Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale Of Two Gumis ❯ What in the World! ( Chapter 2 )

Meanwhile back in Tokyo of 2004….

 

“Hmm . . . It seems they've gone somehow. I wonder where or, shall I say, `when' they've gone?”

 

A shadow floated through the gloom as the darkness of night gathered around him and seemingly seeped into the space he left behind as he disappeared.

 

* * * * * *

 

Also in the year 2004…

 

Below the surface of the Earth in a protected and sacred place known as Elysian, a shudder ran threw the beautiful world as the master Helios - priest and protector - ran towards the shrine housing the huge Golden crystal obelisk. The urge was strong, stronger then the time when Nehelenia had invaded and he had been ordered to find the Princess.

 

//What in the world is going on? Why is there an earthquake here? And why am I being summoned like an errant little boy once more?!// Helios wondered as he summons the Maynards to meet him at the shrine.

 

As he reached the shrine a particularly violent quake shook the earth, causing him to tumble to his knees before the Golden Crystal Obelisk. He starred in horror as the sacred stone shuddered and split in two with a great blast of light and wind. Yet as the two halves fall to the earth with a crash, Helios's horror turned to amazement as a woman with long, silver hair that fell to her ankles in gentle waves stepped out of the Golden Crystal and stood before him. And from his knees he fell into a deep bow, although a part of him didn't know why. He barely recognized this woman, yet his soul shook at her power.

 

She smiles slightly, “Ah young one, no need to be on your knees before me. I'm not the Queen after all.” She stretched lightly and then walked towards him.

 

//I know that voice!// Helios realized with a start as he stood up to look at her more clearly. “Demo . . . from where?” But then it hit him. //This is the owner of the voice that told me to find the Princesses! I didn't . . . I thought that it was Queen Serenity communicating with me from the past! But it wasn't her! All this time, `she's' the one who has been trapped within this crystal! So why now has she emerged?//

 

“Ano . . . Lady, please excuse me, but who are you?” Helios asked as he bowed his head. //She's very small. Demo, she's not AS small as Small Lady.// Continuing the thought he eyed her covertly. //She is definitely more mature.//

 

The woman before him chuckled as she put one short, but elegantly slender finger beneath his chin. “Look at me when you speak. As I said, I am no queen. As for who I am, well . . . that explanation is a very long and complicated one. Let's say that I am a devoted servant of the moon. I was left here for healing, demo I have been awoken by the needs of my Queen.”

 

She turned to look around the room and noticed the giant crystal that was now split in two. “Hmmm,” she said thoughtfully. “This will never do.”

 

Without further ado, she gestured with her hand and to Helios's astonishment; the two halves picked themselves up and fused back together. A lightning bolt lit up the crack dividing the two halves for a split second, leaving no trace of where the crack had formed.

 

Helios stared at the lady with new found admiration, and yet felt some trepidation as he asked her; “Lady? May I at least ask you your name?”

 

“Heh . . . I did forget to tell you my name, didn't I? Well . . .” she trailed off and then; “I suppose you may simply call me Leader, as that is the only name I can currently recall.” She smiled gently at him. “I can't seem to place you, however, although I know I've heard your voice before.”

 

Smiling in return, Helios replied, “I have heard you speak to me many times, La-Leader, and always in time of great need for Elysian. The first was when Queen Beryl destroyed the Moon Kingdom. You gave me advice on how to guard this sacred realm from her and Metallia's desecrations. The second was when Nehelenia invaded the Earth. You told me to seek the Maidens who would lead to our salvation and the awakening of the Golden Crystal, sealed within Prince Endymion. But most recently, there was the situation with Galaxia when she invaded Earth in search of the precious `star seeds'. You helped me guard Earth's true heart from her enabling Princess Serenity to shatter the Chaos surrounding Galaxia's heart.”

 

At these last words Helios thought that he saw something flicker across Leader's face but it was gone so quickly that he thought that surely he had been imagining it.

 

He smiled appreciatively at her as they found themselves walking towards the `Rose Pavilion' that was the small sanctuary where Endymion and Serenity had come to rest for a short while during the battle with Nehelenia (1).

 

“Oh!” he exclaimed suddenly, realizing that, that might not have been what she meant. “Gomen. I am called Helios, the High Priest of Elysian.” He turned to the two silent figures that had been trailing them. “And these are the Maynards (2) of this shrine.”

 

Leader turned and looked at the two silent figures. They bowed deeply to her and she bowed back, although her bow was much shallower. But then she turned back to face Helios, a troubled frown on her face.

 

“I recall those events you mentioned, but only vaguely. And yet none of them woke me fully,” She noted almost to herself. “What is so dire now that I am called forth? The Queen told me that I would awaken only when I was needed. So why now?”

 

Leader looked at Helios and noted the puzzled look on his face. She realized she had been speaking out loud, and sighed. “Helios, could you please show me the Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity, as well as their guardians?”

 

“Of course, Leader,” Helios said and turned to lead her towards his own observation room; the one where he watches over and prays for those on the Earth's surface. “I should be able to find them for you.”

