Part II - Neptune
------------------
by Blue

Planet Neptune:  Castle of the Mermaid Queen
	"Komban wa Neptune-sama."  The ruler lifted her head to the 
greeting.  Beads of seawater sparkled on each strand that tumbled in 
the movement in lazy grace, catching light and setting aglow like a 
tiny star.  Aqua eyes sparked in soft happiness as they were laid upon 
the visitor.  Coral colored lips smoothed into a smile, not bothering 
to open them in surprise, something that the Queen had long learned to 
keep to herself.
	"Komban wa Sailor Senshi Mercury."  With a graceful wave, she 
dismissed the counselors and servants in the room and when the room 
emptied she rose, descending down the great steps to reach her friends.  
"What brings you here to visit my Sea Kingdom?"  Her eyes flicked over 
the blue-haired girl, smiling softly in a welcoming way that hid the 
shrewdness within.  When the other did not answer she raised one 
perfect eyebrow in question, "Cousin?"
	"Michiru how is it with your Grand Kingdom?"  The blue-haired 
senshi daftly escaped the question with the question after another few 
seconds of silence passed.
	"All is safe at the moment but the mirror is at an unrest and 
speaks everything in fogs and puzzles.  Never before had it ever 
withheld any information from me, and yet these fogs and puzzles 
themselves, unsolved, are horrible!  I fear what is to come cousin, it 
looks grave."  The sunlight glistened through the grand windows and the 
drops of seawater in the beautiful Queen's hair sparked like diamond 
jewels.  The light washed into the majestic throne room, allowing the 
sea-colored marbles and the golden spiral upon the throne and frames of 
a thousand mirrors that covered the walls, shine like liquid stars that 
shifts with each breeze that whispers through.  All this concealed the 
deepness of the night that haunts the planet ever few centuries, for it 
was still in the years of Sunlight; Darkness was still far away in both 
time and memory.
	"Hai, Rei has said that she had similar premonitions and I myself 
have doubts on the current peace.  Especially with the declaration of 
War between Saturn and Kumong, both rulers are devious and distrustful, 
unusually cruel to enemies and conniving to allies.  I fear this 
intensity that is growing as well, at least Earth is coming of age and 
getting ready to try to join our class again, it has been a hard and 
perilous journey for us all."
	"And how is the Queen taking all of this?"  She asked casually, 
delving into the politics that she had been kept away from for so long 
because of her own problems and those that plagued her country.
	"She is weary, the stress of it all is getting to her but happy 
nonetheless for her daughter, if you can call the moments happy.  I do 
so enjoy her company!"  The blue-eyes of her cousin sparked with sad 
loneliness, none of them could fill it but they feel for her and hurt 
for her nonetheless.
	"Dear cousin, I fear we are not all intellects like you."
	"Hai, I know."  The blue-haired woman smiled softly and the two 
embraced.
	"I've never thought that you would be Queen this early though 
Michiru-chan."  Her eyes lightened, "Nor did I ever thought that you 
would fit this role so perfectly, like everything else about you."
	"Iie, you flatter me too much Ami."  She softened her eyes and 
smiled, "Ne, I have not expected this either nor have I ever wished for 
it.  Some people live for power - I used to once - but I don't remember 
it anymore.  It was all too long ago.  All I want now is a few days off 
to enjoy by myself and my old friends."  Her eyes saddened at the 
memories of youth.
	"Michiru-chan, when was the last time you've seen Haruka-san?"  
The blue-haired woman asked.  No, she is but a girl really, she 
thought.  They all were, playing in the politics of their mothers and 
fathers, trying to please a memory of what and who had been.  She knew 
that her cousin still did not understand the weight of ruling a 
kingdom, not even with all her wisdom in the arts of knowledge she 
still lacked experience, the final and most important process of 
anything and everything.
	"I believe it has been four years now, to the day actually."  Her 
eyes narrowed and a smile of understanding spread across the older 
woman's face.
	"What is it cousin?"  Looking puzzled the blue-haired senshi 
questioned her.
