Author: Snarf Title: Fallen Part/Chapter: 2 email: zyren@wam.umd.edu DISCLAIMER: None of these characters belong to me at all! All of them are the property of Naoko Takeuchi and everyone else who owns them. I'm making absolutely no money on this, either. Here's part 2! Again, I'm using the Japanese names, and all comments (whatever they may be) are welcome at zyren@wam.umd.edu Enjoy, and please write! ***** FALLEN Part 2: Medea After her audience with the Prince Endymion, Beryl had left the palace in a maelstrom of fury. How dare a young, insolent whelp refuse her, a queen of her own realm! She brushed long fingers through her masses of curls, assuring herself that each one was in its proper shape and place. She was the definition of beauty and perfection. And Endymion had spat on her proposal. He had made a grave error, one she was going to correct. She heard the sound of boots behind her and whirled about to meet face to face with a blonde general, a peculiar smile on his face. "Out of my sight!" she snapped, waving her arm out at him. He shook his head, his short bangs roguishly falling into his eyes. "I'm here to see you know your way out." "Why you...!" Her lips curled again into a snarl, and her hands clenched into a fist, the desire to pommel him pervading in her thoughts. He eyed her dangerously, dark eyes sparkling with delight. "Try it," he goaded. Huffing, Beryl turned her back on him, hoping her massive curls would smack him as she had wanted to with her fist. She heard his soft chuckle behind her. "I knew you wouldn't. You're too weak." Beryl counted to ten in her head, knowing full well that he would have no qualms about bashing her face in, given the opportunity. The glorious halls of New Atlantis, now glowing a deep orange as the setting sun shed its last light, were lost on the fair queen. Indeed, the marbled columns and groves of trees served only to heighten her anger. She stopped a moment for a moment, hatred rising like bile in her throat at the sight of New Atlantis, with its pristine beauty. The man striding behind her prompted her to continue more quickly with the hilt of his sword, and she soon found herself outside the palace gates. Her carriage and courtiers were waiting diligently for her, and at a nod of her head, both leaped at the blond man behind her. She grinned wickedly, knowing full well this general could not fend off her men. That grin quickly dissipated as within moments her courtiers lay dead at his feet. He pointed his sword meaningfully at her, bloodlust in his eyes. "Do you want to be next?" Gathering up whatever composure she had left, she hurried into her carriage and drove away from New Atlantis, the wind passing beneath the feet of her horses. "If you decide to send anyone else," she heard him shout, "have them come to me. I'll take real good care of them." Beryl clenched her teeth so tightly, her jaw hurt. Her own forces would not be enough to claim New Atlantis; she needed something else. ***** "It appears Jadeite has finished his job," Zoicite commented, watching the black carriage fly into the oncoming darkness. "She won't be back soon." He looked towards his prince, who seemed detached from both him and Nephlite in the chamber. Only the moon, shining like a pearl in the night sky, held his attention. Nephlite was entranced by his reading, pouring over the book on the History of the Exiles, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings. Needing something to keep him occupied while the other two concentrated on the objects of their loves, Zoicite gathered together the loose papers lying aimlessly about the table. When he had finished, Prince Endymion had yet to take his eyes from the moon. Zoicite looked back at the pile of papers, barely controlling a smirk while saying loudly, "You know, your Highness, if you continue to keep looking at the moon like that, people will think you a lunatic." A crumpled piece of parchment that he somehow had forgotten tapped him on the head. "That was not funny, Zoicite," Nephlite growled, trying not to smile. Endymion himself was smiling. "You may be right, Zoicite. But, I can't help myself. Here on Earth, I feel as though I can't touch her, that she's unreachable." "She is only a door away," Nephlite said, frowning into his book. "Nephlite is speaking truth, sire," Zoicite smiled, turning away for a moment. "Love knows no bounds, so they say." "Of all people, you should know about love," Endymion said. "After all, you have Kunzite." Stunned, Zoicite dropped the papers in his hand, not daring to look at the prince's face. How can he know? He thought, I thought we hid it well! For fear of being demoted, or sent off of New Atlantis, both of them had kept their relationship silent, neither wanting to part from the other. Zoicite desperately ran through excuses in his head. We are just good friends. He is giving me extra training. He treats me like the father I never knew. Zoicite finally fearfully looked up at the prince and saw the prince smiling at him. Nephlite glanced at him from his book, and gave him an encouraging grin before burying his nose back inside. Zoicite outwardly relaxed. "You aren't upset, then?" he hesitatingly asked. Endymion shook his head. "I've known for a long time." Zoicite frowned in confusion. "How?" "I do have eyes, Zoicite," Endymion laughed. "I was afraid your relationship with Kunzite would affect the way you did your jobs. That's probably why Kunzite wanted to hide it from me. However, I've watched you both, and it doesn't seem to interfere with your duties. So, I didn't say anything." Zoicite sighed with relief. I wonder if Kunzite knows...? he thought. "I do envy you both, though," Endymion turned back to the moon. "At least you can be together." Zoicite cocked his head a bit, thinking, then smiled, an idea forming in his head. "If you miss her so much, sire, why not visit her for a few days?" "What?" Endymion