Just a little something, that promises to become big, that I whipped up during yet another boring English class. Ever wonder what life was like for out four favorite generals before Beryl showed up? Well here's my solution. I don't know where it's going but I have suspicions. The first half will span the time before Beryl conquered the Moon Kingdom and Earth, through the missing years, and on into the future of Sailor Moon. I admit that I've mixed English and Japanese names, I picked the ones I liked best. A quick little list of whose who.
Beryl Malachite ( English: I hate the name Kunzite) Nephlyte (English: I think it's catchy then Nephrite) Zoisite (Japanese: This is the man not the female Zoicite) Jadeite (English: Easier on my spell checker then Jaedite) Naru (Japanese: Molly in the past) Molly (English: Naru's name in the present and future) Endymion/Mamoru/Tuxedo Kamen (Japanese) Serena (English:Usagi in the past) Usagi (Japenese: Serena in the future) Ami Rei Lita (English) Mina (English) Umino (Japanese: It's so much better then Melvin) Serenity Luna Artemis Rowan and Tyers (Both former generals who were replaces by Jadeite and Zoisite)
I think that's everyone. If I end up adding anyone else I'll let you know. I, of course, don't own any of the characters that you recognize. I wish I did. I do, however own Rowan and Tyers. I've read so much fiction about Sailor Moon I have trouble remembering what is mine and what isn't. If something looks familiar it probably is. I don't intentionally steal anything so forgive me if you feel borrowed from, I didn't mean it. Now on with the story.
THE LONG ROAD HOME
-by Delilah-
Chapter 1
His last thought had been of the love he had lost. His last hope had been one name.
His final dream had come to be.
Now everything else was meaningless amid the intense barrage of everything and nothing that was now his existence.
The Silver Millennia
The Kingdom of Earth
The final ring of bells signaled the end of the school year for the summer. Children and adults alike poured from the buildings and grouped together on the new grown grass. The sun shone brightly and the skies were the purest of blues. Not far off in the distance four huge towers spiraled up into the air. Nestled between the towers was a palace that dwarfed the huge city that had grown before it. It stood like a mother protecting her young. The palace had been made of white marble and it glowed in the sun. In the center of it rose a fifth tower that was capped by a huge billowing flag bearing the Earthen insignia.
It was towards this palace that the silver-haired teacher walked. Another year was finished and he had watched another generation enter the world. He always had doubts that he had prepared them for their lives ahead but they were pushed aside by the thoughts of what the next few months held in store. Rebellions had sprung up along the outer borders. They had been either crushed or compromised into nothing but still he was bothered. He couldn't help but feel that something more was going on. Even the Priestesses were urging caution. He looked at the four towers and sighed. There had been a time not so long ago that those towers had flown a flag when their respective generals were in the city but now they sat holding their secrets. It had been determined too dangerous for the general populace to know when a general wasn't around. He sighed and shook his head, hoping that whatever was going to happen would pass over quickly so they could all get back to their care-free days.
"Lord Malachite!"
The man stopped and turned as a red-haired woman ran up to him. She paused to catch her breath and gave him a short bow as was custom. The teacher returned the bow to his student. Her long red hair was pulled back into golden ringlets that held her hair out of her face. She had grown since she had entered his class. Next year would be her last and she too would enter the world. At least he could keep tabs on her. Being the king's niece the girl was never far from the palace. Noticing that she was waiting for a verbal acknowledgment he smiled. "What is it, Naru?"
Naru's cheeks colored slightly and she looked away. Warning bells sounded in his head and he suddenly knew exactly what she wanted. The girl cleared her throat. "Are you going to the palace?"
"Yes." He replied carefully.
Her eyes lit up and she smiled. "Would you mind if I came with you? I. . . I want to visit my cousin." She looked away again.
Malachite frowned, knowing that he was trapped. He couldn't refuse her request but in accepting he was leading her into a situation that he wanted to stop desperately. She may want to visit her cousin but it was another man that she wanted to see first. "Yes, Naru, you may come."
