Chapter 2 - Contact

"False warning, I think," Nesheph Tenousei said as she and Nesheph Kaiousei approached the coordinates Hana had given them. "Just a stray asteroid that managed to slip by the warning barriers."

"Let me see for sure," Kaiousei said, consulting her mirror.

"None of that, pretty lady," A strange voice from behind them said. The two Nesheph senshi turned around to face two women in strange sailorfuku. One, who's fuku was green, her skirt decorated with leaves, was clinging childishly to another in brown, who looked like her skirt had been spattered with mud.

"In the name of the Warder of the Crystal Throne, Princess Solange de Taiyou, I demand you identify yourselves!" Tenousei said, drawing her Space Sword so that it covered both her and Kaiousei.

"Why doesn't she take the throne for her own?" The senshi in green said in her childish voice.

"Shush, Wood," the senshi in brown said, shaking her companion off. "I am Sailorearth, and this is Sailorwood. We are servants of Sailorchaos. Surrender your talismans and live."

"There hasn't been a Sailorearth since the Neo Millennium, liar. And Serenity the Messiah vanquished Chaos," Tenousei said. "Begone, or I'll have to resort to violence!"

The senshi in brown rolled her eyes. "Very well, if you wish to continue in ignorance. Wood, they're all yours."

"Yay!" Sailorwood said. "It's been so long since I've had new playmates! Savage Undergrowth!" Sailorwood's arms seemed to turn unto wood, growing a huge mass of thorny branches that wrapped around Kaiousei, reaching for her Mirror. Tenousei slashed away at them with her Space Sword, but they just kept growing.

"Golden Illumination!" Tabbach Sailorkinsei cried, sending a beam of gold light at Wood, breaking the girl's concentration.

"Thank you, Kinsei," Kaiousei said, wincing slightly as the branches pulled away, revealing a few nasty cuts.

"A pleasure, Kaiousei. Who the hell are these two, Tenousei?" Kinsei said, eyeing the two newcomers. "I was on a transport to Nemesis Station when I sighted you four."

"Invaders," Tenousei spat. "Trying to steal our talismans."

Kinsei shook her head. "That's a pity. Good thing I alerted Dosei, hmmm? She should be here to help clear out this rabble."

"The Angel of Death?" Wood said, clinging to Earth once more.

"An exaggeration," Tenousei said, smiling wickedly. "But even I have to admit she outranks me in sheer power."

"That's really saying something then, isn't it cousin?" Kinsei said, cocking her head to the side.

"Idiocy!" Sailorearth cried. "I refuse to be captured by a lot of babbling idiots!"

"Then run," Nesheph Sailordosei said, lifting her glaive menacingly as she floated towards them, having overheard the last bits of conversation. "Run or die."

"Let's go, Earth!" Wood squealed, disappearing in a flurry of leaves. After shooting an angry glance at the four Nesheph senshi, Earth followed suit as a cloud of dust surrounded her.

Kinsei burst into applause. "Hotaru, I don't know why you never pursued acting."

"I had better things to do, K-chan," Dosei replied, grinning. "The Angel of Death? I thought it was the Silent Angel. So many doom filled titles to remember."

****

"Sailorodin, emissary of King Balder of Asgard, approaches Her Imperial Majesty, Queen Sidra de Hoshi, and her heir, Imperial Prince Aster," said Umino Celeste, Captain of the Imperial Prismatic Guard as a senshi with bright purple hair and a yellow and gray sailor fuku stepped up to the dais where Sidra's throne was. This place was definitely as textbook fairytale as Odin had heard rumors of, but seeing it was another thing all together.

"Greetings, emissary of Asgard," Sidra said as Odin curtsied. Her voice held all its former sweetness, but underneath it was a steely note of power.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness," Odin said bowing to Sidra and her son, Prince Aster, in turn. "My king sends his regrets, but Queen Dora is expected to have her baby any day now, so I came in his place."

"Perfectly understandable, Odin. Besides, I'm told you're the leader of the Asgardian senshi, so it's fitting that you have come. What says Asgard to the Prismatic Empire's offer?"

"You mean you have to ask, Your Majesty? Asgard is a small kingdom, and the Prismatic Empire is known throught the known cosmos. In the name of my king, Asgard pledges fealty to you, Empress Sidra, in return for Imperial protection." Odin smiled, hoping the speech Freya had made her memorize was pretty enough. Odin wasn't one for court life, herself. Her place was making sure she never disappointed Balder again.

"Excellent," Sidra said, clapping her hands. "I'll leave you and Aster to hammer out the details."

"My Queen, excuse the interruption," Miaka said, walking past the guards briskly. Not even in court dress, which was required to approach the throne, Miaka strode up the dais without thought to what anyone might think. "News from the Dusk Millennium."

And not good news, Sidra thought at the sight of Miaka's worried features. "We shall go into private conference at once, Lady Summers. Aster, Sailorodin, excuse us."

****

"Hana, wake up," the voice that Hana had known from birth said. She bolted upright in bed, shocked not so much at the voice, but the fact that its source was beside her, not in her head. "Aunt Chiharu? But how can you be here?"

"I've been released, Hana-chan," Princess Sailormeiousei replied. "But I don't have much time. You know what happened today with your sister and the others?"

"I was the one who sent word to Princess Solange and Empress Sidra," Hana replied, nodding.

"Good girl. It's time for you to become a senshi now, those invaders aren't nearly as weak as they appeared to be today," Chiharu said, untransforming as she pulled off her brooch and handed it to Hana.

The girl stared in shock as the black and burgundy heart changed into a swirled white and burgundy brooch. The one comfort her coming of age had brought, the security in knowing that Aunt Chiharu must keep the power of Meiousei to guard the Gates, was gone. She had to be a senshi now.

"Don't be scared, Hana," Chiharu said, kissing her niece on the forehead. "And remember..."

"I know, Aunt Chiharu," Hana replied, hugging the woman as she began to fade away. "Mother and Father must never know."