Sailormoon Zodiac: #9 - O-Joou-sama // The Queen By: Janelle Jimenez (miaka@bishounen.org) Official Webpage: http://www.sailormoon-millennia.net/ [http://bishounen.org/smmillennia/] "Usagi..." Rei whispered as she stared down at Usagi's still face. She hadn't moved or uttered a breath in almost a day. The doctors were perplexed by her comatose state. Although they could not detect a heartbeat, nor could they detect any other normal signs of life, her brain was fully active--somehow she was alive, despite the fact it seemed impossible. "Rei-chan, you don't have to stay here." Mamoru whispered quietly into her ear. He stared down at Usagi, his heart heavy with grief. She wasn't dead, he knew this, but every time he looked at her--he couldn't help but think than she was. "You've been here all night long, you need to get some rest." Rei nodded slowly, her eyes were heavy. She kissed Usagi gently on the forehead and squeezed Mamoru's hand, then she wordlessly left the room, shutting the door behind her. Mamoru sighed heavily and sat down in the chair beside the bed, he gently stroked back her long hair as he stared at Usagi's cold face. "Please, don't leave me..." he whispered as he gathered her limp body up in his arms, tears started to fill his eyes, tears which he gallantly fought back. "Usako, I never wanted it to be like this...I didn't even get to say goodbye to you...or to..." he whispered, but his words were choked off. He held back his tears and gazed around her room, his eyes settling on a picture of Usagi, him, and Chibiusa all holding hands--family. He shook his head slowly and continued talking, "If you leave me...then..." he began slowly as he stared down at Usagi's silent face. Then we won't ever get married...and we'll never have Chibiusa-chan, he thought as his heart sunk even lower. "Please come back to me Usagi," he whispered as the tears finally made their way out of his eyes, "I don't want to lose my family again..." * * * * "Scorpia, Scorpia, Scorpia..." Arseniru murmured as he stared into the viewing screen in his quarters. It was once again playing the recording of her accomplishments as Second Captain of the Black Star Army. "You are such a delicious failure..." he said to the screen as he intently watched her every feline movement. She had such grace and a strange domineering prescence about her--Arseniru hated all of it, but yet he simply delighted in it. His passion for Scorpia was undescribable, a fanatical sort of bitter hatred touched with an obsessive sort of desire for her. It bothered him to no end. The only thing he could think of is Scorpia...and how much he'd love to corrupt her--to destroy her. "You who is supposed to feel no emotion, no passion--yet you are full of both." His obsession was getting in the way of his seduction of Lithia. This was entirely unacceptable. "The sooner you are gone..." Arseniru whispered as he reached out and stroked the image of Scorpia on the viewing screen, "The sooner that my brother will care about me again...the sooner I can focus on Lithia...the sooner I can be happy..." * * * * "You have no idea how guilty I feel. You can't possibly know! You don't have a heart!" Joanna screamed at Jessica. Ameko winced at these words, it was a shouting match that had been going on for about five minutes now. "How could you let us kill Sailormoon...the defender of love and justice! God! I've killed the hero of millions of people!" "I don't see why you are yelling at me." Jessica said coolly, she had decided to stop yelling, remaining calm was having the upper-hand. "With all due respect, Jessica, it's perfectly clear why Joanna and the rest of us are upset." Mihana replied with equal iciness. "Yes, we took away someone vital to them--all for THIS." Tien-Lei said as she grabbed the green henshin wand. "Don't you see how that puts us at a strategic advantage? Not only did we take away their leader, we also have one more Star Piece." Jessica noted, she was calm now. She had a temper that flared easily, but she could manage her anger very well. "It'll be a hell of alot easier getting the rest now." she added. "You SELFISH, inconsiderate bitch!" Joanna exploded, she had enough of Jessica's cruel and dirty tactics to win Star Pieces for a cause she didn't even know, let alone didn't believe in. "Why should we care about the enemy? What kind of Zodiac Senshi are you anyway?" asked coldly. Tenshi glanced nervously at Jessica, she could tell she was seething in the inside--but she was remaining calm. Interesting tactic, Tenshi thought, by not allowing her rage to take over her, she has complete control of the argument. "I don't give a damn about being a Zodiac Senshi! I didn't ask for this job! I don't even know what the hell our duty is or who we're fighting for! Did it ever occur to you that *we* are the bad guys? From everything that Ameko and Mihana have told me, the Sailor Senshi have done nothing but good deeds in Tokyo--why would they suddenly be the enemy NOW?" Joanna demanded. Jessica was silent. Tien-Lei smiled slightly, trying to hide