Well, time to introduce another character to the cast.
Anyway, since you're probably wondering what Lavender
and Apollo's jobs are , take a peek at the Alternities series
that will come out in awhile. All of them will include in their 
prologue Lavender,Apollo and other mysterious denizens 
of the shadowy world where they live in and give you an 
idea of what their job is.

Disclaimer:
All SM characters owned by Naoko Takeuchi.
Lavender, Carlyle, Apollo and other originals 
are mine. If you wanna use them ask permission
first.

C&C and MSTs are encouraged and wanted !

Heck, If it weren't illegal I'd pay for an MST ! ~_^      

Thanks to D.B. Sommer for introducing the concept of Queen Pandemonium
and her Obsidian Tokyo in Shampoo 1/2 Chapter 14 and letting me use The
Seer. 

-----------------------------------------

Lavender # 5: A Path Not Taken

-----------------------------------------

Philosophers say that a person has equally the same capability to do good as to
do evil. That for every good act that person could perform there is an equally vile
act that the person could perform. 

For example, if a doctor can heal with his skill in medicine a doctor can also kill
with this skill. 

Take that principle and take someone who could possibly heal the world and create
a Utopia and you have the basic premise of the place that stands at the place where
Tokyo used to stand. 

All around destruction could be seen. Lands blasted by magical energies beyond
comprehension surrounded the twenty mile-wide structure at it's center. The black
clouds made it as dark as night and occasionally lighting would flash, highlighting 
the obsidian towers that comprised the structure with their eery light.

This is the center of a world gone to hell.

The capital of the most bloodthirsty,merciless and cruel empire in the galaxy.

This is Obsidian Tokyo.     

At it's very center was a tower, ebony black , constructed of obsidian. It was 
the highest of all the structures in the city, as it reared in defiance against the
heavens. It was like a gigantic insult, thrown straight at the Almighty, challenging 
Him to destroy it.

This is the heart of the darkness. 

The festering seed of evil on the face of Earth.

Here ruled the most cruel tyrant that Earth has ever known.

Here Usagi Tsukino rules with an iron fist upon her throne of skulls.

But no one knew her by Usagi Tsukino anymore. That name was gone a long
time ago and you would not see a trace of the old Usagi on the face of the
cold-hearted despot on the throne. The last one who had called her Usagi was
fed to the unholy abominations who lived in the Abyss,beneath the Obsidian 
Tower, millenia ago. No, this was not Usagi Tsukino. The entire universe knew
her only by one name.

Pandemonium.                                 

The one bearing that title sat upon her throne inside the tower. She wore black
revealing robes, showing off her sexy figure as she sat one leg crossed over the
other, a haughty expression on her face. Her throne was ivory white and was 
made from skulls, each bleached white and bound together by tendons of preserved 
muscle.

Her attention was currently on the form before her.

It was could be best described as something akin to a small troll. But closer inspection
would reveal it to be human, only that this was one who showed signs of great age. The
frail exterior showed signs of torture and hunger but the light in the old one's eyes still 
burned bright.

' Well, Lo Shen, do you really still insist on fighting ?' said Pandemonium , venom lacing 
her voice. ' In a few months your Amazons will be finished. Your people have put up a good 
fight for a few millenia , but our little game has finally bored me. Surrender and maybe I'll 
let your people live.' 

' And what ? Become your mindless slaves, evil one ? We will fight. We have fought for
two thousand years and we will fight for far longer until we see you and your abominations
dead !' spat Lo Shen. She seemed to be straining against invisible bonds, trying to reach
the Queen.

' Ah, such bravado in one so young. Did you think that you were old enough and skilled
enough to challenge me ? You are one thousand years too early, Amazon !' Pandemonium 
said contemptuosly following her remark with a maniacal laugh. Lightning crackled and 
the thunder rumbled, the shadows framing the Queen of Earth in their darkness. ' For
your decision, I think it would be nice for you to see the destruction of your Amazons as         
Mars flays their flesh while they still breathe ! Guards, return her to her cell.'

Creatures clearly constructed of obsidian moved to fullfill their Queen's bidding.

