Oniko leaned heavily against the arm of her throne and sighed while Yomako tended to the wounds she'd recieved while battling Jupiter.
"I can't take much more of this."Oniko clenched her teeth in pain. "Everytime I go and fight them, I seem to be winning, but then they power up or something ridiculous, and I end up getting my ass kicked."
Yomako gripped the bandages in her teeth and looked up at Oniko. "Maybe it's time to play our ace."
"Play our Ace?"
"Uhhh..."Yomako laughed uneasily,"Earth term.I mean unleash our true powers."
"No!"Oniko stood suddenly."We can't do that yet.We need them to believe that they have the upper hand."
"That would be a better idea wouldn't it?"
"Duh!"Oniko yelled."Get me Galen.I've got to talk to that boy."
The air before her shimmered, and Galen appeared, stepping out of thin air.
"You needed me my lady?"
"What do you do Galen?"Oniko asked annoyed."Hang around invisible and eavesdrop?"
He opened his mouth to answer,she cut him off by putting up her hand.
"Shut up.I know you do it,I don't want to hear some lame excuse."
Yomako rolled her eyes and stepped away. "I take my leave of you sister."
Oniko waved her away and turned towards Galen. "Your official duties begin today."
"Official duties?"
"Yes.I've got something very important for you to do."
"What's that?"
Oniko gripped the arms of her chair and leaned forward."Shut up for a moment and I'll tell you." She cupped her hands before her and a small glowing orb appeared. Eventually the orb faded away,and five small crytsals floated in her hand.They glowed softly,the light fading in and out.
"Do you know what these are?"she whispered."These are the Sailor crystals of the Ryu system.As of now they are incomplete.But the sixth crystal is in our posession.All we have to do is take it."
"What do we get if we have all six crystals?"he asked.
"The legendary sword Ryuko and the pool of foresight."
"So where is the sixth crystal?"
"Arashi has it."Oniko grinned.
"Arashi?"Galen started."But she's not a Sailorsenshi."
"She most certainly is.And it's up to you to get it from her."
"But if I take her crystal,won't she die?"
Oniko's face hardened and her eyes narrowed."Do you still have feelings for this girl Galen?Do you still foolishly love her?!"
"N-no I-"he stammered as he backed away from Oniko.
"Do you forget how she left you to die a slow and agonizing death?Your body stuck to a tree,a spear potruding your chest and arrows piercing your heart?!She left you to die,slowly bleeding to death in agony,while she saved the life of Endymion,you her once true love?!"
Galen backed away until he tripped,falling to the floor and looking up at Oniko who stood over him seething.He stared at her in shock for a moment,when a thought suddenly came to him.How could she have known that? She noticed the change of look on his face.
"What?"she demanded angrily.
"How could you have known that?"he asked,standing."How could you have known how I died over two millenia ago,if you were born in the last century?"
Oniko blushed furiously,her face turning scarlet.
"You're a liar."he said softly,and then repeated it loudly."You're a liar!You've been lying to everyone all this time!"
Oniko struck him across the face. "You dare accuse me?"she said hotly."You forget your place boy.I am the ruler over this domain."
Galen ignored her and pressed on. "Did you lie to the others too or just to me?"
Oniko was shaking with anger now.She strode forward and grabbed the front of his shirt,shaking him violently. "I could kill you now."her voice was a low,terrible whisper."A slow and agonizing death.One-thousand times worse than the first death blows you ever felt.Tell no one,or I will kill you."
"I'm not scared of you.I have nothing to loose."
"Oh no?"Oniko laughed suddenly,it bounced off the walls of the hall and filled Galen with utter dread."You cannot lie to me boy.I know your innermost feelings."
With a quick gesture of her hand Oniko filled the room with mist.
"Look."she pointed to the center of the room.The mist swirled,then condensed together forming the figure of a woman.The features filled in sharply,and Arashi stood before them.She turned to Galen and smiled warmly, a boquet of flowers in her hands.An old memory,from his last life.It was the day he'd first met her,standing in an open field,overlooking the sea.He smiled at the forgotten moment,forgetting his place. When suddenly out of the mist another woman came, her deep purple hair glinting in the sunlight, butterflies of deep purple and black floated in the air around her.
