Sailor Moon - Warriors of Ether
Part 4
Dominique trudged up the stairs towards the temple, behind her Namoyi
followed in a lighter mood. While this trip was for Namoyi, Dominique had
suggested the destination.
The Cherry Hill Temple was a beautiful sight, like many of the
temples
in Tokyo. It had been the first place Dominique had thought of when
Namoyi had openly despaired of finding a scene to paint for her art
class. She had visited the temple four years ago. Even then the quiet
girl had been fascinated in religions. She'd met the young Miko Raye
then, Dominique hadn't much liked the bossy girl, but looking upon the
temple again she wondered about her.
"This place is perfect!" Namoyi announced beside her. "It's so
peaceful
and quiet. Almost," she paused, looking for the word.
"Serene," Dominique supplied, a quiet smile on her face.
"Yeah, that's it. No indication that, just beyond the trees, lies
a
bustling city!"
"CHAD!!!" the scream shattered the illusion. Moments later a young
man
in priests robes sprinted into view. He was immediately followed by a
young woman in similar robes, wielding a broom in a hostile fashion. "I
TOLD YOU, NO MORE SINGING!!!" The pair watching them sweatdropped.
"So much for serenity," Namoyi commented as the fighting pair
vanished
around the corner of the building.
"Yeah," Dominique agreed.
The temple yard was deserted so it wasn't long before the old
temple
priest approached them. "Ah, what can I do for a beautiful pair of girls
like you? I doubt you want a charm to attract boys, maybe luck with your
exams?"
Dominique rolled her eyes and turned to look away, leaving Namoyi
to
deal with the old man. While they talked she watched a couple pass
through the gate. She noted that the woman's hair was an unusual shade of
green. Her companion at first glance appeared to be a man, certainly in
the way the pair held each other, but after watching them Dominique
realised he was actually just a masculine looking woman. She looked away
from them concluding that life was strange.
By the time Namoyi was finished with the priest, the young man -
Chad,
if the she remembered right - had come out to start sweeping the yard.
Dominique turned back to Namoyi.
"I'm surprised you didn't know about this place," the quiet girl
commented.
"Why?"
"Its has had more Sailor sightings than almost anywhere else in
Juuban,"
Dominique replied in her soft voice.
"You're kidding!" Namoyi accused.
*****
Serena found herself standing on a empty plain that stretched till
it
met the star filled sky. The stars were strange, they just sat in the
sky, not twinkling at all. No sounds or smells reached her, she was alone
on the plain, and yet she felt a presence. Behind her. She spun around to
face it.
Looming over her like a monster ready to pounce, its towers
stretching
into the sky, the castle filled both the sky and Serena with dread. The
gates welcomed her like maw of a hungry creature.
"Mercury Bubbles Blast!"
Amy's voice echoed from the castle, coming as a shock in the
absolute
silence. Serena dashed towards the gates, expecting the teeth-like
portcullis to slam down on her as she passed under it.
The air in the courtyard was damp and chilled, the wisps of fog
still
hanging in the air. Water dripped down the wall and from the gutters. A
light frost covered the two bodies lying on the ground.
As she approached the bodies she immediately recognised one as
Amy. Not
Sailor Mercury, but Amy. She lay unmoving, the picture of blissful sleep,
except for the white-blue tinge to her skin. No breath misted from her
mouth and her chest did not rise.
The other girl lay face down, as unmoving as Serena's friend. She
wore a
light cloak of blues and somehow looked familiar. Serena reached down to
turn the body.
"Mars Fire Ignite!" Raye's voice echoed through the castle.
Urgency
gripped Serena, she had to get to her friend.
She hurried towards the keep's doors, passing through them
effortlessly.
The cold clammy air gave way to stifling heat. The dark star lit
courtyard became a grand entry hall. Candles lined the room, flames
dancing, and a fire crackled away in a fireplace. The stench of charred
meat filled wafted over her.
Again she spied a pair of bodies lying upon the rug nearby, the
source
of the smell. One body was burnt beyond recognition. the other wore a set
of charred priestess' robes.
