Quicksilver's Quill Offers:
Virgo
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko
Takeuchi.
Do not post this anywhere without permission from the
author.
NOTE: Been a while, but I�m going to finish this
sucker!  There are three more chapters (for the
promised ten chapters) and an epilogue after this
part. ^_^ There�s probably some writing style
differences throughout this section as parts of it
were written four years ago...

Earlier parts available:
http://www.midnightrevolution.org/quicksilver
					
Part Seven: Into the Black Crystal
-or-					
The Sword of Damocles

***
Mizuno Ami�s Birthday: September 10
***

	�And the rest you know,� Saffir said, finally coming
to the end of his rather long tale.

	Ami said for a second, attempting to digest the
information overload she had just received, without
much success.   �The Uncanny Sisters, Rubeus.... then
Esmeraude,� she whispered.    �All of them came and
battled us, and we won.� She clenched her hands
tightly enough that her knuckles turned white.

	He nodded.   �And then me, in my own way- you have
faced the best the Black Moon Family has to offer, and
yet you still stand.�

	�Perhaps it�s merely luck,� she said.

	�No, it�s not that.   It�s the fact that when I look
at you, you shine." He glanced away, before looking
back at her. �You reflect a light that warms the soul,
and it�s a light that can�t be quenched by our petty
darkness.�

	A blush traced her delicate features.   "I think we
all shine in our own ways," she told him gently.  An
awkward silence hung in the air between them for a
minute or two before Ami spoke again.   "We'd better
be getting to bed- tomorrow promises to be a long day.
 Good night, Saffir-san."  She quietly went to her
room.

	"Goodnight, Mizuno-san," he said to the door that
shut behind her. Mizuno Ami had seemed at a loss for
how to comfort him, but she had tried. There was
something reassuring about being near her - he hadn�t
lied when he told her she shined.

	Were my people ever like that? He wondered.

	Saffir lay down on the sofa bed, slipping into his
dreams, dreams which were made all the more vivid by
his recent recounting of his past.   He hated to
dream, hated it almost as much as he detested
sleeping.   His mild gift of prophecy always made for
interesting visions, and half the time it frightened
him.   Sometimes the images he dreamt were merely the
products of his own overactive imagination; other
times they were actual glimpses into the future.   He
wished he had the ability to tell which was which, but
he was only a minor seer, not a powerful one.   He had
received no training, which was a pity.   Maybe if he
had, he would have been prepared for the Wiseman.

	His dream was not a comforting one.

***
�Virgos are better as subordinates than leaders.�
***

	He stood in his lab, waiting.  Before him lay the
components of a droido, one he had never completed.  
He had based her design off of a twentieth century
car; Esmeraude had said something about an auto shop
possibly being the site of one of the negative points.
  He had decided that the most logical action would be
to disguise the droido who would guard the Wedge as a
mechanic, and give it powers accordingly. Droido
Tireda would be quick and use many of the tools of her
trade.

	�Still at your work, brother?�

	Saffir turned to see his oniisan, the White Prince,
enter. Demando rarely ventured into the depths of
Saffir�s lab, finding the place unfamiliar and
disorientating. He had never come out and stated that,
but Saffir knew his brother�s penchant for being in
charge, and this was Saffir�s domain. Demando ruled
the courts; Saffir ruled the labs. �I�m always at
work, oniisan,� he stated. He set down scalpel,
turning to give his brother his attention. �Did you
want something?

	Demando came to look at the droido, raising its hand.
�She�s beautiful... but like them all, she�ll fail,�
he said. He pressed his lips against its pale kncukles
in a courtly kiss.

	�One of them will succeed!� Saffir insisted.

	Demando sighed, before dropping the droido�s hand. It
fell, swinging limping in the manner only the lifeless
could manage. �Saffir, it�s dead already,� he said
softly, whipping the sheet back to reveal Esmeraude�s
face. She looked as though she was sleeping, except
for the blood which started to pool on the floor
beneath their shoes.

	Saffir staggered to her in horror, not sure what to
do. �Niisan...� he whispered.