turned to stare at him, hope sparkling in his eyes. "He is right," Nephlite agreed, never once looking away from his book, "you ought to go and visit her. It has been a year, and you are not getting any younger." "But..." Endymion mulled the idea over in his head, weighing it with the recent episode that afternoon. "What about Queen Beryl?" "Oh, let us handle that!" Zoicite smiled confidently at the prince. "The four of us are here. What could possibly go wrong?" ***** Beryl returned to her Underground Kingdom, where the Exiles, her people, had been cast long ago by Lunarious. Now, although the king was dead, there was still no hope of them ever reemerging into the light, not while the Moon Kingdom still had control over Earth. She had hoped to get the handsome Endymion to sympathize with her cause, but that had proved to no avail. And he was in love with the Moon Princess, an idea far beyond Beryl's comprehension. As she made her way to the fortress, forged of stone from the surrounding walls, she could feel the hundreds of hungry eyes of her people watching. They wanted to go back, to feel human again. She had failed them. Beryl was unable to look at the crowds around her carriage, to see the sorrowful eyes of people whose hopes had been dashed. She was determined to bring them back into the light, even if it cost her her own life. Alone, she entered her throne room, sending away any servants who came to wait on her. However, she was not solely alone. *Brooding?* a deep, female voice asked, the sound echoing around the stalactitic walls. Beryl scowled. "Are you still here?" she asked, seating herself on her throne molded from rock. *I only seek to give you your every desire,* the voice persisted. *You desire Endymion, and the destruction of the Moon Kingdom. I can help you to gain both.* "So you say," Beryl said. "But I have yet to see proof of this,..." she paused, realizing she knew not even the name of the force that had come to her a week before. *Metallia,* came the response. *Queen Metallia. Or, Ravisher, if you like.* Beryl's eyes widened. She had heard of the Ravisher, even deep within the Earth. It was a force to be feared. "You are the one?" *The one responsible for the eight empty husks in your solar system? Yes.* "Then why do you need my help?" *I need an Avatar, someone who will build up an army for me. The Sailor Senshi of Queen Serenity are also a force to be feared. However, with an army...* she let the thought trail off. Beryl thought about this. Her people were desperate to go back into the light, but not enough to crawl on hands and knees giving homage to Queen Serenity. They wanted to reemerge the victors. To do this meant conquering New Atlantis in some form or fashion, and Beryl had seen a glimpse of their forces. Her own people would be no match for them. But if Metallia was offering them the power to destroy New Atlantis, they could get the revenge they so desired! Still... "Why choose me?" *Do you truly want Endymion? Do you want power? If not, I can search for someone else.* "No!" Beryl held out her hand, though there was no one there. The force that was the Ravisher chuckled. "You say you can give me and my people power. Then, I ask for it. I will be your Avatar, if I can gain my revenge over the Moon Kingdom and have Prince Endymion." *Good.* Beryl felt herself being swallowed by an unimaginable force, lightning shooting through her very veins. She squirmed in her seat, her body convulsing against the alien material being forced upon her. And all the while, an evil chuckle resounded. ***** "Where's Kunzite?" Jadeite barged into the library, fanning papers into Nephlite's face. "I need to talk to him about something." Nephlite looked up from his reading., Night had fallen, the stars dancing around a crescent moon. Nephlite had been in the process of studying the stars for signs of an upcoming conflict. The omens had been unsteady at best, and Nephlite, unlike Zoicite, did not place his trust in gods. Gods were always mysterious, ever ambiguous about their answers, when they felt like giving them. In the stars was truth, truth to be had if one knew how to interpret their movements, always present. Perhaps the stars were not quite pellucid, but with them, there was no fear of being lied to. Seeing Jadeite would not easily go away, Nephlite sighed. "He is with Zoicite. This is the first time they have had time alone together for the longest time, so I would suggest leaving them alone for the time being. When they wish to be found, you will find them." "You mean...?" Jadeite dropped his papers onto the table. "I knew Zoicite was that kind of man, but Kunzite? Didn't he used to have a fianc‚e?" He paused a moment, "I wonder if she's still available." Nephlite shook his head. "I marvel at how your mind works." "What? There are only two things that make life worth living!" He held out his hand, enumerating with his fingers as he spoke, "Wine, women, and fighting!" Jadeite glanced at his outstretched fingers. "Three things." Nephlite went back to his reading, ignoring the blonde general. However, Jadeite would not be ignored. "What are you reading?" "You would not understand, and I seriously doubt you care much." "Try me." Nephlite passed the book over to him. "It is a log of some of the Lunar explorer Selene's observations of the many planets of our solar system." Jadeite flipped through the pages. "Why are you reading it?" "To find out answers to the meaning of life. To gain a better perspective of why we humans are the lowest sentient life form of the solar system. The Moon people are helping us with technology. Why? What could they possibly gain from it? Do you remember the Senshi?" "The eight beautiful women in those tight, mini-skirt outfits?" Nephlite slowly said, "Yes." He decided that that description of them, however crude, would suffice. "Look at their powers! No one on Earth could