Leda said in a flat tone as she stalked back into the room.
"Oh, my," Mina gasped, bursting into a fit of giggles as she saw the bat
perched upside-down on her barrette.
"Shaddup," the brunette grumbled. "He went flying around, almost took a
dump on my foot, and then decided to land on my head." She paused as she saw
the array of looks she was receiving and sighed. "What?" she asked Ami.
"That actually looks pretty good on you," Ami replied, tilting her head
to observe the small black bat. His was holding his wings out, making it seem
as if her barrette had been tied up with a dark bow. "No, I'm serious," she
added when she was growled at.
"Heh," Artemis chuckled as he curled up in Lisa's lap. "So who wants to
start with the bat jokes? I can come up with a few...."
"Not now, Artemis," Susan chided him gently.
Leda sighed and shook her head rapidly, trying to dislodge the bat. It
wobbled precariously for a few seconds but held on tight, refusing to be moved
from its new perch. "C'mon, this isn't the kind of fashion statement I wanna
make, you know? Ami's the vampire, she can wear the bat," she grumbled.
Megan laughed softly to herself as she held out her hand and made a very
peculiar whistling noise. The bat immediately let go of Leda's barrette and
flew around the room, circling her hand several times before swooping in for a
landing on her finger.
"Thank you," Leda sighed, giving the still-giggling Mina a dark look.
"Spoilsport," the blonde grinned.
The air shimmered again as Ra'vel teleported into the room. She made a
sour chirping noise to herself as she fluffed up her feathers, giving Rei a
somewhat unhappy look.
"What?" Rei blinked.
Maze coughed discreetly. "She said something about the toilet seat."
"But I didn't move the toilet seat!" Rei protested.
"I think that's the problem," Maze said, scratching his head. "I won't
even pretend to understand it either, I'm just telling you what she said...."
Michelle reached up to clamp her hand around Alex's mouth just as she took
a deep breath. "Don't say it," she said quietly. "We know you're ready."
"Awwite, awwite," Alex grumbled around her hand.
Tolaris looked around the room carefully before he sighed softly. "Well,
unless anyone has anything to say...." he said as he held up the small purple
Silkworm crystal.
"Commander?" Susan said as she picked up Luna and sat down next to Lisa
on the couch. "I hate to say this, but the Imperium Silver Crystal must be
brought back, even if that's all you can accomplish. This universe will begin
to deteriorate after awhile without it, and thus is of more significance than
the Moon Princess...."
"What the hell?" Alex blurted out. "Sue, how can you just...!"
"We will bring both back," Tolaris interrupted, laying a hand on Alex's
shoulder. "It might take a day or two, but we'll find a way."
"Please, be careful," Luna pleaded quietly as the wormhole irised open a
few feet away from the Dragoon.
"We'll do our best, Luna," Leda sighed as she eyed the landscape through
the swirling maelstrom. "Bleah, just look at those storm clouds...."
"Okay, kids," Maze said as he clapped his hands together. "We're all just
one big, happy clan on our way to check out a local trading post, so let's not
do anything out-of-character that'd get us killed...."
"See you guys later," Mina waved before she stepped into the wormhole,
followed by Leda and Whisper.
"Second thoughts?" Tolaris said very quietly to Alex as she stared at the
wormhole and the alien landscape beyond.
The blonde just sighed and glanced over at Michelle. "I suppose you could
put it that way," she muttered. "C'mon, babe, let's get this over with and go
find the Princess."
Michelle whimpered in response and held her hand tightly as they stepped
through the wormhole and into the Negaverse. Tolaris cast a quick glance over
his shoulder at Ami before following the women into his native world.
"It'll be alright," Ami said quietly to Darian. "We'll find her."
"That's not what bothers me," he replied distantly before he strode past
her and disappeared into the dimensional vortex, followed by Ra'vel.
Ami blinked hard and glanced over at the priestess. "Rei...?"
"Ask me later," she replied quietly before she walked over to the portal
and stepped through it, leaving just Ami and Maze left to go.
Maze sighed and made a motion. "Come on, Ami, we can sort this out as we
go along. I know something isn't right with Darian, but we can't stop to take
a breather now. You ladies behave while we're gone, okay?" he said to the
succubi as Ami sighed and entered the wormhole.
Megan raised an eyebrow. "And if we don't?"
Maze paused for a moment before shrugging helplessly. "Well, just don't
do it around the reactor unless you like the taste of raw anti-matter. Susan,
don't worry, we'll bring Serena and the Crystal back."
"Take care, Lieutenant," Susan replied softly as Maze stepped into the
wormhole. The swirling vortex suddenly collapsed in on itself and vanished,
leaving no trace of it ever having existed.
Megan just shook her head as she carefully wedged Balregu back into place
on the perch tied in her hair. "And those were the avatars of the pantheon?"
she muttered. "You have to be kidding me."
"I kind of liked them," Lisa spoke up as she ran her fingertips through
Artemis' fur. "They seem like fun people to be around. Susan, are you okay?"
Susan sighed and leaned back, spreading her wings enough to avoid hitting
them against the back of the couch. "Not really," she admitted. "Something
about this bothers me greatly. Who would send an umbra to possess Michelle,
have her steal Serenity's brooch, and then send a succubus to pick it up? And
why the brooch to begin with?"
"Power?" Megan suggested casually. "That usually is why an artifact is
stolen from its resting place."
"But only the Celestial Houses can use that kind of power," Susan pointed
out. "And even so, what in the name of Creation can it be used for anymore?
The brooch lost its power when Serenity assumed the throne as Queen...."
"Oh, my, you must like this," Lisa giggled as Artemis began purring very
loudly in response to her caresses.
Megan just rolled her eyes and glanced over at Susan. "You're half-human
like she is, see if you can teach her anything useful," she muttered before
she drew her wings in and plane-shifted out of the room.
Susan frowned at the sudden departure, ignoring the monotone voice of the
cathedral's computer as it reported an alarm about tachyons. She glanced over
at her half-sister and sighed, realizing that her life probably just became
even more complicated.
Lisa looked up at her and sighed. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I know
I'm not like her at all, which is frustrating for the both of us. I just....
don't like how she does things sometimes, that's all. I can't help it."
Susan nodded in understanding. "It's your human nature," she replied,
trying very hard not to remember the decades of struggle she had to endure to
adapt to demonic society and still live with her conscience. "It is a.... most
persistent part of you, but it has its uses," she conceded.
"You've got the persistent part right," Lisa muttered.
Susan smiled and held out her hand. "Come, my long-lost sister, we have
much to talk about. And seeing how I probably won't be going anywhere for at
least several more hours, why not spend the time getting to know one another?"
Lisa blinked hard and looked at her as if she had suddenly grown an extra
appendage. "You know...." she said slowly, "I think you're the first person
in a century to say something like that to me. All of the other succubi just
want to play around and poke fun at my heritage...."
"I know," Susan replied. "I had the same experiences growing up."
"What.... was it like?" Lisa ventured carefully.
Susan sighed and looked down at the black cat in her lap, her ears perked
up and listening very intently. She glanced over at Lisa's lap and saw that
Artemis was in a very similar pose. "Well, that's certainly a long story," she
warned her sibling.
Lisa sighed and folded her wings back before gently leaning back against
the couch cushions. "Lady Persephone said I was to remain with you until the
Moon Princess was returned. Unless you had an objection, of course."
"Which I don't," Susan pointed out with a soft smile.
"Which means I have the time to listen," Lisa finished with a dry grin.
Susan nodded and made herself comfortable. "Very well," she said quietly.
She was silent for several moments as she tried to decide where to begin, then
after taking a deep breath, she began to talk about her memories as a mere
child growing up in the Moon Kingdom, long before she learned she was far from
what she seemed to be....
* * * *
Nop'tera paused before the locked cargo bay doors, a soft sigh escaping
her lips as she tried not to think about what was about to happen. She knew
that his loyalty to her was beyond question, but he would still seek to get
under her skin in some way or another. It was his twisted nature to do so,
which is one of the reasons she still kept alive and imprisoned as her chief
interrogator instead of having him executed for his crimes so long ago. She
often wondered if her fondness for Felinoids as a species had anything to do
with it, as well as with a few of her other choices in the past, but she just
as often tried not to dwell on it.
She blinked and snapped out of her reverie as the comm-link on her belt
chittered. She cast a curious glance upwards at the nearest bulkhead speaker,
wondering what was going on that she couldn't be summoned over the internal
broadcast network. Frowning slightly, she unclipped the tiny device and held
it up to her head.
"Nop'tera," she said simply as she opened the link.
"Ma'am, this is the Watch Officer," the voice replied calmly. "We have
just received a confirmed report of shots having been fired inside the Royal
Medical Suite, and that the Moon Princess had been wounded."
Nop'tera just closed her eyes as her dark temper suddenly flared up. Her
lips pulled back in a snarl that clearly exposed her fangs, and it took her a
great deal of effort not to crush the comm-link in her bare hand. Her other
hand tightened around the blue spider-silk gown she was carrying, putting an
incredible amount of stress on the rare and exotic fabric. She inhaled deeply
through her nose for several seconds before asking, "What is the status of the
Princess?"
There was a slight pause before the watch officer replied. "Ma'am, the
security team on duty reports that they were instructed by the Master Healer to
summon General Al'vexi and inform her that the Princess has been stabilized,
but that she needed a telepathic healer. I have no further information on the
Princess' condition."
"Understood," Nop'tera said in a level tone. "Keep me informed of any
changes in her situation."
"Copy that," the voice replied. "Watch Officer out."
The vampire looked down at her hands, idly watching the tremors slowly
abate as she got her temper under control. She clipped the comm-link back on
her belt and waited until she was absolutely sure she was composed before she
began to punch in her access code to the bulkhead lock. She knew that she had
to be as calm as possible in his presence, but she also knew it was a mostly
futile effort as he could easily smell her emotional state.
The lock flashed a dark green color before the doors slowly parted with a
deep pneumatic hiss. She sighed to herself as she stepped into the converted
cargo bay, moving just far enough inside for the sensors to allow the doors to
close behind her.
The anteroom was a rather small chamber, with only a single couch set on
one wall and otherwise devoid of any furnishings. The room was cut in half by
vertical bars made from one of the toughest metal alloys known to her. A door
was set into the bars at the far end of the room, and the doorway beyond the
bars was shrouded by a curtain of beads.
Her wait was a very short one, as only a few seconds had passed before the
curtain of beads was parted by a large Felinoid. His fur was a pleasant shade
of silver and banded with sky-blue stripes, a distinctly unusual color scheme
for a Felinoid. He paused for a moment as he recognized his visitor, the tip
of his tongue coming out to briefly flick across his whiskers as he approached.
"Fair morning, my General," Dark Blue purred in a silky tone as he reached
the bars, his tail casually lashing back and forth. He seemed to be moving
with a slight limp, something that faintly bothered her for some reason which
she couldn't quite pin down.
"Morning it is," Nop'tera replied. "Fair it is not."
Dark Blue made a soft purring noise to himself. "Such is the burden of
command," he said quietly. "Have you come here, then, to allow me the honor of
taking your mind off of the weight that enshrouds your shoulders?" he asked,
his tail arching forward to slip between the bars and wrap around her wrist.
"You know why I'm here," she replied in a faintly edged voice.
"Mmmmm, a pity," the Felinoid purred quietly. "How long has it been since
you found relaxation in my presence, or comfort in my touch?"
Nop'tera ignored the bait. "Are you finished with her?" she asked in a
level tone.
A small smile tugged on the corners of what passed for his lips. "Surely
you of all people know that my work is never finished," he replied. "I must
say, however, that I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work with your
slave.... even if she is a human," he added casually.
She was unable to prevent her eye from twitching briefly. Very few people
knew of Freya's heritage, and she made a great effort to ensure that those who
found out were encouraged to keep that secret to themselves. "Your gratitude
is noted," she said as calmly as she could. "In exchange, however, you are to
keep that knowledge to yourself. I shall be most displeased if others hear of
it from you, am I understood?"
"Understood perfectly, my General," he replied in a slightly subdued tone.
His tail gently pulled upwards on her wrist, bringing her hand up against the
metal bars. She watched impassively as he leaned forward to nuzzle her hand,
not concerned for her safety in the slightest. She knew that he would never
dare physically harm her, but the psychological concerns were another matter
entirely.
He paused as he saw the neatly folded gown she was carrying in her other
hand. "Is that to be a gift for her?" he inquired gently, his tail letting go
of her wrist and very lightly brushing against the fabric.
"I figured she would need something to wear," Nop'tera intoned quietly.
A soft laugh escaped his lips as he straightened up to look into her eyes.
"I see you know me too well," he purred, his yellow-on-black eyes never leaving
the featureless yellow expanse of hers. "You may rest assured that I wasn't
too rough with her, as per your instructions. May I take that to her?"
Nop'tera stared at him for a moment before she reached up and slipped the
gown between the bars to him. "Bring her out here as soon as she's ready," she
instructed.
"Of course," Dark Blue replied as he accepted the gown. He paused as he
very gently rubbed the material between his fingertips, his eyebrows arching up
in surprise at the feel. He carefully sniffed it for a moment before he looked
back up at her. "If I may, my General, what material is this? I have never
seen anything like this before," he purred in genuine amazement.
"It is from the Renn homeworld," she replied. "They call it spider-silk,
as it is woven by a domesticated species of arachnid-like creatures. It is not
easy to come by, even in their world, so do be careful with it."
"Assuredly," he nodded as he carefully smoothed out the wrinkles he had
made rubbing it. He inhaled the scent of it again and looked up at her with a
small gleam in his eye. "It is decidedly soft and pleasant," he purred. "Much
like your minion herself, as well as the scent of her musk...."
It took Nop'tera a great deal of willpower not to try to reach through the
bars to wipe the expression off of his face. Even so, she was unable to keep
the tips of her fangs from showing as her jaw set at the thought. "I had her
brought here for a purpose," she said in a dangerously calm tone. "And that
purpose is finished. Bring her to me."
"And that purpose was to teach her the error of her ways," he purred back
at her in a languid tone. "I assure you that she has learned a few lessons in
my care and will not likely repeat her past behavior. Again, I must thank you
for the honor of being able to.... discipline her."
The purr in his chest deepened as he leaned against the bars, his tail
coming up to lightly tickle the base of her throat in a gentle caress. "And if
she ever needs to be disciplined again, for whatever reason, I would ask.... I
would even beg you.... to let me have my way with her again...."
Nop'tera knew that she could enter the room if she needed to, and that he
most likely knew by now how to leave the cargo bay if he so chose. She also
knew that, at this very second, the bars were just as much there to protect him
from her as they were there to protect her from him.
She leaned forward until their noses were almost pressed up against one
another between the bars, a dangerous look in her featureless eyes. "You are
stalling, Dark Blue," she said flatly. "Bring her out here. Now."
"Stalling?" he replied, his voice dropping to a mere whisper. "Please, my
General, I am only trying to convey to you the depth of my gratitude for this
unique opportunity." He reached up and lightly ran a finger along the length
of her jaw, making sure to keep the claw tucked in. "Not since I took you have
I found someone even half as deliciously.... exquisitely.... warm and inviting
to play with as I found her to be. I envy you very much right now, being able
to savor her on a nightly basis. Thank you from the depths of my very soul for
sharing the experience with me."
The only thing that kept her from tearing his tongue out as he brushed it
across her throat was the simple fact that the gesture felt good. She could
feel the blood pressure pounding throughout her body in reaction to his words,
and she knew that she had to put an end to his game now before she wound up
violently ending his life in twenty seconds.
"I will not say this again," she rasped. "Bring her out here. NOW."
He smiled gently as he stepped back, knowing exactly where the line was.
"As you command, my General," he purred softly as he turned around and limped
his way past the beaded curtain.
Nop'tera let her breath out and stepped away from the bars, knowing that
she had let him get the best of her yet again. She waited until she was sure
that she had full control of her breathing before she turned around and took a
seat on the couch. She knew that it would be a minute or two before he brought
Freya out to her, and did her best not to spend the time thinking about what he
most likely would have done to her slave.
She looked up at the sound of the beads being parted, blinking as she saw
Freya in the spider-silk gown. She had purchased it awhile ago and planned on
saving it as a gift for a special occasion in the future. She wasn't sure why
she decided to bring it with her today, but she was awe-struck by the way it
clung to her slave's body like a second skin and emphasized her womanly curves.
Her gaze hardened as she realized that Freya's eyes were so thoroughly
bloodshot from constant crying as to almost appear to be a solid red. Her pale
blue hair seemed to have been hastily combed, still in a visible disarray. She
stared down at the carpet as she moved over towards the locked gate, her hands
tightly clasped in front of her and trembling faintly.
Nop'tera sighed quietly as she stood up and went over to the gate, keying
in her cipher code on the lock. The door clicked and rolled back just long
enough to allow Freya to slip out before slamming shut with a hollow boom. The
sound of the lock engaging seemed to echo in the room, putting a strange smile
on the face of the Felinoid standing in the beaded doorway.
"Thank you, Dark Blue," Nop'tera said in an emotionless tone as she took
Freya's elbow and guided her towards the exit. "I will let you know if I need
your services again."
"The pleasure was all mine, my General," the Felinoid purred quietly as he
gave her a small bow, the maddeningly soft smile still on his face. "Pleasant
day to the both of you."
Nop'tera said nothing as the bulkhead door hissed open, offering an exit
from the imprisoned Felinoid's lair. She turned around and ushered her slave
outside, not looking behind her as the doors closed behind them with a heavy
pneumatic thump.
"Do you need to see a Healer?" she quietly asked her trembling slave.
"No!" Freya exploded, jerking her head up as if she had been touched by a
high-voltage wire. Her outburst faded as soon as it had come, leaving her in
a far more subdued demeanor. "No, I.... would just like to.... to return to
our quarters and take a shower," she said softly.
Nop'tera paused and looked at her closely, a faint frown tugging on her
lips as Freya refused to look her in the eye. "Did he hurt you?" she asked,
already knowing the answer but keenly interested in how she would reply.
"It's nothing," Freya whispered. "I've dealt with such.... punishment in
the past. Please, forgive me, General Nop'tera.... I.... I know I deserved to
be punished like that, but.... I-I'm fine, please don't worry about me, it
won't happen ever again, I promise...."
"I know it won't," Nop'tera said softly as she gently cupped Freya's chin
in her hand. "You have rarely given me problems, Freya, and so it is not very
difficult for me to forgive you once you've been properly disciplined. Come
now, let us return to our quarters so you can get dressed. I hadn't realized
that the gown was this ethereal when I bought it for you."
Freya blinked and glanced down at the fabric that she could barely feel.
The lighting in the hallway was different than in Dark Blue's lair, revealing
far more of her outline in detail than she would have liked. "It's beautiful,"
she whispered, rubbing the collar between her fingertips. "What is it?"
"Spider-silk," Nop'tera said gently. "A gift from the Renn homeworld."
Freya blinked and finally looked up at her, her bloodshot eyes slightly
damp and swollen from her tears. "Spider-silk?" she breathed. "But this must
have cost a fortune, and I'm not...."
"Enough," Nop'tera said softly, laying a gentle fingertip on her slave's
trembling lips. "You know I rarely value things for their material wealth,
whatever that happens to be. You are worth far more than a fortune to me, as
you are quite unique and utterly priceless. Yes, you disappointed me earlier,
but that has already been dealt with and will not be brought up again. And for
every time you've managed to disappoint me in the past, there have been far too
many times to count where you've pleased me beyond words. I haven't forgotten
this, and neither should you. I still need you, Freya."
Freya stared at her for a moment before the tears started to flow once
again. She silently moved forward and embraced her mistress, trying not to
make any sound as her sobs started to gently heave in her chest.
Nop'tera sighed and wrapped her arms around her, holding her gently in the
middle of the hallway. She knew that few people, if any, came this far below
the flight deck for anything other than business, and that those who happened
to do so would actively forget the image if they saw her holding her slave.
"Are you hungry?" Nop'tera asked quietly.
Freya tensed slightly before gently easing away and looking at her. "A
little," she admitted, a faint tint of color rising to her cheeks. "I should
be fine with just a cup."
Nop'tera nodded in understanding, knowing that Freya was referring to the
substance that the synthesizer in her quarters could produce for her. It had
taken several years for Freya to create a viable formula, and even longer for
her to balance all the various enzymes that her human body needed that couldn't
be found in either denizen or Renn foods, but the synthetic blood that she had
come up with was enough to satisfy her vampiric needs.
Nop'tera has to repress a shiver as she remembered sampling the synthetic
stuff for herself at various stages. Freya had been using the same formula for
the plasma base for almost a full millennium, modified with flavoring as her
whims and moods desired, and Nop'tera still had yet to fully get used to the
odd taste. It tasted nothing like Freya's blood, which the chemical analyzer
kept insisting was identical in raw composition with the exception of a few
denizen enzymes that come from a lifetime of eating denizen cuisine.
"Let us go, then," Nop'tera said as she guided her down the hallway and
towards the nearest lift that would take them back up to the residential deck.
"I have to return the Imperial Castle in short order, and I want you to be at
the controls of the molecular warp portal while I'm gone. Don't worry," she
said as Freya gave her a concerned look. "I don't expect any trouble, but I am
merely taking a precaution as I expect to meet with Rune again."
"I understand," Freya said quietly. "When will you go?"
"Once you're ready," Nop'tera replied. "I am not looking forward to this
one, Freya, so you need not rush through your shower on my account."
"Thank you," Freya whispered in reply, glancing away and looking like all
she wanted in life right now was a bar of soap and a lot of hot water.
Nop'tera focused her eyes on the lift control panel, knowing just what she
had been put through at Dark Blue's hands and how much she had wanted a shower
herself after a similar experience of her own in her dark and ancient past.
Sighing quietly, she instructed the lift to take them up and away from the
deck where she had confined a few others, each with an evil heart and a twisted
soul like Dark Blue. She knew that she really should have executed them all a
long time ago given the nature of their crimes and the danger they posed, but
she kept them alive and sealed away because of the way each one could perform
a unique function if she ever needed them to.
The lift door silently closed, cutting her off from the thoughts that
always managed to sink into her mind when on the lowest of decks deep within
her home on the airborne carrier V'ral.
* * * *
The guard sighed quietly as he puffed on a cheap cigarette, idly looking
around the landscape. "This is so boring," he complained to his partner.
"You always say that," she replied, making a face as a cloud of the vile
smoke drifted in her direction. "And you need to quit smoking that navidshi
while on duty. It reeks."
"Bah," he grunted as he took a slow drag, making sure not to exhale it in
her direction. "You get used to it after awhile. I have," he pointed out.
"Still," she muttered as she glanced over the trail behind her. They both
blinked hard as a swirling blue vortex opened up several feet away from them
without warning.
"Wha...?" he said, the cigarette almost falling out of his mouth.
A girl with long blonde hair stepped out of the wormhole, followed by a
somewhat tall brunette and a woman with pale green hair. They looked around
for a moment before they spotted the two guards, a look of tension suddenly
crossing the older woman's face. The blonde merely smiled and headed over
towards the guards.
"Good morning!" she said cheerfully in an oddly accented Eastern Frontier
dialect. "You wouldn't by chance happen to know which way it is to the border
village of Mar'ken, would you?"
The guards glanced at once another before they both pointed behind them
in unison. "Stay to the right on the trail," the female guard said carefully.
"Oh, good," the girl replied with a smile. "Seems we didn't get lost this
time. Over here!" she called out as another blonde girl stepped out of the
wormhole, holding the hand of a girl with aquamarine hair. They were shortly
followed by an older man with shoulder-length dark hair who didn't look to be
overly happy about something.
The new arrivals visibly hesitated before the woman with pale green hair
put her hand on the shoulders of the girls holding hands and said something to
them. The brunette was already walking over with a slightly guarded expression
on her youthful face. "Is something wrong?" she said in the same dialect, but
with an audibly scratchy accent.
"Nope, the village is up that way," the blonde gushed, pointing excitedly
up the street. She looked behind the other girl as a young man stepped out of
the wormhole, followed by an avian and a girl with long black hair. "Come on,
this way!" she called out to the new arrivals. "Let's go already!"
"Calm down," the older woman said as she approached, using the Eastern
Frontier dialect but with a heavy Outreaches accent. "We'll get there soon
enough, so just relax. Clan excursion," she explained to the guards in an
apologetic tone. "She's been bouncing off the walls for a week."
"Have not!" the blonde protested, crossing her arms and pouting.
The guards exchanged looks again before shaking their heads. "I know the
feeling," the male guard said, casually keeping his cigarette behind his back.
"C'mon, Dad!" the blonde suddenly yelled as a blue-haired girl and a man
with spiky purple hair stepped out of the wormhole. The swirling vortex closed
behind them, leaving them all standing on the well-worn trail.
The rest of the group exchanged guarded glances as the purple-haired man
approached the guards, making a gesture for the avian to follow him. "I said
take it easy, okay?" he grumbled good-naturedly with a Central Plains accent.
"Excuse me, but which way is it to the village of Mar'ken?" he inquired.
"This way!" the blonde insisted, pointing up the trail.
The female guard chuckled quietly to herself. "Stay to the right on the
trail when you reach the junction, as the left side will only take you to the
landing strip."
"Ah," the man replied, nodding his head. "Thank you very much. Okay,
everyone, let's get going. No running!" he added sharply as the blonde turned
and was poised to take off.
"Aww...." she protested.
"Kids these days," the woman with pale green hair chuckled as she ushered
the two hand-holding girls past the guards. "No patience whatsoever...."
The guards watched as the girl with long black hair slipped her arm around
the young man's arm as they walked past, giving them slightly curious looks but
otherwise not seeming to be concerned.
The man with dark hair waited for the blue-haired girl to catch up with
him before he gestured down the trail, pausing for a moment. "Excuse me," he
said in the same odd Eastern Frontier accent as the blonde girl. "I know this
is none of my business, but you really shouldn't be smoking that on duty. It
sorts of creates a bad impression."
The female guard had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at the look
on her partner's face. "Habit, sir," he muttered as he dropped the cigarette
on the ground and stamped it out. "I know the boss doesn't like it, but when
you're out in the middle of the woods and all...."
The man just smiled knowingly and nodded his head. "Thanks for pointing
us in the right direction," he said as he gave him a friendly clap on the
shoulder before following the blue-haired girl down the trail.
The guards watched as they gathered together in a group and set out down
the trail at a slow and leisurely pace. "Well?" he said quietly once he was
sure they were out of earshot.
She just shook her head. "That was definitely surreal," she said after a
moment. "If I didn't know better, I'd say they really were just some local
clan out for a morning trip to the market. And right next to us, too...."
He looked over at her, raising an eyebrow. "And what's to say we don't
know better?" he pointed out. "Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to me."
She looked back at him and sighed quietly, reaching into the chest pocket
of her uniform and pulling out the picture cards they had been given earlier.
"Even if you ignore the fact that it looked like a Silkworm-class portal and
not your typical jump-gate, did you even look at their faces?"
"I did," he replied, glancing down the now-empty trail. "Some of them
were real cute, too. That kid with the girl on his arm is one lucky boy...."
"Stow it, you horny p'tai," she grumbled. She held up the picture cards
and spread them out so all the images were visible. "See? Five for five. If
that wasn't them, I'll have my eyes stitched shut since they obviously don't
work anymore."
"I saw," he sighed as he reached for his comm-link. "I don't know how to
tell one avian from the next, but anyway.... Team Four to Station Two," he
said as he thumbed the transmit button. The reply he got could easily have
been mistaken for static if one wasn't paying close attention. "Tell the boss
we have contact. Positive ident on all five pictures, part of a group of
eleven heading north to the village."
The static seemed to erupt from the speaker again and he shot it an odd
look. "How's two feet away grab you? I said we positively identified them.
I even had the Dragoon Commander say something to me about the cigarette, now
how many other people would get all anal about that?"
She winced in sympathy as the comm-link seemed to explode into furious
static. "Not the smartest thing to have said," she told him as he held it as
far away from his ear as he could and still listen to the irritated voice.
"Yeah, yeah," he grunted at her before flipping the microphone back on.
"Copy that. Team Four out," he said, making a sour face as he clipped it back
onto his belt. "They said the boss wants us to stay put for another hour or
so before heading back. That way, we don't tip anyone off who's watching."
"Wonderful," she groaned as she rolled her eyes.
He shrugged. "Hey, you were the one who was giving me a hard time about
being bored earlier," he said with a hint of dryness.
"Stow it," she grumbled. "Well, if you were bored before, you're going
to love it now. Five dollars says things are going to get really interesting,
really quickly now that they're here."
"No bet," he chuckled as he reached down and picked up the remains of his
cigarette. He lit it with a small spark of energy from between his fingertips
and inhaled deeply. He paused and gave her a measured look. "Four hours from
now," he suggested.
"Hah!" she laughed. "Two at the most. Split the difference?" she said as
she dug out a five-dollar note and held it up.
"Deal," he said as he activated the timer on his watch and reached into
his pocket to pull out an identical bill. "And so it begins," he smirked.
* * * *
"Look," Leda said with a sigh. "I think you did a wonderful job, okay?
Hell, you had me convinced, and I know the plan and all, but I still think you
had entirely too much fun with that."
"So what?" Mina countered. "It worked, didn't it?"
"That remains to be seen," Maze pointed out, glancing behind them once
again out of wary reflex. "I still think we're already in trouble, though."
"How do you figure that?" Leda inquired warily, looking over her shoulder
as well. She noticed that Rei was still holding onto Darian's arm, both of
them looking deeply lost in introspective thought and probably operating on
auto-pilot as they walked along the trail.
"The uniforms," Whisper sighed.
"You caught that too, huh?" Maze asked.
"Please," the telepath shot back. "I know the military just as well as
you do, Lieutenant."
Alex frowned as she listened to the back-and-forth banter. "Okay, so you
guys want to share with the rest of us what the problem is?" she prodded in a
flat tone, absently squeezing Michelle's hand.
"Those were uniforms from the Northern Mountain Division," Maze explained.
"The problem is, we're thousands of miles from the northern borders. The only
local patrols you'd expect to see around here are from the Western and Central
Divisions."
"Maybe they took a wrong turn?" Leda ventured.
"Colonel Azi'mar's division is based in the North," Maze pointed out.
"And that is what has us worried," Whisper finished for him.
"Great," Leda sighed.
"I don't know, guys," Mina said slowly. "I get the feeling that, while
our one-eyed wonder is keenly interested in keeping an eye on things, such as
it were, I really don't think he'll actually try to get involved. He doesn't
come across as a seriously hands-on kind of guy...."
"We wish," Maze muttered dryly. "Or have you forgotten that he was once
one of the elite of the elites? Believe me, those Special Forces teams are
VERY hands-on in most situations."
Leda shot him an irritated look. "You're not exactly making us feel any
better about this," she grumbled. She blinked and leaned to one side to look
past Alex and Michelle. "Hey, everyone hang on a sec. Where's Ami?"
Everyone abruptly halted and turned around, blinking in surprise as they
realized that Ami had slowed down considerably and was barely walking at all.
She was staring down at her computer and communicator, examining the readings
with a level of concentration deep enough to be almost oblivious to the rest of
the world around her.
Leda sighed and headed back down the trail, casting a reproving look at
Tolaris as she passed him. "Gimme a hand here, now is not the time for her to
be focused like that," she grumbled. "Someone could start shooting at us and
she wouldn't notice until she got tagged in the head."
Ami completely failed to notice Tolaris and Leda as they moved next to
her, her focus still centered on the signal readings her computer was picking
up. She yelped and almost dropped the device as a hand was passed in front of
her, interrupting her line of sight to the tiny display and causing her head
to snap up in surprise.
"What?" she blurted out, her eyes wide as she tried to calm down.
Leda just sighed and shook her head. "Stay with us, bookworm. Ignoring
the world around you is not a good idea, especially in this place."
"What were you doing?" Tolaris inquired, gently rubbing her shoulder.
Ami blinked and looked down at her computer. "What? Oh, right.... I was
trying to figure out how far away Serena's communicator is. The signal is gone
at the moment, but I'm still able to pick up a faint pulse from her transponder
every so often and I'm trying to determine how much of the signal loss is from
distance and how much is due to background interference. It's definitely not
a linear signal, as the curvature of the planet is too great, so I was...."
"We get the idea," Leda sighed as she gently took her by the elbow and
began to pull her along the trail. "C'mon, we know you can chew bubblegum and
walk at the same time without ending up face-down on the pavement, so you can
probably play with your toy computer while you walk as well."
"I've almost got a working model," Ami said absently as she went back to
staring at the display. "If we assume she's in the very center of the castle
where the shielding effect is most concentrated, I should be able to construct
a static-over-distance matrix to account for probable variables in the expected
reduction in signal strength and apply that to the current readings...."
Both Alex and Michelle gave her an odd look as she wandered past them,
still muttering to herself. "Hey, is she okay?" Alex asked with a concerned
look. "She didn't smack herself in the head somehow or anything, did she?"
"She's fine," Mina sighed. "That's just how she gets when a complicated
problem bites her on the butt and she has to stop and try to figure it out.
Rei gets awfully quiet when she's thinking, Leda tends to hide in the kitchen
and make desserts when she's got something heavy on her mind, and Ami tends to
get all pscyho-analytical on you. You get used to it."
"Sometimes," Tolaris muttered.
"You're kidding, right?" Alex blinked.
"We wish," Mina replied with another sigh of resignation.
"Huh," Alex said slowly. "She was never like that before...."
"Should we ask about how the pillow talk goes?" Darian asked quietly.
"Be nice, D," Alex smirked. She paused and glanced over her shoulder at
Rei again. "Rei, dearheart, you can let go of his arm now. Rei? Hello?"
"Huh?" Rei said, blinking hard as she snapped out of her reverie. "What?"
"Let go of the prince," Alex sighed. She blinked as Michelle poked her
in the ribs and she looked over at her. "What now, hon?"
"Just leave them alone," Michelle said quietly.
"What?" Alex said with a startled look. "I'm just saying.... Hey!" she
protested as Mina suddenly stopped in front of her. "Dammit, blondie, watch
what you're doing!"
"Hush!" Mina hissed, gesturing for everyone else to remain quiet. She
listened intently for a moment before she looked over at the tree line several
yards away. "I thought I heard something...."
Ra'vel clicked her beak very quietly as she fluffed her feathers, staring
hard at the same stretch of trees. "You're not the only one," Whisper said in
a low tone. "Ra'vel and I heard it too."
"Aw, crap," Alex sighed as she edged away from Michelle and started to
reach for her saber hidden in the dimensional sheath on her back. "Any ideas
on what it is?"
Everyone suddenly tensed as there was a rustling noise from the line of
trees, sounding as if something fairly large was moving around. "Options?"
Tolaris whispered as he moved a few feet away from Leda, tiny arcs of lightning
starting to form along his arm.
"It's not a denizen," Whisper replied. "I can't sense its mind very well,
but I don't think it's a predator of any sort."
"Well, shoot," Leda muttered. "That only rules out half the things that
would kill us if we got close enough to them."
The rustling sound suddenly got louder before a large creature emerged
from the trees. It was roughly the size of an ostrich, with long but solidly
muscled legs and a disturbingly large beak. The coloring was mostly brown with
rather vivid yellow highlights, seeming to blend in reasonably well against the
background of trees. It paused and lifted its head up from the ground, looking
at the group with open but guarded curiosity.
"Wow," Alex said, blinking in surprise. "Now that is a big bird...."
"W-W-What?" Mina stammered, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. "But....
but.... but...."
"Okay, so what is it?" Leda inquired. She glanced over at the stuttering
blonde and gave her an odd look. "Take it easy, okay?"
"But.... but.... but...."
"That is what we call a vep'tera," Maze explained calmly, watching as the
large bird seemed to lose momentary interest in the group and resume moving the
foliage around with its beak to look for food.
"But.... but.... but...." Mina stammered as she slowly raised a finger to
point at the large bird, her hand visibly shaking.
"What the hell?" Alex frowned. "What's the problem, girl?"
"BUT THAT'S A CHOCOBO!!" Mina blurted out, startling the group and causing
the vep'tera to jerk its head up to stare at her.
"A what?" Darian asked, giving her a confused look.
"Whoa, wait a minute," Leda said slowly, giving the denizen bird a very
careful look. "You know...."
Maze carefully put a hand on Mina's shoulder. "Easy, ne'ana, it's just a
common vep'tera that roam around this part of the planet. There's probably a
good ten million of them living in the wild...."
"Bullcrap!" Mina retorted, still staring at the bird. "I've been playing
the Final Fantasy games since they came out, and I know a chocobo when I see
one. And THAT is definitely a chocobo!" she babbled, pointing a shaky finger
for emphasis.
"Damn, she's right," Leda added with a soft whistle. "That looks exactly
like those yellow birds in those console games of hers...."
"Okay," Alex said slowly. "So does that mean you can tell me if it'll
try to bite us or something?"
Whisper shook her head as Maze tried to get Mina to calm down. "Vep'teras
are rather intelligent birds," she explained. "They're easily domesticated and
are quite often as friendly as they are curious, as they're not hunted by too
many predators. This looks like a wild one, but it probably won't bother us."
"Huh," Alex replied. "Seems a little dirty, but otherwise he's not all
that bad-looking. Can you ride them?"
"If they've been properly trained as a mount and you're not too heavy,
then yes," Tolaris answered. "I rode one a few times in my youth, they're not
overly difficult to handle or deal with."
"C'mon, Mina," Maze sighed. "It's probably just a coincidence...."
"Oh, like the lightsaber was?" she shot back with a faint growl. "Fine,
then we'll just see how he sounds. Okay, Choco, chirp for me!" she called out
to the vep'tera before she put her fingers to her mouth and made a peculiar
whistling noise.
"Oh, boy," Leda said as the bird's head suddenly shot up and started to
stare hard at the group. "I think you got his attention...."
Ra'vel gave Mina an odd look, clicking her beak a few times. "Yeah, I
know," Maze said slowly. "That WAS awfully close to how they sound."
"See?" the blonde challenged. "Now how would I know about that unless
someone from YOUR world came over to OURS and brought that with them? C'mon,
let me hear you sing, pretty bird," she said before making the whistling noise
again. The vep'tera promptly replied with a warbling noise of its own as it
slowly began to approach the group, looking at them with open curiosity.
"Oops," Alex said. "Hey, is this going to pose a problem?" she said,
warily eyeing the bird's approach.
"It shouldn't," Tolaris replied as he seemed to relax. "Granted they can
put up a serious fight if they're mad or cornered, but they're otherwise not
anything to be concerned about. It's probably just curious about us."
"There you go," Mina cooed quietly, whistling at the vep'tera again. She
smiled as the bird warbled in response and drew closer, making very soft noises
to itself. "Come here, baby, I'm not going to hurt you. Woo, you're a little
big for a chocobo...."
Leda just shook her head slowly. "This is crazy," she muttered.
"Careful," Maze warned as Mina held her hand out towards the vep'tera.
"Aww, he won't bite," Mina replied absently. "He knows I'm too cute to be
bird-food. Hey, how you doing?" she said softly as the vep'tera craned its
neck to sniff her hand cautiously.
Alex glanced over at Michelle, raising an eyebrow as she noticed the soft
smile on her face. She looked up at her and blushed faintly, squeezing her
hand gently. "I think it looks cute," Michelle said quietly.
"It's a giant bird, babe," Alex replied. "Birds might be cute as babies,
but just look at the size of that thing...."
"Aww," Michelle cooed quietly as Mina lightly rubbed her hand along the
vep'tera's beak. "Just look at that...."
"Okay, really quick question," Leda said hastily, causing everyone to look
at her. "You guys remember that little hairy thing we ran into the last time
we were in here, right? The rat-something?"
"Rakketh," Tolaris replied. "Why do you...? Oh," he said quietly.
"What?" Alex said warily. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Michelle, listen carefully," Whisper said in a calm tone. "I want you
both to remain perfectly still and keep your eyes on me, okay?"
Both Alex and Michelle immediately blinked hard, a suddenly frightened
expression crossing Michelle's face. "W-What is it?" she whimpered, doing her
best to stare straight ahead at the telepath.
Alex glanced down at the ground and froze in place. "Oooookay," she said
in a deceptively calm tone. "Two questions...."
"I told you not to look," Whisper grumbled.
"That is a rakketh, and no, it can't hurt you," Maze replied gently.
"What?" Mina said as she turned around, still carefully scratching the
cooing vep'tera's head. She blinked as she saw the disturbingly hairy pest on
the ground right between Alex and Michelle. "Oh, ick, not that thing again,"
she said, making a sour face.
"Tell you what," Alex said as she slowly withdrew her saber. "If it's
really that harmless, why don't I just take care of this thing right now...."
"Alex...?" Michelle whimpered in a near-panic, still staring at Whisper
and trying as hard as she could to resist the impulse to look down.
"Relax, babe," Alex replied calmly as she prepared to strike.
"Hey, hang on a sec," Mina said suddenly. "You think a chocobo would be
interested in having something like that as a snack?"
The denizens all paused and looked at one another. "Well...." Maze said
slowly, "To be perfectly honest, I have no idea what they eat."
"Try it like this," Leda said as she crossed her arms. "Ra'vel, I've seen
you eat stuff similar to this before, would you consider that edible?" Ra'vel
shot her an unamused look and clicked her beak several times as she telepathed
a suitable reply. "Hey, I was just asking," Leda chuckled.
"Well?" Mina prompted.
The brunette shrugged. "If you want to try feeding the bird, go for it."
"Guys?" Alex said carefully, still poised to strike.
"Hold that pose," Mina said quickly as she turned to look at the vep'tera.
"Come on, this way," she said gently as she started to move back, making a
follow-me gesture. "Got something yummy for you...."
"We hope," Leda added.
"See?" Mina said as she waved her hand at the hairy creature still parked
between the two very nervous girls, trying to get the vep'tera's attention.
"Look what we found...."
The vep'tera took a few steps forward before it saw the rakketh and became
perfectly still, staring at it intently. It began to approach the creature in
very slow motion, appearing quite willing to take its time.
"Mich, honey, relax," Alex said quietly, squeezing Michelle's hand. "No,
don't watch the bird, keep your eyes on Whisper instead. That's it, love, you
just have to trust me on this...."
"In another time and place," Darian said slowly, "This could be funny."
"Hey, I'm having fun," Mina replied quietly, watching the vep'tera stalk
the hairy rakketh.
"Babe, you're the kind of girl who'd have fun at your own funeral," Alex
pointed out, casting a mild glance over her shoulder. She blinked as she felt
something brush up against her ankle and deliberately avoided looking down.
"Aww, crap, don't tell me that's what I think it is," she muttered, a sickened
expression crossing her face.
"Three guesses," Leda sighed. "Just hold still, he's almost ready."
"Bird, hurry up," Alex said lightly. "Oh, damn, this is giving me a royal
case of the willies.... WHOA, HEY!" she yelped as the vep'tera suddenly lunged
forward, neatly plucking the rakketh off of her ankle in a fluid movement.
"Solves that problem," Maze observed as the vep'tera stood up straight,
several hairy legs poking out from its beak as it started chewing.
"DON'T!" Alex said firmly as she clamped her hand over Michelle's mouth
just as she got a good look at what was left of the pest. A very high-pitched
whimper could still be heard from her throat as she reflexively cried out from
her fear of spiders. "Easy, dear, it's toast now. See? Oh, gross," she added
as the vep'tera made a crunching noise and a blue fluid began to leak from the
edges of its beak.
"Yeech," Mina muttered, flinching as the vep'tera noisily swallowed its
snack and licked its beak. "That was almost not worth the effort just on the
mess factor alone...."
"Is that it?" Rei said quietly as the vep'tera paused and looked around
the area, trying to see if anything else was within range.
"Should be," Maze said carefully.
"Good," Rei replied. "Then maybe we should get back to trying to find
Serena so we can get out of here."
Everyone blinked and looked at one another with faintly guilty expressions
on their faces. "She's got a point," Tolaris said gently.
"Okay, so what do we do about him?" Mina said, gesturing to the bird. It
made a soft cooing noise as it moved over to her, reaching up to nip at the
bright red bow in her hair. "Hey, watch it!" she protested.
"Looks like you made a new friend," Darian observed quietly.
"Cool, can I keep him?" Mina said, her eyes brightening. She blinked as
nine sets of eyes looked back at her with identical reproving expressions and
she just sighed. "Aww, c'mon, it was just an idea...."
"Let's go," Maze sighed as he turned to head up the trail and almost ran
over Ami. He took a quick step back and blinked hard as he realized that she
was still completely focused on her computer readings, not seeming to have the
slightest clue as to what was going on around her.
"You have GOT to be kidding me," Alex muttered as she sheathed her saber.
"Mich, where's that eel-in-a-box? Maybe a jolt from that will help...."
"Ami?" Leda said gently as she walked up to her and gently nudged her in
the shoulder. It took six nudges and twenty seconds before Ami finally blinked
and lifted her head up from the display.
"Yes?" she inquired, giving her a curious look.
Leda cast a sidelong glance over her shoulder before she sighed and took
a step to the side. "Have you met Mina's new friend yet?" she asked wearily.
"Mina's new...?" Ami said in confusion before she saw the vep'tera. Her
eyes promptly doubled in diameter, much to the mild amusement of the rest of
the group. "My goodness!" she gasped. "What is that?"
"Walk," Leda sighed as she started to push her down the trail. "We'll
explain as we go. You really should pay more attention to what happens around
you, Ami, that could have been something really nasty...."
"What? But where...?" Ami started to say, still staring at the bird.
"Sorry we're late, your Highness," Alex said to the open air as the group
resumed walking. "We got side-tracked by a giant bird. No, really, Mina said
it was the most adorable thing, so of course we had to stop and feed it...."
"No, don't do that," Mina said as the vep'tera started to follow her. "I
can't take you with me, so you'll just have to stick around here. Ohh, don't
chirp at me like that," she said mournfully as the vep'tera warbled at her.
"You're breaking my heart...."
Maze and Tolaris just exchanged weary glances. "What am I supposed to do
with her?" Maze asked Tolaris in an obscure temporal dialect that he was sure
that they both knew but none of the humans did.
Tolaris shrugged helplessly. "Like I know what to do with her," he said
with a subtle gesture at Ami, who was still staring at the vep'tera in wonder.
"Relax, Lieutenant, we'll sort this out eventually."
"And the vep'tera?" Maze inquired.
"Take him with us for now," Whisper spoke up. "Can't hurt, can it? If
nothing else, I'm sure the villagers at Mar'ken will know how to deal with a
wild vep'tera."
"If he is wild," Tolaris pointed out. "He seems rather complacent to me.
I'm not sure if he can tell the difference between a human and a denizen, but
he's acting rather casual about this...."
"What, think this is a trap?" Maze said, blinking hard.
"I can't sense a fully sentient mind," Whisper reminded them.
Tolaris sighed and shrugged. "I don't care for odd coincidences, you all
know that," he muttered.
Alex shot a glance at Darian as she tried listening to the conversation
behind her. "Darian, you seem to know some of the language. What are they
talking about?" she asked in a low tone.
Darian shrugged. "No idea, I don't recognize any of the words. Take it
easy, they can all be trusted. They're probably trying to figure out how to
ditch the bird without overly upsetting Mina or something."
"Bah," Alex grunted quietly, rolling her eyes at the dawning purple sky
as they continued to walk. "Bird-brains of a feather...."
* * * *
The avian clicked his beak quietly as he walked across the length of the
room to stand next to the communications officer. "You have problem?" he asked
in a gentle tone.
The junior lieutenant looked up from the console and sighed quietly. "I'm
not sure, Quartermaster," he admitted. "I've been monitoring the bands that
Commander K'tal told me to, and I'm starting to pick up a faint increase in
what appears to be random static. The only catch is that it only appears in
the three zones that our mystery frequency-hopping signal is using. I can't
really determine the cause or reason, or even if there is an increase."
V'Lan hummed quietly and idly smoothed out a stray feather before he gave
the young officer a casual look. "Guess," he said simply.
"Sir?" the officer replied, blinking hard.
"What your intestines telling you?" V'Lan said calmly, adding a series of
soft chirps for emphasis. "I not concerned with formals, I can deal with raw
guess. Among my tribe, shamans use entrails to portent future, analyzing what
sacrificial guts tell them. What your intestines telling you?"
The communications officer blinked again before he took a deep breath.
"Sir, if I had to guess, I'd say that the static is caused by signal sources
very similar to the first one, but are probably so far out of effective range
that we can't get a reliable reading. What we might be seeing are microsecond
bursts of the most energetic of signals, which are still barely at the edge of
our sensor's detection radius."
"Mmm," V'Lan chirped quietly. "Assume that is true. Rough distance?"
"Over the visible horizon at the very least," the lieutenant replied.
"Good," the avian replied as he turned around and began to slowly walk
around the room again. He paused as he felt a stare on his wings and twisted
his head around to look. "Yes?"
"Quartermaster, should we do anything about this?" the communications
officer said in a slightly guarded tone.
"Why?" V'Lan replied casually.
"We know the Sailor Scouts are coming," he said slowly, choosing his words
carefully. "We know, or at least reasonably assume, that their communication
devices operate within those frequency bands. Doesn't that mean they're here
if we're starting to pick up stuff other than the first signal?"
V'Lan turned around to face him, tilting his head at a slight angle. "You
have only supposition," he pointed out. "Intuition good for sorting logic, but
not good for basing decision. You show proof, I act. Otherwise, we perch.
Trick to reading entrails is sorting portent from navidshi, and I not want to
make mistake by opening up intestines and only get stench."
"Copy that, Quartermaster," the officer replied in understanding.
V'Lan snapped his beak quietly in amusement and moved back over to stand
behind his shoulder. "Send message to K'tal," he said very quietly in his ear.
"You say 'raid watch'. Two words, not say more. He understand meaning."
"Sir?" the officer hesitated. "Aren't we supposed to warn the rest of the
military if we pick up something?"
The avian held up a finger. "We have not enough facts to warn military,
but intestines tell me we send quiet chirp to K'tal's ear. That, and they tell
me now is good time to use toilet. You have floor, Lieutenant," he said with
a quiet chirp as he headed towards the closest bathroom.
"Right...." the junior-grade lieutenant said to himself, shaking his head
to clear the unnecessary mental image and reaching for his comm-link.
* * * *
"There it is," Mina said quietly as they came out of a curve in the trail
and saw the village just a short distance ahead. "Oh, wow, it looks a lot
different in daylight than it does at night...."
"Is that a village or a carnival?" Leda inquired, her eyebrows arching up
in surprise. "Do they have enough tents?"
"Most of the traders are nomadic," Maze explained. "They drop by a known
trading post, set up a tent for a few days to peddle their wares, then they
pack up one evening and are long gone by the next dawn."
Alex nodded her head in understanding. "Now that's a large bazaar."
"Actually, Mar'ken is listed as only a small-to-moderate village," Whisper
pointed out. "You should see the size of the Grand Frontier post that sits on
the junction point between the Central, East, and Southern regions."
"That's your idea of small?" Leda said, blinking in surprise.
"More moderate than small, but yes," Tolaris replied.
"Guards," Rei pointed out quietly as they got close enough to see a group
of four armed soldiers standing just outside a ceremonial archway that led to
the village proper.
"Just act casual," Maze said reassuringly. "They're just there to act as
local police in case anyone decides to get unruly. As long as you behave, they
probably won't give you a second look unless you're really cute."
Mina giggled quietly. "I guess we're in trouble then," she said with a
smile. She blinked as the vep'tera made another casual attempt at pecking at
her hair ribbon and she sighed. "Will you stop that already? I keep telling
you, it's not edible." The vep'tera warbled at her before it fluffed up its
feathers, creating a small cloud of dust and feather particles.
"Yeech," Alex coughed, waving her hand in front of her face. "We need to
run this bird through a stream or something. Talk about needing a bath."
"Later," Tolaris said, warily eyeing the local security patrol.
"So how are we going to do this?" Maze asked quietly.
"I figured I would focus on finding Aerlin and K'tal while the rest of you
look around the village," Tolaris replied. "I'm not sure how well we're set on
supply situation is back at the cathedral, but I figured that while we're here,
we can at least get a good idea of what sort of prices we can get for a future
visit."
"Sounds like a plan," Maze said, nodding his head.
"Alex?" Whisper spoke up. "You and Michelle should stay with me. I can
probably pass for Michelle's mother at a casual glance, so that should help if
we run into any minor problems about identities."
Alex glanced over at Michelle and received a nod in reply. "Alright, I
think we can go along with that," the blonde said slowly.
"Okay, people, it's showtime," Mina said, flashing them all a smile as
they drew close enough to the archway to be heard by the guards. "Morning!"
she called out to them.
"Morning, miss," one of the guards replied in the softly accented Western
Forests dialect of the denizen language. "Welcome to Mar'ken. Is that your
vep'tera?" he inquired with a gesture.
Mina paused for a moment before sighing. "Actually, no. We ran across
him on the trail back there and he started following us. We figured that one
of the villagers here would know what to do with him."
"Ah," the guard replied. "Just make sure he doesn't get into trouble or
anything, as the owners are liable for what their pets do."
"We'll keep a close eye on him," Maze promised as they continued to walk
past the guards and into the village.
"Well, that was painless," Leda commented quietly in the denizen language.
Tolaris shrugged. "I told you they wouldn't bother us. Everyone should
avoid using your human language from this point on, as it could start to raise
suspicions if it's overheard."
Alex and Michelle both blinked a second later as Whisper began to start a
running translation, using her telepathic powers to "speak" directly to their
minds. They gave each other a cautious look before nodding in unison to the
telepath.
"How's your mastery of the language?" Ami quietly asked Rei and Darian.
"Rough, but passable," Darian replied slowly with a noticeable accent that
Ami couldn't immediately place. "Just don't ask me to get.... complicated," he
added, hesitating as he tried to find what he thought was the right word.
"I can manage," Rei said softly. She looked up as Ra'vel approached and
chirped quietly at her. "Sure, I don't mind," the priestess replied.
Ami nodded. "Good, don't let her out of your sight," she said before she
turned to head after Tolaris.
"She's in a mood," Darian observed quietly, watching her leave.
<Mind full she have,> Ra'vel telepathed to them. <Right place heart is.>
"That's true," he admitted with a soft sigh.
<Doubts you have about Princess?> the avian inquired, clicking her beak
softly as they wandered over to a nearby stall.
He paused in mid-motion, suddenly acutely aware of Rei's gaze on the back
of his neck and reminded of her confession last night. "I don't doubt her in
the least," he said slowly. "I just.... don't know about me."
"Fair morning," the middle-aged woman said as they approached her stall.
"Fair morning," Rei replied quietly as she examined the small jewel-boxes
that were apparently for sale. "What kind of wood is this?"
"Tir'ba," the woman replied.
<Old wood tir'ba is,> Ra'vel telepathed. <Common is not very, ages well
over time. Expensive furniture it makes, worthwhile investment sturdy. Best
craft from D'Alleiu tribe far northwest.>
"Hey, wait up!" Leda said as Mina headed off in a random direction. She
hustled briefly to catch up, trying to keep an eye on both the vep'tera and the
excited blonde at the same time.
"Relax," Mina said as she approached a vendor. "Excuse me!"
"Fair morning," the old man replied cheerfully.
"Fair morning to you, too," Mina said with a smile. "I need some help
here. We just arrived, you see, and we happened to pick up a friend along the
way," she said, gesturing to the vep'tera as it started to wander around with
Maze right behind it. "Do you know anyone I could talk to about figuring out
what to do with him?"
"Hmm," the old man said, rubbing his chin as he glanced over at the bird.
"Is he tame or wild?"
"We don't know," Mina replied. "We think he's wild, but he's more than a
little friendly, so...."
"Ah," the vendor nodded. "You should talk to T'Nari, she just returned
yesterday with a small herd of tame vep'teras and might have had one or two
wander away from her. You can find her at the far end of the village, on the
north trail heading to the landing field."
"Oh, thank you," Mina said with a genuine smile of relief. "C'mon, let's
go see if we can find this T'Nari person," she said to Leda.
"I can have a guide take you there," the vendor offered before he turned
and looked around at the various denizens wandering the streets.
"Oh, that's okay," Mina said. "I'm sure we can find her easily enough."
"N'Geela!" the vendor shouted, waving his hand.
Leda blinked as she saw Mina suddenly go pale. "You alright?" she said in
a low tone as she leaned forward to whisper in her ear.
"Remember that Felinoid I said I ran into?" Mina muttered, casting a very
edgy glance over at the approaching black-banded dark green Felinoid.
"Oh, hell...." the brunette sighed.
"Fair morning, Ulan," N'Geela purred as she arrived at the stall.
"So it seems," the vendor replied with a soft chuckle. "I have a favor
to ask of you. These young ladies found a vep'tera on the trail this morning,
and I'm thinking it could be one of T'Nari's. Could you take them to see her
for me?"
"Of course," the Felinoid replied as she looked over at Mina and Leda.
"Hi," Leda said casually.
N'Geela dipped her head slightly in response. "This way," she said, her
tail arching around her to point towards the north. She blinked and looked
over to her right. "Is that him?" she inquired, pointing with a claw to the
vep'tera as it tried to stick its head in a tent, barely being held back by
Maze and another denizen.
"D'oh," Mina sighed. "Yeah, that's him. C'mon, bird, get over here!" she
called out before making a curious whistling noise at the vep'tera.
N'Geela blinked. "That was a good imitation of their mating call," she
said in awe, causing Mina's eyes to widen.
"Mating call?" she blurted out, her jaw sagging open.
"Ha!" Leda gasped, bursting into a fit of giggles. "No wonder he likes
you so much, he probably thought you were offering him a good time."
"Give me a break," Mina grumbled. "That's what they sound like in the
game." She paused as she noticed that N'Geela was giving her a rather intense
look. "Umm, is something wrong?" she ventured.
"You have an unusual accent," the Felinoid said slowly.
"Leave her alone," Leda grunted. "She grew up in a strange family."
"You're one to talk," Mina countered with a pout.
"Strange," N'Geela commented. "Your accent almost sounds Felinoid."
Leda shrugged casually. "Yeah, so I spent some time living with one," she
said as she started to stretch. "It sort of grows on you after awhile. So
which way to this vep'tera farmer or whatever she is?"
"Oh, yes, T'Nari," N'Geela said, blinking as she was reminded of her task.
"I'm sorry. She's this way," she said as she began leading them towards the
northern trails.
"Come on, pretty bird," Mina cooed as the vep'tera approached. "Let's go
see if you're as lost as the rest of us...."
"As if she has to ask," Leda muttered to Maze as he joined the group.
"Oohhhhh," Michelle breathed very softly as she came to a sudden stop,
almost throwing Alex off-balance as she pulled her over to look. "Just look at
those gemstones...."
"Yeah, babe, they're pretty," Alex grumbled. "Probably pretty expensive,
too. Damn, what's that smell?"
"Fair morning," Whisper greeted the avian vendor in her native Outreaches
dialect. She blinked as he replied telepathically before she nodded, relaxing
as she was able to communicate in what was for her a more natural fashion than
having to pick and choose from a variety of regional dialects.
"Keep your voices down," Whisper said very quietly to them in English,
still mentally conversing with the vendor about who to talk to about making a
few bulk-purchases of common supplies.
Michelle very carefully lifted up a dark green pendant on a fine chain,
holding it up to the light before contrasting it to her wrist. "Too dark," she
sighed as she gingerly set it back down. She blinked as a bracelet caught her
eye, seeming to have been made from a topaz-like mineral. "What's this?" she
quietly asked Whisper.
The telepath asked a quick question aloud and got a series of soft chirps
in response. "Glass, would you believe?" she translated.
"This is glass?" Michelle replied, blinking hard.
"Everything you see here is glass," Whisper pointed out. "Almost all of
the avian tribes have at least one skilled craftsman who does nothing but make
such trinkets for trade with other tribes and the general population. If you
look close enough, you can see how the colors are blended together and formed
in such a way as to appear to be mineral in origin. It's a very delicate art,
really, but it is still a very popular craft to learn."
"Wow...." Michelle breathed, looking closely at the individual grains of
color and how they formed streaks in the bracelet. "They're so beautiful."
Alex just shook her head, blinking hard as she saw Leda and Mina talking
to what appeared to be a giant cat walking upright on her hind legs. "Holy
crap, will you look at that? That is one big kitty...."
<That is a Felinoid,> Whisper's psionic voice said in her mind.
"Hmm?" Michelle said as she lifted her head up to look. She blinked hard
and almost dropped the bracelet she was holding. "Goodness!"
"Hey, careful with that," Alex chided as she gently took the glass trinket
from her and gently set it back down. "C'mon, hon, this is glass we're talking
about. You can sneeze hard and it'll fragment."
Michelle looked back at the glass collection and sighed wistfully. "I
still think they're pretty," she pouted quietly.
Alex just sighed as she cast a quick glance at the avian vendor. "Hon,
stop and think just where we are, and more importantly, why we're here."
<Do they look hostile to you?> Whisper's voice suddenly echoed in their
minds. <Look around you.... We're just like your world, only with different
shapes and colors and smells. No-one here is your enemy, Alex. The ones you
want are thousands of miles from here. Perhaps we can come back here another
day when time isn't so pressing, but for the moment enjoy the peace while you
can. It's going to be a long day.>
"Thanks, Mom," Alex muttered sourly. She blinked as Michelle suddenly
swerved off in another direction, heading towards a denizen vendor who was
hawking similar shiny trinkets. "Aw, c'mon, Mich...."
"Alex, come look at these.... they're so beautiful!"
Ami sighed quietly as she looked around the small crowd as they continued
to thread their way along the seemingly random arrangements of booths, stalls,
tents, and the like. "Where are we going?" she asked quietly.
"I believe his house is over there," Tolaris replied as he moved aside to
allow a black Felinoid with bright red stripes to pass. "And if not, then I'll
just have to ask someone where we can...."
"Tolaris!" a voice called out, causing them both to freeze solid in their
tracks. He blinked hard and was starting to turn to look when an elderly woman
came up to him and wrapped him in a tight embrace. "There you are! I haven't
seen you in ages, how are you?" she babbled.
Ami felt her blood turn to solid ice as the old woman whispered something
in his ear, causing him to visibly tense for a moment. "I'm fine," he said as
he seemed to relax. "You know me, always busy working...."
"Shame on you," she chided him. "You should still find time to visit us
now and then. And this must be Ami!" she said as she turned to face her. "Oh,
my, just look at you, I haven't seen you since you were a baby. Come here and
give your Aunt D'Nina a hug...."
Ami hesitated for a moment before she caught the subtle nod from Tolaris.
She very carefully stepped forward, blinking hard as she was given a decidedly
tight hug by the old woman. She felt her hands lightly brushing across her
back and hips in several places, causing her to blink again as she realized
that she was being frisked in a very efficient yet inconspicuous manner.
"If you value your life, you will play along with this," the woman said
very softly in her ear before she stepped back with a broad smile on her face.
"Oh, my, you've gotten strong lately, haven't you? Come, come, your uncle is
just waiting to see the both of you...."
Tolaris just chuckled very quietly. "We're coming, take it easy," he said
as he took Ami by the hand and followed the old woman towards a row of houses.
"So how have things been?"
"Oh, listen to you," she fussed as she opened the door. "Even when you're
not working, you're always wondering what's going on. Settle down for once,
it's been so long since we've seen you. This way," she said with a gesture.
Ami nervously followed her inside, wondering how the charade would play
out. She blinked as Tolaris closed the door behind them and burst into a fit
of laughter. She glanced over her shoulder at him, not entirely sure what to
make of the situation.
"I had no idea you were such a great actor," he said to the woman.
"Stuff it, Commander," the woman grumbled, giving Ami a deeply guarded
look. "Right now, we have an awful lot to be concerned about. This is the
girl who changed your views about the world, isn't it?"
Tolaris just shook his head ruefully. "Ami, I would like to introduce to
you Master Chief D'Nina of the Dragoon Legion. Chief, this is Ami Mizuno."
"Well met, Ami," D'Nina said gently.
"Fair morning," Ami replied hesitantly.
"Not exactly fair, child," D'Nina sighed as she gestured to the room on
the left. "They're both waiting for you. This way."
Tolaris and Ami entered the small study where they found a wizened old man
sitting behind a large desk. Another man wearing the dark blue uniform of the
Dragoon Legion was standing over his shoulder, pointing something out on a map
spread out on the desk. They both looked up as Tolaris approached, identical
looks of intrigue on their faces.
"I guess you really are in one piece after all," the younger of the two
men observed ruefully.
"I try to remain that way," Tolaris replied dryly. "You know you that by
meeting with me, you could wind up in a lot of trouble," he pointed out.
The uniformed Dragoon snorted quietly. "Which is nothing compared to the
trouble we're all in right now. I see you brought a friend with you," he added
as he looked over at Ami.
"This is Ami," Tolaris explained gently. "Ami, this is Commander K'tal of
the Dragoon Legion, and this is T'ian Aerlin of Mar'ken."
"Please, Commander," Aerlin sighed quietly. "You may dispense with the
formalities. Welcome, both of you. Please, have a seat," he said, making a
gesture to the chairs opposite the desk. "I trust you are a Sailor Scout,
young lady?"
Ami hesitated before nodding. "Yes, I am," she said quietly.
"Indeed," Aerlin mused quietly. "I met with Sailor V last night. She is
a most intriguing young woman, if somewhat of a rogue. Thank you for agreeing
to come see us."
"I don't mean to be rude," Tolaris said gently, "But time is not on our
side. K'tal, do you know where they have her?"
K'tal nodded curtly. "Royal Medical Suite of the Imperial Castle."
"Right in the middle of everything," Tolaris sighed.
"Commander...." K'tal hesitated, glancing over at Ami. "I just received
a report of an incident this morning, shortly before you arrived here. It
seems Rune tried to interrogate her or something...."
"What happened to her?" Ami blurted out, her eyes wide. "What's her
condition?"
"Downgraded to critical," D'Nina spoke up from the doorway. "We know that
she's half-denizen and undergoing the Chaos Factor evolution, and it's making
things very difficult. We don't know the specific medical details, only that
she is currently on aided life-support."
"Commander Tolaris," Aerlin said slowly. "There is a question I asked
Sailor V last night that she wasn't able to answer for me. As D'Nina has just
reminded me, we know that the Moon Princess is half-denizen. What we don't
know, or at least I don't, is who her father is."
"Is that truly important?" Tolaris asked.
"It might be," Aerlin replied calmly, giving K'tal a measured look. "Let
me just say that the information would go a long way in helping to clear up the
overall picture that has formed in my head since last night. I am hesitant to
hazard a guess at this point, given the ramifications such an.... accusation
might entail."
"How can we get inside the Imperial Castle?" Ami asked Tolaris, ignoring
the rest of the denizens. "If she's in critical condition...."
"Take it easy," Tolaris sighed, laying his hands on her shoulders. "The
Royal Medical Suite is probably the most fortified area of the whole castle."
"Actually, that would be the Chamber of the NegaForce," K'tal spoke up.
"That's under a lot of solid rock, remember?"
"Not now, Commander," D'Nina sighed.
"You can't use a wormhole," Tolaris thought aloud. "They probably have
all of the wormhole wards activated around the castle waypoints as well, so we
will probably have to open one up as close as we can on the outside and make
our way into the castle...."
K'tal coughed lightly. "We still have a waypoint left open," he pointed
out. "Have to, seeing how both D'Nina and I are all the way out here...."
"Can we use it?" Tolaris asked in a faintly guarded tone.
K'tal shrugged absently. "I won't look down the hall if you don't make
any noise to suggest that someone is trying to sneak past us."
"Why are you helping us?" Ami asked quietly. "I'm not trying to sound
ungrateful, but I just want to know why you're going to all this trouble."
K'tal and D'Nina shared a look before the Dragoon commander sighed. "To
be perfectly honest? I know who her father is," he said simply. "I'm not sure
I can sleep soundly at night if something happened to her and I might have been
able to prevent it. That, and I know how important she is to both our worlds."
There was a soft sigh from Aerlin as he leaned back in his chair. "If you
are aware of her father's identity, K'tal, would you be kind enough to share it
with an old man such as myself?" he prodded. "Much like the young lady here,
I too am more than slightly curious as to what motivates you to do something of
this magnitude."
"I think, Uncle, that is for the Sailor Scouts to reveal," K'tal said in
a neutral tone, giving Ami a level look.
Ami blinked and exchanged glances with Tolaris. He nodded slowly to her
and she took a deep breath. "Serena's father was Captain Raijen," she said in
a soft tone. "It seems his life-crystal was brought to the Moon Kingdom when
your world first visited it, and somehow his spirit was animated for a period
of time."
Aerlin merely arched his eyebrows up in surprise. "Astonishing," he said
after several seconds of contemplative silence. "Forgive me for having to ask
you, but extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. What sort of proof
do you have to validate this?"
Ami pulled out her computer and held it up so he could see the display.
"These are the results of a detailed genetic scan I took of her yesterday," she
said as she accessed the data records from the medical scan she had performed.
"These genomes here are human, but these over here are clearly denizen. I know
this doesn't show much, but it proves that she's half-human and half-denizen if
nothing else."
"Wait," K'tal said quickly. "You already have a genetic sample? Can I
get a copy of that? We can run it through the medical archives and do a very
simple comparison to the data we have on Captain Raijen. If you're right, all
of the denizen genomes should be virtually identical to his."
Ami blinked and glanced down at her computer. "I'll need access to a data
terminal to upload it," she hedged.
"Fine, we'll get you that," K'tal said as he pulled his comm-link off of
his belt. "Go find your friends and meet me outside the west gate, I'll have
them open a wormhole into the Headquarters Complex staging area from there."
K'tal blinked and almost dropped the comm-link as it chittered loudly in
his hand. "Uh-oh," he muttered as he flicked the channel open. "K'tal."
"Operations," the voice replied from the speaker. "Sir, you and Chief
D'Nina need to return here immediately."
"Who stepped on what, Lieutenant?" K'tal inquired warily.
"There's been another incident in the Royal Medical Suite...."
* * * *
Rune sighed as the doors parted with a hiss, allowing her entry into the
medical suite. "What is going on here?" she demanded.
General Al'vexi looked up with a disgruntled expression. "You mean now,
or the reason I called you in here?" she grumbled, turning her head back to
eye the readings on the medical monitor. The monitor started to emit a low
tone and flashed a yellow border around the screen. "She's crashing again,"
she warned the elderly Healer hovering over her.
"I see it," Maq'i sighed as she took two steps back, making sure she was
clear of the Princess' body. The alarm changed pitch as the computer decided
that her heart rhythm was too unstable and began to charge the capacitors,
producing a distinctive high-pitched whine. "Defibrillating now...."
The monitor gave off a warning beep before it discharged the capacitors,
sending a strong shock to the electrodes taped in place on the Princess' bare
chest. Her whole body jerked briefly before relaxing, the warning tone falling
silent as the heart rhythm was restored to its previously sluggish state.
"Problems?" Rune inquired mildly as Maq'i leaned back over the Princess
and resumed trying to use her healing powers on the girl.
"The Chaos Factor is still trying to become active," Al'vexi explained.
"It's disturbing her heart rhythm, and under normal circumstances it wouldn't
even register as a blip on a scanner. Unfortunately, she's barely hanging on
as it is, and even the slightest change throws her heart off-rhythm."
"A pity," Rune said without the slightest hint of remorse. "So why are
you here, anyway?"
Al'vexi cast a glance at the bed before gesturing to the doors. "In the
outer chamber, if you please," she said very quietly.
Rune blinked in surprise at the request but complied, stepping through the
double doors and taking a seat in the nearest chair.
"What did you do to her?" Al'vexi demanded as soon as the doors closed
behind them, preventing Maq'i from overhearing their conversation.
Rune raised an eyebrow at the question. "I merely showed her what would
happen if she didn't hand over the Imperium Silver Crystal," she replied.
"By mock-executing the Prince?" the retired telepath hissed. "That was a
shock to her, Rune. So much of a shock that her mind not only collapsed, but
dug a hole for itself and crawled inside. She is completely catatonic at the
moment, and I'm not sure if a recovery is even possible."
"And?" Rune inquired mildly. "If you expect me to lose any sleep over
this, you are sadly mistaken. I wouldn't even have bothered to waste the
resources with keeping her on life-support."
"Do you even know who she is?" Al'vexi shot back. "Killing her would not
be a very wise thing to do, General Rune. Yes, I know the danger she poses,
but she is not capable of doing anything right now. Her mind is essentially
switched off and is barely able to maintain her autonomous functions."
"Is there a point to this?" Rune said flatly. "I have better things to do
with my time than spend it fretting over a mere child who is as good as dead."
The retired general took a deep breath to calm herself before letting it
out in a deep sigh. She reached into her pocket and carefully pulled out a
small glittering object, holding it up to the light. "This is why I called you
down here, to get this," she said gently.
Rune's eyes widened as she recognized the spherical gem. "The Imperium
Silver Crystal!" she breathed. "How...?"
"We had to remove her blouse entirely the first time she crashed," Al'vexi
explained in a low but calm tone. "For some reason, the Crystal didn't resist
us when I took the brooch off, nor did it resist me when the brooch came apart
and I caught the Crystal before it could hit the floor. I can feel the power
inside this stone, and I would just as soon not hold it for one second longer
than necessary. Here," she said simply as she handed it over to Rune.
Rune wordlessly accepted the gem, her eyes still wide with wonder. "So we
meet again," she murmured softly to it, cupping it in her hand. She carefully
extended her powers outward, probing the crystalline structure for weak points
and to examine its composition. "I shattered you once, but I see you have been
reforged. Strange that I can't find your resonance anywhere. No matter, you
are mine now...."
She winced and almost dropped the glittering crystal as a massive surge of
energy seemed to lance through her skull. <BRING IT TO ME!> a voice boomed in
her mind, momentarily overwhelming her and leaving her briefly stunned.
"What.... what was that?" Al'vexi gasped, her own senses reeling from the
powerful psionic burst that had blown through her mental shields as if they
simply didn't exist.
"That was the voice of the NegaForce," a voice said behind them, causing
them both to suddenly whirl around. "I don't know who it was directed to, but
I suggest that someone should do as it asks."
"General Nop'tera," Al'vexi said quietly with a bow of her head. "As long
as I have served the NegaForce, I have never heard it use such a.... forceful
method of contacting anyone."
"Neither have I," the blue-skinned general admitted, her featureless eyes
riveted on the Imperium Silver Crystal. "However, I am far from surprised to
learn that it can project its thoughts across this great a distance. Such an
entity would almost be expected to possess great powers. Is that what I think
it is, General Rune?"
"If you mean the Imperium Silver Crystal, then yes," Rune said quietly.
"It's beautiful," the vampire said in a soft tone. "Strange how it bears
a remarkable resemblance to both the NegaForce and the Renn's WorldStone. I
wonder if they are all related somehow.... In any case, General Rune, I would
like to caution you against holding it for too long. Even in the depths of
slumber, a force such as that can cause untold destruction on a mere whim."
"Indeed," Rune murmured, still gazing at the glittering gem. "It seems
that the NegaForce would like to see this for itself, however, so I trust you
will forgive me for not lingering here any longer than necessary...."
"General Rune," Nop'tera interrupted suddenly, "Perhaps General Al'vexi
should take the Crystal to the Chamber of the NegaForce, as there are some
matters of importance that you and I still need to discuss. Immediately," she
added in a gentle but faintly edged tone.
"Al, would you be so kind as to take this to the NegaForce?" Rune said as
she casually handed the Crystal back to the suddenly wary telepath. "I'm sure
the Keepers won't have any objection to your presence under the circumstances."
"Very well," Al'vexi replied quietly, giving both women a guarded glance
before she headed towards the exit.
"Guards," Nop'tera said. "Escort the General to see the NegaForce, and
see that she is not delayed in the slightest."
"Yes, ma'am," the senior guard replied crisply as he and his partner fell
into step behind Al'vexi, leaving Rune and Nop'tera alone in the outer ward.
Rune raised an eyebrow as the doors hissed shut behind them. "Has anyone
ever told you that you have a decidedly imperialistic attitude?" she said in a
casual tone.
"When an order is given, General Rune, it is with the expectation that it
will be obeyed," Nop'tera replied in a flat tone, her lips pulling back just
enough to expose the points of her fangs. "I find myself becoming increasingly
annoyed with the casual manner in which orders are being followed around here.
Perhaps my return has come at an opportune moment, as it seems the military is
in dire need of being reformed as an institution with a greater focus to be
made on discipline."
"Perhaps," Rune allowed. "Or perhaps it is merely an issue of perception
on your part. I see no pattern of insubordination or a disregard of authority
in the military, at least not in this immediate region, and I have not heard of
any reports from the other regional commanders about such concerns within their
ranks. Or is there something specific you have in mind?" she added.
"What have you done to the Moon Princess?" Nop'tera asked in a low tone,
unconsciously exposing more of her fangs as her temper started to flare again.
"You are out of line," Rune replied flatly. "I thought this was made very
clear to you earlier.... I am in command here, and if I see fit to have her
interrogated or whatever, using whatever methods I desire, then that is how it
will be. I am aware of the NegaForce's desires, but I am also fully aware of
how much latitude I have and I will exercise that latitude at my discretion.
If there is a concern, I will answer to the NegaForce itself and no-one else.
Is that clear, General Nop'tera?" she snarled, her own temper starting to fray
at the edges.
"She is under my protection," Nop'tera hissed back, her eyes narrowing
dangerously. "You yourself granted that. I have no objections to her being
interrogated, but I most certainly object to her being shot at. That is not
how you deal with captives, certainly not how you deal with royalty, and that
is definitely NOT how one goes about obeying the NegaForce's wishes to keep her
alive to bring about the birth of our future Queen!"
Rune blinked hard, not having been yelled at like that by a subordinate in
a very long time. Her right hand clenched into a fist as she began to gather
her powers together, growing a sliver of crystal the size of a small needle in
the palm of her hand. The crystal began to grow at a phenomenal rate as she
fed more energy into it, doubling in size in a matter of seconds with a nearly
silent cracking sound that she could feel rather than hear.
"I will not say this again," Rune said in a very soft tone. "You are not
in charge here, I am. It is only out of respect of your literally countless
years of service in the military that I won't have you hauled before a tribunal
for insubordination for this outburst. If you wish to institute a series of
reforms in the military to increase discipline, I can appoint you to perform
such a task with a relatively free hand, but only if you are able show some of
that discipline yourself. You may speak freely with me, Nop'tera, but only if
you show the proper degree of respect due to a superior officer, and you will
certainly not tell me what to do," she said, her voice starting to rise with
each passing moment. "I do not care if you do so formally or informally, but
you will show me the respect I am due as the Commander-General of the military.
Is that understood?" she roared.
"Respect?" Nop'tera said in a quiet tone, her eyes narrowed down to mere
slits of featureless yellow. "I am at least three times your age, child, so
let us talk of respect for your elders. I have been a full general for the
past three thousand years, twice as long as you have even been alive, so let us
talk of respect for seniority. I have conquered an entire star system whose
inhabitants were technologically on par if not outright superior to me, using
a moderate force of thousands against an army of millions, where you have yet
to conquer a single planet of third-rank humans or even get past just six of
their warriors with all of your forces, so let us talk of respect for your
superiors."
Rune gasped hard as Nop'tera's hand shot out, grabbing the front of her
collar and yanking her up on her tip-toes. She leaned forward until they were
almost nose-to-nose, the vampire's lips pulled back in a snarl that left her
fangs prominently exposed.
"Do you really wish to cross me, child?" she hissed. "I have killed more
Renn with my bare hands than you have years of life, I have brought nations to
their knees and humbled a world, and in doing so I have earned the respect of
many. Show me you are worthy of my respect first, then we can talk about how
I will show it to you."
She pulled Rune even closer, tightening her grip on her collar. "If you
enjoy keeping your blood in your veins and your soul tethered to your flesh,"
she warned in a deathly whisper, "You will learn to heed the desires of the
NegaForce, no matter how minor they may seem to you. It said that we could
settle the issue of who is really in charge between the two of us. Be careful
how loosely you interpret its wishes, lest I take just as loose a view on how
to deal with you."
"As you wish," Rune said flatly as she summoned all her energy together.
Fueled by both rage and fear, the crystal seed she had been crafting suddenly
ballooned in size, becoming an extremely sharp-edged weapon. She thrust her
hand upward, driving the point of the crystal into Nop'tera's chest as deeply
as she could. She gasped as she misjudged her grip on the crystal weapon, her
hand sliding upwards when she encountered resistance and slicing her palm open
on a razor-sharp edge.
Nop'tera gasped hard as she tried to jump back, her yellow eyes widening
into near-perfect circles. That gave Rune enough leverage to grab the weapon
with her other hand and shove harder, causing the very tip of the crystal to
emerge from the vampire's back. Neon-yellow blood immediately began to spill
forth from her chest, blending with the dark color of her tunic to create a
truly hideous stain that rapidly expanded downwards.
Rune barely had time to blink before Nop'tera's hand lashed out, catching
her squarely along the jaw in a blow that came dangerously close to taking her
head off entirely. She stumbled back and fell on her backside, her eyes never
leaving the pulsing wound in Nop'tera's chest. The vampire's breath began to
gurgle in her lungs as an almost luminescent yellow froth started to form on
her dark blue lips.
Lung shot, Rune thought as she struggled to regain her footing. A searing
pain exploded across her hand as she tried to brace herself, the deep wound
further tearing and erupting in a cascade of blood. She snarled a curse as she
immediately tried to apply pressure to the major artery in her arm, trying to
reduce the amount of blood flowing to the ruptured blood vessels in her hand.
She glanced up as she caught a flash of motion in the windows an instant
before a series of alarms erupted around her. She blinked hard as the archway
to the inner ward started to sparkle and a deep electric hum filled the air
around her. Containment field, she thought with a scowl as a series of blast
shields began to roll into place over the doors and windows. Maq'i's sealing
the inner bay.... damn her!
Rune looked up as Nop'tera collapsed to the floor, a large pool of the
slightly luminous blood forming around her. Her breath was coming in gasps,
each movement of her chest accompanied by a liquid sound as her lungs filled
with blood. She somehow managed to lift her head up to glare at Rune, her eyes
conveying a feeling of pure hatred that she was unable to audibly express.
"So much for superiority," Rune spat, suddenly feeling light-headed. She
blinked as Nop'tera's hand came up to touch a gemstone on her belt, her body
becoming enveloped in a strange blue field of energy a moment later. Rune's
eyes widened as the gravely wounded vampire suddenly dissolved in a sparkle of
blue light, leaving only the massive pool of blood behind.
A teleport?! Rune mentally gasped, knowing that there were at least four
layers of dimensional warding and psionic shields surrounding the Royal Medical
Suite which should have prevented all forms of teleportation. She spat a foul
curse as she realized that Nop'tera just might survive her wounds, which would
result in a very lethal backlash.
The outer doors of the ward hissed open as a full squadron of armed and
upset security guards barged in. They immediately rushed over to her side, two
of the guards pitching their weapons into a corner before trying to tend to her
wounds. "General Rune, what happened?" the senior guard demanded, giving both
her and the sealed inner ward deeply concerned looks.
"Nop'tera," Rune gasped, blinking as her mouth seemed to be reluctant to
work properly. She didn't think it was broken or dislocated, but as her senses
were starting to swim in a small circle, it was somewhat hard to tell at the
moment. "She tried to kill me and take over...."
"Get a Healer in here, now!" the senior guard barked. "You, second drawer
on your right, as much gauze as you can find. K'ves, that's arterial blood....
Get a tourniquet on her arm, now! Move, before she bleeds out on us!"
"Contact Admiral Si'ren," Rune whispered. "Declare a level one alarm and
deploy the ForceWard crystals immediately. All divisions are to target the Red
Wing carriers with everything they have, but are not to fire unless they start
to show hostile intent. Declare a planet-wide NP Watch and warn for all
personnel to take the appropriate precautions."
"Copy," one of the security guards said as he whipped out his comm-link.
"Stay with us, ma'am," the senior guard said, lightly shaking Rune's
shoulders as she slumped to one side.
"I will not die this easily," Rune assured him in a quiet whisper, her
entire body suddenly going cold. She could feel the warmth seeping out of the
deep slice in her hand, reminding her of the last time something had severed
one of her arteries.
"Attention, attention," the speakers started to blare around her as she
slowly slid into unconsciousness. "This is a Level 1 planet-wide Emergency.
I repeat, this is a Level 1 planet-wide Emergency...."
* * * *
"Ay'cha navidshi!" K'tal gasped, almost dropping the comm-link. "Tell me
you're joking, please!"
"We wish, sir," the Operations officer sighed. "You and Chief D'Nina need
to get back here right now, Commander, and with all due respect, I mean right
k'vesi now. Sir."
"Copy, Lieutenant," K'tal said, fully willing to ignore the rather coarse
breach of protocol in this case. "Stand by."
"Venta," the speaker replied.
"K'tal...." Tolaris said in a deeply concerned tone.
"We've got a few moments to think," K'tal replied, his hands starting to
visibly shake. "If nothing else, the Red Wings will need time to spool up the
carrier and take off. They're simply too close to the Castle to just open up
on it. Same with the castle defenses, simply too close. If they're smart,
they'll ramp up their engines to maximum before they try to take off, that way
they'll put some distance between them as quickly as possible."
"We still need to get in there," Tolaris pointed out.
"Commander Tolaris," Aerlin said quietly. "I am not sure if I understand
the magnitude of this development, but right now we appear to be heading into
a rebellion, if not an outright civil war. Attempting to enter the Imperial
Castle at the moment is probably unwise at best."
"It doesn't matter," Ami countered quickly. "We have to go in to find
Serena. They're distracted with whatever is going on and won't be too worried
about her, so we might as well make the best of this."
K'tal and D'Nina looked at one another for a moment before K'tal sighed.
"Very well," he said quietly before suddenly wincing in pain. "Ow, not so
loud," he muttered to himself as he pressed one hand to the side of his head,
his gaze seeming to go vacant.
"Commander!" D'Nina said sharply.
Tolaris raised an eyebrow in concern. "Telepathic attack?"
"Not really," K'tal sighed. "Just a very upset Captain Ael'ien yelling
in my mind's ear. I'll explain later, assuming we live long enough to have a
few minutes for idle explanations. Okay, Tolaris, I'm going to trust you and
the Sailor Scouts on this one. I can probably help you get in, but the odds
are not overly optimistic that I'll be able to get you ladies back out."
"K'tal...." Tolaris started to say before being cut off by Ami.
"Thank you," she said quickly. "Meet you at the west gate, you said?"
K'tal held up his comm-link. "K'tal to Operations."
"Operations."
"Wormhole in five minutes, west gate of Mar'ken," he said quickly.
"Copy, it'll be there," the Operations officer assured him. "Out."
"I'll tell the others," Ami replied as she whipped out her communicator
and immediately began to open up channels.
Tolaris raised an eyebrow as K'tal started to chuckle quietly to himself.
"Something amusing?" he inquired carefully.
"Not really," K'tal replied. "I had a gut feeling that today wasn't going
to be what you'd call a fun day. Sometimes, I hate being right...."
* * * *
"Ahh, so there you are," T'Nari chuckled as the vep'tera trotted forward,
cooing softly at her. "Indeed, this one is one of mine. He's usually quite
good about not wandering off when we make camp, but sometimes something will
catch his interest and he won't pay attention to anything else until he has it
figured out to his satisfaction."
Leda smirked and shook her head. "Trust me, we understand that one all
too well," she said ruefully.
"Oh, don't do that," Mina sighed as the vep'tera warbled at her before
trying to peck at her hair bow yet again. "Look, I'm glad you're not lost or
anything, but you still need to quit that."
"He seems to like you well enough," T'Nari observed. "Did you feed him
anything, by chance?"
"Only a stray rakketh we had to pull off someone's ankle," Mina replied,
drawing a chuckle from both T'Nari and N'Geela.
"Food is always the best way to a man's heart," the elderly denizen said
with a twinkle in her storm-gray eyes. "Don't look at me like that, young man,
you know there is some truth to that," she added as Maze just sighed.
"If you insist, ma'am," he muttered with a wry smile.
"Come now, off with you," T'Nari said as she put her fingers to her lips
and made a curious whistle, gesturing with her other hand to the fenced area
behind her pavilion tent. The vep'tera chirped back at her before it trotted
off, casually hopping over a low section of the fence to rejoin the small herd
of vep'teras in the distance.
"Aww...." Mina sniffed with a sad smile.
"Easy, girl," Leda sighed. "It's just an oversized ostrich."
"It's a chocobo," the blonde muttered darkly.
"Still," Leda started to say before her communicator beeped quietly. She
blinked and gave the rest of the group a slightly wary look. "Excuse me," she
said as she slipped her communicator out of her Lunar Space pocket and stepped
away from the group.
"I must thank you for finding him for me," T'Nari said. "I know it is too
late for the morning meal, but would you be able to join me for lunch?"
"I'm sorry," Mina sighed, shaking her head. "We're only passing through
for a bit before heading back. We're on a schedule, you see, but we'd love to
come back another day when we know we'll have more time."
"Well," T'Nari replied slowly, "I have one more migration to do before I
settle down for the rest of the season, but I should be here for most of...."
"Mina!" Leda called out as she ran back to the group. "We've got four
minutes to get to the west gate before they open a wormhole!"
"Sorry, gotta go," Mina said quickly as she flashed a brief smile at the
elderly rancher. "Hate to run like this but.... HEY!" she yelped as N'Geela's
hand suddenly shot out to grab her wrist. She blinked as she felt sharp claws
pressed hard against her, coming dangerously close to breaking the skin.
The Felinoid carefully leaned forward and sniffed her intently. "So it
really is you," she hissed in a low tone, her tail lashing back and forth like
a whip. "I thought that accent sounded familiar...."
"N'Geela!" T'Nari said sharply. "What are you doing?"
"She's one of the Sailor Scouts," N'Geela growled, her ears folded flat
against her head as she stared hard at the blonde.
"Hey now...." Maze started to protest before Mina cut him off with a
gesture of her free hand.
"Yes, N'Geela, it's me," Mina replied calmly. "I told you we'd be coming
back in the morning, and you also know why."
Leda blinked hard and looked behind her as chaos started to erupt in the
marketplace, punctuated by a pair of bursts of light that could only be Sailor
Scout transformations. "Aww, crap, there goes our cover," she grumbled as she
cast a wary look back at the Felinoid. "Not that I think it would have lasted
another five seconds, but still...."
"You two are Sailor Scouts?" T'Nari gasped, her eyes going wide.
Mina just sighed and looked up at the sky. "Yes, we are, but we're only
here to rescue our kidnapped princess and not to start trouble with anyone.
Look, do you truly think we'd have gone to all the trouble of trying to return
a missing vep'tera if we had bad intentions? We're not evil people, honest.
C'mon, furball, lemme go, time is running out...."
Maze gave the elderly denizen a pained look. "Tell you what, I'll come
back later if you want, assuming I'm still alive later, and explain this whole
mess to the both of you. I'm a Dragoon, or at least used to be, and we're all
in this one together. You just have to trust us."
"A Dragoon?" T'Nari said, blinking in surprise. "Then do you know...?"
"Hey!" a voice yelled in English in the distance, causing everyone's heads
to turn. "C'mon, you pinheads, quit screwing around and transform!" Sailor
Uranus yelled as she ran through the marketplace, followed by a slightly winded
Sailor Neptune. Whisper was trying to keep pace behind them, pausing every so
often to apologize to an upset vendor or startled patron as she went past.
"We're working on it!" Mina yelled back in an irritated tone before she
turned back to N'Geela. "Look, all hell is breaking loose and we can't stick
around to pet the vep'teras anymore. I don't mean to be rude, but I'm going to
have to hurt you if you don't let go of my arm, girl. I've got to rescue one
of my best friends from General Rune's clutches, okay? I'll be back one day,
I promise. Lunch sounds good, and I kind of like that chocobo of yours...."
"N'Geela," T'Nari said in a quiet tone.
The Felinoid glared at her for a moment before she turned her attention
back to Mina. She made a dangerously soft growling noise before she let go of
the blonde's wrist and took a step back, her tail still violently lashing back
and forth.
"Thanks," Mina said as she reached into her Lunar Space pocket and pulled
out a silvery wand. She was about to hold it up to the sky when she blinked
and took a good look at it. "Aww, crap, I knew I forgot something! *REI!*"
she screamed over her shoulder, looking for the priestess.
Leda just shook her head. "What are we going to do with you?" she sighed
as she held her Jupiter Wand up. "JUPITER POWER!!"
* * * *
"What?" Darian said, blinking hard as he stared at Ami's image on the
tiny communicator display.
"No time to explain," Ami said rapidly. "Just transform and get over to
the west gate as soon as you can. We only have three minutes until a wormhole
opens, so get moving!"
"We're on it," he replied before he closed the channel. "Rei...."
"Right behind you," the priestess said as they started running towards the
west. Their progress was hampered by both the crowd and the haphazard way all
of the kiosks and tents were set up. They both blinked as there was a loud
squawk behind them, glancing over their shoulders in time to see a shadow pass
over them as Ra'vel launched herself into the air and flew west.
Darian sighed and shook his head, pausing only long enough to remove the
dark red rose he had tucked away in his jacket. The petals started to act as
prisms as he focused his mind, turning a myriad of dazzling colors as he began
to transform into the caped figure of Tuxedo Mask.
The crowd around him began to react with alarm and slight panic, starting
to retreat into the nearest tents and forming a path for him. He blinked as he
caught sight of a column of water surging into the air in the distance, quickly
followed by a small tornado in roughly the same location. A sudden realization
popped into his mind and he cast a glance over his shoulder, frowning as he saw
that Rei hadn't transformed yet.
"Rei, use your wand!" he called out as they continued to run.
"If I had it!" she growled back, causing him to blink hard at her tone.
Uh-oh, he thought, suddenly remembering the scene back at the cathedral
where Rei had tossed her Mars Wand into Serena's lap before leaving the group.
Mina had later picked it up and said that she was going to try to convince Rei
to take it back, but he couldn't remember hearing about how it turned out.
He blinked and refocused as he caught a harsh electrical glare in the
distance off to his right. Realizing what it was and what it meant, he made a
sharp right turn that caught Rei by surprise. She made an abrupt course change
of her own to avoid running into him and nearly ended up slamming into a large
black Felinoid with dark red stripes.
"Excuse me!" Rei snapped, both at Tuxedo Mask and the Felinoid as she got
her bearings and started running again, catching up with him after a few more
seconds of dodging around upset denizens and brightly-colored tents.
"Mina!" Tuxedo Mask called out as he spotted the blonde standing next to
Sailor Jupiter and Maze.
"Took you long enough, pyro," Mina growled at Rei as she approached, the
priestess' wand still tightly held in the blonde's hand. "Decision time, Rei.
You plan on rejoining the team or do you still want to tough it out on your
own? Well, speak up, what's it going to be, we don't have time to..."
She blinked hard as a silvery object came flying through the air, beaning
her square in the middle of her forehead. "OW, DAMMIT, THAT HURT!" she yelped
as the Venus Wand bounced off of her, the silvery cylinder spared from hitting
the ground only by Maze's quick reflexes.
"Shut up and get moving," Rei snarled as she snatched the Mars Wand out of
the blonde's grasp and promptly held it up. "Mars Power!"
Jupiter sighed and looked over at the visibly wary denizens. "You'll have
to excuse her, it's that time of the month again," she apologized to T'Nari and
N'Geela as they flinched from the sudden surge of fire surrounding Rei.
"I.... see...." T'Nari managed to say in a level tone, her jaw hanging
open and her eyebrows arched clear up to her hairline.
"What'd I do to her?" Mina demanded as she accepted her Venus Wand from
Maze, still rubbing the red mark on her forehead. She blinked and yelped again
as she was suddenly picked up from behind and slung over a shoulder like a sack
of wheat.
"I said quit screwing around and transform!" Sailor Uranus snarled as she
began to jog as fast as she could, carrying Mina along with her and casting a
measured look at the visibly shocked N'Geela. "Come on, we don't have time to
play with the cat. Damn, you're heavy...." she puffed.
"PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!!"
"Excuse us," Sailor Neptune panted as she ran past the group, breathing
hard and still trying to catch up with Uranus. "Alex, wait up!" she pleaded.
Jupiter looked around the group and sighed. "Our reputation is so ruined
right now," she grumbled, shaking her head ruefully before heading after the
still-screaming blonde.
Tuxedo Mask was about to say something when Sailor Mars grabbed his arm
and started to drag him off at a fast pace. "Don't just stand there," she
growled. "We only have sixty seconds left! GET MOVING, I SAID!"
"Ma'am, thank you for your hospitality," Maze said casually, casting a
sidelong glance at the wave of pure chaos heading towards the west gate. "I
assure you that, if your lunch invitation still stands, they will be far more
behaved when they get around to accepting. You two have a wonderful day," he
said with a smile and a wave before he took off jogging at a brisk clip.
T'Nari and N'Geela looked at once another in silence for what seemed to be
a minor eternity before they both sighed in unison. "That was.... profoundly
disturbing," T'Nari said carefully.
"I take it all back," N'Geela muttered. "Sailor V seemed to be a shining
example of sanity compared to the rest of them. Those WERE the Sailor Scouts,
right?" she ventured hesitantly.
"So it seems," the elderly woman replied. She blinked as she saw another
Sailor Scout go running past, followed by at least two Dragoons. Her eyes grew
wider as she recognized one of them and called out to her. "D'Nina!"
The Master Chief looked over and slowed down briefly. "Can't talk now,
T'Nari, we've got an emergency!" D'Nina called back.
"The Sailor Scouts?" T'Nari inquired breathlessly.
D'Nina visibly hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "No, don't
worry about them, they're not the problem. I'll explain later!" she promised
before she picked up the pace and disappeared around a corner.
"Well," the vep'tera rancher sighed quietly, "I feel better now."
"What?" N'Geela said, blinking hard. "Who was that?"
"An old friend from my youth," T'Nari replied. "She's a senior member of
the Dragoon Legion these days, and if she doesn't think that the Sailor Scouts
are a concern at the moment, then I'm inclined to trust her judgment."
The Felinoid blinked against and growled very softly to herself, her tail
still lashing back and forth but at a much slower pace than before. She looked
over her shoulder as she heard an odd sound, blinking as she realized that it
was caused by a vep'tera hopping over the low fence and taking off at a brisk
trot towards the west. "Hey, he's loose again!" she called out.
"Oh, what is he doing now?" T'Nari sighed. "He usually doesn't give me
problems like this and he almost never leaves the herd like that when we're
here at the village.... N'Geela, can you chase him down for me?"
"Alright," N'Geela replied as she dropped to all fours and started chasing
after the rogue vep'tera.
The rancher sighed again and looked back at the marketplace, able to hear
the excited buzz of conversation over what had just happened. She paused and
blinked as she saw a stooped figure approaching at a casual pace, holding a
large staff for support and idly puffing on a pipe. "Uncle Aerlin!" she called
out to the village elder in greeting.
"Ahh, T'Nari!" Aerlin replied with a smile. "Fair morning to you."
"Chaotic morning is more like it," she shot back with a wry look. "Do
you have any idea what just happened?"
Aerlin chuckled quietly and leaned on his staff. "Oh, I think I might be
able to make an educated guess," he said with a slow puff on his pipe and a
mysterious smile that made T'Nari wary of what he was smoking this time.
* * * *
The door to sick bay slid open, allowing both Ar'kanis and Sor'en to make
their way into the outer room of the medical facility. "Where is she?" Sor'en
demanded of the nearest medical technician.
"Still in surgery," she replied, pointing to a large display monitor that
was showing various vital signs. "She's lost a lot of blood and they're still
trying to drain her lungs without killing her, so don't bother them right now.
General Ar'kanis, over here, please."
"Sor'en, return to the bridge," the armored denizen instructed her, his
helmet making his tone sound deathly cold and flat despite the echo. "Go to
general quarters and get the engines ready, but you are not to start spooling
the rotors just yet. We will take no direct action until I say so, only make
ourselves as ready as possible."
"For what?" the brigadier inquired sharply.
"I'll let you know when I know," Ar'kanis rumbled. "Until then, we must
be as vigilant as possible. Now go."
"But...."
There was a sharp snort from within the confines of his helmet. "I know
you're worried about your mother, Brigadier," he said in an icy echo. "But I
know she has lived through worse. Now put your personal feelings aside and go
see to your duties before inaction gets us all killed."
Sor'en blinked hard and snapped to attention. "Yes, sir!" she replied,
giving him a brief salute before scrambling for the door in haste.
The medical technician went over to a small stasis cylinder and lifted
the lid, allowing Ar'kanis to peer inside. "We recovered that from her chest,"
she explained as they both stared at the crystal shard covered in two colors of
denizen blood.
"And the blood?" he inquired in a level tone, eyeing the way the yellow
had started to mix with deep red to produce a ghastly shade of orange before
becoming a tableau of frozen motion caught in suspended animation.
"Typing it now," the technician replied as she closed the lid to let the
laser scanners continue their analysis of the blood. "I doubt we have it in
our records, but I can query the castle's medical servers to see if we can get
a DNA match. Whoever did it, or at least who bled all over the handle, is
probably in a world of hurt right now as the blood in question is saturated
with fresh oxygen."
"Arterial blood?" Ar'kanis suggested.
"Looks to be that way," the technician nodded.
The armored general grunted softly to himself, his massive wings flexing
absently. "Where is Lady Freya?" he inquired.
"Assisting with the surgery," she replied. "We're having to use a very
light acid to keep the general's regeneration ability busy so it doesn't close
the chest incisions on us while we're draining her lungs. We have a written
order on file as to who is allowed to use the acid on the general, and Lady
Freya is one of the few denizens on the list."
Ar'kanis grunted again. "Can I converse with Freya?"
"Unwise," the technician cautioned. "They're all very busy in there."
