Earth's Eclipse cpt 7

"We have to get out of here quickly," Bunny urged as Marcus picked up their fallen friend. He simply nodded and they took off, carrying Essence to the car. As they ran, Bunny spotted a book laying on the ground. Swiftly she picked it up and caught up to Marcus who was laying Essence into the backseat of the convertible.

He fumbled around in the girl's purse and found her car keys while Bunny got into the passenger side of the front seat. "Where are we going to go?" She asked him anxiously.

"I'm not sure," he replied as he hopped behind the wheel. "A hospital?"

"We can't do that. We need somewhere we can take her to rest. She will be okay if no one disturbs her."

"Then we will go to her house," He said as he maneuvered the car out of the parking lot. "Her dad is only home on the weekends."

Bunny clutched the book on her lap as Marcus drove; feeling like her happy life was crumbling around her.

The dreams were impossible to escape these days. Even with having blacked out from exhaustion, could she not escape them. Rather, it seemed her fatigue made them even harder to run away from.

She always felt self-aware in her dreams. As if she was watching a movie. The dreams that had been pursuing her had only been halfway successful to this point. Every glimpse, every image she saw making her feel more and more that she didn't want to know what they were trying to tell her. And it seemed to her, as everything had faded to dark when Marcus had caught her, that her mind was determined to make her see the whole movie now.

She could see a girl that was no doubt her, talking to an older lady. The woman was dressed rather plainly and in a simple brown dress of what looked like a homespun fabric. Essence saw herself dressed in a pair of pants made out of some rugged material with a blue shirt on that exposed nothing of her form. The only thing she agreed with in the ensemble was the leather boots she wore.

"Kali, it is time you know the truth," The woman said to her other self. "You need to know about your destiny."

The girl named Kali looked at her eagerly. "I've waited for this day for so long. Please Nerida, tell me who my mother is."

The woman sighed, as if the truth saddened her deeply. "Your mother is a great woman, know that first. She loved you deeply and hated giving you up, but had to do so. She had to do it so you could be safe."

"What do you mean?" The girl looked at her confused.

"Your mother Kali... is the queen. You are her only child."

The younger woman now looked upset. "Here I thought you were going to tell me the truth! Everyone knows that Endymion is the only child of the queen."

"You're wrong child," Nerida shook her head at her. "I was the midwife to your mother. As the day grew closer to you being born, I saw sadness in your mother¡¦s eyes. She told me she knew you would be a girl. And with your birth, you would inherit the powers to be the guardian of our planet. I knew what she spoke was true. All the other daughters of the planets held the guardian powers. But she also knew something I didn't. She knew that if you were to be raised as the guardian, that there would come a day when you were put in danger-" The woman paused for a moment. "Everyone knows the queen does have some psychic ability. But when she confided to me she had a vision of you dying, I knew what pain she was going through.

"On the day you were born, I let no one else into the room, not even the king. And when you came out a girl, your mother cried. I told her I would save you. Wrapping you in a blanket, I told the king you were very sick, and I needed to treat you in my home. He asked if you were the savior. I lied to the king and told him you were a boy. The king cared not what I did with you after that. I took you home and brought back to the queen a little boy that had been born in my village and was unwanted. The boy was named Endymion. It was the first time in centuries that a queen had born a boy and not a girl. She gave him the love she could not give you. The king eventually accepted him, saying that maybe your mother was meant to bless our kingdom with two children. And as you know, Endymion remains known as her only child."

Kali stared at her in shock. "So you raised me, knowing I was the guardian. The princess to the kingdom of Earth?" She paused a moment. "Is that why I have always felt different?"

"Yes. The power inside you is strong. Maybe now that you know the truth, you won't feel such an outcast."

"How can you say that?" She said, upset. "Now that I know the truth, I cannot deny what I am. I must go to the kingdom. I must serve as a senshi."

The woman looked crestfallen. "Your mother knew that if you learned the truth... that you would walk into your destiny. I hoped you wouldn't. I can't stop you though."

She hugged the woman close to her. "You could not shelter me forever Nerida. But I am grateful for having known you. I will not let that vision of my mother's come true..."

The image of Kali and Nerida hugging faded and in its place was a sight that awed Essence. She saw herself standing in a large audience chamber of what she knew had to be the palace of the royal family. Three people sat in the front of the room on an elevated platform, lounging in thrones. The one on the left was an older looking man with dark hair that was starting to show hints of gray. He held himself proudly, and the crown resting on his head gave him an air of being unapproachable.

The person in the middle was the young man Kali knew to be Endymion. The boy that she knew could only be a few months older than herself at the most had jet-black hair and hypnotizing eyes. It was well known that many girls had fallen in love with him on sight. He wore dark blue armor and the way he postured in the chair made him appear to be resentful of having to be inside. She knew the young prince had a fondness for sword fighting and hunting. It took all her strength not to blush as he gave her an intrigued gaze.