	"Why are you here?  And I am sure the rest of the inners are here 
as well, but are discreet enough of about it to send you to come and 
represent them.  What is it that you want?"
	She was caught and somewhat relieved, blushing in embarrassment; 
still she opened her mouth to answer.

One of the many beaches of Neptune...
	"Kawii!"  A bright voice rang out along the silver-white sanded 
beach.  A basket of wild-sea flowers, seashells and other tiny trinkets 
of beautiful pebbles were laid beside a beautiful girl dressed in a 
billowing silver gown.
	"What is it Usagi?"  An inquiring voice called to the odangle-
haired girl, using the young girl's childhood nickname.  Silver-white 
hair that was lighter in color than the sands swirled in the shadows of 
the cliffs, as the owner turned and smiled at the group of women down 
by the beach then focusing in on a blue-haired woman that was 
approaching her gracefully.  She had strayed to follow her here, 
amongst the shadows and far from the sea as clear eyes sought to her in 
question.  The Inner Senshi was always on guard even during a vacation 
for they constantly feared the safety of their charge and especially 
during these turbulent times.  Their princess's safety came first, so 
someone was always watching her no matter what.
	"Mercury, why aren't you swimming with the others?"  Her silver-
blue eyes sparkled impishly, for they both knew why Ami was there.
	She scanned the premises and signed in relief, no sign of anyone.  
They never use the Princess by her true name or even called her 
princess unless they were sure that they were alone.  "My princess, you 
know that it is the duty of the guards to watch over you and insure 
your safety at all times.  And please call me Ami if you're not 
extremely sure there's no one around."  The blue-haired women replied 
softly, patience was one of her great virtues and one of the reasons 
why she was the one chasing after Serenity at the moment.
	"Mercury you're no fun at all." The younger woman replied with a 
frown.
	"You mean you are not serious about the consequences of your 
actions.  Serenity-sama, you must realize that your life is of the 
utmost importance to the kingdom and the System, do you know what will 
happen if you fell into enemy's hands?  The Silver Millennium could 
fall and there is no telling what would happen being that political 
chaos would destroy the already fragile alliances that your Mother had 
tried so hard to keep!  And with the Solar Wars going on as well as the 
Earth in turbulence I would think you should be more considerate!"
	"Oh Mercury!  You worry too much."  The silver-haired girl smiled 
absent-mindedly.  "You should get out of the library more often and 
have a little more fun!"
	The blue-haired woman flushed in anger, it was something that 
hardly ever happened.  "Serenity-sama, you do not understand the 
gravity of this situation, the System is almost at the brink of War!  
If one power falls a power vacuum would occur and we cannot predict the 
catastrophe that would happen if any evil seeks us at this point.  You 
have not been studying your history well, but if you or any of the 
Royal families falls to dangerous ransom or are murdered we might have 
a re-run of the Great War that was ended at the birth of the Silver 
Millennium, and the technology has improved, this might be even worse 
and a lot messier to wipe up than with the few powerful mages we have 
left."
	"That does not mean that we would not win!  Good will always 
triumph in the end!"  The silver-haired princess retorted, trying to 
save herself from further embarrassment of not realizing the gravity of 
the situation.
	"At the cost of how many lives because of one stupid mistake?"  
The other asked softly but the comment hurt.  It cut deeper than the 
princess had expected.  The burden of rule was falling onto her 
shoulders and she loathed the responsibilities that seemed like chains 
to her need for freedom and adventure.  Her Senshi can never understand 
that, their lives were adventurous and dangerous through and through, 
they cannot understand her need to be free like them.
	"Mercury..." her voice trembled, but her eyes hardened in anger.  
"How dare you speak to me like that?"  Sea-blue eyes widened, a second 
ticked by forebodingly in silence.  The sea quieted, anticipating 
retaliation.  It did not come.  Instead the blue-haired woman blinked 
and slowly nodded, her shoulders were now hunched as if in defeat, her 
mouth firmly pressed together, her eyes downcast so the princess could 
not tell what the other was thinking.