Serena knelt next to Raye. Her face, a mess of burns, was twisted
in
terror. The clothes she wore had been seared onto her body. Nausea
overwhelmed Serena, forcing her to look away.
"Jupiter Thunder Crash!" Once more the voice of a friend spurred
Serena
into action. She quickly moved up the stairs and out a set of french
doors.
The smell of scorched flesh was replaced by the slightly less
nauseous
scent of smoke as she rushed through the blasted scenery that had once
been a forested garden. Trees lay split and charred as if struck from
above.
She found Lita in a gade. As she approached she saw a shadow stand
from
examining the body and dash away. Her friend, the Sailor Scout of
thunder, lay, arms and legs bent, muscles clenched, still smouldering. As
Serena stood over her friend pins and needles ran across her skin. She
realised that the air was literally alive with electricity.
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" Fear surged through Serena at the
sound of
her final friend's voice. Once more she hurried onwards.
A shadow darted away as she entered. Mina was lying in a room full
of
shattered art. Statues and painting had once graced the room, but now
they lay shattered, holes blasted through them. The fight had ruined the
unusual pieces. It had also finished her last friend. A hole, cauterised
by the beam, had been cut directly through her chest, right where her
heart had been.
Serena didn't stop, couldn't stop. She hurried on, towards
whatever goal
her friends had died a second time for. She found herself running along a
stone corridor. The air was cold, but dry, the walls dark and lifeless.
The large chamber opened before her. In the centre, between two
glowing
discs stood Astra and the Moon Princess. In Astra's outstretched arms was
a glowing staff, The Moon Princess held the silver crystal before her,
it's light brightening he room.
"Cosmic Moon Power!" the Moon Princess yelled.
"Astral Power Supreme!" Astra yelled at the same moment.
A blinding light overtook the two.
Serena turned and ran. Down the corridor, past the broken statues,
through the garden, along the entry hall, across the courtyard and out
the gates. She whirled around to watch as the castle exploded, rending
open the starry sky.
The hoards of heaven and hell descended towards her.
*****
Serena's scream woke the whole house. Her parents rushed to find
her
sitting up in bed, wild eyed and hyperventilating. Sammy stood at the
door watching as they soothed her. The teenage girl held onto her cat,
gently rocking and crying.
After a while Serena calmed down, and with assurances that they
were
just down the hall, her parents left. Luna waited until they were gone
before speaking.
"Why couldn't you tell you parents about the dream?" Luna asked,
Serena shivered in the darkness. "It was about the scouts. They
were all
dead, horribly dead. We failed," her voice was no more than a hoarse
whisper.
Luna regarded her charge seriously. "Are you sure you weren't just
having a nightmare about Queen Beryl?"
"No. There were two others dead, and I think another two I didn't
quite
see. Astra was there, she and I were doing something momentous. We
failed, and those *things* invaded." Serena started to sniffle.
"It was probably just a nightmare, but we'll get Raye to do a fire
reading tomorrow morning," Luna assured her, 'And I'll keep watch on you
tonight,' she added silently.
*****
Namoyi turned up at the Cherry Hill Temple early the next
morning. She
set up her easel and paints then stood contemplating her subject.
Again the temple area was deserted. Leaving Namoyi peace to work.
She
never noticed the tired form of Serena slink across the yard with a black
cat in tow.
Raye was surprised and shocked to see Serena. Normally the loud-
mouthed
cry-baby wouldn't be seen up that early, that surprised Raye. She was
shocked by the way Serena looked.
The normally energetic girl looked like the walking dead. Her eyes
were
sunk into black pits and she listed to one side as she stumbled up to
Raye.
"Hi, Raye," Serena groaned. "Can we go inside?"
"Uh, sure," Raye stuttered as Serena staggered past her. She
looked down
at the moon cat, but didn't ask the question.
Luna answered it anyway. "She had a nightmare and couldn't get
back to
sleep," Luna shook her head. "It scared her Raye. I was hoping you could
do a fire reading and find out something."
