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