Quests for Truth, Book Two of UGS, by Sailor GlitterGirl and Rose Aquarius, November, 2001 Glitter-Chan: Sorry, can't chat; too tired. It's that type of sleepiness when you're dead tired, but you can't sleep a wink. *makes face* I hate that. Rose-chan: *yawns* I know what you mean. Anyhoo, peeps, read on and enjoy! Glitter-chan: Hey, that's my line! *grumbles* *smiles tiredly at readers* Happy reading! *smirks at Rose-chan as she pouts* Payback. Rose-chan: *grumbles* Yeah, yeah, yeah.... *****@ THE UNIVERSAL GALAXY SAGA @***** ~The Quests For Truth~ Chapter Seven: Forces Reunited Rated: PG-13 for darkness and violence On a small planet in a beautiful galaxy, near the center of the universe, two battles raged, and life itself relying on whom was the victor of both and either. Neither was going well for the side of good... *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* "LOOK OUT!" Raven screamed, Sailor Galaxy heared and obeyed the warning just in time to duck out of the way of a downswiping broadsword. Weaponless and powerless, the one who enjoyed a good fight the most was reduced to dodging and ducking and rolling. Galaxy was *not* happy about this. Jupiter, near her, covering her back when she could, was locked in hand to hand combat, and Galaxy was extremely unhappy that she could do nothing to help. Nor was she happy about the fact that Raven, Sailor Moon, and Orion were tied up guarding Eclipse, whom carried a precious cargo; her sister, the unconscious and dying Versia. *Hold on, sis...* Laxa grunted as she ducked and rolled between the legs of yet another unscathed Shadow Warrior. *We'll get out of this...somehow...* Yet even as she thought the words passionately, she knew deep in her heart that there was no hope. Even those of them that still had powers could hardly do anything. Even Sailor Moon's strongest attack didn't even scratch the weakest of the warriors. Sailor Galaxy roared. Orion cried. Sailor Galaxy stopped mid call as she stopped, whirled, and stared wide-eyed at the pulsing black crystal that was floating ever so slightly above a raised, four foot high black marble dais. *A shield...* Galaxy thought, then grinned. Of course! Why hadn't she thought of it before? The reason the Shadow Warriors were so strong was because they were right next to the very source of their power! Galaxy's eyes hardened, and -thinking quick- she ducked just in time to avoid getting her head split open from behind. She grabbed the arm of the Shadow Warrior that had attacked her, and threw him as hard as she could towards the black crystal. Just before she losts contact with him, knowing what her next action would cost her, and fullingly willing to pay the price, she charged the evil Soldier with every last bit of Life-Light power that was left in her. The silver-power filled warrior slammed into the Crystal. Sailor Galaxy fell to the ground, her body cold. The black crystal shattered. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* "Nothing." Venus grumbled. "We've been patroling the border of Tokyo for seven hours and nothing." "It seems that the Shadow Kingdom has withdrawn from the outside world." Saturn's voice commented from the screen on Venus's communicator wrist watch. "They must be concentrating their efforts within their own forces, now that they have Versia." "They won't have her for long, if Laxa and Eclipse have anything to say about it." Saturn chuckled. "True enough." The Senshi of Silence said. "I almost feel sorry for whoever gets in her way." "Me too. But note 'almost." Venus rose from her crouching position at the base of one of the the legs of a radio tower atop a skyscraper. "I'm thinking it's safe to head back. I haven't picked up any negative readings, though I'm not as sensitive to it as Mars. But still, if they were planning anything outside their domain, I think I would feel it." "Same here." Saturn seemed to hesitate. Venus made a running leap to a neighboring skyscraper, still listening to her communicator. Saturn continued. "And I agree, we should get back, and hurry." "Why?" "Something's wrong; the others are in trouble." *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Mars roared her fury as she leaped up and over a fallen Mini Moon to blast ten flaming arrows at once, all of them embedding themselves into two Shadow Warriors, five to a warrior. The five of them fell to the ground, purifying flames flooding searing their evil blood. "Mini-Moon!" Mars cried to the little girl at her feet, just behind her. "Rini, wake