Sailormoon Neo: #25 - Kyouaku! Solana-joou. Shouri wa Dare no Te ni?
- The Terrible Queen Solana, Who Will Emerge Victorious? - 
By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org)
Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/]

Note: Quick Japanese refresher, Gambatte ne = Good luck/Fight


	"Solana, my love, we have captured another Neo Senshi."
	Solana turned around and looked at the Golden Knight Kazuo, she smiled slightly
as she stared at the handsome figure. He looks like my 'dear' Trent, she thought,
except with dark hair...which I've always liked more.
	"Wonderful, Kazuo, who is this new one that you've kidnapped?" she asked,
	"The one that they call Neo Sailorneptune." Kazuo answered, he paused momentarily,
"Ah! But your grace, this time they attacked me, even as I held my sword to the girl's 
neck. I do not think they care if someone is sacrificed if it means to destroy you." 
	Solana laughed and moved away from the statues she was inspecting and moved back
to her throne, resting her arm upon the statue of Neo Sailormoon.
	"Do not let them fool you. I studied the books written about the Neo Senshi, none 
of them would dare let another person get hurt--because they are all very weak. The only 
one to fear is Neo Sailorsaturn for she doesn't have remorse, she would gladly kill 
anyone to save the world. Perhaps she should be your next target..." Solana suggested.
Kazuo nodded wordlessly and left the throne room. Solana waved her hand and wished
for the newest captive to appear before her. Instantaneously, Neo Neptune appeared, her 
face dirty and tear streaked.
	"Ah, my dear Megami-chan, you look like hell." Solana laughed. Neo Neptune stared 
at the Queen fearfully, then defiantly, but still with apprehension in her eyes.
	"Why have you brought me here!" she demanded,
	"To make you see the light..." Solana replied, "Or, actually, the darkness."
	"Why are you doing this Solana? Why don't you just let everything go back to
normal and rebuild your kingdom somewhere else?" Neo Neptune asked. Solana snickered
slightly, but then her face turned stern and cold.
	"You are pathetic. A stupid, blind, child!" Solana shouted, "You disgust me more
than anyone else in your little group."
	"Me...but...but why?" Neo Neptune asked, truly in shock. She had never heard
anyone say such harsh things to her.	
	"You refuse to see the darkside of life, thus you create in your mind a world
were there isn't injustice or evil. You are weak hearted and a waste of the beauty you
possess." Solana snapped. Neo Sailorneptune's heart filled with even more sorrow at 
Solana's face, why is she saying such hateful things to me? she cried inside her mind.
	"You are even oblivious to the fact you are disliked. It isn't difficult 
to figure out your sister despises you--and with such good reason."
	"That's not true! Kasumi-chan loves me, just like a sister is supposed to!" Neptune
cried out.
	"Look at you," Solana said in disgust, "You are still ignoring the truth of the
matter."
	"Why should I want to see the darkness? Why should I want to see the evil in the
world? I believe everyone is good, even you."
	Solana sneered hatefully, 
	"Because my dear, if there was no darkness and evil, then what would light and
goodness be measured by? Goodness could become evil because darkness must exist for there
to be light. By downplaying the evil which does exist in the world, you only
make it easier for those with evil intentions to fulfill their wishes."
	And with those words, Neo Sailorneptune's world shattered.
	

