Hey Hey! *Krusty the Klown laugh* Okay, okay, so I watch too much Simpsons! ;) I happen to like the show. Well, I hope everyone's Holidays went by with little or no problems. I also hope that your Holidays didn't go by too fast, like mine. *sighs* That's right, Stef-chan is back to the grindstone, school! But I'll be alright, as long as I don't get any letters that ask why I don't have chapters out every week. Remember, every 10 or so days there will be a new fic out. Also, I have started a Mythology Course! It's soooooo much fun so far! On my site, I will have summaries of all the seasons (BRIEF SUMMARIES) and of all the Mythology (not so brief!) of Sailor Moon. I'm really working on the mythology right now though. I think that's it. Thank you for reading my boring notes! E-mail: stefaniecraig@hotmail.com Website: http://home.att.net/~stef_chan/ If you add me to the list of any of these, tell me that you got my name/# from my fics! ICQ: 63467432 AIM: Stefchan2 Yahoo!: steff_chan MSN: stefaniecraig@hotmail.com RATING: PG, this chapter is pretty good...heh. DISCLAIMER: Didn't ya know? Sailor Moon has it's own Book of Sailor Moon which gives every reader instructions on the show! *opens book* OH LOOK! *points to first thing on list* Wait...Thou shalt not pretend to own Sailor Moon! WHAT?! Quote of the Week: "Discovery consists in seeing what everyone else has seen and thinking what no one else has thought." - Albert von Szent-Gyorgi FINAL AWAKENINGS: PAST VENGEANCE CHAPTER 6 __________Discoveries__________ Queen Serenity massaged her temples as she listened to what the ] Soldiers were telling her. She would have expected the behavior they were describing only from Uranus, and possibly Neptune, Mars at the worst, but not from all of them, and certainly not from the Inners. They all sat in silence for a long while before Queen Serenity spoke up again. "I have told you several times what we are to do with Sailor Moon. She is a brave Soldier and we need to gain her trust, same as she needs to gain ours." She glared slightly at the Soldiers, who in turn looked away, and sat back. "I am extremely disappointed with your behavior, and if I EVER hear about something such as this happening again, there will be hell to pay." "Yes, my Queen," the eight Soldiers murmured together with their heads still down. Sighing, Serenity closed her eyes. "Sailor Venus, have you found out anything more of what we discussed yesterday?" Venus hesitated for a moment. "No, I haven't. I'll keep checking and meditating though, my Queen." She got curious glances from the others, but ignored them. They wouldn't understand what she was feeling, or the theory she had come up with. A theory that was, by all rights and laws, IMPOSSIBLE. Saturn caught the look in Venus' eyes and knew she had to stray her mind from the path it was taking. "Shall we go and see if the Princess is getting better?" Queen Serenity studied Saturn's semi-panicked look and frowned. There was something about this situation she didn't like. Saturn was never nervous, and when she was you knew that something was seriously wrong. She would have to question the girl later. ***************************************************************** Endymion sighed and looked at his love's face. She was pale and sweaty with a fever that had come up yesterday after the attack. Her breathing was semi-labored, but they suspected that to be because of the coughing she had been doing. There was a light knock on the door and Endymion called for them to enter. Judging by the light footsteps, he knew whom it was. "Serena, it's not your fault she got sick," he attempted to reassure her. "And are you feeling better? You were pretty upset yesterday." Serena stiffened as she remembered what had happened yesterday. She had almost blown everything, lost everything that this mission stood for. She had almost lost herself and Endymion again. She had cried about it for hours the night before, it took Darien just as long to calm her down and point out that the future was still safe, everyone was still alive, and that he loved her. "I am doing better, how is she?" Serena asked tenderly. Endymion put his head down on the bed next to Serenity's and began to stroke her face gently. "Not very well. The healer is away for a week to see her family, and no one else in the Palace has the specific magic that is required for healing another. She will have to heal on her own this time." Serena nodded and pulled up a chair next to him as the door opened and the others walked in. "Damn, and we were gonna sneak out with her this time, Serena!" Jupiter said with a laugh. "Come on, cheer up!" she encouraged the girl when she saw the