Lo shen trembled in anger. She knew that there was no chance, but better to die on your
feet than live on your knees, Great Grandmother Xian Pu would say. She had one last 
chance to spite Pandemonium, she knew that the next time she left her prison she would 
be dead. 

' I curse you Pandemonium of Obsidian Tokyo ! I curse you in the name of my ancestors !  
May their spirits hear me and bring you your doom, Queen of Death !'  Lo shen screamed 
in fury as she was dragged away, letting her aura flare as she broke free from the invisible
bonds holding her and leaped for the Queen. 

A coruscating beam of black energy blasted from where the Queen sat and smashed into
the Amazon elder, sending her flying to the far wall. She was still breathing, though weakly 
as she slid from wall to the floor. 

' Impressive light show, young one. But not enough.' Pandemonium smiled haughtily at the
still figure as it was carried by the two obsidian servitors. ' You are lucky I'm easily flattered.
I let you live because you called me Queen of Death.I kind of like that title. Now back to   
your little rathole, you wrinkled prune.' she said as she waved the servitors away and they 
vanished into the shadows.       

Pandemonium relaxed on her throne. The feel of cold bone soothed her skin through the thin
cloth. ' Mmmmmm....'

' Your majesty , the expedition has returned.' A cold and silent voice said, coming from one
of the corners encompassed by the shadows. A flash of lighting and one could momentarily 
see the black robes that melded so easily into the darkness. 

' Tell the leaders to report here immediately.' 

' They're already here.' Another flash of lightning and one could see the two robes flanking the
formerly solitary shape.

' Then let them report.'                           
                                           
Two shadows detached themselves from the darkness. One was taller than the other, yet                                 the smaller one had the air of command about it that one immediately knew it was the leader
in the pair. They bowed before the Queen then they both stood ramrod straight.

' Jurai is nothing more but a ball of ice hanging in the void, your Majesty.' The smaller one 
said in a proffesional sounding voice. 

' Their tree is nothing more but a lightning-blasted stump now. The entire Royal Family is dead.
I killed all of them personally.' The taller one added. From the tone of her voice you would think
she was talking of a picnic.

The Queen smiled, a smile that would make even the toughest soldier soil his pants. 

' I have chosen well in enhancing your powers. But, you have no more use of the enhancements
now that you have finished with your mission. Return !' She commanded imperiously, holding 
out the palm of her hand. Dark energy swirled around the two figure and the tendrils moved to
the Queen's palm forming into a ball of pure malevolent energy. The black robed figures staggered
for a moment but immediately regained their composure.

' Since you have done so well, I decided to give you a vacation.You may have any one of the slave           planets to pick from to ...indulge yourselves. Enjoy.' With that she dismissed the two with a wave 
of her hand. 

If Pandemonium could see into the cowled robes of the smaller figure as it disappeared into the
shadows, she would see a smile. A smile that could match her own.           

*************************
A single shaft of light could be seen in the room. It was large enough for a man to fit in. He was 
dressed in black, from the opaque sunglasses to the shiny leather shoes. A coat of smooth 
midnight black cloth reaching to the man's knees swirled from a breeze that seemed to come 
from nowhere. A black staff decorated with veins,claws, skulls and other exotic design and tipped
with an onyx held in a monstrous hand was held in one black-gloved hand. His white hair contrasted
with his youthful face as his hair swirled with the wind. The circle that the light cast held back  
the darkness.      

' She is becoming more dangerous. Her power and her expertise are growing that she can break
the Treshold. She must be stopped and she must be stopped now !', the angry words of a young 
man echoed from the infinite darkness.

' If that is the case, the Executioners must be sent.' Another voice, this time of an old man 
responded from the same darkness.

' No.' The man in the light said simply.

' And why not ? She is a threat. Even the ones whom we chosen have fallen before the will of
Pandemonium.' The young man's voice said.  

' The ones you have chosen did not have the guts or the resolve to do what had to be done.'

' Are you saying that we were stupid in our choices ?' Another voice, a young woman echoed
from the dark void.

' No, my Lady.Yes, they were noble,courageous and all that heroic poppycock. They were _too_
heroic for their own good. Hell, the last one you chose could have destroyed if he had been a 
hell of a lot sneakier. But, noooooooo. He just had to go the heroic way and storm the gates of
Hell ! And what did that get him ? He got freeze-burned, flash-fried, electrocuted, incinerated and
totally obliterated to his base atomic structure in five seconds flat !' 