They walked together down the stone road and Naru talked cheerfully about many different topics, anything that came to her mind. Malachite watched her skip ahead then realize that he was behind her and stop. She was a free spirit in love. Unfortunately she was in love with the wrong man. If her uncle ever discovered the feelings she had for General Nephlyte, both were going to be in hard straits. The king had already lined up quite a selection of possible suitors for his niece only to watch them all crash and burn. He couldn't understand why. He wanted his niece to be happy but Nephlyte was hardly a suitable match for his little Naru. Nephlyte was impulsive and a tab too mischievous. It was a wonderful combination for a general but a horrible one for a nephew-in-law. And poor Naru's heart would be broken if she was told outright that she could no longer associate with her love except on business matters. He and General Rowan had tried their best to keep the two of them apart but it wasn't working. They couldn't count on their fourth colleague, General Tyers, because she found the whole thing romantic and ended up helping Nephlyte and Naru meet.
"Oh! I wonder why the one flag is at half mast."
Malachite shook his head to clear it and looked up. To his surprise he saw that Naru was right. The flag was at half mast. Odd. The only time the flag was at half mast was when they were at war, or someone had died. A cold hand seemed to clench at his chest. He had an awful feeling that whatever the priestesses had been warning about had just taken effect. A flash if auburn hair caught his attention and he found himself staring into Nephlyte's troubled eyes.
"Naru, why don't you go find your friend and wait for me in the garden. I have something very important to tell you."
"Oh! Okay, if you say so." Naru disappeared in a flurry of skirts and a toss of red hair.
Malachite waited until he was sure she was out of hearing range. "What's happened?" He demanded.
"Something, we are not prepared for." Malachite turned towards the masculine voice behind him. General Rowan stepped out of the shadows and came forward. The older man was greying at the temples and his face had hardened through the years.
"War?" Malachite asked his superior.
Rowan shook his head. "No, but it war may not be very far away."
"General Tyers was ambushed at Haverford, the little village that rebelled for no apparent reason, two third of the army is gone. Apparently a youma instigated the whole thing." Nephlyte relayed.
"And Tyers?" Malachite pushed, knowing inside the answer.
"The first one to die." Rowan replied sadly.
"It was a trap for one of us." Nephlyte hissed under his breath.
"And so it begins." Malachite muttered under his breath looking at Tyers's tower and realizing for the first time that it had been cloaked in a shadow that appeared to come from nowhere.
The king sat heavily in his chair and listened to the reports being dictated before him. He was deeply troubled by the news of Tyers's death. The warnings of dark days ahead had bothered him but now with this tragedy hitting so close to home he was forced to give the warnings most of his thoughts. Not only did he have to prepare for a possible war, he also had to appoint a new general before word got out of the general's death. He had been advised against having the flag lowered but he had ignored the pleas. Tyers could not be mourned publicly until a new general was in place but he would not ignore the loyalty she had shown to the kingdom by not giving her the honors someone of her position was entitled to when they had died. A rumor had been circulating that the flag flew for the Venician diplomat who had recently died and the king did nothing to suppress the false rumor. It was true that the diplomat between the Earth and Venus kingdoms had died but the king would never consider lowering the flag for his death. The diplomat had been a haughty, self-centered man who viewed any who were not of the Venician stock as lower life forms. The king found this attitude annoying and disgusting to the extreme but had put up with it, not wishing to cause ill feelings between his and the Venus government. According to the messenger from Venus a new diplomat had been assigned and was to arrive in a few days. He sighed in relief as the messenger bowed and left the room.
Rising he turned and walked towards a side door. He had canceled as many possible meetings and social functions in the next few days as he could without raising suspicions. The new matters at hand were more important than meeting with the richer upper-class. Closing the door behind him he walked down the empty hallway trying to keep in the shadows if by chance he should pass anyone. When he reached a hidden doorway he glanced about to make sure he was still alone before knocking and entering. Three pairs of eyes turned to him and he smiled sadly. He nodded to Rowan before taking his place at the table. He noticed that Malachite had changed from his teaching clothes to the white uniform marking him as a general. He glanced at the vacant chair between Rowan and Malachite and felt a tightness in his chest. He could almost hear Tyers's ringing voice laughing at the solemn mood of the three men.