 

Turning, he lead Leader towards his favorite room. //And then . . . perhaps I will see `MY' Lady, as well as hers,// he thought to himself with a small smile.

 

After a moment, they reached the room Helios used as his observation chamber. It was spacious and yet comfortable with cushions scattered all about the place to make long vigils more endurable. Silently, Helios signaled the Maynards to bring tea and food. Turning back to Leader, he started to study her more closely for the first time. Once more, he noticed she was very small in height and yet perfectly formed. Her hair was a most unusual silvery white, just like the palest moon on the clearest night. On her hip she carried a sword with the ease and negligence of one accustomed to its weight. A small breeze lifted her hair and he noticed an intricate tattoo, detailed and exquisite. It was of a Western style Dragon mantling over the moon, but not the moon as it was now, pitted and scarred, from numerous battles and meteor strikes as the `normal people' of Earth thought. This was an image from a time when the moon was ruled by its Queen and had been truly beautiful smooth and round as the finest pearl. The tail of the Dragon curved delicately over her right shoulder and entwined down her arm, almost reaching her elbow.

 

Just then, the Maynards returned with the food and drink, and Helios gently cleared his throat. “Lady . . .” he said softly, but trailed off as she turned and lifted one elegant eye brow.

 

Helios flushed a bit, realizing what he'd done. “Gomen, Leader we have refreshments if you would do the honors,” he told her, gesturing towards the low table. “It may take me a while to locate the Princess and her companions.”

 

He bowed to her politely and then turned and settled himself comfortably on one of the large pillows near the table. Leader nodded to him graciously and then took a seat. The Maynard's offered her the food and tea and she delicately nibbled on a tea-cake while watching Helios glanced through his magical screen. But a few hours passed in companionable silence as Helios silently searched the world for the signatures he had come to know so well. He broke his stillness only to take small sips of tea from the cup that Leader kept obligingly full. But still, the search went on with no results and Helios began to worry.

 

“Gomen, Leader,” he said in concern as he turned to her. “Demo, I cannot locate them. It doesn't seem as though they are on Earth at the moment.”

 

“Are you able to search the immediate past for them, find their last moment on Earth exactly so we may see what has happened to them.” Leader asked her voice gentle yet conveying a great concern.

 

“I can try, demo I can make no guarantees as to my success,” Helios told her, his worry creasing his brow. //Not being able to sense Small Lady, I can understand. She may have gone home to Crystal Tokyo, but what of the others?//

 

He began to brood, but, with a shake of his head, forced his consciousness out into the world above. But this time, he searched the immediate past for those precious sparks. And a few minutes later, the small worry line in his brow deepened and a frown marred his features. Gravely, he turned to look at Leader.

 

“I have found them,” he said, frowning deeper still. “Demo, I cannot tell what has happened to them.”

 

“Show me,” Leader gently commanded him, putting down the teacup and looking at him seriously. “Perhaps I can figure it out.”

 

Helios nodded and slowly, very slowly, a picture formed. The Sailor-Gumi came into view. A battle surrounded them. They were fighting fiercely. Their faces were grave. But suddenly, there was chaos around them as light and wind surround them with the force of a small explosion. And then the scouts and the Prince of the Earth disappeared.

 

Helios stared at the screen as it went black in shock. But Leader's frown had deepened.

 

“Show me that battle again,” she commanded urgently. “Only this time, focus more on the Outer Scouts. Specifically Pluto.”

 

The screen, which was actually the domed ceiling, came to life again. The battle scene returned, but now it focused on Pluto, the Guardian of Time. Slowly, what must have happened to the scouts became clear as Helios and Leader watched. One of the scout's opponents managed to land a particularly hard blow to Pluto's staff. It snapped, sending an energy wave cascading everywhere. The scouts and Prince Endymion disappeared.

 

For a moment, Helios and Leader were silent with shock.

 

“So that's what happened!” gasped Helios in worry. //I hope Small Lady is alright.//

 

“Small Lady . . .” he sighed, collapsing rather suddenly in exhaustion from the efforts of gathering the information. Leader regarded him for a long, tense moment and then looked up at the dome.

 

“Helios, go and rest yourself for now,” she ordered him gently. “Once you are properly rested, we will skim all the different eras of Japan to find them. Demo, we will start with the Otoku Kama era then work our way forward, and we must be very careful.” She rose and placed a comforting hand on Helios's shoulder. “We will find them, Helios. I promise you that.”

 

And with those final words, Leader walked back in the direction of the Rose Pavilion, leaving Helios to watch the coming dawn alone.

 

* * * * * *

Notes

 

1. In the manga she's Nephrenia while in the TV series she's Nehelenia this is

merely a case of me mixing what I liked in both series.

 

2. I couldn't find just one spelling of these ladies' Title so I went with the one I

liked.

 

For those of you who don't know Elysian doesn't show up in any of the stories except for the season containing Nehelenia, this doesn't mean that it was unaffected by the other invasions, just that Naoko-sama didn't think it was relevant to the story.

 

Heh this is so much fun