Saving the Angel
by Iryl (webmistress@hugglebunny.com)
Rated PG13: Fantasy, Romance, Alternate Reality.
Couple: I am biased toward Minako&Kunzite and that may be apparent, though all five 
couples will be included (for all five inner senshi).
Summary:  The Inner Senshi are captives of the Evil One, Beryl.  Serenity is forced to 
lure the handsome Prince Endymion to Beryl, to protect her friends. [Two Parts.]


Part One

"You're getting slow!" General Kunzite yelled, whipping his sword up to block a flurry 
of attacks from General Jadeite.
     "He's exhausted," General Nephrite commented from the sidelines, half 
sprawled on the cold stone bench beside General Zoicite, whose nose was buried in a 
particularly thick book.  Zoicite looked up at the commentary and grunted an 
agreement.  Jadeite looked as if his sword and armor were ten times heavier than on 
normal days.  He finally gave up and came to sit on the ground by his comrades' bench.
     "We're not done, Jadeite," Kunzite frowned.
     "I am," the blonde man addressed replied, gasping for breath.
     "What's wrong with you, anyway, Jade?" Nephrite tossed some grass at his 
friend.  "You're so tired these days."
     "Haven't you noticed?" Zoicite put his nose back into the book, but had 
sufficiently captured the others' attention.  Jadeite was grinning expectantly, taking his 
armor off.  "There's a new maid in the castle."
      Kunzite didn't look as amused as Nephrite.  He turned to Jadeite and scowled.  
"You're staying up late for *that*?!  I can't believe you!  You know we have to be ready 
for that tournament against Aquaria in a month!  If we lose, our positions will be taken 
away!"
     "Calm down, Kunzite," Jadeite soothed, putting his armor beside the bench.  
"We'll be ready, don't worry."
     "Besides," Nephrite pointed out, "we have that ball the Queen is throwing for 
Endymion tonight.  We can't go all sweaty and exhausted; she would skin us."
     "Alright," Kunzite relented unhappily, and started removing his own armor, 
placing it with Jadeite's.
      Zoicite looked up as a movement caught his eye.  "Endymion and some 
women," he reported.
      The others looked up, even Kunzite reacting at the mention of "women."  
Indeed, Endymion was leading five ladies over   one on his arm and the others 
following, looking about the garden.
      As they approached, specifics could be noted about the women.  The one on 
Endymion's arm was slender and white, her hair falling in golden waves from the buns 
on top of her head.  She was graceful, ethereal, majestic.  Her eyes were a warm, 
welcoming blue   in love with everyone.
      The women behind her were not so benevolent.  A girl in dark red velvet stood 
so still that she might have been a statue, looking right at them, gaze flitting 
occasionally to examine something else, like a nervous bird.  Her hair was a great 
glittering black mass, surrounding her like a dark cloud, darkening the deep, wonderful 
violet eyes in their set against her pale skin.
      A tall girl with brown hair and eyes to shame the deepest emeralds looked at 
them with undaunted suspicion.  Her dress was lighter and filmy in the skirt.  When she 
moved, it could be seen that the skirt was slit on either side up to mid-thigh.
      A blonde girl, golden of hair and skin, with blue eyes and a glowing beauty 
almost rival to Endymion's benevolent lady's, could not stay still in her spot.  She kept 
looking around warily, each of her moments smooth and controlled.  Every now and 
then she could be noted delicately sniffing the air.
      The only girl not to look at them was a small, blue-haired sylph, her glittering 
azure gaze fixed on the pond that was visible down a hill in the deeper part of the 
garden.
      Serenity, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Ami.  The Generals were introduced and they 
talked for a bit.
     "Do you like to swim?" Zoicite asked the sylph-like girl, finding all the other 
ladies taken by his friends.  At least, Endymion had Serenity, Jadeite was hitting on the 
dark girl, who kept giving him odd glances, Kunzite was caught under the unfriendly 
glare of the blonde, Minako, and Nephrite was watching the brown-haired girl as she 
avidly examined the plants of the garden.