' And what do you propose, Carlyle of the Gate ?' A child's voice entered the discussion.

' The Guardian of Time for that Timestream was able to feign corruption. She has survived. She 
also knows of my existence. She will help.'

' Ha ! Time, Carlyle ? What is that to Pandemonium,who can cut off the Time Guardian's power
with a blink of an eye ?'

' A plan, my lord. One of Pandemonium's Ladies still has the chance. Already she has gained
Pandemonium's trust enough so that she will not be continually mindscanned. And she has
the power , the intelligence and most especially, the ruthlessness to execute the plan.'

' It would be simpler to send the Executioners.'

' A chance, my Lord. A few months at the best. Pandemonium still has a year to break the
Treshold. I will take a hand personally in the plan. Lavender has already volunteered to help.'                                                  

' Then let it be so.' A booming voice suddenly erupted. ' One chance. Only one, then the
Reaper leads her Executioners for the Reaving.'
   
Murmurs of assent from a multitude of voices came from the darkness. Carlyle smiled slightly.         

' Why are you doing this Carlyle? Saving that dimension is a lost cause. Why not send in the Executioners now ?' asked the young man's voice, over the din.        

Carlyle smiled wryly into the darkness as he raised his onyx-tipped staff.

' Sometimes the only causes left fighting for are the lost causes.', he said as he disappeared 
in a flash of dark power.

' Carlyle is getting more theatrical with his exits, I see.' , a woman's voice said from the 
darkness.

There were a few moments of blessed silence before a child's voice said whimsically.

' When did he start watching Jimmy Stewart movies, anyway ?'             

*************************

Lo Shen was an Amazon Elder of the Joketsuzoko. Amazon Elders don't surprise              
easily. To see a very surprised look would take something earthshaking.

The person before her was more than that. That one of the most important beings in the
universe was almost as short as her was also quite surprising.

Azure robes in the style of the old Japanese shrine maidens that her Great-grandmother
told her about. A cowled robe hiding the upper part of the face, revealing only hints of what
would be a beautiful face. Delicate hands clasped, asif in prayer. With her aura sight Lo 
Shen could see an aura of age and youth with a pervading sense of sorrow enveloped the 
figure. She knew who this was. Her ancestors told of her only in whispers. Sometimes she 
herself doubted the tales of The Seer and how she had helped guide the Joketsuzoko. But 
one cannot dispute what one sees.

' Lo Shen, Descendant of Xian Pu, hear my words. The Powers have heard your plea. But for
vengeance to be done, you must live.'

' And if I do not ?' 

' Then your people die and Pandemonium will live, spreading her evil across the stars.'
 
' Then my people are dead. See my wounds ! Already I am dying ! ' Lo Shen spat. ' I cannot 
survive unless I receive healing. And that is not something you can do. All you have is words. 
Now leave me if that is all you have to say.'

' That is where you are wrong.' The Seer moved with sureness and grace putting one delicate 
hand on the Amazon's hurt body. A weak blue glow lit the room as flesh and bone knitted 
themselves.

Lo Shen looked up, surprised. Some of the hurt was gone and she felt a little nourished.

' I thought you were not allowed to interfere ?' She asked her benefactor as she removed her 
hand and started to move away.

' Sometimes the time for words is over, and the time for action begins. You _must_ live, Lo 
Shen. Or all is lost.' The Seer said as she walked to a corner and sat, keeping Lo Shen 
company in her dark prison.  

*************************
The Guardian of Time stood imperiously before the Gate of Time.

The dark-robed figure it was blocking was not impressed.

' I said let me pass.'

' The Queen did not notify me of an action to use the Time Gate.' She said firmly. She was
strangely not dressed in a sailor fuku. She was wearing a gray dress unifrom reminiscent
of the Generals of the Dark Kingdom.

' I will say this again and I will not repeat it. LET. ME. PASS.'

' And I say once again - OOF !'

' And I said let me pass.'

************************ 

Moments after the robed figure disappeared into the Gate, a black-clad staff-wielding figure 
walked out from the thick mist. ' She's gone. You can stop playing possum.'

