Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sovereign of the Spirit ❯ The Gathering of Chiaroscuro ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

(I apologize ahead of time for the format issues. I tried everything I could think of.)

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Sovereign of the Spirit

Written by Bastion
Original character design by Setsu-P
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Chapter 4: The Gathering of Chiaroscuro
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She watched. It was the only function she could perform since being assigned to this alien planet so many years ago. She wasn't a Senshi anymore, at least not in the traditional sense. The sacred station's bond might endure across time and space, but with the mother planet gone, what could be left to hold her to it? The rusting iron shackles signifying her new bond and duty were heavy on her delicate limbs, and had long since stained her beautiful green skin an ugly red.

Her own planet and people vanished even before she herself had awakened from hibernation on this strange world, she had nothing to protect anymore, and so she loyally served her Master. She felt fortunate she answered to the Master directly, unlike the rest of her fellow 'Senshi', who had to deal with that petulant child.

So she watched on stoically from the thick foliage, unnoticed but far from uninterested. Such fascinating creatures lived out their lives on this vibrant, colorful planet. Their habits, their games, their tragedies, and their very strange mating rituals; everything she saw from her quiet shelter. There wasn't much by now she didn't know about these humans.

She had been tasked to report to her Master the movements of this world's Sailor Senshi and the Moon Princess. She'd waited many years and eventually began to doubt that any existed...until recently. Then one Senshi after another bloomed upon her senses, and the planet practically sang when the Moon Princess awakened. She had been impressed with their power and tenacity in battling - and defeating - a seemingly endless wave of foes.

She dutifully documented the elements each Senshi commanded, and any visible
weaknesses, and shared her observations with her Master. She knew everything about them, even their alter-egos, but her Master still didn't take any action. She wasn't sure what he was waiting for, but he had been very insistent she watch the Senshi carefully...and only watch. In the end, though, what he did with the information mattered little to her. Without a home or purpose, she cared little about her Master's intentions, nefarious or benevolent.

Currently, though, much like when this planet's Senshi had awoken, there was a new flurry of activity. It began with the arrival of her party to this dimension, and suddenly several unfamiliar energies emerged, as if in response. The one who had manipulated some trees earlier that day puzzled the watcher the most. The ensuing confrontation with two of the native Senshi had resulted in an expenditure of power that turned puzzlement to concern.

Her Master's response to this news only deepened her confusion.

"Demeter, don't be distracted, report to me only when you get any information on the Sovereign of the Spirit." He had ordered through their telepathic link, before she could mention anything else about this strange being. "I sense the three Guardians will be converging very soon. Now follow the Time Guardian's charge and report any unusual activity in regards to her."

Demeter's small mouth tightened into a tiny frown. Something wasn't right here, and the planet could sense it too. It trembled with worry more so than it had in past. She hoped her Master knew what he was doing.

Reluctantly she left the fight, only to see...something...spiriting away from where she sensed the Time Guardian's charge, a woman named Isisu. The object radiated a similar energy, but she could still sense Isisu at her original location. Were there now two of her? That couldn't be possible; Demeter had yet to encounter a Senshi - or an Earthling, for that matter - capable of bilocation. Torn about what to do, Demeter decided to trust her instincts and pursue the anomaly. That qualified as unusual, Demeter supposed, and she quickly located it.

Now she sat concealed in the foliage, watching an adolescent girl and boy as they cautiously investigated her target. Her target! Quickly and with practiced stealth, Demeter approached, the tendrils of her hair slithering silently along behind her. The object she'd tracked here seemed to be a small child, unclothed and sleeping serenely. Long, pale hair wrapped around the girl's lithe body like petals of a flower. There was a poetic beauty to this child, reminding her of the blossoms on her homeworld; when the fragile, colorful buds would open, revealing newborn saplings.

The voices of the pair broke her from her reverie. They had wrapped the child in a cloth and carried her away. Following, Demeter contemplated the significance of the child and her sudden appearance, as well as her connection to Isisu. That there was some connection, she had no doubt. After all, the child still gave off the same energies as the woman.

'This must be what my Master was waiting for.' Demeter thought. 'This is the Sovereign of the Spirit!'

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Well, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. They would take the sleeping girl to Naru's house, since it was closer, get her some clothes and take her to the police.

Naru sighed. Unfortunately, the plan had a few snags.

"Hey, Pretty Lady!" The child exclaimed, tugging on her sleeve. "Where are we going?"

At first she'd been relieved the girl had awoken from her deep sleep, but now Naru was beginning to have reservations. "I told you, we're going to my house to get you something warmer to wear. I can't deliver you to the police in just my boyfriend's coat. And you don't have to call me Lady, my name is Naru."

The child beamed. "Okay, Pretty Lady!"

Naru sighed again, loudly, and the trio made their way to her house being peppered with all sorts of questions. The child was either incredibly dim, terribly sheltered, or suffering from amnesia because everything, and that meant everything, was unfamiliar to her. Naru didn't even count the number of times they'd had to answer the same question repeatedly. It was like the girl couldn't retain a thing, for all her mind seemed to run in a constant circle, like a hamster in a wheel.

Thankfully, Umino didn't seem at all phased by the questions and took great joy in sharing his extensive knowledge with the kid. Naru, however, hazarded a guess that she absorbed it about as well as Teflon did water.

"What's that?" Huh, the child didn't even know about the Moon?

Umino grinned and shifted his glasses. Naru cringed in anticipation of yet another Umino science lecture.

"That is the Moon, the only satellite that orbits the Earth. Did you know that the Moon is nearly a third of the mass of the Earth and it's the only satellite in our Solar System with a ratio that high?" Naru could only shake her head at her boyfriend's enthusiasm. It was unfortunate not many people could appreciate it.

The child, meanwhile, had already spaced out during the lecture and continued to stare at the glowing object hanging in the sky, her expression oddly serious. "I don't like the Moon."

'That was weird,' Naru thought. 'Maybe she has bad memories associated with it?' The kid had dark skin, so she had to be a foreigner. Maybe she came from one of those war-torn nations they always heard about on the news? Naru imagined the child and her terrified family fleeing in the night to escape persecution. The poor thing, she must have gone through so much! Hopefully by the time they got to her house, both the situation and the child's memory would improve.

