Chapter 17b-Monarchs Found, Monarchs Lost

Hotaru decided to take a walk without telling Michiru or Haruka. For one thing, they were guests and not responsible for her. Besides, Setsuna always knew where she was, and she was old enough to go places on her own. With the powers of Saturn, she could definitely defend herself against any evil, not that it had reared its ugly head for more than a thousand years. She feared getting caught by Fujiro, but from what she had heard, the four guardians had gone to visit the Inner senshi. She wanted to meet them, too. Life just wasn't fair; what was so bad about them anyway? Power levels aren't really anything, especially when the senshi hadn't really fought anything yet The public didn't even though they existed, which could be considered both positive and negative. Finding that she had drifted into a dead-end alleyway in her preoccupation, she sighed and turned around. Just as she reached the opening, a dark and ominous shadow fell across her own slight one, blocking out the desperately shining sun. Looking for the black mass's owner, curious purple eyes squinting up at the tall building, she drew in a breath when she spotted Mamoru.

He smiled and leapt down. "Konnichiwa, Tomoe Hotaru. My dear little sister."

"You aren't my brother."

"Of course I am; don't you remember? We were half-brother and sister in the Silver Millennium, but in this life, our parents were the same. They died in a car crash, and I remembered nothing about them or you until the Great One awakened my memories. ALL my memories."

Breathing fast and feeling scared, Hotaru murmured, "I don't know you. I was adopted at a very young age by the Tomoes."

"True, you were always a lucky child." A sinister and bitter look flashed across the handsome face for a moment as he held out his hand, "I haven't been so fortunate. Since you don't know me, allow me to introduce myself–Chiba Mamoru, Prince Endymion of the past."

Shortly, shaking the shoulder-length raven tresses, she corrected, "I didn't mean that; I know your name, Mamoru. I don't know your personality, what you're like. You've been missing for almost all of my life I don't have my memories of my birth parents, and even though I'm sorry about the accident, I don't remember them at all."

Oddly, a harsh tone in his voice, Mamoru muttered, "You have the memories of the past, I know you do. Why can't you stop torturing me?!"

"Nani?"

"Your words, they're haunting me. You always tell me the same thing, that I promised you I would always love and take care of Princess Serenity, that I promised you. I hear it over and over; why can't you leave me alone?"

Softly, Hotaru explained, "I can't stop torturing you. I can't leave you alone. Because I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have all my memories of the past."

Shaking his head, he gripped her roughly by her small shoulders, nearly a foot taller than her, he yelled, "HOTARU! Leave me alone! I won't have it, do you hear me?! You're Saturn. The Messiah of Silence. Why does my soul have more darkness than yours?"

Frightened, she shivered uncontrollably at the insane look in fathomless black eyes, blue sparks flashing madly. "I–I don't know. You're possessed, that's why. Mamoru, go away. I didn't bother you, and I don't want to know you."

Before he could say anything, a youthful voice ordered, "Step away from her, Endymion." Both turned sharply to see blond meatballs, the brightest shade of saffron they had ever seen, and blue eyes shining dangerously. Usagi had been on her way to Rei's temple to ask her about something, but passing by the alley, she had heard the yelling and stopped to investigate. "What do you want with her? She's only a child!"

Smoothly, he didn't let go of her shoulders, and said, "She's my sister, and you are but a stranger. Go about your business, schoolgirl."

"I'm more than just a schoolgirl," she returned in a cold voice. Blinding white anger, past being red-hot flashes through her as an instant bond was formed between pleading purple and blazing blue met for an instant. To the dark-haired pair's surprise, a gold crescent moon flashed on her forehead.

Faintly, leaning against the grimy wall now, Hotaru whispered, "Kami-sama. You are the Princess Serenity!"

"That was obvious," Mamoru muttered. Finally moving away from his sister, who slumped to the ground, he grinned. "How nice to meet your acquaintance; I've ben looking for you."

Usagi raisied an eyebrow, feeling slightly dizzy, but she paid no attention to it, rage giving her energy. "Oh? And here I thought you were just looking for trouble. Get lost."