up!" Mini Moon groaned, whimpered, and slowly pulled one arm into a postion that would push her up. Her face contorted in pain, she slowly raised herself to a sitting position, her right arm falling limp, useless at her side, a dagger buried in the ten year old's shoulder. "Rini! Mini-moon, are you alright?" Mercury cried. "I'm...f-f-HINE!" Sailor Mini Moon gasped the last part of 'fine' as she accidently jarred her arm in an attempt to stand. Mars' attention was yanked away from her smaller comrade as another Shadow Warrior leaped at her. He was already too close for an arrow, so Mars dropped the bow, the weapon dissintigrating before it touched the ground to reapear on Mars' back as she was engaged in hand to hand combat. Her Tryran Mars form enhanced her physical strength greatly, even more so that Sailor Mars had, but she was still less than a match for a full Shadow Warrior, and she was loosing. All she could do was steer him away from Rini, who was desperately trying to get on her feet as Mercury did her best to shield her. Suddenly, a blur of black and red wizzed by, snatched up Sailor Mini-Moon, and whisked her up a fire escape to the roof. Mars blinked, punched the Shadow Warrior, then smiled. Rose! Mars suddenly gasped as she saw out of the corner of her eye, a flash of metal. A second Shadow Warrior had snuck up beside her, and a knife was rushing towards her unprotected side. Her eyes widened, blocked a blow from her first opponent, and braced herself for the pain.... "VENUS LOVE CHAIN ENCIRCLE!" A cry of power split the night air, and a rush of golden light passed by Tryran Mars from behind. A chain of illuminated glowing linked hearts knotted itself around the dagger, and yanked it from the Shadow Warrior's grasp. "Keep your filthy paws of my friend!" Sailor Venus snarled, her usually calm sky blue eyes had become as dark and stormy as a summer storm. Her golden hair lashed around her amid the glowing golden-orange aura of her power. "V-chan!" Mars cried, looking back over her shoulder. Venus flashed the Warrior of War a 'V is for Victory' sign, before launching a 'Venus Meteoir Shower' towards yet another group of dark soldiers that leaped at her, coming out of the portal. "We have to find a way to close the portal!" Saturn cried, holding onto her glaive with both hands, spread apart, the sword of an enemy warrior bearing down on it between them. "We can't!" Mercury cried back, dodging a swinging, spiked club only to whirl around and freeze its bearer in a cocoon of ice. "Sailor Moon and Sailor Galaxy and them are still in there!" "They'd better hurry up!" Venus grumped, punching another warrior, then backflipping out of harms way. *Hurry, you guys...* Mars thought desperately, lowering her bow slightly after firing two arrow's into Venus's opponent. *Hurry...* *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* "NO!!!!!" Orion screamed as he saw his sister fall, not noticing that the black crystal now lay in shards, scattered across the room. He ran towards her, but Raven beat him to her side. Kneeling, Raven scooped Laxa's limp form into his arms. Upon contact with her silky skin, he knew what she had done. In trying to fill the Shadow Warrior with enough positive energy to damage the crystal, she had tapped into her own life-energy, and sapped herself dry. "No..." Sailor Moon whispered, standing behind Raven and looking at Galaxy's white, white face. The Shadow Warriors around them remained stunned, rooted where they stood to the ground, staring at the destroyed remains of their source of power. Suddenly Sailor Moon and Orion, standing next to a kneeling Raven, gasped as Sailor Galaxy's skin pulsed with her silver-white aur, glitter sprouted from her crystal over her heart, and from the jewel on her forehead. Her forehead symbol, revealed, flashed brightly, once, then dimmed and disappeared. As it did so, the glow around her body faded abruptly, leaving only Alex Whitcom behind in white jean shorts and ice blue tank top. "No..." Whoever uttered the word was not ackowledged. Suddenly the evil soldiers around then snapped out of their reverie and attacked, this time with a vengence. With the black crystal gone, they now fell as would normal men. But the previous edition of the battle had greatly sapped Sailor Jupiter's, Sailor Moon's, Orion's, and Raven's power. Now with Laxa out of commision, and Raven committed to guarding what was left of her -be there a small chance she was still alive- along with Versia and Eclipse, the chance of