"She thinks it was prophetic?" Raye inquired, glancing into the
temple
after Serena.
Luna nodded. "It featured Astra and her doing something together,
and
all of you dead. She thinks we're going to loose this fight."
Raye turned to look into the temple for a few seconds. "Okay, I'll
go
get ready. You find where Serena's wandered off to."
*****
Aki and Fujiko looked at the backpack. It was the cumulation of
weeks of
work on his part and years of theorising on her's. The pair had, if
Fujiko wasn't a first class loon, invented a device which could detect
and analyse the emanations of the Sailor Scouts and the monsters they
regularly fought,
Of course if you asked anyone who knew Fujiko, they would probably
tell
you she was a first class loon. To be fair to the girl, she was a genius,
and she wouldn't be the first intellectual to be laughed at.
Unfortunately her personal grooming habits and a number of bad
experiments had left her looking like the stereotypical mad scientist.
It was a testament to her persuasive skills that she had managed
to
convince Aki to join her little experiment. Or maybe love really is
blind.
"We'll need to field test it," Fujiko announced, looking at the
Quantum
Reality Field Scanner.
Aki smiled cunningly. "I know the perfect place," he pulled out a
map of
Juuban, then pointed to a spot on it, "its had the most sightings,
including one of those beams of light."
Fujiko looked the name of the place under his finger. "Yes,
perfect,"
she agreed. "Absolutely perfect." She threw back her head, laughing a
laugh that would have put villains to shame..
Aki gave her a strange look.
*****
The Pigeon's Nest was almost empty. The restaurant was closed
until
mid-afternoon and usually Katsuko would be fast asleep resting for a busy
night's work. Unfortunately once every couple of weeks she needed to come
in to check the stocks of the various liquors.
The sudden knocking from the front door disturbed her inventory.
Cranky
from lack of sleep she decided to ignore whoever it was and continue with
her work.
Shortly the sound of the door being unlocked carried over bar.
"Sorry,
we're closed." Koan, the Pigeon's Nests owner, had answered the door.
Katsuko could recognise his voice anywhere, the pair had been friends for
a long time.
"I know, I'm looking for a Miss Chino," the woman's voice was soft
and
gentle. There was an apologetic turn to it.
"Oh, right, come with me." Katsuko cursed silently as she heard
Koan's
heavy footsteps approaching. She surfaced from behind the bar as the pair
entered.
Koan was a large man. He had gotten into the restaurant business
because
he loved fine food and this was obvious from his girth. The Pigeon's Nest
was a success largely because of him. His friendly outgoing personality
infected the rest of the staff, making the place a nice cozy place.
The young woman next to him had a quiet beauty about her and wore
a
friendly smile. When she first saw her Katsuko's first thought was:
'housewife.'
"Katsuko, you have a visitor," Koan told her.
Katsuko nodded. "I heard. Thank you, Koan." She turned to the
woman.
"What can I do for you?"
"I received a letter from a solicitor who had been asked to hold
it for
my late mother. It directed me to find you and give you this." The young
woman handed Katsuko a neatly folded piece of paper.
Katsuko opened the letter.
"Lady Chino," the letter started, "I write this letter because I
know
that I shall soon die. As you directed I have not told my husband what we
discussed and my daughters are still too young for any to understand the
import of it. My solicitor has directed to release this letter only to my
eldest some years from now.
"Hopefully my children will be ready for you by then. I plead with
you
to be patient with them, for I have taught them nothing of our family and
our heritage. It has been long since we met, and I wish you luck in the
life destiny has set you."
Katsuko frowned as she glanced at the signature. She didn't
recognise
the name, and certainly couldn't remember any Tendo's in the family tree.
Then an old memory surfaced.
"You're father wouldn't happed to be called Soun Tendo would he?"
Katsuko asked the woman waiting patiently before her.
"Yes, he is," the girl replied simply.
"Ah, then I think I know what this is about. Your mother was a
distant
cousin of mine, obviously there was some family obligations your mother
left unfulfilled, but I'll need to go over my records to discover what.
