Black Moon - Eclipse of the Sun Part II

 

Sailor Sun's eyes blinked, unseeing. Images and feelings washed over and through her psyche, unleashed by the flickering lights. She just couldn’t deal with it. It was too much too quickly. And so she was just a passenger on this ride of life.

 

"Ranma, please wake up!" Sailor Io urged, shaking the smaller girl.

 

But Ranma, or Sailor Sun, wasn't there. Her mind was centuries away, in a far more idyllic time.

 

-

 

Gwyn ran home from the village square and into the yard where she and her family lived. The chickens clucked and ran frantically away from the exuberant ten year old. "Momma, poppa! Where are you?" the little red haired girl asked loudly.

 

Her mother answered from inside the house, "In here dear. Lunch is almost ready. So hurry up and ring the bell, and get your father and brother!"

 

Gwyn laughed as ran up the short ladder and to the back porch. Hanging from the porch was a large bell, made of brightly polished brass. She grabbed the clapper rope, and swung it vigorously, making a loud ringing sound that could be heard for quite a distance. Gwyn shaded her eyes and looked over the fields that they owned, looking for her father. He was a serious sort, not given to many fancies. But he loved working with his hands, and his farming. Almost as much as he did his family.

 

She spotted him walking in from the farthest fields, dragging in her older brother, Sean. He was only a year or so older than her, but he had been helping doing the harder work of the farm for a long time. Son mirrored father, both had dark short cropped hair. The sun shown brightly behind them, soon to be eclipsed by the Earth as the Sun made its way through the majestic sky.

 

Soon they were both back and everyone was sitting at the table. A quick prayer to God, and they commenced eating. Sean poked Gwyn in the ribs, and asked, "So what have you been doing today, squirt?"

 

Gwyn glared back at him, and replied, "I've been helping mother. She had me go and see if those new crystals from Jupiter where in today." She switched her seating to look at her mother. "They should be here tomorrow, Momma. The traders were held up on the trail by bandits. But they beat them off I heard. They’re up at Imbrium Shallows."

 

"So, only a day or so away, hmm. That means that I won't be able to finish the Solaris Tempus before the mid-spring rites. Ah well, we'll have to wait. It's only three more months more any ways. It is too bad that the council is too 'traditional' to wait a day or so," Lyorna muttered to herself.

 

"Now, now dear. This is much better than the highlands where you were born. At least they let you continue your studies without burning you for a witch," their father said gently.

 

"There's nothing unnatural with geomancy, Geoff. And besides, I followed the older teachings. But I understand. When the Court of Earth took you and I in, and offered us a safe haven where we wouldn't persecuted, it was one of the happiest days of my life," Lyorna replied.

 

"Even if they won't let you do very much with it?" Geoff teased, in a rare moment of mirth.

 

"You know that the geomancy of the moon is the purview of the Royalty. It has required some creative thinking on my part to continue my research out here on the frontier of the Moon," she replied with a grin. "And Gwyn is becoming quite adept at helping me. She's quite the little scholar and might even do better than me at the studies."

 

"Momma! You're going to embarrass me!" Gwyn said blushing.

 

"If Gwyn doesn't get in any more fights that is," Sean piped up.

 

"W-what are you talking about?" Gwyn replied, her voice cracking suddenly.

 

"Ha! I bet you got in another fight today, didn't you?" Sean crowed loudly. He had thought he saw a bruise on her arm.

 

"Gwyn! You didn't did you?" Lyorna said, looking at her youngest.

 

"No! Well, they started it! I just was defending you mother. Marco and Dueven where talking dirt about you again, and saying that you shouldn't be wasting so much money," Gwyn replied hotly.

 

"Angwyn, you shouldn't be picking fights with those boys. Or is there more to this story than what you've said, young lady?" Her mother's stern glare permitted no argument.

 

"I, uh, they started to make fun of me, saying I was more of a boy than a girl." Gwyn was blushing quite a bit by know.

 

"Oh, Gwyn. You'll be as pretty as the Senshi you know. Prettier maybe. You just ignore those boys. Pretty soon they'll be asking you to go with them to the dances," Lyorna sighed at her daughter’s antics. This wasn't the first time. Or most likely the last time.

 

"Oh, momma, you know I'm never going to be that pretty. I'm too tall, and I've got big feet."

 

"Enough of that, daughter. You still have your farm chores to do this afternoon. After that you can help me prepare for the festival by cooking with me." Lyorna glared at Angwyn.

 

"That is correct. No daughter of mine is going to miss out on the festival because she has a bad attitude," Geoff said suddenly.

 

Gwyn quailed. When her father joined her mother, the conversation was over. And when he threatened, you did as you were told, or he would follow through. She knew that he loved her dearly, but it was a stern sort of love.

 

-

 

The next morning, the Weavers came into town carrying their portion of the feast. The main square was decorated gaily, with streamers and banners. The statue of Queen Serenity was polished so that it shone. It wasn't very big (barely larger than life), but it was raised high on it pedestal. The crystals that were part of the pedestal sparkled brightly. As well they should, for they were lifeblood of a small village out on edge of the airless Moon Kingdom.

 

Each major holiday, they held a life feast ceremony. Lyorna always said it was the hardest partying that she had ever seen. For a full day, the crystals that kept the air in, and the cold of nothingness out were bathed in the life force energy of the entire town, and the surrounding farms people. Not only did they provide air, but also weather, and water.

 

It was quite tiring, so nobody did much except talk and eat, and play games that didn't require much movement. Cards and dice were quite popular, but other games existed too. Children who weren't old enough were not allowed to join in. It was feared that it might stunt their growth. Sean still wasn't quite old enough, but in a few years he would be able to join in.

 

The parent sent their children to the edge of the square and then started making rings around the statue. Slowly, solemnly the parents started chanting the words of power that would infuse the statue with the power it needed. Young children scampered gleefully, playing games of catch and tag. The slightly older ones talked and played more adult games. The boy’s most popular sport was, of course, wrestling.

 

Gwyn sat to one side, ignoring the girls that talked of nothings, and planned for when they were finally old enough to be considered adults. She'd heard it often enough, and really didn't feel like being made fun of for being nearly as tall as a boy, and not very girlish. So she didn't like to play with dolls, was that a crime?

 

She wandered out of the village square, and started to kick a pebble down the street. In front of the Mayor's house, she decided to be daring and climb the one tree that none of the other children dared to. It was a beautiful apple tree that the whipcord thin mayor guarded from being hurt. And he used his switch on anyone caught climbing it. With practiced grace, she was soon in the top branches. "Ha, that'll show Sean. I'll even get away clean," Gwyn said gleefully to herself.

 

She shaded her hands, looking to the road to the south. She thought that she could see some wagons over the houses. Gwyn smiled in anticipation. Her mother's last crystals were on that wagon. She had been working for so long on her ideas, and she almost had tangible proof. That would show the mayor and those stuffy town council.

 

Her attention was drawn abruptly to a rooftop only a dozen feet away. And the two cloaked up figures standing just behind the roofs edge, behind a large chimney. They hadn't been there a moment before.

 

"They look like they are suitably distracted, your Majesty. Shall I begin?" a male voice said.

 

"Yes. This cloying ritual to Serenity grates on my ears. Begin the attack. Bring me those crystals, so that I have the power that I need," the regal but high-pitched female answered.

 

He didn't answer, but raised his hands and muttering quickly under his breath, released streams of energy that disappeared from view. Gwyn heard cries of surprise that turned to fear. And then the screaming started. Horrible screaming.

 

The two figures moved to a different roof, further away. Angwyn shuddered, and shimmied down the tree, scraping her knee. She took a few small steps toward the town square, when she managed to get a glimpse of the devastation being wreaked upon the hapless towns people. Her face paled as she saw everyone collapsing, looking drained and tired. A large fiendish looking creature cackled horribly over the bodies. She took off running, sobbing as she ran for her life.

 

The Earth eclipsed the Sun, putting the entire town into shadow. Soon all was dark. Torches and lamps lay unlit, their owner's laying just a few feet away, uncaring anymore about such small things as light and darkness.

 

-

 

The village lay quiet and dormant. In the village square, dark shapes lay on the ground. Eyes stared blankly into the air and the stars that were starting to shine. A light suddenly appeared, spreading to cover the area. When it faded, the only illumination was the Earth, hanging in the sky to the south.

 

"It's worse than I thought," the golden haired women in the white gown said, shifting her gaze across the fallen people. She gripped her staff tightly, wishing she had some sort of target to vent her anger on. Several of her soldiers spread out to secure the area for the Queen and her bodyguards.

 

"Caravans, and small farms before. Now an entire village. But still not often. They only attack maybe once a year. We'll be spreading ourselves very thin to try and stop these random attacks, your majesty," another figure with whitish hair said, adjusting her dress, and looking very carefully for any signs of an ambush. It would eventually come to that of course. It was all directed at the queen.

 

"I know Venus. But we must do what we can. No survivors?" Queen Serenity asked her lead body guard. She gazed down at the broken statue, shuddering slightly.

