[FFML] [SM] Sovereign of the Spirit: Chapter 2

[Bastion]

I think it's time to break a few Fan Senshi conventions?  Don't you agree
fair reader?

Comments/Reviews/Complaints?  Send em' my way.

Previous chapter (and fanart by Setsu-P) at:
http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php/133054/
Hopefully, the formatting will be okay this time around.

Happy reading!

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Sovereign of the Spirit
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Written by Bastion
Original character design by Setsu-P

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Chapter 2:  The Call of Destiny from Distant Echoes
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      "What in the heavens are you so bubbly about, cousin?"  She asked
once the door closed behind her, pleased to finally leave all the silly royal
formalities behind.

      Her tanned companion sat up and brushed her lavender hair out of her
eyes.  She carefully and demurely smoothed her skirts before beginning.

      "Guess who's going to the ball?" Her cousin announced, grinning
from ear to ear.

      "Really?"  She smiled must had been beaming since she could barely
hold back her excitement.  "Mother said I could go this time, too!"

      The young girls giggled, enjoying their private little secret.  Their
hushed voices tried in vain amidst the occasional outburst of giggles to
keep it from escaping the room.

      "So," she whispered leaning forward towards her fellow conspirator,
"what are you going to dress up as? It's a costume ball, you know."

      The strained giggles echoed in Setsuna's memories when she noticed
Haruka and Michiru walk into the restaurant.

      She observed them as they approached her booth.  The two always
carried an air of mystique, drawing the attention of those around
them.  Perhaps because the two complimented each well; Michiru with her elegance and grace,
Haruka with her charm and strong will.  Setsuna took a sip of her tea.  She
could see why many envied and admired the pair from afar.

      Setsuna took another sip of her tea and noted their terse expression
and stiff body language.  People in the restaurant took notice of this as
well giving them a respectable amount of distance.  She recognized that look
from them, she had seen it far too many times than she'd liked, but at least
she knew she had their full attention.  Setsuna brushed some of her long
green hair behind her ear and set down her cooling tea on the platter.  The
time for reminiscing was over and it was time for business.

      The two girls seated themselves across from Setsuna as the waitress
served them their usual drinks; coffee, black and strong for Haruka, and
green tea for Michiru.  Both girls raised their eyes toward Setsuna while
the waitress made a hasty exit.

      "What's the problem, Setsuna?"  The blonde spoke first; her 
deep voice resonated while she raised her cup to her lips. Meanwhile her teal-haired
partner just fixed her emerald eyes upon Setsuna, not making any movement
toward her warm drink.

      No greetings, no hellos.  Just cut to the chase.  Strangely, Setsuna
found their tactlessness refreshing compared to the constant cautiousness of
the Meiou Corporation executives.

      Weaving her fingers in front of her face, Setsuna replied.  "A new
threat has arrived in our time.  The Dark Senshi."

      She noted the pair perked their ears, but neither reacted.

      "Dark Senshi?"  Michiru asked quietly.  "I thought I felt a
strange presence here, but I didn't think it was a Senshi."

      Setsuna nodded her head solemnly.

      "Dark Senshi, huh?"  Haruka huffed, crossing her arms.  "What
do you know about them?"

       "I know very little."  Setsuna confessed, sighing audibly.  "I
know that they weld power over the elements like we do."  She winced internally
from the pain in her abdomen still tender after a few days of healing.  "This
I have come to know personally."

      "So you've already engaged them?"  Though Michiru hid it well
within her calm demeanor, Setsuna could hear the tension in her words.

      "Yes.  Ares.  She is a conjurer of the flame and spirits.  So far she
appears to be the only one here."

      "Anything else?"

      Setsuna averted their eyes.  "No.  My knowledge of most of these
Senshi is limited because they were exiles from other solar systems outside
of our own."

      Setsuna sighed again as both girls gave her a hard stare.  She knew
better than to be too evasive with them.  "Before the collapse of the Silver
Millennium, our universe used to teem with Senshi.  Unfortunately, just as
there existed Senshi who used their powers to protect the innocent, there
were Senshi who abused those powers.  Since Senshi could be reincarnated,
the only punishment for those Senshi who were beyond redemption was to exile
them to a parallel dimension."

      Michiru finally picked up her tea and took a drawn out drink.  "So how
many Senshi were exiled to this dimension?"

      "Quite a few."  Setsuna replied, noticing Haruka's crop blond
hair bristle slightly.  "It had been sparked mostly by the betrayal of one of the
Senshi against Queen Serenity.  This Senshi and her other conspirators
became known as the Dark Senshi shortly after their exile."

      "How did they get free?"  Michiru brushed a curl of her hair from
her face and took another quick drink as the blonde frowned letting her coffee
cool on the table.

      Setsuna leaned back with her cup.  "They found a way to cross into our
dimension.  I didn't know they had crossed over until Ares had destroyed
that cafe a few days ago."

      The blonde continued to frown and folded her arms.  "I thought you
were the one who prevented these threats from happening?  You are the
guardian of the Time Gate, are you not?"

      Instantly, Setsuna's red scrutinizing eyes fixed Haruka a glare over
the brim of her tea cup.  "It's not my duty to prevent these
inter-dimensional travelers from entering into our world."

      "Then who?"  The sound of Michiru's calming tone reminded Setsuna
there was no time for petty arguments and she relaxed her gaze.

      "Right now, that is none of your concern."  Setsuna set down her
empty cup and crossed her arms.  "What I need is for both of you to find Ares
before she does anymore serious damage."

      Quizzically, Haruka raised her eyebrow and picked up her coffee again.
"And how do you expect us to find her?"

      Setsuna's scarlet gaze never wavered from the blonde.  "Wherever
there's smoke as the old saying goes."

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      Wandering the narrow streets among this maze the locals called Tokyo;
Sailor Ares began to curse her continued existence in this realm.  Cool
gusts began to breach the protective layer of her burlap cloak forcing her
to relinquished a shiver.