Unfortunately I have business that will keep me in Juuban for sometime,
so this will have to wait," Katsuko explained.
"I'm sure that, whatever it is, it can wait. Please come visit us
when
you're ready," Kasumi suggested. Katsuko wrote down the Tendo dojo's
address as Kasumi gave it to her.
"Do you have a brother?" Kasumi asked, a touch of worry in her
voice.
Katsuko blinked at the unexpected question. "No," she replied. "I
had a
little sister, but no brothers."
"Oh good, it won't be an engagement then, we have enough of them
as it
is," Kasumi said in her happy voice.
Katsuko stared at her for a few seconds, then decided it wasn't
any of
her business, yet. "Okay, I'll see you in a few months," she said, coming
out from behind the bar to escort Kasumi to the door.
Leaning against the door Katsuko shook her head. "I can't believe
I
forgot something that important," she muttered.
*****
Raye sat before the fire, trying again to see something, anything
other
than... "that blasted castle again!" Raye exclaimed.
"Just like the one in my dream," Serena commented again. Raye's
original
description had been so vivid that Serena had immediately made the
connection.
"Apparently it looms important in our future," Raye said. "Perhaps
we
should call the others and talk about this, see if anyone else is having
dreams."
"We're all gonna die!" wailed Serena.
"No we are not!" declared Luna. "This is probably like what Darien
went
through, the enemy trying to disturb us. It's a dream, nothing more."
Raye frowned, doubting her.
Outside the temple Namoyi was painting energetically so she didn't
notice Aki and Fujiko arrive. Aki was carrying the Scanner backpack and
holding the small monitor in his left hand. Being an observant scientist
he immediately spotted his friend. It wasn't hard, the only other people
were a couple wandering around admiring the temple.
Fujiko rolled her eyes as Aki made a beeline towards the painter.
She
hurried over to see what he was doing. The pair of mad scientists stared
at the half done painting for a few seconds.
"Ah, Namoyi," Aki started.
Namoyi didn't look up. "Hmm? Oh hi Aki," Namoyi greeted in a
distracted
voice.
"You know that looks nothing like the temple," Aki commented.
"What?" Namoyi jumped in shock. She looked at the canvas. "What?"
she
repeated in disbelief.
"And they call me crazy," Fujiko commented.
Namoyi continued to stare at canvas. "Why did I paint that blasted
castle again?!" she demanded. Before anyone could come up with an answer
all hell broke loose.
A pair of large devils stormed out of the trees, their wings
raised
intimidatingly behind them, charging towards the couple Aki had noticed
earlier. The young couple, the same two that Namoyi and Dominique had
seem the previous day responded in the last way anyone would have
expected. They transformed.
The two angels easily dodged the clumsy attack, striking the
devils'
backs with their staves and sending the two devils smashing into the side
of the temple. As the devils emerged from the inside of the temple the
two angles lowered pointed their staves and fired off beams of light,
narrowly missing their enemy.
Aki, Fujiko and Namoyi stood stunned at the turn of events. When
the
devils prepared to return fire, Aki was the first to act. He grabbed the
arms of the two girls. "Let's get out of here!" he yelled.
Both girls ran, startled out of their shock, joined him in dashing
away.
Just in time to be missed by devils' beams as they incinerated the easel.
"My painting!" wailed Namoyi, as they collectively jumped down the
stairs.
"Tell me that things on!" demanded Fujiko.
"It's on, it's on!" replied Aki, glancing at the flashing device
in his
hand. As soon as they felt safe the two scientists skidded to a stop and
started taking reading with the device.
Back in the temple grounds the fight continued. Angles fired at
the
devils, tearing holes in the ground as they missed. Devils fired back,
sending bright scarlet rays soaring into the air. Neither group could
touch the other, resulting in much collateral damage
Serena, Raye and Luna, alerted by the commotion had summoned the
other
Sailor Scouts before the girls transformed. They had stopped to watch the
battle, trying to decide what to do.
"We have to stop them!" Sailor Moon declared, surprising her
friend.
