This chapter is Rated PG. ~~~ = switch in scenario of the same time flow ====================== The Legend of Serenity ====================== by: Spatula Gurl -- Chapter Five "I lost them!" "What?!" Satoru exclaimed angrily. He made his way to the monitor to look at the map, and in doing so, pushed Hiromi out of her chair. The redhead scientist let out a small, angered shriek as she fell to the floor with a resounding 'thud'. Ignoring the low, furious growl which came after the 'thud', Satoru stared at the map before him. Sure enough, there were no signs to indicate that 'they' were still inside the cavern. With all her might, Hiromi managed to push Satoru out of her way, and taking her place back on the chair. "Stay out of my business, you hear? It was hard enough to trace them, and I doubt if I can pull it off again! This is your fault!" "Don't put the blame on me, woman. You were doing your work over here, and I was minding mine. You lost them, not I!" "Oh, just shut up," she wailed, burying her face into her hands. After a few moments, when they had both calmed down, she lifted her head up and asked him, "Now what do you plan to do?" Frowning, Satoru answered, "We wait. We've no choice but to wait and see what will happen next." "That's all? Don't you think it would be wise to go after them?" He shook his head in response. "No. At least not yet. We don't know our circumstances. It's best we keep out of their way first." She closed her eyes and sighed. * * * 'Makoto...?' It was his first conscious thought. Nephrite moaned softly, his head aching. "Makoto?" he called out in a low, muffled voice. He couldn't shake his senses to proper functioning; he did not even notice that he was lying face down. He was careful not to budge, lest his movement cause him worse headache. Damn, where was she? "Mako...?" A groan answered him. That prompted him to lift his head up slightly. "Makoto," he said, in a louder voice, "is that you?" "It's me," came the feeble reply. Then in a stronger, indignant voice, "Do you mind unburying yourself from my--from me?" Hearing that, Nephrite quickly lifted his head, and *then* realized that he was lying face down. The movement made his senses whirr for a few seconds, his head pounding. When his head cleared after a while, he became aware that he was being cushioned by some- thing--or rather someone soft underneath. With a start, he rolled off from what he assumed was Makoto. "Sorry," he mumbled. "So heavy...couldn't breath..." Makoto muttered, catching her breath as she sat up. She mumbled something more, but Nephrite thought he heard enough and grudgingly apologized. "Sorry. Couldn't see you." "Sure," she grumbled. Then blinking a few times, she said, "I can't see a damn thing either! Where are we, anyway?" "I don't have any idea..." he replied, and then paused, feeling her shiver. "What's the matter?" he asked. "I feel strange...warm and lightheaded. What about you?" "I don't feel anything, except for this hell of a headache." "You're one to talk," she snapped. "You fell on top of me, not the other way around. I should be the one feeling pain right now." "Thanks," he said, grinning unrepentantly. She couldn't see it anyway. But she detected amusement in his voice. "What for?" she asked him. "For catching me." She snorted in disgust. "Well, I--what the heck?!" Greenish light suddenly flashed, blinding them both. Makoto tried to shield her already hurting eyes, and Nephrite did the same. When she felt the area gradually becoming less bright, she opened her eyes slowly, and then gasped at the sight that greeted her. They were in the center of a large area enclosed by crystalline walls. Walls that emitted a faint, emerald glow. Tiny, cylindrical crystals which were bright green in color randomly outlined the whole place, standing like candles offered in prayer. Nephrite couldn't believe his eyes. As he slowly got to his feet, he murmured dazedly: "What is this place?" "I don't know," came Makoto's reply, "But I think this means we're close to getting what we came here for." She stood up slowly after making that speculation and instinctively moved closer to him. Her eyes searched for anything that would prove her opinion true. Suddenly, she began to feel lightheaded again, but this time, her skin only felt a certain coolness. "Uhh, Makoto?" His voice sounded a little strange. "What is it?", she asked, still not facing him. "We're floating." She gasped in surprise, as she glanced down at their feet which were dangling in the air. "What's happening?" "Well don't ask me," he said, looking around him, a bemused look on his face. "If I knew, then don't you think I would have said something? Shouldn't you know about this kind of stuff?" When she didn't answer back at all, Nephrite's attention turned back to her. He watched, with growing confusion, as her eyes shut close and her face contorted in pain. Alarmed, Nephrite called out her name. Seeing that she seemed to have lost her consciousness, he closed the distance between them and drew her into his arms as he shook her gently, calling out her name again in a soft whisper. "Makoto.. Mako, come on, what's