      Ares watched as other girls and ladies pranced by in their fancy
clothing exploding in array of pastels.  Gaudy, the Dark Senshi thought
shoving past the mindless sea of pinks, yellows, light blues, and magentas.

      It had been a day or so since her battle with one of the Senshi and
the insidious craving for destruction now grew intolerable.  She wanted to
break free of this imprisonment of peace and order.  Her rage needed
release.

      *Gurgle*

      However, her stomach had asserted its own authority by twisting around
in her abdomen.  She chastised herself; she needed to take better care of
herself in the future if she was going to survive the battles to come.  By
neglecting some of her most basic needs her body's demands vetoed her
sadistic urges.  Scowling, she trudged on pondering ways on plundering
some food when a distant soft rhythm perked her ears.

      The beat hypnotized and it drew her nearer like a moth to a flame.  
Every step revived long dormant memories of a life she once lived.  The times 
she spent during her childhood training with the cloister of the Chaos
Church competing fiercely and violently with other priestesses to be
the one who would channel Chaos' spirit.  She remembered standing on the 
highest balcony of the grand Dark Cathedral in her ceremonial black and red 
robes overlooking the thousands of her followers.

      Smells of food broke her reverie and she found herself in front of
several small make-shift shops lining the road.  Looking around, Ares found
that other than savory culinary delights some of the merchants were selling
small trinkets.  Some trinkets in particular caught her attention.

      'Ofudas?'  Ares thought as she caressed the strips of rice paper with
traditional Japanese characters written on them.

      Not since her days controlling demons and spirits had she seen one.  Of
course, 'good luck' as this particular ofuda wished for couldn't put
those monsters under her control.  Useless, Ares smirked and moved further down
the shops.

      Once the strong aroma of food hit her senses, Ares' mouth began to
water.  Immediately, she keyed in on all the delicious choices.

      "Hello there, miss.  Would you like a tasty kabob?"  A grinning
merchant tantalized as he waved the treat in front of the girl's face.

      Before the merchant could recoil, Ares had grabbed his hand and
squeezed.  Ares met the merchant's agony with a malicious grin.

      "Yes, I would."

      The man crumbled under Ares' squeezes and whimpered.  It always amused
her when they did that.  She squeezed a little harder and smiled with glee
when she felt a few of his bones pop in her hands like she was snapping a
bag of twigs.

      "Please," he wheezed, "let me go."

      Ares continued to grin as she slipped the kabob from the merchant's
grasp.  Finally, Ares pulled the merchant until he leaned over his
table.  Grinning like a cat with a canary, Ares snapped her fist forward into
the merchant's face.  As the merchant slumped to the ground, Ares took a large, 
satisfying bite out of her tasty meal and walked away.

      Momentarily sedated, Ares explored her odd surroundings until a pair
of large red poles came into view.  Mesmerized, she approached the steps
between the large wooden pilings shouldering an archway that looked more
like a pair of swords.  Methodically, she climbed each step in time with the
drum beat.  She didn't completely understand why but the closer she came to
the top the more something inside her would slowly ebbed and swell growing
larger.

      Finally, when she reached the top, it hit her all at once.  Spiritual
energy swirled around her like a huge mass.  It had been a long time since
she felt so much of it concentrated in one area.  Not since the times she
channeled the Chaos spirit did her spiritual senses feel so in tune with her
surroundings.

      She hated the predominating peace of those spirits emanated though.  If
they were unsettled spirits or even Furies bent on revenge that would
definitely be more soothing to her.

      Curious, Ares continued onward down the stone path leading her to an
oddly shaped building where she sensed the spiritual energy concentrated.  The
building looked like the shape of crown much like the archway at the bottom
of the stone steps only colored more elaborately in red, gold, and
green.  Despite its odd architecture, the building radiated an aura of history and
reverence.

      'This must be their temple.  It's hardly as imposing as the Dark
Cathedral.  How's this going to strike fear into the hearts of unbelievers?'

      The smell of incense tickled her nose stirring up more memories of her time
as priestess and of the fateful day Seth took it all away from her.  Ares
gritted her teeth and clenched her fists; she would repay Seth for seducing
her and stealing away her congregation.

      "Among other things."  She growled to herself.

      Suddenly, a heavy stench mingled with the spicy scent of the incense.  The
tell-tale smell of ash and something else she couldn't quite describe pulled
her over to the cover of the trees and bushes surrounding the pitiful
temple.

      An all too familiar tingling went up Ares' spine as she pushed her way past
the brush.  There was an opponent nearby, a very powerful one, she could
feel it.  With the thrill of a potential fight awaiting her, Ares quickly
made her way to a clearing shielded in a fog of thick smoke.  She allowed
herself to cough a little, Ares waited for her next challenger to make
themselves known.

      "I know you're out there."  Unfortunately, Ares' patience would
wait for only too long.  "Show yourself."

      At Ares' command, the smoke swirled and shifted on its own, gathering into a
rotating sphere.  From out of the center of the sphere a soft white hand
emerged followed by another.  Both of the pale hands eased themselves over
and gripped the smoky round edges.  A woman's face greeted Ares from the
cloudy ball and calmly studied her.  Ares couldn't repress a shiver while
the mysterious woman's bright red eyes chilled her usually boiling blood.  She
recognized the markings on her cheeks and forehead almost immediately and
decided that she had been too hasty to challenge this entity.

      Either oblivious or uncaring of Ares discomfort, the woman pulled the rest
of her body through her smoke portal and stepped gracefully upon the grass.
The woman's silky pitch black hair floated around her like the wisps of
smoke that persisted in the air.

      "We finally meet Junko."  The woman replied coolly paying Ares no mind
as she went about the task of straightening the billowing red sleeves of her
dress.

      Ares flinched.  "How do you know my true name, Demon?"

      The woman stopped what she was doing and lazily brought her brilliant
crimson gaze up to the smaller girl.  "I know many things and the most
important thing for you to remember is that you shall address me as
Harutaki.  Never dare to confuse me with those mindless beasts again."

