The Golden Awakening

November 14, 2011

It had been a few days since the day that changed their lives forever..The dark day that would haunt them forever. After the attacks they found themselves suddenly in the temple of Elision, and on the floor of such temple. The transportation method was, -although necessary, it was right of Helios to do so- cruel. All of them with the exception of herself since she did not dream had been put into a slumber that was filled with sweet and pleasant dreams and the realization of this when they woke to find that indeed...their worst fears had been realized.

It was hard on all of them but no one more so than Darien. The man was completely distraught when he realized that the happy moments he was living were only dreams, to know that his wife was truly gone and in the hands of their enemy with their unborn child. He was alone, Pluto had sent Rini and the Asteroids back to the future for her safety. It was too dangerous for the princess to exist in two places at once and Pluto trusted the guardians to protect the princess. This act seemed to only further Dariens depression and he had taken up residence inside the temple. Everyone had avoided him for the most part, believing that he needed space to come to terms with what had happened and collect himself.
Which was foolish.

Pluto understood that he needed time to accept this but there wasn't time. The longer they waited the more of a chance of their future changing which was why she found herself in search of their broken prince. Her black uniform was in stark contrast with the golden walls of the temple and her boots made a light clicking that bounced off the otherwise empty space. The dark woman walked until she came to a corridor of rooms and she paused, setting the bottom of her Garnet Rod on the floor as she waited, and listened for any clues as to where Darien could be. No one had seen him, not even Helios so this was really a small adventure and after checking pleantly of rooms she finally found him..deep within the temple tombs. It's quite lonely down here. She said quietly to get his attention.

There had never been a time when she could relate to him more, the sadness, the overwhelming loneliness..she knew those both well, could be the poster child for them but she also knew that you had to push on through and force yourself to keep living. We have missed you in the camp.

He had found these deep chambers some time ago; how long, he didn’t exactly know. He had found them, stood in a corner facing out, and slid down the wall until he was seated, his knees bent before him, his elbows resting on his knees with his hands pressing the hair off of his forehead, his eyes darting back and forth as he tried to figure out what had happened. He had been getting ready for the wedding, Andrew was there, and Sammy, and Artemis, and they were joking lightheartedly with him; he had been so nervous, despite having looked forward to the day for what seemed like forever, and had nearly jumped out of his skin when Hotaru knocked on the door to tell them it was time. They had entered the chapel from the side, stood where they needed to stand – he remembered how full the audience had been, so many people, with Serena’s parents on the first pew on the bride’s side, and Helios, Lizzy and Samantha sitting in the second on his – and he remembered the thrill of excitement when the music started for the bridal party to enter. He remembered the eight girls entering, splitting off to either side – Amara, Michelle and Trista standing on his side to equal out the bridesmaids; he remembered Michelle winking at him when she passed in front of him. And then she had entered, and it was like time had stopped. She had been so beautiful, walking down the aisle blushing, but with that cute bounce in her step. She had handed her bouquet to Mina and took his hands – he remembered he couldn’t think of anything else, couldn’t focus on anything, as soon as her hands were in his, his eyes on hers. And then -

And then -

His brows furrowed, his face collapsing as he tried for the thousandth time to remember what had happened; the next thing he could remember was waking up in Elysion, and Serena wasn’t there. Something had happened, he was sure of it, the pain in his chest testament to the event he couldn’t remember. His hands grasping his hair and pulling, he went through what he remembered again. And again. And again. But he just couldn’t remember what happened. However, one thing was clear: he had failed her. He had failed her again. Tears, warm and unwelcome, trickled down his cheeks, his chin, and landed warmly and wetly on his tuxedo shirt. What had happened?

His hands shook as they ran through his hair roughly, gripping the back of his head as he fought not to cry. He couldn’t. He wasn’t allowed to – he had to figure out what happened to her, he had to get her back. He turned his attention roughly to his dream: everyone dreamed when they entered Elysion; what had he dreamed? Why did he wake up?

What had he dreamed? He concentrated, directing his thoughts. Why did he wake up?


~It was warm and bright, like sunshine on his skin. He opened his eyes, waking up, and saw Serena there, sharing his bed, facing him with her blue eyes open and lips smiling. She took his hand and pulled him up, kissing him softly before she disappeared, walking out of the room wearing only one of his button-up shirts. He smiled and followed her, noticing the silver band on his left ring finger and feeling a heat swell pleasantly in his chest. They were in his apartment; when he got out of the short hallway, he turned to see her sitting on one of the high stools by the breakfast bar, resting her chin on her left hand and smiling; his golden band on her left finger, beneath their engagement ring. Happily, he went into the kitchen, pulled on an apron, and turned back to her.

“What can I get you for breakfast, Mrs. Shields?”

She smiled, biting her lip and looking up as if making a difficult decision, her index finger tapping her cheek thoughtfully. He bent to get a pan from beneath the counter, and when he straightened...~


The dream began to fade away, but Darien concentrated even harder, determined to know what had happened, ignoring the tightness in his chest as his desires paraded across his memory so happily – a life with Serena, protecting the Earth together, that was all he ever wanted, and the reverie was a world he wanted to live in forever. But he had to know – why did he wake? So he concentrated.


~And when he straightened, Serena was gone. He looked around with some concern, poking his head out from the breakfast bar, and saw a woman sitting on the couch, the window outside filled with rain and lightning now. She had brown hair pulled up in a ponytail topped in two green ribbons, but it wasn’t Lita. He stepped out and around, moving towards her, finding he was now wearing a tuxedo instead of the apron and boxer shorts but being uninterested in the change, only the girl on the couch who looked away from him.

“Who are you?” he asked; she didn’t turn, and he moved around the coffee table to get a good look at her. Brown hair, with two green-dyed sections, she wore a green dress with black gloves. Her eyes were closed tight; she was crying. “What’s wrong?” he asked, but a noise made him look up to see a blonde little boy in a pirate outfit looking back at him – he recognized the boy from a night in September, and was about to ask him who he was and what he was doing there when, laughing, he disappeared again. When he looked back down at the girl, an all-too-familiar sigil had appeared on her forehead: a black crescent moon, pointing downward.

