Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Heartless Angel ❯ Those Who lack Hearts ( Chapter 2 )

2. Those Who Lack Hearts

 

By the time the other searching Soldiers—Mars, Jupiter and Neptune—had arrived, the battle was over. The three sailor-suited women came upon their Queen standing amidst a pile of bodies and blood, her treasured sword clasped in her right hand and the Silver Crystal shining majestically cupped in her left. Though the only lingering bodies were human (four soldiers of the Crystal Tokyo Defense Force by their uniforms), scars of the battle in the street heralded the presence of the same shadowy creatures that had detained their individual searches.

 

Even as the last of them touched down, Neptune's elegant heels clicking on the stones as she dropped from the rooftops above (and managed somehow not to sprain an ankle in the process), Serenity strode regally from the face-down body over which she'd been standing as though protecting it, using the tip of her sword to spear a scrap of purplish material that lay upon the ground after the battle and raise it into visibility.

 

Sure enough, etched upon its surface—even as it began to deteriorate when exposed to the purifying light from both the Silver Crystal and the sword Lunar Harmonia—was the same crest that had visible at least somewhere on most of the black creatures, a stylized black heart rimmed with red, crossed out by ominous red bands that formed an “X”.

 

Serenity flicked away the tatters that remained of the strange material with apparent disgust, deftly flipping her sword in her hand so that she held it point-down, and allowing its tip to touch the cobblestones like a cane. Her fingers idly ran over the curve of the crescent-shaped hilt guard that curved up from its handle toward the point, one cusp just barely touching two inches above the base of the blade, the other jutting out aggressively to one side. Clasping the retrieved Crystal to her heart, her gaze swept over the scene with a look of profound regret, as a small sigh escaped her.

 

Jupiter was the one who spoke first, picking her way across the carnage and forcing herself not to look at the bodies—particularly the beheaded one. “Are they…all…?”

 

The Queen shook her head, slowly, returning to the side of the man over which they had found her, her two impossibly long tails of hair swaying elegantly against the skirt of her gown. “Not this one. Not only did he survive, but somehow I suspect he might…be…”

 

The others watched her intently as she hesitated. Though she had seemingly changed outwardly, since the old days when she had lead them directly, beneath the brittle surface was still the person they had called a friend, and all present knew it. Here away from the presence of outsiders, no one bowed a cowed head before her, instead watching her evenly. Vaguely uncomfortable, she simply kneeled, laying the sword carefully upon the stones for the moment, and carefully heaved the young man over onto his back.

 

It took a moment for recognition to set in, but when it did two stifled gasps heralded its arrival. Neptune did not react with shock, however, simply folding her arms and furrowing her delicate brow. “Surely you don't think…” she began, but her monarch shook her head and looked up at the three without standing.

 

“There is little doubt in my mind. I saw him hurl a wave of Light at the thief.”

 

“Venus will be—“ Jupiter started, but the Queen cut her off again.

 

“No,” she said, shaking her head slowly as she retrieved her sword and slowly rose to her feet. “Not yet, at least. Not until we're sure.”

 

“Huh.” Mars recovered her aplomb with predictable businesslike manner, folding her arms beneath her chest. “That's all well and good, but what about the thief?”

 

“Escaped. But he did not get what he was after.” Serenity hefted the precious Crystal once again, letting its light cleanse away the last lingering traces of the dark things she had fought.

 

“If that's all he was after,” Mars prompted, her fine brow creasing beneath her inky bangs. “Who knows what else he got away with? It would take a total idiot to try and steal the Silver Crystal, maybe it was just a diversion to draw attention away from something else he stole.”

 

“If that is the case, then we will discover it soon enough. He is gone now, and no amount of bickering, nor fretting, will change that.” To the surprise of all, it was Neptune who had spoken, not the Queen, her hand planted upon her hip as she surveyed the surroundings. “You three should return to the Palace. I'll worry about the clean-up, and have this one taken to the medical ward.” She gestured to the injured soldier, his shallow breathing indicative that he was the only living body amidst the carnage.