      "Fine."  Ares muttered reluctantly, refusing to meet Harutaki's gaze
once more.  "What business do you have with me then?  If you know my true name,
you must know what I'm here for."

      "That I do." The woman glided closer to the Dark Senshi.  "I have
an interest in your task and I would like to offer you my assistance."

      "What's the catch?"  All the hairs on Ares' head stood on
end as she backed away, a low growl rumbled in her chest.

      "There is no catch."  Harutaki responded with an air of disinterest.
"I felt that I it would be more beneficial to me to have you willingly agree to
my assistance than forcing it upon you."

      'That arrogant demon bitch!  She will feel my wrath!'  Ares screamed
in her head.  With fist clenched and fear abandoned, the smaller girl jumped
right into the woman's face and snarled.  "No one!  I repeat I will be 
NO ONE'S slave!"

      Harutaki raised one thin smooth eyebrow.  "Whatever deal you have with
Seth is of no concern with me.  What I am offering is a partnership."

      "I am NOT his slave."  Ares denied hotly.

      The ex-priestess became dimly aware of the humored sparkle in
Harutaki's eyes.  "I thought you were only here because Seth ordered you
to?"

      Unable to tolerate any more of the harlot's attitude, Ares summoned
her power allowing the flames to envelope her hands.  Ares tried to rush
forward, but her body refused to cooperate.  Confused, the Dark Senshi
looked from side to side before locking onto the reflective red orbs of
Harutaki.

      "It's such a shame."  Harutaki chastised wagging a finger at
the girl.  "You're focusing all of you anger and power in the wrong direction.  
What a waste."

      "What are you going to do with me, Demon?"  Ares growled, surprised
her captor would allow her the freedom to speak.

      Harutaki narrowed her eyes.  "If you were not vital component in my
plans I would have already dispatched you."

      Leaning forward, Harutaki raised a single finger towards Ares'
forehead.  "Because for what I'm about to grant you, I'm doing you 
more of a favor."

      Sweat trickled down over her sights, partially blocking her view of
Harutaki's approaching finger.  Her heart pounded, breathing became shallow,
and she felt tingly everywhere.  She was excited, oddly enough.  Being held
captive, at someone else's mercy reminded her in many ways to being
possessed by the Chaos spirit when she still had the powers of a priestess.
Oh how she wished she could return to those days again!

      A small smirk formed on the corner of Harutaki's mouth as her finger
finally came in contact with Ares' skin.  "Prepare to have your wish
fulfilled."

      The touch felt electrifying and spread throughout her body like a
tsunami.  The destructive wave blew through all sorts of barriers that had
built up within her wiping everything clean.  Her mind was free; her spirit
was cleansed of the plight that had infected it for so long, and her body
vibrant with so much power.  Once the wave crested, she could sense
something else approaching from that touch and fill her.  This dark and
viscous prescience lazily filled those newly cleansed spaces.  The presence
grew and expanded and filling her more and more until she couldn't take it
anymore.

      Ares knew this sensation.  She knew it very well from her days in the
cloister and she couldn't hide the ecstasy evident on her face.

      "CHAOS!  YOU'VE RETURNED TO ME!"  Ares shouted as flames exploded
from her body destroying everything around her.

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      It's funny how life can throw a wrench in your plans.  Ken gnawed on
those words mentally when he watched the firemen extinguish the flaming
remains of Ben's Café.  He kicked an errant pebble bouncing it off the
sidewalk as he thought back to that incident a few nights ago.  He had been
jolted from a nice sleep when something like a bomb detonated down the
street.  Before he could make down the block, the inferno a few blocks away
towered high into the night like a glowing gigantic worm.

      As he approached, the blaze had totally consumed what was left of the
café he'd only been sitting not a few hours ago.

      'Only a few hours ago.' He reminded himself as he continued his
aimless wandering.

      The questions never ceased either what if he had stayed longer?  What
if the explosion had been bigger and destroyed his apartment building?  What
if, what if, what if.  Though he wasn't a very religious man, he had always
believed that *someone* was looking after him keeping him out of harms way.
>From losing his father when he was a baby to when he lost his mother when he
was in college, he never felt lost or abandoned.  Sad maybe, but he never
lost hope.  Somehow, deep down, he knew everything was going to be okay.  Now
for the first time in his life, he doubted it.

      That night, he saw a lone figure standing and watching the scene
below.  He recognized her; well, actually it was more like he recognized the
uniform.  One of Sailor Moon's Senshi had perched herself on a nearby ledge
high up above.  He had seen pictures of a few of them, mostly Sailor Moon,
but never had he ever seen one in the flesh.

      She looked… different from what he'd expect of a Sailor Senshi.  This wasn't
a girl, but mostly definitely a woman and a very beautiful one at that.  Even
from a great distance Ken could tell.  Her long dark flowing hair whipped
around her stoic form lazily with the gusts of fallout from the fire.  However,
her posture she seemed so tense and serious.  She didn't look relieved or
satisfied.  Considering the state of the café and the number of paramedics
carrying out large black bags, something bad enough must have happened that
even a Sailor Senshi couldn't stop.

      That worried Ken greatly.  Over the years, when powerful enemies of Sailor
Moon attacked the rest of Tokyo usually suffered greatly.  For instance,
Mugen Academy was just now beginning to get back on its feet years after the
school had been obliterated in one of their battles.  Based on the
destruction and the presence of a very tense Senshi nearby, had another
powerful enemy appeared?  Was his neighborhood going to be demolished like
Ben's Café?

      Ken shook his head and kicked another pebble.  He needed to clear his mind
and find that precious peace he'd lost only a few days ago.

      "That's it!"  The blond immediately regretted his exclamation when
he noticed everyone on the sidewalk staring at him blankly.  "Ah, heh."

      Excited, Ken shook his hands free from his long sleeves.  Yes, he would go
to shrine and pray that would help him clear his mind.  At the very least it
would help him relax.  Unfortunately, his neighborhood had mostly Buddhists
shrines and he wasn't too familiar with the ceremony.