wrong with you?" He shook her again, and tapped her cheek lightly, hoping to get more reponse. "Makoto, snap out of it!" "She cannot hear you, mortal. At least not yet..." Startled at the mysterious voices he suddenly heard, Nephrite immediately took a defensive stance, but saw then that there was no one else in sight except for Makoto and himself. "Who are you?" He demanded. His eyes narrowed suspiciously, and he felt his senses sharpen in pure instinct. Again, both voices spoke simulatenously in response, as if they were coming from one source. Nephrite took note of the difference between the voices; one was deeper, sounding like a grown man's, while the other was a lighter and more delicate tone of voice, similar to a female's. "I believe I should be asking you that, impudent mortal." Nephrite ignored the threatening way the words were said, and bit right back, "Show yourselves!" Bone-chilling laughter burst in response. "Yourselves? You are obviously under the wrong impression...that there is more of me." "What are you trying to say?" Whoever or whatever it was, wasn't one to mince words. "That I am a single being. The lone spirit of mikazuki cavern." ~ ~ ~ "Ami? Ami!?!" Her breathing was shallow. And she would not wake up. "What did you do to her?" Zoicite demanded angrily from the mysterious, unseen being which had spoken to him earlier. Carefully, he lifted the unconcious lady in his arms with ease, as his eyes searched for some place where he could tend to her properly. Without a single word spoken, he walked calmly to a corner, where he brought Ami down with care. As he stood up, he slowly unsheathed the broadsword from his side. In a low voice, deceptively devoid of emotion, he asked, "What do you want?" "If you worry for the woman, mortal, you can set your mind at ease." After a few seconds of silence, he repeated his question, ignoring the earlier statement, and the tone of his voice unchanged. "I believe I should be asking you that. You, as I've said before, invaded my domain," came the cold reply. "But no matter. The woman shall not be harmed, for I know very well who she is. You should be worrying for your sake, not hers." Zoicite glowered at the meaning implied by the words spoken to him. He decided to ignore it. And then, as if an afterthought, he said, "You can't know who she is. You're not making sense." Ominous laughter followed his words. "You don't need to protect her from me, mortal." "I'll be the judge of that," he bit back. "It is you who should be doubted." Zoicite straightened up, his brows knitted together in confusion. But before he could question further, the mysterious being spoke again, in a voice that chilled him to the core. "You came here for something of value, have you not? But surely you don't expect to get it so easily. That shall be rectified, I assure you. Are you prepared, mortal?" This time, Zoicite did not bother to question the guardian's motives anymore, as much as he wanted to. For some strange reason, he suddenly felt the urgency to protect and defend himself as well as Ami from this mysterious being. And so his answer was to hold his sword tightly in front of him, keeping his senses sharp to feel every possible movement around him. He did not fully comprehend why all of these were happening, but what he did understand was that danger was fast approaching. And until everything made sense, he had to be alive, fighting his way for it. ~ ~ ~ 'Princess!' 'What? Where...am I?' 'Princess Venus...' '...' 'Princess... I know you can hear me.' 'Who are you? And what have you done to me? Why can't I see a thing?' 'Patience, princess. You are unharmed.' 'Why do you keep calling me that!? Who are you?' 'I am the guardian of this cavern. Don't be afraid.' 'I am not. But how do you know me?' 'Unlike your male companions, I know who you are, princess. Because you are a guardian, same as I, but much more different. You are one of the sworn protectors of the Moon Princess, who is the temple of the ginzuishou. And as immortal as your ward and the rest of your fellow guardians.' 'You are...' 'Yes, the guardian of the blue crystal fragment who has been awakened by her disappearance and your coming. It is time, isn't it?' '...Yes.' 'I have figured as much. Already I can feel the power trapped by mortal blood which flows inside of you. It has not yet taken root completely, and that proves your fortune. Yes, it is time. I shall give you the nijizuishou, and bid you good luck in finding the others.' 'You do not know where they are?' 'Unfortunately, princess, only one of them fell in my grasp. The others have taken root elsewhere. But the one I am about to give to you and your fellow guardians is a clue itself. It will be a great help in finding the other ones.' 'We appreciate this loyal service of yours.' 'Indeed, you are very kind princess. But I was created to serve this sole purpose. I exist for no other reason.' 'I see... The queen was truly wise.' 'And one other thing.' 'What is it?' 'Your companions... The men.' 'What about them?' 'I sense trouble in them.' 'Trouble? What do you mean trouble?' 