Sandra saw the fog and felt the surge of power. Brief though it was it was powerful and she glanced briefly at her Generals before turning to flee into the hall, and once out of eye sight return to her throne room. Once there Beryl took her seat on her throne and leaned back, *Who is our little friend with that power.*
The Benefactor looked at the Senshi and Knights that were assembled infront of him. He got up and replaced his sword to his waist. "I am sorry to bring you all here under short notice," he said as he looked at each person. "I brought you here because I have been watching the play you all were going to do and I noticed the affect it had on many of you. So of you may not believe me or even some of you may have the memories of the past already. Who I am not sure. Let me tell you a story," he said and sat down again.
"One thousand years again our Moon housed a great kingdom. There was peace through out the universe. Each planet had a kingdom of its own and worked with the Moon, it being the center for major happenings. The Queen of the Moon owned a crystal named the Imperium Silver Crystal. A very powerful crystal. Her daughter, Princess Serenity was to rule one day as Queen. Around her was the Sailor Senshi. The Sailor Senshi were comprised of the Princesses of each planet up to Jupiter. The planets after that, there Senshi defended against any invaders from outside our solar system. Each of the inner planets had Protection Knight that protected the Sailor Senshi," explained the Benefactor as he glanced at each Knight. "One day the peace of the Moon Kingdom and its neighboring planets where shattered by the attack of the Dark Kingdom. Unable to anticipate the attack from the Dark Kingdom the Moon Kingdom fell in a great battle. Before that, Queen Serenity used the last of her power to send everyone, including the Dark Knigdom into the future. She trapped the Dark Kingdom for as long as possible and sent her daughter, with her court and there Knights to the future, where they would be reborn and live peaceful lives. Of course that was not to last long. Right now the Dark Kingdom as rewakened and is starting to make plans for taking over the world," finished the Benefactor. He waited for the questions to start.
Peacekepper looked about her at all the faces. She knew them, but from where? She shook her head and pushed that thought aside for a moment. "There are alot of holes in this story. First off, where is this Queen and Princess? Why don't we remember any of this? And who is the true enemy around here? How do we know it's not you?" she questioned.
The Benefactor looked at Peacekeeper sternly. "If I was your enemy then why would I awaken the power within you all then?" he asked with a question in return. "The true enemy is the Dark Kingdom," he explained. "As for the Queen and the Princess I am afraid to inform you all that they are no longer among the living. The Queen used the rest of her life energy to send everyone into the future and the Princess died here in the present while fighting against the Dark Kingdom," said the Benefactor as he studied everyone. "The reasons you have no memories is because the Queen wanted you all to have peaceful lives and made it so you all wouldn't remember the past."
"It didn't work," Preacher said grimly, keeping to the shadows. His voice like ice, his eyes dark pits of torment rimmed with fire, as he looked at the gathered senshi with something close to pity. "The Dark Kingdom never gave up their memories, and we've paid for it."
"I'm not sure," Kunzite replied slowly, looking around the room. "Some of the students are missing too. I think we have better get Zoisite and try to find out. Maybe the senshi are trying a new trick on us."
The Benefactor looked over to the Preacher, even if he was in the shadows. "I am afraid that is true. The Dark Kingdom did not have there memories blocked so they have knowledge of the past," he exlpained. His attention then focused to the rest of the group. "Let me ask anyone this. Have any of you heard of something called the Rainbow Crystals?" he asked.
" 'Rainbow Crystals'?" repeated Jurei-Jurei. "That's like a bag of Skittles, right?" The illusionary twins snickered, then Illusional Knight had his own question. "Hey, not to get off subject, but you said we're all Knights to protect our senshi, and the senshi came from planets, right?" "....well, I don't have a planet," said Jurei-Jurei slowly, more to herself. "I had a job...on the moon..." Illusionary Knight didn't hear her comment, and continued. "Well, what knight is supposed to protect who? And what if I...er, what if some of us don't have ones to protect? Are we not useful?" "We could be the food committee," joked Jurei-Jurei. "You know how hungry everyone gets over kicking some monster's butt." The Illusionary Knight threw her a look, which Jurei-Jurei caught and put away in her skirt.
