June, 2001, by Sailor GlitterGirl & Rose Aquarius

 

                                                  

                                 The Universal Galaxy Saga

                                                                          Book One:

                    The Light Never Fades

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Three: Newest Encounter

Rated: PG, for mild violence

By: Sailor GlitterGirl & Rose Aquarius

 

 

 

 

            Amara turned cold eyes onto Setsuna as the others watched the

two new girls walk into the apartment building.

 

            "Care to explain things, *Puu*?" She hissed through gritted

teeth. Eight other pairs of eyes -including two that belonged to girls

under ten- turned onto the Senshi of Time.

 

            Setsuna sighed.

 

                           *FLASH*BACK*

 

            They all sat in silence for a moment after Alex and Ali had

made a hasty -and slightly nervous- retreat.

 

            "Ali called Alex, 'Laxa,'" Raye said, needlessly.

 

            "I say we follow them," Lita said, her voice somewhat low.

Amara nodded her agreement. The group of ten somehow managed to

silently slip outside and trot to catch up the two 'cousins,' in time

to hear them talking.

 

            "Well, that was freaky." They heard Ali laugh as they followed

her and Alex down the many steps leading up to the shrine. "Guess we'll

have to stay someplace else. You know, I'm getting us an apartment!"

Ali said with a graceful move of her arm. "I know just the one; I saw an

advertisement on the way over to the shrine. Let's go!" She grabbed her

companion's arm and they quickened their pace, as did their followers.

 

            "We're in sooo much trouble." They heard Alex mutter, half to

herself as they walked away from the shrine. "Puu was there! What if

she heard? She'll be steamed! You know how stuffy she is about the

whole time line gig."

 

            The whole group collectively dropped their jaws, except

Setsuna, who shook her head, and Serena, who giggled, and silently high

fived Mina. They couldn't agree more!

 

            "I know, that was bad!" Ali answered as they came to an

apartment building. She sighed. "Well, nothing we can do now. Just

hope that Guardian doesn't come after us and bonk us on the head with

her oversized key!" Alex chuckled at Ali's attempts to cheer her, and

unknown to them Serena, Mina, Lita, and Rini snorted in stifled

laughter, Raye rolled her eyes, Hotaru and Amara and Darien just

smiled, Michelle chuckled, and Setsuna shook her head again.

 

            "Well, this is the best apartment building as far as getting

to all of the senshi," Ali announced as they stood before a tall, very

classy looking apartment complex. "It's the same distance from them

all, and only a five minute walk from the shrine. Room 220, 10th

floor."

 

            "All except the Terran Prince, that is," Alex corrected. "We

still don't know where he lives."

 

            The group stiffened, and Serena squeezed Darien's hand.

 

            "True," Ali shrugged, and they went to the building.

 

 

 

                          *END*FLASH*BACK*

 

 

 

            "Uh, that was, er, rather...shocking," Amy commented, as they

all stood up from behind the line of shrubs they'd been hiding behind.

"It is obvious that they know that Setsuna is the guardian of Time, and

that comment on the 'Terran Prince,' leads me to believe that they at

least suspect you, Darien, of being Endymion."

 

            "Setsuna," Serena asked quietly.

 

            "Yes, Princess," Setsuna answered smoothly.

 

            "What's going on?" The golden haired girl asked, looking her

friend and aunt in the eye. Very few -not even the scouts- knew that

Setsuna was Serena's aunt from the Silver Millennium. "Who are those

girls? How do they know who we are?"

 

            "Princess..." Setsuna trailed off, then sighed. Amara narrowed

her eyes.

 

            "What the heck is going on here, Pluto?" The masculine looking

Sailor Uranus demanded. "Who are they?"

 

            "I hope thay're not an enemy." Raye said. Everyone looked at

her, the attention momentarily drawn away from Setsuna. Raye rarely

stated her opinions about an enemy. To state that she wished someone

NOT to be an enemy, usually meant something...bad.

 

            "Why?" Mina asked. "What would be so bad about them being the

enemy? Aside from the fact that they're wicked cool people."

 

            "They have a strange energy signature." Raye said.

 

            "What do you mean, strange?" Hotaru asked quietly, she and Rini

holding hands. Ami had gotten out her Mercury compact computer, and had

aimed it at the building, scanning two particular girls within. Suddenly,

she gasped, and dropped the computer.