They both looked up at the ceiling as the lighting took on a slight but
still noticeably crimson highlight, a very faint humming noise filling the air.
The call to general quarters was all but impossible to miss elsewhere, but the
alarm was deliberately kept as unobtrusive as possible in sick bay so as not to
startle anyone working on something delicate when it went off.
"I will be on the bridge," he rumbled. "Inform me the moment Nop'tera
regains consciousness, even if she's still in surgery."
"Understood, sir," the technician replied with a nod of her head. "I'll
let you know as soon as I get an ID on the blood sample."
"Thank you," Ar'kanis said quietly before he turned around and left the
medical center. A wall of harsh noise and flashing red lights greeted him as
he stepped into the hallway, reminding him that the rest of the carrier was now
at General Quarters and that they were all in a high degree of danger.
The lift ride to the bridge was a rather short one, and it wasn't even a
full minute after he left sick bay that he found himself entering the central
nexus of the carrier's command structure. "Status report," he called out, his
voice taking on a chilling echo inside his all-encompassing helmet.
"Sir, Engineering reports one-twenty on all reactors and rising!"
"Security to bridge," the wall-mounted speaker crackled, "All bay doors
have been closed and sealed shut."
"Sir, all rotors are locked as ordered by Brigadier Sor'en."
"Keep them locked," Ar'kanis replied. "Do not show any external activity
until I say so. Communications, hail the Imperial Castle," he instructed. "I
want to talk to a flag officer as soon as possible."
"Aye, sir," the communications officer replied as he turned to his panel.
He blinked as a light lit up on a console and he turned back to the general.
"Sir, we are being hailed by the castle."
"If it's not a flag officer, ignore it," Ar'kanis said coldly. "I want
someone with both authority and responsibility."
"Aye, sir.... Sir, I have Admiral Si'ren on the frequency."
Ar'kanis grunted softly to himself. "On the main screen," he ordered as
he took a step forward and looked up at the giant video monitor set at an angle
on the ceiling.
The monitor seemed to blink for a moment before the image of the white-
haired admiral appeared. "This is Admiral Si'ren hailing the V'ral," she said
in a flat tone.
"This is General Ar'kanis," he replied. "What is the meaning of this?"
Si'ren blinked and raised an eyebrow, seeming to be caught off-guard by
the directness of his reply. "That is my question to you, General," she said
in a guarded tone. "Where is General Nop'tera?"
"Recovering from an assassination attempt," he spat. "We have a blood
sample of her attacker and request your assistance in identifying it so we can
ensure that this crime will not go unpunished."
"And what of Nop'tera's attempt on General Rune's life?" Si'ren countered
acidly. "I think she has a lot of explaining to do at the moment, Ar'kanis."
"An attempt on Rune's life?" the armored figure said slowly. "Tell me,
was she wounded?"
"She's still unconscious in Medical," the admiral replied with a frown.
"With a wound on her hand from holding a crystal weapon?" Ar'kanis added
in a decidedly mild tone.
Si'ren blinked but remained silent for a long time, staring hard at the
armored figure and ignoring the subtle reactions of shock and confusion from
both her staff and his. "Something's not right about this," she finally said
in a deeply guarded tone. "General, do you have a secure communications line
where you and I can continue this in private?"
"Datalius," Ar'kanis promptly replied.
"Very well," Si'ren said with a nod. "I don't know what is going on, but
I have my orders as I'm sure you have yours. The V'ral is to remain docked at
the landing field until further notice. Attempt to take off and you will be
landing again the hard way. I will contact you shortly on the Datalius line.
Imperial Castle out."
Ar'kanis said nothing as her image abruptly winked out, leaving a heavy
silence behind that seemed to suffocate the bridge. "Communications," he said
in a calm tone. "Contact the Visage and the Veil. Instruct them to prepare to
launch on very short notice, and to do so as unobtrusively as they can manage.
All sub-surface units are to stand to and be ready to put to sea along with the
carriers. Send a message to both the tank battalions and the fighter squadrons
to prepare to stand to, and warn the commanders that they may be on their own
for awhile if we can't have them picked up from the parade grounds and the
landing fields."
"Copy, sir," the communications officer replied as he turned to his panel
and started typing up a series of message dispatches.
"Sir?" the helmsman said in a guarded but respectful tone. "Can you tell
us what the t'zarn is going on around here?"
"Someone tried to kill General Nop'tera," Ar'kanis rumbled darkly. "It
may have been Rune, but it may have been someone else as Rune appears to also
be severely wounded. I am not about to draw any conclusions until I have more
facts, but I will make sure we are ready to meet any threat from any source.
Brigadier Sor'en, you have the bridge. I will be in Nop'tera's office," he
said as he turned around and headed towards the lift.
"I have the bridge, aye, sir," Sor'en replied crisply.
The silence on the bridge lasted for a mental ten-count after the armored
general had left. "Ma'am?" the Tactical officer asked warily as the rest of
the morning watch started to exchange visibly uneasy looks.
"As you were," Sor'en replied sharply. "I won't lie to you, I don't know
any more than you do, but I'll tell you one thing.... nobody threatens the Red
Wings or tries to assassinate General Nop'tera without experiencing the most
severe of repercussions," she said ominously.
"Copy that one, ma'am," the helmsman said, drawing grim looks of agreement
and determination from the rest of the bridge.
* * * *
"Is that everyone?" Mercury panted slightly as she caught up with the
group, leaning on one of the gate's support columns for a moment. She paused
and blinked as she noticed that both Venus and Mars were flushed crimson with
repressed anger for some reason. "And are you guys okay?"
"Just peachy, babe," Uranus grunted, pointedly ignoring the flat glare
coming from Venus. She looked over as the rest of the Dragoons caught up with
them, all slightly winded from running halfway across the village. "Okay, so
where's the portal? How much time do we have left?"
Mercury blinked and looked down at her computer for a moment. "Four....
three.... two.... one.... mark." Precisely on cue, the air directly between
the gate's support columns seemed to suddenly explode outwards, irising open
into a swirling blue maelstrom.
Jupiter whistled softly to herself. "Timing is everything."
"We strive for accuracy in our work," K'tal said as he strode up to the
wormhole. "Sailor Jupiter, I presume?"
Jupiter raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that's me. Do we know one another?"
"Dragoon Commander K'tal," he replied casually. "I've heard about most of
you, of course, but we can save the formalities for later. Excuse me for a
moment," he added as he stepped through the wormhole.
"Sir!" the chief watching the console said as he snapped to attention as
K'tal emerged from the wormhole.
"You're relieved of duty," K'tal said with preamble, causing the chief to
blink hard. "Go sit in the corner and take a nap, that's an order."
"Sir??" the chief stuttered.
K'tal paused and glared at him. "You heard me, step away from the control
panel and take a nap."
"Y-Yes, sir," the chief replied as he slowly backed up, his eyes wide with
disbelief.
K'tal turned around and stuck his head through the still-open wormhole.
"Alright, make this quick, okay? Everyone inside," he said before he took a
few steps back.
"SIR!" the chief suddenly called out in alarm as Jupiter and Venus emerged
from the wormhole. "SAILOR SCOUTS!!"
K'tal sighed and crossed his arms. "Chief, I thought I ordered you to sit
your ptanka down and take a k'vesi nap. Now you know as well as I do that one
doesn't see or hear anything when they're sleeping, correct?" he said in an
edged tone, giving the upset chief a meaningful look.
"But, sir...." the chief protested, watching with extreme trepidation as
the rest of the Sailor Scouts emerged from the wormhole. He blinked hard as
Tolaris stepped into the staging area. "C-C-Commander Tolaris?"
"As you were, Chief," Tolaris replied calmly.
"But.... but.... but.... but...."
Jupiter sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Not this one again," she
grumbled. "Venus, you're closer to him than I am, can you slap him around for
a few to work the cork loose? He seems stuck."
"Ignore him," K'tal said wearily as he rubbed his sinuses. "He's in the
corner taking a nap, so he's just having a very vivid dream, that's all."
"You let them sleep on duty?" Tolaris inquired mildly, giving the chief a
subtle wink of understanding. "You've really let the standards slip around
here, K'tal."
"Yes, I know," K'tal sighed as he slapped his wrist. "Bad Dragoon."
"Oh, not him again!" Uranus grumbled as a curious warbling noise filled
the staging area. Everyone turned around in time to see the vep'tera hopping
out of the wormhole, his eyes wide with wonder as he looked around. He caught
sight of Venus and cooed at her, trotting over to idly peck at her hair bow.
"No, stop that!" Venus sighed. She grabbed the bird's head and planted a
light kiss on his beak. "Listen, you're adorable as hell and I promise I'll
come back to say hi one of these days, but you really have to go now."
"Someone give me a hand here," Jupiter grumbled as she walked over to the
vep'tera and tried shoving him towards the wormhole. The bird refused to budge
and hissed at her, fluffing his feathers up.
"Think we should have Mars barbecue him?" Uranus suggested. "Jupiter can
whip up a nice honey glaze, and he'd probably taste like chicken...."
"Umm.... excuse me...." N'Geela said hesitantly as she poked her head into
the wormhole, giving everyone a deeply guarded look. "I'm trying to take him
back to the village...."
"You may want to remain right there," Whisper advised her gently. "We'll
toss him back through the wormhole in a moment. Oops.... Sailor Jupiter, you
really don't want to grab him right there...."
"Commander K'tal, what have you gotten us in to?" D'Nina sighed, shaking
her head. "Lieutenant Ra'vel, can you help them get him out of here?"
"Hey, watch the beak, you dumb bird!"
"Well, don't yank his tail like that and he won't bite...."
"OW, OW, GET THE HELL OFF MY FOOT YOU OVERGROWN CANARY!!"
"Maybe I should poke him with my saber?"
"Yeah, that'll really make him cooperate.... Venus, watch it!"
"No, don't eat my chest bow, that's still attached! Ow, let go, let go!"
"You want some help with that, babe?"
"Gee, ya think?! Ow, let go, I said! Goddamn it, chocobo, LET GO!"
"Damn, my foot hurts, little bastard.... No, get away! OW, NOT AGAIN!"
"Tear the fabric and I Crescent Beam you in the head, bird! Stop it!"
"Neptune, honey, you and Mercury should stand over there so you don't end
up getting *OOOOOOOF!*"
"Wing-slapped in the face like that? Watch the toes, watch the toes!"
"Oh, christ, it's tearing! Bird, I ain't kidding about the head-shot!"
"<cough> Something like <cough> that. Damn, that <cough> sucked...."
K'tal and Tolaris just looked at one another before shaking their heads
in wonder. "Okay, while we have a few moments...." K'tal said slowly.
"Just open the access tunnel," Tolaris replied. "You don't need to get
involved in this any more than necessary, we'll take care of the rest."
"My ptanka," K'tal shot back. "This is Raijen's daughter we're talking
about, remember? You truly expect me to just sit here and twiddle my thumbs?"
"Sir?" the chief blurted out, still keeping a watchful eye on the frantic
situation with the vep'tera and the Sailor Scouts.
"Lieutenant Maze, will you go explain the concept of a nap to him?" K'tal
muttered with a gesture. "This one really needs to stay off the books."
"Not a problem, Commander," Maze replied cheerfully as he crossed the room
and gave the chief a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Hey, Chief, long time, no
see. How's the life-mate and daughter?"
"Uh, they're, uh, doing fine, sir...."
"Listen, this might seem like a crazy nightmare to you...."
"Dammit, if he steps on my foot one more time, I'm gonna nail him!"
"Well, don't grab him from behind anymore and he won't do that...."
"Ah.... ah-hah.... hah.... thank you.... for.... letting go.... ow...."
"Hey, don't bring him over here, shoo! Shoo! Go away!"
"And I know they have a bit of a reputation for being dangerous women and
all, but do they seem all that dangerous right now? I didn't think so. But
back to my original point. We're here for a reason, a very, very good reason
that I can't tell you about now but I swear upon my honor that it's something
that the Code of Conduct would fully approve of...."
"So anyway, Tolaris...." K'tal continued.
Tolaris held up a finger. "You have a division to run, and drawing the
entire Legion into the middle of a situation like this would not be the best
thing to do."
"This is a matter of honor," K'tal said quietly.
"I know," Tolaris replied with a nod. "Which is why I know I can trust
you to help us if we need it, and to otherwise stay out of our way."
The chaos in the room all seemed to come to a sudden stop as the lights
abruptly turned crimson and a klaxon began blaring around them. "Raid Warning,
Raid Warning," the speakers crackled an instant later. "Dragoon Legion to all
military units, we are declaring a Raid Warning at this time. I repeat, this
is the Dragoon Legion declaring a Raid Warning to all military units."
"Should we ask?" Jupiter said in a dangerous tone, eyeing the momentarily
distracted vep'tera. It made a muted warbling chirp as it looked around the
room with visible uncertainty in its eyes.
K'tal grumbled to himself as he strode over to the nearest console and
punched a button. "K'tal to Operations."
"Operations," a voice promptly replied. "Sir, we have just detected a
massive increase in signal strength among the communication bands that we know
the Sailor Scouts use. A Raid Warning has been issued as per your orders."
K'tal blinked and cast a glance over shoulder, giving the group a very
embarrassed look. "Copy that, Lieutenant," he managed to say in a level tone.
"Keep an eye out for any activity, we don't want those Sailor Scouts getting
anywhere close to this area, now do we?"
"Copy that. Sir, we are.... wait, what? Say that again? Er, sir, can
you stand by for a moment?"
"Venta," K'tal said in a guarded tone as he hit the mute button. "Wait,
don't upset him," he said as the vep'tera wandered back over to the still-open
wormhole, eyeing it curiously. "See if he'll just walk out of here."
"Wish I could walk right now," Jupiter muttered as she flexed her foot.
"Sailor Mercury?" Tuxedo Mask said quietly. "I have an idea.... do you
think you can hypnotize him and convince him that leaving would be wise?"
Mercury blinked and gave the vep'tera a measured look. "Well, I can give
it a try, if you want.... Wait, Mars, what are you doing?"
Mars just sighed impatiently and took a step forward to stand directly
behind the vep'tera. She made a quick snatching motion and the bird let out a
decidedly piercing squawk before it lunged through the wormhole. There was a
loud yell from the other side as N'Geela was essentially run over, accompanied
by a series of disoriented and disgruntled chirps.
"You can close the wormhole now, Commander," D'Nina said calmly, raising
an eyebrow as Mars handed her a somewhat large vep'tera feather. "Excuse me,
dear child, but what should I do with this?"
"Don't know, don't care," Mars grumbled.
"Glue it to your armor," K'tal suggested. "You know, give it a bit of a
stylized look. No?" he added innocently as D'Nina gave him a venomous look.
"Well, you can always make Asrial's life a living hell, seeing how she's rather
violently allergic to vep'teras...."
"Then you can rebuild the hallways after she sneezes," D'Nina replied with
a decidedly unamused look. "She'd be sneezing every ten seconds, and you know
as well as I do that the inside superstructure isn't designed to effectively
cope with sustained hurricane-force winds."
"POSTAL WATCH!" the speaker suddenly crackled with a palpable note of
urgency. "Operations to Commander K'tal!"
"Ay'cha navidshi," K'tal spat as he started flipping switches on the
control panel. "K'tal here," he said tersely as the wormhole suddenly closed.
"Sir, the Northern Mountain Division has just declared a Postal Watch and
reports that they've been given orders to spin up a pair of Type-4 ICBMs. We
also have an unverified report that the ForceWard crystals are being laid out
around the Imperial Castle at this time, but so far no signs of activation."
Uranus frowned and crossed her arms as she waited for Whisper's to finish
her telepathic translation of the denizen language. "Why do I have a very bad
feeling about this?" she asked Tuxedo Mask. "What the hell is an ICBM?"
"Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile," Tuxedo Mask replied in a low tone.
"Those are bad news because they can be launched from the other side of the
planet and have the disturbing habit of being tipped with nuclear warheads."
"Hey, whoa, wait," Jupiter blurted out. "You saying someone's trying to
flip us the nuclear finger?"
"Lieutenant, we'll be right up," K'tal said into the speaker. "Listen
carefully.... I need you to unseal Junction Seven and open the hatch to the
tunnel. Don't argue with me," he added as he heard an intake of breath. "I
will explain later, just open the k'vesi thing and do it now. K'tal out."
"Tolaris...." Mercury said in a deeply worried tone.
"Take it easy, all of you," Tolaris said in a calm tone. "First of all,
a Postal Watch just means a nuclear-capable delivery vehicle is being prepared,
that's all. It doesn't mean that a weapon will be fired or that it will be a
nuclear weapon if one is launched. Second, while everyone probably knows by
now that there are Sailor Scouts somewhere in the Negaverse, they don't know
where, so nobody is aiming at us. If anything, they'll be aiming at the Red
Wing's carrier."
"Or so we hope," K'tal muttered quietly.
"Not now, K'tal," Tolaris said sternly. "Trying to hit the carrier this
close to the castle is dangerously close to mass-suicide. Rune's ForceWard
barrier just might be able to stand up to a nuclear explosion, but even she
wouldn't dare risk it. Having her put up the barrier is actually an incredible
stroke of luck for us."
Maze paused and raised an eyebrow. "How do you figure that one?"
"Simple," Tolaris replied. "It means Rune will not only be completely
occupied with sustaining the barrier, but it also means that the inside of the
Imperial Castle will be protected against virtually any outside attack, so we
won't have to worry about someone lobbing cruise missiles at us."
D'Nina just shook her head slowly. "Against outside threats, certainly,
but that won't hamper any of the internal security forces," she pointed out.
"Leave them to us," Sailor Mars said in a dangerously quiet voice.
"Yeah, what she said," Venus added, still trying to figure out what to do
with the nearly-shredded remains of her chest bow.
"Wait, what about this place?" Tuxedo Mask spoke up. "If we're close
enough to the castle to walk over to it, what would happen if someone starts
bombarding the region? You have shields that can deal with that, right?"
All five Dragoons exchanged silent glances with one another before K'tal
shook his head. "It all depends on what they throw at us, your Highness. Yes,
I know who you are," he added as Tuxedo Mask blinked hard. "We can discuss it
later, but you've got a point. We do have defensive shields, but they're more
for energy weapons and conventional munitions. If someone dumps a popper into
Nop'tera's lap and she's still parked on the landing field, we're all going to
get one hell of a case of sunburn."
"Phase Three?" Tolaris asked very quietly.
"That's up to the chief," K'tal said, gesturing to D'Nina. "She's the one
holding the keys to that particular lock, not to mention the one who'll be in
the driving seat when it comes time to fire up the mains."
"Commander K'tal, you insult me," D'Nina said flatly. "I've spent enough
time in the simulators to have absolute confidence in my abilities, and I am
certainly not going to allow this facility to remain in harm's way if I have a
say about it."
"Just checking, Master Chief," K'tal replied in a subdued tone.
"Darian?" Neptune said hesitantly. "Is something wrong?"
Everyone looked over at Tuxedo Mask, blinking at the remote look on his
masked face. "It knows," he said quietly. "It knows I'm here."
"The NegaForce?" Mars inquired in a near-whisper.
The wall speaker suddenly made a harsh noise, causing everyone to blink.
"Operations to Master Chief D'Nina," the voice said, clearly unnerved for some
reason.
"Uh-oh," K'tal said quietly as D'Nina pulled her comm-link off her belt.
"D'Nina."
"Chief, I just received a personal message for you," the Communications
lieutenant said slowly. "From Colonel Azi'mar, flagged Priority One. Move.
That's the entire message, chief, just the one word. Move."
Uranus blinked hard as K'tal, D'Nina, Tolaris, Maze, and the staging area
chief all began to mutter the exact same thing in near-perfect unison. "Do I
even want to ask?" the blonde said to Whisper in a low tone.
"Standard Dragoon default profanity," the telepath replied tersely.
"Tolaris, get them out of here, now!" K'tal snapped once he was finished
swearing and had gotten his pulse under moderate control. "I can't start this
unless I've got the Junction Seven bulkheads resealed, so get moving!"
"This way!" Tolaris said with a sharp gesture as he started running down
one of the corridors of the Dragoon Headquarters Complex. The Sailor Scouts
all exchanged guarded glances before they took off after him, leaving K'tal,
D'Nina, Ra'vel, and the staging chief in the room.
"Why are you still here?" K'tal asked Ra'vel as he and D'Nina headed for
the corridor that would lead back to Operations. He paused in mid-motion and
cast a glance over his shoulder. "Your nap is over, Chief. Wake up, get back
to work, and forget that you saw ANYTHING in here, got that?"
"C-C-Copy, sir," the chief stammered, his eyes still dangerously wide.
K'tal blinked as Ra'vel chirped back a response, her feathers fluffing up
as she followed him into the hallway. "You sure about that?" he asked, giving
the avian a measured look. He smirked as she chittered back at him, sounding
very much like a very irritated parakeet instead of a humanoid owl. "That's
fine with me, you know I can always use the extra help around here. Just as
long as Tolaris doesn't think you're bailing out on him. Welcome back."
D'Nina just shook her head to herself as they darted down the corridor.
"Let's just hope this home-coming doesn't turn into our funeral," she muttered
as they piled into the nearest stairwell.
* * * *
"I said WAIT, dagnabbit," Venus panted as they came to a momentary halt
outside the pneumatic doors that led to the access tunnel between the Dragoon
Headquarters Complex and the Imperial Castle. "You still haven't explained why
you went running like that, and I think we lost Ra'vel in one of the turns or
something."
"Ra'vel is either heading towards Operations or to one of the maintenance
nodes in Engineering," Maze explained.
"Wait, why?" Jupiter asked, suddenly wary about the situation. "I thought
she was coming with us?"
Maze and Tolaris exchanged glances before Tolaris sighed. "Things just
became a little more complicated," he explained quietly. "Whisper should be
able to show you how to get to the Royal Medical Suite from here."
"Hey, watch it!" Mars protested sharply as Mercury suddenly elbowed her
aside and came up to Tolaris.
"You're not coming with us?!" Mercury said, her eyes widening.
"Azi'mar knows something we don't," Tolaris replied gently. "I'm willing
to bet that's why he warned us. That he sent the message to D'Nina personally
instead of K'tal has another meaning entirely."
"And that is...?" Mercury prompted him.
Maze sighed. "Odds are good we're about to get shot at," he said as he
leaned against the bulkhead behind him. "And since a Postal Watch was already
issued, it stands to reason that nuclear weapons will be used. Seeing how we
can't absorb one with our shields, we have to use a different tactic. I think
someone once said that the best way to block any attack is to simply not be
there when it strikes."
Venus frowned. "You just lost me on that one," she pointed out.
"We're going to move this facility," Tolaris said simply.
"Just like that, huh?" Jupiter inquired with a scowl. "Just gather up
everyone outside, do a few knee-bends to limber up, then everyone grabs hold
of the foundation and carries it over to someplace else?"
Tolaris shook his head. "It's complicated, but it can be done. However,
now is not the time for...."
The alarm klaxon started blaring again, causing everyone to tense. The
lights turned red and began pulsing in time with the klaxon. "POSTAL WARNING!"
the ceiling-mounted speakers began blaring. "I repeat, a Postal Warning has
just been issued. Ballistic launch from the north on a polar track, unable to
extrapolate target or warhead, rule-of-thumb impact estimated at thirty-five
minutes. Prepare for a Phase-Three evolution and regional evacuation."
"What?" Jupiter gasped. "Someone just launched a nuke?"
"What's a nuke?" Uranus demanded.
Mercury reached out to grab Tolaris by the collar, yanking him down until
they were eye-level with one another. "You're not staying here," she said in
a tone as cold as arctic tundra.
"This is my world," Tolaris replied calmly. "The people in this building
are all my friends and subordinates. You're here to save Serena, and I have
every intention of helping you do that. But I simply can't turn my back on my
division when they're being threatened like this. I have to help them."
Venus just looked at Maze, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Let me guess,
you're going to play the hero as well, right?" she said flatly.
"Now's not the time to argue, ne'ana," Maze replied softly.
"I'm going to kill you," Venus muttered beneath her breath.
Tolaris reached out to mash his fist against the control panel, his eyes
still completely focused on Mercury. "Captain, time is now of the essence,"
he said as the massive doors hissed open, revealing a long but well-lit tunnel
entrance. "The castle should be shielded against any attack, so only worry
about finding Serena. You should have forty minutes to do so, assuming the
target is the castle's landing field."
"Don't do this to me," Mercury said very softly, her eyes starting to fill
with tears. "Don't you even dare...."
"You know I love you, Ami," Tolaris replied. "And believe me, I fully
intend to return to Earth and to you as soon as I can. Here," he added as he
reached into his pocket with his free hand and held out the Silkworm crystal
from the cathedral vault. "You should be able to open a wormhole directly to
Earth from inside the medical ward. This shouldn't take too long. Now go."
"Tolaris...." Mercury protested. She blinked hard as he said something to
her in his native dialect and she closed her eyes for a moment. "Fine, you
have forty-eight hours before I come back here to find you," she snarled as she
snatched the purple gem from his hand and darted down the tunnel.
"Hey!" Jupiter protested sharply before she started running after her.
"Goddamn it, don't blow a fuse on us now! Mercury, slow down! Mercury!"
"We'll take care of business on our end," Tuxedo Mask said as he gestured
for Uranus and Neptune to follow Mercury. "You guys be careful, okay?"
"We will, your Highness," Maze replied. He was about to say more when
Venus grabbed his collar with both hands and pulled him down into what could
only be described as a deeply passionate and soul-searing kiss.
"Come on," Whisper said as she ushered Mars down the tunnel, casting an
irritated look over her shoulder at the lovebirds. "Today, kids," she grumbled
as Tuxedo Mask began jogging down the tunnel. "Forty minutes is not nearly as
much time as you think it is when we're running against a clock. Especially
one with a nuclear deadline. Time to go, Venus."
"You better stay alive long enough for me to kill you," Venus pouted as
she pulled back. "I'll get you for this. Crazy bastards, both of you," she
muttered before she sighed and headed down the tunnel to try to catch up with
the rest of the group.
"Question, boss," Maze sighed as Tolaris closed the access hatch and began
to seal the interlocks. "Do we really know what we're getting ourselves into
with this?"
Tolaris paused in mid-motion and cast a slightly disturbed glance at his
best friend. "I know what I'm getting into," he said slowly. "If you don't
know, or aren't sure about it, maybe you should go with them."
Maze sighed again and slowly shook his head. "And miss all the fun?"
Tolaris just rolled his eyes as the interlock sealed itself with a heavy
thump that shook the entire deck. "May I remind you that Postal Warnings are,
as a rule, never fun in the slightest. Come on, I need to seal the junction
before K'tal gets upset. This way," he said as he and Maze darted off to try
to help save the Dragoon Legion from whatever was coming.
* * * *
Rune didn't open her eyes as the door hissed open, instead trying to keep
her concentration focused on the giant crystal shard in front of her. Her hand
was tightly bandaged from her fingertips up to her forearm, and a small stand
holding an IV drip was right behind her shoulder.
"Have you gone mad?" Admiral Si'ren said in a near-whisper as the door
closed behind her. "You're putting us all in grave danger, Rune."
"I know what I'm doing," Rune replied calmly. "The warhead is nuclear,
but the fuse has been removed. There will only be a conventional explosion,
but it will appear to be fully armed to everyone and thus force them to react
in one fashion or another. The V'ral will leave the airfield, and as soon as
they clear the perimeter...."
"Enough," Si'ren cut her off sharply. "And what about Nop'tera?"
"What about her?" Rune said, her tone still perfectly calm. Her mind was
in an almost meditative state at the moment despite the pain she was in, trying
to mentally map out the array of specially-designed crystals being laid out
around the castle perimeter. When energized and tied together by her powers
over crystals, they would form an almost invincible barrier that would protect
everything inside the perimeter from everything else outside of it.
"I am in charge, Admiral," Rune said simply. "She said she wanted to
settle the issue between us, so she got her wish. Assuming she lives."
"I just finished speaking with General Ar'kanis," Si'ren growled. "They
have your blood all over a crystal shard he says was used to try to have her
assassinated."
"I defended myself," Rune said with a very soft sigh. "Si'ren, you're
starting to disturb my concentration here. If you are unsettled by matters,
you may apply for a leave of absence which I will grant without bias. I may
need a week off myself after this is settled once and for all," she added in
an almost casual fashion.
The white-haired admiral blinked and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Is
this how you really want things to be, Rune?" she asked softly.
"Yes, Admiral, I do," Rune replied without hesitation.
"Very well," Si'ren said quietly. "With your permission, General, I will
be in Operations to oversee the castle defenses."
A faint smile touched Rune's lips. "Thank you, Admiral. I won't forget
your support in such a dark hour of need. Carry on."
She sighed very quietly as the door hissed shut behind Si'ren, leaving her
alone once again with only her thoughts and the crystal core for company. Is
this how I want things to be? she thought as she tried to stabilize a gap in
the crystal's energy matrix. Of course not, I'd much rather that Nop'tera
either simply retire or have the decency to die, but if this is how she wants
it, how she wants to try to take control of what is mine.... so be it.
The web of energy she was weaving finally settled into a stable pattern,
finding a natural harmony within the crystal structure sitting in front of her.
She began to channel all of her internal energies together, drawing upon the
power the Chaos Factor had given her to re-create the pattern using the network
of crystals outside. The crystal core in front of her began to glow brightly,
the crystals outside starting to send out small tendrils of energy to link with
their neighbors and form the beginnings of a protective barrier.
* * * *
"Susan, are you sure you're alright?" Lisa said carefully as she twirled
her nunchaku around in a tight arc, keeping a wary eye on her sister.
"I'm fine, I assure you," Susan replied as she paused for a moment and
waited for her vision to refocus. She wasn't entirely sure if the weakness was
from her still-healing body or from the pair of blows to the head from the
rubber-coated nunchakus, but it was enough to make her reassess her ability to
defend herself in her current situation.
"We can stop if you want," Lisa persisted. "This is just supposed to be
practice, remember? Megan will kill me if I end up hurting you...."
"Susan?" Luna spoke up from her perch in the corner. "I think it's clear
that you are not presently able to focus on this. You should call it a day."
Susan paused and regarded Lisa carefully, absently twirling her staff in
one hand. Her sibling's skill with the weapon had taken her by surprise, and
the martial arts style Lisa had used was something she honestly couldn't ever
remember encountering. The price she paid for discovering the adaptability of
the wooden nunchaku had been two somewhat solid lumps on her head despite the
caution of both women, giving her a mild but decidedly distracting headache.
"Perhaps you're right," Susan allowed with a soft sigh, taking a step back
and relaxing her combat stance.
Lisa's shoulders slumped with relief as she flipped her nunchaku into the
air and caught both shafts with one hand. "Whew, you were really starting to
make me worry," she said with a half-smile. "I mean, I'm not sure how much
harder you could have pushed yourself, considering you're still healing."
Susan raised a delicate green eyebrow in response. "I appreciate your
concern, Lisa, but I am quite capable of determining where my limits are at."
"Was that before or after you got your wings blown out?" Artemis muttered
quietly, earning a solid thump on the nose from Luna's tail.
Lisa cast a reflexive glance at the holes still visible in Susan's wings
and tried not to shudder. "I think I only tore my wings once," she said, her
own wings shivering lightly. "And that was from trying to learn how to glide
and falling into a tree. Can you fly, Susan?"
"No," Susan replied as she set her staff against the wall and walked over
to the pair of cats perched on a low table. She raised an eyebrow at Artemis
as she picked him up with one hand and grabbed the towel he had been curled up
on with the other. "I don't have enough wing surface to provide aerodynamic
lift for flight, but like yourself I have just enough to permit a moderately
shallow glide. And yes, learning how to glide was an experience that was more
than a little painful for me as well. Excuse me," she said to Artemis as she
gently set him back down next to Luna.
"No problem," Artemis replied, casually eyeing how much of her feminine
curves were left exposed by her attire. She had changed into the ribbon-like
adornments that most succubi tended to favor, as it left just enough to the
imagination to drive most men wild with desire. It also left her wings free
and permitted an unrestricted range of mobility, which was the only reason she
had bothered to change before her practice session with Lisa.
"Ouch," Lisa winced in sympathy as she picked up the other towel lying
next to Luna and draped it over her shoulders. "Break anything in the process,
by chance?"
Susan gave her sister a small smile. "Only my pride," she said as she
wiped the thin sheen of sweat from her forehead. "And now that you mention it,
I do recall ending up in more than a few trees myself. I almost broke my nose
once when I had the misfortune of breaking the worst of one fall face-first.
The worst part was how it took two days to get all the sap out of my tear-ducts
without tearing anything. That was highly unpleasant, I assure you."
"Yeech," Artemis muttered, shivering at the thought.
"Could be worse," Lisa countered as she set her nunchaku on the table and
started towelling her hair. "I almost ended up having carnal relations with a
cactus plant once. I was THIS CLOSE to landing crotch-first on one, and I was
only saved by a sudden gust of wind. And I don't mean your normal green cacti,
I mean the big red ones growing out in the Bloodsand Desert with the needles
out to here," she added, holding her hands a good eighteen inches apart.
Susan paused and cast a distinctly unsettled look at the purple-haired
succubus. "Yes, I can see how that would be.... unsavory. You didn't get
scratched by one, did you?"
Lisa shook her head emphatically. "Oh, no, I know about the toxins they
hold. Left a gouge in one of my boots, but I didn't let it touch my skin."
"That's good," Susan said demurely as she sighed and leaned back against
the wall, making sure to fold her wings as flat as they could so not to put too
much of her weight on them.
Both Luna and Artemis flicked their ears forward at the same instant as
they heard the sigh. "Susan, are you sure you're alright?" Luna inquired in a
gentle but worried tone.
"Physically, I'm fine," Susan replied quietly. "I am probably not nearly
as able-bodied at the moment as I would like to be, but that will improve with
time and sufficient rest. I'm deeply worried about the others, however, and
about the Princess."
"They haven't been gone that long," Lisa pointed out, spreading out her
wings and pumping them slowly to create a light and cooling breeze.
"A lot can happen in just the span of several seconds," Susan warned her.
"You would be amazed at what sort of events can unfold if given time...."
* * * *
"Ohh, christ," Venus yelled as the tunnel started to reverberate with the
sound of something heavy being moved. "What's that noise?"
"Probably a protective bulkhead being lowered!" Whisper yelled back as the
group unconsciously picked up the pace, pushing themselves to the limit. The
only one who wasn't laboring at the moment was Sailor Uranus, who was actively
trying to balance her natural impatience against keeping a moderate pace that
wouldn't end up hurting anyone.
"Yo, heads up!" Jupiter called out as they approached another partition.
Unlike the last four they had encountered, however, this one was outlined by
rotating orange strobes as the bulkheads slid shut.
"Aw, crap," Uranus snarled, "We're too far away. Damn it, damn it, damn
it.... DAMN IT!" she added as the junction finished sealing itself with a thump
that shook the floor hard enough to rock everyone's sense of balance.
"How...." Mars panted as they reached the sealed bulkhead and came to a
stop. Everyone seemed to lean forward in unison, resting their hands on their
knees and trying to catch their breath. "How much.... farther?"
<This should be the last one,> Whisper telepathed, breathing too hard to
be able to use her vocal chords properly. <After this, it should be only ten
or twelve ke'shels to the tunnel exit and the castle proper.>
"Time, Mercury?" Jupiter puffed, watching as the blue-haired Sailor Scout
consulted the countdown timer on her miniature computer.
"Twelve minutes, seventeen seconds," Mercury replied. "That's a guess,
however, as I haven't heard any updated information...."
"Reset your clock," Whisper suddenly spoke up. "Fourteen minutes until
impact coming up.... four, three, two, one, mark."
"Got it," Mercury said instantly as she punched a button.
Uranus raised an eyebrow. "You know something we don't?" she said in a
faintly edged voice.
"Psi-Net broadcast," the telepath replied. "I'll explain later. I've got
bad news and really bad news. The bad news is that the warhead reads as being
a fully armed nuclear device, so a Postman warning was just issued a minute ago
over Psi-Net. The really bad news is that the missile just tipped over and is
now in the re-entry phase with the east airfield as the target."
"And that's right outside, I take it?" Jupiter inquired warily.
"Unfortunately," Whisper sighed.
"Aw, crap," Venus spat. "Look, we've got to get Serena and get the bloody
hell out of here really quickly. Just how thick is this door? It looks more
like a fire-stop than a blast door.... Think we can blow through it somehow?"
"With what?" Jupiter puffed. "I left my supply of C-4 in my other pair
of panties. Or are you packing a surprise we don't know about?"
"Honey, we know you're a C-cup," Uranus pointed out. "But I think you
need to recheck your size, because I know you're not a size 4."
"C-4 is a type of plastic explosive," Tuxedo Mask said calmly. "Mercury,
are your bubbles strong enough to blast down these doors? You saw how they
closed, we should be able to blow the seam out without bringing it down on top
of us or anything."
"I can try," Mercury said as she put away her computer and took a deep
breath. "Everyone stand back."
"Uh, Mercury, dearheart, maybe you should let me try this," Uranus said
slowly before Neptune grabbed her elbow and pulled her back. "Hey, easy!"
Mercury closed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her, focusing her
thoughts together into a single point. "Mercury Bubbles...." she said as a
swirling blue bubble formed in front of her. The bubble swelled up until it
was the size of a beach-ball before she flung her arms out, releasing her hold
on her powers. "BLAST!!"
The partition made a hollow ringing sound as the bubble popped against it
to release a rich and dense fog into the immediate area. The ringing noise
quickly faded away, however, leaving the protective doors unscratched in the
slightest.
"Oooooookay," Jupiter said slowly, nonplussed by the lack of progress.
"That was amusing, babe," Uranus said with a faint smirk. "Now, you want
to do me a favor and step back so I don't blow your skirt off with this? It
wouldn't bother me, mind you, but now is not the time for Darian to be growing
wood, if you know what I mean...."
She took a step forward, not paying attention to the soft thump of Tuxedo
Mask's head against the wall or the soft pat of Jupiter's hand on his back.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, drawing power from the air around her.
"Uranus Shockwave...." she intoned as she made a fist. Energy began to gather
around her hand, forming a visible ripple of excited air. She raised her arm
up and brought it down in a sharp motion, launching the ball of energy forward
like a baseball pitcher throwing a fast one. "IMPACT!!"
The ball of energy created a visible wave of disturbed air as it streaked
across the distance to the partition, slamming directly into the center seam
where the two halves of the door met. The sound of metal being bent echoed
quite clearly in the tunnel, causing everyone to wince.
"Whoops...." Jupiter said quietly as they were momentarily blinded by the
fog as it was kicked up by the powerful blast. "Mercury, can you do something
about this fog of yours? Oh, thanks," she added as it abruptly vanished.
"Oh, screw you," Uranus muttered as she was able to clearly see what her
attack had done to the doors. A large circular depression had been imprinted
on the doors, allowing them to see between the now-broken seam. The rest of
the partition was still intact, however, still blocking their path.
"Well...." Tuxedo Mask said slowly. "Can you do that again?"
Uranus sighed and glanced over at him. "If you give me a few minutes
first, your Highness. I sort of put an awful lot into that one, and I can't
just fire those off like Sue can pitch her energy balls or whatever they are."
"We don't have a few minutes," Mars pointed out in a flat tone.
"Okay, new tactic," Venus said as she reached behind her and started to
dig around in her Lunar Space pocket. "C'mon, where is it? It should be....
ow, sharp, sharp.... damn it, that hurt.... Aha, got it!" she cooed as she
brought her hand back up, holding the hilt of her borrowed plasma sword.
"Huh," Uranus grunted. "That's the glowing sword thing, right?"
"Yup," Venus nodded as she took a step forward, making sure she was clear
of everyone before thumbing the ignition switch. The beam of plasma promptly
arced out with a loud hum, slowly turning from bright white to a vibrant orange
color after a few seconds. "Careful, this is unshielded, so don't get too
close to me," she warned.
"Wait," Whisper said slowly. "You're going to use that to try to burn a
hole through the partition doors?"
Venus paused and cast a glance over her shoulder. "Hey, if you have a
better idea, now's the time to speak up. Otherwise, just stand back."
Jupiter just shook her head as the rest of the group edged further away
from the blonde with the glowing sword. "This should get interesting," she
commented.
"Aim for the left door first," Mercury called out, holding her scanner at
arm's length to scan the partition. "It started to fracture along some sort of
flaw and should be easier to cut.... no, just a little higher.... there, now
down at a shallow angle.... just a little deeper...."
"Yick," Uranus coughed as the acrid tang of molten metal filled the air,
accompanied by a steaming hiss as Venus started to slice through the door.
"What the hell is that smell?"
"Heavy sulphur compounds," Mercury replied absently, trying not to inhale
too deeply through her nose. "Venus, now start heading down...."
"I see the cracks," Venus called out over her shoulder, her eyes narrowed
to slits and watering heavily from staring into the harsh plasma glare. "Ow,
this is starting to hurt...."
Uranus just shook her head. "Quit whining, you pinhead, and just use your
visor to filter the glare out!"
"What visor?" Jupiter inquired slowly, giving Uranus a strange look. "I
thought only Mercury had one of those...."
Uranus just shook her head in amazement. "Honey, can you show her?" she
said over her shoulder, giving Neptune a slightly amused look.
Neptune smiled shyly and tapped the aquamarine gemstone set in the center
of her silver tiara. A band of aquamarine light promptly formed over her face,
solidifying into a pale-green visor that was virtually identical to Mercury's
Virtual Visor.
"Now hold up!" Venus protested as she momentarily quit cutting, carefully
holding the orange lightsaber away from her body with one hand. She glanced up
at her own tiara and carefully tapped the orange garnet gemstone, blinking hard
and swearing loudly as a band of orange light promptly formed over her eyes.
"Jesus H. Christ, of all the crazy surprises!!"
"Well I'll be damned," Jupiter said, her eyebrows arched up in surprise.
She immediately reached up to tap her own tiara's gemstone, frowning as nothing
happened after several seconds. "Hey, what gives? Work, dammit...."
"Sorry, babe," Uranus replied with a smirk. "Susan said only four Sailor
Scouts have them.... Mercury, Venus, Neptune, and Saturn. Venus, can you quit
talking like an ocean sailor and finish cutting us a path?"
"Sorry!" Venus called back, muttering something acidic beneath her breath
as she resumed cutting. She blinked as the visor suddenly darkened, trying to
compensate for the harsh glare of unshielded plasma and melted metal. "Do you
have ANY IDEA how useful this would have been had we known earlier?" she fumed
as she finished carving a massive chunk out of the left door.
"Just cut faster!" Mars growled impatiently.
"How much time do we have?" Tuxedo Mask asked quietly.
"Eleven minutes, forty-nine seconds," Mercury replied.
"You know," Uranus said slowly, "I don't think we'll have enough time to
pull this off if we encounter any more resistance...."
"Worry about it later," Jupiter snorted.
Tuxedo Mask shook his head slowly. "She's right," he pointed out. "The
castle is pretty large, and even if it was totally empty, it'll take time to
make our way up to the fifth floor."
"That's a bunch of bullsh...." Venus snapped, the rest of her words being
drowned out by the sound of the rest of the right door falling down onto the
ground. "...ing well know it!"
Uranus raised an eyebrow. "Hon, you want to run that by us again? I think
we missed a few words in there."
"Shut up and MOVE!" Mars snarled as she darted around the blonde and began
to run down the tunnel, making sure to steer well clear of both the white-hot
edges of the freshly cut metal and the searing glow of Venus's plasma sword.
"Damn, what's her problem?" Uranus fumed as the group followed her at as
rapid a pace as they could manage.
Venus snorted as she closed down the plasma sword. "I'll explain later,"
she grumbled. "Okay, I see the archway up ahead.... Whisper, which way?"
<The stairwell should be just off to the....>
"WATCH IT!" Mars suddenly screamed as she flung herself against the left
wall. A burst of energy lashed out from somewhere within the staging area,
blasting a small crater into the spot where Mars had been only moments ago.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as everyone applied the proverbial brakes.
Mars quickly scrambled back away from the wall, narrowly avoiding being hit by
another blast of raw energy that left a second crater in the wall.
Venus charged forward, her hand held out and the twin crescents of energy
merging together at her fingertip. She immediately saw what the problem was
and kept running, aiming up towards the ceiling while darting back and forth
in an erratic pattern to avoid becoming the next target. "Venus Crescent Beam
SMASH!" she yelled as she lashed out with her powers.
There was a shower of sparks as the security device was blown completely
off of its mount, plummeting to the ground in a smoking ruin. Venus quickly
looked around for similar devices, a deep frown forming on her face as she
couldn't spot any others. "Wait, that's it?" she said slowly.
The whole castle suddenly started to reverberate with security alarms, a
dark red color infusing itself into the surrounding lighting. "Great," Jupiter
snarled. "Now we're really in for it."
"This way!" Whisper called out, pointing towards a set of double doors.
The group started to charge for the stairwell when Uranus noticed that Tuxedo
Mask hadn't moved from his spot in the tunnel archway.
"Darian, what the hell are you doing?" she yelled back, causing the rest
of the Sailor Scouts to pause and look back at him.
He looked around the staging area, seeming to study the collection of
small tunnels, double doors, and platforms for wormhole entry. "This way," he
said quietly, pointing towards another small tunnel.
"What?" Whisper blurted out, her eyes widening. "That leads to one of the
Security annexes! They've probably got a squadron heading through the tunnel
on their way here already!"
"I know," Tuxedo Mask replied calmly. "Trust me," he said as he started
jogging towards the tunnel entrance.
"What the hell?" Uranus demanded. "Is he alright?"
"Come on," Mars said as she turned around and started to follow him into
the Security tunnel. Mercury and Jupiter exchanged wary glances before they
sighed in unison and went after him as well.
"I hope he knows what he's doing," Venus growled as she started running,
drawing a heavy sigh from Uranus and a quiet whimper from Neptune.
"HEY!" a voice suddenly yelled from one of the other tunnels, causing the
group to pause for a split-second. "Ay'cha navidshi, SAILOR SCOUTS!"
"Bloody freaking hell!" Venus snapped as she turned around to take aim
with her fingertip. "Someone back me up, I need time to recharge!"
"Neptune Tidal Wave," Neptune blurted out, holding her arms out as she
focused her powers. A wall of water suddenly rose up behind her, reaching up
to brush the ceiling high above them. "SUBMERGE!" she cried out as she threw
her arms forward, sending the wall of water around her body and gushing down
the tunnel in a massive surge of slightly salty green water.
Both Venus and Whisper blinked hard as there was a sharp cry of surprise,
followed by the somewhat garbled screams of the security team being washed back
down the tunnel. "Oh, that was just beautiful," Venus cooed as she quit trying
to recharge her Crescent Beam. "That'll slow 'em down for a few, and probably
only left them with mild bruises. C'mon, we're not out of the woods yet!" she
said as she started after the others.
The trip was a very short one as they rounded a steep curve and almost ran
over the rest of the group. They were gathered together just outside a closed
partition in a small lobby of sorts, decorated with stone statues of various
denizen warriors. "So what took you so long?" Jupiter growled as she watched
Tuxedo Mask examine a statue of a nude female warrior.
"Neptune had to flush the toilet," Venus panted.
"Yeah, whatever that meant," Jupiter sighed. "Yo, cape boy, quit playing
with her tits!" she called out as Tuxedo Mask pressed both fingertips against
the statue's rather prominent nipples. "I'll give you a feel later if you're
that hard up for some action, but now is NOT the time to play.... around?"
Everyone blinked as there was a loud clicking sound and part of the wall
started to slide back. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Uranus said, her
eyes arched clear up to her hairline. "A secret tunnel or something?"
"Queen Beryl's bodyguards use it a lot," Tuxedo Mask said quietly. "They
have a whole network of tunnels and passages they use to keep tabs on both her
and those they deem in need of constant monitoring. This way," he said as he
slipped inside.
"Fondle a statue and the door opens up," Jupiter said, shaking her head in
disbelief. "Someone had a twisted sense of humor, alright...."
"Wait, what's that sound?" Neptune suddenly said, cocking her head at an
angle to try to make out an almost inaudible noise.
"Footsteps," Mercury said tersely. "Everyone inside, quickly!"
Whisper grumbled quietly as she followed the group into the decidedly
narrow passage. "This explains more than a few things," she muttered. "I had
no idea these even existed. Ow, careful!" she protested as she found herself
suddenly crammed into very tight quarters.
"How did you know about this?" Venus inquired as she scrambled inside and
tried to make herself as thin as possible to make room for Mars.
"Beryl showed me one night," Tuxedo Mask replied. "Is that everyone?"
"C'mon, move it, I can hear them coming...." Uranus grunted, tapping her
foot impatiently as she waited for Mars to move aside. She blinked hard as the
partition door started to slide open and she dove for the passage, ignoring the
sharp protests of the group as she forced her way inside. "Quickly, close the
door before they see us!" she hissed.
Tuxedo Mask released the catch on the door mechanism, causing it to close
with surprising silence just as the first of the security guards came charging
through the junction. The guard completely failed to notice the stone wall as
it slid back into place, running up the tunnel and heading towards the castle's
main staging area.
"That was close," Jupiter muttered quietly.
"Speaking of close," Venus said, her voice pitched two octaves higher than
normal, "Someone is standing on my foot AND has their hand up my skirt...."
"Whoops, sorry!" Mercury apologized quickly.
"Hey!" Mars snapped. "That's my leg, you fool!"
"No, I think that's my leg," Uranus retorted.
"Then who's grabbing my leg?"
"Damned if I know, I just know it's awful tight in here...."
"Sorry, girls, I don't remember it being this tight before."
"Guys, I can't breathe, someone needs to move."
"Move where? I've got walls on two sides, I got Mercury in front of me,
at least I think that's Mercury as these don't feel like large breasts...."
"HEY! That's me you're grabbing! Stop that!"
"...and I'm really hoping that's Neptune's hand I feel on my backside."
"I'm not touching anyone...."
"Oh, swell."
"I think that might be me...."
"Honey, we can talk about giving you a piece later, but for now can you
just get your hand out from there?"
"I said get your hand off my chest, damn it!"
<Darian, which way do we head from here?>
"Give me a moment.... I think we need to head that way."
"Wait, which... ooof! Sorry, didn't mean to put my leg there...."
"I can kill you later, just don't do it again, okay?"
"Well, I'm trying not to, but I'm about to rip off that roaming hand if
it doesn't stay the hell out of my skirt! Darian, that better not be you."
"It's not."
"Well, then who the hell is it?"
"Wait, maybe that is me.... Is this you?"
"Uh, Neptune? That's not Uranus' butt you're grabbing...."
"SORRY!"
<Come on, someone has to be next to the passage entrance....>
"I think I am, but I can't move until I get this weight off my chest."
"Ever consider reductive surgery for that?"
"She's an A-cup, you twit, now leave her alone!"
"C'mon, it was only a joke...."
"What's with your fixation on everyone's bra size, anyway?"
"We can laugh about this later, guys, we've got work to do."
"Mercury, just shove her out of your way, that should free up enough space
for us to get out of this sardine can. Wait, who's poking me in the back?"
"If that's you, then guess who's the one blocking my way?"
"What, me? Oh, crap.... wait, lemme see if I can...."
"We're wasting time!" Mars snapped. "Just shut up and HOLD STILL!!"
The silence lasted for a few seconds before it was broken by a heavy grunt
as Mercury succeeded in edging out from behind Jupiter. That allowed Jupiter
to take a step back and untangle herself from Venus, which in turn made enough
space for everyone else to get situated properly.
"Ow, that hurt," Venus protested quietly, rubbing a kink in her back.
"How much time is left?" Jupiter demanded. "And which way?"
"Left," Tuxedo Mask said. "There should be stairs just beyond that turn
in the distance."
"Seven minutes, fifty-three seconds," Mercury said quietly.
"So start moving," Uranus snapped as they made their way through the very
narrow passages as quickly as they could.
* * * *
"Phase Two transformation completed," the computer reported in its flat
monotone.
"Took you long enough," K'tal grumbled quietly as he rechecked his status
boards. "Where are we at, people?" he called out over his shoulder.
"Sir, the booster cut off seventeen seconds ago," his Tactical officer
reported. "Estimate time to impact in.... fourteen minutes from three, two,
one, mark."
D'Nina shook her head. "That's going to be cutting it awfully close,"
she pointed out quietly. "The shields should be able to cope with the initial
EMP wave, and I emphasize should, but if we get caught in the shockwave that'll
be it for the shields."
K'tal just shrugged helplessly. "So we just have to make sure we're not
still hanging around when it goes off. Easy concept, Chief. Don't roll your
eyes at me like that, you know there isn't anything I can do about the time
factor for this."
"Five for the phase transformation, five for resynching with the computer,
and don't ask me about the main engines," D'Nina sighed. "You're in my way,
Commander. Move."
"Yes, ma'am," K'tal replied as he hastily moved away from the auxiliary
control panels. He looked up as the doors to Operations slid open, admitting
a visibly weary Dragoon Commander Tolaris and Dragoon Lieutenant Maze into the
command center. "What kept you?" he called out.
"I'll explain later," Tolaris grumbled. He paused as the entire staff
seemed to blink hard and suddenly look over at him at the sound of his voice.
"Commander Tolaris...?" the Communications lieutenant said, his eyes as
wide as dinner plates.
"As you were," Tolaris replied with a sigh. "Yes, I'm alive and in one
piece, but that will likely change if you all don't return to your panels and
get us out of here."
"But, sir, I.... I mean, who...." another technician spluttered.
"Chief, I said watch that k'vesi missile!" K'tal spat. "Worry about what
to do with Tolaris later, okay? D'Nina, whenever you're ready," he added in a
far softer tone as he turned back to his second-in-command.
D'Nina sighed and keyed in a complex string of ciphers into the panel.
"Computer," she said calmly. "Recognize Dragoon D'Nina, Master Chief, sole
authority for Phase Three transformation."
"Voiceprint recognized," the computer replied at once.
"Initiate Phase Three transformation sequence," D'Nina said.
The computer chittered to itself before beeping at her. "Warning: Phase
Three transformation requires suspension of central computer core protocols
and activation of a type-3 neural matrix," it advised her.
D'Nina took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Computer," she said very
slowly, "Initiate manual override of main computer core using sequence three
protocols, authorization D'Nina nine eight four five one two three five one
nine seven six one one. Process and execute."
The computer chittered to itself for several long seconds before it made
a gentle chiming noise. "Override accepted," it said simply. "Phase Three
sequence commencing. Warning: Computer core suspension in five minutes, all
systems will be rerouted to neural matrix on completion."
"Let's get this over with," D'Nina sighed as she typed in a final series
of keystrokes on the pad.
"D'Nina, are you sure you can do this?" K'tal asked very quietly.
The master chief cast an unfriendly glance over her shoulder at him. "I
may be old and just a little tired these days, Commander," she said in a flat
tone, "But I am still capable of performing my duties."
K'tal said nothing as the wall panel folded back, revealing a decidedly
comfortable plush chair set in a small niche. A large helmet with a pair of
large cables was resting on the cushion, connected to some device on the back
of the chair. He watched as D'Nina strode over to the chair and picked up the
helmet, slipping it over her head before she sat down and tried to relax.
"When was the last time you ran an exercise for this?" Tolaris asked very
quietly as he came up to stand behind K'tal's shoulders.
K'tal snorted quietly. "I've never been able to schedule an exercise like
this since I was put in charge," he replied with a faintly bitter edge to his
voice. "It's a little hard to clear your calendar for anything longer than a
lunch break with some flag officer without a mandate from both Training and
Internal Review. Just between you and me, I think IR completely forgot about
our little trick, so filing a request for a 'non-standard' exercise is more
trouble than it's worth. Why are you here, by the way?"
"Saving our collective ptankas," Tolaris sighed. "I know you're short-
handed at the moment, so I figured we could help."
K'tal blinked and gave him a sidelong glance. "What about saving Raijen's
daughter?" he asked in a guarded tone. "Again, just between you and me, I
think her life is a touch more important at the moment than mine or yours."
"The Sailor Scouts are working on that," Tolaris replied. "If they can't
do it, I seriously doubt I would be able to make a difference."
K'tal snorted quietly. "Trust them that much, hmm?"
"With my life, Commander, and without hesitation," Tolaris said softly.
"We'll have to talk about this later," K'tal muttered. "If you want to
help, I can deal with that. Lieutenant Maze!" he called out across the room.
"Sir!" Maze replied crisply as he lifted his head up from one of the
auxiliary consoles.
"Haul your butt down to Engineering and keep an eye on the computer core,
I don't want it to crash on us just because we switched CPUs on it," K'tal
ordered.
"Understood, sir," Maze replied with a brief salute before he headed for
the door. He paused momentarily as it opened before he reached the sensors,
ending up almost being run over by a jet-black Felinoid. "Oh, there you are,"
he said casually. "How's life?"
"YOU!" Asrial hissed, her eyes widening with surprise. "You traitor...!"
"ASRIAL!" Tolaris snapped as the Felinoid started to lunge for Maze's
throat with her claws splayed. She froze in mid-motion and came dangerously
close to losing her balance, saving herself from a face-first encounter with
the floor by grabbing onto the nearest solid object with her tail.
"Whoa, hey, careful!" a maintenance tech yelped as her arm was almost
yanked out of its socket, struggling furiously to retain her balance while
supporting Asrial's weight at the same time.
"Commander Tolaris?" Asrial breathed, her ears perked up and her eyes
becoming even wider than before.
Tolaris sighed heavily. "I wouldn't call giving me a hand on Earth for a
few months as traitorous activity, but we can sort that one out later. It's
good to see you again, Lieutenant. Now can you let Maze go about his business
so we don't have a computer malfunction in four minutes?"
Asrial blinked hard and cast a decidedly leery gaze at Maze, uncoiling her
tail from the technician's arm before starting to lash it back and forth like
a whip. "Yes, sir," she growled quietly, her ears flicking back.
Maze chuckled quietly and lightly grabbed her tail as it swung over in his
direction. "Nice to see you too," he said dryly, giving the tip of her tail a
very gentle squeeze before letting go and disappearing into the hallway.
"Stations, people," K'tal reminded the rest of the Operations staff. "We
still have a Postman on the incoming."
Tolaris paused and glanced around. "So which station do you want me to
grab?" he inquired.
K'tal shrugged casually. "My exec is busy plugging her brain into the
computer core. I need a new one, at least for the time being."
"A new brain or a new exec?" Tolaris inquired.
"Tell you what, Tolaris, you can step outside and start putting a new coat
of paint on the bay doors for the north entrance," K'tal sighed. "And if you
wait ten minutes, you'll probably have the old coat blasted off for you and
then your workload will be cut in half."
Tolaris smirked. "If that's all we lose from the blast, I'd be more than
happy to accept the job. How long until impact?" he called out.
"Approaching the eleven-minute mark, sir," Tactical replied.
"D'Nina, how are you doing?" K'tal asked calmly.
"Almost there," D'Nina whispered quietly, her eyes completely covered by
the helmet's visor. "Just waiting for the core to finish the physical changes
before it yields control, then I can take over. Two more minutes at most."
Both Tolaris and K'tal nodded in understanding. "Take it easy, chief,"
K'tal said gently. "We can spare a few seconds if you need them, just as long
as we get this right the first time."
"I'm working on it, Commander," the master chief sighed quietly.
"Sir!" the Tactical officer called out. "You better come see this."
Tolaris and K'tal exchanged wary glances before making their way over to
his station. "Spit it out, Lieutenant," K'tal said in a leery tone.
"The Red Wing fighters are all taking off from the south airfield," he
reported, pointing to the visual radar display. "The only thing is.... there's
nobody inside of any of them!"
Tolaris raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Drones?"
"Maybe an automatic recall function," K'tal suggested. "Keep an eye on
them, Lieutenant, and keep a closer eye on the V'ral. They're probably ready
to get the hell out of here as well. What about the Red Wing armor units?"
The tactical officer consulted his displays for a moment before shaking
his head. "No discernable reaction, sir. No life-forms aboard any of them,
and no detectable activity from the engine plants."
"That shouldn't be a surprise," Tolaris pointed out. "Armored units like
tanks should be able to weather a nuclear blast far better than aircraft. At
least, assuming the blast isn't dropped on top of them. How far away are the
armored units from the airfield?"
"One moment.... Sir, they're on the far east edge of the parade fields."
K'tal blinked. "That's awfully close to the airfield," he pointed out.
"Ten minutes!" someone else called out.
"Sir, the V'ral's main engines are ramping up," Tactical reported. "No
change in the local gravity field as of yet, but the tail rotors are starting
to spool up and they've apparently just unlocked the deck rotors."
"No surprises there," Tolaris commented.
"Keep a close eye on them," K'tal ordered. "Something tells me Nop'tera
has quite a few tricks up her sleeve, so be prepared. Status of the castle's
shields?"
"Still charging," a technician replied. "Estimating that the ForceWard
barrier is at forty-percent and climbing."
"This'll give Rune a headache, if nothing else." K'tal muttered.
"We're all going to have a headache in a few minutes," Tolaris observed,
drawing looks of resignation and deep sighs from the rest of Operations.
* * * *
"Sir!" someone called out. "All wings are now airborne and are heading
well south of here. No air traffic problems to report as of yet."
Ar'kanis nodded his head. "Excellent," he rumbled. "Send the signal to
the armor units to trigger the ground anchors. Hopefully they will remain in
place and we can pick them up once the worst of the radiation has decayed."
Brigadier Sor'en snorted quietly in disdain, her attention focused on the
remote control panels in front of her. "Good luck scrubbing them down later,"
she muttered as she tried to keep her wing in a tight formation. The aircraft
were not overly difficult to fly by remote, but they still required constant
focus and attention.
"We don't have replacements," Ar'kanis reminded her. "Much like our final
few battles with the Renn, we must protect what little we have left. We can
replace radiation-damaged armor easily enough, but it will take far longer to
construct new tanks and aircraft. Engineering!"
"Sir!" the bridge engineer reported. "Reactors are at ninety percent and
will be ready for flight operations in five minutes. Gravity shield generators
are fully spun up and can have us at neutral in thirty seconds. Main engines
are still spooling up and will reach maximum thrust capacity in forty-seven
seconds. Deck rotors are still in idle mode as per your orders and can be spun
up to maximum in three minutes of your order."
"Very good," Ar'kanis said, nodding his head in approval. "This is a new
record for an emergency cold start, is it not?"
"I'll have to check, sir, but it could be," the Engineer allowed with a
hint of a smile.
"We will indeed check later," Ar'kanis assured him. "Tactical!"
"Sir, stealth mode is ready at your command," the Tactical officer said.
"Very good indeed," Ar'kanis rumbled as he picked up his comm-link and
thumbed it open. "Ar'kanis to Nop'tera."
"Nop'tera," the somewhat raspy voice replied.
"We await your command for lift-off," he reported.
"Very well," Nop'tera's voice replied. "Hold until I say otherwise, and
be ready for a last-second exit. How much time is left?"
"Time until impact?" Ar'kanis promptly called out.
"Seven minutes, thirty seconds!" someone replied.
"Seven minutes, my General," Ar'kanis said into the comm-link.
There was a faintly amused grunt from the tiny speaker. "You know better
than I do right now where our safety margin lies. If I am not back by then,
you are to take the V'ral out of here without hesitation. That's an order,
Ar'kanis," she added with a steel edge to her voice.
"As you command," Ar'kanis rumbled quietly. "We will send you a signal
thirty seconds before we reach the margin limit to remind you."
"Thank you," Nop'tera rasped. "Nop'tera out."
Sor'en cast an irritated glance over her shoulder. "What is she doing,
anyway? She should still be in sick bay, or if she insists on being up and
about, at least the bridge...."
A soft rumble emerged from his helmet, sounding like a city caught in the
grip of a massive earthquake. "Worry about your squadron, Sor'en," he sighed.
"I will worry about the V'ral and your mother will take care of whatever it is
that she deems to be of importance. She will not fail us."
"I hope not," Sor'en muttered. "But a nuclear blast can really ruin your
day, no matter who you are...."
"Sir!" the Tactical officer called out. "The Dragoon Legion building is
changing shape again."
"Oh?" Ar'kanis inquired mildly. "What are they doing now?"
"I don't know, sir," the officer replied candidly. "It's along the east
end of the facility this time, and it doesn't look like the cannon barrel they
apparently have on the west end. You know, if I didn't know better...."
"Which you just said you don't," Sor'en muttered to herself, drawing a
faintly amused look from Ar'kanis.
"...I'd say those look like engine nacelles being opened up...."
* * * *
The ground beneath the Dragoon Headquarters Complex began to rumble for
the second time in ten minutes as another set of massive motors started up,
pushing a pair of giant steel platforms up from the ground and away from the
space between the central and eastern spines of the building. The space was
barely freed from the loose cover of dirt and topsoil before the entire east
wing of the Complex began to split in two, the north and south spines slowly
folding inward to run parallel to the main axis.
Once the end of the main axis was exposed, several protective covers were
folded up and withdrawn, revealing the exhaust ports of half a dozen truly
large engine mounts. Conical shrouds were slowly extended around the ports,
directing any outgoing flow of gas or plasma well away from the rest of the
facility. A faint rumbling sound began to emerge from the business end of the
vents as wisps of heated gas began to drift up from within their depths.
The entire building began to vibrate ominously as it was slowly pushed up
from the ground on a massive platform. More steel platforms began to rise up
and push the surrounding earth away, slowly exposing the rest of the building
to the outside air for the first time in a number of years. It became obvious
that only the first three sub-floors were still attached to the building, the
remaining four seeming to act as the lifting mechanism that carefully raised
the complex into the air.
The central pair of spines began to extend outward and unfurl, slowly
forming into a pair of oblong yet functional wings suitable for atmospheric
flight. The design made the complex seem like a flat-ended oval when viewed
from directly overhead, as no less than three orbital sensors were doing at
this very moment. The platform continued to rise until it was level with the
surrounding landscape, leaving the Dragoon Headquarters Complex standing six
stories tall in the somewhat cool morning air.
"Phase Three transformation completed," the flat monotone of the computer
reported. "Initiating core dump now...."
"Here we go," K'tal said softly as he focused his gaze on D'Nina.
The elderly Dragoon didn't hear him. Her mind had long ago shut off her
senses as she tapped into her powers of Chaos, reorganizing the way her brain
processed impulses and made use of her synapses. There was a sudden silence in
her mind as her cortex did the equivalent of a reboot, taking a step back and
looking at the physical structure of her brain in a new light before it started
to direct the impulses again.
Rarely-used neural paths suddenly became active, waking up and briefly
firing randomly before settling down into an organized hierarchy that quickly
made use of surrounding neural clusters. The new clusters became part of a
quickly-growing superconscious, a brain so deeply attuned to itself that it
was able to fully utilize every single neural fiber and physical structure with
almost maximum efficiency.
D'Nina's brain was now, in essence, a living super-computer that was able
to process as much information and data as the main computer core buried three
floors below her. The helmet she was wearing began to scan her now-hyperactive
brain, keying in on certain nodes of activity and creating a quasi-psionic link
to her mind. Once the interface was satisfied that it had access to what it
determined was an appropriate neural network, it contacted the computer core
an informed it that it was now ready to assume control.
[Core dump complete, end code 04. Transferring master CPU.]
D'Nina blinked as the "lights" were suddenly switched on. Her normal
senses no longer registered on her mind, superceded by the neural impulses she
was receiving directly from the computer core. Instead, she could "see" what
the computer could see, able to access its memories and stored data rather than
the meager pile of neurons in stasis inside her brain.
She wasn't able to remember much about herself, where she came from, what
her past was like, or even her deceased daughter's name. That information was
stored in the organic brain, not in the central processor's cache. She could
research it if instructed to, but she had no need to do so now. She knew her
designation was D'Nina, that she was a Dragoon, and that she had a job to do.
<Transfer complete,> the wall speaker suddenly said. Everyone blinked as
they heard D'Nina's voice over the circuit, although her lips didn't move as
she continued to sit in the chair. Her body hadn't moved a single muscle in
the past five minutes, save for the automatic beating of her heart and the rise
and fall of her chest as she slowly breathed.
"System status, Chief?" K'tal asked the computer panel.
<Phase Three evolution completed,> D'Nina's computerized voice replied.
<Reactors One and Three are approaching maximum power. Main engines will be
available for flight operations in two minutes, forty seconds. Thrusters will
be available for lift-off in two minutes, fifty seconds. Navigational systems
are fully operational. Helm control is in automatic mode. Diverting power
from Reactor Two and primary weapon systems to attenuate gravity shields and
augment main defensive shields.>
"Who's watching the clock?" K'tal asked over his shoulder.
"Four minutes, thirty seconds in.... three, two, one, mark."
"Ay'cha navidshi, this is going to be close," K'tal sighed. "D'Nina, you
have full authority to do whatever you need to do to get us out of here, and I
don't care if that means we lose a coat of paint or dent a landing strut."
<Acknowledged,> D'Nina replied simply. <Main engine ignition in thirty
seconds.>
"Everyone take a seat on something solid," Tolaris warned the rest of the
Operations staff. "K'tal, maybe you should...."
"Got it," K'tal said as he reached for the nearest communications panel
and activating the system-wide function. "Attention, this is Commander K'tal,"
he said as the two-tone, three-note whistle sounded throughout the complex.
"We are about to relocate this facility to a safe area, so everyone is advised
to grab hold of something solid as soon as the mains turn over. Don't worry
if the deck rattles, we're built to handle this. Stay with me, people, we're
not about to become toast any time soon. K'tal out."
"Engineering to Operations! All reactors are at maximum and the coolant
is keeping them as cold as they'll ever be, so don't expect much more out of
them," the chief engineer reported. "Plasma spark in five, four, three, two,
one, ignition!"
The exhaust ports for the main engines promptly began to glow white as
superheated gas was vented, accompanied by a truly earth-shaking rumble. The
pressure of the exhaust suddenly multiplied by a factor of fifty a few seconds
later, blasting a long furrow in the ground behind the Complex and sending a
very hard shiver through the rest of the structure.
"Yo!" Tolaris yelped as he was almost thrown off-balance. He recovered
quickly and moved over to take a seat next to the Communications lieutenant,
taking over part of the auxiliary functions and channel monitors.
"Yo?" K'tal echoed, giving Tolaris a curious look as he firmly held onto
his console. "What's the translation of that supposed to be?"
"Sorry, that's Sailor Jupiter's influence," Tolaris sighed. "And to be
perfectly honest, I don't think there's a direct translation even in their
language. It usually just serves to draw attention to something."
"Okay," K'tal said, shrugging in helpless dismissal.
"Three minutes!" the Tactical officer warned.
"Master Chief?" K'tal said. "Whenever you're ready...."
<Main engines will be available for flight operations in ninety seconds,>
D'Nina replied without any trace of emotion. <Thrusters will be available for
lift-off in ninety-seven seconds.>
K'tal grunted quietly. "I'm not liking the math for this," he muttered as
another sharp shiver rocked the facility. "Eighty seconds is not a lot to play
around with when nuclear warheads are involved."
"It could always be worse," Tolaris offered, drawing a sidelong glance
from the Communications lieutenant and a flat growl from Asrial.
"Sir!" Tactical suddenly spoke up. "The V'ral's deck rotors are spooling
up, and I'm reading a fluctuation in the local gravity field. It looks like
they're getting ready to move."
"I don't like this," K'tal said. "They're going to be cutting it even
closer than we are, and something tells me that Nop'tera is doing that for a
reason. That makes me worry in ways you can't imagine."
"I think I can imagine a lot," Tolaris replied with a raised eyebrow.
"Good, then just imagine how your human friends are doing," K'tal said.
"I really hope they know what they're doing...."
* * * *
"Four minutes until impact," V'Kreeth said quietly. "The V'ral appears to
be ready to launch at any moment, and the Dragoons have fired up their main
engines."
"Thank you, V'Kreeth," Rune said absently as she continued to focus her
attention on the ForceWard barrier. "Tell Si'ren that she may fire at will
once the V'ral is beyond the minimum safety margins."
"Ma'am, the defenses are unavailable as long as the ForceWard barrier is
in place," the shadowy bodyguard reminded her.
"The barrier will be dropped as soon as they're clear," Rune replied. "As
I told Si'ren, I had the fuse removed from the triggering mechanism so that the
warhead would read as fully nuclear. There will be no catastrophic explosion,
and the small crater the landing field can be easily paved over within a day."
"General Rune?" Moirah said as she lifted her head up from her comm-link.
"I just received a personal message from Colonel Azi'mar, marked as Priority
One and to be delivered to you without delay."
Rune sighed as she could feel the headache start to develop in her skull
from splitting her concentration. "Well, what is it?" she grumbled.
"Concentrate."
Rune paused for a moment. "That's it?" she said slowly.
"Yes, ma'am, just a single word. Concentrate," Moirah replied quietly.
It took a few seconds for the realization to sink into Rune's mind as to
what the message truly meant. "Ay'cha navidshi...." Rune breathed, the color
completely draining from her face in an instant.
There was a very soft sigh from V'Kreeth. "The fuse didn't get removed,
did it?" he said calmly in a tone that very few people could ever remember
hearing from him.
"I gave the order to remove it," Rune whispered as she shut her eyes as
tightly as she could and focused her powers with every single ounce of inner
strength. The ForceWard barrier immediately began to grow stronger, the thin
and translucent outline of the shimmering shield starting to thicken and take
on a milky-white aspect.
Moirah came up to stand next to V'Kreeth, laying a hand on his shoulder
with a saddened look in her eyes. "Can you recall the missile or cause it to
self-destruct?" she asked quietly.
"No," Rune said almost inaudibly. "It's in the re-entry phase, and the
heated corona of gas around it is creating an ionized field that will block any
such signal trying to reach it."
"Are you strong enough to shield us from the blast?" V'Kreeth inquired
with disturbing calmness, reaching up to gently squeeze Moirah's hand.
"I don't know," Rune whispered. "I guess we'll find out soon, won't we?"
* * * *
"Goddamn sonofabitch ankle-breaking stupid piss-ant bleeding dusty smelly
rat-bastard stairs," Uranus puffed in a low monotone as she continued to leap
up the stairs two at a time. "How many more of them are there?"
"Almost.... there...." Tuxedo Mask puffed.
"Hah.... ah-hah...." Venus gasped. "Landing.... nice, level landing...."
"I said keep moving!" Mars snapped as she dodged around Venus and darted
into the small corridor. "Tuxedo Mask, which way?"
"Lemme.... think...."
Mars whirled around with a vicious snarl. "Damn it, we don't have time
for this! Which way to the medical ward?"
"Look," Jupiter panted as she reached the landing and leaned on the wall
for a few moments. "If you don't calm down and give us a moment, I swear I'm
going to kill you. Now shut the hell up and let the man think."
"Left," Tuxedo Mask suddenly blurted out. "Ignore the first exit on the
right, we want the second exit. That should put us almost within sight of the
Royal Medical Suite."
"Go," Mercury prodded as she reached the landing, casting a quick glance
over her shoulder as Neptune and Whisper labored up the stairs. "We're right
behind you."
"Damn," Uranus puffed quietly as she ran after Mars. "I know I'm in good
shape, but still.... What'd Rei have for breakfast that I didn't? I want to
take a hit off of that energy high she's on...."
"A big bowl of Bitchflakes," Jupiter growled. "With extra-sour milk."
"That's.... just the.... PMS.... talking...." Venus huffed as they ran as
fast as they could along the narrow passage. "She's.... fine...."
"C'mon, vampire, shake the lead out!" Uranus yelled over her shoulder.
"That's it," Jupiter growled as they darted past the first tunnel branch.
"When this is over, you and I are going to have to sit down and butt heads or
something about this. Leave Mercury alone."
"Ow, ow, ow, cramp," Venus whimpered as she started running at an awkward
pace. "Dammit, this hurts.... Huh?"
"Mars Fire.... IGNITE!!"
"YEOW, WATCH IT!" Uranus blurted out as she braked hard at the sight of a
wave of fire suddenly roaring out of the passage exit up ahead.
"Great," Jupiter muttered. "Five bucks says she didn't know how to open
the door, so she got impatient and tried to burn it down."
"We'll see," Venus said tersely as she pressed herself against the wall
and carefully peeked around the corner. She blinked hard as she saw that a
large hole had been blasted through a wooden partition that had apparently
served as the secret passage doorway. A visibly furious Mars was standing in
the entrance with her arms crossed, small wisps of smoke still drifting up from
her fingertips.
"Well?" Mars demanded. "Which way now?"
Venus sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I'll pay you once we get back
home," she grumbled to Jupiter. She blinked as the floor seemed to start to
vibrate gently, a deep rumbling sound reaching her ears that was more felt than
heard. "Uh-oh, this doesn't feel too good...."
"Thrusters," Whisper said tersely as she caught up with the group. "Very
large cruiser thrusters, probably the V'ral. Mercury, how much time is left?"
"Four minutes," Mercury replied. "Tuxedo Mask, which way?"
"There," Tuxedo Mask said, pointing to a large archway.
"C'mon!" Jupiter yelled as they charged for the archway. The doors hissed
apart as they approached and they stormed inside, looking around frantically.
"Damn it, where is she?" Venus growled.
"Try this one!" Uranus said as she banged her fist on the sealed inner
doors. She yelped as there was a metallic hum and sparks erupted around her
fist where it had touched the metal. "Ow, what the hell was that?"
"Containment field," Whisper replied quickly.
"C'mon, open, open, open," Venus babbled rapidly as she tried poking at
the security lock. "Dammit, I don't have time to figure out how to pick this,
does anyone have any...?"
"Move it," Jupiter snarled as she crossed her hands in front of her. The
lightning rod unfolded from her tiara and began to crackle dangerously as she
focused her energies. "Jupiter Thunder.... CRASH!!"
"Holy crap!" Venus yelped as she dove for the floor, narrowly avoiding
being electrocuted as Jupiter sent the thunderbolt through the lock. A strong
stench of fried electronics suddenly filled the room as the containment field
made an erratic humming noise before collapsing.
"Got it!" Uranus yelled as the door started to hiss open. She immediately
dove through the door, turning herself sideways to clear the ends. She landed
on her shoulder and rolled, coming to rest on one knee and whipping her saber
out in a single motion. "Hey, get away from her!" she screamed as she saw an
elderly woman leaning over the Princess.
Uranus darted to her feet and was about to lunge across the room when she
was completely knocked over by Sailor Jupiter. "No, not her, you fool, that's
the doctor!" Jupiter blurted out. "Trust me!"
"What the hell?" Uranus shot back as she tried to regain her balance.
"Three minutes!" Mercury called out.
"What is the meaning of this?" the elderly woman cried out, interposing
herself between the unconscious princess and the rest of the group.
"Maq'i, it's me, Leda!" Jupiter said quickly. "We have to get her out of
here, right now! Someone crack open a wormhole, quickly!"
"On it," Venus said as she fumbled around in her Lunar Space pocket for
the Silkworm crystal she had 'borrowed' from Jedyt. "Oh, damn, where is it?"
"Leda?" Maq'i said, still warily eyeing the Sailor Scouts.
"Master Healer, please," Jupiter replied as she crossed the room. "We can
sort this out later, we have to go, now. Damn, what is all this crap?" she
said, eyeing the sensors and electrodes taped to Serena's bare chest.
"She is in critical condition," Maq'i replied, causing Mercury to abruptly
change focus.
"What?" Mercury blurted out. "What happened?"
"LATER!" Mars snapped. "Jupiter, just grab her and let's go!"
"Something's missing," Tuxedo Mask said quietly, looking around the room.
Everyone blinked as the far end of the room was suddenly filled with a
cascade of blue sparks. The sparks quickly merged together and coalesced into
into a humanoid figure, the light fading away to reveal the imposing figure of
General Nop'tera.
"Now what?" Uranus snarled, bring her saber up to the ready.
"A vampire!" Mercury gasped, her expression going pale as the sight of
blue skin and featureless yellow eyes suddenly reminded her of the last time
she had encountered a denizen vampire.
Nop'tera blinked as the situation registered on her mind. "Wait...." she
said in a rasping voice, steadying herself against the wall. "You are the
Sailor Scouts, correct?" she said in English, her words marred by a faintly
Arabic accent.
"Nop'tera!" Maq'i called out. "They are here to evacuate the princess,
nothing more!"
The general nodded in understanding. "That's why I came here. Very well,
if they can take her back to Earth and to safety, so be it. You must be Sailor
Mercury," she added as she stared at the blue-haired Sailor Scout. "You and I
need to talk when time permits. I will send an emissary to contact you on
Earth later. Take care of the Princess, she is very important to all of us,"
she said calmly before pressing a gemstone on her belt.
"Huh?" Mercury blurted out. "How did you....? WAIT!"
"What the hell?!" Jupiter growled as Nop'tera was enveloped in another
cascade of blue sparks and vanished from the room. "Someone please tell me
this will make a hell of a lot more sense later...."
Mercury blinked hard as her computer made a warning beep. "No time, we
only have sixty seconds left! Jupiter, grab Serena and let's get out of here!
Neptune, through the wormhole, now!"
"The Crystal isn't here," Tuxedo Mask suddenly said, causing everyone to
pause and blink hard. "It's with the NegaForce."
"Christ on a crutch!" Venus blurted out. "Look, we'll have to come back
and get it later. Everyone through the wormhole, quickly!"
"Sorry we're so late, Serena," Jupiter grumbled as she yanked the wires
out of the medical monitor and carefully picked up the blonde. "Come on, time
to go.... Damn, you're heavy...."
"Darian, where the hell are you going?" Uranus blurted out as Tuxedo Mask
turned around and started to head for the door.
"Argue later, just move!" Mars snapped at Venus.
"Get her out of here," Tuxedo Mask said over his shoulder. "I have to go
talk to the NegaForce. I'll be back with the Crystal later, I promise."
"Bullsh...!" Venus started to say before Mars rammed her shoulder into
the blonde's back, shoving her through the wormhole.
"What do you think move means, bimbo?" Mars growled as she stepped aside,
making room for Jupiter.
"Maq'i, come with us!" Jupiter said as she carried Serena over to the
swirling wormhole and stepped inside.
"You're crazy, Darian, you're absolutely crazy!" Uranus screamed as Maq'i
and Whisper darted into the wormhole, leaving only herself, Mars, Mercury, and
Tuxedo Mask behind.
"Darian!" Mercury cried out. "Use this!" she said as she tossed him the
Silkworm crystal Tolaris had given her. Her computer suddenly began to beep
very loudly. "Ten seconds! Guys, we have to close the wormhole! Come on!!"
"JUST GO, DAMN YOU!" Mars screamed at Mercury.
"Aw, screw it," Uranus sighed. "See you in hell, babe," she said as she
pushed Mercury through the wormhole. The vortex spiraled shut a second later
and vanished, leaving her alone in the medical ward with Tuxedo Mask and Mars.
"On the floor," Tuxedo Mask advised as he quickly crouched down. "I know
the NegaForce won't allow this castle to be destroyed by a nuke, but it's still
going to be a very bumpy ride...."
"For the last time," Uranus grumbled as she huddled next to him, giving
Mars a leery look as she sighed and curled up on his other side. "What the
hell is a nuke?"
She was promptly answered as the floor suddenly heaved violently and the
entire medical ward became as black as night.
* * * *
"Where's the Princess?" Freya blurted out as Nop'tera rematerialized on
the transport platform, the human's pale violet eyes dangerously wide.
"Safe," Nop'tera gasped as her abdomen started heaving violently. "Get us
out of here!" she commanded before she stuck her head in the bucket.
"Freya to Bridge!" Freya called out as she slapped the communications
panel. "She's back, get us out of here! Nop'tera, you're bleeding again!"
"I'll live," Nop'tera gasped as she quit vomiting, a sour expression her
face as she saw the streaks of fluorescent yellow blood in the bucket. "Just
hold on.... Urk!" she gasped as the deck suddenly seemed to drop out from
beneath them, triggering another wave of nausea.
"Medical team to the cargo transporter!" Freya said as she opened a new
channel.
"Freya, it's just blood from earlier," Nop'tera said, still gagging.
"Thirty seconds until impact!" the speaker crackled. "Hold on tight, Red
Wings, this is going to get rough...."
* * * *
"Tactical!" Ar'kanis barked. "Engage cloaking! Helm! All back full,
take us up as soon as we're clear of the castle! Move it!"
"All back full, aye sir!" the helmsman said as he yanked the throttles
back as far as he could. The V'ral promptly began to shudder violently as the
massive tail rotors ramped up as fast as they could. The deck rotors began to
ramp up half a second later, lifting the carrier up just far enough from the
ground to avoid dragging the landing struts across the airfield.
"Cloak engaged!" the Tactical officer reported. "We are invisible!"
"Maximum lift, now!" Ar'kanis ordered as he grabbed onto one of the deck
pylons that crisscrossed the ceiling overhead. "Helm, you have free rein to
do whatever you need to do!"
"Aye, sir!" the helmsman replied as he yanked the collective back as hard
as he could. "Someone gimme an all-call!"
"Set!" the Communications officer replied.
"Thirty seconds!" Tactical warned.
"Thirty seconds until impact!" the helmsman yelled into the nearest open
microphone. "Hold on tight, Red Wings, this is going to get rough! Thirty
degree up-angle on the starboard planes and twenty on the bow! HANG ON!"
The deck creaked loudly as the V'ral suddenly rose up at a very steep
angle, trying to keep its nose as high in the air as possible as it made a
sweeping turn to the left. There was a mad scramble on the bridge to try to
remain seated as the gravity shields weren't able to fully compensate for the
change in inertia, sending countless items tumbling throughout the length of
the airborne carrier.
"C'mon, ne'ana, you can do this...." the helmsman grunted as the engines
started to strain. "Hold together just a little longer.... I hope your boys
in Engineering have those shields ready!" he called out to the bridge engineer.
"Ten seconds!"
"We'll find out," the engineer grumbled.
"So much for faith," the helmsman sighed.
"Five! Four! Three! Two!"
"Postman! Special delivery for General Rune!" someone called out.
A red-hot glimmer suddenly streaked down from the sky at a truly unholy
velocity, and then the entire horizon became a brilliant, blinding white.
* * * *
<Main engines now available for flight operations,> D'Nina reported in a
flat, emotionless tone. <Thrusters coming on line in five seconds.>
"Chief, just get us the hell out of here," K'tal said flatly, trying not
to let anyone else hear the sound of his teeth rattling from the force of the
vibrations.
<Compliance,> the voice replied as the roaring sound promptly doubled in
volume and the floor surged slightly beneath their feet.
"SIR!" the Tactical officer called out. "The V'ral is starting to lift
off and.... Sir, they just engaged their radar-evasion screens! They just
dropped off my scope completely!"
"Joy," K'tal grumbled. "That's going to put a kink in things. Helm, try
to extrapolate their probable flight path and make sure we don't come anywhere
near it! All we need is to have a mid-air collision, followed by having what's
left roasted in a nuclear blast. That would REALLY ruin my morning!"
"And it's not ruined already?" Asrial muttered to herself.
<Helm acknowledges, Commander.>
"I just had a thought," Tolaris said in a guarded tone, turning around to
cast a glance at the tactical station. "Does anyone remember when was the last
time we actually lifted off outside of a simulation drill?"
"You have to be kidding me," K'tal replied back. "NOW you ask this?"
"Thirty seconds until impact!" Tactical warned.
<Warning,> D'Nina said. <Deck angle about to exceed recommended safety
limits. Main engines now at full flight capacity.>
"I'm afraid to ask what she just said!" K'tal said over the roar as the
complex's main engines all belched superheated plasma in unison, creating a
somewhat hideous scorch mark on the surrounding landscape.
"We're about to find out!" Tolaris shot back as the floor suddenly tilted
at a very steep angle. "Hang on, when the blast hits it'll try to knock us
back down to the ground, so be prepared!"
"Shields are at maximum!" the Chief Engineer reported over the speakers.
"Time to see if we did everything right...."
"Such faith," K'tal grumbled.
"Impact in five! Four! Three! Two! One! MARK!!"
The Dragoon Headquarters Complex suddenly shuddered violently as it was
tilted over to one side and the floor dropped out from under everyone's feet.
* * * *
Megan waited patiently as the sound of the doorbell rung throughout the
front part of the keep, a deep gonging sound that was probably more suited to
a monastery than a noble's residence. Her wait was a surprisingly short one,
as the echoing chime had barely faded away before she heard the distinctive
sounds of a lock being withdrawn.
She absently smoothed out a wrinkle in her ribbon-like attire as the door
swung back, revealing an imposing figure looming in the doorway. Most people
would have mistaken him for a golem, a soulless creature seeming to have been
carved from clay with an excessively muscular body and very roughly-developed
facial features. She knew better, of course, but only because of her personal
dealings with the door guardian in the past.
"Good morning, Cale," she purred softly to him, flexing her wings gently.
"The mistress is busy," he said very slowly, his deep voice sounding like
gravel and seeming to start somewhere around his colon.
A small smile crossed her face. "I'm not here to see your mistress," she
said lightly, giving him a sultry look. "But I ask that you give her my most
sincere regards all the same."
The guardian didn't move a muscle. "I am also busy," he rumbled.
"A pity," Megan mused. "However, I am not here to see you either."
That made him blink, a simple gesture with his eyelids that seemed like a
shout of surprise to those who were well-acquainted with his utterly impassive
and emotionally-withdrawn nature. "State your business," he said after several
moments of heavy silence.
Megan sighed quietly. "Do you happen to know if Lorelei has returned from
her assignment on Earth yet?" she inquired calmly. "I am not concerned about
what her business was, I merely wish to make sure she is alright."
It took far longer than usual for the guardian to respond to her. "I was
not aware of any succubi having been dispatched to the mortal plane recently,"
he said at an even slower pace than usual.
Megan frowned slightly and raised an eyebrow. "Be that as it may, Cale,
do you know where Lorelei is right now?" she asked in a faintly guarded tone.
"I do not," he rumbled. It was decidedly difficult to tell his moods by
listening to the deep, sepulchral tone of his voice, but those who knew him
would have been able to pick up on the very slight change in pitch.
"When was the last you remember seeing her?" Megan asked quickly, a look
of guarded uncertainty crossing her face. "I'm asking for a good reason, as
my sister got into a serious fight with another succubus while on Earth and it
seems that an important relic was stolen during the confrontation. I'm not
worried about my sister, but I just spoke with Lord Hades and he informed me
that the relic needs to be recovered as soon as possible."
"Two days ago," Cale said simply. "She departed in the evening and I do
not remember seeing her since. I will ask the mistress if she is aware of any
of this. Remain here," he instructed as he started to turn away. He paused as
he caught sight of someone inside the keep and he bowed his head in greeting.
"My lady," he rumbled softly.
Megan blinked hard as the door swung open wider, revealing a well-dressed
noble standing next to her servant. "Countess MacDara," Megan murmured as she
knelt down on one knee before her.
"I was wondering who was here at this hour," the countess mused quietly as
she glanced at the horizon. The sun had risen a few hours ago, but the thick
shroud of fog blanketing the entire region rendered the searing rays virtually
harmless. All that was visible was a very indistinct circle of bronze in the
cloudy sky, giving off just enough light to allow the keep to contrast with the
dreary, muted grays of the demiplane. "Is everything alright with your master,
my dear?" she inquired gently.
"It is, my lady," Megan replied graciously as she slowly stood up, the
decorative wings at her temples fluttering for a moment. "I apologize for the
disturbance, but I was trying to locate one of your servants, a succubus named
Lorelei."
The countess blinked and regarded her very carefully. "I have not seen
her in two days," she said slowly. "In fact, I am starting to become rather
concerned with her disappearance myself. May I ask why you are concerned as
well?"
Megan took a deep breath and choose her words carefully. "Last night on
Earth, a succubus stole a relic that was in the possession of an avatar. My
sister confronted her and was sorely wounded, and the succubus managed to flee
with the relic. I do not know anything about this succubus, but I saw Lorelei
on Earth two nights ago looking for something on your behalf."
The countess' mouth suddenly set in a thin line. "I did not give her my
permission to travel to Earth," she said flatly. "Whatever she was doing was
not with my sanction or my knowledge. Do you believe she was the one who stole
this relic?"
"I don't know, my lady," Megan admitted frankly. "But if Lorelei wasn't
on Earth doing your bidding, then I am more than a little curious as to what
her true purpose was."
The noble woman nodded in understanding. "You may tell Lord Hades that I
will contact him if I find her. This is a most disturbing discovery, my dear,
but I thank you all the same for bringing this to my attention. Please send my
personal regards to Lisa, and that I wish her a speedy recovery."
"I will, my lady," Megan replied. "However, Lisa wasn't the one who was
injured, Susan was. She seems to be almost fully healed, save for her wings,
but she is...."
"Susan?" the countess interrupted sharply, her green eyes widening. "Do
you mean the avatar of Lord Hades?"
Megan blinked at the forceful reaction before nodding her head. "Yes, my
lady, she is. I don't know the details as of yet, but I do know that she has
returned to us and that the Portal of Time is now reopened under her control
once again."
The countess sighed and turned to face her door guardian. "Cale, how in
the Burning Hells did that one slip past me?" she demanded.
"You instructed us last week not to disturb you for anything short of an
apocalypse," he rumbled quietly. "You have yet to instruct us otherwise."
"Oh," the countess said, blinking in surprise. "Yes, I suppose I did say
that, now didn't I? Was that last week? Strange how easily one loses track of
time when you're preoccupied.... No matter. Megan?"
"My lady?"
"Please tell Susan that I am pleased to hear of her return and that I will
contact her as well if I find out anything about this matter," the countess
said with a faint sigh. "And if you happen to see Lorelei before I do.... do
me a favor and escort her to me immediately."
"As you command, my lady," Megan said demurely with a deep bow.
"Come, Cale," the countess sighed again. "There is still so much to do,
it's driving me to distraction. Good day, Megan."
"Good day, my lady," Megan replied as she stepped back, watching as the
keep's door closed with a heavy thump. She turned around and spread her wings,
launching herself into the darkened skies without another word. She grumbled
quietly as the weight of the situation grew slightly heavier on her shoulders,
knowing that things had just gotten interesting.... and even more unpleasant.
* * * *
Lisa yawned quietly as she leaned back against the couch cushions, making
sure she didn't crush her wings with her body weight. She had Artemis in her
lap and was idly running her fingertips through his fur as she watched Susan
set up her paint easel. "So how exactly do you do this, anyway?" she asked in
a curious voice.
"I usually do a quick pencil-sketch in a notebook first," Susan explained
as she held up a well-used tablet. "That allows me to get a general idea of
what I have to work with before applying any paint, plus it cuts down on the
time the model has to hold still for me. I then do a very light pencil trace
on the canvas, then begin the actual painting."
Lisa nodded in understanding before sighing wistfully. "I wish I could
draw like that," she said, gesturing to Susan's tablet of pencil sketchings.
"I can keep a steady hand when I really need one, but I just can't seem to be
able to visualize everything in my head when I try to draw."
"It does take a fair amount of practice," Susan allowed as she started to
do a quick sketch. "However, I do realize that not everyone is able to paint
or draw well enough to be generally viewed as aesthetically pleasing."
"Art is subjective," Artemis spoke up from her lap. "I once sat through
a study session between Ami, Rei, and Mina about comparing works of art for a
class assignment. You'd be surprised how much room there is for disagreement
on what looks good and what doesn't."
Susan nodded absently as she continued to sketch. "While there are no set
standards for aesthetics, there are still some socially and culturally agreed-
upon concepts of what is beautiful, or attractive, or eye-catching, or worth a
second look," she explained. "Talent is described by some as the ability to
consistently fall within the range of common values shared by the majority."
There was a quiet chuckle from the chair next to Susan. "And one need not
be an artist to be an art critic," Luna observed with a smile, drawing a mild
look of dry amusement from Susan.
"They should be if they are to be taken seriously," Susan pointed out as
she completed the sketch and turned her focus to the blank canvas. "I find it
somewhat reprehensible that someone would try to denounce a given piece of work
that he or she is unable to even attempt to create in the same category on
their own. It is not enough to be an artist, as there are many types of art
to choose from. Just because one can paint doesn't bestow any authority when
the category in question becomes pottery or singing, for example."
Lisa giggled quietly. "Now I know I can sing," she said with a smile.
"Can't do much else, though, as I'm not very good with musical instruments."
"Those just take time and patience," Susan assured her as she started to
very lightly sketch on the canvas. "I can play the cello rather well, but it
took me a full century of practice to achieve a moderate degree of success."
"Huh," Lisa said slowly. "I usually try an instrument like a trumpet or
a horn. Think I should be trying something else entirely?"
Susan paused to think for a moment. "Woodwind instruments are always
pleasing to the ear," she suggested with a casual shrug. "I personally don't
recommend a flute, but perhaps something like a bassoon or an oboe would be to
your liking."
"Saxophone," Artemis spoke up. "It's kind of like a trumpet, but with a
wider range of what Mina calls musical emotions. Blues, jazz, romance, you
name it."
"Oooh, I like soft jazz," Lisa purred. "Maybe you're right...."
Everyone blinked hard as a glowing blue wormhole suddenly opened up at the
far end of the living room, triggering a security alarm. "Level 2 Danger," the
monotone voice of the computer reported. "Intruder Alert, Section 5, unknown
wormhole detected."
Susan bolted to her feet as Sailor Neptune emerged from the wormhole and
immediately moved well away from the swirling maelstrom. "Neptune!" she called
out, absently tossing her tablet aside and accidentally smacking Luna squarely
on the golden crescent mark on her head.
"We got her!" Neptune gasped as she whirled around. She blinked hard as
Sailor Venus suddenly came flying through the portal, windmilling her arms
furiously before landing face-down on the floor.
"Venus!" Artemis yelped as he launched himself out of Lisa's lap. "What
happened?"
"Goddamn it," Venus growled as she rolled over and sat up. "What'd you do
that for, huh?" she yelled back through the wormhole.
"Move it," Sailor Jupiter said tersely as she stepped through the vortex,
still cradling Serena in her arms. "Off the couch," she growled, "I need to
set her down before my arms give out."
"Here," Susan said as she stepped forward to help the brunette carry the
catatonic blonde over to the couch. "What happened?"
"Move it!" Whisper said urgently as she came through the wormhole with
Maq'i in tow. "Susan, this is Master Healer Maq'i, you have to trust her to
take care of Serena for the moment."
Susan and Maq'i both paused, blinking hard as they saw one another. "If
you insist," Susan replied after a slight hesitation. It took Maq'i another
moment to get past the gaping holes in Susan's demonic wings before she nodded
in response and hurried over to the couch to examine Serena again.
"Where are the others?" Luna asked quickly as she hopped up on the coffee
table, trying to get a good look at Serena while keeping out of everyone's way.
"Should be right behind us," Jupiter said, glaring at the wormhole. She
blinked hard as Sailor Mercury stumbled through the portal, her eyes wide with
tension.
"Close it!" Mercury yelped as she tried to retain her balance.
"What?" Venus blurted out. "But...."
"CLOSE IT NOW!!" Mercury screamed, her vampiric fangs clearly visible.
The wormhole promptly collapsed in on itself and vanished, leaving a dead
silence in the room that seemed to last for a minor eternity. The silence was
broken by the sound of Mercury's computer making a very hard beep, causing her
to raise a fist and smash it hard against the wall.
"What just happened?" Susan demanded. "Where are the others?"
"Darian, Mars, and Uranus stayed behind," Mercury said in a very quiet
tone. "He said that the Imperium Silver Crystal is with the NegaForce, and
that he was going to try get it."
"Alex stayed behind?" Neptune gasped, her eyes doubling in diameter. "But
what about the missile?"
"Wait," Artemis said very slowly. "What missile?"
"Someone tossed a nuke at someone else," Jupiter growled. "Problem is,
they were aiming right next to the castle."
"WHAT?" three voices said in shocked unison.
"We can explain it later," Mercury said tersely as she stood up and went
over to Serena with her computer in hand. "Master Healer, tell me what exactly
is wrong with her?" she asked gently as she started to scan the blonde.
Maq'i sighed and gently wrapped her hand around Serena's wrist, sending
what was left of her healing energies into her once again. "Physically, she is
in the grips of the Chaos Factor," she replied quietly. "If her mind was still
intact, this shouldn't pose much of a problem."
"Wait, wait," Jupiter suddenly said. "Run that past me again? What's
wrong with her mind?"
"She is completely catatonic," Maq'i explained gently. "Rune apparently
staged a horrid execution of her lover in front of her very eyes, and the shock
caused her mind to withdraw and collapse. I've had to keep her on life-support
since then as her autonomous functions are prone to instability."
Venus frowned as she bent down to pick up the white cat. "What's that
supposed to mean? I need to talk to you in a bit," she added to Artemis.
Mercury blinked hard as her computer suddenly started to make a strident
warbling noise. "Her heart rate is faltering," she blurted out.
"She's probably crashing again," Maq'i grunted. "Quickly, do you have a
defibrillator here?"
"Oh, crap!" Venus blurted out, her eyes going wide. "I don't know if we
have one in the medical kit. Whisper!"
"We don't," Whisper replied quickly.
"I need an energy source," Mercury said as she looked over her shoulder,
her eyes darting back and forth as she searched for something suitable. She
glanced over at Jupiter and something went click in her mind. "Jupiter! Get
over here!"
"Wait, what's going on?" Neptune whimpered.
"I'm here, what do you need?" Jupiter said quickly as she knelt down next
to Serena and Mercury.
The computer made a flat beeping noise and Mercury snarled to herself.
"Charge your tiara," she said tersely as she stripped off her elbow-length
white gloves.
"Mercury!" Susan said sharply. "That's too powerful to try to use!"
"You have a better solution?" Mercury snapped back, the points of her
vampiric fangs showing. "I need a jolt of energy to nudge her heart rhythm
back to normal, and I need to do it before it quits on us entirely!"
"Mercury...." Jupiter said in a guarded tone.