 

Though reluctant on principle, none of the three put up much more than token resistance to her offer. It had been a long time since any of them had seen such brutally efficient violence, and between the attacks by shadow-creatures and the attempted theft, they were worried for the safety of the Palace.

 

- - -

 

Above upon the safety of the rooftop, concealed from view of the three arriving Sailor Soldiers by a shroud of billowing, living darkness, two figures had watched the exchange silently. The shorter, more slender of the two did not look over his shoulder to the companion who stood just behind and to his left, as he spoke.

 

“Your estimation, Sephiroth?”

 

The one-winged swordsman, towering over his shorter companion by at least half a head, idly tightened his gloves one at a time so that they creaked against his wriggling fingers as he spoke. “The soldiers are nothing. Lesser shadows can be trusted to deal with them, in sufficient numbers.” The tactic of overwhelming was a favorite of the shadows. They would be pleased to hear it encouraged. “And the Sailor Soldiers are easily misled and distracted. Direct assault upon them is idiocy, but attack those around them and they will undoubtedly crumble.”

 

“What about the soldier who delayed you?” the silhouette before him spoke, his voice quiet and mild. “You would have gotten away with the Crystal if you'd killed him as quickly as the others.”

 

“An irritation, nothing more. The Crystal would have done us no good, anyway. Its light repels the shadows.” The unspoken “I-told-you-so” in the platinum-haired warrior's words went unacknowledged.

 

The smaller figure turned, brushing imperiously past the larger Sephiroth without further word. A silvery brow quirking, Sephiroth did not turn as he spoke. “Where are you going?”

 

The youth lifted his right hand level with his face, fingers slowly closing one by one so his own leather glove creaked. “To have a little chat with someone.”

 

As he continued to walk away, Sephiroth waited a long moment in silence before speaking again. “That Rune will only protect you from the Darkness for so long.” The smaller figure stopped in his tracks, feet still tensed as though to continue walking. “It's sheer arrogance to think that you can control the shadows for long. Eventually they will consume you.”

 

“…worry about your own hide,” came the disdainful reply, and Sephiroth said nothing more as his companion disappeared, instead watching as the aqua-haired Soldier kneeled again to check the vitals of the unconscious young man on the ground.

 

- - -

 

Saturn sat perched upon the great wall surrounding the Crystal Palace, with her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms draped around them, the Silence Glaive that was her hallmark nestled in the crook of her arm and towering over her.

 

She had aided the Soldiers Venus, Mercury and Uranus in the defense of the Palace block, when the shadows had suddenly come to life and begun attacking anything in sight. She had seen one of them attack one of the CTDF soldiers from behind, thrusting a distended hand into the man's back without puncturing, as though his body were made of liquid—and from the front of his chest had been shoved a shimmering crystalline “heart” with a red light pulsing within its center. Letting the limp form fall, the black creature had greedily snatched the heart and devoured it whole, though swallowing it seemed to do nothing for the beast's ravening hunger. As it had skittered off on all fours, the fallen man's body simply...dematerialized, dissolving into tiny glimmering motes of light that slowly drifted into the sky.

 

The attack had ceased as suddenly as it had begun, the shadows simply receding. Creatures had ceased pouring from the darkness, and once the last had been cut down all was silence once again.

 

Silence. It was supposed to be her domain, that over which she held dominion, that which gave her power. But she hated silence. Silence meant there was no one around who cared, whether it was love or even hate.

 

She closed her amethyst eyes against the cold, ominous breeze that flowed over the top of the wall, bringing with it the scent of death. The attack had happened in the streets as well, she was told. They had wanted her to go inside, especially Haruka-papa—Uranus—but, while still on the frail side, she was not the same fragile and sickly child she had once been. And if the shadows rose up to attack again, her power was best suited to destroy them all at once without losing more precious lives.

 

Saturn didn't realize she had fallen asleep until her chin jerked up from her chest, snapping back to alertness with a start as something made the tiny hairs on the back of her neck prickle. In a heartbeat, she was on her feet, Silence Glaive in hand and cutting through the air with practiced ease.