Unfortunately, that didn't prove to be the case. Naru's mother was home, and - predictably - freaked out. Naru would have found her reaction rather funny if the situation weren't so serious.

"Hello, Old Lady!" The kid didn't help things either.

Ms. Osaka bristled. Naru jumped in before she could say anything and did a little damage control. "No, she's not old, she's my mom."

"Oh." The kid nodded slowly, as if the hamster in her head was finally growing tired.

Fortunately, her mom calmed and Naru could see her studying the child with a critical eye. "Are you hungry, little girl?"

It was like the question flipped a switch. The girl beamed and replied, "YES!" Then she bolted for the kitchen, Umino's jacket forgotten, the incredibly long pale hair they'd bundled up under its collar now trailing behind her. "Swweeeetss!"

"Oh my goodness, child! Put some clothes on!" Scandalized as only a mother could be, Ms. Osaka took off in hot pursuit.

Naru sighed yet again when she noticed Umino hovering behind her, his face flushed with embarrassment. The redhead chuckled and gave a playful jab to his ribs. "God! You act like you never had a girlfriend before!"

Umino's blush deepened. "Uh, well, ah, you are my first."

Naru smirked before rushing to join the rat-race in the kitchen, where her mother was scurrying after the child, trying to stop her from sampling everything in sight.

"Child!"

"Ew!" The kid's face soured as she tossed the open jar of sauerkraut aside.

"Young lady, you are making a mess!"

"Yuck!" The container of salt went flying.

"You stop that right this instant!"

"Yeow!" The kid dropped the wasabi, waving her hand at her tongue.

Searching around, Naru found a jar full of candies sitting on top of the refrigerator. On her tip toes, she pulled a handful out and offered it to the girl.

"Hey, uhhh, kiddo." She called. "Try some of these."

Practically bouncing towards her, the child snatched the hard sugary treats and shoved them in her mouth.

"Mmmm, sweets." The girl hummed in satisfaction, crunching away.

Naru's mother took the opportunity to wrap her in Umino's jacket again. "So, child, do you happen to know your name?"

The girl continued to chew in her sugar induced euphoria, but answered in a daze. "Yummy."

Naru and her mother exchanged a look before the older woman addressed the girl. "Yume?"

The girl snapped to attention. "Sweets!?"

"Yume it is." Naru shrugged.

"Okay, Yume." Naru's mother put on her best saleswoman's smile. "I think we need to get you into some clothes."

"But Mom, I don't have any clothes that will fit her," Naru protested. The girl looked at least three or four years younger than she was, and was thinner as well.

Her mother gave her a reproachful look. "You're not thinking outside the box, my dear. Naruru!"

Naru blanched as her precocious younger sister pranced in. Even though Naru had three years on her, everyone thought Naruru was her older sister since she was so much more... developed than Naru was. Right about then, those developments bounded into the kitchen.

"What's going on, Mam- oh, what a pretty little girl!" Naruru squealed, her eyes sparkling and commenced practically fawning over the child. "Oh I just loooove your skin! Is this natural or do you, like, tan? You sooo need to tell me your secret!"

"Sweets?" The girl replied, blinking in utter confusion but enjoying the attention nonetheless.

"Naruru," her mother cut in, her smile strained, "do you still have some of your old clothes?"

"Sure!" Naruru eagerly wrapped an arm around the child and ushered her out of the kitchen, but not before waving to Naru's boyfriend. "Oh, hi, Umino!"

"H-h-hi, Na-ru-ru." The boy stammered, his face now as red as it'd been the time he'd sunburned himself watching the solar eclipse on their class trip to the beach.

Naru frowned; he'd always get tongue tied every time her sister said hi to him. As much as she kept telling herself that it was just Umino's shyness, she couldn't ignore the familiar pang of jealousy and inadequacy that spiked through her. She hated taking him home for that very reason.

"Come on." Naru jabbed him again, this time not so playfully.

Shrinking back from both the pain and his girlfriend's tone, Umino hung his head like the wilted stem of a fuzzy brown flower. "Um, I'm really sorry, Naru... for whatever it was I did."

The redhead paused and took a big, calming breath. "There's no need to apologize, Umino."

Just then, the couple heard Naru's mother chuckling from the doorway.

"Don't worry, Umino." She reassured the nervous boy, placing a hand on Naru's shoulder. "We Osaka women have that effect on men. Whether it be brawn," she squeezed Naru's shoulder, "or beauty," she nodded towards Naruru's room.

"Moooooom!" Naru whined; she really hated whenever she made that comparison. "You make me sound like an ogre when you say that."

Naru's mother smiled. "Oh please, I'd be lying if I didn't confess to resorting to strong arm tactics with your father at times. You just keep Umino in line and he'll be well heeled by the time you graduate."

This time Naru blushed. She didn't like talking about the future of her relationship with her mother. It was like the time they had the "Talk." She didn't know what whipped cream, bunny ears, and a riding crop had to do with conceiving a child, but then she didn't want her mother to elaborate, either.

Slipping out of her reverie, Naru noticed all the humor on her mother's face had shifted to something more serious. "Now, tell me about this strange girl you brought to my house instead of her own home."

Naru swallowed hard, where to begin? "Uh, Umino and I were walking through the park earlier when we noticed something like a meteor fall from the sky. We got curious and went to check it out."

"Do you have any idea how rare it is to find a celestial body that survives reentry through the Earth's stratosphere and land on the ground in one piece?" Umino butted in, and her mother's eyes dimmed. "The odds are astronomical! We would have been the toast of the scientific community and had our names in all the scientific journals across the country! We'd be famous!"

Naru cringed; her mother never did have much patience with Umino. "Er, so anyway, we went to where we saw the meteor fall and that's where we found the girl."

Naru's mother blinked. "And she was naked when you found her?"

"Uh, well, yeah." Naru answered lamely. "That's why we covered her with Umino's jacket and brought her here."