Mercury grabbed her by the collar and pulled her close, her lips curling
back to fully expose her tiny fangs. "We don't have time for this! Just do as
I say and CHARGE YOUR TIARA!!" she screamed.
"Oh, god...." Venus whispered quietly as Jupiter jerked her head back and
closed her eyes. The lightning rod extended from her tiara and began to spark
with energy while Mercury quickly removed what was left of the electrodes and
other sensors from Serena's chest.
"Everyone get back," Mercury warned as she made sure that nothing metallic
was touching Serena's body. She cast a final glance at her computer before
setting it on the coffee table and looking around to make sure that Maq'i was
far enough away. "Ready?" she asked Jupiter.
"You're going to kill all three of us," Jupiter muttered.
"You're grounded, you'll be fine," Mercury shot back as she placed one
hand between Serena's breasts, directly over her heart muscle. She then took
a deep breath and made a fist, touching the back of her hand against the highly
charged rod on Jupiter's tiara.
Mercury blinked as she suddenly saw Venus' deeply concerned face looking
down at her, slowly waving a hand back and forth in front of her eyes. "Huh?"
Mercury grunted quietly, trying to fill her suddenly aching lungs with air.
"You with us now?" Venus said quietly, watching Mercury's pupils react to
the changing light as she passed her hand back and forth to create a shadow.
"What.... what just happened?" Mercury said, blinking hard.
"You zapped the crap out of yourself, that's what happened," Venus replied
with a deep sigh. "The good news is that it worked, Serena's heart is back to
normal, at least for the moment. Jupiter is bitching about a headache now, and
you've been out cold for the past.... two minutes," she said as she glanced up
at the nearest clock.
"Sailor Mercury, are you alright?" Luna asked quietly as she gently nudged
her with a paw.
Mercury paused for a moment to listen to what her body was saying. She
gently pushed Venus out of her face and tried to rise into a sitting position,
blinking hard as the task seemed to be three times harder to do than before.
"I think so," she said hesitantly as she looked around the room.
Jupiter was leaning against the wall with a deeply disgruntled look on her
face. She caught Mercury's glance and cast a glare in her direction, raising
one hand to flip her off. Neptune was hovering beside her, trying to see if
the brunette was alright and blushing furiously at the hand gesture aimed in
Mercury's general direction.
"Yeah, she's fine," Venus grumbled as she gave Jupiter a sidelong glance.
"Serena's still out like a light, but that old woman says that she's fine. At
least in a physical standpoint," she added. "Whisper is trying to see if she
can do anything at the moment."
Mercury blinked and nudged the blonde aside, looking over at the couch.
Susan was gently wrapping Serena's nude body in a white sheet while Whisper had
both hands lightly pressed to Serena's temples. The telepath's expression was
every bit as blank as Serena's as she tried to examine her mind, a sight that
deeply bothered the vampire.
"Mercury?" Susan said quietly as she watched the blue-haired Sailor Scout
slowly rise to her feet. "Are you alright now?"
"I guess so," Mercury replied hesitantly.
The succubus nodded and sighed quietly. "Please don't do that again," she
said in a weary tone. "We appreciate the gesture, of course, and we're quite
grateful that it worked as intended, but electrocuting yourself is not a very
healthy course of action."
"Or electrocuting someone else," Jupiter growled quietly.
Venus rolled her eyes. "Take a pair of Tylenol or something," she said
over her shoulder. "Or would you rather have skipped the headache and had
Serena's heart quit on us entirely?"
"Speaking of which," Maq'i spoke up quietly, "We still need to find an
automatic defibrillator. Her heart rhythm will start to destabilize again in
another fifteen or twenty minutes, and I'm afraid I'm simply too exhausted to
keep it steady on my own."
"We have to take her to the hospital," Mercury replied immediately. "We
don't have that kind of equipment here. My mother should still be on duty in
the ER at this hour, so she might be able to help us."
Susan quickly shook her head. "Taking her to an Earth hospital is not a
viable option. Too many questions would be raised and I cannot permit that.
As soon as Whisper is finished, I will place the Princess in temporal stasis
until the others return, at which point we can sort out our options."
"A stasis field won't do anything," Maq'i pointed out. "We had her in a
stasis field once already and she still managed to crash on us."
"I said temporal stasis, not medical stasis," Susan countered. "While I
cannot stop the flow of Time completely, I can slow it down to the point where
five minutes inside the field can take five hours outside the field. It is a
temporary measure at best, but Time can be bought if truly needed."
"But at what price?" Lisa asked quietly as she moved next to her elder
sibling. "Lady Persephone tried explaining the mechanics of it to me once, but
it never really sank in."
Susan sighed quietly and shook her head. "Do not concern yourself with
the price, Lisa," she replied gently. "Yes, there will be a cost, but we are
dealing with the last living member of the Royal House of the Moon. I can keep
her suspended for a few hours, which should be enough time for us to determine
a better course of action."
Jupiter grunted quietly. "Think you can find some medical jumper cables
on the black market?" she said to Venus.
"You have to be kidding me," Venus replied, blinking hard. "This is some
seriously expensive medical hardware we're talking about, not some moderately-
priced prescription drugs."
Jupiter merely shrugged. "Raid an ambulance when nobody's looking?" she
suggested. She blinked as Mercury scowled at her and she returned the look
with open irritation. "Hey, it was just a thought, okay? Back off."
"Ami?" Neptune said cautiously. "Do you think you can use your medical
computer to do something similar? I know it can put out a pulse of sorts if
you give it enough time to build up a charge."
Mercury shook her head. "The capacitors aren't strong enough to hold the
kind of charge I'd need to restart a heart."
"Capacitors!" Venus blurted out, her eyes widening. "Neptune, you still
have that taser I gave you earlier, right?"
"Oh!" Neptune blinked as she started digging around in her Lunar Space
pocket. She pulled her hand out a moment later, holding the small device in a
very careful grip. "Yes, here it is."
"Good, don't let that out of your sight," Venus sighed in relief.
"That might work," Mercury cautioned her. "But I don't think we can use
it indefinitely. We still need an electrocardiogram and a defibrillator."
"Oh, man," Jupiter sighed as she put her face in her hands. "Of all the
times for Dyvach to wander off. I bet he could build them for us."
"Hmm...." Venus said slowly, a thoughtful look crossing her face. Jupiter
and Mercury promptly exchanged wary glances, neither overly comfortable with
the prospect of having to cope with one of the blonde's rather creative ideas
once again. "If I can get you some hardware, do you think you could rework it
into a suitable device?" Venus finally said.
"That depends on an awful lot," Mercury replied in a guarded tone.
"You think using Ether will help?" Lisa suggested. She blinked hard as
she got seven sets of confused looks in response, quickly followed by a gasp
of realization from Susan.
"Yes, that should work!" Susan said quickly. Her gaze became slightly
unfocused as she turned her thoughts inward, thinking extremely rapidly about
the suggestion.
"Run that past me again?" Jupiter said slowly.
"I thought ether was an anesthetic," Venus added.
"As soon as the others return, I will take you all to my keep situated in
the Border Ethereal plane," Susan suddenly blurted out. "Once there, we can
tap into the Ether to create what we need to monitor Serena's condition. While
purely ether-based constructs will degenerate over time, we should be able to
keep the devices coherent long enough to bring her out of this."
"If that is possible at all," the elderly Healer warned gently. "While I
can take care of her body, her mind is quite beyond my skills. I had General
Al'vexi examine her mental condition and I was given the impression that it was
possible she might never recover from the trauma."
Whisper suddenly blinked hard and refocused on her surroundings. "If I
ever see General Rune again, I will personally vent the contents of her skull
out through her ptanka," she growled very quietly to herself. "Damn her...."
"How is she?" Mercury inquired gently.
"That depends on your perspective," the telepath sighed. "Her physical
brain structure is in perfect condition. The synapses are all there and will
work if instructed to do so, and her memory is fully intact. That's actually
part of the problem, as I was able to see what she saw right before her mind
collapsed."
"Hang on a second," Jupiter grumbled. "If telling us about it is anything
like the time you showed us how we got killed in the Moon Kingdom, I think I'll
just pass on the explanation."
"So what happened?" Venus said urgently.
"Rune tried to shoot her," Whisper said, closing her eyes. "And when that
didn't work for some reason, the gun was put to Darian's head and Rune demanded
that she hand over the Imperium Silver Crystal. When she refused, Rune pulled
the trigger."
"Whoa, wait," Jupiter blurted out. "Darian was with us the whole time."
"Rune apparently used a stunt-double or a mimic of sorts," Maq'i said in
a hushed tone. "Either way, the Princess couldn't have known it wasn't her
Prince, and the end result was.... realistic, if nothing else."
"We don't want to know, do we?" Jupiter asked warily.
"No, dear child, you don't," Maq'i sighed. "The shock of it all sent her
into full cardiac arrest, and I've had a hard time keeping her heart rhythm
stable since. I believe the instability is caused by the Chaos Factor, but it
is very hard to rule anything else out as she is completely catatonic and can
barely maintain her autonomous functions on her own."
Susan sighed quietly as she made a snatching motion, grabbing her staff
out of thin air and causing both Maq'i and Lisa to blink hard in surprise.
"Everyone please step back," the succubus said as she removed one of the large
red gemstones that adorned the base of the heart-shaped loop on her staff. The
gem began to crackle quietly with tiny bolts of black energy as she gently set
it down on Serena's chest, bunching up the sheets around it to prevent it from
rolling off from Serena's breathing.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Jupiter questioned in a guarded tone.
"I'm going to put her in temporal stasis," Susan explained as she stepped
back and began to concentrate. Her staff began to hum and vibrate gently in
her hands, causing the gem to produce a curious hum in response. The arcs of
black energy started to play along Serena's body for a few seconds before the
interior of the gemstone seemed to erupt in a silent explosion of energy. An
inky barrier of darkness suddenly surrounded the couch, causing all motion to
cease inside and tainting everything with a sickly gray pallor.
"Do not touch the barrier," Susan advised softly, her face slipping into
a visibly weary expression as she sat down in the nearest armchair. "While it
might not hurt you, it could severely disrupt the flow of Time inside and that
could prove most harmful to the Princess."
"What the hell did you do?" Jupiter inquired as she stared at the dome of
energy surrounding Serena. Next to her, Mercury immediately reset her computer
and tried to scan both the barrier and the blonde princess. A soft growl of
frustration rose up from her throat a second later as she couldn't get any sort
of reading from either one.
"As I said, I slowed down the flow of Time for her," Susan explained in a
somewhat tired tone. "Imagine Time as a river, and we are all going with the
currents at the same pace. Now imagine the river flowing around a rock in the
way. The rock is still being pushed along, but at a far slower rate when you
compare it to the original flow. For the moment, Serena is encased in the
temporal equivalent of that rock. Time can never be stopped completely, but it
can be slowed down considerably for a short period of time."
Maq'i sat down in the other armchair and studied her carefully. "Are you
alright, dear child?" she asked in a concerned tone. "Wings are nothing new to
me, nor are occasional holes in them, but you look to be under a considerable
strain all of a sudden...."
Susan gave the elderly Healer a wan smile. "It takes a lot to keep the
temporal stasis field in place," she said quietly. "And yes, I am still trying
to heal from last night, but that is a secondary concern. While we seem to
have a few moments to catch our collective breath, why don't the rest of you
sit down and explain to me just what happened since you left this morning?"
"Well...." Venus said with a heavy sigh. "It started out like this...."
* * * *
"Ow...." K'tal grumbled as he peeled his face off of the console in front
of him. He glanced down and grunted as he saw the small specks of blood that
had dripped out of his nose. He knew that nothing had been broken when he had
landed face-first on the console, but seeing your own blood when you weren't
donating it in a lab was never a good sign.
"Status report!" Tolaris gasped as he rose to his feet, trying to ignore
the searing pain in his lower back.
<Helm is responding,> D'Nina's voice replied over the speakers. <Unable
to obtain navigational fix at this time. All communication links are severed
and are inoperable, estimated repair time is five minutes, fifty seconds. Main
engines are fully operational and are at maximum flight velocity. All gravity
shields are stable. Thrusters are fully operational. All weapon systems are
offline. Main shields at twenty-seven percent and holding. All reactors are
fully operational. External radiation count at two hundred forty-nine and
dropping. Internal radiation count is twenty-three. A Level-4 alert has been
issued due to internal radiation levels.>
"I'll take it," K'tal replied. "I can deal with an acid bath, but it'll
have to wait until we're out of this mess. Tactical, talk to me!"
"Sir, all external sensors are offline," the officer replied with a sigh.
"The EMP wave damaged half the nodes and completely knocked out the regional
communications network. The helm is essentially flying blind right now since
we can't even see where we are or where we're going."
"D'Nina...." K'tal said in a worried tone.
<Helm is continuing along last known flight path,> she reported. <Unable
to adjust flight profile until a navigational fix is obtained.>
"Just don't run us into anything," K'tal sighed.
<Helm acknowledges.>
"Communications, do what you can, as soon as you can," K'tal instructed
his Communications officer next. "We probably won't get much until we clear
the blast zone and leave all this radioactive stuff behind. And speaking of
which.... Tactical, do we have any readings on the NP warhead, by chance?"
"Low-yield, sir," the officer reported. "Looks to be one of the new ones
with the short decay periods. Nothing like the Outreaches blast, however, and
I can't give you a firm estimate until I get these sensors back, but I'd say
that we should have decay-to-zero in about three weeks."
Tolaris grunted quietly. "Let's hear it for low-yields," he muttered.
K'tal shrugged in dismissal. "Just means we should be able to use the
docking machinery when we head back home next month. Until then, we need to
find a suitable place to set this thing down and start scrubbing the hull to
get rid of the radiation. It might decay away in three weeks, but a lot of
radiation damage can still happen in the process."
"Copy," Tolaris replied as he started pulling up geographic charts on his
auxiliary terminal.
"Assuming we still have a home next month," Lieutenant Asrial growled to
herself. "That blast might have destroyed the storage bays and the docking
clamps."
"They're underground, remember?" K'tal reminded her. "Yeah, we left a big
gaping hole in the landscape when we left, but the shockwave should have blown
right over it without disturbing anything. We'll still need to scrub it down,
of course, but everything should still work fine."
"Only if you like glow-in-the-dark ceremonial armor," Asrial muttered.
K'tal shrugged. "Nothing crucial got left behind in the storage bays,
Lieutenant. Things were organized that way for a reason, after all."
<Navigational fix acquired,> D'Nina reported. <Bearing is two-four-one,
distance from point-of-origin is seventy-five miles.>
"Okay, one moment," Tolaris said as he typed the information into his
panel. "Helm, come about to bearing three-four-four and increase altitude to
ten angels."
<Helm acknowledges, Commander,> D'Nina replied. The deck started to tilt
a moment later, gently easing up on the left side as the airborne complex made
a slow turn to the right.
"So where are you taking us this time?" K'tal inquired casually.
"I figured we needed to set down somewhere open," Tolaris explained. "We
need a large source of water within range to supply the scrubbers, and having
some protective cover wouldn't be a bad idea at this point. There's a desert
plain in the Northern Mountains that fits the bill, with a small valley river
at the northern edge."
"Ahh, yes, Sector Seven," K'tal mused. "There's a repair facility in the
area too, correct?"
Tolaris nodded. "A small one, but as we don't need many repairs, or at
least not at the moment, it should suffice."
"Good," K'tal replied. "Communications, as soon as you can find a valid
communications network to tap into, I want you to contact the Sector Seven's
chief and advise her of our situation. After that, try to hail the Imperial
Castle at regular intervals. I don't expect to hear a response anytime soon,
but we can at least try. Who's got the alternate command post at the moment?"
"Southern Division," Tactical replied. "Lieutenant-General Olox."
"Bleah," K'tal grunted. "Self-righteous p'tai.... Hail him as soon as
you get an open frequency, let him know we're in one piece and what we intend
to do for the visible future."
"There's a question," Tolaris said quietly. "What do you intend to do?"
"Damned if I know," K'tal sighed. "I know the Imperial Castle wasn't
damaged by the blast as I can still hear Ael'ien inside my skull, so we know
that both Rune and Si'ren are alive. Command will default to Olox until the
regional communication nets are regenerated, which shouldn't take longer than
a day or two. I suppose we'll get our orders after that, but until then I'm
going to take care of this division."
"What about General Nop'tera?" Tolaris prodded him. "If we survived the
blast, I don't see why the V'ral wouldn't. And in either case, there are still
two Red Wing divisions parked somewhere in the polar oceans to deal with."
K'tal sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "One crisis at a time,
Tolaris. Or would you prefer that I keep my plate fully loaded at all times?"
"We're alive and the blast is behind us," Tolaris pointed out. "That's
one crisis dealt with. Just because we're in limbo doesn't mean we can quit
trying to figure out what else we need to do for the future, both short-term
and long-term."
"Alright, Commander," K'tal said as he clasped his arms behind his back.
"If you have any suggestions, the floor is yours for the moment."
Tolaris raised an eyebrow in response and sighed very quietly. "We know
that Rune ordered the missile launch and that it was aimed at Nop'tera. Past
history, both recent and ancient, tells us that Nop'tera will not let this act
go without serious retaliation. I've been out of touch for awhile, but even
I know a brewing civil war when I see one. You yourself warned me of this very
possibility."
"Tell me about it," K'tal muttered with a dour sigh.
"So the question is, what sides do we take on this?" Tolaris continued.
"Don't suppose we can sit this one out?" K'tal suggested.
There was a soft growl from one of the maintenance panels. "Tell me he's
not that naive," Asrial muttered softly to the Tactical officer.
"As you were, Lieutenant," Tolaris said sternly. "Unfortunately, I doubt
that Rune will allow us that luxury. She will most likely order us to assist
her in some fashion or another, probably in a direct-assault context as we are
currently mobile and in possession of a particle-wave cannon."
<All weapon systems are currently offline,> D'Nina reminded him. <Unable
to estimate repair time or requirements until sensors are available.>
K'tal merely shook his head. "That can be fixed easily enough, Chief.
Tolaris is right, I suddenly have a bad feeling about being mobile right about
now. Okay, try it like this, Commander.... what side would you be on?"
"Whichever side ends up being in the best interests of our division and
the Negaverse as a whole," Tolaris said simply. "And not just our world, but
Earth as well. Keep in mind we have our Crown Prince and Raijen's daughter
living there now," he reminded him.
The silence in the room was so sudden it echoed. "Crown Prince?" Asrial
asked in a dangerously soft tone. "What Crown Prince?"
Tolaris and K'tal exchanged glances for a minor eternity before Tolaris
sighed quietly. "I think it's time we told them the full story," he said in a
very soft tone. "I can understand why Rune would want such information to be
kept as quiet as possible, but under the circumstances...."
K'tal made a gesture. "You probably know more than I do right now, so it
is up to you. I can call a department head meeting if you want."
"No," Tolaris said, shaking his head gently. "This is something for the
entire Legion to hear for themselves. Give me an all-call, please," he said
to the Communications lieutenant as he picked up a hard-wired comm-link.
He waited for the familiar two-tone, three note whistle to quit echoing
along the bays and corridors of the airborne complex before he began to speak.
"Attention all personnel, this is Dragoon Commander Tolaris...."
* * * *
Maze smirked as he looked up at the ceiling speaker. "Told you," he said
to the Engineering chief with a smirk. "Took him long enough, though. Any
bets that this'll be one of those 'rally the troops' speeches?"
"I know about you and wagers," the chief grunted back. "No bets."
"Spoilsport," Maze chuckled.
"As you've probably heard by now," Tolaris' voice echoed throughout the
facility, "I am indeed alive and in one piece. As some of you have also heard,
both Lieutenant Maze and Lieutenant Ra'vel have spent the last few months on
Earth with me in technical exile. The three of us have returned here to the
Negaverse to achieve a goal, which is nothing less than saving our homeworld
from what will most likely become a civil war.
"Some of you may call our motives into question or denounce us as traitors
to the throne, the military, and to the Legion. I should like to point out
that only I have been charged with such a crime and was found guilty by my own
admission. The only crimes Maze and Ra'vel have committed is following their
consciences in aiding an old friend in a time of need. No denizens were harmed
by them, none lost their lives because of their actions, and to my knowledge
there was only very minor property damage as a result of their assistance.
"If there is anyone to be called a traitor, it is me. I am the one who
knowingly and willingly defied Queen Beryl's orders when I spared the lives of
Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury so long ago. I refused to kill them simply for
protecting their world against an unprovoked invasion, similar in concept if
not in scale to the invasion of their original world, the Moon Kingdom. For
that crime I was branded a traitor and sentenced to exile for eternity, first
frozen in crystal, and later to Earth after I was freed from my prison.
"During my time on Earth, I have come to know the humans quite well and
have become friends with the Sailor Scouts. I've learned much about them and
about their past, much as I have gotten to know a great number of my fellow
Dragoons throughout the centuries. I count them among my closest friends as I
count a number of you as well, and it is because I know them so well that I am
able to come here today on their side with a clear conscience.
"The Sailor Scouts are defenders of their world, nothing more. They are,
in fact, the very same ones whom we encountered in the Moon Kingdom a thousand
years ago. Queen Serenity sacrificed her own life to ensure that they would be
reborn a thousand years later, once again to protect their world from whatever
would try to encroach upon it. They fight against us only to protect Earth,
not to destroy us or our way of life. I have witnessed this for myself, seen
life from their perspective and through their eyes, and the core of honor in me
that has been instilled since the first day I joined the Dragoon Legion cannot
fault them for what they do.
"It is true that they are here in the Negaverse today, and that I came
with them of my own free will with the intent of helping them. They are here
only because someone from our world struck at them first, hurting them in a way
they simply cannot ignore. Their leader, Sailor Moon, was kidnapped yesterday,
taken prisoner and whisked away to the Imperial Castle. While no true soldier
would allow the capture of their leader to stand unchallenged, Sailor Moon
means far more to both them and us than we could have even imagined.
"Her name is Serena, and she is the Crown Princess of the Moon Kingdom.
Yes, the very same Moon Kingdom that was destroyed by our world a thousand
years ago. There was no Sailor Moon back then during the invasion, but Queen
Serenity sent her slain daughter's soul into the future. The Queen gave her
own life to give the princess the power to protect Earth in the hopes that it
would never experience the same destruction as her own kingdom, and so a new
heroine was reborn, drawing up on the memories and powers of the Moon to try to
defend her new world.
"Queen Serenity, however, never told her daughter how she came to be, how
it was that she was born. It was a secret that Sailor Moon wouldn't find out
for herself until she came into the Negaverse with me several months ago. She
knows now, however, and it is time for her past to be revealed to all.
"A thousand years ago, a Dragoon was with the first contact team when they
entered the Moon Kingdom for the very first time. She had with her the life-
crystal of our founder, Captain Raijen. This much is beyond all doubt as she
recorded that fact herself in her journals. She was unaware, however, of the
power of the Imperium Silver Crystal and what it could do.
"Sometime during their visit, Captain Raijen's spirit was reawakened and
reanimated by the Imperium Silver Crystal. T'Cer even encountered him herself
once but was unaware of his true identity, as she wrote in her journals about
the 'unusual, yet oddly familiar' escort who was accompanying Queen Serenity at
the time. He shortly became more than an escort, however, as it was Captain
Raijen who brought comfort to Queen Serenity after the tragic death of one of
her young Sailor Scouts.
"Crown Princess Serena was born nine months later," he added quietly.
The air in Engineering had fallen perfectly still as everyone suddenly
quit breathing in unison. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft
but distinctive thrums of the reactor cores and the low monotone roars of the
main engines.
"Ay'cha navidshi," someone breathed very quietly in the silence. "Is he
serious?"
"Sailor Moon," Tolaris' voice continued, "Their kingdom's Crown Princess,
is in reality the half-human, half-denizen daughter of Captain Raijen. I have
seen this personally for myself, beyond all doubts. I have seen with my own
eyes the genetic results of Sailor Mercury's scans, heard with my own ears the
confessions of not only the spirit of Queen Serenity but of Captain Raijen as
well, still sealed within his life-crystal. I have felt for myself the power
that Sailor Moon draws upon, the power that could only come from the blood of
two worlds flowing in her veins.
"I did not know this when I first met her, or when we first clashed in
battle on Earth so long ago. Neither of us knew this when we became friends,
or when she and the other Sailor Scouts insisted on accompanying me back to my
homeworld to retrieve the few personal belongings that I truly treasured and
felt was worth the risk of obtaining. Maze and Ra'vel didn't know any of this
when they accepted my trust of the Sailor Scouts as their own, taking my word
as an article of faith that they meant no harm or bore any ill-will.
"I knew none of this when I became her friend, and the revelation of her
heritage only strengthened the bonds between us. I cannot ask any of you to do
the same as of yet, to do as Maze and Ra'vel did earlier by taking me solely at
my word and placing a great deal of trust in her or her friends. All I ask is
that you give me the opportunity to prove this all to you, to prove that she is
not only half-denizen and the Captain's daughter, but that she means this world
no harm and can be trusted."
Maze slowly shook his head. "I told you it'd be one of his 'rally the
troops' speeches," he muttered. "A little long-winded, but that's the boss'
style for you...."
The Chief Engineer just grunted quietly. "Quiet, he's not done yet."
"Sailor Moon is not the only one that harbors a deeply shocking secret,"
Tolaris continued, "And again it is something our world is responsible for.
I'm sure you all know about Prince Darian by know, the mysterious consort of
Sailor Moon's who is known on Earth as Tuxedo Mask. He was a prince from one
of the Earth kingdoms who was with his beloved princess during the invasion of
the Moon Kingdom, and after his death his soul was also sent into the future to
be reincarnated by Queen Serenity's sacrifice.
"I am also sure you are all aware of what transpired shortly before the
death of Queen Beryl, how General Zoicite severely wounded him before Sailor
Moon's very eyes and had his dying body brought before Queen Beryl. His mind
was erased by the Psi-Corp while his body was regenerated, his will broken and
enslaved to Queen Beryl's whims like a pet on a leash. His kidnapping was the
final act that caused the Sailor Scouts to escalate the battle and bring it
directly to our world after months of conflict on theirs, ultimately leading to
Queen Beryl's death.
"It was during this time, when Prince Darian was under the mental control
of the throne and the Psi-Corp, that Queen Beryl took him to see the NegaForce.
The NegaForce imprinted itself on his soul, imbuing his human body with the
power of denizen Chaos and allowing him to give a child to a denizen woman. He
later did just that, as it turns out that our queen had become pregnant with
Darian's child just a short time before her demise."
"No way," another engineer said slowly. "No k'vesi way...."
"There are medical records to prove this," Tolaris' voice continued from
the speakers. "They are sealed at the highest levels of classification, but
there is documented proof of this. I have seen for myself the mark of the
Crown Prince of the Negaverse upon his head. I was not there when his memories
were unsealed and he was allowed to remember all that he had done, but I saw
the emotional aftermath. There is no doubt in my mind that Prince Darian of
Earth has been anointed by the NegaForce as the Crown Prince, and that has
ramifications which are almost unthinkable.
"Consider this.... Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon are lovers, and will most
likely seek to start a family together in the future. The powers of the royal
bloodlines are hereditary, of course, but what if they were to have a child
together? From her would come the power of the Moon Kingdom and the Imperium
Silver Crystal, and from him would come the power of the NegaForce. All that
power would be consolidated into one young woman, a child who would also be
born with both human and denizen blood in her veins and Chaos in her genes.
"Both worlds, Earth and the Negaverse, could be united under her hand, and
be united peacefully. Consider this.... no more invasions of Earth, no more
loss of life on either side, a free and fair exchange of resources, of ideas,
of cultures, languages, information, knowledge, experiences, emotions.... Can
any of you imagine this? I have a very hard time thinking about it myself, but
I certainly cannot just brush this off as a mere fantasy, as a long-shot bet
against astronomical odds. This is a very real possibility, and I for one am
not able to just sit back and watch events unfold as they may.
"It is my intention to help the Sailor Scouts in their endeavors, to both
protect their world and to protect their future. Their future and our future.
A future that will not come to pass if we fail to protect Sailor Moon from any
harm. She is a very special woman to me, not because she is a Princess, not
because she is the daughter of someone important, but because she could be the
one holding the key to a peaceful and prosperous future for all of us.
"I do not know what the immediate future will bring, however, as I do not
know what General Rune intends to do or how General Nop'tera will react after
what has just happened. I don't know how events will unfold in our world, if
we will be able to sort this out on our own or if all will be torn apart by a
civil war between two halves of the military. We will just have to see how it
goes, one step at a time.
"What I do know, however, is that I will not sit idly by and let the dice
roll around at random. I will do whatever it takes to see this end as quickly
as possible, and I will do so with the best interests of my friends, my fellow
Dragoons, and my homeworld at heart. I will act alone if I have to, as it is
up to each of us to do what we feel is the right thing, but do not doubt that
I will act when necessary. If I have to go against General Rune's orders and
commit true treason to save the hope for the future, then so be it. But I will
do so with a clear conscience and without any regrets.
"Someone once said that the only thing needed for evil to triumph is for
good men and women to do nothing. I cannot say that I am qualified or able to
judge what is good and what is evil, but I will do my best to make sure that
should evil flourish, it will not be from inaction by a good man. History can
later judge who is right and who is wrong, but we have to make it to the future
first for what happens now to be judged as history.
"It is up to each of you to decide what to do, but know that no matter
what you decide I will fully respect and honor your wishes, and that I have
always and will always continue to be proud that I had the opportunity to count
myself among your number as a member of the Dragoon Legion. Thank you all for
the honor of being able to address you once again. Commander Tolaris out."
Maze raised an eyebrow as the speaker clicked off. "Chief, is that a tear
I see in your eye?" he said lightly.
"No, that's sweat," the Chief Engineer grumbled quietly. "In case you
haven't noticed, there's the equivalent of a stellar core's worth of heat in
those reactors right now, and it's getting awfully warm in here."
Maze discreetly waved his arm behind him, making a note of the ambient
temperature of the air in the compartment. "I think I see your point," he said
casually, trying not to smirk at the blatant lie. "Tolaris has always been
able to deliver a good speech, don't you agree?"
"What command-level officer isn't?" the chief grunted.
"Well, Chief...." a technician started to say. "That speech of yours last
week about the maintenance records...."
"Stow it, kid, before I show you how to clean an active plasma filter,"
the Chief Engineer growled. "Without a hardsuit."
"So what do you think, boss?" another engineer called out.
"I think you guys need to get back to work," the chief sighed.
"C'mon, you crusty rakketh," the engineer protested. "Even if only half
of what he said is true, it's a serious kick in the k'vesan. And I don't think
he's lying about anything. What do you make of it?"
"How much of that have you seen, Maze?" a technician added.
Maze sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "You've got to be kidding," he
said. "Yes, I've talked to Raijen's spirit myself. Yes, I've seen the sigil
on Darian's forehead. And yes, I've seen the results of a DNA analysis of
Serena's blood. She's half-denizen, he's the Crown Prince, and the sheet of
radiation outside the hull is proof we're all in for a very interesting ride."
The Chief Engineer grabbed an oil-rag off of his desk and wiped away the
moisture stains on his face and neck. "Isn't that an Eastern Frontier curse?"
he grunted. "May you live in interesting times, or something like that?"
Maze chuckled and patted the chief on the back. "Hey, at least we're all
alive. Which is more than what I can say for Sergeant Dae-Ral's little rock
garden that she kept outside the southern entrance gates...."
"Hey, great!" another engineer chuckled. "Glow-in-the-dark rocks! We can
use 'em down here for when Flat-Foot over there trips over another power main
and kills the lights. Again."
"HEY!" someone protested.
"Rocks aren't supposed to glow," the chief sighed. "Speaking of which, we
need to develop a plan to scrub the hull before the radiation starts eating a
hole in the plates. Any ideas where we're going?"
"Hell in a handbasket?" a tech suggested under her breath.
"No, no, we just escaped that, remember?" her partner replied.
Maze shrugged casually. "We'll find out, chief. Have a little faith in
the boys upstairs."
"We'll see," the chief grunted.
"Fair enough," Maze nodded. "Oh, and about Sailor Moon...?"
"Like I said, we'll see, Lieutenant," the Chief Engineer said quietly,
unconsciously echoing the same sentiment being expressed in various ways by
other Dragoons throughout the suddenly hushed Dragoon Headquarters Complex.
* * * *
"Darian?" Sailor Uranus said quietly once she was absolutely sure that the
floor was finished tossing them around like dice on a casino table. The lights
were still completely out, leaving the room in absolute darkness. "Rei?"
"I'm here," Mars replied quietly.
"I think I'm here," Tuxedo Mask coughed.
"You guys alright?" Uranus inquired as she considered trying to figure out
just which direction was up at the moment. She was lying on her side and in
what she had the nagging suspicion was an intimate embrace with someone else,
as there was something incredibly warm and soft beneath her fingertips.
"I'll let you know as soon as the room stops spinning," he sighed. "Umm,
I don't mean to be rude, ladies, but who's got their hand in my pants?"
"I'm sitting on my hands, so it's not me," Mars grumbled.
"Oh boy," Uranus sighed. "D, hold still for one second.... this you?" she
asked as she carefully flexed her fingertips, squeezing the warmth she was
feeling.
"I don't feel anything moving," Tuxedo Mask said in a guarded tone.
There was a harsh cough before a voice rasped, "That's me."
"Huh?" Uranus blinked before she recognized the voice. "Myst!"
"That hurt," the Shinma moaned quietly. "That really, really hurt."
"At least you're alive, sweetie," Uranus replied as she tried to pick her
up. She blinked hard as she heard a decidedly liquid sound and felt something
rather cold and slimy slap against her wrist. "Uh, are you sure you're okay?"
"Give me a moment," Myst rasped. "I got forced out of the demiplane by
all that energy, and I'm still trying to restructure my body."
There was a soft grunt from Tuxedo Mask. "Maybe it's a good thing that we
can't see you right now," he mused. "Hey, who's grabbing me this time?"
"Sorry, that's me," Mars apologized quietly. "I think that's your arm up
against my stomach, then. No, don't move just yet," she added.
"Erk," Uranus gagged as Myst's body suddenly became a gelatinous mass that
started oozing down her arm. "Honey, warn me before you do that, okay? This
feels so gross right now...."
"Speaking of feeling things...." Tuxedo Mask said in a low tone.
"Just hold still, I'm almost done," Mars promised.
"Doing what?" he prodded.
Uranus just sighed quietly. "Kids, get a room or something. We can play
doctor later once we're back on Earth. Hey, that's my arm you're feeling up,"
she grumbled as she felt a gentle squeeze on her elbow.
"That's Myst, not me," Mars replied. "Okay, there should be only one more
button left, at least that I know of...."
"Sailor Mars?" Tuxedo Mask inquired in a faintly edged tone. "Why are you
unbuttoning my shirt?"
There was a sigh of frustration from the darkness. "Because I think my
chest bow somehow got tangled in your jacket and I'm trying to find which one
of the buttons it's caught on. Now hold still."
"Give it up, girl," Uranus sighed. "These bows do pop off, you know."
"When you can work the clasp, which I can't because it's all tied up....
Ahh, there we go," Mars said as there was a soft whisper of moving fabric.
"Oh, so that's what that weight was," Tuxedo Mask replied as he felt the
tension in his chest suddenly evaporate. "I was starting to get worried."
"Speaking of being worried," Uranus replied, "Does anyone have a light?
Candle, glowstone, torch, don't matter to me so long as I can see what's going
on around me. AHHHHH!" she yelped as her arm started to luminesce. "Goddamn
it, Myst, *WARN ME* before you do something like that!"
"Spooky," Tuxedo Mask commented at the sight of her skin seeming to glow
on its own. He glanced down at his shirt and grumbled quietly to himself as
he noticed that most of the buttons had been undone, exposing his undershirt.
He then glanced over to his side and blinked hard at how he was pressed up
against Sailor Mars. "Whoops...."
"Don't worry about it," Mars replied softly as she finished adjusting her
chest bow and rested her hand on his. "I'm against the wall, so you need to
move first."
The shadows in the room seemed to whirl around madly as Uranus scrambled
to her feet, still staring down at the way Myst was glowing on her arm. "That
isn't exactly what I meant, hon, but I love you all the same. Think you can
make it a touch brighter in here?"
Everyone blinked as a swath of darkness suddenly split across the glowing
skin, forming into a crude pair of lips. "Bright assssss can be," Myst said
in a hissing whisper.
"Bah," Uranus grunted as she looked around the darkened medical ward for
anything of interest. "It'll have to do. Look, I don't know what's going on
between you two, but can you guys quit cuddling up on the floor? We've still
got work to do."
There was a soft grunt of protest from Tuxedo Mask as he rolled over onto
his stomach and started to get up. "First her, now you?" he muttered. "Who
spiked the water with estrogen? HEY!" he yelped as Mars frowned and delivered
a casual kick to his exposed backside.
"Serves you right," Uranus observed.
"Let's see you put up with these cramps," Mars grumbled as she unsteadily
rose to her feet. "And don't give me any nonsense about pain medication, they
don't work. Trust me, I've been using them."
"Whoops," Uranus said, blinking in surprise. "So Mina was right and you
really are being a bitch because you're on the rag?"
"Excuse me!" Mars snapped.
"Later, ladies," Tuxedo Mask sighed as he stood up straight. "Let's just
get out of here first and find the stairs. It's a pretty good distance to the
Chamber of the NegaForce from here."
Uranus blinked and crossed her arms, casting a truly bizarre pattern of
shadows on the wall. "Hey, listen, care to clue us in first about that thing
before we go tromping in there? I don't know what this NegaForce thing is, but
I don't really like the sound of it."
"Our world has the Imperium Silver Crystal," Tuxedo Mask said simply.
"This one has the NegaForce. I've met it before, and I know what it wants. I
don't think it's overly interested in either of you, but I can't say for sure
how it'll react. You two should head back to Earth."
"Right," Uranus scoffed. "Why in the hell do you think Rei and I stayed
behind with you? To catch a quick feel in the dark?"
"I love him," Mars said very quietly.
"Eh?" Uranus coughed, blinking hard. "Say that again?"
"I'm here because I love him," Mars replied softly, not looking at Tuxedo
Mask. "I wasn't about to run away and leave him alone inside the Negaverse."
"Oh, boy," the blonde sighed. "Honey, you know you're just asking for
trouble, right? Yeah, he might be in the doghouse with Serena at the moment,
but you know they'll patch things up soon enough. Right, D?"
"I don't know," Tuxedo Mask said very quietly.
"Waaaaaaaait, wait, wait," Uranus said, blinking hard again. "This isn't
a sick joke or anything, right? Gallows humor in a dark room? You're serious
about not loving Serena anymore?"
Mars sighed quietly. "We can sort this out later. We should go before
the rest of the castle realizes that we're still here."
"Darian, just wait a moment," Uranus persisted. "I thought you already
cleared the air when Mina slugged you in the guts. If you didn't come here for
the Princess, then why are you still here?"
"I don't know," he repeated quietly. "Right now, however, we need to get
the Imperium Silver Crystal back from the NegaForce, and I still remember the
way to its lair. Now you can either come with me or head back to Earth, but I
am leaving here," he said evenly as he headed towards the still-open archway.
"Rei, sweetie, this is crazy," the blonde whispered to the priestess.
"Yes, it is," Mars admitted calmly as she started to follow Tuxedo Mask.
Uranus stood perfectly still as she watched them leave the room and turn
around the corner. "Aww, crap," she grumbled as she sprinted after them and
headed into the corridor. "Hey, c'mon, slow down for a sec...."
* * * *
Rune lifted her head up as the doors hissed apart, watching impassively as
Fleet Admiral Si'ren entered the room flanked by four armed security guards.
The white-haired admiral's face was marred by a deep frown, only adding to the
lines and wrinkles of age already visible on her forehead.
"General Rune," Si'ren said in a level tone. "Do you have any idea what
you have just done?" she demanded.
"I ordered them to remove the fuses," Rune whispered quietly. "The whole
conversation was recorded and is on file."
Si'ren nodded curtly. "I know, I checked. That is why I'm only placing
you under house arrest pending a full investigation instead of having you put
in shackles and thrown in the brig. Regional communications networks are down
for hundreds of miles, and we are still under an ionization blackout from the
radiation. The external count is well over five hundred and it looks to stay
that way for a couple of weeks. The radiation shields failed for the eastern
Security annex, so now a good two-thousand men and women are dying as we speak.
We're still trying to decide if it'll be five digits or six for the death-toll
out beyond the outskirts of the Imperial Castle."
"I ordered the fuses removed," Rune whispered again, slowly shaking her
head. "This wasn't supposed to happen, this wasn't my fault...."
"Internal Review will make that determination," Si'ren said coldly. "For
the moment, you are relieved of command under the authority of Article Nine,
Section Forty-Four. You are hereby placed under house arrest in your personal
quarters. Armed guards will be outside at all times, and they have orders to
shoot to kill if you attempt to escape. You are aware of your judicial rights
regarding such tribunals, and you may seek access to a military adjutant if you
so desire as per military law. Do you understand, General?"
"I do," Rune said quietly as she stood up. "Si'ren.... get to the bottom
of this," she pleaded. "You know I would never order a nuclear strike against
our own people."
"I believe you did just that already," Si'ren replied flatly. "But it is
not up to me to make that determination. Captain, escort General Rune to her
quarters and lock her inside. You know the procedures."
"Yes, ma'am," the Imperial Guard Captain replied quietly.
Si'ren said nothing as Rune was led away by the guards, her gaze focused
on the still-glowing crystal core that powered the ForceWard barrier that was
keeping the bulk of the radiation away from the castle. She knew that there
was little danger at the moment, as the radiation shields between the castle
walls and the barrier would be able to block the wave of radiation that would
wash over them as soon as the ForceWard's protection failed.
"V'Kreeth," she said quietly to the pool of shadows in the corner. "You
and Moirah will probably be called by IR as character witnesses."
"Expected," V'Kreeth replied, his voice sounding like dry leaves being
brushed over stone. "I strongly doubt they will find her at fault for this."
"They won't," Si'ren said quietly. "It will fall on whomever failed to
remove the fuses. She was quite clear about that in her orders to the missile
facility. The only question will be how deep will the blood be once Internal
Review determines whether it was a willful violation of orders or a case of
criminal neglect. Regardless, there will be a public execution for this."
"So who is in command?" V'Kreeth inquired.
Si'ren sighed. "Technically me, but with this ionization blackout making
communications impossible, it will default to the alternate command post. I
believe it is currently General Olox of the Southern Division. I will try to
contact him as soon as possible, but it could be days before the communication
grids are restored. Damn it, why did she use an NP-4 if she just wanted to
scare Nop'tera into moving? An old NP-2 or even an NP-1 would have read the
same, and there wouldn't be nearly as much radiation...."
"Perhaps we should ask the missile facility?" the shadowy bodyguard said
in a casual tone. "Unless Rune specified a warhead type or yield, it would be
at their discretion, correct?"
"Someone is going to answer for their discretion," Si'ren growled in a low
tone. "Assuming Nop'tera lets us live long enough to find out the story. I
keep expecting to hear another Postman warning at any moment now, just popping
out from behind her radar-evasion screens without warning to finish us off."
V'Kreeth shook his head slowly. "You are correct in the sense that she
will respond, but she is far from being a stupid woman. She is probably very
confused right now as to why this happened, and she will not attempt to strike
back until she is confident she understands the situation. One doesn't try to
detonate a nuclear warhead in one's lap without something to gain that would
offset any incurred losses, and she will try to discern that first. If she
reaches the conclusion that it was a true accident, she may not feel the need
to strike out at all."
"Let's hope so," Si'ren replied. "Otherwise, this is going to be a very
short investigation...."
* * * *
"You left them behind with a nuclear warhead about to detonate outside?"
Susan gasped as she shot to her feet, her eyes dangerously wide. "Do you have
any idea what kind of danger you left them in?"
Venus sighed and crossed her arms. "Did I look like I had a choice when
I was basically booted through the wormhole?" she said crossly. "I don't know
what Darian was thinking. I'm sure I know what Mars was thinking, but don't
bother asking me about it as it's a bit academic at this point. And I have yet
to figure out if Uranus even thinks to begin with, let alone how."
"I doubt they're dead or even wounded," Whisper spoke up. "The castle's
defenses includes some of the heaviest shields the military has, and Rune was
energizing her ForceWard barrier, which makes the other shields look weak by
comparison. Can it withstand a point-blank shot from a nuclear missile? I'm
not sure, but my money is still on the blast and radiation shields."
Jupiter sighed as she leaned back against the wall. "Why don't we just
cut to the chase here?" she growled before biting into a dark red apple. "You
either trust Darian to know what he's doing or you don't. Which is it?"
Susan sighed heavily as she flexed her damaged wings, drawing yet another
concerned glance from Maq'i. "You don't understand the position I'm in," the
succubus said in a quiet tone. "Lord Hades specifically told me to protect the
Imperium Silver Crystal first, Darian second, and Serena third. I am unable to
enter the Negaverse to perform my duties myself, so I must rely on the skills
of others. That has never sat well with me, even when the others in question
are people whom I explicitly trust."
"Doesn't sound like trust to me," Jupiter muttered around a mouthful of
apple. "Don't get me wrong, I try to live by the 'want it done right, do it
yourself' concept as well, but if it's out of your hands, worrying about it is
only going to give you some righteous gas cramps."
Susan shook her head gently. "This isn't a simple errand or task we're
dealing with, this deals directly with the fate of the Universe. The Imperium
Silver Crystal *MUST* be recovered, or the entire fabric of space-time will
begin to unravel at the seams."
"And you don't think Darian can do it?" Jupiter inquired archly. "C'mon,
the man isn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination, and he's got two Sailor
Scouts with him for backup. If anything hits the fan, Mars will probably end
up barbecuing the opposition and Uranus will slice-and-dice what's left."
Susan raised an eyebrow. "And when the opponent is an intangible, such as
an atmospheric threat or exposure to radiation?" she countered.
"And you think you could cope with them yourself if you were there?" the
brunette snapped, pushing herself off of the wall and absently tossing the
apple core over to Neptune. Neptune caught the core by reflex, wrinkling her
nose in distaste as she held it by the stem and looked for a suitable place to
dispose of it.
Susan closed her eyes and took a deep breath, very slowly exhaling through
her nose. "No, Sailor Jupiter, I couldn't," she said very quietly, "I am just
as vulnerable to radiation as anyone else."
Venus sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I thought you were in charge
of running the Moon Kingdom?" she inquired gently. "If so, surely you of all
people would have had to delegate various tasks to people and trust them to be
able to take care of them to your satisfaction."
There was a hollow laugh from the green-haired succubus. "Indeed," she
mused quietly. "I still tended to personally see to the more important tasks
on behalf of her Majesty, however."
"May I ask you a question, Susan?" Maq'i spoke up quietly. "I don't know
much about humans, as I had never met one up until I encountered Leda a couple
of months ago."
"Long story," Jupiter sighed as she found herself on the receiving end of
a few curious looks. "Short version is that I picked up a bacterial infection
in the Negaverse and she was called in to flush it out. I'll explain later."
"Very well," Susan replied as she sat back down. "I must caution you,
however, that I am not entirely human and thus may not be able to answer your
question to your satisfaction."
The elderly healer shook her head gently. "You already have, dear child.
I was curious as to why you and your sister had wings when none of the other
Sailor Scouts did."
"We're demons," Lisa piped up as she stroked Luna's dark fur.
"Half-demon," Susan corrected her gently. "Our father was from a species
of winged demon called an incubus, and our respective mothers were humans."
"Ah," Maq'i replied in understanding. "Strange, I was led to believe that
only humans lived on Earth."
"Tell me about it," Venus muttered beneath her breath, drawing a subtle
poke from Artemis' tail.
"It is a complicated story," Susan said demurely. "Suffice it to say that
demons and the like live on an alternate plane of existence, and that we can
cross back and forth between planes as needed. Think of it as somewhat like
dimensional shifting, but in more of a metaphysically vertical sense instead
of a horizontal one."
Jupiter shrugged. "Well, that one went screaming over my head," she said
with a silent sigh. She glanced over at Mercury and frowned lightly. "Hey,
Mercury, you alright?"
"Leave me alone," Mercury replied quietly, staring glumly down at the
display on her computer.
"Any readings on Serena?" Artemis asked from Venus' lap.
"No," Mercury replied flatly. "The energy field doesn't even register on
my sensors, so I can't even determine if she's even breathing or not."
"She is," Whisper assured her. "I've been watching her the entire time.
It takes a few minutes for it to happen, but I can see her chest rising and
falling at a steady pace. Slowly, of course, but she's still holding up."
Jupiter sighed and leaned back against the wall. "So tell us again how
you're able to control Time like that?" she inquired in an idle tone.
"That will take days," Neptune interjected quickly before Susan could even
draw a breath to reply. "I think I understand the general concept of how Time
flows and how it can be controlled if you know what you're doing, but some of
it is still beyond my grasp even after all these years."
"I'm curious, Captain," Maq'i said in a thoughtful tone. "I can't recall
a single instance of a denizen being able to control the flow of Time in any
fashion. Do you happen to know of any?"
Whisper blinked at the question. "Well, let me think," she said slowly.
"Jedyt did once," Mercury spoke up quietly. "This was before we met Rei,
so none of the others would remember this, but he tried to trap me and Sailor
Moon in a time-space bubble where the laws of physics were a little...."
"Twisted?" Venus suggested.
"Like a pretzel," Mercury grumbled. "Try asynchronous. I was starting to
get arthritis, Sailor Moon's hair was slowly turning gray, and we were both
scared we were going to start suffering from menopause before we managed to get
out of that place."
"Oh, I remember that one!" Luna said. "If memory serves, he was relying
on a device to warp Time instead of using his denizen powers, though."
"A change in physics shouldn't equate to a change in Time," Susan pointed
out. "While the two are intertwined, they usually aren't affected in the same
way if one should happen to be altered somehow."
"Usually means sometimes it happens," Venus countered with a shrug.
"True," Susan conceded with a slight tilt of her head. She sighed softly
and leaned back in the armchair, closing her eyes as a visible wave of weary
exhaustion briefly crossed her features.
"Hey, you alright?" Jupiter blinked, giving Susan a concerned look.
"Stress from maintaining the temporal field, nothing more," Susan replied
demurely. "I assure you that I can keep the princess in stasis for another few
hours, so you need not be overly concerned for my well-being at the moment."
Mercury made a nearly silent grunting sound as she switched scanning modes
on her computer and aimed the sensor suite in Susan's direction. "You need to
eat something," she said a few seconds later. "Your blood sugar levels are
dangerously low at the moment."
"I can handle that," Jupiter said quickly as she headed into the kitchen.
"The water should be finished boiling anyway. Anyone want something like hot
tea or ma'cha?" she asked over her shoulder.
"Ma'cha, if you please," Maq'i replied graciously.
"Hot chocolate," Venus said with a faintly ravenous smile.
"What kind of teas do you have?" Lisa inquired.
Jupiter paused for a moment to think. "What kind do you want?" she said
with a helpless shrug. "We must have four different kinds of grab-bag bulk tea
bags that someone picked up at a discount wholesale market or something, and
that doesn't even take into account Rei's herbal collection. Just name what
you want and I can probably find it for you."
"Cherry apple tea?" the purple-haired succubus asked in a hopeful tone.
Jupiter chuckled quietly with amusement. "And here I was trying to brace
myself for something hard," she replied. "Sure, just give me a few minutes.
Who else wants what?"
"Lady Grey, if you please," Susan said.
"Ma'cha will suffice," Whisper added.
"Same," Mercury replied distantly, still focused on her computer.
"With a cinnamon stick, right?" Jupiter prodded her gently. She only got
silence in response and shook her head. "You really need to quit spacing out
like that," she muttered as the blue-haired girl gave no indication of having
heard her, focused instead on a sensor reading of apparent interest.
Neptune gave the brunette a small smile as she followed her towards the
kitchen. "Cherry apple sounds interesting for a tea blend," she said quietly.
"You mind making a cup for me as well?"
"Not at all," Jupiter replied as she opened the spice cabinet and started
sifting through the various boxes and containers. "Okay, raw ma'cha for the
denizens and Mercury.... hmm, running low, have to add that to the shopping
list.... Cinnamon stick, don't see how she can stand to have it that strong,
but ma'cha begs for flavor to begin with, so anyway...."
Neptune blinked as the kettle on the stove started whistling quietly as
the steam started to escape at a rapid velocity. She cast a quick glance at
Jupiter before she turned off the heat and carefully picked up the kettle.
"Oh, good, plenty of both Earl Grey and Lady Grey tea bags," Jupiter said
to herself as she set a small box down on the counter. "This should keep her
happy for a few days. Let's see, what else.... Hmm, apple, that might be a
bit hard to.... oh, here's some. Cool. And I know Rei has cherry around here
somewhere...."
"Leda?" Neptune said quietly, a note of nervous tension creeping into her
soft voice.
"Hmm, this might be black cherry...." Jupiter said absently as she took a
tentative sniff of the jar's contents. "What's up?"
"Do you really think they're alright?" Neptune asked. "Susan seems pretty
upset that they stayed behind, but no-one else seems to be overly bothered by
it. Except for Ami, but I know she's worried about Tolaris."
Jupiter sighed quietly and picked up another jar with a 'cherry' label on
it. "It's called trust, girl, a concept that I'm not entirely sure Susan is
able to fully grasp. Darian knows what the hell he's doing, and I have faith
that both Mars and Uranus do as well. He knew the dangers and stayed behind
for a reason, and while I don't believe it was solely to retrieve the Imperium
Silver Crystal, I still trust the guy. It's like what Mercury told Tolaris,
we'll give 'em time to do what they need to do, but we're going to go back to
check if we don't hear from 'em by a certain time."
Neptune said nothing as she watched the brunette set out several mugs and
began to fill small porous envelopes with various tea blends. "Are we going to
go back in there, then?" she finally asked after about a minute of silence.
"If we have to," Jupiter replied calmly. "Me, I'm inclined to give them
an hour or two to take care of business and get back here. Remember, it took
us almost two hours to get Serena back, so I figure we'll give them that long
before we get real antsy. So if we don't hear from them by.... say, noon, we
try to go back in there and see what's happening. Keep in mind we still have
to try to take care of Serena first."
"I'm worried about her," Neptune said with a very soft whimper.
"Bah," Jupiter grunted. "Look, Serena is a tough girl. She was handing
out butt-kickings to the Negaverse like it was going out of style all by her
lonesome awhile ago, back before the rest of us knew we were Sailor Scouts. I
don't know what to make of this denizen blood problem of hers, but that doesn't
change who she is, and it certainly doesn't change any of our feelings for her.
Like I said earlier about trust and faith, we have faith in Serena's ability to
deal with this crisis, and we're here to lend her a hand if she needs it. You
can pour the water now," she added.
Neptune blinked and looked down at the kettle she was absently holding, a
faint blush spreading across her face. "Oh! Sorry," she blurted out as she
started to fill the mugs with steaming-hot water.
Jupiter chuckled and gently patted her on the shoulder. "Take it easy, I
know you're also worried about Alex. Just have a little faith in her as well,
okay?"
"I do," Neptune replied quietly. "I'm still worried, however."
"I know," Jupiter sighed. "Still, not much we can do at the moment, so
excessive worrying is only going to give us all upset stomachs. Speaking of
which, maybe I should whip up a quick snack for Susan.... Hmm, what goes well
with tea?"
"Fruit?" Neptune suggested.
"Mmm, there's a thought," Jupiter purred quietly as she went over to the
refrigerator and opened the door. "Fruit, fruit.... how about fruit preserves
on toast? Loaded with sugar, not too hard on the body...."
"That should work," Neptune replied as she finished filling the last mug.
She paused for a moment and counted the mugs, a light frown crossing her face
as she came up one short. "Umm.... are we missing someone for the tea?" she
asked hesitantly.
"Nope," the brunette replied as she stuck her head inside the fridge and
began searching for something. "Three cups of ma'cha, including Mercury's
stick of cinnamon, two cups of cherry apple tea, and one cup of Lady Grey."
"What about Mina?" Neptune said after a moment of sifting her memories.
"D'oh," Jupiter grunted quietly. "Forgot about the hot chocolate. There
should be some instant-mix packets up in the cabinet, assuming she didn't use
them all up and didn't tell anyone. Aha, here we go. Grape, strawberry, and
le'un preserves. Those berries have a serious kick to them," she added as she
stood up with the jars of fruit preserves in her hands. "Should go well with
those English muffins we have in the freezer. Take a bit to thaw and toast,
but the tea should keep 'em occupied until they're ready."
"Le'un?" Neptune echoed with uncertainty.
"Good berries," Jupiter replied casually as she opened the freezer to
retrieve two packages of English muffins. "Potent bastards when you let them
ferment, however. Maze gave me a slug of the stuff awhile ago. Almost peeled
off the lining of my stomach, but it was well worth it."
"Ewww...." Neptune shivered.
"C'mon," Jupiter said as she set the mugs on a tray. "Let's get everyone
their tea before it gets cold. Don't look at me like that, girl, I'm just as
upset about things as you are, but we can't let it get to us. We just have to
hold on tight and trust the others to handle business."
"I hope so...." Neptune whimpered quietly.
* * * *
"Listen carefully," Tuxedo Mask said very quietly as he held his hand over
Sailor Uranus's mouth. "There are two Keepers up ahead, door guards for the
tunnel to the NegaForce. I can probably get us past them as long as everyone
plays it cool. No talking trash, no waving the saber around, and no yelling.
If things end up going downhill and we start getting shot at, that's another
issue entirely, but don't give them a reason to get excited, okay?"
"I get the picture," Uranus grumbled quietly as she gently pushed his hand
away from her mouth. "So before we go sneaking in there, you want to tell us
what your plan is so we can try to keep up with you?"
"I'm here to see the NegaForce," he said quietly, casting a glance over at
Sailor Mars. "You two are my escorts, and I won't take 'no' for an answer if
they balk at me having company along. A few people here know that I'm supposed
to be their Crown Prince, so I want to see just how far I can push it."
"Just as long as it doesn't come back to bite us on the butt, D," Uranus
sighed as she replaced her saber in the dimensional sheath on her back. Mars
watched with remote interest as the hilt seemed to fade from view the instant
it left Uranus' hand.
"Everyone ready?" Tuxedo Mask asked as he put his hand on the mechanism
that would open up the secret passage into the main corridor.
Mars said nothing for a moment, absently rubbing her thumb along the odd
metal band of the Ring of Fire. Even through her gloves, she could feel a sort
of lingering heat in the ring, as if it was still cooling from being forged by
whatever powers had created it. "Let's go," she finally said very quietly.
"Right behind you, D," Uranus added.
He nodded and released the metal catch, causing the door to edge back and
slide to one side. He carefully poked his head into the corridor to see if
anyone was around before stepping into it, motioning for the girls to follow
him. He stepped to one side and waited for them to exit before he ran his hand
along the pair of lit sconces framing the hidden archway. He found the small
protrusion at the base of one of them and pressed his thumb against it, causing
the wall to silently reseal itself behind him.
"That's still bothersome," Uranus muttered, casting a sidelong glance at
the now-hidden passageway.
"Let's go," Mars said quietly again, warily looking around the corridor.
"That way," Tuxedo Mask said as he pointed towards a sharp curve at the
end of the corridor. "They'll see us the moment we make that turn, and it's a
good hundred yards to the access doors."
"Wonderful," Uranus grumbled as she started following him, keeping a very
wary eye behind her the entire time. "Nothing like being out in the open to
make your day. Can we say sitting duck?"
"Sailor Uranus?" Tuxedo Mask sighed softly. "Just walk in silence."
Uranus raised an eyebrow at him before glancing over at Mars, blinking at
the somewhat irritated and hostile look she received. "Fine, be that way," she
muttered to herself.
They reached the curve after a few moments and he stepped into the hallway
without hesitation, continuing to walk along as if he owned the place. Mars
followed him after only a slight pause and took up position behind his left
elbow. Uranus sighed and shook her head to herself before following suit and
falling into step behind his right elbow.
"Oh, crap," Uranus whispered quietly as the two door guards became quite
tense at their approach. They both seemed to be elderly women, each holding a
rather large staff with a decidedly wicked-looking curved blade at the end.
Mars grunted very softly in reply, knowing that the glaives were not just
for decoration and that they were just as lethal in the hands of the guards as
they might have been in the hands of someone much younger-looking.
"Halt!" one of the Keepers called out in a decidedly ancient dialect of
the denizen language, holding her weapon at the ready.
Tuxedo Mask stopped well out of the polearm's reach and removed the white
demi-mask that was hiding his face. "Stand aside, Keeper," he said in a quiet
but level tone using the modern version of the dialect. "You know who I am,
and you know why I am here."
"Prince Darian," the other Keeper replied with a slight bow of her head,
her watchful eyes never leaving the group for an instant. "We were told to
expect you and to grant you entry. Your.... escorts, however, are not allowed
to pass," she said, almost spitting out the word 'escorts'.
Tuxedo Mask snorted quietly in contempt. "You expect me to go unarmed or
without protection, then?" he challenged calmly. "Last time that happened, I
was held captive and brainwashed by your kind. They will come with me, Keeper,
and I will see that they do no harm except in my defense."
Uranus growled very quietly to herself in frustration, not able to make
any sense of the words being used. "What's he saying?" she whispered to Mars,
scowling as she only got an irritated flick of a hand in response.
"Our instructions are absolute," the first Keeper replied as she narrowed
her eyes and readjusted her grip on her glaive. "You may pass, they may not."
"You dare defy your Crown Prince?" Tuxedo Mask said flatly.
"We obey the NegaForce, not the throne," the first Keeper replied with a
scowl. "Nor do we answer to fledglings who cling to the ankles of Queens."
"Sounds like someone is getting pissed," Uranus muttered to herself as she
kept her eyes on the bladed ends of the polearms. "That looks like it'd make
a nice birthday present for Susan. If she ever told us just when it was," she
added, drawing another irritated glance from Mars.
Tuxedo Mask removed his silk tophat and concentrated, causing the sigil of
the NegaForce to appear on his forehead. "Does this look like the mark of one
who needs a Queen?" he said in an edged tone.
The Keepers blinked hard and briefly exchanged glances, not entirely sure
what to make of this new development. They blinked again as the massive stone
doors opened up behind them, allowing a figure to exit the ancient tunnels.
"Well, this is a surprise," Al'vexi said calmly as she recognized Tuxedo
Mask. "I wasn't sure if our paths would ever cross again. Well met, Prince
Darian."
Tuxedo Mask blinked hard as the memories suddenly rushed back to him, a
deep pit of ice forming in his guts. "You...." he said quietly, too stunned to
say or think of much else.
Al'vexi paused and gave him a measured look. "You remember me?" she said
with a slightly puzzled look. "That's another surprise. I expected the mind
block to fragment eventually, but surely not this soon...."
Tuxedo Mask's mouth set into a thin line as he put his hat and demi-mask
back on. "Let's just say someone had the questionable kindness to unlock that
particular gate for me," he said in a low tone.
"Unlock it?" Al'vexi echoed, blinking hard. "But who...? Oh, nevermind,
I think I know who did it," she sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
"Darian, who is this woman?" Uranus grumbled.
"General Al'vexi, formerly of the Psi-Corp," Tuxedo Mask said flatly.
"Retired general," Al'vexi corrected him. "I've had my fill of life in
the military, so I decided to retire while I was still alive."
Uranus and Mars exchanged suddenly wary glances. "Psi-Corp, huh?" Uranus
said in an edged tone. "Sounds to me like you were involved with erasing his
memories or something unsavory like that...."
The corners of Al'vexi's mouth curled up in a faint smile. "Something
like that," she replied lightly. "I erected most of the memory blocks myself,
so I guess you can say I got to give Darian a new perspective on life."
"I said no fighting," Tuxedo Mask said sharply as he reached out, grabbing
the blonde's wrist just as she was starting to reach for her saber. He stared
at her until she blinked and looked away with a sigh, tugging her wrist free
from his grasp and keeping it at her side.
"Something to be said for good training," Al'vexi observed casually. "So
tell me, your Highness, what brings you down here?"
"You know why I'm here," Tuxedo Mask replied.
"I can think of two reasons," the telepath said. "I just can't decide
which reason it is. I know they're here to get their precious Imperium Silver
Crystal back," she said with a gesture of her chin to the two Sailor Scouts.
"But as for you.... I'm not so sure."
"Something to think about before you go to bed each night," Tuxedo Mask
replied with a faint note of contempt. "Again, you know why I'm here, and I'm
taking them with me when I go to see the NegaForce. Now stand aside."
Al'vexi raised an eyebrow at his tone. "Or what, child, will you try to
hurt me? Turn your little Sailor Scouts loose to attack me?"
Tuxedo Mask snorted quietly. "I'm no fool, General, I know what you can
do with your powers of the mind."
"I'm starting to dislike this situation," Uranus complained quietly. "D,
I thought you said you could get us past this crap...."
Tuxedo Mask turned around and shot a dark glare at her. "So you want me
to open up a portal so you can go home?" he said, causing both Sailor Scouts to
blink hard at the sudden shift in his mood. The sigil on his forehead started
to glow brighter, becoming faintly visible around the edges of his demi-mask.
"I see someone is in an imperial mood," Al'vexi said with amusement.
<ENOUGH,> a voice boomed in their minds without warning. <DO NOT DELAY
HIM ANY LONGER. ALLOW THE PRINCE AND HIS ESCORTS TO PASS.>
"It seems I am not the only one irritated at the delay," Tuxedo Mask said
calmly. He watched as the Keepers exchanged deeply worried glances before they
slowly relaxed their stances and moved to stand on either side of the still-
open tunnel doors. "I do not fault you for your adherence to duty, Keepers,"
he said to them as he started walking towards the doors. "But perhaps you
should take heed when one ordained by the NegaForce speaks."
Mars and Uranus glanced at once another before warily following him past
the elderly Keepers and a slightly nonplussed General Al'vexi. "It is just me,
or does he sound like he just lost a screw?" Uranus whispered to Mars. Mars
shook her head slowly in response and continued to walk, still keeping a close
eye on the denizens.
"Prince Darian," Al'vexi called out.
"Leave us alone, General," Tuxedo Mask said testily. "I have business to
attend to. Good day," he added as he continued to walk down the ancient stone
passageway without looking over his shoulder.
"Nice can-opener," Uranus commented to one of the Keepers as she passed,
still somewhat impressed with the design of the glaive. She ignored the openly
poisonous look she got in response as she followed Tuxedo Mask down the hall.
She cast a glance over her shoulder as the doors started to close, framing a
visibly disturbed General Al'vexi in the archway. The doors closed a moment
later, cutting them off from the rest of the Imperial Castle.
"How far is it to the NegaForce?" Sailor Mars said quietly as she looked
around. She spotted an unused torch hanging in a sconce and picked it up,
focusing her mind and powers together until it ignited with a soft whoosh.
"Good idea, babe," Uranus said as she cast about for another torch. She
frowned as she didn't see any and sighed quietly. "Typical," she muttered.
"Almost a mile," Tuxedo Mask said absently. "There's a fairly shallow
downslope ahead, but it persists until we're almost at the chamber itself, so
watch your step."
"Darian, you okay?" Uranus asked gently. "You seem a little snippy all of
a sudden, and that's really not like you.
Tuxedo Mask snorted very quietly in contempt. "Ask me again later," he
replied quietly. "I've got a lot on my mind now for some reason."
"Anything you want to share?" Uranus persisted.
"No," he said succinctly, causing the blonde to frown. He then began to
walk at a slightly faster pace, putting a bit of distance between him and the
two Sailor Scouts.
Uranus sighed softly and glanced over at Mars, her frown deepening as she
saw a look of uneasy concern etched on the priestess' face. "Something also on
your mind, hon?" she asked very quietly.
"It can wait," Mars replied softly with a subtle shake of her head. "For
now, we have to keep focused on getting the Crystal back. We can worry about
Darian once this is all over."
Uranus grumbled quietly as Mars increased her pace and brushed past her.
"Yeah, something is definitely wrong with this," she muttered as she began to
walk at a faster pace to catch up with the others.
* * * *
"So who's the architect?" Uranus inquired absently as Mars held the torch
up higher, casting shadows all around them and illuminating the massive stone
doors that stood between them and the Chamber of the NegaForce.
Tuxedo Mask paused and cast a sidelong glance over his shoulder. "You're
starting to put Mina to shame when it comes to babbling on just for the sake of
hearing your own voice, and that's saying a lot," he said in an edged tone.
Uranus blinked and frowned at him. "So what's that supposed to mean?"
Mars sighed and held the torch over her wrist as she looked down at it,
acting as if she was checking a wristwatch. "Yeah, I think it's about time you
shut the hell up," she said calmly, glancing up to glare at the blonde.
Uranus scowled and crossed her arms, the corner of her mouth starting to
twitch spasmodically. "Fine, then let's just get this over with," she growled
quietly. "So how do you open the door?"
Tuxedo Mask said nothing and merely took a step back, watching as the
stone doors swung open of their own accord. He waited until they had fully
opened before he stepped into the small chamber, glancing around before looking
towards the small pedestal.
"Wait...." Uranus said slowly as she saw two glittering gemstones seeming
to hover in mid-air. A very faint glow surrounded the Imperium Silver Crystal
as it floated a mere inch above the stone surface, while an almost blinding
aura of gold surrounded the gemstone hovering much higher above the pedestal.
"That's the NegaForce?"
<Welcome, Prince Darian,> the walls seemed to say, sounding more like a
deep rumbling echo than an actual voice.
"They're identical," Mars whispered in shock, her gaze captivated by the
stark similarities between the Imperium Silver Crystal and the NegaForce.
"Not quite," Tuxedo Mask said as he removed his hat and demi-mask once
again. His tuxedo started to shimmer before it seemed to melt and resolidify
into the suit of dark-colored armor he had worn so long ago when he had last
visited the Moon Kingdom. "They are both the ultimate powers of their worlds,
but the NegaForce is not the same as the Crystal."
Both Mars and Uranus blinked at his sudden transformation. "Darian, are
you sure you're alright?" Uranus prodded him gently.
"Quiet," Prince Darian replied in a soft but commanding tone. "I don't
suppose you will just let me take the Crystal and leave?" he called out.
<Of course not,> the NegaForce replied. <You and I have some unfinished
business to attend to first. I sense a great disturbance in your soul, my
Prince. Am I to presume you are not satisfied with our deal?>
"Leave.... him.... alone...." the voice of Queen Serenity said in a very
soft whisper. Her image took form a moment later, seeming to be little more
than a transparent ghost of her former self. Her face was contorted by the
effort it took to project her spirit, the strain of some unknown power quite
clearly evident on her usually smooth-lined face.
"Your Majesty!" Uranus blurted out as she darted over to her. She tried
to brace Serenity's arm and almost fell on her face as her hands passed right
through the almost invisible spirit.
The floor shook gently as the NegaForce sighed. <Foolish woman, why do
you persist in this futile resistance of yours?> it inquired. <Your princess
is broken, your powers are depleted, and your very consciousness split asunder
from within. You cannot threaten me while you are still bound by the fragile
thread of your princess' life-force, and even should it snap you are still no
match for my powers.>
"Then try to crush us," Serenity whispered, managing to somehow summon the
strength to stand up. "You can't, can you? For all your boasting, you are
still unable to defeat us. We are in a stalemate and you know it."
"Your Majesty, please take it easy," Uranus urged her gently, completely
dismayed at how ill the queen looked.
Mars took a step forward, edging herself between Darian and the glowing
sphere of the NegaForce. "What do you want from us?" she asked quietly. "Why
do you keep attacking us? We have done nothing to you."
<With each new universe that opens its borders to me, a new threat to my
existence comes into being,> it explained calmly. <By seeking its destruction
as soon as I become aware of it, I am merely removing the potential for it to
become a threat. I believe the term you use is a pre-emptive strike.>
"How about we strike you a deal?" Uranus said over her shoulder, giving
the golden gemstone a flat look. "You stay on your side of the universe, and
we stay on our side. You know, like it used to be before you invaded?"
<Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it,> the voice boomed from
the walls. <Such a deal was made once with another universe not unlike yours,
and it was our world that was later invaded. I will not be taken for a fool a
second time.>
"You claim to be able to see into our souls," Darian said. "Why don't you
look into them now and see how much of a threat we truly pose to you?"
<I already have, my Prince,> the NegaForce replied with a faint note of
amusement. <I must admit that I find human souls to be quite worthy of study,
simply because of the almost literally infinite capacity for emotions. Sailor
Mars, for example, truly believes in her heart that she loves you, yet if the
opportunity arose she would be quite hesitant to have her way with you. She is
quite aware of the inner conflict of interest, and it burns her heart on a
nightly basis, searing her like the fire that she fears will one day consume
her soul and leave only bitter ashes behind.>
Mars blinked hard as the words registered on her mind, her eyes doubling
in diameter and her complexion going pale. She glanced over at Darian just as
he cast a moderate look over his shoulder. Their eyes met for what seemed to
be a minor eternity before she looked away, her lungs suddenly burning as she
realized that she had been holding her breath.
<Most denizens wouldn't think twice of acting on such emotions,> the voice
of the NegaForce continued. <Yet she hesitates, not out of fear for herself,
but out of concern for the feelings of others. Very interesting.>
"Back off, firefly, and leave her alone," Uranus growled.
The floor seemed to shake gently as a soft laughter filled the air. <And
what of your soul, Sailor Uranus? Your desire for Darian is just as strong,
despite the pain you still keenly feel after being raped and left for dead.
Sailor Mars wants him in her heart, whereas you merely seek him intimately to
ease your nightmares and satisfy your curiosity. You hesitate to proposition
him for this, however, also out of concern for the feelings of others. You
still have feelings of guilt and shame for your past, and you are frightened
to contemplate how it might cause feelings of rejection and abandonment in your
lover and fellow Sailor Scout, Neptune, despite her apparent understanding of
what it means for you....>
"Enough of this...." Queen Serenity whispered as Uranus became as white as
a sheet. "You know our desires, all of them, and do you see any desire for
your destruction among them? No! You KNOW we only desire to live in peace,
that we would never invade your world or anyone else's. Even now, after all
you and your kind have done to us, we do not seek your destruction. We only
wish to be left alone, without intrusion by other worlds!"
<I am aware of this,> the NegaForce said simply.
"Then why?" Mars whispered. "Then why do you continue this?"
<I know none of you pose a present threat to me, nor from my observations
do I have reason to presume you will in the future. The next generation is an
unknown, however, and that is where the uncertainty lies. This has already
happened to me once, and I will not permit it to happen again.>
"So it's us or you, eh?" Uranus snarled, her hands curling into fists.
<There is, in this instance, a third option,> the NegaForce replied.
"Let me guess," Darian said bitterly. "That's where Serena and I come
into the picture, right?"
<You humans have a saying.... if you cannot beat them, join them. I am
forced to admit that the Moon Queen is correct at the moment. She is too weak
to fight me, but I am also weakened by the loss of my bloodline, and so we are
unable to end this decisively. You made a deal, Prince Darian, one that you
willingly accepted even after I explained it fully to you. Our worlds can be
united under one hand and thus the threat of my destruction from your world's
cosmic power becomes reduced to a level that is to my satisfaction. Unless, of
course, you prefer Sailor Uranus' one or the other solution....>
"What?" the spectral image of Queen Serenity frowned. "What deal?"
"I've been asking that question for awhile now, your Majesty," Uranus
muttered quietly to her monarch. "Thing is, Darian won't talk about it."
"Sailor Uranus," Darian said quietly. "Give me your saber."
Uranus hesitated briefly before reaching up to her shoulder, withdrawing
the jeweled weapon from the dimensional sheath. She gently flipped it up into
the air and caught it by the blade, offering the hilt to him. "Careful, D, it
has a wicked edge to it," she warned.
"Yes, I know," he replied. "In fact, I'm counting on it."
"Wait, what are you doing?" Mars blurted out.
Darian looked down at the saber for a moment before he looked up at the
glowing sphere that was the embodiment of the NegaForce. "I'm putting an end
to this," he replied flatly. "I'm taking the Imperium Silver Crystal with me
and I'm heading back to Earth. In exchange for leaving us alone, I will give
you what you want in due time."
<And if I refuse?> the NegaForce inquired mildly.
"Queen Beryl is dead," Darian spat. "Your bloodline is gone, and the
essence of Chaos in my soul is the only hope you have to avoid oblivion. If I
die before I have a child, you die with me, and at this point I don't see how
that would be a bad thing."
"Darian...." Uranus said in a warning tone.
"So here's the deal," Darian continued as he raised the Soul Saber and
held the edge against the base of his throat. "Let us go back to Earth, with
the Imperium Silver Crystal and the understanding that we are to be left in
peace, or I put an end to things here and now."
"Darian, no!" Mars screamed, her eyes wide.
"HEY!" Uranus gasped, equally as horrified.
The NegaForce was silent for several seconds. <You are bluffing,> it
finally said, the walls barely rumbling from the subdued tone.
"You claim to be able to see into our souls," Darian said flatly. "Look
into mine and tell me again that I'm not ready to slit my own throat to put an
end to this. It might end up destroying our world, but I'm taking you and the
Negaverse with me. Look into my soul!" he demanded. "Tell me what I have to
lose at this point! TELL ME!"
The chamber became deathly quiet for several long seconds as both the
NegaForce and the other Sailor Scouts tried to take stock of things. The image
of Queen Serenity was crying silently, ghostly tears flowing down her spectral
cheeks to splash into nothingness as they hit the floor.
<It appears I have underestimated you, Prince Darian,> the NegaForce said
in a very quiet tone. <Very well, I shall allow you and your Sailor Scouts to
depart here, unharmed and with the Imperium Silver Crystal. I must warn you,
however, that our deal has already been sealed. You cannot escape me or your
obligations forever.>
Darian nodded slowly as he let his arm fall to his side. "You know I will
one day return here to deliver your princess," he said softly. "But it will be
on my terms and on my schedule. Earth is off-limits to you from now on. Maybe
one day there will be a unification between us.... but not today. Leave Serena
and her friends alone, understand?"
The soft laughter returned, tainted with an audible degree of bitterness.
<Very well, Prince Darian. I caution you to tread lightly, however, as it is
still possible for me to create another Crown Prince. I admit I have yet to
find one as worthy as you are, and I even admit that I am hard-pressed to find
a better candidate for the Queen-Regent than your Moon Princess.... but you are
both still ultimately replaceable. Bear that in mind, my Prince.>
Darian snorted in contempt as he held out the saber to Uranus. "Believe
me, nothing would please me more than to be replaced by someone else. I grow
weary of this burden already."
<You are not qualified to discuss being weary of burdens, mortal,> the
deep voice rumbled with open disdain. <Perhaps one of your Moon Queens can,
but only one who has existed for countless millennia can truly know what it
feels to suffer the burden of eternity. Go now, my Prince. Take your precious
Imperium Silver Crystal and return to your little blue world. We will meet
again, that much I can assure you beyond all doubt.>
Uranus cast a concerned glance at Darian as she accepted the saber. "You
want to grab the Crystal, hon?" she said quietly to Mars. "You're closer than
I am, and I'd rather not be anywhere near that.... thing."
Mars stared at the glowing gemstones for a moment before she very slowly
moved forward and picked up the faintly glowing crystal. She looked at it in
her hand for a moment before glancing over at the golden NegaForce, still very
deeply disturbed by the similarities.
"Let's go," Darian said quietly as he pulled the Silkworm crystal out of
his pocket. A swirling blue portal opened up behind him a few seconds later,
offering a means of escape from the small stone chamber.
"Prince Darian...." the ghostly image of Queen Serenity said softly.
"We can talk later, your Majesty," Darian said quietly as he gestured for
Uranus to enter the portal. He watched as Uranus cast a saddened look at the
spectral queen before walking through the swirling maelstrom, quickly followed
by Sailor Mars. The ghostly image abruptly vanished as the Crystal was carried
through the dimensional vortex and back over to Earth.
<Take care, my Prince,> the voice rumbled quietly as Darian started to
step through the portal. <Like it or not, the fate of two worlds lies solely
in your hands now. The sooner you discharge your burden, the sooner you will
be free from my influence. Remember that.>
Darian remained silent as he entered the portal without looking back,
knowing that the image of the golden gemstone would forever be seared into his
memory as its power was forever seared into his tortured soul.
* * * *
"Where exactly do these berries come from?" Susan inquired as she finished
her fourth le'un-covered English muffin, idly wiping her fingertips on the
napkin in her lap. "They have a decidedly pleasing flavor."
"The Western Forests," Whisper replied as she nibbled on her own English
muffin. "They're easily grown throughout the entire Negaverse, but the best
berries are still grown in various patches in the Western Forests."
"Weren't we just there?" Neptune asked carefully.
"At the very edge, yes," Whisper answered. "Right on the border with the
Central Plains. The forests get thicker as you go west, and the soil is of a
much higher quality there than anywhere else on the planet."
Jupiter chuckled quietly. "Hey, if we ever go berry-picking, we'll make
sure to pick up a crate or two for you."
"Oooh, that reminds me!" Venus blurted out, sitting up straight in her
chair and almost dumping Artemis out of her lap. "There's a couple of orchards
not prohibitively far from here that should be opening up to the public in a
few weeks. Anyone think they'd be interested in going fruit-picking?"
Jupiter snorted quietly and took a sip of her blackberry tea. "Ask us in
a few weeks," she grumbled. "We're still not sure about the rest of today."
"Hey, I'm just planning for the future, that's all," Venus shrugged.
Everyone blinked as a swirling blue portal suddenly opened up in the far
corner of the living room, accompanied by a warning klaxon and an announcement
from the cathedral's computer. "About time!" Jupiter blurted out as she came
off the wall, almost spilling her mug of tea over Lisa's wings.
"Hey!" Lisa protested as she was almost bowled over by Neptune.
"You're alright!" Neptune gasped as she darted forward to embrace Uranus
as the blonde stepped out of the portal. "Where's everyone else? What about
the Crystal?" she demanded breathlessly.
"Easy, love," Uranus sighed as she kissed her cheek and stepped aside.
"They're right behind me. See?" she added as Mars stepped through the wormhole
with the Imperium Silver Crystal in her hand. "Hey, what the hell is that?"
Uranus asked as she frowned and gestured to the utterly dark shell surrounding
the couch.
"I put the Princess in temporal stasis," Susan explained quickly as she
rose to her feet. "Mars, is everything alright?"
"I don't know," Mars sighed quietly. "We got the Crystal back, and Darian
should be right behind me...." she trailed off, casting a very intense look at
the blue wormhole.
"I'm here," Darian said softly as he stepped through the wormhole. The
swirling vortex promptly collapsed behind him, leaving no trace of having ever
existed in the first place.
"Darian, you're bleeding!" Mercury said sharply as she spotted the small
rivulet of blood oozing across his throat. "What happened?"
"Hmm?" Darian said, blinking in surprise. He touched his fingertips to
his throat and looked down, sighing very softly to himself as he saw the dark
crimson stains. "I guess it was sharper than I had thought," he muttered.
"Dammit, D!" Uranus fumed. "Don't you *EVER* do that again, you hear? I
told you the blade was sharp. And what the hell were you THINKING? Rei and I
almost wet ourselves back there!"
Darian said nothing as he concentrated, reversing the energies shrouding
his body and causing his dark armor to dissolve. The sparkles drained away
from him, disappearing into the nothingness that they had been summoned from
when he had transformed into Tuxedo Mask.
"Later," he said simply, causing the blonde's nose to wrinkle with barely
repressed outrage and anger. "Has anything been done about Serena yet?"
"She's in stasis for the moment," Mercury said as she grabbed a napkin and
tried to wipe the blood off his throat. She blinked as he leaned away from her
touch, a slight frown forming on his lips. "Hold still," she demanded as she
tried cleaning the blood again.
"Leave him alone," Mars said quietly as she continued to stare at the
small gemstone she held in her hand. Her suit began to glow softly before it
started to melt, slowly sliding off her body in translucent droplets that ran
down her arms and across her chest. The glow brightened for an instant before
it faded away entirely as her transformation reversed itself, leaving behind
her ever-present red skirt and robes from the temple.
"Hey, you okay?" Jupiter blinked, noticing the deeply bothered look on
Rei's face. "You guys aren't hurt or anything, are you? Aside from that nick
on Darian's throat, at least. What'd you do, anyway, stop to shave?"
"I got what we came to get," Darian replied tersely. "Just leave it at
that for the present. Should I ask what that is?" he added with a gesture to
the dark dome still encasing the couch.
"A temporal stasis field," Susan replied. "The Princess is still in need
of medical care, and we aren't able to provide it right now. However, now that
you have all returned, I can take us to a time and place where we stand a good
chance of being able to help her."
"Hey, hey, hey, stop that!" Uranus suddenly blurted out as her Sailor Suit
started to glow and melt, slowly dissolving in an identical fashion as Sailor
Mars' suit had done earlier. "Chancellor!"
"Uh-oh," Jupiter muttered as her suit started to glow as well. "Someone
help me out here, I don't like this...."
Susan cast a sharp look at the gemstone in Rei's hands, scowling as she
saw a faint red glow in the very depths of the Crystal. "Andromeda...." she
muttered with resignation. "Damn you, why now?"
Several dull flashes of light lit the room as the Sailor Scouts were all
drained of the energies needed to maintain their transformations, essentially
forcing them out of their empowered states. "Oh, gross...." Mina shivered as
the last vestiges of her suit turned completely liquid and ran down her legs
before evaporating completely.
Both Whisper and Maq'i blinked in confusion, watching the process with
uneasy expressions. "What just happened?" Whisper asked carefully once she was
sure that there was no imminent danger.
"A very long story," Susan sighed quietly. "Suffice it to say that the
Imperium Silver Crystal is apparently able to act of its own volition at the
present, and that is not a welcome development. This will persist until we
find a way to restore Serena to consciousness, and soon."
Maq'i shook her head slowly. "Only time can heal such wounds, and even
then it is not a given. In the meantime, we need to find a device capable of
independently maintaining her heart rhythm and monitoring her condition."
"Wait," Alex interrupted. "What's wrong with her heart?"
"With her heart itself, nothing," the ancient Healer replied. "She is,
with the exception of the Chaos Factor still trying to awaken, physically in
quite excellent health. Her mind, however, has been traumatized to the point
of catatonia and is simply not connecting to the rest of her body well enough
to maintain her autonomous functions."
Alex, Rei, and Darian all blinked hard in unison before turning to cast
identical looks of concern over to the black shell of energy surrounding the
couch. They were able to see past the veil of darkness to make out Serena's
outline, lying on the couch and seeming to be frozen in time.
"Whisper...." Rei said quietly.
"I tried," the telepath replied calmly. "Rune faked a quite vivid scene
where Darian was executed in front of her, and that caused her mind to do the
equivalent of curling up in a ball and walling off the rest of reality. The
physical structure of her mind is quite intact, including her memories. I've
placed a veil of sorts over her memory of the incident in question, trying to
make it seem like a hazy dream, but I can't seal it off. The emotions around
it are simply too strong to permit a block, and that is.... Well, let's just
say it's only the second time I've run across memories that were protected by
emotions to such a degree," she added quietly, giving Darian a neutral look.
"Why do I feel a sudden chill?" Leda muttered as she noticed the look on
Darian's face.
"Humor me for a moment," Darian said to Whisper, his voice devoid of any
hint of emotion. "Exactly which memories of mine were you and Al'vexi unable
to seal off back then?"
"The memories of how much Serena's love meant to you," Whisper replied in
a very quiet tone. "That's what broke through the persona we had constructed
for you, the one that put you under Beryl's control."
Mina just shook her head. "You people have to be kidding me," she said.
"How many times does someone have to say this before it sinks in? Love knows
no bounds, love conquers all, our love is stronger than Death...."
"Our love?" Leda echoed with a faint note of confusion.
"Whoops, that one was from Dracula," Mina replied with a faint blush.
"She has a point, your Highness," Susan said gently. "Your love for the
Princess and her love for you was able to transcend the boundaries of both Time
and Death. It should come as no surprise that it was also able to pierce the
veil of the senses and awaken you from an enforced mental slumber."
"Umm...." Lisa said hesitantly, flexing her wings slowly. "I don't mean
to sound clueless or anything, but I thought Death was somewhat final and all.
How exactly can emotions overcome that?"
"Resurrection and reincarnation," Susan replied calmly. "The power of the
Imperium Silver Crystal is such as to allow both to occur."
"Wow...." the younger succubus breathed, her eyes going wide. "No wonder
the pantheon was in an uproar over its loss."
"Guys?" Leda said archly. "Can we talk about this later? We have more
important things to do, like figure out what to do about Serena. I'm starting
to get a chill just from looking at her like that...."
"Susan?" Michelle asked hesitantly. "You said you were going to take us
somewhere once we were all here?"
"Yes," Susan replied with a slightly weary sigh. "I am going to have to
sequester the Princess outside the flow of the moment so to minimize the level
of disruption to her life here on Earth. I will explain the mechanics of it
later. I need all of you to gather around the couch as soon as I release the
Princess from the stasis field," she said as she stood up straight, her staff
materializing out of thin air to rest in her hand.
"All of us?" Ami asked suddenly, drawing several surprised looks.
"What's the problem, hon?" Alex asked in a slightly guarded tone.
"What about Tolaris and the others?" Ami replied. "Someone should be here
in case they happen to return, which can be at any moment. That, and leaving
the reactor unattended might be a bad idea."
There was a slight pause as glances were exchanged before Whisper sighed.
"She has a point," she said. "I'll stay here, as I know the most about what to
have the computer do in case of a reactor problem."
"Hey, wait," Leda protested. "We need you to come with us to help Serena
get her mind all sorted out, remember?"
"I'm sorry, Leda, but there is nothing I can do," the telepath said with
a sad shake of her head. "At the moment, she doesn't really have a mind to try
to connect to. Once the core of her consciousness decides to come out of its
shell, she should regain self-awareness in a matter of seconds. Regaining full
consciousness should take a bit longer, of course, but there's not a whole lot
I can do for her."
"Understood," Susan replied quietly. "Luna, you and Artemis should stay
here as well. You must trust me," she said, holding up a hand to forestall the
protests visible on both cat's faces. "I have no idea how long we will remain
sequestered outside the normal moment of Time, but I will bring them all back
here to this era in a few hours by your perspectives."
"Hey, speaking of cats...." Alex muttered as she gently flexed her arm.
"Myst, honey, you can come out now. Oh, yeech," she added as the skin of her
arm seemed to melt.
"Is that normal?" Maq'i inquired carefully as she watched the Shinma ooze
down the blonde's arm to puddle on the floor in a pinkish mass. She blinked as
the puddle suddenly contracted and took on the shape of a gray Lunar kitten.
"That depends," Alex grumbled. "The definition of 'normal' has gotten
awfully warped around here in the past three days. It's expected by now, just
put it like that. Feel better, hon?" she added as Myst yawned.
"Somewhat," the kitten replied.
"I think Myst should come along with us," Susan spoke up. "While I do not
believe we will encounter any outside influences while in the Border Ethereal,
I have never had a large group of people visiting my keep at a given time and
would feel more at ease if I had someone else there who is as attuned to such
ethereal energies as I am."
"Now wait just a minute," Mina blurted out. "You don't want Artemis or
Luna along, but you want to take the kitten?"
"Yeah, what's up with that?" Leda added.
Susan sighed and sat down in the armchair with a somewhat hard thump, a
wave of weariness crossing her features. "I am merely concerned with how the
passage of Time will affect them," she replied quietly. "I would just as soon
not put them under any unnecessary temporal stress from being take outside of
the moment, even for a few hours. You may think of it as being along the same
lines of thought when we reactivated our transformations two days ago. I am
not excluding them out of malice, but out of concern for their well-being."
Artemis and Luna exchanged glances before sighing in unison. "It's okay,"
Artemis spoke up. "We understand. We don't like it, but we understand," he
added with a lash of his tail.
"What about me?" Lisa spoke up. "Can I come along, or would I just be in
the way?"
"You will not be in the way, but I don't think you should come along with
us," Susan replied slowly. "In fact, I think it would be best if you were to
return to the Underworld and report to Lord Hades. Make sure you tell him that
we have both the Crystal and the Moon Princess back, but that I am going to
take her outside the normal flow of Time until she can recover."
"Whatever that means," Alex grumbled quietly, drawing sour nods from Leda
and Mina.
"Stop that," Rei suddenly said, still staring down at the Imperium Silver
Crystal in her hands. The red glow surrounding it was starting to pulse like
the beating of a heart, sending faint tingles through her fingertips.
"Uh, is everything alright?" Mina asked carefully.
"Damn you," Susan whispered quietly, drawing startled looks from the rest
of the group. "Rei, listen to me.... The Crystal is attempting to exert its
influence, independent of the will of the Royal House. You cannot control it,
but as you are still a Sailor Scout it will listen to whatever you have to say.
Try to pacify it if possible, as now is not the time for it to interfere."
Rei blinked hard and glanced up at the succubus. "What?"
"Try to reason with it," Susan urged her gently. "Open your mind, it can
hear your thoughts if you concentrate when holding it. The rest of you gather
around the couch, Time is suddenly in very short supply," she said as she very
slowly stood up, her face marred by sudden lines of exhaustion.
"I don't like this," Alex said quietly as she moved towards the dark dome
of energy surrounding Serena. "I really don't like this."
"You okay, Master Healer?" Leda asked Maq'i as the elderly woman made her
way over to the couch.
"I am," Maq'i replied. "Much like your winged friend, I too am more than
a little exhausted by recent events. I am still able to tend to your princess,
however, so don't become too concerned on that account."
Everyone blinked as the black dome suddenly seemed to shrink in on itself
like a collapsed bubble. Tiny ripples of energy continued to play along the
unconscious blonde's body for several seconds before vanishing back into the
red gemstone still nestled on her stomach.
"Whoa," Mina breathed softly as an icy breeze swept past her. The shock
left as soon as it had come, leaving them all feeling faintly chilled. "What
was that?"
"Temporal energy," Susan whispered as she slowly walked towards the couch,
leaning heavily on her staff. "The flow of Time had to rebalance itself, much
like the surface of a pond has to calm itself after being disturbed by a thrown
rock. I'm fine," she added as she felt Ami's hand on her elbow.
"Your energy reserves are almost non-existent," Ami protested as she held
up her computer.
"I don't have a choice," Susan replied quietly. "Serena must be kept in
isolation until she has recovered. Everyone grab hold of my staff," she said
as she held it out, resting the looped end on the edge of the couch. She then
reached down to pick up Serena's hand, gently wrapping it around her staff.
"Tell us again where we're going?" Alex said warily as she leaned forward
to touch part of the staff. "Or better yet, when?"
"Hey, watch the toes," Leda growled as Mina pressed against her in order
to reach the staff.
"The where is my keep in the Border Ethereal," Susan answered as she did
her best to make room for Ami and Darian. "The when is roughly three hundred
years in the past."
"Wait, what?" Mina blurted out. "We're going to go back in time?"
"Sorry about that," Rei apologized quietly as she shifted her weight and
accidentally stepped on Darian's foot. She blinked as he sighed and wrapped
his arm around her waist, keeping her steady.
"Just hold on," he said quietly, glancing down at the glowing red gem.
"Yes, we are going to be moving through Time," Susan explained. "If you
ask me about it later, I can try to explain the concepts to you."
"You always say that, Sue," Alex muttered. "Except it rarely makes sense
when you start babbling on about twelve ways to describe Time. What'll it be
this time, the string or the river theory?"
"C'mon, I'm getting a cramp from this," Leda growled as she tried to hold
onto the staff while leaning over the couch at a dangerous angle.
"Does everyone have a solid hold?" Susan called out.
"I think so," Michelle replied, leaning over the couch in an awkward way
to grasp the staff. "I can't keep this up for too much longer, though...."
"Myst, get your tail over here," Alex said to the kitten. "Just hop up
onto Ami's shoulder, she's short.... don't glare at me like that, hon, you know
I'm not trying to be mean."
"Here," Ami sighed as she bent down to grab the gray kitten by the scruff
of her neck. She very quickly hauled her up and set her down on the bridge of
hands holding the silvery staff. "There, now hold on," she added.
Susan waited until Myst's tail had coiled around the staff before she took
a deep breath and turned her focus inward, drawing together what little energy
she had left. The staff began to hum sharply as it began to fold both space
and Time around them, drawing them into a conduit with a bright flash of light.
"Hey!" Lisa yelped as she was blinded by the temporal flash. She waited
until she could see again before glancing around, blinking hard at the sight of
the empty couch. "Huh. Well, I suppose they'll be okay now...."
Whisper sighed and shook her head rapidly, her eyes wet with tears. "Is
it just me, or was that flash far brighter than usual?" she inquired.
"Bah," Artemis grumbled. "That was just from ten people doing it instead
of just Susan. Is it cold in here, or is it just me?" he added with a shiver.
"It's just you," Lisa said absently as she tugged on the front of her red
leotard, studying the faint outlines of her nipples. "It's not that cold in
here. At least it's not cold to me."
Luna just sighed and looked up at the ceiling, wondering yet again why she
had to put up with such things. "I hate this," she complained quietly. "First
Serena is kidnapped, so we spend the night worrying about her. Then they all
go running off into the Negaverse, so we worry about them. Now they're off to
some other location, leaving us behind to do nothing but worry some more."
"Don't start," Artemis muttered sourly, flicking his ears back.
"Well...." Lisa said slowly. "I have to get back to the Underworld to
tell Lord Hades about this, but I should be able to take you along for a short
trip. Want to come with me?"
The fur on Artemis' tail promptly puffed up with fright, making it seem
like his tail was twice its usual size. "No, thank you," he managed to reply
in a casual tone. "I'll skip the trip to Hell, if you don't mind, but thanks
all the same for the thought."
Lisa shrugged in dismissal. "Just thought I'd offer. Umm.... you said
your name is Whisper, right?" she asked Whisper.
"It is," the telepath replied.
"Would you be interested in coming with me?" Lisa offered. "I'm fairly
sure Lord Hades has never met a.... what's your species again? Sorry, I must
have missed that one," she apologized.
"Denizen, and I can't go anywhere as I'm here to watch the reactor and
wait for the others to return," Whisper reminded her gently. "But as Artemis
said, thank you for the offer."
"Oh, whoops, that's right," Lisa blushed. "Sorry about that. Well, I'm
not sure if I'll be back here on Earth anytime soon, but it's been nice meeting
you three."
"Believe me, it's been interesting meeting you as well," Whisper replied.
"Hopefully you can return one of these days, as it seems there is a great deal
we can learn from one another."
Lisa smiled, her wings briefly fluttering with excitement. "I know, this
is so much better than dealing with the other succubi. See you later!" she
waved before she plane-shifted out of the room.
"Level 2 Danger," the computer reported in its usual monotone as an alarm
went off around them. "Tachyon particle warning, jump-gate activated inside
sensor perimeter."
"I really should fix that," Whisper grumbled. "It didn't go off when they
all teleported out of here or whatever Susan did, and you'd think that kind of
energy burst would show up on at least one of the internal sensors."
Artemis sighed quietly and started to preen his tail back down to a more
normal diameter. "Might as well go ahead and do it now," he said sourly. "We
don't have anything else to do except wait. Huh, she forgot about that," he
added as he noticed the forgotten easel and art supplies in the corner.
Whisper only gave it a cursory look. "Well, it's not going anywhere, and
she did say she'd bring them back in a few hours, right?"
"At this point, I'll believe it when I see it," Luna sighed as she hopped
up on the empty couch and curled up into a ball. "I know they'll bring Serena
out of it eventually, but I'm still worried about this denizen thing...."
"Tell me about it," the telepath replied. "Anyway, I'll be working on the
computer to sort this sensor issue out, so if anyone needs something or if we
get another visitor...."
"Gotcha," Artemis replied. He watched as she headed down the corridor
before he hopped up onto the couch next to Luna. "Concern for our health, my
butt," he grumbled quietly. "I know what Susan was talking about. We're not
THAT old that a week would make a difference."
"Assuming it takes a week," Luna said with a yawn. "Who knows how long it
will really take? They'll be back in a few hours, so we might as well try to
pass the time without worrying too much."
"Still...." the white cat muttered as he curled up next to his long-time
friend and promptly started to drift off into a nap.
* * * *
The tingle that ran through her body as she entered the flow of Time was
unusually intense, making it difficult for her to focus on her journey. This
was far from the first time she had taken other people with her into the odd
currents and eddies of the flow, but she couldn't remember ever having taken a
group this big with her before.
The passage seemed to stretch on as she traversed the streams of vibrant
bluish energy, trying to plot and navigate a five-dimensional course across an
eleven-dimension environment. The first three dimensions, the so-called X, Y,
and Z directions, were pretty straightforward to plot. She had to make a very
minor adjustment as she realized that they would need to emerge in a specific
point around a couch or a bed so as not to overly disturb Serena.
The fourth dimension, the temporal component, was more difficult to plot
as it was an "upstream" battle against the one-dimensional flow of Time. Even
though it was strictly linear in composition and thus could be "sailed" across
at an angle like an ocean breeze, the "pull" of the current was strong enough
to require constant corrections and readjustments. The size of the temporal
flow also tended to make it difficult to find a given point, very much like
attempting to find a needle in a haystack the size of a mountain during a
moderate earthquake.
The fifth dimension, the planar component, was also not something to be
taken lightly. Situated between what was commonly called the "material" plane
and the Ethereal plane, the Border Ethereal was in effect both a cushion and a
buffer between the realms. Described as somewhat thin by planar standards, the
demiplane's size made it difficult to run across unless it was actively sought.
It seemed a minor eternity had passed before she finally found what she
was looking for. She slipped into the disturbingly narrow conduit with ease,
her body reforming back into the usual four-dimensional space with a very hard
pulse of light. The others formed around her in the same moment, each one
briefly surrounded by the harsh glow of temporal particles becoming unstable
outside their natural environment and instantly decaying.