      Ken tapped his chin.  He needed something a little more free form and not
too complicated.  He snapped his fingers.

      "Shinto it is."  He stated glancing around to make sure he didn't 
arouse any more stares.

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      Surprisingly, the nearest Shinto shrine was just a district away in
Juuban.  As he waited on the train, he couldn't help but feel a little
anxious.  He had a little bounce in his step and a simple melody on endless
repeat in his head.

      'Am I nervous or excited?'  He questioned while he interlaced his 
thin fingers together to form an arch in front of his face.  'I guess since I've
never been to a shrine before I'll go with excited.  It's like an adventure.
Yes, I'm a man on a mission to find religion!'

      Putting on his most serious 'man on a mission' face, Ken marched
onward to the Shinto shrine.  Before Ken knew it, he'd somehow gone from the
urban jungle that was Tokyo to the rural forests of a time long since gone
by like he'd crossed into another world when he passed beneath the
protective pillars of the shrine's torii.  His breath hitched in his throat
the moment he set foot on the shrine's sacred grounds. He didn't know how
to describe it but he felt like he'd just woken up from a prolonged deep sleep.

      In awe, Ken took his time walking the grounds.  Everything around him
came into better focus the sun seemed brighter, the song of the birds
sounded sweeter, the air smelt crisper, and he felt fulfilled.  It was like
he belonged here.  How could he have denied himself this experience for so
long?

      Dazed, he hadn't realized he had already climbed the steps up to the
main area of the shrine.  In fact, he almost didn't noticed when he nearly
knocked over the priestess sweeping the steps.

      "Hey! Watch it!"  The priestess' growl made Ken jump, leaping
backwards.  As he did so, he was met by the priestess' burning violet eyes.
"You nearly knocked me down the steps!  I could have gotten seriously
injured falling down that far."

      Ken cowered back and hid his nervous grin behind his sleeve covered
hands.  "Uh, I'm sorry priestess.  It's my first time to a shrine and
I kinda got wrapped up in the atmosphere.  Heh."

     The fire in the priestess' eyes cooled slightly and the girl lower her
eyebrow confused.  "You've never been to a shrine before?"

      Ken shrugged, hoping the wooly material of his oversized sweater would
hide his slightly heated cheeks.  He had to admit she did look pretty cute.
"Well, my mother was never one for visiting shrines.  She always told me
that I already had the favor of the Gods so I didn't need to ask them for
anything more.  That and I also live in Roppongi."

      "Ah."  The priestess' expression brightened with understanding.
"Partied a little too hard then?  Perhaps you did something you now regret?"

      "No!"  Ken blurted out too quickly, what was up with this priestess,
he thought they were suppose to be calm and collected, not so… suggestive.  "I
just wanted to go somewhere to relax and think clearly.  I've… got a lot on
my mind."

      A small polite smile formed on the girl's face.  "I'm sorry. 
I probably shouldn't have teased you so much, but you did nearly knock me down
the steps."

      'Just how many times is she going to remind me?'  Ken chuckled dryly.
"Uh yeah, sorry about that again.  Anyway, since I'm here, um, what do 
I do exactly?"

      The raven haired beauty snorted and stopped sweeping.  "I suppose I
should show you around and walk you through."  Turning, the priestess
offered her hand.  "I'm Rei Hino and you are?"

      Tentatively, the blond man reached and shook the girl's hand, unsure
what would happen the moment he touched it.  He hoped he didn't
spontaneously combust.  That would definitely ruin this moment with such a
pretty girl.

      "Ken Ishida." The blond immediately grimaced at the nervous squeak.

      Trying hard to hide her smirk, Rei motioned for Ken to follow her.  "Nice
to meet you Mr. Ishida, welcome to the Hikawa Shrine."

      Figuring out what to do had been a fairly easy exercise, though he did
gain the priestess' ire once again when he took a quick swig of the cool
water after washing his hands in the basin of the chozuya.

      "Only disrespectful foreigners do that."  She had chided him snatching
the ladle from him.

      Rei then directed him where he could kneel to meditate or pray.  That's
when Ken ran into trouble.  What to pray?  For peace of mind?  He guessed,
but he was here just to calm his nerves and once he set foot on the shrine
grounds his anxiety dissolved.  He couldn't think of much else to ask for in
fact he didn't know why he was still kneeling if he didn't have anything
to pray for.

      Opening his eyes, Ken peeked over his shoulder confirming the priestess was
still nearby tending to the paper streamers hanging from a rope.

      Okay, so he did have *one* reason to still be kneeling but now his knees
were beginning to ache and he couldn't wiggle his toes.  Satisfied he had
fulfilled his praying quota; Ken confidently strode over to the raven haired
priestess.

      "Finished already?"  Rei quipped, a small smile clipping the corners of
her mouth.

      Confidence deflated by Rei's tone, Ken slumped forward slightly letting the
sweater bulge out making him feel like a hot air balloon.  "Did I stop too
soon?"

      Rei waved her hands.  "Oh no, no, no. I was just making sure you had
finished.  Please don't take any offense by that."  With that, Rei nodded
towards the blond man.  "Come on, we're finished here unless you'd 
like to keep exploring the grounds."

      Stretching his arms, Ken casually placed his hands behind his head and
scanned the rest of the shrine grounds.  Though it did have a far amount of
vegetation, the shrine itself occupied a small plot of land and it didn't
take him long to take it all in.  "Hey what's that over there?"

      "Oh that?"  Rei followed Ken's finger towards a board with several
small wooden tablets hung.  "Those are emas."

      "Emas?"

      Striding over to the table, Rei picked up a tablet displaying a small ink
painting of a crow.  "If you have a prayer or wish you'd like to have
fulfilled, you can purchase an ema, write down your prayer, and hang it
here."

      Ken smirked.  "And if it comes true?"

      Rei smirked back.  "Then you come back and put up another ema in gratitude."

      "Really?"  Ken rubbed his chin thoughtfully, an ingenious plan coming 
to mind.  Oh yeah, sometimes he could be so smooth.  "Okay, I'll put one up."