"...Instead of taking her to the police?" The older woman asked dubiously.

"Oh...yeah." Suddenly, Naru saw the glaring flaw in her plan, but something occurred to her. "But what were we going to tell them? That she fell out of the sky? They'd think we were crazy and put Umino in slammer for being a pedophile."

"Hey!" Umino protested. "Why would I go to jail?"

Naru smothered her grin with one hand and replied teasingly. "Because I'm not a pervert like you."

Her mother snickered. "And what does him being your boyfriend say about you?"
"Mother!"

"Sorry." The woman smiled ruefully, before slumping into a kitchen chair. "Okay, I can understand how you could have gotten scared, especially with something as fantastic as little girls falling from the sky, but you need to take her to the police. Perhaps you two jumped to conclusions and associated the meteor with the girl? There's no telling if she has family looking for her. I mean, she's obviously not from around here; imagine how worried her parents must be, trying to find their little girl in a foreign city like this."

"Oh." Naru muttered, crestfallen. She hadn't considered that. Why didn't she think of that?

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Naru." Her mother waved her hand dismissively. "It might be too late to do anything about it now, but there's a small police station near the school. I want you and Umino to take the girl there on your way to school tomorrow morning and explain what you saw, except maybe not mention her riding a meteor down to Earth."

"Yes, Mama." Naru sighed.

"You can depend on me, Ms. Osaka!" Umino saluted. Naru chuckled. Her boyfriend could be such a dork. A lovely dork with a cute smile and sparkly eyes.

"Speaking of which." Naru's mother studied her watch. "Where's our little friend? It shouldn't take Naruru this long find her old clothes."

With that, Naru's mother made her way up the stairs to Naruru's room.

Curious, Naru went to follow but stopped suddenly when she realized Umino was right on her heels. She paused and turned to the brown-haired boy.

"Um, I think we got it from here, Umino." The redhead bit her lip nervously. "It's getting late and I don't want to worry your parents."

Umino blinked. "Oh, yeah. Are you sure you don't need my help?"

A teasing smile played on Naru's lips. "Oh Umino, are you trying to sneak a peek at my sister up there, you pervert?"

"What!?" Umino stiffened and then grimaced, indignant. "Of course not!"

"Hehe." She giggled, though it did feel a little forced to her. "Come on, Umino, I'm only kidding." She saw Umino gape and then draw in a breath to retort, and continued before he could say anything. "But seriously, we're fine. Let's just call it a night. I'll call you tomorrow morning when we go to the police station, okay?"

The boy tilted his head down, the glare off his glasses keeping Naru from reading his eyes and expression. Instantly, the girl felt a little remorseful about forcing him out. He honestly probably felt responsible for the whole situation, and snapping at him earlier didn't help things. She'd make it a point to make it up to him in the morning.

Umino left the room, and Naru vaulted up the stairs just as her mother reached Naruru's room. She didn't want to admit it, but she didn't want to expose Umino to Naruru more than she needed to. Even though those jealous pangs would fade, they always remained as doubts in the back of her mind.

"Naruru." She heard her mother call out, "What's taking so long- Naruru!"

At her mother's exclamation, Naru rushed to the end of the hallway to find her sister in the midst of putting the finishing touches on Yume. Naru stood transfixed; the little girl was dressed in one of Naruru's "club" outfits, which consisted of a shimmering purple sash and a tight white latex minidress which, if it had been worn by her sister, would have barely covered Naruru modestly.

But the outfit hardly shocked Naru, no; it was the sheer amount of makeup on Yume's face. Naruru must have applied several coats of bright orange foundation to compliment the deep yellow and purple eye shadow. Yume, in her child-like exuberance, grinned right at them through that ridiculous makeup. It reminded Naru of the time she'd found a raccoon digging through their garbage.

"Am I pretty, Pretty Lady?" The child asked expectantly.

Naruru smiled at her mother and sister, proud of her prodigy. "Aren't little brown girls the best?!"

Naru struggled to keep from rolling on the floor with laughter while her mother just rested her face on the palm of her hand.

"Naruru." Ms. Osaka sighed. "I asked you to dress Yume in your old clothes, not these!"

"But Mama," Naruru pleaded, tears welling in her eyes, "these are my old clothes! These are, like, waaay out of date and old fashioned."

"Naruru." The older woman nearly growled. "You bought those clothes last month!"

"Exactly!" The young girl reasoned, seemingly happy her mother understood. Man, Naruru definitely lived in her own world, Naru mused.

Her mother didn't seem to share the sentiment, as the bulging vein on her forehead indicated. "Just give her your old elementary school uniform. You haven't thrown that out yet, I hope?"

Naruru's excitement faded instantly, replaced with disappointment. "Yeah, I do."

Naruru rummaged through her substantial closet and a minute or two later pulled out a traditional sailor-collared blue blouse complete with a blue skirt and red bow. Naru thought it looked cute - Naruru held it at arm's length like she hadn't cleaned it in ages.

"Here." The girl tossed the uniform towards her mother, clearly only too glad to be rid of it.

"Thank you, Naruru." Ms. Osaka snatched the clothing out of the air and inspected it. "Hmmm, it looks like it's in good condition and it appears to be the right size for Yume. Okay, I think we're good to go. Come along, little Yume."

"Sweets?" The child asked hopefully.

"No, not tonight." Ms. Osaka answered, patiently. "We're going to get you a bath and then put you to bed. You're going to need your rest because it's going to be a long day tomorrow."

"Awww, do I have to, Old Lady?" Gawd, a pout like that should be declared a lethal weapon!

Ms. Osaka, though, didn't seem fazed. "Don't start that with me, young lady. I want you out of those clothes and in the bath tub. Naru, get me a towel and your bathing basket."

The older woman paused and took in the child's appearance again, pursing her lips. "And lots of makeup remover."

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"What in Serenity's good name were you thinking, Sailor Pluto!" Never before in her life could the black feline recall having been so incensed. "I can't believe you brought this traitor out of exile!"

The green-haired woman frowned and she leaned back in her plush chair. "I had no choice, Luna."

