Sailormoon Genesis: #5 - Lead Us Not Into Temptation By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org) Official Webpage: www.sailormoon-millennia.net [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/] "Lady Juno has told me that her daughter, Mars, has had visions." Proserpina de Meiousei said to Saturn as they walked down the quiet halls of the Titan Castle. Proserpina was paying a visit to the beautiful ringed planet, something she often did. But never was there a situation as grave as this one. Proserpina glanced at Saturn as they walked down the hall together. Often she had wished that this child was her daughter. Not that she didn't love her own daughters, but Saturn, the child of Pandora de Dosei, was everything that Proserpina felt the Soldier of Revolution should be. Someone who was always aware of her mission and her duty, who would never stray from it. However, even more so, Proserpina understood that Saturn's handle on her emotions made an even better Soldier of Silence. "Visions of our demise, I'd imagine." Saturn said, her voice was cold. It was always cold. Long had she been the Soldier of Silence. It was a secret that the entire court kept quiet. She was eternal. Not only that, but she was the ONLY one with the power of Dosei. Unlike the rest, Pandora no longer had the ability to heal or destroy--it was all passed down to her daughter during her birth. This was an extremely odd occurance that could not be explained. It was only known that because of the "purity" of her power, Pandora's daughter was at least twice as powerful as her mother. The extent of it could not be known. Until, of course, the time came for it. "Yes, a vision of the destruction of the Moon Kingdom." Proserpina acknowledged, "Now that our relations with Earth have turned icy, the likelihood of Mars' vision coming to fruition has been growing exponentially. Of course this also means that Princess Mars has an amazing capacity to see the future." she added. She remained quiet for a moment to try and collect her thoughts. There was a real reason she wanted to speak to Saturn, but... How do you tell a child that she was born to destroy the world? And you along with it? "I hate hiding it from them..." Proserpina began, "But no one must know about this. No one must try to stop our destruction, it has to happen." Proserpina said with urgency, she stopped abruptly and turned towards Saturn. Such eyes, full of maturity, Proserpina thought. She understands without having to be told. To know that your fate has been doomed from the beginning, to know that you must sacrifice yourself in order to allow peace and light to encompass the universe. "My dear child, I love you most dearly and I trust you with the fate of our civilization. No one can survive from the Apocalypse to try and rebuild the Silver Millennium--it must not happen until it is time. This is your duty, to ensure the line continues. After the Apocalypse, you must Silence the Moon Kingdom." * * * * Endymion sighed as he stared out to the Moon. Many things were changing around him, things that he could no longer control. His mind flashed back to that night months ago, after Princess Serenity's debutant ball: He had returned to find that the Earth had declared itself cut off entirely from the Silver Millennium. It was truly a shock for him to return to his Kingdom to find that all of the council members and advisors had succumbed to that strange cult that was growing popularity on Earth. Practically everyone worshipped the goddess Metallia. However, the even bigger shock was that there was nothing he could do about the Earth's relations with the Moon. Metallia told his council members what to do, so they said. Her doctrine must be followed...and Endymion was not part of this doctrine. And sadly, he no longer had the power nor the support to try and wrestle his way back into their favor. He was little more than a figurehead now. Even less than that. He was nothing. He wasn't really a Prince anymore, and if he was, prince of what exactly? His Kingdom was not truly his own, nor were the people. They belonged to an entity named 'Metallia.' All he had was the loyaly of his four generals, his only real friends. Ah! And a golden haired Princess who lived on the Moon. Princess Serenity, the kind-hearted woman who stole his heart at the ball. His thoughts were constantly on her, since there was little left for him to do anyways. Rather than watch this strange new cult of Metallia grow larger and larger every day, he liked to daydream about Serenity and the softness and warmth of her lips, which tragically, he had yet to feel. Serenity, how he longed to see her again. But, with this present state of affairs, it seemed impossible. Surely by now she had forgotten him. Which meant that he should pursue another wife. A certain Princess Beryl was coming to Earth from a long trip to the Black Star Galaxy. She was of royal birth, perhaps if he lost his Kingdom on Earth... No! How could he think such things? He could never marry a woman when his heart belonged to another. To be with one, and have your heart belong to another, he mused, beautiful and poetic. A man is cursed if he should