 

Venus glanced at her friend and fellow Senshi, Jupiter. Jupiter started to chant slowly, and the wind picked up. For a few tense minutes, nothing happened. Jupiter opened her mouth to respond directly to Queen Serenity, when a last gust blew in. Her gaze jerked as if shot. "A survivor? Finally someone who might know who did this. Follow me your majesty." And with that she led the queen and her bodyguards quickly down the road.

 

At the order of the Queen, the soldiers stayed. They would start to deal with the bodies.

 

They quickly left the village proper. Mercury glanced around nervously. "Are you sure, Jupiter? The air here is already thin and leaking out into the void." Her nervous movements swished her long black hair around. Mercury was always a nervous and fussy individual.

 

Jupiter nodded, frowning slightly. "I'm fairly positive. But we ARE having to use magic to sustain ourselves," she said, looking around carefully. Air spirits were fairly simple. They could be tricked easily enough.

 

"Just keep your eyes open," Mars said, flicking her short brown hair behind her back.

 

Soon they came to a small farm. It had a small barn off to the side, and a strange tower like building attached to the house. The air was almost nonexistent by this time. They fanned out, looking for the survivor. Chickens lay on the ground, as did a horse near the barn. Mars headed into the house, while Jupiter and Venus went into the barn. Mercury stayed near Serenity, keeping a watchful eye out for ambushes.

 

Mars waved to them, drawing Serenity and Mercury. They entered the house quietly. Mars pointed towards the back of the small cottage. They saw movement from behind the bed. A flash of red, quickly hidden.

 

"It's a young girl." Mars gestured at the hidden figure. She tried to lure her out to no avail with soothing gestures and cooing sounds.

 

Slowly a small tear stained face framed in red hair showed itself. Very carefully, she backed away clutching at something. Gwyn looked around frantically for an escape, until she saw the pretty lady in white.

 

"The Queen!" Gwyn said in relief, just before fainting. She collapsed limply.

 

Mars caught her, and carefully lowered her to the ground.

 

-

 

Gwyn woke up to the sight of Queen Serenity sitting regally on one of the kitchen table chars. "Good, you're awake finally. What are you called dear?"

 

"I'm Gwyn, um, Angwyn Weaver." Gwyn just stared at the Queen and then the other Senshi. She would never be that pretty. She clutched the small box to her chest.

 

"Gwyn, did you see who did this?" Queen Serenity asked intently.

 

"Not really. They were wearing cloaks. One sounded like a man, the other was a women though," Gwyn replied. Her eyes were puffy and red, anger radiating from her quite clearly.

 

"Did they say any names? Or something about where they are from?"

 

"No. Wait, the man called the women 'her majesty'," Gwyn said excitedly. Her face became an angry mask. "Are you going to find them and punish them?" Her eyes burned coldly.

 

Shock covered their faces. A person of royalty? The rumors that the Court of Earth was behind these attacks no longer looked quite so insane.

 

Queen Serenity looked sternly at the young girl. "Yes, we will. But that is not the concern of young girls. Do you have any family child?"

 

Anguish covered the young girls face. "No, they’re all gone. Everyone was at the festival. And because I wasn’t with them, they’re all dead. And it’s all my fault.”

 

Queen Serenity gathered the small child to her, and held her tight. “No, dear little one. It wasn’t your fault. It was the bad man’s fault. And he’ll be brought to justice, never you fear.” She rocked the small girl for a short while. “You are under my protection now, so he can’t hurt you.”

 

“How did the girl survive, you Majesty? The air is all gone!” Venus said quietly. But not quietly enough to escape the hearing of Gwyn.

 

Gwyn pulled back from Queen Serenity, and glared at the silver haired Senshi. “I used my mothers crystal to weave an air ward,” Gwyn said angrily.

 

“You did? And where did a little girl like you get a crystal that could focus energy like that?” Venus replied, staring coolly at the crying little girl.

 

“It was one of the last crystals that Momma was needing to finish her Solaris Tempus. And it’s mine now!” the little girl declared, holding the box with the precious crystals close.

 

“Of course, Gwyn. Could you show us this . . . . Solaris Tempus?” Queen Serenity asked quietly.

 

“You want to see it? Really? Momma said that you would someday.” And with that, Gwyn trotted over to the other door of the cottage, and opened it, and led them in to the tower. The tower was filled with ropes and canvas. In the dark gloom you couldn’t see much.

 

Gwyn walked up to one of the walls, and touched a small wire, and focused for just a second. At her touch, small crystal imbedded in the wall started to glow. Mars stared in awe at all of the crystals. “There’s a small fortune here!”

 

“No, These are just the culls. Some are burning out all of the time,” Gwyn said loudly behind some of the canvass.

 

Jupiter looked closely at one of the flickering crystals. “She’s right. These are flawed crystals, hardly worth a copper penny. I wouldn’t have thought that you could get light from them, much less this amount of light.” Could it be the pattern that they were glued to the wall? Or was it the inlay of wire?

 

Gwyn came back around the canvass, and started writing on the slate board by the door. “All done!” Gwyn then walked over to some ropes tied to the wall. She struggled for a moment, and then finally released them, pulling the canvass roof back.

 

Gwyn looked back to the slate board. “But where to send it? It was supposed to go to the statue in the main square.”

 

“Why were you going to send this at the statue, child?” Jupiter asked quietly.

 

“It’s supposed to charge the crystals there so that we didn’t have to do the ceremonies any more. No more getting tired on festival days!” Gwyn said proudly.

 

Jupiter blinked once. She could do that personally, as could the other Senshi and the Queen of course. But a device? “Send it there any ways. We’ll be able to see what happens.”

 

Gwyn shrugged, and then carefully started the pulleys and levers that would raise the Solaris Tempus into position. It telescoped up on what looked to be a mast, rising high above the tower. More ropes pulled the petals into position. Soon all five were pulled back, reveling a sparkling array of crystals sewn to the inside surface of the ‘flower’ arrangement.

 

Gwyn carefully adjusted the angle, checking it carefully against some notes on the slate. Then she sat down and took an apple out of her pocket and started to eat it.

 

“That’s it?” Mercury asked. “More imperfect crystals?” She stared at the little girl.

 

Jupiter stared upwards, trying to fathom the purpose of the arrangement. She squinted, looking as closely as she could. “I don’t think those crystals are imperfect.” She strained her senses, and suddenly gasped. That couldn’t be right. Where was the power coming from?

 

Before she could say anything, lights flickered into existence. First one, and then another. Lines of force grew between different crystals, and then outward. Soon a perfect sphere was formed, held carefully by the flower. Lines of light covered the sphere, reminding the mystically bent Jupiter of the Geomancy lines Earth.

 

The sphere suddenly loosed a light towards the village square. Far off in the village square, the soldiers were startled, and drew their weapons as a beam of light struck the fallen statue of Queen Serenity. The air sparkled, and where the crystals would have been, lights flickered into existence. Between those lights a convoluted pattern grew.

 

Back at the farm, Gwyn laughed and then ran outside, followed more sedately by the Queen and her Senshi. A shocking sight arose before them. A blue hemisphere was growing over the village, pushing back the night of the void. Soon the hemisphere encompassed them, bringing with it a soft breeze.

 

“That was amazing!” Mars spoke, looking over the replenished land.

 

“Jupiter, exactly what did happen?” Queen Serenity asked.

 

“Gwyn’s mother harnessed the sun to provide the life necessary to create the air envelope. I guess that you could make it self-sustaining, eventually. It looked expensive though. There are hundreds of crystals there. A small fortune, missed by our enemy,” Jupiter said slowly. No one had ever harnessed the Sun in such a way before.

 

The Solaris Tempus sparked suddenly, catching fire. In moments it was consumed. But still the crystals floated there, gaining power from the Sun. Jupiter realized the only way to break the crystals loose would be when the sun went down, and released them from its fiery embrace.

 

“I think I must declare this a royal secret. If this were to fall into enemy hands, it could be quite devastating.” The young queen stared at the glowing sphere, trying to gauge what changes it brought.

 

“And the girl?” Venus asked suddenly.

 

“She is under our protection and a ward of the state. Besides, I think she is the only one who knows how to use and make this silly contraption,” Queen Serenity said, smiling at the young girl who was watching them. “Come along, Angwyn Weaver.”

 

-

 

Sailors Sun’s eyes flicked back and forth, following the lights that only she saw.

 

“Chizuko, what can we do?” Sailor Io asked the coppery bird of prey.

 

“I don’t know. How did I get back in the stasis, and what did the mistress do?” Chizuko asked, hopping from one foot to another. She preened her feathers.

 

“She remembered another way to free you, and then was struck by these lights and collapsed,” Sailor Io said, cradling the red head in her lap.

 

“Lights? Perhaps she turned on the information recorder! That uses subliminal lights and messages to give her complicated mathematics information. She was able to train herself to remember vast amounts of information that way very quickly,” Chizuko said, twisting her head to look at the device in question.

 

“But why doesn’t she wake up?” Sailor Io asked.

 

“I do not know. Usually she came out of the trances very quickly.”

