Chapter 8

   Adelaide winced and tried to focus her eyes, Mika's worried 
face loomed over her. Needles of pain coursed through her body 
and she gasped. Mika slowly transfered a steady portion of her
energy into Adelaide's injured body. After a few seconds, Adelaide 
shooked off Mika's grip and 
buried her head in her hands. 
   "I failed..." a muffled groan came from between Adelaide's 
hands. 
   "There was nothing else you could do. The friction between 
the dimension had already injured you."
   "Yet, if I had arrived earlier..."
   "Adelaide, it's over now. He's dead."
   Adelaide shuddered and finally put up her head. She stared 
at Mika and tried to calm herself. Mika gave an audible sigh 
of relief when Adelaide's eyes resumed its determined look.
   "I think it's time for breakfast now, it's your turn to cook. 
And don't create another fire hazard." Mika stuck out her tongue 
before exiting the room. Adelaide sat silently on her bed for a 
few minutes and resolutely got up. She stroded out into the living 
room and stopped in front of the marble chess set in the corner. 
Her hand lingered indecisively over the chess pieces for a few 
seconds. Then her fingers curled and she set aside a white castle 
and put a black one in its place.  

=====================

   "I had a strange dream last night, it was about a winged unicorn." 
   "Helios?!"
   "No, it was black as midnight and had the reddest eyes imaginable."
   They were at Rae's temple. All except Setsuna and Chibiusa were 
present and had grouped around Rae. Each wore a similar expression 
of worry as they listened to Rae's summary.
   "What does that mean?"
   "I don't know, Minako. We have to presume all those we knew in the 
30th century are now..."
   "That's a bit gloomy, Rae." said Michiru. Rae nodded.
   "That's worst case scenario. Anyway, my dream probably meant that 
our new foe would concern a black pegasus. Of course, we can always 
ask--."
   "NO! You are NOT question Chibiusa!" exclaimed Usagi. The others 
stared at her in surprise.
   "Quite the responsible mother, isn't she?" remarked Haruka drily. 
Usagi blushed and bowed her head, Mamoru patted her shoulder as the 
others snickered.

=============

   Chibiusa sighed loudly. Setsuna had fallen asleep on the couch and 
this left her to eat breakfast alone. At first, she wanted to wake 
Setsuna up, but a glance at her weary friend convinced Chibiusa to 
leave her alone. She sighed again and promptly gasped as two shimmering 
forms appeared before her.
   "Helios?!!!"
   "Small Lady, I have missed you..."
   Chibiusa's screams and her sudden lack of oxygen caused Setsuna to 
wake up. She gaped and choked as she saw what greeted her eyes. Chibiusa 
was being held by Helios!
   Setsuna maneuvered a half turn, flinging the person strangling her 
onto the floor, a few choiced kicks cause him to double up in pain. 
   "Pluto Star Power, Make Up!" Sailor Pluto tried to separate her 
princess and Helios. To her shock, Helios remain immovable and solid 
as a rock. Instead she was flung across the room by a single push. 
She watched in horror as Chibiusa slowly dissipated into nothingness. 
Screams echoed in Pluto's mind as she desperately flung her attack 
towards Helios.
   "Foolish woman..." Pluto stared as Helios absorbed her attack and he 
began to darken. His once pristine white clothes turn into ebony and his 
hair darken to the shade of midnight. He raised his head and laughed at 
her fear. His eyes had turn blood red! The other enemy rolling on the
floor suddenly stood up and laughed. He wore a silver outfit with a 
strange design. Both stood and grinned maniacally at the immobilised 
Pluto.
   "He is no longer the Helios you once knew." a dispassionate voice 
came from behind Pluto. Two masked senshis were standing at the entrance, 
the one speaking also had hair the color of midnight, the other fire red. 
"He has been altered by Belletrophon." She inclined her head slightly. 
"Quite a remarkable feat."
   "I see you have recovered from your wounds, wench. I have to admit 
I was a bit surprise at your sudden disappearance." Belletrophon 
suddenly snarled. "Kill them!"  Helios leap into action.
   Pluto was pushed to the ground as a fireball whizzed hazardly towards 
her. She turned and saw the other masked senshi deflect it. The "wench" 
nonchalantly walked towards Helios and Belletrophon, easily dodging to 
hurled attacks. Then she lifted her hand and muttered a word. The debris 
littered on the floor suddenly rose and began twirling, surrounding the 
three of them. 
   The red haired senshi cautiosly helped Pluto up and the both of them 
watched the twirling hurricane in front of them. Pluto winced as its' 
howling became louder. Suddenly a loud detonation was heard and the 
hurricane suddenly burst open. 
   Pluto lowered her arms and stared. Only the two masked senshis remained. 
The ground was once again littered by debris and also darken by something 
that looked suspiciosly like blood.