Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Consequences: Book Two-An New Order ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

This is an A/U fic, etc, etc, etc.

I do not own Sailor Moon; I'm just a fan.

Sean

Chapter Eight

The truth was finally out about the Fall of Silver Millennium.

Queen Serenity was not naïve enough to believe only Ananke was corrupted by Chaos. She of the others who had gone willingly into the darkness for many reasons and love had been one of those reasons. Within her Senshi, she had watched that mutual respect developed between among the ranks and for higher ranks, having a natural partner was encouraged. In her generations of Celestial Senshi, many of the natural partners were also soul mates, therefore it was natural to see lovers fighting side by side either in Halls of Phoebe or in battle.

But it was not so in the following generations. Aphrodite of Venus lamented when she learned that the Interior Princesses' soul mates were on Terra. Even Eros' mate was found there with Princess Serenity's true love. It was also the first generation of Senshi to be completely female. There was not a single male heir born to any of the planets and in those houses that had a son, the call of their home worlds did not sing out as strongly in their blood as it did for their sisters, except for the Crown Prince of Terra. And the terran High Council refused to let it is planet's heir train with the Senshi. Hera of Jupiter claimed that it was unnatural. The Order of Eternal Senshi needed to be balance and she was first say that the terran warriors who guarded the Crown Prince should have been brought to Phoebe and trained with their soul mates. Eris and Hermes had agreed with her reasoning, but Serenity said no. Pluto had her ear then. She wanted the terrans kept out of the Halls of Phoebe and away from the Silver Millennium until the Queen could not stop the demands of her people to bring peace within the Alliance.

She should have listened to her advisors that day.

Had she allowed all the soul mates to train together then maybe, just maybe, she could have prevented the lost of one of her Senshi to the darkness. She hoped that the soul purging would have free that lost soul, but she felt it was all for naught. Obsession had been the reason for that person's turning in the first place and this purge would serve only to bring it back. The Senshi had spurned her true love and soulmate to posses another's would once again betray their Kingdom.

She was willing to give Atalanta a second chance. She knew Persephone had not told the others of Atalanta's true activities during the fall and how she gave herself over to Chaos in order to have Xanthe in this lifetime. Had things gone as Ananke had planned, Xanthe would have been with Atalanta and neither remembering the truth about the past, just like everyone else.

Serenity closed her eyes and prayed for the soul of Atalanta and for all the Senshi. The darkness was coming and she hoped that they were strong enough to survive it.

*******

Caroline was watching the affection couple and almost gagged. Who did Endymion and Kris think they were kidding? She knew neither the two women her sons were with were truly their fiancées. Really, who would believe that her formally, stiff son would want a bubbly, flaky little girl with bad dye?

She looked Serena up and down for the third time that morning and sneered secretly. Serenity, or what ever her name was nothing more than a gold digging little tramp. And that Eros, what was she supposed to be? That obviously dyed hair and yellow contacts. What was she supposed to be? A blazing sun? A golden retriever? What?

She noticed that all four of the strange girls stood apart from the girls she had brought alone for Endymion to chose from; However, as he was wont to do it, Endymion ignored her suggestions and followed his own path which usually put them at crossroads with each other. She could not understand why he chose to deny his duty. He was King of the world, he was fabulously wealthy, he deserved a woman at his side would be just as fabulous as he was. He needed a woman of proper breeding and good stock, who was refine, elegant, and the embodiment of gentility. He needed someone just like his own mother not that simpering little slut.

Serena burst out laughing and ran away from the table with Athena and Persephone chasing after her. The others were laughing at their antics, then Endy stood up and moved right into Serena's path and both were bowled over. Athena and Kore stopped running and just stared at the pair before they broke off into uncontrollable laughter.

Endy sat up slowly, his arms wrapped tight about the wiggling girl who was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face. Serena was still clutching Athena's scarf and Kore's sunglasses as Endy stood up with her. Athena recovered briefly, in that time, she reached out, and making a vague gesture that dropped a sliver of ice down the back of Serena's top. Serena jumped and started screeching like a howler monkey, Endy could not keep his hold on her, and so instead of dropping her on her butt he shoved her into Athena's arms.