      "Here."  Rei handed the lanky man a tablet.  "Knock yourself out."

      With a cocky grin, Ken picked up the felt pin placed next to the stack of
tablets.  He had to suppress a chuckle as he wrote down his wish.  Somewhere
in the back of his mind, he thought they'd write about him in history books
for having devised such a devastatingly clever plan.

      When he finished, Ken boldly hung up his ema and stepped away beaming with
pride.  He turned to Rei waiting for her to read his wish and melt at his
feet.  Instead, the raven-haired priestess stared at him impatiently.

      "What?"

      Rei snorted and Ken thought he could see a vein throb on her forehead.  "Are
you going to pay for that?"

      Ken exhaled, his puffed out chest deflating.  "Uh, yeah."

      Rummaging through his wallet, Ken handed over some cash to the irritated
priestess.

      Her demeanor changed instantly she received the payment.  "Thank you very
much and I wish you good health and fortune until we meet again."  Rei said
as she smiled and bowed deeply.

      With that, she spun on her heels and began to walk away.  Confused, Ken just
watched the shimmering dark hair toss from side to side.  She was leaving?  But
if she left, she wouldn't melt at his feet and then his plan would be
ruined.  He had to rectify it quickly or else they wouldn't write about in
those history books!

      "Ms. Hino?"

      Ken's heart stopped when the priestess spun around.  Why did he suddenly
feel like he was a target on an archery range?  "Yes?"

      Withering under her gaze, Ken rubbed the back of his ruffled blond hair and
pointed towards the wall of hanging tablets.  "Aren't you going to read
it?"

      Rei raised an eyebrow and approached the board.  Giving Ken a quick glance,
she found his tablet and read aloud.

      "Please grant me the pleasure of a date with a beautiful, intelligent
woman."  Rei snickered as she finished.

      Ken's cheeks burned, flushed with embarrassment.  Things definitely weren't
going according to plan.  What did he do wrong?  "Come on, please don't
laugh."

      Rei held her hand to her mouth, unsuccessfully suppressing her giggling.  "I'm
sorry Mr. Ishida, I'm flattered but I have to decline your offer.  My life's
rather hectic and besides I'm only a sophomore in high school.  I think I'm
a little too young for you."

      "Hey."  Ken said defensively.  "I'm not *that* old."

      Crossing her arms, Rei sighed.  "Honestly, Mr. Ishida a relationship between
an older man and a young girl is hardly appropriate."

      With the SS Ken Ishida badly damaged and sinking, Ken decided to raise the
white flag.  Biting his lips, the blond nervously bounced his index fingers
together before his face.  "Um, sorry Ms. Hino.  I shouldn't have been 
so forward."

      Ken's heart fluttered a bit when Rei beamed a smile at him.  "Quite alright,
no harm done.  Now, if you'll excuse me I still have a lot of things that
need to be done."

      As the priestess walked away, Ken gazed longingly at her which
simultaneously made him feel disgusted.  He was enraptured by a high school
girl?  Didn't they make porno mangas on this very subject?  Ken slumped
forward.  Great now he wished his life was more like a porno.

      'I'm pathetic.'  He loathed as he kept his eyes fixed on the sidewalk.

      As Ken sunk deeper into his self-loathing, he felt his phone buzz
against his hip.  Curious, Ken read the screen on the phone's colorful face.

      "Ichigo?!"  Without a moment's hesitation, Ken flipped open 
the device.  His editor didn't like to be kept waiting, especially if it was an
emergency.  "Yes, Ichigo sir."

      The familiar growl of his surly editor rumbled against Ken's ear.
"Ken!  Sorry for botherin' ya on your day off, but we couldn't get
permission to do Isisu's magazine shoot at the gardens."

      Ken sighed.  "And I take it you want me to come in today and find
another place."

      Ken swore he could *hear* the editor grin through the phone.
"Precisely."

      "Alright, I'll be there in about," as he gauged how far away
he was from the office, Ken caught the red torii of the Hikawa Shrine out of the
corner of his eye.  Suddenly an epiphany struck down from the heavens.  "The
shrine!"

      "Huh?"

      Ken shook his head.  "You think we could use a Shinto shrine for the
backdrop for the photoshoot?"

      He could hear Ichigo mumble incoherently to himself.  "Well, the theme
is getting in touch with nature.  Sure what the hell?  You know of a place
that would allow us to take shots?"

      Ken smiled so wide, it almost hurt his cheeks.  "Just give me five
minutes to work that Ishida magic."

      Ichigo mumble once on the other side of the line.  "Fine whatever, I
don't care if we have to do it on Mars, we need a location for Monday."

      "Aye, aye sir."  Ken saluted.

      "You're saluting again, aren't you?"

      Embarrassed, Ken lowered his hand.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

      Setsuna adored green tea especially with a few drops of honey.  She
found that the smooth spicy sweetness remedied a long rough day and it been
a long rough few days.  However, these long days weren't from her day job.  
If anything she considered her job as the chairwoman of the Meiou Corporation
more of a guilty pleasure.  No, she'd had been tormenting herself about the
right strategies in confronting the Dark Senshi ever since her fight with
Sailor Ares a few nights ago.  Of course, recent news of a fire at a shrine
today didn't help ease her nerves.  If Ares was any indication of just how
strong the Dark Senshi truly were, then the Senshi were in for the fight of
their lives.

      Setting down her tea cup, Setsuna met the dull, vacant grey eyes of
her cousin, Isisu, waiting patiently.  She had wished Isisu wouldn't have
taken out her contacts before coming here that vacant stare always reminded
her of unpleasant memories.

      Sighing, Setsuna folded her hands into her lap.  "Isisu, there is something
of extreme importance I must discuss with you."

      The petite woman tilted her head right, her straight lavender hair swaying
like a pendulum as she did so.  "The apartment is just fine, cousin."

      Totally ambushed Setsuna just blinked.  "Huh?"