'A strange feeling. A very disturbing one. Why are you and the others with them? You could be endangering yourselves.' 'It's not as if we've revealed who we really are. And...we need them. We found out something about them that may prove very useful as well. Actually, Mercury did, and it is quite opposite of what you are feeling. We think that they or at least some of them may be the keys, or one of the keys to unlocking the mystery of Serenity's disappearance.' 'Why is that?' 'General Zoicite unknowingly confided a strange link, or a connection to Prince Endymion. It seems the case with the lot of them. We very well can't let them slip from our midst if that is indeed the case.' 'Perhaps. You could be right. In any case, I am putting them all in a test.' 'A test you say?' 'Yes. Care to take a look?' ~ ~ ~ 'Of course...' 'Very well.' Rei opened her eyes, albeit dazedly at first. She blinked a few times, in attempt to clear out her blurred vision. When she finally did have a clear view, she gasped. 'Are you sure I'm awake?' she asked. 'Of course. Your general is right in front of you.' 'And so am I! Is that myself I'm seeing or what?' Rei continued to stare, aghast at seeing herself--rather, her unconcious body lying on the ground. 'That's you, alright. But not to worry. You'll return to your body soon enough after this is over.' 'After all this was over?' Rei thought to herself. 'But what happens if he fails?' 'We'll see.' Rei remained quiet, transfixed at the scene unfolding before her. For some reason, she chose not to discuss it anymore. We'll see... Jadeite. "Do your best..." Rei mumbled softly, as she mentally wished the handsome general good luck. Then she continued to watch, as Jadeite fought hard against his opponents, his face with an unmistakably determined look... Breathing heavily, Jadeite steeled himself for the attack he was about to make. Then, slashing his heavy broadsword across him to keep his enemies at bay, he backed away to a safer distance, confident that they would follow him to his advantage. His lips curled slightly into a triumphant smile as he saw that the lot of the youma did as he expected. But his triumph was short-lived, as he brought down a single, swift slice in front of him, and found out that he might as well have sliced through thin air. His eyes widened considerably at what he just witnessed, and he felt a growing dread within him, making his blood run cold. 'How could this be?' A hard blow to his chin was delivered in his momentary daze, but he quickly retaliated as a reflex action with a slash of his blade. But like what happened before, his sword sliced through thin air, the youma left unharmed. Unmistakable confusion crossed his handsome features. Then slowly, realization began to pour in. 'They're not...' He held his ground for a moment, before flipping nimbly to the other side, then dashing to open space. The pain in his jaw lingered for a moment, so he brushed the back of his fist against the edges of his mouth. He was not surprised as the sight of bright red blood greeted his eyes. "Damn..." he cursed silently. The feeling of dread grew increasingly strong. Positioning himself at a safer distance, he resumed a defensive stance. Grim thoughts continued to flow through his mind, ever since realization hit him...hard. A single question was at the surface of these very thoughts... How is he going to fight enemies that were not real? 'Those youma...' Rei wondered. 'Jadeite's sword came through them, and yet they remained unharmed, like they were not there. Does this mean...?' 'Have you figured it out?' 'Illusions?' 'Yes. It's all an illusion, but it can hurt him still. Un- like you, Princess Mars, I was not born with such a powerful gift. My creator, Queen Serenity, could not allow me the freedom to weild that kind of power of course, and also--she wouldn't be able to handle it. But she did give me "this" as a weapon to mislead possible humans who might reach far enough inside this cavern in search of treasure. Also, I was only a back-up plan, so she was not even certain if the need for me would arise.' 'I see, but... These illusions are able to hurt him, but the same thing can't be said for him. How is he going to win this fight?' 'They are merely illusions. He only has to see through them, distinguish what is real and what is not with senses that can be trusted. If he is a formidable ally, he'll find his way through. If not, he isn't worth your time.' Rei turned her gaze mutely back at the fight in front of her. Would he be able to it? "Come on, Jadeite," she found herself say- ing through gritted teeth. "Don't let them fool you. You must find a way to defeat them!" Jadeite landed on the ground hard. He lifted his dirt- -streaked face, only to see one more blow coming to his way. He attempted to evade it by rolling to his side, but he failed. He was hit hard on the stomach, enough to make him lose breath yet again. Even though the brute-strong youmas weren't too fast, he was still outnumbered. But his resolve to protect himself and his ward remained firm. General Jadeite was never one to back out from a fight. His eyes shut close as he received the impact of the blow. But even