	"Gomen nasai Serenity-sama, forgive my rudeness.  I have over 
stepped my lines as your Guardian.  I'll call Jupiter to attend to your 
needs."  With a low bow that usually was meant to bring shame, the 
blue-haired senshi calmly walked away.  Inside the young princess, a 
sickening feeling filled her being, for she knew she had done something 
very wrong.  It would be a long time before her wise friend would tell 
her of her faults again.  She had isolated a great advisor from herself 
and destroyed that relationship of trust, on demand she could get 
anything, but her mother had told her once, "You can be an arrogant 
Queen for a day and ruin everything, or you can be humble for a 
thousand years and earn the respect you deserve."  The Princess of 
Mercury, one of her personal Guards, and perhaps one day one of her 
alliances would not forget this day when she claimed that the blue-
haired woman had forgotten her place and thoroughly shamed the guard.
	"The Mercurians are wise, they do not get angered easily unless 
under great stress that usually protein to great threats that would 
later come.  They also hold grudges long, they forgive easily, but they 
never forget, to insult a Mercurian with rebuke because of ignorance, 
stupidity or arrogance is a great fault that would take years to heal 
if at all.  Never insult one child, it is politically inexpedient and 
would bring to your own downfall."  
	Her mother had told her that a year ago after a fight with a 
Mercurian noble that she had gotten into because the woman would not 
let her have her dance partner.  She still remembered the burn of 
contempt in the others eyes and the hiss that the woman gave her.  
"Spoiled Moon-brat."  The woman had called her and when she had ordered 
her to be taken to prison for insulting her, her mother apologized and 
told the woman that her daughter had only wished to dance with her 
handsome partner.  The woman in a huff told the Queen that unless she 
disciplined her daughter better the alliances would break and all would 
fall under the Moon-brats rule.  Her mother was maddened by the comment 
and told the woman to leave and the other gladly complied.  "Heed my 
words Queen Serenity!  For one day, if you don't teach your daughter to 
be wise, she would bring the downfall of your magnificent kingdom."  
And with that, the woman walked out gracefully, the room was silent; 
her partner followed her in long strides, glaring back at her before he 
disappeared from the ballroom.  After that her teachings intensified 
and she resented the event and the woman, and the man who refused to 
dance with her, blaming her failures on others.

	"Rei, where's Makoto?"  The dark-haired woman looked up to meet 
sea-blue eyes.
	"Ami!  What are you doing here?  I thought you were watching the 
princess-" the sentence ended there as the violet-eyes of the woman 
before her widened.  "Iie!  She has gone too far again hasn't she?"  
The dark-haired woman shook her head angrily.  "I'm going to talk to 
the Queen about this vulgar act!  How dare she-"
	"Rei!"  The blue-haired woman shook her head in denial, "Iie, she 
was right and I was wrong to overstep my bounds."
	"Ami!  You're her advisor and one of the smartest people in the 
System, if not the smartest!  If she refuses to listen to your advice 
than she is a damned fool and probably acted spoiled and arrogant in 
the process of it all!"  Rei shook her head in defiance.  "Iie!  You're 
right.  We shouldn't talk about it now being that it will ruin this 
whole vacation trip.  I'll get Makoto, she knows when to keep her mouth 
shut when the princess act like an eight year old."
	"Rei!  You shouldn't speak of our Princess like that!"  Ami 
protested.
	"About time somebody did."  The other muttered, but than smiled 
softly at the younger woman before her.  "Ami, you deserve more respect 
than this, I'll let this incidence pass..."
	The blue-haired girl let out a breath of relief, "Arigato Rei."
	"...For now."
	"Rei!"
	"I better go get Mako-chan, Serenity would be expecting her."  
The dark-haired woman rose and went to approach the auburn-haired 
woman, lying under the sun.
	"Enjoying yourself Makoto?"  The shadow blocked the sun.
	"Rei!  You're blocking my light."  The shadow moved.
	"Gomen, but I'm afraid I'm a bearer of bad news."