      Without missing a beat, Isisu continued in her even tone.  "The last time
you called me to drink tea with you in your private study was to discuss my
living arrangements.  You felt that I would be better off living here with
you but I made the argument that since I never lived with you before I lost
my memory that I had been independent.  Therefore it only made sense for me
to live on my own-"

      Sometimes Setsuna wished she had been stuck in the Time Tunnel still.  She
had forgotten how vexing family could be.  "This isn't about your apartment,
Isisu.  I want to talk to you about your past."

      "I have none."

      "You do and as much as it pains me to do so, my hand has been forced to
reveal it to you."  Setsuna stood and paced around her spacious study.

      She took a deep breathe, trying hard to recall the last time she'd been so
reluctant to do something.  "You are the Princess of Charon, a planet that
used to be a military outpost on the fringe of the Solar System.  The planet
teemed with raw magick which the people of Charon were able to harness.  For
that reason, Charon produced some of the most powerful magick users during
the Silver Millennium."

      Isisu cocked her head left.  "Silver Millennium?"

      Setsuna paused and gazed at her cousin, reflecting fondly on happier days
long since past.  "It was time when all of the planets in our Solar System
knew peace and formed an alliance headed by the Moon Kingdom."

      Isisu cocked her head right, but this time Setsuna continued as the woman
opened her mouth.  She was afraid this would take awhile.  "The Moon
Kingdomheaded the alliance because its leader, Queen Serenity,
possessed a powerful magick artifact called the Silver Crystal."

      "I'm confused cousin."  Isisu stated plainly.  "I was told that
Earth was the only planet in our Solar System that was inhabited and I thought Charon
was Pluto's moon."

      Setsuna began pacing again and her hands clasping behind her back underneath
a veil of her long green hair.  "Back then Charon was as large as Pluto
however that all changed around the end of the Silver Millennium.  You see,
Isisu, about a thousand years ago we were invaded by an agent of Chaos named
Queen Metallia who ruled over an evil legion of demons and monsters called
the Dark Kingdom.  Charon was easily overrun and obliterated by the Dark
Kingdom before they were pushed back."

      "I see." Isisu cocked her head left.  "So why is there not 
any record of this Silver Millennium?"

      Setsuna idly wondered if she could set her watch to Isisu's swaying head.  
"The alliance was strong and probably could have withstood the war with the Dark
Kingdom.  Unfortunately there were several traitors from within the alliance
namely a woman named Beryl as well as a few people from Serenity's own court
who helped Metallia take over Earth and from there launched an attack on the
Moon Kingdom.  The Earth, Mars, Venus, and Moon were ravaged while another
planet collapsed altogether.  None of Queen Serenity's court survived the
war except me… and you."

      For a moment or two, Isisu didn't move.  Setsuna knew that her cousin
was digesting all that she had told her and even in her given state, it was
a lot to swallow.

      Another minute passed until Isisu blinked and spoke.  "So where have 
I been for the last thousand years?"

      Finally, Isisu asked the dreaded question.  Setsuna pursed her lips,
she had to tread carefully though she needed to tell her the truth, Setsuna
didn't want to reveal too much.  She still wanted Isisu to come to the
ultimate decision on her own.

      Casually she reached for her now cold cup of tea and took a sip noting the
absence of any of its past sweetness.  "Not long after the destruction of
Charon you were put into a deep sleep in which you awakened from in this day
in age."

      "Why?"

      Setsuna averted her eyes from the vacant, grey gaze and realized this wasn't
the first time she'd done this around her cousin.  "It was a consequence
of the war.  Queen Serenity used the Silver Crystal to send the souls of her
daughter and the rest of the court to be reincarnated a thousand years into
the future."

      "What became of the Dark Kingdom?"

      With the difficult part of the conversation over, Setsuna settled into her
plush chair.  "Queen Serenity had been able to seal Metallia and Beryl in
the Silver Crystal, however the seal faded over time and Metallia was able
to break free.  Fortunately, by that time Queen Serenity's court had been
reborn and when they found the Silver Crystal, Queen Serenity's daughter,
Sailor Moon, defeated Metallia once and for all."

      "I am correct to assume this is the same Sailor Moon I've seen on the local
media outlets?"

      Setsuna took another sip of her cold tea noting this time that the favor had
gotten much more concentrated.  "Yes.  Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus, Sailor
Mars, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Jupiter are reincarnations of Queen
Serenity's court."

      "Ah."  Isisu blinked.  "You earlier said that you were forced to 
reveal all of this to me.  Please explain."

      Sinking deeper into her chair, Setsuna sighed wishing her mother were still
around today.  She told the story much better than she could.  "Several eons
ago, the ancestors of my planet, Pluto, created a Time Gate.  Upon creating
the gate they discovered a passage to a strange parallel world.  Fearing
that some unknown enemy would emerge from this world, they stationed a
guardian to watch over this passage.  Over time, this passage had been used
to banish nefarious individuals so dangerous that even in death they posed a
risk to our universe.  Now those who were banished all those centuries ago
have returned and it is time that the guardian of the dimensions returns to
her post."

      Setsuna exhaled, time for the big reveal.  Standing, the tall green-haired
woman strode over to her large desk.  She ran a finger gently over the faux
wooden finish; thankful she'd kept the relic from the Moon Kingdom.  The
safe had served Queen Serenity well back then as it did today she
mused.  Invoking a little bit of magick through a touch of her finger, she unlocked 
one of several drawers.

      She pulled out a small thin box made of a powerful material that in many
ways reminded Setsuna of obsidian in appearance.  Using her transformation
pen, Setsuna rested the ball tip of the pen against the top of the dark box.
Suddenly a light burst from its side carving a pathway until it looped
around the perimeter.  Looking up, Setsuna could see Isisu still seated in
her chair, but watching her closely.

      'Oh well, now or never.'  Setsuna wore her most neutral expression as she
walked back to the lavender-haired woman carrying a smooth green stone.  "You
are that guardian, Isisu.  You are a Sailor Senshi from the lost planet of
Charon, Sailor Dis and guardian of the dimensions."