     "I love it," the girl whispered, such longing in her voice, such a painfully 
throbbing ache, that his heart stopped for a moment.
     "Perhaps you could use our ponds sometime."  He felt bad for the girl, her 
evident want of the water.
     "Yes," she murmured, and took a slow step toward the pond, before an 
anguished voice rang out and she whirled around.
     "I can't *feel* it!  I can't *feeeeel* it!"  Makoto, the brown-haired girl, was 
slumped against a tree trunk, her hands on it and face twisted in pain.  Tears were 
streaming down her cheeks and Nephrite was hovering uncertainly over her, not sure of 
what to do.
      The blonde, Minako, started to take a predatory step forward, but Serenity 
hurried over and took the upset girl into her arms.  "It's time to go home," Serenity said, 
stroking the other girl's hair as she sobbed.
      Ami sighed and Zoicite looked at her again.  She hadn't gone any further 
toward the pond and he saw that the longing had gone, replaced by a heart-wrenching 
melancholy that pervaded her voice with its hopelessness.  "Yes, home."
     "We will be at the ball," Serenity assured Endymion, and he smiled tenderly 
down at her.
     "I will look forward to it."  Their eyes locked for a moment, a silent, sweet 
something flashing between them.
      Minako stood watching them narrowly, stance wide and arms crossed.  Her 
eyes flickered to Endymion with a look that set Kunzite on edge, the man 
unconsciously shifting to a fighting stance in case he should need to protect the prince.
      Rei, next to the alarmingly blue-eyed Jadeite, noticed as well and stepped 
forward.  "My lady," she curtsied gracefully, "we really should be going.  We must 
dress for the ball, after all."
      Serenity took her gaze from Endymion reluctantly.  "Yes, of course."  She 
stood, bringing Makoto with her.  "Come girls."  At her soft, sweet command, all of the 
girls roused themselves to obedience.  They looked to her obeisantly, calmly following 
her as she led them from the garden.  Even wary Minako bowed her head in unfeigned 
respect as the white-clad woman passed her, a slightly red-eyed Makoto tucked under a 
slim white arm.
      Minako swept after her lady, followed close after by Rei, then Ami.
     "Interesting women," Nephrite commented, watching the swath of green and 
brown walking away from them, not necessarily making it a complement.
     "Oh yes," Zoicite agreed thoughtfully.
     "Beautiful," Endymion watched the white gown disappear through the gates on 
the other side of the garden.
     "Mm, yummy," Jadeite murmured, eyes half-closing as the red dress 
disappeared as well.
      Kunzite alone was silent.

*Come to me,* a voice washed over the girls as Minako led them into a small clearing.  
She had taken the lead from Serenity, an action borne of some ancient protective 
reflex.  As all of the girls entered the clearing, a thick black and silver light enveloped 
them.  Their mouths opening in silent screams, the women collapsed into their skirts 
and were gone.
      A large golden paw reached out in the darkness, slitted blue eyes checking each 
of the four other creatures.  A red-gold bird stirred first, ruffling its feathers slightly to 
straighten them, violet eyes blinking, blind in the darkness.  Its tail was long and dark, 
neck a slender protest of grace.  It stood still, listening to the scaly scraping of a long, 
pale blue fin.  Slender arms pushed the top half of the mermaid to a sitting position, her 
deep, solemn eyes straining a little in the black air, making shapes better than the bird 
because she was used to seeing on the ocean bottom, which could get very dark.  
Blue-green scales swept in on either side of her face and she shivered on the cold, hard 
floor.  Green fluttered open and a brown girl lifted herself carefully, pupils dark and 
wide, though no light entered them.  Her body was minimally covered in a short, 
sleeveless green top and brown breeches open on the sides but for the leather laces 
keeping them together.  Every visible inch of the dryad's body was covered in ivy vine 
tatoos.  Lastly, the blue eyes turned to the white winged creature crumpled on the floor. 