	�Nothing gold can stay,� Demando said. �She was
beautiful, though, wasn�t she?�

	�She loved you more than anything...�

	�She loved me best, better than any of you,� Demando
replied. His fingers tangled in the vibrant green
hair, and he studied her sadly. �It would have been so
much easier if I could have loved her in return...
perhaps then none of this would have happened.�

	Saffir thought of the golden queen, trapped in her
crystalline sleep, and was forced to agree. �Perhaps.
But she wasn�t what you wanted. If you want Serenity,
we�ll get her for you.� Then what Demando had said a
moment before registered. �And... I love you, niisan.
You�re the most important thing in the world to me.�

	�For now. That will change, someday.� Demando smiled.
�What did the philosophers say about love?�

	�That brotherly love is the strongest!� Saffir said,
leaning forward to catch Demando�s free hand. He had
to take another step, and Esmeraude�s blood made his
feet stick to the floor. 

	�Then why is it passion that drives people to murder?
How is Serenity another Helen, whose face launched a
thousand ships?� Demando asked softly. He freed his
hands from both Esmeraude�s hair and Saffir�s grip,
and stepped away. His long satin cape dragged on the
floor, and the blood crept up it.He turned to leave
the lab, but Saffir wasn�t about to let him go.

	He grabbed for Demando�s cloak, but it slipped
through his fingers, like his brother had so many
times in the past. Demando was just too perfect, too
beyond Saffir�s reach, for Saffir to ever be allowed
to hold onto. �Demando!�

	Demando glanced back at him, then down at his chest.
�Nothing gold can stay,� he whispered.

	Saffir�s eyes widened in horror as he realized that
the blood he was standing in wasn�t Esmeraude�s. It
was Demando�s.

	�Niisan!� he whispered in horror.

	Demando turned back to him, his violet eyes gentle.
�You�re my blood, Saffir. When I bleed, so do you.�
Then he smiled and sank to the floor, and seemed
strangely calm, considering his chest was leaking away
his life�s blood.

	�No!� Saffir said, wondering what was happening, but
then there was Serenity, kneeling beside Demando, and
brushing back his white hair from his eyes. Her
pristine gown remained untainted by the blood, too
much blood for one man, that flowed from him. Demando
smiled at her, leaning his head back in her lap before
shutting his eyes.

	She looked at Saffir, and he saw Sailor Moon in the
ageless queen�s eyes, reflecting compassion and
strength. �He bleeds for your people, Saffir-san,� she
said softly.

	�Heal him, then!�

	�He chose this,� she replied. �And the one who
inflicted this wounds is strong. I can�t fight this
battle... only Demando can, and he�s winning.�

	�He�s dying!� Saffir shot back angrily.

	�There�s worse things than death,� Serenity returned.
�Oblivion.. Nothingness.... despair...�

	Saffir clenched his hands, staring at his brother�s
pale face. �Who did this?� he demanded. 

	�You know.�

	�I know....� Saffir nodded, and his head hurt. He
felt his own tears start to flow unchecked down his
face. �I...�

	�You need to sleep, Saffir-san. This is what might
be, but tomorrow is the battle....� Serenity whispered
to him. Her slender hand brushed his face, and she
spoke in a hypnotic voice. �Sleep deeper, and dream no
more tonight....�

	As she spoke, a wave of nothingness consumed him.

***
Virgos are forever the butt of jokes for being so
picky and critical, but their 'attention to detail' is
for a reason: to help others.

***

	The dawn had finally come.    Ami's eyelashes
fluttered a few times before she entirely came to.  
She loved mornings, but getting out of her bed was
never her favorite activity.   Usually she would lie
for a few minutes to gather her thoughts and plan her
day, but today wasn't an ordinary day.   The Crystal
in the center of the city was growing, and the time
for action had come. 

	On quiet feet she moved to the kitchen and started to
brew some tea.   Her mother often worked the night
shift, so Ami had become accustom to moving silently. 
 Placing the kettle over the flame, she smiled
slightly.   They had stayed up way too late last
night, but now she felt she could fight this battle.  
The enemy wasn't the Nemisians; it was a demon, a
monster that wasn't human.   