 

The curved blades (certain of the Sailor Soldiers liked to joke that it vaguely resembled a grandiose can opener for the ultimate soda) rebounded smartly off metal with a resounding ring, but Saturn did not lose her precarious balance upon the wall, twirling the staff-like weapon around her body until it came to a stop defensively before her.

 

The youth standing before her could not have been much older than sixteen years (her own physical age), and for a male his build was startlingly slight. Though not girlish, as some of the men she'd seen the Princess fawn over, he was clearly just below average in mass for his age. His clothing was unremarkable, a simple sleeveless white shirt with a folded-down collar, casually loose black pants tucked into sleek black-patent boots, and his hands were sheathed by darkly tanned leather gloves. His hair, dark as her own, was just longish enough that the breeze could sweep it out of his flat, colorless eyes.

 

More remarkable, however, was the weapon that had stayed her own, clasped in his hands with the ease of familiarity. It was a scythe, an ominous black-bladed implement that seemed nearly as much machine as simple weapon, its surface riddled with odd tubing and even what appeared to be gears. It was almost like something she'd have expected to see in one of Mercury's laboratories…save for the wicked black blade, serrated along the back near its point, that nevertheless managed to gleam somehow in the moonlight. The youth held it oddly upside-down in his hands, the blade near his feet with its wicked hook curving menacingly upward.

 

Slowly, her indigo boots slid apart, one behind her and one before her in a posture of readiness. “Who are you?” she demanded, her soft voice nevertheless brooking no guff.

 

However, despite her aggressive posture, the youth simply walked his odd weapon along the back of his hand so that it completed a full three-hundred-sixty degree revolution, and then he shouldered it casually and quite passively, the wickedly hooked blade draping back over his shoulder.

 

He appeared to ignore her question, however. “You did well to survive. Many don't live through their first assault. Whole worlds have fallen in the first hours alone.”

 

Saturn's eyes narrowed, dangerously, power beginning to gather about the blades of her weapon in the form of crackling black lightning. “This world has defenders who will not submit,” she stated plainly, as though proclaiming that the moon would rise.

 

“You say that without knowing what you fight. That's the mark of folly. Childish optimism will not stop them.” The youth turned to present his profile to her, facing the city outside the wall and turning his eyes up to the sliver of visible moon.

 

“And what do you know of this enemy?” Saturn pressed, not lowering her glaive, though the power flickering around its head subsided…for now. “You seem to have survived the night intact. And you seem to think you know them.”

 

The boy closed his eyes, a deep sigh swelling his relatively small frame and then contracting it again. “They are ravenous hunters. Their home is the Darkness, they thrive in it, flourish in it, and in turn they spread it wherever they go. They are those who lack hearts, and so they forever seek to devour the hearts of others, though no heart has ever satisfied their hunger.” Slowly, his colorless eyes opened again and drifted over to her, his expression perfectly neutral. “They are the Heartless, and they have come to devour the heart of this world.”

 

Finally, Saturn lowered her glaive. Though there was a kind of unnerving darkness about him, it was no greater than that she knew lay within herself, deep down, an inescapable part of who she was. She could not fault another for that, and she sensed no malice from this boy. “How do you know all this?”

 

Again, the youth turned away, this time presenting his back to her as he slowly strode along the top of the wall. He stopped a few steps away, transferring his scythe to his left hand and shoulder, and raising his right hand to slowly tighten his fist until the leather glove creaked. “I can feel the Darkness in your heart, subdued though it is. They can as well. It will draw them to you, and they will strive to consume you. Don't let them…” Without answering her question, he turned and vaulted from the wall in a blink. Though she ran to the place from which he had jumped, when Saturn turned to gaze out into the darkened city streets she could see no sign of him.

 

She hadn't even gotten to ask his name…

 

- - -

 

“No. Absolutely not!”

 

“Minako, please…” Ami implored, plucking her broad, wire-framed eyeglasses from the bridge of her nose, folding the arms and hooking one into the pocket of her pristine white lab-coat. “This is very important.”