 

Sailor Sun continued to dream, hearing voices that beckoned her to return. But the past wouldn’t let her go now that it had its claws in her.

 

-

 

Angwyn missed her friends. But they had lives that they needed to deal with. Senshi Jupiter, or Browein to her friends, hadn’t been able to visit since the birth of her first daughter and heir. Angwyn didn’t begrudge her that, but did miss one of the few people that treated her as a friend.

 

And even though she had an open invite to visit the castle, Gwyn just didn’t feel comfortable in the presence of so much nobility. So she worked at her own tower a small distance away from the palace.

 

The Solaris Tempus did work, but was far too expensive to put in every small village. So Gwyn continued to improve her mother’s work. She had never forgotten the screams that heralded the death of her family. Unbeknownst to anyone, she had embarked on a plan of bloody revenge. But for that plan to work, she would have to have more power. Power enough to take on a skilled and foul mage who summoned fiends to do his bidding. A powerful sorcerer indeed. She would use the power that her mother had started to tap into, to be HER revenge.

 

Gwyn had grown to be a good-looking girl of seventeen (but never as pretty as the Senshi in her mind!) She wore a gown that in some way mirrored the gowns of the Senshi, but not so close to break any laws. It was a tribute to the friends that had saved her life seven years ago.

 

Her hands glided along the smooth wood of her latest creation. Gwyn had decided a long time ago that she just couldn’t do her best work in the shadows of any planets. So she had set about creating a breathtaking ship, made of lustrous wood, and white sails. Built not to sail the waters of Earth, but the sky. Carefully woven into the sails were the same crystals from the original Solaris Tempus. In honor of her mother, she had named the new ship, the Solaris. When the Sun rose, she would be able to rise into the air, and continue her experiments.

 

“Milady? Are you in there, Milady Angwyn?” a bass toned voice rang out.

 

Gwyn started, and quickly recovered the ship. “Yes I am! Who is it?”

 

“It is Leory, sent by the Queen to invite you to court to witness the first public appearance of her daughter. She’s saved you a special place,” Leory replied jocularly.

 

“Her Majesty is too kind. I don’t deserve such an exalted place,” Gwyn said as she entered the cottage from her tower.

 

“She gave me strict instructions to see that you are escorted to the palace promptly.”

 

“Very well, let me clean up, and I’ll be with you shortly.” Gwyn fumed for a minute, and was tempted to just leave, but the queen wouldn’t stand for that. Her mother’s work was still a state secret. Only Angwyn, Browein, and the mysterious Sailor Pluto had any records of it. And the only reason she was let free to experiment was because she was loyal to the queen.

 

Soon they were walking quickly towards the palace that gleamed in the Earthlight.

 

-

 

Gwyn fretted quietly in a corner of the main hall. This was terribly tedious. Almost all of the nobility had turned out to pay respect for the newborn princess. Even many from the hidden Court of Earth. She pondered that concept. Of course she knew of the hidden magical kingdoms, and the interrelated nobility that was known as the Court of Earth. She even knew of the part that was of the mundane nobility of Earth. It was said that their royalty was descended from lost Atlantis.

 

Living as near the palace as she did, she of course knew almost all of their royalty. The King Endil and Queen Layenne, with their eldest boy in tow. What was his name? Endymion, yes that was it. He was sturdy lad of six or so, and looked quite precious as he tried to look as stern as his father.

 

The Queen swept into the room, carrying a small toddler. “Greeting and salutations, people of magic. I bid to you a good eve, and good omens. Welcome to our court my beautiful daughter, who I have named Serenity, as is the custom of my kingdom.”

 

With that the Queen raised her young girl up so that as many could see it would. “WELL MET, YOUNG PRINCESS!” thunderous voices rang out from all, even Gwyn to her own surprise. Cheering followed.

 

“Let the feasting begin!”

 

Gwyn couldn’t be certain, but she was struck profoundly by the little princess. What sort of premonition could be wrapped around such a small and feeble child? And what would it have to do with a peasant such as herself?

 

-

 

Gwyn was wandering during the party, away into the darkened halls of the palace. She heard voices from around the corner, as she sought out a breath of fresh air.

 

“I don’t think it would be wise you majesty. To flat out refuse the match would be considered a grievous insult,” the ancient Venus said.

 

“I will not betroth my only child to the Court of Earth. Not after what they have done, attacking and pillaging as they want, to take the life and souls of my people for their evil. I will not have it,” Queen Serenity said hotly.

 

“But Serenity! Prince Endymion had a foretelling of him and little Serenity. And he wasn’t the only one. I too saw them together. It is their destiny,” replied the matriarch of Venus.

 

“And I am to let my daughter to be swayed to evil? I will fight them to the last of my breath, and the last breath of my soldiers,” Serenity responded.

 

“You know that not all of the Court of Earth is against us!” Venus said.

 

“So I am to ignore their attacks on me and my family?” Serenity said, turning from her trusted advisor. “They killed my husband. They’ve threatened all of us, and wish to destroy us for those creatures of the darkness that they serve.”

 

“No, but I thought you were better than that, to judge them all on the actions of a few rebels.”

 

“That is far enough, Sleone. You may be my trusted advisor, but even you may not speak to me in such a tone.” A deep breath of air is taken in. “You will leave my court, only to return when you have pondered your errors.”

 

A pause in the conversation stretched out for a painfully long time. “As you wish, your majesty.” Venus bowed deeply, and then departed. She was gone before she could hear the soft sobbing of the Queen.

 

Gwyn turned quietly to leave, troubled and shaken. So that was why was the Queen so against the match. Angwyn had to agree with Sleone, it was their destiny. Even Gwyn had felt it. And destiny was not something to be trifled with. Even if you had good reasons.

 

But that still didn't get rid of the terrible feeling of danger or impending dooms that she felt. It contrasted so terribly with the sense of joy and peace that she also felt.

 

Gwyn stopped and paused for a second. Could the queen also feel this conflicting fate? That could also explain her behavior.

 

-

 

Sailor Sun's eyes twitched for just a second. She could see Sailor Io's worried face again, hovering over her. Chizuko waddled into view. Ranma could hear the worried voices, but it was like from a great distance, or from under water. Or both? Coppery light sparkled off the bird, sending the bedazzled mind down another path of memory. A pained whimper managed to escape the girl’s throat before she was sucked back into the past.

 

-

 

Angwyn sat up, blinking to relieve the dryness of her eyes. She focussed a minute, recalling the masses of mathematical formulae that she had just finished memorizing. All there, and ready for use. She sat up from the couch, and looked around. She walked over to her slate, and with a cloth, started to erase the formula that was written there. The new secrets that she was unveiling would be hers alone. With them locked in her mind, there were no books to be stolen, and no secrets that could be used against her or her precious queen.

 

Gwyn’s fingers traced a scar on her neck, from where an assassin had tried to kill her. It had been months since then, but still she ached to find the cloaked man who had tried to kill her and take her secrets. She shook her head, and walked into the back room of her tower, and tied on a leather apron over her tunic and pants. A few minutes at the bellows, and she had the forge up to full intensity.  She carefully put in more fuel for the fire, and then proceeded to her work.

 

Sparks flew from her hammer, spraying across the anvil. Muttered phrases, almost under her breath continued to flow from her. Sunlight carefully focussed on the anvil glinted merrily. She worked ceaselessly for hours, until her voice was horse, and she could barely raise her arms to beat the blade into shape.

 

Carefully she turned the blade over, and with a quick movement, plunged it into a vat of chilled water. She pulled it out after a few minutes, and then laid it back on the anvil. She brought out a special rock, and started to polish and sharpen it in careful strokes.

 

-

 

Gwyn awoke with a start, looking around the forge. The light had failed, and her back hurt. She tried to think back to when she had fallen asleep. She couldn’t remember. A cold weight pressed against her leg, reminding her of her labors. Carefully she raised herself up, holding her new sword. It had every last bit her secrets, forged from a meteorite that had been bathed in sunlight for ages, forged on her forge and imbued with the Sun’s power.

 

She took a few minutes to attach the hilt and cross guard to the sword, and then walked away from her forge. After bathing and changing into a more inconspicuous clothing (a nice, nondescript dress), she walked aboard the Solaris. The ship had performed admirably three years ago, and she had used it to good effect. And now she would use it on the first leg of her path of retribution.

 

With practiced movements, she was soon airborne, and floating over the palace. Her little ship raised higher into the air, soon passing the ships of the line that defended the Moon Kingdom from attack. One of them broke away for a minute to follow her, but turned back quickly, satisfied that she was no threat.

 

Sails unfurled from the front of the ship, in a petal like arrangement. Soon the sails picked up the solar winds, pushing her faster and faster. All the while that same wind was also absorbed into the crystals on those sails, protecting her from the airless void, and saving the power till later. When it would again be needed to rise again into the sky.

 

-

 

A cloaked woman walked quickly through the darkened streets, lit only by the occasional lantern in front of inns and other public places. The figure paused, looking at the sign. Quickly she pushed her way in, blinking back the biting smoke. Glancing quickly around, she spotted the man she had come so far to see.

