July, 2001, by Sailor GlitterGirl & Rose Aquarius

 

                                                  

                                 The Universal Galaxy Saga

                                                                          Book One:

                         The Light Never Fades

 

 

 

 

Chapter Seven: Sibling Reunion

By: Sailor GlitterGirl & Rose Aquarius 'Rose-Chan'

Rated: PG, as usual

 

 

 

 

                "Kami-sama..." Michelle whispered, and she felt the

hand of Amara on her shoulder, reassuring her. Michelle sent

a grateful smile to her cousin.

 

                The young man that had appeared before them was no

more than twenty, and bore an uncanny resemblence to the two

Guardian sisters. Midnight black hair with silver highlights,

and silver eyes with flecks of gold and black. Lean, powerful

muscles showed through his dark uniform. Only the pleading,

desperate look in his eyes and on his face proved that he was

not here to harm.

 

                "Light murderer," Everyone heard Laxa hiss vehemntly

under her breath.

 

                "Laxa, Versia, please," The man began. "I knew you'd

react like this-"

 

                "Ha!" Versia laughed. "If Rena were here she would

have put you in a black hole on the spot!"

 

                "Yes, she would. And I'd deserve it," The man hung

is head. "But please, listen, I want to help! And I...I

want...need you to heal me."

 

                "Huh?!" The group blinked collectively, and Versia

let out a slight gasp.

 

                "Wh...what?" Verisa whispered in bewilderment. Dare

she hope...?

 

                <Do you believe him?> Raye's voice suddenly chimed in

their minds. It took all the sisters's control to keep from

jumping. Regaining their compusure, they glanced at Raye,

then at each other.

 

                <Do we?> Laxa asked mentally, her mind voice quiet.

 

                <I...I don't know...> Versia whispered.

 

                <Please...> Yet a fourth voice implored, his voice

desperate. <Please, sisters, look into my soul, into my eyes.

See my sincerity!>

 

                Looking at each other with sidelong glances. Versia

took a deep breath, and did so. She stared straight into the

silver and golden flecked eyes of the half-brother that she

had loved so dearly long ago. Was it possible that he was

telling the truth? And if it was, could she care about him

ever again? After what he did?

 

                Suddenly, Versia stepped back hastily, nearly

tripping. Regaining her balance, she looked up, and

realization donned on her as she looked at her sibling once

again. Glancing over at Laxa, Versia saw that her sister had

seen the same thing as her.

 

                With a cry, both Laxa and Versia launched themselves

at the young man. Startled, the breath nearly knocked from

his lungs when his two sobbing half sisters engulfed him in

hugs and kisses.

 

                "I knew you'd be back! I knew it!!" Laxa screeched,

tears running down her face.

 

                "Oh, my gosh, we missed you so!" Versia whispered

through her rainstorm.

 

                "Why?" Versia whispered suddenly, holding her

brother at arms length, looking him in the eye, which were

watering.

 

                "It's a long story," He whispered. "But I guess I

was young and ambitious and those aspects were taken

advantage of." He shook his head. "But that's no excuse; I

should have known."

 

                "Got that right," Laxa grumbled, then she smiled

slightly. "But we forgive you. Now, what was this about

healing?" The man took deep breath.

 

                "I want to help you. I know now that you were right

that time so long ago, and I-" Laxa hushed him with a wave

of her hand, and her staff appeared in her grip at the same

time.

 

                "No matter; you're here now," She said, smiling, then

her face turned serious. "You really do want to return to the

side of good?" She asked.

 

                "With all my heart."

 

                "Then kneel, Midnight of the Shadow Kingdom," Laxa's

own staff appeared, and she and her sister stepped away, and

the man -Midnight- complied.

 

                They then took their staffs and placed them on his

shoulders, Versia on his left, Laxa on his right. The staffs

began glowing, and Midnight closed his eyes. The glow of the

staffs seeped into his skin, and he began to glow, as color

began to take to his skin once more. More silver highlights

appeared in his hair, and underneath his eyelids, his eyes

lost their evil gleem.