The last person seated on the other side grabbed both the attention of Kali and Essence. Though one could tell she would not be considered a young beauty, she carried herself with an inner nobility that resonated throughout her. Her long red hair hung in soft cascades around her face and a simple, small crown sat above her brow. The woman looked at Kali with sapphire colored eyes and Essence felt her heart ache. Her mother.

"Are you the girl that has sought audience with us?" King Barden addressed her.

"Yes, I am."

"Why do you come before us?"

"My name is Kali, and ever since I was young, I have known I was different. I know-" She faltered for a second, knowing what she was about to say was going to throw the royal court into an uproar around her. "I know I am the guardian of Earth."

A gasp tore through the gathered people and she watched as Endymion seemed to become interested in her. She glanced over at queen Raina and found a troubled expression on her face.

"This is complete nonsense! Guards!" Barden bellowed. "Seize her!"

"No! Wait!" Raina yelled out suddenly, raising off her throne. The king looked over at her, now stripped of his power that she had spoken. The queen was always the one that held the true power. "Guards, clear the court out of the auditorium. And when you have, post yourselves outside the door until I summon you back."

The guards reluctantly cleared out the unruly group of people and excused themselves from the room. Once alone, the group seemed to become equals.

"What is this about Raina?" The king demanded of his wife.

Everyone turned to find the queen pale and staring at Kali. "Why did you have to come?" She asked the girl weakly.

"Because Nerida told me the truth. I cannot deny who I am," She felt mixed emotions towards the woman that had gave birth to her. She had set her free and abandoned her all at once. Part of her wanted to reach out at her, another part was bitter.

"Would you like to tell him, or should I?" She said to Raina in a testing tone.

A look of distress crossed through Raina's eyes. Endymion worriedly put a hand on her arm to try and comfort her. "Whatever you have to share with us, please do. I would rather you not string this out and make my mother upset," He said to her in a dark voice.

"I am Queen Raina's daughter."

"You lie!" Barden was down off the dais in an instant and had grabbed the girl up by her shirt. "Your words are lies and treachery!"

Endymion quickly sprang off the platform and snatched the girl from his father's hold. He gave a small grin as a blush covered her cheeks while he made sure she was all right.

"Don't harm her," Raina's voice held threat in it. She sighed softly as everyone's attention turned back to her. "Yes," she whispered, almost as if to herself. "Yes. Kali is my own."

"But-" Barden was flabbergasted. "You have only been with child once."

"It's not that hard to figure out," Endymion said icily. "Raina had the midwife switch children when Kali was born." He turned away from his 'mother', his face still slightly visible by Kali. "I was just a cheap replacement."

"Please don't speak that way!" Pain was etched into her words. "I love you like you are my own son!"

He turned to her then. "But the truth is I am not. So what shall come of me now that your husband knows that I am not royal blood. Will the crown be passed onto Kali?"

"I don't want to be royalty." She said timidly. Endymion turned and regarded her with surprise. "Endymion, the last thing I want is to steal whom you've grown up being. I simply want to serve as a senshi."

"What would we tell people?" Barden said in confusion.

"I don't know. Think up some story to explain how I got here. But, I have thought that-"

"The easiest way for you to fit in would be to find some place for you," Raina said calmly. She pulled on a rope next to her chair, which signaled the guards with a chime. "Guards, let the court back in."

"Um... I don't think we were finished talking," Endymion said as both him and Barden stepped back onto the platform and sat down.

"Kali, if you believe yourself to be noble and powerful enough to be a guardian of Earth, you must prove yourself," The queen said, addressing everyone with her words. "You will do this by being the royal bodyguard to prince Endymion."

The scene faded once again, and this time reappeared at what looked like to be a tavern. Evidently some time had passed. Kali and Endymion both appeared older to her now, as they sat exchanging jokes and downing ale at a wooden table. There also seemed to be something else different between them.

"I want you to be the first to know," Endymion said suddenly.

Kali looked at him warily. It was rare for her prince to be serious. "What's wrong?"

"My parents... have found a suitable princess for me. They intend for us to wed and unite our kingdoms."

Essence could tell this news definitely took a toll on the girl, but she tried to hide it. "Who is she?"

"Serenity, of the Moon kingdom."

"Lucky girl," Kali said softly.

He gazed at her intensely. "What did you just-" The wind was knocked out of him abruptly as he was shoved violently to the floor by a man.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Kali flared at the man that had thrown Endymion to the floor.

The man sat down at their table and patted his lap as an invitation to her, ignoring the prince as he got up. Kali could smell how he reeked of alcohol. "I decided this guy was in the way of me having a drink with a beautiful lady and decided to remove him."