Pluto let out a groan of pain as she lifted herself up from her prone position on the floor.
' She punches quite well, nowadays.' She said ruefully as she massaged her jaw. She felt
smooth leather on her jaw as Carlyle laid his gloved hand upon the injured portion. Moments 
later the bruise disappeared.

' Thanks, Carlyle.'            

' You are welcome, Guardian of Time.' 

The gray general uniform shimmered and Pluto was once again in her black fuku. 

' She went through the Time Gate. I hope that she doesn't mess something up. Pandemonium
would realize a shifting timeline and hunt me and her down.'                    

' I recalibrated the Time Gate. She will arrive where we need her to be. From there none of 
her actions will hurt this timeline. Pandemonium will not notice.'

' What do you mean by that ?'                              

' A friend of mine is on the other side. He will guide her and help her. We can only hope he 
succeeds in what must be done. And that she is capable of the duty that we lay on her 
shoulder.'

' Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.' Pluto sighed. ' I just hope that 
your plan works, Carlyle.'

' It all hinges on her, Pluto. She is the last hope of this reality. If she fails, They will send the Executioners. Then you and your reality are lost. Even I cannot change that. All that we can 
do now is wait. Wait and hope.'  

*************************

Two figures were strolling down the park's shadowed paths. The moon was 
in it's crescent phase, high in the dark sky above the Tokyo skyline. One figure
was draped in a lavender cape and a a simple wide-brimmed hat, obscuring the 
face in it's shadow. The other was that of a small cat, white fur glistening a bit 
in the moon's weak light. Only one of it's eyes was glowing in the darkness 
since the other was covered with a dark eye patch, a peculiar item that a cat 
would have on his face. Another peculiarity was the fact that the cat opened it's 
mouth suddenly and instead of a cat's meow,a human voice ,though a bit high 
pitched, came out.

' What the heck are we supposed to be doing here, Boss ?'

' Didn't I explain this already a long time ago ?'

' You forget, Boss. New incarnation, no memories.'

' OK. Let's start explaning this again. Apollo, have you heard of the saying that 
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step ?'

' Yeah, Boss, I know. What the hell has that got to with this ?'

The figure who the cat called 'Boss' shook his head slightly.

' Then, little cat of mine, what would you say to the saying that a _thousand_
journeys of thousand miles begins with each step taken and not taken ?'

' What ?!?!'

' Let me explain to your little feline head, my friend what that means. A journey
begins no matter if you take a step or not. But the journey is different every time
you don't take a step or take a step. It is a Chinese philosophy that the future 
changes with each second, that it is in a permanent state of flux.'

' Uhhh... Boss, not meaning to say I'm ignorant or something, but what the fuck
does that mean ?'

' What if I were to tell you that the world of the future would be ruled by an insane
queen called Pandemonium from a place called Obsidian Tokyo ?'

' That's crazy. We both already know that Serenity's gonna rule and it's gonna be Crystal
Tokyo. You told me that after a global ice age...under the cold reaches of the yaddayadda
blahblahblah...And lo warmth was once again felt upon the plains of the Earth.' Apollo said
in a good imitation of Lavender's voice. ' Did you really have to do that in a biblical style ? 
You really suck when you wax poetic.'

' Don't knock my style ! But let's return to the fact of the creation of Crystal Tokyo and the 
reign of Neo-Queen Serenity, shall we. Are we ? Are we totally sure of that fact, my dear 
little cat from outer space ? You haven't been listening to what I was saying. The future is 
in a state of flux. We aren't sure of that. We are sure it is one of the possibilities. But are 
we sure that this timeline we follow would not branch out from the timestream and form 
another ? Are we sure of that ? Even Pluto, in all her obnoxious glory, ain't that sure.'
         
The cat called Apollo was starting to feel his head starting to hurt from discussing
temporal dynamics with his master. So he decided to return to the main question.

' All right, All right. We aren't sure. What the heck does that do with what the heck we're 
doing here ?'           

' It's part of of our job. We're here on something that would make Pluto go into conniptions 
if she ever found out.'

' Then why do it at all ?' asked the Apollo with a feral smirk on his face.