The Black Moon Clan.~


That was it. That was when he woke up, that was what he had forgotten. Fear swept through him as his mind raced with the possibilities, things falling into place. The girl – he had seen her somewhere before. A friend of Lita’s? Yes, a friend of Lita’s, she was also at the wedding, sitting on his side near the back – he could remember her now, could remember seeing her in the pews, looking up at him before the ceremony started. She had looked worried, sad – What happened at his Wedding?! Black Moon Clan – the Black Moon Clan had returned; how could they have been so blind?! Black Moon Clan…


Darien Shields, will you take this woman, Serena Moon, to be your lawful wedded wife, to love, honor and cherish her through sickness and in health, through times of happiness and travail, until death do you part? OOC NOTE: WE NEED TO TALK WEDDING VOWS. Lol; --to be filled in later-

“If anyone has good reason why these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace,”

He just held her hands, looking at her, confident that no one would say anything – the phrase was only a nod to history, no one had any reason to – but… he remembered now. Diamond. Diamond appeared instantaneously, silently, and was suddenly behind Serena, snatching her away. He had stepped forward to oppose him, but Diamond, one hand holding Serena to him with an arm across her shoulders, had made a tsking noise, placing a hand on Serena’s stomach. “Ah ah ah, Prince, Wouldn’t want to harm the little one, now would you? One good blast from my Dark Crystal should end it, don’t you think?”

His blood ran cold.

Fear immobilized him, freezing him in place as surely as any ice attack ever had. He could do nothing. Nothing! His eyes met Serena’s, who looked back at him, her fear palpable, her pupils constricted in terror. He could do nothing. He reached out for her, she reached back to him, and they just disappeared.

He remembered the appearance of the Black Moon Clan. The Earth shaking beneath his feet. He remembered the girls starting to yell out transformation phrases as attacks were launched towards them. He remembered Helios standing and raising his arms wide…

And then he had dreamed.


“It’s quite lonely down here.” the soft voice said from the doorway. He didn’t look up. He didn’t want to talk to anyone. He wanted to stay there, by himself, and figure out what to do. He had to save her. He had to. The look of terror on her face – she must be so afraid. He was terrified. … She was alone. He closed his eyes, hiding his face as he brought his hands back to supporting his forehead, staring at the white-marble ground before him and willing himself not to cry. His visitor, Trista judging by the sound of her voice, remained. There was a small click, and he realized she must have transformed and was holding her staff. “We have missed you in the camp.” He said nothing, just sat there, in his wedding tuxedo, and waited for her to leave.

But the reminder of her time staff gave him an idea. An empty idea, a desperate idea, an idea he was certain could not work, but he had to ask it anyway. If she had control of time, could they go back to the wedding and stop Diamond before he kidnapped her? “Pluto, can we fix this?” his voice was strange, cracking from days of silence, sounding flat, emotionless, already preparing for the inevitable answer.

Pluto entered more into the room and stood there, watching. It was heartbreaking to see him like this, to see him so broken and down. The two of them, Darien and Serena..had been through so much heartache in their lives, so many trials that this was supposed to be their reward for all of that pain, and some reward it was. She did not understand why no warning had been sent from the future...no sign, nothing. The last time the black moon attacked the king had sent subtitle warnings, but this time...there was none. That thought haunted her and caused Trista to leave the others to return to her time gate.

Three days she had spent there, searching the time streams and looking for some pluasable answer to their problem. Nothing..she even went back to the day of the wedding, a mere ghost existing outside of the time and space of the moment but able to watch everything that had happened. There had been no stopping the events, Diamond had come prepared, had gone for the very thing that he knew they would protect at all cost..even if it meant letting her go. The events that followed Helios transporting them here were horrific. With the Senshi gone it took only moments for the city to be over run, blast of powerful dark energy erupted at certain points in the city. Hundreds of people laid dying or were already dead in the streets...a full force invasion. It took only minutes, the military not even having time to react (not that it would have made a difference but..) before the city was taken and a large, dark floating castle lowered from the sky and took its place where the Crystal Palace should have been.

After watching this Pluto returned to her self in the time gate and collapsed on the floor. How could they fail like that? How could they let this happen? She could fix this, could turn back time and stop everything from happening and as her hand tightened around her staff and her legs moved to stand but, Pluto paused..The last time she had meddled in the time line was when there had been no hope, the planet was dead, the queen in a slumber and the guardians indisposed. There had been no choice then, there only hope was for the Senshi of the past to come and help them.

More and more she thought of her actions, she had broken a taboo but letting small lady travel through time, by letting Sailor Moon and the others to travel to and see their future...a future that did not exist now thanks to events. In that time Sailor Moon had never faced Galxia, never faced Nehelenia or Mistress 9..things in the future were different now and what if she was the cause for that? What if sending small lady back like they had had been the catalyst for all of this new evil? Something had to pave the way for such things and if she was to turn back time to stop Diamond what more powerful and horrible thing would come after him? That thought made her stop and lower her arm and staff back down. This time would be different, they had means to fight; the sailors as well as Tuxedo Mask were alive and well...They had fighters and they could take back their city and save their princess.

When Darien finally spoke to her and asked if there was a way to fix this Pluto looked at him with sad eyes before kneeling down to be level with him. She set her staff to the side and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. There was a time long ago when she held a certain...well, it was a foolish school girl thing. Something she never talked about, even to herself. It was puppy love and she had moved on..somewhat. While she knew that his heart was only for the princess, Pluto still loved and respected Endymion...er..Darien greatly and she did not want to sugar coat her answer with false hope. not in the way you are thinking. She knew her words may anger him and that this was not what he wanted to hear but, there was no other answer she could give him.