The Benefactor had a slight smile on his face. "Each planet has a protection knight. Some planets in the past didn't need one for the princesses so they were used in other duties," he exlpained and looked over to the Illusionary Knight. "All of you are useful in this battle against the Dark Kingdom," he said to everyone. "Some of you Knights know who to protect." The Benefactor looked over to Dunican. "Take the Venus Knight. His duty was to protect Sailor Venus and after he was reborn that duty was still there and still today he is protecting her," he exlpained. "So just because you think you don't have a Senshi to protect don't over look the fact that we all must protect one another."
"Am I a Knight?" asked Jurei-Jurei hopefully. "Maybe I get dibs on someone as well!!" "Ano..." stammered IK, "I believe all of us Knights are guys, right?? It seems, um, y'know, kinda fitting. I mean, I personally don't think I could be a senshi; the bows ain't my thing." "Well, so what?" said Jurei-Jurei, turning to give Illusional Knight her own look. "Can' I be a Knight just because I don't have nifty armor and a stupid mask?" she said, 'pinging' on IK's mask made of thin chrome. He backed up a step, slightly annoyed, then flipped one of her cap trails. "And I'm sure that the accessories make a senshi, ne? What planet are you from?" Jurei-Jurei stuck out her tongue, the mature response. "Maybe I come from Mercury, or I'm Venus! Wait, we got a Venus, don't we?" she said, looking over her shoulder at the group. "So maybe I come from Pluto or Mars or...somewhere! Or maybe I come from the planet Vulcan, and was kicked off by Mister Spock for being illogical and having no point. To my ears, that is." A sweatdrop went down IK's face as he mumbled, "You really are what you're dressed to be." "And you look like a Spawn reject! I feel sorry for whoever has you for their Knight. You don't MATCH anywhere!" "At least I don't look like a trussed up Christmas Tree!" With an eyebrow twitch, Jurei-Jurei flattened him with an illusional cow, then turned back to the Benefactor. "Do you know where I'm from??"
The Benefactor looked at Jurei-Jurei. "Where do you think you came from?" he asked her. "Look into your heart and you will see where you came from," he said.
Nephrite nodded to Kunzite and exited the auditiorium. "I want a list of all students not accounted for in from the play." he muttered to Kunzite. "If it is the senshi then we have just gotten a huge jump on which students are and are not senshi."
Peacekeeper balled her fist. "Why should we believe anything you have said to us? You didn't even ask if we wanted these powers awakend, you just assumed we wanted to save the world." she said to the Benefactor. "And you." she said turning to The Precher. "What do you mean The Dark Kingdom never gave up their memories, and we've paid for it. What's this WE crap? Are you with them?" she demanded. Her temper was about to go through the roof, and she really didn't understand why.
"Wait, wait, hold the phone here!" said Jurei-Jurei, handing the nautical and tempermental sailor a cordless reciever. "I'm inclined to go with Wavy Hair, here, but come on! This platitude and jigs about the moon kingdom don't mean jack. And this look into my heart" thing--" With that, Jurei-Jurei knocked on her chest. A small gong noise was heard. "See, I'm hollow. Queen Serenity forgot to give me a heart," she joked. Illiusional Knight barebequed the cow, then offered a shishkobob to Venus Knight. Jurei-Jurei stood next to Sailor PeaceKeeper, and grinned. "You must be the infamous Sailor leader! I see you kick butt everywhere I go! Can I have your autograph?!" "Hey," said IK, wolfing down his stick. "I think I remember the Moon! Great food! Nice chicks." Jurei-Jurei snorted. "Pig." "No, it's steak. Want some?"
The Benefactor gave Sailor Peacekeeper with a stern look. "I only gave you the means to harness the power you all have within you. If I didn't awaken your powers then the Dark Kingdom would have taken over the Earth by now and you would all be living under there rule and living a miserable life," stated the Benefactor.