"Big words for a little girl." Black met light blue as he was painfully reminded of his own sapphire eyes of the past before he yelped and cursed, clutching his hand. His right hand was smoking; the smell of burnt flesh filled the tiny crevice as more and more brilliance poured from the sigil that had flared angrily on her head.

While he was occupied, using his rich vocabulary of obscenities, Usagi didn't stop to think as she grabbed Hotaru's hand and ran the opposite direction of the opening, which the ebony-haired man was blocking.

"Princess Serenity, this is a dead end!"

She muttered, "Now you tell me..."

Transforming for the first time besides practice purposes, Saturn hefted her glaive but didn't use it, shaking. A transparent purple wall surrounded her and Usagi, but Mamoru was closing in, apparently not troubled by his hand. Advancing with an evil leer, Mamoru jumped back with a yell when a flaming Burning Mandala came out of....nowhere. Within minutes, he was mercilessly pummeled my a Super Supreme Thunder, and after the Love Me Chain bounced off the Silence Wall with a resounding clink and clunk, Venus sweatdropped and Crescent Beam Shower-ed him. Dodging the last attack, his black eyes smoldered malevolently, empty of everything except malice now. Raising his left hand, conscious of the fact that his right one was not usable at the moment, a ball of green, black, and brown power gathered, pulsating angrily. Shivering in his palm, it looked like an extremely irregular jellyfish. Getting her wits together while the others stared at the orb, Mercury filled the alleyway with a Shabon Spray Freezing, Jupiter leapt down in the concealing fog to scoop up the now-unconscious Usagi, whose crescent moon sigil was acting as a sparkling beacon, while Mars and Venus lifted Hotaru. With the help of their super-human agility and unnaturally long legs that all senshi were gifted with, they left by rooftop to the temple once more, leaving a blind and faltering Chiba Mamoru.
~ * ~ * ~
"Moshi moshi?"

"Uh, konnichiwa. Is this, er, Meiou Setsuna, Tennou Haruka, or Kaiou Michiru?" asked a hesitant voice.

Instantly on guard, the senshi of wind set down her glass with a thud on the kitchen table, startling Michiru. "This Haruka. Look, do I know you–"

"And is this also the residence of Tomoe Hotaru?"

She had turned on the speaker phone, and after a few moments of silence, the aqua-haired had raced downstairs once more, face pale. 'She's not here!'

"Listen here, buddy, if you've kidnaped her, we'll–"

Smiling at their protectiveness, Minako calmly replied, "Oh no, not at all. Hotaru's here, at Hikawa Shrine. You must be the Outer senshi, who live with her. She asked us to call you, there was some trouble–"

It was Haruka's turn to interrupt, asking, "Is she hurt??"

"Not really, just very shaken. We've also found the Moon Princess. Do you think you could come and pick her up? Oh, kami-sama, I almost forget to tell you. This is Aino Minako, the senshi of Venus."

Shortly, the sandy-haired woman told her, "We'll be right over. Thanks." Turning to Michiru, she said, "Setsuna isn't here..."

"She sees everything at the Time Gate; if she's supposed to go, she'll teleport there."
~ * ~ * ~
Usagi was still unconscious, and Luna had been worried about someone like Rei's grandfather or a temple worker coming in and seeing the crescent moon shining on her forehead, so she had managed to hide the sigil. Everyone except Ami, who was making a cold compress, was hovering over her, even the sharp-tongued, raven-haired priestess. When the Outer guardians told them that Haruka and Michiru had arrived, she was still sniffling and mumbling, "I can't believe dear old meatball head is the Moon Princess...kami-sama, why didn't I see the resemblance before? I could have protected her..."

Wearily, on the steps of Hikawa Shrine, Makoto threw an arm around her stubborn and beat up friend–evidently those high heels still weren't exactly ideal for leaping on rooftops. "Rei, come on....give it a rest. None of us knew."

Looking shamefaced as Haruka jumped out of the car immediately (turning from purple to red) while Michiru got out more sedately but looked just as concerned, Hotaru apologized, "Gomen nasai, Haruka, Michiru. I didn't–"

"Hotaru, why didn't you tell us you were going out? It's dangerous on the streets alone for someone your age!"