 

            "Amy, what is it?" Serena asked. Amy looked at Setsuna with

wide eyes.

 

            "It can't be..." The blue haired girl whispered. Quickly, she

looked at Raye. "Probe them, look at their energy with your powers,

Raye! Tell me I'm dreaming!" Not at all surprised, Raye did as asked,

knowing what she would find. She brought her hands together before her,

her index fingers pressed together and pointing away. She closed her

eyes, her brow scrunched slightly with concentration.

 

            Suddenly, her eyes flew open.

 

            "I knew that they were unusual the moment I laid eyes on them,"

she breathed. "And I was positive when I heard them talking, and I

probed gently, and sensed that they had powers similar to... to

Pluto's, but, I never in a thousand years would dream that..."

 

            "What? What is it?" Michelle asked gently. Raye looked at

them all.

 

            "I'm not...sure..." Raye said quietly. "I feel like I ought to

remember them, or something about them, but when I think about it I

just draw a blank." She sighed and shook her head. "All I can say for

certain is that they have a very strong energy signature. It's rather

similar to a Senshi's, but, not quite."

 

            "Are they an enemy?" Rini asked, her young voice and face far

too serious for her years.

 

            "No," Raye said confidently.

 

            Amy spoke up. "They're good. They're energy signature is a

powerful one, similar to Sailor Pluto, but it's positive nonetheless."

 

            "What does that mean?" Mina asked puzzled. "Just how powerful

are they? If they're energy is like a Senshi's...They do seem very

familiar. Maybe another scout or two?"

 

            "More? More?! Were there 50 of us or something?!!!!!!!" Serena

screeched.

 

            "Sssssshhhh!!!!" Several pairs of lips hushed the princess.

 

            "There's really nothing we can do now," Darien said logically.

"It sounds like they know who we are, so I think it would be best not

to let them know that we know. We can try and get closer to them, get

to know them and see what they're after."

 

            They all nodded their agreement, but Serena wasn't done.

 

            "We just won a battle!" She cried quietly, her voice harsh. "I

mean, how many people did I tick off by being a princess, huh?"

 

            "Would you stop it, Meatball Brains! You do this every time

there's a chance of a new enemy. Would you please grow-" Raye suddenly

cut off her own sentence, eyes wide. "Amy, check the area for any evil

energies." The priestess demanded. Hotaru handed Amy the small blue mini

computer that she had picked up. Smiling her thanks, Amy began typing

and scanning, and she gasped.

 

            Looking at Raye, the raven haired senshi nodded.

 

            "I felt a presence." Raye stated, "And this one is definitely

a youma." Comprehension came swiftly to her friends' features, and

they all reached into their subspace portals for their wands, and

together took off at a trot towards the place that Amy directed them

to, faces grim.

 

            So set on this new enemy however, they didn't notice that

Setsuna stayed behind for a moment, looking up at a window on the tenth

floor, she narrowed her eyes and sighed, shaking her head, before

following.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

            Their faces set, Ali and Alex silently slipped into a small

alley behind the apartment complex.

 

            They gripped their Light Crystals, lifting them up over their

heads. Raising their fists with their crystals in their grips,

together they called out.

 

            "UNIVERSAL GALACTIC POWER: TRANSFORM!!!!" Simultaneously,

they were lifted up by an unseen wind, streamers if silver and gold carried

on that wind as they were enfolded within layers of sparkling, radiant

ribbons of silky silver, white, gold, and black light.

 

            A miniature supernova seemed to explode outwards, leaving two

immortal warriors to float down to earth.

 

            Ali/Versia, now Sailor Universe, and Alex/Laxa, now Sailor

Galaxy, were clad in the traditional Senshi fuku style, save for some

minor changes, since they weren't the traditional senshi.

 

            Versia was in black satin skirt, gathered, not pleated, and

regular triangle collar, lined with gold. With gold bows, and black

ankle boots with gold lacings, and black choker with her symbol on it

in gold, with gold, spiral shaped earrings.

 

            She was Sailor Universe.

 

            Laxa was in a white, opalescent silk skirt, gathered as well,

with the same opalescent material making out her collar and choker.

Silver bows and white knee length boots lined with silver, with her

symbol in silver topping the points of the boots and on the center of

her choker, and diamond and silver curlicue earrings.

 

            She was Sailor Galaxy.