 

                All at once, the glow suddenly vanished, and Princess

Galaxcia and Princess Universia -for during the glowing they

too had been transformed- stepped away.

 

                "Now arise," Versia said, tears and pride in her

voice. "Prince Orion of the Light kingdom, my dear, dear

brother." With waves of their hands, the staffs and fancy

clothing disappeared, and even Midnight -Now Prince Orion-

was in ordinary black jeans and jade colored top.

 

                The two sisters, laughing and crying, launched

themselves at their half brother. Still smiling and wiping

away tears, they broke the hug and stepped away, finally

noticing the bewildered and blank looks that they were

recieving from all the senshi, save Setsuna and Serena, and

burst out laughing again.

 

                "Um, girls," Versia giggled at their dropped jaws and

wide open eyes. "May we introduce our half brother, son of

our mother Queen Unilaxia, and son of the Solar King,

Emperor Solaris, Prince Orion."

 

                "HOW MANY FAMILY MEMBERS DO YOU *HAVE* SERENA????!!!"

Raye screeched at the meatball headed one, her eyes looking

positively wild. They all laughed again. All that is, except

Setsuna. She simply smiled softly. She hoped, for their sakes,

that they enjoyed their free laughter while they could. She

doubted they would do it again for a long time.

 

                "Alright, enough merry-making," Amara said gruffly.

"So, you said you know how to find out how we acquire our

true powers?" She looked harshly at the new prince, who was

still entangled with his sisters. Laughing and pulling away

from them, the trio collecting themselves, they sat down in a

row, next to a still standing Setsuna, facing the rest of the

Semi-Senshi.

 

                "Yes," Orion said. "Yes I do." He looked rather

nervous, but an encouraging look from Laxa helped him on.

"In the realm of the Shadows, they have this room, where

forbidden artifacts that they'd managed to steal from their

enemies over time, therefore ensuring they couldn't be used

against them. In the room there is one book, a book called

'Truths.'

 

                "A long time ago, the Shadow King captured and tortured

a sorceress to gain information on what that book did, and just

before she died she made a prophecy that it was that book that

would bring about the path of his destruction, that it would

lead his doom to him. So naturally, he tried to destroy it,

but nothing worked.

 

                "So, it is kept under lock, key, surveillence, guard,

and ward 24/7. It will be no easy task even getting into

that room, let alone to the vault that holds it." Orion

shook his head. "I might be able to help you get in, if the

King does not notice the absence of my evil powers, but that

is all."

 

                "That's fine," Darien said, speaking for them all.

"You get us in, and we'll do the rest." They all nodded

together, then Orion sighed and rubbed his brow.

 

                "There's another thing," Orion said. "The Shadow King

has taken a queen, and she -for most appearences- runs the

show." He shook his head. "But she's a puppet, and I think she

knows it."

 

                "If that's the case we may be able to use that to

our advanage." Setsuna said, her voice as stonic as ever.

 

                "There's not much more we can do now," Serena sighed,

looking tired and worn. "Why don't we all go home, get some

sleep, and talk this out the rest of the way tomorrow morning.

Then if all goes well, and we don't come to anymore obstacles,

we attack tomorrow night." Again, the others all nodded their

agreement, Raye and Amara smiling proudly at their leader who

was finally *acting* like their leader.

 

                Slowly, one by one, they all drifted away, until

only the three siblings and Serena were there, Darien of whom

had departed after a lingering kiss to his love, and Raye

having taken the tea cups and plates to the kitchen.

 

                Serena looked at Orion, and smiled gently as she held

out her hand, and said two words that made all the difference

to the young, naiive prince.

 

                "Welcome back."

 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

 

                That night was the first in a long time that the

girls cried not for sorrow and pain, but for joy as they

caught up on old times with their beloved brother, staying

up late into the night before they realized that they

needed their sleep if tomorrow was the day that they'd be

taking on the task of sneaking into an enemy fortress. So

with teary good-nights and more hugs, they all retreated to

their respective sleeping places, Orion insisting on taking

the couch.