The group was deathly quiet for a moment as they regained their bearings,
realizing that they were now standing around a small mattress of sorts and
leaning over the still-catatonic Moon Princess. The walls around them seemed
to be made of stone bricks, shaped much like an ancient medieval castle.
"I think I'm going to throw up," Leda said very quietly as she breathed
slowly through her nose. "What in the name of all that's holy was that?"
"Temporal travel," Susan replied quietly, flexing her wings. "Welcome to
my keep."
"Spooky," Alex observed as she let go of the staff and picked up Myst.
"But then again, I'd expect nothing less from you."
"Nobody move," Ami said suddenly as she started typing at a furious pace
on her computer. "Something is seriously wrong here...."
"Hey...." Mina said slowly as she shifted her weight back and forth from
foot to foot. "Is it me, or does gravity feel.... odd?"
"It's not just you," Ami replied promptly, a dark scowl forming on her
face. "The sensor readings won't calibrate properly. Susan...."
"We're on a different plane, Ami," the succubus explained gently. "The
laws of physics are roughly identical, but a few of the constants are not the
same. Gravity is not as strong here, the speed of light is slightly slower,
and the weaving of dimensional physics is markedly loose."
"Explains why my stomach is unsettled," Leda muttered as she looked around
the large room. "This is your home, huh?"
"In a sense," Susan replied as everyone stepped back from the small bed.
"It a place to stay and study when I need to be alone. This bubble is stable,
as is the physical construct of this keep, so I can leave it unattended for
however long I wish and need not worry about its dissolution."
Maq'i knelt down to touch Serena's forehead, her fingertips taking on a
faint white glow as she probed her vital signs. "Her body has been stressed by
the journey," she warned. "I strongly urge you to find what we need to keep
her stable."
Susan nodded and crossed the room to a shuttered window. She unlocked the
clasp and pulled the shutters open, revealing a dense wall of fog hovering just
outside the window. The fog seemed to have a slightly pink tinge to it that
was only discernable when you weren't looking directly at it.
"Bad weather outside?" Mina inquired as she drew closer to the window,
extremely curious as to what the odd fog was.
"It's not weather, Mina, but the Ether," Susan explained. "This is the
fabric of the Ethereal plane, a sort of cosmic cushion that insulates several
planes of existence from one another. As this demiplane is a sort of permeable
barrier between the material plane and the Ethereal one, the Ether is able to
manifest itself here and be used to create matter. Observe."
Everyone watched as Susan reached into the Ether, her arm almost instantly
obscured by the density of the mist. She pulled her hand back a few moments
later holding onto what appeared to be a common garden-hose with a sprayer
attachment on the end.
"What the hell is that?" Alex asked, one eyebrow arched up in surprise.
"It is what I wished it to be," Susan explained as the pulled on the hose
and started to step back, spooling more of it into the room. "I willed part of
the Ether to form a pump with a hose attached to it. This way, I can direct a
stream of Ether to where I want with a minimum of difficulty."
"Wait a minute," Mina said slowly. "You can just use your mind to think
this Ether into something, and it'll cooperate? Sounds too good to be true."
"Sound like reality just took a hike," Leda commented.
Susan just shook her head slowly. "Three-dimensional physics do not apply
here unless you want them to. It takes some practice to discern how exactly to
manipulate the Ether, but it is not a difficult concept. Hold out your hand,"
she said to Mina as she aimed the garden hose in her direction.
"Oh, boy," the blonde said warily as she held her hand away from the rest
of her body. She blinked as a dense stream of fog squirted out from the hose
and moved across the room at a casual pace, drifting through the air until it
collected in a ball around her hand.
"Ami?" Darian said quietly as he noticed her typing away at her computer
again with a very confused look on her face. "I don't think your scanner will
work too well. It seems that the laws of physics don't have jurisdiction in
this place."
"Okay, feels like cold cotton candy," Mina said as she stared at the ball
of mist swirling around her hand. She wiggled her fingers and watched as it
produced a series of eddies and swirls in the fog. "So now what?"
"Now think," Susan instructed her. "Use your imagination. You want the
fog to take a definite shape. Will it to do so."
Mina nodded and looked over at the fog again, the corners of her mouth
twitching slightly as she concentrated. The fog started to swirl faster before
it started to contract, slowly condensing together into a small metallic shape.
"Well?" Alex prodded as Mina examined the object closely.
Mina shrugged and held it up to her lips, blowing gently into it. The
sharp sound of a whistle could clearly be heard moments later, causing several
sets of eyebrows to suddenly arch up in surprise.
"Well, spank me silly...." Mina declared as she looked at the whistle, her
eyes wide with surprise. "It worked!"
"First person to touch that one gets hurt," Leda growled quietly. "Just
let it go, okay?"
"She's crashing again!" Maq'i suddenly called out, giving Susan a warning
look. "I need that defibrillator and I need it now!"
"What?" Rei gasped, her eyes widening.
"Ami!" Susan said as she turned the Ether hose in her direction. "Focus
your thoughts on a defibrillator," she instructed as she began to flood the
space next to the mattress with the mist.
Ami ran across the room and knelt next to Serena, reaching out with one
hand to touch the cube-shaped mass of thick fog forming at her side. Nothing
seemed to happen at first, but then the fog slowly started to harden and take
on a metallic aspect.
"Wait, what's happening?" Alex demanded with a frown, keeping a wary eye
on both the stream of Ether and on the glow surrounding Maq'i's hands as she
gently rubbed Serena's bare chest.
Ami glanced down at her computer, blinking hard as she saw the readings
on the display. Taking a deep breath, she allowed herself to go vampiric and
cast a flat glare at the still-solidifying mist. Tapping into the part of her
vampiric psyche that was able to use hypnosis to exert her will, she directed
her focus at the Ether and willed it to become instantly solid.
"Hot damn!" Leda gasped as a metallic cracking sound suddenly filled the
air, a result of the fog snapping into rigidity. A soft hum could be heard
next as the device powered itself on, displaying its status on a small screen.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," Ami whispered to herself as she snatched a pair of
electrodes out of the drawer that appeared on one side and began to connect a
series of wires to their ends. She finished her task as quickly as she could
and passed them over to Maq'i, trying to ignore the strident beeping from her
computer that meant it detected a life-threatening problem.
Maq'i wasted no time in attaching the electrodes to Serena's chest, just
inside the curve of each breast. "Charge it!" she snapped as she quickly sat
back, her breath rattling slightly in her lungs.
Ami smacked a prominent button on the console and was promptly rewarded
with the high-pitched whine of charging capacitors. "Clear!" she called out as
she scrambled back. Her eyes went wide as her computer suddenly began to emit
a monotone beep, signaling that Serena's pulse had just stopped completely.
"Oh my god...." Mina whimpered, knowing what the sound meant. "Ami!"
The defibrillator made a warning beep before it discharged the capacitors,
sending a strong jolt to the electrodes. Serena's whole body spasmed for an
instant before becoming still again. The monotone sound of Ami's computer was
interrupted for a moment as it sensed the pulse, but promptly resumed as no
further cardiac activity was detected.
"Again, dear child, and check the power setting!" Maq'i blurted out.
Ami swore in German as she realized that the power was set to the lowest
level. She quickly dialed it up a few notches and slapped the charge button
again, raw tension shooting throughout her body as she waited for the charge
to build up. The constant shrill sound of her computer and the whine of the
charging capacitors made an eerie duet that rattled her rapidly-fraying nerves
as she watched the needle climb on the power display.
"C'mon, you piece of junk...." Leda whispered, her complexion devoid of
any semblance of color. Beside her, both Rei and Darian were just as deathly
pale, the priestess still holding the Imperium Silver Crystal in one hand and
wrapping her other around Darian's arm. Darian absently slid his arm around
her waist, his eyes never leaving the horrifying scene on the mattress.
The defibrillator finally beeped a warning before discharging again, the
shock causing Serena's body to visibly convulse harder than before. The sound
of silence that followed seemed to stretch on for an agonizing eternity before
Ami's computer started to make a rhythmic beeping noise as it began to report
a steady and viable pulse.
"Oh, thank you, dear Christ," Mina sighed softly to herself as everyone
seemed to sag with relief at the same moment.
Alex blinked as she realized that her wrist was screaming in protest about
something. She glanced over to her side and noticed that Michelle was pressed
up against her, holding her hand in a painful grip that was turning her skin
red from the pressure. "Mich, baby, take it easy," she said gently. "She's
just fine now, but you're about to break my wrist...."
"What?" Michelle said, blinking hard as she realized what she was doing.
She quickly stopped squeezing but kept her hand wrapped around Alex's arm,
trying to draw comfort from her lover.
"Pulse steady at forty-nine," Ami said quietly, both hands starting to
shake hard with the realization of Serena's brush with death. "That's slow,
but still viable. Healer?"
Maq'i sat back and slowly took a much-needed breath. "By the NegaForce,
that was not comfortable. Her pulse has been around that rate since she was
brought to me yesterday, and I was not sure what was normal for a human. That
she is a hybrid makes it all the more complicated to figure out, but I think
she is out of immediate danger for the moment. Can you set that monitor to
constantly observe her and to trigger a pulse if she destabilizes again?"
"I think so...." Ami replied hesitantly, looking at the monitor. She
blinked hard and looked up as she felt a light touch on her shoulder.
"You did great, girl," Leda said gently, still trying to get her own pulse
slowed down to a more moderate level. "Serena's still with us, so you should
take a deep breath and try to relax for a moment. Or at least calm down to the
point where your hands don't look like they're plugged into the wall outlet,"
she added with a gesture to Ami's still shaking hands.
"I'm.... I'm okay...." Ami replied quietly, trying to breathe through her
nose. She leaned forward slightly to look at the rest of the group, blinking
hard as she noticed how Rei was pressed up against Darian. She was about to
say something when she saw the harsh red glow coming from the depths of the
Imperium Silver Crystal.
"Rei?" Susan said quietly as she too noticed the intensity of the glow.
Rei blinked and was about to reply when she glanced down at her hand. Her
mouth set into a flat line and her eyes seemed to go distant for a moment as
she concentrated. The sign of Mars briefly flared into view on her forehead
before both it and the glow of the Crystal faded away. She sighed and looked
back up at the rest of the group, unconsciously squeezing Darian's arm.
"Do I even want to ask?" Leda sighed, looking up at the ceiling.
"Can I ask a question?" Mina said slowly. "Darian, what the hell are you
doing with your arm around Rei like that?"
"Leave him alone," Rei replied without emotion as she looked back down at
the dormant gemstone in her hand.
"No, I don't think so," Mina countered, drawing a sharp look from the
priestess. "There's been something funny going on since yesterday, and I think
it's time we duct-taped his butt to the floor and sorted this out. And I can
probably come up with some duct-tape, too," she added, gesturing to the open
window and the dense Ether swirling around outside.
"Yeah," Alex added, giving Darian a slight frown. "You've been awfully
cagey about this supposed deal you made with that NegaForce thing. Screwball
over there is right, it's time you sat down and told us all about it."
"It's nothing I want to talk about," Darian said as he let go of Rei and
looked over at Serena. Her face was completely devoid of any expression as she
laid there, the sheets pulled aside to expose her nude body down to her slender
waist. He studied her bare breasts for a moment before he sighed and looked
away, his gaze absently coming to rest on the Ether hovering outside the open
window.
"Tough," Ami said in a cold voice, drawing surprised looks from most of
the group. "If you don't love or care about Serena anymore, then that's your
business, but you very much owe us an explanation about what you've done. You
may have made the deal, but we're the ones experiencing the fallout. Now sit
down and tell us just what happened back then."
Darian sighed quietly and said nothing, watching with idle interest as
Susan began to spray Ether into a shape, forming a low-lying rectangle of fog
that defied conventional physics by not immediately dissipating. Once she was
finished spraying, she walked over to the mist and brushed her hand through the
shape.
"Spooky," Alex muttered as the Ether promptly solidified into a seemingly
comfortable couch, complete with several soft cushions and pillows.
Mina just shook her head in amazement as Susan began to create a circular
concentration of Ether. "In another time and place, we could probably have a
heck of a lot of fun with this," she observed. Her eyes lit up as the new
construct became solid and took on a slightly lumpy texture. "Ooh, a beanbag!
Now that's what I'm talking about...."
"Dibs," Alex said as she crossed the room and plopped down in the bag,
making sure not to squish Myst. Her eyes promptly doubled in diameter and a
slightly disgusted look crossed her face. "Oh, dear crap, what is in this?"
"Gelatin," Susan replied calmly as she began to create a second beanbag.
"I can make a styrofoam pellet bag if you desire."
"Please," Alex said as she got up with a disgruntled expression.
"Ha!" Mina said defiantly as she immediately threw herself into the bag
vacated only moments ago. "Oh, yes, this is nice. Thank you, Susan."
"You are welcome. I suggest you have a seat, your Highness," Susan said
to Darian with a faint edge to her voice. "Ami is indeed correct that we are
in need of an explanation that only you seem to be able to provide."
"I'll think about it," Darian replied without looking at her. He blinked
as a hand closed around his wrist and he felt a sudden surge of warmth along
his arm. He quickly turned around and saw Maq'i standing right next to him.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Examining you," Maq'i replied calmly. "You seem to be in good health,
child. It feels like you burnt your hands on something recently, but it has
almost finished healing. Your soul is another matter entirely, but I am a
physical healer and not a spiritual one."
Darian sighed and gently tugged his wrist free from the elderly woman's
grasp. "Worry about Serena instead of me," he said softly. "I'm not in any
danger from anything."
"Wanna bet?" Alex said, reaching behind her to run a knuckle along the
hilt of her Soul Saber. The metal sparkled slightly at the contact before it
became invisible again, returning to the dimensional sheath that housed it.
"I'm not threatening you, D," she sighed at the look on his face. "I'm just
reminding you of what went on back there. Dammit, Leda," she growled.
"What?" the brunette said as she sat down in the pellet beanbag. "Hey, I
like these things too, and Susan can make one for each of us."
"It's the thought that counts, babe," Alex grumbled as Susan merely shook
her head and began to create a third beanbag. "Anyway, Darian, you still need
to sit down and tell us about this deal you made."
Darian sighed heavily and went over to the couch. He carefully poked it
with a fingertip to ensure it was solid before gingerly sitting down, looking
up as Rei sat down next to him. He raised an eyebrow at her as she leaned
against his shoulder, her bottomless black eyes still staring down at the gem
in her hand.
"Trying to tell me something?" he said very quietly to her, ignoring the
slightly unsettled looks from the rest of the group.
"You already know," the priestess replied.
"Want to tell the rest of us?" Leda prodded her.
Rei sighed and looked up at the brunette for several seconds before she
glanced around the room. She could see a faintly haunted look in Alex's eyes
as she sat down in the beanbag Susan had just finished creating, scooting back
slightly to make room for Michelle in front of her. Mina was looking down at
the surface of her own beanbag, gently probing the material with a fingertip.
She glanced over to her right, watching as Ami passed her scanner over
Serena's chest before making an adjustment and aiming it in Maq'i's direction.
The elderly healer was sitting down on the floor next to the mattress, a very
weary expression forming on her heavily-lined face.
"If something is bothering you, Rei," Susan said gently as she set the
Ether hose down and claimed the far end of couch for herself, "It might be best
for you to talk about it. We are your friends, after all, and we are here for
one another."
Rei sighed and shook her head. "There's not much to say."
"So say it anyway," Leda suggested.
"Leave her alone, babe," Alex sighed quietly. "I'm pretty sure I know
what the problem is, if you can call it that, and it's not something one can
just up and talk about without causing all sorts of unnecessary problems."
"I love Darian," Rei said quietly, looking down at the floor.
The silence seemed to stretch on for several seconds, broken only by the
soft rustle of styrofoam pellets as Leda sat up straight. "Whoops," she said
very quietly. "You're sure about this, Rei?"
"Does it matter?" Mina replied before the priestess could draw a breath.
"I think it does," Michelle spoke up in a cautious tone.
"Why?" Rei said quietly. "I fell in love with him awhile ago, before he
and Serena realized who they were. I know he.... I know the feeling isn't
mutual, but it doesn't matter," she continued, not looking up at anyone. "It
doesn't change anything. I am.... content to have him as a close and personal
friend. It's not what I want, but what he wants that matters to me. He knows
that, and that's enough for me."
"Uh huh...." Leda said very slowly. "Don't take this the wrong way or
anything, Darian, as I'm not trying to make an accusation here, but does this
have anything to do with the problems between you and Serena lately?"
"No," both Rei and Darian said firmly in the same moment. They blinked
and briefly glanced at one another before Darian continued. "Serena and I....
it's not Serena's fault, it's mine," he sighed. "I don't feel worthy. It's
not easy to explain this, as I'm not sure I fully understand it myself. I know
Serena loves me with all her heart, and I do love her in return."
"Glad we finally got you to admit that," Mina muttered darkly.
"Cork it, blondie," Leda growled. "Let the man speak his mind."
"When did the doubts surface, your Highness?" Susan asked gently. "There
had to have been some point at which you realized you didn't feel comfortable
with either the way things were going or how you felt."
Darian snorted quietly in disdain, a deeply bitter sound that made the
rest of the group blink in surprise. "I've always felt that way, that's the
thing. I enjoy her company and all, but I feel.... unclean whenever she tries
to get intimate. It feels wrong somehow, and I can never pin down as to just
WHY it feels that way."
"May I ask a question?" Healer Maq'i spoke up quietly. "Tell me, young
man, did you feel that way before your capture by Queen Beryl's soldiers?"
"That's just the thing," Darian sighed. "I didn't realize who she was
until we were trapped in the elevator together with Zoicite raining fire down
on us from up above. I think I had all of five minutes to cope with the idea
that she was the woman of my dreams before I was stabbed in the back and taken
by the Negaverse, and even then most of my attention was focused trying to stay
alive. I figured I'd sort out my feelings later when I had the time."
"Here's a thought," Leda said in a guarded tone. "Think the Negaverse was
tinkering with more than just your memories while you were being brainwashed?
If they thought you had the hots for Sailor Moon, could they have implanted a
subconscious suggestion that would make you think again?"
The silence that followed her question was so sudden it almost echoed,
everyone seeming to freeze in mid-motion to consider the possibility. It was
quite some time before Darian slowly let out his breath. "I have no idea," he
said very quietly. "I suppose it's possible, but Whisper said the mental block
they put inside my mind was gone."
"A mental block is not the same as a post-hypnotic suggestion," Maq'i
pointed out. "I am not a telepath, but I have learned enough about how the
denizen mind works to know the difference. While I would be hesitant to apply
that to human minds, I have no reason to believe that it would be a difficult
matter to modify current techniques to affect a human such as yourself."
"Hey, Ami?" Leda spoke up. "You've been awfully quiet for some reason.
Something on your mind?"
Everyone blinked hard as Ami slowly turned around, her steel-blue eyes
seeming to be deathly cold and the edges of her lips pulled back to expose the
tips of her vampiric fangs. "Darian," she said in a voice that was completely
flat and devoid of any warmth as she fixed him with a piercing gaze.
Darian's breath promptly snagged in his throat as her hypnotic powers hit
him with the force of an aluminum baseball bat. He found himself unable to
look away from the faint gleam in her eyes, drawn to them like a moth to an
open flame.
"Hey, what the hell?" Alex blurted out as Darian tensed. She turned to
look at Ami and froze as she saw the tiny fangs. "Oh, crap...." she whispered.
Ami ignored her and continued to focus on Darian. "You will tell us what
happened to you when you were kidnapped," she said slowly. "You will relive
the memories as if they are happening now, and you will hold nothing back."
The room became deathly silent once again as Darian's expression became
completely vacant, his eyes staring into empty space and his lips starting to
move of their own accord. Very quietly, he began to speak....
* * * *
A voice intruded into the cacophony of images and sound buzzing through
his skull, an endless discordant wave that seemed to resonate endlessly in a
maddening spiral of chaos. The words took an eternity before they finally
registered on what remained of his mind and drew him back to consciousness.
"Wake up, Darian," the soft voice persisted as the maelstrom of light and
sound seemed to organize themselves into a gentle golden glow and a faint hum
of energy. "The NegaForce wishes to speak to you."
Darian opened his eyes and lifted his head up to look at the gold sphere
of light hovering above an ancient stone pedestal. The simple movement sent
sharp spikes of pain shooting down his neck and back, his wounds still not
fully regenerated after the battle a few hours ago. Queen Beryl stood behind
the pedestal, her black gown glowing in the soft radiance of the NegaForce and
her dark red eyes watching his every move with keen interest.
<Welcome, Prince Darian of Earth,> the voice rumbled inside his mind and
seemed to reverberate in his soul.
He could tell that the memories were trying to rush back to him, trying to
explain why he felt he was in grave danger and why he should resist. Yet he
couldn't find a rational, reasoned explanation for having such feelings. He
somehow knew he was suspended in a stasis field, held immobile as the curious
hum of energy slowly repaired his body and thus was at Queen Beryl's utter
mercy. Yet he couldn't remember how he had been wounded, or how he had been
brought here and placed in her care.
<You are blocking his memories?> the voice asked the queen.
"He will resist if he remembers," Beryl explained. "And I don't need any
competition for his attentions," she added with a sly smile.
<You would take him as your mate, then?> the NegaForce inquired as Darian
started to drift back into semi-unconsciousness. The next few minutes were a
haze to the prince as his mind fought once again to regain equilibrium only to
be disrupted by the effects of the stasis field.
<Very well, you shall have him,> he heard the voice saying as his mind
became somewhat coherent again. <His body and mind are but puppets that can be
restrung to a new master, but his soul is beyond corruption. Force can never
breach such a haven in the human spirit. Instead, he must be gently persuaded
to surrender to me....>
The golden haze seemed to grow bright for a moment before the entire world
around him faded to black. The sound of the stasis field faded slowly as well,
leaving him floating in a void of utter darkness.
<Welcome, Prince Darian,> the deep voice echoed softly in his soul.
The shroud seemed to lift from his mind as he looked around, seeing only
empty darkness. "Who's there?" he called out.
<I am glad to finally be able to meet you,> it replied, speaking slowly.
"Who are you?" Darian demanded as he tried to look around.
<I am the eternal NegaForce, the ultimate power of this world, much as
the Imperium Silver Crystal is the ultimate power of your world.>
"What do you want? Where's Serena?" he cried out as he looked in vain for
a sign, any sign of where he was or what was happening.
<Of course, your beloved Moon Princess,> the voice said casually. <As I
warned Beryl, your mind could be corrupted, but you would always retain the
depth of your love for her in your soul.>
"What do you want?" Darian rasped.
The voice was silent for a long time. <I want your help,> the NegaForce
finally said. <I need you, Darian. I need you to let my power infuse itself
into your soul.>
Darian was immediately on guard. "Why?" he challenged. "Why me?"
<You are human.>
"And...?"
<If you are to give a denizen female a child, your soul must contain the
Chaos factor, even if your seed does not.>
Darian burst out laughing at the image. "Why would I want to sleep with
Beryl, let alone give her a child?" he demanded. "She wants to kill the woman
I love and enslave our world!"
<I made no mention of Queen Beryl,> the voice observed.
Darian paused as an icy feeling surrounded him. "So what?"
<Your Moon Princess hides a dark secret, a secret she herself is presently
unaware of,> the voice said slowly. <She is the result of a union between your
Moon Queen and a denizen soldier.>
"What?" Darian said in surprise and disbelief.
<Princess Serena is only half-human.>
"I don't believe you," Darian said flatly.
<Belief or disbelief does not alter fact.>
"What are you saying?"
<Your love for her has crossed time and space itself, a fact which has
not escaped my attention. Left alone, you two will become intimate and in due
course attempt to have a child, the next Crown Princess of the Moon. Yet if
left alone, you shall fail.>
Darian paused for a moment to reflect on his relationship with Serena.
The love that blossomed between them seemed to be a recent development, but he
knew that it really started a thousand years ago. The question of marriage and
children hadn't even entered into his mind yet, but he knew that such an event
was very much a possibility.
"You want me to believe that she's part alien like Beryl, and that she
won't be able to have children?" Darian ventured carefully.
<She will not be able to bear YOUR child, which would devastate her,> the
voice explained. <Imagine her pain and suffering from the cruel and bitter
irony of waiting a millennium for her lover, only to discover that the ultimate
fruit of her eternal love would forever be beyond her reach.>
"Damn you," Darian said quietly.
<I had nothing to do with the creation of the situation, Prince Darian,>
the voice said evenly. <However, I do offer a resolution.>
"Uh huh. Just for the sake of argument, let's say I believe you," Darian
replied flatly. "Tell me why you would offer me such a thing."
<Self-preservation.>
Darian blinked. "I don't get it."
<The situation between Queen Beryl and Sailor Moon has reached a momentary
impasse. However, sooner or later there will be a final confrontation between
myself and the Imperium Silver Crystal. Were it to be Queen Beryl against the
Moon Princess alone, my victory is assured. However, if she has the aid of her
Sailor Scouts, the outcome is far less certain.>
"You could lose," Darian observed with a faint sneer.
<That is a distinct possibility. My powers are greater than that of the
Imperium Silver Crystal, but the Crystal's true strength lies in the collective
power of the Celestial bloodlines. If Beryl were to be killed before she could
give birth to a new Crown Princess, I would be facing oblivion. However, the
reverse is also true. Should the Moon Princess die before another Princess is
born, then it would mean the destruction of the Imperium Silver Crystal.>
Darian frowned. "Okay, I'm with you so far."
<I foresee three possible outcomes for the future. If Beryl wins, then it
does not matter if you accept my power or not, I am guaranteed enough time for
an heir to be born. If you refuse my proposition and the Moon Princess wins,
I am destroyed but your Princess will never conceive a child by a human male.
No denizen male will be left to assist her, and so her bloodline dies with her
at the end of her natural lifespan.>
Darian sighed quietly, already not liking where this was going. "And the
third outcome?" he prompted.
<If you accept my proposition and your Moon Princess wins, you will be
able to give her the child she desires. That child will have the royal blood
of two worlds and could thus rule both with the combined powers of the Imperium
Silver Crystal and my own powers.>
"What?" Darian said as his jaw fell open.
<I would be weakened by the loss of Beryl, but I would still continue to
exist,> the voice continued. <You would be the Crown Prince of the Negaverse,
and if you took the Moon Princess as your mate she would be named Regent, the
ruler of the Negaverse until the birth and ascension of a Crown Princess, which
would be your daughter.>
Darian closed his eyes as the implications stated to sink in. "I'm not
sure I fully believe you," he finally said.
<Belief or disbelief does not alter fact. If you do not believe your Moon
Princess and her allies are strong enough to defeat Beryl, then you will lose
either way. However, if you have faith in your Princess, then you must make
your decision soon.>
"Why should I believe anything you've told me?" Darian said, more to stall
for time than anything.
<As I said, I have asked for your help in order to save myself. I believe
Beryl can deal with your Moon Princess.... but only if she is truly alone. I
cannot predict the future, Prince Darian, so I must take measures to ensure my
own survival. To borrow an Earth phrase, you can say I am hedging my bets.>
"Son of a bitch," Darian muttered quietly. "This is crazy."
<What I offer you is a chance for both of us,> the voice replied. <Accept
me in your soul, and you can give the Moon Princess a daughter who will rule
two worlds. What other man has the opportunity to offer his child that? Or do
you still believe that I have lied to you and that your Princess Serena is just
as human as you are?>
"Enough," Darian said quietly.
<There is one more minor detail,> the NegaForce said in bemusement.
Darian raised an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah?" he said, instantly wary.
<If you accept, you will have to test the Chaos factor integration with
Queen Beryl and see if you can give her a child. I am sure the process is the
same with humans as it is with denizens.>
"What?" he asked in amazement.
<I have never integrated with a human before, so I have to make sure it
works,> the echoing voice replied calmly. <Also, if it does work and Beryl is
ultimately victorious against your Moon Princess, I will already be guaranteed
an heir. Think of it as one final hedge against the unknown future.>
"You cold, calculating bastard," Darian seethed quietly. "So I could go
along with this madness, you could fail, Serena could blast Beryl into moon
dust, and she still might not have a child?"
<The odds are small, but the possibility exists. As I would face utter
destruction in such a scenario, I feel as if I have no other choice. And, I
think, neither do you.>
"Damn you!" Darian shouted.
<We have all been damned since our creation, Prince Darian,> the voice
said in a tired tone. <As much as I tire of game, I would rather prolong my
existence for another generation than face oblivion. I do not envy the weight
I have placed upon your shoulders, but a choice must be made, and it must be
made now. Swear to me that you will present me with an heir by a denizen woman
of your choosing, and I in turn shall grant you the power necessary to give
your princess the child she seeks. Accept, or reject.>
Darian sighed quietly, suddenly feeling like he himself was a thousand
years old. Give Beryl a child in order to be able to give Serena a child....
Serena, beloved, please forgive me....
"I accept."
<Then open your soul to me, Prince Darian of Earth. You will become a
distant part of me, the bearer of Chaos for a new life and a new generation.>
The sensation of suddenly being drowned in a pool of liquid nitrogen only
lasted for a brief instant before Darian's universe collapsed like a popped
bubble, his conscious mind screaming out in shock and begging for the mercy of
his eternal love....
<You have chosen well, Queen Beryl,> the voice said to the room as the
prince's body finally stopped twitching. On his forehead, a crimson sigil
flared into existence, searing itself into his soul before fading from view.
<His soul has opened to me, and his body and mind are yours to do with as you
please....>
The dark queen smiled slowly in delight. The tiny display for the stasis
cylinder showed that the regeneration was completed and that his most recent
memories were supposedly suppressed. "Prince Darian?" she asked softly as she
toggled the stasis field off, releasing Darian from the restraints.
Darian opened his eyes slowly. "Yes, my Queen?" he replied.
"How do you feel?" she asked as she ran her hand across his shoulder.
Darian paused for a moment as a fleeting image of a blonde girl holding
a red rose flashed through his mind before vanishing. "I have a headache," he
finally said. "But aside from that, I feel fine."
Beryl smiled sweetly, knowing that he now belonged to her. "That last
battle with Sailor Moon must have taken a lot out of you," she said casually,
probing to see how solid the memory block was.
"Sailor Moon...." he repeated slowly before he looked up at her. "She is
a surprising irritant to our plans, is she not?"
"She and her friends are all that stand between us and Earth," Beryl cooed
softly. "It would please me greatly to see your sword covered in her blood,"
she added as she gestured to the sword lying next to a pile of clothes at the
foot of the stasis cylinder.
Darian looked dispassionately at the sword, noticing the faded red rose
lying next to the sheathed blade. He blinked several times as the rose seemed
to waver slightly, the red hue briefly turning black before changing back to
normal. "Killing her would be a pleasure, your Majesty," he finally said as he
took Beryl's hand and kissed it.
The dark queen smiled as she reached out to caress his face. "Come, my
handsome prince, we have much to discuss about our future together," she said
quietly. She then took him by the hand and slowly led him out of the room,
pausing only to cast a satisfied smile at the glowing sphere of the NegaForce.
The forgotten rose shivered as they left the room, the blood-red petals
fading to a deathly black pallor before silently falling off the cold stem.
* * * *
The silence in the room was profound as Darian blinked and suddenly came
out of the hypnotic trance. He sighed heavily and cast a decidedly venomous
look at Ami, drawing a surprisingly meek and apologetic look from her.
"Ami?" he said very calmly. "Don't read too much in this, but even with
as much as I like you.... don't ever do that to me again unless you want to be
hurt in ways your regeneration can never heal."
Ami blinked and was about to reply when the medical monitor began to make
a low-pitched chiming noise. She immediately whirled around and grabbed her
computer, quickly trying to determine the danger to Serena's life. "She's
crashing again!" she blurted out as she started to reach for the power button
to charge the capacitors.
"Wait," Maq'i said quickly. "Let her try to fight it on her own. The
monitor will intervene if she needs help."
Ami blinked hard again and looked down at the sensor readings, chewing on
her lower lip with nervous tension as the monitor continued to sound an alarm.
The low tone persisted for several seconds before changing pitch as the monitor
decided things were unstable. The whine of charging capacitors could be heard
a second later, causing both Ami and Maq'i to edge back slightly.
The monitor gave off a warning beep before it discharged the capacitors,
sending another electrical charge to the electrodes. Serena's body twitched
gently with the pulse before remaining still once again, the warning beep of
the monitor falling silent as it picked up the restored pulse.
"This is bad," Mina sighed quietly. "Ami, how long can she hold out like
that? All those electrical discharges can't be good for her."
"I don't know," Ami replied with a worried whimper.
"Be at ease, child," Maq'i said gently as she reached out to lay her hand
on Serena's stomach. A pale white glow began to surround her hand as she sent
her healing energies into the blonde, restoring various cells damaged by the
electrical pulse. "I can do nothing for her mind, but I can ensure that her
body does not suffer from permanent harm."
"Darian, I've got a question for you," Alex said casually. "What exactly
is the problem with this deal you made? I don't get it."
Darian just looked at her as if she had grown a third arm. "The problem
is that I sold my soul to another world for what I thought was Serena's sake,
or do you not see a problem with that?" he said bitterly.
"Your soul is still your own, your Highness," Susan said gently. "While
it seems you have an obligation, it is a far cry from losing domain over one's
own soul. I speak from experience as one who was Damned long before you were
born."
"And this is having domain over my soul?" Darian snapped as he pointed to
his forehead, startling Rei. The crimson sigil of the NegaForce flared into
view for a few moments before vanishing, summoned by his burst of anger. "Do
you even understand what this means? Or do you think I will be free from this
alien influence once I give them what they want, which just happens to be my
first-born daughter?" he added acidly.
"Not necessarily," Susan countered calmly. "I believe you described the
pact you made as needing to give a denizen woman a child, and that she will be
the Queen-Regent until the child's birth."
"Sue?" Alex said as Darian snarled quietly in contempt. "I think now is
not the time to try to highlight any subtle nuances, as you're not helping in
the slightest."
"What if...?" Michelle started to say before falling silent as Darian's
focus shifted over to her. She shivered at the look of roiling emotions in his
dark eyes and tried to curl up in Alex's lap.
"Hey, easy," Alex said soothingly as she rubbed her arms.
"Keep going," Mina prodded her gently. "If you've got a thought, now's a
good time as any to air it out."
"Michelle?" Susan said with soft encouragement.
"W-What if...." Michelle stammered quietly, "What if Darian had a child
with someone else first, a denizen woman? Then he and Serena could have their
child together and she wouldn't be influenced by this...."
"Would you just blithely hand over your daughter to a society that you
couldn't even trust to watch over a tank of goldfish?" Darian said harshly.
"It wouldn't matter who her mother was, she would still be my flesh and blood.
What?" he growled as Rei gently put her hand on his arm and squeezed gently.
"We're trying to help you, Darian," Rei said, a look of deep sadness in
her eyes. "You and Serena both. You can't give up hope yet."
"And barking like a junkyard dog as your friends won't help either," Leda
pointed out. "Just between you and me, I probably would have accepted the same
deal if I were in your position, so don't start killing yourself over it from
feelings of guilt or anything."
"Literally," Alex muttered to herself, drawing odd looks from everyone
else except Rei. The priestess just sighed softly and squeezed Darian's arm
once again, her gaze falling down to the Imperium Silver Crystal. Her eyes
promptly doubled in diameter as the gemstone started to pulse in her hand, a
strong red glow emanating from its depths.
"Stop that!" Rei said as her hand started to tingle sharply.
"Guys?" Mina said slowly. A cold wind blew through her bones and she shot
to her feet as if bitten on her backside. "I've got a bad feeling about this
all of a sudden...."
"That's not just you, babe," Alex replied as she and everyone else began
to scramble to their feet. She carefully set Myst down on the beanbag and put
her hand on her saber, drawing a level of comfort from its presence.
"I was wondering what had happened," a voice mused as a spectral image
started to form in the center of the room. It quickly took the shape of Queen
Andromeda, a faintly amused smile touching the corners of her lips. "Now I'm
sure that letting this wretch breed would be a bad idea."
"How much of this is your doing?" Susan challenged as she stood up. She
blinked as her senses started to waver around her, forcing her to sit back down
hard on the couch.
"Hey!" Alex exclaimed. "Sue, you alright?"
"What's the matter, Chancellor?" Andromeda mocked. "Are you working too
hard again? Need a little nap, demoness?"
"Go away," Darian said calmly as he turned to face the past Moon Queen.
"Begone, old woman, your time is past. Long past."
Andromeda scowled at him. "Silence, I will not be addressed by a willing
slave from another world. Your weakness will be the destruction of us all if
nothing is done to prevent you from further corrupting our world in the name of
those who would enslave it."
Maq'i leaned over to Ami and quietly whispered in her ear, "What is the
meaning of this, child?"
"We're not sure," Ami whispered back, her hands starting to shake once
again. "Just keep back, we don't want to get you involved in this."
Andromeda turned to cast a chilling look over her shoulder at the women.
"Ignorant fool," she spat at Ami. "Of course you aren't sure what this is, you
are unworthy of gaining access to a vastly superior cosmic intellect. And as
for her...."
"Leave her alone...." the voice of Queen Serenity whispered as she began
to manifest. Her image was barely visible, being little more than an outline
that only had a hint of color. "Look into her soul, she is a physician and not
a threat. She will offer aid to any who ask, regardless of who they are or
what world they come from."
Andromeda cast a disdainful glance at the spectral ghost before snorting
quietly in contempt. "I know what she is, you miserable slut," she replied.
"We would be free from your bastard-child's corruption by now if it wasn't for
her intervention, but I think it's time we corrected that oversight."
"Stop!" Susan yelled as she summoned the strength to stand up, her staff
appearing next to her. She grabbed it and leaned on it for support, her dark
red eyes narrowed dangerously at the spectral image. "You dare try to murder
the Crown Princess?"
"Enough of your babbling," Andromeda replied with a dismissive wave of her
hand. "It is time I put an end to this, and I will start with the purification
of the Imperium Silver Crystal itself. Bring it to me," she said to Rei.
"Rei, don't do it," Leda warned, her body tense with apprehension.
"Silence!" Andromeda snapped, casting a hostile glare at the brunette.
"Leda, please," Susan urged her. "Do not attempt to interfere."
"I won't let you do this," Serenity gasped, visibly struggling to retain
her presence. Her usually smooth-lined face was marred by exhaustion, and she
appeared as if she were only moments away from passing out.
"Please," Andromeda scoffed. "Your strength is at an end, wench. Resist
me if you want, it will only hurt that much more as I purge this contamination
from our world...."
"Enough," a voice said quietly. Everyone blinked hard as a third spectral
image took shape, this one of a heavily armored figure. He reached up to lay
a gentle hand on Serenity's shoulder, squeezing it gently.
"Impossible...." Maq'i breathed in shock as she recognized the figure.
"So the virus speaks," Andromeda sneered at Raijen's spirit. "Come to say
goodbye to your concubine before I expel you into oblivion?"
"Is that your plan, then?" Susan inquired mildly. "I thought you were
smarter than that, Andromeda. Remove his presence from the Crystal and Queen
Serenity regains full dominion over you."
"Only if she survives the trauma," Andromeda replied off-handedly with
chilling casualness. "The loss of her beloved filth will be a blow to her, and
as she has already exhausted herself to the point of dissolution by trying to
protect her child from her own blood...."
"If that is the case," Raijen rumbled quietly, "Then I will leave of my
own free will. I will do this if you spare her."
"Why should I?" the white-haired queen inquired. "I can force you out and
still be able to do as I please, so why should I bother trying to make a deal
with the likes of you?"
"No," Serenity whispered. "Not after we've lost so much. I won't let you
do this, Andromeda."
"Serenity, please," Raijen said gently. "She is right, we are both too
weakened from protecting Serena from this."
A dark smile crossed Andromeda's face as she glanced over at the catatonic
princess lying on the mattress. "And such a good job you've done of protecting
her too. I haven't seen this much success since Serenity tried to defend our
kingdom from your kind," she mocked.
"Perhaps I can make you a deal, Queen Andromeda," Susan offered quietly.
"I don't deal with the concubines of Hell," Andromeda spat.
"I think you will this time," Susan replied calmly. "I will have Queen
Serenity stand aside and allow you to expel Captain Raijen's spirit from the
sanctity of the Imperium Silver Crystal if you grant me one request."
"Susan!" Michelle blurted out, her eyes wide.
"What the bloody hell, Sue?" Alex demanded a quarter-second later.
"ENOUGH!" Susan snapped at them, startling them into silence. She took a
deep breath to calm herself before she turned back to the visibly wary image of
Queen Andromeda.
"Do you take me for a fool?" the past queen demanded. "I know you better
than you think. You are up to something, and I will not be a part of it."
"Serenity will do as I say," Susan assured her, ignoring the shocked gasp
from the lavender-haired queen. "The request I have is for a Regent to be
named before you expel Raijen's life-force. That way, should the shock prove
fatal to either Serena or Serenity, there will still be a bloodline to preserve
the Crystal's power and keep it from weakening."
"Chancellor Meiou, how dare you...." Serenity whispered, tears starting to
flow down her cheeks as her heart started to burn from the betrayal.
"You know I don't serve the throne of the Moon Kingdom directly," Susan
gently said to the spirit of one of her best friends. "It is at the direction
of Lord Hades that I do so, and I have my instructions. I am to preserve the
line of succession to the Imperium Silver Crystal at all costs, and I mean at
all costs."
"You unholy bitch...." Mina said very quietly.
"A Regent, hmm?" Andromeda said slowly, giving the succubus a suspicious
look. "And I suppose you will try to tell me who I should name?"
A small smile tugged at the corners of Susan's lips. "It should be quite
obvious as to whom the only logical choice is, Andromeda. It certainly cannot
be me, as I can never be accepted by the Crystal as one of its own anymore."
"That goes without saying, hellspawn," Andromeda replied dryly. "Very
well, demoness, I shall humor you and let you explain this.... obvious choice."
Susan gestured around her to the other Sailor Scouts. "It cannot be Ami,
as she is a vampire and just as condemned as I am," she started to say.
"Vampire?" Maq'i said sharply, giving Ami a stunned look.
"Master Healer, please, not now...." Leda said very quietly.
"I know you, Andromeda," Susan continued, giving the monarch a piercing
look. "You are a very judgmental woman. You will not accept Mina or Leda as
Regent because of their relations with denizens. You will likewise not accept
Alex or Michelle because you disapprove of the love they found in one another.
That only leaves Rei, whom I think you favor already," she added lightly.
Everyone looked over at the priestess, still holding the Imperium Silver
Crystal in her hand. The Crystal was surrounded by a brilliant crimson glow
that was almost painful to look at directly, seeming to pulse slowly like the
beating of a heart.
"Think, Andromeda," Susan said quietly. "She has a pure heart and an
uncompromised soul. Yes, she loves Darian, but she loved him long before he
became corrupted by the Negaverse. She will love again after his loss, and it
will be with another human. You've seen into her soul, I trust. Can you think
of a better Sailor Scout to become the Regent, and possibly Queen?"
"That's it," Alex said very quietly to herself. "Soon as this is over,
she dies. I'll cut out that black heart of hers before I break her wings into
fragments and shove my saber right up her...."
"Shut up," Leda growled quietly. "Just shut the hell up."
"Well?" Susan prodded the spectral image of Queen Andromeda.
"I still don't trust you, demon," Andromeda replied after a moment.
"Should the princess die before a Regent is named, then all is lost as you
cannot name one without the blessing of the royal bloodline," Susan added. "If
you name her now, while Serenity is still able to grant her permission, then
there is still hope for the future. And as I said, Serenity will do as I say
because she knows what I am doing is for the greater good."
"Damn you," Serenity whispered. "How could you do this to me? To us?"
"Excuse me," Rei interrupted quietly, "But do I get a say in this?"
"You do," Susan replied before Andromeda could. "To be named as Regent,
you must be willing to accept the power of the Imperium Silver Crystal into
your soul. Otherwise this is merely an academic discussion."
Darian started to laugh quietly to himself. "Bad idea," he said in a tone
as dry as some deserts. "Look what happens when you open your soul to outside
powers. Don't do it, Rei, it's not worth it."
"To outside powers, of course," Andromeda replied with a sneer. "But we
are not talking about vermin from another world in this case, we are talking
about the very essence of this universe. Opening her soul to the Crystal will
only increase her powers, and that is something she has privately sought for a
very long time. Isn't it, child?" she added.
Rei was quiet for a long time as she glanced down at the glowing gemstone
in her hand. "What will happen to me if I accept?" she finally asked Susan.
"Initially, nothing," the succubus replied calmly. "Your aura may become
stronger, but that is not a guarantee. There will only be a change should any
great harm come to Serena, in which case you will be granted dominion over the
power of the Imperium Silver Crystal."
"There is one more aspect which Chancellor Meiou has yet to point out,"
Queen Andromeda added. "As Regent, your word can only be superceded by that of
the monarchy. Thus, you will outrank this demonic slut's authority and she
will be required to obey your commands."
Susan sighed very softly. "That is true," she admitted reluctantly. "You
need not concern yourself with my compliance, as I know the laws and will obey
them accordingly."
Alex snorted very quietly. "Hell, I'd accept it just for that," she said
in an almost inaudible whisper to Michelle, drawing sharp looks from everyone
who was able to hear her.
"Rei?" Mina spoke up carefully. "I think you should go with this. I know
this whole situation seems to be straight-up insanity, but we have to keep it
real here. Serena might already be lost to us, and losing the power of the
Imperium Silver Crystal as well is simply not an option."
"Mina!" Ami snapped, her expression tainted by anger and shock.
"I think she's right," Michelle added very quietly. "I'm not about to
give up on the princess, and I don't think anyone else is either, but.... if
she should.... should...." she said, trailing off as she started to sniffle.
Rei sighed quietly as she glanced around the room before turning her gaze
back to the Crystal, her expression slipping into an unreadable mask of deeply
guarded emotions.
"Rei?" Susan said gently. "I wouldn't have suggested you if I didn't have
faith and trust in you to do this. And despite her current mood, I believe her
Majesty has faith in you as well," she added, glancing over her shoulder at the
almost invisible outline of Queen Serenity.
"I do," Serenity admitted very softly. "And I will allow her to be named
as Regent if she wishes to accept."
"I really don't have a choice, do I?" Rei replied after a moment of heavy
silence, glancing up at the image of Queen Andromeda with a hint of accusation
in her bottomless black eyes. "It's either me or nobody, right?"
"In essence, yes," the past queen replied calmly. "You are the only one
that I find worthy enough. I will admit to Susan's wisdom in trying to name a
replacement for her miserable half-breed princess, but it is not a requirement
for one to be named despite her misconceptions of the nature of the universe.
But something tells me you will indeed accept this mantle," she added with a
faint hint of a smile.
Rei's chest expanded as she inhaled deeply before slowly exhaling in a
truly heavy sigh. "Very well," she replied quietly, her gaze falling down to
the harsh red glow of the Crystal. "I accept," she said and closed her eyes.
"So be it," Andromeda said simply as she made a casual gesture with her
hand. The glow of the Imperium Silver Crystal promptly became a blinding white
color, forcing everyone to look away from it. "Open your soul, Sailor Mars,
and allow the forces of the cosmos to take root in the name of the Moon...."
The sign of Mars suddenly flared into view on Rei's forehead, the sharp
red glow cutting through the glare caused by the Crystal. A gasp of shock went
around the room as those who were watching could see the sigil start to melt
and reshape itself, becoming a red crescent shape. The crescent pulsed with
crimson color for a few seconds before fading away, the light of the Imperium
Silver Crystal also starting to dim down to a much softer glow.
"Arise, Regent Hino," Andromeda said quietly, a soft smile tugging on the
corners of her heavily-lined face.
Rei slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room, noticing the looks
of surprise, concern, and wonder on everyone's faces. "That's it?" she said
very carefully, giving Andromeda an odd look. "I hardly felt anything...."
Andromeda shrugged casually. "Nor should you until it becomes time for
you to gain dominion over the Crystal, should that happen at all. No matter,
what is done is done. I've kept my part of the bargain, Chancellor Meiou, now
it is time for you to keep yours."
Susan nodded solemnly and turned to the ghostly images of Serenity and
Raijen. "You both know why I am doing this," she said quietly.
"I do," Raijen replied simply.
"How could you?" Serenity whispered as spectral tears continued to flow
down her cheeks. "I trusted you, Susan...."
"And have I ever let you down, your Majesty?" Susan countered gently. "I
am doing this for the greater good, and you must trust my judgment now as you
have always done so in the past. Please, do not fight this."
"Enough," Raijen said as he stood up, gently pulling Serenity to her feet.
"You must face this as a Queen and a woman, my beloved, not as a whimpering
child. Not even oblivion can destroy my love for you, and you must always keep
that in your heart. Parting is painful for us both, so I shall spare the both
of us as much as possible and take my leave. Give my love to our daughter," he
said as he began to fade away.
"I don't think so," Andromeda interrupted, a withered eyebrow arching up
in remote amusement. "Were you to simply leave, there exists the possibility
for you to take up residence somewhere else, and I simply cannot permit that.
Ejecting you myself will ensure that you only encounter oblivion, and thus will
never disturb our world again. Begone, virus!"
"Wait!" Rei blurted out as the Imperium Silver Crystal suddenly seemed to
ignite like the core of a star.
Time seemed to slow to an absolute crawl as Raijen's spectral figure was
torn apart like a puff of smoke before a blast of hurricane-force winds. The
deep purple tint to the Crystal's structure suddenly was blown off like dust
from a book cover to swirl around the fierce glow of the gemstone.
The horrified cry that fell from Serenity's lips had barely reached their
ears before Susan seemed to explode into motion, snatching her staff from the
flow of Time and sweeping it upwards in an arc in a single motion. The looped
end of her staff smashed into Rei's hands, forcing her to let go with a sharp
yelp of pain and sending the Crystal upwards on a brief ballistic course.
The staff continued to arc higher, the Crystal passing through the loop as
it rose up around it. A vortex opened up within the loop itself, drawing the
purple dust inside like a vacuum. "Serenity!" Susan yelled as the Crystal
reached its apex and started fall back down.
Serenity seemed to hesitate for a split-second before she took a deep
breath and threw herself forward, her spectral body dissolving in an instant.
A bright pulse of white light shot out from the depths of the Crystal and
vanished into the vortex just as it closed. The Crystal passed through the
empty loop once again before almost hitting the ground, saved only at the last
moment by a diving catch from Rei.
Serena's eyes suddenly snapped open an instant later, her pupils so wide
as to completely block out the color of her irises. The medical monitor began
to beep a warning, but the noise was entirely drowned out by the sound of her
screaming at the top of her lungs. The cry was one not meant to be made by a
mortal voice, nor was the sound meant to be heard by mortal ears.
She started to sit up before she jerked once, as if zapped by another jolt
from the defibrillator. Then what little life that was in her eyes simply
vanished as if a plug had been pulled. She fell back against the pillow, her
face still frozen in a mask of utter terror and her empty eyes staring up at
the ceiling.
It seemed as if an eternity passed before Time was once again allowed to
flow freely, a heavy silence gripping the room that was broken only by the
shrill and constant monotone beep of the medical monitor.
"No!" Ami gasped as her mind refocused. She immediately hit the button on
the panel, causing the capacitors to charge up. Her eyes became even wider as
she saw that every single reading on her computer was at zero, indicating that
Serena was not breathing, had no pulse, and had no brain activity at all.
Serena was dead.
"Well now...." Andromeda said quietly. "So much for that."
"Ami!" Mina blurted out in horror.
The monitor beeped a warning before discharging the capacitors, but the
jolt produced no reaction whatsoever. Ami snarled a denizen curse as she hit
the charging button again and dialed the power setting up to maximum. She then
leaned over Serena's body and began to administer CPR as best she could.
"What the hell did you do?" Alex snapped at Susan as she drew her saber,
absently trying to keep Michelle from slipping into a full-blown panic.
"Get back!" Maq'i hissed at Ami as the monitor beeped another warning.
Ami blinked and jerked away, barely getting clear before the capacitors were
discharged a second time. Again there wasn't any type of reaction at all, not
even a muscular twitch caused by the surge in energy.
"It's not working!" Ami said in a panic, her own heart starting to lurch
dangerously in her chest. "Why isn't it working? Someone give me a hand!"
"Stand aside," Susan said quietly as she walked over to the bed.
"Oh, hell no!" Alex snarled as she started to lunge forward. "You've done
enough, demon! HEY, LET GO!" she screamed as Darian suddenly blocked her path,
grabbing her wrists and keeping her from moving.
"It's over," Darian said very quietly. "Let it go."
"DARIAN!" Alex screamed furiously, her face livid with pure anger. "LET
ME GO RIGHT NOW!!"
"Do not interfere," Susan warned both Maq'i and Ami as she knelt down and
set her staff aside. "I know I am asking a lot, but you must trust me," she
whispered as she leaned over Serena's body and kissed her deeply.
"Stop it!" Darian said harshly as Alex began to struggle violently.
"Dammit, she's killing the Princess!" Alex shot back as Susan's wings
began to glow white. "Someone stop her!"
"She's already dead," Darian countered flatly, causing Alex to suddenly
become perfectly still.
"Darian, what the hell?" Leda said quietly, tears filling her eyes as she
watched the scene unfold. "Have you gone mad? Have we all gone mad?" Next to
her, Michelle was utterly speechless with shock as she watched Susan's every
movement with increasing horror.
"Demon...." Andromeda warned. "What are you doing now?"
Susan said nothing as she flexed her wings out, the veins glowing white
with raw power. She suddenly inhaled sharply and drew her wings in close, the
white glow suddenly turning a rich golden hue that slowly spread across her
entire body.
"You'll see," Susan said quietly as she lifted her head up to look at the
spectral queen. The sign of Pluto was visible on her forehead, the usual dark
green color slowly taking on a golden hue as the glow in her wings continued to
creep across her shoulders and back.
"No...." Michelle whimpered as she collapsed to her knees. "You've taken
her soul, haven't you? You've absorbed the Princess' soul...."
"Indeed she has," Andromeda said as she turned her attention to Rei.
Rei's eyes went wide as her aura suddenly flashed into view, surrounding
her with a deep crimson color. The red crescent mark on her forehead slowly
turned to gold, matching the shape and color of the sigil once seen on Serena's
forehead. "I feel it," she whispered as she slowly stood up. "The power of
the Imperium Silver Crystal.... Impossible...."
"It is quite possible," Susan said very quietly as she started to struggle
to breathe calmly. "Serena's body is devoid of life now, and her soul has been
removed from its mortal moorings. You are the Regent, next in line in the
order of succession. The power of the Imperium Silver Crystal is now yours."
"Why?" Ami said quietly, tears spilling from her eyes as she slowly closed
her computer's cover. "What have you done? Why have you betrayed us?"
"You don't look too well all of a sudden, Chancellor," Andromeda said as
she watched Susan start to visibly labor to breathe. "Surely you realize that
a demon such as you cannot hope to contain the soul of a royal Princess? How
long will it take for it to destroy you, hmm?" she inquired as a dark smile
formed on her lips.
"I cannot survive this for long," Susan admitted as the glow continued to
cover her body. "But I only need to hold on long enough to point out to you
the gravity of the error you have just made."
"Oh?" Andromeda replied, no longer smiling. "And what is that, demon?"
"You expelled Raijen's spirit from the Crystal," Susan pointed out, her
voice audibly constricting in her throat. "I provided a haven for it, and in
doing so I provided a haven for Serenity's spirit as well. The shock of her
departure proved too much for the Princess, and had I not taken her soul it
would have been sent adrift, for you would never have allowed it to join the
Imperium Silver Crystal."
"That is true," Andromeda admitted warily. "Do you have a point, or shall
I just watch as you are destroyed from within by that which you cannot ever
hope to contain?"
"That shifted the power to Rei, as she was just named Regent," Susan said,
each word becoming more labored. "But that also gave her mother dominion over
the cosmic consciousness, as she also shares the bloodline which has just been
empowered...."
"Indeed," said a soft voice as a new spectral image began to take shape.
"Mother?" Rei said, blinking hard in recognition.
"Wait a moment," Andromeda blurted out, her face going pale.
"Time is running out, Rei," Lady Mars said quietly. "This is only the
beginning, but you must act now."
The golden sigil on Rei's forehead pulsed gently and she nodded. "Yes, I
understand," she replied. Her hand tightened around the glowing Crystal as she
drew herself to her full height and cast a dark glare at Andromeda. "You have
brought a great deal of pain to me and my friends, old woman," she said in a
voice that was both deathly cold and burning with fire.
"Silence, child," Andromeda snapped back. "You may control the power of
the Imperium Silver Crystal, but you are but a Regent and I am still a Queen."
"Not for long," Rei said in a chillingly calm tone as she began to focus
her new powers. "You sought to expel others from the sanctity of the Crystal
and deny them a peaceful afterlife, so it is only fitting you shall suffer the
same fate."
"Rei!" Susan gasped, her consciousness starting to waver. Blood began to
drip from her tear ducts, staining her face with streaks of crimson. "You must
not do such a thing! The knowledge.... she has is.... part of...."
"Must not?" Rei replied calmly. "Thank you for your advice, Chancellor,
but I will make my own decisions now. Begone, old hag," she growled as she
turned back to face the suddenly horrified Queen Andromeda.
"You cannot do this!" Andromeda protested, her expression deathly pale.
"She can," Lady Mars replied calmly. "You made a gamble in your bid to
usurp the power of the cosmic consciousness, and even I will admit it was a
bold gamble at that. But a gamble means you can lose, and today you have lost.
Time to pay the price for your wager. Goodbye, Andromeda."
"No!" Andromeda gasped as she turned to Rei. "Child, I beg of you...."
"*BEGONE!*" Rei screamed as her aura pulsed brightly.
The spectral image of the past queen was torn apart as the Imperium Silver
Crystal seemed to ignite again, a thin shell of energy being thrown off the
surface of the crystal like the outer shell of gas being ejected from the core
of a star during a supernova. The wave of energy expanded outward at a rapid
pace, becoming thinner with each moment before it vanished into nothingness
and everything became silent once again.
"Holy crap...." Alex breathed as her mind caught up with events.
"Rei...." Susan whimpered as the glow continued to surround her. She
could feel the capillaries in her wings starting to dissolve, being destroyed
by the sheer divine radiance of the soul she was struggling to contain.
Rei sighed and made a gesture with the Crystal. "You may release her
soul, Chancellor," she said in a subdued tone, drained by her outburst of raw
anger and power. "I shall not let it drift away."
Susan hesitated for a moment before she began to exhale, a dense cloud of
golden light issuing from her mouth and nostrils. The glow began to disappear
from her body as the cloud continued to take shape, slowly gathering together
and condensing with each passing second.
"Not this one again," Alex muttered quietly, suddenly reminded of seeing
Michelle's soul in an almost identical condition only a few days ago.
The glow finally left Susan's body and she collapsed backwards, prevented
from crushing her wings beneath her weight by both Ami and Maq'i. They gently
eased her to the ground, neither one taking their eyes off of the golden sphere
of light that started to drift around slowly on an unfelt current of air.
"Rei?" Leda said quietly. "What the hell is going on?"
The priestess ignored her as she slowly stepped forward, raising her free
hand to touch the ethereal wisp. "Even in death, you have to be beautiful,"
she said softly. "Damn you, Serena, why does it have to be like this? Didn't
even have the decency to say goodbye, you just up and died on us. That is just
so typical of you, a selfish, spoiled little Moon Princess."
She sighed softly and looked around the room, trying to take stock of the
current mood. Darian had let go of Alex's wrists but was still keeping an eye
on her movements. Alex, for her part, seemed to have calmed down quite a bit
but was still tightly holding her Soul Saber.
Across the room, Leda was kneeling down next to Michelle, laying a gentle
hand on the other girl's shoulder. Michelle's eyes were wet with tears and she
was whimpering very quietly to herself, glancing back and forth between the
lifeless body on the mattress and the soft glow of the Imperium Silver Crystal.
Ami and Maq'i were gently trying to bring Susan into a sitting position,
the succubus' face still stained with tears of blood. She seemed to be caught
between levels of consciousness, barely aware of her surroundings but still
struggling to discern what was happening. The soft glow of the sign of Pluto
on her forehead pulsed in time with her heartbeat, once again restored to its
usual dark green color.
Mina was sitting down in the gelatin beanbag, curled up in a small ball
with Myst cradled in her lap. The blonde's gaze was fixated on the glowing
sphere of Serena's free-floating soul, her hands nervously running through the
kitten's gray fur at a rapid pace.
Rei sighed as she felt a surge of warmth on her shoulder, not needing to
look up to know it was the spectral hand of her mother. A small ripple of
bitterness swept through her as she thought of the woman she hardly knew, whom
she had never even met until a few days ago. Sighing quietly to herself, she
edged away from Lady Mars' touch and quietly walked towards the mattress.
"I still feel like a pawn on a giant chessboard," she said to the room at
large as the golden wisp started to drift after her. "Even now, with all the
power of the cosmos as my fingertips, I feel as if I don't have a choice. I
can't even leave you as you are and allow your soul its eternal rest, as there
would be much to answer for back home. Just one more move in a game that was
set up by people like you and Susan, never told what I need to know until the
last possible instant. Talk about a cosmic injustice."
Rei came to rest next to the mattress and knelt down, staring at Serena's
lifeless eyes for a moment before passing her hand over her eyelids to close
them. "So it's up to me, is it now?" she continued to speak quietly, ignoring
the rest of the group around her. "Why should I do this? With all the fights
we've had, all the insults and name-calling.... why would I want more of that?
Why should I bring you back after all you've done?"
"Because it's the right thing to do," Darian said quietly. "And because
you know she would do the same for you."
"I know," Rei replied with a soft sigh. "And yes, I know she has already
done the same for me once. Tell me, Crown Prince of the Negaverse, will you
love her again if she is brought back? Is your love for her still enough to
reach beyond the proverbial grave?"
The silence that followed was almost suffocatingly heavy before Darian
finally replied. "What does it matter, Rei?" he said quietly. "That is and
has always been between her and me, and nobody else. Understand?"
Rei blinked and cast a sidelong glance over her shoulder. "I see," she
said. "You've changed, Darian. But no matter. You're right, bringing her
back would be the right thing to do, if only because I owe her one for the time
we got killed defending her cry-baby backside in the Negaverse. Payback, at
least in this case, is such a royal bitch," she sighed as she closed her eyes.
"Cosmic Moon Power...." she intoned as she focused her concentration, unlocking
the full power of the Crystal and shaping it with her will.
The Crystal began to glow gently, surrounding both Rei and Serena with a
soft white aura. There was a soft hiss as Serena's chest began to rise as she
took a breath for the first time in a number of minutes. The golden wisp of
her soul suddenly began to descend downwards, drifting on an undercurrent until
it was hovering directly over her forehead.
Everyone watched as Serena's body slowly exhaled in a soft sigh before
taking another deep breath, drawing the wispy cloud into her. The dark gray
crescent mark on her forehead began to glow again, slowly regaining its usual
golden color.
A deep sigh escaped Rei's lips as her own golden crescent sigil began to
pulse. Serena's sigil began to pulse as well, the two auras seeming to take
turns brightening and dimming in a strange resonance. A very faint noise was
heard in Serena's throat as her eyelids twitched briefly, the corners of her
mouth starting to move of their own volition.
Serena suddenly drew in a deep breath, the air hissing like a snake as it
passed through her nose. Her eyelids parted with agonizing slowness, revealing
a pair of blue eyes still glazed over with disorientation. She blinked several
times before she was able to fully open them, glancing around the room before
focusing on Rei.
"What the hell am I going to do with you?" Rei said quietly, trying very
hard to ignore the single tear that welled up without warning.
"She's alive...." Michelle whispered in awe as she saw Serena's movements.
The tears started up again, flowing down her cheeks at a slow but steady pace.
"Barely," Leda muttered, her own eyes wet with tears. "Goddamn it, I'm
not sure I can handle much more of this...."
Serena blinked as she saw the golden crescent sigil on Rei's forehead, her
eyes widening with surprise. In very slow motion, her hand rose up from her
side to touch it with a pair of very unsteady fingertips. She blinked hard
again and gave Rei a look of amazement and wonder, a soft smile starting to
form on her lips.
"It's a very long story," Rei said quietly as she absently wiped away the
lone tear on her cheek. "We'll tell you about it later, just as soon as we're
sure you're not going to die on us again. Yes, that's right," she added as
Serena promptly blinked hard again. "You checked out us for a few, meatball
head. Don't you ever do that again, okay?"
"Hey now," Alex said with a slight frown. "Go easy on her, okay? After
the day she just had? Cut her some slack, Rei. Serena, babe, you simply have
no idea how glad we are to see you. D, you goober, don't just stand there with
your hands in your pockets, go say something to her!" she growled at Darian,
lightly swatting his backside with the flat of her saber.
There was a sharp intake of breath from Serena as she tried to look past
Rei's shoulder. Her eyes became dangerously wide as she saw Darian standing
there, seemingly alive and well. She immediately tried to sit up, achieving
only partial success before gasping in pain.
"Serena!" Ami blurted out as she left Susan's side to quickly kneel down
next to the blonde. She gently tried to lift her into a sitting position with
one hand while she flipped open her computer and started to scan her with the
other. "Just take it easy, Serena, everything is.... what?" she blurted out.
"Hey!" Rei protested in reflex as Serena suddenly started gasping for air.
The blonde lurched forward, wrapping both arms around her abdomen and making
decidedly harsh sounds in her throat. Her eyes became dangerously wide, the
blue irises slowly taking on a golden color.
"What the hell?" Alex demanded as a deep chill ran through her.
"What.... what is happening?" Susan said as she tried to sit up, her words
heavily slurred. "The princess.... is she...?"
"Serena, take it easy!" Ami said quickly. "Your vocal chords are trying
to change shape, just breathe through your nose. Your trachea has narrowed but
it's still open, so try to breathe slowly. Your readings are all over the
place, but you're still stable, so just...."
"Oh.... my.... god...." Mina whispered quietly, her face becoming as white
as a sheet. "Ami.... look at her back...."
"What?" Ami said, blinking as she leaned back slightly. Her steel-blue
eyes promptly tripled in diameter as she started to furiously type away on her
computer's miniature keyboard. "Serena, please, just try to be still...."
"What is that?" Rei said in a near whisper, watching in horror at the pair
of writhing masses beneath Serena's shoulder blades. They were starting to
push the skin up, forming a pair of oblong protrusions that ran at an angle to
one another like an open-ended V.
"Everyone move back," Healer Maq'i said in a calm tone. "She is in the
final stage of the Chaos Factor, and it should be over in a few moments."
"Serena, hold on, we're right here with you," Ami said as she grabbed
Serena's hand, squeezing it tightly. "Just stay with us...."
"C'mon, meatball head," Leda breathed. "You can do this, don't let it get
the better of you...."
Darian remained silent as he watched Serena fight an inner battle, her
golden eyes seeming to be in imminent danger of falling out of her skull as she
trembled hard. She was clutching her abdomen and had doubled over, the sheet
completely falling away to expose her nude body. The swellings on her back had
become quite prominent now, pulling the skin dangerously taut.
"Ami, that's going to tear if you don't do something," Leda warned, her
green eyes filled with worry and never leaving Serena's form for an instant.
"What do you want me to do, cut it open?" Ami snapped over her shoulder,
her lips pulling back to expose her vampiric fangs.
"That's it! Alex, your saber!" Susan suddenly blurted out as she regained
sufficient focus to realize what was going on. "Quickly, cut it open before
the skin tears on its own and she is left with scars, but do it gently!"
"What?" at least four voices asked in near-unison.
"Do it!" Susan urged. "I know what it is, I've seen it before!"
"Here," Rei said as her hand slipped inside her robe and pulled out her
ceremonial dagger. "That thing is too large, use this."
"But...!" Ami protested in confusion.
"Fine," Rei sighed as she leaned over Serena and promptly ran the tip of
the blade across the surface of the swelling on her right shoulder blade. The
cut seemed to hesitate for a moment before splitting wide open, allowing a mass
of light gray string-like objects to spill out with surprisingly little blood.
Serena promptly jerked as if she had been branded by a hot iron, her whole
body becoming as rigid as steel. Her breath could be heard leaving her lungs
in a hard whoosh of air, but oddly enough she made no cry of pain despite the
look in her eyes.
"What the hell is that?!" Alex demanded as Rei made an identical cut on
Serena's other side, producing the same result of a mass of light gray falling
free and another full-body spasm by Serena. The blonde seemed to suddenly jerk
once before she collapsed forward and passed out.
"Dammit!" Ami snarled as she reset her computer and tried to scan Serena's
vital signs. "Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on! Susan,
what ARE those things?" she demanded harshly.
"Wings," Susan said quietly, producing a shocked silence. "My back did
the same thing, only it progressed over the course of two years and ruptured
the skin on their own. I don't see any bone structure anywhere, but look here
and here," she said, gesturing carefully. "Muscles that previously did not
exist before."
"Oh, my god...." Ami breathed very quietly as her computer scans started
to display various test results. "You're right, those weren't there a few
minutes ago. This is absolutely incredible...."
"Is she alright?" Leda ventured carefully.
"She should be," Maq'i said quietly as she moved forward and very gently
placed her hand on Serena's back, directly between the pair of wounds. Both
her hand and Serena's entire back began to take on a faint white glow as the
denizen Healer extended her powers outward, trying to induce a mild state of
regeneration. "As I thought.... she is quite exhausted."
"I'm worried," Ami said slowly. "Her vocal chords are fine, but the shape
is slightly unusual. She might have problems talking until she figures out how
to use them. Her airway is restored, so she won't have any problems breathing
or anything like that. There's been a moderate drop in her muscle mass, and
I'm not entirely sure where it all went. It seems to have mostly reshaped into
the denizen model, but I can't tell for sure. We'll just have to wait for her
to regain consciousness, which should be any second now...."
"Everyone move back," Alex sighed, gently nudging Rei's thigh with her
toe. "You too, Ami. We want to do this right. Darian, I'm not going to say
this again, get your butt over here," she growled. "You better be the first
thing she sees when she wakes up, because she's probably terrified out of her
ever-loving mind right now and she needs your support."
"I second that emotion," Mina added as she carried Myst over. "I don't
know what's going on between you two, and right now I really don't give a good
goddamn. You mean the world to her, Darian, and she really, really needs you
right now."
Darian sighed as he moved over to the mattress. "I get the picture," he
said quietly, giving Alex a slightly irritated look. He waited until they had
all withdrawn a few steps before he knelt down and carefully ran his fingertips
through Serena's hair. "Those don't look much like wings," he pointed out as
he briefly studied the string-like protrusions hanging limply from her back.
"You have a better idea?" Leda muttered quietly, trying not to shudder.
"Besides, they're still wet, wait for them to dry out first."
"Sue, you look like hell," Alex said very quietly as Susan rose up into a
kneeling position, still looking somewhat disoriented.
"The Princess has a very powerful soul," Susan murmured in reply, wincing
hard as she flexed her wings. "Far stronger than I had anticipated. Ami, once
you are certain of her condition, can you examine my wings for me, please? I
think I managed to either exacerbate an old wound or create a new one...."
"You're dripping blood again," Alex pointed out.
"As long as it is not arterial blood, I am not overly concerned," the
succubus replied with a hint of dryness to her voice. "Much like a bird, my
wings are somewhat fragile and are quite prone to bruising."
Leda blinked as the white glow faded from around Maq'i's hand and she sat
back with a heavy sigh. "Master Healer, are you alright?" the brunette asked
in concern.
"I'm sorry, child," the ancient denizen whispered, slowly shaking her
head. "I can do no more. I am simply too exhausted...."
Everyone blinked as there was a nearly silent sigh from Serena as she
slowly regained consciousness. Her muscles began to twitch as she tried to
get her arms out from under her and push herself upright.
"Serena?" Darian said softly, lightly running his fingertips across her
face. "Just take it easy, everything's alright now...."
"Such as it were," Alex muttered. She gasped silently as Michelle swung
her hand back, nailing her hard in the abdomen with a fist. She coughed very
quietly and edged back, trying not to make any noise.
Serena slowly lifted her head up to look at him, her golden eyes wide and
the sign on the Moon still gently pulsing on her forehead. Her lower lip began
to tremble as she pushed herself into a sitting position, staring hard at him.
"I heard what Rune did to you," he said quietly to her. "That was all a
very cruel illusion. I'm very much alive and well, as you can...." His next
words were cut off entirely as she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him
and squeezing hard enough to make it almost impossible to breathe. He sighed
quietly and started to hug her back, only to blink hard as he suddenly found
himself grabbing a handful of something distinctly cold, wet, and more than a
little repulsive.
Serena immediately jerked back out of his embrace, her eyes as wide as
dinner plates and a harsh rasp of air leaving her lips. She looked at him in
wide-eyed wonder for a moment before she craned her head to try to look over
her shoulder.
"Serena!" Darian said sharply as he saw the terror and panic explode into
her golden eyes. He gently but firmly grabbed her wrists, forcing her to turn
around to look at him. "Don't worry, you're fine," he said quickly. "Susan
seems to think those are wings. Yes, wings," he repeated as she blinked hard.
Her lips started to move, but no sound could be heard. She blinked again
as she tried talking once more, her eyes becoming even wider as she realized
that her voice wasn't working. A series of tremors began to run through her as
shock started to set it from simply too much information entering her mind at
once, trying to cope with the drastic changes in her situation.
"Take it easy, starlight," Alex said gently as she moved next to Darian
and put her hand on Serena's arm. "We're all confused like hell too, so don't
feel like you're the only one who's clueless at the moment. I take it you've
picked up a case of laryngitis or something?"
Serena tugged her wrist free from Darian's grasp and gently probed her
throat. She tried to speak again, sighing heavily as she realized that she
still wasn't able to make a sound. She nodded sourly at Alex before she looked
around at the rest of the group, her eyes still a vibrant gold color.
"It's okay, Serena," Ami said gently. "You're alright now. The Chaos
Factor seems to have run its course, so you don't have to worry about anything
like that happening again."
"Your Highness," Susan said demurely as Serena started to look around the
room with a slightly puzzled look. "Rest assured we are all safe in here.
This is my keep in the Border Ethereal."
Serena blinked and nodded in understanding before she looked at Rei, her
eyes widening again as she saw the golden crescent mark on her head. Her jaw
promptly sagged open as she realized that Rei was holding the Imperium Silver
Crystal, one hand coming up to her chest in reflex. She blinked hard as she
realized that she wasn't wearing anything, a pale blush spreading across her
cheeks.
"Relax, Serena," Leda chuckled quietly as Ami reached down to grab the
sheet, draping it across Serena's bare chest. "Nobody here cares about that
right now. We're just really glad you're still with us."
Serena nodded slowly before glancing back at Rei, giving her an uncertain
look. She carefully reached out to touch the Crystal, frowning as she realized
that the purple tint it once had wasn't there anymore. Her eyes snapped back
up to Rei, seeming to burn with a deeply concerned and questioning look.
"As I said, it's a very long story," Rei replied quietly.
"Serena," Susan said gently. "Your parents are no longer a part of the
Imperium Silver Crystal, but their souls are still safe. I have them in a safe
haven of sorts, but it will be some time before I am able to extract them from
it as I haven't the strength right now."
Serena blinked hard and looked back at Rei, nervously glancing up at the
crescent mark on her head. She held her hand up to her own forehead, blinking
again as she saw the intermittent glow reflected on her skin. She hissed in
shock as she realized that the two crescent marks were taking turns glowing,
each brightening for a moment before becoming dim as the other started to glow.
"It's alright, Serena," Susan reassured her. "I will explain everything
to you shortly. I am.... dangerously close to passing out from exhaustion, and
I know Healer Maq'i is in need of a rest as well," she said, gesturing to the
denizen Healer.
"Fair morning, Princess," Maq'i said gently as Serena looked over at her,
blinking hard yet again. "I am a physician and not a Negaverse soldier, so you
may rest at ease. I shall not harm you."
"I can back that one up," Leda added. "She's the one who helped save my
butt from an infection when I was in the Negaverse by myself awhile ago. In
fact, she's been the one holding you together since...."
"That's enough, Leda," Susan said calmly as Serena suddenly turned pale
with the memory of what had happened to her since yesterday evening. "Serena,
you must try to relax now, it is all over. You are with us again, you are not
in any more danger, and we are all here for you."
Serena blinked before nodding slowly, looking around the room at the rest
of the group. She tried to speak again but was unable to produce any sound,
her shoulders slumping with resignation at the realization.
"It's okay, Serena," Mina said with a note of cheerfulness in her voice.
"It's probably just a temporary thing with your voice. Just you wait, you'll
be back babbling a mile a minute again soon and driving Ami to distraction,
you'll see."
"Mina!" Ami said sharply. She blinked as she saw the faint smile tugging
on Serena's lips and sighed quietly to herself. "She never distracted me," she
sulked quietly, looking down at her computer and trying not to blush.
"Only because we need to nail you with a two-by-four just to get your
attention when you're preoccupied," Leda pointed out with a wry grin. "Think
we should tell Serena about the vep'tera incident?"
"Skip it, hon," Alex sighed. "That one can wait."
"But he was soooooo cute," Mina protested with a longing sigh.
"Susan, are you alright?" Michelle suddenly asked as Susan started to tilt
to one side.
"Probably not," the succubus admitted in a weary tone. "I think it would
be best if I were to try to take a brief nap to conserve my strength. I must
talk to you about this keep first, however, as it is not entirely what it seems
to be."
Alex grunted very quietly to herself. "That's not very comforting, Sue."
"This place was not meant for mortal visitors," Susan explained slowly.
"There are things here that are kept in isolation for very good reasons. If
you should encounter a locked door, you are not to make any attempt at opening
the lock. There is a residential hall to the right," she said, gesturing to
the far wall of the room. "There should be five rooms in a row on the left
that you are free to make use of. At the very end of the hall are two doors,
the left leads to the bathroom and the right leads to the shower. There are
robes and towels in each of the guest rooms that you may use.
"Opposite the residential hall is the kitchen. You are free to use what
you find, as it is all imported from Earth and is completely safe for human
consumption. What looks like a refrigerator is actually a cold-storage stasis
unit. The blue button beneath each partition toggles the field on or off, but
you must wait for the field to collapse before trying to reach inside."
Leda nodded in understanding. "I'll keep that in mind."
"You are free to construct whatever you desire using the Ether," Susan
continued in an audibly weary tone. "Bear in mind that whatever you create
will be stable for a number of days at a minimum, and that it will decay after
a period of time. Please use common sense and don't create anything that you
would not like to see used inside your own home, and remember that the laws of
physics are somewhat mutable in this demiplane."
"We'll explain later, Serena," Ami said quickly as she saw the deeply
confused look on her face.
"You're gonna love this stuff," Mina cooed as she set Myst down and went
over to pick up the forgotten Ether garden hose. "You can make whatever you
want with it, and you're only limited by your imagination...."
"Mina?" Alex said calmly. "Just take it easy with that stuff, we don't
need to flood the whole room with fog."
Maq'i made a soft grunt of protest as she rose to her feet slowly, trying
to ignore the stiffness in a few of her joints. "Please forgive me, but I am
far from a youthful woman and the desire for a brief afternoon nap is no longer
the indulgence it once was. I will return shortly once I have rested, and by
then I should be able to use my healing powers again."
"Hey, we understand perfectly," Leda said as she moved over to her side
and gently took hold of her arm. "Come on, I'll help you find a room."
"What about you, Sue?" Alex prodded gently.
Susan sighed and very slowly flexed her wings again, wincing at the pain
and stiffness in her joints. "A nap is not optional in this case, but I am far
from comfortable with leaving you unattended in this realm. Mina, would you be
so kind as to direct a moderate stream of Ether over to the corner?" she said
with a gesture.
"Fire in the hole!" Mina replied cheerfully as she squeezed the handle on
the hose, sending a thick stream of the Ether drifting towards the corner.
"Yeah," Alex said in agreement as she watched Serena's jaw sag open with
surprise. "It takes some getting used to, your Highness, and I really don't
quite understand what that stuff is myself, but it works. Just watch."
"That should be sufficient, Mina," Susan said after a moment as she rose
to her feet. She slowly walked towards the cloud of fog gathered together in
the corner and started passing her hand through it, condensing the Ether into
a series of thick strands and weaving them together.
"Huh," Mina said in confusion as she watched Susan's movements. "You
making a spider web or something?"
"In a sense," the succubus replied as she finished her task and fluffed
the strands out. It was a roughly cylindrical shape horizontally attached to
the two walls by thick strands of the substance, held in place by what seemed
to be a type of adhesive. The lower half of the web was a perfect mesh, but
the upper half consisted mostly of widely-spaced vertical strands. Another
segment of mesh was at the very top, its purpose not immediately obvious.
"Oh!" Michelle exclaimed as it suddenly hit her. "A hammock!"
"Wow, cool...." Mina added.
"It still looks like a spider web, though," Alex pointed out as Susan
gingerly climbed in. She blinked as she saw Susan gently sliding her wings
between the long gaps in the middle of the hammock, allowing her wings to hang
down freely but still providing moderate support for her back. "Ahh, so that's
why it looked kinda funny. That's pretty good, Sue."
"To be perfectly honest, the design was inspired by examining the webs of
certain spiders," Susan replied calmly. "But yes, the design is odd by most
standards of aesthetics. Nonetheless, it works to my satisfaction. I shall be
right here, and should I be needed I ask that you not hesitate to rouse me,"
she said as she leaned back and tried to suppress a yawn. She blinked and sat
up again as Myst leapt up onto the end of the hammock, producing a series of
vibrations that almost dislodged them both.
"Sorry," Myst apologized as she crouched low, trying to hang on until the
worst of the motions had passed.
Susan sighed softly as she reached down to pick up the kitten, setting her
down on her stomach before leaning back again. "A little advanced notice of
intentions would be greatly appreciated," she murmured softly as she closed her
eyes.
"Quick, gimme a stopwatch or something," Alex said quietly to Ami.
Ami gave her an odd look as she activated a minor subroutine program on
her computer. "What for?" she inquired.
The blonde just smiled and gestured with her chin towards the odd hammock.
"I just want to see how long it takes for her to conk out, that's all. If she
has to take a nap right now, she probably wasn't kidding about being in danger
of simply passing out on the spot from exhaustion. She out yet?"
"I think so," Darian said in mild surprise as he heard a very soft rasping
noise coming from the direction of the hammock.
"Twenty-six seconds," Ami reported quietly as she glanced down at the
display on her computer. She switched modes and started to scan Susan from a
distance. "The blood vessels in her wings are extensively damaged, but they
seem to be slowly regenerating already. I can barely read her energy levels
from here, and I don't think getting any closer will help. She really was on
the brink of collapse," she added gently.
Michelle whimpered quietly as she squeezed Alex's hand, giving the blonde
a slightly upset look. "I know, hon," Alex said in reply. "It takes a hell of
a lot to take Sue down like that, so I can only imagine just how hard she's
been pushing herself since yesterday. Serena, honey, don't look at us like
that," she added. "You shouldn't worry about anything, we're all fine now."
"Can you stand up?" Ami asked her gently as she aimed the computer in her
direction and started to scan her yet again.
Serena nodded and started to rise to her feet, gently clutching the sheet
around her. She blinked hard as she suddenly felt something cold and slimy
smack against her backside, her eyes doubling in diameter and a startled look
crossing her face.
"Easy, easy!" Alex said as she reached out to grab her arm. "Those are
just your wings, babe, or whatever the hell they end up becoming. Darian, you
could help, you know," she growled over her shoulder. She blinked hard as she
looked around the room and couldn't see him. "Darian?"
"I think he wandered into the kitchen," Mina spoke up, craning her head to
try to peer around the corner at the far end of the room. "Hey, Darian, you in
there?" she yelled.
There was a sudden silence before Darian's head could be seen around the
edge of the corner. "Yes?" he called back.
"Just checking!" Mina replied.
Alex just sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "What the hell is that
boy's problem today?" she growled quietly. She blinked and looked back down as
she felt a hand squeezing her wrist gently. "I'm sorry, your Highness," she
said to Serena. "It's just that.... well, a lot has been going on lately, and
it seems we're all a touch out-of-sorts. Rei, where are you going?" she added
as the priestess started to walk away.
"I'm going to take a shower," Rei said quietly over her shoulder. "That,
and I wish to be alone for awhile. See you later," she said before she reached
the far end of the room and turned down the right-hand corridor.
"See?" Alex fumed quietly. "I rest my case. I think this whole situation
knocked a gear loose inside her skull as well, but then again I'm just a blonde
Viking who doesn't understand all that spiritual stuff that she deals with, so
what do I know?"
Serena sighed quietly to herself and looked around the room slowly. She
suddenly blinked and paused in mid-motion, her eyes widening slightly and her
free hand coming up to hold her abdomen gently.
"Uh oh," Mina said quietly. "Serena, are you okay? Please don't tell me
you're getting those cramps again...."
A faint blush spread across Serena's cheeks as she shook her head slowly.
A very quiet rumble could be heard a few moments later, raising eyebrows and
causing Mina to giggle quietly.
"Ah, so that's it," she said with an impish smile. "Hungry again? That's
our Serena," she teased, causing the blush on Serena's face to darken.
"Hey, Darian!" Alex yelled across the room before she suddenly found a
hand firmly clamped to her mouth. "Mmmm.... mwah how?" she mumbled.
"Not so loud," Michelle admonished her quietly. "You're going to wake up
Susan if you keep yelling like that."
Alex snorted quietly and pried her mouth free. "Please, she could sleep
through a hurricane right now. Although.... Hey, blondie? You seem to have
the hang of that fog stuff, you want to make a sound shield to dampen the noise
around Sue's little spider cradle?"
Mina smirked and toyed with the sprayer handle of the garden hose. "Sure,
one Alex-sized pacifier coming up," she said with a wicked grin.
"Cute, babe," Alex snorted, ignoring Michelle's badly muffled giggle from
behind her. "You know where you can stick it, too."
"Mmm hmm," Mina said absently as she began to spray a fine mist of Ether
towards the corner Susan was napping in. The mist began to slowly solidify
into an ultra-thin membrane that stretched from the ceiling to the floor, the
color turning a transparent tangerine shade and taking on the consistency of
cellophane.
"Huh," Alex said slowly once Mina was finished. "That's not quite what I
had in mind, but as long as it works, right?"
"It'll work," Mina assured her. "It's permeable to air, so she's won't
suffocate or anything. She'll still be able to hear everything, but it'll be
like listening while sitting in a fog bank."
"Peachy," Alex replied with a satisfied look. "So back to what I was
trying to do in the first place.... Whoa!" she yelped as she turned around and
almost bumped into Darian. "Dammit, don't do that. What's that?"
"I think it's toast," Darian replied calmly as he held the plate out to
Serena. "I know Serena probably hasn't eaten much since...." he started to say
before trailing off, watching in amazement as Serena promptly grabbed a slice
of toast and essentially swallowed it whole.
"Serena!" Ami said sharply.
"Look, let the girl eat, okay?" Alex sighed, watching in mild amusement as
another slice of toast was promptly devoured. "When you're hungry, you're
hungry. Although you might want to slow it down a notch, your Highness, just
so you don't choke on that," she added gently.
Serena gave her an apologetic look as she stopped to chew on the third
slice for a few seconds, a deep blush of shame and embarassment coloring her
cheeks. That did very little to deter her from finishing the last slice of
toast just as quickly as the previous one, however, and it wasn't long at all
before Darian was left holding an empty plate.
"Okay...." Darian said, looking down at the specks of crumbs. "I can go
make more if you want." He looked up as Serena took the plate out of his hands
and passed it over to Alex before wrapping her arms around him tightly.
"I think that was appreciated, D," Alex said in mild amusement, trying not
to stare at the pale gray tentacle-like protrusions hanging down from Serena's
exposed back. The cuts made by Rei's knife had all but healed, leaving only a
pair of very thin red lines to show where the skin had been sliced open. The
very narrow string-like objects were attached high up on her back and hung down
to the bottom edge of her backside, their purpose or function still unknown.
She looked back up at Darian and blinked as she saw the haunted look on
his face, one hand very carefully rubbing the base of Serena's neck. His eyes
focused on her for a moment before looking away again, seeming to be filled
with some dark and sorrowful emotion.
"So.... now what?" Mina asked gently to break the suddenly heavy silence.
"Hey, guys," Leda said as she came back into the room. She stopped cold
in her tracks as she noticed the membrane walling off the corner of the room
and could see Susan hanging carefully in what appeared to be a giant spider's
web. "Uhh, should I ask what the hell that is? Looks like Jell-O."
"Sue's taking a nap," Alex explained casually. "Mina put up a barrier to
keep any noise we make from disturbing her sleep."
"Okay...." Leda replied slowly, giving the sound shield a very uncertain
look. She paused and glanced around the room, doing a quick count. "Wait,
where's Rei?"
"Taking a shower," Mina said as she stretched. "That doesn't sound like
a bad idea, really. A nice, hot bath would be much better, though."
"Heeeeeeyyyyyy," Alex said very slowly. "Now there's a thought. I know
Serena could probably use a bath after what she just went through.... don't
look at me like that, Princess. I meant because you need to relax a little,
not because you stink or anything like that. Hot tub, anyone? Hey, easy," she
added as Michelle's eyes promptly lit up with excitement.
"A hot tub?" Leda echoed. "Oh yeah, that sounds like fun. I'm game."
"Hmmm," Mina said thoughtfully. "I don't see why we couldn't just make a
hot tub right here. Have to move the couch and all since we'd need to make it
big enough, and it'll take a bit to make the towels and swimsuits...."
"Bah," Alex snorted. "This is a bath, hon, last I checked you don't use
swimsuits in the tub. We need towels, though, unless you want to air-dry or
something. What?" she added as there was a sudden silence in the room.
"Don't mean to be a wet rag or anything," Mina said slowly, casting a
slightly abashed look at Darian, "And I don't have any problems with skinny-
dipping, as we've all done it before, but what about Darian?"
"What about Darian?" Alex countered with a slightly irritated look.
"I will come back when you're done," Darian said quickly as he gently
extracted himself from Serena's embrace. "I need to use the bathroom anyway,
and you really don't need me around to spoil what sounds like a good time. Or
did you girls want me around while you're all naked in a warm pool?" he added
as he saw the looks on their faces.
"Maybe some other time," Leda muttered, blushing furiously. "Or is this
being put up to a vote?"
"No," Ami said firmly, her own cheeks tinted pink.
Darian chuckled quietly. "See? You girls take your time and enjoy it, as
I know we don't have anything indulgent like that back on Earth. At least, not
where we have ready access to it. Hmm?" he said as Serena suddenly grabbed him
by the arm.
She looked up at him with a strange look in her golden eyes, clearly not
wanting him to go anywhere. She tried to say something to him, a look of
frustration crossing her face as she was unable to speak.
"It's okay, Serena," Darian said quietly as he squeezed her hand gently
before pulling free. "I'm just going to lay down for a bit, that's all. None
of us are going anywhere until Susan wakes up, so just take it easy and try to
relax. I'll see you ladies later," he said as he turned around and left.
"Is he okay?" Mina sighed quietly. "Something just seems wrong to me."
"He's been through a lot," Ami reminded her. "That tends to put a heavy
strain on people, and everyone reacts differently to stress."
"I suppose you're right," the blonde sighed. "Still.... Hey, Leda? This
should take a bit to set up and all, so can you do me a favor and see if you
can whip up a light lunch or something? I'm too wired to even think of food at
the moment, but I'm sure that'll change once I calm down."
"Sure, I'll give it a shot," Leda said. "Umm, I can't promise anything
specific, as I haven't seen what we have yet, but I should be able to come up
with something everyone likes."
"Great," Alex said as she kissed Michelle on the cheek before moving over
to grab one end of the couch. "In the meantime, we can start by moving all of
this stuff out of the way.... Ooof, damn, this is heavy for being just fog,"
she grumbled as she started to heave.
"Hold still, Serena," Ami said gently as she retuned her computer's sensor
suite and slowly passed it back and forth over Serena's back. "I'm not quite
sure what this is on your back, but Susan's right.... you do have extra back
muscles now. Think you can flex them?"
Serena gave her a startled look before she tried to crane her neck to look
over her shoulder. She very carefully reached behind her to brush her hand
against the tendrils, her eyes going wide at the contact. She shivered lightly
for a moment before giving Ami a slightly wild-eyed look.
"That hurt?" Ami asked in concern. She blinked as Serena shook her head
slowly before trying to speak, a scowl of frustration crossing her face as she
couldn't make any sound. "It's okay, Serena, don't force it. Hey!" she yelped
as Serena reached out and lightly tickled her ribs. "Stop that! Wait, you're
saying that it tickled you?"
Serena nodded enthusiastically as she very gently touched one of the gray
tendrils again, her back and hips wriggling in reflex to the sensation. She
gave both Ami and Michelle a dour sigh, the corners of her mouth turning down
in a small pout. She made a rubbing gesture with her hands before making an
exaggerated shivering motion.
"Feels cold?" Ami ventured, drawing another nod of agreement. "Hmm, I'm
not detecting an ambient temperature difference, but seeing how I can't even
detect a nerve structure to this...." she said with a helpless shrug. She did
another scan before she looked back up at Serena. "Okay, try this.... press
your hands together in front of you and roll your shoulders forward. Here,
like this," she said as she demonstrated.
Serena blinked and complied with the instructions. The tendrils on her
back moved along with the rest of the skin at the motions but otherwise didn't
seem to independently respond.
"Wait," Michelle blurted out as she studied the way Serena's back muscles
were moving. "Try flexing your pectoral muscles inward, like this," she said
as she pressed her hands together in front of her, elbows bent. The front of
her shirt began to flex gently as she caused her chest muscles to move.
"Oh, yeah," Alex purred at her as she set the couch down, a small smile
tugging on her lips. "Work it, baby, work it...."
Michelle shot her an unamused look as Serena tried it. She blinked and
quickly refocused her attention as she saw the tendrils start to move, rising
and falling slightly. "Hey, look at that!" she said to Ami.
"I see it," Ami replied absently, staring hard at her computer's display.
"I'm not sure I can help you with this one, Serena, as you're going to have to
learn on your own how to manipulate those muscles right, but it can be done."
Serena nodded and let her hands fall to her sides, pausing momentarily to
readjust the sheet wrapped around her. She sighed heavily and promptly blinked
as her breath made a faint warbling noise as it exited her throat.
"Oh!" Michelle gasped. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what, love?" Alex asked as she came back over, idly watching Mina
pitch the last of the beanbags against the far wall. She blinked as Serena
made another faint warbling noise in her throat, her face flushed with the
exertion of trying to make her vocal chords vibrate. "Whoa, take it easy,
your Highness. Don't need you to pass out trying to whistle or anything."
"You're doing good, Serena," Ami said with gentle encouragement as she
passed her scanner over the blonde's throat. "Your vocal chords seemed to have
changed shape on you, so you have to re-learn how to use them again. But at
least you know they still work, it'll just take time and practice. Oh, stop
that," she sighed as Serena made a sour face that she was quite familiar with.
"Yes, it'll take some work, but it's not bad work so don't start," she chided
the somewhat grumpy blonde.
"Hey, guys?" Mina said, dragging a firehose out from the Ether hovering
beyond the open window. "You might want to move, as I'm going to need some
serious space for this...."
"Whoa!" Alex blurted out. "Is that hose big enough for you?"
"You ever try to fill a pool with a garden hose?" Mina shot back. "It
takes a good hour just to fill up a kiddie pool, so trust me on this one," she
said as she braced herself and yanked the nozzle open.
Everyone blinked hard as the room was instantly filled with an extremely
dense fog, making it almost impossible to see six inches in front of them.
"Whoops...." Mina's voice could be heard, sounding like it was coming from a
great distance away. "Sorry, just everyone hold still...."
"Hey!" Michelle suddenly exclaimed, her voice muffled by the fog. "What's
that glow?"
Ami looked around, remembering where Michelle was in relation to her own
location. She blinked hard as she saw what she thought was a very indistinct
and pale white glow in the distance, seeming to come from Serena's direction.
The fog abruptly thinned out as it shrank in on itself, allowing Ami to get a
good look at what was around her.
"Goodness!" she exclaimed as she realized that the glow was coming from
the tendrils on Serena's back. The glow faded away a moment later as the odd
fog finally congealed into a three-dimensional shape, allowing them to see
normally again.
"Did you see that?" Michelle gasped, giving Serena a stunned look. "Your
wings were glowing a moment ago!"
"I saw it too," Alex chimed in. "Looked kinda weird, but hey...."
"Sorry about that!" Mina apologized to the group as she continued to keep
her mind focused on the Ether, shaping it into a low-lying rectangle with her
will. The edges began to solidify into a fiberglass composite while a deep
hollow started to form in the center of the misty construct. "Didn't think
it'd put out THAT much fog...."
"Damn, babe," Alex whistled in awe as she saw the dimensions of the tub.
"You making this thing big enough? I thought this was a tub, not a pool."
"C'mon," Mina protested. "Has to be big enough for all of us to move
around comfortably, right? Or would you rather just have to sit there with
nothing to do but rub elbows with everyone else?"
"You're doing great, Mina," Michelle called out with enthusiasm, ignoring
the look on Alex's face. "How deep is this going to be?"
"Four feet should cover most of everything," Mina replied. "Want to sit
and float in luxury, but don't want to drown either. Stand up at the deepest
spot, should come up to your chin. How strong should I make the bubble-jets?"
she inquired.
"Strong," Alex replied at once. "We need 'em to loosen kinks."
"Can you make them independently variable?" Ami suggested a moment later.
"If we can control the jets individually, we can each get what we want and not
have to worry about it being too hard or too gentle."
Mina giggled and winked at her. "Not a problem. With this stuff, it's a
simple case of mind over matter. Hmm, almost there," she added as more of the
fog hardened into fiberglass composite. A sloshing noise filled the room a
moment later as some of the Ether condensed into water and started to cycle
through the pumps. "Hmm, I might need a little more to fill this up...."
"Use the garden hose this time, babe," Alex suggested as she stripped off
her shirt and cast it aside. "What?" she added as she saw the looks she was
getting from the rest of the group. "Yeah, I know I hardly have any tits, so
what? Or have you never seen a flat-chested girl before?" she added, cupping
her petite breasts for emphasis.
Serena and Ami exchanged glances before blushing in unison and glancing
away. "That's not the point," Ami muttered.
"Hey, Alex?" Mina protested with a slight frown. "Keep your drawers on
for a few more, okay? I'm not finished yet...."
"Maybe I'm just giving Michelle something to smile about," Alex shot back,
winking at Michelle and drawing a blushing smile in response. "Besides, it's
not like I've got anything you don't, or have any hideous scars to be ashamed
of. Scars, yes," she added as she patted her thigh. "But not like the ones
Sue's got on her back. Dammit!" she fumed as the room was suddenly filled up
by another burst of super-dense fog.
"D'oh!" Mina's voice filtered through the Ether. "I only opened it for
an instant!"
"Pinhead," Alex growled back. "Hey, Ami, you still here?"
"Yes," Ami's voice drifted back.
"How do I turn this soup into a towel?" she inquired.
"Just focus your mind," Ami replied as the density started to change.
Alex looked around her before taking a deep breath. Okay, stuff, go pile
together into this huge, fluffy white towel, she thought to herself as she
began to imagine the mist congealing together. She blinked hard as it started
to do just that before her very eyes, thickening up and turning a milky shade
of white before falling to the ground with a silent whoosh.
"Well, I'll be damned," Alex said in amazement as she bent down to pick
the towel up. The fog was almost gone by the time she straightened back up,
seeming to be drawn into the center of the giant tub as if caught in a vacuum.
"Mina, what are you doing?" she asked in a guarded tone as Mina began to make
a series of dramatic gestures.
"I'm loving every second of this," Mina cooed as she swept her arm up. A
wall of Ether suddenly rose up from the center of the almost-finished hot tub
and spread out, forming a beautiful silk screen partition that settled into
place facing the residential corridor. "Behold, the fabric of reality bent to
my will, the power of creation at my very fingertips...."
"Is she okay?" Michelle asked Ami very quietly, a deeply concerned look
etched on her face.
Ami sighed quietly and nodded. "Apparently, yes. Her imagination is as
limitless as her curiosity, so I'm not surprised to see her testing the bounds
of this.... realm," she said almost distastefully.
Alex chuckled quietly as she wrapped her new towel around her shoulders
and started to unzip her jeans. "Let me guess, you're not all that happy to
watch reality as we know it go fly a kite?" she teased the vampire.
"No," Ami muttered darkly. She blinked as Serena came over and gave her
a gentle hug, a soft smile touching the blonde's lips. "I'm fine, Serena," she
replied with resignation. "I just.... don't know what to make of this place.
Physics shouldn't be this.... flexible."
Everyone blinked as the floor started to rumble gently, shaken by the
power of a dozen water-jets ramping up to full power in tandem. The water in
the hot tub immediately began to swirl around, wisps of steam wafting up from
the edges where the water left the internal heaters.
Mina stood triumphantly on the edge of the deck and looked over at the
group with a large smile of satisfaction. "And as the sixth angel pulled back
her bow," she said ominously, "A voice from heaven cried out, 'It.... is....
done.'"
Alex and Michelle both blinked before exchanging confused glances. "I'm
not going to ask, babe," Alex sighed as she finished stripping and set her
clothes down on the edge of the forgotten couch. "Just as long as the water's
warm enough to soothe. Hmm...." she said slowly as she passed her hand through
the swirling water.
"Give it a few, it'll heat up," Mina assured her as she began to undress
as well, casting a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure the silk screen
partition would hide them from casual observation.
"What's with that screen, anyway?" Alex asked as she notice Mina's quick
glance. "Not like anyone here is going to give a rat's rear end. Ooooooooh,"
she said softly as she climbed inside the tub and eased herself in. "Serena,
dearheart, just pitch the sheet in the corner and get your royal backside in
here, this will definitely help you relax. Mmmmmm...."