 

They were gathered within the main council room of the Crystal Palace, the Neo-Queen Serenity and all eight of highest appointed officials of state, her closest confidantes…and, most importantly of all, her friends.

 

Of course, only six of them occupied chairs. But the center of the circular table boasted a most spacious and comfortable cushion that more than adequately seated the Queen's two feline advisors, white and black as ebony and ivory. It was also the only way they could remain on eye level and thus command a proper level of attention at these gatherings.

 

Of the remaining six, three of them wore the standard, crisp white uniform of the Crystal Tokyo Defense Force. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say, Haruka Tenoh and Makoto Kino wore the standard white uniform of the CTDF.

 

Minako Aino, true to form, had commissioned some…slight modifications to her uniform. The neatly pressed white pants were replaced with a chic white skirt, bordered with neat gold trim, slitted up the sides just enough to inspire intrigue without coming across too risqué. After the brief gap that exposed tantalizing leg, a pair of high-heeled white boots started just shy of her knees. Above the waist, the uniform was little different than its counterparts…save that Minako chose to accentuate the look with a tasteful white beret. Completing the ensemble, the large red bow that usually held her flowing waves of gilded hair in check behind her head had been replaced by a white bow, to match the uniform.

 

Ami Mizuno, heading up both the science and medical wings of the Palace despite protests from the Queen in the interests of halving her work-load, was dressed in a manner that was both conservative, and yet left no question of her twin occupations, her sterile lab-coat covering a casual but pleasing olive-colored blouse and pressed blue pants. Rei Hino's red and white shrine robes were a familiar presence at council meetings, as were Michiru Kaioh's distinctly professional-looking, yet still tasteful ensembles that might have looked more at home in a twentieth-century courtroom or law firm than in the quartz-like halls of the Crystal Palace. As the royal Shrine Maiden and the third Royal Advisor, they completed the Planetary Council save for one empty chair, a gaping space next to the Queen's throne.

 

No one occupied the King's seat while he was out of the kingdom on business.

 

Minako, currently, was about to lose her beret in addition to her cool. At Ami's persistent request, she had thrust to her feet, her crystalline chair sliding back across the floor and threatening to tip over as her white-gloved hands planted themselves hard upon the tabletop. “I know why you want it, I do keep track of Palace events, after all. Why do you want that, of all things? It's not yours to give, I don't care if he did save the Silver Crystal. Give him a medal like anybody else!”

 

For the Nth time since the previous night's attack, surreptitious glances were exchanged amidst the Sailor Soldiers and their Queen, excluding the blue-eyed blonde in very indignant question.

 

At last, it was the Neo-Queen herself who spoke, her soft voice like a steel gauntlet sheathed in a velvet glove. “I do not wish to make of this a royal decree, Major Aino, but if I must then that is what I shall do.”

 

The look in Minako's eyes as she glared across the table at her Queen was laced with enough venom to kill three grown men. The Queen had stared down that monster who called himself Sephiroth without batting an eyelash, but she flinched from the hateful look in her dear friend's eyes, averting her gaze. “Go get it, Minako. I know it's in your quarters.”

 

Angry moisture building above her lower lids, Minako's fingers curled almost claw-like against the smooth surface of the table for a moment. Her chair did tip over as she stormed away from the table, toward one of the three exit doors from the council chamber. Stopping in the doorway, she didn't look over her shoulder as she spoke. “I never thought I would see the day that the crown went to your head, Usagi. Guess I was wrong.”

 

The door slammed hard behind her, and the collective tension in the room evaporated…leaving in its wake uncomfortable silence. Serenity let out a soft, faint sigh that echoed the sentiments of all present.

 

“Was that really necessary, your Highness?” The voice of Luna, the black cat perched regally upon the velvety cushion with a golden crescent emblem upon her forehead, was mildly disapproving.

 

Despite the discomfort evident in her expression and demeanor, the Queen did not back down. “I believe it was, Luna. The only way we can truly confirm is for her to see him for herself. Otherwise we risk raising her hopes only to crush them once again. I would prefer for her to hate me now and thank me later than to see her misery redoubled.”