After long moments of anticipatory agony, a glow started from the creature and spread 
as the wings fluttered lightly.  This last creature shifted and lifted itself slowly from the 
floor, the white light emitting from it allowing all of them to see more clearly.  The girl 
called Serenity stood.  She wore a low-backed white dress, the ample skirt falling to 
her ankles; her great white wings spread wide, flexed, and settled back into place.
      She was an angel.
      Minako looked away, pained in the presence of such beauty when she was   a 
creature.  A horrible creature, half woman, half lion.  Golden fur encased her legs, a 
thick, twitching tail sprouting from the base of her spine.  Her stomach was bared with 
smooth, golden skin, and the fur started again just under her breast, working its way 
smoothly up to the base of her neck and sweeping down her arms to the wrists, where it 
stopped, her slender hands decorated with brilliant, sharp claws.  Small, strong fangs 
and slanted eyes, pure blue.  Two soft, golden cat-ears twitching on the top of her head, 
standing in the middle of her long, thick blonde tresses.
      In her clan, where she'd grown up, Minako had been thought beautiful.  Many 
of the males had fought for her hand, but she had been taken away by the Evil One 
before her father had been able to give her to anyone.
      But beside the angel, Serenity, Minako felt ugly.  Her ears flattened a little in 
unhappiness and her tail curled tightly around her hips.
      A hand touched her head and she looked up, startled, to see Serenity's gentle 
face.  "You are lovely," the angel told her, and with that silvery voice, Minako had to 
believe it.  An angel wouldn't lie; Serenity wouldn't lie.
     "Rise, ladies," a woman's voice hissed.  Serenity's light swelled protectively to 
encompass all of them and the angel stood taller, breast thrust out in defiance.  Her 
light did not touch the creature that stood on the other side of the room.  "Rise, and 
return to your proper places."  With a movement and a bright flash of light, thick metal 
bands surrounded each throat and they fell, crumpling, in turn.  After a brief moment 
the bands dragged them into the air, despite all struggles and lifted each to her separate 
prison.  The bird, a phoenix, to a large gilded cage in the corner of the room.  The 
mermaid to a thick glass water tank.  The dryad chained by her ankles to the cold stone 
floor.  The woman-lion inside bars of iron.  The angel to a delicate, translucent 
containing-cylinder, surface the likeness of a faintly tinted window; in truth it was 
made of the darkest of evil crystals, beat to a thinness like glass.  The prison could be 
easily smashed or broken   but if an angel were to be cut with a piece of the crystal, 
then she would be poisoned and eventually fall to the illness.
      The dark creature moved to the angel's case and caressed the smooth 
crystalline surface.  "I want Endymion," the woman said, the edges of her hair lit by the 
angel's light, a deep, bloody red, "and you, dear girl, sweet little Serenity, will get him 
for me."  The angel's gaze was dark and sad as she looked up, her slim round throat 
bared, before turning away, pain and tears burning in her eyes.

Five women entered the ballroom, gowns of silk, satin, velvet, and embroidered with 
gold or silver.  None of Endymion's kingdom had ever seen the likes of such dresses   
or women.  Though smiling and charming, their leader held a simple sadness behind 
her eyes as she curtsied to Endymion   a sadness that he was determined to wash away.
      The only thing alike about the women were the ribbons around their throats.  
For each, it was a different color: yellow for Minako, red for Rei, green for Makoto, 
blue for Ami, and white for Serenity.  Though the other women of the ball envied the 
elegance of this simple touch, the women themselves hated it   it bound them to their 
dark keeper, allowing her to control them.  They could not take the ribbons off, nor, 
they imagined, could anyone else.
      Endymion took Serenity for the entirety of the ball, not paying attention to any 
other woman.  They danced, or sat and spoke softly, and went out onto the balcony a 
few times for some privacy.  Serenity was in pain the whole time, but the Evil One's 
voice was hovering just behind her ear, and every time she had a doubt about what she 
was doing the ribbon would tighten a little around her neck and the Evil One would 
whisper of the things that could befall the other four captives.  As the night progressed, 
Serenity found her pain increasing with the realization of what a wonderful man she 
was tricking.