Mina snorted softly as she unclasped her bra and started to bind her hair
up into a bun. "So sorry if I don't want Darian to walk in on us," she said
as she continued to fuss with her hair.
"Please," Alex scoffed as she moved to the other side of the hot tub to
make room for Michelle and Serena. "This is Darian we're talking about. He's
a decent man, you know? So what if he gets an eyeful, what's he going to do?
Come over here and try to get a piece? Bah! If he walks in without warning,
he'll probably stop to gawk for about three seconds as his male brain tries to
restart itself, he'll get all flustered, and then he'll promptly leave."
"That's not the point," Mina growled as she finished binding her hair and
slipped off her panties. "Some of us believe in modesty, you know? I don't
mind doing the skinny-dipping thing among personal friends, but not when guys
are around. Serena, do you need any hairpins for that?" she said, watching
with curiosity as Serena coiled her ankle-length hair into a series of loops.
Serena shook her head as she used a lock of hair to tie the loops securely
in place around the spherical buns that made her hairstyle so unique. She
patted them down to make sure they wouldn't spring loose on her before drawing
close to the hot tub, slowly unwrapping the sheet from around her with a faint
look of embarassment.
Alex just looked up at the ceiling and tried not to roll her eyes. "I
don't get what the fuss is," she grumbled. "We've all seen each other naked
before. Hell, we've spent the past sixteen years taking turns bathing Serena
and one another in the bath houses, so what's the problem?"
"Funny, I don't remember doing so," Mina pointed out. "In fact, I don't
remember having ever met you up until a few days ago. I've shared a hot spring
with Serena and Ami before, granted, but the only reason we ditched the suits
was because the water made them all itch like crazy. Mmmm, this is good," she
purred as she gently slipped into the now-steaming water.
"Ooh!" Michelle cooed as she stepped into the hot tub, her eyelids closing
most of the way as she slowly submerged herself completely.
"Watch out for her," Alex said quietly once Michelle's head was beneath
the water. "She's always been a bit of a beached mermaid, so good luck getting
her out of the water later. Ami, you coming in or what?" she added as she saw
that Ami was still fully dressed.
"In a moment," Ami sighed, watching Serena intently.
Serena's face split into a blissful smile as she sat on the edge of the
tub and put her feet in the water. She started to ease herself in and abruptly
froze as the trailing edges of her wings touched the surface of the water, her
golden eyes nearly popping out of her skull.
"Whoa, easy," Alex said as she started to move forward, only to quickly
jump back as Michelle surfaced almost right beneath her. "Hey, careful!"
"Serena, are you alright?" Ami asked quickly, her computer coming up to
scan her entirely by reflex.
Serena blinked hard and waved her off, her eye still dangerously wide.
She very carefully began to ease into the water, slowly submerging the grayish
tentacles on her back. An odd look crossed her face as she continued to sink
deeper into the warm water up to her waist, glancing over her shoulder to see
what exactly was happening.
"Huh," Mina said absently as she sat up straight. "Serena, can you turn
around for me, please? I want to get a good look at those wings of yours."
"They don't look like wings to me," Alex muttered as Serena very slowly
turned around, exposing her back to them. She blinked hard as she saw one of
the string-like objects start to float, her eyes going wide. "Hey, are they
falling apart or something?"
"No...." Ami whispered in awe, a look of amazement slowly forming in her
eyes. "They're unravelling.... Serena, look carefully off to your left. Yes,
that," she said as Serena hesitantly pointed at something in the water. "Your
wings are compacted into tight coils. If you soak them in the water, they'll
start to unwind and float like that."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Mina ventured, sinking back down
until the water was up to the base of her throat.
"Where are the vent controls?" Michelle asked quietly, looking around the
rim of the giant tub. "I don't think she wants them focused on her back right
now...."
"Ooo, good point," Mina said as she rose out of the water and turned
around. "Here, see these plastic covers? Lift them up and you'll find the
dial that controls the strength of the jet beneath it."
"Okay, I see it," Michelle replied as she fiddled with the dial for a
moment. The stream of water surging against her leg promptly subsided to a
gentle flow moments later, reducing the visible disturbance it had been making
on the surface of the water.
"I'll get them," Ami said as she started to go around the edge of the hot
tub, dialing down each of the jets to a more moderate level.
Serena continued to stare at the gray ribbon-like object floating in the
water before she slowly eased herself lower. Her breath left her throat in a
soft sigh as the tingling feeling washed over her again, a distinctly odd clash
of warmth and chill running up and down the nerves in her back.
"Sure you're okay, your Highness?" Alex persisted gently, shrugging as she
got a hesitant nod in reply from Serena. "I'm just a little concerned, that's
all. Just try to take it easy, we're all here for you."
Serena gave her a wan smile before she took a deep breath and immersed
herself up to her chin in the gently steaming water. The surge of sensation
caused her to gasp again before it gently eased off, allowing her to slowly
relax and enjoy the feeling.
"We know the feeling," Mina purred quietly as she closed her eyes. "The
first plunge into a pool is a strange shock, but once you get used to it, oh,
baby.... That's my leg, Alex," she added absently.
"I didn't do anything," Alex protested.
Mina promptly opened her eyes and glanced over at her, a chill running
down her spine as she realized that the other blonde was a good four feet away
from her. "Okay...." she said slowly as she glanced down at her legs. She
blinked hard and looked up at Serena, her eyebrows arching up to her hairline.
"What the...? Serena, do me a favor and stand up?"
Serena blinked and stood up on the seat so that the water level was just
below her groin. She promptly gasped as she realized that the tendrils on her
back had nearly doubled in length, floating serenely on the surface of the
water like a mass of seaweed.
"Oh, boy...." Alex said warily as she eyeballed the grayish mass. "Ami?"
"I think I can make out the final structure," Ami said absently as she
leaned over the edge of the pool to hold her computer's sensor suite directly
over the floating tendrils. She made an adjustment and passed the device over
Serena's back, nodding absently to herself in satisfaction. "Okay, I think I
have it all sorted out."
"That's nice, babe," Alex said dryly. "You want to get undressed now, or
are you going to go for the wet t-shirt look?"
Ami blinked and glanced down at the front of her blouse, sighing heavily
as she realized that she had gotten it wet when she leaned over the hot tub.
"Alright, already," she growled quietly as she set the computer aside and
started to work the buttons. She flinched as a small wave of water suddenly
slapped the edge of the tub where she was at, sending a minor cascade of warm
water running down her blouse and skirt.
"I didn't do it!" Mina protested immediately, her eyes wide with horror
as Ami's head slowly lifted up with a dangerous look in her steel-blue eyes.
"Same here," Alex said a moment later. She blinked as she heard a quiet
giggle and looked over shoulder at Michelle. "Mich?"
"I'm sorry," she giggled quietly, giving Ami a look of shy embarassment.
"Honey, that was awful naughty of you," Alex admonished her gently.
"Hey, kill her, not us," Mina said to Ami as she sighed heavily. "Yeah,
I'll mess with you every now and then just because, but I don't do things like
soak a person's underwear with water. At least, not while they've still got
them on...."
"Nevermind," Ami growled quietly as she continued stripping off her wet
clothes. She paused with her hands on her bra clasp as she saw Serena giving
her an odd look. "Something wrong, Serena?" she inquired warily.
Serena continued to look at her for a moment before she glanced down at
the mass of gray floating in the water. An eyebrow arched up as she realized
that they seemed to have gotten both longer and flatter, appearing to be more
like paper-thin ribbons than string-like tendrils.
"Yes, I know," Ami replied calmly as she slid her bra off and tugged her
panties down. She carefully folded her clothes into a neat pile and set them
aside before gingerly slipping into the water, making sure not to disturb any
of the grayish ribbons floating around the blonde princess. "Go ahead and get
back in the water, I'll explain in a moment. Mmm, this is nice," she admitted
to Mina as she settled down and stretched.
Serena nodded in understanding and sank back down in the water. She gave
the rest of the group a slightly disgruntled look and sighed quietly, very
carefully trying to untangle two of the ribbons that had managed to get all
twisted together.
"You want a hand with that, Serena?" Mina asked her gently.
"I have an idea, your Highness," Michelle spoke up as she tried to edge
away from Ami without being obvious about it. "What if you turned around to
face a water jet and increased the power? The current should course around
your body and stream that all behind you. It should be easier to untangle and
keep them sorted out that way."
"Good idea, love," Alex said as she leaned forward to cross the hot tub.
She got about halfway across before she suddenly held perfectly still, casting
a sidelong glance over her shoulder. "Please tell me that's someone's hand,"
she said very slowly.
"Probably not," Mina said warily. "You step on her wings or something?"
"Serena, babe, you want to let go?" Alex said gently. She sighed as she
got a look of pure confusion in response and pointed down to what was happening
beneath the surface. "Look, I know this is all new to you, and you probably
don't know how to control these things yet, but you can't tell me it ended up
wrapped around my leg three times because of a jet current...."
"Let me see," Ami said as she edged forward, trying to get a closer look
without disturbing any of the ribbons.
"Yo!" Leda's voice could be heard on the other side of the silk screen.
"I go try to make a few salads, and look what happens.... Damn, Mina, you make
this sucker big enough?"
"Come on in, the water's fine," Mina called back. "Just be watch out for
Serena's wings, they seem to have a mind of their own at the moment."
"Serena, do you feel anything?" Ami asked as she reached down and very
gently unwrapped the ribbon-like tendril from Alex's upper thigh.
Serena tilted her head at a slight angle as she chewed on the lower edge
of her lip. A small frown crossed her face as Ami finished her task and very
carefully picked the ribbon up, holding it in her hands as if it were extremely
delicate.
"What the hell is that?" Leda inquired, her eyebrows arched up to her
hairline as she came around the partition.
"One of Serena's wings, I think," Mina said slowly. "It seems they were
all coiled up earlier, and now that they've had some room to float around...."
"But it's huge!" Leda protested, staring at the ribbon in Ami's hands.
Serena inhaled sharply as Ami lightly ran her thumbs along the surface,
giving her a wide-eyed look. She quickly shook her head as Ami got a horrified
look on her face, making an "I'm fine" gesture to the vampire.
"I'm sorry," Ami apologized as she set the grayish ribbon back down in the
water. "I didn't realize they were that sensitive. I still can't find any
nerves or anything to convey impulses, though," she complained quietly, turning
to one side to pick up her computer. She jumped as she felt something coil
around her ankle, looking down to see another flat ribbon winding around her.
"Problem?" Leda said to Alex as she stripped her blouse off, giving the
blonde a measured look.
"Nah," Alex sighed as she leaned back, resting her arms on the edges of
the hot tub. "I just like watching people strip, that's all. Makes life a
little more interesting, even if only for a moment. Especially if they look
good.... Hey!" she protested as a large wave suddenly splashed against her
chest, causing her to splutter for air. "Mich!"
Michelle made a harrumphing noise in her throat as she turned away, a
small frown tugging on her face. "You don't have to stare," she said primly.
"Oh, c'mon, Mich," Alex protested. "It's Leda, it's not like I'm taking
her to bed with me or anything. You like artistic nudes as much as I do...."
"So where's the art in this?" Leda muttered as she finished undressing.
She tossed her clothes aside and was about to climb into the hot tub when she
noticed the mass of gray taking up half of the surface. "What the hell?"
"Don't get too close to it," Ami warned as she finished unwinding the
tendril from her leg and scooted back. "I don't think Serena has control of
them, and they seem to be reacting instinctively."
"They're not going to sting me, are they?" Leda inquired archly, giving
both Ami and Serena measured looks.
"Of course not," Ami replied, giving her a reproving look as she sat back
against the wall. She blinked and cast a somewhat unamused glance down as she
felt another ribbon brush against her leg before gently coiling around it.
"Ahhhhhhhh," Leda sighed as she slipped into the water. She briefly sank
down until she was completely immersed before popping back up for air. "Now
this is what I call relaxing. HEY!"
"She warned you," Mina sighed as Leda suddenly stood up, one of the pale
ribbons gently looped around her arm.
Leda blinked and gave Serena a surprised look. "What the hell? They were
only what, eighteen inches long earlier? Two feet at the most? Now look at
it, this has to be six feet long!"
"Seven to ten feet," Ami said quietly. "They seem to be arranged by size
along her back, with the shorter ones near the base of her spine and the long
ones at the top. They were all rolled into a very tight coil for density."
"Ten feet long?" Alex echoed, whistling softly to herself. "That's a lot
of wing, or whatever it is."
"Huh," Leda said, studying the ultra-thin ribbon wrapped around her arm.
"This is kind of interesting, to say the least. How's the voice, Serena?"
Everyone blinked as an odd sound emerged from her throat as she tried to
make her vocal chords vibrate. "No, no, that's good," Mina encouraged her.
"However, I think you're trying too hard. No, listen," she added as Serena
gave her a dark look. "Just try to say 'ahh' like you're at the doctor's
office. Take it real easy, don't try to use your lungs or diaphragm. That's
it, just one step at a time."
Everyone listened intently as Serena tilted her head back and opened her
mouth. They could hear the gentle rasp of air as she exhaled slowly, trying to
follow Mina's advice. A harsh sound suddenly emerged from her throat, causing
the blonde to blink hard in surprise. She paused and tried again, repeating
the process a number of times before she finally made a very odd warbling hum.
"There you go!" Mina cheered. "Keep it simple, Serena, work on just the
basics. Once you know how to produce sound, then you can go about trying to
learn how to vary the pitch and all."
"Hey, c'mon," Leda protested as she tried unwrapping the ribbon from her
arm. The ribbon kept coiling around her wrist whenever she touched it, making
it extremely difficult to remove. "I don't mind holding your hand when you're
scared, Serena, but this is not.... huh," she said as the ribbon seemed to
suddenly uncoil and fall away without warning. "That was strange. Hmm?" she
added as Serena suddenly waved her hands around to get everyone's attention.
"What's up, meatball head?"
"I said don't call her that," Alex growled quietly, ignoring the warning
poke in the shoulder from Michelle.
Serena gestured for them to all move back against the rim of the hot tub.
She then gestured for Ami to move a little closer so that it was just the two
of them in the center of the pool. She nodded as Ami complied and took a deep
breath, fixing her with her golden eyes and concentrating intently.
"I'm not sure I like this," Alex muttered quietly, feeling a slight chill
at the intensity of Serena's focus and gaze.
"It's okay," Ami replied gently, trying to keep herself calm as a sudden
panic attack started to grip her. "Whatever she's trying to do, I'm sure she
will find a way tooooOOOOO!!" she yelped in surprise as she was grabbed by at
least a dozen of the grayish ribbons, all tightly wrapping around her body.
"Hey!" Leda gasped as Ami was suddenly yanked beneath the water, causing
a significant splash that sloshed water over the edges of hot tub.
"Serena!" Mina blurted out an instant later. "Let go before she drowns!"
Serena's eyes promptly tripled in diameter as she quickly tried to adjust
her focus, her whole body suddenly becoming wracked with tension. Ami's head
broke the surface of the water a moment later, spluttering and coughing hard to
clear her lungs of the tiny bit of water she had inhaled.
"No, no, I'm fine," she coughed as both Leda and Mina grabbed her arms,
lifting her out of the water. "I'm okay, you can let me go now...."
"Ssssss...." Serena hissed quietly, her face slightly contorted from the
effort of trying to make her changed vocal chords vibrate. The sibilant sound
was decidedly musical in nature, seeming to have a multi-harmonic quality that
made the rest of the group blink hard.
"Serena, babe...." Alex said slowly, "I don't know what you did, but you
might want to be careful before repeating that experiment of yours."
Michelle frowned as Serena made the soft hissing noise again. "What's
with her voice?" she asked quietly. "Ami, just how many vocal chords does she
have, anyway? Almost sounds like three sets of sounds...."
"Eh?" Mina said. "Just sounds a little raw to me. Serena, take it easy,
don't try to force anything. Nice and slow, no rush."
"You sure you're okay?" Leda persisted as she gently thumped Ami on the
back to help her finish clearing her lungs.
"Bleagh," Ami coughed, giving the brunette a sour look. "I'm fine, Leda,
I was just caught by surprise. I take it the idea was just to see if you could
have them grab me?" she asked the still-tense blonde. She received a very
apologetic nod in reply and she nodded back. "It's okay, Serena, I know you
didn't mean to drag me under like that. At least, I hope not...."
"Sssss...." Serena tried speaking again. "Sssss.... hhhaaahhh...."
"Ami?" Michelle said with growing unease. "That doesn't sound right."
"C'mon, Mich," Alex protested, giving her lover a small frown. "She just
had her throat reworked, that'll screw up anyone's voice for a few. Just let
her sort it out, she's doing fine."
"No, I think Michelle is right...." Mina said very slowly, giving Serena
a deeply concerned look. "Serena, can you try humming for me? Just do your
best, and if at all possible keep it to a single, flat note, okay? I just want
to listen to the frequency...."
Serena sighed quietly and took a deep breath. The air hissed past her
lips for several seconds before her throat began to produce a very curious and
quite unstable hum, seeming to waver up and down the scale in a broken rhythm
before she finally fell silent.
"Ami?" Michelle whimpered quietly.
"Serena, listen to me," Ami said gently as she retrieved her computer from
the edge of the pool and aimed the sensor suite at Serena's throat. "I want
you to keep trying to hum. If you can make a sustained noise like that, then
it's just a matter of practice before you can use it to speak again."
Serena nodded again and started humming once again, her face contorting
slightly from the effort. Ami's eyes never left the readout of the display,
watching as it sorted out the results from both the sensors and the external
microphone. The processor seemed to take far longer than usual to collate the
data before producing a conclusion, showing a rough graphic on the display.
"Ahhh.... mmmmmeeehhhh," Serena rasped quietly.
"Hey!" Mina gushed, her face splitting into an exuberant smile. "See,
you're getting the hang of it, Serena! Just keep at it, you're doing great."
"Wait a minute," Alex said quietly. "I know I'm somewhat tone-deaf when
it comes to sounds and all, and Mich's hearing when it comes to music can make
an orchestral conductor seem tone-deaf by comparison, but even I heard the way
her voice just sounded a moment ago. Ami, what's up with that?"
Ami sighed and looked up at Serena, getting a somewhat disquieted look of
concern in response. "It seems Michelle is right," Ami said gently. "Serena,
your vocal chords are just that, chords. Instead of being composed of a single
string, if you will, you have three strands that vibrate in unison. That means
your voice will have a sort of resonance or echo-effect when you talk."
"Aaaayyyyeeee.... ssssssssseeeeeeee," Serena said carefully. The sound,
distorted as it was, seemed to have three distinct pitches to it as if stepped
a half-octave in both directions.
"Mmmm," Mina grunted very quietly. "That still sounds a little raw, and
I don't mean unrefined. Serena, does it hurt when you try to talk?" Serena
nodded in reply and Mina wrinkled her nose. "Could be you're just still sore
from the change. Maybe you should give it a rest for a bit. Leda, did you
notice if we have any tea bags in the kitchen? Some hot tea with honey and
lemon might be a good idea for her...."
"I know I saw a jar of honey," Leda said as she stood up and climbed out
of the hot tub, shaking off the worst of the water as she went. "And knowing
Susan, I'm willing to bet she's got a jar of tea somewhere...."
"Uhh, you going to grab a towel, hon?" Alex called out as Leda started to
head towards the kitchen, still dripping water.
"Bah," the brunette said over her shoulder. "It's only water, nothing to
worry about."
The rest of the group exchanged uneasy glances as Leda went around the
silk screen partition. "That's not the point," Alex muttered to herself.
Mina frowned and gave her a puzzled look. "Weren't you the one making a
fuss earlier about not caring if anyone saw you naked?" she pointed out.
"It's one thing to be seen naked while soaking in a tub," Alex countered.
"It's something else entirely to be parading around in the buff in a public
environment like a kitchen. In the bath, nudity is expected."
"Hmm," Mina replied with a faintly thoughtful expression. "I suppose I
see your point. But still, I thought you also weren't worried about Darian."
Alex sighed and leaned back, stretching her arms out on the rim of the hot
tub and causing her petite breasts to rise out of the water. "I'm not, babe.
He's already seen me stark naked, so there's not much I can do about it short
of blowing another hole in his memories. Don't look at me like that," she
added as both Serena and Ami gave her shocked looks.
Mina raised an eyebrow as Michelle sighed heavily and buried her face in
her hands, her cheeks tinted a bright pink color. "Alex, should we even ask
how Darian saw you naked?" Mina inquired warily.
Alex shrugged in dismissal. "Remember when Mich and I spent the night at
his place? He let us use his room, I sleep in the nude, I had a nightmare, and
he came in to wake me up when I started screaming. Pure accident, nothing to
worry about, he was a gentleman about the whole thing. See, that's the thing
about Darian, he doesn't make a fuss when accidents like that happen. Like
when Ami flashed him by accident.... what, yesterday morning?" she asked, her
expression turning into a frown as she struggled to remember. "Damn, was it
only yesterday? I've lost all sense of time lately...."
There was a soft rasping noise from Serena as she looked over at Ami, a
look of guarded curiosity on her face as she saw how hard Ami was blushing.
"Yeah, really," Mina spoke up, giving Ami an odd look. "How exactly did
that happen?"
Ami sighed and edged lower into the water, looking down at her toes. "He
called me on the communicator to ask us about going jogging," she muttered, her
face almost glowing crimson. "I wasn't entirely awake when I answered and I
guess I had the angle a little too low."
"Bah," Alex said as she made a dismissive gesture. "I was looking over
his shoulder at the time. You don't have anything to be ashamed of, hon, and
like I said, he didn't act indecent about it. You worry too much."
"He shouldn't have seen anything at all," Ami muttered, giving Serena an
apologetic look. Serena gave her a gentle smile of understanding in return and
moved over to give her a gentle hug.
"See?" Alex spoke up. "Serena understands it was an accident, and she
doesn't seem to be upset in the least. Hmm, I knew I forgot something," she
added as she looked around the immediate area. "Anyone have any soap? The
whole point of this was to give Serena a bath, after all...."
"I thought the point was to soak and relax," Mina suggested. "You want a
bath, go down the hall. Besides, I think I forgot to add a drain to this to
flush out the water if we dirty it up," she admitted with a faint blush.
"We have water filters," Michelle pointed out as she gestured to one of
the unobtrusive hatches set into each corner of the square hot tub.
"Well...." Mina said slowly, giving Ami and Serena cautious looks. "Just
how personal are we going to get here?"
Both Alex and Michelle blinked in unison at the question. "What's that
supposed to mean?" Alex inquired. "This is a bath, hon. You're supposed to
get all soaped up and scrubbed down. If this was the actual bath house, we'd
also be dragging out the bath oils for the post-bath massages to further loosen
up muscles and keep the skin all soft and supple. Wait, why are you looking at
me like that? We've all been doing this for.... Ahh, screw it," she sighed.
"Yes, yes, you girls don't remember diddly-squat, I know."
"Don't get me wrong, it sounds like fun," Mina allowed. "It's just that
it also sounds deeply personal, if you know what I mean...."
Alex looked over at Michelle and got a faintly embarrassed shrug in reply.
"What are friends for?" the blonde Viking said with a soft sigh. "Look, maybe
things have really changed since the Moon Kingdom and all, but I still don't
see what all the fuss is about. We're all just a bunch of good friends taking
care of one another in the bath, that's it. If I want a piece, I'll go chase
Mich for some MMMPH!" she said before she was suddenly shoved forward and held
underwater by a deeply embarrassed Michelle.
"I don't see how you can put up with her," Mina said gently, keeping a
wary eye on the sudden profusion of bubbles surging up from where Alex's head
was forcefully submerged.
"She has her moments," Michelle replied flatly, still blushing furiously.
"However, this is not one of them." She sighed and leaned back, taking her
weight off of Alex's shoulders and allowing her to resurface in an explosion
of water.
"Plllllllleghhhhhh," Alex coughed, spitting out a mouthful of water.
"You asked for that one," Mina observed calmly.
"I'll be right back, blondie," Alex said to Mina before she turned around
and took Michelle by the wrist.
"Move over," Ami grumbled to Serena as she started to scoot away from the
sudden melee. Water started to splash everywhere as Alex pushed Michelle under
the surface, only to be dragged down herself by a sharp jerk on her arm.
"Watch it, watch it!" Mina yelped as a minor geyser shot into the air, her
arms raised above her head to try to keep her hair dry.
Serena hissed sharply and leapt back as her wings came dangerously close
to becoming entangled in the disturbance. Her reaction apparently didn't go
unnoticed as both Michelle and Alex froze in place a few moments later, giving
her uncertain looks.
"Uh, we didn't step on anything, did we?" Alex asked carefully.
Serena made a disgruntled huffing noise and pointed at the seats, clearly
indicating that they should sit down. She watched as both women promptly did
so, deep blushes of shame and embarassment creeping across their faces.
"We're sorry, your Highness," Michelle said in a chastised voice, trying
to ignore the look on Alex's face as she plopped down next to her.
"Is it finished raining?" Leda growled as she padded back around the edge
of the silk screen partition, holding a steaming mug in one hand and a double-
decker sandwich in the other. Her skin was flushed from her face clear down to
her navel and her nipples were visibly tight with emotional tension. "Try to
keep the water in the tub, girls, it works better that way. Here, Serena, I
made this for.... you...." she said, trailing off as Serena neatly plucked the
sandwich out of her hand and promptly bit off a third of it.
"SERENA!" Ami gasped in exasperation. Serena made an abashed squeaking
noise as she chewed and swallowed, giving both Ami and Leda an apologetic look.
"I give up," Leda muttered as she set the cup of tea on the edge of the
hot tub and climbed back in. "Just don't choke on us, and drink the tea while
it's still hot. What do you want?" she growled as Alex raised an eyebrow.
Alex glanced down at Leda's breasts before reaching out and very gently
rubbing the edge of her knuckle over Leda's nipple. She blinked as Leda's hand
suddenly grabbed her by the back of the neck and hauled her forward, pressing
their noses together.
"You want to keep your hand to yourself, or do I have to rip it off?" the
brunette growled in a very soft voice.
"You ran into Darian, didn't you?" Alex replied just as quietly.
Leda blinked hard and sighed, releasing her grip on Alex and edging deeper
into the water. "Go away," she grumbled.
"Uh oh," Mina observed. "C'mon, what happened?"
Leda sighed again and looked up at the ceiling. "Okay, so I finished the
tea and was turning around to take it in here when Darian steps out of one of
the bedrooms toweling his hair. He looks up at me, we both freeze, he sighs
quietly, turns right back around, and goes back into the room. End of story."
"Whoops," Mina said. "So basically he saw the full monty, as we say back
home in jolly old England?"
"You see me wearing anything?" Leda grumbled, her cheeks turning dark red
once more. "Look, you guys can bite your goddamned tongues and leave it alone
now, okay?"
Alex shrugged and leaned back, stretching out once again. "See, I told
you guys that Darian is a decent man. Don't worry about it, hon, you don't
have anything to be ashamed about. Anyway, back to the soap issue...."
"Wait," Mina sighed quietly. "Serena, if you're hungry or want something
else to eat, can you at least wave your hand around to get our attention? I'm
getting a touch worried about you now. Did you even stop to taste whatever was
in that sandwich?" she prodded.
Serena sighed heavily and gave her a slightly depressed look, nodding her
head as she sipped at the honey-and-lemon tea. She rubbed her stomach for a
moment before making a "so-so" gesture with her free hand.
"Hey, there's plenty to eat in the kitchen, and I mean plenty," Leda said
with a yawn, her skin becoming flushed once again. "I already mixed up some
salad bowls for everyone, they're in the bottom-left stasis field or whatever
that glowing blue thing is. What soap?" she added, giving Alex a guarded look.
"My point exactly," Alex replied with a wry smirk. "Want to help me dig
up some soap and scrub down the Princess? I figure Mich and Ami can deal with
Mina before taking turns getting soaped."
Leda snorted quietly. "In case you haven't noticed, Serena's back is a
little raw at the moment, not to mention we have no idea how delicate her wings
are. I'm not about to start rubbing soap into an open wound."
"Actually...." Ami said slowly, passing her computer over Serena's back.
"She's healed quite nicely. You can hardly tell anything happened. Except for
her wings, of course," she added with a faint blush.
"Mmmmmm," Serena hummed quietly as she tilted her head back, draining the
mug of hot tea. She blinked as the sound held steady in her throat and came
out quite clearly. It had a very curious musical aspect to it, seeming to be
three sounds in one separated by half an octave in each direction.
"Huh," Alex said in amazement. "That was fast. Tea was that good, eh?"
"Tea is always good for you," Mina pointed out. "When I was in school
chorus, I used to drink lemon tea laced with honey after each performance to
ease the dryness."
Leda muttered something beneath her breath that caused Michelle to turn a
violent shade of red and Alex to promptly bite the tip of her tongue. She cast
an idle glance over her shoulder to look at Mina, smirking as she saw the wide
array of shocked emotions playing over her face.
Serena blinked and cast a puzzled look over at Ami, having caught Maze's
name muttered somewhere along the line. Ami merely sighed and shook her head
in resignation as a deep blush spread across her cheeks. Her vampiric hearing
had picked up every single word, much to her immediate chagrin, and she wasn't
about to elaborate if Serena was fortunate enough to have missed it.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mina replied in a voice as flat
as paved concrete, her cheeks the color of ripe tomatoes. "Not that we have
that problem, mind you, but it's none of your business anyway."
"Try it like this," Alex said slowly once she was sure she could talk in
a normal tone. "Serena, would you like to get scrubbed down now, or would you
rather wait until later?"
Serena hesitated and cast a glance over her shoulder, trying to examine
the now-lengthy flat ribbons of whatever it was her wings were made of. She
blinked and looked down at the water, studying the floating mass of light gray
casually drifting around like an exotic species of seaweed. She very carefully
picked up the nearest ribbon and ran her fingers across it, shivering lightly
at the sensation it produced.
"Was that a good shiver or a bad one, Serena?" Mina inquired curiously.
She blinked hard as she suddenly felt something brush against her ankle before
slowly coiling around it. "Whoa...." she breathed as she glanced down.
"C'mon, starlight, what's the deal?" Alex added as she was gently wrapped
up in at least four of the ribbon-like tendrils. She looked around and noticed
identical looks of slight discomfort from the rest of the group as they too
were all being gently grabbed by Serena's wings.
"Practice, I hope," Leda said as she carefully lifted her arm out of the
water, studying the gray ribbon wrapped around her wrist. She very gently ran
a fingertip along the surface, her eyebrows arching up at the super-thin and
satin-like texture.
"Hey, take it easy with that," Mina cautioned as Serena shivered lightly.
"Hmm...." Leda said before very carefully massaging the wing between the
tips of her fingers, keeping a constant eye on Serena's reaction. "Wow," she
breathed as Serena seemed to shiver harder, a faint look of bliss starting to
cross the blonde's face. "Serena, are you okay?"
"Aaahhhhhh...." Serena breathed very softly as the odd but delightful
tingles continued to run up and down her spine. "Mmmmmmmm...."
"Careful," Alex warned the brunette. "Last time I heard those kinds of
sounds coming from someone's lips was when I EEEP!" she yelped as she was once
again forcefully pushed underwater by a vividly embarrassed Michelle.
"You'd think she'd have learned by now," Mina sighed. "I see her point,
though. Just be careful doing that, Leda. We all love Serena, but we don't
need to end up getting her rocks off like that...."
Serena sighed heavily and cast a look of patient suffering at Ami, causing
the vampire to laugh very softly to herself. "Just ignore them, Serena, I'm
sure they're just jealous that you have wings now," Ami replied.
"Umm, Michelle?" Leda said slowly as the amount of bubbles surging up from
beneath the surface seemed to triple in intensity. "You might want to let her
back up for some air now...."
Michelle sighed heavily and leaned back, allowing Alex to resurface with
a truly massive surge of water that succeeded in soaking Mina's hair. "Are you
finished?" Michelle asked once the blonde was finished coughing and gasping.
"Gee, thanks," Mina muttered acidly as she fussed with her bun to assess
the damage.
"Last time, babe," Alex rasped. "I don't have gills, so trying to make me
breathe underwater isn't going to work very well. Almost made me step on one
of Serena's.... Are you sure those are wings?" she persisted. "They really
don't look like wings to me, and wings can't grab people by the ankles."
"They're wings," Ami replied, giving Serena a reassuring look.
"Serena?" Mina asked gently. "Can you let go of me now, or at least quit
holding my leg so high up, please? Thank you," she added as she felt the gray
ribbons unwind from her body.
Alex sighed and stood up, gingerly climbing over the rim of the hot tub
and getting out of the water. "Where'd you leave the fog hose?" she asked Mina
as she grabbed the nearest towel and wrapped it around her waist. "The small
one, not that big honkin' beast you had earlier. Now what?" she demanded as
Mina started snickering hard.
"Nothing, just had a flashback to yesterday, that's all," Mina replied,
ignoring the odd looks from the rest of the group.
"Spit it out, blondie," Alex growled. "What?"
Mina winked at the others to warn them before she turned around and batted
her eyelashes at the Viking. "It's not the size that counts, it's how you use
it," she said with a perfectly deadpan expression.
"You know what, babe?" Alex said a moment later, the corner of her mouth
starting to twitch slightly. "I'm not even going to touch that one. Just tell
me where you left the damn hose."
"It's over by the screen," Michelle called out as she pointed.
"Spoilsport," Mina muttered to herself as she continued to fuss with her
hair. She finally sighed and gave up, unwrapping it from the bun and removing
the red bow from her hair. "Dammit, so much for that. Should've made some
shower caps while I was making everything else...."
"Hey, Serena?" Leda said as she gently moved over next to her. "You mind
if I get a look at your back for a moment? I want to see just how much room I
have to play with for this one."
Serena nodded in understanding and turned around, closing her eyes as she
focused on gathering her wings together. She felt a very light touch on her
back and sighed quietly, able to acutely sense the warmth of Leda's fingertips
as they probed the muscle structure of her back.
"Huh," Leda said quietly. "I never ran across muscles like this before.
Ami, is this going to cause her any problems or anything?"
"Not in the slightest," Ami replied instantly as she passed her computer
over Serena's wings yet again. "As far as I can tell, they're simply there to
support the weight of her wings without putting any extra strain on the rest of
her back. They seem to be designed to flex her wings as well, but this is just
too new for all of us to have anything definitively figured out yet."
"That's cool," Leda said with a nod. She very gently slipped her fingers
between the ribbons at the base of Serena's shoulder blades, keeping a close
eye on Serena's reaction to the touch. A small smile crossed her face as the
blonde gasped quietly before sighing deeply, seeming to melt at the contact.
"I don't think this is going to be a problem for you, eh, Serena?"
"No," Serena replied quietly. She blinked along with everyone else as her
voice seemed to respond quite fluidly, the triple-harmonic tone seeming to echo
softly in her ears.
"Ohh!" Mina said, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. "Serena!
You got your voice working again!"
"Maybe," Serena rasped quietly, making a slightly sour face. She sighed
and rubbed her throat gently, giving Ami a perturbed look. "Hurts."
Ami nodded and aimed her computer's sensor suite at Serena's throat. "It
seems it's going to be awfully tender for awhile, so you might want to take it
easy trying to use it. The honey seemed to help soothe everything, so perhaps
you should drink some more of the tea later."
"Serena?" Michelle asked gently. "How are you feeling right now?"
"Yeah, now that you can talk to us again," Leda added. "We know you've
been through an awful lot recently, and we're still worried about you...."
Serena sighed and gave them a slightly saddened look. "Tired," she said
quietly, her voice starting to become unsteady again. She opened her mouth to
say something else and paused, her expression changing as she seemed to search
for the right words to describe how she felt. "Empty," she finally said in a
hushed tone, causing everyone else to blink. "Hollow. Missing."
Ami placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. She
opened her mouth to speak when a small geyser of water erupted next to her as
an object fell into the water from above them. Everyone blinked hard as the
dark red object promptly resurfaced and started to float.
"What the hell?" Leda demanded as she picked up the heart-shaped object.
She blinked as she realized that it was a bar of soap and cast a dark glare
over her shoulder. "Watch it, you twit, you're gonna give someone a headache
with aim like that!"
"Whiner," Alex shot back as she condensed another bar of soap out of the
small cloud of Ether and lobbed it on a high ballistic arc. The green oval of
soap spun through the air before splashing down almost directly in Michelle's
lap, causing her to whimper loudly with surprise. "What kind of shampoo would
you like, your Highness?" she called out.
Serena blinked and gave Ami a distinctly uneasy look, not entirely sure
what to make of the situation. "Lavender," Ami promptly called out as she gave
Serena another comforting squeeze. "Preferably a combination conditioner."
"Coming up," Alex promised as she briefly squeezed the handle on the hose
once again, creating another small cloud of Ether. The mist congealed together
to form a plastic bottle filled with a rich purple liquid with the consistency
of syrup. Much to everyone's relief, the bottle was then carried back over to
the hot tub instead of thrown like the bars of soap had been.
Leda tentatively sniffed at the heart-shaped bar of soap before dunking it
underwater and briskly rubbing it between her hands. "Mmm," she purred quietly
as the soft scent of Damask roses drifted up from the lather. "Smells good.
Give me a moment to make sure this stuff works," she said to Serena as she
spread the lather across her arm and briefly rubbed it around.
"What, think I was going to make a coarse acid or something?" Alex said as
she yanked the towel off her hips and tossed it away before climbing back into
the hot tub. "C'mon, where's your faith?"
"Girl, now is not the time to talk about faith," Leda grumbled quietly as
she rinsed her arm off and studied her skin, trying to see if there was going
to be any sort of allergic reaction. Seeing and feeling nothing unusual, she
shrugged and started to lather up the heart-shaped bar of soap again. "Maybe
after lunch, we'll see. Okay, Serena, let's give this a shot, shall we?"
"You want a hand with that, babe?" Alex asked her.
"Nah," Leda said casually over her shoulder as she picked up Serena's arm
and gently began to soap her up. "Ami and I can handle this, assuming Ami's in
a cooperative mood. You can deal with the other blonde over there."
"Gee, thanks," Mina said dryly.
"Oooh!" Michelle cooed quietly as she lathered up the green bar of soap
and sniffed it gently. "Fresh mint."
"I figured that would appeal to you," Alex chuckled as she leaned over and
gave her a gentle kiss. She blinked as Michelle wrapped her in a hug, pressing
their bodies together as the kiss was deepened considerably.
Mina sighed quietly and gently plucked the bar of soap out of Michelle's
hands. "Get a room, girls," she muttered as she dipped the soap in the water
and started to lather herself up.
"Oh, we will," Alex replied with a smirk as they broke apart, watching as
Michelle promptly blushed quite vividly. "But we can wait until we're finished
with the bath. C'mon, gimme that for a few so we can start on your back. You
want your hair scrubbed down as well, I take it?"
"Might as well, seeing how you got it all wet," Mina grumbled quietly.
"Oh, quit'cher whining," Alex huffed. "Mich here is one of the best when
it comes to dealing with long hair after a good soak in the bath. She's also
a great barber, too, just as long as you don't ask her to shave anything."
"Oh, stop it," Michelle protested, the corners of her mouth curling down
into a slight frown. "That was a simple accident and you know it. Besides,
nobody else has ever complained about minor mistakes like that...."
Mina paused in mid-motion and raised an eyebrow. "Should I ask what you
were shaving?" she ventured in a guarded tone.
Alex snorted in mild amusement. "Just my legs, hon, don't get excited."
"I nicked her by accident," Michelle explained patiently.
"Yeah, well, you don't want too many accidents with a straight razor,"
Alex countered as she started working up a solid lather on Mina's back.
"Whoa, wait," Leda interrupted as she stopped her task and turned around,
her eyes slightly wide with amazement. "You shave with straight razors?"
Both Alex and Michelle paused and seemed to blink in unison. "Of course,"
Michelle replied carefully. "Why, what do you use?"
"Disposable razors with safety guards and the like," Leda said. She saw
the blank look she got in response and sighed. "I'll show you two later. Just
take my word for it, they're a lot easier to use and a hell of a lot safer to
shave with than a straight razor."
"Huh," Alex said slowly as she resumed her work. "Sue never mentioned
anything like that before. Well, not that I can remember," she admitted. "But
I know she uses straight razors herself, and she's the one who taught Michelle
how to shave a guy's beard with them. In fact, I think she's shaved Darian
before, right?" she added, giving Michelle a curious look.
"A few times," Michelle admitted with a faint blush. "But that was only
after he was finished with his bath and was brought back into the anteroom."
"Easy, Serena," Leda said quietly as she felt a faint shiver run through
the arm she was soaping up.
"Tell me," Serena whispered hoarsely, her multi-harmonic voice sounding
unpleasantly harsh as it rasped in her still-raw throat.
Alex and Michelle blinked again before exchanging glances. "What, you
want us to tell you a story about it or something?" Alex ventured.
"Yes," Serena hissed, wincing in pain as her throat seemed to catch fire.
"No more talking for awhile, Serena," Ami gently admonished her. "Your
vocal chords are still raw, so they need to be rested."
"Serena's got a point," Mina spoke up. "We don't know much about life in
the Moon Kingdom, so why don't you tell us a little about it?"
"We usually let Susan do the story-telling," Alex hesitated. "Don't ever
tell her I said this as I'll never hear the end of it, but she's quite good at
relating various stories of things in her lifetime. At least, as long as she
doesn't start talking about the future," she grumbled.
"Give it a shot?" Leda suggested.
"Well...." Alex said slowly.
"We can always tell them about the bath houses," Michelle said to her.
"How they were designed, how a full bath experience usually went, and what it
entailed. We both know that one quite well," she added.
"Yeah, that's true," Alex admitted with a shrug. "Alright, we'll give it
a shot. Truth be told, I have the hunch that Sue had a hand in drawing up the
original plans for the architecture when it was built... what, five hundred
years ago or something? But anyway, Sue once described it as taking what the
Romans had and mixing it with what the Turkish Muslims had developed somewhere
along the line...."
* * * *
"Good evening," Lady Aquelin said demurely as Alex and Michelle slipped
through the series of heavily-beaded curtains that hung over the entrance to
the bath house. "You two are here at an unusually late hour."
"We know," Alex replied with a faint hint of a blush. "Chancellor Meiou
had us come along on one of her little educational excursions to the planet,
and we just got back about twenty minutes ago."
"The Bridge was opened this late?" the mistress of the bath said, her
eyebrows rising in surprise. "That's odd, where exactly were you?"
"The polar icecap," Michelle muttered, rubbing her arms briskly. "She
wanted us to see something related to Alex's Viking heritage."
"Ah," Lady Aquelin said in understanding. "Let me guess.... you all were
wearing seal-skin furs for warmth, which made you sweat profusely once you got
back to more comfortable temperatures, and now you need to clean up?"
Alex paused and sniffed her armpits. "Is it that obvious?" she muttered.
"Let's just say it is expected," Lady Aquelin allowed as she gestured to
one of the beaded curtains behind her. "The Blue Room is still ready, and I
shall instruct the girls to ready a private bath for Chancellor Meiou."
"Thank you, ma'am," Michelle replied gratefully as she smiled at the bath
mistress. She followed Alex through the blue-beaded curtain and into one of
the small anterooms, both girls coming to an abrupt halt as they encountered a
faint but decidedly noticeable cloud of incense smoke drifting up from a pair
of clay pots in the room.
"Good evening," one of the bath attendants said to the new arrivals. "I
hope you aren't bothered by the incense, but we had to clean up an oil spill a
few hours ago and the air was still.... tainted," she said with an expression
of mild distaste.
"Oil spill?" Alex echoed, giving the attendant a concerned look.
"The oil base we use for the massages," the woman explained. "If allowed
to evaporate on its own without adding any essential scents, the smell can be
rather unsavory."
"Ah, I see," Alex replied as she looked around. "You are still open this
late, right? I mean, we could really use a bath, but we can get it ourselves
if you're closing up...."
The woman smiled gently at her. "Come now, do you think we would ever
deny service to two of our Sailor Scouts simply because they arrived later in
the evening than expected? Crystal," she said to another attendant, "Go ahead
and cycle the pool, it should be finished by the time they are."
"Yes, ma'am," the girl replied as she slipped through the small door in
the back of the room.
"How often do you do that?" Michelle inquired as she and Alex were led by
the attendant over to a row of small lockers. A pair of blue-robed girls were
waiting for them and began to undress the Sailor Scouts as soon as they drew
close.
"For the baths, between uses," the attendant explained as she pulled a
pair of white robes out of a linen bin. "For the pools, usually every six
hours or as needed. You both look like you've been exposed to very strong
winds," she observed as Alex and Michelle were stripped naked, studying the
apparent contrast in color between their faces, their arms, and the rest of
their bodies.
"Just a good, stiff arctic breeze," Alex replied.
"It was a gale," Michelle countered. "And very cold one at that."
"Bah," Alex grumbled as she was helped into the white robe. "That was
just the chill making it seem worse. If it was a gale, your hair would've been
kinked in twelve directions by now and we both would have had frostbite."
Michelle blinked and glanced down at her hands, noticing that they seemed
to be a little paler than usual at the moment. "Maybe," she allowed before she
slid her arms through the sleeves of the robe. She absently ran her fingers
through her hair and paused as she encountered a snag, trying to tug it loose
and giving Alex a measured look.
"We will ensure that all traces of your adventure are washed away," the
attendant chuckled quietly to herself as she ushered the white-robed girls over
to the door and opened it for them. "Please let me know if you need anything
after your bath."
"Thank you, we will," Alex said as she carefully stepped into the marble-
tiled room, wrinkling her nose at the slight chill of the room-temperature
tiles on her bare feet. She was immediately greeted by four women who where
roughly her age and were all wearing nothing more than simple translucent loin-
cloths held in place by silver chains around their hips. "Evening," Alex said
to the nearest one.
"Welcome, Sailor Uranus," the girl with pale blue hair replied with a bow
of her head. "Welcome, Sailor Neptune. The pool is still being flushed, but
it should be ready shortly. Please, come with us," she said as she and another
girl took hold of Alex's arms and led her across the room, with the other two
girls guiding Michelle right behind them.
The chamber was quite spacious, with a domed ceiling that seemed to arch
almost twenty feet overhead. Four massive columns of marble provided support
for the dome in the center of the room, surrounding an equally impressive pool
of water in the middle. The water level in the pool was dropping rapidly and
was swirling around in a small vortex as it was drained away.
A pair of waist-high walls of polished stone in the shape of a crescent
stood opposite one another at two ends of the room, while the other two ends
were each taken up by a pair of low-lying padded benches. Waterproof matting
lined the floor within the half-moon shapes to provide firm traction, guarding
against anyone slipping on the tiles.
Alex blew a kiss to Michelle as they were separated and led to the walled
areas, carefully watching their step as they approached the wet tiles. One of
the girls untied the sash on Alex's robe and drew it off, leaving her naked and
carefully setting the fabric aside where it wouldn't get wet.
"How was your journey to Earth?" the pale-haired girl asked quietly as the
girl with waist-length light brown hair started to fill a pair of buckets with
warm water.
"Uneventful," Alex replied with a sour sigh. "Chancellor Meiou decided I
could use a better appreciation for my grandfather's society, so she hauled us
down to some arctic tundra way up north. Catching a glimpse of a snow fox was
probably the most excitement we had. You're from the same area, right?" she
ventured, giving the girl a curious look.
"No," the girl replied quietly. "My father was from the arctic north, but
east of the Emerald Isles, not the distant west. Are you ready?" she asked as
she was handed one of the buckets of water.
Alex reached out to dip a finger in the bucket before a pleasant smile
crossed her face. "Oh, yeah, nice and warm. Woooooo...." she purred as she
was promptly doused in delightfully warm water.
The bath attendants took their time in emptying the buckets, making sure
that her entire body was wetted down. They each saved a small amount of water
for her hair, one gently pouring it over her scalp while the other carefully
ran her fingers through the short shock of blonde hair.
"Do you have a preference?" the brown-haired girl said softly as she set
her bucket aside and removed the lids to the massive clay jars that lined the
inside of the curved stone wall.
Alex thought about it for a moment before shaking her head gently. "Nah,
not today. Whatever works best for you two."
The two girls looked at one another for a moment, seeming to communicate
without words before they each reached into a different pot. They grabbed a
great handful of the jelly-like soap and carefully began to apply it to Alex's
body, one girl working the front while the other took care of the back.
Alex closed her eyes as the scented soap was slathered across her skin.
The delicate aromas of jasmine and honeysuckle drifted up to her nose a moment
later, eliciting a soft smile from her. She liked the scent of both and found
the combination of the two to be quite pleasing.
She sighed silently and held still as the soap was rubbed across her arms
before being worked across her chest and back. Another sigh drifted up from
her throat as the girl's hands worked over her petite breasts. The touch was
impersonal and professional, but it still left her with a gentle tingle of
pleasure from the contact.
Their hands seemed to work lower in unison, efficiently coating her skin
in a thin layer of the soap as they rubbed her abdomen and lower back. She
shivered lightly as her groin was cupped in a feather-light touch, gently
working the soap into her pubic hair as her backside was gently but firmly
rubbed down as well.
Alex continued to hold still as the girls knelt down to spread the soap
across her legs, using a much firmer touch on the muscles in her calves than
for the rest of her body. A quick rub-down of her ankles finished the process
before their hands slowly glided up the full length of her body, producing a
very curious shivering-tingle in her spine.
Alex opened her eyes as the girls rinsed their hands under a small faucet.
They each grabbed a medium-sized stone that had been polished smooth and given
a flat edge. The edges of the stones were then pressed against her skin and
gently moved downward, scraping off both the soap and dead skin cells in the
process. She found it to be an occasionally rough experience, depending on the
stone used and the skill of the wielder in question, but it almost always left
her skin feeling quite clean and refreshed.
She looked up across the room, a faint smile touching her lips as she saw
that Michelle was undergoing the same process. She had her eyes closed and
seemed to be enjoying the ministrations of her two attendants as they scraped
their stones across her upper arms and shoulders.
Alex blinked and was brought out of her brief musings as she felt the
stones scraping against her neck and throat. This was, in her opinion, the
most unnerving part of the process, but the task was completed quickly enough
and the girls began to work their way lower.
"Yeech," she muttered as she glanced down, making a note of the color of
the soap scrapings as they were wiped away from the edges of the stones. "Was
I that dirty?"
"It is just old sweat," the pale-haired girl assured her as she gently
scraped the soap off of Alex's collarbone. "The soap is slightly acidic and
draws out the impurities of the skin."
"Ah, okay," Alex replied, wondering why she had never stopped before to
ask about the tendency for the soap to begin tingling if it was left on her
skin for longer than a few minutes.
She sighed and closed her eyes as the stones continued to work lower,
firmly scraping the soap off her back while a much gentler touch was used to
remove the soap from her chest. The stone's edge was passed across her breasts
several times, each rough contact sending an almost electric shock through her.
She could feel the heat rising to her face as her nipples became quite hard at
the sensation, jutting out in stark contrast to the rest of her soft flesh.
The process continued as her lower back and abdomen were scraped free of
the scented soap, taking with it a thin layer of dirt and grime and dead skin
cells. Another series of tingles shot through her as her backside was firmly
scraped by the stone while her groin was gently abraded by a light touch.
It seemed that her legs got the roughest treatment, her calves and thighs
becoming almost raw from the firm strokes of the stones. She didn't mind the
attention, however, as she prided herself on keeping her legs in excellent
condition with all the running she did.
The stones were scraped across the tops of her feet before gliding back
up her hips and sides, the girls doing a quick check to make sure they didn't
miss anything. Satisfied, the girls returned the stones to the basin and began
to fill the buckets with warm water again, this time grabbing a pair of rough
washcloths as well.
Alex stretched as she waited, marvelling at how warm and supple her skin
seemed to be. She smiled and closed her eyes as the girls returned, carefully
pouring the water over her with one hand and using the other to wipe away any
lingering traces of soap with the washcloth.
"I could definitely get used to this," she purred quietly as she was given
a brief rubdown with the washcloths. The communal bath houses were open to the
public and appointments could be made for a private bath session tended to by
the staff, but it was not often that she indulged in letting someone else bathe
her. Aside from Michelle, but that was another matter entirely....
"It is always a pleasure to have you here, Sailor Uranus," the pale-haired
girl replied as she took a few steps forward to check on the pool. She nodded
to her assistant as she saw that the pool had refilled itself. "And you are
always welcome here at any time," she said with genuine feeling as both girls
gently took Alex by the hand.
"Yeah, well...." Alex sighed as she was led over to the steaming pool.
"What can I say, I feel a touch guilty every time I do this. Kinda used to
doing things myself, you know?"
"A change of pace every now and then is a good thing for the body, mind,
and soul," the girl said as they all descended down the shallow steps into the
depths of the pool.
"You've been talking to Lady Mars again, I see," Alex muttered before she
sighed with relief as her legs were enveloped by warm water. "Ohhh, yes, this
feels great...."
The girls guided her over to one of the four recliner-like seats and sat
her down, leaning her head back against the padded rest. A circular niche was
carved out behind each of the seats, allowing for hair to be washed while the
guest floated in comfort.
The brown-haired girl moved behind Alex and slipped into the niche, the
water coming up to just below her breasts as she sat down on the ledge and ran
her fingers through Alex's hair. "Any preference for the shampoo?" she asked
quietly.
"Gimme a sec," Alex replied. She knew that, unlike the soap, the chosen
scent of the shampoo would linger for quite some time. "How about apricot?"
"I can do that," the girl replied as she grabbed a bottle of the shampoo
base and quickly added a few drops of concentrated oil from one of the many
glass vials lining the niche walls. She shook the mixture gently for several
seconds before taking a careful whiff of the shampoo. "How's this?" she asked
as she squeezed the bottle, sending a puff of scented air over Alex's nose.
"Yeah, that'll work," Alex sighed as she closed her eyes and relaxed. She
felt her left hand being lifted out of the water and placed on the other girl's
leg, keeping it steady while her nails were examined. She heard a faint sound
of metal and didn't need to look to know that a pair of trimming clippers were
being picked up out of a recessed cavity in the rim of the pool.
The next fifteen minutes seemed to blur past her as she slipped into a
state of mild bliss. Her hair was thoroughly washed while her fingernails were
expertly trimmed and buffed. The gentle personal attention coupled with the
lazy feeling of floating in very warm water was quite soothing, making it quite
easy to forget the biting winds and bone-deep chills she had dealt with while
visiting the planet.
She sighed quietly and opened her eyes as she felt a touch on her hand,
followed by a gentle tug on her wrist. "Already?" she muttered as she looked
up at the faintly amused face of her attendant.
"I can let you soak some more if you desire," she replied with a smile.
Alex chuckled and shook her head, more to refocus her senses than to reply
to the girl. "Nah, too much of this and I'll turn into a prune," she said,
glancing over the girl's shoulder to see how Michelle was doing. "What, she's
asleep already?" she asked quietly.
The girl turned around to look, giggling very softly to herself. "No, I
just think she's enjoying herself," she said to Alex as she studied the dreamy
look on Michelle's face. "But yes, you will be half-asleep by the time we're
finished. Come," she said as she took Alex by the hand and gently pulled her
into an upright position.
Alex sighed softly and allowed herself to be led up the steps and out of
the pool. She was quickly and somewhat briskly rubbed down with a pair of
towels by the two girls, trying to get the worst of the water off of her. The
task was completed quickly and she was led over to one of the low-lying benches
across from the pool.
"So what goes well with apricot?" Alex mused as a towel was draped over
the bench and she was gently drawn down on it.
"Sandalwood should compliment it nicely," the girl with pale blue hair
suggested as she laid Alex down on her stomach and knelt down next to her. She
picked up a small washcloth and lightly brushed it across Alex's back, drying
off the moisture that hadn't been removed earlier.
"Alright, let's try that," Alex said as she watched the brown-haired girl
add a few drops of concentrate from a glass vial to the bottle of massage oil.
The contents were vigorously swirled around before it was tested and brought
over to the bench. "Mmm, smells good," she purred as the oil was waved under
her nose. "Where exactly do we get this stuff from again?"
"Mostly from Earth," the pale-haired girl said as she poured some of the
oil into her hand before passing the bottle to her assistant. "But we do grow
a few of our own flowers and plants in the greenhouses. Just relax now," she
said softly as she rubbed her hands together to warm the oil.
Time seemed to blur together again as she descended back into the fog of
pleasure. The four hands on her body seemed to work magic, moving back and
forth with great skill and in perfect harmony as they methodically emptied her
muscles of any hint of tension, stiffness, or soreness. The pleasure was such
that she didn't even notice when she was gently rolled over onto her back so
that her front could receive an equal amount of the personal yet professional
attention.
A soft kiss provided a most pleasant jolt, drawing her out of her three-
quarters unconscious state and refocusing her on her surroundings. She blinked
as she saw the gently smiling face of her lover hovering over her, a twinkle of
amusement in her aquamarine eyes.
"Wake up, sleepyhead," Michelle teased her gently.
"I'm awake," Alex protested as she blinked again, the rest of the world
starting to come back into crisp focus. "Umm, I think," she added hesitantly
as she realized that they were alone. "Well, shoot.... was I asleep?"
"For a few minutes," Michelle purred softly. "They finished with me and
withdrew to let us relax for awhile, but it's not easy to relax when you're
snoring again...."
"Oh, stuff it," Alex groused, only to be cut off by another soft kiss.
"Later," Michelle murmured as she leaned back, allowing Alex to rise up
into a sitting position. "How do you feel?"
Alex snorted quietly and started to stretch. "Isn't it a touch late for
that, love?" she inquired.
Michelle blinked hard and gave her a bewildered look. "For what, wanting
to know how you're feeling?"
"No, for stupid questions," Alex teased as she leaned forward to kiss her
yet again. "C'mon, getting worked over like this always feels great. You look
good," she added as she saw the rosy glow to Michelle's skin. "Much better
than looking like a walking icicle."
Michelle giggled and ran her fingertips through Alex's hair. "Something
to be said for warmth," she purred. "Come on, let's get dressed and head back
to the palace. Susan will probably want to talk to us again before we go to
bed, and I'm sure her Majesty is curious as to how it went."
Alex sighed quietly and reached out, gently cupping Michelle's breast in
her hand. "Sure we can't...?" she started to say before she heard the door
opening on the far side of the room.
"Later," Michelle whispered as she took Alex's hand in her own, squeezing
it gently before releasing her and reaching for the white robes. "Our clothes
should be finished in the steamer, so...."
"Yeah, yeah," Alex sighed softly as she stood up, slipping the robe on and
casting a glance at the essentially nude attendants patiently waiting for them.
She knew that the loin-cloths were a token concession to modesty, as anything
worn would rapidly become soaked in the bath house, but they still offered an
effective level of concealment. That none of the girls bothered to hide their
bare breasts told her just how comfortable they were with both themselves and
with their environment.
"Thank you," Michelle said to the attendants as they left, giving them an
appreciative smile.
"There is a message for you," one of the girls said quickly. "Chancellor
Meiou would like to see the both of you before you retire for the evening."
"Now there's a surprise," Alex muttered, drawing an amused look from
Michelle. "C'mon, babe, let's go see what sort of lesson she'll try to impart
to us this time. Thanks again, girls," she added to the attendants.
"Take care," the pale-haired girl said as the two Sailor Scouts left the
bath house, feeling decidedly cleaner and more relaxed than when they first
entered the ancient but well-maintained building.
* * * *
"Wow," Mina breathed when Alex was finished relating the story. "That
sounds like some serious fun. And you guys went through that on a regular
basis?"
Alex chuckled as she gently pushed Mina deeper into the water until she
was almost up to her lower lip. "We all did, hon," she said, rubbing Mina's
shoulders lightly to wash off the last traces of soap. "In fact, the only one
of us who has a harder time than you leaving the baths is Michelle, and that
really only applies to getting her out of the water."
Michelle sighed softly as she continued to lather up Alex's back. "It's
not my fault I like to swim," she muttered.
"Hey, I never said it was a bad thing," Alex countered gently. "I only
pointed out the simple fact that you don't want to get out of a pool or a hot
tub once you get in."
Leda chuckled quietly as she eased Serena lower into the water as well,
listening to the very soft cooing noises coming from the long-haired blonde.
"I think a lot of us could find a bath like that fun," she commented as she
gently rinsed the soap off of Serena's neck. "Pity we don't have room for
anything like that back home. At least, not unless you want to either build a
pool outside or take apart the entire training room."
"We could do that," Mina suggested as she stood up and briskly rubbed her
arms. "Build it outside, at least," she amended quickly. "Might take us a
good three or four months, but it can be done. I might even be able to swing
a decent deal on construction materials...."
"We'll think about it," Ami replied in a faintly edged tone as she rubbed
the rose-scented soap across her neck and arms. "Keep in mind that it's not
our cathedral, and that we need to keep as low a profile as we possibly can."
"Hey, Ami?" Leda said gently as she plucked the soap out of her hands and
moved around behind her. "Why don't we worry about one thing at a time, like
the immediate future? Worry about finishing the bath, then worry about lunch,
then worry about what to do with Serena...."
"Like we knew what to do with her before," Mina teased, drawing an amused
look from the rest of the group.
"Sounds like an awful lot of worrying to me," Alex commented. "I say we
should screw the stress for awhile, just try to kick back and relax. Scrub a
little lower, love," she cooed quietly as Michelle worked on her lower back.
"I don't think we have time for that," Ami said with a flat sigh.
"Umm, Ami?" Mina spoke up carefully as she sat back down in the water,
tilting her head back to soak her hair. "I thought Susan said she took us back
in Time a few hundred years. I think that means we have all the time we want."
"Not quite, babe," Alex countered as she started to relax at Michelle's
gentle touch. "Keep in mind that we will still age and all, even when we're
taken outside the flow of Time from where we should be. The one thing about
Time that Sue keeps mentioning to us is how it can never be stopped completely.
Slowed down, yes, but not stopped cold. Hell, I think Sue had the princess in
frozen motion earlier, and yet we could still see her breathing."
"Long story, girl," Leda said quickly as Serena got a deeply puzzled look
on her face. "You can ask Susan to tell you about it when she wakes up. You
need to hold still," she added to Ami as she tried to wash her back.
"I can do this myself, thanks," Ami replied crisply as she edged away from
the brunette.
Leda paused in mid-motion, one eyebrow arching up in mild disgruntlement.
"You're in a mood all of a sudden. Can't take the thought of having someone
wash your back, or is there something else bothering you?"
Ami sighed quietly and edged further away, trying to avoid brushing up
against any of the gray ribbons floating on the surface. "Leave me alone, I've
got a lot on my mind. And with all due respect, Serena, being grabbed by your
wings every thirty seconds isn't helping. Please stop it."
"Tell you what," Mina said slowly. "How about you go rinse off and get
out of the tub if you're going to be like that? You're upsetting Serena, not
to mention chilling the water with your attitude. Or don't you think that the
rest of us aren't likewise worried sick about Tolaris and Maze right now?"
Both Alex and Michelle paused as they sensed a sudden shift in the mood
surrounding the group. Leda hesitated for a moment as well before she sighed
and went back to tending to a visibly upset Serena, carefully trying to keep
the blonde's wings from tangling up.
"You know, Ami," Mina continued as she reached for the bottle of lavender
shampoo, "We know you better than you think. You're a lot like Rei in the
sense that you both are quite good at sitting on your emotions when we're in a
crisis situation and using your brains to think things through. Unlike Rei,
however, you still need to work on getting the cork out of the bottle without
causing an explosion. You think I'm not ready to cry thinking about what went
on back there and how Maze decided to stay behind? I'm just barely holding
even, in case you can't tell, and I'm trying to keep myself distracted enough
to not be able to really stop and think about it."
"Huh," Alex said slowly. "If that's the case, then I think you're doing
a good job so far."
"Yeah, well...." Mina sighed quietly. "I'm still worried. I don't know
what exactly they have in terms of defensive technology, but I know that you
don't want to mess with nukes, period."
"Whatever it was, it shook the floor pretty hard after you guys left,"
Alex replied as she took the bar of mint soap from Michelle and started to soap
up her chest. "Seemed to be about it, though. Now can someone explain to me
what a nuke is?" she added with a disgruntled sigh.
"Know what atomic fission is?" Leda muttered sourly.
"We think so," Michelle replied. "That's where an atom's nucleus becomes
unstable and breaks in half to emit particles and energy, right?"
"Correct," Ami spoke up in a subdued tone. "Now imagine a very dense mass
of fissionable material compacted together, and a chain-reaction is initiated
that quickly becomes not only self-sustaining but uncontrollable."
"Wait...." Michelle said slowly as she tried to comprehend the idea. She
absently chewed on her lower lip for a moment as her mind tried to remember
what exactly Susan had tried to explain to her so long ago. "I thought each
time an atom splits, it releases a great amount of energy...." she ventured.
"It does," Ami replied quietly. "Now imagine what the energy output would
be if you scale the reaction up to account for several thousand grams of high-
density fissionable material, each in an unstable isotope and with an atomic
number of over two hundred and thirty."
Alex blinked as the hand resting on her shoulder suddenly became deathly
cold. She turned around in time to catch the color draining from Michelle's
face, able to actually see the skin turning white in a wave from her cheeks
down to her chest and arms. "Hey, you okay?" she asked gently.
"Oh, my god...." Michelle whispered. "That would be enough to destroy an
entire city, wouldn't it?"
"Huh?" Alex blinked, her eyes darting towards Ami.
"Depending on the yield, yes," Ami sighed, sinking deeper into the water.
"The conventional measurement is in reference to the explosive yield of a given
quantity of trinitrotoluene."
"Dynamite," Mina translated, drawing nods of understanding from both Alex
and Michelle.
"Okay, we know what dynamite is," Alex replied. "Saw an engineer turn a
massive boulder into fragments once, and I think he just used one stick of the
stuff. So just how much of that explosive powder are we talking about here?
Boxes? Barrels?"
"Tons," Ami sighed. "Literally millions of metric tons, hence the label
of measurement in megatons. Some of the largest warheads we have, and I mean
we in a global sense on Earth, are on the order of a hundred megatons of yield.
That's the equivalent of one hundred million tons of dynamite, all packed into
a warhead that's about the size of the couch," she said, gesturing to the couch
against the wall.
"Holy crap," Alex breathed softly as it finally sank into her mind.
"And yes, that would destroy an entire city," Ami said flatly. "Not to
mention what the radiation and fallout would do to the population, assuming
they even survive the initial blast and electromagnetic pulse that follows a
nuclear detonation." She blinked as the lower half of her body was suddenly
cocooned by a mass of gray ribbons as Serena moved over next to her, gently
wrapping her arms around her in a tight and comforting hug.
"Take it easy, Ami," Leda said quietly. "We know what you're thinking,
and I don't think Tolaris or any of the Dragoons bought it. They had how much
warning, half an hour? You'd be surprised what kind of preparations you can
make with that much advanced notice."
"I know that," Ami sighed as she yielded to Serena's embrace and tried not
to move for fear of damaging the apparently delicate wings wrapped around her
legs. "I'm still worried, however.... Serena, you're glowing again," she said
as she realized that the golden sign of the Moon was starting to gently pulse
on the blonde's forehead.
Serena blinked and held her hand up to her head, a faint frown crossing
her face as she saw the reflected glow of the slow pulse. She blinked again as
a faint chill ran down her spine and she turned to look, casting a hesitant
look at the silk screen partition.
"Interesting," Rei's voice said from behind the partition before she stuck
her head around it to look at the group. The gold crescent was pulsing on her
forehead as well, seeming to alternate in time with the sigil on Serena's head.
"It seems to only do that when she and I are near one another."
"Hey, Rei," Leda said in casual greeting as she briskly soaped up her arms
and neck. "Want to join us? Plenty of space and the water's still warm."
"I just took a shower, thanks," the priestess replied as she eyed the hot
tub, one eyebrow arching up at the size of it.
Leda snorted in disdain and let the heart-shaped bar of soap float on the
surface of the water. "Enjoy a soak anyway, or are we not good enough for you
to share a hot tub with your friends?"
Rei paused as she suddenly realized that everyone in the tub was probably
naked. "Maybe another time," she started to say before she caught sight of
Serena's back. She blinked hard enough to almost be heard as she saw how the
string-like tendrils had uncoiled into long streamers of gray ribbon. "Serena,
what happened to your back?"
Serena released her hold on Ami and stepped back, glancing down to make
sure that her wings were uncoiled from her as well. She then carefully climbed
out of the hot tub, making sure to leave her wings in the water where they
started to float on the surface.
"That answer your question, hon?" Alex said dryly as Rei's eyes seemed to
suddenly triple in diameter.
Rei gave Serena a stunned look as she moved out from behind the partition.
She seemed to be wearing only a soft white robe that barely came down to her
knees. A silver brooch hung from a fine chain around her neck, shaped roughly
like a burning torch with stylized wings. The Imperium Silver Crystal was
embedded near the very top, seeming to sparkle with the intensity of a diamond
in the light.
"Hey, where'd you get that?" Mina blurted out as she saw the brooch, her
body jerking upright quickly enough to send large ripples across the rest of
the hot tub.
Rei paused and cast a glance at her, brushing one hand across the silver
brooch. "The Crystal did it," she said, a faint blush crossing her face as
Mina's breasts came out of the water. She cast a sidelong glance at Serena's
nude figure and continued speaking. "I have dominion over the Crystal for the
moment, and it will stay with me until Queen Serenity's soul is returned to the
collective consciousness. Only then will Serena regain dominion over it and
the Crystal returned to her."
The room was dangerously silent for a moment before Serena slowly crossed
the room and took Rei's hand in hers. She looked at the priestess for a moment
before she gently hugged her, laying her head on Rei's shoulder. A shiver ran
through her body a moment later as the gesture pulled her wings out of the
water to hit the floor with a heavy plop.
"Whoops," Alex said as the rest of the group stood up in unison. "Serena,
are you okay? That didn't hurt, did it?"
"No," Serena breathed, her voice still rasping harshly in her throat.
Rei blinked hard as she glanced down, looking past Serena's shoulders at
the mass of gray ribbons dragging across the floor. She very carefully reached
down to pick up one of the limp ribbons, studying it intently. She hesitantly
ran her thumb along the surface, blinking hard as Serena seemed to shiver from
the tentative contact.
"It's okay," Serena whispered as gently as she could, seeing the look in
Rei's bottomless black eyes.
"You said you have a water filter on this thing?" Alex said to Mina as she
rinsed off the last traces of soap from her body.
"I think so," Mina replied, easing back into the water to wash the rest of
the lavender shampoo out of her hair.
"Time to turn it on and call it a bath," Alex sighed as she stood back up
and gingerly climbed out of the pool. She grabbed her towel and wrapped it
around her hips before picking up a second towel and headed over to Serena,
making quite sure to watch her step. "Just hold still for a few moments, your
Highness, and we'll get you dry."
Rei gently pulled herself free from Serena's hug and took a quick step
back to give her room. The blush on her cheeks darkened slightly as everyone
else started to come out of the water, confirming her earlier suspicion that
they were all completely naked. "I take it you all need robes or something?"
she ventured, trying not to look or stare at anyone.
"We got 'em," Mina replied, pointing to the stack of white robes leaning
against the wall. "Towels, too. Speaking of which, you want to pass me one,
Leda?"
"Patience," Leda growled as she shook the worst of the water off, causing
her anatomy to shake in a most unusual fashion and sending droplets of water
flying in all directions.
"Hey, watch it," Alex protested. "I'm trying to dry off Serena, okay?
That, and you need to be careful doing that, you're gonna yank a chest muscle
flinging those things back and forth. Might put someone's eye out, you know?"
Leda paused in mid-motion, casting a venomous look at the flat-chested
blonde before making a huffing noise to herself and reaching for a towel. "I
sense a note of jealousy from the Viking," she said to the room at large,
absently tossing a robe in Mina's direction.
Ami and Michelle exchanged weary glances, knowing where the conversation
would probably lead and not looking forward in the slightest to hearing it.
They both blinked as there was the sharp crack of fabric, followed by a yelp
from Leda that was more startled than hurt.
"Save it, girls," Mina growled as she brandished the sash of her robe like
a whip. "We don't care who's got what cup size.... not that it's real hard to
figure out right now as we're all topless except for Rei, and we already know
she can give Leda a run for her money, but anyway.... and we all know that
bigger doesn't always mean better," she pointed out. "How about the two of you
get rid of some of the testosterone in your bloodstreams and focus on drying
off instead? Besides, we need to try to figure out just what we're going to do
with Serena's wings," she added, eyeing the lengthy ribbons still on the floor.
Alex smirked. "Nice to know you can still handle a whip," she said to the
sash-wielding blonde as she went back to carefully rubbing Serena's skin dry.
Mina paused and gave her an uncertain look. "Still? What do you mean by
that?" she inquired before she resumed toweling herself off.
Alex sighed and shook her head in resignation. "Nevermind," she said,
rolling her eyes. "You don't remember. Rei, make yourself useful instead of
just standing there and gawking at us," she said as she yanked the towel off of
her hips and passed it to the suddenly wary priestess.
Rei gave her an odd look before she accepted the towel and started to rub
Serena's arm dry. She paused as Serena reached up to touch her face, an odd
look in her golden eyes as her hand moved down to touch the brooch that housed
the Imperium Silver Crystal.
"How?" Serena whispered, wincing as her vocal chords rasped painfully.
"You were dead," Rei replied calmly, drawing a hard blink. "Your mother
named me Regent before Andromeda ejected your father's soul from the Crystal.
Your mother went after him, apparently into a haven that Susan created for
them, and the shock killed you. The power then transferred itself to me, and
I now control the power of the Crystal. I used that power to bring you back,
just as you did for me back in the Negaverse."
Serena stared at her, blinking hard with the realization. Her expression
abruptly changed as Alex knelt down and very carefully ran the towel along the
underside of her wings, causing her to arch her back slightly.
"Sorry, your Highness," Alex apologized. "Just trying to get the worst of
the water off. Hmm, this is going to be tricky," she murmured as she studied
the rest of the length of the wings. "Going to be fun trying to get you into
a robe, too, with your wings and all. Maybe Sue has a few open-backed robes
you can borrow or something...."
Everyone blinked as the sound of a blow-dryer started up, turning their
heads virtually in unison to look over at Mina. The blonde suddenly froze at
the sudden attention, wearing an open white robe that hid absolutely nothing
and holding a large cordless hair-dryer. "What?" she said in a guarded tone as
she resumed trying to dry out her waist-length hair.
"Where'd you get that?" Leda inquired, already having a good idea of what
the answer would be.
"Made it from the Ether," Mina replied. "What, did I make it too loud or
something? Why all the funny looks?"
"Mina, old friend...." Alex said very slowly. "You got a moment?"
* * * *
Leda smirked as she sat down next to Ami on the couch, watching the look
of pure bliss on Serena's face as Michelle continued to play the blow-dryer up
and down the length of her wings. "I see she's doing just fine," she said to
Ami as she stirred around a small bowl of salad with a fork.
Ami shrugged absently as she chewed on a cherry tomato. "I still can't
find any nerve endings in them, but they are obviously highly sensitive," she
said after swallowing. "However, the quirky nature of physics in this place
means that my sensor readings aren't very reliable, so until we get back to
Earth where I know I can trust the equations...."
"Bah," Mina sighed as she stretched out in the gelatin beanbag. "You just
need to learn to be adaptable, that's all."
"I am adaptable," Ami replied tartly. "Being adaptable isn't the issue
here, it's the lack of reliability on my sensor readings. If I can't trust
them to be accurate, how am I supposed to formulate an effective response?"
Alex just shook her head as she sat cross-legged on the floor, tugging her
robe down to avoid flashing anyone. "You're getting verbose again," she said
as she examined the salad Leda had prepared earlier. She dipped her head down
to sniff at the lettuce and gave the brunette an odd look. "So what kind of
vegetation is this, anyway? Looks kinda odd to me."
"Watercress, romaine, and iceberg lettuce," Leda replied as she plucked a
dark green leaf out of her bowl and started to munch on it. "I'm pretty sure
the dressing is an oil-and-vinegar mixture, but don't quote me on that. Seems
to have a hint of raspberry to it, and to be honest it tastes pretty good."
"It smelled like motor oil to me," Mina muttered as she closed her eyes.
"So don't eat it," Leda suggested archly.
"See me grabbing a bowl?" Mina countered as she stretched again, trying to
get comfortable. Something hopped up onto her stomach without warning and she
bolted upright, a sharp gasp escaping past her lips before she recognized the
source of the disturbance. "Ahh! What...? Goddamn it, cat!" she fumed.
"Huh?" both Leda and Alex asked in the same instant as everyone's head
suddenly snapped up to look.
"I'm sorry," Myst apologized quietly, giving the blonde an abashed look.
"I thought you saw me approach."
"SAY SOMETHING next time," Mina huffed as she leaned back, her whole body
starting to sag with relief. "Hey, how'd you get past the sound shield?" she
asked as she tilted her head back, getting an upside-down view of the intact
membrane while idly reaching down to stroke Myst's soft gray fur.
"I shifted planes," Myst replied as she started to preen her tail. "That
odd demiplane seems to exist here as well, although the distortion effect seems
to be vastly reduced. I think this building is dimensionally shielded in some
way, as the walls were still solid."
"Walls are supposed to be solid, dear," Mina replied with a faint smile.
"How's Susan doing?" Ami spoke up.
"Still asleep," Myst replied. "I could barely feel her energy levels even
when I was sitting on her stomach, so she might remain asleep for quite some
time. What happened to her?" she asked, her ears perking up as she saw Serena
stretched out face-down on a towel. She was still nude and didn't seem overly
concerned about that fact at the moment as Michelle continued passing the hair-
dryer back and forth over her wings.
"What's it look like?" Alex grumbled as she eyed a piece of watercress
speared on her fork. "She grew wings on us. At least, that's what Ami keeps
trying to tell us. Still don't think they look much like wings," she muttered
as she took a tentative bite out of the dark green leaf.
"Oh, okay," the Shimna replied in an oddly casual tone. "So that's what
it was. She looked different in the demiplane."
"What'd she look like there?" Mina inquired out of curiosity.
"I thought she was a gloam at first," Myst said. "Just a glowing mass of
ribbons drifting around a white ball of light, that's all."
"A what?" Leda echoed, a look of confusion on her face.
Mina promptly sat up, almost dumping Myst onto the floor. "A gloam?" she
blurted out, her eyes widening. "You mistook Serena for a gloam?"
"What's a gloam?" Alex demanded in a guarded tone.
"A what?" Rei asked as she came into the room holding a small salad bowl
and a fork. She cast a quick glance at Serena's nude body as she walked past,
a faint blush springing to her cheeks as she gently sat down in a beanbag.
Mina sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "A gloam is basically a ghost,
but it has a corporeal body that can be phased through matter if it has enough
time to make the attempt. They're supposed to look more like the ghosts of
mummies as they seem to wear tattered shrouds of fabric, but no-one is really
certain what precisely they are as it's extremely rare to encounter one."
"Glowing, huh?" Alex said slowly, looking over at Serena. "Ami, remember
when Mina flooded the room with fog earlier?"
"Yes, I was just thinking the same thing," Ami replied carefully. Serena
lifted her head up to give her an odd look and Ami continued. "When the room
was filled with Ether, your wings seemed to be glowing for a moment. Perhaps
it was a reaction to exposure...." she mused, her gaze growing distant.
Leda sighed and nudged her in the shoulder. "Wait until Susan wakes up
and we can ask if she can take us outside for a few. Come to think of it, I
don't remember seeing a door that leads outside anywhere," she added as she
leaned to one side to try to see past the silk screen partition to look down
the residential hallway.
"It's in another hallway," Myst replied. "She showed me how the hallway
can rotate to connect to different points of this keep."
"I'm not even gonna ask," Alex said as she munched on a cherry tomato.
She paused as she glanced down at the ground, suddenly noticing the empty bowl
lying next to Serena's towel. "This is probably a stupid question at this
point, your Highness, but did you eat all that salad already?"
Leda smirked as a delicate blush spread across Serena's cheeks. "What,
you didn't see her inhaling it earlier?" the brunette teased. "Maybe we should
change her nickname from meatball head to rabbit. Oh, I'm just giving you a
hard time, Serena," she laughed as she got a very evil glare in response.
Everyone looked up as there was a loud cough, followed by a tapping noise
on the edge of the partition. "Is it safe to come out now?" Darian called out,
his outline vaguely visible through the silk screen.
"Sure," Leda replied after glancing around to double-check that everyone
was decent. "We're all dressed.... well, except for Serena, but I don't think
she minds at the moment. Yeah, it's safe," she added as Serena blushed and
gave her a subtle nod of assent. "Grab yourself a salad while you're still out
there, should be a few bowls left in the statis unit in the bottom-left slot."
"Okay," Darian said slowly as he headed into the kitchen.
"Hey, where'd we put the other beanbag?" Mina asked as she glanced around
the room.
Rei snorted in contempt. "The one I'm sitting on, the one you're sitting
on, or the one Michelle is sitting on?" she inquired acidly.
"D'oh," Mina replied, blinking hard.
"There's room on the couch," Leda pointed out as she scooted over a few
inches to free up the far cushion. "And if he has a problem with that, he can
grab the fog hose and make himself a chair or something. You need to relax a
bit, Mina," she chided the blonde.
"Leave me alone," Mina muttered as she started scratching Myst's ears.
She looked up with the rest of the group as Darian came into the room, edging
past the partition with a salad bowl in hand.
He glanced around the room for a moment and paused, his eyebrows arching
up as he noticed that things had been rearranged. "Nice hot tub," he said in
admiration before he glanced at the tangerine membrane that walled off Susan's
web-like hammock from the rest of the room. He shrugged absently and took a
seat on the couch, carefully looking down at his bowl of salad.
He paused again as the hair on his neck started to stand up, causing him
to lift his head up and look around the room. He blinked as he saw eight sets
of eyes staring at him. "What?" he asked carefully.
"Going to say hi to your girlfriend?" Mina said archly.
Darian blinked and glanced down at Serena. "What? She seems to be...."
he started to say before he saw what exactly Michelle was doing and to what.
Leda just sighed as she saw the look on his face. She reached over and
plucked the bowl of salad out of his hands, giving him a mild look in the
process. "Go see," she said simply as she sat back.
Darian blinked hard and slowly stood up, his eyes never leaving the long
ribbons that were hanging off of Serena's shoulder blades. "What happened?" he
asked quietly as he approached her, kneeling down to get a better look.
"They were apparently coiled up in a very compact shape," Ami explained.
"When she soaked them in the water, they were able to unfurl."
Darian blinked again as Serena slowly rose up to her knees, her golden
eyes momentarily unreadable as they stared at him. He glanced down by reflex,
his gaze briefly passing over her bare breasts and down to the smooth skin of
her hairless sheath. He quickly refocused his gaze on her eyes, feeling a
faint wave of heat rising into his cheeks despite the fact that he had seen
everything before.
She reached out to him, gently taking hold of his hand and drawing him
closer to her. She reached behind her with her free hand, gently taking hold
of one of the ultra-thin ribbons and bringing it forward for him to examine.
Her eyes never left his as he hesitantly reached out to touch it, watching him
intently for every subtle clue to his mood.
He very gently disengaged his hand from hers, using both hands to very
carefully pick up the grayish ribbon. It felt oddly warm in his hands, which
surprised him until he stopped to think about it. Well, if it's a part of her,
then why wouldn't it be as warm as she is? he reasoned as he very gently rubbed
the edge of his thumb across it.
He blinked hard as the ribbon seemed to quiver in his hands, looking up as
a more pronounced shiver ran through Serena's body. Her lips softened into a
smile as she reached up to touch his hand, giving him a reassuring look. He
looked back at her for a moment before brushing his thumb across the ribbon
again, watching her reaction more closely.
"Ticklish?" he asked softly as her eyes seemed to close for a moment.
"A bit," she rasped quietly. The sound caused them to both wince, he from
the harshness of the sound and she from the pain it caused.
"Serena," Ami chided her gently, "I told you not to try talking yet, your
vocal chords are still quite sore and tender. The tea helped, granted, but you
still shouldn't talk until you're healed."
"Your voice sounds different," Darian said softly, the corners of his
mouth tugging down in a faint frown as he handed the wing back to her.
Serena sighed softly and cast a plaintive look over at Ami, making a small
gesture with her free hand. "It is different," Ami spoke up as she switched
modes on her computer and studied the readings. "It seems that she has three
sets of chords, if you will, so once her throat heals enough to allow her to
talk, it will sound like three voices in perfect unison."
"What?" Darian said, his eyebrows arching up in surprise. He turned back
to look at Serena, casting a measured glance over her shoulder to look at the
length of her wings. "You're just full of surprises today, aren't you?" he
said quietly to the blonde. "You going to be okay with this?"
Serena sighed quietly, her whole body seeming to slump with resignation.
"Don't know," she whispered, shuddering as raw pain erupted in her throat. Her
hand tightened on his before she tugged hard on his arm, yanking him down to
her and wrapping her arms around him in a crushing embrace.
Darian blinked hard and tried not to cough as his ribs were compressed.
He looked up and saw the expression on Michelle's face as she watched them, a
look of guarded optimism in her aquamarine eyes. He shifted his focus as best
he could without moving, catching the look of mild impatience on Alex's face
and the utterly unreadable expression on Rei's face.
He sighed silently and carefully put his arms around Serena, trying not to
disturb the mass of ribbon-like wings that seemed to flow from her back. He
felt only warm skin beneath his fingertips, acutely reminding him of the fact
that Serena was completely naked and was pressing against him in a somewhat
intimate fashion in front of six of her closest friends.
An icy chill washed through his blood as Serena turned her head slightly,
brushing her lips across the side of his throat. The chill was immediately
followed by a wave of warmth as his body reacted, releasing various hormones
into his bloodstream and setting off a series of warning flags in his mind.
He sighed again and carefully disengaged himself from her embrace, pulling
back slightly to look into her eyes. Another icy chill swept through his blood
like a knife as he saw the look of hurt and confusion in her golden eyes, no
doubt wondering why he had suddenly moved away from her.
"Ami, you said tea helps her throat?" he said, turning away from the soul-
searing look in Serena's eyes and focusing on the blue-haired girl.
Ami blinked hard at the abrupt shift in both the mood and his attention.
"It seemed to earlier...." she said, not entirely sure what else to say.
Darian nodded and turned back to Serena. "I'll go make you some," he said
gently as he squeezed her hand before scooting back and standing up.
"Lemon tea with honey," Mina said, her voice completely devoid of any hint
of emotion as she looked at the ball of gray fur curled up in her lap. "Boil
it before you add the honey."
"Thanks," Darian replied before he silently left the room.
The rest of the group blinked hard in unison before glancing over at the
blonde princess. A look of painful sadness washed over Serena's face as she
closed her eyes, laying back down on the towel and drawing her knees up to her
chest. Her shoulders started to shake with emotion, but her eyes remained dry
and she otherwise gave no indication of how the apparent rejection hurt her.
"That's it," Alex growled very softly as she stood up, one hand coming up
to withdraw her saber from the dimensional sheath on her back. "Time to nail
his butt to the floor and get to the bottom of this.... HEY!" she yelped as a
hand shot out to grab her wrist.
"Sit down," Leda sighed as she stood up and took a step to the side. She
pivoted on her left foot and yanked hard, neatly tossing Alex down on the couch
to end up in a sitting position. "You're way too emotional for this one, and
lopping off his nuts won't help the situation. I'll be back," she promised as
she quietly left the room and disappeared around the corner, actively ignoring
the feeling of at least two sets of eyes boring into the back of her neck.
She came to an abrupt halt as she saw Darian leaning over the sink, both
hands holding the porcelain edges in a white-knuckled grip. He cast a look
over his shoulder as he heard her approach and sighed, his body sagging gently
as some of the tension seemed to evaporate.
"You alright?" Leda asked cautiously.
"I wish I knew," Darian muttered, looking down at the sink.
Leda snorted and leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms over her
chest. "So what the hell's your problem? Don't like Serena anymore or what?
We know you didn't run away from her just to make a freaking cup of tea."
A hollow laugh welled up from his throat. "It's not that, trust me. She
is still incredibly beautiful, even with wings like that."
"But not beautiful enough to cuddle with?" Leda prodded, drawing a very
hard blink from him. "We can't figure this one out, Darian, and with Serena
being hurt like that, it's time to be blunt and quit dancing around things."
Darian paused and gave her a measured look. "Okay," he said very slowly,
"I suppose I can go along with that. Where's the tea, by the way?"
"Cabinet right behind you, top shelf," Leda replied flatly. "So what's
going on between you and Serena? She's frightened and confused right now, the
wings are NOT helping her state of mind, and when she tries to cuddle up to the
one person in her life that means the universe to her, you push her away?"
Darian paused in mid-motion as he was reaching for a clean mug. He gave
her a guarded look for several seconds before resuming his activities. "As I
told Rei, what goes on between me and Serena isn't anyone else's business."
The mug slipped from his hand and landed in the sink with a heavy thump as
she grabbed his arm and horizontally flung him over her shoulder, slamming him
up against the wall. "I'm making it my business," she snarled quietly, her
green eyes seeming to ignite with anger. "I'll be damned if I'm going to just
sit there and watch you hurt one of my best friends like that. She reached out
to you and you shut her down cold. What's up with that?"
Darian blinked hard before he narrowed his eyes. "What did you want me to
to, take her on the floor or something?" he countered. "She hugged me and I
hugged back for a moment."
"For a moment," Leda emphasized. "Look, we all know something isn't right
between you two. It's ripping her heart out, Darian, and we know it's not her.
I want you to look me square in the eye and tell me if you still love her," she
demanded as she leaned forward until their noses were almost touching.
"I do," Darian said very quietly, looking back at her. "I love her so
much that I sacrificed my soul with her in mind. Have you ever loved someone
that much? Until you do, I suggest you keep your mouth shut and mind your own
damned business. You have no idea how much it hurts me when I think about what
I've done."
"Wanna bet?" Leda growled back, refusing to budge an inch. "We know you
hurt, Darian, we really do. We can see it in your eyes and hear it in your
voice when you talk. We also know just how much you're hurting Serena by being
so goddamned selfish."
"Selfish?" Darian hissed as his temper ignited. "I opened my soul to the
NegaForce for her, and you dare call me selfish?"
"I'm calling you selfish because you only seem to care about your own
pain, not about anyone else's pain!" Leda shot back, gritting her teeth. "You
think we don't understand the magnitude of what has happened, or know what it
means? We're trying to get you to understand that we're all here for you just
like we're here for Serena, yet you keep pushing us away! *THAT* seems selfish
to me, but I'm just a dumb brunette with large breasts who likes getting into
fist-fights, so what do I know about pain and being alone?" she added acidly.
Darian blinked and glanced down at her chest, able to see a good portion
of her curves left exposed by the careless way she had her robe tied shut. He
sighed and glanced away, feeling another surge of heat rising to his face as he
couldn't help but remember what he had seen earlier. He blinked as she grabbed
his chin and turned his head back, forcing him to look at her.
"Something on your mind?" she asked in a dangerously quiet tone. She saw
his gaze flick down to her chest again for an instant and raised an eyebrow up
in response. "Yeah, they're real," she said, reaching up to tug her robe open
slightly to expose more of the swells of her breasts. "What, don't like what
you saw earlier?" she demanded as he glanced away again, his blush darkening.
"It's not that," he murmured quietly.
"Then what is it?" she pressed on. A sudden thought came to her mind that
chilled her blood, but she decided to give it a shot just to make absolutely
sure that it was a non-starter. "Don't tell me you're gay and that women don't
do anything for you...." she said in a level voice, waiting to see what that
particular needle would do.
It took every ounce of her willpower not to jump back or make a noise as
his head snapped back to look at her, a spark of pure outrage burning in his
dark eyes. His hands shot up to grab the front of her robe, pulling her close
until their faces were barely an inch away.
"If you have any doubts about my sexual preferences," he said very slowly
in a low voice, "I'm sure we can make arrangements one quiet evening to have
the matter addressed in a suitably decisive way."
Leda allowed one eyebrow to arch up as a wave of warmth coursed through
her. "Well, now...." she said softly. "You mean to say that if I come to you
one of these lonely nights with a bit of an itch, you'd be willing to help me
scratch it?"
Darian paused and narrowed his eyes, suddenly wary about the situation.
"I'd be lying if I said the thought had never crossed my mind," he said in a
guarded tone.
"I find that just a little hard to believe," Leda replied neutrally.
"And why's that?" Darian asked warily. He knew a setup when it was about
to bite him on the backside, but he still wanted to find out where this one was
leading. Much to his chagrin, his question was promptly answered.
"Well, gee," Leda said flatly as she took a step back, tugging her robe
free from his iron grip. "Serena's been offering herself to you for how long
now, and you have yet to take her up on that one?"
Darian sighed and closed his eyes, sagging against the wall as if he had
just been slammed in the gut with a sledgehammer. "I deserved that one," he
muttered in a near-whisper.
"Yes, I think you did," Leda agreed evenly.
"Our relationship is not based on sex, Leda," he sighed.
Leda snorted quietly. "Maybe it should be," she suggested, causing his
eyes to snap open and regard her carefully. "Look, I'm not going to get into
the details of my own less-than-ideal sex life, but even I know that physical
intimacy is a natural part of a loving and meaningful relationship. Ask any of
them out there," she added, gesturing to the living room. "And that includes
Alex and Michelle."
Darian cast a sidelong glance at the corner of the kitchen, a faint blush
returning to his cheeks as he really tried not to think about it. "I don't
want to hurt Serena," he said quietly.
"You STUPID mule of a man," Leda snarled, causing Darian to blink hard and
refocus on her. "You really are clueless as a species, aren't you?"
"You want to elaborate on that a little?" he suggested.
"You're worried about hurting Serena when you take her virginity, right?"
Leda grumbled. "Yeah, well, I'm not a virgin, so I can talk about this one.
Hell yes, it hurts the first time, especially when your boyfriend is a little
on the rough side. Yes, you ache for a day or two afterwards and usually end
up thinking second thoughts, but guess what? Once you heal that's it, no more
pain unless you're not ready for it."
Darian gave her a slightly odd look. "I know that. Not from a personal
standpoint, mind you, but I am quite aware of it."
"Here's something you're not aware of," Leda growled. "You're causing
Serena a great deal of pain by NOT making love to her, and that kind of pain
won't go away until something is done about it. You're worried about hurting
her a little, but you're really hurting her a lot in the end.
"And you know something else?" she added, poking him in the chest for
emphasis. "We're not kids here, so we can talk about things like adults. We
all know Serena wants to make love to you, and nobody is going to say a word to
anyone else if you give her what she wants. Hell, most of us would be quite
happy to see the two of you cementing your loving and caring relationship like
that. We know she's not a slut who just wants an itch casually scratched, and
we know you're not a skirt-chasing bastard, which means neither of you would
want it unless it's quite meaningful to the both of you."
Darian just sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "You weren't
kidding when you said you were going to be blunt, were you?" he muttered, his
face flushed crimson with embarrassment.
"Look," she said in a gentle tone. "If you're all that uncertain, go sit
down with Ami and corner her until she tells you about what her first time was
like. She can tell you just how much it meant to her, and how a down-payment
of a little pain and blood can lead to a whole lot of tenderness and pleasure
and love. The only reason I don't suggest asking Mina is because her hormones
lit up the moment she saw Maze, and we both know the rest of the story."
"I know," Darian sighed. He glanced over at Leda and shook his head very
slowly, sighing very quietly again.
"What?" the brunette prodded him.
"Nothing," he muttered.
"What?" she demanded again, a dark scowl forming on her face.
"Hey, Ami, got a moment?" Darian said to the ceiling. "I want you to tell
me about the first time you got laid and how it felt. Yeah, that'll work," he
said sourly.
"Wrong," Leda grumbled. "Ami? I need your help. I don't understand how
women deal with making love for the first time and all, so I was wondering if
you would be willing to try to explain it to me from your perspective so I can
get a better understanding of what I would be putting Serena through...."
"I'll think about it," Darian muttered, glancing away again.
Leda sighed quietly in frustration. "Look, can I ask you a blunt question
without the intent of pissing you off this time?"
"Depending," he said warily.
"Serena not doing anything for you or something?" she asked neutrally.
"I'm being dead serious here, if she's not exciting enough for you, we need to
get that out in the open so we can deal with it accordingly."
He snorted quietly in contempt. "Trust me, the primal desire is there.
That's actually most of the problem."
"Any biological problems?" Leda prodded cautiously. "Mind is willing but
the motor won't start, and you're afraid she'll find out?"
Darian blinked hard before he glared at her, his eyes narrowing down to
mere slits. "Let me reiterate this one, as you don't seem to be able to grasp
the concept," he said in a glacial tone. "The problem is not a lack of desire
for Serena, far from it. The problem is a lack of trust in myself to be able
to control myself and not hurt her. I am afraid of hurting her, even by sheer
accident, and that's not something I'm sure I can live with if I allow it to
happen."
"Uh huh," Leda said noncommittally. "So in other words, you don't have
the balls to take a chance now and then." She paused for a moment as she saw
the flare of anger in his eyes and noticed how his jaw set. "Let me say this
much, Darian. Alex is right, you are a decent man and we all know it. Think
we wouldn't be trying to keep you and Serena together if we didn't think you
were worthy? We all love you, in case you haven't picked up on it. Maybe not
in the sense that Serena and Rei love you, but there's still something between
us all that goes beyond friendship and family. So why don't you be a man for
once and go out and do something about this mess you've found yourself mired
in, instead of just moping around hoping it'll go away? We'll back you up, no
matter what happens, because you've always backed us up regardless. Just think
about it, Darian, okay? Now go make Serena's tea," she added as she brushed
past him.
She blinked hard as she suddenly felt a grip on her arm and the world
seemed to blur past her for an instant. She was able to reorient herself when
her back slammed into the wall, blinking hard when she realized that Darian was
looming over her with a very dark look in his eyes.
"You.... do not.... understand," he said slowly, making sure she heard
every word with distinction. "It is not that easy or that simple."
"You're right, I don't understand," Leda replied quietly. "Why, Darian?
Serena wanted you so badly that the illusion of having you torn from her beyond
all hope came this close to killing her. Do you really think she'd be all that
traumatized by surrendering her virginity to you? Do you honestly think so
little of yourself that you don't believe you could make the experience worth
her faith and love in you?"
Darian sighed and let go of her arm. "That last one has crossed my mind
a few times, yes," he admitted very quietly.
Leda sighed and looked away, prevented from laughing at the thought only
by the seriousness of the situation. "You're kidding, right? You're really
that worried you're not going to perform to expectations or something? Oh,
lord, Darian, what are we going to do with you?" she sighed as Darian glanced
away. "What, do you think you need practice or something for this?"
He paused and gave her an odd look. "What, are you offering again?"
The brunette blinked hard before she looked away, feeling a burning heat
rising to her cheeks. "Look, Darian...." she said slowly. "You have to keep
in mind that Serena loves you more than life itself. She is not going to give
a good goddamn if things don't turn out like it's depicted in one of Mina's
trashy romance novels. She loves you, she'll be beyond caring, and even if you
two manage to make a horrible mess of things it will still only strengthen the
bond of love between you two. It's called 'making love' for a good reason, you
know," she added dryly.
She started to move past him and leave the kitchen again before she came
to an abrupt halt as an idea occurred to her. "Of course...." she said slowly
over her shoulder, "You could always ask Serena herself what she thinks. God
forbid you should communicate with your girlfriend about such things," she said
without malice as she resumed walking and left the kitchen.
Leda sighed as she turned the corner to enter the large chamber where the
others were. She blinked and came to another abrupt halt as she saw the looks
on their faces, most of them giving her various reproving looks. "What?" she
asked warily as she surveyed the room.
Serena was resting on her knees, still quite naked and with a deeply
disturbed look on her face. Her ankle-length hairstyle was unbound and was
gently being brushed out by an equally disturbed-looking Michelle. Rei was
sitting in her bean bag with her eyes closed and a look of deep concentration
on her face. Mina was sitting in the bean bag next to her with Myst in her
lap, rubbing the kitten gently and giving Leda a look of severe unamusement.
Alex was sitting on the couch looking like she ate something unpleasant,
one hand holding out her Soul Saber to Ami. Ami was passing her computer back
and forth over the blade's edge, a look of repressed anger taining her face.
She looked up as Leda approached and frowned, giving the brunette a look that
made her suddenly wonder if something was seriously wrong.
"What?" Leda repeated, returning the looks with extreme wariness.
"Trust me, babe," Alex grumbled. "No-one ever thought they weren't real."
"Huh?" Leda replied in confusion, giving her an uncertain look.
Mina sighed quietly. "Anyone ever tell you that you have a loud voice?"
she said mildly.
A sudden icy chill crawled down Leda's spine. "Yeah, why?" she asked as
she felt her whole body start to tense.
"Between your voice and the acoustics of the kitchen, we could hear a lot
of what you said," Mina pointed out. "I'm afraid to ask what Ami picked up."
"Every word," Ami said in a dangerously flat tone.
"Ami?" Leda said in a calm and level tone. "Bite me. If the rest of you
feel like you have something constructive to add, speak up now or shut the hell
up. If you heard what I said in there, then you know what I was doing and why.
You understand what I was doing, right?" she asked Serena.
Serena sighed and looked away, a forlorn look forming on her face. She
glanced back over at the brunette several seconds later and sighed again before
reluctantly nodding her head.
"What, did I misread something?" Leda prodded her, not exactly sure what
to make of the reaction. "You still want him, right?"
"That was awfully tactless of you, Leda," Mina pointed out. "Aside from
embarrassing the hell out of Darian, you also...."
"Screw you," Leda snapped, startling Rei out of her light trance. "What
was said back there is none of your goddamned business, you little snoop. Why
don't you focus on trying to help matters instead of giving me hell?"