Venus Knight looked at the shishkobob and took it. He looked at it closely and looked over to the others and then to the Benefactor and back to the food that was in hand. *Is it real?* he asked himself.
Kunzite rolled his eyes with a dark mutter, and stalked over to one student standing around looking a little confused. Deputizing him to check on the students where abouts, he walked to the edge of the stage and frowned in thought, his arms folded across his chest and one tapping. Knowing who the senshi were would make things a whole lot easier in the future, though those plans did not include a certain red-haired witch.
His head dipped in slight response as he stepped into the light, the dark uniform he wore so similar to that of the Dark Kingdom's kings save for its fine material and silver piping. "Not really," Preacher replied with a gastly smile that did little to soften his features. "In another lifetime, the kings were my advisors until they were twisted by darkness, and I myself was the lover of the Moon Princess. But with her gone, so is my soul. All I have left is revenge."
Michiru turned her attention back to the Benefactor. "And just how would you know life would be miserable under their rule? huh? It might actually be a good change from the government/hypocrisity we have right now!" she fumed. *Where are all these big words coming from.* she wondered and turned back to Preacher. "Moon Princess's lover...alright now I've heard everything. Pinch me so I'll wake up from this nightmare!"
Nephrite chewed his lip for a moment. ~Zoisite, hurry back to the theater. Something important is about to go down.! he commanded. The little neko was going to be aggervated, he knew that. Being bossed around like this. It gave Nephrite a little bit of pleasure for a moment, and then he pushed it aside.
"Then I guess you would like to live in a world of sadness and despair?" asked the Benefactor. "The world that the Dark Kingdom wants is one of complete and total black. When they attacked the Moon Kingdom they killed everyone," stated the Benefactor. "Once they have all the Rainbow crystal then the world that we know it will come to an end," he said.
"Rainbow this, crystal that, bag of Skittles for everyone," said Jurei-Jurei with a yawn. "No offense, 'Benny'...May I call you Benny? But so what? If you're looking for crystals, I got me a big one here in my staff. It helps me in times of trouble," she said, holding up her Jester's Lance for a better look. The ruby atop glistened, but its brilliance was soon dimmed by Illusional Knight's sword, which he himself conjured up. "That's not a weapon, mate. THIS is a weapon," he joked. Jurei-Jurei snickered, then continued as he put his sword away. "Nice lightsaber. Anyway, what's the big deal about crystals? So far, all I got is, the bad guys want them they don't have any I'm assuming? And neither do we?... Soooooo, do we go on an archeological dig through Tokyo, or can we buy them in a jewelry store? Well, YOU can buy it," she said, looking Preacher up and down. "You dress like you're loaded." "With money?" grinned Illusional Knight. "Hai, hai," laughed Jurei-Jurei. "And Mr. B, if only a person from like the Moon can put these dumb crystals together, should THEY be looking for them? Or at least helping us? OH! Wait!" shouted Jurei-Jurei, coming towards the spot where 'Benny' was hanging out. "Do... you know a woman named Gaia?! Are you with her? If you are, I'd like tomett her, tell her thanks, offer her an 'oko."
The Benefactor listened carefully to Jurei-Jurei. "The Rainbow Crystal form the Imperium Siver Crystal," he explained. "The Imperium Crystal is the most powerful crystal out there. When used by someone who knows how to use it one can heal people with its wonderful white light. Anyone who was sick or on the verge of going to the darkness see the light when the crystal is used. If the Dark Kingdom gets all the Rainbow Crystal and figure out how to put it together, kiss this world goodbye," he said. "But only someone from the Royal Family of the Moon Kingdom can make the crystal whole again when all 7 crystals are together. This, Choosen one can do that. If our enemy gets to her first and she is forced into putting it together then all is lost. Either we must find this Choosen One or we find the Crystals or do both then we will have a fighting chance."