His face crumbled and he turned his head aside, away from her, as his loss washed over him in tangible waves. His hand moved from his hairline to covering the ear facing her, trying to hide himself from her gaze, not wanting to feel her pitying eyes on him. He held his breath to keep back a sob, but as the reality sunk in – there was no going back, no fixing this, and Serena was out there alone, sacrificing herself to keep their child safe – it became too much, and he cried, his shoulders shaking visibly with each breath.

Darien was unable to stop himself, the tears and racking sobs continued for nearly five minutes as he thought of her somewhere, afraid and alone. As the fit subsided, he turned to face Pluto, unfolding his arms and clasping his hands away from him as he looked at her, tear trails down his cheeks and his eyes red and puffy. “What—” his voice cracked and he cleared his throat, sniffling, ”What have you guys been doing to get her back?”

Her heart was breaking seeing him like this but she did not know what to do. The glory of the Outers was that they were all masters of their emotions and outbursts like this were never something you encountered in their home and being alone for as long as she had Pluto had long since lost most of her emotions. That had changed when she was reborn into this time but...even so. Slowly, she rubbed her hand that had been on his shoulder in small, awkward circles in hopes to comfort him somewhat...not sure what else to do but after a few seconds of that she dropped her hand and placed it on her knee and just waited quietly until he was done. Crying was good, crying helped push out the pain.

After a few minutes when he finally settled down and looked at her Pluto remained where she was with a stoic face..but her eyes betrayed her. What have they done? Well, nothing really..at least in regards of getting Serena back. It had only been a few days and those days had been spent helping the injured and setting up temporary living quarters. There had been little to no sleep between the Senshi. Yes, there had been talks about how they would go about the rescue but that's all it was..talk. We have been talking of plans but most of our efforts have been to help the injured and other refugees. During his time in hiding they had set out to help anyone they could, offering them a place where it was safe. Helios had given them permission and Elysion had been turned into a camp.

We must be patient and wait, if we storm the castle we risk putting them both in danger...Diamond will not hurt her, Darien. He would not have gone through all this trouble to do that. Not to mention, hurting Serena or the baby would break any sway he had over them. No, if he was smart Diamond would keep them safe but keep the threat up, as long as there was that thread the girls could not touch him. That was why they had to be very careful about how they went about this.

“We have been talking of plans but most of our efforts have been to help the injured and other refugees.” Other refugees? His brow furrowed as she glanced past the statement as though it were well-known, and continued, her tone advisory, “We must be patient and wait, if we storm the castle we risk putting them both in danger...Diamond will not hurt her, Darien. He would not have gone through all this trouble to do that. ”

Hurt her? Her smile, her laugh… the look of fear in her eyes as Diamond took her away. Hurt her?! He wouldn’t dare hurt her, not if he wanted to live! His eyes were aflame in hatred for the Black Moon Prince, knowing at once that even if the bastard never laid a finger on Serena, he might deny him the right to live anyway for threatening both her and their child and imprisoning them. Half of what Pluto said hadn’t made sense; he questioned her further. “What do you mean the injured and other refugees? Are people hurt?! What castle are you talking about?”

A small sigh came from her, not directed toward him...not with the look that had suddenly taken over his eyes but at herself. She had forgotten for a moment that he was not aware of the things she knew, she had assumed and now there were many questions to be answered. Diamond has taken over the Earth..most of the city was destroyed in the initial attacks and what wasn't... Another sigh as she turned slightly to grab the Garnet Rod. As she picked it up Pluto squeezed it slightly, the heart shaped orb at the top detaching itself and floating to her other, open palm.

As the orb touched her hand the gem in the middle began to glow, casting a aura twice the size of the object around her hand. As this was happening images of the city formed in the center..showing the devastation and the large, black crystal palace. He has chosen the spot in which the Crystal Palace would have been.. She told Darien The city is in ruins and what is left has been over run by the black moon. People are given the choice to join with them and live in their cities or..well, we have saved the lucky ones. The orb began to dim until it returned to its regular state and Pluto replaced it back up top her staff. It has only been a few days but already Diamond has taken majority of the world...and is working on taking the rest. Any interference from us and he threatened to harm.. she paused. We can not interfere

His anger only intensified as she spoke, the shock at hearing of the destruction Diamond had wrought giving way to rage and fury as images matched words. Their city was broken, destroyed, buildings fallen in on themselves, and there, at the Infinity bank, where the Crystal Palace was supposed to stand, was a purple- black replica, dark and dangerous even though the image. Already he could see the district that had popped up around the castle, growing from the ruins of the city beneath. As Pluto told him about the ultimatum Diamond had made to the people of Earth and hinted at the consequences dissenters faced, he stood, using a hand to push up off the ground. Blood rushed to his head, reminding him that he hadn’t stood or moved in days, and hadn’t eaten, either. He rocked on his feet for a moment, feeling faint, but gathered strength again and looked down to Pluto, “So nothing has been done? ” his words were low and dangerous.

As he stood Pluto looked up at him and as he spoke her eyes hardened slightly. She had just explained...but, he was hurt and people did irrational things when they were hurt. Hopefully he would have enough of a head on him not to do something stupid. Quietly Pluto stood, grabbing the Garnet Rod and using that as leverage to push herself back to her feet. We have done what we could given the circumstances. She told him calmly, he had every right to be upset but now was not the time to be reckless.

“Well that’s not enough.”

His snarl preceded his march out of the room. Despite his entering the maze of rooms in the temple when he was distraught, now Darien knew the way out as though he had lived there his entire life, seeming to know where each corridor lead without ever physically exploring it; Elysion was of Earth, as was he, and his psychometry was working at its peak in the hallowed halls. It was not long, therefore, when he stepped into the main temple’s open area, his tuxedo shoes stepping soundly over the mosaic floor. He paused there momentarily, looking out between pillars until he spied the small camp of white tents across a grassy plane a good distance from the Temple. His eyes narrowing, he descended the short staircase and strode across the fountain grounds and into the grass, his eyes picking out a few senshi amongst a crowd of broken-looking people, all huddled in their tents or sitting in loose circles.

