Sailormoon Neo: #23 - Solana no Shihai, Fukushuu no Tame no Hanzai - The Reign of Solana, the Crime in the Name of Revenge - By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org) Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/] Note: This is long episode with no real action in it, I mean no fight scenes--all of the upcoming action takes place in the next two episodes. Speaking of which, this is the 3rd to the last episode of Sailormoon Neo. Don't worry though, there's another series coming up after this. The final installment of my trilogy, the prequel to SMZ. Note 2: There is a bonus section explaining some new stuff at the end of the fanfic after a huge gap because I didn't wnat to ruin the mood, there's an arrow to remind you just in case you forget. * * * * The room was filled with intense brightness, coupled with the eerie sound of silence. A powerful blast of energy knocked the Neo Senshi to the ground, soon the silence gave way to Solana's laughter. "Oh True Golden Key of the Golden Millennium...make my desires come true. Grant me what is rightfully mine!" she cried. "Solana, NO!" Princess Stella screamed. But it was too late. The earth began to shake under them and suddenly it was gone. Everything was gone. Neo Sailor V...or rather Aiko looked up and rubbed her eyes. She had detransformed, as had all the other Neo Sailor Senshi. "Where are we?" she whispered, her voice echoing around her. Instinctively, she reached out to see if there was anyone around her, for she saw no one. She felt a hand grab hers on her far left, turning she saw Kasumi floating beside her. Her grip was tight and her eyes were tightly closed. "Kasumi-san..." Aiko whispered, her voice echoing once again. "Are we still alive..?" asked a voice, Aiko looked up and saw Himeko above her, slowly descending towards Aiko's location. Suddenly Karei let out a terrifying scream, Aiko turned to see Karei curled in fetal position floating near her, "Karei-san!" Aiko cried, trying to move towards her. Suddenly, she felt a pulling on her body. As if some strange force were pulling her whole being backwards, in all dimensions, all at the same time. In a flash, everything that had been destroyed was coming back together. Aiko and the rest suddenly fell to the ground, which seemed thousands of feet below them. Aiko's head struck the cold earth, her eyes opened just for a moment to see the shimmering of gold just before she blacked out. * * * * * "Queen Selenity-sama, the time is now." informed Kasei, the black haired spiritualist. There were tears in the Queen's eyes as she gazed from her palace her kingdom, the beautiful Silver Millennium. She could look up into the sky and see its destroyers, Queen Beryl and the forces of the Dark Kingdom. "Is there no other way to save the future? Is there not a way that we can save the Silver Millennium and also save our grandchildren?" Selenity asked. Kinsei, the beautiful blonde haired advisor shook her head. Suisei brushed a strand of her blue hair out of her eyes, she was the wisest of Queen Selenity's advisors, "Your Majesty, there is no other way. According to Kasei's visions, the only thing that can help our grandchildren's fight in the future is with our Talismen." Suisei replied. "However, if we cannot give our Talismen to our children now, then they will not be as strong warriors as they could be." Kaiousei exclaimed, she was the one Senshi who was the most fervently against giving the Talismen to descendents in an uncertain future. THEIR present was in danger. It was difficult to give up the only hope of saving their livliehood for the sake of a future which they didn't know. "My visions tell me that this doesn't matter, that even without our Talismen our children can be strong." Kasei said. Kaiousei shook her head, "The Outer Senshi refuse. It is our duty to protect the Solar System, and our children cannot do this without the Talismen." she declared and left the room without another word. "It does not matter." Kasei murmured, waving Kaiousei off, "We don't need their talismen to save the future. Our grandchildren need ours." "Alright. If there is no other way to save the future, then I must allow this. I realize that the Silver Millennium is nothing compared to the whole history of time." Queen Selenity responded after a moment, she looked on sadly for she could already see her kingdom being attacked. "Please hurry," she urged, "before we are all killed." * * * * * "Aiko? Aiko...are you okay? Aiko?" Aiko slowly opened her eyes, instantly closing them again due to the brightness of the room around her. Shielding her eyes