 

                As Versia laid down in her bed, she coulnd't help

but wonder; would this mission be their last?

 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

 

                The next morning dawned bright and cheerful, the sky

was the clearest, sparkling blue, the birds singing their

sweetest songs, the ethereal perfume of the spring flowers

scented to the air sweetly.

 

                A white-gold haired, fire opal eyed young woman

walked slowly down the streets of Juuban on a bright and

clear Saturday, obviously deep in thought.

 

                "Hey! Hey Mina-chan, wait up!" Mina stopped and

looked over her shoulder to see Lita running to catch up.

Soon, the two girls were walking side by side, both deep

in their own thoughts, most likely pondering the same

things.

 

                "I still can't belive it," Mina said quietly,

thoughtfully, half to herself.

 

                "Yeah, I know, it's totally unexpected." Lita

replied, looking up at the sky. "I wonder...Last night, I

couldn't help but wonder if this was a clever trap, but-"

 

                "But something about all this has a ring of truth

to it." Mina finished. "I agree; I thought the same things

last night, too. But when those two girls explained it to

us, my mind was going, 'yeah, yeah, that's it! That's why!'"

 

                "Yeah, same here!" The tall brunnette agreed. "You

have to admit it makes sense, too, in a way. I mean, how

else could we have such control over a power, how the power

we've been using always seems to be so perfectly...tailored

to *us.* I always kinda thought it was kind of odd for a

power that was supposed to be meant for generations and

generations of different peopleto be able to use it, for it

to be so specialized to us. I always just wrote it off as

being part of the gig. Like a glove that shrinks or grows

to fit its wearer."

 

                "I thought that once, too." Mina mussed. "And it that

answer never quite settled me. Now I know why."

 

                Silence fell over them once more, and Mina glanced

up at the sky. If she looked hard enough, and used her

personal powers as Sailor Venus, she could just barely make

out the outline of her namesake planet, Venus.

 

                Mina stopped for a moment, but Lita went on, not

noticing, having gone back deep into thought. Mina sighed,

gazing up at where Venus was, and smiled gently. She knew

her family was watching her, even in death.

 

                "Wish me luck," she whispered. "Wish us *all* luck."

 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

 

                "So that's it?" Serena implored.

 

                They had all, all twelve Senshi-to-be, and two

princes, had been Raye's temple for nearly two hours,

discussing possible routes to enter the Shadow Kingdom, and

exploring different aspects of their powers. Since the power

was *their* power, as long as they had enough of it, they

could literally form it into anything they wanted. Shields,

hand weapons, make new attacks to fit circumstances, hey,

even turn invisible!

 

                "I think that's all," Orion leaned back, away from

the table. "I've told you all I know of the defences, which

is pretty much everything since I was in charge of a lot of

stuff."

 

                "Alright, here's the plan," Serena took a deep

breath, and Darien squeezed her hand reassuringly. Smiling

at him, she explained. "Okay, Orion, you are going back one

more time. You are going to propose a new plan. Supposedly,

you're going to scope out the city to find those who seem to

produce the most energy. Got that?" Orion nodded, not too

comfortable at having to go back, but seeing the neccessity

of it.

 

                "Then, as soon as it's okayed, you come back, stay

away for a few hours, and then we go back with you,

looking as if we'd been 'captured.'" Everyone began to

smile. This was actually a decent plan!

 

                "Does the Shadow king know our civilian forms?"

Michelle asked. "Or even what we looked like in the Silver

Millennium?" Orion nodded.

 

                "I'm afraid so," the Light Prince said. "And he

even has internal defenses programed to sense your DNA

signatures."

