Story [Sailor Moon] Elysion

Author: SoA
Title: Sailor Moon: Elysion
Fandom: Sailor Moon
Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon, that all belongs to Naoko Takeuchi. I just play in her universe.
Notes: This is almost entirely OCs, but Nehelenia, Zirconia, Zircon, and Helios are all canon characters.

Long before I wrote Star Wars fanfiction, I have been writing Sailor Moon fanfiction. This is one of my ealier stories, started some seven or eight years ago. As I started preparing to finish it up this year in NaNoWriMo, I realized that all of the earlier chapters read like I had written them in middle school. So, for the past few months, I have been doing a marathon of re-writing them all. Still, some elements of my old writing remain in the earlier chapters. I'm 11 chapters in now and I promise the style improves the farther in the chapters are.

This story takes place as sort of a parallel to the fourth season of Sailor Moon, starting slightly before it. Several of the canonical villians with their same goals appear in this story. In this rewrite I tried to make it easier to understand for people who aren't familiar with Sailor Moon.

Many thanks to my ever patient beta reader Pandora.

Although Sailor Moon was originally a Kodansha comic, I got permission from the mods to post this here. Currently, the comic is out of print and only the author, Naoko Takeuchi, holds any copywrite. Plus, she loves fanfiction.


PM List:
RK_Striker_JK_5

---

[u]Part 1[/u]- [i]Enter Pegasus[/i]

"Hurry up Charisse!  We're going to be late!"  Malia called up the stairs to her oldest sister. Her other older sister finished helping her tie up her red hair into a high ponytail. Malia turned to her and signed, [i]'Thanks.  We better get going.  We might be late for school.  Charisse is coming.'[/i]

Tacita, the middle sister, had wavy, indigo colored hair that reached down to her ankles. It was for Tacita's benefit that everyone in the family knew how to sign. She had been deaf since birth. Smiling, she signed back, [i]'You're welcome.  Charisse really takes forever to get ready in the morning, and, honestly, I don't see much difference from when she goes into the bathroom to when she comes out.'[/i]

Malia laughed merrily.

"You don't have to wait any more," Charisse announced playfully from the top of the stairs. She dramatically flipped her blond hair back over her shoulders and strutted down towards them.

?What? Thinking of picking up a part time job in modeling?? Malia teased as she descended.

Charisse grinned and answered coyly, ?Maybe. I hear it pays well.? She signed along with her speaking, bringing Tacita back into the conversation again. Although Tacita could read lips well, that did little good when people spoke facing away from her.

The three sisters collected their backpacks and hurried out the door, Charisse locking it behind them.

Their father's job had taken the family all over the country, never letting them settle in one place for more than two or three years. At first, this was hard on the three girls, but through it, they grew inseparably close and took each new move with a smile. Only just two months before they had moved from Seattle to their new home in Anchorage. Now that September rolled around again, it was time for their first day at their new school, Elk Valley School.

Thankfully, Elk Valley was within walking distance of their new home and housed grades six through twelve. This meant that, for the first time, all three sisters could attend the same school; Malia in seventh grade, Tacita in ninth, and Charisse in eleventh.

It was a beautiful autumn morning. A chill hung in the air but the sun shone distantly above. When they reached the school, the halls were packed with other students that they didn't recognize. Armed with their class schedules, the three sisters waved and went their separate ways, in search of their classrooms.

Tacita paused for a moment and watched her sisters disappear into the crowds. She glanced down at her schedule to see the information abou

 

This looks pretty good. If you have a PM list, I'd like to be on it. SuperS series, eh? Neat. I like the sisters.

 

Striker- thanks for reading! I'll start my PM list with you. ^_^ I've really grown attached to these characters myself.

---

[u]Part 2[/u]- Pegasus?s Choice

It was a short eclipse; only a matter of minutes long. The eclipse wasn't a particularly spectacular one either. Though it could be seen throughout most of the United States, few people aside from school children enthusiastic to learn a bit of applicable science paid it any attention. The residents of Asatara, a small suburb of Chicago, had no idea that life in their community was about to get more exciting, for better or for worse.

Damia Devi gazed vacantly out the classroom window up at the darkened sun. Brushing auburn air out of her face, she sighed. Damia had stopped paying attention to her history teacher shortly after his drawling explanation of John Adam's presidential election. Her mind was elsewhere.

[i]There's the track meet today. I should be warming up now, not sitting here. Plus, it's my birthday! People should be allowed to miss school on their birthday. Mom wouldn't let me though. I know Krista got to on her birthday last year...[/i]

For a moment, Damia thought she saw something white and glittering zip through the sky. Blinking to clear her vision, she couldn't be sure she saw it at all. It wasn't a plane or a bird, if it hadn't just been a figment of her imagination.

What Damia somehow didn't see was the eerily strange circus tent descending on huge balloons into the outskirts of town.

***

Hysterical laughter and choruses of ?Free at last!? and ?Now the fun begins!? reverberated through the stale darkness. Grotesque and bizarre clowns, acrobats, jugglers, and all manner of circus performers tumbled and frolicked.

One hoarse laughing voice rose above the rest. ?The Dark Moon will rise again and soon the whole world will behold Queen Nehelenia's beauty,? a hunched and wrinkled figure that didn't look entirely human declared triumphantly. The crowd below her high platform echoed her words, shrieking and laughing. In one of her knobby hands, she grasped a twisted staff that may have been made of bone. Perched atop it was a single roving eye with wings and a torch-like flame sprouting from the top. ?Sahara Quartet!? she boomed.

Four young acrobatic boys flipped and cartwheeled into the center of the ring below and saluted. ?Yes Zirconia!? They chorused.

?You must find Pegasus,? he commanded, ?Without the Golden Crystal he carries Queen Nehelenia cannot break free of the prison that the Queen of the White Moon locked her in so long ago. We know he is near by. The Amazoness Trio has tracked him this far.?

?Finding one winged horse in a town like this shouldn't be hard,? the boy with his long red hair tied in a braid, TouTou, scoffed, ?Where could he possibly hide??