her amusement as tactfully as possible. Joanna had made an excellent point, and now Jessica had no way to counter it. "It doesn't matter who the 'bad guy' is in this situation." Jessica replied slowly, calmly, without one drop of anger showing through. "We have a mission, despite what it may appear to future historians, protagonists or antagonists--it doesn't matter. Our goal is to gather the Seven Stars, to bring together the Golden Key, to save the Golden Millennium--we were reborn for that purpose." Joanna sighed heavily, she felt her anger slowly disappear--it was being replaced by the sinking feeling of defeat. Deep in her heart, she knew what Jessica was saying was right--or rather, she desperately wanted to believe what she was saying was right. The idea of working for such a noble cause--despite the fact that they had to step on a few people along the way, it was an exciting thing. What are a few deaths when you could save millions? But those millions (if they existed) were people in another place, another time, faces she couldn't even begin to imagine. While the people she was stepping on to save those faceless millions were faces she knew, faces similar to the normal girls she saw in school every day. "I guess...you're right." Joanna said, pushing her pride down. She glanced to the others, they all looked defeated as well. "I'm glad you see it my way." Jessica replied with a satisifed smile on her face, she gazed at the green henshin wand which seemed the radiate pure power. "While the rest of the Sailor Senshi are weak and leaderless, while they are without-a-doubt laying blame on one another, we must strike." * * * * "Please gods, help guide Usagi back to us." Rei whispered as she bowed her head before the shrine. After a brief prayer, she turned around and faced her friends. "Everything will be fine, minna." she said with a bright smile, although she didn't feel very bright inside. "How much longer are you going to take this from the Zodiac Senshi?" Haruka demanded, breaking the falseness of it all. "It's obvious they're a new enemy and it's time for us to stop letting them hurt us and run away with our magical items." "But how do we do it? We can't really hunt them down...They're the ones who've always appeared out of nowhere." Mako-chan noted. "What about those people that Luna was all suspicious about?" Haruka asked, "Why don't we just attack them when they aren't Zodiac Senshi?" "Haruka-san!" Ami gasped, "You can't be serious. No, we can't do that. We don't have proof that Ameko-chan is any of the Zodiac Senshi, let alone any of the other new girls in Juuban." "Well, then YOU suggest a better idea." Haruka said, her patience was running thin. Ami blushed and looked thoughtful for a moment, "Doesn't it odd that they always seemed to know when we were transformed? They've never appeared except for when we were Sailor Senshi--except for the times we were following the light that emits when another Zodiac Senshi is found." she said after a few moments of contemplation. "Do...you think it's really possible that somehow they can detect when we henshin?" Minako asked incredulously. "That seems rather unlikely..." Michiru said, "Well, unlikely or not--it's worth a try." Haruka said with a shrug. "Umm...well...I...guess I'll just stay in here." Makoto murmured as she backed farther up into the shrine. Rei looked at her sadly, no doubt Mako-chan feels horrible, Rei thought. I hope she doesn't blame herself for what happened with Usagi...it isn't her fault her henshin wand was stolen. "Uranus Crystal Power, Make Up!" Haruka shouted as she raised her henshin wand, the rest of the Sailor Senshi followed suite, all hoping that this would work. * * * * "Where are they?" Sailoraquarius asked as she peered out of the giant orange bubble they were all riding in. Although the bubble was orange, the view of the outside wasn't obscured by a strange orange haze, rather it was clear. Aquarius couldn't see anything below them except trees surrounding a clearing. "Is that thing broken?" Sailorcapricorn asked Leo, gesturing to the beeping device in her hand. "Of course it's not broken, it's making noise, isn't it?" Leo snapped. Her patience with the Zodiac Senshi was wearing thin. It seemed to her all they ever did was complain about how they didn't want to fulfill one mission or another. Suddenly, before anyone could say one more word, a red arrow penetrated the bubble. It was less the arrow and more the shock of it that made Sailorleo lose her concentration. She quickly tried to compensate, but it was too late. The bubble wavered into thin air and the Zodiac Senshi fell quickly to the earth. "Now!" they heard a masculine voice order, "World...SHAKING!" "Deep..SUBMERGE!" "Dead Scream.." In an instant, three spheres of energy came flying towards the unprepared Zodiac Senshi. Not ready for the ambush, Sailoraquarius, Capricorn, and Taurus were struck by the attacks--they were the ones in front. "An ambush, how dishonorable..." Sailorleo whispered in horror. From a small clump of trees, a trio of