The Return

Chapter 3: More Allies?

By Richan

Disclaimers: See chapter 1. I don't feel like saying I don't own these characters. >.<

"So, we have to find the others," Motoki said.

Kashikoi nodded. "I believe that we will find the others in Tokyo, but I have the feeling that one is already lost."

Suru agreed. "I have that feeling as well." He turned to Motoki. "So these cats could speak, right?"

"Yes."

Suru thought for a couple of seconds. "If what they said about the Silver Millennium is true, they were the advisors to Queen Serenity."

"It is true," Kashikoi said. "If I remember rightly," Motoki and Suru snickered softly, stopping after she glared at them. "They were sent to guard her young daughter."

Entering a small park, they sat down on a nearby bench. "I always thought it was so tragic the way she became queen, losing her mother and sister in that horrible accident."

Suru interrupted. "That was Chaos at work. How his daughter and her son ever created such beautiful life is beyond me."

Motoki smiled. "Gaea and Uranus were much better than he ever was, even if he made all of the planets. I never liked him."

Kashikoi agreed. "I am glad that he is no longer complete. I shudder to think what the universe would become if he were to ever become whole again."

All three shivered.

Kashikoi gazed up into the dark sky before looking across the park. Rising from her seat, she set off to the other side of the park. Looking at each other and wondering what was going on, Motoki and Suru went after her. Noticing she had stopped at a vendor, they sighed, wondering why he was open this late at night. Thinking about it, they realized that it was only 7 in the evening. As they walked over to her, both shook their heads.

"I don't ever think I'll understand her fascination with ice cream," Suru said. Motoki just shook his head, laughing. Kashikoi came up to them with a triple scoop cone with chocolate, strawberry, and cherry ice cream.

"Yum..." Digging in, she closed her eyes, letting the flavors roll around in her mouth. She stopped suddenly, feeling like the dirt under her feet moved. There was a bright light behind her eyelids, and she saw a young girl standing at a bus stop. Knowing that this must be one of those they were seeking, she opened her eyes. Looking at Motoki and Suru, she dropped her ice cream cone in a trash can and started running to the east. Instinctively knowing that she had found someone, the two followed her.

Catching up to her, they saw Kashikoi standing next to a girl with red hair. "Unazumi," Motoki stuttered.

Suru looked at him. "You know her?"

He nodded. "She's my sister." As they watched, Kashikoi put her hand up to Unazumi's forehead. A bright light shone as she dropped to the ground. Catching her, Motoki glanced at Kashikoi, startled to see a tear sliding down her cheek.

"She will awaken soon," she said sadly. Muttering, she turned away. "Sometimes I just don't like the things I know must be done."

******

Star Castle, Kakyuu...

"We must go back."

Three heads looked up sharply. Looking at their princess, they wondered why.

Looking at her protectors, Princess Kakyuu smiled slightly. Walking over to the window, she looked upon her planet. Gifted with plants, the planet had revived after being crushed by Galaxia. Turning back to her loyal senshi, she explained.

"I believe that the Earth is in terrible danger."

Fighter gasped, while Maker looked on with widened eyes. Both looked over at Healer, who had no reaction at all. Princess Kakyuu looked at her, understanding why.

"Healer, I believe that you have felt this as well."

Nodding, she shivered. "This is the same feeling I got as when Galaxia was near."

Maker stood up. "How can this be? Sailor Moon sent Chaos out into the minds of everyone, so it can't be that, can it," she asked uncertainly.

Fighter stood up as well. "It can't be Chaos. Odango Atama would not let such a thing happen."

Princess Kakyuu sighed, wishing that Fighter would heal soon of his unrequited love for the senshi of the Earth's moon. Going up to Healer, she put a hand on her shoulder. "Healer, will you be alright if we return? I know that it will be more difficult for you than for the rest of us, for you feel the pain of others."

Healer looked up at her princess. Seeing the confidence in her eyes, she nodded. Kakyuu held out her hand to help Healer up. Looking at her senshi, she knew that she would not see them again.

"Please, let us go," Kakyuu said. The senshi went outside, following their princess and waiting for her signal to begin their journey. Kakyuu stopped and turned back to them. "Please, enjoy your life." Saying this, she put up her hands and sent them towards the Earth at astonishing speeds. As she felt them leave the star system, she turned to the three that stood off among the trees. Motioning for them to come forward, the three stepped into the light, revealing that they wore the costumes of Sailor Senshi. All three looked sad at the depature of their predecessors before Kakyuu shook her head. "Don't worry, they will be happier where they are going. The gods' will be done."