“SAILOR SENSHI!” he yelled angrily, throwing his voice into the air to surround everything, everyone. Golden Crystal Power burst from his chest, transforming his wedding-day tuxedo into the garb of his past form, Endymion, Prince of Earth, and then continued, radiating out from him and blanketing the crowd. As the golden circle of power spread over the people, their minor wounds were healed, cuts knitting together and scrapes disappearing completely, headaches easing and temperatures normalizing. As the energy passed over the senshi it seemed to stick with them, localizing on them and on a tent near the center of the camp. The light faded as it left their sight, working its magic on the grounds of Elysion. Darien noticed none of that, single-mindedly focused on bringing the Senshi to him and demanding answers.

Her dark eyes looked down when he said that it was no good enough and stormed out of the room. They were doing the best they could and he was to hurt to see that. Pluto followed behind him, staying a few strides behind. With how insistent he was walking he seemed like he was on a mission and she did not want to get in the way of that. Through the corridors he went with her in tow and once they reached the outside something wonderful and frightening happened. Pluto watched as Darien was engulfed in a golden light, straining her eyes and turning her head to the side to protect them from the brightness. As it started to subside Pluto turned her head back to look and was greeted with the imposing form of Prince Endymion, she opened her mouth to address him but before she could a warm golden glow surrounded her, it was different than the feeling of the Silver Crystal. The Silver Crystal was slightly cold and tingly like a cool breeze at night, this was..warm and embracing like the sun and she could feel herself changing.

As the light faded Pluto looked down at herself and saw the changes, gold was entwined within her fuku, it was beautiful...and felt somewhat dangerous. Before she could take her new appearance in any more her eyes caught more golden circles out in the fields where the others were standing. SAILOR SENSHI! the sudden sound and the anger behind it made her jump and she quickly walked over to Darien. My prince.. she addressed him with a slight nod of her head while she stepped to be in front of him so he could address the group as he seemed to want to do and waited for the others.

Hotaru who had not untransformed since the attack at the wedding to be more specific since Diamond had shown. was walking around when she saw a couple of people who needed held she walked over to notice they both had really bad wounds. the black haired teenager knelt down beside the little girl laying her glaive on the ground next to her. she calmly put her hands over the girls wound and a purple glow surrounded her gloved hands and started healing the girl her mind however had gone back to the wedding.

Hotaru saw Diamond phase in behind her princess. she had almost expected something like this but she hadn't voiced her fears. the young senshi quickly pulled her transformation rod from her purse and called out her transformation phrase. she had he glaive pointed at Diamonds back and was ready to attack but what she heard next made her blood run cold. he was threatening Rini she would not attack and threaten the life of her best friend she couldn't. it was than a green haired woman appeared right in front of her the words this woman said still echoed in her head "Sailor Saturn if you value the life of your future princess you will lay down your weapon and take a step back" she had gulped and done exactly what the woman had said it was than Diamond had left with their princess in tow and the rest of the black moon clan had attacked. she went to grab her glaive when the next thing she knew she was waking up in Elysion.

she knew that the city had been over run sh knew Diamond had crowned himself King. she knew none of them were expecting this attack but she couldn't help but blame herself she had sensed the darkness so why had she not been able to do anything. she looked down to notice she had finished healing the little girl but as soon as she moved to the boy a golden light had gone trough and the boy was already healed. she than felt a warm sensation go through her and envelop her and when it cleared she noticed the gold that was with the purple of her Fuku.

SAILOR SENSHI when she heard the angry yell she jumped. she smiled to the two children who were asking her all kinds of questions about being a senshi. "I'm afraid I’m going to have to answer your questions a little later but i promise we will talk later." the black haired girl said putting her hands on the children s heads. she took a hold of the glaive and stood to her full height and walked towards the voice. when she made it to the temple she saw Darien no wait he was Prince Endymion she took a step forward and bowed slightly she than stepped forward and stood next to Pluto. Saturn put the end of the glaive on the ground next to her booted feet. The prince did not seem happy about something causing Saturn to look at Pluto uncomfortably with a questioning look in her purple eyes as she started tapping her leg with the fingers of her free hand. she was not looking forward to what he had to say.

The wedding was enjoyable, everyone was happy and singing and it was a good vibe. But Michelle knew something was terribly wrong. Something was going to happen, but what? The woman kept her eyes wide open, and kept scanning the area.

It all happened too fast, Diamond had appeared and held Serena close and he threatened the unborn princess. Michelle glanced at the physical version and saw that she was uncomfortable. It was too be expected, everything that happened inside of Serena, feelings from the real world, sounds, they appeared inside of her mind.

Michelle reached behind her to grab her wand and when she didn’t feel it, Michelle panicked. The thought that she left it in her purse in the changing room made Michelle curse to herself. How could she be so stupid. Michelle broke away and ran as fast as her heeled feet would and she tore through the room, grabbing her and transforming on the spot. As she was in her uniform, she was able to move faster and summoned her mirror.

She was gone.

When Neptune returned back to the scene Serena was gone and slowly everything was changing. Michelle fell to the ground and slammed her fist against the sidewalk, feeling like she failed as a soldier. She was supposed to protect their future queen.

Now she was standing here, her hair moving gently against her face as she watched the sky, a hard look on her face, her lips thin and her eyes set to kill, they were all transported to Elysion; Rini went back to the future. She wouldn’t forget the look on the girl’s face. Lost and confused and she disappeared so fast, not even Michelle couldn’t help.

SAILOR SENSHI!

The voice of the prince tore through her and she started to walk and she met up with Pluto and Saturn, giving a quick nod her put her fisted hand -the mirror resting tightly against her fingers-, rested it over her hips and bowed, moving a foot behind her and bowing. “My Prince…” he was Prince Endymion now, not Darien.