"The hunter of souls."Oniko whispered.
"Who?"Galen whispered,never taking his eyes off the scene before him.
"Sailor Heavy Metal Papillion."Oniko grinned."The most dreaded of Sailorgalaxia's minions. She tracked down and captured more Star Seeds than any other. Including the fellow protectors of Arashi's kingdom. Sailors Solstice, Crucifix, Kaze, Reve, and Kaminari." As she spoke the names the bodies of five more women appeared in the mist, flanking Arashi. The butterflies that surrounded Papillion flew to them, one alighting on each of their heads. As the butterflies touched them, their bodies turned to dust and cherry blossoms, leaving only their Star Seeds to glow brightly and finally dim. There was a brillant flash of light as all five seeds combined. Papillion strode up to the mist Arashi and touched her with the tip of her index finger. At her touch Arashi's back arched and her Star Seed flew from her heart. As Papillion closed her fingers around it Arashi's body began to dissolve, crying she reached out towards Galen, her lips mouthing the words Help Me. But he stood rooted to the spot, unable to help, and not knowing how.
At last the mist faded away, and with it Papillion and her army of butterflies. Only Arashi's Star seed was left, glowing dimly in the darkness that swelled around it and swallowed it whole. Galen swallowed hard and turned towards Oniko.
"Remember what you have seen here."Oniko whispered, her voice low, her intentions deadly. "Remember always if you value your life or hers." Without another word she ripped the bandages from her wound, and with a haughty turn she strode past him and disappeared down the hall. But as she brushed past him, he saw where her wound was, only to realize that it was completely healed.
Usagi giggled like crazy as she flopped back on Mamoru's couch. The storm still raged on outside, thunder and lightening cracked the sky, but for once, she didn't notice them at all. Mamoru leaned over, ready to kiss her, when she stopped him suddenly.
"Usagi?"
She reached forward and pulled the folded up letter out of his shirt pocket. It was the one he'd gotten from the girl that had been in her attic.
"I forgot about this."he said quietly,but without sadness. He took it from her and sat on the arm of the couch. Usagi sat up and inched closer, watching him turn it over and over in his hands.
"Mamo-chan?"she urged. "Aren't you going to open it?"
He stared at her for a moment as her words registered. "I suppose I should."
He flipped it over a final time then ripped off the edge of the envelope. The edge of an ancient yellowed parchment greeted them from the inside. He pulled it out slowly, then carefully unfolded it. Bits of the corners fell from it's tattered edges, so fragile it was. The letter was addressed to him, or rather to Prince Endymion. Usagi tried to read over his shoulder, but after he started reading it, he stood and backed away from her, trying to hide the fact that he didn't want her to see it.
"Mamo-chan!"she said sharply. "Who is it from?"
He looked away from her, leaning against the window frame and resting his forehead on his upraised arm. Usagi just stared at his back for a moment, the thick feel of foreboding rising in her throat.
"Mamo-chan."she said quietly,a little afraid.
"Beryl."he said quietly, turning towards her so that she could see he had suddenly gotten very pale.
She shook her head, not certain if what she had just heard was correct.
"What?" she asked incredously.
"The letter is from Beryl."he exclaimed, then threw it at the table, unable to touch it any longer. Usagi backed off as if he had just thrown a scorpion near her. She reached out to touch it gingerly, then picked it up, her hands were shaking. Mamoru said nothing but watched her carefully. A heavy silence had just settled around them. Carefully Usagi unfolded the letter and stared at the words scratched out on the parchment. Slowly and fearfully, she began to read.
My dearest Endymion,
By now you have met my children. Children born of the union between the four generals of the Dark Kingdom and myself. These children, in the event of my death, will be heirs to the rightful kingdom of their fathers. You are not to interfere in anyway with their claiming of the kingdom of Earth. If you attempt anything in any manner that would hinder their advances, you will pay the consequences and suffer dearly. They may be children, but they hold all the power of earth in their hands. Do not under estimate them. They are strong, and they will defeat you if you foolishly choose to resist.