 

                "I could fix that," Amy spoke up, effectively

cutting off the groans and cursing that had begun. "I can

creat a serum that when enjected into our veins will appear

to be temporarily changing our DNA signature ever so

slightly. When in fact it'll simply be adding to it, like

make-up I guess you could say. After about a day, the

make-up will get washed away by the white blood cells."

 

                "Hey, we actually understood that," Mina blinked,

and Amy blushed. Serena laughed, and clapped her hands

 

                "Okay, that solves that problem," she said, then

looked at Mina wristfully. "Mina, do you think you could

alter our facial looks just enough to get us by?" Mina nodded

confidently.

 

                "Pretty sure," She said thoughtfully. "I'll need to

go shopping for some more serious cosmetics than I have,

though, and that's bound to be expensive."

 

                "Problem solved," Versia and Laxa spoke together,

speaking up for the first time in a long while. Laxa

reached inside her white leather purse and extracted her

wallet. From that she produced a shiny credit card, and

and handed it to Mina.

 

                "When you guys are with us, money isn't and issue."

Versia told them with a smile. "We literally have endless

credit. And once a month we just reach back home and grab some

of our less valuable stuff -which happens to be very

valuable, here- exchange it for yens, and then fork it over

to the bank."

 

                "So go ahead and spend as much as you need." Laxa

told Mina.

 

                "Cool!" All the mall-loving females in the room

shouted. The sisters along with the outers and Darien and

Orion laughed at the hearts that had appeared in the eyes

of the Inner Senshi, including Rini.

 

                "Hey," Versia suddenly spoke up, loudly. "How about,

after this is all done and over with, and we've kicked

Shadow Kingdom butt, Laxa and I take you all on a super

delux, absolutely-no-limit-money-wise shopping spree!"

               

                "And for you, guys," Laxa nodded to the boys. "You

guys can go to a baseball game or racing show." Amara

brightened at this. "And you outers can just go do whatever

you want. Concerts, trip to the star observatory, whatever."

 

                The room erupted into applause and cheers and

excited laughter.

               

                "Alright then!" Lita shouted, jumping up. With a

huge smile on her face, and everyone's attention, she

thrust her fist out into the air in front of her. "To

finding our true powers as Senshi of the Universe-"

 

                Serena leaped up and placed her hand over Lita's

fist. "To kicking Shadow Kingdom butt!" She continued for

Lita. Mina, quickly followed by a smiling Amy, joined

the group.

               

                "And to the shopping spree of our lives!" The

blonde cried.

 

                "But mostly," Amy spoke up, unexpectedly. "Most

importantly, to team work, and frienship." Smiles ensued,

and everyone was rushing over. One by one, starting with

Lita and ending with Orion, all thirteen of them -including

Setsuna- had their right hands clasped together in a circle,

the team joined in heart, friendship, and cause.

 

                Smiling at everyone, each person felt pride

swelling, pride that they were there to be a part of this,

proud of who and what they were.

 

                All of them grinning, the large collection of fists

surged down, then up again. Down once more, then as it

came up and released, spreading once again into thirteen

seperate hands, they shouted, all together,

 

                "SAILOR SENSHI: UNITE!!!!!"

 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

 

                Mina walked in, a cheerful bounce in her step,

excited with the task before her. She set down her

overflowing bag, the plastic sporting the insignia of

*the* most posh and expensive beauty salon/make-up and hair

care salon in Tokyo.

 

                Plus a smaller bag from the year-round halloween

store.

 

                "Bout time!" Raye huffed as Mina came over to

join the group, who were waiting while Amy was fine tuning

a small 'hypo spray,' like those needle supstitutes on

Star Treck.

 

                "Done," Amy announced, and opened a small case by

her side. Inside there was hard foam, and thirteen slits

each held four inch tall, slender clear glass viles full of

a slightly glowing dark blue liquid.

 

                Selecting a vile, she popped off the top, and

inserted it into the 'hypo spray.'

 

                "Serena, you're first," Amy announced. Serena

gulped, hating any sort of shot, but complied and went and

sat on the chair next to Amy. As Amy pressed the flat top

of the hypo spray into Serena's neck, Mina went and began

unpacking her own booty.