them all getting out of the Shadow Kingdom alive was less than before. With a cry of spiritual agony and rage, Sailor Moon, tears in her eyes, slammed the head of her sceptor into the side of the face of a shadow, blowing it to dust as she shoved her power into him. She went on to zap another soldier that was bearing down on Jupiter, following that with a vicious kick to another that was advancing on Orion. Sailor Jupiter could hardly believe what was happening. They had come to rescue Versia, and instead it looked like not only would they not even get out, but they had most likely lost Versia *and* Laxa, and before they had even escaped the fortress! The Senshi of Protection was *not* in a good mood. And she took it out full force on anyone -save her comrades- that came near her. Green electricity flew from her fingertips, her Thunder Dragon raging about at her command. Orion, his endless kicking, punching, ducking, rolling, slashing, stabbing fighting stemmed from his blind rage. How dare they? How dare the trick him into leaving who he truely was to serve them. How dare they harm his mother and aunt, and the father he had never known. How dare they go and kidnap Versia, and treat her like a rag doll. And how dare they, how *dare* they try and take the only family he had left, right after he had gotten them back! "How dare you!" Orion screamed, slamming his last dagger deep into the non-existent heart of yet another warrior. It gasped, coughed up black blood, and fell to the ground. Despite their feverent efforts, the battle did not turn. Sheer numbers and fresh eagerness for battle was against them, along with fatigue, hunger, pain, injuries, and insufficient numbers. *We're not going to get out of this...* Eclipse suddenly realized, leaning against a pillar to rest as Jupiter stood before him, stopping anyone that dared to go too close. He unconsciously clutched Versia's limp form closer, tears in his eyes as he looked down at her mauled beauty. Cuts and bruises and gashes covered her lovely face, littered her perfect body. *Oh, Versia...* He thought. Suddenly, abruptly, everything...everyone... stopped. Four stars flashed into existence, against the wall opposite the entrance, to your left if you were facing where the black crystal had once been. The four stars, each different in color -dark maroon, gold with speckles of dark blue, creamy yellow, and bright aqua- flashed, transforming into tall, oblong shaped black portals lined with a single thread of the same color as the star that had been there previously. All continued to stay silent. Even the portals made no noise, until... "Fate's...CRUELTY!!!!!" A familar voice gave a cry filled with fresh determination. From the portal lined with dark maroon, a beam sprouted out of the center, rushing towards the opposite wall and spreading like a fan as it did so, wiping out everything in its wake. Orion made a running leap and tackled Sailor Moon to the ground, just before the widening beam -a few feet above the ground- passed over them. The Moon Princess smiled her thanks. The Light Senshi looked around, and gaped. Over a fourth of the Shadow Warriors that had been in the room were gone. "Wha-" "JUMP!" A -familiar- voice screamed. Automatically, Raven -Laxa in his arms- Eclipse -Versia in *his* arms- Sailor Jupiter, Orion, and Sailor Moon obeyed, and leaped into the air, their heightened abilites keeping them aloft as a battle cry was given, and the ground below was flooded with aquamarine light. "Pride's...Pulverising Waters!" Fizzings of aqua light, and an entire ocean of sea blue water slammed into the Shadow Warrior's below. They cried out in agony just as the Light Senshi above them began to come back down from their jump. A split second before they touched down, the watery power was blown away by a misty breeze. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!!" Knowing what would come next, the group of warriors ran to the side of the room. Sailor Moon leaped out of the way just in time, as the ground began shaking and crumbling. "Distrust...Destructive...WINDS!!!!!!" The domed roof caved in, crumbling as it fell. One section stayed whole, and the warriors that weren't caught beneath it were dissintigrated by the pulsing streams of cream yellow light that burst from the color corrisponding portal. "It can't be..." Sailor Moon's eyes filled with hope. Suddenly everyone looked around, and discovered that they were the only things left alive in the room. "Kami-sama..." Orion breathed. "Impossible!" "Nothing is impossible when you have the Truth." A deep, male, truimphant voice said, a hint of a smirk in his tone. "Wha-?" Sailor Moon whirled to look at the golden edged portal. A gasp of disbelief escaped her lips, and tears of happiness came to her eyes as she rushed forward to throw herself into the arms of the man that stepped out of the swirling blackness. "DARIEN!!!!!" *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* "They just keep coming!" Mercury cried, shrieking as she just barely missed getting her head speared by a flying glaive -not Saturn's. *We can't close the portal, because the guys and the sisters are still in there.