 

“But if it isn't him,” Artemis, Luna's mellow white-furred counterpart began, “then you've just seriously hurt her for no reason. I don't think she hates you, your Highness…I don't know if she can hate anyone. But…”

 

Michiru spoke up in Serenity's defense, to her surprise. “I saw him, myself. I did not see him exhibit the power the Queen speaks of, but—”

 

“I have,” Haruka interrupted, with a small smile of apology to her partner. “He's one of the specialists of my division. He's never…really stood out from the ranks, but I can confirm that he wields the power of Light in small measure. And I checked the roster—his name is the same, though that means little on its own.”

 

“Unfortunately, the medical division has been swamped with patients since the attack last night.” Ami plucked her glasses from her coat's breast pocket and settled them in place upon the bridge of her nose. “And between tending the worst cases in the medical wards and attempting to study the material samples left by the creatures last night, I haven't been able to see him myself. Apparently his injuries were not severe.”

 

“Regardless of who he may or may not be,” Michiru spoke up again, her tone even and rational, “the fact remains that he was the only soldier to cross paths with the thief and live. The Queen's `award ceremony' will also be the perfect opportunity to question him.”

 

“ `Question him'?” Makoto perked a mahogany eyebrow, her gloved fingertips drumming upon their reflections in the silvery surface of the table. “You sound like you plan to pull his fingernails out with pliers.”

 

Haruka's subtle smirk was wry, but there was amused irony to it. At least, her companions hoped it was irony. “If it comes to that, we just might.”

 

“The creatures last night did not appear until after he lost consciousness, but he may be able to tell us something about the thief,” Serenity supplied, steepling her fingers in front of her upon the table.

 

Finally, Rei spoke for the first time since the meeting had convened. “It may be the only way we'll find out anything. When I attempted to scry for him, the fire went out. Three times, without fail.”

 

The Queen sighed, wearily, her hands lifting to slowly press her first two fingers to her temples. “This is madness. As if the attempted theft itself were not enough cause for concern, now we must live in fear of the very shadows?”

 

“Somehow I don't think so, your Highness,” Ami spoke up, clearing her throat softly and adjusting her glasses with a forefinger and thumb. The Queen's radiant blue eyes opened again, turning curiously upon the oldest of her friends.

 

“I was still trying to confirm when the meeting was called,” the royal scientist and physician continued, folding her hands together atop the table, “but I believe that the creatures exerted a great deal of power during their initial assault, whether it was to cover the thief's tracks or to probe the Palace defenses—or simply because they had underestimated our capacity to resist. Regardless, as I hope to confirm within the day, I believe that it will be some time before they have gathered the strength before another such assault, provided they are willing to commit to another such effort after the initial failure.”

 

“So, be on the lookout for subtlety,” Michiru simplified with a terse nod, briefly meeting the eyes of those present. The second empty chair at the table gave all of them pause, but Serenity spoke before anyone else could.

 

“Regardless of the award ceremony's outcome, I will apologize to Major Aino and explain what we have concluded, this afternoon. I thank all of you for your time and opinions, my friends. This council is concluded.”

 

Though they all still considered her to be a friend, none was willing to question her with that look in her azure eyes.

 

- - -

 

Sephiroth…

 

The name had echoed in his mind since he had awoken in the sterile, stifling medical ward of the Crystal Palace. The name of that monster, that devil, accompanied by flashes of blood, the grating of steel against steel…and the faces of three eager, brave young privates who would never join him in the mess hall again.

 

Sephiroth…damn you…

 

Nothing so horrible could possibly be human. There had been no remorse, no humanity in those glimmering green eyes. He had not only cleaved them down without remorse, he had enjoyed it. The demon had found it amusing!

 

Sephiroth…damn you…I'll kill you…

 

He, himself, had been crushed ignominiously, his attacks laughed off like a child's feeble efforts. Though Sephiroth had been mildly surprised by his survival of the initial onslaught, he'd shown nothing but contempt for Alex's attempts to actually attack him.