 

            Their ensembles were completed with their Light Crystals in

the center of their front bows, and their Light Staffs held firmly

in their hands.

 

            Universe's crystal being a squat, gold tinged diamond shaped

crystal, and Galaxy's a clear, silverish, opalescent diamond shaped

crystal.

 

            Their staffs, as long as the girls were tall, were their

respective colors, Universe's being gold with black diamonds and black

pearls, the long staff flowing outward into a large version of her

symbol at the top, with a larger version of her Universal Light Crystal

in the center.

 

            Sailor Galaxy's was glittering silver, with diamonds and pearls

adding to the sparkle. It too flared out at the top into her personal

senshi symbol, a larger replica of her Galactica Light Crystal in the

center of the filigree.

 

 

(AN: I know, I know, long descriptions, but hey, I'm a girl!)

 

 

            <Let's go.> Galaxy hissed mentally.

 

            <Right, and remember, we're like...like Tuxedo Mask; we only

interfere if it's absolutely necessary.> Universe reminded her sister

and comrade as they took to the roofs, leaping silently and quickly

towards the evil disruption.

 

            <Agreed.> Galaxy nodded, gripping her Galaxy Staff tighter.

Something told her that they would be needed, and needed badly. A

glance at her sister told her that Sailor Universe thought the same.

 

            <I just hope we aren't too late,> They thought together, their

mental voices grim.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

            "What the..." Mina trailed off, her body suddenly shaking in

pure terror at what lay before her as she and the eleven others burst

through a grove of trees in Crossroads Park.

 

            "What the heck is that thing?" Amara breathed, her eyes wide in

horror, not expecting an answer, as no one else knew either.

 

            In the center of the park, surrounded by smashed and destroyed

groves of trees, stood a swarming, crawling, oozing ant-like covered

mass. As they watched, the mass formed arms and reached out to snatch

people running and screaming, and pulled them in.

 

            In the center of the mound, you could just barely make out a

face, a hideously evil face with red, flashing slits for eyes, three

vertical, flared openings for a nose, and a gnashing, hideous, fanged

mouth that was grinning evilly.

 

            "Oh, lord..." Michelle breathed, her aqua eyes wide as she took

a step back. Never had any of them encountered something so hideous, so

pulsing with evil.

 

            "Come...come on...guys..." Serena managed to choke out, pulling

away from Darien's embrace. Everyone looked at her in surprise, Rini

and Setsuna in pride. It was about time she took the lead. Clutching

the invisible gold and red locket over her heart, she pulled it from

her body, making it visible, and raised it to the sky.

 

            "Moon Cosmic: POWER!" The Moon princess called.

 

            "Moon Prism: POWER!" Rini followed her mother's lead, and the

others, catching on and managing to shove back their fear, raised their

transformation wands to the sky.

 

            "Mercury Planet: POWER!" Amy called.

 

            "Mars Planet: POWER!" Raye shouted with all her might.

 

            "Jupiter Planet: POWER!" Lita thrust her wand upwards, her

energy renewed.

 

            "Venus Planet: POWER!" Mina called out with experience in her

voice.

 

            "Saturn Planet: POWER!" Hotaru's small voice was strengthened

with determination as she took the lead for the Outer Senshi.

 

            "Uranus Planet: POWER!" Amara called, a snarl in her voice and

determination written on her features.

 

            "Neptune Planet: POWER!" Michelle followed her cousin,

swallowing her fear.

 

            "Pluto Planet: POWER!" Setsuna raised her Time Staff that had

appeared.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

            "Oh...my..." Universe breathed, her eyes wide as she and her

sister spotted the new evil, a hideous black mass in the center of the

park.

 

            "Oh, yeah." Galaxy said somberly, her voice grim. Sailor Galaxy

could never sense powers and energies as well as her sibling, but just

looking at the thing was enough, and she was still able to take her

word for it.

 

            "They need our help...." Universe breathed almost inaudible,

but her partner heard her all too well. "They haven't even reached the

next level of their powers! They're helpless against THAT thing!"

Universe finished, and readied herself to leap down, to join the newly

transformed Senshi. But before she could go to help a hand clamped onto

her arm.

 

            "No. We wait till they're in real danger-"

 

            "They ARE if we don't go NOW!" Sailor Universe argued. "Trust

me! We have to-" Her last fleeting words were drowned out by all too

familar cries...