 

She walked over the fat man sitting in the darkest corner. “Louie. You have the information that I requested?” Angwyn asked flatly in French. Her voice carried an unmistakably foreign accent, but no one here would be able to place it. There were not many who traveled from the Moon to Earth these days.

 

“Yes, mysterious lady, I do. Though asking about such dark people is not cheap work,” Louie responded likewise. “I found this necromancer that you were searching for. Would you believe that he is in the service to the new king? And here I thought King Hugh was a brighter man than his predecessor,” the Frenchman replied, trying to see as much as he could of the foreigner.

 

“Do you know where he is right now?” Angwyn asked, pulling the cloak around her just a bit more. She felt distinctly uncomfortable under this man’s eyes.

 

“Not so quickly, girl. There is a matter of payment first,” Louie said, brushing his black hair back. He had usually been in a better position by this part of the negotiation.

 

A small bag flew into his hastily raised hands. “Twenty five coins, pure gold, just as you asked.”

 

“If you do not mind, my little flower, I’ll check it just to be sure,” Louie replied. He quickly checked the bag, and what was in it. Gold coins, just as promised. He frowned slightly upon noticing the female face on one side of the coin, the other pock marked in an odd pattern. That was an odd thing. Only kings put their print on coins.

 

“It is satisfactory?” Angwyn asked.

 

“Oh, yes. Yes!” he replied. He rose to his feet, and beckoned her to follow. Soon they were back on the streets of Paris. They walked for a while, avoiding the thugs and scoundrels that preyed on the weak. Soon they came to a nice manor, with a high wall.

 

“Here we are, madam. The residence of Reginald Lafayette, ‘advisor’ to the king. Though more likely, he is the king’s court wizard. I have heard that he stargazes on the evenings, in his private garden on the other side of this very wall,” Louie said, bobbing a little bit. He was about to turn around and leave.

 

“Not so quick, Louie. You are going to come with me until I am satisfied that he is the one I want, and not one second less.” She gestured at the wall, indicating that he should climb.

 

Louie stared at her for one second in disguised hatred, and then scrambled over the wall. He was quickly followed by Angwyn. They both crouched low behind bushes, and scampered closer to the villa. There sitting in the middle of the garden sat a blonde haired man with finely chiseled features, marred only by his hooked nose.

 

Reginald looked out across his garden, and then spoke. “You can come out, assassin of the Moon Court. I swear to you that if you do not struggle, I will not extend you pain, much.” He stood casually, facing the direction of his attackers.

 

A cold pit formed in Angwyn’s stomach, and then a fire rekindled itself in her heart. She remembered that voice. The man who summoned the fiends that slew her family. A red haze clouded her mind, and she strode out to meet him. Her new sword appeared in her hand, as her other hand removed her cloak. “Reginald Lafayette, for murdering my family, you shall not see another morning’s dawn,” Angwyn snarled.

 

Reginald watched as the young women walked out of the darkened recesses, sword in hand. For just a second he thought her one of the Senshi that used a sword, and then realized she was none of them that he knew. He would recognize someone with that shade of red hair. He scowled, and then snapped his fingers. He had been so sure that this was one of Serenity’s puppets. “Capture her, so that I may interrogate her. Thank you Louie. Your payment awaits you at your home.”

 

Black mist swirled around three statues, leaving them stained and blotchy. Red eyes glowed as the three ancient carvings of warriors came to life, striding the ground with a loud drumming. Angwyn snarled, and raised her sword. “Searing Plasma Blast!” she cried out, sending a wave of heat and light to strike the first one from the sword.

 

It shook, and stumbled, but regained its feet in a moment. The only damage showing was a gouge in its chest. The nearest one swung clumsily at Angwyn, who sidestepped it with a surge of adrenaline and fear. The sword came back in an inspired sweep, striking deeply into golem’s chest. Its eyes flared for one second, and then went blank as the stone crumbled to dust.

 

The third one didn’t pause, striking without mercy or hesitation at her head. Angwyn couldn’t block it with her sword, and wasn’t quick enough to duck the incoming blow. Her free arm came up just in time to save her from being knocked unconscious, but at the cost of the sickening snap of her arm.

 

Angwyn screamed in agony, and struck clumsily with an overhand strike. The creature raised its hand to ward the blow. The sword struck and screamed in a torrent of energy. Moments later the third golem exploded into fragments, several of which struck her, bruising and cutting her.

 

The first one stumbled back to its feet. It strode towards her, eyes gleaming impassively. Angwyn panicked, and struck out with almost all of her remaining strength, blasting the last into fragments. She stood for a moment, gasping for her breath. She hissed in pain.

 

Reginald clapped briskly. “Bravo and salutations. I thought I knew everyone who posed a threat to me and mine. Unfortunately, I can’t let you kill me, for I have far too much to do, and so little time to do it in. And a girl like you really should be back at her home, raising children. Not interfering with her betters.”

 

Angwyn quailed and almost collapsed, tears rising in her eyes. Until she heard his last comment. A crimson rage filled her, a rage that filled her to overflowing. “I’ll never stop until you are dead, Lafayette. I would rather die than fail.” With her one good arm, she raised her sword high, releasing a torrent of energy at the startled mage.

 

He hastily raised a shield, stopping the attack. He grunted in unexpected effort. Gods and demons, she was strong. She could give the Senshi of Silence a run for her money with an attack like that.

 

He strengthened his shield as best a possible, but it was quickly becoming undone.

 

A blinding flash ended her attack on the vile necromancer. Angwyn stared at him for a second, shocked that he was still standing. The sword lay quiet in her hand, drained of all the energy it had absorbed. The mage stood up straight, and Angwyn reached a galling decision. She turned and ran. She couldn’t fail, she had to destroy him. If that required that she flee to fight another day, then so be it.

 

Reginald listened carefully, trying to find his attacker by sound. Damn spots! But if she thought that blinding him would stop him from defending himself, she was sorely mistaken. He heard a noise, and launched his own attack, missing her by scant feet.

 

Angwyn ran in terror now. She was powerless, and if caught her she would fail her mother and father. She dodged to the side at the last second, and made it to the gate she had spotted earlier. With a creak, she was out on the streets, running fast.

 

“There she is. She’s a witch I tell you! I saw her throw fire, and summoned demons to fight for her,” a familiar voice cried out. Louie pointed her out to the guard, and then moved to the side.

 

“Halt in the name of the king!” the lead guard yelled, hefting his pike.

 

“Damnation,” Angwyn cried out, spun and ran for the edge of the city.

 

The guards chased after her. She skidded around a corner, and yelped as a dagger buried itself in the wall to the side of her. She started to murmur an enchantment to summon her ship to her, and started to climb up the city wall. The guards where but a moment behind her.

 

“We have her now! She can not escape!” one of the guards yelled.

 

“Beware on the wall! We have a witch who is trying to escape! Stop her, or I’ll have your ears, damn you!” the leader of the guard cried out.

 

Confused shouts responded, and the clanking of arms. Angwyn skidded to a halt, aggravating her wounded arm, and almost causing herself to pass out from the pain. With an obvious effort, she charged down the other way, towards one of the towers. She burst into the empty tower, and climbed the ladder that led to the roof.

 

Cries from below her told her she had but moments to act. Her ship was floating closer, at an agonizing pace. Judging as best she could, she stepped away from the wall, and then ran and leaped. For just a second, she almost panicked.

 

And then her foot caught on the railing of her small ship. With a tumble, she passed out on the deck of the ship. Having finished being summoned, it ceased its forward motion, and became one with the breeze blowing it away from the wall.

 

The guards yelled, and fired what arrows they could, but they fell harmlessly or short.

 

Angwyn awoke to the sun on her face, and a whimper of pain. Tears welled up from within her. She had failed. Worse, she had failed and the enemy now knew they were hunted. Next time they would be better prepared, and they would know how to handle her.

 

She started weeping bitter tears. Ten years of planning and gaining power, all for nothing. She hadn’t even hurt the bastard. He was probably following her right now, to find out who was with her. All of that power, and she had failed. She didn’t know how to become more powerful. The most powerful beings she knew were the queen, and perhaps Saturn.

 

But how was she supposed to gain that much power? They had the backing of entire planets, and the Queen had the Silver Crystal, one of the greater artifacts of existence. And there weren’t any  more unclaimed planets.

 

Angwyn turned over and nearly blinded herself, staring up at the Sun. Her tears stopped, and a calculating look crept to her face. Should she? Could she? You didn’t need a planet per se, just a large celestial body. If she could tap into that power like the Senshi did their planets, she would have more than enough power to face him again.

 

Maybe even become, in some way, just like those pretty protectors who had rescued her so long ago. Angwyn clutched at the idea desperately, like a lifeline. Maybe, just maybe she still had hope. She dragged herself back up to the rudder, and started to turn the little ship around. Soon she had the little ship headed home.

 

-

 

Reginald Lafayette was not a happy man. He lay in his bed waiting for the answer from his physician. Sunlight streamed in from outside, though he didn’t know it. Those damned spots still floated in front of his eyes.