then, he didn't need to see just how far he was thrown back because of it, having felt the full force on his whole body. The excruciating pain made his lids heavier, and the pouding on his chest faster and louder. But he did not move. He was not aware of it, but his breathing became deep and heavy. The beating of his heart slowed down to its normal pace. But still he did not move. The youmas were not real. But how was he going to make them go away? He could feel nothing. Hear nothing. Flesh instinctively enclosed on cold steel. Jadeite found his hand gripping the handle of his broadsword tightly. His eyes reamined closed as he strained to hear or feel anything at all. He waited. He stood up slowly, but did not open his eyes. There it was, another blow. He was struck hard. But still he did not open his eyes. Because now he understood what he must do. He concentrated hard, focusing mind and soul on his objective. It was like grasping desperately on something invisible to the naked eye. Feeling his way, like a blind man searching his way with his palms. Now he knew. They did not exist. They were never real. It was his own feeling of urgency and fear that he was fighting with. The images he could see were sent to confuse his mind. And that was what he was fighting with all along. But now his eyes were closed. The window to his mind was closed. And his resolve to feel the empty space around him made the barrier more invincible. Be gone, be gone. A chant that echoed through his mind. Slowly, he opened his eyes. There it was, right before him. The youma. The illusion. A thunderous roar came out from it's monstrous mouth, as it lifted its arm to strike once more. But Jadeite remained still. He did not move. The youma's arm came down...and went through the young general's body, as if he weren't there. General Jadeite's lips curled once more into a triumphant grin. 'Well, well... That was quite impressive.' 'He passed your test,' Rei remarked. 'Yes he did. And so did the other generals.' 'What do you mean? They are safe?' 'Yes. I told you that all of them should be tested for competence. All of them passed; each in the same shape as the other. It was no easy task for mortals, I'll have you know.' 'So they got their beating, too, didn't they?' 'You could say that. And now as I promised, I shall return you to your body, and hand over the nijizuishou. But Princess...' 'What is it?' 'Please be careful. They may have proven their skills, but do not trust them so easily. Find out as many as you can about them. I can still sense something in them, something different from the other mortals and it may be dangerous. You cannot be so sure as of now. Take care.' 'I will.' ~ ~ ~ Ami opened her eyes, and the first sight that greeted her was General Zoicite's handsome--even if it were a bit bruised--face, looking over hers in obvious concern. She reached out to touch the hair which had come loose from his ponytail and were now spilling from the sides of his face--also matted in sweat and blood. Zoicite smiled in relief and placed his hand over hers. "How are you feeling?" Ami shook her head to clear her muddled thoughts and tried to sit up. "I'm alright. But what about you?" She frowned, looking over the general's tired face. "You look awful. We should get it cleaned up right away, Zoicite-sama." Zoicite winced. "Please, Ami. That's even worse than calling me 'General' all the time." Ami looked up at him and blushed. "W-well.." "Call me Zoicite, alright?" He said to her with a boyish grin on his lips. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She couldn't help it, with him looking at her like that. "Zoicite," she said then with a flourish, and laughed with him afterwards. She shook her head. "Come on," she said, pulling him with her as she stood up. "You've worked your way through, and now the guardian is giving us what we want." He looked at her questioningly. "What do you mean? Are you saying you knew what was going on, about the fight? But you were unconscious!" She sighed. She explained to him about the spirit-guardian and the nijizuishou, leaving out the particular details he was not supposed to know yet. She promised to explain further on their way home. "Right now, we should hurry," she insisted. "We still have to clean you up." "But how are we going to get out of here?" "Don't worry," she replied. "It should be any minute now." She almost laughed aloud when Zoicite cast her another frustrated-and -confused look. ~ ~ ~ A bright white light blinded them both, and interrupted Kunzite in the middle of his scolding. One minute the silver-haired general had his hands on her shoulders, looking as if he were going to throttle her, the next, they were in a glittering room surrounded by the rest of their party. Minako blinked once...twice...then cried in joy as she leapt towards Ami, the one nearest to her, arms wide open. "Minna! You're alright!" Kunzite's stern look faded a bit, as he watched the blonde- -haired girl hug her friends. He shook his head, deciding to give up for now. But he would definitely have his talk with her about her impulsive actions. He remembered how she