      Setsuna resisted the urge to smile as she offered the curved stone to her
cousin.  She watched amused as Isisu's eyes move from the stone to her face
and back again before she took the stone.

      Carefully, Isisu assessed the hard object, tracing her hand around its soft
curve.  "This… is mine?"

      "This is the Jade Crescent.  You were clutching this against your
chest when they found you on the beach."  A small smile tugged at Setsuna's
lips, trying her best to make her voice sound soothing.  "It's the last
remnant of Charon.  It also contains your Heart."

      "My heart?"

      Covering Isisu's open palms that were cradling the Jade Crescent with
her hand, Setsuna replied.  "Your emotions are sealed within that stone,
Isisu.  It… also might… help you remember who you were."

      A chill ran up Setsuna's back as Isisu raised her eyebrows at this
latest revelation.  "Who I was during the Silver Millennium?"

      Setsuna ignored the twisting in her stomach.  She promised herself she
wouldn't lie to Isisu.  "Maybe, there's not telling for sure.  Using
the Jade Crescent would unleash all of your emotions but emotions being highly
unpredictable as they are it might bring your memories into focus or it
might not."

      Kneeling down, Setsuna looked Isisu straight in the eye hoping her
message would get through to her.  "But understand, once you transform into
Sailor Dis there is no turning back.  I implore you to meditate on this
before you take any action okay, Isisu?"

      A flicker came to Isisu's eyes and Setsuna's heart sank.  "How
do I transform into Sailor Dis?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------

      Isisu stared at the green stone resting on her nightstand from the
comfort of her pillow.

      'Is this what they call meditation?' She thought as she observed the stone
reflect the soft light of her lamp.

      It fascinated her how the smooth surface of the stone could appear to
sparkle whether or not she or the stone moved.  She was experimenting with
this effect at this very moment laying her head on her pillow and willing
not a muscle to move.  Watching the stone sparkle made something in Isisu's
stomach flutter.  She noted the curious sensation began as soon as the Jade
Crescent touched her flesh.  She never remembered a time she'd felt a
sensation like this before and quite frankly it intrigued her.

      Would she feel more of this sensation once she used the Jade Crescent?  Her
cousin told her as much, but then again Setsuna also told her so much more.
Was she really a princess from kingdom long gone?  Did she truly possess
incredible powers like the other Sailor Senshi?  Was she the only person
able to defeat their new enemy?  Isisu found the idea intriguing as well as
something else she couldn't really describe which made using the stone that
much more tempting.

     However, she also recalled Setsuna's warning: once she transformed into
Sailor Dis, there was no turning back.  Reflecting on that, Isisu reasoned
she had little to return now, what did she really have to lose by taking on
the mantle of Sailor Dis?  Ever since she had started living in Tokyo she'd
felt incomplete haunted at night by a dream she couldn't decipher.  Setsuna
and now she knew this stone was the key to revealing all of those things
locked up inside her.  So why was she hesitating?

     Standing up, Isisu caressed the smooth surface of the Jade Crescent.  "This
is my idenity."

     Her lithe fingers wrapped around the curved stone and she brought it up to
her blank eyes.  "This is who I am."

     Raising the Jade Crescent in both of her palms, she summoned the incantation
that her cousin had taught her.  "Dimension Soul Charge!"

     An explosion of light burst from her palms as energy cascaded down her body.
Then a dark fog enveloped her and whipped around her form like a tornado.  She
watched as gloves materialized on her hands, a white bodice appear on her
abdomen, a light green bow blossom from her chest, and a pair of boots flash
upon her feet.  In her palms, the Jade Crescent grew and instinctively Isisu
spread her arms until she held a staff in her hands.  Amazed, Isisu ran her
hands up to the top of the staff and briefly examined the sharp tip making
her memory stir.

     "This is… the World Spear."  She murmured.

     Suddenly it hit her.  She felt… everything all at once.  She laughed and
then she cried and then she giggled.  She smiled.  She smirked.  She frowned
before she smiled again.  She couldn't help herself even feeling bad felt
wondrous.  Whatever dam that had held these wonderful feelings within had
finally been obliterated by this wonderful stone.

     Not since Mother had died, had she felt so alive.  Isisu paused at that
realization.

     "Oh God, Mother!"  Just like a lens refocusing, all the fuzzy details 
of her dreams returned with great clarity.  They weren't just recurring dreams, she
was reliving her past and now she couldn't escape them.  She remembered the
saddened expressions on her parents' faces as they died and soon after
watching helpless as her kingdom, her planet, get overrun and devoured by
the Dark Kingdom.

    Then there was the failed coupe on the Moon Kingdom.  The ensuing battle
tore planet Ceres apart.

    "Miyu!  Why did you betray Serenity?"  Isisu fell to her knees sobbing.
Her heart throbbed as she recalled in vivid detail of Princess Miyu's trial.  The
corruption by the Dark Kingdom was obvious to everyone and Isisu couldn't
understand why her dear friend would allow herself and her fellow Ceresians
to side with enemies of the alliance.  However no one bothered to even ask
that question, Miyu was found guilty before the trial even started.


     Watching Miyu's execution had been particularly difficult especially since
it had been her duty to open the dimensional gate place her Star Seed on the
other side.  The bright orb twinkle floating almost as if the Star Seed of
her best friend knew this was the last time they'd see one another.

     Isisu now wiped her eyes but the tears wouldn't stop coming.  She searched
around her small apartment and crawled back into bed.

     After she had banished Miyu's soul to the other side of the gate, she had
decided then she would never forgive the Dark Kingdom for what they had
done.  She vowed to use all of her power to defeat them once and for all
with or without Queen Serenity's permission.

      Of course she had been a fool and she cringed at the memory of fighting
endless streams of demons and monsters Queen Metallia threw at her.  They
quickly overwhelmed her despite the power being Sailor Dis had bestowed.  She
felt so low and desperate that something in her snapped and she blacked out.
If it hadn't been for Cyrus, there was no telling what the Dark
Kingdom would have done to her.