 

“Lord Lafayette, I’m afraid I don’t have good news. You might recover your sight sometime, but when is not a certainty. If you could just tell me what caused this ailment, I could help you better. I have many poultices for poisons, and other cures for other types of blindness,” the physician said. He had been sent down here from the King Hugh, to find out who dared do this to his advisor. There were many who plotted against the new king, and all of those plots must be found out, and peace brought to the realm.

 

“For the last time, I’m not certain how that witch did it. It was from a sword that glowed like the Sun,” Reginald replied scathingly.

 

“I have never heard of a sword that does that, my lord. You are quite lucky to have survived an encounter with such a powerful foe,” he replied, starting to pack away his tools.

 

“Then be gone. And send in that excuse of a guard that failed to bring me that witch,” Reginald shouted.

 

“Of course my lord.”

 

Reginald Lafayette heard the door open and the swish of the doctor as he closed the door. He jumped in surprise when a familiar voice spoke up. “Well, it looks as if you will get to prove your boast, Reginald. You always did say that you could do the rituals blindfolded. Or should we wait to summon her that waits?” a high pitched female voice asked suddenly.

 

“Queen Beryl? What do I owe the honor of this visit?” Reginald said, quickly recovering.

 

“It is only months away, from when we can free her that waits. Will you still be able to summon her?” Queen Beryl asked, eyes drifting over the mage.

 

“Of course I will. I won’t back out at this time. I’ve put too much effort into this, to back out now. And besides, there are other ways of seeing. I will not be blinded for long,” Reginald said with a sneer.

 

“Of course. Till later then,” Queen Beryl said, turning and disappearing into the shadows. A contented smile lay on her face. It was time to replace her court mage. The power would be hers, and hers alone. Reginald should never have let her see him weak. The fool. He might have kept her looks, and her youth, but he had still failed her.

 

The pieces were starting to fall into place. She had confirmed that the Senshi of Silence had been reborn. Soon the last days of the Moon Kingdom would be upon them.

 

-

 

Ranma blinked her eyes. She was back in the present for the moment.

 

“Ranma? Can you hear me? Come on, please wake up. Don’t do this to me, I need you,” Sailor Io said, rocking still form of Sailor Sun. She blinked back her tears. Lights flickered and danced from her tiara.

 

Sailor Sun whimpered again as the lights played havoc with her synapses.

 

“Quick, we need to blindfold her. Each time she sees something shiny, it sends her back into the trance,” Chizuko said suddenly.

 

But Sailor Sun was gone already.

 

-

 

Angwyn walked through the palace, waiting for her time to see the queen. She sat down in the antechambers, waiting her turn. She touched her shoulder pad, where Chizuko usually sat. Unfortunately, the guards had almost attacked her the last time, thinking that it was a demon in disguise. They were apologetic, but would not let the creature come into the palace again.

 

She sighed, and looked around at the guards, and those who were waiting. Mostly the normal courtiers, but there was a young girl sitting next the tapestry that showed the first queen, centuries ago. Angwyn smiled at seeing such a young girl reading a book. Not many would take the time to teach a girl to read.

 

She started when she saw the title of the book. A translation of the Pythagorean theorem and other mathematical theories? Sudden curiosity rose in her, and she sat next to the young girl. “Good morning! That seems to be a bit dry for such a young girl,” Angwyn said, startling the young girl.

 

“Good morning, Lady. It’s not boring, really. It can be quite fascinating sometimes. I’m just waiting for my mother,” the young girl stammered. She looked like she wanted to hide the book, and crawl up into a ball.

 

“Really? You’re the little scholar, aren’t you? And what is your name?” Angwyn asked.

 

“I’m Amillyn, Lady.” The young girl pushed back her dark hair. She didn’t seem upset at her reading, unlike some others.

 

“I’m not a ‘lady’. I am just a free woman, who likes to read sometimes. You can call me Gwyn if you like,” Angwyn responded firmly.

 

“Oh, of course Gwyn. Do you study math? I don’t have a proper tutor anymore. I have to depend on books to expand my knowledge,” Amillyn replied, hoping for a kindred spirit.

 

“Math is one of my studies. Among other things of course.”

 

“Could you show me?” Amillyn asked suddenly. She reached into the small bundle next to her, and pulled out an inkwell and a piece of paper.

 

Angwyn closed her eyes for a second. What should she put down? After a moment’s hesitation, she put down one of her more complicated formulas down, dealing with dispersing energies in a matrix.

 

Amillyn looked over the formula, and then laboriously started to disassemble it, and put it back together properly.  “Done!” Amillyn said proudly.

 

Angwyn started, and looked over the work. It was done differently than the way she had done it. The answer was slightly different too. “Could you explain how you did that, Amillyn?” Angwyn asked suddenly.

 

“Sure! You take these two variables, and simplify.” Amillyn continued to explain the system to her new friend. Soon they were enmeshed in a complicated discussion of procedures, and equations. Over an hour later, they were interrupted by a soft cough.

 

“Excuse me, but it is time for us to leave Amillyn. Who is you new friend?” the older women in the distinctive dress of one of the Senshi asked suddenly.

 

“Oh, this is Gwyn, she’s been working with me on my math.” Amillyn smiled, and looked at her new friend. “You’ll write me? It’s so nice to be able to discuss things like this with someone new and different.

 

“Gwyn?” Mercury said, searching Angwyn’s face carefully. “You remind me of someone. From a long time ago.”

 

“Your highness is too kind. You were party to the queen when she rescued me almost twelve years ago. Down in Imbrue Dells, after the village was attacked and destroyed.” Gwyn looked over the older women for any signs of recognition. She turned back to Amillyn, who she realized had to be Mercury’s daughter. “Of course I’ll write you. You have been very helpful. You’ve corrected a lot of little mistakes that I’ve made.”

 

“Ah, I thought I remembered you. We’ll be back of course. My daughter has special training to do at the palace. Along with the other young girls of the inner sphere,” Mercury replied.

 

Angwyn was surprised. “I thought the new Venus was more mature? She had her own child didn’t she?” Angwyn asked.

 

Mercury paused for a second, and then sighed. “You will probably hear about it soon enough. Melida was killed in an attack last week. We aren’t sure if Sleone is going to wake up. So that leaves it up to her daughter.”

 

“Oh my god. This is a terrible blow. How did it happen?” Angwyn asked.

 

“We wish we knew for certain.” She turned her attention back to her daughter. “You will not mention this to the princess. She would become distraught, and ill.”

 

“Yes, mother.”

 

“Excuse me? Angwyn? The queen will see you now,” a page said, catching her attention.

 

“Please, take me to her.” Angwyn pondered the changes that were happening. It almost looked as if things were getting much worse. It might boil down to war yet.

 

-

 

Angwyn adjusted the last lens and shutter. She glanced around the room to see if everything was in place. Sighing, she put down the tool into the bag, and took it back into the rest of her private fortress. She glanced around at the metal walls, and Chizuko sitting on her perch.

 

“Are you ready, Angwyn?” Chizuko said, looking up from a book.

 

“I think so. If not, I’ll need you to bring news of my failure to the queen. I haven’t sent her a letter in months,” Angwyn responded. Her reflection caught her eye. She was trim and young looking woman, but obviously no longer a teenager. Her hand strayed to her stomach.

 

“Are you all right? Do you want to talk about him?” Chizuko asked suddenly.

 

“No, I don’t. He left me, to marry that younger girl.” Angwyn bit back her tears.

 

“That wasn’t the only reason, was it?” Chizuko had been hurt by her young mistress’s pain. Perhaps she was finally ready to talk about it.

 

“He, he left me because she gave him a son. When I could not. John threw me to the side once he had proof that I was barren. And I know why, now,” Angwyn whispered.

 

Chizuko stepped from one foot to the other. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I’m your friend, and companion ever since that day that you rescued me.”

 

“I didn’t want to admit that I had done it to myself,” Angwyn replied, fighting back tears. “My thirst for vengeance has ruined any chance I had for happiness. This will be the last session, binding my soul to the Sun. And the Sun to my soul for all time.”

 

“You don’t have to do this, Angwyn.”

 

“It’s all I have left. That and my mother’s work. I’ve finished writing my works down. Even my history, so that others may learn from my folly.” And with that she went back into the chamber, and knelt down. “Activate it. Let it be done, one way or another.” She cradled a fist size stone of yellow rock.

 

Chizuko nodded sadly. She used her beak to spin the dials, and move the levers. Energy thrummed, and shutters opened. And outside an amazing lattice grew. Larger and larger, it soon encompassed the entire Sun in its weaves. Slowly it matched the patterns of the volatile leylines of the center of the solar system. Minutes dragged out, and then finally it was done.

 

Angwyn still knelt in the center of the focussing chamber, her clothing having been consumed in the flare of energy. She carefully sat there for a second and raised the stone above her. Wordlessly, she activated the stone. Energy flowed, and expanded. In moments she was transformed just like her young friend, Amillyn. She was garbed as they were, even if she didn’t have the right.

 

Chizuko stared in awe. So much power. She had done it.