"I'm fourteen! People my age walk around alone all the time, and you're _guests_. It's not polite to trouble you with whatever I'm doing. And besides, Setsuna sees everything at the Gates of Time. It's not MY fault I'm the only girl with a demented brother bent on resurrecting the Golden Kingdom from a thousand years ago!!"

Sweatdrops came from the two Inner senshi, backing away until they bumped into Minako, who was bouncing out cheerily. Holding out her hand to them, beaming, she greeted, "Konnichiwa, Haruka! And you, too, Michiru! It's so nice to see you again after such a long time! Care to come in?"

She blinked at the blonde's exuberance. "Um, no, but thank you. We'll just bring Hotaru home now... Hotaru, we aren't guests. You considered us sisters in the Silver Millennium, so can't we be family?"

"By the way, you're grounded."

They got into the car, the guardians hopping in nervously, while the dark-haired girl looked imploringly at the silent Michiru, who had a hurt expression on her face. They waved to the Inner senshi absentmindedly. From a distance, they heard her shriek, "Haruka, I'm too old to be grounded!!"

They also heard the answering roar, "IF YOU'RE YOUNG ENOUGH TO GO OFF ON YOUR OWN LIKE THAT, THEN YOU CAN BE GROUNDED!"

"Haruka..."

"Michiru, I have some TALKING to do!"

Hotaru mumbled, "You mean grounding and screaming."

A quiet voice murmured, "That was interesting. I never knew that they had vocal chords as resilient–and as loud–as Usagi's. She's awake now." Without a word to the blue-haired girl, the first two ran in, while Minako smiled at her. "Ami, you know you're the only one that managed to stay calm through this whole thing?"

She blushed. "Oh, Rei-chan and Mako-chan were just worried, and rightfully so. I saw that you also kept a cool head."

Flushing and looking down at the floor, she muttered, "Not when the Love Me Chain didn't work out..." The smile was back in place as the blonde questioned, "So does she remember anything?"

"I think it's coming back slowly, in bits in pieces. It was a shock for her to see Endymion again and for her sigil to light up like that."

"I think it was a shock for all of us."
~ * ~ * ~
A few more days passed, and Hotaru's grounding finally ended, and Mamoru's hand healed. The former was just as annoyed as the latter and took to spending more and more time with the Inner senshi. Since they were closer to her age and couldn't exactly punish her, she also liked that they were less uptight and more easygoing. What she didn't realize was that the Outers felt hurt and just a bit abandoned.

Later that week, Michiru had invited Usagi and the rest of her friends to a concert where she and Haruka would be playing a duet on violin and piano. Smoothing her skirt, Rei looked down the row. There was an empty seat on her left, but to her right, the girls were seated in order: Makoto, Usagi, Minako, Ami, and Hotaru. All of them were dressed nicely, and they had purposely chosen the seating arrangement, because Makoto and Minako were able to wake up Usagi the best when she fell asleep, listening to classical music.

From the Time Gate, Setsuna shook her head and smiled ruefully. "You haven't changed much, princess. Welcome back."

Two musicians walked out onto the stage, the first in a flowing dress of aquamarine that matched her hair and eyes, the second in a tuxedo and wearing a slightly discomforted expression (apparently, the wind was unsettled). Getting settled at the piano, Haruka sniffed slightly and positioned her curved fingers before telepathing, 'You've got the first beats, Michi. Does the–does the sea–?'

'Yes. But there's nothing we can do now; the enemy must have planned it. What a time to strike after such dormancy,' sighed the aqua-haired woman.

The sandy-haired senshi smirked and replied, 'Since when have villains been considerate? Both in the past and the present, they–!'

Whirling around, carefully placing the prized Stradivarius violin at her side, Michiru's eyes widened as she recognized the figure. 'Is that who I think it is?'

'None other than Endymion... Except now, he's floating over the audience and terrorizing them. At least the Inners have the sense to get down under the seats and to tell Hotaru to do so as well. Think we should transform?'