' Heh. No matter how much you think lowly of Pluto, she still deserves a break. I
handle this so that she doesn't become a nervous wreck by the end of the millenium.
A Pluto that's a nervous wreck is bad for the timestream.'

' I'll say. So what's the something were supposed to look after.'

' A step not taken.' said the cat's ' Boss' as he stopped suddenly.

' Apollo, can your blast take out a high level youma.'

' Yeah, Boss I think so.' Apollo was on alert, feline senses at the ready.

' OK, I'm not expecting trouble but you better ready a blast and hide behind that tree.'

The sigil of Saturn glowed from Apollo's forehead as he moved with feline swiftness to 
the tree that his master indicated. 

The figure called 'Boss' straightened it's back and called out to the shadows.

' No use hiding , m'lady. I knew you were going to be here. Please step out of the
shadows.'

The shadows responded by letting a part of it cut itself free. Robes of darkness 
obscured the figure that faced the new arrival.

' Why are you here ? If you dare get in my way I'll kill you.' It said in a woman's
voice.

' These proceedings would proceed much more smoothly if you take the hood
off, Dark Lady of Mercury of the Court of Pandemonium.' said the one who called    
her out.

The figure beneath the robes jolted from shock. 

' How-'

' Do not ask me. I know. Take the hood off for our meeting to proceed.'

The robed figure complied slowly. One could see the short blue hair and the
eyes with intelligence behind them. She was still beautiful even if there was a
scar over her left eye.                                       
            
' Good.' 

' Are you here to stop me then ?'

'  No. I respect what you did, though you did kill over a thousand people. Your choice 
is not mine to judge. I'm here to give you a few guidelines for your little jaunt into the 
past.'

' I know. Don't mess with the past, yaddah, yaddah. Dark Pluto gave me the same 
speech before I knocked her out.'

' No, not that one. You can interfere with the past to a small degree. The future does 
depend on paradox to exist. What I'm saying is do not show yourself to the current 
Senshi. And do not mess with him.'

' Him ? Who's him ?'

' You are intellegent, Lady Ami. Do not insult my intelligence by playing dumb. I know 
how you started down your path. Do not mess with the events that may or may not result 
with his death.'

' What do you mean _may not_ ?!? They do  _lead_ up to his death !'

' As a I told a little friend of mine earlier, the future is in flux. Anything can happen.The 
event that happens is still in the future from this point in time. Anything can happen. You 
may only watch, no touching m'lady or you suffer my wrath. And I can kick your ass a 
lot better than Pluto can.'

' I came here to see him again. I agree to your conditions. May I leave now ?'
she said impatiently.

' Before you leave. I know of your _special_ needs, m'lady. Here is a list.' The man 
said as he pulled  out a piece of folded paper. It flew  from his hand into her hand, 
with a brief gust of cold wind.

' They are the people you may.... appropriate for your ... appetite. Dispose of them
cleanly, m'lady or as I said before suffer my wrath.'

'  OK. May I _leave_ now ?'

' Yes.'

Ami set the hood back up again. Mist soon flowed from the ground to take her
away. 

' I hope you did the right thing, boss.'

' I hope so, too, Apollo. I hope so too.'
________________________________

OK, so begins another arc of the Lavender series !  
And I'm two months ahead of schedule !                        
C&C and MSTs are encouraged and begged for !

If you can figure out what Jimmy Stewart movie Carlyle is refering to you must be 
really old or a movie fanatic like me.

Ack ! Already two synopsis lists in backlog.
Better kick into high gear.

____________________________________________________________
' Writers are the torchbearers of civilization. We're set in a corner only we
can illuminate.Some of us are searchlights, able to cast a beam into the 
far reaches of the human soul.Some of us are candles , barely able to 
sustain a glow against the darkness. Nevertheless the words I write 
are important, because light is additive. Another's light  doesn't diminish
 my own. Our lights together make us stronger.'   
                   - (After much paraphrasing and reaaranging) Roger Martin  

' ... there's a hell
  of a universe next door ; let's go '
                                e.e. cummings ' Pity the Busy Beast Manunkind '

' How can a person live in a world where she can hear voices only she  
can hear and visions that only she can see ?' 
                                                         - (Paraphrasing) Shirley Jackson                                   

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