 

Sailor Sun stood for the first time, and then left quickly after grabbing a cloak. She looked out one of the many windows, and then disappeared in a flash.

 

She still had her vengeance to exact on Reginald Lafayette, and his mysterious queen.

 

-

 

Sailor Sun appeared just within the palace grounds, amidst the frantic preparations of war. Luckily, one of the guards recognized her before she was attacked. In moments she was presented to the queen. Angwyn bowed, and then looked around. One of the moon cats was also present, Luna she thought.

 

“Your majesty? What is going on?” Angwyn asked.

 

“Treachery, most foul. The fleets have been subverted by Queen Beryl, and her forces. They have already struck out against my most powerful of allies. Saturn, Neptune and Uranus have already fallen. And I have no word on Pluto. The fleet will be returning shortly. Not that they need bother. Beryl’s forces have us almost pushed back to the palace already.” The queen looked haggard, and almost defeated. “I could seal away those here on the Moon and on the Earth. But not the fleet also. Not as far the fleet is now.”

 

Angwyn licked her lips, which were suddenly dry. “I may be able to defeat the fleet, you majesty.” The moon cat perked its ears up at that.

 

A bit of hope dared show on Serenity’s face. “Your experiments have born fruit?”

 

Angwyn nodded, and then took in a deep breath. “I have managed to forge the link in between myself and the Sun, just as the Senshi and yourself have done with you planets.”

 

 “Your majesty! This is insane. How can you trust her to do this? If you do not strike down your enemies at the right time, you will fail. We must try to hold out until the fleet is closer,” Luna said, standing as tall as the black cat could.

 

“You must have faith in your loyal vassals, Luna. Faith must carry us. How long will it take to deal with them, Angwyn?” Serenity asked, suddenly intent.

 

“Perhaps an hour, less if I hurry. Your majesty, will you take my link to the Sun, and guard it? What I will do, I will not survive. But you deserve no less from me for your kindness,” Angwyn said, and pulled out her soul link. It glowed brightly, filled with power.

 

Luna blinked, and averted her eyes. The raw power imbued, and contained in that crystal was immense. It was just possible that this girl that she had met only a few times, might be able to do what she said.

 

“By you leave.” A short bow to her beloved queen, to hide her tears.

 

And then Angwyn disappeared in a flash of light, leaving her most precious creation in her liege’s hands.

 

-

 

Twenty minutes later, a flash of light appeared in front of the fleet. One hundred vessels strong, imbued with magic to make the journey between planets. Over half of them were gone. Destroyed or just missing? It didn’t matter anymore. She would do her best to destroy what was here.

 

One last flash of light, and she was on the first ship. Her sword appeared in her hand, and sprang to fiery life. “Solar Flare!” Sailor Sun cried out, igniting the top deck, and slaying over a dozen fiendish looking men in one burst of energy.

 

Three more ships of the line were destroyed in minutes, precious minutes. On the fourth ship she encountered a greater obstacle. A man, dressed in the court garb France. Still as young as ever, Reginald Lafayette stood in her path of destruction.

 

“So we meet again, Angwyn Weaver. Survivor of  the Imbrue Dells massacre, and puppet of Queen Serenity. It took me years to discover that it was you that had robbed me of my sight. So you have joined your queen in her moment of defeat? How foolish,” Reginald said, venom dripping from his words. His eyes gleamed a bright red, showing his possession to all who had the Sight.

 

“Reginald. So you are prepared to finish our little battle from a decade ago?” Angwyn responded.

 

“You cost me my sight, and my soul. The only reason I still exist, is because Queen Beryl wishes it so. She pulls the strings that bind this evil in place of my soul.” He reached into a pouch, and pulled out a glowing crystal. “Does this look familiar? Yes, a soul crystal. Only from the most powerful of the young. This one in fact is of particular import. It is your brother’s.”

 

“What?” Sailor Sun exclaimed. She had an awful premonition.

 

“Oh yes. And do you know what happens when it is destroyed? That soul is utterly destroyed. Like so!” His fingers flexed suddenly, crushing the crystal instantly. “Don’t worry, Angwyn. You’ll soon follow your brother into oblivion, I swear that.”

 

“You bastard.” Angwyn stared at the shards that disappeared into the ether. Her hand tightened on her sword, a golden aura flared into existence around her. “You’ll burn for that. This is your last day.”

 

Reginald laughed, and then struck with tendrils of blackness. Sailor Sun parried with a sword made of sunlight, and power. She wouldn’t run out of power this time. She had solved that problem years ago.

 

Reginald swept an arm across the men on the deck. Instantly they grew deformed, showing their demonic nature that was hidden in each of the sailors. They leaped at the glowing figure in front of them. She parried and blocked, reaping a whirlwind of death and destruction. The lessons she had learned from the palace swords master served her well. In minutes the only thing left on the deck were Reginald and her.

 

“Interesting. You’ve improved, my dear nemesis. But then again, so have I,” Reginald said. And with that he shed the physical limitations of his form. Swirling darkness flowed from him for one second, and then reformed into a giant demon, twelve feet tall. Seemingly more than a shadow, less than a real man, it stretched it claws, and roared, showing its maw filled with teeth.

 

“Searing Plasma Blast!” Sailor Sun cried out, strikingdirectly out at the demon.

 

He disappeared like he had never existed. Sailor Sun started to turn, barely blocking the better part of the blow that was meant to rip her spine out.

 

“Pitiful. Soon we will dance on the graves of the Moon Kingdom, and bring a darkness like no one has seen before. I will keep you skull as a monument of my victory here.” The demon laughed, and licked her blood off of its claws. “It truly is the end of the world, just like they prophesied.”

 

They repeated her blasting out at him, and failing to hit. He would cut her as she blindly tried to defend herself from his claws. Cuts now covered her legs, and arms. One cut had almost taken her life, by nearly ripping out her throat.

 

Sailor Sun panted and groaned. She had to defeat him, so that she could destroy the fleet. From the glances she been able to see, they were spreading out. She wouldn’t be able to get them all in the time that the queen needed. Not conventionally.

 

Sailor Sun held up her sword, and then started spinning it. She danced from block to attack, and then to block again. Each swing of her sword left a trail in the air, and scorched the thing that was Reginald if he got too close. She hadn’t meant to use this power, and she wasn’t sure if it would work. But there was no other option. She promised the queen that she would stop the fleet, and she would.

 

“What are you doing? You don’t think this will save you, do you?” the shadow thing yelled, trying again to claw her, and failing. “You’re just human, you can’t win. You will tire, and then you will die!” It studied the sphere of lines that was springing into existence around her. It looked familiar, somehow.

 

Sailor Sun finished her dance, sword flashing in a sweep. “Solar Supreme Nova,” she whispered.

 

And then there was light, and heat. Sailor Sun and the demon didn’t have time to scream as they were instantly reduced to their subatomic components. The farthest ship in the fleet didn’t even time to react as the flare of energy hit them at light speed.

 

At the edge of the burst, a space station was rocked, and damaged. But Chizuko was safe in her stasis field, unaware of the events that had happened just a short ways away.

 

-

 

Queen Serenity sat in her palace hall, waiting for the destruction of all she held dear. Behind her sat two cylinders, each with a moon cat in suspended animation. She had given them their instructions, and prepared them as best as possible.

 

All of a sudden, the glowing crystal in front of her flashed, and went dimmer. With a certainty that she wouldn’t have believed possible, she knew that Angwyn had done what she had sworn, and died to do it. She held the crystal close to her for a second. She deserved this, if any non-noble did.

 

 She chanted the words she knew so well, shaping the thing of magic in front of her. It changed into a rod, and then stabilized, flickering faintly.

 

Serenity flicked it into the subspace holding vault, until one of the two moon cats would call it forth with the other seven henshin sticks. Serenity knew that Pluto was still out there, somewhere. She had been unable to summon her henshin stick. But Pluto would also be able to access the hidden vault if she needed to.

 

She could hear the pounding on the doors. They would soon fall. A wave of her hand, and the two cats disappeared. One last mental instruction, explaining to them what had happened.

 

And then she cupped her hand, and summoned the Silver Crystal. It was powered by life, and love. And what she needed it to do would drain her soul utterly. There was no hope that she would come back in the next cycle. But her daughter and her protectors would, if they were all lucky.

 

The last door broke down, and the horde of warriors roared their challenge at Queen Serenity. One of them raised a knife to throw at her when the room exploded into light. The demon ridden creatures had just a second to scream before they were thrust into the newly created sub-dimension. The light expanded outwards, quickly encompassing the Earth and the Moon. All who were tainted by the dark Queen  Beryl and her mistress disappeared in the blink of an eye.

 

And in a little shrine in a small town on the side of a mountain in the country that would be known as Japan, a flickering glow appeared, and then was absorbed into the statue. And would stay hidden for almost a thousand years.

 

-

 

Sailor Sun awoke to darkness, and soft murmuring in her ears. “Do you think that will work?” Akane asked.

 

“It should allow her to gain control. I’ve never seen it do this before. I’m quite worried.”

 

Sailor Sun tensed, expecting to be thrown back into the past. But the blindfold stopped the torrent of light. By inches and degrees, she managed to gain control. “Water,” Ranma croaked.