?Fool,? Zirconia sneered, ?This Pegasus guards Elysion, the realm of dreams. He'll surely hide in the dreams of some beautiful dream now that he knows we are searching for him.?

?In a dream mirror, then?? the oldest boy, who had long, sleek blond hair, asked.

?Exactly,? Zirconia laughed, ?I'm surprised at your clever thinking AthoAtho.?

?But how do we know it?s the one?? NikNik, a boy with unkempt blue hair, asked.

?You stick your head inside and look around,? Zirconia rasped impatiently.

?How do we find the person whose mirror he's hiding in?? TouTou asked.

?They will have beautiful dreams,? he said with a sneer.

?Oh,? the fourth boy, ParPar, commented. His green hair was in an unflattering bowl cut.

?I have chosen your first targets for you,? Zirconia said. Zircon, the winged eye that had perched on Zirconia's staff, flew over the heads of the boys and dropped a poster with a photo clipped to it.

AthoAtho picked it up. ?Two girls?? he asked skeptically, ?A track meet??

?Those two are rivals. They are the best sprinters at this meet and they both dream of being even faster. Which one of you will take this one?? he asked.

?I will,? the blue-haired boy volunteered.

?Good,? Zirconia said, ?NikNik, target whichever of the two wins an

 

Great post, here. Just like a SM episode here. Nice little battle scene here.

 

Thanks! I kind of like to write episodal stories for Sailor Moon. Fight scenes are tough for me, but I think I'm finally enjoying writing them.

Here's some more! We're back to the three sisters again.

And for curiosity's sake, here's some art of the characters:
The Three Sisters
The other four sailors
The Amazoness Trio
The Amazon Quartet

---

[u]Part 3[/u]- The Battle Begins

?So HOW does THIS sound?? Tacita asked loudly, her pitch, rhythm, and stresses irregular

Malia winced, speaking and signing back, ?A little loud, and you are stressing some words kind of weird. Concentrate on keeping your voice even and try no to put so much air into it.?

?Is this better?? Tacita asked again. Now her voice was barely audible but still with a strange cadence.

Her younger sister sighed and sat back into her chair, ?Now you?re far too quiet.?

The deaf girl threw her hands up in the air in exasperation then signed, [i]'This is so hard and frustrating! I don?t even know where to start!'[/i]

?I think you're being a little too hard on her, Malia,? Charisse commented as she brushed through the dining room. ?Tacita can't hear what normal speech sounds like to get used to what it feels like.?

?Sorry,? Malia got up and gave her older sister a big hug the stood back so she could sign as she spoke, ?You?re doing great so far! I couldn?t have done better!?

Tacita smiled shyly and signed back, [i]'Thanks. I appreciate the help.'[/i]

?Though,? Malia advised, ?Next time you're Sailor Cocytus, make sure to pay attention to what normal talking feels like.?

[i]'I definitely will,'[/i] Tacita signed back, smiling, [i]'I really am lucky to have these powers. Although, now I know what I'm missing.'[/i]

?Hey you two!? Charisse, their blond older sister, called from the front door, ?It?s time to go now!?

??Kay!? Malia answered then signed to Tacita, [i]'Time to go.'[/i] The two got up from the table, picked up their bags, and hurried for the door.


When they arrived at school they went their separate ways; Malia to algebra, Charisse to chemistry, and Tacita to English. Not even a whole week had passed since the sisters first entered their new school, but they already fell into the rhythm of the school year at Elk Valley.

In her first class, Tacita always sat in the front, right corner and Ashley Higgins, her new found friend, sat next to her. They did the same in art and American history as well. Between Ashley and the other friends she had introduced Tacita to, Tacita had a friendly face and someone to sit with in every class. Ashley and her friends, especially Ashley, jumped at every opportunity to learn bits of sign language from Tacita. It was a sort of inclusion that Tacita hadn't felt outside of her own family before, and it thrilled her.

Ashley, a girl with dancing green eyes and a constant grin, plopped down in her seat next to Tacita and burst right into conversation. She took great care to move her lips and look at Tacita as she spoke. Smiling, Tacita quickly took out her notebook and a pencil.

?So,? Ashley began, ?How far did you get on that essay? It?s really hard! I don?t like it one bit and I?m not very far. It scares me that it?s due tomorrow already.?

Tacita nodded and wrote in response, ?I do think it is hard, but my sister Malia gave me a few pointers, and now it is going much more smoothly.?

?Oh!? Ashley exclaimed, ?What were they??

Tacita drew her notebook back to her and jotted down the five suggestions that her younger sister had given her the night before then tore out the page and gave it to her friend.

Ashley took the paper thankfully and scanned it over.

The bell rang and their English teacher, Mrs. Lindell, strode from her desk to the front of the room and began reading off the morning announcements, signing as she went. W

 

Awesome fanart. I loved Tacita sounding out like that in the beginning. Little touches like that, you know? I like Mrs. Lindell, too. Good to see the problems of deafness addressed here. Nice post, here. can't wait for more!

 

Striker- Thanks for sticking with me. I've not encountered that many deaf people in my school system, so I was kind of guessing on what would be realistic. I'm glad it seemed believable.

And now we're back to Damia and friends.

---

[u]Part 4[/u]- Rivals and Allies

It had been three days since her birthday, when Damia first became Sailor Elysion. Since then, nothing strange had happened to indicate that day had been anything other than a dream. Other than, of course, the tiny winged horse in the chalice on her bed side table that kept talking to her.

Pegasus.

And, to be honest, she didn't mind him, figment of her imagination or no. The things he said made her feel like she was living in a secret fantasy land. It was a lovely escape from middle school life; a day dream.

He told her about the strange circus boy; how he belonged to a terrible group called the Dead Moon Circus that presumably wanted to take over the world.

He also told her that these powers of hers were not new at all. That, in fact, in a past life, she had been Sailor Elysion, a guardian of the ancient Earth. It was almost too much to fathom, but she couldn't help but trust him, if only from wishful thinking. Damia might not be the fastest runner or the most popular girl in Asatara, but she did have a secret past and magical powers. That, at least, made her special.

Not that she remembered even a moment of her supposed past, but it was fun to believe.