three Sailor Senshi stepped forward. "It's the Outer Senshi..." Sagittarius whispered, moments later the more familiar Mars, Mercury, and Venus appeared behind them. "You've taken away everything that is important to us, Sailormoon, our talismen, the sanity and life of Hotaru-chan. Give us one good reason why we shouldn't destroy you right now." Sailoruranus demanded. Tears poured out of Aquarius' eyes, "Please don't kill us...we didn't ever want anyone to be hurt, we were just doing what Estrella said!" "What a cowardly girl." said a voice in the air, a red mist surrounded the Senshi and began to cloud their senses. "The Zodiac Senshi do not need to give you a good reason to spare their lives, when I am going to detsroy you all anyways." the voice laughed, suddenly, a beautiful woman appeared before them. Her eyes appearing to be made of blood, her hair streaked with it. Scorpia. Sailormars shivered, there was something in the air around them--a feeling of familiarity. It didn't seem to be associated with Scorpia, it was independant. "It's rather a travesty you are in such pathetic shape." Scorpia remarked as she looked at on with disgust at injured Zodiac Senshi and the begging Sailoraquarius. "Aren't you better than these worthless Sailor Senshi? Were you not the strongest Senshi in the Galaxy? In the days of the Golden Millennium?" Scorpia demanded. "The...*Golden* Millennium?" Sailorvenus whispered to Sailormercury. The other Sailor Senshi looked more confused at Scorpia's statement than the Zodiac Senshi did. "Ah well, it doesn't matter who's stronger anymore." Scorpia said with a small smile, a red mist began to form around her and encircle her. She brought her hands together, the mist coalescing into a large ball between her hands. "Red....Hallucination!" she cried out and threw the ball in the Zodiac Senshi's direction, "Sailorsaturn!" Sailormars cried out as the familiar presence became stronger. No, it wasn't Sailorsaturn, it was someone else. Suddenly, the sky turned bright golden as if the sun itself had exploded and filled the earth with every bit of it's radiance. Scorpia's attack dissolved instantly. But just as soon as the sky lit up, it had returned to it's normal sky-blue. Then, from the point in the sky where it seemed all the light had radiated, a small golden bubble floated down near all the Senshi. To the Inner Senshi, it was reminiscent of when they had returned to the Moon Kingdom to meet Queen Selenity. However, rather than the familiar silver-haired monarch, this bubble beheld a tiny figure with black hair. The bubble landed on the Earth and the figure began to grow until it was much taller than all of them. The woman was dressed in beautiful golden robes which looked rather similar to Queen Selenity's gown. Her rich black hair was tied up in elliptical spheres at the sides of her head just as Usagi and Chibiusa did. In fact, her face structure looked like Queen Selenity's...or even a much older Usagi. All of this evidence pointed to the fact this woman was someone in Usagi's past--all except the fact that the symbol on her forehead wasn't a moon--rather it was a curious symbol, which almost looked like a crescent moon melded with the sun and a star. "Who are you?" Sailorvenus whispered as she stared at the woman. The woman commanded a certain kind of aura which left the others feeling as if they should kneel to her. She had the sort of prescence that only the most dignified of royalty had. "My child, I am Queen Selestia of the Golden Millennium." said the woman with a gentle smile. Sailorpluto looked at Selestia critically, "The Golden Millennium?" she repeated. "The Golden Millennium..." Sailorleo repeated, "The Golden Key..." Queen Selestia looked at Sailorleo with an odd look on her face, "Yes, the Golden Key..." she said with a far off long, a small smile grew on her lips. "It originated in the Golden Millennium, and it was what destroyed us." "So, you are dead?" Sailorpluto asked bluntly. There was something about this woman she didn't trust...but it wasn't something she could exactly pinpoint. There was something very familiar about all of this. "I'm alive in the past," Queen Selestia said with a gentle smile. "So, you're dead." Leo replied coldly. "I'm speaking to you from the past, so from my stand-point, I am alive." Selestia answered patiently, "I've come to help you--and to seek help." "Help US or help THEM?" Sailoruranus asked, her hand gripping the Space Sword tighter. "To help you both. You both are working towards the same goal, to collect the Seven Stars and obtain the Golden Key before it is used to destroy the Golden Millennium." Sailorvenus raised an eyebrow, "We are?" she asked. Not quite sure if Selestia was lying, or she had not been paying attention during some sort of vital meeting. "I also seek to guide you on the right path," Selestia said, directing her attention to the Zodiac Senshi. "You are a disgrace. A shadow of your former selves. Your behaviour is dishonorable and not fitting of the warriors who guarded the Golden Millenium." "We