 

            "Oh, no..." Galaxy breathed, as she finally saw what her sister

saw. A faint, hardly visible insignia on the top of the youma's nearly

flat head, pulsing red.

 

            "Oh, no... Goddess help them..."

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

            "Yo, ant-face!" A strong, high voice cried, and the great

swarming mound twisted slightly to face eleven angry warriors. The

creature laughed.

 

            "Ah, yes, the lovely guardians of Earth," a voice mocked. Not

so much aloud, as in their minds, enticing fear unwillingly into the

hearts of the young girls against their will.

 

            But, despite the growing fear, and trembling limbs, Super

Sailor Moon continued.

 

            "The park is a place for people to enjoy themselves and to

play and have fun and converse, but you have turned into a place of

terror! And for that I shall punish you on behalf of my home, The

Moon! For I am Sailor Moon!"

 

            "You have desecrated the beauty of my home, this wonderful

Earth. As it's guardian, I will not allow you to soil it further with

your hideous evil! I am Prince Endymion, Tuxedo Mask!"

 

            "With the light of the future moon, and the love of my family

of the future kingdom of earth, I will destroy all who threaten my

loved ones, I am Sailor Mini Moon!" Mini Moon followed her parents,

the small girl standing up bravely.

 

            "With the anger of Fire that I feel, on behalf of the planet

of Fire, Mars, I am Sailor Mars!" Raye, now clad in dark red and

violet, called out. Following her lead, the others in turn shouted out

their representatives and planets.

 

            "Thunder and Lightning rule the skies, and by the power of the

thunder of Jupiter, I am Sailor Jupiter!"

 

            "Silence is golden, and with the shadow of the silent planet

behind me, I am Sailor Saturn!"

 

            "This park used to be a place of beauty, where love could grow

and flourish, for destroying that, I, with the powers of the planet

of love, Venus, will destroy you! I am Sailor Venus!"

 

            "With the roar of the sea, the simple, calm power of the ocean

planet of Neptune, home to the rulers of the sea, I am Sailor Neptune!"

 

            "The winds are angered by your evil deeds, with the power of

the planet of the flying winds, Uranus, I am Sailor Uranus!"

 

            "Your heart is as cold as ice, and with the planet of ice and

wisdom at my command, I will vanquish you in the name of Mercury! I am

Sailor Mercury!"

 

            "Many have gone to great lengths to keep the peace and protect

this world and ensure it's rightful time line, for threatening to

destroy that, you shall suffer my wrath. I am the Guardian of Time,

Sailor Pluto!"

 

            All eleven of them stood in an arc to one side of the evil

creature.

 

            "You're evil, and despicable," Sailor Moon hissed, an unusual

and uncharacteristic anger and hate flashing in her sapphire eyes.

 

            "Why, thank you," the youma seemed to bow, slightly, and as

it's somewhat bent over form straightened, it rose higher and higher,

becoming thinner and more gangly, it's arms stretching to the sides,

growing wider, the body becoming more humanoid.

 

            With a flash of blood red light, there stood a gigantic,

two story high youma, the most hideous ever imagined. For the most

part, it resembled an overgrown bat, with a more humanoid torso and

legs. Its eyes, ears, nose structure, and enormous bat-wings being

the bat-like characteristics.

 

            Fangs dripping venom protruded down over it's lower lips, it's

nose two vertical slits, his eyes slanted and red, shimmering evilly in

the moonlight.

 

            "My master has bid me to get rid of you, warriors, before he

continues with his plans." The bat-youma hissed nasally, his tone for

some reason reminding the girls of a vampire.

 

            "You can tell your freakbutt master that if he wants us out

of the way, he's gonna have to do more than send the result of a

looney overgrown lab bat science experiment gone wrong." Sailor Venus

antagonized.

 

            From above, across the street and atop a building, Sailor

Galaxy chuckled.

 

            "Same old Venus." She said, smiling slightly, despite the

gloomy circumstances. "They may not have the power, sister, but they

have plenty of spirit."

 

            "Spirit is all fine and dandy," Universe muttered, "But it

doesn't help much, and it'll help even less when he sucks that very

thing out of them." She looked at her sibling out of the corner of her

eye. "Or don't you recognize those?"