look on her face. "Sorry, just tired," Serena mumbled to her. A cough came from Serenity's throat and she rolled over. "Endy..." she murmured in her sleep as she reached out for something, presumably the man she was calling for. "Endy..." Endymion quickly took his love's hand and began whispering comforts to her, attempting to calm her fitful state. Everyone, save Sailor Saturn who was asked to stay after by Queen Serenity, watched their Princess as she suffered, and prayed that they could do more. Sailor Mercury reached into her dimensional pocket and pulled out her Mercury Palm Top (AN: Silver Millennium is highly advanced!) and ran a quick scan on her Princess. "This isn't good. I think she may have pneumonia!" Uranus's head snapped forward at the mention of the illness. "Isn't that...deadly?" Serena gasped silently as she listened to the conversation. 'Deadly?' She looked at the pale form of herself and felt a pain in her upper right lung and winced. 'My past self is dying because a HEALER can't make it?' Serena suddenly stood up and ran from the room. "Lady Serena?!" Mercury called as everyone watched as she ran out. Mars was about to run after her, but Neptune grabbed her arm. "Don't, she feels that she's somehow responsible for this when she isn't. She'll seek comfort in her lovers embrace." "Poetic," Venus murmured as they continued to watch Endymion try to soothe their Princess in her sleep. Neptune chuckled, "I do try." ***************************************************************** Saturn and Queen Serenity sat across from each other, looking into their tea for a few moments before Serenity set her cup down and looked up to Soldier and spoke. "You are holding something back," she told Saturn. "I am," Saturn answered back, her eyes turning to look up to her Queen. Not surprised by Saturn's honesty, Serenity pressed on. "It is about Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, is it not?" "It is." Serenity slightly glared at the Silence Solider as she sipped her tea. "It has to do with the recent attacks, too." "Yes." "My daughter, and Endymion? The Soldiers? Myself?" she asked Saturn. Saturn did not respond for a moment, contemplating on how she should answer. "My Queen, I have been entrusted with more information than I should be able to have. I have been given a new mission, one that you, nor any of the others, can know about. I have promised someone something that is unbreakable, and if I were to tell, it could destroy the future. Serenity, I can honestly say that I know much more about Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, the attacks and so much else than any of the others, but that information came with a price. I do not wish for it to be in vain," she told her Queen gently, but with enough power and emotion that said no matter what she tried, she would not give into her inquiries. Eyes narrowing, Serenity could only nod. "You had better know what you are doing, Hotaru." Saturn nodded and bowed her head low. "I do, My Queen. I honestly do have faith in them." ***************************************************************** Darien gently banged the small watch-like object against his wrist and then tried to, once again, contact the twentieth century. All he got was static. "Damn it!" Darien swore as he opened the back of the communicator and began to tinker with it slightly, feeling for loose wires and shorted circuits. Finding everything in working order, he closed the back again and tried to use it once more. "This is Darien, can anyone hear me? Amy, Rose, Rini, Michelle? Someone!" Static was his only answer as the doors opened and closed behind him. Small arms wrapped around his neck from behind and Serena leaned her head against his neck. "Have you gotten to the others yet?" she asked him. Darien shook his head and turned to look at her, his face grim. "Let me try your communicator." Serena nodded and furrowed her brow while pulling out her own pink communicator and handing it to him. After several minutes of trying to contact their friends and family, they could only draw two conclusions: Amy's technology had failed or the enemy was blocking their contact. "What'll we do?" Serena whispered as she gripped her communicator tightly, forcing down her panic. Darien closed his yes and took several deep breaths, attempting to calm himself, and his love. "There is probably some solar disturbance...we'll try again in a few hours." Serena nodded and hugged Darien tighter around the neck. Smiling, he pulled her so that she was in his lap with his arms around her waist. Putting his lips near her ear, he whispered to her, asking her what was wrong. Letting the silence hand in the