"Sailor Moon, they could easily destroy us, especially if they
join
forces against us," Mars argued.
"They'll destroy the temple if we don't!" Sailor Moon replied. She
quickly decided that she could rely on them staying still enough for the
sceptre, so plucked the tiara from her head. "Moon Tiara Magic!" The
small disc struck the devils just as the angles fired off a volley. The
angels' blasts slammed into the distracted devils, sending them reeling.
Sailor Moon's Tiara then looped around and buzzed through both Angles'
wings, dropping them to the ground.
The four monsters turn to the pair of Sailor Scouts. The battered
devils
and the Angles with tattered wings glared menacingly at the pair standing
just inside the temple.
"Sailor Moon, I think you've made them angry," Sailor Mars said,
eying
the four warily.
Glows developed around the staves of the angles and the hands of
the
devils. They stalked towards the two scouts, murder in their eyes. All
four snarled as one and released there energy bolts. Sailor Moon
screamed.
A flash of red light and the energy exploded in their faces,
sending the
four supernaturals reeling back. Everyone looked off to one side to
find...
"Tuxedo Mask!" Sailor Moon cried happily.
"And the Sailor Scouts!" chorused a trio of voices from the temple
gates. Standing there in their introduction poses were Mercury, Jupiter
and Venus.
The four monsters turned and separately charge the three groups.
The six
heroes leapt into combat.
Sailor Jupiter landed before one of the large devils. He
immediately
swung at her. She grabbed its arm as it flew past her and pulled,
throwing the monster, crashing to the ground.
One of the angle's dove forward, reaching out with a clawed hand
to grab
Sailor Moon. She gave one of her characteristic wails and scampered away.
The angel gave chase, only to have a volley of roses bury themselves in
its back.
Sailor Mars was taunting the second angle, dodging its enraged
attacks.
As the creature stabbed forward with its staff she grabbed he weapon,
pulled and shoved down, causing it to strike the ground, sending the
angle vaulting over her. The angle grinned and stretched out its claws as
it saw it was heading straight for another scout. Mercury's smile was the
last thing it saw. "Mercury Icestorm Blast!" was the last thing it heard.
Sailor Venus had been sparring with the second devil, but was
distracted
by the sound of shattering ice. Her opponent, taking advantage of her
inattention, slammed a glowing fist into her gut.
Out of the corner of her eye Jupiter saw Venus take the punch and
fly
backwards before crashing into a tree, She slumped to the ground, head
rolling forward. Mercury dashed over to her, kneeling and pulling out her
computer. Sailor Mars, wielding the angle's staff, jumped forward to
attack the devil.
"Scout's pull out and regroup," Jupiter ordered, leaping away from
the
devil. Strangely as the four remaining scouts and Tuxedo Mask formed a
line on one side of the yard, the devils and remaining angle formed up
across from them.
Mars blinked. "Are these things stupid?" she asked, stunned. The
answer
became evident as a third devil burst from the trees behind them.
The scouts were sent sprawling as the largest devil they'd ever
seen
smashed past trough them. There was a startled screech as the angle was
pummeled into the ground.
The three devils walked over to the dazed scouts, grinning. They
loomed
over the girls, laughing,
"Lucifer orders you dead," hissed one of the smaller devils.
"Then Lucifer's will will not be done," a voice cried. Everyone
turned
to find, standing atop the temple gates, a girl wrapped in a red and
orange skintight uniform. Her face was masked by a cowl that swept down
into a cape that fluttered in the breeze. "Born of Nature and Light,
guiding the spirits to fight the dark, I am Phasma, Warrior of Ether."
Sailor Venus climbed weakly to her feet. "Guys, we need to find
her
tailor," she said weakly.
Phasma crossed her arms before her, then raised them above her
head. A
large bird formed above her. "Phasmic Falcon Fly!" she yelled, bringing
her arms down and apart. The large bird of light swept down to strike the
devils. An explosion sent the three tumbling to land in a stunned pile.
"Now Sailor Moon!" Phasma cried.