have such a fate. * * * * Cursed. I am truly cursed. Zoicite banged his head lightly against the window of the sitting room. Below him, talking to a woman with long red hair was Kunzite. From this angle, Kunzite couldn't see him, even if he was staring directly at the window. The sunlight would have blinded him. Images constantly haunted Zoicite's mind, Kunzite dancing with Princess Venus, Kunzite kissing her hand as they quickly departed from the ball, Kunzite moping about not being able to see her without raising suspicion. Zoicite had long stopped trying to pretend that he did not feel an attraction for Kunzite--no, not just an attraction, something much more than that. Cursed. Cursed for loving someone I can never be with, Zoicite thought in his mind, each word puncuated by another hit upon the window. "Zoicite--what on Metallia's name are you doing?" Jadeite asked, roughly pulling Zoicite away from the window. Zoicite flushed, "What? I..nothing..I was--" he stammered, searching his mind for some sort of excuse. "What are YOU doing?" he demanded suddenly, turning the entire inquisition back around to Jadeite. "I was looking for you. Do you see Princess Beryl down there with Kunzite? She came to see all of us. I thought, perhaps, you'd like to not be rude and say hello." Jadeite replied. "Came to see us?" Zoicite smirked, "More like, she came to try and win Prince Endymion over." "Yes, it's such a shame that he's madly in love with that silly little princess from the Moon." Jadeite mused, "Perhaps, she should pray to Metallia for a little help there." he added. Zoicite groaned loudly, "Gods, that new cult. Has it taken you in as well? Endymion would not approve of such a thing." Jadeite placed his arm on Zoicite's shoulder and leaned against him slightly, "It wouldn't hurt for you to have some faith in a greater power, now would it?" he said, rather rhetorically. "If you would come to the shrine, then I could prove to you that she truly exists." Zoicite was quiet, his eyes back on Kunzite. Kunzite was laughing, the wind slightly blowing his hair about. If that were me down there, Zoicite thought, would he think me odd to want to brush his hair from his eyes? "Zoicite? Zoicite! What on earth are you looking at?!" Jadeite exclaimed, waving his hands in front of Zoicite's face. "Umm..I was looking at..." Zoicite trailed, his eyes scanning the land below him for something to lie about, but then something caught his attention. Two golden tails of hair, ducking behind a bush. "That!" he pointed triumphantly, "Is..is that..?" Jadeite asked, squinting his eyes, "Princess Serenity?" * * * * "My dear Scorpia..." Leadan murmured as he finished the very last portion of her 'reprograming.' He waved his hand before her and her eyes snapped open, he sighed thankfully, yes, the light is still in her eyes. This woman, whom they had kidnapped nearly a millennia ago, was now fully integrated into the Black Star Galaxy. It had taken alot of work to prepare her to be Erased in the first place, and reprograming her mind had taken even longer. But now the experiment had become reality, she was perfect. As Sulfiria requested, her emotions were cut from the memories they were tied to. Now they were merely pictures in her mind which meant nothing to her. Things she did in a former life, but nothing on how she felt about them. Anger, happiness, fear, sadness, elation--all emotions erased. Except for one. The emotion would one day set her free, "You don't belong here, Scorpia." he murmured and kissed her eyelids gently. "Leadan..." Scorpia whispered as her eyes focused and she stared at him. Leadan bent down on one knee to be eye-level with her, for she was seated on a bench. Scorpia smiled as she reached out and touched his hair gently. She loved him, and he knew that...however, love was a forbidden thing amongst generals for it clouded the mind, and in some cases it made a person's loyalties lie somewhere other than to the Galaxy. Shamelessly, Leadan knew this was the truth when it came to him and his feelings for Scorpia. No one would ever be allowed to hurt her, the man who did would surely be cursed by the Fates. Leadan knew that if it came down to betraying the Galaxy, he would do so. In an instant, he would do it for her. "Well, your sessions with me are over now. You've totally been reprogrammed." he said with a gentle smile, "No emotion when it comes to your duty as Scorpia. No real memories of the past. But don't worry, your personality is still intact. You just don't FEEL what you normally would about something." "That can't be true..." Scorpia said, the look on her face showing astonishment, although he knew that wasn't what she felt, "I...I feel for you..." "...except for one emotion which I couldn't bare to remove from your soul." he murmured as he kissed her hand, "Love. I couldn't bare erase that from you. Someday, this little emotion will set you free from the Black Star Galaxy. You are like a rose, Scorpia, my blood-red rose. Here, you will wither. This is not your home, and this is not your family. And alas, as the centuries pass, your mind will slowly return to you and you will begin to despise me for what I've done