 

            "I remember them," Galaxy said lowly, her face and expression

dark. "I remember them, all right. I remember what that one did to our

parents as well, sister."

 

            "Up for a little payback?" Universe asked, her voice anything

but joking, her eyes hard, a glimmer of vengeance sparkling within

them. Sailor Galaxy nodded.

 

            "Definitely. But we must wait. We need to know just how the

Planetary Senshi and the Earth Prince measure up, then we can intervene

if necessary." Sailor Galaxy's eyes narrowed. "This may not be the one

that slayed our family, but we will have vengeance, nonetheless." She

felt a black satin gloved hand squeeze her own white one, and she

flashed her sister, her comrade, Sailor Universe, a fleeting smile.

 

            They were in this together.

 

            "C'mon, negatrash!" Jupiter screamed from down below, dragging

the sisters' attention back to the battle being waged below.

 

            Together, Sailors Jupiter, Venus, and Mars called on their

powers for a triple attack, while Saturn and Uranus -being the fastest-

antagonized and baited the bat-youma, keeping it busy.

 

            "Venus..."

 

            "Jupiter..."

 

            "Mars..."

 

            "LOVE & BEAUTY-"

 

            "OAK EVOLUTION!!"

 

            "FLAME SNIPER!!!"

 

            "SHOCK!!!"

 

            A barrage of golden light littered with glittering stars and

hearts threaded with razor sharp leaves, crackling with electricity,

and surrounded by a wall of flaming arrows, raced towards the monster.

 

            The evil creature turned just in time to emit a screech of

shock, nothing more, before the attack completely engulfed him. His

form wracked with pain from the goodness and love of Venus's power,

the electricity and deep gashes from the oak leaves, and the smoking

and smoldering burns of the flaming arrows embedded in his flesh.

 

            "Now, Princess!" Uranus cried, grabbing small Saturn out of the

way of a string of venom from the youma, let loose in his agony.

 

            Determination etched into her face, Super Sailor Moon, the

former Moon Princess, waved her arm, and in a glittering cloud of silver

and pink dust, the legendary Moon Spiral Heart Scepter appeared in her

hand. No moon warrior, or any warrior, had been powerful enough to

wield it since it had first been created, by the very first Soldier of

the Moon.

 

            Now, the last heir to the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Moon, brandished

it high over her head, swinging it in a complex activation pattern,

that for some reason was necessary for it to power up.

 

            As the two Sailor Guardians watched from the rooftop, Tuxedo

Mask and Sailor Mars kept it busy and distracted -as it was coming out

of it's agonized stupor- with razor tipped roses and brightly burning

arrows.

 

            "Moon..." Sailor Moon called, her voice coated with the power

of the moon.

 

            "Spiral... Heart..." The monster glanced at Sailor Moon, then

swiped at the Terran Prince, who nimbly dodged away.

 

            "AAATTTAAAAAAAACK!!!!!!!!!!" Sailor Moon's war cry rang out

through the night as an onslaught of powerful, glowing pink hearts and

gold and silver crescent moons, with butterfly rainbows overcame the

youma, gigantic pink, pulsing hearts slamming into him, breaking over

his head and releasing their power to rip agony through his evil form.

 

            Silver, pink, and white light exploded outward from him, and

when it cleared, cheering filled the night as the Senshi saw the

seemingly lifeless form of their foe. Not a pile of dust as the youma's

usually were, but it was still, the scant fur it had left after Mars'

fire arrows smoking.

 

            Sailor Universe narrowed her eyes as they began to walk away,

chattering to themselves.

 

            "Never turn your back to the enemy while's he's still in one

piece." Universe muttered, tensing, ready to leap should the youma

still be alive and try something. Galaxy flexed her grip over her

staff, renewing her grip, anxious, waiting.

 

            They didn't have to wait long.

 

            Sailor Mini Moon suddenly screamed, and the Senshi whirled to

see that a string of blood red organic rope was wrapped firmly around

their senshi in training, dragging her back towards a smoldering,

gasping, but very much alive evil bat-youma.

 

            "Rini!!!!!!!!" Sailor Moon cried as the youma rose to it's

feet, dragging the screaming, crying, and kicking princess back to it.

Grabbing her up in it's claw fingers that tipped it's wings, the

creature brought it near to it's mouth.

 

            The Senshi darted towards the thing, Uranus and Jupiter

snarling curses and battle cries.