 

Sephiroth, if it's the last thing I do…

 

“I'll kill you!” He flung himself to sit up in the bed, his eyes snapping open, cold sweat beading his brow and soaking his hair and shirt as his hand reached blindly for nothing.

 

The stifled gasp next to his bedside made him jump, as startled as the figure seated near the side of the bed. Alex turned, his mindlessly clutching hand lifting awkwardly to rake his fingers through his soaked sandy hair.

 

Sitting beside the bed was a young girl, no older than her mid teens, with inky hair that fell loose and wispy to frame her face, just shy of her shoulders. Her amethyst eyes were wide, presumably from the rude awakening on his part, but her hands (sheathed in black gloves that neatly complemented her modest and conservative black dress) were partially lifted with her fingers spread.

 

“Ahm…sorry…” he muttered awkwardly, his hand sliding to the back of his neck as he frowned. “I didn't mean to startle you. …have we met?” He hadn't been expecting any visitors. His family wasn't even aware of his injury yet, he was sure, given that they lived across town on the very fringe of the royal capital. And the capital was not a small city.

 

The young girl shook her head, settling back down into her chair as her delicate brow furrowed. “No. I apologize if I am intruding, but I have been trying to do my part to help the injured.” Her fingers flexed slightly before folding upon her lap, and Alex realized belatedly that the pain in his formerly throbbing knee was all but gone. He wouldn't know for certain until he removed the bandages, but…

 

“No, you're fine,” he stopped her hastily, trying on a hint of his own smile. “It's just…been a long night.”

 

The girl nodded, tipping her head, and then she lifted her gloved hand. “My name is Hotaru. Hotaru Tomoe. I possess a small measure of talent with healing magics, and so I have been attempting to help curb the lesser injuries while the doctors are occupied.”

 

“I'm Alex…” Even as he introduced himself, Alex frowned, lifting his hands to probe his injured left arm and right shoulder from the night before. The pain was all but gone, and what was more, he could detect no further injuries than the ones Sephiroth had inflicted personally.

 

Sephiroth…

 

He caught himself before his gaze could contort with hatred once again. The last thing he remembered had been…the Queen…

 

“The Queen! Is she alright?”

 

Hotaru blinked, somewhat taken aback. Then, her head slowly tipped to the side, her dark hair spilling across her shoulder. “Are you the one who fought the thief of the Silver Crystal?”

 

Alex frowned. What, was it news already? Before he could speak, though, Hotaru went on.

 

“Not only were you the only soldier to survive the thief's attacks, but your injuries were relatively minor. The Queen protected you from the Hea…” she trailed off, delicate brow creasing again, but she quickly continued, “from the creatures who attacked last night. She is fine, and the Crystal is back where it belongs. In fact, there is an award ceremony planned for you later.” At his lifted eyebrows, she visibly suppressed a laugh with her hand over her mouth. “Perhaps I should not have been the one to tell you. But it was thanks to your efforts that the thief was delayed long enough to be cornered. If you hadn't stalled him, even to the point of being injured in the line of duty, he would have escaped with the Silver Crystal. Alex, you are a hero.”

 

I'm not a hero… The words echoed in his brain, not of his own volition, as she spoke her praise. Quickly, he shook it off.

 

“I, uh…I see. I was only doing my duty, and I would have been killed myself if it wasn't…if it wasn't for…” Grey… Grey, Stone and Daoud. That devil had killed them first, that was the only reason Alex was still alive. If Alex had been standing where Grey had been, Grey would have been the one who had outlasted Sephiroth's wrath, attending an award ceremony for saving the city's priceless treasure. Probably would have been promoted straight up to specialist.

 

Seeing him troubled, Hotaru leaned forward a bit in her seat, her small hand gently patting the back of his hand. “I'm sure they will come to call for you, soon. You may want to act surprised, though.”

 

Her head lifted, slightly, as the sound of a high-pitched feminine voice could be heard from beyond the curtain that walled Alex's bed off from his neighbors, calling her name. Hotaru turned, an amused smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Coming, Usagi!” Facing Alex again for a moment, she gave a tiny bow, in true fashion of Japanese culture, and then she pushed back from her small guest chair and gathered up her skirts, to scurry out of the small area.