Caroline face twisted up in disgust. Not only was the girl not of high quality, she was loud as well. She would have to do something about that. With a determined tilt of her head, Caroline went forward to put and end to this game once and for all.

With a flick of her eyes, Eros noted Caroline's approach and with a low whistle, she had the Senshi's attention.

Jamie was not so subtle, "Uh-oh, bitch as three o'clock." He said loudly.

Caroline glared at him, "I would not expect better manners from you, James Sutherland, considering the atrocious manner in which you father behaves. Still you are in the presence of your King's mother, you should show more respect and discipline"

Jamie did not miss a beat, with a cheeky grin, he rejoined, "Don't tell me that you are still sore about Da not taking you up on your offer and staying with my mother and then busting you out."

She ground her teeth to keep from grabbing him and slapping the taste from his mouth. But she restrained herself and focused on the white haired witch who was clinging to her son.

Serena was seated on the other side of the table as far away from Endy as she could be. She couldn't believe that he had felt her up before placing her in Athena's arms. As soon as the bitch was out of the way, she was going to give him a hefty dose of her mind in the form of her tier upside his head. The damned pervert, what the hell did he thing he was doing? That would teach her to kiss his rotten butt. Well no, sir, that was never happening again. She was cutting him off as of right now. With her decision made, Serena nodded empathically. As she came out of her mental dialogue, Serena noticed she had the group's attention.

"What?" She demanded sourly.

The look on Caroline's face was enough to make Endy's day. She looked as if she were trying hard to control herself but Serena ignoring her was not helping the situation."

"Excuse me, Shirley," Caroline said coolly, "But I would appreciate a response when I've asked you a question-"

Serena looked at her blankly then blinked, "Are you talking to me?" she asked her.

Caroline frowned her brown eyes darken slightly. "You are the only one-"

Eros stood up quickly, her eye going wide as she seemed to be listening to something. And out of the blue she swore.

"Eros," Kris said, worry etched all over his face, "What is it?"

She looked at her Senshi her eyes were cold and just as plain scary. "Atalanta has gone rogue." Her tone was clipped as she reported the happening on Mars. "Bella was in the room when Atalanta snapped and began attacking everyone in sight."

Serena raised a hand to her mouth. Persephone looked away in shame; Atalanta was apart of her unit as had been Ananke. She could not believe that she two soldiers defect. Athena was watching her leader. A vein in Eros' neck was ticking wildly in response to her barely suppressed rage.

"Had Atalanta completed the purge?" she asked Eros.

The Senshi of Venus nodded. "The purge had been successful. She showed no signs of weakness, neither did Xanthe-"

"But Xanthe," Persephone turned back to them, her dark eyes filled with questions, "Xanthe did not defect?"

Eros shook her head. "Xanthe has been injured while trying to fight off Atalanta. Lana was trying to force Xanthe to come with her. When she refused, Lana went wild and started to attack everyone. Had she just left without going after Xanthe, no one would have known that she had defected. " She informed them gravely, "The reports will be in the palace before evening, right now, Guardian Deimos is giving me a report of-Damn it."

"What?" Artemis demanded anxiously. They had all seemed to have forgotten that Caroline stood near, watching and hearing everything.

Without warning, the Venuian Queen, slammed her right fist down on the thick glass tabletop and shattered it with that one blow. Everyone jumped back as she went berserk on the rest of the unoffending patio furniture.

Athena waved the others way from the mad Eros and she in calmly explained what had happened on Mars and now the universe. With a furtive glance at her commander, Athena Diana told them what had set Eros off. "Atalanta has her transformation crystal and her rapier." She said darkly, "Somehow she has forced her evolution to from planetary Senshi to Celestial-"

"Oh, Goddess," was Serena horrified cry.

Athena reached for her hand and turned back to the others. "If she were able to do this, then is safe to assume that Ananke is also a Celestial Senshi."

It took a moment for the others to absorb the information. While they were doing so, Eros had finished tossing the last of the destroyed metal and cushions into the pool. She dropped down to her haunches and buried her head in her hands. She wanted to get her hands on Ananke. She wanted to rip that traitor's heart out and stomp on it. She wanted Ananke to watch as she ended her life and destroyed her plans for Chaos' take over of this system. She wanted blood.