 

            "Put my daughter DOWN!!!" Tuxedo Mask roared, flinging what had

to be an entire garden full of perfect, deadly, and precisely aimed

roses at the creature, at the same time Sailor Moon released her tiara,

Mars her deadliest arrows, and Venus employing shadow and evil slicing

golden moon beams from her fingers.

 

            The creature laughed evilly as the attacks, and the charging

Uranus and Jupiter bounced harmlessly off a wall of darkness. The wall

flickered under the attacks, but held, and they could see Mini Moon

now breathing raggedly, slowly suffocating under the harsh grip, and

being so near such intense and potent evil.

 

            "Tell me, Princess," It was unsure whether the creature was

addressing it's captive or her distraught and nearly boiling-with-rage

mother. "Tell me, do you know who I am? WHAT I am?"

 

            "You're an evil, loathing, disgusting creature who has no right

to exist," Sailor Saturn screamed, tears at seeing her best friend

being hurt ran down her face. "Let Rini go!" The youma burst into

laughter.

 

            "No, I think not." His eyes turned greedy, bloodthirsty, power

hungry. "Do you know what power can be obtained by absorbing such a

warrior as she? Or even any one of you?" A pointed, double snake

tongue licked over his lips as he gazed down at the small girl warrior

in his grasp.

 

            "Great power, yes..." He looked up again, his face turning

regretful. "Unfortunately, my master forbade me to absorb any of you.

So, unfortunately, this one," He held out the now unconscious Sailor

Mini Moon, dangling her by one of the webbing threads that held her

captive. "Along with the rest of you, will die. Tonight.

 

            "But I will ask you once again, do you any of you know who or

what I am?"

 

            "You little..." He heard the one in red, the one with those

somewhat painful arrows -more annoying than anything else, really-

cursed vehemently, and charged at him. Opening his mouth wide, a

stream of dark, vile smelling liquid hissed out, catching her in the

arm. With a cry of agony, the Martian Warrior fell back into the arms

of Jupiter, whimpering in pain.

 

            "A-acid..." She managed to choke out before falling back,

gasping in pain and nearly loosing consciousness.

 

            "Yes, acid. Very affective," he turned to a tear-streaked

Sailor Moon and glowering Prince. "And I'm afraid your baby will suffer

the same. Only very, very, slowly." He threw back his head and laughed,

then turned his gaze upon his prisoner once more, and opening his mouth,

acidic venom foaming at the tip of his fangs, his store replenishing

itself to the fullest. With his Shadow Shield about him, he knew that

they could do nothing.

 

            Oh, how pleased the master will be!

 

            Sailor Saturn snarled. The small warrior's hands itched to call

upon her destructive forces, the bloodthirsty nature that came with

being Sailor Saturn bubbling up, and she was tempted to use it on this

creature.

 

            "One last chance," the creature drawled. "Tell me who I am

and maybe I'll spare her."

 

            "You're one of the foulest creatures ever to walk the planet."

A tight, snarling voice hissed loudly, the owner nowhere to be seen.

 

            "You feed on the soul energy of innocents, growing and

gaining strength off their agony and misery." A second voice continued.

This one was frightening with it's calm, barely suppressed rage. The

youma suddenly for some reason felt slightly afraid.

 

            "You and your kind are an atrocity, an abomination upon those

who were created with a choice to be good or evil." The first person,

carrying sharp daggers of hate in it's voice, said.

 

            "You, however," Continued the second. "Were created with evil

entwined in your very being. There is no hope for you."

 

            "You have no souls, so you feed off of others." The first was

back.

 

            "And that is why we will fight you till the end of time." The

second.

 

            "You are known as many things, Night Creature." The first

voice somehow seemed closer, though it was no louder.

           

            "You are Heart Eaters," the first named.

 

            "Spirit Stealers," added the second,

 

            "Dream Thieves,"

 

            "Life Destroyers."

 

            "But mostly," the second voice was cold, filled with loathing and

the barely suppressed rage that came from sorrow and the agony of the

heart. "You are a Soul Vampire, creatures of blood and darkness."

 

            "Who..who are YOU?" The bat creature snarled. "Who ARE you?

Show yourself!"

 

            "Very well." Growled the first voice, the tone mocking.

 

            "If you insist." The second said, malice hidden by the sweet

tone.