to you." Leadan said mournfully, "Promise me, that when the opportunity arises to escape, you will do it." "Leadan..." Scorpia began, her mind was beginning to clear, "What are you talking about? I will never despise you, and I would never leave you." "Ah, but you must, do you promise me?" Leadan whispered, his silver eyes full of seriousness. Those gentle silver eyes, she thought, they don't belong here either. "Yes..." she nodded finally, how could she say no to him? "My love..." Leadan said, and raised his hand and whispered words under his breath, a small gash appeared on his palm. He quickly closed his hand into a fist, then opened it slightly. Out dropped a beautiful red jewel hanging from a golden chain, "Then this is a symbol of our promise." * * * * "'The line must go on,' you say. What is this 'line?'" asked Lady Titania de Tenousei, mother of Miranda and Uranus. She folded her hands in front of her, they were elegant manicured hands. Juno looked at at Titania and shook her head, "The line...the line of succession, our ancestry, the line of Sailor Senshi. How can not know such a thing?" Juno asked, she was a bit tense and nerve-wracked. The idea that her daughter, Mars, had such vivid illusions bothered her, it didn't seem fair to her. Of course she told no one of this, how could a person be jealous of their own child? "Now, now, Juno. There's no reason to be so harsh." Maia said calmly, resting her hand gently on Juno's arm. She may not be a clairvoyant, but she could tell there was something seriously bothering her friend. Perhaps it was this meeting of the rulers of all the planets, it was rather rare that those sovereigns from the inner planets met with those of the outer ones. Sometimes she thought that those women felt more superior to the others, since their realms were so much bigger and much more glamourous. But judging from this meeting, she knew that it was not the truth. "Yes, the 'line' is what Juno has said. It must never be broken, for the sake of our way of life and for the sake of the Universe. There's a balance that must always exist, no Senshi can ever 'die' least this balance be shifted." Proserpina said nodding, her eyes were serious, they were always serious. "But you know as well as I do that Senshi die..." Amphritrite argued, "The physical body is nothing. The soul is more important, but in essence, it is also not important. We all contain within us the dust from a great Civilization. It is the power that we all have, and that our daughters have. This power must continue, it must continue to exist--always with the possibility of being revived." Pandora said speaking up, her voice was weak and her appearance fragile. "My daughter has forseen the future, and it is a bleak one. This is something that many of us have known for awhile, we have all heard of the Oracles predicting the Apocalypse....but it seems that this destruction will happen very, very shortly. Within the next hundred years, no doubt." Juno said nodding her head, "So soon?" Rhea de Mokusei whispered, she was a beautiful woman. Very tall, but all those of Mokusei were tall and strong. A large planet produces large children, was the old saying. "How can we prepare for this?" Dione de Kinsei asked, "Will the Sailor Senshi be prepared?" She was especially worried since her daughter was chosen to lead the Senshi. Juno looked uneasily to Proserpina. Only they knew the secret, along with Queen Selenity, that in order to usher in the new Era...everything would have to be destroyed. That was the way of things, a never-ending cycle. From the chaos, a new order would arise. "As you all well know, I am training the Senshi to fight the inevitable." Proserpina said nodding her head, her eyes closed, "It is all we can do." * * * * "So you see, Lady Beryl, what you've heard about Metallia really is true." Jadeite nodded as they walked out of Her shrine. "Yes, the Goddess Which Lives. I've heard of such beings in the Universe, but they are rare. It's amazing that I've felt the touch of two of them in my life time." Beryl said with a smile. "Another? Where is this other Goddess?" Jadeite asked, "She is Hydraja, the 'mother' of Princess Sulfiria and Princess Lithia." Beryl answered, "Ah, I thought Queen Hydraja was an actual person. We people on Earth don't hear much of the things in other galaxies and worlds, forgive me." Jadeite said shaking his head. "Most people don't know of Hydraja. Actually, very few. She's very weak, thus it is no surprise that few believe in Her." Beryl explained. "Yes, well.." Jadeite began as they walked down the marble steps into the courtyard where the others were waiting for them, "How can you believe in something which does not touch you physically?" "I believe, my friend, it is called 'faith.'" Zoicite remarked as Jadeite and Beryl's conversation reached him. "Yes, thank you for the lesson on vocabulary, Zoicite." Jadeite said dryly, "Kunzite, I want to take Lady Beryl for a tour around the Kingdom, would you like to accompany us?" No answer. "Kunzite...For the love of Metallia, what is wrong with all of you lately? You are all so dazed." he muttered impatiently. "Since I can't visit her, how else should