Smiling, she finished dressing and put the small red sphere in her pocket.

With a familiar twinkling sound, Pegasus appeared in the top of his chalice. ?Good thinking, Damia,? Pegasus praised, ?Although the Dead Moon has been quiet for the last few days, they will certainly strike again. You should never be without that, your transformation sphere.?

?So why are they attacking people for their Dream Mirrors anyway?? Damia asked, perching on the edge of her bed, ?You didn't explain that.?

?Well, the land I live in, it's called Elysion, the Realm of Dreams,? Pegasus explained slowly, as if unsure where to begin. ?The dreams of the people of Earth are very powerful, and it seems that the people of the Dead Moon want to enter in. They have been bombarding it from all angles for some time now, but do not have the incantation to enter. The tome this incantation is written in has been hidden in the dreams of The Secret Keeper.

?There is also the Golden Crystal. It was the most powerful treasure of the Earth Kingdom, and heirloom. I have been?? he stopped himself. Beginning again more confidently, he said, ?That too has been hidden away in the dreams of a beautiful dreamer. Those power-hungry villains could easily want either or both. If they had either, especially the Golden Crystal, the devastation they could bring to this planet...? Pegasus trailed off.

?Damia, if you don't hurry up, you're going to be late!? her mother called from down the hall.

Quickly checking her watch, Damia rose from the bed and went to collect her backpack.

?Before you go,? Pegasus said with some urgency, ?Look at the other transformation spheres?the blue one. I believe Sailor Erebus is ready to reawaken. You must take it to her today. You will need her help in this fight.?

Damia retrieved the small box she had received on her birthday from under her bed. Opening it, she reached for the sphere with the winding spiral symbol engraved on it. She asked, ?But how will I know who?? As her fingertips touched its smooth surface an all-too-familiar face flashed before her: proud blue eyes and silvery hair tied back into a bun.

Damia drew her hand back in surprise. ?Wait, no,? she protested frantically, ?How can she, of all people, be a Sailor Soldier like me??

Pegasus shook his head. ?Bring it to her today. You never know when the Dead Moon will strike, so you must get it to her as soon as you can,? he urged. Instantly, the top of the chalice reappeared and he was gone.

?Damia, hurry up!?

***

Darkness and silence.

Even the ever-laughing shadows uttered not a noise under the big top. Nehel

 

And the next Sailor Warrior appears! I sense tension here with them... Good little fight, there. I'll stick by you.

 

Group tensions are fun. The canon girls always got along really well, beyond the occasional Rei/Usagi bickering.

---

[u]Part 5[/u]- Brewing Storms

?Malia!? her raven-haired teacher scolded, ?Pay attention!?

The young red-haired girl snapped out of her daydream. ?Could you please repeat the question?? she asked, doing her best to sound attentive and respectful.

Her math teacher sighed, ?Could you please give me what x is equal to??

?Um,? Malia pondered, ?positive 3 or negative 7, I believe.?

?Correct,? the teacher said then directed her attention elsewhere, ?Moving on, Teresa, what do those two numbers represent on the graph??

?Uh, well,? she girl stammered, brushing her violet hair from her face nervously, ?I think it is? well? I don?t know.?

The teacher held back a groan. ?Does anyone else know the answer?? she asked impatiently.

Malia tentatively raised her hand.

?Does anyone besides Malia know the answer?? The teacher demanded.

No one moved. Malia only raised her hand higher.

?Alright,? she sighed, ?What is it Malia??

?The x-intercepts of the parabola,? she answered.

?Correct,? the teacher commended halfheartedly. Then she paused, preparing to lecture the class, ?How is it that Malia, two years younger than the rest of you, is the only one in this class who knows all of this? I seriously suggest the rest of you get your act together. You are in the advanced math class here. I expect to see advanced work from all of you. To get that through all of your heads, I am adding problems twenty to twenty-five to your normal assignment tonight. You all, obviously, need more practice. Make sure you all understand this before tomorrow or at least have some good questions to ask so that you will be able to understand it. I've said this before, but I am always available before and after school for questions. Take advantage of that if you are lost.?

Half of the students in the class groaned and several shot angry glances at Malia, who pretended to be unbothered.

The bell rang and everyone bolted. Malia took her time gathering up her stuff and slowly left the room, carefully avoiding the teacher?s gaze. As she passed through the doorway, one of the older boys growled softly, ?Thanks a lot Malia!? He slapped her hard on the back, hard enough for her to trip and fall to the floor, spilling her books everywhere. The boy and his friends laughed, and continued along their way.

Despite her embarrassment, the red-haired girl gathered up her books and stood up with a look of cold indifference on her face.

Being a grade ahead did have its drawbacks, like the envy everyone else had, her size, and the difficulty in making friends. Some teachers loved having her in their classes. Others, like her math teacher, resented it almost as much as the other students did.

?I wish the teachers wouldn't make such a big deal about my age,? she murmured to herself as she made her way through the halls, head down. ?Once one mentions it in front of the class, the whole school might as well know. Only, my size is a dead give away, anyway.?

***

Malia, as usual, ate alone at lunch. Unlike Charisse and Tacita, Malia hadn't made any close friends yet and was too nervous to sit down amidst any of the established cliques. Though, it was only the second week of school, so she wasn't too worried yet.

The weather was nice, so she made here way out of the cafeteria and found a nice spot outside on the grass near the fence and sat there on the ground. She ate for lunch, always what she packed, usually leftovers from the night before. School lunch had never appealed to her, especially the terrible artificial egg omelets. She didn?t like eggs to begin with, but powder eggs were the bottom line, as far as she was considered.

After devouring her cold lasagna and granola bar, Malia opened up her math book, flipped open her calculator, and began work on her homework. The less homework she had for the evening meant the more time she could spend relaxing, as well as teaching Tacita how to speak.

The assignment went quickly

 

Ah, poor Malia. I can empathize with her. Glad to see Teresa swallowing her pride and asking for help.

 

It's the trouble of being a smart kid, isn't it?

