Chap. 17: The Sun and the Moon

RECAP:

The rest of the Inners looked at Venus who seemed to shine with power; it would be definitely a good feeling becoming a Senshi once again. They gripped their pens and thrust their fists into the air; it was time to reunite the Sailor Senshi team.

The area around Tokyo Tower shone with the combined energy of nine Sailor Senshi, four Shitten'nou, a Prince and a very confused earthling boy who didn't quite catch what was happening. Shingo had no memories of being Apollo; he would attain those when his power awakens fully.

But Sailor Moon as well as her Senshi had other worries. The newly reawakened Inner Senshi were still confused over the whole matter and the Outers weren't exactly sure themselves of what was happening. All they knew was that an alien power was coming, intent on destroying the world and if Hotaru's prophetic dreams should become reality they won't live to see the sixth morning after this day.

Sailor Moon looked around intently, feeling the dark, ominous power that was coming onto them in waves, it didn't give her a feeling of victory and she was displeased to say the least. Luna sat on her head, feeling the same energy and worrying on how to exactly fight an enemy they hadn't encountered before.

"Luna..." Sailor Moon whispered as she looked up at the rapidly darkening sky, it was hardly past noon, but Tokyo's sky-line looked like in the middle of a moon- and starless night. It was frightening.

"I know, I feel it, too..." Luna's voice was equally quite as her crimson eyes focused on the bloody orb that appeared on the black sky.

"Is that... the moon?" Sailor Venus' loud voice broke the silence and everyone looked up at the sky following her finger. The orb that stood right over Tokyo Tower was large and a foreboding red color, standing out against the black velvet of the sky. It didn't seem like a good omen to any of them.

"No," Sailor Moon answered quietly, not taking her eyes from the ball of blood on the sky. "It's the sun. The Sun Warriors have arrived, and they're not our friends..."

Silence settled again around the group as each mulled over the given information. Sun Warriors, the name itself sounded frightening to them. They weren't eager to find out what the people who bore that title were capable of, not when the sun looked like it had been covered in blood. The Inners were almost shaking in anxiety, the Outers weren't faring any better, and the only conscious thought was, 'Beryl was an angel compared to this'. And it was most likely the truth.

Luna took it upon herself to explain to the Sailor Senshi just who the Sun Warriors were. They wouldn't like it, but an enemy was rarely liked, if ever.

Before the whole fiasco with Usagi leaving, Luna would've been as wise as the Senshi when it came to the Sun Warriors, but somehow she'd regained her full memories when Usagi had come back to the Tsukino home. She'd spoken to her about it, but both Princess and advisor couldn't really explain why the memories have come back and let the matter drop, glad that the same familiar bond from a thousand years ago had formed between them again.

"I'll explain who the Sun Warriors are, so listen carefully," the feline said from Sailor Moon's head and the Senshi turned to their leader and Princess, eyes on the cat, listening intently.

"The Sun is a Kingdom in itself, just like the Moon and the other planets have once been. Their people look like humans just like Lunarians do, and just like our people they have powers that are unique to them. Their population, though, is as fiery as their home world; they're temperamental and hot-headed, war-prone as opposed to the peaceful people of the Moon Kingdom.

Serenity and Apollo's father was one of them, King Helios of the Moon was once the first-born son of the Sun King. He'd met Queen Serenity one day when all the leaders have come together on the Moon, before the time of the Silver Alliance, when our honorable Queen was still the Princess of the Moon.

His father had declined joining the Silver Alliance, refusing to put his Kingdom under the reign of the Moon's Royal Family; it was well within his right to refuse the alliance, as the Earth's leader of the time had done. Nobody was angry and Queen Serenity had voiced her hopes of at least being allies with the Sun Kingdom. The King had taken that offer, for he knew it could only benefit his nation. He couldn't have guessed that his heir would fall head over heels for the wise Moon Princess, soon to be crowned Queen of the Silver Alliance.