      Inside, Jadeite was dancing with the phoenix, that creature of fire and rebirth 
whose eyes had scorched the souls of greater men than the general.  He had not been 
with a woman since he had met her, not wishing for anything less than the fire of Rei.  
Yet her stance was still distant and she held her body too far from him when they were 
dancing.  Her mind seemed to be other places.
      Zoicite, remembering Ami's affinity for water, had taken the girl to one of the 
castle fountains, where she sat and trailed her fingers through the water contentedly.  
They spoke of many things   of his old days as a seaman, of the stars over the ocean, of 
boats and her views on the ethics of fishing.  Zoicite had never met anyone who 
thought that there might be something wrong about catching fish and storing them for 
so long   cooking fish.
     "I love raw fish," Ami said, turning her eyes up to him   dark in the moonlight   
and speaking with perfect congeniality.  "There's something of the flavor that is lost 
when you wait to long   though I've never tried cooked fish.  It's hard to start a fire 
where I'm from."
     "You live in the southern wetlands?" he inquired, curious.  He had a cousin 
down there.
      She closed her eyes and a brief, sad smile ghosted across her lips.  "I used to 
live in a very wet place, but now it's more dark and cold."
     "Where do you live?" he asked, leaning on the fountain beside her.  A change in 
the night wind blew spray onto them for a moment and Ami closed her eyes, glorying 
in it.  Zoicite gloried in the site of her, face tilted to the spray, an exquisite look of calm 
and peace on her cheeks and mouth   something that had been missing all night, he 
realized.  She was very tense.
      Ami turned when the wind paused for a breath and looked down at him, face 
and neck shimmering.  Oddly, though the hem of her collar was wet, her ribbon was 
dry.  "I can't tell you," she murmured sadly, then smiled a little.  "But I will say that you 
have been a wonderful gentleman tonight, and I appreciate it."
      He took the hand that had been resting on her lap and kissed it.  "I appreciate 
that you are speaking to me, lady.  You have   interesting   ways, but I think I begin to 
like them."  He smiled up at her, a brilliant, charming smile, and she lost her breath, 
blushing.
     "Of course, my lord," she whispered, and he rose to kiss her cheek, tenderly.  
They sat together for a long while, just looking at each other, his hand on her flushed 
cheek and their eyes speaking words their lips could not.
      Makoto had been caught into dancing with Nephrite, the general with long, 
wavy auburn hair.
      Minako, however, was prowling about the edges of the room, trying to keep an 
eye on Serenity.  Kunzite was keeping pace with her, watching her narrowly from the 
shadows behind pillars or under the cover of sipping his wine.  He wasn't sure if he 
trusted any of them yet; there was something different about them, something . . . 
wrong.
      It was fairly easy to keep watch over Minako, as her dress was a soft, butter 
yellow, tight around her slim waist and slit up to the thigh on both sides.  It gave a feral 
touch to her already untamed beauty.
      Kunzite saw Minako slip out of the room close to midnight and moved to 
follow her.  In the dark, candle-lit corridor, he paused and saw a flash of yellow 
rounding a corner to his left.  He hurried after it, trying to make as little noise as 
possible, and soon found himself peeking into the castle training room.
      He heard the sound of the dummy-pole being hit repeatedly.  It was a long, 
flexible wooden pole in a heavy stone base, thickly stuffed and wrapped with wool, 
cotton, feathers, corn husks, and bits of old, ruined cloth.  Slipping further inside, he 
saw the lady Minako punching and kicking the pole, grunting with the force of her 
strikes.  There was a large window above her, where moonlight fell in, illuminating the 
small scene.  Minako's face was twisted in fury, her strikes coming faster and harder.  
With a final, piercing scream of agony, her foot connected with the dummy-pole and 
went further for her leg to wrap around it, bringing her up onto the small, strong base as 
she clung to it with clawed hands, her breathing ragged.
      The sight of those hunched white shoulders, the sweet half-bare legs, and her 
erratic breathing combined to rouse some brief sense of pity in Kunzite.  After a 
moment, she stirred, keeping her intimate clasp on the pole but letting her head and 
throat fall back, hair hanging in a glorious free-fall to her waist.  Her eyes were closed 
and Kunzite took the moment to appreciate the way the moonlight made her skin glow 
white.