		*		*		*		*		*


	"It's stupid to waste our time sitting and waiting for another one of us
to get kidnapped. We need ALL the power we can get." Neo Sailormercury said,
	"Mercury! It's your sister, she could be killed if we try to harm Solana!"
Neo Sailormars protested, but she looked more distracted than worried.
	"She'll be killed anyways if someone IMPORTANT gets kidnapped by Golden Knight
Kazuo." Neo Sailorsaturn said coldly. Neo Sailoruranus stared at Saturn incredulously
and was about to open her mouth in defense of her partner, when she was cut off.
	"We all must make sacrifices. As a soldier, Neo Neptune should know that to
protect, you must be willing to give up your life." Neo Mercury said seriously,
"Even though she acts like a child, I do believe she knows this one truth."
	"Then we've gotta kill Solana." Sailorwinterstar said after a moment of silence,
"We've just got to hope that everything will turn out for the best." 
	"Then follow me, if Golden Knight Kazuo should appear, then we will fight him--but
we will not stop until we reach the throne room of Solana." Hinode nodded and stood up,
a look of determination on her face.
	"SHUT UP!" Neo Sailormars suddenly screamed, all eyes turned to her. She
collapsed to her knees and grabbed her head, "Shut up, god...go away, leave me ALONE!"
she cried.
	"Karei?!" Neo Pluto exclaimed and rushed over to her, she gently put her arm
around the screaming girl to comfort her. She was roughly shoved away by Neo Mars.
	"I'm not your messiah!" she screamed, her eyes turned white as she arched 
her back in pain. The sign of mars upon her head flickered momentarily and a red
moon appeared,
	"KAREI!" Neo Uranus screamed, Mercury was awestruck by the occurance. 
A thought crossed her mind,
	"Don't help her!" she exclaimed, shoving the girls away.
	"What the hell are you saying?!" Neo Uranus shouted,
	"NO! No! Don't...it's...it's Usa-chan..." Neo Sailormercury whispered
as she calmly held Karei's hand, she stared deeply into her eyes. Karei
stopped screaming and slowly seemed to calm down, the red moon was still upon her
forehead and it was obvious she was still in pain.
	"She's...trying to contact us..."

		*		*		*		*		*


Silence.
...Where am I?
You're in the collective, Karei.
...What's that?
The place where the souls of those who aren't dead, but aren't alive go.
...I'm dead?
No, but you've been possessed by the One.
Silence.
Blackness.
A scream. A shriek. Wails. Crying.
Help us, Princess Serenity.
...I'm not Princess Serenity.
Help us, Neo Sailormoon!
...I'm not HER!
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
...I'm scared. Leave me alone. 
Deliver us from evil.
...LEAVE ME ALONE! I can't help you. Who are you?
Karei-chan.
...No.
Usa-chan.
...
The One. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done.
...STOP IT!

	"Your Majesty, your doll is crying." remarked one of Solana's knights. Solana
raised an eyebrow and turned her head, sure enough there were tears coming out of
Usa-chan's vacant eyes. Warm tears that were running down her face and forming dark
stains on her clothes as they fell from her chin.
	Solana smiled slightly,
	"I'd imagine it's hell having your mind active, while your body is dead. Do you
suppose she's going insane and cannot take it? This should get interesting a few years
from now." Solana laughed, she then reached over and picked up a freshly prepared roll
of sushi and bit into it.
	"I love to see my enemies suffer." she murmured, looking up she then snapped
her fingers and the Golden Knight Kazuo appeared from behind the throne,
	"Yes, My Liege?"
	"I almost forgot. Bring the doll of that pitiful Senshi and place it next to
Prince Trent. It's unbalanced on that side of the throne." she said, feigning disdain.
Kazuo smiled and bowed. Solana got up and stared into the dead eyes of Usa-chan,
	"My little niece, now you shall watch as I destroy your friends, unfortunately,
you have no way to save yourself with your body locked as it is."
	"Your Majesty, we have detected intruders approaching the throne room. Shall
we fight them?" a Golden Knight asked suddenly, appearing from the shadows. Solana
smiled slightly,
	"No, do not touch the little birds. Let them come here." she said joyfully,
moving to recline back in her throne, "Let the games begin."