 

                "Okay, everyone," Mina announced. "As soon as

you're done with Amy, come see me, and we'll get you made

all pretty!!!" Groans filled the room, and Mina laughed.

 

                From the shadows, keeping to themselves, Laxa and

Versia held hands tightly, anxious and worried for their

brother, for Orion had left for the Shadow Kingdom over an

hour ago, and still hand't returned.

 

                <I hope he's okay!> Versia cried.

 

                <I know, so do I.> Laxa did her best to console her

sister, but she was just as worried as Versia. <Remember;

he IS our brother- that's got to count for something!>

 

                <Not to the Shadow King if he finds out,> Versia

whispered in Laxa's mind. All the silvery blonde haired

young woman could do was squeeze her sister's hand

reassuringly and stoke her mind with her own soothingly.

 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

 

                Orion gulped down the bile that rose in his throat.

Now that he was back to his self, no longer full of the

evil, hate inflicted darkness, the negative energy all

around him was like putrid perfume, staining every nostril

that breathed it.

 

                Using his years of practice, his slinked through the

door and into the main tower of the large, dark and shadowy

palace of the Shadow Kingdom.

 

                "My master, my mistress," Orion fell to one knee, and

bowed his head low, gritting his teeth and trying to suppress

his disgust. How could he have ever willingly served these

creatures?

 

                "What news do you bring, Midnight?" The master's dark

and ominous voice seemed slightly pleased. Well, as pleased

as his voice could sound.

 

                "I have a plan for building on our resources to fuel

our darkness, Majesties," Orion announced, willing his voice

to drift up into the ominous darkness high above.

 

                "If I were to capture the humans that produced the

most energy in the shortest amount of time, then kept them

here, in the dream boxes that we acquired from Badiyuna,

perhaps, then harnessed that power as they emitted it, we

would, in human terms, have limitless batteries. It is foul

proof, your majesties!"

 

                "That's what you said about the Shadow Knight you

sent that first time," The Shadow Queen hissed. "And look

what happened to him! Splattered to oblivion with a single

blow from Sailor Universe! Whom is your lovely *sister* as

well, I believe?"

 

                "Yes, you're majesty," Orion muttered miserably. He

had to say something! Anything! "And I hate them with a

vengeance, believe me," He spat. "If I had a chance to rid

the galaxy of their oh-so-goody-to-shoes-lovely-light I'd

snatch it up!"

 

                "Very good," The king chuckled from above. "Very,

very good. Exactly what we wanted to hear. But, you know what

those humans say; actions speak louder than words." Orion

glanced up through his thin, almost non existent eyelashes

to see a snake like tendril of black, evil scented darkness

slither down from the shadows above. With a whip like

movement, there was a flash before Orion, forcing him to close

his eyes least he be blinded.

 

                "Arise, and destroy what you will find before you,"

The shadow queen commanded. "Or you will be as a traitor."

 

                Wary, Orion looked up, and gasped, barely containing

a cry of shock and worry. Before him, chained and roped to

poles protruding from the floor, were none other than his

sisters, Versia and Laxa, both transformed.

 

                "They tried to infiltrate our stronghold on their

own, the fools," The king laughed. "But we caught them. Just

like we caught their mother. So, ex-prince of the Light

Kingdom," The king spat the name of the realm of his enemies.

"Prove your loyalty by destroying these two abominations to

our darkness."

 

                It was all Orion could do to keep from crying. Why?

Why had they gone and done something so stupid? They'd had a

plan!

 

                <Why?> He whispered mentally to their unconscious

forms. It hurt him just to see the cuts and bruises covering

their body. Their wounds oozed dark red blood, and-

 

                *Wait a minute!* He thought. RED blood? Royals of

the Light Kingdom had WHITE blood!