      She turned her head toward him and opened her eyes slowly, slowly.  He 
moved deftly back into the shadow of the doorway, but she must have seen him 
because she spoke softly in a voice as silvery smooth as the moonlight that lit her.  
"Why are you following me?"
      He stepped forward, moving toward her but keeping enough distance so that he 
would be able to ready himself in case of an attack.  She didn't seem quite . . . stable.  
"To make sure that you don't hurt my prince."
      She chuckled, a low, sweet sound that made chills run over his body.  She gave 
him another glance and whispered, as if it were a secret, "I'm not the one who will hurt 
him."  He frowned and took a step back, something flashing in his brain.  Of course!  
That girl in white   she seemed so innocent, but she must be the most dangerous!  Why 
else would Endymion of the strong constitution, the most responsible man Kunzite 
knew, become smitten with her so quickly?
     "That girl," he growled, making a move to turn, but soon found the pretty 
moonlit creature straddling his chest, pinning him to the floor.  Her hands were clawed 
at his throat and she snarled, a movement so inhuman that he was rendered immovable 
for the sheer shock of it.
     "Serenity would *never* hurt anyone," the girl hissed at him.  Once the intent to 
kill went from his eyes, Minako relaxed and sat back a little, tossing her hair.  "Besides, 
what she can do is nothing compared to what'll happen when " She stopped and 
Kunzite stared   her eyes had widened in pain and her mouth opened in a silent cry, 
body going rigid.  After a moment, she slumped and held her head, moaning a little.  
"Ow, ow, ow," she mumbled.  "I hate it when that happens."
     "Will you *please* get off of me, madam," he gasped as she wriggled, holding 
her head and rocking back and forth.
      Her eyes narrowed at him and she seemed to forget her headache.  She looked 
down thoughtfully, like a cat examining a new play-toy.  "No," she finally decided, 
smiling with a wicked gleam in her eye, "I think I like it here."  She bent forward, hair 
falling to either side of Kunzite's head.  "Besides, it makes you uncomfortable and you 
have a stick up your butt that *somebody* has to yank out."  She smiled again, then lost 
the playful gleam, falling into a grimmer state.  "Besides, I don't trust you to stay put 
and not hurt Serenity.  I think I'll just keep you here until we have to go."
      Kunzite frowned, gazing up at her ethereal face and firm jaw-line.  "What 
*are* you?"
      She seemed to be taken by surprise, blinking down at him.  "*What?!*" a hot 
pit of disconcertion opened up in her stomach.
      He gave her a disgusted look.  "You're not a woman   not human, at least.  No 
real woman would have been able to take me down like you did   though if I really 
wanted, I could be up in a second.  You're not doing a very good job of keeping me 
down."
     "Aren't I?" she asked, bending tantalizingly close.  Kunzite got a brief glimpse 
down her front and quickly turned his head away from her.
     "Please get off of me," he grated.  "I won't hurt Lady Serenity unless I get good 
reason to.  Okay?"
      Minako sighed, but replied by rolling off of him.  Kunzite sat up.
     "Thank you," he said, still a bit ruffled and refusing to look at her.
     "I will fight for Serenity as hard as you would for your prince, and with the 
same love of her in my heart," Minako murmured, smoothing her hair back into place.  
She was half in and half out of the square of moonlight as Kunzite stared at her, 
startled.  A grudging respect roused itself and he bowed   something not easily done 
since he was still sitting.
     "I understand," he told her.  Looking up, her expression caught him off guard.  
She looked . . . as if it meant something to her.
      Minako stood and moved over to kneel next to Kunzite, taking his face gently 
in her hands.  And kissed him.  It was soft and full of her appreciation, longing, and 
loneliness.  Kunzite flushed and hesitantly returned it, arms wrapping around her waist, 
pulling her closer, pressing her to himself.  Minako made a noise in her throat 
somewhat like a contented cat which made his hands bold enough to wander a little 
higher.  He kissed across her jaw to her throat, untying the yellow ribbon as he found it 
to be in his way and dropping it to the floor beside them.  Her nails dug contentedly 
into his shoulders, surprisingly sharp.  She dug harder and he gasped into her throat, 
drawing back a little.