---

[u]Part 6[/u] - A New Wind

Damia woke early from vivid dreams of Pegasus, as she had every night since she became Sailor Elysion. Pegasus lived in the dream realm, so it was only natural that they meet while she slept. Every morning when she awoke, she felt like she knew more of the old Earth kingdom that she guarded. Some nights, she soared through a happy past where the crystal wood was lush and green and the pools sparkled in the moonlight. Other nights, she was met with the horrible reality of now. The temples stood in ruins, huge craters cut through the forest, and the entire realm was cloaked in darkness and cobwebs.

Last night was one of those nights. She awoke with a resolve to stop the Dead Moon and reclaim Elysion.

As she stretched in the early morning light, a ray of sun caught a small round object sitting on her nightstand.

Automatically, she picked it up. It was almost like her own red transformation sphere, but this one was light green. Marked in black on its smooth face was a strange symbol resembling a plus sign missing the right side of the cross with an arch across the top left corner and a curved tail ending the curve off the top. As she held it in her hand, a familiar face flashed before her.

?Nerine!? she exclaimed.

A twinkling noise behind her announced the arrival of Pegasus in his chalice. "The Lady of Aether is ready to reawaken," he explained.

?It was Nerine all this time,? Damia mused. ?No wonder I liked her.?

Pegasus chose not to comment on the rivalry between her and Erebus. ?Fate had it that you four would be reborn near the same time in nearly the same place.?

Damia nodded as she pulled on a pair of jeans and pocketed the crystal sphere in her jeans. She squirmed into a plain violet t-shirt then settled back down on her bed. "Have I told you that there are seven Terran Soldiers?" he asked.

Damia shook her head, surprised, "From the number of these spheres, I thought there were only four of us."

"True, there are just four of you close by," the white winged horse explained, "but there are three more, far from here, who have also just recently awakened. The Dead Moon has two fronts as you soldiers have two fronts. In order to defeat this enemy, you may need the powers of all seven Sailor Soldiers, but the time for that has not yet come."

"So what can I do now?" Damia asked, reclining more into her bed.

"You must awaken the last two Terran Soldiers, strengthen your alliances, and be ready to fight the Dead Moon at any moment,? Pegasus advised. ?I am sorry that this burden is on you, my lady.?

?No,? Damia stammered, ?It's alright. If I have the power to save people from these villains, then I want to do it.?

?Damia! Breakfast is ready!? Kari called, ?You?d better hurry or we?ll miss the bus!?

?Coming!? the brunette called back down. With that, she snatched her backpack and hurried out of the room, shoving the door closed loudly behind her.

Pegasus called after her, though he knew she wouldn't hear, ?Be on your guard, my lady! You never know when they will strike.?

***

?You look smug TouTou,? AthoAtho observed, slinking over to him.

?Because Zirconia let me take the next target while you all where lazing about,? TouTou answered proudly, flipping his long braid behind his back.

?No fair!? ParPar whined as he tumbled down out of the darkness and landed like a cat beside the other two. ?Lemme see!? he demanded and snatched the picture TouTou was holding out of his hands.

?Hey!? the redhead exclaimed.

?She looks boring anyway,? ParPar said dismissively and tossed it to AthoAtho.

?I guess you're right,? he said as he scrutinized the photo.

TouTou snatched it back. ?You just watch, I'll be the one to bring back Pegasus and the golden crystal,? he said smugly and strode off into the darkness.

***

Althea caught up to Damia after they had English class together. ?Damia! Hold up!? she called, striding quickly up to catch her former nemesis before she left the classroom.

?This better be quick?? Dam

 

Another great post. Wish more were reading. Another Sailor Warrior's joined the team. And during lunchtime, no less.

 

A sailor must be ready to do her duty at any time and any place, even if it means a shortened lunch break.

I guess I can't expect too many TFN members to be fans of both lightsabers and miniskirting-sailor senshi. ^_^

---

[u]Part 7[/u]- Charisse?s Dreams

Charisse lay awake in bed, awaiting the buzz of her alarm clock, yet dreading it all the same. On the floor below her, she heard a door shut and a car rumble into motion for the second time that morning. ?That must be Mom,? she muttered and rolled over, opening her eyes, which stubbornly resisted. The glowing green numbers on her clock displayed ?6:29.? Moments later, the digits switched to ?6:30,? accompanied by an persistent buzzing. Charisse quickly switched off the alarm and rose stiffly from bed.

By the time her two sisters groggily descended the stairs into the kitchen, Charisse had already washed, dressed, and started frying eggs for their breakfast.

?So Mom leaves for Russia today?? Malia asked as Charisse set a plate of friend eggs and toast in front of her. When Tacita nodded, she continued, ?She said she?d be gone for around three weeks.?

?The Russians don?t seem eager to adjust their trade policy,? Charisse agreed, sitting down with her own plate.

?I hope it goes well,? Tacita added shakily.

The other two nodded in agreement and then dug into their food.

After breakfast, Charisse packed three bag lunches while her younger sisters finished readying themselves for school.

As they walked up the road to Elk Valley High, a cold gust of wind blew down from the mountains. They wrapped their jackets more closely around them, shivering.

?It?ll be an early snow,? Malia observed.

[i]'No matter what, it will be earlier than we're used to,'[/i] Tacita commented.

?I have to stay after today for debate practice,? Charisse said, but neither of her cold and groggy sisters responded.

***

The strange winged eye, Zircon, fluttered past the trio of women lounging in the back of the dark circus tent, having a drink. It glided back around them a second time before disappearing behind a tent flap.

?That thing is weird,? OrcaEye whined, sipping at her cyan-hued drink.

?Zirconia is probably spying on us, making sure we?re doing our job,? OspreyEye said, rolling her eyes.

LionEye, who was ignoring her drink in favor of the snapshots spread out on the bar in front of them, murmured her agreement. A moment later, she snatched a photo of sweet and intelligent looking blond girl. ?This one looks promising!? she exclaimed, sounding pleased.

OspreyEye, in turn, snatched the picture from her.

?Hey!? the golden-haired woman exclaimed, trying and failing to reclaim the photograph.

?Hm,? OspreyEye mused with a smirk as she held the photo out of LionEye's reach, ?You only say that because you think she?s cute.?

