Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Order of Planets ❯ ..The Stars will lead the way... ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: By now you probably know I don't own Sailor Moon, so I'll spare you the legal mumbo jumbo.

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Pheobe yawned sleepily as she sat down at the table and slowly sipped her juice. Setsuna smiled as she distributed the eggs. "So, you're awake."

Pheobe nodded. "What happened in the rest of the story?"

"Setsuna cooked breakfast, then ate some herself."

"What?" Pheobe turned around as Haruka grinned and slipped into her seat.

"What story were you telling?"

Setsuna set down her plate and took a place at the table. "You've never heard it. I was telling Pheobe the history of her planet."

"Oh? What history?"

"Well..."

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Clio was one of nine sisters. Of those nine only 3 of her sisters had been on the moon when Vladimer had stolen the crystal.

*Woah woah woah. What happened?*

*This is the middle of the story Haruka.*

*Could you explain a few things?*

*But that would take forever. Setsuna?*

*I could give a brief background.*

After Vladimer had stolen the Empyrium Crystal from Queen Pheobe the gap between Lunarians and Astrals had only grown worse. Maintaining power was easier with a common enemy and the Astrals made easy targets. Clio and her sisters were lucky to have escaped on time for Vladimer had plans, for the Astrals on the moon, and none were good.

Phebe had made a successful escape but it didn't matter. With the Empyrium Crystal in his hands Vladimer was beyond contest.

Several people were not at all happy with Vladimer's rise to power. Nemesis was no different. He had helped the Count become king and he had begun to grow tired of Vladimer's constant possession of the treasure. Although what Vladimer chose to do with the crystal seemed for the moment amusing. Two years after usurping the thrown of the Queen things had grown steadily worse. Lunarians swept up in the hatred began to demand a better solution to the Astrals.

Vladimer sighed, turning the crystal around in his palm. "Nemesis."

The dark robed figure separated from the shadows and formed near Vladimer. "The Lunarians seem unhappy Vladimer."

"Unhappy. The greedy idiots want more."

"Yes, a solution."

Vladimer smiled, closing his hand around the crystal. "Why not give them their own little planet?"

"That's a little too generous."

"They won't live long enough to appreciate it. Not many can survive a dead planet."

Clio sighed, shivering slightly within their shack. After two years of trying to reach Pluto they had only made it as far as Ganymede. Sadly she looked at her little sister Thalia and tore off another chunk of bread from the loaf. "Here."

Thalia nodded, nibbling slowly on her meal. "Will Calliope and Melpomene be back soon?"

Clio nodded. "I hope so." But her assurances of their sisters' return could not shake the dreadful feeling in her gut as she began to fear the worst had happened. It had been hours since Melpomene and Calliope had left to find food and they still hadn't returned. Clio could only assume something terrible had happened.

It was at this same time a young silver haired maiden had found silent refuge in a bar on Pluto. Silently she pulled her cloak closer around her, taking care to conceal the silver lock of which she was known for. The other Senshi were said to have successfully escaped execution, fleeing their planets and going into hiding. Charon was the only exception, and the one death among the senshi. Jupiter had brought Phebe to safety and kept her moving, she was ushered to one Senshi and the next, constantly on the run; for although Vladimer had stopped caring, he never stopped pursuing her. Phebe was a loose thread; her death would mean absolute power over the system of planets.

"My Lady."

Phebe looked up at the servant before her, smiling at the serene face of his lady the servant continued. "My lady I've been ordered to take you to another safe house."

"I thought Venus was taking me. What's happened?"

"My lady Venus has been detained for the moment. She sent me in her place and said to inform you she would be along shortly, but we must leave now."

Phebe nodded. "Where are we headed?"

"Uranus. Mercury will take you from there."

Clio looked out the window nervously as Thalia finished her bread. It was much later then usual and her sisters still had not returned. Fearfully she looked to the sky. Nightfall. She remembered what Calliope had told her. 'If Melpomene and I don't return when the night falls, you must take Thalia and run. You two must make it to Pluto at all costs."

Clio sighed as she slid down the wall. Take Thalia to Pluto. But Pluto wasn't safe anymore. No place was safe for an Astral. Looking to the sky she bent to her knees and began a silent prayer. 'By the Celestial Stars please keep my sisters safe.'

"Clio?"

Clio stood up and turned to her sister. "Thalia we have to go."

"What about Melpomene and Calliope?"

"They'll...I...They said to go on without us, they're okay." For the first time in her life, Clio had lied.

It worked and Thalia nodded to her sister trustingly. Smiling Clio took her sister's hand. Nodding Clio lead her sister to the back door, turning the knob. As she opened the door Clio stopped in her tracks.

"Calliope!"

Calliope nodded, standing before her two younger sisters in torn rags.

Vladimer nodded standing on the balcony in elegant black and gold robes as he looked out towards the planets and past Pluto, then began to address the subjects below him.

"My fellow Lunarians! Today you will fear no more! Today we enact the final solution of our hated brethren the Astrals."

Humbly he nodded to Nemesis, who stepped forward on queue. Nodding to each other Vladimer raised the Crystal and allowed it to glow. Following after Nemesis brought his hands out as his black energy gathered around the stray meteors and asteroids in orbit, pulling them together by a magnetic force.