Tyers refused to let anything infringe upon her infectious cheerfulness. He had only seen her face lose its smile twice since he had known the woman. He noticed that Rowan was having a hard time keeping his face blank. Rowan had known the woman since she had been a little girl running through the gardens. She had been the daughter of a noble who had had extensive dealings within the palace. When she had been selected by the medallion of a fallen general, that had been both the proudest and most frightening day of Rowan's life. Rowan had divulged this information to him shortly after Tyers's first mission. The normally unshakable general had been a nervous wreck. He had stood in his tower watching the gates for the woman's return. As time went on his faith in Tyers's training lessened his worries but never quite diminished them. Now his fears had come true and the king was worried for his old friend.
"I take it we all know why we are here?" He asked. Various distracted nods answered his question and he took a deep breath and continued. "As much as it pains me to do so we must get on with matters. Tyers's medallion has returned itself to her tower and now sits in its case waiting for its next wearer. This person must be found soon. Without four generals protecting the kingdom we are at a severe disadvantage. We will try to keep Tyers's death quiet until a replacement is found and trained." The king stopped when he noticed Nephlyte's uneasy shift. "Yes?"
Nephlyte sighed then began. "I fear someone already knows of this. Tyers's obviously walked into a trap. If someone is going to attack, it will be now while we are weak."
Rowan nodded then spoke. "The medallions are usually very good about when they choose a new wearer. In the past during times of prolonged peace all four medallions weren't even in use. There have been times when there were only two generals but the medallions have never failed to keep four generals in place in times of strife. If the time is coming when we will be under attack then Tyers's medallion will waste no time in finding a new wearing and completing our numbers."
Malachite shook his head. "But was the medallion prepared for her death? What if the one who is to wear it is not around where the medallion can reach them?"
"Then we have a problem." Rowan replied.
The young man sighed as he looked out over the lake. His life seemed to be turning for the worse. He had lived here all his life and now he was being forced to leave just because his father had been promoted. He didn't want to go to Earth. True, he had gone there when his mother had been visiting relatives and it was a beautiful planet to visit, but he didn't want to live there. He would be forced to leave the friends he had known all his life and start his life all over. That was the last thing he wanted. He had one year left of school before he could go on to a university and he had plans to graduate with the friends he had grown up with. Now he was going to graduate with complete strangers. It just wasn't fair!
He whirled away from the balcony and almost ran into a small form that stood before him. He gasped and tried to still his heart. His mother smiled at him with glowing green eyes. "Mother! I didn't hear you come." He gasped out.
The woman cocked her heard and eyed her son. The long blonde hair that he had gotten from his father fluttered lightly in the breeze and his pale face was flushed. He was small with a delicate frame and outwardly looked very much like his father. Inside, however, he was hers. A fierce temper was shown in the green eyes he had inherited from her. Even now she could see his temper smoldering in the green depths. "You were so intent upon the lake, its no wonder you didn't hear me," she walked past him and leaned upon the railing, "you stand here all the time as though you are trying to memorize it."
She heard her son suck the air through his teeth. "I am. Very soon I may never see it again."
She bowed her head not wishing to have this particular conversation again but knowing she had walked into it. "We will come back for visits. It's not as though you are leaving it forever."
"But we are, mother. We will leave here for Earth and I will leave my heart here on these planes. Earth will never be the home that Venus has."
"You speak like a Venecian lord. Do you forget that your mother comes from Earth? You are only half Vencian." She reminded gently but sternly. The people of Venus were very beautiful and tended to be vain. She would not tolerate this in either her husband or her son.
Her son sighed and laid his head on her shoulder. "I know. It isn't that I don't like Earth, I do, but . . . I don't want to leave my life here."
She stroked her son's hair lightly. "It won't be so bad. The people of Earth are very open-minded and love meeting people from other planets. And with your father always being at the palace as the Venecian diplomat you'll be at the largest school on the entire planet. There will be plenty of people to meet and befriend. It won't be so bad, you'll see Zoi."
Zoisite sighed. "I hope you're right, mother."