"Right," Sailor Moon answered, leaping to her feet. "Moon Sceptre
Elimination!" she cried, waving the moon sceptre before her. The crescent
of energy swept towards the pile of devils. "Moon dusted!" Sailor Moon
exclaimed happily as the devils vanished.
Mercury returned to Sailor Venus' side. "You should't be moving,
you
might have broken ribs," she fussed.
Sailor Venus leaned against a tree and gently touched her side. "I
think
that's a definite possibility," she groaned.
"Phasma's done the disappearing act," Tuxedo Mask commented,
looking
around.
"Great," Mars said sarcastically. "They never hang around to
explain
things do they?"
"Who don't?" Astra inquired, landing lightly beside her. "And what
happened here?"
"Oh, not much, we almost got ourselves pasted by a half dozen
angles and
devils. In fact the only reason we're standing here is because your
friend Phasma has better timing than you!" Sailor Mars raged.
Astra's dark filled hood gazed at her for a few seconds. "Phasma
you
say?"
Mercury's computer beeped in her hand and the Sailor Scout frowned
at
the reading. "I was right, two broken ribs and lots of bruising," she
told Venus.
"Perhaps I can help," Astra suggested, sweeping over to the pair.
"I was
too late to aid your battle, but I can aid you in recovery."
Mercury levelled her gaze on the girl. "And what do you plan to
do?"
Astra didn't answer, instead she held up her hand, palm pointed
towards
Venus. She started chanting softly in a language none of the others
recognised. A glowing sphere developed before her hand, which she slowly
pushed into Sailor Venus' side. Mercury watched closely as Venus tensed
and gasped, then relaxed.
The glow faded and Mercury quickly scanned her friend. As she did
Astra
leaned heavily against the tree Venus was propped against. For a brief
moment Venus could have sworn that she could see the outline of a face
within the darkness of Astra's hood.
"She's fixed your ribs," Mercury announced in awe. "That's
incredible."
"And difficult," Astra added. "I would prefer you relied on not
being
wounded than my healing."
"You feel up to answering some questions?" Jupiter asked, walking
over.
"I suppose you deserve them now that the war has truly started,
but not
here or now. The authorities will soon arrive and none of us wish to
answer their questions," Astra turned her gaze to Sailor Moon. "I will
meet you tonight at twelve at the old church, if that is alright with
you. There I will tell you the story of the war we fight."
*****
The Scouts and Tuxedo Mask met outside the church. The place had
always
been avoided by the locals. Not only was it private property, but the
place was spooky. It was said that strange lights could often be seen
moving about inside, despite the fact that it was uninhabited.
"I did some research at the city records." Mercury told the
others.
"This church is currently the property of a Lawson family estate, an
American family, I couldn't find anything interesting on them. However a
little over a year ago they purchased it from the estate of one Maxfield
Stanton."
"MAXFIELD STANTON?!" Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars chorused in
surprised.
Mercury nodded. "Apparently this is where Nephlyte had his base of
operations."
"I hope Astra knows what she's doing," Jupiter commented.
"I'm sure she does," Tuxedo Mask said, smiling. "I think we should
go
inside, its past ten."
"Perfect place for a trap," Venus noted as they walked up to the
church.
The doors swung open as they approached, revealing the dark
interior.
Swapping glances the Scouts cautiously walked through the doors. A globe
of slowly spinning stars dominated the main room, before which stood
Astra, gazing towards them.
"Greetings, Sailor Scouts," she boomed, "welcome, enter."
The group marched forward to stand before her, but before they
could say
a word she held up her hand to silence them.
"You came here for truths, and truths you will get, but first we
should
divest ourselves of our greatest deceit," she announced.
Venus leaned over to Jupiter. "What's she talking about?" she
whispered.
Jupiter shrugged.
Astra raised her right hand to her breast and closed it as if
holding
something. She stood still for a moment, the her robes started moving.
The grey cloth became like water and flowed across her body into her
enclosed hand.
Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury and Tuxedo Mask
gasped in shock.