Persephone wished she could deny it, but she could feel it deep within her bones, the two Senshi were now stronger and they were becoming stronger with each moment. "They have sold their souls to Chaos and in return they have been given more power. Before this is over, we may have to deal with two Alpha Warriors."

Serena paled. "Alphas?" She breathed.

Artemis looked back at Eros worriedly. "May the Gods preserve us if they cross that bar."

Endy had no idea of what they were talking about. Artemis had explained Senshi levels but stopped at Celestials. Now he was hearing about Alphas and that they were stronger than Eternal Senshi and surpassed the Celestials.

"The Alpha Warriors existed before the formation of the Silver Alliance," Persephone told them. Her eyes were closed as she read from the Book of the Dead. Here eyes snapped open and she looked at Eros urgently. "I withheld information from you, but I was under orders from the Queen unless the situation changed."

Eros had been listening and until now she nothing to say. "Speak now," Eros ordered her.

With a curt nodded, Persephone slipped into her trance. They all listen in a tense silence as she relayed the Atalanta's betrayal in the war and her obsession with Xanthe and her oath to Chaos in the past gave her Xanthe in this life.

"So we have to deal with two psychotic rogue Senshi?" Kris asked them. He went to Eros and took her clenched fists into his hands and rubbed her knuckles.

Eros looked past Kris' shoulder and right at Endy; her face betrayed nothing of what she was thinking. "Terra does not have to fight," She told him. "This fight will most likely lead to destruction of-"

"Save it, Eros," Endy said coolly. "You've said yourself that Eternals are no match for Alphas-"

"They have not reached that stage yet," She growled.

He shook his head, "They will be soon if something is not done about them."

"That is why we are leaving." Eros told him. "We don't have that much time. They are trying to make it to Chaos."

"Won't they just teleport?" Troy asked curiously.

Athena shook her head. "King Ares has maintaining a field around the system. No one can teleport into or out of our Solar System without the risk of frying their brains." She said with a rueful chuckle. "But we do have a time constraint upon us and if we were to leave now and meet with Nike on Jupiter, we may be able to intercept them near Miranda. Or if worst comes to worst, we will be fighting on Nemesis."

Eros was frowning. "Work out the schematics of both interception," she ordered crisply. "In the meantime, we need to worry about getting our armor."

The men were looking at her as if she were speaking in another tongue, then it hit Artemis who started to grin. He winked at Terran and the other man burst out laughing, leaving the young men and frighten Caroline who was standing as far away from Eros as possible some what clueless.

"Well?" Endy cried irritably, "What the hell gotten you two?"

Terran could not stop laughing, but Artemis was well enough to share the news with the glowering young King.

"Well, it seems as if their Majesties and their Royal Highnesses have been withholding secrets from us." He said lightly as he leaned back in his seat.

Endy looked from him to Eros and the Queen of Venus held out a small crystal. The stone changed from a five-point star to an eight point star and flared brightly as a shimmering golden light. It spread out and wrapped around Eros' body until she was glowing like a small sun. With a final flare, Eros was dressed in something that almost did not resemble a Senshi fuku. She wore a bright yellow knee length skirt that flared from hips down. Her top was not the traditional Sailor top, was like a bodice over a cap sleeve shirt. She wore no tiara, the insignia of Venus glowed bright on her brow and the crystal sword was strapped at her waist and the Golden Sword of Venus was strapped onto her back. She had armor on her forearms to her booted feet.

Caroline was staring at her in open mouth horror. "Wha-what are you?" She cried in horror. Her eyes were impossibly wide and wild about the corners.

"Celestial Senshi," Artemis told her. He looked at Eros curiously. "So are you all Celestials?"

Serena heard the questions in his tone and answered for Eros, "I am now Cosmos." She told him. Her silver eyes flashing with pride as she transformed to the winged white garbed Warrior of Order, Sailor Cosmos.

Remember: NO FLAMES. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, DON'T READ IT.