 

                Grinning savagely, he raised a fist directly in

front of him. His hand began to glow a sinister dark black,

as he was using his own powers to make his newly light jade

green power appear to be black, as it had been before.

 

                With a wordless cry of rage -rage at the Shadows-

he released the power to fly at the unconscious forms. They

awoke just before the blast hit.

 

                "No! Midnight, no please!" He heard the one who

was Laxa's duplicate screamed. 'Versia' just stared on in

shocked silence as the pulsing sphere gained ground, growing

larger as it did.

 

                "Die," Orion hissed, the word in truth meant for the

Shadow King and Queen who were laughing above him as black

electicity engulfed the two forms, their cries of agony

echoing through out the kingdom as they were incinerated into

nothing.

 

                Silence prevailed, until a light, carefree, but no

less evil chuckle sounded from above.

 

                "Very well," The queen hissed. "You have permission

from your King and Queen to execute your plan."

 

                Orion smiled, and bowed low again. "My thanks, my

regents, you will not regret this." Mentally, he was thinking;

*You *will* regret this!*

 

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

 

                "Where *is* he?" Versia snapped, pacing back and forth.

Her long, shimmering black hair was now a dark green, a little

light than Setsuna's, whose hair had been transformed to a

dark maroon.

 

(GlitterGirl AN: This is anime, okay? Tons of anime characters

have wierd colored hair! So deal! Besides, it gives us authors

a wider variety to choose from!)

 

                "You know Orion; when given a job he does it to the

fullest." Laxa said, trying to calm her frantic sister.

Unfortunately, some of the other Senshi weren't doing much

better.

 

                "Still, Versia's right; he should have been here by

now!" Raye scowled, and rubbed the fake, faint scare that ran

from her ear to her chin. "And Mina, why did you have to give

me a scar? And make me a BRUNNETTE?"

 

                "Hey, what's wrong with brown hair?" Lita demanded,

whose hair was now black. Mina glared at Raye, whether for the

cosmetic and hair comments, or for making Versia's pacing worse

was unknown.

 

                "Chill, you guys," Mina told them all. "And Raye, if

you complain about your hair one more time, I will pesonally

drown you in hair dye. Look what I did to mine! You're one

to be complaining!" Mina held up a strand of bright red hair,

all curled up to her waist, her bright blue eyes now a

startling green.

 

                Serena sighed, running her fingers through her new hair,

which had been transformed into shimmering ebony waves, her hair

loose, save for one braid starting just above her ear and going

to the ends of her hair. Her eyes had been transformed by contacts

to a vibrant emerald, her pale, peach cream skin darkened a few

shades by foundation.

 

                "Just wait, people!" the former Moon Princess said

impatiently. "He'll be here, soon!"

 

                Just then, as if on cue, a bright light engulfed the room

and all but the two sisters -being OF light- were forced to cover

their eyes.

 

                "Orion!" Laxa and Versia screeched, and everyone else

breathed a sigh of relief. While not showing it, they'd all been

seriously worried for their newest comrade.

 

                Versia launched herself at her brother, and they embraced

tightly, Orion seeming to breath a huge sigh of relief.

 

                "So, how'd it go?" Laxa asked cheerfully.

 

                "They belived every bit of it." Orion said gleefully. He

turned to address the princess, and his eyebrows sky rocketed. The

sight of the now raven haired Serena caused him to finally notice

the new looks of the group, including his sister that was still

latched onto his arm.

 

                "*Versia?*" He cried, noting her green hair and black

eyes. He looked away from a now laughing Versia as she pulled

away. "What happened to you all?!" he looked around the room,

first giving his sisters a good look over as he stepped away from

them.

 

                Versia looked like Puu, with her dark green hair all in

a braid, and her dark red eyes. Laxa had pale violet hair pulled

back into a bun at the nape of her neck with one long streamer

coming from the center. Her silver eyes now a pale, ice blue.

Everyone else looked drastically different as well.

 

                Serena with her golden-turned-black hair and blue-turned-

green eyes.