Aggrivated wasn't the word for it. Moving back onto the stage after taking Nephrite's new toy to the nurse, the sakura didn't give much warning before trying to leap onto the star king. Within the confines of his clothing came a soft hissing noise, his wings grappling for freedom and to strike with their sharpened claws. The man might be one of the two men he cuddled up with at night for pleasure and sleep, but right now he was out of his mind with fear and upset. "Baka yarou!" he snapped at the other man, incisors cutting twin tacks of crimson through his own pink lips as they cut through the delicate skin. "You did this! You called down all of this weirdness on me and Kunzite. Beryl is going to have our hides!"
Jeremy's eyebrows actually lifted in surprise from his place of concealment. Had he just heard and seen what he had, could it be that these teachers and student were the Generals of the Dark Kingdom. If they were than the chances would be that the Senshi would be in some deep trouble when they returned. *If so I'll deal with it my own way.*
Beryl smiled at Zoisite's words, indeed she was angered at their stupidity, but she was also amused by their fear of her. She watched the theater from her globe and smiled, running her own tounge over her pointed teeth. "They truly have no idea on what awaits them when they recover those crystal for me."
"... ... ... Am I the only one lost?" asked Jurei-Jurei aloud, raising a gloved hand and looking about. "The chosen one? Is he one of us, or one of them?" "Which 'them' are you referring to?" replied Illusional Knight, chomping his way through a bag of Skittles. "Ohhh, you--know!" said Jurei-Jurei, as she waved her arm, exasperated. "The Dark Kingdom them or the Sailor Senshi them? And I still haven't gotten my answers, yet! If you ask me, at this point, I'm better off not knowing. Just send me home with my cute little powers, and I'll keep an eye out for those royal jewels of yours, okay?" she asked, drawing a glass 'eye' out from her bow. It 'blinked' as Illusional Knight, pulled out a set of funky glasses that made his eyes ten-times bigger. "Well, I'll find them as well! With my perfect 20/20/20/20 vision!" He tried feeding himself a Skittle, and managed to smoosh it on Venusian Knight's breastplate (or chest-piece, whatnot). "Oh, crap!" exclaimed Jurei-Jurei, clapping a hand over her mouth. "Illusional Boy!" "Knight!" "Whatever. You got enveloped in a fog or something when you came here, right?" He squirmed a bit. "Yeah. So?" "So, baka, if he sends you back to whatever you're doing like this, everyone will know you're a knight. I mean, people are probably freaking out already if we're all gone. Me, especially! I mean, I was... in the middle of a hot embrace, if you catch my drift." Illusional Knight twitched as a piece of wood sailed by, making no move towards it. "Baaaaaad joke, jester."
Sailor Peacekeeper tapped her foot. "Wait a minute..you just said that the Queen and the Princess from this Fairy tale land are dead...so who is this choosen one, where can we find her and how the HELL are we suppose to get these crystals. You're talking in riddles old man! Make some SENSE!" She started shouting. Nothing was fitting into place. Not the Preacher, not these crystal thingys. "Hey...wheres that other guy. You know the one with the blue roses?" she asked, just noticing he wasn't there.
Nephrite stayed perfectly still. "Get off." he said calmly. "She's not going to kill us..we're too useful to the old bat. Now if you would stop and pay attention you would notice a number of students are missing. Those students are more then likely senshi..so if you will get off of me we can go and get their personal records, and hunt them down like dogs. And I'm pretty sure senshi blood tastes very good early in the morning." he cooed to Zoisite, hoping that would get the younger general off of him.
The Benefactor looked at Peacekeeper. "The Choosen One is the one who can take the Rainbow Crystals and merge them all into the Imperium Silver Crystal. Now if that can be done then the earth has a greater chance of surviving," he exlpained. "Now I am no sure. The Choosen One can be male or female," he finished. "Now time is growing short. It is time to send you back." With that said he raised a hand his hand and sent eveyone back to the threater in normal cloths and in different areas of the school.