Heading into the castle, she looked up at the night sky. "Be well."

******

Endymion and his allies stood at the precipice of a gaping hole. Looking down, they could see the evil swirling in its depths.

"We have to go down in that?" Uranus swore. This was not what she had been expecting. Neptune was somewhere down there, and so was her princess.

Kunzite walked a couple of feet to the right, looking for the entrance. "I see somebody has done some remodeling since we've been here."

Zoicite laughed. "What, did you think that everything stays the same?"

Endymion looked over at the two, shaking his head. Luna jumped down from Nephrite's arms and came over. "We should find the entrance soon. I have a bad feeling about being up here."

"How true," came a voice behind them.

Turning, the small troop beheld Beryl. Her flowing red hair blew in the wind and in her hand was a glowing rod. Beryl was ecstatic, for before her was the Prince of the Earth and the generals that had served both him and her. Looking past them, she saw Sailor Uranus, Luna, and Artemis.

"My, what a motley collection of soldiers you have, Endymion," she smirked.

Jadeite growled at her. "Since when did you become such an expert in this Beryl?"

Beryl stepped back at this unexpected vehemence. "Why Jadeite, I didn't know that you missed me so much."

"Where is Usagi," Endymion demanded to know. "Let her go."

"What, and lose my best piece of art," she asked sarcastically. "That would be such a shame to lose such a valuable part of my collection. I do believe that I have in my possession the largest collection of senshi art in the universe."

Uranus pulled out her Space Sword and aimed for Beryl. "What have you done to Neptune, you hag?"

"Hag?" Beryl laughed as she easily dodged Uranus' attacks. "Can't you think of something better, little girl?"

Uranus pulled back, angry that she couldn't touch this woman. She went forward again when she heard Endymion telling her to stop. Stepping backwards until she reached the group again, she looked over at the prince, a little angry with him for stopping her. When she saw the determination of his face, though, she let the anger go.

Looking over all of his allies, he asked them to give everything they had. "Everyone, I know that I ask much of you, but we need all of the power to defeat her." He looked at everyone individually as each nodded in agreement. "Right."

Taking out his sword, he turned to Beryl. "GO!" He slashed at Beryl as his generals powered up. In the background he could hear Uranus gather up a 'World Shaking.' As he got close to Beryl, though, he was forced back by a field surrounding her.

Laughing at them, Beryl raised the rod. Lifting it high, she gathered the dark energy stored in it and aimed it at Endymion and his troop.

Luna and Artemis watched in horror as black energy headed towards them. As it hit them, Luna felt the air forced from her lungs. Struggling to breathe, she looked on as the troop fell into unconsciousness. Finally, she could not hold any more, and fell into unconsciousness.

******

The ground shook violently, trees swaying back and forth. Grabbing onto a nearby light pole, Kashikoi looked up to the sky. "It's starting."

Unazumi opened her eyes. "Hey," she muttered. "Somebody stop the Earth, I want to get off."

Transforming, Minerva helped her stand up. "Juno."

As she watched, Unazumi saw her brother and another man transform into their deity likenesses. "Mithra, Janus, Minerva." She looked at them and felt herself transform. Glancing down, she found herself in a short white toga, with a red chain around her waist. She saw Mithra with a black chain at his waist, and Janus with a white one.

Images flying past her mind's eye, she saw what had happened so long ago in the castle she had one ruled. "So the Erinyes have been found."

Nodding, Minerva looked as the surface of the Earth buckled. "It would seem that they have found a willing partner, but I think that somebody is also behind this."

Janus spoke up. "Even at their greatest power, the Erinyes were never this powerful."

Mithra looked thoughtfully at his feet. Raising his head, he said, "I think it is the one who we fear the most."

The others looked at him in horror.

"No," shouted Minerva.

"It can't be," Juno said.

Janus glanced over at Mithra. "We will find out sooner or later, but we must find the others."

Around them the Earth twisted, tossing buildings through the air as if they were coins. The mass destruction grew, as they saw the dark clouds roll in from the north.

"We will not find who we seek until this has settled," Minerva said.

Gathering their power, they went up to the moon to wait.

******

The three flew through space, wondering why their princess had sent them off alone. Healer looked at the others and gasped, for they no longer wore their senshi uniforms. She looked down at herself and found that she didn't wear her senshi uniform as well. Instead, she found that she was wearing the suit that she had worn as one of the ThreeLights. She felt a change coming over her, and she soon became Yaten Kou once more. Glancing over at his companions, she found that they had become Seiya Kou and Taiki Kou.