 

                Amy, her eyes still the same, but with her now shoulder

blade length dark purple hair.

 

                Raye, with dark chocolate, red tinged locks and darkened

complextion, as well as red eyes seemed to encourage her inner

temper into her physical appearences, which was what everyone was

sure Mina had been aiming for.

 

                Lita was pleased with her knee length -compliments of

Serena learning about her personal powers, and was able to

make her hair grow- jet black, green highlighted tresses, though

the the contacts -dark blue in color- seemed to make her eyes

itch slightly.

 

                Rini stayed the same, save for changing her royal odangos

to a simple ponytail. Orion had said she, Hotaru, and himself

were the only ones that didn't need disguises, since Rini and

Hotaru had been the only ones not present in the Silver

Millennium, and they knew him.

 

                Setsuna and Michelle looked as if they could be twins.

Both with waist length -Setsuna had agreed to cut hers as long as

Serena promised to help her grow it out again once this was all

over- waist length dark maroon hair, and golden eyes. Michelle's

pale, sea folk like complexion had been changed to a different

shade. Still pale, just not as light looking, more of a brown.

 

                Amara...Amara refused to leave Raye's bathroom.

               

                The girls had all swooned over Darien all over again

when seeing him in his dark blond, pale blue eye getup. 'I

made Darien a sufer dude!' was Mina's announcement.

 

                "You all look like a beauty shop fell on you!" Orion

laughed.

 

                "Hey! We needed to look different, so we look different!"

Mina looked indigment, hands on hips, he flaming red curls

looking rather appropriate for her mood. "And I wouldn't say

anything if I were you, or I'll get Lita to hold you down and

turn you into a girl!" Mina held up a wig and a compact for

emphasis.

 

                Laughter filled the room, but it was a somewhat forced

laughter, all of them unable to ignore what they would be

doing momentarily, now that Orion was back.

 

                "Alright, everyone know their code names?" Darien asked.

Choruses of 'yes,' and 'got it,' sounded.

 

                "Well, let's hear them again, just to make sure," Laxa

suggested. There were some sighs, then a sort of sound off

ensued.

 

                "Mina?" Laxa asked.

 

                "My name's Minako." Mina replied, naming her code name.

The others followed suit.

 

                "Amy?"

 

                "Jessica."

 

                "Raye?"

 

                "Erika."

 

                "Lita?"

 

                "Makoto."

 

                "Darien?"

 

                "Mamoru," Darien smiled at Serena, "Meaning protector."

Serena smiled and snuggled closer.

 

                "Serena?"

 

                "bunny." Darien chuckled and played with a strand of

jet black hair.

 

                "Michelle?"

 

                "Michiru."

 

                "Setsuna?"

 

                "Trista."

 

                "Hotaru?"

 

                "Lucy."

 

                "Rini?"

 

                "Serena."

 

                "Perfect," Laxa nodded approvingly. "And Versia and I

will be called what?"

 

                "Alex and Ali," They all chimed together, sounding

perfectly bored.

 

                "Exactly." Versia smiled, then took a deep breath.

"Alright then," she said, and glanced at her gold watch to see

that it was two hours till midnight. "Well, looks like it's time

to get this show on the road!"

 

                Everyone looked at each other, tense, alert, ready to

do anything.

 

                "Would someone go grab Amara -er, I mean *Haruka?*" Laxa

said, using Amara's code name.

 

                "How about we *all* call her?" Mina got an evil gleem

in her vibrant green eyes. They all laughed lightly, still

unable to shake the new ominous feeling of dread, but they all

complied.

 

                "**AMARA!!!!!!!!!**" They all shouted at the top of

their lungs.

 

                "I am *NOT* coming out!" Came the slightly masculine,

yet high pitched screech. Mina rolled her eyes.

 

                "Come on, you don't look that bad!"

 

                "It's not bad, it's just not me!" Amara shouted back.

 

                "That's the idea!" Serena laughed. "Come on, Amara-chan,

don't be such a puppy!"