When Neptune stood up, she waited for orders. He looked distraught. It was expected. But he looked fit to kill as well. Neptune couldn’t fathom what was going through his soul. Neptune wouldn’t even be here if she was in the position. Neptune couldn’t bear the thought of Uranus being ripped away from her. She refused to let go of her mirror. “Let me know what to do my prince and I will do it.” It was the least she could do, Neptune had to fight the tears of sorrow. She was a senshi, she had to be strong. No feelings. Just like how her and Uranus were as they were looking for the Pure Heart Crystals. Strong.

Mina--no--Sailor Venus swallowed to press down her troublesome feelings. She reminded herself that she was doing this for her sanity. She hadn't slept much in these past few days. She couldn't believe her ignorance. The signs were there. Why hadn't she and the other senshi protected the princess? She felt stupid and useless but despite these feelings, she pressed herself to make sure everything went smoothly at the camp. Venus did everything in her power to make this horrible time a little comfortable.

When Venus heard the call of the pained king, she continued the philosophy she had adapted in these past few days, grin and bear it. Silly Mina Valentine was annoyed by Endymion's call. She would have joked about his lack of manners and that he should be punished by a certain someone. (Finishing this off with a wink.)

Venus, however, pushed herself to drop everything to the king's call. It was kind of terrifying, the idea of the usual composed man yelling as he now was. She ached in many places, her limbs and in her chest. As she ran to where the voice originated, she couldn't shake the hollow feeling. It was hard to look any of them in the eye. Venus came in as Sailor Neptune got up. It was an odd thought...bowing to Mamoru--Endymion.

"Yes..." She paused to put in some decorous word but didn't. It was hard seeing her best friend's boyfriend as...king. "What can I do to help?" She forced the words out of her mouth. Venus hated how they sounded. In her eyes, she couldn't do anything right these days.

She was gone. Serena, Serenity, Sailor Moon, whichever, was gone. She had been kidnapped by an unexpected attack on the wedding day. And there was nothing Lita could have done to stop it. Those dreams that Helios had created for them...why couldn't they had been real? She had dreamed of Serena and Darien leaving for their honeymoon and Lita going back to work, she had even spent sometime with her old friends and her new one, Perry. But it had all been a lie, it hadn't been real, just a dream so Helios could transport everyone to Elysion.

Sailor Jupiter had been helping out as best she could since then, offering assistance to Amy to help the injured and she was often making food for everyone there so they wouldn't starve. The senshi were wrecks, needless to say and Jupiter could only imagine Darien was in a worse state than them. All the bliss and tranquility that was supposed to come after their marriage may never happen now. Crystal Star even seemed unlikely now. And Rini? The unborn child...what might Diamond do to Serena and Darien's unborn child?

Jupiter was outside of the temple, bandaging a little girl's scraped arm and reassuring her everything would work out for the best. The she saw Darien com storming out of the temple, his tuxedo from the wedding still on and Jupiter blinked back the tears that came rushing to her eyes. She watched his eyes scan the crowd and after finishing the bandage she rose, only to hear him screaming. "Sailor Senshi!" She saw a gold mist floating around the refugees and senshi and through it she saw Darien turn to Endymion. She was engulfed by the warmth that she felt and finally it vanished, however it left it's memory on her fuku.

Slowly, she walked over to the waiting Prince and saw Venus, Neptune, Saturn, and Pluto were already there. She gave a polite nod of her head to everyone and slightly and awkwardly she bowed quickly before looking directly at her...prince. "Yes, Prince Endymion?" She asked as she adjusted her bangs. She could see the hurt and the anger(you were blind if you couldn't see the latter) in Endymion's eyes as he awaited the arrival of the other senshi.

The woman had been caught under a building as it fell.

Mercury’s gloves, stained with blood, worked deftly to change the bandages.

They found her trapped beneath a slab of concrete on their first day out. Jupiter and Uranus had worked together to lift the rock while she and Saturn pulled her free, using discarded scarves from a broken clothing store to bind the wounds, the woman conscious but in deep pain. She had checked her over to see if she could be moved, if she could be… Mercury swallowed hard, pushing the thought of those they could not save out of her mind forcefully as she pulled the rolled gauze free. The woman gasped, clutching the volunteer’s hand tightly, and Mercury looked up to meet the teenager’s eyes, reassuring the girl silently as she applied more antiseptic and prepared another bandage.

A search of the rest of the building had proved fruitless; when Neptune and Mars emerged from the wreckage their eyes had misted over, a look of hopeless defeat mingled with nausea. She could only guess what kind of sights had met them as they picked their way through the rubble; they had been brave to volunteer to go in looking for survivors. Helios had appeared and transported the woman, and they moved on to another building, finding and saving those they could, mourning those they couldn’t. When Venus and Saturn returned from the broken hospital, the young black-haired senshi had been crying, but she walked tall, resilient, holding armfuls of medical supplies they had scavenged from the ruins.

It was a somber task they undertook, where the smallest cry was treated as a miraculous sign, most of their day filled with silence. The fifth block down they had met with a group of able-bodied people – firefighters, policemen, local heroes who met each other and had started to do what they were doing: searching Star City for survivors. After introductions, a good number of them – mostly their injured, had returned to Elysion with them. Nights were filled with constant monitoring, supporting, offering what support and hope they could as the senshi travelled the makeshift refugee camp.

It had been like that for three days now. Ever since Serena – the woman gasped and Mercury apologized sincerely, not meaning to tie the gauze that tightly. Thinking of what happened, of Serena… Tears came to her eyes and she ruthlessly forced them back, wiping them on the back of her hand before offering the patient a smile, her chest as heavy as lead. “There; now for the next one.” Deftly her fingers moved to untie the next wound, opening it to the clean air of Elysion. As she reached for the antiseptic, a roar burst through the crowd, “SAILOR SENSHI!!” She froze, goosebumps erupting all over her body, almost feeling the pain and anger in his voice – Darien’s voice. He had left them from the start, and while it might’ve been the healthiest thing for him at the moment, she had been glad to catch a glance of Pluto entering the marble-and-gold temple earlier that day. She looked into the patient’s eyes reassuringly and was about to stand when a rush of warm energy flowed through her, a visible golden glow passing along the woman’s body and continuing away from the three of them – the victim, the volunteer, and herself.