?Well?? LionEye stammered and blushed.

OrcaEye shrugged, ?Zirconia says that Queen Nehelenia is sure that it?s in a girl. She might as well enjoy the cute girls. Though, even she could be wrong.?

?That reminds me,? OspreyEye said, lowering the picture, ?Have either of you actually seen Nehelenia, the woman we?re doing all of this for??

?I spied on Zirconia once, when she was talking to her,? LionEye admitted, ?But all I could see in that mirror was her silhouette. She won?t show her face, not even to Zirconia.?

?Sometimes I wonder if she even is a real person,? OspreyEye sighed.

?But we?ve got a job to do!? OrcaEye snapped suddenly, snatching the picture from her companion. ?This girl does have potential though. She seems to be intelligent.?

?Right!? LionEye jumped to her feet and moved towards OrcaEye to take the photo away, ?I?ll just be??

?I?m going this time,? she said firmly, ?You two have already had a chance at it and failed. It's my turn.?

?Fine,? LionEye responded, glaring at the silver-haired woman, and returned to her seat.

Without another word, OrcaEye rose and departed.

?But if it is her, I get some of the credit for picking her out,? LionEye called after her.

OrcaEye only laughed.

***

?Your essays on the themes of your ind

 

Yeah, sorry about the poor readership. Good post, here. man, that teacher... I've had ones like that. A new attack for Hemera, cool!

 

No worries on that. I've got my own SM fanfiction site that gets a fair bit of readers, but I don't get so much feedback, due to the nature of the site.

And now we have the final addition to the team.

---

[u]Part 8[/u]- Bring the Storm


Damia returned to her room after breakfast to finish getting ready for school. Pegasus had not yet appeared, but Damia felt confident that he would. Not a morning went by that he didn't wish her well before school. After dressing, she paced aimlessly about her room, slowly plaiting her hair into a long French braid down her back.

There was a twinkling noise and Damia spun excitedly around to see Pegasus staring at her from his chalice. ?When you do your hair like that, you look more and more like the Lady of Elysion,? Pegasus sighed, almost sadly.

?A friend from your past?? Damia asked; her arms bent awkwardly behind her head as she braided.

Pegasus nodded and replied softly, ?Yes. A very close friend.? He remained pensively silent for quite some time.

Having finished braiding, Damia broke the silence, ?There?s been no sign of those Sahara boys for a couple of days now. What do you think they?re up to??

?Probably arguing,? Pegasus scoffed, and then added, ?They might be looking for the perfect target and the perfect time to attack. Though, they haven't been known to bother with such subtleties.?

?Now you said they?re looking for the Golden Crystal inside Dream Mirrors, but you didn?t say how it got in there in the first place,? Damia observed as she plopped back down onto her bed again, ?You said it was a treasure guarded in Elysion. Shouldn't it still be there??

?It's because, ah...,? he began but sheepishly turned his long white face away from her, ?That, unfortunately, I cannot tell you.?

?Why not?? Damia demanded. ?Don?t you trust me??

?I do,? he stammered, ?But some knowledge is dangerous to know. I want you to safe. ?

Damia pouted and stared out the window, away from Pegasus? chalice.

Feeling a little ashamed, Pegasus began, ?Damia, I??

Just then, the little silver sphere resting near Pegasus? chalice caught her attention. It flashed brilliantly in the early morning light. She gingerly picked it up and closed her eyes, letting the vision wash over her. The girl she saw had dark black hair tied back into a ponytail, and, as the image came into focus she immediately recognized the girl?s intense blue eyes. ?Indira,? she breathed.

?It looks like it?s time again,? Pegasus said. ?Is this Indira a friend of yours??

?Not really a friend,? Damia answered, ?Indira is a year ahead of me and sort of a loner, but she seems nice enough.?

?I suspect this means there will be another attack today,? he said, shaking his mane. ?You should gather the other girls and seek her out as quickly as you can.?

***

Althea reclined back on the library steps with her legs sprawled out unceremoniously on the cement stairs as Damia paced nearby. ?You did tell Nerine that we were meeting at 1:30, didn?t you?? Althea asked and yawned.

Fidgeting and glancing at her watch for the twentieth time that minute, Damia replied, ?Yeah. She?s already ten minutes late though.? While being around Althea was still uncomfortable for Damia, over the last few days their relationship had improved inch by inch. They both grudgingly accepted that while they didn't need to be new best friends, they at least had to be civil enough to work together.

?I hope this is quick, Damia,? Althea said as she twisted her ponytail again, ?Chris and I were planning to go to an art show together.?

?Oh, is Chris your boyfriend?? Damia asked, suddenly interested.

?No, you idiot, [i]she[/i] is one of my best friends,? Althea snapped.

Just then, Nerine came panting up to the front of the library. ?So sorry I?m late guys,? she apologized quickly, ?I totally lost track of time and then I couldn?t find my bike lock, so I had to run here.?

?We can see that,? Althea murmured and then addressed Damia, ?So are we going to have our little chat right here??

Straightening up

 

Yeah, the fourth one is dangerous! Nice action, there. And the team is assembled!

Sorry, I don't recall getting a PM... but probably forgot. *Sigh* Great post.

 

Wups. My bad probably. My internet also may have spazzed out on me and it didn't send. I won't forget again.

Here we have the Trey sisters taking the fight to the baddies.

---

[u]Part 9[/u]- Under the Big Top


Tacita and her friend Ashley picked their way across the lunch room, in search of an empty place to put themselves and their trays. Finally finding the end of one of the long tables vacant, the two girls quickly took their seats before anyone else could.

Ashley immediately began to pick unenthusiastically at the macaroni casserole on her tray. ?If I wasn?t hungry, I wouldn?t eat this,? she murmured down at it.

?What?? Tacita asked her new-found shaky voice. Ashley, her homeroom teacher, and her sisters had been working tirelessly with her to practice speaking, now that she knew what it felt like to speak, thanks to her time as Sailor Cocytus.

Ashley blushed and looked up, ?Sorry, I wasn?t facing you. I just said that I wouldn?t eat it if I wasn?t hungry. Isn?t it gross-looking??