from the light, she opened her eyes again. She could see nothing around her. She had lost her glasses. "Thank god, we thought you were dead." sighed a blurry figure, Aiko squinted. She could make out short blue hair, it was most likely Kasumi. "Where are we?" Aiko asked quietly, she felt even more intimidated by Kasumi than usual. She didn't like not knowing what look was on Kasumi's face. "That's a good question." remarked Karei, who let go of Aiko's hand and stood up. "I can't...I can't see anything." Aiko murmured. She heard a low sigh and someone standing up. She saw a blurry image draw close to her and place cold hands over her eyes. Aiko cringed as she felt searing heat upon her eyes, she cried out in pain. "Seishi! Stop it!" screamed Kasumi, pulling her away, "The last thing we need is for you to be sick." Aiko opened her eyes again, what she saw brought fresh tears to her eyes. She could see. Her vision wasn't perfect, but it was better than she had ever been able to see without her glasses. She looked to her left and saw the detransformed Neo Senshi, all in the clothes they were wearing. Closer to her she saw Seishi, breathing heavily and looking paler than usual. She was resting in Kasumi's arms. All around them were tall golden walls, there was no way in and no way out. It was as if they were in a giant golden box. It was quiet for another moment when Harumi suddenly let out a scream, "Where's Princess Stella?!" The remaining three Star Senshi looked around frantically, it was true, she was gone. "Usa-chan's gone too...and so is Neo-Queen Serenity!" Himeko exclaimed, suddenly taking note of her surroundings. "And so is Solana." Kasumi added darkly. Suddenly, the room was filled with laughter. The walls melted away, or rather they simply became transparent. Through the walls, they could see they were in a beautiful golden throne room, much like the Crystal Palace of Crystal Tokyo, but gold. "Solana! What have you done?" the leader of the Star Senshi, Natsumi demanded. Solana was dressed in a beautiful golden gown, her black hair looking radiant in oval-shaped odango. There was a marking on her forehead, it was a sun. Solana laughed beautifully, "Let me the first to welcome you to my Kingdom. The Neo Golden Millennium." she declared, she gestured to the right and left sides of her. To the right was Kage Masaya...or rather Prince Trent. To the left was Princess Stella, Usa-chan, Princess Shizuki, and Neo-Queen Serenity. But they weren't human, they were statues. "What have you done to Princess Stella and the rest?" Fuyumi demanded. Solana smirked slightly and traced her finger along the statue of Usa-chan, "Why, they're right here, my darlings. I've rendered them...inactive." she laughed. "I won't have this: Summer Star Power, Make Up!" Natsumi cried, throwing her hand into the air to transform. Gold beams of light encircled her and twisted around her body, forming her uniform. Solana yawned and flicked her wrist, Natsumi's uniform instantly melted away, but she was left unclothed for her old clothes did not appear. "SOLANA!" she screamed. Yoake quickly removed the sweater she was wearing and wrapped Natsumi in it, "Have some humanity, Solana." she said fiercly, it was in a tone no one had ever heard come from Tokino Yoake, not even Himeko. "The people of Earth won't have this, Solana. Soon, they'll rise up against you." she added as she turned to comfort Natsumi. "Yes, I should be worried about that. Luckily for me, I've made it so earthling minds are happy in slavery, they wouldn't dare rise up against their powerful leader." Solana smiled, easing back into her throne. She waved her wrist and the transparent walls disappeared, "Take them away." she ordered. From the walls appeared knights in golden armor, they roughly grabbed the Senshi and dragged them out of the throne room. Solana smiled in satisfaction and turned to the statue of Usa-chan, there were tears running out of the unblinking eyes. Solana smirked, leaning forward she licked a tear away. * * * * * "Oh, Kazuo...you're so much better at pleasing me than Trent ever was." Solana laughed flirtaciously, as the golden knight named Kazuo kissed her neck. She looked up cruelly at the "statue" of Masaya/Trent, which stared at her through sad, unblinking eyes. She loved to torment those who hurt her. But she really liked tormenting her dear Prince Trent. He had betrayed her to the enemy, but he still loved her with all his heart. Solana knew that Trent thought what he did was to help her...the fool. He was nothing to her, just a means to her end. She could have any man she wanted. Solana