air for a moment before she told Darien what was going on with Serenity. Darien paled slightly at what Serenity's prognosis was, and took several deep breaths. "We come here to protect her and Endymion, and this might be what-" Darien stopped suddenly, an idea hit him. "What about the Crystal?" Darien asked her as Serena stood up. Serena stopped for a moment and turned to him. "I don't know. I didn't even think about that." She reached into her dimensional pocket and brought out her Locket. "And everyone would sense it anyway...it's not safe." "I think we need to take that chance though," Darien whispered to her, fear gripping him as something set into his mind. If anything, ANYTHING, happened to Serenity, Serena would also feel the consequences and he'd lose her...he very well could lose her if she lost her past self. He looked at Serena carefully and noticed she was slightly pale. "Are you alright?" he asked, coming up and putting his hand on her cheek. Serena smiled and lightly kissed Darien's lips. "Yes, I'm fine," she insisted with a smile as she pulled back. "We should talk to Hotaru and see if she can help us, and get them out for a while." ***************************************************************** Endymion fought as Uranus and Jupiter dragged him out of Serenity's room. He didn't want to leave her side, not while she was as sick as she was, for fear that he may not see her again. Pneumonia was so hard to detect early, and so deadly that he knew, with out a healer, there was little or no chance of her pulling through this, at least not with out some very serious problems in the future. Serena and Darien walked up just as they were dragging Endymion out and listened in on the conversations. One of them made them pale. "Your Majesty, why don't you simply use the Silver Crystal to heal your daughter?" Mercury asked as she walked up to her Queen. Serenity's face saddened and she shook her head. "If it were that easy, Mercury, I would have done it sooner. I'm not trained to use the Crystal in such a manner. And to do so, and to do so improperly, could kill her." "Damned if you do, damned if you don't," Neptune put in pointedly. "Prince Endymion, stop it already, let the child rest!" she exclaimed as she noticed Endymion, yet again, almost break free of Amara and Lita. Serenity had to chuckle. "I would say something, but I'm enjoying watching him fight them!" Saturn smiled slightly as she heard her Queen say that. Right now, she was worried about Serenity, and what would happen. Fears she knew that Serena and Darien had too. "Serena, Darien," she spoke when she saw them for the first time. Everyone stopped and, in an attempt to gain back some of his pride, Endymion stopped struggling. Serena smiled faintly, shaken by what she had just heard. "Hello, everyone." "Feeling better?" Venus asked with a wink in Darien's direction, causing him to flush red slightly. "Mina!" a male voice reprimanded from the ground. Artemis jumped from the floor to Venus's shoulder and glared at her. "Oh please, Artemis," Luna sighed as she came in and hopped onto Mercury's shoulder, "it's not like you weren't thinking the same thing." "Umm..." was all Darien could manage out as the cats began to bicker amongst themselves. "Luna, Artemis..." Serenity started, her voice warning the two enough. "Pardon me, Your Majesty," the two cats mumbled out at the same time. Attempting to lift the heavy atmosphere as they walked back, Endymion even willingly, Jupiter started introductions. "Luna, Artemis, I don't think you have met Serena and Darien, have you? They're visiting in the name of their families and seem to be quite close, a possible wedding for us to go to!" "LITA!" Serena whined, causing everyone, except for Darien, to laugh. The laughter died down after a few moments. "It's a pleasure to meet you two, I hope your stay has been pleasant, save for those attacks," Luna commented. "I heard you've been involved in a few." "Unfortunately," Darien said as he wrapped an arm around Serena's waist in a protective gesture. "We still don't know who is behind it..." Mars trailed off. "I am going to excuse myself and go meditate now," she said as she broke away from the group and went down another hall. Saturn sighed as she watched Mars, yet again, go off and do something that was impossible. She would never be able to find something about the enemy because someone or something was blocking her psyche. She was almost positive that it was Sailor Pluto, who knew of the enemy and Serena and Darien. She wasn't allowing them to be discovered this late. Queen Serenity watched Saturn carefully as she shook her head at Mars and walked off on her own as