Luna could feel her claws scarring the polished mahogany desk. She surveyed the other girls crammed into Setsuna's plush executive office. Even though the office was large enough for all the girls, the seating was limited to a single leather couch, so the uninjured sat on the floor. All of them except for Minako since once again she begged off at the last minute to attend to some school matter. Luna had her suspicions even Ami would set aside school work for a Senshi meeting and she actually liked homework, probably a little too much. Luna decided a little cat chat with Artemis was long overdue. She kneaded her claws in anticipation.

Of the injured, both Haruka and Michiru sported a few bruises and cuts here and there, but that paled in comparison to Rei. The priestess's frizzled and burnt hair almost covered the gauze wrapped around nearly half of her face, and her visible eye sported a bruise that was yellow and blue around the edges. One arm rested in a sling and parts of her legs were still slick with burn ointment around their bandages. The white stripes of more bandages disappearing beneath the edge of her school skirt suggested that was just the tip of the iceberg.

The other girls in the room - especially Usagi - were aghast when they first saw Rei, but the priestess had just scoffed and waved them off saying she felt much better today than yesterday. Ami even went as far as scanning Rei with her Lunarian computer and was surprised to see that the priestess would be fully healed in a day or two. Indeed, Luna was once again thankful that the power of their Star Seeds could allow them to heal so quickly. Meanwhile, the dark-skinned traitor stood aloof and silent off to one side beside Setsuna, which made Luna bristle.

"The World Gate was breached," Setsuna continued, "and we needed help to deal with these new intruders."

"I've been meaning to ask since we heard what happened with Rei." Ami spoke up, raising her hand like a student wanting to get the teacher's attention. "Who exactly are these Dark Senshi?"

"The Dark Senshi are the female guards of Sailor Ceres, Princess Lillis." Isisu answered flatly. "Shortly before the final conflict with the Dark Kingdom, Princess Lillis launched an attack against the Queen Serenity."

"Ceres?"

Luna cringed. "It's now the Asteroid Belt. That's all that's left of Ceres after the rebellion."

Usagi gasped. "You mean the Moon Kingdom did that?"

"No, Usagi," the black cat turned to the pigtailed blonde, "the corruption of Ceres was so entrenched that when Queen Serenity tried to purify the planet, it tore itself apart."

"Oh my, that's terrible!"

"We know of two of them." Makoto shifted uncomfortably against the arm of the couch. "How many guards did the Princess have?"

"She had five." Isisu replied, turning her vague eyes toward the brunette. "But the one called Sailor Ares, though Ceresian, was not one of Lillis' guards. She was a high priestess who had been banished years before the revolt."

"That would have been nice to know, Luna." The cat could hear Rei grumble.

Setsuna sighed. "Luna isn't to blame. She wasn't aware of the nature of our enemy. She probably felt Sailor Dís transform and didn't know what to expect."

A frown creased Ami's face. "Why didn't either of you tell us anything about Sailor Dís or the Dark Senshi?"

Luna shared a look with Setsuna, and in that instant the cat finally understood what was going on. "It was the unknown. Personally, I stayed quiet because I needed time to figure out the reasons behind Sailor Dís' revival, since Queen Serenity had decreed she be exiled for a millennium. Which," she admitted grudgingly, glancing down at her front paws, "would be about now... give or take a few centuries. However, I wasn't sure if she was freed or captured by someone with a nefarious purpose. I suspect it was the same for you, Sailor Pluto?"

The green-haired woman regarded the feline in a calculated way before she addressed the others. "That's correct. I am only the Guardian of the Time Gate, and my knowledge of the other Gates is fairly limited. I only gave Isisu her transformation wand because these Senshi came here from another dimension."

"Other Gates?" Ami leaned in, her chin on her knees, obviously excited.

Isisu coolly continued her lecture. "The Gates of this universe were created as physical representations of otherwise intangible and limitless boundaries - those of Time, Space, and the Spirit. In an effort to more effectively regulate, control and maintain the balance, each Gate functions as a focal point or nexus for its respective domain, with its dedicated Guardian to protect it. Each of the Gates is tied fundamentally to the Galaxy Cauldron."

Usagi's eyes lit up. "The Galaxy Cauldron! You mean that the Guardian Cosmos is your boss?"

Luna's ears perked up at this. Usagi had confided in her about falling into the Galaxy Cauldron and meeting Guardian Cosmos after her battle with Chaos. It surprised her that Usagi would be so open about it in front of the others now, but then again maybe she felt the need to connect with these Guardians.

Isisu shook her head. "No. The Gates are a creation among an alliance of different ancient Kingdoms in an effort to balance the power of the Guardian Cosmos and protect the Cauldron."

"How do the Gates create balance, Isisu?" Ami inquired.

"Because the three Gates control the three fundamental functions of the Galaxy Cauldron. The Spirit Gate supplies experienced souls for the Cauldron, the World Gate gives access to souls from other Worlds, and from the Time Gate one can intercept the transfer of souls and Seeds at any point in time." Luna was amazed in spite of herself; Isisu was a veritable library of information about the Gates. Luna had had some basic teachings in her youth, but most of what everyone knew were just whispers and rumors, and the Guardians themselves hardly ever spoke this frankly.

"And if one were to control all three Gates," Ami wondered aloud, "then one could control the Galaxy Cauldron?"

Isisu nodded. "The fact that the Spirit Guardian has appeared is not a good sign about these Dark Senshi. Cyrus mentioned he didn't recognize Sailor Hermes' Star Seed, which indicates she did not originate from our dimension."

"Did you know all this, Setsuna?" Michiru asked pointedly.

"Since the houses of Pluto and Charon are related, I knew some aspects of the World Gate, yes." She answered, her voice slightly strained.

Seeking to keep the conversation on topic, Luna quickly jumped in. "Who is Cyrus? And why is it not a good sign the Spirit Guardian is here?"

Isisu regarded the black cat with her cool red eyes for a moment before answering. "Cyrus is... Hades, the Spirit Guardian. The Spirit Guardian is mostly concerned with matters in the Spirit Realm. For him to be involved means there is something much more insidious at work here. However, it was strange that he disappeared so quickly after the attack. He and his brother typically take turns guarding the Gate."