      And stared.
      She was flushed and breathing rapidly, confusion in the slanted blue eyes   
blue that filled the *entire* eye.  He glanced up and caught sight of twitching cat-ears.
     "Dear God," Kunzite breathed.
      Her eyes registered panic and she reached up to touch the velvety ears, then 
back to bring around a long, soft tail.
     "Dear God," he repeated.
      Minako's eyes moved to the limp yellow ribbon on the floor and some 
realization seemed to wash over her.  She pressed her lips briefly to his forehead and 
whispered something in his ear, voice slightly distorted by the small, sharp fangs that 
had appeared in her mouth, and stood, dropping her gown to the floor.  He stared, but 
there was nothing shocking   fur covered her in a decent clothing-like pattern that, but 
for the lack of curve-obscuring cloth, showed nothing scandalous.
      And she ran, flying from the room.  It took him a moment to realize he had to 
follow her   telling himself the whole time that it was just to make sure she didn't hurt 
the prince.

 Minako burst into the ballroom and paused, looking wildly around for someone and 
catching sight of a red gown nearby.  She ran and yanked the ribbon from Rei's neck, 
not waiting to see the other girl catch fire and spread her great red wings, the gown 
falling in charred pieces to the floor, then flare again and stand straight, a woman once 
more with raven-dark hair and burning dark eyes, a shift of red feathers clinging to her, 
more red feathers scattered in her hair.  She was barefoot, wildly disheveled, and 
fantastic.
      Minako darted to Makoto who had stopped dancing to wait for her, the crowds 
parting before the oddly lovely woman-beast.  Makoto stood still as Minako slashed the 
ribbon from her throat, immediately getting wrapped in a forest-green light, leaving her 
in her green top, brown breeches, and ivy tatoos.
     "Where's Serenity?"
     "Outside."  The two women ran for the balcony doors just as Kunzite reached 
the ballroom.
      The doors slammed shut in their faces, as if some errant wind had suddenly 
pushed them closed.
      Minako pushed against them and cursed.  "It's her!" she yelled above the 
sudden howling outside, and Makoto pushed her out of the way, drawing back and 
slamming her fist through the glass, shattering it.
      Her fist was bleeding heavily when she drew it back, but she urged Minako on, 
who needed no little prodding to leap through and look for Serenity.  Only the angel 
could defeat the Evil One   they all knew that.
      Makoto followed, spotting the black figure against the darkness and grabbing 
Minako out of the way before a flash of power could lance through her.  It caught 
Makoto's arm, but she ignored it as Minako hopped onto the balcony railing, racing 
along at inhuman speed to leap high, high above the dark figure's head, spotting 
Serenity behind Endymion on the other side, his sword drawn as he faced the back of 
the Evil One.  His eyes   foolish boy   were on Minako, where she hung for a moment 
in the air before her descent . . .
      A dark electricity grabbed her and slammed her back into the ground, right on 
the shattered glass of the balcony door.  Rei picked her up and ran with her before the 
Evil One could hit her again.  Makoto took over distracting the dark figure, and inside 
Ami watched with dread.  If her ribbon was removed, she would be able to do nothing . 
. .  Her eyes flashed with sudden understanding as Rei cast a desperate look through the 
last window in the ballroom, holding the limp form of Minako, blood splattered over 
both of them.  Ami, as a mermaid, wasn't much of a fighter, but her healing powers 
were unequaled.
      Ami took a determined step, but felt a strong hand grab her arm.  She turned 
and looked into the worried gaze of Zoicite.  "Ami," he whispered, and her gaze 
softened.