"Princess," Seiya said. "Why...?"

"I think that she may have had a purpose for doing this," Taiki stated. He looked over at Yaten, who was looking off into the space as they passed star systems. "Yaten," he began.

Yaten looked back, his green eyes filled with despair. "She has already picked out our replacements," he spat.

"What," Seiya yelled. The word echoed around the sphere in which they were traveling, and the three covered their ears.

"Seiya," Taiki chided. He turned to Yaten. "What do you mean, 'replacements?'"

"She has taken others as her senshi."

"What," Taiki yelled, and winced as that also echoed.

"Taiki," mocked Seiya. "You mean that she has a new Sailor Star Fighter?" He didn't like the way this conversation was going.

Yaten nodded.

"Well, how are we supposed to fight," Seiya asked.

There wasn't an answer.

******

Four beings stood on the moon, saddened by the destruction wrought on the planet before them.

"I do not like standing here, and not be able to do something," Juno said.

"We cannot do anything until there is a period of rest," Minerva said.

Mithra started to speak when a bright light heading towards to Earth caught his eye. Leaving the surface, he headed to the sphere to stop its flight. Seeing three men inside it, he halted its progress. The three men looked at him in surprise, and he recognized them. "The ThreeLights?"

Holding onto the sphere, he went back to where Juno, Janus, and Minerva waited. Setting it gently down, he looked at the others. "See what I found?"

Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten stared at the beings before them. They didn't have to breathe, since there was no air on the moon. As they watched, the woman with the blue chain stepped through the sphere.

"I believe these are the ones we were waiting for," she said.

Mithra laughed. "Figures."

Putting her hand up to Yaten's forehead, she smiled and said, "Remember."

As Seiya and Taiki watched, Yaten fell onto the ground. Minerva put her hand up again, this time at Taiki's forehead, repeating, "Remember." Moving to Seiya, she said, "Do not worry, friend Seiya-san. Remember." She put her hand on his forehead and he fell into nothingness.

Rising to the surface of his mind, he could hear a soft voice.

"Jeez, Minerva, did you have to smile at them? They probably think you were flirting with them," came an exasperated voice.

"Oh, shut up, Janus," came the soft reply. "Like you didn't smile when I woke up Juno."

"Uh..."

There was laughter as he opened his eyes. Turning his head, he looked over at Yaten and Taiki and saw them starting to wake up. Struggling to sit, he was helped up by warm hands. Looking up, he saw the woman who had spoken. Her blue eyes were filled with concern. "Are you ok?" she asked.

Nodding, he stood. As he did, he could feel power running through him, but it was different from the power of Fighter. Letting it overwhelm him, he felt himself become a woman once more.

Hearing a gasp, he looked over to see the two men with the mouths wide open. The one with the black chain stammered, "To think that Seiya Kou is actually a woman!"

"What!" Yaten looked over at Seiya, who really wasn't Seiya anymore. In his place was a woman dressed in the same manner as the other two, except that she wore a sky-blue chain. He went to take a step forward when a memory rose from the back of his mind. As it surfaced, he felt himself transforming into a woman as well, wearing a short toga with a purple chain at her waist. Looking over at Taiki once it had stopped, she saw that he had become female also, wearing a yellow chain.

Juno looked on in awe. "Whoa," she gasped.

Minerva just sighed. Looking over the group, she could tell this would take awhile to explain. She looked over at Janus. "I think you should tell them."

"What," he asked, "Me? You should tell them. After all, you are the wisest one, oh Minerva."

"Cute," was the sarcastic reply. "As the father of beginnings, you should be the one."

As they started to argue, Juno spoke up. "Ceres," she began, walking over to the being once known as Seiya. "Welcome back." She turned to Taiki, and nodded her welcome. "Demeter." Going over to Yaten, she held out her hand in a welcoming gesture, and said, "Vesta."

Minerva and Janus stopped arguing, finally deciding that they would take turns and tell the others what was happening.

******

Beryl laughed as she continued to take over the planet she had so long desired to rule. Seeing as how there was no longer any senshi to worry about, she played with her new powers. The powers were stronger than those she had been given by Metallia, and she felt invincible. She didn't know who had given them to her, but she wasn't one to turn down a gift. Lifting the rod, she froze more of the surface.