"Ah, I might have an explanation for that." An uncharacteristically nervous Setsuna coughed. "You see, not long after your imprisonment, there was a major battle at the Spirit Gate. The details are a bit fuzzy to me, but from what I understand Cyrus' brother was killed in the attack."

Isisu stood there for a moment taking in this revelation with no emotion on her face, though her eyes were fixed on Setsuna with a calculating gaze. "I see. Then I don't understand how it is he left the Gate at all."

"There was something odd in the way the Spirit Guardian disappeared." Rei spoke up, chewing her lip. "Like he was there, but then again he wasn't. I'm not sure what to make of it exactly."

Tilting her head, Isisu took a moment to let the information sink in. "Ah. Perhaps he is using an anchor."

"An anchor?" The look of confusion on Setsuna's face felt foreign to Luna.

Completely oblivious to Setsuna, Isisu answered, unperturbed. "The Spirit Guardian can use a person's soul to project himself into our Realm from the Gate so he doesn't leave his post unprotected for long periods of time. However, the anchor must have some strong spiritual resonance with his Star Seed, especially if he is able to physically manifest himself as he did earlier."

Rei shifted uncomfortably at this. "Spiritual resonance, you say?"

"Yes." Isisu answered.

"What is it, Rei?" Luna could tell something was on the priestess' mind.

"Nothing. Yet." The raven-haired girl replied, as her dark eyes seemed to cloud over for a moment before becoming clear again. "It'll be something to meditate over, for certain."

Luna nodded grimly, deciding to let the matter rest. She could tell there was something bothering Rei, but she figured that the girl would need to sort her mind out on her own, especially after Sailor Ares' near destruction of her shrine and family.

"Wow." Usagi looked overwhelmed. "I had no idea. Cosmos didn't mention any of this to me when I was in the Cauldron."

"How is it you know so much about this Gate and Setsuna doesn't?" Haruka inquired, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Cyrus and I were close friends during the Silver Millennium and we spoke often." Isisu stated. "I think it was what you refer to as..." she paused, as though searching for the correct word, "pillow talk."

Everyone in the room immediately went quiet. Luna noticed a hint of a blush even on Pluto's cheeks. For once she was glad Artemis was back in HQ doing reconnaissance and not here. That mangy white-haired tomcat would be rolling on the floor.

"Oh, Isisu." Luna could hear Setsuna breathe.

Letting her blush fade, Makoto crossed her arms, eyebrows furrowed. "I hate to be the one to ask this, but I still have my doubts. Why did Queen Serenity imprison you, Isisu? How can we trust you?"

Her expression still blank and her tone flat, Isisu answered. "I was very good friends with Lillis prior to the rebellion. Even though I had no knowledge of what Lillis had planned, Queen Serenity had grown weary of me and Charon. Later, when I had disobeyed her orders and attacked the Dark Kingdom on my own, she decided my punishment would be imprisonment for a thousand years."

"That seems...awfully harsh." Usagi spoke softly.

"I was told it was quite merciful, at the time," Isisu replied, now staring fixedly off into the distance.

"You took on the Dark Kingdom alone?" Haruka asked, chagrined. "Why on Earth would you do something so foolish?"

Isisu's blank, pale-red eyes focused on the blonde. "The Dark Kingdom attacked Charon and killed my parents. Without their powers, Charon became a lifeless hunk of rock floating in the outer reaches of the Sol System. In addition, the Dark Kingdom had corrupted my best friend and turned her against Queen Serenity."

"Oh." Haruka blinked at the reply.

Isisu turned her attention back to Makoto. "You don't have to trust me, Sailor Jupiter. I am here to fulfill my responsibilities as the World Guardian, and I will do my duty with or without your assistance."

"Listen, Isisu..." Usagi hesitated, "I want you to know I am very sorry about what happened to you back then, and that you didn't deserve this punishment. On behalf of my mother, Queen Serenity, I want you to know I trust you, and we'll do everything we can to help you against these Dark Senshi."

Isisu's lips hardened and her gaze bore into the blonde girl. "What's done is done, Princess. As my cousin likes to say, what's transpired has transpired for a reason."

Crestfallen, Usagi nodded, while Luna noticed Setsuna appear to cringe. Again, trying to keep the meeting on task, the feline piped up on another pressing issue, one that was currently sitting out in the hallway. "What about the man who saw Isisu transform? What was his name?"

"Ken Ishida." The priestess spat his name like it had soured on her tongue.

"Yes." Luna continued, a little taken back. "What do we do about him?"

All of a sudden, Setsuna's demeanor changed. She leaned forward, her fingers interlaced in front of her face, and a dark look crossed her features. "I'll take care of it."

Luna's fur stood on end. She suddenly didn't envy the man; she had a feeling his life was about to get more complicated.

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

"I am the only one allowed to kill you."

The fury of Chaos within Ares burned hotly at Hermes' words. If the stupid bitch hadn't trapped her in this block of ice, she would have captured the Sovereign of the Spirit. Leave it to Hermes to sneak up on her in the middle of a fight. If her fist wasn't frozen solid, she'd have stuck it in that girl's face.

Ugh, that stupid bitch.

However, the Chaos spirit within her gathered like a furious storm, itching to be released. She almost forgot how great it felt to be connected again. The initial euphoric surge had been so great it nearly overwhelmed her. Now that Hermes had effectively cooled her off with her attack, it gave Ares time to get a better grip on her renewed intimacy with Chaos.

Though Hermes' spell was powerful, Ares could feel the heat of Chaos slowly burning the ice away from her body. She bet she could free herself in one large burst, but since Hermes had only unfrozen the ice around her ears and not her eyes, she had no idea where she was or who else was around. The dark priestess heard some shuffling and small bits of muffled conversations, but that was it. If Aphrodite or Zeus were around, she may not be prepared for an all-out onslaught against that trio. Maybe later though.

Suddenly, the chill on her skin melted away. In no time, she found herself glaring into Hermes' icy blue eyes.