 

“Ranma! You’re all right. Here, drink this,” Akane said, helping the redhead to drink.

 

“Ouch. Remind me to not do that again.” Sailor Sun shook her head carefully. Nothing rattled, but she had a doozy of a headache. She reached up and carefully removed the blindfold. She blinked her eyes to clear the spots from them. “Hi, Chizuko. How long was I out, and how is the station?”

 

“About an hour. It was a little easier to fix this time, because I knew what had failed last time. The shields are repaired, and you can revert if you want to,” Chizuko said calmly.

 

“What happened Ranma? Those lights hit you, and then you passed out.” Akane bit her lower lip nervously.

 

“I, uh, think I accidentally put myself into a hypnotic trance. My past life used that to absorb or recall a lot of information quickly. I just took a trip down memory lane. Her memories. Angwyn's,” Ranma said, then took a sip of the water.

 

“So you remember a lot more?” Akane asked.

 

“Yeah. Some of it wasn’t pleasant. Remembering yourself dying wasn’t fun,” Ranma said, shuddering slightly. Ranma had only ever had that feeling once before, when she had thought Akane had been killed by Saffron.

 

No, that wasn’t right. It was when she had gone to rescue Akane from Jadeite’s dimension. She hadn’t gone back to Jusenkyo, or Phoenix Mountain. She shook her head again to clear the cobwebs out. She took off the blind fold, and looked around, blinking.

 

 “Are you feeling all right, Ranma? We need to get home, and deal with that mess, and plan on moving out still,” Akane said hesitantly.

 

“Sure. I’m lots better now. And you’re right. We still need to deal with the parents yet.” Ranma stood up, and adjusted her skirt unconsciously. “Ready, Chizuko?”

 

“Of course.”

 

And another flare of light and they all disappeared.

 

-

 

Minutes later a beam of light struck the Tendo’s yard.

 

They glanced around to see if anyone was there, reverted, and then walked past the pond and into the house. Everything glistened like new, droplets still in evidence from the passing rain.

 

They spotted Kasumi watching one of her favorite shows.

 

“We’re home!” Akane announced loudly. She glanced around, trying to spot her father. “Where’s dad?”

 

“Oh he’s still lying down. He didn’t feel very well when he and Mr. Saotome came home late this morning,” Kasumi said brightly.  “I’m just about to start dinner.”

 

“Wow, he and pop must have really got liquored up. It’s pretty late in the afternoon,” Ranma said. “By the way Kasumi, this is Chizuko. We kinda rescued her, and so she decided to stay with us.”

 

Kasumi blinked, and then looked over at Ranma, and the large hawk perched on her shoulder. “That is quite a magnificent bird, Ranma. Are you sure someone won’t be looking for it?”

 

“Nah, I’m pretty sure. Have you seen my mother?” Ranma asked, sitting down in front of the TV.

 

“She said that she had to run some errands, but she promised that she would be back shortly.” Kasumi walked off to start preparing dinner.

 

Akane plunked down next to her husband. They casually wrapped their arms about each other, and sat enjoying each other's company. Ranma did switch the station as soon as possible though. Ugh, soap operas.

 

Nabiki watched them for a moment, and then stepped back into the hall slowly. After just a moment to make sure that no one had noticed her exit, she picked up the phone. “Hello, Shampoo? Yes, they just got home. No it doesn’t look like they are leaving anytime soon.” A pause. “This one’s for free, all right? Just don’t mention that I told you. Thanks.” She hung up the phone. Casually she walked upstairs, and started her homework. It wouldn’t do to appear right when Shampoo walked in.

 

-

 

Shampoo leaped from roof to roof, followed by a short figure wielding a gnarled staff. Long white hair flowed from behind Cologne as she followed Shampoo in the direction of the Tendo’s. She kept a wary eye out for Mousse as he shadowed them.

 

Shampoo landed on the ground in front of the wall of the yard. Normally, she would just leap over the wall and enter the house normally. But this time, she felt it necessary to release a bit of frustration. A loud shuddering boom echoed through the yard as Shampoo demolished a section of the wall.

 

“Nia ho, husband. You come on date with Shampoo, yes?” Shampoo said loudly, spotting her red hair through the open porch.

 

“Jeez, Shampoo. You didn’t need to knock down the wall. And I am NOT your husband!” Ranma yelled back.

 

“Shampoo have question. Did Ranma really say that he marry kitchen destroyer? If so, then she is obstacle to be removed,” Shampoo said, disregarding Cologne’s advice on how to approach Ranma.

 

Akane bounded to her feet. She spun around, and set herself at the ready. “Yes, Shampoo, he did. He’s my husband, and nothing you can do will change that.”

 

“Shampoo think pervert girl wrong. Shampoo defeat you and take Ranma home. And nothing A-kan-e can do about it.”

 

“Is that a challenge, Shampoo? If it is, I accept. I’ll make you eat those words.” Akane leaped outside, next to the koi pond.

 

“Don’t take too long, Akane. Kasumi’s almost done with supper,” Ranma called out, turning back to the TV.

 

Cologne stared at Ranma in surprise. What happened to Ranma’s over protectiveness? She called out to Shampoo, “Be careful, Shampoo. Treat her as if she were the most dangerous of opponents.”

 

“Yes, great-grandmother.” Shampoo adjusted her posture slightly. She knew that Akane had improved, but she didn’t think it was to that degree.

 

She was relieved that she had after the first few moments of the battle. Akane was moving like lightning, her blows accurate and devastating. Already Shampoo had bruises that were going to last for days. Akane seemed to shrug off her worst blows. Shampoo upped the ante, by attacking at her full speed. Hands flashed to strike vitals and nerves.

 

What she didn’t expect was for Akane’s hand to blur even faster, blocking all of her attacks, and landing her own blows. Shampoo leaped up to the top of the wall to get some distance. Akane charged, striking at the wall, yelling out, “Breaking Point!”

 

Shampoo had just a moment to react, diving to the side. She hadn’t been quite quick enough, and was pelted by the sharp pebbles. She landed and then leaped, just missing being kicked through the wall by Akane’s follow up. So that was why Akane was shrugging off her attacks! She had learned the Breaking Point!

 

“Aie! This not good. Stingers of the Bee!” Shampoo called out and then focussed for a moment, and then flung needles charged with ki. Each needle exploded when it struck the ground.

 

Akane blinked in surprise. She had ducked on instinct alone, not realizing what Shampoo was doing. She smiled over at the standing amazon. She cried out, “Roaring Tiger Bullet!” and unleashed her own ki attack at the surprised amazon.

 

In the blink of an eye, Shampoo was picking herself up. She was staggered for a moment. She was not going to lose to this, this weak and pathetic girl! She had but a moment to recover for Akane’s charge. Hands and feet flashed in a furious symphony, until finally Shampoo’s defenses collapsed. Blows hammered home in a blur. Shampoo's nose was crushed, and each of her vital spots on her front was hit. Akane finished with a wheel kick, knocking out the Chinese girl.

 

Cologne gaped at the fight that she had just witnessed. Akane Tendo, once the weakest of Ranma’s suitors had just soundly defeated Shampoo, one of the most dangerous martial artists in the area.

 

In less than five minutes.

 

And she hardly looked like she had been exercising. Only the barest sheen of sweat showed on her brow.

 

“Shampoo!” Mousse yelled out, going to his fallen love.

 

Nabiki watched from the second floor. The Akane she knew wouldn’t have been able to defeat Shampoo a week ago, much less Ukyo. Though, actually, Nabiki couldn’t remember those two ever coming to blows before. So she MIGHT have been able to defeat Ukyo.

 

But still, this was a drastic change. Ranma must have done some serious training to get her this good. Or perhaps it had to do with their wanting to move out to Juuban?

 

-

 

Usagi finished knocking the water off of her umbrella, and putting it in its holder by the front door. "I'm home!" Usagi called out, slipping out of her shoes. She glanced around, trying to listen where her father was.

 

"In here, dear! We're just sitting down to dinner," Usagi's mom called out. The sounds of dishes clinking merrily drifted from the kitchen.

 

"Hi mom. Uh, who’s this?" Usagi asked, looking at the stranger sitting at their table. She had the most outrageous pink hair, done in a style very similar to her own, though not quite so long. Close though. She looked to be about the same age too.

 

"This is your cousin. Don't you remember her? He name is Usagi too, but she wants us to call her Usa." She started setting more bowls out, slapping Shingo's hand when he tried to reach for some food too quickly.

 

"Hello, Usagi. How are you doing?" Usa asked, watching her carefully. She knelt down by her cousin.

 

"I'm all right, I guess. I guess I'm just being silly, but I don’t remember you very well. You say I'm your cousin?" Usagi asked. She looked around suddenly, noting the absence of her father. "Where's father?"

 

"He had to work late tonight, so he'll be home later."

 

"Yes. It's been a . . . . long time. What ever happened to that cat of yours? You know, Luna?" Usa asked.