* Venus grunted as she weakly threw a shadow off her and rolled away. *Yet we can't leave, either; we have to be here to guard their retreat.* Venus growled as she launched a razor accurate Venus laser beam. It glanced off a window and struck a warrior from behind. Suddenly, abruptly, there were no more Shadow Warriors. The Senshi stood on guard, all in battle stances, alert as they caught their wind. "I sense something coming..." Mars breathed, her mental and spiritual sensors clouded. She couldn't tell if it was positive or negative. "How many?" Mercury asked quietly, not daring to take the time to get her computer, dare there be an ambush; she couldn't aford to have her hands full. Mars counted mentally as best as she could. "Eleven." She said finally. "Can't be the Senshi, then." Hotaru panted, clutching her shoulder while weakly gripping her glaive with her other hand. Venus sighed. "Here they come," Mars hissed, and they all tensed, the less tele-gifted ones finally able to sense the immense group of power coming their way. Venus squinted in confusion. She was no expert like Mars, but somehow the power seemed...familiar. And not all that evil, too, if evil at all. Still, she had been a warrior too long to let her guard down because of that, and she strengthened her resolve, and shifted her fighting stance as she clenched her fists before her even tighter. Rigid, they waited as the power came closer and closer to the portal, till it was right at the edge, almost into their dimension, and then... "CLOSE THE PORTAL!!!!!" A male voice screamed, just as eleven figures, two in the arms of two more and two others in short skirts, leaped out of the portal, sailing overhead to land behind the Senshi with a collective 'oomph.' It took a moment for Mars and Venus to register, and when they did, Venus burst out laughing when she saw the identity of the group. Smiling, but not to be swayed, Mars nodded to Mercury, who returned the gesture as Venus went to check on the returned senshi. Tryran Mars readied her bow, closed her eyes, and let her power flow down her arms, and into the sacred wood of her arrows. "Heart's...Iced...FLAME ARROWS!!!!!!" Mars released her wrath in the form of flaming magical arrows that streamed towards the potal. The portal exploed with the power that had been thrown *at* it, not *into* it. Something within roared, but the portal held. "Now, Venus!" "Right!" The Senshi of love and beauty whirled, her eyes hardened with determination, and took aim. "Venus...Love and Beauty...SHOCK!" A barracade of flashing and twirling golden hearts slammed into the portal full force, and with an ear splitting squeal, then an earth shattering explosion, the portal collapsed completely. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Versia groaned as her eyes fluttered open. Groggily, her senses of smell, sight, sound, and touch came back to her. Finding herself smothered in a bed under mounds of blankets and her head cushioned with mountains of satin pillows, she stood and streched cautiously. "Ouch!" she hissed sleepily, her ribs still bruised from the battle she still forgot had happened. She ran a hand through her long hair and immediately encountered clusters of brittle, dried white substance. *Blood.