immediately jumped in to follow her friend, Rei, as she saw her disappearing slowly before her very eyes. It was a very impulsive move, one that could have caused her her own life. She agreed to be under his protection for this mission, so he would make sure of her safety as he saw fit. He had to make her see his point. A hand rested upon his shoulder to call him to attention. Kunzite turned around and saw that it was Zoicite. "Kunzite," he said. "Don't look so grim. We're going to get the nijizuishou, so try to look a little happier, okay?" Jadeite came behind them, along with Nephrite, chuckling. "He's right. We're one step closer to Mamoru-kun." At the mention of their Prince's name, Nephrite grunted. Then he looked around them, and said, "Well, what now?" Barely had he finished speaking, when the ground shook and a smooth, slab of stone emerged from below. It was the same one they saw earlier, before they all got separated. But this time, a small shining blue gem floated in the center of the star. It was the nijizuishou. A hush fell over them, and for a moment, all of them just stood there, staring at it. Then Kunzite stepped forward, reaching out to get a hold of the blue crystal. Holding it carefully between his hands, he slipped it in a small, velvet pouch, then handed over it to Minako. Minako looked at it for a long time, before finally looking up at him. "Let's go," he said. She nodded, and followed after him. She smiled to herself. They were one step closer to Serenity. * * * Kingdom of Leon, Silverwood, May 31, XA0029 "It's almost dawn, Kunzite," Minako said to him quietly. She looked up at him slowly to search his face for any sign that might show that he was still in a scolding mood. She had angered him earlier, and now she didn't quite know how to talk to the man, having put herself yet again in an awkward position with him. But she had to ask, albeit tiredly, "Are we there yet?" Fortunately, her voice came out evenly. Kunzite did not look at her as he answered, maintaining the serious look on his handsome face. "Yes. We're entering the gates now. Rest, and don't worry about it. Prince Saitou has undoubtedly been informed of our arrival. I will handle it from here." Minako turned to look at her friends. Ami and Rei were both sleeping. Generals Zoicite and Jadeite were both quite awake, as were Kunzite and Nephrite. Makoto, who was of course, riding with General Nephrite, was awake as well, even though she looked so tired. Minako sighed then, and allowed herself to lie softly against Kunzite. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Kunzite stiffened slightly as he felt the girl's weight against his chest. He resisted the overwhelming urge to look at her sleeping face, which he knew would look soft and angelic. This girl was affecting him strangely, especially in her cheerfulness, though he would never admit it. He did not know what it was, but he didn't think he liked it. His thoughts broke off for a moment when felt her head slipping from its position on his shoulder, and he moved to adjust it comfortably. He heard her sigh contentedly, and softly, almost inaudibly... He frowned, suddenly uneasy. Strange. * * * "You think you're strong, don't you?" She said in her low, husky voice. She smiled smugly at the image that appeared in her crystal ball as she stroked its smooth, glassy surface. Brilliant, violet lights shoot from within the orb to follow the trail of her fingertips. "You are, you know, for having eluded me all this time. That is why I have been so patient with you." She laughed, and her crimson eyes seemed to sparkle in the darkness of her lair. She stood up from her throne, her auburn hair gracefully cascading over her shoulders as she did so. Then her eyes narrowed to tiny slits, as she hissed at the image of the girl in a long, white dress, curled up in a fetal position, and her hair flowing about her shoulders. "But for how long will you last, my sweet, moon princess?" ===================================================================== This story was written by Spatula Gurl. All comments and suggestions should be sent to ucchan@gurlmail.com. Naoko Takeuchi owns Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon and its characters. I am not making any profit from this fanfic. AUTHOR'S NOTES: --------------- Sorry for taking such a long time to finish this chapter. And yes, I know--it's not so great even after all that time (and it *is* kind of confusing, the way I switched from one scenario to another--that's why I decided to do it in one whole flow). This is a rough draft. But anyway, I plan the next chapter to be more on character development, so it's bound to be better! ^_^ Please tell me what you think, and if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask. v.2 -- 032200 I added a few more things. I've told you before that it was still a rough draft when I submitted it. Actually, I just changed the Prince of Leon's name, and I added a few more paragraphs in the scene of Minako and Kunzite as they enter the Kingdom of Leon (Silverwood). It's not really important but I try to add as much character development as I can.