	She waited in the kitchen for a few minutes, smiling
as the kettle finally whistled its protest.   With
deft hands she removed it from the heat, pouring it
over some teabags into two mugs.   She pulled out a
tray and quickly cut up a grapefruit and tossed a few
muffins on it.   Then she carried it out to the living
room where Saffir was still sleeping.

	He looked about fifteen years old in his sleep, the
deep blue bangs falling charmingly across his eyes.  
He was curled up around a pillow, and Ami giggled to
herself.    He looked so sweet and innocent- it was
hard to believe that he was the main tactician for an
army.

	Before her thoughts could darken, she set the tray
down beside the game of chess they had never finished
playing.   "Saffir-san," she said quietly, walking
towards him quietly to wake him.   She reached out a
hand to shake him by the shoulder, but never got the
chance to finish the gesture.

	Saffir bolted upright, snagging her by the wrist in a
bruising grip.    His blue aura flared around him, and
Ami gasped.   He shook his head, releasing her.  
"Sorry, Ami-chan," he said.   "Habit.   It's not a
good idea to try to wake me up." His head was fuzzy
with a half-remembered dream, but as Ami stared at
him, it faded away, no more substantial than the
morning mist.

	She nodded dumbly, then forced a smile onto her face.
  "We should eat.   I hope you like grapefruit and
muffins."		

	He gave her a tired look in return.   He really
hadn't had enough sleep, but they both realized that
they would be on the move soon.   "I've never had
them," he said.

	Ami blushed.   She had again forgotten that the man
was not a native of earth.  "Well, I like them.  
They're popular breakfast foods."   She handed him a
spoon and one of the grapefruit halves with amusement.
  "You have to eat this carefully, or else it'll
squirt you in the eye."

	He gave it a dubious look.   "You make it sound like
it's almost alive."

	She laughed.   "Sometimes I think it is- otherwise
how could it always hit you in the eye and no where
else?"  She picked up her one half, and with a dainty
scoop, cut a piece of the pink fruit free.

	Saffir watched how she handled it carefully before
managing to get a piece free.   Taking a bite, his
lips puckered and he glared at her. 

	She couldn't help it; Ami started to laugh, which
only earned her an even more evil frown.

	"It's sour!" he exclaimed after a second.

	"But I bet it woke you up, ne?" she teased, still
giggling as she took another bite.

	He looked like he wanted to throttle her for her bad
idea of a joke.   "On Nemesis, most food is very
bland.   I'm not used to extremes in taste."

	She looked apologetic.   "Sorry, but I just couldn't
resist- it comes from hanging out with Sailor Moon and
the others."

	He smiled, forgiving her.   "It's ok.... it's nice to
see someone laugh.    People rarely laugh on Nemesis."
  He picked up his spoon again and dared another bite.
  "It grows on you," he said.

	They finished their breakfast quickly, and Ami took
the dishes back to the kitchen while Saffir stretched
slowly, relieved to find all the damage the Wiseman
had done had apparently healed.   There was something
to be said for magical healing abilities.  Ami came
back into the room, and he turned to look at her.  
"Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked, remembering
how young she was.

	She shook her head.   "No- I checked on the radio and
they cancelled all schools on account of that Crystal.
  People are scared of it, and no one is to be out
without a good reason."

	"I think we have good enough reason.    What time are
we suppose to meet the Senshi?" he asked.

	"Nine.   We're going to attempt to find some way into
the Black Crystal."

	Saffir glanced at the clock on the wall.    "We have
half an hour.   We probably should leave.   Should you
change?"

	"Hai- I don't want the police grabbing me."   With a
shy smile she produced her henshin stick, and held it
aloft.   "Mercury Star Power, Make-Up!" she exclaimed,
and then was engulfed in a flood of water.

	Saffir watched as her clothes dissolved, and was
fascinated.    He had heard that his droidos had
always let the Senshi transform before attacking, and
he finally understood why.   There was an aura of
power and beauty about the process, something that
made one just hold their breath, waiting to see what
would happen.