"But what about--" asked Jurei-Jurei, takinga quick step forward... ...and landing in the school's swimming pool, complete in her Peter Pan outfit. Spluttering, Jakurin Kitsune pulled herself out and wringed her left sleeve. "I guess Old Benny's got a sense of humor after all," she said sarcastically, heading for the locker rooms to steal a towel. Blake Ketsumi, on the other hand, landed quietly behind the student on the catwalk, who turned around and freaked. "Hey, man! You missed it!! That chick you told me to watch? Well, Michiru, the school's easy girl and some guy came up and poof, like gone!!" Blake balked at that, then realized that alot of people were left after the 'foggy' incident. "H-Hey," he called down to a trio of men. One of who was riding the coach. Laughing a bit in spite of his worry, he said, "Ano, any of you guys see Jakurin Kitsune?? I left her right here, and now she's gone... I mean, it sounds stupid, you can't LOSE a body, but did you guys take her to the nurse?!"
Nephrite smiled. "Jakurin Kitsune. Thats one." he muttered and refused to reply to the boy.
Michiru reappeared in the guys bathroom. "WHAT THE HELL!" she cried and then stopped, looking around. "Hey, you're kinda cute." she called to one guy brushing his hair in the mirror. three other guys pushed her out of the bathroom, before they started doing their business. "I think that Benefactor guy just got a cool point on my end!" she said and headed back for the auditorium to check on Darien.
"I did," Kunzite murmured, glancing at Zoisite. Giving a half-shrug that seemed to say 'the games brothers play' he stepped down from the stage, and said casually, "She was doing alright when I left.. do you want me to go with you to see how she is?" ~Zoisite, Nephrite, please get control of yourselves. If we manage to capture some of these senshi before they recover from whatever had happened, imagine what our awards might be! Maybe even some senshi slaves for play!~
Darien slumped against a wall in an empty class room, his fingers pressed into his skull in a vain attempt to still its pounding. Somewhere beyond those doors people were living their normal lives, without pain or doubts beyond normal everyday matters. But in that room.. With a half-strangled cry of pain and loss, Darien slammed his fist into a desk, a black rose appearing in his hand to remain quivering in the scarred desktop. Lies, everything about him was lies. And nothing could be the same again.
Michiru walked back towards the auditorium and stopped, looking at the trio talking with the student. *Nobody else is there that I can see. Darien...* her mind called. She figured it best not to enter at that time, only to watch.
Nephrite only nodded to Kunzite slightly. An upper hand over the Senshi was so near.
Blake felt a shiver, but passed it off. "Yeah, man, I mean, Mr. Kitsune. I'd actually like that." Now, Kitsune was probably the only teacher that he would put up with. He hated Coach's guts ever since the fights, and switched out of gym as fast as he could. But this was now. With a jump, Blake launched himself over the catwalk, grabbing the wires that plummeted downward. At the last moment he made a nimble jump, letting it crash at the trios' feet as he tucked and rolled. Getting up, he dusted himself off, then paused. ~....I've done that before...where?... for fun? To save someone??~ A brief flash of pain streaked across his face, as a memory came upon him. He grabbed his left arm and said, "Let's try the nurse, first, ne?"
Jakurin squished her way down the hall, and saw a recognizable rear end and taunt hair. With a grin, she walked over and tapped Michiru on the right shoulder, then darted to the left.
Dunican walked out of the cafiteria with a bag of chips in hand. "Who would have thought I was going to be dropped off in there," he said to himself and ate some more chips. *I wonder where everyone else is.*
At the thought of having some senshi to torture, Zoisite cheered up remarkably. Perhaps that handsome, raven haired Preacher would show up too... then he could have a -real- toy to play with. Shivering in delight, he curled against Kunzite and Nephrite, considering if he could talk the two into a romp before killing the senshi. Gazing up at their faces, he knew already that he couldn't. Business and duty before pleasure. "All right, Kunzite-sama. What do you want me to do?"
Michiru turned around. "Jarukin..I thought you were on the cat walk. What are you doing here?" she asked and then stopped..*Opps, I was up there too...oh well...* she thought. Right now she didn't care who knew she was a senshi, only that all this started making sense.