      She put her own hand over his and replied to his unspoken question, "I have to 
help."  She pushed his hand away and ran.  Makoto was struck in the leg as Ami 
slipped out of the doors, and she paused, wondering for a brief, horrible second if she 
should try to help her.  The Evil One turned toward Ami and she backed away in 
horror.  She had hesitated too long!  A long finger pointed toward Ami   and two 
tree-branches swept up from beside the balcony and pulled the Evil One off of it.  
Makoto, touching one of the low-hanging branches by the railing, grinned and gave her 
a bloody thumbs-up.  Ami only had time to mouth "Get Serenity" before she was 
running to Rei and Minako, the former watching her impatiently.
     "It's about time!" Rei whispered, reaching for Ami's ribbon as she knelt beside 
Minako.
      But Rei never touched the ribbon.  It suddenly became iron and tightened 
around the sylph's throat, choking off her air supply.  She gasped and fell forward, 
struggling for air, pulling at the band around her throat.  Then she was floating, still in 
agony, floating toward the Evil One, and saw with horror that Serenity's ribbon was 
iron as well, and choking her.  Endymion made a wild grab for the white maiden, but 
she was being lifted beyond his reach.
     "*No!*" Rei cried, tears in her eyes as she made a wild, hopeless dash for them, 
and was thrown into one of the ballroom windows, which cracked but did not shatter.  
Then she fell and was still.
      Suddenly, the wall between the ballroom and the balcony was gone and the 
wind howled among the guests, then dissipated.  Everyone was silent.
     "Since the cat is out of the bag," the dark figure stepped into the light, allowing 
it to spill over her long red hair and floor-length black gown.  "I think I'll let you all see 
my final act."  There were three figures crumpled on the balcony, covered in blood, two 
suspended in mid-air, their eyes unfocused and dimming, and a prince breathing rapidly 
in pain.  "Ami," she turned sharply to the human mermaid and dropped her, allowing 
her to breathe again.  Three ribbons appeared in the Evil One's hand and she handed 
them to Ami, where they became faintly colored steel bands.  "Put these back on the 
girls."  Serenity was shaken a little in the air, as if to make a point, and Ami obeyed 
with reluctance, painfully aware that she could use none of her healing powers unless 
the Evil One allowed her to.
     "What do you want?!" Endymion cried.
      The Evil One turned to him, smiling faintly.  "Well, well.  Aren't we the perfect 
one to ask?" she chuckled and he glared.  Taking a breath, she gave a broad, benevolent 
smile and gestured, "I will save these girls for one prize . . . you, my prince," she 
gestured grandly and Endymion's Generals stepped forward in fury, but he motioned 
them back.
      But before he could reply, a metal collar went hurtling into the red-haired 
woman.  Startled and surprised that anyone would be stupid enough to attack her, she 
turned with everyone else to look at a furious Ami, her chest heaving with the force of 
her anger, tears running unchecked down her cheeks.
      The Evil One flicked the iron collar back to the blue-haired woman's feet, 
frowning.  "I told you to put them back on the girls.  Do you defy me, mermaid?"  She 
took a threatening step forward, but Ami didn't flinch, standing over Minako.
     "She doesn't need one," Ami spat, tears choking her voice.  "She's *dead*, you 
bitch!"  Her body shook with anger and tears, and she didn't seem to care as the Evil 
One came toward her, curiously silent.  No one noticed Kunzite go suddenly rigid, his 
eyes flying to the bloody figure, so beautiful and warm and alive only minutes before.
     "Let me see her," the woman's voice was strangely unemotional, but Ami 
refused to move, straightening staunchly.
     "No."
      The Evil One's eyes narrowed at the impudence and she sent Ami flying into 
the ballroom with a gesture.  Ami groggily shook her head, finding herself in someone's 
lap on the floor.  She turned and blinked.  Zoicite had run and slid to his knees, 
catching her before she hit the hard, unforgivable stone.  Their eyes met and he gave a 
half-smile.
     "Mermaid, eh?" he asked.
      Ami's eyes flickered and she glanced down.  "Is that a problem?"
     "No, no," he reassured her softly, "I kind of guessed you were something else 
anyway, once I saw your friends."  He put his lips to her ear and murmured, "But it's 
better than some of the things I was thinking."