well, all the while wondering what information Saturn had that was so damaging. ***************************************************************** "Ill?" Alamandite questioned as he bowed before his Princess. "How ill is she, Majesty?" he asked Opal. Opal smiled sadistically. "Deathly ill. Some human virus easily curable in the twentieth century, but has no cure here with out a healer. Of which our old friends have none." "It would be a good time to attack, but hard to sneak into the palace," Alamandite put in thoughtfully. Opal stood and walked over to her warrior. "Then I suggest you leave now, my vision shows her alone right now." Alamandite nodded and vanished with out a trace. ***************************************************************** Serena swallowed hard as she walked up the steps to the dinning room with the others. She was warm, unusually warm, and she knew why. But right now, there was nothing she could do about it, and she couldn't or wouldn't tell Darien. He probably knew anyway. Just as they reached the dinning room, Serena finally gave out and gave up, collapsing to the ground with a soft thud. "SERENA!" Darien exclaimed as he went down next to her, checking her pulse and breathing. Finding both, he touched her forehead and grit his teeth. 'She's feeling the effects from Serenity's illness.' Uranus knelt down with him, and looked at the blonde in something akin to concern. "This is bad. If she has it too, than any of us could get it." She thought on the subject for a few more moments. "Maybe it's a plot?" That thought stopped everyone for a few moments, pondering Uranus's thinking. "We haven't sensed anything...it couldn't be," Mercury said aloud, glancing at the others for confirmation. In Darien's arms, Serena stirred and coughed. She slowly opened her eyes and sat up to gaze at the others as a dark shadow came over her soul and she began to shiver. "Danger..." she whispered so low that only Darien could hear it. There was a scream from down the hall and everyone's head snapped to where it came from. "SERENITY!" Endymion all but screamed as he ran down the hall, leaving everyone else in the dust. "Mercury, take the Queen to a secure location, Darien, just get Serena out of here!" Venus ordered as she and the others ran off after Endymion and Mercury somehow managed to drag Queen Serenity off after they left, leaving Serena and Darien alone in the hall. Serena struggled up, still coughing and wheezing from the effort, and pulled out her locket. Darien caught her hand and looked at Serena with slightly frightened eyes. "You aren't going-" Smiling wearily, and coughing again, Serena nodded. "If I can't save myself, who else am I going to save?" ***************************************************************** Alamandite hovered outside the balcony of Princess Serenity and watched her as she slept. Her sleep was fitful and obviously feverish as she turned over and over again. With a snap of his fingers, Alamandite summoned a male Tenma with fire red hair and a built body. The Tenma bowed low as Alamandite vanished back to his home. ***************************************************************** Serenity blinked her eyes and slowly became aware of her surroundings once again. There was a thick presence in her room and it disturbed her to know end as she sat up and glance around her room. Quick as lightening, a flash of red came into the room, and grabbed the Princess's arm. Serenity opened her mouth, and screamed as loudly and as mercilessly as she could. Pulling her free arm back, Serenity slapped the Tenma and tried to run out of the room, only to be caught by it again as he lunged at her and slammed her into the floor. Feeling the pain, Serenity closed her eyes and let a tear slip down her cheek. "Endy..." she whispered hoarsely. The door to her room burst open, and Endymion ran in as fast as he could and stabbed the Tenma's arm, making him let go of her. Serenity was pulled into her lovers embrace and clutched his hand tight as they stood up. The Tenma also stood, clutching his arm with a look of hate on his face. "Master Alamandite...said to kill you both, and your Soldiers." He smiled and raised a hand. "I wish they were here, to see your demise." "JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!" "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!" The two attacks combined and went screaming towards the Tenma at a blinding speed. The Tenma jumped out of the way and glared at the mass of Sailor Soldiers that had just arrived. He smiled again when he saw who wasn't there. "I see four of you are missing." "MOON TIARA MAGIC!" Sailor Moon's Tiara sailed to the Tenma and cut his left arm with relative ease. Turning to the new arrivals, the Tenma, yet again, smiled. "So glad you could join us. Only two are missing now." Sailor Moon nodded and jumped down to the ground. As she landed, she slipped slightly and was forced to steady herself against the nearest Solider, who happened to be Uranus. Pulling away from her quickly, Sailor Moon mumbled a quick apology and coughed. The Tenma's eyes got wide. 