Chapter 7: Identities Revealed



Shannon stared at Haruka. “Erm . . .” She looked back at Adara, “What are we supposed to say?” She whispered urgently.

Hino Rei stepped next to Haruka. “Adara-chan? You’re . . . Sailor Isis?”

Adara smiled a little sadly. “Yes. And you’re Sailor Mars.”

Rei nodded. “How long? I mean, you’ve gone to T*A Academy with me for, what, three, four years now?”

Adara nodded. “I’ve been Sailor Isis as long as you’ve been Sailor Mars in this lifetime. I was awakened when I was 14. I didn’t know what to do, my partners were no where to be found. So I just observed. I was careful not to be seen, of course.” She paused, looking at the surprised faces of the senshi. “I know it was probably wrong to sit out, but something told me I wasn’t needed yet. Besides, you all seemed to do well enough without me, and I’m not a Planetary senshi. I am Ellipse. I belong with my partners.”

“You keep saying partners, plural.” Ami interjected. “I thought Sailor Electra was your partner, who is your other partner? Are you meaning Apollo?” She gestured towards the dog who had just appeared at Shannon’s side.

“No.” Shannon said, moving herself into a cross-legged position on the ground. “We have another partner. We just-“ She broke off, her brows knitted.

“We just haven’t found her yet.” Adara finished, placing a hand on Shannon’s shoulder.

Usagi peered down at Shannon. “I can’t believe we didn’t recognize you as Sailor Electra before. It seems so obvious now.” Shannon laughed. “Well, I’m sure the black eye I’m sporting makes it a little easier.”

Rei was still looking at her school friend. “And I can’t believe you were a senshi, all along.”

“Rei-chan, don’t sound so betrayed.” Adara’s voice was calm, though the strange turquoise sparkle in her eyes was beginning to show. “It’s not like I could have told you, anymore than you could have told me. Besides you had your best friends as senshi, I would have just complicated things.”

Shannon looked backwards at Adara. The brunette was definitely trying to hide some emotion. That blue sparkle always came out in her eyes when she was emotional.

Haruka stomped her foot. “This is stupid. This isn’t that big a deal. Now I just know who you are. Doesn’t change the fact that you “-She looked down at Shannon- “are annoying as hell or that I barely know you.” She glanced Adara.

Shannon was grinning. “Why Tenoh-san, I annoy you? Who don’t I annoy?”

Minako smiled. “You don’t really annoy me, I think you’re funny.”

That comment sent the blonde on the ground into peals of giggles. “That’s good! But I’m sure I’ll annoy you pretty soon. I annoy everyone sooner or later. Right, Wonder Dog?” She elbowed her guide in the ribs. Apollo just rolled her eyes.

“Tenoh-san is right. This sudden revelation of identities is not that big of a deal.” Apollo grabbed Shannon’s sleeve in her teeth and tugged. “It’s time for us to go now.”

Shannon sighed. “Alright mutt. We’ll go.”

*

“You bitch Hasaki!” Kurai screamed through the closed door. “Tell me whether or not the Empress sent you!”

The heavy wooden door opened suddenly, Haskai emerged looking angry. Her long dark pink hair was freed from its usual ponytail confinement and hung loose down her back. “What did you just call me?” She toyed with a small sharp dagger.

“You heard me. Now what the hell did you think you were doing today?”

“The Empress thought it was a good idea to give you some competition.”

“You lie! The Empress trusts me. I am your superior! She wouldn’t send you out to undermine me.”

Hasaki laughed. It was a strange laugh, devoid of both mirth and malice. It was dry and unamused sounding. Kurai made a face, he hated it when she laughed like that.

“I hate it when you laugh like that.”

“I hate when you always think you’re right.”

Kurai growled. “Well I am aren’t I? The Empress didn’t send you out today.”

“I’ll never tell.” Hasaki smiled coldly.

“Like hell you won’t!” Kurai jumped at his adversary. He dodged her dagger and grabbed a handful of her hair.

“Damn you Kurai! Leggo my hair!” Hasaki screamed. She twisted and neatly sliced his arm with her dagger.

“Bitch!” Kurai yelled, releasing her hair. “You’ll pay for that one!” He once again leapt on her, this time knocking her dagger away. He pulled her hair as she began targeting his pressure points.

“STOP!” Kurai and Hasaki froze. Kurai shoved Hasaki away from him and knelt down on one knee. Hasaki recovered herself and knelt in a similar position.

“Empress Kyouran.” Kurai spoke without lifting his eyes.