 

He didn't have to wait long before Hotaru's prediction proved correct. He was sitting up against the smooth crystalline headboard of the bed, idly picking at the bandaging wrapped around his left arm (as much as he appreciated Hotaru's efforts, his freshly healing wounds were itching something awful, and efforts to scratch through the wrappings had proven futile), when the curtain next to his bed rustled. His head lifted with a frown.

 

Nobody there. His brow furrowed, eyes narrowing. He could see the curtain swaying still, but its rings had not slid upon the hanger that held it in place. He dismissed it after but a moment, however, shunting it to the back of his mind as a simple coincidental brush against it from the other side, and turned his attention back to the business of trying to un-bandage his arm.

 

It was a blur of spontaneous white motion that jerked him from the task this time, his eyes snapping their widest as he lurched back against the headboard with a yelp. The back of his head klunked soundly against the top bar of the headboard, and he flinched forward with a groan, rubbing back of his sore head. “…the hell…?”

 

Sitting on its haunches upon the bed, between his covered knees, was a long-tailed white cat, with strikingly intelligent gray eyes and a golden crescent emblem standing out boldly from its forehead. Clasped gingerly between its teeth was an unembellished white envelope, with nothing more written upon it than his name in simple ink script.

 

Frowning, he plucked the envelope from the mouth of the cat, who sat patiently on its haunches but watched him intently. “Huh. This is for me, is it?”

 

The cat said nothing, understandably, simply watching him in wait—though he thought he could detect a hint of impatience in its gaze.

 

“Okay, okay!” he placated wryly, struggling to rip into the envelope without tearing its contents. The note inside was scrawled in a less austere hand; this was no form-letter, the ink was not yet dry.

 

Alex

Specialist Fourth Class

Division Six,

 

By Royal decree, you are bidden to appear before a gathering of the Royal Family and its Sailor Soldiers posthaste. We realize that the battle of the previous night was a wearying ordeal; We convey Our sincerest apologies for rousing you from your recovery. However, it is imperative that you stand before Us within the hour. The cat who delivered this message, Artemis, will show you the way. If you follow him out of the medical ward you will not be detained.

 

In my own hand

 

~S

 

Alex furrowed his brow, looking back and forth between the note and the white cat, who continued to stare at him intently. The note didn't say anything about the reason for this…request. No mention of the award ceremony Hotaru had mentioned. He gulped, anxiously. …hope this is about all that trying to scratch the walls.

 

“So, um…Artemis?” The cat perked up slightly, his ears twitching forward at attention. Alex hesitated, and then simply folded the letter back up and tucked it into the envelope again. “…lead the way?”

 

Artemis needed no further prompting, bounding off the bed instantly. Alex rose a little more hesitantly, still not aware of the extent to which Hotaru Tomoe's healing had progressed. He chafed, inwardly, at the idea of having to stand before a royal Council in the sleeveless black undershirt from his CTDF uniform and a pair of general-issue trousers (even setting aside the somewhat mussed bandages), but the white cat barely gave him enough time to stuff his feet into his boots before bounding away.

 

Though he didn't quite have to jog to keep up with Artemis, the cat-messenger set an unrelenting pace, keeping Alex moving at a steady clip. Thankfully, true to the letter, what few members of the medical staff made as though to stop him, balked instantly at a single look from Artemis, and he was allowed to progress unimpeded.

 

The medical ward gave way to the quartz-like corridors of the Crystal Palace, the reflective floors echoing the sounds of Alex's boot-falls down the otherwise empty corridors, the cat's padding paws making literally no sound as he glided along. Since moving to the Palace block to sign up for the military, Alex had seen nothing of the Palace interior itself beyond the barracks, the courtyard and the training fields. It all seemed so barren and empty, though that could well have been due to the bustle of activity in the medical ward. Where had all those injured come from? Had Sephiroth cut down that many—? No, Hotaru had said something about Alex being the only soldier who had survived contact with Sephiroth. Perhaps it was related to the creatures he had seen, just before falling unconscious.