"You are truly a foolish one to think I wouldn't notice what you're doing." The pale Senshi scoffed in that bland tone of hers. "I have calculated the limitations of your abilities down to the electron. I know how to stop you."

She'd spit in her face if the cold hadn't robbed her mouth of the moisture she needed to do so. "Oh yeah?" Ares rasped. "Did you calculate how much kicking your ass is going to receive once I blast out this block of ice?"

"I have serious reservations about your math."

"You two are so cute together!" The high, sweet, melodic voice made Ares wince just as its buxom redheaded owner waltzed into the room. "You're even arguing like an old married couple."

"Aphrodite, mind your own fucking business." The dark priestess groused, twisting slightly within her confines. "This is between me and the Ice Bitch."

Swiftly, the large, imposing bulk of Sailor Zeus loomed over Aphrodite's shoulders. Ares spared the behemoth a glare and received a snorted warning in return. Grudgingly, Ares stopped herself from throwing any more insults until she got out of this confounded prison of ice.

"Get me out of here, or Chaos help me I will break out of here myself."

Hermes raised one delicate white eyebrow at Ares. "There is no way you can break free of my ic-"

Harnessing the Chaos spirit, the remaining ice around Ares exploded into fragments and steam, spraying Hermes and the rest of the group with cold water and frozen shrapnel. The frown marring the Ice Senshi's wet face elated Ares. The Fire Senshi flexed her hands and popped some joints, eyeing all the girls in the room before finally stopping on Hermes. Yes, she was definitely first.

Before the embers of her attack could form in her fists, a line appeared in mid-air, carving a path across the empty space in front of them all. It stopped, stretched, and pulled apart until it became a smooth, silvery, reflective surface. In very short order an ornate oval frame came into existence around it. Ares shivered in anticipation and in anger; what was he doing here?

Backing away, Ares watched the smooth surface ripple as a white-gloved hand emerged, half-hidden in the cream-colored ruffles protruding from a navy-blue jacket sleeve. With an air of elegance, a man with unruly red hair slid through the mirror, his mouth wearing a quirky grin and his red eyes seeming to sparkle in the reflection of the room's soft light. Ares shivered with rage as the Dark Traveller arrived. Knowing the other Dark Senshi would eat up this big display just made her want to lay waste to the entire group. If only they could see what she saw.

With a little flourish, the red-haired man offered a hand to the feminine black glove now awaiting him. Ares scowled when she noticed the glint of the highly polished shackle on the girl's wrist, reminding her of the pair of rusted ones weighing down her own limbs. With all the grace of a newborn calf, the dark and gangly Persephone, former Princess of Ceres, stepped through the mirror. Her large, violet eyes regarded them all haughtily while she tapped her long scepter on the floor, the sharp tip digging into the finished wood as the mirrored portal shrunk back into the nothingness from which it came.

"Greetings, my Dark Senshi." The girl announced her squeaky juvenile voice grating on Ares' ears. "Your fearless leader has arrived."

"More like tit-less wonder, if you ask me." Aphrodite murmured none too quietly. Zeus snorted in agreement.

Persephone pursed her lips into an angry pout and narrowed her eyes. "What did you call me!?"

Aphrodite shrugged and smiled enigmatically. "Must have been the wind."

Persephone gave the Succubus Senshi a smoldering glare, much to Ares' amusement, though it was tempered by the heady aura rolling off her red-haired companion.

"At least I don't look like a waterlogged rat." The young girl spat back before her curiosity got the best of her. "By the way, why do you all look like waterlogged rats?"

Aphrodite grabbed and squeezed some moisture from her braid, sighing. "We knew you were coming, so we didn't want you to feel self-conscious about your appearance."

The tall blonde behind her growled, incredulous.

"However, by all measurable parameters the curve of you being aesthetically pleasing is an asymptotic line that trends towards zero." Hermes added dryly.

"What did you call me!?" Persephone's voice went up an octave, her pale face glowing with an angry red flush.

"She said you're an ugly bitch." Ares added nonchalantly. Though she didn't agree with the Ice Witch on many, many things, at least they had a middle ground when it came to the Spoiled Princess.

"How dare you, Junko!" Persephone exploded, punching her staff through the floor. If not for the amethyst stone and its twisted metal ornament on top, it would have gone straight through. "You dare raise your voice against your Princess!"

Ares clenched her fist, eyeing Dark Traveller as she struggled to rein in the broiling energy of Chaos within. "You're not my Princess anymore, Lillis. Not since your past incarnation banished me from Ceres."

"Argh!" The young girl was in full tantrum now, stomping around. "It doesn't matter. I am your leader and you do as I say!"

Ares observed the others grin in the most predatory fashion and she sensed an opportunity developing.

"Let's not lose focus here, ladies." Dark Traveller cut in, smoothly defusing the situation. As he stepped in front of Persephone, the red-haired man gave them a dazzling smile. "I couldn't help but notice the state of the apartment myself. So what, pray tell, happened here? You are aware shag carpet floors are not easy to clean?"

Ares felt the weight of everyone's attention shift back on her in an instant. Her scowl deepened. Well, shit.

"I was following a lead and discovered Sailor Ares embroiled in a skirmish with a few of this world's Senshi." Hermes reported. That little kiss-ass, Ares fumed.

"Oh?" Dark Traveller raised an eyebrow, appraising the dark priestess and filling Ares with dread. "Why would she be engaging the enemy now, hmmm?" The red-haired man sauntered up to her, almost gliding on his polished shoes. "Did our little priestess find something?"

She remained silent, glaring at man; his smirk stoked the flames of her rage. The redhead observed her with a lazy smile.

"Oh, Aphrodite?"

"Yes, boss?" The curvy woman sidled up to Dark Traveller, earning a low growl from Zeus. "Now, now, Ran," she admonished over her shoulder, "what did I tell you about being jealous?"

The large woman crossed her arms in response and made no other sound. Meanwhile, Sailor Aphrodite traced a well-manicured finger along Dark Traveller's suede collar. "Now, what can I do for you?"