“What do you two idiots think you are doing?” Her high voice was even colder than usual.

“My Empress, Kurai Ittou and I were discussing-“

”Discussing, Hasaki?” Kyouran cut her off. “I heard no discussion. I could only hear your curses and shouts ringing through my halls. I will not have you two fighting while there is work to be done.”

“But Empress, we were discussing a matter that is imperative to our mission.” Kurai stated.

“Yes, My Lady.” Hasaki agreed with him.

“And what was so important that you felt the need to draw blood?” Kyouran asked acidly.

“Hasaki barged in on my mission!” Kurai cried in a near whine.

“Oh shut up you big baby! Do I need to cut you again?” Hasaki glared at him. She turned her head back to her Empress. “My Lady, I simply thought Kurai was working too slowly. So while he was still sleeping this morning, I took the initiative to go and scout out the senshi.”

“That was certainly a fine way of saying that you snaked me!” Kurai said in hotly. “Empress, she undermined my orders and yours by seeking out the senshi today. And I wouldn’t have overslept this morning had she not put sleeping powder in my wine last night!”

Hasaki stifled a laugh.

The Empress gave her a harsh look. “Hasaki.” The young woman met her Empress’s eyes. The navy haired woman’s look softened ever so slightly. “Good work today. Maybe giving Kurai some competition will get my pearl found faster. But if you two imbeciles kill each other before my pearl is found, there will be hell to pay in both your families for generations. And the next disturbance of my halls will be punished by the session in the chamber. Understood?” The two underlings nodded. “Good.”

*

“I FOUND IT!” Kurai shouted gleefully. He ran from his quarters, buckling his jeweled sword belt around his waist. He tossed his seeing stone into the air and caught it deftly. He ran down the hall. “Look out pearl, here I come.”

Hasaki stuck her head out of her door. “What is that idiot doing now? Could he have really found the Empress’s pearl already?” Pulling a dagger that was embedded in the wood of the door frame free, she ran quietly after him.

*

Adara stalked out of the shower and into her room. She tightened her bathrobe and began to search for her blow dryer. She hadn’t used it in months. She found it in a plastic container in her closet. Removing the towel from her hair she began to blow it dry. She tugged at her locks with a paddle brush to tame their curl. She hadn’t been drying for more than two minutes when a knock came at the door.

Adara shut off her dryer and opened the door. Her father entered the room, looking concerned. “Addie? What’s the matter, Sweetie?”

Adara smiled slightly. Her father had always been on top of things. He knew when ever she blew her hair dry and straight that something was troubling her. She sighed. “Oh Daddy.” She hugged him, wanting to tell him all about Rei being upset about her being a senshi. She pulled back, knowing she could never tell him. “It’s nothing really, Daddy. I just had a bad day. I could really use some chocolate, though.”

Jonathan smiled. “Sure thing, Addie. I’ll go make some chocolate malts.” He tugged on one of her locks affectionately and turned to leave her room.

“Jonathan? What’s going on?” Adara could hear her mother’s voice coming from down the stairs. “I heard Adara’s blow dryer on.”

“Nothing a little chocolate can’t fix.” Jonathan called down before smiling one last time and shutting the door behind him.

Adara smiled briefly after her father left. Her parents were wonderful. It never ceased to amaze her that she got along so well with her parents. It seemed most kids her age could barely stand theirs. The arrival of Shannon was a strong reinforcement of that. Adara couldn’t remember Shannon ever getting along with her parents, not even when she was little. Sometimes Shannon seemed like such a misfit in her family. Her parents doted on Sinead and Colin, but never on their middle child. Maybe it was because she was always pushing away. Adara was just starting to wonder why Shannon pushed so hard to get away and how the new baby fit into the picture, when the telephone rang. She ran a hand through her still damp hair and picked it up.

“Hello?”

“Dara! Glad you picked up.” Shannon’s voice said on the other end of the line.

“What’s up Shan?”

“Not much, except for ‘Pollo just took off. I think something’s up over at Rei’s. That’s where she headed anyways. I think we should head over there. Suit up, baby.”

“Alright, Weirdo. I’ll meet you there.”

“Righty-o.” There was a click at the other end of the line.

Adara put her blow dryer on her bed, scrunching her hair with one hand. Her hair was going to be a mess. Luckily, henshining always brought it back to normal. She threw on some clothes and hurried downstairs. She walked swiftly into the kitchen where her parents were standing together near the blender.

“Hey Sweetie. The malts are almost ready.” Josephine said over her shoulder.