     "Cyrus."  The name fell off Isisu's lips.  She wondered whatever became
of her knight in shining armor.  She had never been able to tell him how she
truly felt or how much her heart sang for him.  Was he still alive like her
and Setsuna?

     "Damn you, Setsuna."  She said bitterly.  That's right both her cousin
and Cyrus only stood by and watched as she was persecuted by Queen Serenity.

     "Damn you, Serenity."  Isisu growled.  It was only a matter of time before
her close relationship with Miyu had drawn the suspicions of her Queen as
net of conspiracy grew bigger within Serenity's mind.  She remembered the
punishment that had been past down, banishment for a thousand years in
frozen stasis.

     They had allowed her a few moments of freedom before they carried out her
punishment so she visited her home on Charon one last time.  She had been
filled with so much despair as she walked around the desolated and cold
planet.

     When she returned, they had readied her for her icy tomb.  Never before had
she felt so weak, isolated, and broken.  However soon those emotions turned
to anger and she silently seethed as Queen Serenity along with the help of
the ice Senshi, Sailor Mercury, began the sealing incantation.

     The last thing she remembered was glaring at her cousin while the ice crept
up her body.  She had mentally cursed her as well as questioned the Time
Guardian, why didn't she do anything to prevent this?  Was she fated to
suffer like this for all eternity?

      Then Setsuna's words from earlier that night became clear to her.  There was
no turning back.  Setsuna was trying to warn her but she didn't listen.  Now
she had doomed herself to this horrible fate.  She was now Sailor Dis.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

      'I swear that girl could wake the dead.'  Luna thought as she
flattened her ears on her head and snuggled closer to the window.

      It was times like these, the black cat wished she could transform at
will into human again like she had been able to do back in the Silver
Millennium.  At least that way she could open the door and sleep on the
couch downstairs.  Sure in the past she'd gotten use to Usagi's snoring,
but on the nights when it seemed the high school girl was trying to saw down an
entire forest there was no ignoring her.

      Luna sighed and peered out the window.  Usagi usually only snored like
this when she was extremely relaxed or tired and the feline guessed that she
should be thankful that the last year had been relatively quiet.  Oh sure,
Usagi and the other Sailor Senshi would patrol the city to stop petty crimes
as they came upon them but for the most part each girl had begun to focus on
their lives and school.  Well at least in Usagi's case it was her life.

      Not long after their ordeal with Sailor Galaxia, things went back to
how they were before.  Ami was still the top of Usagi's class.  Makoto
continued her martial arts training as well as honing her cooking skills.  Rei
focused on her priestess duties.  Minako was still… Minako according to
Artemis.  Mamoru, as much as it pained Usagi to allow him to, went back to
America to finish his studies.  Actually, Luna was pleasantly surprised
Usagi didn't break out in tears the moment Mamoru left.  She half expected
the blonde girl to sob herself to sleep much like she did the first time he
left.

      At least those Senshi from the neighboring solar system, the
Starlights, weren't here to complicate things this time.  That Starfighter
Senshi really messed with Usagi's emotions.  The feline stared at the quiet
street below recalling that old Queen Serenity had told her that other
Senshi existed all over the universe, ones even more powerful than those
that served the Moon Kingdom.  Of course Luna scoffed at the idea; the Moon
Kingdom had some pretty powerful Senshi at their disposal.  That was until
those Starlights appeared bringing their battle with the corrupted Sailor
Galaxia here.  To say that Luna felt fortunate that Usagi had been able to
break Chaos' influence over Galaxia without having to resort to force was an
understatement.  Luna doubted even Usagi's Silver Crystal could overcome the
immense raw power of the Senshi guardian of the entire universe.

      Luna smiled as she laid her head on her paws.  Yes, Usagi would make a
fine queen just like her mother, Queen Serenity.

      "What's this?"  She whispered to herself.

      A sudden tingle ran up the feline's spine.  She knew this feeling well since
she had felt it before recalling the same sensation when Ami, Rei, and
Makoto had awakened their Senshi powers for the first time.

      "So a new Senshi has awakened."  Luna pondered aloud.  "But
as far as I know all of the Senshi from this system have awakened.  Well except for…"

     Luna didn't finish her musings.  Dread crept upon her and weighed down
on her shoulders.  If she was right then they had a big problem on their
hands.  Luna took a quick glance at Usagi and frowned.

      'It looks like our little sabbatical is over.'  Luna bemoaned.

      Unlike their past encounters, this new potential threat worried Luna
greatly.  If indeed one of Queen Serenity's traitors had been awoken, would
they regain memories of their past?  If she had then this Senshi would no
doubt be out there seeking revenge and Luna feared that Usagi would be the
prime target.

-End of Chapter 2-

Author Notes:

So this took me forever to update.  I'm really sorry about that.  This one
has been on the back burner for awhile mostly because I wasn't sure where to
go with it.  Fortunately, after some discussions with Setsu-P I finally got
a wind of inspiration and filled out the plot.  Hooray and there was much
rejoicing!

Also, I was worried about this chapter because it felt to me to be a little
too chatty.  However my aim in this chapter was character development and
hopefully I was able to accomplish that.  Oh yeah, thanks to Wikipedia once
again for providing, I guess, some info on Shinto whether or not it was
totally correct.  *shrug* I mean I haven't seen a reader yet chide me on
culture accuracy.

Anyway, thanks to Setsu-P (http://www.iguananet.us/rmwerx/) for providing
ideas and such as well as allowing me to bounce them off of her forehead.  I'm
sure a few Tylenols will take care of that.

Next chapter we'll see more of the other Dark Senshi as well as Haruka and
Michiru in action.  And Ares attacks!  Will Dis be able to save the day?

I hoped you enjoyed it!  Now it's back to Terrible Things to Waste!

*************
Disclaimer:
*************

Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi and in America by CWi.

All original characters are owned and copyrighted by Setsu-P (c) 2000.
They are being used with owner's expressed permission.

~Bastion
Rev 07/07