Immediately the woman’s face relaxed, sighing contently. With mingled confusion and wonder, Mercury looked down to see the wounds had healed, almost completely. She stood immediately, glancing around to see everyone in her makeshift infirmary relaxing, some finally able to sleep for the first time since their Elysion dreams. Was this… the power of the Golden Crystal? She turned slowly, feeling a different weight about her but ignoring it as she looked to the center of everyone’s attention: Prince Endymion, his eyes fierce despite the obvious tearstains on his cheeks. He radiated anger, rage, pain… loneliness. She went to him, picking her way through the crowd, touching people’s shoulders comfortingly but firmly as she passed by, covertly checking their wounds over to see what the miraculous healing had done. Saturn had been helping her as much as she could, with both medical knowledge and innate ability to heal, but this wide-scale mending of skin and bone… it was astounding.

She approached and stood near Venus, the golden-senshi now with even more golden accessories, as all of them seem to have acquired. She waited.

One by one, they appeared before him, Pluto the first, Mercury the last, making her way to him almost slowly, checking on people as though she had no other duty to perform. His scowl deepened – if she had put half of her dedication into finding a way to save Serena, how far would they have gotten?! He wanted to yell at them, but didn’t care for the random citizens to see; they would all be counted as leaders among these people, and it didn’t do for morale to have someone they hadn’t met yelling at their keepers in front of them. “Come with me.” he ordered disdainfully, and turned to stride back to the Temple of Sun and Earth, leading them away from the crowd.

He was so angry he could just – he rounded on them then, suddenly, ready to demand answers, but thought better of it and rounded again, walking through the fountain grounds and quickly ascending the short stair, this time walking through the mosaic room and into a small courtyard with another fountain; he strode around the circular fount and then turned on them all, confident that the cacophony of so much falling water between them and the farther camp would be enough to mask their conference.

Their expressions were ones of recent pain and defeat, but that didn’t matter. His voice deep and dangerous, he addressed them, his angry, piercing eyes moving from one face to the next. “What have you been doing? Serena is out there somewhere, alone and in the company of great evil –“ if he wasn’t so blinded by anger, he might have broken down again, admitting the source of his pain aloud; but while his voice didn’t catch and his body didn’t crumble, tears did spring to his eyes, and fell down familiar paths as he continued his furious tirade, “and rather than look for her, you have been BABYSITTING?!” the last word was a roar, his hands balling into fists at his sides. “WE are her only hope, EARTH’S only hope, and you’re all playing nursemaids to refugees.” his snide comment was for all of them, but to Mercury and Saturn in particular, though, in truth, the two of them were probably doing more than the others combined, considering their training, but it didn’t matter. “Is this what Sailor Senshi are supposed to be doing? Babysitting the weak while their Princess, the one person they are sworn to protect, is held captive, her unborn child—” this time, his voice did crack, his chest collapsing as his heart seemed to tremble, his eyes closing and face turning to the side, but the moment of weakness was only that – a moment – and with a deep breath he regained his composure, ignoring any sign of comfort the senshi offered him, and continued as though it had never happened, “Her unborn child being used against her? She is powerless! Her good behavior is the ransom for the baby’s survival – she will not act out! And you are content to let that continue?!” he paused momentarily, and while someone spoke up in a small voice, he yelled over them:

“ANSWER ME!”

ooc//Uranus&Mars:

ooc:

Saturn saw the look in Endymion's eye's as Mercury made her way over slowly. she was liking this less and less as the moments passed. when ordered to fallow she did she could see the others coming as well. her free hand was still tapping at her leg as she walked. the first time he rounded on them she nearly fell trying not to run into him just barley catching herself to keep from falling. then he rounded again heading in further. as soon as they rounded the fountain he stopped and rounded on them again this time Saturn was ready for it.

it was now that he started yelling. with each word he yelled her hand tightened around the silence glaive the anger showing in her purple eye's. WE are her only hope, EARTH’S only hope, and you’re all playing nursemaids to refugees.that was it she had heard enough she allowed him to finish what he was saying. as soon as he yelled at them to answer him she started "you don't think we know that?" she started out in a dangerously low voice her hand tightening on the glaive, eye's darkening, and voice raising with each word she spoke. "WE are aware of what is happening. WE all care about her, and WE all would love nothing more than to go out their and take out the black moon clan." she was full out yelling by this point and if she didn't have gloves on they would see she was holding the glaive so tightly that her knuckles were white. the look in her eye's could only be described as deadly. "Serena is the reason I’m standing here right now that any of us are standing here right now we all owe her the world several times over but the problem is as long as he has her we can do noting without a really good plane. I would love nothing more than to storm into that castle and show Diamond whats what but as we stand right now we cannot without the risk of Losing Rini in the process." she was glaring at him at this point.

"Do you think she would want us to leave all of these people hurt and Dieing if so than you really need to rethink. WE will get her back you just need to give it time he will not hurt them because they are the only sway he has on us right now he hurts them and he knows very well we will come down on him so he plays it safe and as it stands right now we are out numbered we go out their and we will be killed before we even make it anywhere near their castle and than what help would we be to her maybe you should think about that before you start yelling at us!" at this point Saturn was breathing hard silent tears streaming down her face. she hadn't even realized she had started crying but now that she had she couldn't stop but she still had an angry glare aimed straight at him.

Pluto waited quietly as the others slowly began to join them. Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and finally Mars and Uranus, everyone had greeted Endymion..their prince and offered their help and sympathizing looks, but Pluto knew what was coming. She had seen his anger first hand before he exited the temple and as he stood there and she watched him...seeing him fume before telling them to follow him. They all did...like a row of quiet, sad ducklings following their mother. One by one they filed into the temple and as Endymion finally stopped at the fountain, the girls fanning out so he could see them..that was when he lost control.