Nephrite stood silent waiting on the Ice King to speak. He was itching to get his hands on the Senshi, seeing what made them tick, and if they were as finly toned under the fukus as they were in them.
Jakurin blinked, realizing that 'Benny' had screwed up royally, he had deposited Jakurin in a different spot (obviously), and now there were others looking for her. "Eh heh heh heh," she laughed nervously, a sweatdrop going down her head, "cheap magician's trick I'm working on. Y'know, that whole-- Houdini in a tank of water... thing... ano... I think I've had enough of school for one day." She backed up a few paces, her Pan-ish slippers making a sucking sound. "Tell, um... MAESTRO, that I'll be back tomorrow for rehearsals and uh, that I'll dry clean this thing. And uh, if anyone asks... I jetted early. Sayonara!!" she squeaked with a smile, flitting around the corner, and racing hell-bent out of the school.
Blake had walked up to the trio, giving Zachary the weirdest look. Coughing, he said, "Ano, you and the coach are siblings, ne? Wouldn't have guessed..." Of course, Blake personally never gripped men THAT tight -- then again, Blake had grown up without closeness to anybody. Maybe Zachary had something going for him.
Michiru watched Jarukin's re-treating form. "Yeah, whatever." she replied. "DARIEN!" she then remembered that she had been with Darien when they all disappeared. He would want to know what happened.
Zoisite turned on Blake with a quickness and grace that was nearly balletic in its execution. Focusing his green eyes on the other boy, a slight smirk traced its way across his cupidbow lips. Sauntering over to the other boy with his hips swaying in an silent invitation to a dance as old as time itself and wound within the bedsheet, he continued to smile sweetly as his voice dropped to a whisper, "You'd be amazed just how close we are, sweetie..."
"S-sweetie?!" gagged Blake, backing up. Zachary Stanton... a fruit?! He heard Jakurin sigh plenty of times when the blonde walked by her -- oh yuck!! Trying to hold down the greasey lunch, he side-stepped Zachary with a slight eyebrow twitch and pieces of hair sticking up. Addressing Kitsune, he showed a sign of being unnerved by his schoolmate. "Uuuuh, Mr. Kitsune, ano... anytime you want to start is uh, fine by me..." ~Jakurin's crushing on a ^@*@* fruit?! What's wrong with me? Just because I wear black make-up and carrying around tons of chains and -- well...~ A sweatdrop went down Blake's head. Inwardly, he and Zachy shared one thing: they were both freaks.
"Now would be a good enough time as any," Kunzite replied with a light smile and a sidelong glance at Nephrite. He lightly jump down and walked over to him, patting Zoisite lightly on the shoulder as he past. "Are you and Jakurin close?"
"Close?" repeated Blake, as he followed after the teacher, once again throwing a breif look over his shoulder at Zachary. He then hurried after Kitsune. "Naw, it's kinda like a mutual thing. If I were to die tomorrow, she'd be the only one probably who'd give a damn for a day or two. Although she's kinda cute, she doesn't fit my critera for 'close'. Women just up and dissappearing, though... that's why I wanna know where she went!!" Blake said, ending his sentence with a slightly annoyed tone. If he were her, where WOULD he go?!
"I see," Kunzite replied, walking easily through the half empty school. "So you two aren't dating as some of the rumors like to suggest. You're just a friend of hers, right?" ~Neprhite, Zoisite, follow us. I'll be taking him to the one office. We can grab him there.~
Dunican walked through the halls of the school. Trying to get back to rehersal to see what was going one. Someone turned the corner and rammed into Dunican so hard that he fell. Trying not to hit the floor so hard Dunican's hand smashed into the fire alarm switch and then the alarm sounded. *Oh great!* thought Dunican as he looked at the kid that ran into him. He was knocked out form the blow. Sliding the kid over to the wall he left him there with a small note. *I better find one of the Knight or Senshi.* he thought and noticed students and teachers were started to get out of the school. *I best go myself.*