 

            Suddenly, two figures seemed to materialize out of thin air as

they jumped out of the darkness. Sisters, obviously, though they looked

hardly anything alike.

 

            They leaped down from their invisible perch, landing in front

of the Senshi. The The one on their right was clad in a black skirt and

collar, gold bows, black ankle boots with gold lacings, and held a

long, black pearl and black diamond encrusted staff. Inside the center

of a ornate symbol on the top was a squat, gold tinged crystal. Her

long, knee length black-hole dark hair, darker than even Sailor Mars'

or Tuxedo Mask's.

 

            The one on the left was clad in a white, pearlescent, pale

rainbow-effect skirt and collar, with bright silver bows, and white

knee high boots. Her long, ankle length silver white0 hair

glittered in the moonlight. She carried a long, silver staff studded

with diamonds and pearls. In the center of the top symbol, a clear,

opalescent and slightly silver crystal gleamed.

 

            "I am Sailor Universe!" Cried the first voice, emanating from

the gold and black fuku bearer, the one holding the gold and black

pearl and black diamond, slightly more ornate staff.

 

            "And I am her sister, Sailor Galaxy!" The one on the left with

silver hair was the owner of the second voice.

 

            "We are the Sailor Guardians!" They shouted.

 

            "And I am your doom, Light Bringers!" The youma roared, finally

recognizing them. Acid venom shot from it's mouth, and the girls darted

to opposite sides. Sailor Universe shot gold sparks from her staff, distracting

the  creature and making it think she was trying to attack it. The youma

laughed and advanced towards the raven haired warrior, not noticing the

glimmer of silver that darted behind him.

 

            Another thick, oozing stream of acid hissed through the air,

and Universe held her golden staff out before her, striking the ground

with the bottom. She closed her eyes -much to the horror of the other

Senshi- and suddenly a black, gold threaded shield surrounded her. The

youma roared in rage, flinging his arms up in frustration and anger.

 

            Quick as a moonbeam, Sailor Galaxy, who had snuck around the

youma, jumped up and over, iridescent, transparent gossamer silver

fairy wings bursting from her back for an instant, long enough to give

her the extra boost she needed to snatch Sailor Mini Moon from the

youma's grasp and flutter back down to earth.

 

            Clutching the unconscious ten year old, she darted away and

stood with the other Senshi, cradling the small child and examining her

as she handed the stirring princess to her mother.

 

            The silver clad warrior turned and nodded firmly to the gold

and black clad senshi, the one who had made the shield. She had

obviously been waiting for the nod from her comrade, and when it came

she dropped the shield and started her attack.

 

            "UNIVERSAL..." She raised the staff she carried over her head

and pointed to the now night sky. Mercury noted the staff was

pointed at the constellation of Aquarius. The water warrior also kept

an eye on the dark one's companion who seemed to be standing before the

Princess and her future daughter, shielding the young girl from anything

or anyone.

 

            "AQUARIAN…" Mercury's assumption was correct, and as watched, the

black clad warrior was surrounded by miniature stars that drifted and

swirled down from the Aquarius constellation. She took her power from the

stars.

 

            "FLOOD-" The dark one pointed her staff at the very ugly youma…

 

            "-DESTROY!!!"

 

            It didn't have a chance.

 

            "My god..." The blue senshi whispered as she gazed down at the

wildly beeping mini computer in her hands. the greatest energy reading

she ever had was blowing the readings right off the scale, as the youma

screamed in a soul tearing agonized scream.

 

            As she looked, the remains -red and black dust- blew away in

the wind, and the dark one looked with hate in her gold eyes at the

burnt grass where the youma once was, walked up to it and spit in the

spot. Glaring at the area once more, she rushed to her light friend with

worry as the Senshi did also and heard the conversation.

 

            "Is the child alright?" The dark one asked, you could hear

concern in her voice.

 

            "She'll be just fine." The white one said with pride as her

companion sighed with relief and bowed to the young girl.

 

            "You gave us all a scare, Princess," The black clad one looked

at Sailor Moon. "Good luck, your highness. You'll need it."

 

            "Farewell, Princess," The white one blew a kiss to Mini Moon,

and with that, and a brisk nod to Sailor Pluto, the two of them leaped

straight up into the air, wings -gold for the black warrior- sprouted

from their backs, and they disappeared into the starlit sky.

 

 

 

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