		*		*		*		*		*

	
	Neo Sailormars jerked forward, her eyes opening wide she screamed in 
anguish. Her body lurched upwards as it contorted to painful positions. The red 
moon on her forehead flickered like a flame until it simply died out. Neo Mars's
eyes turned white as she fell backwards. Neo Mercury quickly sprung forward,
catching her before her head crashed into the cold, stone floor.
	"Karei..." Neo Pluto whispered.
	"What happened?" Neo Uranus asked, her blue eyes gazing over her
fallen friend's body. There was fear in her eyes--fear that Usa-chan would
go after her next.
	"She rejected Usa-chan." Neo Sailorsaturn replied coldly. Her violet
eyes staring harshly at Neo Sailormars. "HOW DARE SHE!" she shouted suddenly,
anger flaring in her eyes. With superhuman agility she threw herself onto
Neo Mars' body and shook her roughly, slapping her cruelly across the face.
	"KISAMA! You spineless, worthless, idiot!" she screamed. 
	"SEISHI!" Jupiter Kamen cried, her grabbed her arms and pulled her
away, "What the HELL is wrong with you?!" he demanded. Neo Uranus and Neo Pluto
instantly moved towards Neo Mars to protect her from any more damage. Neo Mars 
did not appear to have been aware she had just been attacked.
	"She ruined our only chance of beating Solana. We can't do it alone.
I can't even do it. We aren't strong enough! Are you too stupid to see that?"
Neo Saturn shouted, tearing away from Jupiter Kamen's grasp. Jupiter Kamen
stared at Neo Sailorsaturn in horror, she had never said such harsh things
to him. Even during the darkest moments, she had never said such a thing.
His hands fell to his side as he hung his head.
	"You can't blame Karei on not wanting to be POSSESSED by Usa-chan!
I would have rejected her also!" Neo Uranus flared, darting her cold eyes
to Neo Sailorsaturn.
	"Then you too are worthless. A waste. What kind of Senshi are you?
You have no dedication, no loyalty, you aren't FIT to wear Haruka-san's
sailorfuku." Neo Saturn replied coldly, just as quickly as she had become
emotional, she had shifted to emotionless.
	"How DARE you say such a thing to me!" Neo Uranus cried, standing up.
"I was chosen to wear this uniform for a reason!" Even though I don't know
what that is, she thought.
	"Both of you, be QUIET!" Neo Sailormercury shouted. She gazed at the
two Senshi with disdain,
	"You both are splitting up this team even more than before. We might
as well concede to Queen Solana if you two cannot work together." Hinode said
quietly. She had been quiet the entire time, her face had a look of tranquility
upon it--as if she were ready to die.
	"A house divided upon itself surely will not stand." Neo Sailormercury 
recited in English. Once again, she realized no one understood what she had
just said. She liked that.
	"I suggest you put aside your differences for just this fight,"
Sailorspringstar added in agreement. The Star Senshi had been quiet during the
entire argument. They were all true Senshi, they would have gladly given up their
bodies--their lives for their Princess. It's a shame the Neo Senshi are not willing
to be selfless, Sailorautumnstar thought, they would be an unstoppable force if
they were.
	