 

                "A *puppy*?" Amara cried. Grumbling was heard, then a

lock being unlocked and door being opened. Soft foot steps

were heard coming down the hall, and a tall, muscular, but still

slender and lean young woman entered. Long pale blonde hair

slightly curled, ringlet framing her petite, delicately

cosmetized face. Pale, soft baby blue eyes that were glowering

under delicately arched eyerbows, and large, generous red

lips.

 

                At the sight of the very...un-Amara looking woman, every

single jaw dropped, and the silence was only broken a few

moments later by a stifled giggle.

 

                Surprisingly, it came from Amara.

 

                "What?" She snarled when she saw the furthered surprised

looks. "Don't think I'm capable of laughing at myself? I know

I look ridiculous-"

 

                "WHAT????!!!!" Mina screeched, then shoved her sleeves

up, charging towards the blonde. Amara jumped back with a

positvely femine shriek, and Mina was just barely caught by

Orion and Darien, the men using all their strength to hold the

raging redhead back.

 

                "Yo, chill, Mina-chan!" Lita laughed.

 

                Observing all this, Laxa smiled gently at her sister,

then Setsuna. The three of them knew that most of this laughter

and light heartedness was faked, and they didn't blame them.

 

                There was very little chance of all of them coming out

of this unhurt, or even alive.

 

                Several minutes later found all of them in a clearing

outside the temple, in an overgrown orchad that had become a

mini forest over the years.

 

                The plan was to transform, then use Serena's Lunar

Disguise pen to collectively disguise their semi-senshi

uniforms as street clothes.

 

                All standing in a semi circle, grim looks on their

disguised faces and and lips pressed into tight, determined

lines, they simontaniously called on their henshin wands, Darien

transforming into Prince Darien without any sort of flim flam.

 

                In twelve seperate, individual light shows, the girls

had become their inner warriors, clad in what had previously

been thought of as their Senshi uniforms, but were now called

the uniforms of the 'Light Warriors.'

 

                So, the Senshi of Light each reached out a hand and

placed it over Serena's, whose hand held the Lunar pen tightly.

 

                Closing their eyes, together they all shouted, "LUNAR

DISGUISE: POWER!!!!!"

 

                Their minds each locked in an image of the outfits they

wished to be disguised in -all of them slightly battered and

dirty.

 

                In flurries of stars and colored streamers, thirteen

normal girls and one boy in their late teens stood in the

middle of a forest, in the middle of the night.

 

                Tentively, all of them stiff, wanting to get it all over

with, stepped forward, standing closer together.

 

                Since it was supposedly Orion who was 'capturing' them

and dragging them to the Shadow Kingdom, it was decided that

they would be gathered together on the groud. All of slumped

over, apparently all unconscious, and roped together, back to

back.

 

                The girls and Darien did so, Darien wrapped a arm

protectively around Serena, and Laxa and Versia went in the

center, hidden from view the most, since they were the most

recognizable, even through their disguises.

 

                Mina produced a tube of red goo,and proceeded to apply

it in small doses to Lita, Amara, Laxa, and herself, making it

look like they had small cutes. Purple and black foundation

type make-up made fake bruises.

 

                When all that was done, she sat on the ground and

slumped over the top of Lita, who looked to have a large gash

on her forehead.

 

                Orion looked them over, and nodded.

 

                "Looks good," he said. "Just be sure to keep quiet and

don't move a muscle. And don't fall asleep for real."

 

                "Hear that, Serena?" Raye chided. "Or, I mean, Bunny?"

 

                "Stuff it, *Erika!*"

 

                Hushing and 'ssshhh' from the other girls provided to

shut them up, and Orion shook his head, Laxa and Versia just

barely managing to supress smiles.

 

 

                Then, in a flash of green -disguised as black- light,

they all disappeared, and the forest was quiet once more.

 

                And the first step towards the quest for the Truth

had begun.

 

 

 

Continue...