 

He permitted himself a wash of relief that the Queen seemed well. Of course, the tales about her were as legendary as the Silver Crystal and Lunar Harmonia themselves. But the dark things he had seen…

 

Regardless, she was evidently well enough to head up a council meeting. One before which he was to appear.

 

Had Hotaru been mistaken about the award ceremony? He knew rumors had a tendency to circulate, especially amongst the nobility, and there had been no mistaking Hotaru Tomoe's air of nobility. She was doubtless a part of the Neo-Queen's court, from her bearing and dress alone. It would not have been a great stretch to imagine her hearing word of a meeting arranged with a grunt soldier and stepped to a hasty conclusion.

 

After all, he had been completely ineffectual against Sephiroth. He hadn't even scratched the man's face; in fact, he had been defeated ignominiously.

 

At last, they stood before the doors to what Alex could only presume to be her Majesty's main audience chamber. The doorframe formed a high, sweeping arch, the crystal blocks that rimmed it etched with the sigils of the Nine Planetary Soldiers, each one glowing faintly in a different hue, appropriate to the Soldier it represented. From the keystone gleamed a golden crescent emblem, its cusps pointed proudly upward, mirroring the symbol upon Artemis' forehead.

 

The cat in question paused, looking up at him expectantly. Alex frowned when he realized that nothing was happening, looking down in turn. He could have sworn he saw the cat's eyebrows drawing together in vague irritation.

 

Belatedly, it occurred to him that a cat could not open a closed door, particularly not one so heavy.

 

Awkwardly, he lifted a hand to touch the door. He could see no handle, only a series of symbols that reflected those on the arch-stones etched into the wood, though they lacked the glow of the crystal carvings. His awkwardly fumbling fingers found their way to the crescent moon carved into the center of the heavy door. As his fingers brushed the simple but elegant curves of the symbol, the very wood alit with a glimmering golden glow.

 

Alex jerked his hand back as if burned, though there had been no pain or even warmth from it. As the light shimmered steadily, a seam began to manifest itself along the very center of the semi-oval of the door, releasing shafts of soft light as the wood began to slide apart and recede into the arch-frame to either side.

 

Strangely, at first, all that was visible was a field of impenetrable white light beyond the doors, revealing not so much as the vaguest silhouette inside. It was not until the doors were completely open and he began to slowly, tentatively step inside that the light faded and revealed the interior of the chamber.

 

Like the rest of the Palace, the décor consisted largely of quartz-like, semitransparent crystal. The audience chamber appeared to be circular in layout, its walls crystalline walls smooth and unbroken, not marred by so much as a facet. Though the crystal architecture was somewhat see-through, within its depths it faded to a deep, tranquil shade of blue, much like gazing into a frozen body of water. The floors, the circular wall and the ceiling all matched this scheme, broken only by a plush magenta carpet that stretched from the door in a direct path to a circular patch in the center of the room. Positioned in a semicircle around the round patch of gold-tasseled magenta were eleven carved-crystal chairs, stretching down the sides of the carpet so that they formed a kind of cul-de-sac within the center of the room.

 

It was an unnerving thought, being surrounded by the most powerful forces in the kingdom. Especially given that every chair was occupied with the exception of the chairs marked with the signs of Pluto and Venus, and the one by the Queen's left side marked with a stylized depiction of the Earth upon its back. This time, Alex found himself fighting back a mild sense of disappointment to see the Venus chair vacant. The golden-haired, blue-eyed Soldier of Love had caught his eye (and the eyes of many others, no doubt) on more than one occasion. Not sure whether to envy the soldiers in her division or not. Artemis preceded him into the room, pausing at the center to gaze at the Venus chair with a note of what Alex could have sworn was anxiety…and then bounding up into it, to curl up upon the seat himself.

 

Regardless, seven sailor-suited females of varying ages sat proud and regal in their stately crystal chairs…and at the very back of the room, sitting tall and resplendent in a chair whose high back was actually shaped in a manner to suggest a crescent moon, was the Neo-Queen herself.