'Not in front of him...'

Chiba Mamoru laughed at the audience's fear, the one inside enjoying the view and emotions, soaking up the horror. Casually taking a seat in the air, he missed the six hiding figures and spoke to Michiru and Haruka, the only ones standing. "Well, so we meet again, Outer senshi. Now, where is the Time Keeper? Away at her duties, of course, and the wolf has come to prowl...and my sister. Do tell me where I can find Hotaru."

Haruka growled, "Never."

Black eyes both narrowed and showed amusement and humor at the same time as he responded coolly, "She's here, of course, I can sense her. Hotaru, wherever you are, do come out. Your brother has come to see you...and the wind and sea senshi. What an interesting pair you are; still together even after the millennium?"

"Soulmates last forever." Michiru's gentle voice resounded throughout the auditorium, turning hard. 'That's it, he knows who we are anyway, may as well take the advantage and transform.' "Neptune Crystal Power!"

"Uranus Crystal Power!"

Mamoru eyed them for a minute in distaste. "You still aren't a match for me, I hope you know. But I didn't come here looking for a fight."

An annoyed voice cut in, "Well, maybe we did."

He turned to see assembled: the senshi of Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, and lastly Saturn, who leaped over to stand with her fellow Outers. He snickered. "You want to challenge me? When you pitiful Inners were always nothing? Your transformation is only up to Star Power."

"So what? Strength comes from the heart," protested Venus stubbornly, gold eyes flaring.

The red-haired one turned to her commander and muttered, "Mina, I don't want to fight him."

Jupiter turned to stare at her friend now. "What?! What are you saying? He comes and drains the audience, almost giggling, and you're saying that you don't want to fight him?"

"Number one, he's way too powerful. Number two, his aura's scaring me. Number three, he's possessed by a–JUMP!"

"Shabon Spray!"

The others managed to regain their footing after a humongous shock-blast, which was splitting the floor apart.

"Get the people out!" ordered Uranus, adding a World Shaking. Staring at all the people, the Inners complied and tried to hurry with their burdens. It just wouldn't be possible. Even a Deep Submerge didn't help things; it hit a large painting behind Mamoru, which crashed down and nearly hit several unconscious spectators.

"This isn't working..."

That was said right before a beam shot to the sky, miraculously going through the roof without any danger to the people, in the shape of a crescent moon. Usagi stood up, clad in a fuku with blue collar and red bows, holding the Silver Crystal... Her eyes glittered strangely as she looked upon the scene.

"The senshi of the Moon," breathed Saturn. "There hasn't been one for over a hundred thousand years!"

Smiling simply, she whispered, "And the need for another has come." She didn't sound like Tsukino Usagi anymore; the cultured voice of Princess Serenity of the past resounded throughout the hall. Everyone stopped to gape, especially the ebony-haired man. The Ginzuishou flared brightly, as did her sigil under a tiara bearing a red stone. The Earth groaned and creaked as sweat beads pouring down her face. The crack lessened, both of its edges pulling together.

Her senshi rushed to support her in spite of their awe, for this was not her element, and it took all the power both from her life force, her essence, and the Imperium Silver Crystal to manage the task. The Outers their attacks at Endymion once more while a Silence Wall was built around the five. Mamoru gave a parting shot, and they were only saved from a second earthquake by four conjoining attacks: Burning Mandala, Love Me Chain, Super Supreme Thunder, and Aqua Mirage. They hurriedly headed back to the temple, leaving a dazed crowd and canceled concert for a talk at the temple...
~ * ~ * ~
"Mamoru, I can't believe you just went out like that and attacked a crowd!! Is this what you want to do, as a future ruler of the Golden Kingdom?! You parents would be ashamed!!"

"After my mother's affair with the King of Saturn, I doubt much more could embarrass them."

"That isn't the point! You, the Prince of the Earth, put yourself in unnecessary danger for kami-sama knows what! Nothing was achieved!"

He glowering at an even more furious pair of generals that were very, very deadly when provoked–not that they normally weren't. Jadeite and Nephrite were definitely a pair to watch out for, especially when they combined attacks.