	For a moment, he suddenly realized how far out of
their depths Nemesis was.   The Seishi didn't merely
control their element; they became it.... Ami -no,
Mercury- WAS water and ice.    Blue on blue...  he
watched at the fuku finished forming over her
well-curved body.

	Sailor Mercury struck her final pose, then looked at
him, blushing.   It wasn't often she transformed in
front of a male (that was the nice thing about most of
their opponents being women), and she was embarrassed.

	Saffir had the grace to say nothing, and she was
grateful.   "I hate to do this to you, but we're going
to have to go off of the balcony- I don't want anyone
seeing Sailor Mercury wandering around my apartment
building.   Do you think you're well enough to manage
if I help you?"

	Saffir nodded.    "I finished healing sometime while
I slept.   I shouldn't need your help- I can teleport
down."   His blue aura flashed around him, and he
vanished.    

	Mercury raced over to the balcony to see him leaning
against the base of the building.    Sighing, she
jumped, falling rapidly to he ground.   Saffir watched
as she cursed slightly at the impact- even though she
could do feats that were beyond mere mortal, it didn't
mean she LIKED it.   Her body was strong, but it still
felt pain and discomfort.   

	"Where are we meeting?" Saffir asked.

	"In front of the Black Crystal," she said.   "Then
we're going to have to figure out a way to get into
it."

	Saffir looked hesitant, than nodded.   "Just
remember- I get to talk to my brother before you guys
do anything rash."

	Ami nodded.   "Let's get going, then."


***
�Virgo is a modest and charming personality with a
quiet, disarming beauty.�

***

	For once Usagi had little trouble rolling out of bed.
   From her window she could see the throbbing power
of the Black Crystal, and she shuddered as she viewed
it.   The monstrosity seemed to be growing under her
very eyes.

	She stumbled downstairs to the kitchen where her
mother was cooking pancakes.    Tsukino Ikoku raised
her slender eyebrows at the sight of her daughter.  
Usagi was wearing mismatched socks, and one of her
odango was VERY crooked.   Grabbing her school bag,
she placed a kiss on Ikoku's cheek and started to race
for the door.   "No time for breakfast!   Mako-chan
said she'd bring me lunch!   Ja ne!"

	"Usagi!" Ikuko called, but it was too late.   Looking
at the cooking breakfast, she stifled a sigh.   "It's
actually sort of funny... I wonder what her reaction
will be when she finds out there is no school?   I
just hope she has enough sense to keep away from that
thing in the center of the city," she murmured, then
laughed outright at the idea of her daughter having
the courage to go near the pulsing growth that had
suddenly appeared.   

	Usagi was a chicken.  And in Tokyo, that was a good
thing.

	Usagi raced through the streets, turning around a
corner with her usual haste.   She headed straight for
the Black Crystal, hating every second of it.  
Cutting school was fun, but she had other things she
would rather be doing with the time she was spending
playing hooky.   Like get a root canal.

	Firmly she shook that cowardly thought from her mind,
focusing on Chibi-Usa.  She wanted the young girl
back. 

	Ducking into an alley, she transformed, then started
to run.  She was on time for a change, and was
determined to get there early enough so that Rei
wouldn�t be able to make fun of her.

	There were police scouting the street.   One of them
noticed her.   �Oh, my god,� he said.   �They�re
real!�

	Sailor Moon waved cheerfully before jumping over the
fence that had been hastily erected to keep the
curious at bay.   Having enhanced abilities was a
wonderful thing.  

	She arrived in front of the Crystal just as Jupiter
and Venus did.   Venus held both of the Mooncats in a
basket, which she set down carefully.  �Mercury and
Mars aren�t here yet?" Moon asked, surprised.

	"I'm here," a voice said, sounding winded from a long
run.   The red-skirted Senshi leaned over and braced
her hands on her knees as she attempted to get her
breath back.   "Some idiot tried to tell me I couldn't
come here!"

	"They're merely doing their job, Mars," Jupiter said,
amusement heavy in her voice.

	"Aren't they smart enough to recognize a Senshi when
they see one?" she snapped back.   Then she blinked.  
"Where's Mercury and Saffir?"