	"What is it this time?  Did Minako almost drown again?"  Minako, 
being from Venus, which was extra-hot and without much water, made the 
Venusian princess an unsuccessful swimmer, and she was especially 
unnerved in the ocean after the incident of the first day.
	"Iie, it's your turn with the princess."
	"Oh give me a break Rei!  I thought Ami was doing it today!"
	"Ami was angered by her highness and has stepped down in shame.  
She would not speak to Serenity-sama until the end of the trip I fear."
	"Iie!  Ami angry?  Serenity-sama must be putting on her airs 
again.  Probably why you called me ne?"
	"Not my fault your siblings are a bunch of arrogant fools!  
You're the only bright one in the lot of them!  Bunch of spoiled brats 
if you ask me."
	"I'm flattered...I guess."  The auburn-haired woman grinned and 
nodded.  Jumping up, she shook the hand of her dark-haired friend.  
"I'm off to duty capt'n."
	"Show-off."
	"Hey, not my fault I can do such a perfect flip!"
	"Get over there to Serenity-sama before I have your head on a 
platter next time during practice."
	"Oh mercy great Goddess of War!"
	"Stop the sarcasm and get lost!"
	"Okay, okay!  Ja Rei!  Save some of that sunlight for me later!"  
The brown-haired senshi jogged down the beach toward her princess who 
hid in the shadow of the caves, as she rushed to her duty.
	"Minako?"
	"Hai, I heard everything.  If that is what you wanted to know?"  
The blond peaked at her from lowered lashes, her mouth pouted as she 
looked over the grand ocean.  Brilliant white waves crashed onto the 
sands before retreating back into its realms again.  Silence fell over 
the two as they stared into the ocean.  "Personally, I don't think the 
Princess is that bad."  Silence stretched over them again.
	"Iie.  We love her Minako, we just don't love her that much."  
The waves crashed upon the silver-sands again, leaving remnants of 
seashells from its depth that fell out of its reach when it tumbled 
onto the land.
	"It's not that, I just believe in her."
	"I too believe in her."
	"I know."
	Silence.
	"Rei?"
	"Hai."
	"What does the fire tell you?"
	Silence.
	"It is silent again."
	"Silent?"
	"Hai.  The prophecy is coming Minako.  I can feel it pounding in 
my blood."  Worried eyes met worried eyes.
	"It cannot be all that bad."
	"You are beginning to sound like her."
	"And what is wrong with that?"  She asked angrily.  Her outburst 
extracted no reaction whatsoever from the dark-haired woman standing 
over her.
	"Underestimating the enemy and the evil that is to come is always 
a grave mistake."  The dark-haired woman replied calmly.  She was used 
to the outbursts from the Leader of the Senshi and the Princess for 
that matter, maybe she could've handled Serenity better than Ami, and 
maybe even better than Makoto - who had her share of spoiled brothers 
and sisters, twenty actually.
	"I believe in a brighter future Rei."
	"I believe in it too Minako, it just might not be in my time.  In 
this time, we might just be another sacrifice."
	"Like in the Great Wars?"  She inquired.
	"Iie."  Inwardly she sighed in relief.  "It would be worse this 
time."
	"Rei!  Stop scaring me like that!"
	"Gomen, gomen!  I just thought that being the Leader you might 
want to know my personal assessment on this situation.  Ami agrees with 
me on the whole as well, for the scales are too tipsy, too many bad 
things can happen, but she's more on the technical and political part 
of this than I have ever been."
	Sighing in exasperation the blond-haired woman rose up and dusted 
some of the sand off of her stomach.  "Rei-chan, you always did find 
ways to ruin a perfectly good vacation."
	"You call ignorance a good thing?"
	"Hey, you know what they say, 'ignorance means well when one is 
on vacation'!"  It was the dark-haired woman's turn to sigh this time.
	"Minako it's actually, 'ignorance is bliss'."
	"Close enough!"
	"Yare yare."
	"It was the thought of the moment."
	"'Spur' of the moment."
	"Whatever."

	"Ami, how did you convince Michiru to leave us along for this 
whole vacation, even though we are on her planet and thus technically 
in her kingdom."