I tell her my feelings?" Kunzite asked. "Who?" Nephrite wondered aloud, Zoicite didn't have to ask...he knew. His face reddened with anger and jealousy, Princess Venus, of course. "This is so ridiculous. Kunzite, maybe you should pray to Metallia for Her help. I know many people who've prayed to her and their wishes come true." Jadeite said somewhat sarcastically. "Well, shall we have dinner now?" Beryl suggested, eager to break up the argument- in-the-making. "Where is Prince Endymion?" she asked, somewhat disappointed that he was not there to greet her. "He...is..." Nephrite began, with another woman, he thought to himself, "He was very, very busy with work. He sends his deepest regrets." Nephrite finished. Beryl sighed heavily, but tried not to show any more of her disappointment. How shall I ever win him, if he is never around for me to try? * * * * Princess Serenity looked around a pillar, the coast was clear. She quietly, but quickly began to sneak back into her quarters. "Hold it right there, Princess." said a voice behind her. Serenity jumped, "Jupiter! Venus! Why are you both...dressed like that?" Serenity asked, eying their unusual clothing. Very short skirts, the strange bows they wore at their chests, it didn't look very becoming on two Royal Princesses. "We are training to be Senshi...but that doesn't explain where YOU have been." Venus said sternly. Serenity smiled weakly, "I was just going for a walk, and now I'm going back to my quarters. So, I shall be seeing you all later." "Not so fast, Princess." Jupiter said, grabbing Serenity's hair and pulling her gently back to them. "You were on Earth, weren't you?" Serenity sighed, pulling herself away from Jupiter's grasp. She didn't really like her friends treating her like a child as they were. Her refusal to answer was like a 'yes' to Venus. "Princess Serenity, you CANNOT go on Earth! It isn't safe, you must not see him anymore!" Venus ordered, "Don't you understand? He's an Earthian. He cannot be trusted." "I CAN trust him!" Serenity said firmly, "I love him, and Prince Endymion returns his love for me. We're open about it, unlike some people I know." Serenity added with a small sneer. Venus' face paled. Of course she was talking about herself and Kunzite. Serenity instantly felt horrible that she had just said that, why was she feeling so sour? She couldn't explain the negativity she felt towards her friends. She had been in a rather foul mood since she returned from Earth. "Just let me take care of myself, please." Serenity sighed. "We can't." Jupiter replied, "We are sworn to protect you, the Moon Princess." "There's no need to protect me here." Serenity murmured as she began to walk towards her quarters, ashamed of the way she was treating her friends...but also eager to return to the comfort of her own room. "The Moon Kingdom's the safest place to be in the Sol System." ********************BONUS SECTION********************** It's come to my attention that some people are really confused when it comes to who is who in regards to the Senshi's mother. My test audience asked me why Juno was Mars' mother and not Jupiter's mother. The answer to that is that I chose each mother's first name according to the name of the mother of the Roman/Greek god in mythology, if it existed. The following is a list of where each name came from, PLUS a pronunciation. BTW: 'ai' sounds like 'eye' in my pronunciation chart thingy. Maia de Suisei (Mai-ah de Swee-seh) = Mother of Mercury The name Maia was chosen because in Greek mythology, Maia was the name of Hermes' mother. I could not find the Roman counterpart to the name (if you know it, feel free to share it, but I'm not going to change the names. :) Juno de Kasei (Joo-no de Kah-seh) = Mother of Mars Mars' mother in Roman mythology. Rhea de Mokusei (Ree-uh de Mohk-seh) = Mother of Jupiter The name of Zeus' mother (Greek mythology). Dione de Kinsei (Dee-oh-nee de Kin-seh) = Mother of Venus According to some accounts of Greek mythology, Dione was the name of Aphrodite's mother. Pandora de Dosei (Pan-doh-ra de Doh-seh) = Mother of Saturn I couldn't very well have the same mother for everyone, so in this case, and for the sake of having all the Outer Senshi having a similar pattern, I chose the name of one of Saturn's moons. Why did I choose Pandora, a rather small satellite? Well, there's some bias in that one. ^_^; One of my oldest nicknames online is Pandora, I've used it for about 6 years now. Hey, we authors gotta sometimes do silly things like that! Amphritrite de Kaiousei (Am-free-try-tee de Kai-oh-seh) = Mother of Neptune Amphritrite is one of Neptune's Moons. Also, it's the name of Poseidon's wife. Titania de Tenousei (Tee-tah-nee-ah de Ten-oh-seh) = Mother of Uranus Another case where I couldn't exactly choose the mother's name. In this case, I chose one of the names of the moons of Uranus, which are all named after Shakesperean characters, if you didn't know that. ^_^; Anyways, I chose Titania because it's the only name I really liked. ^^; Proserpina de Meiousei (Pro-ser-pina de Meh-oh-seh) = Mother of Pluto Once again, I couldn't choose Pluto's mother. Thus, I decided to go by the Roman name of Pluto's wife.