kept her blue eyes locked on Trent, I know you can see me, it's a shame you can't do anything, she mused. She was making a grand show of taking Kazuo's hand to the back of her dress, so he could unfasten it--when she heard someone clear her throat. Kazuo instantly froze, Solana looked up in slight irritation. Her eyes brightened when she saw who it was. "Ah, Hinode, Hinoiri, thank you for coming." she said, sitting up. She waved her hand at Kazuo, dismissing him. He stared at her tormentedly and quickly walked away. Solana followed him with her eyes and then rediverted her attention to the two women before her. The one on the right, Hinode, had gentle pink and orange hair and was dressed in shimmering golden armor. Her younger sister, Hinoiri had deep blue and violet hair and was dressed in similar fashion. "Really, Solana-sama. Must you be so undignified sometimes?" Hinode asked in disgust. "It is rude of you to act like...to act in such a manner before your fiance." Hinoiri added, looking up at Prince Trent with sorrow in her eyes. "I don't care." Solana replied indignantly, "I'm Queen, I can do whatever I wish to do. No matter how unladylike or how rude." Hinoiri sighed, looking up at Prince Trent with discontent. You poor man, she thought, to be in love with such a witch. "Anyways, you called us here, what is it that you want, Solana-sama?" Hinode inquired, interrupting her sister's rudeness. Solana sat back in her throne and gazed at the two females: The Solar Guardians. They may not be as strong as the Star Senshi, she thought, but they are loyal to the end. They may question my actions, but they never question me when I order them to do something. "If you go to the dungeon of the Palace, you will find twelve little birds in golden cages. They are a nuisance--Exterminate them." she commanded, smiling gently. She leaned back into her throne and motioned with her finger to someone in the shadows. Kazuo stepped out and came towards Solana and continued where he had left off when the Solar Guardians arrived. Hinoiri looked to her sister Hinode in disgust, but Hinode remained stoic. Hinode bowed before Solana, "Hai. Anything you say, your majesty." * * * * * "Princess Shizuki, hmm? It seems so tragic that a few moments after she arrived, she was turned into a statue." Yoake commented, "Why is she here? What's the significance? Diana sounded very serious when she introduced her to the court." Harumi nodded. "Perhaps she came to the past to train, much like Usa-chan did." Himeko suggested. "Or maybe she's the answer to everything..." Kasumi murmured. "We've got to find a way out of here." Ryuu said, ignoring all of them as he pulled at the golden bars in front of him. They were in cages suspended from the ceiling, below them were guards. There were four to a cage, with Ryuu was Yoake, Karei, and Aiko. Looking across, he saw Kasumi, Seishi, Harumi and Akimi and to his left was the cage with Fuyumi, Natsumi, Megami, and Himeko. "More important than that, we must figure out how to destroy Solana and bring back the Crystal Millennium." Seishi replied. She was still weak from healing Aiko's eyes, but she was rapidly getting better. "The only way we can do that is if we can get the Golden Key." Kasumi said. "How? We can't attack or even transform!" Megami exclaimed. "If there is a will, there is a way." Kasumi murmured in English, knowing that no one knew what she had just said. She kind of liked that. In one way, at least, she felt superior to her sister. Kasumi looked up, the cages were held to the ceiling with thick golden chains, there was something strange about the way they looked. "Do you suppose that these cages are actually made of gold?" she asked, tapping one of the bars near her. "What does that matter?" Megami wailed, seeing the whole situation as hopeless. Seishi shot her a death glare, "I don't think Kasumi-san would have asked the question if it didn't have some sort of relevance." she replied. Kasumi stared at Seishi in gratitude and then nodded her head, "Gold is a fairly weak metal." she whispered so the guards far below wouldn't hear her, "If it is, we can break out of the cages. It may take some time, but we'll be able to. I'm hoping that Solana didn't really think of the implications of building an entire civilization out of gold." Ryuu looked up, sure enough the gold bars were slightly bent near were he had been pulling at them. At once he began to pull on them with even more ferocity, a guard looked up, "Stop it! Sit down and don't talk!" he shouted, "Let me out!!!" Ryuu whined, Kasumi hid a small smile at his acting job. She