~ Q.Beryl
Usagi crumpled up the letter and threw it away from her. "There's nothing to worry about." she said angrily. "We defeated Beryl and her generals easy enough, we can defeat their children too."
Mamoru turned away from her once more. "It may not be as easy as it sounds. If they're after what I think they're after, we're going to be in a lot of trouble."
"What?What do you think they're after?"Usagi asked, wishing he would stop pacing and sit down beside her.
"But why would they take Arashi then?" he was mumbling to himself. "It doesn't make any sense."
"You're not making any sense."Usagi grumbled. He paused for a moment, looking at her, then laughed softly to himself.
"Sorry Usako. I just don't want everyone jumping to conclusions. I think that Oniko and her sisters might be after the five elements."
"Five elements?"she echoed.
At last he stopped pacing at sat beside her. "The five elements are earth, water, wind, fire, and the spirit. They are some of the most powerful beings on earth."
"Beings?" Usagi raised an eyebrow."How can they be elements and beings at the same time?"
"They are elements and beings at once, it's kind of hard to explain. Think of them as elementals, their bodies are composed of the element they rule, but they are completely sentient. They think and act for themselves, they are the oldest known protectors of Earth. They have been here since the beginning, and they will be here until the end."
"Oh."Usagi said quietly, her eyes wide with wonder. "Where do they live?"
"No one knows. But we know they exist because we can see their work and children around us."
Usagi smiled and looked out towards the window. "I believe you."
Suddenly the room was plunged into darkness as the power went out. Usagi yelped and jumped for Mamoru only to miss, and fall to the floor. She sat up and began to wail loudly. She quieted when she felt his arms go about her waist and lift her off the floor.
"Thanks Mamo-chan."she whispered in his ear, only something was different. She didn't feel the normal warmth that resonated from him whenever she was around. She didn't feel the power from the Golden Crystal either.
"Mamo-chan?"she asked quietly, fearful when she recieved no answer. Her heart thumping in her throat she pushed away from the person who had been holding her and tried to run, but bumped into the coffee table and fell over again. As the lights flickered back on she turned to face them. A small lump of fear rose in her throat. Galen smiled at her from across the room, holding the tip of a sword to Mamoru's throat. Mamoru slowly removed his hand from the inside of his jacket, pulling a rose out with it. Galen leaned forward and swiped it from him, then crushed it under his heel. He looked back and forth from Usagi to Mamoru, never moving his head.
"I trust I need no introduction." he said coldly.
Usagi slowly rose to her feet, her hand slowly reaching for her brooch.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. I could slit his throat with but a simple gesture."
Usagi looked to Mamoru out of the corner of her eye, a little surprised by the look of hurt on his face. She turned back to Galen and slowly dropped her arm.
"What do you want?"Usagi asked, her coldness matching Galen's own.
"I want to help."he said, laughter on the edge of his voice. "Sure doesn't look that way does it?"
"We don't need your help."Mamoru said angrily.
"You misunderstand me. I don't intend to help you. I want your help."
"Why should we help you?"Usagi demanded.
"For Arashi. For Lunako. To save them both. I happen to know that Oniko has condemned Arashi to death, and once she gets what she wants from Lunako, she'll kill her too."
"How do you know Arashi is going to die?"
Galen turned towards Usagi and smiled. "Because I was ordered to do it."
In her house she sat, far from any mortals of any kind, but still she knew that they were coming for her and that she would have to be ready.
The woman with the flame red hair turned her eyes towards her companion and sighed. "It seems we can hide no longer."
The man with the pale blue eyes nodded. "We must be ready. We must be strong."
"Do you think that they will defeat us?" The woman with the dark brown skin asked, frowning.
"Let us hope not."replied the man with the deep blue eyes.
"They will never defeat us." said the person in the shadows, a deep look of concern sat upon their brow, worrying the others. "They will never defeat us."