replicate them, no matter how hard we could try! And yet, they do not wish to conquer us, only better us." "Maybe they're just nice people." "Nice people. There are all sorts of nice people in the world, no, in the Universe, Jadeite, and those people are always trying to conquer other inferior races. I am actually surprised Queen Serenity has not tried to conquer us, as of yet. They may give us knowledge, but that knowledge is limited." "You're right. I don't understand. I mean, what more do you want?" "To find out why we are here, why we were born, what our place is in the Universe." "That's easy. To protect Earth, and to protect Prince Endymion." Jadeite leaned back in his seat with a satisfied smile. "What more do we need to know?" Nephlite managed a smile. It was a simple answer, but somehow, fitting. And yet, he still remained uneasy. Did the Moon people know more about the Exiles than they were willing to reveal? ***** Kunzite was wondering the same thing as he stood at the doorway of his terrace, looking critically at the moon. However, unlike Nephlite, his concern was the protection of Earth. Who are these Exiles? he thought, looking across the great expanse of sea. He knew Beryl was out there, lurking, in some great Underground Kingdom. But where? That was the question. And, how much power did they have? Kunzite was fairly sure that Queen Beryl would attack New Atlantis for being rebuked, however, when she came, she had only brought two footsoldiers, and no emissary to negotiate the alliance she claimed to have wanted. And, if she did have enough force for an invasion, why not go ahead and do it? She could have killed him, Jadeite, Nephlite and Zoicite, destroyed New Atlantis, and forced Endymion to her will. She did not. There was also the Ravisher to be wary of as well. Kunzite had heard the stories of the mysterious Ravisher, the very force that destroyed the civilizations of the planets Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. The princesses of those planets were the only ones to survive. The tales of the destruction of the other planets of the solar system had been told to Kunzite a number of times, mostly to inform him of what his planet soon could face. The former princesses of the planets, now the queen's private Senshi had battled that force and lost, managing by their own will to survive. It was then that they took their planet's name as their own. Having seen them firsthand in action, and also having trained with some of them, Kunzite knew well how powerful the Senshi could be. They wielded not only swords and shields, but magical powers that allowed them to use their energy as a weapon. Indeed, no human could do anything like that. So why did the Ravisher leave Earth alone? Kunzite never told anyone, even Zoicite, but he feared the Ravisher. Could he and the armies of New Atlantis truly protect Earth from such a power, should it decide to attack? And would the Moon Kingdom help, or simply stay neutral, as was its tendency nowadays. A low moan and the rustling of sheets told Kunzite Zoicite was reawakening. Moments later, he heard the soft pad of bare feet on stone floor, then a soft crop of honey-gold hair rested itself on his arm. Kunzite smiled, then wrapped that arm around Zoicite's shoulders, allowing Zoicite's head to rest on his broad chest. Zoicite hadn't really wanted to get out of that nice warm bed, but he didn't want to be alone, either. It was the first time in a long time he had the chance to be alone all night with Kunzite. The cold wind brushed across his bare skin, and he contemplated telling Kunzite he was cold. But, then Kunzite would send him back to the bed, staying at the window, thinking about whatever he was thinking about. Zoicite had a pretty good idea it had nothing to do with him. He too, had worried a little about the mysterious Queen Beryl, and he shared Kunzite's fears that their small army would not be enough. But Zoicite set aside those fears this night. For tonight, he just wanted the pleasure of Kunzite near him, in both mind and body, and even that seemed unlikely. Another breeze wafted through the portal, prompting an uncontrollable shiver through Zoicite's body. Kunzite felt it, and smiled. He had Zoicite tonight. The questions could wait for answers tomorrow. "Are you cold?" Zoicite opened his mouth to protest, fearing Kunzite would send him back to the bed alone, when he caught the gleam in those sky- blue eyes. He smiled seductively. "A little." "We'll have to remedy that." Kunzite bent down to kiss him. ***** Power. She could feel it coursing through her body, every pore filled with energy. Yes. She could conquer New Atlantis with this power, make Endymion hers. *I see you approve,* the Ravisher, Queen Metallia, said. *It is good.* "Oh, yes!" Beryl cried out, reveling in the sheer ecstasy of the tingling sensation. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her beauty had been lost; her eyes were red within yellow and horns grew from her arms. Fangs showed at her smile, and mock imitations of elfin ears replaced her rounded ones. But beauty was a small sacrifice for the force that flowed within. She turned back to Metallia. "What of my people?" *The same can be done to them, if you wish. With such power, conquering New Atlantis should be easy.* "Yes," Beryl mused. With such powers, conquering helpless humans would be easy. Conquering the Moon Kingdom would be difficult, considering that, though the Exiles were well versed in the arts of combat, they had yet to experience war. She needed commanders: experienced people to help her lead her people to victory against the Moon Kingdom. "I will need leaders, though, if it pleases you." Metallia chuckled. *Oh? Very well. Four generals you shall have.* Four images of men appeared before her, all four the generals of Prince Endymion. Yes, thought Beryl, eyes gleaming with delight. They will do nicely.