	Suddenly, there was laughter. Glorious, melodious laughter. It could have
been an angel laughing. The voice was music. 
	The golden walls surrounding them crumbled to the ground as the 
Neo Sailor Senshi found themselves in the throne room of Queen Solana and her court. 
They were all clapping, all laughing, it was Solana who had that beautiful,
soothing voice.
	"What a happy ending!" Solana exclaimed gleefully, wiping away an invisible
tear.
	"You've been watching us?" Neo Sailoruranus asked incredulously. Solana
smiled coldly,
	"Now I truly know that I have nothing to fear from you. You cannot
even bond together for one fight, how do you possibly think you can stand
against me?"
	"Jupiter...Dragon RAGE!" Jupiter Kamen shouted suddenly, leaping into 
the air with his sword. The jewel at the hilt of his sword flashed with green 
light that swiftly flowed up the blade like electricity. Pointing the sword 
downwards, he landed roughly on his feet, the sword cutting through the marble 
floor as if it were mere flesh. The floor rumbled and a rift formed as the 
energy traveled underground. Suddenly, a green dragon made of pure energy tore 
out of the floor before Solana, ready to engulf her with it's eminance.
	"Pluto Dark Vortex!" cried Neo Sailorpluto as the garnet orb shined
from atop the Time Staff. The mauve aura formed a large, tight sphere which
swirled with darkness in it's center. It released itself from the orb and
flew towards Queen Solana, it's intention was to engulf it's target and then
implode.
	Solana and her court laughed at these measures. She raised her hand
nonchalantly and a barrier formed around her, mere nanoseconds before the
raging dragon engulfed her. The swirling vortex disingetrated as it touched
the protecting walls of the barrier.
	"Fools." she muttered. Instantly the stoic knights at her side
came to life and charged towards Neo Pluto and Jupiter Kamen before they 
could attack again. The knights roughly grabbed them as they continued to
charge. Neo Pluto was lifted into the air from the strength and brutality
of the knight as she and Jupiter Kamen were slammed into the golden walls
at the back of the hall.
	"Gomen...Usa-chan..." Neo Pluto whispered as a warm trickle of
blood from her forehead dripped into her mouth. She weakly looked towards
Jupiter Kamen, who was unconcious, before the world around her went black.
	"Jupiter Kamen! Neo Sailorpluto!" Neo Sailoruranus exclaimed as she
looked behind her in horror. There were only eight of them left--Hinode,
Saturn, Mercury, the Star Senshi, and herself...Mars was still unconcious. 
	"Six down, eight to go." Solana smiled, she looked absently over her
shoulder. "Do you like my new dolls? I call them Self-Hatred and Innocence." 
she asked innocently, gesturing to the weeping "statues" of Neo Sailor V 
and Neo Sailorneptune.
	"Solana, you truly have become a corrupt leader. You are not fit to
call yourself Queen." Hinode whispered. Her eyes gazed steadily on her 
former sovereign. Her heart was heavy with sadness from the death of her 
sister, but yet...it was full of elation at the prospect of being with 
her soon.
	"And what do you plan to do about it, my little traitor?" Solana
asked sweetly. Her true desire would be to make Hinode a new doll, but
she knew it would be difficult. Only those who were weak and vulnerable could
be taken, Hinode was strong. Solana's blue eyes glanced over to Neo Sailorsaturn. 
Saturn stared back dully, her eyes seemed to be focused on something else. Then
Saturn's lips moved slightly, into a tiny smile. 
	Hinode pulled out her rapier and held it before Solana,
	"You saved my life once, but you also took the life of my only true
friend in the world, my sister." Hinode whispered.
	"Two wrongs don't make a right." Solana smirked quoting a line previously
said to her.
	"True, but it does make us even." Neo Sailormercury replied as she raised her
arm to the air and a wave of ice and water surrounded her. With lightning speed 
she and Neo Sailorsaturn leapt into the air. Neo Mercury's sword of ice appeared 
in her hands while the Silence Glaive in Neo Saturn's. They both landed at either 
side of Solana's throne and held their weapons under her neck. Hinode smiled gently,
ah, they can be so foolish, she thought to herself. Solana swallowed and closed 
her eyes. Hinode steadied her rapier, ready to stab Solana through the heart. She got
into position and charged. She felt calm, she felt Hinoiri guiding her sword.
Closing her eyes she charged onward...onward...until she felt a searing blast
of hot air. It burned her skin. She opened her eyes to see that Solana was laughing
again. Hinode dropped her sword and smiled weakly as her body burned,
	"Gomen ne, Minna-san...I only want to be with Hinoiri now. Gambatte ne."