“Sorry, guys. Shannon just called. She’s having an emergency of her own right now. Fridge mine for me, will ya? I’ll eat it when I get back home later.”

Her parents looked disappointed, but nodded. “It’s okay, Adara. Go see what’s bugging Shannon and we’ll keep your brother from eating your malt from you.”

“Thanks. I’ll be back later.” She waved and left the house. She sighed as she set off at a trot down her street. Already the lies were becoming easy to tell. She knew she would have to make up many more before her job as a senshi was done.

*

Adara transformed into Sailor Isis as she neared Rei’s temple. She rushed around the corner and into the open yard. She could see five figures standing at the opposite end. She ran towards them. As she got near, she could make out the words two of the figures were saying.

“Kurai, I don’t even know why you have that sword. You’re too chicken to ever use it.” Hasaki was saying to the Kurai. Then she waved her hands up in the air in a mocking manner. “Look at me, I’m a little dainty man who’s afraid to get my hands dirty so I’ll just send out one of my stupid little demons to fail miserably for me.” She sniveled.

“It might have worked had you not shown up and destroyed my demon before it even had a chance to get the girl.” Kurai shot back, his cheeks turning red with anger.

“That’s your other problem. You go and drain one person at a time. You are a frickin’ idiot!” Hasaki turned her attention from Kurai as Isis neared them and skidded to a halt. “Look, you’ve wasted so much time that another senshi has arrived. And you know you can’t take her on.”

“Shut up Hasaki!” Kurai yelled.

Now that Sailor Isis was closer she could get a much better grasp on the situation. It was worse that it had appeared from afar. The girl in question was actually Rei! Kurai was holding her in a choke hold while threatening her with a large sword. Sailor Electra and Sailor Moon were being held in check by Hasaki who had seemingly tied them to a tree.

“Isis!” Electra cried. “Finally you get here! Come here and untie us!”

“I think not.” Hasaki growled swinging a dagger at Sailor Electra. “I thought we had an agreement, you keep your big, stupid mouth shut and we will make your death swift.”

“You think you scare me?” Electra cocked an eyebrow. “I guess you are pretty scary looking. All that pink you’re wearin’, clashing all over the place.”

“Oh and you have a lot of room to talk!? Running around in that tiny little skirt, mooning everybody.”

“Hey, hey now.” Electra said in mock outrage. “Don't pretend you don't like it.”

Sailor Isis winced at Electra’s poor attempt at humor. “Sailor Electra shut up. You are not helping the situation.”

“Kurai, let’s just do this thing.” Hasaki said impatiently.

“No kidding. Hurry up, will ya? I’m getting a rope burn here.” Electra said flatly, moving against the strange ropes that bound her and Sailor Moon.

“Sailor Isis! Help Rei-chan!” Sailor Moon pleaded, ignoring Sailor Electra.

Sailor Isis nodded. She began to move forward when she was stopped short by a cry from Rei.

Kurai laughed sinisterly. “I don’t think so. This girl is so high energy that I’m positive she possesses the pearl. I can still extract the pearl from her dead or alive.” He pressed his sword harder against Rei’s neck. A small trickle of blood stained the blade.

“Make your move Sailor Isis.” Hasaki said. “We have the pearl holder and your partner AND Sailor Moon. I’m not sure if you realized it or not, but Sailor Moon and Little Miss Wise Ass over here are sitting on one big trap.” She pointed at Isis’s feet. “One false move and you send three perfectly positioned knives into each of your little senshi pals.”

“What?!” Sailor Isis shouted, resisting the temptation to jump.

“Ropes, my dear. There are all in perfect position.” Hasaki laughed. “Now we shall take the priestess and leave.”

“Rei!” Sailor Isis cried.

“Don’t move, Sailor Isis.” Rei choked. “You can’t let them hurt Sailor Moon.”

“What about me? You don’t care if they turn me into a pin cushion as long as Moonie’s okay?” Electra asked sarcastically, only to be elbowed by Sailor Moon and shot several dirty looks.

“But Rei-“ Sailor Isis broke off, her eyes determined. “I won’t let them take you!” The brunette jumped upwards, grabbing an over hanging tree branch. She swung to gain momentum and then let go. She flew through the air, straight towards Kurai and Rei.

Hasaki reacted quickly. “Kurai, we’re out. Now!” She grabbed a rope laying on the ground near her and yanked it. Then snapping her fingers, she and Kurai disappeared in their respective lightning crack and cloud of smoke, taking Rei with them.

Six daggers, released by the rope, shot straight towards the defenseless Sailor Moon and Electra.