	"I just told her the truth."
	"Well, at least Michiru knows we're here without false pretense."
	"I have missed her greatly, even now."
	"Ami-chan daijobu?"
	"Hai.  Just a little tired from the day that's all."  Her blue 
hair glittered under the sun.
	"I'm still not used to the sun up at this time of day."  The 
blond said softly as she waded a little deeper into the sea, letting 
the waves crash into her legs than gently withdrawing.
	The blue-haired woman let her feet touch the sands again.  
Shivering slightly as she felt sleek flesh brush against her ankle as 
another Neptunian underwater creature swam by, wondering what the 
creature was like.  Not many people came to these beaches and they were 
one of the few allowed without guards.  "I'm going to swim a little 
more before dinner okay?"  The blond nodded in understanding before the 
other turned and disappeared beneath the waves.
	The golden-haired senshi stared enviously at the graceful form of 
the blue-haired senshi cut through the waters like a fish, much more 
seeming in her own element here than ever she did on land, other than 
on the dance floor that is and only when she danced.  The blond sighed, 
if only I could swim like that, if only I wasn't so afraid of these 
waters, if only...
	"Venus!  What are you doing?"  She looked up into clear-blue 
eyes, much like her own and smiled a welcoming smile.
	"Usagi, I am-" She begun but the other quickly cut her off with a 
frown.
	"Please don't call me by that childish name anymore, I simply 
cannot stand it!  I know in a few years I will adopt my mother's 
throne, I'd much prefer it if you stop using that name."  Her eyes 
widened, the snobbish speech surprised her.  The scouts had been away 
with training for the last three month on one of the moons of Jupiter, 
and now after such a short time the princess had indeed changed from 
the caring girl to a spoiled brat, as Rei had so bluntly put it.
	"Serenity-sama, gomen nasai."  With that she waded out of the 
ocean, the breeze made her wet form shiver a little, but the sun kept 
the goose bumps from emerging upon her skin.
	"Arigato."  The reply lacked the emotion that had once spilled 
through the clear-blue eyes.
	She didn't reply but walked away from the princess, she never 
regretted that move, it had kept her from saying the many things that 
she knew can and would still hurt the young girl-woman who has changed 
so much.  Instead as a soldier she kept her opinion to herself but now 
she understood the danger that her dark-haired friend was warning 
against, the conflicts that her blue-haired comrade was alluding to and 
the unease that the auburn-haired companion was trying to hide.  There 
is a coming storm within the court, and a war that may be greater than 
any that came before.
	"Rei lower that fire there, will you?  I know you're used to it 
by now, but I don't want to faint from a heatstroke!"  The irritated 
voice of the auburn-haired woman reached her ears as she approached the 
two woman that was busy making a meal for the rest of the Senshi and 
the Princess.  They were the only ones in the group that can cook, and 
the only ones that had any experience with hunting as well - though 
Makoto was the better cook and Rei was the better hunter.  A few 
Neptunian fishes were already skinned and cleaned, gleaming white bones 
were laid aside under the sun to dry.  Rei always did have an obsession 
with weapons, like herself, but the other preferred to make them with 
her own hands once in awhile.  Makoto did too, but on a lesser scale, 
though they all knew that Rei was more skilled than the others because 
of her War-like heritage from her own planet.  Their weapons were 
deadly and superb, though Jupiter and Venus were not far behind.  
Jupiter's weapons were larger than most and very sturdy, unlike the 
Venusian weapons that were deadly not because of size nor strength, 
instead it was the poison that Venusian so loved to dip upon their 
swords and arrows that made them a deadly race to deal with and fight 
against.
	"Komban wa Rei, Makoto."  She nodded to each in acknowledgement, 
smiling softly as she glanced at the fish that roasted upon the fire as 
Makoto leaned forward once in awhile to stroke the hot flesh of the 
fish with a brush of spice-oil.  The aroma was tempting even in the 
stiff hot weather, the two before her had been perspiring for sometime, 
though the dark-haired woman seemed more comfortable in the heat than 
the auburn-haired one.