'She's ill too...feeling the effects from Serenity! They're the same person so with her dying in the past, then the future one would die of the same thing! I have gotten too lucky.' "What is it, Sailor Moon? Sick?" he taunted. "It wouldn't be the fact that something you are CONNECTED to here is also the same as you are? Or that you don't belong here?" "SHUT UP!" Tuxedo Mask roared as he pulled out one of his roses and flung it at the monster, but did no damage. Sailor Moon fell to the ground, coughing, at the exact same time Serenity did. Reaching into her Dimensional Pocket, Sailor Moon pulled out the Star Wand and aimed it at the Tenma. "Silver...Moon..." With a wave of his hand, the Tenma sent Sailor Moon and half of the Soldiers, who were standing around hoping she could destroy the man quickly, into walls and furniture. "Damn you..." Saturn hissed as she stood up and prepared to attack. "DON'T!" Tuxedo Mask yelled to Saturn. The Outers turned and gave him a look, effectively stating that he should never tell a Solider what she should not do, but he ignored them. "If you attack in here, it will destroy half the Palace, your attacks aren't as contained as the others!" "He's right," Neptune murmured as she struggled up, taking hold of Uranus's arm as she did so. "DEEP SUBMERGE!" The blue sphere did little against the incoming monster who held a red power in his hands as he glanced to Serenity and Endymion and then to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. The Soldiers were in front of the Princess and Prince, but it was just Tuxedo Mask who was protecting Sailor Moon. The choice was quick. "DIE!" the Tenma screamed as he flung the red energy in his hands to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. Fear flashed in the faces of all the Soldiers, even Uranus, as the energy came closer to the unconscious Sailor Moon, and seemingly defenseless Tuxedo Mask. Tuxedo Mask looked directly at the light and felt his heart stop for a moment. An incredible urge that had been building up inside of him began to break loose as he watched the red light come closer to him...and closer to HER. Standing, Tuxedo Mask held his hands out and focused himself. A blue-black energy began to build in his hands, and let loose when he cried out a simple phrase. "TUXEDO LA SMOKING BOMBER!" The blue-black energy of Tuxedo Mask's new attack plunged into the red light, and passed right through it, annihilating it, as it continued on it's path for the Tenma. Before one could blink an eye, there was nothing but a pile of dust. "Shit," Jupiter whispered with a low whistle. From what she and the others had seen, Tuxedo Mask held little power, nothing compared to Sailor Moon. But just now, he had proven himself as dangerous as she. Looking at his hands in wonder for a moment, Tuxedo Mask smiled to himself. He was finally, FINALLY, able to do something worth while to contribute to his team, to his friends. "Wow..." a weak voice from behind him whispered. Turning around, Tuxedo Mask kneeled down next to Sailor Moon and stroked her cheek. "Are you better?" Shaking her head a 'no' was all the answer he needed. "Then it wasn't a spell." Sailor Moon began to pull herself up, with Tuxedo Mask's help, and walked over, again with Tuxedo Mask's help, to Serenity and Endymion. Neptune grabbed Tuxedo Mask's arm. "What do you think you're doing?" "We're going to help Serenity," Sailor Moon whispered with a cough. Uranus arched an eyebrow sarcastically. "You're a healer?" Venus, however, was more hopeful. "You can heal the Princess?" she asked pleadingly. "If you can, PLEASE, we will forever be in your debt!" Sailor Moon shook her head, and felt the mood drop, and their hearts sink. "But Sailor Saturn can." Tuxedo Mask looked to the girl in his arms in slight shock. She smiled up at him in reassurance and he shook his head. 