She stood their as he verbally abused them on their work ethic and failures as Senshi. He was just angry, upset...that’s all this was. Despite her wanting to believe that Pluto knew it went deeper, something inside of him had snapped...the flood gate was open and she feared nothing would be able to close it..not until Serena was back with them. As Endymion continued his assault Saturn stepped up and spoke out. The girl was angry, they all were but right now was the time for them to be strong. Strong for their leader who couldn't be, they didn't need to lash back and cause even more strain on the group.

Gently Pluto raised her hand and placed it on Saturn's shoulder, giving it a small squeeze and her a look that said 'let this go' As Endymion continued his impassioned speech the moment he mentioned the baby seemed to be a breaking point for them all..she could feel the air in the room change. She let her hand drop from the younger Senshi's shoulder and turned her attention back to their prince as he yelled ANSWER ME!. Pluto stood there, her other hand holding tightly to her staff, remembering their conversation from before and seeing how desperate he was..she did not want to think of it. What would you have us do? Any move we make puts their lives in danger.

.Neptune was a bit shocked at Endymion's outburst. He wanted answers and he wouldn't stop. She also rested ahand on Saturn's shoulder "Endymion, those are your people out there. They are suffering. If we save them we can use them. We are going to help, but just like Serenity we will not work under a demanding Prince. We are your friends would we be here if we weren't? We will find her. But we can't storm in there. It just won't happen. We will lose her if that happens." Her eyes narrowed. "So treat us like a team not your servants we are about her just as much as you" She tightened her hold on Saturn's shoulder and pulled her gently behind her, knowing an outburst would occur.

At this point, Neptune was annoyed, but she had to be reasonable. He did need to treat all of them like they were, Senshi warriors of justice, not bossed around. Yes, their sole purpose was to protect the King, Queen and Princess, but they were people too, they deserved to have respect. Neptune moved her hair that was in her face behind her ear and she watched as the scene unfolded and she looked around. They all got power ups, and she wondered what they all have recieved

Neptune looked back at Endymion and waited for his reaction. As much as she wanted to go and fight Diamond, he could kill Serenity in seconds, and they needed a stragetic plan and fast. But, he may not harm her until they arrived, so planning just might keep her safe, but not even Neptune could predict that.

He had the nerve to scream at them? Sailor Jupiter's jaw tightened as she glared at him. She listened to Saturn's passionate speech and felt a since of pride towards her fellow senshi and had to bite back her laughter when Neptune told Endymion that they weren't his servants. "Neptune's right Endymion." She began calmly as she attempted to compose herself. "But I must know, what have you been doing to find Serenity?" Jupiter couldn't help but ask him that as she tilted her head and looked at him. "You have been moping in the temple and now you're yelling at us, yet I don't see you coming up with a master plan to get Serenity back." Jupiter knew it might be a little harsh towards her...prince but she figured someone had to tell him. "Diamond's untouchable right now." Jupiter sighed and bit her lip.

They couldn't and wouldn't make a move, not with Diamond's threat towards Rini. And if Rini died...there was no way Serena would be able to control herself. As much as they fought, Jupiter knew they loved each other and that Serena would be heartbroken if anything happened to Rini. So all the senshi could do now was bide their time and wait. Hopefully planning would start soon, but she certainly wouldn't be able to handle the prince acting like this much longer. She wanted Venus to put her two sense in and smack the prince back into shape, but she had been a bit off since Serena had been taken.

Their responses only angered him more. Saturn, Neptune, and Jupiter’s animated retorts only served to destroy the last shred of respect he had for them; if they had this much energy, enough to defy him, their Prince and Future King, they could have been scouting the city, discovering the enemy’s movements, establishing their habits, finding allies in the military, discovering what had happened worldwide, testing the Dark Palace for energy fields and any weakness within that field, finding patterns in guard positions, if there were any, and in guard numbers, watching for Black Moon movements and activites – the list was nearly endless, and instead they had been biding their time in peaceful Elysion, watching after those who were already safe and saved. They acted like they were doing all they could, but they knew nothing.

He ignored the trio, Saturn especially, her reply clear insubordination and stating what was obvious to everyone. Neptune’s reply, while less vigorous, also held the clear implications of insubordination. Friends? If they were his friends then they wouldn’t be there, they’d be out in Star City right now, doing their best to learn all they could about their reemerged enemy. No, they were not his servants, but they were his soldiers, and they needed to act like them. And Jupiter… he set his dead gaze on her. “My wife was taken from me on our wedding day, the day I had been waiting for for two millennia. She was taken from me, and her love for our child is what keeps her tied to him. I was weak – my mind erased what had happened and I have spent the last three days trying to remember why she wasn’t with me. So shut the fuck up Jupiter, and get to Star City. Find out what has happened to the Moon family; I don’t want any other hostages held against Serena’s good behavior.” His voice, deep, even and compelling, left no room for argument, a clear dismissal if there had ever been one. For two seconds his eyes were on her, and then they slid away, her presence nothing to him anymore, not until she returned with news.

As they walked around the fountain, Mercury had some idea of what to expect – Darien was angry, as any grieving person had the right to be. It was almost textbook for the cycle of loss: first came denial and isolation – Darien had been missing for nearly three days. Then came anger, and if the tension in his limbs was any indication of his moods, he was livid. Her step was nervous, falling into the loose semicircular arrangement beside Venus and Mars. Next would come bargaining – she was anxious about what would happen then and any possible risky deals the man would make to save Serena. Risks with his life, or with their child’s. After that would come—

He turned on them, his eyes hateful and cold, his voice dark and dangerous, and Mercury lost her thought, her mind blank as he laid out their faults. She could feel her heart beating within her chest, the muscle seeming to cry with his heart-wrenching description of Serena’s position, hurt even more when despite his rocky expression, tears started to stream down his face. She wanted someone to embrace him, to help him, but he just kept talking, ignoring his pain to yell at them. She flinched with his volume, his accusation of their deficiencies ringing within her, her mind conflicted but leaning towards his side – had she really been abandoning Serena by tending to the wounded? Could she have been doing something more? Her mind thinking quickly, her eyebrows knitted together in pain and confusion – why hadn’t she seen it before? There were bound to be other doctors within Star City they could have found to heal people; she could have been doing other things to help. She… she was responsible. “ Is this what Sailor Senshi are supposed to be doing? Babysitting the weak while their Princess, the one person they are sworn to protect, is held captive, her unborn child—” he faltered, and Mercury whimpered with sympathetic pain as he fought to regain control. Admitting that a painful situation had occurred was always difficult, and yet he was trying to be strong, to fight for what he believed to be right. She felt he was justified in his anger, his complaints against them, and she felt terrible. Just… worse than worse. Guilty, useless. Terrible.