defended the Golden Millennium..." Sagittarius whispered softly, it was all beginning to actually become real to her before. It was a game before, nothing Estrella had told her seemed like it actually happened. She didn't really believe she was a reborn Senshi in some far-off kingdom. But now...it was beginning to become all too real. Sailoruranus smirked slightly at Selestia's criticism and shifted her weight to her right foot. "And the most shameful of them all..." Selestia exclaimed as she turned away from the Zodiac Senshi, "is you, Sailorscorpio--" "Sailorscorpio?!" Sailorvenus cried out in shock, "...You were such a brilliant fighter and strategist, truly one of the best amongst the Zodiac Senshi--" "SAILOR...Scorpio?" Leo murmured, her eyes full of horror. "How could you let yourself be drawn into evil?" Queen Selestia demanded, her speech continuing despite the exclaimations of surprise. She gazed at the Zodiac Senshi who all shared the same emotion of stupified shock. "How is this possible?" Aquarius asked as she looked at Scorpia, this would-be assassin was apart of their team? "It isn't possible. I would never fight along side you." Scorpia said, her eyes darkening, but deep down inside her she knew that at one time she had fought along side with them--but she didn't care about the past. Her past was covered in mist, she did not want to return to it. "She has been corrupted by the enemy, I want to heal her." Selestia answered, "If you want to heal her, couldn't you heal Sailormoon too?" Sailormercury asked, speaking up, "it's only fair, it seems." she added. A strange look came over Queen Selestia's look, as if she were being told something from an invisible speaker. An odd, almost cruel smile grew on her lips. Sailormercury shook her head, this was the benevolent leader of the Golden Millennium, she was obviously just seeing things. "I am sorry, but I do not have the power to revive your dead Princess. My duty is to assure that the Golden Millennium is not destroyed and I will do all that I can to stop it from happening." Selestia answered solemnly. "Then you AREN'T helping us. You're helping them! And if you are working to make the Zodiac Senshi stronger, then you are our enemy." Sailoruranus said coldly as she watched Selestia raise her arms to the sky, "World...SHAKING!" she shouted and threw a sphere of golden energy at Selestia. Without missing a beat, Selestia blinked at the attack disappeared. "You are such a violent girl." Selestia said shaking her head and continuing her prior actions. From the heavens the constellation of Scorpio shined brighter and seemed to be getting bigger, beams of light from the stars made their descent to heaven. "No..." Scorpia said backing away. A red mist began to form around her as she tried to disappear. Selestia shook her head and made a pulling motion with her hand, the red mist instantly stopped forming and floated off into Selestia's hand. She closed it into a fist. "No, please! My Queen! Leave me be!" Scorpia cried. A shiver ran down Sailoraquarius' back. "All humans have a dark side, and you allowed yours to be exploited by the Black Star Galaxy, the destroyers of worlds." Selestia said softly as the light from Scorpio bathed Scorpia in red light. "NO!" Scorpia screamed as she tried to cover her face and head with her hands, as if that could stop the inevitable from happening. "Evil from the shadows. Darkness within this girl, return to the depths of hell from which you came!" Selestia cried out. In that instant a beam of energy shot down from the heavens and converged on Scorpia's forehead, "NO! Help me! LEADAN! HELP ME!" she called out in vain, her face twisted as she struggled to fight. Suddenly, the sign of Scorpio appeared upon her forehead and she collapsed, her ability to fight unable to keep up with her will. Selestia closed her eyes wearily, "That took much more energy than I had expected." she sighed as her image began to fade, "Your comrade was actually embracing the Darkness. She wanted the evil stain on her soul to remain there..." she said to the Zodiac Senshi as she shook her head, "How could anyone want such a thing?" "World...." Sailoruranus began, golden energy appearing in her hand. "You are so frustrating." Selestia murmured, and within a blink of the eye she had disappeared--and so had the Zodiac Senshi...and Scorpia. "Kuso..." Uranus muttered. "Embracing Darkness..." Sailorneptune whispered and shivered slightly, "How disturbing." "Don't you think, that with Scorpia's attitude that her being the newest member of the Zodiac Senshi will just cause a rift between them? It would be as if someone who we didn't trust or like were thrown into our team. We'd be weakened by it." Venus commented, "This is very true, Venus." Mercury said nodding her head. "But...what if they opposite is true?" Uranus demanded. Mercury looked at the faces of her friends very seriously, "Seeing how we couldn't beat them when we were at our strongest..." she began, "Scorpia integrating well into their team... It could mean our defeat."