'I hope you know what you're doing.' "Me?" Saturn whispered with wide eyes. "Not to be rude to Sailor Saturn," Jupiter intervened with a sorrowful voice, "but she is the Solider of Death, how can she give back life?" Sailor Moon smiled slightly. "With darkness comes light. No person can be completely evil, or have that large of a shadow over their hearts. Saturn has a gift to give life if the need should come." Endymion eyed them carefully. "How can you know this?" he asked as he held Serenity's hand carefully. She coughed and Endymion held her tighter. "How can she heal her?" Sailor Moon gulped and said the only thing she knew. "Just believe you can, Saturn. Hold you hands over her, and concentrate. If you think you can, you will." Saturn did as she was instructed and held her hands over Serenity for five minutes, ten, and twenty; while everyone else sat there and held their breaths. "It's not working!" Uranus cried out as she slammed her fist into a wall, breaking a whole into it. Saturn's eyes snapped open and she gasped as a purple light began to form around her, Uranus's attention was even averted to watch what was taking place. "A new power...it was always inside of me..." she whispered and then Saturn fell down to the ground, nearly unconscious. "HOTARU!" Uranus exclaimed in concern as the small girl fell to the ground, her energy gone and her body now limp. She checked her vital signs, and found them normal. "There's hope," Sailor Moon whispered as she and Tuxedo Mask vanished, just in time to hear Endymion gasp in shock and exclaim that Serenity no longer had a fever. ***************************************************************** Serenity watched as the Soldiers filled out of Saturn's room with slight smiles on their faces. "She's okay then?" she asked Mercury hopefully while grasping Endymion's hand. "She'll be up and running in a day or two," Mercury assured her. "Now, Princess, I know you feel better, but you do need to rest too." "But-" Serenity protested before Endymion leaned down and kissed her lips, effectively silencing her for long enough to get everyone else coughing for them to stop. ***************************************************************** Sailor Venus was the last one out of Saturn's room, but just before she left, she heard someone, whose voice was familiar but one she couldn't place, whisper something to her. "Don't pursue your instincts, Princess Venus. This time...it will lead to disaster if you should know." Venus froze and turned around, looking for the owner of the voice. "What?! Who are you?!" she demanded. There was no answer to her question. ***************************************************************** Rose sighed in frustration as she beat the small wristwatch object of hers against the wall. "Damn it all to hell!" she exclaimed as she pushed a button to call Darien and still go nothing. Alec poked his head into the room from the kitchen and raised an eyebrow. "Aunt Rose, Care Bares isn't something to swear at. It's not their fault that they can't find decent Japanese voices for the show," he told her with mock sympathy. "WHAT?!" Rose exclaimed, then realized what station the television was on. With a glare at her nephew, she turned off the device and threw a pillow at him before going back to work on the watch. "Smart ass," she grumbled. Rini giggled as she walked into the room and peaked over her aunt's shoulder. "What's wrong, Aunt Rose?" Rose could only shake her head. "I'm calling Amy," she muttered as she hit Mercury's symbol and awaited her friend. "Yes, Rose? Is something wrong?" she asked. Nodding, Rose told her what had happened and in seconds Amy was off the line trying to contact them. Half an hour later, she came back and told Rose what she had been praying she wouldn't hear. "The signal is dead..." Amy whispered. "I can't get hold of them." Rose's face paled and she nodded. Thanking Amy, and calling a meeting, she turned and face her brother's children. She didn't have to say anything as they ran to her arms and hugged her. ***************************************************************** Azurite watched the girls as they talked about their Prince and Princess. They were at the Temple trying to figure out what to do about their lost connection with the Prince and Princess...but he knew what to do. He had a new mission, a new plan. His own Princess hadn't approved of it, but he would do it no matter what she said. To Be Continued... It's all done now! YEP, YEP, YEP DONE! So how was it? I rather enjoyed writing that, and have a ton of inspiration for the next chapter. Ah and speaking of that. *announcer type voice* That's right folks, but popular demand she is here! That's right! She's the one, the only, the character I based so much on myself in ways, ROSELYN OF EARTH! *grins* This is gonna be so much fun. Stef-chan. E-mail: stefaniecraig@hotmail.com Website: http://home.att.net/~stef_chan/ If you add me to the list of any of these, tell me that you got my name/# from my fics! ICQ: 63467432 AIM: Stefchan2 Yahoo!: steff_chan MSN: stefaniecraig@hotmail.com