"Hitting on Darian is not helping matters," Mina said acidly. "Especially
when his girlfriend is right around the corner and can hear you."
"Hitting on...?" Leda echoed, blinking hard. "Are you on drugs? Serena,
do you really think...?" she started to say before she saw the look of deep
sadness in her golden eyes.
"Leda?" Ami spoke up, her tone faintly laced with acid. "We've tried to
tell you this before, it's not what you say but how you say it. We're sure we
know what you meant, but you still should not have added even the slightest
hint of doubt to an already complicated and highly volatile situation."
Leda closed her eyes and slowly counted to ten, trying very hard to ignore
the sudden, burning urge to start throwing things and people around at random.
"Tell you what," she said in a dangerously soft voice. "You can deal with it,
okay? I tried, you don't like it, that's fine with me. I don't want to hear
a damn word out of anyone about it from this point on. Let me know if they
decide whether to get laid or break up, as it seems my attempt at getting them
back together must mean that I have a burning desire to get a piece of Darian
for myself like I'm Rei or something," she added acidly. "Wake me for dinner,
if one of you happens to think about it."
The room was deathly quiet as Leda stormed past the silk screen partition
and disappeared down the residential corridor. The sound of a door slamming
made them all wince before exchanging looks of severe confusion and surprise.
"That didn't go over well," Alex spoke up as she glanced over at Ami.
"You finished yet?"
Ami ignored her as she continued to scan the saber's razor-sharp edge,
analyzing the faint traces of dried blood. She blinked and cast a dangerous
sidelong glance at Alex as the saber was pulled away from her and placed back
in the dimensional sheath with a faint rasp that her vampiric hearing could
barely detect.
"What's the problem, Ami?" Mina asked in a guarded tone.
"That's Darian's blood on her saber," Ami replied in a flat tone, casting
another dark glare at Alex. "You want to tell me how it got there?"
Alex shrugged and leaned back, stretching her arms out and resting them on
the back edge of the couch. "Why don't you ask him?" she suggested in an off-
handed manner.
The scowl on Ami's face deepened as she stared at the blonde for a few
seconds before she turned to frown at Rei. "You know anything about it?" she
demanded flatly. Her steel-blue eyes narrowed dangerously as Rei stared back
for a few moments before turning away in subtle dismissal and seeming to return
to her quiet meditations.
The edges of Ami's lips pulled back in frustration, exposing the tips of
her tiny fangs. She was about to lash out at Rei when she caught motion out of
the corner of her eye, turning her head to look just as Darian walked back into
the room with a steaming mug of tea in his hand.
Darian came to an abrupt halt as he became aware of the sudden tension in
the room, seeming to hang in the air like a heavy curtain of fog. He slowly
looked around the room, an icy chill crawling down his spine as he saw the look
of barely-concealed anger on Ami's face and the looks of reapproachment on both
Mina and Michelle's faces.
"Something wrong?" he asked in a guarded tone as he held out the mug to
Serena. He blinked and looked down at her as she made no attempt at accepting
it, her golden eyes filled with a look of faint mistrust.
"Darian, why is your blood on Alex's saber?" Ami demanded flatly without
preamble. "It has to do with the cut on your throat from earlier, doesn't it?"
Darian blinked and seemed to tense for a moment, alternating his gaze
between her and Serena. "I wanted the NegaForce to leave us alone," he said in
a very careful tone. "I had to demonstrate that it would not be wise for it to
try anything else on Earth."
"And you did that how?" Ami persisted, giving him a dark look.
He paused again and regarded her carefully. "What's it to you?" he said
after a long silence. "I already made one deal with it, so I figured making
another to keep our world free of sanctioned denizen intervention wouldn't make
my life any more miserable than what it's gotten to be as of late."
Everyone blinked as Ami suddenly shot to her feet, a very dangerous look
crossing her face. "Answer me," she said in a deathly quiet voice. "What did
you do that drew blood? I think I know, but I want to hear it from you. Now
answer my question."
Darian sighed softly and looked down at Serena, offering her the cup of
tea again. He shrugged when she again refused to take it and crossed the room,
setting the steaming mug down on the edge of the hot tub. He then went over to
Ami and gently cupped her face in both hands, forcing her to look up at him.
"Of all of us," he said quietly and calmly to her, "I would have thought
that you would understand all this. You, me, and Serena are all alike, we each
have had our lives turned upside-down and forever changed by the Negaverse. I
think Serena got the best deal, having been born half-denizen, but at least
your corruption was by force. I have no-one but myself to blame for what has
happened to me.
"What did I do? I took Alex's saber, held it to my throat, and said I
would put an end to things right then and there if the NegaForce didn't leave
us alone on Earth," he said, ignoring the deeply shocked look on Ami's face.
"Perhaps I held it a little too tightly and nicked myself by accident, but the
NegaForce was able to see into what was left of my soul and see that I was not
kidding in the slightest. Does that answer your question?"
"You threatened to kill yourself?" Ami said in a whisper, her steel-blue
eyes dangerously wide. "How could you do such a thing?"
"Tell me you honestly don't understand that one," he said quietly to her,
ignoring the reactions from the rest of the group. "Tell me that since you
became a vampire, you have never stopped and thought about surrendering to the
darkness within you, about putting an end to the constant screams of your soul
echoing inside your head. Perhaps it was a transitory mood, but it seemed to
be the right thing to do at the time."
"But.... what about Serena?" Ami replied, still struggling to cope with
the shock. "Do you know what that would have done to her? Do you even care?"
Darian sighed softly and allowed his thumb to very lightly brush across
her lips, stilling them. "Did I care then? No. Do I care now? Yes. I did
what I felt I had to do, Ami. Perhaps one of these dark days you'll trust me
enough to take my blood, to feel my emotions from my side of the equation, but
until then.... well, it's like a quiet crush. You think about it, dream about
it, but until you get the guts to act on it, you really don't know what you're
missing out on. Just take my word on it, okay?" he added very softly before
leaning forward, softly brushing his lips against hers for a momentary kiss.
The silent sound of six sets of eyelids blinking hard in unison seemed to
echo like the ghost of a whisper in the air as he stood up straight and let his
hands fall back to his sides. He looked into her eyes for a few more moments
before turning away, heading back over to the hot tub to pick up the forgotten
mug of tea.
"Serena," he said very quietly, holding the mug out to her. "I'll drink
this if you won't, but it's still warm enough if you want it."
Serena blinked hard and looked up at him with a stunned expression for a
moment before sighing heavily and finally accepting the mug. She sipped at it
idly before looking away, a look of weary resignation sliding across her face.
"You're a piece of work, Darian," Alex said quietly, watching as Ami's
mind finally came out of shock enough to allow her to sit back down, her face
still clearly depicting the mass of confusion and uncertainty she was feeling.
"Every time I think I have you figured out, you go and do something crazy that
throws us all for a loop."
Everyone blinked as there was an explosive sigh of frustration from Mina,
her expression darkening like a thundercloud. "Alright, that's it," she said,
mostly to herself. "Myst, get out of my lap, I've got work to do. Michelle,
please do me a favor and go sit in Alex's lap or something so Darian can park
his butt in the beanbag," she said as she stood up and grabbed the garden hose
lying by the open window.
Michelle hesitated, giving both Serena and Darian uncertain looks. She
blinked as Serena reached out to gently take the brush from her, giving her a
gentle look of thanks and encouragement. Michelle nodded fractionally at the
long-haired blonde and cast a quick look of guarded concern at Darian before
she stood up, absently smoothing out her white robe in the process.
"Should we even ask, hon?" Alex called out as she scooted over to make
room for Michelle next to her, warily eyeing the wall of fog Mina was building
in front of her with the Ether hose.
"Darian, have a seat," Mina suggested archly over her shoulder as she
continued to fabricate something. The cloud of Ether was quite wide but flat,
its purpose not immediately obvious at the moment.
Darian and Serena exchanged glances before he shrugged absently, gingerly
sitting down in the beanbag next to her towel. She gave him an odd look as she
set the brush aside and began the process of binding her hair into the unique
pair of perfectly spherical buns that left ankle-length streamers of hair
trailing behind her.
"Serena, go ahead and sit in his lap," Mina said as the foggy vapor began
to condense. "Just make sure you don't crunch a wing or anything."
"Uh...." Darian said carefully as both he and Serena blinked hard.
There was a firm slapping sound as Mina brought her hand down on top of
the rapidly hardening Ether construction she was making. "Look," she said in
an icy tone, "I'm fed up with the both of you, okay? Yes, I mean you too,
Serena," she added. "I know I'm not the most patient person in the world, but
for the love of god this nonsense has gone on long enough. Just do as I say
and sit her in your lap. I know she's naked, and if you happen to pop wood at
some point, that's great, you two can get a room when I'm done. The next one
of you who so much as breathes loudly before I'm done gets bitch-slapped with
a tennis racket, and I'm not freakin' kidding here," she said, holding up a
large tennis racket for emphasis. "Now close your mouths, open your ears, do
as I say, and LISTEN IN SILENCE!"
The room became deathly quiet as everyone started to exchange deeply
concerned glances, wondering if Mina's sanity had just become unhinged. Serena
gave Darian a very uncertain look before she finished binding her hair and very
carefully rose to her feet, keeping a wary eye on the mass of gray ribbon-like
wings flowing from her back. She slowly edged towards him, trying to scoop the
sensitive wings over her arm to keep from dragging them on the ground.
She blinked as Darian reached up to her, gently grabbing her hips and
pulling her down into his lap with a faint blush on his cheeks. A soft gasp
left her lips as he turned her gently so that her back was to him, brushing her
wings across the front of his shirt.
Mina shot her a dark glare at the sound but otherwise remained focused on
her task. The Ether had finally finished congealing into a surprisingly large
and seemingly complex synthesizer, complete with a pair of large speakers set
on either end. She reached down and picked up a small microphone, clipping it
to the front of her robe just above the spot where a hint of cleavage could be
seen. She cast a quick glance around the room to make sure everyone was taking
her seriously before she powered up the synthesizer and started to play.
The music wasn't scripted in the slightest, the soft and slow melody being
composed on the spot and left to seemingly wander around on its own. The pace
was decidedly slow and casual, almost somber in mood. She cast a quick glance
up at the ceiling to see if she could dim the lights for effect, blinking in
surprise as she realized that she couldn't even see a source for the light.
"So here we are," Mina said quietly as her hands slowly roamed up and down
the keyboard. The music was simple, as one might expect to hear being played
in the background during elementary story-hour in the library. "Don't have the
slightest idea where 'here' is, mind you, but we're still here.
"So what are we doing here, anyway?" she mused contemplatively. "Last I
checked, it was to give Serena the time she needs to heal and all. It's great
to see she's physically healing, what with the wings and all. Beautiful wings,
too," she added, pausing for several moments while she continued to absently
compose quiet and contemplative music.
"Darian, what are we going to do with you?" she sighed softly. "We know
you're a decent guy, and I personally find it touching that you care so much
about Serena that you're willing to sacrifice almost everything for her.... but
can you take the blinders off for a second and look at what you're doing?"
Mina sighed quietly again and fell silent for another few moments, the
music unconsciously following along with her dark and somber mood. "You're
worried about hurting Serena, you keep saying. That's sweet, it really is, but
you need to keep things not only in perspective, but you need to keep them
grounded in reality. And the reality is this.... no matter what you do, you
will eventually hurt Serena somehow.
"I don't mean deliberately, mind you, but it's a simple fact of life that
no matter what.... it will happen. It happens in every single relationship
known to man, from casual friendships to the bonds of love and marriage and to
all the degrees in between. It happens," she added with a casual shrug and an
almost subtle rippling trill of music.
"Look at Ami," she continued, causing heads to turn reflexively. "There
is no doubt in anyone's mind that she loves Tolaris, but I'm willing to bet a
lot that if he walks into the room right now, she'll run to give him a tight
hug before beating him soundly with a large stick for worrying her. See, Ami
was hurt by Tolaris staying behind, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't love
her anymore or that it was intentional. It just happens. Relationships 101,
there will be occasional fights, guaranteed."
Mina's voice fell silent for another few moments before picking back up.
"I'm not saying you shouldn't be concerned about hurting her, far from it. Do
it on purpose and we all jump you with the express intent of kicking your butt
into next week. However, if it's by accident, we can understand and forgive.
I'm sure Serena feels the same way, and can probably tell you for herself once
her voice heals. In the meantime, just listen to what her body language is
telling you, okay? Women *are* difficult to understand, granted, but so is
rocket science and we know that can be tackled if you work at it long enough."
The soft sound of her music continued to drift quietly through the air for
a period of time before she sighed and started talking again. "I know you're
both under a lot of stress, and I don't envy either one of you the burden, but
you also have to keep in mind that you're not alone. You have friends around
you, people you can rely on for help, draw comfort and strength from when you
need to. How exactly you draw said comfort and strength and from whom is....
well, let's just say that it's a delicate matter at best, but it still can't
just be brushed aside because that really will hurt people's feelings.
"After stopping to think about it, I think I understand now what Leda was
really doing. She was basically doing what Rei was, letting Darian know that
they were there for him if he needed them, and in what capacity they could be
of help. Their offers.... if you can call it that.... are not to be taken
lightly at all, but then again, neither were they made lightly. It's a really
complex, thorny issue I would never touch myself, but I can still understand
and even appreciate the gesture.
"Darian, we all have faith in you, faith to do what you truly feel is the
right thing and faith that you won't do anything that you can't live with. If
you want to take up Rei or Leda on their offer of.... well, you know, whatever
they feel like helping you with or giving you.... that's up to you. But you
should keep in mind that Serena is and always has both offered and given you
far more in terms of trust and love and genuine happiness.
"Serena, I know I'm asking a lot of you at the moment, but you have to try
to let go of Darian. If he truly cares for you, he'll stay with you, and that
will remove all doubts. If he decides to leave.... well, it just means he
wouldn't have been happy, and that in turn would have made you miserable. I
know this is entirely too harsh and all, but like I said, we have to keep it
grounded in reality. Relationship change all the time, and they don't always
withstand the change. It hurts, it's not fair in the least, but that's just
the way this life is.
"I'm sorry, but...." Mina trailed off, pausing to listen to the almost
melancholy sound coming from the synthesizer speakers. She sighed and tried to
quietly change the tune to something a little less depressing, picking up the
slow and gentle pace by half a beat. "Life is pain, my friends, just one big
heartache after another, but at least we can try to keep it to a minimum. It
might require a small pain to avoid a big one, or a lot of pain now to avoid
constant pain in the future, but it has always been and will always be about
compromise and sacrifice."
She sighed quietly and abruptly changed the music, moving to a steady and
even flow of music. "Before I shut up and give it a rest, I want to share a
particular song with you two. I've been listening to this music group called
Evanescence lately, and a few of their songs have struck a chord with me. I'm
hoping that it'll do the same for you too. My Immortal," she said very softly
before clearing her throat and starting to sing.
"I'm so tired of being here.... suppresed by all of my.... childish fears.
And if you have to leave.... I wish that you would just leave, because your
presence still lingers here.... and it won't leave me alone.... These wounds
won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real, there's just too much that Time
cannot erase....
"When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears, when you scream I'd fight
away all of your fears, and I've held your hand through all of these years....
but you still have all of me....
"You used to captivate me.... by your resonating light.... but now I'm
bound by the life you've left behind.... Your face, it haunts.... my once
pleasant dreams.... your voice, it chased away.... all the sanity in me....
These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real, there's just too
much that Time cannot erase....
"When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears, when you scream I'd fight
away all of your fears, and I've held your hand through all of these years....
but you still have all of me...."
The music suddenly swelled to a crescendo as Mina raised her voice, her
words seeming to echo around the room. "I've tried so hard to tell myself that
you're gone.... and though you're still with me, I've been alone all along...."
Her voice fell silent as her fingers continued to dance across the keys,
producing a moderately-paced rhythm that seemed to stir the soul. She looked
up at her audience, her expression unreadable as she studied the looks on their
faces.
Michelle was curled up next to Alex, her eyes seeming to be haunted and
brimming with tears. Alex only looked to be marginally better, her mouth set
in a thin line with a slightly despondant look mirrored in her blue eyes. Ami
was sitting on the far end of the couch, looking to be somewhere between being
just as haunted as Michelle and being deeply forlorn.
Rei's expression was utterly unreadable as she sat as still as a stone
statue, her bottomless black eyes quite impassive. Myst was curled up next to
her, watching Mina's playing with rapt attention and seemingly oblivious to the
emotional content of the music.
Leda was hovering at the very far edge of the silk screen partition, her
green eyes slightly bloodshot and her mouth pulled down into a dark frown. She
seemed to be over her outburst of anger and was listening to the music in a
more sullen mood.
Darian seemed to be slightly depressed as he sat there, one hand gently
around Serena's waist to hold her steady. Serena's head was bowed with her
eyes closed, a faint glimmer of a tear visibly running down her cheek. She
didn't look to be overly comfortable sitting in Darian's lap, but didn't seem
to show any signs of moving.
"When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears.... when you'd scream I'd
fight away all of your fears.... and I've held your hand through all of these
years, but you still have...." Mina's voice trailed off, growing softer with
each moment. "All of me.... all of me.... all.... of me...."
The silence seemed to last for quite some time as both Mina and the music
faded away, the almost subconscious electric hum of the speakers disappearing
as well as they were turned off. It took several seconds for everyone to show
signs of throwing off the somber mood and start looking around again, various
degrees of dark emotions still clearly visible on their faces.
Serena slowly twisted around to look at Darian, making sure not to tangle
her wings in the process. They silently stared at one another for several
seconds, golden eyes meeting dark eyes as a second tear slid down her cheek.
The rest of the room waited in total silence, scarcely daring to breathe as
they watched for any signs of what their reactions might be.
It seemed an eternity passed before Darian slowly drew in a breath to
speak. "Rei is right about one thing," he said very quietly.
Serena blinked and briefly cast a nervous glance towards the priestess.
"What is it?" she whispered, her voice momentarily soothed by the tea and able
to function properly. Even spoken in a whisper, the sound that emerged from
her mouth seemed to be composed of three distinct voices working in perfect
unison and harmony.
Darian just sighed and shook his head ruefully. "I have absolutely no
idea what I'm going to do with you," he replied, taking her hand and squeezing
it gently. "Hell, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself anymore."
She slowly reached up and brushed her fingertips against his throat, her
lower lip trembling lightly as she felt the razor-thin line of dried blood that
marked the barely-healed cut from earlier. "If you don't know..." she said in
a very quiet tone, her voice starting to rasp again. "Maybe I can tell you?"
"Maybe," Darian allowed. He reached up to place a finger against her
lips, keeping them still. "Once your voice heals," he added in a gentle but
firm tone.
She sighed softly before giving him a reluctant nod of acceptance, knowing
that he was really stalling for time. She felt a twinge in her chest as she
thought about it, knowing that he didn't make any commitment to anything but at
the same time didn't outright refuse her again.
She looked at him, feeling the whirlwind of emotions start up again and
trying not to let them get the best of her. She wanted him with all her heart
and soul.... maybe not as bluntly as Leda said she did, but the thought was
definitely there.... and she honestly wasn't sure what she would do if he ever
decided to leave her for someone else.
"Darian," she rasped quietly, trying not to flinch from the increasing
levels of pain that each new syllable brought to her throat. "I love you."
The haunted look in his eyes seemed to soften slightly. "I know you do,
my beautiful princess," he murmured softly. "And I'm sorry I doubt myself so
much that it hurts you, but...." he trailed off, sighing quietly. He blinked
as she took his hand and held it against her bare breast, pressing her nipple
against the warmth of his palm.
"I've never doubted you," she breathed, the harshness of her raw voice
almost making the words unintelligable. "Never...." she whispered silently as
she leaned forward to meld her lips against his.
Alex snorted very quietly. "Took them long enough," she muttered to both
Ami and Michelle as they watched Darian gently kissing Serena in return.
Ami sighed and cast a dark look at the blonde. "Would it really hurt you
to keep your comments to yourself every now and then?" she grumbled in a low
tone.
Alex just rolled her eyes. "Bite me," she said without thinking about it
as she glanced over at Leda. She blinked hard as Ami suddenly grabbed her arm
and yanked her around so that the two women were almost nose-to-nose.
"Do not tempt me," Ami said in a whisper, her steel-blue eyes seeming to
smoulder with anger and her lips curled back to expose the points of her fangs.
The room suddenly became deathly quiet as everyone picked up on the level
of tension coming from the couch. Michelle's eyes were as wide as saucers and
the color could be visibly seen draining from her face. Alex's expression was
only marginally better, her skin turning pale as well but her eyes remaining
steadfastly focused on Ami's darkened visage.
The silence seemed to stretch on, broken only by the very faint sound of
Michelle whimpering in uncertainty and fright. Alex absently reached behind
her, rubbing Michelle's leg gently while continuing to stare back at the pair
of steel-blue eyes boring a hole in her soul.
"What's with the mood, hon?" Alex finally asked in a level tone. "Stress
got you that worked up that you're seriously thinking about trying to rip out
my throat or something?"
Ami continued to glare at her for a moment before sighing quietly and
closing her eyes. "Something like that," she said as her shoulders drooped.
She opened her eyes again a moment later and cast another glare at the blonde
Viking. "But at this point, almost anything would be worth shutting you up for
a few minutes."
"Ami?" Leda said as she leaned on the partition frame, surprising those
who weren't aware she had returned. "Just bite her and be done with it, she'll
be fine once the pain passes and the floating sensation starts up. And yes,
that'll definitely shut her up for a few minutes, as it's damn hard to talk
with a pair of fangs in your throat."
"Thanks, babe, love you too," Alex grumbled quietly.
"Would you prefer a broken jaw?" Leda suggested archly. She paused as she
heard an electric click, followed by the nearly silent hiss of an empty carrier
wave coming from a pair of speakers. "Now what?" she asked Mina.
Mina just sighed and shook her head as she played with the settings on her
synthesizer for a moment. "I think we all need to start popping chill pills or
something, as this is getting out of hand. Speaking of hands...." she added,
giving Darian a meaningful look.
Darian blushed faintly and removed his hand from Serena's breast, putting
it on her hip instead. "Sorry," he muttered, glancing at the identical blush
on Serena's cheeks as well.
"Thanks," Mina replied. "We know you two love one another, and while I
really don't care about Serena's state of undress, there is still a time and
place for everything and trying to feel up your naked girlfriend in a room full
of barely-dressed girls is not exactly kosher, if you know what I mean."
Alex just looked up at the ceiling. "And you think I need to give it a
rest?" she sighed softly. She paused and looked back down at Ami, giving her
a mildly reproving look. "Quit looking at my throat like that, hon."
"Hey, Alex?" Mina said gently as she started to compose music again, her
fingers absently producing more of the same kind of unconsciously emotional
sounds as before. "I think you should share your blood with her. I mean, it's
a deeply intimate experience, granted, and that first few seconds hurts like
hell, but afterwards it's.... well, it's unique for all of us, but it's always
something to savor."
"I'm not hungry," Ami said quickly, pre-empting whatever Alex might have
said. "Maybe I'll think about it in a couple of weeks, but I'm still...."
"In need of a good snack," Leda interrupted her gently. "Like Mina said
in the tub a few minutes ago, we know you better than you think. You rarely
get all pissy like this after you've been fed.... well, at least not for a few
days," she amended. "But anyway...."
"Thank you, but no," Ami replied in a flat tone. "I will take care of my
needs when they become needs."
Leda gave her an unamused look. "So all of a sudden our blood isn't good
enough for you, or is it only when you feel like it?"
Ami sighed and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and rubbing
her sinuses with her fingertips. "It's not like that and you know it...." she
started to say.
"Funny," Leda said in a voice that indicated she found very little humor
in it, "There seems to be a lot going around as of late that we should 'know'
but really don't understand because it's not spelled out. Keep playing, girl,
this might take awhile," she said to Mina as the music changed slightly.
"I know," Mina replied in a quiet tone.
Ami glanced over at the utterly neutral look on Alex's face and sighed.
"Alright, then spell it out for us," she said in a faintly edged tone, giving
the brunette a dark look.
"I think you need to feed more often," Leda said. "Small and frequent
snacks as opposed to long feedings every other week should keep you feeling
full and less prone to dark mood swings. It's like dealing with Serena, you
know? A blonde full of sugar is a happy blonde...."
"Excuse me," Mina protested, giving Leda a faintly amused look. Serena
merely smiled gently at the analogy and laid her head on Darian's shoulder,
savoring the warmth of his hands on her hip and arm.
Leda ignored her and continued. "Think about it.... less blood taken per
session, shorter recovery time, less weakness afterwards, more blood available
in case of emergency feeding, I know it'll improve my mood on a more frequent
basis which would make life a lot easier on the rest of you, it should have the
same positive mood effects on everyone else as well...."
"I get the idea," Ami sighed quietly.
"Besides," Leda added, "I'm not sure we can sustain you at the way things
are going right now. I mean, you won't touch Darian, you actively avoid taking
Serena's blood except when you're really in a bind, I don't think denizen blood
would be useful to you, and just between you and me, I wouldn't try sampling
Susan's blood because we have no idea how you'd react to demon blood...."
"I get the idea," Ami repeated in an edged tone.
"So the way I see it," Leda continued, "You can either ask Alex now, or
you can ask her later, but eventually you're going to have to ask her, so you
may as well just...."
Darian blinked hard as Serena rose up and leaned forward against him,
pressing her chest against his face as she reached out and grabbed the end of
Leda's sash. He could feel the heat rising to his face as the ultra-softness
of her breasts brushed his cheeks, sending electric shocks running up and down
his spine. He felt Serena's body jerk as she tugged hard before she sat back
down, one eyebrow arched up in remote satisfaction as Leda's voice promptly
fell silent for several seconds. He had a fair idea of what she had just done
to the brunette, but he didn't dare turn around to see for sure.
"Thank you, Serena," Leda grumbled quietly as she quickly retied her robe
shut, her cheeks tinted pink and extremely grateful for the fact that Darian's
back was to her. The blush deepened as she remembered how he had seen it all
before earlier, the pink color slowly turning crimson.
"That's one way to shut her up," Mina smirked. "Don't think it'll work
too well on Alex, however. Just call it a hunch...."
"Whatever," Alex muttered, rolling her eyes again. She paused and looked
over at Ami again, a faint frown crossing her face as she realized she was
being studied again. "You're staring at my throat again," she pointed out.
"What's your blood type?" Ami asked on sheer impulse, causing the rest of
the room to blink in surprise.
"Huh?" Alex replied. "My blood type? Damned if I know...."
"B-negative," Michelle spoke up. She sighed as Alex turned around to give
her a slightly disturbed look, one blonde eyebrow arching up to her hairline.
"You need to pay closer attention to what Lady Mercury tells you about your
medical history. Knowing your own blood type can save your life."
"Thanks, babe, I'll try to keep that in mind," Alex said archly. "Don't
know how I'm supposed to remember something like that, though...."
"B-negative," Leda spoke up. "Kinda like your bra size, you know?"
"Huh," Alex said thoughtfully, oblivious to the collective wince by the
rest of the room. "Never thought of it that way. That might actually work,
too. Thanks."
Leda just shook her head in amazement. "Anytime," she said ruefully.
"So what are you again?" Alex asked Michelle.
"O-negative," Michelle replied. "Same as the Princess, remember?"
"Not really," Alex said with a helpless shrug.
"Alright, now I'm curious," Mina spoke up, pausing as she noticed Rei
rolling her eyes. "I'm B-positive, and I know how all the Rh-negative types
are kinda rare and all. Who else knows what blood type they are?"
"O-positive," Leda spoke up.
"I'm A-positive," Ami said next.
"Same," Darian added, drawing a surprised look from Ami.
Michelle paused and furrowed her brow. "I think Susan is A-negative, but
I'm not sure," she said hesitantly. "Lady Mercury was always complaining about
how the factors in her bloodstream made her unsuitable for transfusions."
Mina nodded and cast a look over her shoulder. "Rei, what about you?"
"AB-negative," Rei said quietly.
"Wow," Mina replied, her eyes widening slightly. "I didn't know you were
that. That's probably the rarest blood type out there."
"I have a slightly morbid question for you, Ami," Darian spoke up, drawing
a guarded look from both Ami and Serena. "Do you happen to notice any taste
difference between the blood types, or are they all different to you?"
Ami blinked hard and sat back, a slightly surprised look on her face. "I
don't really know, I never stopped to think about or anything. Everyone's
blood does taste different to me, but as everyone's blood type appears to be
different, there's no way to isolate the variables."
"Well...." Mina said slowly. "Serena and Michelle have the same type."
"Hey now...." Alex protested immediately as Michelle whimpered quietly.
Ami just shook her head. "Invalid comparison, Serena's blood contains a
few denizen factors that would skew any scientific experiment done."
Leda chuckled quietly to herself. "Since when is a vampire sampling a
lunch buffet a scientific experiment? What?" she added warily as everyone
seemed to turn in unison to stare hard at her.
"That was a very tasteless comparison," Ami pointed out in an icy tone.
"I don't know," Darian mused quietly. "Give them a bath, add a little
salt, they might taste good.... Ow, ow, Serena, that was a joke, ow, leggo!"
he gasped as a scowling Serena grabbed him by the ear and pinched hard.
"See?" Mina said with a heavy sigh. "I told you relationships would end
up hurting you sooner or later. You just gotta learn to roll with the punches,
that's all. Plus, just think of the fun you can have kissing and making out
later...."
Leda cleared her throat quietly. "I think you meant making up."
Mina gave her a wicked smile. "I know what I meant," she said impishly.
She blinked and looked up as she heard an odd squeaking noise, just in time to
catch Darian only half-gently tossing Serena out of his lap to land on the far
end of the beanbag. "Hey!" she called out in reflexive protest as Serena
suddenly looked stunned by the movement.
Darian gave Serena a dark look as he rubbed his ear. He paused and looked
down at his fingertips, his expression changing slightly as he noticed the red
blotch on one finger. He carefully probed his ear with another finger and came
up with another small stain of blood. "You need to trim your nails," he said
to Serena in a faintly edged voice.
Serena gasped and looked down at her fingers, her forehead wrinkling in
confusion as she saw that her fingernails were neatly trimmed down to a very
modest length. She scratched her forefinger against her thumb and suddenly
hissed as she cut herself, leaving a very thin line behind that started to ooze
blood very slowly.
"Hey, what happened?" Leda asked as she moved closer to them, casting a
quick glance at Darian's ear before squatting down to examine Serena's thumb.
"Damn, girl, you got a rough edge or something? That looks awfully sharp...."
"Tell me about it," Darian muttered.
"Whiner," Leda grumbled at him. "Just grab a tissue or something."
"Let me see," Ami said as she stood up, flipping open the cover of her
miniature computer with ease out of sheer reflex. She crossed the room and
passed the sensor suite over the small cut on Darian's ear before holding it
over Serena's hands. "Hmm...."
"Ami?" Leda sighed quietly. "I really, really hate it when you get that
expression on your face. What's wrong this time?"
"Nothing is really wrong," Ami replied after a slight hesitation, giving
Serena a comforting look. "At least, not that I can tell. Serena, when was
the last time you trimmed your nails?"
"Probably a week ago," Mina spoke up, her hands never leaving the keyboard
as she continued to idly play random compositions. "I gave her a hand, pardon
the pun, with her nails after school. I remember because we spent the better
part of an hour talking about what would make a good shade of nail polish."
Ami paused and looked down at her computer readings again. "That's odd.
Did you sharpen them or something?" she inquired carefully.
"Uh, no...." Mina replied with a slight frown. "In fact, I remember I
ended up pitching the emery board I was using to smooth the rough edges from
clipping her nails because it was starting to wear thin. Why, someone take a
whetstone to them or something?"
"What's the problem, hon?" Alex spoke up from the couch, one hand still
idly rubbing Michelle's leg.
Ami looked up at Serena and shrugged helplessly. "Your fingernails seem
to have been polished to a very fine edge," she said to the slightly upset
princess. "It would probably take more than a simple emery board to file them
smooth again, but I don't see any real problem. You just need to be careful
with them, that's all. Fortunately, they're not very long, so you probably
won't have to worry about scratching someone by accident. You hush," she said
over her shoulder as Darian made a very quiet grunting noise in his throat.
"Wuss," Leda added, rapping her knuckles against his shoulder.
"We can probably trim them right now if you want, your Highness," Michelle
spoke up from the couch. "I mean, if Mina can make a hot tub, I'm sure we can
use the Ether to make suitable accessories to take care of you."
Serena glanced down at her nails before glancing over at Darian, a pale
blush of embarrassment springing to her cheeks as he gave her a reproving look
in response. She turned to look at Michelle and nodded enthusiastically before
suddenly pausing, her expression briefly changing to one of mild discomfort.
"Now what?" Leda asked in a guarded tone. She blinked and chuckled as
Serena stood up, her blush darkening by twelve shades and one hand coming up to
lightly press against her lower abdomen, right below her navel. "I take it
your bladder finally woke up? Bathroom's down the hall," she said, pointing
past the silk screen partition.
"Michelle?" Darian suddenly spoke up. "Would you be kind enough to give
Serena a hand with her wings? Don't want them dragging around on the floor or
anything like that."
The room seemed to pause for a moment, broken only by the steady sounds
drifting up from the synthesizer speakers as Mina continued playing. "Sure,"
Michelle said a moment later as she stood up, giving him a slightly uncertain
look as she came over to where Serena was. "Here, let me get that," she said
as Serena started to carefully gather her wings together in a bundle.
"That's an awful lot of wing," Leda pointed out as she took a step back,
warily eyeing the size of the pile of ultra-thin ribbon being collected. "And
that was all coiled up into those tiny strings on her back earlier?"
"Amazing, isn't it?" Darian offered, drawing a slightly odd look from the
winged princess. "Don't look at me like that, Serena. Like I said, we'll talk
once your voice heals."
Serena continued to look at him oddly for another few moments before she
sighed softly and nodded her head. She cast a quick glance at Michelle before
starting to move at a slow pace, making sure Michelle could keep up with her.
Everyone watched as they turned the corner and disappeared down the hallway
before turning their attention back to Darian.
"Okay, so what's on your mind that you don't want Serena to hear?" Leda
asked in a deeply guarded tone. Alex, Mina, and Ami had similiar expressions
on their faces, while Rei apparently showed very little interest in what was
going on. The priestess was still curled up in the bean bag with Myst sitting
next to her, seeming to ignore the group as she focused on the pattern of very
slight color variations in Myst's gray fur.
Darian sighed and glanced around the room. "I think we need to get a few
things straightened out and aired in the open really quickly so we can figure
out just where this madness is going. I'm not asking this question out of any
malice or with any intent to shame or embarrass or cause trouble, but I really
need to nail this one down. This isn't an offer or a request, either, so don't
go reading too deeply into it. Just accept it at face value. Do any of you
want to sleep with me or something? I just want to know what to expect."
Five sets of eyes promptly blinked hard, the soft background music ending
very abruptly as Mina's fingers slipped. She resumed playing a moment later,
but not before narrowing her eyes dangerously at his deeply shocking question.
"Absolutely not," Ami said in a voice cold enough to freeze nitrogen.
"No," Mina said flatly. "Not just no, but hell no."
Darian nodded his head in understanding. "I expected as much, at least
from the two of you, but I figured it wouldn't hurt too badly to ask that." He
paused for a moment as he realized that the other three girls had yet to reply
to his question. "What about the rest of you?" he prodded gently.
"That's a very wrong question to ask, Darian," Leda said quietly.
Darian sighed and looked at her. "I know, but I'm only asking it so I can
remove any and all doubts. Between dealing with Serena yesterday and all that
has gone on since, I've got so many wires crossed in my head that it's not even
remotely funny. It's a simple if blunt question, Leda, and like I said, I'm
not trying to solicit anything from anyone. I just need to know if there is
any remote interest or not."
"How remote are we talking here?" Leda hedged warily.
"Leda!" Ami blurted out, her jaw falling open in shock.
"Shut up, Ami," Leda growled back, casting a glare at her.
Darian paused and regarded the brunette carefully. "How about we set the
bar at 'in another time and place?'" he suggested in a neutral tone.
"Yes," Rei spoke up very quietly, not looking up at anyone.
The room was dangerously silent for a moment before Darian nodded his head
in understanding. "Thank you for being honest," he said quietly.
"Darian, what are you...!!" Ami started to say before a hand was clamped
around her mouth from behind.
"Save it, babe," Alex said quietly in her ear. "I think I know what this
one is about. You want the truth, D? I'd be lying if I said I never thought
about what it would be like to sleep with you. Thing is.... well.... crap, I'm
glad Mich isn't here to hear this," she sighed. "Point-blank, D, you're the
only guy I'd trust right now to get that close to me, and with the nightmares
being what they are and all.... well, let's just say I'm close to the point of
wanting to do anything to get rid of them, including seeing if getting laid the
'right' way will fix anything. That close enough for you?"
"Yes, thank you," Darian said very quietly.
"Fine," Leda sighed as she looked up at the ceiling, her cheeks turning
the color of ripe tomatoes. "Would I like to sleep with you? Maybe one of
these dark and lonely nights when I've had enough to drink and I wouldn't care
about upsetting anyone else. Would I actively consider doing so if Serena was
still in the picture? Not in the slightest. Clear?"
"Yes, thank you," Darian echoed again with a slow nod of understanding.
"Look," Alex said sharply as Ami started to struggle. "Just keep your yap
closed about this one and let the man sort out his problems, okay? And if you
even THINK about biting me, I'll take your freaking head off."
Darian sighed quietly and looked around the room. "I'm not considering
abandoning Serena for anyone, if that's what your worried about. I am.... a
bit flattered that some of you are interested in or are otherwise attracted to
me, and I'd be lying if I said that some of the.... fantasy interest wasn't
mutual," he said, a dark blush springing to his cheeks.
"But that's all that it is, just pure fantasy musings," he added with a
strong emphasis. "I mean, I'll be honest with you. You are all undeniably
beautiful women and that's not always easy for a guy like me to cope with on an
almost daily basis. I'm touched that some of you think I'm like a white knight
or something equally noble and virtuous, but I've got the same hormone problems
that the rest of the male population suffers from. And that includes a bit of
a weakness when it comes to dealing with willing women.
"I'm not going to start hitting on anyone or anything, I've got that much
self-control," he pointed out. "I mean, things have been just fine up to this
point, right? I still care deeply about Serena and all, and while I'm touched
at the depth of interest in our relationship, I keep telling you guys.... it's
none of your damn business how far or how fast it goes. Just don't take a slow
or seemingly rocky process as a sign that things are falling apart, okay?"
"Okay...." Leda said slowly. "So what exactly is the problem here?"
Darian sighed quietly. "The problem can be summarized into a simple and
short concept. Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. I asked
you what I did because I wanted to know if I would have to worry about any sort
of.... tension is a good word, I think. I would really rather not have to try
to sort things out with Serena and have to cope with any.... advances, I guess,
on another front."
"Darian?" Mina said in disgust. "Do you really think any of us would try
to come between you and Serena or something? Or are you really that much of a
chauvinistic male pig to think that someone would try to start an affair?"
"Like I said," Darian replied with a faint note of steel to his tone, "I
have had a lot of conflicting information dumped in my lap in the past day or
two, and sorting it all out is not easy. I thought the best way to get to the
heart of this one is to lay it all out in the open. Alex, let go of Ami before
she really does bite you," he added as Ami's cheeks turned purple.
Alex frowned and removed her hand from Ami's mouth, taking a step back and
keeping a very wary eye on her movements. Ami twisted her head around to cast
a truly evil glare over her shoulder at the blonde Viking before turning back
to give Darian a decidedly chilling look.
"Ami?" Leda said quietly. "Don't take his head off just yet, okay? It's
not exactly his fault. Darian, I wasn't trying to offer myself back there in
the kitchen or anything, okay? I'm sorry if I sent you the wrong signals or
something, I was just trying to press your buttons."
Darian nodded to her. "Thanks for clearing that up."
"Rei?" Mina said carefully. "You're being awfully quiet about this...."
"What else is there to say?" Rei replied quietly, looking up at her. "He
knows what I want."
"Somewhat...." Darian hedged carefully.
Rei shifted her gaze over to him, her bottomless black eyes betraying no
hint of emotion whatsoever. "Very well," she said calmly, her face utterly
impassive. "You can have me if you want, however you want, and for however
long you want. Should you ever tire of Serena's company, you should not have
any trouble finding me. You need not worry about me, I will not bother you if
you do not have any interest in me, nor will I ever try to come between you and
Serena. I am beyond caring at this point as to how she feels about me, or for
that matter, how anyone else feels about my feelings for you."
"Holy crap, Rei...." Alex breathed quietly.
"In your case, Alex?" Rei said slowly, casting a brief glance over at her
before looking back down at Myst, "I believe Darian should make love to you.
I can feel the pain in your soul just from listening to you talk, and if Darian
is the only one you trust enough for sexual healing...." She paused for a
moment as she thought further about it before she shrugged a shoulder in idle
dismissal and closed her eyes. "Serena should understand, and if not.... well,
perhaps Darian would be more content with someone who is a just a little more
understanding about such things."
The room became as silent as a tomb for a few moment as they all digested
Rei's words. Even Mina's fingers became still as she thought about the weight
on the priestess' mind, trying not to shiver as she realized it was far greater
than she had imagined.
"Okay...." Alex said quietly. "So now that we have that out of the way
and all.... now what?"
Darian shrugged helplessly. "Don't know, really," he said in a weary tone
as he sat back down in the beanbag and leaned back, slowly stretching out.
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Do you care?" she prodded him.
"Very much so, yes," Darian replied instantly as he closed his eyes and
tried to relax. "Thing is, what the hell am I supposed to do about it? Just
one more thing to pile onto an already full plate, I guess. I'm not sure if
anything will change, but for the moment I suppose it's just business as usual.
Or what passes for business as usual when dealing with you Sailor Scouts," he
added with a weary sigh. He cracked one eye open to glance over at Ami. "You
should sit down, Ami. You look like you're about to blow a fuse."
Ami slowly looked around the room, her cheeks still tinted purple and her
hands clenched into tight fists. She locked gazed with Alex for several long
seconds before the blonde shrugged casually and sat back down on the couch,
making an idle gesture for her to sit down as well.
A hollow roaring sound started to fill her ears as she continued to stare
at Alex, her gaze fixating on the curve of her throat where she knew a large
vein was. Hunger started to well up inside her, causing both her senses and
her higher intellect to start to swirl around in a blur. She felt a deep chill
in the pit of her stomach as she realized that the dark part of her was taking
control, resisting her attempts at keeping it confined.
"Ami?" Leda said in a worried tone as she saw the sudden tension on the
vampire's neck. "Are you alright?"
Ami ignored her as she continued to stare at Alex, fighting an internal
war against the almost overwhelming impulse to pin the blonde down on the couch
and savor the dark nectar flowing in her veins. She knew that she was rapidly
slipping into a bloodlust for an unknown reason, but she was just as rapidly
running out of both time and options in regards to how to keep her dark nature
under control.
"Guys?" Alex said slowly as she put her hand on her saber. "I think we
have a problem here...."
Ami closed her eyes as she felt a hand on her shoulder, able to tell from
the touch alone that it was Leda. A renewed sense of strength flowed through
her, enabling her to get a firmer hold on her suddenly burning hunger. She was
unable to shut it down completely, but for the moment she was at least able to
think clearly again.
"I think I need to leave," she whispered quietly to the brunette.
"Stressed out that badly?" Leda replied softly. "Perhaps you should ask
her if she'll help you take the edge off."
"No...." Ami whispered, slowly shaking her head.
"What's the problem, babe?" Alex asked carefully, one hand still brushing
the hilt of her saber.
"Want to find out how being bitten feels?" Leda offered, squeezing Ami's
shoulder gently. "I'd feed her myself if I had enough blood left to do so.
Don't ask me why she's suddenly hungry, though. Might be stress."
"Right," Alex said slowly, raising one eyebrow up as Ami continued to
visibly struggle with something deep inside her. "Alright, blondie, you said
this was an intimate experience, right?" she asked Mina.
"Oh, yeah," Mina replied with a nod of her head, keeping a very close eye
on Ami as well and giving serious consideration to pulling out her stiletto.
"Hurts at first, but it's worthwhile in my book. You might want to try it,"
she suggested carefully.
"I'm.... I'm fine," Ami said slowly as she opened her eyes. "It was....
just a momentary thing, that's all."
"Right," Alex said slowly again. "Last time I got eyeballed like that was
when I was outside the lion cage at an Earth zoo when it was close to feeding
time. You can't tell me a look of primal hunger like that is just a momentary
thing. Oh, hey, your Highness," she said as Serena came back into the room,
still stark naked and with Michelle holding the bulk of her grayish wings.
"Is something wrong?" Michelle asked carefully as she looked around the
room, able to feel the undercurrent of tension.
Alex snorted in remote amusement. "Not really. Ami seems to be having
one hell of a hunger pang and they're trying to get me to feed her."
Michelle blinked hard and almost dropped Serena's wings, her aquamarine
eyes becoming dangerously wide. She blinked and looked over as Serena reached
up to lay a hand on her arm, giving her a reassuring look.
"I'm fine," Ami asserted as she took a slow and deep breath.
"Okay, so you're fine now," Leda countered. "Go bite her anyway, it'll
shut her up for a few if nothing else. Hell, I'm tempted to bite her myself."
Alex raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Where at?" she inquired.
Leda just sighed and glared at her for a moment. "You know, after all
we've been through together lately, you'd think we could put aside the petty
crap for a few to take care of the really important things. Woman to woman,
Ami. I think you should take Alex's blood now so you don't have a relapse of
this next time you get stressed out. Yes, it tends to be somewhat intimate and
personal, but we're all about as close as we can get as friends without getting
sexually involved, so what does it really matter at this point?"
Ami blinked and just looked at her for several seconds. "That could have
been phrased a lot better," she pointed out.
"Could have, would have, should have, hell with it," Leda growled with
impatience. "Just do it already and get it over with, okay? Damn," she fumed
as she stalked over to the empty bean bag and plopped down hard enough to make
the synthetic fabric bulge dangerously.
Ami sighed softly and looked over at Alex, knowing that there was some
truth to the brunette's words. Alex returned the level gaze in silence, one
eyebrow arching up in guarded response. They both turned their heads as Serena
moved over to Ami, her wings still bundled up in Michelle's hands.
"No," Ami said quickly as Serena tilted her head to one side, giving her
a very gentle look and leaving her throat exposed. "Serena, don't. You're not
in any condition to be thinking about it...."
"Serena?" Mina spoke up gently. "Ami's right, I really don't think it'd
be a good idea. Keep in mind that your body has undergone an extreme amount of
stress lately, and you really should try to take it easy for a few days just to
make sure everything is fine."
Serena sighed and nodded in understanding. She gave Ami an apologetic
look before she stepped forward and gave her a gentle hug, resting her head on
Ami's shoulder for several moments.
"I know, Serena," Ami said softly, briefly rubbing her shoulders. "It is
appreciated, believe me."
Michelle blinked and looked over at Alex, a slightly haunted look creeping
into her aquamarine eyes. Alex paused and gave her a guarded look in return,
not entirely sure what to make of the unexpected reaction.
"What's the problem, love?" Alex ventured carefully.
Michelle hesitated before she glanced back at Ami. "I don't know," she
whimpered quietly. "I'm just.... I mean, if the Princess can.... I mean...."
Alex sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Yeah, I know, if she can offer
her blood to a vampire with a smile, why can't we, right?"
Both Ami and Serena blinked hard and looked over at her. "It's not like
that at all," Ami started to say.
"Ahh, screw it," Alex sighed with a wave of her hand. "You want it, come
get it. Just make sure you don't rip anything out or Mich will get all bent
out of shape and you'll never hear the end of it." She paused as she heard a
soft snort of amusement and looked over towards one of the bean bags. "You say
something, D?" she ventured.
Darian just shook his head. "Nope, not a thing."
Alex narrowed her eyes in suspicion for a moment before shaking her head
and turning her attention back to Ami. "Well?"
"Why the change of mind?" Ami asked carefully.
"Where's a slingshot?" Leda muttered as she looked around. "She needs to
be tagged right in the...."
"Thank you, Leda, we get the idea," Mina interrupted with a sigh.
"Look, sweetie," Alex sighed quietly. "Can we just get this over with
before I change my mind? Okay, so I'm a touch curious as to just how personal
this gets, and I don't want to upset Mich or anything, but you're cute enough
to consider taking a tumble with, so I can't see how this can be too bad once
you overlook the fact that you're going to poke a hole in my throat to let the
juice drain out."
There was a soft grunt of frustration from behind the synthesizer. "Now
I'm ready to bite her," Mina growled quietly as she switched console modes and
began to play a quiet strain of soothing music. "This isn't rocket science,
Ami. If she's willing to give it a shot, so should you."
"That's not always a good idea," Darian muttered quietly, drawing sharp
looks from everyone except Michelle and Serena. He glanced around the room as
he noticed their reactions and leaned back in the bean bag, a faint hint of a
smile touching his lips.
"Serena, go sit on him or something," Leda suggested archly.
Serena smiled gently before turning her attention back to Ami. She very
lightly brushed her fingertips across Ami's lips before making a slight gesture
to Alex and nodding her head. She gave her another quick hug before she turned
around and gently withdrew her wings from Michelle's arms, giving her a smile
of thanks before gingerly making her way over to the bean bag Darian was in.
Ami glanced at Alex for a moment before looking over at Michelle. "What
do you think of this?" she asked quietly.
Michelle blinked hard and seemed to pale slightly, a very soft whimper
rising up from her throat. "I don't know," she replied in a whisper. "I saw
you bite the Princess yesterday and all, but.... I.... don't know."
She flinched as Ami reached out to lay a hand on her arm, giving her a
gentle look. "I really don't understand it either," Ami said quietly. "I just
know it's something I have to do. I don't really like doing it, to be honest,
but there are some.... enjoyable aspects to it," she confessed with a pale
blush. "I just try to focus on those and not think about the negatives."
"Just have a seat, hon," Alex said as she patted the cushion next to her.
"I'm not sure if you want to watch or not, but if nothing else you can hold my
hand for a few."
Michelle hesitated and gave Ami a deeply uncertain look before she went
over to the couch and sat down. She reached out and took Alex's hand in hers,
intertwining their fingers nervously as she looked down at her lover.
"Damn, babe," Alex murmured as she squeezed her hand. "You're shaking
worse than I am. Just relax a bit, okay? C'mere," she said as she tilted her
head back, reaching up to gently draw Michelle down to her for a soft kiss.
Michelle returned the kiss for several moments before looking up as Ami
approached the couch. She watched with visible nervousness as Ami sat down on
the cushion and regarded them both carefully.
"You sure about this?" Ami inquired gently.
"Hell no," Alex replied with a faint chuckle. "But like Sue keeps trying
to tell us, nothing is ever certain in life. What's the best way to do this?"
Ami looked at her for a moment before she stood up and took a step back.
"Why don't you stretch out a bit?" she suggested. "You can probably put your
head in Michelle's lap, that'll probably be easiest. Unless she minds...."
"Please," Alex smirked as she swung her legs up and scooted down, resting
her head on Michelle's legs. "Getting my head in her lap is easy. Getting her
to let me get up again, that's the touchy part.... I'm teasing, dear," she
murmured as she reached up to pull Michelle's head down to her for another soft
kiss. "You know I love you, babe."
Everyone watched in silence as Ami gingerly knelt down on the floor next
to the couch, reaching up with one hand to move the edge of Alex's robe aside.
They all blinked as Alex snorted quietly and reached down to untie the sash,
pulling the robe almost completely open on the right to bare her breast.
"Might as well do it right," Alex muttered before kissing Michelle again.
Serena turned to look at Darian, raising an eyebrow as he glanced back at
her with a faint tint of pink to his cheeks. He shrugged a shoulder in casual
response and she just shook her head in resignation, sitting down on the far
end of the bean bag and carefully setting her wings down next to her.
Ami paused for a moment before she leaned over Alex, one hand absently
coming up to tug the open robe into a more modest position. She paused again
as Michelle lifted her head up to look at her, their faces barely inches away
from one another. Aquamarine eyes met steel-blue for several seconds before
Michelle nodded fractionally and leaned back, watching with nervous tension.
Ami's head dipped down slightly, brushing her lips across Alex's throat.
She could feel the blonde suddenly tense beneath her and she reached out with
her free hand, gently taking hold of Alex's hand. She squeezed it reassuringly
before starting to move her lips around, searching for a suitable vein. The
search was a very short one, as Alex's pulse was almost visible on the skin of
her throat and providing a beacon of sorts for Ami's suddenly sharpened senses.
Alex couldn't stop her entire body from going rigid as the points of Ami's
fangs brushed against her skin, sending an extremely deep chill running through
her blood. It took her a great deal of effort not to crush Michelle's hand in
her own, trying to avoid worrying her lover. The twin points on her throat
seemed to hesitate for a moment before they suddenly darted downward, piercing
her flesh and sinking deep into a large vein.
The pain was exquisitely sharp, causing her entire body to twitch as if
momentarily electrocuted. The dark memories that she struggled to keep buried
in her mind suddenly exploded to the surface, comparing the pain to the feeling
of her hymen being ruptured as she was raped on that awful night. The feeling
of being violated once again washed over her for a moment, subsiding only once
she focused on the fact that the pain was coming from her neck and not from
deep inside her sheath.
A gentle fog started to form around her senses, slowly dulling the pain
until she could barely feel it. The memories also seemed to subside as well,
flowing out like a dark sea at low tide. Her sense of touch felt like it was
suddenly magnified a thousand-fold, acutely aware of Michelle's shaking grip as
she held her right hand, able to feel the burning warmth of Ami's hand holding
her left hand, and especially able to feel the incredible sensation of Ami's
mouth on her throat, her tongue brushing back and forth as she lapped up the
steady stream of blood flowing out from around her fangs.
Alex commanded her body to react and was surprised when it felt like Time
was slowed down. Her hand started to move like it was underwater, taking an
unusually long time to let go of Ami's hand and come up to hold the back of her
head, sliding her fingertips through the mass of blue hair. The heavy sigh
that flowed from her lips as she exhaled was like a slow gale, seeming to last
for several minutes.
She tilted her head back, marvelling at both how long the process took and
the decidedly euphoric feeling coursing through her body. A shadow started to
loom over her, but she wasn't able to focus her eyes to make it out. The patch
of darkness grew stronger before it took on an aquamarine color, drawing ever
closer until she felt a soft warmth pressing against her lips.
She had kissed Michelle before, of course, and lengthy kisses were hardly
a new thing, but this particular kiss was like nothing she had ever felt in her
entire life. The warmth was incredible, moving back and forth almost in an
almost hypnotic pattern as their lips melded together. Her lips parted in a
slow and gentle procession, allowing the kiss to be deepened in a way she had
never thought possible.
I have a vampire at my throat, she thought to herself, the thought seeming
to take forever to form and drift up from the depths of her mind. This has got
to be the most mind-blowing kiss I've hever had. I can feel each fiber of the
cotton robe against my body, I can feel Ami's hand on my chest, I can feel the
coolness of the air flowing through my open robe, and it's all turning me on
like I have never been turned on before. God, I love this....
Darian blinked and looked away from the mesmerizing sight on the couch as
Serena stretched out, pressing her body against him. He felt his blood start
to tingle harder as she tilted her head up to look at him, one eyebrow raised
in mild curiosity. He gave her a confused look before he felt a very light
touch on his crotch, gently probing the faint swelling in his pants that he
only now realized was there. Her expression changed as she very slowly and
lightly moved her fingertips in a gentle circle, her golden eyes quite clearly
revealing what was running through her mind.
He swallowed hard as his blood started to really heat up, only partly from
the embarrassment at becoming aroused by the scene on the couch. It would have
been an outright lie to say he wasn't thinking about what Alex had said to him
earlier about trusting him enough for what Rei called 'sexual healing,' or how
he found Alex to be physically desirable, especially with her robe open like
that and Ami's hand apparently resting on her breast. He knew he was going to
have a very hard time calming down in the immediate future, and it didn't help
in the slightest to realize that Serena knew he was in a bad way at the moment.
He blinked hard as Serena's expression changed yet again, the curves of
her face seeming to become even softer. She leaned forward and kissed him very
gently, her fingertips never ceasing their slow and feather-light movements.
The gesture sent a dark chill through him as he realized what Serena was trying
to tell him. She knew he was worked up, and that she was willing to help him
do something about it.
He sighed very silently and kissed her back for a moment before he leaned
his head back, just enough to break contact with her lips. He quickly brought
his hand up to gently press a finger against her lips, looking into her golden
eyes. "We will talk later," he said in a silent whisper. "I promise."
Serena hesitated for a moment before she nodded her head briefly, seeming
to accept his response without any hard feelings. She squeezed him gently and
moved her hand further up, coming to rest on his chest. She sighed and put her
head on his shouder, turning back to watch Ami draining Alex's blood.
The tableau on the couch seemed to persist for several minutes, Ami's lips
pressed against Alex's throat while the blonde's head was tilted back to kiss
Michelle in what seemed to be a very deeply personal fashion. A soft sigh rose
up from someone as Ami slowly lifted her head up, her mouth still open and her
exposed fangs still visibly coated with dark red blood.
Everyone blinked as Ami seemed to shudder before she closed her mouth, her
tongue briefly visible as it flicked across her lips to remove the last traces
of blood. She then sighed softly, an unusually deep and almost moaning sound
that sent chills down everyone's spine.
"Ami?" Alex whispered softly as Michelle's head lifted up, still tightly
holding the blonde's hand in her own. "I'm sorry...."
Ami sighed again and shook her head, reaching up to take her free hand.
"No, it's okay," she replied in a subdued tone. "I know you couldn't help it.
It's alright, honest...."
"Is everything alright?" Mina spoke up quietly, casting a sidelong glance
at the way Serena was cuddled up next to Darian. She thought she had seen
something happening between them earlier, but she wasn't quite sure.
"Everything's fine," Ami replied as she absently closed Alex's robe, tying
the sash shut in a simple and efficient knot.
"Are you sure?" Mina persisted, not liking the look on Alex's face.
"Just a bad time to have a flashback, that's all," Alex muttered. "I'm
guessing that soured my blood or something?" she asked Ami.
"I felt your emotional state change, that's all," Ami replied quietly.
"I figured it would be a good idea to stop. Your blood is.... quite strong,"
she added hesitantly, as if dazed for a moment.
"I have no idea how to take that, hon," Alex grunted as she slowly sat up,
grabbing onto Michelle's arm for support. "But I'll be damned if that didn't
feel like one of the best times of my life. Excuse me for a second," she said
as she turned around and gently pulled Michelle into a deep kiss that raised
eyebrows from the rest of the group.
"I see someone had fun," Leda observed casually as Ami glanced at the two
lovers before blushing faintly. "Feel better, Ami?"
"Surprisingly, yes," Ami admitted as she sat down and curled her legs
beneath her. She sighed and brushed her fingertips against her sinuses, trying
to throw off the haunting mental images she had seen without being obvious.
"Mich, you have no idea how much I love you," Alex purred as they finally
broke apart. "And you have no idea how good that kiss felt when I was under
her spell, simply no idea."
"Under her spell?" Michelle echoed, giving Ami an uncertain look.
Ami sighed quietly. "Alex reacts somewhat like Leda does in terms of the
euphoric feeling being bitten seems to produce. She was.... well, let's just
say disconnected from reality and acutely aware of her nervous system."
"Meaning I felt everything like you would not believe," Alex breathed, her
face taking on a blissful look for a moment. "Ami, I'm sorry about everything
I've ever said about your vampirism, that was simply incredible."
Ami paused and glanced over at her. "Dare I ask what you said about me?"
she inquired in a slightly guarded tone. She blinked as she saw motion out of
the corner of her eye in an unexpected direction and turned to look. "Oh, good
afternoon, Master Healer," she called out.
"Good afternoon," Maq'i said quietly as she hovered at the edge of the
partition. "I must say that was.... interesting to observe."
"Tell me about it," Darian muttered, drawing a look from Serena that could
have been interpreted in several different ways.
"Enjoy the nap?" Leda inquired as she stood up and moved over to her.
The ancient denizen laughed very quietly to herself. "Once you reach my
age, or at least the human equivalent, you will perhaps learn that one tends to
enjoy every moment still allocated to us in this life, no matter how it happens
to pass. I trust that all is...?" she started to say before she saw Serena,
her own gold eyes widening dangerously.
"Hey, what's the problem?" Leda asked quickly.
"Ay'cha navidshi...." Maq'i breathed, staring at Serena's wings.
"What? Oh, that," Leda said as she turned her head to see what Maq'i was
staring at. "Yeah, they kind of opened up on us in the bath...."
"Impossible," Maq'i said in a near-whisper. "Ar'kanis...."
"What?" Ami said as her head snapped up. "Wait, say that again?"
"Easy, Serena," Darian said gently as Serena seemed to tense up, not sure
what to make of the Healer's sudden reaction to seeing her wings.
"What's the problem, guys?" Alex said in a guarded tone.
"Master Healer?" Leda prodded her gently.
"Ar'kanis," Maq'i repeated, clearly rattled by something. "Just as the
ancient legends said. Ay'cha navidshi, this is impossible...."
Mina frowned as Ami suddenly whipped out her computer and stared typing
away at a furious pace. "What is it, Ami? What's that word mean?" she asked.
"I don't know, I'm trying to translate it now...." Ami replied as she
waited for her computer to finish accessing the most recent version of her
denizen language translator program. It finally displayed a result, adding a
particular symbol to warn her that it couldn't find a direct translation and
was making an educated guess. "Archangel?" she blurted out in surprise.
"Divine beings," Maq'i said as the shock wore off and she regained control
of her mental faculties. "Metaphysical creatures with bodies of light. I'm
sorry, child, but your wings reminded me of them. To be honest, I have never
seen wings like yours before. May I take a closer look at them?"
Serena cast a brief glance at Darian before she nodded and sat up, picking
up several of the grayish ribbons and holding them out to her. She blinked as
the denizen Healer touched one lightly, causing a faint white glow to surround
the part of her wing where the contact was being made.
"Amazing," Maq'i said softly. "I have never encountered anything like
this in my entire life. You seem to be recovered from earlier, though, so I
surmise that you are doing relatively well, correct?"
"Almost," Leda spoke up. "It seems her voice is rather raw at the moment,
not to mention a little.... complicated."
"Oh?" Maq'i replied, raising her eyebrows slightly. "Well then, if I may
have a look, child?" she asked Serena. She got another nod in response and she
brought her other hand up to very lightly touch Serena's throat, gently probing
the area where her vocal chords were. "Nothing feels unusual," she observed as
she concentrated gently, causing Serena's throat to take on a pale white glow.
"Well?" Mina prodded gently as the lines around Maq'i's face changed in a
rather subtle way.
Maq'i said nothing as she gently handed the ribbon back to Serena before
bringing her other hand up to touch the base of Serena's throat, increasing the
intensity of the healing glow surrounding her skin. "This is.... definitely
unusual," she finally said after several moments of silence.
"We know the formation is unusual," Ami spoke up. "She had a resonance to
her voice when she was able to briefly talk earlier."
"Rare, but not unknown to happen," Maq'i replied distantly. "A number of
centuries ago we had an exceptionally talented musician who had such a gift of
multiple vocal chords, and her vocal performances are still viewed as being one
of the best in our entire history. However, what concerns me is that there
seems to be a sort of.... I want to say extra-dimensional aspect to this, but
I'm afraid I am quite unable to determine anything of that nature on my own.
It is most perplexing," she admitted.
"Run that past me again?" Alex said with a slight frown. Everyone blinked
as Ami muttered a somewhat venomous curse in German as she shot to her feet and
moved forward to scan Serena's throat. "Whoa, what's the problem, hon?" Alex
inquired carefully. "My blood giving you gas or something?"
"Phased material state," Ami growled quietly to herself. "I never even
thought of checking for that. Just relax, Serena, nothing is wrong," she said
as she started to become visibly worried. Ami waited impatiently as her sensor
suite seemed to take an unusually long time scanning her before it came back
with a result and accompanying graphic dislay, prompting another outburst of
German profanity.
"Spit it out, Ami," Leda said in a guarded tone.
"You're right, Master Healer," Ami said in resignation. "It seems her
vocal chords are partly phased outside four-dimensional space, and I'm willing
to bet so are her wings. Just stay still, Serena, okay? This is all starting
to make a litle more sense now."
"Oh, good," Leda growled. "That means you can explain it to the rest of
us in simple terms that we can understand, right?"
"Cork it, girl," Mina warned her gently. "Just let them sort it out."
"Did you say the Princess was an angel?" Michelle said cautiously, giving
both Serena and Maq'i a very uncertain look.
Rei made a soft huffing noise to herself, drawing surprised looks from the
rest of the group. "Would that really surprise you if she was?" she said in a
calm and quiet tone. "It makes perfect sense to me."
"A denizen angel, huh?" Mina said, giving Serena a surprised look. "Wow,
now that you mention it, she is a bit on the angelic side to begin with, and
that's not even taking her wings into account. You go, girl," she added with
a wink that resulted in Serena blushing faintly with embarrassment.
Ami sighed quietly and looked up from her computer display. "Guess what,
Serena? Your wings are phased out as well, which explains an awful lot. Now
that I know what I'm looking for, I can tell you that you need to be careful
with your wings, as there are not just nerves but blood vessels and even small
muscle fibers running through their entire length."
"That explains being felt up in the bath by them," Alex spoke up.
"Maybe we need to slit her throat to shut her up," Leda suggested darkly,
drawing reproving looks from both Ami and Serena.
"Hey, wait a minute...." Mina said slowly, her expression brightening for
some reason. "Where's Myst? Oh, there you are.... Listen, you said that she
looked different to you when you were.... what, between dimensions or whatever
you said you did earlier?"
Myst blinked and looked very carefully at Serena. It only took a slight
effort to change the physical structure and nature of her eyes, allowing her to
see the brilliant white aura surrounding the half-denizen hybrid. That same
change also revealed the auras of everyone else in the room, showing them to be
of varying colors and roughly the same intensity. She blinked as her vision
was tainted by a wall of red color, realizing a moment later that it was caused
by being so close to Rei's crimson aura.
She paused for a moment as she saw that Rei's aura had taken on a faint
gold edge to it that she couldn't remember seeing before. Shrugging to herself
in dismissal, she changed her mental focus and shifted the physical structure
of her body sideways in dimensional terms, seeming to melt out of the demiplane
that Susan's keep resided in and entering the dark and twisted demiplane that
she had discovered on Earth.
Her last view of the group was of eyes widening in surprise before their
bodies seemed to fade away, being replaced by ghostly spectral figures outlined
in the colors of their auras. The room seemed to bend and warp slightly, the
straight lines of the walls taking on random curves and edges. The distortion
effect wasn't nearly as pronounced as it was on Earth, but was still enough to
constantly remind her of her current dimensional location.
The changes in the auras of the others seemed to be more vivid this time
as well. The yellow glow that surrounded Alex seemed to be fainter than the
last time she saw it, while the blue aura denoting Ami's presence seemed to be
both darker and stronger. She blinked as she saw very faint traces of yellow
flickering around her, their source or cause not immediately obvious.
The white aura around Serena was almost blinding in intensity, and it took
her a moment to make out a gold border at the very edges of the glow. A series
of pulsing sparkles seemed to run up and down the length of her wings, making
them appear to almost glitter gently. She thought she could see glittering
strands of gold where the very indistinct spectral ghost's throat was, but she
wasn't able to tell for sure.
Satisfied that she hadn't been seeing things earlier, she allowed her body
to slip back into the solid demiplane she had left only moments ago. The room
seemed to twist back into a normal shape before the wave of light and sound
washed over her senses with an almost painful intensity.
"D'oh," Mina muttered as she watched Myst fade back into view several
seconds after she had seemed to melt into the bean bag. "A simple yes would
have sufficed, kitty."
"Her wings do look different," Myst reported, her ears flicking back as a
minor ache took up residence somewhere in her skull. "I still think she looks
like a gloam," she added in a faintly disgruntled tone. She blinked as she was
picked up by the scruff of her neck and twisted around, coming face to face
with a pair of jet-black and distinctly unhappy eyes.
"Do not do that again," Rei said very slowly and distinctly. "At least,
don't do it so close to me."
"Aww, poor demon-kitty ruffle the raven's feathers?" Mina teased with an
impish look in her eyes. She paused as Rei's bottomless black eyes flicked up
to look at her, a deep chill suddenly crawling down her spine for no apparent
reason. "Geez, Rei, it's just a joke. Take it easy," she protested.
Rei continued to look at her for a moment before she gently set Myst down
on the floor and resumed trying to meditate lightly. Myst glanced up at the
priestess with a vaguely sour look before she made her way across the room and
hopped up onto the end of the couch.
"Okay, so her wings look different to the cat," Leda said neutrally. "A
lot of things look different to cats. Just ask Artemis what an herb garden
looks like to him. Is this really a big deal or something?"
"Well...." Ami hedged before she glanced down at her computer and sighed
quietly. "I really don't know, dimensional physics are not something I really
know what to make of. I don't think this is a bad development," she added,
giving Serena a look of guarded optimism.
"Think we should wake Sue up for this?" Alex ventured.
"No," Darian spoke up, drawing looks of surprise from half the group. "I
think Susan has been through a lot lately, and I don't think we should bother
her for anything short of a discernable crisis. Serena seems to be just fine
to me, and unless that happens to change suddenly I think we should just keep
on going and not worry too much about it."
Leda snorted quietly. "Keep on going where?" she muttered.
"Hey, guys?" Mina spoke up. "Academic question," she added, pointing to
the tangerine membrane in the far corner of the room. Susan was awake and was
standing on the other side of the sound shield, her expression of curiosity
quite evident through the membrane as she carefully poked at it with her staff.
"I'll get it," Alex announced as she stood up, pulling her Soul Saber out
of the dimensional sheath with a soft whisper. She moved over to the barrier
and gestured for Susan to step back, waiting for her to comply before aiming
the point of her saber down.
"Show-off," Leda muttered as Alex seemed to explode into a rising slash
that left a gaping hole in the membrane almost all the way up to the ceiling.
The saber suddenly darted back down to make a horizontal slice, producing a
cross-shaped rip in the rubbery barrier.
"Thank you, Alex," Susan said calmly as the Viking moved aside, allowing
her to exit through the hole. She looked like she was about to ask a question
when she saw how the room had been rearranged, the couch pressed against the
back wall to make room for a massive hot tub that almost took up the entire
chamber.
"Why does that expression look familiar?" Leda asked in a low tone as the
succubus' face seemed to darken slightly.
"Because it's the same look Ms. Haruna gives Serena when she's late for
class?" Mina ventured in a slightly unsteady tone. "How was the nap, Susan?"
"Refreshing," Susan said in a distinctly unamused tone. "Shall I bother
asking why my keep appears to have been converted into a bath house, or would
it be in everyone's best interest for me not to inquire too deeply?"
"Well...." Mina said slowly, casually looking around for an exit.
"She did it," Leda said, pointing at the nervous blonde.
"It was Alex's idea!" Mina protested, pointing at Alex.
"Hold it, babe," Alex growled as she tapped the flat edge of her saber
against her shoulder. "You're the one who got the fire hose out and flooded
the room with Ether. Twice," she added.
Susan just sighed and rubbed her eyes, only partly to remove any lingering
traces of her badly-needed nap. "I am not concerned with the details," she
said in an edged tone. "Had anyone bothered to inquire about it earlier, I
would have gladly granted you access to the admittedly extravagant bathing
facilities elsewhere in this keep."
"Whoops...." Mina said in a very quiet tone. "So how do we get rid of all
of this stuff?"
"You don't," Susan replied with another soft sigh. "Ethereal objects made
corporeal are quite stable and will persist for a length of time depending on
their initial volume and construction. I suspect it will be the better part of
a month, if not two, for this.... creation.... to disperse on its own."
"Sorry...." Mina said in an even quieter tone.
Susan took a deep breath to calm herself before looking around the room.
"No matter," she said in a slightly softer tone. "I trust everyone is doing
well enough?"
"Funny you should mention that," Leda said slowly as she walked over to
Serena. "You know anything about.... what'd you call it?" she asked Ami.
"Phased material states of existence," Ami replied.
"Yeah, what she said," Leda said without missing a beat.
Susan paused and regarded them both carefully. "I should like to think I
know a great deal about them. Why do you ask?" she inquired carefully. Her
dark red eyes promptly doubled in diameter as Leda carefully picked up one of
Serena's wings and held out for her to see.
"Aw, crap," Alex grumbled as she sheathed her saber and walked over to the
couch, giving Susan a disturbed look. "If she looks shocked, then I know it's
got to be bad...."
"Nonsense," Susan replied calmly as she regained her composure, making her
way over to Serena. "There is nothing inherently bad about this, Alex, and I
am quite disappointed in you for even suggesting such a thing. How are you
feeling, your Highness?" she asked gently as she knelt down next to Serena.
Serena sighed and rubbed her throat gently before nodding, giving her an
apologetic look. "I understand perfectly," Susan replied in a reassuring tone
as she carefully reached out to touch the ribbon-like wing. "Amazing...."
"Myst says they look different from her perspective," Mina spoke up. "She
did that dimension-shifting thing earlier and said Serena looked like a gloam,
of all things," she said, her tone laced with a faint degree of contempt.
Susan paused and looked up at her, blinking with surprise. "Really?" she
asked, giving Myst a slightly incredulous look. "That's odd.... this keep is
shielded by dimensional barriers, you should not have been able to access any
of the other planar levels of existence from within these walls."
The Shinma paused for a moment before resuming preening her whiskers. "I
thought this place was shielded," she murmured before speaking louder. "I'm
not sure I understand what you mean, but I was able to access another plane of
existence that I discovered while on Earth. I think it's a demiplane of some
kind."
"That's odd...." Susan said again, a thoughtful look crossing her face as
she regarded Serena's wings carefully. She studied them for another moment
before she laid her staff down on the edge of the bean bag. "Your Highness,
may I perform a simple experiment on your wings? I would like to test them for
dimensional resonance, which is to see if they interact with anything outside
of this particular plane. I do not expect you to feel anything, but I do have
to warn you that it's possible you might."
Serena glanced over at Darian before she nodded her consent, reaching out
to him and taking his hand in hers. Darian squeezed her hand gently as Susan
carefully picked up a length of wing and gently looped it around her staff.
"You certainly seem to have a great deal of wing surface," Susan observed
absently. She concentrated for a brief moment, commanding the Key to Time to
unfold eleven-dimensional space around it for one cosmic instant to expose the
length of ribbon to other planes of existence.
"Wow!" Leda gasped as Serena's wing suddenly seemed to ignite, glowing a
brilliant white color for a second before the light drained away. Serena's
eyes widened as a tingle suddenly shot through her, vanishing as quickly as it
had come. She gasped quietly and gave Susan a stunned look, quickly shaking
her head to indicate that she wasn't in any pain or anything.
"Fascinating...." Susan whispered quietly, her eyes wide with wonder. "I
cannot recall ever encountering something like this before. Well, at least not
anything still alive," she amended as an afterthought. "Mina is right, gloams
are multi-dimensional creatures, but usually only in the Astral realms...."
"There she goes again," Alex sighed as Susan's expression turned deeply
contemplative. "Someone prod her with a sharp stick or something, otherwise
it'll take hours for her to sort it all out. Hey, Sue, I got bitten by a cute
vampire not too long ago, wanna see the marks?" she said, tugging her collar
aside to reveal the small bruise marks. "One.... two.... three...." she began
counting quietly to herself, keeping track of the time.
Susan remained lost in thought for another fourteen seconds before she
abruptly blinked hard and twisted her head around. "Say that again, Alex?" she
blurted out, her eyes widening as she saw the marks.
Leda bit the tip of her tongue to keep from laughing aloud. "Still a lot
better than Ami's reaction time," she muttered to Darian and Serena, drawing
amused looks from both of them and a dark glare from Ami.
"I'm fine, go away," Alex sighed as Susan continued to stare at her.
Susan paused and cast a quick look at Ami before shaking her head slowly.
"I will need to talk to the both of you later," she said before returning her
attention to Serena. "In the meantime, however, we have other matters to tend
to. With your permission, your Highness, I would like to perform the same test
as before, only at a slower speed. The general purpose is to see if I can
isolate which dimensions you are reacting to."
Serena nodded and braced herself, squeezing Darian's hand a little harder.
Susan's staff started to vibrate very gently as it began to open a series of
tiny conduits, each smaller than the eye of a needle and leading to different
dimensional planes. Nothing seemed to happen for several seconds before her
wing suddenly burst into radiance again, glowing fiercely where it was touching
the odd silvery metal of the staff.
"Well?" Leda prodded as the glow faded after several seconds, carefully
watching the slightly stunned look on Serena's face.
"Almost finished," Susan replied as she continued concentrating, opening
one conduit after another until she had run through her entire mental list of
known and accessible planes of existence. "Interesting," she commented as she
sat back on her heels.
"Gonna make us wait for it, Sue, or you going to be decent enough to tell
us what you found?" Alex sighed quietly, running her fingertips through a lock
of Michelle's aquamarine hair.
Susan resisted the urge to roll her eyes and focused her attention on the
slightly upset blonde in front of her. "Your wings, your Highness, seem to be
phased between two planes of existence," she explained carefully. "They exist
on the mortal plane, which we are all from, and on the Ethereal plane as well.
The reason they don't react right now is because my keep is dimensionally
shielded from the Ethereal plane. The barrier is integrated with the mortar
and foundation of this keep, so I cannot remove it or otherwise lessen it, but
what I can do is take you outside the limits of the protected area and allow
you full access to that plane."
"Umm, physics question...." Mina said hesitantly as she waved her hand in
the air. "How does it work if she's existing on two planes but can't get to
one or the other? What does that do to her?"
"Oh, lord...." Leda sighed quietly.
"It is a simple matter, really," Susan replied calmly, ignoring Leda's
quiet outburst. "In this case, access to the Ethereal plane is denied and the
physical matter is forced into a purely material state of existence. Once she
is exposed to unshielded dimensional physics, her wings will phase into a dual
state of existence and will react accordingly."
"So all we have to do is toss the Princess outside, right?" Alex inquired
in a cautious tone. "Then her wings will do whatever it is they're supposed to
do and her voice will work?"
"In theory, yes," Susan allowed.
"In theory?" Leda echoed, giving both Susan and Serena uncertain looks.
"Few things are certain, Leda," Susan replied with a soft sigh. "I am,
however, reasonably confident that this will not hurt Serena, and will in fact
help her immensely. Would you be willing to give it a try, your Highness?" she
asked Serena as she picked up her staff and stood back up.
Serena seemed to hesitate for a moment before she nodded and started to
stand up, carefully gathering her wings together. She blinked and looked over
her shoulder as Darian picked up the bulk of them for her, carefully bundling
them together in a neat pile.
"I'm curious," Susan said as she observed the process. "Has anyone taken
the time to measure your apparent wingspan?"
Three fingers promptly pointed to Ami, causing the vampire to blush with
slight embarrassment at the shift in attention. "I think the longest wing is
roughly ten feet long," she said as she consulted her computer's memory. "The
shortest is seven feet, and they're arranged by size from bottom to top. Don't
ask me what it will look like spread out," she added with a shrug. "I haven't
had time to model the muscle structures yet."
"Triangular?" Mina suggested. "Well, more like a trapezoid...."
"One way to find out," Leda said with a casual shrug. "C'mon, guys, this
is something I gotta see. Oh, yeah, while we're loosely on the subject, just
where is the front door to this place, anyway?"
"This way," Susan said as she gestured with her staff to the residential
corridor. "I will have to rotate the hallway, however, but that should only
take a moment." She paused as she noticed that everyone was standing up except
for Rei, who was still sitting in the bean bag with a look of concentration on
her face. "Would you care to come with us, your Excellency?" she called out,
causing everyone else to blink in surprise.
It took Rei several seconds to realize that Susan was talking to her, her
eyes opening and blinking in surprise. "Excuse me?" she said in a slightly
confused tone.
"Excellency?" Mina echoed, giving Susan a bizarre look.
"Rei has been named Regent," the succubus reminded her gently. "As such,
she is entitled to the honorific title. I do not expect any of you to feel
compelled to address her as such, but she is still both a noblewoman and my
superior in terms of royal authority."
Leda just sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Oh, great," she grumbled.
"First Serena gets a swelled head from this princess thing, now Rei's ego is
going to be over-inflated. Thanks a lot, Susan."
"We can hash it out later," Darian prodded her gently, drawing a somewhat
unamused look from the brunette. "One headache at a time. Let's just get
Serena outside so we can see what happens, okay? You coming, Rei?"
"Very well," Rei said quietly as she stood up.
"C'mere, furball," Alex said as she scooped Myst up off the couch and
cradled her in an arm. "Damn, you're awful warm all of a sudden."
"You okay, Master Healer?" Leda inquired as Maq'i seemed to lean against
the wall and sigh very quietly to herself.
"I am quite fine, child," Maq'i replied with a faint smile. "I must admit
to finding you humans to be quite.... emotionally chaotic at times," she said.
"Whether that is good or bad, I'm afraid I don't know, but it is still quite
fascinating to be able to observe you all in a relaxed social setting."
"Thank you, Jane Goodall," Mina muttered quietly, drawing amused looks
from both Ami and Darian.
"I told you that you humans are strange," Myst muttered.
"Cork it, kitty," Alex sighed. "That one is getting old."
"This way," Susan said as led them past the silk screen partition and down
the hallway. She paused at the midpoint of the corridor and looked behind her
to make sure everyone was in the hallway. "Michelle, can you and Mina step a
little farther inward, please? At least up to the first door? Thank you," she
added as both women complied.
"Now what?" Alex said warily as she glanced at the stone walls. Her eyes
doubled in diameter as the floor started to shift beneath her feet, producing
a slight but noticeable vibration. "Sue, what the hell is going on?"
"Yo!" Leda gasped as both ends of the hallway seemed to spin around at a
moderate speed. "What, is this a corkscrew or something? What gives?"
"You can think of it like that, yes," Susan allowed as she continued to
hold her hand against a particular stone in the wall. "The actual layout of
this keep is a giant circular tower, and hallways like this one act as both
elevators and bridges between various points. Mina, please don't get too close
to the ends," she cautioned as the blonde looked closely at the stone walls as
they slid past.
"Idle curiosity," Darian spoke up. "Just how high up were we?"
"That depends on your perspective," Susan replied. "In relation to the
arbitrary ground level of the terrain this keep is anchored in, six stories."
"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Mina said quietly to Michelle.
"Alright, I'll take the bait," Leda said in a guarded tone. "What do you
mean by arbitrary ground level?"
"This keep was originally constructed on Earth," Susan explained as she
kept an eye on the far end of the corridor, pausing as an open archway slid
past them. "The terrain was then translocated from the material plane as a
single construct and anchored within the Border Ethereal. There is a stretch
of land surrounding the tower, but there is also a finite edge that ends at
the boundary limits."
"And beyond that edge is....?" Alex prompted.
"The rest of the Border Ethereal," Susan replied with an absent shrug.
"Think of it as the planet Earth set into the infinite vastness of space, only
on a decidedly smaller scale. Or perhaps better yet, a potted plant set adrift
on a vast ocean."
"Charming," the Viking sighed quietly.
"Whoa," Mina yelped as the floor suddenly rumbled hard before coming to a
halt. "Thanks for the warning. Oh, wow...." she breathed as she saw what was
beyond the other end of the now-open hallway.
"Nice," Alex said with a soft whistle of appreciation at the grand foyer.
"Now this is what I call a lobby."
"Thank you," Susan said as she removed her hand from the control stone and
made a gesture. "If you would all please come this way?"
"Did you build this yourself?" Darian said as he glanced around, keeping
most of his attention on holding Serena's wings as gently as he could and not
falling behind her pace.
"The original design was mine, yes," Susan said as they walked across the
massive foyer, their footsteps echoing in the vaulted ceiling. "More than a
few modifications were made by the engineers and masons who actually built it,
but they were all structural changes."
Mina paused and tilted her head back, trying to look at the chandeliers
that hung from the high ceiling. "Hey, what kind of lights are those?" she
asked, her face darkening into a frown of confusion.
"Glowstones," Susan replied. "They are...." she started to say, trailing
off as she tried to think of a good way to explain how they work. "Let's just
say they react to a field of energy you won't find on Earth," she said. "They
will function in the Moon Kingdom, but only within the confines of the Shield."
"Radioactive?" Mina inquired in a guarded tone, causing the rest of the
group to pause slightly.
"In a sense, yes," Susan replied calmly. "But the only radiation they
emit falls well within the visible light spectrum. Do not be concerned, they
are perfectly safe and utterly harmless."
"We've never had a problem with them," Alex spoke up as they approached a
pair of massive iron doors. "They tend to wear out and quit glowing after a
few years, or at least start to dim down. The older ones tend to be handed out
as nightlights, and they work just fine underwater. Sue, I have a question for
you," she added. "You live alone in this place, right?"
Susan paused as she laid her hand on the door controls. "I wouldn't say
live here so much as visit extensively, but yes, I am usually unaccompanied
when I travel here. This was designed to be a private retreat, after all."
"So if it's just you, why'd you make this place so damn big?" Alex asked,
gesturing to the immediate surroundings. "Don't you think this is a lot of
space for just one person?"
"Yes, Alex, I know," Susan said quietly, a slightly saddened expression
passing over her face. "The idea is to grant me privacy and solitude when I
need it, but to otherwise preclude me from making unnecessary use of it."
The corner's of Mina's mouth curled down in a slight frown. "I'm not sure
I understand the logic of that one," she pointed out.
Susan sighed very softly and turned around, absently leaning her staff
against the wall. "We all dislike and fear certain things in life, Mina. My
greatest fear is that I will one day be completely and entirely alone, devoid
of friends or family. Even to this day I find myself constantly worried about
what the future might hold for me, knowing that I am eternal and thus condemned
to watch everyone around me age with time and eventually die. You have no idea
how much it hurts me to be alone like that, having only transitory company to
grace my seemingly endless and sometimes tortured existence."
The rest of the group was silent for a few moments as they mulled over her
words. "Okay...." Mina said very slowly. "I can understand your concerns, but
how exactly does it help you by living in a giant castle?"
"It reminds me that I am alone while in here," Susan explained quietly.
"That is good when I am in need of solitude, but once that need is satisfied,
it serves as an impetus to depart this realm and return to my duties."
Mina looked around at the rest of the group and sighed to herself. "I'm
not sure I'm following you on this one," she protested. "What exactly would
keep you here in the first place?"
"I'm surprised you of all people have to ask," Susan observed, raising an
eyebrow in mild astonishment. "Consider the nature of this place, Mina. The
Ether can be forged into virtually whatever you wish, with only a mere thought
to shape it. The ultimate fantasy world in which reality is what you decide it
to be. Can you imagine how easy it would be to lose oneself in a place like
this? I could have borne a child centuries ago, passed the responsibilities of
the House of Pluto over to her, resigned my position as Chancellor, and lived
the rest of my lifespan in complete indulgence and fantasy, free of any and all
ties to humanity."
"Whoa...." Mina breathed very softly as it finally sank into her mind, her
crystal blue eyes widening dangerously.
"So why haven't you?" Rei asked quietly, drawing surprised looks from the
rest of the group.
"Ethereal constructs have their limitations," Susan explained in a quiet
tone. "They cannot be made to mimic living creatures, or at least not well
enough to satisfy the need for dynamic social interaction. Yes, I could craft
a harem of golems to tend to my physical needs as a succubus, but they would
only be mute and hollow shadows of the spark of warmth that resides in truly
alive and intelligent beings. That spark of humanity is what I would crave the
most to sustain my soul, and it would never be found in this realm. That's why
I made this keep as desolate as I could while still being comfortable enough to
reside in when in need of isolation and solitude."
"Lead me not to temptation, for I can find it myself?" Darian suggested,
drawing a nod of understanding from the succubus.
"Exactly," Susan replied. "And not just for me, but for those who shall
reside here in the future as well. While I am eternal, I am far from immortal,
and as isolated from the ravages of both Time and the elements as this keep is,
it will continue to exist here long after I have departed this mortal coil."
"Damn, Sue," Alex said quietly, shaking her head slowly. "That's really
depressing to think about, you know? And here I was thinking you were morbid
just out of spite.... Umm, Ami, are you okay?" she said as she saw the look on
Ami's face.
"Susan?" Ami said in a very soft whisper, her whole body shaking lightly.
She paused as she felt Leda's hand on her shoulder and pressed on. "Just how
long have you felt like this, about being alone?"
The rest of the group paused and looked at her, suddenly reminded of how
Ami's vampiric regeneration was slowing down her biological clock and would
eventually freeze it entirely, rendering her just as eternal as Susan.
Susan sighed and turned away, staring at the door controls. "It is not
something I wish to discuss at the moment, Ami, but I promise you that I will
answer your questions at a later date," she replied, her voice sounding like
she had suddenly aged twenty years. "I very much understand your concerns, but
we must focus on other matters for the moment. Would you all please step back
for a few moments?"
The group exchanged glances of varying degrees of concern before they
slowly shuffled back a few paces, making sure to stay well clear of the path
of the double doors. They watched in edged silence as Susan manipulated the
controls for several seconds, producing a very heavy clicking sound that was
shortly followed by an ominous creak.
"Hey!" Alex protested as the glowstones suddenly winked out, plunging the
room into near-darkness.
"Just remain still, Alex," Susan advised her gently as the doors started
to open inwards. The iron panels were at least three inches thick, moving at
a very ponderous pace as they pivoted on the hinges with a series of bone-deep
creaking noises.
"Whoa...." Mina breathed quietly as the doors parted enough to expose the
soft pink glow of the Border Ethereal, flooding the room with a moderate amount
of illumination. "That's pretty...."
"Pretty spooky, you mean," Alex muttered as she stared into the seemingly
endless expanse of gently roiling fog. She blinked hard as something flashed
across the landscape, creating a sort of shockwave that pushed the Ether away
from the open doorway. "Hey, what was that?"
"What was what?" Leda inquired with a slight frown. "And what's with the
pink fog? Looks like a really bad batch of pea soup someone threw back up."
"Eww...." both Mina and Ami whimpered in unison, their expressions turning
sour at the somewhat sickening mental image.
"That!" Alex emphasized as she caught another flicker of motion out of the
corner of her eye, resulting in the Ether being pushed farther away from the
doorway. "You guys lace that salad with some hallucinogen, or is it just me?"
"I saw it," Rei said quietly. "At least, I think I did."
"A barrier," Susan explained quietly as the group carefully approached the
open doorway. "This demiplane is suffused with the Ether, and unless it is
somehow blocked it will permeate any environment introduced into this realm.
As I wished to retain my sense of vision, I had the keep warded against the
Ethereal plane when it was built by adding special ingredients to the mortar
and foundation. As that would only prevent the Ether from seeping into the
cracks, I had to develop a means of protecting open windows and doors. This
Ether barrier functions the same way as the Shield does in the Moon Kingdom,
only it keeps the Ethereal plane out instead of holding an atmosphere in."
"Cool," Mina said as she carefully stepped out of the archway and onto
what appeared to be a simple field of grass. "Oh, wow, it smells just like a
meadow out here. You have a garden or something around the corner?"
Susan just shook her head gently. "The power used to transfer this keep
from Earth and maintain the local environment preserved what the atmosphere was
at the moment it was translocated. I warn you not to venture too far away from
the physical structure of the keep, as the outside edge of this bubble is not
something you wish to venture beyond. The demarcation line should be somewhat
obvious when you get close to it, but I still urge you to be very cautious."
"Woo, cold grass," Mina said as she leaned against the stone wall and
slipped off her shoes. "Well, not that cold, but definitely a cool feeling.
Just a hint of morning dew, more than enough to refresh your senses. Ahhhh,"
she said as she inhaled deeply, a blissful smile on her face.
"Brave girl," Leda muttered quietly, shaking her head in amazement.
"Oh, come on," Mina sighed. "You never liked to run around barefoot on a
nice field of grass?"
"Not on a field of grass I know nothing about," Leda countered. "You
never know what you're going to step on. Rocks, broken glass, angry ants...."
Susan chuckled very quietly to herself. "None of which you will find in
here," she said with a faint smile of amusement. "There is no weather here, at
least none that you will ever feel, and the terrain was swept for hazards long
before it was translocated here. The only danger lies along the outside edges
of this place, and they are a good thirty yards from the walls."
"Oh, yeah," Alex said languidly as she stepped into the grassy field,
taking a deep breath of what both smelled and tasted like morning air. "This
is the good stuff.... nice, clean, pure outside air."
"Ohh...." Michelle breathed as she followed Alex outside, her expression
brightening. She hesitated for a moment before she removed her shoes as well,
her face slipping into a tranquil expression not unlike Mina's as she felt the
slightly damp grass beneath her feet.
The rest of the girls started to follow suit, leaving the confines of the
stone keep and carefully wandering around on the grass. They all inhaled the
preserved air deeply, savoring the freshness it had that the air inside the
keep somehow lacked.
"Intriguing," Maq'i said as she took a slow and deep breath. "Do you
think it would be possible to recreate this environment inside? I believe it
would do wonders for my patients if they had access to such refreshing air."
"What's the problem, Serena?" Darian suddenly spoke up.
"Hey," Leda said as she glanced over her shoulder at Serena, frowning as
she realized that the nude blonde was still standing in the doorway with Darian
still holding her wings right behind her. "You alright, Serena? Everything
seems to be fine out here...."
Everyone paused and looked over as Serena continuted to hesitate, a deeply
uncertain look etched on her face. She very slowly reached out with her arm,
seeming to carefully touch an invisible barrier.
"Your Highness?" Susan said carefully. "You should not be subject to the
effects of the barrier, although you may feel its presence. It is only strong
enough to prevent the casual transgression of purely ethereal matter. As you
are only partially phased into the Ethereal plane, you should be able to pass
through it with little difficulty."
Serena hesitated for a moment before nodding in understanding and gently
pushing her hand forward. Her hand seemed to encounter a sort of invisible
membrane for an instant before pushing through. Her fingernails immediately
started to sparkle like diamonds, reflecting the ambient light into thousands
of soft points of radiance.
"Whoa!" Alex yelped as Serena froze in position, her golden eyes becoming
dangerously wide at the feeling in her fingertips. "Serena, you alright?"
Serena blinked and nodded slowly, pulling her hand back to look at her
fingernails. The reflectiveness vanished the moment she withdrew from the edge
of the barrier, remaining fully inside the shielded keep. She studied her
nails for a few moments before carefully pushing her hand through the barrier
again, gasping very quietly as her nails started to shimmer once they were
beyond the dimensional shielding.
"Hold still," Ami instructed her as she came over with her computer in
hand. She very carefully examined both Serena's hand and the invisible edge of
the barrier where her hand was pushed through. "It appears that your nails are
also in a phased dimensional state," she explained in a calm tone, giving her
a reassuring look. "Don't worry, they're perfectly fine, if a touch sharp.
Looks like diamond-dusted fingernail polish," she added.
Serena glanced down at her hand before she took a deep breath and started
to push further through the Ether barrier. She brought her other arm up and
pressed it through with relative ease, holding her arms out before carefully
trying to move the rest of her body forward. She blinked as she felt an odd
pressure against her face before it parted around her, allowing her to take a
full step forward.
Everyone watched in edged silence as Serena suddenly froze in place again,
her eyes widening even more than before. Both hands came up to touch the base
of her throat, a pair of very faint lines of gold seeming to glow just beneath
the surface of her skin where her vocal chords were. She drew in a deep breath
and very carefully started to hum, producing a very fluid and steady triple-
note sound that could be clearly heard by everyone.
"Wow," Mina said in awe. "There you go, Serena! Can you talk now?"
"I think so," Serena said quietly, blinking hard at the sound of her own
voice. It was decidedly musical and clearly composed of three distinct tones,
separated by half an octave. "This.... feels weird," she confessed.
"Are you alright?" Darian asked quietly.
Serena paused and looked down at her body, carefully flexing her fingers
and arms. "I.... I think so," she said quietly. "I'm not sure what I feel
inside, but.... it's not bad."
"Your Highness?" Susan said quietly. "Would you step all the way outside,
please? I believe your wings are still within the Ether barrier."
"I know," Serena replied, casting an uncertain look over her shoulder at
both Darian and her wings. "Just.... give me a moment first."
"There's no rush for this," Darian said gently. "Just take your time."
"Love your nails, girl," Mina cooed as she edged closer to Serena, eyeing
her glittering fingernails with open envy.
Serena reflexively glanced down at her fingernails and blushed slightly,
a faint smile touching her lips. "Thank you," she replied. She paused for a
moment before she extended a leg forward a few inches, studying her toenails.
"Interesting," she said as she noticed that her toenails glittered as well.
"Carbon," Ami suddenly blurted out, startling the rest of the group. She
was focused on her computer display as she angled the sensor suite down to get
a reading on Serena's foot. "No wonder they're so sharp...."
"Spit it out, hon," Alex prodded her gently.
"Don't you get it?" Ami babbled excitedly as she looked up, the steel-blue
coloring of her eyes slowly fading to medium-blue as her vampiric nature went
completely dormant. "Her fingernails are partially composed of pure carbon in
a dimensonally phased state. They refract light like diamonds because they've
become structured like diamonds."
"No way!" Mina blurted out as she reached out, grabbing Serena's hand and
lifting it up to eye-level. She examined her nails with a critical eye before
tapping her own fingernail against the polished surface, gasping as she both
felt and heard a very solid click in response. "Oh, my god! Serena, you lucky
airhead, she's not kidding! Your fingernails are made of diamond!" she gushed
excitedly as she wrapped the startled blonde in a tight embrace.
"Easy, tiger," Alex cautioned as Serena blushed in surprised embarrassment
before returning the hug with genuine warmth. "C'mon, screwball, we all know
diamonds are a girl's best friend and all, but leave the Princess alone."
"It's okay," Serena said quietly, her expression slipping slightly as she
was reminded at just how unusual her own voice sounded. Her breath caught in
her throat as she was tugged forward a little bit, momentarily moving the base
of her shoulder blades beyond the edge of the Ether barrier.
"Huh? Whoops," Mina said quickly as she released Serena and took a step
back. "Sorry about that, Serena. Just take it easy, okay? One step at a
time, no rush at all."
Serena took a slow breath before she nodded, casting a quick glance over
her shoulder at Darian.
"I'm right here, Serena," he said quietly. "I'm not going to move from
this spot, so you don't have to worry about me letting go. Just let your wings
play out on their own as you move forward, little by little."
She smiled gently at him for a moment, taking comfort in both his presence
and in the suggestion that things were going to work out between them. Taking
a deep breath, she turned around and took another step forward into the Border
Ethereal plane, exposing the base of her wings to the cool air.
"C'mon, talk to us," Mina urged her gently as Serena suddenly froze in
place yet again, her mouth falling open. "We know you can talk, so just tell
us what you're feeling, okay? Huh?" she blinked as she saw the faint glow
coming from behind the blonde's back.
"Serena?" Darian said quietly, his eyes rivited on her bare back and the
ribbon-like wings flowing from her shoulder blades. "I think you should just
go all the way outside, expose your wings all at once. Call it a hunch."
Serena's jaw quivered for a moment before she closed her mouth. "Yes...."
she breathed quietly before taking another deep breath and walking forward onto
the field of grass. She moved at a slow and steady pace, her wings trailing
out behind her as they were pulled free from their bundled shape in Darian's
hands. The shortest of the ribbons started to fall free and drift down to the
ground as she moved far enough way, seeming to take an unusually long time to
reach the ground.
"I can feel them...." Serena said in a near-whisper, her eyes wide with
wonder as a soft glow began to suffuse itself along her wings. She continued
to walk forward until the last ribbon left Darian's hand, seeming to shiver as
it passed through the Ether barrier and drift down to the grass-covered ground.
The glow in her wings began to grow stronger with each moment, tiny sparks
of light starting to form around the ribbons. The wings themselves appeared to
start to pulse gently, twitching and moving in very subtle motion.
"Hey, take it easy," Leda warned her as Serena came to a halt, seeming to
stumble for an instant before recovering.
"New sensory information is a most enlightening experience, is it not?"
Susan said calmly as she watched Serena's expression start to change. "You can
feel things that were not there a moment ago, and it is both a frightening and
an exhilarating sensation. Be at ease, your Highness, I know what it feels
like to become aware of one's wings without warning."
"This is incredible," Serena whispered, her eyes half-closed.
"Can you flex them?" Susan inquired carefully. "At this point, getting
any sort of response at all is a positive one, as you will have to learn from
the beginning how to control them and the extent at which they can be used."
"Use your chest muscles like Michelle showed you earlier," Ami spoke up,
her eyes never leaving the glowing ribbons of light flowing from Serena's back.
Serena nodded absently as she pressed her hands together. She bent her
elbows outward before she started to press inward, gently flexing her pectoral
muscles and causing her breasts to rise and fall in a rhythmic pattern.
"Oh.... my.... god...." Mina said in a whisper as Serena's wing suddenly
started to drift up, floating around at random. The glow was extremely strong
by now, seeming to glitter as tiny pinpoints of energy sparked at random along
the length of her wings. The glow wasn't perfectly even, faintly pulsing and
dimming at various points and intervals with no apparent relation to the tiny
but bright pinpoints of light.
Serena paused her motions and opened her eyes, casting a glance over her
shoulder. She gasped softly as she saw how her wings were floating about, a
collection of ribbons of light that randomly drifted about without any regard
for the pull of gravity.
"I told you she looked like a gloam," Myst observed calmly from her cradle
in Alex's arms.
"No," Mina said, shaking her head in disbelief. "She doesn't look like a
gloam. She looks like an angel," she said with reverent awe. "A heavenly,
glowing, radiant angel. Ohh, Serena, you're so beautiful like that...."