pressed all her weight on one side of the bar which slowly began to budge towards the left. Just then, the doors swung open and two females walked in. One put her hand to the wall, a panel came forward and shined, moments later the cages began to descend. "Everyone out of the room." A girl with pink and orange hair ordered, the guards quickly scurried out. "HINODE!" Harumi screamed, "Let us out Hinode! Hurry Hinoiri! You've come to save us!" Hinoiri looked up at Harumi with sad eyes, but her face remained motionless. "We aren't here to save you," Hinode said seriously, looking at her best friend, Natsumi, in the eyes, "By the order of Queen Solana of the Neo Golden Millennium, you will all be destroyed." * * * * * Kasei looked around the room, the Inner Senshi were all there. Suisei, Kinsei, Mokusei, and of course, herself and also there was one Outer Senshi, Dosei. She never followed what the other three did, she always did her own thing. She held a look of sadness in her face, as if she knew she had to do something terrible. "For the safety of our children, and our children's children," Kasei prayed, "Take these gifts to the future and place them into the hands of those who need them." Kasei closed her eyes and chanted low as winds picked up around her. The Senshi were situated around a table which held the Kourinosensu, the Kinwa, the Ryuunome, the Shinka, and the Shinohon. A bright red light surrounded the red bracelet which was called the Shinka, "By the power of Mars! Please send the Shinka [Divine Fire] to my granddaughter!" Kasei cried, the winds picked up and the Shinka rose into the air. "By the power of Venus! Please send the Kinwa [Golden Ring] to my descendents!" Kinsei shouted as a golden aura surrounded the ring and lifted into the air. "By the power of Mercury! Send the Kourinosensu [Fan of Ice] to my granddaughter!" Suisei cried, a blue aura surrounding the beautiful pendant. "By the power of Jupiter! Please give my Ryuunome [Dragon's Eye] to my descendents!" Mokusei declared as green light encompassed the jewel and swept it into the air, "And by the power of Saturn! Give the Shinohon [Book of Death] to the future Senshi of Destruction!" Dosei shouted, as a violet aura surrounded the book and carried it with the rest of the talismen. "With the blessings of the Silver Millennium, please give these gifts to their proper inheritors so that they may secure the safety of the Galaxy." Kasei prayed and with a flash the treasures disappeared from the Silver Millennium, along with the last chance of saving the kingdom from the threat of Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom. There was silence, then Dosei cleared her throat, a glaive appearing in her hands as she turned to leave the room, "I must see to it that the Dark Kingdom is silenced. With all my heart, I hope that your vision is correct Lady Kasei. For if it is not, then the death of millions will be upon your head." | | | \|/ ' ******************************* BONUS SECTION! (let the above episode sink in before reading on :P~) ******************************* I hate ruining the mood by doing this. ^^; Which is why I put that notice up there The Neo Senshi grandmothers from the Silver Millennium (the old senshi's mothers) are named after the Japanese name for the planet. Note, this is not a first name, it's a family or clan name (if you recall one episode Seishi says she carries the protection of Dosei.) Their real names...well, you'll have to learn those at a later date. Anyways, Japanese planets are named in a very special way. Mercury to Saturn (except for Earth) are named after 5 Chinese elements. The last 3 are not, since astrologers in the Far East hadn't found Uranus, Pluto, and Neptune. Also, the kanji (character) for each of the planets has two pronunciations. The Japanese verion and the Chinese version. For example, fire is Hi (japanese) and ka (in chinese). Hino Rei uses the Japanese version, while the name Ka as in Kasei uses the Chinese version. Fun, eh? And btw, Karei's name may mean beauty, but when she writes it out in Kanji, she uses the Ka (as in Fire) and Rei for spirit. Yippee.. ^^; *Note the "sei" part means star or planet Planet in English Japanese Means Mercury Suisei Water Planet Venus Kinsei Gold Planet Mars Kasei Fire Planet Jupiter Mokusei Wood Planet Saturn Dosei Earth Planet (as in like, soil) Uranus Tennousei Heaven King Planet Neptune Kaiousei Ocean King Planet Pluto Meiousei Dark King Planet As you can see, the last 3 correspond to the Roman God. Uranus was the god of the heavens, neptune the ocean, etc. Anyways, wasn't this useful?