		*		*		*		*

	Neo Sailoruranus screamed as she saw Hinode being burned alive. She could see
the radiance surrounding Queen Solana, but everything seemed to be moving in slow- 
motion. She couldn't stop Hinode, she couldn't cry out. The blast of energy seemed 
directly targeted for only Hinode, for Neo Mercury and Neo Saturn were thrown 
back only onto "Solana's dolls." As Saturn fell, her glaive was released from her hands
and the blade scratched the surface of the statue of Usa-chan...it was now bleeding.
	Solana smiled wickedly as she stood up, she gave the two Senshi who were 
sprawled over the toppled statues a momentary glance. 
	"The two strongest of your team have fallen. Now it is just you four
Star Senshi and pretty little Hime-chan." 
	Working as she talked, a golden sword appeared in her hands.
	"Don't worry, my punishment will be swift. You won't feel a thing." she
added sweetly.
	"No..." whispered a voice from behind her, it was Neo Sailormercury. She
was hurt and weak, her leg was trapped under the statue of Neo Sailorneptune.
	"Mercury...Aqua...Purification..." Neo Sailormercury said, barely audibly.
She weakly raised her arm and a stream of ice shot forward and hit Solana, slowly 
freezing her body. Solana cried out as her arm turned into ice from the inside out.
The Star Senshi took this opportunity to do their best,
	"Summer Heat Inferno!" Sailorsummerstar shouted, an orange aura burned from
her body and raised to the cieling, crashing down in a firestorm upon Solana.
	"Autumn Life Decay!" Sailorautumnstar cried as she held out her right arm.
Rather than energy coming FROM her hand, energy from Solana came TO her hand.
Solana fell to her knees with a groan.
	"Winter Deep FREEZE!!" Sailorwinterstar exclaimed, spinning in a circle as
the winter winds sped around her. The entire room was cloaked in ice and soon, Solana
was also encased in a layer of ice.
	"Spring Life Renewal!" Sailorsprinstar shouted, outstreching her arm. The
ice melted and vines and flowers grew upon the walls and throne, Solana looked down
as her arm was being changed into wood.
	But Solana only laughed, she laughed musically, she had such a beautiful
laugh. Her laughted echoed in the hall and resonated louder and louder. 
	"What's happening..." Neo Sailoruranus shouted, the ground shaking so
violently that she fell over. The walls of the entire castle crumbled to golden piles
of dust as Solana laughed. It wasn't her laughter that was doing it, it was her 
incredible power to control the forces of nature. Just as quickly as she had
lost power, she was regaining it. 
	Neo Sailorsaturn's eyes snapped open as golden dust tickled her forehead. 
She raised her head and gazed at coldly at Solana,  a strange look overcame her face
as the sign of Saturn flashed upon her forehead.
	Solana laughed, her dress was torn away by the wind as she lifted a large
golden staff into the air. The Opaque Prism, Silver Crystal, and Iridescent Jewel
were all resting on the top.
	"With the Blessing of Sol, The Grace of Apollo, give me more power!" she 
screamed. Light from the staff poured down upon her, clothing her in a beautiful 
gown of golden light. Her hair falling out of the odango and spilling over 
her shoulders. The statues surrounding her former throne toppled over and shattered
on the marble floor. Blood spilled from the statues and reflected the radiance of
Solana from its surface.
	"Golden Key, give me the power to destroy Earth and all it's inhabitants!
Make the Universe forget the name of the House of the Moon!" she shouted. The 
light shined brighter as it filled Solana with power. The Silver Crystal was 
beginning to crack on one of it's facets and tiny shards were falling off the
Iridescent Jewel. 
	"Thy Kingdom Come?" whispered a calm voice, which despite it's softness,
was heard by all with able ears. 
	"Thy Will Be Done?" asked the voice, from behind Solana another light began
countering the golden radiance, a soft violet light. 
	Solana's face beautiful face turned, she was radiating with the power of
the Golden Key. A small gasp escaping from her lips as she saw the origin of the 
voice. 
	There stood Neo Sailorsaturn--No, it was not Neo Sailorsaturn. It was
her body, but it was not HER. It was a beautiful princess dressed in the ceremonial 
gown of the Moon Kingdom. Her hair was long and loose, flying in the wind. She stood 
atop a pillar, the Silence Glaive resting in her hands. Upon her forehead was a 
purple crescent moon, she radiated with intense power.
	"I am from the House of Dosei and from the Lineage of the Moon. 
I am the Saviour and the Destroyer." the girl shouted as she raised the Glaive to
the sky, purple energy shined at the tip and ran down the staff, the purple crescent
upon her forehead flashed as her eyes shifted from purple to blue. She lowered the
Silence Glaive and pointed it towards Queen Solana, 
	"I am the one who has protected for all time. My name shall be known for all
eternity for I am The One! I am Princess Seishi Lady Serenity!"