part 2
"Quartzite!!" Whispered Kunzite, a note of urgency to his voice. "Quartzite, Beryl's heading this way!"
"It doesn't matter!" He called back. "We've got what we were looking for. Let's go!" They headed toward the door, but just before they could reach it, Beryl opened it and stepped in. Her mouth fell open when she saw them. Her eyes rested on the files in Quartzite's hand.
"Guards!" She screamed. She moved forward to take the files but Quartzite bolted, dragging Kunzite with him. "GUARDS!!!" She screamed.
"We're not gonna make it!" Shouted Quartzite as about a dozen soldiers lined up to block their way. Kunzite raised his hands.
"MOLTEN SILVER..." Recognizing the words to his attack, half the soldiers scattered. "ERADICATION!!!" With cries and shouts the rest of the soldiers leapt out of the way.
Quartzite grinned at Kunzite. He spotted Terra up ahead, as two guards closed in on her.
"TERRA!!!" He screamed. "RUN!!!" She looked up, seeing the two guards and started running toward Quartzite.
"Quartzite!" She yelled, catching up to them. "What is going on?" She gasped as an arrow landed beside her foot.
"I'll explain later!" He yelled, as they sped up. They met up with Endymion, Jaedite, Nephrite and Zoisite near the palace doors. They were also running away from the onslaught of arrows.
"Quartzite?" Shouted Nephrite.
"Don't talk, just run!" He shouted back. He heard Terra cry out beside him and turned to face her. She was gripping her shoulder, and had an expression of pain on her face. It only took him a second to realize what had happened. She must have been hit! He thought worriedly. He gasped as another arrow flew by his head.
"We're almost there!" He heard someone shout from the head of the group. He sped up, pulling Terra with him. They raced as fast as they could off of the palace grounds, and didn't stop until they had reached the nearest village.
"Thank you Tim." Said Endymion. "We appreciate your help." Tim
nodded.
"Just remember." He said. "I'll come about once a week at midnight,
with news on the invasion. Molly will hold down the fort at home. As of
now, messengers are on their way to every town, village and city that's under
your reign." He raised two fingers in the standard farewell of the Earth
Kingdom. Endymion repeated the gesture.
"Farewell my friends." Said Tim. "Good luck!" He vanished into
the woods. Terra smiled.
"It's because of him and Molly we were able to make it this far you
know." She said.
"Quick!" Whispered the woman. She lifted a carpet on the floor,
revealing a trap door underneath. "In here!" Seeing no other choice, the
group climbed down into the pitch black cellar. Just in time, as they heard
one of the soldiers coming in through the door.
"Good day sir." Said the woman. "Is there something I could help
you with?" She asked.
"500 pieces of silver for the traitors, Princess Terra, Prince
Endymion, and their guardians." He said coldly.
"I'm sorry, but I don't have a clue what you're talking about."
Said the woman. "There's no one here but me." They heard the man walk to
the door and whistle. 2 more soldiers like the first entered the small
house.
"Search the place." Said the first. The group down below listened
in horror as the soldiers began tearing the place apart. Terra groaned
slightly as her injured shoulder touched the cold stone of the cellar wall.
Quartzite made his way over to her. It was too dark to see the wound, but
he was pretty sure it was serious. He placed a hand on her good shoulder,
reassuringly. He felt her tense as she heard the soldiers approaching
the carpet they were under. He gasped silently as he heard them shuffling
around on top of it. A sliver of light peeked through as they lifted the
carpet.
"Ah ha!" Said one. "And what's down there." he started to lift up
the door. They teenagers pulled as far back as they could into the shadows,
praying for something to distract the soldiers.
"Hey!" Shouted someone new. "Let's get out of here, they're not in
this village." The soldier let the trap door fall shut with a clang.
"All right. I'm coming!" He shouted back. "The punishment for
harboring criminals is death. Remember that if the fugitives should show up
here." He said to the woman before leaving. The group breathed a sigh of
relief as the soldiers left the house. A few minutes later, the woman opened
the trap door.
"All right." She said. "The coast is clear, you can come out now."
Cautiously they withdrew from the cellar. Endymion surveyed the faces of
his friends. They were all covered in scrapes and bruises. He gasped at
the sight of his sister's shoulder.
"Oh my God! Terra what happened?!" He said. She winced.
"I was hit when we were leaving the palace." She said. She cried
out in pain as Quartzite examined the wound. He placed his hands on her
shoulder and they began to glow, as the woman bustled around, offering
bandages and wet cloths for the others. She watched curiously as Quartzite
finished up with the healing. He took a washcloth for Terra and began to
wash up her shoulder. She glared at him.
"I'm not a baby Quartzite, I'm perfectly capable of washing my own
shoulder." Quartzite just grinned and handed her the wash cloth. He looked
up as the door to the house opened. They all stiffened, and got ready to
bolt. But instead of
a soldier, a farmer walked in. He smiled at them.
"Don't worry!" He said. "I live here." Terra relaxed sightly as
the woman smiled at him. Terra stood up.
"Thank you very much for you help Mrs...."
"Molly. Molly Brown." She turned to the man. "And this is my
husband Tim." Terra smiled.