Persephone coughed loudly, her grip tight on her staff, but it only served to encourage Aphrodite to start lewdly rubbing her body against Dark Traveller's side. "You can ask anything of me, I don't mind an audience."

Dark Traveller smiled. "That's tempting, my Succubus, but I fear I need your telepathic abilities more than your... other talents right now. Would you kindly...?"

"Oh poo, you're no fun." Aphrodite pouted, stepping away, and approached the priestess. Ares frowned and glared at the woman. Aphrodite absently swept back some of her damp red tresses, paying Ares little heed. "Ah well, work before pleasure, right Ares?"

"Stay the fuck away from me." Ares warned, but it was no use; she could feel the telepath invading her mind already.

Ares twitched. The odd tickling in the back of her head wasn't the most unpleasant sensation she'd experienced, but she resented the invasion and she was determined to fight it. At first she tried to resist, putting up mental road blocks, but Aphrodite only smiled.

"You're so cute." The telepath teased. "I'll give you an A for effort!"

Ares ground her teeth as the Chaos in her raged at her inability to stop this. Since Aphrodite had her telepathically immobilized she bit her cheek, momentarily relishing the pain. The pain brought back long forgotten memories of old battles and atrocities, and that was just enough to distract her from the broiling energy of Chaos caged inside. As she did so, she saw Aphrodite flinch for a second. Their eyes met, realization quickly flashing between them, and the Succubus Senshi paled.

Ares smirked, digging deep into her past, finding all of the most gloriously disturbing images she'd witnessed as she destroyed all those shrines and the pitiful people who stood in her way. "Be careful what you ask for, Aphrodite."

Aphrodite's smile faded and her eyes widened in horror as Ares flooded her with raw, unstable emotions. Then she unleashed Chaos like a tidal wave, the malignant spirit racing over the connection to pollute Aphrodite's mind.

A flicker of movement caused Ares to duck, barely avoiding the incoming blade of Zeus' sword. "Oh!? You wanna fight, huh!?" Ares growled, igniting flames in each palm. "I'll give you a fight, dickgirl!"

"Arctic Bloom!" Several large shards of ice appeared between the pair, blocking Zeus' next strike.

Just past the menagerie of shards, Ares spied Dark Traveller steadying Aphrodite on her feet. "Are you all right, my dear?"

Momentarily, the Succubus Senshi looked genuinely disoriented before giving a theatrical sigh and swooning into Dark Traveller's arms. "Oh, my! I have no idea what came over me! Her mind is sooo dark! It's all filled with scary things, like flaming bats!" Then she pouted and almost seemed on the verge of tears. "But I did see something interesting."

"Oh?" The man raised one of his well-manicured red eyebrows. "What did you see?"

Aphrodite stole a quick glance at Ares before answering. "A dark woman with long, light hair."

The red-haired man couldn't mask his eagerness. "Did you see anything else?"

Ares clenched her teeth as Aphrodite grinned at her paramour. "She had a staff, and something bright burst from her forehead."

"I see." He said, gracefully extracting himself from Aphrodite's clutches, and made his way towards the ice wall that separated him and Ares.

Suddenly another mirror materialized beneath the ice, swallowing it completely and sending it to some unknown abyss. Ares stepped back to avoid being pulled in as well, but the mirror had already slipped out of existence.

"So, the priestess knows more than she's letting on." The man examined his gloved hand as though looking for any imperfections on its pristine white surface. "I hate to be rude, but it appears that our little Ares would be more conducive to chatting in a much more private setting."

Aphrodite pouted while Zeus grumbled in irritation and dutifully sheathed her sword. The tall amazon gave Ares a hard look with her steel grey eyes as she lumbered out. Ares defiantly held her gaze. Hermes gave a calculated, probing glance at Dark Traveller and exited the room with Aphrodite skipping out behind her, her pink braid swaying abound her hips.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Dark Senshi stood steadfast clutching her staff, the deep purple jewel atop it glowing.

Dark Traveller put on his most dazzling smile yet, but his gaze never left Ares. "Persephone, don't be stubborn."

"B-but Seth I'm the leader!" The girl whimpered, stomping her feet. Instantly, Dark Traveller was by her side, his gloved handed caressing her cheek and tilting her chin upwards.

"My Princess." He soothed. "I can better aid you in your quest for revenge if I speak to Ares alone. Can't you grant me this one favor?"

It made Ares sick that the stupid girl would fall prey so easily to this fraud's charms. Watching her melt with just a soft touch and seductive words, made her realize why Dark Traveller chose Persephone as their leader.

The girl shivered and tried to press her face into his palm, but once again he'd extracted himself and was back in front of Ares.

Disappointed, Persephone nodded. "Okay. I suppose I could grant you one favor."

Dark Traveller bowed slightly. "Thank you, Princess. Would you kindly allow the two of us to have our chat?"

"Of course." Persephone smirked at Ares before laughing haughtily. "Don't have too much fun, Junko."

The instant the door closed, Ares took the initiative. "CHAOS FLA-!"

The flames in her hands suddenly extinguished. "What the hell?"

"Summoning your flames isn't going to work, Ares." The priestess jumped with a start as she realized the red-headed man was now very much in her personal space.

He held up his palm, holding her roiling flame and regarding it with a hint of smirk she recognized all too well. With a flick of the wrist, he snuffed it out.

"Let's not waste each other's time, Sweetcheeks."

Before her eyes, Dark Traveller's bright red hair began to fade and shorten.

"You saw the Sovereign."

His royal blue coat shrunk away to reveal the open black vest and a rumpled, maroon shirt beneath and the delicate, shiny fabric of his pants thickened into a more sturdy, though well-worn material. Several leather belts criss-crossed his hips.

"Where is the anchor?"

Finally, the man's face lengthened and a patch of silver hair grew from his chin to match the spiky mop on his scalp.

"Like I'd fuckin' tell you where he is, Caspar!" She spat, sprinkling him with as much of her saliva as possible. "I know your game, you little prick!"

"I'm glad we dropped the formalities, my precious Junko." The transformed man grinned, amused. "But allow me to let you in on a little secret, child."