"That guy you decided to remove is the prince."

"So? Calm down. Why don't you sit your pretty self down on my lap and have a drink with me?"

"Why you-" Endymion, outraged, started to advance on the man. Kali let out a sound of outrage as the man turned around and punched her prince in the face. Endymion sprawled to the floor once more, his hand not hiding the blood erupting from his busted lip very well.

"You just made a huge mistake pal," Kali growled as she picked up her staff and stood.

"Oh please, what are you going to do to me? You're a woman," The man leered at her.

Purple energy visibly began to crackle on one of her hands. "In case you failed to notice, I am Endymion's bodyguard. Not to mention a senshi."

The man advanced on her quickly. Kali decided to give the creep a taste of his own medicine. She delivered a wicked right hook and sent him crashing onto the floor unconscious. The energy left a large burn across his face. Some men had jumped up to try and defend their comrade, but after looking at him thought better of it. Ignoring the crowd gathering around the fallen brute, she helped Endymion up. Tossing some coins on the table, she then led him out of the tavern.

"Are you okay?" She asked him worriedly as she settled him down against an outside wall to rest for a moment. She crouched down next to him and reached out to examine his face, but he flinched away with her touch, cussing as he did so. She ripped a piece of fabric off her short skirt and used it to dab away the blood. "I'm sorry. If I had been doing my job rather than drinking with you, that idiot never would have hit you."

"Don't say that. I invited you to have the drink." He grabbed her hand, stopping her from fussing over him for a moment, staring intently into her violet eyes. "I don't want to marry her," He said seriously.

Kali scoffed at him. "You're royalty Endymion. It's expected of you to marry."

"But shouldn't I get a say in it?"

"And what would you say?"

He tugged her hand lightly, deliberately making her lose her balance. With a small yelp she fell from her crouch to be leaned up against the prince. She gave him a dirty look while he chuckled at her. Her glare turned to an embarrassed blush as one of his arms wrapped around her waist. "I would tell them you are the only woman I will ever love."

"Endymion," She sighed as he kissed her.

"You think she will wake up soon?"

"Hopefully. Her defense mechanism must have kicked in when she was put in danger, but I think the surge of power exhausted her. Using your power takes lots of control and energy. It's twice as draining when you don't summon it properly," Bunny explained as Marcus sat next to Essence's bed. She still gripped the journal in her lap, part of her knowing it contained something important.

"She called me Fane," Marcus stated, interrupting Bunny's thoughts. "How could she know?"

"I'm not sure," Bunny replied as she opened up the journal. She flipped through the pages covered in different colors of ink and stopped on a section of pages that contained silver writing. The date at the top was from about three weeks ago. She began to read:

There was some time for us to explore the grounds before the official greeting ceremony was to start. We walked side by side in the corridors with people in them, but when no one was in sight, he reached for my hand and would not release it. We wandered into the gardens, thinking we might be able to steal a few more moments alone. My prince led me through one of the many winding paths of the enormous garden, enjoying the little time we had left together. We were getting ready to round a turn into a clearing when suddenly we heard voices. Cautiously, we peeked around the corner, hidden by a statue. There was a wooden bench in the clearing, and laying on it was a discarded purple blossom. A girl in a white gown hugged a man dressed clothing that looked like members of the royal court wore.

"You came," The girl said with a smile as she pulled away. She had long blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Of course," Replied the silver haired man she spoke to. "I wanted to-"

"Shh," She quieted him. "That can wait for a moment. There's something else I need to do first." She then leaned forward and kissed the boy she spoke with, who eagerly responded.

"Well, it seems like you are not the only one with a secret love, Endymion," Kali said as they watched the couple embrace.

Bunny dropped the book in shock. Endymion. Endymion. The word kept swirling through her head. He had saw. She had saw. Kali. She knew that name.

"Bunny, are you okay?" Marcus knelt in front of her concerned, trying to get her attention.

"Kali," She said softly. "I remember now. That fuzzy part. She is Kali. The guardian of the Earth. And..." Her voice cracked slightly as she suddenly jerked her head up to look at Essence's still form on the bed. "She's the first love of Endymion."

There had been another surge of power. Not the same power as he had felt before, but it was too much of a coincidence to ignore it. He fidgeted impatiently as he waited in line for another plane ticket. He had searched halfway across the states for and in while delayed over in Kentucky he now felt another clue.

"Can I help you?" The lady asked as his turn came up at the counter.

"Yes. I need a ticket for California."

"Where precisely?"

"Which place do you have that's leaving a soon as possible?"

The woman tapped on her keyboard for a moment and looked back up at him. "There is a flight to Long Beach in 3 hours sir."

"That will work fine," Mamoru said as he paid for the ticket.