Saturn started to answer, her voice defiant, ignoring Darien’s angry interruption as he ignored the beginning of her response. The outer senshi’s bold response was heartfelt, but not what was needed right now. She was yelling at a broken person, their Shattered Prince, and it would do none of them any good. Especially mentioning again just how much was in the balance. She had such heart… she was comforted when Pluto’s hand found the young girl’s shoulder, Neptune’s finding it moments later, and approved highly of Pluto’s response… but then, Pluto had probably seen these situations time and time again, and maybe been in one herself. Pluto looked as melancholy as Mercury felt.

Neptune’s reply started more along the lines of what she thought was appropriate, but she didn’t exactly know what she meant by using the refugees; they were hurt, they were in shock – they would be no good to anyone for quite some time… unless the Golden Crystal had healed parts of their mind as it had their bodies. And, still, they were citizens in a fight against super powers; she would vehemently oppose any notion of them fighting in the traditional sense.

As soon as Juptier’s accusatory words left her mouth, Mercury gasped audibly; while the way he spoke to them could be easily taken as offensive, she believed that, in this circumstance, they should let it slide – not blame a victim! Jupiter was playing with fire and –

But then he exploded quietly, dangerously, and his body language towards Jupiter made a shiver run down her spine.

She was speechless, anxious; both terrified of the cold dismissal and ashamed she hadn’t thought of the Moons sooner. “I’ll go with her,” she offered immediately, her voice small, “Two can search better than one and it would be safer to travel in pairs.”

“No,” Darien replied immediately, still refusing to look at Jupiter. “You will work on figuring out the defenses of Diamond’s headquarters, like you should have been doing all along. Mars, go with Jupiter. Now.”

Mars, quiet and thoughtful, turned immediately, her amethyst eyes catching Jupiter’s as she spun, and walked away, supposedly in search of Helios to transport them both to the surface.

((Sailor Mars has left the board))

Everything had happened far, far too fast for even the
blonde Wind Senshi to comprehend quite what as going on. One moment, the
wedding was in full swing, and the next… everything was in chaos, people
running and screaming, the Senshi henshining left and right and by the time
even the Soldier of the Sky had pulled her Lip Rod from a sub-space pocket and
called her power… everything was over, because Serena was gone, Rini had
disappeared, and they were being sent to Elysian. Damn. Fucking damn! Uranus
would never be able to forgive herself for what had happened, that was sure.
She had let her guard down, she had failed, she had made herself enjoy their
peace, for just one moment – and everything had gone to Hell in a hand-basket. Now,
here in Elysian, the Land of Dreams, after three days of unsuccessfully trying
to find a way back to Star Cit to gather information, she stood beside her
partner, the wind screaming in her ears with the silent fury she could never
express.





Even if it meant sacrificing herself, her humanity, her own
future, she would do it, so long as she could make right her failure as a
Soldier of the Outer Rim. When the call came, it echoed in her bones in a way
that impressed the true gravity of the situation far more than it had already
been. Wordlessly, her expression one of taut, frigid control, Uranus followed
Neptune, offering curt nods to Pluto and Saturn as well. She too knelt,
offering a soldier’s bow to Endymion. She and her fellow Outers had long referred
to him as such, and so not much jarring at the difference was experienced. “My
Prince,” she murmured, her words the low sound of a windstorm, her face
cold and emotionless, “give us orders, for we are your blade, and will
strike where you bid us.” Her piece said – she was not good with comfort,
and could see that Endymion did not wish for it – the blonde Commander of the
Outer Senshi stood, one hand fisted and trembling with her own suppressed fury
at her side, her other placed on the hilt of the Space Sword which she now wore
sheathed at her hip.





She took his fury, when it came, without even flinching.
Uranus knew it was deserved, but she had nothing to say. Nothing she said could
have mde this right, and so she said nothing, merely remained marble-cold and
emotionless in the face of the Earth Prince’s wrath. When Saturn exploded in
response, all the blonde woman did was place a hand upon the girl’s hip, and
nothing more. All the other Senshi may have had things to say, but she did not.
She was a warrior, first and foremost, and longed to make right her failure
through battle and blood and fire and death. She would even give up her own
life without a second thought, if it meant returning the Queen and Princess.
She knew it was traitorous, cruel, treasonous, but she did not care what happened
to those refugees; she may have stood by her fellow Senshi now, but… if it
meant getting Serenity and Small Lady back, then she would betray them, just as
she had done many times before.





Removing her hand from Saturn’s hip, the grey-blue eyed
woman finally spoke, her voice like the distant sound of a typhoon. “If I
may, Prince Endymion, I will accompany Jupiter and Mars to Star City.” She knew what
she was going to say next would make the rest – quite possibly even Neptune –
despise her, but it needed to be said, for it was nothing but the truth. “Cruel
though it may be, I care nothing for the refugees or the wounded, leaving them
to those who felt that it their duty to care for them, and have spent these
last days trying to find a way from this place, but have so far been
unsuccessful.” She kept her expression unfeeling and cold. Uranus’ hand
clenched about the hilt of her Space Sword, as she repeated her words from
previously. “I am your sword, my Prince – order me and I shall strike where
you bid.”