	"Minako, if you think you can steal a fish to eat now you're 
wrong!"  The dark-haired woman told her, waving a stick in front of the 
blond-haired woman's face.
	"Yare yare."  The blond muttered.
	"Hai, and if you do, you won't get another one like last time, 
we'll make sure of it."  The brunette told her with a grin.
	"Come on guys!  You expect me to stand here and not sample your 
amazing gourmet buffet?"  She asked innocently.
	"Hai, and if you can't stand it go somewhere else.  It's a big 
beach, big enough for everyone to have their own space and then some.  
Why don't you go watch the Princess?  No one else is."  The dark-haired 
woman told her with a frown.
	"Na ni!  Oh I forgot that the princess is by herself!"  With that 
the blond twirled around and headed for the shadowy cliffs that the 
princess hid within.
	"Should we tell her that we've already checked the perimeter and 
found nothing threatening, your senses say the same, ne?"  The brunette 
looked to the dark-haired woman who stood silently staring after the 
blond with a frown.
	"The danger is here already Makoto," the other bounced up in 
surprise ready to go after the blond.
	"Iie.  This is not our fight."  A hand stopped the brunette dead 
in her place.
	"How can you say that?"  She demanded.
	"Mako-chan, you should know by now, you've already been there.  
And now it's her turn to be tested of her loyalties."  The dark-haired 
woman replied calmly.
	"Iie!  What do you mean a test of her loyalties?  They were 
already tested on my planet's moon!  What other evidence do we need to 
prove it?"
	"That was training Makoto and was only tested for Ami, this is 
the test for Minako.  You don't think we are here for no reason do you?  
Do you really think the Queen would allow us of a vacation without some 
motive other than a need to relax?  Do you really think she trusts us?  
Not with her daughter's life, she would never trust us with that until 
she absolutely has too, and even than she doubts our abilities."  The 
brunette frowned, "Hai, we will be tested over and over again till our 
own deaths and someone else would take our place.  The moment we show 
the slightest signs of betrayals we will die!  Do you understand that?"
	"Rei!  How can you say that?"
	"Our sovereigns has already agreed, till we are in our rights of 
Rule our rights are for the Moon as is our lives."  Emerald eyes 
widened in surprise.  "Why do you think we have so many siblings?  We 
just happened to be the strongest of them all."
	"Why do I not know this Rei?  How did you know this?"
	"The Queen knows she can hide nothing from the fire and thus she 
trusts me the least for I know the most, but she cannot withhold any 
information from me either.  This is the reason why she and I don't 
always see eye-to-eye."  Then a chuckle escaped the dark-haired girls 
lips, her head was bent so the auburn-haired woman could not see the 
violet-eyes that flashed in momentary anger.  "My mother is her best-
friend, my father is suspicious of her and maybe even hates her, but to 
her friend she will do nothing to me until she has a good chance and 
even than she must be cautious, for Mars is a planet easy to anger and 
hard to calm."
	The brunette quirked up a grin that she could not suppress, "Hai, 
I remember witnessing your first temper.  I swear you put the Furies to 
shame!"  The two laughed, the seriousness broke but there was an 
underlining unease that would later build and resurface, but they 
choose to go back to the fish then and let the moment pass at peace a 
little longer.  The scream left both immobile, the dark-haired woman's 
eyes told the other not to move and they stayed their silently praying 
for the safety of their friend.

	"Usagi!"  Blond tresses floated in the air a moment before claw 
like hands lashed out and gripped it, eliciting a scream that echoed of 
the cavern's walls.  Whip in hand, she lashed the chain out and cut the 
monster in half, the grip on her hair fell away and she was free again, 
but the pounding pain emitted from her scalp still bothered her.  
"Venus!"  A bright flash of light disintegrated another monster.  Where 
were the others?  They should've heard them by now!  The princess was 
in danger!  Where were they?
	She used her whip-like chain of hearts and slashed many of her 
enemies to pieces.  Dark blood spewed about the room as the Moon 
Princess fearfully backed to one corner furthest from the fighting.  