Tacita smiled, wishing she wasn?t afraid of what her laughs might sound like, and scooped a heaping forkful of the casserole into her mouth. She swallowed then carefully responded, ?But it tastes good.?

Ashley made a sour face. ?Bearable is a better word,? she said. The two ate without conversation for a while, though it certainly wasn?t quiet around them. Ashley understood that conversations were tough for Tacita, and she herself hadn?t yet learned enough sign language to be able to help in any other way.

Suddenly, Ashley looked up, drawn by a noisy crowd gathered by the bulletin board just behind Tacita. Tacked on the crowded board was a large, glossy poster. Over the heads of the crowd she could see balloons and the peak of a strangely-shaped circus tent. Printed in bold letters across it all was ?Dead Moon Circus.?

?Look at that, I don?t remember that being there yesterday,? she said, pointing with her fork.

Tacita twisted around in her chair and peered through the crowd. The instant she glimpsed the title, however, she gasped and quickly turned back to her friend.

?I haven?t seen a circus since I was a little kid!? Ashley said, grinning, ?But don?t you think ?Dead Moon Circus? is a strange name??

Tacita nodded slowly, not returning Ashley?s grin.

?But I?d like to go, if I can, anyway,? she continued.

Tacita could feel the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. The name of the circus couldn?t be a coincidence. No one sane would name their circus something ominous like that. She glanced over her shoulder again and saw the crowd begin to move away.

?Something bothering you?? Ashley asked when she had turned back. ?Don?t like clowns??

Tacita just shrugged and shook her head. ?I want to go look at the poster. I will be right back,? she said, enunciating carefully.

Ashley nodded. ?Find out when it will be,? she said, and dug into her food again.

Tacita swung her legs over the stool and stepped over to the bulletin board. Even if she hadn?t recognized the name ?Dead Moon Circus,? something about the poster struck her as wrong. It was somehow menacing, despite all the bright colors and balloons. Sure enough, show times started the next day and continued on indefinitely. [i]That?s fishy too,[/i] she thought. The tent was already set up in Anchorage ready to perform. She shuddered. [i]They can?t just be bored. This has got to be some kind of trap. I have to tell Malia and Charisse as soon as I can.[/i]

As she continued to stare hard at the poster, trying to pick up any other hidden meanings, a brunette boy walked up behind her to see the poster as well. He took a step back in surprised. [i]It?s the girl I saw in the hall last week! A circus? This might be my chance.[/i]

Acting bolder than he felt, he took a step forward and asked, ?So you?re interested in the circus?? The girl didn?t respond at all, his heart sank. But then again, he reminded himself, the cafeteria was loud enough to drown out a voice as quiet as his. He stepped forward again and put his hand on the poster, and t

 

Great post. loved the fight at the end. And sounds like Zirconia let something slip she shouldn't have.

 

Or maybe she just wanted them to feel bad about themselves.

---

[u]Part 10[/u]- [i]Forgotten Dreams[/i]

?Damia, I?m not so sure about this,? Pegasus stammered from his chalice by her bedside.

Damia sat down on the edge of her bed and studied the tiny winged horse carefully. ?You could have said something earlier, you know,? she retorted. ?I can?t go and un-invite them now. Besides, they?re the other Sailors. Why are you so worried anyway??

?Well,? he started, not meeting Damia?s eyes, ?I just??

?It?s not like anyone knows about you, and a lot of people probably wouldn?t believe you exist even if I told them. I could hardly believe it at first,? Damia argued. ?But Indira, Althea, and Nerine believe me. They?ve got the transformation spheres you gave us and believe that you?ve been giving me advice on all this.?

?Well, it?s just that,? Pegasus said, still avoiding her gaze, ?I?d rather that people didn?t know about me.?

?So introducing yourself to me was just a necessary evil to find soldiers to protect you and your Elysion?? Damia demanded, suddenly offended. ?Is that it??

?No, no. That?s not it at all,? Pegasus replied quickly. Almost urgently, he continued, ?I really wanted to find you. I searched all over for you. While I did, they stole my body, so I had to come find you like this. I?m too weak now without it and I?m afraid I?ll be found.?

[i]?They??[/i] Damia asked, ?You mean the Dead Moon Circus? That?s not your real body??

Pegasus nodded regretfully then straightened up and stretched out his wings, ?Were I able to fly free, you would see me the size of a horse.? He paused, as if unsure to continue, ?But this is only a manifestation of my spirit, since the Dead Moon Circus tried to capture me. In truth, I am a man.?

?You?re what?? Damia stammered in disbelief, ?So I have a man, or the spirit of a man that looks like a winged horse living in my room? I certainly hope my mother doesn?t ever find out.?

Pegasus blushed and said quietly, ?I hope so too.?

Damia found herself at a sudden loss for words.

After a long silence, Pegasus finally said, ?I really had hoped to meet you as my true self, but I made a mistake and was looking in the wrong place. I fell right into their trap. I?m sorry.?

?Don?t be sorry,? Damia protested and locked his tiny amber eyes in her gaze, ?I had no idea. And I promise you, we?ll get your real body back.?

?Damia, I?? he started, but the sound of feet thumping up the stairs stopped him. In an instant, he faded away and only a lifeless chalice remained on Damia?s bedside table.

There was a quick knock at her door, and her little cousin Caya poked her head in. Damia sighed with relief at Pegasus? quick thinking. ?Damia, you?re friends are here!? she informed her, then turned and scurried back down the stairs. Damia swallowed and followed her down.

All three girls already waited in the entry way, Caya chatting happily at them, ?I told her you?re here and she said she?d be right down. I?ve never met you before. You must be new friends from school. I?m Caya.?

?We?re working on sort of a project together,? Althea said.

?Oh, hey, I remember where I recognize you from,? Caya suddenly exclaimed, pointing to Althea, ?You?re the fastest girl on the track team.?

?I just won that one race,? Althea mumbled, looking away from the tiny girl?s bright green eyes.

Just then, Indira finally noticed Damia in her slow decent down the stairs. ?There you are,? she said.