Kunzite shook his head (they had all transformed in their anger)."Endymion, they're right. What's so important about revenging yourself upon the senshi, anyway?"

Hissing, the thing inside pushed its way to the open, black fighting with blue. After a minute, with the generals staring aghast at the changing colors. "You will obey your prince. Revenge. Revenge is everything!"

"Endymion?"

Black glinted fiercely, not completely emotionless. "I'm fine. Leave me."

Zoicite, who had so far been silent, shook his head and glared. Even though he barely said anything, there was pure hell to be paid when he got angry. A cold, crystalline hell. "No. You've been isolating yourself from us for the past month now, and we're tired of it. What's going on with you and that Great One?"

Once again, the body hissed and flashed his eyes angrily. Its eyes. "Nothing. Nothing and everything. For the Great One triumphs over the weaker possessed. Always."

Pouring his powers into probably the most important aura reading he had ever done, Jadeite turned to his friends, frightened. "That's not Mamoru anymore, nor is it Prince Endymion!"

"What? Then what is it?!"

The five answered each other together, in unison. "The Great One." Wrongness pounded in their every pore while the creature reveled in the feelings they were emanating: fear, sorrow, foreboding, anger. Yes, they were such a magic-filled group....and it had entire control as the possessor of the prince's body.

Dismally, Mamoru sat inwardly now, a lonely soul. His only family, friends that were closer than even brothers in certain respects, were disappointed in him. Yelling at him. Telling him his actions were as good as nothing, worthless. Well, if they thought that way, he might as well let whatever was there manage everything. At least the entity would be smart enough not to be reprimanded by them. As for himself? He could just sit there...and wait...until an image of a golden-haired angel interrupted his serenity. Except..._she_ was Serenity...
~ * ~ * ~
"Frankly, the best thing we could have rated that was embarrassing," admitted Minako ruefully.

The others held the same shamed expressions on their faces, except for the two Outers. Joined by their guardians, Haruka glowered and muttered, "Not if some inexperienced, young children who didn't know how to fight were trained better."

"She's right. You haven't even fully developed all of your abilities."

Angrily, Usagi said, "At least we didn't stand there watching while he created an earthquake. All those people could have died!"

Coolly, Soyakaze replied, "Innocents are lost in times of war. It's been seen numerous times in the Silver Millennium, and you, princess, have not grown up at all."

"It's disrespectful of you to speak to her like that!!" Luna snapped indignantly.

While the mentioned royalty shot a dark look first at the sky blue bird and then her own guardian, Rei fumbled for the best words in her fury. "Innocents don't _have_ to be lost if some people could have some compassion! And I didn't realize we were in a _war_."

Quietly, Kaikii commented, "All life is a war. Outers, let's go."

The firefly paused for a moment as they left. Hotaru hadn't followed; instead, she was frowning perplexedly, annoyed. "Hotaru, come on."

"No. I'm staying."

Kyuusho doubled back and scowled as well. "Hotaru, what are you trying to do now? We have to go!"

"I don't want to. I'm trying to make a change. And if I have to impose on the Inner senshi, particularly Rei, I'm staying here until Haruka and Michiru find out that people don't have to be hurt for either the cause of good or evil and that they weren't particularly proficient in battle, either," pushed Hotaru on determinedly, purple eyes sparkling dangerously.

After a moment's hesitation, the two exchanged a look before flying to catch up with the first four, speaking hurriedly in hushed tones when they reached them. Taking one look at the redness spreading throughout the wind senshi's face, everyone knew the temple was going to be in danger of being blow away very soon...
~ * ~ * ~
Four gloomy knights gathered around the television, including Sukareru–for once. Minako had really given him an ego-bruising at their last meeting, and he had no intention to receive another anytime soon. Ryo threw up his hands and declared, "This is pathetic! Sukareru refuses to go _near_ Minako after years of trailing and training, Shinozaki is practically permanently speechless after his attempt to tell Makoto his feelings, Yuuichirou spends every passing moment mourning his lost girlfriend for reasons we all know were, well, reasonable...and I myself–"

"Can't get close to Ami unless it's for help," ended Shinozaki sullenly. "We know, we know. And all our troubles stem from those generals."