"Thank you," Serena said with a soft smile, tilting her head back to get
a better look at the way her wings were drifting about. She paused and flexed
her back experimentally, blinking at the way her wings responded by swaying in
unison.
"Stop that," Rei said very quietly as the Imperium Silver Crystal started
to resonate gently. She reached up with one hand to touch the stylized silver
brooch she was wearing that housed it, turning her focus inward to try to calm
the sudden reaction from the glowing crystal.
"Rei?" Leda spoke up carefully. "If the Crystal wants to say something,
I think she should listen to it."
"No," Rei replied quietly, closing her eyes as the golden crescent sigil
started to glow on her forehead. "You don't understand. It doesn't know what
to make of her right now, and it's afraid."
"Afraid?" Alex said, a frown forming on her face. "Of the princess?"
"It's alright," Serena said quietly as she flexed her back again, studying
the way her wings reacted to her movements. "I don't understand this either,
and I am a little afraid of it myself."
Susan blinked in surprise and took a step forward. "Your Highness...."
"Please, Chancellor, be at ease," Serena replied gently, shaking her head
slowly and sending her hairstyle swaying. "Let Rei deal with the Crystal for
the time being and do not worry about me. I will be fine, I assure you."
"Very well," Susan said, not entirely sure what to make of her change in
mood. She cast a guarded look at both Rei and the Crystal before she turned
her attention over to Darian. "And what about you, Darian?" she inquired.
Darian just sighed and shook his head. "Me? Please," he replied with a
faintly sour look. "I'm not the one glowing at the moment. Mina's right....
you really do look like an angel, Serena."
"Ooo, ooo! Idea! Idea!" Mina babbled excitedly to herself as she darted
over to the nearest wall of the keep. She pointed to the ever-present veil of
Ether hovering a few feet away and made a dramatic gesture, causing a thick
tendril of fog to drift over in her direction.
"Oh, hell," Leda grumbled, keeping a wary eye on the blonde's movements.
"Tell me about it," Alex added. "Find a beetle in your drawers or what,
girl? What's all the fuss about?"
Mina paused and cast a confused look over her shoulder. "Huh? I'm just
as naked under this robe as you are, so I don't see where you get this beetle
in the drawers concern from. You got a problem we should know about?"
"Nevermind, hon," Alex sighed, casting a sidelong glance at Darian as he
just shook his head and rubbed his face with his hands.
Mina impishly wrinkled her nose at Alex before returning to her task,
somewhat theatrically directing the stream of Ether into a large square that
was at least twice her height. "As the mists rise, all shall be revealed," she
intoned before she drew her hand back and made a sharp gesture. The Ether
promptly became as rigid as steel and began to glisten like water, taking on a
silvery color that quickly solidified into a giant mirror.
"Huh," Leda said quietly, idly scratching her chin. "What's that for?"
Mina sighed and cast a slightly irritated glance over her shoulder at the
brunette. "It's so Serena can get a good look and see herself just as we see
her. C'mere, Serena, you just gotta see how awesome you look," she said as she
stepped aside.
Serena approached the mirror and gasped as she saw her reflection. Her
golden eyes went wide as she could fully see how her wings were extended and
how they were drifting together. The fact that she was still completely naked
failed to register as being of significance as she stared at her own angelic
image, mesmerized by the dynamic and sparkling glow of the ribbons of light
anchored to her back.
She moved closer to the mirror, one hand coming up to try to touch her
reflection. She paused and gasped as her wings arched forward as well, seeming
to reach out to brush against the mirror at dozens of places at once. On a
hunch, she carefully flexed her back and watched as the ribbons all seemed to
smoothly glide away, starting to organize themselves into a rough pattern.
"Serena?" Ami spoke up as she started typing away on her computer. "Can
you keep flexing your back like that for a few moments? I think I'm starting
to see how your wings are naturally spaced and arranged."
"Any guesses?" Leda prodded her.
Ami absently licked her lips as she continued to stare at the tiny display
screen as it tried to model the glowing wings. She glanced up as Serena flexed
her chest muscles again, sending the ribbons of light off in a new direction.
Frowning slightly, she typed in a correction to the modeling equation and told
her computer to recalculate.
"Come on...." Leda said in a cagey tone. "You have to know something."
Ami looked up at the brunette before glancing over shoulder, blinking at
what she saw. She turned her attention back to Leda and noticed the slightly
puzzled look on her face. Ami merely shrugged in response and pointed over to
Serena, one eyebrow arching up in vague amusement.
"Huh?" Leda said before she turned around. She blinked hard as she saw
that Serena's wings were now loosely arranged in a butterfly-shaped pattern.
"Oh, wow...." she breathed in awe.
"That's sooooo pretty," Mina cooed, her eyes going starry.
Michelle blinked at Mina's odd reaction and cast an uncertain look over at
Alex. "Is she okay?" she asked in a very quiet tone, glancing back and forth
between Serena and Mina.
"How should I know?" Alex grumbled softly. "She's been acting like she's
been missing a few buttons since we got here."
"Probably just jealous," Leda muttered.
Alex paused and cast a quick glance over her shoulder. "And you're not?"
"What, jealous of a body like that?" Leda said, her eyebrows arching up.
"Hell yes, girl, are you kidding? I'd kill to have a body like hers, and that
doesn't even take her wings into account."
They all paused as Serena turned around, looking over her shoulder to try
to get a good look at her back before focusing her attention on the group. She
looked at them for several seconds before centering her gaze on Darian, moving
slowly towards him.
"Is everything alright?" he asked as she drew close to him, not entirely
sure what to make of the measured look in her eyes.
"I want you to do me a favor," she said quietly, her multi-harmonic voice
seeming to echo suddenly. "Just hold still, okay?"
"Umm.... sure," he replied as a tingle of nervous tension suddenly crawled
down his spine. He blinked hard as she narrowed her eyes at him, the corners
of her mouth dipping down in a slight frown. "Serena, is everything...?" he
started to say before gasping hard as he found himself suddenly wrapped up in
a snug embrace by her wings.
"Hot damn...." Leda whistled in amazement as she watched Serean's wings
suddenly arch forward to wrap around Darian's arms and legs. "That's one way
to give someone a hug. Umm, you alright, Darian?" she added as she noticed the
subtle change in his expression.
Darian blinked and glanced over at her for a moment before returning his
gaze back to Serena. "I'm fine," he said quietly. He paused and very gently
moved his arms for a moment to see how much room he had. "This feels more than
a little warm. You feel anything, Serena?"
She smiled gently at him and edged forward, drawing him down to her with
both her arms and her wings. "I just feel you," she whispered as she brushed
her lips against his. "And it feels wonderful, my love...."
The rest of the group exchanged idle glances as Darian and Serena kissed
for several seconds, glad for the most part that the two of them were talking
to one another and seeming to put the worst of the tension behind them. They
all stopped and turned around as there was a muted flare of white light from
the Imperium Silver Crystal, causing Rei's expression to darken considerably.
"I said stop it," the priestess-turned-Regent said testily, glancing down
at the silver brooch hanging around her neck. She visibly paused as the golden
crescent sigil flared on her forehead again, causing her expression to change
from irritation to weary resignation. "Not now, okay?" she said in a low tone.
"Just let them have their moments together and leave them alone."
"Rei?" Alex spoke up in a wary tone. "What's the problem this time?"
Rei glanced over at Serena and Darian before sighing quietly and looking
away, staring at the thick wall of vaporous Ether hovering not too far away.
"The Crystal is.... upset," she said, choosing her words carefully. "I don't
know if it's over the loss of Queen Serenity's soul, the dissolution of Queen
Andromeda's soul, the changes to Serena, or if it's the fact that I'm the one
it has to deal with for the present. I'm.... starting to hear voices," she
admitted with a faint blush of shame. "And they're all talking at once. It's
quite an uproar."
Susan frowned as she digested Rei's words. "Your mother has dominion over
the collective consciousness," she pointed out. "It is her role to maintain a
semblance of order and structure within the amalgam...."
"I think that's part of the problem," Rei sighed. She blinked and looked
down as she felt something wrap around her wrist, sending a gentle surge of
warmth flowing across her skin. She stared at the glowing ribbon of light for
several seconds before looking up, tracing the ribbon back to its owner.
"It's alright, Rei," Serena said quietly as most of her wings fell free
from Darian's body. Three remained wrapped around his arms, keeping him close
to her while the rest of her radiant wings floated free. "I know you have a
strong will, one strong enough to impose order on the chaos within the Crystal.
Much has changed today, and it will be some time before things settle down. I
know you will be able to keep things under control until my mother returns to
us. She would not have placed her faith in you if she didn't think you would
be able to do this."
"I didn't ask for this!" Rei snapped, jerking her arm free from Serena's
wing. "I didn't want to be your safety net, to be the one to pick up all the
pieces when you ran off and got yourself kidnapped. I didn't want to be the
one everyone turned to when you died, to carry the weight on your shoulders for
however long it takes for you to recover. Why must it always be me?"
"Uh-oh," Leda breathed very quietly as a wave of icy dread washed over
her. She realized that whatever resources Rei had been drawing on to retain
her composure had finally run out, allowing the burning caldera of her temper
to finally reach a critical mass.
The rest of the group came to the same conclusion in an instant, suddenly
aware that they now had an erupting volcano on their hands. The outburst of
raw emotions had been expected for awhile now, but sheer intensity of it caught
them all by surprise. And much like a real volcano, they know that the best
thing to do wasn't to try to hold back the tide of lava but instead step back
and let the pyroclastic storm play itself out on its own.
"I never asked for you to come to my temple, or to drag me into your fight
with the Negaverse. I never asked to be Sailor Mars, to have to exhaust myself
on a nightly basis saving you from all those denizens bent on killing you. And
I certainly never asked for you to try to intervene in my personal life when I
was dating someone you couldn't stand and you thought you just had to warn me
about him!"
Both Mina and Ami cringed in unison, knowing that Rei was referring to the
time when Serena and Darian had an inexplicable love-hate relationship. When
Rei started dating Darian, Serena had tried to get Rei to quit dating him out
of supposed concern for the priestess. That their relationship only lasted a
short period of time before breaking up was apparently something Rei had quite
obviously never forgotten in the slightest. Or, it seems, forgiven Serena for
her role in how things ended up.
Serena was as white as a sheet, staring at Rei with a look of shock and
pain on her face. Her wings were drifting back and forth in an odd pattern,
the individual ribbons visibly quivering and shaking from the sudden tension in
her back muscles. Her golden eyes were dangerously wide and starting to fill
with moisture, the crescent shape of the Royal House of the Moon glowing very
faintly on her forehead.
Darian sighed quietly as he gently tugged his arm free from the grip of
Serena's wings, his expression darkening ominously. He moved over to Rei and
somewhat roughly grabbed both her wrists, causing her head to snap up and look
at him in surprise. Their eyes met for a moment before he made a quiet grunt
deep in his throat and tugged hard, causing her to stumble forward into a deep
kiss that was somewhere between hard and brutal.
There was a strangled gasp from the rest of the group as at least four
jaws sagged open in unison with shock and disbelief. The mass exodus of air
was shortly followed by a deep sigh of resignation as Leda leaned forward to
rest her head on Ami's shoulder.
"I give up," the brunette whispered quietly as she closed her eyes. "Just
wake me when this insane nightmare is over," she said, drawing an absent pat on
the back from Alex and a nervous whimper from Ami.
"Do I have your attention now?" Darian said quietly as he pulled his head
back, abruptly breaking this kiss with the same force that had started it.
Rei blinked hard as she tried to throw off the feeling of shock. It was
several seconds before she could focus on him and nod her head, still shocked
speechless by the gesture. Her lips were already protesting the force of the
kiss, and a very distant part of her mind wondered if she would end up with a
bruise from it.
"You're right, Rei," Darian said very slowly and evenly, his eyes never
leaving hers. "You were given a raw deal in this. I know I have little to do
with this, but you have my sincere apologies for it. I can understand why you
were chosen, however. After all, when people are panicked by a crisis, they
tend to turn to the strongest person around them.
"And yes, we sometimes do ask too much of you," he continued, not giving
her or anyone else time to respond. "We all owe you a lot after what you've
done for us, both today and in the past. Just look at Serena. If it wasn't
for what you did, she wouldn't even be alive, now would she? She owes you her
life, and I owe you a great deal for saving her life. So what do you want?"
The flatness of his tone caused Rei to blink hard, trying to keep up with
the sudden pace of things. "W-W-What?" she stammered, reflexively glancing at
Serena. She blinked again as she realized that Serena was dangerously pale,
her golden eyes as wide as dinner plates and her wings drooping to the ground
around her like so much luminescent tinsel.
"It's simple," Darian replied with eerie calmness. "You're complaining
about having to do things against your will, which really isn't very fair, so
to make it fair we're going to compensate you to make it worth your while, to
pay you back for all your sacrifices. So again, what do you want?"
He waited for a few seconds as another look of shocked confusion crossed
her face before pressing on. "Come on, Rei, you of all people have to have
something in mind. If you don't want anything in return, then why are you
protesting this so vehemently? Jealous of something? Afraid of something?
Don't tell me you're intimidated by Serena just because she has changed...."
"What the hell is he doing?" Mina hissed very quietly, one hand clutched
to her chest and trying hard not to hyper-ventilate with shock at how events
were unfolding before her eyes.
"Trying to cork a volcano," Alex replied in a whisper. "Damn fool...."
"Here," Darian said as he suddenly moved to stand behind the still-shocked
priestess. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her forward, causing Rei
to almost stumble into an equally shocked Serena. "Talk to her. Look her in
the eyes and tell her what's on your mind if you have a problem with her. Be
a woman and say it to her face if you're jealous or afraid or mad. In fact,
why don't you do it on equal terms? Hold still," he said as he reached around
her. He yanked the sash of her robe open and pulled it back before moving his
hands back up to her shoulders and forcefully removing the robe from her body,
leaving her clad only in a pair of black-lace panties.
"Darian!" Serena gasped, her eyes becoming even wider. She blinked and
flinched as Darian's head snapped up to glare at her, his dark eyes seeming to
suddenly burn with an inner fire.
"I'm putting an end to this today," he said in a low tone as he slid his
hands around Rei's waist, lightly brushing her skin before hooking his thumbs
into her panties and tugging downward. He watched in idle disinterest as the
material slid down her legs to puddle around her ankles before moving his hands
back up to her shoulders, holding them in a strong and firm grip.
The color drained from Rei's cheeks as if a switch had been thrown, her
skin becoming deathly pale in an instant. She tried to turn her head to look
behind her and gasped as she suddenly felt his hands on her jaw, forcing her to
look back at Serena.
"Look her in the eyes," Darian said in an icy tone. "Look at her and tell
her why you did it, why you bothered to save her life. If she owes you, tell
her. You know her as well as I do, she'll pay you back if you ask for it. I
don't hear you saying anything, Rei," he prodded.
"Darian...." Rei whispered, scarcely able to breathe calmly. Her whole
body was rigid with tension, her mind in an uproar with embarrassment at her
nudity, with shock at the fierceness of his reaction, with fear at what was
going to happen.
He leaned forward just enough to brush his lips against her ear, causing
her to shiver almost violently. "Why did you do it, Rei? You accepted the
role of Regent, even after it was explained to you. You didn't have to do it,
but you did anyway. You didn't have to restore Serena to life once you had the
power of the universe in your hands. So why did you?"
The silence following his question was of a magnitude rarely encountered
outside of the empty void of deep space. Both Rei and Serena stared at one
another, simply too shell-shocked for words. The rest of the group was just as
equally stunned into silence, barely able to think and follow along where he
was taking them.
"What, nothing to say?" Darian prodded after a few more seconds of empty
silence. "Well then, maybe I should take a guess. I think you brought Serena
back because you love her. Not in the way that I love her, or you love me, or
Alex loves Michelle, but the deep love that exists between those who are beyond
friends and beyond family. You love her because she is your family, a piece of
yourself that your grandfather can't provide, a piece that you've come to need,
a piece that you can't be without.
"You remember when you girls came to get me in the Negaverse last year?
You remember how you all died for her on those open and desolate plains? You
were the last to fall, Rei, and it wasn't because you were the best or the most
powerful Sailor Scout, but because your love for Serena was the strongest. And
remember how she brought you back from the grave? It wasn't with the power of
the Imperium Silver Crystal, but with the power of her love. The power of her
love for her friends. The power of her love for you.
"Look at her," Darian said in a softer tone as he took a step back and
released her jaw, moving his hands back up to her shoulders. "She wears her
heart on her sleeve. When she's wearing sleeves," he added in a slightly wry
tone before continuing. "Look deep into her eyes and tell me you don't see
your feelings reflected back, tell me she doesn't love you in return, tell me
she doesn't think of you as more than just a friend, as more than part of her
family. Go on," he said as he shoved her once again, propelling her forward
into a near-collision with Serena.
Rei stumbled as her ankles became entangled in her panties and would have
fallen if Serena hadn't grabbed her, her angelic wings enfolding the priestess
in a gentle embrace even as her arms surged forward to catch her. Rei quickly
regained her balance and tried to step back, blinking hard as Serena didn't let
go of her. Stunned, they stared at one another for a seeming eternity, gold
eyes meeting liquid black before Rei started to break down into tears.
"I'm sorry," she whispered as her whole body began to tremble. "I'm....
I just...."
"It's alright," Serena replied quietly as she drew Rei into a gentle hug.
She rested her head on the priestess' shoulder and held her as Rei completely
broke down, sobbing hard as a cascade of tears began flowing down her cheeks.
Serena's wings started to wrap around them both, cocooning them together in a
veil of soft light that warmed both their bodies and their hearts. The silver
brooch that held the Imperium Silver Crystal was pressed between their bare
chests, glowing a deep golden color and adding to the feeling of warmth.
Darian watched them for a moment before he turned away, his expression
slowly changing from cold and hard to resignation and weariness. He paused and
cast a sidelong glance at the rest of the group, his dark eyes narrowing as he
saw the expressions on their faces. Sighing quietly to himself, he looked away
from them and gazed out into the roiling foggy mass of the Border Ethereal.
"Rei," he said quietly without turning around. "I know there's more to
your pain than you let on. You seem to get upset whenever anyone talks about
or mentions your mother...."
"I don't have a mother," Rei said flatly, interrupting him. She lifted
her head up from Serena's shoulder and glanced behind her, pausing slightly as
she saw how his back was turned to her. "Grandpa won't talk about how I ended
up in his care, but I know I was abandoned at birth. Nobody deserves to be
called my mother, least of all a woman who didn't love me enough to keep me."
Susan opened her mouth to say something and blinked when both Mina and
Michelle grabbed her, the former clamping her hand over the succubus's mouth
and the latter squeezing her arm hard. Mina shook her head violently, trying
to indicate that now was not the time to interrupt the extremely tense and
heart-rending drama continuing to unfold.
Darian slowly turned around to look at her. "What makes you so sure that
was the case?" he said in an edged tone. "If you know nothing of your parents,
then how can you say you were abandoned because you weren't loved? They might
have had to leave you in your grandfather's care for a good reason."
"It doesn't matter why," Rei growled back, ignoring Serena's comforting
embrace. "I was left behind, not even given the slightest hint or memory of
their existence. I don't even know their names, or what they look like. Can
you possibly imagine what that is like, growing up without knowing anything
about yourself or where you came from?"
Both Rei and Serena blinked hard as Darian's mood visibly changed in an
instant, his expression darkening to the point of frightening them. "I see you
forget who you're talking to," he said, his voice distorted by a sudden surge
of barely-controlled rage. "I grew up in an orphanage, remember? My parents
died when I was five, and I was left alone. Completely and utterly alone, and
I stayed that way for thirteen years, living in the orphanage because nobody
seemed to love me enough to adopt me or even to bother looking at me. Thirteen
years, Rei, and not one damned soul ever considered me to be worth loving or
ever thought of calling me their son."
"Darian...." Serena called out quietly, deeply upset by his mood swing.
"I left when I was eighteen and went out on my own," he continued, not
bothering to look at Serena. "I put myself through college on my own, got a
job, bought a car, got an apartment, all on my own. I made friends while I was
in college, even had a girlfriend for awhile, but not love. That continued to
escape me until I realized what I had with Serena, and to this day I'm still
not completely sure I know what I have.
"Look around you, Rei, look at your friends and see how they've held up.
Ami's father left her as a child, leaving her with just her mother. Both of
Leda's parents died a few years ago, leaving her alone when she was barely
fourteen. Yet do they lack love? No, far from it. Now look at yourself, you
still have the love of your grandfather and your deepest friends.
"I don't deny you grew up in a family environment that was lacking a great
deal, but don't you *EVER* try to talk to me about not knowing who or what you
are, because you have never known what it is truly like to not have any love in
your life. You are the granddaughter of a noble and decent man, Rei, a man who
loves you very much. It might not be much to you, but it's a lot better than
what some of us have, so try to be grateful for what you have in life, even if
it's not up to your expectations."
The silence was profound as he fell silent, his chest heaving with anger
and raw tension. He slowly took in a deep breath and let it back out, trying
to calm himself back down before speaking in a much gentler tone. "And if you
happen to encounter someone whom you might be able to call your mother, you
shouldn't try to push her away out of bitterness or because you still hurt.
You can't change the past or try to forget a lifetime of pain, but you can
still do something about making sure that it won't continue in the future."
"And what of your pain?" Rei said very quietly once she was sure Darian's
surge of raw emotions had passed. "What do you plan on doing about it?"
Darian sighed very quietly as his expression slipped back into a state of
extreme weariness. "There is only so much that can be done," he replied in a
subdued tone. "I love Serena. Not just in the way you love her, but also as
a man loves a woman. That is why I can't offer you what you truly want from
me, because my heart is no longer my own. I.... I will ask Serena to marry me
one of these days once I am absolutely sure it's what we both want," he said
slowly. He cast a hesitant glance over at the stunned blonde before he drew in
a deep breath and continued. "And in due time, ask her to be the mother of my
child. All I can offer you is the same bond of love that you share with Serena
and the others, the kind that is beyond being friends and beyond being family."
"Darian...." Serena whispered as tears began to flow down her cheeks.
"That will help ease my pain, Rei, but it is not my pain we are worried
about, but yours," he continued gently. "If all you want from me is a physical
relationship, I'm sure something can be worked out between the three of us, but
you will have to look elsewhere for the kind of love that you crave. We're all
here for you when your search drags you into despair, and we can help you look
for that special person who will bring more love into your life than you could
possibly know what to do with. That's part of the problem I have right now....
Serena loves me so much, I don't know what to do with it."
He paused as Serena's wings suddenly unwound from their cocoon formation,
flaring out briefly before grabbing him tightly and drawing him into the hug
that Serena and Rei were still gently locked in. Darian sighed and closed his
eyes, allowing himself to be drawn into their embrace and taking comfort from
the sudden surge of warmth surrounding him.
"I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry," Mina
said very quietly to herself in a lilting sing-song voice, trying valiantly to
keep the tears from overflowing her blue eyes.
Alex sighed quietly. "Just give it up, hon," she muttered as she yielded
to the tight embrace Michelle was drawing her into. Her own eyes were slightly
wet from witnessing the outpouring of raw emotion from Rei and Darian, and she
could feel Michelle's tears already starting to soak into the sleeve of her
white robe.
"That's one way to cork a volcano," Leda murmured quietly as she continued
to rest her head on Ami's shoulder. A profound wave of weariness washed over
her as some of her own emotional tension started to drain away, leaving her
with a desire to do little more than curl up in bed and try to relax.
"I.... was not aware either of them were in such deep pain," Susan said
very quietly, not feeling too energetic herself at the moment. "Had I known
about Rei's feelings, I might not have recommended her as Regent...."
"Guess what?" Leda said calmly. "You might think you know us, but you
really don't have half a clue anymore. We're not the same people you knew back
in the day, okay? Just let it go and start over, spare us all the headache."
"Leda...." Ami protested quietly, absently reaching up to hold her hand.
"It appears I will have to do exactly that," Susan replied with a weary
sigh of resignation. "I apologize if I have appeared to be unrealistically
optimistic about our situation."
"Relax," Leda yawned quietly. "Judging from the looks of things, I think
the situation between Darian and Serena just got a lot better, not to mention
hopefully improving things between Serena and Rei." She chuckled dryly for a
moment before adding, "Has to be a good situation if Darian can get drawn into
a group hug with two completely naked women...."
"Leda...." Ami sighed quietly, trying not to roll her eyes.
"Actually, I think Darian has deliberately avoided looking at Rei's body
the entire time," Susan pointed out. "He was behind her when he removed her
robe, and rarely looked at either one of them except in the eyes."
"Thanks, Sue," Alex sighed. "We really needed to have that taken apart
and analyzed for us."
"I don't know," Leda mused. "Seems to be a bit of a waste to go to all
the trouble of stripping a girl naked and then not looking at her body...."
There was a sudden silence as everyone paused and looked in her direction
with varying degrees of concern. "You're awful tired right now, aren't you?"
Mina ventured carefully, knowing that fatigue tended to have an impact on the
brunette's inhibitions and way of thinking.
"Ohhhh, yeah," Leda sighed quietly.
"Nap-time," Mina said in a lilting tone, casting a look at Ami.
"In a bit, I promise," Leda said as she gently lifted her head off Ami's
shoulder and stood up straight to stretch. "Need to have a short talk with our
boy Darian for a few first. Something he said struck one hell of a nerve, and
I want to make sure it's all ironed out."
"Anything you want to tell us?" Alex prodded her gently.
Leda shook her head gently. "Nah, I think enough soul-stuff has been
bared in public for one day. Besides, Rei's temper probably still needs time
to cool, and just between you and me, I'm not sure leaving her by herself in
the immediate future would be a wise idea. Call it a hunch, but I think one of
us needs to be with her at all times for awhile."
Everyone paused and exchanged concerned glances before turning to face the
weary brunette. "And why's that, huh?" Alex spoke up in a guarded tone.
Leda sighed and looked up at what passed for the sky in the bubble-shaped
pocket realm within the demiplane. "If I just had both my heart and my soul
flayed open in public like that, I'd probably be thinking of killing myself."
"Whaaaaaaat?" Alex scowled, her eyes narrowing in disbelief.
"But that's just me," Leda added with another yawn. "Rei's an odd one in
my book when it comes to understanding her emotions, but I'd feel a lot better
if she was kept under observation for awhile to make sure that she just didn't
have an important gear stripped loose along with her underwear. Darian's got
guts pulling a stunt like that, too, I probably would have kicked his balls up
into his throat or something."
"Was that before or after you offered to sleep with him?" Ami suddenly
spoke up in a glacial tone.
Leda paused and cast a sidelong glance at her. She spent several seconds
in silence as she thought about how exactly to respond to her, absently looking
back over at the group-hug still in progress not too far away. She blinked as
she saw that Serena's wings were unravelling again, pulling back behind her to
allow Rei and Darian some freedom of movement.
Leda sighed and settled on making a decidedly off-color comment about what
Ami could do to deal with her apparent state of sexual frustration and how she
could go about doing it with the aid of a few Ethereal constructs. She waited
only long enough to make sure the shock hit home and Ami's eyes widened to an
appreciable degree before making her way over to where Darian, Rei, and Serena
where standing around with slightly uncertain looks on their faces.
"You guys alright now?" Leda asked carefully, pausing briefly to dip down
and scoop up Rei's robe in a fluid motion before carrying it over to them.
The reminder that Rei was now as naked as Serena produced fairly typical
results. Darian blinked for a moment before turning away, his cheeks darkening
to a moderate pink color. Serena cast a reflexive glance at Rei before her own
cheeks started to tint pink with embarrassment. Rei's pallor suddenly seemed
to explode into a vibrant shade of crimson as she reached down to yank her
panties back on, fumbling for a moment to untangle them from her ankles.
"I think we're all fine," Darian said in a neutral tone, watching with the
very edge of his periphereal vision as Leda handed the robe to Rei. "I, umm,
didn't mean to upset or embarrass anyone with any of that...."
Leda just shook her head as the sash on Rei's robe was tied into a very
tight knot at what must have been just below the speed of light. "We can sort
out the headaches later. We just want to make sure you guys are alright."
"We're fine," Serena said softly, casting a glance at Darian's back.
"Rei?" Leda prodded gently as Rei remained silent.
"I'm okay," the priestess whispered quietly. She glanced over at Serena
before looking down at the grass, the intensity of her blush starting to fade.
"You sure about that?" Leda persisted gently, trying to get each of them
to look her in the eye. She blinked as she suddenly felt a surge of warmth
across her arm and looked down, blinking again as she realized that she was now
entangled in several of Serena's wings.
"We're fine, Leda," Serena assured her, reaching out with her hand to very
gently squeeze the brunette's wrist. "You're right, it will take some time to
sort this all out, but I have faith and confidence we can do it now."
"Your Highness," Susan said demurely as she approached, giving Serena a
respectful nod of her head. "Your Excellency," she added as she nodded to Rei.
"I trust you both are feeling okay at the moment?"
Rei paused, giving Susan a slightly uncomfortable look. "You're serious
about calling me that, aren't you?" she said after a moment.
Susan sighed quietly and absently fluttered her wings. "If you don't feel
comfortable with the title, I can avoid using it if you wish. Bear in mind,
however, that just as Serena is still the Crown Princess, you are still the
Regent and thus due the honor and respect of the office."
"Let it go for the moment, Chancellor," Darian said evenly. "I'm sure Rei
will be able to decide her level of comfort with the notion on her own once she
has had a chance to settle down and get used to things. As do we all," he
added with a faint air of resignation.
"Darian?" Serena asked softly, several of her wings arching out to brush
against his arms and back. She blinked as he turned around and shook his head,
very gently brushing off the contact.
"Not now, Serena," he said quietly. "Tonight. I promise you tonight that
you and I will sit down and talk about everything you want to talk about, but
right now I'm a little busy trying not to throw up, and that's not exactly
something I want an audience for...."
"C'mon," Leda said as she grabbed his elbow and started to lead him away
from the group. "Let's just go find a patch of grass where you can let it all
out. You'll feel better after you puke, trust me. Guys? We'll be back in a
bit. In the meantime, someone should go start dinner or something. I'll be up
to help out once I'm sure he's finished heaving."
"Umm, I can do this just fine on my own...." Darian started to protest.
"Just walk," Leda growled as she continued yanking on his arm.
"Try to stay near the keep walls," Susan called out. "And keep away from
the perimeter edge. And with all due respect, your Highness, throwing up over
the edge of the perimeter is not a wise idea."
"Thanks," Darian muttered dryly as he followed Leda along the curvature of
the walls and disappeared out of view.
"Sanity check...." Alex said in a weary tone as she approached the group
just in time to see Darian being led away by the brunette.
Mina came up to stand next to her and made a show of looking around the
immediate area. "Probably still hosed," she said in a neutral tone.
"Peachy," Alex sighed, squeezing Michelle's hand gently. "Okay, so now
that you guys got that out of your system.... now what?"
Serena and Rei blinked hard before exchanging cautious looks. "I'm....
not really sure," Serena said slowly.
"How about we take you upstairs to get dressed?" Mina suggested, taking a
step back to examine Serena's nude body with a critical eye. "While we're at
it, why don't we try giving you a new look? I mean, with all this Ether stuff
around, we can make any kind of fabric we want, right? Maybe a nice dress....
open in the back for your wings, of course.... You can put that way now, Ami,
I'm sure they're both just fine, if a touch stressed out," she added absently
as Ami edged past her with her diagnostic computer in hand.
Ami ignored her and proceeded to pass the computer's sensor suite back and
forth over Rei's chest for several seconds before repeating the process with
Serena. She grumbled very quietly to herself at some of the readings before
tilting her head back to look up at the swirling mass of dark gray clouds that
passed for the sky.
"The both of you need to take it easy for awhile," she said in a weary
tone before looking back down at the group. "Serena, your energy levels are
almost at zero again, and the only reason I don't want you trying to take a nap
is because it's getting close to evening. Or at least what our body-clocks
think is evening," she added. "Rei, your blood pressure is still dangerously
high right now. I take it you have a pounding headache?"
Rei blinked in surprise before she sighed quietly. "Somewhat," she said
in a neutral tone. "It's just a tension headache, it'll go away."
"That's not a tension headache," Ami countered in a faintly edged tone.
"That's from the pressure in your arteries."
"Perhaps I can help...." Maq'i offered as she stepped forward, startling
the group with the reminder of her presence. She reached out and gently laid
a wrinkled hand on the back of Rei's neck, sending her healing energies into
the skin and causing it to take on a soft white glow.
"You sure you're alright?" Mina asked Serena quietly, gently taking her
hand in her own. She squeezed it gently before looking down to study Serena's
diamond-like fingernails again, her expression changing to one of curiosity and
fascination at the way they glittered.
"I think so," Serena replied softly, her triple-tone voice taking on a
noticeable hint of exhaustion. "I'm just.... trying to keep up with all that's
been going on lately. I don't blame Rei for having a headache," she added,
reaching out with her other hand and at least three of her ribbon-wings to
gently squeeze Rei's wrist.
"Interesting," Maq'i said quietly. "You do have a high degree of tension
in most of your muscles, dear child, but your blood pressure is elevated to a
somewhat serious degree as well. While I am a general physician and not a
specialist in physical therapy, I suggest that you consider spending some time
soaking your body in that heated pool that was constructed earlier. Floating
should take some of the weight off of your body while the heat should help ease
the tension in your muscles."
Rei glanced over at Serena before looking down at the grass. "I'll think
about it," she said quietly as Maq'i removed her hand from her neck.
"Oh, come on," Mina prodded her gently. "You missed the fun earlier, but
we can still toss you in the hot tub after dinner. Nothing like going for a
relaxing soak after a good meal to unwind the springs. Speaking of which, our
resident psycho-killer had a point about starting dinner. Any ideas?"
Alex sighed quietly and absently rubbed Myst's chin with a finger. "How
about we worry about getting the Princess back upstairs first?" she said. "I
have a funny feeling it might take a bit, seeing how her wings don't work too
well inside."
"Whoops...." Mina said, looking up at Serena. "Hmm, have to find a way
around that. Susan, I don't suppose you could do something about the way this
tower is shielded or anything?" she asked, casting a hopeful look at her.
Susan sighed and shook her head sadly. "As I said earlier, the Ethereal
plane is isolated from my keep by physical barriers ingrained into the actual
construction of my keep. It is impossible to remove it without replacing all
of the mortar and concrete contained within. While there is a great deal of
personal inconvenience I am willing to undergo to accomodate a member of the
Royal House of the Moon, the entire disassembly of my keep is certainly not one
of them," she said with a note of humor.
"Heh," Alex chuckled as the rest of the group smiled to one degree or
another. "Ah, well, it still sucks. You going to be okay with this, Serena?
I mean, you'll probably lose your voice again and have to carry your wings in
a bag or something...."
Serena sighed as her wings started to droop. "It's alright," she said
quietly. "I can do without them until we return to Earth."
"Maybe not...." Mina said in a slow and thoughtful voice as she started to
stare off into space. She chewed on the edge of her lip for several seconds
before she turned to look over her shoulder at the mass of Ether hovering not
too far away.
"Uh-oh," Alex said with a faint hint of wariness. "You know, hon, I'm
starting to hate it when you get that look in your eye. What diabolical plot
are you trying to hatch in your so-called mind this time?"
"Oh, just an idea, that's all," Mina replied in a sly tone as she crooked
her finger at the fog. A small wisp of Ether started to drift out from the
rest of the roiling mass, lazily floating over to where she was standing.
Susan tilted her head to one side as she observed Mina's theatrics. "If
you don't mind my asking, Mina, does it help you focus your thoughts when you
act as if you are a performer on stage?" she inquired with genuine curiosity.
"Depending on what I'm doing," the blonde replied as she turned her hand
up, making a cupping gesture. The fog began to gather together in a large ball
that hovered an inch above the palm of her hand, swirling faster and faster
with each passing moment. "I mean, I can probably manage to deal with this
stuff with only a little mental focus, but it's soooooo much more fun to play
with it like this," she said, giving her a wink and a grin.
Rei and Ami exchanged looks of mutual resignation before seeming to sigh
in unison. "Growing old is manditory," Rei muttered as she looked away from
the group and towards the direction Darian and Leda had departed. "Growing up
is optional."
"That's the truth," Alex smirked.
"Oh, listen to you guys," Mina grumbled as she concentrated on forming the
Ether into a perfect sphere. "Can't take you anywhere anymore. Umm, Serena?
Can you do me a favor and extend your wings out as far as they can go? I want
to get a feel for just how large your wingspan is."
Serena blinked in surprise before she nodded. "Sure," she said as she
unwrapped her wings from Rei's arm before stepping back. She tilted her head
back to get a good look at her wings as she concentrated on reaching upwards,
extending the ribbons of light as far upwards as she possibly could.
"Oh, wow," Mina breathed as her eyebrows arched up, clearly impressed with
the display. "Can you spread them to the sides, please? You know, just part
them in half and bring them out to shoulder level? Thanks," she added as the
glowing wings slowly complied. "Okay, I think I've got it now...."
"We don't need to know what you've got, hon," Alex said languidly, drawing
a poisonous look from the blonde and a few muffled giggles from the rest of the
group.
"Work with me, alright?" Mina sighed. "I'm trying to help Serena here.
Okay, let's give it a whirl, shall we?" she said as she turned her attention to
the swirling sphere of fog hovering over her hand. The fog immediately started
to condense, slowly drawing inward into a cylindrical shape that began to take
on a faint white glow.
"Mina, what are you doing?" Susan inquired carefully as she felt the hair
on her arms start to stand up. It took her a moment to realize that what she
was feeling was dimensional energy being woven together.
"You'll see," Mina promised as the object compacted even further, becoming
a prism-like shard of crystal. The glow suddenly pulsed, causing everyone to
squint against the glare before it abruptly faded away. A fine glimmer formed
around the shard that solidified into a very fine silver chain, fusing itself
to the top of the crystal construct before the entire thing fell into Mina's
hand with a nearly silent tinkle of metal.
Rei paused and narrowed her eyes, not sure if she had felt a flicker of
spiritual energy or not. "What exactly is that?" she asked in a guarded tone,
one hand absently coming up to brush the front of her robe. She blinked as she
realized that she wasn't wearing her ceremonial robes and that her wards were
still tucked away inside the robe's inner pocket.
"Hopefully it's a bubble," Mina said as she held up the crystal shard to
examine it carefully. It appeared to be nothing more than an extremely shiny
quartz sample attached to a fine silver chain to be worn as a necklace. She
tapped her fingernail against it for a moment before shrugging and holding it
out to Serena. "Here, I want you to put this on and try walking through the
Ether barrier. If I did this right, it should keep a dimensional bubble around
you that will keep a conduit open to the Ethereal plane and thus let you keep
both your voice and your wings."
"Mina, wait," Susan blurted out, her eyes widening with surprise. "Just
how did you create such a thing? If you will forgive my saying so, I do not
believe you could possibly know enough about dimensional physics to have been
able to make such a device. In fact, I doubt I can fabricate such a thing."
Mina shrugged and held the pendant out to Ami. "Mind over matter," she
said simply. "Ami, you should be able to see if it's in a.... whatever you
called it earlier, phased state change or something."
"Excuse me," Susan said as she leaned forward, pressing a fingertip to the
edged surface of the crystal shard. She blinked hard as she could feel a very
distinct dimensional power emanating from the object and stepped back, her face
clearly reflecting her surprise at the development.
"What's the problem, Sue?" Alex spoke up, eyeing the crystal necklace.
"I.... wasn't aware that the Ether could be made into such a thing," Susan
said very slowly. "A crystal shape, of course, but not with such an inherent
degree of power, and certainly not one strong enough to bridge planar realms."
Mina chuckled quietly and held the pendant out to Serena again. "Word of
advice, my demonic friend?" she said lightly. "You need to learn how to think
outside of the box a little more. Here you go, Serena, just give it a try."
Serena carefully accepted the necklace and studied it a bit before she
undid the tiny silver clasp and put it around her neck. It took her a moment
to reclasp it properly before lowering her hands to her sides, idly glancing
down at the shard of crystal nestled between the tops of her breasts.
"That's pretty," Michelle spoke up quietly.
"Sure is, hon," Alex said, nodding her head in approval. "Looks a touch
small, but then again, I don't think you'd want to be wearing any giant gaudy
jewelry anyway. So what does it do again?"
"We'll find out," Mina said with a smile as she took Serena by the hand
and started to lead her towards the open doorway of Susan's keep. "C'mon, time
to test it out. Whoops, cold floor," she added with a slight wince as her bare
feet left the grass and encountered the stone slab flooring. "Just watch your
step, Serena, this floor is not warm at all. Oooh, where'd I put my shoes?"
Serena came to an abrupt halt at the edge of the doorway, startling Mina
and almost causing her to lose her balance. She very carefully reached up to
touch the Ether barrier that only she could feel, lightly probing the surface
to create a very slight visual disturbance in the air. Taking a deep breath,
she pushed her hand through the barrier and into the dimensionally-protected
confines of the keep.
"Fascinating," Susan said quietly as Serena's fingernails continued to
sparkle like diamonds. She watched as Serena carefully pushed the rest of the
way through the barrier, the glow in her wings only faltering for a moment.
"I had no idea that the Ether could be woven to produce a multi-dimensional
construct like that. Simply fascinating...."
Mina cast a smile over her shoulder. "Imagination is more important than
knowledge," she quoted with a wink. "Albert Einstein," she added.
Alex just shook her head as a somewhat captivated Susan followed the two
blondes inside her keep without another word. "I'll say this much," she said
to the rest of the group as they started to head inside as well. "It's not
often that someone can put something past Sue, and it's even rarer that they
can shut her up in the process as well. Oh, what a day...."
"We're not done yet," Ami said quietly in a disturbingly flat tone as they
all passed through the Ether barrier and disappeared inside the odd stone tower
that stood alone within the pocket realm nestled inside the demiplane.
* * * *
Darian sighed quietly as he leaned against the cool stone wall of the
keep, giving Leda a somewhat disturbed look. "I'm not kidding," he said in a
muted tone.
Leda shrugged in dismissal. "I know you're not," she countered. "So you
can dispense with the rhetoric. Either go ahead and hurl, or sit down and just
breathe through your nose."
He sighed again as he slowly sat down, resting his back against the hard
stone slabs that made up the wall and trying to keep a firm grip on the rising
wave of nausea sweeping through him. He paused and cast a sidelong glance out
of the corner of his eye as she sat down next to him and promptly rested her
head on his shoulder.
"Leda, what are you doing?" he asked in a calm and quiet tone.
"Trying to stay awake," she murmured with a soft yawn. "Hope you don't
mind, but right now I'm too numb to give a damn."
"Okay...." he said slowly before inhaling through his nose. The scent of
cool morning air tickled his nostrils and seemed to calm his innards down a
notch, making it slightly easier to keep the urge to heave under control. He
wasn't sure why exactly he wanted to throw up, but he figured it was simply a
result of the truly massive anxiety attack he had suffered earlier trying to
bleed off Rei's temper without causing a nuclear explosion or meltdown.
"So...." Leda said quietly. "You're going to marry Serena now, eh?"
Darian sighed very softly and leaned back as best he could. "Yeah," he
replied distantly. "This stays between you and me, okay?" he added on sheer
impulse, suddenly changing his mind about not wanting to talk to anyone about
what had gone through his mind in an instant back there.
"Sure," Leda said as she closed her eyes.
"I wasn't sure about anything up until a few minutes ago," he started to
explain in a quiet tone, staring off into the pervasive wall of Ether hovering
not too far away from him. "I guess trying to snap Rei out of it cleared up a
few things for me as well. Happened all at once, too. Almost blew a fuse on
the spot. Of course, now I feel like crap for all that's happened between me
and Serena, but.... I don't know, I think part of me is still trying to have
second thoughts now."
"Bah," Leda huffed softly. "You ever listen to yourself sometimes? You
were dead-right, we do love one another in our own special way. Okay, so in
some cases it's a different and more blatant kind of love, like what Alex and
Michelle have going...."
"Or you and Ami?" Darian added on impulse, glancing over at her.
Leda's green eyes snapped open with surprise before she looked up at him.
"Ouch," she said very quietly. "It's not like that. Well, not really, but....
aw, hell, I have no idea anymore."
"Care to try to explain it?" he prompted her gently.
She sighed and put her head back on his shoulder. "Yeah, I kinda want to
have her as a lover of sorts, but you know she's not remotely interested in it
and has Tolaris for company to boot. Not that I'm bitter or anything, far from
it. I'm happy that she's happy and all, honest. I just.... would like to have
a little serious and involved fun with her, that's all. This stays between us,
right?" she added.
"Promise," he replied solemnly. "I don't want to start anything between
anyone, believe me."
"Speaking of which...." she said slowly, "What's with that offer you made
Rei back there?"
A soft grunt welled up from his throat as his guts twitched for a moment
before settling back down. "What's it to you?" he muttered darkly. "Seeing
how we're sharing all these deep and private secrets between one another, let
me just say that I'm not sure what I'll do if Rei actually tries to take me up
on that. What scares me is that Serena might actually share."
"Now hold up," Leda said, lifting her head up to look at him again. "You
mean to tell me you made an offer like that and you weren't serious?"
He paused and gave her a rather uncomfortable look. "In a perfect world
and in another time and place, I would gladly sleep with Rei. However, I'm not
sure I can live with giving my heart to Serena and my body to someone else at
the same time. Call it a lingering influence of living in an orphanage with a
quiet but noticeable religious overtone to it, but that's not what I've come to
understand as being a moral thing to do."
She laughed very softly to herself, causing him to blink with uncertainty.
"Ever the white knight," she murmured as she gazed into his dark eyes. She
stared at him for a moment before she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his
in a soft kiss.
The gesture lasted far longer than she had anticipated, encountering only
a slight resistance before his lips softened, allowing her to add a great deal
of warmth to the kiss. His lips responded to hers almost by reflex, melding
against the contours of her mouth and making her quite reluctant to pull away.
"Wow," she breathed very quietly when she was finally able to pull herself
away from him. "Now I'm really jealous of Serena."
"Leda, what was that?" he asked in an audibly weary voice.
"Impulse, nothing more," she replied. "Anyone ever tell you that you are
one hell of a good kisser?"
"No," he said, slightly nonplussed. "Thank you."
"I'm being honest here," she said as she leaned back and rested her head
on his shoulder once again. "You have a sort of.... I don't know, magnetism
around you. No wonder Rei wants you."
"I don't need this," Darian sighed quietly in resignation.
"Oh, put a sock in it," she sighed back. "You're a decent guy, and that's
part of your charm. Guys like you are hard to find, you know, and a girl tends
to want to keep someone like you when she meets one. Besides, after watching
you kiss Ami and Rei earlier, I figured you'd be willing to give me a shot. I
think you were a little rough with Rei, by the way."
"Seemed appropriate at the time," he muttered quietly, feeling a wave of
guilt wash over him. "And it did shut her up long enough for me to get through
that temper of hers...."
"The end justifies the means?" she inquired idly, closing her eyes again.
"You know me better than that," he rebuked her quietly. "So tell me why
you're here. Something tells me it wasn't just to steal a kiss or watch me
review what I had for lunch the hard way."
"Bleagh," she grunted in absent disgust. "No, I just...." she started to
say before trailing off in a heavy sigh. The silence lingered between them for
several seconds, she trying to think of the right words to express herself and
he not wanting to intrude or disturb whatever was bothering her.
"I.... guess I know what you mean about not having anyone around to love
you," she finally said in a remote and distant tone. "Certainly not like you
do, but.... No-one stepped forward at first when my parents died, as neither
of them had any living relatives left. Any worth talking to, at least," she
added in a faintly bitter tone. "So there I was, fourteen years old and was
all alone. Ken and his family were out of country at the time and nobody had
a way to contact them or anything, and so I was going to be made a ward of the
state and put in either an orphanage or foster care. Probably pawned off on
some foster family because I'm a girl," she muttered sourly. "I think that's
what scared me the most."
Darian said nothing as he reached out, gently taking her hand in his and
giving her a comforting squeeze. He had always been more than a little curious
as to how Leda had gotten away with living alone without a guardian around, or
at least that he could determine. However, something about the situation had
always bothered him just enough to make him refrain from asking about it, as he
wasn't sure he wanted to disturb anything.
"A business associate of my father's came to me the day before I was to be
taken out of protective custody," she continued after a few moments of silence.
"He took me aside and said he might be able to help me, depending on what kind
of woman I was. He said that Dad had mentioned a few times about how I always
seemed to have an independent streak a mile wide, and he wanted to see just how
independent I could be.
"It took me a bit to understand what he was saying. He asked if I would
rather go live with another family somewhere else, or if I wanted to try to
keep living in my parents' apartment even though I would be alone for the most
part. The apartment was already paid off, so the only expenses would be the
utilities, and that could be covered by the insurance and trust funds."
That caused Darian to blink. "Are you serious?"
Leda nodded. "I was surprised as hell too, as I wasn't sure that what he
was suggesting was legal. I asked him why he was doing this, and he got real
quiet for a moment before telling me that he grew up on his own after running
away from home. He said that it was a very rough life but one that was of his
own choosing, and that was part of what kept him going. He said that he felt
I should have the choice that he had, given the circumstances, and that he was
willing to make the arrangements if I wanted to make the commitment."
Darian slowly let out his breath. "That's one hell of a burden to be
placing on a young girl who just lost her entire family," he said quietly.
"I know," she replied quietly. "He said that it wouldn't be easy and that
I would have to demonstrate I was responsible enough to make it work. So he
sat me down, handed me the specifics of the trust fund, and told me to come up
with a viable budget. I knew how to shop and all, and Mom had showed me a few
things about finances, so I drew up what I thought was a fair budget and let
him look it over. He made a few minor adjustments, explained why and what for,
and finally told me that he would let me run with it if I truly wanted to, but
that I had to sleep on it and answer him the next day.
"I barely slept that night, between the nightmares of crashing planes and
a bizarre dream about being chased by little green numbers," she grumbled. "I
told him the next day I wanted to do this, and he petitioned the court to be
named my legal guardian. Took a day or two to satisfy the judge that he was
both responsible enough and able enough to provide for me, and I left with him
shortly after that.
"He took me to the apartment and explained to me just what I had to do to
keep my end of the bargain," she continued. "His biggest concern was about my
financial situation and wanted to make absolutely sure I wouldn't end up going
into debt or anything. School was another issue entirely, but we reached an
agreement about things that required a guardian's signature. I had to keep my
grades up, of course, but that wasn't a problem to begin with. He make sure we
had one another's phone numbers and points-of-contacts for emergencies and the
like, said he would be checking up on me periodically, gave me a hug, and left
me to my own devices."
She looked up at him and smiled at the look on his face. "What?"
"That's it?" he said incredulously. "He just leaves you alone like that?"
"Of course not," she chuckled quietly as she leaned her head against his
shoulder. "He used to drop by the apartment at least once a week for awhile,
checking up on me and seeing how I was doing. He'd periodically go over all
the financial records I had, and I kept the receipts for everything just so he
could see what I was doing. After a few months, he made a visit every other
week, and then just once a month. Last time I saw him was two months ago, and
he said he was quite satisfied with the way I'm handling myself."
Darian just shook his head slowly. "That's amazing."
"What's amazing is that it still works," she sighed. "Ken and his family
got back a couple of months after my parents died, and they almost went ape.
I came this close to ending up in protective custody again before I was able to
explain the whole situation to them. They got in touch with.... with my legal
guardian and were able to sort everything out."
"Something wrong?" he asked cautiously at the slight hesitation.
"I don't want to say his name," she replied quietly. "He's a very high-
profile business executive these days, and I'm fairly sure some of what he did
to set me up like this was rather questionable in nature. I don't think he
broke any laws, but I don't want him to get into any trouble if the spotlight
ends up on me and people start asking questions."
"I understand," Darian said as he squeezed her hand again. "You're a very
remarkable woman, Leda. I'm not sure if I could have dealt with the situation
quite like that."
"Thanks," she murmured. "Darian...?"
"Hmm?"
"How.... how did you handle being so alone?" she asked. "I ended up in
bed with a boyfriend who took advantage of my loneliness, damn punk dumped me
a week later, but no matter. Later ended up with Jenni, which really made life
worthwhile until she died on me, and now I'm running back and forth between two
worlds trying to save Earth and keep Serena alive."
A soft and hollow laugh drifted up from his chest. "Maybe I should be
asking you for advice on that one. Not long after I left the orphanage on my
own and got my own place, I ended up sharing the sheets with a girl for a few
months. Nothing really worthwhile, to be honest, and I think the relationship
died of mutual apathy. I was just.... well, existing for the most part. Not
sure what it would have been like if I hadn't made friends with Andrew and a
few of the guys at work, but until Serena.... I guess you could say Andrew was
the closest thing I had to a best friend in my entire life. As for how I dealt
with it.... I honestly don't know, Leda," he sighed, shaking his head.
A gentle veil of silence drifted over them as they both turned their minds
inwards to reflect on their lives. She absently reached up to squeeze his arm
gently, able to find comfort and solace in the fact that she knew he truthfully
understood her pain. She realized that it was almost trivial when compared to
what he had gone through in life, but there was still enough common ground for
them to share a unique bond of sorts, further strengthening their friendship.
"Darian?" she asked quietly after a period of time.
"Yes?"
"I have a favor to ask of you," she said. "A deeply personal one." She
blinked as she could feel the sudden change in his skin temperature, chilling
for a brief moment before warming back up.
"I'm listening," he said in a neutral tone.
She sighed and squeezed his hand tightly. "I want you to make love to
Serena tonight. She's been through one of the purest forms of hell these past
two days and I think she needs something significant to offset all that pain
and suffering. Just grab a handful of Ether before you head in and make them
into a pair of condoms or something, or I'm sure you can put a quiet inquiry
into Susan's ear and she can find you some real ones.... What?"
There was a soft snort of contempt. "You don't ask for much, do you?" he
muttered very quietly as he felt a burning heat take up residence in his face.
"Darian...." she sighed quietly in exasperation. "Look, I'm being quite
serious, okay? She loves you, she needs you, and giving her what she wants
when it's something like that will mean the world to her. Or was all that talk
of making her the mother of your child the same kind of bluff you fed Rei?" she
added in a faintly edged tone.
"I'm not going to give her a child now!" he protested sharply.
"Of course not now, doofus," she shot back. "I'd kill you myself if you
got her pregnant. But you have to start somewhere, you know." She paused as
she saw the haunted look creep back into his eyes and sighed. "One more time,
Darian. What's the problem with making love to Serena?"
"It just doesn't feel right," he said quietly.
"Let me guess, more church indoctrination from your orphanage days?" she
prodded in a flat tone, drawing a hard blink from him. "Tell me again how they
set up that one?"
"The orphanage was run by the state," he explained quietly. "However, we
were taught by volunteer missionaries from a local convent. They left out the
bulk of the religious rhetoric, but we were still taught right from wrong by
their standards, which was something the orphanage didn't seem to mind."
"Aha, so that's it," the brunette mused quietly as she leaned her head
back against the stone walls of the keep. "Darian? It's not what you do that
counts, its your intentions when you do it. You think making love to Serena
would be a sin, I take it?"
Darian paused and raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't couch it in those exact
terms, but let's just say I'm not overly comfortable with the idea of ruining
her purity of body and soul."
"Ruining my butt," she grumbled. "Okay, let me try this one. Let's just
say for the sake of discussion that you decide to spend a night with Alex. If
you do it just for kicks, that would be wrong. However, if your intention is
to help her get rid of the nightmares.... sexual healing, as Rei put it....
then I think you're doing something noble and right. Especially if you talk it
over between the four of you ahead of time."
"Four of us...?" he echoed, giving her a guarded look.
"You, Alex, Serena, and Michelle," she explained. "That way, no-one has
any hard feelings, it's all understood, yadda yadda yadda. That was purely
hypothetical, you know, so you can quit looking at me like that."
He just grunted and looked away. "Okay, so you think that making love to
Serena would be something 'noble and right?'" he asked in a neutral tone.
"Damn straight," she affirmed without hesitating. "You know what? I'm
sure you have good intentions, Darian. The problem is your dumb butt doesn't
realize it. You just proclaimed in front of everybody that you're going to
make Serena a very critical and permanent part of your life. Think that's not
having good intentions?"
"Someone once said the road to hell is paved with good intentions," he
said in a hollow tone. "I'd be lying if I said I don't desire her in body,
mind, and soul, but I really do not want to hurt her."
"So go take her mind off the pain she's already in," she suggested with a
heavy sigh of resignation. "Damn, Darian, this ain't rocket science. You love
her, she loves you, she wants you, and you just said you want her. You don't
strike me as the kind of guy who would be anything other than gentle with her
the entire time, so I completely fail to see what the problem is. You just
basically proposed to her earlier, so unless you're going to cough up a diamond
ring or something, why not seal the promise with a tender moment that she will
never, ever forget?"
He blinked hard and looked at her for several seconds before sighing and
looking off in the distance at the Ether. "Maybe you're right...." he said in
a near-whisper as the notion drifted around inside his mind.
"I try to be right," Leda replied in a dry tone, her lips curling up into
a smile. "It cuts down on the length of arguments when they arise. How's your
stomach?"
He paused as he turned his attention inward for a moment, a small sigh of
relief drifting up as he realized that his stomach had quieted down and was no
longer in imminent danger of expelling lunch. "Finally settled," he said.
"Much like your other concerns?" she prodded lightly, drawing a vaguely
reproving look. "Don't give me that look, Darian, I'm just trying to help."
"I know," he replied quietly, drawing her hand up to his mouth. "And it
is greatly appreciated," he murmured before brushing his lips across her wrist.
He paused for a moment and gently inhaled the soft scent of her skin.
"What?" she said with a slight frown. "I took a bath...."
"Damask rose," he murmured as he kissed her wrist again before releasing
her hand. "I remember nothing of my father, but the one thing I remember about
my mother was that she always smelled like Damask roses."
Leda nodded her head gently. "Alex made some soap earlier. Sorry, didn't
mean to dredge up any painful memories or anything," she apologized.
"Don't worry about it," he said as he started to get up. "They're not bad
memories or anything. Besides, it smells good. Hmm?" he added as she reached
out and grabbed his wrist.
"This whole mess stays between the two of us, right?" she asked with a
measure of trepidation to her voice. "I mean, I'm really glad we both have a
better understanding of one another now, but I don't need to start catching
flak from someone like Ami because she doesn't approve of certain things...."
"Like stealing kisses?" he said casually, giving her an amused look.
She blinked in surprise before snorting quietly in contempt. "If that was
a stolen kiss, I'd just love to see what happens when you give one away," she
muttered as a dark blush sprang to her cheeks.
"Maybe some other day," he replied as he stood up and grasped her wrist,
drawing her to her feet.
"Careful, some might take that as a promise," she warned him as she dusted
off the back of her robe with her free hand. "Anyway, we should head back
before they start getting worried or something. Oh, um...." she said as she
suddenly paused and glanced over her shoulder at him.
"Just between you and me," Darian reassured her with a solemn nod.
"Thanks," Leda said quietly as a faint look of relief and satisfaction
crossed her face. "Come on, I need to get upstairs before Mina decides to try
her hand at cooking or something. Just call it a hunch...."
He shrugged casually as he started following her back around the stone
walls of the keep. "How bad can it be?" he inquired.
* * * *
Alex just sighed as the cloud of smoke finally dispersed to the point of
allowing her to see her hand in front of her face again. "Mina," she said in
a remarkably calm and level tone, considering the fact that the front of her
robe was now covered in a sticky mass of what should have been bread dough.
Mina was bent over at the waist with the oven door still in her hands, her
entire face covered with the remains of the exploding dough. She stood up and
carefully tried to remove a large glob from around her mouth, allowing her to
both breathe and talk. "Yes?" she said in a very quiet voice.
Alex glanced over her shoulder to survey the carnage and get a feel for
the blast-radius. It seemed that both she and Mina had taken the brunt of the
explosion, as only small globs could be seen slowly dripping down the walls.
"You know Sue's going to kill us now, right?" she said in a neutral tone as she
thought of how the succubus was going to react upon seeing the hideous mess in
her kitchen.
"We can clean it up before she gets back," Mina said, still using a very
soft and quiet voice. She tried to throw the glob of dough into the trash and
paused when she realized that it was extremely adhesive, remaining thoroughly
stuck to her fingers despite her frantic shaking motions.
"Assuming I don't kill you first," Alex growled as she glanced down at the
front of her robe. "Tell me again what just happened?"
"I think I might have used too much yeast," Mina hedged as she used her
free hand to try to remove the dough from her eyes. Her blind motions caused
her to bang her shin against the open oven door, resulting in a muted but toxic
burst of profanity.
"What was that noise?" Ami said as she stuck her head around the corner.
"Is everyone...?" she said before trailing off, her eyes widening at the sight
of the culinary devastation. "Oh, my...."
"Not a word, hon, okay?" Alex just sighed in resignation. "Just go keep
the Princess and Mich occupied while we.... hmm, what's a good word? I almost
said 'de-flour' ourselves, but I just realized how incredibly wrong that could
sound if taken out of context."
"Clean up?" Mina suggested, still trying to pull enough of the dough off
of her eyelids so she could see what she was doing. "Besides, I'm already
deflowered, remember? That was quite a wonderful experience, too...."
"Thank you, Mina," Alex said in a glacial tone.
"I'll try to find some paper towels," Ami sighed before she disappeared
back around the corner.
"You know, I'm glad this isn't oozing down the inside of my robe," Alex
muttered darkly. "I'd really have to hurt you then. Damn, why is this crap
so sticky? Yeech...."
"How do you think I feel?" Mina countered with a grunt as she felt her
eyebrows protest at being yanked along with the rest of the dough. "I was
leaning over when it blew, so you know it went down my chest."
"Lovely," Alex grunted again as she tried to wipe the dough off of her
neck and only suceeded in coating both hands with the sticky substance. "Do I
want to ask how far down?"
"Probably to my belly button. Look, can you give me a hand with this? I
can't see a thing...."
"Hon, I've got this crap all over my hands, so it's not like I can make
much of a difference at this point. You want the bad news now or later?"
"Let me have it...."
"It's all over your hair like a bad hat. I can't even see your bow."
"I could have told you that."
"Can you tell me what the hell we're going to do about this mess?"
"Wait for the rescue squad?"
"Remind me never to let you anywhere near a kitchen again."
"Oh, come on, it's not that bad," Mina protested. She froze in place as
she heard the sound of a throat being cleared and tried to turn around to face
the source of the noise, still fighting to get the dough removed from her eyes.
"That wasn't you, was it?" she said in a suddenly leery voice.
"Trust me, babe, it just got that bad," Alex said in a muted tone.
"Why, what now?" Mina inquired as she felt her blood turn to ice.
"Lady Venus," Susan said in a dangerously calm tone. "Might I have a few
moments of your time?"
* * * *
Leda and Darian paused for a moment to look around as they entered the
keep. The change in air was quite discernable as they crossed the threshold,
losing the meadowy scent and taking on a faint musty odor that one would tend
to expect from a stone-and-mortar building.
"Yeech," Leda muttered quietly. "Smells like someone left a pair of old
socks on the air vent or something."
"It'll fade in a moment," Darian assured her as he leaned forward to peer
down an empty hallway. "Umm.... where is everyone?"
"Upstairs, probably," the brunette shrugged. "I think that's the hallway
we came down in, or whatever you want to call it, but don't ask me how to get
it to take us back up. Hmm?"
They both blinked as one of the doors suddenly opened up and Rei walked
out, followed by Maq'i. The sound of the ancient Healer's voice drifted down
the corridor a moment later, seeming to be giving the priestess some sort of
medical advice. Rei nodded in understanding and thanked her in a subdued tone,
her cheeks tinted a pale crimson color with embarrassment of some sort.
"Hey, guys," Leda called out, causing their heads to turn.
"Feeling better, I trust?" Maq'i said as she gestured down the hallway.
"Susan was kind enough to show me how to activate this most interesting and
unusual conveyance for when you returned. If you would be kind enough to come
with me down to this spot?"
They nodded and followed her down to the mid-point of the stone hallway.
"I'm fine," Darian assured them as he got concerned looks from both Rei and
Maq'i. "Just a bad case of gas, that's all."
"Told you letting it out would make you feel better," Leda said in an even
tone with a perfectly neutral expression. "You alright, Rei?"
Rei blinked and glanced away, the blush on her cheeks darkening a shade.
"I just needed a medical opinion, that's all," she said quietly.
"Everyone hold on," Maq'i cautioned them as she reached up and pressed her
hand against a particular stone set into the wall. The floor started to shake
gently before the entire hallway started to twist again, slowly travelling up
the central axis of the keep like a giant cork-screw.
"Bizarre," Darian commented as the ends of the hallway were blocked off
by the walls of the shaft as they slowly rotated past. He stared at it for a
moment before looking down at the ground, getting a faint feeling of vertigo
from the visual spinning effect.
"Susan said we're all going to spend the night here," Rei spoke up after
several moments of silence. "She says that she only has five guest rooms and
that we need to figure out how we're going to share them."
"Couch," Darian and Leda said in perfect unison, startling them both.
There was a soft chuckle from the ancient denizen. "I said I was willing
to share a room with one of the others, but they all agreed that it wasn't
necessary," Maq'i said. "That leaves four rooms to be divided among the eight
of you, as Susan said she will most likely retire to her own room in another
location in this keep."
"Well, Darian," Leda started to say, "I guess that means you...."
"Will work it out later," Darian interrupted her in a faintly edged tone.
Leda paused for a moment before sighing quietly. "Right," she said in a
neutral tone. "After dinner, sounds good to me. Speaking of which, what's
that smell? Almost smells like...."
She abruptly trailed off as the hallway quit rotating, the ends slowly
sliding back into the familiar territory of the residential level. They all
blinked hard as they saw Alex and Mina waiting at the end of the hallway, both
girls almost literally covered from head to toe in a white gooey substance.
"Not a word," Alex growled quietly as she quietly slipped past the group
and headed towards the shower at the other end of the hallway. "Glad to see
you're feeling better, your Highness," she added, pausing only long enough to
briefly kiss his cheek before resuming her walk.
Darian blinked hard as he watched her move past him, followed by a very
quiet Mina. He blinked again as he realized that he could only see Mina's eyes
and lips beneath the mass of whatever it was that was covering her. His eyes
began to water a moment later as the smell of flour and yeast drifted past him,
causing his stomach to twist itself into a most uncomfortable knot.
A truly heavy sigh rose up from the depths of Leda's chest as she leaned
back against the wall, idly waving her hand in front of her nose. "And that is
why you never let a blonde near the kitchen," she muttered. "Don't know what
that was, probably don't want to know anyway. I'll be in the kitchen trying to
work on dinner. Catch you guys later," she said as she headed down the hall.
Darian, Rei, and Maq'i all exchanged glances before they shook their heads
in collective wonder and started headed down the corridor. The very last door
opened up just as they passed it, causing them to pause and look over their
shoulders.
Rei's eyes became dangerously wide as no less than two dozen brilliant
streamers of white light shot out from the doorway and promptly wrapped around
Darian. There was a yelp of surprise as Darian was yanked inside the room and
the door firmly closed behind him, leaving her and Maq'i alone in the hallway.
The door opened back up a moment later, just enough to allow a single glowing
ribbon to hang a small "Do Not Disturb" sign on the handle before it withdrew
and the door was closed once again.
Rei and Maq'i exchanged stunned glances for a moment before the Imperium
Silver Crystal began to glow gently, bathing the priestess' chest in a rather
odd wave of warmth. She absently reached up to touch the gem, brushing her
fingers across the stylized silver brooch that hung around her neck. "I have
no idea either," she said quietly. "But I'm sure we'll hear about it sooner or
later."
"Are you sure you're alright, dear child?" Maq'i asked gently.
"No," Rei admitted honestly as she eyed the closed door and the somewhat
crude plastic sign hanging from it. "But it's about time those two sat down
together and sorted things out between them. Yeech," she added as she made a
face. "What did Mina do in the kitchen to make it reek like that? Damn...."
she groaned as she turned around and headed down the corridor, leaving Maq'i
behind to wonder just what it was about humans that both fascinated her and
made her feel every bit as old as she really was.
* * * *
It took a full second for Darian's mind to catch up with the rest of his
body, still trying to cope with the sudden blurring of both his vision and his
sense of balance. He got a glimpse of glowing ribbons and long blonde hair as
he sailed past the figure in the doorway, essentially tossed halfway across the
room by her wings. His senses caught up with him as his backside encountered
the edge of the bed and his lateral motion came to a somewhat abrupt halt.
"Whoa!" he yelped as he bounced slightly before settling down.
"Darian!" Serena gasped, her eyes wide with surprise at just how hard she
had accidentally tossed him. She quickly crossed the small room to sit next to
him, reaching out with both her hands and her wings. "I'm sorry, I didn't....
I mean, I wasn't...."
"Easy," he said as he shook his head rapidly before reaching out to take
her hand in his. "I'm fine, just.... surprised, that's all. Didn't expect to
be turned into a human frisbee like that," he gently teased.
"I'm sorry," she apologized as a faint blush sprang to her cheeks. "I
didn't mean to grab you that hard."
He laughed softly before kissing the back of her hand lightly. "I see
you've gotten used to your wings already," he said demurely. He paused for a
moment before inhaling the soft scent of her skin. "And I see that you also
used some of that Damask rose soap Leda mentioned earlier. It smells good on
you," he purred quietly.
"Thank you," she replied in a soft whisper, glancing down at her hand in
his. She turned her hand around to intertwine her fingers with his before she
looked up at him, her golden eyes taking on a faintly disturbed aspect. She
opened her mouth to speak and paused when he laid a finger on her lips.
"We can talk now if you want," he said in a gentle voice, "But I don't
want to be late for dinner. Once we're finished and all, then you and I can
lie here all night and talk about whatever you want like I promised. I'm not
trying to stall or anything, Serena, I just.... none of this has been easy for
either of us lately, and I just want to say I'm sorry for hurting you."
She sighed quietly and closed her eyes, laying her head on his shoulder.
Her wings started to droop behind her, slowly drifting down to settle on the
edges of the bed and down to the floor. She gently tugged her hand free from
his and wrapped her arms around herself, not sure what to make of his words.
"Hey," he protested softly and he looked down at her. His gaze was drawn
further down to her throat where he could make out a faint golden glow coming
from deep under her skin. He glanced up at the expression on her face before
he dipped his head down, brushing his lips across the softness of her throat.
"Darian, what do you want?" she whispered quietly, her triple-tone voice
sounding somewhat unsteady.
"I want you, my eternal love," he murmured as he continued to kiss the
hollow of her throat, brushing his lips back and forth over the glowing lines
where her vocal chords were. "I meant what I said about wanting to marry you,
Serena. Not now, granted, but one day. That's a promise."
"Is that all?" she said in a hollow tone, causing him to blink and lift
his head up a little higher to look at her. Her eyes were still closed, but he
could see the lines of weariness and tension on her usually smooth face. The
corners of her mouth were drawn down in a slight frown and her lips were taut,
only adding to the feeling that she was still deeply hurt by something.
"Well...." he said in a carefully calculated and neutral tone. "If you
want, I can relieve you of the burden of your virginity as well, but that will
definitely have to wait until after dinner." As expected, her eyes promptly
snapped open and and darted over to look at him, bringing a faint smile to his
face.
"What?" she said, clearly startled by his words.
He paused and raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, I figured that since I
don't have anything to give you as a more tangible reminder of my stated desire
to propose to you, I figured I'd give you something else instead. Unless you
happened to have changed your mind and don't want it now...." he said in a
somewhat casual tone.
She blinked hard for a moment before she glanced away, her complexion
seeming to ignite into a deep and vivid blush of embarrassment. "Well...." she
said in an abashed tone before words simply failed her. She blinked again as
he cupped her chin and turned her to face him, leaning forward to give her a
deep and more than slightly passionate kiss.
It was all she could do to not literally melt into his embrace, parting
her lips to deepen the kiss. She felt a truly burning warmth start up inside
both her blood and her sheath, causing her pulse to quicken in an instant. The
world started to spin madly around her as her universe seemed to narrow down to
the feelings of passion in her lips and the deep love blooming once again
inside her heart.
"Serena?" Darian murmured after their lips finally parted. "Don't get too
excited, I said after dinner," he reminded her in a faintly amused tone.
"Why not now?" she whispered, her voice unconsciously turning husky as she
ran her hand along the collar of his shirt. She paused as she could feel the
sudden tension in his body and looked up into his dark eyes.
"Umm...." he hesitated for a moment as a brief wave of embarrassment and
anxiety washed over him. "I.... uh.... don't have any condoms with me," he
said as calmly as he could, acutely aware of the raging blush that suddenly
took up residence on his face.
Serena blinked as her own blush deepened by a few shades. "Oh," she said
quietly. "Do you.... really.... need them right now?" she ventured carefully.
She blinked hard as his expression abruptly changed, his gaze hardening in an
instant as he looked back at her.
"Let's get this one understood right out the gate," he said in a faintly
flat tone. "I love you with all my heart, but that is one risk I'm not going
to take, end of discussion. Unless we're married and are actively trying to
start a family, the use of birth-control will not be a negotiable issue. I'm
not trying to be harsh, Serena, and I hope you understand why I'm not going to
compromise on this issue. It's simply too important to me."
"I understand," she replied with a subdued nod of her head. "Darian, I'm
sorry, I didn't mean to upset you or...." she started to say before becoming
silenced by another deep kiss. She sighed softly and closed her eyes, yielding
to both his gentle embrace and to the warmth of his renewed love for her.
"Later," he whispered once they broke apart for air several moments later.
"Right now, all I can do is tell you that I love you."
Serena sighed and rested her head against his neck, trying not to cry as
she could feel the depth of sincerity to his soft-spoken words. "I love you
too, Darian," she whispered back. She brushed her hand across his chest for a
moment before she sat back and started tugging on his shirt. "Take your shirt
off," she said quietly.
He paused for a moment and gave her a slightly uncertain look. "Serena,
I'm not kidding," he said in a slightly leery tone. "Nothing serious until I
can have a quick word with Susan after dinner about getting...." He trailed
off and blinked hard as he suddenly found a glowing ribbon of light wrapped
around his face, covering his mouth and squeezing his jaw gently.
"I just want to hold you, that's all," she assured him as several more of
her wings drifted up to caress him. She released her hold on his lips once he
nodded and scooted back a few inches to give his arms room. She watched as he
untucked his shirt from his pants and pulled it over his head.
He blinked hard as he heard her suddenly gasp just as the fabric was over
his face, momentarily blocking his vision. He quickly finished stripping his
shirt off and yanked his arms free, absently dropping it on the edge of the
bed. "Serena, what is it?" he asked quickly.
"What happened to you?" she demanded in surprised concern as she reached
out to brush her fingertips against the partially-healed claw marks on his
chest. "Did Luna do this?"
"What? Oh, those," he said as he realized what she was talking about. He
slowly let his breath out as the worst of the tension left as quickly as it had
come. "Myst was sleeping on my chest the other night and I guess I spooked her
when I woke up in the middle of the night."
"Ooooh," she winced in sympathy, having been clawed more than a few times
herself by irritated or otherwise upset cats. "She must have been terrified
or something, because she got you with all twenty claws. Are you sure you're
alright?" she persisted.
He chuckled quietly and took her hand in his. "They're just scratches,
Serena, that's all. Umm, speaking of scratches...." he said, his voice taking
on a note of concern as he tilted his head to study the side of her head. He
reached up and brushed a finger across her temple, very carefully tracing the
thin line of a small scar that he was fairly sure she didn't have a few days
ago. "What happened here?"
"That...." she said very quietly, her lower lip starting to tremble. She
sighed deeply and closed her eyes as he wrapped her in a gentle hug, drawing
her close to him. "That was.... was where.... where.... Rune...."
"Easy, beloved," he murmured quietly as he squeezed her tight, gently
rocking her back and forth.
"I think she shot me," Serena whispered. "I'm not sure, it's all so....
so hazy, so vague. I remember she pointed the gun at me.... and then.... I'm
not sure what happened after that."
"It's alright," he reassured her quietly. "If you don't remember, don't
try to force it. I know you went through a lot back there, my love, but it's
over now. You're safe with us now, it's over."
"Is it?" she murmured as tears started to well up in her eyes. "Look at
me, Darian. I've got wings now.... denizen wings. I'm.... I'm just as much a
denizen now as Rune is, and the others we've fought against...."
"No you're not," he countered abruptly. "You may have denizen blood in
your body and your body may have changed recently, but you're still fully human
deep inside where it truly counts. Don't you ever doubt that about yourself,
Serena. You have a human heart, a human mind, and a human soul, that's all
that truly matters. As for the likes of Rune.... well, we all know that she
doesn't have either a heart or a soul," he said in an edged tone.
"Darian, what am I going to do?" she whimpered as she hugged him as hard
as she could, unconsciously wrapping her wings around him and cocooning them
both in a snug embrace. "I can't.... I can't go home, not like this. I can't
let my parents see me with wings, or gold eyes, or this new voice.... What am
I supposed to tell them? How could I ever explain it to them?"
He was quiet for a few moments as he tried to think of what to say. "I'm
not sure, my love," he said after deciding it was best to be as honest with her
as possible. "I think we're all going to stay here until we figure something
out. Susan seems to have a few ideas, which makes sense to me. I mean, look
at how she can hide her wings and mask that glow in her eyes. It might take a
bit of work, but I'm pretty sure you'll be able to learn how to do the same."
Serena said nothing as she continued to hug him tightly, slowly flexing
her wings. She made a very soft sighing-hum deep in her throat at the new
sensations of her wings gliding across bare skin, both hers and his. The
reminder that she was still completely naked and he was stripped to the waist
sent a gentle surge of warmth through her body and brought a faint hint of a
smile to her lips.
Darian blinked as something suddenly felt out of place. It took him a
moment to realize that it was the way her wings were moving up and down across
his back. What had just been a simple and thoughtless gesture a few moments
ago had changed, becoming a more deliberate series of motions. "Serena?" he
murmured softly as he nuzzled her ear.
"Mmmmm?" she hummed back, tilting her head up to brush her lips across his
throat. She sighed quietly in contentment as she could not only feel his pulse
beneath her lips but was able to feel with her wings the very subtle motion of
his body as he shivered.
"I take it you're feeling better?" he inquired quietly. A very soft sigh
of his own rose up from his chest as she pressed herself close, able to feel
the hardening points of her nipples rubbing against him.
An almost whispering laugh emerged from her lips as she slowly nuzzled her
way along his throat and jaw up to his ear. "The only thing I'm feeling right
now is you," she breathed, squeezing him with her wings and delighting in the
faint shiver that ran down the length of his spine. "And you feel wonderful."
"After dinner, beloved," he reminded her with a quiet chuckle, kissing the
delicate shell of her ear. He blinked and closed his eyes as he felt her lips
brush against his own ear, shortly followed by the decidedly arousing sensation
of her very lightly nibbling teeth.
"I'm just getting a feel for you on the outside," she whispered back in a
husky tone. "But I can't wait to get a feel for you on the inside.... Mmm, I
think you like that idea," she added as a wing casually drifted down to brush
across a sudden change in pressure against her leg.
"Play nice before I have to toss you out of my lap," he murmured with a
soft smile, his voice laced with humor. "All I need is to scare the others
when I walk up to the dinner table still obviously thinking of you...."
"Darian!" she giggled in mock-shock. She paused for a moment as something
clicked in her mind and tilted her head back slightly to look at him. "Umm....
I can't remember seeing a dining table out there, can you?" she inquired.
He shrugged in casual dismissal before he leaned forward, bringing his
lips down to the base of her throat. "Not here, but I'm sure Susan has a
suitable banquet table or something elsewhere."
"Mmmmmmm," she purred as she savored the warmth of his mouth roaming over
her neck and throat. "I think you need to take your own advice about playing
nice," she said, only half-jokingly as her nipples began to ache.
"Yeah, you're right," he sighed before bringing his head up to give her a
kiss that made her whimper with passion. "Besides," he said once they both
became too breathless to continue the kiss, "You need to get dressed. Don't
get me wrong, the all-natural look goes well with angelic beauty, but dinner is
still dinner and I don't need any distractions."
A soft smile sprang to her cheeks as her wings came up, slowly brushing
and sliding their way across the expanse of his back. "Okay," she replied as
she held onto his shoulders while leaning back, bringing her bare breasts up to
the level of his eyes in a most inviting fashion.
"I think you'd look good in a white evening gown," he said languidly, the
corners of his mouth curling up in a smile as he saw the bait for what it was.
"Nothing too fancy, unless you're in a mood, but a decent gown should add just
the right accent to a radiant angel," he murmured, unable to completely keep
his eyes off of her womanly curves.
She glanced down at him with a soft smile on her face and straightened up,
only slightly disappointed that he hadn't taken her up on her unspoken offer of
a little more pleasure and passion. "Give me a hand coming up with something?"
she asked as she let most of her wings fall away from him, letting her get a
good look at the muscles of his chest and arms.
He nodded in understanding as he carefully reached out to grab the tip of
the nearest wing, bringing it up and brushing his lips against it. "It would
be a pleasure, my love," he murmured, watching her shiver with delight at the
contact with her sensitive wings.
Serena smiled at him, feeling for the first time in quite awhile a sense
of satisfaction and happiness knowing that the deep bond of love the shared was
still intact despite all they had just gone through, and knowing that it would
only grow even stronger with what they would soon go through together in the
not-too-distant future.
* * * *
It was Michelle who first glanced over her shoulder at the nearly silent
sound of their approach, her aquamarine eyes going wide at what she saw. She
stood frozen for several moments as her breath left her chest in a slow exodus
of awe. She blindly reached out and tried to snag Leda's sleeve, managing to
make contact on the fourth attempt.
"Hmm?" the brunette said idly as she finish fluffing up the last of the
bread dough and carefully fitted it into the pan. She cast a perturbed look
over her shoulder as the tugging became insistent before she paused and turned
to look at what Michelle was staring at. "Oh, wow...." she breathed.
Serena merely smiled at the reactions and smoothed out the edges of her
full-length white gown. The fabric arched out slightly at her waist, much like
an inverted tulip. Countless crystal studs dotted her gown, all seeming to
sparkle like diamonds in the ambient light of the hallway. Her glowing wings
trailed out behind her loosely arranged in a butterfly-shaped pattern, the
sporadic sparkles and pulses of color variation made oddly prominient.
"Damn, girl," Leda said, slowly shaking her head in amazement. "I figured
you'd finally get dressed for dinner and all, but.... wow."
"It's beautiful," Michelle murmured with open admiration. She blinked as
something clicked in her mind and she leaned forward to peer around the edge of
the kitchen. "Chancellor, you have to come see Serena's gown, it's amazing!"
Darian smiled as he leaned over to brush his lips across Serena's bare
shoulder. He was still wearing the same clothes from before, but folded in a
neat pile in his arm was a well-designed suit of black silk. "I told you that
you'd make them all jealous," he murmured quietly.
"So?" Serena countered gently with a twinkle in her golden eyes. "I can
help them make gowns if they want."
"Oh, my...." Ami breathed in awe as she, Susan, Rei, and Maq'i all came
around the silk screen partition to see what Michelle was talking about.
"Very well done, your Highness," Susan said, nodding her head in approval.
"Wish I looked that good in white," Leda sighed quietly.
"White such as that is not suited for everyone," Susan said gently, giving
her a studied look. "I think the only other Sailor Scout who could effectively
make use of it would be Mina, and even then it would require an effort. If I
may, Leda, I believe you are best served wearing a shade of green as it best
highlights your eyes."
Leda smirked. "I could have told you that. Still, I can wish, right?"
"Well...." Darian spoke up, briefly exchanging glances with Serena. She
nodded to him and he looked back up at the group. "Serena thinks it might be
fun for the rest of you to get all dressed up for dinner as well. I'm sure you
ladies can make use of the Ether like we did to come up with something just as
stunningly beautiful."
"An excellent idea," Susan said with a smile as she glanced to her sides.
Both Ami and Michelle immediately nodded their assent while Rei seemed to be
indecisive about the issue. "Master Healer?" she said to the ancient denizen.
"You are, of course, invited along as well as an honored guest."
"Thank you, child," Maq'i said with a look of bemusement. "I must confess
that is has been quite a long time since I wore anything as fancy as that. I'm
not sure I even remember the appropriate measurements."
Serena giggled quietly. "That won't be a problem, we can just have the
Ether form around you on its own. It shouldn't take that long."
"Umm, guys?" Leda said as she quickly glanced behind her to examine the
contents of the kitchen. "This sounds like fun and all, but we need to make it
relatively quick. I've got stuff cooking and I don't want it to burn while I'm
downstairs getting all dolled up."
"I can tend to it while you are downstairs," Susan assured her.
"Good," Darian said. "You girls can go do that, and I can go take a quick
shower to clean up and all." He paused as Susan blinked and visibly hesitated
for some reason. "Umm, is there a problem, Susan?" he ventured.
"Perhaps now is not the ideal time to indulge in a shower," Susan said in
a careful tone. "Alex and Mina are presently making use of it at the moment,
and I don't anticipate them being finished before dinner." She paused as she
glanced past Serena's wings and raised her eyebrows. "Then again...." she said
slowly as the pair of bedraggled blondes approached.
"Hey," Alex grunted in greeting as she continued to furiously towel her
hair dry. Both she and Mina seemed to be wearing little more than the white
robes found in the bedroom closets used for taking baths, and both girls were
heavily preoccupied getting the worst of the water out of their hair.
"Oh, wow!" Mina said as she came to an abrupt halt, resulting in her elbow
making sharp contact with Alex's ribcage. "Serena, you look incredible!"
"Thank you," Serena said with a soft smile.
Darian blinked and made a face as the smell of bread dough drifted down
the hallway. "Should I ask what happened to you two? And what's that smell?"
Alex cast a dark glance at Mina before sighing heavily. "You don't want
to know, D, trust me. Anyway.... Sue, you have any plumbing acid?"
"Plumbing acid?" at least three voices echoed in confusion.
"Yeah, you know," Alex said with an absent gesture behind her. "The kind
of stuff you can pour down a drain to eat away at a clog without eating a hole
in the plumbing itself."
There was a heavy sigh as Susan leaned to one side, resting her weight on
her silvery staff that nobody could remember seeing in her hands a moment ago.
"Alexis Ten'ou, what have you done to my bathroom?" she said in a weary tone.
"Well, we had to rinse all that dough off," Mina explained at a rapid-fire
pace, "And a lot of it went down the drain before it could finish absorbing
water and we all know how well bread dough absorbs water especially before it
has time to set and bake and all but anyway so it ended up down the drain where
it started to swell up and eventually clogged the drain really bad so the rest
of the water couldn't drain out so now it's just sitting there and of course
the rest of the dough is starting to absorb the water and...."
Eyebrows arched up as Alex suddenly reached over and clamped her hand over
Mina's mouth. "Do me a favor, hon," she said very calmly. "Just breathe for
a few moments and calm down, okay? Damn...."
"So I take it getting a shower is out of the question?" Darian inquired in
a guarded tone, casting a wary glance at the end of the hallway behind the two
damp blondes.
"Trust me," Alex grumbled, "You really don't want to go in there."
"Prince Darian," Susan said in a remarkably calm tone. "Perhaps it would
be best if you were to utilize the hot tub as an interim solution until I can
assess the environmental situation in the shower. In the meantime, I shall
escort everyone outside to make use of the Ether to properly attire themselves
for dinner."
"Oooo, we get to dress up for dinner?" Mina said as she brightened up.
Leda just shook her head as she turned around and went into the kitchen
for a moment, muttering something beneath her breath about the blonde's grasp
of the obvious. She opened the oven door and slid the pans of bread dough
inside before gently closing it and setting a timer. "Alright, girls," she
said once she rejoined the group. "Thirty minutes before something starts to
carbonize, so let's move while we have the time."
Darian nodded and kissed Serena's shoulder again before he headed into the
living room, turning around to watch the rest of the group gather together in
the center of the hallway. He blinked as Susan's hand brushed against one of
the stones in the wall, causing the entire corridor to start to rotate to the
right. The archway gap was soon replaced by a solid wall of stone that slowly
continued to slide past at a steady pace.
Bizarre, he thought to himself before turning around and heading over to
the large hot tub. Small wisps of steam drifted up from the perfectly still
surface of the water, indicating that it was still quite warm. He paused and
grabbed a forgotten towel from earlier that didn't appear to have been used,
glancing around to see if there was also a robe he could borrow. His search
came up empty after several seconds, resulting in a soft sigh of resignation as
he proceeded to strip naked.
Let's just hope they don't make this too quick a trip, he thought as he
finished undressing and laid his clothes in a casual pile on the couch. He
cast a quick glance at the silk screen partition before setting the towel on
the edge of the hot tub and easing himself into the hot water.
A wave of bliss immediately surrounded him as he slipped into the heated
pool of water, eliciting a deep sigh of relief. He held his breath as he slid
underwater, completely immersing himself in the liquid warmth for several long
moments before floating back up.
He closed his eyes and allowed himself a few minutes to relax, savoring
the feeling of drifting on the almost imperceptible currents. It took him a
moment to realize that the slight flow was created by an extremely quiet water
pump that pushed the water through the filters and out a series of low-pressure
jets at the very bottom of the tub.
Time seemed to drift by at a slow rate, measured only by the soft thrums
of his pulse quietly echoing throughout his body. His eyes snapped back open
as a burst of light flooded the room, seeming to come from the other side of
the partition. He bolted upright and sank low in the water, listening intently
to see what was going on.
He briefly heard some activity in the kitchen that persisted for a number
of seconds before another flash of light could be seen. A feeling of relief
washed over him as he realized that it was Susan checking on dinner as she had
promised Leda. Close one, he thought as he shook his head to clear his mind.
Enough relaxing, time to get serious. Where...? Oh, that must be the soap, he
thought as he reached for the green diamond-shaped object sitting on the edge
of the hot tub.
He froze in mid-motion as a figure stepped out from behind the partition,
watching him intently. Uh-oh, he thought as he recognized Rei's exotic beauty.
He blinked hard as he saw the dark red gown she was wearing, similar in design
to Serena's gown but with a different neckline and pattern of glittering ruby-
like studs along the hem.
She studied him carefully for several moments before she walked over to
the couch. Her eyes never left his as she reached behind her, the muted sound
of a zipper seeming unnaturally loud in the heavy silence of the room. Her
hand slid down to the base of her spine before the gown seemed to melt off of
her shoulders, parting at the neckline and flowing down her body like a crimson
river of silk.
Darian blinked hard as he realized that she was now only wearing the pair
of black-lace panties he had briefly glimpsed earlier. He could feel the heat
rising to his face as he glanced up, his eyes seemingly drawn to the prominent
swells of her breasts and the visibly hardened nipples. He blinked again as
his eyes automatically followed the movements of her hands, sliding down to her
waist and tugging gently until her panties fell to the floor to join the rest
of her clothes.
"Rei...." he said very quietly, momentarily entranced by the delta of dark
hair surrounding her sheath. He glanced up to look at her eyes, unable to keep
himself from taking another look at her full breasts. The silver brooch that
housed the Imperium Silver Crystal hung low enough to be perfectly framed by
her generous curves, only adding to the impulse to observe.
She raised a finger to her lips for a moment before she carefully stepped
out from the pile of clothes on the floor. She reached up to remove the brooch
from around her neck, the slow and deliberate gesture thrusting her breasts
forward even more prominently. She set the brooch down on top of his pile of
clothes and wordlessly crossed the room to sit on the edge of hot tub, dangling
her feet in the water while she pinned her hair up in a tight bun.
He sighed quietly and turned around, sinking low into the water. He could
only imagine the color of his cheeks, blushing furiously with not only deep
embarrassment at having seen Rei completely naked, but with burning shame as he
felt his body responding with a disturbing level of desire.
He said nothing as he heard her slip into the water behind him, then felt
her hands lightly caressing his back. It took him a great deal of effort not
to make any noise as she pressed herself close, her hands wrapping around his
chest as she laid her cheek against the back of his neck.
"Got a moment to talk?" Rei asked very quietly.
He might have laughed quietly if he wasn't so upset. "I'm listening," he
managed to say in a neutral tone.
"Would it help any if I reminded you that I love you?" she whispered.
Let's get this one over with, he thought with a sigh that seemed to taint
his very soul. He paused for a moment to gather himself, reaching inward to
tap into the darkest recesses of his mind that he very rarely let see the light
of day. He knew he had to get through to her, and immediately, before things
ended up going to Hell in a handbasket.
"I'm sleeping with Serena tonight, not you," he said in as calm a voice as
he could manage. He closed his eyes as he felt her whole body twitch faintly
in response, hating to have to do such a thing to her. "I'm touched that you
feel as you do, Rei, but I love Serena. Not you."
"Darian...." she whispered very quietly, not sure what else to say.
"I don't want to hurt you, Rei, far from it," he replied. "But this needs
to end. Now. I'm not going to sleep with you or seduce you, simply because it
would be wrong. Friends don't sleep with friends like that, and the feelings
of love just aren't there."
"Do they need to be?" she asked, her voice holding steady for the moment.
"Need to be? No," he allowed before turning around part-way to cast a
sidelong glance at her. "But when it's not, what does that make her? Nothing
more than a slut or a concubine, and you deserve to be treated far better than
that. I know you would settle for being my mistress, as it were, but those who
would in my view aren't worth dealing with. After all, if they don't have
enough self-respect for themselves, why should anyone else respect them?"
He waited in silence as he watched the deep and burning shock flow through
her, able to literally see it in her usually emotionless black eyes. It was
not often that he was able to clearly differentiate her irises from her pupils,
both seeming to be liquid pools of soft darkness that were difficult to read.
"Rei," he said in a gentle tone as he reached out to cup her chin, tilting
her head up slightly. "Look at me. In another world, one in which none of us
had lived in the past and our lives weren't already half-played out, in a world
where I was not Tuxedo Mask and not had my world turned inside-out by dreams of
a princess calling out to me, I would most likely still be dating you to this
day and probably would have been the one who claimed your virginity."
He paused as she blushed faintly and glanced away, her look of inner pain
unexpectedly changing to one of sorrow. "However," he continued, "We both know
what the simple reality is, and that reality is that Serena and I are in a deep
and binding relationship. You cannot change that, nor will I let you. I know
you hurt inside and all, and I know you don't back down from a fight once you
find yourself embroiled in one, but this fight is one you will never win. You
have to let it go, Rei. You have to let me go."
"Darian, I'm sorry...." she said in a faint whisper, her eyes filling with
tears. "I know it's wrong, but I just.... can't.... can't stop thinking about
you, about what we once had, and about what we could have had if Serena...."
"Fool," he muttered quietly, causing her eyes to snap up to look at him.
"We still have that friendship, Rei. I still count you as one of my best and
most trusted friends in life. That may not be what you want, but it's what I
want. And like I said earlier.... friends don't sleep with friends without a
bond of love between them. Now you have two choices.... take what you have,
which is the deep friendship between us that I feel will last forever, or take
a hike if you think what I can give you isn't good enough for you."
She blinked hard and stared deep into his eyes for a moment as she sought
to cope with the inner conflict that was threatening to tear both her heart and
her soul apart. "Darian...." she finally said after a moment. "What exactly
can you give me?"
He sighed quietly and brought a hand up to his face, gently rubbing the
narrow bridge of his sinuses between his eyes. He paused in mid-motion for a
moment before he dropped his hand back down and looked at her. "You know who
Andrew is, right?"
"Of course," she replied, blinking in surprise. "He's that blond friend
of yours who works at the pizza parlor and the arcade, right?"
"One of the best friends of my life," Darian said with a nod. "And you
know how he and Serena are good friends too, right?"
"Well, somewhat," Rei hedged. "She used to have a crush on him, right?"
"She still does," Darian replied with a faint smile. The smile abruptly
vanished as soon as it had come as he looked up at her. "But notice how Serena
doesn't hang on him like she used to before she realized that I was the dark
prince in her dreams. They're still quite friendly and all to this day, but
they're just friends. That's what I can offer you, Rei, a good friendship with
true warmth, comfort, and relaxation. And the restrictions," he added with a
faint note of reprovement.
She paused and gave him a slightly guarded look. "Restrictions like...?"
she prodded carefully.
"You think you'll find Serena and Andrew soaking naked in a hot tub?" he
said, one eyebrow arching up slightly.
"Maybe," she countered, drawing a blink of surprise. "Not just the two of
them alone together, of course, but I can possibly see with a large group of
close friends. Remember the Hot Springs Resort trip we took awhile back?" she
said, reminding him of the time they had all soaked naked in a thermal pool.
Modesty had been preserved for the most part because of Tolaris' presence and
his ability to summon an impenetrable shroud of fog, but the inherent feeling
of vulnerabilty and exposure could still be felt by all.
He sighed quietly with weary resignation. "I see your point, Rei, but I
hope you see mine as well."
"I do," she replied quietly, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks as
she glanced away. She swirled her hand around in the water for a moment before
she looked up at him, her eyes once again becoming unreadable. "So where do we
go from here?" she asked quietly.
"I'm going to finish my bath," he said in a neutral tone as he looked over
his shoulder, trying to spot the green diamond of soap he had seen earlier.
"You might want to go dry off and get dressed again before someone else comes
up here. That's a lovely dress, by the way," he added with sincerity.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "Darian.... hold still," she said as she
stepped forward and brought her lips up to his. The kiss was neither deep nor
protracted, but the contact sent a dark shiver through her very soul just as it
had done a year ago when he had kissed her out on the lake. She tilted her
head back to look at him, praying that she hadn't pushed things too far.
He looked back at her for a moment before he made a very quiet chuckling
noise deep in his throat. "I should have expected that," he murmured softly to
himself, the edges of his lips curling up in what might have been a smile. "I
guess you can say I owed you that much. Your lips are as warm and inviting as
I remember, Rei, and believe me when I say I will never forget that moment out
on the lake. But there are limits, however, so don't expect me to allow this
to happen again. Now do us both a favor and get out of my bath before things
end up taking a turn for the worse instead of for the better," he added with a
note of humor in his voice.
A pale blush spread across Rei's face and upper chest as she nodded her
head, both in acceptance of his compliment and in understanding of where the
proverbial line had been clearly drawn. She turned around and started to head
for the edge of hot tub, only to abruptly freeze in place as a dull flash of
light lit the room from the other side of the silk screen partition.
Susan leaned past the partition, just far enough to get a good look at
what was going on. A single delicate green eyebrow arched up in amusement as
her wings flexed gently. "I trust I am not interrupting anything?" she asked
in a light tone.
Darian paused and cast a quick glance at Rei's back before turning around
himself. "Nope, we're done talking," he said briskly as he picked up the bar
of green soap and dunked it in the water.
"I see," Susan said mildly. "If I may, your Highness, I do not think you
are finished bathing yet, however. As time is in short supply, perhaps some
assistance would be in order? You do not appear to be finished either, your
Excellency," she added, giving Rei a quick but appraising glance.
"What?" Rei said, blinking hard. "Umm, I was just...."
Susan just sighed and shook her head gently. "I am not concerned with
whatever you felt was necessary to talk to Prince Darian about, nor am I overly
concerned with the.... intricate relationship between the two of you," she said
as she stepped past the partition, one hand working the zipper in the back of
her dress. "That is for the two of you to sort out between yourselves like the
adults you are. My concern right now is to make everyone properly presentable
for dinner, and as the shower is unfortunately in need of maintenance and my
private bathing facilities likewise unuseable at the moment, this heated pool
is the only recourse available."
"Whoa, wait...." Darian blurted out as Susan's dress fell to the floor,
leaving her naked save for a pair of black satin panties. "This is getting to
be a bit much all of a sudden...."
"Your Highness," Susan said sternly as she removed her panties, revealing
a slender strip of dark green hair framing the gentle pucker of her sheath.
"Though you may not remember, this is not the first time I have tended to you
in the bath. I am in need of a quick refreshment myself, and time does not
permit as great a degree of personal modesty as we might otherwise desire. If
you have an objection, I will of course not approach you, but this pool is big
enough for the three of us to bathe comfortably."
Darian just sighed and turned around as Susan climbed into the heated tub
and sank down until the water was up to her chin. I really don't need this, he
thought to himself as he started to rub the bar of soap across his arms. He
froze and cast a glance over his shoulder as he felt a touch on his back, his
gaze meeting Rei's bottomless black eyes.
"Mind if I give you a quick hand?" she offered quietly.
He paused for a moment before casting a quick glance over his opposite
shoulder at Susan, sighing quietly at her look of patient expectation. "This
is going to come back to haunt me, I know it will," he muttered as he held out
the bar of mint soap to her.
The next two minutes seemed to blur past him in the blink of an eye, both
women briskly scrubbing his upper body with gentle but firm movements. He made
a face as they both seemed to make it a point to thoroughly scrub his armpits,
almost making the skin raw from friction. He blinked as he suddenly felt four
hands on his scalp at once, quickly scrubbing some sort of shampoo into his
hair from a bottle that smelled like lavender. A sudden chill ran down his
spine as both women then grabbed him by the shoulders and held him tightly.
"Hold your breath, your Highness," Susan advised him with an obvious note
of humor in her voice.
He barely had enough time to fill his lungs with air before he was shoved
underwater and held there, one hand on each shoulder holding him still while
the other hands fluffed through his hair. His lungs quickly began to burn from
lack of oxygen, and he was somewhat roughly hauled back up to the surface just
as he was giving serious consideration to standing up on his own.
"I apologize for the roughness, your Highness," Susan apologized with a
soft smile, "But as I said, we don't have time for a proper treatment. Would
you be so kind as to help me bathe the Regent now? Unless her Excellency has
an objection," she added lightly.
"You need to quit calling me that," Rei muttered as she squeezed Darian's
wrist gently.