?Hey guys,? Damia said, suddenly finding her heart beating in her throat when she found all eyes on her. [i]I?m supposed to be the leader in all this?[/i] ?Come on up to my room. We can chat up there,? she invited awkwardly.

Damia?s mother stuck her head in from the kitchen wearing a chocolate-splattered apron. ?Sorry I didn?t say so earlier, I was a little occupied,? she said with a chuckle and gesturing to her apron, ?but welcome. These brownies should be finished soon, so I?ll bring you up a plate when they?re done. Now you girls hurry on ups

 

Aww, poor Damia at the end. Good to see everyone getting the story straight so relatively quickly. Great little battle there, too. And nice confirmation of Sailor Moon, too. Can't wait for more!

 

Even though this is in a totally different country, I Sailor Moon and friends are somewhere far, far away.

---

[u]Elysion 11[/u]- [i]Dead End[/i]


Malia sat at her desk in her bedroom doing her homework. Or rather, she stared out the window at the pink shadows that the afternoon sunset cast on the snow-dusted grove behind her house. Transfixed, she had almost forgotten about the algebra in front of her.

?Malia!? Charisse called from downstairs, breaking Malia's trance. ?Malia!?

?What?? she hollered back.

?Grab your sister and get down here!? Charisse yelled.

?What is it??

?Now!?

A few moments later, Malia and Tacita scurried down the staircase and into the family room where Charisse sat on the couch, eyes glued to the TV. ?You guys have to see this,? she said, her voice hushed.

?...here in Asatara, a suburb of Chicago, where we are witnessing a baffling exchange of acrobatics and an unexplainable light show. Hovering above us in the sky is what appears to be a Pegasus...?

As the camera swooped over the scene, a playground scattered with screaming children, Malia gasped. ?Those are dream mirrors?and Sailors!? she exclaimed, then quickly signed the same to Tacita.

?Helios!? Tacita exclaimed awkwardly, then signed, [i]'Those have to be the other four Sailors that Helios mentioned. And those boys must be the Dead Moon Circus.'[/i]

?..have no explanation whether or not this is a show, or how these girls in miniskirts are producing this magic-like display...?

The sisters watched the battle rage and fidgeted through news and commercial breaks until finally, the villains disappeared, followed shortly by the Sailors. As an interview with a girl who had been at the scene and what appeared to be her younger sister began, Charisse started, ?So, what do you think?? she asked.

?I think that if the Dead Moon Circus down there is getting that bold, we need to be even more careful on our guard,? Malia said darkly, ?those circus boys didn't look so strong, and yet, they really hurt two of the Sailors.?

?We have to stop them as soon as we can,? Tacita said with some effort, then added, [i]'And just preventing their attacks won't do it.'[/i]

?She's right,? Malia agreed.

?We still need to prevent their attacks, though,? Charisse pointed out.

[i]'And stopping them at their heart would do that,'[/i] Tacita argued.

?You don't mean going back to the circus?? Charisse asked incredulously.

[i]'I do.'[/i]

?I don't like it,? Charisse said slowly.

?But we never did get a chance to investigate what I found,? Malia said, ?We've got to try to do something.?

?Right,? Charisse said absently, thinking deeply, ?If we're going to do this, the sooner the better. We can't wait for another show to interrupt.?

?Tonight then?? Malia asked.

[i]'Let's do it,'[/i] Tacita sighed and nodded firmly.

?If you're both okay with this...? Charisse began, and both girls nodded vigorously, ?then we go as soon as it's dark.?

***

I don't know what Zirconia expects us to do if those Sailor girls show up at the show again,? LionEye signed as the Amazoness Trio lounged dejectedly at the Dead Moon bar.

?You could ask,? OspreyEye laughed.

?You saw what happened last time we asked something like that,? LionEye retorted.

?I'd say, do what we want to and ask for forgiveness later,? OspreyEye suggested.

?What do you mean?? OrcaEye asked.

?Even if we resort to open fighting,? OspreyEye replied, stretching, ?if we capture or kill those girls, Zirconia is sure to forgive us, or even reward us. She wants victory out of us. And if we don't, well, what's the worst that old hag could do to us??

?I don't know about you guys, but I don't like the idea of us being replaced,? LionEye said slowly after taking a long drink out of her beverage.

?I wouldn't mind taking a break. We deserve it,? OrcaEye sighed.

?But I get the feeling that being replaced would be the end of us, the way Zirconia was talking,? LionEye said darkly.

?Then we can't fail,? OspreyEye replied distantly

 

Ah, great! Loved the Senshi meeting their inner demons/reflections there. Well done, too. It looks like the final battle is beginning.

 

I kind of stole that idea from the Anime. Fighting yourself is always eerie. They really are getting down to business now, and there's still 9 chapters left. Woo!

---

[u]Part 12[/u]- [i]Glimpses of the Past[/i]


Unintelligible chants cheers and songs reverberated throughout the circus tent. Barely visible shadows tumbled, jumped, swung, and flew about at the edge of the light.

?We have them! We have them!? some cried.

?Victory for Queen Nehelenia!?

?The Dead Moon is unstoppable!?

?And what part did you lot have in this?? Zirconia demanded sourly, appearing suddenly upon her platform high above the floor, ?If I recall, those three Sailors got all the way to my private tower without any kind of interruption. The victory was mine.?

?We are fortunate to have such a wise and powerful leader,? a voice rose up out of the darkness.

?Don't try to flatter me,? she spat, ?It will get you nowhere. This is a small victory. We have two of those brats captive, but there are at least five more still out there. We have found neither the Secret Keeper nor the Golden Crystal yet. Now get back to work!? she roared.

The shadowy figures slowly disappeared, mumbling as they went.

?Amazon Quartet!? Zirconia roared, ?Where are you??

?Right here, your hagginess,? ParPar said from his perch on a trapeze, saluting.

Zirconia growled angrily. The other three boys appeared in the spotlight below and ParPar somersaulted down to join them.

?You four still have a lot of work to do. No more of this playing around, understand? Queen Nehelenia's patience is waning? Zirconia boomed.

?Yes, ma'am,? they all chorused in response. All four had their fingers crossed behind their backs.