******

Minerva looked over at Earth as she finished. "I wish there was some way to stop her, but we have to gather the sleeping guardians."

"Sleeping guardians?" Janus looked confused. "Why didn't you tell me this? This is going to be way harder than I thought."

The others nodded their heads, before Demeter asked, "You mean those that guard the planets in this star system?"

"Yes," Minerva said.

The others shuddered, especially Juno. "This will not be fun."

"We will have to wake them, for there is a terrible war coming towards us. The one who is darkness itself leads this destruction."

Vesta gasped. "You mean..." She drifted off, unable to voice her thoughts.

Nodding, Minerva stopped talking. Glancing once more at the Earth, her mouth drooped slightly. Looking back at the others, she pulled herself together. "Well, there's no time like the present. Where should we start first?"

Mithra looked at the others before speaking, "Mercury."

Janus agreed. "The messenger will be helpful in waking the others."

"Mercury," Juno nodded.

"Mercury," Ceres said, standing tall.

"Mercury," Vesta said.

"Mercury," Demeter whispered. As she spoke, she felt a small shock run through her.

******

The gods approached Mercury, looking for the palace that held its sleeping guardian. Spotting it, Janus motioned the others in that direction. Landing softly on the surface, he spoke, "I think that we might be able to find him if we split up." Finding no fault in this logic, they split up into three groups: Minerva and Ceres; Mithra and Vesta; and Janus, Juno, and Demeter.

"So, we have to wake him up," asked Ceres as she traveled down a hallway with Minerva. "I don't like the sound of this."

Minerva looked over at her. "Don't worry. He will not be hard to awaken, because he is always ready to help others."

In another hallway, Mithra and Vesta stopped at rooms along it. After searching the sixth one, Mithra stopped. "Man, I think I should have stayed in bed this morning," he complained.

Vesta looked at him. "If you were in bed, you would be frozen back on Earth."

"Good point."

Standing in a courtyard near the middle of the palace, Demeter stood a couple of feet behind Janus and Juno. She could feel something nearby, but she couldn't tell. Looking at the other two, she saw them flirting with the other.

Sighing, she went to sit down on a bench. As she did, she could feel the bench move. Jumping up, she saw that the bench was a sarcophagus. She stepped back, inching towards Janus and Juno. Glancing back at them, she saw they were frozen. Looking back, she saw the sarcophagus open, revealing a blue key and a hat with wings on either side. Reaching for them, Demeter heard a voice whisper, "The key will unlock the door behind this wall. Please free me." The voice drifted off.

Looking back at Janus and Juno, she found them walking towards her. "I think you found the first clue," Juno said.

Demeter nodded, and looked back at the sarcophagus. Hidden faintly in the lining was a small keyhole. Putting the key in the lock, she turned it, opening the back of it. "I think this is where we go." Slipping in, she watched as the door slammed shut behind her, cutting off Janus and Juno. "I think this is where I go," she muttered under her breath.

Taking a deep breath, she moved on, holding the hat tightly between her hands. Soon she came to a great door, standing hundreds of feet high. Wondering how she would ever get through, she heard the voice again. "Wear this hat, and you will fly."

Putting on the hat, Demeter found herself floating a couple of inches off the ground. Reaching out to the door, her hand went through. Seeing this, she pushed through the door. On the other side, she saw a large bed with a form in the middle of it. Taking off the hat, she walked over to the bed.

There, on the bed, lay a slim blond man, sleeping. Knowing that this was Mercury, she called softly. "Mercury, who guards this planet and the senshi that protects it, please wake up. We are in need of your help." As she watched, the man's eyes blinked open. Seeing Demeter standing there, he sat up. "Demeter?"

Nodding, she handed the hat to him. "Yes, it is I. We are in need of your help. We fear that the one who is darkness itself has overtaken the Earth."

Mercury gasped. "So, the oracle is coming true. If that is so, we must wake the others."

"That is what we have gathered for," Demeter said.

Mercury looked at her closely. "Your human form is in love with the senshi of this planet," he stated.

It wasn't a question. Demeter opened her mouth to deny it, when Mercury held up his hand. "Don't say anything, Demeter. It is not I who can say this is right or wrong. That is left up to you and her."

Putting on his hat, he stood up and went to the door. Taking a hold of her hand, they went through the door, meeting up with the others.

******

Far below the surface of the Earth, there was a loud report. Echoing through the chamber, it slowly dwindled into nothing.

******

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