Phebe looked at her the servant as he guided her through the streets. "What's your name?"

The servant looked at Phebe, unsure of what to tell her. Finally he chose to volunteer the truth. "Pan."

"You're an Astral?"

"Yes."

"You shouldn't be guiding me."

Pan stopped to look at to Silver Goddess. "Because I am an Astral?"

Phebe shook her head, fearful she had offended her guide. "No. If we get caught, you're in more danger. They could."

"They could kill me? That may be, but I'm willing to take the risk."

"Why?"

"Your our last hope My Queen."

Pan looked at Phebe as he heard her gasp, then followed her gaze to the sky.

Clio nearly ran as she followed her sister, pulling Thalia along in a desperate attempt to keep up. "Calliope, stop going so fast. What happened to Melpomene?"

"We ran into trouble."

"Melpomene?"

Calliope shook her head sadly. "She was captured helping me escape."

*Wait, what happened to Melpomene?*

*They were caught stealing.*

*Stealing?*

*May I continue?*

*Sorry.*

They turned to their sister as Thalia screamed, then pointed to the sky. Quickly they followed her gaze and looked up. Behind Pluto meteors and asteroids gathered from all directions, forming into a sphere.

"What's going on?" Gasped Clio.

Vladimer grinned as the last meteor fell into place and the sphere blackened to the very image of death.

"My fellow Lunarians, I give you Atropos!"

*Atropos?*

*The Death planet.*

Atropos was indeed the planet of death, throughout the years Astrals were ferried to the dark planet. Few lasted a full year, and only a handful managed to survive the two years following the creation of the dead planet.

Considering these new developments, Vladimer might have been thrilled his plans were so successful. Yet there was one factor he had not counted on.

Vladimer stared into his palm down at the blackened crystal, scowling as he closed his hand tightly around it. "Nemesis!"

The dark figure formed out of the shadows before his kind. "Yes?"

"It's black, why did the Empyrium Crystal turn black?"

"I don't know. Perhaps the Moon Goddess would have better insight?"

Vladimer scowled. "Increase the search for Phebe, I want her found and brought here. I will have answers for this."

Three sisters gathered around a small table, a meager dinner set before them. "Happy birthday Clio."

Clio smiled at her sister Calliope. "We made it to Saturn."

Thalia smiled. "We have a gift for you."

Calliope reached beneath the table and laid out a brown shawl for their sister.

Meanwhile on Saturn Phebe sat before an old dusty mirror as she ran her fingers through silver hair. She sighed sadly staring at her reflection. At 21 she should be having parties, looking for her king. But here she was on the run; there was no time for courtship now. All that mattered was survival.

"Phebe!"

Phebe turned around immediately, looking at Uranus in surprise. "Uranus? What's wrong?"

"Phebe we have to leave now!"

The young queen jumped as she heard the commotion within the other room. "Guards?"

Uranus nodded as she grabbed her Queen and pulled her out the window.

The Captain paused as he witnessed the two forms escape. "Head around back! cut them off!"

Phebe picked up her feet, trying to keep up with her guardian. "Uranus! I can't keep up!"

Uranus looked back as Phebe stumbled onto the ground, falling over the loose strands of her hair. "Phebe we have to run!"

"My hair's caught."

Glancing over at the tangles of silver it was clear the hair was indeed tangled. Not skipping a beat the Senshi pulled her saber and hacked off the silver locks just above her queen's shoulders. Sheathing her sword Uranus took her queen once more by the arm. "Come on!"

Hesitating only once Phebe nodded, following her guardian with greater speed.

"I think they're in here!"

The three sisters turned their heads as the door flew open and they looked on the faces of five guards.

"Astrals!"

Without skipping a beat Calliope grabbed the shawl and barreled into the guards. "Run!"

Clio nodded and grabbed her sister, pulling her out the other door.

Uranus skidded to a stop just before she ran head first into the three guards before her. Letting go of her charge she prepared to attack.

"World Shaking!"

The guards breathed a sigh of relief as the attack fizzled.

"Uranus what happened?"

Uranus drew her saber, preparing to attack. "Just get out of here Phebe! I'll hold them off."

Phebe nodded, not wishing to argue with her protector as she ran.

Clio ran, pulling Thalia around a corner. "Clio look out!"

Clio looked up just in time to see three of the guards and a tall sandy haired woman before she skidded to a stop, crashing into the three men.

The guards shouted their protests as the sandy haired woman ran and they immediately grabbed hold of Clio, wrestling her under control before she let go of Thalia's arm. "Run Thalia! get out of here!"

==================End of Part 2=======================

Setsuna stood, placing the empty dishes in the sink.

Pheobe looked at the older woman. "That's it?"

Setsuna shook her head. "I've been telling the story too long. We'll take a break before I continue. I thought you had a race today Haruka."

Haruka shook her head. "No races today. Actually I'd like to hear the end of the story too."

Setsuna nodded. "Meet me in the sitting room after an hour, I'll tell the rest. Right now isn't it time for lunch?"

Pheobe looked at her watch. "That's right! I was supposed to meet Ellie for lunch!"

Haruka watched as Pheobe rushed out the door and turned to her friend. "So, what did happen to Clio?"

Setsuna smiled, sipping her tea. "Nice try, but this is Pheobe's story, you'll just have to wait until she gets back."