"Thank you Mrs. Brown." She said. "We appreciate the help."
"Call me Molly, and it was no problem." She glanced at them. "Now
if you don't mind, could you please tell us why Queen Beryl was after you?"
Quartzite gasped, suddenly remembering the files he held in his hand.
"Because of these." He said.
"What's in them Quartzite?" Asked Endymion.
"Whatever it is had better be good." Muttered Terra.
"Oh it's not good. It's bad. Very bad." Replied Quartzite.
"Enough with the suspense already!' Said Kunzite. "Just tell us
what's in the files!" Quartzite looked at the group.
"I couldn't translate it all," he said. "But it is basically a
detailed description of the Planet Melder and what happened there." He
looked around. Terra looked confused.
"But what does that have to do with Beryl?" She asked.
"You remember the Queen of Melder, the one who was possessed by
Mettalia?" He asked. Terra nodded. Suddenly her eyes widened in sudden
realization.
"You...you don't mean that Beryl...?" Quartzite nodded.
"Beryl is the Queen of Melder. And She's working for Mettalia!."
They all sat in stunned silence.
"Oh my God!" Whispered Molly. "I knew it! I knew it the day
Coronus married her!" The teenagers stared up at her in surprise. She
blushed.
"Oh I'm sorry." She said. She smiled sheepishly. "Your father
was one of our best friends, until several years ago, when he married Beryl,
then we never saw him again."
"Speaking of which, how is Coronus?" Tim asked. Terra looked down.
"He...um...died. Last night." She said. Tim gasped.
"Oh I'm sorry Princess! I had no idea!" He said.
"It's all right. And call me Terra." She said. She looked up.
"That's the least of our problems." She said.
"Oh?" Said Molly. "What else?" Endymion looked up.
"Beryl has pulled Earth out of the Silver Millennium."
"There's a good chance of an ambush if we cut through there." She
said.
"Yeah, but it would take to long to go around it." Argued Endymion.
He peered
through the trees. "We have to set up camp somewhere, and we have to do it
before nightfall. I say we risk it."
"I agree with Endymion on this one." Said Kunzite. "Speed is of
the essence." Terra sighed and nodded, then climbed back on the horse with
quartzite.
"You called my Queen?" He asked. She glared at him
"Yes. I want a report on your luck finding the Princess and the
others." She said.
"Oh...I...um...uh...that is...I...ah..." He stammered. "We...
haven't found them...as of yet." He said.
"May I remind you that Failure is not tolerated, General
Shorprolite." She said her voice rising an octave.
"No my Queen, I mean Yes my queen, I mean..." They were interrupted
when another figure materialized in the room.
"General Shorprolite." He said.
"What is it?" He asked, grateful for the distraction.
"We have located the traitors. They are in a field just west of
here. Would you like me to send out a squad of youmas to meet them sir?"
"No." Said Shorprolite. "I have something much better in store for
them." He grinned wickedly. He turned back to Beryl.
"Permission to be excused." He said.
"Permission granted." She replied.
"Because we need to get across as fast as possible, before Beryl's
spies locate..." He stopped mid-sentence as a large shadow passed over them.
All eyes were cast upwards, at the giant shape towering above them. The
sun glinted off of green scales, and sharp claws. It opened it's mouth and
let out a loud screech, causing those below to cover there ears. Terra
looked up in disbelief. Barreling down at them at breakneck speed, was a
huge...
"DRAGON!!!" Screamed Endymion as they dove for cover.
"Nah, ya think!" Terra shouted back, as the dragon swooped low,
gauging two long holes in the ground with it's claws. Terra picked
herself up off the ground as a figure appeared, hovering above them.
"Greetings." He said. Terra glared at him, recognizing the gray
uniform. Quartzite tackled her from behind as the dragon swooped again.
"How do you like my new pet?" Asked the general. "Allow me to
introduce myself. I am General Shorprolite." Terra narrowed her eyes as he
fiddled with the buttons on some kind of black box he held in his hand.
The dragon howled in pain and attacked again. As it flew by Terra noticed
a huge metal collar on its neck.
"ETHEREAL FLAMES SEAR!!!!" Shouted Jaedite. His attack connected
with the dragon's leg. It cried out in pain and glared at Jaedite. It
opened it's mouth and sent lightening cruising toward them. Quartzite
raised his hands and created a shield, blocking the attack. He groaned as
it connected. Terra watched as Shorprolite again pressed a button on the
box. Her eyes wandered up to the collar the dragon was wearing. It began
to spark with electricity. The dragon cried out again then dove towards
them. He's controlling it! She thought in horror. She broke out of the
shield and ran toward Shorprolite. I have to get that box!she thought.
It's the only way to stop the dragon. "Earth Power!" She shouted. She
called for her staff.
"Terra!" Shouted Endymion. "What are you doing?" Her only answer
was to raise her staff. Shorprolite noticed her as she ran forward. His
mouth fell open.
"A Sailor Scout! That's impossible!" He cried.
"Nothing is impossible!" Shouted Sailor Earth. "TERRA FIRMA
VIBRATION!!!!!" She cried, slamming the head of the staff into the ground.