There!  She thought and lashed out again.  Bright energy, heart-crystal 
chains, mixed with screams of pain as she fiercely depleted the monster 
down.  Death surrounded her and the stench of it sang around her and 
danced before her.  When did she become so accustomed to killing?  She 
couldn't even remember a time when the flow of the chains did not come 
naturally or comprehend a time when death had ever bothered her as she 
methodically chopped and lashed apart the bodies of the monsters before 
her.  Jumping, kicking, punching, she practiced her moves of stealth 
and balling her energy up for the kill at close contact.
	Blood stained her own uniform, hardening against her skin.  She 
never liked that feeling and vowed to get it off as soon as possible.  
She turned to the last monster and prepared for the kill.
	She slammed her right foot into the great hulk of darkness, its 
body flew across the room, she had tried an earlier beam on it and it 
did not work.  Probably the leader of the gang, she let her anger build 
for trying to threaten the life of her sovereign Princess.  She would 
have to do this the hard way!  She smiled at the thought of personally 
punishing such a fool.
	A sword materialized within its hand and she quickly leapt back, 
frowning slightly at the new change of things.  It lunged at her and 
she quickly dodged, whipping her chain out and grabbing the sword.  The 
tug-of-war between the two did not last long, it was clear that the 
dark-monster was stronger and it would be a waste of energy on her part 
to wrestle like this.  Letting go of the chain at the last minute, the 
dark-form stumbled back and almost fell.  She took the few precise 
seconds to call up her own royal sword and leap toward her opponent.  
Screaming in rage at its attempt to harm her sovereign Princess she 
lashed out, slamming the sword down, cutting through the dark-blade of 
the other, red-eyes of the possessed widened, as steel hacked through 
its sword arm, through flesh and bone as the metal went and dissembled 
it from the body.  Black-blood fell upon the cavern floor and the thing 
fell to its knees as she waged the sword within its chest, a slow smile 
pressed upon its lips as it died.
	"Arigato."  It said and died there upon the moss covered ground, 
puzzled as her rage died as she watched the form disintegrate to ashes 
and was whisked away at last by the breeze.  She lived the remainder of 
her life trying to understand those words last spoken to her by the 
enemy.
	"Venus!  Daijobu?"  A frightened voice squeaked out, but the 
princess did not approach her.  When she turned with a weary smile the 
other gasped, some dark-blood was still splattered across her uniform 
and the sight of it made the young sovereign want to vomit from the 
sickness of the sight.
	"Serenity-sama!"  The worried voice brought her back and her 
guardian was by her side in a second.  "Daijobu, daijobu?"  The stench 
of death was wafting to her nose then and she couldn't hold it back 
anymore.  The princess vomited onto the floor and her guardian turned, 
knowing that by this act the princess would be more embarrassed had she 
watched and maybe even hate her for it later on for this was an act of 
cowardice in any warriors book.
	"Venus?"  The trembling voice called to her, but she did not 
turn.  Instead she first de-transformed before turning so that the 
blood would not be there anymore to bother her young Princess.
	"Hai Serenity-sama, I am here."  Gently picking the young girl 
up, she walked out of the cave.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So what do you think?  I actually think Usagi is really cute and sweet.  Why did I make her
such a spoiled brat you ask?  Well...I can't tell yet!  =p
Writer's secret you know, but partly because it was a challenge to write something that is
convincing even if you yourself don't believe it, that's partly a motive, but...well...you'll see
=)  I do love mysteries so much don't you?  I drives ppl crazy and I'm so cruel.
*wham*
Down evil twin!  Sorry about that, I'm sane again 0=)

email me at:
blue@icedream.f2s.com

Arigato for reading!  Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it... =)

Until our next adventure across the System!
Blue

PS.  I'm going to start a glossary for all the Japanese words and phrases I used.  Please
help me by mailing me which I used, I met miss something or other which is prone to 
happen at 1AM in the morning =)  anyho, thanx again!

Ja!
Blue