	�Not here yet,� Jupiter said, and her voice was grim.
�Mercury�s usually the first one here, and...�

	�It�s not good,� Mars agreed. �But...� her eyes
looked at the Crystal, and she shivered. �I don�t
think he hurt her. He needs us to get to his brother.
Once he sees Demando, that�s when he�ll turn...�

	�When?� Venus echoed. �Did the Sacred Fire tell you
something?�

	�No,� Mars admitted. �I just think that�s what will
happen.� She took another deep breath before
straightening her back, and the wind took her hair in
its grip, fanning it around her slender body. �I don�t
trust him.�

	Sailor Moon looked at her other senshi. �We judge
people on their own merits, and Saffir hasn�t hurt
anyone yet,� she reminded them. �I think... we�ll have
to trust him for now. Besides, Mercury likes him.
She�s spent the most time with him, so maybe she knows
something we don�t?�

	Venus and Jupiter turned bright red. �Um...�

	�Sorry we�re late,� Mercury said, coming up beside
them. Saffir walked beside her, dressed in a deep blue
jacket that matched his hair and eyes. The two were a
striking pair, but there was something in Saffir�s
eyes that was cold.

	�How do we get in?� another voice said, and Moon
turned to Tuxedo Mask with relief on her face. 

	�That�s up to Saffir,� she said.

	Mars muttered something about being too trusting, but
the others looked at the Blue Prince.

	�There�s a fluctuation in the shield every 108
seconds. It lasts for a half second... you should be
able to teleport through to the main hall, if you time
it right. All levels are shielded individually, so
other teleports will have to be made separately,� he
said with a bit of disinterest.

	�We don�t have enough power for multiple teleports,�
Mercury told Saffir. �What happens if we miss the
timing?�

	�Your magical energy will interact with the shields
and it would be... messy.�

	The senshi exchanged glances. �We�ve never timed a
teleport before,� Venus said nervously.

	�We should be able to make it,� Jupiter said. �But...
I don�t like the idea much. Is there any other way
in?�	
	�Not unless you�re invited in,� Saffir said. �I built
the defenses myself.�

	�And you didn�t leave yourself a secret way in?� Mars
asked incredulously.

	�The fluctuation is my secret way. There�s no one
else who would be able to time all the jumps and know
what levels to jump to when - it�s a maze inside. It
will take over an hour to sort through.�

	Tuxedo Kamen looked at the senshi. �If you teleport,
I can�t came with you.�

	Moon looked about ready to protest, but he put his
arm on her shoulder. �It�s okay. I�ll wait here with
Luna and Artemis. The others will protect you.�

	Their eyes met in silent communication, and she
nodded, feeling her resolve well up.

	�Let�s do it,� Moon said. �The sooner we get in, the
sooner we get out. No offense, Saffir-san, but the
place is really creepy.�

	Saffir shrugged. �Mercury, you�ll want to teleport to
the third floor, right into the center room. This
fluctuation, scan it and you�ll find where I mean.
Next one, you can lead the teleport.�

	�But-� Mercury protested.

	�It sounds like the best plan,� Venus said. �If you
know where we�re going, you should focus us. I don�t
want to end up �messy.��

	The others agreed, and Mercury sighed, getting out
her computer. She set her computer to scan the
Crystal, and sure enough, Saffir hadn�t lied about the
fluctuation.

	�Got it,� she said. 

	�Let�s do it,� Moon said. Stepping back, she held her
hands out, and Mercury quickly took it, with Mars on
the other side. Venus and Jupiter moved to complete
the circle, and they shut their eyes.

	Around them, the ground started to glow as they
prepared the energy needed to teleport. 

	�SAILOR TELEPORT!� Mercury called.

	Tuxedo Mask watched as the five Senshi disappeared in
a spectacular light display. In their wake, Saffir�s
teleport was practically unnoticeable.

	�Come back safe,� he whispered, and then settled down
for the hardest job of all - waiting.

UP NEXT: The Throne of Despair

-or-

The Tangled Threads of Fate

=====
Down, down, down, would the fall never come to an end?
Wonder how many miles I've fallen?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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