Young Prince Helios had been unable to forget the young Queen's beauty and grace and not long after the Alliance was formed he'd returned to the Moon to 'visit' the newly crowned Queen.

I had already been given my post by that time and remember how the mostly serene and calm Queen would blush and sometimes stutter when she found herself under the intense gaze of the Sun Prince's azure eyes. It was obvious that both had fallen deeply for each other from the moment they first met and High Priestess Angora, who was the religious head of the Silver Alliance, had told me at that time that the stars spoke of a beautiful future for the love-struck Royals.

But the Sun King had other plans.

If his son wanted to marry Queen Serenity, then she and her Kingdom would fall under the reign of the Sun Kingdom.

All the planets of the Alliance protested and Queen Serenity refused to make a sacrifice of that impact for love. She said she's first Queen, than woman and as such the needs and well-being of her people came first to her. The Sun King, enraged and insulted, forbade his son to ever return to the Moon.

But Helios was love-sick, nothing mattered more to him than Serenity, and he understood that she was not ready to throw away years of hard work and the trust the people of nine planets have placed in her when they made her their Queen, he knew she would never give up on the crown and let her Kingdom fall into his father's greedy hands, just to marry him.

So Helios made a decision, if his father wanted to keep him and Serenity apart, then he'd just have to stop being his son. He gave up on his right to the Sun Crown and gave it to his younger brother, stripping himself of the title Sun Prince and left his home world, all for his love. Serenity, though worried about what the Sun King may do, embraced him lovingly when he came to her and shortly after that they were married. The Alliance didn't protest, their Queen was happy, they got a King and marriage meant heirs and that would only strengthen Serenity's throne.

A short year later, the young Princess was born and Angora blessed her as the heir to the throne and truly the child of the Moon. All the leaders on the Moon had been females and when the first child was indeed born a girl then she was considered blessed by the gods. Every doubt that anyone might have had in the Queen's union with Helios has vanished when the first child was born to be the next Queen.

Thousands upon thousands of people were invited to the Silver Palace to celebrate the birth of the future Queen. Everyone was welcome, including delegates from Earth and the Sun, who held themselves away from the Silver Alliance with mistrust and grudges. Earth wasn't as opposed to the Alliance as the Sun and simply preferred to keep their own laws and traditions, and so their King himself has come to the Moon to bless the young Princess. With him came his wife and son, a young boy of barely five summers, curious and lively, he truly delighted Serenity and Helios and they expressed the wish to sometime in the future have a son, too.

But the festivities shouldn't go happy as they'd started, and the first Sailor Senshi that Helios and Serenity had hand-picked to protect their Kingdom and family would have their first fight. The Sun King had come and demanded that because Serenity had stolen his first-born son it was only his right to get the first-born child of the Moon Queen. The Royal couple and the guests were shocked and enraged. Serenity told him to go, that he would never get their daughter, Helios threatened to attack him, even though they're father and son. But the King didn't listen, he wanted the newborn Princess. Serenity had no other choice and commanded the Senshi to attack. They did their duty and their attacks rained down around the stunned Sun King. The last to unleash her attack was Saturn, and she then stepped forward and told the King that if he valued his life he would leave the Silver Palace and never come back to the Moon. That was the last time we saw the Sun King.

The small Princess was five summers old when Serenity announced that she was again with child. The whole Kingdom celebrated the Royal Family's happiness. Everyone had seen how devoted Helios and Serenity were to their family and how much their daughter adored both her parents. Like every other Moon Royal she looked exactly like her mother only with her father's eyes, and the two shared a special bond. Helios showered both in attention and affection, their lives were the dream become reality for many others.

By the time Apollo was born the Royal Family's happiness seemed perfect. Apollo was a healthy and beautiful boy with his mother's pale skin, silver hair and lavender eyes and the insignia of the Sun on his forehead, like his father. That little fact bothered nobody since mostly the sons always take after their fathers and it was a trivial matter, anyway, how the Princess looked was important, since she was the Heiress to the throne.