She grasped a rolled piece of paper in her hands and flung it down to them. AthoAtho snatched it and unrolled it while the others crowded around behind him to get a better look. ?What is this?? AthoAtho asked.

?It is the flier for a school play called 'The Crystal Wood',? Zirconia explained.

?So?? TouTou demanded.

?Hey,? NikNik observed, ?It says here that it's written by a student at Asatara Jr. High, Caroline Wong.?

?Correct,? Zirconia said smirking, ?And it bears remarkable similarity to the legends of Elysion, which no human of today should know. Knowledge of that was lost with the Secret Keeper.?

?You mean, this girl could be the Secret Keeper?? ParPar asked.

?Or the host of the Golden Crystal,? Zirconia nodded.

?Alright!? TouTou said, snatching the flier from AthoAtho, ?I'll take this one then.?

?Hey!? AthoAtho exclaimed.

?Oh no you don't,? NikNik warned, ?I'm not going to let you get all the glory on this one.?

?I'm coming too!? ParPar piped in.

?You can't do this without me either,? AthoAtho put in, trotting after the other three, who had already started off into the darkness, each trying to get possession of the theater poster.

***

[i]Nerine stood in a vast hall of cold gray stone. Ornately carved pillars dotted the room while thick tapestries hung on all the walls. High above, the hall was lit with flickering candle light from immense candelabras. It was somehow both majestic and forbidding.

?You summoned us, Your Majesty?? a young woman?no, a Sailor with curly blond hair and a yellow and pink uniform bowed before a massive throne. Nerine looked around her, and saw other Sailors: Nyx, Erebus, Elysion, and two more she didn't recognize. Following the older girl's lead, they all dropped to one knee and bowed as well.

On the golden throne before them sat an old man, broad shouldered and pot bellied with a thick brown beard. He wore ceremonial armor, a regal red cape, and a golden crown on top of his head. King Endymion. With a curt wave of his hand, he signaled them to rise.

Nerine heard more footsteps approaching from behind. As she turned, she saw four more men in crisp white and brown military uniforms striding towards them. Each had a sword at his side.

?Good, you are all here,? the king began darkly.

?Where is the prince?? the blond sailor

 

Great post! I love the play, there. Good fighting and action.

 

Makes me kind of want to see the play myself.

---

[u]Part 13[/u]- [i]Fate and Fortunes[/i]


Sailor Hemera awakened from her nightmares in an unfamiliar place. Unyielding darkness stretched out in every direction. She wasn't in her own bed, that much was certain. ?Where am I? How did I get here?? she wondered out loud. Her voice fell strangely flat. Reaching out in front of her, her gloved hand met with a glass pane. She shivered and tried to step backwards, but was met by another invisible wall.

She was trapped and alone.

Suddenly, memories came rushing back. A gasp escaped her, ?The Dead Moon Circus! I must be...?

Frantically, she pressed her hands against the glass pane in front of her and squinted out into the darkness. Slowly, slowly, her eyes began to adjust. She was able to make out the shape of a tall mirror, much the same shape and size as the red boards the Amazoness Trio had used to trap their victims. Reflected, no, trapped inside the mirror, she could see another small figure. The sailor uniform, small statures, and high ponytail gave her away.

?Malia!? she yelled, pounding at the glass, but the other girl took no notice.

It seemed like ages as she stared at her younger sister, watching and waiting for some sign of life from Malia, wondering where Tacita was.

Suddenly, Sailor Phlegethon looked up, straining to look through the darkness as Hemera had. Hemera waved madly until she saw her and returned the wave.

Quickly, Hemera signed to her, [i]'Are you alright? Where are we? Where is Tacita?'[/i]

[i]'Yes, I'm okay, we're trapped by the Dead Moon Circus, and I don't know,'[/i] Sailor Phlegethon replied, [i]'Are you okay?'[/i]

[i]'Yeah, I'm fine,'[/i] Hemera signed back sadly, [i]'But I guess this means we failed. I can't see Tacita anywhere.'[/i]

[i]'Either they put her someplace else or she got away,'[/i] Phlegethon reasoned.

[i]'I want to believe that she got away. That way we still have hope,'[/i] Sailor Hemera signed, sighing.

[i]'There has to be a way out of here,'[/i] Sailor Phlegethon commented thoughtfully.

?Oh look, OspreyEye, the prisoners are waving at each other,? OrcaEye mused as she slunk out of the darkness, OspreyEye following her. Somehow, although the sisters couldn't hear each other, her voice rang through loud and clear.

?You idiot!? OspreyEye snapped, ?That's sign language. The brats are talking to each other.?

?Here we thought that leaving you to look at each other would be torture in itself,? OrcaEye said, flashing a threatening grin at both girls, ?But it looks like we're going to have to separate you two.?

?But first, there is something we need to know,? OspreyEye said and suddenly plunged her hand through Sailor Phlegethon's mirror and took her by the throat, ?Where is Sailor Cocytus??

?I don't know,? Phlegethon sputtered as the Amazoness woman lifted her clear off the ground.

?No!? Hemera screamed and pounded on the glass, ?Leave her alone! We have no idea!? They ignored her.

?You're just trying to protect her,? OspreyEye accused, ?She is not in the circus any more. You would know where she would run to, wouldn't you??

?No,? Phlegethon stubbornly replied, growing pale, ?I don't know.?

?Who is Sailor Cocytus when she isn't a sailor?? OrcaEye demanded, stalking over to Phlegethon's mirror prison.

Coughing and sputtering, she answered, ?I don't know!?

?Liar!? OspreyEye screamed and shook her violently before flinging her down. Sailor Phlegethon struck the back of her prison then crumpled to the ground, massaging her neck.

In a flash, OrcaEye stood in front of Sailor Hemera's prison. ?Now we'll see if you will talk more than your friend here,? she threatened.

?No matter how much you torture me, even to death, I will never betray Sailor Cocytus,? she spat.

?You'd let us kill you first?? OrcaEye asked, ?I find that hard to believe.?

?What you hags fail to understand is the power of hope, friendship, and most importantly, love,? she retorted confidently from behind her mirror. There was nothing they could do to her that she wasn't