      She gave him a wide-eyed glance, but was distracted by low chuckling.  The 
Evil One stood over Minako's body, laughing.
     "All right, mermaid," the Evil One snapped her fingers without looking at Ami, 
who gasped into Zoicite's ear as her legs melded into one long, sleek fin.  Then the Evil 
One *did* turn, and lost her smirk at the sight of her prize fish being held by a man.  
Her amusement draining as quickly as it had come over Minako, she used the collar to 
again lift Ami, bringing her to the balcony where Makoto and Rei lay together.  
Serenity had been dropped when Ami threw Minako's iron band at her (which was now 
around the woman-lion's throat), and she lay unconscious a few feet away where 
Endymion bent diligently over her, vainly trying to remove Serenity's iron collar.  "Heal 
them," she ordered, and turned to Endymion.  "So what do you say, prince?  Free these 
creatures with a single sacrifice?  This dryad, this phoenix, this mermaid, even this 
monstrous beast?"  She kicked lightly at Minako's limp body and Kunzite stepped 
forward.
     "One might have more respect for the dead," he grated.  The Evil One looked 
down at him, eyes slightly wider than normal.
     "Everyone seems to be defying me today," she murmured, gazing at him 
quizzically.  Then her eyes narrowed and she growled, "I don't think I like it."  She 
turned, ignoring him, and looked to Endymion.  "Of course, dear prince, you would be 
saving the most precious of all.  The one that these," she gestured to the four others, 
"would give their lives to protect."  She drew Serenity up into the air, out of 
Endymion's arms, and transformed her into the true being she was.  "An angel."  She 
surveyed the broad, beautiful wings with a sleepy content and sat back on her heels, her 
point made.
      Makoto was sitting back against the rail, exhausted, as Ami worked on Rei.  
Endymion's eyed the glowing form of Serenity and stepped forward, putting his sword 
down.
     "If you release them unharmed, I will do as you wish."
     "Done!" the Evil One crowed before anyone could react, and the six on the 
balcony were gone.

 Makoto and Ami hung their heads over Minako, mourning her.  They were again in 
their cold, smooth stone prison, the Evil One and Endymion there.  Rei sat by the wall 
in her bird-form, sulking.
     "Put this on," the Evil One commanded Endymion, handing him an iron band 
for his throat.  He complied, looking at Serenity's small glass-like prison, where she 
was still unconscious.
      He looked at the Evil One.  "Now, free them."
     "Hold a moment," she nodded and turned.  "Phoenix!" she called, and Rei 
turned her head sharply.  The Evil One pointed to Minako.  "Revive her."
      Ami's head came up sharply.  "You have that power?"
      Rei flashed to her human form and nodded breathlessly, looking down at 
Minako.  "Rebirth from the ashes.  I never thought she'd allow me to use it, though."  
Her hands hovered over Minako's body and flame engulfed them both.  After 
torturously long moments, the fire dispersed and Minako's eyes were blinking open.  
Rei looked exhausted.  "I'm glad no one else died," she muttered, but was smiling as 
Minako was accosted by a happy mermaid and dryad.
     "Ladies," the Evil One murmured, and the four on the floor turned to her.  An 
odd smile crossed her lips and she waved a hand, "say goodbye."  They disappeared and 
Endymion started, casting a glance toward Serenity, still asleep in her crystal enclosure.
     "You said you wouldn't hurt them!" he gasped.
     "I didn't," she replied, smiling faintly.  "I sent them home without their 
memories of this place, or each other."  She shrugged.  "It was the worst thing I could 
think of.  I guess I'm getting old."
      He straightened carefully.  "Okay.  But what about her?" he pointed to Serenity.
     "Oh," the Evil One smiled down at him.  "I never said I would set *her* free."
     "You . . ." his face reddened in fury.
     "Oh please," she turned.  "Call me Beryl."  And left, laughing, as Endymion was 
dragged by the collar into Minako's old iron cage, cursing her.


     *To be continued in Part Two . . .*