Again five summers flew by in happiness, with only few minor problems with Earth here and there, but nothing that would cause the Queen to worry, and it was mostly discussed between the Royal Advisors and the highest ranking Court members, as well as the Senshi. Only truly important matters were reported to the Queen and left for her to decide, on anything else the so called Inner Sanctum had free hand. But then one day a messenger came from Sun to Helios. His younger brother, Agni, whom Helios had left the throne and crown inheritance was informing the Moon King, that their father, the Sun King, had died, and Agni would be taking the throne.

Serenity and Helios have discussed that matter long and hard, privately and with the Inner Sanctum and come to the decision that they would attend the funeral ceremony as well as support Agni as the new King and have traveled to the Sun, with their children and the Senshi. The Silver Alliance was left in the capable hands of Artemis and me, as well as the former Kings and Queens from the other planets, for we made up the Inner Sanctum, together with the leaders of the two Senshi Circles.

They had spent almost a moon on Helios' home world and come home satisfied and happy. Agni had welcomed them warmly in the Fire Palace, just as family that they were and treated them with honor and respect. The newly crowned King had also promised good relations with the Silver Alliance, to end the decade long grudge his sire had started, and to strengthen their new bonds, he'd asked Serenity for the hand of one of the Senshi, Sailor Mars, who had caught his eye and fancy since her first day in Fire Palace. The wedding had been held, despite some protest from Noblemen, who were hoping that one of their daughters or other female relatives would become the Royal Consort and Queen.

Serenity had decided not to appoint a new Sailor Mars after returning to the Moon, seeing that in only two summers she would discharge her Senshi and pick girls of her daughter's age, maybe a bit older, to guard her and the Kingdom.

Two summers passed quickly and Serenity and Helios summoned all the girls between the age of twelve and fifteen who had been gifted with magical powers from throughout the Alliance to the Silver Palace. Angora put the thousands of girls that have come through a test, to make sure their abilities and personalities were adequate for becoming Senshi. Only sixty girls passed through Angora's test and were brought before the Queen and King, for they would make the last decision. Those tests have taken ten days to fulfill and when the dawn of the eleventh day had broken, seven new Senshi were decided upon. One Senshi remained the same, Sailor Saturn, for her unique ability to be reborn time and again and become of the age of twelve in only a few moons. The others were selected for their abilities and personalities, and Angora said it was an auspicious sign that every girl was a former Princess from their home worlds. The Inner Senshi were all born within a few moons before or after the Princess, and the Outers were older, save Saturn who was twelve and would remain like that for several summers to come.

Happiness, though, didn't last long. Agni, the new Sun King, sent a message to his brother for help. Some of the Noblemen who didn't see the wrong in the former King's reign had set up others who weren't satisfied with Agni's choice of a Queen; civil war was threatening to consume the whole Kingdom. Helios, despite Serenity's protests, took off to the Sun, with the former Senshi that the Queen had stay and train the younger generation at the Silver Palace, and a few hundred soldiers from Mars and Moon. He was confident they would win the battle soon.

He never came back. On the second night that Helios was in the Fire Palace the Rebel Leaders had sent assassins to the Palace. Every single living being in the Fire Palace had been killed that night, including Helios and the former Senshi. The soldiers he had brought with him were forced to return to the Silver Alliance and warn Serenity that if she should try to do anything that they won't hesitate to declare war. Serenity was a wise woman and despite her grief, she'd decided to let the Sun people run their Kingdom like they saw fit, but also sent them a warning to better leave the planets of the Alliance in peace, Earth as well, or they would get to know their military power. They did leave us alone, but our spies have always come back reporting that the Sun King, the former Rebel Leader, was looking for ways to steal the Silver Crystal and use its power for their own needs. They never had a chance, but it seems that they haven't given up yet.

Be careful, all of you, the Sun Warriors are mighty and cruel."

Luna barely managed to finish her sentence as a fire ball came flying at them at top speed. Sailor Moon jumped up and out of the way, the rest of the Senshi tensed up and prepared to attack back. And with that the fight was on.