Darian muttered something incoherent beneath his breath that even Susan's
demonic hearing couldn't make out as he brushed his hair out of his eyes. He
cast a reflexive glance at Susan's bare breasts as they bobbed gently in the
water, wondering what exactly he had done to deserve the day's events. His
gaze flicked up to her dark red eyes, a faint chill of shame washing through
him as he saw the knowing look of mild amusement on her face.
He accepted the bar of mint soap from the succubus and worked up a solid
lather before handing the bar back to her and going to work on Rei's shoulders.
He did his best to mimic the speed and efficiency that they had done with him,
scrubbing the priestess as gently as he could manage while still leaving her
skin clean. As they had also done, he didn't allow his hands to venture more
than a few inches below the waterline, focusing on Rei's back while doing his
best to ignore Susan's hands working across Rei's breasts.
"Something on your mind, your Highness?" Susan inquired quietly, her voice
cutting through his thoughts and refocusing him back on the present situation.
"Just thinking that, in another time and place, something like this could
be a great deal of fun," he admitted as he followed Susan's lead, pressing down
on Rei's shoulders until the waterline was at the very base of the back of her
neck, just barely enough to keep her hair dry. He then ran his hands along the
smooth expanse of her shoulders and back, removing any traces of soap. A faint
sigh welled up from his chest as he felt a hand casually reach back, lightly
squeezing his leg for a moment.
Susan smiled at him as she gestured for Rei to stand back up. "I assure
you, Prince Darian, you were quite the appreciative patron of her Majesty's
bath houses and facilities, and not just because the attendants were almost
always both female and essentially nude."
"Chancellor," Rei said slowly, slightly uncomfortable at using Susan's
official title from the Moon Kingdom. "Would it be possible to create such an
environment like this on Earth? Darian's right, this is...." she started to
say, her face turning pink with embarrassment again.
"Just spit it out, Rei, we're already getting personal as it is," Darian
muttered quietly, still not believing he was going along with this.
Rei blushed harder and took a deep breath. "I think it would take a bit
of attitude adjustment and getting used to, but I think we could make it work.
It'd take time to get used to, of course, but...."
Susan smiled and nodded her head in understanding. "I will assess the
environmental conditions on Earth once we return and consider it," she assured
her. "I hope neither of you would view it as an imposition if I were to ask
for your assistance for a moment? I am presently still unable to assume an
entirely human form, and I do not possess sufficient dexterity to reach most of
the back surfaces of my wings...."
Rei and Darian traded uncertain glances for a moment before he slowly took
a deep breath. "Anything we should know ahead of time?" he asked as he took
the bar of soap from Susan and started to work up a lather.
"As light a touch as you can, if you please," Susan said demurely as she
started to wash her chest. "They are quite sensitive to pressure."
"We'll do our best," Darian replied as he passed the green diamond of soap
to Rei and carefully began to wash the nearest wing. He paused at it started
to twitch in response to his movements, but gently resumed as the wing remained
stationary for the most part.
The process only took another minute or two before Susan asked them to
stand back, allowing her to lean back to completely submerge her wings. The
gesture brought her breasts out of the water in a most provocative fashion,
causing Darian to made a quiet grumbling noise deep in his throat that drew a
curious look from Rei.
"What?" she asked quietly.
He blinked and glanced over at her. "You have to be kidding me."
"What?" she demanded, her eyebrows knitting together in a look of slight
irritation.
He continued to look at her for a moment before allowing his eyes to drop
down to her breasts for a moment. "Nothing," he muttered as he looked back up
at her. As expected, she blinked from the realization and glanced away for an
instant, the color darkening in her cheeks.
"Is there a problem that needs to be dealt with, your Highness?" Susan
asked calmly as she stood up straight and moved to the edge of hot tub. She
grabbed the rim with both hands and leaned forward at the waist, bringing her
wings completely clear of the water. She then promptly began to flutter them
violently, scattering droplets of water in all directions.
Darian closed his eyes and counted to ten, trying to use sheer force of
will to make the throbbing heat in his loins go away or to at least subside to
tolerable levels. A sudden thought popped into his mind and he opened his eyes
to look at her. "Since you're asking," he said slowly, "Know where I can find
a condom or two for tonight? I don't trust the Ether enough for that one."
He blinked in surprise as Susan didn't bat an eyelash at the request. "I
will procure some for you before you retire for the evening," she said in a
calm tone. "Do you have any specific requirements?"
It took him a few moments to get over a momentary anxiety attack at the
casualness of the conversation and to remember how his voice worked. "Not that
I know of," he managed to say, able to clearly see the vivid crimson blush on
Rei's face out of the corner of his eye.
Susan quit shaking her wings dry and turned around to face him, the water
barely up to her navel. "Very well, I shall see to it. Are you alright, Rei?"
she added, giving Rei a slightly curious look.
"I'm.... sorry, I'm just.... embarrassed...." she muttered, looking away
as her cheeks continued to almost literally glow.
Susan tilted her head to one side to regard her carefully. "What he is
asking demonstrates both responsibility and maturity," she said slowly. "As I
said earlier, we are all adults here and thus are capable of holding a rational
and intelligent conversation on topics of traditional sensitivity."
"It's not easy, though," Darian spoke up. "Especially when you've got two
very beautiful naked women in a warm tub with an equally naked guy, and that
doesn't even factor in the.... sexual tension," he said, hesitating for a brief
moment before finishing his sentence.
Susan nodded her head in understanding before climing out of the hot tub.
"I am aware of the situation, your Highness, more so than you realize," she
explained quietly. "However, I should like to remind you that I am a succubus
and thus have predetermined views regarding sex and intimacy. It is.... not
always easy for me to understand the deeper intracies of such things, despite
my apparent understanding of most everything else. Perhaps you should exit the
bath and dry off while we converse?" she suggested.
Darian remained where he was while Rei quietly climbed out of the hot tub,
doing his best not to look at her nudity. It would have been an outright lie
for him to say he didn't find either woman physically attractive and desirable
at the moment, but that was hardly helping his situation at the moment.
"Your Highness?" Susan prodded as she draped herself in a towel and began
to rub herself dry.
"Give me a moment," Darian muttered as he turned his back to them, trying
really hard to get the images of their bodies out of his immediate memory and
calm himself down.
"Perhaps I can be of assistance if you are concerned about embarrassing
yourself with your state of mind," Susan offered. She blinked as he looked
over his shoulder at her, giving her a decidedly unamused look that bordered
on being openly hostile.
"Do I even want to ask what that means?" he asked in a flat tone.
Susan paused and glanced over at Rei, acutely aware of the piercing look
of guarded suspicion on the priestess' face. "As I am sure you would not be
willing to accept sexual release if it were to be offered, there is a method
used by succubi to briefly dampen a man's hormonal desires. If you would allow
me, I can utilize a mild energy-draining kiss that would have an influence for
a short period of time."
Darian blinked as a chill ran through him. "Just how short of a period of
time are we talking here?" he asked warily.
"Throughout dinner, certainly," Susan replied. "The exact duration is
based on the individual, but I strongly doubt you would notice anything for
much longer than that. You are young and in quite good health, your Highness,
so I am confident that you will not encounter any performance issues later in
the evening."
"Thank you, Susan," he muttered, feeling his face warm up yet again.
"Darian?" Rei spoke up quietly as she wrapped her towel around her body.
"Just get out of the tub, okay? Yes, we're going to look, but seeing how you
got to look at us...."
"I assure you that you have nothing to be ashamed of," Susan added as she
turned around and continued to dry herself off.
Darian glared at her for a moment before looking over at Rei. Their eyes
met for several seconds before he sighed heavily and moved over to the edge of
the hot tub. He hesitated for a moment before getting out, acutely aware of
his state of arousal and Rei's gaze on his body.
He quickly walked over to the couch and reached for the towel he had set
out earlier, freezing in mid-motion as he realized it wasn't there. He cast a
dark glare at Rei as he figured that she had borrowed it, blinking when he saw
her coming forward to him. He was about to say something in protest before he
saw the towel in her hands, reaching up to start drying off his back.
"Rei?" he said very quietly. "Just give me the damn towel, please."
There was a hollow snort behind him before he felt Rei's arms sliding
around his waist, dragging the towel along with it. A wave of horror washed
through him as he feared she would try to touch him intimately, only to relax
a moment later when she merely tucked the towel around his waist.
"Better?" she muttered quietly in his ear as she stepped back to resume
drying herself off.
He paused and glanced down, painfully aware of the unmistakable bulge in
the middle of the towel. "Not by much," he muttered back as he unwrapped the
towel and dried himself off as fast as he could without chafing anything of
personal importance or otherwise ripping any body hair off.
"Prince Darian?" Susan spoke up as she continued drying herself off. "I
will be making a brief trip to Earth in a few moments to procure some wine, as
I do not store any here in this keep. Are there any particular vintages or
brands that you favor?"
Darian paused for a moment to think. "Not really," he said with a casual
shrug. "I'm somewhat partial to red wine over white, but I can't say I have a
personal preference."
Susan nodded as she fluttered her wings for a few moments before setting
her towel aside. "What about you, Rei?" she asked as she retrieved her clothes
and started to get dressed.
"Mei Gui Lu jiu," Rei said after a moment. "Either 1979 or 1980."
Both Darian and Susan blinked in surprise before exchanging glances. "I
might be able to arrange that," Susan said slowly. "That is a type of rose
essence wine from China, correct?"
"I think so, yes," Rei replied.
"Rose essence wine?" Darian echoed, giving Rei a curious look. He blinked
as she suddenly seemed to withdraw, her expression slipping into the mask of
unreadable emotions that she tended to wear when something was bothering her.
"Grandpa has a pair of bottles of it," she explained in an impassive tone
as she turned her back to him and started to get dressed. "He only has one
glass a year, alternating bottles between years. He says he does it to serve
as a reminder of what he called an old man's folly, and that by doing so it
helps keep him from repeating his mistakes. He allowed me to have a taste of
it these past two years, and I liked it."
Darian blinked again and cast a quick glance over at Susan, a faint chill
settling around him as he saw the somewhat surprised look on her face. She
glanced back at him with a look of guarded concern as she carefully zipped up
the back of her dress. The faint sound reminded him that both girls were now
at least partially dressed while he was still entirely naked.
"He ever say what exactly he was trying to remember?" he asked in a very
careful tone as he grabbed his underwear. He knew that Rei's grandfather was
rather quiet and secretive about his past, even to Rei, and that more than a
little of his innate sense of mystery had rubbed off on Rei over the years.
"No," Rei said quietly, her voice faintly laced with bitterness.
Darian paused for a moment as he realized that he was going to have more
than a little difficulty getting back into his underwear at the moment. He
cast another quick glance over his shoulder at Susan out of reflex before he
took a deep breath and tried to do what he could as discreetly as possible.
"If I may ask," Susan spoke up as she fluffed out her hair and absently
tugged a pair of wrinkles out of her dress, "Where is your grandfather from?"
It was several seconds before Rei finally answered her. "I don't really
know," she replied quietly as she slipped back into her gown and stared to tug
it into place around her hips. "I know he knows a Chinese dialect, but I've
never been able to place it. He wouldn't answer me when I asked, either, and
he made me promise not to bring it up again. Not that it matters," she added
quietly as she reached for the zipper in the back.
Darian reached out and gently took hold of the zipper before she could,
slowly drawing it upwards to secure the gown in place. "You're right," he said
when she turned her head slightly to look at him out of the corner of her eye.
"It doesn't matter where he's from, so long as he's there for you when you need
him to be."
"Thank you," she replied quietly with a nearly silent sigh of resignation.
She paused as a thought occurred to her and she looked over at Susan. "Susan,
do you know where my parents are from?" she asked on pure impulse.
Susan visibly hesitated for a moment before she reached out, grabbing her
staff out of thin air with practiced ease. "Your mother's bloodline is from
the Moon Kingdom, of course," she said carefully. "As for the exact geographic
lineage.... does it matter, your Excellency?"
Rei blinked at the blatant dodge and exchanged glances with Darian, her
eyebrow arching up as she noticed that he was still visibly aroused and seemed
to have a minor problem getting into his suit pants. She looked back at Susan
and tried to refocus her mind on the topic of conversation, her mouth starting
to turn down in a slight frown.
"Perhaps," she said in a neutral tone. "Should I ask why you're being so
evasive all of a sudden, Chancellor?" she added, putting a slight emphasis on
Susan's title. She still didn't feel very comfortable with the usage of such
things, but decided that she would use whatever edge she had available if it
would pry such information out of the green-haired woman.
Susan sighed quietly and leaned on her staff, seeming to age a few years
in a few moments. "Much as I was compelled to keep the Princess' heritage a
secret from everyone, including her, so too am I bound by a promise I made to
Lady Mars of a similar nature," she said with a faint note of apology. "In
fact, I am bound to remain silent with regards to both Lady Mercury and Lady
Uranus' pregnancies as well, just as I have guarded the secrets of all those
before them who chose not to marry before the conception of the next generation
of Sailor Scouts."
"Oh, god," Rei sighed in exasperation. She looked up as she felt Darian's
hand on her shoulder and tried not to sigh again. "Alright, can you at least
tell me if they loved one another?" she growled at the startled succubus.
"Without question," Susan replied at once. "That is why I was sworn into
silence, to protect your father's honor by protecting his identity." She cast
a quick glance at the Imperium Silver Crystal lying dormant on top of Darian's
shirt before continuing. "All I can say is that your mother loved him enough
to take measures to prevent him from sacrificing everything he had devoted his
life to in order to be with her, despite his willingness to do so."
"That's enough, Chancellor," a soft voice drifted up from around them. A
faint white glow surrounded the silver brooch for a moment before fading away,
leaving the room momentarily surprised into silence.
Susan sighed quietly, recognizing the voice of Lady Mars and knowing that
she had probably revealed too much as it is. "Very well, Aria, I will say no
more. But consider that a thousand years has passed," she said gently. She
waited for the spirit of Lady Mars to say more, shaking her head to herself as
the spectral voice remained silent. "No matter. I shall be back in a moment
with the wine, and as dinner should be ready in the next five minutes, I urge
the both of you to finish getting ready. If you will excuse me...." she said
with a slight bow of her head before vanishing in a surprisingly strong flash
of blue light.
"You alright?" Darian asked as he carefully zipped his pants, breathing a
sigh of relief as nothing got caught.
"I should have expected it," Rei muttered, her face clouded with dark
emotions as she looked away from him. "If they didn't care enough about one
another to get married, it's no wonder I wasn't all that wanted either...."
Both Rei and Darian flinched as the Imperium Silver Crystal seemed to
suddenly ignite with the brilliance of a supernova. "That's not true and you
know it," the spectral image of Lady Mars said as she took form next to the
couch, her dark eyes staring at Rei. "How dare you say such a thing...."
"How am I supposed to know that?" Rei snapped as her temper exploded. "I
don't know who the hell you even are! I only met you a few days ago, so how am
I supposed to know anything about a person who only stopped long enough to give
birth before passing me off to my grandfather and going about her business?"
Darian paused and edged back slightly, not entirely sure if he wanted to
be in the line of fire for this one. He thought that Rei's resemblance to the
older woman was both clearly obvious and quite unmistakable, but had no real
desire to try to point that out to the upset priestess at this moment and risk
a fiery backlash of emotions.
"I'm your mother, Rei," Aria said with eerie calmness despite the sudden
change of emotion in her eyes. "I gave birth to you in the Moon Kingdom when
we were both alive. I can't tell you about the woman who brought about your
rebirth a thousand years later on Earth, but I know that the man you call your
grandfather had no more role in it than this man here did," she said, pointing
to Darian.
"What?" Rei said an instant before her throat suddenly closed up on her,
her lungs seeming to catch fire in her chest.
"When you are ready to sit down and spend some time with your true mother,
you know where to find my spirit," Lady Mars said in an emotionless tone as her
image dissolved into sparkles that were absorbed by the glowing crystal on the
couch.
"Rei?" Darian snapped as Rei started to sway on her feet. "Rei!"
Rei closed her eyes as Darian grabbed her arms, not sure what her body was
trying to get her to do. Various parts of her wanted to run away, to cry, to
find a toilet and throw up, to return to Earth to confront her grandfather, to
throw the Imperium Silver Crystal out the window, or to do any of the other
countless impulses running madly through her head in a dangerous whirlwind.
Her world suddenly stopped rotating and locked in place as she felt his
lips on hers, sending a dark tingle throughout her body that had a very strange
calming effect on her nerves. The tingle continued to resonate along her spine
for a minor eternity before the kiss was gently broken, allowing her mind to
once again start functioning correctly. Stunned, she opened her eyes to look
at him, not entirely sure what to make of anything anymore.
"You back with me now?" he asked quietly as he studied her face, a sense
of relief washing over him as he was able to see a visible reduction in the
chaos and confusion reflected in her eyes.
"I.... I think so," Rei whispered. "Darian, what.... what was she trying
to tell me? That he's really not my grandfather?"
He replied with a crude epithet that made her blink hard, causing a pale
blush to reflexively spring to her cheeks at the mental image. "He's your
grandfather, Rei," he said in a flat tone. "Remember what I said about having
someone in your life who loves you? Look at him, look at the love he has for
you, then see if you can tell me you doubt that he's your grandfather."
"Then what...?" she started to say before he pressed a finger to her lips.
"Rei, listen to me very carefully," he said in a low tone. "Once you
start doubting yourself, you will start finding doubts everywhere you look. I
should know, I'm still trying to get over doubts about myself, and it is not an
easy thing to live with. You have to have faith, Rei, faith in yourself if not
in anyone else. Don't ever lose that faith, understand?"
She looked up at him for a moment before she leaned against him, wrapping
her arms around him as tightly as she could and trying not to cry. "I'm trying
not to," she whispered. "But when does it end? When will I stop looking for
answers about myself, about what I am and where I came from?"
He sighed as he reached up, gently running his fingertips through her jet-
black hair. "When you finally decide it doesn't matter what or where," he said
very quietly. "When you realize that what happened in the past doesn't matter
nearly as much as the present, and what choices you make for the future. None
of us cares where you came from, Rei, we only care that you're with us and that
you'll stay with us."
She looked up as he gently pulled away from her and stepped back, turning
around to pick up the silver brooch that had been all but forgotten for the
moment. She held perfectly still as he moved around behind her, gently putting
the fine silver chain around her neck and clasping it into place. His hands
came around to adjust the brooch so it hung perfectly in her cleavage as he
leaned over to lightly brush his lips across her shoulder.
"I think there are answers," he said quietly in her ear. "And you will
find them within the Imperium Silver Crystal, but only if you think it's truly
worth the pain of trying to ask the questions. Bear in mind that no matter
what you decide to do, Rei, we all still love you for who you are now, not for
what you might have been."
She bowed her head slightly, a single tear slipping down her cheek as she
struggled to keep her emotions in check. "Thank you, Darian," she whispered.
"Come on," he said quietly as he briefly squeezed her shoulder. "I need
to finish getting dressed before Susan returns and berates the both of us."
She nodded in understanding and stepped to the side, allowing him to get
to his shirt and jacket. "Need a hand with anything?" she asked quietly as she
reflexively glanced down at his pants. A mixture of relief and disappointment
coursed through her as he seemed to have finally calmed down, the feelings
quickly replaced by shame and embarrassment at even thinking about it.
"That depends on where you're going to put it," he said with a perfectly
straight expression. He glanced over at the slightly non-plussed look on her
face and winked to show he was making a joke.
"Nevermind," she grumbled quietly, feeling her cheeks start to warm up yet
again. She glanced down at the silver brooch on her chest with the glittering
gemstone imbedded in it, wondering not for the first time if she had lost her
sanity. She blinked as she saw a faint glimmer from within the depths of the
Crystal and felt a gentle surge of warmth where it touched her skin, not sure
what to make of the reaction.
Darian had just finished putting his jacket on when a brilliant flash of
blue light flooded the room, announcing Susan's return. He waited until his
eyes had recovered from the glare before looking over at her, blinking hard as
he saw the new evening gown she was wearing. "Nice...." he said quietly.
"Thank you, your Highness," Susan replied demurely. The jet-black satin
gown was similar in style to Rei's crimson silk gown, but with a deeper cut on
the back to allow more space for her wings. Her hair had been brushed out to
a glossy shine and tied with a jeweled band at the base of her neck.
Rei blinked as she saw the small rack of wine bottles carried in Susan's
hand, able to make out the unique foil label of the rare Chinese rose wine.
"You found some?" she asked in mild surprise. "Where at?"
"China, of course," Susan replied smoothly, drawing a blink of surprise
from both Darian and Rei. "I bought them from a local merchant in one of the
providences when it was first bottled and left it in a temporal niche to age
for a number of years before retrieving it. I also have the plum wine Ami
requested, a pair of bottles of champange I bought directly from a French
vinyard, and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from the west coast of the North
American continent."
"Whoa, wait," Darian protested as his eyes widened. "That has to be some
very expensive stuff...."
Susan tilted her head at a slight angle as she studied him. "Perhaps you
are not aware of my personal wealth," she replied in a faintly amused tone.
"I have served the throne for seven centuries, your Highness, and I was rather
amply compensated for my services. Even a modest stipend will accrue to very
significant levels over a long period of time, and that doesn't begin to take
into account the resources I am able to draw on as the avatar of the King of
the Underworld."
"Okay...." Darian said slowly as he absently buttoned his jacket.
Susan smiled at him and was about to say something when a small chime went
off in the kitchen. "Ah, that must be the dinner rolls," she said as she set
the rack of bottles on the floor with a gentle thump. "Would the two of you be
so kind as to assist me for a moment? Dinner is about to be served."
Darian and Rei just looked at one another for a moment before seeming to
shrug in unison. "Sure thing," Darian said as he put on his dress shoes and
followed Rei into the kitchen, wondering what exactly was for dinner and what
else could possibly happen to him before the day was finished.
* * * *
Dinner, as Darian discovered when it was loaded on the buffet cart Susan
had brought down from the upper levels, was a rather appetizing blend of sliced
ham and turkey in a tantalizing honey glaze. A large bowl of salad was added
to the cart, along with two full baskets of dinner rolls and an assortment of
steamed vegetables. He didn't see anything resembling dessert placed on the
cart when the utensils and condiments were loaded up, but he figured that it
was probably best not to have everything out at once.
"The others should be waiting," Susan said gently as she closed the cover
on the cart and wheeled it into the middle of the hallway.
"So where are we going?" Darian inquired as he and Rei followed her into
the corridor and carefully braced themselves against the expected motion of the
stone floor.
Susan reached up and placed her hand on the wall at a seemingly random
point. The floor shivered gently before the entire hallway began to spin once
again, this time moving in the opposite direction from before. "The uppermost
floor of this keep is where the banquet hall is at. It serves several uses,
however, but in this case it will be performing its intended function."
Darian paused as Rei reached up to adjust his suit lapels, smoothing out
a minor wrinkle. She glanced up at him and shook her head at the look on his
face, sighing quietly as she stood on her tip-toes to kiss his cheek.
"Just relax and enjoy dinner," she said quietly as she stepped back and
headed for the end of the hallway. The corridor slowly ground to a halt as an
archway slid into view, stopping completely just as Rei reached the end.
Darian blinked and cast a dubious look at Susan, a faint sense of unease
crawling down his spine at the look of remote amusement on her face. "And she
thinks I need to relax?" he said quietly. "I'm more worried about her."
"Rei is a very strong woman," Susan replied as she started to push the
buffet cart down the corridor. "You need not worry about her state of mind.
Granted she has been through a considerable amount of.... I hesitate to say
trauma, but there is no denying that the past few days have taken a very high
toll on everyone. I have taken a few measures to ensure that dinner will be a
suitably relaxing event that will at least partly counter-balance the strain of
recent events. Please, your Highness, do not worry too much."
"Right," Darian said quietly, not convinced in the slightest. He turned
to follow Susan into the room and blinked hard as he saw Alex heading towards
him with a small smile on her face.
"Took you long enough," the blonde said as she absently brushed her hands
across the tuxedo she was wearing. It was obviously modeled after the suit he
wore in his transformation as Tuxedo Mask, only without the cape, silk tophat,
and the signature white demi-mask. A golden eagle with majestic wings swept
back in mid-flight was pinned to her right lapel where it caught the light in
a rather pleasing fashion. "Feeling better, D?"
"Alex?" Darian said slowly once the initial surprise had worn off. "Why
are you wearing a suit?"
Alex sighed and crossed her arms, giving him an irritated look. "Look, I
don't like dresses too much, okay? Especially the fancy-schmancy kind that Sue
tends to favor. Besides, I like the way this fits," she added as she held her
arms out at a slight angle.
Darian shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said before blinking at the pun and
sighing quietly. "Such as it were," he muttered.
"Heh," Alex chuckled as she reached out to clap his shoulder gently. "I
like that one, D, might have to keep it in mind. C'mon, you should see what
everyone else is wearing. Just don't look too closely at Mina's dress or you
might go blind," she added in a warning tone.
Darian immediately felt a chill run down his spine, wondering what exactly
she meant. He followed her into the room and blinked hard as his breath was
almost taken away by the sheer beauty of the occupants. It was obvious that
someone, probably Mina, had either found or created a stash of cosmetics as
their natural beauty had been highlighted and accented in a variety of creative
and unique ways.
Michelle was wearing a sea-green ballroom gown that brushed the floor as
she walked, the puffed-up material at her shoulders giving her a Victorian-era
look. Her white gloves almost came up to her elbows and a pair of vibrant
green emeralds adorned her ears. A silver dolphin, seemingly caught in the act
of leaping out of the water in a graceful arc, was pinned just to the right of
her modestly cut neckline in a stylish but unobtrusive fashion.
It took a moment to recognize Leda, as her hair had been unbound from her
usual ponytail and neatly woven into a single braid tied off with her barrette.
She was wearing a forest-green evening gown that came down to her ankles with
sleeves that came down to her wrists. It was more than a little form-fitting,
but attention was drawn away from her curves by what looked to be a belt woven
like a spider web with tiny gold threads. A golden pendant hung from her neck,
and two shiny gold hoop earrings added to the eye-catching effect.
Mina's dress was extremely hard to miss, primarily composed of a golden
yellow fabric that faded to red like a sunset at the hem and edges of the
sleeves. A pair of fire-engine red low-heeled pumps went well with the dress,
while a pair of gold earrings inset with large topazes helped add a startling
contrast to her blue eyes. Two different necklaces hung around her throat, one
decked with silver charms, the other a solitary white diamond on a gold chain.
Her usual bow had been replaced with what appeared to be a very prismatic glass
ornament that reflected the light into a rainbow kaleidoscope of color.
Ami's sleeveless dark blue gown was cut almost shockingly low, revealing
a considerable amount of skin all around. Faint traces of light purple were
seemingly scattered at random through the fabric, creating an odd but quite
appealing contrast. An almost perfectly transparent veil of light blue fabric
was draped over her shoulders and looped around her waist, two small ribbons of
the material loosely bound to a pair of platinum bracelets around her wrists.
Her blue hair had been dusted with tiny glittering particles, giving her a
slightly wintery look that only added to the breath-taking contrast of her pale
skin against the deep blue colors of her eyes, hair, and gown.
Maq'i had chosen a flowing white hooded robe of an almost ethereal nature.
The edges were all bordered with a sawtooth pattern of red triangles while a
simple cord of gold was wrapped around her waist. Someone had taken the time
to carefully brush out the Healer's white hair, giving it a somwhat youthful
and glossy appearance that was only belied by the soft wrinkles in her face.
Serena seemed to have only gotten even more beautiful since he had last
seen her. She had unbound her hair from her usual ankle-length streamers and
"meatball" buns, re-styling it behind her in a series of overlapping loops of
blonde hair that barely hung down to her shoulders. Threads of gold had been
woven into bands around her sleeves and waist, and the shard of dimensional
crystal that Mina had created earlier had been reworked into a sort of clasp
securing the golden belt into place. Her glowing wings were arranged behind
her in a classic butterfly pattern, drifting back and forth slightly almost as
if they were being caressed by a very light breeze.
It took Darian a moment to realize that someone was poking him in the
shoulder and calling his name. Blinking hard, he turned to find Alex giving
him a decidedly amused look as she gently jabbed him again.
"Damn, man, you want to close your mouth and quit drooling?" she teased
him with a twinkle in her blue eyes. "I know they're beautiful and all, but
you don't have to stare like that."
"Wow," he replied, not knowing what else to say at the moment.
Alex chuckled again and leaned closer. "Just imagine the trouble we'd be
in if we were single and had a room full of beautiful women like this to pick
from," she said in a low tone, giving him a sly look.
Darian paused for a moment and glanced back at her. "Want to split?" he
replied, sotto voce. "You take half and I take half?"
Alex burst into laughter, drawing a collection of odd and curious looks
from the rest of the group. "You're evil, your Highness," she said once she
quit laughing enough to draw in a breath to speak. "Come on, I think Sue's
done setting up the table and I'm really hungry."
They started to drift in the general direction of the table, both of them
making a change in course as Susan looked up from her task to give them a look
that needed no verbalization. "Hey, babe," Alex said as she drew close enough
to Michelle for normal conversation. "Look what I found in the hallway. Mind
if I keep him?"
Michelle giggled quietly and gave Darian an amused look. "Only if you can
clean up after him," she teased, a faint blush springing to her cheeks at the
look of reproving amusement on Darian's face.
"Leave me alone, I'm paper-trained," he replied dryly as he glanced around
the room, shaking his head slightly at the sheer beauty of the women gathered
together. "What happened here, ladies? I know Serena wanted everyone to get
dressed up and all, but damn...."
"What, don't like it?" Mina pouted as she did a slow pirouette, revealing
the fact that the back of her dress only came up to the base of her shoulder
blades.
"No, I like it," Darian replied with sincerity. "But Alex has a point
about how it might blind you if you stare at it for too long. Speaking of
blinding beauty.... Ami, aren't you cold in that?"
Ami blushed gently as she glanced away from him. The neckline came down
almost to her navel, but was cut steeply enough to only expose the very edges
of the swells of her breasts. She had actually shocked herself for a moment
when she first saw it in the mirror, but the looks and gentle words of both
appreciation and encouragement from the others convinced her to go with it.
"Nothing wrong with trying something new," Leda spoke up as Ami remained
silent. "Besides, you'd be able to tell if anyone was cold in here," she added
with a wink.
"Leda!" Ami protested, her blush darkening by four shades.
Darian chuckled and shook his head, glancing off to his side as Rei joined
the group in near-perfect silence. "All I can say is that you are quite the
collection of beauty, and that I am quite happy to be able to see you girls
together like this."
"We're happy to be back together," Mina said as she reached out to gently
take Serena's hand, squeezing it lightly. "And I think I speak for all of us
when I say I'm really, really glad to have Serena back with us."
"Hear, hear," Alex chimed in as a pale blush of embarrassment swept across
Serena's face.
Serena cast a glance over at Rei and smiled as the raven-haired priestess
nodded slowly in agreement with the sentiment. "Thank you," she said quietly.
"But as we all saw earlier, I wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for all of
you. I know we have been through a lot together in the past.... recent as well
as distant," she added as she glanced over at Alex and Michelle, "But now that
we are truly together once again, we can work with one another to deal with
whatever the future might bring."
Everyone paused for a moment as Mina started absently humming something to
herself, her eyes half-closed and her mind clearly elsewhere. She quit after
a few seconds and refocused on the group, blinking hard as she realized that
everyone was staring at her. "Oops, sorry," she apologized with a blush.
"What was that?" Michelle inquired, her head tilted at a slight angle with
a quizzical look on her face.
"Oh, just a song about girls and the future," Mina replied lightly as she
smoothed out a wrinkle in her yellow gown. "Future Girls, by a singing group
known as smile.DK," she explained.
"Going to sing it for us, blondie?" Alex prodded gently.
"After dinner," Leda spoke up firmly. "Right now, we're only about a good
thirty seconds away from chow time. All set, Susan?" she called out.
"Patience, if you please," Susan replied as she continued to set up the
candles on the table. She paused and looked up with a gleam of amusement in
her dark red eyes. "That may be asking a lot of some of you at this point, but
I ask for your continued indulgence and restraint. I am almost finished."
"Bah," Alex grumbled good-naturedly as Leda just shook her head. "Skip
the frills, Chancellor, nobody wants to wait for you to finish playing with the
table decorations. If the food is ready, it's time to eat."
"Oh, I don't know," Darian said casually. "That just means more time for
me to savor viewing these unearthly delights standing around me. Hey now," he
protested softly as he was lightly flicked by the tip of a glowing wing. "No
need to be jealous, my eternal princess, you are the crown jewel of this array
of cosmic beauty."
"Kiss-up," Mina smirked as a delicate blush spread across Serena's face.
"What, you think I'm lying?" Darian replied, his eyebrows arching up in
mock-surprise. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Serena as he felt
several of her wings gently wrap themselves around his arm.
Heads turned as Susan gently clapped her hands together several times.
She paused for a moment before drawing in a deep breath and clapping her hands
together hard in a sharp blow. There was a gentle whooshing sound as no less
than six dozen candles arranged on the table and along the walls all ignited in
perfect unison, casting a warm glow around the room.
"Wow," Mina said in awe as the glowstones in the room turned off, leaving
the large chamber illuminated only by candlelight and the now-prominent glow
from Serena's ribbon-like wings.
Alex chewed on the edge of her lip as she looked around the room with a
thoughtful expression. "Okay," she finally said after a moment, "So maybe I
was a little hasty with the comment about the table decorations. This looks
quite nice, Sue."
"Thank you, Alex," Susan said gracefully as she gestured to the chairs
that lined the edges of the long banquet table. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you
would be so kind as to take a seat, dinner is indeed ready now."
The minor burst of chaos as everyone sorted out a seating arrangement only
lasted for ninety seconds before the foodstuffs began to migrate from serving
trays to plates and bowls. "Wow, this smells great," Alex said as she flayed
open a large sandwich roll to add several slices of honey-drenched ham and
turkey. "Bread didn't explode in my face this time, either," she added.
Darian and Rei glanced at once another before shaking their heads to
themselves. "I was wondering what happened," Darian muttered as he grabbed a
pair dinner rolls from the basket before passing it over to Serena.
"That was not entirely Mina's fault," Susan spoke up as she accepted the
bowl of salad from Leda. "I have several varieties of yeast stored in the
cabinet, and I neglected to specify which ones were suitable for making bread.
The strains she used were more suited for brewing."
"See!" Mina blurted out, almost expelling the mouthful of green-beans she
was munching on. "I tol' you it wasn' my fault...."
"Eat now, talk later," Leda muttered as she lightly kicked her under the
table. "Maq'i? Most of this is safe for denizens to eat, but you might want
to go easy on the ham slices. Those are the dark ones," she added.
"Ah, thank you," Maq'i replied as she returned a pair of ham slices to the
platter in exchange for a pair of turkey slices.
Everyone glanced up as Ami promptly set her fork down with a clatter and
pulled her computer out of her Lunar Space pocket. "Hold still for a moment,
Serena," she said gently as she passed the sensor suite over the blonde's chest
and abdomen. "I just want to make absolutely sure that you don't have any new
digestive concerns to worry about."
Leda snorted quietly. "C'mon, Ami, this is Serena we're talking about,
you really think growing wings would change that cast-iron stomach of hers?"
"I'm just checking to make sure," Ami reassured her as she continued to
scan. "Well, I don't see anything unusual, so I.... Huh?" she blurted out as
her computer made a hard beep, causing her complexion to turn pale.
"Ami?" Serena said cautiously, her own face losing color at Ami's sudden
reaction. "What's wrong?"
Ami said nothing as she stared at her computer for a moment before giving
Darian a glacial look. She reset the sensor readings and scanned again, her
mouth slipping into a frown as it beeped hard once again. Sighing heavily to
herself, she reset the display again and turned to face the other way, casually
passing the sensor suite over Rei's abdomen for several seconds.
"Ami," Darian said calmly as the computer beeped hard again and Ami almost
dropped the computer in shock, her medium-blue eyes going dangerously wide.
"What exactly is the problem?"
Ami absently held up a finger to silence him for a moment, narrowing her
eyes at the computer results. She quickly reversed the device and passed the
sensor suite over her own abdomen, scowling hard as it also beeped a response
back at her. "Alright, try it like this," she growled to herself before she
looked up at the rest of the group. "Darian, come here for a moment, please."
"Uh-oh," Alex muttered quietly as Darian carefully set his napkin aside
and stood up. He leaned down to kiss Serena's shoulder before moving around
behind her chair to stand between her and Ami.
Ami promptly ran her computer's sensor suite across his abdomen, looking
up at the ceiling when it beeped hard once again. "So much for that," she said
in a very weary tone. "You can sit down now, Darian, it's obvious that this
thing isn't working anymore," she said as she snapped the lid shut and tossed
it on the table with disdain.
Susan cleared her throat gently before speaking up. "If I may, Ami, what
exactly is the problem with your medical computer?"
Ami snorted quietly as she reached for the glass of water sitting in front
of her. "My computer just tried to tell me that Darian's pregnant," she said
with a sour look, causing both Alex and Leda to promptly choke hard on their
respective meals.
"I can see how that can be indicative of a possible malfunction," Susan
replied calmly as Michelle thumped Alex hard on her back. "Are we to presume
that you believe you also received false-positive signals in your scans of Rei,
Serena, and yourself?"
"False echoes," Ami said flatly. "I'm not sure why, either."
"Let's hope it's false," Alex muttered as she rubbed her throat. "Ow,
that hurt...."
Darian just shook his head as he sat back down, reaching out to squeeze
Serena's hand gently. "I wouldn't worry about it," he said calmly as he put
his napkin back in his lap and reached for his silverware. He paused for a
moment before looking back up at the group. "But if I am pregnant, one of you
girls has a lot of explaining to do," he dead-panned.
The joke didn't break through the slight sense of nervous tension so much
as shatter it, resulting in a collection of giggles, laughs, and more than one
look of what might best be described as sultry amusement.
"I know humans are quite adaptable," Maq'i murmured, her gold eyes seeming
to sparkle with mirth. "But I didn't think you could be THAT adaptable."
"You'd be surprised," Darian replied casually. "I'm sure you've had a few
similar experiences yourself. I mean, one rough day at work and everybody ends
up taking it up the wazoo. Who knows what could happen after that...."
"Darian!" Serena gasped, a dark blush springing to her cheeks.
"I beg your pardon, your Highness," Susan said dryly. She paused and cast
an amused sidelong glance at Leda, who was almost doubled over with barely
contained laughter.
"Try explaining that one to your doctor," Mina giggled.
"Before or after he brings out the rubber gloves?" Darian grunted.
"Eww...." Mina said, cringing slightly.
"Not at the dinner table, please," Susan said in a faintly edged tone.
"I see a few things are universal," Maq'i pointed out as she took a sip
of water.
"Like what?" Leda spoke up. "Doctors using rubber gloves or the tendency
of such things to spoil your appetite for dinner?"
"Both," Rei muttered quietly.
Ami sighed and shook her head. "Just enjoy dinner while it's still warm,
okay?" she grumbled quietly, still upset about her computer. "We can save the
discussions for after dinner."
"Hey, Susan?" Leda asked. "You did pick up some wine for this, right?"
"Most assuredly," Susan replied with a nod of her head. "I have it in a
stasis field at the moment to chill properly, it should be ready in another few
minutes."
"So what'd you get?" Alex inquired around a mouthful of her sandwich.
"What was asked for," Susan replied with a faint hint of crispness to her
voice. "Two bottles of champange, a bottle of plum wine, a bottle of Cabernet
Sauvignon, and two bottles of rose essence wine."
That caused both Leda and Mina to blink hard. "Back up," the brunette
said slowly. "Rose essence wine? What the hell is that supposed to be?"
"Just what it sounds like," Rei said quietly. "It's from China, and I had
asked Susan to pick up a bottle for me if she possibly could."
"Chinese wine?" Alex said, giving her a surprised look. "Now there's
something you don't hear about every day. It's not like that rice-based stuff
that looks like motor oil, is it?"
Leda snorted quietly. "You probably mean sake, and that's Japanese."
"Bah," Alex grunted. "Like I can tell the difference."
"That will be enough, Alex," Susan said with a patient sigh. She looked
up and raised an eyebrow as she heard Rei mutter something beneath her breath
in an uncommon sub-dialect of Mandarin Chinese. Curious, she tilted her head
to one side and carefully asked the priestess a question in Mandarin.
Everyone blinked in surprise at the shift in lanugage and cast curious
looks at both Susan and Rei. Rei seemed to withdraw slightly before shaking
her head. "I don't know it that well," she replied in a quiet tone. "Just a
few words and phrases that my grandfather taught me."
"Interesting," Susan mused before looking around the table to gauge the
various reactions. "Is there a problem, Mina?" she asked gently.
"What language was that?" Mina inquired, still giving the green-haired
succubus an odd look.
"Mandarin Chinese," Susan explaind. "I recall discussing this with Darian
before, but I'm not sure if the topic came up with the rest of you. Over the
course of the time I have learned to speak rather fluently in a number of
languages, one of which happens to be Mandarin. German is another," she added
lightly before saying something to Ami in the German language.
Ami blinked hard with surprise before she glanced around the room, a faint
blush springing to her cheeks. She cleared her throat gently before replying
in kind, her words having the soft accent from the Hamburg region.
"Wow, Ami," Mina blurted out, her eyes wide with wonder. "You never told
us you could speak German."
Darian leaned over to Serena and whispered something very quietly in her
ear, resulting in a light flick of one of her wings across his shoulder. Ami
glanced over at him for a moment before looking back at Mina, not sure of what
he had said. "Nobody ever asked," Ami said with an absent shrug of dismissal.
Serena promptly clamped a hand over her mouth and glanced back at Darian,
giving him a look of both amusement and reproachment. He shrugged in casual
response and merely took a sip of his water, ignoring the looks from the rest
of the group.
"Alright, I'll ask," Leda said around a mouthful of honey-glazed ham. "So
who speaks what languages around here? That includes denizen dialects," she
added, giving Ami a meaningful look.
Ami sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "English, German, a tiny bit of
French from school, and the Eastern Frontier dialect that Tolaris uses."
"If I may, dear child," Maq'i said in a gentle tone, "I was under the
impression that Commander Tolaris was from the Southern Flatlands."
"He is," Ami replied. "But he's from the border region with the Eastern
Frontier and I'm led to believe that it had an influence on his accent."
"It's not just you," Mina spoke up with a faint blush. "Maze is always
teasing me about how my accent is just as bad as yours. And speaking about
languages learned at school, I know a little Latin, but only at the beginner
Sesame Street level."
"Sesame Street?" Alex spoke up, giving Susan a slightly puzzled look.
"Isn't that in the old district in Constantinople?"
Susan paused for a moment to decide how to best respond to that. "I am
glad to see that your knowledge of geography is not nearly as deplorable as I
had once feared," she said in a neutral tone. "However, in this case, what
Mina is referring to is a children's entertainment program set in a fictional
location called Sesame Street."
"Oooooookay," the blonde replied, giving Mina an odd look. "I know Mom
tried teaching me Gaelic a few times, but it never sunk in well enough for her
tastes. I know Mich here is far better at it than I am," she added with an
absent gesture.
"Huh," Mina said, her expression turning thoughtful. "Susan, this may
sound odd to ask, but do you happen to know where we're all from? I mean, I
know the Moon Kingdom and all, but I would imagine that there had to have been
some sort of Earth-bound influence every so often...."
Susan blinked and said nothing, carefully reaching for her glass of water.
It was almost to her lips when a soft chime echoed throughout the room, causing
her to set the glass down with a muted thump. "If you will excuse me," she
said as she stood up, "I believe that the wine is ready. I shall return in a
moment."
The rest of the group blinked as they watched her depart in a seemingly
calm and casual manner, her demonic wings neatly folded against her back. A
faint sense of unease settled around them as she disappeared down a hallway,
nervous glances being exchanged as they nibbled at their dinner.
"Umm," Mina said slowly in an attempt to break the silence, "I take it I
supposed to ask a question like that or something?"
"Maybe not," Rei spoke up with a hint of bitterness to her tone, drawing
looks of surprise from everyone except Darian. "She claims to be bound by a
few promises not to talk about where certain people like me are from."
Alex snorted quietly in disdain as she crammed the last chunk of her
sandwich in her mouth. "Yeah, that one," she muttered as she chewed. "Trust
me, hon, once she feels obligated not to talk about something, you can't pry it
out of her even if you're using a crowbar and a lot of hot oil."
"Anything you want to share with us?" Leda inquired. "Aside from your
food," she added with a faint note of disgust.
"Mmm, sorry," Alex replied as she swallowed. "Sue will probably tell you
the why if you ask her about it, but it's my understanding that marriage is not
very common among Sailor Scouts. In fact, I think only Leda and Mina's parents
were ever married, and it's highly discouraged for people to talk about it or
otherwise say anything about those who have children without being married."
Everyone looked up at the sound of rattling glass that heralded Susan's
return, pushing a small cart that was loaded with glasses and bottles. She
wordlessly began to work her way around the table, setting a glass in front of
each person and filling it from one of the opened bottles. Ami and Leda were
given the plum wine, while Serena and Darian were served the Cabernet. Rei's
glass was filled with the 1979 Mei Gui Lu jiu, and the remaining glasses were
all filled with champange.
"Wait," Alex said in a guarded tone as Susan set a small glass vial in the
center of the table. "Sue, that looks awfully familiar...."
"A plant extract," Susan said calmly as she resumed her seat. "A single
drop will make you feel slightly drowsy in a few hours, two will guarantee that
you will fall asleep later."
There was a long pause as everyone looked down at their respective glasses
of wine and champange. "Susan?" Mina said very slowly. "You didn't put any of
that in this, did you?"
Susan sighed quietly as she picked up her glass, swirling it around very
gently. "I considered it," she admitted softly before taking a sip and setting
the glass back down. "But I decided it was best to let each of you decide for
yourselves if you think you will require aid in getting to sleep tonight. I
don't know what each of you personally went through inside the Negaverse this
morning, but I know that after your collective return that you have all been
subjected to an incredible amount of stress and emotional tension. I assure
you with absolute certainty that your sleep tonight will not be very restful,
simply because of how the subconscious mind copes with stress, fatigue, and
trauma. All I can offer is a way to ensure that your body will find sleep,
even if your mind cannot."
"I'll think about it," Leda muttered as she took a careful sip of the plum
wine. She blinked at the super-smooth taste and stared at the amethyst liquid
as she swirled it around gently. "Wow, how old is this stuff?"
"I let it age along with Rei's wine in a temporal niche," Susan explained
as she calmly resumed eating. "You may safely assume it is effectively older
than you are."
Mina looked down at her glass before shrugging and taking a deep sip. Her
eyebrows arched up in appreciation at the taste, letting the bubbly champange
roll around on her tongue for a moment before swallowing. "This really is some
good stuff," she said with a nod of her head. "Now, about my question...."
Susan sighed again and sat back, giving Mina a look that might have been
described as guarded weariness. "Very well. In your case, Mina, your father
was an English noble who made regular visits to the Moon Kingdom for business
purposes. He and your mother fell in love, were married very shortly after he
proposed, and you were born a little over a year after that."
"Oh, wow," Mina said, her eyes lighting up with delight. "A noble? What
kind? Where was he from?"
"Easy, girl," Leda sighed as she laid a restraining hand on the excited
blonde. "That's a thousand years in the past, okay? Even if you could prove
it, I doubt you'd have any claim to the title or anything."
Susan shook her head gently. "There are no records of either his marriage
or the birth of a child. At least, no such record exists on Earth," she added
in a gentle tone. "The title was passed to his nephew upon his death and thus
handed down to successive generations where it remains to this day."
"We've met him a few times," Alex spoke up as she reached across the table
to grab the platter of meat slices. "He couldn't visit the kingdom very often
because of his duties, but Lady Venus used to travel to Earth on a regular
basis to spend time with him."
"So what were they like?" Mina inquired, her eyes burning with curiosity.
"Mina?" Darian suddenly spoke up as he sipped on his wine. "Maybe you
should give it a rest, at least for the moment. I'm sure Susan can tell you
all about your past life in a private setting."
Mina blinked hard at the interruption and gave him an uncertain look. He
raised an eyebrow at her in reponse and very subtly gestured in Rei's direction
with his wineglass, causing a pale blush to spring to Mina's cheeks. "Okay,"
she said carefully. "But what about everyone else, though?" she persisted.
Susan sighed quietly and opened her mouth to speak, but was pre-empted by
Rei's somewhat bitter tone. "I know you made a promise not to talk about my
background or heritage," the priestess said quietly. "You can still tell the
others about themselves. Unless you promised not to talk about them as well,"
she added with a faint edge to her voice.
"Very well," Susan said quietly. "Leda's father was from Greece, although
one wouldn't be able to tell at first glance due to his pale skin."
"Whoa!" Leda said, almost spitting out a mouthful of plum wine. "You're
kidding, right? I'm supposed to be Greek?"
"With a name like Leda?" Darian calmly pointed out. "Sounds plausible to
me. Factor in your penchant for cooking, which might be a stereotype, but it's
still something to consider."
"Huh," Leda said, taking a slow and far more steady sip of her wine. "I
don't think either of my parents were from outside the region.... at least, not
that I know of," she amended. "Interesting."
"Really think it matters, hon?" Alex inquired idly. "Home is where you
hang your sword on the wall and can put your feet up in comfort."
"Point," Leda conceded with a shrug of dismissal.
"Just look at me," Alex continued as she munched on another slice of ham.
"I have no clue who my father is, but I know my grandfather was a Viking, and
that's good enough for me. Seemed to be good enough for Mom as well. Now as
for Michelle here.... What?" she said, pausing as she saw the impish smile on
Michelle's face.
Michelle just shook her head and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "Nothing,
you can tell them if you want," she said demurely. "It doesn't bother me."
"Dark family secret or something?" Darian inquired.
"Nah," Alex replied with a shake of her head. "Mich here is a Gypsy, or
at least her father is. I've only met him twice, however, but he's a rather
likeable person."
"Ooo, a Gypsy? Mina said as she sat up, her eyes widening with delight.
"I don't know too much about my father," Michelle confessed with a pale
blush and a small smile of embarrassment. "I know he loves my mother, but he
can't leave his people without being declared an outcast. They migrated to the
east shortly after I was born and rarely return to the west for very long, but
he can probably be tracked down without too much effort if Mother or I truly
needs to get in contact with him."
"Cool," Mina said with a smile. "So who's next?"
There was a long pause as everyone looked at Susan, a slight sense of
unease filling the room as she remained silent. "That is, for the most part,
all I am able to say," she said quietly. "As I told Rei, I made a promise to
Lady Mars, Lady Mercury, and Lady Uranus to protect the identities of those
they chose to have a child by. It is hardly unknown for a Sailor Scout not to
marry but still conceive a child, but it is still somewhat viewed as being....
socially scandalous in some circles where one's social class and rank holds a
considerable amount of sway. It was simply not discussed as per Royal Decree,
which was proclaimed long before even I was born."
"What?" Ami said, clearly startled by Susan's mention of her mother. She
looked down as she felt a warm touch on her arm, blinking as she saw a pair of
glowing wings coiling around her wrist in a comforting gesture.
"Babe, don't worry about it," Alex said calmly. "Okay, so you don't know
who your mother slept with, big deal. All that matters is the love your mother
gave you, and I can personally vouch that it was a hell of a lot."
"I can attest to that as well," Susan added gently. "Ami, you should not
allow yourself to become concerned over the matter. You never expressed an
interest in his identity, nor did you ever seem to be concerned about it. I
do not see any good coming from worrying about it now."
Ami looked up as she felt Rei's hand on her other wrist, the priestess'
expression oddly neutral as she squeezed gently. "I just have one question,
Susan," Ami said in a very quiet tone. Her medium-blue eyes shifted to look
directly at the succubus, fixing her with a piercing look. "And if you know
the answer to this one, you had better tell me the truth. Was I wanted when
Mom became pregnant with me?"
"Ami!" Serena gasped quietly, her eyes going wide.
Susan sighed quietly and took a small sip of her champange. "After the
death of Sailor Saturn, your mother went to Earth for some time to herself,"
she said quietly. "She returned in better spirits, and nobody bothered to ask
why. When she examined Queen Serenity later after her Majesty complained of
constant stomach ailments, she was surprised to find that they had both become
pregnant. While your conception was unexpected, do not think that the tears
that followed were anything other than tears of joy. A medical aide asked if
she planned to carry the pregnancy to term and nearly had his heart ripped out
of his chest for daring to ask such a thing. Yes, Ami, you were very much
wanted and welcomed into your mother's life. All of you were," she added,
casting a measured look around the table.
"Know anything about me?" Darian inquired idly as he sipped his wine. He
closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair as he felt Serena's hand slip into
his own, squeezing him tightly.
"I have no wish to shock or upset you, your Highness," Susan said with a
faint smile of apology. "You are a genuine prince from an Earth kingdom, that
much I can assure you."
"Hey, Sue?" Alex spoke up, giving her a puzzled look. "What's so shocking
about where he's from?"
"Call it geopolitical concerns," Susan replied demurely.
"Like we give a good goddamn," Leda said sourly. "C'mon, Susan, give the
mystique a rest for once and just tell the man where he's from."
"Very well," the succubus replied as she emptied her glass and set it back
down on the table. "His mother was an English noblewoman who travelled to the
ancient city of Baghdad as a tourist, only to find herself thoroughly enamored
by both the Arabic culture as a whole and a highly charismatic gentleman in
particular. That he was the first-born son of the king and thus first in line
to the throne didn't seem to matter to either of them, as it was only a number
of months before their wedding and a year at most before Darian was born."
There were at least three hollow thumps as various glasses hit the table,
eyebrows arching up to respective hairlines in surprise. "Are you serious?"
Darian managed to say. "I'm from Iraq?"
"Arabia," Susan countered instantly. "The nation you call Iraq didn't
even exist until recently, at least as far as national histories go. You have
your mother's fair skin, so it is difficult to tell that you have royal Arabian
blood in your veins, but it is there nonetheless."
Leda shook her head slowly in amazement. "Now I see why you were worried
about your so-called geopolitical concerns. Still, it doesn't matter where he
was born the first time, all that matters is that he's from around here like
the rest of us. Umm, present company excepted," she added as she glanced over
her shoulder, giving Maq'i an embarrassed blush of apology.
"It's alright, dear child," Maq'i replied with a chuckle. "I must admit
that I am absolutely fascinated to hear about all of this. If I may, would it
be possible to hear about how the princess was born? I trust you understand
why I would be exceedingly curious about that one."
"Yeah," Alex said, gesturing to Susan with her nearly-empty wineglass.
"You said you were going to tell us about that awhile ago, and we're still
waiting to hear the story."
"Tomorrow," Susan replied with a soft sigh. "It is a long story to tell,
and it would be in everyone's best interests to go to bed in short order. If
I may, Master Healer, I would like to ask you to remain with us until tomorrow
afternoon before I return you to your world. That way, the temporal stress on
your body will be minimized as you will only be out of phase by a single day
and you won't notice any lapse of time in the present."
Maq'i sighed quietly and shook her head. "If the situation is precisely
the same as I understood it was before leaving it, I assure you that I am not
in any great rush to return. However, it is likely that I will not be able to
be returned to the Imperial Castle, given both the protective wards around it
and the intensity of the radiation."
"We could always drop you off at Mar'ken," Mina spoke up. "That seemed
like a decent place."
"Or Reish'id's lair," Leda added. "That might actually be best, as it's
probably upwind of the fallout, shielded by the mountains, and in the company
of someone you not only trust but know is smart enough to be able to figure out
where to take things from there."
"That might be wise indeed," Maq'i said with a nod.
"Wait a moment," Alex said as she sat up with a slight frown. "Isn't that
the name of your boyfriend or something? The giant cat?"
"Yeah, so?" Leda countered.
Maq'i laughed softly to herself and gave Alex a small smile. "Reish'id
and I have known one another quite well for almost two thousand years now," she
said with amusement. "He won't even twitch a whisker if I were to drop in on
him without warning."
"Okay...." Alex replied slowly, giving Leda a dubious look.
Michelle blinked and gave Serena a curious look. "Are you alright, your
Highness?" she asked carefully, causing heads to turn.
"What?" Serena said as her head snapped back up. "Oh, I'm fine, I'm just
a little tired," she explained with a faint blush. "I'll probably end up going
to bed in a bit."
"What, skipping dessert?" Leda spoke up, giving her a worried look. "If
you're going to pass on that, you must be really be exhausted or something."
"I said in a bit, not right now," Serena countered, feeling the blush rise
up into her cheeks. "Of course I'm staying for dessert."
"Heh," Alex chuckled as she sat back, casually resting her arm on the back
edge of Michelle's chair. "That's the Moon Princess we all know and love."
"Hey, question," Mina said as she suddenly bolted upright in her chair.
"Does anyone know where Myst is? I just realized she's not here."
Everyone exchanged glances before looking over at Alex, causing the blonde
to pause and look up. "What, why are you guys looking at me?" she protested.
"I don't know where she is."
"You had her last," Mina replied. "I remember you were carrying her when
we all went outside to get dressed."
"She must've wandered off after I set her down then," Alex said with a
casual shrug. She paused and gave everyone a slightly unsettled look as she
added, "She's not masquerading as someone's underwear or anything, is she? I
know how she seems to like being worn as clothing...."
"Don't tell me you left the cat outside," Leda grumbled quietly.
"I would not be overly concerned," Susan said as she stood up. "Bear in
mind that she is a Shinma and is thus probably very capable of taking care of
herself in a benign environment such as this one. Excuse me for a moment while
I retrieve.... the dessert cart.... from stasis...." she said, slowing down her
words as she noticed something unusual. "Serena, are you alright?"
"Itch," Serena grumbled as she looked behind her, flicking the tips of
several wings back and forth. She frowned and started flexing her wings more
violently, seeming to have them tangled up in a loose knot. She paused for a
moment and narrowed her eyes at the disturbance before she took a deep breath
and flexed her wings in a sudden spasm.
"YO!" Leda yelped as she bolted to her feet, barely dodging the spectral
object that was catapulted from Serena's wings in a shimmering cloud of haze.
The mass sailed past her and struck the wall with a sickening gelatinous sound
before slowly oozing down to the floor.
"What the hell is that?" Alex demanded, her eyes wide with surprise.
"I believe we have just located Myst," Susan said in a disturbingly calm
tone. "Either that, or Serena just wrenched something out of the Ethereal
plane and forced it into four-dimensional space. I strongly suspect the former
to be the case," she added.
The blob of matter on the floor suddenly began to shiver, tiny arcs of
energy playing across the surface as it took on a dark pink color. The mass
continued to twitch gently for a few seconds before it abruptly congealed into
the shape of a kitten with dark gray fur and a gold crescent moon shape on her
forehead.
"Whoops," Leda said as she reached down to gently scoop her up. "I guess
that solves that question. Myst, are you okay? What happened?"
"That hurt...." the kitten muttered, her eyes still closed.
"I'm sorry," Serena whimpered quietly, her eyes still dangerously wide.
"It felt like I had an itch, and I thought my wings got tangled up when I went
to try to scratch it. I didn't mean to do anything, honest...."
Susan regarded the kitten carefully. "You tried to get close to her while
in an altered dimensional state?" she asked in a reproving tone.
"It.... didn't seem like a bad idea at the time...." Myst said as she very
slowly opened her eyes. "Sorry if that upset anyone."
Susan just sighed and shook her head. "I will return with dessert in a
moment," she said in weary resignation. "Until then, I suggest that the rest
of you enjoy the remainder of the wine. But not to an excess," she added in a
firm tone as Alex reached for the nearest bottle.
"Yes, Mother," Alex muttered with a roll of her eyes. "Rei, you mind if
I grab a taste of that rose wine stuff?"
"Not at all," Rei replied as she refilled her glass before passing the
bottle across the table, one eye kept on Susan's departing figure until she
vanished from sight.
"Plum wine, anyone?" Leda offered as she set Myst down on the edge of the
table and poured a good measure of the dark purple liquid into her glass.
"Sure, worth a shot," Mina said as she held out her glass.
Darian just shook his head to himself as he refilled his glass with the
Cabernet Sauvignon. He gestured to Serena with the bottle, setting it back on
the table as she gently shook her head in refusal. "You alright?" he asked
softly as he took a sip of the well-aged wine.
"I'm just a little tired," she replied quietly. "I'm going to go to bed
after dessert."
"Which one?" he mused very softly, first drawing a look of surprise, then
embarrassed amusement from her.
"We'll see," she murmured with a faint twinkle in her eye.
Everyone looked up with varying degrees of anticipation as Susan wheeled
a small cart into the room. It was loaded with a fair number of small dishes
of pudding, slices of various cakes and pies, and an assortment of chocolate
delicacies.
"Oh man," Alex said, her eyebrows arching up to her hairline. "I can just
feel the calories collecting around my waist already."
"It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it?" Mina said lightly, her eyes lit up
with excitement and trying very hard not to drool. A sudden thought crossed
her mind and she blinked hard before turning to look at Maq'i. "Oh, ummm....
word of warning? Don't eat any chocolate. Trust me."
"Very well," Maq'i replied with a nod. She paused as she noticed the deep
crimson blushes on both Mina and Ami's faces for some reason. "Should I ask
what sort of effect it has on denizens?" she inquired carefully.
"Well...." Mina hedged, "It's not toxic, far from it, but.... how should
I put this? Let's just say that it had a tendency to put denizens into moods
and leave it at that."
"Very well...." the ancient Healer replied, giving her an uncertain look.
"Am I to presume that, by extension, it will have an identical influence on
Serena's biology?"
"Yeah, right," Leda muttered as she plucked a slice of Key Lime pie off
of the dessert cart as Susan wheeled it past. "Serena's been eating chocolate
since birth. In fact, I wouldn't want to be the one to try to tell her she
can't have any," she said, drawing a collection of knowing looks and grins.
"Ain't that the truth," Alex muttered as both she and Michelle grabbed a
pair of chocolate confections from the cart, ignoring the look of amusment in
Susan's red eyes.
"She'll be fine," Darian spoke up as he took a bowl of chocolate pudding
from the cart and set it in front of Serena before taking a slice of cherry pie
for himself. He paused as he noticed one of Serena's wings discreetly reach
out to grab a piece of solid chococate as Susan wheeled the cart behind her
chair. "I wouldn't worry about it," he added with a shake of his head.
"Do not over-indulge, your Highness," Susan admonished the winged blonde
as she pushed the cart forward to where Ami and Rei could reach it. Her hand
came back to scratch the base of her spine for a moment before seeming to reach
down and absently brush across Darian's sleeve.
Serena blushed as she bit into the chunk of chocolate. "But it's good,"
she protested quietly, oblivious to the momentary change in Darian's expression
as he slid his hand into his pocket for a few seconds.
Susan merely shook her head in resignation and waited until Ami and Rei
made their selections before moving the cart into range of Mina and Maq'i.
"Perhaps you should try some vanilla pudding," she said to the denizen as she
made a gesture. "Unless, of course, there is a known denizen reaction to such
things," she added, giving Ami a quick glance.
Ami froze in mid-motion with a large spoonful of chocolate pudding still
three-quarters in her mouth. She blinked and shook her head before resuming
her demolition of the rich and dense dessert, the dark blush returning to her
cheeks with a vengeance.
"Nah, Maze likes vanilla," Mina said as she casually grabbed the largest
chunk of solid chocolate she could find. "Tapioca pudding is something you
want to avoid, however. That'll keep you on the toilet for a few hours. Oh,
sorry," she added as Ami sighed heavily in resignation and set the remaining
portion of her pudding aside.
"I'll eat that if you won't," Serena offered as she licked her spoon clean
to remove the last traces of chocolate.
"Your Highness, please," Susan sighed as she set the cart in the corner
and returned to the table with a small bowl of chocolate pudding for herself.
"Give it up, Sue," Alex chuckled as she licked her fingertips. "You'd
think that you'd be used to this one by now. That good, huh, babe?" she added
as she saw Michelle discreetly licking her lips to remove the tiny crumbs.
Michelle paused and immediately blushed. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"Heh," Alex said as she leaned back. "Michelle Kaiou, closet chocoholic,"
she teased, drawing a series of giggles from the rest of the group and causing
Michelle's blush to deepen by five shades.
"This is definitely interesting," Maq'i observed as she tasted some of the
vanilla pudding. "What is this made from?"
"Mostly milk," Leda spoke up as she ate the last piece of her pie. "The
flavoring comes from vanilla beans, and there's a few little minor odds and
ends tossed into the mix to thicken it up and all. Careful with that," she
added as Myst carefully sniffed a blob of Key Lime that had dripped off on the
edge of her plate. "You can have it if you want, but I'm tossing you into the
hallway if it gives you gas."
Myst blinked hard and gave her a guarded look before she backed away from
the small dollop of green pie filling. "I'll pass, thanks," she muttered.
"Suit yourself," the brunette replied with a shrug before she blinked and
started yawning. "Wow, where'd that come from?" she wondered.
"From your colon, I think," Mina muttered as she waved her hand in front
of her nose. "Susan, you have any mints on that cart?"
"Real funny," Leda groused.
Susan smiled and took another sip of her champange. "Rest assured that
I will procure all the necessary personal hygiene items that you require when
you are ready to go to bed."
"Ooo, thank you," Mina cooed as she finished the last of the chocolate.
"I was wondering about that. Of course, if all you have is that one bathroom,
it's going to be a bit of a fight...."
"C'mon, babe," Alex grunted. "Even I'm civilized enough to know how to
take turns. You can brush your hair out in your room and save the bathroom
trip for brushing your teeth. Dammit," she grumbled before she started to yawn
as well. She paused as her gaze fell on the small vial in the middle of the
table and cast a dark glance at Susan. "Are you sure you didn't put any of
that sleepy juice in anything?" she persisted.
"I am sure, Alex," Susan said with a soft sigh. "As I said, I thought it
best to leave the decision up to each of you whether to make use of it or not.
If you are fatigued at the moment, it is not my doing."
Ami set her spoon down and picked up her computer, opening the cover with
a flick of her wrist. She blinked as the device promptly buzzed at her as a
warning that it had detected an internal component failure. Sighing quietly,
she closed the cover and set it back down on the table with a small pout.
"Something break?" Darian inquired carefully, knowing that the blue-haired
girl was quite possessive and protective of her computer.
"Sub-processor I/O failure," she growled quietly as she took a deep drink
of her glass of plum wine. "The end to a perfect day."
Mina and Leda blinked before exchanging glances. "Relax," Leda sighed,
"I'll toss her into bed soon enough, that should calm her down."
"We need to work out a room arrangement," Mina pointed out, ingoring the
dark look Ami cast in Leda's direction.
Leda shrugged and picked up her half-empty glass of wine, swirling the
amethyst liquid around absently. "Michelle and Alex in one is a given, and we
already agreed that Maq'i can have the second one to herself. So how about you
grab Rei, I'll take Ami, and we can toss Darian and Serena in together?"
"That a good idea?" Mina said, lowering her voice and casting a sidelong
glance at Darian.
"You got a better one?" the brunette countered with a raised eyebrow.
"The way I see it, the only negotiable issue is who gets paired up between me,
you, Ami, and Rei. I can deal with any of you guys, but I figured that Ami
would be the most comfortable with me. Just my opinion," she added as she
drained the glass.
"Do we get a say in this?" Rei muttered quietly, casting a glance at both
Ami and Darian.
"Sure," Leda said as she stood up and stretched, not aware of what the
gesture did in terms of the tightness of the gown against her body and almost
causing Darian's eyes to pop out of his head. "You go ahead and sort it out,
just let me know who I'm rooming with before we go our separate ways for the
night. I'll be back in bit," she added as she headed off towards the hallway.
"Leda?" Susan spoke up, halting the brunette in her tracks. "The toilet
on this level is that way," she said, pointing to the small hallway half-hidden
behind her.
"Oh, thanks," Leda replied as she changed her course and disappeared down
the service corridor.
Mina shrugged and sipped at the plum wine, savoring the taste. "Darian,
what do you...? Oh, nevermind," she sighed as she noticed that he was busy
giving Serena a gentle kiss of apology. "Rei, would you mind if we ended up
sharing the sheets tonight?"
"What?" Rei gasped, almost spilling the rest of her Chinese wine.
"Not like that," Mina sighed as she looked up at the ceiling, blinking in
surprise as she realized that it was dotted with small flecks of glitter. She
studied it for a moment before she looked down at the table again. "You know
as well as I do that there's only a king-size in the room, so unless you want
to sleep on the floor, we'll have to share."
Rei grunted quietly as she focused on the small vial of plant extract.
"I suppose I don't have any strenuous objections," she said quietly. "Susan,
you said two drops of that will put me to sleep?"
"Assuredly," Susan replied. "If you are already fatigued, however, I
would only recommend using one drop."
"Thank you," Rei said as she reached for the vial. She picked it up and
unscrewed the lid, pulling out the small dropper inside. She held it over the
rim of her glass and gently squeezed the bulb, releasing two drops of the
colorless liquid into the remainder of her wine. She put the dropper back in
the vial and screwed the lid shut before setting it back in the middle of the
table.
The room watched as she gently swirled the wine around before draining the
glass in a single swallow. The empty glass hit the table a moment later with
a heavy thump, the corners of her mouth twisting downward in a sour grimace.
She made a soft gasping noise as she glared at Susan, her bottomless black eyes
narrowing dangerously.
"The extract is tasteless," Susan said in a measured tone. "If you are
experiencing an unpleasant aftertaste, perhaps you should not have taken so
much of the wine at once."
"If you insist," Rei said in a flat tone as she stood up.
"Before you go," Susan spoke up quickly, "I should like to inform you all
that I will be returning the hallway to the living room level once I am done
cleaning up here. Your bedrooms are all situated within the hallway, so you
will feel the motion from it rotating down the shaft. Do not become alarmed or
concerned, it will only last for a few seconds and the motion won't be overly
disruptive."
"Thank you," the priestess replied as she turned around and disappeared
down the residential corridor without another word.
"Is she okay?" Alex asked in a low tone as she tried to take a sip from
her wineglass, only to discover she had already emptied it.
"She's had a lot on her mind," Darian spoke up, gently holding Serena's
hand. "We all have, to be honest, and sometimes it takes awhile to work itself
out. Just give her some space, she'll feel better in the morning once she has
a chance to get some sleep."
"If you insist," Alex replied with a shrug, unconsciously mimicking Rei's
earlier statement. She blinked and yawned again, a slightly disgruntled look
sliding across her face in the process. "Alright, already," she muttered as
she wiped her mouth on her napkin and set it aside. "I guess it's time to call
it a night or something. C'mon, love, let's go see if we can find an empty
room to claim for ourselves."
"Thank you for dinner, Susan," Michelle said as she stood up, brushing out
her gown in the process. "It was really delicious."
"You are more than welcome, of course," Susan replied demurely.
"Perhaps I should retire for the evening as well," Maq'i said as she stood
up, suppressing a yawn of her own. "I must confess that an afternoon nap only
goes so far these days. Serena, please do not hesitate to rouse me if you
start to feel ill or otherwise unhealthy for any reason. While it seems that
the Chaos Factor has run its course and hasn't produced any unpleasant side-
effects, you still should try to be on guard for anything unusual. And I mean
anything," she emphasized gently. "It is called Chaos for a reason."
"I will," Serena said with a nod of her head as she stood up. "Thank you
so much for watching over me," she said as she gave the ancient Healer a gentle
hug, both with her arms and with her wings.
Maq'i chuckled softly as she returned the embrace. "I have always enjoyed
helping others, dear child, and you are certainly no exception. That you are
a gift from two worlds is nothing short of a miracle, and I am quite honored to
know someone as special as you. Sleep well, all of you."
"Good night, Master Healer," Susan replied, her sentiments being quietly
echoed by the rest of the group as Maq'i made her way down the hallway. "That
would not be wise," she suddenly spoke up without bothering to look behind her.
"Any more sugar at this late hour will only keep you awake tonight."
Michelle froze in place, her hand still hovering over one of the smaller
chocolate confections on the dessert cart. She glanced over at Susan with a
sheepish look, her cheeks exploding into a vibrant blush of embarrassment. Her
blush only got darker as she saw the knowing look on Alex's face and sighed,
wordlessly leaving the cart to take Alex's hand in her own.
"We'll see you guys in the morning," Alex said languidly, a faint smirk
tugging on her lips. "Serena, we're glad to see you're doing okay, even if you
can glow in the dark now," she said, casting a look of appreciation at Serena's
wings. "And Darian, make sure to take care of her tonight. She's been through
a lot, so don't disturb her if she steals all the blankets in her sleep."
"Alex!" Serena protested, a faint blush springing to her cheeks as she
moved over to gently sit in Darian's lap.
"Hey, I'm just saying," Alex replied with a casual shrug. "Sleep well,
your Highness. The rest of you guys take care as well," she added as she led
Michelle down the hall towards one of the bedrooms.
"Hey!" Leda protested as she came back down the service corridor only to
find the room half-empty. "I step out to take a leak and everyone bails?"
"It's been a rough day," Darian pointed out as he idly picked up a piece
of honey-glazed turkey and bit into it. "Stop and think what we went through
today. That's enough to make anyone want to call it a night after sunset. At
least, I think it's past sundown," he said, giving Susan an uncertain look.
Susan merely shook her head as she emptied the contents of the champange
bottle into her glass, only able to half-fill it. "There is no set measurement
of time in this demiplane, as the environment was permanently frozen the moment
it was translocated. I am able to measure the passage of time and compare it
to what it would be if we were not out of phase, however, so I am able to keep
track of the situation that way. To answer your question, your Highness, if we
were not sequestered inside a dimensionally disconnected temporal region in the
past, it would indeed be well past sundown at this moment."
"Whatever that meant," Leda sighed as she rubbed her eyes.
"I think she said bed-time," Mina muttered as she stood up. "Oh, and you
get to share the room with Ami," she added.
"Figured as much," Leda said with a yawn. "Don't look at me like that,
girl, you know I don't bite," she said as she noticed the look on Ami's face.
"And I don't think I snore, either, so I'm not sure what's the problem."
Ami just sighed and shook her head. "Nevermind, it's just like Darian
said," she muttered as she stared at her wineglass before picking it up again.
"Hey, Serena?" Mina said as she came over next to her. "You want a hand
getting ready for bed and all? I know it took a bit to put your hair up like
that, and I wanted to show you how to unbind it without causing a tangle."
Serena smiled at her before she turned around and gave Darian a deep kiss
that made the hair on his arms stand up. "Take your time with that," she said
in a soft tone, gesturing to the piece of turkey he was nibbling on. "It'll
probably be a few minutes before I'm ready for bed, and you said you wanted to
talk to Susan anyway," she added in an even softer tone.
"Save it for later, kids," Mina sighed as she gently pulled Serena out of
Darian's lap. "Besides, you must've missed the brush-pass Susan made earlier,"
she added, giving the startled succubus a wink.
"Huh?" Serena said, giving her a confused look.
"Dare I inquire what you are talking about?" Susan said in a level tone,
acutely aware of the sudden look of guilt on Darian's face.
Mina shrugged casually. "Sleight-of-hand is a hobby of mine, and we all
know it takes an illusionist to know one. Not that it matters. Come on, girl,
we've got a lot to do to get you ready for bed. Why do I get the feeling you
don't have a nightgown that's open in the back for your wings yet?" she said as
she gently led Serena down the hall.
Leda and Ami exchanged identical blank looks before Ami shrugged. "I'm
not even going to speculate," Ami sighed.
"When it comes to Mina, I gave up months ago," Leda replied dryly.
Susan sat back in her chair and gently picked up Myst, setting the gray
kitten down in her lap. "Ami, may I ask a personal question of you?" she said
as she absently began to stroke Myst's soft fur.
Leda made a quiet noise in her throat as her hand came up to squeeze Ami's
shoulder for a moment. "I'll go see if I can find which room is ours," she
murmured quietly. "See you in a bit. Night, Darian," she added as she waved
at him before leaving the room.
Ami glanced at Darian briefly before returning her attention to Susan.
"Depending," she said neutrally.
"May I ask why you were concerned about being wanted earlier?" Susan
inquired in a gentle but guarded tone.
Ami blinked in surprise and cast another glance at Darian before sighing
heavily and reaching for the nearly-empty bottle of plum wine. She poured the
remaining contents into her wineglass and swirled it around gently, staring at
the odd patterns in the amethyst liquid.
"My parents divorced when I was eight," she said in a hollow tone. "I can
still remember the arguments almost word-for-word sometimes. My father was a
military officer who worked in Intelligence. Just like Tolaris," she added in
a deeply bitter tone before taking a large swallow of wine.
"Mom said she felt like he was ignoring his family to focus on his work,"
she continued, staring down at her empty plate. "My father immediately yelled
back that was his problem with her, spending more hours at work in the hospital
than at home with him. They went back and forth for awhile until Mom said he
had to choose between his marriage and his career, as she wasn't going to put
up with it anymore."
She sighed heavily and took another deep sip of wine before adding, "He
packed his bags and was gone that night, and I never heard from him again. He
never said good-bye to me or anything. Mom came to me later that night when
she was finished crying and said that it was just us now, and that she was
going to try her best to raise me by herself.
"I remember thinking back then that I had to grow up, that I had to start
being responsible for myself so I wouldn't be a burden on my mother's schedule.
I remember it was only a few weeks before I could convince her that she didn't
have to take a break from work to drive me home from school each day, as I was
able to walk home myself. After awhile, it got to the point where I was being
left alone longer and longer while she worked. There were days in which her
schedule was such that I hardly saw her at all, or if I did it was in passing
as she got off work when I was getting ready to go to school. I learned how to
study hard on my own, as she couldn't spend much time to help me, and I got a
reputation for being a book-worm for my troubles. I really didn't have many
friends, so it was easy for me to shrug it off and ignore them while I focused
on school."
Ami sighed and took another sip of the wine, trying not to let the dark
feelings well up inside her. "I have never doubted that she loves me, as she
has always taken care of my needs and never treated me bad or anything. But I
can't help but wonder if she ever truly wanted a child in her life, or if I was
an inconvenience that had to be dealt with. Even now, I don't get to spend a
whole lot of time with her, given her schedule. I mean, I know that calling it
a schedule is being generous, as she doesn't leave until the work is done, and
I honestly don't blame her for it.... but I still want some time with her for
myself every now and then, and I honestly don't know if she does as well," she
said in a whisper before she drained the rest of the wine in a single gulp.
Susan blinked hard as she felt her blood chill at the picture Ami had just
painted for her. She cast a quick glance at Darian and was surprised to see
that his face was almost completely devoid of any expression, tainted only by
a slight hint of sadness.
"Ami?" he spoke up in a quiet tone. "I had no idea you felt that way, and
I'm pretty sure none of the others know, either. You hide your feelings well.
Even more so than Rei, in fact," he added absently.
"Prince Darian...." Susan started to say.
"You know, Ami," he continued, ignoring the interruption, "Sometimes it
just amazes me how well you can know a person, and at the same time, not really
know them well at all. Did you know that I had a crush on you for awhile?"
Ami's glass hit the table hard enough to rattle the silverware, her eyes
suddenly doubling in diameter. "What?" she managed to say without choking on
the air in her lungs.
He shrugged idly and picked up another piece of honey-glazed turkey. "Do
you remember when we first met, by chance?" he said calmly. "I forget what I
had to do that day, but I was walking past the school when it was letting out.
So I'm just minding my own business, walking down the sidewalk trying to dodge
a horde of traffic, and all of a sudden I see this bright blue spot of color
against a background of yellow and black and brown. So of course I slow down
to get a good look, and what do I see?"
Susan said nothing as she sat back, idly stroking Myst as she listened to
him talk in a disturbingly casual tone. Ami looked like she had been wired to
a light-bulb moments before it blew out, her eyes dangerously wide and a look
of shocked disbelief etched on her face.
"I see this incredibly beautiful young girl coming out of the building,"
Darian continued. "I don't mean supermodel-hot beautiful, but I mean beautiful
enough to make you stop thinking for a few minutes. I watched her start to
make her way down the sidewalk before she stopped and turned around, a smile
forming on her face as Serena came up and started talking to her. That was a
bit of a kick in the guts at the time, as Serena and I actively disliked one
another, so I filed the moment under 'good looks, bad taste in friends' and
went along my way.
"Strangely enough, not two minutes later I literally run into Melvin. You
know, brown hair, little runt about yea high, wears glasses the size of some
dinner plates, and the school's king of gossip? So I stop and chat for a few,
and as it turns out he knew exactly what I was talking about when I asked if he
knew about any cute girls with blue hair. So before I know it, I'm given the
run-down on one Ami Mizuno, resident book-worm genius, recent transfer to the
school, and newest friend of Serena."
He paused to take a small sip of wine before resuming his narration. "So
after he leaves, I find myself sitting back to think. So she has beauty and
she has enough brains to impress Melvin, which isn't easy. I figured that she
just might be someone worth getting to know, so I make a mental note and go on
about my business.
"For the next month I kept a causal eye out for this girl, which was made
incredibly easy because of the fact that blue hair like hers was about as rare
as dalmation spots on a cat. I think I ran into her no less than six times,
and each time I was about to try to start a conversation, that annoying little
cry-baby with the funny hair comes up and starts something. So I usually end
up just walking away without saying much of anything."
Susan raised an eyebrow, first at Darian's impression of Serena at the
time, then at the look on Ami's face. She seemed to have gotten over her
initial shock but was still dangerously pale, her medium-blue eyes riveted to
Darian's face as he continued to talk.
"One day, I decided enough was enough, and that I was going to try to take
her aside to talk to her, with or without Serena's presence. I figured that I
could afford to take her out to dinner somewhere, which should be enough to at
least partially get to know her. And so I picked a date on the calendar where
I would wait for her after school and ask her if she wanted to get something to
eat or something. I picked a Friday. You wouldn't believe what happened that
Thursday," he added in a distinctly ironic tone.
"Tolaris," Ami said in a near-whisper as the realization hit her.
"Bingo," Darian sighed. "This cute girl I was sort of interested in just
happened to have met someone else that day, and I guess you can say that put a
wrench into my plans. But it's all good, I still got to know her as a most
wonderful friend down the road. One still tends to remember such moments like
that, however."
He sighed quietly again and finally turned to look at her. "The moral of
this little ancedote, Ami, is that there is almost always someone out there who
would be glad for your company, even if nobody presently in your life seems to
be. I'm a little disappointed I never got to ask you out on a date, but I'm
not losing any sleep over it as we both have found absolutely wonderful people
to share our lives with."
"Darian...." Ami said quietly, completely at a loss for words.
"As I told Rei," he said, pausing to drain his glass of wine. "You have
your mother's love in your life, and I will be one of the first people in line
to smack you upside the head if you start to think she doesn't want you. It
might not be enough for you, but keep in mind that there are others out there
who would kill to have such a thing. Even an adopted mother," he added as he
stood up and set his napkin aside.
"Thank you for dinner, Chancellor," he said as he gave Susan a slight bow.
"And thank you for everything else," he added, giving her a knowing look.
"It is a pleasure, your Highness," Susan replied demurely.
He turned around to leave and paused, giving Ami a neutral look. "That
dress looks absolutely stunning on you," he said quietly, causing a faint blush
to appear on her cheeks. "You should try to see if you can make one just like
it on Earth. I'm sure Tolaris would appreciate it just as much, if not more
so, than I do. Sleep well, Ami," he said before he turned around and left the
banquet hall.
Susan looked over at Ami and sighed at the expression on her face. "Are
you alright, Ami?" she asked in a careful tone as she picked up Myst and stood
up. She made her way around the table and sat down next to her in the chair
Serena had vacated several minutes ago, gently setting the gray kitten back
down on the edge of the table.
"I.... had no idea...." Ami whispered quietly, staring at the edge of the
tablecloth. She blinked several times before she looked up at the other woman,
a look of confusion etched on her face. "Susan.... what did all that mean?"
Susan took a moment to compose her thoughts before replying. "I think it
should only be taken at face-value," she said slowly. "While he might have at
one point been interested in you in a cursory romantic sense, I believe he was
sincere about his desire to get to know you as a person and is quite satisfied
with the friendship the two of you share today. Moreover, I am in agreement
with his opinion that there are always other people who would be quite glad to
have your company at any time. I, for one, am quite grateful for your presence
in my life as a friend, just as I was grateful for your mother's friendship."
Ami looked at her for several seconds before looking down at the folds of
her dark blue gown. "I probably would have said yes," she said quietly before
sighing deeply and closing her eyes.
"What do you mean?" Susan inquired, giving her a curious look.
"If Darian had asked me out to dinner back then, I would have been quite
surprised by the question, but I probably would have said yes," Ami explained
in a subdued tone. "Of course, if I hadn't fallen in love with Tolaris when I
did, and he with me, I probably wouldn't be alive right now, and neither would
Darian and Serena. Tolaris only spared us because of his feelings for me the
night we fought again him as a Negaverse agent," she added as she looked up and
caught the startled look on Susan's face.
"Ah, I see now," the succubus replied demurely as she briefly studied the
post-dinner mess on the table. She absently made a mental estimate as to how
long it would take for her to clean it up before she switched gears and turned
her attention back to her best friend's daughter. "Ami...."
"Yes?"
Susan hesitated for a moment before she pressed on with what she was going
to say. "I can't say that I know your mother well enough to say so in this
era, but I can say with absolute confidence that the Amelia Anderson I knew was
one of the best friends I have had in my entire existence. Her friendship was
something that will always be with me, and the woman I knew absolutely loved
and adored you. Once we have returned to the present on Earth and I am able to
gather enough courage, I would like you to introduce me to her."
"What?" Ami blurted out as her head snapped up. "I mean.... is that a
good idea? I don't want her asking too many questions about what I've been
doing with my time since Serena and I first met...."
"She doesn't know?" Susan asked, blinking in surprise. "Ami, your mother
is also a member of the House of Mercury, the power can still be used by her.
In a very limited way, granted," she added, "But the same power you control can
at least in part be tapped into by her. She could be a most useful ally...."
"Are you insane?" Ami gasped as she bolted to her feet. "If she finds out
that I'm a Sailor Scout, she'll have a seizure at the mere thought of me being
involved in all the news reports she hears about us. And if she ever finds out
about Tolaris, she'll kill the both of us!"
"I think you are over-reacting," Susan replied gently. "However, I fully
understand your concerns. Rest assured I will not make any unilateral identity
revelations without consulting the rest of you. But you must stop and consider
that she is, if nothing else, a very capable physician who can help if things
end up taking a turn for the worse. There have been training accidents in the
past that have required surgery, and Sailor Scouts have more than once been
sent to various battlefields on Earth when our interests were at stake," she
warned.
Ami blinked and frowned at the thought. "Somehow, I don't see us being
drafted into the military," she said in a faintly edged tone. "Or, for that
matter, training with deadly force or weapons."
"Be that as it may, you still have to consider what sort of aid you might
require should the Negaverse military decide to make itself known once again,"
Susan said in a flat tone, causing Ami to blink. "I am only trying to plan for
various contingencies, Sailor Mercury, and one of them has to be an incident
where we as a team are forced to draw upon outside help for one reason or
another. I am not suggesting bringing your mother into the heart of everything
all at once, merely that we explore the possibility of making her aware of what
is going on in the universe and who the major players are."
Ami blinked again before sighing quietly. "I'll think about it," she said
very quietly, glancing away from the succubus. She looked back as she heard
Susan grunt unexpectedly, giving her an odd look.
"Yes, you have had a lot to think about recently, haven't you?" Susan said
quietly to herself with a silent sigh. "Ami, I didn't mean to burden you with
anything else, certainly not with something as.... I won't say trivial, but not
overly important concern. We will speak later about this, if you wish, but for
the time being, you should only concern yourself with going to bed and possibly
what you would like for breakfast in the morning."
Ami started to say something, then thought better of it and settled for
studying her intently. She watched as Susan reached out to gently run her
fingertips through Myst's fur, idly observing the kitten as she chewed on a
piece of turkey. Susan paused after several seconds and looked back at her,
her dark red eyes giving her a questioning look.
"Is there something else on your mind, Ami?" she inquired gently.
"Susan.... does anyone ever stop to ask you what weighs upon your mind,
or how well you're holding up to events?" Ami asked. "I know we've all been
through a lot in the past three days or so since we first met, and I have yet
to figure out how it has affected you, or even if it has."
A soft smile formed on Susan's lips as she leaned back in the chair. "To
be honest, few people ever ask me simply because I am viewed as having enough
knowledge, experience, and wisdom to effectively cope with most things. That
is not to say that it is not true, merely that few do indeed bother to ask me.
Your mother was one of the few who did, as did Queen Serenity. I often wonder
what it was about them that made me feel that they were true friends, and the
simple act of showing concern was one of the few answers I was able to come up
with.
"To answer your question, Ami, I have definitely had better centuries.
Consider that, temporal travel aside, it was only last week that I was living
my life in the Moon Kingdom at Queen Serenity's side. Since then, my world has
been destroyed, my life-force shattered and literally reduced to a single spark
of protected warmth, and my friends all taken from me save for the eight of
you. I have learned that my best friend's daughter has been touched by an evil
from another universe, that the Princess I have watched over since the moment
of her birth has been transformed into something from another world, and the
few people that I still know have all been changed, often painfully so, by the
events around them inherent to life. Add to that the fact that I now have two
blood-sisters to get used to as well as a few allies from the same world that
destroyed my life, and perhaps then you can both see and understand how I might
encounter a slightly difficult time keeping up with events as they continue to
unfold around me with all the grace of a pregnant camel trying to walk on the
surface of a frozen lake."
Ami blinked hard and tried to think of what to say. "How.... how do you
manage to act normal without losing your sanity?" she finally said. "I've only
been through half of that, and I still get upset if I stop and think about it
for too long."
Susan sighed and closed her eyes, lines of weariness appearing on her face
as she relaxed her guard enough to allow her emotions to clearly show. "That
is a question I have asked myself many times in my life," she replied in a soft
tone. "The only conclusion I can draw is that my emotions are limited by my
demonic side and that I am simply not capable of strong reactions. I am over
seven hundred years old, and I suppose that living for so long has granted me
a sense of perspective that allows me to retain my objectivity about events of
this magnitude. I am of course concerned about Serena's new nature, but at the
same time.... I am confident we will all learn to adequately cope and adapt.
Whether that is because of experience and optimism, or whether I am simply not
capable of emotions like love or despair.... I really don't know, Ami, nor am
I all that inclined to care one way or the other. I am what I am," she said
with a casual shrug of indifference.
Ami just stared at her for several seconds. "Susan.... what are you?"
A faint smile touched Susan's lips. "An eternal guardian, nothing more,"
she murmured very quietly. "I am here for a purpose, the true nature of which
eludes me to this very day, and once I have served my purpose my soul will be
returned to the depths of the Underworld for the rest of eternity. You should
not worry about me, Ami, I know where my path will ultimately end. I suppose
you could speculate that having such knowledge has allowed me to be able to
adapt to situations such as this one without undue hysterics or reactions."
Ami paused and gave her a disturbed look. "Susan, are you drunk?"
"Unlikely," Susan countered gently. "But I will admit to being..... it's
not quite weariness or fatigue, but more a sense of resignation. Perhaps it is
time I returned to Earth to take care of some.... personal business."
"Business or pleasure?" Ami inquired with a raised eyebrow, not entirely
sure she wanted to hear the answer to that.
"When one is a succubus, it is hard to differentiate between the two," was
the slightly sleepy and casually coy reply. "You should go to bed soon, as it
is quite late in the evening now. Take comfort in Leda's presence, as I know
how much you mean to her, and she to you. True friendships are like that."
"Right...." Ami said slowly, staring to deeply wonder about Susan's mental
condition at the moment. She cast a sidelong glance at her computer and made
a face, not really looking forward to having to take it apart to replace the
damaged chip in the morning. "Well, sleep well, if you go to sleep, and I'll
see you in the morning. Night, Myst," she added as she got up from the chair
and turned around.
"Good night," Myst said quietly, watching her leave. She changed the
nature of her eyes again to allow her to see auras, studying the corona of dark
blue surrounding the departing woman. She then turned her attention to Susan,
a slight frown tugging on what passed for her lips as she noticed that Susan's
normally dark green aura had both faded in intensity and brightned in color.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked in a guarded tone.
"I have a slight headache," Susan allowed, her eyes still closed as she
leaned back in the chair. "I forgot that champange tended to give my demonic
side a fit until it was processed. Strange, my memory usually doesn't fail me
like that," she murmured. "No matter, I will be returning to Earth in an hour
or two to go hunting. Would you be interested in coming with me?"
"We'll see," Myst replied in a neutral tone, wondering if the humans were
really all that strange compared to the change in Susan's behavior.
"Yes, we will see, won't we?" the green-haired woman muttered quietly as
she briefly slid into a shallow sleep, aided by both the intoxicating effects
of the champange and the deep weariness in her soul that came with knowing just
what the future held and not being able to do anything about it.
* * * *
EPILOGUE
"Major?" the wall speaker crackled quietly, causing her to lift her head
up in mild annoyance. "Would you come up to the flight deck, please?"
She sighed quietly and cast a disgruntled look at the technician sitting
next to her. "This had better be good," she growled quietly before she reached
out to touch the panel at her elbow. "I'm on my way," she said in a neutral
tone before flicking the channel closed.
The tech shrugged with indifference. "Just look at it as more testing on
your suit's mobility," he suggested, deliberately trying not to stare at the
way the experimental material clung to her body like so much black paint.
"Right," she grunted quietly as she stood up and stretched. The suit was
a new prototype, designed to allow atmospheric re-entry from orbit without the
need for heavy external machinery. Barely a quarter-inch thick, the material
was applied in a liquid form and allowed to solidify, which tended to highlight
the body in a very eye-pleasing fashion. At least to those who found the nude
female figure to be pleasing.
She sighed as she made her way up the narrow hallway towards the aircraft
cockpit, the added material on her feet dampening the sound of her footsteps.
A pair of slight ridges were visible along her arms, almost like a seam of a
rubber suit, that led to a series of very thin cylindrical bulges evenly spaced
along her upper arms. Four prominent vertical ridges marred the smooth expanse
of the suit on her back, and her face was framed by a raised ring of the new
material. She was completely encased in the black material save for her face,
and the suit was so form-fitting that one could not only tell where and how
deep her navel was but could also, if one looked closely enough, see the nearly
invisible stretch marks that came from becoming a mother so long ago.
The cockpit door hissed open as she approached, allowing her access to
what passed for the flight deck on the cargo transport. The navigator cast a
quarter-second glance over his shoulder to make sure it was her and not someone
else before returning his full attention to his panel.
"Gentlemen," she said calmly, trying not to let her irritation show at the
delay. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Major Corona," the pilot said softly by way of acknowledgement without
turning around or taking his eyes off his display. "We are being put into a
holding pattern while an SMT transits the mountain corridor," he explained.
"Ground control has informed me that this is a priority-one event, and that a
five-mile exclusion zone is in place around it, so we can't transit the pass
along side it. They assure me that this is only a delay and not a scrub."
Corona grunted quietly, more out of annoyance at her former military rank
being used rather than the delay. She had reached the rank while working in
the Research and Development field, retiring after being fed up with all of the
political nonsense and paperwork associated with the job. She was technically
a civilian now, but the military personnel she worked with who knew of her
background still tended to call her Major.
"This doesn't have anything to do with the Imperial Castle being nuked,
does it?" she inquired in a guarded tone. The blast happened barely more than
an hour ago, and the world was still in a collective state of shock. The only
reason R&D allowed her to proceed with her testing mission was because of the
narrow window available to get her up into a low orbit while the gravitational
plot for the three moons was still valid.
Of course, she thought to herself, a lot of people are going to be real
edgy about another missile being launched on a polar orbit. Let's just hope
someone tells them that this one will be going up, but the only thing coming
back down will be my ptanka doing a drop-test from three hundred miles out. Of
course, if this suit fails like the last one did, I might have to reconsider
this line of work. Assuming I survive another so-called landing to have my
supervisor file all the required paperwork....
"I'm not sure, ma'am, but considering that this SMT was supposed to have
been parked in front of the Castle about five minutes before all Chaos broke
loose...." the pilot said in a hushed tone. "Nobody said anything to me, and
I haven't asked yet, but I'm guessing that the exclusion zone around it is
because of radiation concerns."
Corona blinked at that one. "Radiation? This far north?"
"We're almost inside the demarcation line," the navigator warned.
"I know," the pilot replied quietly. "I just want to get a good look at
it for myself. It's not often you see one of those things flying, you know.
Major, I'm going to be doing a slow turn to port in a few seconds, that should
put him off our tail for a few. You might want to go back to the dome to see
this for yourself."
"Thanks," she muttered as she turned around and left the cockpit, trying
not to think about just how large her backside was and how she was giving them
a prime view of it at the moment. She made her way back down the corridor and
past the technician, heading towards the transparent-steel enclosure that was
the viewing dome in the tail section.
Had she not long ago gotten used to the experience, she might have had a
major anxiety attack once she stepped into the special room and appeared to be
falling out of the aircraft. The floor and walls were perfectly transparent
all around, giving the impression of being trapped in a bubble glued to the end
of a cargo transport. Sighing quietly, she sat down to steady herself and
waited for the promised turn to start.
The wait was a very short one as her senses suddenly began to whisper an
uneasy warning, her sense of balance tipping to one side despite the lack of
apparent change in her viewpoint. The distant landscape below started to move
as well, slowly sliding off to one side as the thin clouds changed angle. It
seemed to be nothing more than a routine banking of the aircraft before she
glanced down through the "floor" and saw what the pilot was talking about.
Her jaw sagged open as she saw the size of the thing, easily four times
the size of a sea-going aircraft carrier. Six great engine shrouds arched out
from the tail end and glowed white-hot with plasma exhaust. The air directly
beneath the SMT, a category of the heaviest of cruisers known as Super-Massive
Transports, was another shimmering curtain of plasma from the array of heavy
thrusters keeping it aloft.
Her hand was trembling just slightly with awe as she reached up to pass
her hand over her face, triggering the sealing process of her suit. The coil
of material ringing her face started to unfurl and melt together into an oval
faceplace. When it was done, the mask was perfectly smooth and featureless,
save for a narrow band over her eyes that was precisely half a shade lighter
than the rest of the material.
<Corona to Mission Control,> she said, activating the implant in the base
of her throat that could transmit sub-vocal sound without requiring her to use
anything more than a faint whisper. The visor-band seemed to flicker slightly
with each syllable, an unexpected side-effect that R&D was still trying to
figure out how and why it happened when she talked with the mask in place.
<Go ahead,> the tiny speaker device implanted in her ear replied.
<There's an SMT entering the mountain pass,> she reported, still staring
in awe at the impossibly huge airborne cruiser in the distance. It was almost
directly "in front" of her now as the aircraft continued looping around in a
circular holding pattern. <That has to be the biggest p'tai I've ever seen,
and I've seen a lot of airborne transports. Which one is it?>
<Stand by,> the voice instructed before falling silent for a moment. She
continued to study the SMT as it slowly slid off to the right of her field of
view, still plodding along towards the river-valley that provided a relatively
safe channel for low-level aircraft to traverse the high peaks and ridges of
the Northern Mountain region of the Negaverse.
<Transponder reads DCX-Zero, which Air Traffic Control West tells us was
assigned to the Dragoon Headquarters Complex itself some five thousand years
ago,> the voice explained with a hint of awe.
<They moved their entire base?> Corona said in shock. <Ay'cha navidshi,
no wonder it's so huge. You're getting satellite pictures of this, right?>
<Are you kidding? There must be seven birds watching that thing now,> the
voice replied. <You still want to proceed with the mission?>
<Please,> Corona scoffed, leaning forward and pressing her hands against
the transparent-steel frame to try to keep the SMT in her sight. Her movement
only bought her an extra few seconds of viewing time before it slid out of
sight, causing her to unconsciously sigh quietly. <I didn't let them paint me
another suit just so I could give the R&D staff something to do. Unless there
is a new development, I'm going up.>
<Copy,> the voice said. <We'll keep you posted and have a nice overhead
image of our Dragoon brethren's idea of a flying fortress printed out for you
when you return safely. We'll contact you once you reach the launch site.
Mission Control out.>
Corona sighed and reached up to touch her faceplace, twisting it slightly
in one direction before rotating it in the other. The material promply split
into six panels that rolled up on itself and reformed into a ring that neatly
framed her face. She inhaled deeply for a moment, suddenly realizing that she
hadn't bothered to switch on the suit's internal air supply.
Bah, she thought with a mental grunt as she glanced down at the slender
tanks of pure liquid oxygen surrounding her upper arms. Save it for when I
really need it, like during re-entry.... She knew that if the tanks failed or
ran out, or if her suit came apart around her like the last time, the implant
in her abdomen would be able to recycle the carbon dioxide in her bloodstream
to prevent asphyxiation from taking hold long enough for her to descend into
the breathable portion of the atmosphere. Of course, she'd have to spend the
next two weeks in medical stasis to recover, but as the R&D saying goes, any
test that you manage to survive isn't a complete failure....
"I don't envy you guys," she said aloud to the empty air, still seeing the
airborne Dragoon Headquarters Complex in her mind's-eye. "I know what dangers
I'm going to be facing in a few hours. But the dangers you poor bastards are
probably going to face soon.... Don't know where you're going or why you're
heading into the mountains, but all I can say is I'm glad I'm not part of the
military right about now. Best of luck to you."
Major (retired) Corona, Special Agent for Research and Development (Field
Operations) came to attention and offered a salute to the empty pale purple
atmosphere for several seconds, both to those who served as she once served and
to those who dared to venture into the unknown as she now does, before lowering
her arm to her side. Shaking her head in amazement, she turned around and left
the observation dome, her mind already turning to what challenges the immediate
future offered and wondering not for the first time if she was up to them.
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