Shorprolite cried out in surprise and dodged, just as the ground exploded
with power. He landed on the ground and the box went flying out of his
hands.
"You'll pay for that, brat!" He shouted. He held his hands in
front of him and they began to glow with a lightless power. He launched a
ball of black energy at Earth. She screamed as it connected.
"TERRA!" Screamed Endymion. He felt his anger build up. All of
a sudden something materialized in his hand. He looked down. A rose?
He thought. He remembered that day, a year ago, when he had used a rose
against a general, when Terra had first discovered her power. He shrugged
his shoulders and threw it with all his might. Shorprolite screamed as it
hit his shoulder.
"See how you like it!" Muttered Earth. She raised her staff again
and brought it down on the black box before Shorprolite could stop her. It
exploded, and with it, the collar fell off the dragon. The dragon fell out
of the sky, as Kunzite's attack connected with it's wing. Terra turned back
to Shorprolite. She raised her staff.
"TERRA FIRMA..." Suddenly a thought struck her. She grinned
wickedly. She stepped closer to Shorprolite, and brought the staff down on
his head. He crumbled to the ground, unconscious. She laughed.
"Nice move." Said Endymion coming up behind her. "But why didn't
you dust him?" Terra smiled.
"Because, I think it's time we..." She was interrupted by a groan
from behind her. She turned around and looked at the injured dragon. It's
lavender eyes were filled with pain. She walked slowly up to it. It looked
at her pleadingly. She was shocked at the trust in the dragon's eyes.
She wants me to help her! She thought in surprise. She cautiously put a
hand on the dragon's snout. It moved back slightly. "It's okay!" Said
Earth. "I won't hurt you. I promise." The dragon relaxed slightly. Earth
turned around slowly.
"Terra, what are you doing?!" Said Endymion. "Have you gone nuts?!"
She turned around.
"Quartzite." She called. "Come over here." His mouth fell open.
"Your kidding?" He gasped. "What if it tries to eat me?" Earth
glared at him.
"It's not going to eat you!" She shouted, exasperated.
She turned back to the dragon and started to stroke it's snout. Quartzite
approached cautiously. He stood close to it's mouth.
"T...Terra?" He stammered. "Now what?" She sighed.
"Heal her dummy!" She said growing impatient. Quartzite carefully
placed his hands on her snout and they began to glow. After the healing was
complete, Quartzite stepped back quickly. The dragon stood up and shook
itself out. It flapped it's wing slowly, satisfied that it still worked.
She Lay back down and put her snout near Quartzite and Terra. Terra smiled
and Quartzite trmbeled. The dragon started to glow, and when it had faded
in it's place was a young girl. Her hair was silver except for one streak
of purple and fell all the way down to her ankles. She had lavender eyes
and delicate features. She was clothed in a long white dress.
"Thank you." She said quietly. Zoisite's mouth opened and closed,
but no sound came out. Impossible! He thought. She was a dragon! He
couldn't believe it. Earth smiled and de-transformed.
"Your quite welcome." She said warmly. She curtsied. "I am
Princess Terra, of the Earth Kingdom. And this..." She gestured toward
the others. "Is my brother Prince Endymion, General Kunzite, General
Jaedite, General Zoisite, General Nephrite, and General Quartzite. And you
are?" The girl smiled.
"I'm afraid I don't..." She was interrupted by a groan as
Shorprolite woke up. Terra smiled and retransformed.
"Earth Power." She said. She walked over to him, followed by
Endymion.
"So, why did you not dust him?" He asked. She smiled.
"I think it's time we let Beryl know that this planet may not be a
part of the Silver Millennium, but it is far from helpless. Don't you
agree?" Endymion nodded.
"Couldn't agree more." He said. Earth turned back to Shorprolite.
She picked him up by the collar of his uniform.
"I have a message for Beryl." She said coldly. "Tell her that
Sailor Earth has been awakened, and she's ready to kick some nega-verse
butt." Shorprolite nodded glancing nervously at the staff she held in her
other hand. She threw him on the ground. "Now go." He scrambled to his
feet and dissappeared. She turned back to the dragon and the others.
"What's your name?" She asked curiously. The dragon/girl smiled
shyly.
"I...I don't have one." She said. Terra raised an eyebrow in
surprise.
"You don't?" The girl shook her head.
"Would you like one?" Asked Jaedite. The girl looked up.
"Oh yes! Very much, thank you!" She said happily. Terra suddenly
smiled.
"I have the perfect name." Said Terra. "What do you think about
Hope?" The girl smiled.
"I like that." She said. "Hope."
"So, do you have anywhere to go? A home? Family?" Hope shook her
head sadly. Endymion smiled.
"Would you like to come with us?" He asked. "We could use a dragon
in our fight against Mettalia, and I can see you and Terra are practically
friends already." Hope looked around uncertainly at the faces in the circle.
Seeing nothing but warmth and acceptance, she slowly nodded.
"Okay." She said. "Let's go!" Together the small band headed off
into the woods.
The End (till next time!)
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Arigato!
Ja Ne!
Sailor Mask
Homa