At this, Ares could feel the manacles on her wrists and ankles burn with power. She seethed as she felt the Chaos within her struggling against the magical bondage.

"My name; the name you shall know me as, the title given to me by Sailor Chaos, is Sammael. I would remember that if I were you, but that's not all." Ares flinched as his bare fingers caressed her cheek. "Also remember your life rests in my capable hands."

Ares felt her skin begin to flush and she cursed her body for betraying her as old, unwelcome memories began to bubble up to the surface.

Sammael fully cupped her face, and his other hand lazily wandered lower. "These hands that brought you such pleasure before."

The priestess' breath quickened as his hand trailed a path down the valley of her breasts and his fingers played along her flat stomach before snaking under her skirt. Ares gasped as she felt them reach their target.

"But it's not these hands that control you utterly." Sammael hissed.

The slow burn of her manacles flared suddenly, causing pain to spread through her being. Ares barely held back a scream, conscious enough to deny Sammael the pleasure. However, the pleasure and the pain plaguing her body threw her off balance, causing her emotions to roil in confusion. Instead of fighting these sensations, the Chaos Spirit within her welcomed them and reveled in them, making it difficult for her to concentrate.

Through heavy-lidded eyes, Ares could see Sammael studying her closely, his red eyes burning with amusement as she struggled to keep her composure.

"Where did the Sovereign come from, my dear?"

Sweat formed on her brow and her skin tingled, though which sensations were causing it, she couldn't tell. The needles of pain coursed through her being as pleasure pulsed from her core.

"Damn you!" She panted.

She continued to struggle until she could no longer bear it. Closing her eyes as those memories from long ago of the passionate night she lost her virginity and her connection to the Chaos Spirit re-emerged. It was the night Caspar - no, Sammael - first crushed her spirit. But then, to her horror, other memories soon came to the surface; memories she'd spent many years forgetting.

"No, no, no!" Tears formed as the deeply buried emotions overwhelmed her, torturing her psyche. The Chaos Spirit within her rejoiced.

Finally, she could take no more and she stopped fighting. "I don't know."

Sammael frowned. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

Ares gasped as the pain intensified and his fingers gave her a few heavy strokes. "I mean I don't fucking know. I was beating the shit out of Sailor Mars, then that Sailor Dís showed up and before I knew it her tiara exploded or something."

"What about the Sovereign?" He demanded.

Ares swallowed hard. "A blond man with a sword attacked me to keep me away from Sailor Dís and then the Ice Bitch froze me. That's it! I don't know anything else!"

He studied her closely, as though pondering her words. She wanted to scream at him to hurry up and kill her, but he finally replied.

"It appears you're telling the truth, priestess. It seems your story corroborates what my little birdy tells me. I guess that means an end to our fun, but I do have some wisdom to impart to you, my sweet Junko." A predatory, leering grin grew on his face. "Lovers speak many things to each other. The most important phrase is made up of three simple little words."

"Wh-what?" She rasped out weakly.

Sammael grabbed her cheeks, lifting her heavy head to look her right in the eyes. "You've heard me say them to you before. And I'll remind you of them once again."

Leaning in, she could feel Sammael's breath in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "You. Are. Mine."

Just as abruptly as it began, all sensations ceased in Ares' body and she fell limply to the floor. She felt numb all over, her mind a wreck. She wanted to sob, she wanted to scream, she wanted to fight, but she didn't have the strength to do any of those things, leaving her lying there to wallow in self-loathing at her weakness.

"I do hope you're feeling better soon, my dear." Ares looked up and noticed that Sammael had donned his Dark Traveller persona again, straightening out his blue coat and fluffing his red hair. "Take some time off. We can't have you losing your health now, can we?"

Ares snorted, making the fraud put on a dashing smile, hiding the arrogant smirk she knew Sammael was truly wearing. Despite her weakened state, she could still see his aura radiating from him, the same aura she saw the night he orchestrated her exile from Ceres all those centuries ago.

Then she watched him walk away towards the group waiting outside. From the doorway she could hear him give their orders.

"Good news, everybody!" He announced. "Hermes, you will follow Sailor Dís. I'm sure you are more than capable of locating her. Carefully study anyone close to her. Oh, and before you toddle off, tell me more about this blond man who attacked Ares. He sounds fascinating! Meanwhile, my dear Aphrodite and Zeus, I need you to check out a special little girl."

Barely keeping her eyes open, Ares noticed wisps of smoke flutter by. Huh, she didn't think she set anything on fire... would be fitting though.

"Ooo, is she cute?" Aphrodite squealed.

More smoke rolled around the floor. She didn't see any flames. The weak priestess shifted slightly to survey the room. The smoke had formed a ring around her.

"According to what a little birdy told me, yes, she is."

Ares knew she should be alarmed, but she couldn't find the will to care anymore. Lying back down, she decided to accept whatever fate was about to foist upon her. Slowly, the smoke enveloped her and gently pulled her down into darkness.

"Oh, goody!" Aphrodite giggled before adding. "But what about you two?"
As the ceiling of the room became more and more hazy, Ares could hear the fraud's voice ringing in her ears.

"Persephone and I will see if we can stir up some fun."

Her mind exhausted, Junko closed her eyes on visions of the man who she had tried to forget. A man who had captured her heart.

-End of Chapter 4-

Author's Note:
I'm back from hiatus! How long before the next chapter, who knows!? Comments help though. Lots of comments. :) I've actually had a lot of commissions done for some of the various characters so you can mosey on over to my DeviantArt account you can check it out along with other SotS goodies.
http://bastion05.deviantart.com/gallery/26614583/Sovereign-of-the-Spirit

Next time on the Dís of Our Lives! The Dark Senshi strike, Ami gets a new view on life, the Spirit Guardian goes on sabbatical, Ken finds a strange girl bathing in his tub (I smell a hit anime series), and Persephone raises a little anarchy.

On to the next!

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Disclaimer:
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Sailor Moon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi.

All original characters are owned and copyrighted by Bastion and Setsu-P (c) 2015.
They are being used with owner's expressed permission.

~Bastion
Rev 02/15