* She realized. She suddenly felt dirty, and battered- which she was, and she stumbled towards the bathroom, where she stripped out of her black jeans and white tank top -Laxa must have caused her detransformation, she realized. Naked, she examined her injuries closer, wincing as she touched severe bruises. Her broken bones had already begun to heal. She smiled. Unlike the other Senshi, her sisters and her own unimaginable immune system and regenerative capabilites went beyond their transformation, since technically they weren't human, never had been, and never would be. She turned on the shower, truning up the temperature, and cautiously stepped in. She gently scrubbed herself all over, then, her exhaustion catching up with her again, she leaned against the marble shower wall and covered her bruised face with her mauled hands. "Brused ribs... Cranial trama... Battered shoulders... Rope burns at wrists and ankles..." The list of her injuries were mumbled out of her swollen lips. Then it finally hit her. "I was dead..." She realized, and clutched her forehead, "I was dead, again." she ran a shaky hand through her damp hair, and realized that the crisp clumps of dried blood were now soggy and sticky. Making a face, she set to washing her hair. Several minutes later found Versia beginning to turn into a prune, and she was forced to shut off the water flow and step out of the shower. Careful of her bruises -fading, but still tender- she wrapped a white towel snuggly around her slender form. Another towel went around her head, cushioning her hair. "Man..." Versia plopped down on the bed, and began to wonder what had happened while she was out. Hesitantly, careful of her feeble power remains, she reached out to her sister. Versia's eyes flew open, rage flashing in her golden eyes. She opened her mouth to scream for her sibling, when- Suddenly, her door opened slowly and a short, blue hair girl looked in hesitantly. Upon seeing Versia not only conscious but sitting up, and obviously wet from a shower after all the blood she lost, Amy's eyes lit up. "Versia!" The girl screeched in delight, relieved tears in her eyes. "That's my name, don't wear it out." Versia grumbled, her mind still fixed on her soon to be dead sister -if Laxa wasn't dead already, the idiot. Versia saw Amy's puzzled face and sighed with a gently smile. "I'm fine, Amy-chan." Her voice and expression then darkened, "But I would like to speak with *Princess Galaxcia*, if you please." Her eyes twinkling, and knowing very good and well why the Senshi of Starlight wanted to see the Senshi of Life0Light, Amy heeded her words and scurried out the door, and headed for the living room. As Amy entered the living space of Laxa's and Versia's apartment, everyone leaped up and pounded the Wisdom Warrior with questions. "She alright?" Lita asked. "Is she awake?" Eclipse demanded; Darien and Orion had been forced to knock him out to get him away from Versia's side. "Is she talking?" "Did she ask for me?" A faint, weak voice asked urgently from beyond everyone else. Surprised, Amara, Michelle, Darien, Orion, Mina, Amy, Raye, Lita, Setsuna, Raven, Eclipse, as well as Luna and Artimus -both of whom had been wearing holes into the floor at Raye's temple, clawing their hair out in worry- turned to look at the silver haired, silver eyed woman leaning heavily on the doorframe that was the entrance to Laxa's bedroom. Raven made his way next to Laxa just in time to catch her as she collapsed. "You're okay!" Mina cried, wrapping her arms around the girl happily in a gentle hug. "You should still be in bed!" Luna scolded. "You're in almost as bad a condition as your sister!" "I'm fine, old friend." Laxa laughed, and ended up couging. "You were saying?" Luna said lowly. Amy smiled and shook her head. "Luna is right, Princess, you should be in-" "Not until I find out who my sister is. Oh, and call me Princess again, and you will find yourself in a very uncomfortable postion." Everyone laughed at the dead serious look on the silver-haired woman's face. Even Laxa had to smile. "Please, Mercury..." Laxa asked, her voice soft. "How is my sister?" "She'll be fine as long as she keeps activities to a minimum so she can build up more blood," Amy sighed and cracked a wry smile. "Although, just a moment ago she asked for 'Princess Galaxxcia' and she didn't sound too happy, either." With this Laxa slumped in Raven's arms and muttered, "I'm doomed." Serena looked confused. "What's wrong? Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something?" Orion spoke, "Two things. One, earlier yesterday whren Laxa wanted to dust that first youma in a hurry, she used a power that is forbidden to her; last time she used it it nearly killed her. The only reason that she survived this time was because she didn't use it entirely." "And the second?" Michelle asked. "Second, when destroying that black crystal in the center of the Shadow Kingdom, Laxa as good as committed suicide. Versia will NOT be amused by either of those actions." As if on cue, screaming and yelling was heard from Versia's room. Everyone laughed or shook their heads in pity. "Poor girl..." Dari