 

"Luna? I have, no had a cat named Luna?" Usagi asked. She closed her eyes, and tried to concentrate on an elusive memory. "I can't remember. It must have been a long time ago." Usagi started to have one of her headaches. One of those headaches that she got when she started to think back to that dream. The dream she'd had for the last couple of days.

 

"Oh, ok. Well, I'm going to be going to school with you while I'm visiting." Usa beamed, trying to look innocent.

 

Shingo piped up unexpectedly. "Say, Usa. Why are you visiting?"

 

"Uh, my tutor thought it would be a good idea to visit some relatives." Usa cackled nervously. "You never know when you can see them again."

 

-

 

The next morning dawned beautifully. Ranma and Akane were walking down the road towards the bus stop and chatting about the last night.

 

"Boy, I didn't think your dad was going to blow up like that about us moving out. How does Kasumi do that thing where she pops his demon head attack?" Ranma asked. "And boy was Mousse unhappy about you beating up Shampoo. I didn’t think he’d be stupid enough to attack you though."

 

"He's just being over protective again. You know that. And you need to ask Kasumi that, I don’t know how she does that." Akane hummed a few bars of music, enjoying the scents brought to her by the breeze. She was wearing her new school uniform. Ranma was wearing his typical Chinese outfit, of course.

 

"All we're doing is moving out for a little while. It's not the end of the world. We'll be back for spring break, and it's only a bus ride away." Ranma looked speculatively at the time on the front of a bank. "Man, I really don't want to ride the bus today."

 

"Well, I'm not running all the way to Juuban."

 

"We could take a shortcut. If you know what I mean?" Ranma suggested casually.

 

"Hmm. That would give us more time to figure out what is going on, and try to get more information from the rest of the group," Akane mused. "Sure, why not?"

 

"Let's get some privacy first. Up we go!" Ranma said loudly, jumping to nearest roof. Akane was but a bound behind him.

 

As soon as they disappeared, Nabiki stepped out of the shadows behind them. "Damn. Now I'm never going to catch up to them."

 

-

 

"I guess you forgot that little fact, huh Ranma?" Akane teased, dashing into the classroom before anyone else showed up.

 

Ranma followed her in. She harrumphed, and glared at the raven haired girl. "It's not funny."

 

"So go and get some hot water. You're not helpless you know," Akane said, starting pull out her books. She also pulled out her notebook, and her pen. She started to write down something in her notepad.

 

Ranma sat down, and ducked her head. She mumbled, "I'm gonna wait till class starts."

 

Akane looked up in surprise. "What?"

 

Ranma responded louder than she meant to, "I said, 'I'm going to wait till class starts'."

 

"Um, this might sound silly, but why?"

 

"If I'm gonna be living around here, it's no use hiding my curse. So I might as well tell people about my curse, before they find out about it and take it wrong," Ranma replied.

 

"Why? You've always hid your curse as much as possible. This is quite a change for you," Akane said, searching for some sort of reason in her eyes.

 

“We coulda avoided so many problems if I’d just told you that first time,” Ranma said. “How much time did we waste because of my curse? How much more would the others have trusted me if I had told them? I’m not gonna mess up again.”

 

“Oh, Ranma.” Akane looked at her husband with new respect. “It’s . . . . your choice. That's quite a step for you.”

 

"Thanks, Akane." Ranma sat down in her seat, and took out her own books, and a pen.

 

The door swished open, and a short, raven haired girl walked in and sat down. Akane looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Ami. How are you doing this morning?"

 

Ami started, pulling her nose out of her book. Someone was here in the class before her? She looked back and forth between the two girls. Recognition dawned on her, as she remembered Akane from yesterday. She smiled shyly. "Hello Miss Akane. How are you doing? And who is this young lady?" Ami asked, bowing slightly.

 

"I'm doing fine, Ami. This is Ranma," Akane replied smiling.

 

Ranma stared at Ami. Ami was one of her best friends here in Juuban. She'd been her tutor, and one of her closest confidants. It was disconcerting, to say the least, that Ami couldn't even remember her. Ranma frowned, trying to figure some way to goad Ami into remembering her and Akane.

 

Confusion warred with politeness on Ami's face for just a second. It wouldn't be polite to ask why this girl had the same name as Akane's husband, and was sitting in his desk. She was even out of uniform and wearing the same type clothing. Maybe it was a practical joke? "Hello!" Ami finally replied.

 

"'lo Ami. Nice to meet you." Ranma drummed the desk with her pen, wracking her brain for an idea. Maybe asking her for help in studying? That might bring back some memories of her tutoring Ranma. "Um, Ami? Do you think you could help me with some of my homework? I heard that you were a really good teacher."

 

"Why, thank you Ranma. What are you having problems with?" Ami asked, sitting at her desk.

 

Ranma blinked, trying to think of something that she needed help with. Math. She was always having problems with math. "Some of my math problems are too tough. I kinda get lost when doing the problem," Ranma said back to her.

 

Akane snickered. "So are you the 'Eternally Lost Math Boy'?" Akane asked impishly. "Or is that 'girl' right now?"

 

"Hey! You take that back!" Ranma cried out, blushing severely.

 

"Now, now. Why don't you write down the problem that is causing you grief, and we'll work it out before class," Ami said quickly, trying to forestall an argument.

 

Ranma glared at Akane, receiving a grin and a raspberry in return. Ranma harrumphed, and started to absently write down a complicated math formula on a blank sheet of paper. She glared at Akane while handling the paper to Ami.

 

Ami blinked. It would probably be better to do this on the chalkboard. She glanced at her watch. They had time to do this before class. Barely. Some of these symbols were a little strange, but she thought she recognized them. Humming softly, she went and started to transcribe the equation on the board.

 

"Uncute!"

 

"Dummy!"

 

"Hammer girl!"

 

"Jerk!"

 

"Unsexy!"

 

"Ha! You get to sleep of the floor for that comment!"

 

"Ack! I didn't really mean that!"

 

"Are you sorry?"

 

"I'm sorry!"

 

"Really sorry?"

 

"Yes! I'm really, really sorry!"

 

"You're forgiven, for now," Akane finished smugly.

 

Ami wasn't sure that she wanted to know. "Excuse me Ranma. Where did you have a problem?" She held the chalk up, ready to start solving the problem.

 

Akane glanced at the board, and jerked her head in surprise. She looked it over quickly. This was a problem that Ranma was having difficulty with? Akane barely recognized it as math.

 

"Oops," Ranma mumbled to herself. That was one of Angwyn's final equations from her past life. "Uh, I was having problems with the third translation. For some reason the sigma variable in the equation is always coming out wrong. I can't see how to solve for it, without over complicating the rest of it."

 

"Hmm. I see what you mean. It really looks like the equation is wrong though. Are you sure it isn't missing something?" Ami asked, chalk scratching up storm.

 

"Hmm." Ranma closed her eyes, recalling the formula. "Nope that's definitely it, unless it's flawed."

 

"Hand me my calculator, please." Ami received the calculator, and started tapping furiously. Several graphs appeared on the board, with corresponding notes. Ten minutes later, and several clarifications later, she had narrowed down the error in the equation.

 

Akane just stared in surprise at her husband. Ranma had always hated math, but here she was discussing in depth theorems and theories. With Ami no less.

 

"There. Changing this number to its prime, and marking it so gives us an accurate measure of what the end result will actually be." Ami smiled as she finished. She had liked that. It had challenged her. Several of the symbols were quite esoteric too. "That was quite entertaining, Angwyn."

 

Ranma's face lit up. "What did you call me?"

 

"Uh. Didn't I say Ranma?" Ami said, confused. She wasn’t sure what she had said. But she never messed up names. It was too impolite.

 

"No, you called me Angwyn. Don't you remember? Please try!" Ranma asked. Hope shown in her eyes.

 

Akane held her breath. Ami closed her eyes, and seemed to be thinking hard. "I'm sorry. I just can't remember," Ami said finally. Images flashed before her. Images from the dreams that had been haunting her for the last few days. Finally they faded into the background. She felt that she had a small headache too.

 

A hubbub grew in volume, as the rest of the class showed up just before the class bell rang. Usagi introduced a new girl to the teacher that looked startlingly like her, except for the pink hair she had. Soon everyone was seated and the teacher was calling the roll.

 

"Ranma Saotome!" the teacher called out finally.

 

"Here!" Ranma called out in her soprano.

 

The teacher looked owlishly at the red haired girl. "Who are you, and what are you doing in Ranma's seat? Pranksters are not appreciated in my class."

 

Ranma stood and took a deep breath, to the appreciation of the males in the class. "I am Ranma Saotome. I have a magical curse that turns me into a girl when I'm splashed with cold water. If I splash myself with hot water I revert back to my true form." Ranma took another deep breath, thinking 'soul of ice, soul of ice'. "Sorry about this."

 

The class stared at Ranma incredulously.

 

"Do you expect me to believe this story?" The teacher looked quite upset, and was frowning. "Fine.  'Ranma Saotome', come to the front of the class room." She rummaged around in her carry all, pulling out her thermos for her lunch tea. "Here is your hot water."

 

Ranma brightened up. "