Luna had been right. The Sun Warriors were mighty and cruel. And there were many. It seemed that for every soldier they took out, another three would pop out of nowhere and do their best to kill the Senshi. Their main target was Sailor Moon. At least four surrounded her at all times and tried to take the Silver Crystal from her chest. She was fighting them off formidably and showed no traces of exhaustion or injury, but the other knew that ever her reserves had their limits. How long she'll be able to defend herself was questionable and they had to keep an eye on her constantly, lest they risk losing her and that simply wouldn't do.

Venus tore her gaze away from her fighting Princess to jump away from a spear directed at her heart and came back to back with Kunzite who was cutting one Sun Warrior after another with his sword. Sparing him a look, she powered up and attacked again. "Venus Love Me Chain!" the chain of shining golden hearts wrapped itself around two soldiers and Venus pulled as hard as she could till nothing was left of the red armor clad men.

"Venus, what are you doing?" that was Kunzite, still with his back to her. "Use your sword! This way you're losing too much energy, you'll use up your reserves too early and then you're done for!"

She knew that very well herself, but she simply didn't know how to call upon the Crystal Sword. Not having her memories back completely sucked big time. "I don't know how!" she called back, desperately trying to remember how to do it.

Kunzite's first answer was a frustrated growl, but then he shouted again. "Of course you do! It's a part of you, it's always there, you just need to concentrate on it! Come on, Psyche, think, damn it!"

And Venus concentrated with all her might, focusing on the image of the large shining sword of pure crystal trying to will it to materialize in her hand. And just as tears of frustration gathered behind her closed eyelids, something sparked to life in her right hand. Concentrating harder, she let out a scream as energy suddenly enveloped her whole. A moment later she held her sword with both her hands. Even though she couldn't remember fighting with it before, an overwhelming sense of relief and familiarity washed over her. It was good to hold it. It would be even better to start cutting down those jerks with it.

Motoki didn't really know what drew him to Tokyo Tower that day, but the black sky and the red sun had to mean something, and so he let his legs carry him. What he saw as he arrived there was astounding to say the least.

The Sailor Senshi were fighting what seemed like a thousand man clad in red and black armor and it didn't look good for the girls.

Suddenly Motoki knew, looking at them. It was as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes and he could see.

The blue clad girl in the background with the visors and mini-computer wasn't simply Sailor Mercury to him. It was Amy. Timid, shy, intelligent Amy was fighting monsters.

The tall brunette charging at one of the opponents stopped being Sailor Jupiter and he saw Makoto. Cheerful, flirtatious, protective Makoto wielded thunder.

The fierce raven-haired Senshi in the red fuku with fire around her lithe form wasn't just Sailor Mars, she was Rei. Beautiful, smart, temperamental Rei burned brighter than the sun.

That silver angel gliding through the sky and blasting enemy after enemy was the girl who'd become like a little sister to him. Sailor Moon disappeared and in the place he was Usagi. Sweet, cheerful, kind, loving, klutzy Usagi was the biggest heroine of Tokyo.

Suddenly he could see through Tuxedo Kamen's mask and recognized his best friend. Stoic, serious, sarcastic Mamoru slew enemies with steel-tipped roses.

And the blond beauty in the orange fuku with the sword that was almost larger than her wasn't only Sailor Venus. It was Minako. His beautiful, happy, loving Minako. The girl he loved. And she was putting her life in danger to defend him and everyone else in the world. All of a sudden he felt so very undeserving of her and her love.

AN: I'm Back! I assure you that the rumors of my death have been badly exaggerated. I'm alive and kicking. Barely, but I'm still here.

I can't believe how long it took me to update. I hope you haven't forgotten this story and have stayed with it even though it's been on hiatus for so long. Anyway I hope you liked this chapter and that it answered some of the questions you had regarding this story.

Stay tuned for the next chapter that I promise won't take this long!

Jas