Gathering himself, Yuuichirou decided that they needed a calm voice of reason if their leader wasn't up to it. "So we knew they always loved them, but can we really blame them?"

"I guess not, but those lucky so and so's don't even realize it!"

The blond man gave his laptop a last thump, passionately furious at the piece of junk. So after months of neglecting his schoolwork, he decided that if he wanted to pass, he'd better get a move on. "Maybe not yet, but they will soon."

Grouchily, Ryo slunk lower in his seat, moodily confirming it with a nod. "There was a picture of them. Again. Just like the portrait Lonnie Lineye painted. They had them in their arms...again...." All the men in the room gave a dismal, long-suffering sigh and turned back, disgruntled, to numerous assignments needed to get through college. At this rate, it wasn't likely that any of them would be attending graduate school except the brown-haired one who had last spoken, but their zest for life was lost. They were sure that in death, they would come across the senshi and generals together for eternity. They sighed again and gave up any and all claims they had ever had to the hearts of the women they loved. For the good of everyone, they promised themselves...if only they were included in that everyone.
~ * ~ * ~
Rei had set up a futon in her room, since the younger dark-haired girl had refused to take her bed. Makoto had also dragged a sleeping bag in to have a mini-sleepover, but Minako and Artemis had left, along with Usagi and Luna, since the Tsukinos had been planning to dine out. Ami could have stayed, but she shook her head and gave the typical excuse of studying, despite the fact that it was a Saturday night. Koori had looked undecided for a moment before hurrying after her, memories of what Kaikii had said on the brain. All of them were tired out, and Rei's grandfather had noticed and consented to the guest, still occupied with the acolytes, knowing they wouldn't be staying up past one.

"Yeah, yeah, Art, so assuming the Outers ever apologize, wouldn't it be a good idea to infiltrate Mamoru's business?" questioned Minako as she and Usagi walked home under the warm rays of the setting sun.

Peering up at her, the Moon cat replied, "Sure, but who's the most logical choice? Sorry, Mina, but you and Usagi have to work on the forgetfulness department just a bit more."

"Yes, knowing Usagi, she would be late and then fired," nodded Luna.

"Hey!! Well, if it's going to be like that, I don't want to go there anyway," she sniffed.

Giggling and laying a comforting hand on her arm, Minako reassured, "Don't worry, it's not really that. We can't put the Moon Princess in danger, can we?"

Before waterworks could come from the less than assuaged blonde, the black Lunar cat agreed hastily, "She's right. Anyway, we need another candidate now. Rei and Makoto have enough work at the temple, and anyway, when provoked, they might accidentally fry or electrocute the whole place."

Artemis said, "Then there's only one senshi left–Ami."

"Poor Ami-chan, we always fall back on her," laughed Minako, feeling just a tinge of jealousy. The only thing that comforted her was that the blue-haired girl hated the reputation of a reliable nerd that so many people took advantage of at times. Not her friends, but people at school always begging to copy her tests or homework, and when she refused, statements, threats, and actions got ugly at Juuban High. "Isn't she a little too quiet, though?"

"True, but she can get to school and work on time, she's knowledgeable, and she's competent. Hopefully nothing will make her blow up."

Usagi asked, "Shouldn't we ask the Outers, too?"

"Usa, they were so rude today!!"

"Well, yeah, but Michiru didn't overreact that much. Water wielders usually have strong control over their element and their emotions." The two Lunar cats exchanged an admiring glance for a moment, finally getting over the shock of Usagi turning out to be the Moon Princess Serenity. Their brows wrinkled once more in consternation when she blurted out yet another question. "Minako, at the corporation...did you–did you notice that silver-haired guy?"

The blonde's expression immediately became cool, detached, and distant. "Yes, I did, Usagi." Her tone brooked no further discussion on the subject, and they walked on in silence, under the dying rays of a red-streaked sunset.
~ * ~ * ~

Paths of Thorns